shall discourse more at large of the distruction of Rome in the .17 chap. Wherfore within the space of .136 yeares Rome came seuen tymes into straungers handes and was sacked most cruelly and fell on the edge of the sworde and was led into captiuitie Councell how the godly shall demeane theÌ„selues in so great euils which hath long stricken with the swoorde and led away all nations prisoners This was the iust iudgement of God And S. Ihon annexeth a doctrine howe the godly shulde behaue theÌ„selues in so greate troubles and aduersities Here that is to wit whilest the Romanes reigne and rage also in those blouddy and cruel alterations and destruction of the Romane Empire the Sainctes shall nede to haue patience or perseueraunce and fayth These two vertues shal kepe the faithfull that they perish not also Of patience the lord speaketh in S. Luke the .21 chapt In your patience shal you possesse your soules Of faith speaketh blessed Iohn and this is the victory that ouercometh the world euen your faith Impatience and incredulitie hath led away many into the deniyng of the faith to idolatrie and to al vngodlines So learne we also how to arme our selues in our dayes against all vngodlines The lord deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ Of an other beast which cometh vp out of the Earth that is to saye of Antichrist The .lviij. Sermon ANd I behelde an other beaâ—â— câ—â—â—â—â— vp out of the Earth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as did the Dragon The Apostle S. Paule playnely testifieth What is th ende of this prophecie Rom. 15. such thinges as are written to be written for our learnyng that through the patience consolation of the scriptures we maye haue hope wherfore we must also applie therunto these things present For Christ the lord of all when he foresawe how greatly sathan should by his chosen membres the olde and newe Romane Empire afflicte the church would haue vs dilligently admonished of euery thing to the intent that al afflicted persones should hereof learne patience and conceaue comforte and hope and not be discouraged with the heauy burthen of euilles Like as he hath therfore diligently described the olde Romane Empire and shewed as it were pâ—yntyng with the fingar what mischief it should worke to the church admonisshed al to haue faith patience right so wil he from hence forth describe poperie or Antichristianisme in the which descriptioÌ„ he setteth forth before our eyes what so euer the sainctes shall suffer that beyng warned before they maye abide more manfully persecution and lesse yelde to mischauntes The secoÌ„d beaste cometh not forth tyll the first be taken awaye And in goodly order beginneth he to sette forth Antichrist after the Romane Empire torne and taken awaye For Daniel sayeth that a little and small horne shoulde arrise vp emonges the ten hornes and three of those hornes to poole downe plucke of and caste awaye and so to atteyne vnto greate power For he signifieth that the Romane Empire beyng diuided and brought now vnto decaie Antichrist shal arrise whiche should procure to himselfe a newe and countrefet Empire And S. Paule sayeth also that Christe shall not come vnto iudgement till Antichrist haue gone before and that he shall not come nother vnlesse this be firste taken awaye whiche hindereth and letteth that he can not come The whiche S. Hierome and other holy expositours do vnderstande of the Romane Empire 2. Thess 2. whiche muste be plucked vp and taken awaye and that then shall Antichrist arrise But the Maiestie of the Empire was distroyed aboute the yere of our Lorde .480 when Odacer inuaded Rome For from that time by the space of .300 yeres and more ther was no Emperour of the Weste after Augustulus And besides this vnder the Emperour Iustinian Rome was brente and layde waste of Totila Sins the whiche time the Bisshoppes of Rome haue begonne to loke a lofte and to thinke vpon a newe kingedome The secoÌ„d beaste of the Earth And therefore the Lorde sayeth that this beaste arriseth of the very earth The kyngedome of our lorde Iesus Christe cometh from heauen and bringeth to heauen Papistrie cometh nother of Christ nor of his doctrine but cometh out of the Earth that is to witte of euill meanes Ambition auarice treason and crueltie What ministers of the churche Christ ordeyned is easely perceyued by the Gospell of Iesu Christ That he forbadde them gouernement supremacie superiorite and maioritie as they terme it appereth of the .18 and .20 chapt of S. Matthew and .22 of Lukâ— Therefore do the Actes of Apostles and the doctrine of Peter testifie that Peter was a Minister and not Lorde of the Apostles muche lesse Prince of the citie or Empire of Rome For they lye lowde that saye howe Rome and Italy are the Patrimonie of S. Peter geuen him of the Lorde At the first the Apostles and Apostolicall men ministers of churches gouerned the churches equallye neyther ded one take vpon him more preheminence than an other Which thyng I am able to proue by many testimonies of auncient wryters yf nede requyred Aboute the counsell of Nice and a litle before that tyme when churches were greatly multiplied were ordeyned and custumably receyued Metropolitanes instituted in dede by a laudable but yet mannes ordinaunce that is to witte in a certen prouince or head citie was ordeyned a Byshop or Pastor which shoulde haue as it were theÌ„ ouersighte of the reste and shoulde serue for the calling of Synodes or assemblees Yet was it than dilligently prouided that he shoulde not be called Primate leeste any manne should thinke himselfe preferred before others in power but in order Nother was the Byshop of Rome at that tyme exalted aboue all others but there were dyuerse Metropolitanes whereof the byshop Rome was one The Niceyue counsell confyrmed that same custome and woulde haue it ratified Socrates in his ecclesiastical Historie the .5 boke the .8 chapt reciteth many Metropolitane churches in Asia S. Hierome to Euagrius and in an epistle to Titus sayeth playnely that in oulde tyme churches were gouerned by the common counsell of priestes or elders and that time Byshops and priestes were all one After by the custome of the church not of the veritie of the Lordes ordinauÌ„ce I rehearce Saincte Hieromes wordes Byshops were preferred before priestes yet muste they gouerne churches together And of that same custome Howe the Bisshop of rome came to his supremacie yea rather of the abuse of the custome Antichrist had his beginning For Boniface Bishop of Rome began fyrste to take vppon him dominion ouer the churches of Affricke But he was immediatelye repressed by the sixte Affricane couÌ„cell where at Sainte Austen is red also to haue bene After that began also the Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople to chalenge to himselfe the Supremacie for this cause chiefelie that Constantinople was than the courtelyke Palace and chiefe Citie of the Empyre Howe beit
life shal be opē on euery side And we beleue that there is no other waie to heauē no other porte or gate or any other dore or posterne to remaine than the only sole Christ Iesus our lord as he himself hath taught in Iohn the .10 .14 chapt But for asmuch as he hath appoincted Angels or prophetes Apostles also porters of heauen to whō he hath cōmitted the keyes of the kingdome of heauen these do bring the chosen and lette them into the heauenly countrie many gates verely are red to haue ben and be And for a further declaration is added that in euery gate was an Angel Twelue Angels in the gates in nōbre twelue And we haue hearde in the beginnyng of this boke that Angelles are gods ministers and pastours of churches sent of God for the saluation of mē I meane that thei might bring them by the worde of veritie and holy ministerie through fayth into life euerlastyng Morouer we reade how the soule of pore Lazarus diyng was caried by Angelles into the bosome of Abraham Whie than should we maruell that Angelles stande at the gates For by the true and only gate Christ they bring in the faithfull into the heauenly countrie And agayne for a further declaration is annexed In the gates are writtē the names of the childrē of Israell and in the gates were names written whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of the children of Israell For the Lord would signifie that he vsed the industrie of Patriarches and Prophetes of all tribes in openyng heauen vnto mē and againe that all the chosen of al tribes appertayne to the felloweship of felicitie We shal see therfore in heauē the Patriarches and Prophetes and all the Sainctes whiche before the cōmyng of Christ are written in the registers of the heauenly like as the Apostles also sawe Moses and Helias talking with Christ in the Mounte Wherfore not without great cause wrote the Apostle to the Hebrewes you are cōmen to the moūte Sion and to the citie of the liuing God to the celestiall Hierusalē and to the multitude of many thousande Angelles and vnto the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And the reste which is red in the .12 chapt The situation of the gates And he toucheth also the situation of the gates For he assigneth three vnto euery parte of the skie Nother doeth he this without consideration For our sauiour himselfe sayeth in the gospel that they shal come from the East and from the Weste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Aretas also searcheth here the misterie more dilligently and supposeth that no man shal enter in by these gates saue he whiche both acknowledgeth the eternal trinitie of God and also vnderstandeth the misterie of the crosse of Christ For he sayeth howe the twelue tribes are diuided by the Trinitie of the fourefolde figure of the worlde c. Wherupon Aquinas also who so euer are saued saieth he they are iustified by the fayth of the holy Trinitie publisshed in the foure quartes of the world by the Apostles preachyng The foundations of the Citie Now sheweth he also that the foundations of this citie are most sure and vnmouable For the walle of the Citie sayeth he hath twelue foundations Touchyng the foundation of the churche and our saluation haue spoken expressely Dauid in the Psalmes Esaye also in the .28 chapt our Lord and sauiour in sondry places of the Gospell Peter moreouer in the Actes and first epistle likewise the Apostle S. Paule whiche sayde any other foundation can not be layde thā that which is layde whiche is Christ Iesus 1. Corinth 3. Howe than are layde here twelue foundations doubtles Christ remayneth one and a sure foundation Howebeit in as muche as in placyng and reuealyng him the Lord hath vsed the ministerie of the twelue Apostles for this cause the citie is sayde to haue twelue foūdations Not that the Apostles are in dede the foūdations of the church and our saluatiō but in this that Christ that trewe foundation was by the twelue Apostles made knowen to the faithfull and as it were layde vnder whereupon the beleuers haue buylded themselues by the Apostles fayth Whereupon he sayeth pourposely in those twelue the names of the lambes twelue Apostles For the gospel also whiche is bothe in very dede and vnchaungeably Iesus Christes alone is called also of Iohn Matthew Marke Luke of Peter and Paule bicause it hath ben preached by them And we vnderstande hereby not only the church whiche was before the commyng of Christ of Patriarches and Prophetes beyng receyued into heauen to reioyce in God but also the church Apostolical I meane that al men in the whole world whiche haue beleued the Apostolicall doctrine shal liue with al the Sainctes in that heauenly countrie all the whiche we shall bothe see and with them also shall glorifie God for euermore Primasius Bisshop of Vtica dissenteth not much from this our exposition Whether thapostles be foundatiōs of the church expounding how the Apostles are called foūdatiōs For thus hath he lefte written where we know that the church hath one only foundation that is to saye Christe we ought not to be moued that here he sayeth she hath twelue For in Christ haue thapostles deserued to be the foūdations of the Churche of whome the Apostle an other foundation saieth he can not be layde besides that which is layde Christ Iesus In him are also the Apostles sayed to be light sins he sayeth vnto thē you are the light of the world where Christ alone is the true light which lighteth euery man commyng into this world Christ therefore is the light illuminyng and they the light illumined And after a fewe wordes the same Authour Here it behoueth sayeth he to acknoweledge the twelue Apostles to be foundatiōs yet called in the only foūdation Christ Iesu Hereunto apperteineth also that he hath not concealed the name of the Lambe The Apostles therfore be foundations but in one foūdation Iesu Christ And christ alone without the Apostles is rightly called the foundation but the Apostles without Christ could by no meanes be called the foundations of the churche These thinges Primasius Which Aretas Bisshop of Cesaria declareth more briefly and playnely and sayeth they are in dede called foundations for that thei haue layde the foundations of the christen faith and gates for that by them that is to witte by their preachyng there maye be founde nowe that maye bring them to the christen fayth Thus much he Doubtles the Apostle S. Paule in the .2 to the Ephes calleth Christe the foundation of Apostles and Prophetes whiche verely in preachyng they haue layde and to the whiche they haue leaned and by the which also they are saued To him be glory ¶ Yet agayne is described the seate of the euerlastyng countrie in heauen The XCiiij Sermon AND he that talked with me had
was cruelly rent in peaces and troden vnder foote And that for no other cause then for that she woulde not worship the beaste that is that she wold not receyue the superstions and heathen rites of the Romane Empire I meane the false Gods and idolatrie of the Heathen And for that she worshipped one God alone through Chryst and cleaued to him seruid him after his Gospell Here therfore are excepted Constance Constantine Gracian Theodose and other godly and christen princes or Emperours which be not rekened vnder the deuelish beast For an Empire or kingdom of it selfe as S Paule sayeth is of God wherfore yf good men rule and geue not ouer themselues to be ruled of the Deuill they shall verely appertaine to the body of holy church and not to the abominable bodi of the beast In the meane time whilest that olde Rome wold not seriously repēt and tourne to Chryst forsaking theyr false gods and superstitions at the last it was condemned of Chryst by the law of like penaltie For with the same measure that the Romanes met to other nations with the selfe same did other nations measure agayne to Rome Wherfore the Persians Hunnes Frenchemē Alemans west Gothians Vādalles and East Gothians invaded thempire rent the whole Empire in pieces And at the last beseged Rome it self brake in to it toke it spoyled sacked burnt destroyed it And so at the length the Lord Iesus by iust iudgement reuenged the bloud of his seruauntes And Rome lay and yet lyeth in ruine and shall neuer be repared to the aūcient beautie And it behoueth the ruine of it to remayne in token of the veritie and reuengment of Christ Iesus that euen therof al godly may gather the God wyll be most true in thother promeses of Christ also as yet not fulfilled Moreouer the Romane Empire westward laye neglecte without an Emperoure aboue thre hundreth and twentie yeares from Augustulus whom Odacer a Germane oppressed til Charles the great king of Fraunce And in these times of desolation that is of thempire oppressed and extinguished in the west The Bisshop of Rome began by little and little to gather to him no smal power and possessions by the authorytie which he toke vpō him vnder the pretence of Chryst and the Apostles Peter and Paule tyll such time as he began to reygne also The falle of tholde Empire is the rysyng of a new But tholde Popes his predecessours wer not Princes in the Churche ruling vnder pretence of Religion but were ministers of the churche simple pastours and poore And Saint Paule prophecied that of the ruine of the Empire and destruction of the citie Antichrist shulde spryng vp For he sayd only this holdyng now or only thys let that now deteyneth tyll it come to passe that it be taken a waye and then shall that wicked be reuayled He signifye◠therfore that Antichrist shuld not reygne com nor appere before tha◠olde Romane empire were taken away For this being ouerthrowē that the same See of Rome shulde be erected For Tertullian who lyued a thousand and three huddreth yeres past in hys boke of the resurrection of the fleshe Who sayeth he shall be taken out of the way but the state of Rome whose departing being dispersed in to ten kings shall bryng in Antichrist And. S. Hierom in the .xi. question to Algasia The Romane Empire sayth he which now possesseth al natyons depart and shal be taken away and then shal Antichrist come the welspryng of iniquitie The same authours by Babylon in this boke of S. Iohn The two horned beast vnderstand Roome And Iohn hym selfe in this boke sheweth that the seuen headed and mighty olde empire of Rome being taken away an other beaste shal aryse and that with two hornes that is to witte suche a Prynce whyche shall chalenge to hymselfe a double rule or kingdome fulnes I say of power aswell in thynges spirituall as temporall And this same doth the whole worlde at thys daye acknowledge to be the Byshop of Rome decked with his triple crowne vndoubtedly of the three hornes which accordyng to the prophecie of Daniell Daniel .vii. eyther brought lowe or toke away this base contemned horne and Armed with two keyes signifieng hym to be king and Byshop the most myghty Monarke in matters spiritual temporall Christes vicar in earthe hauyng full power in Heauen and in earth He hym selfe in tymes past caused men to set vp the Image of the beast that is to set vp a new empire after the Image and the Imitation of the olde Romane Empire Whych thing after it was begon in Charles the great a right noble prince and furthermore auaūced and commen from the kings of Fraunce to the Germans which in dede were stoute Godly and worthye Prynces The Byshop of Rome was not ashamed in straunge wise to vexe trouble excomunicate depose and to substitute others in theyr place to styre vp wars in many Realmes at ones and set them together by the eares so long till those kynges did frame themselues after hys wyll and appetyte and wolde fall downe to kisse hys fete And he hym selfe at the length toke vpō him thempire publishing his decrees to the whole world boasted hymselfe to be the Monarche or soule ruler of the world who myght at hys pleasure bothe depose kinges and set them vp in kyngdomes Finally that he was supreme iudg in earth whych may iudg al men but he hym selfe may in nowyse be iudged of any man Therfore lyke as in tholde empire we sequestred from the cōmunion of the beastes all good men which were or liued vnder thempire so in this new also we do alwayes except the graue and witty the good godly men and al religious people which mixed among them not only abyde styll in Chryst but also eyther abhorre and comtemne the beast or to theyr power fight against him The Characte of the beaste Wherby they come not in the accompt of the beast And this two horned beast marketh his worshippers with a Characte And those that refuse thys characte he excommunicateth out of al mens company so that it is lawful for them neither to by nor sel Yea more he condemneth them for hereticks schismaticks for damned and lost creatures If thou confesse thy self now to be a Christian and professe with a syncere and loyall hart the belefe or crede of the Apostles one holy church of Christ and of al saincts and dost not aboue all thinges confesse the Pope to be Chrystes vicar in earth with the fulnes of power and the Romish churche which is the mother of all churches and can not erre thou shalte seme as yet to haue confessed nothyng but shalt be sayed rather to be suspected of heresy and therfore to be more straytely examined This thing can not be dissembled for it is knowen to all men in the whole world But to thintent we shuld not erre in a matter so nedefull to be
worlde also is geuen vs a quiet cōscience and ioye vnspeakeable which they in deede fele that do in ioye the same They that haue not tasted therof can neuer beleue that it is so much as it is in dede Wherupon S. Paull sayed and the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding c. suche mindes so affected our Sauiour Christ graunte vs. Amen ¶ The Epistle of Thyatirena is expounded wherin are sondry vertues commended and the vice of Iesabell reprehended The .xii. Sermon ANd vnto the Messenger of the cōgregatiō of Thiatira write This sayeth the sonne of God whiche hath his eyes like vnto a flāme of fire and his fete are like brasse I knowe thy workes thy loue seruice faith and thy patiēce and thy dedes which are mo at the last then at the first Notwithstāding I haue a fewe things against thee that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her self a prophetisse to teache disceaue my seruaunts to make them cōmit fornication and to eate meates offered vp vnto Idolles The fourth epistle written to the Thyatirenians The argumēt of the fourthe epistle is more plentifull then the residue and with manifolde fruites replenished For it cōmendeth and praiseth in that churche excellent vertues and singular giftes not a fewe Streight wayes he reproueth in them that they suffer ouer gētly the Iezabelisme whiche he describeth what and howe filthie it is He threateneth them sore vnlesse with perfit repentaunce they amende theyr sinnes and wickednes Further more he warneth that they loke for no newe reuelations but that they perseuer abide in those which they had learned hitherto in the which they nowe are Hither also with most large promisses he allureth them finally cōmunicateth cōmendeth this doctrine to al churches And there is a wōderful likenes and correspondaunce in al epistles As the same may be sene also in al the bokes of the prophetes in the story of the euangelistes The scripture is in al thinges like agreable to it selfe in Paules epistles Wherof it maye easely be gathered that the doctrine of the vexitie is most absolute perfit and plaine and agreable to it selfe in al thinges In so muche that if al the writinges of all other Apostles and Prophetes did remaine we should haue had no more in those many and most plētuouse bokes then we now haue in the holy Bible God prouided wel for vs and for our infirmitie by this briefe waye Here be seuen Epistles set in the 2. Chapter but it is maruell to see howe like they be all teachinge in a maner all one thinge The vse of this epistle This fourth is chiefly profitable for those congregations whiche are sounde in the purenes of doctrine and are pure moreouer in holines of life but doe not with a feruent zeale enough persecute open heresies There be other fruictes and cōmodities whiche we shall speake of in order But like as in al other epistles that goo before first is set forth to whom the epistle is sent and from whom it cōmeth So also in this epistle Thyatirene both the superscription as they terme it The superscriptiō of this epistle the subscriptiō is expressely set It is sent to the Messenger of the church of Thyatira so to the whole churche as I haue tolde you before oftētimes And Thyatira is a noble and famouse citie of Lydia Thyatira in Asia on the riuer of Hermus where we reade that the woman was borne that solde purple whiche was conuerted to Christ by s Paull in the 16. of the Actes it was a populouse citie much frequēted so that it is no maruell though mē diuersly geuē vncleane curiouse heretikes did associate ioyne them selues to the churche of God The Geographers wryte many thinges of that famouse citie of Asia Thautour of the epistle And the author of thepistle is the Lord Christ him self the high king Bishop which vseth thapostle his pen or blessed s Iohn for his Scribe or Secretarie by whome he will haue those things published through out the whole world And he getteth the epistle authoritie whilest repeting certen mēbres of the former image descriptiō he sheweth him self in such sorte to be sene of the church to be viewed in faithe that they help the matter wōderfully He seeth here heresies the secrets of hartes and treadeth vnder his moste pure and cleane fete what so euer auaūceth it selfe against Gods glory veritie He calleth him selfe therfore the sonne of God Christe the sonne of God and man whome before we hearde to be the sonne of man He is therfore and remaineth both euen in glory aswel the sonne of God as mā In the diuine nature of the same substaunce with the father in the humane nature cōmunicating with vs in al things except sinne the other nature is not swallowed vp in glory but two distinct seueral natures without any permixtiō abide in one persone vndiuided which in dede be one Christ very God very mā to be worshipped world without end Herof we haue testimonies in the 1. of Luke in the 1. of Iohn the 1. chapt to the Romanes And whiche of the heretickes or persecutours wil make warre with the liuing sonne of God After he attributeth to him selfe eyes His eyes 〈◊〉 flamme of fire casting out fire and flamme For nothing escapeth the knowledge iudgement of Christe our Iudge he beholdeth the raynes and hartes Moreouer he lighteth some and some he cōmitteth to euerlasting fire therin to burne for euer Nowe then if anye doe imagine with them selues that they can hide heresies and malice in theyr hartes they are disceiued For in the eyes of Christ the darkenes it selfe is light also The same Lorde also hathe fete moste pourged and cleane he treadeth downe all vngodlines And where so euer he walketh with his shining feete of brasse he consumeth immediatly all heresies and corrupte life Therfore this prelate moste pure and moste fitte and apte to pourge finally beste furnisshed to boulte out the secrettes of hartes sheweth to the cōgregations these things that followe he himselfe walketh and is conuersaunt in the middes of the churche bothe Kinge and Prieste And like as he hath in all epistles testified that he knewe the workes of the same church euen so he repeteth here also to the intent we shoulde neuer admitte wicked securitie as though the almightie and alwitting God knewe not vs and al ours of the which matter I haue spoken sufficiētly before Now doeth he set forth gallaūtly euery worke of this congregation and cōmendeth fiue most notable giftes or brightest vertues Charitie 1 Firste Charitie whiche compriseth the loue of God and our neighbour wherby is broughte to passe that we preferre nothing in the world before God neither hurte our neighbour but rather heape vpon him all duties benefites This we owe to God and all our bretherne in the
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
that in Charles the greate through the meanes of Pope Leo the thirde thempire in the weste decayed was renewed and that thus the image of the beaste that is to witte of the Romane Empire was erected And albeit that at this time thempire decayed in the weste was restored by the Pope yet is it euideÌ„t that the Popes in the beginning of this Empire by certen donatioÌ„s and giftes much in riched did not as yet vse so greate power as they vsurped to themselues afterwarde when they had ouerthrowen and deposed certen Emperours For al though the donatioÌ„ seme to be made by king Pipine and the pope is red than to haue receiued the beginning of his kingdome yet that he was subiecte to Emperours and kings with the Citie of Rome also this same emoÌ„ges other thinges proueth that in the French Cronicles of the Actes of king Charles in the yere of our lord eight hoÌ„dreth and one thus it is founde written afterwarde hauyng set in order the matters of the citie and Bishoppe of Rome and of al Italie therefore did Italy than also obey the Emperour not only publicke but also marke ecclesiasticall and priuate for all the winter themperour did nothing els departing froÌ„ Rome with his sonne Philip he came to Spolet The same authour in the Actes of the yere eight hoÌ„dreth and 16. Stephen sayeth he elected in the place of Leo the .3 taketh as greate iourneyes as he could to come to the Emperour sendyng in the meane time two Ambassadours which might treate with themperour Ludouicus pius for his consecratioÌ„ So likewise in thactes of the yere eight hondreth and .17 is shewed howe Paschalis beyng chosen sente an Ambassade to Lewis the Emperour In thactes of the yere .823 the same Bishop stode at the examination and iudgement of themperour You maye finde in thactes of the next yere that themperour Lotharie establisshed the matters of Italy and Rome Yet doeth the same authour againe make mention of the donation of King Pipine which gaue to S. Peter Rauenna and Pentapolis and all the gouernemente Yet doeth he make no mention of the donation other of Charlemaygne or of Ludouicus pius The .43 distinct maketh mention thereof I Lewis c. in the glose is written thus There Lewis geueth Rome and diuerse other thinges to S. Peter and to Paschale the Pope All historiographers in maner make mention of the donation of the Kinges of Fraunce An Abridgement of all gathereth out of the librarie Dolaterane in the third boke of Geographie in the actes of Pipine and Charles Wherby ye maye easely coniecture what maner of Canon is set forth in the .96 distinct in these wordes Constantine the Emperour hath geuen and graunted to the Apostolical See the Crowne and all the Emperiall dignitie is the Citie of Rome and in Italy and in the weste partes Which by and by after he discourseth with a longe exposition out of the life of S. Siluerster wrytten as they saye by Gelasius in the chapt followynge But Antony Bysshoppe of Florence denieth in his History that this donation doeth remayne in any olde bokes Cusanus and Laurence Valla haue impugned the same nother hath Ottho Bisshoppe of Frisyng in the .3 chapt of the .4 booke of his storie nor Marsilius Pataninus in the defence of peace nor Raphael Volaterane allowed the same nor many mo that I coulde reherse Moreouer in the Cronicles of Kinges of Fraunce set before the story of Paulus Aemilius of the actes of Kinges of Fraunce in the yere 755. thus you maye reade Pipine agayne entred into Italy and Aistulphus subdued he gaue giftes to Maximus Bisshop of Rome also the Dukedom of Rauenna of very great laÌ„des leeste any man should vnthankefully vniustely take awaye this larges from the French Kinges ascribyng to themperour Constantine which Pipine gaue to the church of Rome agaynst the wil of the Greke Emperour affirming the same possessions to be the right of the Empire From thence Pipine first receiued and brought into Fraunce the Ecclesiasticall rites of the Romanes and ceremonies of songes Thempire conueyed from the FrenchmeÌ„ to the Germenes c. Howebeit the gouernement of thempire Charles posteritie was not very stable and permanent For from the firste yere of Charles wherein he was created Emperour vnto the seuenth yere of Conrade whiche was Nephewe to Lewis the .3 by his Brother the laste of the house of Charles are accompted aboute an hondreth and .19 yeres For Charlemaigne reigned Emperour .14 yeres Lewis .26 Lotharius .15 Lewis the seconde .21 Charles two yeres Caluus surnamed the seconde Charles .3 Crassus .12 Arnulphe .12 Lewis the .3.10 Conrade .7 Conrade liyng on his death bed nominateth Kinge Henry Duke of Saron surnamed Falconer And thus was the Empire translated to the Germanes This Henry called the firste came neuer in Italy neuer was consecrate or crowned of the Pope His Sonne Ottho the firste of that name sente for in Italy is red to haue gone thither with a greate Armie beyng receyued at Rome and saluted of the people Emperour and Auguste Ottho Frisinge in the .6 boke of Histories the .17 chapt affirmeth out of the decrees that Pope Leo the .8 of that name did coÌ„secrate this Ottho the firste King of Germanes For his father Henry refused it Albert Krantz in the .10 and .11 chapt of the fourth booke of Saxon matters affirmeth that Pope Leo made a surrender of all suche thinges as the Popes had receyued of the kinges of Fraunce and the authour defendeth this surrender made to be trewe Howebeit the keper of the Librarie testifieth that Ottho confirmed the donatian of the kinges of Fraunce Pipine Charles and his sonnes There remayneth morouer in the decrees a copie of the othe the .43 distinct wherby kyng Ottho bindeth him self to the Pope that he shall intermeddle with nothyng that coÌ„cerneth the Pope and the Romanes secondely that he shal restore al the landes of S. Peter that shal come into his handes Which thing let the reader iudge what they are Shortely after this time about the yere of our lord .996 Electours They saye how by the decree of Pope Gregory the .5 and by the consent of Ottho the .3 Emperour the seueÌ„ princes Electours were assigned vnto whoÌ„ the defence of the church as sayeth Wimpelingius and the Romane Empire was committed In the whiche thing all Historiographers and wryters doe agree and that of the Italianes Blondus Platina Sabellicus Volaterane Egnâ—tius and others of Germanes Albertus Nauclerus Carion Functius and certen others diuerse haue made no mention of this ordinaunce Wherefore Auentinus in the .5 booke of Cronicles Folio .510.707 sayeth that he knoweth I can not tel how certeÌ„ly that after the death of Fridericke the .2 the Electours were instituted and confirmed of Gregory the .10 But how so euer that matter standeth certayne it is that there hath ben many amonge the seuen princes electours both feruent and earneste in true religion and
excellent in all kinde of vertues and especially the seculars as they tearme them who hath muche misliked the tiranny and impietie of the Popes of Rome in so muche that they haue stoutely oftentimes withstande them Our age doubtles is muche bounde to this order or state that a good parte of the preachyng of the holy gospel is reformed the which both they with other princes of Germany moste worthie of praise do by Gods inspiration valiaūtly against the furies of Antichrist defende and mantayne The Lord increase in them in other godly Princes through the whole world his giftes and mercifully kepe and preserue thē But to returne to the prosis and order of the Historie certayne it is that immediately after Gregory the .5 the Deuill inuaded the see of Rome Nother could Platina dissemble this thing a writer of Popes liues knowen to all men See what he sayeth of Popes in the life of Syluester .3 which hath very fauourably spared his lordes and maisters and many times hath couered their abominable actes yet writyng of the successour of Gregory the .5 Siluester the .2 sayeth he before called Gilberte a Monke of Florey forsakyng his monasterie followed the Deuil vnto whom he gaue him self whole And by and by he addeth Gilbert moued with Ambition and a deuelish desire to rule through briberie gote firste the Archbisshopricke of Reyns after of Rauenna and after with greater suite the Deuill furtheryng him he obteyned to be pope yet vnder this cōdicion that after his death he should be the Deuilles wholy c. He that would knowe the full story and abridgement taken out of Antoninus The See of Rome vtterly corrupted Nauclerus and others lette him reade the .9 boke of Funccius Cronicles vnder the yere .998 Beno a Cardinall supposeth at this time to be fulfilled those thousande yeres after the which the Deuill breakyng lowse beganne agayne to rage in the worlde Wherof shall followe certen thinges in the .20 chapt of this booke Notwithstandyng I shall not refuse to gather here certen thinges out of this Benone Cardinall and briefly to recite them here for the declaration of our matter Therefore Beno in the life and actes of Hildebrande The mallice of the Popes vexyng the emperours called Gregory the .7 one Gerbertus which had infected the citie with sorcerie sayeth he after the thousand yeres fulfilled coming vp out of the botōlesse pitte of Gods permission was Pope 4. yeres and chaungyng his name was called Siluester the 2. And after Gilberte the yere .25 I suppose it should be red .32 And howe they reigned these yeres Stories testifie and that very euyl Theophilactus his schollar atchieued the seate violently called Benedict the .9 He had a dere frende and priuie to all his doynges one Gratiane Archeprieste of S. Iohn porte latin Vnto whome Hildebrande a Monke of Cluney forsakyng his abbeye did familiarely cleaue and became a familiar frende of his But Benedict fearyng him selfe solde his seate to Gratiane Maister of Hildebrande receiuyng of him fiue hondred thousande poūdes which promoted to the office was called Gregory the .6 Neuerthelesse they had shortly a thirde Pope Sabinus and he was called Siluester the .3 Themperour therefore Henry the .2 a godly man valeaunt wise and stoute goyng to Rome to pourge the church for as yet the Bisshoppes vsed not full authoritie compelled Benedicte or Theophilacte the Magician to flee cast Gregory in pryson and sent a waye Siluester to his olde Bisshoprike And he holdyng a Counsell placed the Bisshop of Bamberge whom he called Clement in the seate of whome also he receyued the crowne And he brought Gregory with his disciple Hildebrande with him into Germany In the meane time Benedict retournyng to Rome from flight vexeth Clement and with much inchauntynge infecteth the Citie and by letters receyued from Hildebrande out of Germany he learneth what is done in the Emperours court Gregory dieth there in prison and lefte Hildebrande his heire both of his false packyng and of his monie Clement dieth also Whom Damasus the .2 succedeth immediately but streight wayes poisoned by reason of the tumulte that was in the citie the Emperour sendeth Bruno Bisshoppe of Tully commen of the noble house of the Erles of Holst a worthy mā Here Beno annexeth in whose trayne through the ouer much sufferaūce of the Emperour Hildebrande was permitted to retourne by this permission to subuerte bothe the Bisshoprycke and Empire vnder pretence of religion And this Beno herein was a trewe prophet whiche sayeth thus also in the storie of Hildebrande and telling Bruno many things by the waie crepte into his fauour and as sone as he came to Rome obteyned of him that he was made one of the kepers of S. Peters Aultar And in a shorte time he filled his coffers And he also recōciled his olde Lord and maister Benedicte fayning repentaunce disceiptfully to Leo the .9 for so Bruno beyng made Pope was called and through the counsell of Benedicte otherwise called Theophilacte he armed Leo agaynst the Normannes and betrayed him vnto them The Germanes therefore slayne by treason scarsely the Pope all desolate escaped This sayeth Beno And certē it is that this Monke Hildebrande Gregory the .7 from that time forewarde aspired to gette the seate and in the meane time whilest it was gouerned of others he incensed and ruled the Popes as Leo the .9 Victour the .2 Stephen the .9 Benedicte the .10 Nicolas the .2 and Alexander the .2 But they smell of Hildebrandes stile that are set forth in the name of Leo Nicolas and Alexander But at the length he him self clome vp into the chayre in the whiche he so vsed him selfe that no man vnlesse he were starke blinde but might see that his deuelish gouernement hath requited most aboūdantly Henry the .4 the sonne of Henry the thirde his fathers cariyng of him into Germany And he beganne openly and impudently to take vpon him the power of the emperour Nother can it be tolde at fewe wordes in what detestable wise this beaste did afflicte bothe the Emperour and empire al the while he was Pope for the space of .12 whole yeres An Abridgement of that story hath Iohn Functius compiled in the .10 boke vnder the yere of our Lorde .1074 Diuerse opinions of Gregory the .7 I know that Platina and many Italian wryters yea and some Germanes also doe highly cōmende the religion and vertues of this Gregory the .7 by the whiche thyng the Popishe tiranny vnder the pretence of religion is wonderfully augmented and confirmed and many blynded Yet is it comen to passe agayne through the grace of God that men of graue authoritie religion and vertues haue fayre and wel plucked of the visure from this beaste Therefore haue Synodes and Counselles not to be cōtemned condemned this Gregory and first in dede the Coūsell of Mentz wherein were 19. famous Byshopes Than was assembled at Brixia a Synode of .30 Bisshoppes and of the moste
king almightie immortall and inuincible He wil come shortely in the clowdes of thayre to iudge the quicke and the dead c. Moreouer victory is promised assuredly to vs that be seruauntes of Christe Called chosen faythfull And they that be with him or on his side called chosen and faithful We be chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were layde that we should beleue in him be saued the first to the Ephes Hereunto we be called by the preachyng of the gospel Reade the .2 to the Thess the .2 chapt And we ought to geue thankes vnto God for euer c Let vs holde faste these thinges be in the troubles of this world constant and without feare To God be glory ¶ Agayne this vision is more fully declared and the punnishment of the beast is shewed The .lxxvj. Sermon ANd he sayde vnto me the waters whiche thou sawest where the whore sitteth are people folke and natiōs and tunges And the tē hornes which thou sawest vpō the beast are they which shall hate the whore and shal make her desolate and naked shall eate her flesshe and burne her with fire For God hath put in their hartes to fulfill his will and to do with one consente for to geue her kingdome vnto the beast vntil the words of God be fulfilled And the woman whiche thou sawest is that great citie whiche reigneth ouer the kinges of the Earth The Angel sent of the lord Christ vttereth to Iohn and the whole world the misterie of the beast reuealed but especially her iudgement or punnishement for her heynouse crimes Which he wil pursewe also in the chapt followyng And nowe he expoundeth the signification of waters ouer the which the whore ruleth to witte the Romish power Waters signifie Waters vpon waters the whore sitteth kingdomes dispersed through out the world Which he expoundeth after his maner altogether propheticall as was also noted before by three vocables For in namyng people folke nations and tunges he comprehendeth as it were innumerable natiōs distincte with sondry langages and maners But where nothing is more mouable or vnconstaunt than waters and when they be ones stired vp more furiouse and outrageouse the cōmon folke or people are rightly compared to waters whiche are also for their vnstablenes called mouable or vnconstaunt and for their rage both furiouse and madde Cōmotiōs Therefore not without cause al wise men haue greuousely condemned seditions which we are wonte to calle tumultes or vprores as by the whiche are assembled many naughtie natures and occasion is geuen them to breake out at their luste and to hurte But seyng that so many natiōs were subiecte to the Romane Empire and haue erred neuerthelesse in the trewe fayth what shall it preuayle hereafter to reken vp many and sondry kingdomes which should consente in any religion as though the sincerenes veritie of religion should depende vpon a multitude of men agreyng in the same The iudgemente of God agaīst Rome Nowe followeth the iudgement of God agaynst blouddy Rome which is the chiefest thing in this vision the some of al is Rome shal be rent in pieces and burnt with fire as we hearde also in the .13 chapt like as she hath done to others so shal be done vnto her And these thinges are to be expoūded first of olde Rome and after of new and in the same must the wordes be firste considered than a conference of stories must be had out of the whiche the trewth of the prophecie maye appere Ten hornes signifie kynges which haue risen of the tearyng a sonder of the Romane Empire The hatred of ten hornes against the whore suche as were the kinges of Westgothes Eastgothes of Germaynes Frēchmen Lumbardes Hunnes Vandalles c. These nations serued ones the Romanes and toke their wages they fauoured them and to their owne losse brought their matters to passe no otherwise than as an erneste louer serueth some one harlot from whome he can by no meanes be withdrawen as whom he loueth moste feruently but at laste perceyuing her vntrewe dealyng he beginneth to hate the same most deadly So these nations and others beganne so to persecute the name of Romanes that they would haue no monumētes or fote steppes of them any where to abide or remayne All the prouinces of the Romanes were filled ful of Romane posies Images pillers tittles and writinges but in the same especially in Germany the borders therof how many I praye you of so great plentie remayne The cities wherein the Romanes had their garnisons ar vtterly destroied that scarsely there appere any fote steppes therof at this daye And like as an honeste man hauyng a whore to his wife a shameles strompet doeth not only hate but also forsaketh the same troubleth her tourneth her naked hauyng plucked from her al her wifely apparell and ornamentes Ezech. 16 Osee 2. for so God in his prophetes threateneth to doe vnto his people for their vnfaithfulnes so nations reuolted from the Romane Empire distroyed and impouerished the same spoyling the riches thereof which the Romanes had heaped together by the robberie of al nations They shal eate her flesh they spoyled euery where also the Romane prouinces And where it is sayed that those kinges shal deuoure the flesh of the beaste it is to be vnderstande of the maner of speakyng For so are we wonte to saye what time we signifie extreme crueltie and mallice without mercy therfore like as Rome hath ben moste cruell towardes all nations euen so shal al nations most cruelly teare her and finally shal burne her with fire Nowe let vs compare with these thinges the historie A story of the destruction burnyng of Rome and see how they were fulfilled in tholde Rome and maye be yet fulfilled in the newe And first we will speake of olde Rome after of newe And verely olde Rome grewe many yeres and practised robberies through out the whole worlde and distroyed the Sainctes of the most highest wherfore it was worthy that the punnishment thereof should extende and indure many yeres and so as it were by degrees to descende to the last burnyng and destruction thereof There be gathered the yeres of her punnishmentes about .136 in the whiche she beyng impenitent was vexed and tourmoyled with continual calamities slaughters and vexatiōs And herof I compiled an abridgement in the .57 Sermon of this worke the. 13. chapt And here I will repete a fewe thinges and will reherse certen other things more playnely and at large As the Lorde in punnishyng the Niniuites and Hierosolomitanes declared his longe sufferyng and clemēcie and also his streight iustice right so in procedyng slowely to distroye Rome he lefte them mercifully space to repente in which seyng thei refused to do he wasted and destroyed them terriblely as impenitent He gaue therfore to Rome excellent good Princes Constaunce Constantine Iouiane Valentinian Gratiane Theodose c. By whose
chapt sayeth for we be your glory as you shal be oures also in the daye of our Lorde Iesu And agayne in the .1 to the Thess the .2 chapt the same Apostle sayeth for what is our hope ioye or crowne of reioycyng are not you in the sight of our Lorde Iesu Christe at his commyng for you are our glory and ioye Ful wel therefore sayeth Aquinas S. Iohn speaketh after the maner of coÌ„querours which bryng their spoyles into Cities Therefore he fayneth that Princes preachers and parentes bryng with them into heauen such as they haue wonne whiche to them shal be an honour and glory These thinges alwayes let vs thinke vpon and do our duety inioyned vs of God which we perceyue in the euerlasting countrie to haue so great rewarde For it shal be the greatest glory that maye be to stande with so many wonne in the presence of the eternal God LaÌ„be and al sainctes Contrarywise the greatest shame to stande with so great a multitude of men lost and that loste through our faulte and negligence Reade what thinges are written in the .1 chapt of the boke of wisedome c. In the tenth place followeth the custody of the gates celestiall The gates are not shut in the daye Certenly in greate Cities there is greate and dilligent watching and wardynge hede taken to the gates that they be shutte and opened in dewe time and season But in heaueÌ„ there shall nede no such carefulnes The reason is The gates are not wonte to be shutte in the day but at night But in the euerlastyng countrie there is no night therfore are the gates neuer shutte There is doubtles no night but continual day There is no treason no Ambusshes or wayte laide no perils or daungers all thing in generall are safe peaceable quiet sicker and sure The same thinges are red also in Esaye but some thing in a diuerse sense Aretas here is a double vnderstandyng sayeth he for eyther he meaneth that there shal be peace and securitie and that so great that it shall not nede to kepe the citie by shuttyng of the gates Or els that there also the godly gates of the Apostolicall doctrine are open for all men vnto their learnyng which haue more perfection c. Certenly they shal nede no teachers nor guides which see al misteries now presently are brought into heauen it self The cleanes of the heauenly â—â—tie And especially cleanes in Cities is highly commended if there shewe or appere nothing that offendeth the sighte hearyng and smellyng which is lothsome to loke vpon and to be abhorred And in priuate houses the chiefe prayse is yf all thinges shyne and stande euery thing in order and lie not scattered and stinke Now therefore in the eleuenth place he sheweth that there shal be nothing in heauen that maye offende that is to saye which shall not be pleasaunt and delectable moste cleane and nete absolute and complete The same place also muste be referred to the personnes For it followeth saue they that are written in the lambes boke of life We vnderstande therfore how into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ shal not enter whoremongers Idolaters liars deceauers what so euer is vncleane and not purged with the bloud of the sonne of God through fayth This same the Apostle affirmeth in the .1 to the Corint the .5 and .6 chapt and to the Ephes the .5 chapt Dauid also demaundeth Lord who shal dwell in thy tabernucle or who shal reste in thy holy hille And aunswereth incontinently he that walketh without spotte and worketh rightuousnes and that which insueth in the .15 Psalm Finally here shal be fulfilled suche thinges as are written in the .23 chapt of Deuter. Touching theÌ„ which are prohibited to enter into the church Wherfore this place hath a secret doctrine and priuie admonishment instructyng vs that if we wil or couet to be heyres of the euerlasting couÌ„trie we should al applie our selues whilest we liue here in Earth to rightuousenes and Innocencie For it shal followe in the .22 chapt For without are dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers c. The Lord bryng vs by the waye of rightuousenes vnto life euerlastyng ¶ He continueth yet in describyng the blessed seates The .xcvi. Sermon AND he shewed me a pure riuer of water of life cleare as Chrystall The .22 chapt proceding out of the seate of God and of the Lambe In the middes of the strete of it of eyther side of the riuer was there wood of life whiche bare twelue maner of fruictes gaue fruicte euery moneth the leaues of the wood serued to heale the people withal And ther shal be nomore curse but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal see his face and his name shal be in their foreheades And there shal be no night there and they nede no candle nor light of Sunne for the lorde God geueth them light and they shall raygne for euermore In the twelfth place is described of Iohn the pleasauntnes The pleasauntenes of the citie of God trymnes the plentuousenes and abouÌ„dance of foode in the Citie of God Riuers make cities pleasaunt and delectable Without fountaynes sprynges and holesome waters cities decaye and are scarsely worthy the names of Cities But in case they waunte victualles they are wholy loste Therefore this our heaueÌ„ly Citie excelleth and is most noble in al these thinges nother hath it vitayle only but geueth the same vnto vs with greate pleasure and finesse moste pleasaunt For trees in this Citie doe not only beare fruicte but geue also a pleasauÌ„tnes vnspeakable inestimable The riuer moreouer runneth through the middes of the stretes on the bankes of eyther side are trees moste beautiful to beholde bearing the fruictes of life And as I haue many times in this description intimated so I repete now the same againe that those things are not to be vnderstande after the letter as the Millenaries take them For the Lord talketh with vs and euen lispeth to the ende we might after the imbecillitie of our witte coÌ„ceaue these thinges Yf any shuld wisshe for earthly things I wene he could couet no greater thinges thaÌ„ be here described We shall thinke therefore if the Lorde coulde geue these earthly thinges yf he woulde whie can he not geue greater to the soules of the godly and bodies glorified yea the Lorde will that beyng withdrawen from the contemplation of earthly thinges we shoulde loke altogether for celestiall and diuine worthie of blessed soules and bodies clarified Whiche verely howe greate and what they shall be no tunge of manne can expresse to vs be it neuer so eloquente For the Lord hath prepared greater thinges for his seruauntes than here we can comprehende Therefore he bringeth forth here matterâ— moste ample that after a certen maner we mightie conceaue heauenly thinges muche more excellent than they be Therfore the sense and meanyng of all those