longeth for to be deliuered from this bodie of death shée coueteth to be dissolued and to be with Christ yea ferueÌ„tly she desireth to rest in the armes of hir almightie spouse 2 Tell hir therefore that these sayings hath he which holdeth the vij starres in his right hand walketh in the middest of the vij golden Candelstickes which hath in his power all ministers of his worde to retain theÌ„ or to cast theÌ„ out remaineth among the congregations to beholde their actes and reward them according to their doings 3 I know thy workes sayth hée I perceue thy labour thy anguish thy affliction thy payne for vnto me nothing can be hid I consider also thy pacient sufferance in aduersitie and thy troublous crosse for my wordes sake thy constant fayth and thy vnbroken spirite 4 And I ponder thy feruent and godly zeale wherin thou canst in no wyse forbeare theÌ„ that are wicked and euill but thou hatest blasphéemers abhorrest the enemies of god 5 I much commend thée for that thou diligeÌ„tly examinest them which call them selues Apostles and are none which boast theÌ„ selues to be christian teachers and are nothing lesse 6 And by thy diligent searche hast not only proued them false and deceiptfull Antichristes but also thou hast expelled theÌ„ least they shuld do harm 7 And though thou haste bene gréeuously vexed and persecuted of those false Prophets yet hast thou paciently suffred and firmly stand by the truth for my names sake Thou hast taken paynes and not faynted in thy labours so strong hath the spirit of God bene with thée And all these pointes in thée I greatly allow 8 Yet haue I somewhat agaynst thée for so much as thou arte fallen from thy first charitie the fruites of true faith not being so abundant and plentifull in thée as they were in the beginning of the Gospell nor thou so effectuall in working mercy pittie 9 Call therefore to thy remembrauÌ„ce from what perfectioÌ„ thou art fallen and repent thy slipper weakenesse and slothfull negligence which hath not suffered thée to perseuer in thy first calling 10 And return to thy first works agayne walking in that ferueÌ„t faith in that godly spirite and in that swéete loue of thy neighbour that thou diddest walke in before diminish not but increase euermore in al goodnes 11 Els wil I come shortly vnto thée as a straight looker vpon thée 12 And except thou repent from the hart with ful purpose of amendmeÌ„t I will remoue thy Candelsticke out of hir place I shall take away from thence the sincere doctrine and pure preaching of my word suffer mens fantastical traditions olde womens dreames the spirites of errour the doctrine of diuels the lyes of hypocrites with all blyndnesse darknes abhominatioÌ„ and idolatrie there to remayne For where as my word is not sincerely taught beléeued and obserued but vncharitably dispised hated and persecuted there shall not my church remayne but in hir place shal stand vp the Sinagoge of Sathan with blyndnesse and induration For that congregatioÌ„ is not myne which hath not my worde No longer is it my church then it hath my veritie Turne back againe therefore to Abraham Isaac Iacob to the Prophetes and Apostles and exercyse the first workes leauing all papistrie 13 This warning hast thou of mée for that thou hatest the vnséemely déeds of the Nicolaytanes so called of one Nicolas a proselitie of Antioche and one of the vij Deacons ordayned by the Apostles Whose corrupte custome was among other to defile holy wedlock in making their wyues common in boasting them selues lawfully so to do by the example of the sayde Nicolas 14 Whose vncomely actes I hate and abhorre also hauing matrimonye in honor and the chamber therof vndefiled This premonishement haue I giuen thée also least thou in processe of tyme shouldest fall to Apostasie vtterly decline froÌ„ the truth 15 Let him that hath eares sayeth the Lord which is iudgement and discretion in the spirit diligeÌ„tly heare and earnestly marke what the holy ghost speketh what premonishmeÌ„ts he giueth what reward he promiseth to the faithfull congregations 16 To him that by the spirit of Christ and by faith victoriously ouercoÌ„meth the world sin hell death the diuil I wil giue to eate of the trée of lyfe to haue reioyce here in the holy ghost to haue comfort peace and gladnesse in mée 17 And after this life eternall beatitude which is in the midst of the beautiful paradise or the triumphant church of my Lord my God and my celestial father yours also by mée THE TEXT 1 And vnto the Angel of the congregation of Smyrna wâ—yte 2. These things saith he that is the first the last 3 which was deade and is aliue 4. I knowe thy works and tribulatioÌ„ 5. And pouertie but thou arte rich 6. And I knowe the blasphemie of theÌ„ which call theÌ„selues Iewes and are not but are the congregation of Sathan 7. Feare none of the things which thou shalt suffer 8. Behold the diuill shal cast some of you into prison to tempt you 9. And ye shal haue tribulation ten dayes 10. Be faithfull vnto the death 11. and I will giue thee a crowne of lyfe 12. Let him that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite saith to the congregations 13 He that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the secoÌ„d death THE PARAPHRASE 1 Apply thée also my friend Iohn with all festination to write vnto the faithfull mynister of the congregacion of Smyrna which trauaylyng in thys vayle of myserie as the odoriferous myrrha giueth forth the swéete smell of all good christian workes and distrybuteth fréelye the precyous treasure of godly examples Shée beleueth in God shée séeketh his onely glorie shée foloweth his word shée rebuketh sinne with pacieÌ„ce she openeth hir haÌ„ds to the poore she giueth meate to the huÌ„gry drinke to the thirstie lodging to the straunger clothes to the naked comfort to the sicke and reliefe to the prisoner Shée is méeke gentle obedyent pacient and mercifull 2 Infourme hir therfore that these things sayeth he which is the fyrst and the laste the maker and redéemer the founder and restorer of all creatures 3 Which was once dead to redeme hir from eternall death and now is alyue to restore hir to lyfe euerlasting Let hir not doubt therefore to suffer héere lyke as hée hath suffred For as he is now immortall hath the ouer hande of death so shall shée be and haue the same 4 I know thy works saith the Lord to spring onely of fayth and to bée fashioned according to the word of God I perceyue thy manyfolde trybulations how thou arte outwardly afflicted by continuall persecution of enimyes and inwardly crucyated in conscience to beholde the damnable errours frowardnesse blindnes and vtter contempt of Gods trueth which raigneth in the wicked 5 I consider thy pouertie in the spirite that
our offences tooke away the sinnes of the world He was that méek Lambe prefigured in the law whom the faithfull fathers so earnestly desired He was that gentle Lamb that was caried away to be slayne and that opened not his mouth before the shearer This Lambe standeth vp euermore for vs before God as our onely medyator aduocate peace maker Sauiour helper counsellour defender and teacher 13 This Lambe had seuen hornes which betokeneth his stronge and infinit power vertue victory kingdom glory bounteousnesse and maiestie with such lyke and in the whole his vniuersall reigne 14 He had also seauen eyes whiche are all the powers graces fruites of the holy ghost called héere the seuē spirits of God For so much as they are the singuler gifts of him whiche is his essenciall spirit And them he hath sent by his apostles other godly preachers into the seuen climates of the erth or vniuersal world the people with them to be replenished These are wisdome vnderstandinge counsell strength knowledge pittie the fear of god These are also loue ioy peace pacience gentlenesse goodnes fayth méekenesse long suffering cleannes and temperance with diuersitie of tongues interpretacion prophecie cures healings miracles and iudgement of spirits 15 And the sayd Lambe came foorth as one through méekenesse hauyng victorie ouer sinne death hell hée reuerently tooke the sayd booke from the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne Which made me anon to consider that the heauenly father had giuen vp vnto him the whole admynistration of his spirituall kingdom with all aucthoritie power in heauen and earth to open or to speare to choose or to reiect to take or to refuse to saue or to loose to rewarde or to dampne For he it was that first opened the vnderstanding of men that they might perceyue the scriptures He it was that sent the holy spirite of God to deduce them into all veritie and gaue them grace to instructe all people He it is also that shall thorowe them into euerlasting fire with the diuil his Angels that resist the same THE TEXT 1 And when he had taken the booke the liij beastes and the .xxiiij. elders 2. fel dovvn before the Lambe hauing harpes 3. golden vialles full of odours vvhich are the prayers of the Saincts 4. they sung a nevv song saying 5 Thou arte vvorthie to take the booke 6. and to open the seales therof 7. For thou wert killed 8. and hast redemed vs by thy bloud out of all kinreds tongs and people and nacions 9. and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and priestes 10. and vve shall reigne on the earth The Paraphrase 1 And when he had receyued the sayd booke of the hande of God with full authoritie and power the iiij beasts or the present protestours of the veritie here liuing in the world and the xxiiij Elders or auncient witnesses of the same departed cleane from thys worlde as were the olde fathers the Patryarkes Prophetes and Apostles méekly submitted them selues before the Lamb much reioysinge in his triumphant victorye for them 2 They fell downe before him they praysed hym they worshipped hym they gaue thanks and recognised him for their mercifull Lorde and Sauiour hauing in their handes harmonious harpes which there represented the melody of their faithfull soules or the inward reioyce that they had in faith of the eternal verytie of god For that is the agréeable concord and swéet harmony that he most delighteth in And as well had they harpes that were long afore Christe as had they that folowed hym the effecte of hys death being equall to them both So wel reioysed Abraham which saw him a farre of as did Iohn Baptist which shewed him persent 3 Each one of them had also in hys hand a golden viall full of swéete odours whiche is a faithfull harte to God full of swéete desires and wholsome praiers whiles they liued here And these vessels of prayer or harts of the faithfull beléeuers couetinge mercy to themselues and all other were very precious pleasaunt and beautifull in the sighte of the Lorde which onely desireth the harte 4 They sang also with their instruments a new songe of reioyce recording the great benefit of God They vttered the glad tidinges of peace They published the Gospel of Christ. They told of his comming They declared him present past This songe was euer new vnto flesh bloud It séemed very strange yea and folish to the children of this worlde yet is it the power of God vnto saluation for euery one that beléeueth Now it is also for so much as it nothing alloweth in our aged man of sinne but alwayes calleth vpon renouation in the spirite 5 This was the conclusion of that song Thou alone swéete Lord sayde they art founde worthye to take the Booke to receiue power and administration of the kingdome of God 6 Thou only art able to opē the seale◠thereof to take from vs all impediments of darknesse hypocrisie lyes ignoraunce wilfulnesse blindnesse and sinne and to deduce vs into all godly knowledge 7 For thou wert not only despised and wounded but most cruelly slaine for our offences whereby thou hast obtained our perpetuall peace and attonement with god 8 Thou hast clerely redéemed vs out all spirituall bondage by the price of thy bloude and by the vertue of thy passion and death thou hast gathered vs together into one kingdom of God from all the nacions of the world and hast chosen vs out of all kinreds languages peoples of the vniuersall earth Thou hast made vs also pertakers with thée in thy peculyer vnction that we are now called Christians 9 Thou hast annoynted vs Kinges by the gift of true faith to haue victory ouer sinne death the deuil and cōsecrate vs priests by the grace of thy holy spirite to offer vp our selues and vndefiled sacrifice vnto our euerlasting God So that we are now the chosen kinred the kingely pristhoode the holy generation the peculyer peple that should manifest the workes of thée which hast called vs out of darknesse into the merueilous light 10 And by the benifit of thy onely grace and goodnesse we shall raigne prosperously on the earth not héere wher as is sorow care penury scarsnesse and death but our porcion shal be in the pleasant land of the lyuing where as is the peace ioy tranquilitie comfort and life euerlasting THE TEXT 1 And I behelde 2. And herde the voyce of many angelles about the throne and about the beastes and the elders 3. And I harde thousand thousandes saying with a loude voyce 4. Worthye is the Lambe that was killed to receaue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honoure and glorye and blessinge 5. And all creatures vvhiche are in Heauen 6. And on the earth 7 And vnder the earth 8 And in the sea and all that are in
figure what should be the estate of that time to assertaine his chosen friendes therof I saw saieth Saincte Iohn vnder the Aulter of God which is Christe vpon whom the whole sacrifice of our redempcion was offered 3 The soules or spirits of those constant beléeuers whiche through the violent handlynge of the afore sayde false prelats and Antichristes were cruelly put to death by diuers maner of tormeÌ„ts not only for the vndefiled word of god but also for the sincere testimonye of Iesu which they had by the gift of his only spirit Under this Aulter remaine all they which haue bin killed for that witnesse of truth In his faith they slept and still rest now in his hope In him now they liue for whom they once dyed Under his shadow they dwell Under his winges they flocke vnder hys couerte they cloyster He is their comforte kéeper and defender With hym are they now whose presence they euermore coueted 4 In that they cried with a lowde voice is signified that their innocent death fercely asketh and requireth the great indignation vengance and terrible iudgement of GOD vppon those tirauntes lyke as dyd the bloude of Abell vppon that murther Cayne 5 And this is their daylye crye O Lorde God almighty so holy thou art that thou hatest all euill so true and so iust that thou abhorrest al lies and peruerse doctrine so manifest is the filthy lyfe of the spirituall antichristes that thou séest it so euidente is their vnshamefast crueltie vpon thy seruantes that thou knowest it Yet doest thou leaue them vnpunished and suffer them vncorrected Howe long time wil it be ere thou iudge them to dampnation What yeares wilt thou take ere thou reuenge our bloud 6 Sure it is that thy lawes are holy and thy wordes are faithfull and true Why doest thou then permitte these proud homicides and spightfull murtherers to defyle them with their errours and blaspheme them with their lyes Kyllyng vp thy seruants without pittie for holdynge with them and reigning héere as Gods vpon earth in ambiciousnesse vayne glory pompe glotony and leâ—herye with other abhomynable vices Thus these beastly bellye Gods doth dayly dispise thée They treade downe thy testimonies and shed innocent Christen bloud in despight of thée 7 Looke once vpon them therefore according to thy promisse and sée thou rewarde them according to their wickednesse Thys reuengement doe we not aske for our scath but for the contempt of thy truethe Not for our harme but for the blasphemy of thy name 8 And longe white garmentes sayth Sainct Iohn very large and comely were geuen vnto euery one of them A full innocencye perfectnesse and cléerenesse was powred ouer them and abundantly spred vpon them Indued they were with an inestimable purenesse by Christe for whose veryties sake they dyed With him they are now in peace ioy and swéetnesse But whether they be in full glory afore God or no that wyll we not temerously define Sure we are that they be deliuered from all payne sorrow and care and that they clearely be assertayned so haue that glory complet both in body and soule at the latter day More swéete is their estate for the time yea more delycious and pleasaunt then all the delightes prosperytye and wealth that euer was yet in thys worlde 9 And as they were in this swéete solace much desirous of their bodyes delyueraunce from corruption they were requyrâ—d by these secrete heauenlye mocyon of Christe as we are in this life by the outwarde word 10 Paciently to pause for a while and quietously to rest for a season 11 Untill such time as the complet nuÌ„ber of their coÌ„stant fellowes and faithfull brethren 12 Yea and of all those poore creatures that shoulde be kylled by these vnsaciat blud suckers for his truthes sake like as they were afore shuld be fulfilled and wholy accomplished according to the eternall prediffinition of God And so much the rather to content themselues with their peaceable and quietous estate for their brethrens sake that it should not belonge ere their death were reuenged and they restored to a full tranquillitie For nothing in comparison are the sufferinges of this time to that glorye whiche shall be shewed vnto the chosen sort in that day Let no man think where as Christ hath willed those soules to rest that they sléepe in death for they rest in hym which is lyfe Out of hym they are not he is their Aulter he is theyr couert They lyue they decerne and in swéetenesse they abide the latter day and all vnder him Their white garment of innocencie they haue onely by him Worship him then and not them Pray and call vpon him and not vpon them For he is the onely meditour and generall aduocate to God the father so wel for them as for you Nothyng can they doe but by hym Their office is not to heare suters causes nor to goe to and fro but still to rest abyding the glad day of theyr deliuerance It is Christes onely office to receyue all complayntes to pleate them and to iudge them THE TEXT 1 And I beheld when he opened the sixâ— seale 2. lo there was a great earth quake 3. and the sunne was as black as a sack cloth made of heare 4. And the moone vvaxed euen as bloud 5. And the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth 6. euen as a figge tree casteth from hir hir figges vvhen it is shaken of a mightie wynde 7. And heauen vanyshed avvay as a scroull vvhen it is rolled togither 8. And all mountaynes and yles vvere moued out of their places 9. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the riche men 10. and the chiefe captaynes and the mightie men and euery bond man and euerie free man 11. hid themselues in dennes and in rockes of the hilles 12. and sayde to the hilles and rockes 13. Fall on vs 14. and hyde vs from the presence of hym that sitteth on the seate 15. and from the vvrathe of the Lambe 16. for the great day of hys vvrath is come 17. And vvhoÌ„ can endure it The Paraphrase 1 This know they well whome the lambe hath deliuered from their dark sinagoge to whom he hath in these dayes opened the sixte seale of the booke raysing vp the spirites of many to detect by his holy worde theyr shamefull abhominations Blessed be the name of that Lord which hath now so mercifully vysited hys poore people from aboue sending his word vnder the tipe or figure of this Lambe to open vnto them at this sixt time of darkenesse the vj. seale of the hydden misteries of the booke I looked yet farther sayeth sainct Iohn and as the Lambe Christ disclosed the sixte seale to manifest the cléernesse of his truth to shewe the estate of his church anon I behelde a merueylous earthquake arise Most liuely was this fulfilled such tyme as William Courteney the Archbishoppe
They fashioned thē selues to the example that was shewed thē in the mount 3 None other are these horses then their corruptible bodyes prepared to battail They which are of Christ doth mortifie the vices and lustes of theyr flesh they tame their carnall affectiōs Like perfect men they brydle their bodies to the obedience of the spirite So to become the true seruantes of rightuousnesse and no more to do seruice vnto sin White are these horses for the pure word of the Lord which gouerneth thē No meruaile though these myghtie souldyers foloweth the Lord cōsidering he is so oft in the scriptures called the lord of hosts A like similitude dyd the seruant of Helizens the Prophet behold in a vision throug Gods permission in Dotham 4 This army of the Lord here were appareled preciously with pure white silk or fine raynes betokening the pure innocensy which they haue in Christe theyr general captain Not carnal is this armour but euermore spirituall after the doctrine of S. Paule Though we walke in the flesh saith he yet do we not fight after a fleshly maner For the weapons of our warre are not carnal things but things mighty in God Bewtifull fayre is my welbeloued saith the eternall Salomon for hys soule pleaseth his Lord and is loued agayn of him His fauour his mercy is vpon his holy ones he hath a louing respect vnto his chosen number A notable singe of victory in the faithfull are also these white horses vestures for afore they ar called iustificacions of the saintes 5 And out of his Godly mouth sayth the Text proceded forth a two edged swerd which is the fearce iudgement of his mighty word By this effectual swerd are the faithfull beleuers woūded vnto life and the vnbeleuers to the death of dampnacion For vnto some it is the sauour of life and vnto some againe the sauour of death vnto death By this swerd also shal the dead braūches be cut from the vine and the corrupted members from the whole body The gotes shal be deuided from the lambes and the euil from the rightuous Oh how sharp fierce and tirrible wil this sentence of the lords indignaciō be at that day Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre Yet shall it be vnto the faithful a perpetuall power victory triumphe ouer their enymies 6 Ouer besides all this goeth that swerd frō his eternal mouth to the intēt he should therw t correct their Heathē or reform◠thē of their heathinish life So that if they wil not at the wholsome admonishmēts of his word repent and amend their olde conuersacion that than they should be condemned by the same for their wilful contempt If men wil not turne saith Dauid he shall whet his swerde against them He wil sharpen it as the lightening and aquite his enymies their wickedmes 7 This mighty Lord shal rule them with a strong rodde of yron which is the inuincible veritie This is the rod of right order the septure of the kingdome and the wand of power whom the Lord sent frō Sion to haue sway among our enymies So strong is this septure that it wil not bowe No place wil it geue to the contrary parte If they will not therewith be ordred he shall breke them in peces as the potter doth his pot in such maner as they neuer shal recouer agayne 8 The winefat of the great fiercenesse and sore displeasur of almighty God shal he tred downe with power More greuously shal they be opressed at this latter comming by his set sētence thā they wer afore at Hierusalē by Uespasianus and Titus The vineyarde of the Lord of hostes was the house of Israell This brought he out of Egipt by strong hande Thereof looked hée to haue had grapes and it brought hym foorth bryers and thistles Their vines were as the wilde vines of Sodome Bitter were their grapes as the poyson of Dragons and as the cruel gaul of Adders Therfore will he break the hedge and throw downe the wal that it may be troden vnder foote 9 Great anguishe shall bée vpon the earth in his fury and wrath vpō that people in his anger They shall fall on the edge of the swerd and be dispersed Both here shall they haue griefe and also in the world to come 10 This victorious horse man hath vpon his white vesture besprinckeled with bloud which is his innocent māhood crucified 11 And vpō his tender thigh whom some call his churche some his scriptures as flesh of his fleshe or spirite of his spirite this name of magnificence written 12 In both of them is it manifestlye expressed that he is both king of kinges and also Lorde of Lordes the great guide of right gouernours and that monarke of godly magistrates By kings is his generation discribed of Mathew in the posteritie of Dauid and of Luke by faithfull fathers vnto Adam which had the first promise of health Both doth the godly actes of his natural māhood and also the holy spirite whom he left here to the comfort of all true beléeuers declare that he is the eternall attourney of God his Apostles true seruaunts affyrming the same And these are his garmente and thigh By hys death is our nakednesse couered which are his misticall members Of his spirite is our strength which are the generation séeking the Lord of Iacob 13 Both hath he giuen hym of God the high seat of Dauid his father and also the vniuersall power in heauen and in earth as he by whom all things were first created For his power is an euerlasting power and his kingdome such as shall neuer perishe And all this is comprehended in that he is called the sonne of the highest and in that he alone hath immortalitie inhabyting the light that no man can attayne to whom be honour and euerlasting empire Amen In this vesture and thigh are his titles written as to hys onely behou e that no man shuld of presumption vsurpe them neither by supremite nor vycarage his church and posteritie acknowledging the same euermore THE TEXT 1 And I savve an Angell 2. stande in the sunne 3. and he cryed vvith a loude voyce 4. saying to all soules that flye by the middest vnder the heauen 5. Come and gather your selues togither 6. vnto the supper of the great God 7. that ye may eate the fleshe of kynges 8. of high captaine 9. the flesh of mightie men 10. and the flesh of horses 11. and of them that sit on them 12. and the flesh of all free men bondmen 13. both of small and great The Commentary 1 After this reuelation I sawe saith sainct Iohn a beautifull Angell betokening not onely the Apostles but all other faithfull ministers in the word els hauing the Apostles spirite 2 In the sunne stedfastly stoode thys Angell which signifieth Christ that cleare sunne of rightuousnesse the bright morning star in the middest of the cloude the expresse Image of God substance of his
THE IMAGE of both Churches after the most wonderfull and heauenly Reuelation of sainct Iohn the Euangelist contayning a very fruitfull exposition or Paraphrase vpon the same Wherin it is conferred vvith the other scriptures and most auctorised histories Compyled by Iohn Bale an exyle also in thys lyfe for the faithfull testimony of Iesu. Goe ye out of Sodome for the Lord will destroy that Citie Gen. 19. Come away my people least ye be partakers of hir sinnes Apoc. 18. Flee from filthie Babilon and go cleane away from the lande of the Caldees Hier. 50. ¶ Printed at London by Thomas East ¶ A Preface vnto the Christian Reader SO highly necessary good Christian Reader is the knowledge of S. Iohns Apocalips or Reuelation whether thou wilt to him that is a true member of Christes church as of any other booke of the sacred Byble For in none of them all are the faythfull diligent hearers and readers more blessed nor more liuely so declared obseruing the contentes thereof thē in this one booke No wher is it more clerely specified the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to bee one euerlastyng God and Iesus Christ to be the eternall sonne of that lyuing Father which are the fyrst and chiefe groundes of our Christian faith then here No where is the durable kingdome and priesthoode of the sayde Iesus Christ more plentuously spred more playnly proued and more largely vttered thē in this holy oracle No where is the doctryne of healthe more purely taught fayth more throughly commēded nor yet rightuousnesse more highlye rewarded then heere No where are heresies more earnestly condempned blasphemous vices more vehemētly rebuked nor yet their iuste plagues more fiercelye threatened then in this compendious worke Herein is the true christian church which is the meeke spouse of the Lambe without spot in hir right fashyoned colours discribed So is the proud church of hypocrites the rose coloured whore the paramour of Antichrist and the sinfull sinagoge of Sathan in hir iuste proporcion depaynted to the mercifull forewarning of the Lordes electes And that is the cause why I haue here intituled thys booke the Image of both Churches Neyther heere spareth the holy Ghost theyr hypocrisie nor pryde their Idolatrie nor whoredome theyr couetousnesse nor most cruell tyranny with theyr other outragious myscheues No he toucheth them so nyghly that we should the better know them and be the more ware of them that he sheweth them to be such a spirituall sorte as maketh dayly marchaundise of the bodyes and soules of men Let vs neuer looke to haue a more open marke of that wicked generation take heede of them if we lust He that will lyue godly in Christ and be a pacyent sufferer He that will stande in Gods feare prepare him selfe to temptacyon He that will be stronge when aduersitie shall come auoyde all assaultes of Antichrist and the diuill let him giue him selfe wholly to the study of this prophecy Not one necessary poynt of beleife is in all the other scriptures that is not heere also in one place or other The very complet summe and whole knitting vp is this heauēly booke of the vnyuersall verities of the Bible All that Moyses taught in the lawe Dauid in the Psalmes and the Prophetes in theyr wrytinges concernyng Christes spyrituall kyngdome both here aboue meete for thys present knowledge are heerein briefly comprehended So is hys eternall vyctory for vs ouer sinne death hell and the dyuill with hys perpetuall cleerenesse aucthoritie and empyre world without ende compendiously here expressed Hee that knoweth not thys booke knoweth not what the church is whereof he is a member For herein is the estate thereof from Christes ascention to the ende of the world vnder pleasaunte figures and elegant tropes decyded no where els throughly but heere the tymes alwayes respected He that delighteth not to beholde the condition of his own citie is therevnto no louing citizen And after the true opinion of sainct Austen eyther wee are citizens in the new Hierusalem with Iesus Christ or els in the old supersticious Babylon with Antichrist the vicar of sathā He that with diligēce shall serch that matter specially in this presēt reuelatiō shal throughly perceiue the certaintie thereof Consider the dignytie and worthinesse of this most precious Iewel that the Lord hath left here to our cōsolatiō Fyrst God the eternall father gaue it vnto Christ his welbeloued sonne in our māhood Christ now glorified committed it vnto the holy Ghost which is here called an Angell or messenger The holy Ghost deliuered it vnto Iohn the peculiarly beloued disciple of Iesu. And Iohn last of all lefte it with the vnyuersall church to theyr christian eruditiō Mark now if any other treatise of the sacred Bible had euer so worthy a foreward setting forth This is not that it should be altogither neglected and not looked vpon No man lighteth a candle sayth Christ and conueyeth it vnder a bushell that men should not see therby Neuer was this gracious gift giuen of God to be hidden as it hath bene of longe tyme but to be opened to all the congregations A more necessary doctrine to the christian erudition is not in the whole scriptures all cyrcumstaunces considered For besides all that is afore expressed it containeth the vniuersal troubles persecutions and crosses that the church suffred in the primatyue spring what it suffreth now and what it shall suffer in the latter tymes by the subtile satellytes of Antichrist which are the cruell mēbers of Sathā It manifesteth also what premyes what crownes and what glory the sayd cōgregatiō shall haue after this present conflict with the enimyes that the promysed rewardes myght quicken the hartes of those that the tormēts feareth A prophecye is this Apocalips called and is much more excellent thē all the other prophecies Lyke as the lyght is more precious then the shadowe the veritie then the figure the new testament then the olde and the gospell then the lawe so is this holy oracle more precyous then they That Esay Hieremie Ezechiell Danyell Oseas with all the other Prophets warneth afore hande to follow concerning Christ and hys churche this mystery declareth effectually fulfilled It is a full clerenesse to all the cronicles and most notable histories which hath bene written since Christes ascension opening the true natures of their ages tymes and seasons He that hath store of them and shall diligentlye serch them ouer conferring the one with the other time with tyme and age with age shal perceyue most wonderfull causes For in the text are they onely proponed in effecte and promised to folow in their seasons and so ratified with the other scriptures but in the cronicles they are euidently seene by all ages fulfilled Yet is the text a lyght to the cronycles and not the cronicles to the text Unto
readeth they that hear the vvords of the prophecie keepe those things vvhich are vvritten therein 7. for the tyme is at hande The Paraphrase OF Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God this is the wonderfull reuelation concerning the diuers and doubtfull estate of the Christian church from the Apostles tyme to the latter ende of the world 2 Which reuelation with all iudgement and power God the euerlasting father hath wholly giuen vnto hym now takeÌ„ vp from the earth glorified and set aboue all the workes of hys handes 3 Euidently to declare yea to make manifest and knowne vnto hys true faythfull seruauntes beleuing in hys words and walking in his wayes the tokens signes marueils which must by hys vnchaungeable ordinaunce shortly in this latter tyme folow in effect without premonishment or warning taken of the wicked sort 4 And the sayd Iesus Christ sittyng on the right hande of the maiestie of God and being muche more excellent then the angels hath according to his former promise sent forth his spirit of truth most specially vnto his déerely beloued Apostle and peculyar dyscyple sainct Iohn the Euangelist not only to deduce him into all knowledge and veritie but also to manifest vnto him the secrete misteries of thinges to come 5 Which Iohn hath already as an earnest doer in his masters cause most constantly wytnessed his eternall godhead in the euerlasting worde against the Hebionites which denied him to com in the fleshe and hath faithfully affirmed his naturall manhode in all that he sawe being conuersaunt with him agaynste Carpocras and Cerinthus which blasphemed the same in the vtter confusion of all such Antichristes 6 Blessed is he saith Saint Ihon which after méeke prayer and godly meditacyon hauinge the gyfte of vnderstanding and grace of interpreting the scripturs doth sincerly faithfully without crafte or coloure publyshe declare the mistycall wordes of thys heauenly prophecye Blessed are they also which in a feruent faith hongeriÌ„g thristinge for the rightuousnes and with Simeon and Anna desirous of the glorye of God doth louingly heare and earnestly marke the wholsome words of the same sayd godly prophecye and that will deligently applye theÌ„ selues to obserue the rules and take the premonishementes of Godly doctrine ther in written 7 For the perelous dayes are come that the disceytfull swarme of Antichrist peruertinge the trueth shal bring the world into pernicious and dampnable errours And the Ieopardous time is at hande that the wrath of god shal be declared from Heauen vpon all vngodlynesse of these seducers that with hold his trueth in vnrightuousensse set hiâ— coÌ„maundementes at nought for their owne vile traditions The texte 1 Ihon vnto the seuen congregacions which are in Asia 2. Grace be vvith you 3. And peace from him wich is and which vvas and which is to come 4. from the seuen spirites which are present before his throne 5. and from Iesus Christe vvhich is a faythfull vvytnesse 6. and fyrst begotten of the dead 7. and prince ouer the kinges of the earthe 8. Vnto him that loued vs and vvashed vs from our sinnes in his ovvne bloud 9. and made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God his father 10. euen vnto him be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen The Paraphrase 1 Iohn the electe Apostle of Iesus Christ sendeth these greatinges to the vii churches or christian congregations which are in the land of Asia the lesse 2 Grace which is the mercy fauour and acceptacion of God be with you 3 And also peace which is the trauquilitie of conscience in them that beleue in Christ dwel euer among you from god the father euerlasting which is essencially in and of himselfe and which was before the constitucion of the world and which shall be after the worlde be finished for euer and euer without ende 4 The same grace and peace agayne be vnto you from God the holy Ghost here mencioned vnder the tytle of .vij. spirites for that he is manifolde and plentuous in gyftes 5 The thyrd tyme also the same said grace and peace be vnto you from the Lorde Iesus Christ the onely sonne of God which being the eternall veritie it selfe was in preaching his Gospell a wytnesse therof both faythful true and perfect and in no wyse could lye that ye should the rather beleue him 6 He was the fyrst of all men that euer were in this mortall nature or body of death recouering againe the fauour of God lost in Adam and that with victory ouer sinne hell deathe and the diuell ascended into Heauen and became in that fleshe glorifyed the sonne of God that ye should bée the bolder of him and the rather take him for your onely aduocate 7 He is also a mâ—ste mighty Lorde ouer the kinges rulers and magistrates of this worlde hauing now all power geuen him in heauen in earth with a wryting vpon his vesture that he is Kinge of Kinges and Lorde of Lords and that of his kingdome ther shall be no ende that the wicked tyrauntes should the rather feare least they féele him a terryble iudge at the latter day 8 For so much as he hath so intyrely loued vs as to be smytten and wouÌ„ded for our offencest and as to geue his lyfe for our wycked wretchednes yea for so much as he of most natural kyndenesse would be cruelly slayne to washe vs purifie vs and clense vs in his owne most innocent bloud from the moste cankred vylenesse of our sinnes to prouoke vs to loue him agayne 9 For so much also as he hath made vs a liuing kingedome to god through fayth in him and consecrate vs priestes to offer vp our bodies by a newe Christian life as a sacrifyce holy and acceptable vnto God his euerlastinge father 10 Unto him wyth the said father with the holy ghost be perpetual praise glorye power and dominyon for euermore Amen The text 1 Beholde he commeth with cloudes 2. and all eyes shall see him 3. and they also which pearsed him 4. And all kynredes of the earth shall vvayle 5. Euen so Amen 6. I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ending sayth the Lorde almightie 7. vvhich is vvhich vvas and vvhich is to come The Paraphrase 1 Take hede for moste certayne it is though Christe in his fyrste comminge as a merciful sauiour apered here vpon earth poore simple ignominious yet shal he in his latter comminge appere in the cloudes of heauen with maiestie power and glorye accoÌ„panyed with the infinite hoste of angels as a rigorous iudge 2 And vpon him shall all eyes looke both man and angell shal behold him and stande before hys terrible iudgemente seate no creature good nor bad exempt 3 Yea thâ—se cruell tyrauntes also shal at that houre appeare befere him which did not only flée his moste innocente body but also
though he had ben killed 13 which had seuen hornes 14 and seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent vnto all the worlde 15. And hee came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the seat The Paraphrase AFter the forsayde vysion I saw saieth saint Iohn in the right hande or mighty power and wyll of hym that sate on the throne with maiestye a wonderfull Booke in the which both man and Angell were desirous to looke This booke is Gods heauenly ordinance contayning not onely all that hath bene created of God visible and inuisible but also the vniuersall contents of the holy scripture This boke hath the mercifull Lorde prouided that men should know him partly by his creatures partly by his Scriptures This booke he hath in his right hand For heauen he measureth with his spanne and the whole world he comprehendeth vnder his three â—ingers In his hande or power is the vniuersal earth bothe hills valleyes At his onely wil pleasure is the sincere vnderstanding of the scriptures and true interpretacion of the same 2 This booke is written within without The world coÌ„tayneth creatures visible and inuisible powers open hidden that men in theÌ„ should reade and vnderstand that there is a liuing God and that they should acknowledge him and worship him as the Lorde and creator of all The holy scripture hath hir figure history hir mistery and veritie hir parable plaine doctrine her night and day her letter and sence her voyce and word her flesh and spirit her shadow and cleare light her death and lyfe her law and gospell her Moyses and Christ to bring all men also vnto the knowledge of God 3 But that Booke is surely sealed with seauen stronge seales from the fleshlye vnderstanding of man not hauinge the spirite of Christ that he can neither vse the creatures of God a right nor yet perceiue the Scriptures according to their true meanning Muche hath the doctours fantasied of these seuen claspes or spearynges of thys booke wythout the aucthoritie of Gods word calling theÌ„ all maner of obscurities darkenesses Where as in verie déed they are nothing els but the strong and vnuariable decrée or set diffinition of God before the constitucion of the world that none should be able to read rightly therin nor know the iust meaning therof without the spirit of his sonne and vnles it be méekly asked in faith And this one decrée of god so oft locketh vp these heaueÌ„ly secrets froÌ„ maÌ„ as it findeth hym carnall couetous wilfull blinde malicious proude and false with such other lyke The number of seuen doeth onely respect the opening of the seales in all ages For in euery age hath God opened the trueth vnto some Godly men by his spirite with Abell and Enoch with Noe and Sem with Abraham and Iob with Moyses and Samuel with Dauid and Helias with Hieremie and Daniel with Iohn Baptist Peter 4 And I sawe sayeth S. Iohn a strong Angell which betokeneth euerie faithful minister of gods word coueting all men to be taught of god and sending them only vnto Christ for they are the Angels of the Lorde of hostes Which Angell cryed with a loude voyce with an earnest zeale of the glorie of God and with a feruent desire of his neighbours health 5 Who is worthie to opeÌ„ this booke and to vndoo the claspes thereof As though he should say None but he alone Séeke him therfore that he may open it vnto you els are yée lyke alwayes to be blynde foolishe and vnlearned lyers before the Lord séeme ye neuer so wyse eloquent and well learned in the sight of men 6 And in déede no man was founde able to doe it neyther in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth yet was there a diligent search made many did attempt it The Angels that by apostasie fell from God when they were in heauen wrought maistryes about it And in the earth héere the Philosophers among the Gentiles the religious fathers amoÌ„g the Iewes the Pharisies and Scribes the lawyers and priests and amoÌ„g the Christians the false Apostles Antichrists the Sophisters and Papists the sectes and scoole doctors with all the worldly wyse hath craftily compassed the thing Yea the messeÌ„gers of Sathan whose dampnation is certayne subtily to perswade and fraudelently to deceiue the innocent soules haue also done their parte But what hath folowed After their vayne enterpryse they haue bene so astonyed at the maiestie or sight of the booke that neyther were they able to open it nor yet to looke thervpon So high were the mysteries thereof so vnserchable the iudgements so inuestigable the wayes therevnto 7 And I fell in sore wéeping sayth Sainct Iohn muche dolour was it to my heart to see that none was found worthie no creature able neyther Angell nor man good spirit nor diuil to open and to read the booke which is cléerely to know the will of God therein nor yet once to looke therevpon that is sincerely to perceyue the least veritie coÌ„tayned therin No creature vnderstanding could attayn vnto it All were ignorant all darke all blynde 8 And as I was thus mournyng one of the elders euen Iacob by name comforted mée with his prophecie of Iuda Esay Micheas Esdras bearing witnesse to the same 9 These with other ascertained me that he was the Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda which should ouercome the world haue the victorie ouer death and hell for in déed they with Abraham sawe it a farre of and much reioysed He is the strong inuincible Lyon that subdued the prince of this world tooke from him the pray and hathe deuyded the spoyle 10 He is the verie roote of Dauid the ground and originall cause of all godly promises made vnto him of deliuerance victorie and raygne and alone in him are they fulfilled Only hath he obtayned by his death resurrection and ascension to make open the hydden mysteries of thys booke or whole ordinaunce of God and to loose the seuen seales thereof or to take away the vniuersall impediments wherby the said booke could in no case be séene as is carnalitie ignorance darkenesse blindenesse wilfulnesse couetousnesse malice hypocrisie lyes with such lyke So was it afore speared by the decrée of God that none could reade in it till he remoued the vntowardnesse from their heartes 11 All this I beheld saieth S. Iohn and as I looked further I sawe that in the midst of the seate which is the vniuersall congregation of God of the foure beasts which are the constaunt ministers of his worde also in the middest of the auncient elders whych hath bene the sincere witnesses of hys veritie since the beginning 12 There stood a fayre méeke most innocent Lambe as though he had bene newly slain I knew that Christ was this Lambe for he was wounded for
for newe promotions Euermore they compassed to augment their dignyties Continuall was their study to get prehemineÌ„ce to win honour and to obtayne superiorytie not withoute the destruction of kingdomes the vtter decay of communalties and vnspeakeable murther of peoples Iohn the Archebyshoppe of Constantinople contended to be the vniueâ—sal Patriarke Boniface the thirde of that name Byshoppe of Rome tooke vpon hym to be the head Byshoppe of all the worlde and Gods onely Uicar in earth Mahomet boasted hym selfe to be the great Prophete and messenger of GOD. Thus was Christes coate withoute seame among them deuided and his church most rufully dispersed Thus out of the corrupted depraued scriptures tooke the Iewes their Talmud the Saracens their Alchorane and the Byshops their popish lawes and decrées Then folowed innumerable sectes of perdicion vnder the romishe pope in Europa vnder Mahomet the false Prophet in Afryca and vnder prester Iohn in Asia whiche with their execrable tradicions and rules banished Christ and his pure doctrin for euer Than set they vp songe in the church with Latine seruice bell ringing and Organ playinge Than builded they monasteries auaunced Images inuented purgatorye not without many strange reuelacions Than came in that ceremony that as sensing of Images Procession and holy water with candles ashes and palmes Than were shauen crownes commaunded holy ornaments deuised mariage and meates inhibited and hallowing of churches practised At the last crepte in the worshipping of reliques and shrines with holy oyle and creame with the paschall and paxe with feastes and dedications with latines masses dirges for the dead and many great miracles followed ThaÌ„ were kings deposed and made Moonkes Emperours put downe and parrish priests set vp No gospell might then be taught but to maintaine this ware for aduantage Uniuersities were then builded and generall studies founded the worlde ouer with all kindes of crafty learning to vpholde this new Christen relygyon or prestish supersticion The Antichristes thus spred and theyr kyngdome well set forwarde the light was cléerely extincted and darknesse ouer wente the whole worlde 1 Much meruayled alwayes the poore chosen flock of christ and were greatlye troubled in their mindes to beholde this great confusion tyll the Lorde opened vnto them the fourth seale of his booke in the which all was written from the begining In that Seale openinge the Lorde shewed what the head rulers of his Church were euen very hypocrites rightly compared vnto a pale Horse For after their dissembling manner they shewed sad countinaunces outwardlye to appeare fastinge and babled very much to séeme deuonte men 2 And as the Lambe had opened the fowrth Seale sayeth Saincte Iohn I hard the voyce of the fowrth beast which séemed vnto me an Egle representing those godly beléeuers that are most highly desirous of the glorye of GOD. 3 Come hyther sayde that voice Note what thou shalt sée here enprent it well in thy minde 4 And sa I looked foorth I behelde a pale Horse whome I tooke for the vniuersall Synagoge of hypocrites or dissembling church of Antichriste pale as men without health bleyk as men without that freshe lyfe which is in Christ Iesu. 5 The name of hym which sate vpon this pale Horse was death for their doctrine is death and dampnation What bringeth hypocrisye with hym but destruction of health What carrieth dissimulation but the vtter decay of lyfe Are their last fruites any other then confusion and dyspayre 6 For why hell commeth after them to swallowe in those that are taught by them Eternall dampnation doth folow them to eate them vp for euer whome they shall deceiue Such is the finall rewarde of those cursed hypocrits that treadeth down Gods truth and destroyeth his word vnder a fayned pretence of the contrarye God graunt them therefore once to open their eyes and to consider it that they are the Horses of death least Hell héere after deuoure them 7 Unto these gaudish hypocrites and beastly Antichristes whith are the horse of death and carieth all to darknesse and dampnation power is geuen whiche is the sufferaunce of God vpon the fourth parte of the earth A great part of the world shall they destroy much people by theÌ„ shal perish and be lost 8 After diuers sortes shall they depriue them of the lyfe euerlastyng Some shal they slay with the sword of their false doctrine hauing a glorious shine of wisdome in supersticion and deuilishnesse Some shall they famishe for wante of GODS true worde whiche is the bread of Chyldren and the lyuinge foode of the soule 9 Some will they also poyson with the contagious leauen of their pestilent lawes and tradicions which are dayly ministred taught by the vile vermine of the earth their suffraganes Archedecons officials doctors ministers false preachers curates persons parrish priests and religions verye beastly both of lyfe and studye Lorde ones delyuer from these deceiptfull and rauenous wolues whiche are neuer satisfied thy poore seruants that confesse thy holy name Amen THE TEXT 1 And when he opened the fift seale 2 I saw vnder the aulter 3. The soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimony which they had 4. And they cried with a loude voyce saying 5. How long taryest thou 6 Lord holy and true to iudge 7. And to auenge our bloude on them that dwell on the earth 8. And loÌ„g white garments were geuen vnto euery one of theÌ„ 9. And it vvas saide vnto theÌ„ 10. That they shoulde rest for a litle season 11. vntill the number of their felowes and brethren 12. And of them that shoulde be killed as they were were fulfilled The Paraphrase 1 Euident it is by that hath ben séene and sayde afore in these fowre horses what the estate of the christen church was is now in these latter dayes Such horrible confusion hath the Antichristes made with their wicked lawes and decrées and with their deceiptfull doctrine of errours and lies to vpholde their filthy kingdome of pryde slouth hypocrisie and beastlynes that scarcely is any thing cleane pure and godly Now do they nothing but slea None other studye haue they in these dayes but to persecut emprison and famish to burn head and hang. Now haue they obtayned to enter the iudgement hall and to syt vpon lyfe death without defiling of theÌ„selues Now may they both a accuse and iudge both indite and condempne yet not soyle their consecrate handes If any controle their customes or say against their witchcraftes they are ready to run ouer hym with death whom they carye to slea both soule and bodye 1 This hath the Lord shewed in mistery vnto Iohn in the fift seale openinge by whom are ment the true Christen beléeuers at this time so well as at al other times sence Christes assension 2 And when the Lambe opened the fift seale or declared in
great tribulacion 7. and made theyr garments large 8. and made them whyte in the bloud of the Lambe 9. Therfore are they in the presence of the seate of God 10. and serue him day and night in his Temple 11. And he that sitteth in the seate will dvvell among them 12. They shall hūger no more neyther thurst 13. Neyther shall the sunne light on them 14. neither any heate 15. For the Lambe vvhich is in the mids of the seate shall feede them 16. and shall lead them vnto fountaynes of liuing water 17. And God shall vvype avvay all teares from their eyes The Paraphrase 1 And one of the auncyent elders sayth sainct Iohan made aunswere vnto that whiche I was inwardlye most desirous to knowe concernyng this innumerable multytude saying vnto me by maner of question 2 What are these comely persons which are thus beutifully apparelled in long whyte garmentes large and fayre And from whence came they as thou supposest 3 And I as one ignoraunt of the misteries of God of myne owne nature without the speciall gifte of hym answeared after this sorte 4 Syr thou wottest what they are and from whence they come by such knowledge as the Lorde hath giuen thée 5 And hée sayde agayne vnto mée thus 6 These are they which come vnto Christ by fayth out of the great trybulacion of worldly wickednes fleshly cares and disquieted consciences 7 Abhorring the doctrine of mens inuencions they set sure holde vpō the liuing word of the Lord. There fette they out forgiuenesse of their sinnes and made their garmentes large to couer theyr olde deformities 8 They washed their lyues in the sorowes of repentaunce and fashyoned theyr déedes to his swéete lawes and commaundementes They made their garments white in the precious bloud of the Lambe beléeuing to bée purified by the meryte of his death 9 And therfore are they at this time in the presence of his maiestie accepted takē and alowed for the citizens of heauen 10 They serue him day nyght in the Temple of their soules and they prayse his glorious name in spirite for euer more 11 The Lord that sitteth on the throne will alwayes dwell among them as their most mightie defendor theyr solace and their comforte 12 The spirit shall so refresh them they shall no more hunger nor thirst Though concupiscence dwel in them they shall desire none euill 13 Neither shall the sunne so lyght on them which is this worldes prosperitie that they shall forget theyr Lord God at any season 14 No heat shall hurt them nor aduersitie of this worlde ouercome thē but in that they suffer or doe all thyngs shall worke to the best 15 For the innocent Lambe Christ which is in the middest of the seat or the cōgregacion of God by his word shall norish féede releue thē with hys promise shal preserue comfort lead them by his spirit Yea he shall so order them they shall haue néede of nothyng And if he bée their light health and strength of whom should they be afrayed 16 He shall bring them vnto the foūtaynes of the lyuing waters make them such well springs as shall flow vp into the lyfe euerlasting His doctrine must doe it and none other for none commeth to the father but by him 17 And God shall wype away all teares frō their eyes Aduersitie shall be vnto them a very consolacion No sorows shal they care for no tormēts shall they regard no troubles nor yet death shall they feare but thinke in their hartes alwayes that the suffrings of this lyfe are nothing to the glorie to come The aforesayde elder myght séeme to be Iacob whose prophecie might tell Iohn that Christ should washe his garment in wine and hys mantel in the blud of grapes So might it be Dauid or Esay which also confirmeth the same In this as in a glasse may be séene what they are afore god that at this present age or vnder this sixe seale opening vnfaynedly cleueth to his word foloweth it in effect and liueth accordyng vnto it Fyrst they are cléere afore God and no sinne shall be imputed vnto them for their faithes sake Consequently they are deliuered of a troublous cōscience The Lambe hath restored them to innocency God accepteth them for his children These séeke no doctryne but the scrypture They serue God in spirite and in no deade thinges They hunger not for mens tradycions they thirst not for hipocrites good works they are well and fully contented with the Lambe They séeke no prosperitie neyther care they for aduersitie The word of God is their gyde and therein they minde to depart None other but such are sealed vnto god nor none els walk before him in whyte garmentes The viij Chapter THE TEXT 1 And when he had opened the seuenth seale 2. there was silence in heauen about the space of halfe an houre 3 And I savv seuen Angels 4. standing before God 5. And to them vvere giuen seuen Trompettes 6. And an other Angell came 7. and stood before the aulter 8. hauing a golden censer 9. And much of odours vvas giuen vnto hym 10. that he should offer of the prayers of all saynctes vpon the golden aulter 11. vvhich vvas before the seate 12. And the smoke of the odours vvhich came of the prayers of the Sainctes ascended vp before God out of the Angelles hande 13. And the Aungell tooke the censer and filled it vvith fyre of the aulter 14. and cast it into the earthe 15. And voices were made and thunderings lightnings 16. and great earthquake 17 And the seuen Angels vvhich had the seuē trumpets 18 prepared them selues to blovv The Paraphrase 1 2 This silence shall endure but half an houre space whiche may bée the thousande yeares that are spoken of héere afore consideryng that all the age after Christ is but the last houre and a thousand yeares before God is but as the day that is paste In the time of this swéete silence shall Israell be reuyued the Iewes shall bée conuerted the Heathen shall come in agayne Christ will séeke vp his lost shéepe and bryng hym agayne to hys folde that they maye appeare one flock lyke as they haue one shepeherde 3 And I sawe sayeth sainct Iohn seuen Angels standing before the maiestie of God which signifieth the preachers of his worde for the seuen seuerall times of the vij seales opening to euerie seale corresponding an Angell For all that the preachers hath done from the beginning of the Gospell to the tyme of this last seale opening shall then appeare at once In that day sayeth Esay the Trumpet shall be blowen they that were lost shall come from the Ascirians the scattered flocke shall come from Egypt worship the Lord in Ierusalem 4 These Angels stoode before the presence of God as mynisters of acceptacion readie to execute his heauenly will and commaundement 5 And to them was giuen
Iānes and Iambres that maliciously resisted Moyses so were Phassur and Semeias which vexed the Hrophet Hieremy Such burning hylles were Cayphas and Annas against Christe Diotrephes Herpocras Hebion and Cerinthus against Iohn the Euangelist Demetrius Bariehu Himenius and Alexander against Paule with such lyke moody prelates resistinge the truth to this present day Suche smocky mountaines of contradiction both dayly withstande Christ in the edifying of his Christen Church as rebuked Zorababel in the building of the Iewes temple 3 They sturre vp the sea they moue the weake people and make them blynd as Asses In their hate they prouoke the Princes to cruelty and malice They cause them to punishe the poore Preachers and put asyde the trueth least they should fal vnto it 4 By reason of this burning hyll fallyng into the sea the third parte of the water turned into blood the third part of the people seduced by them became hatefull murtherers Not only they accused GODS seruauntes but as bloud thirsty beastes they consented to their deathes not consyderynge that he which doth but onely hate his brother is an homicide 5 The thyrde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed Of those which séemed to be faithfull amonge them a great number were worse then nought Dissembling with faith they betraied the truth and wrought much wickednesse Many martirs were then euery where 6 So that the third part of the shippes were destroyed also Many Churches or pryuate congregations called parrishes for feare of loosinge their goodes and for doubt of imprisonment and death refused the faith and fell cleane from the trueth and so were perished and loste For Shippes in the scriptures betokneth them THE TEXT 1 And the third Angell blevv 2. And there fell a great Starre from Heauen 3. Burning as it vvere a Creshet 4. And it fell into the thirde parte of the Riuers and into fountaines of vvaters 5. And the name of the Sarres is called vvormvvode 6. And the thitd part of the waters vvas turned to wormevvod 7. And many men dyed for the vvaters because the vvere made bitter The Paraphrase 1 When the thirde Angel blew hys Trumpet at the third scale openinge there fell from heauen a great mighty Starre burning lyke a Creshet 2 As the preachers of that time opened the trueth of god many great doctors and excellent learned men as Arius Macedonius Cutices Ualens and such other declined from the sincere faith and fell to blasphemous opinions concerning the Godhead 3 These séemed gloryous to the earthly minded people they appeared notable and famous to the blind forsaken sort yet was their learninge madnesse and their doctrine fables and lyes But this is here to be noted that they which are true techers remaine still in heauen they perseuer in the christen church where as the other are fallen cleane frō thēc◠by apostasie and errours so that they are none of Christes 4 This starre fell into the thirde parte of the ryuers whiche are the scriptures peruerted and into the fountaynes of waters whiche are Gods owne very wordes depraued These haue the false doctours yea pernicious heritikes infected with their errours corrupted with their lyes and with theyr false interpretations made them bitter and vnsauerye 5 For the name of the starre was wormewoode whose nature is to withdraw all swéetenesse These with their bitter heresies and their noysome doctrine destroyed the pits of Abraham they troubled the Text they mixed the truth with falshod they poysoned the waters they tooke away the louesomnesse of them they left them vnpure and vnperfite not that they can be so of thē selues but of their false workinge they made them vnpleasant vnprofitable yea and most perylous vnto many 6 For it followeth When the third parte of the waters whiche are the scriptures corrupted by them was turned into woormwoode or bitternesse of errours 7 Many men dyed of them They perished by those doctrines bicause they were made bitter Yet were not all men cast away for two parts were left vndefyled and many that dronke the poysoned waters enometed them againe Onely were they lost that retayned thē styll The pure waters are héere doubled vnto the waters infected For double in value is the verytie before GOD and the true minister therof worthy double honour where as the other are nothing at all THE TEXT 1 And the fourth Angell blew 2. And the third part of the Sunne vvas smitten the thirde parte of the Moone the third parte of the Starres 3 So that the thirde part of them was darkened 4. And the day was smitten 5. That the thirde parte of it shoulde not shine and lykewise the night 6. And I beheld and heard an angell flying through the midst of heauen 7. And saying with aloude voyce 8. Wo wo wo to the dwellers of the earth 9. Because of the voices to come of the Trompetes of the three Angels which were yet to blow The Paraphrase 1 At the fourth Seale opening the fourth Angell stoode forth and blew his Trumpet Neuer was the time yet so perylous but some trewe preachers hath bin in it Were there neuer so many herisies abroad yet haue there reigned some godlye ministers what though they were vnknowne to the worlde Many sincere fathers were in the desert wildernes when most mischief was in doynge amonge the cruel tiraunts which priuyly resortinge to Cities taught them whom God had appointed to be saued Of this number was Paulus Antonius Hilarion Macharius Pambo Theonas Effrem suche lyke And longe since their time Anastasius Persa Theophilactus Fulgencius Beda Alcuinus Strabus and such other many Not with standinge all that they taught and wrot was not gospell All was not without superstition though they lyued in much purenesse of lyfe 1 These blew the Trumpet as they had receiued that time But the false Hipocrites and the Antichristes so preuayled more and more vnder Mahomet and the romish pope that 〈◊〉 Christianitie and spirituall holynesse was turned into supersticious sects None was well christened that had not a moonkish disguising None was thought spirituall vnlesse he were shauen on the crown Then brought thei in many new waies of saluatiō to proue Christ but a second Sauyour as pardons pilgrimages Masses and fryday fastings Then was god able to helpe no disease but images were sought vp euery where saincte Iob for the pox Saint Roke for the pestilence sainct Germine for the ague saint Appolyne for the tooth ake sainct Graciane for thrift losinge and sainct Barbara for gonnshote That Lady in that place and that Lady in that This Roode héere and that Roode there And he that dyd miracles héere coulde doe nothinge there Thus was all chaunged into diuilishnesse and their preachers for lucre confyrmed alwayes the same whiche were many more in number then were the true messengers of God 2 In this most corrupted
the fleshe els but death What are theyr practises but fighting weapons against lyfe They had licence to deceyue and leysure to doe mischief in outward things as had Sathan vpon the body of Iob. But no doubt the goodnesse of God yet preserued the inwarde soules of many simple Iobbes for tyme of that daungerous world 5 And whē they had opened the bottomlesse pit with the key of their false doctrine there wēt vp a black filthie ayre as it had bene the smoke of a great fornace There arose all errours lyes heresies supersticions idolatrie couetousnesse pryde incontinencie falsehood hypocrisie with all other filthinesse which are the fruits of hell and they wēt abroad the world ouer Thus hath these cursed Apostates the pope his Chaplaynes the keyes in deed not of heauen but of hell They may open but they can not spear againe vnlesse they spear from heauē as they doe alwayes They may hurt but they can not heale they may distroy but they can not help they may well dampne but they can not saue For the nature of their keye is onely to make blinde obstinate foolyshe harde harted and euer more worse and worse He onely giueth light grace faith health He taketh away all darkenesse and sinne which hath the keye of Dauid For he alone hath trodē down the wyne presse hauyng the whole victorie ouer death sinne hell and the diuill He hath power onely to speare vp both death and hell The fyre of Gods wrath they be not able to quench The smoke of the dyuils malyce and continuall wickednesse they be not able to kéepe downe Eua could not wtstād one simple suggestiō of Sathan A smal taste of this smoke lost Adam with his whole posteritie And now these Antichristes hath filled the world with it For what is it els but wicked perswasions a learning of diuilles and a doctryne contrarie to y◠doctryne of God poysoning all destroying all leading vnto hell 6 The sun by this smoke was darkened so was the holesome ayre The Gospell they defiled with their false interpretacions Gods word they corrupted with their gloses cōmentaries and postilles They myngled the scriptures with the dirtie dregges of their own lawes tradicions and olde rotten customes of their popishe fathers So that in the church no good ayre could be had no swéete smell of the truth could be found There was much ydoll worshipping strange crying and lippe labouring sensing fooling charming crossing mowyng and iugling gasing knéeling knockyng but no true Gospell preaching 7 Out of this pestilent smoke came innumerable locustes a verie monstruous vermyne and horrible to behold créeping ouer all the earth These were the disguised swarme of Cardynalles mytred Bishoppes doctours shauen priestes Abbottes Moonkes Chanons Fryers Nunnes sisters and heremites in read white russet graie blacke blewe and all other colours Of these were the Benedictines the Bernardines Gerondines Gilbertines Celestines Scopetines Grādimontensers Camaldulensers Cruniacensers Premonstratensers Carthusianes Carmelitanes Ambrosianes Rhodianes Gregorianes Purgatoryanes Guilhelmytes Iesuites Iohannites Hieronimites Niniuits Cellites Thaborits Templars Hospitelers Crucigers Augustinianes Dominicianes Franciscanes Brygydanes Basilianes of Iosaphats valley and of the dark alley and suche other with innumerable swarmes of them euerie where Peter prophecyed afore of thys smokie multitude when hée gaue warnyng that there should come into the Christen church false teachers which priuily should bring in damnable sectes denying the Lord that bought them and many should follow their damnable wayes thorough whom the truth should haue ill reporte But fewe hath marked that warning 8 And vnto these noysome locustes was poure giuen but yet none other poure then haue the scorpyons of the earth whose craftie nature is fyrst to créepe softely then gréeuouslye to sting last of all to venim Thys pestilent vermine God hath suffred for the wickednes of his people first flatteringly to créepe to dissemble glose glose and speak fayre promising prosperitie victorie long lyfe and heauen after this departing And by such meanes gote they vnder them Emperours Kings gouernours and all the world besides 9 Then did they sting their consciences with terrible dreames and visions and with fearefull reuelacions of purgatorie and of hell to buylde them vp faire houses and to lyue in wealth and pleasure Fynally they venimed their fayth with their poisoned counsayles and promyses and so tooke they from them the true hope in Christ making marchandise of them through couetousnesse faire words Thus cloistering togither like locusts they haue left nothing gréene but all they haue withered and distroyed No workes might then be vsed of Gods prescription but such as were fantasied by them for aduantage as masse founding chaunteries building priest singing Image gilding kissing of relyques prayinge to death men and such lyke And when they were once frank and fatte they stood vp togither proudly agaynst the Lord and his word THE TEXT 1 And it vvas sayde vnto them that they should not hurte the grasse of the earth neither any greene thing neyther any tree 2. but only those men vvhich haue not the seal in their foreheades 3. And to them vvas it cōmaunded that they shuld not kil them 4. but that they shuld be vexed fyue monethes 5. And their payne vvas as the payne that commeth of a Scorpion vvhen he hath stung a man 6. And in those dayes shall men séeke death and shall not finde it 7. and shall desire to dye and death shall flie from them The Paraphrase 1 Yet were they commaunded that they should in no case hurt the grasse of the earth neyther any gréen thing nor trée Though they were permytted by the sufferaunce of God to doe much mischiefe yet could they harme none but such as wanted fayth He ordayned from the beginning alwayes to saue his Neuer could Sathan hynder the soule of Iob onely did he vexe the outward carkasse and goods Where as fayth is growing true hope in Christ springing and workes of charitie fructifying they shall doe no hurte by the promyse of God Where the gift of the spirite aboundeth they can in no wyse preuayle If any hinderaunce doeth fall it is where fayth is wanting 2 For onely had they power vpon those men which had not the seale of God in their foreheades They onely are in perill that haue not the sure fayth And the more want they haue therof the more is their seathe when it commeth 3 Yet had those locusts in commaundement that in no wise they shoulde kill them whom they had noyed For the wil of God is that no wicked person should perishe vnlesse he resisted the holy ghost but rather to turne frō sinne and to liue 4 Onely was it permytted that they should be vexed v. moneths Only for their lyfe tyme were they suffered to ouer loade their poore consciences with their beggerly tradicions to trouble them with their trumperie to
gréeue them with their curses and to torment theÌ„ with their threatenings of their purgatorie and theyr hell Though they blynded for want of the scripture erred in all popishe diuilrie and for lacke of true knowledge had not the token of fayth yet perished they not wholly no more theÌ„ did Nicodemus and Gamaliell which were but carnal men But their ends the Lord reserued to his own mercyfull goodnesse for confessing the name of Iesus Christ. 5 Yet were they sore vexed for the tyme and theyr payne was as the stinging of a Scorpion when he hath hurte a man A prickyng of a more then halfe desperate mynde a feare of a wonderfully troubled conscience yea and a great doubt of saluacioÌ„ haâ— they till God shewed his mercy vpon them opening their faint hartes and streÌ„gthning theÌ„ with his inward power 6 And in those dayes shall men séeke death and yet shall not fynde it For the gréefe of their loaded consciences they shall in confessyons take counsayle of them which is very poyson and death yet shall God so preserue them it shall be no death vnto them For no dampnacion can be vnto them which are in Christ Iesu. Loth dwelled in Sodome yet peryshed he not with Sodome 7 They shall desire to dye and yet death shall flée from them WheÌ„ they féele the terrible gnawing of inward fearefulnesse they shal séeke vp their stinking remedyes and require their dyrtie merytes which is cleane to dye from Christ and to forsake his liuing waters for their filthie puddels of hypocrisie and diuilishnesse Yet by the singular grace and vnspeakeable mercie of God that they séeke shall flée cleane from them and that they haue not sought for shall saue them which is the onely bloud and death of Iesus Christ. Thus shal they haue life vnlooked for and be taken vp with Enoch from the wickednesse of thys world and sée the God of Gods in Sion without their deseruing THE TEXT 1 And the similitude of the locustes vvas lyke vnto horses prepared vnto battayle 2 And on their heads vvere as it vvere crovvnes lyke vnto gold 3. And their faces vvere as it had bene the faces of men 4. And they had hayre as the hayre of vvomen 5. And theyr teeth vvere as the teeth of Lions 6 And they had habbergyons as it vvere habbergions of yron 7. And the sounde of their vvinges vvas as the sounde of charettes 8. vvhan manie horses runne togither to battayl 9. And they had tayles lyke vnto Scorpions 10. and there vvere stings in their tayls 11. And their povver vvas to hurte men fyue monethes 12. And they had a Kynge ouer them vvhich is the Angell of the bottomlesse pitte 13. vvhose name in the Hebrue tongue is Abadon but in the Greeke tonge Appollyon 14. One vvo is past and beholde tvvo vvoes come yet after this The Paraphrase 1 And the locusts in similitude were lyke vnto horses prepared vnto battayle full of stomake stryfe contencion anger and hate rygorous in examinacions fierce in excommunicacyons moodie in disputacions mad hastie and cruell agaynst the veritie and euermore grudging among them selues one secte agaynst another 2 Upon their heades they had counterfect crownes in maner of gold Glorious names of dignitie had they and shynyng tytles of hyghe prehemynence vndeserued Most holy fathers most gracious Lordes and moste reuerende maysters commonly were they called They made large theyr phylacteries set abroad their skirts they sought the highest places in the sinagoges and salutacions of reuerence in the stréetes They were not as other men be The simplest holy water priest amoÌ„g them was sir at the least which is no lesse than Lord. By presumptioÌ„ pride and ambicion they exalted them selues aloft as the Ceader trées of Lybanus aboue Emperours Kings and Prynces Yea they set their seates in heauen became Gods vicars to dampne and saue at their pleasure But wâ— be to the proude crown of thys dronken generacion whose God is theyr belly and whose glorie is but duste and shal be their shame confusion 3 Their faces were not vnlyke to the faces of men And outwarde pretence they had of wisedome grace and godlines yet was there nothing lesse with in them Uerie prudent wyse learned they séemed in theyr commoning discréet in behauour and sober in their lyuing yet were they but paynted combes full of all sinne and filthinesse The counterfait goodnesse they shewed outwardely was onely to be séene of the world 4 Hayre they had on theyr heades most lyke to the hayre of women All wauering were theyr myndes inconstaunt fickle and foolyshe Theyr harts were geuen to vncleanesse their fleshe to voluptuous desyres and pleasures so that in them rayned all beastly abhominations All execrable lustes flowed in them as the water of the Occean sea 5 Their téeth were as the téeth of Lyons For they were wholy geuen to gréedinesse rauine fiercenesse and cruelty not sparing but deuouring the flock not sauing but loosinge not helpinge but destroyinge These were those wilde beasts that trod downe the viniarde of the Lord those vnresonable Bores that hath rooted vp all and those blood thirstye woulues that hath rente the poore Lambs in péeces 6 Habbergyons had they vpon them lyke Iackes of Iron mayle which signifieth their obstinate malice their harde frowarde stubborne hartes against the verytie of God For wilfully they resisted it blaspheminge the holy ghost with the Pharisées and Scribes whose sinne shal neuer be remitted in this world nor in none other 7 And the sounde of their winges was as the stout noyse of charrettes when many horses busâ—le together towardes a battayle The wings of these abhominable locustes that set them aloft so farre aboue them selues are their dignities offices ryches liberties Priueleges Lawes and such lyke whiche boldeneth them in all thinges be it neuer so vniust 8 The noyse of these is greate the note the rumoure the fame is mightye the worlde ouer as well in Cromeles and writings as in the speache of the people Yea vnder the title of God they bolster their wickednesse to make it the stronger All must be Gods dignities Gods seruice Gods lawes Gods religions when it is stark deuillishnes They make what lawes they lyst they commaunde and forbid they set vp and pluck downe they both cursse and blesse yea they doe all mischiefe and all in his name Be it neuer so vngodly cruell and false yet must it forth in the name of god Thus mightier winges they haue then had the great Eagle in Ezechiel Neyther could Pharo in Egipt nor Nabuchodonosor in Babilon nor Antiochus in Iury do that they might do héere in christendome 9 For they had tayles lyke vnto Scorpions and there were sharpe stinges in their tayles Theyr study labour and practises was euer for a false conclusion The ende of their faire compassed crafts was alwaies to maintaine their errours and lies 10 And
this had a very sharpe sting For death was towardes them that withstoode their ginnes Destruction of body and goods was euermore at hand 11 Yet was their powre only to hurt men for v. monthes space to harme them in this sencible lyfe deuided in fiue partes No power had they vpon the soules hence departed Then could they not hynder with all their censures black curses suspencions disgradings interdictions excommunications and all such terrible thunderbolts with Booke Bell and Candle Farther extended not their violence then vpon the poore bodies The soules were in Gods handes whose mercy is neuer farre of 12 A King they had ouer them which is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit for he is the head captayne of all the children of pride the master of errours and the father of lyes Néedes must the diuell be their king whiles his smoky doctrine hath nourished them fed them and set them foorth in their coulours Sure we are that they are straungers to God for the heauenly father neuer planted them Well such people such gouernour such swarm such stinking leader 13 The name of this their capitayne in the Hebrue tongue is Abadon and in the Gréeke tongue Apollyon and both signifieth a spightfull destroyer His nature is to persuade all euill to infect the minde to corrupt the hart to plucke away faith to make the soule blinde to robbe man of all goodnesse to seperate hym from God and to dampne hym with hym selfe for euer Wo is that wretched army that hath such a Capitaine and that forsaken multitude which hath such a king 14 One wo is past One cursed season of execrable blasphemy darknesse and deuilishnesse vnder the fift seale opening and the fyft trumpet blowing is at an ende But looke to it well for two other woes yet shall come after this vnder the sixt and vii as here after wyll appeare THE TEXT 1 And the sixt Angell blewe 2 And I hearde a voyce from the. 3. Foure corners of the golden Aulter which is before God 4 Saying to the sixt Angell which had the Trumpet 5. Lose the fowre Angelles which are bounde in the greate ryuer Euphrates 6. And the fowre Angels were losed 7. Whiche were prepared for an howre for a day for a month for a yeare 8. For to slea the thirde parte of men 9. And the number of horsemen of vvar vvere tvventy times ten thousand 10. And I hearde the number of them 11. And thus I savv the horses in a vison 12. And them that sate on them hauyng fyerye habbergions of a yalovv and brimstonie coloure The Paraphrase 1 Consequently the sixt Angell stoode forth and triumphantly blewe his Trumpet Constantly the sincere preachers of this present age hath taught Christ and hys veritie vnder this sixt seale openinge wherin they haue disclosed the detestable errours and shamefull abhomynacion of the other age afore 2 And as this Trumpet was blowen I harde saith saint Iohn a swéete voyce from the fowre corners of the golden Alter whiche is before the eyes of God Uppon him we offer when we trust only in hym and also when we liue according to true faith in hym restraining our olde Adam with his fleshly desyres 3 The fowre corners of this alter is the Gospell which he hath left by his Apostles in the fowre quarters of the vniuersall worlde The voyce is the ioyfull tidings or message therof And this signifieth Christ not onely to haue his church within the dominion of Rome vnder bondage but also in all other partes of the world in lybertie All these fowre corners hath but one voyce The Gospell euery where taught hath but one heauenly message of mercy and peace from God the father one glad tiding of health and saluation from Iesus Christe and one swéete smell of the grace of God and of victory in Christ from the holy ghost 4 And this one voyce commaunded the sixt Angell which had the Trumpet or the true faithfull preachers vnder the sixt seale openinge which had the administration of the word at the onely gift of God 5 To goe foorth and to lose the fowre Angelles which are bounde in the great riuer of Euphrates Many hath the Lord anoynted with his spirit in this age to preache delyueraunce to the captiue to open the pryson to theÌ„ that were in bondage and to declare the acceptable yeare of health By whose preaching he hath now vnthaâ—â—led the children of the dead and set them at libertie to preache his name in Syon and to worshippe him in Hierusalem Manye that afore were fettered with fantasies yoked with vnaduised vowes ouercharged with intollerable burthens amoÌ„g Byshoppes Priestes Monkes Chanons Fryers and Noones are now graciously delyuered and with a frée conscience confesseth the verytie of God 6 So that many among the fowre Angels or a great number of them that were sometime Antichristes Hypocrites Tyrauntes and murthers are now losened from Euphrates the great flood of wauering fantasies and of the sickle pleasures of this worlde For though they were sore bound in their conscience and lyfe yet wanted they there no wanton delightes to nourish and féederal fleshlinesse They lacked nothing that might maintaine their pompe vayne glory couetousnesse pryde glottony and lechery but they had it in abundance And though the nature of Gods worde be as of a key to open vnto them that beléeue and to speare vnto them that beléeue not yet is it fayde héere to open vnto both But yet in diuers respects For in the chosen sort it openeth to loue in the other it openeth to hate The one bringeth forth hony by it with the Bée the other venim with the spyder The one is made more méeke and gentle the other wareth more cruel and mad As Paule saith vnto some it is the sauer of life vnto lyfe and some againe it is that sauer of death vnto death For hard is that worde to the execrable Angelles 〈◊〉 children of Sathan callinge them from Euphrates They can in no wise abide it Yet were the fowre Angels loosoned froÌ„ thence and hath lost a great parte of theyr pleasures Since the Gospell came in the Antichristes hath lost the prophets of their Buls pardons confessions pryuy tythes ydol offerings purgatory masses bell christenings church hallowings with other loose endes The Hypocrits hath lost their more then princely habitations their monasteries couents hospitalles prebenâ—â—â—ies and chaunteries with their fat féeding warme couches for yll gotten good will home againe The tiraunts and murtherrers haue not now their pleasures in all poyntes as they had afore tyme what though their cruâ—ltie be stil as much as it was and rather more For the people is not now to their minde as then And as these Angels are losoned in this quarter of the world so shal they be in all then other quarters the Lorde appoyntinge theyr tymes One corner of the aulter hath geuen his
shall vtterly distroye them So that nothing shall be séene of that they were afore Neyther cut shooe nor corde coule nor gray cote boote nor blacke hood rochet nor scapler myter nor crosier sandale nor frocke shauen crown nor anointing For all these are their enimies 3 Consumed are they to their saluation that with Mathewe become of Publicans true Apostles and with Paule of fierce persecutors charitable teachers Contrariwise are they consumed to their dampnatiō which being ouercome by the manifest veritie wilfully persist in their diuilish errours with Antiochus Pharao with the Scribes and Pharisies 4 For it foloweth And if any man will hurte them this wyse must hée be killed Eyther must he be mortifyed from the olde Adam and changed into a new man in Christ or els by the sayd worde must he both be iudged and condempned for the vtter aduersarie of God with Sathan hys auncient captayn So must he be killed And no death will be founde lyke vnto that death come they once to the féeling of it though they accompt it now verie light 5 For these witnesses haue power as had Helias to shut vp heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophecying but yet none other wyse then by the aforesayd word For the word of God is the verie key of Dauid which openeth the kingdome of god to them that faithfully beléeueth and that speareth it vp also from thē which dwellith in vnfaithfulnes For it is said in the dayes of their prophecying This power therefore is of the word and not of the men The word speareth and openeth losoneth bindeth saueth and dampneth He that beléeueth sayth Christ shal be saued he that beleueth not is iudged alreadie No moysture of grace nor godly wisedō can light where sturdie frowardnesse is rooted The dayes of their prophesying in figure is non other thē the aforesaid tyme times and halfe tyme or the thrée yéeres and vj. monethes of Helias 6 In those dayes shall it not rayne vpon the wicked they shall haue no grace to receyue the veritie In parables and figures shal that be hidden from them that shall bée euydent inough vnto the faithful With eares shall they heare and not vnderstand with eyes shall they sée and not deserne So blynde will their harts be For such speake the Prophets in fygures Christ in parables and the Apostles in mysteries The open truth of this reuelation shall not the wicked perceyue till they tast the plages thereof Such is the nature of Gods wisedom that though it be not in glorious wordes fyne paynted termes nor in perswasible reasons of mans witte but in playne simple speaking yet can it not be knowē of the worldly wise The swéete dewe therof wil not be receiued of them in the aforesayde dayes of prophecie but hée that is blynde shall be blynde still 7 These witnesses haue also power ouer waters to turne thē into bloud When they interprete and sincerely declare the pure verities of God which are those holesome waters that restraineth the dampnable drynesse of the soule that refresheth the conscyence and clenseth the harte of the sinner they can not choose but earnestly condempne the peruerse iudgemēts the couetous lawes and hipocrityshe workes of the vngodly And then is all vncleane vnto them then is all bloudie The Gospell which was a stumbling stone to the Iewes made foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles is also now vnto them naughtie newe learning seditious doctrine and abhomynable heresie Yea they iudge them worthie to be burned that doth teach it Thus is it abhorred of them that shall perishe neuerthelesse to them that beléeue it is the power of God vnto saluation 8 Fynallie they haue power to smite the earthe with all maner of plagues as ofte as they will Uery earth are they that regard not Gods trueth as the Lord saide vnto Adam after his offence Earth thou art and vnto earth shalte thou returne Nothing they estéeme but that which is earthly Nothing they desire but that is carnal The froward creature will in no case knowe that is of the spirit The light is hatefull vnto sore eyes Uery painfull is bread to the mouth that is not whole A great mote was Christ to the Iewes as his true preachers are vnto the blynd world yet to this day For they smite the earth 9 They touch their liuing they rebuke their falshoode they condempne their wickednesse They reprooue thē of sinne of rightuousnesse of iudgement They force not to tell to him of theyr vnfaithfulnesse fraud and hipocrisiie of their Philosophers prelats religious No greater plague is it vnto the vngodly thē to hear of their euill dooings No greater paine nor yet greater punishment then to haue theyr faultes opened and theyr clonyng colours condempned That fretteth them at the verie heart Death must be sought out for such preachers No wōder is it though this be here written for this age of the churche For neuer were more earnest witnesses then are now more are lyke héereafter to follow till the man of sinne be fully knowne and his kingdome clearely ouerthrowen THE TEXT 1 And whan they haue fynished theyr testimonie 2. the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pitte 3. shal make war against them 4. and shall ouer come them 5. And theyr bodyes shall lye in the streetes of the great citie 6. which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypte 7. where our Lorde is crucified The Paraphrase 1 And when they haue once finished their testimonie sayeth the Lord the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them No sooner shall the witnesses of gods veritie in all ages be taken from the worlde then he hath prefixed After none other sorte shall they bée sent hence then he hath appoynted by hys eternall decrée Iohn Baptist was not imprisoned nor beheaded tyll hée had done his office Christ was not taken condempned and crucified tyll his houre was come Paule was not put vnto death til he had fulfilled his course 2 The beast of the bottomlesse pitte is the cruel craftie and curssed generation of Antichriste the Pope wyth his Bishoppes prelates priestes and religious in Europa Mahomite with his dotyng doucipers in Affrica and so foorth in Asia Iudia all beastly carnall and wicked in their dooings 3 These maketh war against Gods witnesses when they hate them cursse them blaspheme them persecute them When they withstande them with theyr craftes impugne them with their lyes and vexe them with their diuilishnesse as necessary it is they should doe For if they haue troubled the head they must vexe also the members If the housholder be called Belzebub the hosholde muste suffer the same No better is the seruaunt then his Lord nor the messenger then he that sent him 4 They shall also ouercome them not with the scriptures but with their beggerly customs cōstitutiōs lawes decrées and traditions They shall shall scourge them or disgarde them in their
the bold rable of heretiks presuming against gods word to affirm vngodly things Under the fourth the head of a Beare in the gréedy multitude of holy hipocrites spirituall Antichristes which haue rauished vp the substaÌ„ce of this world vsurping the empire of the same For then begone the papacie with Mahomets mischief Under the â—ift the head of a Leopard in the diuersitie of pestilent sectes or execrable locustes of whome euerie one reioyceth in his owne colour and inuention For then dyd they sore increase Under the sixt the head of a best vnlyke to all other in the tyrannie of wicked gouernours blynded and perswaded by the priestes to slea Gods seruaunts for the vpholding of their stinking generation For then was and is yet done much murther vpon such as confesse the truth Under the seuenth or last seale opening shal he haue yet still the heade of a man in fleshly polices falshoode of the Pope and his prelates in the doctours and priestes till God vtterly shall distroy them with the breath of his mouth 4 The said dragoÌ„ had also x. horns or al subtil waies wherwith to impugn the féeble weake nature of man or to prouoke him euer more to rebell against gods commaundements 5 UpoÌ„ his vij heads he had vij crouÌ„es signifying therby that both he his meÌ„bers hath not only possessed the afore named vyces but also they haue ouer the world raigned in them and yet doe to this day In pride falshood malice craft crueltie wickednesse all other mischies triumph they yet 6 And his tayle drewe towardes hym the third part of the starres and inconclusion threwe them downe to the earth By worldly promocioÌ„s lucre fauour and other flatteryng fantasies hath he tangled many learned men and plucked them cleane from Christes true Churche and from the lyfe of the Gospell so prouokinge them wholy to geue themselues to the study of erronius doctrine and lying prophesies to seduce the wordly multytude and kepe them in perpetuall blindnesse 7 So that they are now cast into the earth They are become all carnall fylthy and vngodly in all theyr wisdome study and workes in all theyr counsels preachinges and teachynges Now are they the wicked Apostelles of Sathan no longer may they shine in the firmament THE TEXT 1 And the Dragon stoode before the womaÌ„ which vvas ready to be delyuered 2. for to deuoure her child as soone as it vvere borne 3. she brought forth a manchild 4. vvhich should rule all nacions vvith a rod of Iron 5 And her sonne vvas taken vp vnto God and to his seate .6 And the vvoman fled into the vvildernes .7 Where she had a place prepared of God 8. That they shoulde feede her there .9 A thousande tvvo hundred and threescore dayes The Paraphrase 1 Before the aforesayde trauailyng woman stoode this Dragon redy to deuoure her childe so soone as it were borne Euermore is the deuill waiting his pray where as the Gospell is sincerely taught least any thereby should become the children of God 2 He séeketh all crafts polyces ingins to take the word from the hart least they beléeuing it shuld be saued Thus sought he to deuoure christ after the letter appoynting Herode to slea him soone after his birth And when he sée that way wold not take yet left he not of till the Iewes had slayne hym Not thus yet satisfied he labored by the bishops to extinguish the faith of his resurrection least that shuld profit vnto lyfe Moreouer where as the Apostles and other godly men haue geuen Christ vnto other in maner as they receued him he hath left no cautels vnsought by his malignant members euer since to depriue Gods people thereof 3 Such a man child saieth S. Iohn brought this woman forth as with an yron rod should rule all nations Neuer is the true church idle but conceiueth christ at the gospel preching retaineth him in faith briÌ„geth him forth in teaching other the same No woman child is he impotent weake féeble but a manchilde bringing with him alwaies a stronge mighty inuincible spirit wher as he is vnfainedly receued For he is the mighty Lorde that is valiaunt in battaile 4 With the yron wand of his word inuincible shal he gouerne his méeke sprited flock that none other lawes shal they require with the same also shal he subdue all powers which are not of hym and driue them downe to the bottom of hell For by faith onely in him is the victory gotten ouer the world 5 This childe was also taken vp to God and vnto his throne Where as the deuill thought to deuoure hym and to wrap hym vp for euer vnder death he put hym beside his purpose Uictoryously he arose vp from death to lyfe he ascended vnto heauen and now sitteth vpon the right hande of God the father almightye And where as he is nowe there shall hys faithfull folowers and ministers be hereafter for that is his is also theirs birth lyfe death resurrection and ascention 6 The woman fled after this into the wyldernesse What els doth the iust people of God but flye the contagiousnes vanytie tumult fornication idolatry and filthynes of thys world séeking God in the solytarie harte and not in outwarde fantasies I got me away farre of sayeth Dauid and remayned in the deserte monkes nunnes channons and fryers hath fled into monasteris coueÌ„tes and houses but nothinge after this sort For in all voluptuous pleasures haue they there liued The vnfained solytary man after Hieremy continueth peaceably with himselfe and hath his hart aboue 7 In the sayde wildernesse had she a place prepared of God Which is none other but Gods protection defence and sauegard promysed in the scriptures That the Lorde shoulde pieserue vs as he dyd his chosen people of Israell when he went before them in a cloude vpon the day and in the night in a piller of fyre Dauid boasted himselfe that God was hys refuge and that he dwelled vnder the defence and shadow of the highest So longe as the Lorde is my gouernour sayth he I can want nothing He fedeth me he sustaineth me I doubt no daunger for he is wyth me His staffe stayeth me hys worde and promise is my whole comfort 8 And there will the Lorde féede hir sayeth S. Iohn for the space of a thousand two hundred and thréescore dayes None other are fed with the scriptures and promises of God which is the bread of children not to be geuen to dogs but they which flyeth into the desert from the dragon forsaking both heade and tayle both suggestions and lawes both customes and constitutions For all are deuillish None other escaped the plague of Sodome but they whiche fled cleane from thence Lots wyfe but looking back only towardes it agayne was turned into a salt stoane 9 The numbred dayes héere are none other but the afore written time of the two witnesses the tyme of Helias preachinge the time of Iohns preachinge the
the bloud of the Lambe 7 And by the worde of their testimonie 8. And they loued not their liues vnto the death 9 Therefore reioice ye heauens and ye that dvvell in them 10. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea 11. For the diuill is come dovvne vnto you 12. Whiche hath great vvrath 13. Because he knovveth that he hath but a short time The Paraphrase 1 And I hard a mighty great voice saith sainct Iohn which is the whole agremeÌ„t of all the sacred scriptures And the voice sayd thus vnto me 2 Now is there in heauen saluation in the church is the helth of soule now that the idolatry with other abhominatioÌ„s is thrown forth and she cleane deliuered from their beggery Now appereth the power of the Lord that his Gospell is truely preached 3 Now is it become our Gods kingdome that theyr doctrine is not of men 4 Now hath it the whole strength of his anointed Al Christs labours merits and deseruinges his natiuitie passion resurrection and ascencion is now hir owne good Christes victory is theirs his crown his scepter his seate and kingdome is theirs Yea the possession of his fathers right hand is theirs 5 For the enimy of our brethren is throwne downe which cruelly accused them before god day and night The aduersarye Sathen which quarelled before the Lorde against pacient Iob and vexed hym sore in his substaunce and flesh neuer ceasinge to this day to trouble the rightuous with Antichristes and Tyrauntes is now ouercome by the victory of faith and his power greatly deminished in his members Now is the kingdome of God increased much people beiÌ„g vnfainedli coÌ„uerted vnto christ 6 Conquered him they haue by no Power of theyr owne neyther merits nor works but through the inestimable strength whiche is in the bloud of the immaculate lamb Iesus Christ throgh the inuiÌ„cible word of his verity which they to the world haue testified 7 In the witnesse thereof haue they constantly suffered through faith in them haue they with him obtayned victorye ouer the worlde sinne hell death and the diuill Not theyr owne bodyes haue they spared to wyn thys conquest 8 But much more haue they loued Christ and his trueth than theÌ„selues accounting it auantage to geue their liues for hym 9 Therefore reioyce ye heauens and al you that in them in doth dwel Ye Angels aboue ordeined for mans comforte ye sainctes departed from the miseries of this worlde ye faithfull beléeuers remanyng in this life and ye feruente fauourers of the Lordes verytie be glade that your brethren hath gotten the victory of the diuill and his Angels to the glory of Christ. 10 But wo vnto the wretched inhabitaÌ„ts of the earth of the sea No small danger is towards theÌ„ that hath heard the voice of the Lord stil yet wil folow the course of this world no light peril haÌ„geth ouer their heads that are incoÌ„staÌ„t fickle wauerin giuing back with euery blast for the pleasure of theyr flesh 11 Take héede of it therefore for vnto you that are suche the diuill is come downe with his subtil suggestions and craftes with his wyly cauteles and ingines Among you doeth he remayne watchyng to haue hys pray as he did among the children of Israell when they were become vnfaithfull 12 Tares will he sow to distroy the good séed for his wrath is great to sée him selfe thus deiected his hate is excéeding beholding his kingdom decayed Among you must he wreak his anger for he can not harme the faithfull Thorowe his enuye came death first into the world If ye will escape his snares looke ye giue no place vnto him but in fayth resist him manfully 13 He waxeth now mad fretteth with him selfe He myndeth to make hauoke and to doe much mischief bicause he knoweth that his tyme is short No longe season shall he haue from hencefoorth to deceiue The latter day he perceiueth not to be farre of wherin great torments abydeth both hym and his And that maketh him so woode That maketh hym so insaciably desirous to noye not caring what spyght he worketh against God And no wicked will leaueth he vnsought to perfourme his cruell intent Woe vnto them therefore that in these dayes taketh no héede Woe vnto them that stumbreth in wanton pleasures when most daunger is and the diuill moste busie not attending to the call warnyng of God THE TEXT 1 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast vnto the earth 2. hee pursued the woman which brought forth the man child 3. And to the woman were giuen ij winges of a great Egle 4. that shee might flye into the wildernesse 5. into hir place where shee is norished for a tyme tymes and halfe a time 6. from the presence of the Serpent 7. And the Dragon cast out of his mouth vvater after the vvoman as it had bene a ryuer 8. that he might cause hir to be caught of the flood 9. And the earth holpe the vvoman 10. and â—he earth opened hir mouth 11. and svvalovved vp the ryuer vvhich the dragon cast out of his mouth 12. And the dragoÌ„ vvas vvroth vvith the vvoman 13. and vvent and made vvar vvith the remnauÌ„t of hir seed 14. vvhich kepe the commaundements of God 15. and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ 16. and he stoode on the sea sande The Paraphrase 1 And when the Dragon or most furious serpent the diuil the head maister of pride father of lyes saw that he was throwen downe vnto the earth by the valiaunt hoast of God Or such tyme as he perceyueth the Idolatrie superstition pompe hypocrisie and other abhominable filthinesse distroied by the word of God in his malignauÌ„t Sinagoge of proud painted prelates 2 Then persecuteth he the poore woman which brought foorth the man chylde Then vexeth he the true congregation that teacheth none other but Christ and confesseth none other sauiour health and redéemer Them doeth he torment and punishe by hys mytred Mahounds and his shaueÌ„ Sodomytes subduyng vnto them for that purpose the power of Kynges and might of magistrates Then sitteth Annas in consistorie Cayphas in sessions vpon lyfe and death TheÌ„ bringeth the woman hir childe foorth in payne By the martirdom or death of godly witnesses is Christ deliuered left here behind in the harts of many 3 And vnto the woman were giuen two winges of a great Egle or the two testaments of God contayning the Prophecie Gospel with the loue of God and our neighbour And these mightie winges were giuen hyr that shée might flye with them into the wildernesse Euermore wheÌ„ dauÌ„gerous persecution is the meÌ„bers of Christes congregation which are left here behynde hath aucthoritie of the old lawe to flée from it with Iacob Moyses Dauid and Helias of the new lawe also with Christ and his Apostles If they pursue you in one citie saith the Lord flée you into an other Not onely to saue your bodies but to fructifie
promises 9 And therfore are not their names written of the lamb in the booke of life which lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Christ hath not alowed them by his word promise With the rightuous are they not regestred as members of one misticall body in hym In the similitude of hys death are they not grafted vnto hym as the braunches vnto the vine to be partners of his resurrection Their porcion is not in the lande of the lyuing with him They are none of those whom the father hath geuen hym to participate with hym in one spirit Predestinate they are not vnto life by hym nor so written vp in the foreknowledge of God Chosen they were not of the lord before the worlds constitution to be his vndefiled children in Christ. 10 He is the méeke lamb that was slaine He alone taketh away the sins of the world In hym only is the life for he is the life it self Yet is he the life of none other but of those that only beleue in him 11 In that he was killed from the worlds beginning is signified that he dyed for all them whiche were create to be saued and that his onely death is all their health raise and remedy by the promise of God For all they haue eaten of one spiritual meat and dronke of one spirituall rocke though it came in the fleshe longe after them He onely trode downe the head of the serpent Since the beginning hath he bene slaine in his membres also as manifest it is in rightuous Abell Hieremy Iohn Baptist such other like They that are not written of the lambe in the booke of life for the children of God are registred in the booke of death for the children of perdicioÌ„ reserued to eternal death for their infidelytie with the deuill his Angels 12 He that hath an eare sayeth the text let him take good héede He that hath an vnderstanding let hym be admonished by that which foloweth héere Or he that hath receiued the wisdome of the spirit let hym iudge hereof according vnto it Thus doth the holy ghost aduertise the faithfull to consider that whatsoeuer thinges are writteÌ„ they are writteÌ„ vnto our learning 13 He that leadeth into captiuity shall go into captiuyty And he that killeth with a sworde must with a sworde be slaine This warning geueth the lord take it if they lyst For he will haue his right iudgments known He that vexeth or aflicteth the iuste beléeuers in body by outward punishments he shall be aflicted in the spirit with an inwarde darknes or blindnes of the soule that he may be the more captiue to sinne and to sathan God wyll deliuer hym vp vnto a lewde mind and wyll geue him stronge delusion to beléeue all maner of lyes that he might be damned 14 He that killeth the poore innoceÌ„t for his faith with the yron sword or slaieth hym with any other torment with the sword of the spirit which is the Lords word shall he be both iudged condemned The word that I haue spoken saith Christ shall iudge them at the latter day And this is in manner all one with that was saide in the xi chapter afore If any maÌ„ wyl hurt them fyre shall procéede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies 15 Neuerthelesse to the christian is persecution necessary For héere in this lyfe is the pacience of the saints proued and their faith required Here was AbrahaÌ„ tempted Iob sore vexed and both they were founde Gods true faithfull seruants Here were the apostles contemned reioysinge that they were found worthy for christes sake to suffer rebuke The rightuous the lorde trieth as gold in the furnace He chasteneth euery seruant that he loueth and scourgeth euery son that he receiueth Onely is it faith that al the euils of this worlde by pacience ouercommeth so obtaineth the victory The fruit which riseth to eternal lyfe is peaceable sufferance in faith And that must be heare in this lyfe where as we are vnperfect to make vs perfect THE TEXT 1 And I beheld an other beast 2. comming vp out of the earth 3. and he had two horns lyke a lamb 4. and he spake as dyd the Dragon 5. and he dyd all that the firste beaste could do 6. in his presence 7. And he caused the earth and them which dwell therein 8. To worship the firste beaste vvhose deadly vvounde vvas healed 9. And he dyd great wonders 10. So that he made fyre come downe from heauen 11. In the sight of meÌ„ 12. And deceiued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes which he had povver to doe in the sighte of the beast 13. Saying to them that dvvelt on the earth that they should make an image 14. Vnto the beast vvhich had the vvounde of a svvord and dyd liue The Paraphrase 1 And I behelde saieth S. Iohn in this secret reuelation of my Lord an other beast arising out of the earth A figure is this of al false prophets and vngoly preachers Beastly are they euermore vaine carnal and corrupt in their studies abhominable in the practisings of their wicked harts not séeking God but their belleyes not Christes glory but their owne pride and vaine glory 2 From the earth they aryse all geuen to erthly wisdome The only affectes of this worlde doth moue them to teach no good zeale of the truth Either are they tickled with ambition pricked with auarice or els stirred with mallice to inuei These are the common affects of the wicked This goinge vp haue they from wickednesse to wickednesse and shall haue still till the Lorde destroy them like as haue the iust beléeuers from vertue to vertue in the spirit till such time as they sée him face vnto face in the euerlasting Syon From the worlds beginning hath this beast risen vp in Cayne the first murtherer in the fleshlye Children of men in Cham the shamelesse childe of Noe in Ismael Esau in Iannes Iambres in Balaham Baals prophets in the Beniamits Bels chaplains in Phasur Semeias in Iudas Annas and Caiphas in Bariehu Diâ—trephes And now seÌ„s their time most of all in Mahometes doctoures and the popes queristers Yea stil they are aloft in their beastly beggerye will be till their mischif be finished Who séeth not now a daies that hath light in the spirit the malignite hipocrisy fraud craft deceit in certen fals prophets at pauls crosse in London in other places els 3 This beast had ii hornes like the lambe at a blush but all counterfet â— fals in very déede for he spake as did the dragon the hornes of Christ are his high kingdom in the world Only ariseth his Churche by faith in the glad tidinges and promises of god That word is the scepture of Christes power and the rod of right order wheras he reigneth None other strange sceptures are there neither tradicions nor customes Seuen hornes had Christ for
in him was the fulnesse of the veritie This beast hath but ii and yet they are but false couÌ„terfet They seme to be Christs are not These are the corrupted letter of the ii testaments falsly interpreted and for a carnall purpose alleaged And therefore it is but apparent hipocritishe and deceitfull yea and cleane repugnant to the Lordes meaning not hauing the iudgment of his spirit This letter without the holy ghost is death nothing pertaineth vnto Christ. He is the verytie life this is but a fable or ficcion His word is spirit and life this is but a brasse pot sounding or a latteÌ„ caÌ„delsticke tinkling fantastical faint sophisticall slaightye Though these séeme like Christs yet are they none of his but yâ— very horns of the beast For they vphold antichrists kingdom not his a worldly glory not his for his kiÌ„gdoÌ„ is not of this world no loÌ„ger ar they his words his lawes nor his testimonies thaÌ„ they maintaine his right honour No newly practised worshipinges aloweth he for his but vtterly abhorrith theÌ„ al as things rawe vnsauery 4 And therefore it folowith that this spake as did the dragon The doctrines and teachings of these false Apostles and deceitefull maisters are lyes in hipocrisye and the verye doctrine of deuils vnder title of the veriti repugnaunt to the same Not vnlyke to yâ— the serpent sayd vnto the woman ye shall not dye if you eate of the forbidden fruite but ye shall be surelye as Gods knowing both good and euyll They do as did sathan in the desarâ— Alwayes they perswade vs either of stones to make bread or els to throw our selues downward or els to worship the deuill That is to chaunge the good creatures of God from their right vse as trées into idoles silkes velvets cloth golde siluer into supersticious ornameÌ„ts chast mariage into stinking whoredome and sodomie with such lyke To decline from the duties coÌ„manded of God to their idle obseruacioÌ„s so making his commaundements of none effect for the vaine traditions of men And finally to fall vnto forbidden worshippings or abhominatioÌ„s of Idolatrie of whoÌ„ they are full And for these they haue with SathaÌ„ also their mangled scriptures to lay for theÌ„ to proue that the help of dead saincts is necessary their masses merytes works more than néede expedient and the fyre of Purgatory a fearefull thing with the diuil all of such fantasies These are the prelates of Antichrists church the two horned moÌ„sters or great bellyed Byshops rightly discribed here of the holy ghost in this two horned beast These beastly buszards ar not ashamed both to say write that in their miters they beare the figure of both Testaments whose veritie they impugne with tooth nayle Uery truly they say that they carrie the figure for in déede it is but a shadowe they beare Not to glorifie God but their owne beastly bodyes with gold pearl stone lyke MahouÌ„ds in a playe for hys trueth they most cruelly persecute These are the verye false Prophets the instrumeÌ„ts of sathaÌ„ the deceiuers wolues wagelings Iudasses dremers liers Idols aduersaries adders whelps foxes distroying the Lords vineyard deceitful workmeÌ„ desperate shephards blind watchmen dum dogs diuils incarnate wicked séede vnsaciate beasts whose God is their belly glory their confusioÌ„ To al these to many other such doth the holy ghost compare them for that they haue with their errors lyes turned the swéetnesse of the scriptures into bitternesse scarsly leauing one place therof vndefiled with their filthy dregs 5 This beast saith S. Iohn dyd all things that the first beast could doe euen before his own face The same lying power to deceyue in hypocrisie hath this beastly brood that the great Antichrist hath yâ— same wily craftes the same beastly kindes of idolatry so doeth vse them The same abhominations maintain they yâ— world ouer that the pope maintaineth at Rome Mahomet in Barbary of Turkye Yea the same superstitioÌ„s sorceries the same execrable traditions and beggeries The same ceremonies haue they that hée hath the same vnctions the same orders the same masses The same idle obseruatioÌ„s with vnknown cloyning clattering and wauling are still vsed in EnglaÌ„d like as they were vsed afore and with no lesse blasphemy vnto God 6 To doe suche things in the fyrst beasts presence is to do them where his power aucthoritie is raigning or where as is the seate of Sathan which is euery place that admitteth straunge worshipping 7 Both the earth them that dwell in the earth compell they to worship this first Beast Not only enforce they them to wicked Idolatry that neuer wold know the truth but also many of those which haue great knowledge in the same Oh how many are in EnglaÌ„d in other regioÌ„s also that in these daies worketh against faith knowledge the holy Ghost admitting the priestes abhominations Rather had they to dwell still in the earthly beggerie with the blasphemie of God than either to be out of fauour or to loose their offices to haue their goods hindred or to hazarde their lyues so swéet ar these waÌ„toÌ„ worldly plesurs Rather had they to perishe with the sonnes of Hely Samuel for abusing the ordinances of the Lord with Core DathaÌ„ AbiroÌ„ for rebelling against them to sinke vnto hel then with Christ to take paynes in pouertie But let not theÌ„ think to be worthy of Christ that better loue their owne carnall commoditie thaÌ„ his heaueÌ„ly veritie 8 Well the beast must they worship whose wouÌ„d is made whole His olde rustie rules newe burnished and his olde Romish ragges new patched by a newly confyrmed aucthoritie must they embrase in paine of death The Lambe shall not yet be suffred to appear Stil for a time must these terrible termagaunts haue more worship thaÌ„ God their traditions preferred to his most pure worde And why shuld it not be so haue they not now a new refourmed church in whom the beasts wouÌ„ded hed is newly restored So loÌ„g as it is like the popes church it must folow his rules and cleaue to his ordinauÌ„ces It shall not folow Christ in â—aith in doctrine til it appear like the church which he left here behynd him whan he ascended And that is not lyke to be yet 9 First must there be wrought great woÌ„ders Fyre must be compelled to come downe from heauen in the sight of men by this two horned beast The disciples of Antichrist with their by furked ordinaries must violeÌ„tly pluck from the true ChristiaÌ„ church whose reign is not of this world the eternal word of the Lord. 10 Then must they take from them the consuming fyre that Christ sent downe into the earth of mens harts to drye vp all mallice and sinne Yea they must depryue them of the cloueÌ„ fierie tonges which the holy ghost poured vpon the Apostles to the coÌ„fort of all the world The tresure that Christ hath left
tormeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore as the flame of a fornace with most horible stinke for a perpetual signe of their punishmeÌ„t like as it dyd froÌ„ Sodome Gomor when the Lorde ouerthrew them 2 So that they haue no rest neyther day nor night so mani as worship the beast his image receuiÌ„g the priÌ„t of his nam 3 Both in this lyfe are they cruciate with a troublous and doubtfull conscience and also after this life with vnspekeable paynes For neither shal their worm dye nor yet their fyre be queÌ„ched all flesh abhorring theÌ„ 4 Thus shal they be with the beast tormeÌ„ted which haue the spirite of the beast For like as al the faithful which hath ben from the beginning belongeth to one misticall body in Christe and shal be preserued by him so doeth the wicked perteine to one misticall Antichrist hauing al one spirit with him and so shall with him perish 5 Here is the pacience of the saynts In this life ar their troubles no plesure is for them in this world but hate rebukes slaunders lies persecutions and death of their bodyes Their life vpon earth is continuall affliction but gloryous is the fruite of their labours Manifold are the misfortunes of the rightuous but the Lord cleareth them of all 6 Here are they vexed that kepe the commaundements the fayth of Iesu Here are they had in derision that behaue theÌ„selues as the ministrs of god in much patieÌ„ce afflictioÌ„s néede anguish labour stryps imprisonment and such lyke 7 Here are they chastened of the LORDE with many sore storms that they should not be damned with this world Much haue they héere to suffer of enemies that onely cleueth to the word of god in life doctrine THE TEXT 1. And I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me 2. Write 3. Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lord 4 euen so saith the spirit that they may rest froÌ„ their labours 5. But their vvorkes shall follovve them The Paraphrase 1 And I heard a voyce from heaueÌ„ saith S. Iohn saying vnto me 2 Wryte with penne or marke suerly this sentence following for them that here suffer in the truthes quarell 3 Blessed are the dead or they which are already departed and that also shal heereafter depart in the Lorde This voyce from heauen are the infallible scriptures ascertaining the faith of Iohn of the swéete rest of the saintes in the hands of God And that their ende is not without honour as the vain sort supposeth but they are couÌ„ted among the dere children of God Let theÌ„ therefore that suffer in this age be earnestly sprited not feare the tormeÌ„ts of the enimies in Christes cause 4 For from hence forth the spirit saith that they rest froÌ„ their labours In a woÌ„derfull quietnesse dwel they by the very sentence of the holy Ghost shall neuer more féele of any woo God hath clean wiped away al tears froÌ„ their eyes all sorrowes paynes from their bodies the first daungers being â—ast Happy are they therefore and moste godly fortunate that are slaine for Christ bicause they wil not worship the beast his Image nor corrupt their faith with their wicked lawes but in a pure christian beleue departeth froÌ„ hence to the Lord. Theyr portion is in the land of the liuing and their lot among the holy ones 5 For certainly their works doth folow them The promised rewarde of God for constantly standing by the veritie for the fruites of their christian patience for other exercise of theyr fayth is euermore to their glory present with theÌ„ Not as deserued of theÌ„ but of Christe in whose fayth they wrought here for the promise sake that they should be gods heyres togither with Christ. The lyuely word also which they earnestly receyued héere and so rooted in their faith wil neuer suffer them to perishe nor to be hurte of the second death THE TEXT 1 And I looked and beholde 2. a vvhyte cloude 3. and vpon the cloude one sitting lyke vnto the sonne of man 4. hauyng on his head a golden crovvn 5. and in his hand a sharpe sickle The Paraphrase 1 I looked yet further saith S. Iohn and euidently before me appeared a whyte cloude which betokeneth the true ministers of Gods word Whom the holy ghost calleth clouds by Esay Dauid Peter Iudas For from theÌ„ falleth vpon the people the swéete droppes of his verities 2 White they are as milk for their faith in the word and for their christian conuersation not blotted with hipocrisie of meÌ„s corrupted customes 3 Upon this cloude was one sittyng lyke vnto the sonne of man whiche is verely Christ in his glorified maÌ„hood For euermore is he among hys true preachers gyuyng them suche vtteraunce and wisedome as all theyr enymies are not able to withstande Alwayes walketh he among the vij candelstickes which are his congregations as we had afore 4 He had vpon his heade a golden crowne in token of his eternall and vncorrupte kingdome and in hys hand a sharpe sickle which is the sharp iudgement or rightuousnesse of hys worde for there with shall hée reape his latter haruest According to hys worde and promyse shall hee iudge good and euill 5 This sickle receyued he of hys euerlasting father suche tyme as hée gaue ouer vnto hym hys vniuersall iudgements By the order of this vision should the preachers séeme in the last age of the church much to admonish the people of the latter day with the commyng of Christe agayne to iudge both the quicke and the deade as is in their créede or beléeue THE TEXT 1 And an other Angell came out of the temple 2. crying with a loude voyce to hym that satte on the cloude 3. Thrust in thy sikle and reape 4. for the tyme is come to reape 5. For the corne of the earth is rype 6. And he that satte on the cloude 7. thrust in his sickle on the earth 8. and the earth vvas reaped The Paraphrase 1 And an other Angell sayth sainct Iohn came out of the temple which is the congregation of fayth consecrated as an holy temple vnto God in the bloud of the vndefiled Lambe Iesus This Angell betokeneth those iust men that with Symeon and Anna the doughter of Phanuell in thys latter age are desirous of the glory of God and of the finall redemption of man from bodily corruption 2 These shal cry with a loude voice with a feruent spirite shall they call vnto Christ which sitteth vpon the cloude 3 And thys shall bée theyr saying Thrust in the sickle and reape Send foorth thy lyuing word And lyke as it hath created all things so let it now trye and iudge all things 4 For the tyme is at hand to reape For we are those vpon whoÌ„ the ends of the world are come 5 And doutlesse the corne of the earth is ripe the worlde is at the best that it wil be As it hath bene euer so is it stil altogether set vpon
of the foure Beasts gaue vnto the seuen Angels 10. Seauen golden vials 11. ful of the vvrath of god vvhich liueth for euermore 12 and the teÌ„ple was ful of smoke 13. For the glory of God and for his power 14. And no man vvas able to enter into the temple 15. Tyll the seauen plagues of the seuen Angels vvere fulfilled The Paraphrase 1 And anone after that saith S. Iohn I loked yet more adâ—â—sedly And sodeÌ„ly as it were the euerlasting teÌ„ple of the tabernacle of witnes was opeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ 2 A mistery this is very earnestlye to be marked as a thiÌ„g of great waight The Lord almightye is this eternall temple he is the temple not made with hands vncreated gloryous and ful of maiesty coÌ„prehending in him al thiÌ„gs he within none againe comprehended He is the Lord of all He measureth heauen with his span he ouer reacheth all the world with his iii. fingers In him we liue we moue and haue our beyng The tabernacle of witnes is the lambe Iesus Christ. He is that very tabernacle of God that was here amoÌ„g men bearing that faithful witnes which geueth wisdom to babes He is the propiciatory or mercy seate wherin we are hard and forgeuen Neither was this tabernacle of this manner building but much more perfecte and greater This holy tabernacle is with in the aforesayd temple for Christ dwelleth in the father and the father in him 3 Open is this temple in heauen the tabernacle séene whan god is known by true preaching christs doctrine beléeued For he came into the world for that purpose was borne to beare witnesse vnto the truth whoÌ„ the father willed only to be hard concerning faith 4 This temple and tabernacle open or god and his worde once knowne in this latter age the seauen Angels coÌ„meth forth The eternall decrées of gods secret iudgemets apéereth are fulfilled in their times As Angels or messeÌ„gers of god thei haue in his eternitie theyr iust plagues in their season appointed to be exhibited 5 And therfore are they sayd to come out from the temple whiche is God Nothing hath he purposed to the world but he hath decréed it afore the worldes constitution For his purpose minde and pleasure is as he is euerlasting And as it falleth to the world by hys assignement it becommeth a messenger going out of the temple So many hath he sent out of such messeÌ„gers as he hath fulfilled decréed purposes And marueil not though they be here called angels considering that it is the commoÌ„ maner of the holy scriptures euermore to call them Angels which vttereth the will pleasure and commaundement of God as they doe here After this sort are the priests called Angels so is Aggeus the prophet so is S. Iohn Baptist so are Christes disciples also the publique preachers 9 What the plagues are that they shall shed out of their vials will be shewed clearly in the next chap. folowiÌ„g one after an other 7 These Angels are apparelled in pure whit linnen bright shininge as christal and girdels about theyr brests with girded of fine golde whiche betokneth their sincere cleannes their gloryous perfitnesse For what can be more pure precious than the eternall decrées of the lord What can be more perfit and glorious than his prediffined purposes The lawes of God are vndefiled the testimonies are true the statuts are right the waies are suer the commaundements are cleare the iudgements are godly the words are pure and precious Yea the gifts that come from the father of light are euer more perfit and good 8 The gyrding of their breasts is the streight spearing vp of the secret meaning of Gods iudgementes from our carnall vnderstanding till such time as he openeth theÌ„ vnto vs by his spirit for it belongeth not vnto vs to deserue such secrets as the father reserueth to his owne power 9 And one of the foure beastes or congregations saith S. Iohn delyuered vnto the aforesayde .vii. Angels .vii. golden vials replenished with the wrath full displeasure of God which liueth for euermore Though the congregations be in the first chapter .vii. in the fourth .iiii. vnderstanded by the foure beastes yet are they héere in this place brought all vnto one and called one of the iiii or els of the foure made one for so muche as the vniuersall christian church is of one consent one faith one baptim one god and pertayneth to one Christe For so much also as it confesseth beléeueth and teacheth one doctrine of health One is my doue saieth the holy ghost one is my dearelye beloued darlyng A beast is it here noted as liuing in the flesh and not yet mortified by death 10 The vials of Gods wrath are the vngodly reprobates fit onely for destruction Golden are thei here named because they appeare gloryous in the worldly iudgementes of men Uerye paynted tombs are the dissembling hipocrits within full of stinking bones A shining name of life haue thei yet are they inwardly dead For all that they do is to be séene of men 11 Full of wrath are they wherby is ment a sinfull vnderstanding with damnable doctrins For very swift ar thei to al vngodlynesse The .vi. properties haue they which the Lord hateth and the seuenth which he vtterly abhoreth A proud looke a dissembling tongue bloudy hands a wicked hart féet redy vnto mischife wayes to practise lyes sowings of dissencioÌ„ amoÌ„g brethren These are geuen of the true christen congregation to the vii Angels or decréed purposes of God to be iudged as thei haue eternally diffined For none other is their continuall prayer but that his wyll be fulfilled and that his predifined intentes againste the peruerse multitude be finished at theyr conuenient times None other is it to put into the Angels handes the vials of gods displeasure than thus to commit them by faithful prayer to his purposed decrées or fore set ordinaunces 12 Bâ—t because that commonly whan gods iudgements begin to wax knowen all thinges are commoned troubled therfore is it said here conseqently that the temple was full of smoke by reason of the maiestie of God and of his gloryous power This smoke are certayne misteries representing vnto vs the hidden maiestie of gods eternall presence Whose brightnesse can no frayle vnderstanding abide Not al the world could not sustaine it if all thinges were opeÌ„ playne coÌ„cerninge it In no wise could Moyses presently sée the face of God only might he be suffered to sée his backe partes for no maÌ„ can se God liue Only is he sene here in this life as in a glasse or vnder a dark speking He appereth vnto vs here in a mistical smoke like as he dyd to the patriarck Iacob in sléepe to Moises in the flaming bush to Helias in the horle winde to the Apostles in fyery toÌ„gs vnto Ananias in a secret visioÌ„ 13 Under the shadow of figurate locucioÌ„ is his glory for the elect persons and
faithful beléeuers knowne The vnfaithful reprobats beholdeth the smoke but neither perceiue thei in it the glory of god nor the maiestie of his preseÌ„ce They neither conâ—eiue his wonderfull workes nor yet his Godly iudgements Their folish harts are so darkned that though they know God yet glorifye they him not They sée the smoke perceyue the world troubled as it is alwaies when the verity appeareth but neuer the more faith nor godly knowlege haue they But the whiche is vnto the faithfull a rayse is vnto theÌ„ a ruine That is vnto the other the power of God vnto health is vnto them slander and folishnesse And that is vnto the other a sauoure of life vnto life is vnto them a sauour of death vnto death They remember not that the Lord came down in fyre vnto Moises vpon Mount Synay when it smoked altogyther like a burnyng furnace therfore beare they away no glorified faces or conciences depured by a true perfecte fayth 14 And no man was able saith the text to enter into the temple til the vii deadly plages of the .vii. Angels were wholy fulfilled For though the true beléeuers perceiue in the misteries of the scriptures the present maiestie mightie power of GOD yet enter they not into full knowledge of him being as yet subiect vnto vanitie For héere is there knowledge vnperfect and their prophecying also And therfore acknowledging their imbesilitie and also wayting for the reuelation of the children of God they say with Saincte Paule O the wonderfull déepenesse of the wisdome and knowledge of God How incompreheÌ„sible are his iudgements and how vnsearcheable his wayes 15 And at this point shal they stil be tyl the last iudgement day finish all For the ful entring into the temple is none other then a whole perfect or consummate knowledge of God and hys mysteries Which can not fully be had till that which is vnperfect be done away the creature deliuered from bondage of corruption And til death be swalowed vp the vessell of corruption becommyng incorruptible the mortall body becoÌ„ming spiritual The rightuous shal thaÌ„ shine as doeth the sunne in the kingdom of their father glister as doth the bright stars world without end What the vij plagues are what is their fulfilling wil in this Chapter folowing appeare The xvj Chapter THE TEXT 1 And I harde a great voice out of the temple 2. saying to the seauen Angels 3. Go your wayes 4. povvre out your vials of vvrath vpon the earth 5. And the first vvent and povvred out his viall vpon the earth 6. and there fell a noysome and a sore botch vpoÌ„ the meÌ„ vvhich had the marke of the beast 7. and vpon them that vvorshipped his Image The Paraphrase AN other great voyce hard Iohn out of the temple A perfect stroÌ„g and earnest assurance had hée of the Lord by a spirituall premonishment that the vnuariable decrees of his set iudgements should be fulfilled at their tymes of him appoynted Yea ascertained he was infallibly that they should in their due seasons come to passe For vnto his friendes openeth he his secret counsailes alwayes as he did in olde tyme vnto his well beloued Israell vnto Moyses Zachary Ezechiell and Daniel with such other 2 And the voice was vnto the seauen Angels vnder the vij seals opening and the vij trumpettes blowyng after this sorte Goe your wayes foorth fulfilling the purpose ye be ordeyned vnto Powre out your vyalles of wrath vpon the earth 3 Declare them first of all to the world to be the reprobate vesselles of dishonour which of wilfulnesse coÌ„temneth my eternal veritie Consequently send them into most déepe errour that they may waxe worse and worse and not onely to erre in them selues but also to bring other into errour that they may receyue the double reward therof abyding my most fearfull iudgemeÌ„t 4 And in such tyme as the Lord appointed the first Angel went foorth vnder the first seale opening and poured out his viall vpon the earth For in the first age of the church to trye hyr as golde in the furnace permitted the Lord by his eternall decrée the malicious Sinagoge of the Iewes to rage and to doe their vngodly feats In the which their furious madnesse not onely dyd they persecute the Apostles and fyrst preachers of Christ from cittie to citie but also peruerted the earthly mynded multitude by many and diuers vngodly kindes of false doctrine in hipocrisie Of this sorte was Himineus Philetus becommyng of Saduces false Christians and denying the latter resurrection whom Paul did excommunicate So were also Phigellus Hermogenes bringing in agayne circumcision with certaine ceremoniall obseruacions to bleamishe the Gospell of Christ. These with suche lyke subuerted whole houses sayeth Paule teaching things that they ought not to haue taught for filthie lukers sake 6 And whan they were thus by the decâ—â—ed purpose of God shead vpon the earth or â—eâ—te vnto their owne earthly â—â—astlinâ—sse all destitute of hys grace for coÌ„tempning his word so graciously 〈◊〉 there lighted a noysome and 〈◊〉 botch vpon those men whych 〈◊〉 marke of the beast or an 〈…〉 through their perswasioÌ„s 7 〈◊〉 vpon them also that worshipped his Image or accepted them for godly that made lawes repugnaunt to his lawes For the great headed Rabines of the Iewes did not onely spot the conscieÌ„ces of the Israelites their own natiue coÌ„trie men but also of the Grekes and Latines the Asians Romaines compelling them for their own tradytions to make Gods commaundemeÌ„ts of none effect These hauing a pretence of godly liuing denied the power therof Of this sort were they which entered into houses brought into boÌ„dage supersticious women loaden with sin For a more déepe vnderstaÌ„ding hereof coÌ„fer this with the first seale opening and the first trumpet blowing and lykewise the other vj. folowing THE TEXT 1 And the second Angell shead out his vyall 2. vpon the sea 3. and it turned as it vvere into the bloud 4. of a dead man 5. And euery liuing thing dyed in the sea The Pharaphrase 1 After this went foorth the seconde Angel of the second seale opening effunding hys vyall vpon the sea According to the decrée of God almightie for the second age of the Christian church reigned among the Christians deceytfull brethren peruerse teachers betraying the tru ministers deliueriÌ„g theÌ„ vnto deth for Iesus Christs sake that his life might be sene in their mortal flesh For in this life he proueth his electes with Abraham and Iob to saue them to make theÌ„ iust folowers of Christ whom it behooâ—ed to suffer ere he entred into hâ—s glory 2 Upon the sea or wauering multitude was this â—â—alâ—shed Only are the false Prophets receiued taken of the folishe fantasticâ—ll â—â—ipper witted sort as a réed shakeÌ„ of euery wind Non regardeth them which hath set sure footing vpon the harde rocke Christ. Such a vial or vessel of Gods Ire was Mair the Idonâ—â—t which
therefore I passe it ouer here Onely haue I rehearsed their names as I could doe yet many more to put â—ée in remembraunce that God hath alwayes had some in the world which hath not in all poynts coÌ„sented to their blasphemies though they haue not had the lyght of this trueth so open as wée haue it now Many godly Emperours and CouÌ„seilâ— general haue attemted this reformacion in the church but euermore haue they fouÌ„d vngodly princes against theÌ„ to houlde the Antichristes stil in their wickednes Yet doubt I not but Pharao with his hoast shall perishe in the sea and the proud Iewishe priestes in the cittie for theyr manyfolde blasphemyes at the tyme now appointed of the Lord. 5 For the sinnes of this whore or abhominacions without number of the false religion hyr stinkeing Idolatry and slaughter of InnoceÌ„ts are gone vp vnto heauen against hyr requiring the great vengeaÌ„ce of God The filthines of theÌ„ hath moued him to wrath and kinled his displesure towards hir putting hym in rememberaunce of his eternal decrée coÌ„cerning hir destructyon The greatnes of hir mischiefs hath touched heauen and hath axed with Sodome and Gomor the fearfull plages threatned hyr 6 And the merciful Lorde beholding the affliction of his people pittying their miserable thraldoÌ„ in the spiritual Egipt hath coÌ„sidered hir vngodly behauiour wayed hir wilfull wretchednesse and measured hir vnmerciful murther coÌ„maunding his appointed ministers to execute vpoÌ„ hir his iudgmentes without mercy 7 Rewarde hir nowe saith he in euery coÌ„dicioÌ„ as she hath rewarded you afore Measure agayne vnto hir lyke as she hath measured to you nowe that ye haue the iudgement seates Crye out vpon hir as she hath cried out vpon you Snare hir as she hath snared you Destroy hir as she hath destroyed you As she hath taken vengeaunce of you so take you vengeaunce againâ— of hir Lyke as she hath afflicted you Iudgeâ— you and condemned you by the lawes of meÌ„ so scurge you hir againe iudge hir an harlot and condemne hir to hell by the mightie worde of God 8 Sée that you giue hir two folde in punishment according to hir wicked deseruings Where as she hath taken from you no more but the life of the bodie take you away from hir againe the lyfe both of bodie and soule 9 Into the same bitter cuppe of sorowâ— that she hath filled vnto you in hir mallice powre you in double again to hir Where as she hath geuen you a temporal death giue hir the death euerlasting doubling vnto hir both the griefes and continuance of them 10 Yea consider how greatly she hath glorified hir selfe against God in blasphemous errours in pride in pleasures and in wanton liuing 11 And so muche let hir tast of moste terrible punishmentes sorowfull plages waylinges gnashinges of téeth An holy priesthod hath she pretended a regal dignitie hath she vsurped and both those powers moste shamefully hath she so abused therefore let hir haue the penalties dew vnto such presumption Take from hir hir plesauÌ„t Euphrates with the spoyles and profites wherein she hath inordinatlye delighted and throwe hir into mostâ— depe wretchednesse here besides that shal follow in an other worlde THE TEXTE 1 For she sayth in hir hart 2. I sitte beyng a queene 3. am no widovv 4. and shal see no sorovv 5. Therefor shal hir plages coâ— at on day 6. death and sorovv and honger 7. And she shal be brent with fyre 8. For stronâ— is the Lord God 9. vvhich shall iudge hyr The commentary 1 For hyghlye shée standeth in hyr owne conseit as yet boasting hyr selfe to be the great goodnesse of the earth 2 I sit here in wealth and pleasure saith she being a glorious quéene yea the holy church hir self hauing authoryty in heauen in earth and in hel with power to lose and bynd saue damne With me is it not as with them that are not of this world or haue no dwelling place here for all is at my wyll and pleasure 3 I am no desolate widow The powers of this world standeth by me The mighty princes and potentates defendeth me with the death of innocente peple Neuer was Nero Domicianus Traianus nor Marencius with other cruel tirrauntes more sure vpon my side in defence of supersticions than they are yet still to this houre 4 Therefore I can take no seathe nor yet féele of any sorrowe I shal be lady for euer Neuer shall my seate be remoued Neuer shall I fall nor any mâ—shappe light vpon me Such are the bold bragges of the papistes that Peters lytle shippe may well be moued with the tempest of heretiques but neuer shall it be ouerthrowen thynking therby the whorish church shal euermore continue and neuer come to naught 5 They coÌ„sider not how stroÌ„g the Lamb is against whoÌ„ they dayly fight And therfore shall the terrible plages which God hath appointed hir to suffer heauily light vpon hir and all in one day 6 At once shall he powre vpon that wicked congregation death sorowe hunger lyke as he did fyre and brimstone vpon the sinfull cyties Perpetually shall they be depriued of the lyfe which is in Christ Iesu. Continuall wéeping and téeth gnashing shall they haue their worme neuer dying Still shal they inwardly famish and neuer with felicitie be satisfied 7 With vnquencheable fire shall this whore be brent with hyr whole generation of hypocrites prepared for the diuil and his Angels 8 Effectual and trwe is the sentence for mightye is the Lorde that shall iudge hir condemne hir by his word 9 Iust is he in his promise true in his sayings gloryous in his works holye terrible and fearefull in his iudgements against the wicked None shall be founde able at that day to restrayne the least part of his purposed vengeance neyther Mary throwyng in hir beades into saint Michaels balaunce Iohn Baptist with his Lamb Peter with his key nor yet Paule with his long sword Though Moyses and Samuell the chosen Prophetes of the Lorde yea with Noe Daniell and pacient Iob should stand before hym at that day yet should they not be haâ—d THE TEXT 1 And the kings of the earth shall be vvepe hyr 2. and vvayle ouer hyr 3. vvhich haue coÌ„mitted fornication 4. and lyued vvantonlye vvith hir 5. vvhan they shall see the smoke of hir burning 6. and shall stand a farre of 7. for feare of hir punishment saying 8. Alas alas that great citie 9. Babilon 10. that mightie citie 11. For at one houre commeth thy iudgement The Commentary 1 Moreouer the carnally mynded kings of the earth sayth the aforesayde Angell which hath for hyr pleasure abused their aucthoritie and power shall take hyr sodayne distruction in thys lyfe very heauily 2 Yea they shall moste sorrowfully bewayle them selues ouer hir as men very ill contented with that ordinance of God They shall be sorie in their heartes that his worde is become so stronge agaynst hyr that they can resist it with
vision of the serpent I behelde saith S. Iohn seates prepared without number I saw the harts of faithfull beléeuers which are the seats of wisdoÌ„e after Stlomon bewtifully garnished with vertues by the preaching of thou Apostles other godly techers Uery peaceable quietus were these seats For thogh they had in the worlde on euery syde tribulation yet had they their contciences quieted in Christ. They considered themselues partakers of the heauenly calling and reioyced in hope of the glory of gods children 2 Upon these seates sate they which are afore called that people whome Sathan should no more deceine They setled them selues in the wisdome the god loueth They grouÌ„ded theyr dwelling with discreation in his vnderstanding and knowledge Fast dyd they cleaue to his louinge worde And for none aduersitie woulde they moue theyr foote from the hard rock whiche is Christ. Thus sate his people in the beautifull seates of peace after Esay in the tabernacles of trust and in a most plentuous rest the deceuers and mockers put aparte 3 And as they were thus quieted the iudgemente or true vnderstandyng of the Lordes verytie was giuen vnto them Their sences were opened and great knowledge had they in the scriptures The figures and prophesies that were hyd to other were manifeste and open vnto them The Dark vale was remoued from Moyses face and the light of the laws appeared They coulde then decerne good from euill light from darknesse and swéete from sower The yoke was then taken from them no longer were they subiecte to straungers Dead men perceiued the secrets of the Booke The eyes of the blinde might sée without mist of darknesse They whiche afore tyme were of an erronious spirite had than the ryght vnderstanding and were learned in the lawe In their inward partes was the knowledge thereof planted of the Lord and the truth written in theyr hartes he becomming their God they his people Bycause we should not seperate the dead from the quicke or the departed from the liuing and so iudge them dyuers coÌ„sidering they both are of one God and liue by one spirite being of one hope and calling The holy ghost doeth here couple them togither as shéepe of one pasture féeding all of one spirituall meate and drinkyng of one spirituall rock accompanying theÌ„ and as members of one misticall body of Christ in thys present reuelation 4 I also sayeth saint Iohn behelde in this secrets mysterie of the spirite the innocent soules of godly men and women that were beheaded of cruell tyrauntes for the faithfull testimony of Iesu and the constante assercyon of the true word of the Lord God I perceyued by the scriptures that his true harted witnesses remained not in deth with the wicked but passed throughâ— with the rightuous from the death vnto lyfe had the lyfe euerlasting They are not forgotten wyth the vngodly but they nowe followe the lambe and dwell where as he dwellethe Else would Paule neuer so ernestlye haue desired to be dissolued froÌ„ this fleshe and so to be wyth Christ. 5 Not onely is this here spoken of them that wer beheadded and of none other else thoughte it séemeth so in the letter but of all them that hath dyed for the veritie For than should Esaye Ieremye Ezechiell Amos Micheas Zacharye Steuen and Iames the lesse with all those that hath bene burned strangled quartred drowned stoned crucyfied spytted racked â—layed boyled stycked shot throughe wyth arrowes and that hath suffrid all other terrible tormentes be rekened to be none of that number Beheaddyng is here taken for depriuacion of lyfe lyke as the heade is in scripture taken sometyme for the soule sometyme for the whole man 6 For standing by Christes veritie confessinge hym God and man dyd they loose their liues which was in the end no losse vnto them but a profitable winning For vnto such remaineth the crowne of lyfe the delyghtes of Paradise and a seate wyth god 7 These worshipped not the beastlye Antichrist the verye body of Sathan They bowed not downe nor yet gaue them selues to such wycked tradicions as that carnall generacion made for their beasty bellyes sake 8 Neyther reuerenced they thys prodigious Image or such vngodly princes and magistrates as their trewe offyce set a parte dyd counterfet hym in crueltie and diuelishnesse But they rightlye considered with the faithfull Machabées and apostles that in such case it was much better to obey God than men 9 Neither had they in their lyfe time taken the printe of his filthie seale vpon their foreheades professinge in their inwarde consciences those diabolicall rules 10 Nor yet on their handes agréeyng to vse them in the outward conuersacion of their bodyes No yoke woulde they drawe with the infidels thinking that Christ coulde haue no agréement with Beliall For through faith they perceyued as he that is of the spirite discerneth all things that though they séemed glorious in the face of the world yet were they before God abhominable sacriledge DiligeÌ„tly they searched the scriptures and beleued not all spirites but first proued them whither they were of God or naye By that knewe they that the homage of soule ought to be giuen to none other than to one liuing God alone and that none other preceptes of liuing were to bée followed of them than Christ their sauiour had taught All other traditions of meÌ„ tooke they for strauÌ„ge doctrine for crafti colors of diuilish deceitfulnes 11 Therfore whaÌ„ they were thought of the wicked to be dead they liued in all swéetnes of the spirit in desire of his latter commyng which shall bée to theyr double glory 12 And they reygned with Christ the pastour high bishop of their soules not onely here were as they suffred wyth hym for a thousand yeres space but also aboue where as he sitteth on the right hand of gods maiestie seat thousand wythout end Than raigneth the godly numbre most of all whan they seme to the wicked least of all to reigne as whan they suffer persecution and death for Christ. For after none other sort reigneth hys churche here thaÌ„ he reigned afore them whose tryumphe was greatest vpon the crosse 13 The thousand yeares of the reigne of the godly stretcheth here no farder than the thousande years of the fall of the vngodly Christes yeares also deducted which is the head of his congregation For as the one kyngdome decreased the other alwayes increased very fewe Christian martyrs are constaunt witnesses perceiued froÌ„ thence forth For as it appeareth by the historye many were abiured and recaÌ„ted which was not séene in the former age and all in a maner a small number of the poore except vtterly renouÌ„ced the veritye for the cruell behauior of the Antichristes In these ii sortes afore rehersed of them that sate vpon the seates and of them that were beheadded for the testymony of Iesu is it to be marked that all were not martyrs whome God alowed for his in the prymatiue churche but that
there were of both sortes So well was he accepted that mortyfied the desires of the fleshe and offered himselfe a lyuinge sacryfyce vnto God as hée that gaue his life for the veritie 14 But the residue sayth saint Iohn or the other sort called the deade men for that they were not numbred with the ryghtuous neyther among them that sate vpon the seates nor yet amonge them that were slayne for the witnesse of Iesu lyued not agayne after they were once dead tyll the thousand yeres of their death was throughly fulfilled The time was whan they which wer dead through sin did heare the voyce of the sonne of God They fatihfuly beleued the word therof so it reuiued in him vnto the lyfe euerlasting which was both the life light of men Wher as the froward conâ—eÌ„ners of the lyuing word hauing their coÌ„scieÌ„ces sealed with the beasts marke remained stil in their infidelitie which is the very death of the soule so were by the right iudgemeÌ„t of God lost for euer For the sin against the holy ghost which is a resistaÌ„ce against the manifest truth shal neither be forgeuen in this worlde nor yet in the world to come 15 A time without end doth this word till cause this thousand here to be after the commoÌ„ vsage of the scripture Noe sent forth a Rauen out of the arke whiche returned not agayne tyl the waters were dryed vp that is to say he neuer returned again Ioseph knew not Mary til she had brought forth hir first borne sonne That is to say he neuer bodely knew hir Thou shalte not out of prison till thou hast payde the vttermost mite .i. thou shalte neuer out With an hundreth of suche places in the Bible THE TEXT 1. This is that first resurrection 2. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection 3. For on suche shall the seconde death haue no povver 4. But they shall be the prists of God and of Christ. 5. And shal raign vvith him a thousand yeares The commentary 1 This is the first resurrection vnto lyfe to ryse from sin to repentaunce from ignoraunce to godly knowledge and from darknesse to faith Through the offence of one man entred sin into the world and through sin death Necessary it is therefore to dye vnto sin and to liue vnto rightuousnesse And so to rise togither with Christ séekyng the things which are aboue not vpoÌ„ earth For neuer shal they come to the seconde resurrection which is vnto the lyfe euerlasting that will not ryse by repentaunce vnto a new lyfe in hym which is both resurrection and lyfe 2 Blessed is that man of the Lord yea holy iust and perfect may he be reported also of all men which hath porcion conuenient in the first resurrection with Dauid Magdalene Zacheus and Peter Happy are they which hearing the word of God retayneth it in theyr lyuing For they being renued with the glad tydinges of lyfe are depured by the spirite of Christ sanctified and so made the habitacles of the holy Ghost 3 Upon such Godly dysposed persons hath the seconde death of the soule which is eternal dampnatioÌ„ no maner of power nor effectual iurisdiction For no damnation can be vnto them which are in Christ Iesu not walking after the fleshe Though they haue bene great sinners yet shall not theyr sinnes be to them imputed but in the resurrectioÌ„ of the wrightuous shall they ryse to immortalyte and be as the very Angels in heauen He that hath taken froÌ„ theÌ„ the poore of death shall make theÌ„ sure of eternal inheretauÌ„ce with god 4 They shall surely bée the chosen priestes of God the euerlasting father and of his eternall sonne Iesus Christ whiche are of the firste resurrection Though they be here in the flesh yet fight they not after the flesh but they shall folow the gouernaunce of the spirit geue ouer their bodis for a liuing sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God 5 And thus shall they reigne with christ their merciful sauiour redemer for the space of the thousaÌ„d yeres afore named None other toke they all that longe seasoÌ„ for theyr spiritual Messyas their eternall King their hygh Bishop for all their mayster their Lorde their gyde their lyght and the shepeherde of theyr soules None other wold they acknowledge but him for their mediatoure attonement maker neyther Moyses nor Samuell Noe Daniell nor Iob Iohan Baptist Mary nor Peter Hée onely was vnto them all wysedome ryghtuousnesse holynesse and redeÌ„ption In none other name coulde they fynde health and saluation but alone in hys Nothing pertayneth this vnto the Popes masse sayers for they call vpon many names wyth Ora pro nobis and are of a far other priesthode as we haue declared afore In christes kyngdoÌ„ is none outwarde Priesthode nor sacryfice to be made for sin For he hath with one oblacioÌ„ for all fully satysfied for the sins of his electe number for euer The office of a ChristeÌ„ man now is onely to offer vp himselfe by the deniall of himselfe and by the mortificatioÌ„ of his fleshe In the holy supper of the Lorde which is a mutuall participacioÌ„ of his bodi bloud is no new sacrifice to be made but onely a faithfull remembrauÌ„ce to be taught of that full and perfect sacrifice that he made once for all vnlesse we will betray him and crucifie him againe The dutie of a minister in Christes coÌ„gregation is with all study and diligence to labour in the holy worde of God be he bishop priest Chaplayne Pastour or preacher Hys ministration is great labour no dygnitie payne and not pryde or arrogancie And hauing his foode and rayment he ought to require no more THE TEXT 1 And vvhan the thousande yeares are expyred 2. Sathan shall be loosed out of prison 3. and shall go out 4. to diseeiue the people 5. vvhich ar in the foure quarters of the earth 6. Gog Magog 7. to gather them togither to battle 8 vvhose number is as the sande of the sea 9. And they vvent vpon the plaine of the earth 10. and compassed the tentes of the sayntes about 11. and the beloued Citie 12. And fyre came dovvne from God out of heauen 13. and deuoured them 14. And the Diuell that deceyued them 15. vvas cast into a lake of fyre and brymstone 26. vvhere the beast and the false Prophet vvere 17. and shall be tormented daye and nighte for euermore The Commentary 1 After the plentnous description of the true church of Christe which is vnknowen to the worlde for the glorious doughter of the eternall Kinge is from within sayth Dauid now foloweth in course the pernicious kingdome of Antechrist whan it was in the hyghest pryde so soone as the afore rehersed thousande yeares sayth saynt Iohn are fully accoÌ„plished or brought to an ende 2 Sathan the common aduersarie of man shal be loosed out of his darke pryson and so shal be set at large by the sufferance
according to hys deades 18. And death 19 and hell vvere cast 20. into the lake of fyre 21. This is the second death 22. And vvhosoeuer vvas not found vvritteÌ„ in the booke of lyfe 23. vvas caste into the lake of fyre The commentary 1 A none after this I behelde saith Saynt Iohan in secrete mysterye an imperiall throne or seat of estate faire splendaunte and bewtyfull None other is this than the iudgement seate of the Lorde 2 Great it is for the Maiestie and power of hym that shall syt therevpoÌ„ is of inestimable magnificence greatnesse Fayre and whyte both for the celestyall cléerenesse that shall at that houre apere with hym and also for the purenesse equitie and ryght of his vniuersal iudgementes 3 From the aspect of whose fearefull countenaunce shall both the earth beneath and the other elemeÌ„tes aboue flée awaye All the creatures of his creacion shall wyth reuerence tremble quake at his mighty aperaunce The SuÌ„ne shall thaÌ„ be darkened the Mone shall not giue hir lyght The Starres shall fall downe from aboue the powers of heauen shal be moued The elementes shall melte wyth heate and the whole earth shall teare in péeces lyke a ragge 4 A terryble fyre shall go before the iudge to burne vp hys enimyes on euery syde The places of them that lyued here supersticiously and voluptuously shall no more after that be founde Neuer shall they resort agayne hither to theyr olde wantoÌ„ pleasurs Of their bewtyfull Cyties shall not one stone be lefte vpon an other Their proude paynted Synagoges as duste in the wynde shal be scattred away from the earth Neither shall the skye nor yet the ground beneth be as it was but both they shal be renewed chaunged They shal be deliuered from corruption and so appere both a newe heauen and a newe earth according to the expectation of the creatures 5 Immediatly after that sayth saint Iohn the iudge thus sitting vpoÌ„ the scaâ—e of his eternall Maiestie I sawe styll in mysterye after the blast of the truÌ„pet that all they which were deade arose out of the earth And that both hygh and lowe great and small good and badde King and begger prelate and plough man tirant and perscecuted innocent Yea the sucking babe the died in the cradell so well as the aged maÌ„ 6 All they séemed vnto me to stande before their generall iudge Iesus Christ to whome the euerlasting father had giuen ouer his whole iudgementes which there appeared as hée was in dede a verie omnipotent god All we shall appere sayth Paule before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one of vs maye receyue according to that he hath done be it good or ill 7 And the bookes of reckennings which are the seuerall consciences of men were open before the iudge That afore was hidde will thaÌ„ be manyfest and that was secret wyll than come to light be disclosed Euident it wil be vnto him who hath fulfilled the commaunded works of mercy who hath left them vndone their owne constences bearing witnesse to the same For what can be hid from him which seeth both the inwarde reynes and the secret thoughtes of the harte In this generall rekening yet shall prayse with the eternall rewarde redowne vnto them from the mercyfull Lorde whose walking here hath bene accordinge vnto fayth There shall they be reproued to haue bene pitiful to the poore hongry thursty nedy naked sicke in prison 8 After this was an other booke opeÌ„ed of a farre diuerse nature froÌ„ the other bokes for it was the swéet boke of lyfe wherin be regestred al that were predestinate to be saued froÌ„ the worlds beginning And this boke is the eternal predestinatioÌ„ of God 9 Before the worlds fouÌ„datioÌ„ saith s. Paule the lord predestinate vs into the addoptioÌ„ of his childreÌ„ through Iesus Christe Of this booke made Moyses mencion whan he said Eyther pardon thys people or els race me out of thy booke which thou haste written And Christ also to his seuentie disciples Be glad sayth he that your names are written in heauen Moreouer Iosue called this the booke of the ryghtuous and Iohn here the boke with seuen claspes This sheweh the holy ghost here vnto vs much after the custome dayly vsed among vs. For of the most notable men and women our maner is bothe longe to remember the names and also to speake of them as occasion giueth So equall is thys eternall iudge that no personage respecteth he in iudgment neither of Emperours nor Pope Kinge nor Byshope Lorde nor prieste But as he is ryghtuous of himselfe so iudgeth he rightuously 10 For they that were dead sayeth saynt Iohan or that had ledde their lyues here without fayth and the spirite of Christ were iudged of hym there according to the thinges which were regestred in the bokes of their coÌ„scieÌ„ces 11 That is to say according to the fylthy workes wherof their desperat coÌ„ciences accused them Onely are the wicked to be takeÌ„ here for the dead For the rightuous shall thaÌ„ haue nothinge wherof their coÌ„scieÌ„ce may accuse them Neyther shall the euill doers as witnesseth Dauid be of couÌ„sell with theÌ„ at the day They hauing the lyfe euerlasting shall not than be iudged though they than appere but shall sit with Christ in iudgement and reioyce in the condempnation of the vngodly blasphemers The rewarde of their vnfaythfulnesse shall thaÌ„ be powred vpon theÌ„ to their perpetuall care At that daye shall none bée absent but all shal be séene eyther to honour or els to reprofe 12 Neyther shall the depth of the sea nor the darkenesse of death nor yet hell that is bottomelesse bée able to hide any froÌ„ the face of this iudge For the sea sayth saynt Iohn that is myghty and greate shall at that daye delyuer vp cleane hir deade or those whome the Lorde suffered hyr to swallowe in for their outragious sinnes 13 Lyke as were the giauntes in the floude of Noe the great host of Pharao in the red sea and such other more 14 So shall gréedy death doe also which after many strange sortes hath consumed the enimies of God As for an example Cain by a chaunce vnsought Nadah and Abyn by fyre Achan by standing Holofernes Saull by the swerde Naball by excesse of wyne Iesabell by treading of horses Daniels accusers by the lyons Menelaus by breaking his necke Iudas by hanging himselfe Herod by wormes the children of Israell by swerd fyre serpentes and soden death and such other lyke 15 Hell whych is insaciable shall in lyke case render vp the innumerable swarme of the dead whom he wyth open mouth hath swallowed in quicke for their abhominations 16 Of whose number were Chore Dathan and Abiron with their affinitye the Cytyes of Sodome and Gomorre the vncircumcised gyauntes the ryche rourer and the ryche glotton in Luke Symon Magus wyth dyuerse other Hell hath gaped meruelouslye wyde sayeth Esaye and hath rauenouslye deuoured the hygh mynded
sturdye and dysobedyent nacion The vncircumcised giauntes sayth Ezechiell wyth theyr weapons are gone downe to hell whose swerdes are layed vnder theyr heades theyr wyckednesse vpon theyr bones Of the wycked onely is all thys spoken héere if ye marke well the text and in no wyse of the Godly what though many of them hath bene drowned in the sea burned béeheadded and hanged vpon the lande and buryed quicke in the earth 17 For it foloweth also that they were iudged of the iudge and receiued euery one accordynge to theyr deseruinges Accordynge to the fleshely fruites of theyr owne inuentions shall they bée rewarded theyr vnfaythfulnesse iustly measured vnto them Theyr bodyes shall than take parte wyth theyr wretched soules in the euerlastynge cursse of dampdamnacion the elect numbre rewarded wyth perpetuall felicytye 18 And as concerninge death it self which is the vniuersall enimye of man it shal be destroyed for euer 19 Hell also whych is here taken for sinne shall neuer more be séene amonge the creatures of God 20 For both shal be throwne into the great lake of boylinge fyre and brymstone The victorie of death shal be swallowed vp and hys stinge done cleane away which is sinne That is nowe corruptyble shall put on vncorruptiō that is nowe mortall immortalitie Thus that the Lord at the houre make of all hys enimies hys fotestole according to his promyse by Oseas the Prophet O death I wil be thy death O hell I will bée thy destruction 21 This tirrible appoyntmēt of the iudge sayth saynt Iohn is the second death or perpetuall depriuation of the sight of God yea the vtter fall from his fauour grace and mercy This death is the whole vengeaunce of all innocent bloud which hath bene shed vpon earth from iuste Abell to the last faythfull witnesse Yea thys sentence is the stone that shall grinde the enimies to pouder the very eternall dampnation both of body and soule 22 Now for a conclusion of the whole matter whatsoeuer he be king or Emperour Priest or prelate laye or religious that shall not be founde writtē in the booke of lyfe which is the eternall predestination of god for that he hath worshipped the beast and his Image he shal be cast by the irreuocable sentence of the iudge into the stynking lake of fyre perpetully there to burne with the Diuell and hys Angels So that he which hath had no parte in the fyrst resurrection shal be sure to taste of this seconde death which is dampnation 23 He that beléeueth not the gospell whan it is faythfully taught hym repenting hys former lyfe but refuseth the grace thereof fréely offered shall for euer be damned Neuer shall his sin be remitted neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come that reststeth the holy ghost withstanding the open verytie Onely remaineth a fearfull expectatiō of iudgement vnto thē that here treadeth Christ vnder fote not regarding his bloud shedding but doeing iniury to the spirite of grace for their owne inuention The .xxj. Chapter In thys laste vision of Iohan is both discribed the prosperous estate of the true church or kingdōe of Christ here and also the perpetuall Sabboth of the chyldren of God All the other visions were mixte with labours afflictions and paynes This is full of peace tranquilitie and ioye incorruption glorie and felycitie THE TEXT 1 And I savve a nevve heauen 2. a nevve earth 3. for the first heauen 4. and the firste earth vvere vanished avvaye 5. and there vvas no more sea 6. And I Iohan savve that 7. holy Cytie 8. nevve 9. Hierusalem 10. come downe from God out of heauen 11. prepared as a bryde 12. garnished for hir husdande 13. And I hearde a great voyce from the seate saying 14 Beholde the tabernacle of God 15. is wyth men 16. and he vvyll dvvell vvith them 17. And they shall be hys people 18. and God hym selfe shall be vvith them 19. and shall be theyr God 20 And God shall vvype avvaye 21. all teares from theyr eyes 22. And there shal be no more death 23. neither sorovve 24. neyther shall there be any more payne 25. for the olde thinges are gone The Commentary 1 Besides the afore rehersed reuelations I behelde now last of all saith saynt Iohan that heauen was cleane altered from that it was afore and became all newe and so was the earth also and became the same Not onely become they nowe spirituall by a true beléeue in the Gospell that afore were carnall but also in the ende of the world shall the whole bodyes of heauen and of earthe as golde in the fornace be purged from fylthynesse by fyre goyng before the yudge which both are nowe defiled wyth the wickednesse of the creatures 2 After both sortes shall they be delyuered from the corruption here of sinne and thereof death and dampnatyon and so be restored vnto the glorious lybertie of Gods children 3 The first heauen defiled through y◠pryde of Angell and the first earth also corrupted by the sinnefull vsage of manne shall vanyshe cleane away and no more be séene Not that the substaunce of them shall vtterly perysh but that theyr nature shape and figure shal chaunge into a much more pure and perfect similytude A custome it was amonge the prophetes whan thy aduertysed the afflycted Israelytes of prosperite peace or renouation of the glory of God cōming towards thē to promis al things new 4 Beholde sayth the Lorde in Esay I make you new heauens and a new earth and as for the olde shall neuer more be though vpon Newe is the true church of Christ so are the people pertayning to the same In no poynt are they lyke to the Popes holy orders nor yet vnto Mahometes religion Clere are their hartes which haue rereceiued the verytie from all supersticions and theyr outwarde lyues from idell obseruations perfect are theyr consciences and theyr conuersacions godly And thys in the regeneration shal be fully accomplished Not onely shall that which is now mortall becō immortal the is now corruptible than incorrupted as the very Angels of the Lorde but also the vniuersall heauen shal be than renewed so shall the whole face of the earth and appere more beutyfull than now 5 And from that tyme fourth shall there be no more sea whych signifieth people vnstedfast vaine and fickle Whereas the peace of Christ is surely grounded no more is there anye troubled conscience No more is there any diffydence wan hope or dispayre Al bitternesse sorow anguish is turned into swéetnes ioy in the holy ghost We knowe sayth saynt Paule the all thinges are taken to the best in them that loue God Frō the Apostles whō Christ fyrst also called from the Sea vanished this waueringe Sea away whan they went from the mallicious counsell of the Bishoppes reioysinge that they were founde worthy to suffer rebuke for hys names sake In lyke case all impediments and néedes all daungers and doubtes all fearefull mouings and outragings
any more 22 In hir moreouer shall be no more death for it shall be destroyed for euer No more shal mennes consciences dispayre here But haue ioye in the holy ghost No more shal they die through sinne but lyue vnto God by fayth And there shall no more the rose coloured whore be dronken in the bloud of martyrs Hir tyrauntes shal be closed vp in the stinking lake of fyre from the slaughter of them they than becomming immortall and impossible Moreouer thaÌ„ this he that beléeueth in christ shal neuer die nor yet come into iudgement but passe cleane froÌ„ death vnto lyfe 23 Neyther shall there be any sorow nor crying any more For all maner of displeasure of the bodye as pouertye sicknesse losses emnytie vexacions and yll reportes are here paciently borne of the faythfull And ther shal be founde nothynge to minister any suche occasions Here is neyther age doubted nor yet persecution feared in them that reckeneth death aduantage hauinge in desire wyth Paule to be hence and wyth Christ. Nor yet shal be there where all is in ioye and peace durable for euer 24 Neyther shall there be felt any more payne Such hath bene the constauncye of the martirs here that litle haue the tormentes greued them Eleazarus paciently suffered all punyshmente Steuen reyosed to sée heauen open Andrewe woulde in no case be delyuered from deathe Laurentius offred his brent fleshe to be eaten The burnynge coles were so sweete vnto Tiburcius as the fragraunt roses So desyrous were the terryble tormeÌ„ts vnto Uincent as a moste pleasaunt banket Angelus desired the people in Sicilia to esteme the tyraunt hys frynde What the exceding constauncy was of Iohn Husse and Hieronime of Prage dyuers Chronycles mencyoneth And in our tyme George Baynham in the fyre dyd neuer complayne Ihon Frith neuer shewed him self once greued in countenaunce Barnes neuer moued as hys enymyes doth report Peter Franke in Colchester sang ioyfully to the Lorde The thrée young men of Southfolk reioysed at the death with such other many And how farre they shal be from paines after this the great daye of the Lorde shall declare 25 For the olde thynges are paste sayth the text All that afore was tedious heauy and fearefull to the flesh is nowe become easie light and pleasaunt through that they haue learned of Christ. His word refresheth them in spirit and is a swéet rest vnto their soules And in the regeneration shall hunger thirst werinesse labour heat colde rayne winde thunder earthquakes with all other discommodities be taken cleane from them Neyther shal they haue ther néede of meat nor drinke foode nor rayment beddes nor buildings féeldes nor medowes welspringes nor riuers gardens nor vineyardes The Text. 1 And he that sate vppon the seate sayde 2. Behold I make all thinges nevve 3. And he sayde vnto me 4 Wryte 5. for these vvordes are faythfull and true 6. And he sayde vnto me 7. it is done 8. I am Alpha and Omega 9. the beginning and the ende 10. I will giue to him that is a thirst 11. of the vvel of the vvater of lyfe free 12. He that ouercoÌ„meth shall inherite all thynges 13. I vvill be his God and he shall be my sonne 14 but the fearefull 15. vnbeleuing 16. the abhominable 17. murtherers 18. and vvhoremongers 19. and sorcerets 20. and Idolatrs 21. all lyars 22. shall haue their part in the lake 23. that burneth With fire and brimston 24. vvhich ys the seconde beath The commentary 1 And the omnypotent Lorde whych sate vpon the eternall throne concluded thus with me Hys holy spirite of promise assertayned my spyryte by hys heauenly word that all these thynges should be true 2 Behoulde sayth he I wyll make all thynges freshe and newe Heauen earthe the Sea and the vnyuersall Cytye of peace I wyll delyuer from all corrupcyon I make all pure cleane holy immortall vncorrupt impassible clere heauenly spirituall and glorious Neuer more shall they bee as they were afore whan they were yet olde Neuer shall be more eating nor drinking wyuing nor â—anketing traueling nor sléeping â—or other such doeinges pertayninge to the corruptible lyfe The rightuous shall than shyne as the red fyre sparkes So bright as the sunne shall they be in the kingdome of theyr father 3 Thus hath the Lorde here midsts meruielously described vnto Iohn and by hym vnto vs the misticall Sabboth of his people here the eternal Saboth after this lyfe oÌ„maÌ„ding him to 〈◊〉 it as foloweth Much to fro hath bene amoÌ„g the 〈◊〉 doctours is 〈◊〉 to thâ—â— day whether the saued multiâ—â—â—â— shall reygne here vpon earth 〈◊〉 Christ or aboue in heauen afteâ— the iudgement dayâ— Which is easy to be perceiâ—ed if the scriptures hée truâ—â— conferred Therefore serâ—h dâ—lygently the scriptures for they hearâ— witnesse of all truth Christ hath in Math. the they shal be thaÌ„ as the Angels are nowâ— in heauen whose office is hath to be hâ—re â— there And so muche 〈…〉 the they shal be as thaÌ„ all one 〈◊〉 wâ—ll shall the earth be new as the heauens And nedes it must be to some purpose Neuer woulde Esay Peteâ— haue said the rightuousâ—sse should dwelt in theÌ„ if they shuld not occupy theÌ„ both It is said here also the the new Hierusalem shall come downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ But not so that it shall not vp againe For Christes electes shal be whereas he is Whan they shal be vpoÌ„ the earth no let nor impedimeÌ„t shal they haue to be also in heaueÌ„ both they being one 〈…〉 agyltie perfectioÌ„ shall be thaÌ„ in their bodies as is now in the glorified body of Christ or in the spirituall nature of the angels Which are nowhere now theâ— And whether they be here or ther alwaies they sée God â— are 〈…〉 absent from him Manye scriptures myght be brought in to declare thâ—â— matâ—er more at large but it wold 〈◊〉 much tyme. What mutuall feloship heauenly amyte glorious pastyme will be betwixt them the angels at that day it fare passeth al capacities to diffine I couÌ„sail 〈◊〉 to be curious in the serch of high misteris â—s this here is one without the feare of God least he ouercoÌ„meÌ„ of their exceding 〈◊〉 whoredom with many kinges by many false worshippinges This for hir méekenesse is commended of God the other proudely boasteth hir 〈◊〉 through holy tradicions merites and deseruinges to bâ—â— a riche quâ—ene With many such other 4 And the Lorde sayth saint Iohn which worketh all thinges by his onely word and commaundement 〈◊〉 thus vnto me Emprente first in thy hart that I haue here sheweâ— theâ— than leaue it in writing to the 〈◊〉 of those that than folow theâ— 5 And if thou wyll kâ—owe a reason why thou shalt thus doe take this 〈◊〉 sentence with thee I assure the so 〈◊〉 as I am God yâ— the wordes which I haue shewed in this present ReuelatioÌ„ are effectually most faithfull and ruste In no manner of
this water as the pure cristall that is without spotte Much farther from corruption is the sincere worde of God than is the fine siluer that is vii tymes tryed in the fyre The lawes of the Lorde are perfect and quickneth the soule hys testimonies are true giuing wiseome to babes His statutes are ryght reioysing the hart His preceptes are pure giuing sight to the eyes And hys iudgementes are all togither rightuous 4 The nature of this water is none other but euermore to cleÌ„se euermore to reuiue euermore to make whole and perfect For onely doth it issewe from the magistie of God it procedeth out from the sempiternall throne of the father and so floweth forth in the pleÌ„tuous haboundaunce of the lambe Iesus Christe and of his Godly spirite With hym is the well of euerlasting lyfe They that walke in his lyght shal be frée from darkenesse for euer They shall throughly enioye the haboundaunce of those thinges that his house is full of and he shall giue them drnicke out of the ful flowing ryuer of his eternall pleasures I will powre cleare water vpon you sayth the Lord in Ezechiell and ye shal be cleane froÌ„ all filthynesse A new hart will I giue you A new spirit will I plant in you and so clense you from all your idoles Reioyce with Hierusalem all you that loue hir for ye shall sucke comforte out of hir brestes and bée satisfied They that haue sowen in heauinesse shall reape in perpetuall gladnesse From the father and the sonne proceded the holy Ghost as a clere cristall ryuer neither created nor be gotten to refreshe this chosen citye So that much more vnderstanding lyght and knoweledge it hath than had the olde Synagog of the Iewes which was therof but a shaddow Yet is it incomparably farre from that shall bée in the durable lyfe to come being as yet thereto but a figure For as witnesseth Paul our knowledge is now vnperfect and our prophecying vnperfect But whan that cometh which is perfect then that which is vnperfect shall be done away Here is it also to be coÌ„sidred that the Lambe is equall with God they both hauing but one seate 5 Moreouer in the middes of the golden stret of this beutifull citye which comprehendeth the spirituall children of Abraham couched togither in the vnytie of one tryed fayth 6 And vpon eyther sides of the swéet ryuer which are the .ii. Testamentes of the Lorde was standing the moste dilectable trée of life Iesus Christ that mediatour father which giueth lyfe â—o the worlde Out of the stocke of Afbraham and Dauid sprang this frée aâ—er the fleshe conceyued of the holy Ghost borne of Marie the virgine which was also a golden stone of this stréete Blessed arte thou sayth Elizabeth for thy beleues sake For in thée is performed the full promise of the Lorde This is that trée which was planted by the water side gaue forth fruite at his tyme appoynted As the trée of life was sette in the middes of Paradyse at the beginninge so is hée nowe spiritually grounded in the middest of his church which is his gardeÌ„ of pleasure Behold saith Christ I am with you euery day vnto the worlds end 7 Maruayll not that the trée is here called wood for it is the custome and maner of the Hebrues to put the one for the other Both is this trée in the myddest of the stréete and also vpon eyther sydes of the ryuer For both is Christ knowen of his faithfull multytude and comprehended in the scriptures Dauid acknowledged himselfe to be a pure stone of this golden stréete whan he sayd My humble soule hath cleaued or fastened to the pauemente thou quyckening me Lorde according to thy worde So did Kinge Ezechyas whan he was reuyued agayne And so dyd Helias whan he vnder the Iuniper trée desired to dye with many other more Betwene both testaments arose Christ performing the olde and begynning the new He bordereth also to thys present day vpon them both for both they beare large and plentuous witnesse of hym Both the lawe and the Gospell the Prophetes and Apostles the Psalmes and all other scriptures witnesseth throughly that he is the promysed séede the sonne of the lyuing God the sauiour of the worlde 8 If that soyle be fortunate which bryngeth forth fruites twyse in the yeare most happye and blessed is the ground of this citie For the liuing trée therof is neuer barren bare nor idle 9 Not onely doth it beare .xii. maner fruites of inestimable wholesomnesse betokening the vniuersall graces and giftes of the holy Ghoste but also it giueth them forth euery moneth in the yeare or euer more wyth out ceasing Euery moneth hath there both his soÌ„mer and hys wynter Euery life time of them which be of this congregation hath here both his swéete consolation in the spirite and also his hard persecution in the fleshe Els is it not of Christs kingdom which is the destroier of death and ministreth lyfe at his pleasure In this trée is the originall grounde of lyfe He is the very lyfe of all them that liueth vnto God In hym onely they consist they moue and they haue their continuall being His branches are the holy Prophetes and Apostles and the Euangilistes Martyrs wyth all other godly preachers and teachers euermore gréene pleasaunt in their conuersaâ—ioÌ„ and doctrin I am the true vyne sayth he and you are the braunches He that abydeth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruite Them sent Christ out as brauÌ„ches and spred wyth them the world ouer too brynge forth frute that should not perishe And that euery moneth from age to age and from tyme to tyme continually For styll are the true beleuers fedde wyth the Apostls fruitefull doctrine and shal be to the ende of the worlde Therewith are their soules refreshed in their greate manyfolde sorowes and labours A singuler comfort it is vnto them to consider Gods swéete promyses and to remember what a louinge father they haue of him through Iesus christ theyr onely mediatour and sauiour Most habouÌ„dâ—untly féele they theÌ„selues satysfied when they are assertayned throughly by the scriptures that they are predestinate called saued sanctified and shal be here after gloryfied by him Where as contrarywyse the desperate infidels are much discomforted considring them selues blynded condemned iudged reproued Twelue are these fruites here called which is a perfect and full complete number comprehending the vniuersall graces of the spirite contayned in all the whole scriptures As are the feare of God the pouertie of soule the clennesse of hart coÌ„passion vpon the nedy desyre of rightuousnesse mercy gentilnesse quietnesse sufferaunce wysdom vnderstanding counsayll perseueraunce knowledge prudence force iustice temperauÌ„ce with those that Paule numbreth too the Galathians and innumerable vertues besides some expositours willeth this twelue to signifie the none can be saued vnlesse he be of the xii children of Israell in spirite so walke according to the