but because they reste from their labours and be of most quiet and pure affectiōs sitting with the high iudge But what thing doe these They geue God no counsell what he should do or by what meane or waye he maye doe this or that but they allowe his iudgementes For they know all his workes to be iuste and holy The whiche shal immediatly follow What shal we do than shal it be mete for vs to inquire of the iudgementes of God or prescribe what he shoulde do or not do I thinke not you haue in this vniuersalitie of sainctes al patriarches al iudges and kinges al princes the whole people of God you haue emonges these king Salomon him selfe and the moste excellent and wittiest Princes of the world you haue the Apostles and men Apostolical Martirs and the wise men of the whole vniuersal worlde Wilte thou condemne their iudgementes following therfore theyr example busy not thy selfe to moue curiouse questions prayse the iuste iudgementes of God and know that the Lord is iust in al his wayes and holy in all his workes To whom be glory ¶ Here is described the procedynge of the holye spirite and operation the almightie knoweledge of God and howe the Throne of God is borne vp or susteyned of the foure beastes and what the beastes doe The .xxiiij. Sermon ANd oute of the Seate proceded lightenynges and thonderinges and voices and there were seuen lampes of fire burnynge before the seate whiche are the seuē spirites of God And before the seate there was a Sea of glasse like vnto Christal And in the middes of the seate and rounde aboute the seate were foure Beastes full of eyes before and behinde And the first beast was like a Lion the seconde beast like a calf and the thirde beaste had a face like a man and the fourth beaste was like a fliyng Egle. And the foure beastes had eche one of them sixe wynges and rounde about without and within they were full of eyes And they had no reste daye nother night saiyng holy holy holy is the lord God almightie whiche was and is and is to come The marke ende of the firste parte of this vision Our Lorde Iesus Christe as the faithefull pastour of his church wil vtter the destenies and wōderful calamities that wil come vpon the churche Therfore to the intent he might stoppe the mouthes of suche as mutiue and be inquisitiue of the iudgementes of God and might perswade al mē to haue patience in these stormes of euilles he setteth forth a treatise before wherein he sheweth that all thinges are done or permitted to be done of God by his most iuste prouidence and are gouerned or ordered by the Lambe with a iudgement most rightuouse and holy For who so beleueth and remembreth this in what chaūces so euer he happen he submitteth him self humbly and lowly and obediently to his God and crieth alwayes the Lorde is rightuouse in all his mayes and holy in al his workes And this is the moste true state of the first parte of this vision which is done in the 4. and 5. chapt And is more ouer most elegaunt moste pleasaunt and moste full of consolation Althinges are more liuely set forthe and perceyued in suche fitte and heauenly representations than they can be vnderstande in bare wordes A recapitulatiō or brief rehersall First is recited a Throne that in dede a celestial throne leeste in the workes in the prouidence and iudgementes of God we shoulde Imagine any thynge carnall or corrupte Secondly he that sitteth on the throne is represented vnto vs by two coulours Grene and red For God is an eternal essence geuyng to al their greues or beyng The same burneth in loue towardes man kinde and willeth wel vnto man but to the disobedient and rebelles he is a consumyng fire And the throne is inuironed with a raynbow grener than grasse comfortyng vs that we should not be dismayed at the sight of that Godly throne but should remembre alwaies that he whiche sitteth in the throne iudge gouernour of al is most true and kepeth his promesses to be that same leage frende of oures .xxiiii. Elders sitte rounde aboute the throne which already are signified what they be and as it were shadowed streight waye in the ende of the iiii chapt and in the fifte shal be declared what they doe or what they saye Doubtles all the Sainctes in heauen are lokers on of the iudgemētes and workes of God For the iudgementes of God be not sutch that they should flee the light and knoweledge of Sainctes Now followeth out of the Throne proceded lightninges c. In the throne is he that sitteth and the lambe that is the father and the sonne and frō them bothe procedeth the holy ghoste For by interpretatiō it followeth immediatly which are the seuen spirites of God For the lightenyngs the signes of the holy ghoste thonderings other thinges rehearsed signifie or be tokens of the holy spirite whiche els where is red also to be shadowed by fire water and winde and by firie tounges But no man wil thinke that the holy ghost whiche is one in substaunce and of the simple nature diuine should be plucked into seuen partes For I tolde you in the first chapt how the seuen spirites of God are put for the seuenthfolde most ful and most perfit spirite of God We haue in the beginning of this visiō the whole misterie of the blessed Trinitie so much as is nedeful for vs to know The holy Trinitie beleue professe There is one Seate in that one seate are conteined the sitter lambe spirite therfore there is one diuine essence nature and thereof is one power and maiestie one rule because ther is one throne briefly there is one god true eternal for euermore blessed As Moses also in the 6. of Deuter. and al the prophetes and Apostles haue euery where taught Howbeit in this only vndiuided substaunce is sene a most plaine distinction of persones For there is he that sitteth in the throne the lambe and from bothe procedeth the holy ghoste This misterie of the Trinitie we professe in the Crede This appereth openly in the incarnation of our lord whilest the aungell sayeth to the virgin the holy ghoste shal come vpon thee and the power of the hiest shal ouershadow thee And that which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God Likewise in the baptisme of Christ is hearde a voice from heauen vpon the Lord This is my wel beloued sonne The holy ghost also appereth in the likenes of a doue Wherupon the lord cōmaunded vs also to be baptized in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost This professiō is certaine true and so set foorth by the most manifest scriptures liuely preaching of the apostles like as Tertullian declareth against the heretike Praxeas We ought rather beleue cleaue vnto
contemplation of mâ—ters diuine and in holy prayers he heard a voice whereof 〈◊〉 wyll speake hereafter But here we are presently taughâ— what is the religion of the sonday and how it is mete to oâ—serue it Finally wordly men are reproued whiche pollutâ— breake it with prophane workes and affaires Dauid wâ— time he suffered persecution of Saul lamenteth chiefly tâ— he might not come to the Lordes tabernacle Our men aâ—compt it a great felicitie neuer to enter into the felloship Sainctes And to abuse the sonday in gamenyng drinkinâ— dauncing and worldly businesse By whose commaundement he wrote and sent the Apocalipse These thinges on this wyse declared he cometh at lenâ—â— to the reuelation setting forth before the expresse commauâ—dement of God wherby he was commaunded both to wâ— the thinges â—euealed also to send theÌ„ to the seuen churchâ— of Asia To the maner and maiestie of the reuelatioÌ„ that saâ— chiefly apperteineth that he heard a voice and that notabâ— as the sound of a trompet For so we reade it was done the law geuing at the mount Sinay Now is declared who voyce it was and who was the authour of the reuelation Verely the eternall God which calleth hym selfe Alpha â— Omega that is the beginning and the ende Or as it is saâ— in Esay first and last Wherof els where Now followeth the commaundement whiche hath â—partes For first the Lord commaundeth S. Iohn to wâ—â— And to wryte suche thinges as he sawe that is to witte 〈◊〉 Apocalipse And that he should wryte nother in the sanâ— nor on the walle but in a boke Verely for the edifiyngâ— profit of the churche present and of all posteritie After heâ— also commaunded to sende those writinges to seuen congâ—â—gations and verely to all the churches of the whole worldâ— al times ages Therfore al these thinges belong to the proâ— of congregations and that of al that be haue bene or shalâ— Thautoritie of the Scripture Here of we learne how great is the authoritie of the sâ—â—turs It was not written nor coÌ„piled in bokes but by Goâ— coÌ„maundment There be notable testimonies of the bokâ— of Moyses in the .xxxiiii. of Exod. and .xxxi. of Deuter. And to say nothing of the residue of the Propetes is not Ieremy commaunded to wryte his Sermons againe whiche kyng Ioachim had cut in pieces and burnt The scriptures are ours Doubtes S. Peter beareth manifest witnes that the Prophetes receiued the misteries of God to none other ende than thei shuld reueale them to vs Which in dede might only be done by the scriptures Now is Iohn moste apertly commaunded to wryte What wyl we say that he is also commaunded to sende his wrytinges to the congregations Wherof againe we gather that God willeth right well to the congregations and euen to euery one of vs. Let vs beware and take hede that we put not from vs vnworthely so great benefites of God to whoÌ„ be prayse and glory ¶ THE BEGINNING OF THE worke is made a moste goodly description to vs exhibited of Christe kyng and byshop in glory neuertheles woorkyng in the Churche The fifth Sermon ANd I tourned me that I myght see the voice that spake with me And when I was tourned I sawe seuen golden candelstickes And in the middes of the seuen candelstickes one like vnto the sonne of man clothed with a linnen garmeÌ„t â—owne to the grounde and gyrde about the pappes with a golden girdell His head and his eares were whyte as whyte wolle and â—nowe And his eyes were as a flame of fyre â—nd his feete like vnto brasse as though they brent in a fournace and his voice as the sound of many waters And he had in his ryght and seuen Starres and out of his mouthe went out a sharpe two edged sworde and hiâ— face shone euen as the SuÌ„ne in his strength Suche thinges as haue bene treated of hitherto in thâ—â— boke be in stead of the prologue or preface as they termeâ— Now at last shall the matter it selfe be propouÌ„ded to vs. The som of these things vnto the .iiii. Chapter Hâ— therfore followeth the second part of this boke whiche râ—cheth to the fourth chapter In the which is Christ describe vnto vs with his catholike churche For first in dede is set â—fore vs the moste sacred Image of Christ our Lord teachiâ—â— what a one he is on the right hande of his father in glorâ— how he sittyng on the right hand of his father worketh nâ—uerthelesse in his churche continually neuer absent preseâ— alwayes Of what sorte moreouer the churche is hereâ— earth is figured in those seuen congregations Here therfoâ— are shewed the excellent giftes of churches and agayne iâ— shamefull errours How the Lord Christ confirmeth suchâ— are sliding and ready to fall establisheth those that standeâ— forteth the weake harted restreyneth the folyshe hardy aâ— preserueth thinges that are corrupt Finally how faithful â—stours of the churche must worke and trauell with the peâ—ple committed to their credit For here is exceadingly wâ— taught what is the reparing and preseruation of churchâ— Where also a briefe somme of the whole ecclesiastical and 〈◊〉 some doctrine brought in to an abridgement shal be set beâ— vs. For here is repeted from heauen of Christ in glory 〈◊〉 doctrine of true religion whiche he had set forth more plâ—tifully when he was yet here in earth And here most apâ— applieth it to churches after consideration of the same And in most goodly order the wordes are knit togetheâ— as likewyse the whole boke is wrytten with playne worâ— and hanging right well together they are disceaued that thiâ—â— it to be lose besomes or broomes vnbounde Iohn heard voice behind him criyng Wherupon he tourned backwaâ— that he might se the voyce speaking that is to wit hym tâ— spake For Aretas also admonissheth that there is a tropeâ— the wordes For no man seeth but heareth the voyce Aâ— tourning him to see he sawe a figure of Christ our sauioâ—â— Therfore when the Lorde speaketh let vs tourne also wâ— all our harte Let vs turne to the lord speaking that we may lykewyse deserue to se the misteries of the kingdom of God for he gladly reuealeth him selâ— to suche as tourne and desire heauenly thinges And from those that neglecte the misteries of the kingdome of God al thinges of saluation are hidde Further more S. Iohn exhibiteth to vs the Image of Christ our catholike kyng and high bishop sitting in glory Thimage of Christ is set befor vs. in the whiche description are comprised the chiefest matters of Christ For suche a taste of Christ is here geuen vs as in this world may be of our weake flesh perceiued But we shal se hym at the length in the world to come such as he is in the fulnes of his maiestie wherin shal be ioye life euerlasting But this in this corrupt world is yet graunted to no man So much therfore is permitted vnto vs that liue yet
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
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
like Aungels and so the seruice of Deuils as Deuils in dede But where as the seuēth numbre is the numbre of fulnes conteyning in it self al times for there be seuen dayes of creation and rest there be seuen worldes or ages certenly seuen Aungelles appere before God for that they betoken all battels that shall be foughten to the ende of the world For to these seuen Aungels are geuen seuen trompettes and the Aungels already had the trompettes and euen prepared themselues to blowe the on set The vse of trompets Where chiefly the vse of trompettes is to be searched for The same is most plentifully described of Moses in the .10 of Nombres The vse of trompettes was diuerse as it is also at this daie First by the sounde of the trompet the people of Israel were called together to consult of the cōmon welth Agayne at the sounde of thē the Senate of princes of the people did assemble Moreouer they were warned by the trompet when who should remoue their tentes Furthermore the trompets blewe vnto battel what time they ioyned to fight as maye be sene in the .20 of Deuter. The people moreouer were called together with trompettes on the holy dayes to publicke and diuine seruice Sounde with the trompet in Zion call the congregation sayeth Iohel gather the people There was more ouer a feaste of trompettes and a Iubiley hauing the name of the blowyng and sounde of trompets as appereth in the .25 of Leuit. Finally the preachyng of the veritie was figured by the sounde of trompettes neyther might any other blow the same but priestes For it forceth much to whom you cōmitte or deliuer the signes publicke Of this sundry vse of trompettes none shall agree better to our mater than the warlicke For this world hath a shape of warre In it are the campes of good men and the campes of euill the tentes of Catholickes and tentes of heretickes The chiefrayne of these is Sathan and of those Christe the Captaine and Emperour of these is the Deuill of the other the sonne of God And now the Aungels sounde their trompettes and blowe the onset not that the good Aungels and God him selfe is the Authour of heresies and of heretickes whose original is referred to Sathan and sinne but soūding their trompettes they geue in dede warnyng to all men and signifie that most greuouse warres shal arrise in the worlde and euen in the church it selfe But diuerse men are diuersely moued and worke in warre accordyng to their natures The trewe catholikes beyng warned by the trompet take heade to themselues praye and finally taking in hande spirituall weapons prepare themselues vnto battel and māfully fight for Christ and for maynteinyng and defending the veritie Heretickes sectaries and menne of corrupte mindes accordyng to theyr mallice takyng to them also Armour runne sorth and fighte agaynst Christ and the veritie defende lies and such as be weakelynges they take spoyle beate downe and distroye The good shepardes are the trompets of God and of Christ the Deuill bloweth vp Archeheretickes and beginners of sectes Of the good and of their fight we shal heare in the .11 and in the chapt following Neuertheles in euery cōflict we must vnderstād that the sainctes slepe not nor be any where idle but to doe their duetie euery where It was nowe in dede enough for the lord to shewe vs the heretikes sectaries sighting to declare how much they maye hurt that we might watche more dilligently and beware of all corruption The firste trompet or fight The first Aungel soundyng the first trompet denounceth vnto vs the first conflict All and singular battels haue some thing like and diuerse It is like in that all heresies doe impugne Christ and would haue the trueth of the Gospell eyther extinguisshed or wrasted out of the true sense And that same is singular or diuerse that at an other time Sathan assayling other doctrines hath spred abroade in the Churche sundry heresies Therefore whilest the Aungell soundeth the trompet that is to saye proclaymeth warre he warneth the Sainctes to watche Therfore as he is yet blowing through Gods permission accordyng to his iuste iudgement by the meane and suggestion of Sathan ther was made hayle and fyre mixed with bloud the whiche beyng so tempered was sente or fell vpon the Earth For S. Paule acknowledgeth spiritual policies in the heauenly spirites And the Scripture in a certen place doeth figure rightwell the sounde and holesome doctrine by the heauēly dewe and showre that maketh the earth fruictefull most rightly therfore S. Iohn cōpareth the false and hereticall doctrine to hayle For that destroyeth the fruictfull places of the earth and marreth vtterly the plētiful fruicte of the earth Wherfore like as els where the peruerse doctrine is called darnell leuen chaffe c. so is it here called haile But this hayle is tempered and of a wonderful mixture For it hath fire and bloud ioyned with it These thinges muste be expounded after an allegorie not after the letter Haile is water congeled with colde Hayle is corrupte doctrine And water they haue called the wisedom of the scripture haile therfore shal be false wisedom Yet fire is put vnto it The pretense of the scriptures and inspiration of the holy ghost wherunto is added bloud the euil affection of man to witte the vice of Ambitiō wrath contention hatred and like affections Of these is compounded an haylie doctrine hurtfull doubtlesse and pestilent For when false doctrine ruleth or depraueth the Scriptures and wicked affections of teachers are ioyned with all a pestilent doctrine arriseth Such was frō the beginnyng the doctrine of the Nazareans or Mimeorites and of the Hebionites cōtending that iustification came not by the only faithe of Christ but by the law Our men fought sharpely to wit S. Paule thother Apostles against this perniciouse doctrine And frō the beginning many corrupt with Philosophie Diuinitie corrupt by Philosophie others blinded with mens traditions haue brought forth most corrupt opinions Histories beare witnes herof And Tertulliane not without cause called Philosophers the patriarches of heretickes For S. Paule most diligently warned that the godly shuld be ware of Philosophie They that haue not kepte thēselues from it haue set more by Philosophie I know not what traditions they in stead of the heauenly dewe swete showres haue cast into the church great heauy haylestones And haue verely hurte the church very much For the .iii. part of trees was burnt and also al grene grasse This nūbre is intimated in foure trōpets and in fixe likewise And it semeth to signifie that a greate parte of men inconstaunte and vnstable are seduced lofte geuing thēselues to be distroyed of wicked men agayne the best part of the saythful to be saued The lord him self knoweth the numbre exactely It is enough for vs to know these thinges which he hath reuealed vnto vs nother to searche curiousely any further That men
vnderstand that is to saye al that same time that is rekened frō the fatall yeres .666 wherof is mentioned in the .13 chapt of thapocalipse vntil the last iudgemēt And whie I do expounde a certen time by an vncerten these be the causes First for asmuch as the same nombre of monethes is put here in the .13 chapt And is ascribed to the olde Romane Empire verely that in their tribulations the Sainctes might vnderstand comfort themselues that there is an ende appoincted to their tirāny which is knowen of God and that the Sainctes should no more be sorrowful than if they should be cōstreyned to abide their tiranny a fewe monethes only Otherwise if ye should accompte from the firste yere of Iulius Cesar and bring the course of time vntil that yere wherin Odacer at Rome al emperours of the weste beyng takē awaye was acknowledged for King you shal not finde only three yeres and an half but about fiue hondreth and .xvii. yeres Yf you shal bring the accompte from Iulius to the empire taken awaye and geuen to the pope you shal finde about .767 yeres The later cause for that Daniel the Lorde Christe and the Apostle S. Paule agreablely do saye that the persecution of Antichrist should last vnto the iudgemēt But who shal rekē vnto vs the yeres and dayes of the last iudgement And therefore must the nōbre certayne be expounded by the vncerten and must thinke that al thinges are nombred prefixed in the counsel of god which neuer neglecteth his faithfull To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ Of the two prophetes fightyng manfully agaynst Antichrist and of their power The .xlvij. Sermon ANd I will geue power to my two witnesses thei shal prophecie a M. cc. and .lx. daies cloted in sacke cloth These are two oliue trees two cādelstickes stādyng before the God of the Earth And if any man wil hurt them fire shal come forth of their mouth deuour their enemies And if any man will hurt thē this wise must he be killed these haue power to shut heauē that it raigne not in the dayes of their propheciyng and haue power ouer waters to tourne them to bloud and to smite the earth with al maner plagues as oftē as they will These thinges apperteyne also to the consolation of the faithful Prophetes are promised For the lord promiseth that he wil sende prophetes that is preachers whiche shall mayneteyne and defende the veritie of the Gospel and glory of Christ assayle Antichrist and distroye his kingdome and auaunce the saluation of the faythfull In the fourmer chapt 8. and .9 was described the fight of Antichrist and heretikes agaynst God his Christ and against his church now at fewe wordes is set agaynst the same the cōtrary fight the army of Christ is munstred Two prophetes And he bringeth forth two Prophetes that is preachers not for that there shal be two only but for that he wil so signifie that the power of Christ in the worlde should be and seme to worldly men small as I shal tel you anone in the meane time he vnderstandeth al faithful preachers and pastours of al times whiche offer themselues to resiste Antichrist and heretikes There be that expounde these thinges of Enoch and Helie which shal come corporally before the iudgemēt Howbeit S. Hierome in the epistle to Marcella doeth referre that opinion to Iewish fables signifiyng that these thinges must de spiritually expounded of those prophetes as are also the most things of this boke And in maner al expositours with great concorde doe interprete all these thinges of these Prophetes spiritually and not corporally after the lettre I suppose that for two causes there be two Prophetes only here rehersed First for that he would allude to the olde Historie or prophecie of Zacharie which is in the .4 chapt It was thought than also to the people of Israel retourned from Babylon that the reparyng of the Tēple was vnpossible for that they had many and mightie aduersaries and they were weake and fewe and their gouernours Zorobabel and Iehosua contemned but through the mightie hande of God and his faithful ayde it came to passe that the power of their aduersaries vanisshed awaye as vayne and they indespite of hell gates buylded vp their Temple right so the Lorde sayeth it shal be in that later age that the ministers most contēptuous and very fewe in nombre shal buylde vp Christ his temple and repare it shake the most mighty power of Antichrist Herunto I suppose belongeth that saiyng of Daniel and when they shal fal they were holpen with smal ayde c. Secondely for this cause chiefly he accompteth only two witnesses for that it is red written in the Lawe in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shal stande It is iudged therfore a full testimony whiche shall be confirmed with the agreable declaration of two Where therfore the lord sayeth that he wil geue two Prophetes it is asmuch to saye as that he wil geue so many ministers as shal suffice which shal both builde vp his church and also plucke downe and rēt a sonder the kingdome of Antichrist There be of the expositours which thinke that by two witnesses are vnderstande two testamētes Howbeit we see that the Lord speaketh here of witnesses not of the thing testified or to be witnessed which neuerthelesse we separate not from the witnesses The Apostles and Apostolicall men are called witnesses euery where in the Gospel and in the .1 Who be witnesses chapt of the Actes of Apostles Witnesses are ordeyned in iudgement that they should faithfully vtter that whiche they haue sene or hearde that they should forge nothing of themselues to the things that should be testified should nother adde or put any thing nor take awaye any thing So likewise are placed of God in the church of God the witnesses of God that is to saye ministers and of them is required that they Imagine nothing of their owne braine nother put to nor take away any thing from Gods worde but simply declare to the church of God the thinges they haue sene in the story of the Gospell and hearde of the prophetes and Apostles Therfore are thei false witnesses nother worthie to be called the witnesses of God and of Christ which bryng not the Gospell They be rather the Popes witnesses whose decrees decretalles they bring forth and beare witnes of them to the folish people Therefore shal those two prophetes be witnesses of Christ and shal bryng witnes for Christ out of the most trewe Scriptures And the beginnyng of them is here referred to God and to his Christ as the original of Antichrist is reduced to the deuil him self The original of prophetes I wil geue sayeth the lord to my two witnesses and they shal prophecie Christ sendeth preachers geueth to them also that they can preach The which is a wonderful comforte For like as
the marke of the beaste that is whiche will not prostitute themselues to the luste of the Pope and the seate of pestilēce Antichrist sayeth the lorde by his power shall brynge to passe that none maye by or selle saue he that hath the marke of the beaste c. And these come all to one effecte the marke of the beaste the name of the beaste and the nombre of the name of the beast For he hath the marke of the beast which acknowledgeth the seate and professeth the faith of Rome and euen to whom the christen faith is not enough He hath the name of the beaste who so euer he be that will be named an obedient childe of the holy See of Rome and acknowledgeth the Pope to be head of the vniuersall church He hath the nombre of the name of the beaste whiche hath a societie with the beaste whiche societie that nombre bewrayeth or sheweth Therfore excepte thou acknowledge the Pope to be supreme head of the churche in Earth with the fulnes of power vnlesse thou professest to followe the fayth of the holy church of Rome and to deteste all thinges what so euer that See hath condemned thou arte forbidden fire and water That same hath the lord called to prohibite that thou mayest nother bie nor selle We saye in dutche signifiyng one that is bannished out of al mens company He vnderstandeth therfore excommunication that horrible thonderbolte of the Pope wherewith are stricken all those that haue set more by Christ than by the Pope or the which haue lothed the Popes decrees in comparison of the Gospell Let him reade that liste the sixte decretall of Boniface the .8 in the .5 boke the .2 titl de hereticis Also Clement the .5 booke .3 Title de hereticis But he that will knowe exactely a compendiouse treatise of tiranny and a glasse of butcherie let him reade the Bulle of Martin the .5 whiche is subiecte to the Sessions of the Counsell of Constaunce and is written to Bishoppes and inquisitours of heretical prauitie Emonges other thinges there is one which geueth a wonderfull lighte to this place whiche we nowe expounde where it cōmaundement that they do not permitte them that dispise the communion of the churche of Rome to kepe or dwell in any house or lodgynge to make any bargaynes or occupie any trafficke or trade of Marchandise or to haue any cōforte of humanitie with the faithfull of Christ Reade thou the reste leafe .134 Herunto maye be added that in Popishe churches is the greateste biyng and sellynge of all But vnlesse his crowne be shauen and his handes imbrewed with oyle that is except he hath receiued in the foreheade or head and in the righthande the marke indelible for so they terme it that can not be put out he hath no marchandise lefte him in the house nor so much as a little corner But Christ whipped these marchaūtes or byers and sellers ones or twise out of the temple Antichrist hath brought them in agayne And this is verely a wonder thei shewe more fauour at this daye to Iewes Turkes and heathen than to Christians For vnto the only gospellers is no place permitted verely for that they ascribe al to Christe preache Christe only leaue nothing to the Pope but rather accuse him moste constantly and bitterly But what shall we saye to them Counsell for the seduced whose handes and foreheades haue ben defiled with the marke I bid them to wash themselues with the bloud of Christ forsake Antichriste and tourne vnto Christe in relinquisshyng their errours and repenting them In case thou haste bounden thy selfe to Antichriste by an othe doe not perfourme that rashe and wicked othe by vngodly speakyng agaynst the gospel Do penaūce make thy purgation retourne vnto Christ and thou shalt be saued Here is wisedome Nowe leest any man here should chatter that we maye be Christians aboundantly instructed in heauenly wisedom although we do heare or speake nothing of the pope and popishe matters that those disputations are vnprofitable yea odiouse and to apperteyne to the stiring vp of troubles and therfore to be hurteful and foolishe that same our Lorde preuenteth and sayeth expressely here is wisedom in the knowledge and righte iudgemente of these thinges consisteth the trewe heauenly and godly wisedome Vnlesse we be wise in this thing we shal be fooles and not wise The Lord therfore exciteth the hearers to the study of inquyringe after Antichriste and to beware of him when he is founde For in the 14. chapt we shall heare that they shall drinke of the Wine of Gods wrath as many as haue receyued the marke of the beaste and worshipped his Image Wherefore they shall drinke at the same table with Christe of the cuppe of lyfe and of the grace of God so many as haue dispised Poperie And who shall denye it to be the trewe wisedome by the whiche we maye come from the wrath of God to the grace felloweshippe and participation of the same Moreouer the lord adioyneth that men indewed with vnderstandyng not witles and ful of hurtful follye should recken the name of the beast that is to saye should be dilligently occupied in this matter that those thinges should be dilligently searched for whiche worldely menne affirme to be curiousely sought and inquired after We are cōmaunded diligētly to seke after Antichrist not only without any profit but with losse also Moreouer the Lorde commaundeth to accompte the nombre of the name of the beaste He addeth that the same is not harde to do For this nombre to be the nombre of a man to witte which a dilligēt man maye easely by fayth industrie attaine to For so doeth Aretas expounde it also saiyng that nombre is comon and knowen to men Let them leaue than to trouble our godly studies which blame our sermōs made against the Pope and laugh at our dilligence such as it is in expoundyng popishe abominations finally whiche suppose we spende our time in vayne in the accompte of times They do heare here excepte they will heare nothing that we haue receiued cōmaundement of the lord so to do moreouer that the lord testifieth that wisedome is herein And here I geue warnyng that the maner of speakyng is to be obserued The nōbre of the name of the beast that we wery not in vayne bothe our selues and our auditours through the inquisition of a certen name in the nombres For that it is sayed to be the nombre of his name as though he wold a certaine name shuld be gathered composed of these charactes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for the most part is gathered of these thre lettres or charactes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this name Christ Nother waūt they which thinke how by these thre charactes no other thing is signified than the name of christ which the lord him selfe in the .24 of Matth. prophecied that Antichriste should vse Certes he calleth him self Christes vicar
fulfilled For on those laste and most corrupte ages the Lorde wil powre out his plague and that the plagues of his iuste wrath and shall powre them out most fully to the ende and shall execute his ful wrath against the vngodly for euermore Yet now he suspendeth a while that narration begonne of the Angelles masters of the plagues The ioyes triūphes of the godly and placeth or sendeth before the greate ioyes of the blessed Martirs triumphes songe of praise reioycynge and thankes geuynge And this Ioye is interlased here in the treatise of punnishementes for the consolation of the faithful that they should knowe themselues deliuered from punnishmentes And if it fortune whilest the wicked are punnisshed that any displeasure touch thē also as it can not be chosen but the wicked beyng plaged some discōmoditie must also arrise vnto the faithful that thei maye vnderstande yet that the daungers of the discōmodities must with the excellent aboūdaunce of ioyes be recompensed For hereby is signified how the godly reioyce whilest the lord executeth his iustice To be also the chaungeable course of thinges that those that haue ones wepte in the world should now be glad and ioyefull accordyng to the saiyng of our sauiour in the .16 of Iohn Morouer it behoued by the testimony of all Sainctes to be declared to the Sainctes that dwell in Earth that the iudgementes of God be rightouse and true whiche thing vnderstande questions and sondry mutininges agaynst God do cease First he seeth them which ouercame Antichrist and haue had nothing to doe with him as we saye in dutch for this I suppose be signified by that plentiful rehersal of certen membres the declaration wherof is setforth before in heauen not in some dortour or no where as some men gather He sawe I saye in heauen the blessed soules stande vpon a glassy See A glassy See mixed with fire mixed with fire And in an other place I haue tolde you that the See figureth the worlde by reason of the rage and vnstablenes therof Certenly Daniel so taketh in the .7 chapt And it is called glassy because of the frailetie and bricklenes For worldely thinges shine but they are soone broken Whereupon it is sayed that wordely things are as brickel as glasse whiche whilest they shine breake And not with out cause is fire mixed with worldely thinges For the Sainctes whilest they be conuersaunt in Earth fele alwayes in a maner the fire of affliction Whereof spake S. Peter 1. Pet. 4. And they stande vpon a glassy See mingled with fire For cōquerours treade vpon the worlde and vpon al the tourmentes mockeries of the world as triūphyng ouer all worldely thinges The Prophet in the .66 Psalm bringeth in the Sainctes singyng a ioyeful songe vnto God and emonges other things saiyng thou hast brought vs into snares thou hast layde tribulations vpon our backe thou haste set men in our neckes We haue passed through fire and water thou hast brought vs out into a place of reliefe Therefore do there followe alterations in an other world Wherfore Aretas expoūdyng this place the glassy See sayeth he semeth to intimace nothyng els than by the Sea verely the multitude and by the glasse the brightnes by fire the puretie of them which are worthie that blessed life And certenly the same wordes in diuerse respectes maye signifie diuerse thinges and make the sense agreable Hitherto we haue hearde that the sainctes are in heauen where they triumphe ouer the world vanquisshed but nowe we shal heare more clerely what they do in heauen and how they singe vnto the lord a songe of thankes prayses which fully agreeth with the Psalm 66. The harps of God And he attributeth to the blessed martirs harpes as he did to the Elders These he calleth of God as you would saye diuine and celestiall mete to set forth the prayses of God For a celestial Iubeley is signified whereof is spoken in the .5 chapt He addeth moreouer to expresse the musicke and they singe And declareth also the maner of their singyng The songe of Moses the lābe the songe of Moses the seruaunt of God and the songe of the Lambe Therfore this songe of the Sainctes is reioycyng ditty triumphaunt and of thankes geuyng For like as in times paste Marie with the cōpany of virgins Israeliticall at the appoinctement of Moses sange a songe when the Israelites were deliuered out of the bondage of Aegypte and Pharao was drowned in the red Sea with his whole armie whereof you maye reade more in the 14. and .15 chapt of Exod. So the blessed soules in Heauen prayse God whiche hath deliuered them from Sathan Antichrist and the worlde And the songe of the Lābe is the christiane thankes geuing by the which the vertue of Christ and his redemption is praysed of the Sainctes For like as the olde fathers after the eatyng of the Paschalle lambe made a iubiley gaue God thankes So the blessed Sainctes nowe infraunchised with the full libertie of the children of God geue thankes vnto Christ theyr deliuerer Finally reciteth the order and fourme of their songe Kinge of Sainctes God is highly commended herein which is called the Lord God almightie Kynge of Sainctes as for whome the Sainctes warre by whome also they be gouerned and whiche defendeth mayneteyneth and kepeth the Sainctes And he is called holy in whome is no spotte no iniquitie And before all thinges they prayse his workes whiche they call greate and maruelouse These are manifest in Heauen and in Earth They declare the power wisedome iustice of God Therefore they inferre by and by that the wayes that is the considerations of God which he followeth in gouerning and doyng of thinges be trewe and iuste For he disceaueth not he doeth no man wronge Therfore God is iuste in punnishing the Antichristiās and deliueryng his For although he seme to neglecte his yet kepeth he fayth to the godly as a kynge that neuer neglecteth his Now they alledge what it becometh all men in the Earth to do also it is reoson that al men feare thee and glorifie thee in all thinges nother to accuse and murmure at thy iudgementes There is added an other reason for he alone is holy without sinne and with out spotte None of all the creatures hath this Although many gentiles nowe cōtemne God yet shal they ones come and worship shal knowe their owne filthines and the holines and rightuousenes of God For the iustice and iudgement of God whiche are not yet reuealed and therefore are contemned shal be ones reuealed that all the godly of al natiōs may attribute glory to the rightuouse God These thinges verely prepare also the reader and hearer to the treatise nowe followynge concernynge the iudgementes of God and pūnishmentes of the vngodly The lord open the eyes of our mindes that we maye see these thinges with fruicte plentifull ¶ The seuen Angelles are described coming forth to execute the seuen
remnaūt wer slayne with the sworde of him that sat on the horse which sword proceded out of his mouth and all the fowles were fylled with their flesh ¶ The descriptiō of the Iudgemente and pūnyshmēt of the wicked Immediatly after the description of the Iudge and a certen lyuely picture a description no lesse euident foloweth of the iudgement that is to say howe Christe hauing vanquisshed his enemies committeth them to perpetuall tourmēts And the Apostle vseth a prepheticall phrase and eloquence For by a fyguratiue speach al foules are called to the slaughter and feaste that they mighte be filled with the fleshe of the slaine And first an allusion is made of such as sley wares and prepare a feaste whereunto they may call their frendes and make them chere Againe an allusion is made to the murther and slaughter of enemies whereof wylde beastes and rauening foules are fylled Nother is there any thyng hereby signified but Christ shall ouerthrowe all the vngodly and take punishmente of the same Before was sette forth a supper for the godly wherewith they are refresshed and fulfilled Nowe is prepared a feast of the solemne slaughter whereby the vngodly receyue no commoditie nother are they satisfied but rather are slayne and deuoured that is to say perish For no man wyll imagine that the wicked shall be ouerthrowen at ones and after weried of wylde beastes and gnawen of foules and so all punnishment to make an end to gether For so shoulde their payne seme to be none at all But by temporal parables eternall thinges are fygured These are taken oute of the Prophetes namely oute of the .66 chapter of Esaye and the .39 of Ezech. where are red in a maner the same wordes what time he couereth wrappeth the vngodly with calamities I meane warres and destructions and with other tormentes as it were killeth them but chiefely when at the laste iudgement he committeth them to paynes euerlastyng And this slaughter is declared of the Angel An Angell stādyng in the sunne stāding in the sunne criyng with a lowde voice Wherby is signified that the daie of iudgement shal be solemnely proclamed with trōpettes shal be a notable daye That no man can be ignorāt herein but that al thinges herof shal be hearde of al mē And therfore he crieth with a lowde and an audible voice And he calleth to gether as it is in Ezechiel the birdes and foules to deuoure kinges and men of al states age and sexe that is to saye that all these muste be called together to suffer eternall punnishement and destructiō Therfore he reciteth dilligently kinges chiefe captaynes stronge men and of all sortes to witte the persecutours of Christ Antichristians vngodly cōtemners and impenitent persones Here is shewed the cause of the damnation and destructiō of the vngodly whilest their enterprise indeuour The cause of damnation resisting of the trewth attempte is shewed Thei are now assembled to fight a battaile against Christe and his electe that is agaynst the churche who the beaste the Kinges of the Earth and their Armies Captaynes and Soldiers fightyng both spiritually and corporally And here nedeth no longe commentary Reade the stories of the churche for the space of these fiue hondreth yeres And see what is done at this daye of Popes Bisshoppes and Princes and of theyr coūsellers and ministers Parliamentes are called in them are blouddy decrees and lawes made agaynst the gospellers And a greuouse persecutiō attempted agaynst the Gospel and churche The spirituall fathers cluster together they consulte and crie out that there muste a counsull be called Wherefore I praye you to the intente that newe doctrine as they calle it of the Gospell maye be cutte vp rooted out and plucked vp by the rootes And therfore they stande alwayes ready to fighte are many times assembled against God his annoincted to fight with the lord Christ and with his chosen Nowe a dayes yf at any time peace be concluded and the moste blouddy warres of Princes taken vp other in the composition of peace or immediately after consultations are had how to oppresse the godly But there is no other kinde of sinne more heynouse than to impugne the veritie of the Gospell And therefore is this the chiefeste cause of the condemnation of the wicked at the same daye It is accompted at this daye emonges the chiefest vertues of Princes if a Prince will geue no place to the preachyng of the gospel but the same shut out wil defende and maineteine the church of Rome with those doctrines rites and ceremonies falsely called olde Suche are called right good catholickes most christen and defenders of the fayth The beaste is taken But nowe is their damnation and the maner thereof annexed And the beast is taken And he speaketh of these notorious offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were takē with the maner and taken in dede beyonde their expectation For in the middes of their enterprise are they intercepted whilest they be yet in great hope thinke verely to bring many thinges to passe agaynst Christ and his church then in the selfe heate and wickednes of impugninges and persecution they shal be comprehended Whereupon also this is manifest that persecutiō impugning of the veritie shal perseuer to the worldes ende But who shal be taken the beast and the false prophet which wrought miracles Touchyng these thinges see what is sayde about the ende of the .13 chapt The cause of eternall damnation is agayne here placed For he hath seduced the worlde by his inchauntementes and crafty iuggelynges by his decrees and commaundementes Whereof I haue spoken before oftener than ones as also in the .17 chapt c. The fellowship also of his condemnation is adioyned so many as haue receyued the marke of the beaste and haue worshipped the beast Wherof we wil now repete nothing These things are declared in the .13 chapt And albeit nothing can or ought to be proued by the pictures yet is it neuerthelesse certayne that Paynters haue borrowed hereof those their olde payntinges of the laste iudgement For we see the olde pictures of the laste iudgement painted an hondreth yeres sins and more to represent and exhibite to vs a great rabble of Priestes Monkes and Freres and al maner of spirituall fathers but chiefely the ghostes of kinges and Popes whiche are hurried to helle and burne in the botome thereof with fire euerlastyng Whereupon it is sayde that there go mo priestes thā plowmē to the deuel c. Furthermore the damnation it self and maner of tormēt A lake of fire burning with brimstone or the torment it selfe shal be fire For S. Iohn sayeth these two are cast quicke into a ponde burnyng with brymstone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a lake or stāding water as be in fenne coūtries for such is the description of helle and of thextreme punnishmēt as is also described with Esaye in the .30 cha Tophet was longe
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