A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 44
¶ The Lord Chriſt perfourmeth an othe, and confirmeth his electe, that they ſhould not doubt of the fayth of Gods promeſſes, &c. The .xliiij. Sermon.
ANd the Angel which I ſawe ſtāde vponupon the ſea, and vponupon the earth, lift vp his hande to Heauen, and ſwore by him that liueth for euer more, whiche created heauen and the things which therin are, and the ſea and the thinges which are therin, that there ſhal be no more time: but in the daies of the voice of the ſeuenth Angell, when he ſhal beginne to blowe, euen the miſtery of God ſhal be finiſſhed, as he preached by his ſeruauntes the Prophetes.
But whileſt the wicked triūphed, and thenemies of God, Antichriſt & Mahomet, ouercame with moſt lucky ſucceſſe, whileſt al good men were oppreſſed, and diſceipte and liyng reigned eueryevery where, many men will thinke that there ſhall neuer be an ende, nother of theſe euilles, nor yet of the world. For the Apoſtle S. Peter knowe this, ſayeth he, that in the latter dayes ſhal come mockers, which wil walke after their owne concupiſcences, and wil ſaye, where is the promeſſe of his cōming? Of whom Malachias alſo reaſoneth in the .3. and 4. chapt. But to the intent the goodnes of God might heale the woūdes of the godly, and might auaunce them in the veritie agaynſt liyng and reuolting, and eſtabliſſhe them in the ſame, Chriſt cōmeth abroade: and ſweareth in the ſight of al men ſolemnely. Which thing muſt be expounded by all circumſtaunces. For it is a thing of moſte weight, moſte ful of comforte, and right holeſome and neceſſarie for al men.
Chriſte ſweareth.There is no doubt, but that he alludeth to the laſte chapt. of Daniel, wherin alſo the Angel of the lord ſweareth, confirming by a ſolemne othe, that ſuch thinges as hauehave hitherto ben tolde to the Prophet by prophecie, ſhal be all fulfilled in their times, therfore this mightie Angel ſweareth now alſo, yea euen Chriſt him ſelfe, whiche ſet his fete on the Sea and Lāde. For by the ſtate and behauour of the body he ſheweth ſtedfaſtnes, leeſte we ſhoulde doubte any thing of his fayth and veritie: whiche ſins he is lorde of all, ſtandeth moreouer vponupon fete, not fleſhely, but of firie pillers. Al thinges therfore of Chriſt be certayne, ſure, and vnmouable. He that reſteth on him, ſtandeth ſurely, he that beleueth his wordes, ſhal not be confounded. And it is no newe thing, that Chriſte ſweareth. For we reade very ofte in the Scripture that God hath ſworne. We reade in the Goſpell that the ſame Lord Chriſt hath moſte ofte repeted, verely I ſaye vntounto you, verely verely I ſaye vntounto you. Whiche is an othe of one ſwearyng. When Caiaphas adiured the lord in iudgement, Chriſt did not conceale, and by holding his peace diſſembled, but with expreſſe wordes confeſſed the veritie. Whereof thou mayeſt learne, that the Lord when he forbadde to ſweare at al, mente not the ſacrament of ſwearyng. Which where the buſſardely Anabaptiſtes wil not vnderſtande, they ſtyre vp wonderful trouble, worthie to be put to ſilence with more ſeueritie.
But whie, or to what ende othes be made or taken, the Apoſtle (out of the lawe in the .22.why othes are taken.) hath declared at large in the .6. to the Hebrewes, to witte, that menne waueryng and doubtful might be confirmed, and certified, and made quiet. Doeth any manne doubte, whether thou deale faythefully with him: God commaundeth to auouch it by a ſacrament, to the ende al diffidence maye be taken awaye. Apoſtle: men ſayeth he, ſweare by him, whiche is greater, and is to the ſame an ende of al controuerſie, in caſe it be confirmed by a… othe. In the whiche conſideration God mindyng more aboundantly to ſhewe vntounto the heyres of promiſſion the vnchaungeable ſtedfaſtenes of his counſell, expreſſeth an othe. Euen ſo at this preſent where the diuine prouidence did forſee that vnderunder the kingedome of Antichriſt the hartes of the faythfull ſhould be moſte greuouſely tempted, and that many by reaſon of the moſte proſperouſe fortune of Antichriſt and all the wicked, ſhoulde be harde harted to beleue Gods promeſſes, and that many,The ſtedfaſtenes & certētie of Gods promeſſes. whiche thing alſo Daniel in the .11. chapt. Prophecied, ſhould reuolte to Antichriſt: it ſemed to God good to confirme his promeſſes by an othe, and that a ſolemne othe by his ſonne: to the intente that ſuche as will be wiſe, maye thinke, if an honeſte man and a trewe ſhould cōfirme his promeſſe to thee by an othe, thou woldeſt thinke it an vnworthie thinge to doubte of his promeſſes: howe much leſſe ſhall it be laweful for thee to doubt of yt promeſſes of the Sonne of God, and of all his wordes by a ſolemne othe confirmed: beleue therfore the ſonne of God ſworne, beleue his Goſpell moſte confirmed, although the ſkye ſhoulde fall, and the Earth gape neuer ſo wide. God can not lie, whiche is the veritie, and that the eternall veritie: whiche nother diſceaueth nor is diſceaued: whiche is mercifull, and loueth menne ſo, that he tempereth him ſelfe alſo after their capacitie. For euen for vsus and for our infirmitie he perfourmeth a Sacrament, leeſt he ſhould ſeme not to ſatiſfie vsus in all thinges: and that all occaſions of incredulitie, and reuoltyng to Antichriſt, and to the filthie worlde might be cutte awaye.
Nowe come we alſo to waye the maner or fourme of the othe. Two things are here recited: the maner of the ſwearer,the maner or fourme of Chriſte his othe. and the ſolemne wordes of the ſwearer. For he ſayeth, howe the Angel lifted vp his hande towarde heauen: which in dede is the moſte auncient rite and holy ceremonie of ſwearers. For we reade the ſame of Abraham in the .14. of Geneſ. And in the .12.To lift vp handes. of Daniel is written of an Aungell: which liftyng vp to heauen his right hande & his lefte ſwore. We verely holde vp our right hande. But where we ſaye, that geuing of voyces we wil holde vp both our handes: we ſignifie that we wil vtterly be of that ſentence, that we heare there propounded. Therefore the holdyng vp of bothe handes doeth ſignifie a moſt perfit fidelitie, and moſte aſſured confirmation of the thing ſworne. Certenly in the holy ſcriptures the lifting vp of the hande is oftener than ones put for an othe. Whereof perauenture we Germanes hauehave borrowed, where we ſay, that is to ſaye, thou ſhalt confirme me this by an othe. And in matters moſt ſeriouſe and graue we are wont to vſe ſome outwarde ceremonie, wherby we maye make the wordes and the thing it ſelf as it were more notable & graue. Wherupon when we praie vntounto God, we lifte vp our handes. And verely an othe is as it were the calling vpō the name of god. Wheruppon it is cōmonly accuſtomed, with great feare to perfourme othes. For al men arriſe, and put of their cappes, as they were ready to fall on their knees before the ſighte of God him ſelfe. When bargayne or contracte is made with wordes, the right handes are ioyned together alſo, in token of fidelitie. Therefore when we take a ſolemne othe, we lifte vp our hand towarde heauen, where we beleue that the Lord ſheweth him ſelf gloriouſe to the faithful: from whom we fele that al good thinges come vntounto vsus: from whēce we perceiue alſo that vengeaunce doeth fall vponupon the periured, and contemners of God. Hitherto therfore Chriſt applieth him ſelfe vntounto vsus: and after the maner of men, to the ende that menne maye be made the quieter, he lifteth vp his handes vntounto heauen.
Solemne wordes to ſweare by him that liueth for euermore.And the ſolemne wordes of the ſwearer be theſe: he ſware by him that liueth for euermore, whiche made Heauen, and the thinges that are therin, &c. So reade we of Abrahā in the 14. of Geneſ. I lifte vp my hande to the high lord God, poſſeſſour of Heauen & earth. And in the .12. of Daniel. He ſware by him that liueth for euermore. Alſo in ye .4. of Ieremie. And thou ſhalt ſweare, the Lorde lyueth. We ſay ſo truly as God lyueth, and againe, ſo God helpe me. And this is a trew maner of ſwearing. God the creatour, is here moſt plentifullye and moſt properly expreſſed, and here are all creatures ſeuerallye expreſſed. He alone is the creatour, he alone is lyuing for euermore, as he that is life of himſelfe, and geueth life vntounto all. This creation verely and viuification, is not communicated to others. As alſo he alone knoweth the harts of mē: that hereof we may learne to ſweare by the name of God alone, not to adde to him any creatures, which know not the heartes, neither are lyfe of themſelues, but are leſſe than he: adde alſo leſſe than men, as they that are made for men. Next after God, there is nothing greater than man. Therfore let not mā ſweare by any other thā by God. For al the gētiles ſweare by a greater, yf thou ſweareſt by ye ſainctes, or by the Gods, thou ſhalt ſweare by men, egal verely, and not greatter. God alone is greateſt and beſt. Therfore muſt we ſweare by the name of God alone, lyke as the ſcripture teacheth elſewhere, in the .6. and .10. of Deuter. 23. of Exod. 23. of Ioſue. 4. and .5. of Ieremy .45.65. of Eſay, and elſe where.
But ſeyng that is in dede God himſelfe, howe ſweareth he, ſayeſt thou, by him that lyueth for euermore: that is by god? he ſweare doubtles by him ſelf, as in many other places of the ſcripture. Or els he ſware after the diſpenſation and aſſumptiō of the humane nature: after the which he ſayed, my father is greater than I, which notwithſtanding in his deitie was neuertheleſſe coequall with the father.
And the ſame that I now reherſed,A faithfull doctrine of taking othes. is the moſt ſimple and moſt trewe doctrine of othes and fourme of ſwearyng. And yet ther be ſome which vnderſtād that doctrine wel enough, but neuertheleſſe for the fauour of men would ſweare gladly by Sainctes: and therfore demaunde, whether thei may not ioyne Sainctes to god, eſpecially in this ſenſe, vnleſſe I perfourme this, I wil not be accōpted in the nombre of ſainctes? I aunſwer, that they maye not: aſwel for that we hauehave no expreſſe maner of ſwearing, which obediently to the honour of God we ought ſimply to follow: & alſo for yt they which require and preſcribe this fourme, would hauehave vsus to ſweare by the names of Sainctes in heauē, and ſo to acknowledge that we are holpen and punniſhed by their vertue and power. Which if ye do and acknowledge, ther is no doubt but thou doeſte greuouſely tranſgreſſe thy ſincere religion. Certes if thou confeſſe God here before men, he will alſo confeſſe thee before his father and his Angels: yf thou deny him, he will alſo deny the. &c. An othe is as it were thy confeſſion, wherby thou confeſſeſt, whome thou doeſt acknowledge and beleue to be thy chiefe filicitie, the reuēger alſo of euil & rewarder of good. Yf thou ſhalt therfore ioyne Sainctes vntounto god himſelfe, and match them together and ſay, ſo help me God and his Sainctes: Theſe ſo coupled with God, thou ſhalte graunt to be thy Gods, which can both helpe and hurt the. Therfore take hede what thou doeſt. Reade S. Auſten in the 145. Epiſtle to Publicola.
What Chriſt did ſweare.Howbeit we muſt ſee moreouer, what the Angel ſware by this cuſtome and ſolemne woordes. For in this one thynge conſiſteth the whole ſomme of the matter. The Angell in the 12. chap. of Daniel ded ſweare. Becauſe for a time, times, and halfe a tyme, and in the wyndinge vp, to ſcatter the hand of the holy people, all theſe thinges ſhall be fully done. So this our Aungell here ſweareth that there ſhall be no more time, but in the dayes of the voyce of the ſeuenth Angell, when he ſhal begynne to blowe his trompe that the miſterie of God ſhal be fulfilled, but here let no man vnderſtand that all time vtterly, and that euerlaſtin…nes it ſelfe ſhould be aboliſhed and that there ſhould be nothing more after the iudgement: but there ſhall not be alwa…es ſuche a time, as nowe is, and ſuche as the wicked inioye in this worlde, ſuppoſing that the courſes of times ſhal be alwayes, that the worlde ſhal continewe alwayes, that they ſhal alwayes flouriſhe in honours and pleaſures, oppreſſyng the Godly. This ſhall not be, ſayeth he, nother ſhall there be any more ſuche a time that ſhall periſhe and be ſubiecte to chaungeable courſes. For aboute the laſte iudgement ſhall periſſhe, or be renewed, all theſe thinges that ſhall periſhe, and lyfe and glory euerlaſtyng ſhal ſuccede, I meane the time of eternitie with al ioye moſte repleniſſhed. Therefore ſayeth he not ſimplely, that there ſhal be no more time: but addeth, in the dayes of the voyce of the ſeuenth Aungell, that is to witte, at the laſte iudgement, that the miſterie of God ſhould be made conſummate, perfit, and fully complete. What this ſecret,The miſtery of God what it is. or miſterie of God is the Apoſtle expoundeth and ſayeth, 1. Corinth. 15. Beholde I tell you a miſterie, we ſhall not all ſlepe: and the reſidewe whiche are red there, the miſterie of God therefore is nothyng els, than that the ende, of all corruptible thynges is at hande, and the happie and euerlaſtyng worlde ſhal ſuccede: for that Chriſt ſhall than come to iudgement: that Antichriſt by him ſhalbe aboliſſhed, that he with the whole body of the wicked ſhalbe diſtroyed, the dead reyſed vp agayne: the wicked to euerlaſting perdition, the godly to eternal life: for that death, ſinne and al corruption muſt be taken awaye from the godly, and be troden vnderunder fote, and al miſerie impoſed to the wicked, that they may be tourmēted world without ende. And for aſmuch as many times menne doubte thereof, (as I hauehave ſayed nowe ofte) Chriſte hath ſworne, that all theſe thinges ſhall aſſuredly come to paſſe, and that the godly ſhal be conſummated with al glory, and that the wicked ſhall be conſummate with all kynde of tourmentes. And this is that great miſterie of God, for the whiche the very Sonne of God beynge incarnate, dead, and reyſed agayne from the dead aſcended into Heauen, that he might conuaye vsus thither to him, hauyng ſubdewed Hell, Sathan, Antichriſt and all vngodlynes. Therefore as in the. 6. chapter was ſayed to the Martirs, that they ſhould reſte for a little ſeaſon, till the nombre of choſen be fulfilled: ſo here we heare alſo, that the miſ…erie of God ſhall at length be fulfilled, &c. The whiche is ſpoken to this ende alſo that the godly ſhoulde be of quiet mindes, and patiently abyde deliueraunce. Yf therefore this conſumation be differred, lette vsus abyde patiētly and conſtantly, confirmed in Chriſt, and his Euangelicall veritie: as alſo the Apoſtle of Chriſte S. Paule hath taught vsus out of the Prophetes, in the .10. chapt. to the Hebrewes.
Moreouer for a further declaration is added,The prophets alſo hauehave ſhewed this miſterie. as God foreign that is, hath euangelized, with a good and a lucky meſſage hath preached, to wit by the ſeruaūts his prophetes touchyng the ende of the world, the laſt iudgement, of the euerlaſting punniſhment of Antichriſt, and al wicked, & of the glorifiyng of the godly, &c. Nother ſayed he theſe thinges for a declaration only, but for confirmation alſo. For by the oracles of the prophetes the faithful are comforted, whoſe oracles ſins they hauehave neuer failed in any thing: nother ſhall they in the ende diſceyue, in ſuch things as they had prophecied concernyng the laſt iudgement. And againe we ſee how great is thautoritie of the auncient ſcripture, and that the vſe of it is excellēt in the church euangelicall: wherin we ſee both Chriſt and his Apoſtles to confirme all theyr ſaiynges with prophetical ſcriptures, and alſo to illumine, ſet forth and declare, or demonſtrate. The teſtimonies of the prophetes concernyng the laſt iudgement, of the rewarde and punniſhmēt of the godly and vngodly, of the aboliſhyng of Antichriſt, of death, and of al corruption, are in the .110. Pſalme, in the .24.26.27. and .46. alſo in the .7.11. and .12. of Daniel. in the .14. of Zacharie .3. and .4. of Malachie, and alſo els where. Thapoſtle hath cited Oſee .1. Corinth. 15.
Therfore let vsus lift vp our heades, bretherne, let vsus watch and pray, for becauſe our redemption draweth nere. Deliuer vsus Chriſt from al euil. Amen.