A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 95
¶ Furthermore yet is deſcribed the euerlaſting countrie in Heauen. The .xcv. Sermon.
AND I ſawe no temple therin. For the Lorde God almightie and the lambe is the temple of it, and the Citie hath no nede of the Sunne, nother of the Moone, to lightē it. For the brightnes of God doth lighten it, and the lambe is the light therof. And the people which are ſaued, ſhal walke in ye light of it: & the kinges of the earth ſhal bring their glory & honour vntounto it. And the gates thereof ſhall not be ſhut by day. For there ſhal be no night there. And they ſhal bring the glory & honour of ye Gētiles to it. And there ſhal enter into it none vncle an thing, nother what ſoeuer worketh abomination, or maketh lyes: but they which are written in the lambes boke of life.
The Apoſte procedeth in the deſcriptiō of the diuine or celeſtiall Citie, to comfort and kepe the faithful in all temptations and afflictions. Therfore in the ſeuenth place he diſcourſeth of the temple.The tēple. For in famouſe Cities ther is no ſmal cō ſideration and prayſe of churches. This is manifeſte by all writers of ſtories places and times. What temple is than in heauen? none at all. For S. Iohn: and I ſawe, ſaith he, in the citie of God no temple. This place repugneth not with thoſe thinges which are in the .11. and .15. chapters of the temple in Heauen. For the temple is there exhibited in a figure and viſion, not that there is in dede any temple in Heauen: but that thus mighte be ſignified Gods iuſtice and certayne ſaluation promiſed in the Scriptures, lyke as we hauehave in thoſe places declared.
No temple in Heauen.And what is the cauſe, that there appeareth no temple in heauen? The diuine reuelation aunſwereth: for ye Lord God almightie, and the lambe is the temple in that our heauenly coūtrie. The vſe of temples is this. The Lord firſt inſtituting the tabernacle, after the temple, wold hauehave it teſtified that he wil be preſent in the middes of his people, a father, Lord, and defender. And therfore ar thei ſaied in the ſcriptures to come vntounto the Lord, which came either to the tabernacle or temple of the Lord. The temple moreouer was erected for preaching and praier and the externall ſeruice of God, for receauing of the Sacramēts, or offering vp of ſacrifices. But the Saincts in the heauēly coūtrie hauehave no nede of all theſe things. Therfore thei nede no tēple. Therfore is no temple ſene in heauen. For the Lord god nowe ſheweth himſelf to them to be inioyed of ye ſame, the ſaincts ar now wt him, wherfore thei nede no tokē of his preſēce. We ar taught by doctrine what God is, & what is his wil, and yt we be ſaued by ye lambe: but now that we ſe god himſelfe face to face, and yt ſaluatiō is cōmen by the lambe of God, what nedeth there a temple in heauen? By praier we require life and ioyes euerlaſting: now ſince theſe are happened to the electe what nedeth any houſe of prayer? The Sainctes nowe withoute any temple, offer vp eternall praiſes vntounto God. And ſeing that ſacrifices and ſacraments hauehave no further place in the euerlaſting coūtrie, I ſe not why there ſhould be any temple in Heauen. We reſt, and kepe in Heauen, an euerlaſting Sabboth. This place moreouer proueth, that Chriſt is very God, coequall with the father, as to whome he is ioyned inſeperablie in all glory. Nother is the Holy ghoſte ſeperated from the father and the ſonne, which els where is ſaide to dwell in vsus: for the which cauſe, we are called the temples both of God and of the Holy ghoſt, of the Apoſtle, in the firſt to the Corinth. the .3. and the ſecond Cor. 6.
The eight place of this deſcription is repeted of the lyght celeſtial,The lyght of the citie, God. and that not without great cauſe: yea and the ſame light is agayne cōmended in the .22. chap. For in buildinges there is nothing more excellent than light. Otherwiſe without light, all things are blynde. Furthermore he ſayeth not, that the Sunne and Moone ſhulde be nomore: but that the Citie of God ſhoulde not nede thoſe lightes. He ſheweth the reaſon: for the glory of God hath lightned it. And the glory of God, is the diuine, celeſtial, and vnſpeakable brightnes of his vnapprochable light, which he inhabiteth, and according to his good pleaſure, cōmunicateth to the choſen. The Lorde Chriſte (which here is called the lambe, for the miſterie of redemption) illumineth the bleſſed. For by him we ar clarified, and inioy that eternall, moſte beaultifull, and celeſtial light. S. Ihon hath borowed this place out of the .60. chap. of Eſay, where we read: The Sunne ſhall not be there, for the lighte of the daie. And the brigtneſſe of the Moone ſhall not ſhyne there: but the Lord ſhall be to the thee a perpetuall light, and thy God (ſhall be) thy brightnes. Furthermore the ſeates of the bleſſed, are thoughte to be fixed aboue the Sphere of the Sunne and Moone, and alſo the brightnes of Saincts to excell farre the light of the Sunne and ſtarres. The ſame hath Eſay teſtified alſo in the .24. and .30. chap. To God almightie and light eternall, be praiſe and thankes geuing, which hath prepared ſo great things for vsus, and geueth vsus giftes ſuch as no tung can exprſſe.
He ſheweth in places mo than one,¶ Who be Citizēs of this Citie. who are partakers of that light, or who be Citizens of this celeſtiall citie, and what is the ſtate of the Citizens. All nations & people ſaued, are citizens of the eternal coūtrie. Here ar two things to be noted. Firſt, that ye gentiles are made inheritours of glory, and that without any choiſe. For here excelleth not the Iewe, nor the Greke, nother Romane, nor Barbarian. Agayne yet not all without reſpect, and confuſely obteine euerlaſting light, but the ſaued only: that is to ſai, whom Chriſt hath ſaued and redemed from ſin, the Deuil, Antichriſt, and from the curſe and the world. And Chriſt ſaueth thelect and faithful. They therfore ſhal in dede be partakers of ye light: Theſe ar the citizens of the countrie euerlaſting. But what is their ſtate and inhiritaunce? Thei ſhal walke in the light of God the father & the lambe: that is to ſay, they ſhall hauehave the fruition of the light and of God himſelfe, to their ioiful ſwetnes and fill. For it is a figuratiue ſpeach, to walke in the light, for that which is, to inioy light. Verely in the .88. Pſalme is red with a figure not much vnlyke: Lorde thei ſhall walke in the light of thy countenance. And againe: Thou ſhalt make knowen vntounto me the fote path of lyfe, the fulfilling of ioyes is in thy ſight, & gladnes in thy right hand for euermore
Kinges are in ye courte of heauen.But eſpecially the places in heauen, and in that Palace diuine, are for Kings. Kinges ar gouernours, and captaines of the people, as they be, which are called Kynges and Princes, gouernours, Magiſtrates, rulers aſwel of the politique, as ecclſiaſticall gouernement, Doctours, maiſters, teachers, Artificers, and Parentes. For their dutie is, vertuouſlye to gouerne their ſubiectes, ſcollers, or childrē, to kepe them vnderunder awe or diſcipline, to chaſtiſe, and directe them to the dueties of life and all godlines. This yf they do, they ſhall hauehave a worthie place prepared in Heauen. For Daniell ſaieth alſo in the .12. chapter. But the teachers ſhall ſhine as the brightnes of the firmamēt: and they that bring many to righteouſnes, as the ſtarres euerlaſtingly. O therefore, O happie are you, yf ye bringe many to execute the office of righteouſnes. But wo be to you Princes, and teachers, and maiſters, and Parentes, yf herein you be negligent. There is prepared for you in hell a place moſte horrible and myſerable, as alſo Ezechiell hath teſtified. But yf Kynges hauehave their place, and the ſame right honourable, in Heauen, wherefore do the Anabiptiſtes teache, naye whie doe they lie, that a Chriſtiane can not execute the office of a Magiſtrate? For here are Kinges mentioned to be in heauē, not only as men, but as thei were kinges, that is, as they were good kynges, and executed their office duely, and not forſaking their place, hauehave liued a priuate life. For it followeth, they ſhall brynge their glory and honour vntounto it. And what is that glory, and what is the honour? it followeth agayne: and they ſhal bring the glory and honour of nations into it: that is to ſaye, they ſhal bryng into heauen with them, the very nations, their people and ſubiectes, whō they hauehave holpen in trewe godlines and ſaluation, in teachyng, correctyng, defendyng, alluryng or drawyng, &c. And theſe be their glory and honour, for S. Paule in the .2. to the Corinth. the .1. chapt. ſayeth, for we be your glory, as you ſhal be oures alſo in the daye of our Lorde Ieſu. And agayne in the .1. to the Theſſ. the .2. chapt. the ſame Apoſtle ſayeth: for what is our hope, ioye, or crowne of reioycyng: are not you, in the ſight of our Lorde Ieſu Chriſte, at his commyng? for you are our glory and ioye. Ful wel therefore ſayeth Aquinas: S. Iohn ſpeaketh after the maner of cōquerours, which bryng their ſpoyles into Cities. Therefore he fayneth that Princes, preachers, and parentes bryng with them into heauen ſuch as they hauehave wonne, whiche to them ſhal be an honour and glory. Theſe thinges alwayes let vsus thinke vponupon, and do our duety inioyned vsus of God, which we perceyue in the euerlaſting countrie to hauehave ſo great rewarde. For it ſhal be the greateſt glory that maye be, to ſtande with ſo many wonne in the preſence of the eternal God, Lābe, and al ſainctes. Contrarywiſe the greateſt ſhame to ſtande with ſo great a multitude of men loſt, and that loſte through our faulte and negligence. Reade what thinges are written in the .1. chapt. of the boke of wiſedome, &c.
In the tenth place followeth the cuſtody of the gates celeſtiall.The gates are not ſhut in the daye. Certenly in greate Cities there is greate and dilligent watching and wardynge & hede taken to the gates, that they be ſhutte and opened in dewe time and ſeaſon. But in heauē there ſhall nede no ſuch carefulnes. The reaſon is. The gates are not wonte to be ſhutte in the day, but at night. But in the euerlaſtyng countrie there is no night, therfore are the gates neuer ſhutte. There is doubtles no night, but continual day. There is no treaſon, no Ambuſſhes or wayte laide, no perils or daungers: all thing, in generall are ſafe, peaceable, quiet, ſicker and ſure. The ſame thinges are red alſo in Eſaye, but ſome thing in a diuerſe ſenſe. Aretas: here is a double vnderſtandyng, ſayeth he, for eyther he meaneth that there ſhal be peace and ſecuritie, and that ſo great, that it ſhall not nede to kepe the citie by ſhuttyng of the gates. Or els that there alſo the godly gates of the Apoſtolicall doctrine are open for all men, vntounto their learnyng, which hauehave more perfection, &c. Certenly they ſhal nede no teachers nor guides, which ſee al miſteries now preſently, & are brought into heauen it ſelf.
The cleanes of the heauenly …tie.And eſpecially cleanes in Cities is highly commended, if there ſhewe or appere nothing that offendeth the ſighte, hearyng and ſmellyng, which is lothſome to loke vponupon, and to be abhorred. And in priuate houſes the chiefe prayſe is, yf all thinges ſhyne, and ſtande eueryevery thing in order, and lie not ſcattered and ſtinke.
Now therefore in the eleuenth place he ſheweth, that there ſhal be nothing in heauen, that maye offende, that is to ſaye, which ſhall not be pleaſaunt and delectable moſte cleane and nete, abſolute and complete. The ſame place alſo muſte be referred to the perſonnes. For it followeth: ſaue they that are written in the lambes boke of life. We vnderſtande therfore, how into the kingdome of heauē ſhal not enter whoremongers, Idolaters, liars, deceauers, & what ſo euer is vncleane, and not purged with the bloud of the ſonne of God through fayth. This ſame the Apoſtle affirmeth in the .1. to the Corint. the .5. and .6. chapt. and to the Epheſ. the .5. chapt. Dauid alſo demaundeth: Lord who ſhal dwell in thy tabernucle, or who ſhal reſte in thy holy hille. And aunſwereth incontinently: he that walketh without ſpotte, and worketh rightuouſnes, and that which inſueth in the .15. Pſalm. Finally here ſhal be fulfilled ſuche thinges as are written in the .23. chapt. of Deuter. Touching thē which are prohibited to enter into the church. Wherfore this place hath a ſecret doctrine and priuie admoniſhment, inſtructyng vsus, that if we wil, or couet to be heyres of the euerlaſting coūtrie, we ſhould al applie our ſelues whileſt we liue here in Earth, to rightuouſenes and Innocencie. For it ſhal followe in the .22. chapt. For without are dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers: &c. The Lord bryng vsus by the waye of rightuouſenes vntounto life euerlaſtyng.