And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Ver. 10. Shall rejoice over them] As they did at the Council of Constance, when they had burnt John Huss and Jerome of Prague. So upon the news of the bishops burnt at Oxford, Gardiner came out rejoicing to the Duke of Norfolk; Now, said he, let us be merry and go to dinner. But it was the last he did eat, and he went to hell to digest it too. a So upon the news of the French massacre, a jubilee was proclaimed at Rome; the Cardinal of Lorrain gave a thousand crowns to the messenger; the pope caused the massacre to be painted in his palace. Those of Ireland he will surely portray in his chapel or oratory. (Thuanus.)
These two prophets tormented them] As Elias did Ahab, Jeremiah and Amos their flagitious countrymen, and as the martyrs here did their persecutors. Dr Fuller came to William Woolsey his prisoner, and said, Thou dost much trouble my conscience; wherefore I pray thee depart and rule thy tongue, so that I hear no more complaint of thee, and come to church when thou wilt, &c. The end of carnal joy is sorrow (saith Mr Bradford, martyr, in a certain letter). Now let the whoremonger joy with the drunkard, swearer, covetous, malicious, blind buzzard, St John. For the mass will not bite them, nor make them to blush as preaching will. Now may they do what they will; come devils to the church, and go devils home; for no man must find fault; and they are glad of this. Now have they their heart's desire, as the Sodomites had when Lot was gone, &c.
a In terris manducant quod apud inferos degerunt.