A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 62
¶ Chriſte ſtandeth vponupon Mounth Sion, hauynge his churche: and is deſerbed by notes, which and what ſhall be the ſhepe of Chriſte. The .lxij. Sermon.
The .14. Chapter.ANd I loked, and lo, a lambe ſtode on the moūt Sion, and with him 144000. hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heauen, as the ſounde of many waters, and as the voiſe of a great thonder. And the voyce that I hearde, was as the harpers, yt play vponupon their harps. And they ſoung as it wer a newe ſong before the ſeat, and before the foure beaſtes, and the elders, and no man coulde learne that ſong, but the hondreth and .xliiii. thouſand which were redemed from the earth. Theſe are they which were not defiled with wemen, for thei are virgins. Theſe followe the Lambe, whither ſo euer he goeth. Theſe were redemed from men, beyng the firſt fruictes vntounto God, and to the Lambe, & in their mouthes was founde no gyle. For they are without ſpotte before the trone of God.
Like as he hath hitherto mixed ioyefull thinges with ſorrowfull,A conſolation, and preachyng of ye goſpel and annexed a conſolation to moſte harde & cruell chaunces: ſo nowe he adioyneth alſo to the tirannie of the Romane Empire an expoſition hauing bothe a conſolation and an exhortation moſte graue and weightie. Vndoubtedly by the deſcription of the Romiſhe tiranny, and reigne of Antichriſt it might hauehave ſemed, that the Church and the preachynge of the Goſpell had ben vtterly loſte, and that vngodlines ſhould hauehave triumphed for euer: he declareth therefore by a moſt excellent viſion, howe Chriſt ſhall reigne notwithſtandyng in his choſen, and ſhal ouercome, and ſhal hauehave his churche continually, and that righte famouſe. He deſcribeth what the electe ſhal be. He addeth that the preaching of the Goſpell can not be ſo oppreſſed, but that it ſhall rather be preached with great Conſtancie through out all the worlde. And that Rome alſo ſhal fal, and al the vngodly be pūniſhed. He exhorteth therfore moſt erneſtly, that we hauehave not to do with Antichriſt, leeſte alſo we be made pertakers of his damnation, And to thintent there might waunt nothing that cō cerned a full comforte, he addeth, that thinge whiche maye chiefly confirme the mindes of al the godly euen in the greateſt daungers, howe they that die in Chriſt doe flitte ſtreight wayes from the corporall death vntounto lyſe euerlaſtynge. Whiche finiſſhed, he tourneth to the deſcription of the punniſhement to be taken aſſuredly of the Antichriſtians. Wherfore if the Bokes of the Goſpell and newe Teſtament be to be eſtemed for the manifolde deſcription of Chriſte, and of ſaluation by him obteyned for the faythefull, yf they are to be eſtemed of the comforte, and preaching of the goſpel: this is doubtles a boke moſt goſpel like, as that which by a cōtinuall tenour to perillouſe thinges annexeth conſolation.
The Lābe ſtandeth on mounte Sion.S. Iohn therfore ſeeth the Lambe ſtandyng vponupon Moūte Sion. Chriſt therfore ſlepeth not, he is not ignoraunt of the perilles and conflictes of his churche: but he ſtandeth as prepared to ayde and ſuccour his. He ſtandeth as a king inuincible, whome nother the Dragon, nor the olde nor the newe beaſt hath ouerthrowen. For I hauehave tolde you oftener than ones, eſpecially in the .5. chapt. that by the Lambe is vnderſtande Chriſt. For he is the lambe and price of our redemption vntill the iudgement: but than laiyng a parte the office of an interceſſour, he ſhall be a moſte ſeuere, and alſo a moſte holy iudge. And Chriſt ſtandeth, not in the ſande, as did the Dragon: but on a Mounte, and that vponupon mounte Sion. Mounte Sion was a figure of Chriſtes kingdome, as appereth playnely in the .2. Pſalme, and the .2. of Eſaye. And the kingedome of Chriſte, is the church, aſwell triumphante, as militaunt: therefore in the felloweſhip of Sainctes ſtandeth Chriſt, the ioye and glory of them that are in heauen, and the life and helper of them, whiche fight as yet in Earth. Let vsus beleue therfore, that in the Antichriſtiane perſecutiōs Chriſt wil neuer faile his faythfull: as he is red neuer to hauehave fayled the olde Sainctes vnderunder the olde Romane Empire afflicted. For this conſolation ſerueth chiefly for vsus, which are vexed of Antichriſt: and ſerued for them alſo, whiche ſuffered martirdome vnderunder the olde Romane Empire. Nother is there any doubt, but that they cōfirmed themſelues herewith in the greateſt perſecutions.
With the lambe are. 144000.But that ſame is moſte full of conſolation, that the lambe is not alone, but hath with him an hondreth and foure and fourtie thouſande: that is to ſaye a moſt ample church. How ſo euer therfore the beaſte rageth and ſleyeth the confeſſours of Chriſt, yet ſhal there be alwayes a church, that ſhall neuer be plucked vp euen in the Earth. He ſetteth a nombre certen for vncerten, and yet certaine and determinate: for that the nombre of them that ſhal be ſaued ſhal ſeme ſmall in compariſon of them, which ſhal worſhippe the beaſtes, and periſſhe. Howebeit we vnderſtande that the nombre of them ſhal neuertheles be greateſt, which ſhal be the body of the Church, vnderunder their head Chriſt, euen than alſo, what time the Pope with all the limmes of Antichriſt ſhall hauehave powred out all their furie. Of this nombre of the electe I hauehave ſpoken in the 7. chapt. where the ſelfe ſame nombre is ſet.
And as the Antichriſtians beare the marke of Antichriſt in the righthande and foreheades: ſo verely the ſhepe of Chriſt,Thei hauehave the name of ye father in theyr foreheads. and which ſhal be the church, the ſpouſe of chriſt, vnderunder their head Chriſt, ſhal hauehave their marke alſo in their foreheades, to witte the name of the father of the Lambe. For Eius is to be referred to the Lambe. And he ſpeaketh not of an externall marke, whiche ſhould be printed on their foreheades, but of the marke of their mindes. The ſame is faith, the ſigne of all Gods children. And the fayth in the Father and the Sonne, whiche are not without the holy ghoſt. And howe ſhouldeſt thou beleue, that almightie God is thy father, vnleſſe thou vnderſtande the ſame to be obteined of the ſonne? This faith therfore is here vnderſtande to be a chriſten, not a Iewiſh or Turkiſhe fayth, whiche yet confeſſeth God to be the father. But ſins they hauehave not the ſonne, as ſayed S. Iohn in his Epiſtle, they nother hauehave the father. Therfore the true membres of the church of Chriſt, the trewe ſhepe, doe beleue that they hauehave a mercifull father through the ſonne, by whome they knowe that the father beyng pacified, hath geuen all thinges of life and of ſaluation in his ſonne. They that ſeke not for ſaluation and all goodnes in the only mediatour the ſonne of God, hauehave not doubtles the right marke of the children of God in their foreheades. At this daye all will be chriſtiās, but neglectyng Chriſt, thei depēde wholy of Sainctes. Therfore their faith is not the trewe marke of the children of God. No they nother knowe the father nor the ſonne. And therfore they perſecute thoſe that cleaue wholy to the father by the ſonne. And ſeyng Chriſt is with his church, what nedeth the church a vicar? Certēly it can not be the true church, whiche hath a vicar of Chriſte, for than it waunteth Chriſte whom the trewe church can not waunte.
It was not enough for the Apoſtle to hauehave ſayed, that the church was vnited with Chriſte: vnleſſe he had added moreouer with many wordes, howe he hath ſene the churche affected, and how ſhe demeaned her ſelf, than verely, when the beaſtes did afflicte her: that euen we may learne therof, what is the hope of Sainctes in greateſt daungers, & of what ſorte it behoueth vsus to be in perſecutions and temptations.
He heareth the voice of many waters.Firſt he heareth a voice from heauē, as the voice of many waters. Waters in the Scriptures many times doe ſignifie people. We vnderſtande therfore herby, that the church ſhal be populouſe, and ſpeaking: to thintēt to diſſemble nothing, but frely to profeſſe Chriſt. And therefore he heareth alſo the ſounde of a great thonder. For the church getteth from heauen power to preache and ſhewe forth the Goſpell grauely, though the worldes bowelles burſte. And verely of the frāke & conſtaunt preaching of the goſpel Iohn and Iames are called with Marke the ſonnes of thōder. And cōcerning the preachyng of the goſpell ſhall followe more afterwarde. He heareth moreouer a melodiouſe harmonie of menne ſingyng to their harpes, & ſinging as it were a newe ſong. The which is chiefly referred to the ſainctes in heauen, ſinging eternall prayſes to God: ſecōdely to ye ſainctes liuing here yet in earth, which alſo offer vntounto God continually prayſes & thankes geuyng. Therfore how ſo euer their hartes be made ſorrowfull in perilles and aduerſities, yet their ſpirite reioyceth in the Lord. For no mā coulde learne that ſame ſonge, ſaue thelecte. For like as none of the heauenly dwellers can expreſſe or vnderſtande the excellencie of the ioyes of the life to come, and the praiſes of God, excepte he dwell emonges the heauēly inhabiters, & be pertakers of the moſte godly life: ſo excepte any man liuyng yet here in Earth be regenerated, he nother ſeeth how great is the felicitie of the faithful, nother cā he iuſtely eſteme, the prayſes which they offer vntounto God. Touching the newe ſonge I hauehave ſpoken in the .5. chapt. And certenly to wordly men the thinges ſeme as they were newe, whiche the faithfull bring forth of Gods worde.
The true markes of ye faithful.Nowe doeth S. Iohn deſcribe alſo what maner ones the ſhepe of Chriſt ſhal be, which ſhal continewe in the church of Chriſt, diſpiſing the furies of the beaſtes. VntoUnto whome alſo the marke of his fathers name in their forcheades is expounded.They are redemed from the Earth. We ſhall perceyue moreouer, what be the true markes of the faithful. Firſt they are redemed frō the earth. Doubtles al we bearing the earthly Image of the earthly mā, were ſolde vnderunder ſinne, for the whiche cauſe we are alſo ſubiecte to maledictiō. But the lord hath bought vsus with the price of redemption, payed vponupon the croſſe, ſo that now we are ſhapen newe after the Image of the heauenly man, to with beyng adopted for the children of God. Of the which redemption the Apoſtle hath ſpoken in the .1. Corinth. the .7. and to the Roma. the .3. & in other places. S. Peter alſo .1. Pet. 1. And for aſmuch as the faithful knowe themſelues to be bought and adopted by Chriſte to the heauenly inheritaunce, they are addicte to ſerue their redemer only, and inſeperablely cleaue to him.
Morouer they are virgins,They are virgins. not defiled with women in expoūding the which thinges thauncientes torment thēſelues, leeſte any thing here ſhould ſeme to redounde to the derogation of holy matrimony, wherby doubtles, witnes thapoſtle in the .1. Corinth. 7. and .13. to the Hebr. no man is defiled. I am here aſſhamed to bring forth the trifles of the Papiſtes. For who cā heare the vncleaneſt of al mē reaſoning any thing of cleanes? They wil hereby mainteyne & colour that ſingle life of theirs: but al men ſee neuertheleſſe, excepte they be blinder than betelles, what filthines hath ben cōmitted and is cōmitted dayly, vnderunder the pretence of this vngraciouſe, & moſt vncleane ſinglenes. But the Lord ſpeaketh nothing at this preſent of corporal mariage, but rather ſpiritual. For it is manifeſt, that thapoſtles as the brideleaders of our ſauiour, hauehave brought the churche to our Sauiour a chaſte virgin, whiche hath not had to do with any ſtraunge or foreine womā: that is to ſaye, which is not defiled with the participation of euill doctrine. Reade Salomon reaſonyng of that woman grauely in the .4. chapt. of the Prouerb. Reade moreouer thapoſtle in the .2. to the Corint. 11. excedingly wel teaching, that the faithful are an vndefiled virgin the ſpouſe of Chriſt. The faithfull therfore which liued vnderunder the tiranny of the beaſtes, receyued no ſtraunge doctrine of Idolles, and of other prophane cultes, nother do at this daye admitte the popiſh infectiō, but kepe their maydenly mindes for their huſbāde Chriſt, beyng deſpowſed vntounto him by faith moſt ſincere.
Theſe follow the lāb, whether ſo euer he goeth.They follow ye lābe whither ſo euer he goeth. That is to ſaie, they care for no man but Chriſt, they deſire no man but Chriſt: in him they repoſe al their ayde, al their cōfort, al their ioye, al ſaluation, to him alone hauehave alwayes reſpecte, in him they know themſelues to be complete: which one and alone is to them al thinges. Moreouer whither ſo euer Chriſte calleth the faithful by doctrine and exāple, yf it be to very death and moſte cruell butcherie, they followe willingly and cherely. Whereby it cometh to paſſe, that in the world to come, they cā neuer be ſeuered from him. For where ſo euer Chriſt is, there is alſo Chriſtes miniſter: as he him ſelfe hath witneſſed in the .12. and .14. chapt. of Iohn.
They are alſo redemed frō men,Redemed from men. deliuered verely through the grace of Chriſt, that they ſhould not follow this corrupte and vncleane world, by all kinde of pollution. For Chriſt by his ſpirite and worde calleth his out of this worlde, that although in body we are cōuerſaunte in the world, yet ſhould we with al our minde abhorre the worlde, & the thinges that are therin. Furthermore for this intente hath he choſen, and redemed his from the bondage of men or of the worlde,Firſt fruices to god. that they ſhould be firſt fruictes to God the father & to his ſonne. Which place the moſte godly and excellent learned man D. Fraunces Lamberte expounding in his cōmentaries vponupon the Apocalipſe: it is manifeſt, ſaieth he, by the .23. of Leuit. the .15. of Numeri. and .18. of Deuter. what firſte fruictes be, and that they were gathered for the Lord, and went to the high prieſt. But Chriſt is that high prieſt, vntounto whome the ſpiritual firſt fruictes apperteyne, to witte the godly, & ſanctified to God. Theſe things are confirmed of the Apoſtle, which ſayed, that Chriſt gaue him ſelfe for vsus, to the ende he might redeme vsus from all iniquitie, and might purifie vsus to him ſelfe an eſpecial people, a follower of good workes. Therefore do the true faithfull ſingularly applie them to godlynes, and that they maye be the firſt fruictes, & a moſt excellēt preſent of the lord, ſins they know themſelues to be redemed for this ende, that all the reſte of the time of their life, they might ſerue God.
In their mouth no gyle.In their mouth is founde no gile. He ſayeth not, no cōcupiſcence, or euil motiō to be founde in the hartes of the faithfull: but denieth that there is any gile in their mouth. For albeit that the faithful be troubled and vexed with the affectiōs of the fleſhe, yet ſo louelove they the trewth, that to their knoweledge they wil diſceaue no man. And chiefly do diſſemble nothing, that apperteyneth to the confeſſion of the trewth and veritie, nor vſe any gile in the doctrine of the Goſpell.
They be morouer with out ſpotte before the trone of god,They be without ſpotte. not by their owne vertue, but by ye ſanctification of Chriſt: which S. Paule alſo affirmeth in the .5. chapt. to the Epheſi. And he hath ſpoken it aptly, before the trone. For S. Auſten ſayed, that our ſanctification ſhould at laſte be made perfit in the world to come.
Theſe I ſay be the trewe markes of the trewe faithful, and of the trewe church of Chriſt. Let eueryevery man ſearch here the ſecret corners of his harte, & conſider dilligētly in his minde, whether he be marked with theſe ſignes: and let him buſily praie vntounto God, that if he fele them, the lord would confirme them: if he fele them not, that the Lord would printe them depely in their mindes.