The image of both Churches after the most wonderfull and heauenly Reuelation of sainct Iohn the Euangelist, contayning a very fruitfull exposition or paraphrase vpon the same. Wherin it is conferred vvith the other scriptures, and most auctorised histories. Compyled by Iohn Bale an exyle also in thys lyfe, for the faithfull testimony of Iesu.

The Paraphrase.

1 When the thirde Angel blew hys Trumpet at the third scale ope∣ninge, there fell from heauen a great mighty Starre, burning lyke a Cre∣shet,

2 As the preachers of that time opened the trueth of god, many great doctors and excellent learned men, as Arius, Macedonius, Cutices, Ua∣lens, and such other, declined from the sincere faith, and fell to blasphe∣mous opinions concerning the God∣head.

3 These séemed gloryous to the earthly minded people, they appeared notable and famous to the blind for∣saken sort, yet was their learninge madnesse, and their doctrine fables and lyes. But this is here to be no∣ted, that they which are true techers remaine still in heauen, they perse∣uer in the christen church, where as the other are fallen cleane frō thēc•• by apostasie, and errours, so that they are none of Christes.

4 This starre fell into the thirde parte of the ryuers, whiche are the scriptures peruerted, and into the fountaynes of waters, whiche are Gods owne very wordes depraued. These haue the false doctours, yea pernicious heritikes infected with their errours, corrupted with their lyes, and with theyr false interpre∣tations made them bitter and vnsa∣uerye.

5 For the name of the starre was wormewoode, whose nature is to withdraw all swéetenesse. These with their bitter heresies and their noysome doctrine destroyed the pits of Abraham, they troubled the Text, they mixed the truth w^t falshod, they poysoned the waters, they tooke a∣way the louesomnesse of them, they left them vnpure and vnperfite (not that they can be so of thē selues, but of their false workinge) they made them vnpleasant, vnprofitable, yea and most perylous vnto many.

6 For it followeth, When the third parte of the waters (whiche are the scriptures corrupted by them) was

turned into woormwoode, or bitter∣nesse of errours.

7 Many men dyed of them. They perished by those doctrines, bicause they were made bitter. Yet were not all men cast away, for two parts were left vndefyled, and many that dronke the poysoned waters, enome∣ted them againe. Onely were they lost that retayned thē styll. The pure waters are héere doubled vnto the waters infected. For double in va∣lue is the verytie before GOD, and the true minister therof worthy dou∣ble honour, where as the other are nothing at all.

Notes

• The third angel. Daniel. 12 Iude. ••
• 2. Tim. 4 Philastrius Brixiensis Argustinus
• Luke. 16 Osee. ••, 2, Tim. 4▪ Iohn. 6. Apoca. 2▪ 1. Iohn. 2. 1. Tim, 4.
• 2. Corin. 4. Esa. 55 2. Tim. 2 Luke. 12, 1, Cor. 2, Amos. 5.
• Hiere. 9
• Gene. 26. Primasius Bedas, Here. 2, 1. Cor. 5 Psalm. 18, Math. 15, 2. Thes. 2.
• Hiere. 23. 2▪ ••or. 2 2. ••ete. 2. Tren. 3,
• Haymo. Ambrosius Ansber••u•• Hiere. 2. Psalm. 18. 1. Tim. ••.