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1 Not yet is the pale horse downe nor his iniquitie ended, but still hée he rageth the world ouer. Still rayg∣neth the Antichristes, with theyr hy∣pocrisie and false doctrine, the Pope héere in Europa, and other not all vn∣like vnto him in Asia and Africa. But for that Europe is only knowne vn∣to vs, of that will wée only dyffyne. In naming the Pope wée meane not his person, but the proude degrée or abhominacion of the papacie. The great Antychriste of Europa is the
contrarie to Gods trueth. The wickednesse of these hath so dar∣kened the blynde worlde, that scarse was lefte one sparkle of the veritie, or of the true Christian fayth. No where can men dwell to greater losse of their soules health, thē vnder their abhominacions.
1 This know they well whome the lambe hath deliuered from their dark sinagoge, & to whom he hath in these dayes opened the sixte seale of the booke, raysing vp the spirites of ma∣ny to detect by his holy worde theyr shamefull abhominations. Blessed be the name of that Lord, which hath now so mercifully vysited hys poore people from aboue, sending his word vnder ye tipe or figure of this Lambe, to open vnto them at this sixt time of darkenesse, the vj. seale of the hydden misteries of the booke. I looked yet far∣ther (sayeth sainct Iohn) and as the Lambe Christ disclosed the sixte seale to manifest the cléernesse of his truth, to shewe the estate of his church, a∣non I behelde a merueylous earth∣quake
arise. Most liuely was this ful∣filled such tyme, as William Courte∣ney the Archbishoppe of Caunterbu∣rie with Antichristes sinagoge of sor∣cerers sate in cōsistorie against Chri∣stes doctrine in Iohn Wycleue. Mark the yeare, day, and houre, and ye shall wonder at it.
2 The Gospell once preached, and the veritie sincerely opened, (whose nature is to condempne their super∣sticions) the earthly and carnall An∣tychristes swell, fret, and waxe mad, they threaten, curse, and blaspheme, they runne vpon the faithfull myni∣sters with terror, crueltie, & fiercens, hauing at their hand the ayde of wic∣ked princes and blynde gouernours. Such a terrible earth quake was the general counsel of Constance against Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage, and here in Englād against the King (when he set foorth the Gospell) the sedicious rising of Lincolneshere, and the traiterous vprore of Yorkshiere, in their pylgrimage without grace, where as neyther wanted the false
counsayle of Byshoppes, the riches of Abbeyes, & benifices, nor yet ye cru∣ell harts of priests. A thousand bowes and as many billes, beside other wea∣pons were there among priestes and religious to one poore Testament of Christ to subdue the veritie. Yet hath the Lambe ouercomen them, and de∣clared their great wisedome in that enterpryce foolishnesse, lyke as he did also in Germanie among them, which maintayned the same spirituall qua∣rell. Yet is not this earth quake paci∣fyed, but styll they ryse vp agaynst Christ and his word, and dayly they counsayle togither to condempne his trueth, that wée should know him to be the signe of contradiction, the stum∣bling stone, and the rock of reproch.
3 The Sunne appeared so blacke as a sacke cloth made of heaire. What though Christ being the cléere sonne of ryghtuousnesse, and the shynyng Image of God, can not bée darke in him selfe, no more then can the mate∣riall son in his owne nature, yet may his clerenesse beholdē from vs by the
mystes of false doctryne, lyke as is the sunnes brightnesse by the shadow of the cloudes. For the more men de∣light in ceremoniall tradicions, the blynder they are, and the lesse know∣ledge they haue of God. To them sée∣meth not Christ the fayrest amonge men, well coloured and beutifull, and gentle as a Lambe, but ill fauored, blacke, and stubborne. And therefore they haue no mynde to hym. They rather séeke helpe, health, and light of other then of him. They think it much better to pray to dead Sainctes, and offer to Idolles, then to call vpon God ••n spirite & veritie, and to helpe theyr ••oore neighbour at his néede. More ••leasure they haue to followe mens ••reames, thē the veritie of God. For ••hat is to thē blacke as ye heiry sacke doth. It is dark, rough & foolishe vnto ••hem, they can perceiue no beutie in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
•• The Moone became altogither as ••lud. The church being somtime fair ••s ye Mone, & taking hir light of christ, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now waxed all carnal. Now is shée
taught onely of flesh and bloud, refu∣sing the doctrine of God & his spirite. Now reigneth euerie where the cor∣rupt fantasies of men, a fewe places excepte. And sure we are that neither flesh nor bloud shall obtayne the king∣dome of God. Neuerthelesse yet all the world hath not peryshed in thys bloudie church. Alwayes hath there bene some that hath had the spirite of the childrē of God, what though they haue erred sore in many thinges. Though Benedict, Bernarde, & Bru∣no, Alberte, Francis, and Dominicke, with many such other, were farre out of square from the rule of Christes Gospell, yet doubt I it not, but the mercie of God hath saued thē through faith for Iesus Christes sake. In the middest of false doctrine and diuilishe tradicions hee hathe preserued them lyke as hée preserued the thrée chil∣dren, in Daniell from the heate of the burning fornace. Though all at that tyme were bloud through cruell decrées, yet were not all men so taken afore God, for then should none haue
bene saued, none should haue possessed his heauenly kingdome.
5 And the starres from heauen fell downe vpon the earth. The ministers of Gods word which should declare his rightuousnesse, and be the lightes of the world, were fallen from ye hea∣uenly doctryne of Christ, and from the sincere scriptures, to worldly lear∣nyng and earthly fantasies. Nothing can be more euident then thys, spe∣cially to them that hathe redde the tryfling workes of the Sophisters, sentencyoners, schoole doctours, Ca∣nonistes, and summystes. As are Dons, Dorbell, and Durande, Tho∣mas of Aquine, Gerarde, and Gyles of Rome, Bonauenture, Bacōthorpe, and Guido, Caldrinus, Bobius, and Baldus, Panormius, Rosellus and Roxius, with an infinite rable of such dyrtie dottages, and filthie dreg∣ges. Besides the great heape of the foolishe sermons of Barnardyne and Uincent, Pomerij and Soccij, Mal∣lyard and Barlet, De voragine and de Hungaria, Discipuli and Dormi
secure, Uade mecunt, and Rapiunt hinc inde, with all such beastly begge∣rie and lousie learning.
6 These stars hath thus myserably of a lōg tyme fallen, lyke as doth the infected figges when the figge trée is shaken of a mightie strong wynd. Foūd fickle vanities, desire of world∣ly promotions, feare to haue displea∣sure of friendes, aduersitie, vexation, and trouble, with such other blastes here, hath caused the vnprofitable in∣structers of the people to fall from Gods heauenly veritie vnto fables, lyes, tryfles, and most pestilent wic∣ked errours.
7 So that heauen hath vanished a∣way from them, as doeth a scroule when it is rolled vp togither. True preaching of the word which is very heauen, hath bene withdrawen, the veritie hath bene closed vp. Christ hathe take his leaue, the spirite of God hath forsaken them, the sincere faith hath fayled, Christian workes hath decaied, whē their dark diuinity, dead ceremonies, & crooked customes
of their fathers hath bene in place. Nothyng hath remayned spirituall, Godly, heauenly, holy, rightuous, hol∣some, nor worthie our christian voca∣cion among their solempne shadows and sacred sorceryes. If it hathe, it was neuer yet séene. And that know they full well, which hath vnfayned∣ly receiued Christes Gospell.
8 All mountaynes and yles were remoued from their places. Not one∣ly the high mynded Antichristes, but also the dyssembling hypocrites are enforced many tymes & against their willes, compelled by the open veritie and euident scriptures; to deny that afore they highlye affyrmed, and to graunt that afore they highly deny∣ed. The Bishop of Roome was afore. Gods vicar & head of the church, hée is now neither of both. They had som∣tyme a purgatorie, & nowe they haue none. Pardons are forgotten, pylgri∣mage is not spokē of, Faith in Christ now iustifieth without their vayne will workes. They haue put man to death for that they now affyrme, yet
are they not ashamed of that cruell murther. I hope in a while they shall out of more places, and graunt will they nill they, to more christian very∣ties, though theyr selues be neuer the nigher saluacion, for that they doe it not of good will, but compelled.
9 The Kings of the earth, more loo∣king for theyr owne prehemynence then for the glorie of God, the great men more séeking their owne plea∣sures, then the common wealth of the people, the ryche men oppressing the poore.
10 The Captaynes deceyuing the commons, the strong men ouerthrow∣ing the weake, euerie bond seruaūt dooing vntrue seruice, and euery frée master vngodly occupying his faculty.
11 Hath hidde them selues in dennes of the sayd rocks & hilles. When they haue done all mischief and wrought all wickednesse, tyranny, manslaugh∣ter, rape, adultery, lechery, extorcion, Idolatry, sacrylege, wt all other abho∣minacions, & can doe no more, thē run they to those hipocrites, thē séeke they
vp those Antichristes. Ther must they be cōfessed, there must they hide their sinnes. They must be couered wt hys dyrty merites, & with his holy whor∣dome. And to be prayed for, that mo∣nastery must be builded, & that prebē∣dary or chauntery must bee founded. There must be Masses & dyrges, ther must be anuaries & bead mē. He must be buried in S. Frauncis gray coate, and he in our Ladies holy habite. He must haue S. Dominikes hoode, and he sainct Augustines girdle.
12 And thus they cry to those earth∣ly hils and rocks, to those filthy dunge heapes, or dennes of wylde beastes with a fearfull desperate conscience.
13 Fall vpon vs with such stuffe as ye haue. Couer vs with your works more than néed. Pray, pray, pray, sing, sing, sing, say, say, say, ring, ring, ring. Giue vs of your oyle, for our lampes are out. Helpe vs with your latyne Psalmes. Reléeue vs with your lippe labour though all be but dunge and earth. Comforte vs with Placebo. Helpe vs with Requiem eternam.
Powre out your Trentall masses, spew out your Commendaciōs. Sing vs out of that hotte fierie Purgatorie before we come there.
14 Hyde vs from the fearefull pre∣sence of him that sitteth on ye thorne, whom we neuer knew to be a mer∣ciful father in all our romish medita∣••ns, and the scriptures we abhorred that so would haue taught vs.
15 Conuey vs clean from the wrath of the vngentle Lambe, whose doc∣tryne we neuer fauoured, nor whose goodnesse we neuer yet trusted.
16 For the great day of his wrath is come. So certayne we are of hys terrible iudgement, as it were now in doing. So sure we be to féele him a rightuous iudge, as we are sure he liueth.
17 And who can bée able to endure it: who can abide it doing so muche crueltie, rape, murther, briberie, with all other abhominacions, as we haue done, leauing wicked lawes behynde vs still to continue the same? Well, with you we haue left our whole roc∣kening,
ye know our déeds. Answere you for vs then, for we dare not bée séene. If your idle merites helpe vs not, we looke for no grace at his hād. If your soules be not for ours at that day, we perish for euer and euer. For we haue not reléeued him a hungred, a thirst, harbourlesse, naked, sick, and imprysoned, in hys poore bretheren, confessing his name and veritie.
But rather wée haue abhorred, re∣uiled, blaspheamed, spoyled, impri∣soned, shamed, and persecuted hym vnto death in them, deuysing moste terrible torments for them. Thus is there among the wicked sort, princes and other (where as the word of God is published) not only a doubt of their ruinous fall or decay, but also a fear∣full expectation of the terrible iudge∣ments of God for cōtempt of ye same.
Iohn Hus in aliqnot loca apoca∣lipseos.
Wicleus de sermone domini in monte. li. •• Daniel. 8, ••▪ Thes. 2.
VVicle••s in supple∣mento tria∣logi.
Franciscus Lambertus in commēta rijs regul•• minori ca∣rum.
Sebastianus Franctertia parte chro∣••icarum.
••. Cor. 6. Act. 2, Apoca. 4, 2. Cor. 4. Apoca. 18, Luke. 1. Psalm. 106
Apoca. 5, Ephe. 4, Iohn. 1, Luke. 12, ••. Thes. 2
VValde•• Polidor•••• lib. 20.
Math. 24, 1. Thes. 2. Luke. 12, Act. 4. Iohn. 16. Apoca. 2,
Aenas Silnius.
An expery∣ment of our time in Englande. Aduersus has sunt scripta Morisoni
Apoca. 17. 2, Cor. 1, Sebastianus meyer. VVicleu{us} Psalm. 2, Act. 4, Luke, 2. ••. Peter. 2,
Mala. 4 Hebre. 1. ••. Iohn. 1. Eccle. 42 2. Cor. 4. Iohel. 2. ••. Mach. 1 Ephe. 4.
Psal. 44. Canti. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Hiere. 44. Baruch. 6 Iohn. 4. 1. Iohn, 3. Mich. ••.
Esa. ••. 1. Cor. 1. Iohel. 2. Cant, 6.
Apoca. 1••. Math. 16 Iohn, 16. 2. Tim. 4.
••. Cor. 15.
2. Reg. ••••. Rom. 11, Gala. 4. Psal. 61. Polidorus Virgilius
Ephe. 2. Rom. 8, Iohn. 18, Daniel, 3. Franciscus Lābertus, li. 2. in Apo¦calipsim.
Math, 24, 1. Cor. 4. Matth. 5. Daniel, 12 1. Timo. 4 Rom. 1.
1. Timo. 6 2. Tim. 2,
Ioannes Tritemi••s Arnoldus Bostius Iacobus Bergome•• Agrippa▪
1. Iohn, 2. Esa. 34. Ose. 2, Luke, 8. Primasius Ansbertus Haymo. 2▪ Tim. 4.
Esa. 34, Amos. 8, Psalm. 49, Rom. 1. 2. Thes. 2. Psalm. 11,
Franciscus Lambertus Sebastianus meyer. Iohn Hus.
Abacuc. 3 3. Iohn. 1, Math. 12, Wicleus in lib. de ecclesia et membris.
Martinus Lutherus de tradici∣onibus su∣giendis. Daniel. 8, Ioannes Gocchius▪
Psalm. 2, Esa. 1, Ioannes VVicleu{us} in suotria logo Ioan. Hus.
Haymo: VVesselus grouingēsis in opusculis
Apoca. 81,
Martinus Lutherus in annota∣tionibus. Mathei.
Esa. 1,
Math, 25, Luke. 20, Raciōale diuinorum.
Odilo clu∣niacensis
Esa. 2, Osee. 10 2, Cor. 1, 2. Pete. 3. Ephe. 4.
Iohel. 2, Esa. 13 Math. 25. Mala. 3, Gala. 5 Apoca. 17.
Lutherus & Erasmus de confes∣sione.
Esa. 58. Ezech. 18 Eccle. 7 Math. 5. Luke. 6 Act. 8. Iohn. 15, Math, 2, Apoca. 18. Luke. 21 Hebr. 10.