a pullie and binde great weights of leade at their héeles to rent them and teare their bodies asunder Some they haue tied vnto great péeces of timber and haue put fire at the soales of their féete They haue opened their mouthes and made them drawe in Lawne into their bodie A thing most cruel and yet which they haue practised the maner whereof hath béene thus reported They laie it so farre in the mouth that a mans breath easily draweth it into his bodie and so it is conueighed into the stomacke When it is wel setled then commeth the tormentour and taketh the Lawne by the other ende and rasheth it sodainelie with such a force as it séemeth he doth plucke out the verie heart and entrailes such a rare strange kinde of crueltie as is not practised vpon most notorious rebels and traitors As for death 40 or 50 at one time haue béene heaped together and burnt in one fire They haue set vpon the seruauntes of God and compassed the Church where they haue assembled togither to pray vnto God and murthered them in their innocencie whiles they lifted vp pure handes vnto God The French king by the counfaile of such as hate the Gospel of Christ sent his cruel souldiers and murthered his subiects at Valois He ouerthrew their houses burnt their Towne destroyed man woman and childe spoyled their corne and turned their trées vpside downe He wasted defaced vnpeopled it not for that they were théeues or rehels but because they beléeued in the name of Christ. Consider how many are murthered in Flaunders and in the kingdome of Fraunce They are not so farre from vs as Iudea from Thessalonica They ioyne next vnto vs. God is blessed in his saints and holy in al his workes no crueltie is able to quench his truth There is no counsel which shal preuaile against the Lord. He giueth increase and placeth children in fréede of their fathers The more are slaine by the enemies the more spring up by the working of his spirite The more are hewne downe the more multiplie We may not be strangers in this case It beboueth vs to consider the afflictions of our brethren They belong vnto vs We must pray to God for them that he wil put an ende to their misenies otherwise wee haue not the spirite of God we beare no loue nor care for his bause Of your countrey men This was the greatest and beauiest part of their troubles For what a heartes griefe is it to the father if his sonne rise vp against him or to the sonne to sée his father readie to betray him and to seeke his bloud Where this is done he will say O father I am thy sonne alas what haue I done to haue thy displeasure death is bitter but thy displeasure is more bitter than death It were a cruel thing that any man should kil an other what is it then if thou shouldest kil thine own child yet if thou be so bent take my life and spare my conscience spare my soule that I may deliuer it vp into his handes that hath giuen it me I would be obedient vnto thée thou art my father but I may not disobey God He is the father of fathers He hath saide He that loueth father or mother more than me he is not worthy of me It is a miserable case when persecution groweth so hot y â— the child is driuen to forsake his father or the father his child yet so doth the world blind many Satan so possesseth their harts y â— he turneth their loue into hatred and shutteth their senses and thoaketh and dammeth vp the springes of nature They become so blind and so unsensible that they neither féele their owne fleshe nor know their owne bloud They thinke in so doing they doe God good seruice They are enemies to the truth They are y e enemies of the crosse of Christ their end is destruction And forbid vs to preach vnto the gentiles that they might bee saued This is the ende whereunto the Gospel is giuen that the people should be saued S. Paule sayth God wil that al men shal bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Therefore our Saniour appointed his Apostles to this office of preaching his word saying Go and preach the gospel vnto al nations Goe vnto the lost sheepe of Israel He sayth It is not the wil of my father that one of these little ones should perish Whosoeuer beleeueth and shal bee baptised shal be saued S. Iames exhorteth the faithful Receiue with meekenesse the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules By it we heare the swéete voyce of our Sauiour Come vnto mee all ye that trauaile and be heauily loaden and I wil refrosh you By it we heare the merciful calling of God Turne vnto mee and ye shal be saued By it we are warned to depart from the companie of such as are enemies to the truth and to haue no fellowshippe with the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse Saue your selues sayth S. Peter from this frowarde generation By it we are taught to beléeue that Jesus Christ is the sonne of GOD that â—…is name is Jesus because he shal saue his people from their sinnes and that there is not salnation in any other besides him For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God This is therefore the dutie of the preacher to preach vnto the people that so they may be saued that they may knowe the wayes of GOD that they may repent them of their sinnes and be renewed vnto godlinesse Who would thinke there were any that would hinder the course of the Gospelâ—… or forbid to preach it unto the people The Apoâ—…e here layeth that fault to the Jewes That they forbid him to preach to the Gentiles The same fault Christ founde in the Scribes and Pharises Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for ye haue taken away the keye of knowledge ye entred not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad Sâ—… there haue béene alwaies and such there are now O say they why should y â— people know these thinges what should they meddle with the scriptures let them do their businesse and apply their occupations It is not reason not fit that euery one should be learned When they thinke they know somewhat they become proud and denise heresies and maintaine them as if God had not left them to enstruct the people or as if the holy scriptures and not the malice at Sâ—…tan were the cause of heresies But God hath said Gather the people together men 〈◊〉 women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law The Prophet Dauid thought it méete y e people shold know the scriptures therefore said Blessed is that man whose delight is in the law of
where should the worde of God haue place where should it be hearde but in the Church of God O cursed handes that so dispitefully rent it Woe woorth that vnhappie fire that burnt it As for the Masse woulde God they that so much desire it knewe what it is Woulde God they knewe howe the people of God are mocked by it and howe the precious bloud of our sauiour Jesus Christ is blasphemed by it would God they knewe howe gréeuoustie God is offended with them in this thing wherein they thinke they please him so highlie But the Masse and Gods worde can not dwel in one house together the one is so contrarie to the other God forgiue it them and lay it not to their charge For they knowe not what they doe They are drawn on to work the things which others haue most wickedly deuised There is no doubt but God wil confound their enterprise For this is his owne cause this quarrel is pickt against his Church and against the knowledge and setting foorth of his Gospel and therefore against the setting foorth of his glorie Onely let vs lift vp pure handes into heauen cal for helpe from aboue Let vs say vnto him Rise vp for our succour redeme vs for thy mercie sake Let vs say They haue cast thy sanctuarie into the fire and rased it to the grounde and haue destroyed the dwelling place of thy name Arise oh God maintaine thine owne cause remember thy daily reproch by the foolishe man Let vs say saue oh Lorde Quéene ELIZABETH thy seruaunt establish that good thing which thou hast begunne open the eyes of al people that they may sée thy sauing health and inioy it through hearing thy Gospel which thou hast made knowen vnto vs saue thy people which trusteth in thée and breake the cordes of the wicked in sunder Let vs comfort our selues with these wordes that God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lorde Jesus Christ. Hée hath ouercome the worlde let vs be of good théere And let vs walke as the children of light let vs walke honestlie as in the day Then whether we wake or sléepe whether wee liue or die we shal liue together with him V. 11. Wherefore exhort one an other and edifie one another euen as ye doe This is the bonde of true loue and Christian friendship that euerie man be careful of his brother as of himselfe that euerie man â—…hort and teach the thinges that are good and rebuke others in il that euerie man séeke to bring home the lost shéepe and to restore him to his maister Therefore Christ sayth If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tel him his faults betweene him and thee alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother For what knowest thou whether thou shalt saue thy brother Brethren sayth Saint Iames If any of you hath erred from the trueth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going aftray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Therefore sayeth the Apostle Exhort one an other and edifie one an other Let the father exhort his scnne oh son walke vprightly before God liue honestlie and vertuously in the sight of al men doe those thinges that are good thou art the childe of God be holie in spirite and holy in bodie because he is holie Say to the adulterer oh brother bée not deceiued Whosoeuer is an adulterer hath no inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and of God God hath sayde of them that are such they shal not enter into my rest Say to the swearer oh take not y e name of God in vaine for GOD wil not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine He that sweareth and nameth God continually shal not bee faultlesse A man that vseth much swearing shal be silled with wickednesse and the plague shal neuer go from his house nor from his cattel nor from his corne nor from his seruauntes nor from his children nor from himselfe His house shal be ful of plagues Say to the Vsurer oh heare the voyce of the Lord thus sayth the Lord before whom thon shalt stande to giue an account of those things which thou hast done in this life Thou shalt not giue thy money to Vsurie Hee that careth not for these wordes but doeth otherwise shal not scape vnpunished Say to the rich man oh put not your trust in riches Lay vp your treasure in heauen lay it vp in the bosome of the poore and it shal make intercession for thée Put thy trust in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all things to inioie Thy house thy lande thy money thy golde and siluer shall not continue thou shalt go the shalt of all flesh and thy riches shall not be able to deliuer thée in the daie of wrath Saie to the learned man to the wise man and to the man whom God hath endued with worldly power what hast thou that thou hast not receiued be not high minded It is the gift of God It is not thine Thou shalt giue a reckoning of all that thou hast receiued Abuse it not to the dishonour of God It is of charitie that I speake vnto thée Thou art my brother God hath a care ouer thée it is his will that one of vs should exhort an other Oh why should thy life giue offence to anie man why shoulde y e name of God be il spoken of through thee He hath made thée to bée a vessell of honour thou belongest to his folde why shouldest thou be lost and perish in thy wilfulnesse V. 12 Nowe wee beseech you brethren that yee knowe them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you 13 That yee haue them in singular loue for their workes sake be at peace among your selues They which exhort you and warne you and are ouer you in the Lord they be shéepeheards and husbandmen and watchmen for you They féede the Lordes flocke plough the Lordes ground and watch the tower of the God of hosts You are Gods shéepe ye must be fedde else you cannot liue You are a field you must be ploughed else you will be ouergrowen with brambles and stand vnfruitful and lie waste You are the Lordes tower you must be watched else the enimie will breake in vpon you and so you shoulde bée destroyed They labour and trauell in your behalfe they must giue an account for your soules they are ambassadors sent from God they come to tel you the truth they preach not themselues but Christ Jesus they speake to you in the name of the Lord. Although you reckon them fooles vnlearned and simple they are the messengers of the great King euen of him that is Lord ouer all Saint Paul saith It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue The heauenly
is the curse of God and the curse of the people This is Vsurie By these signes and tokens you may knowe it for wheresoeuer it raigneth al those mischiefes ensue But how and how many ways it may be wrought I wil not declare It were horrible to heare and I come now to reprooue Vsurie and not to teach it Let vs sée then what is the cause hereof and whence it groweth who is the mother the nurce or the bréeder of Vsurie For it groweth not euerie where nor among al men Manie hate it and detest it and had rather die than liue of such spoile It is not of God for God straitly forbiddeth it Neither is it founde among the children of God for loue séeketh not her owne profite but to doe good to her neighbour Whence then springeth Vsurie Soone shewed euen thence whence theft murther adulterie the plagues and destruction of the people doe spring Al these are the workes of the Diuell and the workes of the flesh Christ telleth the Pharises You are of your father the Diuel and the lustes of your father you wil do Euen so may it truely be saide to the Usurer thou art of thy father the Diuell and the lust of thy father thou wilt doe and therefore thou hast pleasure in his workes The Diuel entred into the heart of Iudas and put in him this gréedinesse and couetousnesse of gaine for which he was content to sell his maister Iudas heart was the shoppe the Diuel was the foreman to worke in it Saint Paul saith They that wil be rich fal into tentation and snares and into manie foolish and noisome lustes which drowne men into perdition and destruction For the desire of monie is the roote of euil And Saint Iohn saith Whosoeuer committeth sinne is of the Diuel Thus we sée that the Diuel is the planter and the father of Vsurie Couetousnesse desire of money vnsatiable gréedinesse deceitfulnesse vnmercifulnesse iniurie oppression extortion contempt of God hatred to the brethré and hatred of al men are the nurces and bréeders of vsurie It springeth from Sathan and groweth and is watered and fed and nourished by these cruell and damnable monsters Let vs see farther what are the fruits which come of Vsurie For perhappes it doeth some good and you may thinke that manie are the better for it These therefore are the fruites It dissolueth the knotte and felowship of mankinde it hardeneth mans heart It maketh men vnnaturall and bereaueth them of charitie and loue to their dearest friendes It bréedeth miserie and prouoketh the wrath of GOD from heauen It consumeth rich men it eateth vp the poore it maketh bankerupts and vndoeth manie housholdes The poore occupiers are driuen to flée their wiues are left alone their children are helplesse and driuen to begge their breade through the vnmercifull dealing of the couetous Usurer When Dauid laieth out the wickednesse of the country where he was persecuted he saith of them Non defecit Vsura dolus in plateis eorum Vsurie deceit departeth not from their streetes one séeketh to spoile and eate vp an other These are the commodities and the fruits of Vsurie Such is Vsurie in the middest of a Citie and such good it worketh as fire doth when it is set to the roofe of a house or as the plague doth when it is taken to the middest of the body and toucheth the hart We haue heard whence Vsurie springeth and what hurt it doth Which whosoeuer considereth may finde cause ynough to loath it and forsake it One asked of Cato What it was to commit Vsurie What is it saieth hée againe to kil a man He that is an Vsurer is a murtherer The same Cato saith Our fathers punished a thiese with paiment of the double of that he had taken but the Vsurer was alwaies condemned to paie foure times the valewe They were wise men They thought that an vsurer was much worse than a théefe For a théefe is driuen by extremitie and néede the Vsurer is rich and hath no néede The théefe stealeth in corners and in places where he may be vnknowne the vsurer openly and boldely at al times and in anie place The théefe to relieue his wife and children the Vsurer to spoile his neighbour and to vndoe his wife and children The théefe stealeth from the rich which haue inough the Vsurer from the poore that hath nothing The théefe fléeth and will be séene no more the Vsurer standeth by it continueth and stealeth still daie night sléeping and waking he alwaies stealeth The théefe repenteth of his déede he knoweth he hath done wrong and is sorie for it the Vsurer thinketh it is his owne that it is well gotten and neuer repenteth nor sorroweth but defendeth and maintaineth his sinne impudently The théefe if he escape many times becommeth profitable to his countrey and bestoweth him selfe painefully in some trade of life the Vsurer leaueth his marchandise forsaketh his husbandrie giueth himselfe to nothing whereby his countrey maie haue benefite The théefe is satisfied at length the Vsurer hath neuer inough The bellie of the wicked wil neuer be filled As the sea is neuer filled with water though al the streams of the world runne into it so the gréedinesse of an Vsurer is neuer satisfied though he gaine neuer so vnreasonably The sea is profitable the vsurer is hurtfull and dangerous By the sea we may passe and come safely to the hauen but no man passeth by vsurie without lesse or shipwracke Now heare what the godlie and learned fathers of the Church haue thought of vsurie No doubt they were godlie men and wrate hereof as God had inspired them as others before them had done Augustine saith Quid dicam de Vsuris quas ipsâ—… leges c. What shall I speakeÌ„ of Vsurie whereof the lawes and Iudges require that restitution be made is hee more cruel which stealeth something awaie from the rich man or hee that killeth a poore man with Vsurie Marke this an vsurer saith Augustine is cruel Why he killeth Whom the poore man whom in charitie he is bound to relieue Ambrose hereof saith Vsur as solvit qui victu indiget an quicquam grauius c. Hee that lacketh wherewith to keepe life payeth you Vsurie What heauier case may there be hee seeketh to be healed and you poison him he asketh you bread and you giue him a knife hee desireth you to set him at libertie and you bring him to further bondage And againe Thou Vsurer growest wealthy by other mens heauinesse thou makest gaines of their teares and weeping thou art fed with their hunger thou coinest thy money of the skinnes of those men whome thou destroyest howe thinkest thou thy selfe to be rich and yet beggest an almes of hym that is poore And the same Father saith further Ab hoc Vsuram exige quem non sit crimen occidere Whomsoeuer it is lawful to kill thou maist lend him thy mony to Vsurie For he
false â—…rine The Diuel is subtile his baites are pleasaunt you are weake and simple he will soone deceiue you Here let vs consider howe easily man maie be deceiued that so we maiâ—… knowe the corruption and weakenesse of our nature and therefore what cause we haue euer to walke warily to take heede to our steppes and to praie vnto GOD that hee â—…line our heartes vnto his testimonies When I saie man maie be deceiued I meane not baies or children or fooles or the simpler sorte of men but the learned the wife the politike the â—…ga and Princes of the worlde the teachers and rulers of the people When Adam was yet in Paradise and made the ruler ouer al the beaâ—…s of the â—…ld and was full of the graces and blessings of God he soone departed from the ecuntâ—…ll of God and gaue eare to the serpent so easily was he â—…eceiued Israel was as the apple of the Lords eie a people whom the Lord loued and to whome he gaue their hearts deure Hee deliuered them from Pharao and with an out-stretched arme ledde them through the red sea Who would thinke si great â—…cies would eâ—…er be forgotten or that such a people so wel instructed in the knowledge of God and so often put in mind of their duetie shoulde either most parte or al of them turne from GOD Moses was absent but a while he went aside to receiue the tables of couenaunt in the meane time they made vnto themselues a molten calfe and worshipped it they offred vnto it and saide These be thy Gods O Israel that haue brought thee out of the lande of AEgipt So easily were the wisest of them and Aaron and the whole multituted deceiued Their children after them forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Astaroth They said to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me They haue turned their backe to me and not their face saith god by the prophet Ieremie And was this y e offence but of some smal number of them were they but few or of the baser and simpler sorte whome the wicked spirite had thus seduced to make them forsake the true and liuing GOD and to giue the glorie due vnto him to dombe creatures and to the works of their owne hands No they departed from GOD in greate multitudes with full consent and vnitie they warranted their doings by antiquitie and by the custome of their fathers before them The Prophet saith According to the number of thy cities were thy Gods O Iudah and to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue ye set vp altares of confusion euen altares to burne incense vnto Baal And in an other place he saith A great multitude euen al the people that dwelt in the land of Aegipt in Phathros answered Ieremie saying the word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde wee wil not heare it of thee But wee wil do whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as wee haue done we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes c. Thus euen among that nation which God hath chosen vnto himselfe the Apostacie was so great the departure from true holinesse was so vniuersal that not onelie euerie citio but euerie stréete was defiled with their Idolatrie And besides the women which burnt incense vnto other Gods a great multitude yea all the people with one consent cried out against their preacher refused to heare the word of God and maintained their superâ—…tion The lilie may be said of the Scribes Pharises They were wise they were learned and caried great them of holinesse yet they loued darknes better than light they were blind leaders of the blind they despised the commandemits of god for their own traditions not on lie they but Herod and Pontius Pilate with the gentiles and people of Israel gathered the salues togitherngainst against the Lord I against his Christ. What shoulde I speake of those Churches which the Apostles of Christ planted and watered and confirmed in the trueth at Corinth Paule preached the Gospel they receiued it gladly he thanketh GOD on their behalfe That in al thinges they were made rich in him in al kinde of speache and in al knowledge Yet soone after they abused the holy mysteries they denyed the resurrection of the dead they became carnal and had enuying and strife and contention among themselues The Galathians reioyâ—…h so much in him that he writeth thus of them I beare you record that if it had beene possible you would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them to me Yet they did not abide in the trueth but gaue eare to false Apostles and were deceiued Therefore he reprooueth them saying O foolish Galathians who hath bewiâ—…ched you that you should not obey the trueth are ye so foolish that after ye haue begonne in the spirite yee would nowe be made perfect in the flesh ye did runne wel who did let you that yee did not obey the trueth I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine This frailtie and weakenesse of our corrupt nature hath shewed it selfe foorth and hath appeared in al ages 〈◊〉 and our Fathers haue gone astraie and haue solowed after lyes The Lorde hath looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstande and â—…eoke God Al are gone out of the way they are al corrupt there is none that doth good no not one sayth the Prophet Dauid Therefore the Apostle beseeâ—…heth the church at Thessalonica that they settle themselues vppon a sure foundation and that they be not remoâ—…d from the trueth He putteth them in mind what they haue heard and of whom they haue heard it and eâ—…horteth them to continue stedfast therein Neither by spirite nor by worde nor by letter as it were from vs. Let no man entiâ—…e you from the loue of the trueth nor withdraw you or remoue you from that blessed â—…pe vnto which you becalled neither by pretence of any which any would séeme to receiue of the spirite of God nor by pretence of any woords of mine as if I had so spoken nor by any letter giuen vnto you in my name as if I had so written In these woordes hee docth not onelie strengthen them against such practises of crafty and false teachers but giueth them there withal a testimonie of their constant abiding in the trueth of the Gospel Otherwise if the seducers had prenayled and if the Thessalonians had yéelded vnto them and receyued their errour hâ—…e woulde then haue framed his speeche vnto them after this manner Oh suffâ—…r your selues to hee aduised You 〈◊〉 not runne wel you haue lost the high way Giue place to the spirite of God submit your selues vnder his mightie hande refuse not the calling whereby hee hath
Wil and power to doe wel is of God 202 226 239 Wil likened to the wife 226 Wisedome of man no rule in religion 211 358 Wise men not alwayes best enclined 358 Worde of God nowe taught is the same which the Apostle did teach 72 195 FINIS The first Epistle of S. Paule to the Thessalonians CHAP. I. PAVLE and SYLVANVS and Timotheus vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in GOD the father and in the Lord Iesus Christ Grace be with you and peace from GOD our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ. THe Apostle Paule preached the Gospell of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto the Thessalonians as hée did also in other places from Ierusalem rounde about to Illyricum But his trauaile had not like successe in al places For in Damascus the gouernor of the people vnder King Aretas laide watch in the citie of the Damascenes and woulde haue caught him At Lystra they stoned Paul and drew him out of the citie supposing he had béene dead At Philippi he and Sylas were drawne into the market place vnto the magistrates and accused that they troubled their Citie they were beaten with roddes and cast into prison The Corinthians receiued the doctrine of the gospel and made much of the professors thereof But they fel soone from their good beginning They walked like men in enuying in strife in diuisions Some called themselues after Paul some after Apollo some after Cephas and some after Ghrist They stirred contention about meates they abused the Lordes supper and they were doubtfull of the resurrection of the dead In like maner the Church of God which was gathered at Rome grew proude and high minded boasted themselues ouer the Iewes The Galathians forsooke the good waie of the gospel whereunto they were called and wherin they did walke They gaue eare to false prophets Therefore the Apostle telleth them I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you my labour in vaine But the Thessalonians after they had heard the glad tydings of the Gospell they receiued it gréedily and laid it vp close and safe in their harts Albeit the Iews withstood them and beted them fore albeit false brethren vsed diuers secret meanes to drawe them from the loue of the truth yet they kept still their stedfastnesse and could not be driuen from their faith neither by crueltie of persecution nor by subtiltie of craftie persuasion Paul being at Athens a place far distant from thence sendeth Timothie to knowe in what case they stoode So carefull was he for that house which he had built for the fire which he had kindled for the graffes which he had planted and for the children which he begot among them When Timothie made report of their constancie that they continued stedfast in those things which they had learned he writeth this Epistle to commend them and to exhort them to abide stedfast in their faith that they become not like the foolish Israelites which longed after the flesh pottes of Aegypt and were vnmindfull of their deliuerance from bondage vnder Pharao that they returne not like filthy dogges to their vomite and like vncleane swine to their puddles of-mire that they looke not backe againe after they haue put their haÌ„ds to the Lords plough and so make themselues vnworthie the kingdome of God He giueth many lessons and instructions to godlinesse that they would walke worthie of God and bring foorth the fruits of the gospell There were among them that liued idlely and did trouble the church without a cause whom he reprooueth willing them to be quiet and to meddle with their owne matters and works with their handes Others mourned ouer the dead without measure euen as if they had no hope whom he instructeth in the resurrection and comforteth with the spéech of the blessed comming of our Lord when we which liue shall be caught vp to méete him and so we shall euer be with the Lord. Others reasoned fondly of the later daie when it should be when the sonne of God shoulde appeare and when the worlde should haue an ende as if man might reach to the knowledge hereof But them also he reprooueth and warneth that they take care rather to watch and looke for the Lordes comming that they may be founde readie hauing their loines girded and their lampes burning Manie are desirous to sée the countenance of Saint Paule to sée his sword or the reliques of his bloud which was shed at his death or of his vpper garment or of his coate or of the haire of his head and for purpose to sée such things manie take painefull pilgrimage to farre places where they are dereiued Howe much better maie they be satisfied by reading the storie of his life set doâ—…ne in the Scriptures In these his Epistles written to the Churches of God he is to be séene in more excellent shewe than when he was yet in bodie For here is to be séene his heart filled with the holie Ghost and the care which he had for all Saints howe he did trauell in birth of them againe that Christ might be formed in them and howe he did wish himselfe separate from Christ for their sake The matter of this Epistle is plaine and treateth not of déepe and profound mysteries The maner of vtterance which the Apostle vseth is open and cuident So that the whole Epistle is ful of swéete and wholsome doctrine wherein the simplest may find great comfort Paul and Syluanus and Timotheus These two were companions vnto Paul in his iournets and in the work of his ministerie Whom here he ioineth in his letter to the congregation at Thessalonica to witnesse their consent and agréement with him that they al with one mouth and with one hand and heart set foorth the glorious Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. And that therefore they also which are called to the felowshippe of the Gospel should be like minded being one bodie and one spirite in Christ Iesus and the children of one father in whome there is no dissention but al peace and consent and vnitie Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christ. There are sundrie sorts of Churches There is a Church of the wicked wherof the Prophet saith I haue hated the assemblie of the euil and haue not companied with the wicked Two hundred and fiftie Captaines men of renowme and famous in the congregation ioined themselues to Korah Dathan and Abiram But Moses said vnto Korah thou and al thy companie are gathered togither against the Lord. The builders of the great tower of Babel were manie in number and consented to that they had imagined to do thereby to get them a name but the Lord did confound their language and scattered them vpon the face of the earth The Scribes and Pharisées and high Priests held a câ—…uncel and conferred among themselues But against the Lord and against his Christ. Iohn is
Thou shalt crie for succour and finde no man to helpe thée In these and these places hath manie a good mans childe béene cast away Oh take héede my sonne thou art the staffe and the comfort of mine age If aught come to thée otherwise than wel I shall soone after ende my daiâ—… in sorrow If a father be thus carefull that his child shoulde escape worldlie dangers hée must be more carefull of spirituall daungers in which whosoeuer is lost is lost for euer Therfore thus wil he saie to him Oh my sonne vnderstande what GOD hath doone for thy sake Take héede to thy selfe the worlde is al ouer â—…rewed with snares The dinel ranâ—… and séeketh whome he may deuour Giue â—…round to him but resist him and he wil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thée Be strong in saith The name of the Lorde is a strong Tower of defence-Call vppon him in the daie of thy trouble and he wil deliuer thee Hée wil giue thée of his spirite Take héeâ—… my sonne and be not deceiued let 〈◊〉 wilfulnesse cast thée away If sinners entire thée be not a companion of them in wickednesse Fashion not thy selfe to the likeneâ—… of this worlde for the worlde passeth awaie and the lust thereof He that loueth this worlde the loue of God is not in him Be not like vnto them that perish Thou wast conceiued and borne in sinne thou arte by nature the childe of wrath But God made thée méete to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath deliuered thée from the power of darkenesse and hath translated thée into the kingdome of his deare son Receiue not this grace in vaine Cast aâ—…aie the workes of darkenesse and put on the armor of light Be renewed in thy heart and in thy spirite that it maie appeare I haue béene careful for thée Thus a good father séeketh to traine vp his sonne and to nurturs him Besides these fathers must also be carefull for their children to giue them correction and chastisenient God knoweth the mould of mans heart Hée séeth our inward partes He hath said it in the beginning The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Hée did sée that al the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onelie euill continually Beholde mans nature and consider it euen from our first birth Howe full of affections howe waiward in the young childe which lieth in the cradle His bodie is but smal but hée hath a greatheart and is altogether enrlined to euill And the more hée wareth in reason by yeares the more hée groweth prowde froward wilful vnrulie and disobedient If this sparckle be suffered to encrease it will rage ouer and burne downe the whole house Wée are not borne good but by education wée are changed and become good Therefore the wise man saieth Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe but the â—…odde of correction shall driue it awaie from him And againe The rodde and correction guâ—…e wisedome but a childe set at libertie maâ—… his mother ashamed And in the same Chapter Correct thy sonne and hee wil giue thee rest and wil giue pleasures vnto thy soule Hée that spareth the rodde hateth the childe 〈◊〉 If thou bring vp thy sonne delicately hee shall make thee afraid and if thou plaie with him hee shall bring thee to heauinesse Bow downe his necke whiles hee is young and beate him on the â—…tes while hee is a child least he wax stubborne be disobedient vnto thee and bring sorrowe to â—…hine heart saieth Saloâ—… 〈◊〉 Who hath not heard the storie of Eâ—… and of his sonnes It is worthie to be reâ—…mbred for euer Hee had shrewd children they feared not GOD but brake his commaundements and offended the people Their father heard of their doings but tooke no care for it hée suffered them and let them alone so long that God grewe displeased thereat and called vnto Samuel and saide Beholde I will do a thing in Ifrael wherof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle In that daie I will raise vp against Elie al things which I haue spoken concerning his house when I beginne I wil also make an end And I haue told him that I wil iudge his house for euer for the iniquitie which hee knoweth bicause his sonnes ranne into a slander and hee staied them not And it came to passe shortly after The Arke of God was taken by the Philistines and the two sonnes of Ely Hophni and Phinees died And Ely also when he heard the report thereof fell from his seate backeward and his necke was broken Such shame and confusion came vpon him This was the hand and iudgement of God in sparing his children he cast awaie his children and himselfe altogither But Iob dealt farre otherwise with his children his eie was vppon them and hée tooke care least they shoulde offende God He sanctified them and offered burnt offerings for them daily For Iob thought it maie be that my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Therefore hée praied for them My sonnes saieth he are yong and tender and lacke discretion The wages wherein they walke are slipperie they maie soone be decâ—…iued and runne into danger O Lorde be thou their guide be vnto them a tower of defence let thy holie spirit goe before them to direct them in al their waies So mindful was he of his children Infancie is the first part of our life and as it were the foundation thereof Where a vertuous and godlie childhood goeth before there a godlie and vertuous age followeth after Contrariwise when the fathers are not carefull to teach their children to knowe God and to know themselues when they doe not bréede them vppe in vertue nor reprooue them when they doe amisse they become corrupt in their vnderstanding and abhominable in their doings voide of al knowledge and grace and of reuerence or féeling of nature V. 13. For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing that when you receiued of vs the worde of the preaching of God yee receiued it not as the worde of men but as it is in deede the worde of God which also worketh in you that beleeue As the Ministers duetie is to teach the word of God and diuide it aright without deceit or guile so ought the people to receiue it with reuerence and to giue obedience vnto it But herein haue wée not power of our selues our readinesse commeth of God vn lesse it please God to worke within vs and to remooue the vaile and to mollifie our hearts whatsoeuer wée heare it mooueth vs not it helpeth not our vnbeliefe it bringeth vs not to the obedience of Christ. If an earthly Prince speake or send message vnto vs we giue al shewe of reuerence and heare him with al diligence This word is not of flesh and bloud it procéedeth not from Kings or Emperours or from parliament or from councels of men but from GOD the father and from
the Lord and in that lawe doeth exercise himselfe day and night And againe Wherewith shal a yong man redresse his waies In keeping thy words When Christ himselfe came first into the world to plant his Church he vourhsafed the poore and simple the knowledge of his trueth and the wed it first vnto them The first that had tidings of his birth were not Scribes and Pharises out a company of poore shéepheards The first that receiued his gospel taught it in the world were not doctors or learned men barâ—…rs tol-gatherers of base condition The first that met him with triumph at Ierusalem and sang Ozanna were not Bishoppes and priests but babes and infants They that followed him most and beléeued were not the greatest men of power and policy but such as the Pharises termed a cursed people which knew not the law The first that told the Apoâ—…les the resurrection of Christ were not the sagest and wisest men but two or thrée séelie women The first that were â—…nuerted to the faith after his resurrection were not any of the great learned or other wise estéemed known among the people but about 3000. poore séely simple men so base so out of knowledge that not one of their names could euer be knowne Why should any man resist the wisedom of God and denie the people the breade whereon they should féed the light by which they maie safelie walke the hearing and reading of the word by which they may be turned to GOD from idols to serue the liuing and true God they haue cruel hearts and are enimies to the glorie of God and to the saluation of his people which in such sorte denie them the knowledge of the Scriptures To fulfil their sinnes alwaies They haue resused the word of reconciliation they are not contented that they haue stoned the prophets killed them that were sent to the but they yet resist the holie Gospel deuise meanes to kéepe al others from the comforte thereof This is a token of Gods heauie displeasure vpon them that they repent not of their former â—…uils but grow worse and worse When the Scribes Pharises séemed to â—…ike the crueltie of their fathers said if they had béen in their daies they would not haue béen partners with them in the vloud of the prophets our sauiour maketh their hipocrisie knowne that herein they should be like to their fathers for they shoulde kil and crucifie the prophets and wise meÌ„ and scourge them in their sinagogues persecute them from citie to city said to them Fulfil ye also the measure of your fathers The cause of this indgement of God in giuing ouer the wicâ—…ed to increase the heape of their sins the Apostle setteth down to y e Romanes As they regarded not to know God so God deliuered theÌ„ vp vnto a reprobat mind to do those things which are not conuenieÌ„t For so he somtimes punisheth our sins suffereth the wicked to heape sin vpon sin y e so their daÌ„nation may be y e greater For the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Though GOD he patient and long suffring because he would haue all men come to repentance yet in whom his mercie taketh no place to worke their amendment vpon them he poureth out his wrath and indignation to the utmost He meaneth not that al the whole nation of the Jewes were so caâ—… out of the fauour of GOD that neuer anie of them shall be saued for in an other place he faith Hath God cast away his people God forbid For I my selfe am an Israelite of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin God hath not cast away his people which he knew before But miserable shall be their end and a terrible damnation shall they haue whosoeuer withstand the truth of God and to the rest of their wickednesse ioine such a hatred and dispitefull contempt of the poore and simple sort of the people that they kéepe them from the wholesome wordes of doctrine and forbid such as are willing to preach vnto them This is their condemnation that light came into the world and they loued darkenesse better than light They persecute vs saith Saint Paule and forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alwaies for the wrath or God is come on them to the vtmost V. 17 Forasmuch brethren as wee were kept from you for a season concerning sight but not in heart we enforced the more to see your face with great desire 18 Therefore wee would haue come vnto you I Paul at least once or twice but Sathan hindred vs. He tolde them before how dearely and tenderly he loued them exhorting comforting and be séeching euerie of them as a father his children He taketh care least by anie meanes they should doubt of his great good wil to ward them And therefore doeth both witnesse the same and shew them through what cause hée hath staied from them Such a zeale and care had he ouer the people O in what case then are they that are carlesse and make no regard of the people of God which hunt after manie liuings and bend not themselues to do good which serue their owne bellie and séeke to be rich and eate vp the people of God as if they were breade They cannot say they haue a desire to sée the face of their flocke and that their heart is with them Howsoeuer they finde time for other matters they can neuer take time to know their shéepe and to doe the worke of their ministerie among them They care not for them they thinke not of them They plant not they water not they watch not they giue no warning of the daungers at hand they teach them not to denie ungodlinesse and worldlie lusts and to liue soberly and righteously and godlie in this present world It were happy if al such were remoued out of the Church of GOD. They destroie the soules of manie and leade them to destruction by their negligence What accompt shall they giue vnto GOD for the soules of their â—…rethren where shall they stand or what will they saie when he shall bidde them make a straite accompt of their stewardship this is the practise of Sathan He vseth al meanes to snare vs and withdraw vs from that blessed hope Sometimes he letteth the encrease of the Gospell by raising vp tumultes and disquieting the Church of God and stirring the hearts of such as are in auâ—…tie to perfecute by al meanes the teachers of the Gospell of Christ. Againe when God giueth peace and quietnesse to his Church he leadeth the ouerséers of the people to a forgetfulnesse of their duetie to séeke the pleasures and delights of this life and to haue no regard of the worke of the Lord. Such occasions the Diuel seeketh to hinder our saluation and to withstand the truth and glorie of God V. 19 For what is our hope or ioy
fast in righteousnesse and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation And in the Prouerbes My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lorde neither be grieued with his correction For the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as the Father the childe in whome he delighteth As manie as I loue I rebuke and chasten sayth Christ. Therefore the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes If you be without correction whereof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes In the tenth of Mathew our sauiour warneth his Disciples hereof Beholde I sende you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues Thus God schooleth and nourtereth his people that so through many tribulations they may enter to their rest Frankencense wheÌ„ it is put in the fire giueth the greater perfume spice if it be punned smelleth the swéeter the earth when it is torne vp with the plough becommeth more fruitful the séede in the ground after frost and snowe and winter storme springeth the rancker the nigher the vine is pruned to the stocke the greater grape it yéeldeth the grape when it is most pressed and beaten maketh the swéetest wine fine golde is the better when it is cast in the fire rough stones with hewing are squared and made fit for building cloth is rent and cut that it may bee made a garment linnen is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten and is the fairer These are familiar examples to shewe the benefite and commoditie which the children of God receiue by persecution By it God wâ—…sheth and scoureth his congregation We reioyce sayth Saint Paul in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed The power of God is made perfect in weakenesse And al things turne vnto good to them that feare the Lorde V. 5. Euen for this cause when I could no longer forbeare I sent him that I might knowe of your faith least the tempter had tempted you in any sort and that our labour had beene in vaine 6 But nowe lately when Timotheus came from you vnto vs brought vs good tydings of your faith and loue and that yee haue good remembraunce of vs alwayes desiring to see vs as we also doe you 7 Therefore brethren wee had consolation in you in al our affliction and necessitie thorough your faith 8 For nowe are we aliue if ye stande fast in the Lorde 9 For what thankes can wee recompense to GOD againe for you for al the ioy wherewith wee reioyce for your sakes before our God 10 Night and daye praying exceedinglie that wee might see your face and might accomplish that which is lacâ—…g in your faith The Apostle continueth in declaring his earnest affection towards them and how greatly he reioyted to heare of their constaâ—…ie in the faith and of their loue and agréement together For he feared it might haue happened to them as it had doone to others He preached to the Galathians but they gaue care to faile Apostles and went backe from that hee had taught them I am in feare of you sayeth he least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine And ye did runnewel who did let you that you did not obey the trueth it is not of the persuasion of him that calleth you The Diuel hath bewitched you and beguiled your eyes Such is the sutfeltie and the power of Satan in the children of disobedience Iudas was an Apostle equal with Peter and the other Apostles The Diuell entred into his heart and bewitched him and then he became the childe of destruction Iulian the Apostata was a Christian and a reader in the Church but became an enemie of Christ and when he was stricken in the fielde by myracle from Heauen hée threwe vp his bloude in defiaunce of Christ so had the Diuel bewitched him and changed his heart to wickednesse It might haue béene that their weakenesse should in like sort haue béene overcome when the tempter tempted them And so the gold which hée had left with them might haue béene turned into drosse the light into darkenes and the kingdome of God taken away from them For then had his labour béene in vaine and they had receiued the worde to their owne damnation For it had béene better for them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them The Diuel is the tempter His strength and practise is not alwaies by force of armes but by suttle persuasions other sleights He reasoneth w t Eue why she would not tast of y e apple which was swéete pleasant delicate Telleth y e poore woman god did nothing but mocke hir For God knewe what day they shoulde eatâ—… thereof their eies should be opened and they should knowe as much as God Hee came to Christ and sayd Commaund that these stones be made breade and cast thy selfe downe if thou be the sonne of God then thou shalt be worshipped and taken for a great Prophet He tempted Dauid after this sort why wilt thou serue God he hath aduaunced thine enemies and hath forsaken thée and left thée in miserie I fretted sayth Dauid at the foolish These are the wicked yet prosper they alway and encrease in riches Certainely I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocencie for dayly haue I beene punished and chastened euerie morning Mine heart was vexed so foolish was I and ignoraunt I was a beast before thee He tempted Iob the faithful seruaunt of God and tolde him that he was righteous and holy and gaue almes in vaine that God had no regard to his prayers and would not heare This tempter waiteth al occasions to drawe vs from our faith and stedfastnesse in the Lorde Yet is he neuer so busie as when anie persecution is raised against the trueth Then is he in his ruffe Then playeth hee his part and leaueth nothing vndoone whereby he may moue vs to forsake the trueth Wilt thou saieth he be so foolish to loose their life and knowest not wherefore art thou wiser than thy forefathers Why shouldest not thou be contented to doe as thy father and mother and friendes and kinsfolkes thinkest thou they haue not as good care of their soules as thou hast of thine wilt thou make them Pagans and Infidels dost thou thinke they are damned be wise and cast not thy selfe awaie Flesh is fraile life is swéete death is dreadfull but to die in the fire to be burned aliue to see thy armes and thy legges quite burnt from thy bodie and that yet thou canst not die this is most terrible thou canst neuer abide it Beholde so manie Kings and Princes Noble men Cardinals Bishoppes Doctors and learned men and whole kingdomes and countries of the contrarie opinion Be not wilfull Thinke not thy selfe wiser than al the world What were it for thée to come to the Church and to shew thy selfe obedient and
to doe as others doe It is a small matter to looke vp and holde vp thy hands at the sacring If it be an offence thou shalt be excused because thou arte forced to doe it by authoritie GOD is mercifull he will forgiue thée Thus and thus doth Sathan â—…empt vs and sifteth vs to leade vs from our stedfastnesse These deuises he practised of latedaies before our eies with manie constant professours of Christian religion but through the mightie power of GOD they quenched all his fierie dartes and through manie tribulations entred into glorie Thankes be to God which doth make vs able through his grace not onelie to beléeue in him but also to suffer for his sake He is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that we maie be able to beare it He hath bidden vs call vppon him in the daie of trouble and he will deliuer vs. Commit thy waie vnto the Lorde and trust in him saith the Prophet and hee shal bring it to passe I haue set the Lord alwaies before mee for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And againe The Lord is with mee Therefore I wil not feare what man can doe vnto mee It is better to trust in the Lord than to haue confidence in princes When our sauiour foretold his Disciples of the troubles to come he also maketh comforte to them of the strength and the helpe which they shall receiue of GOD saying When they deliuer you vp take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall bee giuen you in that houre what yee shall saie he telleth them by whom they shall be persecuted Yee shall be betrayed also of your parents and of your brethren and kinsemen and friends And in what sorte They shall laie handes on you and persecute you and deliuer you to the Synagogues and into prisons and bring you before Kings and Rulers And for what cause For my names sake Then what the godlie in this case must doe Feare them not Hee that endureth to the ende shall be saued Last of all hée promiseth to be with them and to strengthen them This shal turne to you for a Testimoniall Laie it vp therefore in your heartes that you premeditate not what yee shall aunswere For I wil giue you a mouth and wisedome whereagainst al your aduersaries shal not be able to speake nor resist Thus were the things spoken of long béefore which we haue séene lately done Whosoeuer will sette downe the storie thereof nowe they are passed muste néedes declare it in the manner as it was forespoken Their owne kinsfolkes and friendes betrayed many and brought them to the Bishoppes who deliuered them into prisons for the name of Christ and for the loue of his truth The blessed witnesses or martyres of God feared not but endured Manie were simple yong men yong maidens men and women of great age labouring men and men of occupations Yet God gaue them such a mouth and such wisedome as al their aduersaries were not able to speake against it nor resist it Who readeth that Scripture diligently and considereth this storie of our time aduisedly can not but confesse that the light of Gods Gospell is come among vs and that we are they vpon whom the latter ende of the world is come and in whome he doth shew foorth the great might of his power Therefore such temptations as Sathan vseth can not make the name of GOD fal from his ancker holde His hope is safely laid vp in his breast Hée knoweth in whome hée putteth his trust and therefore saieth I presume not of knowledge I estéeme not to know anie thing saue Christ Iesus and him crucified I beléeue not in my fathers I reuerence them and loue them but I beléeue onelie in GOD. I feare not the sworde I feare not what man can doe vnto me but I feare him that can kill my bodie and soule It is better for me to abide the fire and lose my life that I may liue for euer than to denie GOD for safegarde of my life and be caste into hell fire If there be so manie partakers of their errours and so fewe that cleaue to the trueth the multitude of them shall not saue mée and it is no triall of Gods trueth whether it be receiued of many or of fews Cardinalles and Bishoppes and doâ—…ours may be wise and learned So were Annas and Caiaphas the high priests and Scribes and Pharises which did put to death the Lord of glorie I dare not doe ill bicause other men do it I may not tempt God My conscience is truely assured by Gods worde what is idolatrie and the dishonour of God If I should come into the Church and make such shew as you aduise me and be partaker with Idolaters I should doe hurt to others in mine ill example I should do against mine owne conscience which would be a heauie witnesse against mée both whiles I liue in this world and in the dreadfull daie of iudgement V. 11. Now God himselfe euen our father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 12. And the Lord increase you and make you abound in loue one toward an other and toward al men euen as wee doe toward you 13 To make your heartes stable and vnblamable in holinesse before God euen our father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with his Saints I haue planted you you are my children whom I haue begotten in Christ. I loue you and haue care ouer you I haue an ercéeding desire to sée your face But Sathan hath withstoode my purpose and found meanes to kéepe me from you I commit my voyage to God if it please him that I may come vnto you to reioice with you and comfort you He knoweth what is good for me and what is profitable for you The cause is his owne Hée will doe all things to his glorie Hée will treade Sathan vnder our féete We can not purpose and dispose of our selues I know that the way of man is not in him selfe neyther is it in man to walke and to direct his steps The Lord increase you in al godlinesse that you may abound more and more euen as you haue heard of vs how you ought to walk You are but a little flocke God increase your number and make all them partakers of his kingdome with you which heare of your faith and conuersation in Christ. To make your hearts stable and vnblameable That nothing moue you or trouble youâ—… that your hearts and consciences be quiet that you may stand vpright and shewe your lelues in great confidence before his iudgement seate that when you shal sée Gods haud stretched out his plagues prepared against the wicked you be not afraid This is the hauen of rest whereto no man commeth but he that hath a quiet conscience this is the tabernacle
concerning them which are asleepe that yee sorrowe not euen as other which haue no hope 14 For if wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them that sleepe with Iesus wil God bring with him Herein standeth the comfort of Christian religion Were it not for the hope of the seconde life the godly in this worlde were in worse case than the dumbe and brute beastes When Christ appointed his Disciples to goe and preach hée sayde I sende you as sheepe in the middest of wolues They will scourge you you shall bée hated of al men As the Gospel encreased in any place these words were fulfilled The godly were put to death for the name of Christ. The father did sée his sonne staine before his face and the sonne his father cruelly tormented Hence grewe great mourning heauinesse Oh saide they he was a reuerende sage father oh he was a wise young man learned zealous and a great stay in the Church Why would God take him before his time there is not nowe any one left whom we may beholde or heare or followe We are left comfortlesse and without hope After this sort it is likely the Thessalonians mourned when they behelde the persecution of the Church of God among them Herein they grewe towardes mistrust and to be like the heathen which had no hope Saint Paule thought good to refourme this errour And because this abuse grewe of ignorance for that they knewe not the happie estate of such which die in the Lorde hée sayeth I would not haue you ignoraunt what is become of them and what GOD hath doone for them He hath tryed them as golde and hath made them woorthie for himselfe Therefore you ought rather to reioyce there is no cause at al of mourning When Christ sawe his disciples heauie and sad because of his departure hée sayde If yee loued mee yee woulde verily reioyce because I sayde I goe to the father for my father is greater than I. I shal sit at the right hande of my father in glorie then shal euerie knée bowe vnto mée and enerie tongue shal confesse my greatnesse Therefore if ye loued me you would reioyce in my behalfe It is ignoraunce that maketh you heauie because you knowe not whither I goe When Ioseph was solde into Egypt good father Iacob thought he was dead and therefore mourned day and night Nothing could comfort him Alas sayeth he that I haue liued to sée this day O Ioseph my sonne my sonne Ioseph oh that I might giue my life to redéeme thée Nowe shal my hoarie head goe downe to the graue in heauinesse But when he hearde that Ioseph liued and did sée him with his eyes when he did sée that he was a Prince next in place to the King and had al the Countrey at commaundement then hée knewe he had mourned without a cause Then his heart leapt within him his eyes gusht out with water he wept for ioy Ignoraunce as we sée made him heauie knowledge of the truth as it was reioyced his halt and made him glad There is great errour and darkenesse and ignoraunce in mans life Wee reioyce when wee haue cause to mourne and mourne manie times when wee haue cause to reioyce Therefore he sayeth I would not haue you ignorant Be not deceiued God hath giuen you eyes to sée the right ways God hath giuen you eares to heare counsel and a heart to knowe reason and to vnderstande and iudge God hath giuen you the Scriptures and by them the knowledge of his wil. He hath giuen you a face to looke vp to heauen and the spirit of life hath he poured into you that you should not by anie meanes be deceiued That ye sorrowe not as other that haue no hope He doth not forbidde natural affection Our parentes and our children are deare vn to vs. They are our fleshe and bloude and the chiefe and principal partes of our bodie Anie part of our bodie can not be cut off but wée shal féele it The father if he féele not the death of his sonne or the sonne if he féele not the death of his Father and haue not a déepe féeling of it he is vnnaturall Dauid mourned for Ionathan The whole lande mourned for Iosias Paul sayth God haue mercie vppon Epaphroditus he was sicke verie néere vnto death and not on him onely but on me also least I shoulde haue sorrowe vpon sorrowe If God had taken Epaphroditus out of life no doubt Paul would haue sorrowed What néede more examples Christ mourned for Lazarus and shed teares for him Then saide the Iewes behold he loued him Wée are not therefore forbidden to mourne ouer the dead but to mourne in such sorte as the heathen did we are forbidden They as they did neither beléeue in God nor in Christ so had they no hope of y e life to come When a father saw his sonne dead he thought he had beene dead for euer He became heauie changed his garment delighted in no companie forsooke his meate famished him selfe rent his bodie cursed his fortune cried out of his Gods Oh my deare sonne saith he how beautifull how learned and wise and vertuous wast thou why shouldst thou die so vntimely why haue I offered sacrifice and done seruice to my Gods they haue made me a good recompence I wil trust them no more I wil no more call vpon them Thus they fel into dispaire and spake blasphemies Therefore saith Paul you may mourne as did the holie men of GOD but in such sorte as the vnfaithfull sorrowe for their dead you maie not mourne You are the sonnes of the holie fathers fashion not your selues therefore like to the heathens do not as they did neither in feastes nor in marriages nor in your attire nor in your mourning nor in your pastimes But behaue your selues as becommeth the children of the most highest But why may not Christians mourne and continue in heauinesse because it is no newe thing for a man to die because he goeth the waie of al flesh Againe they that departe this life are not dead they are not gone for euer as the heathen imagined They are laid down to take rest quietly for a time The deth of a godlie man is nothing else but a sléepe So saith our sauiour of Lazarus Our friend Lazarus sleepeth howbeit Iesus spake of his death So it is saide of Steuen And they stoned Steuen who called on God and saide Lord Iesus receiue my spirite And hee kneeled downe and cried with a loud voice Lord laie not this sinne to their charge and when he had thus spoken he slept Whosoeuer dieth in the peace of conscience he may saie I will lie downe and take my rest Thus doeth the man of God repose himselfe For Christ is vnto him both in life and in death aduantage He saith with the Apostle Whether we liue wee liue vnto the Lord or whether wee die we die vnto the Lord whether wee liue
might be saned in the middest of burning fire yet y e thrée seruauntes of God walked in the fire safelie and came safe foorth againe We knowe sayth the Apostle that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The Apostles reioyced in their persecution that they were counted woorthie to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule speaking of this perfection in the godly sayeth We reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And not so onlie but also we reioyce in tribulations Who hath not heard of the patience of Iob his heardes of Cattel were driuen away his houses consumed with fire his children slaine his body stricken with a scurfe or manginesse his wife loathed him and his friendes for sooke him What did Iob in all these miseries what thought hée or what spake he let his patience in suffering his wordes of thankesgiuing teach vs howe to beare aduersitie The Lorde sayeth he hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken it blessed bee the name of the Lorde Againe Though he slay me yet wil I trust in him Who is able to expresse the manly comfort of his heart which said I wil trust in him though he kill me He is my God I am his creature His wil be doone I wil alwayes giue him thankes and praise his holie name By these we are learned to giue thanks in pouertie in afflictions in miserie and in al things though they are heauy and greeuous vnto vs. What are we then that are neither thankful for riches nor for health nor for our pleasures nor in the aboundance of al things yea which abuse the good giftes of GOD to dishonour God who hath giuen them vnto vs the earth is the Lords and al that therein is the world they that dwel therin He openeth his hand and filleth al thinges liuing with his good blessing Let vs looke vp into the heauens there is God the Father of lightes from whom euerie good and perfect gift commeth there is our redeemer Iesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge-When we turne in our beddes when we sée our fare and the furniture of our â—…able when we sée our seruants and children about vs when we sée our money and houses and lands let vs thinke with our selues how many good men faithful seruants of God lack the same and haue not receiued these blessinges in such measure as we In al these thinges God speaketh to vs and sayth I haue giuen them thée thou hast them at my handes vse them well and be not vnthankful If I would stande herein and declare what rauses we haue to giue thankes vnto God I shoulde neuer make an ende There is no beast on the grounde no fish in the Sea no bird in the ayre no starre in the heauens no leafe of the trée no corne of the field no sande on the shoare no droppe of water no sparckle of fire but GOD hath created them all for the sonnes of men So much are wée bound alwayes to giue thankes to God and to say as the Prophet O Lorde our Lorde howe excellent is thy name in all the worlde Let vs confesse before the Lorde his louing kindnesse and his woonderful workes before the sonnes of men But who is able to render thankes sufficient to God for that he giueth vs y e knowledge of his Gospel and maketh vs know the secrets of his wil this is a great blessing and farre aboue al the other comforts of this life They that haue not this are in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death To be short euen in death we haue to praise God we must say I thanke thée O God for thou hast deliuered him froÌ„ the bodyof this death thou hast translated him vnto thy selfe that so he may remaine with thée in thy glorie Thus whither soeuer ye turne what state or part of life or death soeuer ye coÌ„sider whether it be trouble or peace things present or things to come heaueÌ„ or earth life or death you shall alwaies finde causes to be thankefull V. 19. Quench not the spirite Hée meaneth by the spirite the giftes and graces of the spirite The spirite of God is the spirit of wisedome and the spirite of truth No man sayeth S. Paule can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Againe The spirite helpeth our infirmities and againe The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that we are the children of God It is he that leadeth vs into all trueth that openeth our hearts to vnderstanding and guideth our féete into the waie of peace O saith he despise not the wisedome of the spirite refuse not his help but seek it that you may be strengthened comforte your selues in his testimony of your adoption quench not the light he hath kindled in your hearts disdaine not his leading abuse not his mercy abuse not the time of your visitation let not so great mercie of God be bestowed on you in vaine fulfil not your own willes abstaine from fleshly lusts walke in the spirite desire the best gifts and let euerie man as he hath receiued the gift so minister the same to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God V. 20 Despise not prophecying Prophecie is the preaching and expounding of the word of God and he is called a Prophet and doth prophecie that openeth vnto vs the wil of God This is not meant of fond and vain and lying prophecies as were those of Merline and such like which tell you tales of lions and beares and goates of the sunne of the moone and manie strange deuises Such prophecies must be despised they are workes of darkenesse and forged by the Diuell to make vproares and to beguile the people But despise not prophecying That is despise not to heare the word of GOD turns not awaie thine eare from vnderstanding God giueth power to his word that it may worke according to his good pleasure It will let thée sée the weakenesse of thine errour and settle thée in the waie wherein thou shouldest walke If it had béene dangerous for the people to heare the preaching of the Gospell hée would not haue sent his Apostles into all the worlde If Lidia shoulde not haue liked to heare Paule prophecie howe might she haue knowne GOD If those great numbers which heard Peter and were connerted had despised prophecying and woulde not haue heard him open the Gâ—…pell vnto them they had neuer considered the great mercie of GOD nor sought to be instructed in their saluation Faith commeth by hearing This hath béene the meanes by which Christ hath giuen knowledge to Kings Princes and al nations It hath pleased God saith Saint Paul by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Despise not then to come to the Church of God to praie in the congregation of the faithful to heare the Scriptures of God read and erpounded it is
the blessing of God offered vnto thée Where there is no prophecie the people perisheth He that despiseth it shall be despised of the Lord he shal be cast into darkenesse because he would not delight in the light V. 21 Trie al things and keepe that which is good Trie al things God hath giuen you the spirite of discretion and of iudgement Be wise and knowe what is that good and acceptable will of God He not deceiued with wordes of mans wisedome Let not the basenesse or simplicitie of anie cause you to refuse the message which he bringeth and carrie not your selues to liking of al that whatsoeuer shall be told you of such as beare great shew and countenance This was it that deceiued the people of GOD they gaue eare to false teachers which lead them to worshippe the workes of their owne hands Therefore they saide vnto the stone thou art our father thou hast deliuered vs they sell downe before it worshipped it beléeued in it they slewe the Prophets of God and stoned to death such as were sent vnto them The Scribes and Pharises séemed so grane and wise that the people thought nothing good but what they allowed They were altogether appliable to beléeue to do to speake and to thinke whatsoeuer the Pharises willed them Christ saith vnto them Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues S. Iohn therefore saith Dearely beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they are of God for manie false prophets are gone out into the world And further directeth vs howe we should trie them hereby shal ye know the spirit of God euerie spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Againe hereby may you trie them Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the sonne If there come anie vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speede Hereby S. Paul required the Galathians to trie betwéene him and the false Apostles If anie man preach vnto you otherwise than that yee haue receiued let him bee accursed For now do I preach mans doctrine or Gods the Saduces erred touching the resurrection because they searched not the scriptures God teacheth vs by the prophet Esay to make triall of teachers and doctrines When they shall saie vnto you enquire of them that haue a spirite of diuination and at the soothsaiers which whisper and murmur shoulde not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is bicause there is no light in them Paule putteth Timothie in mind wherefore he left him at Ephesus to commaund some that they teach none other doctrine And to warne both the teachers and the hearers that they giue no heede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse which breede questions rather than godlie edifying which is by faith Thus are the people of God called to trie the truth to iudge betwéene good and il betwéene light and darknesse God hath made them the promise of his spirit and hath left vnto them his word They of Berea when they heard the preaching of Paule searched the scriptures dailie whether those things were so as he taught them and manie of them beléeued So do you giue héed to instruction and yet receiue not al things without proofe and trial that they are not contrarie to the wholesome doctrine of the word of God Keepe that which is good When you haue tried and found out the truth be constant and setled in it A wauering minded man is vnstable in al his waies Follow the truth and be not carried about with euerie wind of doctrine The diuel wil come in the name of God and change himselfe into an Angel of light Let him not take the loue of the trueth from you let him not remooue you from faith and a good conscience returne not like swine vnto your mire God hath purged your hearts and made them cleane Except they be preserued and kept occupied the vncleane spirite wil returne and enter in and dwell in you so the last state of you shall be worse than the first We haue great cause to harken diligently to the Apostle to keepe that is good We see this daie great confusion in al places Sathan woulde faine entangle vs againe with the errour of the wicked and séeketh to drawe vs from our stedfastnesse Now is the time wherin God maketh some triall of his seruauntes now iniquitie séeketh to haue the vpper hand They seduce the people saie here is Christ there is Christ here is the Church there is the Church God giue vs his holie spirite to guide vs in iudgement that we maie discerne the truth from falshoode and knowe the blessed and gratious will of GOD that wee maie walke in his waies and serue him in reuerence and feare al the daies of our life In this worlde as there is a Iacob so is there an Esau as there are manie that loue Christ with an vnfained hart so are there manie that serue Antichrist and as there be many true professors of the trueth of God so are there manie despisers of the same This wée maie sée here at home within this realme We maie sée it and mourne and lament for it in our hearts Their practises are opened they haue broken out into open rebellion to the breach of the peace both of GOD and man They saie with their lippes GOD saue Quéene Elizabeth yet they holde vppe their sword against her Alas what hath she deserued at their handes she hath alwaies dealt mercifully without crueltie without shedding of bloud God preserue her that she maie long raigne ouer vs and bring al her enimies to confusion What pretence make they for this their doing that hereby they séeke to haue religion refourmed Thankes be to GOD religion is refourmed farre better than our fathers knewe it these many hundred yeares If those which liued before vs might haue séene and heard as we sée heare they would haue reioiced and thought themselues happie But they would haue the Masse What find they or sée they in it wherfore they should so desire it Trie things saith Paul Therefore examine and trie the masse What do we learne by it what doctrine what godlinesse in life what comforte for saluation It is a dumb and deadly seruice The people are forced to be at it it is the verie kay of their religion the people are bound to be present at masse yet they neither receiue anie thing nor eate nor heare nor vnderstand anie thing You are wise you haue reason you are the children of GOD be you iudges herein and iudge vprightly for it is Gods cause Will they call this the Lordes supper Is this
called by the name of GOD. I will not tell you in mine owne wordes Vnlesse the Bishop himselfe so speake I will not tell you Marke then and witnesse of my indifferencie whilest I speake hereof that I followe not affection but deale vprightly Therefore I say againe vnlesse the Bishop himselfe suffer himselfe to be called by the name of GOD I will not so saie of him Then let vs sée what hée hath written of himselfe and what hée hath suffered others to write Pope Nicholas saith Constat summum pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari It is wel knowen that the Pope of the godlie Prince Constantine was called God And therefore Pope Pius in his Bull saieth Nemo audeat obedire No man dare obey hir or her will or commaundements or lawes vpon paine of our curse The Pope was well content to suffer Christopher Marcellus one of his Parasites in the Councel of Laterane to say vnto him Tu es alter deus in terris Thou arte an other God in earth The Pope is content in such sorte to haue a diuision of tenures made betwéene him and God as the Poet sometime flatteringly wrote Divinsuni imperium cum Iove Caesar habet The Emperour parteth his rule and holdeth halfe with Iupiter In the Extrauagants it is set down Dominus de us noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Marke these words Our Lord God the Pope In them the Pope is called Lord and is called God Oh merciful Lord God which from thy heauens beholdest this vanitie how great is thy mercie in suffering this I deuise not this His owne bookes his owne doctors his owne decrées and decretals speake it and set it downe Credere dominum deum nostrum Papam non potuisse statuere prout statuit Hereticum censeretur To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as hee decrecd it were a matter of Heresie It is so written there he hath heard it he hath séene it he knoweth it is so yet he suffereth it to goe abroad and thereby suffreth himselfe to be called God He hath burnt many Saints of God and holie men for no other cause but for the profession of the Gospell He hath in manie places burnt the holie Bible and such bookes as teach nothing but godlinesse Where did he euer burne what speake I of burning where may it appeare that euer he controlled any for so writing or called in such spéeches One of them séemeth to take shame of this shamelesse and blasphemous stile or title He séeketh friendly to temper and qualifie and take vp the matter Nec deus es nec homo quasi neuter es inter vtrumque Thou arte neither God nor man in a manner thou arte neither of both but rather a meane betweene both That is thou art not so high as God nor yet so base as man Whom then shal we imagine him to be Is he an Archangell or Angel or a spirite of the aire God giue him grace to sée his owne vanitie that hée maie knowe he is but a miserable and mortal man that hée maie knowe that a time shall come when his hipocrisie and dissimulation shall be disclosed GOD giue him grace to become godlie as becommeth the man of God That he maie indéed be the minister of Christ and a disposer of the secrets of God that hee may serue God in trueth in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life But you saie the Pope at this daie is not called GOD. Hée rather abaseth himselfe and writeth himselfe by a title of humilitie and is called so Servus servorum The seruant of seruants Be it so that he is so called and so written yet he is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes This seruant saieth I doe make holie the vnholie I doe iâ—…stifie the wicked I doe forgiue sinnes I open and no man shutteth This seruant can saie whosoeuer obeyeth not mée hée shall be rooted out This seruant maie dispence for anie commaundement of the olde and newe Testament This seruant hath Christs lieftenantship not onelie ouer things in heauen ouer things in earth and ouer things in hell but also ouer the Angelles both good and bad No man maie iudge this seruant For they saie Papa solutus est omni lege humana The Pope is exempted from all lawe of man And againe Nec totus clerus nec totus umndus potest Papam iudicare aut deponere Neither all the Cleargie nor all the whole world maie either iudge or depose the Pope Such a power this seruant of seruantes claimeth to himselfe What greater power maie be giuen vnto GOD What Angel what archangel euer had the like power And this power euen at this day Pope Pius chalengeth as proper to his seate That hée hath the authority which is due to Christ ouer his Church that no man may iudge him nor say he doth erre nor aske why he doth so He is inuested in the priuiledge of his Church and loseth no one iote of his dignitie It is yet good at this day which hath béene set downe Sacrilegij instar esset disputare de facto papae It is sinne as great as sacriledge or Church robbing to reason of anie the Popes doinges These be their owne wordes God knoweth before whom we stande this day they be their owne wordes and not mine Thus doth he sit in the temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God And therefore may we say as sometime sayd Eusebius Hoc est argumentum eos odisse deum quod veâ—…nt seipsos appellari Deos. This is an euident token that they hate God because they wil haue themselues called by the name of God Or as Gregory who speaking of Antichrist saide Cùm sit damnatus homo nequaquà m spiritus Deum se esse mentitur Whereas he is a cursed man and not a spirite he faigneth himselfe by lying to be a God V. 5. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told ye these thinges Before I departed from you to goe farther to plant the Gospel in other churches I tolde you that Antichrist should come and that hee should oppresse and confounde the Church of Christ. Paule was chosen to be an Apostle The office of an Apostle was not to rest in any one certaine place but to passe from countrey to countrey from lande to lande and to fil al the world with knowledge of the Gospel and therein appeareth the difference betwéene an Apostle and a Bishop A Bishop had the charge of one certaine Church an Apostle had the charge ouer al the churches But Paule was not tyed to any one citie or Ilande or countrey He had authoritie to preach to al cities and countries to al landes and Ilandes from the east to the west So did Christ appoint his Apostles Goe ye into all the worlde and preach the Gospel vnto euerie creature They were not sent to Ierusalem
I can make no account of him He is not within Paules reckning The workman is worthie of his hire But what right hath hée to the hire which is not a workeman I might saith he haue receiued mainteinance at your handes but I tooke nothing that I might be an example for you to follow that none shoulde liue idlely but that They worke with quietnesse and eate their owne bread Idlenesse is the mother of all mischiefe An idle packe is as if he were alreadie dead His féete serue him not to trauaile his hands helpe him not to worke his eies serue him not to sée his estate his heart regardeth not the time and miserie of his age Beggerie falleth vpon him and gnaweth his bones but he feéleth it not For he is as if he were alreadie dead Salomon faith He that foloweth idlenesse hath no vnderstanding And againe He that followeth idlenesse shall be filled with pouertie He is vnprofitable to himselfe and vnto others His children shal begge at euerie doore Againe he saith The slouthfull wil not plough because of winter hee shall begge in sommer but haue nothing That is men that haue receiued encrease of Gods blessing by taking paines shall denie breade vnto such and vpbraide them for their idleuesse and so driue them to labour They will saie as it is deuised that the Ant said in like case to the Grashopper In the sommer thou diddest nothing but sing therefore thou maist sterue in the winter These extremities be great if a man wil weigh them aduisedly Yet Ecclesiasticus saith farther Idlenesse bringeth much euil It is an euil teacher He that doth nothing is ill occupied The minde of man is euer stirring and doing somewhat If it be not doing well it is doing ill Water is cleare and faire fresh comfortable yet if it stand still in a hole or be kept long in a vessel whence it hath no issue it wil rotte and smell and be vnwholesome Euen so it fareth with the sons of Adam if they haue nothing to doe no waie to bestowe their witte they will rotte and proue vnwholesome and deuise mischiefe al the daie long What is it that filleth the prisons and bringeth so manie to the gallowes and causeth so many parents to bewaile the vntimely death of their children but idlenesse when the poore wretches haue receiued their iudgement and come to the place of execution and stand on the ladder what counsaile giue they to young men and to children but to beware of idlenesse what is cause of such and so manie diseases in the bodie Aske the Phisitions and they will tell you idlenesse Whereof rise mutterings in Cities against Magistratrs whereof rise rebellions in kingdomes against Princes you can giue no greater cause thereof than idlenesse Beholde saith the Lorde this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenes This was it that called for fire downe from heauen and wasted so manie cities into ashes Christ saieth Of euerie idle word that men shal speake they shal giue an accompt thereof at the day of iudgement If we shal make accompt for our idle wordes what shall we doe for our idle handes for our idle féete for our idle bodie for our idle soule what accompt for al our idlenesse shall wée make at the daie of iudgement We warned you saith the Apostle that if anie would not work the same should not eatâ—… This is a hard saying yet saith Paule I my selfe haue kept it I haue fulfilled it in mine owne bodie He doth not saie if any be sicke or weake or impotent and can not worke but if anie be idle and froward and will not worke to such a one giue not to eate that so he maie sée the daunger of idlenesse and worke with his handes the thing which is good that he maie haue to giue him that needeth It is not lawfull to giue them the breade of the Church and the almes ordained for reliefe of the poore This bread they maie not eate But you will saie Kings and Counsailours Bishoppes Preachers and all other sorts of learned men neither plough nor sow nor hedge nor ditch nor vse such painefull labour of the body they sit at rest and liue idlely They that so thinke are deceiued The toile which princes take and the great cares wherwith they are occupied passe al other cares in the world Saint Paul calleth the office of a Bishop a good worke If a bishop or minister studie the Scriptures preach the gospel catechize the children and take a care of the soules of Gods people if he sowe the Lordes fielde féede the Lords flocke thresh the Lords corne and walke before the people carefully if he haue the care of the Churches and can say with the Apostle who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not any offence that is giuen to my brother is to mee as a fire or as a torment If he be instant in season and out of season if he do the worke of an Euangelist and make his ministerie fully knowen he shal finde himselfe occupyed and not be idle The maister of the shippe séemeth to bée idle to sit stil and to doe nothing He stirreth not the pumpe he driueth not the oares he soundeth not the déepe he rideth not the ropes he skaleth not the shrowdes hee runneth not hither and thither forewarde or backwarde vnder the hatches or aboue Hée sitteth stil holdeth his peace and looketh vpon the loade starre and in appearaunce doth nothing But his labour passeth all the rest Whithout his labor al the paines which the other Mariners take were lost Were it not for his labour the shippe woulde soone strike vpon rockes and be stayed in the sandes and they al should perish Euen so fareth it in the state of princes and of their counsaylors they séeme to doe nothing yet they doe al thinges which is for the peace and the wealth and the safegarde of al the people Be not wearie in wel doing many occasions to discourage you to doe wel The worlde is ful of lets but be you stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Stand fast and kéepe the instructions which you haue béene taught Distribute to the necessitie of the saints Doe good vnto al men especially to them that be of the housholde of faith Liue not after the lusts of men in wantonnesse drunkennesse gluttonie and in abhominable idolatrie Though they speake euil of you because you runne not with theÌ„ vnto that same excesse of riot though the Diuel cast you into prison and there you haue tribulation be you faithful vnto death They that haue afflicted you shal giue an account to the righteous iudge and the afflictions which you suffer in this present time are not woorthie of the glorie which
they wil be protestants in company of others they are quite become contrarie They come to the church and receiue the holy communion they resort secretely to corners where they heare masse They like the one and like the other They like the light and they loue darkenesse and make no difference betwéene them These are readie to serue Christ and also readie to serue Antichrist faithful neither to God nor to Baal And this is among many counted the highest point of wisedome to be able so to colour and hide himselfe that you shal not know what profession he is of to what church he ioyneth himselfe what religion he holdeth whose worde or Gospel he followeth in what GOD he beléeueth Such there are And they onelie bée the singuler men reckoned the sine wittes and cunning fellowes of the worlde This is to be lamented that in a christian estate there should be any such That they at whose handes God shal require a straiter accoumpt than of others because he hath giuen them the vse of greater talents either of wit or of learniâ—…g or of preferment or of riches should so mispende the good giftes of God or vse his talents to such euil purpose that they more than al other shoulde deuise meanes how to deny Christ among men and as much as in them lieth to seeke to crâ—…e againe the Lorde of glorie The lewes deale not so wickedly the Turks deale not so traiterously The Jeâ—…e although his case bee miserable and his heresies most dangerous yet hee is earnest in his folly he wil not dissemble his profession The Turke is faithful vnto Mahomet and wil not denie or forsake him These false brethren and dissembling christians are worse than Iewes and Turkes They are voyde of conscience voyde of sayth voyde of feare of shame and of the grace of GOD. They are filthie swine shamelesse dogges and the enemies of the crosse of Christ. These hinder the passage of the Gospel and blaspheme the holie worde of their saluation and do al that in them lyeth to abolish the light of Gods truth S. Paule telleth vs al men haue not faith many hearts lie naked and voide of faith many séeme to liue and yet are dead Howsoeuer these men carie out their doings in this life they cannot mock God He knoweth who are his Christ shall say vnto these running witted dissemblers depart from mée ye hipocrites I knowe you not You shal receiue your portion with the diuel and his Angels Pray that we may be deliuered from such vnreasonable and euil men that they stoppe not the frée passage of the Gospel that they may haue no power against the glorie of God Then shal it appeare that God is faithful in al his wordes and holy in al his workes that his truth and mercie shal last for euer He wil establish vs in al goodnesse and defende vs from al euil he wil kéepe vs from al the power of Satan he wil kéepe vs from al temptation that the wicked shal not preuaile against vs. And we are perswaded of you through the Lorde that ye both doe and wil doe the things which wee warne you of You knowe what commaundements we gaue you by the Lord. I spake vnto you the wil of GOD and not mine owne I was vnto you but a messenger to deliuer vnto you such an errand as GOD sent vnto you I hope ye haue receiued it in such dutie as becommeth and that you both doe and wil hereafter obey it I am your phisitian The receipt which I haue giuen you is soueraigne and shall worke your health I trust it tarieth with you you brooke it wel I haue spoken vnto you in the name of God His name is holy He wil cause that my labor shal not be in vaine but wil make it fruitful in you Although al men haue not saith yet al men are not voide of faith Although there be many the children of this world yet there be some the children of light he that is of God heareth the worde of God They that be the sonnes of God are obedient to the wisedome of god their father God guide your harts that you may loue him that you may knowe what good God hath wrought vnto your soules that you may sée the depth of his mercie that in al your tribulation and aduersitie vnder the crosse and in your death you may looke for the day of Christ when the trumpet shal be sounded the graues shal be opened the dead bodies shal come foorth and we shal bée taken vp into the cloudes then shal he chaunge our vile bâ—…die that it may be like his glorious bodie then shal we be like the Angels of God wée shal sée God face to face and rest with him for euer V. 6. We warne you brethren in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that yee withdrawe your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately not after the instruction which he receiued of vs. The kingdome of God is like to a draw net â—…ast into the Sea that gathereth of al kinde of thinges it is like a fielde wherein groweth both corne and wéedes Sundrie Uirgines went out to waâ—…e vppon the Spouse some were wise some were foolish some had oyle in their Lampes some had none Many came to the mariage some had their wedding garment some lacked it Manie are called but fewe are chosen Some beare the name of christians yet liue in Vsurie to the spoyle and vndoing of their brethren Some beare the name of Christians yet liue in adulterie and fornication as the heathen which knowe not God These be they through whom the name of God is euil spoken of Therefore sayeth Paule I warne you that you withdrawe your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately Forsake him refuse his companie eate not with him druâ—…ke not with him that so he may be ashamed of his filthinesse Keceiue him not to your house nor bid him God spéede For he that biddeth him God spéede is partaker of his euil béedes Haue you no fellowship with the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse but euen reprone them rather A little leauen doth leauen the whole lâ—…mpe The wrath of god shal come not onelie vpon those which commit wickednesse but also vpon al those which consent to the working thereof Among the Corinthians one had committed incest taken his fathers wife Saint Paule sayeth Let such one be deliuered vnto Satan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Deliuer him vp to Satan Marke his â—…rdes and in what case he speaketh them For they that delite in wickednesse are sold ouer vnto sinne which are filthie and increáse in filthines They are not of God they haue no part in the Church of God The Diuel and Satan hath power ouer them therefore deliuer thâ—…m vp vnto Satan The rewarde of sinue is death the soule which hath sinned shal die For this cause hath the
Church of God ordained excommunication that he which hath doâ—…e wickedly may bee ashamed that others who are guiltlesse may be afraid and that the heauie displeasure of God may be auoyded We warne you saith he in the name of our Lorde You know me and my name and that I am an Apostle of Christ. But the commandement which I giue you is in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. I warne you by the glorious day of his comming that you withdrawe your selues from euerie one that liueth inordinately Receiue him not to your companie bid him not God spéede that you be not partakers of his euil that he may knowe his filthiuesse and be ashamed Yet let vs praie for such that they may bee sorie that they may knowe whome they haue offended and turne againe vnto the Lorde For God would not the death of a sinner but that he repent of his wickednesse and liue The mercie of God is abouâ—… al his workes V. 7. For ye your selues know how ye ought to followe vs for wee behaued not our felues inordinately among you 8. Neither tooke we bread of any man for nought but we wrought with labour and traâ—…aile night and day because wee would not be chargeable to any of you 9 Not bicause we haue not auctoritie but that we might make our selues an example vnto you to follow vs. 10 For euen when wee were with you this wee warned you of that if there were anie which would not worke that hee shoulde not eate 11 For wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately and worke not at al but are busie bodies 12 Therefore them that are such we warne and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eate their owne bread 13 And ye brethren be not wearie in wel doing Here Paul maketh his spéech against those who vnder the pretence of the Gospell liued idlely and would not labour Take an crample of me I liued not idlely I earned my bread I was not chargeable to anie Do you as you haue vs for an example So ought the seruants of God to liue that their wel doing maie be a patterne for the people to followe Saint Paul telleth Timothie A Bishop must be vnreproueable He saith not without sinne for no man is without sinne but without rebuke And againe Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an example in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenesse And vnto Titus the Bishop of Candia he saith In al things shewe thy self an example of good works with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie with the wholesome word which cannot be condemned that he which withstandeth maie be ashamed hauing nothing concerning you to speake euill of So in this place to the Thessalonians he saith you behold my conuersation howe I haue liued among you Be ye folowers of me let me be the patterne for you to follow Such shoulde be the spéech of al those who are Bishops ministers in the church of God They must walk so vprightly that they may be vnto al others the patterns of good life of liberalitie of mercie and of loue They must carie the arke of the Lord that the people maie followe them We behaued not our selues inordinately c. Whereas I was an Apostle of Christ the first fruits of the gospel a chosen vessel called from aboue and set apart from mine owne owne to be the embassadour of God into the worlde and had so much to do Yet I vsed my hands and pained my bodie to get my bread I liued like one of Adams children in trauell of my bodie and sought my bread in the sweate of my browes Not that I might not lawfully haue liued vpon you and haue required my maintenance at your hands It was lawfull for me to haue done so for the workman is worthy of his hire God hath appointed that he which teacheth the Gospel shall liue by the Gospel This matter S. Paule reasoneth with the Corinthians Haue wee not power to eate and drinke or haue we not power to leade about a wife a sister as wel as the rest of the Apostles and as the brethren of the Lorde and Cephas Who goeth a warfare at anie time at his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke I might eate and drincke at your charge and require charges of you for me and mine I am the souldior of God Christ is my captaine I haue planted the vine of the Lord of hosts among you I haue fed you you are the shéepe of the house of Israel The hire due to the souldiour the fruit wherof he should eate which kéepeth the vine and the milke which Christs shéepe yéeld to their féeder is nothing else but your charitable beneuolence towards the seruants of Christ. Againe It is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne He tranaileth for thée that thou maiest liue Suffer him to licke a little for his paines We are the Lordes oxen we thresh foorth his corne If we haue sowne vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if wee reape your carnall things We are Gods husbandmen we trauaile and take paines we plough we sowe we harrowe wée are abroade in wind and weather in storme in haile in lightning and thunder No man knoweth the care the poore husbandman taketh Winter nor Sommer our worke is neuer at an ende Now if we by our labour minister to you the breade which commeth from heauen is it much that you giue vs the bread of the earth Do you not know that they which waite at the altare are partatakers with the altare It hath so séemed good vnto GOD it is his appointment he hath established it by his lawe and it is most agréeable to the lawe of reason and nature Yet this is also to be weighed in the consideration hereof that whosoeuer asketh the paie of a souldiour must buckle his armour and goe a warrefare He that drinketh the wine must plant the grape he that requireth milke must féede the flocke he that wil not be mureled must thresh the corne he that reapeth carnall things must sowe spirituall things he that requireth the bread of the earth must minister to his hearers the bread of heauen he that wil liue of the sacrifice or of the altar or of the Gospell must offer the sacrifice wait vpon the altar and teach the gospel He that teacheth not the gospell nor careth for the teaching he that serueth not the altar nor careth for the seruing hée that goeth not on warrefare that planteth not that féedeth not that thresheth not that plougheth not that frauaileth not that taketh no paines that abideth not lightning thunder wind weather storme and haâ—…le he that careth not to doe these things