An Exposition vpon the two Epistles of the Apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians By the reuerend Father IOHN IEVVEL late Bishop of SARISBVRIE Whereunto is adioined a very necessarie table of the principal matters contained in this Exposition AT LONDON Printed by Ralfe Newberie Anno salutis 1584. Cum privilegio regia maiestati◅ TO THE RIGHT honorable Sir Francis VValsingham Knight principal Secretarie to the Queenes Maiestie and one of her H◅nesse most honorable i◅ie Counsel IT is now some long tyme sithēce that learned reuerende father bishoppe Iewel deliuered vnto the people of his charge the Exposition vpon the epistles of S. Paul to the Thessalonians when manie his hearers thought it worthie to be made common and besought him earnestly euen as since his blessed departure out of this life they haue often required me to publish the same It is very likely that he would if he had liued haue perused these his trauailes and some others haue drawne them to the vse benefite of the Church and rather haue spent his time in setting forth matters profitable for al mē to vnderstand towards the attainement of saluation than in folowing their humour anie longer whom neither the weaknesse of their owne cause nor the force of the truth nor the defence thereof by so waighty autorities of the holy Scriptures of the ancient catholike fathers and of general councels could content or perswade them to forsake the waie of contention whereunto they were entred and of troubling the Church of God with their writings against the truth This his purpose hee partlie declared in giuing his last answeare to a booke written by Maister Harding entituled A detection of sundrie foule errours c. For answere whereof he thought not good to charge with number of bookes or to encomber the world with needelesse labours but onelie by a shorte augmentation of his former defence of the Apologie of the Church of England to discharge Master Hardings quarels For reason whereof he saith I cannot imagine that anie my poore labours shall be able to end these quarels For a contentious man will neuer lacke wordes I haue endeuoured for my simple parte to say so much as to a reasonable man maie seeme sufficient If any thing be left vnanswered either it was nothing or nothing worth Wherein hee was of like minde vnto that famous learned man Maister Bucer who speaking of the new and fresh supplie that is made among the aduersaries of our Christian religion said thus Veteribus respondimus novos quotidie legimus nihil adferunt novi quid ergo faciemus Aunswere hath beene made by vs to their olde Writers wee reade their newe Writers which come foorth dailie which yet bring no newe matter or proofes with them What then shall wee doe What else but as he giueth counsaile laie downe al affection and fauour of parties and peruse that hath beene saide in matter of controuersie on both sides and iudge iustly of that is alleadged and with feare and reuerence be careful of our own saluation For after the trueth is once found out whosoeuer seeketh farther seeketh not for the truth but for errour The Apostle willeth Titus to staie foolish questions and genealogies contentions and brawlings about the law for they are vnprofitable and vaine And also to reiect him that is an heretique after once or twice admonition In like cafe he said vnto Timothie If anie man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines hee is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doateth about questiōs strife of words whereof commeth enuie strife railings euil surmisings froward disputations of mē of corrupt minds destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlinesse from such separate thy selfe Now bicause he himself had some good liking to publish this exposition and the matter thereof is so fit for our time as nothing maie be more and there is not as I can learne anie interpretor vpon these epistles in the english tongue and his Sermons vpon them were the last fruits and trauailes hee bestowed in the cathedrall Church of Sarum I made choice of it amōg manie other excellent monumēts of his paines taken in the Church of God gaue my best diligence to peruse his notes thereupon and to draw them to some such perfection as might carrie to the Reader the whole waight of his matter without anie diminution euen as fully as he declared it so far foorth as the notes which remaine vnder his owne hand might direct me The which I most humblie commend to the fauourable protection of your Honor whom I beseech so to accept my simple indeuor herein as I haue beene careful to answere your Honors commandement in giuing foorth some part of his laboures to light In this discourse as there are manie good things fruitfully declared the vse and practise whereof is common to your Honour with al Christians so are there two matters the one of Vsurie the other of Antichrist that is of the bane and poison of the common wealth and of the infectiō and decaie of the Church wherein he bestowed more paines to open them and make them manifest that all men might know and abhorre them and beware of them What hath beene wrought by these two mischiefes to the vndoing in conscience substance and to the vtter destruction of the soules and bodies of manie thousand subiects of this realme within these late yeares it is to the griefe of all good men too wel knowne If therefore in the duetie of a good Bishop he standing in his watch hath discried these enimies to al ciuil and christian estates and if now so many yeares after his entrāce into rest by these means he cal vpon your good Honor to step forth in fresh courage into the battaile of the Lorde of hostes and to vse and employ the great giftes of wisedome and aucthoritie which God hath bestowed vppon you and to excite and stir vp others the worthie and notable captaines set ouer the people to be a fenced wal betwene them and these so perillous monsters and dangerous enimies what remaineth but that your Honour put to your hande and doe that for the comfort of Gods people which besides hir excellent Maiestie and hir honorable Counsaile no other can do in giuing life to al such lawes which haue beene deuised by men of great godlinesse and experience and haue beene confirmed by high authoritie to the suppression of Vsurie and to the setting foorth of Gods glorie The God of glory and of power who hath called your Honour to his seruice in high place strengthen you to doe his wil and grant you many and prosperous daies to the comfort of his Church and his common weale Your Honours most humble to commaunde IOHN GARBRAND A TABLE CONTAINING THE principal matters in this exposition A ANtichrist contrarie to Christ. 283 Antichrist his comming foretolde 281 Antichrist
hated of them that embrace his doctrine 281 Fond tales of Antichrist 281 320 Antichrist not any one mā 282 Antichrist a Bishop 320 330 379 Antichrist an vniuersal king 329 Antichriste by what markes knowen 283 316 334 Antichrist commeth in shew of seruing Christ. 285 341 Antichrist ruleth by pretence of religion 287 349 Antichrist suttle and cunning 305 308 Antichrist taught of Satan 340 Antichrist proud and pompous 289 332 Antichrist exceeding cruel 263 283 Antichrist wherin his strength standeth 363 Antichrist his place or seate 290 326 379 Antichrist howe taken as God 291 Antichrist whom he deceiueth 207 351 381 Antichrist in what time reucaled 304 Antichrist not to be conuerted 364 Antichrist by what power ouerthrowen 361 363 381 Apostasie from the faith 94 388 Perswasions to Apostasie 97 Retentiue from Apostasie 98 Appearaunce of eu◅ auoide 219 Astronomers passe boundes 182 B Babilon wherein rich 376 Babilon fallen 373 Babilons fal causeth ioy in heauen 377 Battaile betweene Christ and Antichrist 369 Bishop of Rome seruant of seruauntes 296 Bishop of Rome rich by the spoil of the Empire 328 Bishop of Rome his priuiledge 292 296 349 Bishop of Rome lawelesse 334 Bishop of Rome called God 293 Busie bodies 155 C Children how to be nurtured 62 Children how they waxe ill 69 Church of the faithful 9 Chnrch of the wicked 6 The name of the Church and fathers deceiueable 234 359 Church cōpared to weak things 279 Churches particular decaye in faith 270 Church primitiue how ordered 266 Church of Rome hath no speciall promise 236 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue Church 268 274 Christ ouercommeth 372 Cities wel gouerned 32 Single communion 311 Conscience 103 Constancie in the truth 214 240 244 388 412 Couetousnesse hindereth the Gospel 56 85 Crosse of Christ of whom esteemed 218 D Dead in Christ. 176 Deceite in bargaining enricheth not 111 Decrees and decretalles forged 256 Disciples of Christ are humble 316 Departing from the faith 263 375 Doctrines contrary to the word of God 48 E Election howe knowen 384 Empire large sometimes 323 Empire decaied a signe that Antichrist is come 327 3◅4 380 Emperour hath not any one citie of the Empire 328 Encrease in holinesse 154 239 Enemies to the gospel raise nobles 41 188 214 224 339 Excommunication what it is 413 Excommunication daungerous 416 418 Excommunication why ordeined 402 413 F Faith grounded on the worde 384 Faith without the truth no faith 369 385 Faith is not idle 12 109 Faithful men examples of godlinesse 28 30 148 Faithful man hath three badges 205 False brethren 396 397 False brethren auoide 401 False miracles of two sortes 343 Fathers howe carefull for their children 60 Fathers or multitude no rule to warrant religion 359 Filthinesse cloaked vnder pretence of single life 310 405 Flesh of Christ howe eaten 261 Foolish faith hurteth 360 Fornication 109 G Gospel what it worketh 79 Gospel no cause of tumults 40 Gospel often refused 40 80 351 Gospel not quailed by crueltie 75 77 242 262 God maketh his gospel fruitful 16 30 37 391 393 God openeth his trueth to the simple 19 292 God maketh thē loue the trueth that sometimes hated it 37 God deliuereth the faithful 205 366 Godly men are persecuted 13 22 73 92 188 179 242 261 Goods not free for il vses 128 Grace what it worketh in vs. 11 238 380 H Hearers of the word 69 209 352 Hipocrisie a high point of wisedome 396 Hope of the faithful 14 157 383 I Idlenes the teacher of mischief 156 407 Idle bodies not to be relieued 410 Ignorance cause of wickednes 116 Ignoraunce cause of despaire 158 Image worship 347 Images in steede of preaching ◅46 Infidels shall rise againe 169 Interest and V◅urie differ 135 Inuocation of saintes 346 Ioye of the godly or wicked 200 Ioye in tribulations 23 91 190 Day of iudgement vnknowen 181 261 Day of iudgement comfortable 174 176 179 Day of iudgement dreadful 174 243 365 K Keyes of the Church abused 312 Kissing ofreliques 347 L Labour required in euerie vocation 156 157 Labourers in the gospel worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Later day as dayes of Noah 170 Latine service a cloake for ignorant priestes 46 Lawe necess◅ie 151 Law may be followed betweene filendes 150 151 Loue the fruits thereof 12 147 152 191 200 Loue perswadeth to godlinesse 191 M Man of sinne reuealed 337 363 Mariage in ministers 217 Masse no teacher of godlinesse 216 Minister his office 12 20 35 43 49 50 52 80 87 410 Ministers painful worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Ministers vnprofitable to be remoued 85 194 196 407 Miracles wrought by Antichrist 348 Mourning ouer the dead 160 N Naturall corruption of man 237 246 Newe birth or regeneration 259 O Oblations and enriching of abbies 347 Office of Apostle and Bishop diuers 300 P Pardons 337 Peace in the Church the gift of God 223.423 Peace wherein it consisteth 225 423 People ought to reade the sc◅ptures 82.84 228 Peter no bishop of Rome 301 Pilgrimage 347 Pleasers of men 55.57 Pope no sollower of Peter 216 Pope aboue Emperour 330 Praier continually needful 204 Praier howe to be made for the wicked 402 422 Prayer abused to couetousnesse 313 Preachers are Gods instrumēts 390 399 Preachers most needefull 194 Primacie the fountaine of vaine presumption 314 337 Primitive Church 266 Princes and Magistrates labour 410 Purgatory impropried to the bishop of Rome 3◅3 Purgatorie a shoppe of mar◅ 314 337 R Reason the husbande 226 Reformatiō of Rome past hope 364 Refusers of the worde 72 195 210 352 357 Religion what it is 32 Religion by whō established 39 Religion of whom receiued 81 352 358 Religion forced or diffemoled 350 T◅th of religion howe tryed 212 250 359 Reliques 347 R◅tion of the bodie 165 Resemblaunces of resurrection 163 Resurrection of infidels 169 Rocke wherein the Church is built 258 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue 268 274 Rome departed from the faith 265 Rome the seate of Antichrist 323 380 S Satans sleights against the gospel 86 254. Scriptures what they teach 34 Scriptures forged 255 Scriptures wrested 257 Sinne punished by sinne 82 Sinne which shall not be forgiuen 359 Spirit of God our guide 208 252 386 Superstition zealous 78 T Teachers examples of godlines 403. False teachers deale deceitfully 46 51 56 253 Thanks due to God in al things 205 The ssalonica once beloued now forsaken 236 Torments straunge and cruel against the godly 75 Translation of Scriptures 47 V Vsurie what it is 113 Vsurie whence it groweth 115 142 Vsurie what good it doeth 116 129 130 Vsurie defended 124 128 138 Vsurie and interest differ 135 Vsurie forbidden by scripture 121 Vsurie disproued by learned fathers 118 Vsurie condemned by lawes 138 Cases for Vsurie answered 131 Vsurer worse than a theefe 138 Vsurer excommunicate by his owne conscience 145 W Walkers inordinately to be reproued 198 Warre howe terrible 369
the blessing of God offered vnto thée Where there is no prophecie the people perisheth He that despiseth it shall be despised of the Lord he shal be cast into darkenesse because he would not delight in the light V. 21 Trie al things and keepe that which is good Trie al things God hath giuen you the spirite of discretion and of iudgement Be wise and knowe what is that good and acceptable will of God He not deceiued with wordes of mans wisedome Let not the basenesse or simplicitie of anie cause you to refuse the message which he bringeth and carrie not your selues to liking of al that whatsoeuer shall be told you of such as beare great shew and countenance This was it that deceiued the people of GOD they gaue eare to false teachers which lead them to worshippe the workes of their owne hands Therefore they saide vnto the stone thou art our father thou hast deliuered vs they sell downe before it worshipped it beléeued in it they slewe the Prophets of God and stoned to death such as were sent vnto them The Scribes and Pharises séemed so grane and wise that the people thought nothing good but what they allowed They were altogether appliable to beléeue to do to speake and to thinke whatsoeuer the Pharises willed them Christ saith vnto them Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues S. Iohn therefore saith Dearely beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they are of God for manie false prophets are gone out into the world And further directeth vs howe we should trie them hereby shal ye know the spirit of God euerie spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Againe hereby may you trie them Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the sonne If there come anie vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speede Hereby S. Paul required the Galathians to trie betwéene him and the false Apostles If anie man preach vnto you otherwise than that yee haue receiued let him bee accursed For now do I preach mans doctrine or Gods the Saduces erred touching the resurrection because they searched not the scriptures God teacheth vs by the prophet Esay to make triall of teachers and doctrines When they shall saie vnto you enquire of them that haue a spirite of diuination and at the soothsaiers which whisper and murmur shoulde not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is bicause there is no light in them Paule putteth Timothie in mind wherefore he left him at Ephesus to commaund some that they teach none other doctrine And to warne both the teachers and the hearers that they giue no heede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse which breede questions rather than godlie edifying which is by faith Thus are the people of God called to trie the truth to iudge betwéene good and il betwéene light and darknesse God hath made them the promise of his spirit and hath left vnto them his word They of Berea when they heard the preaching of Paule searched the scriptures dailie whether those things were so as he taught them and manie of them beléeued So do you giue héed to instruction and yet receiue not al things without proofe and trial that they are not contrarie to the wholesome doctrine of the word of God Keepe that which is good When you haue tried and found out the truth be constant and setled in it A wauering minded man is vnstable in al his waies Follow the truth and be not carried about with euerie wind of doctrine The diuel wil come in the name of God and change himselfe into an Angel of light Let him not take the loue of the trueth from you let him not remooue you from faith and a good conscience returne not like swine vnto your mire God hath purged your hearts and made them cleane Except they be preserued and kept occupied the vncleane spirite wil returne and enter in and dwell in you so the last state of you shall be worse than the first We haue great cause to harken diligently to the Apostle to keepe that is good We see this daie great confusion in al places Sathan woulde faine entangle vs againe with the errour of the wicked and séeketh to drawe vs from our stedfastnesse Now is the time wherin God maketh some triall of his seruauntes now iniquitie séeketh to haue the vpper hand They seduce the people saie here is Christ there is Christ here is the Church there is the Church God giue vs his holie spirite to guide vs in iudgement that we maie discerne the truth from falshoode and knowe the blessed and gratious will of GOD that wee maie walke in his waies and serue him in reuerence and feare al the daies of our life In this worlde as there is a Iacob so is there an Esau as there are manie that loue Christ with an vnfained hart so are there manie that serue Antichrist and as there be many true professors of the trueth of God so are there manie despisers of the same This wée maie sée here at home within this realme We maie sée it and mourne and lament for it in our hearts Their practises are opened they haue broken out into open rebellion to the breach of the peace both of GOD and man They saie with their lippes GOD saue Quéene Elizabeth yet they holde vppe their sword against her Alas what hath she deserued at their handes she hath alwaies dealt mercifully without crueltie without shedding of bloud God preserue her that she maie long raigne ouer vs and bring al her enimies to confusion What pretence make they for this their doing that hereby they séeke to haue religion refourmed Thankes be to GOD religion is refourmed farre better than our fathers knewe it these many hundred yeares If those which liued before vs might haue séene and heard as we sée heare they would haue reioiced and thought themselues happie But they would haue the Masse What find they or sée they in it wherfore they should so desire it Trie things saith Paul Therefore examine and trie the masse What do we learne by it what doctrine what godlinesse in life what comforte for saluation It is a dumb and deadly seruice The people are forced to be at it it is the verie kay of their religion the people are bound to be present at masse yet they neither receiue anie thing nor eate nor heare nor vnderstand anie thing You are wise you haue reason you are the children of GOD be you iudges herein and iudge vprightly for it is Gods cause Will they call this the Lordes supper Is this
commanded to write vnto the Angel of the church of the Smyrnians These things saith hee which is first and last which was dead and is aliue I knowe the blasphemie of them which saie they are Iews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan They reuile you and speake al maner of euill against you for my names sake They charge you with teaching false doctrine and saie you haue departed from the Church that they are the séede of Abraham the children of promise the true worshippers of God and which walke in the steppes of their forefathers But their boast heereof is vaine It profiteth them nothing that Abraham was their father that the couenant was made with them that they were circumcised that a lawe was giuen vnto them Let them not trust in their fathers let them not trust in lying words and saie the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lorde If they were Abrahams children they woulde doe the workes of Abraham If God were their father then would they loue Christ his sonne and séeke to set foorth his glorie If they were of the shéepefolde of God they woulde heare his voice They are of their father the Diuel and the lusts of their father they wil doe They are in name the seruants of Christ but serue Antichrist they call themselues Iewes but are the Synagogue of Satan For saith the Apostle he is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirite not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Of those which are such Leo saith Ecclesiae nomine armamini contra Ecclesiam dimicatis Yee arme your selues with the name of the Church and yet ye fight against the Church And Chrysostome saith The name onely of Christ doth not make a Christian but he must also haue the trueth of Christ for there are manie which walke in the name of Christ but fewe which walke in his truth It is therefore manifest as Lyra saith That the Church is not among men by reason of anie Ecclesiasticall or secular authoritie or dignitie because manie princes and high priests and others of the inferiour sorte haue forsaken the faith Though they pretend shew of holines though they drawe to themselues credite by long continuance though their numbers be great and they consent togither yet if they haue forsaken the faith if they holde not the truth of Christ if they fight against and persecute the Church if their circumcision be not the circumcision of the heart and in the spirit if they heare not the voice of y e shéepheard if they loue not Christ Iesus the sonne of God and set not foorth his glorie if they séeke to stop the course of the gospell if they séeke to get name among men if they resist Moses and Aaron they haue onelie a painted visard and carrie onelie an emptie name of the Church they call themselues so and are not But the Church of God is in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christ it is the companie of the faithful whom God hath gathered togither in Christ by his worde and by the holy ghost to honour him as he himselfe hath appointed This Church heareth the voice of the shephearde It wil not followe a stranger but flyeth from him for it knoweth not the voyce of straungers Of this Church Saint Iherome sayth Ecclesia Christi in toto orbe ecclesias possidens spiritus vnitate coniuncta est habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelij Apostolorum Non est egressa de finibus suis â—…d est de Scripturis The Church of Christ which containeth the churches through al the world is ioyned togither in the vnitie of the spirite and hath the cities of the Law of the Prophets of the gospel and of the Apostles This church goeth not forth or beyonde hir boundes that is the holy Scriptures It is the piller of the truth the bodie the fulnesse and the spouse of Christ it is the vine the house the citie and the kingdome of God They which dwel in it are no more straungers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the hoshould of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ himselfe being the heade corner stone in whome all the building coupled togither groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lord. This Church Christ loued and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the worde that hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrincle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame Such a Church was the Church of God at Thessalonica such a Church are they who so euer in any place of the worlde feare the Lord and cal vppon his name Their names are written in the booke of life they haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which they trie Abba Father they growe from grace to grace and abounde more and more in knowledge and in iudgement they cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light they are made absolute and perfect vnto al good works they are euermore coÌ„forted in the mercies of God both by the holy scriptures wherein God declareth his gracious goodnesse towardes them and by the sacramentes which are left vnto the Church to be witnesses assured pledges for performance of the promise of Gods good will and fauour towardes them Grace be with you and peace c. God giue you the forgiuenesse of your sins and the peace and comfort of your conscience God let al his blâ—…ssings fal vpon you that you may sée the riches the treasures of his mercy that you may be filled with al fulnesse in the spirite that you may beholde the glorie of the kingdome of God and those thinges may bie reuealed vnto you by his spirit which he hath prepared for them that loue him Without this grace you can doe nothing you can neyther féele the burthen of your sinnes nor séeke to be eased of theÌ„ nor perceiue when they are forgiuen you cannot rent your heart and set apart from you the vanities and lustes of the flesh which doeth euermore fight against the soule you cannot discerne the worde of God and by it enter the way to euerlasting life you cannot abhorre that which is euil and cleauâ—… vnto that which is good without the grace of God you cannot continue stedfast constant in faith and in hope of the mercies of God through our sauiour Iesus Christ. 2 We giue thankes to God alwaies for you al making mention of you in our prayers 3 Without ceasing remembring your effectual faith and diligent loue and the patience of your hope in our
fondly or peeuishly saith Erasmus It would be ouer long to declare vnto you the foolish or rather blasphemous applying of the Scriptures to approoue their gestures at masse the soueraintie and chieftie that they chalenge One of their Bishops in y e late counsel as Trent saide of Paulus 3. then Pope Papa lux venit in mundum the Pope which is the light is come into the world Which are the words of the Euangelist declaring the Godhead of Christ. By these few it may appeare how vniustly they charge vs with corrupting the word of God And howe truely this fault is to be laid 〈◊〉 to them which either abridge the sense of the Scripture or reach it further than it yéeldeth or vtterlie refuse to stande to the authoritie thereof and in no case can like that the people of God shoulde reade the Scriptures and haue adiudged them heretiques and consumed their bodies in the fire which haue defended in spéech and sought to maintaine the doctrine of truth set down in y e holy scriptures The Apostle saith He was allowed of God They that enter into the ministerie must be allowed not of men onelie but of God Therefore whosoeuer taketh that charge ouer the people must looke narrowly into himselfe sée whether his calling be of God If be haue not a testimony that God hath called him inwardly al other outward calling is to smal purpose God is a righteous iudge He will saie to the conscience and to the heart of such a one friend how camest thou in hither without thy wedding garment Who brought thée in Giue an account of thy stewardship thine account is great And because some are this date to be admitted into this office let vs praie vnto God for them that god wil alow them that he wil giue them hearts to conceiue and tongues to speak the trueth of God that they maie be the seruants of Christ and disposers of the mysteries of God that they maie be the salt of the earth and the light of the world that they maie laie out the Lords money to his aduantage and so it maie be said vnto them Thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy maisters ioie V. 5 Neither yet did we vse flattring words as you know nor coloured couetousnesse God is record 6 Neither sought we praise of men neither of you nor of others The seruant and messenger of God must so speake as God speaketh God speaketh déeply and to the heart He launceth the spirit and woundeth the inward parts He biddeth Esaie them the people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes God himselfe saith I visite the sinne of the fathers vpon their children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Againe he saith If yee shall despise my ordinances either if your soule abhorre my lawes so that yee will not doe al my commandements I wil set my face against you and you shal fall before your enimies and they that hate you shal raigne ouer you But vnto those that repent them of their sins and turne 〈◊〉 to him God saith Turne vnto me ye shal be â—…aued Againe Thou disobedient Israel returne saith the Lord and I wil not let my wrath fall vpon you So must the minister of God he must â—…hew foorth the mercie of God not hide his iudgements He hath the Lords busines in band he maie not do it negligently A flatterer maketh it his greatest care to please men hée séeketh their fauor he feareth to displease and dareth not speake that that will be euill taken When he séeth a theefe he runneth with him is partaker with the adulterers he soweth pillowes vnder the armes of sinners Whosoeuer saith nay his nay is readie if any saie yea he is ready to say yea he chaÌ„geth often as y e weatherecock he dareth not striue against y e stream his hart is at the wil of others he séeketh some gaine he séeketh his owne glorie and not the glorie of God They which are such are called in the Scriptures hirelings dumbe dogs that cannot barhe They denie God betraie his truth and deceiue the people They locke â—…ppe the truth in lies Of such the spirit of god saith Woe vnto them that haue a double heart and to the wicked lippes And A double minded man is inconstant in al his waies And He that is not with me is against me And He that gathereth not with me scattereth And How long halt yee betweene two opinions if the Lorde be God follow him but if Baal be hee then goe after him And againe What communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial Cursed is he which â—…attereth the people and is vnfaithfull in the Lordes worke Nothing is so requisite in the steward of God as that he be found faithful and that he speake those things whereunto the Lord hath sent him boldly That they kéepe not backe the message giuen them of God nor feare to doe their errand for anie malice of men Who is it saith Saint Peter that wil harme you if you follow that which is good notwithstanding Blessed are yee if yee suffer for righteousnesse sake yea feare not their feare neither be troubled If the Apostle speake this comfort to all Christians which haue a care to serue God and thereby erhorteth them to stedfastnes and to sanctifie the Lord in their bearts and to â—…e readie to giue an account of their faith and of the hope that is in them howe much more ought â—…reachers and they which are appointed to the ministerie lay aside al feare and flatterie of men Woe vnto them that goe downe into Aegypt for help The Aergyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirite and when the Lorde shall stretch out his hand the helper shal fal and hee that is holpen shal fail and they shal altogether faile Christ â—…leth his diâ—…iples they are salt and they are light Salt must néedes be sharpe to a rotten wound Light must néeds be painful to a 〈◊〉 A good Phâ—…ution must néeds trouble and disguiet his sicke patient before hée can heale his disease and a good surgion must néeds trouble and rip vp â—…tered woundes We are Sur â—…eous we are â—…tions The worde of God is committed vnto vs that by vs it miâ—… be applied to season the earth and that the light ther of shonlâ—… shine foorth in al the worâ—… Crâ—…put aloud lift vp â—…hy voice as a trumpet If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who waâ—… prepare himselfe to the battel When God had called â—…eremie to the office of a Prophet said Thou shalt go to al that I shall send thee and whatsoeuer I commaund thee shalt thou speake he said further Feare not their faces least I destroy thee before them For beholde this daie I haue made
the Lord and in that lawe doeth exercise himselfe day and night And againe Wherewith shal a yong man redresse his waies In keeping thy words When Christ himselfe came first into the world to plant his Church he vourhsafed the poore and simple the knowledge of his trueth and the wed it first vnto them The first that had tidings of his birth were not Scribes and Pharises out a company of poore shéepheards The first that receiued his gospel taught it in the world were not doctors or learned men barâ—…rs tol-gatherers of base condition The first that met him with triumph at Ierusalem and sang Ozanna were not Bishoppes and priests but babes and infants They that followed him most and beléeued were not the greatest men of power and policy but such as the Pharises termed a cursed people which knew not the law The first that told the Apoâ—…les the resurrection of Christ were not the sagest and wisest men but two or thrée séelie women The first that were â—…nuerted to the faith after his resurrection were not any of the great learned or other wise estéemed known among the people but about 3000. poore séely simple men so base so out of knowledge that not one of their names could euer be knowne Why should any man resist the wisedom of God and denie the people the breade whereon they should féed the light by which they maie safelie walke the hearing and reading of the word by which they may be turned to GOD from idols to serue the liuing and true God they haue cruel hearts and are enimies to the glorie of God and to the saluation of his people which in such sorte denie them the knowledge of the Scriptures To fulfil their sinnes alwaies They haue resused the word of reconciliation they are not contented that they haue stoned the prophets killed them that were sent to the but they yet resist the holie Gospel deuise meanes to kéepe al others from the comforte thereof This is a token of Gods heauie displeasure vpon them that they repent not of their former â—…uils but grow worse and worse When the Scribes Pharises séemed to â—…ike the crueltie of their fathers said if they had béen in their daies they would not haue béen partners with them in the vloud of the prophets our sauiour maketh their hipocrisie knowne that herein they should be like to their fathers for they shoulde kil and crucifie the prophets and wise meÌ„ and scourge them in their sinagogues persecute them from citie to city said to them Fulfil ye also the measure of your fathers The cause of this indgement of God in giuing ouer the wicâ—…ed to increase the heape of their sins the Apostle setteth down to y e Romanes As they regarded not to know God so God deliuered theÌ„ vp vnto a reprobat mind to do those things which are not conuenieÌ„t For so he somtimes punisheth our sins suffereth the wicked to heape sin vpon sin y e so their daÌ„nation may be y e greater For the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Though GOD he patient and long suffring because he would haue all men come to repentance yet in whom his mercie taketh no place to worke their amendment vpon them he poureth out his wrath and indignation to the utmost He meaneth not that al the whole nation of the Jewes were so caâ—… out of the fauour of GOD that neuer anie of them shall be saued for in an other place he faith Hath God cast away his people God forbid For I my selfe am an Israelite of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin God hath not cast away his people which he knew before But miserable shall be their end and a terrible damnation shall they haue whosoeuer withstand the truth of God and to the rest of their wickednesse ioine such a hatred and dispitefull contempt of the poore and simple sort of the people that they kéepe them from the wholesome wordes of doctrine and forbid such as are willing to preach vnto them This is their condemnation that light came into the world and they loued darkenesse better than light They persecute vs saith Saint Paule and forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alwaies for the wrath or God is come on them to the vtmost V. 17 Forasmuch brethren as wee were kept from you for a season concerning sight but not in heart we enforced the more to see your face with great desire 18 Therefore wee would haue come vnto you I Paul at least once or twice but Sathan hindred vs. He tolde them before how dearely and tenderly he loued them exhorting comforting and be séeching euerie of them as a father his children He taketh care least by anie meanes they should doubt of his great good wil to ward them And therefore doeth both witnesse the same and shew them through what cause hée hath staied from them Such a zeale and care had he ouer the people O in what case then are they that are carlesse and make no regard of the people of God which hunt after manie liuings and bend not themselues to do good which serue their owne bellie and séeke to be rich and eate vp the people of God as if they were breade They cannot say they haue a desire to sée the face of their flocke and that their heart is with them Howsoeuer they finde time for other matters they can neuer take time to know their shéepe and to doe the worke of their ministerie among them They care not for them they thinke not of them They plant not they water not they watch not they giue no warning of the daungers at hand they teach them not to denie ungodlinesse and worldlie lusts and to liue soberly and righteously and godlie in this present world It were happy if al such were remoued out of the Church of GOD. They destroie the soules of manie and leade them to destruction by their negligence What accompt shall they giue vnto GOD for the soules of their â—…rethren where shall they stand or what will they saie when he shall bidde them make a straite accompt of their stewardship this is the practise of Sathan He vseth al meanes to snare vs and withdraw vs from that blessed hope Sometimes he letteth the encrease of the Gospell by raising vp tumultes and disquieting the Church of God and stirring the hearts of such as are in auâ—…tie to perfecute by al meanes the teachers of the Gospell of Christ. Againe when God giueth peace and quietnesse to his Church he leadeth the ouerséers of the people to a forgetfulnesse of their duetie to séeke the pleasures and delights of this life and to haue no regard of the worke of the Lord. Such occasions the Diuel seeketh to hinder our saluation and to withstand the truth and glorie of God V. 19 For what is our hope or ioy
of man commeth shal he finde faith on the earth S. Iohn prophecying of that day sayth The sunne was as blacke as sackecloath of hayre and the Moone was like bloud The beautie of the Church shal be defaced the light of the Gospel shal be put out Then shal few be left of those that shal behold the glory of God These shal giue witnesse vnto the truth And albeit they be but few yet are they ynough to condemne the vngodlinesse of the wicked We shal not go in rowtes for we shal be but few we shal then be in the bodie and liue in this world and looke vp and sée these things yet when the Lord shal come we shal not preuent them that sléepe Although we liue and they were dead yet shal they be as readie as we Why For the Lord himselfe shal descend with a shout c. Here is laide before vs the true maner of the terrible iudgement of God For our better vnderstanding let vs compare heauen with earth and the iudgement of God with the iudgement of men The Judges sitte on high accōpanied with noble men and Justices attended on with Constables and baylifes and the state presence of the countrey the théefe is brought foorth piniond and bound in chaines and fetters The poore wretch standeth in great feare his conscience accuseth him and sayth thou didst steale thou art worthie to die The boyce of the Judge is as a blast of thunder the face of the Judge terrible to him as hel fire But the innocent that is wrongfully imprisoned and hath not offended he séeth himselfe cleare his conscience ercuseth him and therefore reioyceth at the comming of the Judges He thought it long before they came These saith he wil strike off my shackles and set me at libertie Their voice vnto him is as the voyce of life he beholdeth them and they are as the angels of God Such shal bee the shewe and sight of the sonne of GOD he shal come downe with maiestie from heauen the Trumpet of God shal sounde and be hearde from the one ende of the heauen to the other and whosoeuer shal heare it shal quake for feare Then shal he be the iudge ouer al flesh Then be shal shew him selfe to be King of Kings and Lorde of Lords Then shal he not come in humilitie méeke nesse and mercy but with dread and terrour of iudgement and iustice Not with twelue poore Apostles but with twelue thousande Angels to attende vpon him Not in the preaching of the Gospel calling sinners to repentance but in the sounde of a Trumpet wherewith al the corners of the earth shal be amazed Then shal he not say come vnto mee al ye that trauaile and be loaden and I wil refresh you I am sent to the lost Shéepe of Israel He shal not say Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they do But you haue béene ashamed of me and of my worde before men therefore now wil I be ashamed of you before my heauenly father Then shal they that despired y e word of God know what they despised and the blasphemers shal reape the fruit of their blasphemie Then the carelesse Sheaphearde which hath not fed the Lords shéepe but neglected them and left them at al aduentures which hath betrayed his flocke and giuen them to bee a praie vnto the Woolfe shal receiue a iust rewarde for his treason Then the adulterer oppressour and Vsnrer shal haue their life layde open before them Then shal euerie eye sée him They shal see him whome they pearced through they shal sée his woundes which they did not regarde They shal sée his Sworde readie drawen to slaie all his enemies and shal fal downe for feare of him that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe But the harts of the righteous shal reioyce They shal lift vp their heades and sée him in whome they haue trusted Then they shal say this is the day which the Lorde hath made let vs reioice and be glad in it Come let vs reioice vnto the Lord let vs come before his face with praise lette vs sing lowde vnto him with Psalmes Such shal be the state and countenaunce and honour and maiestie of our God when he shal come downe from heauen for our deliueraunce And the dead in Christ shal rise first The earth shal open yéelde foorth her dead bodies that so they may be ready with vs that remain to go before the presence of our iudge Which are dead in Christ. Who are they They whom he chose out of this world and which haue chosen God for their portion whome God hath sealed vnto the day of redemption Which haue saide Christ is to me both in life death aduantage And I liue not I now but Christ liueth in me And againe whether we liue or bie we are the Lords Which say I haue boūd my selfe to serue the Lord all the daies of my life They are dead in Christ which commend them selues wholie vnto him and say O Lord in thée haue I trusted let mée neuer be confounded I desire to be losed and to be with Christ. Into thy handes O Lord I commend my spirite thou hast redéemed mée O Lord of truth To be shorte whosoeuer liueth in the Lord he dieth in the Lord. He in whom Christ liueth which hath a tast and féeling of Christ in his heart he that reioiceth in Christ and looketh for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our sauiour Jesus Christ he is a shéepe of his pasture he is a member of his bodie he is the apple of his eie he liueth and dieth in Christ. Blessed is he that so liueth and so dieth for he shall rise with Christ in the resurrestion of the righteous and shal haue his part in the land of the liuing V. 17. Then shal we which liue and remaine be caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the aire and so shal wee euer be with the Lord. 18. Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these wordes We which shall sée al these things shal also be caught vp our selues But here you must note that Paul speaketh not this of his owne person and of them that liued in his time as if they should continue aliue vntil the ende or that the world should haue an ende before they should die but he sheweth what shal be the state of such whosoeuer shal then remaine aliue And againe marke that he saith not we which liue and remaine shall die soorthwith or our bodies shall be turned into dust and so our soules alone go to méete the Lorde but whether we be standing or sitting doing well or ill occupied Wee shall be caught vp For the Trumpet shall sodainely blow and then the dead shall rise and we shall be changed So saith Saint Paul Behold I shew you a secrete thing we shal not al sleepe but wee shal
me I wrestle not with flesh and bloud but with the prince and power of darkenesse My enimies are strong they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ I am weake and of no resistance Our sufficiencie is of him Without him we can do nothing Praie for me that hée will put his word into my mouth that I may be a vessel of his glorie to preach foorth the glad tydings of his Gospell that I maie be a faithfull minister of the new Testament that I may disclose the mysterie of our redeÌ„ption that his holie spirit will assist me and make my trauels fruitfull V. 26. Greete al the brethren with an holie kisse 27 I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle be read vnto al the brethren the Saints Salute one another in token of true and vnfained loue And withholde not this Epistle from anie of the brethren It is written for their sakes Let them heare it that they maie take comforte by it How agréeth Paul in this charge with them that in no case would haue the people reade the Scriptures That saie Ignorance is the mother of deuotion It is the word of God the father why should not the people of God vnderstand it It is the water that springeth out to euerlasting life why should the people of God be driuen away and not suffered to drinke thereof It is the light of the worlde why should the people be hoodwinckt and kept that they should not looke vp and sée it Why should they sit and perish in the darkenesse of death It is the will of God that al the people should know him from the least to the greatest among them Saint Paule saith Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comforte of the Scriptures might haue hope Christ saieth This is life eternall to know thee to be the onelie very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Let vs not forget these words of Paul I charge you in the Lord by his death by his crosse by his bloud by the daie of his appearance that this epistle be read to the learned and vnlearned to the wise and simple to the Maisters and to the seruants to al our brethren to all the sonnes of God V. 28 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you Amen God open your eies that you maie behold the waie of righteousnesse and direct you that you may walke in it Through his grace you haue receiued the word and it hath bene fruitfull in you and by the same grace you shall continue in it euer His grace and blessing and mercie be with you al. AMEN FINIS ¶ The Second Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Thessalonians CHAP. I. PAule and Syluanus and Timotheus vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God our father and in our Lord Iesus Christ. IN the former Epistle hée wrote somewhat touching the latter day and the comming of our Lord to iudgement and saide that that daie shall come as a théefe in the night and therefore arborted them to watch and praie and to prepare themselues to be in a readinesse The false Apostles did fondly and malitiously mistake his wordes and deuised meanes thereby to disquiet the mindes of the faithfull and to trouble the Church of God Thus could the Prince of darkenesse the olde Serpent and deceiuing spirite turne the truth of God into occasion of slander In the meane while the Apostle was farre off from them at Athens But when he heard of their case hée sent vnto them this other Epistle wherein hée declareth more plainely that matter which before séemed doubtfull and séeketh to satisfie their hearts and to remooue them from that errour which they had conceiued In discourse hereof he taketh occasion to speake of Antichrist of whome wée heare much and haue had warning often Hée telleth vs that he shall come in working of signes and wonders that he is the man of sinne which shal thrust himselfe into the place of Christ. Hée sheweth who is Antichrist and how we may know him what things hée shall doe what credite he shall haue in the worlde and by what power hée shall be ouerthrowne and confounded After this he speaketh of idlenesse and of bodily labour and requireth euerie man to liue in the sweate of their browes and in painefull trauel as God hath ordeined Other comfortable and necessarie doctrine is delâ—…uered in this epistle as wil appeare The whole matter of the epistle is so fit for these dayes in which we liue as if it were purposely written for vs. For we liue in the later age of the worlde and it cannot be but the end of al thinges is at hande and that the glorious appearing of our Lorde shal bâ—… shortly Paule and Syluanus and Timotheus This Epistle was sent not onely from Paule but also from Timothie and Syluanus These thrée were al guided by one â—…pirite and had al one like care for the Church of GOD. Therefore he writeth thus Paule and Syluanus and Timotheus the seruauntes of God chosen from our mothers wombe and appointed to publishe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to carie his name before Kinges and Princes and especially I Paule which am your father and hauâ—… begotten you in Christ which was sometimes a blasphemer and did persecute the faithful whom it pleased GOD to make a chosen vessel for himselfe which am also hated of my brethren and kinsmen after the fleshe for the Gospels sake and which am readie to giue my life for your behalfe Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God our father c. You are sayth he the beloued of God you are his people and he hath assured his mercie vnto you you haue the promise and the earnest of the life to come Here let vs marke the state of that countrie as it was then and compare it with it selfe as it is now Then it was the church of God for otherwise S. Paule would not so haue called it according to the grace of God giuen vnto him he layde the foundation he planted and watred their hearts and God gaue the increase So that they receiued the worde in much aâ—…tion and the worde of the Gospel sounded from them not only in Macedonia Achaia but their faith towardes God was spread also abroade in al quarters In such sort were they a Vessel sanoified vnto honour ful of blessing and ful of the mercie and grace of God But what is become of that countrey In what case standeth the church of Thessalonica at this day It is now the Sinagogue of Sathan vnder the tyrannie of the Turke and such as are enemies of the crosse of Christ. Such a change hath the right hande of the Lord wrought in that place which hath sometimes béene his holie Tabernacle I thought good to marke this that we might vnderstand how vaine a thing it is to put confidence in cities or churches or in
false â—…rine The Diuel is subtile his baites are pleasaunt you are weake and simple he will soone deceiue you Here let vs consider howe easily man maie be deceiued that so we maiâ—… knowe the corruption and weakenesse of our nature and therefore what cause we haue euer to walke warily to take heede to our steppes and to praie vnto GOD that hee â—…line our heartes vnto his testimonies When I saie man maie be deceiued I meane not baies or children or fooles or the simpler sorte of men but the learned the wife the politike the â—…ga and Princes of the worlde the teachers and rulers of the people When Adam was yet in Paradise and made the ruler ouer al the beaâ—…s of the â—…ld and was full of the graces and blessings of God he soone departed from the ecuntâ—…ll of God and gaue eare to the serpent so easily was he â—…eceiued Israel was as the apple of the Lords eie a people whom the Lord loued and to whome he gaue their hearts deure Hee deliuered them from Pharao and with an out-stretched arme ledde them through the red sea Who would thinke si great â—…cies would eâ—…er be forgotten or that such a people so wel instructed in the knowledge of God and so often put in mind of their duetie shoulde either most parte or al of them turne from GOD Moses was absent but a while he went aside to receiue the tables of couenaunt in the meane time they made vnto themselues a molten calfe and worshipped it they offred vnto it and saide These be thy Gods O Israel that haue brought thee out of the lande of AEgipt So easily were the wisest of them and Aaron and the whole multituted deceiued Their children after them forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Astaroth They said to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me They haue turned their backe to me and not their face saith god by the prophet Ieremie And was this y e offence but of some smal number of them were they but few or of the baser and simpler sorte whome the wicked spirite had thus seduced to make them forsake the true and liuing GOD and to giue the glorie due vnto him to dombe creatures and to the works of their owne hands No they departed from GOD in greate multitudes with full consent and vnitie they warranted their doings by antiquitie and by the custome of their fathers before them The Prophet saith According to the number of thy cities were thy Gods O Iudah and to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue ye set vp altares of confusion euen altares to burne incense vnto Baal And in an other place he saith A great multitude euen al the people that dwelt in the land of Aegipt in Phathros answered Ieremie saying the word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde wee wil not heare it of thee But wee wil do whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as wee haue done we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes c. Thus euen among that nation which God hath chosen vnto himselfe the Apostacie was so great the departure from true holinesse was so vniuersal that not onelie euerie citio but euerie stréete was defiled with their Idolatrie And besides the women which burnt incense vnto other Gods a great multitude yea all the people with one consent cried out against their preacher refused to heare the word of God and maintained their superâ—…tion The lilie may be said of the Scribes Pharises They were wise they were learned and caried great them of holinesse yet they loued darknes better than light they were blind leaders of the blind they despised the commandemits of god for their own traditions not on lie they but Herod and Pontius Pilate with the gentiles and people of Israel gathered the salues togitherngainst against the Lord I against his Christ. What shoulde I speake of those Churches which the Apostles of Christ planted and watered and confirmed in the trueth at Corinth Paule preached the Gospel they receiued it gladly he thanketh GOD on their behalfe That in al thinges they were made rich in him in al kinde of speache and in al knowledge Yet soone after they abused the holy mysteries they denyed the resurrection of the dead they became carnal and had enuying and strife and contention among themselues The Galathians reioyâ—…h so much in him that he writeth thus of them I beare you record that if it had beene possible you would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them to me Yet they did not abide in the trueth but gaue eare to false Apostles and were deceiued Therefore he reprooueth them saying O foolish Galathians who hath bewiâ—…ched you that you should not obey the trueth are ye so foolish that after ye haue begonne in the spirite yee would nowe be made perfect in the flesh ye did runne wel who did let you that yee did not obey the trueth I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine This frailtie and weakenesse of our corrupt nature hath shewed it selfe foorth and hath appeared in al ages 〈◊〉 and our Fathers haue gone astraie and haue solowed after lyes The Lorde hath looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstande and â—…eoke God Al are gone out of the way they are al corrupt there is none that doth good no not one sayth the Prophet Dauid Therefore the Apostle beseeâ—…heth the church at Thessalonica that they settle themselues vppon a sure foundation and that they be not remoâ—…d from the trueth He putteth them in mind what they haue heard and of whom they haue heard it and eâ—…horteth them to continue stedfast therein Neither by spirite nor by worde nor by letter as it were from vs. Let no man entiâ—…e you from the loue of the trueth nor withdraw you or remoue you from that blessed â—…pe vnto which you becalled neither by pretence of any which any would séeme to receiue of the spirite of God nor by pretence of any woords of mine as if I had so spoken nor by any letter giuen vnto you in my name as if I had so written In these woordes hee docth not onelie strengthen them against such practises of crafty and false teachers but giueth them there withal a testimonie of their constant abiding in the trueth of the Gospel Otherwise if the seducers had prenayled and if the Thessalonians had yéelded vnto them and receyued their errour hâ—…e woulde then haue framed his speeche vnto them after this manner Oh suffâ—…r your selues to hee aduised You 〈◊〉 not runne wel you haue lost the high way Giue place to the spirite of God submit your selues vnder his mightie hande refuse not the calling whereby hee hath
erre If the Church of Rome cannot erre what néede haue they of that church either of the Scriptures or of the fathers or councels Perhaps through this pride they grew first to despise the holie Scriptures would not direct their waies by them They are high minded and boast themselues that they are as mount Sion which shal not be mooued Yet our Sauiour likeneth the Church sometimes to shéep as in the 15. of S. Mathew I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of Israel Sometimes to children which are simple and soone beguiled Sometimes to a Vine which is weake easily throwne down sometimes to the moone which waxeth and is also in wane and many times giueth no light The ancieÌ„t fathers compare the church of god to no one thing so vsually as to a shippe And who knoweth not how a ship is tossed hither thither how it is in daÌ„ger of sands of rocks and of pirats in danger of drowning by leaking If the shéepe were not a straying kind of cattel what should they néede a shéepheard If little children could guide themselues what néede had they of a guider If the vine did not hang down and lie on the ground what néede were there of proppes or of one to set it vp If there were no feare for the passage of a ship if it could not miscarie what should it néede a Pilote Let no man therefore saie the church is safe for euer it cannot erre it can not decay Such words are deceiuable and lying words For false Prophets shal come There shalbe a desolation there shal be a departing euen in the house of God and that daie of Christ shall not come except there come a departing first And that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition V. 4 Which is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee doth sit in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God This the Apostle speaketh of Antichrist Hée is the man of sinne and the sonne of perdition It will be somewhat hard to treat of this matter and to opeÌ„ the words of this scripture Whatsoeuer I shall speake it will be ill taken of manie and manie will doubt of the truth of my spéeches such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle disciphereth to be Antichrist Albeit whatsoeuer I will vtter in opening the Apostles wordes shall be such as the holie scriptures and learned writings of the holie fathers haue left vnto vs and the church of God hath prooued and at this daie doth prooue to be true God promised that Christ shoulde come into the worlde euen the Shiloh vnto whome al the people should be gathered and that he should be the hope of Israel and deliuer his people from their sins God made promise of him to Adam to Abraham Dauid c. The scriptures are ful and the prophets make ofteÌ„ mention of this promise Olde men and yong men and al the people waited for the fulfilling thereof said Send him whom thou wilt send And againe Yee heauens send the dewe from aboue and let the clouds drop down righteousnes let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth And againe God wil come saue you Thus was euerie eie bent vpon him and euery heart waited for his comming But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent foorth his son made of a woman that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes Hee was in the world and the world knew him not Hee came vnto his owne and his own receiued him not Light came into the worlde and men loued darknesse better than light They to whom the promise was made and which wished for him and made al their common talke of the hope of his comming when he came knewe him not they reuiled him and saide Beholde a glutton and drinker of wine a friend vnto publicans and sinners They called him Beelzebub and a false prophet and a seducer of the people Him they did take by the hands of the wicked they betraied him they denied the holie one and iust they hanged on a trée and killed the lord of life Such was the receiuing of Christ. This did they to him through ignorance It was not giuen them to knowe the secretes of the kingdome of heauen They haue not â—…nowen the father nor whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Therefore saith he I confesse vnto thee father Lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and hast reuealed them to babes euen so father bicause it so pleased thee Now as the comming of Christ was such is the comming of Antichrist God hath foretold of his comming Daniel hath foretold Christ and his Apostles Paule and Iohn haue foretolde it the Scriptures and oâ—…de Fathers make often mention hereof There is none neither olde nor young neither learned nor vnlearned but he hath hearde of Antichrist They hate his name and detest him before they know him But here you may marke the wonderful sleight and sutteltie of Satan The worlde shal looke after the comming of Antichrist He shal not faile but come Al men shal carie hatred against him and recken him abhominable and yet their eyes shal be blinded and their hearts deceiued so that they shal not knowe him They shal hate his name and embrace his doctrine he shal couer himselfe with a cloke of holinesse They shal thinke they doe good seruice vnto Christ but shal therein doe seruice vnto Antichrist The diuerse fantasies of men haue deuised manie sundrie fonde tales of the person of Antichrist Some say he should be a Iewe of the tribe of Dan. Some that he should bée borne in Babylon some that he should be bred vp in Bethsaida and Corazin some that he should rise vp in Syria some that Mahomet is Antichrist some that he should ouerthrowe Rome some that he should builde vp the Citie of Hierusalem some that Nero was Antichrist some that he should be borne of a Fryer and a Nonne some that he should continue but three yeares and a halfe some that he shoulde turne trées vpside downe with the toppes in the grounde and should force the rootes to growe vpwarde and then should flée vp into heauen and fal downe and breake his necke These tales haue béene craftily deuised to beguile our eyes that whilest we thinke vpon these gesses and so occupie our selues in beholding a shadowe or probable coniecture of Antichrist he which is Antichrist indéede may vnawares deceiue vs. Except that man of sinne bee disclosed The Apostle séemeth to teach vs of Antichrist as if he should be one man because he calleth him The man of sinne But wee may not so take him The maner of the scripture is oftentimes and in diuerse places it speaketh that of manie which séemeth to be-spoken but of one So doeth Daniel set foorth
is a doctrine of Diuelles not of Christ or of God but of diuels It is a gulfe it is a sea it is a world it is a hel of iniquitie and the vilest vilanie that euer crept into the Church of GOD. Hierome expounding the wordes of Daniel Hee shall haue no regarde to the desires of women saith Faciliâ—… interpretatio est de Antichristo quodideo simulâ—… castitatem vt plurimos decipiat The better exposition here of is to applie these words to Antichrist for that he shal pretend chastitie that he may deceiue manie This is the mysterie of iniquitie This is the practise of Antichrist Heshall come with a cloake of counterfaited chastitie not with true chastitie hath in bodie and also in spirite but with counterseit chastitie and so shall deceiue the hearts of manie Who would thinke there were any euil in single communisn Dâ—… why maie not euerie bodie folow his own deuotion and receiue the sacrament when he wil what harme is herein It may séeme to be done for the reuerence vnto the sacrament least it shoulde growe in contempt if it were vsed often These reasons are faire and fresh but this is a mysterie and a practise of Antichrist For by this meanes haue they shut out the faithfull people of God and made them negligent carlesse for the receiuing of the Lords supper they abused the Church of the liuing God they turned the remembrance of the death of Christ into a Maigame they made the people commit horrible and open idolatrie to worship the creature in stead of the Creator which is God blessed for euer Who would thinke there were anie euil in the keies of the Church They are the expounding of the law and the disclosing of the wil of God They are the chiefest comfort of our conscience But Antichrist shall take those keies vnto himselfe and shall build vppe his owne kingdome with them He shall shut that God hath opened and shal open that God hath shut This is also the mysterie of iniquitie Who would thinke there were any euil in godlie praiers of the Church Christ saieth Watch and praie for you knowe not in what houre your Maister wil come And againe Praie thou to thy father which is in secrete and thy father which seeth thee in secrete shall rewarde thee openly And againe Aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Saint Paule saith Praie without ceasing The Prophet Dauid saith The Lord is nigh vnto al them that call vpon him to al that call vpon him faithfully For the Lord will heare the praiers of his Saints and deliuer them when they call vpon him These praiers shall Antichrist take to worke his iniquitie And vnder pretence of them shall deuour widowes houses and shal make a net of them to fish and drag for al the riches of the world This is also the mysterie of iniquitie Who would think there were so great euil in the doctrine of Purgatorie What if one thought that his father or friend died in some beniall sinne and were chastised somewhile in purgatorie â—…ire and that he might be reléeued by praiers For this iolie pretence and imagination haue they thereof What if one should so thinke what hurt were it Brethren this is the mysterie of al mysteries the secrete of al secrets In this standeth the countenance and al the welfare of Antichrist He hath impropried the whole kingdome of Purgatorie to himselfe and hath made it more gainefull than heauen and earth There he selleth praiers there he maketh port sale of buls and pardons there he selleth forgiuenesse of sinnes à culpa poena He selleth the mercies of GOD the bloud of the Martyres the workes of supererogation the merits of his fratries the bloud of Christ. There he selleth paradise deliuerance or assurance from hel and entrance into heauen he maketh marchandise of the soules of the people This is the alonelie mysterie aboue al other mysteries Who would thinke there were anie euill in the name of the Church It is the witnesse bearer vnto the gospel It is the pillar of truth It is the spouse of Christ. Yet saith Christ Antichrist shall come in my name He shall séems holie he shall talke of the gospel he shall carie the face of the church and deceiue many This is a mysterie Who would thinke it a matter of so great inconuenience for a man to call the Bishop of Rome the greatest Bishop or the chiefest Patriarke and the highest Iudge and to say that al appeales lie vnto him what hurt may this be It séemeth a small matter a matter of nothing But it is a practise it is a secret and a mysterie Hence flowed al the streames of vanitie and presumption wherein he aduaunceth himselfe Hence it is that he saith I am aboue Kings and Emperours I am aboue generall counsels I am aboue the whole Church of Christ. I am aboue the Angels of God I haue power to commaunde and to countermaunde them at my pleasure I am the succssour of Peter I am the vicar of Christ. No man may iudge me whatsoeuer I doe I can not erre General councels might erre the Apostles might erre the Angels of God might erre but I can not erre I haue the fulnesse of power The whole worlde is my dioresse Whosoeuer is saued is vnder me Who so euer is not vnder me is cursed of God I am the light of the worlde I can in a manner doe whatsoeuer God can doe Al these spéeches are writen are printed are published and proclaimed abroade This is a mysterie of iniquitie this is a déepe secrete These are the verie waies and steppes of Antichrist God giue vs eyes to see them and heartes that we may discerne them Paule did sée this mysterie working euen in that time hee liued Iohn sayeth Diotrephes loueth to haue the preeminence To lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren to be the head of the Church and to beare a maisterie So Paule espied contentions in Corinth Euerie one of you saith I am Paules and I am Apollos and I am Cephas and I am Christs These were the beginnings of Antichrist But Paule sayeth Wee preach not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lorde and our selues your seruantes for Iesus sake So the true Disciples of Christ recken not themselues any thing but the meÌ„bers one of an other but the ministers by whoÌ„ the people beléeue but witnesses chosen before of God but such as are commanded to preach but Gods labourers Nowe let vs consider these markes of Antichrist Was there euer any which hath forbidden laweful marriage and accounted it a state of life which is vncleane and not méete for his holinesse and deceiued the world with counterfaite chastitie the same is Antichrist For Hierome telleth vs Antichrist shal pretend chastitie that he may deceiue manie and Paule calleth forbidding of Marriage the doctrine of Diuels Was there euer any
beléeue the word of God Faith knoweth no falshood it beholdeth the truth onely and not al truth but the truth of God It is not setled vpon vanities nor vpon errors Unlesse it be truth by the word of God whatsoeuer thou holdest in opinion is not to be called faith The Turke is setled in errors he perswadeth himselfe hee is rightly setled he calleth his opinions Faith and beléese Yet this is not faith because it is not the faith of truth it hath not the worde of GOD to assure it Therefore when men wil say beléeue our Masses beléeue our sacrifices beléeue our transubstantiations and our real presences beléeue vs what soeuer we say beléeue that we can not erre beléeue that you are in a good beléefe if you say you beléeue as the Church beléeueth though you knowe not how or what y e Church beléeueth They abuse and mocke the people of God There is no truth in this doctrine It neuer past out of the mouth of God God ordeined not Masses nor that the priest should offer sacrifice for the quicke and dead Therefore it is no matter of faith it is folly and vanity it is vngodlinesse it is errour it hath no substance He that receiueth such doctrine maketh much of a shadowe he can not hold it Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God The worde of God is trueth The Gospel is the worde of God and the power of God to saue them that beléeue The beliefe of the Gospel is laide vp in our heartes by the spirite of God He bringeth vs to the knowledge of the trueth This spirite beareth witnesse vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God This spirite teacheth vs to withdrawe our mindes from worldly cares to cal our doings to a reckoning to thinke of the dreadful day of iudgement to repent for our former sinnes and to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse This spirite sheweth vs the mercy of God helpeth vs to pray and prayeth for vs is our comforter helpeth our inâ—…irmities and maketh vs knowe the things that are giuen vs of GOD. This did Dauid sée when he praied Create a cleane heart in mee oh God and renue a right spirit within mee My heart is sinfull my heart is foule renue it with thy spirite thy spirite in right he shall make my heart cleane Againe take not thy holie spirit from me I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaiden turne thy farâ—… awaie from my sinnes beâ—…lde me and receiue me in thy mercie Restore me to the light of thy countenance Open thou my lippes and my mouth shal shew foorth thy praise stablish me with thy frée spirit This strength we gather in God by his spirite This comforteth vs in al temptations and â—…areth witnesse with our spirit that we be the children of God that God hath chosen vs and doth loue vs and hath prepared vs to saluation that wée are the â—…eires of his glorie that God will kéepe vs as the apple of his eiè that de wil defend vs and we shall not perish V. 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and keepe al the instructions which yee haue beene taught either by word or by our epistle God hath set you in a race Let no man hinder you let no man kéepe you from the goale Stand past and kéepe that doctrine which you haue 〈◊〉 I was present with you I taught you by 〈◊〉 of mouth when I was away from you I taught you by letters I am carefull for you I beare you in my heart and loue you 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus Hée hath giuen me charge euer you hee will require you at my handes I haue clensed and garnished your hearts by the word of trueth take héede take héede the wicked spirit come not and bring seaâ—… spirites worse than himselfe and enter in and â—…el with you and the end of you be worse than the beginning Remember Lots wife shée went not foorth straight into the maie appointed her but looked backe behind hir and she became a pillar of salt and so continueth vntill this daie A terrible example to those which haue set their hand to the plough and looke backe againe and haue made themselues vnworthie the kingdome of heauen God will forsake such and make their hearts hard as a stone You are the â—…ome of the Lordes fielde God hath blessed you growe then and be fruitfull vntill the haruest that you may be gathered into the Lordes barne You are the light of God which God himselfe hath kindled let no pâ—…ffe of wind put you out You are the house of God God hath built you vppon a rocke let no violence nor tempestuous-weather beate you downe I haue spoken to you I haue written to you I haue shewed you the whole counsaile of God The word which I spake to you is the verie worde of God I testitie before the Lord and call God to witnesse vnto my soule that it is the truth of God and not anie deuise of man You did beléeue it you receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God Become not now vnfaithful although you spie many infirmities in your teachers although you sée them fal into offences and ware couetous and giue euil example in their life and conuersation Although you sée the faith of manie shalten and that they haue put away from them a good conscience and turne backe from the loue of the gospell which they once séemed to professe and so are gone out from among you yet stande you vpright Hold fast y e doctrine which you haue receiued and continue in the things which you haue learned and be perswaded that they are able to make you wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus Christ saith woe be to the worlde because of offences whosoeuer shal offend one of these litle ones which beléeue in mée it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hée were drowned in the deapth of the sea And againe hee saith Blessed is he which is not offended in me Therefore worke your own saluation in trembling and in feare Blessed is he that abideth with Christ in temptations and continueth faithfull vnto the end V. 16. Nowe the same Iesus Christ our Lorde and our God euen the father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17 Comfort your hearts and stablish you in euerie worde and good worke After his exhortation that they would stand fast and continue faithfull vnto the ende hée turneth himselfe to God and praieth him to looke vppon them mercifully downe from heauen and to fulfill the worke begunne and to increase and multiplie his grace in them So ought al Preachers and seruantes of God to doe in their sermons For alas what are we what is our worde what is our labour without the assistance of God We are onelie the voice of a crier