A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 41
¶ The ſixte trompet is expounded, where is created of Saracenes and turkiſhe matters. The .xli. Sermon.
ONe wo is paſte, and beholde two woes come yet after this. And the ſixte Aungel blewe, and I hearde a voyce from the foure corners of the golden Aultar, whiche is before the eyes of God, ſaiyng to the ſixt angel, which had the trompet: lowſe the foure Angels, which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates. And the foure Angels were lowſed, which were prepared for an houre, for a daie, for a monethmonth, and for a yeare, for to ſlaye the the thirde parte of men. And the nombre of Horſemen of warre, were twenty times ten thouſande. And I hearde the nombre of thē. And thus I ſawe the horſes in a viſion, and them that ſate on them hauing firie habbergions of a yalowe and brimſtony colour, and the heades of the horſes were as the heades of Lions. And out of theyr mouthes wente forth fire, ſmoke, and brimſtone. And of theſe three was the third part of mē killed: that is to ſay, of fire, ſmoke, & brimſtone, whiche proceded out of the mouthes of them. For their power was in their mouths, & in their tailes for their tailes were like vntounto ſerpentes, hauing heades, and with them did they hurt.
The ſixte cōflicte or fight is of Mahometrie by the Saracenes, Turkes & Tartariās, moſt cruelly foughten and with muche wo. And would God it were foughten. For we perceiue dayly by the thinges themſelues the miſterie of the prophecie, and ſee the fulfilling, and euen experience it alſo.
At the ſounde of the trompe of the ſixte Aungell S. Iohn heareth a voice from the foure corners of the golden Aultar,The ſome of the viſion. that is to ſaye from the middes of the Aultar: neither is there any cauſe, why we ſhould ſeke a miſterie in the fourth nōbre. And he ſpeaketh of that Aultar, whiche is before the eyes of God. That voice commaundeth, the Aungell trompetter to lowſe the foure Aungels bounden in the great riuer of Euphrates. Whiche thing as ſoone as it was done, an innumerable armie of horſemen marched forwarde, and ſleyeth and diſtroyeth the third parte of the earth, that is the third parte of men. And thoſe horſemen, and the force or power therof is moſt diligently deſcribed.
We learned of late, that the golden AultarThe goldē Aultar. doeth ſignifie Chriſt, ſitting on the right hād of the father. He is purer and more preciouſe than golde: he is prieſt and ſacrifice of all the faithful, ſtanding before the eyes of God, to witte pleaſyng God, wherin or in whome his ſoule is pleaſed with al faythfull, whoſe vertue ſuffiſeth all. And ſuche a one God the father would hauehave him to be preached and beleued of all the faythfull in the worlde. Such a one alſo the auncient church inſtituted of the Apoſtles beleued and taught him: vntill by the worke and inſtigation of the Deuill, menne moſte corrupt ſprange vp in the churche, whereof theſe deny the deitie of Chriſte, thoſe the humanitie, others plucked a ſonder the perſone conſiſting of God and manne, and others confounded the natures, or proprieties of natures. The goodnes of God ſuffered this longe patiently, many times ſendynge faythfull and open defenders of the veritie, whiche mighte roote out thoſe blaſphemouſe errours: the whiche we hauehave red to be done by ſeuerall Biſſhoppes or Preachers of the church, or by eccleſiaſtical aſſemblees, which we call coūſels: ſuch as were the counſells Nicene, Conſtantinopolitane, Epheſine, and Chalcedonian: In the whiche were cōdemned Arrius, Macedonius, Neſtorius, Eutiches, and other monſtres of heretikes which impugned Chriſt. Howebeit the vncurable peruerſenes of men gettyng the vpper hande, there was none ende of alteration and blaſphemies. For two great Biſhops of no ſmal churches,Peter and Seuerus deny thaultar Chriſt to be dead. Peter patriarche of Antioche, and Seuerus of Conſtantinople ſpringyng vp, in the reigne of the emperour Iuſtinian, impudently and moſte wickedly affirmed (as the actes of the .5. counſell of Conſtantinople doe plentifully enough declare) that the body of Chriſt was vtterly in corruptible, and verely deified, neyther ſubiecte to any affections, as oures are. For that the worde was ſo made fleſhe, that by and by it began to be one nature, to wit diuine, that Chriſt was made foreign, yt is incorruptible. Theſe thinges ſhould ſeme to procede out of the moſt wicked ſchole of Valentinian, Marcion, and Manicheus. Iames Syrus, Iames Sirus.ſurnamed Zā zalus, of whom at this day the Iacobites are named in the eaſt countrie, toke vponupon him to defende the doctrine of Seuerus. He taught that Chriſt, for that he was incorruptible, neyther to hauehave ſuffered, nor ben crucified: but that ſome other was put to tormētes for Chriſt, Chriſt only ſtanding by inuiſibly and loking on. This opinion was madde, by many teſtimonies of the Scripture, and finally repulſed and ouerthrowen with the articles of our fayth.
Chriſt ſuffered verely.For we profeſſe in our belefe, ſuffered vnderunder Ponce pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. The prophetes tolde expreſſely before that he ſhould ſuffer and die, that he hath ſuffered and died the Apoſtles hauehave witneſſed, of whom S. Iohn behelde the death and paſſion of Chriſt on the croſſe. Nother reade we that the Lorde was euer ſo much offended with his diſciples, as he was with Peter goyng about to diſwade the paſſion as vnworthie the ſonne of God. For he ſayed, goe behinde Sathan: thou fauoureſt not thoſe thinges which are of God, but which are of mē. Therfore ſhould they not hauehave renewed the errour and madnes confuted. He ſemeth to reaſon probably, that God might hauehave redemed the worlde by an other meane, than by the incarnation or paſſion of the ſonne of God: to be an vnworthie thing, that we ſhould beleue the ſonne of God to hauehave ben beaten with the hādes of the wicked, and moreouer ſlaine. But this probablenes is of vncleane fleſhe, not of God, yea it is of Sathan him ſelf. Yet hath this abſurde & moſte wicked opinion founde not a fewe followers. For the hereſie of the Iacobites conteyned in the Alcorane, is ſpread abroade farre and nere ouer al the Eaſte countrie. Wherof it is playne, that the golden Aultar was of them moſte filthily polluted: and the merite of Chriſtes paſſion denied, the dignitie and maieſtie of the prieſthood and ſacrifice of Chriſt trodē vnderunder fote. There were beſides theſe other moſt corrupt opinions in the Weſte, &c. Which thing worthely kindled the iuſte wrath of God. For of his iuſte iudgement he permitted Mahomet to make newe lawes, and to ſpread abroade the Iacobiſme farre & nere through out the world. For they that wil not heare chriſt worthely heare Antichriſt: whiche thing the Apoſtle hath alſo in the .1. chapt. to the Romains, and .2. Theſſa. 2. chapt. affirmed. Therefore is hearde from the Aultar a voice of him that ſate on the righte hand, and commaunded to lowſe the foure Angels bounden in the riuer of Euphrates, that is to witte to bryng forth into the world diſtroyers, which may ouer runne a great part of the world.
For the hereſies of the Neſtorians, Iacobites, The original of Mahomet and his religiō.Monotelitanes beyng of force, Monkes and freres now increaſyng, and of Benedicte Abbot of Caſsinea. Greatly augmented, moreouer idolles or Images comming vp in the churche, and taking ſtrength, and the pride and vnfaithfulnes of the Biſſhoppes approchyng, Mahomet the deſtroyer of ye world was borne in Moecha a citie of Arabie, of parētes very obſcure: the ſame was broughte vp of Sergius a vile Monke polluted with all kinde of hereſies.Ye reade a like thinge in .3. booke of kinges. 11. chapt. of Salomon and his enemies. Whiche after he was cōmen to the age of xxv. yeres, belied him ſelf to be the prophet of God. And thorowe ſedition beyng driuen out of Moecha, where a greate rabble of Iewes, Iacobites, Chriſtians, Paganes, and heretikes were gathered, he went into the nexte cities, and houſes, and ſecretly by the ſpace of ten yeres, he ſo inſtilled his doctrine into miſerable mē, that eueryevery where through out Arabie ther was founde a greate multitude of Mahometes ſecte. Than Homar Homar.a bolde fellowe, taking to him about .lxx. other men ready to fight, aſked Mahomet what he would hauehave done. He aunſwered: verely my will is, that executyng the commaundementes of the lawe, ye cleaue vntounto it in riches and pouertie, and cleaue to gether with mutuall and ſtedfaſte louelove: that ye defile not other mens wiues by adultery: that ye abſteyne from euil, and prohibite others: that ye do good your ſelues, and perſwade others: that ye make warre in the name of God, and that by feare and force ye ſette forth the lawes to the diſobedient: for the whiche thinges verely I promiſe you Paradiſe. At this talke they gaue ech other their faith.: Homar with his ſworde drawen ſwore, that he wold not ſuffer that the preaching and lawe of Mahomet ſhould be kepte any longer ſecret: thus verely what by preachyng & what by the ſworde Mahometiſme preuayled very muche in ſhorte ſpace. They brake into Moecha, they put downe other religions, and beheaded ſuche as reſiſted, and there this newe Solon Mahomet proclaymed a newe lawe in the Temple at Moecha. A great multitude of ſeruaūtes and vnthriftes reſorted to that wicked fellowe. Who ſent Ambaſſadours to the people aboute him, and ſollicited them to receyue his religion, and perſwaded many that wickednes. Theſe thinges were done vnderunder thēperour Heraclius about the yere of our lorde .620.The beginning of the deſtructiō of ye whole worlde ſpiritual and corporally And that wicked and moſte abſurde lawe of Mahomet yet remaineth, and is called the Alcorane, ſo that it nedeth no further declaration. Ful well therfore Nicephorus in his hiſtory, foreign than, foreign, ſayeth he, the Saracenes began the deſolation of the whole worlde. Saracenes were called the followers of Mahomet. Certes they ſubdewed Arabie, the Saracenes and Perſians, they inuaded alſo Siria and Aegipte, Chaldey, and Armenia. After arroſe the Turkes and Tartarians, receyuing the religion of Mahomet, who hauehave ſubdewed in a maner all the prouinces of the Romane empire in the eaſt & to the South.
By the riuer of EuphratesEuphrates. moſte famouſe in al Aſia flode Babilon, the ſeate of the Monarchie oriental: and the moſte mightie people of the Eaſt, the Aſſirians, Babylonians, Medes and Perſians, which were lordes of the world before the Monarchie of Grece and of Rome, ſemed to be as it were drouned, buried and hidde, and euen bounden in the ſame riuer. For the Macedonians of the weſt, were gouernours of the world, and after them the Romanes: and theſe moſt mightie nations, whiche we nowe named ſerued them. But after the golden Aultar, was as I ſaied, defiled, and innumerable people in the Eaſt and Weſte reuolted from the trewe chriſtian fayth, God ſtyred vp agayne the orientall diſtroyers of the worlde, whiche hath ben longe as it were layde a ſlepe. For the prophetes teſtifie, that thoſe nations were the ſcourges of the world: the ſame whippes therfore god agayn brought forth by his iuſt iudgement. Certes we reade in the .10. chap. of Daniel, that there was an Aungel of Grece,The .4. angels doe ſignifie the moſt ſtrōg nations of the Eaſte. and an Angel of Perſia, and that by them the whole people are vnderſtād. So nowe are reyſed vp the nations of the Eaſte, Arabians, Saracenes, Turkes and Tartarians, who for ſinne might waſte the worlde, and the Eaſte might rule agayne: as Lactantius out of Sibille prophecied ſhould come to paſſe, let the Weſte ſerue.
Lette vsus learne of this treatiſe, that all euilles,The beginning of calamities of forſakyng. and chiefly the deſolation and diſtruction of Realmes, doe riſe of the reuolting from the trewe religion to the falſe. The foliſhe people at this daye Iudge cleane contrary, and for the ſame cauſe are miſerably diſtroyed. Let vsus learne that fierſe natiōs are reſtreyned and kepte backe of God, that they ſhould not hurte: that the ſame be ſtired vp of him to take iuſte puniſhement of the impenitentes. Thus was Sinnacherib, Salmanaſar and Nabuchodonozor, called the ſeruaūtes of God, which executed his iudgementes. Therefore let vsus feare God, and perſeuer in the trewe religion.
Morouer the Saracenes,Prepared daye and houre. Turkes & Tartarians are moſt dilligently deſcribed. Firſte is cōmended in them a wonderful expedition and celeritie, the principall vertue in warres. They are euer, ſayeth he, ready at eueryevery momente to execute the iudgementes of God. Therfore he reherſeth al partes of time, euē eueryevery houre of the daye. And ſo there is no ſecuritie frō them: thou canſt be neuer in ſuretie. They are by & by in armure, & come vnloked for, they inuade, & ſpede theyr matters moſt luckely. He addeth that through their moſt cruell & ſpedy armures the third parte of men in the world ſhould be ſlayne. Verely Aſia, Affricke, and Europe hauehave felte of the moſte cruell ſlaughters and diſtructions of the Saracenes, Turkes, and Tartariās, euer ſins the time of Mahomet vntounto our dayes, about the ſpace of .ix. hondreth and .xx. yeres. And alſo the prieſtes of Mahomet are very quicke and diligent, to allure men into theyr errours, neyther waunte they lucky ſucceſſe.
The nombreNombre. is alſo noted in a maner infinite, and the nō bre ſayeth he, of the armie of horſemen is twenty times ten thouſande, foreign. And Mirias is the nombre of ten thouſande: ſo that two myriades of myriades ſhould make twenty times a thouſande Myriades. And ſo the olde tranſlatour hath red or tranſlated it: and Eraſmus, twenty times ten thouſande. The dutche tranſlation hath, many thouſande thouſandes. Laurence Valla in his annotatiōs vpan the newe Teſtament doeth interprete, as hath the dutche tranſlation, thouſande thouſandes. But howe ſo euer it be, certayne it is by the conference of other places, that a certen nombre is put for vncertayne, that is to ſaye for exceadynge great: and to be ſignified, that the horſemen of the Saracenes, Turkes, and Tartarians ſhould be innumerable. For we reade in the .7. of Daniel, thouſande thouſandes ſerued him, and ten thouſande millions ſtode before him. And he ſpeaketh of Aungelles (whome he ſignifieth to be innumerable) and of theyr miniſterie. So alſo in the fifte of the Apocalipſe, I hearde, ſayeth he, the voice of many Aungelles, and thouſande thouſandes ſayng with a lowde voyce, &c. Certē ly the ſtories teſtifie that the Saracenes came out of Spaine into Fraunce in nombre foure hondreth thouſande. Paulus Aemilius in the .2. boke of thactes of Frenchmē, reciteth that Charles Martell ouercame three hondreth three ſcore and .xv. thouſande Saracenes. And Matthias a Michon in the .1. booke 8. chapt. of Sarmatia in Aſia. Tamerlanes, ſayeth he, had an armie of .12. hondreth thouſande. Moreouer it is playne, that there were neuer in any age or memorie greater Armies of horſemen led out of any nation, than of Turkes, Saracenes and Tartarians. S. Iohn addeth, that he hearde their nōbre, eyther for that he would ſo confirme, that he had ſayed, how theyr power ſhould be greateſt: or for that he would partely ſignifie, that theyr victories alſo were nombred, and ſhould hauehave an ende. That in Daniel is moſt notable, Mene, Thekel pheres: that is, hath nombred, hath wayed, hath diuided. He hath nombred, ſayeth he, thy kingdome, and hath brought it to an ende.
And at the beginning and alſo in the times that followed, the matters of Mahomet increaſed exceadingly. After Mahomet him ſelfe they had in order .xxv.The power & ſucceſſe of Mahometanes. Amires (for ſo they called theyr kings or princes) which ruled with great power vntounto the yere eight .C. three ſcore & ten. About this time the .xv. Amiras called Mahomet, went aboute to driue out and oppreſſe Imbrael gouernour of Babilon, which ſent for Muchulet the Turke out of Scythia agaynſt Amirā. And ye Turke diſpatched his matters, and droue many of the Saracenes out of Aſia, and the Turkes began to reigne in the Eaſt. And the Saracenes expulſed out of thoſe parties, came into Affricke: from thence ſayling into Sicilie and other Ilandes, they poſſeſſed Spaine alſo: and ouer rode other natiōs nere, and inuaded Italy, ſpoiling Rome, and conſuming with fire many goodly buildynges. Concerning the which matter ye may reade Volaterane in the .12. boke of Geograph. in the threfolde Arabie. About the yere of our lord .M.CCC. the Turkiſhe emperours had theyr beginning of Ottoman, who poſſeſſe at this daye a great parte of Aſia, Affricke and Europe. Herof hath writen Baptiſta Ignatius in thende of the .2. boke of the Romane emperours, and Paulus Iouius. Many of the Tartarians receiued the religion of Mahomet, & hauehave moſt greuouſely plaged the world, wherof Mathias a michon writeth in Sarmatia of Aſia. And doubtles the people of Mahomet hauehave ben of very greate power, and be ſo ſtill euen at this daye.
Now are painted out alſo the horſemen and horſes wherupon they ride,Horſmen, Horſes. that is to witte the maners and power of the Mahometanes are deſcribed. The Horſemen had on habergions, not of yron, but firie of yelow and brimſtony colour. Therfore fire, Hiacinth and ſulphur, were in ſtead of the breſt plate, theyr Armure. For the Hiacinth he putteth by and by ſmoke. For Hiacinth in colour reſembleth ſmoke nexte vntounto fire & flame. And the horſes had Lions heades, & Serpentes tailes with heades. The horſes breathed out of their mouths fire, ſmoke, & ſulphur. With theſe plagues, ſayeth he, to wit fire, ſmoke, & brimſtone, the thirde parte of men were ſlayne. Thei did hurt alſo mē with the Serpētine tailes. He addeth, theyr power was in their mouth, hurt in the tayle. Theſe appere to be vnderſtand and expounded ſpiritually and corporally. For ye Mahometanes by their wicked doctrine, which is aptly compared to fire diſtroiyng, to ſmoke blinding, and to ſtinking ſulphure, hauehave diſtroyed innumerable. Finally with a lioniſh or tirannical force they hauehave cōſtreyned many people to receyue theyr Alcorane: and moreouer what time their falſe prophetes ſeme to flatter (for Eſaye ſayeth, a falſe prophet is a taile) they playe the ſerpente, and infecte menne with the moſte corrupte poyſon of doctrine. Out of their mouthes procede not only blaſphemous lawes, but alſo maruelouſe prayſes, greate boaſtinges of victories, abominable blaſphemies. Where ſaye they, is your chriſten faith? our religion of Mahomet ouerōmeth al. Al your things are miſerable. Beyng vaunquiſhed ye ſerue like boūde ſlaues eueryevery where. The thing it ſelf declareth, yt our religion is true, and yours ſtarke falſe. And in dede ye Mahometanes reigne in a maner eueryevery where, in victories & riches they are fortunate & noble. That thing maketh the Chriſtians affraide, & cauſeth many to reuolte. For what is done emōgs vsus, is to manifeſt to al mē. The goſpellers hauehave ones or twiſe fought vnluckly. and abide eueryevery houre great perſecutions: the papiſtes ouercome & reioyſe. There are foūde therfore many thouſandes, which ſay, how the thing it ſelf ſpeaketh, whether religion is better. Doubtles this great felicitie holdeth many ſtill in errour, which would els be gētle & tractable. Therfore it is no maruel, though turkes or mahometanes preuaile very much wt their mouth, ſins emōgs chriſtians, victories & the felicitie of this world is of ſo great force in maner wt al men. And yet they excell with their mouth & boaſtinges, in the thing it ſelf and in veritie. For although the Turkes be victoriouſe, yet is their religion moſte falſe, moſt wicked and moſte abſurde.
And corporally, how thoſe thinges may be expoūded, ther is no man that ſeeth not, whiche knoweth the Turk…ſh hiſtories. The Mahometanes burne with fire and brimſtone, for hardely is ther any other nation, whiche hath ſo waſted the world with fire, as this. Which waie ſo euer thei tourne thē, al thinges burne with a light fire, all is full of ſmoke. Their princes are lions, & their gouernement is like lions, al things tirānical. They cōmaunde cruel thinges, nother cometh ther any other thinge out of their mouthe, than that is blouddy. Therfore hauehave many of them called themſelues the wrath of God & the whippe or ſcourge of god. And verely this wrath of the lord followeth corrupte doctrine and ſwaruing frō the faith. With theſe three plagues fire, ſmoke and brimſtone the third parte of the world is ſlayne and diſtroyed.
Morouer the Serpentes taile admoniſſheth chiefly,The Serpētes taile wt heades. that they do hurte very much. For in caſe the Mahometanes or Turkes hauehave any where entred in leage with chriſten Princes, thei hauehave not done it without crafte and guile. They that hauehave beleued theyr promeſſes and flattering wordes, & hauehave required and had ayde of them, hauehave nurriſhed a Serpent in their boſome.
Herof remaine two notable examples.The ayde and flatteringes of ye turkes are pernicious A diſcorde arriſing betwene the emperour of Conſtantinople and his Princes. Whileſt Marcus lorde of Bulgaria ioyned him ſelfe with the princes, or lordes of Grece, themperour was cōpelled to require aide of Amurathes the firſt of that name the .iii. turkiſh Emperour after Ottoman. And he ayded themperour gētly. For he ſent into Grece .12000. choſen turkes, with whome the emperour beyng ayded, he diſcomfited and put to flight Marcus him ſelf & the reſt of the rebelles. But that ſame amitie was the beginning of the diſtruction of thempire of Conſtantinople, & of al the calamities of Grece. For when Amurathes vnderſtode by the ſoldiours whiche retourned home, that Grece was both a moſt goodly coūtrie, & not ſtrong, by reaſon of the diſcorde & diſſention of Princes: he determined to tranſporte thither immediately, vnderunder pretenſe of perſecuting thēperours enemies. And ſo began to poſſeſſe Grece it ſelf, which both his ſonnes & nephewes with in an .C. yeres brought wholy into their ſubiection. In our time arroſe a diſcorde for the realme of Hōgarie betwixt Ferdinando, which nowe is Emperour, and Iohn Vayuode Prince of Hongarie: which beyng not able in ſtrength to matche Ferdinando, was driuen to craue ayde of Solyman Emperour of Turkes. The Turke was by and by ready with great faithe and dilligence placing Iohn in his kingdome: howbeit we ſee, that immediately he beyng extincte, the Turke inioyed the kingdome of Hongarie. Would God therefore that Chriſten Princes would not truſt the turkiſh nauie and warfare. For whileſt the Mahometane laugheth vponupon the Chriſtian with a frendely countenaunce, he intendeth to put a Serpent into his boſome, and to diſtroye him. And we are alſo at this day in this ſixte, as alſo in the fifte fighte, in the Papiſticall and Mahometicall corruption, wickednes and tirāny. The lord Ieſus deliuer vsus from al theſe euilles by his gloriouſe commyng vntounto iudgement. Amen, Amen.