The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Chapter 19

The Image of Both Churches in Revelation · Chapter 19

The xix. Chapter.

NOw foloweth in course the conuenyent prayse of thankesgiuing vntounto God, for rightuously condempnyng the blasphemous church of Antichrist, and for graciously auenging the innocent bloud of his true seruaunts. Here are two maner of peoples to be considered, of whom the one is sorowful, the other reioyseth, & all about one matter. The fall of this malignaūt church, is to the one sorte a discomforte, to the other a heauenly comforte. The kings, the merchaunts, and the shippe gouernours of y^e earth, most dolorously lamenteth y^e distruction of their mad vanities. The vnregarded or forsaken number of those simple soules y^• faithfully beleueth in Christ, ar highly glad of it, for his gloryes sake. About thys one decay cryeth the one sort, wo, wo, wo. The other sort singing wyfully in their harts vntounto God so oft tymes. Alleluia. So much dyffreth the one from the other, the children of darkenes frō the children of light, they y^t séeke their owne glory from them that séeke the glory of god. Not vnlike is Iohan vntounto Aggeus, Zacharias, & other holy prophetes, which both shewed afore of y^e peoples return from y^e myserable captiuity of the Babilonians, and also the réedyfying agayne of their new Hierusalem. For here hath he first shewed the distructiō & fal of y^e dānable whore, the spirituall Babilon, which manye yeres hath greuously vexed the people of God, and now in this chapter their peaceable time in y^e Lord. Now are y^e precious vessels of God like to be restored into the temple, the great Balthasar of Rome once ouerthrowen. Now shall the swéet peace grow, the plentuous quiet increase, the pastures of the Lord waxe fat, and the mightie verity of his worde flowe like a swéet running floud.

THE TEXT.

1 And after that I heard the voice, 2. of much people in heauen, 3. sainge: Alleluia, 4. Saluation, 5, & glory, 6, and honour, 7, and povver, 8, be ascribed vntounto the Lord our God, 9. For true and rightuous are his iudgementes, 10. bicause he hath iudged the great vvhore, 11. vvhichwhich did corrupt the earth vvith hir fornication, 12. and hath auenged the bloud of his seruaunts of hir hand, 13. And agayn they sayde Alleluya.

The Commentary.

1 After the destructiō of that whorish Babilō (which singnyfieth the wicked church) I heard (saith Saint Iohn) in mistery, the reroysing voyce of muche people in heuen, which is that congregacion of faith wherin y^e Lord resteth.

2 Uerye many were there amonge them which ioyously gaue thanks vntounto God.

3 Pronouncing this Hebrue sentēce, Alleluia, which is so much to sai, as let vsus together praise the Lordes name.

4 Only is saluacion, health, & deliueraunce of him. Unto none other it is to be ascribed, neyther in heauen nor in earth, be there neuer so godly doers.

5 Inestimable glorye, vnspeakble honour, incomprehencyble power, belongeth vntounto that Lord our God, so doth the dewe commendacion thereof.

6 He it is that only ough… of vsus to be praised, obeyed, and magnified.

7 For he alone hath ouerthrown the dragō, the beast, and y^e glittring whore that deceyued all the worlde, that proude churche of stynkeynge Sodomytes.

8 And this hath he done for our saluacion. Referre all the prayse vntounto hym as to your conquerour most worthye.

9 For verely moste true and perfecte is he in his merciful promises, moste rightuous and iust in his godly iudgementes, which hath bene of late most euydently séene.

10 Specially in that he hath iudged according to his former promis the abhominable harlot, the superstycyous church of Antichrist, the filthy famelye of spiritual whoremongers, gluttōs, & hypocrytes, yea, the execrable Sinnagog of Sathan in déede.

11 Which hath most miserably corrupted not y^e true seruantes of God, but y^e very earth, or such men as were earthly mynded, with hyr filthy fornycation of Idolatry, superstition, & blasphemy.

12 That mercifull Lorde hath most rightuously auenged y^e innocent bloud his faithfull seruauntes and constant witnesses, of hir wicked hande. From the tirryble crueltie, spight, and vyolence of hyr vnmercyfull ministers hath he graciously deliuered them.

13 Yet once againe (saith saint Iohn) did this godly minded multitude break foorth into the prayse of God, and cryed with a most ioyfull shought. Alleluya, or commēdation without end be vntounto our most heauenly creator, redéemer and comfortour. Hys laude be euermore in our mouth, for thus restoring his veritie, the enimies thereof deposed.

THE TEXT.

1 And smoke rose vp for euermore, 2. And the xxiiij. elders, 3 and the foure beastes, 4. feldovvne, 5. and vvorshipped God that sate on the seat, 6. saying▪ Amen.

7. Alleluya. 8. And a voyce came out of the seate, 9. saying, 10. Prayse our Lorde God, 11. all ye that are his seruauntes, 12. and yee that feare him both small and great.

The Commentary.

1 And the smoke (saieth sainct Iohn) of hir abhominations, very noyful vntounto y^e eyes of God, wēt vp euermore into his sight prouoking him to eternall vengeaunce. A smoke ascended in hys wrath (saith Dauid) and vponupon y^e fyre procéeded from his mouth, which kindled the coles of hir dampnation. Thys fyre will be the tirrible sentence giuē vponupon hir in his latter iudgement. For neuer ceaseth this blasphemous bloudy church in requiring the vengeaunce of God.

2 And the xxiiij. Elders (saith he) by whom are signified the saincts departed, as the Patriarks, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and other godly witnesses.

3 And the iiij. beasts also betokening the faithful multitude in the, iiij. quarters of the worlde, yet liuing in this frayle nature, fell downe before the face of the Lord.

4 In one godly spirite, fayth, zeale, and feruent louelove, did both they in their tymes, & these in this our age submit them selues vntounto God, referryng alalwayes vntounto him all that they euer had eyther in faith or workes, as vntounto the speciall giuer of them.

5 These worshipped in their ages and yet doe to this day, not things fantasied of men, but the onelyonly euerlastyng God that euermore hath sit vponupon the eternall seate of his omnipotency.

6 Continually saying: Amen▪ Or at his will be all things.

7 Saying also Alleluya, or euerlasting prayse be giuen to his name of the vniuersall Christian multitude, for rightuously iudging the great whore to drinke the bloud that shée hath shed of the holy witnesses of Iesu, or to sustain for euer the iust vēgeaūce therof.

8 Consequently came there out an, excéeding swéet voyce from y^e eternall throne of God, which is Iesus Christ. This is that Gospell of glad tydings, which he taught whan he was here liuing among vsus, being the bodily habitacle of his Godhead.

9 This voyce euermore is mouing vsus to the onelyonly fayth, obedience, and feare of the eternall father, comprehended in this clause following.

10 In all your sayings and dooyngs (saith that voyce) commende alwayes that Lorde which is both my father, both my God, & your God.

11 Specially all you that are his faithfull seruaunts by earnestly louing and following his word.

12 You also that vnfaynedly feare to transgresse his lawes, and commaundements, whither ye be great or smal, high or lowe, young or olde, noble or vnnoble, rich or poore, strong or weak, whole or sicke, beautiful or deformed, wyse or vnwyse, learned or vnlearned, none to be excluded frō his praise, so that he be faithfull, charitable, pacient, and godly. For in no maner of nacion is any of him forsaken that faithfully feareth him and liueth according vntounto rightuousnesse.

THE TEXT.

1 And I heard the voyce of much people, 2. euen as the voyce of many vvaters, 3. and as the voice of stronge thunderynges, 4. saying: Alleluya. 5. For God omnipotente raygneth, 6. Let vsus be glad and reioyce, 7. and giuegive honour to him, 8. For the maryage of the Lambe is come, 9. and hys vvyfe made hyr selfe readye. 10. And to hyr vvas graūted, that she should be araied vvith pure and goodly silke, 11. As for the silke it is the rightuousnesse of saintes.

The Commentary.

1 After this (saith saint Iohn) I herd in mistery y^e voyce of very much people, or of an innumerable multitude of men.

2 And it sounded vntounto me euen as it had bene the flushing noyse of manye waters.

3 And in a maner as the fearful soūd of great thunderings. For though the praise of God be all one in the faithful nacions, yet is the vtterance thereof diuers, like as the languages are also diuers. Uery straunge and confuse are the speches one to an other wher they are not knowē. Tirrible also are they, partly for that they comprehend such a magistie, as is the glory of God, and partly bycause they are for the vtter confusion of the wicked. None other was this voyce than were the voyces afore, nor to none other ende.

4 For loke in what faith the Patryarkes and the fathers, the prophetes and Apostles, the holy Martyrs and preachers, lauded God for victorie ouer theyr enimies, in the same doth nowe the faythful multitude of all regions commend hym, sayinge: Alleluya, or praise be euermore in your mouthes.

5 For our Lord God almightye is become a victorious conquerour, and nowe reygneth ouer all. Not onelyonly hath he ouercomen the diuel by the doughtye death of hys sonne, but also hys proude kingdome of hipocrysie by the power of his mighty worde.

6 Let vsus be glad (saith this voyce) and highly reioyce in our harts for this heuenlye alteration & profitable change.

7 Let vsus giuegive thankes to hys omnipotente name, that withoute our deseruinges we are brought to so ioyfull a daye.

8 For the glorious spousage of the Lambe Iesus Christ is come. Nowe that this whore is ouerthrown, shal he be ioyned to his vndefiled church, which was afore dispersed by diuers afflictions and punishementes.

9 His wife which is his congregation hath made hir selfe now ready to hir spouse. Not with copes and crosses, miters and reliques, torches and holy water. Not with chapels, and chauntries, hallowings, and sensinges, shauinges & anointinges, with such other beggerye. No, neyther with workes of supererogation, merites of masses, nor other dirtye deseruinges of our owne rightuousnes. But with a pure christian faith, & with the true rightuousnes of god which she hath of christ.

10 For it foloweth in the texte, y^t to hir it was garnted by the singuler goodnes of God y^t she should be apparyled beautifully with pure whit silke, or w^t most fine raines.

11 None other are these faire pleasant and godly raines after the cleare diffinition of the holy ghost héere, but the pure iustificatiōs of the holy saints which hauehave bene since the beginning, wherof they hauehave bene called rightuous. Of their faith in Iesus Christ is this pure garment of innocency, clernesse, and righteousnesse. Through faith was Abraham reputed for rightuous, so was Abell, Enoche, & Noe, Isaac, Iacob, and Ioseph, Moyses, Iosue, and Gedeon, Samuel, Dauid, and Helias, with the vniuersall number of the saints, Prophetes, and fathers. So was Zacharias, Simeon, Ioseph, & Iohn Baptist, Peter, Iames, Iohn, and Paule, Lazarus, Lucas, Agabus, and S…éeuen, with all the Apostles, martirs, and other true beléeuers. Through faith (saith S. Paule) hauehave the saints ouercōe kingdoms, wroght rightuousnes, obtained the promises, stopped the mouthes of Lions, quenched the vyolence of fyre, wyth such like. Sence the begynning of y^e world hauehave the true and faithfull prepared them selues vntounto this heauenlye marriage, & in the resurrection of the rightuous shall it be perfectly solemnised, celebrated, and magnified, such time as they shal appeare in full glory with Christ.

In this latter time wyll the true christian church, when all the worlde shall confesse his name in peace, be of hir full perfect age and apte vntounto this spousage.

Now shall she in méeknes of spirit appoynt hir selfe to méete hir bridgrome in the ayre, for with a glad hart doeth she now here his voyce. At that daye shal she appeare as the beautiful bride prepared to the spouse, accompanyed with the wise maydens, the vnwyse neither hauing oyle nor light for euer reiected.

THE TEXT.

1 And he sayde vntounto me. 2. Write. 3. Happye are they, which are called vntounto the Lambes supper. 4. And he sayde vntounto me. 5. These are the true sayings of God. 6. And I fell at his feete. 7. To vvorship him. 8. And he sayde vntounto me. 9. See thou doe it not. 10. For I am thy fellovv seruant. 11. And one of thy brethren. 12. And of them that hauehave the testimonye of Iesus. 13. Worship God. 14. For the testimony of Iesus. 15. is the spirit of prophesie.

The Commentarye.

1 And the Angell (sayth saint Iohn) which shewed vntounto me afore, the fall of the great whore, sayde at this present time vntounto me.

2 Seriouslye register this sentence followynge, that it may remayne to their comforte, whiche shall followe thée.

3 After a most happye and fortunable sorte are they blessed, whiche hauing the wedding garmente, the pure fine raines afore named, are graciously prdestinate, called, and accepted of the heauenly father, vntounto the euerlasting supper of the vndefiled Lamb Iesus Christ, there to perticipat with him the eternall refection both of soule & body. Satisfied shall I be (saieth Dauid) without end, when thy glory shal manyfestly appeare. Not of corruptible meates and drinkes shal this supper be, but of vncorruptible delightes and of pleasures that shall neuer fayle. Nothing shal be there prophane, voide or vncomely, but al things, pure, clean true, stedfast, godly, & perfect. Thē shal the méetinges be heauenly, and the clippinges w^tout deformity. The bride shal at that day reioyce with hir euerlasting spouse, and the daughters of Sion shal beholde the true Salomon in full glorye, accompained with hys holye how shoulde of Angelles and Saintes.

4 And the aforesaide Angell (sayeth S. Iohn) sayd thus vntounto me.

5 These words whiche I last tolde thée (frinde Iohn) are not mine, but they are the true sayings of gods ow… mouth. So much the rather they are to be beleued as most certayne and sure, that they are of hym whos… vniuersall language is the ve…itie …nfayned.

9 As I heard the Angell speake thus vntounto me (saith saynt Iohn) I fel down by and by at hi… fete flat vponupon the grounde, myndynge to hauehave worshypped hym. So wonderfull wer the secret… of god whome he ther declared vntounto me, and the misteries so ioyful vntounto my soule, that in a maner I clearly forgote my selfe.

7 … hand I was at the poynt to hauehave worshipped the messēger for the Lord, and the Angell for the La…be, otherwise th… did Abraham, not of ignoraunce, but of forgetfull reioysing.

8 But in no wise would the Angell suffer me so to doe, but gently he sayd thus vntounto me.

9 Se thou do no such homage vntounto me a creture, as peculiarly belongeth vntounto god the creator of all. So great is thy selfe, and such as thou art, I am, & so excellente a creature of God. Trueth it is that I am the aungel of the Lorde, and so are you also, so many as beare witnes of the same veritie.

10 And as concerninge myne owne persone, I am but thy felowe seruāt. For, he that is …hy god, is also my god, and he that is thy Lord and master is also mine. Indifferently are we bothe created for his seruauntes, and admitted for his messengers.

11 Of thy bretheren am I one by creation.

12 So am I also both a brother and felow of al them that hauehave the faithful testimonie of Iesus. For like as they by his godly appointment are messengers thereof to y^e world, so am I now vntounto thée here for the same.

13 worship not me therefore, which am but a creature, but worshippe thy Lord god, for sending by me this message of health vntounto thée. Though Loth Iacob, Iosue, Gedion, Tobias, & other fathers of the olde law, gaue worship vntounto the Angels whom God sente vntounto them in message, yet shalte thou not do so vntounto me now, considerynge that at thys tyme Gods sonne hath taken the nature of man, hath raised it from death hath sette it vponupon the fathers right hand, and therin hath sent from thence the spirite of reconciliation vntounto men. By thys are ye become no longer in feriours vntounto vsus, but equall with vsus infauour and dignitye. No lōger are ye strangers & foreners, but citizens of heauen and the very househould chyldren of God.

14 And as for the testymony of Iesus Christ, which both I vntounto you, & you to y^e world hauehave to vtter, it is y^e very sprit of prophisi, & on message of helth committed vntounto vsus both. The true spirit of god it is that beareth witnes of Christ, both in the law & prophets (for none can saye that Iesus is the lord, but in the holy ghost) and in that spirit do we nowe make mencion also of him. This is the spirit of adoptiō wherby ye ackonwledge god for your deare father. Thys spirit assertaineth your spirit that ye are become his children beleuing in hys name.

15 And in this spirit do I admonishe thée Iohn, by this presente Reuelatiō which is a Prophicy, & in thée al them that hauehave the same faith, to acknowledge, worshyp and confesse the sayde Iesus Christ, as we do nowe, for the onelyonly Lord & sauiour of the world. Not only shalt thou be by the plaine manifestation of thys prophesye an Angel but also by an excellent prerogatiue of singuler grace aboue all thy felowes, a Ppophete. After the maner of this Angel dyd Paule & Barnabas vtterlye refuse to hauehave honour geuen them of the people at Listra. Peter would in no case suffer Cornelius the noble Centurion to worshype hym. Contrarywise the Antichrist of Rome not onelyonly suffereth but also commaundeth straightly such homage of honour euermore to be geuen to his holy fatherhood. Yea, he is not ashamed to cō straine noble Emperours to k…sse hys filthy féete, kings with cappe & knée to holde hys steroppes, and the greatest princes of the world to wayte vponupon his Mule.

Great pardons hath he geuen to the worshyppinge of Idols and of olde rotten bones, threatning most terrible death vntounto them that would not at his commaundement do the same. At Geneua was honorablye worshypped an Asses tayle, and at Tholosa a young boyes shoo, great in dulgences graunted vntounto them both. But let not him and his mitred Mahomets thinke easely to auoyde the indignation so God whan he shal call them to accountes, wyth theyr craftye distincton of Latria Dulia, and hyperdulia, whom y^e scripture knoweth not. Notwythstanding in this is not vtterly inhibited mutual reuerence betwixt man & man, for so much as Paul willeth the faithful to preuēt eche other in honor geuing. Necessary it is that they first honour God, and then for his sake that they procecute their neighbours with such christen beneuolence, as the comlines of humanity requireth. The gospel neuer forbiddeth such politike maner as norisheth mutual frendship, yet …oth it not geue them vntounto Idols.

THE TEXT.

1 And I savv heauen open. 2. And beholde, a white horse. 3. And he that sate vponupon him. 4. VVas called faithfull and true. 5. And in rightuousnesse did he iudge. 6. And make battell. 7. His eyes vvere a flama of fyre. 8. and on his head vvere many cro…vnes, 9. And he had a name vvritten. 10. That no man knevv but him selfe. 11. And he vvas clothed vvith a vesture dipt in bloud. 12. And his name is called the vvord of God.

The Commentarye.

1 After this (sayeth Saint Iohn) I saw heauen open. Uery euident were the misteries of the Lorde vntounto me. I perceiued that through fayth & méeknesse, great knowledge men might hauehave of the secrets of God. Open is heauen euermore, when gods word is fréely taught. And closed vp it is again when that is layd aparte.

2 And behold a pure white horse appeared in this misterye, whiche betokneth the true ministers or perfecte preachers of the Apostles doctrine, as is mencioned afore in the sixt chapter hereof, y^e godly nature of these is (as is specified in Paule) to carry the gloryous veritie of the Lorde the worlde ouer and to publishe it before the gouernours and peoples of the nations.

3 He that sate vponupon this white horse, or assisted these preachers by his spyrite, was the eternall sonne of God, whiche hath euermore bene called in the scriptures faithful of hys promise, and true of his worde. Rightuous is Lorde (saith Dauid) in all his waies, sure of his sayings, & perfect in all his workes.

4 None other thing could he teache but the veritie, which was the veryty it selfe, nor yet they whiche had hys godly spirit.

5 Accordinge to true equitie hath he iudged, in vtterly condemning by his word y^e proude sinagog of sathan, & in exalting againe his owne méeke spirited church.

6 First in his owne person, as a mightie warriour did he battayle with the Diuell, and by his death o…ercame him. Now by his faithfull preachers doth he rightuouslye ouerturne his kingdome by vertue of the same graciously sending them forth in this latter age vnderunder the …ipe of this white horse. For horses of lustty courage are his faithfull seruantes after Abacuk. Yea, and whiter are they then eyther snow or milk, by theyr true beléefe after Ieremy. I (sayth the Lord) which am the word of rightuousnesse, do valianaly battaile to saue you. For none other purpose fighteth he, but to the intent to preserue his elects.

7 The eyes of this horseman were as the pure flame of fire, effectuall, mighty, and cleare. And these are not, onelyonly his godly vnderstanding, & knowledge, wherby he perceiueth, decerneth, and iudgeth clearly al thinges, but also the vniuersal graces of the holy ghost. Upon one sure stone, saith Zachary (whō Paule calleth Christ) shall be seauen eyes, which are the seauen spirits of god. With these eyes lightneth he the herts of godly men, and kindleth their mindes to the true louelove of God. Hys worde is a lanterne to their féete, & a light to their pathes. Pure is his commandement, geuing clearnesse to the sight. Open y^u mine eies lord (saith Dauid) & then shal I wel perceiue y^e wonderfull misteries of thy doctrine.

8 Upon his head (saith S. Iohn) were also many beautifull crownes, like as were before in figure vponupon the heade of Iosedech the high priest in token y^• christ is the high king ouer al worlds, regions and ages. For he is y^e Lord of hostes, & the eternall king of glorye, he was constitute a principall gouernour our Sion, y^e holy hyl of the lord. He geueth prosperitie to kings, and hath their victori in his hands. In him as in their head, hauehave all his elect mē bers their crowns. Both w^t mercy shal he crowne them and also with longe kindenesse. For Peter, hath he laid vp a crowne of incorruptible glorye, for Iohn, a crown of lif, for Paul a crown of rightuousnes, & so forth. For the whole conflict, victori, and triumphe of the saints, is of him alone.

9 He had a special name written, or eternally of god his father appointed, whose excellent maiestie no creature vnderstanding was able of his owne industry to comprehende. Omnipotent was this name, maruelous, honorable holy, and terrible, Adonay, Emanuel, a name of saluation, & a name aboue al names. Yea, y^e Lord was his name, or y^e Lord our rightuous maker.

10 No man knoweth this name, saue he him selfe onelyonly, and they to whom he hath shewed it. Neyther fleshe nor blo…d, gentill nor Iewe, hipocryte nor false christian, hath rightl… knowdn it. No, though they hauehave said, lord, lord. For none cā say ioyntly y^t Iesus is the lord, but in y^e holi ghost, which openeth al godly veritie. In this name is registred y^e elect number of gods adoptiue childrē, whō y^e world, doth not know for hys, nor neuer wil do.

11 And this lord was beutifully adorned w^t a vesture faire & comely, but it was al dipt in blood, sō hauehave takē this garmēt for his rightuousnes wherin hath appeared all auengementes ouer his enimies, Som hauehave supposed it to be his churche, all bloudy in his martires and constant witnesses. But vponupon their side am I which hauehave takē it for his flesh, for that did he on as a vesture. So sore hath that vesture ben stryped, and so gréeuo…slye-wounded, that from the sole of the foote to the ouermost part of y^e head, was no whole place in it. This mighty capitayne is he which came from Edom and Bosra▪ his clothes be sprinkled with red. His apparell is all spotted, much lyke vntounto his raiment that treadeth in the wine presse. For his mortall nature suffered most paynefull death. Alone tr…de he downe y^e wine presse in th…se dayes, & had no mā to help him. Alone was he wounded for our offences, alone were our punishmentes laid vpō him, w^t whose strips we ar now heled.

12 And his name (saith s. Iohn) besids y^t is spoken afore, is y^e eternal word of god. He is called y^e word which was in y^e beginning w^c god, which furnished y^e heuens aboue, which ordered al thīgs beneth & now last of al toke flesh, restoring, lightning, quickning, heling, & sauing all them y^t truly beleueth in him,

THE TEXT.

1 And the warriours vvhichwhich were in heauē, 2. follovved him. 3. vponupon vvhyte horses, 4. clothed vvith vvhite and pure silke, 5. and out of his mouth vvent a sharpe svverd, 6. that vvith it he should smite the Heathē, 7. And he shal rule them vvith a rodde of yron, 8. and hee trode the vvine fat of the fiercenesse, 9. of the vvrath of almightie God, 10. And hath on his vesture, 11. and on his thigh, a name vvritten, 12. king of all kings, 13. & Lord of all Lords.

The commentary

1 The valiaunt warryours or constant ministers which were in heauen or in the holy housholde of faith, dyd follow him in a comely order vpō faire white horses.

2 Accordyng to his scriptures dyd they lead their conuersation. After the rules of hys godly discipline dyd they liue. They fashioned thē selues to y^e example y^t was shewed thē in y^e mount.

3 None other are these horses, then their corruptible bodyes prepared to battail. They which are of Christ doth mortifie the vices and lustes of theyr flesh, they tame their carnall affectiōs. Like perfect men they brydle their bodies to the obedience of y^e spirite. So to become y^e true seruantes of rightuousnesse and no more to do seruice vntounto sin. White are these horses for y^e pure word of y^e Lord which gouerneth thē No meruaile though these myghtie souldyers foloweth y^e Lord, cōsidering he is so oft in the scriptures called the lord of hosts. A like similitude dyd the seruant of Helizens y^e Prophet behold in a vision throug Gods permission in Dotham.

4 This army of the Lord here were appareled preciously with pure white silk or fine raynes, betokening y^e pure innocensy which they hauehave in Christe theyr general captain. Not carnal is this armour, but euermore spirituall after y^e doctrine of S. Paule. Though we walke in the flesh (saith he) yet do we not fight after a fleshly maner. For the weapons of our warre are not carnal things, but things mighty in God. Bewtifull & fayre is my welbeloued (saith the eternall Salomon) for hys soule pleaseth his Lord, and is loued agayn of him. His fauour & his mercy is vponupon his holy ones, he hath a louing respect vntounto his chosen number. A notable singe of victory in the faithfull are also these white horses & vestures, for afore they ar called iustificacions of the saintes.

5 And out of his Godly mouth (sayth the Text) proceded forth a two edged swerd, which is the fearce iudgement of his mighty word. By this effectual swerd are the faithfull beleuers woū ded vntounto life, and y^e vnbeleuers to the death of dampnacion. For vntounto some it is the sauour of life, and vntounto some againe y^e sauour of death vntounto death. By this swerd also shal the dead braū ches be cut from the vine, and the corrupted members from y^e whole body. The gotes shal be deuided from the lambes, and the euil from y^e rightuous Oh, how sharp, fierce, and tirrible wil this sentence of y^e lords indignaciō be at that day? Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre. Yet shall it be vntounto y^e faithful a perpetuall power, victory, & triumphe ouer their enymies.

6 Ouer & besides all this, goeth that swerd frō his eternal mouth to y^e intēt he should therw^t correct their Heathē, or reform… thē of their heathinish life. So that if they wil not at y^e wholsome admonishmēts of his word repent and amend their olde conuersacion, y^t than they should be condemned by the same for their wilful contempt. If men wil not turne (saith Dauid) he shall whet his swerde against them. He wil sharpen it as the lightening and aquite his enymies their wickedmes.

7 This mighty Lord shal rule them with a strong rodde of yron, which is the inuincible veritie. This is the rod of right order, the septure of the kingdome, and the wand of power, whom the Lord sent frō Sion to hauehave sway among our enymies. So strong is this septure, that it wil not bowe. No place wil it geue to y^e contrary parte. If they will not therewith be ordred, he shall breke them in peces as y^e potter doth his pot, in such maner as they neuer shal recouer agayne.

8 The winefat of y^e great fiercenesse and sore displeasur of almighty God, shal he tred downe with power. More greuously shal they be opressed at this latter comming by his set sētence, thā they wer afore at Hierusalē by Uespasianus and Titus. The vineyarde of the Lord of hostes was the house of Israell. This brought he out of Egipt by strong hande. Thereof looked hée to hauehave had grapes, and it brought hym foorth bryers and thistles. Their vines were as the wilde vines of Sodome. Bitter were their grapes as the poyson of Dragons, and as the cruel gaul of Adders. Therfore will he break the hedge, and throw downe the wal, that it may be troden vnderunder foote.

9 Great anguishe shall bée vponupon the earth in his fury, and wrath vpō that people in his anger. They shall fall on the edge of the swerd and be dispersed. Both here shall they hauehave griefe, and also in the world to come.

10 This victorious horse man hath vponupon his white vesture besprinckeled with bloud, which is his innocent mā hood crucified.

11 And vpō his tender thigh (whom some call his churche, some his scriptures, as flesh of his fleshe, or spirite of his spirite) this name of magnificence written.

12 In both of them is it manifestlye expressed y^t he is both king of kinges, and also Lorde of Lordes, the great guide of right gouernours, and y^t monarke of godly magistrates. By kings is his generation discribed of Mathew in the posteritie of Dauid, and of Luke by faithfull fathers vntounto Adam which had the first promise of health. Both doth the godly actes of his natural mā hood and also the holy spirite whom he left here to the comfort of all true beléeuers, declare that he is the eternall attourney of God, his Apostles & true seruaunts affyrming y^e same. And these are his garmente and thigh. By hys death is our nakednesse couered, which are his misticall members. Of his spirite is our strength, which are the generation séeking the Lord of Iacob.

13 Both hath he giuen hym of God the high seat of Dauid his father, and also the vniuersall power in heauen and in earth, as he by whom all things were first created. For his power is an euerlasting power, and his kingdome such as shall neuer perishe. And all this is comprehended in y^t he is called the sonne of the highest, and in that he alone hath immortalitie, inhabyting the light that no man can attayne, to whom be honour and euerlasting empire, Amen. In this vesture and thigh are his titles written as to hys onelyonly behou e, that no man shuld of presumption vsurpe them neither by supremite nor vycarage, his church and posteritie acknowledging y^e same euermore.

THE TEXT.

1 And I savve an Angell, 2. stande in the sunne, 3. and he cryed vvith a loude voyce, 4. saying to all soules that flye by the middest vnderunder the heauen, 5. Come and gather your selues togither, 6. vntounto the supper of the great God, 7. that ye may eate the fleshe of kynges, 8. & of high captaine, 9. & the flesh of mightie men, 10. and the flesh of horses, 11. and of them that sit on them, 12. and the flesh of all free men & bondmen, 13. both of small and great.

The Commentary.

1 After this reuelation I sawe (saith sainct Iohn) a beautifull Angell, betokening not onelyonly the Apostles but all other faithfull ministers in the word, els, hauing the Apostles spirite.

2 In the sunne stedfastly stoode thys Angell which signifieth Christ y^t cleare sunne of rightuousnesse, y^e bright morning star in the middest of the cloude, the expresse Image of God & substance of his glory. In the strong faith of his name and word stande these worthie witnesses agaynst the whole swarme of Antichristes, not once remouyng their fote from y^e rock, which is Christ also, for no persecution nor death.

3 These hath cryed and yet shall crye still to the worldes ende, with a mightie loude voyce or a sure constant spyrite. Earnestly shall they protest and publish vntounto the fethered foules of the ayre, that flye by the middest of heauen, by whome are vnderstanded the méeke sprited multitude, made spirituall by fayth and by knowledge of heauenly misteries.

4 These as flying byrdes are taken vp from vnpure delightes, leauing at their tayles all corruptible thinges. They lift vp them selues aboue them selues, & hauehave their cōuersatiō in heauē vnfainedly. Yea, these are those gentil soules whom y^e heauenly father aboū dantly féedeth without theyr deseruings. Such a soule was faithfull Abraham in Mesopotamia, Moyses in Synai, Helias in Carme, Danyell among the Lyons the children of Israel in the wildernesse, Paul in Damascus, Iohn in Pathmos, and many other more which afterward became Angels also in the sunne, or teachers in Christ. And this not onelyonly hath ben, but shall be also stil to the worlds end the tenour of their crye.

5 Come you that hauehave receyued the veritie, from the heauy and carefull cures of this worlde and gather your selues togither into the vnitie of one faith and spirite. Knit your selues togither in christian louelove whiche is the cheayne of perfection, & let the peace of God which passeth all wit kéepe your hartes and vnderstandyngs in Christ Iesu, that ye may be counted worthye your christien vocation.

6. And so prepare your selues as hys louinge frindes vntounto the bounteous supper of the almightye God (whiche is the eternall refection of soule) that ye may be fed with his most precious delicates. Learne of the word of God what is his heauenly wyll, and folow it in your works: Flée therby from all worldly lusts, liue soberly, iustly, & godly here, abyding his glorious aperāce.

7 So order your selues in liuing & doctrine; y^t ye may eate y^e flesh of kings, or take frō y^e worldly gouernors by your godly preaching al y^t is filthy & carnall.

8 Consume y^e fierce flesh of y^e captayns in plucking thē frō crueltie & mallice.

9 Denowre y^e froward flesh of mē that be mighty in power & possessiōs, cause thē to leaue their superfluous vanities

10 Spare neither horses nor yet those that sit vpō them, but byte both theyr fleshes harde. Rebuke both the beastly Antichrist & y^e prince y^t is ruled by him.

11 Plucke from those belly Gods, byshops and priestes their pompes, & lecherous pleasures, & from those y^t follow them in superstitions, the cruell persecuting of innocents.

12 See that no flesh be left vntouched, neither of frée men nor bonde men, rulers nor subiects, maisters nor seruāts: Neyther of small nor great, poore nor riche, low nor high, but be doing with thē all. Play as doth the Egles & other rauening fouls. Wher as ye sée a dead carkasse, or body without faith & spirit, thither resort ye apace.

Tell eueryevery man his right offyce. Exhort the kyng to be learned, and to liue in the fear of y^e Lord. The prince to be wise, and the Iudge to be godly. Bid the graunde captaynes be faythfull to theyr commons, and the great rich men more mercyfull to the poore. Commaūde the carnall hypocrites no longer to dissemble, & their vndiscréets clients no longer to folow thē in darknesse. Require them no longer to ney after their neyghbours wyues lyke …ancke stoned horses, & the other no lō ger to pamper them vp to all beastlye vices: Charge the gouernours to rule faithfully, & the commō people to obey louyngly. Sée that the woman obeye theyr husbandes, the chyldren theyr fathers, the seruants theyr maysters. And agayne that the men be louing to theyr wyues, gentyle to theyr chyldren, & fauourable to their seruants. Open the foure cornerde shéete as did Peter. Sley all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth, vermin, wormes, and foules of the ayre, & eat them. Rebuke them with pacience whatsoeuer they be, tyrāts, persecutors, murtherers, glottons, Antichristes, extortioners, ribalds, Idolatours, théeues, and pluck from them their filthye and carnall customes. Ye shall eate the flesh (saith Ezechiell) of the worthyes, and drink the bloud of the princes of the land, of the wethers, of the lambs, of the gotes, and of the oxen that be al slayne at Basan.

THE TEXT.

1 And I savv the beast. 2. And the kings of the earth, and their warryers. 3. Gathered together. 4▪ To make battayle. 5. Against hym that sate vponupon the horse. 6. And against hys souldiours. 7. And the beast was taken. 8. And with him that fals prophet 9. That tought miracles before him. 10. With vvhichwhich he deceiued them that receiued the beasts mark. 11. And thē that worshipped his Image. 12. These both werre caste quick into a ponde 13. Of fyre burning vvith brimston. 14. And the remnaunt were slaine vvith the svvord of him that sate vpō the horse 15. Which svvord proceedeth out of his mouth. 16. And all the soules vvere stuffed vvith their flesh.

The commentary

1 Anone after this I behelde (saith S. Iohn) the great horible beast that rose out of the sea, that battailed with the Saintes, and that beare the greate whore of Babilon which is the generall Antichrist.

2 I saw also following him, the cruell kinges of the earth and their host of bloudy warriours, the mitered bysshops of his beastly kingdome w^t their great bellied monks and priestes, the malicious tirants of the world, with their mad moodye magistrates and slaues.

3 These gather them selues togeather in one minde of mischiefe, & hath done since Christes assencion. They muster in aray as dyd Pharaoes host, they buskle together as dyd Cayphas hyered knights in the dark with fyre brands and weapons.

4 To make fierce war or very sharp battaile against the most valiant capitayne Iesus Christe, which sate vponupon the aforesayde whit horse, and against mighty stomaked soldiours of his faithful army of true christiās. Neuer was the holy gospell yet sincerely taught, the glory of God proponed, and the inordinate liuings of men reprehended, but such vprore of hipocrits, and suche tumulte of tyrantes hath followed.

5 The word of the Lord is alwayes of one nature, to be the marke of contradiction and rocke of reproch. Horsemen for the more parte are these, malicious warriours against Christ & his word, sturred, prouoked, and set foreward by y^e beastly bishops. None other caused Herode & Pylate to put Christ vntounto death but Annas & Caiphas. Non other moued Felix the president of Iury to emprison Paule, but the puffed vp prelate Ananias. Traianus y^e Emperour would neuer so extremely hauehave persecuted y^e Christian church, nor yet other cruell tyrauntes euer since; had they not béene propped forewarde by such pampred palfraies of the diuil.

6 Not onelyonly agaynst Christ doe they moue this bold battail, but also against those that faithfully beleue his word, which are the déere members of hys mitticall body. No blasphemies, false myracles, lyes, nor obprobryous slaunders & rebukes spare they, to blemish thy opinion to the worlde, besides the most cruell kyndes of death. The captaine of this wicked army is that tirrible beast whom Danyell also beheld in a vysiō, with yron téeth deuouring, and with nayles of brasse distroying, and stamping the residue vnderunder hys féete.

7 This horrible beast (saith S. Iohn) this filthy body of Antichrist, comprehending all the great aduersaries of the Lord was taken sodainly.

8 And with hym the false Prophet, or beast rysing out of the earth, betokening his false preachers.

9 Which wrought vayne myracles before him as did Iannes & Iambres the sorcerers of Egipt before Pharao, in counterfaiting Moyses and Aaron. Yea, by their trāsubstauntiaciōs, they can take from bread the substaūce, the accydents still remayning. They can hold the shadow whan y^e body is gone, besides that they can doe in Purgatorie and hell by theyr sacrifices of satisfaction.

10 With such deceitful myracles and lying signes shall those be deceyued by them that hath by a false beleue receiued into theyr cōsciences the vnwholsome mark of y^e beast, or such a corrupt fayth as shall cause their damnacion.

11 And they in lyke case shalbe seduced by thē, y^t hath worshipped y^e beastly Image of that great Antichriste, or inclyned to any worldly potentate in the vpholdinge of hys false religion. So sealed Cayphas the hartes of the wauerynge multytude of the Iewes wyth that markynge yron of Sathan that they coulde be but hys ministers. In no case coulde they saue Iesus, but Barrabas the murtherer. Though they receiued him ioyfully not long afore into the citie with Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini, yet could they at that time but crye, Crucifige, Crucifige eum No they had powre to doe none other but to crucifie him in déede whiche is to worship the beastes Image or to folow y^e wicked intēt of y^t beastly generation, as their faithfull clyants doth yet still to this day.

12 Both these twayne (saith the text) the head and the body, the beast with hys false prophete, were cast quicke by the mighty iudgment of god into a déepe lake of most terrible fyre boylynge with stinkinge brimstone. For vnbewares shall destruction light vponupon that cursed generatiō, according to the faithfull request of Dauid, and sodenly shal they fall into their owne mischiefe.

13 Without warning shall the great day of y^e Lordes indignation light vponupon them, and bring thē to nought for euer. Hastely shall death attache thē for their wickednesse sake, and quicke shall they droppe into hel with Chore, Dathan, and Abyron. As a waightye stone or leade shall they sinke to y^e bottome, and the pit shal swallowe them vp for their exceding rebellion. For like as they stode vp against Moyses. & Aaron, so hath this beastely generatiō against God and his Christ. Therfore are they here specifyed after a moste strange & terrible sort to be throwen foorth. For thrée causes may it be that they are called here quick. One is in y^t their stinking remnaunt shall at that dreadfull daye bée a liue after the doctrine of Paule. An other, in that they hauehave wilfully, vponupon a set mallyce resisted y^e knowen verytie, detortinge it to their owne propre lust. If I had not (sayth Christ) done among them such workes as neuer man did, they should be fautelesse. But they hauehave certienly knowen thē, yet hauehave they hated, both me and my father. The Paganes not beleuing, are iudged all ready, and go to hell dead, where as they knowing the will of their Lorde and not doeing it, shall after an other sort be plaged. Fyre shall they hauehave with heate, and brimstone with stinke. The thirde is, in that they shall hauehave palpable darkenesse, with weping and gnashinge of téethe, their worme neither dying nor yet their fyre going out. And lyke as y^e Diuell was throwne forth at the death of Christ, and soone after that the prelates and Pharises of the Iewes, as the head with the body, so shall at that tyme Antichrist with his church, the Pope with his clergy, and Mahomete with his sectes, as y^e head with the body also.

14 The residue (sayth saynt Iohan) as Kinges, captaynes, strong, weake, high, lowe, greate, and small, were slaine with y^e sharpe two edged sword, of hym that yet to this houre sytteth vpō y^e horse, which is Christ Iesus in y^e gloryfied nature of his manhode.

15 This mighty sworde proceded out of his reuerende mouth. For it is the stronge worde of him that lyueth for euer, and hath in it both sprit and life. Necessary it is for thē that hath bene eyther seduced by their crafts, or coacted by their threateninges, to be towched with his sword. For he that is not therby slayne from sinne & the world, shall not ryse vp to the lyfe which is in Christ. Hée that is not with hym dead from the ordinaunces of menne, but styll is ledde with tradicions, can not be clere from the cursse, nor yet be the heyre of promise. Therfore must they be slayne dead with this sword, eyther to repentaunce & amendement of life, or else by the harde iudgements of the same to eternall dampnation.

16 Which waye so euer it be, all the aforesayd foules, or peoples whome God hath raysed from this worlds affections, shall be fulfylled with their fleshe. Whether they be saued or dāpned they wil most highly reioyse, cōsidringe it is the pleasure of GOD. Both wayes shall they be satisfied. I… they be saued, than must they be glad, for that their number is so muche the more increased, and for y^e their selues hath escaped lyke daunger. If they bée dampned, than must they reioyce also to se the right iustice of God. For the rightuous shall make mirth beholding the vengeaunce, and shall washe their handes in the bloud of the wicked, all fleshe abhorring to loke vponupon them.