A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 69
¶ The three fourmer Aungelles powre out their vialles vponupon the Antichriſtians, and all the vngodly. The .lxix. Sermon.
The .16. chapter.ANd I hearde a greate voyce out of the temple ſaiyng to the ſeuē angelles: go your wayes, powre out your vialles of wrath vponupon the Earth. And the firſt went, & powred out his vialle on the earth, and there fell a noyſome ſore botche vponupon the men whiche had the marke of the beaſte, and vponupon them that worſhipped his Image. And the ſeconde Angell ſhed out his vialle on the Sea, and it tourned as it were into the bloud of a dead mā: and eueryevery liuing thing died in the Sea. And the thirde Angell ſhed out his vialle vponupon the riuers and fountaines of waters, and they tourned to bloud, and I hearde an angel of waters ſaiyng: lord which arte and waſte, thou arte rightuouſe and holy, becauſe thou haſte geuen ſuch iudgementes: for they ſhed the bloud of Sainctes, and Prophetes, and therfore haſt thou geuen thē bloud to drinke: for they are worthie. And I hearde an other Angell out of the Aultar ſaiyng: euen ſo lord God almightie, true and rightuouſe are thy iudgementes.
After he hath ſpoken in generall of the rightuouſe iudgementes of God, he procedeth nowe particularly by the ſeuenth nombre, and declareth at large the plagues of God,The plagues of Aegypt. which in this world alſo he inflicteth to the wicked, but chiefly the Antichriſtians. This place aunſwereth to the ſame, or at leeſt hath many thinges like to it, whiche in Moſes boke of Exod. from the .7. chapt. to the .12. For in all thoſe whole chapters are deſcribed the ten plagues of God, wherewith for ſinne he plaged kynge Pharao and the whole realme of Aegypt. Theſe plagues are compriſed in goodly verſes of D. Muſculus our worſhipfull Godfather.
The water tourneth into blood,
The frogges defile al that is good.
The duſte brought forth the ſcrallyng liſe,
Than came the flie a newe diuiſe.
The peſtilence, botches, and hayle,A huytaine.
Locuſtes and darkenes did aſſayle.
At laſt was ſlayne and quite forlorne,
Al that in Aegypte firſt was borne.
Theſe plagues are expounded alſo in the .150. Pſalme. In the .15. chapt. of Exod. the Lorde ſayeth: yf thou wilt heare diligently the voyce of thy God,The cure of plages. and wilt doe that is right in his ſight, and wilt kepe all his ſtatutes, I will ſende vponupon thee no diſeaſe, whiche I ſent vponupon the Aegyptians, for I am the Lorde, healyng thee. We learne therefore of the treatiſe of the plagues of God, to feare God, and to walke in his cō maundementes. Nother is it repugnaunt to this ſentence of God, that we reade, howe Iob, and other holy menne, and walknng in the cōmaundementes of God, were vexed with greuouſe diſeaſes. For theſe are priuate and are not chiefly inflicted for ſinne, but for the exerciſe of fayth, and increaſe of vertues.
Men for the moſte parte aſcribe the cauſes of plagues to the ſtarres, and to other matters:The true cauſe of plagues. and therfore do not tourne to the Lord ſtrikyng them, in amendement of life moſt euill, but we are taught by the treatiſe of Moſes, which we alledged out of Exod. and by this preſent diſputation of S. Iohn, that God himſelfe punniſheth the ſinnes and wickednes of men, although he vſe the ſeruice of menne and elementes, vntounto whom as to the nexte cauſes men impute the euils receiued, whiche they ſuffer iuſtely of God for their ſinnes.A voyce out of the Temple. For the whiche cauſe at this preſent is hearde a voyce, not out of the ayre, or from the Earth, but from the Temple of the Lorde trewe, iuſte and holy, commaundyng the Angelles to come out, and powre their vialles vponupon the heades of menne. The wicked therefore are plagued of God him ſelfe. But a vialle is no other thing, (I ſpake of the worde in the .5. chapt.) but the iuſte iudgement of God, or vengeaūce of men deſerued. Angelles powre out their vialles, ſo ofte as men are punniſſhed with plages through meanes of God appoincted. And that voice which is hearde from the temple, is great. For no man can reſiſte God, nor infringe his decree. When he commaundeth, al creatures do obeye.
The firſte Angell ſhedeth his vialle.But whileſt this firſt Angel, executour of gods iudgemēt, powreth out his plague vponupon men, there fell foreign a noyſome ſore botch vponupon men. This plage aunſwereth to the ſixte plage of Aegipt. And that botche ſignifieth a canker, a fiſtula, and ſwelling ſores or boyles, but chiefly the pockes of Iude, which others cal the diſeaſe of Naples, ſome the French pockes,the pockes firſt. and ſome the Spaniſh: verely for that in the warre of Naples (whiche was made by the French men and Spanyardes in the yere of our Lorde. 1494.) they came vp firſte in the campe of whores, whiche infected the Armie. Whiche Mainardus the Phiſition diſcourſeth at large. But howe ſo euer diuerſe and venemouſe ſores doe infecte many greuouſely, yet doe the French pockes chiefly corrupte the Abbayes of Monkes and Nūnes, and colledges of prieſtes, aboue others. For they geuyng themſelues to moſte filthie fornication, do abhorre and deteſte in others holy matrimonie, and therfore receyue thereof, the rewarde of their iniquitie. Therfore is it ſayed here expreſſely, that the Antichriſtiās ſhould be with this diſeaſe vexed, or rather pūniſhed. Ye ſhall finde ſome, whoſe face is eaten with this diſeaſe. All whoremongers and aduouterers for the moſte parte are troubled with this plage. Iob alſo the excellent ſeruaunte of God was couered with ſores and boyles, but by the ſingular counſell of God, as I touched alſo before. Therefore it is no maruell, though ſome time very good men free from the vncleanes of whoredome, be alſo infected with this diſeaſe.
The ſecond Angell ſhedeth his viall on the Sea:peſtilēce. … and therfore the bloude of lyuing thinges, became all to gether ſuch as is in deade men, to witte corrupt, and turned into matter. Whereupon all that lyued in the ſea died. The Sea is euermore ſtirring, and variable: full rightlie therfore by this the worlde is ſignified, or vnconſtaunt men in the world: theſe for theyr ſinnes, are infected with the Peſtilence, and dye in great plentie. In the words is ye fygure Synekdoche, where eueryevery liuing ſoule is ſaid to dye. This ſecond plague aunſwereth to the fifte of Aegipt. VnderUnder this plague we compriſe all kynde of Peſtilences and plagues. Ezechias alſo was taken with the plague: as many Godly men alſo die of the Peſtilence, but by the ſinguler counſell of God.
The thirde Angell ſhed his viall on the ryuers and fountaynes of waters, which were by and by, turned into bloud.Bloude. 3. This aunſwereth to the firſt plague of Aegipte. The Aegiptians had drowned in Nilus, the newe borne bodies of infants, and had oppreſſed the innocent Iſraelites: Therefore were they worthie to drinke of Nilus. For water, bloude.
Water otherwiſe in the Scripture ſignifieth doctryne, as in Ezechiell and Zachary. Therefore do the ryuers and fountaynes of waters, ſignifie eccleſiaſticall preachers and Princes, whome God hath geuen to the people for a defence and reliefe. Certenlie Saincte Peter calleth falſe prophets welles waunting water. 2. Peter. 2. In the .17. chapter we ſhal heare, that by waters are vnderſtand people. This therefore is the plague of God, the Princes of the people, and preachers of peace, are become the authours and ringleaders of rebellion and of warres: In the which they fall and kyll one an other, which ſhede the bloude of Sainctes. And albeit that in warres the godly are alſo plaged, yet knoweth the Lord how to requyte their paynes, and to eaſe their ſorrowes. Saincte Auſten decydeth this matter at large, in the firſte booke of Chriſten doctrine. But if we loke vponupon the variable Hiſtorie of Italie, Fraunce, Germanye, and Hungarye, and of other Realmes, that glorye to be called Chriſtians: we ſhall fynde them to hauehave bene the blaſing firebrandes of warres, which ought of dutie to hauehave ben the Princes of peace.Warres ſtirred vp by Popes And lyke as the Lorde ſayeth in the Goſpel, there muſt not a Prophet die any where els, than at Hieruſalem: So muſt ther no warre be moeued, but by Popes of Rome, Byſhops and Prelates. I will only reſyte a fewe. Pope Gregorye the .2. through ſedition, expulſed themperour Leo Iſauricus out of Italie. Pope Stephen brought in Pipine King of Fraunce, into Italie againſte the Lumbardes. The ſame ded Charlemaigne at the motion of Pope Leo the .3. driue clean out of Italie, hauing ſlaine many of them with the ſworde. Pope Gregory the .7. a moſte wicked man, ſtirred Peter King of Hungarie, to warre with the Emperour Henry the .4. intangled all Italie & Germany with warres, and droue Henry to fight many fields, and battels, that wer not light. Vrbane the .2. of that name, tourmoyled with warre both Eaſte and Weſt and all other partes of the world, which he called holy, taken in hand for the recouering of Hieruſalem. This warre was long, cruell, greate and blouddy, ſuche as in all worldes you can not fynde the lyke. What Alexander the third, wrought againſt Fredericke Barbarouſſe, and howe he rayſed vp all Italie againſte him, the Stories do tell. And whyleſt Fredericke the ſecond warred in the holy lande, Gregory the nynth taketh from him Naples. Here the Abbot of Vrſpurge ſumeth, that ſo great a wickedneſſe ſhoulde be committed of a Pope. There arroſe by the Popes meanes and motions, great factions in Italie, of the Guelphians and Gibilines. Clement the fourth, brought in the french Armie, by the conducte of king Charles, into the kingdome of Naples: and put Conrade Duke of Swalande from his inheritaūce, and cauſed him and Fredericke Duke of Auſtryce to be ſlayne to gether, with manny thouſandes of the Germanes. Pope Ihon the two and twentie, armed Fredericke Duke of Auſtrich, and Leopolde, againſt the Emperour Lewes the fourth, of the houſe of Bauier. Boniface the eight, cōmaunded king Albert Duke of Auſtrich, to beare Hoſtyle banners againſt Philip the French King. As Martin the fifte ſtired vp a greuouſe warre againſt the Bohemers. Eugenius the fourth, betrayed the Conquerour Ladiſlaus king of Poll and Hungary, to Amurathes ye great Turke, to be vanquiſhed and ſlaine through treaſon, ſending his Legate Iuliane Caeſarinus Cardinal about the practiſe, which periſhed alſo in that vnluckie ouerthrowe. Where cometh to mynde that ſayeng in Virgill: Tolumnius himſelfe the ſouthſayer is ſlayne. Pope Sixtus the .4. ſent to the moſte puiſſaunt nation of Swiſſes, a red ſcarfe or band, with a bull hanging at it, wherein he graū teth moſt large indulgēces to ſuch as wil fight for the church of Rome. Iulye the ſecond through much and great bludſhed of the Swiſſes, began to expulſe the french kyng out of Italie: which at length Leo the .10. brought to paſſe, receyuing the Emperour Charles the .5. whoſe ſonne ruleth yet in Italie Clement the ſeuenth began to oppreſſe him agayne, but death diſapointed his enterpriſes. Paule the thirde, ioyned the force of Italie with Charles the fifte, and warred on the Germanes for obedience denied to the See of Rome, and the Goſpel receiued. In the which war was taken Philippe the Lantzgraue of Haſſe, & Ihon Fredericke Duke of Saxon, Prince Electour. Greate vilianie and crueltie, was wrought by the ſoldiours in Germanie. Pope Iulye the thirde, began to dalie with the frenchmen: and ſtiring vp the warre of Parma and Mirandula, brought the frenchmen to Senes. There arroſe a moſt greuouſe warre by ſea and land, both in Fraunce, and Italie and alſo in Germany, which indureth at this day: The Princes and people teare a ſonder one an other, they drynke their bloude moſte aboundauntly, which neuertheleſſe in the meane ſeaſon, perſecute Chriſtes church moſte greuouſely. The Lorde ſende peace.
And nowe where the godly might maruell,¶ God is righteouſe in his iudgementes. why God ſo ſuffereth the worlde to be ſhaken and tourmoyled with mutuall warres: the Angelles preuent the marueling and complainte, and ſhewe not onlie the cauſe, but alſo praiſe the iuſtice of God in theſe iudgements. And he bringeth in two Angels, as mete and ſufficient witneſſes of this buſineſſe:Angels gouernoures of things. The one he maketh ruler of waters, the other ſpeaking out of the aulter. He ſemeth here in to followe Daniell, which alſo in the tenth chapter, ſayeth that Angelles as gouernours, were ſet to rule ouer Prouinces. Not that God doeth not worke and gouerne al things in waters & in all elements and Regions: but for that he vſeth the trauell of Angelles, as his miniſters. But where the Papiſtes gather hereof, that Sainctes rule ouer elements, diſeaſes, limmes, cities, and eueryevery part in man, it is foliſh and ſuperſtitious, and ſmelling of Idolatrie. For the maner of Angelles and of bleſſed ſoules is cleane diuerſe, moreouer, the Scripture attributeth vntounto them farre other things, than it doeth to theſe. Thou ſhalt read nothing of the bleſſed ſoules, as hauyng any thyng to do with men here in Earth, in the whole Scripture. But in ſondry places of the Scriptures, you ſhall reade that Angelles are ſet to be mens kepers, and to ſerue them with dyuers miniſteries. Agayne, ye read not, that ye godlie hauehave for this cauſe geuen any godly honour to the Angelles: no, we ſhall heare in this booke howe Saincte Ihon woulde hauehave worſhipped an Angell, but was prohibited of the Angell ones or twyſe.Chap. 19. and .21. Moreouer, here the Angell rendreth a reaſon, why the water is tourned into bloude, and commendeth here in Gods iuſtice. For turning his talke vntounto God: thou art inſte, ſayeth he, O Lord which arte, and which waſt. &c. He pronounceth him righteouſe, as he that will do no man any wrong, and therefore calleth him alſo holy. In the mean time he ſignifieth his euerlaſtingnes, and that he geueth being vntounto all thinges, where he ſayeth: which arte, and which waſte, &c. Of this phraſe of ſpeache is ſpoken in the firſt chapter. And the true righteouſnes geueth to eueryevery one his. Therefore the Angell ſayeth: Therfore Lord thou arte righteouſe, and declareſte thy righteouſnes to the world, in that thou haſt geuen them bloude to drinke, which hauehave ſhed the bloude of the Prophetes: that is, of preachers, for preaching of the truth. And not their bloud only, but hauehave ſhed alſo the bloude of thy holy faythful I meane, whom for the true profeſſing of the faithe they hauehave vexed, and at laſte ſlayne. Therfore are they worthie, that they thēſelues ſhuld agayne drinke the bloude of them and theirs: that is, ſhulde fall by mutuall warres, tumultes, and ſlaughters, verely before recited.
The Angel ſpeketh oute of the ault…r.Theſe thinges are confirmed by an other Aungell which ſpeaketh from thaulter, and not without cauſe from the aulter. For we heard before in the .6. chap. that vnderunder the aulter the ſoules of them that are killed crie out and ſay, how long is it that thou auengeſt not our bloud on them, &c. Therfore nowe is the talke vttered out of the Aultar to the ende we ſhould vnderſtāde, that God forgetteth not the bloud of his ſainctes, but reuēgeth it in iuſte and dewe ſeaſon. Now here in alſo cōmended as it were by the waye the omnipotēcie of God, that the vngodly maye vnderſtande, howe in the time of affliction and vengeaunce, there ſhal be no power able to reſiſte the almightie. To him alone be glory. Amen.