The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Chapter 12
The xij. Chapter.
NNw foloweth in order the seuēth trumpet blowinge or the pure declaration of Christes ioyfull tydynges for the laste age of the Church vnderunder the seuenth seale openynge, with the wounders and maruayles that there after ensueth.
THE TEXT.
1 And the seuenth Aungell blew. 2. And there were made great voyces in heauen. 3. Saying. The kindomes of this worlde are our Lordes and his Christes. 4. And he shall rayne for euermore. 5. And the xxiiii. elders vvhichwhich sate before God on their seates, 6. Fell vponupon their faces, and worshipped God▪ saying, 7. We geue thee thankes, Lorde God almighty, whiche art and waste, and art to come. 8. For thou hast receiued thy greate might, and hast raigned. 9. And the nation… were angry. 10. And thy wrath is to come. 11. And the time of the dead that they should be iudged. 12. And that thou shouldest geue rewarde vntounto thy seruantes the Prophets and sayntes 13. And to them that feare thy name, small and great. 14. And shouldest distroy them which destroye the earth.
The Paraphrase.
1 And the seauenth Angel blewe (sayeth Sainct Iohn.)
The seuenth sort of sincere prechers shall vtter their message accordinge to the will of God, they shall declare his pleasure as he hath appointed them. For though it be spoken heare as past and done, for the certentie of the thing, yet is it not fulfilled in effecte.
The word of God was without beginning, and his promyse euerlasting, yet is it not all perfourmed in his creatures but many things are yet to come.
2 After this blaste of the Angell were made great voyces in heauen. Many (the congregation or kingdom of God his Gospell once purely publyshed by the preachers) shall speake godly thinges to the edification of other. The simple poore weaklings, idotes, and infants shall vtter ye hydden wisdome of god to the confusion of the great wise men, and sage seniours of this world. Yea, the stones in the streat, the outcastes of the world, the forsaken people, shall wonderfully prayse the Lord.
3 And these shal be their sayings, when they shall sée the Antichristes cōfused and not able to speake again. The kingdomes of this worlde, that were somtime wicked, cruel, and vnfaithfull, are now become the Lords, and his Christes, of his onelyonly grace and goodnesse. Now fall they to the worde that afore thought it foolishnesse. Now cleaue they to the trueth that somtime did abhorre it. Now hauehave they in hand the Gospel, yt afore dyd persecute it as sedicious learning and heresy.
4 And in this congregation shal he raigne euermore. Continually is he with them, that in faith retaineth hys verytie. All this shall they vtter with no small reioyce. For doubtles after the seauenth seale opening, and the gospell preaching, then a peaceable time shall be, and figured it is by the halfe houre spoken of afore. For it shal not continue to the ende. Long may not the church of Christ be vnpersecuted▪ But yet this peace for the time shall …ot onelyonly be an inward peace in the conscience (as is alwayes among the faithful) but an outward quiet also, or a season wtou… persecution abroade.
5 And the xxiiij. elders (saith S. Iohn) or the great number of saincts departed, whiche sitteth before God on their seats, or resteth in his swéet peace, in such graces of the spirit as he gaue them by their lyfe time, as charite, stedfastnesse, louelove, ioy, peace, méekenesse, rightuousnesse, and such other lyke, fell downe flat vponupon their faces.
6 Most humblye hauehave they euer submitted themselues, referryng vntounto god the father the benfite of their creation, and vntounto Iesus Christ hys sonne the frée gyft of their redemption. Yea, sepcialli at this time, being vnderunder the Antler of God, & knowyng by hys méere goodnesse the number of their brethē shortly to be fulfilled, and them selues wt thē to be at a gloryous liberty, after their gostly sorte they laud hym saying.
7 From the verye depth of our spirituall hartes, we render vntounto thée most hygh thankes Lorde god almighty, eternall Father, sonne and holy ghost, which art one essenciall God, and wast without beginninge, and shalt be without ending.
8 For thou hast taken vponupon thée thy great might. Now haste thou shewed thy wonderful power. Euer hast thou raygned among thy people, but neuer so graciously, so plentuouslye, and so gloryouslye for our behoue.
9 The Heathen euermore were angry when thy truth appered. Mad were the wicked Antichristes when thy glory shyned, and their pride deminished. They freted for anger, they swelled for woodnesse, yea, they slew thy seruauntes and burned vp thy people.
10 But now is thy wrath towards them. Now wil thy anger break out, now wyll thy vengaunce appeare. Now shall thy terrible iudgement without mercy be declared frō heauē vponupon all vngodlinesse of those cruell enimyes that withhelde thy trueth in vnrightuousnesse.
11 Now shortly ensueth the time of the dead, wherein they shall bée iudged some to ioye, some to heauinesse, some to glorie, some to payne.
12 Now approcheth the glad season wherein thou haste appoynted to reward the true seruauntes, the Prophets, & the faithfull beléeuers, made Saynctes by the onelyonly death of thy sonne, and all them that yet feareth thy name, with eternall felicitie.
13 None wilt thou seclude from this thy liberall goodnesse, for no weakenesse nor pouertie. But so well the small as the great, the lowe as the high, the poore as the rich, the sicke as the whole, the vnlearned as learned shall tast of thy inestimable cléernesse.
14 OnelyOnly shalte thou distroye them that distroyed the earth, compellyng both it and all that therein is, not to serue thée their heauenly creator, but their owne stinking desires, lustes, and corrupt affections, thy glorie not once estéemed nor regarded. Héerein may we coniecture, that th… seuenth seale once opened and the vij. trumpet blowen, the last iudgemēt day is not farre of. Blessed is he that watcheth for the Lordes comming.
THE TEXT.
1 And the temple of God was opened in heauē, 2. and there was seene in his temple, the Arke of his Testament. 3. And there followed lightnings, and voyces, and thunderinges, and earthquake, 4. and muche hayle.
The Paraphrase.
1 And the Temple of God (sayeth S. Iohn) was opened in heauen. Euident will the godly and spirituall estate of ye true christian church séeme in those dayes, the Gospell sincerely preached. In faith shal mē séeke their liuing father, & not in dead Images, nor other corruptible things. In spyrite and veritie shall they worship him, and not in dumme ceremonyes, nor outward shadowes. Speared is Gods temple, whē his true worshipping is hid. And opened it is agayne, when yt is clearly séene. Till Christes comming in the fleshe nothing thereof appeared. With the key of Dauid opened he ye misteries therof. Wherby thorow fayth the conuersation of many is now & hath bene euer since in heauen.
2 This temple thus open, anon the Arke of Gods holy Testament was séene therin. Christ sheweth him self in his owne colours, when the Gospell is truly receyued, which is that Arke, wherin all the riches of Gods couenauntes and the precious treasure of his promyse is reposed to mās behoue. And specially those by whom we are reconciled and saued. By hym are we onelyonly brought to Gods fauor again, and graciously redéemed. Yea, all the sort of vsus hauehave receiued of hys aboundant & ouerflowyng fulnesse. The sight of this Ark in this temple is none other, thē a cléere knowledge of him in his congregation. So ofte are his misteryes euydent, as thys temple is opened. So many tymes are they knowne as his word is truly taught.
3 And no smal fruit is to be thought to come thereof. For there followe… lightnings, voyces, thunderings, and earthquakes, Diuers respectes hath the veritie of God, accordyng to dyuers audiēces. In maner of lightning it moueth some making of earth, heauen, and of sinners godly people. A sound or a noyse onelyonly it is to some men, not regarding the fruites therof. To some it is an occasion of anger, spight, and madnesse, & to some of open blasphemie against the holie ghost. For what els doeth the clergy, maliciously withstanding it, but wilfully worke against knowledge? And what doth the vndiscréete laite, blinded by them, but babble they wot not what?
4 And a great hayle also folowed, which betokeneth the vehement and sharpe iudgements of God towardes such enimies of his veritie. The most terrible tempests of his Ire abydeth them. The Lord shall break into the lande (sayeth the Prophet Esay) lyke a sore tempest of haile that breaketh downe strong holdes or castles. And the proude crowne of the drunken Ephraemites shall be troden vnderunder foote. Not only is the last age appointed to these thunderings, and earthquakes, but they began also so soone as Christ appeared in the fleshe. No sooner was the young babe borne, but Herode for madnesse soughte to slea him in his verie infancie. The Pharises & Scribes, the bishops, priestes and Lawyers swelled at hys preaching, & neuer left till they had slaine him. And this rule with the prelates and hipocrites hath continued euer since, & stil shall doe til the latter day. OnelyOnly is there and shall be a moderation, that some time it is not so extreme as at some. For if it were alwayes alike, there shuld none be left.
THE TEXT.
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heauen. 2. A woman clothed vvith the Sun, 3. and the Moone vnderunder hyr feete, 4. and … on hir head, a crovvne of xij. starres. 5. And shee vvas vvith chylde, 6. and cryed, trauelyng in byrth, 7. And payned, readie to be deliuered.
The Paraphrase.
1 And there appeared (saith Sainct Iohn) a great token in heauen. For no wonder is this token héere to bée taken, as in other places of the scripture, but for a type or figure, contayning vnderunder misterie great things.
A woman was séene clothed with the sonne, yea of Iohn. For to Gods onelyonly electes is the veritie shewed to auauntage. Not Marie Christes mother is this womā, thogh many hath so fantasied in their commentaryes. But it is the true christian churche of whome Marye is a moste notable member.
3 This woman the church (as Salomōs canticles specifie, is fair, louely, pleasaunt, sweet, holsome, delectable, vndefiled as the M…ne, excelent in clearnesse as the sunne, and glorious as an armie of men with theyr banners and stremers. This woman is bewtifully decked with ye shining sunne of rightuousnesse. None is of hir that hath not don on Iesus Christ, being renued in their hartes by faith. They are not hir childrē yt persecute gods word, no more thā was Annas and Caiphas, Ioannes and Alexander.
4 This woman séemed to hauehave the moone vnderunder hir féete. To the church or congregation of God are all other creatures subiecte. All moouable things hath the Lorde subdued vntounto hir. Shée is the right heire and inheritor of thē through Christ, they wt hir to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, and to serue in libertie.
4 Upon hir head was also a crowne of twelue starres, which betokeneth not onelyonly the twelue Apostles declaring the glorie of Christes kingdome immediatly after his death, but all other godly ministers of the word also, which hauehave don ye same euer since. OnelyOnly reygneth the true Christian churche by the worde of God, by the sincere scriptures, by the doctrine of the Apostles, and neyther supersticions nor ceremonies, neither by councelles or customes, by doctours, nor fathers, by miters nor rochetes, by tippets, nor hoods, by shauē crownes, nor side gowns, by crosses nor copes, by belles nor torches, by shrines, nor gilte Images, nor yet by xij. couples in a liuerie with golden chaines and garded coates. Hir bewtie consisteth onelyonly in faith, and in the obseruation of Gods holy commaundements. Hir true ministers or preachers as very chosen stars, sheweth foorth his glorie to the edification of other, and not their owne Pompe and magnificence.
5 And shée was as is the woman with chylde. Shée cryed traueyling in byrth, and was payned as one readie to be deliuered. With Christ is the church bigge, whē hir members are in full faith. In the harte is he euermore conceiued, & deliuered foorth suche time as he is declared vntounto other. For this cause Christ called them his mother which ha… faith, and therevpon did the will of his father. Of faith in the first promise yt Christ should distroy the serpent, was hée first conceiued in Adam and Eua▪ and so grewe foorth in rightuous Abell, in Seth, Enos, Enoche, Noe, Sem, Thare, Melchisedech, Abraham, and Loth. And as ye promises waxed strō ger (as in Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, and the Prophets) and the people of God more in number, so waxed ye woman bigger & bigger, til ye fulnesse of hir time was come yt she shuld be deliuered. Which was suche tyme as Christ appeared to the world, taught and was cōuersaunt here among mē. And this course hath shée kept euer since, & shall doe to ye latter day in thē … beléeue. Thus hath shée had Christ in hir wombe since the beginning.
6 And being full of hys heauenly spirit, shée hath cryed in ye Patriarks, and Prophetes, in the Apostles and faithfull ministers, as one traueiling in byr…h. Hyr crye was the mightie and stronge declaration of Christes doctrine, the feruent zeale & desire of the glorie of God, & of all mens health in Christ. Shée traueileth euer more a new lyke as did Paule, tyll Christ be fashioned in hir christian mēbers. With all hyr strength shée laboureth that the promised séede may encrease in the faith of all men.
7 Fynally, shée is payned with labours, dolors, blasphemies, troubles, and terrible persecutions, and neuer is deliuered without them: Neuer is Christ earnestly receyued, til some of hir members doeth suffer. The cō stant spirite & inuincible standyng by the trueth in them, hath conuerted many.
And lyke as the payned woman in all hir agonies, is muche comforted by the hope of a childe, so are Gods faithfull witnesses trustyng that by their pacient and glad sufferaunce, Christ should bée receyued & rightly fashioned in many. Yea, this causeth them to reioyce in all aduersitie, and litle to estéeme their paines.
THE TEXT.
1 And there appeared an other vvonder in heauen, 2. for behold a greater red Dragon. 3. hauyng seuen heades, 4. and ten horns, 5. and seuen crovvns vponupon his head. 6. and his tayle drue the third parte of the starres, 7. and cast them to the earth.
The Paraphrase.
1 After this (sayeth Saint Iohn) appeared in heauen an other token or meruaile all dyuers from the fyrst. The true church (which is gods kingdome) was neuer yet without contradiction, nor without the craftie assaultes of enimies. Adam was not so soone created, but he was immediately assaulted of Sathan. Christ entered not so soone the worlde, but hée was by and by persecuted. The diuill goeth about lyke a roaring Lyon, séeking whom he may deuoure.
2 For behold there was séene a great red Dragon, betokening the saide diuill, with his whole retinue, full of deceite, crafte, mallice, poyson, pryde, and fiercenesse, to enforce the poore weaklings to consent vntounto his falsehood. All red his bodie séemed, in tokē that they which are of hym, are all full of crueltie, spight, & bloude sheading, afflicting the constant beléeuers for withstanding hys assaultes. Seldom is he out of the earth, as winesseth Iob, but commonly in the company of men, impugnyng the faythfull. And no power is able to matche him, vnlesse it commeth from aboue.
3 The sayd Dragon had vij. heads, signifying all the craftie wyles, and subtile suggestions, that he hath practised and vsed against Christ and hys word vnderunder all ye vij. seales opening, and the vij. trumpettes blowing. Uerie easie it is to coniecture what maner of heades they were, marking other places of the scripture. A serpēts head should séeme to be the first, considering that in the Serpent he deceyued our first parents with hys venymed craftes. This head so maliciously poysoned man, that God repented him of his creation, and distroied hys whole kinde in the floud .viij. persōs only reserued. After the floud had hée the head of a calfe for the seconde, in signification of the shamefull Idolatrie, and wicked worshippyng that then begon in Nemroth, and so continued in the Heathen. The third was the head of a Lyon, full of pryde and oppression, expressed first in the cruell reigne of the Assirians & Caldeanes, and after in the proude Bishoppes and priestes. The fourth, was a Beares head, full of rauine and cruelnesse, betokenig the fierce kingdom of Meades and Persianes. Cōsequētly, his fift head was lyke a Leopards head of many colours, full of ficklenesse and chaungeablenesse. And that was the vncōstant raign of ye Greeks. His sixt was the head of a beast, farre vnlyke all other beastes, which signifieth the kingdome of the Romans, with their monstrous lawes more then néedeth. The seuenth is not vnlyke to a mans heade, including all carnall wisedome, with all diuilyshe polices & craftes, & this is ye very papacie here in Europa, which is ye general Antichrist of all ye whole world almost, which hath alreadie subdued and distroyed the Empyre of Rome. For he is called the Apostata & man of sinne. By this only head, is ye Dragon named ye enuious mā. The whole bodie foloweth ye heads. As the diuill is malicious, wicked, fierce, cruel, tyrannicall, false, execrable, and deceitfull, so are all his mēbers. In ye prudēce of ye flesh after him they walk in Idolatrie, hipocrisie, & all other filthinesse. And like as afore Christes comming, these heads were in ye serpēt, in the golden calues, in ye kingdome of Babilon, in Nemroth, in Pharao, in Antiochus, & in ye Pharisies & scribes, bishops, Lawyers, & priestes, so hauehave they bene since his time vnderunder ye vij. seales opening, and the vij. trumpets blowing, after the same sort. Under the first, he had a serpēts head in the Iewes, most maliciously and subtilly withstanding Christ & his Apostles, pretēding ye zeale of God & his lawes. Under ye second, he had a calues head in ye Idolators, which slew ye constant witnesses of Christes veritie. Under the third, ye head of a proude Lyon in the bold rable of heretiks, presuming against gods word to affirm vngodly things. Under ye fourth, the head of a Beare, in ye gréedy multitude of holy hipocrites & spirituall Antichristes, which hauehave rauished vp ye substāce of this world, vsurping ye empire of the same. For then begone the papacie with Mahomets mischief. Under the …ift the head of a Leopard, in ye diuersitie of pestilent sectes or execrable locustes, of whome euerie one reioyceth in his owne colour and inuention. For then dyd they sore increase. Under the sixt, the head of a best vnlyke to all other, in the tyrannie of wicked gouernours blynded and perswaded by the priestes to slea Gods seruaunts for the vpholding of their stinking generation. For then was and is yet done much murther▪ vponupon such as confesse the truth. Under the seuenth or last seale opening, shal he hauehave yet still the heade of a man, in fleshly polices & falshoode of the Pope and his prelates, in the doctours and priestes till God vtterly shall distroy them with the breath of his mouth.
4 The said dragō had also x. horns or al subtil waies wherwith to impugn the féeble weake nature of man, or to prouoke him euer more to rebell against gods commaundements.
5 Upō his vij. heads he had vij. croūes signifying therby yt both he & his mē bers hath not only possessed ye afore named vyces, but also they hauehave ouer the world raigned in them, and yet doe to this day. In pride, falshood, malice, craft, crueltie, wickednesse, & all other mischies triumph they yet.
6 And his tayle drewe towardes hym the third part of the starres, and inconclusion threwe them downe to the earth. By worldly promociōs, lucre, fauour, and other flatteryng fantasies, hath he tangled many learned men, and plucked them cleane from Christes true Churche, and from the lyfe of the Gospell, so prouokinge them, wholy to geue themselues to the study of erronius doctrine and lying prophesies, to seduce the wordly multytude and kepe them in perpetuall blindnesse.
7 So that they are now cast into the earth. They are become all carnall, fylthy and vngodly in all theyr wisdome, study, and workes, in all theyr counsels, preachinges, and teachynges. Now are they the wicked Apostelles of Sathan, no longer may they shine in the firmament.
THE TEXT.
1 And the Dragon stoode before the womā which vvas ready to be delyuered. 2. for to deuoure her child as soone as it vvere borne 3. & she brought forth a manchild. 4. vvhichwhich should rule all nacions vvith a rod of Iron.
5 And her sonne vvas taken vp vntounto God, and to his seate .6. And the vvoman fled into the vvildernes .7. Where she had a place prepared of God, 8. That they shoulde feede her there .9. A thousande, tvvo hundred, and threescore dayes.
The Paraphrase.
1 Before the aforesayde trauailyng woman stoode this Dragon, redy to deuoure her childe, so soone as it were borne. Euermore is the deuill waiting his pray, where as the Gospell is sincerely taught, least any thereby should become the children of God.
2 He séeketh all crafts, polyces, & ingins, to take the word from the hart, least they beléeuing it shuld be saued. Thus sought he to deuoure christ after the letter, appoynting Herode to slea him soone after his birth. And when he sée that way wold not take, yet left he not of till the Iewes had slayne hym. Not thus yet satisfied, he labored by ye bishops to extinguish the faith of his resurrection, least yt shuld profit vntounto lyfe. Moreouer where as the Apostles and other godly men, hauehave geuen Christ vntounto other in maner as they receued him, he hath left no cautels vnsought by his malignant members, euer since to depriue Gods people thereof.
3 Such a man child (saieth S. Iohn) brought this woman forth, as wt an yron rod should rule all nations. Neuer is ye true church idle, but conceiueth christ at ye gospel preching, retaineth him in faith & brīgeth him forth in teaching other ye same. No woman child is he, impotent, weake & féeble, but a manchilde, bringing wt him alwaies a stronge, mighty & inuincible spirit, wher as he is vnfainedly receued. For he is the mighty Lorde that is valiaunt in battaile.
4 With the yron wand of his word inuincible shal he gouerne his méeke sprited flock, yt none other lawes shal they require, with the same also shal he subdue all powers which are not of hym, and driue them downe to the bottom of hell. For by faith onelyonly in him is ye victory gotten ouer ye world.
5 This childe was also taken vp to God and vntounto his throne. Where as the deuill thought to deuoure hym, and to wrap hym vp for euer vnderunder death, he put hym beside his purpose. Uictoryously he arose vp from death to lyfe, he ascended vntounto heauen, and now sitteth vponupon the right hande of God the father almightye. And where as he is nowe, there shall hys faithfull folowers, and ministers be hereafter, for yt is his, is also theirs, birth, lyfe, death, resurrection and ascention.
6 The woman fled after this into the wyldernesse. What els doth the iust people of God? but flye the contagiousnes, vanytie, tumult, fornication, idolatry, and filthynes of thys world? séeking God in the solytarie harte, and not in outwarde fantasies. I got me away farre of (sayeth Dauid) and remayned in the deserte, monkes, nunnes, channons, and fryers, hath fled into monasteris, couē tes, and houses, but nothinge after this sort. For in all voluptuous pleasures hauehave they there liued. The vnfained solytary man after Hieremy, continueth peaceably with himselfe, and hath his hart aboue.
7 In the sayde wildernesse had she a place prepared of God. Which is none other but Gods protection, defence, and sauegard promysed in the scriptures. That the Lorde shoulde pieserue vsus as he dyd his chosen people of Israell, when he went before them in a cloude vponupon the day, and in the night in a piller of fyre. Dauid boasted himselfe that God was hys refuge, and that he dwelled vnderunder the defence and shadow of the highest. So longe as the Lorde is my gouernour (sayth he) I can want nothing. He fedeth me, he sustaineth me I doubt no daunger, for he is wyth me. His staffe stayeth me, hys worde and promise is my whole comfort.
8 And there will the Lorde féede hir sayeth S. Iohn) for the space of a thousand two hundred and thréescore dayes. None other are fed with the scriptures and promises of God, (which is the bread of children not to be geuen to dogs) but they which flyeth into the desert from the dragon, forsaking both heade and tayle, both suggestions and lawes, both customes and constitutions. For all are deuillish. None other escaped the plague of Sodome, but they whiche fled cleane from thence. Lots wyfe but looking back only towardes it agayne was turned into a salt stoane.
9 The numbred dayes héere are none other but the afore written time of the two witnesses, the tyme of Helias preachinge, the time of Iohns preachinge, the time of Christes preaching, or the time of the gospell preaching from Christes assencion to the latter ende of the world. That is ye very time of the féeding of his Church. And not open is this féeding here, but▪ in secret in the wildernes, among a sort vnknowne to the worlde, hauinge the pouertie of the spirit, without sha…ing, anoynting, or hypocrits apparrell. And not onelyonly hath the Lorde thus nourished hys people in this spirituall respecte, but also in body. When they hauehave bene greuously handled, spoyled of their goodes, imprisoned, and exiled, graciously hath he reléeued them, and prouided for them both solace and comeforte at the handes of them whom they neuer saw afore. So that the iust hath not felt himselfe forsaken, nor his children séeking bread.
THE TEXT.
1 And there was a great battayle in heauen. 2. Michaell and his Angels. 3, Fought with the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels. 4. And preuayled not. 5. Nether was their place found any more in heauen. 6. And the great Dragon, that olde serpent, called the deuill and Sathanas▪ 7. was cast out. 8. Whiche deceiued all the worlde. 9. And he vvas caste into the earth, and his Angelles were cast out vvith hym also.
The Paraphrase.
1 And there happened at that time (sayeth sainct Iohn) a great battayle in Heauen. In the Churche is euermore variaunce and strife wtout ceasinge betwixt the spirite and the flesh, the good and the bad, the faithfull and the vnfaithfull. None other is this battayle but a very contradiction, a diuersity in fayth, study, opinion, wyll, and worke, aboute the lawes or commaundements of God, and also about the lawes and tradycions of men. This battaile is waightie in cause, multitude and continuance. The cause thereof is Christe, the Gospell, faith, rightuousnesse, mans health, Gods high honour, and such other lyke on the one partie. Upon the other party the cause is, errour, hipocrisie, lyes, Idolatrye, auarice, pryde, cruelty, fylthynesse, with al such other. So great is the multitude, that none is founde out of it. None is there but are in this army. Eyther they are good or bad, faithfull or vnfaithfull, rightuous or vnrightuous. The rightuous are of the host of Michaell, the vnrightuous are vppon the dragons side. Continued hath this battayle from the firste beginninge, and so shall styll to the latter ende. Yea, though the dragon be bound or tyed vp vnderunder the seauenth seale opening, that he rage not then as he hath done afore. Yet shall the spirit of wickednes, and a mind to do mischief, raigne inwardly styl in his members, for Sathan can be but a Sathan, and a Diuill a Diuill.
2 Michaell and his Angels fought valyauntly with the dragon. Spirituall are they whiche hath done on Christ after the minde of Paule, and spirituall is their armoure. Theyr gyrding is verytie, their brest plate rightuousnesse, their shielde a sure faith, their wepon the word of God, their helmet the hope of health, and for stedfastnesse of their féete, their shooinge the gospel. By interpretation is Michaell to say, who is as God? or who is like vntounto god? And he betokneth the constant minister & sincere teachers of the Gospell. The Angels of Michael are al they that in a sure faith cōfesseth the eternall magnificēce of God, and that none is lyke vntounto hym. Contrarywise the Dragons Angels are the hipocrits, lying prophets, and erronius teachers.
3 These fight with the Dragon, and the Dragon and his Angelles with them. For he that is not with Christe, is against hym. With the rituous is Michael. For ministring spirits are ye Angels ordained for ye cō fort of thē which shall be saued. And cōmaunded they are to wait vpō the faithfull, to preserue and defend thē. The wicked sort hauehave the Diuil and his chaplaines to fight for them, the rightuous hauehave Michael and his Angels. The wicked fighteth wt errours & lyes, the rightuous with the only verity of God.
4 As vengeable & as fierce as they are, yet preuaile they not, neither is their place found any more in heauē. Faith hath the victory by the promise of god, though ye blinde world séeth it not. Ouercomē ar ye wicked whē their enterprises taketh not, & clene ouerthrowne whē theyr beggery is contēned. And neuer is ye full victory gotten, no more thē it was in christ til ye tabernacle of this body be laid aside. At yt day is ye crown gottē whom the Lord hath layde vp for ye rightuous. And lyke as there is dayly fighting, so is therin some, daily victory. Dayly ar ye angels of darknes ouerthrown, daily are they cast out of heauē, which is the true church. Daily are they cō demned by the worde of God & iudged for rebels against the holy ghost, whose sin is neuer forgeuen.
5 No place hauehave they any more wt ye chosen, no electiō, nor acceptation afore god. The more light they hauehave had & ye more they hauehave tasted of the truth now forsaking it, & rebelling against it wt ye diuill, ye farther they are frō god, & ye more nigh vntounto dānation. Neuer beléeued he truely, that so had receiued the word. Let none think to be saued, vnlesse he perseuereth to the ende.
6 And the great Dragon, or cap… tayne of all the vnfaithfull sorte, that olde croked Serpent which deceiued Adam, & is called ye diuill or malycious accuser, yea, and also Sathan the most cruell aduersarye with all hys clyentes and spirituall adherentes, are certayne and sure to be cast out.
7 With the rightuous they shall hauehave no porcion for all their gloryous tytles. With the godly shall not their names be registred for all their holy vnccions. But with the prince of this worlde they shall be throwne foorth.
8 For he by them, and they by him hath deceiued all the world, in lying tokens and wonders, and in the operation of errours, to the vtter dampnation of all them that consenteth to their wickednesse.
9 And he was cast into the earth, & his Angels also were caste out with him, which is not els but that they are reserued to eternall damnation. For seruing the creature rather than the Lorde that made all, God hath forsaken them, and geuen them, ouer to theyr owne shamefull lustes. All grace and goodnesse hath he taken from them, and in all darknesse hath he left them. Nothinge is now behinde but hell fyre, prepared for the diuill and hys Angelles. The church thus fyrste bringinge forth Christ among the Iewes, and so by their cruelty driuen out into the wild deserte of the Gentiles, hath bene there fedde of God in percecution euer since, and shall be styll tyll the tearme come out of the aforesayde thousande, two hundreth, and thrée score dayes, whose end is in ye Lords handes
THE TEXT.
1 And I heard a lowde voyce whiche said. 2. In heauen is now made saluation, and strength. 3. And the kingdome become our Gods. 4. And the power his Christes. 5. For he is cast dovvne which accused them before God day and night. 6. And they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe. 7 And by the worde of their testimonie. 8. And they loued not their liues vntounto the death. 9, Therefore reioice ye heauens, and ye that dvvell in them. 10. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea. 11. For the diuill is come dovvne vntounto you. 12. Whiche hath great vvrath. 13. Because he knovveth that he hath but a short time.
The Paraphrase.
1 And I hard a mighty great voice (saith sainct Iohn) which is ye whole agremēt of all the sacred scriptures. And the voice sayd thus vntounto me.
2 Now is there in heauen saluation, in the church is the helth of soule now that the idolatry with other abhominatiōs is thrown forth, and she cleane deliuered from their beggery. Now appereth the power of ye Lord, that his Gospell is truely preached.
3 Now is it become our Gods kingdome, that theyr doctrine is not of men.
4 Now hath it the whole strength of his anointed. Al Christs labours, merits, and deseruinges, his natiuitie, passion, resurrection, and ascencion, is now hir owne good, Christes victory is theirs, his crown, his scepter, his seate and kingdome is theirs, Yea, the possession of his fathers right hand is theirs.
5 For the enimy of our brethren is throwne downe, which cruelly accused them before god day and night. The aduersarye Sathen which quarelled before the Lorde against pacient Iob, and vexed hym sore in his substaunce and flesh, neuer ceasinge to this day to trouble the rightuous with Antichristes and Tyrauntes, is now ouercome by the victory of faith, and his power greatly deminished in his members. Now is the kingdome of God increased, much people beīg vnfainedli cōuerted vntounto christ.
6 Conquered him they hauehave by no Power of theyr owne, neyther merits nor works, but through ye inestimable strength whiche is in ye bloud of ye immaculate lamb Iesus Christ, & throgh ye inuīcible word of his verity which they to ye world hauehave testified.
7 In the witnesse thereof hauehave they constantly suffered, & through faith in them, hauehave they with him obtayned victorye ouer the worlde, sinne, hell, death, and the diuill. Not theyr owne bodyes hauehave they spared to wyn thys conquest.
8 But much more hauehave they loued Christ and his trueth than thēselues, accounting it auantage to geue their liues for hym.
9 Therefore reioyce ye heauens, and al you that in them in doth dwel. Ye Angels aboue ordeined for mans comforte, ye sainctes departed from the miseries of this worlde, ye faithfull beléeuers remanyng in this life, and ye feruente fauourers of the Lordes verytie be glade that your brethren hath gotten the victory of the diuill and his Angels to the glory of Christ.
10 But wo vntounto ye wretched inhabitāts of ye earth, & of ye sea. No small danger is towards thē yt hath heard ye voice of ye Lord, & stil yet wil folow ye course of this world, no light peril hā geth ouer their heads, yt are incōstāt, fickle, & wauerin, giuing back wt eueryevery blast for ye pleasure of theyr flesh.
11 Take héede of it therefore, for vntounto you that are suche, the diuill is come downe with his subtil suggestions and craftes, with his wyly cauteles and ingines. Among you doeth he remayne watchyng to hauehave hys pray, as he did among the children of Israell, when they were become vnfaithfull.
12 Tares will he sow to distroy the good séed, for his wrath is great to sée him selfe thus deiected, & his hate is excéeding beholding his kingdom decayed. Among you must he wreak his anger, for he can not harme the faithfull. Thorowe his enuye came death first into the world. If ye will escape his snares, looke ye giuegive no place vntounto him, but in fayth resist him manfully.
13 He waxeth now mad, & fretteth with him selfe. He myndeth to make hauoke and to doe much mischief, bicause he knoweth yt his tyme is short. No longe season shall he hauehave from hencefoorth to deceiue. The latter day he perceiueth not to be farre of wherin great torments, abydeth both hym and his. And yt maketh him so woode. That maketh hym so insaciably desirous to noye, not caring what spyght he worketh against God. And no wicked will leaueth he vnsought, to perfourme his cruell intent. Woe vntounto them therefore that in these dayes taketh no héede. Woe vntounto them that stumbreth in wanton pleasures, when most daunger is, and the diuill moste busie, not attending to the call & warnyng of God.
THE TEXT.
1 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast vntounto the earth, 2. hee pursued the woman, which brought forth the man child, 3. And to the woman were giuen ij. winges of a great Egle, 4. that shee might flye into the wildernesse, 5. into hir place, where shee is norished for a tyme, tymes, and halfe a time, 6. from the presence of the Serpent. 7. And the Dragon cast out of his mouth vvater after the vvoman, as it had bene a ryuer, 8. that he might cause hir to be caught of the flood. 9. And the earth holpe the vvoman, 10. and …he earth opened hir mouth, 11. and svvalovved vp the ryuer, vvhichwhich the dragon cast out of his mouth. 12. And the dragō vvas vvroth vvith the vvoman, 13. and vvent and made vvar vvith the remnaūt of hir seed, 14. vvhichwhich kepe the commaundements of God. 15. and hauehave the testimonie of Iesus Christ, 16. and he stoode on the sea sande.
The Paraphrase.
1 And when the Dragon or most furious serpent the diuil, the head maister of pride, & father of lyes, saw that he was throwen downe vntounto ye earth by the valiaunt hoast of God. Or such tyme as he perceyueth the Idolatrie, superstition, pompe, hypocrisie, and other abhominable filthinesse, distroied by the word of God in his malignaūt Sinagoge of proud painted prelates.
2 Then persecuteth he the poore woman which brought foorth the man chylde. Then vexeth he the true congregation that teacheth none other but Christ, and confesseth none other sauiour, health, and redéemer. Them doeth he torment and punishe by hys mytred Mahounds and his shauē Sodomytes, subduyng vntounto them for that purpose the power of Kynges, and might of magistrates. Then sitteth Annas in consistorie, & Cayphas in sessions vponupon lyfe and death. Thē bringeth the woman hir childe foorth in payne. By the martirdom or death of godly witnesses is Christ deliuered & left here behind in the harts of many.
3 And vntounto the woman were giuen two winges of a great Egle, or the two testaments of God, contayning the Prophecie & Gospel, with ye louelove of God and our neighbour. And these mightie winges were giuen hyr that shée might flye with them into ye wildernesse. Euermore whē daūgerous persecution is, ye mēbers of Christes congregation (which are left here behynde) hath aucthoritie of ye old lawe to flée from it with Iacob, Moyses, Dauid, and Helias, of the new lawe also with Christ and his Apostles. If they pursue you in one citie (saith the Lord) flée you into an other. Not onelyonly to saue your bodies, but to fructifie in the people. Get ye into the deserte. Teach them that were not taught a fore. If ye can not be suffered openly to preach, instruct men priuately in houses. Play not ye sluggardes in the Lordes vineyard. Be not niggards ouer his frée treasure. But as ye hauehave plentuously receiued it, so liberallye distribute it againe.
4 From the face of the Dragō hath the woman thus power to flie into the wildernesse by the scriptures, when hir childe is deliuered and takē vp to the throne of God for the vnthankfulnesse of the people that they hauehave not in fayth receyued hym. And in much daūger are they left hauing the diuill & his Angels thrown down among them with their wyles and craftie snares. In much more perill are they, then they were afore.
5 A place hath shée in this desert appointed of God, wherein shée is nourished for a tyme for tymes, and for the halfe tyme, which is not els but his speciall protection, among them that be poore in spirit, and are iudged outcastes of the world. There is the true church nourished with the pure word, not mixed wt the leuen of Phari…ies. There is ye faithful cōgregacion at all tymes fedde, without the traditions of hipocrites. OnelyOnly are they reléeued with the veritie, and satisfyed with the liuing promises, and hauehave bene since ye tyme of Christ. Yea, since the time of Daniell and afore. And this féeding time of ye Lorde in secretnesse hath béene sometyme shorter, sometyme lōger, & somtime shortest of all, according to the times of persecution, and of blindnesse in the enimies.
6 To flée from the presence of the serpēt, hauehave they euermore had commaundements of the Lord, & to shun the suggestions of his Angels. Warned they hauehave bene in no wyse to goe foorth, when they say, Christ is héere and there, for so much as their crafts are such as would (if it were possible) deceiue the very electes.
7 And the Dragō (saith saint Iohn) did cast out of his mouth water after the woman. A doctrine of hypocrisie, errours, & lyes, hath alwayes passed from the sinagoge of Sathan. None other fruits hath gone from them, thē wauering superstitions, Idolatry, and Heathen ceremonies. These hath flowed foorth lyke a great ryuer. Dayly hauehave they augmented, and tontinually increased. Innumerable are ye comberous and vnprofitable burdens of their fantasies & dreames, wherwith they noy mens cōsciēces, drown their smal faith, & ouerload their soules.
8 This stinking water did the Serpent vomete out by his rauenous Antichristes, whiche are his insaciable mouth, to stoppe the passage of ye woman. He poured it foorth in abundāce that he might cause hyr to bée caught of the floud. Such is alwayes the mischieuous nature of the diuill and hys Angels. Uēgeable assaults hauehave they, and innumerable craftes to deceyue the innocent not knowing them. Our fyrst mother Eua was thus trapped in the beginning, & so had bene drowned with Adam hir husbād, had they not had faith in the promised séed. An innumerable multitude hath ben & ar yet to thys day, swalowed vp of this floud, and without greate dyffycultie none escapeth it. Excéeding is the compasse, studie, and practise of thys false generation. Euermore powre they out their poisō, they dispute their matters with errours and lyes, with counsels and customes, hauing vponupon their side the darkened powers.
9 Yet is the Lord mercifull to hys poore congregation, that they are not drowned with all this filthie floude. None of it once toucheth their harts. No parte of their faith doeth all this riff raff hinder. This durtie baggage accombreth not theyr soules. OnelyOnly are they satisfied with ye wholesome doctrine of Christs spirit. And ye earth did helpe the woman (saith S. Iohn) The carnal multitude, the wise men of this worlde, the verye reprobates from God, all drye without the true faith, dranke vp this filthie water.
10 They opened their mouths wide, and swalowed vp ye great riuer clean, which the Dragon caste out of hys mouth. This erronious doctrine was euermore pleasaūt vntounto them. Much more hauehave they alwayes delighted in lyes, and olde wyues dreames than in Gods trueth. Thereto hauehave they giuen theyr eares, with all auidious gréedinesse and supersticious deuocion hauehave they embrased them. But the liuing waters of the Lord sauoreth not in their mouthes, their owne broken ceysternes doth please them best. Better is to a swyne a filthie puddle, than a swéete runnyng water. No where will hée drinke, but where he may wallow hys carkasse. No doctrine pleaseth them, vnlesse … mayntayneth their sinne.
11 In drinking vp this floude, yet ease they this woman. In such multitude is Christes small flocke not myssed, not looked for, nor yet many tymes in their abhominations perceyued to be absent. So gracious to them is the Lord, that in no wyse are they harmed with those vnwholsome waters. They are not caught of that pestilent floud. It ouerwhelmeth not their faith.
12 And the Dragō was wroth with the woman (sayeth sainct Iohn) franticke madde is the Sinagoge of Sathan, whan their wantō ware is forsaken, abhorred and dispised. Than frette they for anger, than swell they for woodnesse. Than whet they their téeth vponupon the innocent soules, and would teare them in péeces for very spight. Than imagine they new cauteles and wyles, and therevpon procure they new lawes to be made, to trappe them in snares that they escape no way.
13 For the Dragon in his wrathe, made warre with the remnaunt of hyr séede, which kept the commaundements of God. All maner of wayes hath thys Serpent assayed to distroy Christes true church. The Apostles he vexed with ye Pharisies & priestes, for the first age. With false bretherne and Tyrauntes troubled he theyr successours for the secōd age. For the thyrde, with innumerable Heresies did he accomber them. For ye fourth, with dampnable sectes of Hipocrisie dyd hée oppresse them. For the fifte, brought he ye world into a damnable peace of Idolatrie & superstitiō. And for the sixt (séeing he can not yet preuayle) hée maketh open warre vponupon the remnaunt of hir séede.
14 Now doth his Sinagoge of Prelates, Priestes, Hypocrites, and tyrauntes, make wicked lawes against them. Now doe they persecute them for kéeping the commaundements of God, in maryage, in receiuing meats with thankes gyuing, and in not going out to séeke Christ héere & there in theyr Masses and mutterynges, in theyr outwarde colours and shadowes.
15 Now put they them to deathe, which hauehave the Testimonie of Iesus Christ, preachyng him for an onelyonly teacher necessarie, for an onelye mediatour and aduocate, for an onelyonly sauiour and redéemer, for our onelyonly rightuousnes, wisdom, & health. For their war is only against thē yt kéepe Gods cōmaūdements, & that hauehave the witnesse of Iesu. Neither is it against bandes nor whores, agaynst murtherers nor théeues, agaynst Idolators nor Hypocrites, Sorcerers nor Sodomites, adulterers, nor gluttōs, Idyotes nor lyers, idle priestes nor vagaboundes, Scismatikes nor traytours. None of these séek they out, non of these accuse they at their Sessiōs, but the onelyonly readers of the Gospell, and poore fauorers of Gods trueth.
16 Upon the sea sande stande they euer more with theyr grande Captayne, to fight this battayle. None other lawes hauehave they to ground thē selues vponupon, but their owne tradytions and customes, with suche fantasticall actes as they dayly make, or procure to bée made of Princes for their owne wicked purpose. And as their lawes are beggerly and weak, so is their vsurped aucthoritie, so are their proude titles also, so are theyr myters, their anointings, & pompous functions. All are sand, dust, & rotten pouder before God, not grounded vponupon his worde. All are vnprofitable chaffe. Yea, their selues are a ground vnfruitfull, sandy, & vnsure, fit for the Dragō to stand vponupon to fight against Christes mēbers. For they are ye very seat of Sathan, and hys continuall dwelling place. And that he can not do by him self, he bringeth euermore to passe by them. Innumerable also are their diuilishe practices, theyr wyles, and their subtilties to vphold their master, as are ye sandes of ye sea.