can appere in the sight of the tremblable God and fire consumyng all thinges saue he that is purged with the bloud of Christe and what shall we thinke can be hidde or escape the sight of God seyng all thinges How men shall be iudged in the laste iudgemēt S. Iohn moreouer declareth howe the dead shoulde be iudged bokes sayeth he are opened and an other booke is opened c. Therefore by the bokes after by the boke of life that is to saye of such thinges as are written in those bokes the dead are iudged For the Scripture ascribeth vnto God the maner of men wherby men are wonte to write for themselues remembraunces leest they should forget thinges but with God al things are ones and alwayes present he nother forgetteth The forgettyng remēbryng of God nor remembreth not withstanding the Scripture attributeth to him both Howebeit God is sayde to forgette when he helpeth not or punnissheth not agayne he is sayde to remēbre what time he helpeth or pūnisheth In Malachie the vngodly saye howe God hath no care of mens matters nother doeth he for the godly nor yet pūnisheth the wicked But immediately aūswere is made than thei that feared the lord spake euery one to his neighbour the lord gaue eare and hearde a boke of remembraunce was made in his presence c. As followeth Therfore their bokes opened that is to say the secrettes of al mē brought to light or made manifest the lord shal iudge what so euer hath ben thought saide done or lefte vndone The bokes also of consciences for the cōscience is in stead of a thousande witnesses shal be opened in iudgement God reuealyng and iudging al thinges For S. Paule speakyng of the gentiles they sayeth he shewe the worke of the lawe written in their hartes their cōscience also bearyng witnes their thoughtes accusing one au other or also excusing in that daye wherein the lord shal iudge the secrettes of menne according to my gospell through Iesus Christ And these are in dede the bookes whiche shall be vnclosed in the iudgement Whereof it appereth that the iudgement shal be done with most expedition nother shall euery man be reasoned with all by bookes written to make the iudge wery as the ignoraunt might imagine hereby But what is that singular boke of life The boke of life which also shal be opened in the iudgemēt of the boke of life is spokē in the .3 cha There you may see To be brefe the boke of life hath but one article he that beleueth in the sonne of god hath life euerlasting And therfore mē are iudged of this that is writtē in the boke of life For they that beleue are saued they that beleue not are already iudged that is to saye are most assuredly damned And for asmuch as faith sheweth it selfe by workes Euery mā is iudged of his workes incredulitie also hidde in the harte bewrayeth her self by workes therefore S. Iohn addeth incontinently accordyng to their workes For man in the Scriptures is likened to a tree And the tree is iudged of the fruicte whether it be good or euill A tree hath a growing or increasing life which in latin is called Anima vegetatiua a nature or disposition bringyng forth fruicte after his nature kinde But that soule vegetatiua that good dispositiō bringing forth in vs good fruicte that is to saye good workes is a liuely faith in Christ where the same is there the man is regenerated hath a good disposition therfore cā he not scharse by reasō of his good dispositiō but bring forth good fruictes Therfore after our workes we shal be iudged al. For the iudgemēt must be open manifest but faith appereth not but in workes For it is the gifte of God is of it selfe inuisible to witte a sure truste in the promesses of God And it is sene in workes Howbeit therof it followeth not that men ar iustified by workes also not by faith only but that by workes faith is declared which purifieth iustifieth that afterwarde we may be able to bring forth the workes of rightuousenes It followeth how in iudgemēt no pretēce no hipocrisie shal be allowed For many say thei beleue whiche declare their faith by no good workes We learne herof that no boke shal be of force at the last iudgemēt saue the bokes of God or the bokes of cōsciēces wherin god writeth with his fingar finally the boke of life writtē of God before the worlds were made through his diuine predestinatiō wherby he hath predestinated vs that he might adopt vs for his childrē by christ Iesus And the rest which S. Paul reciteth in the .1 to the Ephes Therefore shal the hurtefull bookes of Iewes Christians in title only and Turkes as the Thalmud decretalles and Alcorane perishe These shal be of no force at al in the iudgement Of the resurrection of the dead Now he retourneth to the dead of whō he had made mentiō before leest any mā shuld saie how shal the dead be iudged which were drowned in the sea whith were swallowed vp of fishes deuoured of wilde beastes which were consumed with fire or in the earth were brought into duste he preuenteth declareth that the bodies of the dead rise agayne beyng so restored come to iudgement saieth and the sea gaue vp the dead that were therin that is to saie which had perished in the Sea And by these wordes also hath he touched the maner meane of the resurrectiō of the dead hath sent vs withal to the .1 of Genes The maner of the resurrection is gods omnipotēcie as S. Paul also witnesseth in the .3 to the Philip. For god by his omnipotencie reiseth vp calleth those things that are not that thei may be Yf this thing seme vnto thee new or vnpossible beholde the beginnyng of things therof esteme the small restitution Was not the Sea or water frō the beginnyng but is it writtē to haue had any fishes frō the beginning none at al. But God cōmaūded that the water shuld be replenished with fish And did not streight at gods cōmaūdement all maner of fishes appere where before there was not one what maruell is it thā yf god in th ende of things cōmaund the Sea other elemēts also to yeld again their dead thei obey their maker Verely the Lord in the gospel saieth that they which are in their graues also Ihon 5 shal heare the voice or cōmaūdemēt of the sonne of God and shal ryse againe The bodies moreouer of them that dye are turned for the most parte in to the same elements from whence they were taken oute There is that putrifieth in the earth and is cōuerted in to earth Ther are some consumed with fyre There are some that perishe in water Some hang in the ayre and are there consumed But at the Lordes commaundent by what kynd of death so euer they
thursted for bloud drīke blud in so moch that being drowned in their owne blud vp to the chin thei may seme to bath them in their owne bloud And here we must remēbre the horses prepared to battaile of whō we spake in the .9 chap. shal be drowned in euerlasting tormēts Thus thus at the last wil the lord auenge himselfe vpon his enemies Let vs call vpon him and abyde patiently and valeauntly The Lorde graunte vs his grace ¶ The Angels of seuen plagues are brought forth Moreouer the triumph and prayse of Christes holye Maritrs is described The .lxvij. Sermon The .15 Chapter AND I saw an other signe in heauen great and wonderful Seuen Angels hauing the seuen laste plagues For in them is fulfylled the wrath of God And I sawe as it were a glassye sea mingled with fyer and them that had gottē victory of the beast and of his Image and of his marke and of the nombre of his name stand on the glassy Sea hauing the harpes of God and they sung the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and the song of the lambe sayeng great and maruelouse are thy works Lord God almightie iust and true are thy wayes thou King of Sainctee Who shal not fear O Lord and glorifie thy name For thou onely art holy for all gentiles shall come and worshippe before the for thy iudgementes are made manifeste The argument of the fifte parte Vpon occasion of harueste and vintage expounded in the laste parte of the fourmer vision is annexed the fifte parte of this godly worke which represēteth vnto vs the fourth visiō of this worke whiche some make the fifte The same is of the iudgemēts of God it hath two parts wherfore it might also be deuided into mo visiōs but we had rather vse fewer For first he discourseth most largely of the paynes or tourments prepared of God to be executed vpon Antichrist his membres and all the vngodlye here is treated of the iudgement of the whore of Babilon of the destinies and ruine of Rome and the church of Rome of the reioicing and song of saincts of the comming of the iudge vnto iudgement of the payne and euerlasting destruction of all wicked And these are intreated in the .15.16.17.18.19 and .20 chap. Than also he reasoneth most excellētly of the reward of saincts and of the euerlasting filicitie thorow out the whole .21 chap. and a good part of the .22 euery where is set open hel it selfe and heauen it selfe And is geuen vs in maner to loke in this fleshe mortall euen into very hell it self into the very palace of Heauen Nother shal you finde any where in all the Scriptures with a continual treatise so plenteouse a disputation of the iudgementes of God of the tormentes of the wicked of the felicitie and ioyes of the godly as in this presente And ful necessarie is this treatise especially in this our last and vngraciouse world A most plētiful dilligent treatise of the iudgemēts of God wherein men neglectyng the spirite of God are become like brute beastes altogether carnall regarde the flesh and wholy depende thereof Happy are al the victoriouse welthie honorable and gloriouse Antichristians miserable are the pore and dispised trewe christians and subiecte to the iniuries persecutions of al men Therfore do the carnall men esteme al thinges of the present fortune and crie it out that their religion and conuersation pleaseth God and the Christiās to displease The godly are here also greuously tempted as they were also in times past reade Psalm 73. and the .1 chapt of Abacucke The vngodly promise themselues that they shal reigne for euer at the length also they contēne the iudgementes of God nother thinke they that euer it wil come to passe that they shal be punnisshed The talke of punnishementes to be diuised of melancholicke persones and to be vttered of mallice and therfore they saye and thinke them not to be regarded but to be mery in this worlde Therefore it behoued the place of Gods iudgementes to be most largely and dilligently decided and to be set as it were before the eyes of the hearers to the ende al might rightly vnderstāde what should be assuredly the ende of good and euill But the punnishmētes of the vngodly are diuerse to witte of this life present and to come And the punnishmentes of this present life are almost innumerable and the tourmentes of the life to come are eternall and vnspeakeable and as there is no comparison betwixte the paincted and trewe fire so is there none betwixte the punnishementes of this present life and that to come But in case men would ernestly beleue that vnspeakeable ioyes and euerlastyng tormentes are prepared of God for good and euill doubtles al would sinne lesse serue God more dilligently But let vs see nowe what is the treatyse of S. Iohn concernyng the same The originall of the doctrine of the iudgementes of God First he sheweth the original of al things that follow not to be earthly but heauenly For he seeth an other token in heauen He saieth an other for that in the .12 chapt we heard that mention was made of an other certen signe And he calleth that a signe or token which signifieth an other thing and therefore not to be considered of it selfe but in asmuche as it bringeth into knoweledge an other certen thinge and that much greater thā it sheweth at the firste sight He calleth this signe that is to witte that same visiō great and maruelouse For the iudgementes of God are greatest and moste wonderful Whilest thei are executed the vngodly maruel which had thought such thinges should neuer haue comen to passe the godly also maruell at the great power of God his moste iuste rightuousnes and his ripenes and faythfulnes in deliuering and sauing his people Than he declareth what signe was shewed him in Heauen and by that celestiall vision he sawe seuen Angels hauyng in seuen cuppes plages That is he perseyued God prepared and furnisshed with power diuine wherewith he both might and would sende plages and condigne punnishementes aswell vpon Antichrist him selfe as vpon his membres and all the vngodly men in Earth for their wickednes committed agaynst God Seuen angelles seuē plages And as we haue many times warned you in this boke the seuēth nombre is the nōbre of fulnes Wherefore God hath ministers enough and enough by whose seruice he maye plague and distroye the vngodly And therefore seuen plagues are all maner of plagues Temporall plagues are aboundantly recited in the 26. of Leuit. and .28 of Deuter. Riche is the Lord and in euerlastyng plagues of most diuerse kindes also For the Scripture in certen places reherseth a gnawyng worme a fyre vnquenchable weping and gnasshing of teth outwarde darkenes and many other of like sorte But these seuen plagues he calleth the laste and immediately sheweth the reason for in them is the wrathe of God
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
congregation Of Charitie is spokē els where most abondātly as in the gospel and epistle of S. Iohn Secondly he praiseth Diaconian Ministerie 2. that is the Ministerie The whiche maye be expoūded two wayes For either he vnderstandeth as Aretas supposeth ministeries towardes the poore and nedy that is to wit dueties and paynes taken about the poore by lēding relieuing succouringe speaking faythfully in theyr cause in geuing them meate drinke clothing and visiting them For so this worde Diaconia is vsed in the 2. epistle to the Corinth c. Or els he meaneth the ministerie of the woorde by the whiche in teachyng exhorting comfortyng and rebukinge we auaunce very muche gods glory and the helth of soules The Thyatirenians were doubtles diligēt in either of both And accuse vs greuousely whiche addicte to our owne affaires do neglect our poore bretherne who finally make the ministerie of Gods woorde odiouse by our raylinge and sclaundering especially with them that be ignoraunt as yet and haue hearde nothyng of gods worde Fayth 3. He cōmendeth also faith in the Thyaterians Thomas of Aquine in his cōmentary vpon this boke admonissheth that faith cōmeth not of Charitie because it is foūde set here in the first place but that Charitie good workes spring of faith And the Iohn hath recited charitie before faithe for that faith hath her estimation of Charitie workes Howbeit howe so euer it is faith semeth here not so much to be takē for trust in God as for fidelitie trueth promisse kepte For faithfulnes beautifieth all other giftes Admitte that thou haste men seruaūtes maide seruaūtes that are lucky enough in doing of their things but imagine that the selfe same be in the meane time vntrustie slipper and disceiptefull what shall auayle I praye thee that they be furnisshed with sondry giftes Imagine againe that a preacher or Senatour be not so furnished with wisedome experience of matters but yet to be neuertheles faithfull and with all his harte to doe all thinges vprightly and to fauoure the iust cause shall not fidelitie here supplie his want Great therfore is faith that is fidelitie and veritie That not with out cause the Apostle required this of the ministers in the .14 chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians saying That same is chieflye required of Stewardes that a man be found trusty This faith is also required of vs at this daie this faith good brethrē is rare And therfore haue euils ouerflowed euery where Let vs hartely praie to the Lorde that he wyll graunte vs the same and that we maye expulse out of our brestes vnfaithfulnes and disceiptfulnes Hereunto is added patience Patience 4. whiche is praysed also in the fourmer churches Which is a necessary vertue For impatientnes causeth vs to murmur and grudge against God that we stande not strong in the confession of faith whilest we refuse to suffer patiently suche thinges as the ennemies of faith threaten to put vs to But why defilest thou thy selfe with thefte Why runnest thou into the warres of a forein prince Why doest thou practise vsurie and bawdrie For because thou lackest pacience in thy pouertie which thou wilt releue with wicked doynges To be short the Lord now reciteth al maner of good works To abond in good workes 5. Wherin he chiefly commendeth that many tymes they excelled them selues in doing more and greater thinges And this is a worthy praise For the husbandman that is to saye the heauēly father pourgeth and cutteth the vines that they may bryng more plentiful fruite It becometh not the Godly to stande still at a stay and not to procede in Godlines And moste shame of all it is to be euer the longer the worse As the finger the longer the lesse Whiche is obiected to children in scholes that learne nothing Let vs be ashamed of our sloughtfulnes c. Let vs I say way these thinges dilligently in our myndes and thinke oft that God alloweth them requireth them and that they be the true seales of the faithfull walking in the veritie and of suche as boaste of faith only a vaine name without the thing If thou fele thy selfe not to be vtterly voyde of these giftes prayse God and knowe that none of all these thinges is of thy selfe but of grace And pray for the increase of these giftes If thou be destitute of these vertues mourne and lament before the Lorde humbly axe hym forgeuenes and require the aboundaunce of Gods giftes What thīgs are reprehended in the same churche In the second place he reproueth some things in the same congregation namely that they permitted Iezabel to teache c. That same he calleth small not that the doctrine of Iezabel of it selfe is litle but forasmuch as though it be founde in others rather then in the churche yet did the church suffer it more gently that is to say did not persecute it with greater seueritie But of this phrase of speache I haue spoken also before Permissiō and cosent We allowe not the shameful actes of Iezabel nor cōent not to the same But when we might let thē by more seuere punishment we permit thē to abound increase Albeit therfore there be many goodly giftes in vs Yet hath the Lorde the same against vs that we suffer vngodlines to reigne But in case the Lord blameth that same permission howe muche more blame worthy suppose we the wickednes it selfe to be I meane the Iezabelisme Whiche how vile and filthie it is I wyll briefly declare Cataphrygians or Mōtanist In like case as before by the example of Balaam alledged out of the scripture he cōfuted the Nicolaitās euen so at this present he bringeth forth the example of Iezabel therwith to confute the Cataphrygians or Montanistes Aretas vnderstandeth the whole place of the Nicolaitās which I dare not agre to by reason of that whole cōpositiō of the epistle I graūt that the Mōtanistes were partakers in filthines with the Nicolaitans But Iezabel hath a peculiar thing by her selfe The story of Iezabel Iezabel as the sacred History testifieth in the .iii. and .iiii. boke of Kinges the .xvi. and .xvii. Chap. c. Was the daughter of Hethbahal king of Sidon whiche maried to Achab brought in the worshipping of Baal into the kingdom of Israel building a goodly tēple in Samaria founding a great college of Baal his priestes For Helias is red to haue slain of Baalites .450 euen of the kinges chapplains as it were Canons or prebendaries and .400 ministers or countrie chaplains that serueth in hilles woodes groues Thesame woman therfore founded this religion seketh to gouerne the propheciyng at her pleasure For poursewing sore after Helias she slewe very many of the Prophetes Verely for that they would not teache after the womās appetite Moreouer through Baal his religion was augmented whordome all vncleanes King Iehu obiecteth to king Ioram her sonne the whordoms of his mother So Iezabel
and beastes so are they recited in the Lawe also With these as it were sent in from the iiii partes of the world God most rightuouse executeth his iudgementes And let vs obserue this chiefly that power is geuen thē of God to kil and that ouer the fourth parte of the Earth For we learne that God alone is he that quickeneth and sleyeth and that he worketh the same moste iustely by his instrumentes finally that al his thinges are numbred and done in order Wherupon he powreth out his furie vpon the thirde parte of the world For he knoweth whom he shuld punish and whom he should nurrishe tenderly A◠misery Certenly stories testifie how in desperate matters when all thinges are brought to an extremitie of mischiefe God hath brought in sworde pestilence famine beastes which haue plaged men And ful aptly here doeth Aretas recite the wordes of his predecessour S. Andrew Bisshop of Cesaria out of the Eccles story of Eusebius in the .9 boke .8 chapt And verely with in the fiue hōdreth last yeres Historiographers tel of many suche like thinges and we haue sene some Therfore if we couet to be quitte of so great euilles let vs serue God in trueth annd make muche of his worde which he hath sent to heale vs. And reason it is that such as reiecte soūde doctrine should be vexed with sondry diseases of soule and body c. The good are also subiecte to these euils You wil saye but these euilles inuade also the best that is So they doe in dede Whie God permitteth this S. Austen sheweth at large in the first boke of the citie of God Certenly to the godly al thinges tourne to the best The theues suffered the same death of the crosse that Christ did and he as they but the consideration of them is farre diuerse The apostles and innumerable Martirs dye of the sworde likewise do soldiours in the warres but with vnlike lot The Godly are made pertakers of the passion of the sonne of God The vngodly are punisshed for their wickednes and their sufferyng is without glory yea rather this is the begynning vnlesse thei acknowledge him that striketh them of euerlasting tourmentes The Lorde preserue vs from euyll ¶ The fifth Seale is opened and the persecution of the faythfull set before our eyes and also the state of Martirs in an other world The .xxxij. Sermon ANd when he had opened the fifth seale I saw vnder the Aultar the soules of them that were killed for the worde of God And for the testimony whiche they had and they cried with a lowde voice saiyng howe long tariest thou lorde whiche arte holy and trewe to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth and long white Garmentes were geuen vnto euery one of them and it was sayed vnto them that they should reste for a little season vntil the nombre of their felowes and bretherne and of thē which shuld be killed as they were were fulfilled The fifte Seale beyng opened of the lambe he exhibiteth to our eyes or rather obiecteth to be sene the continuall persecutions of the churche and sheweth vnto vs diligently what is the state of them whiche die in persecutions Verely the Lorde Christ sendeth forth ministers and preachers for the saluation of men And they vnthankefull ouerwhelme with al kinde of iniuries the faythefull messengers of God and at length most cruelly slaye them Of the whiche matter sins the talke of men emonges themselues is diuerse the very sonne of God at this present doeth gallauntly instructe his church declaryng what the godly shal suffer And first in expounding the same Of the persecution of the church we shal speake generally of the persecutions wherwith aswell the ministers as all the faithful church also is diuersely exercised The lord Christ hath shewed vs before in the Gospel many things touching the persecutions to come verely that he mighte prepare the mindes of all the faithful to battell and patience The places be in the .10 and .24 of Matthew In the .12 and .21 of Luke in the .14.15 and .16 of Iohn And also the actes of the Apostles tel of many thinges whiche the godly suffered in that most holy primitiue Church should he haue ben thought to haue ben well in his wittes if any mā than should haue saied he◠of it appereth that thapostolical church is not the church for that it is subiect to al the mockeries iniuries and slaughters of al men whie than doe we not acknowledge at this daye that they are fowly disceaued which measure the church by the outwarde peace and tranquillitie of thinges Paulus Orosius in the .7 boke of histories raccompteth ten greuouse persecutions reysed agaynst the church frō the time of the Apostles vntil themperour Cōstantine which time did not fully accomplish the space of .ccc. yeres The first was stired vp by Nero a monstrouse man wherof also Tacitus mentioneth in his Chronicles This same rid out of the waie Peter Paul the most holy Apostles of Christ The seconde destruction of the church brought in Domitian which in the same his persecutiō most greuously afflicted both this our S. Iohn and the whole churche also and when he was brought to Rome banished him into the I le of Pathmos The thirde raysed Traiane wherof Plinie gouernour of Asia maketh mentiō in the 10. boke of Epistles In this was Ignatius an holy Bishoppe cast and deuoured of wilde beastes And M. Antoninus verut molested the church with the fourth persecution consumed with fire Polycarpus a bishop most worthie Septimus Seuerus moued the fifte persecution which Eusebius pourseweth in the .6 boke of the Ecclesiastical story Iulius Maximinus killed Pamphilus martir and Sextus raged cruelly againste the church And Decius Traianus beganne the seuenth persecution and executed very many that professed Christ And Licinius Valerian Emperour beheaded S. Cyprian the good Bishoppe of Carthage and was the eight persecutour of the churche Aurelianus verius began the .ix. persecution whiche he but litle auaunced for God most iuste toke him away immediately But Diocletian and Maximian shed more christen bloud thā any other of the Romane Emperours Reade I praye you the beginning of the .8 boke of the Eccles story of Eusebius Compare those things with our time and iudge and coniecture what will shortely come to passe and what our state will be Persecutions are agayne renewed after Constantine vnder Constantius and Iulian. But the moste terrible and greuouse of all haue boyled vp vnder Antichrist and haue indured nowe by the space of fiue hondreth yeres and more What is done at this daye al the world seeth The grounde is wete with the bloud of Martirs Which things S. Iohn foresawe And the causes of persecution The causes of persecution do arrise partely of the gouernement of Christ whiche openeth here the fifte Seale and partely of menne The Lord sendeth vnto his the Crosse and fire to quicken suche as are
them was commaunded that they should not kill them but that they should be vexed fiue monethes and their payne was as the payne that commeth of a Scorpion when he hath stonge a manne And in those dayes shal men seke death and shal not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them The fourth trompet declareth an hurtful and a long strife The .iiii. trompe whiche arrose in the churche of the doctrine of Pelagius This Pelagius taught that the sinne of Adam hurte him alone and not mankinde and therefore that in the same all men die not That man hath free will so that he maye doe good Nother that he shoulde be free if he nede the helpe of God Which if he hath it he maye the more easely do good The doctrine of pelagius yf he haue it not that he maye yet neuerthelesse worke it by his owne vertue and maye deserue euerlasting life Therefore that our victory is not of the helpe of God but of free will and that remission is not geuen to the penitentes after the grace and mercy of God but after the deserte and workynge of them whiche through repentaunce are worthye of Godes mercy and the residewe whiche Saincte Austen reherseth in the hondreth and sixte Epistle to Boniface that Pelagius had renounced whiche neuerthelesse in an other place he sheweth that the same had taught and retourned to his vomite As in the register of heresie the .88 heresie The same against two epistles of the Pelagiās in the .2 boke 2 chapter to Boniface The Manicheis sayeth he denie that a good man had the beginnyng of euill of free will Whileste fooles eschewe one vice they runne into an other The Pelagians saye also that an euill man hath free will sufficiently to fulfil a good precept The catholicke doctrine reproueth both these and to them sayeth God made man right c. And to these sayeth yf the sonne hath made you free you ate verely free And in the .9 chapt the same Authour Where we saye that the wil of man vnto euil is free to do good that it muste be made free by the grace of God it maketh against the Pelagians And where we saye that the euill whiche was not before is comen of him it is agaynst the Manicheis Moreouer in the .8 chapt Pelagius sayeth that the thing which good is maye soner be accomplisshed if grace helpe therto By the whiche addition that is in adding more easely he signifieth verely that he thinketh thus that although the help of grace waūt he can yet albeit more hardely perfourme that which is good by free will Agayne the same in the .47 Epistle to Valent. Who falle into the errour of the Pelagiās That man saieth he falleth into the errour of the Pelagians whiche supposeth the grace of God to be geuen for any deserte of man whiche grace alone maketh manne free through Iesus Christe our Lorde But agayne he that thinketh when the Lord shal come vnto iudgement that man is not iudged after his workes which might now by reason of his age vse the free choyse of will is neuerthelesse in errour He sayeth in a maner the same thing in the .2 booke the .18 chapt of the merites and remission of sinnes The third part of the sunne of the Moone the starres smitten With this doctrine of Pelagius was stricken that is to saye darkened for so S. Iohn him selfe a little after expoundeth him selfe saying in so much that the third parte of them was obscured c. the thirde parte of the sunne to witte of Christ which is the trewe sunne of rightuousenes For the Pelagians doctrine denied the grace of Christ with mans merite trode vnderfote the merite of Christ Whereby also the thirde parte that is to witte a great parte of the Moone namely the church is red to be smitten and darkened moreouer the thirde parte of starres I meane preachers and ministers wounded hath not taught with such light as became them For stories witnesse that this heresie hath sore infected diuerse partes of the worlde that euen Bisshoppes and learned menne haue followed this noysome errour At Palestine in the Easte was assembled a Sinode of Bisshoppes which droue Pelagius to recant They disputed also at Rome sharpely against the Pelagian doctrine and Counsels were assembled which condemned the same Ther were Sinodes assembled in Affrica and after much reasoning sentence was pronounced against Pelagius For many were dayly taken with this infection For the doctrine is pleasaunt whiche waunteth not euen at this daie his mainteyners and defenders For it semeth godly and for the study of vertue nedeful to affirme free wil and mans merite agayne it appereth to be licentiouse to attribute al thing to Gods grace He addeth Nother daye nor night shone with the third parte therof that nother the daie shone with the thirde parte thereof nother yet the night with his thirde parte For like as grace coulde not be fully perceiued by the doctrine of Pelagius no more coulde sinne And S. Austen in the .2 boke of originall sinne .23.24 chapt sayeth that the Christiane fayth consisteth properly in the cause of two men For by the one we were solde vnder sinne by the other redemed from sinne by the one throwē headlong into death but by the other deliuered vnto life c. And whilest al these thinges are spoken they are spoken to this ende that we might beware of those Heresies And hitherto haue we spoken of the foure trompes and greatest conflictes in the churche there remayne three trompettes which haue now a little preface set before them wherby the mindes of the hearers might be excited And S. Iohn sayeth howe he sawe an Aungell flying thorowe the middes of heauen and hearde him criyng wo wo Wo to the inhabiters of the earth wo to the inhabiters of the Earth and that for those thinges which should chaunce vnto men than when the other three trompettes should be blowen Therfore vnto euery trompet is Ioyned an wo. Whiche we expresse very well in dutche by owe owe owe. For the Grekes saye and S. Iohn wrote in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it signifieth verely that the times of the fourmer conflictes were sharpe but yet that suche as follow shal be a great deale sharper and crueller For I tolde you in an other place that this vocable wo compriseth the euilles bothe of this life present and also of the life to come aswell of body as of soule Therfore shall the times of Papistrie Mahometrie and of the last iudgement be most daingerouse Som read an Egle for an Angell The complutensian copie hath an Egle where we reade an Aungell fliyng thorow the middes of heauē perauenture because he founde it so in Aretas Yea and the cōmon translation commonly called S. Hieromes hath an Egle for an Aūgell And therfore Primasius readeth it so likewise which semeth to haue followed
as they haue liued which liue no more But with the Grekes it is otherwise at the leeste wise in these wordes To our iudge most iuste most mightie and most rightuouse be prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ The thankes geuyng of the Elders is expounded the Temple is opened in heauen the arcke appereth and there were made lightenynges c. The .li. Sermon ANd the heythen were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they shoulde be iudged that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the Prophetes and Sainctes and to them that feare thy name smal and great and shouldest distroye them which distroye the Earth And the Temple of God was opened in Heauen and there was sene in his tēple the Arche of his Testament there followed lightnings and voices and thonderinges earthquake and a great hayle I shewed you Of the last iudgemēt howe the Elders did so geue thankes vnto God for their saluation that withall they extolled Gods rightuousenes and excellēt veritie which he sheweth in his iudgement most rightuouse wherein he rewardeth the godly with iust rewardes and plageth the wicked with deserued punnishmentes And vnder this figure of speache they teach vs that both the iudgemēt shall assuredly come and that the same in al thinges shal be most holy and iuste Would God they would dilligently consider these thinges with thēselues which iudge them to talke of tryfles that make mention of that horryble and most dreadfull day of iudgement For we loke for thinges more terrible than any toung beit neuer so eloquent is able to expresse The tyme of wrath is come He rehearseth the wrath or tyranny of infidelles againste the faythfull cruelly and continually executed and so verely that God semed to many to be a blocke and nother coulde nor wolde be angrie But the iudgement ones made the elders extoll Gods veritie and say the wrath is come Doubtles the holy Prophetes of God haue alwayes threatned punishmentes testifieng that God is angrie both with the sinners and with sinnes but where the wrath of god appeared not immediately the Prophets appeared to feare men with vayne terrours and as it were make them affrayde of their shadowes but now say the elders the veritie hath appeared and the wrath of God is come And the wrath of God sheweth it selfe in the iuste vengeaunce of God The tyme of the dead is come Moreouer they extoll in that also the veritie and iustice of God for that the tyme of the dead is commen that they be iudged Hitherto whylest the worlde florished they semed to tel fables and grandames tales which spake of the resurrection of the dead and the lyfe to come For the resurrection of the dead was contemned of Philosophers and men of this worlde But the elders reioyce also that the same tyme is come and that the dead are reuiued that is that the bodies of the dead are rysen agayne and cummen to iudgement Whereof the Apostle speakynge we muste all sayth he appeare openly before the iudgement seate of God that euery one may receiue such things as are done by the body according as it hath done whether it be good or euyll .2 Corrinthi the .5 chapter God in the iudgement wel requyre the hyre Furthermore they moste highly commend Gods iustice and veritie when also they declare exactely howe God by his iust iudgement rendresh to euery one that is his He declareth therfore what he rewardeth whome he rewardeth First he payeth wages or hyre For rewarde is promysed of God vnto good workes For in the .13 of Ieremy the Lorde saith refrayne thy voice from weping for there is a reward for thy worke And the Lorde sayth also in the gospel be glad reioice for your reward is great in heauē And agayne the sonne of manne shal come in the glory of his father with his Angelles and than shall he render to euery one after his doinges So the Apostle sayed that euery one muste ryse in his owne body that euery one may receiue such thinges as are done by the body whether it be good or euill Whylest this world florisheth and the wicked reioice in their voluptuousnes and the godly are afflicted and afflicte themselues with continuall mortifieng the flessh iudgeth that these lose both labour and cost but the other to be very happie Which thing is also declared in the third fourth chapt of Malachie But at the laste iudgement it shall finally appeare that the godly haue not laboured in vaine nother that the wicked haue contemned God vnpunished and dispysed godlines For God rewardeth euery one after the qualitie of his worke the which he calleth wages Neuerthelesse the godly abuse not in the meane time this sayeng acknowledgeing it to be of fre mercie that they haue beleued and wroughte with good fayth that good worke of theirs therfore to be accepted of God because they be in Christ Whereof I haue written in the .3 boke the .10 chapt Of the grace of God iustifieng shewing that of reward desert cannot be proued Secondly thei declare to whome he geueth reward To whome rewarde is geuen I say to two sortes of men to good I mean euil Againe he raccompteth many kyndes of good men First he calleth these the seruaūts of god as thei that be subiecte to the empyre of god alone and obey him in al things By and by he nameth thē prophets techers of churches Of whose state mo things ar spoken in the .11 chap. These some to be more vnfortunate than any others in this world and ar accompted of many as great offēders which being taken out of that way all clearenes shuld seme to come againe Therfore be thei iustlie raccompted in the rigister of them which receiue a reward of the lord to wit in recōpence of their trauell Now into this accompte come also the saints that is to sai al godly which being sanctified through fayth with the spirit bloud of god haue lyued an holy life keping thēselues from al worldly pollutiō Moreouer in the godly reward nōbre of holy saincts are reckened such as fear the name of the lord that is thei that be very holy and religiouse in dede Finally leeste any man should thinke any of the faithfull excluded he addeth to small and greate that is to saye vnto men of al ages state and sexe c. The lorde distroyeth thē whiche distroyed the Earth After he cometh to the euill and addeth and shouldest distroy them that distroyed the earth These thinges seme borrowed of the prophetes with whom is much mention of the distroyers of the earth whom the lord should distroye at the length And vnder the name of distroyers S. Iohn vnderstandeth first Tirauntes Kinges and Princes that be persecutours of the church Also menne of warre and souldiours whiche by vniuste warres distroye all thinges with sworde and fire Secondely he vnderstandeth vniuste
they alledged for thēselues but that same rather which God iudgeth and the veritie of the thinge pronounceth and sayeth and they worshipped the Deuill or the Dragon So Paule in the .1 to the Corinth the .10 chapt The thinges sayeth he that the heythen offer vp they offer thē not to God but to Deuilles But this did the gētiles denie But God in this case passeth not vpon the iudgemētes and intentes and denialles of men but pronounceth after his owne iudgement In the .17 of Leuit. He sayeth yf ye offer vnto me oblations otherwise than I haue prescribed ye shal defile your selues with bloud Let now the massemōgyng priestes crie out till they be hoarse againe we offer to the Lorde God not to straunge Goddes yet shal the Lordes sentence stande moste trewe for euer that they transgresse with vnlaweful worshipping no lesse than if thei committed parricidie As also Esaye beareth witnes in .66 chapt The lord god alloweth the sincere obediēce which we shewe vnto his lawes he careth nothing for our inuentions good intentes Thus at this present he sheweth at fewe wordes as the thing is in dede that all idolaters worship the Deuill Yf we would at this daye esteme these things rightly we shuld not so contende as it were for life and landes aboute maineteyning of Images in the church The Lord Iesus light our hartes and mindes to see his trewth ¶ The beaste is worshipped and he blasphemeth the name of God and the Sainctes of God and finally maketh warre with the Sainctes The .lvj. Sermon ANd they worshipped the beaste sayyng who is like vnto the beaste who is able to warre wyth hym And there was geuen to him a mouthe to speake great thinges and blasphemies and power was geuen vnto him to do .xlii. Monethes And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie against god to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen And it was geuen vnto him to make warre with the sainctes to ouercome thē The beaste is worshipped how He sayed that the world worshipped the dragon now he addeth that the same worshippeth the beast Howbeit seyng the beast is the empire some mā might maruel how the empire might be worshipped But we at fewe wordes say how they worshippe the empire which receyue the decrees rites and superstitiouse ordenaunces of thempire and of them depende whole And there were not a fewe at that time who in fauour of the Romane Empire denied the faith of christ and reuoltyng from the churche ioyned themselues in religion and sacrifices to the felloweship of the Empire They in very dede worshipped the beaste Moreouer that thing which is only dewe vnto one God the same did the Romanes attribute to their empire But who so euer ascribeth vnto any thing diuine properties doeth verely deifie and worshippe the same And the properties of god be these to haue no match or pere that he alone is greatest and best immortall eternal most mightie moste inuincible For so saye the Prophetes who is like vnto thee O God in heauen and in earth who is as thou who can resist God But the Romanes did attribute all these thinges to their Emperours and to their empire sayng as S. Iohn also reciteth who is like vnto Rome who is able to warre with it they called their Emperours Goddes best greatest most puissaunt and most inuincible Thempire it self they called eternal Ye may see these thinges yet in most auncient authors and coynes So many therfore as were not asshamed to attribute these thinges to the Romane Princes and kingdome are saied rightly to haue worshipped the beast And what other thing I praye you is done at this daye whilest for the fauour of Emperours Kinges Popes and their realmes the veritie is denied or wrasted after the affections of men These worship the beast also Nowe is geuen also the beaste a mouth speakinge greate thinges and blasphemies A mouth speakyng great thinges Of blasphemies we shall speake more anone But for asmuch as the Romane Empire obteyned greatest victories and helde most gallaunt and solemne triumphes it semeth to haue occasion geuē to boaste proudely of the victories to chalenge those thinges to themselues whiche were in dede wrought through the power of God And doubtlesse there do yet remayne the greatest and moste licentiouse bragges of the Romanes that they are conquerours and lordes of the world But such pride was greuously punnisshed in Nabuchodonozor the King Whereof you maye see in the .4 chapt of Daniel S. Peter affirmeth that God resisteth the proude and geueth grace to the humble God hateth the arrogant and taketh awaye their names frō the Earth And where some man might demaunde How long shal Rome be thus prowde◠But what ende shal there be of iniuries pride finally of intollerable arrogātie and blasphemies S. Iohn preuenteth and sayeth and power was geuen him to do that is to worke violence xlii monethes that is to saye so longe time as it semeth good to the Lorde whiche neuertheles although he would haue the time to be to vs vnknowen yet is knowē to him so that the godly maye promise themselues that this euill shall indure but a fewe monethes of this nombre haue I reasoned in the 11. chapt and .xlvi. Sermon And haue shewed in the former places that those nombres were equiualent to wit the thousande two hōdreth and three score dayes the .xlii. monethes the time two times and half a time God therfore admonisshyng vs as it were by a riddle will not haue vs curiousely to inquire after times which he hath kept in his own power it is sufficient to vs that he hath assigned all thinges in their luste limittes Now followeth a plētiful treatise of Romish blasphemies Of the blasphemies of old Rome First he sayeth by a trope he hath opened his mouth wherby he hath signified his boldenes and libertie yea licētiousenes of speakyng For we saye he would not ones open his mouth whē we signifie any mā that wil not speake frākely But the Romanes and companions of the Romish superstition blaspheme God thre manner of wayes For fyrste they blaspheme the holy name of God in this that they do prefer their false Gods and their superstitions to the true God to the true and most holy religion For where they ded admit in the citie of Rome the Gods of al nations and their religions the religion of the only God of Israell they vtterly refused for that they vnderstoode howe he wolde be worshipped alone and by non other rite than that which he himself had prescribed But they had rather reteyne wickedly those their many gods and their religion although most absurde than to commit themselues into the tuition of one and to reseaue a moderate simple religion Authour Aurel. August I raccoumpte not nowe the blasphemouse wordes of them vttered against the true God about that tyme chiefly when Vespasian and Titus triumphed after the Iewysh war
they threaten that theye wyll abrogate suche thinges as the States haue decreed But yf there be called a counsell generall or nationall it is wholly ruled by the popes spirite This speaketh and determineth as it pleaseth the Pope For vnlesse it decree after the Popes pleasure he wil go aboute to abolysh all to gether For we hearde of late that the Synode or counsell is there where the Pope is And Innocentius the .9 in the .3 The Pope is aboue the coūsell but the coūsell of Basil reasoneth the contrary quest The iudge sayeth he shall be iudged nother of themperour nother of the whole Clergie nother of kings nor of the people And the glose vpon the same place noteth the counsell cannot iudge the Pope c. Wherefore yf the whole worlde shulde geue sentence in any matter against the Pope it appeareth that we ought to stand to the Popes sentence against them al. Yea the same glosier in an other place The Pope yf he wyll sayeth he maye dispence againste the Counsell For he is more than the Counsell Moste trewely therefore sayde the Lorde at this present howe the beast had power to geue a spirite to the beaste and that the Image of the beaste shuld speake For whosoeuer shewe not themselues obedient and willinge instrumentes vnto this beaste in all his affayres are accoumpted for dead and rotten membres and therefore to be cutte of from this vitall bodye Yea for sooth Empyres at of God the corruptiōs of empyres of euyll Howbeit in the meane tyme leest I shuld blame any man prayse worthie or seme ouer much to taunt them that haue deserued none euyll or should be sayde not to acknowledge the goodnes of God workyng in Empyres but rather to fynde faulte with the same and to confounde and put to gether all thinges both good and euyll without any choyce or respecte certeine thinges are here by a long yet necessary digression to be admonished and better declared I admonish therefore and repete that the Lorde our God is the authour of Empires and ordeyneth the same for the welth of menne but that the Deuill ioyneth him selfe with the good ordinaunces of God and accordyng to his euill nature corrupteth those good ordinaunces of God by mouyng mens affections diuersly and appliyng them to euil matters Wherupon in gouernementes very many thinges arrise whiche are to be mislyked of the Godly as are tiranny alteration of the state and suche other like Neuerthelesse albeit God hateth all wickednes nother can allowe any euill we see that he of his infinite goodnes vseth the euill gouernementes of menne vnto the good or profit of his For God loueth his churche excedingly and seketh to relieue and comforte al man kinde by Empires although not altogether or in all thinges commendable I wil not therfore denie Gouernemēt not to be discommended good princes vnder the Image of the beaste that sins the Empire of the weste was renewed that is to saie sins the Image of the beast was sette vp these seuen hondreth yeres they haue many times gouerned so that it hath easely appered that god hath wrought the helth of his people in the gouernementes Daniel figured by beastes the foure Monarchies of the worlde whiche neuertheles supposed not that al their Princes were beastes nother condemned he al Princes neither thought that there hath bene or should be no good thing in them although the most parte were moste corrupted There were founde in the olde Romane beaste to speake nothynge in the meane time of the Princes of Assiria Bavilon Medes Persia or Macedonie whiche haue set forth profitable lawes sette in the bookes of Iustinian There haue bene founde vnder that moste cruell olde beaste whiche haue auaunced the trewe religion of Christe and defended moste ernestely the churche of God suche as before we sayed was Constaunce Constantine Theodose and diuerse others whiche come all vnder the nombre of the Empire but not of the beaste but in as muche as the beaste signifieth the Empire So maye there be founde Princes vnder the Image of the beaste not a fewe whiche haue bothe set forth holesome lawes and haue imployde greate benefites vpon mankynde as haue done Charles Lewis and Lotharie of Saxon and others Notwithstanding that thei themselues in many thinges cannot be allowed of the godly There are founde emonges the later kinges of the newe Empire whiche in power and maiestie were not muche vnlike the olde in vertues not muche behinde them but in certen thinges egall There are founde whiche haue assayed to pourge thempire from Popishe corruptions and to bryng the Popes vnder Corum but with no great or good successe For what the Otthones Henrickes Lodouickes Friderickes briefly many Frenche Princes Saxones Sweuians Bauarians and of Austrich haue ben many notable testimonies of histories do reporte which testifie that certen Kinges both of Fraunce and of other realmes also haue not bowghed their knees to this Baal or if thei haue done at any time yet haue they repented and haue shewed some token at the leeste wise wherby the wise might perceiue that they set not much by that beaste Holy men are excused excepted Here therfore are to be excused al holy and excellent men which haue liued in the whole course of time wherein the Image of the beaste erected hath reigned And I meane Emperours Kinges Princes Bishops States Cities people of the empire and other realmes whiche liued but yet were not vnder the vnhappie image of the beaste for because they offered not themselues to the sprete of the beaste to be therof moued and gouerned nother haue spoken expressely that thing whiche the beaste gaue to speake but rather haue spoken against the beast and haue much mislyked his doyngs Therfore as I haue not comprised in the olde Monarchies and namely in the olde Romane beaste the godly prynces and good gouernement nother haue condemned them of beastialitie if I maye so terme it so nowe nother in bayting the Image of the beaste do I confounde the good and godly princes and people and their gouernement not euill with the corrupte doynges of Antichrist For euer I excepte moderate and profitable empires honeste men and godly how so euer they liue vnder the Image of the beaste yet not after the inspiration of the beast or false prophet A prophecie is to be expounded after the cōsideration of thinges times Hereunto I adioyne this also that thempire was not sodenly establisshed after the will and pleasure of the Bisshop but by diuerse spaces of times sondry attēptes and traysons innumerable therfore at the length it was deuolued to an extremitie of corruption and as I may saye bestialitie Wherby it appereth that the prophecie of S. Iohn is to be applied to the thinges themselues and to the times after the state malliciousenes and corruption of euery thing time That same is moste certayne and by comon consente of all historiographers playnely testified
any Popish rites or ceremonies but from their vices and corruptions to flee so farre as is possible For so the Apostolical scripture teacheth vs in the .12 to the Roman 2. Corinth 6. in the .5 to the Ephes and .1 Pet. 4. And S. Iohn at this present as it were expoundyng him self be not ye sayeth he pertakers of her sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicate not with her sinnes And sinnes be not only those which are done agaynst the seconde but also that are committed and that much more agaynst the first table of the which sorte are idolatrie impietie the abuse of Gods holy name straunge worshipping agaynst the .2 and .4 precepte of the first table Those were than and so are at this daye taken for very good workes where they be abominations Partakyng is chiefly in the cōmunion of sacred thinges agayne if they be geuen to the same dissolute riot with filthie men Yf therfore we beware of those thinges we flee out of Babylon and followe the good counsel of God But herein we offende at this daye cōmonly How men offende at this daye agaīst this counsell of God whiche are called gospellers For many thinke it to be sufficient in case thei obserue I wote not what religion in their harte priuely and openly doe cōmunicate with them whiche maye eyther helpe or hurte Ye shal haue them that wil crowch and kncle before idolles whiche will heare Masse and popishe seruice There be some that know many abominatiōs of the popish priesthood but yet neuerthelesse make their sonnes priestes Because that promotions and that clerkly life that is to saie the welthie and pleasaunt life liketh them wel There be some that intrude their childrē through the bonde of wedlocke into the middes of Papistrie nother doe these regarde any thing els but richesse and worldly honours and frendeshippes Against al these the prophetes with the Apostles and at this present Christ the sonne of God from the righthande of the father thondereth and crieth out a lowde come awaye from her my people and be not partaker with her sinnes These wordes do not admitte any wittie or ciuile reasoning nor carnall or craftie qualifiyng For it followeth leeste ye receaue of her plagues For if ye like Rome if ye like the Romish religion if Romish prelacie please you richesse and promotiōs yf the Romish corruptiō contente you let the iudgement payne and damnation dewe to Antichristianisme contente you also We haue moreouer at this present what aūswere we may make to the Romanistes What thou mayest aūswere to the crime of reuolting obiecting laiyng to our charge reuoltyng or apostasie for the same cause also the crime of Schisme Ye haue fallen saye they from the holy church of Rome by that same forsakyng declare openly that ye are sectaries and Schismatikes Whereunto we aunswere that we put a distinctiō in the church of Rome For we acknowledge a certē olde church of Rome notable and Apostolicall Of the whiche wrote S. Paule your fayth is shewed in the whole world Frō the same who so euer departeth without doubte shal be both a Schismatike and also perishe for euer There is agayne an other church of Rome newe and cleane contrary to the olde no longer nowe Apostolical but Papisticall rather wherein be not the ministers of the worde and Sacramentes but either princes nothing vnlike the gētiles or marchauntes of whom the Sacramentes the remissiō of sinnes heauen it selfe and all thinges in the church are to be solde for a little mony They teach a doctrine swaruing quite from the doctrine of the gospell These are openly not infected but swimmyng and stinkyng of moste shameful vices euen of the filthines of whoredome to speake nothing nowe of Christen bloudshedyng Nother is there sene in them any repentaunce With these to perseuer with these to cōmunicate is to perish euerlastingly Therfore from these mens cōpany the lord cōmaundeth vs here to departe yea and to flee frō Therfore that we haue done we haue done at the lordes cōmaundement which openly here cōmaundeth vs to come awaye departe and flee from the purple whore and frō this Babilon There be also other notable places commaundyng this departing which who so liste to know and consider let thē reade Deuter. 13. Ieremie the .23 the wordes also of the lord in the gospel of Luke the .6 chapt the .7.23 and .24 of Matth. Reade both the Epistles of S. Paul to Timoth. especially the .6 chapt of the .1 and the .3 and .4 chapt of the .2 In the .16 to the Romanes he sayeth I beseke you bretherne marke them which cause diuision and geue occasions of euill contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyde them For they that are suche serue not the Lord Iesu Christe but their owne bealy and through flatteryng wordes c. And rendring the cause whie we should flee from Babilō Whie Babilon is to be auoided he vttereth the profit and disprofit Leeste ye receaue of her plages For who so euer matcheth him selfe with the vngodly idolaters filthie vncleane persones receyueth the same rewarde with them and the rewarde of this life presente a curse a reprobate minde sondry calamities recited in the 16. chapt and elswhere and after this life euerlastyng tourmentes Therefore he treateth of no lighte matter when he threateth of flyeng from Babilon or of auoyding the Romish religion Many beleue these thinges for that they consider not how great is the abomination of the church of Rome before God and therfore heare these thinges as it were a fable and perseuer in the same kinde of life wherin they ar and haue liued hitherto But he lieth not that sayeth howe they that prouide not for themselues to flee out of Babilon shall shortely perish with Babilon and with the whole fellowship of the wicked Wo be to them Howbeit for asmuch as the wicked in this world ar cōmonly fortunate whereof many gather That God remēbreth wickednes that God knoweth not our matters or at leest if he know thē not to care greatly for thē there is added of thapostle or oracle brought from heauē for her sinnes are cōmen vp to heauen the lord hath remēbred her wickednes God verely neuer forgetteth iniquities For al things are euermore present before him Yet semeth he not to remembre when he punnisheth not For so men suppose but when he pūnisheth and visiteth sinners he semeth vtterly to haue had consideration of our matters and to haue remembred wickednes and wicked menne Therefore God is rightuouse and mindeful of euil and of good also and when he seeth time will recompence all mens workes and chiefly the euill In the meane time he signifieth also that the sinnes of olde and newe Rome are great and full of enormitie For in the .19 of Genes the sinnes of Sodome are sayed to haue ascended vp to Heauen and as it were to haue exclamed agaynst the doers of them and
that gaue them good counsell till the wrath of God was kindled and fell vpon them when they leest loked for it We see al tokens that are sayde shuld come before the daye of our Lord to be fulfilled Let vs watche therefore and these thinges on this wise coÌ„sidered let vs see and heare with great and dilligent attentiuenes what maner of iudge of al shal come and what that iudgement shal be of the godly most wished for to the vngodly horrible and with treÌ„bling to be feared Heauen open First S. Iohn in the vision seeth heauen open For by a vision to the ende all thinges might be more euident he not only telleth so great a matter but setteth it also before that eyes to beholde and that he sayeth he sayeth of the reuelation of Iesu Christ leest any should obiecte and saye arte not thou a madde fellowe to talke thus of matters vnknowen For what is he that knoweth who or what that iudge shal be or els what that iudgement shall be Therefore he telleth these thinges from the iudge Christe himselfe and by an heauenly reuelation For other places of the Scripture shewe that the Lord shal come in glory and Maiestie therefore with a great and most shining brightnes of light with fire and excedyng great clerenes For so it is sayde in the .24 .25 of S. Matth. in the .7 of Daniel And the .2 Thess 1. chapt Therefore by the openyng of heauen is signifsed that the whole world shal be lightned with glory and brightnes and that the same daye shal be most shining and clere Others vnderstande that the iudgement can not be fully perceyued but of the celestial reuelation Whiche as I confesse to be moste true so thinke I heare some greater matter to be signified The iudge commeth forth from iudgemeÌ„t Than followeth the description of the iudge as of a noble and stoute warriour consisting of many partes The godly vnderstande hereby that the kepar watcheman reuenger of the church slepeth not whom the wicked belie not to perceiue what wrong thei do to the godly nother to care for the superstitiouse Christians as they terme theÌ„ They see moreouer that they erre if they thinke Christ at any time ouer fauourable and to winke ouer long at the calamities of his seruauntes For now he commeth forth a iudge and reuenger There be many excellent descriptions of Christ in this boke as in any other but this is most elegaunt liuely whiche I haue accordyng to my smalle talent expounded by partes Thou shalt euer thinke of greater thinges til it shal be geuen to beholde them presently with our eyes Our iudge coÌ„meth on horsebacke that on a white horse He rideth on a white horse not that he nedeth the helpe of corruptible horses in heauen but thus he speaketh after the maner of men that we might imagine greater thinges CoÌ„querours ride on white horses Here is signified therfore that our iudge shal be a coÌ„querour a triumpher Others suppose by the white horse to be signified his most pure humanitie I vnderstand rather the white clowde For the same toke him vp from the eyes of his disciples what time he ascended into heaueÌ„ of mounte Oliuet In the same he shall come agayne to iudge And like as Kinges are caried on horses and charettes so the Psalmiste ascribeth to God clowdes as horses and charette 2. Our iudge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faitful true Faithful Faithful 〈◊〉 true to his faithful True in al his promesses towardes the godly vngodly They are disceaued shall see themselues to be disceaued at the iudgement so many as haue contemned the promesses threateningâ—s of God as vaine esteming thinges after the successe of this world iudge the wicked to be happy and fortunate and the godly to be wretched and miserable Hereof hath the Prophete Malachie reasoned in the .3 and .4 chapt And seyng the iudge is faythful true he iudgeth and fighteth in rightuousnes to witte geuyng euery man his owne rewardes to the good and punniâ—hmentes to the euill This kyng doeth not iudge and fight as the kinges of this world are wont followyng vanitie and corrupte affections And Christ is saide to fight when he rewardeth the vngodly after their demerites thapostle we must al sayeth he be manifest before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery man maye receiue such thinges as he hath done by his body according to that he hath wrought be it good or euill .2 Corinth 5. His eyes like a flame of fire 3. The eyes of the Iudge are like a flame of fire For as no man can escape or hide him from the iudge or iudgement as he searcheth the secretes of all nother can there be any thing hidde from his sight so are his eyes terrible and fearefull against the vngodly Psal 16. Rom. 2. The godly agayne are by the sight of the lord fulfilled with all pleasure ioye and gladnes Flamyng and firie eyes are attributed also to Christ in the first vision where you maye see more And the Scripture euery where testifieth that the iudge knoweth al thinges eueÌ„ the secrettes of hartes Thou doest folishly therfore whiche thinkest thou hast wonne the felde and to haue sinned vnpunnisshed wheÌ„ thou haste escaped the knowledge and iudgement of man There remaineth an other iudgemeÌ„t wherin al the doynges of the wicked shal to their vtter shame and coÌ„fusion be reuealed before all the world The sinnes of the godly are couered by him through whose benefite thei be iustified Rom. 4. and absolued from payne and crime also 4. Our Iudge hath very many crownes vpon his head for he alone gouerneth al realmes nations As also Daniel hath signified in the .7 chapt He alone might trewely be called Affricanus Europeus and Asiaticus Parthicus Persicus Germanicus Gotthicus and others Whiche our kinges haue ful fondely chalenged to themselues affectatyng so the Monarchie where Christe alone is the true Monarke for euer This iudge mightie Prince shal strike of the triple crowne from the head of the Bisshop of Rome More there shall be none so mightie a king in the whole worlde that shal be able to resiste him and make warre agaynst him A name vnknoweÌ„ 5. Our iudge hath a name writteÌ„ which no man knoweth saue he himselfe This shal be more playnely opened anone Christe hath a name vnspeakeable for he is the true God eternal incomprehensible and Almightie This name knoweth no man but him selfe For firste the Maiestie of God is greater than that it maye be comprehended of any creature agayne the name of God is agreable to no man but to him alone for the name of God in this signification maye not be coÌ„municated For he is very god besides him none which thing Esaye repeteth ofte He is the Sauiour Kynge Monarch and Iudge which thinges al belong properly to him alone and are not common to others Moreouer
consisteth in two thinges For God will geue vnto his Sainctes all that good is and wil take from them al euill and so shal these for euer inioye the souerayne good and felicitie most perfit and shal waunte al payne and miserie S. Austen in th ende of his boke De ciuit dei Howe great sayeth he shal that felicitie be where no euill shal be no good shal waunt and this declaration of eternal felicitie hath her partes whereby she is made manifest For firste a voyce and that a great cried from the Trone beholde the tabernacle of God with men The coniunction of God with holy men was in time paste prefigured by the Tabernacle of wittenesse whereby God testified that he would be in the middes of his people And the same shal he at th ende after the iudgement verfourme most abouÌ„dantly And therefore that voyce annexeth In the presence and fruition of god shal bâ— al good c. and he will dwell with them and they shal be his people and God himselfe with them and will be their God The whiche S. Paule semeth to haue vttered more succinctely and briefely and God shall be all in all For what so euer is good what so euer is faire what so euer is pleasaunt and delectable what so euer the minde of maÌ„ can imagine to be wisshed for briefely what so euer apperteyneth to the true and perfit felicitie and blessed life That same shall that great God almightie be whole and shal shewe in him selfe most fully And like as al and singular menne do inioye vnto a pleasaunt satietie the amiable brightnes and holâ— some heate of the sunne that neueâ—theles the same loseth nothing by the same and albeit that al men vse the sunne in common and euery manâ—e neuerthelesse inioyeth the same as proper and peculiar right so in another world we shal vse that eternal light and ioye euerlasting and vnspeakeable Whereof incontinently shal followe thinges more plentifull God will deliuer the Sainctes from all payne And than like as God in himself geueth to the glorified al goodnes so wil he remoue al euil from the same so that they be not only deliuered froÌ„ calamities but the same shal neuer retourne nor be feared more The whiche in moste plentifull wise he declareth by wordes borrowed out of the oracles of the prophetes God shal wipe awaye sayeth he al teares froÌ„ their eyes Which kinde of speach he vsed also in the .7 chap. verely taken out of the .25 and .65 chap. of Esaye And Dauid also in .126 Psalm They that sowe in teares sayeth he shall reape in gladnes He semeth to haue alluded to moothers which wipe the eyes of their tender and dere childreÌ„ criyng comforte the sorrowfull and cherishe them hurte or bruissed Therfore if the Sainctes haue suffered any payne or grefe in this world when they shal come into an other world it shal be requited theÌ„ and prouided that they shal fele no more aduersitie The lord sayde also in the gospel verely verely I saie vnto you ye shal wepe and lameÌ„t but the world shal reioyce and you shal be sorowfull but your sorowe shall be tourned into ioye c. In the .16 of Iohn Consequently he declareth yet more fully by nombryng of the calamities that the sainctes in an other life shall be deliuered at ones from al euill and death shal be no more For they shal be rewarded with life euerlastyng Therefore shall there be no more feare of death whiche is in a maner more bitter than death it selfe The same affirmeth the Apostle in the first to the Corinth the .15 alledgyng the testimony of the Prophete Osee There shall be no mournyng nor sorrowe whiche drieth vp the bones although most ful of iuyce For the ioye of Sainctes shal be perpetuall There shal be no clamour no complayncte no expostulatyng or vmbraydyng For whie there shall be no iniurie no mallice or enuie This worlde sowndeth and redoundeth full of the clamorous and cries of poore wretches But in the blessed seates shal be no miserie There shal be no payne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour sickenes werines The cause hereof for the olde thinges are gone There is nowe an other life yea and that a moste diuerse maner of liuyng from that whiche we liue nowe Therefore what soeuer is of sinne and subiecte to corruption shall there be taken awaye as the Lorde sayde in the Gospell Iohn 5. the children of this worlde doe marrie and are maried but they that shal be accompted worthie to attayne to that other worlde and resurrection from the dead shall nother marrie nor be married For they can dye no more for they are egall with Aungelles and be the children of God sins they are the children of resurrection Luke 20. chapt But of eternall life we haue spoken more in our coÌ„mentaries vpoÌ„ the .12 of Matth. And the Lorde him selfe in Iohn collecteth the some of all and sayeth howe he maketh all thinges newe Therefore in the world to come we shal thinke of no carnal nor corrupt thing but an heauenly But the mindes of the faythfull are greuousely tempted in this matter the Deuill suggestynge A weightie coÌ„firmatioÌ„ that all these things are vndoubted which are spoken of the blessed life that the hope of the faythfull is vayne and that is a thing moste folisshe to contemne good thinges presente and certayne for glory vncertayne There be innumerable others of the same sorte which come to the minde of manne and trouble and shake the faith of eternall life The Lord therefore the faythfull Phisition of his leeste they should fele any hinderaunce in this behalf coÌ„firmeth these thinges gâ—auely and many wayes declaryng the hope of the faythfull to be moste certayne and al thinges to be vndoubted whiche are or shall be taught of eternal life of the felicitie and glory of sainctes And he placeth this assertion as it were in batâ—ayle raye after he hath certenly collected the some of felicitie whereunto by and by he will adde fuller thinges after the vision exhibited And here is to be vnderstand that the certentie of the blessed life is shewed moste expressely of al by these wordes and he sayde vnto me wryte c. And neuerthelesse by the former wordes also no weake reasons of the veritie be gathered And firste in dede he sayde I Iohn sawe And we knowe Iohn to be an Apostle and witnesse of the trewth whose testimony it is vnlaweful to distruste Seyng therefore this godly maÌ„ sawe the thinges himselfe whiche he reherseth to doubte of the same were a wickednes Secondly he heareth a voice a great moreouer pronounced out of the Trone to wit of the .xxiiii. Elders spretes angelicall of the whole heauenly hoste And who can doubte of their testimony whiche already are in blesse euerlastyng They know and haue experieÌ„ce what the felicitie is therfore they speake and testifie that is tried and knowen Moreouer he him selfe that sitteth in