For he is said to haue the seuen spirites of God that is to haue the seuen fourmed spirit whom he also powreth out vpon the faithful or els he is one only spirit and not seuen but seuen that is to witte his graces be many and diuerse as I declared in the first chapter for the same hath also in his right hand seuen starres to witte the whole multitude of all preachers and ministers keping and instructing theÌ„ And this beginning agreeth not amisse with this argument which he treateth in this Epistle For of the spirite of Christ is life Of the want of the spirit death Christ preserueth the ministers how angrie so euer meÌ„ ar in the churche with theÌ„ for accusing their wickednes Priuely therfore he warneth them to craue the spirite to norishe the lyfe spirituall And to trust in Christe which wil defende the ministers and auaunce them After the same that he testifieth in all other Epistles he repeateth here also I knowe thy workes Wherof I haue spoken before The Loâ—de is ignoraunt of nothyng that is done in the churche whiche is also the searcher of hartes And especially he blameth this in this Churche The sickenes of this church that she thought her selfe a lyue where she was dead He speaketh not of the corporall but of the spirituall lyfe and death For Christe lyueth by his spirite in his sainctes and faythfull and sheweth lyuely workes by them Lyke as the Lorde teacheth in the .vi. of Iohn and in many other places of the Gospel of S. Iohn The Apostle said also that he liued not now Galat. 2 1 Tim. 5 but that Christ liued in him The same Apostle said that wydowes liuing in waÌ„tones being aliue were dead They be dead therfore which haue not Christ liuing in theÌ„ by faith spirit Which haue not the vertue of Christ workyng in theÌ„ that is which bringeth not forth liuely workes Math. 8 For the Lord is red to haue said also in the Gospel Suffer the dead to bury their dead The Sardensians therfore had the name of men liuing that is to say they were called Christians spirituall regenerated and holy worshippers of God but they were dead to witte hipocrites in whome no spirite nor Christen life appered The fleshe the world and corruption as yet liued in theÌ„ But such churches displease Christ There be many suche at this day But whether doth Christ reiect them Verely he blameth such but not to confounde them for so the worlde blameth but that they should repent For he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And therfore consequently he prepareth a medicine for the disease A medicine prepared for the sicknes And first he prescribeth to the starres or Byshops what they should do in this case Then telleth he also the whole coÌ„gregation their dutie Wherof we learne howe like diseases of churches are to be holpen That beloÌ„geth to the Pastours that he commaunded them to watche verely ouer the flock And to confirme that remained of the flock not yet in dede lost but next vnto perdition vnlesse it be holpeÌ„ in time with sound and holsome doctrine He alluded doubtles to that cure and charge pastorall whiche the Lorde describeth in the xxxiiii chapt of Ezechiel The flock is confirmed by the word of God by the same it is retyred from death and preserued in lyfe c. The workes of that church not ful before God Now also he addeth the reason why he commaundeth to confirme the flocke least they slyde in to death For I haue not found thy workes full or perfit before God The Greke copie Complutensian and Aretas haue my God By workes he vnderstaÌ„deth al things that are done wordes works and the whole conuersation of men The workes doubles euen of Sainctes be euermore vnperfit if we haue respecte to humane imbecillitie For always so long as we lyue here the flesh fighteth against the spirite In so muche that Iob sayd how he feared all his workes and therfore fled to the clemeÌ„cie of the iudge Notwithstanding they be perfit and full in respect of Christ For he is our fulnes and in hym we are coÌ„plete Iohn 1. Ephes 1. Coloss the 12. And he maketh vs pertakers of his fulnes by faythe They of Sardis were destitute of trewe fayth wherfore euery worke of theirs muste nedes be vnperfit before God whiche alloweth nothinge but that is of the sonne and moste pure Therfore the Lorde coÌ„maundeth to teache faith diligently and beate it in that they maye bâ— made perfit in Christe This is the beste medicine for the deadly disease of Christes churche Here followeth the dutie of the people The true apostolike repentauÌ„ce how they may be healed by the apostolicall repentaunce Whereof the chiefe poincte is to remember the lordes wordes in what we haue hearde and receiued the same We are not commaunded to diuise newe formes of religion and repentaunce but we are sent to the olde tradition not of men but the which we haue in the Scriptures of Euangelistes and Apostles These I saye we oughte to remembre For throughe custome of sinning we forget Gods worde And truely the beginnyng of Peters repentaunce was to haue remembred the wordes of the Lorde Therfore such as will not be reproued and instructed by gods worde shall neuer come to or attayne the trewe repentaunce Furthermore it is necessarie that we kepe and reteyne the wordes of God that is the trewe doctrine of Christ leeste we forget it streight wayes or that we sette it in vayne contemplation and not in effectuall worke The doctrine of Christ must be kept and perfourmed in worke For in the laste place it followeth and repente Trew repentauÌ„ce consisteth in worke that in minde body we should tourne awaie from euil and tourne vnto God and do good beyng sorie for our wicked dedes paste this is the trewe Apostolicall repentaunce Vnto the whiche repentaunce nowe By threatninges he exhorteth to repentaunce after the diuine prophetical apostolical maner he draweth theÌ„ by the threatnings Whiche are in dede to be referred aswell to the ministers as to the people in the congregation Againe the Lord vseth parables whiche we reade that he vsed in S. Matth. 24. Where with the same he exhorteth to watchyng sobrietie Whiche place sins it is there expounded at large I nede not to vse many wordes aboute it here To the Lorde be prayse and thankes geuyng for euermore ¶ He alloweth and commendeth those that couet to liue godly in the Churche of Sardis exhorting them that they would so holde on and procede The .xvi. Sermon BVt thou haste a fewe names in Sardis whiche haue not defiled their garmentes And they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie He that ouercometh shall be clothed in white araye and I will not put out his name out of the boke of life And I will confesse his name before my Father
can appere in the sight of the tremblable God and fire consumyng all thinges saue he that is purged with the bloud of Christe and what shall we thinke can be hidde or escape the sight of God seyng all thinges How men shall be iudged in the laste iudgemēt S. Iohn moreouer declareth howe the dead shoulde be iudged bokes sayeth he are opened and an other booke is opened c. Therefore by the bokes after by the boke of life that is to saye of such thinges as are written in those bokes the dead are iudged For the Scripture ascribeth vnto God the maner of men wherby men are wonte to write for themselues remembraunces leest they should forget thinges but with God al things are ones and alwayes present he nother forgetteth The forgettyng remēbryng of God nor remembreth not withstanding the Scripture attributeth to him both Howebeit God is sayde to forgette when he helpeth not or punnissheth not agayne he is sayde to remēbre what time he helpeth or pūnisheth In Malachie the vngodly saye howe God hath no care of mens matters nother doeth he for the godly nor yet pūnisheth the wicked But immediately aūswere is made than thei that feared the lord spake euery one to his neighbour the lord gaue eare and hearde a boke of remembraunce was made in his presence c. As followeth Therfore their bokes opened that is to say the secrettes of al mē brought to light or made manifest the lord shal iudge what so euer hath ben thought saide done or lefte vndone The bokes also of consciences for the cōscience is in stead of a thousande witnesses shal be opened in iudgement God reuealyng and iudging al thinges For S. Paule speakyng of the gentiles they sayeth he shewe the worke of the lawe written in their hartes their cōscience also bearyng witnes their thoughtes accusing one au other or also excusing in that daye wherein the lord shal iudge the secrettes of menne according to my gospell through Iesus Christ And these are in dede the bookes whiche shall be vnclosed in the iudgement Whereof it appereth that the iudgement shal be done with most expedition nother shall euery man be reasoned with all by bookes written to make the iudge wery as the ignoraunt might imagine hereby But what is that singular boke of life The boke of life which also shal be opened in the iudgemēt of the boke of life is spokē in the .3 cha There you may see To be brefe the boke of life hath but one article he that beleueth in the sonne of god hath life euerlasting And therfore mē are iudged of this that is writtē in the boke of life For they that beleue are saued they that beleue not are already iudged that is to saye are most assuredly damned And for asmuch as faith sheweth it selfe by workes Euery mā is iudged of his workes incredulitie also hidde in the harte bewrayeth her self by workes therefore S. Iohn addeth incontinently accordyng to their workes For man in the Scriptures is likened to a tree And the tree is iudged of the fruicte whether it be good or euill A tree hath a growing or increasing life which in latin is called Anima vegetatiua a nature or disposition bringyng forth fruicte after his nature kinde But that soule vegetatiua that good dispositiō bringing forth in vs good fruicte that is to saye good workes is a liuely faith in Christ where the same is there the man is regenerated hath a good disposition therfore cā he not scharse by reasō of his good dispositiō but bring forth good fruictes Therfore after our workes we shal be iudged al. For the iudgemēt must be open manifest but faith appereth not but in workes For it is the gifte of God is of it selfe inuisible to witte a sure truste in the promesses of God And it is sene in workes Howbeit therof it followeth not that men ar iustified by workes also not by faith only but that by workes faith is declared which purifieth iustifieth that afterwarde we may be able to bring forth the workes of rightuousenes It followeth how in iudgemēt no pretēce no hipocrisie shal be allowed For many say thei beleue whiche declare their faith by no good workes We learne herof that no boke shal be of force at the last iudgemēt saue the bokes of God or the bokes of cōsciēces wherin god writeth with his fingar finally the boke of life writtē of God before the worlds were made through his diuine predestinatiō wherby he hath predestinated vs that he might adopt vs for his childrē by christ Iesus And the rest which S. Paul reciteth in the .1 to the Ephes Therefore shal the hurtefull bookes of Iewes Christians in title only and Turkes as the Thalmud decretalles and Alcorane perishe These shal be of no force at al in the iudgement Of the resurrection of the dead Now he retourneth to the dead of whō he had made mentiō before leest any mā shuld saie how shal the dead be iudged which were drowned in the sea whith were swallowed vp of fishes deuoured of wilde beastes which were consumed with fire or in the earth were brought into duste he preuenteth declareth that the bodies of the dead rise agayne beyng so restored come to iudgement saieth and the sea gaue vp the dead that were therin that is to saie which had perished in the Sea And by these wordes also hath he touched the maner meane of the resurrectiō of the dead hath sent vs withal to the .1 of Genes The maner of the resurrection is gods omnipotēcie as S. Paul also witnesseth in the .3 to the Philip. For god by his omnipotencie reiseth vp calleth those things that are not that thei may be Yf this thing seme vnto thee new or vnpossible beholde the beginnyng of things therof esteme the small restitution Was not the Sea or water frō the beginnyng but is it writtē to haue had any fishes frō the beginning none at al. But God cōmaūded that the water shuld be replenished with fish And did not streight at gods cōmaūdement all maner of fishes appere where before there was not one what maruell is it thā yf god in th ende of things cōmaund the Sea other elemēts also to yeld again their dead thei obey their maker Verely the Lord in the gospel saieth that they which are in their graues also Ihon 5 shal heare the voice or cōmaūdemēt of the sonne of God and shal ryse againe The bodies moreouer of them that dye are turned for the most parte in to the same elements from whence they were taken oute There is that putrifieth in the earth and is cōuerted in to earth Ther are some consumed with fyre There are some that perishe in water Some hang in the ayre and are there consumed But at the Lordes commaundent by what kynd of death so euer they
that you lose not this grace through your negligâ—â— be diligent attentife and circumspect styryng vp in yoâ— selues the gift of God The spirit speaketh these thinges Now also he prouoketh to dilligeÌ„ce by authoritie diuiâ—â— The spirite of God speaketh and reuealeth these things 〈◊〉 the spirite of men or of errour for God speaketh by his sâ—â—rite whiche is red to be the spirite both of the father and oâ— sonne Moreouer he applieth all and euery thing to all coâ—gregations where he sayth what the spirite saith to the coâ—gregations not to the congregation It is now than manifest and out of all controuersie These thiÌ„ges apperteine to all churches that those seuen churches do represent a figure of al churches throughout the whole world and that all they be instructed in those seuen Furthermore least any thyng shoulde wante to the iuste exhortation vnto repentaunce to faith and dilligence last he annexeth a moste ample promyse and vseth an allegoricall speache that it might haue the more grace with it A most ample promis To them that ouercome he promyseth to geue the fruict of the tree of lyfe planted in the paradise of God And alludeth to the .2 Chap. of Genesis And he translateth the sense from earthly thinges to celestiall The paradise Paradise of God by the which som vnderstande the church is that eurlasting blesse and felicitie wherof the Lorde spake to the thief saying This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Herein is the tree of lyfe Christ communicating to vs his eternal life Whiche we inioy and haue the fruition of whilest being conueied into heauen by hym and with hym we liue Finally this is that Ambrosia or Godly drinke which the heauenly father geueth vs to drinke But this great and wonderfull good chaunceth not to euery one but only to him that ouercometh For Adam had not ouercome but vanquished had died If we therfore shall ouercome the flesh the Deuil and the world and that through Christ we shal liue also in the world to come with Christ The complutention boke hath whiche is in the middes of â—he Paradise of my God And Aretas expoundeth it Of my God and â—ayth Let no man herewith be offended Al humble thinges â—gree to the dispensation of the incarnation whiche was made for our cause since that he himself in the Gospel saith 〈◊〉 ascende vnto my father and your father to my God and â—o your God c. And thus farre hetherto concerning the Epistle of Iesus Christ by Iohn to the Ephesians and what profit our churches also and euery of vs may receiue therof The Lorde lyghten the eyes of our mynde ¶ The second Epistle of Iesu Christ by Iohn to them of Smyrna is expounded And is an exhortatiâ—â— to patience and consolation in afflictions The .ix. Sermon ANd vnto the Aungel of the coÌ„grâ—gation of Smyrna wryte Thesâ— thinges sayth he that is first anâ— the last whiche was dead and iâ— aliue I know thy workes and tâ—â—bulations and pouertie but thou arte richâ— And I know the blasphemie of them which call them selues Iewes and are not but aâ— the congregation of Sathan Feare none 〈◊〉 those things which thou shalt suffer Beholâ— the Deuil shall cast some of you into prisoâ— to tempte you and you shall haue tribulatâ—â— ten daies Be faithfull vnto the death and 〈◊〉 will geue thee a crowne of lyfe Let him thâ— hath eares heare what the spirite saith to congregations he that ouercometh shall nâ— be hurt of the second death The argument of the seconde Epistle Iesus Christ from the right hand of the father throuâ— the ministerie of an aungell by the Apostle and Euangeâ— S. Iohn exhorteth the congregations of Smyrna than â—â—flicted with all kinde of euils for the worde of God vnto â—â—feraunce and comforteth the same sighing nowe vnder 〈◊〉 crosse promising great thinges to them that ouercome Aâ— verely ther can not of this maner and in this matter a beâ— or briefer exhortation and consolation be found For in 〈◊〉 wyse it is couched of the eternal wisdome of the father 〈◊〉 vnto all times A generall comfort exhortatioÌ„ to patience and to all that mourne vnder the crosse it 〈◊〉 right well agree For like as Christ at the right hande of 〈◊〉 father is the catholique or vniuersal Byshop so verely is 〈◊〉 doctrine generall which he him selfe also applieth to all câ—â—gregations in the ende of this Epistle and in others And sâ— he declareth that he loueth his churche and is present in the same by his power and ayde And verely it is to be marueled The congregatioÌ„ of Smyrna excellent that nothing is blamed in this churche since that some faulte is founde in maner with all others Therfore was the churche of Smyrna right excellent howbeit not without any spirite For the Lorde of his goodnes doth not impute vnto vs smal faultes of the which the Prophet speaketh who shall say my heart is cleane And from my hidde sinnes clense me so that there be a feruent desyre or zeale of Godlines in vs that we be voyde of great enormities First is shewed vnto whom this heauenly letter is sent Thepistle is written to the shepeheard to the flok to the Pastour of the churche of Smyrna and to the whole flocke For the captayne is sayd to haue soughten or fled or to haue taken peace when the whole armie together with him hath done this And the stories beare witnes that Policarpus was that same messenger or pastour of the church of Smyrna ordeined of the Apostles theÌ„ selues Policarpe namely of S. Iohn Byshop there and that he liued in the misterie of this congregation .lxxxvi. yeares For so many he accompteth hym selfe before the Lieftenaunt Herode what tyme he was brought to execution For in the fourth persecution of the churche Aurelius Antoninus and Aurelius Comodus being Emperoures he was taken and brought to the gouernour And at length for the open and sincere confessinge of Christ he was burnt He had this very muche in his mouth That nothing ought to be receiued for true vnlesse it were knowen to be set forth by the Apostles Ireneus affirmeth that when he was a childe he sawe this olde father a man of great yeares and reuereÌ„ce in the third boke and third chapt against heresies where he telleth many thinges of him besides As also doth Eusebius in the .iiii. boke of theccle history â—he .xiiii. and .xv. chapters And S. Hierom in the register of â—he famouse wryters of the Churche Eusebius in his Chroâ—icis noteth that he suffered Martyrdome in the yeare of â—ur Lorde a. C. ixx Whereby it appeareth that he was â—ade Byshop of Smyrna in the yeare of our Lorde .lxxxiiii. â—r there about For we sayd euen nowe that he had bene in that ministerie .lxxxvi. yeares And therfore had he bene Byshop of Smyrna many yeares before the setting forth of thâ— Apocalipse whiche was written in the
.xcvii. yeare wouldâ— God all Pastours would set before their eies this good Policarpus to be followed of whome there remayneth a notâ—ble Epistle to the Philippians After againe is the authour of the Epistle Thauthor of the epistle declared whicâ— is set forth with two titles taken out of the fourmer visiâ—â— of Iohn and descriptioÌ„ of Christ Thus saith the first and 〈◊〉 last c. Wherby is signified the eternall diuinitie of Christâ— which wanteth beginning and ending And of him selfe is â—uerlasting There is added that he was dead liueth againâ— that is to witte hath rysen from the dead And this begiâ—ning accordeth right well to the matter For they perceiuâ— that whosoeuer are afflicted for Christ his Gospell of mâ— mightie kinges and princes haue a Lorde and patrone mâ— mightie and more faithfull whiche in no wyse can be ouâ— comen Who can also in death kepe his lyke as he reysed 〈◊〉 Christ from the dead to the intent we myght haue an opâ—â— testimony that we shal liue with Christ euen in death it seâ— Christ knoweth the workes of his And now cometh he to the matter it selfe and the whicâ— thing he repeteth in al Epistles he sayth here also I knoâ— thy workes to witte both good and euill Thinke not that 〈◊〉 neither know nor care for thy matters Thou art verely roâ—ten out in my handes I know see and care for thee and 〈◊〉 thine And these thinges boeth prouoke vs maruelously vertue when we knowe that we haue God a loker on 〈◊〉 hath a care of vs And also comforte vs greatly which vndâ—â—stande how he that loueth vs and in no matter neglecteâ— hath vs alwayes as it were before his eyes And here particularly he declareth what he knewe Aâ— first in dede the afflictions Afflictions which verely they suffered in tâ—â— present persecution of the Emperour Domitian And affâ—â—â—tion is as it were a generall worde to the foure kindes foâ—wyng For he rehearseth touching their substaunce the sâ—â—ling of their goodes and their pouertie In their name 〈◊〉 estimation coÌ„tumelies reproches or blasphemies In boâ—â— imprisonment and bondes yea and death also For 〈◊〉 these afflictions Godly men are exercised for the truth saâ— of the wicked And in these may be coÌ„prysed al other kindes of tribulation The whiche the Epistle of Iesus Christ reciteth in a Godly order There is nothinge therfore of these matters whiche the Lord Christ knoweth not Pouertie hath the first place The pouertie of the faithfull Neither ought we to take it here spiritually for the modestie and humblenes of mynde although it be certaine that the churche of Smyrna wanted not the same vertue But there was pouertie and lacke of all things by reason of the spoiling of their goodes For in time of persecution by vertue of kings proclamatioÌ„s the goodes of the faithful professours of Christ ar coÌ„fiscated to the kings vse or permitted to the soldiours nobles or promoters to take at their pleasure The faithful thrust out of their houses ar either driuen into exile or go a begging would God we wanted examples therof at this day Let vs herof learne to beare suffer paciently the like chaunces also being perswaded that God knoweth our necessitie And because it is an hard thing â—or an honest man to honger and want with his familie for a â—omfort and consolation he addeth but thou art riche This to the world semeth a paradoxe or incredible Spiritual ryches What wyll they say is he ryche that hath nothyng and is brought â—o the state of beggars There be doubtles goodes and ryâ—hes of the mynde muche better than corporall substaunce For this may be had without the true felicitie of ryche men â—f this worlde that liue a moste miserable lyfe Agayne you â—hall see a poore man concerning worldly goodes but furâ—ished with the rychesse of the mynde for this cause only to â—e happy and moste blessed He coueteth nothyng he is conâ—ent with his vocation Neither would he chaunge his state with moste welthie and ryche kynges Contrariwyse you â—hall see ryche men but of an euyll conscience and therfore â—houghtfull and burthened with cares and neuer mery You â—hall see poore men but with mery hartes to leade a ioyfull â—â—fe Why than shoulde it seme maruell yf he that is spoyâ—ed of his worldly goodes for Christe and inriched with the â—iftes of the minde is glad and reioyseth in God and taketh a good parte al chaunces and for the same cause is iudged â—o be verely ryche Doubtles the wyse men of this worlde â—we also that the only wyse man is trewly ryche Which is gallauntly discoursed of Cicero Aretas sayth in spiritual matters hauing a treasure hidde in the fielde of thy harte which is Christ by reason of whoÌ„ thou art ryche also Sinnâ— thou hast him thy protectour who also when he was ryche for vs became poore c. Blasphemie agaiÌ„st the faithful In the second place is recited blasphemie by the whichâ— we vnderstande all maner of raylinges and sclauÌ„ders wheâ—by the name and estimation of the faithfull is hurte Of thâ— whiche sorte are these They be heretickes and Schismaticâ— so many as be fauourers of this religion They be wickeâ— people dispisers of God and his saintes the ennemies of 〈◊〉 Gods seruice and therfore the plages of the commoÌ„ wealtâ— which if they be suffered the common wealth must nedes 〈◊〉 distroyed And these thinges in dede many times vexe goâ— men more greuously than the losse of their goodes For wâ— wyll not set more by a good name than by great rycheâ— Therfore the Lorde in Gospell of S. Math. the .10 Chaptâ— With many wordes healeth this disease And exhorteth 〈◊〉 that for the auoyding of that infamie they should coÌ„mitâ— thing vnworthy the name of christians What their persecuters be In the meane tyme he declareth also what moued the â—thours of this mischief whome he blameth also exceadynâ— to thintent that the godly shuld vnderstaÌ„d how greatly thâ— ennemies of all Godlines are of God misliked And theâ— might also care the lesse for their hatred and persecutioÌ„ Tâ— saye in dede that they be Iewes where they be nothing 〈◊〉 Thus also S. Paul handled the Iewes in the .ii. to the â—mains The Iewes are called confessours honorers and faithful seruauÌ„ts of God But these blaspheme Gods naâ— they impugne the true faith and oppresse them that profâ— and worshyppe God Therfore be they not Iewes Wâ— than The Synagoge congregation or assemblee of Saâ—â— Thus the very sonne of God plucketh of the viserne frâ—â— these varlettes to the comforte of all those that suffer peâ—cution of them that set forth them selues with stoute titles the ende it shuld neuer greue them that they are condemâ— of suche harlottes the children of the Deuill Christ attâ—â—teth to them the true title and calleth them not the oâ—â— holy and catholicke Churche of God but the conspirâ—â— and schole of Sathan as in whome not the spirite of
only sentence of Christ I wil impose none other burthen theÌ„ that you haue kepe that vntill the iudgement Beholde he sayth vnto the iudgement least any shoulde imagine in the meane season that another thing had pleased the holy ghost Let vs therfore perseuer in the same Most large promesses Hereunto he annexeth after his wonted maner most ample promesses that through hope of so great rewardes he might pluck them from errours ioine them to the true religion And like as in the fourmer epistles he hath said he that ouercometh so here he repeteth the same admonishing vs not to slepe but to watche fight maÌ„fully And he ouercometh that kepeth the workes of Christ vnto the ende The workes of Christ by a priuie opposition are set against the inuentions workes of men The workes of Christ The workes of Christ fignifie both doctrine and faith and whatsoeuer good workes insew vpon the same the seruice of worshipping of God the obseruatioÌ„ of Gods word For in the .28 chap. of S. Math. The Lorde saith to his disciples teace you them to kepe those thinges which I haue commaunded you He speaketh with an emphasie whiche I haue commaunded you not such as you shall haue inuented of your own braine For the Lord alledgeth out of the Propheth in the .xv. of the same S. Math. saiyng In vaine do thei worship me teaching the doctrines of men Therfore these workes haue no promesse But the workes of Christ whiche he him selfe hath ordeined the which are done of his spirit and of true faith whilest we forsake our errours cleaue to the truth they haue a promesse moste ample The victory of the hâ—ad Christ and his meÌ„bres And promiseth two notable thinges The first lyke as my father hath promysed me victory and perfourmed it that I ouercome all my ennemies and triumphed ouer them the same being brokeÌ„ in pieces lyke vessels of clay or earth with out any difficultie so wyll I geue vnto you also power and victory against all vngodly And that same promesse at the last shal be fully accomplished in the last iudgement in the which all the ennemies of Godlines shal be caste vnder the feete of Christ As it is declared in the Psalmes especially in the .ii. and Cx. Psalme And in this world also Christ affirmeth that his seruauntes shall spiritually rule ouer his ennemies Like as Christ although he were tormented and died yet neuerthelesse he ouercame his ennemies The holy and ecclesiasticall stories beare witnes of these thinges sufficiently The latter I will geue him the morning starre And he vnderstode the knowledge of Christ increasing dayly more and more and so euen Christ himselfe The morning star in lyke case as the day in the rysing of the morning starre waxeth brighter and brighter In the whiche sense the Apostle S. Peter is red to haue vsed this allegory in the .ii. Epistle first Chapter or at the least he promised a clerenes most bright For Daniel sayth howe the faithful in the resurrection shall shine like the firmament The whiche thing also the Lord Christ alledgeth the .xiii. of Math. And the Apostle alluding hereunto sayd that one star was brighter then an other So lykewyse in the resurrection one shal be made brighter then an other These promisses be most great neither can I thinke that any greater can be geuen vs. God graunte vs grace that we may be made partakers of so great thinges Finally he applieth this epistle to al churches and ages of the world Wherof since we haue spoken oftener than once there is no cause that by oft repeating I should be tediouse to any man To the Lorde our God be praise and glory ¶ He blameth certen thinges in the congregation of Sardis notwithstanding he sheweth streight wayes a remedy wherby they may be healed be safe The .xv. Sermon AND write to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Sardis this saith he that hath the spirites of God and the .vii. starres I knowe thy workes Thou hast a name that thou liuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges which remaine that ar redy to die For I haue not founde thy works perfit before God Remember therfore howe thou hast receiued and heard and holde fast repent If thou shalt not watche I wil come on thee as a thefe and thou shalt not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon thee Two kindes of men in one churche In one congregation of Sardis were two sortes of people professing on either side the name of Christ But some in dede answered but litle to the holy profession liuing more licenciously than became them And the others in holines of lyfe set forth the doctrine of our sauiour that they professed The first sort the Lord Iesus accuseth in this Epistle by S. Iohn And sheweth also a medicine for the disease And the later he exhorteth to perseueraunce commending their integritie Therfore this Epistle is deuided in two partes verey fit and profitable for our time The first part of the Epistle coÌ„teineth those things which we haue now recited Nether doth he procede herein in other order than we haue sene him to haue proceded hitherto For first he sheweth to whom it is dedicated and sent Namely to the Pastour of the congregation of Sardis Sardis and therfore also to the whole church Sardis is said to haue ben the head citie of Lydia or of Maonia the metropolitane citie of Cresus the most riche king of Lydia whom Herodotus writeth that king Cyrus ouercame a towne most famous and pricked and painted with pride that it was a woÌ„der And addicte to voluptuousnes For Strabo in the .xiii. boke of Geographie testifieth that al the maidens therof were harlots who mentioneth more of the same citie Certes it semeth to haue kept his olde wonte euen at suche time also as it had receiued the name of the Lord And therfore to haue bene more geuen to fornication and al maner of filthy lust The which thing the Lord semeth to haue blamed in them as S. Paul likewyse persecuted the self same vise in the Corinthians The worlde can hardly beleue that simple fornication is sinne wherupon in that great counsel of the Apostles Actes 15. both thei and the elders and the whole assemblie with one minde decreed that the geÌ„tiles should absteine from fornication The deuill at this day goeth about many times to defile the church again with fornication to set vp stewes and that by authoritie and openly whordom might be practised For so being cast out he taketh seuen worse spirites enterprising to possesse that place again out of the whiche he was exiled by the preaching of the Gospel We must therfore resist him least the Lorde Iesus him self do accuse vs as he doth here accuse them of Sardis most greuously Christ hath and seÌ„deth the spirite Then is the Lord Iesus declared to be authour of the Epistle not without praise
faythful and syncere minde we shal haue quiet consciences in al the workes of God euē suche as are harde to indure and seme to some men most vnreasonable For we know that he by whome all thinges are gouerned is of our nature and kinde yea euē our owne brother and such verely as fauoureth vs with al his harte hath suffered death for vs and loueth nothynge better in all the world than man Moreouer whiche hath ouercomen death sonne the Deuil and Hell and hath ouercomen them for vs. Who wil nowe than suspecte his gouernement permission or operation Thou haste a brother in the Princes Courte whome thou arte assured to fauour thee from the botome of his harte thou hearest saye howe he hathe geuen vnto him of the Prince the gouernement and iudgement of the whole countrie woldest thou sticke or be lothe to submitte thy selfe vnto him naye rather thou doest truste and hope to obteyne any thing of thy brother Therefore let vs remembre The kingdome and power is geuen to Christ howe the Scripture not here only but euery where doeth teache that Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and in dede of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie in diyng for vs to haue deserued to haue a name geuen him whiche is aboue all names and that althinges shoulde be subiecte to his gouernment what so euer be in the worlde visible or inuisible For so S. Iohn testifieth in the .1 Chapter And S. Paul also to the philipp 2. Coloss 1. and to the Hebrewes the .1 Chapter He is sayed at this present to haue ouercomen or obteyned to open the boke and lowse the Seales therof Therfore by the knoweledge of him and through faith in him we obteyne that with a ioyefull minde we maye loke vpon the boke the iudgementes and all the workes of God and quietly and patiently to beare the openyng therof and gouernment of al together c. A most gallaunt ful descriptiō of Christ But to the intente we maye iudge more rightly of Christ gouernour of all although he hath already described him right liuely yet now he procedeth to paincte him out in his that is to saye moste godly and goodly coulours that we should not be nothing affrayed of his gouernement nother that we should not with quiet mindes most willingly submitte our selues wholy to his gouernment First is sayed that a Lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercomen Christe a lion of the tribe of Iuda to wit that same Christ of oures to haue ouercomen the Deuill sinne death the world hell and al power of the aduersarie And he ouercame in diyng and so atchieued the high dignitie and was made Lorde of all The Deuil is also called a Lion of S. Peter Salomon and the Prophetes call tirannes Lions 1. Peter 5. Our Authour therfore calleth Christ a lion not of the common sorte but of the tribe of Iuda For he alludeth to the prophecie of the patriarch Iacob whiche is in the .49 of Genes he prophecieth there that Schilo shal come with plentie and good lucke whiche like a lion that hath taken his praye nether is there any manne that can driue him from it can defende those that be his whom he hath caught out of the dragōs clawes so that no hostile power dare ones hisse against him Christ therfore is declared a victour or cōquerour greatest Christe is only moste inuincible most mightie and most inuincible Which belongeth to him alone Yet shal you finde Kings which are euery houre ouercomen of wicked lustes whiche wil suffer them selues to be called inuincible Briefly this first note in the description of Christ sheweth that Iesus Christ gouernour of al is that very same whom the patriarches prophetes haue prophecied to come into the world a prince most inuincible Secōdly Christ is called the rote of Dauid wherin he appereth to haue alluded to that saiyng of Esaye in the .11 Christe the roote of Dauid chap. Than shal a budde come forth of the stocke of Iesse a flour shal ascende out of the rootes therof Namely Marie the daughter of Dauid of whom that most sacred floure Christ sprang came was the stocke of Iesse And of the very rotes of Dauid or of the virgin I meane of the most true humane nature Iesus Christ was borne very man into the worlde For he toke no where the Aungelles nature but the sede of Abraham He is therfore our brother Hebr. 2. of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie These things do comfort vs exceadingly and confute heretikes most strongly which faine that Christe hath not a very humane body We haue more herof in the .1 of Matth. and .1.2.3 of Luke Christe is in the mids of the seate After it is expresly spoken of the same our lorde that he is in the middes of the Throne in the middes of the .iiii. beastes and in the middes of the .xxiiii. Elders and is therfore exēpted out of the nōbre of creatures out of the numbre of Aungelles and out of the numbre of Sainctes For he is greater than these to wit of the same substaunce with the father in glory power equal For the father is in the middes of the Throne from thence procedeth the holy ghost euen there is founde also now the lambe Christ not only very man but also very God Christ is very God And is a distincte person For the blessed Trinitie knoweth not any cōfusiō The father is God the sonne is God the holy ghost is God yet are al three but one God the father in his subsistence the sonne in his and the holy ghost in his not makyng three Gods but three proprieties and persones in one indiuisible and eternal essence And where as Christ is mentioned to be in the middes of the beastes and in the middes of Elders he is doubtles signified after the diuine nature to be euery where to be the life and preseruation of all creatures also in the middes of his chosen and of his Church Therfore like as we beleue Iesus Christ to be very mā so let vs also beleue him to be very God of the same substaunce with God the father Therfore let Seruiet perishe with Arrius and Mahomet and as many as denie Christ to be the sonne of God coequal with the father in al thinges Furthermore he is now also called a lambe Christ is a lambe not that he is a shepe of nature but for that by a lambe is prefigured the innocent redemer of the worlde and the only holesome sacrifice of all faithfull A lambe is a token of innocencie and from the beginning appointed for sacrifices Abel offered vp a Lambe after the lawe was offered a dayly sacrifice in the morning a lambe and at euening a lambe For christ is the expiation of them whiche were in the beginning of the world and which in the ende shal be The Paschall lambe in the .12 of Exodus
that he is assayled he wil streight waye beginne to thonder and lighten finally to craue styre vp the secular power againste Heretikes For he sheweth expressely who shall be this enemie of these prophetes and preaching to witte the beast The beast stired vp persecutioÌ„ that is the Bisshop of Rome notable by his most cruell tiraÌ„nicall and beastly power Of the beast shal be spoken more aboundantly in the .13 and .17 chapt where we shall heare that she cometh out of the earth out of the botoÌ„lesse pitte out of the depe pitte of hell For the originall of that wickednes is referred to non other parente than the deuil the prince of hel a lier murtherer And the thing it selfe speaketh at this daye that al persecutions conflictes are moued stired inferred of the Pope of his blouddy ministers of mischiefe Of the same Authours arrose al the calamities of fourmer times And he fighteth with the ministers and ministerie of christ with sophistrie with craftie and subtile practises The beast fighteth with the Prophetes excoÌ„munication deathes and terrours Haymo Antichrist will put in vre sondry kindes of tourmentes sayeth he such as he can not ouercome he wil assaye to vanquisshe with doctrine He will geue rewardes and wil promise swete wordes and shal shewe also false miracles c. And seyng it hath pleased the lord to call that seate the beast wherfore should we call it the holy See yf the Pope be that bloubdy beaste whie should we salute him most holy father He sheweth morouer with what lucke Antichrist ouercommeth and howe he killeth and with what â—â—â—tesse antichrist shal sight with the prophetes He shal ouercome sayeth he and kill them The same the lord sayed playnely in the Gospel Matth. 10. and Iohn 16. And before also Daniel in the .7 and .11 chapt Some thinges are spoken also before in this boke of the holy martirs The lord geueth this warning in time leest if we should see the preachers of the euangelicall veritie slayne we should doubte of the veritie of the preachyng or esteme the matter of religion after the felicitie of this worlde Whiche neuerthelesse many doe at this daye For most men saye yf this were the preachyng of the veritie as it is sayed to be the most true God would not forsake his owne cause But nowe sins the preachers are oppressed and distroyed whie should we not gather that their matter is false and theirs trewe that ouercome But if we might so reason than the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles defended a very euill cause For all in a maner beyng oppressed of their enemies in the ende were slayne also Full good than was the quarell of the Iewes Phariseis and the moste wicked enemies of Gods worde Howbeit thou wilt saye sins the veritie is inuincible how is antichrist saied to ouercome He shal not ouercome doubtles by sure testimonies by holy Scriptures or strong reasons but by force imprisonment sworde and fire For therfore by interpretation immediatly followeth and he wil kill them Therfore by killyng he shall seme a conquerour For if in a combat Aeneas shal ouercome and sleye Turnus Aeneas shal be called a victour And hitherto in dede Antichrist ouercommeth and although the Martirs be slayne yet doe they before God receyue the rewarde of victours because their cause is iuste and the veritie ouercometh in them The enemies ouercome with the multitude pompe authoritie power fauour richesse and other like thinges we in the goodnes and excellencie of the cause and finally by better testimonies of the Prophetes and Apostles The crueltie of Antichrist We haue now the maner of the fight and victorie He shal fight and ouercome by carnall weapons and shal be subdewed with spirituall armure Hereunto is added what crueltie he wil vse against the Prophetes The which he expresseth in two sentences and their bodies shall lie in the stretes of the citie and they shall not suffer their bodies to be put in the graues Theyr â—oarses lie in the stretes The firste sentence betokeneth an extreme crueltie ioyned with an vtter contempte For all filthie thinges are caste out into the strete yea the Dunge of all stretes is troden vnder fete Antichrist therefore shall handle the Prophetes moste shamefully in so muche that all will beleue that they haue power ouer them and shall as it were spurne them wyth theyr feete and take them for outcastes wicked persons which beyng taken out of the way al thinges shal be safe Certes the maner is in some cities to caste into the stretes the bodies of them that are executed to the intent that al meÌ„ might treade on them and driue cartes ouer them for the terrour of others and to signifie that those men executed were moste detestable and put to death for no small crimes And herunto apperteyneth that Antichrist by secular power hangeth vp some ministers of the churche openly in Cities vpon the gallouse and fasteneth others with chaynes to a poste and so burneth theÌ„ with a slowe fire and at laste killeth them and they are so terribly tied to the pale in chaynes that he maye hoyste them vp and let theÌ„ downe into the fire agayne and so singe them and lifte them vp agayne to the terrour of al that loke on What wil ye saie that he iudgeth them vnworthie of the laste honour The dead coarses are not buried burial is the laste honour that is done vnto man but he wil not suffer the bodies of the faithful to be buried Thus perauenture he expoundeth that he saied before and their bodies shal lie in the stretes At this daye not only sepulture is denied to suche as suffer for the gospel but also thei digge vp burne the bones of the dead This dyd watson by Bucer at Cambr. whiche liuing would not receyue the Popish sacramentes For in case any man departe and hath whispered the priest in the eare confessyng to him al his sinnes and hath not axed absolution of him nor receyued his God of bread or suffered him selfe to be regenerated with extreme vnction although he departed in the trewe sayth yet for as much as he hath not vsed those Popish ceremonies and huÌ„bled him self to the Pope the partie shal not come in christen buriall but is buried on the dunge hill with dogges The thing it self speaketh at this day Morouer these Antichristes wil seke by this meane to abolisshe al memorie of the godly For Monumentes are made to reteyne the honeste memorie of the dead But the rightuouse shal be in eternall memorie c. And they in dede thinke that they do like good catholickes but the lord Iesus expouÌ„deth their worke and sayeth it is extreme crueltie Than what shall you thinke of them which blinded with the hatred of the true religion like wolues and Rauens flie vpon the bodies of the dead Martirs and poole them a peces and handle them most shamefully But
And in dede it were foloyshnes Babilon to expounde these thinges of the ould Babilon in Asia which was fallen long sins scarcely any token thereof beinge leste Rome we muste therefore vnderstande it of an other which is in her flowres and euen by a figuratiue speach we must vnderstande it of Rome Antonomasia For there is a greate Cozinnage as it were betwixte both Babilon was the first Monarchie Rome is the laste Babilon sore afflicted the people of God So doeth Rome greuouselye vexe the church of God Babylon burthened Israell wyth a greueouse captiuitie So Rome vexeth the church wyth more than a long captiuitie Babilon ouercame the people of God and burning the Citie of Hierusalem and destroieng the temple led away Israell captiue so Rome also hauing rased the citie of Hierusalē and subuerting the temple triumphed of Israell Babilon planted Idolatrie superstition and all abhomination auaunced maintained and set forth the same vnto al men but at the length when she woulde haue thought leest of it the people of God being sodeynely delyuered she was vtterly subuerted So is Rome also the mother nurse and reuyuer of all abominations in the church of the laste tyme wherein she shall perish at the last all those that beleue truly in Christe being delyuered And especiallie it is called great For howe greate and mightie the church of Rome is all we see and by experience knowe at this daye Nother am I the firste that vnderstand by Babilon Rome For many expositours reading the first Epistle of Saincte Peter in the end of the epistle do vnderstand by Babilon Rome Certes Oecumenius sayeth And here he calleth Babilon Rome for the excellencie and brightnesse of the Empire the which Rome obteined a long tyme sins But this the more auncient wryters expound more playnelie as Turtullian in his boke againste the Iewes which sayeth so Babilon with sainct Ihon beareth the fygure of the Citie of Rome therfore also great and proude in her kingdom and a murtherer of the saincts The same words in a maner he repeteth in the thirde booke against Marcion And no lesse playnely Saincte Hierome calleth Rome Babilon and that same Babilon wherof S. Ihon speaketh in the Apocalipse Read the epistle of Paula and Eustochium written to Marcella by the helpe of sainct Hierome Reade himself in the .11 questiō to Algasia Againe in the preface to the boke of Didymus of the holy ghoste to Pauliniane Also in the end of the .2 boke against Iouinian The same in the life of S. Marke Peter saith he in the first epistle vnder the name of Babilon doth figuratiuely signify Rome But S. Ihon wil expounde himselfe in the .17 chapter And we vnderstande that the Citie of Rome shall fall chiefly with all her vngodlynes And with the same also the Romish superstition and abomination through oute the worlde And the Aungell in dede sayeth she is fallen which is yet to fall And that by the propheticall maner of speaking Anadiplosis wherein that which shal assuredly come to passe is vttered as though it wer now done To signifie the certentie thereof that reduplication or iterating of the worde also apperteineth she is fallen she is fallen she is fallē she is fallē This is also repeated in the .18 chap. where it shal be shewed howe it is taken out of the Prophetes c. Notwithstanding both a desyre and Ioye also might seme here to be signified For such thinges as we haue longe and with a desyre loked for we receiue them nowe cumming and saie thou art come thou arte come at the laste longe loked for and nowe makest me glad For the sainctes with a great desyre loke and long for the distruction of that most wicked most vyle and most troublesome kyngdome of Antichriste The cause is shewed also of the destructiō of the commonwelth and church of Rome Why the Romyshe Church shoulde fal for that she hath caused all nations to drinke and hath made them dronken wyth wyne of wrath of her fornication And verelye the effecte of wyne in men is greateste Therefore doctrine is compared to it in the Prophetes Therefore Rome with her vncleane and corrupt opinions hath made all people dronken And it is called the wyne of the wrath For loke with whome God is angry he suffereth them to erre in the way of the Romish church For in asmoch as God hath reuealed the sincere doctrine of lyfe by his onely sonne and moste chosen Apostles and men receaue not the same God is iustely offended with them and geueth them ouer into a reprobate mynde that thei may followe shamefull errours As Saincte Paule also prophisied shuld come to passe in the .2 to the Thess 2. chapt This wyne is called moreouer the wyne of her fornication whereby she her selfe hauing firste played the harlot is become nowe also the Maistres of fornicatiō and as it wer bawde to al others This maner of speakyng is right well knowen euen oute of the Prophetes Rome ded not persiste in the doctryne of the Gospell and of the Apostles but inuented a newe and that contarry to the Gospel of the vycar of Christ in earth The deuilysh doctrin of Rome of the power of keyes of indulgences and pardons of iustification of works and merits of satisfactiōs cōfessions of worshipping of Images prayeng to saincts of celebrating masses and worshipping of the sacramēt of the aulter as thei terme it of monkery and vowes and such other innumerable This doctrine as Apostolicall auncient and chresten she drinketh of to all people and so plucketh them from Christ withdraweth them from the Gospell seduceth them from the oulde christianitie and destroyeth innumerable soules Therefore God powreth oute to her also of the cuppe of his wrath and bryngeth her also to destruction for euer He disswadeth all frō the fellowship of the Romysshe church And vpon this occasion he disswadeth all men from the felowship of the Romish church or papistrie that we haue nothing to do with the Romish religion vnlesse we will be part takers also of the euerlasting pūnishmēt He reasoneth therfore of the losse and punnishments and descrybeth greuouse and horrible paines yf happlie men might so be feared from that vngodlines The Angell therfore crieth and that with a loude voice Wherefore let al ecclesiasticall preachers learne that they must earnestly and tirribblie crye oute in this case that all flee the communion of the Romish or popish church I know doubtles what the common people beleue and saie that all shall be saued at the laste daye what religion so euer they be of and namelie yf any remaine an open papist But we can nother condemne nor absolue any man sette them in Heauen or cast them to Hell God liueth a rightouse iudge He alone knoweth who shal be saued or damned We ought therfore of right to credit his iudgements But where as he pronoūceth openly that the fauourers of the
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
heauen or whether they be holden with a slepe and loke for the resurrectiō of the bodies to the intent they might than awake and together with their bodies enter into heauen vnto all the which things the celestial oracle aunsweryng forth with sayeth he that is by by cometh vnto soules that same felicitie In the latin copies this place is poincted thus blessed are th◠dead which dye in the lorde Forthwith nowe sayeth the spirite that they maye reste from their labours In like maner readeth the Spanish or Complutēsian copie But Aretas and the Greke copies and also the exampler of Paris is thus poincted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be the ende of the sentence as Erasmus noteth After followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is yee verely certēly sayeth the spirite The sense is therfore that the faithfull beyng dead shal streight wayes immediately atchieue saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word S. Iohn vseth signifieth from the very instaunt from that houre immediately incōtinētly This suffereth no space betwixte but expresseth that which we are wonte to note by the dutch phrase beyng admonisshed therfore by a diuine oracle and confirmed by a writte brought from heauen let vs al be assured that the soules of al faithfull do flitte from the bodily death into life euerlasting These thinges are confirmed and made playne also by other places of Scriptures innumerable I wil chouse out only a certen fewe and those also the testimonies of our sauiour whiche is the light of the worlde and the worde of life In the .3 chapter of S. Iohn he sayeth expressely that the faythfull are so deliuered frō death by his crosse as in times paste by the sight of the brasen Serpent the Israelites were deliuered from the deadly sting of venemouse poison And playne it is that they were deliuered incontinently and most fully In the .5 of Iohn the same sayeth he hath passed from death to life Let this place be waied dilligently and it shal appere the same alone to satisfie in this matter In the .6 of Iohn he sayeth openly and I will reyse him in the laste daye But he reyseth not the bodies only at the laste iudgemente but in euery mans laste daye that is in the death of euery one he preserueth the soules that they should not perish or be tormented c. We haue in the gospel examples moste clere to witte of Lazarus the beggar which was by and by after his death caried vp of thaungelles into the bosome of Abraham and of the thiefe whiche hearde of the lord this daye shalt thou be with me in Paradise and of Stephen saiyng Lord Iesus receyue my spirite but especially of our Sauiour saiyng on the crosse father into thy handes I commende my spirite c. By these are quite ouerthrowen what thinges so euer the monkisshe and Antichristiane doctrine hath buylded of purgatory of trētalles and of the miserable state of soules in an other world Whereof they made a moste shamefull gayne They are also confuted which beleue that soules be mortall moreouer that soules slepe in another world Where they cā not so muche as here in this infirmitie slepe Therefore you wil saie it is madnes to thinke that soules slepe beyng quitte of the burthen of the body But cōcernyng the maner of the blessednes of Sainctes they reste from their labours Blessednes reste frō al labours Saluation therfore is a moste ioyeful tranquillitie Awaye go at ones diseases sickenesses griefes affections sorrowe famine thirste colde briefly all thinges that vexe or trouble men Rest and tranquillitie ioye and blesse come in place And sins the dead reste from theyr labours who can beleue that they be vexed with tormentes but leeste any man should neuer so little doubte herof he annereth a confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee or certenly verely sayeth the spirite the dead shal be quiet from al their griefes Let no mā therfore doubte Theyr workes follow them And he addeth an other thing that the workes of sainctes followe thē that is to saie after that the sainctes be departed hence than are they rewarded in another world if they haue done any thing wel if they haue suffered harde thinges For there is a rewarde prepared for vertues The which the sainctes do hope for and receyue without boasting of their owne deserte and not in contēpte of the merite of Christ For they acknoweledge that God in his sainctes crowneth his owne giftes And this is spoken of the rewarde of workes for the consolatiō of them which suffer many things in this world So sayed the lord in the Gospell your rewarde is plentifull in heauen And the Apostle affirmeth euery where that rewardes are prepared for them that are crucified here with Christ And here let vs marke dilligently that these thinges are spoken also of the spirite of Christe vnder the religion of an othe For the worlde dispiseth religiouse persones suche as suffer for religiō and obiecteth that they lose their labour and coste Cōtrarywise the spirite by an othe auoucheth that rewarde is prepared for vertue Followe them Lette vs marke also this that is sayed theyr workes and not other mens also followe them and are not by others sent after them Let no man therefore disceaue him selfe let no man thinke that after his death there should be sente to him into purgatory by soule priestes a fardell of other mens merites Those are not good workes which ar done by priestes freres besides and against Gods worde but prouocations of Gods wrath And be they not in the gospel shut out of the kingdome of God which runne to others to bye them oyle The Scripture in an other place Lette vs doe good whilest we haue time the time wil come that no man can worke Let vs watch therfore and of faith do good workes in dede ¶ The Iudgement of the Lorde is described vnder the paraboles of haruest and vintage The .lxvi. Sermon ANd I loked and beholde a white clowde and vpon the clowde one sittyng like vnto the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle And an other Aungell came out of the Temple criyng with a lowde voyce to him that sat on the clowde Thruste in the sickle and reape for the corne of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the clowde thruste in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And an other Aungell came out of the Temple whiche is in Heauen hauyng also a sharpe sickle And an other Angell came out from the Aultar whiche had power ouer fire and cried with a lowde voyce vnto him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the Earth for hyr grapes are rype And the Angell thruste in his sickle on the earth and cutte downe the grapes of the vineyarde of the Earth and caste them into the greate wine fatte of the