A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 23
¶ The ſeconde viſion is ſhewed to S. Iohn, wherin he ſeeth God in his Throne with Elders, whome he deſcribeth gallauntly. The .xxiij. Sermon.
AFter this I loked, and beholde a dore was open in heauen, and the firſt voice whiche I hearde was as it were a trōpet talkyng with me, whiche ſaied: come vp hither, and I will ſhe we thee thinges whiche muſte be fulfilled herafter. And immediatly I was in the ſpirite: and beholde a ſeate was ſet in heauē, and one ſate on the ſeate. And he that ſate, was to loke vpō like a Iaſper ſtone, and a Sardine ſtone: and there was a rainebowe aboute the ſeate, in ſighte like a Smaragde. And about the ſeate, were xxiiii. ſeates. And vponupon the ſeates, xxiiii. Elders ſittinge, clothed in white raymente, and had on theyr heades crownes of Golde.
The thirde parte of this worke reacheth from the beginning of the 4. chapter, vntounto the beginning of the 12. chapter. And conteyneth a notable viſion, moſte holeſome, and of muche fruicte. The firſt viſion, which we hearde expounded in the 3. chap. exhibiteth a figure of Chriſt, and of his church, and howe the Lord reigneth in the ſame, how alſo the church behaueth or oughte to demeane her ſelfe. In the ſeconde viſion S. Iohn declareth, howe by a moſt iuſte and moſt holy gouernement God gouerneth all thynges by Chriſt, which chaunce and are done to the churche in the worlde and of the worlde.The argumēt of the ſeconde viſion. In theſe are rehearſed the moſt ſorrowful deſtenies of the church, calamities, plages, and deſtructions, famines, perſecutions, reuoltinges, hereſies, conflictes, and other euilles moſte greuouſe of the ſame ſorte. &c. Who alſo and what and howe iuſte God is, rightuouſe and holy in all his iudgementes, here is deſcribed: That he is Authour of all: That God throughe the moſte wittie and excellent gouernement of Chriſte ruleth all thinge: that the holy Aungelles alſo and al creatures do acknoweledge him, and geue glory vntounto God. For ſo it teacheth vsus alſo in al our doynges,Thende of this viſiō. and euen in the very greuouſe calamities and perſecutiōs, wherof it ſhall prophecie moreouer, the acknoweledge the prouidence and good wil of God towardes vsus, and his moſt iuſte gouernement. This if we ſhal do with quiet mindes, we ſhal beare alſo moſte heauy burthens patiently: we ſhall ceaſe with curiouſe queſtions to inquire, whye God permitteth Antichriſt to ſpring vp, to increaſe and reigne, to oppreſſe the religion and Sainctes of God? Then ſhal ceaſe alſo the blaſphemouſe mutinyng of thoſe, which are not affraide to ſaye. God is in dede the Lorde, he is almightie, he doeth what he will, and as he will: we are bonde ſeruauntes, and rather worſe than bondemen. We are forced to beare what ſo euer he wil laye vponupon vsus, &c. As thoughe God were vniuſte, and after a tirannicall feare terrible, and ruled after a carnal luſt. It is moſt ſhameful to thinke thus, much more to ſpeake it. This viſion ſhal declare, that God by his prouidence gouerneth althinges, and that the ſame is iuſt in al his wayes, and holy in al his workes.
And firſte S. Iohn is prepared to receyue this viſion,A preparatiō to this viſion. yea and we alſo are prepared in him. For when he had ſene the dore in heauen to be wyde open, he hearde withall, come vp hither, &c. It is ſurely a benefite not to be expreſſed with tonge, that the Lorde openeth heauen for vsus miſerable men mortall, and ſuffereth vsus to ſee what is done therin, or what he him ſelfe doeth there, and what his workes or iudgments be towardes men. Let no man ſaye herafter, that God doeth in Heauen what thinges he liſte, not paſſinge vponupon vsus that crepe vponupon earthe, and who alſo muſte ſuffer that we woulde not. For nowe he maketh as it were an accompte of his workes and beyng aſſured admitteth thee as a looker on of the matter.
And here he declareth with a godly voice,The mīde muſte be lifted vp. what Iohn ſhuld do, and how he ſhould behaue him ſelf. Chriſt biddeth Iohn aſcende into ſuperceleſtial places, not in body, but in minde. Therefore muſte our minde be lifted vp into the contemplation of Heauenlye thinges, and be pourged as muche as maye be from earthely affections, that we maye beholde heauenly thinges with an heauenly contemplation. What will we ſaye that the example of Iohn followeth immediatly. And incontinently I was in the ſpirite: that is, in a ſpirituall cōtemplation, or rauiſhed with the ſpirite into the faithful conſideration of thoſe thinges whiche were ſhewed me.
The ſome of thinges to be ſayd.Now alſo is compiled an argument of things that ſhould be tolde: I will ſhewe thee what thinges muſte be done herafter. For after the Tipe of God, orderyng or gouernyng al thinges iuſtely through Chriſte, immediately are declared the deſtenies of the churche by ſeuen ſeales, and ſeuen trompettes, in the which are eueryevery where interlaced moſte comfortable conſolations and ful of efficacitie.
A tipe of God workynge all thinges iuſtely.And firſt of al before the Seales and trōpettes is ſet forth a figure or tipe of God, and his moſte rightuouſe iudgement and gouernement in al thinges: and that through out the 4. and 5. chapt. wholy, that it mighte prepare vsus to the reading or hearyng of thoſe thinges whiche ſhal followe in the 6. 7. and 8. chapt. And ſeme to others, and to mans iudgement to be greuouſe, harde, and vniuſte. And the Tipe or viſion was after this ſorte.The ſome of ye viſiō, & generall order of ye ſame. In heauen it ſelfe appered a ſeate or throne of Maieſtie. He that ſitteth therin, holdeth in his right hande a boke, cloſed with Seales. By him that ſate ſtode a lambe, whiche taketh the boke, and openeth the Seales therof. And out of this Throne alſo procedeth a ſeuenfolde ſpirite, wonderfully vtteryng his vertues. Before the ſeate appeareth a glaſſie Sea, bright, and euen like Chriſtal. The throne it ſelfe reſteth like a wagon vpō foure beaſtes ful of eyes & winges, beneath appering rounde about, and inuirunnyng or compaſing the throne. A rainebowe like a ſmaragde goeth roūde about the ſame. Aboute the Throne by a circle appere xxiiii. Seates, and ſo manye elders ſittyng in them, crowned, and in white arraye. This is the order of this ſeconde viſion. In their place ſhal be declared what the Lābe, what the beaſtes, what the Elders and the other partes did. It ſufficeth nowe to hauehave touched the chiefeſt poinctes of the viſion, and a ſhadowyng ſome of the ſame.Viſions exhibited many times befor.
Secondely we muſt ſee, what eueryevery thyng ſignifieth. For herof dependeth a greate parte of the whole miſterie: as concernyng the maner of viſion, S. Ihon bringeth no newe thing of the reuelation of Chriſt. For we reade that ſuch maner of viſions were exhibited for the moſte parte to the prophetes, as to Eſaye in the 6. chapt. To Ezechiel 1. and 11. chapt. And to Daniel in the 7. chapt. &c.A Throne. And a Throne ſignifieth a maieſtie imperiall & adminiſtration iudicial. And becauſe the Throne is not in earth, but is ſene in heauen: we ſhal thinke, that the prouidence and adminiſtration of gods iudgementes be celeſtial, ſounde, moſt holy, and cleane voyde of al corruption. And vponupon this ſame Throne is one ſitting, ſitting I ſaye,Sitting in ye Throne. not lyinge or ſtandinge. For God the iudge of all is of a quiet minde, neyther is he moued with any affections like men. Here is none affection, iniurie, vnrightuouſnes in the vniuerſal gouernement of al thinges to be thought vponupon. Elihu. in the 34. chapt. of Iob, ſayeth: Farre from God be wickednes, and iniquitie from the Almightie. For the worke of mā wil he render to him, and accordynge to the wayes of eueryevery one he wil rewarde them. For verely God will not condēne in vaine, neyther will the almightie ſubuerte iudgement, &c. And Aretas Biſhop of Ceſaria an olde expoſitour admoniſſheth,God is preſented by no humane ſhape. that of pourpos the ſhape of man was not attributed to him that ſitteth in the ſeate. For albeit that afterwarde mention be made of a righthande holdyng the boke, yet is here no ſhape of manne exhibited. But he ſayeth alſo ſimply one ſitting, he geueth him no name. The cauſe is ready: for God by his nature cā not be defined, as he that is inuiſible, and vnmeaſurable: After the maner of men in dede humane membres are attributed to him, but to be expounded by a trope. Moreouer when the ſame God appered to the people of Iſrael in Sina, they hearde a voyce only, but the Iſraelites ſawe no ſhape. As Moſes witneſſeth in the 4. chapt. of Deuteron. Doubtles that they ſhoulde not expreſſe with an Image the incomprehenſible, and ſhoulde cōmitte idolatrie, the greate ſinne and wickednes. S. Paul in the 17. of the Actes denieth that the deitie is like the forging of men. To the Romanes. He aſcribeth to the greateſt folye Idolles made after the ſhape of men whiche ſhoulde repreſente God. Wherof we hauehave ſpoken els where. In the meane ſeaſon are rehearſed two preciouſe ſtones, whiche by theyr collours do after a ſorte ſhaddowe the nature of our God, and admoniſhe the godly of greater and more excellente thinges. A Iaſper is a grene ſtone like an Emeraude. Grenes ſignifieth the perpetuitie of God, and that he quie…teneth and kepeth in life all thinges. But the Sardine loketh with a fine coulour like a bright red. For God dwelleth in light inacceſſible: The ſame is a conſumyng fire, and alſo charitie it ſelfe. For the nature of ſtones reade Plinie, &c.
The rainebowe ſmaragdine.But a raynebowe inuironeth the Throne rounde aboute, a raynebowe for the moſte parte is of diuerſe coulours: but here it is of one coulour and that of a Smaragde, to witte grene. The raynebowe is a token of a perpetuall grace, and couenaūt made after the fludde, as is declared in the 9. chapt. of Geneſ. And verely the Throne of the hyghe iudge mighte put vsus wretched menne in feare: Therefore the raynebowe putteth vsus in remembraunce of Godes grace, and that God whiche by his prouidence gouerneth all thinges hath boūde him ſelfe in leage to man kinde, to whome verely he wiſſheth well. That leage is ſtill grene, and alwayes of force. The goodnes of God towardes menne is perpetuall. For though heauen ſhoulde fall, and out of this Throne procede moſte greuouſe thonderboltes, and calamities ſhoulde fall vponupon vsus like a ſtorme: yet is God in leage with vsus, and loueth vsus derely.
xxiiii. Elders in ſeates.Aboute the Throne are ſene ſette .xxiiii. ſeates, and in them ſitte xxiiii. Elders, as Senatours of the moſte mightie kingdome of God, and fathers of the Hierarchie celeſtiall: This nombre is made of xii. and xii. But xii. Patriarches ſignifie the whole people of Iſraell, and the olde churche before Chriſte. The Chriſten churche was planted and ſprange vp of the twelue Apoſtles, after the incarnation of Chriſt, wherupon that xii. numbre comprehendeth the whole churche of the newe people. Therefore is the whole vniuerſalitie of Sainctes aſſembled in heauen, and triumphing with Chriſt theyr king. And therefore be they clothed in white rayment, to witte pourged by Chriſte, and pure and cleane from all corruption. Crowned alſo, bycauſe they hauehave ouercomen and nowe reigne in eternal glory, verely kinges and prieſtes through Chriſte. The deſcription alſo of theyr behauour admoniſſheth, that in them is nothynge wauntinge, but to be truely bleſſed: and therefore they be ſhewed ſitting, not that they are iudges, or iudge for Chriſte, but becauſe they reſte from their labours, and be of moſt quiet and pure affectiōs, ſitting with the high iudge. But what thing doe theſe? They geue God no counſell, what he ſhould do, or by what meane or waye he maye doe this or that, but they allowe his iudgementes. For they know all his workes to be iuſte and holy. The whiche ſhal immediatly follow. What ſhal we do than? ſhal it be mete for vsus to inquire of the iudgementes of God, or preſcribe what he ſhoulde do or not do? I thinke not you hauehave in this vniuerſalitie of ſainctes, al patriarches, al iudges and kinges, al princes, & the whole people of God: you hauehave emonges theſe, king Salomon him ſelfe, and the moſte excellent and wittieſt Princes of the world: you hauehave the Apoſtles, and men Apoſtolical, Martirs, and the wiſe men of the whole vniuerſal worlde. Wilte thou condemne their iudgementes? following therfore theyr example, buſy not thy ſelfe to moue curiouſe queſtions: prayſe the iuſte iudgementes of God, and know that the Lord is iuſt in al his wayes, and holy in all his workes. To whom be glory.