The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Chapter 21

The Image of Both Churches in Revelation · Chapter 21

The .xxj. Chapter.

In thys laste vision of Iohan, is both discribed the prosperous estate of the true church or kingdōe of Christ here, and also the perpetuall Sabboth of y^e chyldren of God. All the other visions were mixte with labours, afflictions and paynes. This is full of peace, tranquilitie, and ioye, incorruption, glorie, and felycitie.

THE TEXT.

1 And I savve a nevve heauen, 2. & a nevve earth, 3. for the first heauen, 4. and the firste earth vvere vanished avvaye, 5. and there vvas no more sea, 6. And I Iohan savve that, 7. holy Cytie, 8. nevve, 9. Hierusalem, 10. come downe from God out of heauen, 11. prepared as a bryde, 12. garnished for hir husdande, 13. And I hearde a great voyce from the seate saying, 14, Beholde the tabernacle of God▪ 15. is wyth men, 16. and he vvyll dvvell vvith them, 17. And they shall be hys people, 18. and God hym selfe shall be vvith them, 19. and shall be theyr God 20 And God shall vvype avvaye, 21. all teares from theyr eyes, 22. And there shal be no more death, 23. neither sorovve, 24. neyther shall there be any more payne, 25. for the olde thinges are gone.

The Commentary.

1 Besides the afore rehersed reuelations, I behelde now last of all (saith saynt Iohan) that heauen was cleane altered from that it was afore and became all newe, and so was the earth also and became the same.

Not onelyonly become they nowe spirituall by a true beléeue in the Gospell that afore were carnall, but also in the ende of the world shall the whole bodyes of heauen and of earthe as golde in the fornace be purged from fylthynesse by fyre goyng before the yudge, which both are nowe defiled wyth the wickednesse of the creatures.

2 After both sortes shall they be delyuered from the corruption, here of sinne, and thereof death and dampnatyon, and so be restored vntounto the glorious lybertie of Gods children.

3 The first heauen defiled through y^• pryde of Angell, and the first earth also corrupted by the sinnefull vsage of manne, shall vanyshe cleane away and no more be séene. Not that the substaunce of them shall vtterly perysh, but that theyr nature, shape, and figure shal chaunge into a much more pure and perfect similytude. A custome it was amonge the prophetes, whan thy aduertysed the afflycted Israelytes of prosperite, peace, or renouation of the glory of God cōming towards thē to promis al things new.

4 Beholde (sayth the Lorde in Esay) I make you new heauens, and a new earth, and as for the olde shall neuer more be though vponupon. Newe is y^e true church of Christ, so are the people pertayning to the same. In no poynt are they lyke to the Popes holy orders, nor yet vntounto Mahometes religion. Clere are their hartes which hauehave rereceiued the verytie, from all supersticions, and theyr outwarde lyues from idell obseruations, perfect are theyr consciences, and theyr conuersacions godly. And thys in the regeneration shalbe fully accomplished. Not onelyonly shall that which is now mortall becō immortal & y^e is now corruptible, than incorrupted & as y^e very Angels of the Lorde, but also the vniuersall heauen shalbe than renewed, so shall the whole face of the earth, and appere more beutyfull than now.

5 And from that tyme fourth shall there be no more sea, whych signifieth people vnstedfast, vaine, and fickle. Whereas the peace of Christ is surely grounded, no more is there anye troubled conscience. No more is there any diffydence, wan hope, or dispayre. Al bitternesse, sorow, & anguish is turned into swéetnes & ioy in y^e holy ghost. We knowe (sayth saynt Paule) y^e all thinges are taken to the best in them that louelove God. Frō the Apostles (whō Christ fyrst also called from the Sea) vanished this waueringe Sea away, whan they went from the mallicious counsell of the Bishoppes reioysinge that they were founde worthy to suffer rebuke for hys names sake. In lyke case all impediments and néedes, all daungers and doubtes, all fearefull mouings and outragings that we nowe hauehave of the sea, shall cease in that day of the Lorde, whan we shall beholde hym face to face. No longer shall it be subdued vntounto vanitie, no more than the other creatures, but clerely depured from fylthy corruption. No more shall it be the same to sée, to being frō thens forth so claer… as cristall, though it styll be the same in substaunce.

6 Heauen, earth, & y^e sea, wyth all other creatures in mistery thus renewed, I Iohan the sonne of Zebede & the same dysciple whom Christ loued, being here in exyle for hys worde & testimony, perceyued in the saue mystery by the singular gyfte of the spirite, y^e y^e selfe holy cytie or congregation of the Lorde whych is worthely called the new Hierusalem of peace descended downe out of heauen from hir omnipotēt creator & God eternall.

7 Holy is this cyty. For both is she here the vndefiled spouse of the lambe and shalbe hereafter more perfectly in y^e regeneracion. Here admytteth she nothing in faithe that is prohpane and carnal, but cleaneth to his only worde. There shal she folowe his steppes in a much more pure estate, clearly delyuered from all that is ill.

8 Here is she newe, in that she hath here by his godly spririte done of the olde man wyth hys fylthy workes. And ther shal she also be new through hys gifte, by throwinge awaye the bodye of sinne wyth death and corrupcion.

9 Hierusalem is she called both here and there, or peceable city of the Lord, in that all hir cytizens are here of one faith, and ther shalbe of one glorious vnity and concorde. Here are hir dwellers citizens with y^e saintes, & y^e househould seruants of god. Ther shall they be both hys chyldren and heires togyther wyth Christ.

10 From God came she downe, and out of heauen fyrste of all. Neyther out of flesh nor bloud hath spronge hir Christen beléeue, but frō the gracyous openinge of the father which is in heauē. That Hierusalem (saith Paul) which is frée & our mother is from aboue. She is y^t Cytie, whose builder and maker is God. With none other lawes is she gouerned, but with hys eternall testament and Gospell of peace. With the constitutions of men hath she nothing to doe, be they neuer so holy and precious. For alone she dependeth on God and hys spirite.

11 Of hym is she prepared through y^e gyft of fayth. She is clensed with the fountayne of water in the worde of lyfe to séeme a glorious congregation without blemysh or wrincle. From hir sinnes is she purely washed in his bloud.

12 And so garnyshed as a beutifull bryde to hir husbande with louelove, ioye, peace, paciēce, méekenesse, long suffering, & other glorious fruites of y^e spirit. Upon thy right hand Lorde (sayth Dauid) standeth a quene in a garmēt of most fyne golde compassed with diuersitie. But eueryevery man, shall not se this hir apparell, for it wilbe rather a rayment of the harte than of the outwarde body. Figured was this decking of hir at large, in the wonderfull adourning of the temple and tabernacle of God in the dayes of Moyses and Salomon, whose mysticall meting also he describeth in his cantycles. How maruelous this newe Hierusalē wyll be in the regeneration, whan shée meteth hir spouse in the ayre, and how glorious hir countinaunce wyth him, it lyeth not in vsus to declare in all poyntes, considering that neyther eye hath séene, nor eare harde, neyther can the hearte coniecture what God hath there prepared for them that louelove hym, but of this are we sure, y^t wyth the glorye of him she shalbe replenished. Here is hir estate vnperfect, and there perfect, here mortall, there immortal, here sower, ther sweet, here harde, there pleasaunt, here paynfull, there dilectable, here Godly, there inestimable glorious.

13 And as Iohn had séene these wonderfull thinges, and mused much vpō them, a great voyce came vntounto hym from the seate of God, declaring the mistery thereof. I hard (sayth he) in the middest of this last reuelation, as I was in doubt what it ment, a mightie voyce from the throne of my euerlasting Lorde, saying thus vntounto mée.

14 Beholde Ihon beholde, & marke it both for thyne owne erudicion, and also for the instruction of others. The holy tabernacle or restyng place of y^e euerlastinge God of heauen, is wyth men in the worlde beneth. Not onelyonly in that the eternall sonne of y^e Lorde toke vponupon him the shape of a man, callyng it the temple of hys body, but also in that the soule of eueryevery faythfull man is become the habitacle of y^e holy ghost. He that loueth me (sayth Christ) obserueth my word. In hym will both I and my father prouide vsus a resting place. He that is in louelove abideth in god and God dwelleth in hym.

15 This voice might Iohn well heare from the mouth of God in Esechiell. I will make (sayth he ther) a perpetuall couenaunt wyth man to dwell w^t hym euermore.

My tabernacle shalbe amonge them. So that I wyll be their God, and they shalbe my people.

16 For why, it foloweth here in this voyce, that he hath determined of fauourable louelove & mercy to dwell with them, assisting them here in thys lyfe by hys spirite, and in the lyfe to come shall he satysfye them by his eternall presence. For here doe we sée hym in a similytude farre of, there shall wee beholde hym lyke as he is in dede, and shall eternally reioyce therein.

17 Here are they his people through fayth, for Israell is his heritage. There shall they be his familiar housholde through louelove and he their Lord for euer. Here shall they be his chyldren, and he theyr eternall father. Ther shall they be his heyers, Christ being the right heyer for them all.

18 Thus God his owne selfe of hys inestimable goodnesse being presētly w^t them, shall here by his grace, and therby inestymable benefites, shewe him selfe in all poyntes to be theyr moste mercyfull and louing God▪ Here doth he strongly assist thē agaynst all temptations of enimyes.

There shall be endue them wyth full perfection and clerenesse.

19 So shall he be theyr god, that neither here nor yet ther shal they knowledge any other but hym alone. Hée shall so comfort them here by his spirite, and ther by his glorious presēce, that neyther shall they here forsake hym, nor there be deuyded from hym.

20 And thys euerlasting god shall so wype away all teares from their eyes here, that no vexacion shall make thē sorowfull, nor yet aduersitie pensyue. But all maner of slaunders and persecutions, shall they take for most suffren consolations for his names sake. For if he be wyth them, who can preuaile against them?

21 And after that day can no wepings be, whereas shalbe full ioye with immortalitie both of soule and body. Beholde (sayth the Lorde in Esayes prophecye) I shall make a ioyfull Hierusalem, yea, and my selfe will reioyce there with them. From thence forth shall neyther waylyng nor weping be harde in hir any more.

22 In hir moreouer shall be no more death for it shallbe destroyed for euer. No more shal mennes consciences dispayre here, But hauehave ioye in the holy ghost. No more shal they die through sinne, but lyue vntounto God by fayth. And there shall no more the rose coloured whore be dronken in the bloud of martyrs. Hir tyrauntes shalbe closed vp in the stinking lake of fyre from the slaughter of them, they than becomming immortall and impossible

Moreouer thā this, he that beléeueth in christ shal neuer die nor yet come into iudgement, but passe cleane frō death vntounto lyfe.

23 Neyther shall there be any sorow nor crying any more. For all maner of displeasure of the bodye, as pouertye, sicknesse, losses, emnytie, vexacions, and yll reportes are here paciently borne of the faythfull. And ther shalbe founde nothynge to minister any suche occasions. Here is neyther age doubted, nor yet persecution feared, in them that reckeneth death aduantage, hauinge in desire wyth Paule to be hence and wyth Christ. Nor yet shal be there where all is in ioye and peace, durable for euer.

24 Neyther shall there be felt any more payne. Such hath bene the constauncye of the martirs here that litle hauehave the tormentes greued them. Eleazarus paciently suffered all punyshmente▪ Steuen reyosed to sée heauen open. Andrewe woulde in no case be delyuered from deathe. Laurentius offred his brent fleshe to be eaten. The burnynge coles were so sweete vntounto Tiburcius as the fragraunt roses. So desyrous were y^e terryble tormēts vntounto Uincent, as a moste pleasaunt banket. Angelus desired the people in Sicilia to esteme the tyraunt hys frynde. What y^e exceding constauncy was of Iohn Husse and Hieronime of Prage, dyuers Chronycles mencyoneth. And in our tyme, George Baynham in the fyre dyd neuer complayne. Ihon Frith neuer shewed him self once greued in countenaunce. Barnes neuer moued, as hys enymyes doth report. Peter Franke in Colchester sang ioyfully to the Lorde. The thrée young men of Southfolk reioysed at y^e death, with such other many. And how farre they shalbe, from paines after this, the great daye of the Lorde shall declare.

25 For the olde thynges are paste, sayth the text. All that afore was tedious, heauy, and fearefull to the flesh, is nowe become easie, light, and pleasaunt, through that they hauehave learned of Christ. His word refresheth them in spirit, and is a swéet rest vntounto their soules. And in the regeneration shall hunger, thirst, werinesse, labour, heat, colde, rayne, winde, thunder, earthquakes, with all other discommodities be taken cleane from them. Neyther shal they hauehave ther, néede of meat nor drinke, foode nor rayment, beddes nor buildings, féeldes nor medowes, welspringes nor riuers, gardens nor vineyardes.

The Text.

1 And he that sate vppon the seate sayde, 2. Behold, I make all thinges nevve. 3. And he sayde vntounto me. 4 Wryte. 5. for these vvordes are faythfull and true. 6. And he sayde vntounto me. 7. it is done. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, 9. the beginning and the ende, 10. I will giuegive to him that is a thirst, 11. of the vvel of the vvater of lyfe, free, 12. He that ouercō meth, shall inherite all thynges, 13. I vvill be his God, and he shall be my sonne, 14, but the fearefull. 15. & vnbeleuing, 16. & the abhominable, 17. & murtherers, 18. and vvhoremongers, 19. and sorcerets, 20. and Idolatrs, 21. & all lyars, 22. shall hauehave their part in the lake, 23. that burneth With fire and brimston, 24. vvhichwhich ys the, seconde beath.

The commentary

1 And the omnypotent Lorde whych sate vponupon the eternall throne concluded thus with me. Hys holy spirite of promise assertayned my spyryte by hys heauenly word, that all these thynges should be true.

2 Behoulde (sayth he) I wyll make all thynges freshe and newe. Heauen, earthe, the Sea, and the vnyuersall Cytye of peace, I wyll delyuer from all corrupcyon, I make all pure, cleane, holy, immortall, vncorrupt, impassible, clere, heauenly, spirituall, and glorious. Neuer more shall, they bee as they were afore whan they were yet olde. Neuer shall be more eating nor drinking, wyuing nor …anketing, traueling, nor sléeping …or other such doeinges pertayninge to the corruptible lyfe. The rightuous shall than shyne as the red fyre sparkes. So bright as the sunne shall they be in the kingdome of theyr father.

3 Thus hath the Lorde here midsts meruielously described vntounto Iohn, and by hym vntounto vsus the misticall Sabboth of his people here, & y^e eternal Saboth after this lyfe ōmāding him to … it, as foloweth. Much to & fro hath bene amōg the … doctours & is … to th… day, whether the saued multi… shall reygne here vponupon earth … Christ, or aboue in heauen afte… the iudgement day…. Which is easy to be percei…ed, if the scriptures hée tru… conferred. Therefore ser…h d…lygently the scriptures, for they hear… witnesse of all truth. Christ hath in Math. y^e they shalbe thā as y^e Angels are now… in heauen, whose office is hath to be h…re … there. And so muche … y^e they shalbe as thā all one. … w…ll shall y^e earth be new as the heauens. And nedes it must be to some purpose. Neuer woulde Esay & Pete… hauehave said, y^e rightuous…sse should dwelt in thē if they shuld not occupy thē both. It is said here also y^e the new Hierusalem shall come downe frō heauē. But not so that it shall not vp againe. For Christes electes shalbe whereas he is. Whan they shalbe vpō y^e earth, no let nor impedimēt shal they hauehave to be also in heauē, both they being one. … agyltie & perfectiō shall be thā in their bodies as is now in y^e glorified body of Christ; or in the spirituall nature of y^e angels. Which are nowhere now the… And whether they be here or ther▪ alwaies they sée God, … are … absent from him. Manye scriptures myght be brought in to declare th… mat…er more at large, but it wold … much tyme. What mutuall feloship heauenly amyte, & glorious pastyme will be betwixt them & the angels at that day it fare passeth al capacities to diffine. I coūsail … to be curious in y^e serch of high misteris …s this here is one, without the feare of God, least he ouercōmē of their exceding … page missing whoredom with many kinges, by many false worshippinges. This for hir méekenesse is commended of God, the other proudely boasteth hir … through holy tradicions, merites, and deseruinges to b… a riche qu…ene. With many such other.

4 And the Lorde (sayth saint Iohn) which worketh all thinges by his onelyonly word and commaundement, … thus vntounto me. Emprente first in thy hart that I hauehave here shewe… the…, & than leaue it in writing to the … of those that than folow the… ▪

5 And if thou wyll k…owe a reason why y^u shalt thus doe, take this … sentence with thee. I assure the so … as I am God, y^• the wordes which I hauehave shewed in this present Reuelatiō are effectually most faithfull and ruste. In no manner of … breake promise, nor go from y^e … that I hauehave once spoken. Both heauen and earth shall passe ouer, but not … of my wordes shall passe … at theyr tymes appoynted. The worde y^t goeth out of my mouth, … not returne home again … both accomplysh my wyll, & prosper y^e thing▪ I sent it for. Ned…full is it therfore that all men beleue, that I shall fulfil the couenauntes here promised.

6 Moreouer than this, the sayd heauenly Lorde sayd thus vntounto me, to put me clerely out of doubt.

7 It is fintshed and done already. Be thou assertayned that my worde is my dede. In y^e beginning I spake but the worde, & all things were created, heauen, earth, y^e lyght, the firmamēt, the Sunne, the Mone the fowles, the fishes, the beastes, and last of all man. Whatsoeuer I say therfore, ought to be beleued as nowe done in dede, be it to the rightuous or damned. For all thinges are present afore me. In tokē whereof, y^e prophetes and fathers vttered their prophesies of thinges to come, in the time past for y^e more part, for the sure certentie of them.

8 And take these my wordes so much to be the more certayne, that I which hauehave made those promyses, hauehave all thynges in my power. I am the firste and the last, fyguratly comprehended vnderunder Alpha & Omega y^e first & the last Gréeke letters, as a knowen … the Gréekes, vntounto whome this … was fyrst written. … God was there before me, nor … after me, I am God from euerlastyng and world without ende.

9 I am he that hath begon al thing… ▪ I am he againe that shall fynish them. I am alone & there is none other God but I. I sley, I quicke. I smi…e, I heale▪ I set vp, I put downe. Through me doth kings raygne & eueryevery mans … is in my hande. Wherfore it is reasō y^• they hauehave recourse vntounto me.

10 I am that fresh fountaine that … say speaketh of most hyghly necessary to them that will lyue. Uery lyberall shal he finde me, y^e séeketh me in faith.

11 To him y^t is a thyrst or desierous of rightuousnesse wil I geue to drinke of the plentuous welspring of the wholsome waters of life. And that wil I doe fréely without pryce or payment eyther of Masse or merites, dead su… frages or deseruinges.

Laye out your mony on more for …he thing y^e fedeth not, spende no more trauayle about y^e thing that helpeth not. Come vntounto me all you that labour and are loaden and I shall refresh you. So desirously séeke vntounto me your God as y^e hart séeketh to the brokes of water. For with me is the well of lyfe euerlasting. With my pleasaunt riuers shall I content your good appetytes. The water of this fountayne is the verite & swéetenesse of Christes spirit, refreshing the soule here with hope, & ther with the lyfe euerlasting. In this lyfe is felte but a tast of it, in y^e world to come shall y^e thirst be satisfied. Here is it but in heart springing vp toward lyfe, ther shall it be in full course and neuer fayle. Here are obtayned but small droppes of it, ther shall it be had in full plētuousnesse. The philosophers for their wisdō, y^e lawiers for their lerning, & y^e phisicians for their cōning loketh for gret rewards. The biers & sellers in y^e tēpl, set their wares at a gret pryce, yet are they but stynking waters, & not able to restrayne y^e thyrst. But this is frée w^t out paimēt through christ, & cōtaineth helth in haboūdaūce. Not our good works (saith s. Augustin) but his own fregifts doth god croun in vsus. This must be sought for. For onli sha… he obtaī it, y^e thirstith after it. Onli shal he hauehave y^e asketh, & he fynde y^t séeketh.

12 He y^t hath done on a christian warriour to fight against the diuel of these darkenesses, and so manfully doth his part, that by faith he ouercōmeth him, & hath y^e ful victory ouer him in Christ, he shal be sure to posses al these thīgs, heauen, earth, y^e new Hierusalem, the liuing waters, and to hauehave his ful desire in the ioyes to come. Wonderfull is this promis. No Kinge nor Emperour, priest nor prelate, Turke nor Souldane, can graūt such wages. But who shall obtayne them? None other than fighteth lawfully, workinge, accordinge to the rules and examples of fayth? Neyther he that masseth nor senseth, processioneth nor holy watereth, nor yet he y^t buildeth churches. For those workes the Scripture commaundeth not.

13 Besides this promised rewarde, (saith the lord here) I will be his god in déede, according to my former couenant, and he shalbe vntounto me as my natural sonne. So louing wil I be to him as the mother is to the babe borne of hir body, whom she can neuer forget. So mercifull as the naturall father, y^• pittieth his owne children at the very hart. Example by the vnworthy lost chylde, whome I both louingly receyued & swéetly enbraced in myne arms, Yea, I both clothed him & fedde him w^t the best, as a sonne ful deare vntounto me. And of this let him be sure which hath me for his father, that I shal giuegive him Christ to be his brother and with hym all things necessary, constituting hym my perpetual heire. This fatherly couenaunt was plaine vntounto my seruant Dauid, for whom I set vp mercy … euer.

14 But farre otherwise wil I doo by the other sort, which neither wyl séeke y^e liuing waters or hauehave desyre to the scriptures, nor yet kepe y^e hold I hauehave put them to, which is their Christian profession, but cowardly leaue it vntounto the enimies, the serpent, the beast, and the false prophet. As are these which foloweth here in their course. Fyrst of all the feareful cowardes or false harted Christians.

Whome the holy ghost calleth here afore neyther whote nor cold. At a time they beléeue, but whan any trouble cometh they go cleane frō it. These dou… the losse of their goods, the hinderaūce of their names, and the harme of their bodyes, and so are they not worthy of Christ. Such were Ananyas & Saphira with many other more sence theyr tyme. These trust not in the Lord as doth Sion, which neuer remoueth.

15 Next are the vnfaithfull hipoccits which neither beleue the promises nor yet feare the threatnings of the Lord. These make gods commaundements of no value for their owne tradicious. With beggery ceremonies clogge they the people, & as the blynde they leade the blynde into the ditch. Neyther wil these enter into y^e kingdom of god, nor yet suffer other to enter. Such were y^e pharisies & saduces with our monkes, chāons, and fryers, succéeding in their wicked examples.

16 After them foloweth y^e curssed obstinates or abhominable blasphemers, which knowinge the verite, doth not onelyonly abhorre it, but also with moste spightfull cruelnesse persecuteth it. These are the swine y^• …redeth perles in the myre, and the dogges that turn agayne to deuowre. Unpossible to be renewed to repentaunce, thus casting at their tayles the gra…es of the spirit so fréely offered them. Such were Annas … Caiphas with our execrated bishoppes, suffragāes, channons, …, …cars, with all the priestes of y^e same wicked zeale.

17 The vnpytefull murtherers, are also the same bloude thursty prelates▪ those Caines, & these boysterous Nemrothes that neuer will b…e satisfyed wyth the slaughter of innoc…ntes. No cruell Antichrist after Ihon Wy…leues tyme dyd so spyghtfully persecute the veryte of Christe in Englande, as dyd Philyp Repyngedone, made than of a false brother or p…riuired christan, byshoppe of Lincolne.

The graunde captaine of thys madde muster is the proude byshop of Rome the preposterous vycar of y^e Lambe, & the vnworthy successour of Peter in that he hath not yet put vp his sword. Of the same sorte also are all those cruell Princes, and vnmercyfull magistrates, that applyeth their auctorities, powers, and offyces vntounto y^e same mescheife. Such deceytfull rauenours and abhomynable bloude sheders the mercifull Lorde abhorreth euermore. Of this number was Pharao & herod, wyth innumerable tiranntes since, which to reherse in order were to long

18 The filt… whoremōgers are those holy spirituall Ammorites which hath consecrate themselues vntounto Moloch in the fyre of fleshly concupi…ence. For euer hauehave they for sworne godly marryage, to make daily sacryfyce to the diuell in buggary and other carnall beastlynesse. The most highly estemed vertue of that generation, is to hauehave no wyues. Neuer cōmaunded I such filthy vowes (sayth the Lorde) neither came it euer in my thought, to make Iuda sinne with such abhominacion. For y^e ofte breaking of their othe, profession, & vowe it is no matter, so long as they make y^e rekening amonge thē selues. Innumerable is the swarme of these lecherous locustes of Egipte, eueryevery where are their fruites séene all page missing page missing after Christes resurrection, to saye that his desciples had stolen hym awaye by night.

22 All these with such other execrable …tes (sayth the Lord vntounto Iohn) shall hauehave their iust porcion in the foule stinking lake, y^• horrybly fometh vpward with fylthy fyre and brymstone. With the diuell and his angels shall they dwell for euer.

23 Thus shal y^e wicked (saith Dauid) for neglectinge their Lord God be turned into hell, with perpetuall confusion. The fiery floud that shall go before the Iudge, wyll swallow them vp cleane.

24 And this is wythout fayle the second death, or damnacion both of soule and body. The perpetuall shame and reprofe, as Daniel calleth it, that shall neuer be recouered. Not onelyonly the abhominable homicides, Idolatours, and whoremongers shall hauehave this stinking reward, but also the faynt harted hipocrits, the vnfaythfull sorcerers, and the execrable lyers with all theyr affinitie.

THE TEXT.

1. And there came vntounto mee, 2. one of the seuen Angells. 3. Which hath the seuen vyalles full of the seuen last plagues. 4. And talked with me, saying.

5. Come hither, I vvill shew thee the bryde, the Lambes wyfe, 6. And he caryed me away in the spirit to a great & an high moūtayne. 7. And he shewed me the great citie. 8. holy Hierusalem. 9. defending out of heauen frō GOD▪ 10. hauing the brightnesse of GOD. 11. And … was lyke vntounto a … most … … had vvalles … high … had .xii. gates▪ 15 and at the gates, xii. Angells, 16. and names vvrytten. 17. vvhichwhich are the .xii. trybes of Israell. 18. On the East part three gates. On the North syde three gates. 19. And tovvard… the … And on the West syde three gates. 20. And the vvalle of the citie had .xii. foundacions. 21. and in them the names of the Lambes .xii. Apostles.

The Commentarye.

1 And as I was yet stil ioyously marueiling (saith saint Iohn) at this most friendlye communicatiō & wonderfull mistery of the Lorde.

2 There resorted vntounto me very louingly, one of the seauen angels mencioned héere afore, which angels hath committed vntounto them at the Lordes pleasure the seuen vials of his wrath contayning the seauen plagues of the world.

3 None other are these Angels, but the decréed purposes of God, vttering his iudgements against cursed Babylon at their times appointed, as we hauehave sufficiently declared in the xv. & xvi. chapters, afore. One of thē sent y^e lord vntounto Iohn, to describe vntounto him at large y^e glory of y^e new Hierusalē, lyke as he did afore the confusion of Babilon. For onelyonly was this in spirite as here after foloweth.

4 This angell (saith he) familiarlye communed with me. This inspired purpose of God moued my harte, my minde, my witte, reason, vnderstanding, and remembraunce, with the other powers of soule to make mee pryuy of this secret mistery, necessary to be knowne of the faithful.

5 Come hither (saith it spiritually vntounto me) leauinge at this time behinde thée all suche considerations as thou hast of nature. Certēly wil I manifest vntounto thee, to the singuler comfort of many other, what the beutifull Bryde is, which is the vndefiled spouse of the Lambe Iesus Christ. Thou shalt wel perceiue hir by the gifte of faith, to be far different from the Rose coloured whore y^t thou séest afore. Thou shalt know here, hir estate, beuty, behauer, and aparell. For that maketh God open to his louers which he hideth vntounto other in parables.

6 Than toke he me vp in the spirite (saith Iohn) and so carried me cleane away into a mightye great and excéeding high mountaine. The contemplation of this heauenly misterye, so occupyed my minde, that clearely was I taken from the remembraunce of all worldly fantasies, & thought my selfe rapt vp with Paule vntounto the thirde heauen. Sittinge solytarye alone (as did Hieremie) I was lift vp aboue my selfe. With Enoch & Helias I thought my selfe taken from the worlde, so great was the mistery.

7 Anone this spirituall messenger shewed me a great godly Citie I was in remembraunce of the true congregation of God compact together in the vnitie of one perfecte Christian faith. And this was not the olde Hieru…alem, builded longe ago of Melchisadech as testifieth Iosephus. For that was full of sinne, ignoraunce, and blindnesse. She slewe the Prophets, and stoned them vntounto death that were sent vntounto hir. She disdayned also to receiue hir owne Lorde, whā he came to hir of good louelove.

8 But this is al of an other sort, perfit, godly, & faithfull. Yea, this is aboue all estimatiō holy. Not for y^e outwarde sacrifices, which were but shadowes of thīgs to come, but for y^e eternal redētiō y^• came, through him which offerd him selfe vntounto God y^e father without spot.

9 Not made by mans hande was this holy Hierusalē, nor yet after this maner building. For it issued out of heauē and so came downe from God the Father of light, of whom only is all that is good and perfect. Great is this citie, not onelyonly in that it is the possession of the great kinge of all, but also in that it is highest in dignitie before him, & spred the world ouer.

10 Glorious is it also, blessed, spirituall, and heauenly, hauing the inestimable brightnesse or wisdome of the omnipotent God, hir light is y^e lambe Iesus Christe, and his worde the lantarne to hir very footesteps. Indued is she here with y^e graces of y^e spirit, and after this shall possesse these benifites of immortalitie. Lyke shall she be to hir spouse to his latter appearaunce, and shall see God as he is in déede, when she is like fashioned to his glorious similitude.

11 And this hir shining light or wisdome in the spirit (saieth the Angell) was like vn…o a stone, most orient and precious. For more precious is the verytie than Golde in hys most purenesse.

12 And of all thinges in the worlde most rightly might it séeme to be compared to a fine Iasper, resemblinge a pure Cristall in clearenesse. For not onelyonly is it here in faith cleare as the cristall, high, incomperable, and inestimable. But also in the regeneration it will be to the eyes of the gloryfied saincts as the gréene Iaspar, most amiable, fresh, and desirous. The doctrine of the Lorde is here all pure, expelling the darknesse of errours and lies. He that foloweth me (saieth Christe) wandereth not in the darke, but shall hauehave the light of lyfe. And there shall neither their eies be sore, nor yet their sight bleared by any impediment, but they shall be made able to behold him face to face, being of most inestimable brightnesse.

13 The wals of this citie betokning the manifolde strengthes of God, were inestimable great and high, meruilous and glorious. Great is the Lorde (saieth Dauid) and mighty is his power. He compasseth his people round about from this time forth and for euer. A wall of fire is he vntounto Hierusalem, & a defence of stéele vntounto Iuda. Their kéeper, protector, sauiour and defender is he, most stedfast, perfect, constaunt, and sure. Stronge is the Citie of Sion, for she sauer is both hir wall and Bulwark.

14 Twelue gates hath this Citie to open and to speare. Yet is ther but one opening vntounto them, which is Christe. Diuers are they called, for the diuersitie of nations, peoples, languages, & kindredes. From all quarters of the world rounde about commeth people to Christes congregation, yet enter they not but through him (no man saieth he) commeth vntounto the father but by me. I am the dore into y^e shepfolde. He y^• entreth in by me shall be saued.

15 Twelue angels are set at y^e …ntes of this citie (which are both y^e Angels in déed) & the godly preachers signified by them. The angels of y^• Lorde (saith Dauid) pitched their tents roūd about those y^• feareth him, to preserue them. Watchmē hath he s…t (saith Esay) vpō the walles of Hierusalē to preach his glorious name. So y^t it is now become inexpugnable. The diuel w^t his whole army cānot preuaile against it. None is he able to pluck out of his hande.

16 Names were gloryously written ouer the gates of this citie. And none other were they but the names of the xii. tribes of the children of Israell. As are Iuda, Ruben, Gad, Aser, Neptalim, Manasse, Simeon, Leuy, Isachar, Zabulon, Ioseph and Beniamin. For this consideration were their names there in sight, and none other.

17 OnelyOnly was the heritage promysed vntounto Abrahams séede. OnelyOnly commeth saluation from among y^• Iewes. Christ was the onelyonly séede of Abrahā, and we are now become the children of promise in him. In the scripture are their names registred. And not y^e names of them alone, but of so manye els as hauehave brought vntounto vsus the true worship of God. As were Moyses, Samuel, Dauid, & Helias, Esay, Hieremy Ezechiel, and Daniel, w^t y^e xii. inferior prophets. Iohn Baptist, Iose…h, Simeon, & such other. For y^e number of xi…. is a viniuersall number comprehending all.

18 Upon the East part of this beautyfull citie were three gates. So were thrée gates, also vponupon the North side.

19 Towardes the South were thrée gates. And on the West side iii gates, to performe vp the number of twelue. Such a Citie is the true Churche of Christ, as is spred the worlde ouer. What so euer they be that wyll approche vntounto this Citie, which way so euer they come, necessary is it for thē, to enter into it through an only faith in the father, in the sonne, and in the holy ghost. Behouing is it (saith Paul) for him that wil resort vntounto god faithfully to beléeue. Through faith hauehave we entraunce into his fauour. Baptise them that beléeue (saith Christ) in the name of the father and the sonne, and the holy ghoste. Excéedinge great is the multitude of those iuste beléeuers which hath come from these iiii. quarters of the worlde, and hath entred into this citie through this faith. Uery many shal come (saith the Lord) from the Easte and the Weste, (which includeth y^e other two partes) and shall reste with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the kingdome of God. From the East come the Iewes inhabiting the mid parte of the worlde. From the iii. out quarters els, as are Asia, Aphrica, and Europa, came the Gentiles, and after this sort through one faith in the trinitie, became one citie of y^e Lord hauing .xii. fayre gates. Prefygured was this in the passage of the children of Israell out of Egipt. In the wildernesse of Sinay at the Lordes commaundement, were the tribes of Iuda, Isachar, Zabulon, with their hostes of a C.lxxx. and syxe thousand and foure hundred, vponupon the East side. Ruben, Simeon, and Gad with their armies of a C.li. thousand foure hundreth and fyftye, vppon the South side, Ephraim, Manasse, and Beniamin vponupon the West part, with their C. and eight thousande and one hundreth. D…n, Asser, and Neptalim vponupon the north with their C. and lvii. thousand and six hundred also. Where as the tribe of Leuy was onelyonly appointed to minister in the tabernacle of witnesse in the midst of the hostes, and therfore was not at that time nū bered among the children of Israell.

20 Finally (sayth the Angel) the wal of this beautyfull Citie (whiche is the power of God vntounto saluation for them that beléeueth) hath xii. strong foundations surely couched vponupon the vnmouable and hard rock Christe. For vponupon hym was the Christian Churche firste grounded. Adam, Noe, Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, Helias, and Iohn Baptist, with all the other fathers & prophetes builded vppon him, though they were long before hym. For all they trusted surely in the promises that God had made them in hym. All they being vnderunder the cloude dyd eate of one spirytuall meate, and dronk of one spirituall rock folowing them in the flesh which was Iesus Christ. No man can lay any other foundation than is layde alredy, which is Christ Iesus.

21 Upon this one foundation perpetually strong and durable, were layde these twelue foundations agréeing to the same. And in them were y^e names of the Lambs .xii. Apostles or faithful messengers. As Peter, Iohn, Iames, Andrew, Philip, Bartilmew, Thomas, Mathewe, Iames the lesse, Symon, Thadeus, and Mathyas. These are figured in the xii. stones y^t Iosua raised vp in Galgala for a remembraunce of the dry passage of the children of Israell through Iordane. So are they signified also by the xii. other stones wher with Helias in the mount of Tarmo…us made an aulter in the Lords name. The sure ground of these foundations was, that Christ is the sone of the liuing God. Upon this builded all they both in their preachyngs and writyngs. All one with this was the faith of the Prophets, which beléeued that he was the Lambe that shoulde take away the sinnes of the worlde. For they inquired the way of saluation, they serched for the sauinge health. Wherin thy proue themselues the liuing stones of this spiritual building. Thus vntounto one sure grounde of faith extended the belues both of the Apostles and Prophetes. Now are ye citizens with the saintes (sayth Paule to the Ephesians) builded vpō the sure founda…ion of y^• Apostles & prophetes, Iesus Christ being y^e fast corner stone. For this cause are y^e apostles put here before y^e prophets, y^t we redīg thir profices shuld vnderstād thē after y^• apostle doctrin, & so deduce thē both vntounto christ And for this consideration are they here called the Lambes Apostles, that they hauehave in all their instructions and writings vttered nothinge but that they hauehave receiued of his wonderfull, rich, and plentuous habundance. Besids all this, not only are these twelue héere named, to be taken for the xii. foundations and none other. For than should Paule be excluded, which laboured more then all the rest. So shuld Barnabas, Silas, Lucas, Agabus, Iudas the rightuous, Iohn that was called Marcus, with many other. But so many godly ministers are of y^e sorte besids them, as hath bene of the same faith, spirit, and doctrine. For ye must consider that twelue is here a vniuersall number as in other places, and betokneth all the whole felowshipp, they be holden for the principals for that they were present with Christe.

The Text.

1 And he that talked vvith me. 2. Had a golden rede. 3. To measure the Citie vvith all 4. And the gates there of. 5. And the vvall therof. 6. And the citie vvas built fouresquare 7. And the length vvas as large as the bredthe of it 8. And he measured the Citie vvith the reede xii. thousād furlongs 9. And the length and the bredth 10. And the height of it vvere equall 11. And he measured the vvall therof, an hundred and xliiii. cubits. 12. After the measure of man, vvhichwhich the Angell had.

The Commentary.

1 And the Angell (saieth sainte Iohn) or set purpose of the Lord which commoned thus with mee in secrete mistery, had a measure al of Golde in his hand, in similitude of a Réede, not all vnlyke vntounto them that talked with Ezechiel and Zacharie, in misterye also.

2 And with this golden Réede, which is the pure word of God, dyd he take measure bothe of the Citie it selfe, and of the twelue gates thereof, and also of the great mightye wall of the same.

3 The determinate purpose of the euerlastinge builder, measureth all thinges concerning his church, according to his vndefiled scriptures, which are the right rule of faith and the rod of right order in his kingdome.

What so euer they be (saieth both Paule and Dauid) that liue according to this rule, mercy, and peace be vntounto them, as vponupon the Israell of God. Not onelyonly is this measuring Réed precious in it selfe, but also as golde in the furnace it is dayly tried a fresh, through many troubelous aduersaries of them that hath vnfainedly set hands vponupon it. Diuersly measureth this Réede of the spirit in y^e citie, in the gates, & in the wal. For diuers are the gifts of y^e holy ghost in one congregation of the Lord, vntounto eueryevery one is giuen a grace according to the mesure of faith. Some hath he constitute apostles, some prophets, some euangelists, some pastours & teachers to the necessarye edification of Christes misticall body. For here by the citie is ment the whole congregation of Gods elects, perfectly ioyned together in one true beléeue.

4 By the gates, the godly preachers and counselers, by whom Christ openeth vntounto his kingdom.

5 By the wall, the mighty power which he hathe committed to the Angels or spirites of heauen to kepe thē, to the godly princes and magistrates here to defend them, and to other true ministers to hold them still in rightuousnesse. All these must be measured. They must be brought to the touchstone. The scriptures must trye of what spirit they are. If they agrée not to this measure, they pertaine not to the citie of god. But they are that salt vnsauery that is no better worth thā to be throwne forth of men and those vnprofitable seruauntes whome the Lord shal cast into exteriour darknes.

6 And as concerninge the fashion of this citie, builded all foure square, all foure sides therof being of like length and bredth.

7 No lenger nor broder was it vpō the east side than vponupon the north syde, nor vponupon the south part than towards the west. But equall it was eueryevery way towards al quarters of the world And as it was in length & bredth, so was it in height. Which signifieth not only y^e perpetual stabilitie or surenesse of y^e true christiā faith, the Lord euermore preseruing it, but also y^e faithful beleuers of on quarter of y^e world, are so hyly accepted vntounto hī, as of another So largely doth he rewarde them of y^• East that truly beléeueth in Christ, as of any other quarters els, and so highly doth he estéeme them. So deere vntounto him are those good Christians that dwell amonge the Sarizens, Turkes, and Iewes, as are they which dwell in the middest of Christendome. So precious that lie sick in the spittle house, as they which pray in the temple. Noe founde grace in the sight of God, whan all the worlde els were wicked. Loth was iudged rightuous in the midst of the filthy Sodomits. And so are manye yet to this day, among the Idolatrous and supersticyous papistes. Still are there Lambes among wolues, cleane wheat amonge tares, and good fishes among euill. Iob was a companion with the Dragons, Estryches. Esaye dwelt among il tonged people, Ezechiell in the middest of a froward housholde. Sayncte Paule commended the Philipyans, in y^• they shone among the peruerse generation, as lights in the firmament. Neuer is God any parciall accepter of persons, but amonge all peoples, he that in his feare worketh rightuousnesse, is accepted vntounto hym, whatsoeuer he bée. Thus are they in length, bredth, and heygth, spirituall, godly and heauenly through hys worde.

8 Moreouer this Angell measured y^e cytie wyth the golden rode, and it was in compasse .xii. thousande furlonges. Which signifieth Christes kingdome to be so large eueryevery way, that it reacheth the whole earth ouer by his word and promis. The sonde of the Apostels preachyng hath gone out into all landes, and theyr doctryne into the endes of the world. For .xii. euermore in the scriptures is an whole perfect number, and a thousand a vniuersall summe, as we hauehave here noted afore. No mā ought in thys heauenly work… supersticiously to obserue the numbers but rather to séeke dilygently to vnderstande the Godly misteries that they comprehend.

9 The greatnesse of a cytie is to bée considered to the multitude of y^e dwellers therein. Than who can thynk… Christes congregation small, measuringe it by the scriptures from the first begynning of the worlde to y^e latter ending. A furlonge is the eyghte parte of a myle and contayneth a hundreth and twenty fiue paces, whych is in lēgth, vi. hundreth & xxv. foote & here it betokēoth the cōtinuall course of labour and paynefull sufferaunce in the kyngdome of Christ after saynt Paul. They that ronne for the wager in this course, laboureth not for a thynge vncertaine. But for an incorruptible crowne, they holde their bodyes in subieccion to the spirite.

Such are the inhabitours of this citie, whose number is greate, whole, and perfect, vniuersally taken. O Israell (sayth Baruch) howe greate is the house of God? and how large is the compasse of hys possession? Exceding great is it & hath none end, highout of measure & can not be ouer reached.

10 The heyght of thys Cytie from the foundatyon, was all one in measure wyth the length and breadth. For euerye way was it equall and square in compasse.

Rounde about was it stronge, mighty, and sure, the gates of hell in no wyse able to preuayle agaynst it. Upon eueryevery parte faythfull, perfect and godly, séekynge those thinges onelye whych are aboue where Christ is sittyng at the rygyt hande of God. Yea, all spirituall, hygh, and heauenly are they, hauynge their daily conuersacion not here but in heauen, frō whēce they wayte for their sauioure Iesus Christ. So hygh also is the spirit that gouerneth thys congregation in rewardynge as it is eyther large in geuinge, or longe in continuall working. Neuer had Iohn séene the heyghte, bredth and length of thys wonderfull cytie for our vniuersall comfort, had he not ben raysed vp by the secret purpose of God into the mountayne of thys spirite, inestimable hyght and great.

11 After thys measured the Angell the wall of the cytie, and it came fully to an hundred and .xliiii. cubites, whych is .xii. tymes .xii. in number, as we had afore here in the vii. and xiiii. Chapiters. And it cōprehendeth y^e whole number of y^e elect multitude, only for y^e vniuersall perfectnesse thereof. A cubytte after the common sorte is in length but a foote & an half, but after the course of Geometry it is six times so much, which commeth too .ix. foote iustly. Nowe an hundreth and .xliiii. cubites wanteth after the first rekening .CC. and .ix foote of a furlonge. And after the rules of Geometrye, it passeth not .xlvi. foote more than ii. furlonges, which stretcheth nothing towardes .xii. thousande furlonges. Therefore we may not here reken y^e cubytes wyth the furlonges after a worldly sorte, but we must spiritually measure them accordinge to the scriptures. So that they maye agrée togither after the meaning of y^e mystery, the course with the gifte, and the workinge wyth the power. The cubyte of a man is the fore parte of hys arme wyth the hande, and it betokeneth here in mistery Iesus christ, whych is the strong arme of y^e father. To whome is the arme of the Lord knowen (sayth Esaye and Iohn) or who perceyueth the power of hys worde? Such might (saieth Mary) sheweth he in hys arme, as will scatter abrod his obstinate, enimies. That hande is he, wher with god created al things, in the beginning. In this arme hath he redemed hys people, the posteritie of Iacob and Ioseph. With thys hande preserueth he them in the life that can not fayle, whome the enymies hath marked out vntounto cruell death. Through the myghty power of this arme shall most terrible feare and dred lighte vponupon the wycked at the latter daye. After thys cubyte must they be measured, whych are of this spiritual building, specially they y^t are the wall therof, as the Godly preachers, princes, maiestrates, and other lawefull ministers. Agréeable to his doctrine ought theyr conuersatyon to be in all poyntes. As hys true minysters should they shewe them selues in méekenesse, konwledge, longe sufferaunce, in louelove vnfayned, in the worde of truth, in y^e power of GOD, by the armoure of rightuousnesse, and so forth. Necessary is it for thē to do on Iesus Christ, & to walke worthely in theyr vocaciō, obseruing y^e vnytie of y^e spirite in y^e yoke of peace. As the chosē holy, and welbeloued, of God to take vponupon them a tender pyttie, kyndnesse, lowlynesse, softnesse, swifte forgiuing, wyth other fruites of the spirite, acknowledging alwaye Christs for theyr onelyonly wysdom, rightuousnesse, and redemption, for theyr kéeper, sauer, and stronge bulwarke of defēce. Thus in this spirituall rekeninge is it to be considered, y^t by the furlonges is the cytie measured, and by the cubytes the wall, the furlonges comprehendyng them that hauehave runne in the true course of a christiā lyfe, and the cubites them that hauehave iustly ministred the power of Christes worde and doctrine. Some writers hauehave taken the one sort here for martiers, for valiauntlye performinge their moste sharp course, and the other for them that hauehave peaceably rested in Christ. But I am contented here wyth my coniecture, consideringe there hauehave bene martiers in both the afore named degrées. And as for the vnequalnesse of length in y^e furlonges & cubits, it onelyonly respecteth y^e persons, or peoples among whom the people, taught, hauehave excéeded the teachers in number, y^• cō munalty, y^e gouernours, and the flocke, the shepardes, or els the gentyls, the Iewes. Yet are they both twelue, both great, whole, perfect, & vniuersal numbers, one Hierusalem, or one perfect kingdōe of Christ. Thus doth also the xii. twelues corresponde to y^e xii. thousandes, as y^e Iewes to y^e gētyles in one faith (though their limites were much larger, extēding to y^e endes of y^e world) and are made one shepefolde or flocke. Christ being one shepeherde of saluatiō to thē both.

12 Consequently the golden measure which y^e Angell had, was much after y^e measure y^t man customably vseth. And this signifieth y^t the word of god which measureth all thinges perteyninge to hys churche, is geuen vntounto vsus vnderunder such worldly similitudes & likilihodes, as we are beste acquainted with, for our weaknesse sake. Not onelyonly in thys reuelation, but also in all other bookes of y^e scriptures doth y^e holy ghost at his appoyctment, alure vsus to hys kingdōe by the example and parables of such thinges as we hauehave in dayly custome. As of mountaynes, gardens, welspringes, vyneyardes, fygge trées, tabernacles, temples, buyldynges, maryages, stewards, vyrgyns, merchā dise, tyllynge, haruest, talentes, pearles, nettes, suppers, shéepe, lambes, lyghte, wheate, salte, gootes, doues, serpentes, menne, keyes, lanternes, swerdes, roddes, trauelinge women, mustarde séede, beastes, and here of furlonges and cubytes, wyth such other lyke, and all to make vsus to perceyue them. Nowe sée we onelyonly by such darke simylitudes. But in the regeneratyon, whan all thynges is cleare, shall we hauehave néede of no such nyght shaddowes, wythout vayle or coueryng shall we then sée, and béeholde our Lorde God as he is in dede. Than shall we perfectly know lyke as we are nowe knowen of hym. Thā shal our measure be in al points, as is the Angels measure. Equal shall we be vntounto them in full perfectyon, vnderstanding, and knowledge. For as the Angels of heauen shall wée than be, impassible, immortall, and glorious, & of equall number with thē.

The Text.

1 And the buyldynge of the wall of it, was of Iasper, 2. and the cytie vvas of pure golde, 3. lyke vntounto clere glasse, 4. And the foundacions of the vvalles and of the citie 5. were garnyshed wyth all maner of precious stones.

6 The first foundatyon vvas a Iasper, 7. the seconde a Saphyre, 8. the thyrde a Calcedonye, 9. the fourth a Smaragde, 10. the fifte a Sardonix, 11. the sixte a Sardeos 12. the seuenth a Chrysolyte, 13. the eyghte a Gerall, 14. the nynth a Topas, 15. the tenth a Chrisoprasos, 16. the eleuenth a Iacynte, 17. the tvvelfte an Amatist.

The Commentarye.

1 The whole buyldyng, of the wall of thys citye was of Iaspar stone. Whych betokneth that in Christe it shalbe most precyous, pleasaunt, delectable, and sure. For euer shall they be newe and gréene, fresh, and lyuely, durable, and beutyfull, that perfectly beleue in hym, and shall become sure stayes or pyllers in hys holy temple. He that truely obserueth my worde (sayth Christe) shall neuer taste of death. Upon a lyuynge foundacyon shall they be couched, and so growe vp into an holy temple in the Lord, and so together into the habytacle of God in the holy Ghost.

2 And thys fayre cytie it selfe was of most pure golde, so fine, beutifull and clere as most pure glas possible. With out spot or deformite is y^e true church of god, hauing neither blemish nor yet wrincle, and tryed it is throughly as gold in the fornace. The clere lyght of thys cytie is Christ, which neuer dyd sinne in worde nor in dede. More precious hauehave his death & bloudshedinge made it than is the most pure fine gold that euer was yet sene.

3 A gloryous congregatiō hauehave he prouyded it to be, and that will appere in y^e day of his visitatiō. So far shall this excell the Hierusalem that Salomon builded, as heauē exceleth y^e earth. For y^t was but golde within, thys is all golde throughly, both within & w^t out. That was buylded by the handes of men, thys is of a much hygher workemanshyppe.

An vndefiled heritage is this, & shalbe chaunged frō clerenesse to clerenesse, into the glorie of the Lord.

4 The strong foundations of y^e wall of this worthy citie (which is y^e firme faith of y^e Patriarkes & Prophetes, the Appostles and other true teachers, surelye grounded vponupon Christ) were beutifully adorned with all maner of precious stones, or giftes of the holy Ghost.

5 Diuerse were y^e graces which they had receiued, and the fruites out springing from thē were also diuers & glorious. As louelove, ioy, peace, paciēce, long suffering, gentelnesse, goodnesse, faithfulnesse, méekenesse, tēperaunce, and such other.

Nothinge fayre appeared these stones vntounto this worlde, whan they were hewen, squared, and made fyt foundatiōs, by the manyfolde persecutions of tyrauntes, no more than was the greate costly stone in the bottom of Syon, vponupon whome they were builded, whyche séemed so deformed as a lypper.

Neuertheles, yet was their death precious in y^e lords syght. These are they (shall theyr aduersaryes say at y^e day) whom we sometyme thought fooles & had in much derision. But now they are counted among the children of god, and hauehave their porciō among y^e saincts. Here might much be spoken of fayth, which diuersly wrought in Abel, Seth, and Enoch for the fyrst age. In Noe, Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, Helias, and other in their ages. In Peter, Iohn, & Iames, with all the other Apostles & syncere preachers since Christes time. But let that suffise in this behalf, that S. Paul hath written in the .xi. Chap. to the Hebrues, which is also here after comprehended vnderunder the mystery of the .xii. precious stones whereof the foundacions are.

6 In that the first foundacion is said here to be of a Iaspar or Dyamond, (Whose colour is grene) is signified that the faythe of the fyrste fathers is not yet withered awaye. Styll vntounto this present daye is the example of Enos oryent, fresh, & lyuely, which firste called vponupon the name of God, and of many such other more.

Still perseuer they grene in the liuely Scriptures and fadeth not.

I hauehave earnestly prayed for thée Peter (saith Christ) that thy fayth should not fayle.

7 The seconde foundacion was of a Saphire, whose colour is as the Aire clere, but not very precious in sight. This betokeneth those simple soules, which though they were as Iob and Ioseph the carpentour, not precious to the worlde, yet had they their dayly conuersations in heauen.

8 The third was of a Calcedony, which is yet more course to looke vppon than the Saphyre, but in nature precious, mighty, and strong.

Of this nature were Helias and Iohn Baptiste, whose conuersacion was in the wyldernesse, rough, harde, and vnpleasaunt. Yet apeared they precious at theyr tymes appointed, mightely rebuking sinne, drawinge vntounto them the chaffe as the propertie is of the Calcedony (which are the common people) but vtterly throwing forth againe or condemning the Idolatours and hipocrites.

The word of Helias brent lyke a cresset, and Iohn was a shining lanterne before the Lorde.

9 The fourth was of a Smaragde or an Emerald, which is not onelyonly gren… of his owne nature, but he maketh all the ayre about him to seme greene also.

Of thys condicion was Hieremy and Paule, whych hauing the doctrine of lyfe, spared not to minister it vntounto other for their eternall refreshing. These with suche other throwen into the foundation of the church, were very comfortable vntounto other.

With the holy (saith Dauid) thou shalt be holy▪ and with the pure innocent thou shalt be both innocent and pure.

10 The fyfte was of a Sardonix, which is compouned of a Sardeos & an Onice, and is beneth blacke, in the middest white, and aboue reade. Such were those méeke spirited that confesseth themselues sinners wyth Dauid and Magdalene, being through fayth both pure and orient afore god.

Though I be blacke (sayth y^e true congregatiō) yet am I fair & wel fauoured We faint not (sayth Paule) for though our outwarde man be corrupte yet is he that is inwarde daily renewed.

11 The syxt is a Sardeos, which in simultitude is very lyke vntounto redde earth. And such are they, as notwithstanding the great benefites of God, thinking themselues the vnworthye children of Adam, whose interpretaciō after Philo, is red earth in déede. Mary Christes mother was of thys sort, confessing hir selfe after most high benefightes, to be but an hand maide, and hir spirite onelyonly to reioyce in god hir sauiour. So was Abraham calling himself but dust and ashes before the Lorde.

12 The seuēth foundatiō is of a Crisolite or Turcas, which shineth as gold, and séemeth as it should sende forth sparkes. Under thys are they comprehended, whych hauynge the wisdom of the spirite, inflameth other wyth it, prouokinge them thereby to the louelove of god & their neyghbour. Thus did Moyses and Esay, Barnabas and Paule, in whome the glorye of the Lorde apeared plentiously.

13 The eight was of a Berall, which is of a pale grene coloure, betokening those faithfull persones whych of christiā compassion hath dolorously lamented the fall of theyr brethren. Of this godly natur was Steuen which prayed for them that stoned him to death. So was afore hys tyme Samuell whych mourned for Saul, whan hée sée hym cast out of the Lordes fauour.

14 The nynth was of a Topaze whych hath in hym the colours of all other stones. And thys signifyeth thē, whych are with all vertues adourned. Lyke as was Daniell the man of desires, and Iohn the Euangelist which wrote thys present prophecy, whom Christ much loued. The clere workes of these and such other wolde hée to shyne vntounto men, that by them the father might be glorifyed.

15 The tenth was of a Chrisoprasos, whose condicion is to shyne lyke gold, and yet he is gréene in sight. Suche are they whych hauing godly wysdōe, vttereth it accordinge to the tallent geuen them of the Lorde, thereby renewing the dull spirites of other vntounto heauenly things. Among this sort may Ezechiell be numbred, which saw many wonderful visions, & so may Simeō and Anna in the Gospell.

16 The eleuēth was of a Iacinct, which is in coloure lyke vntounto water, spred ouer with bright sonne beames. And this betokeneth those that are baren from the …cience and learninge of this worlde, and yet hauehave knowledge from aboue. Uery Idiots appeare they in y^e sight of men, and yet are they taughte of God, to disclose most wonderfull secrets. Of this sort were Oseas, Iohel, and Amos, wihch was but a poore shepard, with y^e other inferiour prophets: And so were Andrew, Philip, & Thomas with the other Apostles and Disciples.

17 The twelft was an Amatist, purple, violet, & rose coloured. And this betokneth them that are feruent, méeke, and constaunt in the Lords truth, and that hath bene alwaies ready to shed their bloud for it. Such were the vnbrethren in y^e Machabées w^t their most faithfull mother. So was also Iames the more, and Antipas the faithfull witnesse, with other disciples & martirs. None can shewe a more token of louelove than he which giueth vp his lyfe for his friends. This sort dyd Christe proclaime altogether blessed, & sayde y^t y^e kingdom of heauen was their own. Thus signifieth these xii. foundatiōs, y^t the godly ministers of Christes congregation, hauehave builded vponupon him according to y^e diuers graces which god hath geuen thē, some gold, some siluer, some precious stones. But they y^t hauehave brought vntounto this building, tīber, hay or stubble which are customes, tradicions, & dum ceremonies, or els worldly honors, riches, & voluptuous plesures, are not in this heauenly number admitted. Figured are these foundatiōs in y^e precious stones which were in the brest flap of Aron y^t hye priest, & in the preious decking of y^e king of Tirus, necessary shal it be for him y^t will more largely know y^e natural properties of thē, to resort vntounto Plinius in y^e xxxvii. Booke of his naturall historye, or vntounto Bartilmew, de proprietatibus rerū, & for y^e vnderstanding of misteries, vntounto S. Hierom vponupon y^e liiii. chap. of Esay, or vntounto Beda, Haymo, Costasy, Bacō …horpe, Elyne, Tilney, & such other as hath written great works vponupon y^e apocalips. Ynough is it for vsus to shew you after y^e minde of S. Augustin these stones to signifie y^e diuers graces of y^e holy ghost. For all these thinges doth one spirit of y^e Lord work, deuiding seueral gifts vntounto eueryevery mā at his pleasure which ar not w^tout their preciousnes, beuty, & excellēt glory, as will appere in y^e glorius day of y^e childrē of god.

The Text.

1 And the tvvelue gates vvere xii. pearles. 2. And eueryevery gate vvas of one pearle. 3. And the streat of the citie vvas pure golde. 4. As a thorough shining glasse. 5. And I savv no temple therein, 6, For the Lorde God almightie and the Lamb is the temple of it. 7. And the citie hath no neede of the sunne, neither of the moone to lighten it. 8. For the brightnesse of God doth lighten it. 9, And the Lamb is the light of it. 10. And the people vvhichwhich are laued shall vvalk in the light of it. 11. And the kings of the earth shall bring their glory vntounto it. 12. And the gates of it shall not be shut by day. 13, For there shall be no night there. 14. And ther shal enter into it none vnclean thing. 15. Neither vvhatsoeuer vvorketh abhominatiō, or maketh lies, 16 but thei which are vvritten in the Lambes Booke of life.

The Commentary.

1 Consequently (saith the Angel vntounto Iohn) the xii. gates or openinges into this citie, were twelue fayre pearls, For dilectable and precious is the doctrine of the gospell, whereby men doe enter into the kingdome of God on eueryevery side, or in eueryevery quarter & age of the world.

2 And eueryevery gate by him selfe was of one pearle, like as were the foundations of one precious stone euermore in their kindes. In token that the verytie of Christ, is whole perfect, & vnbroken in it selfe, lyke as is his cote without seame. A speciall commodyty is it in cities, to hauehave their gates strōg and bewtifull. And so is it in the kingdome of God, that they which open vntounto rightuousnesse, be more feruent in the truth and of a more sincere life thā the residue. For they shoulde be both the salte of the earth and lighte of the world▪ Though these gates be many, yet hauehave they but one entraunce, for eche one of them is but of one pearle. But one mediatour is there betwene God and man, which is Iesus Christ▪ None maye come vntounto the father but by hym onelyonly. Alone is he the dore, the waye, the verytie, lyghte, & life.

3 And as concerning the cytie within the great strete thereof was as of pure golde, so fyne, fayre, and cleare all the bryght shining glasse, y^t maye be séene through without any maner of impediment or dymnesse.

Thys strete is the large commynalty or the sayntes, whom the father of heauen by his power made of froward stones, the perfect children of Abrahā, whan he couched them here togyther in the verity of one christian fayth, & shall here after ioyne in such perfectiō of louelove as possible can not be dissolued.

4 Precious are they here through fayth in Christes bloud, and there shal they be pure both in louelove and lyfe incorruptible. Oure reioyse (sayth saint Paule) is not in carnall wisdome, but in the greate grace of God, in singlenesse of hart, & in a sincere fayth. Your glorye are we, euen as you are ours also in y^e day of our Lord Iesus Christ.

5 In this glorious citye sawe I no temple builded (saith Iohn) for y^e Lord God almighty, which is the eternall father, and the lambe Iesus Christe which is his eternall sonne is the holy, full and perfect temple therof. None outwarde priesthoode▪ ceremonye, nor sacrifyce for fiue cōmaundeth Christes doctrine to his congregation. The golden measure of his word, which diffyneth and iudgeth all thinges necessary therevnto, appointeth no such matter. For in no tēples made w^t stone dwelleth God, which wil be all in all. Only is required of them a sacrifice from the soule, which is the very temple of God. In his onelyonly name shoulde the faithful sort, ther offer vp themselues. And therefore Christ appoynted Uespasian and Titus, to turne ouer the great temple of Hierusalem, and vtterly to destroy that priesthoode, because we should put no trust in suche thinges, nor yet be addict or bound to places. A damnable inuencion is it of Antichrist that the suffragans halloweth the sinagogs, to bringe them into al kinds of superstition.

They constitute also a feastfull daye to the honour and worshipe therof, called the dedication, which is most abhominable wickednesse. Truthe it is y^t after y^e Apostles time ther were places appointod, where as the congregacion met together once in the weake, for y^e hearinge of Gods word and for y^e holy communion, and that was called the oratorie or house of praier. But that house was not exercysed nor coniured, crossed nor smered, blessed nor be sprinkled wyth water. Neyther was there at that time anye aulter set vp in it, & anointed with oyle & creme, to offer any newe sacrifice vponupon. Consider also that y^e appoinmente of this bare house withoute aulter or images, was lefte to mans ordinaunce without any exprest commaundement of Christ, that it should be thought of no reputacion. For in spirite and veritie wyll god only be worshiped. And for this cause after that Christ had dryuen the byers and sellers out of the temple, he commended none other temple vntounto vsus but his body, which he raysed vp in the daye of his resurection, to our behoue.

6 God therfore, is our temple and his Christ. In them ought we to do sacryfice, and in none other. In their faith should our workes, labours, & studies be grounded only, if we couet them to profit vsus. Iohn for his time could sée none other temple but this. The Lord of his tender mercye graunt vsus to be Iohns in this behalfe. Iohn beheld also at the Angels demonstration, that this Citie had neither néede of Sunne nor Moone to minister light vntounto it, as the olde Hierusalem had. Neither hath Christes congregation néede of mans naturall reason, nor yet of hys worldly wisdom, coniectures, nor practises, subtilties nor wiles, polices, nor witts, inuencions nor traditions. No, neither of their philosophy nor sophystrie, the decrées nor sentences of the great Lawyers & Schoolemen, which all is but darknesse and blindnesse.

8 For the brightnesse of God sheweth thē light sufficient. His shining verytie, his pure gospell, and his vndefiled lawes, cleareth their vnderstandings. A lanterne to their féete is hys heauenly word. Only doth that clerenesse suffise them, whiche faith offereth vntounto them.

9 OnelyOnly are they contented with the light they hauehave of the Lambe, which is the bright Sunne of rightuousnes. He is the Lamp, the Candle, and the flaming Cresset of this citie. None other admonisher hauehave they néede of, none other counseller nor teacher. Accursed holde they him that bringeth any other doctrine than his, though he were an Angell from heauen. For he is the only light of the world y^e brightnesse euerlasting, the vndefiled myrrour of the maiestie of God and the Image of his infinite goodnesse. Whoso euer foloweth him, can in no wise walke in the darknesse. The dayes wyll come (saith the Lorde in Hieremy) that a man shall not néede to teach his neighbour or brother for they shal know me frō the highest to the lowest. I shall plante my lawe in their inwarde partes, and write it in theyr hartes.

10 And the people of al maner of regions which are predestinate of God to be saued, shall walke in the clearnesse of y^e light. None other wisdome, helth, rightuousnesse, and redemption shall they seke, than they finde in him. Neither shal they care for Mary nor Ihon, rodes nor reliques, hedes, nor holy water, masses, nor merites. For so shall he shyne vponupon them, and his glorie apere in them that the cloudes of Antichrist and his false prophits shal take no place. So liuely shall the rightuous waxe in that faith of saluacion, that they shall become not only the children of clernesse, but also very lyghtes in the Lorde,

11 Morouer vntounto this heauenly light shall the myghty kynges of the earth bringe their glory, magnifycence, and honour, as did the wise men of y^e East, which offred rewardes vntounto Chryste. They shalbe conuerted from their erroures, to a sincer, beleue in the Lord, as were in the Apostles tyme Abagarus, Egippus, and Gundoforus. And since their dayes the mighty Emperour great Constātine, Iouinian, Theodosius and diuerse other. Yea, some were so feruent in that faith, that gladly they suffred death for it. Of whose numher were here in Englande, saint Edmound, Oswalde, Ethelbert, Edwyne and Fremonde, with a greate sorte more in other Christian regions. All kinges (saith Deuid) shall worshipe him and all paganes shal do him seruyce. Amonge these are not they to be rek…ned, which leauing their kingdomes, hath made them selues monks and friers, or hath founded masses and monastaries to be praied for. For they neuer brought theire glorye to thys light. No more hauehave they done which hath enriched the cleargye, gluttinge them with possessiōs, and setting them vp in a glitteryng pompe. But rather hauehave they sought darknesse than light, blyndenesse than to be taught of god. Some hauehave thought them selues in our age clearly cōuerted to thys lyght. But ryghtly hath their iniquitie lyed vntounto them. For nothynge hauehave they done lesse than broughte vntounto Chryste theyr glorye. Truthe it is that they hauehave discharged them selues of the Pope, and to some of hys sects.

They hauehave plucked downe shrynes and Images that receaued offeringes, and dayly worshippings, with a fewe superstitions besides, but still bringing vp whelps of the same false generation, both bishops & prists. Stil hauehave they to this day, the same wicked rits and ceremonies that they had afore. And when thei should bring ani thing to a right christian order, according to Christes first institution, they cannot away with it. Great is the vengeance terrible heuy and fearefull the iudgement that abideth them.

12 And as concerning the great gates of this Citie, which are the true vnderstandings of the Lordes verities, they shall not be shut vp by day. Hidden shall they not be to them y^e walke in this light. All that Christ hath receiued of his heauenly father leaueth he manyfest and plaine vntounto his faithfull leuers▪ Not only openeth he their feble vnderstandings, but also sendeth them his spirit to deduce them into al godly knowledge.

13 For in that citie shal be no night. No doctrine of darknesse, nor fylthye mist of mens imaginations, can hauehave place where Christe is euer residente and his verytie manifest. The nighte of infidelytie is cleane gone from thē, which hath obtained the euerlastinge day. The cloudes of filthy errours abideth not, where the true sunne hath alwaies dominion. The stronge powers of hel shall not be able to preuaile, where as faith is perfect and sure. So goeth the Lorde before his true Israelits in this piller of fire, that the night is vntounto them all one with the day. That is vntounto other darknesse in parables, is vntounto them the clere light and the euidentlye knowne misteries of Gods kingdome. In the common translation (that is dayly read in the Temple) it foloweth, that they shall bring the glory and honour of the heithen into the same citie, which is not founde in the Gréeke. And by this is it signyfyed that the apostles and other godly preachers sins their time, conuerting the gentles, hauehave not only brought into the christian Churche by theyr preachings many of theyr phylosophers whose glory hath bene their wisdome and learning, but also theyr princely potentates, whose honour consisted in power, possessions, & magnificence. Of this sort was the chamberlaine of Quéene Cādace, to whom Philip declared y^e prophecie. So was Cornelius the noble Centurion, which was instructed and baptised of Peter. So were also Dionisius the Areopagite. Apollo of Alexandria, and Aquila the Italiane, with diuers other whom Paul conuerted in his progresse. And after theyr dayes were of this company Iustinus the martyr, Quadratus, Aristides, Tertullyane, Origyne, Cyryll, Basyle, Iohn Crysostome, Augustyne, Hieronimie, with an infinite number els. So was Lucius the firste Christian King of this region, Philippus the Emperour, with many other great gouernours, which both builded almes houses for the poore, and made other godly prouision els. This is the precious spoile they brought out of Egypt, and the fruite they hauehave planted in the Lords vyneyard. As Esaye prophesied, they enioyed the strēgth of the paganes and tryumphed in theyr glory, but not in their superfluous toyes and vanities as doo the Papistes.

14 For into this citie (saith the text) or congregation, which is from within & vnknowen to the world, shal nothing enter that is vncleane, or that after any sort defyleth. No rightuousnesse of men, which is afore God, but as the cloth stayned with mēstrue. No tradicions, merytes, nor masses, apere they neuer so holye. For all that is done besides the prescriptes of his worde, is plaine abhomination and filthinesse.

None that is gelded or …oacted to chastitie by papisticall vowes. None that is borne of a cōcubyne, or that maketh a new supersticious professiō. No misbegotten Moabytes, and Ammonites betokening all sectes of perdicion, are allowed of the Lorde vntounto this congregacion. OnelyOnly are they accepted for Citizens thereof, which are renewed in faith by the spirit of Iesus Christ.

15 Whatsoeuer it be that worketh abhominacion in vncommaunded worshippings, or maketh lyes in Hipocrisie, is clerely sequestred frō this vndefiled citie. The constrayned virginitie of priestes, which hath made so many Sodomytes, Confession vnderunder a stole that hath bredde so many false traytors and théeues. The two horned order of Bishops that hath hatched so many proud gluttōs and murtherers. The anoynted priesthoode y^e hath so many Idolatours. The vnholy profession of monkes that hath brought forth so many stinking hypocrits, with suche other sedes of the diuell, hath héere no place at al. For nether whormongers, nor yet Ido…l worshipers, nor buggerers, nor Gomoreans, nor extorcioners, nor couetuouse brybers, nor dronkardes, nor blasphemers of the Lordes word, nor cruel destroyers of innocentes can in any wise inherit the kingdome of God.

16 But they onelyonly shal possesse that which are writen in the Lambs booke of lyfe, or that were predestinate ther vntounto in Christ before the worlds constitution, to be holy and vnspotted in his sight. These are they whō he hath a perpetuall remembrance, whom he hath ordained of goodnes, chosē of mercy, called by the Gospell, iustified thorough faith, & glorified in the perfourmaunce of hys commaundemēts, that they shoulde be lyke fashioned to the shape of hys sonne. Though these of frailnesse offende many tymes (as the fleshe can doe none other) yet denye they not the verytie, they abhorre not y^e scriptures. But after they hauehave fallen they repent frō the hart, they séeke the remedyes, they hate their owne déedes, they call vntounto Christ, they lament their chaunce, they honger and thyrst continually for the rightuousnesse of God, and such other like. Now as concerninge thys citye in the regeneration or Sabboth to come, all will be golde, precious stone, and pearle. Theyr glorye wyll bée perfect, their knowledge whole, and theyr iudgement in the spirite full. All wyll be there square, euen, and right, nothinge shalbe croked, rough, and frowarde. All wil be newe and precious, no maner of deformitie appearing in y^e creaturs. The bewtie of y^e citie will bée wonderfull, the lyght inestimable, the dwelling most quietous and pleasaunt. There shall we clerely beholde howe myghtie, maruelous, hygh, bewtyfull, glorious, perfect, stronge, victoryous, delectable, and swéet our redemer Iesus Chryst is wyth hys father and holy Ghost. Here hauehave wée but a small taste thereof, but there, shall we bée fully replenyshed there wyth.