and before his Aungelles He that hath eares let him heare what the spirite sayeth to the congregations The argumēt of this parte The seconde parte of this heauenly epistle is conteined in these poinctes in the whiche is praised and cōmended the innocencie holines and integritie of the faithful in the congregation of Sardis in true religion He exhorteth them by a promesse moste large vnto perseueraunce Last he propoundeth agayne vnto them moste ample rewardes euen to the corrupte sorte in case they amende and to the faithful if they continewe as they be The complutensiā boke hath thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But thou haste a fewe names in Sardis Whiche is as much as if he had saied they be not al corrupt and dead with thee although in dede those be very fewe And so Aretas readeth it in Greke and the cōmon translation in Latin other copies haue whiche Erasmus followeth thou haste a fewe names also at Sardis that is euen in Sardis hast thou names Names but fewe And he put names for notable men Which maner of speaking is also in our langage For we saye there is no man of name for no excellent or noble personage he signifieth therefore that there be in the same Churche noble personages and that noble in soundenes of faith and holynes of life but very fewe Few good if they shoulde be referred or compared to the numbre of Hipocrites or dead whiche in dede are a greate deale more Nother oughte we here at to maruel For the Lorde sayeth also in the Gospell that many be called fewe chosen And that the greater parte of this world walketh in that broade and wide waye of perdition Matth. 20. and 7. The whiche also S. Peter repeted in the 2. chapter of his latter epistle That they are rather to be hissed at than confuted whiche seke to defende theyr errour by a multitude You shall heare very ofte at this daye You are but a fewe in nombre we are innumerable and therfore our matter is the better But that same excellent thinge is chiefly to be obserued What is cōmended the church of Sardis that although they were but fewe good yet neuertheles the Lorde cōmendeth and extolleth those fewe doubtles for the example and imitation of al other churches The wordes in dede are shorte but the praise moste ample and large That they had not defiled their garmentes whiche is as muche as if he had sayed you haue not polluted your soules with straunge opinions or spottes of heresie For you haue remayned sincere in the true faythe your bodies also and the whole conuersation of your life you haue not defiled with filthie lustes with fleshely pleasures and voluptuousenes Doubtles this is the greatest prayse and most certaine signe of perfit godlines wherewith I would wishe that mo of vs were marked But the maner of speache here requireth also an exposition The allegorie of apparell in the scripture The allegorie of garments is often and much vsed in holy scripture The vse of apparell inuented of God him selfe and shewed to our forefathers hath this chiefe propertie to hide the priuie partes of our body to beautife and set forth the body and kepe of heate and colde And therfore Christ him self is called the garment of Christiās and in the gospel in dede the wedding garment Whervpon thapostle aduiseth vs to put on the new mā which is made after God euen Christ him selfe Roman 13. Ephes 4. Coloss 3. For Christ couereth not only our priuie partes but all the filthines also of the soule he adorneth and beautifieth vs and driueth frō vs all iniurie and all euill And we defile this garment when neither in faith nor in holines of life we do aunswer to our professiō For Christe is our garment and Christianitie sincere faithe and holines of life are our apparell And euen faithe and our conuersation is our garmente For asmuche therfore as the Sardensians were of a sincere fayth and vncorrupte maners they are saied to haue kepte their garmēts cleane and vndefiled The lorde also geueth nowe a rewarde vnto vertu To walke with christ in where graye And they shal walke with me sayeth he in white araye These excellent things verely doeth he rehearse to reteyne the Sardensians in theyr dutie to nourrishe them to greater things and to moue other also to sinceritie and integritie Sainctes walke with Christ in white araye that is to saye haue fruitiō of the same glory wherin we beleue Christ to shine For he desireth his father that he will graunt to the faithfull that where so euer he is they may be with him and see his glory c. in the 17. of Iohn And with S. Matth. in the transformatiō or clarifiyng the face of Christ appered bright like the sunne his apparell and rest of his body as light So appered Christ vnto Iohn in the first chapt of this boke clothed in white araye Nowe therfore sayeth he the godly that haue not defiled their garmente shal accompany me hauing put on light also Sainctes be worthy of glory He addeth an other thing for they be worthie This is the greatest prayse when the Captaine sayeth that the soldiour is worthy of honour and glory The greatest shame or ignomie is when it is sayed with vs thou arte vnworthy The first kind of speache sheweth him to be most excellent in al kinde of vertue whiche is sayed to be worthie of eternal light by the later is signified that he whiche is accompted vnworthy of a good and excellent thing is maruelouse negligent and vngraciouse But here we nede not to reason of the merite and deserte of worthines God pronoūceth his to be worthie of glory the godly referre al the goodnes that is in them vnto grace and still complaine of theyr vnworthines Not to reproue God of liyng but to prayse and cōmende the excellent goodnes that is in him acknowledging in dede that he rewardeth good workes and dignifieth the worthines of sainctes but they are nothing proude hereof but acknowledge al this to come of grace This appereth in the doctrine of the Gospell Luke 17. Matth. 25. where Sainctes cōmended of God for the workes of mercy seme the acknowledge nothing therof Howbeit he declareth more at large the most ample promesses of God Greate rewardes of vertue wherby he maye not onlye reteyne in their duty the Sainctes and vndefiled Sardensians but mighte also reduce al others that go astray at al times into the waye of repentaunce integritie and holines And three thinges he promiseth first in dede white apparell that is to saye gloryfiyng and light euerlastinge and the gloriouse company of Christ wherof I haue spoken already Secondly and I wil not sayeth he put out his name out of the boke of life For like as Cities haue bokes wherin the names of theyr Citizens are written The boke of life righte so is God in the scriptures sayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
as they haue liued which liue no more But with the Grekes it is otherwise at the leeste wise in these wordes To our iudge most iuste most mightie and most rightuouse be prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ The thankes geuyng of the Elders is expounded the Temple is opened in heauen the arcke appereth and there were made lightenynges c. The .li. Sermon ANd the heythen were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they shoulde be iudged that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the Prophetes and Sainctes and to them that feare thy name smal and great and shouldest distroye them which distroye the Earth And the Temple of God was opened in Heauen and there was sene in his tēple the Arche of his Testament there followed lightnings and voices and thonderinges earthquake and a great hayle I shewed you Of the last iudgemēt howe the Elders did so geue thankes vnto God for their saluation that withall they extolled Gods rightuousenes and excellēt veritie which he sheweth in his iudgement most rightuouse wherein he rewardeth the godly with iust rewardes and plageth the wicked with deserued punnishmentes And vnder this figure of speache they teach vs that both the iudgemēt shall assuredly come and that the same in al thinges shal be most holy and iuste Would God they would dilligently consider these thinges with thēselues which iudge them to talke of tryfles that make mention of that horryble and most dreadfull day of iudgement For we loke for thinges more terrible than any toung beit neuer so eloquent is able to expresse The tyme of wrath is come He rehearseth the wrath or tyranny of infidelles againste the faythfull cruelly and continually executed and so verely that God semed to many to be a blocke and nother coulde nor wolde be angrie But the iudgement ones made the elders extoll Gods veritie and say the wrath is come Doubtles the holy Prophetes of God haue alwayes threatned punishmentes testifieng that God is angrie both with the sinners and with sinnes but where the wrath of god appeared not immediately the Prophets appeared to feare men with vayne terrours and as it were make them affrayde of their shadowes but now say the elders the veritie hath appeared and the wrath of God is come And the wrath of God sheweth it selfe in the iuste vengeaunce of God The tyme of the dead is come Moreouer they extoll in that also the veritie and iustice of God for that the tyme of the dead is commen that they be iudged Hitherto whylest the worlde florished they semed to tel fables and grandames tales which spake of the resurrection of the dead and the lyfe to come For the resurrection of the dead was contemned of Philosophers and men of this worlde But the elders reioyce also that the same tyme is come and that the dead are reuiued that is that the bodies of the dead are rysen agayne and cummen to iudgement Whereof the Apostle speakynge we muste all sayth he appeare openly before the iudgement seate of God that euery one may receiue such things as are done by the body according as it hath done whether it be good or euyll .2 Corrinthi the .5 chapter God in the iudgement wel requyre the hyre Furthermore they moste highly commend Gods iustice and veritie when also they declare exactely howe God by his iust iudgement rendresh to euery one that is his He declareth therfore what he rewardeth whome he rewardeth First he payeth wages or hyre For rewarde is promysed of God vnto good workes For in the .13 of Ieremy the Lorde saith refrayne thy voice from weping for there is a reward for thy worke And the Lorde sayth also in the gospel be glad reioice for your reward is great in heauē And agayne the sonne of manne shal come in the glory of his father with his Angelles and than shall he render to euery one after his doinges So the Apostle sayed that euery one muste ryse in his owne body that euery one may receiue such thinges as are done by the body whether it be good or euill Whylest this world florisheth and the wicked reioice in their voluptuousnes and the godly are afflicted and afflicte themselues with continuall mortifieng the flessh iudgeth that these lose both labour and cost but the other to be very happie Which thing is also declared in the third fourth chapt of Malachie But at the laste iudgement it shall finally appeare that the godly haue not laboured in vaine nother that the wicked haue contemned God vnpunished and dispysed godlines For God rewardeth euery one after the qualitie of his worke the which he calleth wages Neuerthelesse the godly abuse not in the meane time this sayeng acknowledgeing it to be of fre mercie that they haue beleued and wroughte with good fayth that good worke of theirs therfore to be accepted of God because they be in Christ Whereof I haue written in the .3 boke the .10 chapt Of the grace of God iustifieng shewing that of reward desert cannot be proued Secondly thei declare to whome he geueth reward To whome rewarde is geuen I say to two sortes of men to good I mean euil Againe he raccompteth many kyndes of good men First he calleth these the seruaūts of god as thei that be subiecte to the empyre of god alone and obey him in al things By and by he nameth thē prophets techers of churches Of whose state mo things ar spoken in the .11 chap. These some to be more vnfortunate than any others in this world and ar accompted of many as great offēders which being taken out of that way all clearenes shuld seme to come againe Therfore be thei iustlie raccompted in the rigister of them which receiue a reward of the lord to wit in recōpence of their trauell Now into this accompte come also the saints that is to sai al godly which being sanctified through fayth with the spirit bloud of god haue lyued an holy life keping thēselues from al worldly pollutiō Moreouer in the godly reward nōbre of holy saincts are reckened such as fear the name of the lord that is thei that be very holy and religiouse in dede Finally leeste any man should thinke any of the faithfull excluded he addeth to small and greate that is to saye vnto men of al ages state and sexe c. The lorde distroyeth thē whiche distroyed the Earth After he cometh to the euill and addeth and shouldest distroy them that distroyed the earth These thinges seme borrowed of the prophetes with whom is much mention of the distroyers of the earth whom the lord should distroye at the length And vnder the name of distroyers S. Iohn vnderstandeth first Tirauntes Kinges and Princes that be persecutours of the church Also menne of warre and souldiours whiche by vniuste warres distroye all thinges with sworde and fire Secondely he vnderstandeth vniuste
the Apostolical maner fewe thinges were taught of Christe and of our redemption Let vs praye vnto the Lorde that he would vouchesafe to illumine our mindes Amen ¶ Here is described adoration and prayse geuyng or an Himne songe vnto Christ of the beasts and Elders The .xxviij. Sermon ANd when he had taken the boke the foure beastes and .xxiiii. Elders fel downe before the lambe hauynge Harpes and golden Vialles ful of odours which are the prayers of Sainctes and they sange a newe songe saiyng Thou arte worthy to take the boke and to open the Seales therof for thou waste killed haste redemed vs by thy bloud out of all kinredes and tongues and people and natiōs and haste made vs vnto our God Kinges and Priestes and we shall reigne on the earth We haue hearde Christ is the true only monarche that the lambe hath receyued the boke of the hande of him that sitteth in the Throne that he might open it and lowse the seales of the same that is we haue vnderstande that Christ is the only and eternall Sauiour and Lorde vnto whome all power is geuen in heauen and earth that he than only and euermore saueth that he reuealeth to vs the misteries and iudgementes of God that he finally gouerneth and disposeth al thinges in the worlde It followeth moreouer how al the creatures of God behaued them selues towardes this sonne of God the monarche and gouernour of al thinges This thing is set forth with a maruelouse figuratiue and plentiful speache in the Tipe of the .iiii. beasts and xxiiii Elders c. Certenly that we might of their gestures wordes and workes vnderstande what it is mete for vs to do in the iudgementes of God For this example is verely manifolde and euen of sixe partes suche as you shall hardely finde propounded in any other matter An exāple manifolde whereby we learne how to behaue oure selues towardes the gouernour of al thīgs And in this matter is of very greate force First in dede we haue hearde in the .iiii. chapt that the foure beastes cried out before the Throne of him that sate holy holy holy lord God omnipotent Seconde we vnderstande that the .xxiiii. Elders fel doune worshipped cast away their crownes and sange an Himne Nowe followeth the thirde degree of this example For as firste the beastes and Elders did these thinges seuerally so now ioyntly with one accorde the beastes and Elders fal downe together before the lābe Let vs therefore fall downe also in all the iudgementes and workes of God before the lambe gouernour of al and let vs worship For although it be not here added and they worshipped yet are they to be vnderstand for this intent to haue fallen downe that they might worship For to fal downe is to worship Whiche thing is also perceiued by this that foloweth The lābe is worshipped For they offer praiers to the lambe that is to witte singe an Himne whiche is a parte of godly worshippinge Morouer it foloweth immediately that euery creature sang an Himne to him that setteth in the Throne and to the lābe c. And verely two thinges especially and diligently S. Iohn treateth in this example For first he painteth out gallauntly the behauiour of the beastes and elders After he annexeth the Himne prayse geuyng or songe And so much as apperteyneth their behauiour Afore al thinges they fal downe before the lambe as euen nowe I sayed Christe is very God to be worshipped with the father in the same glory And this place is of efficacitie enough to proue the deitie of our Sauiour Christe For these thinges ought to be conferred with those whiche are written vpon the same wordes in the .iiii. chapt The .xxiiii. Elders fell downe before him that sitteth in the Throne and worshippe him that liueth for euer and euer And now it is sayed that the selfe same elders haue fallen downe before the lambe wherupon it followeth that he that liueth for euer and the lambe be worshipped with like glory culte and honour And that the sonne is coequall with the father to be worshipped for euer Wherby now is opēly perceyued the abominable and detestable errour of Arius and Seruetus Seruetus renewed the blasphemy of Arrius confuted at this present not only of the beastes but also of the whole cōgregation of Sainctes in heauē Idle men reason subtilly and peruerte wraste gods worde after their wonted giantly boldenes at their pleasure we wil rather followe the examples of all sainctes and creatures in the worlde and will worship the lambe with hym that sitteth in the throne blessed for euermore Agayne there are obiecte to vs the Elders liyng prostrate on the pauement holding in their hādes harpes and vialles Harpes vialles An harpe in the Psalmes and holy historie is an instrument of musicke cōsecrate to prayses diuine Of the vialle of what shape or fashion the cuppe was the writers of vesselles treate muche I vnderstande it to be simply a cuppe or a bolle suche as we reade there were many in the tabernacle and temple appoincted bothe for drinke offeringes and also for swete odours and incense Neuerthelesse these thinges in the holy heauenly dwellers be not to be taken corporally but spiritually after a suffiguration For what the spirite of God vnderstode the reuealer of secrettes S. Iohn him selfe addeth which be the prayers of Sainctes Therfore is signified that Sainctes offer prayers to God whiche are muche more acceptable to him Musicke incense prayer than the swete melodie of Musicall instrumentes is to man or pleasaunt sauour of swete gumes or of incense Aretas the expositour in that they haue Harpes sayeth he it sheweth a concorde and agrement in geuynge God thankes And herof we learne agayne what we should do in the contemplation vnderstanding of the iudgementes and workes of God The lord is to be praysed blessed because he is good and his mercy indureth for euer But if thankes must be geuen to God if his workes and iudgmentes are to be praysed why do certen men expostulate with God blamyng or bringing in suspicion his iudgemētes let vs learne moreouer that Organes and those corporall incenses do no longer become the churche of God Of this place S. Ireney in the 4. boke agaynste heresies The true sacrifice of Christiās in the .33 and .34 chapt sheweth that the prayers and thankes geuyng of Sainctes be the same oblation whiche Malachie prophecied to be offered vp through out the whole worlde And shortely after Tertullian followed the same exposition agyynst the Iewes and in the iiii boke agaynste Marcion whom other doctours of the Churche haue followed But those pleasaunt sophisticall triflers I meane the popisshe diuines do as it were triumph in those thinges yet leade they in the meane time a shadowyng and a most vaine triumphe For they applie these thinges to their sacrifice wherin they fayne them selues vnder the some of bread wine to offer
A HVNDRED Sermons vpō the Apocalips of Iesu Christe reueiled in dede by Thangell of the Lorde but seen or receyued and written by thapostle and Euāgelist S. Iohn Compiled by the famous and godly learned man Henry Bullinger chief Pastor of the Congregation of Zuryk ¶ Newly set forth and allowed according to the order appoynted in the Quenes maiesties Iniuntions ¶ Th argument wurthines commoditie and vse of this worke thou shalt fynd in the Preface After which thou hast a most exact Table to leade thee into all the princypall matters conteyned therin Math. 17. ☞ This is my welbeloued sun in whom I take pleasure heare hym Anno. 1561 TO THE RIGHT HOnorable Syr Thomas Wentworth knight Lorde VVentworth Lorde Lifetenaunt of the Quenes Maiesties Countie of Suffolk c. Hys singular good Lorde and Master Iohn Daus his obedient Seruaunt wissheth health and peace in the Lorde with thincrease of honor and dignitye IF we waigh and consider aswell this present pece of Scripture intitled the Reuelatiō as also the whole body of the same Ryghte honorable and my singular Lorde we shall fynde that the trewe Churche of Chryst hath ben euer from the first creation of the world is now and still shall be to the consumation therof subiecte to greate aduersities persecutions and troubles out of the which notwithstanding the Lord when he seeth it good deliuereth and preserueth the same and suffereth her not to perysh Wherupon the Romish haue a trew saying that Peters ship may with billowes and waues of tempestuous stormes be ouer whelmed but can neuer be drowned which saying is doubtlesse most true although thei thē selues sayle not therein but rather seke to dround the same by ouerfraighting her with the heauy burthen of mens traditions For certēly the Shippe of Peter whiche is the figure of Chrystes Churche is in dede ofte tossed and tourmoyled with outragious stormes and tempestes but can neuer be drenched or swallowed vp of the same For Christ bothe Master and owner therof can and wyll for his mercy truthes sake appeace all rages at his pleasure Herin both the Papistes and Gospellers do agree But whether of them are the trewe Church◠thys matter is yet in controuersie hangeth before the Iudg which this present worke shall discerne and put out of all doubt And to enter a little into the matter as it were with a certen preamble the true Churche of Chryste is not called the stony temple wherin we assemble to heare Gods worde receyue the Sacramentes and to praye in for suche are builded with handes and with handes are destroyed a 〈…〉 nether yet is it called the congregation of certen Byshops of al nations assembled in a generall Counsell for they all though in the firste lawfull and godly counselles were many good men and excellent mēbers of Christes Church yet were they not the whole church which could not erre and the which had authoritie to make new Articles of the faith but the Church is called the whole societie of people that acknowledge the Gospell of Christe and beleue in him And this Churche not to be of one time only but of all tymes ages as Adam with Eue hys wife his sun Abel his familie was the church Noah with his familie was the churche Melchizedec with his familie was the Churche Abraham also with his familie Likewyse Isaac Iacob Dauid the Prophetes and Apostles with theyr Auditours that beleued in the Gospell of Christ were the churche and where soeuer at this daye the Gospel of Christ is receyued and beleued there is also the church of Christ which by a figuratiue speache may be aptly called the Ship of Peter or Arcke of Noe. Now let vs consider the state of the churche vnder Adam wherof the chiefest member was righteous Abel but him doth his brother Cain persecute for Religion and slayeth hym And this was the beginning of the tempest that arose a-against the Ship of Peter the beginning I meane of the persecution of the church which shal last to the worldes ende Lykewyse dyd the churche vnder Abraham suffer persecution by Ismaell vnder Isaac by Esau vnder Moses of Pharao vnder Eli the high Priest the Arke of the Lorde was taken by the Philistines and then it was thought that the church shulde haue quyte perished vnder Achab and wicked Iezabel the Churche was not onlye afflicted and sore oppressed but also in a maner extinguished where the Prophet Helias complayned that he was lefte alone Vnder Ieremie the Citie of Ierusalem was destroyed of the Babylonians and the churche was not lyke then to perish but rather vtterly lost already when Christ the head of the Churche was crutified it was iudged that the churche had then ben cleane destroied We had thought say they that he shoulde haue redemed Israell what tyme king Pharao with his host had inclosed the Israelites that is to witte the churche betwene the mountaines and the Red Sea it was lyke that the churche shulde haue perished but Moses prayed the Lorde miraculously deliuered them Againe the churche semed to be in extreme daunger when Sennacherib spoyled the kyngdome of Iuda and ment to destroy Ierusalem but througe the prayer of Ezechias the Kyng God sent his Angell and distroyed the host of the Assyrians The church semed to tende vnto ruine when Herod had killed Iames with the sweard and minded also Peter but the congregation contynewyng in prayer the Lorde sent his Angel to deliuer Peter And to be short in those ten greuous persecutions which followed immediatly after the Apostles time the church many times semed brought vnto vtter decay but alwayes when God saw it good it was reuiued and as it were refreshed agayne What shuld I recite the persecutions of the churche in the time of Athanasius wherin the Arrian Bishoppes so preuayled that the Emperour and his whole Armye so persecuted Athanasius that the good Bishop was fayne to lye hyd in an holle where he saw no sunne by the space of sixe yeares And who wold then haue thought that euer the trew churche of Christ shulde haue flourished agayne I nede not here to reherse the cruell persecutions of the church vnder the Romish antichrist which neuerthelesse haue ben and be yet styll most tyranicall and blouddye For that the same shall in this present worke more clerely appere then that I nede to make any discourse therof only I wolde shewe briefely as dothe my Author at large that Christes trewe churche is alwayes subiect to persecutions To thintent therfore to passe ouer many thynges vntouched and to come nerer our fathers memorye in the tyme of the Emperoure Sigismunde there was holden a counsell at Constaunce wherein the Bishops so conspired to extinguish Christes veritie that contrary to thauncient libertie of a free and general Counsel and cōtrary to the Emperours saufconduit they not only burned there Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prage professours of Chrystes Gospell but decreed also that the bones of
to come albeit s Iohn hath hitherto spokē neuer so largely yet hath there nothīg be sayd worthy so greate a matter wher both the prophetical Apostolicalscrip saith that which the eye hath not sene nor the eare hath hard nor yet hath ascended into the harte of man the same hath God prepared for those that loue him But those things whiche I haue hitherto drawen into an abridgement the title and conclusion of the woorke omitted the order of the booke shewed also by the way S. Iohn in his Apocalypse deliuered by Christe as ofte I haue said through the ministery of a most excellent Aungel commendeth to the vniuersall Churche of Chryst and chiefly to vs in whom th ende of the world hathe chaunced wherin he hath taught nothyng at all contrary to that which he hath taught in his euangelicall story and his epistles The doctrin of the Apocalypse is the apostolicall doctrine Iohn .v. In his story he resiteth certen thinges concernynge the persecutions of the church by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Of Antechrist nothing vnlesse he sayd this only which many vnderstode to be spoken of Antechrist I came in my fathers name and you receyue me not If an other shall come in hys owne name hym ye wil receyue In thepistle he touched by the way Antechristes matter sayde 1 Ioan. ij dere children the last tyme is at hand and as you haue hearde that Antechrist shall come euen now many Antechristes haue begon to be But in this last boke of his S. Iohn toke vpō hym to declare peculiarly and in dew order and plentifully such things as oure lord Iesus Chryste had distinctly and playnly reuealed to hym of that great Antechrist and of the perills and persecutiōs of the church And for that cause he appereth to haue vsed more plētiful copie and a kind of speach better furnished more painted variable and polished so that it is no maruell though the phrase of this boke vary somewhat from the style of his other bokes Wherof we shal touche somewhat also in this that followeth In the meane time you wil say there wanteth nothing in this boke if you way euery thing more dilligently whiche you shulde require of a boke moste euangelicall and apostolicall We haue in the same not only expressed but also well expounded the chief articles of our belefe Moreouer innumerable places of the prophets are expounded in this boke For the whiche cause this S. Iohn was called of Iohn Decolampadius The apocalypse is the paraphrasis of the Prophets not without cause thexpositour of the prophets And as the Apostles had this peculiar to themselues to cōfirme such thinges as they taught by the wrytinges of the prophets So in thexposition of the boke it shall appere that this holy wryter S Iohn hathe either borrowed all his thinges of the scriptures or to beautifie and confirme his writhinges by the scripture What excellent and profitable things ar treated in this boke Bat chiefly this boke of S. Iohn setteth forth the kingdom and priesthode of oure Lord and sauioure Iesus Christ the power glory and maiestie of his deitie and humanitie the mistery and veritie of his redemptiō And I doubt whether after the Gospel there may be founde in anye other boke of the scripture more goodly and more godly fit descriptions of Chryste Neither do I desire that credit shulde be geuen to these my wordes let the triall be made of the thinge it selfe Yea the church also the chosen spouse of Christ is painted out most beautifully and she with her vertues and vices is touched also the fall of her and likewise the reparation and reformation and the conflict or fight of the same here be moreouer described the perils ayde and victories that you may seme to haue herein an abridgemente of the story of the church Moreouer it appereth by this boke what is the true and sincere doctrine in the church of God which is false corrupted Furthermore it sheweth vs also sondry descriptions figuratiōs of matters most weyghtie but first and chiefly of that honorable Trinitie of Chryst also as I said before our sauiour and iudge Finally protectour and president gouerning all thinges most iustely in most goodly order for the saluation of his chosen watching ouer his worde and ouer his church and ministers of the same Iustifieng also sanctifieng and preseruing all the faithfull in the felowship of the churche Punishyng lykewyse all the wicked with all superstition and vngodlynes Briefly no where neglecting the chosē no where sparyng thenemies Besides this it setteth forth to vs the description also of the Deuil of al his mallice and warre And setteth before oure eyes also the horrible torments and paynes that they suffer in hell It setteth open to vs heauen it selfe and sheweth what may be the hope of the faithfull And affirmeth the true resurrectiō of al flesh In this boke is taught how great is the grace and mercy of almighty God howe rightuous he is true Here is taught what is the true repētaunce of the faithfull here are taught the true good workes of the true faythe what be the duties of true pietie and what be the holy exercises dew to God acceptable of Sainctes in earth Here are shewed also most diligently those wicked dedes whiche are to God most hatefull Here is shewed most plenteously what shal at the length be th end of good men and euyll what shal be the souerayne felicitie and what the extreme misery and infelicitie In somuche that this boke maye euen by the thinge it selfe or matter that it treateth and setteth forthe commende it selfe to all godly people and may shew and proue in dede that it was writtē by the spirite of thapostle Now all these matters are setforth and handled after the Apostolicke maner and accustomed facion of holy scripture By what meane and in what sort these are setforth playne and ful of perspicuitie At the beginning God propounded diuine matters and the which concerned our saluation as it were vnder a veale and vnder figures not to thintente to darken or obscure them but rather to vnfolde them and set them foorth For this maner of declaryng inuisible thyngs by visible is more fit to teache more mete to moue more apt for perspicuitie and most conuenient and sitting that things may be more depely imprinted in minde and the lesse fall out of the same And therfore we rede that sondry visions were exhibited to the Patriarches as to Abraham Israell Ioseph Moses and others Certes yf you take frō the bokes of the Prophetes the visions parables and sundry figures of speache how much I pray you shall you leaue of theyr doctryne emongs these be more notable in visions Ezechiel Daniel and Zacharie Neyther is thys maner of teachyng by visions parables and sundry figures takē away in the new testament lyke as I haue shewed els where The very story of the
and howe he is in hys churche In these thinges are all the misteries of the Gospell comprehended For what can you say of Christ that you haue not herein comprysed Let vs therfore remembre them and wryte them in our myndes that we may imbrace Christ kyng and byshop and that we neuer let hym departe out of our armes To hym be glory ¶ How Iohn was affected towardes the vision to hym exhibited the comfort of Iohn and the exposition of the vision applied vnto consolation The sixt Sermon ANd when I sawe hym I fel at his fete euen as dead And he layd his right hand vpon me saying vnto me Feare not I am the first and the laste and am alyue and was â—ead And beholde I am alyue for euer more â—nd haue the keyes of hel and of death write â—herfore the thinges whiche thou haste sene â—nd the thinges whiche are and the thinges whiche shal be fulfilled hereafter And the mistery of the seuen Starres which thou sawest in my right hand and the seuen golden candelstickes The seuen Starres are the messengers of the seuen congregations And â—he seuen candelstickes whiche thou sawest â—re the seuen congregations It followeth how blessed S. Iohn was moued with that celestiall and wonderfull vision And how he receiued consolation more ouer the exposition of the vision applied to his comfort with a commaundement to indite all these thingâ— diligently Iohn falleth downe lieth like one were dead What tyme he had fully sene this diuine and heauenly sight of Christ our Lord sitting on the right hand of God iâ— glory his strength failing him he falleth down on the earth and liyng at the fete of the Lorde is lyke a dead body Wâ— reade that the same chaunced to Daniel in the .x. Chapt. And other men of God also haue bene feared with the visions oâ— Aungels The women also in the new Testament trembleâ— at the sepulchre seing Aungels Peter was amased at thâ— greatnes of the miracle Luke .v. And falling at the knees 〈◊〉 the Lord crieth out go from me Lord for I am a synful mâ—â— For Godly visions bewray our infirmitie The weakenes of mans vnderstaÌ„ding Neyther be â—apte or sufficiently pourged to behold those supercelestâ— thinges with eyes and myndes sicke and not yet well puâ—â—fied Therfore must the elect be glorified in an other lyfe thâ— they may be made partakers of the glory celestiall In thâ— meane season here al godly are humbled and abased by hygâ— visions and reuelations 2 Cor. 12 For they auaunce not them selueâ— proudly through the glory of reuelatioÌ„ But perceiuing thâ— naturall corruption they craue pardon and the augmentation of the supercelestiall grace and light For vnlesse we bâ— illumined with the spirite of God we shal lye like dead folkâ— how so euer we receyue with our corporall senses the visioâ— celestiall Humilitie is comforted of the Lord. But they that humble them selues before the Lorde fyndâ— a moste present consolation at the Lordes hande Wherfoâ— there came to S. Iohn immediatly both in worde and deâ— a full consolation For the Aungell representing the personâ— of Christ layeth his right hand vpon Iohn The whiche is token of amitie protection and of present helpe For in 〈◊〉 pressing this maner of speaking in dutche we say therfore 〈◊〉 laiyng on the hand is signified that Christ is good to Iohn ready to helpe him Which incontinently he maketh playâ— by the addition of wordes saiyng feare not Feare not Whiche saiyâ— is common euery where in the story of the Gospel And thâ—â—fore is most gospel like that is to saye most lucky For God commaundeth the humbled to be of good hope and to liue assured vnder the protectioÌ„ of the highest Which verely we vnderstand to be spoken not to Iohn alone but to al vs also that we in like maner albeit that we fele the infirmitie of our fleshe should yet hope well of the goodnes mercy of God Here followeth that cause more fully declared why Iohn shold not be affrayed For the vision shewed was not exhibited for the terrour of him but that Iohn might perceiue how great and mightie he is which is prepared for the defence of him al the faithfull As though he shoulde saye Where thou seest how great he is which hath taken vpoÌ„ him to defende thee who finally protecteth and gouerneth the whole Churche there is no cause why thou shouldest be affraide But rather execute boldely that he coÌ„maundeth thee Wryte that he coÌ„maundeth to be written Be not affrayed of men feare God rather For if good meÌ„ be so sore afrayde at the sight of him where shal the enemies and contemners of God appere Therfore consequently he expouÌ„deth the vision teaching who he is which was sene like to the sonne of man walking emonges the golden Candelstickes And he applieth this expositioÌ„ vnto comforte that both Iohn euery faithful maye perceiue how mightie Christ is what the faithfull haue by him obteined For the Aungell tempereth his speach so that we maie seme to heare al things spokeÌ„ to vs not by the mouth of the Aungell but of Christ him selfe A diuisioÌ„ And this exposition hath his partes For first he declareth as I said euen nowe whose Image it was that was shewed Than is annexed a coÌ„maundement to write this boke After that is opened the misterie of the starres Finally the secretnes of the caÌ„delsticks is reuealed And al these thinges right plainly and briefly First thou hast sene saieth the Lord a vision Christe is represented by the same vision what he is and how great he is wherat thou waste amased but feare thou not For thou hast not sene any euill or fearful spirite boding any misfortune but my shape whiche am thy redemer and Lorde I am first and laste And this maner of speakyng as I warned a little before he toke out of the Prophecies of Esaye as it is to be seene in the .xli. xliiii xlv and xlviii chapters And he signifieth him selfe to be coequall and of the same substaunce with the father in all thinges very God eternall and incoÌ„prehensible For loke what thinges the father attributeth to himself the same also doth the sonne vsurpe But there is no order or time certain to be vnderstaÌ„de in first and last but plainly euerlastingnes Therfore Christ here signifieth Christ is egall with the father that he is very God egalle and of the same essence with the father from all eternitie As the same is also muche confirmed in Iohn 1.5.10.14 and 17. chapter This fighteth against the Heretickes which at that time also as at this daye the Seruetanes denie the eternall deitie of Christ the Lorde And thus when the trewe God is of vs acknoweledged and beleued he maye be for our Saluation Yf Christe be not very God he is not our saluation For I am God sayeth the veritie And besides me there is no God no Saluation Secondly he sayeth I am
them was commaunded that they should not kill them but that they should be vexed fiue monethes and their payne was as the payne that commeth of a Scorpion when he hath stonge a manne And in those dayes shal men seke death and shal not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them The fourth trompet declareth an hurtful and a long strife The .iiii. trompe whiche arrose in the churche of the doctrine of Pelagius This Pelagius taught that the sinne of Adam hurte him alone and not mankinde and therefore that in the same all men die not That man hath free will so that he maye doe good Nother that he shoulde be free if he nede the helpe of God Which if he hath it he maye the more easely do good The doctrine of pelagius yf he haue it not that he maye yet neuerthelesse worke it by his owne vertue and maye deserue euerlasting life Therefore that our victory is not of the helpe of God but of free will and that remission is not geuen to the penitentes after the grace and mercy of God but after the deserte and workynge of them whiche through repentaunce are worthye of Godes mercy and the residewe whiche Saincte Austen reherseth in the hondreth and sixte Epistle to Boniface that Pelagius had renounced whiche neuerthelesse in an other place he sheweth that the same had taught and retourned to his vomite As in the register of heresie the .88 heresie The same against two epistles of the Pelagiās in the .2 boke 2 chapter to Boniface The Manicheis sayeth he denie that a good man had the beginnyng of euill of free will Whileste fooles eschewe one vice they runne into an other The Pelagians saye also that an euill man hath free will sufficiently to fulfil a good precept The catholicke doctrine reproueth both these and to them sayeth God made man right c. And to these sayeth yf the sonne hath made you free you ate verely free And in the .9 chapt the same Authour Where we saye that the wil of man vnto euil is free to do good that it muste be made free by the grace of God it maketh against the Pelagians And where we saye that the euill whiche was not before is comen of him it is agaynst the Manicheis Moreouer in the .8 chapt Pelagius sayeth that the thing which good is maye soner be accomplisshed if grace helpe therto By the whiche addition that is in adding more easely he signifieth verely that he thinketh thus that although the help of grace waūt he can yet albeit more hardely perfourme that which is good by free will Agayne the same in the .47 Epistle to Valent. Who falle into the errour of the Pelagiās That man saieth he falleth into the errour of the Pelagians whiche supposeth the grace of God to be geuen for any deserte of man whiche grace alone maketh manne free through Iesus Christe our Lorde But agayne he that thinketh when the Lord shal come vnto iudgement that man is not iudged after his workes which might now by reason of his age vse the free choyse of will is neuerthelesse in errour He sayeth in a maner the same thing in the .2 booke the .18 chapt of the merites and remission of sinnes The third part of the sunne of the Moone the starres smitten With this doctrine of Pelagius was stricken that is to saye darkened for so S. Iohn him selfe a little after expoundeth him selfe saying in so much that the third parte of them was obscured c. the thirde parte of the sunne to witte of Christ which is the trewe sunne of rightuousenes For the Pelagians doctrine denied the grace of Christ with mans merite trode vnderfote the merite of Christ Whereby also the thirde parte that is to witte a great parte of the Moone namely the church is red to be smitten and darkened moreouer the thirde parte of starres I meane preachers and ministers wounded hath not taught with such light as became them For stories witnesse that this heresie hath sore infected diuerse partes of the worlde that euen Bisshoppes and learned menne haue followed this noysome errour At Palestine in the Easte was assembled a Sinode of Bisshoppes which droue Pelagius to recant They disputed also at Rome sharpely against the Pelagian doctrine and Counsels were assembled which condemned the same Ther were Sinodes assembled in Affrica and after much reasoning sentence was pronounced against Pelagius For many were dayly taken with this infection For the doctrine is pleasaunt whiche waunteth not euen at this daie his mainteyners and defenders For it semeth godly and for the study of vertue nedeful to affirme free wil and mans merite agayne it appereth to be licentiouse to attribute al thing to Gods grace He addeth Nother daye nor night shone with the third parte therof that nother the daie shone with the thirde parte thereof nother yet the night with his thirde parte For like as grace coulde not be fully perceiued by the doctrine of Pelagius no more coulde sinne And S. Austen in the .2 boke of originall sinne .23.24 chapt sayeth that the Christiane fayth consisteth properly in the cause of two men For by the one we were solde vnder sinne by the other redemed from sinne by the one throwē headlong into death but by the other deliuered vnto life c. And whilest al these thinges are spoken they are spoken to this ende that we might beware of those Heresies And hitherto haue we spoken of the foure trompes and greatest conflictes in the churche there remayne three trompettes which haue now a little preface set before them wherby the mindes of the hearers might be excited And S. Iohn sayeth howe he sawe an Aungell flying thorowe the middes of heauen and hearde him criyng wo wo Wo to the inhabiters of the earth wo to the inhabiters of the Earth and that for those thinges which should chaunce vnto men than when the other three trompettes should be blowen Therfore vnto euery trompet is Ioyned an wo. Whiche we expresse very well in dutche by owe owe owe. For the Grekes saye and S. Iohn wrote in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it signifieth verely that the times of the fourmer conflictes were sharpe but yet that suche as follow shal be a great deale sharper and crueller For I tolde you in an other place that this vocable wo compriseth the euilles bothe of this life present and also of the life to come aswell of body as of soule Therfore shall the times of Papistrie Mahometrie and of the last iudgement be most daingerouse Som read an Egle for an Angell The complutensian copie hath an Egle where we reade an Aungell fliyng thorow the middes of heauē perauenture because he founde it so in Aretas Yea and the cōmon translation commonly called S. Hieromes hath an Egle for an Aūgell And therfore Primasius readeth it so likewise which semeth to haue followed