is the loue study and earnest desire of the trueth especially of that doctrine which is deliuered in the Gospel concerning our eternall saluation through Christe This trueth the Papists doe impugne with no lesse crueltie then they haue alwayes done the professours thereof 11 And therefore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes The Apostle stil proceedeth with the punishment of incredulitie and impenitencie by which two vices it commeth to passe that some doe speake against the doctrine of truth saluation He doth not onely say that men shall beleue errors but also that the reprobate shall be blinded in such wise that without all iudgement they shall runne headlong into death For as God doth inwardly illuminate vs with his spirite that his doctrine may be effectuall with vs and doth open our eyes and heartes that it may pierce and enter therin euen so by his iust iudgement hee deliuereth those ouer into a reprobate sence whom hee hath appointed to destruction that with closed eyes and dulled minds as men voyde of sence astonished they may yeelde them selues to Sathan and to his ministers to be deceiued And being seduced they are most perilously beguiled because when they doe beleeue that they are in the way of righteousnesse of trueth and of saluation they doe walke in the waye of iniquity of lies and of euerlasting destruction And in very deed we haue a manifest spectacle of this thing in the papacie It cannot be told what a woonderfull heape of errors are therin what grosse and shamfull absurdity of superstitions and what doting dilusions and dreames farre from common sence All they which haue but a meane tast of the sacred Scriptures cannot somuch as thinke of those monstrous thinges without great horror How commeth it to passe then that all the world is astonished in such wise that they cannot see them but because the Lorde hath striken them with blindnesse turned them as it were into sencelesse blockes For deceiueable sleights are effectuall in them because the Diuell worketh together in theÌ„ blinding the minds of the vnbeleeuing that the light of the glory of the Gospell which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. might not shine vnto them Therefore we must obserue and note in this place that impietie lyes errors sectes and heresies with such like are punishments of the contempt of Gods worde For God is not wont to suffer the contempt of his worde to escape vnpunished but doth most grieuously take vengeance on the same that men may knowe that there is no dallying with God So our auncestors were punished with deceiueable wayes in the myst of darkenesse for the contempt of the word because they beleeued lyes Now we may easily gather by examples already past what is to be feared will befall vs vnthankfull men at this day for the contempt of the Gospell of Christ 12 That all they might be iudged which beleeue not the truth but haue approued vnrighteousnesse That is to say that they might suffer the punishment due for their impietie and perish by the iust iudgment of God So that there is no cause why they that perishe should any manner of way laye the blame vpon God because they haue gotten that which they sought for For we must remember what Moses writeth that our heartes are tried and proued when false doctrines are published by deceiuers because they doe not preuaile with any but with those which doe not loue God with their whole heart Deut. 13.3 Therfore they which loue vnrighteousnes shal reape the fruite thereof So Christ said vnto the Iewes Iohn 5.40 But ye wil not come to me that ye might haue life I receiue not prayse of men But I knowe you that ye haue not the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not If another shall come in his owne name him will ye receiue When the Apostle saith here That al he giueth vs to vnderstand that the contempt of God is not excused by their great rout and multitude which refuse to obey the Gospell For God is a iudge of the whole world who will as soone take vengeance vpon a hundred thousand as vpon one man But haue approued vnrighteousnesse He expoundeth by an Antithesis or comparison what it is not to beleeue the truth And the Greeke participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a willing promptnesse vnto euill and therefore it is translated of some But had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hereby all excuse is taken from the vnthankeful seeing they take so great pleasure in vnrighteousnesse that they prefer the same before the righteousnesse of God Now if we doe compare with these woordes those things which seducers and the seduced Papistes doe account to be their great prayse we shall easily see what is the chiefe reward which is due to them namely most fearefull wrath and double condemnation â—or they will not beleeue the truth but dâ—â—light in vnrighteousnesse and in impietie being sedused by the prince of daâ—â—â—es and by Sathan the father of lyes â—s far concerning the crueltie and iâ—â—â—â—ie of Antichrist concerning of the â—euils which he hath brought into the Church by wicked doctrines and by the oppression of the Gospell of Christ 13 But we ought alwayes to giue thankes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth The Apostle hauing before declared certaine horrible thinges which might terrefie and trouble the hearers minde doth now comfort the heartes of the faithfull and doth more plainely segregate disseuer the Thessalonians froÌ„ the reprobate least their faith might wauer with the feare of the defectioÌ„ to come Howbeit his intention was to prouide not onely for them but also for posterities to come neither doth he only confirme them that they might not be carried into the same ruine with the world but also by this câ—â—parison he doth the more coÌ„mend the 〈◊〉 of God towards the that whereas 〈◊〉 behold almost the whole world to bâ—â—ed headlong together as it were 〈◊〉 â—iolent empest they by the hand o◠〈◊〉 liued in a quiet and firme state of lâ—fe Thus it is conuenient to behold the iâ—â—â—ments of God in the reprobate that theâ— may be as it were looking glasses vnto vs to consider his mercie toward vs. For we must make this accoumpt that it commeth to passe onely by the singular grace and fauour of God that we in like manner doe not perishe miserably with them Brethren beloued of the Lorde He calleth them so that they may the better consider that they are for no other cause deliuered from the vniuersall distruction of the worlde but because God hath freely loued them Of this fauour and grace of God Moses remembred the Iewes saying Deut. 7.7 God hath not therefore so greatly exalted you because you were more mightie or
merits for the giftes of the holy Ghost are giuen vnto vs through the free grace of God only of the which we speake the more often that no man might proudly boast him selfe of the merits of his righteousnesse Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou saith Paul which thou hast not receiued Moreouer the Apostle hath very artificially comprehended the whole sūme of the Gospell in this verse namely that God hath loued mankinde and hath giuen euerlasting consolation vnto him Iesus Christ who is our hope and that he hath giuen it him through his grace and not for our merit that we liue for euer But what is the Apostles petition it followeth 17. Comfort your heartes and stablishe you in euery worde and good worke He prayeth for the Thessalonians that God so gentle and louing a father would sustaine and comfort their heartes with his consolation against all stumbling blocks and offences by which they might be brought into doubt and dispaire For it belongeth vnto him to comforte and strengthen the heartes of his faithfull seruantes that they might not faint through carefulnesse or distrust And stablish you in euery worde Then he prayeth that God would confirme them in holsome doctrine For this is the worde whereof he speaketh and not of any common worde that it may agree with that which went before And good worke This parteyneth to the whole course of a good and holy life wherein the faithfull ought to perseuere Wherefore all the duties of a Christian man are comprehended in these two partes namely that they doe abide as well in holesome doctrine as in good manners of life The which they cannot performe without the grace and helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ Who saith Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing That is to say without my power and strength working in you And in another place it is said that we are framed by Iesus Christ vnto good workes Ephe. 2.10 which God hath prepared that we should walke in them These therefore are those good fruites which doe spring from a sanctified brest through the holy Ghost and a true faith Heb. 11.6 without the which it is not possible to please God Finally Saint Paul hath so tempered this his prayer that withall he hath prescribed what becommeth the Thessalonians namely that they giue themselues continually to all good words and good works that they doe perseuere in euery good worke but especially that they do acknowledge Christ to be the onely hope and euerlasting consolation of all the faithfull for euer CHAPTER III. 1 FVrthermore brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified euen as it is with you This is the last part of this Epistle which comprehendeth foure exhortations of the which one is the supplication of the Church the which is very necessarie and profitable For although the Lord was mightily present with the Apostle and that he did exceed al others in the feruencie of prayer yet neuerthelesse he doth not neglect the prayer of the faithfull with the which the Lorde will haue vs holpen We in like manner after his example ought alwayes to require this helpe and to stirre vp the faithfull to pray for vs. For there is nothing more auaileable with God then faithfull prayer That the worde of the Lord may haue free passage For two causes the prayer of the Church is here required of the Apostle The first is for the happie successe of the Gospel that the same being preached to other nations might be no lesse estemed then it was of the Thessalonians Therfore by these wordes Paul sheweth that he hath not so much care and consideration of him selfe as he hath of the whole Church For why doth he desire to be commended to the prayer of the Thessalonians That the doctrine of the Gospel might haue his course Therefore he would haue them to haue respect not so much to him alone as to the glorie of Christ and the common saluation of the Church And the worde of the Lord is said to haue free passage when in preaching and in doctrine it hath no let but happie successe insomuch that many beleeue it and beleeuing it doe glorifie God and are saued And be glorified He desireth that the worde of God may haue his force and efficacie to reforme men into the Image of God Therfore holines of life and integrity in christians is the beauty of the Gospell euen as they doe bring infamie and slaunder to the Gospell professing it with their mouth and liuing neuerthelesse filthylie and wickedlie Mat. 5.15 To this ende partaine the exhortations of our sauiour Christ of Peter and of others 1. Pet. 2.12 in the new Testament Euen as it is with you That is to say after the same manner forme and happie successe For this ought to be a great incouragement to the Godly that they may see all other men like to them selues in godlinesse Therefore they which are already entered into the kingdome of God are commaunded to pray daily that the same kingdome may come so farre off they ought to be from enuie when they do heare that others are come to the knowledge of the truth 2 And that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith This is the latter cause why the Apostle requireth the prayers of the faithfull The truth indeed was preached but in the meane time there sprange vp diuers scismes among them also which would seeme to be the embracers of true religion And the publike enimies of religion did both banish the truth and did also most cruelly persecute them which were maintainers of the truth neither did there want certaine hypocrites and false brethren which were worse far more pestilent thē they vnto true godlinesse For it is truly said that a counterfeit frend is much more hurtfull then an open enimie Wherefore Paul desireth to be deliuered from such For by vnreasonable and euill mē he meaneth those which vnder the name of christians lurked in the Church or else the Iewes which through a mad zeale of the law furiously persecuted the gospel For he knew how great harme was like to come by them both And this saying of the Apostle may be extended to all manner of perils For then Paul was going to Hierusalem and did write being in the middest of his iorney But it was already told him from aboue that bondes and persecutions wayted for him there Act. 20.23 From the which he doth desire to be so deliuered that he may ouercome whether it be by death or by life But now at this day the ministers of the word haue the Pope and Papistes for their principall aduersaries which are in dede vnreasonable and euill men which doe hinder the course of the doctrine of the Gospell with their accusations and doe destroy so much as lieth in them the fruit glorie of the word of God preached
vnder the name of Antichrist This Phocas to aspire to the Empire killed his maister Mauritius the Emperour and then to make his seate more sure he graunted to Boniface 3. whatsoeuer he would giuing him the supremacie and name of vniuersall Bishop ouer all Christian Churches Thus the first declining of the Church began in Anno Domi. 610. or there about but one kingdome which extendeth it selfe into many ages For the defection hath continued openly to be seen of all men from the time of Phocas Emperor of Rome and Boniface the third which was about the yeere of our Lorde 610. vntill this day Moreouer although the Apostle meaneth heere a secret working yet notwithstanding he rather vseth the name of misterie then any other alluding vnto the misterie of saluation of the which the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Romans Chapter 16.25 For he doth diligently note the conflicte of repugnancie betweene the sonne of God and the sonne of perdition Also this word misterie teacheth that it is no marueile if neither our predicessors nor we our selues vnderstood the impietie of Antichrist because it was a misterie and because he secretly practised his wickednesse Onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way These words are without al doubt to be referred vnto Antichrist For the Apostle addeth this for the cōsolation of the faithfull that the kingdome of Antichrist shal be temporall to the which God hath appointed an ende For the faithfull might haue obiected to what end is the Gospell preached if Sathan now beginneth that tiranny which shall alwayes indure Therefore he exhorteth them to patience because God wil afflict his church but for a time onely and will after that deliuer it againe and on the contrary parte the perpetuitie of Christes kingdome is to be considered that the faithfull may rest vpon the same 8 And then shall the wicked man be reuealed whom the Lorde shall consume with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming He sheweth that the kingdome of Antichrist shall not be alwayes a misterie that thereby the faithful may receiue consolation For he shal be reuealed and shall arise manifestly he shal be mightie and shal bring to passe whatsoeuer he wil both in the woorking of iniquitie and also of error But when shall that be Euen then saith he when that let whereof mention is made in the sixt verse shal be taken away For the seuenth verse is included in a parenthesis So that he doth not appoint the time of reuelation when Antichrist is taken away of which mention is made in the seuenth verse but he hath respect vnto the sixt verse where he had said that there was a let which stayed Antichrist that he could not openly get possession of the kingdome afterward he added that he went about a priuie woorke of impietie And thirdly he ioyneth hereunto in the seuenth verse a consolation that this tirāny shal haue an end Now againe here he repeateth that he which as yet is hidden shal be reuealed in his time which repetition tendeth to this end that the faithful being armed with spiritual weapōs may fight neuerthelesse couragiously vnder Christ not suffer thēselues to be drowned what floud of impietie soeuer doth ouerflowe The wicked man The Greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth him which will be subiect to no law which neither careth for man nor feareth God As if the Apostle should say that lawles deceiuer and most wicked man which will not be holden within the listes of good and godly lawes but rusheth headlong to the breath both of humane and diuine ordinances and boasteth himselfe to be aboue al men contemning al manner of persons and al things oppressing al mens libertie not suffering himselfe to be iudged of any and requiring this especially that all men obey his vniust constitutions without any regard had of profite or of honestie c. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth Now followeth the ruine and distruction of Antichrist The ruine and fall of Antichrist Paul hath spoken in the seuenth verse going before of the disstruction of this kingdome now he describeth the manner how it shal be distroyed namely it shal be brought to nothing by the worde of the Lord. Notwithstanding it may be that he speaketh of the last appearing of Christ when he shall come a iudge from heauen for so the wordes may seeme to import Howbeit Paul meaneth not the Christ wil do this thing in a momēt For Antichrist shall not fall downe in a moment as wounded with one stroke but after many assaults and battels he shal at the last perish But he shal not be destroied with the hand of man with the multitude of an hoast with the valour and courage of souldiers nor with the thunderclaps of Canon shot but with the hand power of God Therefore we must be well assured that Antichrist shal be vtterly abolished and brought to naught when that last day of reformation of all thinges shall come Notwithstāding Paul doth giue vs thus much to vnderstād that Christ with his bright beames which he will send foorth before his comming will driue away the darknesse in the which Antichrist shall raigne euen as the Sunne before it shyneth vnto vs doth driue away the darknes of the night Therefore this victorye of Gods worde shal be in this world for the spirite of his mouthe signifieth no other thing but his woorde as also in Esay where it is said He shall smite the earth with the sword of his mouth Esay 11.4 and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked To the which place Paul seemeth to allude For there the Prophet by the sworde of his mouth and breath of his lips vnderstandeth al one thing which weapons he giueth vnto Christ therewith to distroy his enimies For the worde of God is more sharpe then any two edged sworde and it is that sworde of might which shall cut of the head off this proud Goliah For Antichrist pleadeth the cause of the most high and saith that all his power and authoritie is grounded vpon diuine lawes vnder the pretence and colour wherof he hath hetherto raigned in securitie But so soone as the light of the Gospel began to shine by by the darke cloudes of this deceiuer vanished away For it is manifest to all men which will see that this man of sinne is cleane contrary to Christ both in manners and also in lawes Therefore it is come to passe that all which feare God knowing his truth do loath and abhor that Antichrist and do forsake him Wherefore the sword that doth kill him is the worde of God For then he is most euidently slaine when his nature and disposition is manifestly knowne by the doctrine of truth The reuelation and knowledge of him doth wound him to the heart and cast him downe and contrariwise
the ignorance of him doth aduance him For they which know him not do beleeue him to be an Apostolicall Prophet and a God Whereas they which haue truely knowne him doe know him to be an Antichrist Therfore when the Apostle saith that the Lord wil kil Antichrist with the breath of his mouth he meaneth that he wil reueale confound and discouer him by his worde The which is come to passe this day in somuch that his Lions skinne being taken from him little children do see his Asses eares and he is made a scorne vnto men And shall Abolish with the brightnesse of his comming The Apostle meaneth that such shal be the brightnes of Christ his countenance that it shall swallowe vp the darkenesse of Antichrist withall he doth priuilie giue to vnderstand that it is permitted vnto Antichrist to take his tourne to inioy his kingdome for a season euen so long as it shal please Christ to withdraw himselfe the which our sauiour Christ hath done by â—aking from men his light when he hath â—eene that they haue abused the same But â—f we like better to vnderstand the Apoâ—â—le as speaking of the last appearing of Christ then it seemeth that he doth allude â—o the woordes of the Prophet Daniel Dan. 7.11 â—here he saith The iudgment was set â—he bookes opened Then I beheld eâ—en till the beast was slaine and his boâ—y destroyed and giuen to the burning â—re c. And therefore Paul saith here Whom he shall abolish with the brightâ—esse of his comming For the Lord saith 〈◊〉 the Gospell Mat. 24.27 As the lightning comâ—eth out of the East goeth into the â—est So shall the coÌ„ming of the sonne â—f man be for he shall come in the â—ouds of heauen with power great â—â—orie Therfore this opinion is false that kingdome of impiety shal vtterly fal and euer appeare againe at the time of reueâ—â—tion wherof the Apostle hath spoken hiâ—â—erto or the Antichrist shal be abolished beâ—â—re the day of iudgment by martial force â—ight But rather this battaile betweene â—hrist and Antichrist shal continue to the â—d of the world Neuertheles Christ at his â—ming shal vtterly deface rase him out for euer In the meane time it is certainâ— true at the time when Antichrist is â—euealed a great number of men shall foâ—sake him as we see it is come to passe 〈◊〉 this age For although he presuming vpon the force of war doth spoile oppressâ— the saints of the most high yet the members of Christ do withstand him and do strike him with the sworde of Gods word pull of his visor accuse his impietie anâ— so at the last do kill him For in the heartâ— of these men he is slaine and his authorâ—tie defaced But though he be ouer come he will furiously rage still vntill tâ— be vtterly abolished by the iudge Christ tâ— whom alone this victorie is reserued Iâ— the meane time euery one of vs muâ— watch vigilantly that he hurte none of vâ— as afore time he hath done for thereforâ— the worde of God hath detected him vntâ— vs that we might shunne and beware 〈◊〉 his pestilent snares 9 Euen him whose comming is bâ— the woorking of Sathan with all power and signes and lying woonders Hitherto the Apostle hath intreated the kingdome reuelation and ruine Antichrist and now returning to him backe againe he doth describe more at large his power and woorkes And he confirmeth the sentence going afore with an argument of the contraries For seeing that Antichrist doth not stand without the subtill deceits of Sathan so soone as Christ doth shine he must needes vanish away Furthermore because he raigneth â—n darknesse only the day arising his kingdome is extinguished Therefore the Apoâ—tle teacheth that it shal be a most easie thing for Christ to distroy the kingdome â—nd tiranny of Antichrist which is vpâ—olden with no other thing then with the â—eceiueable sleights of Sathan Yet neâ—erthelesse he addeth certaine notes â—hereby that sonne of perdition may eaâ—ly be discerned In this description he â—ttributeth vnto him Sathan for his recâ—r and guide by whom Antichrist shal be â—ade able to deceiue others lest the faithâ—ll might thinke that Antichrist should 〈◊〉 impotent or his kingdome weake â—ow the power and woorkings of Saâ—an doe consist in murther and in lies as â—hrist witnesseth saying He was a murtherer from the beginning and aboad not in the trueth Iohn 8.44 because there is no truth in him When he speaketh of a lie he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyar and the father of the same thing And Paul in this present place expounding by repitition the working of SathaÌ„ reckoneth vp power and signes that is to say monstrous lyes and the deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse And in very deed that this kingdome might be quite contrarie to the kingdome of Christ it was necessarie that it should consist partly in false doctrine and in errors and partly in false and fayned miracles For the kingdome of Christ doth stand vpon the doctrine of truth and on the power of the spirite Therefore Sathan to oppose himselfe in the person of his vicar against Christ hath put on the name and visor of Christ and yet notwithstanding withall he hath chosen such weapons as wherewith he may directly oppugne Christ Christ with the doctrine of his Gospell doth illuminate our mindes vnto euerlasting life Antichrist being taught and instructed by Sathan with wicked false doctrine draweth the wicked to destruction Christ shewed foorth the power of his spirite confirming the Gospell with miracles to saue mens soules the aduersarie by the efficacie of Sathan doth withdraw vs from the holy ghost and with his falsehoodes and sleightes confirmeth miserable men in error As touching signes wicked Mahomet was woont to say Mahomet came not with miracles but with force that he came not in the power of signes but in martiall force whereby he manifestly confessed that for the setting vp of his new law he did nothing else but play the wicked murtherer The wicked lying man and tyrannicall deceiuer sawe that the Gospell of Christ had proper testimonies of diuine power by miraculous signes the which when he wanted he determined to bring all thinges to passe by cruell violence In the papacie great boast hath beene made of miracles the which manifestly appearing to bee contrary to the worde and doctrine of the Gospell do plainly appeare to come out of the shoppe of Sathan The Apostle calleth them lying wonders not onely which are lyingly and falsely fayned of craftie men to deceiue the simple with the which yâ— papacie doth woonderfully abound but also he placeth the lie falsehood herein that Sathan doth abuse those miracles which otherwise are the very workes of God and draweth them to a contrarie ende to obscure the glorie of God Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that he doth deceiue by illusions Exod. 11. example whereof we haue in Pharaos Magicians
Therfore there are two sorts of signes true and false Those are true signes which offer the very thinges without any fantasie Such are all the signes of the Prophets of the Apostles of Moses and of Christ They are false signes which by the sufferance of God are done either by Sathan himselfe or by his ministers to the derogation of the truth and confirmation of that which is false Of these false signes there are diuers kindes Some there are which beguile men vnder a false forme and there are some which truely appeare as they are in deede but to this ende to seduce men from truth to falsehood Concerning these signes reade the 24. of Mathewe Mat. 24.24 Verely the estimation of popishe religion increaced by nothing more then by the often vse of miracles By miracles Transubstantiation prayer to saintes and woorshipping of images got credit with the worlde For no man is able to rehearse the woonderfull sleightes of legerdemaine with the which Sathan hath beguiled the whole worlde in some place forsooth hogs worshipped the bread of the pix At another time the bread left his forme and a little boy appeared and after that a pece of flesh Yea and that which is more monstrous great streames of bloud were seene to runne from the same What will you say if images did goe or if they were sent by God from heauen if such as were hid were reuealed if some laughed and wept if other some sent glistering and shining beames wonderfully from them if some grewe and increased in bignesse if other some vanished away yea if many of them often times spake Of these thinges it was not lawfull for any man to doubt nay it was death not to worshippe these impieties and not to receiue them as come from God himselfe and appointed to be woorshiped 10 And in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued In these wordes Paul doth more plainly expound himselfe concerning the causes of lying wonders howbeit this may be referred to the comming of Antichrist As if he should say Antichrist shal come in al deceitfulnesse of vnrighteousnesse That is to say when he commeth he shall bring with him all manner of iniquities by which he shall seduce men from that which is true honest and iust and shall wrap them in hipocrisie and errors For by the name of seduction which in Greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fraud and deceit is signified by which a man is seduced from the right way not because he which goeth astray goeth out of the way through his owne fault but being deceiued with the fraud and subteltie of another lest he should walke in the right way euen as when we do beleeue and obey those which do turne vs away from the faith in Christ and from true repentance toward God being perswaded that they teach vs those thinges which are true and right Therefore we say that by the working of Antichrist common iustice all honestie and sincere trueth shal be remoued from their place and in steede thereof vnrighteousnesse hypocrisie impudencie lust and most vaine perswasion substituted The which thinges who seeth not that they haue possessed all sortes and conditions of men at this day but such as wil see nothing In them that perishe He doth limitte the power of Sathan lest some should thinke that he could hurte Gods elect Mat. 24. ver 24. euen as our sauiour Christ also exempteth them from this peril Wherby it doth appeare that Antichrist doth not preuaile so farre as he doth but by Gods sufferance Neither were all seduced by Antichrist nay rather many good Christians in the very kingdome of darknes and blindnes and of all iniquitie were by the grace and goodnesse of God saued as Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and many others as shall appeare to them which reade ecclesiasticall Histories The which is therefore to be noted least any man should thinke that there ceased to be a Church vnder the kingdome of Antichrist but we must beleeue that alwayes from the beginning of the world God hath had his Church one while greater another while lesse This therfore was a necessarie consolation For otherwise the godly must needes haue beene discouraged through feare if they should see no way for them to goe but into a gaping and deuouring gulphe Therfore Paul as he would haue vs to be carefull to looke vnto our selues lest by too much securitie we come vnto distruction so he commaundeth vs to hope wel because the power of Sathan is restrayned and brideled that he cannot bring to ruine other then reprobates For those cannot be seduced whom Christ hath in his hand â—ohn 10.8 because he is a faithfull and mightie preseruer of them Because they receiued not the loue of the truth Least the reprobate might complaine that they perish giltlesse and that they are appointed to distruction rather through cruelty in God then for their own offence Paul sheweth for what iust causes so seuere vengeance of God shall come vpon them namely because they haue not imbraced the truth offered to them with such affection as became them but haue rather willingly reiected their saluation Therefore their obstinate rebellion against Christ deserueth that they which haue not receiued Christ desiring through his great loue to saue all men and for his truethes sake reuealing those thinges which pertaine to saluation that they might be saued now by the permission of God falsehood may preuaile with them in steede of trueth tyranny for charitie a destroyer for a Sauiour and that now they may beleeue the lies of wicked men which refused to beleeue the sonne of God preaching the trueth And hereby that which we haue already said doth more plainely appeare that it was expedient for the Gospel to be preached to the world before God gaue so great scope and liberty vnto Sathan because God would neuer haue suffered so foule a prophanation of his temple if he had not beene prouoked thereunto with the extreeme vnthankfulnesse of men To be breefe Paul testifieth that Antichrist shal be a minister of Gods iust vengeance against those which being called to saluation haue reiected the Gospell and haue rather giuen ouer their mindes to impietie and errors Wherefore the papistes haue now no colour to make this obiection that it became not the clemencie of Christ thus to cast off his Church For although Antichrist raigned like a tirant yet none perished but they which were worthy and which willingly sought their owne death And in very deed when as the voice of Christ did sound euery where the eares of men were deafe and willfully stopt against the same And although the profession of Christianisme was very common very few notwithstanding did truely and with their whole heart giue themselues vnto Christ Therefore it is no marueile if vpon such wicked contempte there ensued vengeance accordingly The loue of the trueth
mo in number than others but because he loued your fathers For so often as we heare mention made of his loue we ought by and by to remember that saying of the Apostle Not that we loued him first Iohn 4.10 And the certaine and sure signes of the loue of God toward vs are the proclayming of the Gospell and the preaching of remission of sinnes through Christ For by that publication of Gods will it is both testified that we are receiued into the grace of adoption through Christ and also are reckoned in the number of Gods sonnes if so be we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell through faith and doe commit our selues to the grace of the most mercifull God Psal 147.11 Iohn 3.16 For the Lord loueth those that feare him and that put their trust in his mercie Moreouer God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Ephe. 16. that they that beleue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This therefore is that grace of God which maketh vs accepted through the beloued that is through Christ Wo therefore be vnto those wicked teachers which wil haue vs to doubte of the Grace of God and whether we are loued of God when as God would haue vs more sure of nothing then that beleeuing the Gospell we assure our selues to be in his fauour and to be beloued of Christ Because that God hath from the beginning chosen you The Apostle expresseth the cause why all men shal not be ouerwhelmed in one and the selfe same destruction namely because Sathan can doe nothing against those to hinder their saluation although heauen and earth be confounded together For this saying of Christ shall alwayes abide most firme My sheepe hear my voice and I knowe them Iohn 10.27 and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall take them ou◠〈◊〉 my hande There is no doubt but thaâ— the Apostle speaketh of Gods eternall electioÌ„ For he meaneth that there is no feare of the altering of their saluation which is fouÌ„ded vpon gods eternal election thogh there happen a troublesome alteration of thinges As if he should say let this be a horror and feare to others to those I say which perish in whom the Diuels can much preuaile but as for you ye are without peril as the beloued of God such as are elected froÌ„ the beginning Therefore what garboyle trouble soeuer Sathan woorketh in the worlde yet your saluation was laid vp in safety for you before the world was made For election signifieth a purpose of shewing mercie and of sauing those whom God hath ordayned by that purpose to obtayne eternall life for an inheritance But because it is not our part to enter into the secret counsell of God there to seeke the certaintie of our saluation he deliuereth vnto vs certaine signes and tokens of election which ought sufficiently to assure vs thereof Through sanctification of the spirit That is to say by the holy Ghost which doth purifie our hearts and giue vnto vs a true faith Therefore to know whether God hath elected vs or no we must not seeke what God hath done before the creation of the worlde but we shal finde in our selues a lawfull triall namely if he hath sanctified vs with his spirit established vs in the faith of his Gospell For it is the office of the holy Ghost to illuminate our darkened heartes which are naturally blinde to teach the ignorant to comfort the afflicted to bringe those that goe astray into the right way and so to sanctifie them that their workes may be acceptable to the omnipotent God The Apostle calleth that the Faith of truth by which the elect doe beleeue the Gospell of Christ For this is contrary to that false perswasion concerning the which Iames pronounceth saying Faith without workes is dead And the faith which we heare to the Gospell â—â—mes 2. is an assured testimony of our adoption and the spirit doth giue that adoption and they which are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Iohn 3.36 are the sonnes of God And he which possesseth Christ by faith hath euerlasting life All which thinges are diligently to be noted least we pretermitting the reuelation of Gods will whereupon he commaundeth vs to rest we going about to drawe the same from his secrete counsell in the which he woulde not haue vs inquisitiue should bring our selues into a confused laberinth or maze Therefore we must holde our selues contented with the faith of the Gospell and with the grace of the spirit by which we are regenerated that we may assure our selues to be elected of God and that we shall haue the saluation of eternall life if we doe truly beleeue in Christ the sonne of God And hereby their wickednes is confuted which make Gods election a cloake of all filthynesse when as Peter so ioyneth the same with faith and regeneration 1. Peâ— that they cannot be separated And Paul himselfe in an other place testifieth Ephe. 1.4 that we were elected before the foundation of the world was layed that we might be blamelesse and holy in the sight of God in loue 14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ The preaching of the Gospell pertayneth to the confirmatioÌ„ of election For this is the meane by which we come vnto saluation whereunto God hath chosen vs. God therefore hath called vs vnto a true faith not by the righteousnes of the law but by the Gospell euen as Paul testifieth in an other place 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued and called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appearing of our sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell And therefore by the Gospell because no man can beleeue in Christ but by the publication therof who being now glorified raigneth at the right hand of God the father in heauen Rom. 10.17 For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God By our Gospell He calleth it his Gospell not that it sprang from him but because the preaching thereof was committed to him As if he should say By the Gospell which we haue preached which was committed to vs to preach And here are to be noted certaine degrees of our saluation For we are from the beginning chosen to saluation and then we are made partakers of saluation through sanctification of the spirite through beleeuing of the truth and through the Gospell To obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ This doth bring no small consolation to the faithful when they know that doth they and their saluation are so in the handes of God euen as a fixed