A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 55
¶ He exhibiteth a noble inſtrumente of the Dragon to be ſene, the olde Romane Empire, which deſcribeth what maner a one it is, &c. The .lv. Sermon.
ANd I ſawe a beaſt riſe out of the ſee, hauing ſeuen heades,The .13. chapter. and ten hornes: and vponupon his hornes ten crownes, and vponupon his head, the names of blaſphemie. And the beaſte whiche I ſawe was like a Cat of the Mountane, and his fete were as the fete of a beare, and his mouth as a lion. And the dragon gaue him his power, & his ſeate, & great authoritie: & I ſawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death, & his deadly wounde was healed, and al the world wōdered at the beaſt, and they worſhipped the Dragō, which gaue power to the beaſte.Inſtrumēts by ye whiche the deuil hath wrought & worketh.
S. Iohn procedeth to deſcribe by ye reuelatiō of Ieſus chriſt, the notable inſtrumentes of the deuill, wherby he hath afflicted the church of Chriſt with continual & moſt greuouſe perſecution. And he ſpeaketh of the olde and the newe Romane Empire. S. Iohn could not without excedyng great daūger vtter, much leſſe deſcribe thoſe thinges, a man not furniſhed with any mans helpe, and therto banniſhed, and driuen into exile. For ye Romane Empire was takē for godly, inuincible, moſt ſacred and euerlaſtyng. Neuertheleſſe the Apoſtle both ſpeaketh and writeth hereof in ſuch ſorte, that it ſemeth that he can not eſchewe the title of a ſeditious perſon, and offende againſt the holy maieſtie both of the emperour and Empire. But what I praye thee woldeſt thou do, God cōmaunding thee ſo to ſpeake and write?
The vnpatientnes & boldenes of ye world againſt the crewth. Math. 21.The world alſo rageth at this daye, when they heare realmes and policies chaſtiſed by Gods word for ſinne and wickednes cōmitted: and lordely enough ſome Princes ſet forth proclamations, commaundyng that no ſuch thing be hearde any more. But the Lord ſayeth in the goſpell: yf theſe holde their peace, ſtones ſhall ſpeake: ſignifiyng vtterly, that the trueth muſte be preached, nother that it can be oppreſſed or quenched with any decrees, threatenynges, force of Armes, or punniſhmentes. Therfore if they ſhould at this daye kepe ſilence, vntounto whom the office of preachyng is committed, the lord wil ſtire vp other preachers, which though al the world ſaye naye, wil beare witneſſe to the trueth. Therfore I would counſell princes, that thei vexe not themſelues in vayne with thoſe their ſondry attēptes agaynſt Gods trueth. For they ſhal not preuaile. The veritie ſhal vanquiſh. For he that then furniſſhed Iohn, agaynſte the Romane Empire, that time moſt floriſſhyng and puiſſaunt, the ſelf ſame alſo at this daye reuealyng his trueth to the world nowe broken and waxen olde, wil ouercome doubtles. Wo to thoſe ſtifnecked natures, which louelove to ſeduce. Let al preachers learne, by the exā ple of the Apoſtle S. Iohn, to vtter frely ſuch things as they hauehave receiued in commaundement, and to feare no man. He is greater which is in vsus (as the ſame S. Iohn ſaied in the .1. Iohn. 4.) than he that is in the world.
The beaſt, is ye Rom. Empire.And the beaſt he calleth the Romane Empire of great authoritie, and as it were godly, notwithout moſt weightie cō ſiderations. For the lorde kepeth ſtill the phraſe of the ſcripture, imitatyng Daniel, which in the .7. chapt. attributeth the name of beaſte to the Romane Empire. And S. Hierome, expoundynge the Prophecie of Daniel, by the beaſte vnderſtandeth the Romane Empire: and ſuppoſeth that therfore it is not called a Lion, nor a Beare nor Libarde, but a beaſte: that what crueltie ſome euer ye canne Imagine in beaſtes, by the ſame ye maye vnderſtande the Romanes doubtles in maners they hauehave ſhewed themſelues beaſtes. Mithridates the moſte renoumed kynge of Pontus, ſpeakyng of the Romanes in the .xxxviii. booke of Iuſtine: As they themſelues reporte, ſayeth he, that their founders were nurriſſhed by ſuckyng of a Wolfe: ſo hauehave all that people Wolues mindes, neuer ſatiſfiſed wyth bloud, of rule and Riches Hongry and emptie. And nowe howe filthy beaſtes many Romane Princes hauehave ben, theyr owne wryters teſtifie, chiefely Suetonius, and others that hauehave written of the Emperours liues. And that the people of Rome were alſo of beaſtely maners, the .1. chapt. of the Epiſtle to the Roma. proueth.
You will ſaye, I knowe well,The good & godly are excepted. ſins S. Iohn comprehendeth vnderunder this Image the whole body of the Romane Empire, ſhal we cal Conuſtant, Conſtantine, Theodoſius and other godly Emperours beaſtes? I ſaye howe the Scriptures vſe this maner of ſpeakyng, and by beaſtes in dede vnderſtande Empires, all though they calle not all thoſe that dwell in thoſe Empires beaſtes with out any difference: therfore we vnderſtande them exempted in all Empires, that liue a life to God acceptable: and know aſſuredly, that nother Daniel, nor S. Ihon woulde hauehave defiled with wordes ſuche innocent men, and al prayſe worthie. Yea in all this treatiſe of the Empire and of Antichriſt, we excepte alwayes ſuch men as are innocent and excelle in vertue. Wherof we ſhal happely ſpeake more hereafter.
And firſte he ſheweth the beginnyng of this Empire.The original of the Empire. A beaſte commeth out of the Sea, on the ſande whereof ſtandeth the Dragon: and in the .17. chapt. it is ſayed, howe the beaſte came out of the botomleſſe pitte. Therefore the beginnynge hereof is referred to Sathan. Notwithſtandyng we muſte here take dilligent hede, that we take awaye nothing from the lorde our God, the whiche he chalengeth to him ſelf. The Scripture in ſondry places, but chiefly by two moſte excellent witneſſes, by Daniel in the .3. chapt. and S. Paule in the .13. chapt. to the Romaines, hath ſet forth, that kyngedomes and Empires are of the Lorde, and that he ſetteth vp & depoſeth kinges. There is no power, ſayeth thapoſtle,Nowe the Rom. Empire is of God & of the dragō. but of God. And hitherto in dede thapoſtles cōmaunde to obeye Princes and magiſtrates. Howe is it than that we heare, that the Romane Empire came out of the botōles pit, ſins the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the ſame? doubtles the Romane Empire is not abſolutely of the Deuil. For God is the authour of Monarchies, and preſerueth realmes and policies, geuing therunto certen faithful ſeruaūtes. But ſathan medleth with mens matters, and corrupteth both kinges, & kingdomes: and ſo long they be of the Deuil. The Chriſtianes in all politike matters obeyed Emperours, but cōmaundyng Idolatrie they obeied them not.3. Kings. 11 Certaine it is, that God did inſtitute the kingdome of Iſraell or of ten tribes by the prophet Ahiab: yet neuertheleſſe the lorde crieth out in an other prophet,Amos. 8. they hauehave reigned in dede, but not by me. For the lord would hauehave had thoſe kinges to hauehave framed al thinges after his word, and to reigne in the feare of God: and where they did not ſo, but followyng the inſtigation of Sathan ordered al thinges after their owne luſte, they are rightly ſaied to reigne, not of God, but of ye deuill. Therfore hauehave the godly obeyed kinges: but they obeyed them not cōmaundyng wicked thinges, although they toke them for their kinges, God had inſtituted the order of prieſtes: not withſtandyng Chriſte calleth the doynges of the ſame prieſtes the workes of darkenes. And S. Peter ſayeth: we muſte rather obeye God than men. So verely the Romane Empire, which was of God, came alſo out of the Sea (as Daniel ſayeth alſo) out of the troubleſome world, and euen out of Hell, beyng made great through ſlaughter, murther, ſeditiō and treaſon. For the people of Rome with the moſte parte of Emperours regarded the Deuil and the world, and not God.
The Rom. Empire of ſeuē headsAnd what the empire of Rome is at this daye, he figureth now alſo, it hath ſeuen heades, & ten hornes, and eueryevery horne had his crowne, ſignifiyng verely, that by hornes are ſignified kingedomes. Nother doe we here bring in any newe or farre fetched expoſition. In the .17. chapt. the Angel expoundeth him ſelfe, and ſayeth, that by ſeuen heades are ſignified ſeuen mountaines or hilles, and euen kinges alſo. In Rome are accompted many hilles, but there be ſeuen notable. For there is mounte Palatine, Capitoline, Auentine, Coelius, Eſquiline, Viminalle, and Quirinalle: Propertius expoūding the ſame in one verſe (whiche I hauehave expreſſed in two) ſayeth: Septem vrbs alta ingis toto quae praefidet orbe.
A citie ſet alofte on ſeuen hilles
Whoſe people rule the world at theyr owne willes.
And therfore is called of ye Grekes, foreign, of ſeuē hilles. And verely the citie is taken for the whole Empire. So hauehave there ben alſo many kinges & Emperours, which are cōpriſed in the ſeuenth nōbre: but yet is it certayne, that the ſeuēth nombre of kinges alſo is exactely founde in the hiſtorie. For at the beginning whē Rome was firſt builded, there reigned ſeuē kinges in order, Romulus, Numa, Tullus Hoſtilius, Aucus Martius, Tarquinius Priſcus, Seruius Tullius, Tarquius Superbus: who expulſed by reaſon that Lucreſe was rauiſhed of the kinges ſonne, they were ruled by confulles, by ten men, & by Dictatours, vntounto the time of Iulius Caeſar, who firſt vſurped to him ſelfe againe a kynges crowne: after whome reigned Antony & Octauian, called Auguſtus, Tiberius, Caius, Claudius and Nero, againe ſeuen. In Nero thempire receiueth a plage: From thence againe are accōpted ſeuen, Ottho, Galba, Vitellius, Veſpaſiane, Titus, Domitian, Nerua. From him was the Empire deuolued to Vlpius Traiane, a Spaniarde. Therefore the Romane Empire could not by plainer markes be expreſſed. To this Empire alſo Daniel attributed ten hornes, aſwel for that it was collected of many kingedomes, as alſo that it was diſparſed agayne into many. Wherof ſhal be ſpoken in the .17. chapt. And it is a comon thing to the Scriptures, by hornes to ſignifie kingedomes and power.
And to this kingdome the lord Ieſus aſcribeth open wickednes, ye he calleth it blaſphemouſe. For he addeth:The Romane Empire blaſphemouſe. and vpō his heades the name of blaſphemie, that is to ſaye, what plaſphemie ſo euer may at any time be any where diuiſed, al that ſame ſhall be founde manifeſte in this Empire, and chiefely in the heades. For yf ye beholde the hilles of Rome, chiefly the Mounte Capitoline, ye ſhall finde it called of Cicero, the manſion place of the Gods, verely for that it conteyned in a maner the Images of all the Goddes. For on thoſe hilles were ſene the Temples of Iupiter after all his properties, &c. The Temples of Saturne, Iuno, Minerua, of Mars the reuenger, of Hercules, Ianus, Venus, Apollo: alſo the Temples of Fortune, Helth, Victory, concorde, and ſuche other. But yf ye loke vponupon the Princes themſelues, Caius woulde hauehave his Images ſette vp in Temples, and the people to ſweare by his name. Nero blaſphemed the name of Chriſte, and by ſheddyng of innocent bloud ſought to aboliſſh the Goſpell. Domitian commaunded him ſelfe to be called God and the Lorde. And others alſo hauehave required godly honours, menne ſwimming in blaſphemies, and ſtinking, in all wickednes.
the power of the Romane Empire of monarchies oppreſſed.Furthermore by an Image compacte of ſondry beaſtes he ſheweth, howe the Romane Empire increaſed, and obteyned ſuche power, and what be the maners thereof. In the 7. chapt. of Daniel. By the eatte of the Mountayne is ſignified the monarchie of Grece or Macedome, by the Beare the Perſian, and by the Lion the monarchie of the Chaldeis or Babilonians. And it is playne, that the Romanes ouercomyng thoſe nations, and putting downe and ſubdewyng to thēſelues thoſe monarchies, came vntounto the ſupreme toppe of gouernemente. For they ſubdewed to themſelues the eaſt partes chiefly by Lucullus, Pompey, and Craſſus, Macedonie and all Grece, by Paulus Aemilius: a good parte of Affricke by Scipio and Marius: Aegipte by Octauius Auguſtus: and ſo forth. And lyke as they were in religion vngodly: ſo in other maners not vnlyke moſte wilde beaſtes. For as the Libarde or Panther is ſpotted and of ſondry colours: ſo are the Romanes, a collection of many nations, borne to make ſedition and ſlaughter. The beare doeth only goe vponupon his fete,The Romanes are beaſtes. but with the ſame alſo ſtriketh, & catcheth his praye: ſo the Romanes did nothing els, but ſtrike, fight, & take ſpoiles. And as the force of a Lion is emonges foure foted beaſtes moſt excellent, and the Lions mouth vnſatiable and ſtinking: ſo was the Romane Empyre moſte ſtrong, couetouſe, neuer contented, and the very matter and corruption of miſchiefe.
And S. Ihon declareth in dede more expreſſely,The Dragon geueth to the Ro. his power and ſeate. that the Romaines hauehave of the Deuyll all that wickednes, crueltie, and miſchiefe: the Dragon ſayeth he, gaue vntounto that beaſte, his power, and that greate: he gaue alſo his ſeate. Which is aſmoch in effecte, as if he had ſayed: the Deuill reigned whole in the Romaines, and the Romaines wrought by the Deuyl, all that they did. For the Deuyll is the originall of murthers and lyes. Of the deuyls ſeate I hauehave ſpoken in the ſeconde chapter of this booke. Howebeit we muſte knowe, that all power is of God: but he by his iuſt iudgement doth permit many things to the Deuil ouer the children of miſbeleif. For S. Paule in the .2. to the Theſſa. the .2. chap. When he had ſpoken of the moſt mightie workyng of Sathan, by tokens and kyng wonders, wherewyth they ſhoulde be deceaued, that wolde not receaue the truth, he addeth immedately: therfore God ſhall ſende them ſtrong illuſions, that they may beleue lyes, and be iudged all that beleued not the veritie, &c. For (as I hauehave ofte admoneſhed) we muſt take good hede, that we mixe not the workes of God and the Deuyll together. Good workes are of God, euil are of the Deuyll. Now leeſt any man ſhulde maruayle, why God permitteth ſo moch to the Romains and the deuil their head, and doth not infringe theyr force for the electe ſake, S. Ihon interlaceth an heauie chaunce of the people of Rome, and of the whole Empyre, which chaunced to them, immediately after the firſt perſecution moued againſt the church of Chriſt, and after the moſte ſhyning Apoſtles executed, verely to reuenge that innocent bloud. For he ſeeth one of thoſe heads, as it were wounded to death. For Nero which firſt of the Emperours, ſtirred vp the firſt perſecution againſt the church, with his owne hand ſticked himſelf. And he was the laſt Emperour of that familie. And left the Empire ſo afflicted, that it was lyke enough to hauehave fallē to decaie. Certen prouinces reuolted. Galba, Ottho, and Vitellius, fought emonges themſelues, and made ciuile warres. This Vitellius moreouer, droue Sabinus, Vaſpaſians brother, ſuſpecting none euill, with others, into the Capitoll houſe, and ſettyng the temple on fire, diſtroyed bothe Temple and men together, and made all one heape. Nother doeth Oroſius conceale, whie theſe thinges happened, ſaying: by and by Rome ſolfed, by the murther of princes, and ciuile warres, for the iniuries done to the Chriſten religion.
The deadly wounde is healed.Notwithſtanding the Apoſtle addeth, that the wounde made was healed againe. For Sextus Aurelius victour Veſpaſian, ſaieth he, refreſſhed in a ſhorte time (ſee what is the deadly wounde) the wery worlde that longe waunted bloud, this ſayeth he. Here hauehave you, that he ſayed, the deadly wounde was healed agayne. For other writers diſcourſing the ſame more at large, ſet forth: how Veſpaſian retournyng to Rome, accompted nothyng more noble or better, than to eſtabliſſhe and beautifie the comon welth that was ſore afflicted and decayed, to bryng in order and frame the prouinces and cities that were diſordered by tumultes and ſeditiouſe vprores, to reforme the warlicke diſcipline ouer licentiouſe, and to punniſſhe offenders. He repared with newe buyldinges the citie defaced with olde firinges and ruines: he builded agayne the Capitoll houſe that was burnte: and erected the Theater in the middes of the citie, the moſt auncient Monumente of the Empire, &c.
The foliſhnes & vn…odlines of ye worldMoreouer he toucheth now ſore the foliſhenes & wickednes of the world. And there was an admiration in the whole earth, &c. For the world followeth the preſent felicitie, & eſtemeth al thinges after their good or euil fortune. For that religion, ſaye they, is moſt noble, ſtable and trewe, which is famouſe in victories, and ſhineth with the ornamentes of this worlde. Therefore for the maieſtie of the Romane Empire, which they had in greateſt admiration, the moſt part of men receaued the Romiſh religion, & defended the ſame as ſincere. But S. Iohn declaring the enormitie of this ſinne, ſayeth: and they worſhipped the dragon, &c. he ſayeth not, they worſhipped Gods,They worſhipped the Deuil. or wood and ſtones: but they worſhipped the Deuill. Idolaters will ſaye, that they worſhippe and honour Gods, and are not ignoraūt, that Images are made of matter corruptible? and that the worſhip that they do vntounto them redoundeth, not to thoſe dead ſignes, but to them, whereof they be ſignes. Thus verely will all Idolaters ſaye: vntounto whom if you ſaye, you worſhippe wood and ſtones, thei wil aunſwere quickely, that they hauehave greate iniurie done them. For they be not ſo foliſſhe (they will ſaye) to worſhippe that thing, which they made with their owne handes, &c. But the Apoſtle whiche knewe well enough thoſe ciuile expoſitions, and wilie ſhiftes of Idolaters, ſpeakyng frankely agaynſte them, reſpected not that, which they alledged for thēſelues: but that ſame rather, which God iudgeth, and the veritie of the thinge pronounceth, and ſayeth: and they worſhipped the Deuill or the Dragon. So Paule in the .1. to the Corinth. the .10. chapt. The thinges, ſayeth he, that the heythen offer vp, they offer thē, not to God, but to Deuilles. But this did the gētiles denie. But God in this caſe paſſeth not vponupon the iudgemētes, and intentes, and denialles of men, but pronounceth after his owne iudgement. In the .17. of Leuit. He ſayeth: yf ye offer vntounto me oblations otherwiſe, than I hauehave preſcribed, ye ſhal defile your ſelues with bloud. Let now the maſſemōgyng prieſtes crie out till they be hoarſe againe, we offer to the Lorde God, not to ſtraunge Goddes: yet ſhal the Lordes ſentence ſtande moſte trewe for euer, that they tranſgreſſe with vnlaweful worſhipping, no leſſe than if thei committed parricidie. As alſo Eſaye beareth witnes in .66. chapt. The lord god alloweth the ſincere obediēce, which we ſhewe vntounto his lawes, he careth nothing for our inuentions & good intentes. Thus at this preſent he ſheweth at fewe wordes, as the thing is in dede, that all idolaters worſhip the Deuill. Yf we would at this daye eſteme theſe things rightly, we ſhuld not ſo contende as it were for life and landes, aboute maineteyning of Images in the church. The Lord Ieſus light our hartes and mindes to ſee his trewth.