A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 74
¶ The ſame matter is yet ſtill treated of, and the viſion is expounded. The .lxxiiij. Sermon.
ANd the womā was arayed in purple and roſe colour, & decked with gold, preciouſe ſtone, and pearles: and had a cup of golde in her hād, ful of abominations, and filthineſſe of hyr whoredome. And in hyr forehead was a name written, a miſterie: great Babilon the mother of whoredome and abominations of the Earth. And I ſawe the woman dronken with the bloud of Sainctes, & with the bloud of the witneſſes of Ieſu. And when I ſawe her, I maruailed with a greate wonder. And the Angel ſayde vntounto me: wherefore maruaileſt thou? I wil ſhewe thee, the miſterie of the woman, and of the beaſte that beareth her, whiche hath ſeuen heades and ten hornes. The beaſt that thou ſeeſt, was, and is not, and ſhall aſcende out of the botomleſſe pitte, and ſhal go into perditiō, and they that dwel on the earth ſhal wonder (whoſe names are not written in the booke of life from the beginnyng of the worlde) when they beholde the beaſt that was, and is not. And here is a minde, that hath wiſedome.
He deſcribeth excedingly well and liuely, and ſetteth forth to be ſene of the eyes of all men, that ſame woman before named the great whore. About thende of the chapter he expoū deth himſelfe, & ſayeth: and the woman, which thou ſaweſt is the great citie:The womā is ye greate citie, lady of kinges. great verely, as ſhe that beareth rule ouer the kinges of the Earth. He meaneth therefore the very citie of Rome, and euen the popiſh and Romiſh church, and the pope himſelf with al his creatures and chapplaynes, whiche make a great and ſtrong citie, rulyng ouer al kinges and princes of the Earth. For who knoweth not, that Rome & the prelates of the church, doe rule euen aboue magiſtrates and princes? conſider what is done in the courtes of kinges & princes, and by whoſe aduiſe and counſelles the princes of the Earth are chiefly gouerned. And in callyng papiſtrie a woman, he alludeth to the .5. and .7. chapt. of the Prouerbes of Salomon, who alſo likeneth craftie & diſceiptful philoſophie, & worldly wiſedome to a faire woman full of ſondry craftes and giles.
The apparell of the woman.And now alſo he painteth out gallauntly and euidētly the apparell or clothing and very whoriſh behauiour of this woman. She is furniſſhed with no good qualities inwardely, wherby ſhe maye cōmende her ſelfe to the world & to her louers: therfore ſhe excelleth in outwarde deckyng of herſelfe, where ſhe is inwardely full of all abominations: for all the world like vntounto ye Phariſeis and hipocrites, whom the lord ſaieth are without, li…e ſhinyng tumbes of marble, but within repleniſſhed with all corruption and filthines, and euen ſtinkyng. And hereby is ſignified chiefly that the church of Rome and kingdome of Antichriſt ſetteth forth it ſelf altogether with worldly furniture, to witte with golde, ſiluer, preciouſe ſtones & al coſtely arraye. Theſe thinges are founde in the olde people, beyng vnderunder the diſcipline of the lawe: they are founde alſo emōges the gentiles, which ſuppoſe not god to be rightly honoured, but with the preciouſe things of this world. But we know that the leuitical prieſthood is abrogated with al the outwarde araye & that now ye church decketh her ſelf with vertues, hateth and abhorreth outwarde garniſſhing. Lactantius confuteth at large the externall deckyng in religiō or godly worſhippyng, in his boke of Inſtitut. de vero cultu. &c. Moreouer all olde writers ſhewe, that God is not worſhipped of the chriſtians with golde & ſiluer: but wt faith, charitie & rightuouſnes. What wil ye ſay that Daniel in ye .11. chap. ſheweth that Antichriſt ſhal worſhip God with golde, ſiluer & precious things? which thing he cōdēneth & reiecteth.
And doeth it not appere here plainely,The Pope paincted forthe is ſhewed to the world. that the lord Ieſus himſelf hath ſetforth to vsus the Pope or Antichriſt painted as it were in a table. For he appereth altogether ſuch, & in ſuch like apparell he ſheweth him ſelfe to be ſene of all men, as the whore of Babilō is decked with at this preſent. And he chalengeth to him ſelfe this apparell by a certen right. For the Papiſtes bring forth a falſe fained donation of Conſtantine, emonges other thinges pronouncyng thus, in the Diſtinct. 96.The donatiō of Cō ſtantine fained. We geue and dimiſe to bleſſed Silueſter and to all his ſucceſſours the palace laterane of our Empire: moreouer the Diademe, to witte the royal crowne of our head (whiche the Pope calleth a kingdome, & hath made it triple) and alſo our purple robe and coate of Crimoſine, and all our imperiall araye. &c. I can not here omitte, but muſt nedes wryte out a fewe thinges of Platina, the Popes ſecretarie, de vitis pontif. For deſcribyng the life of Clement the .5. at the Popes coronation, ſayeth he, were preſent Philippe kyng of Fraūce, and Charles his brother, Iohn Duke of Britaine, which ouerwhelmed with the fallyng of a walle, dieth (ſee the diuine and iuſt iudgement of God) with many others, whileſt the pompe of the Coronation, as the maner is, was led through the citie. Kyng Philippe alſo by the ſame ruine was ſore hurte and lamed: the Pope ſtricken of his horſe, loſte a Rubie out of his myter that coſte ſixe thouſande Ducates. This he.
This whore moreouer drynketh to all nations of the cup of Circes, whiche the lorde calleth of Golde.She drinketh to thē carouſe. And it ſignifieth doctrine. For to geue drinke is to teache, Ezechiel .34. Golde betokeneth ſincerenes and purenes of doctrine. Doubtles vnderunder pretence of ſincerenes and veritie diuine, Rome hath eaſely perſwaded all people, to receyue the doctrine of the Romiſh Sea. For the Pope hath both named him ſelf Apoſtolicall, and the church of Rome alſo Apoſtolical. And in the Canones hath lefte wrytten: right ſo are all the lawes of the See Apoſtolicke to be taken, as though they were confirmed by the godly mouth of S. Peter him ſelfe. Diſtinct. 19. Reade the .20.21.22. Diſtinct. Therefore the more ſimple ſorte of the world hauehave ſuppoſed, that they receiue the very worde and lawes of God, what time they receyued the decrees and doctrine of the church of Rome. But our lorde Ieſus Chriſt doeth here declare vntounto vsus, what hath ben, and what is euen at this daye their doctrine, and ſayeth: ful of abominations, and vncleanes of her filthie luſte. And the ſcripture calleth abomination, Idolatrie, Deuter. 7. chapt. Moreouer the falſe worſhippyng of God, ſuperſtition, and ſuche other thinges like. The vncleanes of whoredome in the Prophetes is nothing els, but peruerſe doctrine, and peruerſe religion, not attributing al good things to God alone by his ſonne, but rather diuiding the harte, and appliyng them bothe vntounto creatures, & to wicked worſhippynges. But ſuche is the doctrine and religion of the Romiſh See. Therefore is her great ſinne here recited, that ſhe hath with her euill and venemouſe doctrine ſeduced and infected al nations, and euen nowe alſo reteyneth them in ſuperſtition and Idolatrie. A lyke place is in the .16. chapt. of Ezechiel. And I ſuppoſe that our lorde Ieſus Chriſt vſed here now wordes very filthy, to the intent he might plucke awaye from the Romiſh decrees and Canons their authoritie and viſerne, & that their filthines mighte appere vntounto al men, and be knowen, and eſchewed.
Furthermore leeſte any ſhoulde be ignoraunt, what the ſame woman were,A name written in ye forehead, which may open the miſtery or vnderſtandyng. whiche is here ſetforth to be ſene, and that all might flee that greate witche Circes, he wryteth her owne name in her very forehead, that al men might reade it, and that ſhe might by no meanes be vnknowen. For he calleth a miſterie the vnderſtandyng or ſignification of a ſecret, for by a trope is Rome called Babylon. Wherof I hauehave ſpoken before. And after the true ſignification of the worde Babel ſoundeth confuſiō. And Rome hath brought an exceding greate confuſion into the church. For like as the primatiue church of Rome ſet forth the goſpell in the weſte countrie: ſo the firſt ſimplicitie and purenes ones extinguiſhed, the later Biſſhoppes, regardyng more ambition and couetouſenes, than humilitie, liberalitie, and godlines, hauehave brought into the whole world al maner of Idolatrie and ſuperſtition. Certenly ſhe is called of the Lorde expreſſely the mother of the whoredomes and abominations of the earth. For we maye thanke the church of Rome, for all the corrupte doctrine and vngodlines that is in the church. She is ye original of idolles, Maſſe, and other abominations. Therfore is ſhe moſte worthie, to be punniſſhed with moſte greuouſe tourmentes. And this verely is the moſte worthie title of the Romiſh churche. Others calle her Apoſtolicall, diuine, chiefe, and of all moſte holy: The Lord Chriſte calleth her Babylon, and that great, a moſte common harlot, and euen the mother of the abominations, and whoredomes of the whole worlde, fightyng agaynſt God and his annoyncted. Therefore lette al the holy and obedient children of God the father flee from her. I wil not here make reherſal, how ſhe is alſo the mother of al abominatiōs and whoredomes, euen after the fleſh. For whileſt the church of Rome hath prohibited lawful mariages and of God permitted to eccleſiaſticall perſones, it hath opened the gates to fornications, adulteries, whoredomes, & luſtes abominable. There nede no wordes, the thing it ſelf ſpeaketh.
VntoUnto theſe he annexeth a crime of al other moſt greuouſe:Dronken which the bloud of Sainctes. dronkennes, tiranny, and parricidie. And here alſo he vſeth an amplification. For he ſayeth howe that greate Circes the moſte venemouſe witche and Sorcerer, is not ſprinkled, or imbrewed, or wette, but dronkē with the bloud of ſaincts, I meane of holy martirs, which hauehave borne witnes to Ieſu Chriſt, by preachyng of the goſpell, and aſcribyng al thinges of ſaluation to Chriſte alone. But howe many thouſandes, naye millions of Martirs through the inſtigation & meanes of the Biſhop and churche of Rome, hauehave ben executed with moſte extreme and horrible punniſſhmentes, with in theſe ſixe or fiue hondreth yeres, hiſtories make mention. What hath ben done, and what plentie of mans bloud hath benne ſhed euen within theſe .30. yeres, whiche our memory doeth attayne to, my harte grudgeth to recite. Great is this crime alſo, for the whiche Babilon is plagued of God by iuſte and moſte greuouſe tourmentes. And ful aptely is here mention made of Martirs, that is of the witneſſes of Ieſu. For they that cōfeſſe the Euangelical doctrine of Chriſt, to be the true & abſolute doctrine, that chriſt is the only head of the church, the only prieſt and Biſſhop, mediatour and facrifice: and ſhal not ioyne with all, in the meane time that the doctrine of the churche of Rome is alſo moſte perfit, to be had in like reuerence with the doctrine of the goſpell, that the Pope is head of the church militaunt, and in earth the true vicar of Chriſt, and paſtour generall, and that the Sametes in heauen praye for vsus, and that the maſſe is a trewe and real ſacrifice for the ſinnes of the quicke and the dead: they are condemned for heretikes and Schiſmatikes, with ſworde and fire to be rooted out of the Earth.
And hitherto reacheth the miſterie of the viſion, by horrible ſightes ſet before our eyes, wherein is liuely deſcribed both the olde Romane Empire, and chiefly the Poperie of Rome with their ſinnes and crimes heynouſe and full of enormitie. Hereafter ſhall followe an expoſition of the viſion, to the whiche at the laſte ſhall be annexed the punniſhement to be taken of Antichriſte, and the whole Antichriſtiane Citie. But in caſe ye ſhall applie all theſe thinges whiche are ſpoken of the woman to olde Rome, I will not be agaynſt it. For there was alſo a religion at Rome, whiche conſiſted in golde and preciouſe things. Olde Rome had a cuppe of falſe wiſedome, wherewith ſhe made dronken and infected al nations. She was therefore the mother of abominations and whoredomes, as of whome the prouinces learned ſuperſtitions, &c. Howebeit theſe thinges peculiarly, do concerne the Pope. Notwithſtandyng that olde Rome alſo was dronken with the bloud of Sainctes, &c.
S. Iohn maruayleth at the ſight of the …eaſt.S. Iohn maruaileth excedingly, when he ſaw the womā. For Daniel alſo maruailed till his harte almoſte failed him, when he ſawe that Romiſh beaſt, as appereth in the .7. chapt. of Daniel. All godly in a maner maruayle alſo at this daye, when they ſee ſo great things graūted or permitted of God to the church of Rome agaynſt the pure ſincerenes. For the prelates of the church are fortunate, victoriouſe, puiſſaunt, and in ſauour with al princes: & bryng to paſſe what ſo euer they imagine or liſte. Happy is he that is not in them offended. Reade the .73. Pſalme. Howe good is God to Iſraell, to them that be right in harte,…h…xpoſition of the v…ſion. &c.
The Aungell, as chiefe miniſter, vttereth the miſterie to S. Iohn and the whole Churche: that is to ſaye, openeth the ſecrete and true meanynge of the viſion by partes moſte dilligently. And he ſpeaketh in dede of the whole bodie of the beaſte, notwithſtanding that the beaſte hath certen thinges peculier, and likewiſe the whore: yet the Angel himſelfe, ſayeth: I will ſhewe thee the miſterie of the woman, and of the beaſt that beareth her. Neuertheleſſe this ſame is alſo a darke ſpeaking, where in the beginning of the expoſition he ſaieth: the beaſt which thou ſaweſte, was, and is not. The Romane Empire was yet whyleſt Domitian ruled: but it was no more ſuch, as it had ben before. For from the firſt Monarch Iulius, it was as it were by inheritaūce in the houſe of Caeſars, vntill Nero. For in him the beaſte receaued a deadlie wounde: but it was healed, and dyuerſe Emperours reigned not of any one familie. The Empire therefore had ben in the power of one houſe before, but after Nero it was not ſo. Agayne the Romanes poſſeſſed the Empyre after Nero. From Nerua, which is the .7. after Nero, the Empire was deuolted to Traiane, vnderunder whome it was puiſſaunt and ſtrong. Therfore it was and it was not. Whereof S. Ihon himſelfe will ſpeake a litle after. Moreouer the Stories teſtifie, that the Empyre of Rome was extinguiſſhed, and in his place ſprang vp an other, which is alſo called the Romane Empire: whereof you may ſay moſte truelie it was, and is not. For that oulde Romane Empire, was the moſt ample and nobleſt Empire in the world: but this newe, nowe erected of the Pope, is none ſuch, but rather an Image of the beaſte (as I ſayed in the .13. chapt.) a ſhadowe and a dreame. Therfore we doubt nothing but that in this viſion is exhibited to vsus a type, both of the oulde and newe Empire, but chieflye of Poperie.
And nowe he ſheweth none other originall of the beaſte,The originall of the beaſte. but hellyſhe and deuelyſh. For he ſayeth, howe he ſhall come vp oute of the bottomeleſſe pitte. Whereof is ſpoken before. All Empyres verely, as witneſſeth Daniell in the .2. chapter, be of God. But in caſe the gouernours be corrupted, the begynnyng or original is referred to the Deuil, not of the Empyre in dede, but of the corruption. Here is added moreouer, what ende that vnhappy Empyre is lyke to hauehave at the laſt: and goeth into perdition. For it is cutte vp by the rootes in earth, and addicte in an other worlde to payne euerlaſting.
Who be ye woorſhippers of the beaſte.But lyke as he ſhewed in the thirtene chapt. who ſhoulde wonder at, that is, ſhould honour and worſhippe the beaſte: ſo here he repeteth the ſame, not the choſen children of God, but earthly men, and reprobates, whoſe names are not written in the booke of lyfe. Whereof we hauehave ſpoken before. He annexeth an acclamation: and here (aduerbiallie) is a mynd, that hath wiſedome. The Lorde exciteth all the hearers to the dilligent conſideration of theſe things, leeſte being diſceaued we periſh. They be fooles that maruel at the beaſtes felicitie, victories, pōpes, maieſtie, riches, and pleaſures, and ſubmit thēſelues to him. They be verely wyſe, that vnderſtand the Empyre to be taken awaye, and nowe that vnderunder the ſhaddowe of an Empyre, lurketh Antichriſte the Chylde of perdition, and man of ſinne, to be eſchewed of al the godlie. For theſe are conuerted to Chriſte. In whome they knowe that they hauehave all things of lyfe and ſaluation, and to liue in him. To him be prayſe and glory.