A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 33
¶ The ſixte ſeale is opened, and the corruptyng of the ſincere doctrine is exhibited. The .xxxiij. Sermon.
ANd I ſawe, when he had opened the ſixte ſeale, and beholde there was a greate earth quake. And the Sunne was as blacke as a ſacke cloth made of heere: and the Moone waxed euen as bloud: and the ſtarres of Heauen fel vntounto the earth, euen as a figge tree caſteth from her her figges when ſhe is ſhaken of a mightie winde: and Heauen vaniſhed awaye as a ſcroll when it is rolled together.
The ſixte ſeale opened of the lambe,Corruptīg of ye ſound doctryne in the church. openeth vntounto vsus generally, and ſetteth forth to be ſene of the eyes of all men, the corruption of the doctrine in the church, with this mourning & terrible effecte of the ſame. Nother is there any other thing ſayed here in the ſixt ſeale, as alſo in the fiue fourmer ſeales, than that which was prophecied before of the ſame our lord Ieſus Chriſt in the .24. of Matth. that the Goſpell ſhould be preached through out the world: and how there ſhould come warres, famines, peſtilences, & perſecutions moſt greuouſe: and falſe prophetes, whiche ſhould diſceaue men, whom alſo they ſhould drowne in moſte greuouſe ſorrowes.
Neuertheleſſe theſe thinges muſt religiouſely be expounded. For it is not to be thought,Chryſte is not author of ye corrupt doctrine. for that the lambe openeth the ſixte ſeale, and the Sonne by and by waxeth blacke, that Chriſt is authour of the corrupte & euill doctrine. For Chriſt it is, that ſoweth in the fielde good ſede, the hoſtile man ſoweth darnell: As the Lord him ſelf expoundeth it Matth. the .13. For Chriſte teacheth ſownde doctrine by the Apoſtles and ſincere preachers: which whē it ſemeth vile to the world and can not pleaſe, of his iuſte iudgement he leaueth the contemners to their affections, and as the Apoſtle S. Paull ſayeth,2. Theſſ. 2. he ſendeth vponupon them the efficacitie of illuſion, that they may beleue lies, and ſo maye be iudged all whiche had rather beleue a lie than the veritie. And the ſeducing through corrupte doctrine, is a more hurteful euill, than are the blouddy perſecutions. Yea and the ſeducers and falſe prophetes hauehave done more hurte to the churche, than hauehave cruell tirauntes. Finally men are more greuouſely puniſhed what time they are relinquiſſhed to be ſeduced of diſceauers, than when they are obiected to be torne in pecs of their murtherers. Therfore is it a moſt greuouſe plague of god, and vtterly to be abhorred, for the ſimple veritie diſpiſed, to be deliuered to liyng diſceauers, which after the demerites maye, with reuerence be it ſpoken, al to be ſhite, and be piſſe thee. For where the goſpell is purely preached vntounto many, theſe men ſaye, I vnderſtand not what theſe men teache vsus out of the Goſpell: but this I can ſee that the olde hauehave all to be rayde vsus, and theſe newe bothe to be piſſe and beſhite vsus. Therefore ſhalt thou hauehave teachers, which ſhal perfourme to thee in dede the ſame that thou talkeſt. Would God we waunted examples: and did not ſee certen nations, which hauehave here tofore had the free & pure preaching of the goſpel, and now ſpoiled of al veritie, to ſigh vnderunder the pleaſure and boldenes of moſt wicked diſceauers, whiche treade Gods worde vnderunder fote, and condemne it for hereſie, and ſtoppe the mouthes of the wretched people ful of mans dunge. This is the puniſhment of the veritie diſpiſed.
The deprauatiō of ye doctrine in ye church.And this place maye not be expounded of one certen age, ſins as yet things are rehearſed in general: but of that whole time, which reacheth from the age of the Apoſtles vntounto the laſte iudgement. It conteineth therfore the corrupte doctrine of Valentine, Marcion, Manichaeus, Arius, Macedonius, Neſtorius, Eutyches, Donatus, Pelagius, Priſcillians, and finally of all Heretikes, and the mingle mangle of Mahomet compoſed of the ſame, and chiefly the ſophiſtrie and moſte corrupt doctrine of Antichriſt and of his miniſters.
But what time the lambe opened the ſixte ſeale, there was not hearde now as before the voyce of the Beaſtes, Elders, or Martirs, but a terrible earthquake. An earthquakeAn Earthquake. in the Scriptures doeth ſignifie a wonderfull commotion of all thinges, troubles tumultes, and greate alterations. And verely greater darkenes arriſeth of nothing els, than by alteryng of Godly religion, and receyuyng of wicked doctrine. For ſo arriſe ſectes, ſeditions, warres. You maye ſee many examples hereof in the ſtory of the auncient people, whiche are redde to hauehave ben greuouſly ſhaken, ſo ofte as they hauehave chaunged theyr religion and kynde of doctrine. By this Earthequake therefore is ſignified that exceadynge great trouble ſhal arriſe herof, for that a new and a ſtraunge kinde of doctrine ſhould be brought into the world of men amiſſe incenſed.
Authours of tumults & troubles.Here hauehave you, that you maye aunſwere vntounto them, whiche impute to the Goſpell and to the Preachers thereof what ſo euer troubles, ſeditions, and commotions be at this daye in the worlde. Helias hath ones made aunſwere for vsus, whiche maye ſerue for all times, the place is in the thirde boke of Kinges .18. Chapter. I hauehave not troubled Iſraell, but thou and thy fathers houſe, whiche haſte forſaken God, &c. Hereunto apperteyneth alſo the ſtory of Ieremie in the .44. Chapter. Where al the euilles that than vexed the wicked are imputed to the ſinſere doctrine and to the Prophet Ieremie without cauſe. Learne here morouer what to aunſwer them, whiche ſaye: it is like, that God hath permitted his Church ſo many yeres to lie and rotte in errours, &c.
And the corrupte doctrine is deſcribed by partes, euen from the toppe to the toe,The ſunne waxeth darke. and the effecte alſo of the corrupte doctrine is annexed. And firſte of all the ſunne, a planet moſt bright, not only waxeth darke, but blacke alſo. And immediatly is added an Image or a parable, foreign like an heery ſacke which is wouen or made of heeres or of briſtels. The ſunne lighteth and geueth life to the worlde. And thorowe Chriſt, which is the life of the world, we are illumined and quickened. He caſteth abroade from him the bright beames of the Euangelicall veritie. And like as Chriſt is not darkened in him ſelfe: ſo nother the veritie of the Goſpell, whiche of nature is with out pollution. By reaſon of the blacke clowdes that ouer ride it, the lighte of the Sunne waxeth black and is impeched: and of the traditions of men, and deprauing of the ſcripture arriſeth darkenes and blackenes in matters of religion. The Goſpell of it ſelfe is bright and hole…ome: Chriſt is lighte, full redemption, helth, and life moſt perfit. But when menne had rather ſeke of others doctrine, life, and ſaluation, than of Chriſt and his holeſome Goſpell, moſte thicke and groſſe darkeneſſe arriſe in the mindes of thoſe menne. For there is eſtabliſſhed an other doctrine, rightuouſenes, interceſſion, redemption, ſaluation and life than that of Chriſt. They that receyue that doctrine,A ſacke of heere. ſeme to hauehave put on them a ſhirte of heere whiche pricketh, burneth and vexeth continually. For there is no reſte, quietnes, ſecuritie or ſpirituall pleaſure and repaſte of corrupte doctrine, but only tediouſenes. Chriſt pure, and ſincerely receiued, is to man a ioye vnſpeakeable, and a moſt bright and ioyefull light.
After is added, that the whole moone, not a parte only,the moone is as bloud is become blouddy. For an image is again annexed, as bloud. The moone receiueth light of ye ſunne, & is ſubiect to courſes, or chaunges, whileſt one while it increaſeth, an other while decreaſeth, and ſignifieth the church. The church ſet vponupon the rocke, is not vnſtable: but by reaſon of the variable fortune, is ſubiecte to moſte diuerſe chaunces. For now the churche triumpheth, ſtreight wayes beyng oppreſſed ſhe mourneth: nowe ſhe increaſeth in nombre, by and by ſhe is diminiſhed. And the church is lighted of Chriſt. But whileſt the Sunne it ſelfe is darkened, the moone can not choſe but be moſt obſcure. BloudBloud. in the ſcriptures betokeneth great wickednes, chiefly Idolatry and falſe worſhipping of God. The Lord in the .17. of Leuit. ſayeth that he will accompte ſtraunge worſhipping for bloud. Therfore when faith and knowledge are darkened in Chriſtes churche, it can not be choſen but that bloud ſhal arriſe in the vniuerſal church: that is to witte, the corrupte worſhipping of God, which the Lorde eſtemeth as murther: there muſt nedes innumerable ſinnes and wickednes ſpring therof. For the liuely doctrine of Chriſt beyng corrupted, al thinges muſt of neceſſitie be moſt corrupte, and ſwarme ful of ſuperſtitions and iniquities.
To theſe is added an other thinge, whiche helpeth theſe thinges that are ſpoken: ſtarres fal from HeauenStarres fall from Heauen. vntounto the earth. Daniel called ſtarres preachers in the .12. chapt. As alſo S. Peter .2. Peter .2. Therfore do the preachers of churches reuolte from the heauenly doctrine of Chriſt, brought and reuealed from heauen, and reducyng men to Heauen, and keping them in heauenly conuerſation: And receyue earthly, that is the doctrine of men. By the which thing it commeth to paſſe that both the ſunne is obſcured and the moone is made blouddy. Starres ſhine, preachers ſhould ſet forth to the whole world Chriſte the trewe light: but this hauehave they neglected beynge addicte to their owne traditions. To theſe is alſo added an Image,The ſtarres fel vpō the yearth. foreign, as the figge tree caſteth of her figges beyng ſhaken of a vehemēt winde. Here is ſignified the corruption of preachers, and that a great numbre of them. For the figge tree was made, to bring forth ſwete fruictes: ſo was the miniſterie of the worde ordeined for the ſaluatiō of men. Howbeit the figges did ripe, Therfore they remayne grene or vntimely fruictes. Wherby is ſignified that the preachers were not ripe in trewe knowledge of Chriſt: and therfore to be ſhaken downe with eueryevery winde of doctrine, that bothe they hauehave admitted and ſet forth earthly things. The plentie of falſe teachers is ſignified to come in that ye vntimely figges fal downe in great plentie.
Of theſe thinges nowe followeth an other,Heauē v… niſheth awaye. and Heauen went awaie, foreign, as it were fled out of mens ſight and vaniſſhed awaye. Agayne is added an Image or a ſimilitude foreign like a ſcrolle folden vp or rolled together. Heauen in the Goſpell ſignifieth many times the kingdome of God. Therefore the kingdom windeth vp it ſelfe in earth, and the church doeth as it were hide her ſelfe, not that at the laſt there ſhould be no church at al (for the churche ſhal be alwayes vntounto the worldes ende) but for as much as in the ende of the world the church ſhal lie hidde, neyther ſhal it be thought to be the trewe churche, which is the trewe churche in dede. The letters & wordes are not wipte out of the boke, but are not ſene, yea rather are hidde, when it is rolled vp. It is manifeſt at this daie, what S. Iohn ment by this parable. For al in a maner iudge, that newe ſtarte vp Romiſh church, to be the trewe church, which in very dede is not the church of Chriſt: and the church which is the ſpouſe of Chriſt is iudged to be heretical: therfore is the church wrapped vp and as rolled together. The Lord vnfolde & preſerue the ſame: Amē.