but turne vnto prayer And he prescrybeth the pryncypall thynges whyche they shuld aske of God by theyr contynuall prayer Fyrste that the worde of God myghte runne abrode and be glorifyed amonge all other nacyoÌ„s euen as it was dyuulgate amonge the Thessalonians and receaued of godlye meÌ„ wyth an holy reioycynge And all the scrypture beareth wytnesse that thys was the perpetuall moost feruenteste wyshe or desyre of all saynctes And in the fourth chapter of the Actes of the Apostles the Apostolyke church dyd aske thys one thynge of God that he wolde geue the apostles grace strengthe to speake the worde of God wyth boldnes We offende greatly nowe a dayes that we do aske these thynges so coldlye of God yee and I wolde to God that we dyd not vtterlye forgette to aske them at all Nowe where as he sayde to runne abrode he spake it after the commune speche and he mente that it might encreasse and spreade abrode apace wyth oute ony lette And the worde is gloryfyed when it is receaued of men and all the glorye geuen vnto God onely The secoÌ„de thynge that he teacheth to be asked wyth prayer is that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euell men that is from inordynate and frowarde men Who vs vnreasonable euâ—ll men whyche do nothynge in theyr tyme and place but all thynges peruerslye And the Apostle mente the enemyes of Gods worde whoÌ„ nothynge can please and yet in the meanseason they can do nothynge well themselues They fynde fautes and peruerte all thynges and depraue those thynges whych are well sayd and done and do lade them and defyle them wyth shamefull suspycions They are also called shrewde malycious and peruerse meÌ„ And Dauid in hys psalmes dothe desyre very ofte to be delyuered froÌ„ them And our LORDE dyd adde vnto the ende of that holy prayer Delyuer vs froÌ„ euell not alonly from the deuell but also from all hys armye and bodye and specially from that spyrytuall wyckednesse those crafty deceauers For ther is more ieopardye in a false frende and one that dissembleth all thynge theÌ„ in an opeÌ„ enemye Al meÌ„ haue not faythe And herevnto belongeth that which followeth For all men haue not fayth For this meaneth Paul All they are not faythfull and true whyche wolde seme to be faythfull For faythe in thys place is vsurped in the same sygnifycacion that the Poete taketh it when he sayeth Nusquam tuta fides a man woteth neare whome he maye truste Yf ye wyll not grauÌ„t this maner of speakynge then thys is the meanynge Touchynge the I do requyre your prayers so greatlye that we myght be delyuered from vnreasonable and froward men it is because I knowe that ther are many false brethren amonge you For all they whyche pretende fayth and professe it wyth theyr mouthe haue not the true fayth in dede For oure LORDE sayeth in the Gospell Math. xx Many are called but fewe are chosen And althoughe these two sences dyffer not muche yet the fyrste lyketh me better Nowe ther followeth But the LORDE is faythfull vvhyche shall stablyshe you and kepe you from euell For leste he shulde dyscoÌ„forte the myndes of the saynctes through the vnfaythfulnes of manye althoughe sayeth he that ther be many vnfaythfull amonge you yet the LORDE is faythful and true whyche wyll kepe hys promyse wyth vs and be wyth hys for euer They do resyste the Gospell but they shall not ouercome it they lette it that it can not go much abrode but they shall not dryue it cleane backe They do betraye the fauourers of the truthe but yet they shall not vtterlye oppresse the truth For Iesus Christ whyche is faythfull is euer at haÌ„de for to fyghte for hys He shall streÌ„ghthen hys agaynste the vnhappynesse of these men and shall kepe theÌ„ from euell For as much as he is true he wyll luckly perfourme those thynges whyche he hath begonne in vs. These wordes that are so full of consolacion shulde be often layde forth to such as are in perrell are greatlye aferde also of vnreasonable and euell men Nowe to mytygate and as it were to correcce that whyche he sayde before he sayeth But vve haue good hope of you throughe the LORD c. As though he wolde saye We saye not these thynges because that we doute of your constauncy no we do rather hope of you by the helpe of the LORDE Iesus that those thynges whyche I commaunde you of prayer of watchynge and stedfastnesse ye both do and hereafter wyll do And it hath muche grace wyth it yf that in oure admonycion we do reioyce of the thynge whyche we desyre to receaue optayne as it were receaued optayned already Agayne leste that ony man shulde attrybute ouermuche vnto theyr owne strengthe but that rather we shulde all knowe that euery gyfte is geuen vs of God from heaueÌ„ the LORDE sayth he guyde youre hartes into the loue of God and lokynge after Christe To the wyhche Erasmus dothe adde Charite shall cause you for to studye to do good vnto all men euen as God is benefycyal towarde all men The lokynge for the coÌ„mynge of Christe shall cause you to suffer all afflyccions manfully Therfore in all trubles and perylles we haue these two styltes for to beare vs vp prayer stedfaste fayth BrethreÌ„ let vs remembre these thynges I praye you in as muche as our tymes also are mooste corrupte troublesome and that for thys cause it is not possible but the sayntes shuld be vexed let vs praye to God and constauntly beleue that he wyl neuer fayle vs although that in the meanseason many vnreasonable and euell men do ether persecute or betraye the truthe God is true fayth full whyche can not denye hymselfe and the truthe shall remayn euermore inuincyble let vs cleue therfore vnto the truthe and we shall haue the vyctory althoughe that when we be ouerthrowen of the worlde we seme to be ouercome Vve commaunde you brethren in the name of our LORDE Iesus Christe that ye vvythdravve your selues from euery brother that vvalketh inordynately and not after the instytucion vvhyche he receaued of vs. It is manyfeste in the fourth chapter of the fyrste Epystle He condemneth deliâ—es exhort the men to laboure what gaue hym an occcasion of thys commaundemente That is to saye because that immediatlye after the tyme of the Apostles certayn curious men beganne to thruste themselues into the church of God and vnder the pretence of relygion or euell sciences and slouthfull ydelnes dyd gette them a swete lyuynge And where as befor in his fyrst epistle he dyd but easlye as it were bycker or skyrmyshe wyth them he dothe nowe comme in open felde vpon them ouerthrowe them and put theÌ„ to flyghte Fyrste of all he settethe forthe the matter generally and sayeth I wyll not that you haue ony conuersacion wyth inordynate fellowes and suche as ordre themselues otherwyse then we dyd ordeyne And he speaketh not
presence shall bryng vnto some bryghtenesse wyth it and to other punyshement payne For he shall come wyth glory and power so that nother hys glorye shall wante power nor yet his presence be without glorye For it followeth that hys cōmyng shall not alonly be fearfull vnto the wycked but gladde also and gloryous to the godly He shall come sayeth he to be glorifyed in hys sayntes As though he wolde saye when he shall come for to rendre vengeaūce vnto the wycked he shall shew him selfe gloryous vnto the sayntes also and make theyr vyle bodyes lyke vnto hys gloryous bodye for the which cause he shal be maruaylous in al thē that beleue who then shall prayse and magnifye hys so great goodnes and power And thys shal be so sayeth he because that ye beleued our wytnesse that is our preachynge whych I preached vnto you tellyng you that that shuld come to passe whych God shall do in that day Ther are which thynke that these wordes because that ye beleued oure testymony are put in by a Parenthesis and that to declare who be the true beleuers that is to saye such as geue credence to the Apostles wytnesse Saynt Ambrose sayeth that it may be expounded two wayes For he shall come sayeth he to punysh the euell and glorifye the good For he shall seme and shew hym selfe gloryous and maruelous toward them that beleue after the ensample and fayth of the Apostles at what tyme they shal be crowned with glory the Gospell bearyng wytnesse vnto thē in the day of the LORDE And he shall appeare to the vnfaythfull a sore and heuy Iudge at suchtyme as they shall begynne to fele the bytternesse of euerlastynge payne For the glorye of the mayster is a reioyce and in maner of a crowne vnto the disciples and hys truthe the extreme payne and mysery of the vnbeleuers because they beleued not the true preachers Vvherfore vve praye alvvayes for you that oure God vvyll counte you vvorthy of thys callynge and fulfyll euery good purpose to goodnes and the vvorke of fayth in povver that the name of our LORD Iesus Christ may be glorifyed by you and ye by hym thorovve the grace of our God and LORDE Iesus Christe To harde thynges he alwayes addeth prayer For faythe it selfe and the reuerence that we owe vnto God do teach vs that thorowe prayer we owghte to go aboute to optayne the chefe gyftes of God And we shuld praye wythoute ceassynge For S. Paule sayeth We praye alwayes for you And what we shulde praye or desyre it followeth That oure God wyll counte you worthy of thys callyng What callynge I pray you The same no doubt wherwyth he shall call the blessed into hys kyngdome sayenge Cōme ye blessed chyldren of my father possesse the kyngdome that is prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde Math. xxv Compare now thys place wyth that Ye suffre that ye myghte be counted worthy of the kyngdome of God and ye shall perceaue that the fre grace of God maketh vs worthy of the kyngdome of God For yf oure merites make vs worthy what nede wer ther to praye the LORD that he wolde coūte vs worthy of hys callyng That worthynesse therfore hangeth vpon the fre liberalite of God After thys we must praye that God wyl fulfyll all oure good purposes to goodnes That is that accordyng to hys goodnesse wherew t he loueth vs he wyll fortunatly perfourme that which he hath begōne in vs. For he that cōtinueth vnto the ende shal be safe Math. xxiiii It is not vnlike to this the followeth That he wyll fulfyll the worke of fayth in power That is that he wyll make oure fayth perfect thorow constaūcy strēgth of mynd the which thinge once put into our myndes by God ouercōmeth all aduersityes Last of all we must praye that the name of oure Lorde not oure name may be glorifyed through our hope that he may glorifye vs in his cōmynge that is make vs safe in soule body He addeth thorowe the grace of oure God Lorde Iesus Chrste monishynge vs that all these thynges do depēde vpō the grace of god not of our own merite Thys is also to be marked that in this place also he doth in al thinges make the sōne equal to the father wherevpō it followeth that the vnite of God in the trinite is ryghtely defended of vs. I besech you brethrē by the cōming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and for our assemble in hym that ye be not sodēly moued frō your mynd and be not troubled nother by sprite nother by vvord nor yet by epistle vvhich shulde seme to come from vs as though the day of Christe vvere at hande Let noman deceaue you by ony meanes Some mē vnderstode by the fourth chapter of hys fyrst epistle the the cōmynge of the Lorde vnto iudgmēt the resurrection of the dead was euē thē at hāde Ther were also many deceauers which affirmed planely that the ende of all thynges was than come Euē as ther lacke none now adayes of the secte of the Anabaptistes which come where as is great resort of people ceasse not to crye that the daye of iudgmēt is at hāde But Paule in thys place doth shewe what muste go before the cōmynge of the LORDE wyth what foresygnes and thynges man ought to be warned before And he doth very properly beseche the Thessalonians by that same thynge in whiche they erred that is to saye by the cōmynge of the LORDE of the which he hath hetherto spokē and in the fyrst chapter also Furthermore he exhorteth thē by the vnite concorde whiche we the mēbres haue wyth the heade Iesus Christe For we seme to be plucked from thys holy bodye as oft as we haue no ryght opynion of the heade or health of the mēbres And he besecheth them that they be not sodenly moued from theyr mynde that is from the true vnderstondynge and godly mynde Erasmus Be not sodenly moued sayeth he from your mynde yf that hys commynge be deferred But the playner exposycion followeth Be not of that mynde and iudgement that ye shuld thynke the daye of the LORDE to be nowe at hande Nother be ye troubled And to be troubled is to be amased in the mynde to be afeared and to be destitute of counsell and helpe After that he reherseth diuers maner of wayes by whiche the congregacions are troubled Thre special causes o◠troublynge of the congregaciōs The fyrst is the sprete that is a reuelacion prophecie or tellynge of thynges to come with the whiche certayne moost vngracious knaues haue deceaued many bostynge thē selues to haue the sprete of God where as they were led wyth euell lustes The Montanystes and the Valentyniās which before tyme wer endued with such a sprete as Ireneus and Eusebius haue wrytten dyd greatlye deceaue the symple people as the Anabaptistes do nowe The second waye to trouble the churches is worde that is doctryne commyng forth
Byshoppe of Rome and they had lyghtly obtayned it but that the goodnes of God hauynge pytye on the symplenesse of the people dyd dysclose thys mysterye of iniquyte to all the worlde before that it was fully fynyshed and ended to the derogacion shame of oll other false myracles I thynke that the buyldyng of these cloysters of beggynge Frerers is one porcioÌ„ of the chefe of these lyenge sygnes He shall not be beleued I know well amonge our posteryte that shulde tell them that beggers in so shorte a space had buylded so large goodly houses of the whyche eche of them are sufficiente for to receaue noryshe kynges and prynces But we se many thousandes of these buylte vp on hyghe and retched forth bothe longe and large and besydes that to haue gotten the goodlyest porcioÌ„s of lande in all contryes and cyties Yee and these deceauers theÌ„selues knowlegynge thys woÌ„der do say No prynce or kynge coulde perfourme in certayne hundredes of yeares the whyche we beggers not wythout myracle haue fynyshed in so lytle a space Yee and haue so fynyshed them the our buyldynges maye compare wyth the moost goodlyest olde places that are God hath opened by this thynge saye they that the rules of oure orders do not so greatly dysplease hym as thoughe Daniell had not sayde longe tyme before that thys shulde come to passe For thus we reade of Antichrist in the .xi. chapter Such as wyll serue hym he shall geue greate worshyppe and power yee make them Lordes ouer manye geue them the lande for naughte c. Paule addeth therevnto in all deceaueablenesse of vnryghteousnesse vnderstonde that Antichriste shall come after suche maner That is to saye when he commeth he shall brynge wyth hym all kynde of iniquite wherewyth he myghte brynge men away from the truthe equyte honestye ryghteousnesse wrappe men in ypocrysy and erroures We know therfore that by the meanes of antichrist the commune iustice all honestye holy truthe shal be moued oute of theyr place vnryghteousnesse ypocrysye vnshamefastnesse voluptuosnesse moost vayne persuasions to be set vp in theyr steade Whyche thynges he the seyth not to haue all ages and degrees in possession nowe at thys tyme lacketh both hys eyes hys wytte But all meÌ„ shall not be deceaued but the reprobate that is to saye they of whom the truthe was refused and lyes receaued that is to saye such as do wylfully peryshe And because that a secrete questyon myghte be moued Why the Antichrist hath so greate power and prosperethe so greatlye Why hathe God suffered Satan and Antichrist hys captyue to haue so great power By a solucion he preuenteth the question and sayeth because they receaued not the loue of the truthe that they myghte haue ben saued That is to saye the iustice vengeaunce of God requyreth the same thyng to be done For theyr obstynate rebellioÌ„ agaynste Christe deserueth that all they whyche receaued not Christ that of hys charyte was wyllynge to saue all men for hys truthe sake dyd opeÌ„ those thynges whyche belonged to saluacion that they myght haue ben saued shulde nowe by the sufferaunce of God for the truthe haue falshed in the steade of charyte tyranny and for a saueâ—ure haue a destroyer and that they shulde nowe beleue the lyes of a wycked man whyche wolde not beleue Christe that tolde them the truthe For our LORDE hymselfe sayeth in the Gospell of Ihon Ye wyll not come vnto me that ye myght haue lyfe I receaue not the glorye of meÌ„ but I knowe that you haue not the loue of God in you I came in the name of my father ye receaue me not yf an other shall come in his own name hym wyll ye receaue Ioh v. And oute of thys truly it semeth that that noble sentence of the commune people was takeÌ„ They that beleued not Christe shall beleue Antichriste And herevnto belonge also the wordes of Paule that followe wherwyth he maketh that whyche goeth before more clearer sayeng And therfore that is to saye because they receaued not the loue of the truthe and were not the louers and followers of true relygioÌ„ God shall sende them stronge delusioÌ„s that is to saye moost euydente seduccion and deceate that euen lyke madde persones and men rauyshed of theyr wyttes they can not chose but beleue lyes And for thys cause that all they myghte be iudged that is to saye tormeÌ„ted punyshed vvhyche beleued not the pure and symple truthe but rather approued vnryghteousnesse ypocrysy superstycion and erroure Ye haue now a reason how it coÌ„meth to passe that the worlde nowe a dayes is so readye to beleue the myracles doctrynes and rytes of Antichriste It is the iudgemeÌ„te of God whyche hath shewed myracles ynoughe by hys sonne by hys prophetes and Apostles and hath also prescrybed vs doctrynes and rytes clearlye and sufficiente ynough But all these thynges set asyde we had rather be deceaued Therefore these prestes and monkes Antichristes knyghtes deceaued vs by gettynge awaye our moneye and neuer ceassed to thruste in theyr lyes vnto vs vntyl that they had emptyed all mens cofers Suche thynges as myghte be brought out of the Byble semed olde forworne thynges â–ª all men daylye desyred to heare new matters and therfore was it fre for euery man that wold for to inuente euery thynge that he lyfte He was best alowed that had brought in ony new thynge into the churche and so throughe theyr vnshamefastnesse and our curyosyte and foolyshnesse it came to passe by the ryghteous iudgemente of God that all truthe was banyshed many yeares sence and errour hath raygned myghtelye thorow oute the coÌ„gregacions Nowe though it be thus and that experience it selfe do proue these thynges to be ouer true yet are ther certayne euell occupyed persones whyche go about to boulster vp the corrupte captayns of the moost corrupte relygion whyche are bente to dostroye the sprete of the mouth of God But the truthe which is inuyncible shall ouercome bothe those vayne prelates of the churche and also theyr foolyshe defenders and shall also ouerthrowe them and bruse them all to peces excepte they conuerte vnto the LORDE Hetherto haue we disputed more at large then we thought to haue done at the begynnyng of the commynge of Antichriste of hys kyngdome and confusion for the readers pleasure and for the erudycion and warnynge of the symple people Nowe wyll we returne vnto Paule and the Thessalonyans For Paule hymselfe after he hath fynyshed hys dysputacion of Antichriste turneth hym vnto the Thessalonyans But vve are bounde to geue thankes alvvayes to God for you brethren beloued of the LORDE because that God hath from the begynnynge chosen you to saluacion thorovve sanctifyenge of the sprete and thorovv beleuynge the truthe vvhereunto he called you by oure Gospell to optayne the glorye of our LORDE Iesu Christ A notable place of the election Theophylactus knyttynge these thynges verye goodly with those that are gone
before sayeth thus When he had shewed them certayne horryble thynges and suche as myght amase the mynde of the hearers he doth afterward ease theyr hartes monyshynge them after thys maner Let other men be afearde of these thynges they I saye whych peryshe and ouer whome the deuell hath great power but we are bounde to geue thankes for you vnto God because that he hath chosen you and embraced you with his loue And thys is a notable place of the eleccion of God For God hath chosen vs vnto saluacion and not that we shulde saye yf God haue chosen me I nede not feare dampnacion and thoughe I synne neuer so muche But God hath chosen vs vnto saluacion sayeth Paule whych saluacion is fynyshed in vs through the sanctifyenge of the sprete and beleuynge the truthe that is to saye by the sprete hymselfe whyche purifyeth our hartes geueth vs true faythe For fayth whyche is the gyfte of God is myghtye in operacion Paule therfore doth set true fayth agaynst the false persuasion of the whyche Iames speaketh sayenge fayth wythout workes is deade To thys matter of eleccion belongeth the preachyng of the Gospell also For thorowe the preachyng of the Gospell he calleth vs to the true fayth and to the optaynynge or possessiō of the glorye of our LORDE Iesu Christ that is to saye that we myghte be made the gloryous and bewtyfull possession of our LORDE Iesu Christ an holy innocente and immaculate people whyche myght honoure and worshyppe God and that God hymselfe myght dwell in the hartes of them that serue hym For God hath not called vs vnto lustes and vnclennes i. Thessa iiii but vnto holynes purenes and that we myght become hys holy tēple These thynges ought to be taught vnto the congregacions After thys maner suche as are captyue shulde be plucked out of the bondage of Antichrist and yf the ony haue not fallen into hys captyuyte let them here learne to geue God contynuall thankes and also to praye him that he leade them not into temptacion but delyuer them from that euell sanctifye them thorow the sprete and by true fayth to kepe them in the eleccion of saluacion Therfore brethrē stande faste and kepe the ordynaūces vvhych ye haue learned vvhether it vvere by oure preachynge or by oure Epistle Nowe bryngeth he in that whyche he mente in the begynnynge of thys chapter where he sayde I beseche you by the cōmynge of our LORDE Iesu Christe that ye be not sodenlye moued from youre mynde c. And in the meanseason he dysputeth many thynges to thys effecte and nowe at the laste he bryngeth in sayeth In as muche as it is thus abyde you in our ordynaunces whych we taught you whether it were by mouth when we were yet amonge you or els by myne epistles The Apostles taught all theyr or dinaunces ether by mouthe or els by epistles wryttē whyche I sente when I was absent from you For I taughte you the true Gospell ye nede not to seke ony other The Papistes do abuse thys place for the defence of mans tradycions And we do graunte that the tradycions of the Apostles ought as well to be receaued as theyr epistles wrytten but we do not graunte that all those are the tradycions of the Apostles whyche they do thruste vnto vs vnder the name of the Apostles The tradycions of the Apostles are not contrarye to theyr epistles wrytten but these mens tradycions are playne contrarye to the wrytynges of the Apostles Our LORDE Iesu Christe himselfe and God our father vvhyche hath loued vs and hath geuen vs euerlastyng consolacion and good hope thorovve grace comforte your hartes and stablyshe you in all good saynge and doynge He dothe here after hys maner vnto hys admonycion ioyne an happye and luckye wyshe And he doth here very cōnynglye brynge in together the whole summe of the Gospel that is to saye that God hath loued mankynde geuen him euerlastynge consolacion that is Iesu Christe whyche is oure hope and hathe geuen it vs throughe hys grace and not for our merytes that is to saye that we myght lyue euermore He wysheth vnto them I saye that the same meke and louynge God wold comforte theyr hartes and stablyshe them in all good sayenge doynge that is to saye in all ryghteousnes For in these two thynges he cōprehendeth all the offices or dutyes of a Christen man And we Englyshe men vsynge the same partycion do diuyde all ryghteousnes into good sayenge and doynge or into good wordes and workes For these are those good frutes whyche sprynge forthe of an harte that is sanctifyed thorowe the holy goost true fayth Saynte Ambrose marked the ordre of S. Paules wordes Ambrose and because sayeth he that the father and the sonne are one power and one diuinite and substaunce therefore he doubted not to name oure LORDE Iesu Christe fyrste Theophilactus and afterwarde God our father And Theophilactus noted that Paule dyd so ordre this prayer that he dyd also prescrybe them therwyth what it became them to do that is to geue themselues to saye well and do well and to perseuer in goodnes and specyallye to knowlege Christe to be the onely hope and euerlastynge consolaciō of the faythfull Caput iii. Farthermore brethren praye for vs that the vvorde of God may runne abrode and be glorifyed as it is vvyth you and that vve maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euell men For all men haue not fayth but the LORD is faythfull vvhyche shall stablyshe you and kepe you from euell And vve haue good hope of you thorovve the LORDE that ye both do and vvyll do that vvhyche vve cōmaunde you And the LORDE guyde youre hartes into the loue of God and lokynge after Christe Of prayer Ther is nothynge stronger in the syghte of God then a faythfull prayer therfore doth he by all meanes moue the godlye vnto that moost dylygentlye And here he sendethe men vnto prayer also in that mooste troublesome and wycked worlde and in the great daunger of godly men The truthe was preached in dede but in the mean season ther sprange vp dyuerse schismaes amonge them also whyche wolde seme to be the followers of true relygion And the open enemyes of the catholyke relygiō dyd both bānyshe the truthe and also persecuted the chefe setters forthe thereof mooste cruelly nother lacked ther certayne hypocrytes false brethren whyche were worse then they dyd muche more hurte vnto true godlynesse For it is a true sayenge that an hypocrytycall frende doth more hurte then an open enemye For of the one we take hede and from the other we hyde no thynge Therfore the greate dyshoneste wyckednes vnfaythfulnesse that was vsed in those dayes dyd make the lyfe of Christen men whyche otherwyse was sharpe ynoughe much more bytter But Paule moueth men vnto prayer sayth Consyderynge the greate daungers that the worlde is nowe in ther is none other helpe
contrary wyse Wherevpon we reade in the Gospell that to the ryche glutton it was sayde Sonne remembre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedeste thy pleasure contrarye wyse Lazarus payne Nowe therfore he is refreshed and thou arte tormēted It differeth nothyng frome thys that we reade in the fourthe chapter of the boke of Sapiēce And these thynges truly are to be layd vp in the remembraunce of the faythfull to the intente that in tyme of aduersyte we myght perseuer in truth and ryghteousnes A true sayenge agaynst the tentacions of the deuell For the prosperyte of wycked men whiche they haue in thys world and on the the other syde the trouble of holy mē theyr moost infortunate estate do greatly vexe our myndes for to caste of the kyngdome of God and embrace thys presente worlde Let vs remembre therfore the ryghteous iudgemēt of God and the chaunge of all thynges Forsothe ther were in the tyme of the Prophetes contemners of God and louers of thys worlde which after the maner of our men commendynge the felicite of the wycked and scornynge or condēnynge the perylles that sayntes are in sayde Men serue God in vayne for ther commeth no profyte by that we haue kept hys commaundementes And we se that prowde men and subtyll persons are happy and they that do wyckednes to spede well and to be shorte that suche are safe as do tēpte God And what other thynge is it that men nowe adayes do obiecte agaynste the true worshypers of God what good haue ye gottē by your belefe saye they But what doth Malachie answere The LORDE gaue hede and herde thys and ther was a boke of remēbraunce wrytten before the LORDE ye shall se in tyme to cōme that ther is great differēce betwene the ryghteous the wycked betwene the seruaūte of God the despyser of hym Malachie the .iii. chapter Vvhan the LORDE Iesus shall shevve hymselfe from heauē vvith his myghty angelles in flamynge fyre rendryng vengeaunce vnto them that knovve not god and to them that obey not vnto the Gospell of oure LORDE Iesus Christe vvhiche shal be punished vvith euerlastynge dāpnacyon from the presence of the LORDE and from the glorye of hys povver vvhā he shall come to be glorifyed in hys sayntes and to be made maruelous in all thē that beleue because our testimony that vve had vnto you vvas beleued in that same daye He doth here paynt and wyth expresse and very notable wordes sette forthe before our eyes the commyng of the LORD Iesus and the maner of the iudgemenete The same cōmynge shal be vnto all sayntes very acceptable and moost beste welcome and to the vngodly very sowre and sorowful And euery word hath his strēgth and pythe Nowe saythe he the matter goeth all by wordes But whan the ende of all thynges shall come those thynges shall apeare manyfestly of which all sayntes haue disputed so long many yeares For the LORDE Iesus hymselfe to whōe all power is geuen in heauen in earth and to whome all iudgement belongeth shall apeare in a corporall fourme and lykenes for to iudge all fleshe And nowe doth he descrybe the behaueour of thys myghtye Iudge that vnto all hys enemyes shal be so terryble and so desyrous and longed for of hys frendes He shall comme I saye frome heauen not nowe as once crepynge vppon the earthe nor yet lowe and despysed as he appeared in hys fyrste cōmyng But cōpassed about wyth the hoost of angelles For we reade in Daniell the .vii A thousande thousandes mynistred vnto hym tenne thousand tymes tenne thousande stode before hym And therfore euē as a myghty kyng beynge apoynted with a chosen stronge hooste of men doth sett vpon hys enemy so shall the LORDE Iesus vse the mynisterye of angels in subduynge of the wycked mayntenaunce of the godly Therfore doth he call them the myghty angels of God as he wold saye they by whō god doth exercyse hys power or myghte Nother shall he thē come forth gently pleasaunte and for to heale the vnruly but be armed with horryble and flamynge fyre The Apostle Peter beareth wytnesse also that the LORDE shall iudge the world by fyre .ii. Petri .iiii. And the Prophete Dauid descrybynge that maner of Christes cōmyng to iudgement Psal xviii sayeth Fyre shal go forth before him he shall sende forth hys arowes skatter thē he shal cast oute lyghtenynges destroy thē And Daniel A fyry flowde brake forth sayeth he wēt out frō his syghte Furthermore Paul doth in playne wordes declare whō the LORD shal destroy at his cōmynge He shall of his wrath rēdre vēgeaūce vnto thē which knew not god or at the lest wold not know god which followynge the world regarded not hys preceptes obeyed not the Gospell of oure LORDE Iesus Christe Which thyng agreeth very well to the matter that is now in hāde For the Thessaloniās obeyed the Gospell suffered persecuciō for it It was swete therfore to heare that theyr obedience shuld be healthfull vnto thē to theyr aduersaries that persecuted thē damnable For he repetyng agayn the same thyng whiche he had sayd euē now in other wordes which shal be punyshed sayeth wyth euerlastynge damncion For euē so doth he rendre vengeaūce vnto thē For he punysheth these contēpners when he appoynteth them vnto euerlastynge fyre For so we reade in Daniell also the xii chapter Many that slepe in the duste of the earth shall waken some to eternall lyfe and some to shame and euerlastynge fyre After the same maner also dothe the iudge geue sentence Math. xxv Departe fro me ye cursed chyldren into euerlastynge fyre which is prepared for the deuel and hys angels they shall go into euerlastynge payne And S. Ambrose sayth excellently wel The wycked shall haue the paynes whiche are due vnto them that is they shall euermore fele eternall confusyon and yet shall neuer wholy fayle that the payne it selfe myghte engendre renew them after a certayn maner wherby they may euer from tyme to tyme be as it were consumed Therfore they deceaue and are deceaued as many as do promyse themselues delyueraunce out of hell and do fayne that after the day of iudgemente wycked men also shall be forgeuen The whych thynge men saye the Orygen thought I wote nere how truly but it is sure the certayne of the Anabaptystes haue taught this openlye But out of thys place it apeareth howe falsely and wyckedly For the vngodly shall peryshe by euerlastyng death From the presence of the LORDE that is whē the LORDE commeth from the glory of hys power that is when he shall come gloriously for to shewe hys power strength vnto good and euell For wyth these wordes sayeth Theophylactus he sheweth howe easy it is for God to punyshe nether shall it be harde for hym to punyshe because that rebellious and obstynate people shal be tormented euē wyth the very syghte of hym And the diuine
of Rome for to inuade and gette the Empyre For yf the one had not broken the strength of the Empyre of Rome the other had not raygned But we haue expounded all these thynges more at large in the hystory here before Nowe followeth the ruyne destruccion of Antichrist Of the destruccion of Antichrist He shall not fall by and by after that he is stryken wyth a stroke or weapon but by lytle and lytle after he hath bene made weake by many battaylles he shall at the laste peryshe But he shall not be caste down with mans hande nother yet by the multytude of hoostes nor strēgth of souldyers or gonne strokes but by the hande and power of God For Christ shall fyrste consume hym wyth the sprete of hys mouthe and after that shall he put hym cleane out of the waye wyth hys moost gloryous commynge into iudgemēt The fyrste of these two dyd Paule take oute of the eleuenth chapter of Isaie whose wordes are these With ryghteousnes shall he iudge the poore and wyth equite shall he contende for the meke of the earthe he shall stryke the worlde wyth the rodde of hys mouthe and wyth the sprete of hys lyppes shall he slaye the wycked Nowe the sprete of the mouthe or of the lyppes of God is the true exposycion of the worde of god For the worde of God is the same swearde wherewyth the heade of thys proude Golyas shall be stryken of For Antichrist speaketh on the syde of the moost hyghest and he sayeth that all that he doth is deduced or taken out of the Decrees of the holy scrypture For vnder the pretence of this hath he hetherto raygned safely But when that thoroughe the goodnes of God the lyght of the Gospell that is Goddes worde begynneth to shyne the clowdes of thys deceauer do strayght waye vanyshe awaye For it is playne vnto all men that thys fellowe in hys maners and lawes is clene contrarye to Christe Therefore it commeth to passe that all godlye wytted men the truthe once knowen do abhorre and forsake hym Therfore the swearde wherwyth this man is slayne is the word of God for thē is he moost surely slayne when that hys nature and dysposyciō are manyfestly knowen by the doctryne of truthe The knowlege of hym dothe kyll hym and cast him downe and the clokyng and ignoraūce of hym doth sette hym vp For they that knowe hym not do beleue that he is an Apostolycall prophete yee a god to but they that knowe him trulye are sure that he is Antichriste The latter of these two dyd Paul take out of the .vii. chapter of Daniell where we reade I loked tyll the seates were prepared and the olde aged satte hym downe and beholde ther came in the cloudes of the ayre one lyke the sonne of man and he came vnto the olde aged and the iudgemente was sette and the bokes opened Then toke I hede therevnto because of the voyce of the proud wordes whyche that horne spake And I behelde styll tyll that the beaste was slayne and hys bodye destroyed and geuen ouer to be burnte in the fyre And therfore sayeth Paule Whom the LORDE shall destroy wyth the bryghtnes of hys cōmynge that is to say with his moost gloryous cōmyng For our LORDE sayde in the Gospell Euen as the lyghtenynge commeth oute of the Easte and appeareth vnto the Weste so shall the commynge of the sonne of man be For he shall come in the cloudes of heauen wyth greate power and glory Math. xxiiii And euen as darknes as sayeth S. Ierome is dryuen away at the cōmynge of the Sonne The battail vanquyshyng of Antichriste so shall the LORDE destroy and put hym awaye wyth the bryghtnes of hys commynge Thys glorye and vyctorye is reserued vnto Christe onely For they are deceaued whyche thynke the Antichriste before the daye of iudgemēte shall by abolyshed by the strength of armes But thys battayll betwene Christe Antichriste shall rather endure vnto the ende of the worlde And he beynge bolde of the strength of armes shall breake a sondre treade vnder hys fete the sayntes of the moost hyest but the membres of Christe shall wythstonde hym and shall sette vpō hym with the swearde of the worde of God shall bewraye hys deceate shall accuse his wyckednes and so slaye hym For by thys meanes shall he be put oute of mens hartes and hys authoryte shall fall The vyctory of the Christen stādeth in the truth of Goddes worde and constauncy And in the meāseason although he be ouercome yet shall he take on vntyll Christe the iudge shall putte hym quyte down And therfore my brethren our vyctorye must stande alonly in the truth of Gods worde in the constanucy of our fayth Therfore let vs betake our lyues vnto our faythfull creator go forward in the affyrmyng of the canonical truth glory of Christ ourredemer LORD agaynst the blasphemies of this vnpure draggō Christ wyll be presēt with hys although he delyuer vs into hys handes Vvhose cōmynge is by the vvorkynge of Satan vvyth all povver and lyenge sygnes and vvonders and in all deceueablnes of vnryghteousnes amōg thē that perysh because they receaued not the loue of the truth that they might haue bene saued And therfore god shal sende thē strōge delusiō that they shuld beleue lyes that all they myght be dāned vvhych beleued not the truthe but had pleasure in vnryghtousnes Antichriste raygneth by power and lyes Hetherto hath the Apostle entreated of the reuelacion of Antichrist of the ruyne and confusion of hym he hath spoken also of hys kyngedome and propertyes nowe he turneth hym from that and descrybeth hys strengthe and workes more at large That deceauer shal come sayeth he prepared wyth the sprete and power of Satan the whyche shall shewe forth them selfe in hym moost manyfestly For thys maner of speakynge Vvhose cōmynge is by the vvorkynge of Satan is so much to saye Nowe the strength and workynge of Satan ar chefely murther and lyes as our saueoure sayeth He was a manslayer from the begynnynge and abode not in the truthe because the truthe is not in hym Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of hys owne because he is a lyer and the father of it And Paule in this place shewynge the workes of Satan by partes doth teken vp power and sygnes that is lyenge wonders and the deceaueablenesse of vnryghteousnesse also For Mahomet sayeth that he is sente of God in the strength of armoure for thys cause doth he destroye all thynges wyth fyre and swearde And the Byshope of Rome hath abused the armour of al kynges and prynces persecuteth and slayeth the sayntes ether callynge vpon the secular arme or els by excercysynge hy◠owne strength The greate destruccion of moost stronge nacions nowe in our dayes do testifye what he maye do by strength and what murthurs yee and betrayēge of kyngdomes and robberyes the deuell hath done in the world by
hys procuremente We maye thanke hys couÌ„sell and crafte that here wythin thys .xxxvi. yeares we haue sene the strengthe of moost stronge nacions that is to saye of the Heluecians Germanes Frenchmen and Spanyardes after they haue bene broken to haue fallen now into the kyngdome of Naples nowe in the dukdome of Myllan somtyme into other kyngedomes theyr kynges or prynces banyshed or els ledde into captyuyte mans lawes Goddes lawes plucte vp by the rootes good studye oppressed moost noble cyties subuerted and plentyfull contryes vtterly destroyed to be shorte ther was none age spared I do wyllynglye passe ouer many thynges of the same sorte whyche the membres of thys Byshoppe and the Ecclesiasticall prelates wyth theyr companions haue done in dyuers partyes of the world and in many kyngdomes and prouynces to the greate hurte of the coÌ„mune welthe and of all goodnesse and specyally of the truthe The prudente reader dothe well vnderstonde by these thynges whych I haue noted what he shulde do beleue or flye Antichristes sygnes and how his religioÌ„ hath ben greatly estabyshed by them Nowe ther are two maner of sygnes true and false Those are true whyche are done in dede and sprynge oute of no phantasye or imagynacion but are wrought of God hym selfe by hys mynysters for the stablyshynge of the truthe Suche are all the sygnes of the prophetes and Apostles of Moses of Christe And those are false whyche by the sufferaunce of God are done by the mynysters or workynge of Satan to the derogacion of the truthe or stablyshyng of falshed And of these ther are diuerse kindes For ther are some whyche by a false appearauÌ„ce do deceaue men Ther are other whyche are done in very dede as they seme to be but for thys purpose that they myghte leade men away from the truthe vnto erroure For the holy Apostle doth not call them onely lyenge sygnes and wonders whych haue a false symilitude or appearauÌ„ce with theÌ„ but those also whyche althoughe they be done in very dede do yet brynge men vnto lyes and deceaue the lokers on S. Augustine hath disputed more of sygnes In opere octoginta trium questionum quest LXXIX Our LORD Iesus sayeth in the xxiiii chapter of Mathewe Ther shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes and they shall do greate sygnes and wonders insomuche that yf it were possyble the very electe shulde be brought in to erroure Beholde I haue shewed you before Yf they saye vnto you beholde he is in the wyldernesse go not out beholde he is in secrete places beleue theÌ„ not c. Truely greate authoryte happened vnto Machometes relygion throughe lyenge sygnes and wonders Nother yet hath the estymacion of the Byshoppe of Romes relygioÌ„ encreassed by ony thyng so much as by the multytude of myracles For by myracles hath he thrust into the worlde the honourynge of sayntes and worshyppyng of ymages For no man can well expresse the wonderous craftes In this plaâ—e the author of the commeÌ„te called Henricus Bullingerus of Tigury had put in dyuers pylgremages of hys owne contrye In the flede of whyche because they were vnknowen to vs I haue set in these of oure olde acquayntauÌ„ce withoute ony al alteracioÌ„ of the intent that he brought them in for wherwith the deuel hath deceaued the whole worlde They that haue at ony tyme vysyted our Ladye at Wylsoon Muswell Ypswyche or Walsyngame the roode of comforte the roode of rest the roode of grace in Kente S. saueoure at London S. Thomas of Canterbury or suche lyke Idolles they haue sene tables oblacions and more testymonyes of myracles theÌ„ a great nauye of shyppes coulde carye awaye For some one hathe crepte into the chappell of oure Lady or some other saynte bothe croked lame and there hath made hys petycion to an Image and came home agayne in good healthe and therefore in wytnes of thys thynge hath hanged vp hys styltes before the Idolle Another hath swymmed safe to lande froÌ„ a shyppewracke after he hath called vpon the helpe of some saynte therfore hanged a table or a fygure of a shyppe before the Image The thyrde escapynge of an hoost of men of warre made a vowe vnto the virgyn Marye and dyd therfore dedicate hys harnesse vnto her Some other after they haue broken out of preson haue consecrate vnto a sayncte ether a cheyne or manacles or els a payre of fetters Then came it to passe at length that not alonly those temples but all churches of Christen men were polluted wyth such delusions These false sygnes occupyed the mooste holy seates in Christes churche out of whyche the sygnes and truthe of the Gospell oughte to haue ben declared For oute of suche places were these moost vnshamefast lyes pronounced and shewed wyth greate boldnes of the preachers and wonderous reioycynge of the moost foolyshe people What shall we say that men haue sayde that the very Images themselues haue ether remoued out of theyr places or els haue ben sente of God hymselfe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ or els where as they haue ben hyd in certayn places they haue come to lyght agayn Some haue laught and some haue wepte other haue trembled geuen forth beames out of them yee sometyme they or theyr beardes haue woÌ„derfully groweÌ„ in length or bygnesse somtyme they were gone clene awaye alone and many tymes they haue spoken And it was lawfull for no man to doubte or els frelye that is to saye truely to talke of these thynges yee a man had stonde in daunger of hys lyfe yf he had not worshyppped and receaued these wyckednesses as thynges that had come from God hym selfe and set forthe to be worshypped Antichriste that Byshop of Rome not beynge coÌ„tente wyth these abhominable thynges and wyth the exteme superstycion and manyfeste Idolatry of the people dyd almoste euery day consecrate new Gods that is as they call it canonysed them dyd ether institute new pylgrimages or els confirme suche as were inuented or receaued alreadye he chose oute relyques of the moost stynkyng and wycked mens bones and sette them forthe to be worshypped yee promysed pardon to the worshyppers of them and commaunded holydayes for those fayned Goddes lefte nothynge vndone which myghte encreace norysh or set forth Idolatrye and dyd so corrupte the true relygion that the very Gentyles were neuer muche more corrupte Besyde thys the prouable appearaunce and wounderous estymacioÌ„ of false myracles dyd deceaue all the wysest men in a maner How many good people haue ben deceaued lyke wyse with the fayned myracles of the holy maydens of ReÌ„t Ipswych It lacked but lytle that we were not compelled to haue worshypped in the steade of true sygnes myracles of God the sygnes wonders whyche certayne blacke frerers coÌ„secrate to the deuell had wyckedlye done in the cytye of Berne in Nuchtlande not wythoute the helpe of wytchcrafte you may be sure They wente already about the confyrmacion and approbacion of the