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The fyftenth Chapter. (Book 15)
WHen as he had foretolde in the Chap. going ••t t••e that extreme punnishments shold be taken vpon the wicked in the last iudgment of God, we mighte haue doubted whether they should quietly triumphe or not vntill that time and shoulde not in the meane time be chastised with any scorges of God. The holy ghoste therefore teacheth in this chapter, and also in the chapter followinge, that like as the last destruction remaineth for them in the last iudgment of god so also in the meane time the Lorde woulde be reuenged vpon there wickednes, withe diuers and mooste greuouse punishe∣ments.
Vers. 1.And I saw an other signe in heauen great and meruai∣louse, seuen Aungels hauinge the seuen last plagues, for in them is fulfilled the wrath of God. &c.
SEinge that nothinge is more vsuall to the worlde then to as∣cribe the plagu••s sent of God, to fortune or to some other se∣conde causes: S. Iohn sheweth that a certeine greate and won∣derfull signe was shewed to him, with whiche it behoueth the mindes of men to be earnestly stroken with the feare of Gods iudgements: that is seuen Aungels bringinge the wrath and vengeaunce of God from heauen vnto the earth. Therefore the diuers kindes of punnishmentes are sent downe from heauen vpon the reprobate, and chiefly vpon the body of Antichrist, not by any blinde aduenture of fortune, but by the sure and deter∣minate counsel of God, and he saieth seuen plagues, bycause ye vngodly, shall be stricken of God for there sundry and very ma∣ny heynouse offences, not with one kind of calamities, but with diuers, not with few, but with very many plagues, euen as the number seuen signifieth vniuersality and fulnes. Moreouer he calleth them the last plagues, bycause in them the wrath of God is finished, that is doth powre oute it selfe wholly to the destru∣ction of those whiche beinge admonished, by no chastisementes would be brought to a better minde. But rather loke how much more they were chastised of God with punnishments, so much the more they were hardened against all calamities.