merits for the giftes of the holy Ghost are giuen vnto vs through the free grace of God only of the which we speake the more often that no man might proudly boast him selfe of the merits of his righteousnesse Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou saith Paul which thou hast not receiued Moreouer the Apostle hath very artificially comprehended the whole sūme of the Gospell in this verse namely that God hath loued mankinde and hath giuen euerlasting consolation vnto him Iesus Christ who is our hope and that he hath giuen it him through his grace and not for our merit that we liue for euer But what is the Apostles petition it followeth 17. Comfort your heartes and stablishe you in euery worde and good worke He prayeth for the Thessalonians that God so gentle and louing a father would sustaine and comfort their heartes with his consolation against all stumbling blocks and offences by which they might be brought into doubt and dispaire For it belongeth vnto him to comforte and strengthen the heartes of his faithfull seruantes that they might not faint through carefulnesse or distrust And stablish you in euery worde Then he prayeth that God would confirme them in holsome doctrine For this is the worde whereof he speaketh and not of any common worde that it may agree with that which went before And good worke This parteyneth to the whole course of a good and holy life wherein the faithfull ought to perseuere Wherefore all the duties of a Christian man are comprehended in these two partes namely that they doe abide as well in holesome doctrine as in good manners of life The which they cannot performe without the grace and helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ Who saith Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing That is to say without my power and strength working in you And in another place it is said that we are framed by Iesus Christ vnto good workes Ephe. 2.10 which God hath prepared that we should walke in them These therefore are those good fruites which doe spring from a sanctified brest through the holy Ghost and a true faith Heb. 11.6 without the which it is not possible to please God Finally Saint Paul hath so tempered this his prayer that withall he hath prescribed what becommeth the Thessalonians namely that they giue themselues continually to all good words and good works that they doe perseuere in euery good worke but especially that they do acknowledge Christ to be the onely hope and euerlasting consolation of all the faithfull for euer CHAPTER III. 1 FVrthermore brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified euen as it is with you This is the last part of this Epistle which comprehendeth foure exhortations of the which one is the supplication of the Church the which is very necessarie and profitable For although the Lord was mightily present with the Apostle and that he did exceed al others in the feruencie of prayer yet neuerthelesse he doth not neglect the prayer of the faithfull with the which the Lorde will haue vs holpen We in like manner after his example ought alwayes to require this helpe and to stirre vp the faithfull to pray for vs. For there is nothing more auaileable with God then faithfull prayer That the worde of the Lord may haue free passage For two causes the prayer of the Church is here required of the Apostle The first is for the happie successe of the Gospel that the same being preached to other nations might be no lesse estemed then it was of the Thessalonians Therfore by these wordes Paul sheweth that he hath not so much care and consideration of him selfe as he hath of the whole Church For why doth he desire to be commended to the prayer of the Thessalonians That the doctrine of the Gospel might haue his course Therefore he would haue them to haue respect not so much to him alone as to the glorie of Christ and the common saluation of the Church And the worde of the Lord is said to haue free passage when in preaching and in doctrine it hath no let but happie successe insomuch that many beleeue it and beleeuing it doe glorifie God and are saued And be glorified He desireth that the worde of God may haue his force and efficacie to reforme men into the Image of God Therfore holines of life and integrity in christians is the beauty of the Gospell euen as they doe bring infamie and slaunder to the Gospell professing it with their mouth and liuing neuerthelesse filthylie and wickedlie Mat. 5.15 To this ende partaine the exhortations of our sauiour Christ of Peter and of others 1. Pet. 2.12 in the new Testament Euen as it is with you That is to say after the same manner forme and happie successe For this ought to be a great incouragement to the Godly that they may see all other men like to them selues in godlinesse Therefore they which are already entered into the kingdome of God are commaunded to pray daily that the same kingdome may come so farre off they ought to be from enuie when they do heare that others are come to the knowledge of the truth 2 And that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith This is the latter cause why the Apostle requireth the prayers of the faithfull The truth indeed was preached but in the meane time there sprange vp diuers scismes among them also which would seeme to be the embracers of true religion And the publike enimies of religion did both banish the truth and did also most cruelly persecute them which were maintainers of the truth neither did there want certaine hypocrites and false brethren which were worse far more pestilent thē they vnto true godlinesse For it is truly said that a counterfeit frend is much more hurtfull then an open enimie Wherefore Paul desireth to be deliuered from such For by vnreasonable and euill mē he meaneth those which vnder the name of christians lurked in the Church or else the Iewes which through a mad zeale of the law furiously persecuted the gospel For he knew how great harme was like to come by them both And this saying of the Apostle may be extended to all manner of perils For then Paul was going to Hierusalem and did write being in the middest of his iorney But it was already told him from aboue that bondes and persecutions wayted for him there Act. 20.23 From the which he doth desire to be so deliuered that he may ouercome whether it be by death or by life But now at this day the ministers of the word haue the Pope and Papistes for their principall aduersaries which are in dede vnreasonable and euill men which doe hinder the course of the doctrine of the Gospell with their accusations and doe destroy so much as lieth in them the fruit glorie of the word of God preached
hereafter As it is meet In these woords Paul sheweth that we are bound to giue thanks vnto God not onely when he doth power on vs good thinges but also when we call to mind his benefits bestowed on our brethren For whersoeuer we do see the goodnes of God to shine we are bound to giue thankes for the same Furthermore the sauing health of our brethren ought to be so deare vnto vs that whatsoeuer is giuen vnto thē we ought to take it as bestowed on our selues Moreouer if we do consider the holy vnitie of the body of Christ such mutuall communion and fellowship shal be among vs that we will reckon the benefite of one member to be the benefite gaine of the whole Church Therefore in praysing the benefites of God we must alwayes haue respect vnto the vniuersalitie of the Church Because that your faith groweth excedingly Here are repeated the principa◠pointes of our religion as faith charitie and sufferance but not without cause For because in the former Epistle he had praysed the faith and charitie of the Thessalonians now he speaketh of the increase of them both And in very deede it is conuenient for all the godly to obserue this order that they daily make a triall and examination of themselues how much they haue profited This therefore is the true prayse of the faithfull if they grow and increase dayly more and more in faith and in charitie Moreouer first he gaue thankes vnto God for them now he saith there is cause why he should againe giue thankes for their dayly profiting And when he giueth thankes vnto God for their profiting he doth thereby signifie and declare that as well the increase as the beginning of faith and loue commeth from God For if these sprang from the vertue that is in men the giuing of thankes should be fayned or els for nothing Three causes of thanks giuing There are therfore three causes of thankes giuing of the which the first is the increase of faith For faith in such as are consecrated vnto God how true and perfect soeuer it be doth not sodenly come to her full perfection euen as yong Trees doe not by and by grow to their full bignes but doe first spring then shout vp in talnesse and at the last come to a full groth of a Tree Euen so faith hath her degrees and is not at the first begining fully perfected but seeketh and desireth to increase it selfe daily more and more And that is the meaning of this place of Paul Rom. 1.17 where he saith From faith to faith that is to say that the same in the first beginning do not decay but rather that it be confirmed more and more vntil it come to iust perfection For according to our common māner of speaking Faith of two sortes there are two sortes of faith one imperfect the which being once begunne goeth forward by degrees and increaseth and continueth not alway in weaknes the other is perfect the which being many wayes confirmed doth constātly rest it selfe on the sure knowledge and will of God And the loue of euery one of you toward another aboundeth The Second cause of thankes giuing is the mutuall loue of the Godly which bindeth vnto her euery one whom she findeth in affliction by many benefittes And although according to the common vse of the sacred scriptures he is our neighbour which is ioyned to vs by any maner of way either of dwelling nere vnto vs either of kinred or of frendship or of societie or else of custome yet notwithstanding he also shal be our neighbour which standeth in need of our helpe whatsoeuer although he be not a Citizen with vs a fellow a cosin or any other way ioyned vnto vs Luk. 10.30 euen as that man was which fell into the hands of theeues But this loue differeth from that which we owe vnto God 1. Ioh. 4.10 which loueth him in the highest degre which loued vs first This loue is the pietie and worship which we owe vnto God And as the duties of this loue are gathered out of the first table so the duties of the other are taken out of the second table the which loue in that it springeth from the loue of God as from the fountain it cannot be but very acceptable vnto God Whereupon it commeth to passe that God doth oftē times more vrge and require the loue of our neighbour then the loue of himselfe For as it appeareth by the Prophet he doth preferre the defence and helpe of the widowes the fatherlesse and the oppressed before the sacrifices offered vnto him Esay 1.17 Loue is the handmaid of faith Gal. 5.6 For this loue is the handmaid of faith and doth so necessarily wait vpon her as doth the shadow on the body Because faith which is auailable before God is effectual and working through loue 4 So that we our selues reioyce of you in the Churches of God because of your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye suffer The Apostle could not giue vnto them a greater prayse then when he sayth that he propoundeth them as examples before other Churches to be followed for that is the meaning of these woordes We our selues reioyce of you in the Churches of God And yet Paul doth not ambitiously boast of the faith of the Thessalonians but setteth them foorth as a prouocation to make others the more earnest to imitate them In the Churches of God In that he calleth them not his Churches but the Churches of God it declareth his humilitie faithfulnesse For they are false and vntrustie who whenas they ought to be the seruants of God and the ministers of Churches desire to be called Lordes and doe vsurpe authoritie ouer other mens seruants Because of your patience The third and last cause of giuing thanks is their patience But the Apostle saith not that he doth reioyce because of the faith and loue of the Thessalonians but of their patience and faith Wherupon it followeth that patience is the fruite and testimony of faith Therefore these woordes ought to be resolued thus we reioyce of the patience which commeth of faith and doth testifie the faith excelleth in you Otherwise the text should not agree And in very deed there is nothing that doth hold vs vp more in tribulations then doth faith the which doth hereby euidently enough appeare because so soone as we forget the promises of God we fal flat to the ground Therfore the more that a man doth grow in faith the more he is armed through patience stoutly to indure all things euen as on the contrarie part cowardice and impatiēce in aduersitie doth bewray our Infidelitie especially at such time as we are to suffer persecution for the Gospell the force of faith will shew it selfe Therefore that reioycing of the Apostle Paul was no proud or vaine boasting but godly piety by which he did exalt and aduaunce with condigne prayses
the fruit of Gods worde and also did reioyce ouer the Thessaloniās themselues that they were in such wise and so greatly confirmed that by no manner of perils or persecutions they could be cōpelled to forsake the faith And what was this else but to giue the praise vnto God for al this grace vertue This place teacheth that the saints are layed open to persecutions and are also exercised perpetually in afflictions For so many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tit. 3.12 5 Which is a token of the righteous Iudgment of God that ye may be coūted woorthy of the kingdome of God for the which ye also suffer The simple and true meaning of these woordes is that the iniuries and persecutions which the children of God doe suffer at the hands of the wicked and reprobate do shewe foorth as in a glasse that God shal be one day the iudge of the worlde And this sentence hath in it a figure called Antistrophon or Conuersion by which is confuted the prophane opinion which men do commonly hold so often as the good are afflicted and the euil are in good case For then we thinke that the world is gouerned by fortune and not by God Hereupon it commeth that impietie and contempt doe possesse the heartes of men as Solomon saith in the booke of the Preacher Chap. 9. ver 2.3 For they which suffer any thing vnworthily or without deserte do either murmure and accuse God or else they doe thinke that he hath no care of the actions of men as the Prophet Dauid saith in the Psalme 73. Reade the whole Psalme Contrariwise the wicked ware more proude of their prosperitie as if so be there were no punishment remayning for them euen as Dyonisius in his prosperous nauigation boasted that the gods were frēdly and fauourable vnto such as were giltie of sacrilege Furthermore when we doe see that the crueltie of the wicked against the innocent is not restrayned and that they escape without punishement flesh and blood perswadeth it selfe by and by that there is no iudgment of God no punishments of wickednesse nor any reward of righteousnesse But Paul on the contrarie part pronounceth that when God doth so spare the wicked for a time and doth wincke at the iniuries which his children suffer iudgment to come is set before our eies as it were in a glasse For he taketh this as a clere case that it cannot be but that God as he is a iust iudge will one day giue rest vnto the miserable which are now vniustlie vexed and will also giue vnto the oppressors of the godly their iust rewarde And herevnto tendeth this saying of Peter If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalfe 1. Pet. 4.16 For the time is come that iudgment must begin at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creator Furthermore the iudgment of God is called righteous in this place because it shal be executed vpon those which haue deserued the same by their wicked persecution and also because God shal exercise the same not onely according to the externall but also according to the internall things A place surely very notable because it teacheth how our mindes are to be stirred vp from al the impedimentes of the world so often as we suffer any manner of aduersitie namely by calling to minde the iust iudgment of God the which will lift vp our mindes from this world to a higher consideration Thus death shal be vnto vs the image of life That ye may be counted woorthy of the kingdome of God The ordinance of God is that no man shal be woorthy of the kingdome of God without the crosse Whereupon Christ saith If any man wil follow me let him deny him selfe Mat. 16.24 and take vp his crosse and follow me Now if any man will goe about to proue by the authoritie of this place that saluation is due by desert vnto our afflictions and not to the passion and blood of the Lorde let him way and consider that place onely which the same Apostle setteth downe to the Romans where he proueth that we are iustified by the benefite of faith Rom. 3.28 and not by the merit of workes And in another place he saith I count that the afflictions of this present time Rom. 8.18 are not woorthy of the glory which shal be shewed vnto vs. Therefore we must ascribe it to the liberalitie and fatherly beneficence of God that eternall life is said to be giuen vnto vs of right and that we are made woorthy of the kingdome of God through afflictions when as it is most cleere that all our habilitie and pliantnesse to any manner of goodnsse commeth of God by whose grace we are sanctified and blessed Moreouer the Apostle Paul doth not dispute here of the cause of woorthynesse but onely taketh the common doctrine of Scripture that God doth abolish those thinges in vs which belong to the worlde that hee may frame and erect in vs a better life Furthermore that he sheweth vnto vs through afflictions the pryce of eternall life Finally he doth simply set downe the meane by which the faithfull are as it were hammered and wrought vpon Gods anuile because by afflictions they are taught to renoūce the world and to aspire to the heauenly kingdome of God Beside this they are confirmed strengthned in the hope of eternall life when they fight for the same Wherupon he addeth For the which ye also suffer Namely vnder the assured hope of the promise made which bringeth to passe that we doe obtaine the kingdome of God For so Christ himselfe speaketh Reioyce and be glad Mat. 5.12 for behold plentiful is your reward which is in heauen And the Apostle Rom. 8.17 If we suffer together with him we shal also be glorified with him And although no manner of afflictions of them selues doe make vs worthy of of the reward and glorie of eternal life yet neuerthelesse to denie Christ for feare of present perils is a sinne deseruing to be punished with eternall death For as we doe beleeue with the hearte to righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 so we doe confesse with the mouth to saluation 6 For it is a righteous thing with God to recōpence tribulation to them that trouble you In these wordes the Apostle sheweth how the tribulation of the saintes may be vnto them an instruction of the iust iudgement of God For God is an Indifferent iudge counterpoysing in equal ballances the inequalitie of both parties as here the afflicted and the afflicting And what can be more iust then that they which
in this world do oppresse the good and godly and doe make them liue in exile and banishment by persecutions should suffer the same thinges themselues in time to come which they do to others and that they should be in rest with other saints who coÌ„ming out of great tribulation shal receiue an eternal kingdom Thus the Apostle toucheth the vengeance of god against the reprobate to teach them that the faithfull doe rest in the expectation of the iudgment to come because God doth not as yet take vengeance on the euil who notwithstanding must needes suffer the punishment of their wickednesse Withall notwithstanding the faithfull doe vnderstand that there is no cause why they should enuy the momentany and transitory felicitie of the wicked which soone after shal be changed turned into horrible and most fearful distruction 7 And to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lorde Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie angels As it is agreeing with the iustice of God to repay vnto wicked and vngodly men condigne punishments so also it is agreeing with the same Iustice to giue vnto godly and righteous men the rest and consolation of eternal life Great therfore shal be the miserie and vnhappines of al the wicked and most excellent shal be the feliâ—â—â—ie and blessednes of the godly The Aâ—ostle hath opposed rest against the tormeÌ„t â—f tribulation in the which the godly are â—xercised in this world without intermission For wheÌ„ we shal depart from this life all labour and sorrow shal cease and rest ioy shall follow in steed thereof Apoc. 21.4 For God shall wipe away al teares from the eyes of his saints This then agreeth with the senteÌ„ce of Peter where he calleth the day of the last iudgment the day of rest Notwithstanding in this declaration of the good and of the euil the purpose of the Apostle was to expresse more plainly how preposterous vniust the gouerment of the world should be if God did not defer the punishments rewards vntil another iudgment Hereunto also tendeth that which was said vnto Diues Luk. 16.25 Sonne remember that thou in thy life past enioyedst thy pleasure but contrariwise Lazarus enioyed paine but now is he coÌ„forted and thou art tormented The Apostle addeth With vs. That he might bring the more credit to his doctrine by the sence feeling of his owne faith For he sheweth that he doth not speake of vnknowne things when as he placeth him selfe with them in the same cause and condition And we knowe that they doe deserue to be best regarded which are exercised by longe practise in those things which they teach and doe require nothing of others but that they be ready to proue and try Therefore the Apostle doth not commaund the Thessalonians to fight as it were in a shadow but fighting valiantly him selfe he exhorteth them to the same warre and fight When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe him selfe This is a figure called Occupatio or preuention which the Apostle vseth that the Thessalonians might not be carefull concerning the time wherein the wicked persecutors shal be afflicted with punishments and the godly which are afflicted shall receiue rest The time shal be the comming of Christ to iudgment or the time of iudgment For the Lord shall come a iudge but from whence From Heauen That is to say from the habitacle of God which is perpetuall wherein is the glorie of the inuisible God and the light whereunto no man can attaine seeing it is a spirituall firmament in the which dwelleth sempeternall righteousnesse From thence therefore doe we look for our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ who shall chang our vile bodie that it may be like to his most glorious body Philip. 3.21 But this Iudgment shal not be before the consummatioÌ„ of al things For til that consuÌ„mation be the Lord Iesus shall not be reuealed from heauen as appeareth by many testimonies of Scriptures For because one shall iudge all it must needes be in that last iudgment which shal be in the end of the world where he shall repay to euery one according to his deedes Christ therfore will shut vp and reserue the times of this present world against the time of his iudgment in the latter day But when this iudgment shal be it is vncertaine Wherfore the Lord Iesus himselfe doth testifie that the moments of times of this iudgement and of the glorie of Christ to come ought not to be curiously searched for neither yet that they can be knowne aforehand Act. 1.7 It is not saith he for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath reserued to himselfe And in another place Mar. 13.32 Concerning that day and houre knoweth no man neither the Angels which are in heauen nor the Sonne but the father onely And the Apostle saith 1. Thes 5.2 2. Pet. 3.10 That the day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night And yet for all this some foolish men haue gone about of late time to prognosticate of this day yea and almost of the very houre of the day With his mightie Angels These words do describe and set foorth the forme and manner of the comming of Christ to iudgment As if he should say the most righteous iudge shall not now any more come from heauen in humilitie and contempt as he did at his first comming in our flesh but inuironed with an Angelical bande For it is written Thousand thousands ministred vnto him Dan. 7.10 ten thousaÌ„d thousaÌ„ds stood before him As therfore a puisant and mightie King hauing a huge hoast of picte and chosen men marcheth forward against his enimie euen so the Lord Iesus himselfe shall vse the ministerie of Angels in suppressing and vanquishing the wicked and in deliuering the godly And for this cause the Apostle calleth them mightie Angels because by them and in their ministerie the Lord wil shew foorth his power and might Whose force no creature is able to resist whose iudgment must necessarily of all men be endured and by whose sentence the wicked shal be assuredly condemned and eternally punished 8 With a flame of fire rendering vengeance vnto them who haue not knowen God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ The present description of the iudgment tendeth to this end that the Godly may vnderstand that by how much the more feareful the iudgment is which remaineth for their enemies by so much more the Lord hath a care of their afflictions For this is the chiefe cause of our greefe and sorrow that we thinke that God doth slightly ouerpasse our miseries We doe see into what complaints Dauid bursteth foorth now and then Psal 37.2 when he fretteth at the pride and insolencie of his enimies Therefore the Apostle hath vttered all this here for the consolation of the faithfull that he discribeth the tribunall and iudgment of Christ to be full of
he spake generally of the saintes he now applieth to the Thessalonians that they might not doubt them selues to be of that number Because saith he you beleeued my preaching Christ hath now gathered you into the number of his saintes whom he will make partakers of his glorie Therefore ye shal be safe from all those euils which hang euen ouer the heads of the wicked and shall take hold of them and they also which afore time haue derided you as mad and furious men shall haue you in great admiration For these thinges are spoken to the faithfull for their consolation which either haue beene or are in affliction for Christes sake He calleth his doctrine a testimony because the Apostles are the witnesses of Christ Therefore let vs learne that then the promises of God are firme in vs when we doe steedfastly beleeue them In that day The Apostle doth therfore repeat this to restraine the desire oâ— the faithfull that they might not be toâ— hasty For their life is hidden with God iâ— Christ Colos 3.3 but when Christ which is our life shal be manifested then shall wee also appeare with him in glorie And in another place it is said Heb. 10.35 Knowing in your selues how that ye haue in heauen a better and an induring substance Cast not therefore away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For ye haue need of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye might receiue the promise For yet a very litle while and he that shal come will come and will not tarry 11 Wherefore we also pray alwayes for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnes and the worke of faith with power This is the Epilogue or conclusion of that which goeth before which consisteth of prayer that the Thessalonians may be preserued in that knowledge of spirituall thinges and may growe more and more therein and proceeding at the last may abide constant in the same It is the manner of the Apostle in all harâ— and difficult thinges to adde prayers prayers For faith and that reuerence which we beare to the deuine maiestie doe teach that the best giftes of God must be sought for and gotten by prayers To the end therefore the Thessalonians might know that they haue need continually of the help of God he protesteth that he prayeth for them As if he should say ye are called by my ministery through the Gospel vnto saluation but yet ye haue need of farther confirmation namely of such confirmation as may make you woorthy of his calling and to profite and perseuere in the same For this confirmation and perseuerance because it is a heauenly gift I doe diligently praye vnto God to giue it you And he speaketh of the end and perfect accomplishment which consisteth in perseuerance For God had vouchsafed already to call them But we being too ready to fall away it is no gramarcie to vs that our vocation is not after that made frustrate and so should it be in deed if so be God did not establishe the same in vs. Wherefore it is said that we are counted woorthy when we come to the full scope and perfection And if so be that our merit doth make vs woorthy to what ende should it be needful to pray vnto the Lord that he would make vs woorthy of his calling Therefore that worthinesse doth depend vpon the liberal goodnesse of God And fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodnesse The second thing for the which he prayeth for is the accoÌ„plishment of the grace and goodnesse of God Paul is woonderful in extolling the grace of God For not being contented that he hath named his good pleasure he saith that the same doth spring from the goodnes of god Now when we doe heare that the free good pleasure of God is the cause of our saluation and that the same is founded on the grace of God are we not more then mad if we dare arrogate vnto our merits euen the least thing And the worke of faith with power That is to say that he would finish the very worke of faith through constancie and courage of the mind the which being once by God setled in mens mindes ouercommeth al aduersities In these words there is no smal weight He might haue said in one word that your faith may be fulfilled but he calleth it good pleasure And then he doth proceed further in explayning the matter that God was by no other means induced theÌ„ by his goodnes for in vs he found nothing but miserie Neither doth Paul ascribe the beginning only of our saluation to the grace of God but all the partes thereof also Thus the sophisticall coÌ„ment and imagination of the scoole men is confuted how that wee are preuented by the grace of God but yet are holpen by merites following But Paul in the whole course of saluation doth admitte nothing but the mere grace of God And because the good pleasure of God is now made perfite he expoundeth his minde in these wordes The worke of faith And hee calleth it a work in respect of God which woorketh faith in vs as if he should say that he may perfect and finish the building of faith which he hath begun With power That is to say effectually He alludeth vnto the blessing or efficacie of God by which he doth blesse and make our faith effectuall And withal he giueth to vnderstand that the perfection of faith is a great matter and of great dificultie The which we finde too true by experience the reason whereof may easily be rendered if we do weigh how great our imbecilitie is how many lets are thurst vpon vs from al partes and also how greiuous and minifold the temptations of Sathan be Therefore except we be woonderfully holpen by the power of God faith shall neuer come to her full perfection For it is as easie a matter to finishe and make perfect faith in a man as it is to build a Tower of water which shal be so firme and strong that it shal abide the beating flouds and tempestious stormes and shall reach higher then the cloudes And we are euen as fluible and vanishing as water as appeareth by these woordes of the woman of Thecoa we are as water spilt on the ground 2. Sam. 14. which cannot be gathered vp againe 12 That the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ may bee glorified in you â—nd yee in him according to the grace of our God and of the Lorde Iesus Christ The Apostle had shewed afore what thinges it is meete for vs to aske at the handes of God in our prayers To this admonition he addeth an exposition of the finall cause why he prayed for the increase of faith and for perseuerance in others why he teacheth to pray after his exaÌ„ple namely that the name of Iesus Christ may be glorified in vs that we also may be glorified by Christ
and for the neglecting of these thinges he commaundeth them to repent To such as keepe his statutes he giueth fat benefices prebends and dignities maistershippe and doctorship with seraphicall holines large indulgences a yeere of iubile promising remission of all their sinnes and euerlasting life but such as keepe not his lawes he depriueth of their goods of all honor banisheth them if it were possible out of the worlde he killeth them he cursseth them and adiudgeth them to eternall damnation although they haue kept if it might be al the commandements of God But here it may be demaunded how a den of so many superstitions can be called the Church 1. Tim. 3.15 which ought to be the pillar of truth I aunsweare it is so called not that it retaineth all the qualities of the Church but because it hath some remainder or remnant Thus our sauiour Christ called the Church a sheepfold for the shepes sake notwithstanding that the greater part were Lions Beares and Woolues So Hierusalem is called the holy Citie notwithstanding that the greatest parte were wicked So the Church is called a corne feelde and yet the greatest parte is chaffe darnell tares In like manner it is the temple of God where the Pope ruleth though it be defiled with an infinite number of sacrileges Shewing himselfe that he is God By these words the Apostle meaneth that the pride of Antichrist shal be so great that exempting himselfe from the number and order of seruants and ascending vp to the tribunall seate of God he will take vpon him to commaund not by humane thoritie but as it were by diuine power 5 Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these thinges The Apostle putteth the Thessalonians againe in minde of the doctrine which he deliuered vnto them of the dissipation of the Church to come And this confirmeth the doctrine that they had heard the same aforetime from his mouth lest they might thinke that it was deuised for a time And whereas he did admonish them so timely of the kingdome of Antichrist of the ruine and decay of the Church which should be in time to come when as yet there was no question moued concerning these thinges no doubt it seemed to be a doctrine most profitable to be knowne And in very deed so it falleth out They to whom he spake were to see many things which troubled them but when the posteritie did behold a great part of those which had professed Christ his Gospell as men stricken with a wood fury to departe from godlinesse and to runne headlong into distruction what could they doe else but stagger and stand in doubt But here was a brasen wall that God had so appointed because the vnthankfulnesse of men had deserued such vengeance Here we may see how forgetfull men are when their eternall saluation is in question We are also to obserue and note the humanitie of Paul who hauing iust cause to be angry doth neuerthelesse gentlely reprehend them For this is a fatherly checke As if he should say what doe you meane to suffer false teachers to trouble you and to turne you away from beleeuing my preaching Remember those thinges which I told you beforehand cōcerning these matters when I was yet with you in Thessalonica For I intreated and disputed of the Apostasie and abhominations of Antichrist and of the comming of the iudge Christ in glorie 6 And now ye knowe what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his time The Apostle in these wordes preuenteth an obiection which might haue beene made thus What cause is there why we should not beleeue that the aduersarie of Christ doth now reigne and is already come when we see that al the Potentates of this world do by all manner of meanes gainsay and resist the name of Christ and his doctrine To this the Apostle aunsweareth ye know what is the let or cause of delay Many vnderstand this to be spoken of the Romane Empire Because as the Monarchie of Babylon was ouerthrowne by the Medes and Perses and againe the Macedonians hauing vanquished the Persians enioyed the monarchie and at the last the Macedonians were subdued by the Romanes euen so Antichrist shall violently take vnto himselfe the vacant Dominion and rule of the Romane Empier These thinges are most true as touching the historie but yet the meaning of the Apostle was otherwise namely that the doctrine of the Gospell should haue passage from place to place vntil such tim as almost the whole world were made giltie of obstinacie and malitious wickednes For there is no doubt but that the Thessalonians had heard this impediment whatsoeuer it was from Pauls mouth afore time for he putteth them in minde of those thinges which he had taught them afore time when he was personally present Very many as the forerunners of Antichrist sought diligently in the time of Paul and of the other Apostles to ouerthrowe the doctrine of the Gospell with their lies and deceiueable sleights euen as Saint Iohn writeth that there were already many begunne to be Antichristes And yet notwithstanding as yet Antichrist was not fully reuealed To whose full accomplishment appertaine blasphemies sharpe and cruell persecutions heresies and such other like impieties All which thinges when the Gospell had been preached throughout the worlde were in due time reuealed Paul therefore preached vnto the Thessalonians concerning the vniuersal calling of the Gentils that to all sortes of men the grace of God was to be offered that Christ wold make a passage for his Gospell throughout all the worlde to the ende the empietie of men might the more appeare and be more plainely conuinced Therefore this Impediment let and delay whereof Paul speaketh was to be made vntill the Gospell had ended his full course because the free calling vnto saluation ought to be first in order Therefore he addeth In hys time Because vengeance was to follow and take place when grace was reiected as in very deed it came to passe 7 For the misterie of iniquitie doth already woorke onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way The reason why Antichrist shall not be reuealed now but in his time is taken from the circumstance of time vntil which time Antichrist shall raigne by Gods permission Paul teacheth that Antichrist hath at no time ceassed but hath alwayes laboured to intangle and ensnare the Church of Christ and hath also gone about in the very times of the Apostles to set abroch his practises of iniquitie For as yet sathan was not so strong that Antichrist could openly assaile oppresse the Church therefore priuilie and by stelth he sought to doe that which afterward in due time he would doe openly For then he did but lay the foundations secretly vpon the which he might afterward reare his building as it came to passe And hereby that is more fullie confirmed which we haue already said that no one man is noted
mo in number than others but because he loued your fathers For so often as we heare mention made of his loue we ought by and by to remember that saying of the Apostle Not that we loued him first Iohn 4.10 And the certaine and sure signes of the loue of God toward vs are the proclayming of the Gospell and the preaching of remission of sinnes through Christ For by that publication of Gods will it is both testified that we are receiued into the grace of adoption through Christ and also are reckoned in the number of Gods sonnes if so be we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell through faith and doe commit our selues to the grace of the most mercifull God Psal 147.11 Iohn 3.16 For the Lord loueth those that feare him and that put their trust in his mercie Moreouer God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Ephe. 16. that they that beleue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This therefore is that grace of God which maketh vs accepted through the beloued that is through Christ Wo therefore be vnto those wicked teachers which wil haue vs to doubte of the Grace of God and whether we are loued of God when as God would haue vs more sure of nothing then that beleeuing the Gospell we assure our selues to be in his fauour and to be beloued of Christ Because that God hath from the beginning chosen you The Apostle expresseth the cause why all men shal not be ouerwhelmed in one and the selfe same destruction namely because Sathan can doe nothing against those to hinder their saluation although heauen and earth be confounded together For this saying of Christ shall alwayes abide most firme My sheepe hear my voice and I knowe them Iohn 10.27 and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall take them ou◠〈◊〉 my hande There is no doubt but thaâ— the Apostle speaketh of Gods eternall electioÌ„ For he meaneth that there is no feare of the altering of their saluation which is fouÌ„ded vpon gods eternal election thogh there happen a troublesome alteration of thinges As if he should say let this be a horror and feare to others to those I say which perish in whom the Diuels can much preuaile but as for you ye are without peril as the beloued of God such as are elected froÌ„ the beginning Therefore what garboyle trouble soeuer Sathan woorketh in the worlde yet your saluation was laid vp in safety for you before the world was made For election signifieth a purpose of shewing mercie and of sauing those whom God hath ordayned by that purpose to obtayne eternall life for an inheritance But because it is not our part to enter into the secret counsell of God there to seeke the certaintie of our saluation he deliuereth vnto vs certaine signes and tokens of election which ought sufficiently to assure vs thereof Through sanctification of the spirit That is to say by the holy Ghost which doth purifie our hearts and giue vnto vs a true faith Therefore to know whether God hath elected vs or no we must not seeke what God hath done before the creation of the worlde but we shal finde in our selues a lawfull triall namely if he hath sanctified vs with his spirit established vs in the faith of his Gospell For it is the office of the holy Ghost to illuminate our darkened heartes which are naturally blinde to teach the ignorant to comfort the afflicted to bringe those that goe astray into the right way and so to sanctifie them that their workes may be acceptable to the omnipotent God The Apostle calleth that the Faith of truth by which the elect doe beleeue the Gospell of Christ For this is contrary to that false perswasion concerning the which Iames pronounceth saying Faith without workes is dead And the faith which we heare to the Gospell â—â—mes 2. is an assured testimony of our adoption and the spirit doth giue that adoption and they which are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Iohn 3.36 are the sonnes of God And he which possesseth Christ by faith hath euerlasting life All which thinges are diligently to be noted least we pretermitting the reuelation of Gods will whereupon he commaundeth vs to rest we going about to drawe the same from his secrete counsell in the which he woulde not haue vs inquisitiue should bring our selues into a confused laberinth or maze Therefore we must holde our selues contented with the faith of the Gospell and with the grace of the spirit by which we are regenerated that we may assure our selues to be elected of God and that we shall haue the saluation of eternall life if we doe truly beleeue in Christ the sonne of God And hereby their wickednes is confuted which make Gods election a cloake of all filthynesse when as Peter so ioyneth the same with faith and regeneration 1. Peâ— that they cannot be separated And Paul himselfe in an other place testifieth Ephe. 1.4 that we were elected before the foundation of the world was layed that we might be blamelesse and holy in the sight of God in loue 14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ The preaching of the Gospell pertayneth to the confirmatioÌ„ of election For this is the meane by which we come vnto saluation whereunto God hath chosen vs. God therefore hath called vs vnto a true faith not by the righteousnes of the law but by the Gospell euen as Paul testifieth in an other place 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued and called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appearing of our sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell And therefore by the Gospell because no man can beleeue in Christ but by the publication therof who being now glorified raigneth at the right hand of God the father in heauen Rom. 10.17 For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God By our Gospell He calleth it his Gospell not that it sprang from him but because the preaching thereof was committed to him As if he should say By the Gospell which we haue preached which was committed to vs to preach And here are to be noted certaine degrees of our saluation For we are from the beginning chosen to saluation and then we are made partakers of saluation through sanctification of the spirite through beleeuing of the truth and through the Gospell To obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ This doth bring no small consolation to the faithful when they know that doth they and their saluation are so in the handes of God euen as a fixed
fourth Chapter he calleth them false Prophets and teacheth men how to know the spirit of Antichrist namely thus He that denieth Iesus to be Christ He that denieth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh That is to say he that derogateth any thing from the honor of Iesus to bee Christ and in his fleshe to haue performed the full worke of mans redemption as the Pope doth most blasphemously he is Antichrist and who so teacheth any such doctrine speaketh by the spirite of Antichrist Furthermore this kingdome of abhomination is described to vs vnder the person of one because the kingdom is one how soeuer they successiuely succeede one another Whereupon Saint Augustine saith August lib. 20. de ciuit Dei cap. 19 Antichrist shall come towarde the ending of the Romaine Empire and hee shall not be a prince or one man alone but a multitude of men are belonging vnto him who together with him shal be called Antichrist and he shall sitte in the temple of God as though he and his were the Church of God it selfe And in an other place Idem lib. de Antichristo He shal renue idolatrie he shal scater the doctrine of the Gospell and to this end he shal keepe Magicians coniurers and enchauÌ„ters c. Now euery one knoweth the fals miracles wherwith he hath abused the people to lead them away from Christ And he that will see how many of the Popes came to their Popedome by magicke and sorcery let him reade that which their owne storie writers haue written therof as Cardinal Benno Peter the monk Volateran Sabel licus Platina Thus then we see the Antichrist is not one man alone which must come at one instant of time but is an estate seat and succession of men an Empire lifted vp against Iesus Christ And for this cause he is called Antichrist that is to say contrarie to Christ the mediator and not simplely against God For as he is called Antistrategos not only which setteth him selfe against his captaine but also which taketh vpon him the place authority of the captaine being in deed but a base souldier euen so he is Antichrist which is an aduersary and yet taketh vpon him to be the vicar of Christ The Apostle also in this Epistle calleth him The man of sin Because he is both sin and a sinner and an occasion to others to sin and which maketh others yea infinit numbers to sinne He calleth him also The sonne of Perdition Whereby he meaneth that Antichrist is not onely of himselfe euill wicked sinfull prophane far from all goodnes and so the sonne of euerlasting perdition but also a deceiuer to the faith manners of an innumerable sort an offence so the author and cause of their perditioÌ„ whom he seduceth from the way of truth and of righteousnes For he is in all things contrary to Christ In priuate personal wickednesses he is hurtful to himselfe onely sauing that he is enforced through his owne wickednesse to be hurtfull to others also Therfore we must know the Antichrist is a certaine publike mischiefe and pestilent ctoÌ„agion that doth inuade and raigne in the Church of God 4 Which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God In these words the Apostle Paul doth paint forth vnto vs as in a table The qualities of Antichrist the liuely Image of Antichrist in his qualities By which woordes wee may also gather what his kingdome is and in what things it doth consist Hee attributeth to Antichrist three vices especially namely To be an aduersarie vnto God and his diuine doctrine Not to be coÌ„tented with the true worship of God And to be proud to rule ouer faith as if he were some God For as the kingdome of Christ is spirituall so this tyranny must needes bee ouer mens soules that hee may bee contrary to the kingdome of Christ Therefore that thou maiest the better knowe Antichrist set Christ ouer against him For he is an aduersary vnto Christ vnder whose tyrannie execrable dominion they doe liue which despising the simplicitie and trueth of the Gospell of Christ may giue credit to wicked and diuelish delusions Such are they that deny remission of sinnes to such as repent which ascribe saluation to their gooâ— works which haue falsely forged the meâ— sins are â—purged with purgatory fire whiâ—â— disgrace the authority of the scripture whicâ— preferre Councelles Archbishops and certaine Bishops before the canonicall scripture which take libertie to them selues to adde to or to subtract from the worde of God which put no difference between theologicall or diuine and philosophical sayinges which preferre an olde custome before the worde of God which boldly affirme that an assembly of Bishops is the Churche which saie that their Church caÌ„not erre which earnestly mainteine that the keyes of bynding and loosing are granted to the whole churche which build the Church vpon Peter and not vppon the rocke Christ which will haue the primacie of the Church a Lordship and not a ministerie which make their Pope a Bishop of Bishops for the mainteinaunce of tyranny which in making and appointing of Bishops require the iudgment of courtiers onelie which scorne this that all Christians are kings and priestes as from that number exempted which condemne â—he marriage of the ministers of the word 〈◊〉 it were with the Censors authoritie which doe not see that their good workes whatsoeuer without faith are sin which do not leaue the pardoning of sins to God alone and to his worde which make another manner of satisfaction in repentance then Christ himselfe hath done which doe allow that the masse is a sacrifice a iustifiing good woorke which pronounce that Christ died only for originall sinne and not for all sinnes in generall which sing dyrges for dead mens spirits which haue iudged that remission of sins is to be redeemed with buying of indulgences by going on pilgrimages which alter the institution of Christ in the Lords supper which abuse excommunications for another cause then to make the penitent sinner confesse his sinne which in matters and causes of faith quite without the reach of humane reason doe attribute a certaine strength to free will that is to the will and power of men which will not haue men iustified before God by faith only which giue great and diuine honour to pictures images of saints which defend that it is necessary for the obtayning of euerlasting life to make choise of dayes of meates which flatter themselues that they are able to fulfill the lawe of God without Christ which make a lawe concerning virginitie and single life which doe not thinke that chastitie is the gift of God which forbid oathes in causes of faith and godlinesse which torment mens consciences with humane precepts which discharge subiects of their obedience vnto
maiestrates The teachers and defenders of these and such like opinions which are contrarie to the worde of God are Apostataes the followers of Antichrist The increace of these kind of men is a plaine token that the last day approcheth And exalteth him selfe against all that is called God The Pride of Antichrist The other wicked qualitie of Antichrist is to extoll himselfe aboue all that is called God By which Paul meaneth that Antichrist shall violently take to himselfe those thinges which are proper to God alone as to exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that 〈◊〉 woorshipped that religion and the whole woorshippe of God may lie vnder his feete For the Apostle doth not speake here of the name of God but of his maiesty and worship and so generally of al those thinges which God chalengeth to himselfe As if Paul had said That is true religion by which the true God alone is worshipped This religion the son of perdition transferreth vnto him selfe Now whosoeuer he be that hath learned out of the Scriptures what thinges are most proper vnto God and shall on the contrary part behold and consider what the pope vsurpeth to himselfe although he be but a child of ten yeeres of age he shall take no great paines in learning to knowe Antichrist Esay 33.22 Iames. 4.12 The Scripture pronounceth that God alone is the Lawe-maker who can saue and destroy the onely king to whom it belongeth to rule and gouerne mens soules by his word It teacheth that righteousnes and saluation are to be sought at the handes of Christ and no where els and it sheweth the manner way how There is none of these thinges which the Pope doth not challenge to himselfe in waye of his right He boasteth that it is in his power to binde mens consciences with wha◠lawes he lusteth and to subiect them to eternall punishments He is woorshipped of kings as a good and faithfull Pastor of the Church he being a most wicked deceiuer And although he performeth no one duty of a good shepeheard but doth all things contrary to the duty of a good Bishop yet he is proclaymed the most holy most vigilant Pastor of the Church yea which is more the Lorde and head of the Church who hath authoritie and power to prescribe articles of faith and to make new lawes for the performing of them But he condemneth the true and pure doctrine of the Gospell as wicked and hereticall so farre off is he from healing any man with the doctrine and consolations thereof and from inuiting any one to true and christian repentance And yet for all this it is not lawfull for any man to say without perill so much as why doest thou doe this But he hath at hand those which will defend him that he doth all things wel and which wil be ready seuerely to punishe those which shall reprehend him These are called inquisitors of hereticall wickednesse which will not suffer a man so much as to mutter against the Pope who notwithstanding fayneth sinne where there is no sinne and proclameth rightuousnesse where there is none at all He either appointeth new Sacraments at his pleasure or else he corrupteth those which Christ hath already instituted And why not if it be true which one hath concluded in the Parliament of Popes at Rome That God holdeth for well done all that is done of the Pope Popish blasphemies that his will is the rule of all right and righteousnesse that he can absolutely doe in this worlde all that God can doe seeing he is all and aboue all thinges that if he chaunge his purpose it is to be presumed that God chaungeth his that his power extendeth it selfe to heauen and to earth yea and downe to hel that none may appeale from him to God that he may ordaine against the Epistles of saint Paul as greater then saint Paul and against the olde Testament as greater then any authors therof And yet one hath gone further who hath disputed whether he may ordaine any thing contrarie to the Gospel whether he haue not more power then Peter whether he were simplely a man or as God To be breefe the Diuell hath gone so farre in this misterie of iniquitie that another disputed in the scooles not long afore Luthers time whether the Pope did not participate in both natures the diuine and humane with Iesus Christ What I pray you is to exalt it selfe aboue all that is called God if it be not this which is done by the Pope and his ministers The Pope spoyling and robbing God after this manner of his honor leaueth vnto him nothing but a bare and naked title transferring his whole power vnto himselfe And this is euen that which Paul now addeth saying So that he doth sit as God in the Temple of God Now the Apostle doth more openly discouer the pride of Antichrist Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God because he hath his kingdome in the same that is to say playing the false Prophet and the deceiuer he doth inwardly commaund the Church and playeth the king or rather the tyrant where he ought not Such a kingdome hath not Mahomet nor the Turke as is already said that it may be either said or thought to be the kingdome of Christ or of the Church of Christ for that kingdome hath beene gotten and enlarged hitherto by warres and by seditions and he doth set vpon the Church without But the dominion of the Pope constituted and erected by fraud and superstition is said to be the kingdome of the Church of the elect of God and of Christ Iesus and he by his tiranny and iniquitie doth spoile all thinges belonging to Christian religion He is thought to be a godly Pastor which is altogether a theefe a spoyler and a most greedy rauening woolfe In these fewe words of Paul their error or rather wilfull blindnesse is sufficiently confuted who will haue the Pope therefore to be Christes vicar because he hath his place and seate in the Church by long succession how wickedly soeuer he behaue himselfe For Paul doth not place Antichrist elsewhere then in the very sanctuary of God because he is no forraine but a domestical enemy which is an aduersary vnto Christ vnder the name of Christ Christians or rather the hearts of Christians are the temples of God Iohn 14.23 as appeareth by sundry testimonies of Scripture 1. Cor. 3.16 2. Cor. 6.16 In this temple of God Antichrist sitteth when he bindeth their consciences with his lawes when he commaundeth dayes and monethes and times to be kept when he wil haue some dayes to be fasted and some to be kept holy vpon paine of displeasure of the omnipotent God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul He putteth great holinesse in vestments in shauen crouns in chaunting of quiremen in adorning of temples in vnctions and such like In the obseruation of such thinges he teacheth men to put their confidence