¶ The .xxii. Chapter.
The texte.
CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple, the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heauē, & expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes, as farre furth as is requisite & necessary for the christen doctrine. And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water, very clere, whiche is the holy scripture, ye worde of god, the doctrine of Christ, & the holy gospel of our saluaciō. That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart & mynde, not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue & care of y• worlde, nor with any temptacions of ye flesshe. This holy doctrine procedeth & commeth out frō the holy spirite of god, and of Christ. For he is one God with y• father & the sonne. He is the seate of glorye, of omnipotencie & of ye godheade. He procedeth out from the welspring of all wyse∣dom grace & mercye, and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche, which is the citie of god & of the lambe. And of both sides of y• riuer doe stāde glorious & bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase, their leaues and frute, of the moysture of the riuer. And these trees are ye holy fathers, of the faithful christen churche, of the olde & new testament, whiche by their faith, and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture, of ye lawe, of ye pro∣phetes, and of the gospell, haue lyued, taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche, and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes, that is to saye many frutes, and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good wo•kes and vertuous exercises. The leaues, frute and sappe of these holy trees, were very holsome and soueraine, as were also the frutes of the dysciples, of the prophetes and apostles. For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde, dyd make repentance, Page xxxviii faithfull, holy, and christen people (by their preachinge, •eachinge, wrytinge, prayers, and christen example of lyfe) of them whiche were before very hethen. And in this churche, there is no cursed frute, and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull: For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge, and with all temperatenes and measure. Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God, but he shall prouyde ministers of God, and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence, that they shall profyte, goe forwarde, and procede frutefully in all goodnes, and thorowe true faithe, they shall knowe the face of God, & his gra∣cious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant & warrfarynge churche: but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face, euen as he is, and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly. And these ministers and seruan∣tes of God, shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse ye name of god, the christen faith & the holy gospel. They shal beare about, preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly, with ioy, delyght and pleasure. And neyther Sunne, nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge, for the spirite of God shall doe all together. And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne, and Moone, the glasse of the godheade, the excel∣lent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe, wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore.
The texte.
Christ speaketh vnto Iohn, and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries, that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true, and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable. For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken (thorow an angell) vnto Iohn, that he should write it, and should leaue it behynde him in y• faithfull and holy churche of Christ. Euen y• same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come ye very same God hath now sent his angel, & geuen him in commission to open & reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come, whiche should happen, come to passe & be fulfil∣led very shortly, y• is to say, they should shortly begin, & so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled. Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly. The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte & forme, y• we should carfully & diligently wayte for it continuallye, lyke as true & faithful seruantes doe waite & watche vpō y• returning of theyr masters, & doe neuer slepe, as Christ teacheth in y• gospel. And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche, therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell, that he is happye, that is to saye, he is the seruaunte of God, and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be par∣taker of grace and saluacion, whiche beleueth this booke▪ & taketh all thinges Page [unnumbered] that are written therin for true & holy, and estemeth y• prophecies of this boke, whiche are many and diuerse, no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes, & other holy prophecies. And where as he saieth▪ I am Iohn, it is as muche to say as thus, yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other mat∣ters, because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ, than beleue me in this booke also, because of the visions, syghtes and sayinges, which I haue seene & hearde my selfe, and haue written in this booke. And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell, and therfore I, for feare and reuerence, woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God, and I dyd also worship him, and fell downe at his feete to worship him, that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the in∣finite benefite and grace, that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries. But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes, nor was not content therwith, wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none, but onely the almighty God. And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man, yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ, and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ, the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels. And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher este∣med than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde. And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples, and that also after the resurreccion. And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place, a brother and felow of y• apostles, onely for this booke, and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde, (namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe) whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin. And ther∣fore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly, nor to contemne it, for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye. Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled (because they concerne this tyme of ours, the latter tyme) it is some∣what darke and obscure.
The texte.
In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe, the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes: for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of, euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters. But here in this place, the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke, for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly. As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately, yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem Page xxxix and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes, was alreadye fulfylled: for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it, but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come, he dyd prophecye. And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel, of the godheade of Iesus Christ, against certen heretikes. And therfore he saieth, the tyme is at hande, for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes, for they shall not practyse it long. Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen (whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians) to take theyr plea∣sure. Let the false apostles, heretikes and hipocrites, whiche pretende great ho∣lynes, althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye, let them remayne defyled and wicked, it shall shortely haue an ende, the iudge∣ment of God hangeth ouer their heades. But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ. He that is holy tho∣rowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ, the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement. And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen, which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde, and whiche shoulde come to passe before, than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously, that he might be sone rid and delyuered from y• myserp and wretchednes of this worlde. But now, thou Iohn, marke and take good hede, I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll. For, the tyrannes and workers of ini∣quite wyll I punyshe with dystresse & plages, and all other blasphemers lyke∣wyse. I am the begynnynge of all thinges, I haue created the worlde, because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges. And I am also the end, for the last daye shall be my daye, whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade. They performe and doe gods commaundementes, which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God wt holy workes & vertuous exercises, & whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite, than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mer∣cye for Christes sake, whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ran∣some for their synnes, offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus. Suche true faithfull men, are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out, whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite. And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter, thorowe faythe, into the Christen churche here vpon earthe, and whan the tyme commeth, they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche. But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr fru∣tes, of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes, wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne, and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges. For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congrega∣tion, neyther sorcerers, inchanters, whoremongers, murtherers, worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience.
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Page [unnumbered]Lyke as almightie God saieth vnto Moyses, I am the God of thy fathers▪ &c. euen so saieth the angell here in the person of Christe by the inspiracion of Christes spirite, that this prophecy was opened and reueled euen of Christ him selfe, thorowe the angell, vnto holy Iohn, and therfore all men ought to credyte and beleue all these sightes, visions and reuelacions: And they ought also to be propouned and preached vnto the congregacions for their edifienge, that the faithfull maye take diligent hede, and beware of the terryble and shameful pe∣rels, daungers, and euyls which shal preuayle in the christen church, and short∣ly aryse and beginne, as is alredy happened, and shall daylye be fulfylled more and more one after a nother, as is before sayd. But now howe Christ is y• •oole of Dauid, marke this wel, for as much as for his sake, Dauids kingdom was preserued, and his posterite also was preserued in the extreme and troblesome affliccions of the Iewishe nacion, vntyll suche tyme as Christ our lorde & saut∣out was borne of the stocke and progeny of Dauid. For not withstandynge all the synnes wherwith Dauid dyspleased God, and dyd, in maner, greater and more heynous synnes than Saule dyd, yet coulde he vse the helpe of no nother thing fauynge onely of faith in the promes of God, whiche assured and promised him, that Christ the lorde and promised Mess•as, should be borne of his seede, wherin he might well reioyse bothe for him selfe and also for al his posteritie, other Kynges and Lordes. And therfore our lord & sauiour Christ is the too•e and generacion of Dauid, by reason of his manhode: but concernyng his godheade he hath an vnknowen rysinge vp and begynnynge, and an vnknowen commynge furthe of an euerlastinge birthe. And lykewyse Christ accordynge to his manhode is a bryght mornynge starre, whiche should drawe and allure the eyes of al men vnto him as vnto the risyng vp vnto blisse and vnto all saluacion. All this, is the voyce of Christ▪ the brydegrome. And now foloweth the voyce and desyre of the bryde and spouse whiche out of a true faithe, and an heartye desyre and zeale, in all faithfull and electe, desireth and wyssheth after the seconde comminge of Christ vnto the latter iudgement, and so consequently to inioy the participacion of the blessed and perfyte kyngdome in heauen with all faithfull electe, bothe with bodye and soule. For all the electe children of God doe hunger and thirst after the honour and glorye of Christ in the kingdome of heauen, as well they that are vpon earthe, as they that are al∣ready in heauen▪ for they wyshe and desyre in their spirite the fulfyllyng of gods wyll and pleasure, wherunto with all humblenes and submission they doe vt∣terly submitte their wyll, for they knowe that his wyll is best and moost per∣fyte. And this desire and wyshe of the faithfull electe▪ pleaseth God well. And althoughe he wyl not heate them at suche tyme as they desyre, euen at the very same Moment, yet he dothe promyse vnto them his gracious ayde and mercye in the meane tyme, whiche he wyll doutles performe. And all, of mere grace and mercye without any maner of deserte.
The texte.
Page xlIn this place, first after the speakynge of Christ, and againe after the spea∣kynge of the holy bryde, and of the christen churche, maye the holy Apostle S. Iohn speake these wordes in his owne parson, as he dyd in the begynnynge of the booke, to warne and exhorte al men there by, y• no man adde any thing vnto this booke (as a new vision) no more than to any other booke of holy scripture, nor take any thing there from, as thoughe any thing might be mysunderstande therin, and so refused as vnholy and not good. For God wyll not suffer any suche thing to be vnpunysshed nor vnaduenged: this is the very intent & mea∣nyng of these wordes. And therfore such men doe amysse and synne very great∣ly, whiche doe refuse this whole booke, as thoughe it were not autentical, where as it is euident y• it hath bene alwayes songe and reade in y• holy churche from the begynnynge to the ende. Now are those bookes called Apocripha, and vn∣autenticall, whiche men might well reade out of the churche priuately by them selues, but not in the churche and congregacion. Nor it is not lawfull to con∣firme and mainteyne any maner of doctrine, concerninge our faithe and rely∣gion by the auctoritie of any suche vnautenticall bookes, except it were in all pointes conformable vnto other holy scriptures. And now that, that foloweth here after, where as he sayeth, he which testifieth these thinges, saieth. &c. These wordes maye be referred vnto that, that goeth before, where Christ speaketh of the callynge of the bryde. Euen the same Christe sayeth here at the last ende againe: yea I come without doubte, take no thought nor thincke it not long, the tyme is not long vnto me, whiche am that I am, Amen, that is to saye, without any doubt. After this dothe holy S. Iohn conclude and ende this booke after the maner of the apostles, desiring e•nest∣ly the commynge of the kyngdome of Christ▪ very quickely, as all faithfull Christians doe. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with all faithfull electe Christians whiche shall be vn∣tyll the ende of the worlde, and specially with them whiche reade this booke with faithe and an holy Christen desyre and mynde.
