of his bondes according to his vvoonted manner Furthermore he shevveth that hee is in present perill of vnreasonable and euill men Whereof it may be gathered that he did write this Epistle as hee vvas in his iourney tovvarde Ierusalem And the Latines haue a long time beene of opinion that it vvas vvritteÌ„ from Athens Some also thinke that it vvas sent by Titus Onesimus CHAPTER I. 1 Paul and Siluanus and Timotheus vnto the Church of the ThessaloniaÌ„s in God our father and in the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Grace bee with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ PAVL and Siluanus and Timotheus As in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians so in this Epistle also the Apostle beginneth retayninge the same forme of subscription title and salutation The Apostle Paule himselfe being the author of this Epistle doth neuerthelesse vouchsafe to make others consortes with him of the same which were his woorkefellowes in the ministerie of the worde not arrogating to him selfe alone the prerogatiue and prehemineÌ„ce as those doe which seeke themselues but shewing his common consent with others in doctrine which were the seruants of Christ he ioyneth two with him as authors of the Epistle Siluanus was a diligent helper of Paul in the Gospel who preached Christ to the Corinthians as appeareth in the same Epistle where it is saide For the sonne of God Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.19 Act. 15.22 who was preached among you by vs that is by me and Siluanus and Tymotheus c. This Siluanus is euen the very same which in the Acts of the Apostles is called Silas as some coniecture the name being somewhat enlarged and deformed according to the manner of the Grekes and Latines Tymotheus was the sonne of a certaine godly and faithfull woman of Iudea whom the Apostle calleth Eunice but his father was a Greke 2. Tim. 1.5 and his graundmothers name was Lois This man preached Christ at Thessalonica and kept Paul company going into Asia Thus then we see that the Apostle writeth his Epistle in the name of three both to shewe that they did all agree together in teaching and also to bring the more authoritie and credit vnto his Epistle For there is more credit giueÌ„ to many of one profession and misterie than to one alone according to the common prouerb No man is so quicke sighted that he can see all thinges perfitly Wherefore Paul very prudently hath inserted the names of his consortes Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father By these woords he declareth y the true Church was among the Thessalonians and they doe contayne a notable description of the Church which is the true and lawfull spouse of Christ which among other notes may be known by this one namely A special note of the true Church if it be a congregation gathered together in God the father and in our Lorde Iesus Christ For there is a Church gathered together in God our father in the Lord Iesus Christ and there is a Church gathered together in the Diuell as is the malignaunt Church This title then doth testifie that this Epistle was in the first begining dedicated to that Church which in Thessalonica agreeing in the vnitie of faith woorshipped one God the father and the Lord Iesus Christ and which stedfastly beleeued the promises of the Gospell that in them alone is conteyned the doctrine of Christian righteousnesse and of eternall life For without the knowledge of them and faith no man can bee truely reckoned to appertayne to the Church of God the father and of our Lord Iesus Christ And now let vs thinke that this Epistle doth no lesse appertayne to euery one of vs then it did to the Thessalonians which are also endued with a true and liuely faith in God the father and in our Lord Iesus Christ yea rather it doth most especially profite the Church at this day that it may serue as a caueat in these latter times wherein Antichrist is reuealed to make vs beware of deceiuers who without this Epistle could not so well be knowne Antichrist with them raging in the Church and spoyling the same It is also to be noted that the Apostle hath ioyned God the father and our Lord Iesus Christ together therby to shewe that the sonne is nothing inferior to the father in this matter Grace be with you and peace from God our father c. First of al the Apostle wisheth vnto them grace that is to say reconciliation and the endowment of the holy Ghâ—â—t for there is nothing more to bee desired then to haue God our mercifull father then he wisheth vnto them peace that is all other good giftes which are needful for them For this worde peace signifieth generally al ioyful and prosperous successe Therefore what ioy and prosperitie soeuer we haue if we haue not the fauour of God withall our blessing shall soone be turned into a curse So that the onely foundation of our felicitie is the fauour and loue of God whereof it commeth to passe that our prosperitie is firme and permanent and our saluation most sure in the middest of aduersitie He addeth that this grace and peace doth come from God the father to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer good thing commeth to vs the same coÌ„meth from the free grace goodnes and fauour of God He putteth downe the name of Father and not of a Iudge that thereby we might haue the feeling of his vnspeakeable loue toward vs. And from the Lord Iesus Christ He ioyneth God the father the Lord Iesus Christ together to teach vs y grace al other good things are giuen vnto vs for his sonnes sake our mediator Secondly that wee may knowe howe wee shal be sure to receiue them namely if we aske them for his sonnes sake Thirdly he giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the sonne is by nature God reigning in equall power with the father and helping vs by his diuine power Therefore he intending to wish the summe of felicitie to the Godly commeth to the fountaine it self that is to the grace of God the which alone doth not onely bringe vnto vs euerlasting blessednes but also is the cause of all good thinges in this life 3 We ought to thanke God alwaies for you brethren as it is meete because that your faith groweth excedingly and the loue of euery one of you toward another aboundeth The first part of the Epistle is gratulatorie and consisteth of thanks giuing for thankes are giuen vnto God as the giuer and confirmer of those benefites After this manner the Apostle for the most part beginneth all his Epistles giuing thanks with them vpon whom the gift of Iustification is bestowed Alwaies He meaneth that he hath daily new occasion ministred to him of giuing thankes vnto God For you brethren That is to say on your behalfe for your constancie and increase in spirituall thinges putting the persons for the things as we shal see
they questioned with him of the ende of the worlde For â—e exhorteth them to prepare themselues â—o harde conflictes And after that hee â—ath spoken of great and strange calamiâ—ies with the which the earth should be â—ell neere wasted and spoyled Mat. 24. hee adâ—eth that the ende commeth not yet but â—hat these thinges are the beginninges of â—orrowes After the same manner Paul â—lso pronounceth that the faithfull must â—ight a long time before they can obtayne â—he Crowne But the defection or departure which â—n Greeke is called Apostasia signifiâ—th a flying or running away like vnâ—o that of souldiers which forsake theyr Captayne or of subiectes which refuse â—o yeeld their due obedience to the ciuill Magistrate and ordinarie power Euen â—o in like maner when the fault of defectiâ—n is committed in the Church a two fold â—reason is committed The first is when men depart from the fayth of the promises of the Gospel For we are so tied to â—hem that we ought not to forsake them â—n like maner we haue God through them fauourable vnto vs and at the last bound vnto vs. The second is when the duâ— woorshippe of God which he hath commaunded is forsaken or by any manner of meanes violated For by faith in Christ we are made Christians and the people of God from the which when we doe fall we are made runawayes Apostataes and whatsoeuer else saue the people oâ— God In like manner they which deparâ— from the obedience of Gods commaundements are rightly called the congregation of the wicked and the name of Christians or of the people of God cannot be defended rightly to apperteine vnto them And the wickednesse of either of these defections is encreased when the profession of strange woorshippings is ioyned therewith of the which God hath commaunded nothing at all especially when they are fained to be done to the honour of him oâ— when they are said to be such as deseruâ— the fauour of God and of the gifts of remission of sinnes and of euerlasting life or else when they are affirmed to be necessarie and such as cannot be omitted with out sinne For they are contrarie to thâ— faith in Christ and to that woorshippeâ— which God himselfe hath commaunded This therfore is a notable place and worthy to be marked This was a sore and perilous temptation which might quaile the most couragious to see the Church which with so great labors by little little very hardly was erected in a meane estate sodenly as shaken downe with a tempest to fall Paul therefore doth afore hand arme not onely the mindes of the Thessalonians but also of all the godly that when it shall befall the Church to be dissipated and scattered they be not terrefied as with a new and strang thing But because the interpreters haue diuersly wrested this place we must first of all indeuour to get the true and proper meaning of the Apostle He demeth that the day of Christ shall come before such time as the world shal be fallen into Apostasie or defection and the kingdome of Antichrist shall haue gotten place in the Church That properly is not the defection when as there shal be a departing â—way from the Roman Empire as many â—aue thought Apostasie defined but Apostasie or defection â—s a departure from the faith in Christ and from the puritie of the Euangelicall doctrine and a declining to false worship according to the fantasies of men And thus they are Apostataes which forsake the Christian faith seruing idols and delighting themselues with ceremonies deuised by men Exod. 32.6 Euen as when the Israelites worshipped the Golden calfe being wearied with the long absence of Moses and declining from the prescript law of God becaÌ„e Apostataes Paul therfore calleth a treacherous defection from God apostasie and the same not to be of one man or of a fewe but such a defection as extendeth it selfe farre and wide in the greater multitude of men For seeing the apostasie is named without any addition it cannot be restrayned vnto a fewe Now no other can be vnderstood to be Apostataes but such as haue afore time giuen their names to Christ and to his Gospell Paul therefore foresheweth a certein generall defection of the visible Church as if he should say the Church must be brought into foule and horrible decay before the full restoring thereof doe come Hereby we may easily gather how profitable this Prophesie of Paul is For it might haue seemed not to haue beene the Lordes buylding which sodainly was ouerthrowen which lay so long tâ—me in ruine and decay if so be Paul had not long-before shewed that this shuld come to passe These 400. yeeres are to be accounted from the time of Pope Gregory the 7. vntill the time of Martin Luther From Gregory the 7. to this present yeere are expired 511. yeeres or thereabout Yea many men at this day waying with themselues the long time of the Churches declining and desolatioÌ„ vnder Antichrist which continued by the space of 400. yeers at the least doe beginne to wauer and doubt as if this came not to passe by the determination and counsell of God The Papistes to couer the tiraÌ„nie of their idol the Pope make this excuse that it could not be that Christ would so long time forsake his Church But the weake haue here wherewith to susteine themselues when they doe heare that the deformitie of the Church which they behold was so long agoe foreshewed But the impudencie of the Papistes is manifestly conuinced because the Apostle pronounceth that there shall come a defection when the worlde is brought vnder the gouernment of Christ So that the defection is a treacherous falsehood by which men depart from the Christian faith and from the woorshippe which God hath commaunded or else when straung and Phariseicall woorshippings are instituted And it was meete that such a defection should be admitted by the subtil practises of deceiuers which preach and teach wicked thinges before such time as Christ should come for a punishment to the vnthankfull and vnbeleeuing but to the godly for a triall and exercise of their faith Whereby also a way was made to Antichrist to inuade the Church and to oppresse the libertie of the same and that enimie of the Churches of Christ and aduersarie vnto God raygning the defection grewe more and more For he came to seduce destroy the world with the woorkes of error The fault of of this spirituall defection is also spoken of by Christ in these woordes Luke 18.8 Act. 20.29 2. Pet. 2.1 Iude. a. 4. 1. Tim. 4.1 When the sonne of man commeth thinke ye that he shall finde faith on the earth The authors and maisters of which Apostasie in the Church are the professors of false doctrine Concerning whom the Apostles spoke many things aforehand And that that man of sinne be disclosed The Apostle here putteth down two signes of the comming of Christ namely a departure
maiestrates The teachers and defenders of these and such like opinions which are contrarie to the worde of God are Apostataes the followers of Antichrist The increace of these kind of men is a plaine token that the last day approcheth And exalteth him selfe against all that is called God The Pride of Antichrist The other wicked qualitie of Antichrist is to extoll himselfe aboue all that is called God By which Paul meaneth that Antichrist shall violently take to himselfe those thinges which are proper to God alone as to exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that 〈◊〉 woorshipped that religion and the whole woorshippe of God may lie vnder his feete For the Apostle doth not speake here of the name of God but of his maiesty and worship and so generally of al those thinges which God chalengeth to himselfe As if Paul had said That is true religion by which the true God alone is worshipped This religion the son of perdition transferreth vnto him selfe Now whosoeuer he be that hath learned out of the Scriptures what thinges are most proper vnto God and shall on the contrary part behold and consider what the pope vsurpeth to himselfe although he be but a child of ten yeeres of age he shall take no great paines in learning to knowe Antichrist Esay 33.22 Iames. 4.12 The Scripture pronounceth that God alone is the Lawe-maker who can saue and destroy the onely king to whom it belongeth to rule and gouerne mens soules by his word It teacheth that righteousnes and saluation are to be sought at the handes of Christ and no where els and it sheweth the manner way how There is none of these thinges which the Pope doth not challenge to himselfe in waye of his right He boasteth that it is in his power to binde mens consciences with wha◠lawes he lusteth and to subiect them to eternall punishments He is woorshipped of kings as a good and faithfull Pastor of the Church he being a most wicked deceiuer And although he performeth no one duty of a good shepeheard but doth all things contrary to the duty of a good Bishop yet he is proclaymed the most holy most vigilant Pastor of the Church yea which is more the Lorde and head of the Church who hath authoritie and power to prescribe articles of faith and to make new lawes for the performing of them But he condemneth the true and pure doctrine of the Gospell as wicked and hereticall so farre off is he from healing any man with the doctrine and consolations thereof and from inuiting any one to true and christian repentance And yet for all this it is not lawfull for any man to say without perill so much as why doest thou doe this But he hath at hand those which will defend him that he doth all things wel and which wil be ready seuerely to punishe those which shall reprehend him These are called inquisitors of hereticall wickednesse which will not suffer a man so much as to mutter against the Pope who notwithstanding fayneth sinne where there is no sinne and proclameth rightuousnesse where there is none at all He either appointeth new Sacraments at his pleasure or else he corrupteth those which Christ hath already instituted And why not if it be true which one hath concluded in the Parliament of Popes at Rome That God holdeth for well done all that is done of the Pope Popish blasphemies that his will is the rule of all right and righteousnesse that he can absolutely doe in this worlde all that God can doe seeing he is all and aboue all thinges that if he chaunge his purpose it is to be presumed that God chaungeth his that his power extendeth it selfe to heauen and to earth yea and downe to hel that none may appeale from him to God that he may ordaine against the Epistles of saint Paul as greater then saint Paul and against the olde Testament as greater then any authors therof And yet one hath gone further who hath disputed whether he may ordaine any thing contrarie to the Gospel whether he haue not more power then Peter whether he were simplely a man or as God To be breefe the Diuell hath gone so farre in this misterie of iniquitie that another disputed in the scooles not long afore Luthers time whether the Pope did not participate in both natures the diuine and humane with Iesus Christ What I pray you is to exalt it selfe aboue all that is called God if it be not this which is done by the Pope and his ministers The Pope spoyling and robbing God after this manner of his honor leaueth vnto him nothing but a bare and naked title transferring his whole power vnto himselfe And this is euen that which Paul now addeth saying So that he doth sit as God in the Temple of God Now the Apostle doth more openly discouer the pride of Antichrist Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God because he hath his kingdome in the same that is to say playing the false Prophet and the deceiuer he doth inwardly commaund the Church and playeth the king or rather the tyrant where he ought not Such a kingdome hath not Mahomet nor the Turke as is already said that it may be either said or thought to be the kingdome of Christ or of the Church of Christ for that kingdome hath beene gotten and enlarged hitherto by warres and by seditions and he doth set vpon the Church without But the dominion of the Pope constituted and erected by fraud and superstition is said to be the kingdome of the Church of the elect of God and of Christ Iesus and he by his tiranny and iniquitie doth spoile all thinges belonging to Christian religion He is thought to be a godly Pastor which is altogether a theefe a spoyler and a most greedy rauening woolfe In these fewe words of Paul their error or rather wilfull blindnesse is sufficiently confuted who will haue the Pope therefore to be Christes vicar because he hath his place and seate in the Church by long succession how wickedly soeuer he behaue himselfe For Paul doth not place Antichrist elsewhere then in the very sanctuary of God because he is no forraine but a domestical enemy which is an aduersary vnto Christ vnder the name of Christ Christians or rather the hearts of Christians are the temples of God Iohn 14.23 as appeareth by sundry testimonies of Scripture 1. Cor. 3.16 2. Cor. 6.16 In this temple of God Antichrist sitteth when he bindeth their consciences with his lawes when he commaundeth dayes and monethes and times to be kept when he wil haue some dayes to be fasted and some to be kept holy vpon paine of displeasure of the omnipotent God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul He putteth great holinesse in vestments in shauen crouns in chaunting of quiremen in adorning of temples in vnctions and such like In the obseruation of such thinges he teacheth men to put their confidence
There are beside these many wicked teachers which thrust in many peruerse and fanaticall thinges in their doings as the Anabaptistes Libertine Epicures Atheistes and such like Wherefore the Church ought to pray for the ministers of the worde that they may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men For all men haue not faith The reason whereby he proueth that vnreasonable and euill men are enemies and persecutors of the worde of God is taken from faith which is the singular gift of God For God calleth many which doe not come in faith many also doe faine to come but they are farthest off in heart But Paul doth not speake of euery one for the Thessalonians did see that very many did forsake the faith yea they sawe how small the nomber of the beleeuers was Wherefore this had beene superfluous to be spoken but Paul denieth that all they which professe the faith are faithfull in deede For many are called Mat. 20.16 but fewe are chosen If thou doest comprehend all the Iewes they seemed to be neere vnto Christ who ought to haue knowne him by the lawe and the Prophets But Paul in very deed doth especially note those with whome he was afterward to haue to doe And it is very like that these were they who hauing a shew and name of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3. were notwithstanding far from the same Hereof came the conflict Therefore if it shall fall out that thou haue to doe with vnreasonable and euill men of the which there are alwayes a great multitude thou shalt consider that faith is no common thing and that the same is not giuen but to Gods elect to such as are predestinate vnto eternall life Whereupon it is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 Therefore when we doe heare that the Church is troubled with wicked factions let this be our buckler against such stumbling bluckes of offence For we shal be often times iniurious not onely to godly teachers if we doe doubt of their faith so often as domesticall enemies doe trouble them but also our faith shall afterward wauer except we shall remember that many are vnfaithfull among them which boast of the name of Christians Many therefore haue a counterfeit faith forsomuch as al do not beleeue the Gospel 3 But the Lorde is faithful which will stablish you and keepe you from euill He hath spoken of the perils with the which some men might be turned away from the faith For there are many vnreasonable and euill men which doe vexe the Church of God many wayes and doe destroy and corrupt the same either with wicked doctrine either with profane ordinances or else with the crueltie of persecutions Therefore the Apostle hath added another speciall consolation by which they which haue beleeued the Gospell and are in the foresaid troubles may hope well for the presence of Gods helpe For it cannot be that God will faile such but will strengthen them and deliuer them from euill Moreouer because it may be that their mindes being terrified with sinister rumors they came into some doubt of Pauls ministerie after that he hath admonished them that faith is not alwayes to be found in men he calleth them backe vnto God and saith that he is faithfull which will confirme and strengthen them against all the practises of men with the which they shall goe about to assayle them As if he should say they indeed are false and vntrustie but yet God is able inough to hold you vp that you doe not fal The summe is this he affirmeth that the Thessalonians through the helpe of God shall abide in the faith and withall he declareth that constancie in the faith is the gift of God He calleth the Lorde faithfull which is constant in the defending of the saluation of his chosen which helpeth them in due time and neuer forsaketh them in perils After the same manner we doe see that the Church is often times afflicted is in great perils of afflictions and temptations and yet notwithstanding the same is preserued deliuered out of all euils For God is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you are able to beare For as he alone is able so he will helpe them that are tempted and strengthen keepe them that they be not ouercome in the afflictiōs of tribulatiōs Therfore our faith and pacience is to be exercised in aduersities and al the godly must looke for helpe frō God who wil not faile to helpe them in due conuenient time 4 And we are persuaded of you through the Lorde that ye both doe and will doe the thinges which we commaund you These words are in effect thus much we speake these things not that we doubt of your constancie nay we are assured of you through the helpe of the Lord Iesus that ye will doe those thinges hereafter which we commaund you to doe This forme of speaking if we aptly vse we shal preuaile more with them with whom we haue to doe then if we vrge them with sharpe reprehensions and harde threatnings for it is not the office of a teacher of the Gospell to vse alway sharpe threatnings and reprehensions neither yet at all times gentle and milde exhortations but herein to be discrete according to present occasion that he may retaine them in Godlinesse whom he hath vnder his charge to reforme And by this preface Paul maketh a way for him selfe to the precept or commaundement which he giueth in the sixt verse following For the confidence and perswasion which he saith he hath of them made them much more prompt and ready to obey then if he had required their obedience as distrusting or doubting of them Through the Lorde Paul doth not leane so much in perswasion on the Thessalonians as he doth in trust cōfidence on the most faithfull God And therefore he sayeith that this hope which he hath conceiued of them is founded in the Lord because it belongeth vnto him to bowe the harts of men vnto submission to retaine them in the same Or else herby he would declare which is more likely that he did not intend to commaund any thing but that which he had receiued warrant for from the Lorde Therfore he determined thus with him selfe that both his commaunding and their obeying should be in the Lorde Wherefore whosoeuer doe not retaine this modestie doe in vaine pretend the example of Paul to bind tie the Church with their lawes Peraduenture also it may be that he had a regard to maintaine the reuerence of his Apostleshippe among the Thessalonians though the wicked went about to deface the same 5 And the Lorde guide your hearts to the loue of God and the waiting for of Christ In these wordes the Apostle wisheth vnto the Thessalonians helpe strength from the Lorde that they may doe those things which he commaundeth them out of the word of the Lorde The ende of this
the knowledge of mortall men to himselfe alone so on the contrarie part they ought to beware of that securitie which made the foolish virgins to be secluded from the ioye of the bridgrome Mat. 25. and to be vigilant because they know neither the day nor the houre 2 That yee be not sodenly moued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirite nor by worde nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of Christ were at hand By this worde mind he vnderstandeth a sound faith which is grounded vpon wholesome doctrine For they had beene carried and rapt as it were into a traunce and astonishment by this forged imagination which the Apostle reiecteth He reherseth here three kindes of deceit of the which he would haue the Thessalonians to take heed The first of which is this Neither by spirit That is to say by reuelation or prophesie by which vngodly men haue deceiued many boasting of the spirit of God when as they were led by their wicked desires and lustes They knew that the name of the spirite was honorable and that it brought great authoritie and credit to prophesiyng Wherefore as the manner of the Diuell is 2. Cor. 11.14 to traÌ„sforme himselfe into an Angel of light so the deceiuers had stollen this title to deceiue the simple withall And although Paul might haue pulled this visor from their face yet he thought it better by way of concession to speake thus As if he should say howsoeuer they pretend to haue the spirite of reuelation yet beleeue them not according to the saying of Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 4. Prooue the spirits whether they be of God or no. With such a spirite sometime the Montanistes and Valentinians and now the Catabaptistes were and are endued by which they haue greatly deceiued the simple Therfore the Apostle would not haue the faithfull to be moued from holesome doctrine Gal. 1.8 though an Angell come from heauen and teache otherwise then he hath taught already Nor by worde The other kinde of deceit is by worde that is to say by doctrine deliuered by the mouth the which if it be furnished with eloquence and probabilitie it is most pestilent Such are those sophisticall deceiuers which gadding to and fro from place to place without calling doe cause great sturre and doe greatly trouble the godly preachers and are therefore aptly termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a subtill kinde of deceiuers Nor by letter The third kind of deceite is by counterfeit Epistles or writings For it is the manner of wranglers to counterfeit an Epistle vnder the name of some excellent man to the end they may deceiue and may get that commended by the authority of man which els comming naked would not be receiued Hereby theÌ„ it doth appeare that this impudency hath beene practised long since to counterfeite the names of other men Whereby the mercy of God toward vs appeareth the greater and more woonderful that Paul being yet liuing and seeing his name falsly abused in forged writings his Epistles notwithstanding haue been preserued safe and sound vntil this age Verily this could not so come to passe neither by chance nor yet by the industry of men if so be God by his power had not suppressed Sathan and al his ministers By this sathanical practise which Paul here condemneth it cannot be told how filthily certaine lewd varlets haue deluded the Church of God who haue thrust vpon vs many bookes and manie moe Epistles and decretals as if they had come from the Apostles or from Apostolicall men or else from such writers as were had in greate estimation for their learning and holinesse which writinges notwithstanding these good men neuer knewe and if they were liuing would neuer allow For there are carried about Canons and Decretals of Rome certaine Canons of the Apostles certaine Epistles of Apostolicall men and many other bookes beside bearing the name of Augustine or Ambrose which bookes these men neuer saw And yet notwithstaÌ„ding there want not some who taking this place for their ground and warrant will thurst vpon the Church of God whatsoeuer they list obiecting that all thinges are not reuealed in the Scriptures which are necessarily required to true pietie and godlinesse because mention is here made of spirite of worde and of an Epistle by which say they a more absolute doctrine hath beene reuealed to posterities But these men do not see that this same very place doth forewarne men that they be not seduced from a sound faith already receiued by the traditions of men which these men couering with the visor of spirit worde and of Epistle decretal or of Apostolical and most holy doe enforce vpon vs. For thus they offer vnto vs their Masses and all other thinges which they are not able to prooue by the testimonies of Scriptures ernestly affirming that they were iustified by Apoâ—tolical tradition afterward confirmed â—oth by the Epistles of Apostolicall men also by the reuelation of the holy Ghost Let vs therefore beware of these rauenous woolues Mat. 7.15 which being couered with sheep â—kinnes doe come to no other ende but to â—rouble rent and deuoure Let vs faithâ—ully hold and keepe the minde of Christ â—nd the sound and Apostolicall groundes â—f holesome and true religion So shal we â—e deceiued by no manner of meanes As though the day of Christ were at hande This place semeth to be conâ—rarie to many other places of Scripture where the holy Ghost doth pronounce that day to be at hande But they are easily recoÌ„ciled for in respect of God it is at hand Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 3.8 with whom one day is as a thousaÌ„d yeers a thousand yeers as one day Neuertheles the Lord would haue vs daily to wait looke for the same not to appoint vnto our selues a certaine time Watch saith our Sauiour Christ for ye knowe not when the time is Mar. 13.33 But these false Prophets whom Paul confuteth seeing it stood them vpon to hold mens mindes in suspence least they shuld be wearied with the tediousnes of delay commanded them to be carelesse concerning the short speedy comming of Christ 3 Let no manne deceiue you by anye meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition Paul againe admonisheth the Thessalonians to beware that they bee not deceyued that hee might make them the more vigilaunt and heedefull to themselues and that he might discourage and dismay those whiche laye in wayte to hurt the simplicitie of such as beleeued That daie shal not come except To the end the Thessalonians might not in vayne promise to them selues that the day of their redemption was at hande he propoundeth vnto them a lamentable prophesie of the defection and dissipation of the Churche to come This agreeth with that sermon of Christ which he made vnto his Disciples when
from sincere doctrine and from the true vnderstanding of wholsome doctrine and a reuelation of that defection or departing What he ment by the former signe we haue already shewed Now we must intreate of the latter signe that is to say of the reuelation and originall of Antichrist And to the end the disciphering of this beast and monster may appeare the more plaine we wil first begin to describe the place secondly Antichrist described by 3. thinges the person with his names and thirdly his qualities The place and seate of this monster Antichrist is Rome in Italie The place or seat of Antichrist as shal be proued by the 17. chapter of the Reuelation of S. Iohn the 9. verse where the Angell expounding to saint Iohn the misterie of the beast with seuen heades euidently declareth that those seuen heades doe signifie seuen hils whereon the woman sitteth Tâ—â—n this being manifest that the woman signifieth a great Citie Let vs see where we can finde a great Citie builded vpon seuen hils and that by the interpretation of the Angell is Rome is Babylon Babilon or Rome the seate of Antichrist Now in all the world there is not a Citie to be found builded vpon seuen hils but Rome in Italy which all writers Poets Historiers Cosmographers with one consent doe coÌ„fesse to be Rome which is builded vpoÌ„ 7. hils whose names are these Palatinus Capitolinus Auentinus Exquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis and Caelius This is so euident a demonstration of Rome to be Babilon builded on 7. hils that the Angel could not more plainely haue expressed Rome though he had named her But if any man vpon peeuish obstinacie will except that the worde of hils haue another signification and are taken metaphorically for some other thing he may easily be conuinced by this reason that this interpretation of the Angell must either be plaine and easie to be vnderstood or else it deserueth not the name of an interpretation Therefore if the Angell going about to expound the misterie of the seuen heades giueth this exposition that they signifie seuen hils if hils be not taken in their proper sence to what purpose serueth this exposition For if the name of hils hath neede of another exposition he had beene as good to haue left the name of heads vnexpounded Therefore except we will say that the interpretation of the Angell is in vaine we must needes confesse that hils are taken in their proper sence for hils and then the Citie builded vpon seuen hils without all controuersie is the Citie of Rome Moreouer in the last verse of the 17. Chapter of Iohns Reuelation the Angel in plaine wordes saith that the woman which Saint Iohn saw which was the great whoore of Babylon is that great Citie whiche hath dominion ouer the kings of the earth What brasen face is so impudent as to deny that Rome was that great Citie which had dominion ouer the kinges of the earth at that time when this was spoken Or what other Citie had dominion ouer the kinges of the earth in saint Iohns time but Rome Irenaeus a most ancient doctor of the Church the scholler of Policarpe and Policarpe of Saint Iohn disputing of Antichrist sawe him no where else but in the Citie of Rome The numbring of the beastes name by the greeke letters λ 30. α 1. Ï„ 300. ε 5. ι 10. ν 50. ο 70. Ï‚ 200. Tertul. aduers Martion lib. 3. And therefore he remembring the last verse of the 13. chapter of the Reuelation where it is said that the number of the beasts name is sixe hundred sixtie and sixe sheweth that the opinion of many in his tyme was that seeing this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English signifieth the Latine man or Romane in the numeral Greeke letters it contayneth this number that Antichrist must be sought at Rome This opinion of Irenaeus is about 14. hundred yeres old Tertullian also a very auncient writer plainly affirmeth that Babilon signifieth Rome And Chrysostome vpon this Epistle to the Thessalonians saith thus Towards the declyning of the Romane Empire Antichrist shall comme and not without cause For so long as this Empire shall florish none will easily be subiect vnto it But this being destroyed he shal inuade the power of the Empire being void and shal take it to him selfe insomuch as he will take vppon him the Empire both of God men For as all kingdomes which were before the Romane Empire were destroyed euen so shall the kingdome of the RomaÌ„s be destroyed by Antichrist S. Hierome also writing to Marcella Hier. in prefat lib. de sancto spirit This Babylon saith he and this whoore clothed with purple which is painted foorth vnto vs in the Apocalyps can signifie no other thing vnto vs then Rome And Augustine saith Aust lib. 18. de ciuit Dei cap 2. Babylon is the first Rome and Rome the second Babylon By these other testimonies of old writers which might be alleaged it is manifestly proued that Rome in Italie is Babylon the seate of Antichrist Concerning the person of Antichrist there haue bene diuers fantasies and opinions some by a foolishe opinion haue thought that Antichrist shuld be one onely man which should come of the tribe of Dan and should be borne in Babylon and shoulde raigne certeine yeeres to the great detrement and hurt of the faithfull Some haue deemed Mahomet to be this Antichrist who hath alienated his Turks from Christ Othersome haue dreamed that Nero was translated out of the woorlde to come againe an Antichrist with his tiranny to vexe the Church But Paul doth not speake here of one man but of a kingdome which Sathan shall inioy and possesse Mat. 24.15 that he may set vp the seat of abhomination in the middest of Gods temple Now it is manifest that the heathen Emperours Nero the rest did not sit in the Church of God therfore the heathen Emperour is not this Antichrist And by the same reason it is manifest that Mahomet is not that especial Antichrist because he sitteth without the temple of God Againe it is manifest in the Scriptures that Antichrist should deceiue the worlde with false doctrine vnder pretence and colour of true religion and therefore so often times the scripture forewarneth men that they bee not seduced by him which were needlesse if any open professed enemie of Christ shuld be that Antichrist For there is no liklihood that an heathen man a Iew or a Turk should deceiue any multitude of true Christians but he that vnder the pretence of the name of Christ seeketh most of all to deface the honour of Christ he is a very subtill aduersarie and the very spirit of Antichrist as Saint Iohn also in his Epistle doth testifie For in the second Chapter speaking of those Antichristes which were the forerunners of that great Antichrist 1. Iohn 2. he sheweth that they went out from the Church 1. Iohn 4. and in the
fourth Chapter he calleth them false Prophets and teacheth men how to know the spirit of Antichrist namely thus He that denieth Iesus to be Christ He that denieth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh That is to say he that derogateth any thing from the honor of Iesus to bee Christ and in his fleshe to haue performed the full worke of mans redemption as the Pope doth most blasphemously he is Antichrist and who so teacheth any such doctrine speaketh by the spirite of Antichrist Furthermore this kingdome of abhomination is described to vs vnder the person of one because the kingdom is one how soeuer they successiuely succeede one another Whereupon Saint Augustine saith August lib. 20. de ciuit Dei cap. 19 Antichrist shall come towarde the ending of the Romaine Empire and hee shall not be a prince or one man alone but a multitude of men are belonging vnto him who together with him shal be called Antichrist and he shall sitte in the temple of God as though he and his were the Church of God it selfe And in an other place Idem lib. de Antichristo He shal renue idolatrie he shal scater the doctrine of the Gospell and to this end he shal keepe Magicians coniurers and enchauÌ„ters c. Now euery one knoweth the fals miracles wherwith he hath abused the people to lead them away from Christ And he that will see how many of the Popes came to their Popedome by magicke and sorcery let him reade that which their owne storie writers haue written therof as Cardinal Benno Peter the monk Volateran Sabel licus Platina Thus then we see the Antichrist is not one man alone which must come at one instant of time but is an estate seat and succession of men an Empire lifted vp against Iesus Christ And for this cause he is called Antichrist that is to say contrarie to Christ the mediator and not simplely against God For as he is called Antistrategos not only which setteth him selfe against his captaine but also which taketh vpon him the place authority of the captaine being in deed but a base souldier euen so he is Antichrist which is an aduersary and yet taketh vpon him to be the vicar of Christ The Apostle also in this Epistle calleth him The man of sin Because he is both sin and a sinner and an occasion to others to sin and which maketh others yea infinit numbers to sinne He calleth him also The sonne of Perdition Whereby he meaneth that Antichrist is not onely of himselfe euill wicked sinfull prophane far from all goodnes and so the sonne of euerlasting perdition but also a deceiuer to the faith manners of an innumerable sort an offence so the author and cause of their perditioÌ„ whom he seduceth from the way of truth and of righteousnes For he is in all things contrary to Christ In priuate personal wickednesses he is hurtful to himselfe onely sauing that he is enforced through his owne wickednesse to be hurtfull to others also Therfore we must know the Antichrist is a certaine publike mischiefe and pestilent ctoÌ„agion that doth inuade and raigne in the Church of God 4 Which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God In these words the Apostle Paul doth paint forth vnto vs as in a table The qualities of Antichrist the liuely Image of Antichrist in his qualities By which woordes wee may also gather what his kingdome is and in what things it doth consist Hee attributeth to Antichrist three vices especially namely To be an aduersarie vnto God and his diuine doctrine Not to be coÌ„tented with the true worship of God And to be proud to rule ouer faith as if he were some God For as the kingdome of Christ is spirituall so this tyranny must needes bee ouer mens soules that hee may bee contrary to the kingdome of Christ Therefore that thou maiest the better knowe Antichrist set Christ ouer against him For he is an aduersary vnto Christ vnder whose tyrannie execrable dominion they doe liue which despising the simplicitie and trueth of the Gospell of Christ may giue credit to wicked and diuelish delusions Such are they that deny remission of sinnes to such as repent which ascribe saluation to their gooâ— works which haue falsely forged the meâ— sins are â—purged with purgatory fire whiâ—â— disgrace the authority of the scripture whicâ— preferre Councelles Archbishops and certaine Bishops before the canonicall scripture which take libertie to them selues to adde to or to subtract from the worde of God which put no difference between theologicall or diuine and philosophical sayinges which preferre an olde custome before the worde of God which boldly affirme that an assembly of Bishops is the Churche which saie that their Church caÌ„not erre which earnestly mainteine that the keyes of bynding and loosing are granted to the whole churche which build the Church vpon Peter and not vppon the rocke Christ which will haue the primacie of the Church a Lordship and not a ministerie which make their Pope a Bishop of Bishops for the mainteinaunce of tyranny which in making and appointing of Bishops require the iudgment of courtiers onelie which scorne this that all Christians are kings and priestes as from that number exempted which condemne â—he marriage of the ministers of the word 〈◊〉 it were with the Censors authoritie which doe not see that their good workes whatsoeuer without faith are sin which do not leaue the pardoning of sins to God alone and to his worde which make another manner of satisfaction in repentance then Christ himselfe hath done which doe allow that the masse is a sacrifice a iustifiing good woorke which pronounce that Christ died only for originall sinne and not for all sinnes in generall which sing dyrges for dead mens spirits which haue iudged that remission of sins is to be redeemed with buying of indulgences by going on pilgrimages which alter the institution of Christ in the Lords supper which abuse excommunications for another cause then to make the penitent sinner confesse his sinne which in matters and causes of faith quite without the reach of humane reason doe attribute a certaine strength to free will that is to the will and power of men which will not haue men iustified before God by faith only which giue great and diuine honour to pictures images of saints which defend that it is necessary for the obtayning of euerlasting life to make choise of dayes of meates which flatter themselues that they are able to fulfill the lawe of God without Christ which make a lawe concerning virginitie and single life which doe not thinke that chastitie is the gift of God which forbid oathes in causes of faith and godlinesse which torment mens consciences with humane precepts which discharge subiects of their obedience vnto
and for the neglecting of these thinges he commaundeth them to repent To such as keepe his statutes he giueth fat benefices prebends and dignities maistershippe and doctorship with seraphicall holines large indulgences a yeere of iubile promising remission of all their sinnes and euerlasting life but such as keepe not his lawes he depriueth of their goods of all honor banisheth them if it were possible out of the worlde he killeth them he cursseth them and adiudgeth them to eternall damnation although they haue kept if it might be al the commandements of God But here it may be demaunded how a den of so many superstitions can be called the Church 1. Tim. 3.15 which ought to be the pillar of truth I aunsweare it is so called not that it retaineth all the qualities of the Church but because it hath some remainder or remnant Thus our sauiour Christ called the Church a sheepfold for the shepes sake notwithstanding that the greater part were Lions Beares and Woolues So Hierusalem is called the holy Citie notwithstanding that the greatest parte were wicked So the Church is called a corne feelde and yet the greatest parte is chaffe darnell tares In like manner it is the temple of God where the Pope ruleth though it be defiled with an infinite number of sacrileges Shewing himselfe that he is God By these words the Apostle meaneth that the pride of Antichrist shal be so great that exempting himselfe from the number and order of seruants and ascending vp to the tribunall seate of God he will take vpon him to commaund not by humane thoritie but as it were by diuine power 5 Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these thinges The Apostle putteth the Thessalonians againe in minde of the doctrine which he deliuered vnto them of the dissipation of the Church to come And this confirmeth the doctrine that they had heard the same aforetime from his mouth lest they might thinke that it was deuised for a time And whereas he did admonish them so timely of the kingdome of Antichrist of the ruine and decay of the Church which should be in time to come when as yet there was no question moued concerning these thinges no doubt it seemed to be a doctrine most profitable to be knowne And in very deed so it falleth out They to whom he spake were to see many things which troubled them but when the posteritie did behold a great part of those which had professed Christ his Gospell as men stricken with a wood fury to departe from godlinesse and to runne headlong into distruction what could they doe else but stagger and stand in doubt But here was a brasen wall that God had so appointed because the vnthankfulnesse of men had deserued such vengeance Here we may see how forgetfull men are when their eternall saluation is in question We are also to obserue and note the humanitie of Paul who hauing iust cause to be angry doth neuerthelesse gentlely reprehend them For this is a fatherly checke As if he should say what doe you meane to suffer false teachers to trouble you and to turne you away from beleeuing my preaching Remember those thinges which I told you beforehand cōcerning these matters when I was yet with you in Thessalonica For I intreated and disputed of the Apostasie and abhominations of Antichrist and of the comming of the iudge Christ in glorie 6 And now ye knowe what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his time The Apostle in these wordes preuenteth an obiection which might haue beene made thus What cause is there why we should not beleeue that the aduersarie of Christ doth now reigne and is already come when we see that al the Potentates of this world do by all manner of meanes gainsay and resist the name of Christ and his doctrine To this the Apostle aunsweareth ye know what is the let or cause of delay Many vnderstand this to be spoken of the Romane Empire Because as the Monarchie of Babylon was ouerthrowne by the Medes and Perses and againe the Macedonians hauing vanquished the Persians enioyed the monarchie and at the last the Macedonians were subdued by the Romanes euen so Antichrist shall violently take vnto himselfe the vacant Dominion and rule of the Romane Empier These thinges are most true as touching the historie but yet the meaning of the Apostle was otherwise namely that the doctrine of the Gospell should haue passage from place to place vntil such tim as almost the whole world were made giltie of obstinacie and malitious wickednes For there is no doubt but that the Thessalonians had heard this impediment whatsoeuer it was from Pauls mouth afore time for he putteth them in minde of those thinges which he had taught them afore time when he was personally present Very many as the forerunners of Antichrist sought diligently in the time of Paul and of the other Apostles to ouerthrowe the doctrine of the Gospell with their lies and deceiueable sleights euen as Saint Iohn writeth that there were already many begunne to be Antichristes And yet notwithstanding as yet Antichrist was not fully reuealed To whose full accomplishment appertaine blasphemies sharpe and cruell persecutions heresies and such other like impieties All which thinges when the Gospell had been preached throughout the worlde were in due time reuealed Paul therefore preached vnto the Thessalonians concerning the vniuersal calling of the Gentils that to all sortes of men the grace of God was to be offered that Christ wold make a passage for his Gospell throughout all the worlde to the ende the empietie of men might the more appeare and be more plainely conuinced Therefore this Impediment let and delay whereof Paul speaketh was to be made vntill the Gospell had ended his full course because the free calling vnto saluation ought to be first in order Therefore he addeth In hys time Because vengeance was to follow and take place when grace was reiected as in very deed it came to passe 7 For the misterie of iniquitie doth already woorke onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way The reason why Antichrist shall not be reuealed now but in his time is taken from the circumstance of time vntil which time Antichrist shall raigne by Gods permission Paul teacheth that Antichrist hath at no time ceassed but hath alwayes laboured to intangle and ensnare the Church of Christ and hath also gone about in the very times of the Apostles to set abroch his practises of iniquitie For as yet sathan was not so strong that Antichrist could openly assaile oppresse the Church therefore priuilie and by stelth he sought to doe that which afterward in due time he would doe openly For then he did but lay the foundations secretly vpon the which he might afterward reare his building as it came to passe And hereby that is more fullie confirmed which we haue already said that no one man is noted
is the loue study and earnest desire of the trueth especially of that doctrine which is deliuered in the Gospel concerning our eternall saluation through Christe This trueth the Papists doe impugne with no lesse crueltie then they haue alwayes done the professours thereof 11 And therefore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes The Apostle stil proceedeth with the punishment of incredulitie and impenitencie by which two vices it commeth to passe that some doe speake against the doctrine of truth saluation He doth not onely say that men shall beleue errors but also that the reprobate shall be blinded in such wise that without all iudgement they shall runne headlong into death For as God doth inwardly illuminate vs with his spirite that his doctrine may be effectuall with vs and doth open our eyes and heartes that it may pierce and enter therin euen so by his iust iudgement hee deliuereth those ouer into a reprobate sence whom hee hath appointed to destruction that with closed eyes and dulled minds as men voyde of sence astonished they may yeelde them selues to Sathan and to his ministers to be deceiued And being seduced they are most perilously beguiled because when they doe beleeue that they are in the way of righteousnesse of trueth and of saluation they doe walke in the waye of iniquity of lies and of euerlasting destruction And in very deed we haue a manifest spectacle of this thing in the papacie It cannot be told what a woonderfull heape of errors are therin what grosse and shamfull absurdity of superstitions and what doting dilusions and dreames farre from common sence All they which haue but a meane tast of the sacred Scriptures cannot somuch as thinke of those monstrous thinges without great horror How commeth it to passe then that all the world is astonished in such wise that they cannot see them but because the Lorde hath striken them with blindnesse turned them as it were into sencelesse blockes For deceiueable sleights are effectuall in them because the Diuell worketh together in theÌ„ blinding the minds of the vnbeleeuing that the light of the glory of the Gospell which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. might not shine vnto them Therefore we must obserue and note in this place that impietie lyes errors sectes and heresies with such like are punishments of the contempt of Gods worde For God is not wont to suffer the contempt of his worde to escape vnpunished but doth most grieuously take vengeance on the same that men may knowe that there is no dallying with God So our auncestors were punished with deceiueable wayes in the myst of darkenesse for the contempt of the word because they beleeued lyes Now we may easily gather by examples already past what is to be feared will befall vs vnthankfull men at this day for the contempt of the Gospell of Christ 12 That all they might be iudged which beleeue not the truth but haue approued vnrighteousnesse That is to say that they might suffer the punishment due for their impietie and perish by the iust iudgment of God So that there is no cause why they that perishe should any manner of way laye the blame vpon God because they haue gotten that which they sought for For we must remember what Moses writeth that our heartes are tried and proued when false doctrines are published by deceiuers because they doe not preuaile with any but with those which doe not loue God with their whole heart Deut. 13.3 Therfore they which loue vnrighteousnes shal reape the fruite thereof So Christ said vnto the Iewes Iohn 5.40 But ye wil not come to me that ye might haue life I receiue not prayse of men But I knowe you that ye haue not the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not If another shall come in his owne name him will ye receiue When the Apostle saith here That al he giueth vs to vnderstand that the contempt of God is not excused by their great rout and multitude which refuse to obey the Gospell For God is a iudge of the whole world who will as soone take vengeance vpon a hundred thousand as vpon one man But haue approued vnrighteousnesse He expoundeth by an Antithesis or comparison what it is not to beleeue the truth And the Greeke participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a willing promptnesse vnto euill and therefore it is translated of some But had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hereby all excuse is taken from the vnthankeful seeing they take so great pleasure in vnrighteousnesse that they prefer the same before the righteousnesse of God Now if we doe compare with these woordes those things which seducers and the seduced Papistes doe account to be their great prayse we shall easily see what is the chiefe reward which is due to them namely most fearefull wrath and double condemnation â—or they will not beleeue the truth but dâ—â—light in vnrighteousnesse and in impietie being sedused by the prince of daâ—â—â—es and by Sathan the father of lyes â—s far concerning the crueltie and iâ—â—â—â—ie of Antichrist concerning of the â—euils which he hath brought into the Church by wicked doctrines and by the oppression of the Gospell of Christ 13 But we ought alwayes to giue thankes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth The Apostle hauing before declared certaine horrible thinges which might terrefie and trouble the hearers minde doth now comfort the heartes of the faithfull and doth more plainely segregate disseuer the Thessalonians froÌ„ the reprobate least their faith might wauer with the feare of the defectioÌ„ to come Howbeit his intention was to prouide not onely for them but also for posterities to come neither doth he only confirme them that they might not be carried into the same ruine with the world but also by this câ—â—parison he doth the more coÌ„mend the 〈◊〉 of God towards the that whereas 〈◊〉 behold almost the whole world to bâ—â—ed headlong together as it were 〈◊〉 â—iolent empest they by the hand o◠〈◊〉 liued in a quiet and firme state of lâ—fe Thus it is conuenient to behold the iâ—â—â—ments of God in the reprobate that theâ— may be as it were looking glasses vnto vs to consider his mercie toward vs. For we must make this accoumpt that it commeth to passe onely by the singular grace and fauour of God that we in like manner doe not perishe miserably with them Brethren beloued of the Lorde He calleth them so that they may the better consider that they are for no other cause deliuered from the vniuersall distruction of the worlde but because God hath freely loued them Of this fauour and grace of God Moses remembred the Iewes saying Deut. 7.7 God hath not therefore so greatly exalted you because you were more mightie or
and firme inheritance is in the power of some Lord. To this ende pertaine these places Psal 2. â— Aske of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thyne inheritance and the vttermost partes of the earth for thy possession Againe Act. 20.28 Christ hath purchased a Church to himselfe by his blood For God hath called vs that we might be a glorious and peculiar people of Iesus Christ a holy nation innocent immacylate which might honor and worshippe God and that God himselfe might dwell in the heartes of those that worship him The which ought to allure vs to holinesse of life For God hath not called vs to lust and vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and sinceritie and that we might be his holy temple 15 Therefore brethren stand fast and keepe the instructions which ye haue beene taught either by word or by our Epistle This is the conclusion in tho which the Apostle requireth perseuerance both of faith and also of manners or of good workes And therefore he bringeth in this exhortation very aptly vpon the premisses because our constancie and power of perseuering doth leane vpon the trust and confidence of Gods grace For when God doth call vs to saluation by reaching foorth as it were his hand vnto vs when Christ doth offer vs to inioy and possesse himâ—â—lfe by the doctrine of the Gospell whâ—â— the holy Ghost is giuen vnto vs as a â—eâ— and pledge of eternall life although heauen should fall we ought not to feâ— or be discouraged For he commanâ—â—h the Thessalonians to stand fast nâ—t onely when others doe stand but also when they saw almost all men to fall away from the faith and all thinges to be full of confusion to abide neuerthelesse then in their state And in very deede the calling wherewith God doth call vs ought so to arme and confirme vs against all offences that the vniuersall ruine of the world should not shake our firmenes For we must stand like souldiers which are placed in their aray to fight against the enimies of Cristianisme For constancie and the power of perseuering is necessary for vs without the which it shal profite nothing that we haue once begun well in the exercises of Godlinesse And kepe the instructions which ye haue beene taught There are some which restrayne these wordes vnto the ordinances of ciuill gouerment amisse for he sheweth the ma◠〈◊〉 of standing fast But it is a matter of greater importance then externall dâ—scipline Paul therefore calleth all hose thinges instructions which by hiâ— teaching the Thessalonians had leaâ—â—ed that is to say the doctrine of the Gospell concerning true repentance towardes God and concerning true faith in the Lorde Iesus For it was not lawfull for the Apostle of Iesus Christ to teach any other thing And the writings of Paul do sufficiently shew what matter he did especially teach and how he is to be imitated of al the Godly teachers of the Church For he followed that order of teaching which Christ deliuered vnto him being neither inferior nor contrary to any other Apostle in doctrine The Papistes doe abuse this place for the defence of mens traditions And they frame their reason thus if it was lawfull for Paul to commaund traditions it is also lawfull for other teachers to doe it likewise and if it were a Godly thing to obserue them then is it meet that these be no lesse obserued But admitte that Paul spake of the precepts which appertained to the externall gouernment of the Church yet we say that they were not made or ordayned by him but commaunded of the Lord. For in another place he testifieth that it is not his purpose to insnare the consciences of men euen as it was not lawfull for him 1. Cor. 7.35 nor for any of the Apostles to doe it So that we doe acknowledge that we ought to receiue the Apostolicall traditions euen as well as the written Epistles but yet we doe not acknowledge that all they are Apostolicall traditions which those men thrust vnto vs vnder the title of Apostolicall Therefore they shew themselues very vndiscrete in going about to defend the filthy heape of their superstitions vnder this title as if they were the traditions of Paul But the traditions of Paul are not contrary to his written Epistles as the traditions of these men are contrary vnto the writinges of the Apostles But we will leaue those trifling toyes seeing we haue the sincere meaning of Paul And it may be iudged partly by the Epistle what manner of traditions they be which he commendeth For he saith Either by word That is my sermons my preaching or present instruction Either by Epistle What doth that contayne but pure doctrine which doth vtterly ouerthrow all Popery and all other fayned thinges which are contrary to the simplicitie of the Gospell 16 Now the same Iesus Christ our Lord and our God euen the father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace The Apostle hauing exhorted the Thessalonians doth now according to his manner blesse them and pray for them thereby to make them more firme and strong Teaching thereby that all Christian vertues and perseuerance therein are giuen vnto vs of God and that therefore we haue need daily to pray vnto God for the same gifts Therefore by this prayer he doth preuent the Thessalonians of a doubt that they might not be carefull where to get strength constanly to abide in sincere doctrine Neither is it negligently to be pretermitted that Paul testifieth that our Lorde Iesus Christ is the giuer of those gifts with God our father For thereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that he is God and that he doth bring to passe with God the father that we do profite and perseuere in euery good worke And he doth withall admonish vs that we cannot otherwise obtaine any thing from God then by seeking the same in Christ himselfe Also for so much as he prayeth that God would giue vnto them those thinges which he had commaunded he thereby sheweth how little exhortations doe preuaile except God doe inwardly moue mens hearts Verely mens eares should heare onely a vaine sound if so be the holy Ghost should not make the doctrine effectuall And our God the father which hath loued vs. Euen when we were enimies how much more shall he loue vs Rom. 5.10 now that we are reconciled through Iesus Christ his sonne This the Apostle addeth to make the Thessalonians the more assured that God would giue vnto them those thinges which he prayed for And hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation This eternall consolation which he wil haue alway to remaine in his church is the doctrine of the Gospell the preaching of remissioÌ„ of sinne through Christ And good hope The name of euerlasting consolation and of good hope tendeth to this end that the faithfull may assuredly looke for an euerlasting continuance of gifts He addeth Through grace to exclude mans
merits for the giftes of the holy Ghost are giuen vnto vs through the free grace of God only of the which we speake the more often that no man might proudly boast him selfe of the merits of his righteousnesse Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou saith Paul which thou hast not receiued Moreouer the Apostle hath very artificially comprehended the whole sūme of the Gospell in this verse namely that God hath loued mankinde and hath giuen euerlasting consolation vnto him Iesus Christ who is our hope and that he hath giuen it him through his grace and not for our merit that we liue for euer But what is the Apostles petition it followeth 17. Comfort your heartes and stablishe you in euery worde and good worke He prayeth for the Thessalonians that God so gentle and louing a father would sustaine and comfort their heartes with his consolation against all stumbling blocks and offences by which they might be brought into doubt and dispaire For it belongeth vnto him to comforte and strengthen the heartes of his faithfull seruantes that they might not faint through carefulnesse or distrust And stablish you in euery worde Then he prayeth that God would confirme them in holsome doctrine For this is the worde whereof he speaketh and not of any common worde that it may agree with that which went before And good worke This parteyneth to the whole course of a good and holy life wherein the faithfull ought to perseuere Wherefore all the duties of a Christian man are comprehended in these two partes namely that they doe abide as well in holesome doctrine as in good manners of life The which they cannot performe without the grace and helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ Who saith Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing That is to say without my power and strength working in you And in another place it is said that we are framed by Iesus Christ vnto good workes Ephe. 2.10 which God hath prepared that we should walke in them These therefore are those good fruites which doe spring from a sanctified brest through the holy Ghost and a true faith Heb. 11.6 without the which it is not possible to please God Finally Saint Paul hath so tempered this his prayer that withall he hath prescribed what becommeth the Thessalonians namely that they giue themselues continually to all good words and good works that they doe perseuere in euery good worke but especially that they do acknowledge Christ to be the onely hope and euerlasting consolation of all the faithfull for euer CHAPTER III. 1 FVrthermore brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified euen as it is with you This is the last part of this Epistle which comprehendeth foure exhortations of the which one is the supplication of the Church the which is very necessarie and profitable For although the Lord was mightily present with the Apostle and that he did exceed al others in the feruencie of prayer yet neuerthelesse he doth not neglect the prayer of the faithfull with the which the Lorde will haue vs holpen We in like manner after his example ought alwayes to require this helpe and to stirre vp the faithfull to pray for vs. For there is nothing more auaileable with God then faithfull prayer That the worde of the Lord may haue free passage For two causes the prayer of the Church is here required of the Apostle The first is for the happie successe of the Gospel that the same being preached to other nations might be no lesse estemed then it was of the Thessalonians Therfore by these wordes Paul sheweth that he hath not so much care and consideration of him selfe as he hath of the whole Church For why doth he desire to be commended to the prayer of the Thessalonians That the doctrine of the Gospel might haue his course Therefore he would haue them to haue respect not so much to him alone as to the glorie of Christ and the common saluation of the Church And the worde of the Lord is said to haue free passage when in preaching and in doctrine it hath no let but happie successe insomuch that many beleeue it and beleeuing it doe glorifie God and are saued And be glorified He desireth that the worde of God may haue his force and efficacie to reforme men into the Image of God Therfore holines of life and integrity in christians is the beauty of the Gospell euen as they doe bring infamie and slaunder to the Gospell professing it with their mouth and liuing neuerthelesse filthylie and wickedlie Mat. 5.15 To this ende partaine the exhortations of our sauiour Christ of Peter and of others 1. Pet. 2.12 in the new Testament Euen as it is with you That is to say after the same manner forme and happie successe For this ought to be a great incouragement to the Godly that they may see all other men like to them selues in godlinesse Therefore they which are already entered into the kingdome of God are commaunded to pray daily that the same kingdome may come so farre off they ought to be from enuie when they do heare that others are come to the knowledge of the truth 2 And that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith This is the latter cause why the Apostle requireth the prayers of the faithfull The truth indeed was preached but in the meane time there sprange vp diuers scismes among them also which would seeme to be the embracers of true religion And the publike enimies of religion did both banish the truth and did also most cruelly persecute them which were maintainers of the truth neither did there want certaine hypocrites and false brethren which were worse far more pestilent thē they vnto true godlinesse For it is truly said that a counterfeit frend is much more hurtfull then an open enimie Wherefore Paul desireth to be deliuered from such For by vnreasonable and euill mē he meaneth those which vnder the name of christians lurked in the Church or else the Iewes which through a mad zeale of the law furiously persecuted the gospel For he knew how great harme was like to come by them both And this saying of the Apostle may be extended to all manner of perils For then Paul was going to Hierusalem and did write being in the middest of his iorney But it was already told him from aboue that bondes and persecutions wayted for him there Act. 20.23 From the which he doth desire to be so deliuered that he may ouercome whether it be by death or by life But now at this day the ministers of the word haue the Pope and Papistes for their principall aduersaries which are in dede vnreasonable and euill men which doe hinder the course of the doctrine of the Gospell with their accusations and doe destroy so much as lieth in them the fruit glorie of the word of God preached
Lorde Iesus that working with quietnesse they eate their owne bread and cease to be grieuous vnto others and let them be ashamed that they haue filthily and wickedly wasted and spoyled the goods of the Church Let them forsake their office and commit the charge of ecclesiasticall ministration to meete and worthy men least they bring destruction to others and much lesse let them vexe the Churches through their wicked censures vnprofitable lawes and hurtfull constitutions Or else if they will still retaine their offices let them do that which becommeth their Apostolicall charge let them serue the honor of Christ and let them not want any thing concerning the doctrine of the Gospell let them haue care of the pore and preserue scholes for the maintenance of godly learning For those Bishoppes and Pastors which are negligent in these thinges doing the contrarie are vnprofitable and hurtfull and not to be tollerated in the Church of God Finally this place maketh against the Anabaptists who deny that it is lawful for a Christian man to haue any thing of his owne But Paul commaundeth euery man to worke quietly that he may eate his owne bread 13 And ye brethren be not weary of well doing The third exhortation is concerning well doing and liberalitie the which is very necessarie in the conseruation of a well ordered Church But the purpose of Paul in this place was simplely to meete with a stumbling blocke which might come of the negligence of a few For it is commonly sene that men which of themselues are very liberall when they see that they leese their benifites in bestowing them amisse doe withdrawe their hand Paul therefore exhorteth vs how vnworthy soeuer many be or how greatly soeuer some doe abuse our liberalitie that we doe not therefore cease but doe helpe still those which haue neede of our helpe Gal. 6.6 Thus in another place he saith Let vs not therefore be weary of well doing for in due season we shal reape if we faint not This sentence is worthy to be noted howsoeuer the vnthankfulnesse frowardnesse pride peuishnesse and other indignities may wearie vs yet we ought to goe forward still in well doing and neuer be discouraged from the same There are many places of Scriptures which do commend liberalitie towards the poore especially these Esay 58.7 Mat. 25.40 Luke 6.38 and 11.41 and 16.9 Prou. 11.25 and 19.17 and 21.13 and 22.16 and 28.27 1. Tim. 6.17 14 If any man obey not our sayings note him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed This is the last exhortation concerning the punishment of the disobedient He hath already testified in the sixt verse that he doth commaund nothing but in the name of the Lord. Wherfore he which will not obey shal not be disobedient vnto man but rebellious against God himselfe Therefore he teacheth that such are sharpely to be punished and first of al he requireth that he may vnderstande of their names by a certayne epistle that being admonished by Paul and more vehemently terrified they might returne into the right way Furthermore hee commaundeth that they bee excommunicated that being made ashamed they may repent Whereby we gather that their fame is not to bee spared which can not bee otherwise reformed but by the discouering of their wickednesses but we must take heede that wee shewe the diseases to the Phisition which hath a care to heal them But the apostle speaketh especialy of those which liued lewdly in idlenesse of whom we haue already spoken And haue no company with him There is no doubt but that hee speaketh of excommunication For as the confused disorder which he noted before deserued a seuerall punishment euen so contumacy is a vice intollerable Before he had sayd Verse 6. withdraw your selues from thē which liue disorderedly And now he saith keepe no company with such because they do reiect my admonition Hee doth therefore expresse more in this second speach then hee did in the former For it is one thing to withdrawe himself from the company of a man and another thing vtterly to forsake the company of one The same is this that he excludeth them from the common company of the faithfull because they being admonished did not obey Whereby we are taught that the discipline of excommunication is to be vsed against all incorrigible and obstinat persons which will not bee reformed vntill they being subdued and tamed do learne to obey That he may be ashamed Ecclesiasticall Discipline is not appointed to destroy but to saue Wherefore the sinner is not vtterly to bee forsaken and shaken off but hee is so to bee shunned that being secluded for a time from the companye of the faythfull hee maye at the last repent There are also other endes of excommunication as that the contagion maye not further increase and that the pryuate wickednesse of one man doe not redounde to the commonne shame of the Churche and also that the example of seueritie may cause others to feare but Paul hath here touched one thing only namely that they which haue sinned may through shame be drawne to repentance For they which haue pleasure in their wickednesse are hardened more and more therein thus sinne is fostered through indulgence and dissimulation This therefore is the best Remedie to make the sinner ashamed that he may begin to mislike of himselfe This of it selfe without further proceding were to small purpose for a man to be ashamed but Paul had regarde to a further proceding as that the sinner being made ashamed with the acknowledging of his filthines might therby perfectly be reformed For shame is a profitable preparatiue to the hatred of sin euen as is the sorrow whereof mentiō is made in the seuenth Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians verse 10. Wherefore they are to be restrayned and checked with this bit which are vnrulie lest boldnesse doe increace by impunitie 15 Yet count him not as an enimy but admonish him as a brother Because excommunication is instituted to a good and profitable ende the same must be executed according to charitie and not of hatred and euill will Therefore the disobedient are to be shunned not as enimies but they are to be warned as brethren otherwise being forsaken they might be discouraged or else might more obstinately withstand Christian societie Therefore they being warned as brethren excommunication is a meane to bring them to repentaunce For it cannot be but that seueritie exceding a measure doth exulcerate fret Therfore if we will doe good gentlenesse and lenitie must necessarilie be vsed that they which are reprehended may neuerthelesse know that they are beloued And this end of ecclesiasticall discipline is especially to be noted For the Apostle would not haue vs to abhor others that we might preferre our selues before them in holinesse or pleasing our selues might shew tyranny toward the miserable but that the sinner being reprehended of vs may descend into himselfe and
may acknowledge the filthines of his wickednesse and so beeing made ashamed may repent For this is not the ende of excommunication to depriue and sequester for euer men from the flocke of Christe but rather to call them home agayne to the same which were wandring out of the way But if the malice of him that hath sinned be such that hee will not repent then let deliberation be had by what meanes the obstinate sinner may best bee holpen that eyther he himself do not wholy perish or els that hee doe not corrupte others with his scab 16 Nowe the Lorde of peace giue you peace alwayes by all meanes The Lorde bee with you all This is his farewell by which he first wisheth vnto them peace aswell externall as internall from God the authour of peace then he wisheth vnto them the helpe of God against the assaultes of Inuasions of Christianisme Last of all hee desireth that they may haue saluation and good successe of all thinges through Christe our Lorde Hee calleth GOD the Lorde of peace because hee is the authour and giuer of concorde of lenity and of charity euen as Sathan is the Prince and authour of discorde contentions brawles of enuy and of dissimulations The Lorde bee with you all By this petition hee wisheth to the Thessalonians the protection and defence of the Lorde As if he shoulde saye The Lorde bee your guide and gouernour who protect and defende you and so prosper all your affayres dispose order and direct al your doings that they may bee to the honour of his name and profitable to you and to the whole Church 17 The salutation of mee Paule with my owne hande which is the token in euerye Epistle So I write Heere agayne the Apostle prouideth for that perill whereof hee hadde made mention in the seconde Verse of the seconde Chapter goinge beefore leaste those Epistles of the false Apostles beeinge falselye intituled myghte bee craftielye conueyed into the Church For this was an old practise of Sathan to thrust in false forged writinges to discredite those which were in deede true And further that by the false titles of the Apostles he might spread abroad wicked errors to corrupte holesome doctrine But it came to passe by the singular goodnesse of God that his subtill deceits being made frustrate the holsome and pure doctrine of Christ by the ministerie of Paul of others is come vnto vs. Paul therefore very prudently prouided by that subscription of of his owne hand that the certaintie and truth of the Apostolicall letters might be approued to all men That no man afterward might complaine that he was deceiued and bring the sacred scriptures into doubt Thus I write That is to saye this is the order and forme of wordes of the which I am wont to frame my salutatiō the which I vse as a certaine signe and token of my Epistles And for so much as he did constantly teach all nations that mankinde was saued by grace he taking his signe or subscription from that principall point of religion subsigned the same note of faith at the ende of all the Epistles writing as followeth in the 18. verse The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Prophesies prouing the Pope to be Antichrist Apocalips Chap. 13. verse 11. AND I behelde another beaste comming vp out of the earth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as did the Dragon And he doth al that the first beast could do in his presence and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worshippe the first beast whose deadly wound was healed And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men And deceiueth them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of those signes which he had power to doe in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwel on the earth that they shold make an image to the beast which hath the wound of a sworde did liue And he had power to giue a spirit vnto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed And he causeth all both small and great riche and poore free and bond that he should giue them a mark in their right hande or in their foreheades And that no man mighte buy or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beast other the nomber of his name Here is wisedom Let him that hath wit count the nomber of the beast for it is the nomber of a man and his number is sixe hundred sixtie sixe ALthough the Popes friendes doe applie this Prophesie to Mahumet and the Turkes yet it shall appeare by certaine reasons following that it doth necessarily appertaine to the Bishop of Rome and none other The first reason is for that this beast is discribed to beare the hornes of a lambe By the which lambe no doubt is ment Christ By the hornes of the lambe is signified the outward shewe or resemblance of Christ which shew or resemblance can haue no relation to Mahumet for that he taketh himselfe to be aboue Christ and Christ as an excellent Prophet of God sitting at his feete Wherefore seeing Mahumet commeth neither as equall to Christ nor as vicar vnder Christ this prophesie cannot agree in him but onely in the man which openly and in plain words protesteth that all Christes lambes and sheepe not singularly but vniuersally through the whole worlde are committed to him as vicar of Christ and successor of Peter and that al men must cōfesse the same of necessity or else they are none of Christs sheepe Wherin it is easie to see where the pretenced hornes of the lambe doe grow The second reason And he spake like the Dragon c. A lambes hornes and the mouth of a Dragon doe not agree togeather And as they doe not agree togeather in nature so neither can they be found in any one person either Turke or other so liuely as in the Bishop of Rome When thou hearest him call him selfe the Apostolicall Byshop the vicar of Christ the successor of Peter the seruaunt of Gods seruauntes c. Thou seest in him the two hornes of a lambe and woulde thinke him to be a lambe indeed and such a one as woulde washe your feete for humilitie but heare him speake and mark the behauiour condition and propertie almoste of all the Popes which haue beene these sixe hundred yeeres and what Dragon or serpent coulde be more viperouse then their owne doinges and woordes can speake agaynst themselues The thirde reason And hee doth all the power of the first beaste presently before his face and causeth the earth and all the inhabitantes of the earth to honor the first beast the stripe of whose deadly wound was cured c. In this prophesie two thinges are to be noted
indifferent that they will acknowledge the reward which is due vnto the ministers of the word But rather such is the malice of some that although they doe giue nothing of their owne yet notwithstanding they doe grudge them necessarie liuing as if they were idle men Othersome by the example of Paul doe contentiously affirme that nothing is to be payed at al to godly Bishops and ministers but these men if they would consider the circumstances of the place time and persons and for what causes euery thing was done they should wel see and know that Paul did this for no other cause but onely for charitie that others might not be offended It is certaine that he receiued nothing of the Corinthyans but for the false Apostles sake he neglected his owne power and libertie least they hauing Paul for their example might therby haue some colour to excuse their gaine For it is most certaine that Paul tooke contribution of the brethren of Macedonia And anone he will declare Phil. 4.25 that he departed from his proper right when he tooke no stipend Whereby he giueth to vnderstand that it is lesse tollerable that they which doe nothing should liue of contribution He writeth also 1. Cor. 9.13 that they must liue of the Gospell which preach the Gospell and also that they must be had in high reputation through loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5.13 1. Tim. 5.17 And in another place he saith that they which gouerne well are worthy of double honour The like almost is to be red in the Epistle to the Galathyans Gal. 6.6 Heb. 13.7 And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is written Remember those which haue the ouersight of you which haue declared vnto you the worde of God There are very many testimonies to proue that necessarie maintenance Luke 10.7 a stipend double honour contribution prebends and benifices belong vnto the ministers of the Gospell Mat. 10.8 And whereas some aleadge this sentence Freely ye haue receiued giue freely the same is nothing repugnant to the former sentence which is That the labourer is worthy of his hier For in this place two things are commaunded first that the disciples should comfort the weake and put away diseases without taking any mony for the same because they did it by the power of Christ who would not haue the giftes of the holy Ghost to be sold as appeareth by the example of Simon Magus The second is that the due hier and reward be giuen to the labourer To Christ also and to the Apostles the necessarie maintenance of life was giuen by others as appeareth in the Gospell of Luke Luke 8.2.3 But let vs returne againe to the wordes of Paul who addeth saying 9 Not but that we had authoritie but that we might make our selues an ensample vnto you to follow vs. As Paul intended to giue an example by his labour least slothfull men should like idle droanes eate vp the hony which belonged to the painfull bees euen so he would not haue his example hurtfull to the ministers of the word that the Churches thereby should defraud them of their lawfull maintenance Wherein we may behold the singular moderation discretion and humanitie of the Apostle and how farre he was from the ambition of those men which abuse their vertues and giftes to this ende that they may deminish the right of their brethren It was to be feared least the Thessalonians hauing the Gospel preached vnto them freely from the mouth of Paul in the beginning would according to the malicious nature of man make the same a law for other ministers Paul to mete with this preiudice and inconuenience teacheth that he hath power and authoritie to doe more then he did this he doth that he might not restraine others of their libertie And by this reason he would make the idle and slowbellies ashamed the more as we haue before touched For it is an argument from the greater to the lesse Therefore that right ought to be safely keept and defended as graunted from God and confirmed by the law of nature because the labourer is worthy of his reward Except the time occasion Luke 10.7 and other circumstances perswade to the contrarie For then the minister of the Gospell must be content to leaue some parte of his right least he giue offence to the Gospel of Christ For what wil come to passe if they that be teachers through coueteousnesse wil depart from nothing Therefore it is euident enough how far Paul would haue his example to be followed in that he would not be sustayned with the cost of the Church For in all thinges we ought to seeke especially the glorie of the Gospel and it belongeth vnto charitie that we endeuour our selues not to be grieuous and offensiue to any It is not lawful to be too chargeable and costly to the Churches neyther is it lawfull for the Churches to refuse to giue and contribute liberally to their ministers when they are able Concerning the which matter read more in the 9. Chapter of the 1. Epistle to the Corinthyans 10 For euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate The reason why the Thessalonians ought to imitate Paul is taken from the institution going before concerning the not suffering of those which vnder the pretence of the Gospell follow idlenesse and oppresse others That if there were any which would not worke he should not eate This is the very law and ordinance wherof he spake in the sixt verse For seeing it is written Psal 128. Thou art blessed eating the labour of thy hands And againe The blessing of the Lorde is vpon the handes of him that worketh It is certaine that slothfulnesse and idlenesse is likewise cursed of the Lord. Also we knowe that man was created to doe some thing as not onely the Scripture testifieth but as nature also hath taught the Gentiles Whereupon they haue made many Prouerbs He that feareth the mil shal haue no meale Also there is no hony without the bee For he which cannot abide bees because of their prickes is vnworthy to possesse the hony Againe thou sufferest the which hurteth that thou mayest possesse the profite It is therfore meet right that they which exempt thēselues from the cōmon law which appertayneth to all men be also depriued of liuing and of the reward of labour These things if Kinges and Christian Princes had well considered foure hundred yeares agoe they had had more plentie of riches and fewer monkes For how doe the whole rowt and rable of the pouleshorne popishe clergie adorne the Gospell and what profite do they bring to the church the great multitude whereof what doth it containe but sluggish and idle persons lazie lubbers slowbellies couetous and ambitious Priestes fornicators and all manner of lewd and wicked persons men vnlearned and vtterly ignorant of the holy
Scriptures and beside this the most cruell enimies to the doctrine of the faith in Christ Who notwithstanding doe swimme in the welth and riches of the Church in other countries at their pleasure and liue like fatte hogges in the stye In whom most aptly are fulfilled these wordes of the Apostle 2. Pet. 2.12 They count it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season Spots they are and blots deliting themselues in their deceiuings in feasting with you hauing eyes full of adulterie and that cannot cease to sinne beguiling vnstable soules c. Moreouer by these wordes of Paul as with thunderclappes from heauen the rites ordinances and rules of begging friers and monkes being touched are ouerthrowne who being a counterfeit sort of pore do notwithstanding fill their bellies with other mens trenchers whom a man most truly may call idle droanes For this kind of beggery of all other is most wicked and vngodly and no better then a kind of rapine and theft Furthermore we must note that there are diuers kinds of labouring For whatsoeuer he be that doth any manner of way seeke to benefite the society of men by his industrie whether it be in gouerning a familie or in dealing in publique or priuate affayres eyther in counsayling or in teaching or by any other manner of way the same is not to be reckoned among idle persons For the Apostle here speaketh against idle droanes which liue by the sweate of other mens browes they themselues doing nothing to benefite the common wealth 11 For we heard that there are some which walke among you inordinatly and woorke not at all but are busie bodies Now he doth speake more plainely strictly of that which hetherto he hath spoken at large The cause sayth he why I do so greatly vrge these things is for that I doe heare that some do liue inordinately among you that is doing no woorke at all but curiously busying them selues It is very like that this kinde of slothfulnes was a certaine sede of idle monkery for euē in the very begining of the primitiue church there were some which vnder the colour of Religiō did rob other mens tables or els did subtilly drawe vnto thē selues the substance and riches of the simple And in Augustines time they had so greatly preuayled that hee was constrained to write a speciall booke against idle Moonkes wherein he doth iustely complaine of their pride who contemning the admonition of the Apostell doe not onely excuse them selues of infirmitie but also will therefore seeme to be more holy than other men because they labour not But this mischefe hath so increased and ouerflowed that slowe bellies haue almost possessed the tenth parte of the earth whose onely Religion is this to haue their bellies well filled and to giue them selues from labour to ease and pleasure And this vile kinde of life they commend with this title or that name of order But what doth Paule by the mouth of the spirit one the contrary parte pronounce verely he pronounceth them al to be irregular disordered with what title soeuer they be couered And woorke not at all but are busie bodies That is to saye liuing idlely vnder the cloake of the Gospell and hating others By these woordes he doth expound what it is to liue inordinately And he noteth a speciall vice with the which idle men are infected namely that they are troublesome to themselues and to others by being importunate medlers and busie bodies For we doe see by common experience that those men which haue nothing to doe are much more wearie doing nothing then if they were busie and occupied about a very serious worke They runne hyther and thither whether soeuer they come they make a shew of wearinesse they gather vp all the tales that they heare and busily disperse them abroad againe A man would thinke that they carried vpon their shoulders the waight of a kingdome Can we haue a more euident example of this matter in any other sort then in the monkes For what sorte of men are more vnquiet Where doth there raigne greater curiositie Also in this place those which are Bishops Pastors only in name are noted which haue no care of the Lords flock but are onely curious in those thinges which serue to maintaine voluptuousnes coueteousnesse oppression and such like 12 Therefore them that are such we commaund and exhorte by our Lord Iesus Christ that they woorke with quietnesse and eate their owne bread At the inormities of the Church men ought not to winke neither are idle and curious men vnder the pretence of the Gospell to be tollerated in the Church Therfore Paul vseth now a more seuere and sharpe reprehension least such men flatter themselues in that kind of life By our Lorde Iesu Christ To the end all men may know that he doth not cōmaund thē in his owne name but by the cōmaundement and authoritie of the Lorde Christ he hath added this Notwithstanding the worde of exhorting doth signifie that he doth not behaue himselfe imperiously or that he would rule but that he would doe all things according to his office That they worke with quietnesse He correcteth both those vices of the which he had made mention afore namely troublesome vnquiet medling and idlenesse from profitable labour First of all therefore he commaundeth that they imbrace quietnes that is to say that they do quietly keepe themselues within the boundes of their vocation For they are most quiet of all others which occupie themselues in honest labours but they doe both trouble themselues and others which haue no worke to doe Secondly he exhorteth them to labour that is to say that they busie occupy themselues diligently in their vocation and that they be doing in iust and honest exercises without the which the life of man is erronious Therefore to woorke with quietnes is to labor in their vocation without curiousity and so to follow their laboures that they doe not rashlye meddle in other mens functions And eate their owne breade Thereby he commaundeth that they eat their owne bread whereby hee giueth to vnderstand that they must bee contented with their owne that they bee not greeuous and troublesome to others Drink sayth Solomon the Water of thine owne cestern Prouerb 5. and of the riuers out of the middest of thine owne well Let thy fountaynes flowe foorth and the riuers of waters in the streetes This is the first rule of equity that no man vsurp that which is another mans but vse that onely which is his owne and which lawfully he may cal his own The second is that no man like a greedy gulfe do swalow vp al that is his by himself alone but that he be beneficiall to his neighbors do help their need with his abundāce Ephes 4 2◠Let al idle bellies consider these thinges and al bishops falsely so called abbots priors Moonkes and such like Let them heare I say the Apostle commaunding and exhorting by our