Vpon the .xij. Sonet or vision.

I saw (sayth S. Iohn) a woman sit vpon a scarlet colored beast. Reuel. 17. This woman did a far off seeme to be honest & vertuous, but in deede she was farre otherwise, as ye shal heare. Reue 12.14 [...]. Thes [...]. 2. This beast is that great Antechrist (of whom we haue spoken right now) or rather the bodie of the diuel, containyng within him the Pope, Cardinals, patriar­kes, legates, bishops, doctors, abbots, pri­ours, chanons, Monkes, friers prebenda­ries, priests, indulgences, bulles, Non­nes, and the reste of all suche diuelyshe sectes, beyng full of hypocrisie and dissi­mulation, reignyng wythin the whole Popedome. In lyke manner all Magi­strates, [Page 44] and secular powers (that fortifie and defende, as well the Pope him selfe, as also the abhominations and detestable idolatrie which the Romishe church doth vse) be he Emperoure, King, or Prince, Duke, Earle, or Lorde, Maior, Iudge, Chauncellor, Bailie, Constable, or what­so [...]uer, that maintaine, defende and vp­holde by force and violence any thing a­gainst God and his truth. Of whose num­ber I my selfe haue bene sometime, and that (to myne owne great griefe be it spoken) thorough méere ignorance, thin­kyng to do God great seruice. Wherof I am now ashamed and most [...]arnestly re­pent me, and am sory for it. And I pray God that this, nor any of the rest of my sinnes, be layde vnto my charge, but that he will pardon me thorough hys infinite goodnesse and mercie, in the name of his dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christe, oure onely Sauioure and redéemer. And I thanke hym from the bottome of my hearte, that it hathe pleased hym of his mercie, without my deseruings, to haue called me wyth the Apostle S. Paule, [Page] out of the shadowe of death and the com­panie of hys enimies, to the knowledge of his eternall wisedome in the felowship of his true spouse his churche. Of these I say, which seeke not themselues, nor any thing in this worlde, but seeke the glorie of him that bought them, and the accom­plishment of his kingdom [...] counted in the sight of the world, as outcastes, but glo­rious in the sight of God. This beaste is whole of the colour of scarlet reddish, in token of greate tyrannie, sheddyng of bloud and murthers, which they cōmit a­gainst those which will not agree to their wicked & diuelish institutions. She is also ful of ignominious blasphemous names: as, your holynesse, your clemencie, your lordship, your fatherhod, your mastership, your serenitie, your worthinesse, honour, reuerence, magnificence, bounty, vicar of God [...] spiritual lord, phisition of the soule, defen [...]er of the faith, supreme head of the church, and many ot [...]er, as it is se [...]ne day­ly by their letters and writyngs. More­ouer their too too mu [...]he know [...]e trumpe­ries, and Iack an Apes plays, are no lesse [Page 45] blasphemous than processions, confirma­tions, greasyngs, purgatorie, Masses for al soules, pilgrimages, pardons, mattins Aue Maria stella, or Salue regina, Placebo, Candlemasse, Palm sonday. &c.

This beast had seuen heades, and ten hornes, signifiyng all his subtil practises, his craf­tie fetches and false conspiracies, therby to impeche and withstande the graces of God, and giftes of the holy Ghost: And vnder a cloke of authoritie, through tyrā ­nish violence resist the commaūdements of God. And this woman was aray [...]d in pur­ple, and gilded with golde and precious stones and pearles. Which signifieth their coapes of gold, corporal, stoales, staues, miters &c. and other like trumperies of silk, pur­ple, crimosin sattin, redde coloured, bor­dered wyth golde, pearles and precious stones, and aboue this, their counterfaite pietie and shewe of holinesse. This pain­ted, pampred vp, and so gaily decked Ro­mish churche bragged and boasted muche of hir Gospel and hir Apostles, of golde, siluer, wood or stone, decked and arayed wyth all kinde of costlynesse, whiche is [Page] but an outwarde appearaunce, for they looke for nothyng lesse than to imitate or follow, and to expresse them in their con­uersation.

She had a cup of golde in hir hande full of ab­homination and filthinesse of hir fornication. This cup, is hir false and cursed Religi­on, 2. Tim. 4. whiche she dayly communicateth, di­stributed aboute the Chalice, 2. Thess. 2. whiche hir Merchauntes doe so wickedly abuse. [...]. Tim. 3. It containeth all kynd of false and dyuelish doctrine, all kinde of erroures, lyes, and beastlynesse, all manner of craftie wor­kes of hypocrites, all manner of inuen­tions of fleshly wysedome, all mans wit­tie deuises, eyther by crafte, arte, or o­therwise inuented, as also all straunge kinde of worshippyng, of idolatrie, forni­cation, Sodometrie, and all other kynde of iniquitie. Outwardly she séemeth to be gilded, she reporteth yea & boasteth to sette forth the glorie of God, namely the magnfying of the name of Christ. Coloss. 2. They say, Heb. 10. they preache the sacred Scripture, they lyue in chastitie, Rom. 2. and all is nothyng [Page 46] else, but a false, a counterfaite, and de­ceiptfull shewe of holynesse, full of hypo­crisie and dissimulation, a couer or cloke of all mischiefe and abhomination, 2. Cor. 3. it is but the bare letter, and the onely name, as the rest of all their doings are.

And in hir forhead was a name written, a mysterie, great Babylon. A name declaring what manner of woman she is. She is knowne wel inough by hir naughty frui­tes, of such as are skylful of godly know­ledge, and haue also the spirite of vn­derstandyng. So that they b [...]yng illu­minated, conducted and ledde by the spi­rite of GOD, maye easily perceyue, iudge, and knowe, accordyng vnto the Scriptures, that shée is nothyng else but an vnshamefaste and pestyferous whoore, full of all iniquitie, abhominati­on and wyckednesse. But thys iudge­ment is hydden from the Infidels, the whyche are so bewitched and inchaunted by the meanes of their fayre outwarde shewe, their humble knéeling, creepyng, and gaye Ceremonies, that what so­euer [Page] she doth, speaketh, or commaundeth and taketh in hand, they make muche of it, worship and imbrace it, as holy, ho­nest & perfect good: which thing God per­mitted for theyr vnbeliefs sake.

She is called mother of whoredomes and abho­minations of the earth, Reuel. 17. muche passyng the towne of the Chaldees in all kinde of wic­kednesse, for she is the mother and foun­taine both of spiritual and carnall whor­dome and abhomination. And I saw that she was the maried wyfe of the deuyll. For I saw hir dronke of the bloud of Sainctes, and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus, which she outragiously and most seuere­ly hath persecuted and slayne.

And when I saw hir so, I maruelled with great maruell, not onely bicause I saw hir defiled and sprinkled of murther and she­ding of innocent bloude, but also bicause of hir greate and abhominable blasphe­mies. Psalm. 85. And most of al, I was aboue mea­sure amazed and maruelled, Iohn .4. Rom. 2. that almigh­tie God coulde or woulde suffer or per­mit so long hir intollerable wickednesse and detestable and horrible impietie. [Page 47] This woman is called of the Angell, the great whore: that great Citie which ru­led ouer the kings of the earth, namely Rome. It is no meruaile though she be cal­led that great whore, for no where was at any time more straunge and supersti­tious, worshippings, vaine institutions, cold & trifling ceremonies, bisides sectes, errors, and false Prophets, yea so many kind of vncleānesses raigned in hir, more than euer did raign in Sodome or Gomorre, or the miserable land of Egipt. This Ba­bilonish whore or disguised Sinagoge of these shauen and greased ones, sitteth vp­on many waters, which is, many foolish, inconstant, and wauering people, and not vpon those which are grounded vpon the sure rocke of Gods word, and the true do­ctrine of the articles of the christian faith. With this most wicked, vile, and stin­king whoore and common strumpet to all men, haue the moste mighty Kyngs, Princes and Potentates, committed spi­ritual whoredom, in that they consent to diuers and sundry kinds of their straūge, new found, and altogither superstitious [Page] Ceremonies, and other their most wicked decrées. Héere if I shuld make a discourse of al that might be spokē of in this place, time should faile me. My purpose & mea­ning at this present, is onely to make a shorte exposition and declaration vppon these oure visions, and that in as fewe wordes as is possible, to the consolation & edification of all godly and faithfull Chri­stians. Séeing thē, what through the sub­tiltie & craftie fetches of Babels priestes on the one side, and what for the cruell & straight plackets of Princes on the other side: the dwellers vpō earth or the world­ly minded, are all dronke of the wine of hir wickednesse and abhomination, and spirituall whooredom. They are al fallen without the prescript rule of Gods holy word, to a straunge and new found kinde of seruing of God. Moreouer, not only these as couetous, carnall, and other wic­ked and sinnefull persons haue folowed their abhominations, but also an infinite nūber euen of the elect and chosen of god, haue bene intangled, yea and haue giuen credite to their false lies and erroures. [Page 48] They were so nusled, and busily occupied with their fonde and fained traditions, with their naughtie customes and inuen­tions, that they more like senselesse per­sons, without any discretion or vnderstā ­ding, yea without any respecte of Gods holy word, wandred from all godlinesse & grace. Not only haue they stouped, bow­ed, and kneeled before stockes and stones, lighting candels before it, made Crosses, blessing it, kissing it, & held vp their hands to it, but also haue put their confidence in it. Neuerthelesse it shall not continue al­wayes, for it foloweth. Esay. 45. The .x. horns which thou sawest vpon the beast: Baruc. 6. Signifying the Kings, Princes, and their subiects, Ierem. 2. which héeretofore were fauourers, seruauntes, Reuel. 15. and maintainers of the Romish churche, seeking to doe good to that whoore, yea to their owne damage and hinderaunce, bi­cause of the good will and blinde zele they bare vnto hir: Euen as a man which lo­ueth a light and an vnhonest woman, is through hir loue and alluremēts, so blin­ded, that he considereth not hir vnhonest behauior, nor cā mislike any thing in hir, [Page] but frameth himself alwayes to hir plea­sure, frendship or seruice, and so much as in him lieth, hating, contemning, and put­ting to death, through vnlawfull loue, (wherewith she hath bewitched him) all them which (meaning his wealth) warne him of hir, and tel him of his fault how he is deceiued and greatly misused: setting before his eyes hir fraude, falshoode, vn­shamefastnesse, fainednesse, and vnfaith­fulnesse, all which he cannot iudge of, vn­til his eyes be open, and his vnderstāding illuminated by the grace of God, so that when he perceiueth how he was begui­led and deceiued, he hateth and defieth hir the more. Euen so are now a dayes the eyes of many Princes and Kings, Coun­treis, Townes and Cities, and other wel disposed opened, and their hearts are tou­ched by the mighty working of gods holy spirite, and by the meanes of preaching & hearing of the woord of God, so that now they defie the whoore with all hir traditi­ons and abhominations which they were wont to maintain and defend so willing­ly. Yea those I say which for very blinde [Page 49] zeale and loue which they bare vnto hir, were contented to kisse hir féete, shalbe as now hir mortall and deadly ennimies. They shal not passe vpon hir aucthoritie: they shall condemne hir vsages: they shall take from hir the Realme and dominion which she now vniustly possesseth: they shall deny hir tribute and obeisaunce, or to doe hir any homage, and at length shall leaue hir desolate and comfortlesse. This shall not Princes only do, but Kings and other temporal Magistrates, yea euen the Metropolitanes, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Prelates. Of which, many ensamples are at this instant to be foūd. And more followers of these ensamples, wil be héerafter. Which albeit they were the hornes of the beast to defend y ^t whoore withal, yet shal they so abolish hir, mislike hir, and forsake hir, that at length she shal be left whole naked. They shall chase, pursue, and hunt the Babilonish whoore of Rome, with the cleare trumpe of Gods holy word, that she shall become pale and colourlesse, ready to sound.

Cal to remembraunce what God hath [Page] wrought by his seruaunts, Iohn Wicliffe, Iohn Hus, Martine Luther, Oecolampadie, Zwinglie, Melancton, Capito, Bucer, Cal­uin, Theodore de Beza, Viret, Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Alasco, Brentiꝰ Regius, and other moe. All whiche haue brought low their Reliques, Crucifixes & Idols, (which they call sainctes,) Abbayes, Purgatorie, Mas­ses for all soules and Indulgences. And moreouer God shall raise some not infe­rior to them, which shall make so muche a doe, and bring hir to such a fall, that she shal not be able to recouer againe, so that no man shall regarde hir any more, ney­ther shall there be any found to set hir vp againe. They shall strip hir naked, that so many as behold hir, may cry out vpon hir, & detest hir, and finally consume hir flesh. Moreouer they shal, bisides the taking a­way from hir al tēporal reuenues, rents, and al other worldly pleasures, confound hir peruerse and carnal iudgement of the scriptures, and so consequently consume and make weake the kéeping and obser­uing of all hir whorish Ceremonies. Last of all, they shall all to burne hir with fire, [Page 50] and bring to nought the whole masse of their Decrées, Decretalles, Canons, Cu­stomes, and all other kinde of Idolatrie. When as all these abhominations shall cease, and be gone by the meanes of the preaching of the Gospel, then this whoore shall not be seene any more, bicause the harlot continueth no longer than hir esti­matiō lasteth. Take away their customs and Ceremonies, their iewels and costly raiment, their Images (the light of their dominion) their paternitie and estimati­on, kéepe back their Altares, their Masse, Bishops, Priests, Miters, Staues, Cros­ses and Banners: of what estimation (I pray you) shalbe their holy (as they terme it) wh [...]rish Church? which standeth in no­thing else than in outward false shew of many gay trifling and vaine hipocritical Ceremonies.

This kind of consuming of the flesh, or this maner of burning, is not only decla­red by external proues and euidēt exam­ples, as it is come to passe in many pla­ces in our dayes to diuers Friers. Mon­kes or Priests, which setting themselues [Page] for the defēce of the Romish church, were killed and slaine. And yet shall it be with them, euen as Baals Priests with the pro­phet Helias about the riuer Rison, but are yet spiritually by a mistery of that which hath bene foretold. For the Foules, as ye shall heare, shall consume hir flesh. For god hath (saith the Angell) put in their hearts to fulfill his will. God hath giuen by inspirati­on of his holy spirite in the minds of those aforsaid, and such like persons, to accom­plishe in this behalfe his secrete will and pleasure. Namely to roote out wholy and altogither that false and hipocriticall re­ligion, to suffer no longer the enormitie and foule abhominatiō of that Antechrist. After all these manifold Reuelations, Reuel. 1 [...]. I saw an other angel (saith S.Iohn,) signifying the true ministers and preachers sent in these our dayes. As also in the .vj. Chapter of the Reuelation, Reue. .6. is made mentiō of the Angell which had the seale of the liuing God. Again in the .x. chapter, Reue. 10. of the angel which was enuironed with the cloud, and in the .xiiij. Chapter, Reuel. 14. of the Angell which published and cried out the fall of Babilon, [Page 51] comming from heauen downeward All which is to declare that the godly preachers are sent of God (hauing receiued great pow­er, Iohn .1. [...]. Actes .13. Mar. 3. Actes .18. Rom. 12. Iohn .6. [...]say .11. Esay. 9. 10. feruent zeale, and stedfastnesse of the spirite of God) to declare and pronounce the wil of god valiantly, to the ouerthrow of that pes [...]ilent whore. For like as the father hath the life within him, euen so hath his sōne Christ Iesu also, and in him liue his seruauntes, without any feare. And the earth was light of his brightnesse. Not of the Angell which was but a Mes­sanger, was the earth lightned, but of the power which was giuen vnto him. Wher Gods word is once truely preached, there the whole earth is lightned of the bright­nesse of the glory of God. And this Angell cried aloud, she is fallen. That great Babilon, which was so proud, hie minded, & so com­mon a whore, that blasphemous sinagoge of the hipocrites, is turned vpside downe. She is by the iust iudgement of God, brought to great ignomie and shame. Hir first ouerthrow was, Iohn .16. when as the prince of this world was ouercome and vanqui­shed through y ^e death of our sauiour Iesus [Page] Christ. Consider and ponder we [...] [...] your minde, the destruction of Ierusalem, after what sort the Iewish seruice ceased, and tooke an end: namely when the materiall temple was throwne down, [...]uke .19. and not one stone left vpon an other. Now in this our time, she shal haue a more sharper and seuere iudgement through the publishing & preaching of gods word, to the comfort of all beléeuers. Which although it be some­what as it were deferred, yet let them be as well assured of this hir iudgement to come, as we know and certainly beleeue the other to be come. Cal to remembrāce, and compare this place with the haling & plucking downe of Abbays, Frieries, and other religious houses (as they cal them) in Germanie, England, and in other places, and make your accompts, that more and more sorowes shal happen, and surely fal vpon hir shortly. The occasion of hir fall, and the desolation be [...]ore the lord, is this: She is become a dwelling place to deuils, Esay. [...]2. more than euer she was before hir first fall, for now enter they a great many at once, yea wel seuen for one.

[Page 52] And she is become a keeper of vncleane sprites. For all manner of Idolatrie is maintai­ned and kept by hir spirituall Courtiers and holy fath [...]rs (as they call them) as be their Bishops and pries [...]s. Here raigneth Simonie, Actes . [...]. bying and selling of benefices, sacriledge, Galat. 5. vsurie, ambition, fraude, coue­tousnesse, desire of money, Ephe. 3. & to shed bloud, enuie, malice, lecherie, gluttonie, pride, vncleannesse, and all other wickednesse. She is become a sauegard or cage of all vnclene and execrable birdes. Gene. 18.1 [...] For in hir dwelleth the adulterous Bishops, the buggerous Cardinals, and lecherous Prelates, and a heape of Sodomitish Monks and Friers, Nunnes, and Sisters. All these compa­reth Esay the Prophet to wilde beastes: Esay. 34. namely to Dragons, Ostriches, Eagles, Monkeis, Owles, Mermaides, and other rauenous and greadie birdes, and mon­sterous and straunge beasts: for amongst them hath bene vsed alwayes, and is yet at this present, all manner of vaine and foolishe toyes, as mockings, scoffings and iestings, with crossing, coniuring, gasing, singing, playing, and diuers other folish & [Page] straunge fashions to mocke God withall. Heere we might speak and reherse many things: Namely of the keeping of their stewes, and how they goe a whoring two maner of wayes: wher [...]unto we might ioyne and declare what gaine and profite the ruffian prelates get thereby. As it is to be séene, nam [...]ly at Rome, what reue­nues and rents, that great and soueraign ru [...]ian getteth by his whoores. And after­ward of the drouning and killing of chil­drē, and secretly murthering, and casting in corners and ditches, as is vsually prac­tised amongst these riggish and lecherous prelat [...]s.

It is [...]allen. For all the kinreds and nati­ons of the world, except a very fewe of simple and seely souls, which god through his vnspeakeable goodnesse, mercy and grace hath chosen and predestinated to him selfe, Haue dro [...]k [...]n of the wyne of the wrath of hir fornication, Bicause they haue not rendred thank [...]s to almightye God, when occasion, oportunitie and time ser­ued, therefore they are fallen into that bottomlesse pit of all errour and abhomi­nation, [Page 53] to the losse both of body and soul. They haue very carefully and narowly searched to runne a whoring after their hurtfull and damnable witchcraftes and inchauntments, beleuing and crediting their false doctrine and teachings, and so consequently apply thē selues to expresse it in their conuersation and liuing.

And the Kings of the earth, Psalm. 13. not hauing before their eyes the loue and feare of God, Ierem. 3. Eze 16. haue committed formcation with thys vile and filthie whoore. Oseas .2. Yelding thē selues to many false, Reuel. 18. Idolatrous, and straunge worshippings. In such sorte, that by the teachings, admonitions, and persuasions of their holy fornicatours, they haue bro­ken the bonde of peace, Esay. 54. and haue warred against the true children of God. Eze. 17. Which notwithstāding y ^t they haue wrongfully molested and troubled, scornefully in­treated and mocked, viol [...]ntly oppressed and persecuted, haue yet (chasing and ba­nishing them) confiscated their lands and goodes, turning their wiues and litle chil­dren out of the doores a begging. Aboue all this, so murther they and slay all such [Page] as they can catch, and shed very much in­nocent bloud, as hanging, drowning, or burning them most cruelly without any cause, yea without any remorse of consci­ence, Luke .16. euen as if there were neither hell nor heauen, God nor deuil, life nor death, and as if there were no iudgement, Rom. 4. or no accoumptes to be giuen before God of all their doings and crueltie. Also their mitred Merchaunts, and shauen Masse­mongers, factors and sellers of mennes soules, are waxen very rich and welthy by selling of their Oile, Creame, Salte, Holy water, Shrift, Candels, Blessings, Crosses, Banners, Ashes, Palmes, In­cense, Waxe, Beades, Bulles, and Par­dons, letters of Dispensation to contract Matrimonie, licences to eat flesh, egges, butter. &c. All which not God, but they vpon paine of euerlasting damnation, to their owne commoditie and profite haue forbidden. Of like qualitie are their Ima­ges, Ringing of Belles, their Reliques, Bones of departed Sainctes, and other like things. Whereby, and by many o­ther of their fained holinesse, they are be­come [Page 54] (through the aboundaunce of their goods and richesse) so lusty, spiteful, proud and lofty, that they haue obtained the pos­session and gouerning of Countreis and Realmes, of Cities, Fortresies and Ca­stels, and m [...]ny other pleasaunt places, Woodes, Warrennes, Parkes, Farmes, Conduits, Fountaines, Hounds, Horsses, and Mules. So that in aucthoritie and power, in riches, and substance, and in all kinde of plesant things, they are nothing inferior to Kings and Princes.

Moreouer, they are not ashamed to take other mennes wiues to fulfill their most filthie and vnsatiable desires, yea honest mennes daughters, maidens, and seruauntes, yea and yong men too, which they most abhominably and shamefully defile, marre and spoile. I leaue you to consider what gaines Bishops & Prelats gather of the first frui [...]ts of the tenths, of Buls, Pardons, and resigning of benefi­ces. Againe it can not well be tolde, what golde and siluer they get by singing and saying of their Collects, by going and ga­thering of their yearely Offerings, and [Page] the great liuings, reuenues and rentes, which their Cathedral Churches, Abbeis, Religious houses and Couents haue, so that in al things they passe the welthiest. There is no kind of pleasure come it ne­uer so farre off, be it neuer so deare and costly, but they wil haue a tast of it. Not­withstāding, they cā play so wel the hipo­crites at their sermons, y ^t it séemeth they regarde nothing lesse than the vanitie of this world, and praise aboue measure fa­sting and abstinence. Math. 6. But they haue their rewarde héere, and shall héereafter haue their portion with the dissemblers and hi­pocrites, where shall be wéeping, wrin­ging of hands, and gnashing of teeth.

And I h [...]ard another voice, an other warning of the spirite, whereby the true and faithfull ministers of God are in­structed and taught, warning vs and say­ing: [...] Esd. [...]. Goe out of hir my people, come away with Esdras out of that wicked Babylon, Gene 19. goe forthe with Abraham out of Caldee, [...]say .52. runne and flie with Lothe out of filthye Sodom [...], and meddle no more wyth that whoorish Church of Rome, denie, forsake, [Page 55] and detest wholly hir false and fained ho­lynesse, hir foule and filthy ceremonies, abhorre hir dissimulation and hypocrisie, curse and ban their trifles and iestings, and haue no felowship more wyth these whooremongers, Nicolaites, & Balaamites. Lifte vp, and repent from the bottom of your hearts your former follie and abho­minations which you haue done in times past, and come to me (sayth the Lord) all ye that trauail and are heauie loden, and I shall refresh you. Get ye away from among them, without looking behinde you, that ye be not partakers of their sinnes, which is the vē ­geance and ire of Gods wrath, and indig­nation. At all tymes and seasons there haue bene holy and godly men, and well learned fathers, whiche through their ex­cellent and diuine woorkes and writings haue exhorted and cried (especially since the comming vp of the Pope) for redresse and reformation of the churche, for the a­mendemente of many faultes, and to sée brotherly exhortation and christian disci­pline vsed in the same. As by Bertrandus Herebaldus, Berēgarius Thuronensis, Bruno [Page] Andegauensis, Peter Damianus, Valeriane Medeburgensis, Bernardꝰ Clareualēsis, Ro­bertus Tuitiensis, Ioachim Abbas, Cyrillus Graecus, Ioānes Salisburgensis, Gilbertꝰ Lāt­cestrius, Angelus Hierosolimitanꝰ, Guilhel­mus de sancto Aniore, Guido Bonatus, Ni­colaus Gallus, Hubertinus de Casali, Pelius Casali, Petrus, Ioannes, Marcilius Patauinus, Ioānes Paris, Arnoldꝰ de villa noua, Michael Caesenas, Gulielmus Occam, Nicolaus de Luca, Marcus de Florētia, Ioānes wiclefus, Ioā ­nes Hus, Michael de Bononia, Ioannes Hil­deshem, Dantes Aligerius, Frāciscus Petrar­cha, Nicolaus Clemadis, Petrus de Aliaco, Ioannes Gerson, Laurentius Valla, Lodoui­cus Arelatensis, Ioannes Segebius, Thomas Redonēsis Gallus, Mattheus Palmarius, Da­uid Boys, Dionysiꝰ Chartusianꝰ, Ioānes Mil­uerto, Ioannes Gorchius, Ioannes de Vsalia VVormacēsis, Ioannes Ghyler, Ioānes Crut­ser, VVessalus Groenegensis, Eneas Siluius, Redoricus Samorensis, Iulianus Brixiensis, and Hieronymus Sauonarola. Beside these there be other which are of oure time, as Ioānes Reuchlin, Baptista Mantuanus, Bap­tista Panetius, Iohannes Crestonꝰ, Erasmus, [Page 56] Lutherus, Zwinglius, Caluinus, and more other. All whiche, the Papistes for the moste parte haue condemned for hereti­kes. To rehearse here their wrytings, their reasons and testimonies, it would require to much time, I muste therefore leaue it behynde. I haue onely rehersed some of their names to thys end and pur­pose, that it myght appeare to the Rea­der, that at all tymes God hath had one or other, that hath not ben in all poynts consenting to their blasphemies. Albeit, the light of Gods truthe was not then so perfectly reueled vnto them as it is now a dayes (God be praised) vnto vs. Many godly and vertuous Emperours & Prin­ces, haue by generall Counsels, and by al other meanes possible assayed and pro­ued to haue a refourmation and amende­mente made of all absurdities, and abu­ses, whiche were crepte into the churche, but they haue alwayes met with wicked and vngodly princes which resisted them and letted them of their vertuous enter­prises, whiche also maintained those An­techrists in their impietie & wickednesse, [Page] defending them with toothe and nayle to the vttermoste: neuerthelesse it is with­out any doubt, that these, as Pharao, with all his power in the red Sea, and as that proude kinde of Phariseys and priestes of the Iewes in the Citie, bicause of theyr manifeste blasphemies perished, so shall likewise at the hour and time of God ap­pointed, all these perishe and vanishe a­way. For the sinnes of this whoore, or the in­numerable blasphemies of this false reli­gion, the great abhomination and filthie idolatrie, the burning, hangyng, drow­ning, and sheading of innocente bloude, are come vp into Heauen, [...]poc. 1 [...]. there to desire the vengeance of God, for their vncleannesse & vnsh [...]mefastnesse, hath caused & prouo­ked Gods wrath and indignation against them. And God hath remēbred their iniqui­ties, The multitude & greatnesse wherof ar come vp into heauen Therfore haue they most iustly deserued the threatened pla­gues of the most righ [...]eous God, no lesse than Sodome and Gomorre, [...]en. 19. for their trans­gression and wickednesses: which when it was foretolde them, made light of it, [Page 57] and went forwarde to al mischiefe, vntil God pouring out his vengeance, destroy­ed them with fire and brimstone.

Rewarde hir euen as she hath rewarded you, Measure vnto hir againe with such mea­sure as she did measure vnto you. Take ye good héede, and looke narowly, ye that haue gotten the iudgement seate: Crie vpon hir, euen as she dyd crie vpon you, snare hir, as she hath snared you. Againe, as she hath heretofore wrongfully mole­sted and troubled you, scornefully intrea­ted, yea, and by hir Traditions iudged and condemned you euen vnto death, so nowe do ye likewise rebuke hir, and ex­horte hir of hir wyckednesse, Math. 5.10. iudge hir like a very harlot, Iohn .6. and condemne hir by the mightie and true worde of God to e­uerlasting fire, 1. Corin. 4. whiche can not be quen­ched. And giue hir double according to hir workes. And in the cup that she hath filled to you fill hir the double. That is, render vn­to hir double in all punishmentes, and giue vnto hir euen for worldly punishe­ments whiche she hath brought vpon the elect of God, hellishe torments. For cor­poral [Page] and bodily troubles and vexations, eternal pains and torment of the minde: for the blame and ignomynie of thys worlde, perp [...]tuall shame and confusion: for temporall death, euerlastyng damna­tion both of body and soule.

And the cup. &c. That is al kinde of trou­bles, aduersities and miseries whiche she filled to you out of hir cup, that is, caused to come vpon you, shalbe doubled to hir a­gaine: for (as it is sayd) she shall receyue for temporall euils, euerlasting. The ho­ly Ghost calleth here double, that which is withoute comparison, euen as a little tyme to no time or euerlastingnesse. Hir pleasure and ioy shall be conuerted into sorowes and griefes, hir mery and plea­saunt talke, hir iestyngs and laughyngs into weepyng, mournyng, wringyng of handes and gnashyng of teeth. Hir com­maundings shal be turned into crauings, hir reuerence into contempt, hir honoure into shame. &c. For she hathe pretended moste faynedly an holy kynde of priest­hode, she boasteth and braggeth much o [...] that whiche they are furthest from. She [Page 58] hath vsurped and wrōgfully taken vpon hir, and proudely claimed vnto hir a roy­all maiestie and highnesse. Whiche two kynde of dignities she hath yet worse v­sed: lette hir there [...]ore wayte and at­tende on the plagues and punishementes due vnto hir pernicious temeritie and ar­rogancie. Take away hir pleasaunt Eu­phrates, wyth the spoyle and greate reue­nues, wherewithall she hath hytherto so vniustly maintained and kepte hir selfe, and throw hir in the deepe pit of all mis [...] ­ries and wretchednesse. Esay. 47. Math. 11. 2 [...] For she sayth in hir heart, I sitte being a Queene, Math. 16. enuironned with ioy and pleasure, I am the chiefe of the vniuersall worlde, on me dependeth the Catholike and holy Churche, I haue authoritie and power in Heauen, earth, and Hell: I haue also might to binde and to loose, to saue and condempne: It stan­deth not with me, as it doth with th [...]se that be not of this worlde, for all thyngs here are at my commaundement.

I am no widowe, I am not d [...]solate. The hyghest powers and gouernours of thys worlde do assiste and defende mee, [Page] putting to death al those that lay against me. Nero, Domitian, Traian, or Maxence were neuer more addicted to the defence of my predecessours, than are now adays the Princes of our tyme readie to main­taine wyth fire and faggot my Decrées, Traditions and Ceremonies. Therefore I shall see no mournyng. I shall continue al­wayes, I shall be called Madame at all tymes: Deut. 8. my kyngdome shall abyde for e­uer, my seate shall no man take awaye from me, I shall neuer fall, nor any euil can come vppon mée. After thys sorte, boaste (wyth no small presumption) our Papistes also, saying: That the lyttle vessell of Sain [...] Peter may wel by the reason of weather and tempeste be sha­ken, and with the waues of the sea trou­bled, but neuer can be ouerwhelmed or perishe: hereby goyng aboute to proue that theyr superstitious and Romyshe churche should abyde styll, and neuer be ouerthrowne. But they consider not of what abilitie and power the Lambe is, whiche abideth vppon the mount Syon, a­gainst whom they stick and make warre against [Page 59] continually: whose congregation and lit­tle flocke they persecu [...]e daily with great tyrannie, crueltie, and rigorousnesse. Therfore shal hir plagues come at one day. God shall once poure vpon this wicked race & malignant [...]hurch, Death, sorowes, hunger and sw [...]rde [...] euen as he dyd sende vpon the [...]ynfull Cities [...]ire and Brymstone. They shalbe depriued for euer of the life w [...]iche is in Christe Iesu, Gen 19. Exod. 9. they shall re­maine in sobbes and teares, Psal. 11. t [...]ey shal not ceasse to mourne, to wring their handes, Collos. 3. and gnashe their teeth, Math. 24. they shall be inhe­ritours o [...] eue [...]lastyng darkenesse, Mark .9. theyr worme shall neuer die, they shall hunger and neuer be sati [...]fied. Math. 25. And this whoore with the whole generation of hypocri [...]es shall be burnt with vnquencheable fyr [...], pr [...]pared for the deuyl and his au [...]gels. This sent [...]nce is not so seuere as true, for the Lorde who shal iudge them, is of power and might: Psalm. 50. he is holy and fait [...]ful in mercie, true in his worde and promise, Rom. [...]. maruellous in all his workes, Dan. 5. fearefull, Leui. 10. terrible and righteous in his iudgement [...] against the wycked. Deut. 1. No man then shall [Page] be able in those dayes to withdrawe any part of the threatned vengeaun [...]e of hys wrath from the euill doer. Neither oure Lady with castyng of hir b [...]ades into the ballaunces of S. Michaell, neyther S. Iohn Baptist, with hys lambe holdyng a crosse, neyther S. Peter wyth hys Key, nor S. Paule, wyth his sworde (as they vse to make them) yea and if Moyses, Samuel, and the rest of the Prophetes, with Noe, Dauid, and Iob, would make intercession yet shoulde they not be hearde. And the Kings of the earth, namely the worldly and carnall Princes whiche haue committed fornication, and lyued in pleasure with hir, in all vncleannesse and filthynesse, shall be­waile hir, when they shall see hir ouerthro­wen and so yll intreated, it shall grieue them sore, that they may or can not maintaine and defende hir with water, fyre and sworde against [...]od and hys saincts, for they shall be nothyng well pleased with the ordinaunces and institutions of Christe, bycause they doe hate nothyng more than the workes of the spirite, that [Page 60] is, to frame theyr liues according to the will of God. It shall anger them to the hearte, that they are not able to burne still and slay all those that speake, write, or preache agaynst the deedes of the fleshe and do reproue them of their fornication, adulterie, and theyr mischeuous and in­ordinate lyfe, and rebuke them of theyr moste abhomynable idolatrie.

And lamente ouer hir, when they shall see the smoke of hir burnyng. Reuel. 1 [...]. And shall stande a farre of, for feare of hir tormentes, crying and saying: Alas, alas, that greate citie Baby­lon, that m [...]ghtie Citie. Alas, our mother the holy Churche of Rome, so many holy fathers, Popes, Cardinalles, and By­shops: Alas, for our Monkes, Chanons, and Friers with their so holy, so deuoute and straight lyu [...]s and rude garmentes. Alas, for so many Pardons, Indulgen­ces, and confessions, so many principall bye Feastes, Holy dayes, and gay Coa­pes and Garmentes. Alas for oure ho­ly Water, holy Candelles, holye Pal­mes, holye Ashes, hallowed Belles, [Page] organs play, and prick song, and the res [...] of our so gay ceremonies. With these and the lyke wordes shall they bewayle hir, trembling and quakyng for feare, & cry­ing out on this maner: Wo, wo, to that strong & great citie Babylon, y ^• mightie citie: for in one houre is thy iudgement come. 2. Thess. 2. Thou art sodainly perished with y ^e sword of his mouth, before thou canst be aware of it. Alas, who shal now pray for vs? who shal now sing our Diriges, mas­ses of Requiem, and do the funeralles for our soule? Whether shall we go nowe to [...]hrifte? who shall now absolue and par­don vs our sinnes? where sh [...]ll we nowe fetche oure ashes? Who shall consecrate vs our Candles and Palmes? who shall sing or ryng and cast holy water at oure burials, and redeme vs out of purgatory? Suche shal be the complaints of the wic­ked and faithlesse persons.

And the merchants of the earth, whiche do make any trafike of the marchandise of their Temple (whiche place dothe serue them in steade of the market) as well a­mongest the Mahometistes, as the Pa­pistes. [Page 61] But bycause we are moste trou­bled and molested here in Europe, of that popishe Antechriste, we shall endeuoure to speake as we haue done hitherto most of hym. These merchantes then (I say) shall bewayle hir, and mourne ouer hir, very sore, and muche more than the Kyngs dyd. For no man buieth their ware any more. theyr pedlary is nothing set by any more The wares or merchaundises of theyr shoppes, are Masses, prayers, blessyngs, Crosses, theyr cakes, greate and small, whyche they sell (to get the more, as it is estéemed) in stéede of God theyr maker, Holy breade, holy water, Candels, reli­kes, Pardons, S [...]ala coeli, Diriges, Annu­aries, and dyuers other lyke, whereby they get the very sweate and bloude of the poore silly soules. All whiche they sell for good mo [...]ey daily, and yet they keepe neuerthelesse: For the people haue but the hearyng, the eye syght, or a taste of trifles.

And euery Shippe maister, and all the peo­ple that occupie shippes, and shipmen, and who­soeuer trauaile on the sea, sh [...]ll stande afarre [Page] of: That is to say, all Bishops, Ordina­ries, Abbots, Parsons, Uicars and Mas­sing Priestes, and other lyke, liuyng on the sea: Of these waueryng, blinde and zealous people, al these (sayth the voyce) stode a [...]arre of, euen as the merchants did, and cried. In like maner When they saw the smoake of the burnyng, saying: What Citie was lyke vnto this great Citie in ryches, po­wer, wealth, and voluptuousnesse? No Prince or lorde is better entertained, of al thyngs better prouided, and more at­tendance giuen vpon him than these sha­uelings be. For their truste and confi­dence is onely in this Citie, this is theyr God: Herein consisteth their whole feli­citie and blessednesse.

These Shipmen shall (bycause of theyr greate losse) so weepe and wayle, that men shall cast duste vppon theyr foolishe and fond wytlesse heads, that is to saye. They shall be so wrapped in darkenesse, that they shall not see in theyr vnderstanding bycause of theyr vnbeléefe, and also their knowledge shall bée made dull, blunte, [Page 62] and beastly, by the meanes of iealousie, furie, and rage. All this shall they do, to shewe theyr greate griefe: as for theyr repentaunce, Gen. 4. it shall be lyke vnto that of Caius, Pharao, Esau, Antiochus, Exod. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. and Iudas, their predecessoures. And in theyr sorrowe, Math. 26. they shall complayne on thys manner: Alas, alas, that greate Citie, that woorthie and moste famous Rome, that sweete and pleasaunt Babylon, oure holy mother, wherein we were made so ryche, so proude, so myghtie and glorious, that al the worlde dyd dreade, honour and serue vs, and we felte no trouble, no kinde of aduersitie, or miserie, is now made desolate, she is fallen. The apples that thy soule lusted af [...]er, are departed from thee, the learned, the wyse and men of vnderstanding whiche thou for the maintenance of thy beauti­fied whoordom desiredst (sayth the mena­cing voyce of the holy Ghost) are now de­parted from thée, and wil not (since they haue séene and considered thy great abho­mination) haue to do with thée any more, but they shall forsake and leaue thée, cursse and abolishe thée quite: and where [Page] as they were wonte to prayse, ma [...] muche o [...], and magnifye thee before the worlde, shall nowe defye th [...], yea, and (by the testimonie of the holy and sacred Scripture) rebuke, condempne and con­founde th [...]e. Of the common sort also men of an [...]onest and ciu [...]le lyse, whiche were wont to defende thee, nothyng suspecting but thynkyng that all these trumperies, and beggerly Ceremonies were profi­table and necessarie to be obserued (not­withstanding that thy lyfe and conuersa­sation was wicked and too too haynous) shal speake agaynst thée, & flie from thée as soone as theyr eyes and vnderstanding by the vertue of the spirite of God shalbe opened, Math. 6. seyng that thou arte detestable and diuelishe. Gala [...]. [...]. Briefly, no man, haue he neuer so little a taste of Gods holy word, 1 Tim 4 shalbe ab [...]e to abide thee, 2. Tim. 4. or suffre thy m [...] ­ny [...]es [...] whordom any lon [...]er: for thy vp­hol [...]ers are but dissemblers, men plesers, fl [...]tterers, ra [...]ling Sophistes, Scoffers, brawling Canonists, Sorbonists, Epi­cures, Libertines, and other vngodly and slaunderous persons, very Antechristes. [Page 63] Touching honest, sober, 1. Tim.3. discrete and ver­tuous persons, busie in godly works, 1. Tim. 5. fea­ring God, and séeking his glory from the bottome of their hartes, which also desire with all their strength, zeale, and feruen­cie to set forthe the same, they shall leaue and renounce al thy pestiferous & dange­rous wayes. These grosse and fat shippe men, and mariners shall say yet. Woe, woe, Alas, alas, that great Citie wherein we were m [...]de rich, all that had ships on the sea, by hir costlinesse, for in one houre she is made desolate. We which had Bishopriks, Abbays, Be­nefices, Prebendaries, and great Reue­nues, amongst these foolish vnstedfast, and worldly minded people, waxed by al ma­ner of wayes welthy and riche, through the deare and costly wares which oure shippes were laden withall on euery side, which ar innumerable. We (I say) are in great heauinesse, and in such a perplexitie when we remember of that so great and famous Citie, as we are not able to ex­presse, bycause of hir so sodaine fall, be­ing in one houre.

¶ The .14. vision containing the iust iudge­ment of god ouer the assembly of Ante­christ, and that gratious vengeaunce of the innocēt bloud of his good and faith­ful seruaunts: which I haue taken out of the .xix. chapter of the Reuelation, where it beginneth in this maner.

I Saw the heauens open: that is to say. The misteries of God were shewed me, Reue. 19. 11. and his secretes were fully declared and ex­poūded vnto me, I perceiue that through faith and humblenesse, great knowledge of the misteries of God wer [...] obtained. [...]say. 66. Wysdom .11 For the heauens are opened when Gods word is fréely preached, M [...]th. 11.12. and are shut vp when it is not preached, or not regarded, but in the stead of it, men are fedde with dreames and lies. And behold a white horse appeared vnto me. Héereby are ment the true and faithfull ministers of the word of God: whose office and condition is, (as S. Paule saith) to announce throughout all the whol [...] world this heauenly doctrine, 2. Corin. 1. and instruct, teach, & admonish both great [Page 64] and small. And he that sate vpon him, wa [...] called faith [...]ull and true. This is the onely and true sonne of God which is called faithfull, iust, and true, Math. 16. bicause h [...] is founde faithfull, Actes .9. and vnfallible in hys promises and woorde, Psal. 145.1 [...] Psalm. [...]. for the Lord (saith the Psalmist) is very righteous in all his wayes, true in his sayings, p [...]rfect in all his doings. He cannot but teach a right, and speake a trouth, Rom. 9. for he is the truthe him selfe. Iohn .14. Iohn .16. No more cannot those which are indued with his spirite, who leadeth and conducteth them in all truthe. He hath done according to iustice and equi­tie in condemning that wicked and ab­hominable whoore, in destroying that filthie sinagoge of Sathan, in d [...]liuering and exalting his poore afflicted Churche. First of all he did fight in his owne per­sone, as a worthy Champion against the deuill, hel, and damnation, whom he hath ouercome, Psal. 23. conquered and vanquished by his owne death, and glorious passion. And now doth he ouerthrow the Deuill, Ioh. 16. and all his adherēts, by the meanes of his faithful seruaunts, distributers of his ho­ly [Page] woord and mysteries, [...]. Cor. 15. which he nowe graci [...]usly sendet [...] vnder the figure of the white horsse. [...]ohn .12. For his seruaunts (as Aba­cuck testifieth) are lustie and wel anima­ted horsses, [...]ba. 3. whom the Lord condu [...]teth, which ar (as Ieremie calleth them) whiter than snow, by the meanes of their vnfai­ned, and vndefiled faith. And his eyes were like as a flame of fire, mightie and cleare. Whereby is not only vnderstanded his godly wisdome and knowledge, whereby he knoweth and iudgeth al things, but al­so all the heauenly and spirituall giftes of the holy G [...]ost. Behold sayth Zacharie, Z [...]ch. 3. 1. Cor. 1. vp­on the only stone (which S. Paule expoun­deth to be Christ,) shalbe .vij. eyes, which are the .vij. spirites of god, wherwith god doth lig [...]ten the hearts of his chosen, and kindleth the fire of his loue in y ^e minde of his faithful. Psal. 119. His word is a lātern to their f [...]e [...]e, hys law an [...] testimonies are pure, and vndefiled, giuing light to the eie. And vpon his hea [...] were many crownes. Euen as the same was séene (being a figure of Christ) vpon the head of Iesus the sonne of Iosedech the high Priest, 1. Esd. 3. E [...]cle. 4 9. to signi [...]ie that [Page 65] Iesus Christ is the soueraigne and king aboue al kings, which hath power in hea­uen and earth for euer. He ruleth and go­uerneth al nations with an ir [...]n rod. For he is the Lord of hostes, the euerlasting king of glory. He is a mightie and puissāt gouernoure, setting ouer the Mount Sion his holy hil. He giueth prosperitie and go­uernment to Kings, and his elect and cho­sen are crouned in him with grace and mercie for euermore. For he reserueth in heauen for vs, an inheritance immor­tall and vndefiled: 1. Peter .1. Againe, he hath layed vp for them that keepe the faith, [...]. Timo. 4. a crowne of righteousnesse, Reuel. 2. and wil giue a crowne of life to them that be faithfull vnto the death. &c. [...]ames .1. All warrefares and victories of the saincts depend vpon him only. And he had a name written, to wit, almighty, mar­uellous and feareful, Adonai, Emanuel, a name aboue all names, euen the holy one of Israell, the Lorde of Sabaoth, the Lord of hostes, our redemer, sauiour, and righ­teousnesse. Math. 16. No man knewe this name but hym selfe and them whiche he hathe reue­led it vnto, neither fleshe nor bloude, nor [Page] Heathen, Turke, Iew, or false Christian is able to cōprehend thys name [...]right: Math. 16. Albeit they haue good signes and tokens, yet no man can say that Iesus is the Lord, 1. Cor. 12. without the inspiration of the spi­rite of God, who openeth the very truth of God. The number of Gods elect are al­so signified or comprehended vnder this name, which the world can not acknow­ledge nor vnderstand. And he was clothed with a garment dipt in bloud. His mortall bodie which he tooke vpon him for our redemption, was so sore beaten and gre­uously wounded, that from the soule of the féete to the very crowne of the head, euen from top to toe, nothing was lefte whole or sound. This mighty Champion is he which came from Edom and Bos [...]a, whose garmentes were sprinkled with bloud, his clothes were rayed, euen as of those that tread the wine presse. For his manhoode suffred most shameful & pain [...] ­full death. Esay. 63. Esay 53. He him selfe alone trode the wine presse of his wrath, Math. 8. and had none to helpe him. He his owne self was woū ­ded for our sinnes, 1. Peter .2. and our infirmities [Page 66] were layd vpon him, and by his stripes we are healed. And his name was called the word of God. Iohn . [...]. Christ Iesu the sonne of god, Ephes. 3. is that eternall and euerlasting word of God, Psalm. 33. which was from the beginning by God, Heb. 1. by whom also heauen and earth are made, Colloss. 1. and all that in them is, the verye [...]mage of his substance in whom the fa­ther is represented, wherby also we vn­derstand and know the wil of the father, for the word of God is a true guid of the conscience. This word was made flesh: Iohn .1. that is, became mā for our sakes, sauing, ius [...]ifying, and glorifying all those that beleeue on him. And the warriers which were in heauen, followed him vpō white horses. These are the true & faithfull ministers which follow their maister and c [...]ief cap­tain Christ Iesu vpon white horsses: that is in innocency of life and godly cōuersa­tiō which they professe. These horsses are nothing else than their mortal bodies re­dy to battaile. For true christiās mortifie their flesh, y ^t concupiscence therof, Coloss. 3. & bring their carnal lusts vnder subiectiō, Gala. 5. & their bodies obedient to y ^e spirit. They become [Page] seruauntes to righteousnesse, and not to sinne, Rom. 6. they are worthy Souldiers of God, for they follow the Lord of [...]ostes: suche an armie saw the seruaūt of the Prophet Elizeus in Doathim in a vis [...]on. They w [...]re clothed with fine linnen, white and pure, signi­fying the simplicitie and innocēcie which they haue in Christ Iesus their captaine, and good and perfect gifts which the Lord giueth them. As S. Iohn him selfe expoun­ded them a little before, where he sayeth that the fine linnen are the true iustifi­cations which they haue of none other, but from theyr head Christ. These are y ^e spirituall weapons wherof S. Paule spea­keth, saying: 1. Cor. 10. Though we walke in the flesh, yet we do not war after y ^e flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not car­nal but mighty through god to cast down holds: and out of his mouth wēt a sharp sword, which is that wonderful iudgment of his word. Through this sharpe sword are the faithful and beleuers saued to [...]ife euerla­sting, and the wicked infidels iudged to e­uerlasting death and damnation. For it is vnto some a sauior of life vnto life, and [Page 67] to others a sauior of death, vnto death. Iohn .15. 1. Corin. 5. With this sword shall be cut of the dead braunches which in him beare no fruicts, and the rotted members from the body. In like manner shalbe the good from the bad, Math. 24. and the Goates from the shéepe, Psal. 2. 45. with this sword deuided and separated: Oh how terrible, fearefull, and sharpe shalbe the iudgement of the Lord, the rod and scepter of his dominion against the wic­ked in those dayes, as he shall say: Mat. 25. Goe from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire: Again, how comfortable & ioyful a thing shall it be for the elect to see them selues exempted of this condemnation, and to haue the fruition of that souerain blessed­nesse in eternal glory. For he it is that trea­deth the wine presse of the fierc [...]nesse and wrath of almighty God. That is: Esay. 63. he shall poure forth his vengeaunce vpon the proud and infidels, and shall punish them most gre­uously with his strong & mightie arme, stretched ouer their heads, striking them in his rage & furie, wherunder all things are set. And I saw an A [...]gell standing in the Sunne, signifying the Apostles and al true [Page] ministers of the word of god which stand in the bright & cleare sunne of righteous­nesse, [...]al. 4. [...]eue. 20. [...]eb. 10. which is Christ Iesu, that amiable and shining morning starre. And these worthy witnesses stand fast in a sted [...]ast assurāce of faith in his name, against the whole multitude of Antechrist, 1. Corin. 10. without mouing of their féete from y ^e well groun­ded stone, which is Christ Iesu, which for nothing in this world, Rom. 8. be it persecution, paine, torment, or deathe, will shrincke therefro. And he cried with a loude voyce to all the Foules that did flie by the middes of hea­uen. This voice cried, and shall call vntil the worldes end, Esay. 55. with a feruent and con­stant mind, Prouerb. 1. vnto al foules which flie vn­der heauen, Iames. 1. to them which are humble of mind, Esay. [...]1. and be [...]me spiritual through faith and heauenly giftes. These f [...]ying foules laying aside, & quite abolishing all world­ly plesures or corruptiblenesse, Philip. 3. lift them­selues vp aboue their affections on hie, and make their cōuersation to be in hea­uen, and lead héere in earth an heauenly life. These are the chosē soules which the father féedeth and sustaineth wyth [...]ute [Page 68] their own deserts. Gen. 11.12 Such a one was Abra­hā in Mesopotamie, Exod. 19. Moyses in Sinai, Helias vpon y ^e mount Carmelus, 3. Reg. 1 [...]. Daniel amōgst y ^e lions, Dan. 6. [...]aul in Damas [...]o, S. Iohn in Pathmos, and many moe euen herein England, Acts .9. and in other places, R [...]ue. 1. and shalbe to the worlds end. Ephe. 4. The maner of their calling is: Colloss. 3. Come assemble you in vnitie of faith and mind, knit your selues togither in Christ Iesu, in loue which is the bond of perf [...]ctnesse, that the peace of god which passeth al vn­derstanding, Phil. 4. kéepe your hearts & mindes in Christ Iesu our Lord. Prepare ye (sayth the Angel) to come to that great and super­naturall good supper of the Lord: Which is that eternall and euerlasting refreshing of the soul. Come on and tast of the most daintiest dishes, & most sumptuous fare, 1. Corin. [...] which neuer eye hath séene, Esay. 6 4. neither care hath heard, neither came into mannes heart, which God hath prepared for them y ^• loue him, Rom. 1 [...]. learne out of gods holy word what his good wil & pleasure is, Ephe. 6. folow the same in life & maners, 1. Peter. 5. flie from al world­ly pleasures. Liue soberly, temperately, chastly & righteously in the feare of god, [Page] attending and waiting vpon the cōming of our Lord and God. Finally, order and frame your life so, that ye may eat t [...]e fl [...]she of kings, that ye may by exhortation and ensample, teach the worldly gouerners to conuert vnto the Lord, and to forsake all maner of filthie, carnall and sinnefull lustes. And that ye may eat the fl [...]sh of all captaines and mightie men, pluck down the hie minded hearts of tirāts, to bring vn­der their [...]rueltie and loftie stomacks, de­uour also the flesh of the worldly rich and proud mā, cause him to leaue of al world­ly pleasures, [...]xcesse, and manifolde vani­ties.

And the fl [...]she of horsses, [...]nd of them that sit on them. And the flesh of al fre men & bōd­men, and of smal and great Regard neither horsses nor them that sit on thē, but teare their flesh in péeces. Spare no man, ney­ther hie nor low, rich nor poore, bond nor frée, but checke and taunt them, that they leauing their old & wicked wayes, turne to the lord. As for the obstinate and stub­born which wil not bow but resist, break them and hew them in pieces, punish the [Page 69] wicked and carnall worldlings of what degree so euer they be, and these beastly Antechristes & cruel Grashoppers which sit on them: take away the pride and lof­tinesse from these loitering prelates, and idle bishops, and also of thē that imitate and follow their mischeuous hipocrisie, deliuer the oppressed, and turne back the cruell persecution from the innocents, poure downe thy wrath ouer the wicked according to their desertes, Math. 24. and let none escape. Luke. 17. Imitate the Eagle and Kite, re­sort there where as the dead carkasses, (men without liuely faith, and drouned in sinne) be. Teache euery one to walke honestly in their vocation, let Princes vnderstand that it behoueth them to be learned and wise in all sciēces: Psalm. 2. but abo [...]e al in the holy Bible which be the Scrip­tures, and that it becometh thē to walke in the feare of god, not to do al things vn­aduisedly, and according to their owne pleasure, but orderly, as reason and equi­tie doth require, not to oppresse the poore, innocents and fatherlesse, but to aid, suc­coure and helpe them, and to punishe the [Page] wicked and malefactors, nor vse exforti­on in taxing ouermuch their commens & subiects. The rich & welthy, that they be merciful, good stewards & distributers of y ^e gifts of God cōmitted to their charge. To the hipocrites & Idolaters, that they leaue of their vaine trust or confidence, in any creatures, & returne vnto the li­uing God. 1. Cor. 7. Again the whoremonger, that he goe no more like a beast and Mule in whom is no vnderstanding, after other mennes wiues, but rather take his own wife, to flie al occasions of euil. Cōmaund the ruler to be faithful in his calling, [...]om. 13. and the Commons louingly to obey. The wife to be true and obedient to hir hus­band: [...]. Pet. 2. againe, [...]phe. 5.6. the husband to be frienda­ble and louing to his wife, Coloss. 3.4. defend hir, cherish and nourish hir, euen as Christ defended his Church, and cared for hir. Children to be obediēt to their Parents, the Parentes not to prouoke their chil­dren to wrathe. And the seruaunts to o­bey them that be their masters. &c. Thou shalt eate the flesh of the Giantes, [...]zech. 39. [...]sal. 67. and drinke the bloud of the Princes of the [Page 70] earth, of the Weathers, of Buckes and Bulles which shall be slayne at Basan. And I saw the Beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their armie. That is, these Ruf­fians and lecherous Bishops, Monkes, Abbots, and the rest of these shauelings of Antechrist, with the Princes of this world, cruel tyrant [...], catchpols and hang­men of the Beast, are assembled together, to consult and gather souldiours, and set them out to fight against him which sate vppon the white horse, to make warre a­gainst Christ and his beloued Churche, his chosen and peculiare people, his ser­uaunts which without any kind of doubt or wauering, follow him. They séeke (I say) to kil and slay these pleasant birdes, bicause they did eate and consume their fleshe. They rebuked their euill corrupt maners and vnrighteous dealing, their wicked and abhominable life, therefore they make warre against Christ, where so euer the worde of God was sincerely preached and taught, the glorye of God preferred, and the securitie and naughti­nesse of mannes sinfull and abhominable [Page] life reproued, there hath alwayes insur­rections, tumultes and seditions risen a­mongst the hipocrits of traiterous enter­prizes. Luke .2. For the word of God is a signe of contradiction, and the stone of offence. These Princes and captaines with their most cruel souldiers are set on, prouoked and stirr [...]d by the malice of these Idola­trous Bishops and Prelates, euen as Pilate and Herode were moued of Annas and Caiphas to put Christ to death. [...]a. 27. [...]ohn .18. [...]ctes .28. And as Felix gouernour of Iurie at the request & pleasure of Ananie the hie priest, kept S. Paule in prison. The Emperor Traian and other tyrants should neuer haue persecuted the Christians vntil this day, if their horsses had not bene pricked so fast and so often with the spurres of wicked and leu [...]e Prelats. And what diligence & endeuour they haue done to ouerthrow, vanquishe and roote out the truthe, may be seene by their letters, wrytten and sent to so many Kings and Princes. No small a doe had they to bring Iohn Wi­cliffe in discredite and slaunder with the people, the which (after he had ben buried [Page 71] fortie yeares) toke vp his bones, and bur­ned them with fire, and cast the ashes in­to the riuer, shewing their tiranny vpon his bones, whome they coulde not be re­uenged of in his lyfe time, no not for all their requestes and sutes made to the kyng of Englande, Richarde by name.

Againe, Sigismunde the Emperor wold neuer haue done contrary to his promise fortified by a safe conduct graunted vnto Iohn Hus, to goe and come safely to the Counsell at Constance, and in a manner forced hym: for if he would be the image of the beast, & an obedient child of the Ro­mish church, he must doe all as it pleased them. It is manifest what diligence and trauaile they haue assayed, what violence and force they haue vsed, to banishe and chase the truth of the Gospell out of Ger­manie, what practises, craftie policies and fetches they haue sought to deface it here in Englande, and what crueltie and ty­rannie they shewe in France, to the vtter destruction of the countrey we haue séene and see, and yet dayly at this instant seele they. And aboue all, haue we felte, and [Page] [...] yet féele the experiēce of it in low Ger­many (our natiue countrey) and Flaunders, where as soone as Gods worde was sin­cerely preached, and the Gospell of Iesu Christ opēly declared, O how Satās king­dome was rente & diminished? how idola­trie and superstition was brought low, & all excesse, surfetting & dronkennesse, all wickednesse and vice, all pride & naughti­nesse beat down & forsaken. The whoore­mongers & adulterers began to be asha­med of their filthinesse: priests & Friers misliked of their estate, and durst not say Masse, go on procession & funeral, & other of their abhominatiōs: they couered their crounes, let grow their beards, hid thēsel­ues, yea & demed y ^t they were such. Many light women were conuerted, many ruf­fians & baudes were astonied for y ^t they saw their houses not so much haunted as before. These with y ^e rest of the spiritual baudes and ruffians, were well ashamed and wist not where to hide thēselues, bi­cause of y ^• light, which did shine so bright in the worlde. On the other side, consider how the kyngdome of Christe increased, [Page 72] augmented and multiplied daily, how the honor of God was set foorth, the name of the Lorde was magnified and inuocated, praised and blessed. Howe many people whiche hitherto haue liued like ignorant doltes in al securitie & beastlynesse, were then come to knowledge and vnderstan­ding, & leauing their former life, gaue thē selues to vertue & godlinesse, & cleauyng to that whiche they heard, expressed it in their life & cōuersation. Last of al, it was maruel to see how charitie, humilitie, so­briety, honesty, & al other godly exercises y ^e works of the spirite wer put in practise amongst this new springing churche: and contrarywise, the dedes of the flesh forsa­ken, & layed aside. But that great dragon the diuel, that olde serpent, who from the beginning hated the truth, & mans felici­tie, seing his kyngdom go to wrack, hys gay & finely disguised church d [...]cay, hys pilferyng trashe & beggerly Ceremonies nothing set by: yea and seing his beastly bodie, & al his membres by y ^e preaching of Gods word so cleane vncouered, and bea­ten to the grounde, did waxe madde and [Page] outragious. Wherefore he moued & stir­red vp kings, who entring in allegiance and alliaunce with his Antechrist, gathe­red a counsell against the Lorde and his churche, to scatter and put asunder hys flocke, aud to kill and slay his chosen. Which thyng afterwarde they practising made them vp, and not without treason, inuaded the countreys there, not to go­uerne accordyng to iustice and equitie, but violently and tyrānously to rule and reigne, yea notwithstanding their priui­leages enacted and giuen by acte of parli­ament, confirmed and established by othe of the Prince him selfe, haue they yet a­gainst all reason and lawe oppressed the commons, and innocents. As for the chri­stians, it is too well knowne howe they are vsed, therfore I leaue of to speake a­ny more of that matter, not mistrusting but that it shall be declared at large of some diligent writer. Psalm. 2. But what is their purpose? Acts .2. The Lorde against whom they striue, Prouerb. 1. is too strong, he knoweth all theyr enterprises and imaginatiōs, Psal. 37. Psalm .59.2 & laugheth them to scorne, He seeth their fall and o­uerthrowe, [Page 73] and the victorie of his chosen, and the deliuerāce of his people is in his hande. Let them rage neuer so sore, lette them murther and slay neuer so many, Reue. 14. blessed are they whiche die in the Lorde, they shall neuer be able to roote oute the truth, muche lesse to obtaine any victorie agaynste God, for the Lambe is strong, and abideth valiantly vpon that vnmoua­ble & inexpugnable mounte Syon, hauyng wyth hym an hundreth and .4400000. These be as many as haue receyued hys true faith, and are the true séede of Abra­ham, hauing the seale of the holy Ghost, Psalm. 2. Math. 3. bearing the name of their father engra­ued on their forhead, Iohn .8. Rom. 4. redéemed & bought from the earth, predestinated and chosen to life euerlasting, 2. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 2. whiche are not defiled with women, Ephe. 1. Rom. 9. whose soules and faith are not spotted with false doctrine or idola­trie and superstition papistical. Reue. 14. These ar virgins which receiue not the false, Ephe. 4. hipo­criticall and whoorish doctrine of y ^e Ante­christ. These be the virgins whereof the holy Ghost speaketh, and not them only (as they saye) whiche neuer maried, else [Page] Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, Zacharie, Peter, Philip, and the reste of the godly whiche haue bene maried, coulde haue ben of the number of those virgins: for they iudge mariage to be vncl [...]ane, and a deede of the fleshe. They are not ashamed to aduouch in their Decretals, that it is better and a smaller offence to kepe a [...]ūdreth hoores, than to marrie or contracte matrimonie, after they haue vowed chastitie. Oh bea­stes that ye are, the spirite of Chastitie did neuer cause you to forbid holy matri­monie, but it was the spirite of vnclean­nesse Asmodeus, Beelsebub, and that spirit whereof the Sodomites, and them of Go­morra were driuen. These foule spirites made you to do it, to accomplishe the pro­phecies of S. Paule, and of Daniell, whiche amongest other wordes, speaketh of An­techrist on this maner: He shal [...]xalt him selfe aboue all, which is called God. 2. Thess. 2. For the God of hys predecessors he shal make no count of. Dan 11. He shal loue neither God nor woman, Reuel. 15. but only his Maosim, for he exal­teth himself aboue all things. The natu­rall [Page 74] duetie and affection whiche God hath graffed in man & wyfe, to loue and haue company comforte and healpe one of the other, to increase and multyplie, is the onely meane whych God hath prouided to preuent the decay of mankynde. It is also a greate kinde of beneuolence and friendeshyp, wherein the one parte of mās nature honoreth (aswel for the like­nesse, as for the creatours sake) the other in the feare of God, whome they in the state of matrimonie, not onely serue, (if it be well vsed) but honour and worship. Then, the du [...]tie of a good husbande is, according to Gods worde, to labour, and with the sweate of his browes to get his bread, to care and prouide for hys fami­lie, for his wyfe and chyldren, that shée neyther thorough pouertie, hunger, or o­ther cause of wretchednesse, haue no oc­casion to committe or do any thyng a­gaynst the rule of honestie and prescript commaundement of God. A good wyfe agayne, wyll be diligent and carefull for all things necessary and belonging to the [Page] house, she shall be sober, honest, faithfull and busie. This affection and kindenesse, wherof we speake here, procedeth out of the naturall loue, gyuen v [...]to vs by na­ture, and all men in generall are bounde to obserue it. This naturall kyndenesse and diuine loue hath not this monstrous beast and beastly monster Antechrist, nor his sodomitishe greasy ones. They lurke onely in their dennes, and wyth daintie dyshes and delitious meates fil their bel­lies, and make merr [...]e, they care for no bodie, they beare neither honest loue, nor heart, or any good wil to woman, neither for propagation [...] nor for the ordinance of God, who is the author & instituter of it. They labour not to maintain their wife. they seeke not to defēd any against disho­nestie, rauishment or shame, they desire none for their owne, but when they lust, they take one nowe, and an other to morowe, and then sende hir packing, to haue neither trouble, cost nor charges of hir, nor of the childe, but like vnkyndely Cuckoes lay theyr egges into other fol­kes nestes. Whether these things tende [Page 75] to the despysing & disgracyng of women or not, iudge you. And surely the rather for that they, not passing for the ordināce of God, but reiecting it, take one or o­ther of their acquaintaunce after theyr owne minde, forsooth to cast hir of like a broken pot, and to take an other so often as they lust. But what great euyl and in­conuenience dothe procéede and followe here hence, is to be séene in great Cities, where these belly gods for the most part vse to haunt, as at Rome, and in other pla­ces where any Byshoprikes or canoni­stes or colledges be, where ye may sée an infinite numbre of quean [...]s and painted Curtisās, which get their liuing by y ^• l [...]t­ting of their flesh and body to these beast­ly & vnnaturall kind of people, to whom they beare neither heart nor good will for abusing them selues. In that they haue to do with them, they loose their honestie & fame, they marre and destroy both body and soule. I le [...]ue the murtheryng and slayin [...] of chil [...]n, whiche is no synne a­mongst them: [...] [...]any other vnclean, vnnaturall and [...] abhominable filthy [Page] déedes vsuall amongst them in theyr pri­uie chaumbres and celles. These bee the fruits of their promised sworné vnchast chastitie. For what I pray you is chasti­tie or virginitie more before God than marriage? [...]b. 3. no more than circumcision to vncircūcision, [...]om. 23. one is neither better nor worse before god than y ^• other, cōcerning the life of a christian man. Christ Iesu re­quireth & demaūdeth only of vs tru faith working thorough charitie: so thē al they y ^• lead their lyfe in the holy state of ma­trimonie, accordyng to the word of God, are reputed virgins, as S. Paule testi­fieth: The Lambe whyche taketh away the sinne of the world stands with them, [...]. Cor. 12. which y ^• father hath giuen him vpon that strong mounte Syon. Contrarywise, the Dragon and the beast with all theyr ad­herents, are set vpon the slyding sandes of the sea, their kingdome, their power their myght, their lawes, statutes, and ordinaunces, theyr frée will and wycked purpose, their proude titles haue no sure foundation, but are buylded only vppon [Page 76] t [...]e waueryng sandes of doubtefulnesse and falshode, agaynst whiche when any tempeste or winde of Gods holy worde bloweth, sodainly it is moued and ouer­throwen: yea and these vile shauelyngs them selues are these sandes, wh [...]reon their captain the dragon stādeth [...] they are the chair and dwellyng place of the diuel. Thoroughe them, as instrumentes, and false prophetes, he vsed to speake, to com­maunde, and execute all hys deceiptfull and false hypocris [...]es and idolatries. It is then moste sure and certaine, that this beast with all theyr beastlynesse, can ne­uer abyde long. For it followeth, that the Beast was apprehended and taken, and with hir the false Prophetes whyche did signes and wonders before them. As heretofore Ia­mes and Iambres, the enchaunters of E­gypt, wente aboute to counterfaite the sig [...]es, Exod. [...]. whiche Moyses and Aaron dydde in the presence of Pharao: 2. Tim. 3. lykewy [...]e doe these false inchaunters peruert the truth in these oure days, namely in that they shew greater wonders, than any hereto­fore hath ben heard of: That is, that they [Page] (as they affirme and violently holde) can turne very bread into naturall fleshe and bloud, and that so cunnyngly that it can not be once perceyued, neyther in behol­dyng féelyng or tastyng of it otherwyse than breade. And more other: as to re­déeme soules out of Purgatorie, by sacri­fices and workes supererogations, and other shamefull braggs, wherwith he de­ceyued them that receyued the beastes marke and seale, and worship his image.

These both, namely the head and the bo­die, the beast, and the false prophete, were aliue caste into a lake of fire, burning with Brimstone: These shall surely thorough the power and ryghteous iudgement of God, receyue theyr portion wyth the hy­pocrites and false Prophetes.

And the remnant which folow, of what state and condition so euer they be, were slayne with the sworde of him that sitteth vpon the horse, which commeth out of his mouthe.

This sworde is (as is before sayd) his mightie and true word, which hath with­in hym spirite and life. Such then as are not afrayde of this worde, but obstinatly [Page 77] cleaue faste to their false doctrine and or­dinaunces, also those whiche beyng stri­ken of this sworde, and beléeue not, nor repentyng them of their misdedes, frame their lyfe accordyngly, shall perishe with­out doubt with this sword for euermore. Rom. 8.

And all the foules are folkes whiche God of hys mercie, hathe chosen and plucked from these worldly pleasures and naugh­tie desires, shall be howesouer the matter goeth filled with their fleshe, whether they be saued or damned: For if they be saued these shall be gladde bycause that theyr numbre is increased. Againe, on the other syde, shall they reioyce, when that they sée the wicked and obstinate, through th [...] iuste iudgement of God punished. The righteous (sayeth Dauid) séeing the ven­geaunce of God, Psalm. 5 [...]. shall reioyce, and shall washe their féete in the bloud of the wic­ked: Euen so shal the vngodly, which re­sist God and his holy worde, with al their vainglorie and pompe, sodainly and with a greate noyse perishe. The Lorde shall destroy them for euer. The wicked doers (sayeth Dauid) fall, they are cast downe, Psalm. 36. [Page] and are not able to stande. Agayne, he sayeth: [...]salm. 37. As for the vngodly, they shal pe­rishe and come to naught: and when the enimies of the Lorde are in theyr floures they shall vanishe, [...]salm. 1. yea euen as the smoke shall they consume away. They shall pe­rishe in their wickednesse like a shadow, and wither away as the thistle, and lyke the chaffe and dust, which the winde scat­tereth away from the grounde, so lyke­wise the way of the vngodly shall perish. This wyll su [...]ely come vpon the wicked as it hath done in al ages, and as we haue séene it with our eyes, and dayly shall [...]ée it more and more. But they which feare God and loue hym, shall obtayne hys grace and mercy, and shal enioy his faith [...]ful promises, the inheritance of his euer­lasting kyngdome, as ye may heare nexte folowing.

I saw [...] (sayth S. Iohn) a newe heauen [...] and a new earth. Reuel. 21. S. Peter sayth also, 2. Peter .2. that euery thing (going before the iudge) shalbe clensed and purified, [...]. Sap. 3 Psal. 50. and not consumed, for al things must be changed and made cleane of all corruptiblenesse. He meaneth not [Page 78] sayeth Aretes) that the creatures shoulde consume away, and be no more, but one­ly y ^t they seruing to a better vse, shoulde be renued, so the godly and chosen shall be deliuered two maner of wayes, that is to say: Here in this worlde from sin, & hereafter of death & damnation, & so shall be led & conducted vnto the true libertie & ioyfull inheritance of y ^e children of God. Rom. 8.

The first heauen defiled with the pryde of the angels, and the fyrst earth corrup­ted with the manyfolde wyckednesses of man, were passed away altogether, and shall be no more, not that the veritie of them shall vanishe, but the nature, com­plection, and qualitie of them shal change and turne into sinceritie and perfection. And there was no more sea [...] y ^t is, y ^• vaine & in­constāt people were no more: for al pric­kings & remorse of conscience, al despera­tion, mistrustfulnesse & doubt, shall be ta­ken quite from y ^• godly & chosen. All kind of anger sorow & aduersity shal be turned into ioye and peace of the holy Ghost, all hindrance, feare, persecution, tyrannie, violence, and aduersitie whyche we en­dure [Page] héere in the troublous sea of thys worlde, [...]. Cor. 13. shal ceasse at the day of the lord, when we shall sée hym face to face. And the sea shall be no longer subiect to vani­tie, than all other creatures, but shall be purified from all corruption, and shall henceforth be so cleare as any christall, although it remaineth the same substāce.

And I Iohn sawe, by reuelation and per­mission of God, the holy Citie, new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen. By good reason is this holy Citie the congregati­on and churche of God called newe Ierusa­lem, come downe from God hir Creatour and maker, for she is holy, not of hir self, but of him that made hir, and chose hir to be his welbeloued spouse, prepared lyke a bride [...]immed for hir husbande, for she is pu­rified and made newe againe, [...]phe. 5. as the well trimmed bride for hir husband, [...]euel. 12. the lambe Christ Iesus. [...]it. 3. This bride shall hereafter through regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost shew glorious & perfect holy: [...]ath. 19. so long as she cōtinueth here, she maketh no accompt of any thing in this worlde, but doth gouerne hir selfe accordyng to [Page 79] that rule which he hir husband hath lefte hir, namely his holy woord. But héerafter shall she (being deliuered frō sinne, wret­chednesse, and all kinde of corruptions) more perfectly follow his steppes. She is called new héere on earth, for so much as she hath laide off, and put away throughe the vertue of Gods holy spirite, the olde man with all his lustes, Colloss. 1. Eph [...]s. 5 [...] and hath no fel­lowship with the vnfruitefull workes of darknesse. But heereafter shal she be new by his fauoure and grace, for so muche as she shall be deliuered from sinne, deathe, and all manner of corruption. She is cal­led the new Ierusal [...]m both héere and here­after, bicause that all their Citizens are of one beliefe: yet shall they be heereafter of like glorie and vnitie. Héere hir Cite­zens are among the Sainctes, Ephes. [...] and the fa­milie of God, and there shall they be both children, and inheritors with Christ, Rom. 6. she came downe from god out of heauen: Reuel. 21. Math. 16. hir Christian faith is neither of fleshe nor bloud, Gala. 4. but by the gratious Reuelation of the heauenly father. Tit. 3. But Ierusalem (sayth S. Paul) which is aboue, is frée and mother [Page] [...]uer vs all. She is that Citie which God hath builded. She is furnished with the gift of faith, and w ^t the fountaine of life, Ephe. 5. prepared and trimmed to be a faire and glorious churche, 1. Peter .3. without any spotte or wrinckle. Iohn .1. She is clensed from hir sinnes through his bloud, she is very costly, and wel fauoredly adorned & beautified with ioy, peace, long suffering, pacience, and other more vertues of the spirit: Gala. 5. Ephe. 5. euen as an honest and true Bride is dressed and trimmed for hir louing & deare husband. The bride (sayth Dauid) standeth on thy right hand in a vesture of fine gold. Psal. 45. But hir raiments (so long as she is on earthe) are inuisible, they are spiritual iewels of the soule and m [...]nde, and not of the body. And I heard (sayth S. Iohn) in the midst of this last vision, a mightie voice out of the heauen, the euerlasting and onely throne of GOD, a voyce saying after this sort [...]nto me. Loke vp and beholde, for your owne (and al other belé [...]uers) cōmoditie and instruction, the holy Tab [...]rnacle of the Lord, which shall be with the chosen for euer, is also héere wyth the Militant [Page 80] Church vpon earth. Moreouer, consider that euery beleeuing soule is a Temple of the holy Ghost. 1. Corin. 6 As Christ him selfe te­stifieth: Iohn .14. He that loueth me, and keepeth my word, I and my father will come to him, and dwell with him. In like manner speaketh God by the Prophet Ezechiel: Ezech. 37. saying, I wil make a bond of peace with them, which shall be vnto them an euer­lasting couenaunt, I will set my sanctua­rie among them for euermore. My dwel­ling shalbe with them, yea I wil be their God, & they shal be my people. The same also he confirmeth heere in this place, say­ing: Reue. 21. He will dwell with them, and they shalbe his people, and God him s [...]lfe shalbe their God. Esay. 43. In suche sorte that they shall neuer ac­knowledge any other, than him only. He shal alwayes comfort and strengthen thē heere by his holy spirit, and heereafter by his presēce so mightely defend and sure­ly kéepe them, that they shall neuer faile him heere, nether afterward be seperated from him. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, so cleane that no kinde of trouble or feare, shall make them afraid, [Page] neither any aduersitie shrinke or make them heauie. The same also saith the lor [...] by his Prophet: I shall make a pleasant Ierusalem, [...]say. 25. and I my selfe wil be glad with hir. From that time forward shall there be heard within hir, no more sorrow nor paine, neither shall there be any death, for death shall be destroyed for euermore. The conscience of man shall not then be subiecte to any mistrustfulnesse or other infirmitie, but shall haue ioy in the holy Ghost. They shall through sinne, not die any more, but shall liue through faith in God. That cruel whoore shal drink drōke no more in the bloud of the Martirs, for she with al hir adherents, and wicked ti­rantes, shall be kept in that filthie lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euermore: So that no kinde of trou­ble, persecution, slaunder, hatred, malice, anguish or pain, or any kind of aduersity, crueltie, Mat [...]. 5. or wretchednesse, which coulde be deuised, 2. Corin. 4. can hurt or hinder them: for sorowes, wailing, and wéeping, Esay. 25. shall be put farre from them. Reuel. 7. The building of the frame, Reuel. 20. and the situation of this citie was [Page 81] four square, which signified not only vn­to vs the sure grounde, and stedfastnesse of the true Christian faith, which God kéepeth tenderly nourisheth and augmē ­teth in his elect, but also sheweth y ^t euer­lasting certaintie of that mightie and in­expugnable kingdom of Christ, and that hope which is neuer ashamed: for who so euer beleueth and dependeth vpō Christ, shall neuer be confounded. Psal. 12 [...]. Whatsoeuer is foure square, abideth firme & vnmoue­able, Prou. 1 [...] and is not subiect to rolling or vn­stablenesse, like a boule or speare, or a­ny thing that is roūd. In like maner haue we to consider of the four squarenesse of [...] new Ierusalē, (wherof material Ieru­s [...] b [...]ing also square was a figure) that none of what so euer kindred, language or nation he be, shall haue either prefer­ment héere in this citie, or be lesse regar­ded, for whether he be frō the East or the West, from the South or the North, rich or poore, Grecian or Barbarian, if he be but a true beléeuer, he shall be receiued and accepted of God. Wherof we haue a ma­nifest ensample in the Gospell, where [Page] Christ teacheth by the Parable of a cer­taine housholder, [...]ath. 20. which hired labourers into his vineyard, who calling them vnto him in y ^• euening, gaue as much to them that wrought but an hour, as he did vnto them that wrought the whole day. The walles of this Citie are strong and well furnished, Math. 16. wherout we may cōclude and gather, Esay. 2 [...]. that the blessednesse of saluation or Gods promises are sure and strong, in so much that hell gates can not preuaile against, or withstand them. These walls are of such a height, that no enimie, be he neuer so craftie, subtile, or wise, by anye meanes of faire speach, dissimulation or hipocri [...]ie, Reuel. 2 [...]. is able to get ouer them, onely must they enter through the gate which is Christ Iesu. This holy Ierusalem is glo­rious, blessed, heauenly and spiritual, not made by mans hande, Heb. 12. but it is made and builded of God the heauēly father, the fa­ther of light (of whom all good [...] [...]nd perfect gifts onely do descend & are sent down) Therfore hath she a maruellous, Iames .1. and in­comprehensible light and wisdome of al­mightie God. The Lambe Iesus Christ [Page 82] is hir light, Psal. 119. and his word the lanterne to his f [...]ete. Philip. 3. And hir shining light and spiri­tual wisdom was like an oriental stone, most precious: for his word is more cost­lier than golde, yea than the moste finest golde. Psalm. 119. This Citie hath twelue gates for to open and to shut, with sundrie names, bicause of the diuers natiōs and langua­ges. For from euery side of the worlde, come the people to the churche of Christ, yet passe they al through one gate, which is Christ Iesu. None (saith he) cōmeth to the father but by me. Iohn .14. I am the doore to enter into the shéepe folde. Who so euer entreth through me, shall be saued. Iohn .10. Thys Ierusalem hath twelue gates. And on euery gate was a very costlye and precious Pearle, for the doctrine of the Gospell is precious and costly without comparison, whereby so many as are ordained from all coastes of the earth, enter into the kingdom of Christ.

And at these gates were set twelue Angels. In that respecte Dauid also did sing, Psal. 33. say­ing: The Angels of the Lord are about [Page] the tents of them that feare him, to kéepe them. He did set a garde vpon the walles of Ierusalem, [...]say. 62. (sayth Esayas) to annoūce his worthy name: So that it is wel garded & fenced round about. The Diuel with all his bost haue no force against it. Math. 16. No man is able to draw any one out of his hands. [...]ohn .10. And aboue these gates were written ho­norable names, namely the names of the twelue tribes of Israell, which are Iuda, Ruben, Gad, Assur, Nephthalim, Manasle, Simeon, Leui, Isachar, Zabulon, Ioseph and Beniamin. These names were wrytten héere, bicause the right inheritance was promised to the séede of Abraham, and Christ Iesus was the true séede of Abra­ham, [...]. 4. and by him are we made children of the promise. Reue. 22. The walles of the Citie hath twelue foundations, groūded vpon y ^• strong and mightie stone Christ Iesu, which is vnmoueable: for so much that from the beginning the Church of God vpon hym hath bene builded and grounded. Uppon him did Adam, Noe, Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, Helias, with the rest of the godly fathers that euer were, build, & remaine [Page 83] stedfast, 1. Cor. 3. although they were neuer so lōg before him, or shall be after him, 1. Peter .1, Gen. 11.1 [...]. for they beleued certainly on the promises which God had wrought to thē by Christ. Reg. 19. They all, being vnder the cloud, Exod. 2. did eate of one kinde of meat, 3. Reg. 17. and dronke of one spiritu­all stone which is Christ Iesu, Luke .1. which af­terward is come into the flesh. 1. Cor. 10. No man may lay any other foundation (sayeth S. Paule) than that which is layd alreadye, 1. Corin. 13. which is Christ Iesu. Upon this one, strong, and euerlasting foundation, were laid and builded these twelue foundatiōs agréeable vnto him. Namely the twelue Apostles of the Lambe, Math. 10. Peter, Iohn, Iames, Andrewe, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Mathew, Iames the minor, Simon, Thade [...] Acts .1. and Mathie. These were prefigured by y ^e twelue stones whiche Iosue erected in Galgala, Iosue .4. for a memoriall & remembrance of the passing of the children of Israell on dry land through the Iordan. They were also signified by other twelue stones, whereon Elias the Prophet builded an aultare vpon the mount Carmelus, 3. Reg. 1 [...]. in the name of the Lord. The sure grounde of [Page] these foundations, [...]ath. 16. was, the Confession that Christ was the very sonne of the liuing God. Upon this foundation they all builded, by the announcing, prea­ching, and writing of that which the Prophets and true preachers did beleeue. Namely, that he, that is, Christ, [...]ohn .1. was the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world, for they soughte the way of saluation, and laboured for the kingdom of God and his righteousnesse, Math. 6. 2. Peter .2. shewing them selues thereby to be the liuely workemen of this spirituall buil­ding.

Heere we learne then that the faythe and doctrine of the Prophets and Patri­arkes, is all one with the Apostels, & are all grounded vpon Christ Iesu. Where­vnto S. Paule accordeth very wel, saying: Ephe. 2. Now are ye no more straungers, but [...]i­tizens with the Saincts: and are build [...] vpon the [...]oundation of the Apostles and Prophets. And by these twelue founda­tions ar [...] not onely vnderstanded they afore named, for then shold Paule (which him selfe did more laboure than they all) [Page 84] of this number be excluded: 2. Cor. 11. In like ma­ner should be Barn [...]be, Sylas, Agabus, Iu­das the righteous, Actes .9:11 15. 21. Iohn which was other­wise surnamed Marke, with many other more of the like vocation and calling, and also all other faithfull and true mi­nisters, which are of the like faith, and teach that doctrine. For ye must consider that the number of twelue in this place, is a perfecte and a common number, as the number of seuen and ten in other places, cōtaining the whole vnder the chie­fest and principallest.

The buildings of the wall of it, was of Iasper. This signifieth, that in Christ Iesu, are the most costliest, the moste pleasantest, louingest, and surest things that can be deuised. For they which beléeue in him a­right, shall alwayes abide freshe, greene, lustie, well fauoured and liuely, and they shall be verye mightie, yea great and strong pillers of his holy and vndefiled Temple. He that beléeueth on me, and kéepeth my worde, (sayth our Sauioure Christ) shall neuer taste of death. Iohn .15. And the Citie was pure golde like vnto cleare glasse. [Page] The Church of God is without any spot or wrinkle. Ephes. 5. It is pure and vndefiled like the golde that is tried in y ^e fire .vij. times. Prou. 17. The light of the Citie is Iesus Christe, 1. Pet. 1. which neuer did any sinne, neither in word or déede. His death and sheading of his bloud, hath made this citie more cost­ly than pure golde. And the foundations of the wall of the Citie, were garnished with all maner of pretious stones, which preciousnes notifieth vnto vs the costlinesse of oure saluation.

• 1 The first foundation was Iasper, which be­ing of a gréen colour, noteth vnto vs that the faith of the forfathers, is not yet dead nor withered.
  Gen. 6.
  The faith of Enoch appea­reth vntil this day, the (first which called vpon the name of the Lord) and of more, which all are yet true, freshe and gréene.
• 2 The second foundation was of Saphire, whose colour is blew and somwhat whi­tishe, a stone in deede which at the firste looke seemeth to be of no great value, signifying vnto vs the simple and séely soules, the which although they be (wyth holy Iob and Thoby) of no value in the [Page 85] sight of the world, yet are they highly re­garded of God throughe their faith and good life.
• 3 The third of a Chalcedonie, which is yet lesse set by (to our séeming) then the Saphire, but of nature very costly, strōg, and vertuous.
  4. Reg. 1 [...].
  Of this nature were Heli­as, Iohn Baptist,
  Math. 3.
  and such like,
  Luke .1.
  which liued in the desert painfully and very straight­ly, yet proued they most pretious at their appointed time,
  Math. 3.
  Mark .1.
  rebuking and reprouing boldly the wickednesse and sinne of the people, drawing them frō the same, euen as the Chalcedonie pulleth and taketh a­way the duste from any thing, repre­hending and iudging very sharply the I­dolaters and hipocrites.
• 4 The fourth of an Emeraud, which of himselfe is not onely gréene, but maketh the aire round about him shew of y ^e same coloure.
  Ierem. 2.3.
  Of this condition was Ieremie and S. Paul, which without ceassing,
  Zach. 31.
  prea­ched and spred abrode the doctrine of life,
  Ac. 9. 16.17
  after they had once receiued and known the same.
• 5 The fifthe is of a Sardonix, which word [Page] is deducted of Sarda and Onix, and is of nature vnderneath blackishe,
  Math. 5.
  and red on the outside,
  [...]hilip. 9.51. [...]30.
  & white within: so all those that are meeke of heart,
  [...]uke .7.
  which with Da­uid and Marie Magdalene acknowledge & confesse their sinnes before God, through faith are pure and holy.
  Cant. 1.
  Althoughe I am blacke (sayth the true Church) yet am I neuerthelesse fair and cleane. Albeit our outward mā (saith S. Paule) perishe,
  1. Corin. 4.
  there­fore doe we not goe forward, or are any thing weary, for the inward man renu­eth and augmenteth euery day.
• 6 The sixth of a Sardius, which is of the similitude of red earth. Euen so are those which esteeme them selues as vnworthy children of Adam,
  Luke .16.
  notwithstanding that they haue receiued many goodly giftes & great benifites of God, which (as Philo expoundeth it) are the red earth. Of thys nature and companie was the virgine Marie the mother of Christ,
  Luke .1.
  which called and estéemed hir selfe to be but an hand­maide. And for all the honoure, fauoure, and other great benefites which were shewed vnto hir, she saide that hir spirite [Page 86] reioysed in God hir sauioure. Of this sort was Abraham also,
  Genes. 18.
  calling him selfe but duste and ashes before the Lord.
• 7 The seuenth of a Chrisolite, a stone of al kind of colours shining like golde, and as a burning fire, casting sparkes and a great shine from it. Héere vnder are com­prehended those which hauing the wise­dom of the holy Ghost, kindle and lighten other men therewithall, and make them altogither hot and burning, & bring them to the feruent loue of God & their neigh­boures.
  Exod. 4.
  So did Moyses and Esay,
  Esay. 2. 34.
  Barnabas and Paule,
  Actes .14.
  in whom aboundantly appea­reth the graces and glory of God.
• 8 The eight is of Berll, which is of a sad & deadish gr [...]ene: Signifying such true and faithful Christians, which through cōpas­sion & pitie, sorowfully haue bewailed & lamented the fall of their brethren. Of this good and diuine nature was Steuen,
  A [...]es .7.
  praying for them which did stone hym to death. Thus did Samuel in his time, which with great sorowes & complaints,
  1. Re. 15. 16
  mour­ned ouer Saul y ^e king, what time he sawe him cast out of the fauor of God.
• [Page]9 The ninth of a Topace, cōtaining in it the colour of al other stones. And this re­presenteth all them which are adorned with al maner of vertues, as Daniel was a man full of godly desires, and Iohn the Euangelist whom Christ loued most of al, y ^• did write the Reuelation in Pathmos.
• 10 The tenth of a Chrisophrasius, whose nature is to shine like gold, and yet gree­nish in the sight. Such are those, who ha­uing receiued good knowledge & perfecte wisdom of God, distribute vnto others according vnto the talent which god hath deliuered vnto thē.
  Math. 25.
  Therby to awake the sluggish and dreaming people, and bring to heauenly meditations. Amongst those, may Ezechiel wel be coūted, which in his time did sée maruellous things, and won­derful straunge Reuelations.
  [...]ze. 10.11.
• 11 The eleuenth of a Iacinct, the colour of which stone is like vnto water, hauyng stripes glistering like the bright shining beames of the Sunne. By this stone are represented, suche as doe séeme to be ig­norant, and are counted noddies & fooles before the world, which notwithstāding [Page 87] haue heauenly wisdom inough,
  Iaco. 1.
  although in sight very ideots,
  Iohn .3.
  voyde of all know­ledge, yet neuerthelesse are they instruc­ted and taught of God, to reueale hidden and secrete mysteries of the numbre. Of those are Ozee, Ioel, Amos, & whiche was but a poore shephierd, with the rest of the small prophets. Such were also Andrew, Peter, Philip, Thomas, and the rest of the Apostles of Christ.
• 12 The twelfth an Ametist, this is of a vi­olet or purpure and roste colour, and this signifieth them, which abide zelous, meke and stedfast in the knowne truthe of the Lorde, whiche also are ready at all times to die and shed their bloude euen for the same: suche were the seuen brethren of the Machabees,
  2. Mach. 7.
  with their mother. Such were also Iames the greater,
  Actes .12.
  and Antipas that faithfull witnesse,
  Reuel. 2.
  with many more disciples and martirs.
  Iohn .18.
  No man can shew any greater loue than this, when any mā bestoweth hys lyfe for hys friendes. All these sayth our Sauiour, are blessed, and the kyngdome of heauen doth belong vn­to them. On this maner then is notified [Page] by these fundations, the same which the true and faithfull ministers and pastors of the churche of Christ, according to the diuersitie of gifts giuen vnto them, haue buylded vpon, some gold, siluer, or preci­ous stones: but such as haue added to this buildyng, any wood, hay, or stubble, which are customes, traditions, and other dūbe Ceremonies, or else vayneglorie, world­ly honoure, riches, and pleasures,
  [...]xod. 28.
  shall neuer be accompted among thys heauen­ly companie. These fundations haue ben prefigured by the precious stones, which were in the stomacher of Aaron the high Priest, and in the costely and royall gar­mentes of the Kyng of Tyrus. He whiche is desirous to know more of the nature, condition and propretie of these precious stones, may reade Plinie his .xxxvij. booke of naturall Histories, or Bartholomeus de proprietatibus rerum: and concerning the mysterie and allegorie, reade Saint Hie­rome vpon the .54. Chapiter of Esaye, or Beda, Haymo, Costasius, Bacōthorp, Eleyne Tilney, and dyuers more other, whiche haue written vppon the Reuelation. [Page 88] It suffiseth vs, to haue shewed thée (ac­cording to the meanyng of Saint Austen) that these stones doe signifie the many­folde gyftes and diuers grac [...]s of the ho­ly Ghost: for the onely spirite of the lord worketh all these thyngs dyuersly. Hée measureth hys gyftes vnto euery one ac­cording to hys good will and pleasure, th [...] whiche altogether are singular, preciou [...] and moste excellente, as it shall well a [...] ­peare in that great and ioyous day of the chyldren of God.

And the Angell (sayeth Sainct Iohn) whiche dydde shewe all those foresayde thyngs, moued me in spirite, to take the more heede to the gracious and mercifull purpose of the Lorde, and to bryng me to a more déeper knowledge of his miste­ries, shewed me a pure Riuer of water of life, whiche is therefore called the Water of Lyfe, bycause it maketh whole, and gy­ueth saluation to oure soules. Thys Ry­uer is nothyng else but the fl [...]wing ve­ritie and the worde of Saluation, or the myghtie doctrine of Christe. Thys is that swéete Ryuer, whyche proce [...]deth of [Page] Edom, to refresh Paradise, which diuiding it selfe in foure, watereth the foure parts of the earthe. This runnyng water ma­keth the Citie of God very pleasant and delectable. This riuer is maruelous com­fortable, springyng into eternall lyfe, it is here a spirituall comfort for the childrē of God, and shalbe hereafter that incom­prehensible glory of the Sainctes in hea­uen. [...]hn .6. To whome shal we go (sayth Peter) but to thée, for thou hast the worde of e­ternall life. The vertue and nature of this water is to satisfie, purge and cl [...] ̄se, to comfort, to make whole and healthful, for it procéedeth and floweth frō the ma­iestie of God, it commeth from that eter­nal and excellent schoole of the father, and thence procéedeth forwarde to the ouer­fulnesse of the lambe Christ Iesu, and his diuine spirite. I will poure cleane water (sayth the Lorde) vpon you, and ye shall be frée from all your filth & vncleannesse, I will also gyue you a newe hearte, [...]zec. 36. and plant in you a new spirite. [...]salm. 51.

In the middes of the strete of it, and of either side of the riuer was the tree of life. This riuer signi­fieth [Page 89] the two testamentes of the Lorde, wherby stode that moste pleasant trée of lyfe, Iohn .6. namely Christ Iesus the mediatour and pastour, Math. 21. the sauiour and redéemer of the worlde. Rom. 1. Out of the roote and proge­nie of Dauid, Luc. 1. Gen. 2. spryngeth thys tree (accor­ding to the fleshe) conceyued of the holye Ghost, borne of the virgin Marie. As the tree of life, in the beginnyng was planted in the middest of Paradise, euen so is hée spiritually in the middest of his Churche, whiche is his moste pleasaunt garden: if that grounde or earth which maketh the trées twice fruitefull in the yeare, be cal­led happy, so may this garden by good re­reason, well be called happy and blessed, Where this trée standeth, whiche neuer is without frute, nor drieth vp, or withe­reth, which dothe not onely beare twyce a yeare fruite, signifiyng all the vnspea­kable giftes of the holy Ghoste, but ren­dreth his frutes euery month of the yere, that is, continually, bothe Sommer and winter. All they which are thys Congre­gation & people haue continually so long as they lyue, greate Consolation in all [Page] theyr assaultes and trialles, and in all kinde of aduersitie bothe spirituall and temporall.

And the leaues of the trees serued to heale the nations with. The promises and the worde of GOD are spirite and lyfe, the nature propretie and vertue of them, are blessednesse and eternal saluation. These leaues can not by any meanes wyther a­waye. When Gods worde is sincerely preached and taughte, then we remem­ber the benefites of oure deliueraunce, then is oure conscience appeased and sa­tisfied, and the minde mery and gladde, then dothe the soule of man reioyce, and rendreth therfore to GOD the Father moste heartie thanckes, worthie pray­ses, syngyng and magnifiyng hym for his eternall goodnesse and mer [...]ie. So then the Nations are quite healed and made healthfull thorough beléefe, and cleauing faste vnto the woorde, acknowledgyng and confessyng Christe Iesu to be their onely Sauiour, righteousnesse, and true holynesse. The woorde of GOD writ­ten, or preached, is lyke vnto the leafes, [Page 90] which beyng well and reuerently recey­ued, by the woorkyng of the holy Ghost, is of muche importaunce and wayghtie, healthfull strong and myghtie in opera­tion, muche lyke vnto the mustard séede. Aboue all thyngs (sayeth Zorob [...]bell) is the Truthe moste strong, 3. Esdr. [...]. and ouercom­meth all: For it is the wyll of the Lorde whiche neuer shall perishe. This worde then (I saye,) is so myghtie and victori­ous, that the Congregation of Christe, and true beléeuers, what soeuer trouble, persecution or violence they doe suffer, shall yet euen in their extreme paine and distresse be comforted and quieted in cō ­science and spirite, Zach. 2. Psal. 117. be [...]ing well assured, that God keepeth them as the very apple of his eie: for they know [...]hat they ar vn­der his protection & gouernance: and that hereafter they shal inherite (how contēp­tuously so euer they lyued here) eternall glory, felicitie and blessednesse in the pre­sence of God, in that new & heauenly Ie­rusalem. Of whiche glorie and blessednesse to make a discourse, I shold labor in vain, and bysides that neuer get my purpose, [Page] nor finish mine enterprise: For neuer no eare hearde it, [...]. Cor. 2. nor eye sawe it, neyther came it into any heart: And to say al, ne­uer any man was able to comprehend it, that God hath prepared for his elect that loue him.

Ye haue nowe (gentle Reader) suffici­ently (as I hope) herd, what wickednesse, thraldome, laboure, paine, and trouble, couetousnesse, concupiscence, and ambi­tion bringeth to them that loue it, follow it, wishe for it, and séeke after it. Lyke­wise ye may consider here, howe and af­ter what sort they draw man from God, from naturall reason, from all goodnesse, and mutuall and brotherly loue, vnto all kinde of iniquitie, crueltie and vnnatu­ral vices: and oftentimes come so farre, that they not onely bryng other men in great danger to attaine to their purpose, but they themselues also body and soule. Ye haue hearde also, that the Deuill, the Prince of this worlde, is a father and the author of al wickednesse, & wicked doers, and how that that mischeuous Antechrist (whiche within a [...]ew yeres hitherwards [Page 91] hath ben reueled) did procéede and was borne of him: as ye may see more euident­ly out of this Genealogie folowing.