a man loue the truth For the truthes sake not for vaine glory fleshly delight or commoditie How appeareth it that men loue the word of God When they walke accordingly and keepe faith in a good conscience which some losing by their wicked life lost also their faith that is their religion How is it to be vnderstood that God giueth men vp to strong delusions Because God is a iust Iudge which by them either punisheth or correcteth former sinnes and especially the contempt of the Gospell in which regard euen amongst vs now some are cast into the sincke of Poperie some into the familie of loue some become Arians some Anabaptists all which are as it were diuers gaoles and dungeons wherinto he throweth those that are cold and carelesse professors of the Gospell What learne you by this That they which imagine God fauourable vnto them notwithstanding their sinnes because their life or goods or honours are spared are foulely deceiued rather when the Lord ceaseth to reproue any or to striue with them then doth hee giue them vp into vanitie of their owne minds to doe their owne wicked wils What is our duetie in such cases To pray vnto the Lord to keepe vs from all errour but if for our triall or further hardening of others it please him to send errours amongst vs that it would please him to preserue vs in that danger that we taste not of that baite whereby Satan seeketh to angle vs. What other cause is there of sending these errours That those may bee damned which beleeue not the truth for as God hath appointed them to damnation so betwixt his counsell in reiecting them and the finall effect of it there must bee sin to bring that effect iustly vpon them VVhat reason is annexed of their iust damnation Because they rest in vnrighteousnes hauing their eares itching for errour which they drinke in as the earth drinketh vp raine or the fishes water So that albeit they bee powerfully sent of God in his iust iudgement yet are they also greedily desired and affected of them MAT. chap. 24. vers 23. to the 29. 23 Then if any shall say vnto you Lo heere is Christ or there beleeue it not Hitherto wee haue heard of the tokens that goe long before the comming of Christ VVhat are the nearer tokens of the latter day They are such as shall come within an age of the second comming of Christ VVhat is the first of them That there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders What haue we heere to consider Two things especially first the errour secondly the remedie against it VVhat is the errour That it shall be said heere is Christ or there for there shall be false Christs which shall pretend the very person of Christ not Antichrist who tearmeth himselfe the vicar of Christ These also shall haue their ministers namely false prophets which shall get credit vnto the false Christs What learne you by this That the Church of God is put vnder triall first of their knowledge and vnderstanding whether they can discerne betweene errour and truth secondly of their loue and fidelitie that after they know the truth they will sticke by it What doe you note of this kind of errour The danger of it in that it maketh shew of the corporall presence of Christ whereunto wee are naturally greatly giuen as appeareth not only by the Papists but by the holy Apostles themselues which were too much addicted to the corporal presence of Christ secondly also by the great meanes they shall haue of the wonderfull miracles they shall doe especially when the true Ministers of God shall not haue for any warrant we haue out of the word any power thereunto What further doe you learne of this The extreame impudencie of the diuell in the wicked in those daies which hath neuer beene heard of before that a sinfull mortall man should take vpon him to be the son of the most High for notwithstanding there were many that took vpon them to be the Messias before and after the first comming of our Sauiour Christ yet they imagining the Messias to be a bare man were neuer so impudently arrogant as to challenge to themselues to bee the very sonne of God VVhat note you of this that if it were possible the very elect should be deceiued Not onely the certainety of their happie estate from whence they cannot fall but that the same certainety hath a foundation not in any thing that is in men but in the purpose and counsell of God which cannot be deceiued So much of the error What is the remedy against it First an admonition then a confutation What is the admonition First not to go out that is so certainly to be resolued of the vntruth of the thing notwithstanding the greatnesse of the miracles as not once to enquire after it for those that haue itching eares and wanton rolling eyes to heare and see things are often times by Gods iust iudgement deceiued although they haue a purpose to the contrary Secondly not to beleeue them although they should heare or see those things that are done by some particular calling of their place constraining them to bee present at the place where those are or otherwise to bee brought forciblie vnto them What is the confutation First that it cannot bee Christ that they should goe out into the wildernesse to see because he commeth with great brightnesse as the lightning commeth from the East and shineth vnto the West neither shall one need to go vnto the wildernesse to see him first because his light shall bee seene in all places of the world alike secondly also hee will not come on the earth but into the aire onely VVhat further That hee shall come suddenly as in a moment whereas before hee had space to goe from place to place Neither auailes it then to go out after seeke him because as speedilie as the Eagles are gathered to the dead carcase so the children of God being compared vnto Eagles shall suddenly be gathered to our Sauiour Christ who is compared to a carcase in respect of his death So much of the tokens which come within an age of the latter day What are the neerest tokens or rather such as are ioyned with the second comming of Christ The neerest are that the Sun shall bee darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from heauen the Sea shall rore terriblie the earth shall tremble and in a word all the powers of heauen and earth shall be shaken VVhat are we heereby to consider First the comming of Christ secondly the effects of it At what time shall his comming and the signes which are ioyned to it come to passe Immediately after the false Christs and Prophets which as hath beene spoken shall raise vp a maruellous errour and vexation and therefore it is said after the tribulation of those daies shall the immediate signes of the comming
almes c. thereby deceiuing the people to enrich themselues Are all the duties of the first table greater then all the duties of the second Yea if the comparison be equall as the chiefe of the first table with the chiefe of the second the middle duties of the one with the middle duties of the other and the last and least of the former with the last and least of the latter otherwise not For if the murther of a man be compared with the least abuse of the name of God or adulterie with the least breach of the Sabbath these of the second table are greater How is this worship of God diuided Into that which is shut vp in the minde only and that also which is declared by outward actions What consider you in these words I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt c. First the preface to all the ten Commandements and then the first commandement How is the preface set as a reason to the obseruation of all the Commandements Thus If I be the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt thou must then keep al my commandements but I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt therefore thou must keepe all my commandements How can this belong vnto vs which are not Israel But wee are the Israel of God and it serueth further for a note vnto vs to distinguish the true God from Idols of all sorts VVhy doth the Lord make choice of that benefit which nothing belongs vnto vs rather then of any other wherein we communicate with them First because it is the manner of God to allure the Israelites as children with temporall benefits hauing respect to their infirmitie and childhood whereas we are blessed of God with greater knowledge and therefore are men in respect of them Secondly because it was fittest to expresse the spirituall deliuerie from Satan by Christ which was thereby represented and so it belongeth no lesse yea more to vs then to them And being freed from the slauerie of our enemies whereunto wee were so neere more then once and which wee iustly had deserued euen that is matter of a great bond vnto our God Thirdly because it was the latest benefit the sweetnes wherof was yet as it were in their mouth And herein the Lord respected our corrupt nature that are readie to forget old benefits how great so euer So much of the preface What is the commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods before me What is to be considered in this commandement The inward worship of God as appeareth by the words before me that whereof I alone take notice Where we must take heed we imagine no likenes of God thereby setting vp an idoll in our hearts if wee liken him to any thing whatsoeuer For the better auoidance whereof we must settle our mindes vpon Christ in whom only God is comprehensible How many things are to be considered in the inward worship Two according to the inward man the former of the vnderstanding the other of the will and affections What is required touching the vnderstanding Knowledge first of the properties and actions of God as is before said his Substance being past finding out of man or Angels Secondly faith both in beleeuing the things that are written of him and applying to our selues that God is good What is contrarie to this To put our trust in our selues or in our friends honour wisedome money learning or credit which are but meanes giuen vs of God to glorifie him the better What is our dutie concerning this and all other good meanes To trust in God no lesse when wee haue them then when we want them VVhat vertue ariseth of this trust and inclination Hope whereby we patiently attend for all things that we neede at Gods hands not only when wee haue the meanes but also when wee see no apparant meanes as the Israelites did in the desert and when the meanes seeme contrarie as the three companions of Daniel and Daniel himselfe and Iob I will trust in God although he kill me VVhat further ariseth of these former vertues Humilitie whereby we cast our selues down before God to acknowledge our insufficiencie in our selues and so all our behauiour should be seasoned with humilitie Contrarie whereunto is presumption whereby we glorie and boast of our selues VVhat say you of the will and affections In the will and affections is required first loue that because wee know and beleeue that he is good we loue him aboue all which loue for that we cannot loue God in himself is then in truth in vs when we loue his word and commandements VVhat is contrary to this loue of God The loue of our selues and of worldly pleasures for whose cause wee leaue those duties which God craueth of vs whereas loue requireth that with Moses and Paul wee should wish our selues to be damned and accursed rather then the glorie of God should any whit be stained VVhat further is required To feare him Matth. 10. 1. Pet. 3.6 because we know and beleeue he is iust aboue all In which feare two things are required first that this feare be stronger to good then feare of men to euill Secondly that we doe not the good we doe onely or principally for feare of danger but for feare of God What is yet further required in the inward worship The reuerence of the Maiesty of God in regard whereof we should carrie such shamefastnes in all our actions that no vnseemely behauiour may proceed from vs which if men striue to do before Princes much more ought we to striue to doe the same before God How was this prefigured in the Law That when men would emply themselues according to the course of nature they should goe without the host carying a paddle with them to couer their feet because saith the Lord I am in the middest of you whereby the filthinesse of the mind was forbidden more then of the body which equitie reacheth also vnto vs. What is contrary to this reuerence of the Maiesty of God Irreuerence or prophanenesse of men to God-ward What is the second Commandement Thou shalt not make thee any grauen Image nor likenesse of things c. What obserue you in that this Commandement is next That the inward and outward worship of God must needfully go together so those that dare present their bodies to a Masse or any other false worship and say that they keepe their hearts to God are here conuicted of falshood What is the summe of this Commandement The outward worship of God as appeareth by the words make bow worship What is forbidden in this Commandement All will-worship how great a shew soeuer it haue What are the parts of that wil worship The outward worship of any besides God God any otherwise then he cōmandeth You haue spoken of things generall in the outward worship
to free themselues from all the remnants thereof lest if they cleaue still to any one God in iudgement bring the whole vpon them againe How shall his kingdome be continued and aduanced after that he is reuealed By the power of Satan in lying miracles and false wonders What difference is there betwixt Christs miracles and theirs Very great euery way for Christs miracles were true whereas these are false and lying as by legerdemaine Christs miracles were from God but theirs where there is any thing strange and aboue the common reach of men from the diuel Christs miracles were for the most part profitable to the health of man but theirs altogether vnprofitable and for a vaine shew Christs miracles were to confirme the truth but theirs to confirme falshood What gather you of this First that seeing the Popes Kingdome hangeth vpon wonders it is most like that he is Antichrist Secondly seeing the false christs and the false prophets shall do great wonders to deceiue if it were possible the very elect and that though some of the false prophets prophecies shal come to passe wee should not therefore beleeue the doctrine of Poperie for their wonders sakes seeing the Lord thereby trieth our faith who hath giuen to Satan great knowledge and power to work strange things to bring those to damnation who are appointed vnto it Whatsoeuer miracles are not profitable to some good neither tend to confirme a truth are false and lying so that as the Lord left an euident difference betweene his miracles Exod. 7. and the Inchantments of the Egyptians so hath he left an euident difference betweene the miracles of Christ and his Apostles and those of the Romish Synagogue Are not miracles as necessarie now as they were in the time of the Apostles No verily for the doctrine of the Gospell being then new vnto the world had need to haue beene confirmed with miracles from heauen but it being once confirmed there is no more need of miracles and therfore we keeping the same doctrine of Christ and his Apostles must content our selues with the confirmation which hath already beene giuen What ariseth out of this That the doctrine of Poperie is a new doctrine hauing need to be cōfirmed with new miracles and so it is not the doctrine of Christ neither is established by his miracles What force shall the miracles of Antichrist haue Maruellous great to bring many men to damnation God in iust reuenge of the contempt of the truth sending a strong delusion Hitherto wee haue heard Antichrist described by his effects and properties Now tell mee where is the place where he should haue his seate That is the Citie of Rome How doth that appeare First because he that letted at the time when Paul wrote was Emperour who did then sit there and must be disseated ere the Pope could enter vpon it Secondly Iohn calleth that Citie where hee must sit the Lady of the world which only agreeth to Rome being the mother Citie of the world Thirdly it was that Citie that was seated vpon seuen hils which by all ancient records belongeth properly and onely to Rome As for the occasion of the Popes placing there it came by the meanes of translating of the seate of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople from whence ensued also the parting of the Empire into two parts by which diuision it being weakened and after also sundred in affection as well as in place was the easier to bee entred and inuaded by the Pope What do you further gather of that the Apostle saith that he that letteth shall let That the Antichrist is not one particular man as the Papists doe phansie for then by the like phrase he that letteth must be one particular man where it cannot bee that one man should liue so many hundred yeeres as from Pauls time to the time of the translation of the Empire from Rome much lesse vntill within two yeeres and a halfe of the latter day as they imagine the time of Antichrist And therefore as by him that letteth is vnderstood a succession of Emperors not one man alone so by Antichrist the man of sin is vnderstood a succession of men and not one onely man So in Daniel 7.3.17 the foure beasts and the foure Kings doe not signifie foure particular men but foure gouernments in euery one whereof there were sundrie men that ruled So that of the Papists who vpon the words the man of sinne would proue that the Antichrist the Apostle speaketh of is one singuler man is but vaine But how can Antichrist bee already come seeing the Empire yet standeth The name of the Empire onely remaineth the thing is gone for hee hath neither the chiefe Citie nor the tribute nor the commandement of the people and therefore he can be no let to the Antichrists comming especially the Pope hauing gotten such an vpper hand vpon him as to cause him to waite at his gate barefoot and to hold his stirrop What shall be the end of this Antichrist God shall confound him with the breath of his mouth that is with the preaching of the word which proueth the Pope to be Antichrist for whereas he had subdued Kingdomes and Empires vnder his feet hee hath beene mightily suppressed by the word preached and not by outward force as other potentates are What learne you of this The maruellous power of Gods word to suppresse whatsoeuer riseth against it for if the mightiest cannot stand before it much lesse the smallest and therefore it is expressed by a mighty wind which carieth all before it and by fire which consumeth all and pierceth all And it declareth a maruellous easie victorie against the enemies when it is said that with the breath of his mouth hee shall consume his enemies VVhat else shall be the ouerthrow of Antichrist The glorious appearance of the son of God in the latter day VVhat gather you of this That before the last day hee shall not bee vtterly consumed whereof notwithstanding it followeth not that the head shall remaine till then but rather that some shall haue a liking of him euen till the last day for the Beast and the false Prophet shall bee taken and cast into the fire before the latter day Hitherto of the head of this generall apostasie VVhat are the members of it They are first described by their end euen a number of perishing people which accordeth to that property of the head the destroyer or sonne of perdition being truely effected in them destroyed What is the vse of this That as no poyson can take away the life of an elect so small occasions carie away such as are appointed to destruction Is it a proofe of reprobation to bee caried away with an errour It is no certaine proofe but a signe especially if the meanes of transporting be weake and small How otherwise are these rotten members of Antichrist described By that they neuer loued the truth although they vnderstood it and professed it How should