A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 89
¶ What ſhall be done when the thouſande yeres are expired, of the worlde deceaued, of warre and greuous perſecution of the godly, and of the euerlaſting payne of the wicked. The .lxxxix. Sermon.
AND when the thouſande yeares are expired, Sathā ſhal be lowſed out of his pryſon, and ſhall go out to deceaue the people, whiche are in the foure quarters of ye Earth, Gog and Magog to gather them together to battaile, whoſe nombre is as the ſande of the Sea. And they wente vponupon the playne of the earth, and cōpaſſed the tentes of the ſainctes aboute, and the beloued citie. And fire came downe from God out of heauē, and deuoured them. And the Deuil that deceaued thē was caſte into a lake of fire and brimſtone, where the beaſt and the falſe prophet were and ſhal be tormented daye and night for euermore.
He declareth herby,What ſhal be done after ye thouſāde yeres. what ſhal happē after thoſe thouſande yeres. And he ſayeth chiefely two thinges, that the deuill ſhal be lowſed out of his priſon, yt he maye deceaue the people in the worlde, and may aſſemble Gog and Magog vntounto battaile. To the which agayne he annexeth other two, a moſte cruell perſecution of the church, and payne of the wicked, and euerlaſting damnation of the deuil and his membres.
And the ſeducyng of the world muſt againe be expounded by ye figure Sinecdoche. Howe the worlde is deceaued agayne.For the ſenſe of the ſcripture will not permit vsus to vnderſtāde, that there ſhuld be no godly lefte at that time. For we beleue all that there is a church, & that an holy church, & ſhal be alwayes in the worlde vntil the iudgement. And we hauehave hearde morouer in this boke, how many thouſandes are ſealed yt they ſhould not periſh. And alſo that the dragon muſt be lowſed for a little ſeaſon. Like as therfore we reade in the goſpel, that Sathan is caſt out, and his kingdome taken frō him: where neuertheleſſe S. Peter warneth & ſayeth, that the deuil goeth about like a roring Lion, & ſeketh whom he maye deuoure: verely for that the greateſt force of Sathan is for the faythful infringed, by Chriſt that mightie champion and noble conquerour, the Deuill not withſtandyng goyng about and aſpiryng agayne to the Empire, and to be reſtored to his former place: ſo at this preſent we vnderſtande, that Sathan lowſed after thoſe thouſande yeres, raungeth now abroade more frely, exerciſeth greater authoritie, ſeduceth more people in the worlde, and ruleth further, thā he hath raygned theſe thouſande yeres: yet ſo that there ſhal be neuertheleſſe in the world a fellowſhippe of Sainctes diſperſed and vexed miſerablely. For immediately S. Iohn ſayeth, that the beloued citie of God is beſieged of the enemies. Therefore ſhal the church be in the middes of the enemies. Wherefore al that ſame place muſte be expounded not of the veritie & religion wholy extinguiſſhed, but of the more large & ample power and ſeduction of ſathan the old ſerpent.
The deuil cōmeth out of pryſon.Wherefore he ſayeth, that when the thouſande yeres ſhal be expired, the Deuill ſhall be lowſed out of that his priſon, whereinto through the power & might of Chriſt, or preachyng of the Apoſtles he had ben ſhutte. For the chayne ones broken, to witte the ſincere doctrine and preachyng of the goſpel corrupted and depraued, he came out: and to this ende he came out, that he might deceaue the gētiles, that is to ſaye al people and nations, which are dwelling in the foure quarters or partes of the Earth, I meane in the whole vniuerſall worlde: and to the ende he mighte allure Gog and Magog, namely fierſe men, barbarouſe, worldly, mocking and contemnyng the true religion, addicte to robberies, and geuen to euill thinges, and regardyng only corruption and naughtines, that he might drawe, I ſaye, ſuche men to vnrightuouſenes, and kepe them ſtill in errours. For ſuch doeth Ezechiell ſignifie Gog and Magog to be. But thoſe whiche through the diuine grace be not ſuch, ſhal not be deceaued of Sathan: but groūded on Chriſt, ſhal perſeuer in the doctrine of prophetes and Apoſtles, and ſhall rightly worſhip Chriſt, ſhall abhorre Antichriſt, and al naughtines in the world.
But that a deueliſſhe deceauyng hath paſſed through the world farre and nere, ſins the thouſande yeres expired,What deceauynge ſhal be in ye worlde after ye thouſāde yeres. experience teacheth, and Hiſtories witneſſes of times teſtifie. For it is playne, that duryng thoſe thouſande yeres, there were famouſe churches of Chriſte in the Eaſte, whiche not withſtandyng to hauehave ben diſtroyed within theſe fiue hondreth yeares we lament. Therefore the wicked and abominable ſecte of Mahomet began ſixe hondreth yeres after the birth of Chriſte, and from that time forth was auaunced by the Saracenes, but preuailed at the laſt after thoſe thouſande fatall yeres. For howe great is the power of Turkes nowe in Affricke, Aſia, and Europe, no man is ignoraunt. And Papiſtrie had his beginnyng and procedyng ouer ſoone: but after a thouſande yeres it was of full force. For Biſſhoppes of Rome through the abuſe of excōmunicatyng hauehave oppreſſed euē moſt mightie Emperours & Kinges. For who knoweth not with what ſhameles boldenes the popes hauehave withſtād both Kinges and Keyſars, Henries, Fridderickes, Lewyſſes, and many other Princes, whom their lewdenes hath vexed, vanquiſhed, and ouercome? After muche and greuouſe contention the Popes extorted to themſelues the conſecratyng of Biſhoppes. Thei vſurped moreouer the church goodes alſo, by the which (ſuch a force hath lady monie) they might do in the world what they liſte. For by this meanes Papiſtrie receiued ſtrongeſt ſinewes. Moreouer after thoſe thouſande yeres was reyſed vp & eſtabliſhed that God Mayzim, The God Mayzim.of whō alſo Daniel maketh mention, whiche brought alſo a greate ſtrength vntounto Poperie. I meane tranſubſtantiation, and the horrible polluting of the lordes ſupper, and manifolde abuſe of the holy miſteries. And of the force hereof increaſed an infinite nombre of prieſtes and filthie Freres. For after thoſe thouſande yeres at the length came vp the ſecte or order of Iacobines, Celeſtines, Gilbertines, of Graye freres, blacke freres, white freres, and many other freres, and monſtrouſe Mounkes, whiche hauehave craftely cropen in the fauour of all princes, to thintent they might know al their ſecretes by auricular confeſſion. Than began all thinges more impudently to be ſet forth & ſolde in the church, than euer before. Superſtitions and vnprofitable & hurtful ceremonies ouerflowed. For we hauehave ſene thirtie yeres ſins and more, how much increaſed dayly idolles and Idolatrie, worſhippynge of creatures, and abuſes innumerable about the ſame, pilgrimages to dumme Idolles, and an infinite nombre of the ſame ſorte. I recite not that holy matrimony waxed now vile after thoſe thouſande yeres, in ſo much that miniſters of churches were prohibited to marye. Than waxed whoredome rife, rape, and aduoutrie, and yet more filthie thinges thā al theſe, &c. I pas ouer here very many thinges: this only I reherſe, yf ye compare the rites, ceremonies and ſuperſtitions of Papiſtrie with the heythen gentilitie (as I hauehave partely ſhewed here and there in my workes) ye will ſaye that Papiſtrie paſſeth farre all gentilitie. For in caſe, the falſe opinion and perſwation ones taken awaye, ye doe waye what Papiſtrie is in it ſelfe: you will graunte, that there was neuer ſuche a corrupte thing in the worlde. Full rightly therefore ſayeth S. Iohn, that Sathan is broken lowſe out of pryſon.We ſay in Engliſſhe hell is broken loſe. By the whiche prouerbe he ſignifie matters extremely corrupted, nothing to be done in his place or decent order, but althing confuſed, all tourned vp ſide downe, at the will and luſte of the euill ſprete.
Gog and Magog at gathered to battaile.Herunto is added an other thing, that the thouſande yeres expired Sathan ſhuld gather Gog and Magog to battaile. By the which wordes doubtles S. Iohn hath alluded the prophecie of Ezechiel, which we reade in the .38. & .39. chapt. Ezechiel ſemeth to hauehave prophecied of the warres of Macedonie and of Antiochus, ſpeakyng hereof by a propheticall phraſe, and an hiperbolicall amplification. The Prophet ſayeth that Gog is the lande of Magog. And euident it is that Magog was Iaphetes ſonne, whiche dwelt at Mounte Cancanſus, and extended his Empire to Aethiopia and Aegipte. And afterwarde out of Aſia, and that out of the Eaſte partes, Antiochus Epiphanes made warre on the people of God. The ſame was a figure of Antichriſt: as all expoſitours doe confeſſe. Wherefore it appereth that S. Iohn bringeth forth theſe his things by waye of compariſon. As though he ſhoulde ſaye like as in tymes paſie the people of Gog and Magog dyd ſore moleſte and afflicte the people of God: ſo in the times of Antichriſte, moſte greuouſe warrss ſhall arriſe, wherewith the church of God ſhalbe ſhaken and layde waſt. And ſayeth verely that the hoſte of theſe diſtroyeis ſhalbe innumerable. He addeth after the maner of the Scripture aparable for perſpecuitie: as the ſand of the Sea. And alſo by an other phraſe of ſpeakyng he ſignifieth, that the enemies of Gods people ſhal be bolde, and ready to ouer runne the whole world, and and turmoyle all thinges with warres. For he ſayeth: And they wente vponupon the playne of the lande. As much to ſay, as they beyng ſwifte & bold, ſhal rūne ouer al the world. EueryEvery where, & through out the wyde world ſhalbe cruel warres.
For moſt purpoſely he addeth:Theicōpat fed aboute the tents of Sainctes & beloued of God. and thei compaſſed about the tentes of Saincts, and beloued Citie. And meaneth that the church of God ſhall be moſte greuouſlye plagued with thoſe Gogicall and barbarouſe warres. For in times paſte Hieruſalem was called the choſen and beloued Citie: but after ſhe reiected the worde of the Lorde, ſhe was no more beloued of God, but rather reiected and hated. Therfore Saincte Ihon ſpeaketh of the Catholique church, which Sainct Paule alſo in an other place oute of Eſaye nameth, Hieruſalem that is aboue. The ſame is alſo called the tentes of Sainctes. For the faythfull are in the church as it were in tentes, fyghting againſte Sathan, the worlde, ſinne, and fleſh. And where he ſayeth, they compaſſe aboute the tentes of Sainctes: he ſayeth ſome what more, than yf he had written, they aſſayled or beſeiged, or aſſaulted the tentes of Sainctes. For they compaſſe them aboute, which geue the aſſaulte rounde aboute, and vexe them moſte greuouſlie, as though they were already taken, that no hope can appeare to any man, no refuge or waye to eſcape.
Vndoubtedlie if we conferre theſe things with Hiſtories,¶ The church plagu…d moſte greuouſlye by ye holye warres. we ſhall fynde that the church hath ben many times aſſayled with cruell warres: but neuer yet with crueller, than after thoſe thouſande fatall yeares. I meane the holy warre as they terme it. Whereof hauehave written at large William Archbyſhop of Tyrus, the Abbot of Vrſpurge in Chronic. Item Benedecte Coltes, and Paulus Aemilius in the fourth boke de reb. geſtis Francorum. Fynallye Volaterane in the eleuenth booke of Geographie in Coeleſyria and Paleſtine.
Hiſtoriographers report many things of the battel af Troy. Others ſuppoſe that thoſe of Aſſyria and Babilon wer greatter. Many extol the warres of the Perſians and Macedomans, as in very dede thei wer horrible. The Romanes hauehave alſo their warres Punicall, Methridaticall, Ciuile, Cimbricall, and Germanicall: but I ſuppoſe verely that the warre, which they call Holy, was more cruell than all theſe, more bluddy and ſore, and of longer continuāce. In this hauehave ioyned together in maigne battaylles, with multitudes of men innumerable, in a maner all nations and people of the whole world inhabited. Wonderful & monſtrouſe ſlaughters hauehave ben made. There hauehave died more hondreth thouſāds of men than can be credited. It hath continued moreouer many yeares, yea mo than the fourmer, or any warres that euer were in the worlde. Furthermore it was done with moſte hoſtile myndes. And the whiche maketh moſte for this purpoſe, in this war were exaſperated the Oriētal Saracenes, Turkes Aegiptians, Babiloniās, and other barbarous nations, that they brent with an vnquenchable hatred againſte the chriſtian religion, and wente aboute to plucke it vp by the rootes, and a great parte thereof hauehave plucte vp, and ceaſe not to do yet at this day. That ſame warre therfore moſte greuouſe of all others, was cauſe of the perſecution of the faythfull in the Eaſte and Weſte. And to the intente I may note ſomewhat hereof, and may rehearſe, for thoſe that be ignoraunte in ſtories, it is playne, that vnderunder that Chylde of pardition Pope Gregory the .7. there were many & moſt famouſe churches in the Eaſte, and that Patriarchall churches yet ſafe: but whileſte this Pope aboue all others, dealte wickedly againſte Chriſt the ſon of God, and his holy church, lyke as we read in the time of Salomon, that after he had reuolted, many enemies arroſe againſt him, and that moſte cruell: ſo in the wicked and tyrannicall raigne of Gregory the ſeuenth,In ye tyme of pope gregory the .7 euyls begā to ouerflo. Solymanne the Turke inuaded Antioch, at the whyche time the Emperours of Grece are ſayed to hauehave ben diſpatched of the Eaſt countrie. And the Turkes marching forewarde, are ſayde to hauehave inuaded and vexed firſt, the ſtraits or ports of the Caſpiane hilles, and the countrie of Armenia, aboute the yeare of our Lorde .764. Whereof there is nowe no time to ſpeake. After Solyman ſuccedeth Belchiaroke the Turkyſhe Prince, whome others call Belzet, which alſo inuaded Grece it ſelfe, the Emperours of Conſtantinople diſpiſed. Alexius, which then was Emperour is ſayd to hauehave demaunded aide of the weſterne men againſt the Turks. And alſo one Peter an Heremite (whō certē Hiſtoriographers blame moſt greuouſlie, not without cauſe) comming oute of the Eaſte, and running through oute the Weſte, crieth Alarme. Vrbane the ſeconde, whome ſome call Turbane, and diſciple of Gregory the .7, calleth a great counſell at Cleremounte in Fraunce,The counſell of Cleremounte. wherin he propoundeth a queſtion of the recouering of the holy lande, and deliuering the Lordes ſepulture oute of the hands of the Infidelles. That counſell putteth me in remēbraunce of that which is deſcribed in the .8. booke of Kinges the .22. chapter, vnderunder Achab and Ioſaphat, for the recouering of Ramoth Galaad, oute of the hands of the Syrians. For ther was in this alſo a deceauing ſpirit, there were Achabbes, there were Ioſaphats, and many other thinges lyke. And to the intente not to make many wordes, a iourney is decreed againſt the barbarous infideles of the Eaſt. This was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1095. In the meane time Peter the Heremite beſtirred him a paſe, and gathered certen thouſandes, which he leadeth through Hongarie in to Aſia. And immediately after, followe the vnlucky captaines Folkemar, and Gottſchalke prieſtes, which by the way diſtroying all with fyre and ſworde are ſlaine.The fyrſte voiage into the holy lande. At the laſt Godfrey and Baldwyne moſt noble Princes, with certen excellent Captaynes and Noble warriours, with an innumerable multitude of men trāſported into Aſia: which they ſay was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1096. And within .4. yeares ſpace at the moſte, or thre, they had taken by aſſault or ſurrēdrie, the Cities of Nice, Heraclea, Tarſus, Antioch, and Hieruſalem. The Abbot of Vrſpurge reporteth that there was ſo much bloude ſhed in the Citie of Hieruſalem, that in the very temple it ſelfe, the horſes ſtode vp to the knees in the blud of the ſlayne there. The ſame man telleth of a notable battayle foughten at Aſkalon,A notable battayle. in the which aboute fiftene thouſand footemen, and fyue thouſand horſemen of Chriſtians, ouerthrewe and diſcomfited Solimanne of Babilon, furniſſhed with an hondreth thouſande horſemen, and four hondreth thouſand footemen, and that there were ſlayne in that battaile, aboue an hondreth thouſād men. And this iourney of Godfrey was the firſt emonges the woorthy voiages of Syria or Aſia.
2. After this voiage folowed others mo, and that beſte furniſhed. For whileſt the victorie and good lucke of them that went firſte into the Eaſt was highlie extolled and commended through out the Weſt, William Prince and Duke of Poictiers beinge put in greate hope, leadeth alſo about an hondreth thouſand footemen in to the Eaſte countrie. The yeare of our Lord was accompted .1101. But of ſo great a nombre ſcarcely one thouſande are written to hauehave retourned home in ſafetie.
3. After in the yeare of our Lorde .1147. through the exhortation of Barnarde Clareualle, Lewis Kynge of Fraunce, and Conrade Kyng of Germanie, and Fredericke Prince of Swaland, toke their iourney in to the Eaſte, which led with them an Armie almoſte innumerable: but the ſame died in a maner all, ſcarcely the Princes lefte on lyue.
4. In the yeare of our Lorde .1189. what time the Citie of Hieruſalem was taken by the Soldane King of Perſia, where the Chriſtians had kept it onelyonly about .89. yeares. The Emperour Fredericke ſurnamed Barbarouſſe, Philippe Kynge of Fraūce, Richard Kyng of England, and other Princes moſt puiſſaunte, leuied an exceding greate Armie of Chriſten people, to recouer the Citie and Holy lande: and very luckelye tranſported their Armie in to Aſia, but after had moſte euyll lucke. For the Emperour Fredericke was drowned: and the whole Armie, as Vrſpurgenſ. teſtifieth, died of the plague.
5. The fifte (and that famouſe indede) voiage in Syria made the moſte mightie Kinges Philippe of Fraunce, and Richard of Englande ſurnamed Coeur de Lion. The ſame was done in the yeare of our Lord .1191. Howbeit they retourned withoute any woorthy exploicte done, wauntinge not a fewe of their menne.
6. And Palmerius a Cronographer: Henry ſayeth he, the ſonne of the Emperour Barbarouſſe, ſent an Armie in to Syria: which retourneth agayne the nexte yeare. The Chriſtians therefore being deſtitute of ayde in Syria, loſte vtterly all the dominion, that they had lefte. He ſeaketh theſe things in the yere of our Lorde .1198.
7 Agayne in the yere of our lord .1213. Pope Innocent the .3. of that name ſendeth his letters publicke to al the faythful of Chriſt, wherein he exhorteth them to take armour agaynſte the infidelles, whiche poſſeſſed the holy lande.Innocente ye .3. as did Vrbane ye 2. ringeth a larme. Yf any manne hauehave leaſure, and liſte to reade the letters, he ſhall finde them in the Chronic. of Vrſpurg. And not longe after in the yeare of our Lorde .1215. he holdeth a generall coūſel in Laterane, wherein warre is decreed agaynſt the Eaſterlinges. And alſo Honorius the .3. aboute the yere of our Lord .1217. treateth and confirmeth the ſame thinge. Whereupon many chriſten Princes, mette at Accon, whiche ſome time was called Ptolemais, and made mortall warre vponupon the Eaſterlynges. Wherein they toke the noble citie Damiata. Yet nother the ende nor fruicte aunſwered ſo great enterpriſes, and coſtes, perilles and loſſes.
8 Therefore Fridericke the .2. and Emperour moſte excellent, hopyng to doe ſome good, marcheth alſo with an enge and well furniſſhed armie into the Eaſte: whiche they ſaye was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1234. In the meane ſeaſon whileſt he doeth valeauntly in the Eaſte, the Biſſhoppe of Rome Gregory the .9. of that name, takyng an occaſion (I vſe the wordes of Vrſpurgenſ.) of the abſence of the Emperour ſente a greate armie into Apulia, The pope ſetteth vponupon themperour in the weſt, whileſt he warreth in the Eaſte.and toke awaye the landes of the Emperour. Whiche was abſent in the ſeruice of Chriſte, (whiche is moſte wicked to be ſpoken) and kepte them thus ſubdued to his owne vſe, and by no meanes wold ſuffer thoſe whiche had taken the holy croſſe (that is to ſaye, whiche ſhould go a warfare to the Emperour) to take ſhippyng or paſſage, but letted them to his power aſwel in Apulia as in Lumbardie. And more ſuch ſtuffe, whiche they maye reade that hauehave leaſure, in the ſame. Wherefore themperour conſtreyned, his matters there lefte vnperfit, to falle to a cō poſition with the enemie, retourned, that he might recouer ſuch thinges as the Pope had taken from him.
9 And no longe time after, to witte in the yere of our Lord 1248. Lewis Kinge of Fraunce with his bretherne Roberte and Charles, and a moſte puiſſaunt army, ſayleth into Syria: where Robarte is ſlaine, and Charles taken of the Soldane, is hardely deliuered at the laſte, and with a fewe eſcapeth.
The ſame king Lewis of Fraunce, in the yere of our Lord 1270. imbarketh himſelf with his three ſonnes at Marſelles, to ſayle into Affricke. The plague light vpō his Armie in the enemies lande, wherwith both the father and the ſonne died, and the whole Armie receyued an excedyng great calamitie.
And agayne, although they had but euill fauoured lucke in the warres againſt the Barbarians, yet was it neuertheleſſe treated agayne in the counſell of Lions vnderunder Gregory the .10. about the yere of our Lord .1273. of recouering the holy land, But Palmerius in the yere of our Lorde .1291. Where many thouſandes of the Chriſtians, ſayeth he, were ſlaine in Syria by the Saracenes, al the reſte for feare fled out of the countrie. And the Chronicle of kinges of Fraūce. Aemilius, ſayeth he, made here an ende of the holy warre (to witte in the yere of our Lord .1291.) Ptolemais in the Eaſte beyng deſtroyed by the Soldane. It is manifeſte therefore that this Barbarous and gogical warre hath laſted aboute .195. yeares. So longe time as I knowe no other warre in the world that euer was made with ſuch obſtinate mindes, with ſo great armies, and ſo muche ſhedyng of mans bloud. We ſee in the meane time the tentes of ſainctes, and the citie of God beloued, to witte the faithful church through out the world in the Eaſte eſpecially, and in the weſt alſo, to be moſt greuouſely afflicted, and more than oppreſſed and deſtroyed, a fewe ſmal remnauntes only remaynyng: that not with out cauſe we maye perceiue that the lord ſayed in the goſpell: but when the ſonne of man ſhal come, ſhal he finde any fayth in the Earth?
Here is a place of Daniell treated by the waye 11. chapt.The moſte holy and wiſe Prophet of God Daniel ſemeth to hauehave foreſene and prophecied al thoſe thinges, as he did al the reſte concernyng Antichriſt, which after he had ſpoken at large of the power of Antichriſt, & worſhippyng of the God Mayzim againſt the Apoſtles inſtitution, he adioyneth in the 11. chapt. And in the time of the ende, to witte the ende of the world and laſte iudgement approachyng, ſhal ſette vponupon him, namely vponupon Antichriſt, the king of the South, and the king of the North ſhal fall vpō him like a whirlewinde, with charettes and horſemen, with a ſtrong and greate Nauie, and ſhall inuade his realmes, he ſhall ouerflowe with armies, to witte innumerable, and he ſhal paſſe through, that is to ſaye, he ſhal ouercome all like a conquerour doyng what he liſte. For we hauehave perceyued, that the armies ſent into the Eaſte by the counſelles, and motion of the Biſſhop of Rome hauehave moleſted by Sea and lande the turkes and alſo the Soldane of Babilon & Aegipte. What will ye ſaye that Daniel poincting as it were with his fingar the war called holy, addeth? He ſhal come alſo into the choſen lande, and inuade the lande of deſire: namely Iewrie, whiche ſome time was called the choſen, delectable, and pleaſaunt lande. And many ſhal falle, in the warre verely, that ſhal be made for the recoueryng of the holy lande. It followeth in Daniel, theſe ſhal be deliuered out of his hande, Aedom and Moab, & the Princes of the children of Ammon. For thoſe nations are not red to hauehave ben ſo deſtroyed as the reſte were, by the Saracenes, and after by the Turkes, for that they framed themſelues to them in time. Daniel annexeth, and he ſhal laye his handes vponupon realmes, nother ſhal the lāde of Aegipte eſcape. For it is euident, that the ſame alſo was poſſeſſed of the Soldanes princes of Babilon, and of themperours of Turkes. It followeth, and he ſhal hauehave the rule of the treaſures of golde and ſiluer and all the preciouſe thinges of the Aegiptians. By the whiche the prophet hath ſignified the ineſtimable treaſures and richeſſe, and excellent maieſtie of the Soldanes, and Turkiſh Emperours. All the whiche thinges, euen ſo as the Prophet hath ſayde, experience proueth to hauehave ben, and as yet to be fulfilled. The Prophet addeth, finally the Libians and Aethiopians ſhal be in his iourneyes. Which tholde trāſlatour hath tourned. He ſhal paſſe alſo through Lybia and Aethiopia: or as others hauehave trāſlated it, they ſhal be in his waye. And he meaneth that thoſe regions ſhall be open to thoſe Barbarous Soldanes and emperours of Turkes, by leage, vicinitie, and amitie. S. Hierome expounding this place: when Aegipte, ſayeth he, was taken, thoſe landes were alſo affrayde. Wherfore he ſayeth not, that he toke them: but paſſed through Lybia & Aethiopia. Whether ſenſe of theſe ſo euer thou chouſeſt, t…ou ſhalt not erre, as I thinke, frō the trewth. And Daniel addeth the brute from the Eaſte and frō the North ſhal trouble hi…, in ſo much that he ſhall goe forth in a great furie to diſtroye and kill many. The whiche S. Hierome ſheweth muſte be vnderſtāde of Antichriſt. The Pope of Rome affirmeth that the ſeates Patriarchall are ſubiecte to him, as Hieruſalem, Antioche and Alexandria, and the holy lāde to be his right. And he heareth, out of the Eaſt, and out of the North that al thoſe partes are poſſeſſed of the Soldanes, and Emperours of Turkes: he calleth therefore great counſelles, and decreeth warre againſt them. He heareth moreouer that Cōſtantinople is taken, that the Rhodes is wonne, Dalmatia ſubdued, Bulgarie and Hongarie vanquiſſed, &c. Agayne therefore he ſommoneth coūſelles, he armeth kinges, he leadeth forth ſoldiours, he moueth warre, and decreeth that warre ſhall be made for the recouering of the holy lāde, and to roote out the Turkes. So verely this Gogmagog warre is not yet ended or appeaſed at this daye. Whereby it cōmeth to paſſe that an infinite multitude of men are ſlayne on eyther ſide. Furthermore at the ende of this Prophecie, the prophet ſheweth, and as it were with his fingar poincteth, the palace or ſeate of Antichriſt, by Antiochus figured before: leeſte any manne ſhould not know,The ſeate & palace of Antichriſt. where Antichriſt were to be founde. And he ſhall plante, ſayeth he, or ſixe the tabernacle of his palace betwixte two Seas: to wit the Hadriatical Sea, called now the goulfe of Veniſe, and the Tirrhene or Tuſcane Sea, in the mounte of deſire of holines: that is to ſaye in the pleaſaunt and holy hille. We hauehave hearde certenly, that the palace of S. Peter is preferred both before mounte Zion, and alſo Sinai. There ſitteth the moſt holy, in the ſeate of holines. There is moſte full remiſſion of al ſinnes. There is the mouther, & ſupreme head of al churches. There is the high courte and iudgemēt, from whēce maie no mā appeale. There ſitteth the king of kinges, and high Biſſhop, whiche ſo farre excelleth in brightnes and Maieſtie the Emperour and other kinges, as the ſunne doeth the Moone and Starres. There is thought to be perfit holines, and al the treaſures of Chriſt and of his Sainctes. Therefore ſaide Daniel rightly, that Antichriſte ſhall dwell in the noble and holy hille, namely in the ſeuen hilly Rome: as we hearde alſo in the .17. chapt. Finally he prophecieth alſo of the ende of this moſt puiſſaunt prince, Antichriſt, & ſayeth: and what time he ſhall come to his ende, no man ſhall helpe him. For Chriſt comming to iudgement, ſhal thruſt him out of his ſeate. And Daniel in the .12. chap. followyng deſcribeth the iudgement. To Chriſt alone be glory.
Lette vsus conſequently procede to adde to a fewe thinges, concerning the paynes of the vngodly, and the euerlaſtyng condemnation of the Deuil and his membres. S. Iohn: and fire came downe from heauen, and deuoured them. And the prophet Amos in the .1. chapt. calleth Gods vengeaunce, fire, as the others do alſo. Wherfore S. Iohn ſignifieth, that the vengeaunce of God ſhall falle vponupon all the enemies of the church. In times paſte alſo fire commyng downe from heauen burnt vp Sodome and Gomorrhe: and alſo conſumed the enemies of Helias. And although corporally fire doeth not alwayes falle from heauen, yet ſhall the perſecutours of the church neuer eſcape vnpunniſſhed, in that they hauehave vexed the Sainctes of Chriſt. Doubtles yf we will beholde and cō ſider, what was done in that holy warre, and what chaūceth dayly, we will ſaye that the vengeaunce of God is moſt preſent bothe agaynſt the Turkes and the Papiſtes. But if any man vnderſtande, that aboute the ende of the world fire ſhall rage and conſume the wicked, as alſo S. Peter mentioneth of fire and burnyng out of the prophetes .2. Pet. 3. I will not be agaynſ… it.
Laſte of all he toucheth alſo the euerlaſtynge damnation of Sathan and all his membres. For where the Lorde ſayde in the Goſpell, yf the blinde leade the blinde, bothe ſhal falle into the ditche: it followeth, that both Sathan the deceauer, and the people of him ſeduced, ſhoulde be caried together to helle: where S. Iohn nowe placeth, and as it were ioyneth to gether the deuil, Gog and Magog, the Saracenes, Turkes, briefely all nations deceaued, the Beaſte, and falſe Prophet, and all the Antichriſtians. We ſee therefore, that the iudgement of God is rightuouſe, the which to deſcribe, he retourneth nowe agayne. And we admoniſſhed before, by this ſpeache, they ſhall be tormented daye and nighte, &c. The perpetuitie of damnation to be ſignified. From the whiche the Lorde our God deliuer vsus: to whome be glory for euermore. Amen.