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A17215 Of the end of the world and iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christe to come, and of the moste perillous dangers of this our moste corrupt age, and by what meanes the godly may auoid the harmes thereof, sermons preached in latin in the assembly of the clergie by Henry Bullinger, and now lately englished by Thomas Potter Bullinger, Heinrich, 1504-1575.; Potter, Thomas, fl. 1580. 1580 (1580) STC 4070; ESTC S109532 41,593 112

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called holy because they are vttered by the holy Ghoste It foloweth therfore in the woords of the Apostle And for that also thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures from a childe The holy fathers in olde time were w●nt to instruct their children out of the authenticall Booke of the lawe of God and of his Prophets Therfore because Timothes mother was a Iew borne albeit his Father was a Gentil he béeing exercised in the scriptures from a childe had accustomed him self therunto And when he heard the Apostle preache the Gospel of Christe hee vnderstoode straightway by the inspiration of the spirit of God and by conferring of the woords of Paule with the woords of the Prophets that the Apostles doctrine touching Christe was taken out of the law and the Prophets and confirmed by the testimonyes of the same And for that cause he knew that he had not learned the faith of Christe out of wandering rumours and vain talks of the people but out of the autenticall Booke that is to say out of the holy Scriptures namely inspired from God as I haue already declared and deuoutly taught and written touching things moste pure of all other by none but by such as were moste holy men All other books that where out of the Canon and common vse of the Church are accounted vnder the name of prophane Books But this is an effectuall reason and such a one as ought throughly to mooue the mindes of all men that we must therfore beléeue the Apostles doctrin and cleue only to the same because it proceded from God and is confirmed by the Authenticall Scriptures béeing moste ancient and moste holy of all other What so euer booke of what so euer Authors thou shalt compare with these Books thou shalt scarcely compare Lead or durt it self with moste fine and shining Golde Moste rightly therfore doo we beléeue that they of all men be moste foolish who either omitting the Apostles doctrin and writings of the Prophets turn aside to the inuentions of man as though there could be taught or contayned in these more absolute more cléere and more certain things then in the other or else vtterly giue no credit at all vnto the Scriptures The taunt which our Lord gaue to the vnbeléeuing disciples is right notable and woorthy of speciall remembrance Luke 24. when he said O ye fooles and slovv of hart to beleeue all those things vvhich the Prophets haue spoken The Scripture is able to make a man wise vnto saluation And now ensueth in the Apostle another reason no lesse euident why we ought only to beleue and stick fast to the Apostles doctrin and to the holy Scriptures Because saith he they are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith in christe Iesu The Philosophers haue disputed much of true and false Wisdome True wisdome and haue so entangled them selues with their chattering that they scarcely vnderstād them selues and muche lesse reaped any frute of their disputations Paule dooth simply and truely deriue true Wisdome out of the Scriptures of God and out of the Apostles doctrine For God béeing moste excellent wise dooth very often in his woord call his commaundements and the doctrine set foorth in his lawe and by the Prophets true Wisdome And Moyses béeing elder then those men whom the Gretians call moste ancient namely Homer and Hesiodus and the Battel of Troy and also béeing much more excellent then Hercules Museus Linus Orpheus Mercurius Apollo and the other Gods of the Gentiles or then euen the holy Soothsayers elder also then the wise men of Greece Much more ancient then Plato and Aristotle dooth expresly say in Deuteronomy Deu. 4. You shall keep and doo the commaundements of the Lord for this is your wisdome and vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these ordinances and shall say This people only is wise and hath vnderstanding a famous Nation But the Apostles also at this present dooth shew that saluation is the end and also the frute of true wisdō saying VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluation But without the true saluation of man what shall auaile I pray you the empty name and vain title of wisedome Wisdome is the knoweledge of things diuine and humain and moste chéefely of those things by which we may knowe the highest good euen God him self and therwithall to be ioyned togither with Christe The which indeed is true blessednes and the highest felicitie And now I omit to rehearse how that out of this knowledge of God springeth righteousnesse and the looue and exercise of true vertue and of all deeds that are truely good But the Scripture and doctrine of the Apostles abundantly suffiseth to giue this Wisdome and true saluation Therfore it becommeth vs to content our selues with the same Yea it is expedient for vs to bestowe all our life and all our labour vppon those holy books to depend wholly vppon them to direct all our saylings and all our waies by the same as by a moste infallible and moste sure l●de Starre to run and flée wholy vnto them as to a moste safe Sanctuary For Dauid cryeth out and witnesseth saying Blessed is the man that delighteth in the lawe of the Lord Psal 1. and ernestly studieth in the same bothe day and night Luke 11. For the Lord sayeth also in the Gospel Blessed are they that hear the woord of God and keepe the same And in deed this shal be the onely and safest way to escape all perils of al times and all deceits and legerdemain yea euen the moste sharp and cruel of this our last age But because saluation might be hoped for by this heauenly wisdome and also by the reading and bare knoweledge of the holy Scriptures or els by the merits of the vertues whiche we haue learned out of the Scriptures therfore in déed very godly and Apostolikely he addeth and sayth Saluation cōmeth by faith in Christe Through faith in Christe Iesu Therfore saluation is learned out of the Scriptures because it consisteth in Christe alone And Christe who is the bread of life the saluation and fulnes of the Saints dooth onely and alone giue true saluation But true faith béeing instructed by the spirite of God and by the holy Scriptures receiueth the same Saluation therfore is to be attributed vnto faith not to any other thing but yet not to euery faith but only vnto the same that commeth vnto vs by the grace and benefit of the holy spirit the which we lerne out of the Scriptures the true wisdome of God which extendeth and is staied vpon the a●only sonne of God who is our onely moste absolute most assured and eternal righteousnes redemption satisfaction sanctification life and fulnes But The end ●●●ft of the Scriptures as soon as the Apostle hath expounded these things very elegantly and plainly he sheweth what is the end and mark to the which we must direct all
meruelous and wunderful things against the God of Gods So that the prophet dooth meruail greatly at his impudency But reuerend maisters and déerly belooued brethren if yée desire to heare some of his great presumptuous woords giue eare I wil reherse some of them vnto you out of their owne bookes What thinges are taught in the decrees decretals and gloses touching the Pope of Rome his maiestie and Monarchie The Pope say they is aboue all lawes He may prefer by his owne interpretation equity not writē before the lawe written For he seemeth to haue all lawes in the Cofar of his brest Therefore what soeuer the Pope alloweth or dissaloweth the same ought we also to alow or dissalow Of the iudgement of the Apostolick seat no man ought to iudge neither is it lawful for any man to correct or repeale the sentence of the same namely because of the primacy soueraintie of the Romain church giuen from abooue by the benefite of Christ in blessed Peeter the Apostle The Iudge ought not to bee iudged neither of councel nor of Emperour nor of the whole clergie nor of the Kinges nor of the people The causes of others God would haue to be determined by man But without all question God hath reserued to his own Iudgement the high ruler of this Sea In somuche that if he should cary with him by heapes innumerable people to hel fire yet no mortall man may presume to reprooue his faultes heerin because he is to iudge all men and himself is to be iudged of no man God suffereth not the church of Rome to erre And euery one that obeyeth not the decrees of the Romain Seat is an Heretick And Pope Adrian saith also Wee iudge and ordaine by generall decree that he be detestably accursed and remain alwaies gilty before God as a breaker of the catholike faith whosoeuer shall suffer to be violat●d or beleeue that there ought to be violated in any point the sensure of the decrees either of the kīgs or of the Bishops or of any heerafter the mightie Popes of Roome All the ordinances of the apostolick seat are so to bee esteemed as confirmed by the diuine voice of Peeter him self With lowd voice saith Leo the fourth I feare not to pronounce that whosoeuer shal be found not indifferently to receiue and allow all the decrees of the holy fathers which are intituled among vs by the names of Canons hee is therby approoued such a one as dooth not profitably and effectually to his behoof keepe or beleeue either the Catholick apostolick faith or els the foure holy Gospels For whosoeuer dooth against her which is the mother of faith dooth indeed breake and violate the faith And albeit the Fathers of the Apostolick seate some times bee not good yet they are alwaies presupposed to be good The Pope sinneth whē he cōmitteth adultrye or murder but he may not be accused It were apoint of Sacriledge to dispute of the Popes dooings whose wicked acts are excused as the murders of Sampson the robberies of the Hebrues and the adultery of Iacob Yea also if one of the Clergie doo imbrace a woman let it be said that hee dooth it to blesse her Let no man think that I haue ●ai●ed any of all these things For I haue in effect resited the very woords of the Canonists which I am able to shew in their owne Books if any man shall require it The Pope alone say they hath all the dignities all the power which all the Patriarcks haue had His authoritie is greater then the authoritie of the saintes because whom he confirmeth no man may disable the same He hath bothe the swordes He is not to be called to account by any man no although he be called an heretick Hee alone appealeth from all men to God him self because he is the Vicar or deputie of Christe and hath fulnes of power from God He may spare whom he lust To him alone and to none els it is lawful to take a way from one and giue to another All the whole world is the diocesse of the Pope and the Pope is the ordinary of all men hauing fulnes of power in things spirituall and tēporall For he is Lord of Lords hauing the right of the King of Kings ouer his subiects He is all things and aboue all thinges And it is requisit vnder pain of damnation to be subiect to the Bishop of Roome For God and the Pope haue bothe one cōsistory Also the pope is said to haue an heauēly power and authority and therfore also to chaūge the nature of thinges by turning the substāce of one thing into an other And of nothing he can make something And the sentence that is of no force he can make it of some value Because in those things that he liketh his will standeth for reason And no mā may say vnto him why doost thou thus For he may dispēce with all lawes and of iniurye make Iustice by correcting of lawes and chaunging of them Hetherto haue ye heard the mouth speaking great things worthy truely to be stopped vp with the Turds of the Deuil But thus the Rat is bewrayed by shewing of her self And while he thus did shite foorth these moste filthy Turds in the middest of the Church yet stil he would needs séem to speak on the behalf of the highest whose Vicar he bosteth him self to be on earth VVho as Daniel saieth dooth think that hee may chaunge bothe the times and the lawes In very trueth no man can or ought to chaunge the ordinances of God Therfore Antichriste shall think that he may chaunge them Er wirds whaenem Saint Ierom noteth vpon these wordꝭ of Daniel that Antichriste shall make subiect vnder his power the whole Religion of Christe Wherin we haue séen the Popes to haue doon what they lusted them selues But because all times doo bring foorth faithful Preachers of Christe Enoches and Eliases who doo withstand such abhominations therfore Daniel saith very wel that hee made war against the Saints and preuailed ouer them Of which war because I haue spoken before when I expounded the woords of Christe our Lord there is no néed héer to make repetition again But because the godly vppon whose shoulders this burden and care doth test might demaund how long time this other beast should rage and waste the kingdome of Christe and blaspheme the name of the eternall God Daniel preuenteth this thing and saith The end of the Popes kingdome They shal be deliuered into his hands vntil a time and times and half a time In whiche dark kinde of speaking he séemeth to signifie nothing else but that the Saints must cōstantly abide in that fight whether the time that they must fight in be long or short For no certain determinate time is declared and therfore none must be looked for Moste men haue vnderstanded by a time For a time times and half a time times and half a time one yéere ij
they may teach Wherfore as many of vs as desire to be saued let vs kéep our selues within the bonds of the example of Christe and of his Apostles ●e must continue in the Apostles doctrin Now touching the Apostles doctrine we are admonished by the Apostle First that we must continew in the Apostles doctrine Afterward he sheweth the causes why euery godly man ought to continue in that kinde of doctrine For he pronoūceth plainly and techeth with great power he saith But tary thou or continevv thou stedfastly As if hée should haue said How soeuer the deceiuers and deceiued go foreward in their errors housoeuer graet numbers of men departing from the plainnes and singlenesse of the Apostles doo folowe corrupt doctrin and those Egiptian Sophisters yet neuerthelesse perseuer and continue stil thou all others that couet to please God and to abtain true saluation In what things I pray you shall they continew The Apostle addeth it In those thinges vvhich thou hast learned and vvhich haue ben committed vnto thee But Timothe had learned the Scriptures and out of thē the holy gospel as straight way the Apostle wil expound him self And this was that precious pledge which was committed vnto him Therfore the godly must perseuer and continue in the Scriptures and in the doctrin of the Gospel So shall it come to passe that they shall not be a pray to the deceiuers and to the most wicked men of this last age what was committe● vnto Tim● the and against traditions Neither must we think as certain foolish men doo fain that vnwritten Traditions were committed vnto Timothe as though the Apostle had ment that without traditions the Scriptures suffise not vnto godlinesse or that he had taught one thing by woord of mouth and another thing in writing For by and by the Apostle him self wil declare that the Scriptures are moste ful and moste absolute such as are able throughly to fashion and make perfect the worshipper of God The Apostle els where affirmeth very intirely 1 Cor. 4. that his doings agrée in one sorte all alike and that he teacheth like doctrin in all Churches He sayeth also that he and his disiples walke all one way and béeing all led by one spirit doo all things with humilitie ● Cor. 3. Again to the Corinthians VVee vvrite saith he none other things vnto you then vvhich ye read and vvhich also ye knovve Yea and so I trust that ye shall knovve vnto the end And again 4. Cor. 10. As vve are in vvords by letters vvhen vve are absent such are vve indeed also vvhen we are present But it is openly apparant that those things whiche those men recken vp among the vnwritten verities affirming the same to be receiued from the Apostles euen as if were from hand to hand are so disagreing with those things which are contained in the writings of the Apostles that they are euen directly repugnant and contrary Of which kinde are those matters which they stuf in conserning the vse of Images in the Church conserning the Masse conserning single life and Munckery and infinit other such ingling deceits Where also euen that is diligently to be noted that he said not Tary thou in those things which thou shalt learn yet heerafter But tary thou in those hings vvhich thou hast learned To vs therfore partain not those things which wretched men after certain hundred yéeres haue learned of Fathers such as indéed may be called stepfathers and of lewd and superstitious Munks It foloweth now why we ought to cleue onely to this doctrin Why wee ought to cleue only to the scriptures Indéed many reasons may be alleaged but among many these are the chéefest First Knovving saith he of vvhom thou hast learned them Truely it is much to be respected of what maisters or teachers we learne any thing For the doctrin receiueth authoritie from the teachers or author therof It is thought that from the more excellent cunning and holy men proceedeth some excellent learned and holy thing Verily from men procéed humaine things and from God procéed godly and deuine things But of whom had Timothe learned or from whom came the doctrin receiued by Timothe Surely from the most holy Apostle and most select instructment of God Therfore not the man Paule but rather the Spirit of Christe inspiring Paule hath purchased authoritie vnto the doctrine Therefore Timothe knewe and al the faithful also at this day knowe that the doctrine of the Apostles sprang not from men but from our Lord God him self and that therfore we ought to beléeue the same and inseperably cleue vnto it For our Lord him self saith in his Gospel Iohn 13. Verily verily I say vnto you hee that receiueth an Apostle or vvhomsoeuer I shall send receiueth me And he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Math. 10. And again speaking of the Apostles It is not you that speak but it i● the spirite of your father that speaketh in you Iohn 3. And again He that is from aboue is aboue all He that procedeth of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all and what he hath seen and heard the same he testifieth Wherfore in asmuch as it appéereth that the doctrin of the Apostle is heauenly deuine with good cause doo we beléeue with good cause doo we inseperably cleue to it Neither did the Apostles without great reason say therfore shalt thou cōtinue in the apostles doctrin which thou hast receiued because thou doost surely knowe that thou hast receiued and learned the same from Heauen But can we so say of the vnwritten traditions and of the ordinances of man No by no meanes Therfore why should we beleeeue them why should we receiue them why should we continew in them These things are due to the holy Scriptures only and alone They are vtterly mad that make humain things equall with deuine But they are led by the Deuil that prefer things humain before diuine and thrust downe and embace diuine things as though they were vncertain doutful vnperfect and darke Dauid the moste notable King and moste excellent Prophet of God crieth but against such filthy and blasphemous persons and pronounceth with moste true mouth Psal 19. The lawe of the Lord is a perfect law conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is true giuing wisdome to the litle ones The statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the hart The commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eyes Thy word is a Lantern vnto my feet and a light vnto my steps Furthermore the Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures or writings of the Prophets The Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures Paule bearing witnes and saying I was put a part to preach the Gospel of GOD vvhiche he promised afore by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures But we knowe that the same are therfore
the reading of the holy Scriptures that is to say to learn faith euen faith in Christe who is our life and saluation To that very end did Iohn the Apostle stretch foorth all his whole story of the Gospel while concluding the same he sayeth These things are written to the intent ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that beleeuing yee might haue life in his name Consequently the Apostle procéedeth with a short praise The praise of holy Scripture but yet notable comprehending many thinges and therfore worthy to be remembered to commend vnto vs the Canonicall Scriptures not somuch to prooue them to suffise to the learning and attaynment of saluation as with them to glue fast togither the mindes of all men while we all vnderstand that there remaineth vtterly no whit of sound profitable wholesome and necessary doctrin but the same is handled and taught moste perfectly in the holy Scriptures Therfore Paule the Apostle pronounceth and sayeth All Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are profitable to teach c. And hée plainly sayeth All Scriptures For if thou shalt diligently read and consider euery of the Bookes of holy Scripture bée they neuer so short thou shalt finde in euery of them all these things that are héer recited that is to say that euery one of them is able to teach to reprooue to amend and to instruct But very skilfully he addeth Theopneustos giuen by the inspiration of God The Scripture is giuen by the inspr●tion of God For there be extant euery where authors and bookes innumerable béeing not inspired of God but set foorth by the wil of man with the which wee haue héer nothing to doo For the holy bookes haue this thing proper and pecul●ar to them selues alone namely that they be giuen by inspiration of God as I haue all ready said a little before And Peter also the Apostle testifieth saying No prophecy of the Scriptures hath any priuat interpretation 2. Peter 1. For the Scripture came neuer by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghoste And in this point are all our Canonicall or holy Books discerned from the vnholy and prophane books of all other wise men And it is a principle of our religion and of our faith namely that the Scriptures are giuen by the Inspiration of God Wherby it commeth to passe that this saying is very often read in the prophets Thus saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god of hosts Moste truely therfore Iosephus albeit he was a Iew speaking of the Books of the olde Testament against Appio Alexandrinus in his first Booke sayeth thus Wee haue no infinit number of Bookes amongst vs dissagreeing and repugnaunt one to another but only xxij books wherin is regestred all the whole time to the whiche we iustly giue credit For it is manifest by our dooings how we beleeue our owne writings For in all these many hundred yeeres past no man hath presumed either to adde or to take away or to chaunge any thing For it is implanted in to all the Iewes euen from their cradles to talke of these holy decrees and stedfastly to dwel in them and also if need require willingly to dye for the same With good cause therfore doo wée beléeue our books of the two Testaments without gainsaying and curious search or busie enquiry It suffiseth whatsoeuer the holy Scriptures shall say vnto vs if we rightly vnderstand the same For néed wée must beléeue it The profit of the holy Sciptures But now let vs heare to what vses the holy Scripture is profitable The Apostle recoueth vp iiij kindes and vnder them he comprehendeth all other the like For it is moste certain that there is nothing wanting in the holy Scriptures namely whatsoeuer it bée that séemeth to appertain to moste perfect wisdome and doctrine And first he saith That the Scripture giuen by the inspiration of God The Scripture teacheth is profitable to teach For indeed to vnderstand the true doctrine and wisdome it behooueth vs first of all to haue the right knowledge of things to the intent we may perceiue what and of what kinde euery thing is and so what God is what his wil is what he requireth of vs what we ought to doo and what we ought to leaue vndoon what the dutie is of the true worshipper of God what man is and what kinde of one he is what was his corruption and fall and what was his setting vp again what is the saluation of man in whom it consisteth and how they may obtain the same who is Christe what his redemption is how far it extendeth But there are infinite other such like things all which for so much as is sufficient vnto godlines and pietie the Canonicall Scripture dooth declare vnto vs and teach vs. Wherby we read in the Gospel that our Lord béeing so often demaunded how we should be saued what we shoulde doo to enter in to the kingdome of God which be the cheefest commaundements of God what our dutie requireth wherwith God is moste chéefly delighted did alwaies after one sorte make answere out of the holy Scripture and sent vs back to the holy Scripture The rich glutton béeing in Hel desiring to come out from thence and to teach and giue warning to his brethern Luke 16. he sendeth him back to the Lawe and to the Prophets that is to say all the faithful that desire to be instructed touching the iudgements of God and the state of Soules in another world he sendeth them back not vnto Ghostes or vnto spirits appéering in mānes shape but vnto the Scriptures Wheruppon Paule wrat vnto the Romaines Rom. 15 VVhatsoeuer things haue been written they were written for our lerning Let vs therfore take the necessary rules of our religion out of the scriptures And those things that are not taught in the Scriptures let vs not think them to be either necessary or holesome for vs. Moreouer in true wisdome it is requisit that wée bee taught nothing but that onely which is true and good and yet that wee shoulde vnderstand also what things are false and so resist the same The Scripture reproueth It foloweth therfore in the woordꝭ of the Apostle that héerin also the Scripture is profitable Pros elenchon that is to say reproouing and to the conuiction and confutation of falshod finally to blaming to accusing and to sharp rebuking Therfore if any false Iugler or crafty deceiuer bring in an opinion vntrue and vngodly Heresies or confuted by the Scripture if hée corrupt the pure vnderstanding of the woord foorthwith the Scriptures ministreth holy arguments with which the godly may confute such a false deceiuer And after that sorte wée sée our Lord Iesus to haue doon in the Gospel who as often as either the Pharises or els the Saduces were to be confuted with the Swoord of the Scripture slew their false opinions