A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 39
¶ The fourth and fifte trompet is expounded, of the opening of the botomleſſe pitte, and of graſſe hoppers creping out into the Earth. The .xxxix. Sermon.
ANd the fourth Aungel blewe, and the third parte of the ſunne was ſmitten, and the thirde parte of the Moone, and the thirde parte of ſtarres, ſo that the third parte of thē was darkened. And the daye was ſmitten, that the third part of it ſhould not ſhine, and likewiſe the night. And I behelde, and hearde an Aungell fliyng thorow the middes of Heauen, and ſaiyng with a lowde voyce: wo, wo, wo, to the inhabiters of the Earth, becauſe of the voyces to come of the trompe of the thre Aūgels, which were yet to blowe.
The .9. chapter.And the fifte Aungel blewe, and I ſawe a ſtarre fall from Heauen vntounto the Earthe. And to him was geuē the keye of the botomleſſe pitte. And he opened the botomles pitte, and there arroſe a ſmoke of the pitte, as it were the ſmoke of a greate fornace. And the Sunne and the ayre were darkened, by the reaſon of the ſmoke of the pitte. And there came out of the ſmoke locuſtes vpō the earth: and vntounto thē was geuen power as the Scorpions of the Earth hauehave power. And it was ſayed vntounto them that they ſhould not hurte the graſſe of the Earth, nother any grene thing: nother any tree, but only thoſe menne which hauehave not the ſeale in theyr forheades, and to them was commaunded that they ſhould not kill them, but that they ſhould be vexed fiue monethes, and their payne was as the payne that commeth of a Scorpion, when he hath ſtonge a manne. And in thoſe dayes ſhal men ſeke death, and ſhal not finde it: and ſhall deſire to die, and death ſhall flie from them.
The fourth trompet declareth an hurtful and a long ſtrife,The .iiii. trompe. whiche arroſe in the churche of the doctrine of Pelagius. This Pelagius taught, that the ſinne of Adam, hurte him alone, and not mankinde, and therefore that in the ſame all men die not. That man hath free will, ſo that he maye doe good. Nother that he ſhoulde be free, if he nede the helpe of God. Which if he hath it, he maye the more eaſely do good:The doctrine of pelagius. yf he hauehave it not, that he maye yet neuertheleſſe worke it by his owne vertue, and maye deſerue euerlaſting life. Therefore that our victory is not of the helpe of God, but of free will: and that remiſſion is not geuen to the penitentes after the grace and mercy of God, but after the deſerte and workynge of them whiche through repentaunce are worthye of Godes mercy, and the reſidewe whiche Saincte Auſten reherſeth in the hondreth and ſixte Epiſtle to Boniface, that Pelagius had renounced: whiche neuertheleſſe in an other place he ſheweth that the ſame had taught, and retourned to his vomite: As in the regiſter of hereſie, the .88. hereſie. The ſame againſt two epiſtles of the Pelagiās, in the .2. boke. 2 chapter to Boniface. The Manicheis, ſayeth he, denie that a good man had the beginnyng of euill of free will.Whileſte fooles eſchewe one vice they runne into an other. The Pelagians ſaye alſo, that an euill man hath free will ſufficiently to fulfil a good precept. The catholicke doctrine reproueth both theſe, and to them ſayeth, God made man right, &c. And to theſe ſayeth, yf the ſonne hath made you free, you ate verely free. And in the .9. chapt. the ſame Authour. Where we ſaye that the wil of man vntounto euil is free, to do good that it muſte be made free by the grace of God, it maketh againſt the Pelagians. And where we ſaye that the euill, whiche was not before, is comen of him, it is agaynſt the Manicheis. Moreouer in the .8. chapt. Pelagius ſayeth, that the thing which good is, maye ſoner be accompliſſhed, if grace helpe therto. By the whiche addition, that is in adding, more eaſely, he ſignifieth verely that he thinketh thus, that although the help of grace waūt, he can yet, albeit more hardely, perfourme that which is good by free will. Agayne the ſame in the .47. Epiſtle to Valent. Who falle into the errour of the Pelagiās.That man, ſaieth he, falleth into the errour of the Pelagians, whiche ſuppoſeth the grace of God to be geuen for any deſerte of man, whiche grace alone maketh manne free, through Ieſus Chriſte our Lorde. But agayne he that thinketh, when the Lord ſhal come vntounto iudgement, that man is not iudged after his workes which might now by reaſon of his age, vſe the free choyſe of will, is neuertheleſſe in errour. He ſayeth in a maner the ſame thing in the .2. booke the .18. chapt. of the merites and remiſſion of ſinnes.
The third part of the ſunne, of ye Moone & the ſtarres ſmitten.With this doctrine of Pelagius was ſtricken, that is to ſaye, darkened (for ſo S. Iohn him ſelfe a little after expoundeth him ſelfe, ſaying in ſo much that the third parte of them was obſcured, &c.) the thirde parte of the ſunne, to witte of Chriſt, which is the trewe ſunne of rightuouſenes. For the Pelagians doctrine denied the grace of Chriſt, & with mans merite trode vnderfote the merite of Chriſt. Whereby alſo the thirde parte, that is to witte a great parte of the Moone, namely the church, is red to be ſmitten and darkened: moreouer the thirde parte of ſtarres, I meane preachers and miniſters wounded, hath not taught with ſuch light as became them. For ſtories witneſſe that this hereſie hath ſore infected diuerſe partes of the worlde, that euen Biſſhoppes and learned menne hauehave followed this noyſome errour. At Paleſtine in the Eaſte was aſſembled a Sinode of Biſſhoppes, which droue Pelagius to recant. They diſputed alſo at Rome ſharpely againſt the Pelagian doctrine: and Counſels were aſſembled, which condemned the ſame. Ther were Sinodes aſſembled in Affrica, and after much reaſoning ſentence was pronounced againſt Pelagius. For many were dayly taken with this infection. For the doctrine is pleaſaunt, whiche waunteth not euen at this daie his mainteyners and defenders. For it ſemeth godly, and for the ſtudy of vertue nedeful, to affirme free wil, and mans merite: agayne it appereth to be licentiouſe to attribute al thing to Gods grace.
He addeth,Nother daye nor night ſhone with the third parte therof. that nother the daie ſhone with the thirde parte thereof, nother yet the night with his thirde parte. For like as grace coulde not be fully perceiued by the doctrine of Pelagius, no more coulde ſinne. And S. Auſten in the .2. boke of originall ſinne .23.24. chapt. ſayeth, that the Chriſtiane fayth conſiſteth properly in the cauſe of two men. For by the one we were ſolde vnderunder ſinne, by the other redemed from ſinne: by the one throwē headlong into death, but by the other deliuered vntounto life, &c. And whileſt al theſe thinges are ſpoken, they are ſpoken to this ende, that we might beware of thoſe Hereſies.
And hitherto hauehave we ſpoken of the foure trompes, and greateſt conflictes in the churche: there remayne three trompettes: which hauehave now a little preface ſet before them, wherby the mindes of the hearers might be excited.
And S. Iohn ſayeth, howe he ſawe an Aungell flying thorowe the middes of heauen, and hearde him criyng: wo, wo,Wo to the inhabiters of ye earth. wo to the inhabiters of the Earth, and that for thoſe thinges which ſhould chaunce vntounto men than, when the other three trompettes ſhould be blowen. Therfore vntounto eueryevery trompet is Ioyned an wo. Whiche we expreſſe very well in dutche by owe, owe, owe. For the Grekes ſaye, and S. Iohn wrote in Greke, foreign. And it ſignifieth verely, yt the times of the fourmer conflictes were ſharpe: but yet that ſuche as follow ſhal be a great deale ſharper and crueller. For I tolde you in an other place, that this vocable wo, compriſeth the euilles bothe of this life preſent, and alſo of the life to come, aſwell of body as of ſoule. Therfore ſhall the times of Papiſtrie, Mahometrie, and of the laſt iudgement, be moſt daingerouſe.
Som read an Egle for an Angell.The complutenſian copie hath an Egle, where we reade an Aungell fliyng thorow the middes of heauē: perauenture becauſe he founde it ſo in Aretas. Yea and the cōmon tranſlation, commonly called S. Hieromes, hath an Egle for an Aūgell. And therfore Primaſius readeth it ſo likewiſe, which ſemeth to hauehave followed the olde tranſlation in all thinges. But the Egle is ſwifte, and of moſte ſharpe ſight, ſignifiyng the almightie knowledge of God, and expedition vnſpeakeable in doyng of thinges.
The fifte trompe.The fifte trompet comprehendeth a moſte cruell battell, whiche the Pope ſtired vp, in admitting errours into the world, yea rather bringyng in, ſettyng forth, and defendyng them, by his vngratiouſe Locuſtes that eate vp all thinges. He laſteth to the worldes ende. Of whome he will agayne diſcourſe more plentifully and more properly in the .13. and 14. chapter. &c.
A ſtarre falleth from heauē into the Earth.The Original of this euil is referred to the fal of a ſtarre. For a ſtarre hath fallen from Heauen to the earth. Starres, as I ſhewed you in the beginnyng of this boke, aboute the ende of the .1. chapt. repreſente vntounto vsus the ſtate of Miniſters, or Biſſhoppes. For as the ſtarres ſhine in Heauen: ſo Biſſhoppes illumined with heauenly light, ought to ſhine in the church aſwell in doctrine as honeſte lyfe. And hitherto they ſtande in Heauen, ſo long as they doe theyr duetie: they fall to the Earth, what time forgetting the heauenly conuerſation and doctrine, they thinke vponupon earthly things, ſpeake and followe honoures, pleaſures, and ſuch like corruptions. A little after will he cal him an Aungell, whome now he calleth a ſtarre.Of the churche of Rome. The Churche of Rome was notable and pure, cōmended alſo ones by the prayſe of the Apoſtle. The ſame had Biſſhoppes, that is to ſaye, miniſters of the church, vntounto the emperour Conſtantine, about .32. for the moſt part very well learned, moſte holy (yet men) and moſte gloriouſe martirs of Chriſt. Againe from the emperour Conſtantine vntounto Gregory the great are accompted Biſſhoppes or paſtours of the church of Rome, about .32. emonges whom there were not a few diligēt enough, learned, and godly: but yet emōges theſe were founde alſo, whiche blinded with the euill of Ambition, began more to incline to ſeke honours, and gloriouſe titles, than the doctrine of Chriſt concernyng humilitie and ſimplicitie, and the example of Chriſt, and apoſtles hath permitted. Chriſt fled, when the people would hauehave choſen and made him king. He ſayed, that kinges ſhould reigne, that Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours ſhould ſerue. If kings therfore had offered them realmes and riches, they ſhould not hauehave receyued them. What certen Biſhoppes of Rome practiſed with the churches of Affricke, and how they would hauehave ruled ouer them, the ſtories doe plainely declare. Notwithſtanding there were founde emonges the latter Biſhops as Pelagius and Gregory ſurnamed great, which greuouſely accuſed the Biſhops of Conſtātinople, for that thei went about to eſtabliſh ye church of Conſtantinople, as chiefe of al others in the world, and the Biſhop thereof vniuerſall. Nother was Gregory aſſhamed to ſaye expreſſely, that he is the vauntcurrour of Antichriſt, who ſo euer would couet the name or title of the vniuerſal biſhop. But Boniface the .3. of that name moued nothing herwith, required and obteyned of themperour Phocas no long time after the death of Gregory, yt the church of Rome might be called and taken for the chiefe and head of al churches.Biſhops of Rome a ſtarte fallē frō heauen Wherby the Biſhopes of Rome plucked out of heauen, and caſte to the earth, vtterly began to cleaue vntounto earthly thinges, to care for earthly thinges, yea euen to aſpire to the empire and chiefe rule and gouernement. Here hauehave you, what ſtarre fell from heauen to the Earth.
And to this ſtarre (he calleth him afterward the Aungel of the botomleſſe pitte) or Biſhop (I name one, I vnderſtande all of that ſtate and ſucceſſion in that ſeate) was geuen the keye of the botomleſſe pitte.A keye is geuen to ye ſtarre, or Aungel. Chriſte verely kepeth the keye of Dauid: as I ſhewed in the .2. chapt. of this boke. The ſame gaue to the Apoſtles the keyes of the kingedome of heauen, power to open or to ſhut heauē: that is to wit, the miniſterie of preaching the Goſpell, wherby is ſhewed & aſſuredly promiſed the forgeueneſſe of ſinnes and eternall life to beleuers: and the reteyning of ſinnes, & certaine damnation is threatened to the vnbeleuers. No godly mā doubteth but that theſe keyes were geuen alſo vntounto Biſſhoppes of Rome: agayne eueryevery man knoweth that the latter popes would not vſe thē lawfully, but corrupting the Euangelicall veritie, and infecting the lawefull miniſterie, hauehave gotten them counterfetted keyes. Therfore is geuen to them of the Prince of darkenes the keye of the botomles pitte, to witte corrupt and counterfet doctrine, and not the Apoſtolical, but apoſtaticall miniſterie, wherby as it were from hell ſet open, they hauehave brought forth outrageouſe errours and ſuperſtitions, and vngodlines of all ſortes.The popes keyes. And I ſuppoſe it hath chaunced not with out Gods prouidence, that Biſſhoppes of Rome are called Clauigers or keye bearers, and weare keyes in their Armes. But you ſhall not vnderſtande them to be the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, but of the botomleſſe pitte rather: ſins he is a teacher of errours and of all abomination: Authour moreouer of all warres and diſſentions, leadyng them euen vntounto Hell.
God is a liuely foū tayne.God is in dede the fountaine of perpetuall goodnes, and of all veritie: whiche opened in Chriſt by the Apoſtles in the preachyng of the Goſpel, refreſſheth with holeſome water al that thirſte for eternal ſaluation. Of this foūtaine Eſaye maketh mention in the .55. chapt. And Ieremie in the .2. chap. The Lorde alſo in the Goſpel after Iohn in the .4. & .7. chapt. and in diuerſe other places.
The botō leſſe pitte.Againſt this liuely fountaine of euerrunnyng waters, is ſet the botomleſſe pitte, vnſearchable I ſaye by reaſon of the mallice of Sathan, full of vngodlines, abomination, and a… kinde of liyng. From hence blubbereth vp into the world by falſe teachers and miniſters of Antichriſt what errour and abomination ſo euer is in the world. For Sathan the father of lies, ſpreadeth abroade in the worlde by his inſtrumentes what darkenes ſo euer there is.
The botō les pitte is opened.Therfore the ſtarre or Aungel of the botomles pitte, that is the Pope or Biſhop of Rome openeth the bottomles pitte with a keye, and by & by aſcendeth vp the ſmoke of the pitte. For I hauehave ſpoken hitherto of the beginnyng of euill: nowe ſhal follow of the proceding and ſetting forth of the ſame.
The Pope by his corrupt miniſterie openeth Hel,Smoke out of the botomleſſe pitte. and not Heauen. Out of hell aſcendeth or riſeth a ſmoke. Smoke in ſome places of the Scripture, is a token of the preſence and wrath and vengeaūce of God: as where in the time of Eſaye a ſmoke roſe in the Temple of Salomon, 3. boke of Kinges. 8. chapt. Eſaye. 6. In the .19. of Exod. We reade, ſmoke aſcended from the moūtaine, as out of a fornace. You reade in the .18. pſalm. Smoke wente vp in the wrath of God, fire burnte from before his face. At this preſent, ſmoke ſemeth to ſignifie hurteful and deuilliſh opiniōs. Smoke hurteth the eyes, and ſuffereth not clerely to ſee the trueth. So doeth alſo peruerſe doctrine, it daſeleth the eyes, taketh away iudgement, & blindeth with errour. And worthely do they ſuffer theſe thinges of the ſmoke of God his wrath, & of the lies of diſceaueable men, whiche hauehave forſaken the light of the Goſpell, and the grace and perſpicuitie of Gods veritie. VnderUnder the name of this ſmoke infernal, are conteyned the opinions, and abominable doctrine, that the Biſhop of Rome, as he is the prelate of the chiefe churche and Sea Apoſtolicke, ſo to be paſtour vniuerſal and Apoſtolical: and morouer the head of the church militaunt, the vicar of Chriſt in earth: whoſe voyce muſte be hearde aſwel, as Chriſtes him ſelf: that he hath full power in the church, the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, &c. And the reſte of the like ſorte. That the ſame ordeyneth and geueth to al churches Biſſhops or Paſtours, which ſhould gouerne al other churches after the preſcripte of the church of Rome. &c.
But how great this ſmoke is, and howe effectuall,How great ſmoke & of what effecte. it is liuely expreſſed: it aſcendeth, ſayeth he, as the ſmoke of a great fournace. And ſignifieth that the popiſh opinions, and doctrine are thicke, or groſſe, manifolde, and apparent: where in dede they be nothing but ſmoke and vanitie puffed vp and vayne. But it is of ſuch a power, that it darkeneth the ſunne and the ayer. I hauehave tolde you ofte times nowe that Chriſt is the ſunne of rightuouſenes. And we cal the ayer the holeſome doctrine, wherwith the ſoules of the faithful are refreſſhed. Therfore by the popiſhe doctrine the ſunne & the ayer, that is Chriſt and the Goſpell are obſcured. Chriſt is the paſtour vniuerſall, the high and only Biſſhop, the head & helth of the faithfull, whiche freely forgeueth ſinnes: the whiche is preached by the Goſpell. This doctrine waxeth vile, what time the Pope is admitted for head of the churche, with the ful power of graunting indulgences for all ſinnes. Thus is the ſunne darkened.
Howebeit the euil procedeth further, and ſetteth vp it ſelfe in the churche a greate deale more effectuall.Of the ſmoke arriſe locuſtes. For out of the ſmoke came forth Locuſtes vponupon the Earth. For what time through the falſe perſwation of corrupt doctrine, the eyes of al men were blinded and loked not rightly vponupon Chriſt, and his only goſpell, and all men reuerenced the Pope, as the vicar of Chriſt, the head of the church, and a man Apoſtolicall, and as it were the mouth of God, and he nowe made Biſſhoppes and prieſtes, and nurriſhed, auaunced and eſtabliſſhed Monkes and Freres: an infinite multitude of the clergie increaſed moſte luckely, I meane by a moſte plentiful increaſe, and numbre that coulde not be numbred. For he him ſelfe immediately in the wordes that followe, and with a fuller expoſition declareth, that he ſpeaketh nothing of thoſe little wormes the Locuſtes. For he ſayeth, and it was commaunded them, that they ſhould not hurte the graſſe or haye of the earth (& verely the clergie liueth not with haye) nother any grene thing, nor any tree, but menne only. As though he ſhould ſaye, I ſpeake nothing of graſſehoppers ſuche as in times paſt diſtroyed Aegipte: but I ſpeake of peſtilent men, affliccyng men with the poyſon of doctrine. But a little after they are ſo deſcribed in eueryevery poincte, that no man nede to doubte that the falſe clergie thereby is ſignified.What are Locuſtes. The whiche thing Primaſius alſo ſawe, which in his commentaries vponupon this boke ſayed: he putteth thauthours of euil doctrine. For like as the Locuſte hurteth with her mouth, ſo do they teare with theyr preachinges: as we reade, gready Wolues not ſparyng the flocke, &c. Thus ſayeth he. There be alſo other cauſes wherefore he likened the falſe clergie to Locuſtes. Yf the locuſte be alone, he ſemeth to be moſte contemptible: ſo there is nothing more vile than a ſolitarie Monke or Frere, prieſt or ſophiſter: but if they ſwarme together, they be a terrour to men, neither can they be driuē away with any force, they eate & diſtroye all. When the prophet Ioel would ſhewe a great euil to come, he ſaieth that the Locuſtes wil come. In ſomer they ſinge, leape, lyue at eaſe and pleaſure, to the loſſe and hinderaunce of huſbandmen. The ſame thinges mayeſt thou ſee alſo in the clergie.An excuſe & exceptiō. I ſpeake nothing here of holy prieſtes, that is lawful miniſters of the church, of good men, honeſt and learned: I ſpeake nothing of the auncient & holy Monkes, whiche were burthenouſe or greuouſe to no man, and wer no preachers, but very lay men, getting their liuing with their handes, in the churche ſubiecte with other faythful to the paſtours of the churche, &c. I ſpeake of the vnlawful, ſluggerds, Idle bealies, deuourers of vitaile, but chiefly of falſe teachers.
And doubtles the Popes clergie is moſte rightly cōpared to graſſehoppers or catarpillers.The clergy is innumerable. For both they are innumerable, and they occupie and cōſume al thinges. In times paſt the miniſters of the churches mighte be numbred. For the nombre was but ſmal: nother were vnprofitable or vnneceſſarie perſones nurriſhed of the church goodes. There remaineth a conſtitution of themperour Iuſtinian, where emongs other things: we ordeyne that there be not at any time in the ſacred great church aboue .lx. Prieſtes, men Deacons an .C. Subdeacons .lxxxx. and readers an hondreth and ten, nor aboue .xxv. ſingers: that the whole nūbre of the clergie of the greater churche maye conſiſte in .ccccxxv. perſones, and beſides an .C. dore kepers, as they terme them. Therefore in the moſte holy great church of this our noble Citie of Conſtantinople, and in thoſe three churches to the ſame vnited (to witte in the churche of our Ladie, S. Theodore, and S. Irenes, let there be ſo great a multitude of ye clergie. This ſome of the miniſters of this imperiall citie and moſte large churche eſtabliſſhed fiue hondreth and twentie and fiue perſones. But how many at this daye may you finde at Rome, or in an other greate Citie Prieſtes, Monkes, Freres and Nunnes? They excede this numbre foure times and more. And to leaue out many thinges that mighte here be brought in, Pope Pius Sabellicus ſheweth in the .9. booke of Aeneidos. the .7. Chapter. That the ſecte of graye freres was ſo greately multiplied through out the worlde, that than they helde and poſſeſſed .xl. prouinces, and vnderunder eueryevery one diuerſe Cloyſters and conuentes (wardens they call the rulers) and exceded the numbre of three ſcore thouſande men: in ſo much that the maſter of the whole order, whome they call general, hath ben hearde many times, to offer the pope preparing an Armye againſt the Turkes thirtie thouſand fighting men of the order of S. Fraunces, which ſhould be well able to ſerue in the warres, and yet be no hinderaunce or let to theyr religion or ſeruice. And nowe who is it that knoweth not howe many orders ther be of Monkes & Freres: you maye therfore accompte other orders after the rate of the order of S. Fraūces, and though you attribute to eueryevery one but the one half of that numbre, to what a ſome wil it amounte? To theſe if you adde the colledges more and leſſe, through out ſo many dioceſſe, perſons, vicars, chaplaynes and pariſh prieſtes, thou wilt graunte that not without cauſe the popiſhe clergie is compared to locuſtes.
Locuſtes diſtroye al grene thinges.But howe they light vponupon and deuoure all thing, I nede not with many wordes to declare. It is comōly ſayed, whe… ſo euer thou ſeeſte any place, fertile and holeſome, where euer thou rideſt or goeſt, thou ſhalt finde it full of the clergie, and poſſeſſed with religiouſe men.
He reaſoneth alſo expreſſely of the power of theſe Locuſtes.Of the power of ye locuſtes. He ſetteth them forth by a parable: and power was geue them, ſayeth he, as the Scorpions of the earth hauehave. A Scorpion is a flattering and in maner a domeſtical worme, which ſodenly ſtriketh with his tayle, or rather with the ſtinge of his tayle, and ſo poiſoneth. Therfore with flattering wordes the clergie of Antichriſt diſceyueth and powreth in the poyſon of venemouſe doctrine. So ſpeaketh the Apoſtle alſo of falſe teachers in the .16. chapt. to the Romains. Through fayre ſpeache, ſayeth he, and flatteryng, they diſceiue the hartes of the ſimple. Theyr power therfore is none other, but euil doctrine, wherewith as it were with the venome of Scorpions they infecte the ſimple Chriſtians, but eſpecially thoſe tha… contemne the doctrine of the Goſpell.
Whome ye Locuſtes can hurte.For there followeth a declaration, whome theſe Locuſtes maye hurte. There be two kindes of men. The one in dede willyng and witting will periſhe, and are the open and profeſſed enemies of the holy Goſpel: whome by the iuſt iudgement of God theſe Scorpiolocuſtes diſtroie with their poyſon. The other beyng more ſimple, doe erre rather of ignoraunce, than of obſtinate mallice: theſe ſins they hauehave a ſeale in theyr foreheades (wherof is ſpoken in the .7. chapt. are not ſtongen of the Scorpiolocuſtes. For the power of this euill is limited, and not out of meaſure. Therfore was it geuen to the locuſtes, that they ſhould not kil (not thoſe wicked which had rather dye than liue) thoſe ſimple. They hurt verely, but not as the vnfaithfull to death. And they vexe them fiue monethes. And that tourment is the trouble of the conſcience, which they tourment with threatnings, hipocriſie, and wonderfull terrours.
There is added for a cōforte, fiue monethes.Fiue monethes. The locuſtes verely come out in the monethmonth of Aprill, and liue vntill September, and when they hauehave liued wholy fiue monethes, incontinently they die. It ſignifieth therefore that ſuche as are cōſecrate to godlines ſhal fele theſe tourments a little while: nother that the diſceyuers ſhall alwayes preuaile: but that there ſhal be ſpaces to reſte and breath in, wherein the godly through the trueth maye be recouered. For the locuſtes diſtroye not, & are ſene al the yere long. There ſemeth therfore a compariſon to be here in this determinate nūbre, that the ſenſe ſhould be: like as the locuſtes liue not lōger, than from Aprill to Septembre: ſo doubtles there is a time prefixed to thoſe ſeducers, and falſe Popiſhe clergie. Euen thus hath alſo the Apoſtle S. Paul him ſelf comforted the church: which after he had prophecied that the church ſhould be wōderfully vexed of hipocrites & falſe teachers, incontinently he addeth: and like as Iamnes and Iambres reſiſted Moſes, 2. Tim. 3.righte ſo doe theſe reſiſt the trueth, men of a minde corrupte, and lewde as concernyng the faith: but they ſhall preuaile no longer. For their madnes ſhal be manifeſte to al men, like as that was of the other. And Primaſius: they are ment here, ſaieth he, which although they were intangled with falſe doctrines, yet hauing remorſe about the ende of their life, they receiue Gods veritie. Againe we ſee, as I warned you in the .7. chapt. that al did not periſh, whiche were ones intāgled with the ſnares of Antichriſt. For at the length through the mercy of God they eſcaped, & required the grace of God to be geuen them through Chriſt, forſaking al ſuperſtitions, we ſee moreouer, by reading of hiſtories, how god hath at certē times opened the veritie by his faithful miniſters, through whoſe preachyng the lewdenes of the Locuſtes is interrupted, that menne began to ſmell them out, and to eſchewe the ſame: not withſtanding the regenerated, many times hauehave retourned, &c. And likewiſe other miniſters hauehave retourned home, &c.
How great is the force of the poyſon.And furthermore he declareth, howe great was or is the force of this euil. Their tourmēting, ſayeth he, is as the tourment of a Scorpion, when he hath ſtriken a man. At the firſt there is no greate payne felte, by little and little it gathereth ſtrength, and at the laſte aketh exceadyngly. Yf remedy be had in time, the poiſon is not deadly: if it be not takē, he dieth that is ſtongen therwith. To the declaratiō of this tourmēt, whiche men fele in their conſciences, apperteyneth this that followeth, and in thoſe dayes men ſhal ſeke death, &c. And it is a like phraſe of ſpeache in a maner, as is that ſame, mountaines fal vponupon vsus, and couer vsus, &c. Wherof I ſpake in the. 6. chapt. And it is the voyce of one that is ſore afflicted, and brought in a maner to diſpaire. Doubtles the popiſhe doctrine of merites, of the monaſtical perfection, & of other ſuch like doctrines, hauehave driuen many headlong into deſperatiō. Hereunto is added, that the times of the locuſtes were moſt full of ſorrowes: wherof al hiſtories cōplayne. The lyfe was not pleaſaunt, the Locuſtes did ſo ſet menne together by the eares emongs themſelues, &c. And to be briefe, they brought men in ſuch caſe, that they wiſſhed to die. The Lord Ieſus deliuer vsus from the poyſon of theſe Locuſtes.