we loue our neighbour as our selfe if we patiently abide iniuries and séeke to doe good vnto them that grieue and oppresse vs. I saie vnto you saith Christ loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you That you may be the children of your father that is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to arise vpon the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust V. 16. Reioice euermore The ioie of the wicked shall haue an ende They reioice in their goods in their wisedome in their peace and worldly safetie and in the multitude of their children or discent of their petidegrée This ioie is transitorie it fadeth and abideth not The worlde passeth saith Saint Iohn and the lust thereof They reioice in their wickednesse the Lute and the Harpe Tabret and Pype and wine are in their feastes but they regard not the woorke of the Lorde They eat vp the people as it were bread they doe whatsoeuer they can deuise against the seruantes of God but the later ende of their ioye shalbe heauinesse as it is saide Woe be vnto you that laugh nowe for you shall weepe and lament But the ioy of the righteous is euerlasting Their heart shal reioice and no man shal take their ioy from them They comfort in this that their names are written in the booke of life They knowe the Lorde is at hand therefore they are carefull for nothing but reioyce alwayes in the Lord. S. Peter therefore saith You are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to bee shewed in the last time wherein yee reioyce though nowe for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde temptations Againe Ye reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious receiuing the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules This is the happinesse the ioye and the comfort that the godlie haue and shall continue with them V. 17. Pray continually It is the part of a good Christian and a wise man to know himselfe and to knowe the nature of this fleshe which wée beare about with vs which fighteth alwaies so mightily against the spirite to knowe the waiwardenesse and â—…rokendnesse of our hearte and the weakenesse and vanity of our minde Many are so farre from this that they thinke all their abilitie is of themselues I haue sayeth he iudgement I haue the light of reason I haue sense I haue vnderstanding and counsel and the ordering of mine owne waie Thus say they that neyther knowe GOD nor themselues But we must humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God acknowledge that we are nothing We must confesse with S. Paul I knowe that in me that is to say in my flesh dwelleth no good And againe It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Our sauiour sayth That which is borne of the fleshe is flesh and that that is borne of the spirite is spirite And God saith The imaginatioÌ„ of mans hart is euil from his youth He hath made vs and not we our selues he knoweth vs and not wee our selâ—…s This is his saying and his iudgement of vs. This we finde true For our will is frowarde and our vnderstanding blinde Therefore sayth the prophet O Lord I know that the way of man is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and direct his steppes And Salomon The steppes of man are ruled by the Lorde how can a man then vnderstand his owne way And the prophet Ieremie Behold as the claie is in the potters hande so are you in my hand O Israel I mould you and forme you to my glorie When the Apostle putteth the Corinthians in minde of that good successe which God gaue vnto his ministery among them he saith Such trust haue we through Christ to GOD not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Christ sheweth this to his disciples I am the vine you are the braunches he that abideth in me and I in him bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing To the Colossians sayth Paul It is God which worketh in you both the wil and the deede euen of his good pleasure It is God that disposeth our goings turneth our harts as séemeth best to him He is able to make of the stones in the stréetes children vnto Abraham he is able to take away our stony heart and to giue vs a heart of flesh The consideration hereof leadeth vs to séeke helpe and comfort by prayer at the hande of God And then because we stande in continual néede of Gods helpe either to giue vs something that is good or to deliuer vs from that is euil the Apostle biddeth vs pray continually The eares of the Lord are open to the praiers of the righteous Therefore Christ sayth Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you God will giue you your hearts desire Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Dauid prayed vnto God Open thou mine eyes lighten my darkenesse direct my feete into the way of peace encline my heart O Lorde vnto thy testimonies stablish O God that which thou hast wrought in vs take not thy holie spirite from vs be thou our helper in troubles O forsake vs not vtterly He founde no way to attaine vnto knowledge of the will of God vnlesse God would open his vnderstanding endue him with his spirite Faith is the gift of God or else was the Apostles prayer in vaine Increase our Faith Our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray in this maner Halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done because without the grace and mercie of God we can doe nothing to the setting foorth of his glory V. 18. In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus towarde you These thrée are the badges or cognisance of a christian souldier to reioyce in the mercie of God to be feruent in prayer and to giue thankes to God in all thinges The heathens which haue no part in the kingdome of Christ are thankefull for their life and libertie and wealth and glorie and worldly prosperitie But Christians ought to be thankful in persecution in thraldome in aduersitie in shame in miserie and in death it selfe Who would thinke that a Lyon which by nature is fierce and cruel should yéelde foorth Hony yet Sampson found Honie in the bodie of a Lyon Who would thinke it likely that a man should bée preserued in the bellie of a fish Ionas was swallowed vp of a Whale and yet not hurt Who would thinke that a man
hated of them that embrace his doctrine 281 Fond tales of Antichrist 281 320 Antichrist not any one mā 282 Antichrist a Bishop 320 330 379 Antichrist an vniuersal king 329 Antichriste by what markes knowen 283 316 334 Antichrist commeth in shew of seruing Christ. 285 341 Antichrist ruleth by pretence of religion 287 349 Antichrist suttle and cunning 305 308 Antichrist taught of Satan 340 Antichrist proud and pompous 289 332 Antichrist exceeding cruel 263 283 Antichrist wherin his strength standeth 363 Antichrist his place or seate 290 326 379 Antichrist howe taken as God 291 Antichrist whom he deceiueth 207 351 381 Antichrist in what time reucaled 304 Antichrist not to be conuerted 364 Antichrist by what power ouerthrowen 361 363 381 Apostasie from the faith 94 388 Perswasions to Apostasie 97 Retentiue from Apostasie 98 Appearaunce of eu◅ auoide 219 Astronomers passe boundes 182 B Babilon wherein rich 376 Babilon fallen 373 Babilons fal causeth ioy in heauen 377 Battaile betweene Christ and Antichrist 369 Bishop of Rome seruant of seruauntes 296 Bishop of Rome rich by the spoil of the Empire 328 Bishop of Rome his priuiledge 292 296 349 Bishop of Rome lawelesse 334 Bishop of Rome called God 293 Busie bodies 155 C Children how to be nurtured 62 Children how they waxe ill 69 Church of the faithful 9 Chnrch of the wicked 6 The name of the Church and fathers deceiueable 234 359 Church cōpared to weak things 279 Churches particular decaye in faith 270 Church primitiue how ordered 266 Church of Rome hath no speciall promise 236 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue Church 268 274 Christ ouercommeth 372 Cities wel gouerned 32 Single communion 311 Conscience 103 Constancie in the truth 214 240 244 388 412 Couetousnesse hindereth the Gospel 56 85 Crosse of Christ of whom esteemed 218 D Dead in Christ. 176 Deceite in bargaining enricheth not 111 Decrees and decretalles forged 256 Disciples of Christ are humble 316 Departing from the faith 263 375 Doctrines contrary to the word of God 48 E Election howe knowen 384 Empire large sometimes 323 Empire decaied a signe that Antichrist is come 327 3◅4 380 Emperour hath not any one citie of the Empire 328 Encrease in holinesse 154 239 Enemies to the gospel raise nobles 41 188 214 224 339 Excommunication what it is 413 Excommunication daungerous 416 418 Excommunication why ordeined 402 413 F Faith grounded on the worde 384 Faith without the truth no faith 369 385 Faith is not idle 12 109 Faithful men examples of godlinesse 28 30 148 Faithful man hath three badges 205 False brethren 396 397 False brethren auoide 401 False miracles of two sortes 343 Fathers howe carefull for their children 60 Fathers or multitude no rule to warrant religion 359 Filthinesse cloaked vnder pretence of single life 310 405 Flesh of Christ howe eaten 261 Foolish faith hurteth 360 Fornication 109 G Gospel what it worketh 79 Gospel no cause of tumults 40 Gospel often refused 40 80 351 Gospel not quailed by crueltie 75 77 242 262 God maketh his gospel fruitful 16 30 37 391 393 God openeth his trueth to the simple 19 292 God maketh thē loue the trueth that sometimes hated it 37 God deliuereth the faithful 205 366 Godly men are persecuted 13 22 73 92 188 179 242 261 Goods not free for il vses 128 Grace what it worketh in vs. 11 238 380 H Hearers of the word 69 209 352 Hipocrisie a high point of wisedome 396 Hope of the faithful 14 157 383 I Idlenes the teacher of mischief 156 407 Idle bodies not to be relieued 410 Ignorance cause of wickednes 116 Ignoraunce cause of despaire 158 Image worship 347 Images in steede of preaching ◅46 Infidels shall rise againe 169 Interest and V◅urie differ 135 Inuocation of saintes 346 Ioye of the godly or wicked 200 Ioye in tribulations 23 91 190 Day of iudgement vnknowen 181 261 Day of iudgement comfortable 174 176 179 Day of iudgement dreadful 174 243 365 K Keyes of the Church abused 312 Kissing ofreliques 347 L Labour required in euerie vocation 156 157 Labourers in the gospel worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Later day as dayes of Noah 170 Latine service a cloake for ignorant priestes 46 Lawe necess◅ie 151 Law may be followed betweene filendes 150 151 Loue the fruits thereof 12 147 152 191 200 Loue perswadeth to godlinesse 191 M Man of sinne reuealed 337 363 Mariage in ministers 217 Masse no teacher of godlinesse 216 Minister his office 12 20 35 43 49 50 52 80 87 410 Ministers painful worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Ministers vnprofitable to be remoued 85 194 196 407 Miracles wrought by Antichrist 348 Mourning ouer the dead 160 N Naturall corruption of man 237 246 Newe birth or regeneration 259 O Oblations and enriching of abbies 347 Office of Apostle and Bishop diuers 300 P Pardons 337 Peace in the Church the gift of God 223.423 Peace wherein it consisteth 225 423 People ought to reade the sc◅ptures 82.84 228 Peter no bishop of Rome 301 Pilgrimage 347 Pleasers of men 55.57 Pope no sollower of Peter 216 Pope aboue Emperour 330 Praier continually needful 204 Praier howe to be made for the wicked 402 422 Prayer abused to couetousnesse 313 Preachers are Gods instrumēts 390 399 Preachers most needefull 194 Primacie the fountaine of vaine presumption 314 337 Primitive Church 266 Princes and Magistrates labour 410 Purgatory impropried to the bishop of Rome 3◅3 Purgatorie a shoppe of mar◅ 314 337 R Reason the husbande 226 Reformatiō of Rome past hope 364 Refusers of the worde 72 195 210 352 357 Religion what it is 32 Religion by whō established 39 Religion of whom receiued 81 352 358 Religion forced or diffemoled 350 T◅th of religion howe tryed 212 250 359 Reliques 347 R◅tion of the bodie 165 Resemblaunces of resurrection 163 Resurrection of infidels 169 Rocke wherein the Church is built 258 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue 268 274 Rome departed from the faith 265 Rome the seate of Antichrist 323 380 S Satans sleights against the gospel 86 254. Scriptures what they teach 34 Scriptures forged 255 Scriptures wrested 257 Sinne punished by sinne 82 Sinne which shall not be forgiuen 359 Spirit of God our guide 208 252 386 Superstition zealous 78 T Teachers examples of godlines 403. False teachers deale deceitfully 46 51 56 253 Thanks due to God in al things 205 The ssalonica once beloued now forsaken 236 Torments straunge and cruel against the godly 75 Translation of Scriptures 47 V Vsurie what it is 113 Vsurie whence it groweth 115 142 Vsurie what good it doeth 116 129 130 Vsurie defended 124 128 138 Vsurie and interest differ 135 Vsurie forbidden by scripture 121 Vsurie disproued by learned fathers 118 Vsurie condemned by lawes 138 Cases for Vsurie answered 131 Vsurer worse than a theefe 138 Vsurer excommunicate by his owne conscience 145 W Walkers inordinately to be reproued 198 Warre howe terrible 369
commanded to write vnto the Angel of the church of the Smyrnians These things saith hee which is first and last which was dead and is aliue I knowe the blasphemie of them which saie they are Iews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan They reuile you and speake al maner of euill against you for my names sake They charge you with teaching false doctrine and saie you haue departed from the Church that they are the séede of Abraham the children of promise the true worshippers of God and which walke in the steppes of their forefathers But their boast heereof is vaine It profiteth them nothing that Abraham was their father that the couenant was made with them that they were circumcised that a lawe was giuen vnto them Let them not trust in their fathers let them not trust in lying words and saie the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lorde If they were Abrahams children they woulde doe the workes of Abraham If God were their father then would they loue Christ his sonne and séeke to set foorth his glorie If they were of the shéepefolde of God they woulde heare his voice They are of their father the Diuel and the lusts of their father they wil doe They are in name the seruants of Christ but serue Antichrist they call themselues Iewes but are the Synagogue of Satan For saith the Apostle he is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirite not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Of those which are such Leo saith Ecclesiae nomine armamini contra Ecclesiam dimicatis Yee arme your selues with the name of the Church and yet ye fight against the Church And Chrysostome saith The name onely of Christ doth not make a Christian but he must also haue the trueth of Christ for there are manie which walke in the name of Christ but fewe which walke in his truth It is therefore manifest as Lyra saith That the Church is not among men by reason of anie Ecclesiasticall or secular authoritie or dignitie because manie princes and high priests and others of the inferiour sorte haue forsaken the faith Though they pretend shew of holines though they drawe to themselues credite by long continuance though their numbers be great and they consent togither yet if they haue forsaken the faith if they holde not the truth of Christ if they fight against and persecute the Church if their circumcision be not the circumcision of the heart and in the spirit if they heare not the voice of y e shéepheard if they loue not Christ Iesus the sonne of God and set not foorth his glorie if they séeke to stop the course of the gospell if they séeke to get name among men if they resist Moses and Aaron they haue onelie a painted visard and carrie onelie an emptie name of the Church they call themselues so and are not But the Church of God is in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christ it is the companie of the faithful whom God hath gathered togither in Christ by his worde and by the holy ghost to honour him as he himselfe hath appointed This Church heareth the voice of the shephearde It wil not followe a stranger but flyeth from him for it knoweth not the voyce of straungers Of this Church Saint Iherome sayth Ecclesia Christi in toto orbe ecclesias possidens spiritus vnitate coniuncta est habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelij Apostolorum Non est egressa de finibus suis â—…d est de Scripturis The Church of Christ which containeth the churches through al the world is ioyned togither in the vnitie of the spirite and hath the cities of the Law of the Prophets of the gospel and of the Apostles This church goeth not forth or beyonde hir boundes that is the holy Scriptures It is the piller of the truth the bodie the fulnesse and the spouse of Christ it is the vine the house the citie and the kingdome of God They which dwel in it are no more straungers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the hoshould of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ himselfe being the heade corner stone in whome all the building coupled togither groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lord. This Church Christ loued and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the worde that hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrincle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame Such a Church was the Church of God at Thessalonica such a Church are they who so euer in any place of the worlde feare the Lord and cal vppon his name Their names are written in the booke of life they haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which they trie Abba Father they growe from grace to grace and abounde more and more in knowledge and in iudgement they cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light they are made absolute and perfect vnto al good works they are euermore coÌ„forted in the mercies of God both by the holy scriptures wherein God declareth his gracious goodnesse towardes them and by the sacramentes which are left vnto the Church to be witnesses assured pledges for performance of the promise of Gods good will and fauour towardes them Grace be with you and peace c. God giue you the forgiuenesse of your sins and the peace and comfort of your conscience God let al his blâ—…ssings fal vpon you that you may sée the riches the treasures of his mercy that you may be filled with al fulnesse in the spirite that you may beholde the glorie of the kingdome of God and those thinges may bie reuealed vnto you by his spirit which he hath prepared for them that loue him Without this grace you can doe nothing you can neyther féele the burthen of your sinnes nor séeke to be eased of theÌ„ nor perceiue when they are forgiuen you cannot rent your heart and set apart from you the vanities and lustes of the flesh which doeth euermore fight against the soule you cannot discerne the worde of God and by it enter the way to euerlasting life you cannot abhorre that which is euil and cleauâ—… vnto that which is good without the grace of God you cannot continue stedfast constant in faith and in hope of the mercies of God through our sauiour Iesus Christ. 2 We giue thankes to God alwaies for you al making mention of you in our prayers 3 Without ceasing remembring your effectual faith and diligent loue and the patience of your hope in our
and a new spirite wil I put within you I will put my spirite within you and will cause you to walke in my statutes and you shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And by the Prophet leremie I wil put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Therefore Dauid maketh his praier Teach me O Lord giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law The words of the Preacher enter in at the â—…are The spirite of God conueyeth them into the heart Augustine saith Auditur euangelium Auditur credunt quidam non credunt qui credunt intus a patre audiunt discunt qui non credunt foris audiunt intus non audiunt neque discunt Hoc est illâ—… datâ—…r vt credant illis non datur The Gospesis declared Some there are which beleeue some there are which beleeue not They which beleeue heare it inwardly by the father and so learne it They which beleeue not heare it onlie with their outward sense and not with inward feeling and therefore learne it not As much to saie to them it is giuen to beleeue to the other it is not giuen In the Actes of the Apostles Lydia a woman of the Citie of the Thiatirians heard the preaching of the Apostle Paul But it is saide Whose heart the Lord oponed that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake The people which said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do did heare al the wordes of Peter but they had another teacher that gaue force vnto the worde and made it fruitefull in them and therefore it is said They were pricked in their hearts This also appeared in the Disciples which walked towards Emaus they heard Christ open the Scriptures vnto them they reasoned with him yet vntill their eles were opened they knew him not His worde crept into their eares but it was the spirite of God which wrought within them which inflamed their hearts and made them to knowe him Thus God blesseth his word and maketh it yéeld fruit in such measure as his wisedome hath appointed His blessing appeareth greater when many are conuerted yet is his word al one and the power thereof no whit shorter when it is vtterly refused or receiued but of few Surely saith God as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth maketh it-fruitfull that it maie giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth It shal not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I wil and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it It is the word of the liuing God which is blessed for euer And blessed is that hart which can receiue it which GOD instructeth and to which he giueth knowledge of his worde which doth so learne it that he is assured of the truth thereof and nothing doubteth but it is indéede the worde of life which saieth thereof this is the waie in which if I walke I shall certainely go forward to the Citie of my GOD this is the truth if I hearken vnto it I shall neuer be dereiued Whosoeuer findeth himselfe indued with this grace he doth as plainely and evidently iudge of the wordes of God and trie out the trueth thereof from the deuises and doctrines of men as a man of cléere eie sight is ahle to iudge of colours and to knowe one colâ—…ur from an other Yea in this is the knowledge of that more certain because colour doth fade and alter and manie times one colour thereby waxeth like an other but the truth of GOD doth neuer alter it continueth one throughal ages it is the word of euerlasting life Heauen and earth shall perish but one title thereof shall not be lost The truth of God shall be established for euer The humble shall heare it and be glad As ye knowe after what maner wee were among you for your sakes You knowe howe I behaued my selfe after what maner I haue liued among you You knowe my first comming and entrie vnto you You knowe what doctrine I haue taught and what hath béene my conuersation of life I neuer deceiued any nor offered wrong vnto the simplest I sought not you nor yours but those things which are Iesus I haue liued by the labor of my hands in watchings in hunger in colde and nakednesse God hath ordained that they which teach the gospel should liue by the gospel Who séedeth a â—…lacke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke But I haue not vsed this libertie For I haue a great care least by anie meanes I should offend you Yet would I neuer flatter anie in that thing they had done amisse I neuer spared to rebuke ill If I should feare or séeke to please men I were not the seruant of Christ. I séeke not mine owne glorie but the glorie of him that sent me who also hath made me a minister of his gospel I haue forsaken al things my goods and life my flesh and my bodie and am daily in perils compassed daily by persecution séedeath death daily before mine eies for the loue I be are to you and for the care I haue of the Church You are the Lords shéepe I am your shaepeheard you are the house of God I am your builder you are Gods orchard I am your ouerséer and workeman I shall giue an attâ—…mpt for your soules You know how â—…ly I haue loued you in thâ—… Lord. Your griese hath béene my griese your ioie hath béene my ioie I haue praied for you daie and night and haue giuen thanks to God for you and reioâ—…ced in your behalfe What is more deare to a man than life yet haue I desired to yeeld vp my life that you might liue I haue béene readie to suffer death if thereby I might doe you good These things you cannot but remember your conscience beareth mée witnesse that I haue thus liued among you for your sake V. 6. And ye become followers of vs and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioie of the holie ghost He commendeth the godlie for the practise of that which they haue learned and séene in him in that they haue receiued the gospel and framed their liues accordingly and haue continued stedfast in the same in the middes of persecution Herein he doth not onlie laie out himselfe and the other Apostles for an example but telleth them that this waie is also â—…roden out by our Lorde himselfe Who as he is the waie and the light that lightneth euerie man which commeth into the worloe so did he heare his crosse and did laie downe his life for his shéepe Therefore he saide to his Disciples The disciple is not aboue his Maister nor the seruant aboue his Lorde It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Maister is and the seruant as his
you enlarged your selues toward me and tooke me in When I was in prison you came to me and feared no man you were not ashamed of my bonds you were readie to loose your owne liues to saue me This is spoken of to your great praise And howe you turned to God from idols to serue the liuing and true God Here are set downe in fewe words the summe and parts of Christian religion The first is to forsake at â—…ols to turne from them then to turne vnto God and to put alout trust in 〈◊〉 to serue the liuing and true God The â—…nice of God and idols can not stand togither No man can turne vnto God that turneth not from idols This is a wonderfull effect of the gospell to forsake idols and serue God to leaue customes and the vsage of forefathers and giue eare to the trueth To loue from the heart that which thou diddest sometimes hate and to detest from the heart that which thou didbest sometimes loue is strange and wonderfull But to doe this for Christ which was borne of poore Marie whom the wise and learned and mightie men of this worlde despised which was crucified and hanged betwene two théeues whome they scorned vpon the Crosse to follow or beléeue or put trust in him to cal him the power and the wisedome of God to confesse him to be in whome al Israel shall be blessed and in whom all the worlde shal be saued to giue bodie or life for his sake is a straÌ„ge miracle No King no Prince no lawe no wisedome of man can worke this and bring it to passe This is the Lordes doing and it is maruelous in our eies And this doeth he in those onelie which receiue the word of the gospel with ioy of the holie ghost And to looke for his sonne from heauen whome he raised c. The holie Scriptures do not onlie teach vs to turne vnto God but also what it is that god giueth vnto al them which séeke him euen that they be deliuered from the wrath to come and for whose sake he deliuereth vs for Jesus his sonne whome he raised from the dead Therefore he telleth them howsoeuer they be reiected or despised as foolish among men if they continue in the things which they haue learned they shall be wise vnto saluation That therefore they lift vp their heads and looke for their redéemer That they saie thy kingdome come and Come Lord Jesus because he is appointed by God to be the Judge of the quicke and the dead and hée shal come in the glorie of his father and deliuereth from the wrath to come al those that trust in him For among men there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby wée must be saued This is the depth of al knowledge and the comfort which passeth al vnderstanding that against al temptations and afflictions which oppresse our conscience or bere and trouble our bodies we maie growe strong by faith in the sonne of God Christ Jesus and assertaine our selues of his comming from heauen for our delinerance CHAP. 2. FOr you your selues know brethren that our entrance vnto you was not in vaine HE taketh witnesse of them of his diligence and paines taken in the fulfilling of his ministery séeing it hath so good successe among them that they by the preaching of the gospell haue forsaken superstition and are turned vnto and do now serue the true and liuing God and do bâ—…leeue for giuenes of their sinnes and deliuerance from the wrath to come by Jesus Christ. It is a great and deadly smart to the faithfull seruant of God to sée the people wilfull and to despise the word of their saluation Hereof Esaie complaineth I haue spred out my handes al the daie long to a rebellious people which walked in a waie that was not good euen after their owne imaginations They stopped their eares and woulde not heare nor be reclaimed nor returne that they might be saued And Ieremie O that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe daie and night for the staine of the daughter of my people for they be adulterers and an assemblie of rebels Sword and destruction commeth vppon them and they will not sée Oh that they woulde giue eare and repent in time Againe My people is foolish they haue not knowen mee they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Dauid crieth out O yee sonnes of men howe long wil yee loue vanitie and seeke after lies Why forsake you the truth of GOD and haue no regarde to his mercie So our Sauior mourneth ouer Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne her broode vnder her wings and yee woulde not how carefully and tenderly haue I sought for thy saluation how often haue I called vpon thée sent vnto thée my seruantes and powred out my blessings before thine eies So bitter and mourneful a thing is it to al those that séeke the glorie of God to see no fruite followe of their labours to sée the people continue ignorant and wilfull and to séeke their owne destruction Therefore they turne themselues vnto GOD which is the father of lights and God of all comforte in whose hand are the hearts of the people that his worde maie haue frée passage and be glorified that God will open vnto them the doore of vtterance to speak the mysterie of Christ and publish the secret of the gospell boldlie that he will giue power to his worde declared by them and assist them with his holie spirite that hée will open the eies of the people that they maie sée and turne their heartes that they maie be conuerted So did Dauid make his praier Open thou my lippes O Lord and my mouth shal shewe foorth thy praise Albeit my month is simple and rude and barbarous yet if thou wilt it maie bée an instrument to declare thy glorie Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Be fauourable vnto Sion builde the wales of Ierusalem Thus doe they lift vp their handes and call vnto GOD that he would send downe his light into the hearts of the people that what they heare they heare not in vaine but maie receiue it and vnderstande it and kéepe it For vnlesse GOD direct the heart and make it fit to receiue instruction the preacher though he be neuer so desirous to doe good doth labor in vaine God one lic disposeth the waies of men it is hée which trieth the corne from the chasse hée knoweth whome he will bring to he of his folde make to heare his voice Manie times he blesseth his word with great encrease among them which at the first despise it and intreate cruelly the preachers and messengers thereof
vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue doone euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation And againe I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in mee though hee were dead shal liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die For if wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen that he was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification if we beléeue that he is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of GOD his father he will also raise vp our mortall bodies and bring vs with him Nowe Christ is risen from the dead and was made the firste fruites of them that sleepe He is our head wée are his bodie Wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Hée hath giuen vs his Spirite to dwell in vs. But if anie man hath not the Spirite of Christ the same is not his Christ our head liueth His bodie then can not he dead Where I am sayeth he there shall also my seruaunt be Wherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleeue that wee shal liue also with him What then shal become of the infidelles which haue no faith which haue not the spirit of God Shal not they rise againe Yes verily They shal rise but not with Christ. They shal not rise the resurrection of the iust Some shal rise vnto life some vnto death some to saluation others to damnation some to glory others to shame Wee must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man may receiue the thinges which are doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euil The wicked shal rise vp again with their bodies and their portion shal be with the Diuel and his Angels they shal come foorth of their graues to the resurrection of condemnation their bodie and soule shal be cast into hel fire Their worme shal neuer die their fire shal not be quenched It had béen better for them they had neuer béene borne V. 15. For this say we vnto you by the word of the Lord that we which liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lorde shal not preuent them that sleepe 16. For the Lorde himselfe shal descende from heauen with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shal rise first This that we declare vnto you is not of our selues It is the truth of God it shal stand good be found true for euer God wil raise our bodies out of the graue 〈◊〉 restore theÌ„ from death to life You may not reason howe or in what order this shal be doone or who shal be the first or the seconde or the third that shal rise vp in the resurrection Such questions are unfit and not to be moued We shal al be chaunged in a moment in the twinckling of an eye At that houre some shalve aliue and some shal be dead For he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the dead We that are remaining in the comming of the Lorde shal not preuent them that sleepe Neither is their part better in the resurrection that shal then be founde aliue nor their part worse that haue béene dead manis yeares before For they which were dead shal as soone be partakers of the glory of the sonnes of God as the other Touching the state of men that shal liue in the end of the world Christ sayth As the daies of Noe so likewise shal the comming of the sonne of man be I doubt not but you remeÌ„ber the storie what dreadful plague of rain tempest fel when al the world was drowned and destroyd with water Vice and vngodlines encreased and al flesh had corrupt his way vpon earth They had no shame there was no feare of God before their eyes Gods wrath was kindled against them He sent Noah a preacher of righteousnes to reforme them to tel them of the destructioÌ„ at hand that they might repent and be saued But they regarded it not They laught Noah to scorne grewe desperate and continued in sinne Sodenly al the fountaines of the great déepe were broken vp the windowes of heauen were opened As they were eating drinking buying selling building purchasing stirring and trauailing as they were in the middest of their ioyes trauailes and pleasures the raine came vpon them and the flouds grewe so great that it destroyed the whole worlde except Noah and a fewe of his companie Their landes their goods Cities Castles nor any other their pleasure or wealth could saue them so shal it be in the comming of Christ. As it was in the daies of Lot and as it betel to Sodome and Gomortha they liued and increased in filthinesse Their heartes were blind and regarded no counsel Their bodies were filthie their soules their liues their houses cities were ful of filthinesse The Angel of God departed from them Loth went out from among them and fire came downe from heauen and consumed them to ashes and caried them downe quick into hel There was no father left to lament his child no child left to lament his father So shal it be at the comming of Christ. He shal come as a théefe sodenly when no man looketh for his comming he shal come at such season when mens harts wil be asléepe and thinke not of him S. Peter sayeth There shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers dyed al things continue alike from the beginning of the creation They skorne the threatninges of Gods indgement When shal the world come to an ende We haue winter and sommer raine snow day and night as before The sonne kéepeth his course the fioudes runne the frâ—… beare fruit al things are as they haue béene O sayth Peter know this that god hath made the heauen and earth and al the furniture in them They are his creatures he doth holde theÌ„ vp and preserue them by the power of his word When God shal withdrawe his word they shal decay and haue an ende As for our Lorde he shal come and not tarie at his comming heauen shal depart away as a scrol that is rold the element shal melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therin shal be burnt vp and consumed before his face Deceiue not your selues with lying wordes For when you say peace peace and al thinges are safe then shal sodaine destruction come vpon you Then two men shal be in the fieldes the one shal bee receiued and the other refused Two women shal be grinding at the mil the one shall be receiued and the other refused So shal also the comming of the sonne of man â—…ée The number of the faithful that shal remain at his comming shal not be many So sayth Christ When the sonne
the blessing of God offered vnto thée Where there is no prophecie the people perisheth He that despiseth it shall be despised of the Lord he shal be cast into darkenesse because he would not delight in the light V. 21 Trie al things and keepe that which is good Trie al things God hath giuen you the spirite of discretion and of iudgement Be wise and knowe what is that good and acceptable will of God He not deceiued with wordes of mans wisedome Let not the basenesse or simplicitie of anie cause you to refuse the message which he bringeth and carrie not your selues to liking of al that whatsoeuer shall be told you of such as beare great shew and countenance This was it that deceiued the people of GOD they gaue eare to false teachers which lead them to worshippe the workes of their owne hands Therefore they saide vnto the stone thou art our father thou hast deliuered vs they sell downe before it worshipped it beléeued in it they slewe the Prophets of God and stoned to death such as were sent vnto them The Scribes and Pharises séemed so grane and wise that the people thought nothing good but what they allowed They were altogether appliable to beléeue to do to speake and to thinke whatsoeuer the Pharises willed them Christ saith vnto them Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues S. Iohn therefore saith Dearely beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they are of God for manie false prophets are gone out into the world And further directeth vs howe we should trie them hereby shal ye know the spirit of God euerie spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Againe hereby may you trie them Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the sonne If there come anie vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speede Hereby S. Paul required the Galathians to trie betwéene him and the false Apostles If anie man preach vnto you otherwise than that yee haue receiued let him bee accursed For now do I preach mans doctrine or Gods the Saduces erred touching the resurrection because they searched not the scriptures God teacheth vs by the prophet Esay to make triall of teachers and doctrines When they shall saie vnto you enquire of them that haue a spirite of diuination and at the soothsaiers which whisper and murmur shoulde not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is bicause there is no light in them Paule putteth Timothie in mind wherefore he left him at Ephesus to commaund some that they teach none other doctrine And to warne both the teachers and the hearers that they giue no heede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse which breede questions rather than godlie edifying which is by faith Thus are the people of God called to trie the truth to iudge betwéene good and il betwéene light and darknesse God hath made them the promise of his spirit and hath left vnto them his word They of Berea when they heard the preaching of Paule searched the scriptures dailie whether those things were so as he taught them and manie of them beléeued So do you giue héed to instruction and yet receiue not al things without proofe and trial that they are not contrarie to the wholesome doctrine of the word of God Keepe that which is good When you haue tried and found out the truth be constant and setled in it A wauering minded man is vnstable in al his waies Follow the truth and be not carried about with euerie wind of doctrine The diuel wil come in the name of God and change himselfe into an Angel of light Let him not take the loue of the trueth from you let him not remooue you from faith and a good conscience returne not like swine vnto your mire God hath purged your hearts and made them cleane Except they be preserued and kept occupied the vncleane spirite wil returne and enter in and dwell in you so the last state of you shall be worse than the first We haue great cause to harken diligently to the Apostle to keepe that is good We see this daie great confusion in al places Sathan woulde faine entangle vs againe with the errour of the wicked and séeketh to drawe vs from our stedfastnesse Now is the time wherin God maketh some triall of his seruauntes now iniquitie séeketh to haue the vpper hand They seduce the people saie here is Christ there is Christ here is the Church there is the Church God giue vs his holie spirite to guide vs in iudgement that we maie discerne the truth from falshoode and knowe the blessed and gratious will of GOD that wee maie walke in his waies and serue him in reuerence and feare al the daies of our life In this worlde as there is a Iacob so is there an Esau as there are manie that loue Christ with an vnfained hart so are there manie that serue Antichrist and as there be many true professors of the trueth of God so are there manie despisers of the same This wée maie sée here at home within this realme We maie sée it and mourne and lament for it in our hearts Their practises are opened they haue broken out into open rebellion to the breach of the peace both of GOD and man They saie with their lippes GOD saue Quéene Elizabeth yet they holde vppe their sword against her Alas what hath she deserued at their handes she hath alwaies dealt mercifully without crueltie without shedding of bloud God preserue her that she maie long raigne ouer vs and bring al her enimies to confusion What pretence make they for this their doing that hereby they séeke to haue religion refourmed Thankes be to GOD religion is refourmed farre better than our fathers knewe it these many hundred yeares If those which liued before vs might haue séene and heard as we sée heare they would haue reioiced and thought themselues happie But they would haue the Masse What find they or sée they in it wherfore they should so desire it Trie things saith Paul Therefore examine and trie the masse What do we learne by it what doctrine what godlinesse in life what comforte for saluation It is a dumb and deadly seruice The people are forced to be at it it is the verie kay of their religion the people are bound to be present at masse yet they neither receiue anie thing nor eate nor heare nor vnderstand anie thing You are wise you haue reason you are the children of GOD be you iudges herein and iudge vprightly for it is Gods cause Will they call this the Lordes supper Is this
called you I coulde speake such thinges wherewith you woulde be better pleased but your case is such it requireth rather frâ—… and planie and â—…arpe reprehension whereby you may be brought to consider and amend your errours than faire and smoothed spéech which might hould you stil in your follie Séeke therefore the kingdome of GOD and the glorie thereof and seeke not your selues Weigh trueth and falsâ—…de in an indifferent ballaunce so shâ—…l the heauier weight of the one soone bewray the lightnesse of the other What thing in the worlde so Massie and so weightie as is the trueth Harden not your heartes as did your Fathers in the Wildernesse It is no sinne to yéelde vnto GOD it is no shame to lay a part al affection and to chaunge your minde to the denial of al vngodlinesse and imbracing of true holinesse The wise man sayth There is a shame that bringeth sinne and a shame that bringeth worshippe and fauour In this sort it is likely the Apostle would haue spoken if néede had so required But nowe seeing them forcibly assaulted and that yet they striued with such good courage against the perswasions of the wicked he commendeth their stedfastnesse and exhorteth them by these wordes not to yéelde vnto their persecutours nor to goe from their faith in Christ Iesus Neither by spirite that is by reuelation of the spirite The spirite of God wrought mightily and bestowed sundrie and great giftes vppon men Christ sayde to his Disciples When they deliuer you vp take yee no thought howe or what ye shal speake for it shal bee giuen you in that same houre what yee shall speake For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you And againe saith he I wil pray the father and he shal giue you an other comforter that hee may bide with you for euer The spirite of trueth whome the worlde can not receiue because the worlde feeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shal bee in you The holie Ghost shal be with you to assist you to teach you al thinges to direct your counsels to leade you into al trueth and to preserue you from al errour Nowe as the spirite of God was among the faithful and distributed to euerie man seueral giftes as it séemed best to profit withal so did the spirite of Satan waite vpon the wicked and possessed their hearts and bodies and caused them to imagine and to doe those thinges which were vnséemely He vsed them as instrumentes to disquiet the Church of God and to cast into it the séede of error of vntrueth and dissention Of such spirites Saint Iohn giueth warning saying beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone into the worlde At what time Achab would not beléeue the aunswere which the Prophet Micheas made him there came foorth a spirite and stoode before the Lorde and sayde I wil go out and be a false spirite in the mouth of al his prophetes This spirite euer walketh vp and downe séeking whome hee may deuour and blindeth the mindes of many that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ may not shine vnto them Take héere that you be not deceiued by any such which shal séeke to abuse you by pretence of reuelation Though they shal take vpon them to tel you of the day or houre of the comming of our Lord beloeue them not for the false spirite is in the mouth of such prophetes Nor by worde or if anie shal report and goe about to perswade you that I haue so spoken or taught in the congregations or will boldely countenaunce out suche matter and tell you saring I was present I hearde his wordes and remember them this was the doctrine which Paule preached refuse him that is such a one for hee bringeth not the trueth vnto you but deceiueth you with lying and vaine fables Nor by letter as it were from vs. Againe it may bee they which lie in waite to destroye you for their better way wil counterfaite letters and sende them vnto you in my name This is a token in them that they bée past shame bee not you carried away by anie such pretence from that which wee haue preached vnto you Wée haue not taught you that the day of Christ is at hande Oh then be not so soone remooued away vnto an other Gospel by them which trouble you and intende to peruert the Gospel of Christ. Manie such sâ—…eightes and false deuises haue béene vsed by deceiuing spirites to blind the eyes of the simple There haue béene some which haue â—…etie abroade their owne fantasies vnder the names of Adam the first man that GOD created vppon the face of the earth and of Cain and Seth. Others haue called their owne dreames the Gospel of Thomas and of Bartholemewe and of Barnabee and of the Apostles of Christ. Saint August sayth of the Manichees Manichaeilegunt seripturas Apocryphas nescto à quibus sutoribus fabularum sub nomiâ—…e Apostolorum Scripâ—…as The Manichees â—…ead secret hidden Scriptures written I know not by what coblers of fables vnder the name of the Apostles Such writings were neuer written by them whose name they brare but were wickedly and falsely counterfaited vnder their names by sundrie heretiques This is that whereof our sauiour gaue vs warning Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shal come in my name saying I am Christ and shal deceiue many Againe he sayeth If any shal say vnto you lâ—…e here is Christ or there belecue it not for there shal arise false Christes and false Prophetes Into what shape can not he transforme himselfe in whose name wil not hée crastilie sette foorth his errours which dareth falfelie sette him selfe in the place of the â—…onne of GOD This hath euermore béene the practise of that olde Serpent to chaunge himselfe into the likenesse of an Angel of light and vnder the credite of holie men to deceiue the worlde with vnholy and vnwholesome thinges Since the time that the Church of God hath departed from hir first faith and would no longer be guided by the voyce of the Gospel what and howe great forgeries haue there béene wrought What Epistles and Canons and decretals haue béene deuised to maintaine seueral partes of false religion and published vnder the name of Clemens Cletus Anacletus and of others whereof these holie fathers neuer thought Thus haue they cioked themselues vnder the couert of the Apostles of the fathers of the primitiue church and haue thought to winne credite in the worlde by false shewe of antiquitie It is certaine that the sonne of man shal come with his holie Angels and shal rewarde euerie man according to that he hath doone in this life Then will he giue sentence against the wicked and wil place the faithful at his right hande In that day the heauens shal passe
their faces This was done vnto them that so they might be rooted out and their name quite put out from the â—…arth It was high time for the Lord to put to his hand They called vpon him in their troubles and he heard them Then sent he Moses and Aaron and deliuered them he opened the redde sea and gaue them passage When the Philiâ—…ines oppressed them GOD sent them Gedeon Barac Iehu Debora and Sampson whom he endued with wisedome and courage and pâ—…wer to ouercome their enimies and to sette them at libertie What should I speake of Nabuchodonosor Anâ—…ochus Nero Iulian and other tyrants They opprâ—…ssed the seruants of GOD and kept them in great miserie But God looked downe from heauen and was their helper in the time of néede he brake the â—…ords asunder and delinered them The more â—…ie was extended or practised against them the more glorious did GOD sheiâ—… himselfe in the 〈…〉 of Antichrist By him the Church of God shall suffer great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world And then shal his surie encrease and his tyranic be the greater when his kingdome shall decay and the daies of his desolation shall be at hande Primasius saith Tunc cadet Babylon quando nouis sime potestaâ—…em persequendi sanctos acceperit Then shall Babylon come to the ground when she shall last of al take power to persecute the Saints of God For then wil God arise and will iudge his owne cause he wil deliuer the afâ—…icted and will slaie Antichrist with the breath of his mouth Hereof S. Gregorie saith thus The Church after these daies of her affliction shall afterwarde notwithstanding be â—…rengihned with great power and might of preaching Except there come a departing first There must first be a departing from faith in the Church of God and then shall be the comming of the Lorde There was one general departing in the daies of Noah Al flesh had corrupt their waies there was not aniâ—… that did seeke after righteousnesse Then came the daie of the Lorde vpon them he powred out the waterâ—… and they preuailed vpon the earth so that both man and cattel and worme the soule of the heauen were destroied There was a general departing of the Iewes people of God at Hierusalem They made the house of God a denne of théeues they saued a théefe and crucified the Lord of glorie God had no delight in them neither regarded their sacrifices Christ said vnto them O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which haue beene sent vnto thee howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children togither euen as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee woulde not Beholde your house is left vnto you desolate They shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon another because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation Such a departing it shall be whereof the Apostle speaketh and so general that the sonne of man when he commeth shall hardly finde faith vpon the earth But this departing is diuersly taken Some vnderstaÌ„d it of the empire that the kingdomâ—… and countries which were before in subiection to that estate shal depart from it and that then Antichrist shal spring vp Others thinke that this is spoken of that departing wherein the godlie haue carried themselues from the obedience of the church of Rome But others more truly say it is the departure from the doctrine and religion and loue and obedience of the gospel of Christ wherof in another place he saith In the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shal giue heede to spirites of errour and doctrines of Diuels forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes of them which beleeue and know the truth These men shall haue a forme of godlinesse but shall denie the power thereof They shall turne their eares awaie from the truth and wil encline their hearts to heare fables The wordes of the Apostle are plaine to shew that there shal be a departing But as we sée it is not agréed vppon what maner of departing this shal be nor by whome it shall be wrought Our aduersaries lay it vnto vs saying you haue wrought this departing you haue departed from the Church of Rome you are they of whome S. Paule hath spoken you are the founders of Antichrist so say they But would to God they and their fathers and the Church of Rome had not wrought this departure Bernard behelde the state and pride and disorders of the Church of Rome in his time therefore saide Superest vt reueletur homo peâ—…cati filius perditionis non modo demonium diâ—… sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in angelum lucis sed extollitur supra umne quod dicitur Deus aut quod colitur It remaineth that the man of sinne that is the sonne of perdition be reueiled euen the diuel which flieth not onely in the day but destroyeth in the noone day which is not only changed into an angel of light but is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped And Gregorie did sée who they were that should worke this departing and make way for Antichrist therefore sayde Ego fidenter deco c. I speake it boldly Whosoeuer calleth himselfe the vniuersal priest or desâ—…reth so to be called as doth the Pope in the pride of his heart he is the forerunner of Antichrist Now that we may yet better know what maner of departure that shal be let vs consider what Saint Paule speaketh of the Church of God which was in his tune Vnto the Coriâ—…thinans he sayeth If al prophecie and there come in oneÌ„ that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of al men he is iudged of al men and so are the secrets of his hâ—…art made manifest and so wil he fal downe on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you in deede How is it then brethern When you come together euerie one of you hath a psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath an interpretation let al things be done vnto edifying c. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches Blessed were they of God Al thinges among them were done to edifying The holy scriptures were read openly in the presence of the people the people rcuerently kept silence and gaue eare and vnderstood the wil of God and submitted themselues vnto it The prayers were in a knowne tongue to that â—…e vnlearned might vnderstand them and say Amen The holis misteries were duly ministred The people receiued the sacrament of the Lordes supper vnder both kindes as Christ had instituted and did al communitate together Chrisostoine writing vppon that chapter sayth Vere tum Ecclesia coelum fuit c. Verely the church then was a
passe The man of sinne is reuealed What a kingdome made he of purgatorie he shut out thence whom he listed and released such as were there at his pleasure He claimed power ouer the quick dead he sold the yeres the daiâ—…s and the monethes by rounde reckoning a hundred fiue hundred and a thousand and thousand thousands yeares of pardon Of which follie his owne Canonistes were ashamed One of them saith NaÌ„ quod dicitur Petro tibi dabâ—… claues c. Touching that Christ sayde vnto Peter Vnto thee wil I wiue the keies c. We must vnderstande this authority with a corne of salt other â—…ise it may be vnsauerie Therefore certaine of the Popes pardons that promise twentie thousand yeres are foolish and superstitious This was not giuen for nothing but solde for money Who had ought to giue had spéedy dispatch but poore soules that had nothing or no friendes to pay for them should lie still This was a wealthie kingdome But nowe where is purgatorie who regardeth it Who careth for it children scorne it in their stréets and knowe it is a â—…able Howe commeth this so to passe the wicked or lawelesse man is reuealed He was able to rule the whole world with a becke His word stood as the worde of God no Prince nor Emperour durst withstand it It was thought impossible that hee should â—…rre But nowe the worlde séeth his woâ—… deceiueable and vaine he erreth and hath liued in great errour Now fewe men wil beléeue him no Prince wil trust his word howsoeuer they whose eyes God hath not yet opened to sée the truth trust him in religion in worldly matters they wil not trust him How commeth this so to passe the man of sinne is reuealed What shall I saie more behold round about the worlde all places and euen Rome it selfe The poore massing Priest standeth a colde and can get no hire the Popes Palles lie a rotting his Bulles goe a begging his wares stand vpon his hand no wise man will buy them Why howe commeth this so to passe The man of sinne is reuealed all his deceit and treacherie is reuealed The Pope stirreth and striueth at this day al that he can He excommunicateth and curseth he sendeth out his bulles he bloweth vp seditions he bréeoeth treasons he raiseth subiects against their Princes he setteth Princes vpon their subiects he imprisoneth and murdereth the Saints of God he shaketh and enflameth the whole world in his quarrels But al in vaine Why so howe commeth this to passe there is no counsaile no wisedome no fire no sworde that shall preuaile against the Lorde The man of sinne and his errours are reuealed Men sée and know and detest the blindnesse wherein they were lead the people forsake him ouer and ouer the world Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming 9 Euen him whose comming is by the effectual working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 10 And in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because that they receiued not the word of the trueth that they may be saued By the order of the Apostles wordes I shoulde nowe speake of the ouerthrow of Antichrist how and by what power he shall be confounded But because the two verses next following speake yet of the state of Antichrist by whose meanes he shal come and of what countenaunce he shall be and with whome he shall preuaile it shal be good we consider these things first and then shew how â—…e shall be destroyed When Christ came into the worlde hée came in the name of his father to saue the lost shéepe of the house of Israel and to gather the flocke that was scattered Antichrist shall come in the name of the Diuel to scatter and disperse and consume the stocke of Gods shéepe His comming shall be by the effectuall working of Sathan And what or who is Sathan he hath béene a murderer from the beginning through his enuie came death into the worlde hee is the Prince of this world the Prince of darkenesse the father of lies the spirite of pride which hath saide I will ascend aboue the height of the cloudes and I will be like the most high He shal worke and inflame the heart of Antichrist and fil it with his spirite and wickednesse and shall make him the man of sinne and the sonne of perdition full of vanitie and of pride and of vngodlinesse that he maie mocke the world and blind the hearts of the people His comming shall be by the working of Sathan yet he shall make shew as if he came in the name of Christ. He shall come with fatherly lóokes with holie countenance and shal set himselfe in the holy place but his whole indeuour shalbe to deface the kingdom of Christ which he shall practise to doe not by the leading of anie Angel or Archangel or by the power of God but by the effectuall working of Satan He shall alleage the Doctours and Fathers he shall alleage Peter and Paul the holy Apostles of Christ he shall alleage Christ and God himself as though his doings were warranted by them he shall saie I am the buttresse and pillar of the Church my word is the word of God he shal set vp masses and sacrifices of his owne he shall take awaie the word of God he shal teach the people to giue diuine honour to a weake creature But S. Paul in this place discloseth him and his doings and laieth them open to the eies of the faithfull He worketh not the worke of an Euangelist as did Peter or other the Apostles he taketh not power and auâ—…oritie either of God or of Christ but his comming is by the operation of Satan Therefore hee foresheweth Antichrist shal commaund to abstaine from meates He shall saie touch not taste not He shal also forbid to marrie He shal saie marriage is vnholie and vnlawful not conuenient nor méete for holie profession Who would not thinke it a holie thing to abstaine from meats and to chastise the bodie who would not think it a holie thing to abstaine from mariage and to thinke of those things which belong to God séeing holinesse and deuotion are a pleasaunt sacrifice to God but yet it is not al so Some shall speake lies through hipocrisie forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates They shal depart from the faith and giue heede to the spirites of errour and doctrines of Diuels He saith it is the Diuels gospel They are canons and rules of Antichrist Satan shal instruct him Satan shall bee the author and sounder of that religion With al power and signes and lying wonders and in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse He shal néede to be of great power and force that shall incounter with God Therefore the Apostle saith he shal come with myracles and deuises of Satan Christ forefold that false Christs shall rise and false Prophets
people mislike and doubt the word of God and imbrace his follies This is a myracle These be the workes of Antichrist which hée shal bring to passe This shall hée worke in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse He shal come with al kindes and shiftes of deceite He shal come with shewe of praying with vizarde of fasting with companies of Monkes Fryers Chanons and al kinde and colour of holinesse He shal séeke to preuaile by threatning and by flattering by fayre meanes and by foule hee shal excommunicate and release from excommunication hée shal promise forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting He shal make boast of the Fathers and auncient doctours hée shal make boast of the vniuersal consent he shall boast of general councels he shal boast of Christes Apostles and of the Gospel of Christ and of the worde of GOD. So shal he falsely and deceitefully worke himselfe credite and beguile the worlde in abusing the holy name of God No kinde of deceitefolnesse or suttletie but he shal vse it So shal he make the people séeke vpon him and kings and emperours to fal downe before him and to say who is like vnto the beast who is so wise so learned so holie so wealthie so mightie and so catholike without him no man is to be rekoned holie or learned Without him no man may traffique buie nor sel. Without him no man may reade publiquely in Uniuersities no man may preach to the people no man may be accounted a Christian no man may hope to bee saued without him without his leaue and liking Such wonders such myracles shal he worke so shal he conquere and subdue the worlde Nowe who bee they which shal bee deceyued in whom shal he preuaile Among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued They shal be deceiued by him Which perish whose hearts are not marked with the spirite of God whose names are not written in the booke of life in whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shoulde not shine vnto them they shal followe him and shal be the children of damnation and shal haue their rewarde with him Be he learned or vnlearned bée he King or subiect albeit he be holie albeit hee be catholicke Antichrist shal come vnto him in al deceitefulnesse of vnrighteousnesse because hée hath not receiued the loue of the trueth that hée might bee saued Here marke he doeth not saye Because they receiued not the trueth but he sayth because they receiued not the loue of the trueth Manie in our dayes can speake thus I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth for it is the sauour of life vnto life They can say There is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must bee saued neither is there saluation in anie other than by Iesus Christ whome we haue learned by the Gospel manie wil confesse there was neuer more nor better teaching since the time of the Apostles They séeme to receiue the trueth But they are like the horse and mule in whome is no vnderstanding They receiue it because the Prince receyueth it and because the politique lawes of countries establishe it They are carried awaye with the swaie of the worlde They heare it with their cares Nay I woulde GOD they woulde lende their eares to the hearing of it but with their heartes they doe not heare They haue no feeling of the worde of GOD and of the trueth They wetghe it not they loue it not They consider not what it is nor from whome it is sent They knowe not that it is the water of life and the breade which is sent from heauen They haue no tast no sauour nor pleasure in it Therefore it shall bée taken from them and giuen to a Nation which shall bring foorth the fruites thereof They shal be cast into vtter darknesse and the last state of them is worse than the first It had beene better for them not to haue knowen the waye of righteousnesse than after they haue knowen it to turne from the holie commaundement giuen vnto them It shoulde not be â—…harged vppon them for their damnation for our Sauiour sayeth If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but nowe haue they no cloake for their sinne They finde no swéetenesse in the worde of GOD they are not conuerted by it that they may bee saued they haue no pleasure in the wayes of the Lorde they haue no comforte to knowe his will These bee the bondslaues of Sathan these be they vppon whome shall come the abhomination of desolation these be they against whom Sathan and Antichrist shal preuaile because they haue not receiued the loue of the trueth They haue not receiued it into their heartes that they might be saued They had no heartes to féele it they had no eyes to see it V. 11 And therefore God shal sende them strong delusion that they shoulde beleeue lyes 12. That al they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The spirite of God is the spirite of trueth and giueth light into our heartes and maketh vs beholde that blessed hope and reioyce in the knowledge of his will Therefore the Prophete Dauid maketh prayer O God renue a right spirite within me and take not thy holy spirite from mee And againe O Lorde my GOD lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death And againe hee sayeth With thee is the wel of life and in thy light shall we see light Without this spirite we are but fleshe and bloud euen voide of sense and vnderstanding The natural man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him No man knoweth the thinges of GOD but the spirite of God And those thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed vnto vs by his spirite Christ sayth No man commeth to me except the father drawe him Vnlesse a man be borne from aboue vnlesse God print and seale his heart with his finger hee shall not be able to see the kingdome of God Nowe if we haue the worde of God before our eyes and regarde it not nor be thankeful for it nor set price by it God in his iustice wil withdrawe it from vs. Then shal we delight in darkenesse and haue pleasure in errour our latter ende shall be more dreadful than was our first beginning This is it which Paule saith God shal sende them strong delusion That is his holy spirite the spirite of trueth shall depart from their heartes and the power of Satan shal dwel with them and wholy possesse them This is the iust iudgement of GOD. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse rather than
shall set themselues against his holie will be they neuer so manie they shal be damned Let such marke wel what Ignatius who liued in the time of the Apostles hath saide Audivi quosdam dicentes si non invenero Evangelium in antiquis non credam Talibus autem ego dico quia mihi antiquit as Iesus Christus est cui non obeaire manifestus irremissibilis interitus est Ignaty epist. 5. ad Philadel I haue heard some which saie vnlesse I find the Gospell in them of olde time I wil not beleeue it But vnto such I saie that Iesus Christ is vnto me antiquitie Whome to disobey is manifest and vnpardonable destruction Let no man saie I hope I doe well my meaning is good I haue a desire to please GOD I beléeue well I doe my conscience If I doe aâ—…isse God will regard my simplicitie Let no man so saie Saint Augustine saith It is certain that a foolish faith not onelie doeth no good but also hurteth If thou beléeue not the truth thou dwellest in lying thou art the child of the Diuel which is a liar and the father thereof The mouth which speaketh lies slaieth the soule Thy faith is no faith it is but a wilful opinion it is but an errour for it is not according to the truth it is not built vppon the rocke it is not grounded on the word of God Change thine errour Faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of GOD receiue the truth beléeue the truth and loue the truth Otherwise if thou refuse the breade of life and féede on poison if thou forsake the water of life and digge vnto thy selfe a Cesterne that wil holde no water thou shalt leade thy daies in wilfulnesse and shalt die in sinne thy bloud shall be vpon thine owne head Thou shalt not sâ—…e the glorie of God death and damnation shall be thy méede bycause thau hadst pleasure in wickednesse and diddest not giue thy heart to receiue and loue and beléeue the truth Nowe it remaineth that wée heare howe Antichrist shall be euerthrowen Wée haue séene his pompe and pride his might and power that hée ouerlooketh all the worlde bindeth all Kings and Princes and nations to kéepe his lawes and is himselfe exempted from all lawes of GOD or man So mightie and so maruailous is his power Who can declare it Hée is called of his owne side Stupor mundi The gaze stocke or wonder of the world Something lesse than God something more than man But being in all this estate in the middest of his Pontificalibus so fast mortized so high built vppe to the skies so surely shoared so strongly beset on euerie side hée shall be sodainely shaken downe and become the shame of the world How maie this be done being so mortized so built so shoared and so beset who shal shake him downe What power shall consume him shall it be the great power of Kings or of Emperours They shall giue their power and auctoritie to the beast and fight with the lamb that is against Christ. Shal it be the auctoritie of Bishoppes and Cardinalles and great Clearkes al they are lincked and ioined to him Shall it be by the wisedome and drift of Counsailours and men of lawe They be the féede men and sworne to him Shal it be the violence and conspiracie of the people They shall knéele downe to him and honour him and reuerence him as an Angell of God If neither the power of Doctours nor of Bishops nor Archbishops if not the power of Counsailors and men at lawe if not the power of the Kings and Princes of the worlde if not the power and commotion of the people if al these shal not abolishe him what power then is it wherewith he shall be consumed it shal be the power of God which shal be reuealed from aboue The Lorde shall consume him with the spirite of his mouth These wordes are diuersly taken Some â—…und them thus GOD shal appoint the great Angel Michael to set vppon Antichrist and he shal destroy him Others take these wordes to be spoken of the daie of iudgement and then this shal be fulfilled when Christ shall saie Departe from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire that this is the spirit of the Lordes mouth wherewith hée shall be consumed But the Apostle speaketh of the preaâ—…hing of the gospel That God by his word which is mightie to doe al that whereunto hée appointeth it shal make his doings manifest and let al the world sée that he was not sent of God that he did neuer set foorth the glorie of God that hée hath not sought the saluation of the people that in matters of faith and in al his life he is aduersarie to Christ this is that breath that shal descrie his errours and vanities this is that spirite which shal consume the kingdome of Antichrist This ouerthrowe is alreadie begun as our eyes may beholde this day In like sort speaketh Esay the prophet He shal smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shal he slaie the wicked Princes make their conquests by power and strength by fire and sworde and engines of warre but God shal beate downe his aduâ—…rsarie with the râ—…d of his mouth By the true preaching of his worde His worde is mightie it is his sword it is his mace it is the rod of his mouth it is the breath of his lippes It is of great force no strength shal withstand it it shal finite the earth it shal â—…ea the wicked S. Paule sayth We doe not warre after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are mightie through God to cast downe holdes This sword hath hewne downe in many places the crueltie tyrannie simonie insatiable gréedinesse the errours ignoraunce darkenesse vanities hipocrisie superstition and idolatry which haue bin brought into the church and vsed by Antichrist These were the pillars and strength and glorie of his kingdome And here marke the Apostles spéech Hée saith not God shal coÌ„uert Antichrist or change his heart that he may be saued But he sayth Whom the Lord shal consume Gods word is almightie By his word he can do whatsoeuer pleaseth him He can make the deafe to heare the blind to sée He was able to cal the théefe vpon the crosse vnto repentance He was able to raise vp Lazarus out of his graue He is able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham He can throw downe euery high thing that is exalted against the glorie of GOD and wil bring kinges and Princes and the rulers of the earth to the obedience of Christ. But of Antichrist it is sayd The Lorde shal consume him Such is the hardnesse blindnesse of his heart he wil not receiue the loue of the truth he wil not beléeue the trueth of God that he might be saued Therefore destruction shal come vpon him Hereby we are taught what to thinke or hope of
beléeue the word of God Faith knoweth no falshood it beholdeth the truth onely and not al truth but the truth of God It is not setled vpon vanities nor vpon errors Unlesse it be truth by the word of God whatsoeuer thou holdest in opinion is not to be called faith The Turke is setled in errors he perswadeth himselfe hee is rightly setled he calleth his opinions Faith and beléese Yet this is not faith because it is not the faith of truth it hath not the worde of GOD to assure it Therefore when men wil say beléeue our Masses beléeue our sacrifices beléeue our transubstantiations and our real presences beléeue vs what soeuer we say beléeue that we can not erre beléeue that you are in a good beléefe if you say you beléeue as the Church beléeueth though you knowe not how or what y e Church beléeueth They abuse and mocke the people of God There is no truth in this doctrine It neuer past out of the mouth of God God ordeined not Masses nor that the priest should offer sacrifice for the quicke and dead Therefore it is no matter of faith it is folly and vanity it is vngodlinesse it is errour it hath no substance He that receiueth such doctrine maketh much of a shadowe he can not hold it Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God The worde of God is trueth The Gospel is the worde of God and the power of God to saue them that beléeue The beliefe of the Gospel is laide vp in our heartes by the spirite of God He bringeth vs to the knowledge of the trueth This spirite beareth witnesse vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God This spirite teacheth vs to withdrawe our mindes from worldly cares to cal our doings to a reckoning to thinke of the dreadful day of iudgement to repent for our former sinnes and to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse This spirite sheweth vs the mercy of God helpeth vs to pray and prayeth for vs is our comforter helpeth our inâ—…irmities and maketh vs knowe the things that are giuen vs of GOD. This did Dauid sée when he praied Create a cleane heart in mee oh God and renue a right spirit within mee My heart is sinfull my heart is foule renue it with thy spirite thy spirite in right he shall make my heart cleane Againe take not thy holie spirit from me I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaiden turne thy farâ—… awaie from my sinnes beâ—…lde me and receiue me in thy mercie Restore me to the light of thy countenance Open thou my lippes and my mouth shal shew foorth thy praise stablish me with thy frée spirit This strength we gather in God by his spirite This comforteth vs in al temptations and â—…areth witnesse with our spirit that we be the children of God that God hath chosen vs and doth loue vs and hath prepared vs to saluation that wée are the â—…eires of his glorie that God will kéepe vs as the apple of his eiè that de wil defend vs and we shall not perish V. 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and keepe al the instructions which yee haue beene taught either by word or by our epistle God hath set you in a race Let no man hinder you let no man kéepe you from the goale Stand past and kéepe that doctrine which you haue 〈◊〉 I was present with you I taught you by 〈◊〉 of mouth when I was away from you I taught you by letters I am carefull for you I beare you in my heart and loue you 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus Hée hath giuen me charge euer you hee will require you at my handes I haue clensed and garnished your hearts by the word of trueth take héede take héede the wicked spirit come not and bring seaâ—… spirites worse than himselfe and enter in and â—…el with you and the end of you be worse than the beginning Remember Lots wife shée went not foorth straight into the maie appointed her but looked backe behind hir and she became a pillar of salt and so continueth vntill this daie A terrible example to those which haue set their hand to the plough and looke backe againe and haue made themselues vnworthie the kingdome of heauen God will forsake such and make their hearts hard as a stone You are the â—…ome of the Lordes fielde God hath blessed you growe then and be fruitfull vntill the haruest that you may be gathered into the Lordes barne You are the light of God which God himselfe hath kindled let no pâ—…ffe of wind put you out You are the house of God God hath built you vppon a rocke let no violence nor tempestuous-weather beate you downe I haue spoken to you I haue written to you I haue shewed you the whole counsaile of God The word which I spake to you is the verie worde of God I testitie before the Lord and call God to witnesse vnto my soule that it is the truth of God and not anie deuise of man You did beléeue it you receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God Become not now vnfaithful although you spie many infirmities in your teachers although you sée them fal into offences and ware couetous and giue euil example in their life and conuersation Although you sée the faith of manie shalten and that they haue put away from them a good conscience and turne backe from the loue of the gospell which they once séemed to professe and so are gone out from among you yet stande you vpright Hold fast y e doctrine which you haue receiued and continue in the things which you haue learned and be perswaded that they are able to make you wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus Christ saith woe be to the worlde because of offences whosoeuer shal offend one of these litle ones which beléeue in mée it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hée were drowned in the deapth of the sea And againe hee saith Blessed is he which is not offended in me Therefore worke your own saluation in trembling and in feare Blessed is he that abideth with Christ in temptations and continueth faithfull vnto the end V. 16. Nowe the same Iesus Christ our Lorde and our God euen the father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17 Comfort your hearts and stablish you in euerie worde and good worke After his exhortation that they would stand fast and continue faithfull vnto the ende hée turneth himselfe to God and praieth him to looke vppon them mercifully downe from heauen and to fulfill the worke begunne and to increase and multiplie his grace in them So ought al Preachers and seruantes of God to doe in their sermons For alas what are we what is our worde what is our labour without the assistance of God We are onelie the voice of a crier