A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 48
¶ Of the cruell fight of Antichriſt agaynſt the Prophetes of God, whome he ouercommeth and ſleyeth, and ſhamefully vſeth them. The .xlviij. Sermon.
ANd whē they hauehave finiſhed their teſtimony, the beaſt that cam out of the botomles pitte, ſhall make warre agaynſt them: and ſhall ouercome them, & kille them. And their bodies ſhal lie in the ſtretes of the great citie, which ſpiritually is called Sodome & Aegipte, where our lord is crucified. And ſom of the people, and kinreddes, and tōgues, and of nations, ſhall ſee their bodies three dayes and an halfe, and ſhal not ſuffer theyr bodies to be put in graues. And they that dwell vponupon the Earth, ſhall reioyce ouer them and be glad, and ſhall ſende giftes one to an other: for theſe two Prophetes vexed thē that dwel on the earth.
We hauehave hearde of the cōtinual preachyng of the preachers, which ſhall obiecte themſelues to Antichriſt, & to his armie, for chriſtes veritie, and the church of the faithfull, & that al the time that Antichriſt ſhall exerciſe tiranny againſt the church: conſequently our lord Ieſus Chriſt will teache vsus by thapoſtle and Euangeliſt S. Iohn, after what condition the ſainctes ſhal fight, and howe Antichriſt ſhall incountre with them: which alſo apperteyneth to conſolation,The perſecution of Antichriſt. & a neceſſarie admonition, leeſt any mā ſhould be diſcouraged with the felicitie of the Antichriſtians, and calamities of the faithful. He ſpeaketh therfore expreſſely of the greuouſe perſecutiō of antichriſt, which hath now cōtinued theſe many yeres (I meane al that time, wherin the biſhop of Rome hath vſurped, & takē vpō him authoritie ouer al churches) with ſome ſmal ſpaces of reſpite to breath in of the Lord permitted. This perſecutiō of Antichriſt is more greuouſe & longer, than euer was any, eyther emongs thaunciēt people of God, or in the primitiue church. Certenly for theſe fiue hōdreth yeres, who ſo euer, of what ſtate or condition he were of, began to ſpeake neuer ſo little againſt the church of Rome, he felte incōtinētly hatred, impriſonement, banniſhment, and death. This do ſtories teſtifie: which ſhewe alſo, that perſecutiō ſo much the more increaſed, as the Biſſhoppes themſelues and theyr champions Monkes and freres, were increaſed in nombre and power.
And the lord declareth moſt diligētly, when, who, of what eſtate, where, when, & with how great crueltie Antichriſt ſhal playe the tiraunt againſt the faithful ſeruauntes of God. He addeth immediatly, that all his enterpriſes ſhall be vtterly vaine: and how great ſhal be the rewardes of conſtaunte miniſters, and alſo the calamities of the Antichriſtians.
The teſtimony of Prophetes muſte firſt be finiſhed before the perſecutiō come on.And firſt in dede, he admoniſheth playnely what time perſecution muſt be moued: not before the teſtimony of the prophetes ſhal be finiſhed. I ſhewed you before, that the teſtimonie is the ſincere preaching of the goſpel. Aretas ſaieth: what teſtimonie? That he which ſhall be preſent, is not Chriſt, but a deceauer, and a peſtilent ſeducer, &c. And ſo great is the goodnes of God, louing his church, that he wil not ſuffer the preachers to be taken away, till they hauehave finiſhed their preachinge. For the goſpell muſt be openly preached to all men for ſaluation, and deliueraunce from anguiſh, craftes and diſceiptes, and from the ſeducers of Antichriſte. And they ſhall finiſh their miniſtery with ſondry wrytinges, and continual preachinges. Thei ſhal finiſh I ſay, when it ſhal pleaſe God. For ſome preach and abide ſafe and ſound many yeares, beynge ſafe and ſure from perſecutions: And others are immediatly apprehended, caſt in priſon and ſlaine. Thus are theſe things done, as ſemeth to god good: which muſt euer be credited, what meane ſo euer he vſeth, & to auaunce his glory, & further the helth of his church. Here cōmeth to paſſe alſo, as we reade oft times in the goſpel, that the lord was not takē, for aſmuch as his houre was not comen. Therfore ſhal a certaine houre alſo be appoincted of God to the preachers. Before this houre they be ſafe & ſure, though the deuill be neuer ſo madde, tirauntes rage, & bloudſuckours and thenemies of faith laye in waite. We maruel ſometimes, how ye preachers of the goſpel coulde preach in ſo great a cōpany of wolues ſo long time, & that directly agaynſt wolues. Whie they were not by and by torne in peces?God de…ē deth his Prophetes vntounto theyr houre. The lorde God almightie hath kept, which would firſt hauehave them throughly to finiſh the teſtimonie of the veritie. He letted therfore their enemies, and gaue ſtrength to his ſeruauntes to preach. To him ſhall we render thankes, that many good preachers in times paſte, & of late daies D. Luther, and D. Zwinglius, & other faithful witneſſes of God, coulde in ſo wicked a worlde, and in ſo great power of Antichriſt, execute their miniſterie, ſo many yeres, in diſpite of Hell gates. Notwitſtandyng that the Princes and Magiſtrates deſerue alſo to be prayſed, for the lawefull defence ſhewed them: yet ſhould this hauehave ben none at all, vnleſſe the power of God would hauehave had it ſo.
And what time the faithful in the churche ſhall be ſufficiently admoniſſhed, ſo that ſuch as will be wiſe,Perſecution cometh on. and not of a ſet pourpoſe periſh, maye all eſcape the ſnares of Antichriſt, and liue in Chriſte, immediately ſhall followe perſecution. For ſo ſoone as the Pope ſhall heare with his dregges, that he is aſſayled, he wil ſtreight waye beginne to thonder, and lighten, finally to craue & ſtyre vp the ſecular power againſte Heretikes. For he ſheweth expreſſely, who ſhall be this enemie of theſe prophetes and preaching, to witte the beaſt,The beaſt ſtired vp perſecutiō. that is the Biſſhop of Rome notable by his moſt cruell, tirānicall and beaſtly power. Of the beaſt ſhal be ſpoken more aboundantly in the .13. and .17. chapt. where we ſhall heare that ſhe cometh out of the earth, out of the botōleſſe pitte, & out of the depe pitte of hell. For the originall of that wickednes is referred to non other parente, than the deuil the prince of hel, a lier & murtherer. And the thing it ſelfe ſpeaketh at this daye, that al perſecutions & conflictes are moued, ſtired & inferred of the Pope & of his blouddy miniſters of miſchiefe. Of the ſame Authours arroſe al the calamities of fourmer times.
And he fighteth with the miniſters and miniſterie of chriſt with ſophiſtrie, with craftie and ſubtile practiſes,The beaſt fighteth wt the Prophetes. excōmunication, deathes, and terrours. Haymo: Antichriſt will put in vre ſondry kindes of tourmentes, ſayeth he, & ſuch as he can not ouercome, he wil aſſaye to vanquiſſhe with doctrine. He will geue rewardes, and wil promiſe ſwete wordes, and ſhal ſhewe alſo falſe miracles, &c. And ſeyng it hath pleaſed ye lord to call that ſeate the beaſt, wherfore ſhould we call it the holy See? yf the Pope be that bloubdy beaſte, whie ſhould we ſalute him moſt holy father?
He ſheweth morouer, with what lucke,Antichriſt ouercommeth, and howe? he killeth. and with what … teſſe antichriſt ſhal ſight wt the prophetes. He ſhal ouercome, ſayeth he, and kill them. The ſame the lord ſayed playnely in the Goſpel, Matth. 10. and Iohn. 16. And before alſo Daniel in the .7. and .11. chapt. Some thinges are ſpoken alſo before in this boke of the holy martirs. The lord geueth this warning in time, leeſt if we ſhould ſee the preachers of the euangelicall veritie ſlayne, we ſhould doubte of the veritie of the preachyng, or eſteme the matter of religion after the felicitie of this worlde. Whiche neuertheleſſe many doe at this daye. For moſt men ſaye: yf this were the preachyng of the veritie, as it is ſayed to be, the moſt true God would not forſake his owne cauſe. But nowe ſins the preachers are oppreſſed and diſtroyed, whie ſhould we not gather, that their matter is falſe, and theirs trewe that ouercome? But if we might ſo reaſon, than the Prophetes, Chriſt, and the Apoſtles defended a very euill cauſe. For all in a maner beyng oppreſſed of their enemies, in the ende were ſlayne alſo. Full good than was the quarell of the Iewes, Phariſeis, and the moſte wicked enemies of Gods worde? Howbeit, thou wilt ſaye, ſins the veritie is inuincible, how is antichriſt ſaied to ouercome? He ſhal not ouercome doubtles, by ſure teſtimonies, by holy Scriptures, or ſtrong reaſons: but by force, impriſonment, ſworde, and fire. For therfore by interpretation immediatly followeth: and he wil kill them. Therfore by killyng he ſhall ſeme a conquerour. For if in a combat Aeneas ſhal ouercome and ſleye Turnus, Aeneas ſhal be called a victour. And hitherto in dede Antichriſt ouercommeth: and although the Martirs be ſlayne, yet doe they before God receyue the rewarde of victours: becauſe their cauſe is iuſte, and the veritie ouercometh in them. The enemies ouercome with the multitude, pompe, authoritie, power, fauour, richeſſe and other like thinges: we in the goodnes, and excellencie of the cauſe, and finally by better teſtimonies of the Prophetes and Apoſtles.
The crueltie of Antichriſt.We hauehave now the maner of the fight and victorie. He ſhal fight and ouercome by carnall weapons, and ſhal be ſubdewed with ſpirituall armure. Hereunto is added, what crueltie he wil vſe againſt the Prophetes. The which he expreſſeth in two ſentences: and their bodies ſhall lie in the ſtretes of the citie: and they ſhall not ſuffer their bodies to be put in the graues.
Theyr …oarſes lie in ye ſtretesThe firſte ſentence betokeneth an extreme crueltie, ioyned with an vtter contempte. For all filthie thinges are caſte out into the ſtrete, yea the Dunge of all ſtretes is troden vnderunder fete. Antichriſt therefore ſhall handle the Prophetes moſte ſhamefully, in ſo muche that all will beleue that they hauehave power ouer them, and ſhall as it were ſpurne them wyth theyr feete, and take them for outcaſtes & wicked perſons, which beyng taken out of the way, al thinges ſhal be ſafe. Certes the maner is in ſome cities, to caſte into the ſtretes the bodies of them that are executed, to the intent that al mē might treade on them, and driue cartes ouer them, for the terrour of others: and to ſignifie that thoſe men executed were moſte deteſtable, and put to death for no ſmall crimes. And herunto apperteyneth that Antichriſt by ſecular power, hangeth vp ſome miniſters of the churche openly in Cities vponupon the gallouſe, and faſteneth others with chaynes to a poſte, and ſo burneth thē with a ſlowe fire, and at laſte killeth them, and they are ſo terribly tied to the pale in chaynes, that he maye hoyſte them vp, and let thē downe into the fire agayne, and ſo ſinge them and lifte them vp agayne to the terrour of al that loke on. What wil ye ſaie that he iudgeth them vnworthie of the laſte honour?The dead coarſes are not buried burial is the laſte honour that is done vntounto man: but he wil not ſuffer the bodies of the faithful to be buried. Thus perauenture he expoundeth, that he ſaied before, and their bodies ſhal lie in the ſtretes. At this daye not only ſepulture is denied to ſuche as ſuffer for the goſpel, but alſo thei digge vp & burne the bones of the dead,This dyd watſon by Bucer at Cambr. whiche liuing would not receyue the Popiſh ſacramentes. For in caſe any man departe, and hath whiſpered the prieſt in the eare, confeſſyng to him al his ſinnes, and hath not axed abſolution of him, nor receyued his God of bread, or ſuffered him ſelfe to be regenerated with extreme vnction: although he departed in the trewe ſayth, yet for as much as he hath not vſed thoſe Popiſh ceremonies, and hū bled him ſelf to the Pope, the partie ſhal not come in chriſten buriall, but is buried on the dunge hill with dogges. The thing it ſelf ſpeaketh at this day. Morouer theſe Antichriſtes wil ſeke by this meane to aboliſſhe al memorie of the godly. For Monumentes are made to reteyne the honeſte memorie of the dead. But the rightuouſe ſhal be in eternall memorie. &c. And they in dede thinke that they do like good catholickes: but the lord Ieſus expoūdeth their worke, and ſayeth it is extreme crueltie. Than what ſhall you thinke of them, which blinded with the hatred of ye true religion, like wolues and Rauens flie vponupon the bodies of the dead Martirs, and poole them a peces, and handle them moſt ſhamefully?
But cruel and blouddy is that crueltie, it ſhal continewe by the ſpace of three dayes and an halfe,Three dayes and an halfe. the whiche al the expoſitours vnderſtande for a ſhorte time, certaine in dede, but yet vncertayne: as I tolde you before of the monethes and yeres. Therefore I ſuppoſe this ſhorteneſſe of time to be brought for a conſolation. We ſaye alſo, for the Lord geueth to the afflicted ſpaces to breath in: & ſhorteneth the ſorrowful dayes, to the ende we might be able to abide it. Yf therefore our patience be tempted in a greuouſe cruell perſecution of Antichriſt, let vsus thinke, that our Lorde God hath in a rekenyng al the dayes of our calamitie: and that he hath ſhortened the ſame, for the conſolation of the weake.
The place is tolde where the prophetes muſte be ſlayne.And the very place, where this crueltie muſte be wrought agaynſt the prophetes, he expreſſeth playnely, & as it were poincteth it with the fingar. To witte the great citie. And it is the citie of God, and is alſo the citie of the deuil: it is the citie of Abel an innocēt, it is alſo the citie of Cain the parricide: it is the catholicke citie of ſainctes, it is alſo the Sinagoge of Antichriſt. Theſe cities are opē through out ye whole world, and are incloſed with no ſtrayte walles: thou might call this citie, the lordeſhippe, dominion, kingdome or empire, or fellowſhip of the wicked. Where ſo euer therefore Antichriſt or Pope of Rome hath iuriſdiction, and euen in the Romiſſhe church it ſelfe, through out al nations & people, theſe thinges whiche we hauehave hearde ſhal be done agaynſt Martirs. For ſettyng forth that citie with more playne tokens: their bodies, ſayeth he, ſhal lie in the ſtretes of the great Citie. And by an expoſitiō he addeth: which is called ſpiritually Sodome and Aegipte. Moreouer: where alſo our Lord was crucified. And agayne: and they ſhall ſee of people, and kinreddes, and tongues and natiōs, therfore by this he vnderſtode not any ſtrayte, nor yet any large citie incloſed with walles: but that citie ſtretcheth through out the world wherin dwel nations, kinreddes, people, &c. Sodome and Aegipte are farre a ſonder, nother can they be ioyned together with any walles. Againe our Lorde was crucified in the citie of Hieruſalem, whiche is alſo called of the Prophetes Sodome and Gomorrha: but he is crucified dayly in his membres through out the world. And there is one and the ſame citie and ſocietie of al the wicked in the worlde, as there is one body of the godly. Let vsus knowe therfore how that citie wherin the bodies of the prophetes lie in the ſtretes, is the citie of Cain, and the Romiſh church ſcattered ouer the world. The ſame is called Aegipte and Sodome, but ſpiritually.Spiritually. Where we ſee this vocable foreign ſpiritually, to be vſed in a ſenſe farre from the lettre, for otherwiſe there is no ſpirite at all, eyther in Sodome, or in Aegypte: for they be altogether fleſh. Therefore inſenſe of a parable, and by a compariſon, this citie is called Sodome & Aegypte. Sodome & Aegipte.What Sodome was, appereth of the .19. chapt. of Geneſ. and .16. of Ezechiel. Her ſinnes went vp to heauē. But what maner one is at this daye, & a longe time hath ben the churche of Rome, all men know, excepte it be they that wil not know. And the Apoſtle in the .1. to the Romaines hath expounded. And Aegipte robbed the children of God of their libertie, oppreſſed them with vile bōdage, and prohibited them from the trewe worſhippyng of God. So likewiſe the Romiſh church hath ſpoyled the church of Chriſt, of the libertie gotten by Chriſt: hath wrapped her in filthie ſeruitude, that ſhe might ſerue in the dirte of mens tradicions. It prohibiteth moreouer by all force and power, that ſhe ſhall not in retournyng to the goſpel, ſerue God truely. And verely our lord Ieſus Chriſt was crucified on Mounte Caluarie, at the citie of Hieruſalē:Where our Lorde was crucified. and alſo the articles of our fayth expounding the ſame, ſaye, that he ſuffered vnderunder Pōce Pilate. He was the Romane gouernour, it is manifeſt therefore, that Chriſt ſuffered vnderunder the Romane Empire. VnderUnder the ſame Empire, and vnderunder the iudgement thereof, were executed the Apoſtles and auncient Martirs. VnderUnder the Empire of newe Rome fal yt prophetes alſo at this daye by ſworde and fire. Alſo people, kinreddes, tongues and nations obeye this Empire, nowe called the churche, ſo that preachers in all places, the beaſte ſo willyng and commaundyng, are aprehended, and ſlayne with cruell deathes, people kinreddes and nations lokyng on.
To the augementation and moſte aptely expreſſyng the crueltie, that thinge apperteyneth chiefly,The wicked reioyſe at the calamities of ye godly. that theſe earthly men (poſſeſſyng in theſe landes a church all together carnall) ſhall reioyſe and be glad ouer the calamities and miſerable deathes of Prophetes. The ſame did alſo the Lorde him ſelfe prophecie before in the .16. of Iohn. Verely verely I ſaye vntounto you, you ſhal wepe & lamēt, but the world ſhal reioyce, &c. Yea they ſhal ſende giftes, ſaieth he, and letters of reioycing. That this was done in the counſel of Conſtaunce, what time Iohn Huſſe, Bankettes were made for ye fal of England.and Hierome of Prage were burnt Hiſtories make mention. We hauehave hearde very lately, howe after Englande was fallen agayne to the Romiſhe religion, what ioye and gladnes, what bankettes and triumphes the Papiſtes made in all places. So ofte as the miniſters, or other faithfull are burnt, the ſelfe ſame kepe ſolemne chere and pleaſaunte bankettyng, ſingyng. Te deum Laudamus. And letters of reioycing flye to & froe in ſome other places with ſollemne proceſſion they reioyce at the miſerie of the faithfull, but the Lorde ſeeth theſe thinges, which tolde lōg ſins that the ſame things ſhould now come to paſſe.
They are glad they are lighted of theyr burthen.And the cauſe of this excedyng gladnes is non other, than that thoſe prophetes vexed them that dwell vponupon earth. For they that louelove the earth, and couet earthly thinges, are ſore offended with the free preachyng of the veritie, whiche they hate more than dogge and ſnake. For they deſire eyther to atcheue honours, riches, and pleaſures, or if they hauehave them to kepe ſtil the ſame: but they are ſore affrayed leeſte through preachyng the ſame ſhould be ſhrewedly ſhakē or wholy taken from them. Therefore they deſire nothyng more than to be ridde and deliuered of their clamours, and immediately to hauehave them taken out of the waye. For ſo thinke they that they ſhal be ſafe, and inioye their pleaſures at wil. With like affection and Counſell in the feaſte of Herode, was coueted nother kingedom, nor great ſome of Golde, but the head of Iohn Baptiſte. The Popes had rather at this daye hauehave the heades of certen miniſters of the churche, than ſo many thouſande crownes. Yea moreouer the miniſters of churches are called plagues, diſturbers, ſediciouſe, & iniuriouſe againſt God, & his ſaintes, and agaynſt al men. Therfore they wiſſhe with all theyr hartes to be eaſed of this burthen. The Lorde Ieſus forgeue them this ſinne.