A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 49
¶ The enterpriſes of Antichriſt in wedyng out the preachers to be vayne: howe great ſhall be the rewardes of Preachers, and of the punniſſhement of the wicked. The .xlix. Sermon.
ANd after three daies and an halfe the ſpirite of life frō God: entred into them. And they ſtode vponupon their fete: and greate feare came vponupon them that ſawe them. And they hearde a great voice from heauē ſaiyng vntounto them: come vp hither. And they aſcended vp into heauē in a clowde, and their enemies ſawe them. And the ſame houre was there a great Earthquake, & the tenth parte of the citie fell, and in the Earthquake were ſlayne names of mē ſeuen thouſand, and the remnaūt were feared, and gaue glory to God of Heauen.
Hitherto hath he ſpoken of the wicked ioyes and gladnes of Antichriſt and the vngodly men of the laſt age,The ioyes of the wicked not to be long. conceiued of the ſlaughter of ye holy prophetes of god. They wil thinke, how they ſhal reigne for euer in thoſe their errours, ſuperſtitions and pleaſures: and ſuppoſe by theyr murtherynge to hauehave put to ſilence the preachyng of the goſpel to them moſt diſpleaſaunt. But conſequently the Lord ſheweth, that their hope is moſt vaine, their attemptes to be fruſtrate, and their ioyes ſhorte: yea and quickely to be tourned into mourning & miſerie. For firſt he declareth, that the prophecie or preachyng ſhal be repared of God by newe prophetes, and that to the greateſt griefe and terrour of the Antichriſtians, whiche loked for no ſuch thing. After he ſheweth howe great rewardes are prepared and geuē to the preachers oppreſſed in this world, and intreated with greate vilanie. Finally he ſignifieth that the wicked ſhall not liue in continuall pleaſure, but that God will diſturbe their ioyes, bringyng miſerie vponupon them euen in this world. Which although he beginne at the laſte in this world to punniſhe, in an other worlde will more aboundantly augmente their tourmentes euerlaſtyng. And all theſe thinges ſhall nede no greate expoſition, ſo that we marke dilligently, what thinges hauehave ben done a fewe ages paſt, and what be done alſo at this daye. And al theſe thinges apperteyne to the conſolation and comforte of Sainctes.
The prophecie ſhal be oft reſtored, which ſemed extinguiſſhed.Firſt that the free preachyng of Gods word agaynſt Antichriſt ſhal be reſtored, whiche ſemed to him ſelfe to hauehave ouercomen and oppreſſed all prophecie, he declareth by theſe wordes: and after three dayes and an halfe, the ſpirite of life from God entred into them. He ſignifieth by that nombre of dayes, as I tolde you before, a very ſhorte time as though he ſhoulde ſaye: they ſhall not longe in ioye their falſe and blouddy pleaſures. For God ſhal reyſe vp other Prophetes in the place of thoſe that are dead. And he ſpeaketh as though God ſhould reyſe vp the ſelfe ſame prophetes, whiche Antichriſt had ſlayne, and that he would obiecte them agayne to the wicked in their owne bodies. Howbeit they ſhal be reiſed agayne in their bodies at the laſte daye: but nowe ſhall other preachers ſuccede in the place of thoſe that reſte, vntounto whom God ſhall geue that ſpirite of his, which he had geuen to the others that are dead. Therefore he calleth this the ſpirite of life, for as much as thoſe which were ſlaine for the ſame doctrine, ſeme as it were to hauehave liued agayne. Verely for lickenes of doctrine, Iohn Baptiſte, Helias, and the prophet Ieremie ſemed to hauehave ben reuiued in Chriſt, as is red in the .14. and .16. of Matth. And here is expreſſely ſaied, that the ſame ſpirite did not procede of the Deuill, or of men (as it is ſayed at this daye of many) but of God. For he with his ſpirite (which is one) inſpireth his miniſters, and directeth the ſame by his worde, that the latter wholy aunſwer to the fourmer in doctrine, and ſeuere rebukyng of ſinnes, &c. For the liuely effecte of that ſpirite followeth, and they ſtode vponupon their fete: that is to ſaye, they liued againe. Their doctrine ſemed ouerthrowen and troden vnderunder fote, but Gods worde ſtandeth agayne vponupon his fete, and runneth moſte ſwiftely. We ſaye in Dutche of ſuche as be reſtored, to expounde the effecte that ſame alſo appertayneth, that the Antichriſtians ſeyng other preachers ſuccede in the roume of thē that were ſlaine: beyng ſtricken with feare, knowe not whether to tourne them. By the waye therefore is ſignified, that the courſe of the worde ſhall be fortunate, and the whiche theſe menne can not ſtoppe by any meanes, howe ſo euer they rage and murther. All theſe thinges ſhall be better vnderſtande by the Hiſtories of later times, and of ſuche thinges as are done yet at this daye. And to the intente, that omittyng the eldeſte thinges, I maye touche thoſe of latter time: the Biſſhoppes of Rome had thought they had wonne the fielde in the counſell of Conſtaunce, when they had burned Iohn Huſſe and Hierome of Prage: but within a ſhorte time after many godly and wel learned men ſprange vp in Boheme and in other cuntries, in whom thoſe ſlayne appered to hauehave takē againe the ſpirite of life. In Italy Laurence Valla taught to his greate prayſe, and alſo Hieronimus Sauanorela, &c. In Germany taught many godly men, as in Fraunce alſo in Englande, and other nations. Thirtie yeres paſte through the grace of God was brought a light into the world by Mirandula, Reuchline, Eraſmus, Luther, Zwinglius, Oecolāpadius, Melanchthon, and innumerable others, in whom the ſpirite of life vttering it ſelfe after eueryevery mans talente, ſet forth the Scriptures, detected the Romiſſhe wickednes, and rebuked the vices of all ſtates, but eſpecially of the clergie. The Romiſh are affrayde of this ſpirite, and fill the eares of themperour & kinges with complainctes and accuſations, & crie out that we ſhould all with our bokes be diſtroyed & burned. Howebeit the power of God neuertheleſſe maketh the prophetes to ſtāde on their fete, and their preachyng to runne a paſe: howe ſo euer theſe rage in their furie, & perſecute gods veritie preached through out the whole world. To God be the prayſe and glory.
In this cōſolatiō are mixed alſo rewardes prepared for the faithful miniſters,Great rewardes prepared for ye godly miniſters. whō the Antichriſtians ſlaiyng do firſt excōmunicate, that they maye ſende them as it were boūden, & might as it were addicte thē to Deuils, of thē to be tourmented with euerlaſtyng punniſhmentes. And hitherto hauehave all preachers bē thought, which hauehave ſpokē agaynſt the church of Rome, & hauehave ſuffered therfore at the Popes hāde, to hauehave periſſhed both body and ſoule: their bodies I ſaye, conſumed with fire, and their ſoules throwē downe into hell. For they were condemned as heretikes, and enemies of God and the church, and euen as the plagues of mankinde, & ſo taken out of this life. But contrarywiſe the Lord here pronounceth, and declareth euerlaſting rewardes to be for them prepared. For theyr ſoules deliuered from their bodies, are ſtreight waye taken vppe into heauen: and their bodies reyſed at the laſt iudgement, aſcende into heauē alſo, that there they maie reioyce with Chriſt for euermore. But to the intent that this godly promeſſe of the euerlaſtyng and ineſtimable rewarde, might be of more authoritie and credit with al men, the Lord propoundeth it not ſimplely, but moſt gallaūtly decked and …rniſſhed, for he ſetteth before, that a voyce was ſente to the prophetes, and that from heauen: morouer, great, or lowde. For great is the conſent of Patriarches, Prophetes and Apoſtles with the very ſonne of god, in moſt aſſured doctrine: wherupō we beleue vndoubtedly, that thoſe which ſuffer for the confeſſion of Chriſt, are ſaued both body and ſoule. And that doctrine was brought frō heauen, that there is no place lefte for doubtfulnes. There be teſtimonies in the ſcriptures both manifeſt, and many, as in .26. of Eſaye .12. of Daniel .10. and .16. of Matth .14. of Iohn, and diuerſe others. What ſhuld we ſaye that at this preſent is brought an expreſſe teſtimony hereof? for a voice ſoundeth from Heauen ouer the afflicted with the tiranny of Antichriſt:Come vp hither. come vp hither. That is aſmuch to ſaye, as, I ſee the lewdenes and crueltie of the Antichriſtians to be ſuch, that there is no place lefte you in earth. They tourmoyle and perſecute you as plagues, and vnworthie to liue on the earth: come ye therefore hither to me, into the heauenly palace, whither I my ſelfe came alſo after the croſſe and opprobriouſe death. We reade in the Goſpel that the iudge ſhall ſaye to the godly, come the bleſſed of my father, &c.
They wēt vp into heauen in a clowde.Furthermore leeſte any man ſhould thinke theſe wordes to be vayne, the lord adioyneth by S. Iohn, and they aſcended into heauen: not for that the reſurrection is made already, but for the vndoubted certentie of the thing, he ſpeaketh of the thing to come, as if it were paſte: of the which ſorte are founde many lyke phraſes eueryevery where in the Prophetes. Helias in times paſt aſcēded into heauē both ſoule and body, as we reade in the .4. boke of Kinges the .2. chapt. by the ſame miracle he ſhewed than alſo, what rewarde the Lorde hath prepared for the faythfull preachers of Gods worde, nother is there any other thing here nowe repeted. He addeth, how they went vp in a clowde. For a clowde toke vp Chriſte our head from the eyes of the diſciples: and we ſhal be alſo taken vp in a clowde to mete the Lord in the ayre, as the ſcripture reciteth in the .1. of the Actes, and the .1. to the Theſſalonians the .4. chap. Albeit therfore that preachers, & thoſe which beleue the preachers be excōmunicated of Antichriſt, & through open and ſhamefull puniſſhmentes ſhould ſeme to be ſent to the Deuill: yet Chriſt receiueth them deliuered from al euils, vntounto him, into the palace of Heauen.
VntoUnto this he addeth an other thing alſo: and their enemies ſawe them.Their enemies ſawe them. They ſaw I ſaye, with an horrible feare, for whileſt they ſhall ſee them, whom they hauehave condēned for gods enemies, as the trewe and honorable frendes of God to be in glory: therof they ſhal gather, that they themſelues ſhal be deputed into the fellowſhip of Deuilles. Reade herof a plentiful cōmentary in the .3. & .5. chapt. of the boke of wiſedome. Albeit therfore that the preachers of the Goſpell in this preſent worlde be iudged and ſeme and appere before the world as damned: yet in that ſame daye, wherin all men ſhal be aſſembled, ſo many as euer hauehave ben, be now, or ſhall be, vntounto al it ſhal be manifeſt, yt theſe be the moſt dere frēdes of God, and that their cauſe is beſt. And herewith wil the lorde hauehave them comforted which are perſecuted, condemned, diſpiſed, and ſpurned for the preachyng of Gods worde. By theſe thinges he prepareth & eſtabliſſheth the mindes of the faithful, that thei be not diſcouraged with the rebukes, reuilinges and oppreſſions of Antichriſt and his limmes.
Finally the Lorde addeth alſo certen thinges of the miſeries of the Antichriſtians,The calamities of the Antichriſtians. wherwith the rightuouſe Lord beginneth to punniſh them, & to interrupte their wicked ioyes, that at the laſt in an other world he maye put ye ſame to tourmētes, that neuer ſhal hauehave ende. In that ſame houre, ſayeth he, the ſame time doubtles wherin they ſhall afflicte the prophetes, ſhal be made a great Earthquake, & the tenth parte of the citie ſhal fal. And the tenth part we vnderſtād to be great, yet ſo, that the more parte ſhal remaine in errour. As S. Peter prophecied ſhould come to paſſe, in the .2. of Peter the .2. And the Lord him ſelfe alſo in the .7. of Matth. And he ſemeth to recite two euilles, which hāge ouer them, calamities, and reuoltinges. For S. Iohn him ſelfe ſemeth to adde an expoſition, and to ſaye: and there were ſlayne in the Earthquake the names of ſeuen thouſande men. And the reſidewe were affrayed, and gaue glory to God of Heauen.
Therfore I ſuppoſe by the Earthquake to be ſignified excedyng greate alterations,Seuē. M. men ſlaine wt ye earthquake. commotions, ſeditions, warres, ſlaughters and diſtructions. And he ſayed the names of men after the Hebrewe phraſe, for a nombre of men. And he put, 7000. a nombre certayne, for an vncertayne: as where it is ſayed to Helias, I hauehave lefte me ſeuen thouſande men, which hauehave not boughed their knees to Baal. For if it ſignifieth a great multitude. Likewiſe he ſignifieth here alſo, that no ſmal nombre of Antichriſtians ſhal be diſpatched out of the waye by ſlaughter and ſondry or all kindes of calamities. Agayne he ſignifieth that the tenth parte of the world, that is to ſaye the adherentes and fauourers of the Romiſſhe churche ſhall reuolte not a fewe of them from the ſame church, beyng feared with the preachyng of God his worde, and with plagues inflicted to the enemies of God his worde, and ſo they ſhal forſake the Romiſſhe churche, that they ſhal geue all glory to the God of Heauen.
The tenth part of the citie falleth.Hitherto being abuſed with the Romiſh trifles, and ſophiſticall opinions, they hauehave not geuen all glory wholy to the trewe God, creatour of heauen end earth, and the inhabiter and geuer of heauen, whileſt they hauehave attributed more vntounto creatures. mens inuentions, and to errours, than to the veritie: and communicated the glory, which they owe to God alone, vntounto ſainctes alſo, and to the workes of their handes: but now beyng inſtructed with the preachyng of the goſpel, they wil depende of God alone, and wil aſcribe al glory vntounto him through Chriſt.
Nowe if ye conferre herwith hiſtories not olde (for wherunto ſhoulde I moleſte you with a long reherſall) but lately made, & that with in theſe hondreth yeres, thou ſhalt geue a wōderful light herunto. Whē the preachers of Boheme were burnt at Conſtaūce, a great cōmotion of the people inſewed immediatly, the Bohemers mouyng mortall warre againſt the Romaines. Aeneas Siluius him ſelfe wrote of that warre, wherin many thouſandes of menne were ſlayne, and many places diſtroyed and layde waſte. Moreouer innumerable men, forſake ye ſea of Rome. In our memorie where through the inſtigation of Rome a greuouſe perſecution was ſtired vppe agaynſt the faithfull, and certen thouſandes of faythful ſlaine, beſides the expectation of al men,Rome taken. Rome was taken in the yere of our Lord .1527. and ſo defaced and ſpoiled, that the ſame calamitie might be cōpared with thoſe olde and greateſt that euer were. Nother yet do the princes ceaſe to warre emonges themſelues, and to weaken themſelues with mutual diſtruction, whiche neuer ceaſe in a maner to ſhede the bloud of the faithful. But we are glad and reioice, that a wō derful nombre at this daye do reuolte from that Romiſh ſee, and geueth to God through Chriſt all glory. To him be glory and rule for euer and euer. Amen.