A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 71
¶ The ſixte Angell ſhedeth his vialle. The .lxxj. Sermon.
ANd the ſixte Angell powreth out his vialle, vponupon the great riuer of Euphrates, and the water dried vp, that the waye of theſe kynges of the Eaſte ſhoulde be prepared. And I ſawe three vncleane ſpretes, like frogges come out of the mouthe of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the beaſte, and out of the mouthe of the falſe prophet. For they are the ſpretes of the deuiles workyng miracles, to goe out to the kynges of the earth, & of the whole worlde, to gather them to the battell of the great daye of God almightie. Beholde I come as a thefe. Happy is he that watcheth, and kepeth his garmentes, leeſte he be founde naked, and men ſee his filthines. And he gathered them together in a place called in the hebrewe tunge Armageddon.
The ſixte Aungell powreth out his viall on the great riuer of Euphrates:…he drying vp of Euphrates y• ſixte plage. thende of this ſheding is, that the waie might be opened for the kynges of the Eaſte, that is, that Babilon might be taken. This plague chiefly apperteyneth to Rome and the Romiſh church. The ſpeach hath an allegorie, or a ſecret compariſon, and alluſion vntounto olde Babilon. We reade in the .5. chapt. of Daniel, that Babilon was taken the ſame night, wherein Balthazar king thereof had prepared a ſumptuouſe banket, and loked for nothing leſſe than for deſtruction. Herodotus and Xenophon reporte, howe the kinges of the Eaſte Darius Priſcus, who is alſo called Medus, and Cyrus of Perſia beſieged the citie rounde aboute: but where there was no hope to winne it, Cyrus let out Euphrates by ditches, ſo that the Army might wade ouer the riuer: and ſo was the citie layde open, and taken, on the ſame ſide, where it was fenſed with the riuer. Euphrates therfore fortified Babilon, and brought vntounto it many other cōmodities and pleaſures. Here therefore are ſignified, by Euphrates, richeſſe, munition, pleaſures, cōmodities, tributes and cuſtomes, which the romiſſhe churches call ſacred or of the holy church. Theſe commodities and pleaſures, I ſaye, are dimiſhed of the kinges of the Eaſte, of trewe chriſtians, whom the ſcripture calleth the Kinges and Prieſtes, and deriued and putte to an other vſe. Wherefore the power of the Romane churche beginneth to decaye, to the intent that at the length it maye be taken and aboliſſhed of the Lorde Chriſt him ſelfe. Doubtles the trewe Chriſtians vnderſtāde,Howe Euphrates is dried vp. beleue and profeſſe, that Chriſt alone is the Sauiour, nother that there is ſaluation in any other. And that this is geuen freely: that they be madde, and committe Simonye and ſacriledge, whiche in this caſe practiſe and make marchandiſe. Reade the .55. chap. of Eſaye, and the 8. of the Actes, finally the .1. and .2. chapt. of S. Paule to the Coloſſ. Wherin moſt dilligently is declared, illumined, and ſet forth that by Chriſt alone we are abſolued, and in him alone hauehave al fulnes. And what time the common people do heare this, to witte that by thoſe romiſh trifles, fayres of pardons, and other craftie iuggelinges they are diſceaued, and robbed of their ſubſtaūce, they ſhutte by and by and make faſte their cheſtes, their purſes, their cellars and garners. And ſo drieth vp the riuer of welth and pleaſure, it drieth vp alſo, when the godly denie to geue other cuſtomes, as tenthes, palles, firſte fruictes, and ſuche other like thinges. So I ſaye is the waye prepared for the kinges of the Eaſte, ſo beginneth Rome the ſeconde Babilon to be taken and come to naught.
It followeth furthermore,Howe Antichriſt behaueth him for the preſeruyng of euphrates. how Antichriſt wil fight againſt the faythfull and godly labouring to drie vp Euphrates, for the mayneteynaunce and increaſe of his kingdome: & where he might briefly hauehave ſaide, he ſhal ſende forth ambaſſadours vntounto al kinges and princes, to ſtire them vp agaynſt the goſpellers, for the defence of the priuileges, rightes & reuenewes of the See of Rome: he had rather moſte dilligently deſcribe thoſe Ambaſſadours, and ſhewe their deſtruction. It forceth very muche to hauehave knowen the Popes legates. For they are maruelouſe peſtilent to the churche of God: for we hauehave not only experience of it at this daye, but alſo by the reading of all ſtories, that great euilles,The deſcription of ye popes ambaſſadours called legate a latere. and all calamities in a maner hauehave ben brought into the church, and are alſo at this daye, through the inſtigations of thoſe legates. I touched a little before, what miſchiefe Cardinal Iulian Ceſarine the legate of Pope Eugenius wrought in Germany, Boheme, Pole and Hungary. What is done in our time, and hath ben done in our fathers memorie, it were to longe to reherſe. Yf our elders had by the doctrine of Ieſu Chriſt reuealed to ye church by S. Iohn vnderſtande & knowen the nature of the Popes legates, they might eaſely hauehave eſchewed, wherewith they hauehave vndiſcretely intangled themſelues, and ſuffered greate loſſe & hinderaunce. I ſpeake nothing here of Ambaſſadours and ambaſſades of kinges and cōmon welthes vncorrupted.
Firſt he ſheweth dilligently the original of legates, to the intent we might vnderſtande,Thoriginal of legates. that they be led with a wicked ſprete, and that their vocation is not godly, but deuilliſh. He ſheweth a threfolde originall, where in very dede they maye al be reduced to one deueliſh vnitie. He ſaw (ſayeth Primaſius expounding this place) one ſpirite, and for the nombre of the partes of one body, he ſayeth three, that al the nombre of the wicked might be vttered to be led with one deueliſhe ſprete. Therfore the firſt denne that the legates breake out of he calleth the dragons mouth. Of the dragon is ſpoken in the .12. chap. nother is there any that vnderſtādeth not, that it ſignifieth ye deuil him ſelf. They come forth therfore frō the deuil. For al ye affaires of their ambaſſade cōſiſteth in lies, craftes, practiſes, finally in corruptyng the veritie and ſincerenes of the goſpell: and alſo in factions, and diſſentions, in ſlaughter and bloud. And the deuil was from the begynning a liar and murtherer, as the lorde him ſelfe ſayeth in the .8. of Iohn. And hitherto they be of the Dragons mouthe. The ſelfe ſame arriſe alſo out of the mouth of the beaſte. For they come furniſſhed with the Popes authoritie, legates laterall with full power. Of the beaſte I hauehave ſpoken in the .13. chapt. finally they come out of the mouth of the falſe prophete. The trewe prophet and paſtour, high and only of the church vniuerſal, is Chriſt the ſonne of God. Antichriſt, is that falſe prophet, & chiefe ſeducer of the whole world: as is ſayed in the .13. cha. Therfore come the legates, ſente from the Pope, which hath put into their mouthes wordes, or inſtructiōs or cōmiſſions that they ſhould ſpeake thoſe thinges which are of falſe prophecie.Three vncleane ſprites. Howbeit he expoundyng himſelfe more playnely, declareth of what ſorte the legates ſhall be: to witte three vncleane ſpretes. An vncleane ſprete is eueryevery where in the ſcripture called the deuill or Sathan, verely of naturr and effecte. For as the ſpirite of God is called holy, ſo this cōtrarywiſe vncleane. For he him ſelf is of nature, or rather of his owne corruption, and reuoltyng from God impure, and authour to mē of all impuretie and vncleanes. He ſignifieth therfore, that thoſe legates ſhal be men of a deueliſh vncleanes. And in dede if you laye hereunto the life, maners, and conuerſation of thoſe legates laterall, and of theyr families, you ſhal finde in maner nothyng els, but extreme vncleanes, filthines and beaſtelynes, monſtrouſe luſte, whoredome and aduoutrie, and deteſtable fornications, wonderful ſurfettyng, blouddy craftes and counſelles. Therefore the thing it ſelfe ſpeaketh: and the thinges that the legates do eueryevery where, are a commentary of this place. And where there be three vncleane ſpretes rekened, ſome doe expounde it of diuines, laweyers and religiouſe as monkes and freres, of the which thre ſortes for the moſt parte ar choſen the Popes ambaſſadours. I vnderſtande ſimplely by the thirde nombre, that thoſe legates ſhal be moſt furniſhed with all hoſtile authoritie, & that they ſhall all agree wel emonges themſelues, and all helpe one an other: that what ſo euer one ſemeth to lacke, an other maye ſupplie. Salomon in Eccleſiaſtica, a threfolde rope or line, ſayeth he, wil not lightly breake.
But now that no man ſhuld finde any lacke of light,They be like frogges. by a parable brought in, he ſetteth as it were before our eies what maner ones theſe legates ſhal be, verely frogges of the marriſhe or fenne, and criers importune and tediouſe, foule and filthie. And he ſayeth not that they be frogges in dede, but like frogges. For like as frogges by their importune criyng are moſte tediouſe and troubleſome, and the fennie are alſo filthie: ſo doe thoſe legates louelove earthly thinges and filthynes: and by their complainetes, accuſations, prouocations, wrytinges and diſputations altogether froggelyke and fenlyke, be hatefull bothe to God and men. They are nothing aſſhamed: yf they be interrupted a little, by and by they retourne to their olde ſonge,Ariſtophanes in ranis. foreign. For there is no other tune with them, but foreign. Primaſius reaſoneth very muche of Frogges. Emonges other thinges: it is mete for thoſe falſe Prophetes like frogges criynge in the nighte, to make a damnable noyſe by barkynge of errours. For frogges bothe by reaſon of the place, ſight, and troubleſome noyſe are ſo hatefull, as the Deuill wyth his is knowen to be abominable to the trewth, and wyth iuſte fyre to bee rightely condemned, &c. Thus ſayeth he. And lyke as the Frogges of Aegypte reyſed out of the duſte, by the Deueliſſhe arte of the Magiciens cryed out agaynſte Gods veritie, callynge agayne by Moſes and Aaron the people of GOD to the trewe libertie and worſhippyng of God: right ſo doe the Popes legates moleſte with talke the preachyng of the goſpell, the free deliueraunce, the chriſtiane libertie, and trewe ſeruice of God. And like as the frogges doubble and reiterate euen to make one wery to heare, that ſame their foreign: euen ſo theſe fenniſh beaſtes of Rome, hauehave euermore in their mouth, the moſt holy See, the moſt holy father, ye holy church of Rome. The holy churche of Rome erreth not, the holy churche of Rome muſte be obeyed. He that will not obeye her, is an heretike and a ſchiſmatike. Theſe thinges full many times and ofte, and to al menne, and in all and ſingular cauſes will they reiterate, and repete that their one and the ſame ſonge foreign.
The ſprite of Deuils.The Lorde annexeth by S. Iohn, and ſo yet more clerely declareth: for they be ſpretes of Deuilles workyng miracles, &c. foreign (whiche is here vſed in Greke for deuill) hath his name of ſondry knoweledge, and ſkilfulnes of thinges: and ſemeth to be in a maner indifferēt, although it be commonly put for the Deuill. Neuertheleſſe for a difference they are called Eudaimones, and Cacodaimones, as it were good and euill workers. For the Grekes ſaye that foreign is called of foreign that is knowyng or ſkilfull. For foreign is called an experte Artificer. The Lord therefore ſignifieth, that the Popes legates ſhal be ſpretes of Deuilles, that is to ſaye, ſpiritual fathers (but indewed with the ſpirite of Sathan) wiſe men or ſkilfull, craftie workers to bryng their matters to paſſe. And therefore he annexeth, workyng wonders. Whereby he ſemeth to allude to the Magiciens of Aegipt, who alſo wrought miracles, and deteyned kyng Pharao in lies againſt the veritie. S. Paule moreouer in the .2. to Timoth. the .3. chapt. compareth the wiſe men and miniſters of Antichriſt to the Magiciēs of Aegipt. And right well knowen it is, that the legates doe eueryevery where boaſte of miracles, which hauehave bē done in their church and religion, and ſo kepe ſtil the hartes of kinges and princes in popiſh errours. Of miracles ſpeaketh S. Paule in the .2. to the Theſs. 2. And I hauehave ſayed ſome thing hereof in the .13. chapt.
Here is ſhewed moreouer the ende of all the treatiſe and counſelles of the Popes legates: that they might go forth to the kynges of the whole earth, to aſſemble them to battaile.The legates are in all kynges courtes. &c. Thei ſhal crepe into the courtes of al kinges and princes. Ye ſhall hauehave doubtles in all kinges courtes in a maner the Popes legates. And what do they? Thei inuironne kinges & princes. They ſee that no faithfull manne be admitted to the kinges ſpeache, they learne to know al the kinges counſell, which they write and ſignifie to Rome: and yf they miſlyke any thing, that they maye infringe and ſubuerte the ſame: and that they alwayes beate in that ſonge of theires, to witte foreign, that is verely obedience, which all menne owe to the holy Sea: finally that they arme kynges and princes to defende the churche of Rome, and diſtroye hereſies. This I ſaye is the battel of that ſame daye of the great God almightie, that is to ſaye, whiche ſhal be parted by the commyng of the ſonne of God vntounto iudgement, and the whiche ſhall indure to the commyng of Chriſt vntounto iudgement, which ſhal than auenge the bloud of his, from the handes of that vgly beaſte. And he calleth the daye of iudgement, the daye of the great God: as doeth alſo S. Paule in the .2. to Tit. And the daye of God almightie: as he that ſhal than ſhewe his omnipotencie, and euen his power diuine, whiche ſemeth now to the vngodly by reaſon of his long ſufferaunce to ſlepe. This neceſſarie and moſte profitable deſcription S. Iohn hath ſet in here, by the reuealyng of Ieſus Chriſt, to the ende that we ſhould watche and beware of them.
Hereafter followeth a faythfull admonition and exhortation to watchyng,An exhortation to watchyng. leeſte we fall a ſlepe and periſhe with the Antichriſtians in the cares and pleaſures of this worlde. And he ſayeth howe that daye of the lord wyll come ſodenly, and when we ſhall leeſt loke for it. For the lord here repeteth that thyng, whiche he ſayde alſo in the Goſpell: beholde I come like a thefe. Theſe thinges are red in the .24. of Matth. and are repeted of the Apoſtle in the .1. to the Theſs. the .5. chapter. And verely that ſame ſoden commyng of the Lorde exciteth the mindes of vsus all, and prouoketh to watch, leeſte we ſhuld at vnwares be oppreſſed. He adioyneth alſo immediately a profit prepared for them that watche. Happy, ſayeth he, is that man that watcheth. He addeth morouer, how the godly ſhould demeane themſelues in watchyng.Kepe thy garm…ntes that thou go not naked. Howe they muſt kepe their garmentes, that they be not defiled: and take hede moreouer that they walke not naked, leeſte their filthines be eſpied. Touchyng garmentes I hauehave ſpoken moſte largely in an other place of this boke. He kepeth his garmētes, that kepeth his life and conuerſation vnſpotted of worldely filthines. He walketh not naked, which putteth on Chriſt. But his ſhame is ſene, that ſinneth impudently. But chiefly is their ſhame ſene, whoſe whoredomes, aduoutries and fleſhly luſtes are knowen, and open to the eyes of al menne. And here is the ſtate of them to be lamented that are called ſpirituall, and rather in dede to be deteſted than to be deſcribed. Bleſſed are they whoſe ſinnes are couered, and happy are they that hauehave learned to be aſhamed. Vnhappy are as many as cā not bluſhe, but ſet ſuch a face of the matter, that they glory in their ſinnes and wickednes.
The deſtructiō of ye frogges.After this he toucheth at few wordes the deſtruction both of the legates and alſo of them that are deceaued of the legates, and ſuche as fight agaynſt God and trewe religion, for the mayneteyning of the Romiſſhe maieſtie. The legates in dede doe aſſemble menne of their faction vntounto battel againſt the Godly: but the lorde hath gathered the ſame into a place whiche is called in Hebrewe foreign, whiche ſome interprete the diſtruction of the Riuer, and ſome the armie of deſolation. But howe ſo euer that is, the ſenſe ſemeth eaſie: they are in dede aſſembled of the legates, that they mighte withſtande, or prohibite the deſtruction of the Riuer, and ruine of Rome. But the Lorde ſhall alſo aſſemble the ſelfe ſame, that in the very ſame place and worke they maye be deſtroyed of the Lorde. Which finally at the laſte iudgement we beleue ſhall be accompliſſhed. To the Lord Chriſt our redemer and reuenger be prayſe and glory. Amen.