But where as Christ in the Gospel hath said, that the church his well-beloved spouse, should be exercised with sundry afflictions, in the which notwithstanding,1 he would never fail her: Now in deed from the right hand of his Father, he recounteth most plentifully and in a most goodly order of all the doleful destinies of the church, to the intent that whilst the church is subject to sundry evils, she may remember these things, and comfort her self, lest she being discouraged with adversity, she begin to doubt of the good will of God towards us, and fall again to Idolatry forsaken, into the errors of their Fathers, and into the slippery pleasures of this world: but rather that she go forward in the Religion of Christ once received, that she hold on through constant patience to profess Christ, to cleave unto him unseparably, that at the length we may also be joined with the same, in the heavenly country. Which is verily the mark and end of our life, & the course of all faithful in this miserable world. Howbeit,2 whereas in the calamities and persecutions of the faithful, and in the felicity & triumphing of the infidels, the mind even of the holyest servant of God, is sore moved, and grievously tempted, before he come to declare the heavy and miserable destinies of the church, he setteth forth unto them, a most beautiful type or figure of the reverend, holy▪ and evermore blessed Trinity, wherein is set forth, to be seen of these of all men, the unspeakable wisdom of God, power & majesty, the just government of the same, and holy judgement in all things: And is also declared, that almighty God the father, by that Lamb, that is, by his sun, our only redeemer, in the virtue of the holy Ghost, doth govern well allthings, what soever they be either in heaven or in earth. And also the very destinies of the church, which are written in the book of his eternal providence, closed with seven seals. There appeareth the Lamb of God,3 set forth with seven horns: That is furnished with most full power aswell princely as priestly, the greatest of all, and in all the most absolute. The Lamb receiveth, that book of the right hand of him that sitteth in the Throne, and undoeth and openeth in order those seven seals. For he receiveth of his father all power, both in heaven and in earth.
But where as Christ in the Gospel hath said, that the church his welbeloued spouse, shulde be exercised with sondry afflictions, in the whiche notwithstanding,1 he wolde neuer faile her: Nowe in dede frō the right hand of his Father, he recompteth moste plentifully and in a most goodly order of all the dollefull destenies of the churche, to thintent that whilest the churche is subiecte to sundry euilles, she may remember these thinges, and coumfort her selfe, lest she beyng discouraged with aduersitie, she begin to doubte of the good wyll of God towardes vs, and fall againe to Idolatrye forsaken, into the errours of theyr Fathers, and into the slippery pleasures of this worlde: but rather that she go forewarde in the Religion of Chryste once receyued, that she holde on throughe constante patience to professe Chryste, to cleaue vnto him vnseparably, that at the length we maye also be ioyned with the same, in ye heauēly countrey. Which is verely the marke and ende of our lyfe, & the course of all faithful in this miserable world. Howebeit,2 wheras in the calamities and persecutions of the faithful, and in the felicitie & triumphing of the infidels, the minde euen of the holyest seruaunt of God, is sore moued, and greuously tempted, before he come to declare the heauy and miserable destenies of the church, he setteth foorth vnto them, a moste beautifull type or figure of the reuerende, holy▪ and euermore blessed Trinitie, wherin is setforthe, to be sene of theyes of all men, the vnspeakeable wisdome of God, power & maiestie, the iuste gouernement of the same, and holy iudgement in all thinges: And is also declared, that almightie God the father, by that Lambe, that is, by hys sun, our onely redemer, in the vertu of the holy Gost, doth gouern well althinges, what soeuer they be eyther in heauen or in earth. And also the very destenies of the churche, which are written in the boke of his eternal prouidence, closed with seuē seales. There appereth the Lamb of God,3 setforth with seuen hornes: That is furnished with most ful power aswel princely as priestly, the greatest of al, and in all the most absolute. The Lamb receyueth, that boke of the ryght hand of hym that sitteth in the Throne, and vndoeth and openeth in order those seuen seales. For he receyueth of hys father all power, bothe in heauen and in earth.
- 1The church is subject to temptations & persecutions.The church is subiect to tēptations & persecutions.
- 2Chapter .iiii.
- 3The seven horns of the Lamb. Chap. v.The seuen hornes of the Lambe. Chap. v.
