THE Figure of Antichriste with the tokens of the end of the world most plainly disciphered by a Catholike and Diuine exposition of the seconde Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians collected out of the best and most approued diuines both olde and new very profitable for all men in this age to reade Published by Thomas Tymme Minister Jmprinted at London for Fraunces Coldocke 1586. The names of the authors out of whose workes this exposition is taken are these following Bullinger Caluin Pelican Paraphrast Orcamenius Pomeranus Erasmus Sarcerius Iodochus Willichius Vitus Theodorus Christoph Hofman Aug. Marlorat Chitraeus Musculus Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine Chrisostom Ambrose Theophilact ¶ To the Right Worshipful Sir Robert Wingfeeld Knight Thomas Tymme wisheth increase of worship with all spiritual grace and benediction in this life and perfit felicitie with the saintes in Iesus Christ in the life to come THE Euangelist Luke 1. Acts. 1. S. Luke Right Worshipfull had his Theophilus to whom hee dedicated his Gospell a diuine matter to a godly mā This example may seeme to haue procured many good men since that time to dedicate the fruite of their learned studies to some of godly qualitie that they might be as a Rampier to their vertues to repell those whelpes of Cerberus that hellish dogge and a bar to peeuish Momus which will euer be finding fault in Apelles woork Seeing therfore that many of the best learned fathers in these latter euill times haue gladly sought the protection of great states I thought it not good to publishe this little booke without the countenance of such a one as might be a patrone to the sāe against such peuish carpers The matter of it selfe is such as it needeth not the weake defence of man being the doctrine of the holy Ghost vttered by the blessed mouth of S. Paul and yet the children of God are bound to defend and aduaunce it to the vttermost of their power on the behalfe of the Lorde Christ to shew their zeale and loue against his aduersarie that monster Antichrist for the vnderpropping of whose kingdom those kings and nations of the earth Apoc. 17.2 and 18.3 which haue tasted of the enchaunted cup of fornication of the Babilonicall Strumpet which is a more pestilent cup then that Nectar of Cyrces which transformed men into beastes do band themselues together euen at this day and thereto do bend their whole forces But the Lorde will shortly destroye that man of sin with the breath of his mouth 2. Thess 1. This is the matter Right Woorshipfull in it selfe excellent the common knowledge whereof is very necessarie because it occasioneth a demonstration of the end of the world therunto annexed to awake carelesse Atheistes which are lulled asleepe with worldly pleasure in the cradle of securitie The expounders also of the Apostle Paules minde in this argument whose names are hereto prefixed are such principall pillars of the christian Church as their iudgment will stand firme with out any iust controlement My paines in the collection and translation out of Latine into Englishe the least yet faithfully herein bestowed I offer to your woorshippe crauing acceptance of so small a gift And because my case may paraduenture nowe stand no better then it did longe since with the Philosopher Theodorus Atheniensis who complayned of great discourtesie shewed vnto him because those thinges which he gaue with the right hande were snatched vp and taken by his auditorie with the left meaning thereby his workes and lectures which he publishing to good purpose were wrested and sunderly by captious carpers canuassed with sinister interpretations therfore in most dutifull humility I shroud my selfe vnder the cloake of your courtesie which I heare and partly knowe to be such as I looke not to bee shouldred out and reiected but freely to be allowed the benefite of your goodnes In assured hope whereof I rest leauing this as a testimonye to the worlde what a reuerend opinion I haue of you both in respect of your humble courtesie wherein you shew foorth the right patterne of a Gentleman also in respect of that godly zeale toward the Gospell of Christ which by effect hath alwayes appeared to be in you Thus praying God to blesse your worshippe I wish charitie from God to the world peace at length to his warfaring Church confusion of all manner of hypocrits fauourable inclination and Iudgment of great personages to his worde and to the godly trauellers in his Gospell long life and most prosperous reigne to our gratious soueraigne Prince and true happines to al her subiects that wish the same And euen with my whole hart I pray God the father of heauen and his sonne our Lord Iesus Christe to be a bright pillar to vs in the darknesse of this worlde and to make all his chosen people at his time partners of the most ioyful and heauenly kingdome Amen Your Worships euer to be commaunded Thomas Tymme The Argument BECAVSE the Apostle Paul could not conueniētly returne any more to see the Thessalonians he confirmeth their mindes by this Epistle that they might constantly beare and indure affliction for Christes sake for the which they shold receiue their reward and their aduersaries also their iust Iudgment from the Lorde This is the content of the first chapter Furthermore because he had written vnto them in the former Epistle that the last day woulde come vnawares and had for the same cause also admonished them to watch not to be carelesse the Thessalonians thought that they should liue to see the last day Wherfore in the seconde chapter hee doth confute that vaine and false opinion concerning the comming of Christ at hand which with most men at that time had preuayled by the argument because first there must be a departing awaye in the church and a great parte of the worlde must fall from God and Antichrist must reigne in the Temple of God vpon the which sonne of perdition the Lorde Iesus will at the last take vengeance and wil also kil him with the breath of his mouth The comming kingdom of which Antichrist the Apostle doth plainly discipher that the latter age being forewarned therof might take heed of the pestilent cup of that Babilonicall purple coloured strumpette In the thirde chapter after that hee hath commended himselfe vnto their prayers hath breefly incouraged them to constancie he commaundeth that those men be seuerely punished which through idlenes and curiositie troubled the common wealth vvhom he vvould haue to be excommunicated if so be they vvould not bee admonished and vvarned Finally he finisheth his Epistle by recommending them to the Lorde of peace The vvhich Epistle although it be breefe yet a contayneth vvoonderful profit and learning In style it is nothing different from the former Epistle neither in any thing inferior That it vvas sent from Rome as commonly the Greek books reporte it is not like for had it beene so he vvould haue made some mention
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
horror The like description of the comming of Christ is set downe by the prophet Esay Esay 66.15 Behold the Lord will come with fire and his charriots like a whirle winde that he may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with the flame of fire c. The Lorde Iesus to be reuealed from heauen with Angels of might in the flame of fire signifieth that the Lorde Iesus shall come to iudgment with great power and maiestie in fire Mat. 24.30 For they shall see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glorie Gen. 7.21 2. Pet. 3.7 God hath once already destroyed the world with water the second time he will destroy it with fire But what manner of fire that shal be and of what matter cōpounded I leaue it to be disputed of by such mē as are foolishly curious It shal be sufficient for vs only to note this that Paules purpose was to teach that Christ will be a seuere reuenger of all those iniuries which the reprobate do vnto vs For the metaphor of flame and of fire is very common in the Scriptures where the wrath of the Lord is intended Rendring vengeance vnto them which do not knowe God Now it followeth to shew what the Lord Iesus will doe when he is reuealed from heauen with angels of his might in the flame of fire namely he wil take vengeance of the wicked and vpon such as know not God that is to say he will plague them in his wrath which wold not know God but following the world and seeking for worldly things neglected the commaundements of God And which obey not the Gospell By these two titles he noteth the vnbeleeuing who knowe not God nor obey the Gospel of Christ For if men do beleue the Gospell through faith Rom. 1.5 and .16.26 vnbeleefe is the cause of resisting the Gospell He condemneth them also of the ignorance of God For the liuely knowledge of God doth beget of it selfe reuerence but incredulitie is alwayes blind Not that the vnbeleuing are altogether void of light vnderstanding but because they haue their minds so darkned that in seeing they cannot see Esay 6.9 Our sauiour Christ doth not without cause pronounce that this is eternal life Ioh. 17.3 to know the true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Therefore of the defect of this most holesome knowledge followeth the contempt of God and at the last death And as it is the office of Christ one day to punish those which haue not knowne God so also it is his office to reward those which haue knowne God and which haue obeyed the Gospell of Christ 9 Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorie of his power These words appertaine to the amplification of those punishments which persecutors and al the wicked in general shall one day feele that no man might thinke that they shal be light or easie or of some small continuance For he saith that the perdition shal be eternal that is without end a death immortall To the which saying of the Apostle agreeth also the sentence of Christ in his sermons where he saith that the torments of the wicked shal be perpetuall Mat. 25.46 euen as the felicitie of the righteous shal be euerlasting so that the reprobate shall go into eternall torment and paine Mar. 9.44 and the elect into euerlasting life And their woorme shall not die and their fire shall not be extinguished Therefore the wicked shall susteine the punishments of destruction for euer alwayes feeling them and neuer ceasing insomuch that the very punishment it selfe shal after a sorte as it were reuiue them to the end they may alwayes be consumed From the presence of the Lorde The perpetuity of death is proued hereby that it hath the glorie of Christ contrarie vnto it the which glorie is eternall and hath no ende Thereupon the horror of the terrible punishment may be gathered because looke how great the glorie and maiestie of Christ is so great shall their torment be Therefore al they doe deceiue and are deceiued themselues which doe promise after a certaine time a deliuerance from the torments of hell fire at which time Origens Error as Origen also thought the wicked and the diuels themselues shal be pardoned but how falsely and wickedly it doth hereby appeare And from the glorie of his power With the which power he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead He alludeth to the forme of the comming of Christ to iudgment and to his might and power before the which the wicked shall not be able to stand By these woords also he sheweth how easie a matter it is for God to bring torment vpon the wicked For the Rebellious and obstinate shal be tormented with the terror onely of his countenance And contrariwise the presence of God shall bring to the saintes felicitie and glorie For he shall come with glorie and with power insomuch that neither his glorie shall want power neither shall hi◠presence and power be without glorie 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be made maruelous in al thē that beleeue because our testimony toward you was beleued in that day The Apostle hauing hitherto spoken of the punishment of the Reprobate returneth to the godly and saith that Christ shal come that he may be glorified in them that is to say that he may make them to shine with his glorie As if he should say when Christ shall come to punish the impietie of the wicked he wil then also shew himselfe glorious to the saints and will make their vile and corruptible bodies like to his most glorious body Philip. 3.21 Therefore he will not keepe this glorie to himselfe alone but will make the same common to al his saints This is the great and singular consolation of the godly that when the sonne of God shal be made manifest in the glorie of his kingdome he shall gather them into the same societie with him And there is in these words an Antithesis or Comparison between the present state vnder the which the faithfull doe labour and groane and that last restitution For now they are laid open to the reproches of the world they are counted vile and of no estimation but then they shal be precious and replenished with glory when Christ shall power his glorie vpon them Therefore to all the godly and saintes he shall not come austere or terrible but glorious and admirable that they may be led into an inheritance incorruptible 1. Pet. 1.4 In all them that beleeue This is added for an exposition For those whom before he had called saints he now calleth beleeuing signifiyng that there is no holines in men without faith but that all being deuoid of faith are prophane and vncleane Because our testimony toward you was beleeued That which
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
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
is the loue study and earnest desire of the trueth especially of that doctrine which is deliuered in the Gospel concerning our eternall saluation through Christe This trueth the Papists doe impugne with no lesse crueltie then they haue alwayes done the professours thereof 11 And therefore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes The Apostle stil proceedeth with the punishment of incredulitie and impenitencie by which two vices it commeth to passe that some doe speake against the doctrine of truth saluation He doth not onely say that men shall beleue errors but also that the reprobate shall be blinded in such wise that without all iudgement they shall runne headlong into death For as God doth inwardly illuminate vs with his spirite that his doctrine may be effectuall with vs and doth open our eyes and heartes that it may pierce and enter therin euen so by his iust iudgement hee deliuereth those ouer into a reprobate sence whom hee hath appointed to destruction that with closed eyes and dulled minds as men voyde of sence astonished they may yeelde them selues to Sathan and to his ministers to be deceiued And being seduced they are most perilously beguiled because when they doe beleeue that they are in the way of righteousnesse of trueth and of saluation they doe walke in the waye of iniquity of lies and of euerlasting destruction And in very deed we haue a manifest spectacle of this thing in the papacie It cannot be told what a woonderfull heape of errors are therin what grosse and shamfull absurdity of superstitions and what doting dilusions and dreames farre from common sence All they which haue but a meane tast of the sacred Scriptures cannot somuch as thinke of those monstrous thinges without great horror How commeth it to passe then that all the world is astonished in such wise that they cannot see them but because the Lorde hath striken them with blindnesse turned them as it were into sencelesse blockes For deceiueable sleights are effectuall in them because the Diuell worketh together in theÌ„ blinding the minds of the vnbeleeuing that the light of the glory of the Gospell which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. might not shine vnto them Therefore we must obserue and note in this place that impietie lyes errors sectes and heresies with such like are punishments of the contempt of Gods worde For God is not wont to suffer the contempt of his worde to escape vnpunished but doth most grieuously take vengeance on the same that men may knowe that there is no dallying with God So our auncestors were punished with deceiueable wayes in the myst of darkenesse for the contempt of the word because they beleeued lyes Now we may easily gather by examples already past what is to be feared will befall vs vnthankfull men at this day for the contempt of the Gospell of Christ 12 That all they might be iudged which beleeue not the truth but haue approued vnrighteousnesse That is to say that they might suffer the punishment due for their impietie and perish by the iust iudgment of God So that there is no cause why they that perishe should any manner of way laye the blame vpon God because they haue gotten that which they sought for For we must remember what Moses writeth that our heartes are tried and proued when false doctrines are published by deceiuers because they doe not preuaile with any but with those which doe not loue God with their whole heart Deut. 13.3 Therfore they which loue vnrighteousnes shal reape the fruite thereof So Christ said vnto the Iewes Iohn 5.40 But ye wil not come to me that ye might haue life I receiue not prayse of men But I knowe you that ye haue not the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not If another shall come in his owne name him will ye receiue When the Apostle saith here That al he giueth vs to vnderstand that the contempt of God is not excused by their great rout and multitude which refuse to obey the Gospell For God is a iudge of the whole world who will as soone take vengeance vpon a hundred thousand as vpon one man But haue approued vnrighteousnesse He expoundeth by an Antithesis or comparison what it is not to beleeue the truth And the Greeke participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a willing promptnesse vnto euill and therefore it is translated of some But had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hereby all excuse is taken from the vnthankeful seeing they take so great pleasure in vnrighteousnesse that they prefer the same before the righteousnesse of God Now if we doe compare with these woordes those things which seducers and the seduced Papistes doe account to be their great prayse we shall easily see what is the chiefe reward which is due to them namely most fearefull wrath and double condemnation â—or they will not beleeue the truth but dâ—â—light in vnrighteousnesse and in impietie being sedused by the prince of daâ—â—â—es and by Sathan the father of lyes â—s far concerning the crueltie and iâ—â—â—â—ie of Antichrist concerning of the â—euils which he hath brought into the Church by wicked doctrines and by the oppression of the Gospell of Christ 13 But we ought alwayes to giue thankes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth The Apostle hauing before declared certaine horrible thinges which might terrefie and trouble the hearers minde doth now comfort the heartes of the faithfull and doth more plainely segregate disseuer the Thessalonians froÌ„ the reprobate least their faith might wauer with the feare of the defectioÌ„ to come Howbeit his intention was to prouide not onely for them but also for posterities to come neither doth he only confirme them that they might not be carried into the same ruine with the world but also by this câ—â—parison he doth the more coÌ„mend the 〈◊〉 of God towards the that whereas 〈◊〉 behold almost the whole world to bâ—â—ed headlong together as it were 〈◊〉 â—iolent empest they by the hand o◠〈◊〉 liued in a quiet and firme state of lâ—fe Thus it is conuenient to behold the iâ—â—â—ments of God in the reprobate that theâ— may be as it were looking glasses vnto vs to consider his mercie toward vs. For we must make this accoumpt that it commeth to passe onely by the singular grace and fauour of God that we in like manner doe not perishe miserably with them Brethren beloued of the Lorde He calleth them so that they may the better consider that they are for no other cause deliuered from the vniuersall distruction of the worlde but because God hath freely loued them Of this fauour and grace of God Moses remembred the Iewes saying Deut. 7.7 God hath not therefore so greatly exalted you because you were more mightie or
indifferent that they will acknowledge the reward which is due vnto the ministers of the word But rather such is the malice of some that although they doe giue nothing of their owne yet notwithstanding they doe grudge them necessarie liuing as if they were idle men Othersome by the example of Paul doe contentiously affirme that nothing is to be payed at al to godly Bishops and ministers but these men if they would consider the circumstances of the place time and persons and for what causes euery thing was done they should wel see and know that Paul did this for no other cause but onely for charitie that others might not be offended It is certaine that he receiued nothing of the Corinthyans but for the false Apostles sake he neglected his owne power and libertie least they hauing Paul for their example might therby haue some colour to excuse their gaine For it is most certaine that Paul tooke contribution of the brethren of Macedonia And anone he will declare Phil. 4.25 that he departed from his proper right when he tooke no stipend Whereby he giueth to vnderstand that it is lesse tollerable that they which doe nothing should liue of contribution He writeth also 1. Cor. 9.13 that they must liue of the Gospell which preach the Gospell and also that they must be had in high reputation through loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5.13 1. Tim. 5.17 And in another place he saith that they which gouerne well are worthy of double honour The like almost is to be red in the Epistle to the Galathyans Gal. 6.6 Heb. 13.7 And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is written Remember those which haue the ouersight of you which haue declared vnto you the worde of God There are very many testimonies to proue that necessarie maintenance Luke 10.7 a stipend double honour contribution prebends and benifices belong vnto the ministers of the Gospell Mat. 10.8 And whereas some aleadge this sentence Freely ye haue receiued giue freely the same is nothing repugnant to the former sentence which is That the labourer is worthy of his hier For in this place two things are commaunded first that the disciples should comfort the weake and put away diseases without taking any mony for the same because they did it by the power of Christ who would not haue the giftes of the holy Ghost to be sold as appeareth by the example of Simon Magus The second is that the due hier and reward be giuen to the labourer To Christ also and to the Apostles the necessarie maintenance of life was giuen by others as appeareth in the Gospell of Luke Luke 8.2.3 But let vs returne againe to the wordes of Paul who addeth saying 9 Not but that we had authoritie but that we might make our selues an ensample vnto you to follow vs. As Paul intended to giue an example by his labour least slothfull men should like idle droanes eate vp the hony which belonged to the painfull bees euen so he would not haue his example hurtfull to the ministers of the word that the Churches thereby should defraud them of their lawfull maintenance Wherein we may behold the singular moderation discretion and humanitie of the Apostle and how farre he was from the ambition of those men which abuse their vertues and giftes to this ende that they may deminish the right of their brethren It was to be feared least the Thessalonians hauing the Gospel preached vnto them freely from the mouth of Paul in the beginning would according to the malicious nature of man make the same a law for other ministers Paul to mete with this preiudice and inconuenience teacheth that he hath power and authoritie to doe more then he did this he doth that he might not restraine others of their libertie And by this reason he would make the idle and slowbellies ashamed the more as we haue before touched For it is an argument from the greater to the lesse Therefore that right ought to be safely keept and defended as graunted from God and confirmed by the law of nature because the labourer is worthy of his reward Except the time occasion Luke 10.7 and other circumstances perswade to the contrarie For then the minister of the Gospell must be content to leaue some parte of his right least he giue offence to the Gospel of Christ For what wil come to passe if they that be teachers through coueteousnesse wil depart from nothing Therefore it is euident enough how far Paul would haue his example to be followed in that he would not be sustayned with the cost of the Church For in all thinges we ought to seeke especially the glorie of the Gospel and it belongeth vnto charitie that we endeuour our selues not to be grieuous and offensiue to any It is not lawful to be too chargeable and costly to the Churches neyther is it lawfull for the Churches to refuse to giue and contribute liberally to their ministers when they are able Concerning the which matter read more in the 9. Chapter of the 1. Epistle to the Corinthyans 10 For euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate The reason why the Thessalonians ought to imitate Paul is taken from the institution going before concerning the not suffering of those which vnder the pretence of the Gospell follow idlenesse and oppresse others That if there were any which would not worke he should not eate This is the very law and ordinance wherof he spake in the sixt verse For seeing it is written Psal 128. Thou art blessed eating the labour of thy hands And againe The blessing of the Lorde is vpon the handes of him that worketh It is certaine that slothfulnesse and idlenesse is likewise cursed of the Lord. Also we knowe that man was created to doe some thing as not onely the Scripture testifieth but as nature also hath taught the Gentiles Whereupon they haue made many Prouerbs He that feareth the mil shal haue no meale Also there is no hony without the bee For he which cannot abide bees because of their prickes is vnworthy to possesse the hony Againe thou sufferest the which hurteth that thou mayest possesse the profite It is therfore meet right that they which exempt thēselues from the cōmon law which appertayneth to all men be also depriued of liuing and of the reward of labour These things if Kinges and Christian Princes had well considered foure hundred yeares agoe they had had more plentie of riches and fewer monkes For how doe the whole rowt and rable of the pouleshorne popishe clergie adorne the Gospell and what profite do they bring to the church the great multitude whereof what doth it containe but sluggish and idle persons lazie lubbers slowbellies couetous and ambitious Priestes fornicators and all manner of lewd and wicked persons men vnlearned and vtterly ignorant of the holy