Of the end of the world and iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christe to come and of the moste perillous dangers of this our moste corrupt age and by what meanes the godly may auoid the harmes therof two sermons preached in latin in the assembly of the clergie by Henry Bullinger and now sorely englished by Thomas Potter ¶ Heerin are expounded the words of our sauiour Mat. 24. touching the end of the world the last iudgmeÌ„t Also the words of DaÌ„â—elin the 7. chap. coÌ„cerning the most troublesoÌ„e kingdoÌ„e of the Pope the end therof Finally the woords of the Apostle 2. Tim. 5. concerning the perils of the last times and the excellency and fulnes of holy Scripture Imprinted at London at the long shop in the Pultrie by Iohn Allde Of the end of the world the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christe to come and of the moste gréeuous perils of this our moste corrupt age or time ⧠The first Sermon of Henry Bullinger THE matter it self requireth and the examples bothe of the Prophets and also of the Apostles doo instruct vs that all our Ecclesiasticall preachings doctrines I mean admonitions rebukings exhortations counsails and comfortings are to be framed according to the time And moreouer that all Ecclesiasticall dooings are to be referred vnto edifying But if wée should now intreat and speak as the present time requireth and to the prophet of vs all who are moste of vs ministers of the Church and therefore are wee moste cheefely assembled héere to th'entent somewhat should bée said concerning the duety of our office that is moste principally requisit to knowe there appéereth to vs no matter more profitable nor more necessary then to admonish your holinesse ye Fathers and brethern honorable and most déerly beloued of the consummation of the world The preposition and the finall iudgement of Christe Iesus our Lord. And also as our speciall duty requireth diligently and ernestly to stir vp the people of Christe committed to our charge vnto a sober watchfulnes lest sudainly and vnwares the day of the Lord steale vppon them which vndoutedly cannot be far of and which our elders afore vs teachers in the Church abooue a thousand or ix hundred yéeres past did think to be at hand How much rather ought we vppon whom the ends of the world are come who also haue most manifestly séenful filled very many of the Prophesies that haue been set foorth concerning the end of the world and the things that should come to passe immediatly before the day of Iudgement to lift vp our heds knowing that our redemption euen now draweth néer Christe Iesus our Lord béeing yet a fauourable high Préest of the faithful on the right hand of his father but héerafter at the last a moste seuere and yet moste iust iudge of all the whole world graunt mée habilitie to speak duly vnto you and you grace plentifully to heare with frute to the glory of his name and edifying of his Church And because blessed Peeter the Apostle the cheef teacher of this Church and moste faithful Disciple of Iesus Christe our Lord saith If any man speak let him speak as the sayings of God I wil studiously indeuour to shewe foorth and with as much plainnes as I may to open my whole matter euen with the woords of Christe our Lord and with the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles For the holy Prophets in whom was the Spirite of Christe Daniel moste chéefely and Zacharias omitting Esay Ezechiel haue most diligently and copiously instructed the Church of God with their prophesies concerning the latter times of the world and the iudgement of Christe our Lord to come But Christe our Lord the light and fulfilling of the lawe and the Prophets hath so largely and so manifestly debated of these matters that if any man doo yet desire a more plain exposition may séem to séek at the Sun béeing of it self moste bright shining a light much brighter The ê“phecy of Christ touching the end of the world and the maner of the last dayes He béeing demaunded of his Disciples in the mouÌ„t Oliuet and in the sight of the most famoê° Citie of Hierusalem what should be the token of his coÌ„ming and of the end of the world Made answere That the holy Citie of Hierusalem should first of all be taken and laid flat to the ground and that the Iewes them selues should be led captiue into all nations Wath 24 And that the Gospel of the kingdome should be receiued of all natioÌ„s throughout the whole world And that afterward should false Prophets go abrode who with false doctrine and faied miracles should deceiue the world that vvith such prohability happy successe that euen the very elect should haue combrance thervvith Among other things he resiteth False teachers and false Christes and euen those Antichristes also that should forsake the very true Christe the sonne of the eternall God and should not sincerely vnto the faithful shew him foorth sitting on the right hand of his father but in the earth in the desert in sundry and diuers places and also euen En tois temeios that is to say in close and secret places in Chests and Ambries For the Grecians call Temeia secret and wel fenced places where treasures are laid vp also the hidden and priuy places of a house and the very Ambry or Spence And the little Sacrament houses diligently fenced with Locks and boltes the Popes men call them Ambries As sure as God is in the Ambry out of the which as out of an Ambry they bring foorth Viaticum their viage prouision or Howzel as they call it But our Lord in the Gospel with loud voice crieth out saying Do not beleeue them doo not go foorth doo not beleeue them Beeholde I haue tolde you before And héeer he addeth by and by that greeuous persecutions shall arise against the godly He saith that there shal be great troubles that there shall appeer tokens in the Sun in the moon and in the starres that some shal be greeued vvith great peÌ„ciuenes through despair that soÌ„e beeing dissolute vvaÌ„ton through to much a certain carelesse securitie shall be in that last day ouervvhelmed that the vvorld shal be about the end altogither such as it vvas before the flud in the daies of Loth vvhile the Giants Sodomites lay sleeping and snorting quietly in the dung of vvickednesse despising all the good admonitions of God giuen vnto them by the holy Fathers in so much the destruction came vpon them vnlooked for Paule the Apostle of Christe speaking also of that vngodly securitie 2. Thesse 5. Of the times saith hee at vvhat momeÌ„t our Lord vvil come to execute iudgement there is no need for mee to vvrite vnto you brethern For you your selues do plainly knovve that the day of the Lord vvil come as a theef in the night For vvhen they shall say peace and quiet safetie then
suddain destructioÌ„ shall come vpon theÌ„ as the pain of childe bearing vp on a vvoman in trauail and they shall not escape But our Lord in his Gospel procedeth with his Prophetical exposition Luke 18. saith moreouer Iniquitie shall abound and the loue of many shall wax colde so that the sonne of man vvhen he commeth shall scarcely finde faith vpon the earth Saint Peeter also fortelling of the extreme wickednes of this last age 2. Peeter 3. I stir vp your mindes saith hée to remeÌ„ber the vvords that haue beene spokeÌ„ heertofore by the holy Prophets and also the coÌ„maundement of vs the Apostles of our Lord and â—auiour This vnderstand ye first that in the last daies shall come mockers vvhich vvil vvalke after their ovvne lust and say VVhere is the promise of his comming For sins our fathers died all things continevv in the same estate from the beginning as they vvere first made Our Lord also in the gospel addeth moreouer to all these things That hee vvil come in his glory sudainly and vnloked for to iudge the quick the dead that hee vvil giue revvards of life to the godly vvil commit the vvicked to euerlasting Hel fire For as the lightning saith he coÌ„meth forth of the east and shineth euen vnto the vvest so shal be the coÌ„ming of the sonne of man Take heed therfor vnto your selues lest your harts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and with the cares of this life and so that day steale sudainly vppon you For truely it shall come vpon all the inhabitants of the earth like vnto a snare VVatch therfore praying at all times that ye may be counted vvorthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the sonne of man Verily in this place our Lord is earnest vrgeth so as in no other place more vehemently exhorting all people of all kindes and of all ages vnto a sober watchfulnes In Saint Mark. VVatch saith he for ye knovve not when your Lord vvil come Mark 13. vvhether in the euening or at midnighr whether at the cock crowing or in the dawning lest if he come sudainly he finde you sleeping In S Mathew hée setteth foorth very many parables so the intent hee might the more déeply fasten this thing in the mindes of all men For he setteth before vs An householder that vvatcheth lest the théef in the night breaking in to his house should steale away all his substance He setteth foorth A faithfull and wise seruaunt that ministreth meat in due time to the whole housholde committed to his charge On the other side he setteth against him a noughty Seruant vnthriftliy wasting his maisters goods and also very vniustly dealing against his felowe seruants moreouer drunken and vnwatchful not any whit regarding his maisters comming whom taken with the fault he dooth rent in péeces like a Traitor He setteth before vs Ten Virgins wherof fiue were sober and wise but th' other v. were foolish and slouthful and therfore shut out of the ioyes of the wedding Furthermore hée setteth before vs a certain Noble house holder that looke his iourney into a far countrey and yet first before his departure distributed his goods by Talents which he left to be occupied in merchandise for his gaines who bouÌ„d with euerlasting chaines his vnthrifty seruant wicked and slouthful And to euery parable he ioyneth a sentence right worthy méet to be grauen déeply in our harts VVatch therfore be cause ye knowe neither the day nor the houre in which the sonne of man vvil come But moreouer This doctrine of our Lord is to be vrged beare â— in to our mindes who can say that this doctrine vttered by our Lord and Sauiour concerning the last age and the iudgement to coome is combersome or obscure It is surely more cleere then the noone day vnto them that desire to be wise But vnto them that are blinde alwaies all things become darknes because of their owne accorde they procure vnto them selues eueÌ„ very extreme darknesse But this diligent carefulnes of our Lord and also this wholesome example ought to stir vp all vs his seruants vnto like desire of godlines to th' intent that wée may with great faithfulnesse and diligence stir vp also eueÌ„ the whole world béeing almost all in these our daies deeply fallen a sleep stir theÌ„ vp I say shake them and sharply with ernest calling on vrge them to watch pray and to consider throughly the doctrime of our Sauiour and finally to mark wel those things that haue béen doon in times past and those things also that are now doon in these our daies Verily those things that were foretolde by our Lord By a comparison the prophecy of Christe is made manifest we haue seen them euen in the very things them selues continually in long course of time to haue béen fulfilled For the holy Citie weried with the gréeuous séege of the Gentils at the length was taken spoiled set on fire vtterly destroyed scarcely any few tokens or prints remaining therof But those Iewes that perished not by famin pestilence and the sword were taken captiue by the Romains and dispersed into all nations throughout the whole world And also the Gospel of the kingdome in despite of the Iewes Gentiles and euen in despite of hel gates hath béen receiued throughout the whole world Furthermore we haue seen that there hath burst out of the déep pit of hel Apoca. 9. those great hepes of false prophets those deadly locusts which with moste corrupt and new kinde of doctrine he hath troubled vexed rent in péeces seduced yea and all so replenished with moste vnspeakable calamities the whole Church of Christe But if you as yet sée not these things consider more ernestly what I shall now say The foundnesse of doctrine is corrupted The simplicitie and integritie of the olde and Apostolike doctrine was in that deadly time vtterly corrupted It semed and is yet now adiudged by those Doctors to be a doctrine very vile vnséemly and nothing Catholik which béeing taken out of the moste sacred Gospell and moste simply and plainly set foorth vnto all men according to the example of the Apostles dooth teach that the faithful are iustified by the onely grace of God thorew faith in Christe or that sinners are acquited from damnation their sinnes forgiuen theÌ„ and euerlasting life obtained by the death of the soÌ„ne of God which benefits they receiue by faith onely and doo shew foorth testify their true faith by good woorks So shall it séem vnto theÌ„ a matter vnaduised and nothing plain if thou say that the rule of Christe alone is a moste absolute rule of true faith and good life also that Christe alone suffiseth vnto the godly And that he alone remaineth the Hed the King the high preest of the Churche in which he is present and which he ruleth very wel with his spirite and power euen vnto the
shaken the moste mightie Kings the Henries and Fridericks and their children and nephewes the Levvises and innumerable princes With the same the Pope hath subdued vnto him self people otherwise very fierce and couragious The same hath taken away the moste holy and moste learned men in the world and hath compelled the simpler and more vnlearned sort either vtterly to kéep silence or els to dissemble For at the length by this his outragious tirany be made kings and princes thrall and obedient vnto him so that all meÌ„ by hepes haue gréedely héertofore and now doo stil beare armor in defence of this new God and to maintain and by violence to force vppon all men his new Religion I doo fain nothing héerin neither reliue I my gaule neither speak I any thing for hatered or fauour of any man God the iudge of all men is my witnes in this behalf Moreouer all historyes bothe olde and new doo make mention of these things Finally what is doon in our daies and with what persecutions are oppressed not the blasphemers not the contemners of Religion not the adulterers not those that are defiled with incest with whordomes with fornications to speak nothing of more filthy acts not murderers not Sorserers not Traitors not deceitful persones couetous men Vsurers or Theeues and oppressors of widowes and fatherlesse children but the professors of the true Religion and the confutors of the Popes abominations They that doo not sée it and with gréef mark it are more blinde then the Iewes who wheÌ„ they heard this saying Christ when he commeth shall hee do mo miracles then this man hath doon and when also the thing it self did beare witnes in the meane while moste apparantly yet by no meanes did they beléeue in him Yea how is it that they more fréendly doo spare and fauour Théeues and murderers then the loouers of the Euangelicall trueth The Iewes are suffered and borne with all the Turks the Sarasens and the moste naughty and moste hurtful men of all The Gospellers alone beeing vnharmful are neuer thought worthy of any pardoÌ„ These onely séeme méet to be dispatched out of the way without any mercy So that héerin also thou maist perceiue Christes saying to be verified You shall be hated of all men for my names sake Also The time wil come that he vvhich shal kil you shall seem to doo honour vnto God Again who is ignorant with how great straitnes euen in the Papistrie moste cheefly in the Abbies are vexed men not altogither euil and many with troubled consciences Who knoweth not that God and godly men not a few pine away euen with very sorow But who shall recite vnto vs the age of late daies and in this our time notable and famous in signes â—â—uÌ„ders and straunge tokens I wil not now speak of the ciuil and forain warres seditions schismes sects debates tumults trecheries treasons vnfaithfulnes wiked leages mens crueltie moste extreme and destructions moste horrible and those not a few Of these things who cannot gather that faith and loue is become colde vpon earth and that extreme wickednes boyleth in the harts of men Furthermore we see that the world at this day beeing in such horrible dauÌ„gers is moste abundantly stuffed and replenished with such as despise God and make a mock of all trueth the moste religious that is to say they vnto whom this name is giuen and who haue their liuing gaines by Religion make Religion it self a very game Vnto vs it is a good perswasioÌ„ said that moste holy one which maketh vs Lords ouer the whole world And I am a shamed to rehearse those things that are spoken by learned and religious fathers in this kinde of matter The Epicures béeing a company of Swine doo laugh and plesantly make a iest at the looue of vertues and at the calamities which the faithful doo patiently sustain for Religions sake at the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the body also at the rewardê of the godly and punishments of the wicked and at those things whatsoeuer which are spoken conserning spirituall and heauenly matters More ouer we sée that the people of all sorts one with another are déeply drowned in a carelesse securitie and that therefore reigneth among them a monsterous looue of surfetting and drunkennes Moste men doo promise to them selues many hundred yéeres yet to come and therfore they make mery or els with dissimulation doo let passe all prechings of of repeÌ„tance of fasting and of sobriety of faith and of prayers of the end of the world now at hand of the eschuing the infection of euils Gene. 18. But if any doo somewhat fréely reprooue these Swine for their shameful filthines by and by he heareth that which Loth heard at the hands of his Citizins the Sodomites Thou camest hether as a stranger and wilt thou now be a Iudge among vs But I pray you which be the daies of Noe Loth if these be not they All good admonitions and the very woord of God it self are moste extremly despised What remaineth therfore ye fathers and brethern honorable in Christe and moste déerly belooued but that the last day of our Lord is not very far absent and that therfore all our shéep committed to our charge are to be exited and stirred vp vnto a diligent and sober watchfulnesse In vain shall we cry out when the very day falleth vppon vs. For it shall inuade vs vppoÌ„ a sudain like vnto a lightning Wherfore the mindes of all men must betimes afore hand be made ready and verily with none other doctrin thaÌ„ with the same of Iesus Christe our Lord of which I haue hitherto intreated with as much breuitie as I could Notwithstanding I doo aduise all men The day yeere of the last iudgemeÌ„t cannot be discerned héerin ernestly to take heed lest in scanning and sifting out of the time or els the day or yéer of the last end we be to bolde or rather to rash as soÌ„e lewd felowes there haue béen of late yéeres who haue as it were with their finger poynted out the day and the yéer of the finall iudgemeÌ„t therin shewiÌ„g forth their folly worthy to be mocked of all men Christe Iesus our Lord the iudge of all men who according to his Godhed Mark 13. vnderstandeth all the councels of his father said in the gospel of S. Mark Of that day and time no man knoweth no not the Angels which are in Heauen neither the Sonne him self as touching his humain nature but the father alone And a little after Ye knowe not when that time shal be Therfore as the Lord him self hath taught vs to speak so let vs speak and say Take heed watch and pray For ye knovve not when your Lord wil come in the euening or at midnight at the Cock crovving or in the davvning lest if he come vnwares hee finde you sleeping VVherfore vvheÌ„ ye shall se these things coÌ„e to passe vvhich I haue
yéeres and half a yéere in which Antichriste should rain and then afterward should be quite abolished But the doctrine of the Gospel is repugnant to that interpretation which constantly affirmeth that the day of iudgement is knowen vnto no man And Daniel also in the self same chapter saith that the beast shall rage vntil the seats be prepared that is euen vntil the day of iudgement And that he shall then be thrown down hedlong in to the déep pit of Hel and also that the faithful shal be deliuered and glorified who haue for Christes cause sustained all kindes of punishments Verily Paule agréeing with Daniel VVhom our Lord saith he shall put away with the brightnesse of his comming But who can certainly declare vnto vs the time of Christes comming that is the day of Iudgement But hée which shall say that Antichriste shall reign iij. yéeres and a half and straight wayes after be abolished may seeme to declare it plainly For the end of Antichristes kingdome is the very last day of the finall Iudgement Therfore by that dark kinde of speaking no time certain is appointed But rather the godly are admonished of patience and long suffering and that we should not ouer curiously séeke out the very moment of this time but rather refer it vnto Christe who saieth in an other place vnto his Disciples It belongeth not to you to knowe the times and moments of times which the father hath reserued vnto him self But vvatch ye that when your Lord shall come he may finde you vvaking After these things Daniel moste plentifully witnesseth that the world shal be at an end and that the day of iudgemēt shall certainly come and throwe down Antichriste in to Hel. Vpon which treatise Christ our Lord hath set foorth a large Commentary and an exposition by the hands of Iohn his Apostle in the xix and xx chapters of the Apocalips the which I leaue vnto your diligence to be serched out and for brevities sake I doo not ouer busily sift out this matter The conclusion And now I suppose it appéereth vnto you by the moste cleere doctrine of Iesus Christe our Lord and also by the euident sayings of the moste holy Prophets of God and by the plain interpretation of the moste select and chosen Apostles of Christe Finally the manifest comparison of the things them selues which partely the Histories doo testifie to haue béen doon a long time agoe and partly we sée them dayly come to passe before oure eyes that the Prophecyes of the last time are now all ready fulfilled and that therfore the day of our Lord is at hand and our redemption approcheth néere Wherby I think you all doo vnderstand that your duties require you to admonish to exhorte and instantly to call vppō and vrge the faithful to watch and lift vp their heads shaking away all drowsines And that they looke for none other signes nor other times but to beleeue the Gospel the Prophets and Apostles and the very things them selues apparent before the eyes of all men and also that they wait not for any other Antichriste to come but to take now good héed to them selues of him that is now presently reigning and troubling all things to flée vnto Christe Iesus who is the fulnes of the faithful and in him to séek all things pertaining to our saluation to depend wholy vppon his mouth and vppon his help to haue respect vnto him alone to depart from all vncleannesse to liue godly and honestly and moste chéefly to beware of vngodly securitie and careles negligence and also of drunkennesse bothe spirituall and corporall that when the Iudge our Lord Iesus Christe shall appéere in the clouds of Heauen with great power and glory we may ioyfully be taken vp in to the aire to meet him and so alwaies liue with our Lord. To whom be glory for euer FINIS ¶ THE SECOND Sermon of Henry Bullinger teaching by the woords of the Apostle 2. Timothe 3. after what sorte the godly may auoid the harms of the moste perillous daungers in this our last age RIght notable is the place of the Apostle Paule which in the latter epistle to Timothe and the third Chapter is woord by woord after this sort But perseuer thou in those things which thou hast learned and vvhich haue been committed vnto thee knowing of vvhom thou hast learned them and for that also thou hast knowen holy Scriptures from a childe vvhich are able to make thee vvise vnto saluation through faith in Christe Iesu For all Scriptures giuen by inspiratiō of God are profitable to teach to reprooue to amend to instruct in rightuousnesse that the mā of God may be perfet preparad to all good vvorks The Scriptures set foorth euen to our eyes The bountiful goodnes of God toward mankinde shineth foorth in many things but moste chéefly in that that he hath so measured the doctrin of our saluation which he committed to the world by moste excellent men that it is agréeable not onely to the same time in which it was first set foorth by the prophets and Apostles but vnto vs also vppon whom the ends of the worlde are come And truely all the moste holy cumpany of the Prophets and Apostles with one consent doo testifie that the last times shal be of all other moste perillus They doo moste diligently and copiously not onely describe those daungers but also set them foorth before our eyes to be seene to that end no dout that the godly should not be entangled and perish in euil and in perils The argument and drift of the matter Of that number is Paule the vessel of election who at this present procéeding in moste godly order dooth first of all very diligently showe foorth the daungers of this our last age Afterward hée declareth a remedy wherby the godly may escape the harmes therof The thing is not onely elegant notable and wholesome but also very necessary moste chéefly for vs and our time Therfore haue I chosen this place to entreat of now before you ye honorable fathers and bretheren moste déerly beloued in our Lord that beeing instructed with the doctrin of the Apostles we may through the spirite of God be strengthened in true godlinesse and he able to deliuer out of daungers the flock of our Lord committed to our charge the Lord blessing our labours Our Lord assist vs with his grace and direct vs alwaies in the way of saluation But The description of the euil acts daungers recited in the Scriptures like as the Phisitions in their books doo moste diligently describe euen such diseases as are moste filthy not to the intent to praise and commend them or els allow them but to th'nd they may be exactly knowne and the more perfectly cured so the Scripture in this present place infinite others doth moste manifestly reherse mischeuous deeds euen such as are to be abhorred and not to be named without sir reuerence not to the
intent to teach and commend the same but to the end wee might knowe them the better iudge therof not according to the flesh but according to the spirite of God and also that we might warely auoid them And more ouer apparently beholding those things to be fulfilled in the world which the holy Prophets of God and the Apostles of Christe haue foretolde should come to passe we might vnderstand that those times are now at hand corrupted and perillous and for that cause should pray the more ernestly and watch the more diligently The Apostle therfore about the beginning of the Chapter a litle before the words that I haue resited dooth reherse in a loÌ„g beadroll diuers wicked acts and wicked men And saith that all ages all kindes and all degrees of men in this our last time shall be moste corrupt The discrption of the manners or men of the last age This knovve thou saith he that in the last daies shall come moste hard and perillous times For men shal be loouers of them selues standing greatly in their ovvne conceits and seeking for their owne gaine louers of their owne gaine louers of money scraping the same by hook and by crooke not refraining from very sacriledge nor from moste filthy Simony Men shal be very disdainful puffed vp proude and vain glorious also blasphemers moste cheefly against God secondly against holy men and against the trueth it felt and against holy things They shal be disobedient to their Fathers to their mothers to their magistrats to their maisters and to their teachers beeing not onely vnthankful to God and to men but also requiting good turnes vvith euil They shal be vvicked men such as haue no fear nor reuerence and such as impudeÌ„tly run hedloÌ„g vnto all kind of mischeuoê° acts They shal be Astorgoi vvithout any harty and feruent charitie vvithout any zelus remorse of loue godlines and humanitie not louing somuch as those that be neer vnto theÌ„ as Fathers mothers Children VViues and kinsfolkes But bitter cruel and vngentle endued vtterly vvith vvilde and vnciuil manners vvho also haue not the common sence and remorse of nature measuring all things by affection by couetousnes by ambition and greedy desire They shal be vnmindeful of their couenaÌ„ts of their faith of their bargaines and of their promises beeing vnfaithful and moste vain and vtterly inconstant and moste light persons finally back biters and slanderers scoffers and mockers of holy good honest thiÌ„gs peruerting also things vvel spoken into a peruerst meaning and vvresting things after their levvd affections that are singly and plainly vttered They shal be vvanton and outragious namely in the apparel of their bodies in buildings in garments in meat and drink filthy gluttoÌ„s drounckerds whoremongers adulterers and Sodomits proud Pecoks nice and folish Phrigians They shal be moreouer Anemeroi vngentle vnciuil rude barbarous and euen vvilde men rowe wild vndfihisch lijt therfore Aphilagathoj such as greatly regard not or looue not good and honest men neither delight in their company For as they abhorre the best things and accustome themselues to the vvorst so they cannot abide a faithful Counceller Therfore they shall betray these men that looue trueth and godlines They shall doo no thing sincerely and vncorruptly but shall intangle all things vvith practises as they call them vvith crafty fetches and traitorly suttleties Moreouer they shal be heddy and vvilful dooing nothing by the rule of reason and iudgement but all things rashly stoutly and obstinately For they shal be of a minde altogither proud puffed vp and svvelling They shall looue their pleasures more then God him self and godly things For they shall conuert the very religion in to gaine to the intent they may haue to bestovve vppoÌ„ their pleasure Certes thou maist sée very many that more hartily delight in Tauernes then in Temples doo more estéeme the furnished daintie yea drunken feasts then ecclesiasticall preachings sober and ful of the spirite of God For the matter is now come to this point that moste men haue in déede an outward shewe and resemblance of godlinesse and will be called moste holy moste spirituall moste catholike moste right belonging and very good Christians but yet in the mean season they lack the vertue and power of godlines and true Religion and are moste vaine Hipocrites and dissemblers men without all religion and humanitie abominable and execrable And hitherto hath the Apostle declared these things concerning the corrupt men that shal be in the last time and the naughty conditions of all kindes of all ages and of all degrées But haue not the Prophets and euen Iesus Christe him self the Lord of Prophets foreshewed these things also before hand For in the Gospel omitting the Prophets he speaking moste manifestly said Luke 18. But vvhen the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith vppon the Earth Math. 24. And again Iniquitie shall vtterly abound and the looue of many shall abate And yet again moste manyfestly As were the daies of Noe saith hée so shall be also the comming of the sonne of man For as they were in the daies before the flud eating and drinking marying and maried euen vnto the day when Noe entred into the Arke and knewe of nothing vntill the Flud came and tooke them all awaiy so shal be the comming of the Sonne of man Luke 17. In like manner also as it happened in the daies of Loth they did eat drink bie sel plant and build But what day as Loth went foorth from the Sodomits it rained fire and brimstone from Heauen and destroyed them all so shal be also the day in vvhich the Sonne of man sbalbe reueled Wherfore there is no cause to shew forth in many woords what kinde of men they were in the daies of Noe and Loth seeing our Lord him self hath most plentifully declared the same vnto vs namely that they were men altogither carnall vtterly despising diuine and holy things séeking nothing but carnall matters so that they might séem to degenerate or be turned in to certain brute and wilde beastes But who can deny that such are at this day the greatest parte of the common people and the nobilitie and rulers and almoste all wise men Beholde what Kings and Princes doo and also the spiritual fathers like wise the learned and excellent men in the world Harken what the common people talketh of Religion of rightuousnesse of honestie and of the hope of the world to come You shal be forced to cry out with the Prophet and say There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. There is none that hath vnderstanding There is none that seeketh after God All are turned aside and are become vnprofitable There is none that dooth good no not one Their throte is an open Sepulchre they haue vsed their tungs vnto disceit and the poyson of Asps is vnder their lips whose mouth is ful of curssing and bitternes their feet are swift to
shed blood Destruction and wretchednesse is in their vvaies and they haue not knowen the vvay of peace There is no feare of God before their eyes The Apostle procedeth to recken vp greater daungers whiche spring out of corrupt men and out of their corrupt and wicked doctrine The daungers of the corrupt doctrine of the last age For he saith there shall be in the Church Some deceiuers flattering witty and crafty that vvil enter into noble houses and bring vvomen into bondage vvhich women are led with diuers lusts He addeth That their doctrine shal finde no Hauen nor haue any end and that no mans conscience can therby be prepared or made quiet And to the intent they might the better be knowen when they come he likeneth them to the Soothsayers of Egipt who with ther speaking with their wicked practises Sorceries and moste crafty legerdemain wrought meanes before Pharao the King of Egipt that he shuld not let go the Israellits the people of God to doo honour to their God And Christe our Lord making mention of the very same deceiuers saith in the Gospel There shall arise false Christes false Prophets vvho shall vvork great miracles and great vvunders so that the very elect if it vvere possible shoulde be brought in to error Beholde I haue tolde you before Neither is it néedful for me to make plain and with large discourse to approoue how these things alredy haue béen abundātly fulfilled long time agoe and in certain hundred yéeres togither A thousand examples and testimonies maist thou finde in the Temples of the Papists in their Chappels in their Schooles in their Halles in their Colleges in their Abbies and religious houses To the great weight of the daungers of this last age Persecutions of the last age are now added also euen moste cruell persecutions of the trueth and of the Saints which the Apostle hath foreshewed should come to passe Moreouer he saith that the wicked should with fortunate successe prosper and go forward but contrary wise that the Godly should be oppressed with all kinde of calamities the whiche thing should blinde very many and kéep them in error The very same also did our Lord Iesus foretel of in the Gospel And Daniel disputing of Antichriste and his kingdome Daniel 8. and 11. And he shall prosper saith he and shall vvork and slay the strong ones and the people of the Saints according to his ovvn vvil and falshod shall prosper in his hands Also The teachers of the people shall instruct many and shall be ouerthrovvne through the Svvord through fire through banishment and extortion euen vntil the last time But that euen these things also are accomplished it is plentifully witnessed by the Histories of certain hundred yéeres last past England also at this day yéelding foorth abundant store of Martirs dooth testify the same Fraunce dooth witnesse it Italy Germany doo record it And these things hetherto the holy Apostle of Christe hath spoken touching the great perils of the last age All which thīgs to appertain vnto vs moste chéefly and to our times he that as yet seeth it not dooth see no thing at all Notwithstanding in knowing these diseases and discerning them with right iudgement although it be of no small importaunce neuerthelesse a more wholesome frute procedeth vnto vs by the diligent consideration of the medicine faithfully ministred vnto vs by the Apostle But what medicine dooth the Apostle bring foorth and minister by help wherof these diseases are to be cured and the great dangers made free from hurtfulnes The medicine or cure of these mischeefs And these men saith he auoid thou It is short councel and a medicine nothing curious but yet of meruelous force But whom dooth he meane while he saith And these men Forsooth wicked men past grace enemies of true Religion and moste chéefly suttle Sophisters deceiuers bloody percecutors false Prophets and such as are drunken with the prosperitie happines and pleasures of this world These I say and all their partakers and confederates auoid thou The which thing is asmuch in effect as if he had said Such wicked men and destroyers thou shalt detest as an hainous abhomination Thou shalt not feare them thou shalt not estéeme them thou shalt not allow them nor folow them thou shalt nothing at all beléeue them No doo not play with them nor confer with them Finally thou shalt turn from them perpetually with ernest endeuour and with a whole bolde and a stout minde For the Lord also hath said in the Gospel Beleue them not or folow not nor imitate the false Prophet But thou wilt obiect that this is a hard matter to performe But vnto God and to him that beleeueth nothing is impossible or hard Iohn the Apostle crieth out saying He is greater 1. Iohn 4. and 5. that is in you then he vvhich is in the vvorld And againe This is the victory that ouercommeth the vvorld euen your faith For our Lord first cryed out in the gospel Beholde I am vvith you euen vnto the vvorlds end Math. 28. Iohn 1. and 14. c. Luke 21. In the vvorld ye haue affliction But be of good cheere I haue ouercom the vvorld One here shall not perish from your head I vvil giue to you my spirite the comforter And other such like sayings which are read in the Gospel Furthermore the Apostle sheweth a very commodious way how we may be able to avoid these corrupt men and all corruptions in Religion and also to eschew those perillous daungers namely if with a certain holy ernestnes we cleue vnto the example of the Apostle and taking fast holde vpō the canonicall Scriptures doo not suffer our selues to be shaken of or pulled away one here 's bredth from the same And the Apostle him self commendeth vnto vs the example of an Apostle saying Thou hast seene the experience of my doctrin fashion of liuing we must not depart from the Apostles example and my purpose also namely in teaching in lyuing in all my office what I regarde in these things verily the glory of God and saluation of soules Finally thou knowest vvhat my faith hath beene alwaies my long suffering my constancy and my patience in persecutions Folovv thou these things declining no vvhit from the example of Christe and of me For our Lord said also in the Gospel Iohn 8. I am the light of the vvorld He that foloweth me walketh not in darknesse but hath the light of life And the Apostle to the Corinthians Be ye folowers of mee as I folowe Christe But because the men of this last age doo not much esteeme the example of Christe and of his Apostles but doo more regard the examples of Fathers I knowe not of what sorte and of moste filthy Munks that is therfore the cause why there are so many sects and that so many wander about and grope like blinde men not knowing what or whom to folowe or what
they may teach Wherfore as many of vs as desire to be saued let vs kéep our selues within the bonds of the example of Christe and of his Apostles â—e must continue in the Apostles doctrin Now touching the Apostles doctrine we are admonished by the Apostle First that we must continew in the Apostles doctrine Afterward he sheweth the causes why euery godly man ought to continue in that kinde of doctrine For he pronouÌ„ceth plainly and techeth with great power he saith But tary thou or continevv thou stedfastly As if hée should haue said How soeuer the deceiuers and deceiued go foreward in their errors housoeuer graet numbers of men departing from the plainnes and singlenesse of the Apostles doo folowe corrupt doctrin and those Egiptian Sophisters yet neuerthelesse perseuer and continue stil thou all others that couet to please God and to abtain true saluation In what things I pray you shall they continew The Apostle addeth it In those thinges vvhich thou hast learned and vvhich haue ben committed vnto thee But Timothe had learned the Scriptures and out of theÌ„ the holy gospel as straight way the Apostle wil expound him self And this was that precious pledge which was committed vnto him Therfore the godly must perseuer and continue in the Scriptures and in the doctrin of the Gospel So shall it come to passe that they shall not be a pray to the deceiuers and to the most wicked men of this last age what was committeâ— vnto Timâ— the and against traditions Neither must we think as certain foolish men doo fain that vnwritten Traditions were committed vnto Timothe as though the Apostle had ment that without traditions the Scriptures suffise not vnto godlinesse or that he had taught one thing by woord of mouth and another thing in writing For by and by the Apostle him self wil declare that the Scriptures are moste ful and moste absolute such as are able throughly to fashion and make perfect the worshipper of God The Apostle els where affirmeth very intirely 1 Cor. 4. that his doings agrée in one sorte all alike and that he teacheth like doctrin in all Churches He sayeth also that he and his disiples walke all one way and béeing all led by one spirit doo all things with humilitie â— Cor. 3. Again to the Corinthians VVee vvrite saith he none other things vnto you then vvhich ye read and vvhich also ye knovve Yea and so I trust that ye shall knovve vnto the end And again 4. Cor. 10. As vve are in vvords by letters vvhen vve are absent such are vve indeed also vvhen we are present But it is openly apparant that those things whiche those men recken vp among the vnwritten verities affirming the same to be receiued from the Apostles euen as if were from hand to hand are so disagreing with those things which are contained in the writings of the Apostles that they are euen directly repugnant and contrary Of which kinde are those matters which they stuf in conserning the vse of Images in the Church conserning the Masse conserning single life and Munckery and infinit other such ingling deceits Where also euen that is diligently to be noted that he said not Tary thou in those things which thou shalt learn yet heerafter But tary thou in those hings vvhich thou hast learned To vs therfore partain not those things which wretched men after certain hundred yéeres haue learned of Fathers such as indéed may be called stepfathers and of lewd and superstitious Munks It foloweth now why we ought to cleue onely to this doctrin Why wee ought to cleue only to the scriptures Indéed many reasons may be alleaged but among many these are the chéefest First Knovving saith he of vvhom thou hast learned them Truely it is much to be respected of what maisters or teachers we learne any thing For the doctrin receiueth authoritie from the teachers or author therof It is thought that from the more excellent cunning and holy men proceedeth some excellent learned and holy thing Verily from men procéed humaine things and from God procéed godly and deuine things But of whom had Timothe learned or from whom came the doctrin receiued by Timothe Surely from the most holy Apostle and most select instructment of God Therfore not the man Paule but rather the Spirit of Christe inspiring Paule hath purchased authoritie vnto the doctrine Therefore Timothe knewe and al the faithful also at this day knowe that the doctrine of the Apostles sprang not from men but from our Lord God him self and that therfore we ought to beléeue the same and inseperably cleue vnto it For our Lord him self saith in his Gospel Iohn 13. Verily verily I say vnto you hee that receiueth an Apostle or vvhomsoeuer I shall send receiueth me And he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Math. 10. And again speaking of the Apostles It is not you that speak but it iâ— the spirite of your father that speaketh in you Iohn 3. And again He that is from aboue is aboue all He that procedeth of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all and what he hath seen and heard the same he testifieth Wherfore in asmuch as it appéereth that the doctrin of the Apostle is heauenly deuine with good cause doo we beléeue with good cause doo we inseperably cleue to it Neither did the Apostles without great reason say therfore shalt thou coÌ„tinue in the apostles doctrin which thou hast receiued because thou doost surely knowe that thou hast receiued and learned the same from Heauen But can we so say of the vnwritten traditions and of the ordinances of man No by no meanes Therfore why should we beleeeue them why should we receiue them why should we continew in them These things are due to the holy Scriptures only and alone They are vtterly mad that make humain things equall with deuine But they are led by the Deuil that prefer things humain before diuine and thrust downe and embace diuine things as though they were vncertain doutful vnperfect and darke Dauid the moste notable King and moste excellent Prophet of God crieth but against such filthy and blasphemous persons and pronounceth with moste true mouth Psal 19. The lawe of the Lord is a perfect law conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is true giuing wisdome to the litle ones The statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the hart The commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eyes Thy word is a Lantern vnto my feet and a light vnto my steps Furthermore the Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures or writings of the Prophets The Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures Paule bearing witnes and saying I was put a part to preach the Gospel of GOD vvhiche he promised afore by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures But we knowe that the same are therfore
called holy because they are vttered by the holy Ghoste It foloweth therfore in the woords of the Apostle And for that also thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures from a childe The holy fathers in olde time were wâ—nt to instruct their children out of the authenticall Booke of the lawe of God and of his Prophets Therfore because Timothes mother was a Iew borne albeit his Father was a Gentil he béeing exercised in the scriptures from a childe had accustomed him self therunto And when he heard the Apostle preache the Gospel of Christe hee vnderstoode straightway by the inspiration of the spirit of God and by conferring of the woords of Paule with the woords of the Prophets that the Apostles doctrine touching Christe was taken out of the law and the Prophets and confirmed by the testimonyes of the same And for that cause he knew that he had not learned the faith of Christe out of wandering rumours and vain talks of the people but out of the autenticall Booke that is to say out of the holy Scriptures namely inspired from God as I haue already declared and deuoutly taught and written touching things moste pure of all other by none but by such as were moste holy men All other books that where out of the Canon and common vse of the Church are accounted vnder the name of prophane Books But this is an effectuall reason and such a one as ought throughly to mooue the mindes of all men that we must therfore beléeue the Apostles doctrin and cleue only to the same because it proceded from God and is confirmed by the Authenticall Scriptures béeing moste ancient and moste holy of all other What so euer booke of what so euer Authors thou shalt compare with these Books thou shalt scarcely compare Lead or durt it self with moste fine and shining Golde Moste rightly therfore doo we beléeue that they of all men be moste foolish who either omitting the Apostles doctrin and writings of the Prophets turn aside to the inuentions of man as though there could be taught or contayned in these more absolute more cléere and more certain things then in the other or else vtterly giue no credit at all vnto the Scriptures The taunt which our Lord gaue to the vnbeléeuing disciples is right notable and woorthy of speciall remembrance Luke 24. when he said O ye fooles and slovv of hart to beleeue all those things vvhich the Prophets haue spoken The Scripture is able to make a man wise vnto saluation And now ensueth in the Apostle another reason no lesse euident why we ought only to beleue and stick fast to the Apostles doctrin and to the holy Scriptures Because saith he they are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith in christe Iesu The Philosophers haue disputed much of true and false Wisdome True wisdome and haue so entangled them selues with their chattering that they scarcely vnderstaÌ„d them selues and muche lesse reaped any frute of their disputations Paule dooth simply and truely deriue true Wisdome out of the Scriptures of God and out of the Apostles doctrine For God béeing moste excellent wise dooth very often in his woord call his commaundements and the doctrine set foorth in his lawe and by the Prophets true Wisdome And Moyses béeing elder then those men whom the Gretians call moste ancient namely Homer and Hesiodus and the Battel of Troy and also béeing much more excellent then Hercules Museus Linus Orpheus Mercurius Apollo and the other Gods of the Gentiles or then euen the holy Soothsayers elder also then the wise men of Greece Much more ancient then Plato and Aristotle dooth expresly say in Deuteronomy Deu. 4. You shall keep and doo the commaundements of the Lord for this is your wisdome and vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these ordinances and shall say This people only is wise and hath vnderstanding a famous Nation But the Apostles also at this present dooth shew that saluation is the end and also the frute of true wisdoÌ„ saying VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluation But without the true saluation of man what shall auaile I pray you the empty name and vain title of wisedome Wisdome is the knoweledge of things diuine and humain and moste chéefely of those things by which we may knowe the highest good euen God him self and therwithall to be ioyned togither with Christe The which indeed is true blessednes and the highest felicitie And now I omit to rehearse how that out of this knowledge of God springeth righteousnesse and the looue and exercise of true vertue and of all deeds that are truely good But the Scripture and doctrine of the Apostles abundantly suffiseth to giue this Wisdome and true saluation Therfore it becommeth vs to content our selues with the same Yea it is expedient for vs to bestowe all our life and all our labour vppon those holy books to depend wholly vppon them to direct all our saylings and all our waies by the same as by a moste infallible and moste sure lâ—de Starre to run and flée wholy vnto them as to a moste safe Sanctuary For Dauid cryeth out and witnesseth saying Blessed is the man that delighteth in the lawe of the Lord Psal 1. and ernestly studieth in the same bothe day and night Luke 11. For the Lord sayeth also in the Gospel Blessed are they that hear the woord of God and keepe the same And in deed this shal be the onely and safest way to escape all perils of al times and all deceits and legerdemain yea euen the moste sharp and cruel of this our last age But because saluation might be hoped for by this heauenly wisdome and also by the reading and bare knoweledge of the holy Scriptures or els by the merits of the vertues whiche we haue learned out of the Scriptures therfore in déed very godly and Apostolikely he addeth and sayth Saluation coÌ„meth by faith in Christe Through faith in Christe Iesu Therfore saluation is learned out of the Scriptures because it consisteth in Christe alone And Christe who is the bread of life the saluation and fulnes of the Saints dooth onely and alone giue true saluation But true faith béeing instructed by the spirite of God and by the holy Scriptures receiueth the same Saluation therfore is to be attributed vnto faith not to any other thing but yet not to euery faith but only vnto the same that commeth vnto vs by the grace and benefit of the holy spirit the which we lerne out of the Scriptures the true wisdome of God which extendeth and is staied vpon the aâ—only sonne of God who is our onely moste absolute most assured and eternal righteousnes redemption satisfaction sanctification life and fulnes But The end â—â—â—ft of the Scriptures as soon as the Apostle hath expounded these things very elegantly and plainly he sheweth what is the end and mark to the which we must direct all
Prepared vnto euery good woork He saith not to one good woork or two or a few good woorks but to euery good woorke Exertismenos prepared perfited ended throughly trimmed vp Vsgebutzt made absolute and finished Nothing therfore remaineth for the Munks and Balles Traditioners that should by their inuentions be added now at the length after certain hundred yéeres to make the matter perfet The holy Scripture is moste absolute moste fully teaching all those things that belong to the attainment of godly life and saluation And the same is able throughly to fashion or instruct and make perfet the true worshipper of God The Scripture excelleth Philosophy also Héerin also the holy Scripture dooth far surmount all Philosophy and all Philosophers them selues muche more the papisticall Sophisters or traditioners of Ball. Very triuily and very truely spake Firmianus Lactantius that Christian Cicero concerning false wisdome in his third Booke of institutions the xxvi chapter Onely the heauenly doctrine saith he the which alone is wisedome bringeth to passe those things which the Philosophers were neuer able to doo The commaundements of God because they are sincere and pure of how great force they are in the harts of men dayly experience dooth shewe it Bring me a man inclined to anger il tunged vnruly and rash with a few of Gods words I wil make him as quiet as a lamb Bring me a couetous person a greedy scraper and a nigard hencefoorth wil I make him liberall Bring me one that is feareful of death and of pain straight way he wil despise hothe Gallowes and fire and daungers yea the torments of the brasen bul Bring me him that is a lecherer and adulterer a ruffian and a royater hencefoorth shall thou see him sober chaste and continent Bring me a cruel person and one that thirsteth after blood soon shall that fury bee chaunged into clemency and mercy Bring me an vniust man vnwise and sinful he shall be straightway iust wise innocent and harmlesse So great is the might of godly wisdome that beeing powred into the hart of man it wil at once euen with one push expell and driue out foolishnes the mother of all sin Hath euer yet hitherto any of the Philosophers performed these things or if he were willing were he able to doo it Who when they haue spent their whole time in the studie of Philosophy yet neuerthelesse are not able if nature do a litle withstand it to make them selues or any others the better therwith Their wisdom therfore how much soeuer it can doo yet dooth it not roote out vices but hide them But a fewe of Gods commaundements doo so throughly and wholly chaunge a manne and by garnishing the olde doo so make him newe that thou canst not knowe him to bee the same man he was But these very trim sayings of Lactantius doo very much make to the praise of our holy Scriptures or of the woord of God The which woord in déed excelleth infinitly the wisdome of the world be it neuer so absolute and perfet So that this chosen speciall Apostle of Christe with very good cause would haue all the faithful in all things to haue respect only to the woord of God and to cleue fast vnto the same euen to the very last breth Conclusion Moreouer now it should remain for me to gather those things in to a short summe whiche I haue hitherto expounded somewhat at large and to stir vp your mindes to a moste feruent study and looue of the holy Scriptures that béeing instructed and prepared yée might be the better able to kéep the flock committed to your charge from those perils of these our daies that be the last and therfore moste corrupt moste miserable and ful of all calamities But séeing that through the singuler grace giuen vnto you from the Lord ye be otherwise vigilant and watchfull and doo vnderstand and féele also to how greate and what kinde of daungers we are layde open and oppressed with all whiche cannot any way but onely by feruent prayers vnto God and sincere and diligent doctrine taken out of the Scriptures be put back driuen away or be made vnhurtful to the godly I wil now conclude with the holy and vehement woords of the blessed Apostle which he Ioyneth immediatly to those which I haue all ready rehersed and expounded He speaking to euery one of vs sayeth I beseech thee therfore before God and before our Lord Iesus Christe who shall iudge the quick and the dead at his appeering in his kingdom preach the woord be feruent in season out of season reprooue rebuke exhorte with all long suffering and doctrine For the time wil come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but after theire owne lusts shall they whose eares itch get them an heap of Teachers and shall turn their eare from the trueth vnto fables But watch thou in all things and suffer aduersitie and doo the woorks of an Euangelist fulfill thine office to the vttermoste But because euery good gift and euery perfect gift commeth from aboue descending from the Father of light making our humble petitions vnto him let vs aske of him those things whiche are necessary to the performing of this businesse waighty indéede and hard And let vs pray Our Father which art in Heauen c.