A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 30
¶ Two ſeales are opened, and the directe courſe of Gods worde is, and a cruel courſe of warres againſt the diſobedient. The .xxx. Sermon.
ANd I ſawe when the lambe opened one of the ſeales,The .6. chapter. and I heard one of the foure beaſtes ſaye, as it were the voice of thonder: come and ſee. And I ſawe, and beholde a white horſe: And he that ſate on him had a bowe, and a crowne was geuen vntounto him: And he went forth conquering, and to ouercome. And when he opened the ſeconde ſeale, I hearde the ſeconde beaſt ſaye: come and ſee. And there went out an other horſe that was red, and power was geuen to him that ſate there on, to take peace from the earth, & that they ſhould kill one an other. And there was geuen vntounto him a great ſworde.
Hitherto hath thapoſtle, prepared the auditours to heare with a quiet minde, the iudgementes of God and fatal deſtenies of the church, and patiently to beare all aduerſitie, and that we ſhould worſhip him in al thinges, and geue glory to his name: conſequently he expoundeth in a moſt goodly order the iudgementes of God, and deſtenies of the Church, ſhewyng how the ſonne of God gouerneth the ordenaūces of God and his eternall prouidence. And this is as it were a Prognoſtication for all times and Ages vntounto the worldes ende.A cōtinual prognoſtecatiō of al times frō the birth of Chriſt. For we ſhal not thinke that here are reherſed only the actes of one age or two, but of al. And firſt al thynges are generally deſcribed by partes, afterwarde particularly, when we come to the openyng of the ſeuēth ſeale. The ſome is, the lord ſendeth forth the preaching of the trueth into the world, which when men refuſe and diſpiſe, they are diſtroyed with warres, and other calamities innumerable.
Attentiuenes here is neceſſarie.But before al thinges S. Iohn is excited (and in him all we) to be attentife. And one, that is to wit the firſt of the beaſtes doeth excite him. One of the Sabbat is ſet for the firſte daye in the weke, that ſame is verely the ſondaye. The voice of the beaſt is like vntounto thonder. Wherby is ſignified that here is treated of greate & moſt weighty matters. For moſt great and terrible thinges followe, whiche ſhake the whole world. Therfore let vsus not playe the ſlepy ſluggardes, let vsus not be blinde and deafe. Doubtles the ſloughtfulnes of our time is ſuch, that we little conſider the workes of God and what is done in our time. The ſtorkes, ſwallowes & Turtels, and the reſt of liuing thinges paſſe vsus, which ful wel obſerue their time. Therfore are we here wel ſtired vp, that we ſhuld not be ſlouthful, but ſhould marke what thinges are declared and ſhewed vsus of the Lord.
The firſte ſeale is opened.And when S. Iohn had diligētly marked what was don, he ſeeth the lambe, Chriſt I meane our redemer, open one ſeale, that is to ſaye the firſt: And ſtreight wayes came forth a white horſe, on whom he that ſate, had a bowe bent, and an Arrowe in it. To him was geuen a crowne, and he wēt forth conqueryng, that he might ouercome. This is the viſion: the expoſition wherof is eaſie. For the Lorde ſayeth, that he will declare the deſtenies of the church.
HorſesHorſes. of ſondry coulours are alſo brought forth of Zacharie in the .1. chapt. And thei ſignifie the variable courſe and ſtate of the people of Iſrael. The white coulour is cōſecrated to Innocencie,The courſe of Gods worde. puritie, victory, and felicitie. Therfore by the white horſe is ſignified the lucky vtteraunce of Gods word, or proſperous preaching of the Goſpel. For vponupon the horſe ſitteth a horſeman, which guideth the horſe, & hath a bowe. Certenly Chriſt doeth proſper the courſe of the preachyng of the Goſpell. And the .45. Pſalm. doeth attribute to the ſame ſhaftes or Arrowes.A bowe. For he ſtriketh his enemies far of, and bringeth them into his ſubiection. Briefly with the worde of his mouth he ſubdued to him ſelf people and nations. Eſaye in the .49. bringing in Chriſt ſpeakyng, ſayeth: And he put my mouth as a ſharpe ſword, the ſhadow of his hande couered me, and he put me as a piked Arrow, he hidde me in his queuer. Through Chriſt therfore procedeth the preachyng of the word, he geueth ſtrength to the preaching, he ſhaketh his bent bowe. What force ſo euer the worde hath, that ſame is whole dewe to the Horſeman.
To the ſame is geuen a Crowne,A crowne. to witte a kingdom and all power of rulyng. For Dauid propheciyng before ſayed, the Lord ſhall ſende forth the rod of his power out of Sion, to rule emonges thine enemies. Moreouer there is geuen him a crowne, that he maye crowne ſuche as ſerue him faithfully. And it is a phraſe of ſpeakyng, and he wente forth conqueryng, that he might ouercome: for that whiche is, he that went forth is a conquerour, and to this ende went forth, that he mighte ouercome. For it ſignifieth that Chriſt will auaunce the preachyng of his worde through out the worlde, no manne beynge able to reſiſte, and euen in diſpite alſo of Hel gates. For the worde of the Lord indureth for euer.
And this place teacheth,That the church ſhal be alwaies and the preachinge of ye word. that the Church ſhal be alwayes in the world, & likewiſe alwayes the trueth preached, though the enemies bowelles burſte. But if we reade ouer the ſtory of the Churche, we ſhal better vnderſtande al thynges, and ſhall perceyue that this Prognoſtication hath alwayes ben moſte certayne. Chriſte was ones through the miniſterie of the worde ſhewed to the world by the Apoſtles, and the matter proceded moſte luckely, howe muche ſome euer the moſt mightie of this worlde reſiſted the ſame. The thing is wonderfull, in caſe thoſe fiue hondreth yeres be conſidered, whiche immediately after the incarnation of our Lorde are accoumpted. In them wente forth the conquerour that he might ouercome: And ouercame in dede, the whole world receyuyng Chriſt, and worſhippyng him. Sins thoſe yeres, as before alſo, certen ſedes of errours began to be ſowen abroade. The Biſſhoppes began to contende for the ſupremacie, and who ſhould be the vniuerſall head of the Church in earth: They began to reaſon of the vſe of Images in the Church, and broughte them into Churches in dede, as alſo they called the Biſſhoppe of Rome the ſupreme and generall head of the Churche in earth. And mightie Princes, and in a maner the whole ſtate of learned menne conſpired in theſe opinions: but he hath vanquiſhed, which wente forth, that he might vanquiſh. He had in his church innumerable, whiche bowed not their knees before this Baal. A thouſand yeres after the incarnation of Chriſt, the Biſhoppes began to prophanely to pollute the lordes ſupper: and other vndefiled doctrines of faith: but what I praye you did they preuayle by ſo many counſels, determinations, and indeuours moſt erneſt? he that went forth to ouercome, hath ouercomē. That white Horſe hath ſtoutely inuaded to the ſaluation of many. For how great battels in theſe laſt fiue hōdreth yeres the godly and learned mē hauehave ſuſteyned againſt the Popes and Biſſhoppes, ſtories beare witnes. At this daye alſo appereth through out the whole worlde, howe luckely yet that white horſe goeth forwarde, which hath pearſed euen vntill our time. The Goſpel is beleued, neither can that faith be extinguiſhed with any waters or fires.
Thou makeſt exception, that they were heretikes whiche reſiſted the biſſhop and See of Rome in theſe .500. laſt yeres, as Bertrame, Iohn Scot ſurnamed Dunſe, Berengarius, Arnoldus Brixianus, Waldo Wicleffe, and Huſſe, Luther, and Zwinglius, and ſuch other men of the ſame ſorte, moreouer certen of theſe were ouercomen alſo, and put to death by the Pope. I aunſwer, that as men they might erre in many thinges: but in thoſe thinges wherin with the Scripture they conſente agaynſt the See of Rome, I affirme that they erred not, but ſayed the trueth. Wherupon it is certaine that Chriſt ouercame by them. What time Micheas, Helias, Zacharias, Amos, Ieremias and others preached by the worde of God agaynſte Idols and worſhippers of Idols, they were alſo condemned for ſeditioufe and heretikes: yea and certen of them were taken out of the waye: but was the veritie vanquiſſhed? Antichriſt is ſaied that he ſhuld hauehave good fortune, and that he ſhould puniſh & afflict the ſtrong, and the people of God: but men beyng miniſters may be oppreſſed, the miniſterie neuer decayeth. S. Paull ſayeth that he is bounden for the Goſpels ſake, but the Goſpel not to be boūden. Therfore hath he ouercomen hitherto, and ſhall ouercome ſtill, which went forth that he might conquer. They ſtumble vpō this conquerour as at the ſtone of offence, who ſo euer, and what ſo euer they be, whiche ſeke to interrupte the playne courſe of the Goſpell.
Moreouer what time the ſeconde ſeale ſhould be opened the ſeconde beaſt,The ſecōd ſeale is opened. to witte the Ore or Calfe exhorteth agayn S. Iohn to attentiuenes, and that we ſhould conſider what is propoūded vntounto vsus. And now cometh forth the red horſe, whoſe coulour is ſomwhat like fire: there ſitteth alſo on him a rider, to whom power is geuen to diſturbe peace in earth, and that menne ſhould kill one an other. For there is geuen him a great ſword. The red horſe ſignifieth ye ſtate of warres,Calamitie of warres. ful of fire and bloud. He that ſitteth on this horſe is Mars, or rather the father of lies, I meane the Deuil, whiche was a murtherer from the beginnyng. He gathereth to him the dregges of men to make ciuile commotions, for the warres, deſtruction, firyng, ſlaughter, and deſolation. You ſee from whence the breakyng of peace is, whych God hateth. And we heare howe it is geuen him: Marke geuen, by the iuſte iudgement of God to be permitted, that troublyng al peace, he ſhould take it away, and ſet menne together by the eares, that one maye wounde and kil an other. For ſo we reade in the .1. of Iob, howe Sathan had power geuen him of God agaynſt Iob. VntoUnto blouddy ſoldiours is geuen a great ſword, great power to hurte, a wonderfull force of fighting: As alſo Nahum expoundeth it. Nother is it a rare thinge in the ſcriptures for Monarkes, tirannes, and mightie men of warre to be called, a ſworde. For ſo Ezechiel called Nabuchodonoſor: and Eſaye called Sinacherib king of Aſſyrians a whetſtone.
And the chiefeſt rightuouſenes is,God is of good thī …s the deui…l authour of euill. to geue eueryevery man his owne. Therfore this place doeth iuſtely aſcribe that which is good vntounto God, and that whiche is euill to the Deuill. But, thou ſayeſt, if God permitte, the ſame that he doeth not prohibite he doeth. He prohibiteth not warre, for becauſe iuſtice wil not ſuffer him ſo to doe: but he cōmaūdeth him by warre to puniſh the wicked, and to trie the good: but in permittyng warres God offendeth nothinge, ſeyng that for moſte iuſte cauſes he permitteth the ſame. For they would not imbrace peace offered them by the preachers of the Goſpell, therfore were they worthy to be intangled with warres. The Iewes knew not the daye of Chriſtes viſitation, therfore were they worthely viſited of the Romanes and diſtroyed: And this thing is in the world perpetuall, that they that wil not obeye the Goſpell, muſte obeye the Captayne of the warres: they that wil not heare chriſt, muſt heare Antichriſt. Thou mayeſt not contende with God, whic he doeth this, and permitteth that. Worſhip God rather, as thou haſt ben taught in the .4. and .5. chapt.
Let vsus peruſe ouer ſtories, and ſee and ſuche warres be not founde, wherin men hauehave ſlaine themſelues with mutuall woundes, and hauehave killed one an other like beaſtes. If you wil reade Herodiane, Oroſius, and other good Hiſtoriographers, you maye finde that the Romane Emperours hauehave ben troubled with moſte greuouſe warres, for none other cauſe, than that thei refuſed peace offered to them by the goſpell. For none other cauſe was Rome it ſelfe at the laſt taken by the Weſtgothians, of the Eaſtgothians burnte and diſtroyed. The lord had geuē them Chriſten Princes: but they loued more Idols. For Simmachus gouernour of the citie was ſo bolde to require a reſtitution of Idolatrie. I ſpeake nothing now of Athila, nothing of the Perſian and Affricane warres. And what time there was a wonderful ſtrife emōgs the Biſſhoppes about the ſupremacie, the Saracenes ſprang vp and became mightie. After the Thouſande yere beganne the holy warre, whiche as it was moſt bloudy, ſo was it of longeſt continuance. Neuer any ſuche warre was made in al the world. Boniface the .8. inſtituted firſte the yere of Iubiley, a moſte wicked manne, who alſo did exhibite him ſelfe to be ſene of the people both Pope & Emperour. But the ſame yere of a thouſand and three hondreth, wherin he did theſe thinges, arroſe vp in Aſia the whippe or ſcourge of God Ottoman, the original of themperours of Turkes which reigne at this daye. For ſo when Salomon buylded places of Idolatrie, his enemies ſprang vp, which wonderfully vexed and afflicted the kingdom of Salomon. What warres are made now a dayes, and what be the cauſes of warres, al wiſe men do ſee. We wil not receaue the peaceable goſpel: It is reaſon therfore, that the Turkiſſh Armies ſhould inuade vsus, that we maye both fele Antichriſt to be a ſtoute warriour, and maye al abhorre and deteſte him.
But what other thing remayneth here, than that beyng conuerted to God through Chriſt, we maye ſerue the lord in ſyncere fayth, and holy puretie? for except we conuerte, the are is layde at the tree roote, &c.