A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 85
¶ The deſcription of Chriſte the Iudge commyng to the laſte iudgement. The .lxxxv. Sermon.
AND I ſawe heauen open and beholde a white horſe, and he that ſat vponupon him, was called faithful & true, and in rightuouſenes dyd he iudge, and make battaile. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crownes: & he had a name written, that no man knewe but him ſelfe. And he was clothed with a veſture dipte in bloud, and his name is called, the worde of God. And the warriers which were in heauen followed him vponupon white horſes, clothed with white and pure ſilke. And out of his mouthe went a ſharpe ſworde, that with it he ſhould ſmite the heythen. And he ſhall rule thē with a rod of yron, and he trode the winefatte of the feareceneſſe, and the wrath of almightie God. And hath on his veſture, & on his thighe a name written: kynge of kinges, and Lorde of Lordes.
Hitherto we hauehave hearde many thinges of the ſondry pū niſhementes of the vngodly:Of the laſt iudgemēt. and becauſe it is manifeſte, that God taketh punniſhment of the miſcheuous and wicked at ſondry times, and diuerſely, but moſt fully and moſt ſeuerely in that ſame laſte iudgement, and from thence forth euermore, and S. Iohn hath ones, twiſe, thryſe begonne to treate of the laſte iudgement, as in the ende of the .11. and .14. chapt. And yet hath euer differred, ſuſpended and reſerued to an other place: at the laſt thinkyng it time, to ſet before al mens eyes a deſcription chiefely neceſſarie, at the length he taketh it in hande, and nowe finiſſheth it vp as a matter of all other greateſte. He annexeth therefore to a plentifull treatiſe of the tourmentes of the vngodly, a moſte full and euident deſcription of the iudge moſte rightuous and greateſt, and of that laſte iudgement, and moſte ſtraite of all others, wherein moſte fully and ſeuerely the paynes ſhal be executed vponupon al Antichriſtians, and vngodly for euermore. This place (which is the fourth of this chapt.) and this treatiſe ſtretcheth vntounto the .21. chapter. The elocution is great, ſmellyng of the propheticall maieſtie, and Apoſtolicall perſpicuitie, and efficacitie. You ſhall finde not a fewe of this ſorte in the prophetes, eſpecially in the .24.25.26. and .27. chapt. of Eſaye.
And verely this doctrine is very profitable and neceſſary to be learned and vnderſtande moſte dilligently of all and ſingular faythfull,A profitable & neceſſarie doctrine of the laſte day of iudgemēt. as the whiche with muche dilligence and moſte plentifull abondaunce was ſet forth to this ende of the Prophetes and Apoſtles, but chiefely of the Lorde Ieſus Chriſte him ſelfe, bothe in the Goſpell, and alſo in this moſte godly reuelation. For vnleſſe thou be kepte in thy duetie for feare of the iudgement, and Iudge to come, it is no maruell though thou runneſte madde and periſſhe with this foliſhe and wicked worlde. In the treatiſe of the laſte iudgement is ſene the ende of al menne, life and death, felicitie and miſerie, payne or tourment, and vnſpeakable and heauēly rewarde. He that remembreth theſe thinges well, abhorreth wickednes, and walketh in holy feare before God.
And we hauehave learned of the doctrine of the Goſpell,That daye is knowen to no man. that the ſame daye of the reſtoryng of all, and oppreſſion of the vngodly, and alſo of all vngodlines, is knowen to no mortall man, but to the father alone: and therefore to inquire of the houre and momente thereof to be moſt foliſhely done much more wickedly. Notwithſtandyng the good Lord hath ſhewed and ſignified tokens, whiche when we ſhall ſee to be fulfilled and accompliſhed, we might lifte vp our heades, knowyng that our redemption draweth nere. Beholde your redemption, ſayeth he, not your tourment. For he ſpeaketh of the godly, lokyng for their redemption frō heauen, at the retourne of our ſauiour and redemer our lord Chriſte: whiche ſhal alſo inflicte to his enemies reuēgement, as S. Paule ſayeth in the .2. Theſſ. the .1. Therfore let vsus not here be curiouſe, which ſearch for things vnſearchable: but rather let vsus watch and praye, after the holeſome precepte of our ſauiour iudge, and reuenger, let vsus hauehave our loynes gyrded, and let lightes burne in our handes, let vsus loke for him ſtedfaſte in faith, and and ſoūde in holy hope. Let vsus rather take hede, that the care of this world poſſeſſe not our hartes, and beware of drōkenneſſe and ſurfettyng, and that we be not of the nombre or cō uerſation of them, whiche in the dayes of Noe and Loth, regarded worldely thinges only, diſpiſed heauenly, & laughed them to ſkorne that gaue them good counſell, till the wrath of God was kindled, and fell vponupon them, when they leeſt loked for it. We ſee al tokens that are ſayde ſhuld come before the daye of our Lord, to be fulfilled. Let vsus watche therefore: and theſe thinges on this wiſe cōſidered, let vsus ſee and heare with great and dilligent attentiuenes, what maner of iudge of al ſhal come, and what that iudgement ſhal be of the godly moſt wiſhed for, to the vngodly horrible and with trēbling to be feared.
Heauen open.Firſt S. Iohn in the viſion ſeeth heauen open. For by a viſion, to the ende all thinges might be more euident, he not only telleth ſo great a matter, but ſetteth it alſo before yt eyes to beholde: and that he ſayeth, he ſayeth of the reuelation of Ieſu Chriſt: leeſt any ſhould obiecte and ſaye, arte not thou a madde fellowe to talke thus of matters vnknowen? For what is he that knoweth, who or what that iudge ſhal be? or els what that iudgement ſhall be? Therefore he telleth theſe thinges from the iudge Chriſte himſelfe, and by an heauenly reuelation. For other places of the Scripture ſhewe, that the Lord ſhal come in glory and Maieſtie: therefore with a great and moſt ſhining brightnes of light, with fire and excedyng great clerenes. For ſo it is ſayde in the .24. & .25. of S. Matth. in the .7. of Daniel. And the .2. Theſſ. 1. chapt. Therefore by the openyng of heauen is ſignifſed, that the whole world ſhal be lightned with glory and brightnes, and that the ſame daye ſhal be moſt ſhining and clere. Others vnderſtande, that the iudgement can not be fully perceyued, but of the celeſtial reuelation. Whiche as I confeſſe to be moſte true, ſo thinke I heare ſome greater matter to be ſignified.
The iudge commeth forth from iudgemēt.Than followeth the deſcription of the iudge, as of a noble and ſtoute warriour, conſiſting of many partes. The godly vnderſtande hereby, that the kepar, watcheman, & reuenger of the church ſlepeth not, whom the wicked belie, not to perceiue, what wrong thei do to the godly, nother to care for the ſuperſtitiouſe Chriſtians, as they terme thē. They ſee moreouer that they erre, if they thinke Chriſt at any time ouer fauourable, and to winke ouer long at the calamities of his ſeruauntes. For now he commeth forth a iudge and reuenger. There be many excellent deſcriptions of Chriſt in this boke, as in any other: but this is moſt elegaunt & liuely, whiche I hauehave accordyng to my ſmalle talent, expounded by partes. Thou ſhalt euer thinke of greater thinges, til it ſhal be geuen to beholde them preſently with our eyes.
Our iudge cōmeth on horſebacke, & that on a white horſe:He rideth on a white horſe. not that he nedeth the helpe of corruptible horſes in heauen, but thus he ſpeaketh after the maner of men, that we might imagine greater thinges. Cōquerours ride on white horſes. Here is ſignified therfore, that our iudge ſhal be a cōquerour & a triumpher. Others ſuppoſe by the white horſe to be ſignified his moſt pure humanitie. I vnderſtand rather the white clowde. For the ſame toke him vp from the eyes of his diſciples, what time he aſcended into heauē of mounte Oliuet. In the ſame he ſhall come agayne to iudge. And like as Kinges are caried on horſes and charettes: ſo the Pſalmiſte aſcribeth to God clowdes as horſes and charette.
2. Our iudge is foreign faitful & true. Faithful,Faithful … true. to his faithful. True in al his promeſſes towardes the godly & vngodly. They are diſceaued, & ſhall ſee themſelues to be diſceaued at the iudgement, ſo many as hauehave contemned the promeſſes & threatening…s of God as vaine, & eſteming thinges after the ſucceſſe of this world, iudge the wicked to be happy and fortunate, and the godly to be wretched and miſerable. Hereof hath the Prophete Malachie reaſoned in the .3. and .4. chapt. And ſeyng the iudge is faythful & true, he iudgeth and fighteth in rightuouſnes, to witte, geuyng eueryevery man his owne, rewardes to the good, and punni…hmentes to the euill. This kyng doeth not iudge and fight, as the kinges of this world are wont, followyng vanitie, and corrupte affections. And Chriſt is ſaide to fight, when he rewardeth the vngodly after their demerites, thapoſtle: we muſt al, ſayeth he, be manifeſt before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſte, that eueryevery man maye receiue ſuch thinges as he hath done by his body, according to that he hath wrought be it good or euill .2. Corinth. 5.
His eyes like a flame of fire.3. The eyes of the Iudge are like a flame of fire. For as no man can eſcape, or hide him from the iudge or iudgement: as he ſearcheth the ſecretes of all, nother can there be any thing hidde from his ſight: ſo are his eyes terrible and fearefull againſt the vngodly.Pſal. 16. Rom. 2. The godly agayne are by the ſight of the lord fulfilled with all pleaſure, ioye and gladnes. Flamyng and firie eyes are attributed alſo to Chriſt in the firſt viſion: where you maye ſee more. And the Scripture eueryevery where teſtifieth, that the iudge knoweth al thinges, euē the ſecrettes of hartes. Thou doeſt foliſhly therfore, whiche thinkeſt thou haſt wonne the felde, and to hauehave ſinned vnpunniſſhed, whē thou haſte eſcaped the knowledge and iudgement of man. There remaineth an other iudgemēt, wherin al the doynges of the wicked ſhal to their vtter ſhame and cōfuſion be reuealed before all the world. The ſinnes of the godly are couered, by him through whoſe benefite thei be iuſtified,Rom. 4. and abſolued from payne and crime alſo.
4. Our Iudge hath very many crownes vponupon his head: for he alone gouerneth al realmes & nations. As alſo Daniel hath ſignified in the .7. chapt. He alone might trewely be called Affricanus, Europeus, and Aſiaticus, Parthicus, Perſicus, Germanicus, Gotthicus, and others. Whiche our kinges hauehave ful fondely chalenged to themſelues, affectatyng ſo the Monarchie, where Chriſte alone is the true Monarke for euer. This iudge & mightie Prince ſhal ſtrike of the triple crowne from the head of the Biſſhop of Rome. More, there ſhall be none ſo mightie a king in the whole worlde, that ſhal be able to reſiſte him, and make warre agaynſt him.
A name vnknowē.5. Our iudge hath a name writtē, which no man knoweth ſaue he himſelfe. This ſhal be more playnely opened anone. Chriſte hath a name vnſpeakeable, for he is the true God, eternal, incomprehenſible and Almightie. This name knoweth no man but him ſelfe. For firſte the Maieſtie of God is greater, than that it maye be comprehended of any creature: agayne the name of God is agreable to no man, but to him alone: for the name of God, in this ſignification, maye not be cōmunicated. For he is very god, & beſides him none: which thing Eſaye repeteth ofte. He is the Sauiour, Kynge, Monarch, and Iudge: which thinges al belong properly to him alone, and are not common to others. Moreouer the Lorde himſelfe ſaieth in the goſpel: no man hath knowen the ſonne but the father: nother hath any man knowen the father, ſaue the ſonne, and to whome the ſon hath pleaſed to reueale. Beſydes this, we ſe here vnperfitly: and the glory of the diuine maieſtie is ſo great, as euen nowe I ſayed, that mannes capacitie is vnable to conceyue ſuch a glory. No man therefore ſaue God alone knoweth his name.
6. The veſture of our Iudge was ſprinckled with bloude.A blouddie garment. Whereby is ſignified victory, and ſlaughter of his enemies: which ſhall anone be added aboute the ende of the chap. And he toke this note of our iudge out of the .63. chap. of Eſay. He alludeth to cōquerours returning from battayle, whoſe garments, & armours, are imbrewed with the blud of the ſlaine. And betokeneth the iuſte ſeueritie of the Iudge, and greate ſlaughter of the enemies.
7. The name of the iudge is nowe expreſſed:The name of ye iudge, the worde of God. which is vtterly vnknowen to the vngodly. And the Iudge is called the worde of God. For the ſon is the word and ſpeach of God, the expreſſe marke of the diuine ſubſtaūce: in whome the father himſelfe is expreſſed: and of whome as of the worde the true meſſager of the hart, we vnderſtand the wyll and mynd of the father. Theſe holy wordes of the goſpell are knowen: In the begynnyng was the worde,1. Ihon. Hebre. and the worde was with God, &c. Therefore Chriſte the worde was made fleſhe, the Lorde God and Iudge of all.
8. To ye Iudge is added an Army, not of Angels only,The Army of ye Iudge is whyte. with whom he ofte repeted in the goſpell that he wold come vntounto iudgement: but of al the faithful, or ſaincts, which at no time, no not here ar ſequeſtred from their head. For firſt at ye ſoūde of the trumpe blowē vp the Archangell the Sainctes arryſe, and the liuing alſo with the dead are chaūged, and are taken vp to mete Chriſt in the Ayre. Here, here in the clowdes and bryghte Ayre, appeare with Chriſte the happye and bleſſed victours. By and by the vngodly ryſe alſo, and thoſe that lyued at that day, are chaunged with them that ryſe agayne, to payne and confuſiō. But they ſe the Saincts with Chriſte in heauen, and in glory, and fele incontinently vnſpeakeable tourmentes. They come to paſſe doubtleſſe, and are fulfilled which thinges are deſcribed it the .3. & .5. chapt. of Wyſedome. Saincte Ihon therfore ſayeth, that this Armie is in Heauen, not in Earth. He ſayeth howe they followe Chriſte. For the ſame ſayed the Apoſtle alſo, in the firſte to the Theſſalonians, the .4. Moreouer he addeth that they wer clothed, and appeared not naked: and expreſſeth the kynde of garment. They were clothed (ſayeth he) in ſilke, whyte and cleane. For ſainctes in Chriſte obtayne righteouſeneſſe and glory, are made cleane and are glorified.Sanctifieng & glorifieng. And this ſenſe hath Sainct Ihon himſelfe a little before opened to vsus, ſayeng: ſilke is the iuſtifications of Sainctes.
9. Oute of the Iudges mouth procedeth a two edged and ſharpe ſworde foreign,A ſworde oute of the iudges mouth. which cutteth on eyther ſyde. It is not ſharpe on one ſyde, and blunte on an other, it cutteth on both ſydes indifferently. Whereby is ſignified a iuſt ſentēce pronounced of Gods mouth againſte the wicked. For againſte them the ſentence of God is a ſworde, pearſing euen to their heartes. Wherefore it is alſo called ſharpt. The iudgemente of our iudge is ſtreighte and ſeuere, but yet iuſte and righteouſe. What that ſworde is, in the goſpell is declared: verely that heauy and immutable ſentence, get you hence in to fyre euerlaſting. Math. 25. Whereupon it foloweth in the words of the Euangeliſt: that with the ſame he may ſtryke the heathen, to witte that he may damne, and put to perpetuall tourmentes all vnbeleuers.
¶ He ſhall rule them with an Iron rod.10. And he ſhall rule them with a rod of Iron. By the ſame kynde of ſpeach in a maner he ſayeth the ſame, that he ſayde before. For they that woulde not receyue or acknoweledge with repentaūce the ſtaffe of inſtruction and diſcipline poſtorall, ſhal fynde in iudgement and fele the Iron ſceptre, wherwith he ſhall breake them all to ſhyuers, lyke potters veſſell. Nother ſhall any power reſiſt or preuayle againſte him. And this maner of ſpeaking is taken out of the Pſalme .110. For Saincte Ihon vſeth gladly the wordes of Scripture to the ende to make his booke more cōmendable, or more pleaſaūt and acceptable.
11. He treadeth the wynefatte of the wyne of wrath. &c. Agayne he ſayeth the ſame, that he ded before:He nedeth ye winefa…. but by an other parable nowe vttered, & the ſame taken out of the ſcriptures, to witte out of the .63. chapter of Eſaye. The effecte or ſome is, he wyll powre out his wrath vponupon the vngodly, and punnyſhe them moſte extremely, with his almightie hande, whereunto all things geue place, geuing their heads a blow. See what is ſayed here of in the .14. chapter of this boke.
12. Againe is ſhewed the name of this iudge,¶ King of kings, and Lorde of Lordes. & in the name is maieſtie & power of all others greateſt. He hath the name written on his garment, and on his thigh. By theſe is declared the true humanitie of Chriſte, after the which he is exalted, as the Apoſtle ſaieth in the ſecond to the Philippians. And to him is geuen a name which is aboue al names. Here he is called King of Kinges, and Lorde of Lords, very God, Lord, monarke, and iudge of all men. For ſo do the other Apoſtles ſpeake alſo in the .2. & .17. of the Actes. And there might ſeme in this name of the Iudge, as it were a cawſe to be ſhewed, wherefore he is here appoincted Iudge ouer all. Becauſe he is Kyng and Lord of all. To whome be glory for euer. Amen.