A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 6
¶ How Iohn was affected towardes the viſion to hym exhibited, the comfort of Iohn, and the expoſition of the viſion, applied vntounto conſolation. The ſixt Sermon.
ANd when I ſawe hym I fel at his fete euen as dead: And he layd his right hand vponupon me, ſaying vntounto me: Feare not, I am the firſt and the laſte, and am alyue, and was …ead. And beholde I am alyue for euer more, …nd hauehave the keyes of hel, and of death, write …herfore the thinges whiche thou haſte ſene, …nd the thinges whiche are, and the thinges whiche ſhalbe fulfilled hereafter: And the miſtery of the ſeuen Starres which thou ſaweſt in my right hand, and the ſeuen golden candelſtickes. The ſeuen Starres are the meſſengers of the ſeuen congregations: And …he ſeuen candelſtickes whiche thou ſaweſt, …re the ſeuen congregations.
It followeth how bleſſed S. Iohn was moued with that celeſtiall and wonderfull viſion: And how he receiued conſolation, more ouer the expoſition of the viſion applied to his comfort, with a commaundement to indite all theſe thing… diligently.
Iohn falleth downe & lieth like one were dead.What tyme he had fully ſene this diuine and heauenly ſight of Chriſt our Lord, ſitting on the right hand of God i… glory, his ſtrength failing him, he falleth down on the earth: and liyng at the fete of the Lorde, is lyke a dead body. W… reade that the ſame chaunced to Daniel in the .x. Chapt. And other men of God alſo hauehave bene feared with the viſions o… Aungels. The women alſo in the new Teſtament tremble… at the ſepulchre, ſeing Aungels. Peter was amaſed at th… greatnes of the miracle. Luke .v. And falling at the knees … the Lord, crieth out, go from me, Lord, for I am a ſynful m… For Godly viſions bewray our infirmitie:The weakenes of mans vnderſtāding Neyther be … apte or ſufficiently pourged, to behold thoſe ſuperceleſt… thinges with eyes and myndes ſicke and not yet well pu… fied. Therfore muſt the elect be glorified in an other lyfe, th… they may be made partakers of the glory celeſtiall. In th… meane ſeaſon here al godly are humbled and abaſed by hyg… viſions and reuelations.2 Cor. 12 For they auaunce not them ſelue… proudly through the glory of reuelatiō: But perceiuing th… naturall corruption, they craue pardon, and the augmentation of the ſuperceleſtiall grace and light. For vnleſſe we b… illumined with the ſpirite of God, we ſhal lye like dead folk… how ſo euer we receyue with our corporall ſenſes the viſio… celeſtiall.
Humilitie is comforted of the Lord.But they that humble them ſelues before the Lorde, fynd… a moſte preſent conſolation at the Lordes hande. Wherfo… there came to S. Iohn immediatly both in worde and de… a full conſolation. For the Aungell repreſenting the perſon… of Chriſt, layeth his right hand vponupon Iohn: The whiche is token of amitie, protection, and of preſent helpe. For in … preſſing this maner of ſpeaking in dutche, we ſay therfore … laiyng on the hand is ſignified, that Chriſt is good to Iohn, ready to helpe him. Which incontinently he maketh play… by the addition of wordes, ſaiyng, feare not.Feare not. Whiche ſaiy… is common eueryevery where in the ſtory of the Goſpel: And th… fore is moſt goſpel like, that is to ſaye moſt lucky. For God commaundeth the humbled to be of good hope, and to liue aſſured vnderunder the protectiō of the higheſt. Which verely we vnderſtand to be ſpoken not to Iohn alone but to al vsus alſo, that we in like maner, albeit that we fele ye infirmitie of our fleſhe, ſhould yet hope well of the goodnes & mercy of God. Here followeth yt cauſe more fully declared, why Iohn ſhold not be affrayed. For the viſion ſhewed was not exhibited for the terrour of him: but that Iohn might perceiue how great and mightie he is which is prepared for the defence of him & al the faithfull. As though he ſhoulde ſaye. Where thou ſeeſt how great he is, which hath taken vpō him to defende thee, who finally protecteth and gouerneth the whole Churche, there is no cauſe why thou ſhouldeſt be affraide. But rather execute boldely, that he cōmaundeth thee. Wryte that he cō maundeth to be written. Be not affrayed of men, feare God rather. For if good mē be ſo ſore afrayde at the ſight of him, where ſhal the enemies and contemners of God appere?
Therfore conſequently he expoūdeth the viſion, teaching who he is, which was ſene like to the ſonne of man walking emonges the golden Candelſtickes. And he applieth this expoſitiō vntounto comforte: that both Iohn & eueryevery faithful maye perceiue, how mightie Chriſt is, & what the faithfull hauehave by him obteined. For the Aungell tempereth his ſpeach ſo, that we maie ſeme to heare al things ſpokē to vsus not by ye mouth of the Aungell, but of Chriſt him ſelfe.A diuiſiō. And this expoſition hath his partes. For firſt he declareth (as I ſaid euen nowe) whoſe Image it was that was ſhewed. Than is annexed a cōmaundement to write this boke. After that is opened the miſterie of the ſtarres. Finally ye ſecretnes of the cādelſticks is reuealed: And al theſe thinges right plainly and briefly.
Firſt thou haſt ſene, ſaieth the Lord, a viſion,Chriſte is repreſented by the ſame viſion, what he is, and how great he is. wherat thou waſte amaſed: but feare thou not. For thou haſt not ſene any euill or fearful ſpirite, boding any miſfortune: but my ſhape, whiche am thy redemer and Lorde. I am firſt and laſte. And this maner of ſpeakyng (as I warned a little before) he toke out of the Prophecies of Eſaye, as it is to be ſeene in the .xli. xliiii. xlv. and xlviii. chapters. And he ſignifieth him ſelfe to be coequall, and of the ſame ſubſtaunce with the father in all thinges, very God, eternall, and incōprehenſible. For loke what thinges the father attributeth to himſelf, the ſame alſo doth the ſonne vſurpe. But there is no order or time certain to be vnderſtāde in firſt and laſt, but plainly euerlaſtingnes. Therfore Chriſt here ſignifieth,Chriſt is egall with the father. that he is very God, egalle and of the ſame eſſence with the father from all eternitie. As the ſame is alſo muche confirmed in Iohn 1.5.10.14. and 17. chapter. This fighteth againſt the Heretickes, which at that time alſo, as at this daye the Seruetanes, denie the eternall deitie of Chriſt the Lorde. And thus, when the trewe God is of vsus acknoweledged and beleued, he maye be for our Saluation. Yf Chriſte be not very God, he is not our ſaluation. For I am God, ſayeth the veritie: And beſides me there is no God, no Saluation.
Secondly he ſayeth, I am liuing, and was dead: wherby he ſignifieth that he toke the true humane nature. The whiche many alſo at the ſame time denied: In like caſe as the… be ſome at this daye, whiche do playnely derogate from th… humanitie of Chriſte. Agaynſte all ſuche maner of hereſies the Lorde him ſelfe confeſſeth that he was dead. Wherby it is now manifeſt, that he is very mā, as he is alſo very God, of the ſame eſſēce with his father in deitie, as he is alſo of the ſame ſubſtaunce with vsus in humanitie, like vntounto vsus in all thinges, ſinne excepted. For he toke not the nature of Aungelles, but the ſede of Abraham. And it behoued in dede tha… the ſonne of man ſhuld be incarnate, that bothe he might di… & ſhede bloud.Hebr. 9. For the Teſtament in the dead is finally ratified neither is there any remiſſion made without bloud ſhe… ding. The Lord therfore dieth, and ſhedeth bloud, to the int… he might geue full remiſſiō of ſinnes, and confirme the new… Teſtament. Yet euen he that was thought to be dead, nowe liueth,Chriſt that was dead liueth. and is that ſame liuing, who hauing vāquiſhed death, the iii. daye roſe againe from the dead, and repared life for a… beleuers, and inſpireth into them his owne very life.
And therefore addeth immediatly: beholde I am liuing… world without ende. For nowe Chriſt dieth no more, death… ſhal not rule ouer him. But rather he is the life of al his fait… full, who in riſing againe, brought agayne life: and that life euerlaſtinge, induringe I ſaye worlde without ende. As he him ſelfe declareth more at large. Iohn. 5.6.10. chapter. And thapoſtle to the Rom. 4.1. Corinth. 15. and 2. Timoth. 1.
Moreouer where many were wōte to doubte of this life gotten and repared by Chriſte, the Lorde him ſelfe confirmeth, that he ſaied, by an othe, and ſayeth. Amen. As though he ſhould ſaye, this is altogether trewe and vndoubted that I ſaye.
Finally he addeth,Chriſt hath the keyes of hell and of death. and I hauehave the keyes of Hell and of death. By the whiche woordes againe he comforteth exceadingly, and expreſſeth his power: and declareth howe great he is, and what we hauehave of him. Here muſt we ſpeake by the waie of the kepe. The ordinary gloſe ſaieth very wel: he that hath the keyes of any houſe, ſayeth he, letteth in whome he wil, and kepeth backe whom he will from entring in. Therfore Chriſt poſſeſſeth the keyes of death & hel, for that whom he will, he deliuereth from perpetual cōdemnation of death: And whom he wil,The keyes he ſuffereth to remaine iuſtely in the ſame daunger of damnation. And verely Eſaye in the 22. ſpeaking of Eliachim, whome he ſayeth ſhoulde be made Iudge in the courte of Ezechias: I wil laye ſayeth he the keye of the houſe of Dauid vponupon his ſhulder: whiche ſhal open, and no manne ſhall ſhutte: ſhall ſhutte, and no man ſhal open. Therfore are the keyes put in the Scripture for the charge and gouernement of the houſe. Eliachim ſhall gouerne all thinge in the Courte of Ezechias vprightly. What ſoeuer he ſhall determine, no manne ſhal infringe, that whiche he ſhall abrogate, no manne ſhall reſtore. Chriſte therfore, a figure of whome Eliachim repreſented, ſhal him ſelfe hauehave alſo the chiefe gouernment in the houſe or kingdome of God: ſo that whom he will, he may quickē, and plucke backe from hel and from damnation: And againe whom he liſte to condemne, he may diſtroie by his iuſte iudgement. For he hath moſt ful power ouer death and hell.Oſe. 13. 1. Cor. 15. For bothe two hath he ouercomen and made weake. And theſe thinges comforte the faithfull moſte ſtrongely, and reteyne them in all Godly duties. And that ſame is chiefly to be obſerued, that he ſayeth not, he had the keyes, or ſhall hauehave, but I hauehave, ſayeth he, I hauehave I ſaye. He gaue not his power to the Biſhoppe of Rome, but hath i… him ſelfe, and will kepe it ſtill for euer. And he gaue not to the Apoſtles ful power of life & death, of ſaluation and damnation,The keyes of heauen geuē to the Apoſtles. and ſo vnarmed him ſelfe: but he gaue the keyes of opening and ſhutting heauen, as it were to his Miniſters & ſeruitours, by the preaching of the Goſpell: by the whiche he promiſed life to all that beleued, Chriſt him ſelfe ſhoulde geue that life for the truth of the promiſe: To whom ſo euer they ſhould threaten damnation, Chriſt him ſelfe ſhuld condemne for the truth of his woorde. We ſee therfore that the Lord kepeth ſtil & exerciſeth the power, and his miniſters the miniſterie (by preaching, not by abſolute power.) Therfore the Pope is Antichriſt,The keyes of ye biſhop of Rome. which vſurpeth and taketh vponupon him this full power and authoritie in Heauen and in Earth, and in the middes of the earth alſo, or beyonde all the earth, i… thoſe vnfortunate Ilandes. I meane purgatory. By ye whic… craftie deuiſe he hath ſubtilly emptied the purſes, Coffer…, garuers and wine cellers,Apoc. 13. of fooliſh people that ſwarne from the articles of their beliefe, to wit I beleue the forgeuenes o… ſinnes, the reſurrection of the fleſhe, & life euerlaſting. Th… beaſte dare vſurpe the two hornes of the Lambe,Daniel. 7. namely th… authoritie of King & Biſhop, & therfore to hange two keye… vnderunder his triple Crowne: that euen by theſe Armes all the world maye perceyue, that this is very he, whiche, hauin… ſubdued three kinges or hornes, is cropē vp, & chalengeth t… him ſelfe all power in heauen & in earth, ſignified by the tw… keies. And ſurely the blindnes of our time is wonderful an… to be lamēted, that hauing eyes it ſeeth yet nothing. Let ſuc… as be wiſe, remēber, that Chriſte hath yet the keyes of deat… and Hell, his miniſters the denouncyng of life and death.
Iohn is cō maunded to write.And nowe when he had declared theſe greate and moſ… holeſome matters, and had comforted the minde of Iohn, h… addeth the commaundement: write the viſion exhibited, f… nally write thoſe thinges alſo whiche muſte be done ſhorte… after this. He placeth in the middes, and thoſe that be: th… is, whiche are in dede, and trewe, and be not falſe. And theſ… things are to get authoritie to this boke, finally to the who… ſcripture, whiche is reuealed with like truth of the ſelfe ſam… Author. And as Iohn is cōmaunded to write without fear… ſo are we cōmaunded to Preache & publiſh the ſame boldly though the world be neuer ſo madde therat.
He addeth moreouer, the expoſition that remaineth, and ſayeth: The miſterie of the ſeuen ſtarres, &c. The reaſon ſemeth almoſt vnperſit. Therfore muſte we vnderſtande this is the miſtery or ſacrament of the ſeuen Starres and Candelſtickes: that it maye be as it were a propoſition,Sacramēt. and that the expoſition ſhoulde folow immediatly: the ſeuen ſtarres, are ſeuen Meſſengers, &c. And by Sacrament vnderſtande a ſecret miſtery, and the very expoſition of the miſtery. As yf you woulde ſ… here is to be noted the goodnes of Almightie God,The ſcripture expounded. whiche declareth to vsus him ſelfe the hardeſt places of the Scripture. Where be they therfore that accuſe the Scripture of obſcurenes, and contende that it can not be vnderſtāde? let vsus here marke alſo the cōmon maner of ſpeakyng of the whole ſcripture: ſeuen ſtarres,The phraſe of ye ſcripture. be ſeuen Meſſengers: The ſeuen lightes, are ſeuen Churches. For ſignes receyue the names of the thinges, although they be, & remaine in theyr owne ſubſtaunce, and bee not chaunged into another. This the very contentiouſe perſons do graunte alſo, whiche in the woordes of the ſupper, this is my body, will acknowledge no figuratiue ſpeache at all.
Starres be called Aungelles. Aungelles be Gods Meſſengers, paſtours of churches, ſo called in the ii. & iii. chapter of Malachie. For God ſendeth preachers as Ambaſſadors to the people, and willeth them to be hearde in like caſe as himſelfe. Luke .x. Iohn .xiii. Let no man therfore tary till the Lord him ſelfe come downe from heauen againe, and preach …nto vsus. Euen now he preacheth to vsus by his Meſſengers, whiche preache his, that is to ſaye the woorde of Chriſt, yf …ou contemne them, you contemne Chriſt. Preachers be …alled ſtarres, by reaſon of theyr bright and Heauenly doc…rine, and for their purenes of life.2. Peter. 2 Iude. 1. Beware therefore you Preachers, that you be not wandering Planettes, leeſt ye …aue no light at all, neyther in doctrine, nor conuerſation of …fe. For than ye ſhall be likened to ſtarres that fall downe …ut of Heauen, as ſhall happen here after in this boke to the …alſe teachers.
But thoſe ſtarres are not in the head, or in the fete,The ſtarres be in ye right hāde of Chriſt. or on …he backe or ſides: but in the right hande of Chriſt. Whiche …ing hath in dede a great conſolation for the Paſtours be in the right hande of God, in Gods protection, neither ſh… any man take them out of his hande. God him ſelfe alſo … ueth paſtours, and furniſheth them with neceſſarie good… of the Church. Therfore is the whole gouernement and gl… ry his. Wherefore the Apoſtle ſayeth alſo: he that water… and planteth is nothing, but God that geueth increaſe.
Nowe as concernyng the Candelſtickes, there was o… verely in the Tabernacle of Moſes with ſeuen ſockettes,Candelſtickes. … ſet in ſeuen Candelles. In Salomons temple were ten ca… delſtickes. The one repreſented a figure of Chriſt: And the … uen therupon, and the ten, betokened the vniuerſalitie… Churches, whiche are lighted all of the only lighte Chriſ… and hauehave of this one, what light ſo euer they hauehave. And th… candelſtickes are of Golde. The miſtery whereof Aretas e… pounding: They are all golde, ſayeth he, for the puritie a… preciouſnes of faith liyng hidde in them. And in dede the … delſtickes of them ſelues geue no light, but be receptacles … light. So of vsus arriſeth no light, but darkenes. But in … that light euerlaſting, ſet a light in the candleſticke, the lig… ſhineth: if Chriſte illumine the Churche with faithe and … retie, than faith ſheweth foorth her ſelfe in open confeſſio… and the purenes of life in conuerſation. And this the Lord … quireth of his churche in the v. chapter of Matth. So let yo… light ſhine &c. And the apoſtle in the ii. to the Philipp. In t… middes of a frowarde and croked natiō ſhine like lightes the worlde.
And hitherto we hauehave handled the conſolation of Chri… and the expoſition of that great and celeſtiall viſion, whe… we hauehave learned the miſteries of the faith of Chriſt and of his Churche: to the ende we ſhould knowe that Chriſt is the Lorde reignyng in his Church, and applying al thinges to the ſaluation of his faythfull. That he ſendeth Preachers, teacheth by them, and kepeth and defendeth them. To him be Glory &c.