the vvay vvhich leadeth into life and fevv there be that finde it Note diligently these wordes of the trueth He sheweth heere two gates two wayes and the end of either of them The Strait gate Narrow way and life The Wide gate Broad way and destruction The wide gate openeth into the broad way and leadeth into destruction that is death desperation and hell The strait gate openeth into the narrow way which leadeth into life ioy and eternall felicity Many do enter in at the wide gate walke the vroad way whose end is damnation remedilesse for it is written of Antichrist He openeth his desire wide open as the hel and is as vnsatiable as death all heathen gathereth he vnto him and heapeth vnto him all people But few doe enter the strait gate because few do finde it for who so findeth the gate he is in the way In this gate whosoeuer standeth in a wauering looking backeward is neither in the way nor in the gate No man that putteth his hands to the plough looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God To stagger therefore in this matter and to looke backe is to be therewith both out of the gate and the way He that is in the gate is in the way and sure of life for the gate way and life be so vnite in one that it cannot be but he that is in them is in possession of the other and he that is out of them looseth the other The gate is nothing else but an opening or dore into the way of life Christ is the dore Christ is the way and Christ is the life which sayth I am the dore by me if any man enter in he shalbe sare And againe I am the vvay the trueth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me Also S. Iohn saith God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life Thus its Christ the gate way and life But who be they that do enter this gate Forsooth the prophet sheweth saying This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it The righteous O Lorde who be righteous Christ onely is righteous wee all are sinners For If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faythfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse These thinges I doe write sayth Iohn vnto you that you sinne not And if anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes Loe here is our righteousnesse by this aduocate and for this aduocates sake so manie as pertaine vnto fayth be reckoned and called righteous Of the which righteousnes it is written The righteous shall liue by his owne faith and if he withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him It is not we saith Paul that withdrawe our selues vnto damnation but we pertain vnto faith to the winning of the soule For by fayth the soule winneth the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesu our Lord if he withdraw not himselfe that is if he neither for loue of the worlde nor feare of tormentes forsake not the trueth receiued nor denie it before men Which trueth saith He that denieth me before men shal be denied before the Angels of God Also He that endureth to the end shal be saued Therefore so manie as pertaine vnto faith must holde faith slicke vnto Christ stand fast and walke in the trueth and then they shalbe happie and their sinnes shall not be imputed vnto them as witnesseth the prophet saying Blessed is hee vvhose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and vvhose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto vvhome the Lord imputeth no sinne and in vvhose spirite there is no guile But who is the cause that sume is not imputed to the faithfull Not our righteousnesse but the righteousnes of Iesus Christ Which of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctifiyng and redemption Who hath indeede for vs fulfilled all righteousnesse wherewith wee be indewed through faith according to the word of God that saith The righteousnesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all them that beleue on him And therefore we hold that a man is iustified by faith To be iustified by faith is to be made by faith sure of Christes righteousnesse our iustification For he y t beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes For this cause is Iesus Christ called Emauel which by interpretation is as much to say as God vvith vs or whole ours This is the gate this is the way this is life The holy Ghost openeth the gate for he is the porter and sayth is the gifte of God Faith findeth the gate fayth entreth and faith setteth hold on life By faith Noah found and entred this gate which saued him from drowning Into this gate entred Abraham when hee forsooke his countrie nanation and fathers house and obeyed Gods worde This gate found Lot whereby hee escaped burning Moyses Aaron Iosue and diuers of the faithful Iewes found this gate therby were sure of their saluation Philip had found this gate when he said vnto Nathaniel We haue found him of vvhome Moyses in the lavv and the prophetes did vvrite Iesus of Nazareth Whereby it appeareth y t the fathers in the olde law before the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ found Christ this gate way and life For Nathaniel sound this gate by faith before he sawe Christ with his corporall eyes els had not hee bene a verie Israelite without guile Of whome Christ said Behold a right Israelite in vvhom is no guile Nathaniel knowledged this gate when he said vnto Christ Maister thou art the sonne of God Thou art the king of Israel Peter also and the other of the Apostles confessed the same when they said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God All euen so manie as our sauiour prayed for found and shall finde this gate which be but a verie fewe in comparison of them that finde it not They be as wee might say but an handfull to the world By the which name they be also called that enter the wide gate and walke the broad way Christ the sonne of God saying and praying vnto the father Father I pray not for the vvorld but for them vvhich thou hast giuen me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorifâ—ed in them And Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for them also vvhich shall beleeue on me thorovv their preaching that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I
in the yeare of our Lord God 1547. set foorth by hys royall visitation godly homilies the paraphrase of that learned father Erasmus to the great comfort of the simple that be willing to learne also godly iniunctions meaning thereby to root vp all superstition abuse and idolatry to set vp gods word in their place Wherein he commanded not onely to take awaie all superstition and idolatrie but to take away and vtterly to extinguish and destroy all monuments of superstition idolatrie cap. 28. But how diligently putoffes haue practised their pollicie to hinder this his godly purpose it is better to lament it with teares then to rehearse it in letters Last of all to put all out of doubt and to make a perfect concord we haue a booke of cōmon praier with an order in the same for reading of Gods booke set forth in English by the same aucthoritie and stablished by act of parliament And least anie person would be so foolish mad to looke for the romish ragges againe one statute at the last parliament abolisheth and condemneth for euer all other popish bookes of the old seruice Notwithstanding some people be yet dased in those Gods matters that they know not vvhat to doe Maruaile not therefore deare father though the vngodly sorte doe misconster and euill interpret your godly trauaile For they crie for a law they must haue a law to lead them from euerie superstition by name els they vvill not obey But if they loued obedience quietnesse and had but one sparke of reuerend feare either toward God or their prince or anie desire of godly knovvledge there hath inough and inough againe bin said cōcerning matters of religion and also set forth both by order and law There be articles inough iniunctions inough proclamations inough commandements inough exhortations inough lessons inough and lavves inough if they vvere vnderstoode vvillingly embraced reuerently obeyed Albeit for them that be self vvilled frovvard contentious obstinat dul harted nothing vvil serue Therfore to none may be better applied this prophecy of Esay then vnto these Who saith They that be such must haue after one lesson another lesson after one commandement another commandement after one rule another rule after one instruction another instruction there a litle there a litle For he that speaketh vnto this people is euen as one that vseth rudenesse of speeche a strange language If anie man say vnto them loe this is the rest wherwith ye may ease hym that is wearie this is the refreshing they will not harken Therfore the word of the Lord lesson vpon lesson commandement vppon commandement rule vpon rule instruction vpon instruction there a little and there a litle shalbe vnto them an occasion of stumbling that they may goe on and fal backward be brused tangled and snared Wherefore heare the worde of the Lord yee mockers ye that haue rule of this people O vvould God I might haue ouerleapt this sentēce that goeth before that iustly novv it might not besaid They are out of the way by reason of wyne yea farre out of the way are they by reason of strong drinke These things my moste reuerend father haue inforced me to presume to doe that vvhich is aboue the strength both of my vvit and learning but not aboue my good vvill that is to collect out of Gods scriptures a simple and plaine manifestation of the Church in English or a manifest opening or shevving of the Church naming it the Epiphanie because that vvord albeit borrovved of the Grecians is frequented already among vs english men in the same signification The obscuritie misunderstanding and ignorance onely of this argument article hath bene and also is the cause of much obstinacie contention and disobedience For vntill it pleased almightie God to open vnto me by his holy spirit and vvorde this article credo ecclesiam c. vvith the right meaning of the same according to the scriptures I vvas as stiffe in the popish traditions taking them for good customes and ceremonies of the fathers as I am now earnest in Gods booke and taught them vvith so good a zeale but not according to knovvledge as I doe novv the Gospell Wherefore taking of the same remedy vvherof I tooke hurt euen of Credo ecclesiam as they that be hurt of scorpions be vvoont to do I can do no lesse but vvrite and set forth the same vnto and for such as be stoong vvith the same sting and venomed vvith the same poison Whose nature is not to hurt but vvhere it findeth bloud No more Credo ecclesiam hurteth but suche as cleaue too much to humaine reason and naturall vvit I trust they vvill not mislike that thing that loue constraineth me to doe for their sakes If they doe they shall find me as readie to defend the same by the word of god against all popish bablinges as I haue bene to vvrite it So that your godly learning misliketh it not vnto vvhome vvith all other godly learned I humbly submit the same beseeching you to accept in good part my small industrie as the first fruites of my pen and iudge thereof as god shall put in your minde to vvhome be all thanke praise and glory Amen Your humble Richard Phinch ¶ THE EPIPHANIE OF THE CHVRCH BEcause I couet rather to profite with homely and playn speech then to please with sweete faire words I will speake liberally but yet simply of the Church for their sakes and vnto them that be deceaued with euill custome bewitched with popish iuglings charmed with mens inuentions and beguiled with their owne wittes which resist the trueth of Gods holy word kicke against the pricke and grope at noone and cannot see the light for the sunne In whose mouth is euer Churche Church whose feete are dayly wandring vnto the church and their eyes gasing continually vpon the Church yet can they neyther finde nor see the Church because themselues be none of the Church What is so much alleadged of the babling papistes what so oft frequented of the common people and so manifest in all mens eyes as the Church Notwithanding for want of teachers of the Scriptures few doe know the Church Such is the knowledge among the silly people in verie manie Churches now a dayes Church in the English Bible is commonly called congregation For ecclesia a worde borrowed of the Greeke toonge which may be translated into Englishe eyther Church or congregation Church with vs is a common worde signifiyng the place as well as congregation whereunto the same assembleth for some honest or godly purpose It is written that all the people were gathered togither which made their prayers all the night long in the Church Our common places appoynted for prayer preaching and administration of the sacraments be so well knowne by this name Church that there needeth no example hereof Other whiles Church signifieth the whole multitude of people both of good and bad
then golde or pretious stone and sweeter then honie and honie combe The embassage of great ioy Ioyfull tidinges of peace tidinges of good things The poure of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth and able to saue their soules that imbrace it Wherefore lay apart sayth the Apostle Iames all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receaue with meekenesse the worde that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Thus it appeareth manifestly vnto all them that be willing to see the trueth that God the father appoynteth vs vnto the worde of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Christ referreth vs vnto his holy spirite and trueth The holy Ghost also taught nothing else but the same trueth and word Therefore the holy Apostle durst not to appoint vs to anie other but straightly commendeth vs to the same trueth that cannot erre and vnto the word of grace which is the selfe same and still one trueth according to the infallible word of God that saith Thy righteousnesse O Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy lawe is the trueth So that we haue now in this time iust cause ioyfully to say with the prophet O praise ye the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye people For his mercie is stablished vpon vs and the trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Then the which trueth there can be no surer stay guide and rule for the beliefe life and doctrine of mortall men in this mortall life and world of tribulation The Church of Antichrist hath no such stay guide nor rule but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth awaie from the face of the earth as the prophet Dauid witnesseth who also calleth them the councell of the vngodly the way of sinners and the chaire of pestilence or the seate of the scornful workers of iniquitie wicked men bloud-thirstie men the euil man the wicked man the wilde boare the cruell beast the slaunderer blasphemer enemie and persecutor the enemie in the holy place and aduersary whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their throat is an open sepulcher with their toonges they haue deceiued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes their feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eies There were they brought in great feare euen where no feare was Vaine persons and deceiptfull lippes whom euer all good men abhorred and hated after the example of the holy prophet who saith I haue hated the Church of the vvicked and will not sit among the vngodly Loe you see the wicked and vngodly haue the name of Church yea they haue got the name of holy Catholicke Church How else haue they put on sheepes clothing How haue they fashioned themselues like the ministers of righteousnesse And howe hath the deuill transformed himselfe into the angel of light Truely in this that his church hath got the titles of holy and Catholicke and his ministers the names of true shepheardes Catholicke be the right clothing of the sheepe of Christes fold Antichrist therefore hath robbed Christes fold of their right title holy and catholicke and thereby bleared the eyes of the simple vnlearned multitude which doe seeke no further for saluation then they haue bene taught they say by the holy Catholicke Church Their common sayinges be these We be not wiser then our fathers before vs We will doe as our fathers haue done Such thinges they doe affirme because they know not Sathan from the angell of light the wolues from the sheepe the lyes from the word of God neyther Church of Antichrist falsly called holy and catholicke from the Church of Iesus Christ which indeede is both holy and catholicke But in stead of the holy Catholick church they doe beleeue the Church of the wicked in whose dregs of detestable traditions and ceremonies they haue bene ousted from their youth Verely if they would ponder their wordes with halfe indifferent iudgement and behold them but with one of their eyes I thinke they would keepe silence or else blushe for shame For to say they will doe as their elders and fathers haue done before them is nothing but to confesse thēselues to walke wilfully in errour and blindnesse when their fathers wandered vnawares And where they say they be no wiser then their fathers they shew themselues to be blinde followers of the blinde But if the blinde follow the blinde they both fall into the ditch Their fathers tooke Antichrist the bishop of Rome for head of the Church they made images and worshipped them they gadded on pilgrimage and trusted in workes pardons absolutions dirges trentalles masses c. wherein they erred increased in error and walked ignorantly into perdition The cause whereof was the lack of the word of God which word is euer a rule vnto the holy catholicke church Therefore their fathers learned not these thinges of the holy Catholicke Church but of the Church of Rome vsurping the name of the holy Catholicke Church which abhorred and trode vnder feete the word of God without the which their fathers doctrine was nothing els but olde errour against whome God giueth a speciall commandement saying Keepe my commandementes doe not those thinges that other haue done before you be not defiled in them I am your Lord your God Wherefore addeth God these words I am your Lord your God but to the end he would haue his words regarded for euer and not his aduersaries the man of sinne and childe of perdition as Paul nameth him who deceaued their fathers Whose coming is after the vvorking of Sathan vvith al lying povvers signes vvonders with al deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongest them that perish because they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therefore God shal send them strong delusion that they might beleue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In these wordes hath the holy Ghost plainly shewed the fashion and comming of the man of sinne sonne of perdition Church of the wicked and kingdome of Antichrist The Church or kingdome of Antichrist is called the man of sinne because it is builded vpon a sinnefull man gouerned by a sinfull man instructed by euill sinfull workmen and their doctrine defended by the lawes and power of sinnefull men Which tooke authoritie neyther of God nor of his worde but of a monstrous beast with many heades euen of the people that departed from the faith whereof the same holy spirite of God speaketh and prophecieth more plainely by the mouth of Paul saying The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto the spirites of error and deuilish doctrines of them which speake
false thorow hypocrisie and haue their conscience marked with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created to be receaued vvith giuing of thankes of them which beleeue and knevve the trueth Now ioyne these two prophecies together and note diligently the cause maner increase and force of Antichrists kingdome and then it shall be the better perceaued The cause why God permitteth the wicked to deceiue the people was for that they did not receaue the law of the trueth but loathed Gods word when they had it They writ it not in their heartes neither brought forth the fruits of the spirite but of the flesh To speake all in one worde They had as we haue much godly teaching and brought foorth much vngodly liuing Of verie duetie godly liuing must followe godly teaching otherwise Gods plague and vengeance followeth his word where and when soeuer it be taught But amongest all the plagues of God this is the greatest that he taketh away his word from the people and suffereth them to be fed with lies and Canterburie tales or fables After which sorte and maner the wicked haue come and entered into the Christian generation yea and haue sit in the holy place and seate of Moyses pretending to teache the holy word of God They haue set I say in the seate of Moyses not by teaching the law and the prophets but by name and place whereby the people not able to discerne the true session from presumptuous vsurpation haue bene deceiued with false myracles lying powers and wonders By the which feates they haue increased and growne into the greater number For when by the helpe of the deuill with their coniurations charmes and diuers other false fleightes they wrought myracles and wonders in diuers and sundrie places Then the people regarding not the simple word of God forsooke their faith and ranne a gadding from place to place to gaze vpon signes and wonders Manie beleeued lies because many taught lies Lying powers were on their side few durst speake the trueth and the simple lacked good instruction some therefore departed from the faith The sorce of Antichristes kingdome is well noted of Paul in that hee saith his comming shalbe with all lying power in that they shall forbid mariages command to abstaine frō meats and c. y t is to say After that the multitude hath bin well pampered and fed with their lies blinded with their coniurations and stablished with false miracles then shall they be able to make lawes in the defence of their deuilishe doctrines and openly to withstand and resist the trueth and Gospel as Iannes and Iambres Pharaoes coniurers withstoode Moyses Men they are sayth Paul of corrupt mindes and lewd as concerning faith Peter witnesseth with Paul saying They shall purely bring in damnable sects euen denieng the Lord that hath bought them bring vpon themselfes swift damnation many shal follow their damnable waies by whome the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of No maruaile for hypocrisie and outward shew of holynesse hath seemed so gay in the simple folkes eyes yea and yet doth to some so that as the trueth saith if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued Iude also beareth record to the trueth with Paule and Peter shewing that they be deceaued with dreames defile the fleshe despise rulers and speake euill of them that be in authoritie murmurers complainers walking after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proud thinges These saith he are makers of sectes fleshly hauing no spirite Conferre these same now together with the popish antichristian church of Rome and beholde if you can see the kingdome of Antichrist anie where so manifest and plaine Hath anie power in all the world since Christes ascention into heauen lift vp it selfe so high into the temple of God and aduanced it selfe as God like vnto this vsurped premacie and tyrannie of Rome Who hath more oppressed Gods booke resisted the Gospel and slandered the way of trueth then the pope and his rable Who hath wrought with suche deceaueable signes and myracles who hath fed vs with more lyes then that false prophet of Rome Read a leafe or two of Legenda aurea or the booke called Festinale and you shal finde good stuffe I warrant you Which bookes were woont to be read and taught vs moste principally concerning matters of religion Yea almost wee had no other in English I speake that I haue knowne heard and seene Within these xxiii yeares they were alledged in Sermons and read in the churche openly and had in more price amongest vs and better receaued then the holy Scriptures be of some Also they were then better studied and more willingly taught of curates in some places then Gods booke is now of manie of them Forget not I pray you to call to memorie how we were deceiued with images pilgrimages reliques false myracles iuglinges charmes witchcraftes coniurations iubilies stations holy water fire ashes palmes palme crosses saint Iohns Gospel images of waxe Walsinghame broches saint Iames shelles saint Priarke his staffe maister Iohn Shornes bat saint Cornelius horne pardons pardon beades beades Ladies Psalters dyrges treutals Requiem Masses c. Who denied the Lord that had bought then more manifestly then they that taught these romish dreames Whosoeuer denieth the death of Iesus Christ to be a whole perfect oblation sufficient for all sinne denyeth the Lord that hath bought them But they that taught or beleeued the aforesaid dragges and such like to be expedient for the obtaining of Gods fauour remission of sins denieth Christ and his death to be sufficient Wherefore so long as men sought remission of sinnes and Gods fauour in such phantasticall deuises of men it cannot be denyed but in so doing they denied the Lord that bought them To say trueth men little remembred the oblation of Christ by deathe vppon the crosse For not manie yeares agone euen when Masses satisfactory florished to affirme Christes oblation by death vpon the crosse once offered for all to be sufficient for remission of sinnes to all them that beleeue was so farre out of memorie that it was counted abhominable heresie because Masse and it could not stand together In time of anguishe trouble or sickenesse was Christes death sought to for quietnesse of conscience No our Lady of Wilsdon our Lady of Walsingham maister Iohn Shorne and confession to some holy fryer some holy relique Masse of Recordare or masse of the v. wounds For vnto these masses bishop Clement and Bishop Boniface had giuen great vertue through pardons and candels if the deuill transforming himselfe vnto Raphael the arch-angel be a true messenger Also if death approched then was Masse of Scala coeli Trentals Aniuersarijs and masse of Requiem with our Lady Masse ready to be sold for mony and song to send the soule to the Deuill with
Trulie Trulie as the shadowe followeth the bodie so Christes crosse followeth the holy Catslolique church And as the greater the height of the sunne is the more is the shadow seene so the greater the height of the gospel shinneth by preaching the more manifest is the crosie of Christ who sayth He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me and hee that loueth sonne or or daughter more then me is not vvorthie of me And he that taketh not his crosse and follovveth me is not vvorthie of me Also if anie man vvill come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follovv mee For vvhosoeuer vvill saue his lyfe shall lose it But vvhosoeuer doth lose his life sot my sake the same shall saue it For vvhosoeuer is ashamed of me and my vvords of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed vvhen he commeth in his maiestie and the maiestie of his father It is vnpossible to sticke vnto the Gospel without the cross without trouble or persecution Paul being witnesse saying All they that vvill liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Of the which crosse and persecution Christ prophecied saying ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake But vnto this in another place he giueth a better coÌ„fort saying If the vvorld hate you you knovve it hated me before it hated you If ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorlde vvould loue hys ovvne Hovvbeit because yee are not of the vvorlde but I haue chose you out of the vvorlde therefore the vvorlde hateth you Remember the vvord that I saide vnto you The seruaunt is not greater them his Lorde if they haue persecuted me they vvill persecute you Seeing the trueth hath spoken these thinges they must needes come to passe Wherefore it now remaineth that all louers of the Gospel and trueth doe patiently sticke vnto the trueth in all their tribulations and call to memorie their maisters first promise and blessing which is written Where he saith Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen To suffer for righteousnesse and truthes sake me thinketh must be a signe of the elect of God For they verily y t do liue immofluely in the world and charitably with their neighbours and notwithstanding be hated euill spoken of standered and persecuted of the wicked onely for speaking against sinne and iniquitie and for the Gospels sake haue great cause to ioy in their trouble and persecution as it solloweth Blessed are yee vvhen men shal speake euil of you and persecute you and shal speake all euil against you lying for my sake Reioyce yee and be glad for plenteous is your revvarde in heauen Loe this is the Churche that cannot erre Thus I haue described before your eies both the church of Antichrist which cannot but erre and also the Church of Iesus Christ that cannot erre plainly with their signes and notes Note them therefore circumspectly The church of Antichrist is not stablished vppon the veritie of Gods worde and spirite which is the sure foundation of the holy catholicke Church but vpon a sinful man quia omnis homo mendax because euerieman is a lyer Christes Churche hath one iustifiyng faith which worketh by loue for the which Antichristes Church hath manie faithes as a little faith a smale faith an vnperfect faith a deceiuing fayth a sick faith and a dead faith Dominikes faith Basils fayth Austens faith Bennets faith Bernardes faith Frances faith and Deuils faith All which may enter the wide gates and be admitted into the popes Church and pertaker of his mony sacrifices Where note they be the greater number which thing maketh them bolde to persecute the few and small flocke that entreth the straite gate of fayth and walketh the narrow way of the Gospel which small flock neuer persecuteth For it is against the nature of a lambe to sucke the bloud of a Woolfe It is the propertie of the Woolfe to sucke bloud deuour and persecute The church of Iesus Christ euer suffereth loueth and prayeth for enemies and persecutours Antichriste brood do murmure hate persecute with a filthy conscience Vnto the church of Iesus Christ onely Gods booke is a perfect rule of beliefe life and doctrine in stead whereof Antichrists generation hath many books and rules as holy decrees and decretals fathers coumels holy doctours Festiuale Legenda aurea Austens rule Benets rule Basils rule Bernards rule Dominiks rule Francis rule and now last of all Canterbury tales with a dung-cart sul also of vnwritten verites These haue beene brought in and taught by the spirits of errour the very guides stayes of Antichrists church therfore they could not but erre But the church of Iesus Chrâ—st euery member of the same is gouerned with one spirit of trueth that cannot lie therefore cannot they erre euen with the spirit of Christ the holy ghost vnto whom with the father and the some be all thanks laud praise and glorie Amen Written the eleuenth day of the moneth of Iulie Anno Domini 1550. Esay 28. Church hath diuers significations Church signifieth the place of praier Iudith 6. Church signifiyng the companie of good and bad Numb 20. Church signifiyng the elect of God onely Eccles 3. Ephes 5. Ecclesia signifiyng the mulitiude of the wicked Psalm 26. Esay 3. Math. 21. Iohn 5. Iob. 34. 2. Thess 2. Churche of Antichrist Church of Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 11. Math. 7. 2. Cor. 12. Act. 20. Iohn 14. Iohn 15 16. Luke 24. Act. 2. Iohn 15. Math. 3 17. Deut. 18. Acts. 3. 2. Cor. 6. Gospel Act. 20. Psal 18. Psal 119. Psal 11. Psal 18. Psal 119. Luke 2. Rom. 10. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Iames. 1. Psal 119. Psal 17. 1. 2. The Church that cannot Futeâ—re Psal 1. Psal 58. Psal 140. Psal 59. Psal 140. salm 81. Psal 4 Psal 6. Psal 14. Psal 26. Luke 6. Leuit. 18. Exod. 20. 2. Thess 2. The man of sinne 1. Tim. 4. The cause why God suffered error to raigne and the wicked to rule The greatest plague of God By lyes the wicked haue entered into the Church By false miracles lying powers the wicked haue increased By force the wicked haue withstood the trueth and set forth their owne doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Hipocrisie Hindeth the sillie multitude Math. 24. Sure notes of Antichristes generation Iude 1. The first note of Antichrist The second note of antichrist The third note of antichrist Antichristes badges The finall end of Antichrists iuglinges The fourth note of Antichrist 2. Pet. 2. The thing that blinded the people most The cause why Antichristes prelates will not permit the mariages of priestes If marriage be not a cleane life God is the author of vncleannesse and Christ a bawd Gen. 2. Math. 19. Iohn 2. Vnto God matrimonie is sweete But vnto Antichrist whoredome is holy 1. Cor. 7. Antichristes prelates