A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 45
¶ S. Iohn deuoureth the booke receyued at the Aungelles hande, and prophecieth agayne to the gentiles, nations and Kinges. The .xlv. Sermon.
ANd the voice which I hearde frō Heauen ſpake vntounto me agayne, and ſayed: goe and take the little boke, which is open in the hande of the Angel, which ſtandeth vpō the ſea, and vponupon the earth: and I wente vntounto the Angel and ſaied vntounto him, geue me the litle boke. And he ſayed vntounto me, take it, and eate it vp, & it ſhal make thy bealy bitter, but it ſhalbe in thy mouth as ſwete as hony. And I toke the little boke out of the hande of the angel, & did eate it vp, & it was in my mouth as ſwete as hony: & as ſone as I had eaten it my bealy was bitter. And he ſayed vntounto me: thou muſt prophecie againe vntounto the heithē, and tongues & people and to many Kinges.
This is the .iii. comfort, which in this .x. chap. is cōteined.The apoſtolical doctrine is reſtored againſt Antichriſt. For vnderunder the perſone of S. Iohn is ſhewed here, yt thapoſtolical & euangelicall doctrine muſt be reſtored in the laſte times before the iudgemēt againſt Antichriſt & Mahomet. And he might briefly hauehave ſayed. The apoſtolital doctrine, as it was preached of Iohn, ſhal floriſh again: but he had rather expreſſe the ſame by a goodly viſion, at ye laſt to adde a plaine & briefe expoſitiō of the viſiō. Which is, thou muſt preach againe. &c.
And thoſe things al expoſitour do expoūde agreably,Iohn preacheth agayne. firſt in dede of the perſone of Iohn, which vnderunder the Emperour Nerua, retourned into Aſia from exile, by the ſpace of fiue yeres, or ther about againe preached the goſpel. For he liued til the .3. or .4. yere of the reigne of themperour Traiane: Secondly of al preachers, before the laſte iudgement, indewed with the ſpirite and doctrine of S. Iohn, and conſtantly profeſſing Chriſt againſt Antichriſt. Primaſius expounding this place: the certaine meaning, ſaieth he, is directed to S. Iohn, whiche muſt yet beyng deliuered from exile, not only bring this reuelation to the knowledge of Chriſtes church: but alſo preach more depely the Goſpell to people and nations, to tongues and many kinges: notwithſtanding no man doubteth but that this voice agreeth alſo to the whole Churche, which neuer ought to ceaſe from preachyng, &c. Thus ſaieth he. The ordinary gloſe expoundeth theſe wordes: although this be vnderſtande of the very perſon of S. Iohn, yet euen herein is vnderſtāde, that the lord wil hauehave his church likewiſe inſtructed and taught by other preachers alſo. This apperteineth to the conſolatiō of the faithful, which ſhal liue in the dayes of Antichriſt, & the reſidewe. Thomas of Aquine alſo: In S. Iohn him ſelf, ſayeth he, other preachers are vnderſtande, whome the lord in the time of Antichriſt will hauehave to preache inſtauntly to great & ſmall. So much ſayeth Thomas.
Before the iudgement cōmeth Enoch agaīſt Antichriſt.Aretas Biſſhop of Ceſaria, an expoſitour of this boke, reciteth of this place of S. Iohn, that the opinion of the cōmon people was that S. Iohn with Enoch and Elie ſhuld come againe into the world before the iudgemēt, to wit corporally, & erneſtly and conſtantly to preache againſt Antichriſt. The ſelf ſame doeth Aretas repete with a more plentiful expoſitiō, where in the .11. chapt. He expoundeth the wordes of Iohn concernyng the two witneſſes, &c. Certes where in the .44. of Eccleſi. it is writtē, that Enoch was trāſlated that he might teache the heythen, many hauehave expounded it, as though he ſhould corporally retourne, that he might teach the gentiles againſt Antichriſt: where by the very tranſlation made in times paſt he teacheth rather the gentiles, that there is an other life prepared for the ſeruaūtes of God, & that the ſame is alſo dewe for the bodies, ſins that Enoch was tranſlated both in body & ſoule: againſt the opiniō of Epicure, and the madde world, ſuppoſing none other life to remaine after this, & that the bodies, do putrefie, and neuer to riſe agayne. This Enoch ſemeth to come ſpiritually to that laſte age, for that the lorde him ſelf prophecied that a like thing ſhould come vntounto it, as chaunced before the deluge or flud of Noe. For like as many than beyng careleſſe contemned the iudgementes of God, nother feared they any perill, or hoped for any better life: ſo cometh it to paſſe alſo in the laſt age, in the which Enoch conſtantly preacheth by them, which eſtabliſſh and maineteyne eternall life, and the reſurrection of bodies agaynſt the Epicures. Before the iudgement cōmeth Helias agaīſt Antichriſt.Helias in the mounte Thabor appered in glory with our ſauiour Chriſt vntounto three choſen Apoſtles: neyther is it to be thought that about the ende of the world he muſt be thruſte out of the heauenly palace, and agayne be ſubiecte to corruption, and obiected to the cruell handes of Antichriſtians, which might teare him in peces. For like as in ye time of our ſauiour Chriſt Helias in vertu and ſpirite, I meane S. Iohn baptiſte went before Chriſt the Lord: ſo alſo before the iudgement Helias ſhal preache in them againe, which indued with the ſpirite and vertue of Helias, ſhal cal awaye the mindes of al men from the worſhippyng of creatures, to the adoration of the eternal and only God. Helias cried out, howe longe do ye halte one bothe ſides: yf the Lord be God, followe him: yf Baal be God, followe him. And nowe ſhal the Helianes crie:3. of Kings 18. yf Chriſt be the perfection of the faythful, what nede is there of mans inuentions and conſtitutions to worke a perfectiō? Yf Chriſt be our iuſtification, ſatiſfaction, purificatiō, our only mediatour and redemer, wherfore are theſe thinges attributed to mans merites? whie are ſainctes accōpted interceſſours in heauen? whie is ſaluation aſcribed to many other ſtinking things? Helias cried out: how long halte ye on both ſides? As though he ſhould ſaye, it is not lawful to part your hartes betwixt two Gods, nother is it lawful to atttribute al thinges of life & of ſaluation, but vntounto God alone. The fellowſhip of the kingdom is in this caſe enuiouſe in dede. The Helianes ſhal crie: if rightuouſenes be of the lawe, Chriſt died in vaine. No man can ſerue two maiſters. Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing, which ſeke ſaluation in the traditions of men. Come ye vntounto Chriſt: he is the perfection of the faithfull, & in him we are complete. And like as Helias greuouſely accuſed Achab, Iezabel and the Baalamites: righte ſo ſhall the Helians moſt ſharpely inueye againſt kinges and Biſhoppes Idolaters and Antichriſtians. Thus I ſaye Helias cometh againe, hath commen, and ſhal come before the iudgement.
Nother ſhal S. Iohn prophecie otherwiſe before the iudgement.Before the iudgement Iohn came againſt antichriſt. He ſhal not retourne into the Earth in his body out of Heauen: but the preachers indewed with the doctrine of S. Iohn, ſhal renewe al his doctrine, thei ſhal expounde ſuch thinges whiche he hath lefte vntounto the church written in his Goſpell, in his Epiſtles, and in the Apocalipſe. This booke hath a while layne hidde, contemned alſo of good and learned men: yet preachyng the ſame, that is conteyned and ſet forth in this boke. but it ſhal be brought to light of others, & be ſet by: as it is playne that in this our memorie is done of many. And of al theſe thinges we doe clerely perceyue, how Antichriſt muſte be impugned and ſlayne, not with carnall Armures, but with ſpirituall: to witte by ſincere doctrine, framed after the example of Enoch, Helie and Iohn, and taken out of the holy ſcriptures. Wherof we ſhal ſpeake more fully in the .11. Briefly the doctrine of Iohn about the laſte iudgement ſhal be renewed agayne, and be knowen to the worlde in deſpite and agaynſt theyr will. And vnderunder the doctrine of Iohn we vnderſtande the whole euangelical and Apoſtolical doctrine, in the writing & ſettyng forth wherof S. Iohn alſo imployde a ſingular trauell amongs the moſt excellent.
What thei muſt be, & with what quali…ies furniſſhed yt preache againſt antichriſt.And in the meane ſeaſon in the ſame viſion is figured the whole maner of the faithfull and lawefull Preachers to be matched with Antichriſt, what thei ought to be, & with what qualities furniſſhed. Firſt S. Iohn is called, by a voyce ſpoken to him from heauen, with a cōmaundement goe. Therfore is Gods vocation chiefly neceſſary, leeſt any mā ſhould take vponupon him this office with an euill affection. Moſes was called, the prophetes and Apoſtles were called: ſome in dede immediately from God, not of men, nother by men: ſome of God alſo, but yet by men and of men. The apoſtles of Chriſt were not called of men boaſting the lawfull ſucceſſion, from Caiaphas, Annas & colledge of prieſtes: neuertheleſſe had their vocation of Chriſt, and approued their vocation in dede, to wil by preachyng of the veritie. Therefore albeit we cannot at this daye referre our vocation to the Pope and Biſſhops, braggyng of the lawful ſucceſſion: yet for aſmuch as we are able to approue it in very dede, and by the teſtimonies of Chriſt, that our doctrine is Chriſtes doctrine, & therfore that our miniſterie is lawful, we care not a whit for theyr opprobriouſe and rayling words, which crie, that we be not called that we be not ordeyned by the Pope.
To ye called is geuē a ſure cō maundemēt to take the boke of the hāde of the Angel.But to him that is called is geuen a ſure cōmaundement, to witte that he take the boke: not eueryevery boke, but the booke open, and that of the hande of the Aungel, and agayne of the Aungel ſtandyng vponupon the ſea & lande. That Angel is Chriſt the Lord, Lord of the whole Earth, of the Sea and al thinges conteyned therein. He with his hande offereth to his miniſters a boke open, to witte the holy ſcripture: and chiefly his ſacred & holy goſpel, wrapped with no darkenes, nother cloſed, but right manifeſt to thē that wil ſee. For albeit that for thantiquitie of the tongue, for the proprietie of ſpeach, for the figures, & rites, places, things, & ſtories out of memory ſome places maie appere ſomwhat harde: what doeth this darken or obſcure the miſterie of fayth and ſaluation, neuertheleſſe moſt open & plaine? who vnderſtandeth not, what he ſhould beleue, what he ſhould do, & how he ſhould pray, euen of the Articles of ye faith, of the .x. cōmaundementes, and the lordes praier? The ſome of faith and of doctrine is certaine & plaine.Eſaye. 29, 2. Cor. 4. This boke therfore opened, Chriſt offereth to his miniſters. And S. Iohn hath foreign, & not foreign, a little boke, not a boke. For if ye compare the holy bible, eſpecially the goſpel boke, with other lawes, bokes, and eſpecially the decrees and decretalles of the Pope, the little boke of the holy goſpel ſhal ſeme very ſmal. Primaſius expoundyng this place: he ſemeth, ſayeth he, to vnderſtande the veritie of the lawe and prophetes manifeſted in Chriſt: therfore he ſayeth not now, as before, that he taketh the ſealed, but the open boke. For Chriſt is the ende of the lawe, for rightuouſnes to al that beleue, and ſo forth. Therefore the lord Chriſt him ſelfe geueth vntounto the ſincere preachers none other preaching, than his owne, to witte the Euangelicall. For he is the light and redemer of the worlde, rightuouſenes and life, nother is there ſaluatiō in any other. This preaching is not fetched nor takē of others, than of the handes of the Angel, not of the handes of ye Pope or Biſhops. Chriſt ſayeth, go forth into the whole worlde, and preache the Goſpel to eueryevery creature, teachyng them to kepe al thinges which I hauehave cōmaunded you.
Now is alſo required obedience of the miniſters,The obedience of ye miniſters. that they obeye the cōmaundement of God: and that they craue and receyue, that which they are cōmaunded to axe and receyue. In vayne doe ſome loke for a drawyng and working of ſaluatiō outwardely, and with out then to be finiſſhed, through the only inuiſible operation of God. Yf God will hauehave me bleſſed and iuſte, ſaye they, let him worke in me what he wil. Moreouer they themſelues are not careful, how they ſhould applie themſelues to the grace of God workyng by grace. Agaynſt their vngodlines is it, that we heare now, howe S. Iohn applieth him ſelf to the cōmaundementes of God, not without grace. For he goeth to the Aungell and ſayeth, geue me the boke. For the Lord muſt be prayed: we muſt reade diligently, as S. Paul alſo cōmaundeth: we muſte learne, and obeye the commaundementes of God,The Lord denieth nothing to thē yt are. and not tary til God without vsus do drawe vsus.
And the lord denieth nothing to them that are willing, do are and are dilligent, which in the Goſpel ſayeth: I wil geue you a mouth and wiſedome, whiche al your aduerſaries ſhal not be able to gaine ſaye. Moreouer: my heauēly father will geue his holy ſpirite, to ſuche as deſire of him. Therfore ſayeth the Aungel nowe: take the boke. Neuertheleſſe he putteth here an other commaūdement: eate it. He alludeth to the .2. and .3.A feruentnes & dilligence of ye miniſters is required chapt. of Ezechiel. Where the prophet is likewiſe commaūded of God to eate a boke offered vntounto him. For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge. S. Ambroſe: to eate a boke, ſayeth he, is to laye vp the vnderſtanding of the ſcriptures in the ſecret bowelles or entrailles. He ſemeth by a trope both to intimate an erneſt deſire, and beate in a ſingular diligence. For we deuoure with a gredy deſire, ſuche thinges as we hauehave long and much coueted to eate. They are ſayed alſo to hauehave deuoured bokes and authours, which thei hauehave perfitly learned and can. We ſaye in dutche, Er hat den Galen, oder Priſciane gar freſſen: that is to ſaye he hath learned him perfitly. It is required therfore of the preachers, that thei learne the holy ſcriptures with a deſire, and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely. Without a deſire and ſeruentenes of minde thou ſhalt profit little in the ſtudy of holy Scriptures: and vnleſſe ye learne the Goſpell exactely, vnprofitably ſhalt thou preache the ſame. The miniſters therfore maye be aſſhamed of theyr ignoraunce, which are more geuen to Idlenes, Tauernes, hūting, diſing, and other worſe thinges, than to the ſtudy of holy Scriptures. They beyng farre vnlike the apoſtle S. Iohn, ſhal in this warfare againſt Antichriſt winne ſmal renowne, vnleſſe they doe awake out of theyr prophane ſlepe, and cherely do their dewty without doubt moſt holy.
The effecte of Gods word ſwete & better.Nother is here diſſembled ſo much as the effecte of the miniſterie, and worde preached. It is ſwete in the mouth as hony. For Dauid hath ſonge alſo: the iudgementes of the lord are to be deſired aboue much Golde and preciouſe ſtones, and ſweter than hony or hony combes. This ſwetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne, and the faithful lighted with the trueth, hath alwayes continuall Ioye: but yet muſte we not conceale, what it ſemeth to the fleſſhe, and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne. It maketh verely the …ealy vitter: whiche is alſo a phraſe of ſpeache, vntounto which oures aunſwereth, ſignifiyng that the ſame whiche is propounded vntounto vsus, is both payneful and greuouſe. The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the fleſſhe, trauelles, paynefulnes, the croſſe, and aduerſities innumerable, whiche with a ſtrong and conſtaunt patience we muſt ouercome. For the Lord in the Goſpell preached repentaunce or mortification, and emonges other thinges made very much mention of perſecutions, wherwith his ſhould be alwayes exerciſed. Primaſius: when thou ſhalte hauehave deuoured the booke, ſayeth he, thou ſhalt in dede be delighted with the ſwetenes of the worde diuine, and with hope of ſaluatiō promiſed, and pleaſaunt taſie of Gods rightuouſnes: but doubtles thou ſhalt fele a bitternes, when thou ſhalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute. For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde, doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce ſome beyng cōuerted to better are chaunged: and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened, and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers. The wiſeman ſayeth, thou ſhal rebuke a wiſe mā, and he wil louelove thee: reproue a foole & he will hate thee therfore, and ſo forth.
Nother are theſe thinges ſaied only,Paynefulnes is felt. but alſo are done and felte: for S. Iohn: and when I had deuoured it, ſayeth he, my bealy was made bitter. And we fele at this daye the moſt greuouſe hatred of mightie menne to witte of ſpirituall fathers, and temporall Princes. Many are driuen into exile, innumerable are ſhutte vp in priſones, an infinite multitude are ſlayne with ſondry kindes of deathes. All theſe thinges did the Prophetes prophecie ſhould come to paſſe, our ſauiour him ſelf in the Goſpel gaue vsus warnyng therof: the lord here telleth vsus againe the ſame tale. Therfore let vsus be ſtrong and counſtaunt in the Lord, and fight agaynſt Antichriſt vntounto the ende of our life. The Lorde will not forſake vsus, whiche leeſte we ſhould be vanquiſhed of thoſe aduerſities, tolde vsus of them dilligently before. And thus muſte they be inſtructed which ſhal warre againſt Antichriſt before the laſt iudgement.Thexpoſition of the viſion.
Laſte as I ſayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon, is ſet a briefe expoſitiō of the viſiō. For the Angel ſaieth vntounto Iohn, thou muſt prophecie agayne to the Heythen, &c. By this viſiō, ſayeth he, I wold declare nothing els, but that thou muſt preach againe to the world, firſt by thy ſelf in Aſia, after thou ſhalt retourne from exile: ſecondly by faithfull miniſters euē to ye worldes ende, which ſhal ſpreade abroade this doctrine, now ſet forth by thee, with ſondry tongues through natiōs, and therwith ſhal beate downe Antichriſt.To prophecie. And ſuche as are accuſtomed to reade the ſcriptures know that to prophecie, is takē for to preach. For prophecie, is preachyng, they were in times paſt called prophetes, which at this daye be preachers, as we maye gather of the .1. Corinth. 11. and .14. chapter. And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue, Aethiopian, Aegiptian, Germane, Spaniſh, French, Engliſh, Italian, to be ſhort in a maner into al lāgages: in al theſe preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful miniſters. The gentiles be they neuer ſo barbarouſe & rude heare S. Iohn teachyng: and ſo do the people of many nations. Al theſe receyue not a little comforte in theſe moſt daūgerouſe dayes of Antichriſt, and hauehave receyued of them alſo before this time, which long ſins renewed the apoſtolical doctrine againſt Antichriſt. The ſame doctrine is brought at this daye, and was brought in times paſt alſo vntounto kinges and Popes though they kicked and ſpurned agaynſt it. The thing I ſpeake is not doubtful. For we bothe heare and ſee theſe thinges euen at this daye. Hiſtories alſo reporte many thinges herof. Lande and glory be to God. Some copies in the latin are corrupt, which hauehave Igitur for Iterum. For S. Iohn ſayed, thou muſte prophecie foreign, which ſignifieth Iterum again, not Igitur. For he ſignifieth that he beyng dead alſo muſt preache to many nations in ſondry tongues, by faythfull miniſters that ſhall fighte againſt Antichriſt. The Lorde aſſiſte with his ſpirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apoſtolicall doctrine. Amen.