knowen and that we might more easely flee Antichrist once knowne The nombre of the name of the beaste S. Iohn also addeth the nomber of the name of the beast 666 by the whiche we verely come to the name or knowledg of Antichrist For if we accōpt from the settyng forth of the Apocalips syxe hundreth threscore syxe yeres we shal come to the yeare of our Lord .763 To the same time I say wherin the Bishop of Rome forgettyng his humilitie simplicicitie pouertie and also his office and ministerie set his mynd to beare rule and receyued exceading great rewards of king Pipine and of other Princes and prepared him selfe away wherby afterward he climeth to the high dignitie of thempire Which thynge in the worke it selfe shall appere more playnely out of historyes And as he did once or twise before so now also S. Iohn after the Apostolicke maner comforteth the afflicted and faithfull Churche least haply in this distresse and continuall persecutions of Antichriste it shoulde falle Comforte Chap. xiiij and shoulde thinke that religion and the church were cleane forsaken He sheweth therfore howe cruelly so euer bothe the ten horned beaste and the two horned beaste do rage yet stondeth the lambe neuerthelesse in mounte Sion not as the Dragon in the sāde And that Christ hath in this wicked worlde polluted of Antichrist his chosen churche which he will moste faithfully preserue euermore and mainteyne he addeth that howe muche so euer the beast coueteth to haue the sacred and holye preachinge of the Gospell oppressed the Gospell shal neuerthelesse be preached and that clerely and that Babylon shall certenly falle and the churche of Christe be established He addeth moreouer for a comforte that the soules of Saints that at in daunger or suffer for Christe do assuredly and streightwaye flitte from this corporall death to eternall lyfe Agayne that the Lorde is ready to take vengeaunce of all his enemies to requyte them aboūdantly which he sheweth trymly by the parables of vintage haruest Of the rewards punishments of good euyll And these things handled on this wyse he procedeth to declare dilligently not the laste place of thys booke of thendes of good and euyll men of moste ample rewardes to be geuen to the worshyppers of Christe and of moste greuouse paines and tormentes to be inflicted to the adherentes of Antichrist Men of no smalle estimation sticke in these things doubtefull and the common people herin erre more than shamefully whilest for the present felicitie of the wicked and continuall miserie of the Godly they doubte whether paynes be appoynted for the wycked or so greate rewardes for the godly For euen for thys cause fewe kepe theyr standynge and more laugh at Chryste and hys woorde and imbrace the presente pleasures of thys present woorlde followynge the more happie and victoriouse parte Chap. xv Seuen vials Therfore blessed Saint Iohn not wythout cause the Lorde commaundinge him bestoweth very muche diligence in declaringe these thyngs exactely And firste after hys maner he bringeth foorthe seuen Aungels hauynge cuppes of the plages of God and thaungels come out of the temple signifienge the iudgements of God in punisshynge the wycked to be most ryghtuouse And the seuenth nombre comprehendeth agayne all maner and the most ful plages of God The Aungels powre out these vialles vpon the Antichristianes Chap. xvi the enemies of Gods woorde and the hard harted that can not repente For God moste rightuouse plageth the impenitēt woorlde with sondry tormentes reseruinge yet more greuouse then these to punishe them in the woorld to come Chap. xvij But especially he exhibiteth the iudgement that is to witte the punishement of the harlot in pourple I meane of the Pope and the beaste to be sene Firste he brought foorth an honeste and noble matrone to witte the very spouse of Chryste Nowe as it wer by opposition he setteth against her a proude whore that false newe start vp Romishe Churche who extollinge her selfe braggeth more of her outwarde apparell then of inwarde furniture And he affirmeth that she shall perish for her greate offences lyke as it is euident that tholde beaste was torne in pieces and burnt And that strompet that is called the whore of Babilō sitteth on the beaste For Rome is the seate of the same church that is called both the Romane and most holy church Wherby all men maye see that S. Iohn hath spoken so skylfully that he hath as it were pointed with the fingarre as they comonly saye whom he meaneth and of whō he speaketh doubtles thauncient wryters as I tolde you a little before vnderstoode by Babylon Rome it selfe But afterwarde he discourseth at length the destruction of Babylon wyth a maruelouse plentye of playne woordes as it were powringe out a certen fludde of eloquēce Chap. xviij and compendiously collectynge all amplifications and figures that beautifie the speache which are any where to be founde amonges the Prophets But by the way he placeth among these certen most pleasant thyngs of the mariage of the lambe Chap. xix and of the bryde preparynge her selfe to the mariage and of the certenty of the saluation of the godly and what maner a thinge that blessed felicity is Whiche finished he descendeth immediately to the same laste iudgement whiche I suppose is no where els in the whole scripture as it is here not only so described but also painted out with liuely couloures For here is described the persone of the Iudge comynge to Iudgement with his saints with greate power and gloryes There stonde against him the ranks of his enemies breathing most cruell thinges againste the Saints of God By and by succedeth the most terrible iudgement but yet most iuste For the false prophet is throwen downe into hell downe is the beaste throwen and down are cast all wycked and impenitent persons There is shewed here moreouer the iustice and equitie of thys vniuersall Iudgement in th ende of the worlde Chap. xx wherin is punishmēt taken of all persones of what nation religion degree or state sexe so euer they be that are sequestred and alienated from the true religion of Christe Where both the resurrection of the dead is touched and the processe of the whole iudgement is figured Herunto he annexeth a most ioyfull disputation of the blessed lyfe shewyng firste generally what it is and that it shall most certenlye be geuen to the faithfull by the which treatise most strongely is beaten downe the distruste or diffidence that is naturally greffed in vs. After pryuatly and plentifully vnder the Type or Image of a most beautifull Citie Chap. xxi xxij he shadoweth after a sorte the place palace of the blessed omitting vtterly nothing at all that is either ioyouse cōfortable delectable or preciouse which he affirmeth not to be in the court celestiall most aboundantly worlde without ende Notwithstāding we know well inough that touching the ioy
God but of Sathan inspireth lyes iuggelinges disceiptes blasphemies fyres and deathes Therfore let it not greue thee at this daye â—n case it be thy fortune to be condemned for the Gospell of those that call them selues moste holy moste shining moste reuerent and most irreprehensible Prelates and Patrones of the olde churche religion and catholique faith whiche haue on their syde counselles fathers so many successions of Bishoppes the prescript of so long time and consent of so many Realmes They be nothynge lesse than that they desyre to be called But rather the champions of Antichriste and the professed ennemies and treaders vnder feete of all christen pietie For whome is prepared euerlasting destruction After this he putteth an exhortation and a consolation moste euident before the whiche setting also the sonne Feare not he sayth feare nothyng of all that thou shalt suffer The sonne of God hym selfe feared the crosse and death and it is a naturall thyng to feare euilles and death Therfore we are not commaunded that we shoulde non be men and that lyke â—toickes we shoulde saye howe the same thynges greue vs not whiche neuerthelesse tourment vs exceadingly but â—he faithfull are incouraged that they should stande strong â—n the fayth neyther that they should doe any thyng vnworâ—hy the same for feare of punishement We be therfore comâ—aunded boldly and cherely to contemne or suppresse feare â—nd to craue strength by the spirite of God and to exercise it 〈◊〉 temptations There followe reasons He prophecieth the euilles to come wherby he may obteine that he â—ath perswaded may confirme comforte and exhorte them 〈◊〉 pacience and constancie He prophecieth therfore to the Godly what thing they shall suffer And toucheth also the â—hird kynde of affliction imprisonment and bondes vnder â—hiche we vnderstande all punishementes wherby our boâ—ies are tourmented But to be warned before of the euill is great benefite We are more easely ouercome of vnprouiâ—ed perilles And therfore the Lorde in the Gospell after S. â—ath the .x. Chapt. and after Iohn in the xv and .xvi. Chapters â—lleth his disciples of many euilles that should come vnto them and addeth therto These thinges haue I spoken to you that when the tyme shall come ye myght remembrâ— them that I haue tolde you before So nowe also faithfully warneth the faithfull in this Epistle The deuil afflicted the faithfull And he toucheth the authour of these euilles saying Thâ— Deuill wyll cast some of you into pryson Therfore we perceiue that those euillies arise of the commoÌ„ ennemy of mankynde and of the saluation of the faythfull Wherof we may coniecture that he goeth about to intercept our saluation and that we ought therfore to stande more earstly agaynst hym The souldiours when they heare that their olde ennemy is at hande waxe not sluggyshe but cherefull But the Deuyll inspireth euill men corrupteth Princes and Magâ—strates whiche attempte persecution against the churche Sâ— we reade that Sathan afflicted Iob that is to haue prouâ—ked the Chaldeis and Sabeis to kill his seruauÌ„tes and driâ—â— away his cattell Here therfore they may see with what sâ—â—rite they are incouraged whiche at this daye persecute tâ— churche of Christ for the profession of the veritie The Goâ—ly haue that whiche may comfort them For they heare thâ— the same filthie beast is set against them whiche so oft beâ— vanquyshed of Christ the Prince of the faithfull and of tâ— faithfull through Christes ayde may without any difficulâ— be ouercome And verely the Lorde permitteth to the Deâ—â— and deuelyshemen power ouer his seruauntes If thou mâ—uell why Chende of afflictions heare That you may be tempted God permitteâ— not his to Sathan that they should peryshe but that tâ—â— should be tempted and tried Therfore to a good ende are 〈◊〉 deliuered to the fyre that we might be pourged from our thines that the vertu of our faith mought shine and Gâ—â— might be glorified and we made the purer Who therfâ— wyll hereafter be impatient when we heare that we for tâ— great good are put to euill We reade in the .iii. of Wisdoâ— As golde is tried in the fire so are the faythfull proued Tâ— parable hath S. Peter expounded at large in the .iiii. Chaâ— of the first Epistle The tyme of the afflictions of yeâ—aithfull Where he that wyll may haue it morâ— boundauntly Moreouer the tyme also of tribulation is assigned 〈◊〉 that for ten dayes The tenth nombre signifieth a multituâ— For Iacob sayeth to his father in Lawe Ten tymes haste thou chaunged my wages Genesis .xxxi. and Numeri .xiiii. He sayth he was tempted ten tymes that is often and many tymes Iob also affirmeth hym selfe in the .xxix. chapter To haue bene iniuried ten tymes The Lorde therfore sayth at this present You shal be diuersly and muche molested with euilles Notwithstanding forasmuche as he putteth not monethes yeares nor ages but dayes he prophecieth that the euilles shall not be continuall but that there shall always be spaces be twirte to breathe in verely for the shortnes of persecution firste Esay the .26 Chapter Secondly S. Peter in the first Petri. 1. Do comforte the faithfull It is the parte of the faithfull not to prescribe God But whether we be put to payne a long tyme or shorte to take it patieÌ„tly Let vs thinke rather that in the long continuaunce of euilles there is some ende also forsene of the Lorde And that in the same tyme of breathing we muste repare the euylles and retourne vnto battell Laste Promesse of lyfe are the Godly incouraged by a moste ample and large promyse in the whiche is also included the fourth and moste greuouse kind of affliction also the bitter death it selfe through fyre halter sword water c. But in case thou be not affraide of death but vanquishing it also shall offer vp thy selfe vnto God than wil I geue thee saith the Lord a crown of life Hereunto is annexed the state of the Epistle and some of all Therfore be thou faithfull cherefull constant euen to the very death For the Lorde saith also in the Gospel Who so perseuereth to the end he shal be saued And we reade that the Apostel hath sayd if we die with Christ we shal liue with hym And truely the crowne of lyfe is none other thynge than eternall lyfe and that euerlasting celestiall and vnspeakeable ioye And the Lorde alluded to conflictes after the whiche luckely finished the victours are crowned Blessed is the man sayth the Apostle S. Iames that suffereth temptation because that when he shall be tried he shall receyue a crowne of lyfe whiche the Lorde hath promysed to those of whome he is loued Lyke thynges hath the Apostle S. Paul wrytten also in the first to the Corinthians the .ix. and in the seconde to Timothee the .iiii. Chapter Therfore let it be harde hereafter for no man to lose this temporal life Wherâ— as the same being lost for Christ we shall receiue eternall life and
thintent it might by litle litle vanish away They that meddle with Iezabel shal be afflicted Secondly he threatneth great affliction to such as haue to do with Iezabel that is to say to such as cleaue vnto false doctrine receiue errours delight in heresies and go about to set forth the same To these I say he threateneth most greuous afflictioÌ„s to witte of body and soul of this present and of the life to come He semeth to haue said somwhat more than if he had recited certen kindes of punishment The children of Iezabel shal be slayne Finally he menaceth death to the children borne of this copulation and fornicatioÌ„ to witte whore sonnes bastardes And those are chiefly the childreÌ„ of heretickes which stire vp a freshe and restore newly again heresies already condeÌ„ned meakened and wearing away These the Lord distroied with temporal and eternal death And the ecclesiasticall story doth testifie that the Lord hath in dede punished most greuously not only the heresie of the CataphrigiaÌ„s but al heresies in general And certen thinges coÌ„cerning the CataphrygiaÌ„s or MoÌ„tanistes are touched of Euseb lib. 1. of the cl story Cap. 16. The destruction of Achab and Iezabel with al their posteritie The Lorde semeth here to me to haue alluded to the olde story of Iezabel Achab for them as it were cast in a bed froÌ„ day to day euer since they began to worship Baal he vexed with sicknes and brought them lowe And the people that receiued the religion of Baal be put to much sorow euils and afflictions Finally their children he brought to a shamefull death Their partakers also were slaine that would haue had Baal his religion safe and sounde and euen to haue bene restored again For after the death of Achab his father not many daies after Ochosias the sonne of Achab and Iezabel bruised with an vnhappy fall and cast in bed died .iiii. Reg. Cap. 1. And Ioram an other sonne of Achab and Iezabel stricken through with an arrowe of Iehu was slaine Athalia the daughter of Achab and Iezabel the wife of Ioram kyng of Iuda the sonne of Iosaphat being diuided with that sweard of Ioiadas fell down before the gates of the temple And Ochosias king of Iuda the sonne of Athalia and Ioram was slaine also by the power of Iehu And after were put to death by the same Iehu the .lxx. sonnes of Achab And all the pristes of Baal are slaine together in the temple and before the Aultar of Baal and not one of so great a nombre escaped Yea the temple the idol and the seruice of Baal were quite and cleane ouerthrowen This olde maruelouse and wonderfull history the Lord calleth to memory signifiyng that he lyueth yet a reuenger and a punisher Who will neither ouerpasse the iust limite nor touche the same out of time For he addeth and all congregations shal know c. Notwithstanding this thing is notable and moste worthy to bee remembred and no lesse full of comforte Hope is seâ— open for the penitent that in this rehersall of punishementes he putteth in as it were in the middes a mention of repentaunce as though he should say let no man thinke him selfe that he must be distroyed and perishe through a certen fatall necessitie For if any wil repent the gates of the grace of God are set open his synnes shal be forgeuen and he shal be taken in to fauour and shall be deliuered from all those euilles And after this sorte haue taught also the Prophetes Ieremy in the .xviii. Chapter and Ezech. in the .xviii. Chapter But where as the punishement is not by and by executed vpon the impenitent persones you shall haue them that wyll exclame that God is a slepe that he seeth or heareth nothyng Therfore the Lorde hym selfe aunswereth them and sayth And all congregations shall knowe c. The Lord declareth that he is reueÌ„ger of the churche When I shall doubtles at the laste execute my vengeaunce in dewe season For then shall all men learne that I neyther slepe nor neglecte my seruauntes at any tyme or wyll suffer those that deserue euyll of me and of my Churche to escape vnpunyshed Furthermore Christe testifieth that he searcheth the â—eynes and heartes of all men And he meaneth that he knoweth all thoughtes and deuises of the harte finally the appetite it selfe and all the desires of man so that he can iudge truly therof for nothing be it neuer so secret is hidde from Christ Christ is God Therfore is he very God For it is the propertie of God belongeth to him alone to know the hartes of tho children of men As Salomon testifieth in the iii. boke of kinges Chap. viii Christ therfore seeth the priuie filthie workes both of the Nicolaitans and all other beastly men Whiche S. Paul saith are vnworthy to come to light or to be expressely declared to men Ephes v. Christ geueth to euery man after his workes Nother doth Christ know only all the thoughtes of men whatsoeuer they be but geueth moreouer to euery man after his owne workes And so the Apostle S. Paul teacheth saying The iust iudgement of God shall be opened whiche wyll rewarde euery man according to his dedes that is to saie Prayse honor and immortalitie to them whiche continue in well doing and seke eternall life But vnto them that are rebelliouse and disobey the truth and followe iniquitie shall come indignation wrath tribulatioÌ„ and angwish c. In the .ii. to the Roma For workes be the touchstones of faith and infidelitie And workes whether they be good or euyll be iudged of God and the Godly men according as they procede of faith or of infidelitie Therfore what so euer any of vs shall sowe the same shall he reape also For God is the moste iust rewarder of good and reuenger of euill The same sentence as it is moste true so is it the foundation of the true and Godly Religion Glory be to God ¶ That the doctrine of pitie is so fully sâ—â— forth to the churche that there nedeth no newe Reuelations And of the moste large promesses of Christ made vnto the churche The .xiiij. Sermon ANd to you I say and to others that be of Thiatira Who so euer haue not this doctrine and whiche haue not knowen the depenes of Sathan as they say I will put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue already Holde fast till I come And whosoeuer ouercometh and kepeth my workes vnto the ende to him wil I geue power ouer nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron And as the vessels of a potter shall he breake theÌ„ to sheuers Euen as I receiued of my father so wyll I geue hym the morning starre Let hym that hath eares heare what the spirite saieth to the congregations He speaketh here now to the Cataphrygians The great mercy of God and also to the faithfull of the churche
kinges But of these celestial seates we must conceaue greater diuine and spiritual matters They sitte in thē not for that they doe nothing els but sitte on a cusshion but they raygne triumphe rest liue and haue fruitiō of the comforte ioye and glory euerlasting This I saye is the maner of the soules and spirites to sitte He addeth moreouer howe to those soules was geuen iudgement verely for that they ar exempted from iudgement and come not into iudgement euen as our sauiour sayeth but haue passed frō death to life It is also declared in an other place in what sense the saincts are sayed to sitte vpon the seates and iudge the world where it is manifeste in dede that all the iudgement of God is geuē to the sonne It is euident therfore by this vnfallible place of scripture that the soules of saincts slepe not after the death of the body vntill the laste iudgement but to liue in Heauen with Christe But at the iudgemente they shall retourne to their bodies reysed agayne and together with their bodies shal be receyued into blessed seates And this is the state of the faythfull From this hope lette vs neuer suffer ourselues to be withdrawen In my Decades I haue discoursed more at large of the soules separated from their bodies and haue shewed that they do not slepe A towle errour of Iohn the 22. pope And here I can not refrayne but must nedes set forth and recite that whiche D. Iohn Funceius a learned man dilligent and one that hath red much sheweth in the .10 booke of his Chronologie vnder the yere of our Lord .1332 in these wordes aboute this time the moste holy father Pope Iohn the .22 of that name felle into this heresie which also he professed opēly and taught that the soules sawe not God before the laste daye For so had his father taught him deceaued by the visions of Tantalus which were cōmonly caried abroade in writyng And Pope Iohn sent two preachers to Paris to witte a couple of Freres one of the order of preachers an other Minorite whiche might professe his errour there But one Thomas a preacher of Englande resisted the Pope stoutely whome the Pope committed to pryson And the Kinge of Fraūce called a Synode in his palace in the foreste Vitinian where all that were assembled subscribed agaynst the Pope Than the kinge sent Ambassadours to the Pope exhortyng him to recante his errour and that he would deliuer Thomas out of prison Which inlarged the prisonier and also as it is sayde following the admonitiōs of his frendes at the houre of death repented So much Funccius It is a shame therefore for some which at this day in so great light of the gospel dare renewe that moste folishe errour affirmyng that soules separated from their bodies lie snoring I know not in what dormitorie or dortour nother to fele any thing till at the daye of Iudgement they be ioyned agayne to their bodies and rife agayne The remnaunt of the dead liued not againe S. Iohn addeth and the remnaunt of the dead liued not agayne til the thousande yeres were accomplished Not that they liued afterwarde but that they reuiued neuer at all As the Scripture speaketh in an other place Michol Dauid his wise remayned barren vntill the daye of her death not that she had childe after her death But whom doeth he meane by the rēnaunt of the dead surely all we that descende of Adam are dead As S. Paul right wel declareth in the .5 chapt to the Romanes But we haue hearde how some through faith haue receyued Christe and so beyng quickened haue shed their bloud for Christ and would not worshippe the beast nor his Image Now is added to this membre but the remnaunt of the dead whiche are nother regenerated through fayth nor would bestowe their life for Christe but had rather worship the beast and his Image these I saye for their vnbeliefe liued not For without faith there is no trewe life in this worlde A double life double death We speake nothing here of the vital or naturall life And we saye that life is double or of two sortes to witte the one spiritual which is of faith and of the sprete of God and of Christ whiche is by fayth receyued and liueth in the hartes of his and his life in him For the Lorde him selfe sayeth he that eateth me he shal liue also for me Thother life is euerlasting to witte of an other world in the whiche we shal see God as he is and shall be as he is liuyng in God and with God for euermore Cōtrariwise death is of two sortes spiritual wherby wauntyng Christe and his sprete and voide of fayth we liue in sinne The Apostle speakyng of this death sayeth that a widdowe liuyng wauntonly beyng a liue is dead And the Lord also to the disciple that wold retourne home and burie his parētes sayeth suffer the dead to burie their dead There is also a death euerlastyng that is euerlastyng wretchednes and miserie whiche followeth the spiritual Yet see what we haue sayde of double death in the .3 chapt of this boke in expoundyng the Epistle to them of Sardis Wherefore S. Iohn here signifieth that there shall be many in these thousande yeres which shuld not receyue the gospel with a liuely faith and therfore should remayne in death as the Lorde sayde in the .8 of Iohn Therfore they erre shamefully which suppose that al nations in the whole vniuersal world shal come ones to an vnitie of fayth and most assured peace in this life And S. Iohn himself agayne expoundyng himself sayeth This is that firste resurrection Whiche I praye you by the which menne receyue Christ by the true fayth Of the firste resurrectiō and the seconde and rise from sinne in the newnes of life Of this thapostle speaketh muche in the .6 to the Romanes The same to the Ephes out of Esaye awake sayeth he that slepeth and rise from the dead christ shal shine vnto thee Therfore be they not pertakers of the first resurrection so many as nother acknowledge their sinnes nor be regenerated nother are quickened by fayth in Christ nor rise againe with Christ in the newnes of life The seconde resurrection is that vniuersall resurrection of al flesh wherein shall all menne arrise in dede but with vnlike state for the faithfull rise vnto life euerlastyng the vnfaythfull to death euerlastyng Whiche the Lord him selfe also hath repeted out of the .12 chapt of Daniel in Iohn the .5 chapt Theffecte of the first resurrectiō And he sheweth by occasion and after an Apostolicke maner a threfolde fruicte or effecte of the first resurrection First sayeth he blessed and holy is he which is pertaker of the first resurrection He is bleste sayeth he happy and heyre of celestiall and eternall life Holy that is to saye purified sanctified and iustified For fayth in Christe doeth sanctifie and make blessed Than in such as be thus sanctified the seconde death hath no place nor power And the firste death is the death of sinne therefore is the seconde death eternall damnation See what I haue spoken hereof before in the .2 chapt of this boke in the Epistle to the church of Smyrna Finally the faythfull are made the priestes of God and of Christ the electe I meane segregated notable excellent bothe of God and Christ moste derely beloued which in eternall life might
the Trone speaketh and testifieth saying beholde I make al thinges newe God is true and in him is no leasyng And seyng he testifieth so playnely that life euerlasting shal be and we see him declare it also of what sorte it shal be no place for doubtefulnes hereafter is relinquisshed And the thinges that he hath shewed and declared of the happie life he coÌ„maundeth immediately to wryte Thinges are written for a perpetuall memorial of the thing which we knowe to be true and substantial For wrytinges or testimonialles whiche are written or made and sealed by the lawe of nations and common custome of men haue the force of an vndoubted testimony But such letters or testimonialles are made and sealed at the commaundement of God For God commaundeth S. Iohn to write those same which ar taught of the blessed life and therefore they be true vndoubted and infallible As he himself immediately annexeth and saieth for these wordes are faythful true stable I saye immutable what can be spoken more euident than these here is also the authoritie of holy Scripture establisshed But he addeth an other thing almost more vehement and he sayde vnto me it is done By the which maner of speaking is signified eyther that the ende is commen and all thinges accomplisshed like as it is vsed in the .16 chap. or els that the thing which is spoken and beleued to come to be so certaine as though it were done already We Germanes so ofte as we will signifie that the thing whiche we haue pourposed or promised and sayde to be sure we are wonte to saye Es ist gemacht it is done Let vs therefore beleue assuredly these and all Gods wordes Moreouer let vs geue our lorde God moste hartie thankes which with so great faith and dilligence susteyneth confirmeth our hope and hath commaunded these misteries of our saluation to be put in writyng and publisshed to the whole world in all ages To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ It is furthermore declared that the hope of the euerlastyng and blessed felicitie and glory to be certayne and vndoubted The .xcij. Sermon I Am Alpha and Omega the beginnyng and the ende I wil geue to him that is a thirste of the wel of the water of life freely He that ouercommeth shall inherite all thinges I will be his God and he shal be my sunne But the feareful and vnbeleuing and the abominable and murtherers whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and liars shall haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Vnto all the former commeth nowe the sixte testimony of the certentie of the true felicitie of the faythfull God is beginnyng ende taken of the very nature of God For he pronouÌ„ceth of himself and sayeth I am α and ω And immediately by exposition the beginnyng and ende This he toke out of Esaye with whoÌ„ the lord sayeth oftener than ones I am firste and laste And here let no man imagine that God is firste in order referryng the beginnyng to the consequences as though he had a beginnyng or that he is called the laste or ende as though he shuld ones haue an ende but the contrary rather in this fourme of speakyng is to be vnderstand to witte that God hath no beginnyng no ende but to be euerlastyng of whom al thinges haue their beyng by whose decree al things haue an ende where he himself indureth for euer and his yeres neuer fade like as in an other place the prophet sayeth and the Apostle also And for asmuche as he is eternall without beginnyng and without ende which liueth alwayes and al thinges that liue he quickeneth and preserueth in life howe I praye you should not he quicken the faithfull So certayne therefore is the life saluation and felicitie of the faythfull as it is certaine that God is life and that in dede life euerlastyng For he is euerlastyng the life of the faithful Of the phrase of speach I am α and ω I haue spoken in the first chapt and third Concion or Sermon God hath promised euerlastiÌ„g saluation The seuenth testimony of our vndoubted saluation is taken of the veritie of God and his promesses hath a certen cosygnage with the former For that which God hath promised the same also caÌ„ he perfourme with no paine He hath promised a blessed life moste assuredly therefore will he perfourme the same to the faithful And he alledgeth the promise of God in dede at this present bringeth in God speakyng to Iohn and to vs also in these wordes to him that thirsteth I will geue of the wel of liuely water that is to saye I that am life and eternal and euen eternal life will geue the faithful to drynke the water of life that is to saye I will quicken him preserue him in life and deliuer him from death and al euils and wil rewarde him with al heauenly giftes Who can here doubte of the veritie of him that promiseth especially sins this place or this promise is red in mo places than one Dauid in the .36 Psalme singeth plaine thy mercy O lord reacheth vnto the very Heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the clowdes thy rightuousenes is like the strong mountaynes thy iudgementes are like the great deepe Thou lorde sauest both manne and beast How excellent is thy mercy O God And the children of menne shal put their truste vnder the shadowe of thy winges Thei shal be satisfied with the pleÌ„tuousnes of thy house and thou shalt geue them drynke out of the riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the wel of life and in thy light shal we see light Full many of these thinges are in the Prophetes and are expounded of our sauiour him selfe in the .4.6 and .7 chapter of S. Iohn Where he sheweth that he geueth water and holesome drynke to the faythfull whiche at the length shoulde sprynge vp into life euerlastynge Moste certayne it is therefore that the faythfull are quickened by Christe and therefore the blessed lyfe of the faithful is and shal be moste assured and certayne as promised by so many expresse promesses of God Of this water of life we had some things in the .7 chapt of this boke towarde the ende and shall haue certen playne matters in the beginnyng of the .22 chapt But in the meane while and by the waye How eâ—eâ—nall lâ—fe is coÌ„municated to vs. he sheweth and declareth vnto vs after the Apostolicke maner who willingly and ofte declare vnto vs the maner of our saluation howe eternall life is communicated to vs to witte free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely whiche notwithstandyng for the doubtefulnes of speach or vnderstandyng of wordes we expresse not properly the force of the greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are iustified sayeth the Apostle in the .3 to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely through his grace that is to saye by the mere mercy
of God by no merite of manne For the same Apostle in the same Epistle to the Rom. the .6 chapter The rewarde sayeth he of sinne is death and where on the contrary side he shoulde haue sette and the merite of rightuousenes eternal life for this membre he placeth rather and the gifte of God is life euerlastyng And addeth incontinently through Christ Iesus our Lorde Therefore S. Iohn sayeth rightly that eternall life happeneth to the faithfull frely that is by the very grace of God SaluatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to vs freely And of this vocable freely through the merite of Christ and by no deserte of man For if we coulde by our workes rightuousenes deserue eternall life than Christ had died in vaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for naught There was no cause why he shuld die seyng we might of our selues haue beÌ„ saued There is no effecte nor merite of Christes passion such effecte verely as it is in very dede that by the bloud of Christ alone we be purified For if there were or had ben an other meane of saluatioÌ„ Christ neded not to haue ben incarnated haue suffered And that this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought after this waye and maner to be expouÌ„ded many other places of Scripture proue In the .10 of Matth. the lord saieth frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue you receiued freely geue The lord wil not haue his Apostles to receiue any recoÌ„pence for the gifte of healing But speaking of the ministerie he sayeth the workeman is worthie his hire In the .15 of Iohn the lord sayeth they haue hated me without cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtles without my desert or vndeserued of my parte In the .2 Corint 11. thapostle saieth that he preached the gospel to the CorinthiaÌ„s frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he toke no rewarde or recoÌ„peÌ„ce therfore And in the .2 to the Thessal the .3 chapt nother haue I taken sayeth he bread of any man for naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be shorte where S. Iohn sayeth that life is geuen to the faithfull free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he claymeth al things of our saluation to the grace of God and merite of Christes passion and plucketh it from mans merittes And the same affirmeth Esaye also in the .55 chapt rebukyng folish menne spending their monie aboute thinges of naught Here ought therefore to cease the faires of indulgences and pardons and holy thinges in the church Let the Pelagians kepe silence Whâ—t is required of them that be iustified frely Howbeit leest any by the free preachyng of the grace and merite of Christ agaynste the deserte of man should gather that the blessed life chauÌ„ceth to Idle folkes slepers and ceasing froÌ„ all good workes and that God alone worketh and we worke nothing but only to suffer the operation of God in vs and for the same cause nothing to be required of vs he preuenteth and first the lord sayeth that he will geue to them that are a thirste to drinke of the water of life There is required of vs therfore fayth and a ferueÌ„t desire of godly thinges not that faith is oures but is geuen of God For by thirste to signifie the faythful desire of a godly maÌ„ the Lord himselfe is authour in the .5 of Matthewe pronouncyng them blessed which honger and thirste for rightuousenes And also in the 6. of Iohn the Lorde him selfe vnderstandeth by drinkyng to beleue Faith therfore is required of vs that is that we shuld thirste for the water of life The which self thing also the lord graunteth by his spirite and word as els where we haue declared And he sayeth howe he that is freely iustified must fight also nor fight only but must ouercome Therfore the dueties of charitie be required wherof is spokeÌ„ in the .2 and .3 chapt of this boke Wherein is most frequent mentioÌ„ made of this fight and victorie And God will than acknoweledge such as labour thus valeauntly for his childreÌ„ to them will he shewe him selfe a father and take them for the heyres of all their fathers possessions They are bastardely childreÌ„ which beyng idle bragge of faith prayse God with their mouth wordes and deme him with their dedes Ye see therefore that bothe muste be preached in the church that we be iustified and beautified frely so beyng iustified must worke good workes wherunto notwithstandyng as to their merites they ascribe not saluation but to the mere grace of God through Christ WhereupoÌ„ consequently and on the contrary parte he reciteth who be excluded from the felowshippe of the blessed life and of the blessed compilyng a register of sinnes and of wicked men such as he hath compiled also about the ende of the .9.21 and .22 chapt And such as the Apostle hath in a maner recited to the Corinthians And we suppose that in S. Iohn his time these sinnes were moste common nor sufficiently knowen Who are excluded froÌ„ the true felicitie as apperteyned Many also at this daye iudge more lightly therof than trewe godlines permitteth And we doubte not but that in this register whiche in eight kindes or membres is comprised are conteined al other like sinnes and wickednesses But we vnderstande that helle fire is assuredly dewe vnto them for their sinnes committed whiche nother haue any faith at all nother can by any meanes be perswaded to repente and tourne vnto God For in the firste Epistle to the Corinth the 6. chapt Ye were sayeth he suche but ye are purged by the bloud of Christe and with the sprete of our God Therefore yf we haue ben suche at any tyme lette vs repente or in case we be fallen into these sinnes agayne lette vs rise vp and tourne to the Lord which calleth vnto him sinners and promiseth pardone and grace But wo be to the vncurable walkyng alwayes and without repentaunce in the waye of iniquitie And we shal touche seuerally eight partes of this register Fearefull Firste are placed the fearefull But the Lorde him selfe was affrayde and euen quaked for feare of death the Sainctes of God haue feared also and often fled for feare yet are they not for this cause condemned in the Scriptures Therefore an other feare is ment to witte that same immoderate feare by the which compelled we do for feare of menne that thing whiche God hath prohibited and we our selues conuicte in our owne consciences vnderstaÌ„de that we sinne in so doyng or what time through carnall feare we leaue vndone that thing whiche God hath commaunded vs briefely when we more feare men as princes or leagefellowes or enemies or any other men what so euer they be than our lord God him self And therfore the Lord himselfe in the gospel sayde feare ye not them which kille the body and can not kill the soule c. Matth. 10. The same in an other place sayeth he that denieth me before that aduouterouse generation I will denie him also before my father in heauen
otherwyse will we nyll we must die Let vs therfore bâ— content rather to die blessedly than to lyue miserably so thâ— we see we may so please God Finally lyke as in the ende of the first Epistle he commâ—nicated and applied the same wholy to all tymes and chuâ—ches All these thinges apperteine to al churches least any should suppose that these thinges concerneâ— him nothing So in the end of this Epistle also he both preâ—cheth the spirite to be authour of al these thinges and exhoâ—teth all men to heare and obey dilligently and affirmeth thiâ— to be wrytten vnto all congregations in the world for edifying Moreouer the promesse of lyfe he communicateth to 〈◊〉 saying He that ouercometh shall not be hurte of the second death This is spoken to all men women if thou ouercomâ— Therfore must we ouercome the world the Deuil the fleshâ— and all temptation And we must ouercome by him which faith by his spirite dwelling in vs And that we shold walâ— that way wherin he hath commauÌ„ded vs to walke If thoâ— ouercome The first secoÌ„d death thou shalt not be hurt in the second death Thâ—mas of Aquine saith That the first death is of sinne the secoÌ„â— of paine We vnderstand plainly by the first death the naâ—â—rall separation of the soule from the body whiche also coâ—meth to vs for sinne as appeareth in the .iii. of Genesis Thâ— same is comen to good and euyl For we be all earth and 〈◊〉 to earth we shall retourne And by and by followeth the â—â—cond death and the second lyfe They that beleue in Christ ouercome fele nothyng of the second death but lyue as tâ—â— Lorde hym selfe assureth vs in the .iii. and .v. Chapter of Iohâ— He shall not come into iudgement but hath passed froÌ„ deaâ—â— to lyfe But the wicked or vnbeleuers are conueyed streâ— wayes from the corporall death to death euerlasting Nâ—â— that their soules can die that is cease to be or that their bodâ— ryse not agayne But that being depriued of that celestâ— and diuine life of Christ they fele euerlasting tourmentâ— whiche state verely is ryghtly called death These thyng are vnknowen to worldly men which know no other life death but this temporal But Gods veritie teacheth vs thâ—ther is both an other life and death after this to witte the 〈◊〉 celestiall and death infernall or full of perpetuall sorrowes That same doubtles is full of consolation that we heare how the faithfull after the debt of this temporall lyfe payed once they shall no more fele any tourmentes What than doe the Monkes and freres prate of purgatory bables c. Let vs prayse our sauiour Christe whiche hath deliuered vs from death and geuen vs the hope of lyfe euerlasting to whome be glory prayse c. ¶ The first part of the third Epistle of the cuÌ„stancie and coÌ„fession of Christ in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ The .x. Sermon ANd to the messenger of the Congregation in Pergamos wryte This sayth he whiche hath the sharpe sworde with two edges I knowe thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not denied my faith And that in the daies in the which Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche was slayne among you where Sathan dwelleth The third Epistle amongest those seuen celestiall proceding from the right hand of God The argument of the Epistle is wrytten to the Pastour and congregation of Pergamos Wherof the argument is thus First he commendeth the constancie of their faithe in cruel persecutions By and by he rebuketh those which cleaâ—ed to the secte of the Nicolaitans After he exhorteth them â—o repentaunce And this doctrine he applieth afterwards to all congregations throughout the worlde Last he promyâ—eth moste ample rewardes to the faithfull the church of Pergamos a tâ—pe Hereof we vnâ—erstande that the congregation of Pergamos is set forth â—s a type or a glasse to all churches howe it behoueth them 〈◊〉 walke before the Lorde Firste so ofte as persecution shall arise Secondly when heresies breake out For by the example therof he teacheth all to suffer aduersitie paciently and opeÌ„ly to professe the true faith And also by the scripturâ— to reproue heresies in flying from them to dispise the same Thinges common to al these seueÌ„ epistles Howbeit all the Epistles in maner haue certen thinges coÌ„mon And that especially three For it expressed plainly tâ— whome the Epistle is sent as in this present to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Pergamos to witte vnto the Pâ—stour whosoeuer he was perauenture Antipas and to the whole congregation as is sayd before It is shewed moreouer Of the authoritie of holy scripture who he is that speaketh here or who is the authour 〈◊〉 this Epistle Euen the Lord him selfe Which getteth authoritie to the writing For it is not thus to be thought that thâ— worde of God is not as it is spoken because it is wrytten 〈◊〉 man indited of man or written with inke either in paperâ— parchemyn For these make no more that the word of Goâ— should not be the worde of God than that water should nâ— be water if it runne out of a conduite of wood lead brasseâ— stone For water euermore remayneth water The diuersioâ— of the Conduite pypes maketh it not that it shoulde beeâ— water as his substaunce is in dede So sayth S. Paul thâ— he verely is bounden but the worde of God is not bound A man may be stoned hanged or burnt beyng a preacherâ— Gods worde The worde of God that was put in the moâ—â— of the Preacher is not burnt God knoweth al thinges The Lorde putteth it in tâ— mouth of an other that the veritie shuld not be extinguishâ— but continually might sounde in the churche Finally 〈◊〉 without cause in the beginning of euery Epistle Christ doâ— intimate that he knoweth all thinges of the churche I saâ— before that this is as it were the foundation of the feare 〈◊〉 God and of his true seruice For imagin a man that is pâ—â—swaded with him selfe that God neither seeth what men 〈◊〉 nor knoweth what they thinke in their hartes Shal not tâ— man thinke you fall into all vngodlines He will crye letâ— do what we liste synce God knoweth not what we doe â—gaiâ—e who wyll not cast of the hope of rewarde and thâ—sâ— of good workes after he be once perswaded that God kâ—â—weth not our workes But if he knewe them not howe 〈◊〉 he iudge the worlde Neuerthelesse in euery epistle be certen especial and peculiar thinges Of the which sorte in the epistle of Pergamos is Out of Christ his mouthe a two edged sworde that out of the first vision and description of Christ in the beginning of the epistle he taketh to him the swearde and that sharpe and two edged whiche we heard to come out of the mouthe of Christ By this is signified the iudiciall powerful of equitie and iustice and also
lyuing for euermore as he that is life of himselfe and geueth life vnto all This creation verely and viuification is not communicated to others As also he alone knoweth the harts of meÌ„ that hereof we may learne to sweare by the name of God alone not to adde to him any creatures which know not the heartes neither are lyfe of themselues but are lesse than he adde also lesse than men as they that are made for men Next after God there is nothing greater than man Therfore let not maÌ„ sweare by any other thaÌ„ by God For al the geÌ„tiles sweare by a greater yf thou swearest by the sainctes or by the Gods thou shalt sweare by men egal verely and not greatter God alone is greatest and best Therfore must we sweare by the name of God alone lyke as the scripture teacheth elsewhere in the .6 and .10 of Deuter. 23. of Exod. 23. of Iosue 4. and .5 of Ieremy .45.65 of Esay and else where But seyng that is in dede God himselfe howe sweareth he sayest thou by him that lyueth for euermore that is by god he sweare doubtles by him self as in many other places of the scripture Or els he sware after the dispensation and assumptioÌ„ of the humane nature after the which he sayed my father is greater than I which notwithstanding in his deitie was neuerthelesse coequall with the father And the same that I now rehersed A faithfull doctrine of taking othes is the most simple and most trewe doctrine of othes and fourme of swearyng And yet ther be some which vnderstaÌ„d that doctrine wel enough but neuerthelesse for the fauour of men would sweare gladly by Sainctes and therfore demaunde whether thei may not ioyne Sainctes to god especially in this sense vnlesse I perfourme this I wil not be accoÌ„pted in the nombre of sainctes I aunswer that they maye not aswel for that we haue no expresse maner of swearing which obediently to the honour of God we ought simply to follow also for that they which require and prescribe this fourme would haue vs to sweare by the names of Sainctes in heaueÌ„ and so to acknowledge that we are holpen and punnished by their vertue and power Which if ye do and acknowledge ther is no doubt but thou doeste greuousely transgresse thy sincere religion Certes if thou confesse God here before men he will also confesse thee before his father and his Angels yf thou deny him he will also deny the. c. An othe is as it were thy confession wherby thou confessest whome thou doest acknowledge and beleue to be thy chiefe filicitie the reueÌ„ger also of euil rewarder of good Yf thou shalt therfore ioyne Sainctes vnto god himselfe and match them together and say so help me God and his Sainctes These so coupled with God thou shalte graunt to be thy Gods which can both helpe and hurt the. Therfore take hede what thou doest Reade S. Austen in the 145. Epistle to Publicola What Christ did sweare Howbeit we must see moreouer what the Angel sware by this custome and solemne woordes For in this one thynge consisteth the whole somme of the matter The Angell in the 12. chap. of Daniel ded sweare Because for a time times and halfe a tyme and in the wyndinge vp to scatter the hand of the holy people all these thinges shall be fully done So this our Aungell here sweareth that there shall be no more time but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shal begynne to blowe his trompe that the misterie of God shal be fulfilled but here let no man vnderstand that all time vtterly and that euerlastinâ—nes it selfe should be abolished and that there should be nothing more after the iudgement but there shall not be alwaâ—es suche a time as nowe is and suche as the wicked inioye in this worlde supposing that the courses of times shal be alwayes that the worlde shal continewe alwayes that they shal alwayes flourishe in honours and pleasures oppressyng the Godly This shall not be sayeth he nother shall there be any more suche a time that shall perishe and be subiecte to chaungeable courses For aboute the laste iudgement shall perisshe or be renewed all these thinges that shall perishe and lyfe and glory euerlastyng shal succede I meane the time of eternitie with al ioye moste replenisshed Therefore sayeth he not simplely that there shal be no more time but addeth in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Aungell that is to witte at the laste iudgement that the misterie of God should be made consummate perfit and fully complete What this secret The mistery of God what it is or misterie of God is the Apostle expoundeth and sayeth 1. Corinth 15. Beholde I tell you a misterie we shall not all slepe and the residewe whiche are red there the misterie of God therefore is nothyng els than that the ende of all corruptible thynges is at hande and the happie and euerlastyng worlde shal succede for that Christ shall than come to iudgement that Antichrist by him shal be abolisshed that he with the whole body of the wicked shal be distroyed the dead reysed vp agayne the wicked to euerlasting perdition the godly to eternal life for that death sinne and al corruption must be taken awaye from the godly and be troden vnder fote and al miserie imposed to the wicked that they may be tourmeÌ„ted world without ende And for asmuch as many times menne doubte thereof as I haue sayed nowe ofte Christe hath sworne that all these thinges shall assuredly come to passe and that the godly shal be consummated with al glory and that the wicked shall be consummate with all kynde of tourmentes And this is that great misterie of God for the whiche the very Sonne of God beynge incarnate dead and reysed agayne from the dead ascended into Heauen that he might conuaye vs thither to him hauyng subdewed Hell Sathan Antichrist and all vngodlynes Therefore as in the. 6. chapter was sayed to the Martirs that they should reste for a little season till the nombre of chosen be fulfilled so here we heare also that the misâ—erie of God shall at length be fulfilled c. The whiche is spoken to this ende also that the godly shoulde be of quiet mindes and patiently abyde deliueraunce Yf therefore this consumation be differred lette vs abyde patieÌ„tly and constantly confirmed in Christ and his Euangelicall veritie as also the Apostle of Christe S. Paule hath taught vs out of the Prophetes in the .10 chapt to the Hebrewes Moreouer for a further declaration is added The prophets also haue shewed this misterie as God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hath euangelized with a good and a lucky message hath preached to wit by the seruauÌ„ts his prophetes touchyng the ende of the world the last iudgement of the euerlasting punnishment of Antichrist and al wicked of the glorifiyng of the godly c. Nother sayed he
which in the Gospel sayeth I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome whiche al your aduersaries shal not be able to gaine saye Moreouer my heaueÌ„ly father will geue his holy spirite to suche as desire of him Therfore sayeth the Aungel nowe take the boke Neuerthelesse he putteth here an other commauÌ„dement eate it He alludeth to the .2 and .3 A feruentnes dilligence of the ministers is required chapt of Ezechiel Where the prophet is likewise commauÌ„ded of God to eate a boke offered vnto him For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge S. Ambrose to eate a boke sayeth he is to laye vp the vnderstanding of the scriptures in the secret bowelles or entrailles He semeth by a trope both to intimate an ernest desire and beate in a singular diligence For we deuoure with a gredy desire suche thinges as we haue long and much coueted to eate They are sayed also to haue deuoured bokes and authours which thei haue perfitly learned and can We saye in dutche Er hat den Galen oder Prisciane gar fressen that is to saye he hath learned him perfitly It is required therfore of the preachers that thei learne the holy scriptures with a desire and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely Without a desire and seruentenes of minde thou shalt profit little in the study of holy Scriptures and vnlesse ye learne the Gospell exactely vnprofitably shalt thou preache the same The ministers therfore maye be asshamed of theyr ignoraunce which are more geuen to Idlenes Tauernes huÌ„ting dising and other worse thinges than to the study of holy Scriptures They beyng farre vnlike the apostle S. Iohn shal in this warfare against Antichrist winne smal renowne vnlesse they doe awake out of theyr prophane slepe and cherely do their dewty without doubt most holy The effecte of Gods word swete better Nother is here dissembled so much as the effecte of the ministerie and worde preached It is swete in the mouth as hony For Dauid hath songe also the iudgementes of the lord are to be desired aboue much Golde and preciouse stones and sweter than hony or hony combes This swetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne and the faithful lighted with the trueth hath alwayes continuall Ioye but yet muste we not conceale what it semeth to the flesshe and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne It maketh verely the â—ealy vitter whiche is also a phrase of speache vnto which oures aunswereth signifiyng that the same whiche is propounded vnto vs is both payneful and greuouse The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the flesshe trauelles paynefulnes the crosse and aduersities innumerable whiche with a strong and constaunt patience we must ouercome For the Lord in the Gospell preached repentaunce or mortification and emonges other thinges made very much mention of persecutions wherwith his should be alwayes exercised Primasius when thou shalte haue deuoured the booke sayeth he thou shalt in dede be delighted with the swetenes of the worde diuine and with hope of saluatioÌ„ promised and pleasaunt tasie of Gods rightuousnes but doubtles thou shalt fele a bitternes when thou shalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce some beyng coÌ„uerted to better are chaunged and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers The wiseman sayeth thou shal rebuke a wise maÌ„ and he wil loue thee reproue a foole he will hate thee therfore and so forth Nother are these thinges saied only Paynefulnes is felt but also are done and felte for S. Iohn and when I had deuoured it sayeth he my bealy was made bitter And we fele at this daye the most greuouse hatred of mightie menne to witte of spirituall fathers and temporall Princes Many are driuen into exile innumerable are shutte vp in prisones an infinite multitude are slayne with sondry kindes of deathes All these thinges did the Prophetes prophecie should come to passe our sauiour him self in the Gospel gaue vs warnyng therof the lord here telleth vs againe the same tale Therfore let vs be strong and counstaunt in the Lord and fight agaynst Antichrist vnto the ende of our life The Lorde will not forsake vs whiche leeste we should be vanquished of those aduersities tolde vs of them dilligently before And thus muste they be instructed which shal warre against Antichrist before the last iudgement Thexposition of the vision Laste as I sayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon is set a briefe expositioÌ„ of the visioÌ„ For the Angel saieth vnto Iohn thou must prophecie agayne to the Heythen c. By this visioÌ„ sayeth he I wold declare nothing els but that thou must preach againe to the world first by thy self in Asia after thou shalt retourne from exile secondly by faithfull ministers eueÌ„ to the worldes ende which shal spreade abroade this doctrine now set forth by thee with sondry tongues through natioÌ„s and therwith shal beate downe Antichrist To prophecie And suche as are accustomed to reade the scriptures know that to prophecie is takeÌ„ for to preach For prophecie is preachyng they were in times past called prophetes which at this daye be preachers as we maye gather of the .1 Corinth 11. and .14 chapter And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue Aethiopian Aegiptian Germane Spanish French English Italian to be short in a maner into al laÌ„gages in al these preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful ministers The gentiles be they neuer so barbarouse rude heare S. Iohn teachyng and so do the people of many nations Al these receyue not a little comforte in these most dauÌ„gerouse dayes of Antichrist and haue receyued of them also before this time which long sins renewed the apostolical doctrine against Antichrist The same doctrine is brought at this daye and was brought in times past also vnto kinges and Popes though they kicked and spurned agaynst it The thing I speake is not doubtful For we bothe heare and see these thinges euen at this daye Histories also reporte many thinges herof Lande and glory be to God Some copies in the latin are corrupt which haue Igitur for Iterum For S. Iohn sayed thou muste prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Iterum again not Igitur For he signifieth that he beyng dead also must preache to many nations in sondry tongues by faythfull ministers that shall fighte against Antichrist The Lorde assiste with his spirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apostolicall doctrine Amen ¶ S. Iohn measureth the temple and sheweth that God hath a care of it and the quire he excommunicateth The .xlvi. Sermon ANd there was geuen me a reede like vnto a rodde The 11. chapter it was sayed vnto me rise and mete the Temple of God and the Aultar and them that worshippe therin and the quire
is in you thā he is that is in the worlde And this is the victory that ouercame the world euen your fayth And by the waye he expoundeth The nature of the deuil is figured by certen wordes what we shoulde vnderstande by the dragon of whō he hath spoken hitherto to wit the olde enemie of man kinde He setteth him foorth with his titles attributinge to him foure names that hereby also we may vnderstande his nature the better and maye beware of that wicked murtherer Firste he calleth him the olde Serpent For at the beginnyng by the Serpent he infected with the poyson of death and sinne our first Parentes and by thē the whole vniuersal world as is to be sene in the .3 of Genes and the .5 to the Romains Therfore I sayed in the beginning of this chapt that he is called a Dragon After he calleth him the Deuill that is to saye a sclaunderer or a false accuser For by and by it followeth which may expoūde this word for the accuser of our bretherne is caste out c. A goodly exāple of this thing is declared in the .1 and .2 chapt of Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to accuse or blame and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an accusation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crime or complaincte Thirdly he calleth him Sathanas in the Hebrewe word to witte an aduersarie for that he is in al things against god and obiecteth him selfe and resisteth men in holy matters yf happely he might hinder or corrupte them Laste he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seducer disceauer or he that supplāteth and betrayeth the whole world For this the Lord attributeth to him in the .8 of Iohn for that he hath ben a lier from the beginning and is the father that is the foūtaine and original of al liyng disceipte of errours and seducyng and of al euill For all errours and heresies al deceiptes and all leasinges finally all kinde of euils haue flowed out of this most filthy welspring And who is he that heareth these thinges which wil not abhorre that vile beast they must nedes be starke madde that seke by al meanes to be in fauour with that wicked spirite He should now here consequently annexe the residewe of this fight to witte how the Dragon persecuteth assaulteth the woman and she agayne by fliyng resisteth and ouercometh through Christ But he suspendeth the same narration yet a little while A songe of victory placeth now a songe of victory and triūphe of sainctes in heauen of the Angelles and blessed soules The some wherof is that Christ hath ouercomen that the faithful do ouercome in Christ and therfore muste heauens themselues and al that dwel therin reioyce and singe And I repete that these things are interlased in the daūgerous Antichristian and Romish sight for a cōsolation leest the saincts should in those great daungers by reason of their natural infirmitie be discouraged but callyng vpō the name of Christ should fight manfully when they vnderstande vnder whose banner they fight and with whome they fight verely wyth one ouercomen vnder Christes stādart And when we heare that the Dragons force is broken we shal thinke that the furies of eyther beast aswell the ten horned as the two horned are weakened in the faith of christ This geueth also no smal courage in this conflicte that we see that the Dragon hath no power ouer them that are sprinkled and purified with the bloud of Christ but ouer earthly and worldly men And this triumphe is heauenly For voices are hearde out of heauen singyng a mery note to the intent that the reioycing of the blessed spirites might haue more authoritie grace and efficacitie emonges the pore afflicted Thei al with one voice singe merely that saluatiō power is now made perfit for by the Lordes death and resurrectiō Perfit saluation by Christ God hath wrought power and made perfit the saluatiō promised to the fathers to witte whilest he trode downe the serpentes head abolisshed sinne death and restored life Thus is the kingedome of God in this worlde establisshed in the electe whilest euen by the power of Christ the Prince of this worlde is caste out and ouercome For the cause followeth wherfore we must so reioyce and what vertue and power of Christ hath shewed it selfe or howe saluation is made perfit because sayeth he through Christ the Deuill is cast downe that is to saye ouercome and vāquisshed that he can no more accuse mankinde before the iudgement seate of God Hereunto belongeth that S. Paule wrote Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the electe of God It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ whiche died yea whiche rose agayne which is also on the right hande of God which maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer the heauenly dwellers do not only preach the victory of Christ but of all the faythfull Christ hath made also the faithfull victours which they obteyne agaynst Sathan in the fayth of Iesu Christ that it maye herof at the leest appere what we should vnderstande before by Michael and by his Angelles And he beateth in dilligently that Christians ouercome not Sathan by their owne merites force or strēgth but by the merite and grace of Christe And they sayeth he to witte the Angelles of Michael ouercame the Dragon by the bloud of the Lambe For in asmuch as the faythful are purified by the bloud of Christe Sathan hath nothing against them but sins they haue the spirite and fayth of Christ they ouercome the Deuill also So in times paste the distroyer had no power ouer those houses whiche were marked with the bloud of the Lambe Exod. 12. And he addeth an other thinge for the which the faithful ouercame for the worde of the testimony of Christ which is the gospel Which because it is inuincible eternal they ouercome all thinges of this worlde who so euer abide in the liuely and eternal word of the veritie And euen in the gospel most trewe the lorde himselfe hath promised that he wil not forsake his and wil fight for thē Therfore must the faithful nedes ouercome To these thinges is added more the effecte of Christes purifiyng They loued not their life more than Christe and therfore haue thei geuen it for Christ vnto death and so haue ouercomen For many are vanquisshed by this one thing that they wil not hasarde their life for Christ For these great benefites of God they exhorte nowe heauens themselues and all the inhabiters of Heauen that is to saye they exhorte one an other to singe a ioyeful songe And that which the heauēly sainctes saye they do here they teach the sainctes in Earth to doe also and instructe of what maner and sorte they ought to be which shal ouercome Sathan in battaile to witte purified by the bloud of Christ cleauing to the testimonie of Iesu Christe and contemners of their own life to whom it
Romish church shall be damned who am I to say the coÌ„trary or what men will pronouÌ„ce otherwyse Let vs heare therfore the sentence of the iuste iudge and let vs beleue the worde of the sonne of God and let vs beware of the popysh religion What it is to worship the beaste his Image and what it is to receiue the marke in the forehead and on the right hand I haue sufficiently declared before in the .13 chapt Brieflye they worship and receyue the marke of the beaste which do participate with the Popish church or religioÌ„ finally which obey the wycked decrees of the Empire and perseuer in the obedience of the See without repentaunce Aretas expounding this place to worship the beast saieth he and to receaue his seale is to esteme Antichrist to be God and in word and woâ—ke to set forth such thinges as he coueteth And here in an horrible wise with propheticall wordes The descriptioÌ„ of eternall damnatioÌ„ is described euerlasting damnation prepared for them who forsaking Christ the sauiour cleaue vnto Antichrist the distroier Like as they haue dronkeÌ„ of the corrupte doctrine infused of the Pope so againe shal they drinke that the iust lord shal powre out of the cuppe of wrath And the wine that is powred in the cuppe of Gods wrath is the strayte exquisite moste greuouse iudgement of God wherin beyng angrie he inflicteth to the Antichristians horrible vnspeakeable punnishement A like maner of speach is red in Ieremie the .25 chapt And like as pure wine not delayed is of most efficacitie and pearseth so the iudgement of God wherein he will procede against the Antichristians shal be most greuouse such as no tongue be it neuer so eloquent can expresse And for a further declaratioÌ„ shortely after followeth what they muste drinke of verely fire and brimstone Perauenture the Lorde alluded to these wordes of Dauid in the .11 Psalm VpoÌ„ the vngodly he shal rayne snares fyre brimstone storme and tempeste this rewarde shall they haue to drinke He semeth moreouer to haue alluded to the burnyng of Sodome and to the .30 chapt of Esaye in the ende whereof is shewed that hell shall be wide enough to receyue all the vngodly and that matter shal neuer waunte to nurrishe the fire neuer to be quenched He expresseth moreouer a greuouse payne where he sayeth that they shall be tourmented and that in the sight of the lambe and holy Angelles that so they maye receyue condigne punnishement for euer of their contempte wherby they haue despised the lambe and messages of Angels Likewise in the .13 of Luke the Lord sayeth there shal be wepyng and gnashing of teth when ye shal see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophetes in the kingedome of God and you to be shutte out c. And that same apperteyneth also vnto euidence Hipotiposis to stire vp a terrour in the mindes of all men where he addeth by a figuratiue speach and the smoke of their tourmeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore Therfore shal the burning and punnisshement of the vngodly be euerlasting and neuer to be finished world without ende And we seme here at this description as it were before our eyes to see the flames of eternall damnation caried vp on highe and caste vp with them greate heapes of smoke to rolle vp and disperse them farre and wide I remeÌ„bre here that of Virgill The wastefull fire gan crepe and cracke a pace Til to the toppe through helpe of winde it came Out burst the blase brake downe and did deface The skie flieth full of sparkes of smoke and flame Euerlastyng punnisshment And that no kinde of terrour might waunte moste aptely and most aboundantly he expresseth the perpetuitie of euerlasting punnishment saiyng nother haue they reste daie nor night So sayeth the Lord in the .9 of Marke Their fire is neuer queÌ„ched and their worme shal neuer die They erre therfore which promise to the damned after many worldes deliueraunce from their tourmentes And not in vayne he repeteth that which he had sayed before how thei that worship the beast shal suffer these thinges And therfore he repeteth it leste as it happened we should esteme it as a light matter They shal be damneth sayeth the veritie which receyue the Popish culte and religioÌ„ and perseuere in the same Epiphonema To all this is annexed an acclamation or double sentence notable and holesome For in as much as the wisedome of God did foresee what aduersitie remayned for the godly in this world which they might surely loke for at Antichristes hande whiche professed the trewth therefore for a comforte and consolation he addeth here is the patieÌ„ce of Sainctes which is asmuch as if he had saied and here shal patience take place wherby the Sainctes maye ouercome al euilles Here had we nede to haue a stoute courage a sure and coÌ„staunt minde In the .12 of Luke the Lord likewise requireth patience in persecutions Here therfore is counsel geuen howe the sainctes should behaue themselues to wit that they should suffer patiently those euilles that Antichrist shall worke agaynst them And there followeth an other sentence which lighteth this here are they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesus Thei shal ouercome thorowe patience in so great euilles and daungers whiche kepe the coÌ„maundementes of God the foundation wherof is the faith of Iesus Christ which verely put al their trust in christ heare the worde of the gospell and kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God not of men The like vnto these are red in the .24 of Matth. and the .10 to the Hebrew Aretas in this same time of Antichrist saieth he the patience of Sainctes is shewed ThaÌ„ is the speache figured as it were by a question moued And who be they whome he calleth patient After as though he should aunswere they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesu For thei when perilles approche wil set more by God than by death and temporall euilles This sayeth he I praye God these things be as faithfully perfourmed of vs as they are easely vnderstande The Lorde graunt vs his spirite ¶ The faithfull assuredly and streight waye flitte from the corporal death vnto life euerlastyng The .lxv. Sermon ANd I hearde a voice from heauen saiyng vnto me wryte blessed are the dead whiche hereafter die in the Lorde Yea the sprite sayeth that they reste froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes follow them Albeit he hath oftener thaÌ„ ones spokeÌ„ of the state of soules in an other world Of the certayne saluation of the faithful and of the felicitie of the faithfull which are killed for religions sake yet was it here chiefly requisite to treate of the same matter For I sayed howe many must be killed of the beaste Now leeste they for feare of death should chouse rather to worshippe the beaste than to be slayne leest happly hauyng lost this life there were no other life
to be loked for in the world to come most dilligently and most certenly he treateth of the state of soules and of the felicitie and blesse of soules which as sone as they die they atchieue assuredly and streightwaye flitting out of this worlde into life euerlasting But they that know these thinges and haue conceaued them by a true faith how thei shal vndoubtedly slitte frō the corporal death into the blessed life it can not be chosen but that they shal more boldely contemne the life present Most certē tables of saluation are to vs exhibited And this holesome doctrine is comprised in three poincts For first he sheweth the certentie therof secōdly he declareth what it is laste he setteth forth and lighteth the same by circūstaunces At the first verely he semeth to allude to the maner accustomably receyued of al nations that such thinges as they wuld haue thought to be certen and vndoubted they would also cōmitte to writing to leaue them vnto posteritie But the certentie veritie or Authoritie of the thing is estemed of thauthours which first haue dispatched any matters emonges thēselues and after haue caused the same to be put in writyng At this present therfore is God shewed to be authour For S. Iohn saieth and I hearde a voice from heauen And by and by addeth ye the spirite sayeth Therefore there is no doubte but that the sonne of God him self hath spoken and reuealed these things Our lord Iesus Christ For him he sawe at the beginning of this reuelation after he seeth diuerse kindes of Aungelles but he seeth not Christ speaking to him But he heareth now his voice from Heauen he heareth the spirite speakyng by whom the lord sayed whilest he was yet cōuersaunt in earth with his disciples that he would treate and speake al thinges in the churche Let vs beleue therefore that the wordes which are here recited by christes doyng to be a celestiall oracle certen and trewe whereof we ought not to doubte And S. Iohn thapostle Euangelist is cōmaūded to write the saiynges of Christ from the heauēly seate Which thing he doeth so at Christes cōmaundement sendeth them vnto al posterie vnto vs also to our ofspring euen to the worldes ende But if tables written by the chaūcelours or secretaries of kinges and Princes beyng notable men deserue credit we maye much more iustely rightly beleue this writing which the sonne of God inditeth from heauen that beloued disciple of Christ the apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn writeth Thou hadst ones a confidence in the Popes bulles they maye well be called bulles sins thei be more vaine than bulles or blabbers in the water sent from the See of Rome wherein thou as one assured didst put ful truste to haue remission of sinnes and blessed life And shalt thou not nowe be accompted madde and out of thy witte in case thou wilt not beleue this heauenly writyng That other was indited by the spirite of Antichrist by the Pope the man of sinne and childe of perdition written of some disceauer infected with Simony and sacrilege which in life and maners was filthines it self But in Iohn is nothing but cleanes puretie integritie and the very sonne of God which prescribeth these things to S. Iohn is the very veritie and life This writing is frely geuen the light of the world lord of heauen and Earth of life death See than how safely thou mayest laine to this heauenly writyng which here is offered geuen thee frely Thou nedest not to disburce for the same one farthing The Pope instituted in the church biyng selling deuelish bargayning about perdōs other things which were plaine disceiptes illusions playne mocheries and open blasphemies therfore accursed for euer as S. Peter also pronoūceth in the .8 of the Actes God him selfe diswadeth al men from such tromperies and bargaines wicked vayne in the .55 chapt of Esaye where he promiseth agayne that he wil geue to the godly al plentie of al good thinges And now let vs heare what the writte is Blessed at the dead whiche die in the lord what S. Iohn is cōmaunded from heauen to put in writing It is a shorte sentēce as also in many places the wisedome of God cōprehēdeth in fewe wordes the true some of blessednes so prouiding for our infirmitie that we nede not to cōplaine that the doctrine were ouer longe which we with our slender vnderstandyng are not able to attayne to The Lord therefore pronounceth them to be blessed whiche die in the Lord then we must see what he vnderstandeth by blessednes and who thei be that die in the lord blessednes is that high felicitie which chaunceth to the faithfull in an other world in the which we shall see God him selfe as he is and haue the fruition of him vnto a ioyefull and neuer lothsomefulnes We shall liue in the same with all the Sainctes for euer and shall haue ioynes that can not be expressed with tunges of men Of the whiche shall followe more afterwarde They shal reste from their labours And more plentifully in the .21 chapt And they dye in the Lorde whiche by faith greffed in Christe layne to him alone depende wholy vpon him only regarde him and desire nothynge els but hym alone For they are sayed to liue in Christe in whome Christ liueth by faith they that liue in Christ do frame their whole life after the will of Christ And they die in the lord chiefly and before all whiche for the confession of the lordes faith suffer death and offer thēselues to tourmentes And not they alone but those also whiche although they die of the sworde of the persecutours yet die when the Lorde calleth them in the trewe christen fayth For these are also blessed as the Lord in S. Iohn verely verely I saye vnto you yf any man kepe my worde he shall not see death for euer Howebeit they die not in the lorde which eyther deny god that they might not be slaine or trust to their owne merites intercessions of Sainctes or to other mens workes be they monkes freres or massemonging priestes and so departe out of this life thinking that thei shal be holpen by other mēs workes To be briefe the veritie of the lord pronoūceth them al blessed and fortunate which departe out of this world in true faith Finally the Lord him self adioyneth a notable declaration of this his briefe sentence For he sette forth the circumstaūce of the time When and how saluation commeth to the dead and the maner of the blessednes For it is wonte to be demaunded what time saluatiō and felicitie happeneth to the dead whether incontinently or after a time that is whether our soules flitte by and by and immediately after the death of the body to the blessed seates or whether they be intercepted for a certen time so that they might be pourged in purgatorie before thei enter into
189 Chosen affiāsed to the lamb 563 Chosen people lyuely temple of God 305 Christians worldly 124 Christ described 21.124.162.32 283.577 Christ hath all power c. geuen him .161.165 is king of kings and Lord of lordes .522.581 is owner of all kyngdomes .338 sunne of god .87 God mā 87 very God 36.96.16.137.163 168.661.675 is very mā 162 163.42 his power .43 is a lāb 162.440 greter thē Aungels saints c. 163.177 Lord of angels .16 was slain from the beginnyng .382 figured by Aungels .356 by Eliachim .43 is head of the Churche .36 prelat of the Churche .47 an aultar 197.236 a mighty Angel .284 236. offreth vp our prayers sitting on the right hand of God 237. of the same substanse wyth the father coequall .41.42.668 670. is not authour of corrupting the treuth thogh he opē the sixt seal .205 cast out of the church by the Pope Mahomet shall return with glory .283 is not fought against but the lāb 521 author of thapocalyps .688 very God lord of angels .689 author of saluatiō .218 begottē in vs .350 no creature .125 our best apparil .108 king priest 35. trew .112 holy .111 a lyuely foūtain .252 word of God .579 most necessari to be known 159 Christ hath charge of seuē cādles 50.51 receiueth things of the father how .166 shal be subiect to the father .339 must be honored 449. is not al or sufficiēt to sum 210. is set forth in thapocalyps 9. hath the kei of Dauid .112 is the trew māna .84 fiedeth leadeth quikneth 232 receiueth power reineth .340 openeth the bouk 158. knoweth our wurks 64. nieds no vicar .35 hys beginninge .125 his cumming of ij sorts .223 his cūming to iudgemēt .24 his image setforth 33 his body suffred .268 hys humain body in one place .34 godhed euery wher 34 Church descrybed .350 is the citie of God .121 is both mother and doghter .366 is figured by the moon .207 bi a womā 348 is belouid of God .116 dwels when Satās seat is .73 shal be in the midst of troubles .305 hydeth it selfe .209 flyeth into wildernes .353 is emong the gentils .365 shal be alwaies in the world .183 hath alwaies in this lyfe that may be reprehendid .79 traueleth and bringeth forth ij wais .350 remoued whē 57. the garnishinge therof .510 glorye therof is to cum .648 chief enemies therof .347 hystory therof discoursid 183 Churche old of Rome distinguisshed 542 Church of Rome church of Rom c. 496 Churchs fallible notz peas and tranquility 194 Churchs how they wer gouerned at the beginning 387 Circes of Rome 512 Citie great or heuenly 648. c. Citye great diuyded into thre 501 Citye great is the romish church 510 Citye of God and name therof 121 Cityes greatest commendacion 650 Citizens of the kingdum of God who 109 Clamitat in celis vox sang c. 198 Cleannes fygured by fyre 266 Clergye compared to locuste 256. Clergie innumerable 255 Clergie authors of warres 260 Clermont counsel 613 Clothed in whyt what they be 229 Cloud in the script 285 Columnz erecting 120 Comfort excieding in thapocalips 12 Comfort in tribulacion 27 Committing of hordum in the script 507 Commocions 524 Commotions and theyr causes 206 Commodities of thapocalyps 12 Condemned are iustly condemned 589 Confessing of beleuerz bp Chryst 109 Cōfessing of trespas is beginning of repentaunse 56 Confusion of Romishe Religion 512 Congregacions how they may be kept 115 Consolacion of the faithfull 305. 306. Consolacion in affliction 62 Consolation in the Apocalyps 12 Consolation foloeth humility 40 Constancy 73 Constantin emperour abhorred Rome 383 Constitucions of man nied not 299 Constancie and continans figured by a square 655 Constantinoples destructyon 275 Constans in faith 113 Constitucions of men 69. 100 Contemners of the blessed lyfe 232 Contencion for tryfles oght not to be 29 Contracting of matrimony 563. Conuersacion is our garment 108 Copz and gorgious things in the church 510 Corn prospering or perishing cūmeth by God 190 Coronacion of a Pope 511 Corrupt doctryns hystorie 234 Couetous ryche men are poore 128 Couetousnes of the Romains 393 Could nor hoot 126 Coulor pale sign c. 190 Counsel can not iudge the Pope 406 Councels generall iiij 268 Counsel holsum 129 Counsel of Clermont 613 Counsels of God insearcheable 380 Counsels to condemn impuritye nied not 80 Countenanse of Christ 38 Cowl of our lady 132 Creaturs al submit thē to Christ 178 Creatures are not to be worshypped 175.177.678 Creatures of Gods beginnyng 125 Croun 183 Croun of lyfe what 69 Croun token of a kyngdum 349 Croun for honor glory victory 118.110 Crosse foloeth Godes worde 303 Crueltie of Rome 508 Crueltie of Antichrist 324 Crueltie of the Romainns 369 Crueltie figured by Lyons tieth 262 Crying for vengeaunse 198 Comfort in persecution 204.333 326 Comfort gospellyk 234 Comfort againste Antechryst 285 Cumming of Chryst of ij sorts 223 Curius inquirie of Gods iudgements 144 Curiositie in serching Gods coūsels repressed 380 Curiosity repelled by reurrense submission vnto God 152 Curs banished 670 Cursing of the Pope 399 D Damnacion eternall described 455 Damnacion euerlasting 628 Damnacion eternall for seducing 584 Damned are iustly damned 589 Damned parsons 641 Dauid is called Christ 357 Day last or end of the world 575 Death of ij sorts .605 spirituall 103 Death after this death 70 Death for trewthz sake 69 Death of Christ 22.172 Death geues vp the dead 627 Dead ryse again 626 Decay and spiedy ruin compared to sand 367 Decius Traianus 194 Decretals .404 decrees and decretalles 100 Defectyue reason 277 Defence figured by egles wings 364 Degrees of punishment 585 Decking of the church 510 Delais of returning to God 224 Delay of Gods help 118 Deliuerans in persecutiō 364. c Deniall of God 460 Denyall of Christ and hys gospel many wayes 76 Denyall of Christs name 114 Derth and famin 189 Descending of Christ from heuē 284. Desert of man 248 Deuill author of ill .185 a sclaunderer .356 vanquished 591 bound .596 cast out how 595 608. where he reygneth .362 his four names .359 c. wourshiped 279 Dioces 403. c Dioclecian 194 Dionysius Alexandrinus of the authoriti of thapocalyps 6 Dianaz temple 48 Disciplin 133 Diseaseas of churches howe they shold be holpen 104 Dispair of ill men what causeth 210.211.212 Dispair remoued 278 Disposition or order of thapocalyps 347 Disputacions clamorus 264 Dissemblers .541.66 Iewls warm 126 Dissentiō in the church no news 52 Distroyers of the earth of diuers sorts 344 Distroyer Popes name 265 Destruction of reames thrugh reuolting from trewe religion 271 Diuersitie of opinions 98 Diuinitie of Christ 64 13◠Do as ye would be doone vnto 383 Doctryn resembled by wynd by leuen 214 Doctryn holsum figured by air 253 Doctryn euangelicall shal be restored 297 Doctryn newe is not to be loukt for 118 Doctryn of Christ perpetual 99 Doctryn corrupted 205 Doctrin peruers figured bi smoke 253 Doctryn new 447
restreining and punishing the wycked And the holy ghost where he is but one Seuen spirites for the seuenfolde that is all maner of grace and giftes manifold is here called as I may say Septenarie or of the seuenth numbre And from the seuen spirites sayth Iohn that is from that spirite whiche is indewed with the seuenfolde grace Those diuerse giftes are after a sorte declared of Esay in the .xi. Chapt. and els where in the scriptures He is sayd to be in the sight of the throne that is before the throne of God ioyned verely in gouernement with the father and the sonne For the throne is many tymes vsurped for the kingdom The holy ghost therfore is of the same glory power and maiestie with God Now is he commen to Christ The description of Christ whom by his properties he describeth moste aboundantly You know that Iesus is the proper name of Christ which Matthew expoundeth a Sauiour Christ is the surname of his office and dignitie as you would say annoynted that is byshop and kyng 1 First he calleth Christ our Lord a faithfull wytnes Christ a faithfull witnes and that out of the .xlix. and .l. chapter of Esay For he was sent of the father to the world out of heauen an Apostle whiche should testifie the wil of God what he wold haue done with men To witte that he would saue the worlde by his sonne Math. 18. 2 Petr. 3 Iohn 3 Math. 7.1 by faith in him which is obedient to the law of God For he must do the will of his father This Christ is a faithfull witnes that is sure constaunt and trewe Of whose doctrine no man ought to doubt No man hath seene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the father Math. 17. 2 Pet. 1 he hath reuealed This therfore is the byshop and catholick dâ—tour of the church Who so euer dissent from him are to 〈◊〉 eschewed Heare him saith the father Christ is the first fruits of theÌ„ that ryse 2 He is the first begotten of the dead For he died for oâ—â— sinnes verely and rose again from the dead was made tâ— first begotten of the dead Lorde conquerour of death Iâ— whom we se that we shall also ryse again in what sorte 〈◊〉 whom the first of the Corinth xv And like as in the first prâ—pertie he shaddoweth the humanitie of Christe wherin hâ— taught also his deitie in that he was the faithfull true â—â—tholique byshop and is yet at this day So in the second thâ— articles of our belefe concerning the death of Christ and hâ— resurrection are confirmed To these also may be added tâ— article of the resurrection of the dead Christ is Prince of kynges 3 Christ is prince ouer the kinges of the earth a monarâ— verely and Lord of all rulers Whiche hath taken a name â—boue all names the Lord of aungels and of all creatures 〈◊〉 whom al things be subiect As thapostle expouÌ„deth Colosâ— Philip. 2. And he doeth not abolishe lawes Magistratâ— which wil be king of kinges and Lord of lordes For if thaâ— wer no kings how shuld Christ be king of kings The moâ— sacred Emperours Constance Constantine Theodose anâ— Iustinian knew them selues to be clientes of Christ Thaâ— kingdom was Christes they to be subiectes These Chriâ—â— acknowledgeth for his by whoÌ„ he gouerneth those he haâ—â— redemed with his bloud They that proudly rule ouer the people boast theÌ„ selues to be lordes of althings acknowledâ—â— not Christ to be monarch ouer all be starke mad And herâ— are comprehended such thinges as we confesse in tharticles of our faith that Christ ascended into heauen sitteth on thâ— right hand of the father that is that he hath receiued high pâ—wer of al things in heauen and earth Ephe. 1. Act. 2. Christ loued vs. 4 Christ hath loued vs with incoÌ„parable loue For he hiâ— self saith greater loue hath no man than that a man shoulâ— leaue his life for his freÌ„des This loue the Apostle amplefietâ— in the fift to the Romains And it was exceading great loue 〈◊〉 moued Christ to come downe from heauen and be incarnaâ—â— and to redeme vs by his death With a free loue he loueâ— vs prouoked by no desert of ours For as this same Iohn in his Epistle canonicall speaketh the same of the father In this is charitie not that we haue loued God but that he hath loued vs sent his son a propiciation for our sinnes So is it to be vnderstaÌ„d of the son the he hath doth bear vs great good will not moued thereto through our loue wherewith we haue imbraced him And of the fre loue to mankinde he gaue him self vnto death washed vs froÌ„ our sinnes For streight waies is added by his bloud Christ washeth Where thre thinges seme of vs to be obserued First that Christ washeth purgeth purifieth or cleÌ„seth the faithful that most fully not partly He alluded to the washings of the law which he expouÌ„ded also For Dauid saith Pourge me with Hysope I shal be made cleane washe me I shal be whiter than snow The same phrase of speache repeteth Esay in the first chap. Micheas also sayth Miche 7. The Lord wil returne wil haue mercy on vs he wil treade vnder fete our iniquities And thou shalt throw into the depth of the Sea al their sinnes And the Lord saith Ezech. 36 I wil cast vpon you cleane waters and you shall be mundified from al your filthines The Lord Christ these thinges accomplishing washeth vs purgeth and clenseth throughly aswell from the falte as the paine He clenseth vs from our sinnes Christ washeth all synnes not from one but from al. The which thing is proued both by former testimonies again in the first second Epistle of S. Iohn Last the maner also of purifiyng is set forth by bloud For without the sheding of bloud no remission was made Therfore through the mediation of death and bloudsheding there was full remissioÌ„ of all sinnes obteined for the faithfull He washeth by bloud Hebr. 9 They that bring forth any other maner of forgeuenes of synnes ar iniurious to the death and bloud of the sonne of God And here we may se plainly set forth an article of the Apostolicall crede I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes In the fift place is shewed theffect of our redeÌ„ption purifiyng For Christ hath brought to passe Theffect of Christs redemptioÌ„ in the faithfull that as many of vs as beleue in the father by the son of God shuld be kinges prists to God to his father Aretas the copie of complute reade not kinges but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is kyngdome the which is not red amisse For we be the kingdoÌ„ of God for bicause God by his spirit not the flesh nor the worlde ought to reigne in vs And when we permitte the gouernment to
these thinges it behoued hym to vse a teâ—ple and palace not transitory but heauen it selfe Hebre. viâ— and .ix. Yet in the meane tyme the effect pearseth in to thâ— church it selfe that so he may be present in the church also The head heares of Christ But the head of Christ appeareth hoare and his heaâ— whyte lyke moste pure wolle and whytest snow Suche a head is ascribed also to the father of our Lord Iesu Christ 〈◊〉 the seuenth Chap. of Daniel For they be of the same essenâ— And hereby is signified wysdome and age and also the eâ—nitie and deitie of Christ And by reason that Christ is Giâ— therfore is he head of the church ministring to the body liâ— spirite wysdome and all giftes celestiall Ephes v. Caâ—â— Pope of Rome that moste wicked man of synne doe thâ— What an head is he than without lyfe without brayneâ— moste folyshe As he is described in the .xi. of Zacha. And is a shame that we will not se these thinges being blynd euer Christ is euerlasting omnipotent and that knoweth thing And he may be the health and head of the body Iâ— in the beginning saith he was the word and the word 〈◊〉 with God c. Christ him self before Abraham was saith 〈◊〉 I am Therfore the Heretickes lye deniyng Christ to beâ—ry God of the same substauÌ„ce with the father He is the â—â—â—dome of God all thinges are subiect to hym Ephe. the 〈◊〉 And he him self fulfilleth all thinge after the same sort beâ— present with his churche The eyes of Christ Now are his eyes also not darkened nor blynde but fyâ— and bryght For Christ knoweth all thyng Christes eyeâ— watchful nothyng is hyd from him he seeth all thinges 〈◊〉 are done both good and euyll And he seeth to the intent may iudge and require He is light in darknes and the siâ—â—â— of Christ is to good men ioyfull in perils Finally the iudgementes of Christ are rightuous The Prophet Dauid The eyes of the Lord sayth he vpon the iust and his eares are to their prayer Agayne The face of the Lorde is on them that do euyll And like as the head is not plucked from the body so Christ can not be absent from his churche And seyng that his eyes are quicke sighted and that the Lord forseeth al our thinges and hath the charge ouer vs how is he absent from his churche What nedeth there any vicar And the fete of the Lorde are of copper BraseÌ„ fete or lyke vnto brasse and frankensence burning in a fornace For Chalcolibaum is a worde compounded of brasse and frankensence Eusebius This noteth Erasmus and that Swidas sheweth also the same that there is a kynde of Copper more precious than gold which he sayth is made of Salt peter and of a stone Plin. in the xxxiiii and .ii. Chapter calleth it a kynde of brasse whiche is digged out of the vaynes of the earth in tymes paste had in price It should seme to me to be the same whiche in the first and tenth of Ezechiel is called Hasmal a present remedy against poysons For if wyne intoxicated be put into a cuppe therof it wil hisse And so is the death and poyson detected The moste cleane brasen and firy fete do signifie the conuersation and the wayes of the Lorde blameles his iudgements right iust And that he so walketh in the church and gouerneth al things that in the meane season al vncleanes be detecâ—ed and consumed but he him selfe remaineth always moste holy and pure For fire pourgeth God is a consuming fire But the voyce of Christ The voice of Christ is as it were the noyse of many waters not so muche for that all nations and people do commende and prayse him But for as muche as the Gospel and worde of God came into the whole worlde Whiche voyce also moste mightie kinges could lesse asswage and appease than they could do the gusshing of waters Rom. 10 or to stoppe the wyndes in sackes Therfore by the power of preaching the Lorde is always present in his churche The hand is an instrument of all instrumentes especially the righthande The right hand In this Christ holdeth seuen starres to wit seuen prelates or pastours of churches in Asia And euen all the byshops throughout the whole world Christ by his power geueth to vs as Pastours and instructeth comforteâ— confirmeth defendeth them to the end they should preacâ— his worde Wherby he may ioyne hym selfe to the churcâ— Christ worketh by them in the churche and preserueth thâ— A two edged sword out of Christ his mouth The same is more lyuely expressed in the wordes that fâ—lowe For a sharpe two edged sworde commeth out of 〈◊〉 Lordes mouth This swearde is the worde of God as 〈◊〉 ryght well declared in the sixt to the Ephes and fourth to 〈◊〉 Hebrewes And this word or sworde hangeth not vpon 〈◊〉 walle nor sticketh fast in the sheathe nor hangeth by the fâ— but cometh out of the mouth He sayth not it came foortâ— it shall come forth But it cometh forth as the thyng thâ— in continuall operation or perpetuall preaching throughâ— the worlde And it is two edged sharpe and pearsing asâ— in the heart of the Godly vnto saluation as in the heartâ— the wycked to payne and condemnation And yet at 〈◊〉 day cometh out that sworde of the mouthe of Christ by mouthes of Ministers The worde of Christe is in dede â—temned of the world and is called of many a fable But 〈◊〉 a sworde and that a sworde out of Christes mouth All 〈◊〉 vnfaithfull do finde and shall fynde this howe soeuer 〈◊〉 resiste With this sworde Christ kylleth the wicked And effect of this sworde is greater than was the sworde of Aâ—â—ander Pompey Iulius Cesar or Marius Attille or â—merlane Neyther maketh it any skylle though the wâ— now acknowledge it not It shall doe in tyme to comâ— their greatest euyll Doubtles with this spirite of his mâ— the Lorde continueth alwayes to comfort and gouernâ—â— churche so that he is neuer absent from the same Finally the countenaunce of Christ shineth as the 〈◊〉 doeth in his greatest strength about none when it is 〈◊〉 bryght clere and plesaunt by the countenaunce we 〈◊〉 men chiefly Therfore by the countenauÌ„ce we know Câ— The countenaunce of Christ is light Christ therfore is 〈◊〉 And that verely a diuine and eternall lyght lyghtyng aâ—â— that they may also be made the children of light and thaâ— faces of saintes may shine in that day as bright as the siâ— and as the face of Christ shone Math. 13. and .17 And fâ— he doeth thus communicate this lyght vnto vs. Iohn 〈◊〉 and .1 Iohn 1. How is it to be thought that Christ should be absent from his churche Thou seest how he is present And so hath our Lord Christ exhibited hym selfe to vs to be sene vnto saluation and hath opened hym selfe wholy vnto vs as he is what he doeth for vs
.xcvii. yeare wouldâ— God all Pastours would set before their eies this good Policarpus to be followed of whome there remayneth a notâ—ble Epistle to the Philippians After againe is the authour of the Epistle Thauthor of the epistle declared whicâ— is set forth with two titles taken out of the fourmer visiâ—â— of Iohn and descriptioÌ„ of Christ Thus saith the first and 〈◊〉 last c. Wherby is signified the eternall diuinitie of Christâ— which wanteth beginning and ending And of him selfe is â—uerlasting There is added that he was dead liueth againâ— that is to witte hath rysen from the dead And this begiâ—ning accordeth right well to the matter For they perceiuâ— that whosoeuer are afflicted for Christ his Gospell of mâ— mightie kinges and princes haue a Lorde and patrone mâ— mightie and more faithfull whiche in no wyse can be ouâ— comen Who can also in death kepe his lyke as he reysed 〈◊〉 Christ from the dead to the intent we myght haue an opâ—â— testimony that we shal liue with Christ euen in death it seâ— Christ knoweth the workes of his And now cometh he to the matter it selfe and the whicâ— thing he repeteth in al Epistles he sayth here also I knoâ— thy workes to witte both good and euill Thinke not that 〈◊〉 neither know nor care for thy matters Thou art verely roâ—ten out in my handes I know see and care for thee and 〈◊〉 thine And these thinges boeth prouoke vs maruelously vertue when we knowe that we haue God a loker on 〈◊〉 hath a care of vs And also comforte vs greatly which vndâ—â—stande how he that loueth vs and in no matter neglecteâ— hath vs alwayes as it were before his eyes And here particularly he declareth what he knewe Aâ— first in dede the afflictions Afflictions which verely they suffered in tâ—â— present persecution of the Emperour Domitian And affâ—â—â—tion is as it were a generall worde to the foure kindes foâ—wyng For he rehearseth touching their substaunce the sâ—â—ling of their goodes and their pouertie In their name 〈◊〉 estimation coÌ„tumelies reproches or blasphemies In boâ—â— imprisonment and bondes yea and death also For 〈◊〉 these afflictions Godly men are exercised for the truth saâ— of the wicked And in these may be coÌ„prysed al other kindes of tribulation The whiche the Epistle of Iesus Christ reciteth in a Godly order There is nothinge therfore of these matters whiche the Lord Christ knoweth not Pouertie hath the first place The pouertie of the faithfull Neither ought we to take it here spiritually for the modestie and humblenes of mynde although it be certaine that the churche of Smyrna wanted not the same vertue But there was pouertie and lacke of all things by reason of the spoiling of their goodes For in time of persecution by vertue of kings proclamatioÌ„s the goodes of the faithful professours of Christ ar coÌ„fiscated to the kings vse or permitted to the soldiours nobles or promoters to take at their pleasure The faithful thrust out of their houses ar either driuen into exile or go a begging would God we wanted examples therof at this day Let vs herof learne to beare suffer paciently the like chaunces also being perswaded that God knoweth our necessitie And because it is an hard thing â—or an honest man to honger and want with his familie for a â—omfort and consolation he addeth but thou art riche This to the world semeth a paradoxe or incredible Spiritual ryches What wyll they say is he ryche that hath nothyng and is brought â—o the state of beggars There be doubtles goodes and ryâ—hes of the mynde muche better than corporall substaunce For this may be had without the true felicitie of ryche men â—f this worlde that liue a moste miserable lyfe Agayne you â—hall see a poore man concerning worldly goodes but furâ—ished with the rychesse of the mynde for this cause only to â—e happy and moste blessed He coueteth nothyng he is conâ—ent with his vocation Neither would he chaunge his state with moste welthie and ryche kynges Contrariwyse you â—hall see ryche men but of an euyll conscience and therfore â—houghtfull and burthened with cares and neuer mery You â—hall see poore men but with mery hartes to leade a ioyfull â—â—fe Why than shoulde it seme maruell yf he that is spoyâ—ed of his worldly goodes for Christe and inriched with the â—iftes of the minde is glad and reioyseth in God and taketh a good parte al chaunces and for the same cause is iudged â—o be verely ryche Doubtles the wyse men of this worlde â—we also that the only wyse man is trewly ryche Which is gallauntly discoursed of Cicero Aretas sayth in spiritual matters hauing a treasure hidde in the fielde of thy harte which is Christ by reason of whoÌ„ thou art ryche also Sinnâ— thou hast him thy protectour who also when he was ryche for vs became poore c. Blasphemie agaiÌ„st the faithful In the second place is recited blasphemie by the whichâ— we vnderstande all maner of raylinges and sclauÌ„ders wheâ—by the name and estimation of the faithfull is hurte Of thâ— whiche sorte are these They be heretickes and Schismaticâ— so many as be fauourers of this religion They be wickeâ— people dispisers of God and his saintes the ennemies of 〈◊〉 Gods seruice and therfore the plages of the commoÌ„ wealtâ— which if they be suffered the common wealth must nedes 〈◊〉 distroyed And these thinges in dede many times vexe goâ— men more greuously than the losse of their goodes For wâ— wyll not set more by a good name than by great rycheâ— Therfore the Lorde in Gospell of S. Math. the .10 Chaptâ— With many wordes healeth this disease And exhorteth 〈◊〉 that for the auoyding of that infamie they should coÌ„mitâ— thing vnworthy the name of christians What their persecuters be In the meane tyme he declareth also what moued the â—thours of this mischief whome he blameth also exceadynâ— to thintent that the godly shuld vnderstaÌ„d how greatly thâ— ennemies of all Godlines are of God misliked And theâ— might also care the lesse for their hatred and persecutioÌ„ Tâ— saye in dede that they be Iewes where they be nothing 〈◊〉 Thus also S. Paul handled the Iewes in the .ii. to the â—mains The Iewes are called confessours honorers and faithful seruauÌ„ts of God But these blaspheme Gods naâ— they impugne the true faith and oppresse them that profâ— and worshyppe God Therfore be they not Iewes Wâ— than The Synagoge congregation or assemblee of Saâ—â— Thus the very sonne of God plucketh of the viserne frâ—â— these varlettes to the comforte of all those that suffer peâ—cution of them that set forth them selues with stoute titles the ende it shuld neuer greue them that they are condemâ— of suche harlottes the children of the Deuill Christ attâ—â—teth to them the true title and calleth them not the oâ—â— holy and catholicke Churche of God but the conspirâ—â— and schole of Sathan as in whome not the spirite of
For he is said to haue the seuen spirites of God that is to haue the seuen fourmed spirit whom he also powreth out vpon the faithful or els he is one only spirit and not seuen but seuen that is to witte his graces be many and diuerse as I declared in the first chapter for the same hath also in his right hand seuen starres to witte the whole multitude of all preachers and ministers keping and instructing theÌ„ And this beginning agreeth not amisse with this argument which he treateth in this Epistle For of the spirite of Christ is life Of the want of the spirit death Christ preserueth the ministers how angrie so euer meÌ„ ar in the churche with theÌ„ for accusing their wickednes Priuely therfore he warneth them to craue the spirite to norishe the lyfe spirituall And to trust in Christe which wil defende the ministers and auaunce them After the same that he testifieth in all other Epistles he repeateth here also I knowe thy workes Wherof I haue spoken before The Loâ—de is ignoraunt of nothyng that is done in the churche whiche is also the searcher of hartes And especially he blameth this in this Churche The sickenes of this church that she thought her selfe a lyue where she was dead He speaketh not of the corporall but of the spirituall lyfe and death For Christe lyueth by his spirite in his sainctes and faythfull and sheweth lyuely workes by them Lyke as the Lorde teacheth in the .vi. of Iohn and in many other places of the Gospel of S. Iohn The Apostle said also that he liued not now Galat. 2 1 Tim. 5 but that Christ liued in him The same Apostle said that wydowes liuing in waÌ„tones being aliue were dead They be dead therfore which haue not Christ liuing in theÌ„ by faith spirit Which haue not the vertue of Christ workyng in theÌ„ that is which bringeth not forth liuely workes Math. 8 For the Lord is red to haue said also in the Gospel Suffer the dead to bury their dead The Sardensians therfore had the name of men liuing that is to say they were called Christians spirituall regenerated and holy worshippers of God but they were dead to witte hipocrites in whome no spirite nor Christen life appered The fleshe the world and corruption as yet liued in theÌ„ But such churches displease Christ There be many suche at this day But whether doth Christ reiect them Verely he blameth such but not to confounde them for so the worlde blameth but that they should repent For he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And therfore consequently he prepareth a medicine for the disease A medicine prepared for the sicknes And first he prescribeth to the starres or Byshops what they should do in this case Then telleth he also the whole coÌ„gregation their dutie Wherof we learne howe like diseases of churches are to be holpen That beloÌ„geth to the Pastours that he commaunded them to watche verely ouer the flock And to confirme that remained of the flock not yet in dede lost but next vnto perdition vnlesse it be holpeÌ„ in time with sound and holsome doctrine He alluded doubtles to that cure and charge pastorall whiche the Lorde describeth in the xxxiiii chapt of Ezechiel The flock is confirmed by the word of God by the same it is retyred from death and preserued in lyfe c. The workes of that church not ful before God Now also he addeth the reason why he commaundeth to confirme the flocke least they slyde in to death For I haue not found thy workes full or perfit before God The Greke copie Complutensian and Aretas haue my God By workes he vnderstaÌ„deth al things that are done wordes works and the whole conuersation of men The workes doubles euen of Sainctes be euermore vnperfit if we haue respecte to humane imbecillitie For always so long as we lyue here the flesh fighteth against the spirite In so muche that Iob sayd how he feared all his workes and therfore fled to the clemeÌ„cie of the iudge Notwithstanding they be perfit and full in respect of Christ For he is our fulnes and in hym we are coÌ„plete Iohn 1. Ephes 1. Coloss the 12. And he maketh vs pertakers of his fulnes by faythe They of Sardis were destitute of trewe fayth wherfore euery worke of theirs muste nedes be vnperfit before God whiche alloweth nothinge but that is of the sonne and moste pure Therfore the Lorde coÌ„maundeth to teache faith diligently and beate it in that they maye bâ— made perfit in Christe This is the beste medicine for the deadly disease of Christes churche Here followeth the dutie of the people The true apostolike repentauÌ„ce how they may be healed by the apostolicall repentaunce Whereof the chiefe poincte is to remember the lordes wordes in what we haue hearde and receiued the same We are not commaunded to diuise newe formes of religion and repentaunce but we are sent to the olde tradition not of men but the which we haue in the Scriptures of Euangelistes and Apostles These I saye we oughte to remembre For throughe custome of sinning we forget Gods worde And truely the beginnyng of Peters repentaunce was to haue remembred the wordes of the Lorde Therfore such as will not be reproued and instructed by gods worde shall neuer come to or attayne the trewe repentaunce Furthermore it is necessarie that we kepe and reteyne the wordes of God that is the trewe doctrine of Christ leeste we forget it streight wayes or that we sette it in vayne contemplation and not in effectuall worke The doctrine of Christ must be kept and perfourmed in worke For in the laste place it followeth and repente Trew repentauÌ„ce consisteth in worke that in minde body we should tourne awaie from euil and tourne vnto God and do good beyng sorie for our wicked dedes paste this is the trewe Apostolicall repentaunce Vnto the whiche repentaunce nowe By threatninges he exhorteth to repentaunce after the diuine prophetical apostolical maner he draweth theÌ„ by the threatnings Whiche are in dede to be referred aswell to the ministers as to the people in the congregation Againe the Lord vseth parables whiche we reade that he vsed in S. Matth. 24. Where with the same he exhorteth to watchyng sobrietie Whiche place sins it is there expounded at large I nede not to vse many wordes aboute it here To the Lorde be prayse and thankes geuyng for euermore ¶ He alloweth and commendeth those that couet to liue godly in the Churche of Sardis exhorting them that they would so holde on and procede The .xvi. Sermon BVt thou haste a fewe names in Sardis whiche haue not defiled their garmentes And they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie He that ouercometh shall be clothed in white araye and I will not put out his name out of the boke of life And I will confesse his name before my Father
spirite of God whiche thing the Apostle requireth in the .xii. Chapt. to the Romains Furthermore he threatneth to plage them if they continue as they haue begōne to be newters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord speweth out the newters I wil spewe thee out of my mouth By the whiche maner of speaking two thinges are signified Both the lothsomes whiche God conceaueth of this newtralitie or warmnes And the vomiting out which punisheth the same warm water prouoketh a vomite Wherūto he appereth to haue alluded as likewise to that olde phrase of speaking the lande hath vomyted the Chananites and the same shall vomite vp you also Therfore these composers or mongerelles with their temperature and mixture doe so displease God that they ingender in hym a lothsomnes be vnto hym an abhomination that finally he shaketh them of the same we vnderstande of them that ioine together Christ and Mammon And the phrase of speache is to be noted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now therfore or so forasmuche as or now seing it is so c. Moreouer the longaminitie or longe suffering of God is here noted whiche plageth not immediatly vnlesse there appere nowher any hope of amēdemēt Vnhappy ryches He expoundeth more fully the sinne of the Laodiceans what is the cause of their tepiditie Because they loue riches wherin they truste supposing them selues to want nothing They thinke them selues to be wise and to se all thinges to be sufficiētly furnished with thinges spiritual and temporal It is lesse wher they say we are riche More that followeth I am increased with goodes That is to say I haue gotten so muche richesse that I want nothing A great rebuke That same he now confuteth and sheweth that they are vtterly disceiued and to be miserable people For he rebuketh them greuously and sayth thou knowest not that thou arte suche as thou art That ignoraunce is a great euill and the beginning of desperate blindnes when a man thinketh to haue that he hath not For such perseuer in their errour and admit no counsellour Therfore saith the Lord thou knowest not that thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miserable wretched weried and worne with euils For they are toyled with many labours that serue this worlde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miserable Thou seest not thyne owne miserie Others that se are ful sory Thou seest not in what case thou art This kynd of speach signifieth a mā very wretched and desperate whose miserie others see but he him selfe seeth nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poore or a begger Thou thinkest thy selfe very riche but thou art a starke begger Couetouse riche men are poore They are poore also in vertues The people of Laodicea were blynde as the Phariseis were called blynde in the .ix. of Iohn Well sighted in wordly matters in heauēly blynde as betels Naked or destitute of good workes Voyde of thy wedding garment They notwithstanding were rychely arayed with garmentes of most fiue wolle But before God thei appered naked Let the gallauntes of this worlde or proude pecockes rather so well eyed and gorgeously appareled marke these thinges wel The Lorde geue them vnderstanding ¶ The Lorde geueth holsome counsell to the Laodiceans admonishing them to repent The .xxj. Sermon I Counsell thee to bye of me golde tried in the fier that thou maiest be ryche And whyte rayment that thou maiest be clothed that the shame of thy nakednes do not appere And annoynte thyne eyes with eye salue that thou maiest see As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repente Forasmuch as God willeth not the death of a synner Holsome counsell but rather that he should conuert and lyue Therfore after a greuous blaming of the church of Laodicea he geueth her holsom counsell admonishing exhorting the same to repentaunce and signifieth with all what is true repentaunce The Lord vseth the word of counselling I counsell thee not of commaunding to thintēt to confound the madnes of them which vnlesse they be violently drawen thinke not them selues admonished allured or called of the Lord. And whilest thei loke for such a drawing they neglect al gods counsell fall from the true saluation God counselleth his elect such thinges as are holsome The chosen obey good counselles God toucheth their hartes inwardly and outwardly by preaching of the worde and by sondry admonitions he pooleth and driueth man from euill to good This counsel of God is not to be dispised and an other violēt vocation to be imagined God his word must be heard To day saith the Prophet if ye heare his voice do not harden your hartes When the Lorde counselleth with his worde the hearers harden their mindes they do that through their owne fault and are made authours of their own distruction But they that receiue Gods counsell receiued it not by the force of free will but of the grace of God which worketh in vs to wille and to perfourme Therfore when the Lorde counselleth holsome thinges the chosen pray that they may receiue the same And thei receiue them through grace obeiyng the counselles of God The some of the holsome counsell And the some of the holsome counsell is this Bie of me saith the Lord golde tried in the fire that thou may be riche maiest bie apparel and maiest get eie salue to annoint thyne eies He setteth these thinges as a medicine against the diseases which he discouered before calling the church of the Laodiceans poore naked and blinde Now therfore he teacheth them how they may be riche may be clothed may receiue their eyes or sight again if they verely get them selues golde tried or concoct or purified Gold tried And gold tried in the fire is golde moste purified cleane hauinge in it no grossenes or mettall but pure and cleane golde Hereby is shadowed the worde of God wherof the Prophet sang The worde of the Lorde is a pure worde syluer tried in the fire seuen tymes pourged in a vessel of earth Certenly the worde of God is light comming of the eternal and moste pure lyght hauing no parte of humane filthines or affections sauouring of none errours teachyng nothyng that is corrupt Howbeit of it selfe it shall profit a man nothing vnlesse it be receiued with a true sincere faith Therfore do I not separate faith from the worde and say therfore that the pure and sincere faith is signified by golde Wherof S. Peter said that the faith of our hartes be pourged For although there be in vs spottes and infirmities yet is faith by reason of the subiect wherupon he resteth moste pure The worde of promission and euen Christe hym selfe is the obiect of faith whiche is the very purenes it selfe Wherfore the Lorde counselleth that the Congregation of Laodicea should bye golde tried he counselleth that they should heare Gods worde and beleue it in deede For the Lorde vseth the worde of byeng for receiuynge hearynge and
tried gold That is purefied pourged wherby thou maist be riche be arayed in whyte and mayst haue a medicine wherwith to annointe thine eyes that thou maiest see To God be glory ¶ He draweth them also hereby vnto repentaunce The .xxij. Sermon BEholde I stande at the dore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the dore I wyll come in vnto hym and will suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercometh wyll I graunt to sitte with me on my seate euen as I ouercame and haue sitten with my father on his seate Let hym that hath eares heare what the spirite saith to the congregations Hereby also the Lorde allureth the Laodiceans to repentaunce shewyng that euery time is mete for conuersion and that God is euermore ready to receiue sinners and prouoketh them alwaies that they should amēde and liue And this matter he expoundeth in an allegoricall and goodly speache Allegorical speche taken out of the fift chapt of the boke of Canticles For he faineth the Lorde to stande at the dore and knock yea and to promise to them that opē the greatest familiaritie and ioyes vnspeakeable First therfore is declared the beneuolence of God towards sinners and his most ready will alwaies to receiue the same yea and his infinite study to moue men to repentaunce that they might liue For the Lord standeth at the dore and knocketh The worde of standing doth signifie that God is always prepared always watcheth ouer our saluation For he sitteth not styll nor lieth not on the one syde lyke a sluggarde He standeth busely to his worke And I stand saith he not I stode or shall stande But I stande euermore ready euermore louing and gentle What doeth he He knocketh that in dede at the dore desiring to be let in For like as he that knocketh at the dore seriously coueteth to be let in so God desireth ernestly to be of vs receiued And God vseth sondry kindes of knocking For he warneth exciteth with his worde by the Prophets againe by signes wonders also by sondry chaūces mouings Howe the Lord knocketh These thinges may be sene in the citie of Ierusalē He sendeth to them his Prophets Apostles He sheweth diuers wonders He bringeth on thē sorowfull chaunces that they might admonish thē Such as are reported Luke 13. of the Galileans of those whome the toure of Siloe had ouerwhelmed We may se the like at this day how the Lord knocketh Therfore he said truly Hierusalē Hierusalē c. Math. 23. These ar doubtles the partes doings of god which wil not that a sinner shuld die but rather conuert liue Than must we se what is required of vs Our part is to heare and to opē verely that we shuld heare the knocking noise of the knocker that also we opē receiue suche as desire to come in Here are they confuted which speake of man as though he were a blocke image I know not what maner of drawing saiyng It is neither in that runner nor in the willer c. Certen altogether absteine from well doing saying if I be chosen it is enough But the scripture requireth euery where hearing obedience We knowe that thelect are only saued that thelect in Christ In Christ to be they that beleue That faith is of hearing hearing by the word of god Therfore saith the Prophet this day if you heare his voice c. This same is recited of the Apostle Heb. 4. The Apostle also 2. Tim. 2. In a great house there be not only vessels of gold but of earth also If any pourge him self c. And therfore the Lord saith I knocke It shal be thy part not to dispise him that knocketh but to opē vnto him And he reciteth in dede two things to heare which both in the .8 .9 of Iohn is required of the children of God of the true shepe And to open that is to receiue the Lord or beleue to obey to frame them selues after the wil of God to do penaunce Notwithstanding we must here beware that we thinke not that man hath power of him self to receiue the Lord. The Lorde illumineth his elect and by him we can do al thinges without whō we can do nothing Other places must be cōferred with this as Iohn 15.2 Corinth 3. Philip. 2. They therfore that open do open by the grace of God They that open not being wrapped in their sinnes through their owne faulte open not and not through any faulte of God Let vs heare moreouer what the Lord promiseth to thē that open that is to say to suche as receiue Christ with true faith What we shal get by opening The Lord promiseth to them two thinges chiefly First I wil go into him saith he The scripture signifieth the Christ dwelleth euery wher through faith in the hartes of the faithful with a most strayte knot to be ioyned vnto them He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him These thinges are spoken of the Lord in the .vi. of Iohn And in the xiiii chapt he saith He that loueth me wyll kepe my worde And my father and I will come vnto hym and will make abode with him S. Paul saith that he liueth not nowe but that Christ liueth in hym The same affirmeth that Christ through faith dwelleth in the hartes of the faithfull And so the Lord entreth the hartes of them that let hym in Not the least part of felicitie consisteth in this coniunction For to be vnited with God is blessednes whiche beginneth here and is made perfit in an other lyfe And therfore in the second place the Lord saith And I will suppe with him and he with me Wherby he noteth not only againe a moste dere frendship familiaritie for the table is consecrate to amitie but rather the fruition of eternall glory For by the supper are signified the ioyes celestiall greatest and vnspeakeable which after their soules the Godly receiue immediatly after death But more fully in the ende of tymes when the bodies shal arise againe Therfore is it not applied to a diner but to a supper as it is also in the .14 of Luke Thē if we receiue Christ we shal haue him dwelling with vs cōtinually whilest we liue in this world And in the worlde to come we shall haue the full fruition of al the ioyes celestiall These thinges be certain and true For otherwyse in the life to come there shall be no riotouse bankettes suche as the Turkes do imagine The thron of God is prepared for the penitent He annexeth also an other generall promesse wherby he exhorteth and moueth to the study of godly religion to repentaūce For to him that ouercometh is promised the kingdome of heauen And he saith to him that ouercometh wherof I haue spoken in thother epistles not to him the fleeth or to a coward c.
faythful and syncere minde we shal haue quiet consciences in al the workes of God euē suche as are harde to indure and seme to some men most vnreasonable For we know that he by whome all thinges are gouerned is of our nature and kinde yea euē our owne brother and such verely as fauoureth vs with al his harte hath suffered death for vs and loueth nothynge better in all the world than man Moreouer whiche hath ouercomen death sonne the Deuil and Hell and hath ouercomen them for vs. Who wil nowe than suspecte his gouernement permission or operation Thou haste a brother in the Princes Courte whome thou arte assured to fauour thee from the botome of his harte thou hearest saye howe he hathe geuen vnto him of the Prince the gouernement and iudgement of the whole countrie woldest thou sticke or be lothe to submitte thy selfe vnto him naye rather thou doest truste and hope to obteyne any thing of thy brother Therefore let vs remembre The kingdome and power is geuen to Christ howe the Scripture not here only but euery where doeth teache that Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and in dede of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie in diyng for vs to haue deserued to haue a name geuen him whiche is aboue all names and that althinges shoulde be subiecte to his gouernment what so euer be in the worlde visible or inuisible For so S. Iohn testifieth in the .1 Chapter And S. Paul also to the philipp 2. Coloss 1. and to the Hebrewes the .1 Chapter He is sayed at this present to haue ouercomen or obteyned to open the boke and lowse the Seales therof Therfore by the knoweledge of him and through faith in him we obteyne that with a ioyefull minde we maye loke vpon the boke the iudgementes and all the workes of God and quietly and patiently to beare the openyng therof and gouernment of al together c. A most gallaunt ful descriptiō of Christ But to the intente we maye iudge more rightly of Christ gouernour of all although he hath already described him right liuely yet now he procedeth to paincte him out in his that is to saye moste godly and goodly coulours that we should not be nothing affrayed of his gouernement nother that we should not with quiet mindes most willingly submitte our selues wholy to his gouernment First is sayed that a Lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercomen Christe a lion of the tribe of Iuda to wit that same Christ of oures to haue ouercomen the Deuill sinne death the world hell and al power of the aduersarie And he ouercame in diyng and so atchieued the high dignitie and was made Lorde of all The Deuil is also called a Lion of S. Peter Salomon and the Prophetes call tirannes Lions 1. Peter 5. Our Authour therfore calleth Christ a lion not of the common sorte but of the tribe of Iuda For he alludeth to the prophecie of the patriarch Iacob whiche is in the .49 of Genes he prophecieth there that Schilo shal come with plentie and good lucke whiche like a lion that hath taken his praye nether is there any manne that can driue him from it can defende those that be his whom he hath caught out of the dragōs clawes so that no hostile power dare ones hisse against him Christ therfore is declared a victour or cōquerour greatest Christe is only moste inuincible most mightie and most inuincible Which belongeth to him alone Yet shal you finde Kings which are euery houre ouercomen of wicked lustes whiche wil suffer them selues to be called inuincible Briefly this first note in the description of Christ sheweth that Iesus Christ gouernour of al is that very same whom the patriarches prophetes haue prophecied to come into the world a prince most inuincible Secōdly Christ is called the rote of Dauid wherin he appereth to haue alluded to that saiyng of Esaye in the .11 Christe the roote of Dauid chap. Than shal a budde come forth of the stocke of Iesse a flour shal ascende out of the rootes therof Namely Marie the daughter of Dauid of whom that most sacred floure Christ sprang came was the stocke of Iesse And of the very rotes of Dauid or of the virgin I meane of the most true humane nature Iesus Christ was borne very man into the worlde For he toke no where the Aungelles nature but the sede of Abraham He is therfore our brother Hebr. 2. of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie These things do comfort vs exceadingly and confute heretikes most strongly which faine that Christe hath not a very humane body We haue more herof in the .1 of Matth. and .1.2.3 of Luke Christe is in the mids of the seate After it is expresly spoken of the same our lorde that he is in the middes of the Throne in the middes of the .iiii. beastes and in the middes of the .xxiiii. Elders and is therfore exēpted out of the nōbre of creatures out of the numbre of Aungelles and out of the numbre of Sainctes For he is greater than these to wit of the same substaunce with the father in glory power equal For the father is in the middes of the Throne from thence procedeth the holy ghost euen there is founde also now the lambe Christ not only very man but also very God Christ is very God And is a distincte person For the blessed Trinitie knoweth not any cōfusiō The father is God the sonne is God the holy ghost is God yet are al three but one God the father in his subsistence the sonne in his and the holy ghost in his not makyng three Gods but three proprieties and persones in one indiuisible and eternal essence And where as Christ is mentioned to be in the middes of the beastes and in the middes of Elders he is doubtles signified after the diuine nature to be euery where to be the life and preseruation of all creatures also in the middes of his chosen and of his Church Therfore like as we beleue Iesus Christ to be very mā so let vs also beleue him to be very God of the same substaunce with God the father Therfore let Seruiet perishe with Arrius and Mahomet and as many as denie Christ to be the sonne of God coequal with the father in al thinges Furthermore he is now also called a lambe Christ is a lambe not that he is a shepe of nature but for that by a lambe is prefigured the innocent redemer of the worlde and the only holesome sacrifice of all faithfull A lambe is a token of innocencie and from the beginning appointed for sacrifices Abel offered vp a Lambe after the lawe was offered a dayly sacrifice in the morning a lambe and at euening a lambe For christ is the expiation of them whiche were in the beginning of the world and which in the ende shal be The Paschall lambe in the .12 of Exodus
Whose bloud prohibited the Aungel distroier from the houses and tentes represented the figure of Christ by whose preciouse bloud we are reconciled to God This expositiō of the Paschal lambe S. Peter him self in the .1 Pet. 1. and S. Paull in the .1 to the Corinth 5. haue brought Esaye accordeth with them in the .53 chapter And so expounded by the Apostle S. Philip in the 8. of the Actes Finally S. Iohn Baptist whiche with the fingar stretched out and poinctyng to Christ exclamed beholde the Lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the sinnes of the world Let vs therfore beleue that the same Iesus Christ vnto whom al power is geuē of the father to be our deliuerer our expiation reconciliation innocencie sanctification iustification and euerlastyng saluation as he whom we shal heare in the xiii chapt to haue bē slayne from the beginning of the world for so much as his only death one oblation made from the beginning of the world and continually to the worlds ende doeth sanctifie al those that are sanctified Which the Apostle also affirmeth in the .10 to the Hebrewes Howebeit this lambe or sauiour of the worlde is sayed to stand in the middes of the throne verely for that now he executeth thoffice of a catholicke kinge and priest gouernour beynge alwayes ready and prepared to saue So S. Stephen also in the .7 of the Actes seeth him standing Or els in other places we reade that Christ sitteth on the right hande of the father To the which this place gayne saieth not considering that to sitte is bothe to rest and to reigne Moreouer this our Lambe appereth in the Throne of the diuine maiestie The lamb appeareth as slayne as if he were killed not for that he was not slayne in dede and dead for that same is a little after excessed moste exactely but for that he remayned not in deathe but the thirde daye rose agayne from the dead to th ende he mighte so declare him selfe to be the life and resurrection of the faythful Or verely for that after his humanitie he is red to be slayne after his deitie to be immortall and subiecte to no reproche Wherfore in the old lawe the one of the goates in the 16. of Leuitic is slayne but the other is not killed but by the worke of a man herunto appoynted is led forthe into the deserte Neuertheles there is of the expositours which expounde it thus he is sayed as though he were slaine for asmuche as after S. Chrisostome and S. Austen he hath reserued as yet the seares of the woundes of his death in token of his victory c. Furthermore this lambe Christ Iesus our lord hath .vii. The lābe hath seuen hornes hornes not that in dede he carieth so many hornes like a goate of Iude. An horne as appereth by Daniel and by the songe of Zacharie in the 1. of Luke signifieth power and kingdome The .vii. nombre is the nombre of fulnes It is therfore signified that Christ is indued with al kinde of power diuine humane imperial pontifical roiall briefly moste absolute In the 13. chapt we shal heare that the beaste hath taken to him two hornes as it were of the lambe whereof I shal speake in his place Daniel in the 7. chapt And rule sayeth he was geuen him and honour and kyngedome that al nations and tounges mighte worship him whose rule is an euerlastinge rule which shal not perish nor decaye at any time Now hath he seuen eyes also These he expoundeth and sayeth The lābe hathe .vii. eyes whiche are the .vii. spirites of God sente into the whole worlde I shewed you before that the .vii. spirites are called a seuenfold spirite Here therfore is signified the fulnes of the spirite which the lord powereth out vpon al flesh Here is signified the vniuersal knowledge of the sonne in whose sighte are present what thinges so euer are done in heauen and in earth opēly priuely For the spirite of Christ that vnmeasurable force incomprehensible and most diuine searcheth and pearseth al thinges nothinge is hidde from his eyes whiche viewe the whole world And such is Christ as we haue hearde described hitherto What is the gouernour of all and who openeth the seales whome the Patriarches haue before sayed shoulde come a victour and triumphant cōquerour alone verely inuincible very man of our owne substaūce and also our very brother yet very God neuerthelesse of the same substaunce with the father and the holy ghoste the reconciler redemer and the only saluatiō of the world hath suffered for vs and the same risen agayne from the dead and ascended into heauē hauing al power in heauen and in earth whiche seeth al thinges cōmunicateth his spirite vnto men and is the most faithful keper and defender of al mā kinde This Christ Iesus our lord came and receiued he conueyed not or stale it away but toke that boke of the prouidence diuine of the iudgementes of God of the vniuersal gouernmēt of al things that he might open and lowse the Seales thereof that is to saye that he might reueale to vs that are redemed with his bloud the iudgementes of God and mighte dispose and order al thinges in heauen and in earth Therfore sins we know that the gouernour of al thinges is geuen to vs a redemer Kyng Bishop and our only saluation who will not from hence forth willingly submitte himself to his gouernement And seyng we nowe vnderstande certenly how that vnder the seale of faith and veritie al things are done by Christ who dare hereafter more curiousely inquire of his workes and iudgmentes vnto whose credite and gouernement we should nowe cōmitte althinges Howe the sonne is saied to receiue the boke at his fathers hande in case they were in our power Notwithstanding we shall obserue that the sonne doeth not so receyue these thinges of the father that the father is depriued therof For in the .5 chapt of S. Iohns Gospel the Lorde sayeth my father worketh vnto this time I worke c. Certes the sonne is called the worde mouth and arme of the father c. or that after the humanitie the sonne mighte seme lesse than the father For very godly Aretas where the lambe sayeth he receyued the boke of the right hande of him that sitteth on the Throne it must be vnderstande on the behalfe of his humanitie As also that he was slayne For concernyng his deitie none of all those thinges that maye worthely be spoken or thought of God is seuerally assigned to three persones sauing the maner of bringyng forth of him that begetteth and of him that is begotten and of hym that procedeth c. This description of Christ is singular moste excellent very euangelicall and ful of consolation and therfore is it chiefly to be layde vp in the botome of our hartes Where we finde also that they were disceaued in theyr iudgment which were not affrayde to saye that in this boke besides
we reade in the .1 of Iob howe Sathan had power geuen him of God agaynst Iob. Vnto blouddy soldiours is geuen a great sword great power to hurte a wonderfull force of fighting As also Nahum expoundeth it Nother is it a rare thinge in the scriptures for Monarkes tirannes and mightie men of warre to be called a sworde For so Ezechiel called Nabuchodonosor and Esaye called Sinacherib king of Assyrians a whetstone And the chiefest rightuousenes is God is of good thiÌ„â—s the deuiâ—l authour of euill to geue euery man his owne Therfore this place doeth iustely ascribe that which is good vnto God and that whiche is euill to the Deuill But thou sayest if God permitte the same that he doeth not prohibite he doeth He prohibiteth not warre for because iustice wil not suffer him so to doe but he coÌ„mauÌ„deth him by warre to punish the wicked and to trie the good but in permittyng warres God offendeth nothinge seyng that for moste iuste causes he permitteth the same For they would not imbrace peace offered them by the preachers of the Gospell therfore were they worthy to be intangled with warres The Iewes knew not the daye of Christes visitation therfore were they worthely visited of the Romanes and distroyed And this thing is in the world perpetuall that they that wil not obeye the Gospell muste obeye the Captayne of the warres they that wil not heare christ must heare Antichrist Thou mayest not contende with God whic he doeth this and permitteth that Worship God rather as thou hast ben taught in the .4 and .5 chapt Let vs peruse ouer stories and see and suche warres be not founde wherin men haue slaine themselues with mutuall woundes and haue killed one an other like beastes If you wil reade Herodiane Orosius and other good Historiographers you maye finde that the Romane Emperours haue ben troubled with moste greuouse warres for none other cause than that thei refused peace offered to them by the gospell For none other cause was Rome it selfe at the last taken by the Westgothians of the Eastgothians burnte and distroyed The lord had geueÌ„ them Christen Princes but they loued more Idols For Simmachus gouernour of the citie was so bolde to require a restitution of Idolatrie I speake nothing now of Athila nothing of the Persian and Affricane warres And what time there was a wonderful strife emoÌ„gs the Bisshoppes about the supremacie the Saracenes sprang vp and became mightie After the Thousande yere beganne the holy warre whiche as it was most bloudy so was it of longest continuance Neuer any suche warre was made in al the world Boniface the .8 instituted firste the yere of Iubiley a moste wicked manne who also did exhibite him selfe to be sene of the people both Pope Emperour But the same yere of a thousand and three hondreth wherin he did these thinges arrose vp in Asia the whippe or scourge of God Ottoman the original of themperours of Turkes which reigne at this daye For so when Salomon buylded places of Idolatrie his enemies sprang vp which wonderfully vexed and afflicted the kingdom of Salomon What warres are made now a dayes and what be the causes of warres al wise men do see We wil not receaue the peaceable gospel It is reason therfore that the Turkissh Armies should inuade vs that we maye both fele Antichrist to be a stoute warriour and maye al abhorre and deteste him But what other thing remayneth here than that beyng conuerted to God through Christ we maye serue the lord in syncere fayth and holy puretie for except we conuerte the are is layde at the tree roote c. ¶ Here is opened the .iii. and .iiii. Seale and is declared what the world shall suffer of honger and Pestilence The .xxxi. Sermon ANd when he opened the thirde Seale I hearde the thirde beaste saie come and see And I behelde and lo a black horse and he that sate on him had a paire of Balaunces in his hande And I hearde a voyce in the middes of the foure beastes say A measure of wheate for a penny and three measures of barley for a peny and oyle and wine see thou hurte not And when he opened the fourth Seale I hearde the voice of the fourth beast saye come and see And I loked and beholde a pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was geuen vnto them ouer the fourth parte of the Earth to kyll with sworde and with honger and with death of the beastes of the Earth Christ exalted aboue all thinges A repetitioÌ„ and Lord of all in heauen and in earth openeth the seales of the boke diuine that is to witte disposeth and gouerneth with great rightuousnes the ordenaunces and iudgementes of God and firste in dede he geueth a prosperouse course to the preaching of the gospell sendyng alwayes faythefull ministers preachyng the Gospel of the kyngdome of God peace and concorde But for asmuche as euyll men do contemne the Euangelical peace they are certenly worthy to be molested with cruell warres Therfore the lambe openeth the second seale and there rushe out cruel warres slaughters seditions and robberies Attention But before the thirde Seale is opened the thirde beast resemblyng the countenaunce of man exhorteth vs to take most diligent hede that when we see these thinges come to passe whiche are here spoken of before we shoulde consider from whence they come and for what causes they are sente and that they maye be tourned away by dewe repentaunce Certen referre these thinges absolutely to chaunce and fortune some agayne to the naturall causes of God and the diuine operation no respect had at al Where we knowe that God vseth natural causes after his good wil and pleasure Let vs watch therfore loke and consider and know that the rightuouse God worketh al thinges for the saluation of the chosen and the ouerthrowe of his enemies That blacke horse with his rider shewyng a balaunce in his hande signifieth the vnfortunate or sorrowfull time of scarsetie famine and penurie of al thinges The thirde seale is opened For it is a worthie and a coÌ„digne punishment that they that do nothing esteme the bread of life nor haue no consideration of the foode of soules but both reiect it themselues and by their tirannical proclamations bringe to passe that it is not receiued of others finally whiche for the bread of life do spoyle the godly of their goodes and most wickedly waste the same in all kinde of riot should be driuen to bie thinges necessary at excessiue prices yea and can not finde things necessarie but should pine for honger We know that the black colour is vsed in mourning and heuinesse The black horse and that when the fleshe and bloud are consumed for wante of meate the skinne groweth blacke and euill fauoured and therefore this horse is blacke The rider of this horse holdeth in his hande a balaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
salute and cal him most blessed father moste holy Pope c. Christ setteth forth with an other stile and geueth him other titles His name sayeth he was Abbadon in Hebrewe and in Greke Apollyon He publissheth his name in eyther tounge for none other cause than for that in eyther Testament wherof the one is written in Hebrew the other in greke this title is attributed to him Abbadon or Abbaddon or Apollyon signifieth a waster or destroyer But Daniel in the .7.8 and .11 The childe of perditiō chapt And Zachar. in the .11 doe attribute to Antichrist this vertue and propertie S. Paul calleth him the sonne of perdition to wit most lost most damnable and the greatest Authour of perdition and damnation whiche finally shall be vnto many Authour of slaughter by sondry warres For through false doctrine he distroyeth soules and with tiranny by fire and sworde he wasteth the lande and those that refuse to obeye him moste cruelly Let the Popes actes be considered and the practises of spirituall fathers lette them be applied to these oracles of God and than let a cōparison and iudgement be made And this is as it were the keye openyng to vs the sense of this place and that it should be expounded of Antichrist whome S. Paull called the sonne of perdition Habad in Hebrewe signifieth is loste or distroied And therof cometh Habbaedon perdition or destruction So in Greke Apoleo and Apollyme signifieth to lose and distroy herof is Apollyon The Lord Iesus slaye this destroyer with the breath of his mouth take him away vtterly by his gloriouse commyng ¶ The sixte trompet is expounded where is created of Saracenes and turkishe matters The .xli. Sermon ONe wo is paste and beholde two woes come yet after this And the sixte Aungel blewe and I hearde a voyce from the foure corners of the golden Aultar whiche is before the eyes of God saiyng to the sixt angel which had the trompet lowse the foure Angels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates And the foure Angels were lowsed which were prepared for an houre for a daie for a moneth and for a yeare for to slaye the the thirde parte of men And the nombre of Horsemen of warre were twenty times ten thousande And I hearde the nombre of thē And thus I sawe the horses in a vision and them that sate on them hauing firie habbergions of a yalowe and brimstony colour and the heades of the horses were as the heades of Lions And out of theyr mouthes wente forth fire smoke and brimstone And of these three was the third part of mē killed that is to say of fire smoke brimstone whiche proceded out of the mouthes of them For their power was in their mouths in their tailes for their tailes were like vnto serpentes hauing heades and with them did they hurt The sixte cōflicte or fight is of Mahometrie by the Saracenes Turkes Tartariās most cruelly foughten and with muche wo. And would God it were foughten For we perceiue dayly by the thinges themselues the misterie of the prophecie and see the fulfilling and euen experience it also At the sounde of the trompe of the sixte Aungell S. Iohn heareth a voice from the foure corners of the golden Aultar The some of the vision that is to saye from the middes of the Aultar neither is there any cause why we should seke a misterie in the fourth nōbre And he speaketh of that Aultar whiche is before the eyes of God That voice commaundeth the Aungell trompetter to lowse the foure Aungels bounden in the great riuer of Euphrates Whiche thing as soone as it was done an innumerable armie of horsemen marched forwarde and sleyeth and distroyeth the third parte of the earth that is the third parte of men And those horsemen and the force or power therof is most diligently described We learned of late that the golden Aultar The goldē Aultar doeth signifie Christ sitting on the right hād of the father He is purer and more preciouse than golde he is priest and sacrifice of all the faithful standing before the eyes of God to witte pleasyng God wherin or in whome his soule is pleased with al faythfull whose vertue suffiseth all And suche a one God the father would haue him to be preached and beleued of all the faythfull in the worlde Such a one also the auncient church instituted of the Apostles beleued and taught him vntill by the worke and instigation of the Deuill menne moste corrupt sprange vp in the churche whereof these deny the deitie of Christe those the humanitie others plucked a sonder the persone consisting of God and manne and others confounded the natures or proprieties of natures The goodnes of God suffered this longe patiently many times sendynge faythfull and open defenders of the veritie whiche mighte roote out those blasphemouse errours the whiche we haue red to be done by seuerall Bisshoppes or Preachers of the church or by ecclesiastical assemblees which we call coūsels such as were the counsells Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedonian In the whiche were cōdemned Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches and other monstres of heretikes which impugned Christ Howebeit the vncurable peruersenes of men gettyng the vpper hande there was none ende of alteration and blasphemies For two great Bishops of no smal churches Peter and Seuerus deny thaultar Christ to be dead Peter patriarche of Antioche and Seuerus of Constantinople springyng vp in the reigne of the emperour Iustinian impudently and moste wickedly affirmed as the actes of the .5 counsell of Constantinople doe plentifully enough declare that the body of Christ was vtterly in corruptible and verely deified neyther subiecte to any affections as oures are For that the worde was so made fleshe that by and by it began to be one nature to wit diuine that Christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is incorruptible These thinges should seme to procede out of the most wicked schole of Valentinian Marcion and Manicheus Iames Syrus Iames Sirus surnamed Zāzalus of whom at this day the Iacobites are named in the east countrie toke vpon him to defende the doctrine of Seuerus He taught that Christ for that he was incorruptible neyther to haue suffered nor ben crucified but that some other was put to tormētes for Christ Christ only standing by inuisibly and loking on This opinion was madde by many testimonies of the Scripture and finally repulsed and ouerthrowen with the articles of our fayth Christ suffered verely For we professe in our belefe suffered vnder Ponce pilate was crucified dead and buried The prophetes tolde expressely before that he should suffer and die that he hath suffered and died the Apostles haue witnessed of whom S. Iohn behelde the death and passion of Christ on the crosse Nother reade we that the Lorde was euer so much offended with his disciples as he was with Peter goyng about to diswade the passion as vnworthie the sonne of God For he
with out fruicte as beyng corrupted with the popish doctrine by force wil not be wise c. Finally they haue power to strike the Earth with euery plague so ofte as they wil. But they will not they strike the Earth with plagues excepte Gods worde by the whiche they beyng inspired and instructed are gouerned shall commaunde them For they wil do nothing wilfully they will not followe their affectioÌ„s but the worde of God Howebeit they are saide to strike the earth with plagues when out of Gods word thei threaten that God with plagues wil punnish the sinnes of meÌ„ Those plagues are recited in the .26 .28 of Deuter. Wherfore in case they threaten to impenitent persons warre pestilence famine sickenesses and other calamities God will sende them to such as are vncurable as the lord sayeth oft him selfe in Ieremie Agayne and on the contrary parte they shal in riche with all blessyng those that obeye gods word what time they shal shewe forth the Lordes blessing Thus muche hath he spoken hitherto concernyng the preachers of the Gospel which shal fight agaynst Antichrist in that last age before the iudgement and shal buylde vp the church confirme the beleuers Thou thy self shalt obserue in what preachers thou shalt perceyue these markes and the same shalt thou acknowledge for the lawefull prophetes of God And shalt acknowledge with all how great a benefite of God it is to haue trewe and faithfull preachers of Gods word The lord our God confirme al ministers of his worde in the settyng forth of his trueth to the worldes ende ¶ Of the cruell fight of Antichrist agaynst the Prophetes of God whome he ouercommeth and sleyeth and shamefully vseth them The .xlviij. Sermon ANd wheÌ„ they haue finished their testimony the beast that cam out of the botomles pitte shall make warre agaynst them and shall ouercome them kille them And their bodies shal lie in the stretes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome Aegipte where our lord is crucified And som of the people and kinreddes and toÌ„gues and of nations shall see their bodies three dayes and an halfe and shal not suffer theyr bodies to be put in graues And they that dwell vpon the Earth shall reioyce ouer them and be glad and shall sende giftes one to an other for these two Prophetes vexed theÌ„ that dwel on the earth We haue hearde of the coÌ„tinual preachyng of the preachers which shall obiecte themselues to Antichrist to his armie for christes veritie and the church of the faithfull that al the time that Antichrist shall exercise tiranny against the church consequently our lord Iesus Christ will teache vs by thapostle and Euangelist S. Iohn after what condition the sainctes shal fight and howe Antichrist shall incountre with them which also apperteyneth to consolation The persecution of Antichrist a necessarie admonition leest any maÌ„ should be discouraged with the felicitie of the Antichristians and calamities of the faithful He speaketh therfore expressely of the greuouse persecutioÌ„ of antichrist which hath now coÌ„tinued these many yeres I meane al that time wherin the bishop of Rome hath vsurped takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ him authoritie ouer al churches with some smal spaces of respite to breath in of the Lord permitted This persecutioÌ„ of Antichrist is more greuouse longer than euer was any eyther emongs thauncieÌ„t people of God or in the primitiue church Certenly for these fiue hoÌ„dreth yeres who so euer of what state or condition he were of began to speake neuer so little against the church of Rome he felte incoÌ„tineÌ„tly hatred imprisonement bannishment and death This do stories testifie which shewe also that persecutioÌ„ so much the more increased as the Bisshoppes themselues and theyr champions Monkes and freres were increased in nombre and power And the lord declareth most diligeÌ„tly when who of what estate where when with how great crueltie Antichrist shal playe the tiraunt against the faithful seruauntes of God He addeth immediatly that all his enterprises shall be vtterly vaine and how great shal be the rewardes of constaunte ministers and also the calamities of the Antichristians The testimony of Prophetes muste first be finished before the persecutioÌ„ come on And first in dede he admonisheth playnely what time persecution must be moued not before the testimony of the prophetes shal be finished I shewed you before that the testimonie is the sincere preaching of the gospel Aretas saieth what testimonie That he which shall be present is not Christ but a deceauer and a pestilent seducer c. And so great is the goodnes of God louing his church that he wil not suffer the preachers to be taken away till they haue finished their preachinge For the gospell must be openly preached to all men for saluation and deliueraunce from anguish craftes and disceiptes and from the seducers of Antichriste And they shall finish their ministery with sondry wrytinges and continual preachinges Thei shal finish I say when it shal please God For some preach and abide safe and sound many yeares beynge safe and sure from persecutions And others are immediatly apprehended cast in prison and slaine Thus are these things done as semeth to god good which must euer be credited what meane so euer he vseth to auaunce his glory further the helth of his church Here coÌ„meth to passe also as we reade oft times in the gospel that the lord was not takeÌ„ for asmuch as his houre was not comen Therfore shal a certaine houre also be appoincted of God to the preachers Before this houre they be safe sure though the deuill be neuer so madde tirauntes rage bloudsuckours and thenemies of faith laye in waite We maruel sometimes how the preachers of the gospel coulde preach in so great a coÌ„pany of wolues so long time that directly agaynst wolues Whie they were not by and by torne in peces God deâ—eÌ„deth his Prophetes vnto theyr houre The lorde God almightie hath kept which would first haue them throughly to finish the testimonie of the veritie He letted therfore their enemies and gaue strength to his seruauntes to preach To him shall we render thankes that many good preachers in times paste of late daies D. Luther and D. Zwinglius other faithful witnesses of God coulde in so wicked a worlde and in so great power of Antichrist execute their ministerie so many yeres in dispite of Hell gates Notwitstandyng that the Princes and Magistrates deserue also to be praysed for the lawefull defence shewed them yet should this haue ben none at all vnlesse the power of God would haue had it so And what time the faithful in the churche shall be sufficiently admonisshed so that such as will be wise Persecution cometh on and not of a set pourpose perish maye all escape the snares of Antichrist and liue in Christe immediately shall followe persecution For so soone as the Pope shall heare with his dregges
cruel and blouddy is that crueltie it shal continewe by the space of three dayes and an halfe Three dayes and an halfe the whiche al the expositours vnderstande for a shorte time certaine in dede but yet vncertayne as I tolde you before of the monethes and yeres Therefore I suppose this shortenesse of time to be brought for a consolation We saye also for the Lord geueth to the afflicted spaces to breath in shorteneth the sorrowful dayes to the ende we might be able to abide it Yf therefore our patience be tempted in a greuouse cruell persecution of Antichrist let vs thinke that our Lorde God hath in a rekenyng al the dayes of our calamitie and that he hath shortened the same for the consolation of the weake The place is tolde where the prophetes muste be slayne And the very place where this crueltie muste be wrought agaynst the prophetes he expresseth playnely as it were poincteth it with the fingar To witte the great citie And it is the citie of God and is also the citie of the deuil it is the citie of Abel an innocēt it is also the citie of Cain the parricide it is the catholicke citie of sainctes it is also the Sinagoge of Antichrist These cities are opē through out the whole world and are inclosed with no strayte walles thou might call this citie the lordeshippe dominion kingdome or empire or fellowship of the wicked Where so euer therefore Antichrist or Pope of Rome hath iurisdiction and euen in the Romisshe church it selfe through out al nations people these thinges whiche we haue hearde shal be done agaynst Martirs For settyng forth that citie with more playne tokens their bodies sayeth he shal lie in the stretes of the great Citie And by an expositiō he addeth which is called spiritually Sodome and Aegipte Moreouer where also our Lord was crucified And agayne and they shall see of people and kinreddes and tongues and natiōs therfore by this he vnderstode not any strayte nor yet any large citie inclosed with walles but that citie stretcheth through out the world wherin dwel nations kinreddes people c. Sodome and Aegipte are farre a sonder nother can they be ioyned together with any walles Againe our Lorde was crucified in the citie of Hierusalem whiche is also called of the Prophetes Sodome and Gomorrha but he is crucified dayly in his membres through out the world And there is one and the same citie and societie of al the wicked in the worlde as there is one body of the godly Let vs knowe therfore how that citie wherin the bodies of the prophetes lie in the stretes is the citie of Cain and the Romish church scattered ouer the world The same is called Aegipte and Sodome but spiritually Spiritually Where we see this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually to be vsed in a sense farre from the lettre for otherwise there is no spirite at all eyther in Sodome or in Aegypte for they be altogether flesh Therefore insense of a parable and by a comparison this citie is called Sodome Aegypte Sodome Aegipte What Sodome was appereth of the .19 chapt of Genes and .16 of Ezechiel Her sinnes went vp to heauē But what maner one is at this daye a longe time hath ben the churche of Rome all men know excepte it be they that wil not know And the Apostle in the .1 to the Romaines hath expounded And Aegipte robbed the children of God of their libertie oppressed them with vile bōdage and prohibited them from the trewe worshippyng of God So likewise the Romish church hath spoyled the church of Christ of the libertie gotten by Christ hath wrapped her in filthie seruitude that she might serue in the dirte of mens tradicions It prohibiteth moreouer by all force and power that she shall not in retournyng to the gospel serue God truely And verely our lord Iesus Christ was crucified on Mounte Caluarie at the citie of Hierusalē Where our Lorde was crucified and also the articles of our fayth expounding the same saye that he suffered vnder Pōce Pilate He was the Romane gouernour it is manifest therefore that Christ suffered vnder the Romane Empire Vnder the same Empire and vnder the iudgement thereof were executed the Apostles and auncient Martirs Vnder the Empire of newe Rome fal that prophetes also at this daye by sworde and fire Also people kinreddes tongues and nations obeye this Empire nowe called the churche so that preachers in all places the beaste so willyng and commaundyng are aprehended and slayne with cruell deathes people kinreddes and nations lokyng on To the augementation and moste aptely expressyng the crueltie that thinge apperteyneth chiefly The wicked reioyse at the calamities of the godly that these earthly men possessyng in these landes a church all together carnall shall reioyse and be glad ouer the calamities and miserable deathes of Prophetes The same did also the Lorde him selfe prophecie before in the .16 of Iohn Verely verely I saye vnto you you shal wepe lamēt but the world shal reioyce c. Yea they shal sende giftes saieth he and letters of reioycing That this was done in the counsel of Constaunce what time Iohn Husse Bankettes were made for the fal of England and Hierome of Prage were burnt Histories make mention We haue hearde very lately howe after Englande was fallen agayne to the Romishe religion what ioye and gladnes what bankettes and triumphes the Papistes made in all places So ofte as the ministers or other faithfull are burnt the selfe same kepe solemne chere and pleasaunte bankettyng singyng Te deum Laudamus And letters of reioycing flye to froe in some other places with sollemne procession they reioyce at the miserie of the faithfull but the Lorde seeth these thinges which tolde lōg sins that the same things should now come to passe They are glad they are lighted of theyr burthen And the cause of this excedyng gladnes is non other than that those prophetes vexed them that dwell vpon earth For they that loue the earth and couet earthly thinges are sore offended with the free preachyng of the veritie whiche they hate more than dogge and snake For they desire eyther to atcheue honours riches and pleasures or if they haue them to kepe stil the same but they are sore affrayed leeste through preachyng the same should be shrewedly shakē or wholy taken from them Therefore they desire nothyng more than to be ridde and deliuered of their clamours and immediately to haue them taken out of the waye For so thinke they that they shal be safe and inioye their pleasures at wil. With like affection and Counsell in the feaste of Herode was coueted nother kingedom nor great some of Golde but the head of Iohn Baptiste The Popes had rather at this daye haue the heades of certen ministers of the churche than so many thousande crownes Yea moreouer the ministers of churches are called plagues
out of this life But contrarywise the Lord here pronounceth and declareth euerlasting rewardes to be for them prepared For theyr soules deliuered from their bodies are streight waye taken vppe into heauen and their bodies reysed at the last iudgement ascende into heaueÌ„ also that there they maie reioyce with Christ for euermore But to the intent that this godly promesse of the euerlastyng and inestimable rewarde might be of more authoritie and credit with al men the Lord propoundeth it not simplely but most gallauÌ„tly decked and â—â—rnisshed for he setteth before that a voyce was sente to the prophetes and that from heauen morouer great or lowde For great is the consent of Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles with the very sonne of god in most assured doctrine wherupoÌ„ we beleue vndoubtedly that those which suffer for the confession of Christ are saued both body and soule And that doctrine was brought froÌ„ heauen that there is no place lefte for doubtfulnes There be testimonies in the scriptures both manifest and many as in .26 of Esaye .12 of Daniel .10 and .16 of Matth .14 of Iohn and diuerse others What shuld we saye that at this present is brought an expresse testimony hereof for a voice soundeth from Heauen ouer the afflicted with the tiranny of Antichrist Come vp hither come vp hither That is asmuch to saye as I see the lewdenes and crueltie of the Antichristians to be such that there is no place lefte you in earth They tourmoyle and persecute you as plagues and vnworthie to liue on the earth come ye therefore hither to me into the heauenly palace whither I my selfe came also after the crosse and opprobriouse death We reade in the Gospel that the iudge shall saye to the godly come the blessed of my father c. They weÌ„t vp into heauen in a clowde Furthermore leeste any man should thinke these wordes to be vayne the lord adioyneth by S. Iohn and they ascended into heauen not for that the resurrection is made already but for the vndoubted certentie of the thing he speaketh of the thing to come as if it were paste of the which sorte are founde many lyke phrases euery where in the Prophetes Helias in times past asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ both soule and body as we reade in the .4 boke of Kinges the .2 chapt by the same miracle he shewed than also what rewarde the Lorde hath prepared for the faythfull preachers of Gods worde nother is there any other thing here nowe repeted He addeth how they went vp in a clowde For a clowde toke vp Christe our head from the eyes of the disciples and we shal be also taken vp in a clowde to mete the Lord in the ayre as the scripture reciteth in the .1 of the Actes and the .1 to the Thessalonians the .4 chap. Albeit therfore that preachers those which beleue the preachers be excoÌ„municated of Antichrist through open and shamefull punisshmentes should seme to be sent to the Deuill yet Christ receiueth them deliuered from al euils vnto him into the palace of Heauen Vnto this he addeth an other thing also and their enemies sawe them Their enemies sawe them They saw I saye with an horrible feare for whilest they shall see them whom they haue condeÌ„ned for gods enemies as the trewe and honorable frendes of God to be in glory therof they shal gather that they themselues shal be deputed into the fellowship of Deuilles Reade herof a plentiful coÌ„mentary in the .3 .5 chapt of the boke of wisedome Albeit therfore that the preachers of the Gospell in this present worlde be iudged and seme and appere before the world as damned yet in that same daye wherin all men shal be assembled so many as euer haue ben be now or shall be vnto al it shal be manifest that these be the most dere freÌ„des of God and that their cause is best And herewith wil the lorde haue them comforted which are persecuted condemned dispised and spurned for the preachyng of Gods worde By these thinges he prepareth establissheth the mindes of the faithful that thei be not discouraged with the rebukes reuilinges and oppressions of Antichrist and his limmes Finally the Lorde addeth also certen thinges of the miseries of the Antichristians The calamities of the Antichristians wherwith the rightuouse Lord beginneth to punnish them to interrupte their wicked ioyes that at the last in an other world he maye put the same to tourmeÌ„tes that neuer shal haue ende In that same houre sayeth he the same time doubtles wherin they shall afflicte the prophetes shal be made a great Earthquake the tenth parte of the citie shal fal And the tenth part we vnderstaÌ„d to be great yet so that the more parte shal remaine in errour As S. Peter prophecied should come to passe in the .2 of Peter the .2 And the Lord him selfe also in the .7 of Matth. And he semeth to recite two euilles which haÌ„ge ouer them calamities and reuoltinges For S. Iohn him selfe semeth to adde an exposition and to saye and there were slayne in the Earthquake the names of seuen thousande men And the residewe were affrayed and gaue glory to God of Heauen Therfore I suppose by the Earthquake to be signified excedyng greate alterations SeueÌ„ M. men slaine with the earthquake commotions seditions warres slaughters and distructions And he sayed the names of men after the Hebrewe phrase for a nombre of men And he put 7000. a nombre certayne for an vncertayne as where it is sayed to Helias I haue lefte me seuen thousande men which haue not boughed their knees to Baal For if it signifieth a great multitude Likewise he signifieth here also that no smal nombre of Antichristians shal be dispatched out of the waye by slaughter and sondry or all kindes of calamities Agayne he signifieth that the tenth parte of the world that is to saye the adherentes and fauourers of the Romisshe churche shall reuolte not a fewe of them from the same church beyng feared with the preachyng of God his worde and with plagues inflicted to the enemies of God his worde and so they shal forsake the Romisshe churche that they shal geue all glory to the God of Heauen The tenth part of the citie falleth Hitherto being abused with the Romish trifles and sophisticall opinions they haue not geuen all glory wholy to the trewe God creatour of heauen end earth and the inhabiter and geuer of heauen whilest they haue attributed more vnto creatures mens inuentions and to errours than to the veritie and communicated the glory which they owe to God alone vnto sainctes also and to the workes of their handes but now beyng instructed with the preachyng of the gospel they wil depende of God alone and wil ascribe al glory vnto him through Christ Nowe if ye conferre herwith histories not olde for wherunto shoulde I moleste you with a long rehersall but lately made that with in
to sette forth the thyng it selfe as it were to be sene with the eyes The argumente of the 12.13.14 chapt in the three chapt next followyng the .12.13.14 He repeteth all thinges more depely and describeth liuely dilligently the partes of this conflicte and after also the fight it selfe Therfore after the church ones described which abideth the brunte of this warre he describeth also the Dragon that moueth the warre he declareth howe busily he watcheth againe leeste any man should be discouraged he addeth howe vnluckely not withstanding he fighteth Christ verely ouercoming him finally god impeching defeating his enterprises and yelding him vanquished to the faithfull Nowe he decribeth the chiefe instrumentes whiche Sathan vseth in assaultyng and persecutyng the church to witte the olde and newe Romane Empire and herein filthie Papistrie wherin Antichrist is also liuely paynted By and by not withstanding he annexeth to these vnlucky thinges for the consolation and comfort of the godly that the lambe standeth neuerthelesse on Mounte Sion a conquerour hauyng his churche with him howe so euer this worlde rageth and be neuer so madde and cruell that the gospel is preached in dispite of Antichrist and al men warned to beware of Antichrist where also he beginneth to reason of the iudgement of God agaynst the wicked that he mighte prepare him awaye to those thynges whiche he will speake in the .5 parte touchyng the paynes or punnisshmentes of the Antichristians which treatise he beginneth in the .15 Hitherto therfore he treateth of the fighte or conflicte of the churche and of the wicked namely of Antichrist all the whiche the father of all murther and of al iniquitie the Deuil inspireth These things are taken out of the .iij. chapt of Genes Therefore like as this whole boke is taken out of the scriptures and expoundeth excedingly well the olde scriptures so these thinges also whiche are by and by in the beginnyng rehersed seme to be taken out of the .3 chapt of Gene. Where the lorde sayeth I wil put emnetie betwixte thee meanyng the Serpente and the womā betwixt thy sede and her sede her seade shal breake thy heade and thou shalt bite his heele For you shall reade in the ende also of this chapt And the Dragon was angry with the womā and went his way that he might make warre with the residewe of her sede And he describeth aboue al things the partes of this conflicte A tokē appered in Heauen her which was assayled by warre and the whiche moued the warre to witte the churche and the Dragon And he sayeth how a token of these thinges appered in heauen For he would not only saye or wryte but also set them forth to be sene of the eyes and in maner to paincte to the intente all thinges more playnely might be sene And where he sayeth those tokens were great he admonisheth that thei were and be thinges of moste weight and matters of greatest importaunce The woman the churche Firste he describeth the church of God of all times vnder the tipe or figure of the woman Nother is it a straunge or rare thing sins at the first beginninges of thinges the womā beganne to represent the tipe of Christes spowse the church as is to be sene in the .2 of Genes And so hath the Apostle expoūded the tipe in the .5 chapt to the Ephes That I nede not nowe to recite that Esaye hath oftener than ones vnder the tipe of a woman figured the churche of God reioyce thou barren sayeth he which bryng forth no children c. Finally that S. Paule to the Galath 4. chapt hath set forth Sara a figure of the church whiche Salomon also in his canticles discoursed at length in describyng of his spowse The churche than is that woman coupled with Christ her spowse in true fayth and continual loue After he applieth certen thinges seuerally to the Virgin Marie vnto whom not withstanding the thinges that go before and followe after doe not altogether agree whiche thing bothe Methodius and Primasius doe shewe and other expositours also with great accorde This woman is clothed with the sunne The womā is clothed with the sunne The scripture calleth Christ the sunne of rightuousenes and lighte of life S. Paule commaundeth the churche to put on Christ He therfore is the light the life and rightuousenes of the churche by Christe is couered the nakednes of the church Christe is the ornament and beaultie of the church through him it shineth in the world The Moone is subiect to alterations is variable the moone vnder her fete and receyueth sondry colours she increaseth and decreaseth and although it shine yet appereth it alwayes ful of spottes and borroweth her light of the Sunne Therefore all courses and alterations of times and what so euer is mutable and corruptible in this world al affectiōs also infirmities the church treadeth vnder her fete all the light that she hath she hath it of Christ the light of her rightuousenes increaseth decreaseth finally she gathereth alwayes some spottes of the nature of flesh which she can not leaue but by death Therefore she shineth in dede howebeit the church feleth some obscurenes as the Lorde hath sayed also euery braunche bearyng fruicte he pourgeth that he maye bryng forth more fruicte And he that is wasshed is al cleane and nedeth no more but to wasshe his fete Furthermore a crowne is the honour of the head A crowne of twelue starres signe of a kingedome Christ is the beautie comelines and king of the church In this crowne are no precious stones but starres For in Christ are and beaultifie and lighten the church the Patriarkes Prophetes the twelue Apostles whiche haue light of the crowne and powre out the same into the church Hereby therefore is signified the doctrine of the ministers as in the first chapt of this boke Nother is the shinyng ministerie the smallest portion emōges the most excellēt things of the church A woman with childe nere her trauell Moreouer that woman hath in her bealy which in a certen phrase of speache is as much to saye as that woman was with childe and had not only a great bealy as we saye but after the maner of women trauelyng cried out and labouryng was full of payne that she might be deliuered Whiche properly apperteyneth not to the virgin Marie but to the churche For the primitiue churche of that first promesse of the blessed sede conceaued in her minde an hope moste assured that at the length the sonne of God should be borne of a virgin to witte the sede promised whiche should breake the Serpentes head Therefore did the church with an ernest desire and with moste feruente prayers couet and wisshe that Christ might ones be ingendred in and by the excellent mēbre of the same the holy virgin Moreouer Christ is begotten in his faithfull when through his vertue they be regenerated For S. Paule my little Children
heauen or whether they be holden with a slepe and loke for the resurrectiō of the bodies to the intent they might than awake and together with their bodies enter into heauen vnto all the which things the celestial oracle aunsweryng forth with sayeth he that is by by cometh vnto soules that same felicitie In the latin copies this place is poincted thus blessed are th◠dead which dye in the lorde Forthwith nowe sayeth the spirite that they maye reste from their labours In like maner readeth the Spanish or Complutēsian copie But Aretas and the Greke copies and also the exampler of Paris is thus poincted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be the ende of the sentence as Erasmus noteth After followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is yee verely certēly sayeth the spirite The sense is therfore that the faithfull beyng dead shal streight wayes immediately atchieue saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word S. Iohn vseth signifieth from the very instaunt from that houre immediately incōtinētly This suffereth no space betwixte but expresseth that which we are wonte to note by the dutch phrase beyng admonisshed therfore by a diuine oracle and confirmed by a writte brought from heauen let vs al be assured that the soules of al faithfull do flitte from the bodily death into life euerlasting These thinges are confirmed and made playne also by other places of Scriptures innumerable I wil chouse out only a certen fewe and those also the testimonies of our sauiour whiche is the light of the worlde and the worde of life In the .3 chapter of S. Iohn he sayeth expressely that the faythfull are so deliuered frō death by his crosse as in times paste by the sight of the brasen Serpent the Israelites were deliuered from the deadly sting of venemouse poison And playne it is that they were deliuered incontinently and most fully In the .5 of Iohn the same sayeth he hath passed from death to life Let this place be waied dilligently and it shal appere the same alone to satisfie in this matter In the .6 of Iohn he sayeth openly and I will reyse him in the laste daye But he reyseth not the bodies only at the laste iudgemente but in euery mans laste daye that is in the death of euery one he preserueth the soules that they should not perish or be tormented c. We haue in the gospel examples moste clere to witte of Lazarus the beggar which was by and by after his death caried vp of thaungelles into the bosome of Abraham and of the thiefe whiche hearde of the lord this daye shalt thou be with me in Paradise and of Stephen saiyng Lord Iesus receyue my spirite but especially of our Sauiour saiyng on the crosse father into thy handes I commende my spirite c. By these are quite ouerthrowen what thinges so euer the monkisshe and Antichristiane doctrine hath buylded of purgatory of trētalles and of the miserable state of soules in an other world Whereof they made a moste shamefull gayne They are also confuted which beleue that soules be mortall moreouer that soules slepe in another world Where they cā not so muche as here in this infirmitie slepe Therefore you wil saie it is madnes to thinke that soules slepe beyng quitte of the burthen of the body But cōcernyng the maner of the blessednes of Sainctes they reste from their labours Blessednes reste frō al labours Saluation therfore is a moste ioyeful tranquillitie Awaye go at ones diseases sickenesses griefes affections sorrowe famine thirste colde briefly all thinges that vexe or trouble men Rest and tranquillitie ioye and blesse come in place And sins the dead reste from theyr labours who can beleue that they be vexed with tormentes but leeste any man should neuer so little doubte herof he annereth a confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee or certenly verely sayeth the spirite the dead shal be quiet from al their griefes Let no mā therfore doubte Theyr workes follow them And he addeth an other thing that the workes of sainctes followe thē that is to saie after that the sainctes be departed hence than are they rewarded in another world if they haue done any thing wel if they haue suffered harde thinges For there is a rewarde prepared for vertues The which the sainctes do hope for and receyue without boasting of their owne deserte and not in contēpte of the merite of Christ For they acknoweledge that God in his sainctes crowneth his owne giftes And this is spoken of the rewarde of workes for the consolatiō of them which suffer many things in this world So sayed the lord in the Gospell your rewarde is plentifull in heauen And the Apostle affirmeth euery where that rewardes are prepared for them that are crucified here with Christ And here let vs marke dilligently that these thinges are spoken also of the spirite of Christe vnder the religion of an othe For the worlde dispiseth religiouse persones suche as suffer for religiō and obiecteth that they lose their labour and coste Cōtrarywise the spirite by an othe auoucheth that rewarde is prepared for vertue Followe them Lette vs marke also this that is sayed theyr workes and not other mens also followe them and are not by others sent after them Let no man therefore disceaue him selfe let no man thinke that after his death there should be sente to him into purgatory by soule priestes a fardell of other mens merites Those are not good workes which ar done by priestes freres besides and against Gods worde but prouocations of Gods wrath And be they not in the gospel shut out of the kingdome of God which runne to others to bye them oyle The Scripture in an other place Lette vs doe good whilest we haue time the time wil come that no man can worke Let vs watch therfore and of faith do good workes in dede ¶ The Iudgement of the Lorde is described vnder the paraboles of haruest and vintage The .lxvi. Sermon ANd I loked and beholde a white clowde and vpon the clowde one sittyng like vnto the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle And an other Aungell came out of the Temple criyng with a lowde voyce to him that sat on the clowde Thruste in the sickle and reape for the corne of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the clowde thruste in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And an other Aungell came out of the Temple whiche is in Heauen hauyng also a sharpe sickle And an other Angell came out from the Aultar whiche had power ouer fire and cried with a lowde voyce vnto him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the Earth for hyr grapes are rype And the Angell thruste in his sickle on the earth and cutte downe the grapes of the vineyarde of the Earth and caste them into the greate wine fatte of the
for of vnmeasurable mightie and vnsatiable luste were made riche For where as Rome abounded with spoiles which it had gredely taken of al nations and brought to Rome they were geueÌ„ to al kinde of riot waÌ„tones Therfore the maisters of voluptuousnes and diuisers of delicate pleasures and marchauntes of most preciouse wares reparyng thither founde euermore theÌ„ that would bie intertayne and set by theÌ„ and were so made riche of the voluptuouse and riotouse life of the Romanes Therefore the Apostle noteth an incredible studie of moste sumptuouse riot in meate drinke apparell buildyng in pampering and cherisshyng of the bodye The Romishe also of our time striken with the same rage both in Italy and without speÌ„de excedyng muche richesse in liuyng riotousely This is sene chiefely in those spiritual fathers Bisshoppes and Abbottes and in the whole Romishe clergie But God neuer suffered riot and tiranny longe vnpunnished in any nation Therfore is Babilon fallen also therfore shal the church of Rome falle too Therefore let priuate men also loue temperancie and to absteyne from riot and pride To the lord be glory ¶ Counsell is geuen to the godly which are coÌ„maunded to go out of Babilon Enemies are stired vp against Babilon they are coÌ„maunded not to spare her The .lxxviij. Sermon ANd I hearde an other voyce froÌ„ Heauen saying come awaie from her my people the ye be not partakers of her sinnes leest ye receiue of her plages For her sinnes ar gone vp to heaueÌ„ the lord hath remeÌ„bred her wickednes Rewarde her euen as she rewarded you geue her double according to her workes And poure in double to her in the same cup whiche she filled vnto you And asmuch as she glorified her self liued wantonly so much powre ye in for her of puÌ„nishment and sorrow for she sayeth in her hart I sitte being a quene am no widowe shal see no sorrow Therfore shal her plages come at one day death sorrow and honger and she shal be brente with fire for stronge is the lord God which shal iudge her The seconde place of this chapt is the faithful couÌ„sel of the lord geuen to the godly The counsel of God for the faithfull howe thei should vse themselues how they should demeane theÌ„selues in the felicitie and destruction of the citie Rome hath in dede of long time ben lady of the world the richesse pleasures of the whole world haue beÌ„ sene at Rome Yf any at Rome or in the prouinces shewed himself tractable obedient to the Romanes loued much the Romishe religion made him conformable to the corrupt maners of the Romanes he was much made of might come as it were by degrees to high promotioÌ„ dignitie to the greatest richesse most chosen pleasures Yf any man would resist the Romish religioÌ„ and would not assente to the Romanes he was vexed with persecution he was spoiled driuen into exile or cast in prison or led to execution Therfore were the godly greuously tempted knew not whither to tourne them As we see the like done at this daye in newe Rome and popish kingdome through out the world Wherefore God which will not that man should perish but be saued geueth here the beste counsell of true felicitie and saluation which so many as obeye are blessed And streight wayes from the beginnyng he sheweth the authour of this couÌ„sell to th ende he might get it authoritie that we might boldely receiue it I hearde saieth he an other voice from heaueÌ„ from God therfore out of heaueÌ„ procedeth this counsell which they that followe obeye God they that obeye it not contemne and dispise the counsell of God And what is this counsell Flee from Babilon is the couÌ„sel of God briefe playne possible honeste holesome doubtles come awaye sayeth the Lorde from her to witte Babilon Rome both old and newe my people that is to saye you that will be called the people of God and be written in the nombre of the citizens of God This same is his counsell and none other The same counsell God by his prophetes gaue to his auncieÌ„t people when they were in the captiuitie of Babilon For thus sayeth Esaye in the .48 and 52. chap. departe departe come ye awaye from thence touch no vncleane thing Come awaye froÌ„ her be ye made cleane which beare the vesselles of the Lord. And Ieremie in the .51 chapt flee from the middes of Babilon and let euery manne saue his soule that ye be not roted out in her wickednes For the time of Gods vengeaunce is at hande he will rewarde her The lorde therefore counselleth to flee and that so our soules shuld be saued For els vnlesse we flee we shall perish Howbeit the Prophetes taught not the Israelites to flee out of Babilon bodily by motion localle as they terme it For Ieremie in the .29 chapt exhorteth the people captiue to dwel in Babilon and to make their prouision there til the time of deliuerie come ¶ What flight is counselled For than must thei come out of Babilon In the meane season he would haue them departe not by bodily motion but by vnlikenes of maners For albeit they shall dwel in the middes of the superstitiouse vngodly and Idolaters yet would not the lord haue them made like vnto theÌ„ That fleyng therefore in this that they should absteyne and refrayne themselues from vngodlines idolatrie sinnes to witte bloud vsurie pride lecherie and other like vices but to perseuer in true godlines and innucencie In like maner now whiter so euâ—r the godly shoulde haue fledde vnder the olde Romane Empire they shoulde euery where haue fallen agayne into the handes of the Romanes like as we also at this daye 1. Corâ—n 5. although we chaunge our place yet haue we poperie eyther nere or iminente Therefore the Apostle sayeth well we muste get vs out of the worlde if we will not be conuersaunt with sinners This therefore is the trewe and godly flight if remaynyng in this world bodily in minde maners we departe furthermost out of the world so that we absteine from al idolatrie and prophane worshippyng if we allowe it not if it pleaseth vs not if we nother assent nor frame our selues to the maners of the vngodly yf we shall not betraye our religion eyther for menne or for worldely gaine So therefore the Christians which liued vnder the Romane Empire fled Rome so that they vtterly absteyned from worshippyng of idolles and the corrupte maners of the gentiles althoug they liued emongs the heythen For that the auncient churches in Asia were suche we haue hearde in the .2 and .3 chapt of this boke Albeit therfore that we also dwel vnder the Popish kingdome and in thempire that persecuteth the gospel yet must we flee papistrie that is to saye popish churches none of the godly ought for worshipping or obedience sake to enter in none to acknowledge allowe or vse
daies did occupie the Apostolical seate as thei terme it Reade the stories from Syluester the .2 and so forth Thou wilt saye than that aboute that time the Deuill brake lowse agayne and seduced the people especially by Popes Or beginne the supputation of the thousande yeres from that time wherein Paule beyng bounde for the Gospell at Rome testified that the gospell was preached through out the worlde That was aboute the yere of our Lorde .60 from thence accomptyng a thousande yeres thou shalte come to the yere of our Lorde 1060. when Nicholas the seconde was Pope vnder whom it is written that the veritie was diuersely tempted and corrupted and that Gregory the seuenth dyd than also by his craftes and enterprises trouble the whole world Or beginne the supputation from the destruction of Hierusalem what time the Iewes cast of the Gentiles in great nombre entred and were receyued into the place of the Iewes reiected whiche was the yere of our Lorde .73 and thou shalt atteyne to the yere of our Lorde .1073 euen to Pope Gregory the seuenth in the whiche time not a fewe Historiographers wryte that the Deuill him selfe raygned Doubtles neuer manne hurte godlines or more stoutely auaunced impietie than dyd this Gregory otherwyse called Hildebrande Of him I haue spoken before in the .13 chapt Where also I admonisshed you that Cardinall Benon dyd accompte those thousande yeres from the birth of the Lorde and concluded in Syluester the second It is euident therfore that the gospel hath had a notable place in the world nother hath ben quenched for the space of a thousande yeres that is to saye from the time of thapostles vntil the yere of our lord was rekened 1073. or there aboute What was done at that time after we shal heare when we shal come to that sayeng And when the thousande yeres shal be fulfilled c. Some man wil say I cannot see that the preaching of the Gospell hath continued in the worlde so long tyme to witte a thousande yeares For it appeareth by Histories that the doctrine of merites satisfactions and iustification of works ded incōtinently after the Apostles time lay their first soundations We knowe that the intercessions of Sainctes and the worshipping of relicques were defended of Saincte Hierome which departed out of this world the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .422 We knowe that the Bishop of Rome ded immediately after the death of Gregory the firste take vpon him to be head and catholique Pastor of the church vniuersall We knowe that aboute the same time to wit aboute the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .630 Mahomet seduced a great parte of the world We knowe that shortely after arrose that detestable contention about the hauing of Images in the churches of Christians We haue heard that S. Ihon hath assigned to Antichriste yeares .666 Fynally it is manifeste that the Deuyll hath by murther parricidie and all kynd of mischief raigned in the children of misbelefe Wherfore thou sayeste I see not howe the Deuyll hath ben bounden a thousande yeares and locked in chaynes Howe the deuyl hath ben boūden a thousand yeares I aunswere that the things which are alledged hitherto are true yet neuerthelesse to be true and so to remayne alwayes which S. Ihon by the reuelation of Iesu Christe hath affirmed that the Deuyll shoulde be shutte vp for a thousande yeares and remayne bounden tyll a thousande yeares were at an ende And the same we declare on this wyse The Lorde sayde in the Gospel Nowe is the iudgement of the world nowe shall the Prince of this world be caste out And where as it is not lawfull to doubt of the veritie of Christes wordes yet neuerthelesse is he not red to be so caste oute but that he hath ben of greate force in the worlde and hath bene called of the Apostles themselues the Prince of this worlde Howe than is he sayde to be cast oute and to tempte the godlie to raigne and to be caste oute of his Kyngdome He is cast out of the church and of the faithful Howe Sathan is cast oute yet vexeth the faythfull not that he cometh not againe and tempteth for alwayes he returneth and seketh to plucke backe the redemed but for that he possesseth no more the ful empire For Christ now liueth raineth in the church and Sainctes These as S. Austen saieth he assayleth from without he is cast oute of his auncient possession but he laboureth to recouer his olde habitatiō And thus was Sathan bounde and shutte vp for a thousand yeares as he that possessed not the faythfull of Christe through out the worlde nor ruled them at his pleasure and after his mallice although he hath tempted and vexed them So was the holy ghost denied to be geuen not that he was not in the world and in the Prophets but because he was neuer so plentifully powred oute vpon all fleshe as after the glorifienge of our Lorde Christe In the same sense we say that death and sinne are taken away from the faythfull and troden vnder fote As S. Paule therfore which in the first chapt to the Colloss saide that we are translated oute of the kyngdome of darkenes in to the kyngdome of light sayeth neuerthelesse to the Corinthians that the God of this world hath blynded the myndes of the vnfaythfull so S. Ihon at this presente sayeth howe the Deuyll is bounde and sealed by the space of a thousande yeares and the very same sayeth afterwarde the reste of the dead reuiued not til the thousand yeares should be fulfilled that is to say in al those thousand yeares beleued not which set more by the beast than they ded by Christe And they verely through their owne faulte and instigation of the Deuill beleued not and perished Therfore ded Sathan exercise his force in them Which to the faithful in dede is bounden and tyed faste but to the vnfaithfull free and ouer familier Lykewyse Hell is shut to the godly to the wicked open Wherefore also we confesse in the crede lyfe euerlasting and not death or damnation euerlasting For the faithfull haue no Hel or there is no Hell prepared for them but for the vngodlye For Christe hath broken Hell but for his faithfull to the vnfaythfull all thinges of hell are yet moste stronge and these haue Hell ¶ The power of the Deuyll by Christ broken Agayne the Deuyll is sayed to be bounden shutte vp and sealed for since the redemptiō of Christ his power hath not bene so great in the worlde as it was before Wherefore S. Ihon expoūdeth himselfe and sayeth that he shuld deceaue the people no more What is this more but that he shal not so seduce them from hence foorth as he hath done hitherto Therefore al be it in the meane whyle he shall deceaue some yet in those thousand yeares he hath not raigned so fully safely at large as he ded before and as it is permitted him after those thousand
excuse themselues before God and men and prouyde rather to saue their soules How be it all these thinges thei wype away as it were with one word and say we worship not the signes but the things signified Than yf the signes were taken away wold ye returne to the Idolles on pilgrimage do ye not thinke it done in a maner to God himselfe that you se done to the Idolles do ye not punnish am Image breaker as a traitour againste the diuine maiestie For he shal not seme to haue cut a sunder wood but to haue defiled God himselfe Therfore ye acknowledge somewhat more in this wood than wood alone For you thinke that some diuine thing is hid therin and therfore is this wood accompted of you no comoÌ„wood Which thing you declare also by sundry tokens otherwise Moreouer the geÌ„tiles excused themselues after the same maner saieng that thei worshipped the thinges and not the signes But this semed not a sufficieÌ„t excuse vnto godly men as it is to be red in Lactancius and Athanasius in their bokes againste the gentiles But God hath at one word cofuted you and saied who hath requyred these thinges at your handes yf any will exhibite to me worship let him worship after the prescripte of my moste Holy lawe They worshippe me in vaine teaching the doctrines of men These things haue I declared somwhat more at large to the intent that such as wil yet hear any reason and in whom the word and lawe of God hath any place might know auoide that grosse and mortall sinne of Idolatrie And lyars comprehend men that are lighte of their tung Lyars sclaunderers taletellers whisperers deceauers couetouse persons theues vsurers bribers and al maner of hypocrites and slipperie persons For as God is veritie so loueth he veritie simplicitie constancie integritie This vice of lyeng reigneth at this daie farre and wyde For there is the leeste or rather no faith at al in the earth The Lord be merciful to vs. And touchynge the lake or ponde burnyng with fyre and brimestone and of the second death I haue spoken before in the nynetene and twentie chapters And els where And he signifieth that all these and the lyke shall be caste downe of the Lorde into the euerlastinge fyre of Hell For he putteth here part for inheritaunce as also in the eleuenth Psalme he shall rayne vpon the vngodlye fyre and brymstone and this is part of their cuppe And in the .24 of Mathew And shall put his part with hipocrites And we say also he hath noâ—e obtayned his righte or he is puÌ„nished as he is worthy Like as Sainctes therfore obteyne the Kyngdome of Heauen by inheritaunce so are euerlasting tourments in steade of inheritaunce to the vngodlie To the Lorde the righteouse Iudge be prayse and glorie Amen ¶ Here is set foorth a goodly picture a discription or figure of the blessed seate and of the heaueÌ„ly lyfe and glory euerlasting The .xciij. Sermon AND there came vnto me one of the seuen Angelles which had the seuen vyalles full of the seuen laste plagues and talked with me sayeng come hither I wil shew the the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me away in spirite to a great and an high mouÌ„tayne and he shewed me the greate Citie holy Hierusalem desceÌ„ding out of heauen from God hauing the brightnesse of God And her shyning was lyke to a stone most preciouse eueÌ„ a Iaspar clere as a Cristal and had great and high walles and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels names writteÌ„ which ar the twelue tribes of the children of Israell on the East part three gates and on the North syde three gates and towarde the South three gates and on the west syde thre gates and the walle of the Citie had twelue foundations and in them the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles S. Iohn retourneth to the description of the citie celestial A description of the heauenly citie whiche in the beginnyng of this chapter he had attempted He hath inferred certen thinges in place righte necessarie touchyng the certayne hope of the faythfull whiche after he hath finisshed he semeth afterwarde to vnlocke and set open Heauen that the godly with the eyes of fayth mighte as it were loke herein and see clerely what is the hope and glory of Sainctes to come For vnder the tipe of a moste beautiful citie he setteth forth a picture or description moste euident of the blessed seate or palace citie of God or of the euerlasting countrie and church triumphant We shal not here faine and forge to our selues thinges earthly and corporall but spirituall and celestiall For the sprete of God will haue vs by occasion of temporall thinges with our mindes to ascende to eternal and by temporal thinges more excellent Therefore are al thinges figured with amplifications Hiperbolies and ful of other figures We shall therefore imagine in these farre greater thinges as we are wonte to do what time we reade or heare such thinges as our lorde hath taught vnder the parables of weddynges and feastes And firste is declared vnto vs The shewer of the heaueÌ„ly visioÌ„ who is the shewer of this godly and wonderfull vision that is to saye who is the opener of the misteries verely an Aungell of God and the very same whiche before in the .17 chapter to the same Iohn sayde come I will shewe thee the damnation of the greate whore c. For it is the same God whiche punnissheth the vngodly and geueth rewardes to the godly and denounceth vnto menne by his ministers those his rightuouse iudgementes Moreouer sins we see them to be moste certen and partely also accomplisshed whiche he shewed before of the iudgemente of Rome who would not gather that the same shall be also moste certayne whiche the same nowe vttereth and sheweth of the euerlastynge glory of the faythfull And gatheryng a some of the thinges whiche he will shew him he setteth before and exhorteth him to follow him sayeng come I wil shewe thee the bryde the wife of the laÌ„be Of her hath ben ofte times spoken before He signifieth the congregation of Sainctes coupled by fayth to our Sauiour Christe And not only sheweth to Iohn and in the same to vs al the spowse but the glory also geueÌ„ her of God The meanyng therefore is this come I will shewe thee what shal be the glory of the church of Christ in the life to come what shal be the state of the life euerlasting Certes he speaketh also very many thinges of the churche but chiefely of her glory in the world to come The maner of the reuelatioÌ„ ThaÌ„ toucheth he also brefely the maner of reuealyng For he addeth and he toke me vp in sprete into a greate and high mountayne Therefore like as in the fourmer visions he was caried awaie in sprete his body remayning in Pathmos and as we haue red and admonisshed before that suche maner of visions and rauishmentes