The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Chapter 18

The Image of Both Churches in Revelation · Chapter 18

The xviij. Chapter.

VNderUnder the title of Babilon is here in this chapter folowing described the feareful iudgment of y^e malignant church, with the ruinous fal of Antichrist and his kingdom, prefigured afore in Esay and Hiremye.

THE TEXT.

1 And after that I savve an other angell. 2 Com dovvne frō heauen. 3. hauing great povver. 4. And the earth vvas lightned vvith his brightnes. 5, And he cried mightely vvith a strong voyce, saying. 6. She is falen she is fallen. 7 Euen greate Babilon. 8. And is become the habitacion of Deuils, 9. And the holde of al foule spirites. 10. And a cage of all vnclene and hatefull birdes. 11. For all nacions hauehave dronk of the vvine. 12. of the vvrath of hyr vvhordom. 13. And the kinges of the earthe hauehave commited fornicaciō vvith hyr. 14. And hyr marchauntes are vvaxen ryche. 15. of the abundance of hir pleasurs.

The Commentarie.

1 After these manifolde visions (sayeth S. Iohn) was I yet ware of an other aungel or heauenly messenger▪ of the Lord, cōmyng downe from heauen, whnch is the habitacle of God. For from aboue al goodenesse cōmeth. This Aungell betokeneth the faythfull preachers of our age, and is all one wiih the Angel that had the seale of the liuing God in the vii. Chapter, wyth him that was clothed with a cloude in the x Chapter, and with him thai procllamed the fal of Babylon in the .xiiii. chapter.

2 In that he is sayd here to come downe from heauen, is signified that they are sente … God hauing great power, with constaunt feruentnesse of spyrit, strongelye to declare hys wil, to the vtter destruction of the whore For like as the father hath lyf in hym selfe, so hath his sonne Iesus, and …o hath in hym his Godlye ministers.

3 His power is an euerlasting power, retayninge both lyfe and death.

4 With the brightnes, not of this angell which was but a messēger, but of the power that was geuen vntounto him, was the vniuersal earth abundantlye lightned. Full is all y^e world of y^e glory of God, where as his word … his verity is once spred by y^• true Godly prechers.

5 In this strong power cr…ed he might…ly & in this clere light was his earnest voice herd, vttering this sentence to the world.

6 She is falen clean down that was so proud, she is turned ouer that was so glorious an whore, yea, euen the great Babilō hyr self, or blasphemous church of the Hipocrites.

7 By the iudgement of God is …he brought to vtter confusion. Firste ha… she a …al by the death of Christ, when the prince of this world was throwē forth Mark the distruction of Hierusalem, wher the church of y^e Iews dyd cease, the material temple of Salamō, and clearelye ouerthrowen, not one stone vponupon an other, remayning. Now shall▪she hauehave an other much worse by the playne …nifestation of hys word, to the comfort of all his elects. And both are of one certenty though the one he pa…te and the other yet to come.

Confer with this place y^e ouerthrowe of the monasteries in England, Denmarke, the free cities of Germany, & certaine other regions, & thinke that more sorowes are yet comming.

8 These are y^e causes of hyr fall and occasions of hyr ruyne before the Lord.

She is become the filthy habitacion of deuils much more than before hir first fa…l, for now they enter in by heaps, yea, seuen for …n afore.

9 Now is she the stinking hold of all vnclene spirites. For ther hauehave al the kinds of Idolatry their earnest maintenance, by hir spiritual occupiers the bishops, priestes and religious. There regneth Simony, Sacrilege, Usury, fraud, ambition, mallice, glotony, auaryce, pryde, filthynes, & all mischiefes beysde.

10 Now is she the corrupt cage of all vnclene fowles, and …atefull byrdes. For in hyr dwelleth the aduouterous Cardinals, the buggery bishops, the prostibulous prelates and pristes, the Gomorreane monks, chanons, friers, and nonnes, an innumerable smarme of Sodomits. These dothe Esay in similitude compare vntounto wild beastes, Dragons, Estriches, dansing Apes, Howlets, Meremaides, and other odible monsters. For there is mockinge and mowynge, criyng, and yellynge crossynge, and gapynge, congerynge and cloynynge, whyth manye other feates.

Here coulde I showe wonderfullye muche by the hystoryes of the stewes of bothe kynds at Rome, of the profits receyued thereof, that occupiyng of Winchesters rentes in England, of saynt Lewes mantil in the graye fryers of Paris, of the hollowe piller of our Lordes lengthe in Lyons, of the good Godlye father that cons…uprated two hundred Nunnes in hys tyme, of the burying of infants in theyr …akes, and of manye other straunge mysteries els, were it not for losinge of the time and hinderinge mens consiences.

11 She is fallen, she is fallen (sayt… the Angell) and therfore be glad of …. For all nacions of the worlde, a small simple number excepte (whome God hath preserued of his goodnesse) hath dronken of the wine of hir whoredome. For not geuinge thankes vntounto God when causes hath bene offered, they hauehave fallen into moste déepe errour. They hauehave sought hir sorceries with deuociō, beléeued hyr doctrines, and so folowed them in effect.

12 And therefore they shall taste of the wrath of God, or penalties due to that aduoutry of the spirite or vice of Idolatri ministred by hir. I shal hauehave no pittie (sayth the Lord) vppon hyr children, for they are the children of fornication.

13 The mighty kinges and Potentates of the earth, not hauinge afor… their eyes the louelove and feare of god, hauehave committed with this whore moste vile filthynesse, abusinge them selues by many straunge or vncommaunded worshippings, and bynding themselues by othe to obserue hyr lawes and customs. At the examples, doctrines, counsels, and perswasions of hyr holy whoremongers hauehave they broken the couenaunts of peace, battailed, oppressed, spoyled, rauished, tyrannously murthered innocents, yea, for vaine foolish causes, & more vaine titles, neither godlynesse nor honestie regarded, as though there were neither heauen nor hel, God nor accoūts to be made.

14 And hir mitred marchantes, hyr shorne souldiers, hir masse mongers, hyr soule sellers, and hir mart brokers waxed very riche through the sale of hir oyles, creme, salt, water, bread, orders, hallowings, houselinges, ashes, palme, waxe, frankensence, beades, crosses, candlesticks, copes, belles, organes, Images, reliques, and other pedlary wares.

15 And are become very wealthy in the habundaunce of hyr pleasuers. They hauehave gotten in vntounto them pallaces and princely houses, fat pastors and parkes, medowes and warrens, riuers and pondes, villages & towns, cyties and whole prouinces, with the diuill and all els, besides other mens wiues, daughters, mayde seruantes, and children whom they hauehave abhominably corrupted. What profites they hauehave drawen vntounto them also by the sale of great bishopricks, prelacies promocions, benefices, tot quoties, pardons, pilgrymages, confessions, and purgatory, besides the yearely rents, of cathedrall churches, Abbayes, Colleges, Couents, for sutes and suche other, it were vnreasonable to tell. No pleasures are in the fardest part of the world, but they will hauehave plenty of them Yet can they for the time preach vntounto other men contempte of the worlde, and commende both pouerty and fasting.

THE TEXT

1 And I hard an other voiee from heauen, say. 2. Come avvay from hyr (my people). 3. That ye be not pertakers in hir sinnes. 4. Least ye receiue of hir plagues. 5. For hir sins are gone vp to heauen. 6. And the Lord hath remembred hir vvickednesse. 7. Revvard hir euen as she revvavded you, 8. & geue hir double according to hir vvorks. 9. And povvre in double to hir in the same cuppe, vvhirhe she fylled vntounto you. 10. And as much as she gloryfied her selfe▪ and lyued vvantonly. … so much poure ye in for hyr of punishment and sorrovve.

The Commentary▪

1 Besides all this (sayth saynt Iohn) yet heard I an other voyce frome aboue, betokening an other mouing of the spirit wherby the Godlie ministers are taught of the Lord. And this was therof y^• swéete warning.

2 Come away my people from that wicked Babilon with Esd…as, and from that stinkinge S…dome with Loth. HaueHave no more to doe with that whorish churche. Forsake hir false religion and defiled Sacramentes. Refuse hir wanton ceremonies, detest hir supersticion, leaue hir beggerly baggage.

Meddle no more with those whoremongers, those Nicolaitanes, those Baalamits. Abhore their abhominable studies, manners and lyfe, repenting in heart all foolishnesse paste. Resorte vntounto me (sayeth the Lorde) all you that labour and are laden, and I shal ease you of your heauy burthēs.

3 Submit your selues no longer to y^• yoke of the infidels, but set your selue… at large, least ye be pertakers of hyr abhominable sins, & to receyue of hyr plages, which is y^e great vengeaunce of god. Let it suffise you that hath ben don alredy at the plesur of the Heathē in the vnlawfull seruice of Idols. And learne frō henceforth to be more Godly wise, lest ye be damned with y^e wicked. I remēber that Iohn Hildeshē in his booke in turpia pingentem, sheweth that Tailarand…s Petragoric…s a french cardinal, when question was moued at his table of Apostates, commended the order of cardinals in that there was none amonge them. Unto whō Peter Thomas a Carmelyt▪ frier (which was notwithstanding within a while after y^e patriark of Constantinople) made this true answer, what they be (saith he) y^t goth from other orders I cannot tel, but sure I am that they which go frōyour order are saints. As by exāple, S Hierome, Petrus Dami…us, Petrus de Moroue, & such other.

4 Besides the wholsome admonishmentes of the scripture hath many godly m…n geuen warninges of these matters, both in the primatiue church and in eueryevery age since. Many notab… Doctours and fathers, since y^e popes … rayte, hath in their famous writinges called vponupon the churches reformation. As Bertramus, Herebaldus, Ioannes Scotus Menachus, Berengarius Thuronensis, Brun…, Adegauensis▪ Petrus Damianus Wateramus, Medburgensis, Bernardus, Cla…euallensis, Robertus Tuiciēsis, Ioachim Abbas, Cirillus Grecus, Ioannes Salisburtensis, Gilbertus …, Angelus Hierosolimitanus, Guilbe…nus de sancto amore, … …onatus, Nicolaus Gallus, Hubertinus de Casan, Petrus Ioannis, Mar…ilius Pataumus, Ioannes▪ Parys, Arnoldus de villa noua, Michael Cesenus, Guil…e…mus …, nicolaus d… Luca, Marcus de Florencia, Ioannes Wiccleus, Ioannes …; Michael de Bononia, Ioannes Hildeshē, Dātes Aligerius, Franciscus Petrarcha, Nicolaus Clemengis, Petrus de Aliaco, Ioannes Gerson, Laurencius Ualla, Ludouicus Arelatensis, Iohannes Segobius, Thomas Redonesis Gallus, Matheus Parmarius, Dauid Bois, Dionisius, Carthustanus, Iohannes Milnerton, Iohannes▪ Go… chous, Iohannes▪ de We…alya Wo… maciensis, Iohānes G…yler, Iohānes Crutzer, Wessalus Groningensis▪ Eneas Syluius, Rodericus, Samorensis, Iulianus Brixiensis▪ and Hieronimus Sauonarola, besydes those that hath written in our dayes, as Iohn Reuclin, Baptista Mantuanus▪ Baptista Panecius, Iohannes Crestonus, Erasmus, Luther, and such other▪ of whom they hauehave condempned y^e more parte for heretyques. To recyte theyr testimonyes and wrytings, it would r…quyre much tyme, and therefore I passe it ouer here▪

OnelyOnly hauehave I rehearsed their names (as I could doe yet many more) to put …ée in remembraunce y^t God▪ hath alwayes had some in the world, which hath not in all poynts▪ cōsented to their blasphemies, though they hauehave not had the lyght of this trueth so open as wée hauehave it now.

Many godly Emperours and Coūseil… general hauehave attemted this reformacion in the church, but euermore▪ hauehave they foūd vngodly princes against thē, to houlde the Antichristes stil in their wickednes. Yet doubt I not but Pharao with his hoast shall perishe in the sea, and the proud Iewishe priestes in the cittie, for theyr manyfolde blasphemyes, at the tyme now appointed of the Lord.

5 For y^e sinnes of this whore, or abhominacions without number of y^e false religion, hyr stinkeing Idolatry and slaughter of Innocēts are gone vp vntounto heauen against hyr, requiring the great vengeāce of God. The filthines of thē hath moued him to wrath, and kinled his displesure towards hir, putting hym in rememberaunce of his eternal decrée cōcerning hir destructyon. The greatnes of hir mischiefs hath touched heauen, and hath axed w^t Sodome and Gomor the fearfull plages threatned hyr.

6 And the merciful Lorde beholding the affliction of his people, & pittying their miserable thraldō in y^e spiritual Egipt, hath cōsidered hir vngodly behauiour, wayed hir wilfull wretchednesse, and measured hir vnmerciful murther, cōmaunding his appointed ministers to execute vpō hir his iudgmentes without mercy.

7 Rewarde hir nowe (saith he) in eueryevery cōdiciō as she hath rewarded you afore▪ Measure agayne vntounto hir, lyke as she hath measured to you, nowe y^t ye hauehave the iudgement seates. Crye out vponupon hir as she hath cried out vponupon you▪ Snare hir as she hath snared you. Destroy hir as she hath destroyed you. As she hath taken vengeaunce of you, so take you vengeaunce again… of hir. Lyke as she hath afflicted you, Iudge… you, and condemned you by y^e lawes of mē, so scurge you hir againe, iudge hir an harlot, and condemne hir to hell by the mightie worde of God.

8 Sée that you giuegive hir two folde in punishment according to hir wicked deseruings. Where as she hath taken from you no more but the life of the bodie, take you away from hir againe the lyfe both of bodie and soule.

9 Into y^e same bitter cuppe of sorow… that she hath filled vntounto you in hir mallice, powre you in double again to hir. Where as she hath geuen you a temporal death, giuegive hir the death euerlasting, doubling vntounto hir both y^e griefes and continuance of them.

10 Yea, consider how greatly she hath glorified hir selfe▪ against God in blasphemous errours, in pride, in pleasures, and in wanton liuing.

11 And so muche let hir tast of moste terrible punishmentes, sorowfull plages, waylinges, & gnashinges of téeth. An holy priesthod hath she pretended▪ a regal dignitie hath she vsurped, and both those powers moste shamefully hath she so abused, therefore let hir hauehave the penalties dew vntounto such presumption. Take from hir, hir plesaūt Euphrates with the spoyles and profites, wherein she hath inordinatlye delighted, and throwe hir into most… depe wretchednesse here, besides that shal follow in an other worlde.

THE TEXTE.

1 For she sayth in hir hart, 2. I sitte, beyng a queene, 3. & am no widovv▪ 4. and shal see no sorovv, 5. Therefor shal hir plages co… at on day, 6. death, and sorovv, and honger, 7. And she shal be brent with fyre, 8. For stron… is the Lord God, 9. vvhichwhich shall iudge hyr.

The commentary

1 For hyghlye shée standeth in hyr owne conseit as yet, boasting hyr selfe to be the great goodnesse of the earth.

2 I sit here in wealth, and pleasure (saith she) being a glorious quéene, yea the holy church hir self, hauing authoryty in heauen, in earth and in hel, w^t power to lose and bynd, saue & damne. With me is it not as with them that are not of this world or hauehave no dwelling place here, for all is at my wyll and pleasure.

3 I am no desolate widow. The powers of this world standeth by me. The mighty princes and potentates defendeth me with the death of innocente peple. Neuer was Nero, Domicianus Traianus nor Marencius, with other cruel tirrauntes, more sure vponupon my side in defence of supersticions, than they are yet still to this houre.

4 Therefore I can take no seathe, nor yet féele of any sorrowe, I shalbe lady for euer. Neuer shall my seate be remoued. Neuer shall I fall, nor any m…shappe light vponupon me. Such are y^e bold bragges of the papistes, that Peters lytle shippe may well be moued with y^e tempest of heretiques, but neuer shall it be ouerthrowen, thynking therby y^e whorish church shal euermore continue, and neuer come to naught.

5 They cōsider not how strōg y^e Lamb is, against whō they dayly fight. And therfore shall y^e terrible plages (which God hath appointed hir to suffer) heauily light vponupon hir, and all in one day.

6 At once shall he powre vponupon that wicked congregation, death, sorowe & hunger, lyke as he did fyre and brimstone vponupon the sinfull cyties. Perpetually shall they be depriued of y^e lyfe which is in Christ Iesu. Continuall wéeping and téeth gnashing shall they hauehave, their worme neuer dying. Still shal they inwardly famish, and neuer with felicitie be satisfied.

7 With vnquencheable fire shall this whore be brent with hyr whole generation of hypocrites, prepared for the diuil and his Angels.

8 Effectual and trwe is the sentence, for mightye is the Lorde that shall iudge hir, & condemne hir by his word.

9 Iust is he in his promise, true in his sayings, gloryous in his works, holye, terrible, and fearefull in his iudgements against the wicked. None shall be founde able at that day to restrayne the least part of his purposed vengeance, neyther Mary throwyng in hir beades into saint Michaels balaunce, Iohn Baptist with his Lamb, Peter with his key, nor yet Paule with his long sword.

Though Moyses and Samuell, the chosen Prophetes of the Lorde, yea, with Noe, Daniell, and pacient Iob, should stand before hym at that day, yet should they not be ha…d.

THE TEXT.

1 And the kings of the earth shall be vvepe hyr, 2. and vvayle ouer hyr, 3. vvhichwhich hauehave cō mitted fornication, 4. and lyued vvantonlye vvith hir, 5. vvhan they shall see the smoke of hir burning, 6. and shall stand a farre of, 7. for feare of hir punishment saying. 8. Alas alas, that great citie, 9. Babilon. 10. that mightie citie. 11. For at one houre commeth thy iudgement.

The Commentary.

1 Moreouer y^e carnally mynded kings of the earth (sayth the aforesayde Angell) which hath for hyr pleasure abused their aucthoritie and power, shall take hyr, sodayne distruction in thys lyfe very heauily.

2 Yea, they shall moste sorrowfully bewayle them selues ouer hir, as men very ill contented with that ordinance of God.

They shall be sorie in their heartes that his worde is become so stronge agaynst hyr, that they can resist it with swerd, fyre, & halters no longer. They shal be pensyue & heauy to sée all goe to wracke, they being no lenger able by the slaughter of innocents to vpholde hyr glittering estate.

3 Specially shal they be sore discontē ted w^t y^e matter, which hauehave with his commited the whordom of the spyrite by many externe worshipings of drye waffer cakes, oyles roods, relyques, ladyes, Images, sculles, bones, chippes, olde ragges, showes, bootes, spurres, hattes, breches, whodes, nightcapes, and such like.

4 And they that hauehave liued wantōly with hir in folowing hir idle obseruacions in mattēses, houres, and masses, in sensinges, halowings, and font halowing, in going processions with canapye, crosse, and pyx, with banneres, stremers, and torchelight, with such other gaudes to folish for children, no godly admonishment taken of y^e scripturs. For vnderunder y^e kinges here are also to be vnderstāded those peoples, whō they hauehave wickedly gouerned, & constrained by theyr lawes to such abhominable vsages.

5 Dolorously shal these kings lamēt, whan thy shal behould y^e filthy smoke of hir burning, or whan they perceiue that she comming to the triall of the scriptures, appereth nothing but a vile stinking smoke noyful to the eyes, choking to the throte, and euermore blemishing the comfortable light. The churche of the wicked (saith Dauid) is as the dust that is blowen forth of the winde, the shadow that passeth away, the smoke that vanisheth, and y^e waxe that melteth in the fyre, yea, of al fantasticall vanities the most.

6 A fare of shal they stand trembling at y^e magesty of gods worde, …aring to be destroyed or to lose their worldlye honours also by the same, as dyd the duke of Bauery and Brunswick with other popish princes at the last counsail of Rainsbrig. For the continuall clamor of Eckius, Cochleus, Tregarius, Sactzgerus, Pelargus, Herborne, Hos…eister, Badia, Winchester, and such other dirtye doctours of theirs is euermore, that the Gospellers would hauehave all things in cōmon. And therfore do these persecut them, and would not hauehave that church to goe downe, thynkyng that if it should once fall, they should not long after continue.

7 Thus doth y^e childrē of Cain which hauehave murthered their poore innocent brethern, fear that eueryevery man loking vponupon them would destroy them. As men forsakē of God they dispaier in them selues, loking for non other but dampnacion, now that they can hauehave no more masses, holy praiers nor suffrages, & complayning after this sort.

8 Alas alas that great cyty, that beutiful Babilō, that blessed holy mother y^e church, which somtime had so many Popes pardons, so many bishoppes blessinges, so many holye stacions, so many clean remissions a Pena et culpa, so many good ghostly fathers, so many religious orders, so much holy water for spirites, and saint Iohns Gospels with y^e .v. woundes and y^e length of our Lord for drowning, is nowe decayed for euer.

9 We sorow, we sighe, we sobbe, we are sore disquieted, for pain we pante, tremble, and quake to sée our dearely beloued Babilon turned vpside down, whom we toke for a most wonderfull miracle.

10 Oh, that cyty, that city, y^e sumtime was so mighty and strong, so fayre & bewtiful, so glorious & holy, is now becom wast and desolate.

11 At once is the terrible iudgment of God cōmen vponupon thée vnloked for. Sodenly art thow destroyed with the spirit of his mouth vnthought vponupon. Alas who shall pray for vsus now? who shall …inge Diriges and trentoles? who shal assoile vsus of our sinnes? who shal giuegive vsus ashes & palmes? who shal blesse vsus with a spade, and sing vsus out of purgatory when we are deade? If we lacke these things, we are like to want heauē. These are y^e desperate complaints of the wicked.

THE TEXTE.

1 And the marchauntes of the earth, 2. shall vvepe and vvaile in them selues, 3. bicause no man vvill by their vvares anye more, 4. The vvares, 5. of golde, 6. and siluer, 7. and of precious stons, 8. neither of pearle, 9. and silke, 10 and raines, 11. and purple and scarlet, 12. and all thinne vvood, 13. and all maner of vessels of luery, 14. & all maner vessels of most precious vvood, 15. and of brasse, 16 and of yron 17. and of marbil, 18. and sinamon, 19. and odours, 20. & oyntmēts, 21. & frankensence, 22. & wine, 23. & oyle, 24. and fine floure, 25. and wheat, 26. and cattell, 27. and sheepe, 28. and horses, 29. and charettes, 30. and bodyes. 31. and soules of men.

The commentary

1 Now followeth in course the merchauntes of the earth, the sellers of wares in the temple, the marked muster of Mahomet and the Pope.

2 They shall wéepe & mourne, wayle and lament inwardly in them selues, both wringing their hands for sorow, and scratchyng theyr heades for verye anguish.

3 Bicause they sée all men goe from them, and none in a maner are disposed to buye their pedlary wares anye more.

4 As these wares are specially, which follow here in course.

5 They will pay no more money for the housell sippings, bottom blessings, nor for séest me and séest me not, aboue the heade and vnderunder of their chalices, which in many places be of fyne gold. Neyther regarde they to knéele anye more downe and to kisse their pontificall rings, which are of y^e same mettal.

6 They will be no more at coste to hauehave y^e ayre beaten and y^e Idols perfumed with their sensers at pryncipall feastes, to hauehave their crucifixes layde vpō horses, or to hauehave them solemply borne aloft in their gaddings abroade, with the religious occupyings of their paxes, cruettes, & other Iewels which be of siluer.

7 Neyther passe they greatly to beholde precyous stones any more in their ij. horned miters, whan they hallow their churches, giuegive theyr whorishe orders, and tryumphantly muster in processions.

8 Nor in costuous pearles in theyr copes perrours, and chysibilles, whan they bée in theyr prelately pompous sacrifices.

9 Men knowing y^e worde of God supposeth y^t their ornaments of silk wherwith they garnishe their temples and adorne their Idolles, is very blasphemous and diuillish.

10 They thinke also that their fayre white rochets of raynes or fine linnen cloath, their costly gray amices of calaber and cattes tayles.

11 Theyr fresh Purple gownes whā they walke for their pleasures, & their read scarlet frockes whan they preach lyes in the Pulpit, are very superfluous and vayne.

12 In their thynen wood (whom some men call Algume trées, some Basill, some Corall) may be vnderstande all theyr curious buildings of Temples, Abbeys, Chappels, and Chambers. All shrines, Images, churchscooles, & pews that are well payed for. All Banner staues, Pater noster scores, and péeces of the holy crosse.

13 The vessels of yuory comprehendeth all their maundye dyshes, theyr offring platters, their relique chistes, their god boxes, their drinking horns, their sipping cuppes for the hiccough, their tables wherevpon are charmed their chalices and vestiments, theyr standiches, their combes, theyr muske balles, their pomaunder pottes, and their dust boxes with such other toyes.

14 The vessels which after some interpretours are of precious stone, or after some of most precious wood, betokeneth their costuous cuppes or cruses of Iasper, Iacinct, Amel, and fine Beral, and theyr alabaster boxes wherwith they annointe kinges, confirme children, and minister their holy whorish orders. Their pardon masers or drinking dishes, as saint Benits bole, saint Edmonds bole, saint Giles bole, saint Blithes bole, and Westminster bole, with such other holy reliques.

15 Of Brasse (which contayneth latten, copper, alcumine, and other harde metals) are made all their great candlesticks, holy water kettles, lampes, desks, pyllers, butterasses, bosses, bels and many other thinges more.

16 Of stronge yron are the braunches made that holde vp the lightes before their false gods, the tacks that sustayne them for fallinge, the lockes that saue them from the robberye of théeues, their fyre pans, bars and poolyes, w^t many other straunge ginnes besides.

7 With marble most commonlye paue thei their temples, & build strong p…llers and arches in their great cathedrall Churches and monasteries, they make thereof also their superalities, their tumbs, and their solemne graue stones, besides their other buildinges with frée stone, flint, ragge, and brick, comprehended in the same.

8 By the Sinamon is ment all maner of costly spyces wherwith they bury their Byshops and founders, lest they shoulde stinke when they translate them agayne to make them saintes for aduauntage.

19 By the smellynge odours, the swete herbes that they strowe abrode at theyr dedications and burials, besydes the dāmaske waters, bawmes, muskes, pomaūnder, ciuet, and other curious confections they y^t bestow vpō theyr owne Precious bodyes.

20 The oyntmentes are such oyles as they mingle w^t rose water, aloes, & spike with other mery conceits, wher with they anoynt their holy sauours & roods to make them to sweat and to smell swéete, when they are borne abrod in procession vpō their high feastfull dayes, lyke as doctor Rede vsed his olde rotten Roode at Beckles in Southfolke vppon the holye roode daye.

21 Frankensence occupye they ofte as a necessarie thinge, in the sensyng, of their Idols, hallowinge of their paschal, coniuringe of their ploughes, besydes the blessing of their palmes, candles, ashes, and their dead mens graues with Requiescant in peace.

22 With wine synge they theyr masses for money, they housell y^e people at Easter, they wash their aulter stones vpō maundy thursday, they fast the holy Imber dayes, besydes other banketinges all the whole yeere to kepe theyr flesh chaste.

23 With oyle smere they yonge infantes at baptisme & bishopping, they grease their massemongers and geue them the mark of madian, they ancle their cattell that starueth, & do many other feates els.

24 Fyue sloure is suche a merchandyse of theirs as far excedeth all other and was first geuen them by pope Alexander the first, thinkinge Christes institution not sufficient nor coml…m vsing the common breade in that ministerie. For that ware hath brought them in their plentifull possessions, their Lordshippes, fatte benifices, and prebendaries, with in nmerable plesures els.

25 Wheat hauehave thei of their farmes, whereof they make pardon bread and cakes to draw people to deuocion towardes them.

26 Cattell receiue they offered vntounto their Idols by the Idiots of the countries for recouer of sondrye diseases, besides that they hauehave of their tithes.

27 Shepe hauehave they sometime of their owne pastures, somtime of begginge, sometime of bequestes for the dead, to cry them out of their feareful purgatorye, when they be a sléepe at midnight.

28 Great horses hauehave they for mortuaries, for offices, for fauers, giftes & rewardes, to be good Lords vntounto them that they may holde still their farmes, and to hauehave saunder waspe their sonne and their heire a priest, or to admitte him vntounto a manerly benifice, that he may be called maister person, & suche lyke.

29 Charets hauehave they also or horselitters of al manner of sorts, specially at Rome, with foote men runninge on both sides of them, to make roome for the holy fathers.

Of whom some carye their owne precious bodyes, some theyr treasure, some the blessed sacramente, some holy reliques and ornamentes, some theyr whores, & some theyr bastardes.

30 The bodyes of men must needes be iudged to be at their pleasure, so long as christen prouinces be tributaries vntounto them, princes obediēte, peoples subiect, and their lawes at their commaundement to slea and to kyll. And to make this good, who hath not in England payd his Peter peny somtime to acknowledge hymselfe a bond man of theirs at the receit of his yerely howsell.

Furthermore yet, besides their market muster of monkes, fryers, and priestes, they hauehave certayne bondmē, of whom some they sell to the Uenicians, some to the Genues, some to the Portingales, & some to y^e Turks, to row in their galleis.

31 And laste of all to make vp their market, least any thing should escape their hands, these vnmercifull bribers maketh marchaundise of the soules of men, to depriue Christe of his whole right, sending many vntounto hell, but not one vntounto heauen (vnlesse they maliciously murther thē forthe truths sake) & all for mony. After many other sortes els abuse they these good creatures of God whō the holy ghost héere nameth by course as things comprehending al other, besides, that Mahomits ministers in their sort in Barbary, Greece, and Egipt. For nothing vnderunder the heauens leaue thei vndefiled. Much were it to shew here by the cronicles seuerally, of what Pope they hauehave reieiued authorytie, power, and charge to vtter these wares to aduauntage and how they came firste from the olde Idolatrous by the large testimonies of Sapience, Esay, Daniel, Baruch, Os…as, and the other prophetes. At one houre shall these marchauntes for their abhom…nations be plaged, nothinge that the vaine louers of this worlde hauehave tro…ed in, anaylinge them nor yet healping them. For at all times in this last age of the world (whom Iohn caleth the last houre) are the wicked reprobats condemned of God, and so reserued to y^e latter sentence of y^e iudge. For it foloweth in the text.

THE TEXT.

1 And the apples that thy soule lusted after, are departed rrom thee. 2. And all things that which vvere dainty, and had price. 3. were departed from thee 4. And thou shalt finde thē no more. 5. The marchaunts of these thinges. 6. Which vvere vvaxed riche by hir. 7. Shall stande a farre of, from hir, for feare of the punishment of hir. 8. Weping and vvayling, and saying. 9. Alas, alas, that great citie, that vvas clothed in raines and purple, and scarlet, and decked vvith gold, and precious stone & pearle. 10. For at one houre so great riches is come to nought.

The Commentary.

1 And the deliclous apples (sayth y^e threatnyng voyce of the holy ghost vntounto thys whore) that thy wreched herte hath so sore lusted after by so mani vnsaciable desires are now departed frō thée. Men of ripe learninge and iudgement, whome thou couetedst to hauehave for defence of thy gloryous whoredom, thy abhominatiōs perceiued, wil no longer dwell with thée, but vtterly leaue thée, detest thée, and abhore thée. Where as they hauehave afore auauanced thée to the world, now wyll they by the scriptures reproue thée to the same.

2 In lyke manner al those thinges which were afore time very precious and dainty vntounto thée, and whom thou haddest for their goodnesse in much estimation, are now for thy lewdenesse gone a way cleane from thée, biddinge thée for euer adue. Men of sober discretion and liuing, whom thou hast afore time pretended much to fauer, as things commodious vntounto thée, to the clokyng of hypocrisie, thy conditions now knowen, doe dayly more and more decline from thy dead obseruations and moste damnable supersticions. And wher as they thought thée afore verye holye and good, they suppose thee now both detestable and diuelish.

3 So that from henceforth the veritie open, none shall remaine wyth thée, nor defende thy knowne whoredome, but hipocrits, mens pleasures, flatterers, bablyng sophisters, hauling canonistes, Epicures, and blasphemous Antichristes. As for menne that be godly wyse, sober, vertuous, learned, well occupied, and mynding the glory of God, wyll vtterly refuse thée, & forsake thy pestiferous wayes.

4 Thou shalte finde them no more vponupon thy side pleating. No more shalt thou hauehave their sauer, nor yet their swéete smellinge. Neither shall their doctrine maintaine thy vaine ceremonies, nor yet their conuersation obserue thy crooked customes any more▪ Yea, be thou certayne and sure of this, that be thei once gone from the clean, neuer shal they agayne returne vntounto thée. Only shal thy wicked remnant be beasts and bablers, fi…thy workers and drounkards, as in Eckius which had thrée bastardes the same yeare y^t he disputed at Lipsia against the mariage of priests, Natalis Beda, C…lictoneus, Liset, Godet, Sutor, Delphus, and de quercu at Paris. Bragging Winchester, the Popes paraclet in England, that is maister of the stewes at London, and such other dirtie doungels.

5 The busi marchauntes of these earthlye thinges afore (saith y^e voyce againe vntounto Iohn) which wer become very fatte, welthy and riche thorow quick sale of their wares of this whorish churche, shall at the day of hir destruction stand a farre of bewaylinge hir fall. Farre diuers are these in their markets frō the vsage of other occupiers in the worlde. For whereas they sell their wares but once, & looke no more for them againe, these sell them eueryevery day and yet retaine them still. And where as they sell the very wares in déede, these sell no more but the sight, the sound, and the shadowe. As the looking vponupon their Images, y^e noyse of their bels, the spreading out of their ornaments, the shew of their Iewelles, the vse and occupyinge of their instruments, the kissing of their reliques, the winde of their lips, the spatle of their tungs, their idle pratlings, and vngodly merits. But styll they kéepe to them selues the golde, the siluer, the precious stones, the pearles, and such lyke, though they neuer cost them mony. Yea, so wolde they doe also the learninge and good lyuing if they had them as they hauehave not. For none would they hauehave learned nor yet vertuous in the sighte of the worlde, but their owne smered Sodomits.

6 How and wherin these marchāts are rich it is shewed afore, and besides y^t al the world doth know it.

7 But now in the fall certaynly of their whorish church, will they stand a farre of. They will be none of hirs, when they sée hir go downe, lest they should go downe with hir, and be punished with penury, or lest they should be drawen, hanged and quartered, as many hauehave bene in England.

8 Rather wil they holde a fayre face outwardly for aduantage, inwardlye it their harts bewaylynge hir ruine, or secretly among them selues depl… ring hir decay, till such time as they may be bold to play y^e knaues againe, laying after this wéeping sort.

9 Alas, alas that notable citie, y^e Babilonyshe Rome that ruled all the world, that holy church that was so beautyfully adorned with fine sylke, purple, and scarlet in hyr copes, vestures and ornaments and was so preciously furnished with golde, precious stone and pearels, in hir chalices crosses and miters, and in all other prodigious and pompous Iewels.

10 Alas for hir, alas, for now at one howre in this latter age of the church by the gospell preachinge is so excéeding great riches, glory magnificence and honour of our holy mother come euen vntounto nought. Yea, our manifolde prelacies are not regarded amonge them, but vtterlie contempned and despised.

THE TEXT.

1 And eueryevery shippe gouernoure. 2. And all they that occupied shippes. 3, And ship me… vvhichwhich vvorke in the sea. 4. Stoode a farre of. 5. And cryed. 6, vvhen they savv the smoke of hir burning, saying. 7. What citie is lyke vntounto this great citie? 8. And they caste duste on on their heades. 9. And cryed vveepinge, and vvaylinge, and saide. 10. Alas, alas, that great citie, vvherein vvere made riche. 11. All that had ships in the sea. 12. By the reason of hir costlines…e. 13, For at one hour… is she made desolate.

The Commentary.

1 In lyke case eueryevery ship maister, which betokneth diocesanes, bishops, and ordinaries.

2 And al they that occupy boats, whiries, and scutes, or sayle vponupon the sea, as they which do amōg the wauering multitude are taken for parsons, vicars, and curates.

3 Yea, and mariners also that work in the sea, by whom are signified soule pristes, simple penitensers, and holye water mongers, dayly peruertinge y^• ignoraunt heople.

4 All these (sayeth the voyce) will stand a farre of when they sée hir destruction. No longer wyll they stande by hir, then they féele hyr profitable and pleasaunt vntounto them. Decay once the swéete profites, and they are gone away.

5 Yet will they turne toward her agayne, and cry out when they shal beholde the filthye smoke that shall arise of her burning.

6 When her wisdome appeareth foolishnesse, hir doctrine diuelishnesse, and hir sanctitie wickednesse by the word of God shall sorrowfullye lamēt for their owne bellyes sake, sayinge thus in their desperate harts.

7 What citie in the worlde can be thought lyke vntounto this mightye citie, either in magnificence, wealth, or power? No cilizens are more preciously apparelled, more sumptuously fed, nor more delitiouslye diered, then is the shorne nation, if ye marke well theyr fauour and feeding, their sine disguysing and lodging, their fat chéekes and great bellies with soche other lyklyhoodes els. Much rather had they to hauehave still the wanton commodities of this Citie, then the perpetuall pleasures of Heauen. So vndiscret, carnall, and beastlye are they in their imaginations, cares, & studies.

8 So sorowfull wil they be for this their generall losse, that vppon their witlesse heades, they shall cast dust in token of their inward heuines. With dispayre shal they darken their wits, & with dottage dull theyr vnderstanding. And as graciously wyll they repent as euer did Caine, Pharao, Esau Antiochus, & Iudas their predicessors

9 Dolorously shall they crye in theyr mutuall murtherings, mourning for their powches, and sorowyng for theyr bellyes, and thys wyl be the tenour of their wofull tragedy.

10 Alas, alas that worthy citie, that royall Rome, that swéet Babilon, that holye mother of ours, in whom we were left so rich, so mighty, & so strong that all the worlde feared vsus, & we felt of no sorrowes.

11 Specially all we that had ships in the sea, or that had Bishopprickes, benefices, and other fat liuings amonge the wauering wanderers of the light laytie, inconstaunt, fyckle and foolysh, where as GODS worde is not knowne.

12 We became wealthy in all maner of pleasures, by reason of hyr costly and profitable wares that those our shippes contayned, whiche are to many to be now rehearsed.

13 Full woe are we & heauy at the hart remembring that famous citie, for at one houre is she made desolat. In this last age of his Churche wyll the Lord consume hir with his breth, not leauing in hir one stone vppon an other. Like as y^e shadow y^t passeth shal she vanish away, & lyke the dry thistle Floure, or dust that is scatered with the winde. Suche wordes (sayeth the wise man Philo) shall they speak in hell that hauehave sinned, besides their desperate complaynt in this lyfe. Some expsitours hauehave taken al these kings, marchants vnd ship gouerners for one manner of people or generation of Antichrist. And it may wel be, for so much as they are all of y^e earth. None of these are they iustlye by the authorytie of God, but very tiraunts, théeues, and manquellers.

THE TEXT

1 Reioice ouer hir thou heauen. 2. And ye holy Apostles. 3. And Prophetes. 4. For God hath geuen your iudgemente on hir. 5. And a mighty Angell tooke vp a stone lyke a great milstone. 6. And cast it into the sea, saying. 7. With such violence shall that great Citie Babilon be caste. 8. And shall be founde no more, 9. And the voyce of harpers, and musitianes, 10. and of pipers, and trumpeters, 11. shal be heard no more in thee. 12. And no craftes man (of vvhatsoeuer crafte he be) shall be founde any more in thee, 13. And the sounde of a mille, shall be hearde no more in thee, 14. And candell light, shall be… no more burning in thee, 15. And the voyce of the brydegrome, and of the bryde, shall be heard no more in thee, 16. For thy merchaūts vvere the Princes of the earth, 17. and vvith thine inchauntments, vvere deceiued all nations, 1…. And in hyr vvas founde the bloude, 19. of the Prophets, 20. and of the saincts, 21. and of all that vvere slayne vponupon the earth.

The Commentary.

1 With all myrth possible (sayeth the text) reioyce thou heauē, or thou faithfull congregation of God, to sée thys aduoutrous church of Antichrist ouerthrowen. Be glad in thy hart, not that thy quarell is reuenged, but in y^t the rightuousnesse of God is fulfilled, hys people being at libertie.

2 HaueHave myrth conuenient ye holy Apostles or messengers of the Lorde, with them that the Gospell hath called.

3 Ioye with our brethren ye aunciēt Prophets, or godlye teachers of the olde lawe.

4 For your merciful God hath heard your pittious crye from vnderunder the aulter, and hath perfourmed vponupon y^e blasphemous whore the same selfe iudgement that you desired. According to your owne request hath he reuenged all your innocēt bloud, which hath bene shed vponupon earth since Abell the ryghtuous. The same dampnation hauehave they now iustly y^t they ministred vntounto you vniustly. Yea double, for so muche as they hauehave it both in theyr bodyes and soules, where as you had it but alone in your bodyes.

5 And immediatly (saith S. Iohn) an Angell of great power betokening the true preachers of the latter age of the church, strōgly indued frō aboue, tooke vp a stone of exceding weight, very like in simylitude vntounto a greate milstone. They shal gather vp out of Esay, Hieremy, Abacucke, & other Prophets, the mighty, & tirrible iudgemēts of y^e Lord, which are the heauy stone that shall grinde his enimies into pouder.

6 This stone shal they cast into y^e sea. They shal publish, preach, and declare vntounto the people of this worlde (which are as the mouable floud) those heauy iudgements which shal light vpō that blasphemous churche of theirs at the tyme appoynted, and thus shall they say vntounto them.

7 So vyolent and heauy shall be the distruction of that myserable citie, that mysticall Babylon, that prostibulous church of Antichrist, with hir shorne citizens and smeared hipocrites, as is the waightie fal of an excéeding great milstone in the bottome of the sea rysing vp no more agayn, yea, so tirrible and fearefull.

8 With shame and confusion shall that wicked generation come downe, and neuer more be foūd hereafter, neither in the earth nor yet in heauen. Though in their painted stories they put popes, cardinals, & bishops, monks, chanōs, & shauen priests, friers, nuns, and heremites, in heauen amonge the saincts, yet are there none such nor neuer shal be. Their resting place is the bottome of the sea by the iudgements of God, vnlesse they renounce those vaine supersticions and cleaue to the sincere verities of y^e Lord. Much hauehave they boasted in their writinges y^t their holy mother of predigious orders and disguised relygyons should euermore continue.

9 But be certaine and sure thou myserable church (saith the holy ghost) y^t thou shalt no lēger enioy y^e cōmodious pleasures of a frée cittye, all quietous without trubles. The mery noyes of them that play vponupon harpes, lutes and fidels, the swéet voice of musicians y^t sing with virginals, vials and chimes, the armony of them that pipe in recorders, flutes, and drums, and the shirle showt of trumpets, waits, & shawmes, shall no more be heard in thée to y^e delight of men.

10 Neyther shal y^e swéet Organs containing the melodious noyse of all maner of instruments & byrdes be plaied vponupon, nor y^e great belles be rong after that, nor yet y^e fresh discant, prick song, counter point, and faburden be called for in thée, which art the very sinagog of Sathan.

11 Thy lasciuious armonye & delectable musique much prouoking y^e weake hartes of men to meddle w^t thy abhominable whordom by y^e wantonnes of Idolatry in that kinde, shal perish with thée for euer.

12 No cunning Artificer, Caruer, Paynter, nor Gilder, Embroderer, Goldsmith, nor silk worker, with such other like of what occupacion so euer they be or hauehave bene to thy cōmodity, shall neuer more be found so agayne. Copes, cruettes, candelstickes, miters, crosses sēsers, crismatoris, corporasses, and chalices, which for thy whorishe holines might not somtime be touched, will thā for thy sake be abhorred of all men. Neuer more shall be builded for marchāts of thi liuery & mark, palaces, tēples, abbeys, collages, couēts, chauntries, fair houses, & horcherds of plesure

13 The clapping noise of neyther wyndmil, horsemil, nor watermil, shal any more be heard, to y^e gluttenous féeding of thy puffed vp porklings, for the maintenaunce of thine idle obseruacions & ceremonies. No more shal those idle belly gods swill vp the sweate th…re, of the labouring man, nor deuour the poore widdowe & fathereesse for strayning out a gnat.

14 The continual light of lampes before the high aulter, the burning cressettes at triumphes in the night, y^e torches at burials & solempne processions tapers at high masses, and the candels at offeringes, shall neuermore burne in thy sinful sinagog.

15 No more shal the bridgrome desyre after thy folish ordenāce to be Ioyned to his wife, nor y^e bride to hir lawfull husbande. No more shal that frée state of liuing be bound vnderunder yoke of dāpnable dremes, neyther for vowes vnaduised, nor for popish orders, nor yet for any gossiprye, but be at full lyberty as the Lord hath ordained it. No commodities, prophets, nor pleasures shalt thou hauehave any more of these nor yet of such like, as afore time thou haste had of them in habundance.

16 For thy mitred marchaunts were sumtime princes of y^e earth whan they reigned in their roialty. Thy shorn shauelinges were Lordes ouer y^e multytude, whan they held their priestly authority ouer y^e soules & bodies of men.

17 Yea, and with thy priuy legardemaine, with thy iugling castes, with the craftes, and inchauntmentes of thy subtile charmes were all nacions of the world deceyued.

With lies in hipocrisy were the great gouernours most miserably blinded, & with errours in supersticion y^e cōmon people seduced. And all was to satisfye thy voluptuous affectes. Only remayneth to thée nowe the dwe rewarde of thy wickednesse, which is an euerlasting dampnacion.

18 All this is said here (saith the holy Ghoste) for that in this aduoutrous church is found the great slaughter of innocentes.

19 Gilty appereth she afore God of al the blod of the holy prophets of y^e olde lawe. As were Esaye, Hieremy, Ezechiel, and Amos.

20 And of the sincere witnesses of the new lawe, as were Steuen, Iames, Antipas, and Paule.

21 Yea, and of all those Godly men y^t were slaine vponupon earth from rightuous Abel vntounto the end of y^e world for the faithfull testimony of God. Among whom may they also be numbred, which hath in battayles, skirmyshes, and vprores at the Popes appoinment in all Christian regions bene vnmercifully murthered, for y^e fulfilling of his insacyable purpose.