A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 10
¶ The firſt part of the third Epiſtle of the cū ſtancie and cōfeſſion of Chriſt in the tyme of perſecutiō. The .x. Sermon.
ANd to the meſſenger of the Congregation in Pergamos wryte: This ſayth he whiche hath the ſharpe ſworde with two edges. I knowe thy workes and where thou dwelleſt, euen where Sathans ſeate is, and thou kepeſt my name, and haſt not denied my faith: And that in the daies, in the which Antipas was my faithfull witnes, whiche was ſlayne among you where Sathan dwelleth.
The third Epiſtle amongeſt thoſe ſeuen celeſtiall proceding from the right hand of God,The argument of ye Epiſtle. is wrytten to the Paſtour and congregation of Pergamos: Wherof the argument is thus. Firſt he commendeth the conſtancie of their faithe in cruel perſecutions: By and by he rebuketh thoſe which clea…ed to the ſecte of the Nicolaitans: After he exhorteth them …o repentaunce. And this doctrine he applieth afterwards to all congregations throughout the worlde. Laſt he promy…eth moſte ample rewardes to the faithfull.the church of Pergamos a t…pe Hereof we vn…erſtande that the congregation of Pergamos, is ſet forth …s a type or a glaſſe to all churches, howe it behoueth them … walke before the Lorde: Firſte ſo ofte as perſecution ſhall ariſe: Secondly, when hereſies breake out. For by the example therof he teacheth all to ſuffer aduerſitie paciently, and opēly to profeſſe the true faith: And alſo by the ſcriptur… to reproue hereſies, & in flying from them to diſpiſe the ſame.
Thinges common to al theſe ſeuē epiſtlesHowbeit all the Epiſtles in maner hauehave certen thinges cō mon: And that eſpecially three. For it expreſſed plainly, t… whome the Epiſtle is ſent, as in this preſent, to the meſſenger of the congregatiō of Pergamos, to witte vntounto the P… ſtour whoſoeuer he was, (perauenture Antipas) and to the whole congregation, as is ſayd before. It is ſhewed moreouer,Of the authoritie of holy ſcripture. who he is that ſpeaketh here, or who is the authour … this Epiſtle: Euen the Lord him ſelfe. Which getteth authoritie to the writing. For it is not thus to be thought that th… worde of God is not as it is ſpoken, becauſe it is wrytten … man, indited of man, or written with inke, either in paper… parchemyn. For theſe make no more that the word of Go… ſhould not be the worde of God, than that water ſhould n… be water, if it runne out of a conduite of wood, lead, braſſe… ſtone. For water euermore remayneth water. The diuerſio… of the Conduite pypes maketh it not that it ſhoulde bee… water, as his ſubſtaunce is in dede. So ſayth S. Paul, th… he verely is bounden, but the worde of God is not bound A man may be ſtoned, hanged or burnt, beyng a preacher… Gods worde: The worde of God that was put in the mo… of the Preacher is not burnt.God knoweth al thinges. The Lorde putteth it in t… mouth of an other, that the veritie ſhuld not be extinguiſh… but continually might ſounde in the churche. Finally … without cauſe, in the beginning of eueryevery Epiſtle, Chriſt do… intimate, that he knoweth all thinges of the churche. I ſa… before that this is as it were the foundation of the feare … God, and of his true ſeruice. For imagin a man that is p… ſwaded with him ſelfe, that God neither ſeeth what men … nor knoweth what they thinke in their hartes. Shal not t… man, thinke you, fall into all vngodlines? He will crye, let… do what we liſte, ſynce God knoweth not what we doe. … gai…e who wyll not caſt of the hope of rewarde, and th…ſ… of good workes, after he be once perſwaded that God k… weth not our workes? But if he knewe them not, howe … he iudge the worlde?
Neuertheleſſe in eueryevery epiſtle be certen eſpecial and peculiar thinges. Of the which ſorte in the epiſtle of Pergamos is,Out of Chriſt his mouthe a two edged ſworde. that out of the firſt viſion and deſcription of Chriſt, in the beginning of the epiſtle he taketh to him the ſwearde, and that ſharpe and two edged, whiche we heard to come out of the mouthe of Chriſt. By this is ſignified the iudiciall powerful of equitie and iuſtice, and alſo the deliueraunce of the good, and puniſhement of the euill, for the ſworde is geuen to the magiſtrate, as an authoritie to puniſhe the euill, and defende the good. Chriſt him ſelf defendeth his, and his aduerſaries he heweth in pieces. The ſworde is the very worde of God moſt ſharpe, two edged and pearſing the very hartes, for it animateth the godly, and diſcourageth the wicked. Chriſte therfore gouerneth his Churche, as a Iudge and defendour moſte rightfull and iuſte, whiche hath his ſworde not in his handes, but in his mouthe, and with his ſpirite and worde comforteth and preſerueth the faithful: but feareth and woū deth the vnbeleuers. Full rightly therfore is this beginning applied to the cauſe that followeth touching the croſſe of the faithfull: And expulſing and fliyng the Nicolaitans. For it is Chriſte, by the vertue of whoſe worde theſe thinges are luckely brought to paſſe.
Moreouer the particular workes of this congregation followe.In this church are ſom thīgs cōmended, and ſome diſpraiſed. He prayſeth in this Churche the ſingular conſtancie in faith, and profeſſion of the ſame, in moſte daungerous perilles, temptations and perſecutions. And it ſemeth to be a playne reherſall and narration, that the Lord knoweth what they ſuffer, and howe greuouſly they be afflicted: but prayſe is mixed with al. And this cōmendation belongeth to an exhortation, that the thing they did thei ſhould perſeuer to do.
He ſayeth howe he is not ignoraunt, where the church of Pergamos dwelleth: euen there verely where Sathan hathe fixed his ſeate or throne. That is to ſaye I knowe in what caſe thou arte, in what daungers, and with whome thou arte matched. He ſayeth not,the church dwelleth where Sathās ſeats is, I know that thou ſitteſt in the ſeate of Sathan: but, I know that thou dwelleſt there, where Sathan hath his ſeate. Chriſte therfore is not ignoraunt of the labours, ſorowes and temptations of the faithfull. And the knoweledge of Chriſte hath a certen peculiar thinge. For Chriſt ſo knoweth the matters of the faithful that he is both touched with the ſame, and hathe alſo a conſideration or reſpecte of his ſeruauntes. And we ſee howe Chriſt alſo placeth his throne there, where the Deuill hathe his ſeate iuſt by. At the length he thruſteth him out of his ſeate.
Pergamos the ſeate of Sathā.And for two cauſes Pergamos ſemeth to be called ye ſeate, throne, and kingdome of the deuill. For firſt as Aretas hath admoniſhed, in ſuperſtition and worſhippinge of Idolles it excelled all Aſia, whiche neuertheleſſe was moſte corrupte. Pergamos was the moſt auncient and famouſe citie of Aſia or of Miſia and Phrygia, renomed by kinge Attalus & Eumenus. For the ſame was the Princelyke palace of kinge Attalus, whiche came into the handes of the Romans by the legacie of kings, who were moſt addicte to idolatrie. Strabo ſpeaketh muche herof in the 13. boke. Moreouer this place was alſo, as Plinie ſemeth to ſignifie in the 5. boke, the 30. Chapt. moſte noble and frequented, by reaſon the liftenant or gouernour there inhabited, who at the commaundement of the emperour. Domitian, perſecuted the trewe faithe of Chriſt, impriſonyng, ſcourging and afflicting al that profeſſed Chriſt. By good reaſon therfore is Pergamos called the ſeate or Throne of the Deuill. For he is a liar, and the father of liyng, and a murtherer from the beginnynge: whiche the Lorde alſo teſtifieth in the 8. of Iohn. For bycauſe therfore at Pergamos reigned heathennes, liynge, Idolatrie, ſuperſtition, the oppreſſion and murther of good men, it is rightly called the ſeate or throne of the deuill. This appereth to be a ſclaunder not to be diſſembled, or ſuffered. For Rome ſemed to her ſelfe eſtabliſhed for euer,Rome the ſeate of ſathan. and the whiche the Goddes fauoured, who had ſent them victorye ouer moſte greate nations, and geuen the Empire of the whole worlde: In the whiche citie iuſtice and religion mighte ſeme to be obſerued. And therfore that this ſeate of iuſtice and religion ſhoulde be called the ſeate of Sathan, mighte be thought bothe blaſphemie, and treaſon. But this doeth the onlye begotten ſonne of God from the right hande of his father pronoūce againſt Rome, agaynſt Pergamos, and agaynſt all the confortes of Rome. Who ſhall accuſe him of temeritie, of raſſhenes, or of bitter ſpeakyng? light perſons are doubtleſſe angry, and very ſtrōpettes will be offended, in caſe they be called by their owne names, and be called as they are in dede. For ſuche is the glory of vertue, that all men coueth the ſame euen the open enemies of vertue, ſo that no man will ſeme to be voide of vertue: and ſuch is the corruption and darkenes of mans minde, that he would be that he is not, and wold not be that he is. Therof cometh al this impatience in the whole world: when a mattocke is called a mattocke, and a figge a figge as the prouerbe is. Is an harlot therfore no harlot, becauſe ſhe will not be called an harlot? yes verely is ſhe an harlot, and a ſhameful harlot, and though ſhe denye neuer ſo ofte that ſhe is a whore, yet is ſhe an whore neuertheleſſe, and remayneth a whore. So the ſeate or Throne of Sathan is at this daye Rome it ſelfe, whiche will ſeme to be the ſeate of Chriſte and the ſeate Apoſtolical. For the worke and inſtruction of the deuill therein aboundeth. Finally al Cities, Townes,Where is the ſeate of ye deuil. & places, wherin veritie, godlines, religion and vertue are exiled, wherin the preaching of Gods trueth, and correctiō of moſt corrupte maners hauehave no place, wherein filthines and vncleanes, baudy ſonges and not ſpirituall Pſalmes, wherin crafte and diſceipte, ſurfetting, murther, aduoutrie, oppreſſiō of good people and of godly religiō triūpheth, be the ſeates of Sathan, how ſo euer they be called the moſte chriſten and catholicke cities, and worſhippers of the righte and chriſten ſaith. This thing Ieſus Chriſt the very ſonne of God ſaieth, crieth, affirmeth, repeteth, and euen with a maieſtie pronoū ceth. For by and by after the murther of Antipas, he addeth: where ſathan dwelleth. And theſe thinges are doubtles true, whiche Chriſt ſayeth and pronounceth in the Churche: and moſt falſe be the thinges whiche this moſt ſinful world here alledgeth againſt the wordes of Chriſt.
But this ſame the Lord highly cōmendeth, that in ſo ſlipper & vnfortunate a place they hauehave ſtande vprightly hitherto, and coulde not be ſubdued in the verye ſeate of Sathan.To dwell in ye mids of a frowarde nation. Epheſ. 5. Here we learne, that it is lawefull, as occaſion ſhall ſerue, to dwell in the middes of a frowarde nation: yet ſo yt we be not made conformable to thē in any wiſe either in maners or ſuperſtitiō. And for as much as it is daūgerous to dwel amōgs the vngodly, and as it were to touche pitch with our hādes: Thou ſhalt nothing offende againſt the Lord, if thou get thee to a ſafer place, wherin is leſſe daunger and more occaſion of al godlines. Yea rather when thou mayeſt cōueniently paſſe vntounto ſuche places, thou ſtickeſt daungerouſly vpō the ſtony rockes, wherupon thou mayeſt chaunce at the laſte to ſuffer Shipwreake.
Religion muſte be holdē faſt.And two thinges he alloweth chiefly in this churche, firſt that they holde the name of Chriſt. For the Greke woorde foreign is not to touche lightly, but to holde faſt, ſo that it can not with force be plucked awaye that thou holdeſt. And ſo they helde Chriſte moſte depely fixed in their mindes. The name of Chriſt is the holſome workyng of our redemption and ſanctification, beſides the which there is no other name, as S. Peter ſayeth, wherby we maye be ſaued. They cleaued therfore vntounto Chriſt, as we reade of thapoſtles in ye 6. of Iohn. And neceſſary it is that eueryevery one of vsus holde faſte the miſterie of ſaluation rooted in our hartes.Religion muſte be profeſſed. Secondly, it is not ynough to retaine the miſterie of ſaluation in our harte, vnleſſe we profeſſe it alſo with full and open mouth. Wherupō he addeth ſtreighte waies, and haſte not denied my faythe. Beholde how he calleth it faith nowe, which of late he called the name of Chriſt. And he calleth it properly his fayth, that is, not diuiſed or inuented by men, but ſet foorth of Chriſte him ſelfe by the woorde of his veritie. This trewe, right, and catholicke faith muſt we confeſſe and not denye: and profeſſe it expreſſely aſwel in wordes as in workes.
The maners of deniyng the Lorde.Chriſt and his Goſpel are denied by mo wayes than one. They are denied by ſilence, when we holde our peace, what time we ſhoulde ſpeake chiefly for the glory of God. Chriſt agayne is denied through diſſimulatiō, as where Peter ſayeth, I wote not what thou ſayeſt. For he knewe right well what the mayde ſayed: but feare cauſed him to diſſemble. He is denied what time plainely & with expreſſe woordes Chriſt and his veritie is denied. He is denied with a figuratiue confeſſion, what tyme in dede we confeſſe ſome what, but yet ſo darkely and ſo diffuſely, that it is vnknowen what it is that thou profeſſeſt. He is denied, when we fayne in our harte, that we kepe the true doctrine, and denie it in our workes, in bowynge our ſelues before Idolles, goynge to prophane churches, cōmunicating with the ceremonies of Antichriſt: kneling on the grounde and worſhipping that thing whiche our conſcience gaue vsus, and the faith ſet forth by the apoſtles taught vsus to be no God. And verely all this deniall arriſeth of feare, and of our corrupte affections. If there where ſo aſſuredly a rewarde propounded of men for the confeſſing of him, as thou arte ſore affraide to be put to paine in caſe thou do confeſſe, there wolde ſeme no difficultie at all to profeſſe Chriſt ſincerely. Where therfore thou denieſt or diſſembleſt, thou doeſt it for feare. But ſuche timorouſe and fearefull deniers the lord ſhutteth out of his kingdome. The world therfore beyng diſpiſed, the name of the Lorde muſte be confeſſed boldely & without feare, accordyng to the doctrine of Chriſt Matth. 10. Marke. 8.
And this confeſſion of the congregation of Pergamos is amplified and highly cōmended by reaſon of the time.We muſte than profeſſe when perſecutiō is hote. For it is a great matter to profeſſe Chriſt in no quiet but in moſt troubleſome times. But it is manifeſt that the churche of Pergamos confeſſed Chriſt in the middes of the perſecutiō, in the whiche was executed the holy martir of Chriſte Antipas: Wherof it followeth that the profeſſion was noble. It is comonly ſaied, but theſe men ſawe Antipas ſlaine, and yet could not be feared from the true faith, and theſe thinges in dede are ſet forth in fewe wordes, but in ſenſe moſt ample to be followed of all churches. Some others reade here in my dayes. But the complutenſian copie is better, whiche hathe, in the dayes wherin Antipas, &c. As though he ſhould ſaye, And thou haſte confeſſed my name in thoſe dayes, wherin Antipas was my faithfull witnes, whiche for the ſame cauſe was ſlaine alſo.
Antipas is cōmended,The praiſe of Antipas & of martirs. and as it were canoniſed of the very ſonne of God. And he is prayſed that he was a witnes, that is a martir: And that in dede a faithfull witnes, by teſtifiyng, teaching, confeſſing, and keping his faith to the Lord, euen to the ende. Actes. 13. Perauenture he was paſtour of this Churche, or ſome other man of ſingular conſtauncie amonges the faithfull. Certes fayth and not torment maketh martirs. And becauſe this martir is prayſed of Chriſte, we vnderſtand that the agonies and cōflictes of martirs ſhould be preached in the church of Chriſt, and many be excited and exhorted to followe their ſteppes. Therefore we affirme that the holy martirs of God are honoured, but not to be worſhipped or called vponupon. We condemne al thoſe that ſpeake againſt holy martirs, and aſſociate them with thoſe that ſlew them. But touchinge the worſhippinge of Sainctes I hauehave ſpoken els where more at large, we learne hereof alſo, that they die not for euer, that die in this worlde for the name of Chriſt: neither that the martirs be polluted with worldly reproche, conſidering how they be commended by the mouth of God. To chriſt therfore king of martirs be honour, praiſe and glory worlde without ende. Amen.