out of sondry places in their letters writteÌ„ to me haue required my expositioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the Apocalips To whose iudgmeÌ„t sins I gaue very much I did in dede more easely consent to this editioÌ„ And wherin the meane time the hatfull cause of Antichriste as many men cal it came in the beginnyng of the worke to be handled I neyther ought nor myghte dissemble it Moreouer this is playne that I haue brought forth nothing in this matter that is new straung or hath not ben heard of nor that I role this stone alone Now al the world crieth out that no other antichrist shall come into the world then he that is commen already in the Bisshops of Rome Who shal in the meane time be slaine with the sword of God his word in the harts of the faithful and shortly shal be wholy abolished by the glorious comming of Christe vnto iudgement If I shall suppresse and conceale this thing the stones wyl cry out For now is the time fulfilled and the kingdom of God is coÌ„mâ—n Blessed and for euer blessed be those Theldest and most common doctrine is that the Pope is Antichrist Gregory the first Pope that watche and loke for Christ vnto saluation Ireney an holy Bishop sayde a thousand and foure hundred yeres sins Antichrist where he is but a seruaunt will be worshipped as God Tertullian and. S Hierom as I haue said now oftner theÌ„ once haue expounded this prophecie of S. Iohn touching Babilon of Rome plainly Gregory the first of that name who was also Bisshop of Rome was not affrayd to pronounce openly that he was the vauntcurour of Antichrist that wolde suffer him selfe to be called the vniuersal and high Bishop But then did the bishop of Constantinople vsurpe to himselfe this title who ran before the latter bishops of Rome And in the xxxv epistle to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Al thinges saieth he that are spoken before are don The king of prid to wit antichrist is at hand And the which is not lawfull to be spokeÌ„ An army of priestes is prepared for him For they serue in the bande of prid Arnulphus bishop of Orleaunce which wer placed to be guides of humilitie And these things wrote Gregory nine hundreth fiftie yeres synce Arnulphus a maÌ„ very godly lerned Bishop of Orleance .550 yeres since in the couÌ„sel of Reins speaking openly of the Bishop of Rome brake out at the last into these wordes What thinke you him to be that sitteth in the high seat in the pourple garment glistering with gold whom I say think you him to be Vereli if he be destitute of Charitie and be puffed vp extolled with only knowledg he is Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and boasting himselfe as though he were God But if he be neyther grounded vpon charitie nor yet exalted with knoweledg he is in the TeÌ„ple of God as an Idoll Thus far he who semeth by these his wordes to haue alluded to the places of holy scripture Apocalips xix.ii Thessa ii Zacha. xi S. Barnard Albeit that by reason of the infelicitie of his time he agreeth not with him selfe in all thinges Yet inueyhed so against the Pope bishops and clergie of his time that if any shuld at this day omitting his name vse his words he shuld be called the greatest heriticke that lyueth Where notwithstanding al things ar now more corrupted theÌ„ they wer in the time of s Barnard His sermon which he had to the clergie in the counsell of Reines remayneth In his bokes of consideration he is moste vehement especially in the .ii. and fourth boke He liued about the yeare of our Lord .1150 In the yere of our Lord 1240. was suÌ„moned a couÌ„sel of Princes and Bishops at Regenspurge Eberhard bisshop of Salisburge and that for the TiraÌ„ny of bishops of Rome most greuously oppressinge the godly Emperour Friderick the second of that name In the whiche Eberharde Archebishop of Salisburg standing dp Vnder the Title fayth he of the greatest Bishop we perceiue in a Sheperds clothynge a moste cruell wolfe vnlesse we be blind Bishops of Rome haue war against al Christians by attempting disceyuing makyng war vpon war waxing great they kil and murther the pore shepe peace and concord they dryue out of the earth Ciuile warres domestical vprores they coniure out of hell dayly more and more they weaken the forces of al men that they may treade them all vnder foote may deuoure all and bring all into bondage HildebraÌ„d an hundreth and threscore and ten yeres past first vnder the pretence of religion layed the foundation of Antichristes kingdom He first began this wicked war which by his successours hath ben continued hitherto And by and by The bishops of Babilon couet to reigne alone they can not abide they re pere beleue me for my experience they wil not cease til hauyng brought theÌ„peroure vnder and the dignitie of the Romane empire dissolued the true pastours oppressed they may on this wise extinguish all thinges tread al thinges vnder theyr fete and sit in the Temple of God and be exalted aboue al that is worshipped He that is seruaunt of seruaunts seketh to be Lord of Lordes in like case as if he were God He hathe new deuises in his hart that he may establish thempire for him selfe He chaungeth the lawes setteth forth his owne lawes That loste man whom they are wont to cal Antichrist polluteth Robbeth spoileth defraudeth sleyeth in whose forhead is written the name of reproche I am God I can not erre he sitteth in the temple of god and ruleth far nere And a little after the maiestie of the people of Rome wherwith in times past the world was gouerned is takin out of the earthe The kingdome is multiplyed the gouernment dispersed into many cut of lessened I wyl not say rent in pieces Themperoure is a vayne calling is only a shadow There be ten kings atones which haue parted the world which in times was the Romaine empire not to gouerne it but to consume it The ten hornes which thing to S AusteÌ„ semed incredible Turks Greks Egiptians affricans Spaniards Frence men Englishmen GermaÌ„s Sicilians Italians do posesse the Romane prouinces in them haue distroyed the Roman inhabiters And a little horne hath growen vp vnder these that hath eyes and a mouth speaking great things It hath brought in subiection especially three kingdoms of Sicilie Italy and Germany compelled them to serue him with intollerable tyranny it vexeth the people of Christ and the saincts of God it confoundeth all thinges concerning God and man and attempteth deuelish things And the residew which is to be red in the .685 leafe in the seuenth boke of Auentines cronicles which in the yere of our Lord .1554 were printed at Ingolstad by themperours priuilege out of the which I wrot word for word al that I haue hitherto recited in the name of Eberhard Archbishop of Salisburge About the same time
And with many wordes and also moste dilligently and goodly is treated here of the openyng of the seales who verely might be thought worthie to open to the churche the secret iudgementes of God and to execute and minister his holy workes that is to saye to whome the kingdome is geuen and gouernement of the diuine prouidēce For an Aungell and that not of the cōmon sorte but a stronge and worthie one with a loude voice crieth to make vs all attentiue and that we shoulde note diligently who he is that shoulde both open the boke and vnloose or vndoe the seales And he holdeth longe in suspence the hearer beholder or reader before he will shewe him to the intent verely to cōmende him to vs exceadingly No man sayeth he in the whole vniuersal world neither emonges the Aungelles sainctes in heauen nor emongs earthly men and vnder the earth was founde whiche coulde eyther open or vnseale the boke To Christ alone belōgeth the kingdome and the power of gouernemēt is taken from others Let vs obserue that there is none that can open the boke and open the seales besides Christ alone Whie than is the administration of thinges attributed or communicated to sainctes none can open to vs the counselles and iudgements of God no man can gouerne those iudgements workes of God that he worketh in the world saue only Christ the lord whie than are so great benefites sought for of Sainctes and be imputed to them if eyther the sicke be restored to helthe or that a mortall man do receiue any other gifte or benefite ▪ many will saye I receyued this in dede of gods benefite but through the meditatiō and power and merite of this or that saincte vnto whome God graunted this that he should rule ouer suche a disease and might heale suche as calle vpon the name of the Saincte or the name of God by the Saincte These are here confuted now by the wordes of the Lord and S. Iohn saying that no man in heauen or in earth is founde whiche coulde open the boke Yet neuerthelesse aboute the Throne sate the xxiiii Elders representinge the Type of all Sainctes in glory not one of al thē was found which could open the boke Therfore be thei a great deale madder which do attribute the gouernement of things in the church to the Pope a most corrupte and filthie man Only Christ receiued al power in Heauen and in Earth as we shall incontinently more fully vnderstande S. Iohn wepeth The weping of S. Iohn for that he vnderstode a weightie matter to consiste in the openinge of this godly boke and yet sawe he no man at al which coulde eyther open or vnseale it Neyther did he as yet fully vnderstande the matter And he bare the figure of them which vnderstande not the iudgementes of God nor know not that al thinges are through God his prouidēce holyly gouerned by Christ For in them nothing els remaineth but mourning and heauines Certenly withoute Christ and his opening wherby he reuealeth to vs the diuine misteries and iudgements no man can rightly iudge of the same For vnlesse we vnderstand the seales to be opened by Christ and that al thinges are done by his order whiche loued vs and gaue him selfe for vs what thinge shall be lefte in vs but sighinge But he rehersed three thinges to open rede and loke vpō No man liuing openeth for that no man is mete for so great a charge saue only the sonne of God No manne readeth or vnderstandeth fully the iudgements of God but the sonne and to whom he hath reuealed so muche as any man hathe No man loketh on it that is to saye can beholde the workes and iudgementes of God but he shal be offended excepte he be indewed with the spirite purified with the same Therefore we must axe grace of him that we maye vnderstande so muche of Gods iudgementes as shal suffice and may iudge wel of the same Aretas Bishop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke neither any sayeth he of those that lacke fleshe nor any of them that are in the fleshe nor yet of suche as are deperted leauing their fleshe behinde them hath receiued a perfit knoweledge of godly matters And by and by after nother only is there any which could open it but also not so much as loke vpō it that is to saye coulde not loke attentiuely on the iudgments of God and so forth And the cōtexte of the whole place proueth sufficiently that S. Iohn speaketh here of the iudgmēts verely but chiefly of the gouernement of thinges The Lord Iesus be glorified for euer Amen ¶ Here is liuely described the Lambe in the throne of God receiuing the boke of the hand of him that sitteth and opening it The .xxvij. Sermon AND one of the Elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde the Lion whiche is of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath obteyned to open the boke to lowse the seuen seales therof And I behelde and lo in the middes of the seate and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the Elders stode a lābe as though he had bene killed whiche had seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirites of God sent into all the worlde and he came toke the boke out of the right hand of him that sate on the Throne By Christ all thinges are gouerned Forasmuch as Iohn had wept that no man was worthy so muche as to loke on the boke of him that sate on the seate muche lesse to open it One of the .xxiiii. Elders comforteth hym His name is not expressed wherfore it semeth to be required both vaynely and curiously Notwithstanding there be some of the expositours which suppose hym to be the patriarch Iacob Verely for that shortly after his oracle or prophecie is recited And so the authour descendeth in a moste goodly order vnto the description also of the sonne of God by whome the celestial father as al the scripture euery where approueth gouerneth al thinges Hitherto hath he described hym that sitteth on the seate and before that the holy ghoste Wherfore these are holsome and moste profitable doctrines for the churche wherby the true faith is confirmed The comfort of this elder and verely the heauenly most Godly doctrine tendeth to this ende that we should vnderstande that all the complaintes weping grudging and the sondry tourmoylinges of our minde can not be quenched appeased quieted vnlesse we see and beleue that to Christ as here is moste playnely and manifestly set forth is geuen of the father al power in heauen and in earthe and therfore to be constituted like as the only redemer so also the head Prince and gouernour of al whiche vnder the seale of fayth and veritie shoulde gouerne all thinges that are by God his prouidence ordeyned and euen now dispiseth them and reuealeth vnto vs so muche of God his iudgmentes as do suffice vs. This if we beleue with a
we reade in the .1 of Iob howe Sathan had power geuen him of God agaynst Iob. Vnto blouddy soldiours is geuen a great sword great power to hurte a wonderfull force of fighting As also Nahum expoundeth it Nother is it a rare thinge in the scriptures for Monarkes tirannes and mightie men of warre to be called a sworde For so Ezechiel called Nabuchodonosor and Esaye called Sinacherib king of Assyrians a whetstone And the chiefest rightuousenes is God is of good thiÌ„â—s the deuiâ—l authour of euill to geue euery man his owne Therfore this place doeth iustely ascribe that which is good vnto God and that whiche is euill to the Deuill But thou sayest if God permitte the same that he doeth not prohibite he doeth He prohibiteth not warre for because iustice wil not suffer him so to doe but he coÌ„mauÌ„deth him by warre to punish the wicked and to trie the good but in permittyng warres God offendeth nothinge seyng that for moste iuste causes he permitteth the same For they would not imbrace peace offered them by the preachers of the Gospell therfore were they worthy to be intangled with warres The Iewes knew not the daye of Christes visitation therfore were they worthely visited of the Romanes and distroyed And this thing is in the world perpetuall that they that wil not obeye the Gospell muste obeye the Captayne of the warres they that wil not heare christ must heare Antichrist Thou mayest not contende with God whic he doeth this and permitteth that Worship God rather as thou hast ben taught in the .4 and .5 chapt Let vs peruse ouer stories and see and suche warres be not founde wherin men haue slaine themselues with mutuall woundes and haue killed one an other like beastes If you wil reade Herodiane Orosius and other good Historiographers you maye finde that the Romane Emperours haue ben troubled with moste greuouse warres for none other cause than that thei refused peace offered to them by the gospell For none other cause was Rome it selfe at the last taken by the Westgothians of the Eastgothians burnte and distroyed The lord had geueÌ„ them Christen Princes but they loued more Idols For Simmachus gouernour of the citie was so bolde to require a restitution of Idolatrie I speake nothing now of Athila nothing of the Persian and Affricane warres And what time there was a wonderful strife emoÌ„gs the Bisshoppes about the supremacie the Saracenes sprang vp and became mightie After the Thousande yere beganne the holy warre whiche as it was most bloudy so was it of longest continuance Neuer any suche warre was made in al the world Boniface the .8 instituted firste the yere of Iubiley a moste wicked manne who also did exhibite him selfe to be sene of the people both Pope Emperour But the same yere of a thousand and three hondreth wherin he did these thinges arrose vp in Asia the whippe or scourge of God Ottoman the original of themperours of Turkes which reigne at this daye For so when Salomon buylded places of Idolatrie his enemies sprang vp which wonderfully vexed and afflicted the kingdom of Salomon What warres are made now a dayes and what be the causes of warres al wise men do see We wil not receaue the peaceable gospel It is reason therfore that the Turkissh Armies should inuade vs that we maye both fele Antichrist to be a stoute warriour and maye al abhorre and deteste him But what other thing remayneth here than that beyng conuerted to God through Christ we maye serue the lord in syncere fayth and holy puretie for except we conuerte the are is layde at the tree roote c. ¶ Here is opened the .iii. and .iiii. Seale and is declared what the world shall suffer of honger and Pestilence The .xxxi. Sermon ANd when he opened the thirde Seale I hearde the thirde beaste saie come and see And I behelde and lo a black horse and he that sate on him had a paire of Balaunces in his hande And I hearde a voyce in the middes of the foure beastes say A measure of wheate for a penny and three measures of barley for a peny and oyle and wine see thou hurte not And when he opened the fourth Seale I hearde the voice of the fourth beast saye come and see And I loked and beholde a pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was geuen vnto them ouer the fourth parte of the Earth to kyll with sworde and with honger and with death of the beastes of the Earth Christ exalted aboue all thinges A repetitioÌ„ and Lord of all in heauen and in earth openeth the seales of the boke diuine that is to witte disposeth and gouerneth with great rightuousnes the ordenaunces and iudgementes of God and firste in dede he geueth a prosperouse course to the preaching of the gospell sendyng alwayes faythefull ministers preachyng the Gospel of the kyngdome of God peace and concorde But for asmuche as euyll men do contemne the Euangelical peace they are certenly worthy to be molested with cruell warres Therfore the lambe openeth the second seale and there rushe out cruel warres slaughters seditions and robberies Attention But before the thirde Seale is opened the thirde beast resemblyng the countenaunce of man exhorteth vs to take most diligent hede that when we see these thinges come to passe whiche are here spoken of before we shoulde consider from whence they come and for what causes they are sente and that they maye be tourned away by dewe repentaunce Certen referre these thinges absolutely to chaunce and fortune some agayne to the naturall causes of God and the diuine operation no respect had at al Where we knowe that God vseth natural causes after his good wil and pleasure Let vs watch therfore loke and consider and know that the rightuouse God worketh al thinges for the saluation of the chosen and the ouerthrowe of his enemies That blacke horse with his rider shewyng a balaunce in his hande signifieth the vnfortunate or sorrowfull time of scarsetie famine and penurie of al thinges The thirde seale is opened For it is a worthie and a coÌ„digne punishment that they that do nothing esteme the bread of life nor haue no consideration of the foode of soules but both reiect it themselues and by their tirannical proclamations bringe to passe that it is not receiued of others finally whiche for the bread of life do spoyle the godly of their goodes and most wickedly waste the same in all kinde of riot should be driuen to bie thinges necessary at excessiue prices yea and can not finde things necessarie but should pine for honger We know that the black colour is vsed in mourning and heuinesse The black horse and that when the fleshe and bloud are consumed for wante of meate the skinne groweth blacke and euill fauoured and therefore this horse is blacke The rider of this horse holdeth in his hande a balaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to these wordes of Zachary The eyes of the Lorde loke ouer the whole earth And these be the two childrē of oyle which stande before the gouernoure of the whole earth And these thinges comforte exceadingly the faythful preachers which se that god hath a care of them I meane God the Lord of al. Agayne they be nother Olyues nor candlestickes shewing the light of the Gospel so many as of Antichristes parte esteme dregges and doung of men in the place of the oyle of the holy ghost and power them also into the candle nother shewe they any lighte but darkenes and opinions of moste corrupte men Against these S. Iohn reasoning these things haue I written to you sayth he of these which disceiue you And the vnction which you haue receyued of him abydeth in you and you haue no nede that any man shuld teach you but lyke as the very vnction teacheth you of al thinges so is it trewe and no leasinge Nowe are also the weapons of these preachers descrybed The armure of the prophetes wherewith they may defend their cause and fyght againste their enemies Yf any man will hurte them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fyre esseweth out of their mouthe and deuoureth their ennemies And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with a pretensed mallice and against iustice to hurt or to iniurie and first he sayed to hurt Yf any therfore of the champions of Antichrist shall assayle those preachers and shall blame their doctrine and ministerie streight waies shal they bring forth of the holy scriptures Gods worde so shal represse and ouercome their enemies For that these thinges maye not be expounded after the letter that same chiefly proueth that by and by we shall heare that those prophetes shal be vaunquisshed and put to death of Antichrist to witte corporally Who than can not gather herof that the victory of preachers is spiritual that their aduersaries vanquisshed of the veritie may liue in dede bodily but through the vertue of the veritie they maye seme to be ghostly slaine Fire goeth out of the Prophetes mouthes And therefore as it were by an interpretation is added and if any wil iniurie thē so must he be slayne So I saye by fire verely whiche goeth out of their mouth And who will saye that materiall and naturall fire should come forth of a mans mouth And S. Paul also expounding these thinges taking the maner of speaking of Esaye reasoning of Christ of Antichrist whome he shal kill sayeth he with the breath of his mouth Beholde S. Paule calleth it the breath of the mouth whiche S. Iohn named fire We reade also in the .xxiii. chapt of Ieremie is not my worde as fire and as a mallet breaking the rocke And againe in the .5 chapt In as muche as you speake this worde beholde I will make my wordes in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall consume thē Of Helias we reade in the .4 of Kinges .1 chapt that callyng downe fire from heauen he bodily burnte the kinges seruaūtes Which example where the disciples Iames and Iohn alledged the lord forbadde them that he might admonish them of their function to witte that they muste fight with long suffering and with the word of the veritie Which thapostle in an other place cōmaundeth expressely to wit in the .2 Timoth. 2. Wherby we are plainely taught that Antichrist must not be vanquisshed with corporal weapōs by th◠ministers but with spiritual For he must be slaine with the gospel with that most sharpe sword fal downe and die in the brestes of men that he may be vtterly contemned knowen to be Antichrist And where many cōfounde the ministerie of the word the power of the magistrate for the same cause take the sworde out of his handes cōmaunding that in this case he may not strike heretikes and blasphemers affirming that they ought not otherwise to be punnisshed than by the word let them learne to discerne better betwixt offices not to geue that libertie to blasphemers to all maner of seducers to such as hauing ben a thousand times cōuicte of heresie cease not to infect innumerable bring them into perditiō vnlesse they be straitely pūnisshed by the magistrate Let euery one therfore applie their owne office herein follow the rule of veritie and equitie than shal thinges be in better order They haue power to shut heauē Furthermore he addeth more expresse things concerning their power ministerie euen herein alluding also to sondry tipes of the scripture For first he sayeth they haue power to shut heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their propheciyng And he alluded to the story of Helias which is red in the 3. of Kinges the .17 chap. And they must be spiritually applied to this our busines For like as Helias through the power of God did prohibite that it shuld not raine so shal the preachers of the gospel frō the disobedient or such as wil not heare the word but had rather be seduced with popish abominations shut vp heauen it self that is shall assuredly testifie that it is shut of God for asmuch as through Christ alone as the only gate that waie is opened vnto heauē whom they not withstanding do contēne shal tel thē also sharpely that the grace of God is denied thē which is only graūted by Christ For the prophetes are authours that raine doeth signifie the grace of god fruictful watering sent downe frō heauen Therfore al the time of their prophecie thei shal cōstātly testifie that thei are through their greatest deserte their own faulte depriued of that celestiall grace light life so many as had rather haue the Popes dragges than the true bread from heauē And againe we vnderstād that thei haue power geuen thē to open heauē to the beleuers Wherof here is now no place to speake For the things are more manifest which are writtē in the gospel cōcerning the keies of the kingdom of heauē herunto chiefly belōg than that I shuld nowe rehearse thē sins I haue both at other times before also in this same boke spokē of them at large Secondly he alludeth to the story of Moses sayeth thei tourne waters into bloud that power is geuē to these prophets to tourne waters into blod which discordeth nothing with the fourmer mēbre For the water of godly wisedome is a figure of the grace and reliefe of the spirite Bloud betokeneth offence and punnisshment For that sentence of the lawe and of thapostle is wel knowē your bloud be vpō your owne head Therfore shal these prophetes testifie that God hath verely sent his worde of saluatiō to saue al beleuers but that this shal be to the vnbeleuers through their owne faulte vnto condemnatiō For they that heare the preachyng of Gods word and beleue it not heare it to their owne condēnatiō And so is the gospel at this daie preached to many
inuadeth not only the auncient churche but euen the very head of the church and redemer Christ howebeit with his furie outrageouse he could nothyng preuayle therefore he shal no more preuaile agaynst his membres Now he retourneth againe to the church and sayeth the church fleeth into wildernes after the dragon could bringe nothing to passe agaynst the sonne of God he wente and made warre agaynst the church and the churche fled into wildernes Certenly Iewrie in the prophetes is compared to a place most frequented the gentiles are called a deserte or wildernes Therefore after Christes ascention the Apostles departyng out of Iewrie repared to the gentiles yea and the Iewes inspired of the red dragon caste out the church out of their limites which was constreined as appereth in the Actes of Apostles to flee vnto the gētiles And where the Lorde hath prepared a place for his churche and the churche was greately augmented emongs the gentiles certenly it was through his grace and by no merite of man whiche prepared the place whiche calleth directeth and kepeth his shepe the same hath disposed and yet doeth dispose for this churche ministers or pastours which may fede it as the rauens did Helias al the time that shal be vnto the worldes ende For as for the nōbre of those daies I discoursed before And by this exposition is signified that the dragon shal fight stoutely against the church so that she shal be cōpelled to flee but how much so euer he shal rage against the churche the lorde God shal yet prepare a place in earth wherin she maye dwell safe and will euer sende pastours to fede He sheweth moreouer that the flight shall not alwayes be reprochable The Lord saue and kepe vs. Amen ¶ The description of the conflicte of Christe and the Church with the Dragon the dragō is ouercome the heauenly dwellers sing prayses The .liij. Sermon ANd there was a great battell in heauē Michaell his Angels fought with the dragon the dragō fought his Angels preuailed not nother was their place foūde any more in heauē And the dragon that olde serpent called the deuil and Sathanas was cast out Which deceaued all the world And he was cast into the Earth his Angels were cast out with him also And I hearde a lowde voice which sayed in Heauen nowe is saluation and strength and the kingdome become our Gods the power is Christes for he is caste downe which accused them before God daie night And thei ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the worde of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death Therfore reioyce ye heauens and ye that dwell therin Wo vnto the inhabiters of the earth and the sea for the deuill is comen doune vnto you which hath great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Thapostle hath spoken of the partes of the notable fight worthie battel he hath spoken also of attēptes pourpos of the dragō which verely applieth al his coūsels to this intēt that he may deuoure al godlines that is might distroy it vtterly he hath shewed how he began to moue warre agaynst the church which fled into the wildernes now as it were leauing the womā in the wildernes he semeth to bring forth other soldiours whiche geue battel to the dragon most valeauntly do impugne also discōfit him al his power S. Iohn therfore describeth the singular fight of one most excellent to witte Michaell which ouercame the Dragon and describeth the general fight annexed with that particular For he addeth that al the Angels of Michael fought agaynst the dragon And first is heauē shewed to be the place of the fight or cōflicte For in heauen sayeth he was fought a great battaile The place of conflict And it is euidēt that Sathan was at the beginning of al things cast out of heauē into the earth and therfore that he moueth no warre in heauē nor reiseth any tumulte there For heauē is a place of rest ioye not of debate and contention Therefore this must be attributed to the visiō For the lord hath in heauen by signes represented this battaile to be sene whiche in dede is fought in earth in the middes of the church But here is set forth an image of a notable fight wherby is shewed what hath ben what is yet done in earth I saied euen now that this cōbat was in dede particular but to haue a general fight annexed For Michael fighteth whiche is as captaine of this warre and Michaelles Angelles fight also Who fight which must be wel discerned although that Michaell his Angels make but one parte only On the other side fighteth the dragō as emperour of this warre his angels fight also And these verely make non other partes thā we haue heard before in the beginning of this chapt That the partie of this fight were the church the deuil Neuertheles leest the victory should be attributed to the church not rather to Christ the womā must now be omitted and Michael brought in fighting Whereupon there is in these thinges some difficultie but it shal be easie enough for him that will marke euery thing in order Who is that Michaell captaine of the warre against the Dragon First we must see what that Michael is there is in dede no doubte but that the Angel Michell appered in the vision with an Army of Angels fighting And that on the contrary parte against thē fought the Dragon with an hoste of deuils But for asmuch as we hearde in the beginning that these were tokens they must nedes signifie betoken other thinges I suppose here therefore to be signified Christ the head of his church king protectour with his mēbres Apostles Martirs faithful Nother is it a rare thing that Christ should be figured to vs by Angels but is euen moste accustomed that Angelles are called the ambassadours of God the faithful seruaūtes of Iesus Christ Christ therfore head of the church the faithfull membres of Christ fight against the Dragon yet after a diuerse sort For christ ouercame him alone in the cōbat with out helpe of any creature whilest in temptations he discomfited him at the last also by diyng on the crosse rising agayne from the dead How christ hath fought with the dragō he al to brake his head This is the only trewe singular victory wherby afterwardes are obteyned the victories of Christes mēbres goten of that general fight wherein Christ fighteth not now only hande to hande with the Deuill but all the membres of Christe at all times vnder Christ their Captayne fight against the Deuill and in the vertue or victory of Christ fight and ouercome as we shal heare by and by in the songe of prayse Why Michael is Christ But for great and sondry causes we affirme Christe to be figured and
aduoutries whoredomes to speake in the meane time of nothing els more filthie And where God forbiddeth lies and false witnes the Pope and his whole doctrine which he setteth forth besides the Scripture is sowed of lies and not only he dispenseth with false witnesses but permitteth also to breake safe conduites and publicke fayth geuen and yf he hate the Prince absolueth the subiectes from the othe of their fidelitie and obedience geueth libertie to al cōcupiscences and maketh lawes which nurrisshe the desires of the flesshe And whiche shall be the Dragons mouth yf this be not it Math. 4. The Dragon moreouer is red to haue spoken and sayed to the Lorde all these thinges will I geue thee for he shewed him the kingedomes of the worlde yf thou wilt falle downe and worshippe me What other thing speaketh the Pope doeth he not inriche his obedient children with the Riches of this worlde especially such as will fall downe and kisse his fete I suppose the Deuill would neuer be so shameles as to offer to the Lorde his fote to kisse but that beaste in the sighte of God and his Aungelles and of al the world dare put out his fote marked not with out a great mockery with the signe of the Crosse and profer it to be kissed of all the childrē of God I can not bring forth the horrible and innumerable blasphemies out of the decrees and decretalles For I am ashamed of such vngodlines Who therefore wil not acknowledge that Sathan him selfe doeth in this beaste reigne and rage God shortely confounde the same Amen Amen ¶ Agayne of the power of Antichrist and howe the fourmer beaste is worshipped The .lix. Sermon ANd he did all that the firste beaste coulde do in his presence And he causeth the yearth and them whiche dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly woūde was healed The secōd beaste executeth the power of the first Agayne he reasoneth of the power of the seconde beaste or Antichrist and of poperie He doeth or executeth sayeth he the power of the fourmer beaste that is to saye exerciseth the same authoritie that the old Romane Empire exercised Where he addeth in his presence Aretas expoundeth in followyng immediately after and euen in imitatyng the same But what power and authoritie they exercised I declared before in his place about the beginnyng of this chapt Therfore as the Romane Emperours supposed all kyngedomes and prouinces to be theirs and to appertayne vnto them so do the Bishops of Rome make their boaste that all realmes are theirs I geue nothing here to affection or hatred There came forth lately a boke printed at Liōs of Augustinus Steuchus keper of the Popes librarie in the which he reciteth out of the register of one Gregory I suppose the .7 all the kingdomes of Europe Spayne Englande Fraunce Denmarke Hongary c. The proprietie whereof apperteyneth to that seate of Rome the vse vnto the Princes Clientes of the same see Ful ofte haue the Popes assayed to bring into subiection to them and to their Sea the kingdomes of the Easte also and that vnder pretence of the holy warre and recoueryng the Lordes sepulchre And like as the olde Romanes vexed with continuall warre the nations that did not acknoweledge or obeye the olde Romane Egles so the See of Rome in our time and in the memory of our forefathers hath put to busines and trouble those kingedomes and nations and people that went aboute to reuolte and would not acknoweldge those double keyes that is to saye two hornes For who knoweth not with what cruel warres he vexed in times past the lande of Boheme who knoweth not what Germany and England hath suffered in fourmer yeres So verely the seconde beaste exerciseth gallauntly the Tiranny of the olde beast The olde beaste set forth proclamations concernyng religion and paiyng of tributes and customes and so impouerished in a maner all realmes their richesse beyng brought to Rome And what other thing doeth that seate at this daye what hath it done nowe to reken the leest these fiue hondreth yeres who therfore doeth not see that the seconde beaste exerciseth most aboūdantly the power of the first beaste A certen man made verses in Latin tauntyng the couetousenes and disceiptes of Rome and where Rome doeth magnifie her selfe to be head of the world which in Latin is Caput thus sayeth he If Caput come of Capio which signifieth to take Than maye Rome well be called so whiche doeth nothing forsake If you decline Capio Capis and to the groundes come Her nettes are large and can not misse to catch both al and some He addeth hereto an other thing Who worship the first beaste that this seconde beaste doeth procure that they that dwell vpon Earth should worshippe the first beaste Which doubtles we see fulfilled in the Popisshe kyngedome two wayes For firste the Papistes haue procured such authoritie and reuerence to the Romane Empire which they cal both sacred holy that as many as liue at this day whē they heare but the name of the Romane Empire spoken of doe Imagine a certen diuine thinge and brought vnto them from Heauen I graunt that there haue ben many right noble Princes godly and al praise worthie in that same Empire as was Constaunt Constantine wyth some of his sonnes Gratiane Valentinian Theodose and diuerse others I graunte that vnder these and such other like the Empire was holy and was in dede thempire of Christ For Christ was acknowledged with a trewe fayth and yet we see how the lord Iesus hath neuerthelesse as Daniel hath done also called that Empire a beaste doubtles figuratiuely and for the tirannes Therfore we must wisely and iustely attribute to euery one that is his and not without respecte to imbrace and reuerence that blouddy Empire for sacred and holy And we haue also declared before in what sorte kingedomes are of God and howe farre their workes are to be allowed that are in kingedomes And hereof shall be spoken a little after yet more plentifully Secondly the seconde beaste causeth men to worship the first herein chiefly Poperie hath reduced gentilisme that Papistrie hath brought agayne the heythennish maner the names only chaunged For I tolde you before that the firste beaste was worshipped in this that sely menne receyued the Romanes religion and worshipped Idolles The heythen did verely confesse the high God almightie but thei ioyned to him many Goddes vnto whom they submitted elementes diseases Artes countries cities the membres and partes of man and such other like things Aeolus was God of the windes and Neptune of the Sea Pluto ruled in Earth Mars was God of warre Minerua and Apollo of artes Aesculapius ouer diseases Hercules and many moe Venus was lady of Loue and the Goddesse Iuno of mariage Nother was there any membre in the body that had not his God so had all Countries and Cities theyr sauyng goddes and euery house their domestical Goddes
was cruelly rent in peaces and troden vnder foote And that for no other cause then for that she woulde not worship the beaste that is that she wold not receyue the superstions and heathen rites of the Romane Empire I meane the false Gods and idolatrie of the Heathen And for that she worshipped one God alone through Chryst and cleaued to him seruid him after his Gospell Here therfore are excepted Constance Constantine Gracian Theodose and other godly and christen princes or Emperours which be not rekened vnder the deuelish beast For an Empire or kingdom of it selfe as S Paule sayeth is of God wherfore yf good men rule and geue not ouer themselues to be ruled of the Deuill they shall verely appertaine to the body of holy church and not to the abominable bodi of the beast In the meane time whilest that olde Rome wold not seriously repēt and tourne to Chryst forsaking theyr false gods and superstitions at the last it was condemned of Chryst by the law of like penaltie For with the same measure that the Romanes met to other nations with the selfe same did other nations measure agayne to Rome Wherfore the Persians Hunnes Frenchemē Alemans west Gothians Vādalles and East Gothians invaded thempire rent the whole Empire in pieces And at the last beseged Rome it self brake in to it toke it spoyled sacked burnt destroyed it And so at the length the Lord Iesus by iust iudgement reuenged the bloud of his seruauntes And Rome lay and yet lyeth in ruine and shall neuer be repared to the aūcient beautie And it behoueth the ruine of it to remayne in token of the veritie and reuengment of Christ Iesus that euen therof al godly may gather the God wyll be most true in thother promeses of Christ also as yet not fulfilled Moreouer the Romane Empire westward laye neglecte without an Emperoure aboue thre hundreth and twentie yeares from Augustulus whom Odacer a Germane oppressed til Charles the great king of Fraunce And in these times of desolation that is of thempire oppressed and extinguished in the west The Bisshop of Rome began by little and little to gather to him no smal power and possessions by the authorytie which he toke vpō him vnder the pretence of Chryst and the Apostles Peter and Paule tyll such time as he began to reygne also The falle of tholde Empire is the rysyng of a new But tholde Popes his predecessours wer not Princes in the Churche ruling vnder pretence of Religion but were ministers of the churche simple pastours and poore And Saint Paule prophecied that of the ruine of the Empire and destruction of the citie Antichrist shulde spryng vp For he sayd only this holdyng now or only thys let that now deteyneth tyll it come to passe that it be taken a waye and then shall that wicked be reuayled He signifye◠therfore that Antichrist shuld not reygne com nor appere before tha◠olde Romane empire were taken away For this being ouerthrowē that the same See of Rome shulde be erected For Tertullian who lyued a thousand and three huddreth yeres past in hys boke of the resurrection of the fleshe Who sayeth he shall be taken out of the way but the state of Rome whose departing being dispersed in to ten kings shall bryng in Antichrist And. S. Hierom in the .xi. question to Algasia The Romane Empire sayth he which now possesseth al natyons depart and shal be taken away and then shal Antichrist come the welspryng of iniquitie The same authours by Babylon in this boke of S. Iohn The two horned beast vnderstand Roome And Iohn hym selfe in this boke sheweth that the seuen headed and mighty olde empire of Rome being taken away an other beaste shal aryse and that with two hornes that is to witte suche a Prynce whyche shall chalenge to hymselfe a double rule or kingdome fulnes I say of power aswell in thynges spirituall as temporall And this same doth the whole worlde at thys daye acknowledge to be the Byshop of Rome decked with his triple crowne vndoubtedly of the three hornes which accordyng to the prophecie of Daniell Daniel .vii. eyther brought lowe or toke away this base contemned horne and Armed with two keyes signifieng hym to be king and Byshop the most myghty Monarke in matters spiritual temporall Christes vicar in earthe hauyng full power in Heauen and in earth He hym selfe in tymes past caused men to set vp the Image of the beast that is to set vp a new empire after the Image and the Imitation of the olde Romane Empire Whych thing after it was begon in Charles the great a right noble prince and furthermore auaūced and commen from the kings of Fraunce to the Germans which in dede were stoute Godly and worthye Prynces The Byshop of Rome was not ashamed in straunge wise to vexe trouble excomunicate depose and to substitute others in theyr place to styre vp wars in many Realmes at ones and set them together by the eares so long till those kynges did frame themselues after hys wyll and appetyte and wolde fall downe to kisse hys fete And he hym selfe at the length toke vpō him thempire publishing his decrees to the whole world boasted hymselfe to be the Monarche or soule ruler of the world who myght at hys pleasure bothe depose kinges and set them vp in kyngdomes Finally that he was supreme iudg in earth whych may iudg al men but he hym selfe may in nowyse be iudged of any man Therfore lyke as in tholde empire we sequestred from the cōmunion of the beastes all good men which were or liued vnder thempire so in this new also we do alwayes except the graue and witty the good godly men and al religious people which mixed among them not only abyde styll in Chryst but also eyther abhorre and comtemne the beast or to theyr power fight against him The Characte of the beaste Wherby they come not in the accompt of the beast And this two horned beast marketh his worshippers with a Characte And those that refuse thys characte he excommunicateth out of al mens company so that it is lawful for them neither to by nor sel Yea more he condemneth them for hereticks schismaticks for damned and lost creatures If thou confesse thy self now to be a Christian and professe with a syncere and loyall hart the belefe or crede of the Apostles one holy church of Christ and of al saincts and dost not aboue all thinges confesse the Pope to be Chrystes vicar in earth with the fulnes of power and the Romish churche which is the mother of all churches and can not erre thou shalte seme as yet to haue confessed nothyng but shalt be sayed rather to be suspected of heresy and therfore to be more straytely examined This thing can not be dissembled for it is knowen to all men in the whole world But to thintent we shuld not erre in a matter so nedefull to be
to the .xxi. Chapter and disputeth of the moste iust iudgement of God against Babylon the whore of Babylon and the Antichristians finally against all wycked and impenitent persones The seuenth and last vision propoundeth to the eyes of all the faythfull the glory and blysse euerlastyngâ— of Sainctes And verely thys diuision of the woorke hath a great grace and affinite with the rest of the thynges which in this boke are all in a maner treated by the seuenth nuÌ„brâ— Let the reader followe whiche he wyll What profit is in the Apocalipse Nowe of these thynges euery man may perceyue the thys booke is altogether Apostolicall and exceadynge profitable to vs all especially whome the ende of the worldâ— hath ouertaken And this booke shall bee easier for vs fâ— that all thynges nowe are in a maner accomplyshed Daniell was thought to haue tolde of starke dreameâ— when before the Monarchies he prophecied the Monaâ—chies But after those thynges were accomplished whicâ— he prophecied he semed vnto many to haue compiled an hâ—story The selfe same I am sure thou wylt iudge also thys same boke of Saint Iohn A fewe profittes only of mâ—ny we shall recite First we haue in this booke a moste full discription Christ reignyng in glory our kyng I saye and Byshop And howe he gouerneth the Churche and is the Sauioâ— of all faythfull We haue also a moste gallaunte descriâ—tion of Christes Churche and howe the same maye be buâ—ded repared and maynteyned Than haue we a perfâ— description of Antichrist of his members and Synagogâ— of his counselles craftie deuises kyngdome crueltie aâ— destructions of the same From the whiche it byddeth 〈◊〉 beware Moreouer we haue an abrydgement of Historâ— from Christes tyme vnto the worldes ende Finally an absolute and certayne prophecie of thyngâ— to come that we neede not to haue the prophecies of Mâ—thodius Cyrill Merline Briget Nolhard certen triflers Furthermore we haue a great consolation and comfort of the churche in aduersitie whylest boeth we see thâ— Lambe to open the Seales and that all thynges are doâ— by Gods prouidence and that there is an ende of euylleâ— And that the churche shall bee euermore in dispitee of all thâ— Deuyls in hell Last we haue a moste plentifull and sure doâ—trine of the Iudge and last iudgement of paynes and of tâ—wardes All these thinges I say shal the treatise it selfe shewe plainly for our edefiyng through Iesus Christ our Lord. OF THE TITLE OF THE whole worke and exposition therof The second Sermon ☞ I said the whole boke was conteined in sixe partes Thre membres of the first part Now must we loke on the first part Which hath chiefly three members The title beginning and brief narration For this present we wyll only speake of the Title whiche is thus THe reuelatioÌ„ of Iesu Christ The first Chapter whiche God gaue vnto him for to shew vnto his seruauntes thinges whiche must shortly come to passe And he sent and shewed by his aungell vnto his seruaunt Iohn which bare recorde of the word af God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all thinges that he sawe Happy is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophecie kepe those thinges which are written therin For the time is at hand This title is plentifull The title of the worke and vttereth all profitable circumstaunces that are to be declared in the beginnings of bokes First is set the Title or inscription of the whole worke that is the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche verely was opened or reuealed by Christ Iesus him selfe This title streightway proueth The reuelation of Iesu Christ that this worke is no mans inuention but a godly doctrine As that whiche was opened by our Lord kyng and priest Iesus Christ out of heauen from the right hand of the father executing there the office of the high Byshop as yet teaching vs profitable thinges and albeit it be called also the reuelatioÌ„ of Iohn yet is it chalenged to hym for none other cause than for that as scribe he wrote and set it forth FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce is that reuelation Againe it is yet more playnly declared from whence this Reuelation is Euen of God hym selfe For he saieth which God namely the Father gaue vnto hym to wytte to Christ For in the holy and blessed Trinitie there is a distinction of persones And albeit that all thinges of the father be the sonnes also And all thynges of the sonne the fathers lykewyse Yet the scripture mentioneth the father to geue vnto the Sonne and the Sonne to receyue of the Father Whiche thynge all the auncient wryters haue full Godly expounded to be done by the mistery of dispensation For the Sonne receyued somewhat of the Father as man whiche otherwyse as the very Sonne of God sayeth Father Iohn 17 glorifie thou me with the glory which I had with thee before this worlde was Moreouer the Sonne is the wysdome word and mouth of the Father by whome God in tymes paste and nowe spake and speaketh to the Fathers Prophetes Apostles and to the vniuersall churche The Father by dispensation gaue to his Sonne this office that he should be Byshop For no man hath sene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed vnto vs. Let vs knowe therfore this same to be a Reuelation Diuine whiche God the Father louynge mankynde hath reuealed by the only Byshop Christ vnto hys Churche And so it ioyneth together the Father and the Sonne that neuerthelesse the holy distinction of persones remayneth safe To what vse and to whom it is reuealed Nowe also is added to what ende God the Father hath reuealed or geuen the gyft of reuealing to wytte the office of priesthod to his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ to the intent verely that the same beyng reuealed he myght shewe it and as it were set it before the eyes of his seruauntes to wytte his worshippers and Christians which are called the seruauntes of God for theyr wyllyng obedience And as the seruaunt of a Lorde is a seruaunt and oweth to his Lord all that he hath or is worth So we owe vnto God our selues whole and all ours or els we be free and not bounde Here is also declared vnto whom this reuelation is opened Iohn 8 To all the seruauntes of God If therfore thou be glad to be called the seruaunt of God heare this boke and remember it And knowe that this boke is prepared for thee of God After he compryseth in fewe wordes What thinges are reuealed what Christe reuealed to Iohn thynges that must shortly come to passe The destenies therfore of the Churche are recited what good and euyll thynges shall happen to the Godly and lykewyse what punysshementes must be inflicted to the wicked And let no man gather of this woorde must necessitie as though God wrought not freely How good and euyll
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
places thou stickest daungerously vpō the stony rockes wherupon thou mayest chaunce at the laste to suffer Shipwreake Religion muste be holdē fast And two thinges he alloweth chiefly in this churche first that they holde the name of Christ For the Greke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to touche lightly but to holde fast so that it can not with force be plucked awaye that thou holdest And so they helde Christe moste depely fixed in their mindes The name of Christ is the holsome workyng of our redemption and sanctification besides the which there is no other name as S. Peter sayeth wherby we maye be saued They cleaued therfore vnto Christ as we reade of thapostles in the 6. of Iohn And necessary it is that euery one of vs holde faste the misterie of saluation rooted in our hartes Religion muste be professed Secondly it is not ynough to retaine the misterie of saluation in our harte vnlesse we professe it also with full and open mouth Wherupō he addeth streighte waies and haste not denied my faythe Beholde how he calleth it faith nowe which of late he called the name of Christ And he calleth it properly his fayth that is not diuised or inuented by men but set foorth of Christe him selfe by the woorde of his veritie This trewe right and catholicke faith must we confesse and not denye and professe it expressely aswel in wordes as in workes The maners of deniyng the Lorde Christ and his Gospel are denied by mo wayes than one They are denied by silence when we holde our peace what time we shoulde speake chiefly for the glory of God Christ agayne is denied through dissimulatiō as where Peter sayeth I wote not what thou sayest For he knewe right well what the mayde sayed but feare caused him to dissemble He is denied what time plainely with expresse woordes Christ and his veritie is denied He is denied with a figuratiue confession what tyme in dede we confesse some what but yet so darkely and so diffusely that it is vnknowen what it is that thou professest He is denied when we fayne in our harte that we kepe the true doctrine and denie it in our workes in bowynge our selues before Idolles goynge to prophane churches cōmunicating with the ceremonies of Antichrist kneling on the grounde and worshipping that thing whiche our conscience gaue vs and the faith set forth by the apostles taught vs to be no God And verely all this deniall arriseth of feare and of our corrupte affections If there where so assuredly a rewarde propounded of men for the confessing of him as thou arte sore affraide to be put to paine in case thou do confesse there wolde seme no difficultie at all to professe Christ sincerely Where therfore thou deniest or dissemblest thou doest it for feare But suche timorouse and fearefull deniers the lord shutteth out of his kingdome The world therfore beyng dispised the name of the Lorde muste be confessed boldely without feare accordyng to the doctrine of Christ Matth. 10. Marke 8. And this confession of the congregation of Pergamos is amplified and highly cōmended by reason of the time We muste than professe when persecutiō is hote For it is a great matter to professe Christ in no quiet but in most troublesome times But it is manifest that the churche of Pergamos confessed Christ in the middes of the persecutiō in the whiche was executed the holy martir of Christe Antipas Wherof it followeth that the profession was noble It is comonly saied but these men sawe Antipas slaine and yet could not be feared from the true faith and these thinges in dede are set forth in fewe wordes but in sense most ample to be followed of all churches Some others reade here in my dayes But the complutensian copie is better whiche hathe in the dayes wherin Antipas c. As though he should saye And thou haste confessed my name in those dayes wherin Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche for the same cause was slaine also Antipas is cōmended The praise of Antipas of martirs and as it were canonised of the very sonne of God And he is praysed that he was a witnes that is a martir And that in dede a faithfull witnes by testifiyng teaching confessing and keping his faith to the Lord euen to the ende Actes 13. Perauenture he was pastour of this Churche or some other man of singular constauncie amonges the faithfull Certes fayth and not torment maketh martirs And because this martir is praysed of Christe we vnderstand that the agonies and cōflictes of martirs should be preached in the church of Christ and many be excited and exhorted to followe their steppes Therefore we affirme that the holy martirs of God are honoured but not to be worshipped or called vpon We condemne al those that speake against holy martirs and associate them with those that slew them But touchinge the worshippinge of Sainctes I haue spoken els where more at large we learne hereof also that they die not for euer that die in this worlde for the name of Christ neither that the martirs be polluted with worldly reproche considering how they be commended by the mouth of God To christ therfore king of martirs be honour praise and glory worlde without ende Amen ¶ The latter parte of the third Epistle is expounded wherein is spoken of the Nicolaitans whiche are damned And exhortation is made to repentaunce The .xi. Sermon BVt I haue a fewe thinges against thee Nume 24 that thou hast the there that mainteine the doctrine of Balaā which taught in Balacke to put occasion of sinne before the children of Israel that they should eate of meate dedicate vnto Idolles cōmitte fornicatiō Euen so haste thou them that mainteine the doctrine of the Nicolaitans whiche thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wil come to thee shortely will fight against them with the sworde of my mouth Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayeth to cōgregations To him that ouercometh wil I geue to eate Māna that is hidde geue him a white stone in the stone a new name writē which no mā knoweth sauing he that receiueth it In the first parte of this epistle the Lorde cōmendeth many thinges in the church of Pergamos The lorde reprehendeth a few things in the churche of pergamos howe in the seconde parte he will reprehende a fewe And he sayeth a fewe thinges not that the errour of the Nicolaitans is a light offence but that the sinne is in others rather than in the trewe Church it self to witte in them whiche notwithstandinge that they were not of the bodye of the churche in dede yet did they ioyne with the churche outwardely and would be taken for membres of the same After he speaketh modestly least by exasperatinge ouer muche the sinne and errour in the faithfull he shoulde trouble theyr mindes and discourage them vtterly There is a measure in al thinges as
also augmeÌ„ted the eating of meates offered vnto idols all idolatrie throughout the whole kingdom Euen than also what time the lord in a solemne sacrifice by miracle in mount Carmel through the ministery of Helias had declared to that whole Realme that the religion of Baal was moste vaine false that the religioÌ„ of thonly God of Israel was most sincere true For Iezabel neuerthelesse persecuted the truth and established falshod Yea moreouer she toke vpon her gouernemeÌ„t in ciuile matters For she vsurped the kings seale countrefetied letters sent them in the kinges name to put Naboth to death a right good and innocent man Such in dede was filthy Iezabel Now after thexample of this defiled woman Women Prophetes that is heretikes were womeÌ„ in the church of Thyatira which chaleÌ„ged to theÌ„ selues a prerogatiue in the religion teaching in the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ taking vpon theÌ„ the spirite of prophecie wherof they taught in dede but corrupt doctrine seducing theÌ„ whoÌ„ God by his doctrine had prepared to be his seruauÌ„ts But these false prophetisses corrupted their mindes brought forth a new doctrine prophecie many thinges not set forth in the scriptures but fetched out of their own deuelish dreames disceiptfulnes And amoÌ„gs other things thei coÌ„municated with the Nicolaitans in whordoÌ„ participating of meates offred to idols Wherof hath ben spokeÌ„ before And the lord semeth plainly to speake of the CataphrygiaÌ„s or MoÌ„tanistes whose foundatioÌ„ being laid in the time of S. Iohn after in processe of time especially in thempire of Antoninus .lx. yeares after the Apocalipse set forth brake out more strongly plentifully They say howe Montanus had prophetisses Priscilla Maximilla whiche had visions brought in woÌ„derful reuelatioÌ„s into the church Of whom Eusebius treateth at large in the fift boke of theccles story Chap. 16. And Epiphanius in the .48 heresie in Panario Certes Iohn or Christ him self by Ihon going about at the first beginning to pluck vp distroy the rotes of this heresie by thexample of that wicked woman Iezabel hath coÌ„demned that same heresie The scripture also elswhere prohibiteth a womaÌ„ to rule teache or minister in the congregatioÌ„ By and by the Lorde hym selfe wyl confute the new prophecies when he shall admonishe vs that he will reueale none other new kinde of doctrine besides that whiche he hath coÌ„mitted or deliuered to his churche Nowe also fornication the eating of meates offered to Idolles are condemned els wherein the scripture moste seueeely as before is sayd But since that those thinges so afflicted and troublâ—â—he churche of God in the time of the Apostles it is not hard to gether how vndiscrete they be whiche at this daye as I shewed you before for the hatred of the true religion restored accuse it of sectes whiche boyle vp in suche plentie as though that filthines did proue that the Gospel that we preach were not the Gospell For the Gospell that was preached of Iohn and the reste of the Apostles was the moste true and moste pure Gospel how so euer of the false Gospellers crept vp the Nicolaitans Cataphrygians and other sectes innumerable Where neuerthelesse the Gospell impugneth and condemneth all suche maner of sectes and mainteineth the Christian veritie and vnitie of the catholique church Prayse be to the Lorde our God Amen ¶ The Lorde threatneth sore the impenitent as he that rendreth to euery man after his workes The .xiij. Sermon ANd I gaue her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Behold I will caste her in to a bed and them that commit fornication with her into great aduersitie except they tourne from their dedes And I will kill her children with death And all congregations shall knowe that I am he whiche searcheth the reines and hartes and I will geue vnto euery one of you according to your workes To the fourmer errours and sinnes of Iezabell he addeth an other sinne nothing light to witte The abuse or conteÌ„pt of Gods longanimitie the abuse and euen the contempt of God his long suffering God doeth not by and by and out of hande destroy such as be in errour and sinnes also moste greuous But sinners are wonte for the most part to abuse that long animitie of God vnto the occasioÌ„ and pretence of sinning more impudeÌ„tly saying If god did so much abhorre these offences he had distroyed vs long or this But now he norisheth vs benignly therfore doth he not so greatly mislike it But this is an abuse of Gods long suffring For the Lorde saith at this present I haue geuen Iezabell a tyme to repent her and to leaue her fornication and tourne to the Lorde Howbeit she hath not conuerted Which thing the Lorde taketh in moste euill parte that his grace shoulde be verely dispised and set at naught Wherfore S. Paul to the Romains Whether doest thou contemne the ryches of God his goodnes long suffering and lenitie knowing not that the goodnes of God prouoketh thee to repentaunce c. If than the Lorde hath not sodenly in our sinnes oppressed vs let vs not therof take vnto vs a libertie to sinne but let vs rather amende S. Peter saith the Lord is patient towardes vs whilest he wil destroy none but receiue all to repentauÌ„ce ii Petri. iii. Certes Iezabel her self when after the death of her husband Achab and the mortal fal of her sonne Ocosias she did not amende nor within the .xii. yeares of her sonne Ioram wherin he is red to haue reigned did repeÌ„t her Felt the wrath of God so muche more greuouse for that it was long or it came And in the text followyng the Lord Iesus in dede threateneth moste greuously the Iezabelines that is to witte Sore threateninges the Cataphrigians or Montanistes vnlesse they wyll yet repeÌ„t in tyme. For he openeth againe the gates of his grace to the penitent reciting how he will plage the impeniteÌ„t Wherby verely he assayeth to driue them into repentaunce by threateninges For in reciting the kyndes or degrees of punishementes he sheweth also diuerse kindes of them that be in errours and declareth to euery one his iudgement which they may by repentaunce eschewe And he is thought to haue rehersed those kindes for this coÌ„sideration least any man happely should thinke him selfe giltles and free in case he be neuer so litle partaker with Iezabel Iezabel shal be cast into a bed First the Lord threateneth Iezabel her selfe that he wyll cast her into a bed He speaketh of the first authours of the euil and of the heresie vpon whom he menaceth to send a sicknes For the bed in many times in the scripture taken for the very diseases wherwith they be vexed that lie in bed And we Germaines say that he is taken with a moste greuous and deadly disease And the Lorde plageth the archheretickes with sicknes of body soul In the meane seasoÌ„ also he weakneth the force of therrour to
Whose bloud prohibited the Aungel distroier from the houses and tentes represented the figure of Christ by whose preciouse bloud we are reconciled to God This expositiō of the Paschal lambe S. Peter him self in the .1 Pet. 1. and S. Paull in the .1 to the Corinth 5. haue brought Esaye accordeth with them in the .53 chapter And so expounded by the Apostle S. Philip in the 8. of the Actes Finally S. Iohn Baptist whiche with the fingar stretched out and poinctyng to Christ exclamed beholde the Lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the sinnes of the world Let vs therfore beleue that the same Iesus Christ vnto whom al power is geuē of the father to be our deliuerer our expiation reconciliation innocencie sanctification iustification and euerlastyng saluation as he whom we shal heare in the xiii chapt to haue bē slayne from the beginning of the world for so much as his only death one oblation made from the beginning of the world and continually to the worlds ende doeth sanctifie al those that are sanctified Which the Apostle also affirmeth in the .10 to the Hebrewes Howebeit this lambe or sauiour of the worlde is sayed to stand in the middes of the throne verely for that now he executeth thoffice of a catholicke kinge and priest gouernour beynge alwayes ready and prepared to saue So S. Stephen also in the .7 of the Actes seeth him standing Or els in other places we reade that Christ sitteth on the right hande of the father To the which this place gayne saieth not considering that to sitte is bothe to rest and to reigne Moreouer this our Lambe appereth in the Throne of the diuine maiestie The lamb appeareth as slayne as if he were killed not for that he was not slayne in dede and dead for that same is a little after excessed moste exactely but for that he remayned not in deathe but the thirde daye rose agayne from the dead to th ende he mighte so declare him selfe to be the life and resurrection of the faythful Or verely for that after his humanitie he is red to be slayne after his deitie to be immortall and subiecte to no reproche Wherfore in the old lawe the one of the goates in the 16. of Leuitic is slayne but the other is not killed but by the worke of a man herunto appoynted is led forthe into the deserte Neuertheles there is of the expositours which expounde it thus he is sayed as though he were slaine for asmuche as after S. Chrisostome and S. Austen he hath reserued as yet the seares of the woundes of his death in token of his victory c. Furthermore this lambe Christ Iesus our lord hath .vii. The lābe hath seuen hornes hornes not that in dede he carieth so many hornes like a goate of Iude. An horne as appereth by Daniel and by the songe of Zacharie in the 1. of Luke signifieth power and kingdome The .vii. nombre is the nombre of fulnes It is therfore signified that Christ is indued with al kinde of power diuine humane imperial pontifical roiall briefly moste absolute In the 13. chapt we shal heare that the beaste hath taken to him two hornes as it were of the lambe whereof I shal speake in his place Daniel in the 7. chapt And rule sayeth he was geuen him and honour and kyngedome that al nations and tounges mighte worship him whose rule is an euerlastinge rule which shal not perish nor decaye at any time Now hath he seuen eyes also These he expoundeth and sayeth The lābe hathe .vii. eyes whiche are the .vii. spirites of God sente into the whole worlde I shewed you before that the .vii. spirites are called a seuenfold spirite Here therfore is signified the fulnes of the spirite which the lord powereth out vpon al flesh Here is signified the vniuersal knowledge of the sonne in whose sighte are present what thinges so euer are done in heauen and in earth opēly priuely For the spirite of Christ that vnmeasurable force incomprehensible and most diuine searcheth and pearseth al thinges nothinge is hidde from his eyes whiche viewe the whole world And such is Christ as we haue hearde described hitherto What is the gouernour of all and who openeth the seales whome the Patriarches haue before sayed shoulde come a victour and triumphant cōquerour alone verely inuincible very man of our owne substaūce and also our very brother yet very God neuerthelesse of the same substaunce with the father and the holy ghoste the reconciler redemer and the only saluatiō of the world hath suffered for vs and the same risen agayne from the dead and ascended into heauē hauing al power in heauen and in earth whiche seeth al thinges cōmunicateth his spirite vnto men and is the most faithful keper and defender of al mā kinde This Christ Iesus our lord came and receiued he conueyed not or stale it away but toke that boke of the prouidence diuine of the iudgementes of God of the vniuersal gouernmēt of al things that he might open and lowse the Seales thereof that is to saye that he might reueale to vs that are redemed with his bloud the iudgementes of God and mighte dispose and order al thinges in heauen and in earth Therfore sins we know that the gouernour of al thinges is geuen to vs a redemer Kyng Bishop and our only saluation who will not from hence forth willingly submitte himself to his gouernement And seyng we nowe vnderstande certenly how that vnder the seale of faith and veritie al things are done by Christ who dare hereafter more curiousely inquire of his workes and iudgmentes vnto whose credite and gouernement we should nowe cōmitte althinges Howe the sonne is saied to receiue the boke at his fathers hande in case they were in our power Notwithstanding we shall obserue that the sonne doeth not so receyue these thinges of the father that the father is depriued therof For in the .5 chapt of S. Iohns Gospel the Lorde sayeth my father worketh vnto this time I worke c. Certes the sonne is called the worde mouth and arme of the father c. or that after the humanitie the sonne mighte seme lesse than the father For very godly Aretas where the lambe sayeth he receyued the boke of the right hande of him that sitteth on the Throne it must be vnderstande on the behalfe of his humanitie As also that he was slayne For concernyng his deitie none of all those thinges that maye worthely be spoken or thought of God is seuerally assigned to three persones sauing the maner of bringyng forth of him that begetteth and of him that is begotten and of hym that procedeth c. This description of Christ is singular moste excellent very euangelicall and ful of consolation and therfore is it chiefly to be layde vp in the botome of our hartes Where we finde also that they were disceaued in theyr iudgment which were not affrayde to saye that in this boke besides
the passion of Christ and therfore to reste now vnder the Aultar Christ For they that are pertakers with him in passion doe cōmunicate also with him in glory The aulter and bosom of Abrahā For like as the bosome of Abrahā is called a receptacle and that porte and hauon of Saluatiō into the whiche the soules of thē are receiued which had the faith of Abraham so do we vnderstande the aultar to be a place of blessednes in heauen wherin they rest which with true faith haue acknowledged Christ the aultar propiciation sanctification and satisfaction and haue moreouer in suffering offered them selues to God in Christ through patience an acceptable sacrifice to God Vnder this Aultar was gathered the first martyr Abel and after as many as haue died for religiō and shal begathered who so euer in bearing the crosse through tribulation enter with Christ into glory The saītes crye vnder the Aulter Now is also declared what they do vnder the Aultar The very martirs I saye crye not the beastes as they haue done hitherto and they crie out with a lowde voyce No man shal Imagine that the blessed soules in Heauen doe complayne be sorowfull doe accuse and be troubled These thinges are fayned to an other ende to the intent we should gather therof that God forgetteth not his that he putteth not out al reuengement that he seeth feleth and regardeth the iniuries and deathes of his seruauntes Where the vengeaunce followeth not immediately God is thought of many to slepe and to haue no respect vnto his We heare therfore that the holy Martirs crie and that with a lowde voyce He appereth to haue alluded to that same in the .4 of Genesis The voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto me to witte for vengeaunce Crying sinners For the Diuines call certen sinnes criyng as those whiche are red in the Scriptures to crie vnto God as is at this present the shedyng of bloud the sinne of Sodome in the .9 of Genes the oppression of widowes and orphanes in the .22 of Exodus wages for worke deteyned Deuteron 24. and Iames the .5 How longe so euer therfore God differreth vengeaunce be it neuer so many yeres yet is not the bloud of the iuste forgotten before God S. Paule in the .12 to the Hebrewes crieth out and sayeth that the bloud of Abell speaketh In the .18 of Luke the Lord sayeth that the afflicted do crie bothe daye and nighte for deliueraunce Would God they would wayegh these thinges whose feete are swifte to shede bloud God would not in times paste be mercifull to his people for that much innocent bloud was shed emonges them by the meane of Manasses theyr kinge as appereth in the .4 boke of Kinges Therefore dere bretherne let vs consider wel at this daye what we doe and let vs not shede rashly innocent bloud Certenly the wordes are expressed of S. Iohn Whether the Saincts in heauē desire vēgeāce whiche the Martirs cried to the Lorde howe longe saye they Lord whiche arte holy and trewe c. They put God in remembraunce not as ignoraunt or inconstaunt but as knowyng and moste stedfastely mindefull of holines and trueth For in asmuche as the Lorde is holy he hateth all prophane and vncleane persones and spareth them not For as muche as he is true he maynteyneth and defendeth his chosen and punnissheth and oppresseth his enemies as he hath promised by his worde Sins therefore thou arte suche saye they O God why doest thou not iudge and auēge our bloud of them which in earth as in their kingdome exercise tiranny and oppresse euery good man Al this signifieth none other thing than that God for his owne sake whiche is holy and true will neuer forget the iniuries of his seruauntes Therefore we vnderstande these thinges to be spoken by a figure called Prosopopeia that is the fayning of a persone not that the Sainctes in Heauen do expostulate with God but that we by suche a figure might vnderstande that God hath care of Martirs because he is holy and true S. Austen in the .68 question vpon the newe Testamente Seynge the Lorde sayeth he hath taught vs to praye for our enemies what is the cause that the soules of those that are slayne crye out as doeth the bloud of Abell and require that they maye be auenged And he maketh aunswer Sainctes be not impatient that they should vrge that thing to be done now which they know shal come to passe in the time prefixed which neither can be preuented nor yet delayed but by this saying he woulde shewe howe God will auenge the bloud of his seruauntes leest bycause he semeth now so patient that wicked warre shuld be thought vnpunished which is made against the Sainctes that both he might driue a feare into them that persecute the seruauntes of God and might also exhorte the sufferers vnto patience Thus sayeth he And this in dede semeth the playnest sense of al others especially if we consider the things that follow in the lordes aūswer and it was sayed vnto them that they should rest c. Primasius Bishop of Vtica expoundyng this place of S. Iohn Sainctes not incensed with carnal vnderstāding it is not to be thought saieth he that the Sainctes are incensed with a carnall vnderstanding and stoutenes to be auenged sins we knowe that through the aboundaunce of charitie the very enemies are of thē also in this case beloued but it is euident that they prayed agaynst the kingedome of sinne and to haue ernestly desired the other thinges of that kingdom wherof we saye thy kingdome come For it is not lawful to thinke that they woulde couet any thinge agaynst the pleasure of God sins their desires depende vpon his wil c. And S. Gregory what is it sayeth he that the soules make request of reuengement but that they desire the laste daye of iudgement and the resurrection of bodies slayne Aretas noteth here also out of the commentaries of S. Andrew bishop of Cesaria moreouer the Sainctes appere hereby to wisshe for the ende of the worlde Wherfore they are commaunded patiently to abide vntill the accomplishement of their bretherne Hebr. 11. leest they should be fulfilled with out them after the holy Apostle Vēgeaūce is desired two waies Howbeit Thomas of Aquine in the exposition of the Apocalipse sheweth that vengeaunce is required of god two waies First in dede with an euil and malliciouse affectiō which the Scripture doeth vtterly represse Secondely by a Zeale of rightuousnes and after the wil of God is iudgement required agaynst them that be vncurable After he annexeth this therfore do the blessed soules require vengeaūce of their enemies albeit they intende it not chiefly bicause of a Zeale of rightuousenes and affection of godly loue they grudge as also doeth god him self at the wickednes of the persecutours who impugne God him self and seke to hinder his religion and tourment suche as worshippe him wherfore they would
is restreined and the preaching of the Gospell obscured yet that the mindes of many shal so be furnisshed with gods worde and with godly inspiration which may so liue and be of such efficacitie in them that seducing can either haue no place in thē or if it haue any at al can not abide or perseuer to the ende There be also two other places of the scripture Howe the auncients in tymes past were Sealed testifiyng that signets were geuen to men wherwith they were sealed were exempte or deliuered from the present euil neyther be they repugnaūt to this our seale of the liuing god In Exod. 12. the postes or dore chekes of the Israelites were springled with the bloud of the lābe The signe of it selfe should haue preuailed nothing vnlesse the vertu of God instituting a cōsecrating the signe with his word had tourned away thaungel distroyer neither hath the signe waunted faith beyng vsed of the holy mē of god For the godly receiueth not the ordenaūces of god wtout faith Therfore the same power of Christ preserued the Israelites frō distructiō which now kepeth the faithful frō the infectiō of Antichrist Ezechiel .9 one sealeth the foreheades of that faithful hauing the tipe of a scribe priest Verely Christ hath at al times defended his And he sealeth by imprintyng or writing this marke or letter Tau That marke signifieth that is to say the Law or direction or Rule For in whom so euer is ingrauen the law of God the word of God euen the rule of faith in the very hart he is safe sure from al euil The auncients in olde time called the rule of faith direction the very articles of the christen faith I beleue in God c. Ye see therfore how al those signes come in dede all to one poincte For thei be safe and sure from euil whom the spirite of God hath inspired and illumined with faithe by the worde This much of the seale Who be sealed Now let vs also consider who they are that be sealed We reade in Ezechiel passe through the citie of Ierusalē marke Tau in the foreheades of mē mourning and lamenting for al thabominatiōs done in the middes therof And here it is saied til we seale the seruaūts of our God Therfore are the seruaūts of god and they that are sory for abominable wickednes are sealed The contemners of God hogs dogs are neglected It is shewed moreouer in what part of thē they be sealed In what part of them they be sealed In time paste the bloud of the lambe was annoincted on the dore postes In Ezechiel Tau is marked in their foreheades Here also is imprinted the seale of the liuing God in the forheades of the faithful And the forehead representeth a tipe of the minde the chiefest and most excellent parte in man The spirite and faith is put into the mindes of the faithful Neuerthelesse the marke is aptly fixed to the forehead not to the hinder part of the head backe or shoulders For they that be lighted with the worde spirite and haue faith do cōfesse the same dissemble nothing and much lesse are ashamed but desire that their glory that is their faith might be knowen of al men We cal most notable things written in our forhead that is most manifest things wherof we be not ashamed Examples of such as are sealed with the seal of the lyuing god Yf we now applie these things to such as were done in old time and now also at this daie they wil bring a great light to them There were founde good men faythfull and fearynge God mourning or sorrowing and seruauntes of God And there be foūde at this day also in the middes of Mahometrie and Papistrie which expressely condemne and haue cōdemned this kinde of life openly confessing that the same is not the trewe waye of life that there is no more wicked kinde of men liuyng than be their priestes that they would not committe themselues and their saluation to them but rather to cōsecrate themselues wholy to God his mercy And others whiche haue spent a great parte of their life of a good zeale doubtles but not accordyng to knowledge in those trifles and superstitions when they are comen to the ende of their life they dispise al together yea and freely professing the veritie they condemne al those trifles and committe thēselues wholy to the christian faith estemyng nothing more excellent or surer than the rule of fayth which also they couet to heare recited to them as a trewe confession die in the same Al these hath the mercy of God sealed with the seale of the liuing God and deliuereth from al spotte of Antichrist and sathan from corruption and distruction through Iesus Christ our Lord. But leest we should gather in euery age only here one and there one A great nūbre are saued euen in the kyngdome of Antichrist the lorde him selfe nowe maketh here a great accompte and firste of the Iewes by euery tribe he gathereth twelue thousande and after by multiplication an hondreth fourtie and foure thousande and of the gentiles a multitude innumerable Wherfore in euery time and age innumerable obteyne saluation how muche so euer errour seducyng and distruction reigne and rule in the world These thinges doe highly cōmende God his mercy and comfort vs excedingly And where certen gather herof that there shal be yet in this world before the iudgemēt a Saturnical or golden age wherin these thinges should be fulfilled and that all menne should come to the kingdome of God it alludeth ouer much to the grosse errour of the Millenaries which is already expulsed out of the churche of God These thinges were fulfilled in olde time and are at this daye and shal be fulfilled likewise so longe as the worlde shal indure The kingdome of Sathan and of Antichrist shall continewe alwayes to the last iudgemēt and shal stil impugne the kingdom of Christ and seme euen to oppresse the same much lesse ought they to promise vs so great securitie When the sonne of man shall come saieth the sonne of man him self in the Gospel thinke you shal he finde any fayth vpon earth And agayne it shal be as in the dayes of Noe and Loth the wordes of the gospel are knowē as be also those of the blessed Apostels Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thess 4. By the waie is reasoned of the restoring of Israel But suche as like not this our exposition or minde vrge briefly that the promesses of the prophetes for the restoring of Israel are not yet fulfilled but that according to the veritie of the eternall God they muste be fulfilled They suppose therfore yea and contende also that thee must a certayne or prefixed time remaine wherin al these thinges may be accōplished Hereunto I aunswer plainely that we shal shamefully erre with Papias Iustine Ireney Tertull. and Lactance and with those that are called
this present smoke semeth to signifie hurteful and deuillish opiniōs Smoke hurteth the eyes and suffereth not clerely to see the trueth So doeth also peruerse doctrine it daseleth the eyes taketh away iudgement blindeth with errour And worthely do they suffer these thinges of the smoke of God his wrath of the lies of disceaueable men whiche haue forsaken the light of the Gospell and the grace and perspicuitie of Gods veritie Vnder the name of this smoke infernal are conteyned the opinions and abominable doctrine that the Bishop of Rome as he is the prelate of the chiefe churche and Sea Apostolicke so to be pastour vniuersal and Apostolical and morouer the head of the church militaunt the vicar of Christ in earth whose voyce muste be hearde aswel as Christes him self that he hath full power in the church the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. And the reste of the like sorte That the same ordeyneth and geueth to al churches Bisshops or Pastours which should gouerne al other churches after the prescripte of the church of Rome c. But how great this smoke is and howe effectuall How great smoke of what effecte it is liuely expressed it ascendeth sayeth he as the smoke of a great fournace And signifieth that the popish opinions and doctrine are thicke or grosse manifolde and apparent where in dede they be nothing but smoke and vanitie puffed vp and vayne But it is of such a power that it darkeneth the sunne and the ayer I haue tolde you ofte times nowe that Christ is the sunne of rightuousenes And we cal the ayer the holesome doctrine wherwith the soules of the faithful are refresshed Therfore by the popishe doctrine the sunne the ayer that is Christ and the Gospell are obscured Christ is the pastour vniuersall the high and only Bisshop the head helth of the faithfull whiche freely forgeueth sinnes the whiche is preached by the Gospell This doctrine waxeth vile what time the Pope is admitted for head of the churche with the ful power of graunting indulgences for all sinnes Thus is the sunne darkened Howebeit the euil procedeth further and setteth vp it selfe in the churche a greate deale more effectuall Of the smoke arrise locustes For out of the smoke came forth Locustes vpon the Earth For what time through the false perswation of corrupt doctrine the eyes of al men were blinded and loked not rightly vpon Christ and his only gospell and all men reuerenced the Pope as the vicar of Christ the head of the church and a man Apostolicall and as it were the mouth of God and he nowe made Bisshoppes and priestes and nurrished auaunced and establisshed Monkes and Freres an infinite multitude of the clergie increased moste luckely I meane by a moste plentiful increase and numbre that coulde not be numbred For he him selfe immediately in the wordes that followe and with a fuller exposition declareth that he speaketh nothing of those little wormes the Locustes For he sayeth and it was commaunded them that they should not hurte the grasse or haye of the earth verely the clergie liueth not with haye nother any grene thing nor any tree but menne only As though he should saye I speake nothing of grassehoppers suche as in times past distroyed Aegipte but I speake of pestilent men affliccyng men with the poyson of doctrine But a little after they are so described in euery poincte that no man nede to doubte that the false clergie thereby is signified What are Locustes The whiche thing Primasius also sawe which in his commentaries vpon this boke sayed he putteth thauthours of euil doctrine For like as the Locuste hurteth with her mouth so do they teare with theyr preachinges as we reade gready Wolues not sparyng the flocke c. Thus sayeth he There be also other causes wherefore he likened the false clergie to Locustes Yf the locuste be alone he semeth to be moste contemptible so there is nothing more vile than a solitarie Monke or Frere priest or sophister but if they swarme together they be a terrour to men neither can they be driuē away with any force they eate distroye all When the prophet Ioel would shewe a great euil to come he saieth that the Locustes wil come In somer they singe leape lyue at ease and pleasure to the losse and hinderaunce of husbandmen The same thinges mayest thou see also in the clergie An excuse exceptiō I speake nothing here of holy priestes that is lawful ministers of the church of good men honest and learned I speake nothing of the auncient holy Monkes whiche were burthenouse or greuouse to no man and wer no preachers but very lay men getting their liuing with their handes in the churche subiecte with other faythful to the pastours of the churche c. I speake of the vnlawful sluggerds Idle bealies deuourers of vitaile but chiefly of false teachers And doubtles the Popes clergie is moste rightly cōpared to grassehoppers or catarpillers The clergy is innumerable For both they are innumerable and they occupie and cōsume al thinges In times past the ministers of the churches mighte be numbred For the nombre was but smal nother were vnprofitable or vnnecessarie persones nurrished of the church goodes There remaineth a constitution of themperour Iustinian where emongs other things we ordeyne that there be not at any time in the sacred great church aboue .lx. Priestes men Deacons an C. Subdeacons lxxxx and readers an hondreth and ten nor aboue .xxv. singers that the whole nūbre of the clergie of the greater churche maye consiste in ccccxxv persones and besides an C. dore kepers as they terme them Therefore in the moste holy great church of this our noble Citie of Constantinople and in those three churches to the same vnited to witte in the churche of our Ladie S. Theodore and S. Irenes let there be so great a multitude of the clergie This some of the ministers of this imperiall citie and moste large churche establisshed fiue hondreth and twentie and fiue persones But how many at this daye may you finde at Rome or in an other greate Citie Priestes Monkes Freres and Nunnes They excede this numbre foure times and more And to leaue out many thinges that mighte here be brought in Pope Pius Sabellicus sheweth in the .9 booke of Aeneidos the .7 Chapter That the secte of graye freres was so greately multiplied through out the worlde that than they helde and possessed .xl. prouinces and vnder euery one diuerse Cloysters and conuentes wardens they call the rulers and exceded the numbre of three score thousande men in so much that the master of the whole order whome they call general hath ben hearde many times to offer the pope preparing an Armye against the Turkes thirtie thousand fighting men of the order of S. Fraunces which should be well able to serue in the warres and yet be no hinderaunce or let to theyr religion or seruice And
expedition and celeritie the principall vertue in warres They are euer sayeth he ready at euery momente to execute the iudgementes of God Therfore he reherseth al partes of time euē euery houre of the daye And so there is no securitie frō them thou canst be neuer in suretie They are by by in armure come vnloked for they inuade spede theyr matters most luckely He addeth that through their most cruell spedy armures the third parte of men in the world should be slayne Verely Asia Affricke and Europe haue felte of the moste cruell slaughters and distructions of the Saracenes Turkes and Tartariās euer sins the time of Mahomet vnto our dayes about the space of .ix. hondreth and .xx. yeres And also the priestes of Mahomet are very quicke and diligent to allure men into theyr errours neyther waunte they lucky successe The nombre Nombre is also noted in a maner infinite and the nōbre sayeth he of the armie of horsemen is twenty times ten thousande 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Mirias is the nombre of ten thousande so that two myriades of myriades should make twenty times a thousande Myriades And so the olde translatour hath red or translated it and Erasmus twenty times ten thousande The dutche translation hath many thousande thousandes Laurence Valla in his annotatiōs vpan the newe Testament doeth interprete as hath the dutche translation thousande thousandes But howe so euer it be certayne it is by the conference of other places that a certen nombre is put for vncertayne that is to saye for exceadynge great and to be signified that the horsemen of the Saracenes Turkes and Tartarians should be innumerable For we reade in the .7 of Daniel thousande thousandes serued him and ten thousande millions stode before him And he speaketh of Aungelles whome he signifieth to be innumerable and of theyr ministerie So also in the fifte of the Apocalipse I hearde sayeth he the voice of many Aungelles and thousande thousandes sayng with a lowde voyce c. Certēly the stories testifie that the Saracenes came out of Spaine into Fraunce in nombre foure hondreth thousande Paulus Aemilius in the .2 boke of thactes of Frenchmē reciteth that Charles Martell ouercame three hondreth three score and .xv. thousande Saracenes And Matthias a Michon in the .1 booke 8. chapt of Sarmatia in Asia Tamerlanes sayeth he had an armie of .12 hondreth thousande Moreouer it is playne that there were neuer in any age or memorie greater Armies of horsemen led out of any nation than of Turkes Saracenes and Tartarians S. Iohn addeth that he hearde their nōbre eyther for that he would so confirme that he had sayed how theyr power should be greatest or for that he would partely signifie that theyr victories also were nombred and should haue an ende That in Daniel is most notable Mene Thekel pheres that is hath nombred hath wayed hath diuided He hath nombred sayeth he thy kingdome and hath brought it to an ende And at the beginning and also in the times that followed the matters of Mahomet increased exceadingly After Mahomet him selfe they had in order .xxv. The power successe of Mahometanes Amires for so they called theyr kings or princes which ruled with great power vnto the yere eight C. three score ten About this time the .xv. Amiras called Mahomet went aboute to driue out and oppresse Imbrael gouernour of Babilon which sent for Muchulet the Turke out of Scythia agaynst Amirā And the Turke dispatched his matters and droue many of the Saracenes out of Asia and the Turkes began to reigne in the East And the Saracenes expulsed out of those parties came into Affricke from thence sayling into Sicilie and other Ilandes they possessed Spaine also and ouer rode other natiōs nere and inuaded Italy spoiling Rome and consuming with fire many goodly buildynges Concerning the which matter ye may reade Volaterane in the .12 boke of Geograph in the threfolde Arabie About the yere of our lord M.CCC the Turkishe emperours had theyr beginning of Ottoman who possesse at this daye a great parte of Asia Affricke and Europe Herof hath writen Baptista Ignatius in th ende of the .2 boke of the Romane emperours and Paulus Iouius Many of the Tartarians receiued the religion of Mahomet haue most greuousely plaged the world wherof Mathias a michon writeth in Sarmatia of Asia And doubtles the people of Mahomet haue ben of very greate power and be so still euen at this daye Now are painted out also the horsemen and horses wherupon they ride Horsmen Horses that is to witte the maners and power of the Mahometanes are described The Horsemen had on habergions not of yron but firie of yelow and brimstony colour Therfore fire Hiacinth and sulphur were in stead of the brest plate theyr Armure For the Hiacinth he putteth by and by smoke For Hiacinth in colour resembleth smoke nexte vnto fire flame And the horses had Lions heades Serpentes tailes with heades The horses breathed out of their mouths fire smoke sulphur With these plagues sayeth he to wit fire smoke brimstone the thirde parte of men were slayne Thei did hurt also mē with the Serpētine tailes He addeth theyr power was in their mouth hurt in the tayle These appere to be vnderstand and expounded spiritually and corporally For the Mahometanes by their wicked doctrine which is aptly compared to fire distroiyng to smoke blinding and to stinking sulphure haue distroyed innumerable Finally with a lionish or tirannical force they haue cōstreyned many people to receyue theyr Alcorane and moreouer what time their false prophetes seme to flatter for Esaye sayeth a false prophet is a taile they playe the serpente and infecte menne with the moste corrupte poyson of doctrine Out of their mouthes procede not only blasphemous lawes but also maruelouse prayses greate boastinges of victories abominable blasphemies Where saye they is your christen faith our religion of Mahomet ouerōmeth al. Al your things are miserable Beyng vaunquished ye serue like boūde slaues euery where The thing it self declareth that our religion is true and yours starke false And in dede the Mahometanes reigne in a maner euery where in victories riches they are fortunate noble That thing maketh the Christians affraide causeth many to reuolte For what is done emōgs vs is to manifest to al mē The gospellers haue ones or twise fought vnluckly and abide euery houre great persecutions the papistes ouercome reioyse There are foūde therfore many thousandes which say how the thing it self speaketh whether religion is better Doubtles this great felicitie holdeth many still in errour which would els be gētle tractable Therfore it is no maruel though turkes or mahometanes preuaile very much with their mouth sins emōgs christians victories the felicitie of this world is of so great force in maner with al men And yet they excell with their mouth boastinges in the thing it self and in veritie
Neyther is there any doubte but that he compriseth vnder these all like or not vnlike more or lesse offences agaynst God and his will Who so euer therfore thou arte yf thou offende against the diuine law thou shalt be punnished Yf thou seme in this world to escape free and to flitte from hence happy the same maye chaunce vnto thee that happened to the riche glutton whose iudgement is described in the .16 of Luke Briefly he shal be punnisshed who so shal offende God God knoweth the maner whether he shal punnish here and in the world to come or in the world to come only and graunt here a voluptuouse life They are dāned that repent not And we must chiefly obserue in this treatise that sinners be not here condemned For we are all sinners so should no man be saued They are damned that doe not repente which verely die in their sinnes without repentaūce Thapostle denieth that Idolaters aduouterers theues couetouse persōs extorcioners c. shal possesse the kingdome of God but he addeth but such were you verely but you are wasshed but you are sanctified but you are iustified by the name of our lord Iesus by the spirite of our god And in case thou doest doubt whether thou mayest come againe into fauour with God if thou beyng ones lighted and iustified doest fall agayne into sinne learne of the fall and sinne of S. Peter that thou maist be restored and the same that we reade written howe seuen times falleth the iust and riseth againe c. Therefore lette vs learne herof how effectuall is repentaunce and howe pestilent lacke of repentaunce Yf thou be or hast ben an idolater thou oughtest not to dispayre tourne vnto the lorde and doe penaunce Yf thou fall againe abide not still in thy wickednes Whereof I haue spoken more in an other place But if thou wilt not retourne vnto God nor leaue the euill custome of sinne neuer loke for any grace of God Thou shalt perish in thy sinnes It remayneth that we declare in fewe words the fourmes of sinnes set forth here of S. Iohn vnder the which as I sayed before he hath doubtles comprised like offences that of like thinges the same iudgemēt be had First he sayeth as it were generally The works of mens handes neither haue thei repented frō the workes of their handes For albeit that with this note or marke idolatrie is condēned in the prophetes yet do I extende it vnto all other dedes proceding of the force of mē For our worke is verely sinne the good worke is of the grace of God and of regeneration And this generall thinge ones setforth he addeth diuerse partes kindes and fourmes two agaynst the firste table and foure or three agaynst the seconde It is agaynst the firste commaundement To worship the deuill to worship Deuilles For our very God will haue him selfe alone taken for God honoured and worshipped And who is so madde sayest thou that will worshippe Deuilles Verely ther be certen people in the East which are sayed to worship Deuilles for none other ende but that they should not hurte thē This is a barbarouse and folisshe people whie doe they not rather worshippe him whiche is only able to restreyne the Deuill that he can not hurte Howebeit this wickednes stretcheth farre For they in dede worshippe the Deuill whiche will seme to worshippe Gods For this matter is estemed not of the opinion or intente of the worshipper but of the lawe maker For the gentiles would not seme that they sacrificed to Deuilles but would haue taken it most displeasaūtly if any should haue sayed that they worshipped the Deuill Thou arte a most vile and moste impudent varlet and sclaunderer they would haue sayed which darest so reproche the goddes and vs. But S. Paule neuerthelesse I saye not sayeth he that an Idolle or that is offered vnto Idolles is any thing but this I saye that the thinges which the gentiles offer vp 2. Cori. 10. they offer them to Deuilles not to God For where there is one only God he alloweth only these sacrifices whiche are offered to him calleth straunge Goddes deuils Idolle offeringes sacrificed to the deuil of this iudgemēt is the thing estemed not of the fonde intente of men King Saul would haue offered to God the burnte offering of Samuel but Samuel tolde him that he should cōmit idolatrie magicke c. This is an harde saiyng but yet trewe Wherof I haue spoken in an other place more at large The worshippyng of Images of God and of the Sainctes is against the precept of the first table To worshi◠images For al Idolatrie is prohibited S. Iohn here with couler defineth Idolles and taunteth them also alludyng to the wordes of the prophet in the Psalme .114 The Idolles of the gentiles are siluer and golde the worke of mens handes a mouth they haue and speake not c. Therfore it appereth of the matter that Images haue nothing of religion For they be of earth of golde brasse stone timbre c. Agayne of the fourme and shape it appereth that Images are vayne For the fourme resembleth a moste grosse shape and euen a leasing For nother God nor the Sainctes were of that shape whiche the Idolles represent And now there is no vertue in them They see not they heare not c. Ho◠than do they represent God or the sainctes I haue spoken of Idolles els where They that thinke how ther is a diuersitie betwixt the Idolles of Christiās and those of the gētiles let them shewe that theyrs are not of wood or that those other doe see heare c. Murther The sinnes that follow are against the secōde table which commaundeth thou shalt do no murther thou shalt cōmitte none adulterie thou shalt not steale There be many kindes of murthers For they sleye moste cruelly whiche haue no sworde but a venemouse tongue Many kill with corrupte doctrine There be māquellers and parricides and murtherers c. Except these repēt they shal not enter into the kingdome of God And they that swell with enuie and mallice are homicides as S. Iohn saied in his canonicall Epistle 1. and .3 chapt Witchcrafte or poisoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poysun Witchcrafte or sorcerie or inchaunting apperteyneth to murther Poysoning louecuppes and inchauntmentes were in the time of S. Iohn most frequented through out the Romane Empire at this daie those wicked artes are renewed But they shal be punnished of God so many as applye themselues to the same Fornication Fornication hath also diuerse partes To the same belong whoredom inceste adultery and if any other thing be more abominable than these The gentiles supposed that simple fornication that is to witte betwene two single persones was no sinne But the Apostle defineth the contrary in the 1. to the Corinth 6. and .15 of the Actes This pestilent opinion at this daye is reuiued in many But sure it is that
the sede of Abraham and is much greater than Aungelles but that is lord of Aungels Which the Apostle sheweth in the .1 and .2 to the Hebrewes But it is the aungell of great counsel to witte the ambassadour of God the father vnto vs as Esaye and Malachie called him to teache the will of the heauenly father and to worke our saluation and now also appointed that froÌ„ the right hande of the father as king and Bishoppe he should kepe and defende his church This Christ I saye geuen to men is strong not weake Strong to ouercome and breake a sonder all the force of this worlde of his enemies of Antichrist of the Deuill and of hell gates No man therfore nede to doubt but that he may be defended by this strong giaunt no maÌ„ nede to despeire in any perilles or matters be they neuer so desperate sins Christe almightie liueth which is able to helpe wery matters He therfore muste be called vpon of vs in al daungers of him we must loke for helpe patiently and wâ—th stedfaste faith An Aungel cam doune froÌ„ heaueÌ„ A starre in dede is fallen from Heauen but in the meane time of Antichrist crepte out of the bottomles pitte Christ descended from Heauen The Lord coÌ„meth not from heauen corporally but vnto the last iudgement but spiritually he is sayed to retourne so ofte as he hath semed a little to haue withdrawen and absented him selfe For he is neuer absent he is euer present with his which is euery where And he is sayed to be absent when his ayde is not felte but are tourmoyled with aduersities and as it were broken with euilles Christe therefore descendeth vnto vs so ofte as he geueth vs ayde and counsell standing in nede So in the most daungerouse conflicte of Antichrist and Mahomet finally of heretickes and of al other aduersaries Christ him selfe with his spirite is present with his helpeth his incourageth and animateth his and defendeth his Antichrist as it were clothed and wrapped with the smoke of the botomles pitte is euill fauoured Aungel couered wiâ— a clowde and Christ couered and as it were decked with a clowde bothe sheweth him self to be God whiche can conueye vp his aboue the ayre and clowdes into his kingdome and can raine downe dewe or holesome shoures to cowle and make fruictfull his chosen A clowde many times in the holy historie was a token of God present A clowde toke vp Christ as it were girded from the eies of his disciples Clowdes with Esaye in the .45 and .60 chapt droppe downe grace Finally we shall be taken vp in the clowdes with al the chosen to mete the Lord in the ayre Antichrist is crowned with a crowne whiche he gote to him self by craftie meanes by flatterie threatenings disceiptes and kepeth the same by wicked practises blouddy weapons An Aungel crowned with the raynebowe and all kinde of craftie inggelyng and vngodlines But the rainebowe is on the head of Christ For he is kyng of peace pacifiyng and reconciling al thinges vnto God recoÌ„cilyng also meÌ„ themselues together with the bonde of charitie The raynebowe is a token of the leage amitie of God towards vs as we mentioned before in the matters of Noe. Of Antichrist is wo desperation anguisshe and a moste afflicted and troubled conscience Christ is a consolation and peace of the conscience that no man nede to saye ye Mountanes fal vpon vs and couer vs. For the faythful deliuered crie Abba father The same Lorde Christ sayed also in the Gospell in the world ye haue affliction but in me peace And agayne come to me all that labour and are burthened and I will refresshe you Therfore the raynebowe sitteth on no mans head more rightly than vpon Christes head For in the head of this angell appered the raynebowe as though it had beÌ„ his crowne or Diademe And now we vnderstande from whence consolation and pacificatioÌ„ is to be loked for in most greuouse perilles and afflictions of Antichrist the face of the Angell was as the sunne The sunne through the smoke of the botomles pit reysed by the Aungell therof beyng darkened moste filthely was a great grief to the world But the face of this our Aungell is clere and clarifieth and shineth as bright as the sunne as in times past also he is sayed to haue shone in the .17 of S. Matt. The brighte face of Christe bringeth ioye and vnspeakeable gladnes to the beholders and pacifieth the mindes And the same is sene of vs spiritually and by faith S. Paul is the beste expositour of this place in the .2 to the Corinth 3. and .4 chap. Certenly of the ful knowledge of Christ wherby we beleue him to be geuen vs of the father that by him shoulde be accoÌ„plished and he himselfe alone shuld be to vs al thing as a most ioyful light arriseth in the mindes For we are lighted of the light as is declared in the gospel of S. Iohn Howesoeuer therefore the terrible darkenes of errours calamities be ouer cast in the world of the prince of darkenes by the pope and Mahomet other corrupters of Gods veritie yet the light which is in the mindes of the faithfull through faith in Christ directeth lighteth comforteth and preserueth The fete of the Angel pillers of fyre Antichrist hath the tailes of Scorpions most venemouse but the fete of the lord Christ are as pillers of fire Al thinges of Christ are firme right and most cleane In an other place also the veritie of the lord is figured by pillers And god him selfe is called a consumyng fire burnyng vp all vncleanes Morouer fire pearseth nother can it be easely queÌ„ched wheÌ„ it beginneth to catche and to burne And who shall lette the course of the fire of the holy ghost He setteth his fete on the Sea lande with these is ioyned an other thing that the Angel set his right fote vpoÌ„ the Sea and the lefte on the Earth But to set fote is to chalenge to him self some possession For as we saye in dutche for that which is to fire the minde to dwell in any place so we reade of the Hebrewe phrase what so euer your fote shall treade vpon shall be yours that is what so euer ye shall winne shall be your owne right and possession And Christ semed as it were to be cast out of his possessioÌ„ by Antichrist Mahometanes and the rest of his enemies For we haue heard many times that they haue wonne landes and Ilandes But this vision instructeth vs that Christ recouereth agayne reentreth iâ— possession and bringeth vnder his subiection suche places 〈◊〉 semed to haue ben taken and lost both by sea and lande thaâ— is in al partes of the world For by the preaching of the gospâ—â— many are recouered which were plucked awaye froÌ„ the true religion that now I nede not reherse that Christ hath in all parts of the world his chosen which neuer bowed their knees
comformable to the heythen than to Christianes are accompted most iustely excluded emonges the gentiles The pope and all papistes are heythen And now let vs see wherfore he accompteth antichrist the pope with his membres emōges the heythen They that are borne of god heare the word of god glorifie it they that be not as yet borne of God but remaine gētiles not only heare not gods word but also blaspheme the same So these men wil not heare gods worde seke with all their indeuour how to feare men awaye frō the scriptures which are Gods word They saie that they be obscure doubtful vncertaine vnperfet Those that beleue cleaue to the same thei cal heretikes the doctrine takē out of the same heresie Agayne they that haue not Christ their head as braunches growe not to the vine haue no cōmunion with Christ be gentiles But such is the pope his adherentes persecuting Christ stil al those that affirme Christ to be the only head of the churche Christ alone to be our rightuousnes life that al the faithful are made fully cōplete by Christ He that thus beleueth they pronoūce him an heretike Moreouer the gentiles worshippe Idolles call vpon creatures suppose God to be honoured with corruptible thinges as gold siluer preciouse things dedicated to the Temple and set vp to beaultifie the same But what other thinge doe they in the churche at this daye Thou seest playnely heathen Temples when thou seest their churches The life also of the gentiles is shamefull and filthie they are geuen to voluptuousenes ful of surfetting addicte to filthie luste they stinke in whoredome and excede in gorgeouse apparel and pamperyng of the body See what thinges the Apostle writeth of the life and conuersation of the heythen in the .4 and .5 chap. to the Ephesians And in the .1 chapt to the Romaines And in the .1 to the Corinth the .5 and .6 chapter Nowe what the life of the Pope is and of his spiritualtie the thing it selfe to openly testifieth that euen for this cause only they might and ought to be accompted emongs the excōmunicated the Apostle him self pronouncyng the sentence of excōmunication in the place whiche we haue nowe cited the .1 to the Corinth the .5 We maye put herunto their Epicureisme For if thei set by any religiō if they haue any feare of God in them whie do they selle all thinges in the church forgeuenes of sinnes heauen Christ the oblation of Christ matrimony ministerie briefly al thinges whie call they in doubt diuerse articles of our belefe what meane these doubtful disputations of the immortalitie of soules and resurrection of bodies whie make they a mockerie of the life euerlastyng Hereunto is added that these treade vpon The holy citie is troden vnder fote yea spurne the holy citie for therfore maye they iustely betaken for excommunicated This holy citie is not that earthly Hierusalem but the church of God whereof the holy citie was a figure as S. Paule expoundeth in the .4 chapt to the Galathians For the earthly Hierusalem according to the saiynges of the prophetes hauyng played her parte laye in asshes neuer to be restored The lord therfore signifieth that the holy church of Christe should through the tiranny of Antichrist and Antichristians be troden vnder fote And it signified more that he sayed to treade To treade vpon than if he had sayed to afflicte and persecute For treadyng vpō is ioyned with the greatest despite of him that is troden on and hereby is signified an extreme assayling and wōderful crueltie of the enemies which they practise on them thei ouercome and haue to vse at their pleasure We reade in Daniel of the Romanes The beast had great yron teth eatyng and breakyng smal and the rest treadyng vnder her fete For wanton beastes are woonte to treade with their fete such thinges as they can not deuoure when they be full And Salomon in the .27 of the Prouerb A soule that is ful sayeth he treadeth the hony combe Malachie in the .4 chapt speakyng of the ioye of the godly ye shall leape sayeth he as calues of the heerde and ye shall treade vpon the wicked whiche shal be as duste vnder the soules of your fete Briefly S. Iohn by treading signifieth the oppression of the church ioyned with greate tiranny and wantonnes and with the excedyng great mockerie and gladnes of the wicked And semeth playnely to haue alluded to these wordes of the godly prophet O God the heathē are comen into thine inheritaunce thy holy Temple haue they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones The dead bodies of thy seruauntes haue they geuen to be meate vnto the fowles of the aire and the fleshe of thy Sainctes vnto the beastes of the lāde Their bloud haue they shed like water on euery side of Ierusalem and there was no man to bury them the rest that followeth in the .78 Psalme And a little after in this chap. shal follow mo thinges of the persecution of Antichrist Nother shal these thinges be obscure in case you compare them with those which are done at this day in the church of rome agaynst the louers of Christes gospell The rekenīg of .xlii. monethes Besydes here is shewed a certayne time in the which the persecution of Antichrist should be cruell against the church to wit the space of two and fourtie monethes In the accōpte wherof some tourment themselues maruelousely I suppose playnely that a certayne time was assigned that not without cause yet not withstanding an vncerten time to be vnderstand A certaine time therfore is assigned that we might vnderstande that God hath appointed an ende of their furies which as he him self alone doeth know so would he signifie to his faithfull the same time not in yeres but in monethes only for a cōsolation For we suffer more easely that which we perceiue shal cōtinewe but a fewe monethes This sense hath also Aretas after a sorte touched writing thus we suppose that the time of .xlii. monethes doeth expresse a shortening of time about the comyng of Antichrist for the which affliction to be executed vpon the louers of God Math. 24. Christ very God sayeth that those dayes should be abbreuiated And these .xlii. monethes are three yeres a halfe wherein it shall come to passe that the faithful and the very tried shal be troden and suffer persecution Thus sayeth he Thre yeres a halfe the yeres of Antichrist Doubtles al expositours in a maner beyng verely taught by this place haue attributed to the kingdome of Antichrist and to his most cruel persecutions not mo yeres than three and a halfe For so many yeres make .xlii. monethes yf ye put to a yere .xii. monethes Howbeit the Scripture and the thing it self speaketh that the kingdome of Antichrist should be a great deale longer Wherupon I sayed that a certayne time is assigned of thapostle an vncerten time
the deuil many times sendeth instructeth and helpeth his false prophetes So Christ leaueth not his church destitute and geueth to this ministers habilitie of teachyng and doyng luckely For in the Gospel also he promysed and sayde I will geue you a mouth and wisedome which they shal not resist so many as be agaynst you These thinges ought to comforte vs in the greuouse consultatiōs trayhisones assaultes of the enemies of the Gospell Christ wil not forsake his ministers so thei be faithful and depende vpon Christ alone The time of the preachyng of the prophetes Now is also declared the time of the preaching of the gospel agaynst Antichrist verely al that time wherin Antichrist shal treade the Temple and holy citie For a thousande two hondreth and .lx. dayes make .xlii. monethes yf you put to euery moneth .xxx. dayes But we hearde before that Antichrist should treade the church .xlii. monethes Agayne therfore is a certaine nōbre put for an vncertaine And here is signified and that with a misterie is here defined the time of daies not of monethes or yeres For though the function of the ministerie be neuer so harde and daungerouse yet so shal God comforte and confirme them that they maye appere a fewe dayes only not monethes or yeres to suffer persecutiō to trauel in this laboriouse worke of the Lord. And where I haue sayed that those nombred dayes are put for an vncertentie of time this hath moued me that by and by in the .12 chapt the same nombre of dayes shall be assigned for the which yet he hath set before for a time and times and halfe a time Whiche appereth playnely to be taken out of the .7 and .12 chapt of Daniel I knowe that the same is expounded of many for three yeres and a halfe that the time should signifie a yere times two yeres and halfe a time half a yere But euery manne maye perceyue that the thing it selfe is repugnaunt to that nombre of yeres if he be at the leeste any thing sene in stories In the .7 of Daniel the other beastes sayeth he gaue ouer their rule and spaces of life were graunted for a time and a time But who will expounde these thinges of two yeres only sins it is euident that the Babilonians Persians and Macedonians reigned many yeres he signifieth therfore that those kingdomes should reigne so long as God would permitte them and geue them power to reigne We saye in Dutche where yet we appoynt no time prefixed In the same chapt of Daniel is put the same phrase of speache that the Sainctes shal be deliuered into the hande of Antichriste for a tyme tymes and halfe a tyme. And in the .12 chapt he sayeth that his Prophecie shal be fulfilled in a time times and halfe a time But who shall beleue that within three yeres and an halfe all those thinges shoulde be accomplisshed which he declared in the whole worke Whie than doe they restrayne the times of Antichrist to three yeres and an halfe especially his persecution whie see they not the destruction of Antichrist and the peace of Sainctes and the daye of iudgement to be the same daye For Daniel sayeth that the beaste should be caste downe hedlong into Hell when the seates be furnisshed And Paul sayeth whome he shal destroye with his comyng and who shall shewe vnto vs the certayne daye of iudgement It is knowen to the father alone Lette them leaue therefore with their supputations to striue with the Gospell It appereth therefore that the Lord by that kinde of speakyng as it were by a riddle to haue diffined no tyme certayne but rather to haue admonisshed the godly of longe sufferyng of patience and constancie and to haue cōmaunded that we should not ouer curiousely searche the instaūt of this time but should rather permitte it to christ him selfe in an other place saiynge It belongeth not to you to knowe times and the momentes of times whiche the father hath reserued in his owne power but watche that when the Lorde shall come he maye finde you watchyng Therefore whether so euer the Lorde shall differre his iudgement a longe shorte or meane tyme be you constaunt So at this present he sayeth howe the ministers of Christe shal preach al that tyme wherein Antichrist shal persecute And verely if thou reade the stories thou shalt finde that the most vertuouse best learned men haue in all ages now for the space of these seuen hondred yeres and more constantly resisted the Popes enterprises their great abominatiōs and craftie iuggelinges and seducinges of monkes and Freres Of the persecutions that thei haue suffered I wil speake herafter The apparel of the prophetes Furthermore also the apparel of these prophetes is shewed that hereof also maye be gathered the maner of doctrine They shal not be clothed in softe or preciouse apparel as veluet sactin or damasne or crimosine ingrayned but in sackecloth And sackecloth as appereth in the Prophetes is for a mournyng garment and for suche as are penitent Therfore like as S. Iohn was coursely appareled Matth. 3.11 and preached repētaunce So shal these also moue vnto repētaunce and amendement of life and perswade men to frugalitie and riot and al vntemperauncie they shal persecute Certenly al good and learned men nowe these seuen hondreth yeres haue required nothing els of the Pope and Clergie and of the people but repentaunce and a reformation for the which they haue had small thanke at their handes But what the apparell of the Antichristianes is there is no man ignoraunt at this daye Certen of it differeth not much from whorishe Consequently he declareth more fully and more at large of what sorte thei shal be and also their ministerie what also shal be the effecte and vertue of their preachyng And the same he setteth forth and declareth with sondry figures taken out of the scriptures The prophetes be oliues and candelstickes And first he alludeth againe to the .4 chapt of Zacha. These be two oliues c. with oyle lightes are nurrisshed oyle therfore signifieth the matter of preachyng or of Sermons For Candelstickes bearyng lightes are preachers shewyng abroade the light of Christ and of his gospell through out the world And that preachyng of light is taken out of the scripture as also the light of a cādel is nurrisshed with oyle Oyle is a tipe of the holy of al holy Wherfore S. Iohn calleth also the holy ghost vnctiō Certes the holy scripture is the inspiration of the holy ghoste Therefore those preachers shall preach Christ out of the scriptures And so preaching the gospell of Christ through the inspiration of the holy ghost they are sayed to stande before the sight of God of the earth that is to saye these be in the protection in the cure and prouidēce of that God by whose prouidence ar gouerned whatsoeuer are in heauen or in earth The prophetes stād before god For he appeareth to haue alluded
world intollerable thei haue oppressed the godly bragged of their victories and haue boasted of theyr owne felicitie with full chekes and as we shall heare in the .18 chapt of this boke that beaste hath sayed I sitte as Quene am no widowe and shal neuer see any sorrow For voices are hearde from Rome al Empires are oures It is knowen what maner of thinges Augustinus Steuchus an Italian and chiefe champion of the Popes holines hath set forth in this cause against Laurâ—â—ce Valla about the donation of CoÌ„stantine And dayly are hearde the brags reioycings of the papistes of the euerlasting coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce of the See of Rome of her victories oppression of the preachyng of the Gospell that the same hath her power stretched through out the world c. But in that day what time verely our lord Iesus Christ shal abolish al power rule authoritie shal haue made al his enemies his fote stoole accordyng to the scripture in the .110 Psalme And in the .1 to the Corinth the .15 Ther shal be hearde againe the voyces of the gladde and ioyeful singing trewe and eternal triumphing songes in heauen For Angelles and sainctes shal sing together wherfore the voices shal be greater more durable thaÌ„ the voices of Christes enemies which last but a smal season The songe of the Elders Nowe also he rehearseth the songe or triumphaunt dittie and reioycyng the kingdomes of this worlde are made our lordes his Christes and he shal raigne for euer more AmeÌ„ He sheweth two thinges that all kingedomes are made the fathers and the sonnes and that he shal raigne for euermore Al kingdomes were before also our lord Iesus Christes but the same appered not so plainely to al men what time the bisshop of Rome also vsurped the same to him selfe oppressed theÌ„ which did only celebrate the name of Christ But in that it shal truely appere and that to all fleshe that al kingdomes were euer and yet remayne of one the eternal God Christ therfore ouercometh the veritie ouercometh the gospel ouercometh the churche ouercometh they that are vanquished shal be led to hel Mahomet with his the Bishop of Rome with his There is added that Christ shal raigne for euer more Antichrist in dede hath raigned and the wicked haue reioyced in this worlde but a very shorte time but nowe shall the godly reigne with christ for euer more Nother doeth he now diuide the kingdome of the father the sonne but sheweth it to be comon where he sayeth that the kingdomes are made that is to saye it is openly declared that al kingedomes are of God the father and the sonne and that he shal reigne with his electe for euermore So you may see that the place of S. Paule maye not be expounded after the lettre which is writteÌ„ in the .1 to the Corinth the .15 chapt of that the sonâ—â— must be subiected shall deliuer the kingdome to his father For he shall deliuer the kingdome to witte the church that is to saye shal bring and present it to the father and in his membres shal be subiecte to the father with whom not withstanding he him selfe shal reigne for euer Thaffirmatiue vocable is annexed Amen Leeste any man should doubt one whitte of these celestial misteries Howbeit he doeth more playnely expounde afterwarde what those voices are that were spokeÌ„ in Heauen whilest he annexeth the narration of the .xxiiii. Elders and of such thinges wherwith they praysed God And here the most goodly beautifull order of this boke semeth to me worthie to be obserued In the beginning of this visioÌ„ he brought in the same elders teaching vs by their exaÌ„ple himnes what we should do the same therefore he bringeth againe also in the ende of this vision that we might be instructed againe by their wordes doynges not only concernyng the last iudgement of what sorte it shal be most rightouse doubtles as al his iudgementes are which the whole visioÌ„ approueth but that also we shuld vnderstaÌ„d what becometh vs what we shuld do verely that we should worship god submit our selues whole vnto him beleue stedfastly that both the iudgement shal assuredly come that also it shal be most iuste A geuynge of thankes The himne or prayer which they offer vp vnto God is a kynde of prayse For it is a thankesgeuyng or reioysing for victory For in such sort they geue God thanks that neuerthelesse they celebrate god highly and reioyce to themselues and to al godly for their saluatioÌ„ For they geue god thanks for their saluation And coÌ„mend his iustice and veritie which he sheweth in this his iudgement rewarding the good with good things and the euil with euil Therfore like as they rise out of their chayres and fal downe before almighty God euen so aught we also both nowe and euer to do Whereof is spoken more in the .4 chap. Here we should learne humilitie and that God alone is to be worshipped that to him alone al praiers or inuocatioÌ„s or geuing of thaÌ„ks must be offered the which thing is cleane repugnauÌ„t to the popish doctryne We se now the very thankesgeuing than the which no better can be found They geue thankes vnto God Let vs therfore thanke him also And also coÌ„mend exalte him whylest they call him the Lord and God almightie and also they celebrate his maiestie where they say which arte and which waste and which arte to come They allude to the wordes of God spoken in oulde tyme to Moses in the .3 of Exodus By the diuersitie of tymes the eternitie of God is fygured But of this kynd of speach I haue spoken more in the first chapt Christe in iudgement receyueth power and kingdome And nowe they declare wherefore they geue thankes for thou haste receiued thy great power and hast reigned God verely neuer laide asyde his power that he nedeth to receiue it agayne but what time he sheweth not the same and permittith very much to the vngodly that they by their power can infringe preuayl against gods word he semeth to haue layde it away Therfore now that he oppresseth the wicked and as a iudge auauÌ„ceth the godly maintayneth the veritie and destroyeth lying he is truly sayed to haue receyued his great power Lykewise now is he said to reigne not because he reigned not before but forasmoch as the lord hath reigned in the mids of his ennemies so that some time it was doubtfull and vncertayne whether Christe reigned or Antichriste yea that he hath had the vpper hand and Christ hath ben oppressed now that Christ hath broken al the power of his aduersaries he is said most truly to reigne And very wel Erasmus admonissheth in his annotations vpoÌ„ the newe Testament that the translatour had tourned more aptely Ebacilensas yf he had sayed thou hast obteyned a kingdome For the latin men saye Regnauit He hath reigned whiche hath lefte reignyng
Prophecie of Daniel by the beaste vnderstandeth the Romane Empire and supposeth that therfore it is not called a Lion nor a Beare nor Libarde but a beaste that what crueltie some euer ye canne Imagine in beastes by the same ye maye vnderstande the Romanes doubtles in maners they haue shewed themselues beastes Mithridates the moste renoumed kynge of Pontus speakyng of the Romanes in the .xxxviii. booke of Iustine As they themselues reporte sayeth he that their founders were nurrisshed by suckyng of a Wolfe so haue all that people Wolues mindes neuer satisfised wyth bloud of rule and Riches Hongry and emptie And nowe howe filthy beastes many Romane Princes haue ben theyr owne wryters testifie chiefely Suetonius and others that haue written of the Emperours liues And that the people of Rome were also of beastely maners the .1 chapt of the Epistle to the Roma proueth You will saye I knowe well The good godly are excepted sins S. Iohn comprehendeth vnder this Image the whole body of the Romane Empire shal we cal Conustant Constantine Theodosius and other godly Emperours beastes I saye howe the Scriptures vse this maner of speakyng and by beastes in dede vnderstande Empires all though they calle not all those that dwell in those Empires beastes with out any difference therfore we vnderstande them exempted in all Empires that liue a life to God acceptable and know assuredly that nother Daniel nor S. Ihon woulde haue defiled with wordes suche innocent men and al prayse worthie Yea in all this treatise of the Empire and of Antichrist we excepte alwayes such men as are innocent and excelle in vertue Wherof we shal happely speake more hereafter And firste he sheweth the beginnyng of this Empire The original of the Empire A beaste commeth out of the Sea on the sande whereof standeth the Dragon and in the .17 chapt it is sayed howe the beaste came out of the botomlesse pitte Therefore the beginnynge hereof is referred to Sathan Notwithstandyng we muste here take dilligent hede that we take awaye nothing from the lorde our God the whiche he chalengeth to him self The Scripture in sondry places but chiefly by two moste excellent witnesses by Daniel in the .3 chapt and S. Paule in the .13 chapt to the Romaines hath set forth that kyngedomes and Empires are of the Lorde and that he setteth vp deposeth kinges There is no power sayeth thapostle Nowe the Rom. Empire is of God of the dragō but of God And hitherto in dede thapostles cōmaunde to obeye Princes and magistrates Howe is it than that we heare that the Romane Empire came out of the botōles pit sins the Apostle speaketh of the same doubtles the Romane Empire is not absolutely of the Deuil For God is the authour of Monarchies and preserueth realmes and policies geuing therunto certen faithful seruaūtes But sathan medleth with mens matters and corrupteth both kinges kingdomes and so long they be of the Deuil The Christianes in all politike matters obeyed Emperours but cōmaundyng Idolatrie they obeied them not 3. Kings 11 Certaine it is that God did institute the kingdome of Israell or of ten tribes by the prophet Ahiab yet neuerthelesse the lorde crieth out in an other prophet Amos. 8. they haue reigned in dede but not by me For the lord would haue had those kinges to haue framed al thinges after his word and to reigne in the feare of God and where they did not so but followyng the instigation of Sathan ordered al thinges after their owne luste they are rightly saied to reigne not of God but of the deuill Therfore haue the godly obeyed kinges but they obeyed them not cōmaundyng wicked thinges although they toke them for their kinges God had instituted the order of priestes not withstandyng Christe calleth the doynges of the same priestes the workes of darkenes And S. Peter sayeth we muste rather obeye God than men So verely the Romane Empire which was of God came also out of the Sea as Daniel sayeth also out of the troublesome world and euen out of Hell beyng made great through slaughter murther seditiō and treason For the people of Rome with the moste parte of Emperours regarded the Deuil and the world and not God The Rom. Empire of seuē heads And what the empire of Rome is at this daye he figureth now also it hath seuen heades ten hornes and euery horne had his crowne signifiyng verely that by hornes are signified kingedomes Nother doe we here bring in any newe or farre fetched exposition In the .17 chapt the Angel expoundeth him selfe and sayeth that by seuen heades are signified seuen mountaines or hilles and euen kinges also In Rome are accompted many hilles but there be seuen notable For there is mounte Palatine Capitoline Auentine Coelius Esquiline Viminalle and Quirinalle Propertius expoūding the same in one verse whiche I haue expressed in two sayeth Septem vrbs alta ingis toto quae praefidet orbe A citie set alofte on seuen hilles Whose people rule the world at theyr owne willes And therfore is called of the Grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of seuē hilles And verely the citie is taken for the whole Empire So haue there ben also many kinges Emperours which are cōprised in the seuenth nōbre but yet is it certayne that the seuēth nombre of kinges also is exactely founde in the historie For at the beginning whē Rome was first builded there reigned seuē kinges in order Romulus Numa Tullus Hostilius Aucus Martius Tarquinius Priscus Seruius Tullius Tarquius Superbus who expulsed by reason that Lucrese was rauished of the kinges sonne they were ruled by confulles by ten men by Dictatours vnto the time of Iulius Caesar who first vsurped to him selfe againe a kynges crowne after whome reigned Antony Octauian called Augustus Tiberius Caius Claudius and Nero againe seuen In Nero thempire receiueth a plage From thence againe are accōpted seuen Ottho Galba Vitellius Vespasiane Titus Domitian Nerua From him was the Empire deuolued to Vlpius Traiane a Spaniarde Therefore the Romane Empire could not by plainer markes be expressed To this Empire also Daniel attributed ten hornes aswel for that it was collected of many kingedomes as also that it was disparsed agayne into many Wherof shal be spoken in the .17 chapt And it is a comon thing to the Scriptures by hornes to signifie kingedomes and power And to this kingdome the lord Iesus ascribeth open wickednes ye he calleth it blasphemouse For he addeth The Romane Empire blasphemouse and vpō his heades the name of blasphemie that is to saye what plasphemie so euer may at any time be any where diuised al that same shall be founde manifeste in this Empire and chiefely in the heades For yf ye beholde the hilles of Rome chiefly the Mounte Capitoline ye shall finde it called of Cicero the mansion place of the Gods verely for that it conteyned in a maner the Images of all the Goddes For on
shall discourse more at large of the distruction of Rome in the .17 chap. Wherfore within the space of .136 yeares Rome came seuen tymes into straungers handes and was sacked most cruelly and fell on the edge of the sworde and was led into captiuitie Councell how the godly shall demeane theÌ„selues in so great euils which hath long stricken with the swoorde and led away all nations prisoners This was the iust iudgement of God And S. Ihon annexeth a doctrine howe the godly shulde behaue theÌ„selues in so greate troubles and aduersities Here that is to wit whilest the Romanes reigne and rage also in those blouddy and cruel alterations and destruction of the Romane Empire the Sainctes shall nede to haue patience or perseueraunce and fayth These two vertues shal kepe the faithfull that they perish not also Of patience the lord speaketh in S. Luke the .21 chapt In your patience shal you possesse your soules Of faith speaketh blessed Iohn and this is the victory that ouercometh the world euen your faith Impatience and incredulitie hath led away many into the deniyng of the faith to idolatrie and to al vngodlines So learne we also how to arme our selues in our dayes against all vngodlines The lord deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ Of an other beast which cometh vp out of the Earth that is to saye of Antichrist The .lviij. Sermon ANd I behelde an other beaâ—â— câ—â—â—â—â— vp out of the Earth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as did the Dragon The Apostle S. Paule playnely testifieth What is th ende of this prophecie Rom. 15. such thinges as are written to be written for our learnyng that through the patience consolation of the scriptures we maye haue hope wherfore we must also applie therunto these things present For Christ the lord of all when he foresawe how greatly sathan should by his chosen membres the olde and newe Romane Empire afflicte the church would haue vs dilligently admonished of euery thing to the intent that al afflicted persones should hereof learne patience and conceaue comforte and hope and not be discouraged with the heauy burthen of euilles Like as he hath therfore diligently described the olde Romane Empire and shewed as it were pâ—yntyng with the fingar what mischief it should worke to the church admonisshed al to haue faith patience right so wil he from hence forth describe poperie or Antichristianisme in the which descriptioÌ„ he setteth forth before our eyes what so euer the sainctes shall suffer that beyng warned before they maye abide more manfully persecution and lesse yelde to mischauntes The secoÌ„d beaste cometh not forth tyll the first be taken awaye And in goodly order beginneth he to sette forth Antichrist after the Romane Empire torne and taken awaye For Daniel sayeth that a little and small horne shoulde arrise vp emonges the ten hornes and three of those hornes to poole downe plucke of and caste awaye and so to atteyne vnto greate power For he signifieth that the Romane Empire beyng diuided and brought now vnto decaie Antichrist shal arrise whiche should procure to himselfe a newe and countrefet Empire And S. Paule sayeth also that Christe shall not come vnto iudgement till Antichrist haue gone before and that he shall not come nother vnlesse this be firste taken awaye whiche hindereth and letteth that he can not come The whiche S. Hierome and other holy expositours do vnderstande of the Romane Empire 2. Thess 2. whiche muste be plucked vp and taken awaye and that then shall Antichrist arrise But the Maiestie of the Empire was distroyed aboute the yere of our Lorde .480 when Odacer inuaded Rome For from that time by the space of .300 yeres and more ther was no Emperour of the Weste after Augustulus And besides this vnder the Emperour Iustinian Rome was brente and layde waste of Totila Sins the whiche time the Bisshoppes of Rome haue begonne to loke a lofte and to thinke vpon a newe kingedome The secoÌ„d beaste of the Earth And therefore the Lorde sayeth that this beaste arriseth of the very earth The kyngedome of our lorde Iesus Christe cometh from heauen and bringeth to heauen Papistrie cometh nother of Christ nor of his doctrine but cometh out of the Earth that is to witte of euill meanes Ambition auarice treason and crueltie What ministers of the churche Christ ordeyned is easely perceyued by the Gospell of Iesu Christ That he forbadde them gouernement supremacie superiorite and maioritie as they terme it appereth of the .18 and .20 chapt of S. Matthew and .22 of Lukâ— Therefore do the Actes of Apostles and the doctrine of Peter testifie that Peter was a Minister and not Lorde of the Apostles muche lesse Prince of the citie or Empire of Rome For they lye lowde that saye howe Rome and Italy are the Patrimonie of S. Peter geuen him of the Lorde At the first the Apostles and Apostolicall men ministers of churches gouerned the churches equallye neyther ded one take vpon him more preheminence than an other Which thyng I am able to proue by many testimonies of auncient wryters yf nede requyred Aboute the counsell of Nice and a litle before that tyme when churches were greatly multiplied were ordeyned and custumably receyued Metropolitanes instituted in dede by a laudable but yet mannes ordinaunce that is to witte in a certen prouince or head citie was ordeyned a Byshop or Pastor which shoulde haue as it were theÌ„ ouersighte of the reste and shoulde serue for the calling of Synodes or assemblees Yet was it than dilligently prouided that he shoulde not be called Primate leeste any manne should thinke himselfe preferred before others in power but in order Nother was the Byshop of Rome at that tyme exalted aboue all others but there were dyuerse Metropolitanes whereof the byshop Rome was one The Niceyue counsell confyrmed that same custome and woulde haue it ratified Socrates in his ecclesiastical Historie the .5 boke the .8 chapt reciteth many Metropolitane churches in Asia S. Hierome to Euagrius and in an epistle to Titus sayeth playnely that in oulde tyme churches were gouerned by the common counsell of priestes or elders and that time Byshops and priestes were all one After by the custome of the church not of the veritie of the Lordes ordinauÌ„ce I rehearce Saincte Hieromes wordes Byshops were preferred before priestes yet muste they gouerne churches together And of that same custome Howe the Bisshop of rome came to his supremacie yea rather of the abuse of the custome Antichrist had his beginning For Boniface Bishop of Rome began fyrste to take vppon him dominion ouer the churches of Affricke But he was immediatelye repressed by the sixte Affricane couÌ„cell where at Sainte Austen is red also to haue bene After that began also the Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople to chalenge to himselfe the Supremacie for this cause chiefelie that Constantinople was than the courtelyke Palace and chiefe Citie of the Empyre Howe beit
rules of Italy and deliuer them to the pope whiche he perfourmed in dede For he ouercame kinge Aistulphe toke from him the gouernement of Rauenna and deliuered it to the Bisshop of Rome Herein maye all men see The kings ouerthrowen the Pope him selfe is made a kīg vnlesse it be those which will see nothing how this contemptuouse Bishoppe and very smal horne hath at one pusshe ouerthrowen two hornes For he hath put themperour of Constantinople frō the gouernmēt of Italy and hath put downe the King of Lumbardy caused his people to be driuen out of Italy For a fewe yeres after the Pope by the force of Charlemaigne put downe Desiderius the last king of Lumbardy and distroied withall the whole people of the Lūbardes And thus starte vp the Pope became as it were king of olde Rome of the chiefe parte of Italy And now ar the beginnings of the kingdome laied but as yet he reigned not with full authoritie as is declared before Eberardus therfore Bisshoppe of Salisburge whose wordes I recited in the preface of this boke extendeth these things further But I suppose this our exposition to accorde with the prophet with the thinges times And the pope gaue to king Pipine for so great a donatiō a title as Platina sheweth in the life of Stephen the .2 that al kinges of Fraūce shuld be called moste Christen Afterwarde was the Image of the Empire bestowed vpon Charles whereof is spoken before And leest the Pope should seme to haue receiued nothing whilest king Pipine gaue him therarchate the stories reporte thus The Pope made a most mightie king thexarchate was diuided into two regiones in Pentapolis and Aemilia Pentapolis had fiue cities Rauenna Cesena Classe Forum liuij and Forum popilij In Aemilia were Bononie Rhezo Parma Placence and all the lādes that lie from the borders of the Placentines and Ticinians vnto Adria and frō Adria to Arimine c. But he that liste maye reade the Donation of Ludouicus pius in Volateranes Geographie where he nombreth the kynges of Fraunce We saye nothing yet of this that afterward he vsurped to him self power ouer kings and realmes finally ouer all churches and soules so that we must confesse that a more maruelouse prince neuer liued Thou hast here a briefe and compēdiouse story declaring how the Pope hauing hūbled ouerthrowē three kinges he him self began to be made a king But let vs now apply herunto the nōbre of the name of the beast The popes power augmēted both in spiritualties in temporallies to th ende it maye so be knowen to the whole world that there is no other Antichrist to be loked for than the bishop of Rome that is comē which in dede laied the foundatiō of his kingdom vnder thēperour Phocas did builde it vnder the kings of Fraūce and inlarged the same vnder themperours Henrickes Friderickes finally hath establisshed it vnder themperours followyng reigneth in our time and hath done certen ages already paste c. The supputation of .666 yeres must be rekened from the time wherin S. Iohn sawe the reuelation Ireneus sayeth It was sene no longe time sins but in a maner in our dayes about th ende of the reigne of Domitian And Eusebius in his chronicles saieth that it was in the yere of our lord .97 Therfore there remayne yet thre yeres to accomplish an hondreth yeres from the birth of our lord Adde therfore to an hōdreth yeres The fatall yere of our lord .763 these yeres of the nōbre of the name of the beast .666 substracte those three yeres of the first hondreth and thou shalt haue the yere of our Lord .763 whiche was the .13 yere or there aboutes of king Pipines reigne and the .7 of Pope Paul Notwithstandyng that there be wryters of stories and times which attribute to Paull but one yere c. Now muste we not loke only what thing happened in the very instaunt of the yere .763 but what chaūced in the nexte yeres fourmer and following Whereof I will recite a fewe thinges oute of the writers of stories and tymes Nauclerus in the .16 generat In the yeare of our Lord. Wōders Monsters 750 saieth he vnder Pope Zacharie and vnder themperour Constantine the .5 began the .26 generatiō in the which was made an alteration of the Kingdome of Fraunce an abolyshment of the Kyngs of Lumbardie and a translatiō of the Romane Empire from the Grekes These so greate alterations the wonders dyd happly pourtend which hapned at this tyme. In Mesopotamia the Earth roue a sunder by the space of two myles and a Mule was sayed to haue spoken with a mans voyce Ashes fel downe from heauen Ther were wonderful Earthquakes Crosses appered vpon mens garmēts These things wrote Nauclerus The lyke are red in the storie of Eutropius in the .22 boke vnder the yeare of Cōstantine the .6 moreouer in the Historicall glasse of Vincent in Fasciculo temporū In the yere of our Lord .751 Pipine is made King through the coūsell of Zachary the Pope Pipine the master of the Kyngs household oppressing his lord Hilderych king of Fraūce began to reigne and reigneth .18 yeres This writeth Aemilius in the .2 boke of kings of Fraūce And in the yere .755 Pipine entreth into Italie with an Armie vanquisheth the King of Lumbardes and geueth the whole gouernemente of Rauenna to S. Peter The exarchate is geuen to the Pope against the wil of the Emperour of Constantinople Vespergensis in chronicis You see howe in stead of the Emperour the Pope beginneth after a sort to reigne at Rome and in Italie the hornes be shaken of according to the prophecie Mathew Palmer in his chron vnder the yeare .756 the Romane Empire sayeth he reuolting a pace in the Easte The begynninges and preludies of the Empyre translated and the Emperour persecuting the Christians Idolaters he shoulde haue termed them Pope Stephen gaue to the kynges of Fraunce the Emperiall titles and dignities and cōfirmed Pipine and the successours of his stocke onely for their kyngs al others vtterly excluded and in the name of the people of Rome called hym Patricium Hitherto Palmer Ihon Functius in his Chron. In the yeare of our Lord .756 the rites and ceremonies of the church of Rome The Romish religion obtruted were caried into Fraunce first receiued In the yeare of our Lord .757 Paule is made Pope and immediately followeth that fatall yeare of our Lord .763 as the middle poinct betwixt the yere 750. .770 or .773 Wherein these thinges haue all together chaūced which both geue the name to Antichrist and whereof as euery thing els is knowen by his name so hath he also his name and is knowen In the yeare of our Lorde .768 Stephen the .3 helde a counsell at Rome in the church Laterane of the byshops of Fraūce of Italie Idolatry is confirmed and decreed that none
heauen or whether they be holden with a slepe and loke for the resurrectiō of the bodies to the intent they might than awake and together with their bodies enter into heauen vnto all the which things the celestial oracle aunsweryng forth with sayeth he that is by by cometh vnto soules that same felicitie In the latin copies this place is poincted thus blessed are th◠dead which dye in the lorde Forthwith nowe sayeth the spirite that they maye reste from their labours In like maner readeth the Spanish or Complutēsian copie But Aretas and the Greke copies and also the exampler of Paris is thus poincted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be the ende of the sentence as Erasmus noteth After followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is yee verely certēly sayeth the spirite The sense is therfore that the faithfull beyng dead shal streight wayes immediately atchieue saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word S. Iohn vseth signifieth from the very instaunt from that houre immediately incōtinētly This suffereth no space betwixte but expresseth that which we are wonte to note by the dutch phrase beyng admonisshed therfore by a diuine oracle and confirmed by a writte brought from heauen let vs al be assured that the soules of al faithfull do flitte from the bodily death into life euerlasting These thinges are confirmed and made playne also by other places of Scriptures innumerable I wil chouse out only a certen fewe and those also the testimonies of our sauiour whiche is the light of the worlde and the worde of life In the .3 chapter of S. Iohn he sayeth expressely that the faythfull are so deliuered frō death by his crosse as in times paste by the sight of the brasen Serpent the Israelites were deliuered from the deadly sting of venemouse poison And playne it is that they were deliuered incontinently and most fully In the .5 of Iohn the same sayeth he hath passed from death to life Let this place be waied dilligently and it shal appere the same alone to satisfie in this matter In the .6 of Iohn he sayeth openly and I will reyse him in the laste daye But he reyseth not the bodies only at the laste iudgemente but in euery mans laste daye that is in the death of euery one he preserueth the soules that they should not perish or be tormented c. We haue in the gospel examples moste clere to witte of Lazarus the beggar which was by and by after his death caried vp of thaungelles into the bosome of Abraham and of the thiefe whiche hearde of the lord this daye shalt thou be with me in Paradise and of Stephen saiyng Lord Iesus receyue my spirite but especially of our Sauiour saiyng on the crosse father into thy handes I commende my spirite c. By these are quite ouerthrowen what thinges so euer the monkisshe and Antichristiane doctrine hath buylded of purgatory of trētalles and of the miserable state of soules in an other world Whereof they made a moste shamefull gayne They are also confuted which beleue that soules be mortall moreouer that soules slepe in another world Where they cā not so muche as here in this infirmitie slepe Therefore you wil saie it is madnes to thinke that soules slepe beyng quitte of the burthen of the body But cōcernyng the maner of the blessednes of Sainctes they reste from their labours Blessednes reste frō al labours Saluation therfore is a moste ioyeful tranquillitie Awaye go at ones diseases sickenesses griefes affections sorrowe famine thirste colde briefly all thinges that vexe or trouble men Rest and tranquillitie ioye and blesse come in place And sins the dead reste from theyr labours who can beleue that they be vexed with tormentes but leeste any man should neuer so little doubte herof he annereth a confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee or certenly verely sayeth the spirite the dead shal be quiet from al their griefes Let no mā therfore doubte Theyr workes follow them And he addeth an other thing that the workes of sainctes followe thē that is to saie after that the sainctes be departed hence than are they rewarded in another world if they haue done any thing wel if they haue suffered harde thinges For there is a rewarde prepared for vertues The which the sainctes do hope for and receyue without boasting of their owne deserte and not in contēpte of the merite of Christ For they acknoweledge that God in his sainctes crowneth his owne giftes And this is spoken of the rewarde of workes for the consolatiō of them which suffer many things in this world So sayed the lord in the Gospell your rewarde is plentifull in heauen And the Apostle affirmeth euery where that rewardes are prepared for them that are crucified here with Christ And here let vs marke dilligently that these thinges are spoken also of the spirite of Christe vnder the religion of an othe For the worlde dispiseth religiouse persones suche as suffer for religiō and obiecteth that they lose their labour and coste Cōtrarywise the spirite by an othe auoucheth that rewarde is prepared for vertue Followe them Lette vs marke also this that is sayed theyr workes and not other mens also followe them and are not by others sent after them Let no man therefore disceaue him selfe let no man thinke that after his death there should be sente to him into purgatory by soule priestes a fardell of other mens merites Those are not good workes which ar done by priestes freres besides and against Gods worde but prouocations of Gods wrath And be they not in the gospel shut out of the kingdome of God which runne to others to bye them oyle The Scripture in an other place Lette vs doe good whilest we haue time the time wil come that no man can worke Let vs watch therfore and of faith do good workes in dede ¶ The Iudgement of the Lorde is described vnder the paraboles of haruest and vintage The .lxvi. Sermon ANd I loked and beholde a white clowde and vpon the clowde one sittyng like vnto the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle And an other Aungell came out of the Temple criyng with a lowde voyce to him that sat on the clowde Thruste in the sickle and reape for the corne of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the clowde thruste in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And an other Aungell came out of the Temple whiche is in Heauen hauyng also a sharpe sickle And an other Angell came out from the Aultar whiche had power ouer fire and cried with a lowde voyce vnto him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the Earth for hyr grapes are rype And the Angell thruste in his sickle on the earth and cutte downe the grapes of the vineyarde of the Earth and caste them into the greate wine fatte of the
sayeth he beyng inflamed with a exceding great heate they were euen ragyng madde For we reade in stories that mē beyng afflicted with ouer much heate haue felte greuouse displeasures and tormentes bothe of body and minde Than he addeth that followeth of the fourmer membre the impatiēcie of the heate prouoked them to blaspheme God and euen him that had power ouer these plagues to witte for that hauyng full power so to do he will not deliuer them so vexed with burning heate Cōtrarywise the children of Israel in their tentes beyng stongen with serpentes inflamyng the whole body with the stinge Nume 22. did repente nother did they blaspheme God But comyng vnto Moses they sayed we haue sinned for we haue spokē against the Lord and agaynst thee Praye the lord that he will take awaie from vs these serpentes They blaspheme therfore the name of the lord so many as through vnpatientnes do murmure against the iudgementes of God nother wil acknowledge themselues to be rightly and iustely pūnished crauing perdon finally is added nother did they repente that they might geue glory to God c. For the lord plageth vs to the ende that beyng afflicted we should repente and geue God the glory confessing as I sayed before that we be punnished iustely Howe the godly vngodly behaue them selues in afflictiōs and ought with wepyng and waylyng to tourne to the lord strikyng vs. But these like Pharao nother acknoweledge theyr sinne nother praye vnto God nor yet are amended but many times ouercome thēselues in malliciousenes Hereof we learne the diuersitie betwixte the godly and vngodly and howe both vse themselues in afflictiōs For they geue glory vnto God and amende their life these geue not God the glory but become worse than themselues To geue God the glory is to geue place vnto God not to resiste but to acknoweledge their sinne and Gods rightuousenes and not this only but also the mercy of God and clemencie towardes the penitent and the same to require humbly The darknes of the romish see the .v. plague The fifte Aungell powreth his cuppe vpon the seate of the beaste That a seate or trone is vsed for a kingdome is more manifeste than that it nede to be proued by testimonies sins that S. Iohn himself doeth by by for a seate place a kingdome And also in times paste the maisters or rather ministers of churches taught sitting had their stoles chaires in holy assemblees That saiyng in the gospel is knowen In the chayre of Moses sitte the scribes and Phariseis c. It is knowē that in aūcient time ther were seates of Patriarches Hierusalem Antioche Rome Alexandria Constantinople and others and that the same are called Apostolicall seates forasmuch as the Apostles haue taught there And so is the Apostolicall seate vsed for the Apostolicall doctrine it selfe That seate erected and established at Rome by the Apostles and Apostolicke men the beast that is the Pope hath subuerted and in the place therof erected the seate of pestilēce which he dare neuerthelesse cal the seate of Christe Thapostolicall seate of Christ S. Peter and the seate of S. Peter Christe hath no more any seate in Earth saue that he dwelleth in the hartes of the faithfull church Otherwyse the trewe seate of Christ is the right hād of the father The trewe seate of Peter is heauen it selfe Rome is no longer his seate for the Apostolicall doctrine and Patriarchall chayre is destroyed and troden vnder fote in steade therof is an earthly Empire or kingedome set vp by the Pope Yea more he pourseweth the Apostolical seates by force of armes Nowe therefore God hauyng cōpassion vpon his poureth out his wrath and plague on the see of Rome illuminyng men with the light of the Gospel to the ende they might know and see the wickednes and abomination of the Romisshe See The which is a wonderfull benefite to them that be lighted and a greate griefe and tormente to the Romish sorte For theffecte of the plage followeth and his kyngdome was made darke This plague aunswereth to the .9 of Aegipte For like as thicke darkenes plaged the Aegyptians bright light reioyced the Israelites so were the Papistes tourmēted with shameful errours than shall it grieue them also to haue their errours detected and their glory obscured the faithful shall reioyce in the light of Christ For now beginneth and already hath begonne the maiestie of the seate and of him that sitteth therein to be obscured That which was ones called an holy seate is now of the godly learned called wicked Rome the whore of Babylon the mother of al fornications the denne of theues Sodome Aegipte the red harlot by reason of the pourple senate of Cardinalles which weare red and purple It is comonly sayed and truely the nerer Rome the further from Christe They call and that moste rightly the Cardinalles bishoppes and spiritual fathers the familie limmes of Antichrist men disceaued and disceauers with Symony and filthie lust moste corrupte Therfore the kingdome of the beast so he expoundeth the seate was made darke There is added furthermore howe the worshippers of the seate of the beaste haue and do behaue themselues Firste for payne and sorrowe indignation wrath and enuie they gnawe or bite their tunges which is the gesture of angry mē and that impotently angry I meane that burne infuriouse rage The furie of the papistes againste the gospellers It is a phrase of speach signifiyng howe they will rage with greate furie agaynst the trewth opened which they would haue vtterly hidde and oppressed Agayne they blaspheme the Lorde of heauen maker of al both for that he afflicteth them with botches and sondry plagues also for that he casteth a darknes vpon their kingdome For euen therfore the Romish cal the preachers of the gospel disceauers heretikes and the very doctrine of the gospel heresie But this reproche redoundeth to him which is authour of the same doctrine Finally thei do not repent them of their doynges of theyr Simony of their craftie iuggelyng sacrileges idolatrie and al vngodlines And the apostle sayeth howe euill men and disceauers will waxe worse and worse disceauing and beyng disceaued Therfore is it no maruel though you see the papistes at this daye with a stiffenecke to procede obstinately in their errours But the greatest plague is to be forsaken of God and stubbernely to mayneteyne their errours vngodlines and therin to perseuer The Lord deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ The sixte Angell shedeth his vialle The .lxxj. Sermon ANd the sixte Angell powreth out his vialle vpon the great riuer of Euphrates and the water dried vp that the waye of these kynges of the Easte shoulde be prepared And I sawe three vncleane spretes like frogges come out of the mouthe of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beaste and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are the spretes of the
emonges those ten hornes one other little horne should grow vp whiche shoulde strike of three and take their place and reigne wantonly crwelly and wickedly Wherefore the Popes Empire and those sondry kingdomes grewe vp in a maner aboute one and the same time The kings haue one minde He sheweth moreouer what maner of kingdomes those shal be and how they shal demeane thēselues towardes that latter beast namely towarde the church of Rome thei saieth he haue al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one opinion they beleue al one thing be of the same religion He speaketh chiefly of the westerne kynges For they al receyue the decrees of the Bishoppe of Rome and honor them as most obedient childrē of the most sacred holy church of Rome They shal deliuer to the beaste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their authoritie or kyngedome For they submitte themselues to the See of Rome Yf the church of Rome haue nede of an Armie or force of armes the kinges sende their power gladly to hym which the most noble kingdome of Boheme felte about an hondreth yeres sins though it were to no great commoditie and beautifull triumphes of the inuaders Yea morouer they acknowledge thēselues to owe homage and feaultie to the moste holy and supreme Bishop in al the world Hereunto chiesly apperteyneth that which Augustin Stewchus in his boke against Laurence valla concernyng the donation of Constantine in the .94 Section hath written on this wise Gregory the .7 vnto Geusa king of Hungarie we suppose it is not vnknowen to thee sayeth he that the kingdome of Hungarie like as other most noble realmes also ought to be in the state of his owne libertie nother that it ought to be subiecte to any kyng of an other realme saue to the holy and vniuersall mother church of Rome which hath her subiectes not as seruauntes but as children Hereunto addeth Steuchus thou hearest with what gouernement the church ruleth that she maye interteyne her subiectes not as seruauntes but as childrē She putteth not kinges out of their possession but permitteth them to reigne as her sonnes who reignyng she reigneth her selfe also Neuerthelesse she will be knowen for Quene and Lady Quene Lady Thou hearest how al the moste noble realmes be subiecte to the Apostolical See Euen there he sheweth that the moste noble kingdomes of Spaine Fraūce England Denmarke Russelande Croatie Dalmatia Arragonie Sardinia Portugalle Bohemia Sweuia and Norwaye be subiecte tributaries to the church of Rome In the Section .97 He addeth moreouer although the kinges reigned and continued in possession yet are they wonte to acknowledge her as Quene and trewe Lady and gyuer of their kingdomes And in the Sect. 105. The old monumentes of all Popes are full of highe authoritie A mouth verely speaking great thinges whereby they haue with their Empires gouerned the whole worlde hauing the rule and order of al landes which power and authoritie that impudente praiser of the Romishe See is not asshamed to call omnipotent or almightie And doubtles we see at this daye great Ambassades sent to Rome by the westerne kinges newely elected crowned to the intent to kisse the Popes fete or too of Antichrist and to offer dewe obedience as they cal it Therefore did he calle them before not kinges absolutely but as kinges For they acknowledge a superiour and be euen as it were seruauntes or wardes of the seruaunt of seruauntes Of whome he hath made proper verses The vulgare people brought from farre ende of the worlde The seruaunt of seruauntes O Rome is now thy Lorde Hereunto the Apostle addeth a thing yet more greuouse The fight with the lambe These Kinges I meane the confederates of the Pope and obedient children of the Church of Rome indewed with the spirite of the beaste shall fight with the Lambe Whereby is signified the tiranny which kinges and princes and certen other states of the Romane Empire do practise long haue practised agaynst Christ his gospel Concerning the lambe we haue already spokē enough before Iohn Baptist poinctyng with his fingar to Christ sayeth beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the world Therfore shal the Romish princes fight not agaynste Christ himselfe for they will be christians but agaynst the Lambe that is the sanctification iustification and satisfaction of Christ For yf any man saye at this daye that the sonne of God is most holy by whome alone sinnes are forgeuen and we are sanctified and saye not also that the Bisshop of Rome is moste holy also whiche purgeth by pardons graunted but shall saye rather that perdons are playne disceiptfulnes and the Pope most vncleane of all he shal doubtles nother be takē for right catholicke nother shal he be spared for confessyng the lambe of God Yf any man shal confesse that iustification is only in the sonne of God alone and that men are iustified by fayth only and not also by our workes and merites he shal be caried to death or to prison nother shal the confession of the lambe of God preuayle him any thing Yf any man shal say that he is fully purged through the only oblation of Christe on the crosse as of a lambe without spotte and sacrificed frō the beginnyng neyther that he nedeth any popish Masses wherby the shauelynges boaste that they make a dayly offering for the sinnes of the quicke and dead whiche in dede is both false and blasphemouse he is streight wayes hurried to prison and from thence drawen to the stake and brente We can not denye but that this is true seyng there be at this daie innumerable exāples of Romishe kinges and princes in this behalfe We shall not nede therefore to fetche our exposition farre of how these kinges which wholy depēde of the Pope shal fight with the lambe I speake here nothinge of others which cleaue whole vnto Christ And therefore for a comforte is consequently annexed and the Lambe shall ouer come them The lābe shall ouercome thē For albeit that Popish kinges and Princes seme to ouercome the Sainctes whom they burne murther and distroye yet Christ liueth for euer the redemption of Christe florissheth As moste godly that good poete hath songe Christ liueth yet and shal do still His trewth eke shall remayne Whilst al that doeth this world fulfill Shall perish and be vayne Kinges perish kingdomes perish or be chaunged but the trewth is neuer chaunged Christ perisheth neuer He adioyneth a most strong reason for he is Lord of Lordes and king of kinges Therfore shal they be made a fote stole for the fete of the Lambe as many as shall striue agaynst him You see agayne whie S. Iohn sayed before they receiue power as kinges For all kinges are vnder Christ whiche excelleth all lordes in the worlde For to him is geuen power in Heauen and in earth Let vs therfore be of bold courage For the lord is Emperour and our
cōmitted Italiā matters Totila therfore where themperour would not graūt his requestes determined to rase the citie of Rome The greatest parte of the walles in most places he made euen with the grounde setteth the Capitolle house on fire He commaundeth al Citizens with their wiues childrē to departe out of the citie The cōmons of Rome were dispersed in the townes of Campania The Senatours and nobilitie Totila kepte with him for pledges Than was fire put into euery house Thus Rome beyng fired in al places Totila lefte it vacant .13 dayes the fire brent clere The citie of Rome was .40 dayes in that solitarines that there was neyther mā nor woman in the same The citie ouerthrowē he remoued his campe towardes Lutania and Calabria Bellisarius came to the citie lefte vacant and soner than a man would haue thought fortifieth a parte of the citie with ditch walle rampare and turretes of wood For all coulde not be restored Totilas was with him but repulsed departed to Tibur Bellisarius is sent for into Grece by themperour Totila besegeth Rome and taketh it So in one yere Rome the head of the world the lady of al nations was taken thryse thus wryteth Auentinus Leonarde Aretine writing of the Italian war against the Gotthes in th ende of the 2. boke After this sayeth he Totila departing frō Rome with his whole armie lefte it vtterly desolate and vacant c. Who will saye nowe that S. Iohn hath not in fewe wordes comprehended the destructiō of olde Rome whiche the stories afterwarde haue plentifully described and finally howe after the same maner as it was prophecied it hath followed the prophecie after .451 yeres And that so euidētly to haue propounded in fewe wordes that you would thinke presently to beholde Rome both falling and burnyng New Rome also shall fall with her empire And like as in the storie of the gospel the lord intermireth a prophecie of the destruction of Ierusalem and of th ende of the world that euery mā might of this that he seeth the citie of Hierusalē right so as the lord had prophecied to haue perished nother that one stone hath remayned vpon an other gather by like trouth certentie that this world shal fall So maye we of this that we see tholde citie of Rome fallen so great an Empire which was thought shuld haue lasted for euer brought to naught gather also that new Rome with her shaddowe or image of thempire shal as sure as daye fall be brought to naught And firste in dede the Saracenes Turkes whiche ruled and yet raigne in the prouinces subiecte to the Romane Empire as in Asia Grece Aegypte Affricke Slauonie and base Hungarie and therfore be rightly accompted emonges the ten hornes doe hate worse than dogge or snake both Poperie it selfe and Rome and all that Imagerie Empire Yea stories also testifie that they haue oft times made inuasions and spoyled Rome it selfe What is done at this daye experience it self teacheth But whether the Turke or the christen Princes themselues conuerted to Christ by the Gospel shall spoyle this newe Rome destroye it vtterly and burne it with fire the Lord knoweth who semeth here to intimate some suche thing hereof This is certayne that Christ alone with his hand shal bring downe Antichrist and abolish him with his comming Certaine it is that the Earth and al the workes that be therin shal be brēt For thus is thapostolical doctrine and that al these things shal be in th ende of the world Reade Paule .2 to the Thess the .2 And Peter the .2 Epistle the .3 chap. Morouer there arrise in sondry kingdomes of the world learned men which ones being bounden to the See of Rome haue defended her her stinking idolle but after cōuerted to Christ beginne to hate both Rome the Romish churche which also they assaile burne with the fire of Gods word Therfore al the glorie dignitie and welth of the Pope poperie hath perished perisheth daily in the godly Al that be godly wise hate Rome romish wares Al crie out that this Sodome is worthie to be brente with fire fallyng from heauen Nother is ther any doubt but that a greuouse vengeaunce is prepared agaynst her And briefly is shewed a reason God hath put into the heartes of kyngs c. wherfore the Kings shuld rage so cruelly against the beaste and why these thinges are done in such sorte and maner as we haue hearde For God sayeth he hath geuē into the hartes of thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that they should worke his will shuld do with one mynde and consent For where some referre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his to the beaste that semeth to far of and straunge It is referred rather to the nexte to God I meane which put into the heartes of the kinges to do his wil I say of God For it is the mynde and will of God that the beast shulde perish that punnishment be taken of her for shedyng of innocent bloude The same God will procure that kinges shal not be at discord but at concord that being of one mynd and accorde they may execute Gods iudgemēt So we read in the Prophetes that God put in to the heartes of kynges Salmanaser Sinnacherib Nabuchodonoser Cyrus and others that they shuld do as they are red to haue done to wit in pūnishing the wicked and defending the godly And ther is also mention made in Histories howe Alaricke Kynge of the west Gothes was in dede disswaded by a seruaunt of God that he shuld not make such haste to distroy Rome but that he aunswered Ther is one that cōtinually troubleth me and sayeth go distroy Rome And he that put that mynde and wyll in to the hearte of Alarich Adolphe Genserych Odacer Theodoricke and Totila The same yf he wyll and when he wyll and in to what Princes he wyll shall put that they also shall doe their dewtie againste this newe Citie and churche of Rome The angel anexeth how God moreouer hath put into the harts of kings that they shuld geue their kingdom to the beast til the words of God be fulfilled The which the interpretours expound say howe God hath permitted that they shoulde cōceaue this coūsel in their mynds to deliuer the kingdome to the beast But I suppose it to be more playne yf we symplye confesse God to be authour of no sinne and that men sinne as compelled by no fatall necessitie but through their owne faulte and vice Therefore God woulde as by his woorde also he hath expressed and taught that kynges shulde deliuer their Kyngdomes to Christe the high Kyng which where it pleased them not but had rather for sondry causes of the flesh and the worlde delyuer their kyngdomes to the Pope and submitte themselues to the See as they call it Apostolicall God of his iuste iudgemente hath forsaken them and geuen them ouer as S. Paule wrote the
hande of God The Angel had shewed Ihon expressely before that he shoulde not do that he than did and now repeteth it againe For hauing as it were forgotten those things by reason of the excellencie of the Angel he wold surely haue done him some worship For so we permit to our selues more than is decēt especially toward nobler personages whom for thexcellēt gyfts of God we esteme worthie whom we may also without the offence of God euen worship That opiniō deceaueth in our time the most part of them which against the comlines of syncere religion worship and honour Saincts But the Angel of the Lorde here nother forgeth nor bringeth foorth any newe doctrine but that olde in forme as thei terme it to the intent we shuld vnderstād that the will of God is alwayes one and perpetuall which will not haue the most excellent creatures to be worshipped but one God alone to be honoured He repeteth therefore the same causes which he also obiected before Therfore be they alwaies of force with all at al times S. Ihon in the meane time semeth that he wold commend vnto vs the excellencie of this vision or reuelation and that the Angel did admonish him cōstantlie of his dutie and vs al by him that the thing which is proper to God we shulde transpose to no creatures and it deserueth exceding great prayse here that S. Ihon here discembleth nothing but by expresse wordes committeth to writing his fall and rebukyng of the Angell moste euidently For by his fall he wolde admonish that the godly shulde not fall in lyke cases but geue all glory to God Here semeth also to be obserued a maruelouse affection in the maner of speakyng For the Angell crieth out to Ihon being ready to fall downe nowe yea prostrate already and nowe aboute to worwip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See thou do it not that thou verely intendest to do Here is expressed the carefulnes of mynd and haste wherwith he goeth about to preuent the enterprise of Ihon. And thus diligent are the Holy spirirites in heauē in letttyng al things that by any meanes do tourne vs frō God to the worshipping of creatures much lesse would they thēselues be worshipped or to haue the things attributed to them which the Papistes at this day attribute by force of Armes The Lorde of clemencie mercie conuerte them to a right minde that thei maye attribute al glory to God Amē ¶ S. Iohn is commaunded not to seale this boke but to publishe it hauyng respecte to no man The XCviij Sermon AND he sayd vnto me seale not the sayenges of the prophecie of this boke For the time is at hande He that doeth euill let him doe euill stil he which is filthie let him be filthie still and he that is rightuouse let him be more rightuouse and he that is holy let him be more holy 7 The seuenth place that is treated in this conclusion forbiddeth Iohn that he seale not the boke written Seale not the boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayeth the Angel seale it not And certenly letters and bokes are wonte to be sealed eyther for credit confirmatiōs sake or els that they should not be openly red of al men but those only to whom they are assigned An Angell sayeth to Daniel in the .12 chapt And thou Daniel close the wordes and seale the boke vntil the laste time He is commaunded to shut his boke that is to saye to make an ende nother to loke for any more reuelatiō finally he is cōmaunded to shut it for the vngodly vnto whom assuredly this boke shal seme darke closed For it followeth for many shal erre knowledge shal be manifolde For thei that are not ruled by the certayne sure word of God haue nothing at al certenly tried knowē but wander through manifolde or sondry vncertayne opiniōs iudgementes and traditions of men For Daniel sayeth that knowledge shal be variable that is to say there shal be innumerable opiniōs sectes of the religion seruing of god where neuerthelesse there is but one only trewe opinion doctrine fayth or religion the fame I saye whiche Daniel set forth in his boke which boke also he sealed that is to saye cōfirmed it as it were with godly seales as authenticall or authorised and which was worthie to be credited howebeit at this present S. Iohn is not commaunded in the same sense and meanyng not to seale his boke which we know to be altogether autenticall This boke shoulde be open for al men but such a thing as this is the Angel meaneth cōceale or couer not hide not this boke whom God therfore would haue to be writtē that it might be a publicke doctrine in the whole world wherby al men might be instructed in the thinges that are reuealed from heauen that they be not thorowe the craftes and tiranny of Antichrist withdrawen from the kingdome of Christ vnto the kingdome of Antichrist for God would that al these thinges should to all men be moste common and manifestly knowen And this sense hath Aretas opened also sayeng Seale them not sayeth he that is kepe them not sealed to thy self but publishe them to all The reason is annexed for the time is at hande wherein verely these thinges which I haue sayde shal come to passe Wherfore the faythful had nede of warnyng cōfirmyng and comforte Consideryng therefore that this boke is set forth that it might admonishe strengthen and comforte the faythfull the same ought not to be shutte but wide open For this is the good will of God that this his word should be preached in his church to the profit of al faithfull Let them loke therefore what they doe whiche would haue this booke not only shutte vp but cleane taken awaie nother thinke it can be vnderstande as obscure and full of darke speakynges But to God be prayse and thankes geuyng whiche hath vouchsaued to prouide for vs faythfully in time by this most profitable and moste necessarie boke ¶ These thīgs must be beatē in both to the hearers to suche as will not heare 8 The eight place of this conclusion semeth to treate of a certen preuention For some man here might saye thou wilt haue this boke to be open and come vnto al men of al states sexe and ages but there shal be some whiche wil vtterly contemne the same In vayne therefore shall it be preached in vayne shall we vrge these writynges with them especially which shal deride the same and expounde them this waye or that waye at their pleasure But he semeth to preuent this saye doubtles there shall be vnrightuouse innumerable whiche shal procede vnbridled in their iniquities and shall more and more excede and passe themselues but yet there shall be also rightuouse whiche perseueryng in al rightuousenes shal increase in holy vertues and herein also shal surmounte themselues wherfore spare not thou to vtter to thē al such things
in thys worlde to be sene as is profitable 1 Iohn 2 and as our infirmitie may perceiue But this same is not litle or nothing but great and large and moste full of spirituall pleasure I meane if we beholde these misteries of God with a faithfull eye and mynde desyrous of Godly matters And doubtles they be thynges certayn and true that here are reuealed vnto vs. For they be reuealed by the very sonne of God Let vs not wysh than to se more or desyre greater thinges than these are But take pleasure in those which Christ hath graunted vs. And let vs knowe for certentie that a wonderful benefite of God is geuen vs in this vision For who would not couet to se Christ in glory sitting on the ryght hand of the father Who desyreth not to knowe what our Sauiour doth in heauen And home being in heaueÌ„ is neuertheles present with his church in earth But this sacred and holy Image instructeth in all these poinctes all the faithfull of Christe moste fully Howebeit this Image of Christ is not to be set forth with colours synce that colours can not atteine to the maiestie therof but with the ecclesiasticall doctrine whiche hath the promesse of the spirite of Christe And is therfore more euident and only mete for the true expressing therof Let vs also prynt the same Image not vpon any dead table with colours that wyll peryshe and fade but in our hartes through the liuely spirite of God whiche may also kepe it in our myndes neuer to be â—wipt out And such thinges as are spoken in the seconde and third chap. Of this boke are deriued of this descriptionâ— Christ that the maiestie of the thing might inuite vs to a sâ—â—gular diligence The matter is very playne An aungell represeÌ„teth Christ First we are taught who it is whose Image is to vs exâ—â—bited Not the sonne of man him selfe in his own substaunâ—â— but lyke the sonne of man The sonne of man after the phrâ— of the Gospell is called Christ hym selfe very God and mâ— Here he shewed not hym selfe to be sene of Iohn in his ouâ— substaunce but in the fourme of an Aungell that representâ— Christ Whiche thyng is oftener then once founde in thâ— boke We shal therfore referre all these thinges vnto Chrisâ— not to the Aungell whiche is the minister of Christ in thâ— mistery And we shall see Christ in his owne substaunâ—â— what tyme our base body shall flitte from hence and beyâ— reysed from the dead shall be glorified In the meane tyâ— the soull from the death of the body tyll it ryse agayne shâ— clearely haue the fruition of the sight of Christ Wherein 〈◊〉 I sayd before shall be the chief ioye and felicitie We shâ— nowe therfore see Christ as it were in a glasse and so mucâ— as shall suffice vs. The Lorde open to vs the eyes of oâ—â— mynde Where Christ is abiding He telleth moreouer where he sawe Christ in the middâ— of seuen candelstickes By and by we shall perceiue that 〈◊〉 the candelstickes must be vnderstande the churches Chriâ—â— is than in the middes of the churche He sitteth verely onâ— ryght hand of the father and after the proprietie of this â—â—mane body he is but in one place and in no mo As S. Aâ—gustin declareth aboundauntly in the .lvii. Epistle to Dorâ—nus Yet for as muche as he is also very God he is lykewâ—â—â— in the myddes of the churche as he promised in the Gospâ—â— Whersoeuer two or three be gathered in my name Mat. 18.28 theâ— am in the myddes of them And agayne behold I am wâ—â—â— you vnto the worldes ende Therfore by his power diuiâ—â— Christ remayneth and worketh in the churche present aâ— not absent Leaue therfore to inquire what Christ doth 〈◊〉 the ryght hand of his father whether he sitte continually And he is verely in the myddes of the churches fyxed to 〈◊〉 place but shewyng hym selfe indifferently to all egall as helpefull For he neyther accepteth persones nor slepeâ— He is not paynted he is not Idle nothyng regardyng matters of the churche But is chiefly and only attentiue to the saluation of the same Suche a one he promysed him selfe to be in the .14.15 and .16 of Iohn And seyng Christ is in the myddes of the churche what Vicar moreouer shall he haue Shall he haue that ennemy whiche is directly against hym Christ hath no vicar 2 Tessa 2. For a Vicar is in steade of one absent But Christ is in the middell of the churche present not absent In the text followyng Christ is described moste plentifully many thynges are ascribed vnto him And is declared in what sort Christ is in the mids of the church And first indede is shewed what garment he hath on To wit both priestly princely By the which thing is figured what maner of one Christ is in heauen in earth To wit bishop and king intercessour mediatour sacrifice a moste perfit sanctification iustification a redemer and deliuerer of the faithful to his father euermore working the saluation of his faithfull As S. Paul teacheth Roma 8. Hebr. 7. Poderes Poderes is found amoÌ„gst the apparell of Aaron and it is a priestly garment Whereof S. Hierome writeth to Fabiola of the priestly garmeÌ„t The second vesture of linnen is a coate downe to the fote of double launde Which Iosephus calleth Bissina And it is called in Hebrew ketheneth in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This cleaueth iust to the body and is so narrowe and strayte sleued that there is no wryncle at al in the garment and came downe to the legges This was verely whyte and cleane Girdel or a belte For the Lorde Christ is an vndefiled Priest Hebre. 7. Neyther weareth he agayne a foule vesture as he did Zachar. 3. Nor a purple as in the .19 of Iohn But a bright one as he that hath obteyned a name aboue all names But his gyrdell or belte is worne of Souldiours and triumphaunt persones And it signifieth in Christ the dignitie roiall For Christ is king delyuerer and redemer of the faythfull His victory is ours He hath ouercome Sathan Helle synne and death But the belte or girdle of Christe is not set in the wonted place to wytte about the loynes For as Aretas hath also admonished ther ar no coÌ„cupiscences to be restrained in Christ Therefore is he not gyrded after the maner of synners but about the pappes or brestes to thintent we should vnderstande by the girding that he is kyng of kynges voydâ— of all affections Moste rightuous and holy in iudgements and gouernement But yet in the meane tyme furnyshed foâ— the defence of his church as we haue red it written in the 9â— Psalme The Lord hath put on strength girded hymself c. Christ might seme to haue girded him selfe not after the maner that priestes or kynges vse for that he hath obteyned 〈◊〉 more excellent priesthod and kyngdome induring for eueâ— To accomplishe