and v. chapter Therfore wold our Sauiour Christ oueâ—throwe that Throne of the deuill and set vp that his Thronâ— of rightuousnesse and holines Therefore goeth he firsâ— and chiefly to them of Asia that by their example the wholâ— worlde might be corrected and amended Ephesus And amonges other cities of Asia and Iouia Ephesuâ— was most famouse called in the olde time the lighte of Asiâ— And amonges the xii cities of Iouia accompted the princâ—pall The teÌ„ple of Diana Neyther was there any other richer or more beautifuâ— Church sene any where in Asia than the temple of Diana 〈◊〉 Ephesus It stode in the middes of the citie a great wondâ— of the Greke magnificence as writeth Plinie This tempâ— is sayed to haue ben two hundreth and twentie yeres in mâ—king of al Asia And set in a fenny ground that it should fele of no earth quakes nor opening of the earthe The length of â—t was ccccxxv foote the breadth .ccxx. It had pillers an hoÌ„dreth twentie and seuen dedicated of so many kinges Seke the reste oute of the epitome of the famouse D. Ioachim Vadiane The apostle S. Paul firste illumined this citie with the â—eame of the Gospel Whose epistle to the same citie remayneth and a plentifull story in the actes of the Apostles After Paull was executed Iohn went to Ephesus Actes 19. and from theÌ„ce preached to al Asia from theÌ„ce also was he brought to Rome â—o the emperour Domitian To Ephesus he retourned after his exile and there at length as the ecclesiasticall stories do testifie he slepte in the Lord. And before euery epistle muche more to that of the Ephesians is set a commaundement write This scripture is autheÌ„tike This coÌ„maundement geueth authoritie to the writynge so that we maye not axe whether this writing ought to be credited and whie it shuld â—e beleued For here is the expres coÌ„maundement of God â—nd the diuine authoritie whereof curiousely to inquire is â—hought not without cause vnlawfull Moses wrote by the â—ommaundement of God And by the same coÌ„maundement of God wrote also the prophetes and Apostles Whic than are not theyr wrytinges beleued to be Anthenticall Certes Iohn sayed truely and wittely he that knoweth God heaâ—eth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not .1 Iohn .5 Curiouse questioÌ„s cease where the minde of the godly or of any poore shepe knoweth the voice of his Lorde and Sheperde And let no man thinke that this epistle beyng written to one Aungel that is to a Bishop or pastour apperteineth nothing to the Churche For to the ende of the epistle is added an acclamation He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirite sayeth to the congregations Therefore the pastour is named but the Shepe are not excluded All degrees states in the church know what is sayd vnto them IgnorauÌ„ce saieth That which is writteÌ„ to the Romanes coÌ„cerneth me nothing Yet neuertheles it is intitled to the Aungel The argumeÌ„t of the epistle to the Ephes to the inteÌ„t they pastours may be admonished what the state of the Church is The argâ—ment of the firste epistle is thus Christ declareth that he ruleth ouer his church that he taketh charge and gouernement of the same Some thinge therin he prayseth and somewhat he blameth In the meane time he exhorteth to repentauÌ„ce threatening greuouse thinges and promising most ioyefull And also he applieth this epistle to al churches and coÌ„municateth it to all coÌ„gregations in the whole worâ—â— But the epistle is exhortatiue for it instructeth the churches exhorteth and directeth And first in dede he sheweth who he is from whome thâ— epistle procedeth that he may geue authoritie therunto anâ— maye declare also that he is the head of his churche the Bâ—shop Duke and gouernour That part is takeÌ„ of the imagâ— set forth in the firste chapter And followeth the propheticâ—â— maner of speaking This sayeth he whiche holdeth the seuâ—â— Starres in his righthaÌ„de For the Prophetes saye likewisâ— Thus sayeth the lorde God of Israell thus sayeth the lorâ— of hostes Thus sayeth the Lorde whiche brought thee out 〈◊〉 Aegipte c. And two especiall thinges he repeteth of the fâ—â—mer description Seuen starres in the righte hande of Christ wherby he wil be knowen and do vs to vâ—derstande howe he beyng Lord and Bishop ruleth and mâ—keth in his churche First he affirmeth that he holdeth in hâ—â— hand the seuen starres The hande is a token of working 〈◊〉 protection or deliuerauÌ„ce The starres we haue hearde to 〈◊〉 the ministers the ministerie of the woorde or the church Therfore Christ holdeth the ministerie in the church and 〈◊〉 ministers worketh the saluation of the faithfull After he â—â—firmeth that he walketh not slepyng or doyng nothing 〈◊〉 the middes of seuen golden candelstickes In the middes 〈◊〉 sayed to the ende we should vnderstand that he geueth hâ—â—selfe indifferently to al men and ruleth ouer al with like 〈◊〉 and gouernement To walke amongs the Candelstickes Fulwel wrote herof D. Fraunces lambeâ—â— What saieth he is to walke or to be in the middes of congâ—â—gations but to assiste them kepe instructe helpe them 〈◊〉 by al meanes to watche ouer them For the whiche cause 〈◊〉 saieth also in the last of S. Matth. Beholde I am with you â—â—waies vnto the worldes ende Hereof you haue a moste 〈◊〉 figure in the lawe wherin amonges other thinges whicâ— apperteined to the ministerie of the highe prieste he had 〈◊〉 charge of oyle and of seuen candels for those must he pourâ—â— and snafte and poure in oyle when it wanted So Chrisâ— the highe and true Bishop hath the charge of the seuen candelles that is to saie of al congregations and is careful that they wante not that oyle whiche is mentioned in the 44. Psalm He watcheth that they wante not the fire and light of the veritie Finally he snafteth and pourgeth by faithe what thinge so euer hath nede to be pourged in them Thus farre he Whiche thinges when they heare whiche make the Bisshop of Rome head of the churche It is maruell if by and by they vnderstande not theyr folly and madnes Here the lord addeth also that he knoweth the workes to witte all bothe good and euil aswell of the Bishop as of his Churche For the Lord knoweth al thinges and is head Bishop of the Catholicke or vniuersall Churche whiche also remembreth the thoughtes of al men in the world at one instaunte who seeth what is donne and what is not donne and what thinges are nedefull nothing escapeth him And suche in dede ought he to be that is head vniuersall of his Church And this senteÌ„ce is repeted I knowe thy workes in the beginninge of euery epistle And verely it is full of comforte when we heare that Christ knoweth all our doynges For we beleue also that he hath a faithfull care of all our matters Now this great Bishop coÌ„mendeth some thinges in this congregation of Ephesus For good workes in dede
daies did occupie the Apostolical seate as thei terme it Reade the stories from Syluester the .2 and so forth Thou wilt saye than that aboute that time the Deuill brake lowse agayne and seduced the people especially by Popes Or beginne the supputation of the thousande yeres from that time wherein Paule beyng bounde for the Gospell at Rome testified that the gospell was preached through out the worlde That was aboute the yere of our Lorde .60 from thence accomptyng a thousande yeres thou shalte come to the yere of our Lorde 1060. when Nicholas the seconde was Pope vnder whom it is written that the veritie was diuersely tempted and corrupted and that Gregory the seuenth dyd than also by his craftes and enterprises trouble the whole world Or beginne the supputation from the destruction of Hierusalem what time the Iewes cast of the Gentiles in great nombre entred and were receyued into the place of the Iewes reiected whiche was the yere of our Lorde .73 and thou shalt atteyne to the yere of our Lorde .1073 euen to Pope Gregory the seuenth in the whiche time not a fewe Historiographers wryte that the Deuill him selfe raygned Doubtles neuer manne hurte godlines or more stoutely auaunced impietie than dyd this Gregory otherwyse called Hildebrande Of him I haue spoken before in the .13 chapt Where also I admonisshed you that Cardinall Benon dyd accompte those thousande yeres from the birth of the Lorde and concluded in Syluester the second It is euident therfore that the gospel hath had a notable place in the world nother hath ben quenched for the space of a thousande yeres that is to saye from the time of thapostles vntil the yere of our lord was rekened 1073. or there aboute What was done at that time after we shal heare when we shal come to that sayeng And when the thousande yeres shal be fulfilled c. Some man wil say I cannot see that the preaching of the Gospell hath continued in the worlde so long tyme to witte a thousande yeares For it appeareth by Histories that the doctrine of merites satisfactions and iustification of works ded incōtinently after the Apostles time lay their first soundations We knowe that the intercessions of Sainctes and the worshipping of relicques were defended of Saincte Hierome which departed out of this world the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .422 We knowe that the Bishop of Rome ded immediately after the death of Gregory the firste take vpon him to be head and catholique Pastor of the church vniuersall We knowe that aboute the same time to wit aboute the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .630 Mahomet seduced a great parte of the world We knowe that shortely after arrose that detestable contention about the hauing of Images in the churches of Christians We haue heard that S. Ihon hath assigned to Antichriste yeares .666 Fynally it is manifeste that the Deuyll hath by murther parricidie and all kynd of mischief raigned in the children of misbelefe Wherfore thou sayeste I see not howe the Deuyll hath ben bounden a thousande yeares and locked in chaynes Howe the deuyl hath ben boūden a thousand yeares I aunswere that the things which are alledged hitherto are true yet neuerthelesse to be true and so to remayne alwayes which S. Ihon by the reuelation of Iesu Christe hath affirmed that the Deuyll shoulde be shutte vp for a thousande yeares and remayne bounden tyll a thousande yeares were at an ende And the same we declare on this wyse The Lorde sayde in the Gospel Nowe is the iudgement of the world nowe shall the Prince of this world be caste out And where as it is not lawfull to doubt of the veritie of Christes wordes yet neuerthelesse is he not red to be so caste oute but that he hath ben of greate force in the worlde and hath bene called of the Apostles themselues the Prince of this worlde Howe than is he sayde to be cast oute and to tempte the godlie to raigne and to be caste oute of his Kyngdome He is cast out of the church and of the faithful Howe Sathan is cast oute yet vexeth the faythfull not that he cometh not againe and tempteth for alwayes he returneth and seketh to plucke backe the redemed but for that he possesseth no more the ful empire For Christ now liueth raineth in the church and Sainctes These as S. Austen saieth he assayleth from without he is cast oute of his auncient possession but he laboureth to recouer his olde habitatiō And thus was Sathan bounde and shutte vp for a thousand yeares as he that possessed not the faythfull of Christe through out the worlde nor ruled them at his pleasure and after his mallice although he hath tempted and vexed them So was the holy ghost denied to be geuen not that he was not in the world and in the Prophets but because he was neuer so plentifully powred oute vpon all fleshe as after the glorifienge of our Lorde Christe In the same sense we say that death and sinne are taken away from the faythfull and troden vnder fote As S. Paule therfore which in the first chapt to the Colloss saide that we are translated oute of the kyngdome of darkenes in to the kyngdome of light sayeth neuerthelesse to the Corinthians that the God of this world hath blynded the myndes of the vnfaythfull so S. Ihon at this presente sayeth howe the Deuyll is bounde and sealed by the space of a thousande yeares and the very same sayeth afterwarde the reste of the dead reuiued not til the thousand yeares should be fulfilled that is to say in al those thousand yeares beleued not which set more by the beast than they ded by Christe And they verely through their owne faulte and instigation of the Deuill beleued not and perished Therfore ded Sathan exercise his force in them Which to the faithful in dede is bounden and tyed faste but to the vnfaithfull free and ouer familier Lykewyse Hell is shut to the godly to the wicked open Wherefore also we confesse in the crede lyfe euerlasting and not death or damnation euerlasting For the faithfull haue no Hel or there is no Hell prepared for them but for the vngodlye For Christe hath broken Hell but for his faithfull to the vnfaythfull all thinges of hell are yet moste stronge and these haue Hell ¶ The power of the Deuyll by Christ broken Agayne the Deuyll is sayed to be bounden shutte vp and sealed for since the redemptiō of Christ his power hath not bene so great in the worlde as it was before Wherefore S. Ihon expoūdeth himselfe and sayeth that he shuld deceaue the people no more What is this more but that he shal not so seduce them from hence foorth as he hath done hitherto Therefore al be it in the meane whyle he shall deceaue some yet in those thousand yeares he hath not raigned so fully safely at large as he ded before and as it is permitted him after those thousand
yeares to rage Therfore these things ar spoken by a cōparison and not absolutely And the thing it selfe or experiēce teacheth that they are not to be vnderstand absolutely and after the bare lettre Although therfore that Sathan hath in these thousand yeares also blowen his poyson vpō many and hath troubled the world yet this is nothing in comparison of those thinges that haue followed after the thousand yeares euen vntill this day and shall followe hereafter vnto the worlds end In oulde time also he raigned fully emongs the Gentiles through Idolatry But a thousand yeares fell downe their temples and Idolles with all other instrumentes of vngodlynesse We reade truely Certen articles of religiō assayled howe there were in the Apostles time that affirmed that men are iustified by the lawe and workes Whereupon sprange vp the doctryne of satisfaction and merites But the same doctryne was confuted by the Apostle Saincte Paule aboue other Apostles Saincte Austen also and after him Bede moste constantlie haue defended the doctrine of grace and redemption by Christ The same continued safe by the space of a thousande whoale yeares But afterwarde Freres getting the vpper hande the doctryne of satisfaction and mannes merites ded preuayle whereupon was vtterly obscured the doctrine of Iesu Christe conserning the free remissiō of sinnes imputing of righteousnes Ther grewe vp an opinion with certen of Sainctes makyng intercession or prayeng in heauen for their worshyppers The relicques began to be worshipped ouer soone Neuerthelesse such as wer illumined claue fast to the onely intercessour Christ and honored not relicques But after those thousande fatal yeares many attributed more to Saincts than to the very holy one of Sainctes We see what is done at this day The writings of Monkes and Freres testifie how much the worshipping of creatures hath increased within these .iiii. hondreth yeres or there aboutes Who wyl deny that exceding many haue ben deceaued of Heretikes But who can gather thereby that the Gospell hath bene vtterlie loste that Sathan hath raigned fullye The Byshoppe of Rome hath ascended in to the toppe of Mounte Zion and will be called the head and Pastour generall of the whole catholique church Howbeit the Easte most constantlie resisted and so ded other partes of the world also At the lengthe after a thousande yeares he made his boaste most impudently that the fulnesse of power was geuen him which he got by hoke and croke and after vsurped the same Mahomet seduced many yet neuerthelesse the Patriarchall churches persisted and the Easte honoured Christ lykewise South and North so that the thousande yeares agayne had their lighte nother hath Sathan in these raged so much as he hath since those yeares were complete Doubtelesse since the Turkes begāne to rule and raigne al matters of religion grewe euery daye worse and worse And the warre into the Holy land ded very much hurte to religion and gaue greate courage to the Saracenes and vngodlye whereof I shall speake afterwardes And Images beganne to be sette vp in temples and to be defended But the Histories testifie that the same was done with greate difficultie and hardlie could the vse of them be obtayned all good men moste constantlie resisting And what time they were now admitted yet were not the Idolaters so starke mad as we se they are nowe and haue ben certen yeares paste Wherefore it is rightly sayed howe after a thousand yeares Sathan shulde be loosed from his chaynes which before also moued the vnbeleuers yet fynally rageth more furiously S. Ihon assigned to Antichrist a certen numbre of yeares to wit .666 Whereof we myghte vnderstande the name of Antichriste But therefore it foloweth not that the Deuyll was than quyte lowsed or the lyght of the Gospell vtterly extinguisshed For the Apostle in his time speakyng of him The misterie sayeth he of iniquitie nowe worketh Antichriste therefore hath his seedes he hath his beginnyng he hath his rysing vp his growyng and increaces But after a thousand yeares he went to worke moste impudently and most boldly which before also had vttered his maliciousnes but nowe moste venemously of al he speweth oute his poyson oppressing Kynges and all that speake neuer so little againste him We knowe moreouer that in these thousande yeares paste the Deuill hath raygned in many by murder periurie and innumerable and vnspeakeable euilles But if ye consider what hath ben done sins those thousande yeres and what is done at this daye you will saye those ages of the thousande yeres to haue ben Golden and Siluer worldes and oures nowe for these fiue hondreth yeres to be of brasse Iron leed The corruption of the last age and claye Lactantius in the seuenth booke of Instit the .15 chapter towardes the laste ende of the worlde sayeth he the state of worldly matters muste nedes be altered and iniquitie preuayling to incline to the worse so that these our times in the which iniquitie and mischiefe is growen to the highest degree yet in comparison of that vncurable euil maye be accompted fortunate and in maner Golden ages For iustice shall than ware so thinne vngodlines couetousenes wilfulnes and luste shall be so common that if there shal be than happly any good menne they shal be a praye to the wicked and euery where vexed of the vnrightuouse And euil menne only shall be welthie and the good tourmoyled in all vexation and miserie All righte shall be confounded and lawes shall perisshe Than shall no man haue any thinge saue that whiche is eyther euil gotten or euill kepte Goldenes and violence shal haue all There shal be no faith in men no peaxe no humanitie no shamefastnes no trewth And the remnaūt which are red there By all the whiche our dayes nowe seme to be paincted liuely But what is that whiche is annexed He muste be loused a little season that the Deuill must belowsed for a little season semeth this a little season whiche continueth nowe fiue hondreth yeres And this place we expoūde so as that same in the gospel vnlesse those dayes were shortened no fleshe should be saued For it is euidently by stories that nother the Deuil nor Antichriste hath inioyed that his kingedome longe quiet For euermore and in all ages haue sprong vp some holy and learned menne which beyng illumined and comforted or God like Enoch and Helie haue resisted the vngodly and vngodlines and haue maineteyned the true religion Wherby consciences afflicted of Antichrist haue receyued comforte God of his mercy so temperyng matters that the chosen shuld not despeyre into great temptations errours and darkenes Therefore both Sathan and the Pope could inioye these matters but a small season For immediately after the thousande yeres sprange vp the Waldois whiche constantly impugned the Pope and his vngodlines The lord hath reysed vp certen kinges emōges whom be the Friderickes Germane Emperours Lewis of the house of Bauier many others The Popes also haue ben at dissention emōges themselues
moreouer the church goodes also by the which such a force hath lady monie they might do in the world what they liste For by this meanes Papistrie receiued strongest sinewes Moreouer after those thousande yeres was reysed vp established that God Mayzim The God Mayzim of whoÌ„ also Daniel maketh mention whiche brought also a greate strength vnto Poperie I meane transubstantiation and the horrible polluting of the lordes supper and manifolde abuse of the holy misteries And of the force hereof increased an infinite nombre of priestes and filthie Freres For after those thousande yeres at the length came vp the secte or order of Iacobines Celestines Gilbertines of Graye freres blacke freres white freres and many other freres and monstrouse Mounkes whiche haue craftely cropen in the fauour of all princes to thintent they might know al their secretes by auricular confession Than began all thinges more impudently to be set forth solde in the church than euer before Superstitions and vnprofitable hurtful ceremonies ouerflowed For we haue sene thirtie yeres sins and more how much increased dayly idolles and Idolatrie worshippynge of creatures and abuses innumerable about the same pilgrimages to dumme Idolles and an infinite nombre of the same sorte I recite not that holy matrimony waxed now vile after those thousande yeres in so much that ministers of churches were prohibited to marye Than waxed whoredome rife rape and aduoutrie and yet more filthie thinges thaÌ„ al these c. I pas ouer here very many thinges this only I reherse yf ye compare the rites ceremonies and superstitions of Papistrie with the heythen gentilitie as I haue partely shewed here and there in my workes ye will saye that Papistrie passeth farre all gentilitie For in case the false opinion and perswation ones taken awaye ye doe waye what Papistrie is in it selfe you will graunte that there was neuer suche a corrupte thing in the worlde Full rightly therefore sayeth S. Iohn that Sathan is broken lowse out of pryson We say in Englisshe hell is broken lose By the whiche prouerbe he signifie matters extremely corrupted nothing to be done in his place or decent order but althing confused all tourned vp side downe at the will and luste of the euill sprete Gog and Magog at gathered to battaile Herunto is added an other thing that the thousande yeres expired Sathan shuld gather Gog and Magog to battaile By the which wordes doubtles S. Iohn hath alluded the prophecie of Ezechiel which we reade in the .38 .39 chapt Ezechiel semeth to haue prophecied of the warres of Macedonie and of Antiochus speakyng hereof by a propheticall phrase and an hiperbolicall amplification The Prophet sayeth that Gog is the lande of Magog And euident it is that Magog was Iaphetes sonne whiche dwelt at Mounte Cancansus and extended his Empire to Aethiopia and Aegipte And afterwarde out of Asia and that out of the Easte partes Antiochus Epiphanes made warre on the people of God The same was a figure of Antichrist as all expositours doe confesse Wherefore it appereth that S. Iohn bringeth forth these his things by waye of comparison As though he shoulde saye like as in tymes pasie the people of Gog and Magog dyd sore moleste and afflicte the people of God so in the times of Antichriste moste greuouse warrss shall arrise wherewith the church of God shal be shaken and layde wast And sayeth verely that the hoste of these distroyeis shal be innumerable He addeth after the maner of the Scripture aparable for perspecuitie as the sand of the Sea And also by an other phrase of speakyng he signifieth that the enemies of Gods people shal be bolde and ready to ouer runne the whole world and and turmoyle all thinges with warres For he sayeth And they wente vpon the playne of the lande As much to say as they beyng swifte bold shal ruÌ„ne ouer al the world Euery where through out the wyde world shal be cruel warres For most purposely he addeth TheicoÌ„pat fed aboute the tents of Sainctes beloued of God and thei compassed about the tentes of Saincts and beloued Citie And meaneth that the church of God shall be moste greuouslye plagued with those Gogicall and barbarouse warres For in times paste Hierusalem was called the chosen and beloued Citie but after she reiected the worde of the Lorde she was no more beloued of God but rather reiected and hated Therfore Saincte Ihon speaketh of the Catholique church which Sainct Paule also in an other place oute of Esaye nameth Hierusalem that is aboue The same is also called the tentes of Sainctes For the faythfull are in the church as it were in tentes fyghting againste Sathan the worlde sinne and flesh And where he sayeth they compasse aboute the tentes of Sainctes he sayeth some what more than yf he had written they assayled or beseiged or assaulted the tentes of Sainctes For they compasse them aboute which geue the assaulte rounde aboute and vexe them moste greuouslie as though they were already taken that no hope can appeare to any man no refuge or waye to escape Vndoubtedlie if we conferre these things with Histories ¶ The church plaguâ—d moste greuouslye by the holye warres we shall fynde that the church hath ben many times assayled with cruell warres but neuer yet with crueller than after those thousande fatall yeares I meane the holy warre as they terme it Whereof haue written at large William Archbyshop of Tyrus the Abbot of Vrspurge in Chronic. Item Benedecte Coltes and Paulus Aemilius in the fourth boke de reb gestis Francorum Fynallye Volaterane in the eleuenth booke of Geographie in Coelesyria and Palestine Historiographers report many things of the battel af Troy Others suppose that those of Assyria and Babilon wer greatter Many extol the warres of the Persians and Macedomans as in very dede thei wer horrible The Romanes haue also their warres Punicall Methridaticall Ciuile Cimbricall and Germanicall but I suppose verely that the warre which they call Holy was more cruell than all these more bluddy and sore and of longer continuaÌ„ce In this haue ioyned together in maigne battaylles with multitudes of men innumerable in a maner all nations and people of the whole world inhabited Wonderful monstrouse slaughters haue ben made There haue died more hondreth thousaÌ„ds of men than can be credited It hath continued moreouer many yeares yea mo than the fourmer or any warres that euer were in the worlde Furthermore it was done with moste hostile myndes And the whiche maketh moste for this purpose in this war were exasperated the OrieÌ„tal Saracenes Turkes Aegiptians BabiloniaÌ„s and other barbarous nations that they brent with an vnquenchable hatred againste the christian religion and wente aboute to plucke it vp by the rootes and a great parte thereof haue plucte vp and cease not to do yet at this day That same warre therfore moste greuouse of all others was cause of the persecution of the faythfull in the
contemplation of mâ—ters diuine and in holy prayers he heard a voice whereof 〈◊〉 wyll speake hereafter But here we are presently taughâ— what is the religion of the sonday and how it is mete to oâ—serue it Finally wordly men are reproued whiche pollutâ— breake it with prophane workes and affaires Dauid wâ— time he suffered persecution of Saul lamenteth chiefly tâ— he might not come to the Lordes tabernacle Our men aâ—compt it a great felicitie neuer to enter into the felloship Sainctes And to abuse the sonday in gamenyng drinkinâ— dauncing and worldly businesse By whose commaundement he wrote and sent the Apocalipse These thinges on this wyse declared he cometh at lenâ—â— to the reuelation setting forth before the expresse commauâ—dement of God wherby he was commaunded both to wâ— the thinges â—euealed also to send theÌ„ to the seuen churchâ— of Asia To the maner and maiestie of the reuelatioÌ„ that saâ— chiefly apperteineth that he heard a voice and that notabâ— as the sound of a trompet For so we reade it was done the law geuing at the mount Sinay Now is declared who voyce it was and who was the authour of the reuelation Verely the eternall God which calleth hym selfe Alpha â— Omega that is the beginning and the ende Or as it is saâ— in Esay first and last Wherof els where Now followeth the commaundement whiche hath â—partes For first the Lord commaundeth S. Iohn to wâ—â— And to wryte suche thinges as he sawe that is to witte 〈◊〉 Apocalipse And that he should wryte nother in the sanâ— nor on the walle but in a boke Verely for the edifiyngâ— profit of the churche present and of all posteritie After heâ— also commaunded to sende those writinges to seuen congâ—â—gations and verely to all the churches of the whole worldâ— al times ages Therfore al these thinges belong to the proâ— of congregations and that of al that be haue bene or shalâ— Thautoritie of the Scripture Here of we learne how great is the authoritie of the sâ—â—turs It was not written nor coÌ„piled in bokes but by Goâ— coÌ„maundment There be notable testimonies of the bokâ— of Moyses in the .xxxiiii. of Exod. and .xxxi. of Deuter. And to say nothing of the residue of the Propetes is not Ieremy commaunded to wryte his Sermons againe whiche kyng Ioachim had cut in pieces and burnt The scriptures are ours Doubtes S. Peter beareth manifest witnes that the Prophetes receiued the misteries of God to none other ende than thei shuld reueale them to vs Which in dede might only be done by the scriptures Now is Iohn moste apertly commaunded to wryte What wyl we say that he is also commaunded to sende his wrytinges to the congregations Wherof againe we gather that God willeth right well to the congregations and euen to euery one of vs. Let vs beware and take hede that we put not from vs vnworthely so great benefites of God to whoÌ„ be prayse and glory ¶ THE BEGINNING OF THE worke is made a moste goodly description to vs exhibited of Christe kyng and byshop in glory neuertheles woorkyng in the Churche The fifth Sermon ANd I tourned me that I myght see the voice that spake with me And when I was tourned I sawe seuen golden candelstickes And in the middes of the seuen candelstickes one like vnto the sonne of man clothed with a linnen garmeÌ„t â—owne to the grounde and gyrde about the pappes with a golden girdell His head and his eares were whyte as whyte wolle and â—nowe And his eyes were as a flame of fyre â—nd his feete like vnto brasse as though they brent in a fournace and his voice as the sound of many waters And he had in his ryght and seuen Starres and out of his mouthe went out a sharpe two edged sworde and hiâ— face shone euen as the SuÌ„ne in his strength Suche thinges as haue bene treated of hitherto in thâ—â— boke be in stead of the prologue or preface as they termeâ— Now at last shall the matter it selfe be propouÌ„ded to vs. The som of these things vnto the .iiii. Chapter Hâ— therfore followeth the second part of this boke whiche râ—cheth to the fourth chapter In the which is Christ describe vnto vs with his catholike churche For first in dede is set â—fore vs the moste sacred Image of Christ our Lord teachiâ—â— what a one he is on the right hande of his father in glorâ— how he sittyng on the right hand of his father worketh nâ—uerthelesse in his churche continually neuer absent preseâ— alwayes Of what sorte moreouer the churche is hereâ— earth is figured in those seuen congregations Here therfoâ— are shewed the excellent giftes of churches and agayne iâ— shamefull errours How the Lord Christ confirmeth suchâ— are sliding and ready to fall establisheth those that standeâ— forteth the weake harted restreyneth the folyshe hardy aâ— preserueth thinges that are corrupt Finally how faithful â—stours of the churche must worke and trauell with the peâ—ple committed to their credit For here is exceadingly wâ— taught what is the reparing and preseruation of churchâ— Where also a briefe somme of the whole ecclesiastical and 〈◊〉 some doctrine brought in to an abridgement shal be set beâ— vs. For here is repeted from heauen of Christ in glory 〈◊〉 doctrine of true religion whiche he had set forth more plâ—tifully when he was yet here in earth And here most apâ— applieth it to churches after consideration of the same And in most goodly order the wordes are knit togetheâ— as likewyse the whole boke is wrytten with playne worâ— and hanging right well together they are disceaued that thiâ—â— it to be lose besomes or broomes vnbounde Iohn heard voice behind him criyng Wherupon he tourned backwaâ— that he might se the voyce speaking that is to wit hym tâ— spake For Aretas also admonissheth that there is a tropeâ— the wordes For no man seeth but heareth the voyce Aâ— tourning him to see he sawe a figure of Christ our sauioâ—â— Therfore when the Lorde speaketh let vs tourne also wâ— all our harte Let vs turne to the lord speaking that we may lykewyse deserue to se the misteries of the kingdom of God for he gladly reuealeth him selâ— to suche as tourne and desire heauenly thinges And from those that neglecte the misteries of the kingdome of God al thinges of saluation are hidde Further more S. Iohn exhibiteth to vs the Image of Christ our catholike kyng and high bishop sitting in glory Thimage of Christ is set befor vs. in the whiche description are comprised the chiefest matters of Christ For suche a taste of Christ is here geuen vs as in this world may be of our weake flesh perceiued But we shal se hym at the length in the world to come such as he is in the fulnes of his maiestie wherin shal be ioye life euerlasting But this in this corrupt world is yet graunted to no man So much therfore is permitted vnto vs that liue yet
the olde translation in all thinges But the Egle is swifte and of moste sharpe sight signifiyng the almightie knowledge of God and expedition vnspeakeable in doyng of thinges The fifte trompe The fifte trompet comprehendeth a moste cruell battell whiche the Pope stired vp in admitting errours into the world yea rather bringyng in settyng forth and defendyng them by his vngratiouse Locustes that eate vp all thinges He lasteth to the worldes ende Of whome he will agayne discourse more plentifully and more properly in the .13 and 14. chapter c. A starre falleth from heaueÌ„ into the Earth The Original of this euil is referred to the fal of a starre For a starre hath fallen from Heauen to the earth Starres as I shewed you in the beginnyng of this boke aboute the ende of the .1 chapt represente vnto vs the state of Ministers or Bisshoppes For as the starres shine in Heauen so Bisshoppes illumined with heauenly light ought to shine in the church aswell in doctrine as honeste lyfe And hitherto they stande in Heauen so long as they doe theyr duetie they fall to the Earth what time forgetting the heauenly conuersation and doctrine they thinke vpon earthly things speake and followe honoures pleasures and such like corruptions A little after will he cal him an Aungell whome now he calleth a starre Of the churche of Rome The Churche of Rome was notable and pure coÌ„mended also ones by the prayse of the Apostle The same had Bisshoppes that is to saye ministers of the church vnto the emperour Constantine about .32 for the most part very well learned moste holy yet men and moste gloriouse martirs of Christ Againe from the emperour Constantine vnto Gregory the great are accompted Bisshoppes or pastours of the church of Rome about .32 emonges whom there were not a few diligeÌ„t enough learned and godly but yet emoÌ„ges these were founde also whiche blinded with the euill of Ambition began more to incline to seke honours and gloriouse titles than the doctrine of Christ concernyng humilitie and simplicitie and the example of Christ and apostles hath permitted Christ fled when the people would haue chosen and made him king He sayed that kinges should reigne that Apostles and their successours should serue If kings therfore had offered them realmes and riches they should not haue receyued them What certen Bishoppes of Rome practised with the churches of Affricke and how they would haue ruled ouer them the stories doe plainely declare Notwithstanding there were founde emonges the latter Bishops as Pelagius and Gregory surnamed great which greuousely accused the Bishops of ConstaÌ„tinople for that thei went about to establish the church of Constantinople as chiefe of al others in the world and the Bishop thereof vniuersall Nother was Gregory asshamed to saye expressely that he is the vauntcurrour of Antichrist who so euer would couet the name or title of the vniuersal bishop But Boniface the .3 of that name moued nothing herwith required and obteyned of themperour Phocas no long time after the death of Gregory that the church of Rome might be called and taken for the chiefe and head of al churches Bishops of Rome a starte falleÌ„ froÌ„ heauen Wherby the Bishopes of Rome plucked out of heauen and caste to the earth vtterly began to cleaue vnto earthly thinges to care for earthly thinges yea euen to aspire to the empire and chiefe rule and gouernement Here haue you what starre fell from heauen to the Earth And to this starre he calleth him afterward the Aungel of the botomlesse pitte or Bishop I name one I vnderstande all of that state and succession in that seate was geuen the keye of the botomlesse pitte A keye is geuen to the starre or Aungel Christe verely kepeth the keye of Dauid as I shewed in the .2 chapt of this boke The same gaue to the Apostles the keyes of the kingedome of heauen power to open or to shut heaueÌ„ that is to wit the ministerie of preaching the Gospell wherby is shewed assuredly promised the forgeuenesse of sinnes and eternall life to beleuers and the reteyning of sinnes certaine damnation is threatened to the vnbeleuers No godly maÌ„ doubteth but that these keyes were geuen also vnto Bisshoppes of Rome agayne euery man knoweth that the latter popes would not vse theÌ„ lawfully but corrupting the Euangelicall veritie and infecting the lawefull ministerie haue gotten them counterfetted keyes Therfore is geuen to them of the Prince of darkenes the keye of the botomles pitte to witte corrupt and counterfet doctrine and not the Apostolical but apostaticall ministerie wherby as it were from hell set open they haue brought forth outrageouse errours and superstitions and vngodlines of all sortes The popes keyes And I suppose it hath chaunced not with out Gods prouidence that Bisshoppes of Rome are called Clauigers or keye bearers and weare keyes in their Armes But you shall not vnderstande them to be the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but of the botomlesse pitte rather sins he is a teacher of errours and of all abomination Authour moreouer of all warres and dissentions leadyng them euen vnto Hell God is a liuely fouÌ„tayne God is in dede the fountaine of perpetuall goodnes and of all veritie whiche opened in Christ by the Apostles in the preachyng of the Gospel refressheth with holesome water al that thirste for eternal saluation Of this fouÌ„taine Esaye maketh mention in the .55 chapt And Ieremie in the .2 chap. The Lorde also in the Gospel after Iohn in the .4 .7 chapt and in diuerse other places The botoÌ„lesse pitte Against this liuely fountaine of euerrunnyng waters is set the botomlesse pitte vnsearchable I saye by reason of the mallice of Sathan full of vngodlines abomination and aâ—â— kinde of liyng From hence blubbereth vp into the world by false teachers and ministers of Antichrist what errour and abomination so euer is in the world For Sathan the father of lies spreadeth abroade in the worlde by his instrumentes what darkenes so euer there is The botoÌ„les pitte is opened Therfore the starre or Aungel of the botomles pitte that is the Pope or Bishop of Rome openeth the bottomles pitte with a keye and by by ascendeth vp the smoke of the pitte For I haue spoken hitherto of the beginnyng of euill nowe shal follow of the proceding and setting forth of the same The Pope by his corrupt ministerie openeth Hel Smoke out of the botomlesse pitte and not Heauen Out of hell ascendeth or riseth a smoke Smoke in some places of the Scripture is a token of the presence and wrath and vengeauÌ„ce of God as where in the time of Esaye a smoke rose in the Temple of Salomon 3. boke of Kinges 8. chapt Esaye 6. In the .19 of Exod. We reade smoke ascended from the mouÌ„taine as out of a fornace You reade in the .18 psalm Smoke wente vp in the wrath of God fire burnte from before his face At
which in the Gospel sayeth I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome whiche al your aduersaries shal not be able to gaine saye Moreouer my heaueÌ„ly father will geue his holy spirite to suche as desire of him Therfore sayeth the Aungel nowe take the boke Neuerthelesse he putteth here an other commauÌ„dement eate it He alludeth to the .2 and .3 A feruentnes dilligence of the ministers is required chapt of Ezechiel Where the prophet is likewise commauÌ„ded of God to eate a boke offered vnto him For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge S. Ambrose to eate a boke sayeth he is to laye vp the vnderstanding of the scriptures in the secret bowelles or entrailles He semeth by a trope both to intimate an ernest desire and beate in a singular diligence For we deuoure with a gredy desire suche thinges as we haue long and much coueted to eate They are sayed also to haue deuoured bokes and authours which thei haue perfitly learned and can We saye in dutche Er hat den Galen oder Prisciane gar fressen that is to saye he hath learned him perfitly It is required therfore of the preachers that thei learne the holy scriptures with a desire and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely Without a desire and seruentenes of minde thou shalt profit little in the study of holy Scriptures and vnlesse ye learne the Gospell exactely vnprofitably shalt thou preache the same The ministers therfore maye be asshamed of theyr ignoraunce which are more geuen to Idlenes Tauernes huÌ„ting dising and other worse thinges than to the study of holy Scriptures They beyng farre vnlike the apostle S. Iohn shal in this warfare against Antichrist winne smal renowne vnlesse they doe awake out of theyr prophane slepe and cherely do their dewty without doubt most holy The effecte of Gods word swete better Nother is here dissembled so much as the effecte of the ministerie and worde preached It is swete in the mouth as hony For Dauid hath songe also the iudgementes of the lord are to be desired aboue much Golde and preciouse stones and sweter than hony or hony combes This swetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne and the faithful lighted with the trueth hath alwayes continuall Ioye but yet muste we not conceale what it semeth to the flesshe and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne It maketh verely the â—ealy vitter whiche is also a phrase of speache vnto which oures aunswereth signifiyng that the same whiche is propounded vnto vs is both payneful and greuouse The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the flesshe trauelles paynefulnes the crosse and aduersities innumerable whiche with a strong and constaunt patience we must ouercome For the Lord in the Gospell preached repentaunce or mortification and emonges other thinges made very much mention of persecutions wherwith his should be alwayes exercised Primasius when thou shalte haue deuoured the booke sayeth he thou shalt in dede be delighted with the swetenes of the worde diuine and with hope of saluatioÌ„ promised and pleasaunt tasie of Gods rightuousnes but doubtles thou shalt fele a bitternes when thou shalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce some beyng coÌ„uerted to better are chaunged and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers The wiseman sayeth thou shal rebuke a wise maÌ„ and he wil loue thee reproue a foole he will hate thee therfore and so forth Nother are these thinges saied only Paynefulnes is felt but also are done and felte for S. Iohn and when I had deuoured it sayeth he my bealy was made bitter And we fele at this daye the most greuouse hatred of mightie menne to witte of spirituall fathers and temporall Princes Many are driuen into exile innumerable are shutte vp in prisones an infinite multitude are slayne with sondry kindes of deathes All these thinges did the Prophetes prophecie should come to passe our sauiour him self in the Gospel gaue vs warnyng therof the lord here telleth vs againe the same tale Therfore let vs be strong and counstaunt in the Lord and fight agaynst Antichrist vnto the ende of our life The Lorde will not forsake vs whiche leeste we should be vanquished of those aduersities tolde vs of them dilligently before And thus muste they be instructed which shal warre against Antichrist before the last iudgement Thexposition of the vision Laste as I sayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon is set a briefe expositioÌ„ of the visioÌ„ For the Angel saieth vnto Iohn thou must prophecie agayne to the Heythen c. By this visioÌ„ sayeth he I wold declare nothing els but that thou must preach againe to the world first by thy self in Asia after thou shalt retourne from exile secondly by faithfull ministers eueÌ„ to the worldes ende which shal spreade abroade this doctrine now set forth by thee with sondry tongues through natioÌ„s and therwith shal beate downe Antichrist To prophecie And suche as are accustomed to reade the scriptures know that to prophecie is takeÌ„ for to preach For prophecie is preachyng they were in times past called prophetes which at this daye be preachers as we maye gather of the .1 Corinth 11. and .14 chapter And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue Aethiopian Aegiptian Germane Spanish French English Italian to be short in a maner into al laÌ„gages in al these preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful ministers The gentiles be they neuer so barbarouse rude heare S. Iohn teachyng and so do the people of many nations Al these receyue not a little comforte in these most dauÌ„gerouse dayes of Antichrist and haue receyued of them also before this time which long sins renewed the apostolical doctrine against Antichrist The same doctrine is brought at this daye and was brought in times past also vnto kinges and Popes though they kicked and spurned agaynst it The thing I speake is not doubtful For we bothe heare and see these thinges euen at this daye Histories also reporte many thinges herof Lande and glory be to God Some copies in the latin are corrupt which haue Igitur for Iterum For S. Iohn sayed thou muste prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Iterum again not Igitur For he signifieth that he beyng dead also must preache to many nations in sondry tongues by faythfull ministers that shall fighte against Antichrist The Lorde assiste with his spirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apostolicall doctrine Amen ¶ S. Iohn measureth the temple and sheweth that God hath a care of it and the quire he excommunicateth The .xlvi. Sermon ANd there was geuen me a reede like vnto a rodde The 11. chapter it was sayed vnto me rise and mete the Temple of God and the Aultar and them that worshippe therin and the quire
cruel and blouddy is that crueltie it shal continewe by the space of three dayes and an halfe Three dayes and an halfe the whiche al the expositours vnderstande for a shorte time certaine in dede but yet vncertayne as I tolde you before of the monethes and yeres Therefore I suppose this shortenesse of time to be brought for a consolation We saye also for the Lord geueth to the afflicted spaces to breath in shorteneth the sorrowful dayes to the ende we might be able to abide it Yf therefore our patience be tempted in a greuouse cruell persecution of Antichrist let vs thinke that our Lorde God hath in a rekenyng al the dayes of our calamitie and that he hath shortened the same for the consolation of the weake The place is tolde where the prophetes muste be slayne And the very place where this crueltie muste be wrought agaynst the prophetes he expresseth playnely as it were poincteth it with the fingar To witte the great citie And it is the citie of God and is also the citie of the deuil it is the citie of Abel an innocēt it is also the citie of Cain the parricide it is the catholicke citie of sainctes it is also the Sinagoge of Antichrist These cities are opē through out the whole world and are inclosed with no strayte walles thou might call this citie the lordeshippe dominion kingdome or empire or fellowship of the wicked Where so euer therefore Antichrist or Pope of Rome hath iurisdiction and euen in the Romisshe church it selfe through out al nations people these thinges whiche we haue hearde shal be done agaynst Martirs For settyng forth that citie with more playne tokens their bodies sayeth he shal lie in the stretes of the great Citie And by an expositiō he addeth which is called spiritually Sodome and Aegipte Moreouer where also our Lord was crucified And agayne and they shall see of people and kinreddes and tongues and natiōs therfore by this he vnderstode not any strayte nor yet any large citie inclosed with walles but that citie stretcheth through out the world wherin dwel nations kinreddes people c. Sodome and Aegipte are farre a sonder nother can they be ioyned together with any walles Againe our Lorde was crucified in the citie of Hierusalem whiche is also called of the Prophetes Sodome and Gomorrha but he is crucified dayly in his membres through out the world And there is one and the same citie and societie of al the wicked in the worlde as there is one body of the godly Let vs knowe therfore how that citie wherin the bodies of the prophetes lie in the stretes is the citie of Cain and the Romish church scattered ouer the world The same is called Aegipte and Sodome but spiritually Spiritually Where we see this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually to be vsed in a sense farre from the lettre for otherwise there is no spirite at all eyther in Sodome or in Aegypte for they be altogether flesh Therefore insense of a parable and by a comparison this citie is called Sodome Aegypte Sodome Aegipte What Sodome was appereth of the .19 chapt of Genes and .16 of Ezechiel Her sinnes went vp to heauē But what maner one is at this daye a longe time hath ben the churche of Rome all men know excepte it be they that wil not know And the Apostle in the .1 to the Romaines hath expounded And Aegipte robbed the children of God of their libertie oppressed them with vile bōdage and prohibited them from the trewe worshippyng of God So likewise the Romish church hath spoyled the church of Christ of the libertie gotten by Christ hath wrapped her in filthie seruitude that she might serue in the dirte of mens tradicions It prohibiteth moreouer by all force and power that she shall not in retournyng to the gospel serue God truely And verely our lord Iesus Christ was crucified on Mounte Caluarie at the citie of Hierusalē Where our Lorde was crucified and also the articles of our fayth expounding the same saye that he suffered vnder Pōce Pilate He was the Romane gouernour it is manifest therefore that Christ suffered vnder the Romane Empire Vnder the same Empire and vnder the iudgement thereof were executed the Apostles and auncient Martirs Vnder the Empire of newe Rome fal that prophetes also at this daye by sworde and fire Also people kinreddes tongues and nations obeye this Empire nowe called the churche so that preachers in all places the beaste so willyng and commaundyng are aprehended and slayne with cruell deathes people kinreddes and nations lokyng on To the augementation and moste aptely expressyng the crueltie that thinge apperteyneth chiefly The wicked reioyse at the calamities of the godly that these earthly men possessyng in these landes a church all together carnall shall reioyse and be glad ouer the calamities and miserable deathes of Prophetes The same did also the Lorde him selfe prophecie before in the .16 of Iohn Verely verely I saye vnto you you shal wepe lamēt but the world shal reioyce c. Yea they shal sende giftes saieth he and letters of reioycing That this was done in the counsel of Constaunce what time Iohn Husse Bankettes were made for the fal of England and Hierome of Prage were burnt Histories make mention We haue hearde very lately howe after Englande was fallen agayne to the Romishe religion what ioye and gladnes what bankettes and triumphes the Papistes made in all places So ofte as the ministers or other faithfull are burnt the selfe same kepe solemne chere and pleasaunte bankettyng singyng Te deum Laudamus And letters of reioycing flye to froe in some other places with sollemne procession they reioyce at the miserie of the faithfull but the Lorde seeth these thinges which tolde lōg sins that the same things should now come to passe They are glad they are lighted of theyr burthen And the cause of this excedyng gladnes is non other than that those prophetes vexed them that dwell vpon earth For they that loue the earth and couet earthly thinges are sore offended with the free preachyng of the veritie whiche they hate more than dogge and snake For they desire eyther to atcheue honours riches and pleasures or if they haue them to kepe stil the same but they are sore affrayed leeste through preachyng the same should be shrewedly shakē or wholy taken from them Therefore they desire nothyng more than to be ridde and deliuered of their clamours and immediately to haue them taken out of the waye For so thinke they that they shal be safe and inioye their pleasures at wil. With like affection and Counsell in the feaste of Herode was coueted nother kingedom nor great some of Golde but the head of Iohn Baptiste The Popes had rather at this daye haue the heades of certen ministers of the churche than so many thousande crownes Yea moreouer the ministers of churches are called plagues