a pullie and binde great weights of leade at their héeles to rent them and teare their bodies asunder Some they haue tied vnto great péeces of timber and haue put fire at the soales of their féete They haue opened their mouthes and made them drawe in Lawne into their bodie A thing most cruel and yet which they haue practised the maner whereof hath béene thus reported They laie it so farre in the mouth that a mans breath easily draweth it into his bodie and so it is conueighed into the stomacke When it is wel setled then commeth the tormentour and taketh the Lawne by the other ende and rasheth it sodainelie with such a force as it séemeth he doth plucke out the verie heart and entrailes such a rare strange kinde of crueltie as is not practised vpon most notorious rebels and traitors As for death 40 or 50 at one time haue béene heaped together and burnt in one fire They haue set vpon the seruauntes of God and compassed the Church where they haue assembled togither to pray vnto God and murthered them in their innocencie whiles they lifted vp pure handes vnto God The French king by the counfaile of such as hate the Gospel of Christ sent his cruel souldiers and murthered his subiects at Valois He ouerthrew their houses burnt their Towne destroyed man woman and childe spoyled their corne and turned their trées vpside downe He wasted defaced vnpeopled it not for that they were théeues or rehels but because they beléeued in the name of Christ. Consider how many are murthered in Flaunders and in the kingdome of Fraunce They are not so farre from vs as Iudea from Thessalonica They ioyne next vnto vs. God is blessed in his saints and holy in al his workes no crueltie is able to quench his truth There is no counsel which shal preuaile against the Lord. He giueth increase and placeth children in fréede of their fathers The more are slaine by the enemies the more spring up by the working of his spirite The more are hewne downe the more multiplie We may not be strangers in this case It beboueth vs to consider the afflictions of our brethren They belong vnto vs We must pray to God for them that he wil put an ende to their misenies otherwise wee haue not the spirite of God we beare no loue nor care for his bause Of your countrey men This was the greatest and beauiest part of their troubles For what a heartes griefe is it to the father if his sonne rise vp against him or to the sonne to sée his father readie to betray him and to seeke his bloud Where this is done he will say O father I am thy sonne alas what haue I done to haue thy displeasure death is bitter but thy displeasure is more bitter than death It were a cruel thing that any man should kil an other what is it then if thou shouldest kil thine own child yet if thou be so bent take my life and spare my conscience spare my soule that I may deliuer it vp into his handes that hath giuen it me I would be obedient vnto thée thou art my father but I may not disobey God He is the father of fathers He hath saide He that loueth father or mother more than me he is not worthy of me It is a miserable case when persecution groweth so hot y â— the child is driuen to forsake his father or the father his child yet so doth the world blind many Satan so possesseth their harts y â— he turneth their loue into hatred and shutteth their senses and thoaketh and dammeth vp the springes of nature They become so blind and so unsensible that they neither féele their owne fleshe nor know their owne bloud They thinke in so doing they doe God good seruice They are enemies to the truth They are y e enemies of the crosse of Christ their end is destruction And forbid vs to preach vnto the gentiles that they might bee saued This is the ende whereunto the Gospel is giuen that the people should be saued S. Paule sayth God wil that al men shal bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Therefore our Saniour appointed his Apostles to this office of preaching his word saying Go and preach the gospel vnto al nations Goe vnto the lost sheepe of Israel He sayth It is not the wil of my father that one of these little ones should perish Whosoeuer beleeueth and shal bee baptised shal be saued S. Iames exhorteth the faithful Receiue with meekenesse the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules By it we heare the swéete voyce of our Sauiour Come vnto mee all ye that trauaile and be heauily loaden and I wil refrosh you By it we heare the merciful calling of God Turne vnto mee and ye shal be saued By it we are warned to depart from the companie of such as are enemies to the truth and to haue no fellowshippe with the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse Saue your selues sayth S. Peter from this frowarde generation By it we are taught to beléeue that Jesus Christ is the sonne of GOD that â—…is name is Jesus because he shal saue his people from their sinnes and that there is not salnation in any other besides him For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God This is therefore the dutie of the preacher to preach vnto the people that so they may be saued that they may knowe the wayes of GOD that they may repent them of their sinnes and be renewed vnto godlinesse Who would thinke there were any that would hinder the course of the Gospelâ—… or forbid to preach it unto the people The Apoâ—…e here layeth that fault to the Jewes That they forbid him to preach to the Gentiles The same fault Christ founde in the Scribes and Pharises Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for ye haue taken away the keye of knowledge ye entred not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad Sâ—… there haue béene alwaies and such there are now O say they why should y â— people know these thinges what should they meddle with the scriptures let them do their businesse and apply their occupations It is not reason not fit that euery one should be learned When they thinke they know somewhat they become proud and denise heresies and maintaine them as if God had not left them to enstruct the people or as if the holy scriptures and not the malice at Sâ—…tan were the cause of heresies But God hath said Gather the people together men 〈◊〉 women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law The Prophet Dauid thought it méete y e people shold know the scriptures therefore said Blessed is that man whose delight is in the law of
might be saned in the middest of burning fire yet y e thrée seruauntes of God walked in the fire safelie and came safe foorth againe We knowe sayth the Apostle that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The Apostles reioyced in their persecution that they were counted woorthie to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule speaking of this perfection in the godly sayeth We reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And not so onlie but also we reioyce in tribulations Who hath not heard of the patience of Iob his heardes of Cattel were driuen away his houses consumed with fire his children slaine his body stricken with a scurfe or manginesse his wife loathed him and his friendes for sooke him What did Iob in all these miseries what thought hée or what spake he let his patience in suffering his wordes of thankesgiuing teach vs howe to beare aduersitie The Lorde sayeth he hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken it blessed bee the name of the Lorde Againe Though he slay me yet wil I trust in him Who is able to expresse the manly comfort of his heart which said I wil trust in him though he kill me He is my God I am his creature His wil be doone I wil alwayes giue him thankes and praise his holie name By these we are learned to giue thanks in pouertie in afflictions in miserie and in al things though they are heauy and greeuous vnto vs. What are we then that are neither thankful for riches nor for health nor for our pleasures nor in the aboundance of al things yea which abuse the good giftes of GOD to dishonour God who hath giuen them vnto vs the earth is the Lords and al that therein is the world they that dwel therin He openeth his hand and filleth al thinges liuing with his good blessing Let vs looke vp into the heauens there is God the Father of lightes from whom euerie good and perfect gift commeth there is our redeemer Iesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge-When we turne in our beddes when we sée our fare and the furniture of our â—…able when we sée our seruants and children about vs when we sée our money and houses and lands let vs thinke with our selues how many good men faithful seruants of God lack the same and haue not receiued these blessinges in such measure as we In al these thinges God speaketh to vs and sayth I haue giuen them thée thou hast them at my handes vse them well and be not vnthankful If I would stande herein and declare what rauses we haue to giue thankes vnto God I shoulde neuer make an ende There is no beast on the grounde no fish in the Sea no bird in the ayre no starre in the heauens no leafe of the trée no corne of the field no sande on the shoare no droppe of water no sparckle of fire but GOD hath created them all for the sonnes of men So much are wée bound alwayes to giue thankes to God and to say as the Prophet O Lorde our Lorde howe excellent is thy name in all the worlde Let vs confesse before the Lorde his louing kindnesse and his woonderful workes before the sonnes of men But who is able to render thankes sufficient to God for that he giueth vs y e knowledge of his Gospel and maketh vs know the secrets of his wil this is a great blessing and farre aboue al the other comforts of this life They that haue not this are in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death To be short euen in death we haue to praise God we must say I thanke thée O God for thou hast deliuered him froÌ„ the bodyof this death thou hast translated him vnto thy selfe that so he may remaine with thée in thy glorie Thus whither soeuer ye turne what state or part of life or death soeuer ye coÌ„sider whether it be trouble or peace things present or things to come heaueÌ„ or earth life or death you shall alwaies finde causes to be thankefull V. 19. Quench not the spirite Hée meaneth by the spirite the giftes and graces of the spirite The spirite of God is the spirit of wisedome and the spirite of truth No man sayeth S. Paule can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Againe The spirite helpeth our infirmities and againe The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that we are the children of God It is he that leadeth vs into all trueth that openeth our hearts to vnderstanding and guideth our féete into the waie of peace O saith he despise not the wisedome of the spirite refuse not his help but seek it that you may be strengthened comforte your selues in his testimony of your adoption quench not the light he hath kindled in your hearts disdaine not his leading abuse not his mercy abuse not the time of your visitation let not so great mercie of God be bestowed on you in vaine fulfil not your own willes abstaine from fleshly lusts walke in the spirite desire the best gifts and let euerie man as he hath receiued the gift so minister the same to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God V. 20 Despise not prophecying Prophecie is the preaching and expounding of the word of God and he is called a Prophet and doth prophecie that openeth vnto vs the wil of God This is not meant of fond and vain and lying prophecies as were those of Merline and such like which tell you tales of lions and beares and goates of the sunne of the moone and manie strange deuises Such prophecies must be despised they are workes of darkenesse and forged by the Diuell to make vproares and to beguile the people But despise not prophecying That is despise not to heare the word of GOD turns not awaie thine eare from vnderstanding God giueth power to his word that it may worke according to his good pleasure It will let thée sée the weakenesse of thine errour and settle thée in the waie wherein thou shouldest walke If it had béene dangerous for the people to heare the preaching of the Gospell hée would not haue sent his Apostles into all the worlde If Lidia shoulde not haue liked to heare Paule prophecie howe might she haue knowne GOD If those great numbers which heard Peter and were connerted had despised prophecying and woulde not haue heard him open the Gâ—…pell vnto them they had neuer considered the great mercie of GOD nor sought to be instructed in their saluation Faith commeth by hearing This hath béene the meanes by which Christ hath giuen knowledge to Kings Princes and al nations It hath pleased God saith Saint Paul by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Despise not then to come to the Church of God to praie in the congregation of the faithful to heare the Scriptures of God read and erpounded it is
people mislike and doubt the word of God and imbrace his follies This is a myracle These be the workes of Antichrist which hée shal bring to passe This shall hée worke in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse He shal come with al kindes and shiftes of deceite He shal come with shewe of praying with vizarde of fasting with companies of Monkes Fryers Chanons and al kinde and colour of holinesse He shal séeke to preuaile by threatning and by flattering by fayre meanes and by foule hee shal excommunicate and release from excommunication hée shal promise forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting He shal make boast of the Fathers and auncient doctours hée shal make boast of the vniuersal consent he shall boast of general councels he shal boast of Christes Apostles and of the Gospel of Christ and of the worde of GOD. So shal he falsely and deceitefully worke himselfe credite and beguile the worlde in abusing the holy name of God No kinde of deceitefolnesse or suttletie but he shal vse it So shal he make the people séeke vpon him and kings and emperours to fal downe before him and to say who is like vnto the beast who is so wise so learned so holie so wealthie so mightie and so catholike without him no man is to be rekoned holie or learned Without him no man may traffique buie nor sel. Without him no man may reade publiquely in Uniuersities no man may preach to the people no man may be accounted a Christian no man may hope to bee saued without him without his leaue and liking Such wonders such myracles shal he worke so shal he conquere and subdue the worlde Nowe who bee they which shal bee deceyued in whom shal he preuaile Among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued They shal be deceiued by him Which perish whose hearts are not marked with the spirite of God whose names are not written in the booke of life in whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shoulde not shine vnto them they shal followe him and shal be the children of damnation and shal haue their rewarde with him Be he learned or vnlearned bée he King or subiect albeit he be holie albeit hee be catholicke Antichrist shal come vnto him in al deceitefulnesse of vnrighteousnesse because hée hath not receiued the loue of the trueth that hée might bee saued Here marke he doeth not saye Because they receiued not the trueth but he sayth because they receiued not the loue of the trueth Manie in our dayes can speake thus I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth for it is the sauour of life vnto life They can say There is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must bee saued neither is there saluation in anie other than by Iesus Christ whome we haue learned by the Gospel manie wil confesse there was neuer more nor better teaching since the time of the Apostles They séeme to receiue the trueth But they are like the horse and mule in whome is no vnderstanding They receiue it because the Prince receyueth it and because the politique lawes of countries establishe it They are carried awaye with the swaie of the worlde They heare it with their cares Nay I woulde GOD they woulde lende their eares to the hearing of it but with their heartes they doe not heare They haue no feeling of the worde of GOD and of the trueth They wetghe it not they loue it not They consider not what it is nor from whome it is sent They knowe not that it is the water of life and the breade which is sent from heauen They haue no tast no sauour nor pleasure in it Therefore it shall bée taken from them and giuen to a Nation which shall bring foorth the fruites thereof They shal be cast into vtter darknesse and the last state of them is worse than the first It had beene better for them not to haue knowen the waye of righteousnesse than after they haue knowen it to turne from the holie commaundement giuen vnto them It shoulde not be â—…harged vppon them for their damnation for our Sauiour sayeth If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but nowe haue they no cloake for their sinne They finde no swéetenesse in the worde of GOD they are not conuerted by it that they may bee saued they haue no pleasure in the wayes of the Lorde they haue no comforte to knowe his will These bee the bondslaues of Sathan these be they vppon whome shall come the abhomination of desolation these be they against whom Sathan and Antichrist shal preuaile because they haue not receiued the loue of the trueth They haue not receiued it into their heartes that they might be saued They had no heartes to féele it they had no eyes to see it V. 11 And therefore God shal sende them strong delusion that they shoulde beleeue lyes 12. That al they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The spirite of God is the spirite of trueth and giueth light into our heartes and maketh vs beholde that blessed hope and reioyce in the knowledge of his will Therefore the Prophete Dauid maketh prayer O God renue a right spirite within me and take not thy holy spirite from mee And againe O Lorde my GOD lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death And againe hee sayeth With thee is the wel of life and in thy light shall we see light Without this spirite we are but fleshe and bloud euen voide of sense and vnderstanding The natural man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him No man knoweth the thinges of GOD but the spirite of God And those thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed vnto vs by his spirite Christ sayth No man commeth to me except the father drawe him Vnlesse a man be borne from aboue vnlesse God print and seale his heart with his finger hee shall not be able to see the kingdome of God Nowe if we haue the worde of God before our eyes and regarde it not nor be thankeful for it nor set price by it God in his iustice wil withdrawe it from vs. Then shal we delight in darkenesse and haue pleasure in errour our latter ende shall be more dreadful than was our first beginning This is it which Paule saith God shal sende them strong delusion That is his holy spirite the spirite of trueth shall depart from their heartes and the power of Satan shal dwel with them and wholy possesse them This is the iust iudgement of GOD. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse rather than
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
fast in righteousnesse and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation And in the Prouerbes My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lorde neither be grieued with his correction For the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as the Father the childe in whome he delighteth As manie as I loue I rebuke and chasten sayth Christ. Therefore the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes If you be without correction whereof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes In the tenth of Mathew our sauiour warneth his Disciples hereof Beholde I sende you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues Thus God schooleth and nourtereth his people that so through many tribulations they may enter to their rest Frankencense wheÌ„ it is put in the fire giueth the greater perfume spice if it be punned smelleth the swéeter the earth when it is torne vp with the plough becommeth more fruitful the séede in the ground after frost and snowe and winter storme springeth the rancker the nigher the vine is pruned to the stocke the greater grape it yéeldeth the grape when it is most pressed and beaten maketh the swéetest wine fine golde is the better when it is cast in the fire rough stones with hewing are squared and made fit for building cloth is rent and cut that it may bee made a garment linnen is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten and is the fairer These are familiar examples to shewe the benefite and commoditie which the children of God receiue by persecution By it God wâ—…sheth and scoureth his congregation We reioyce sayth Saint Paul in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed The power of God is made perfect in weakenesse And al things turne vnto good to them that feare the Lorde V. 5. Euen for this cause when I could no longer forbeare I sent him that I might knowe of your faith least the tempter had tempted you in any sort and that our labour had beene in vaine 6 But nowe lately when Timotheus came from you vnto vs brought vs good tydings of your faith and loue and that yee haue good remembraunce of vs alwayes desiring to see vs as we also doe you 7 Therefore brethren wee had consolation in you in al our affliction and necessitie thorough your faith 8 For nowe are we aliue if ye stande fast in the Lorde 9 For what thankes can wee recompense to GOD againe for you for al the ioy wherewith wee reioyce for your sakes before our God 10 Night and daye praying exceedinglie that wee might see your face and might accomplish that which is lacâ—…g in your faith The Apostle continueth in declaring his earnest affection towards them and how greatly he reioyted to heare of their constaâ—…ie in the faith and of their loue and agréement together For he feared it might haue happened to them as it had doone to others He preached to the Galathians but they gaue care to faile Apostles and went backe from that hee had taught them I am in feare of you sayeth he least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine And ye did runnewel who did let you that you did not obey the trueth it is not of the persuasion of him that calleth you The Diuel hath bewitched you and beguiled your eyes Such is the sutfeltie and the power of Satan in the children of disobedience Iudas was an Apostle equal with Peter and the other Apostles The Diuell entred into his heart and bewitched him and then he became the childe of destruction Iulian the Apostata was a Christian and a reader in the Church but became an enemie of Christ and when he was stricken in the fielde by myracle from Heauen hée threwe vp his bloude in defiaunce of Christ so had the Diuel bewitched him and changed his heart to wickednesse It might haue béene that their weakenesse should in like sort haue béene overcome when the tempter tempted them And so the gold which hée had left with them might haue béene turned into drosse the light into darkenes and the kingdome of God taken away from them For then had his labour béene in vaine and they had receiued the worde to their owne damnation For it had béene better for them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them The Diuel is the tempter His strength and practise is not alwaies by force of armes but by suttle persuasions other sleights He reasoneth w t Eue why she would not tast of y e apple which was swéete pleasant delicate Telleth y e poore woman god did nothing but mocke hir For God knewe what day they shoulde eatâ—… thereof their eies should be opened and they should knowe as much as God Hee came to Christ and sayd Commaund that these stones be made breade and cast thy selfe downe if thou be the sonne of God then thou shalt be worshipped and taken for a great Prophet He tempted Dauid after this sort why wilt thou serue God he hath aduaunced thine enemies and hath forsaken thée and left thée in miserie I fretted sayth Dauid at the foolish These are the wicked yet prosper they alway and encrease in riches Certainely I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocencie for dayly haue I beene punished and chastened euerie morning Mine heart was vexed so foolish was I and ignoraunt I was a beast before thee He tempted Iob the faithful seruaunt of God and tolde him that he was righteous and holy and gaue almes in vaine that God had no regard to his prayers and would not heare This tempter waiteth al occasions to drawe vs from our faith and stedfastnesse in the Lorde Yet is he neuer so busie as when anie persecution is raised against the trueth Then is he in his ruffe Then playeth hee his part and leaueth nothing vndoone whereby he may moue vs to forsake the trueth Wilt thou saieth he be so foolish to loose their life and knowest not wherefore art thou wiser than thy forefathers Why shouldest not thou be contented to doe as thy father and mother and friendes and kinsfolkes thinkest thou they haue not as good care of their soules as thou hast of thine wilt thou make them Pagans and Infidels dost thou thinke they are damned be wise and cast not thy selfe awaie Flesh is fraile life is swéete death is dreadfull but to die in the fire to be burned aliue to see thy armes and thy legges quite burnt from thy bodie and that yet thou canst not die this is most terrible thou canst neuer abide it Beholde so manie Kings and Princes Noble men Cardinals Bishoppes Doctors and learned men and whole kingdomes and countries of the contrarie opinion Be not wilfull Thinke not thy selfe wiser than al the world What were it for thée to come to the Church and to shew thy selfe obedient and
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
S. Paul neither to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weake Againe he saith Now when ye sin so against the brethren wound their weake consciences ye offende against Christ. Wherefore if meate offende my brother I wil eate no flesh while the worlde standeth least I shoulde offende my brother He that hath once made a shipwracke standeth watchful euer after not onely to escape that rocke or sande whereat he had lost before but al other the like rockes and sandes whatsoeuer Therefore Abstaine from al appearaunce of euil be not like the wicked of this worlde You are the salt of the earth You should not be parteners of their corruption but pouder and season them You are the light of the worlde you may not be parteners of their darkenesse but lighten and guide them Dissemble not Serue God in the simplicitie of your heart and in the sight of al the world Let it be written in your forehead what you think in your heart Why should anie man be ashamed of Gods trueth V. 23. Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirite and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Our God is the God of peace He giueth peace and quiet to his Church He doth mussel the Lion amaze the tyrant make blunt the sworde and quench the fire prepared against his seruantes He giueth his sonnes peace and quietnesse among themselues He abhorreth discorde and malice betwéene brethren God is loue sayth Saint Iohn And he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him He that loueth not his brother abideth in death God hath made vs al members of one bodie There is no respect of persons with him no difference of learned and vnlearned wise or foolish rich or poore His wil is that wee al shoulde be as one of one minde and that we should al thinke one thing speake one thing that we should be one folde vnder one shepheard and with one month glorifie the father of our Lorde Jesus Christ. For this peace Christ prayed sanctifie them through thy trueth Blesse them take away al â—…itternesse and swelling from among them Make them Citizens of thy heauenly Hierusalem that they may liue in peace and loue one an other and delite one in other That they al may be one as thou ô father art one in me and I in thee God is the God and giuer of peace Whence then commeth diuision dissention of mindes What is the cause that the whole worlde is so shaken with sectes and troubles Al are not the children of peace Christ himselfe y e lambe of God in whose mouth there was no guile came into his owne and his owne receiued him not Cain is alwayes against Abel Esau wil neuer loue Iacob The darkenesse and the light can neuer agrée This is the cause of al vnquietnesse and trouble These thinges sayth Christ to his Disciples haue I spoken vnto you that in mee yee might haue peace in the worlde you shal haue affliction The wicked shal not onely hate but betraie and cause them to die which prosesse the name of Christ. Whosoeuer killeth you will thinke he doth God seruice And these thinges will they doe vnto you because yee haue not knowen the Father nor mee The setting foorth of the Gospel of Christ is that which the worlde can not abide It reuealeth things that were hidden it discloseth the couetousnesse of those who kept the people in ignoraunce to make gaine and marchaundise of their soules it ouerthroweth mightie buildinges and holdes of Merites of pardons of Masses of Purgatorie which by the policie and wisedome and power of this worlde were exalted against God This is the onelie cause of al this strife and trouble We haue néede of peace of the peace of conscience within our selues of peace from the rage and furie of the world and of peace and loue among those that are of Gods honsholde Let vs séeke peace at the handes of God and he wil stablish vs in the peace of his gospel and so giue vs the rest and peace of our soules Sanctifie you throughout The God of peace blesse you kéep you vnoer the shadow of his wings that your whole spirit and soule and bodie maie be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Here marke that the Apostle diuideth man into thrée partes The spirite the soule and the bodie So that hée séemeth to make the spirit one thing and the soule an other Howe is it then that we diuide man into two parts the soule and the bodie and saie that he doth stand but of two parts There is no difference the matter is al one For Paul diuideth the soule into two parts The first is reason and vnderstanding which he calleth the Spirit The other is will affection which he calleth the Soule For as God hath giuen vs reason to sée what is good so hath he giuen vs wil to séeke after that which is good Reason hath eies Wil is blinde and cannot sée the waie Therefore wil must be ledde and guided by Reason Reason must go before Wil must follow after Therfore Reason is compared to the husband and Wil to the wife If Wil take in hand to rule Reason it is no lesse disorder than if the wife will aduenture or take vppon her to rule her husband Therefore in this place Reason which is the principal part of our soule is called the Spirit and Will which is the other part is called the Soule So the spirit is not a seuerall substance but the soule and the spirit are one soule euen as the bodie and the fleshe are one bodie Thus therefore Paule praieth for the Church the God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your spirit your reason and vnderstanding your soule your will and affection your bodie and your flesh may altogither be pure and holie that they may be found innocent and vpright in the daie of the Lord. V. 24. Faithful is hee which calleth you which wil also doe it Hée hath begunne a good worke in you he will finish it He will leade you from vertue to vertue from strength to strength from glorie to glorie Hée hath called you hée wil also kéepe you faithful vntill the daie of the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. You are Christs shéep No man shal take you out of his bands He hath not lost one of al them whome his father had giuen him He knoweth his shéepe None shalbe confounded that put their trust in him There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Iesus He is faithfull he will performe this vnto you not for your merites but for his owne name and for his mercie sake Bicause he is faithfull he wil not despise the worke of his owne handes V. 25. Brethren praie for
called you I coulde speake such thinges wherewith you woulde be better pleased but your case is such it requireth rather frâ—… and planie and â—…arpe reprehension whereby you may be brought to consider and amend your errours than faire and smoothed spéech which might hould you stil in your follie Séeke therefore the kingdome of GOD and the glorie thereof and seeke not your selues Weigh trueth and falsâ—…de in an indifferent ballaunce so shâ—…l the heauier weight of the one soone bewray the lightnesse of the other What thing in the worlde so Massie and so weightie as is the trueth Harden not your heartes as did your Fathers in the Wildernesse It is no sinne to yéelde vnto GOD it is no shame to lay a part al affection and to chaunge your minde to the denial of al vngodlinesse and imbracing of true holinesse The wise man sayth There is a shame that bringeth sinne and a shame that bringeth worshippe and fauour In this sort it is likely the Apostle would haue spoken if néede had so required But nowe seeing them forcibly assaulted and that yet they striued with such good courage against the perswasions of the wicked he commendeth their stedfastnesse and exhorteth them by these wordes not to yéelde vnto their persecutours nor to goe from their faith in Christ Iesus Neither by spirite that is by reuelation of the spirite The spirite of God wrought mightily and bestowed sundrie and great giftes vppon men Christ sayde to his Disciples When they deliuer you vp take yee no thought howe or what ye shal speake for it shal bee giuen you in that same houre what yee shall speake For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you And againe saith he I wil pray the father and he shal giue you an other comforter that hee may bide with you for euer The spirite of trueth whome the worlde can not receiue because the worlde feeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shal bee in you The holie Ghost shal be with you to assist you to teach you al thinges to direct your counsels to leade you into al trueth and to preserue you from al errour Nowe as the spirite of God was among the faithful and distributed to euerie man seueral giftes as it séemed best to profit withal so did the spirite of Satan waite vpon the wicked and possessed their hearts and bodies and caused them to imagine and to doe those thinges which were vnséemely He vsed them as instrumentes to disquiet the Church of God and to cast into it the séede of error of vntrueth and dissention Of such spirites Saint Iohn giueth warning saying beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone into the worlde At what time Achab would not beléeue the aunswere which the Prophet Micheas made him there came foorth a spirite and stoode before the Lorde and sayde I wil go out and be a false spirite in the mouth of al his prophetes This spirite euer walketh vp and downe séeking whome hee may deuour and blindeth the mindes of many that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ may not shine vnto them Take héere that you be not deceiued by any such which shal séeke to abuse you by pretence of reuelation Though they shal take vpon them to tel you of the day or houre of the comming of our Lord beloeue them not for the false spirite is in the mouth of such prophetes Nor by worde or if anie shal report and goe about to perswade you that I haue so spoken or taught in the congregations or will boldely countenaunce out suche matter and tell you saring I was present I hearde his wordes and remember them this was the doctrine which Paule preached refuse him that is such a one for hee bringeth not the trueth vnto you but deceiueth you with lying and vaine fables Nor by letter as it were from vs. Againe it may bee they which lie in waite to destroye you for their better way wil counterfaite letters and sende them vnto you in my name This is a token in them that they bée past shame bee not you carried away by anie such pretence from that which wee haue preached vnto you Wée haue not taught you that the day of Christ is at hande Oh then be not so soone remooued away vnto an other Gospel by them which trouble you and intende to peruert the Gospel of Christ. Manie such sâ—…eightes and false deuises haue béene vsed by deceiuing spirites to blind the eyes of the simple There haue béene some which haue â—…etie abroade their owne fantasies vnder the names of Adam the first man that GOD created vppon the face of the earth and of Cain and Seth. Others haue called their owne dreames the Gospel of Thomas and of Bartholemewe and of Barnabee and of the Apostles of Christ. Saint August sayth of the Manichees Manichaeilegunt seripturas Apocryphas nescto à quibus sutoribus fabularum sub nomiâ—…e Apostolorum Scripâ—…as The Manichees â—…ead secret hidden Scriptures written I know not by what coblers of fables vnder the name of the Apostles Such writings were neuer written by them whose name they brare but were wickedly and falsely counterfaited vnder their names by sundrie heretiques This is that whereof our sauiour gaue vs warning Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shal come in my name saying I am Christ and shal deceiue many Againe he sayeth If any shal say vnto you lâ—…e here is Christ or there belecue it not for there shal arise false Christes and false Prophetes Into what shape can not he transforme himselfe in whose name wil not hée crastilie sette foorth his errours which dareth falfelie sette him selfe in the place of the â—…onne of GOD This hath euermore béene the practise of that olde Serpent to chaunge himselfe into the likenesse of an Angel of light and vnder the credite of holie men to deceiue the worlde with vnholy and vnwholesome thinges Since the time that the Church of God hath departed from hir first faith and would no longer be guided by the voyce of the Gospel what and howe great forgeries haue there béene wrought What Epistles and Canons and decretals haue béene deuised to maintaine seueral partes of false religion and published vnder the name of Clemens Cletus Anacletus and of others whereof these holie fathers neuer thought Thus haue they cioked themselues vnder the couert of the Apostles of the fathers of the primitiue church and haue thought to winne credite in the worlde by false shewe of antiquitie It is certaine that the sonne of man shal come with his holie Angels and shal rewarde euerie man according to that he hath doone in this life Then will he giue sentence against the wicked and wil place the faithful at his right hande In that day the heauens shal passe
hande is mightie his worke shal stande his word is forcible his hey is the key of Dauid it openeth and no man shutteth it shutteth and no man openeth God is departed from thy heart his spirite wil not dwel in a filthie soule there is no agréement betwéene God and Belial Thy soule is voyde of grace and of the feare of God What becommeth of thee in this case Whither doest thou goe into what miserie doest thou fal into the gulfe of death into the seate of pestilence and the power of Sathan and the snares of the Diuel into a reprobate minde Thy heart followeth him thy soule serueth him He is the father of al the children of disobedience and his children followe him Thou art filthie and increasest in filthinesse the feare of God is not before thée thou doest not acknowledge thy sinne because of the blindnesse of thy heart Wreake not thy selfe vppon thy neighbour that accused thée nor vppon the Iudge that pronounced sentence against thée The sentence is none of his this is not his worke he hath not iudged thée The hande of God is stretched foorth to thy punishment it is thine owne life and wickednesse which forceth indgement vppon thée The Iudge sitteth in the place of GOD in the seate of iustice hée can not blesse that GOD hath cursed hee must néedes doe right and eqâ—…ie Hee séeth the abhomination of thy life 〈◊〉 séeth the filthinesse which thou hast done in the house of God and therefore saieth In nomine Dei c. in the name of the liuing God and of Iesus Christ before whome I stande and before whome al flesh shall appeare by the authoritie of his word and by the power of the holie ghost I diuide thée from the felowshippe of the Gospell and declare that thou arte no more a member of the bodie of Christ thy name is put out of the booke of life thou hast no parte in the life to come thou arte not in Christ and Christ is departed from thée I deliuer thée to Sathan the Prince of darknesse Thy rewarde shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Thou shalt sterue and wither and not abide The grace of GOD is taken out of thy heart The face of the Lorde is vppon al them that doe euill they shall not taste of his mercie As for the Iudge and Minister which giueth sentence against thée hée mourneth and lamenteth for thée When he striketh thée hée striketh himselfe We are al one flesh and one bloud and al together make one bodie and are one an others members Therefore when he doth excommunicate thée from the brethren he cutteth off an arme from his owne bodie Ieremie dealt roughly with the people that offended God and threatned them that the enimie should come vpon them the sworde shoulde deuoure them and they shoulde be vtterly destroied yet he wished that he had a streame of teares that his hart might haue wherwith to mourne for their transgressions Dauid praieth that God will stretch foorth his hand vpoÌ„ the wicked Scatter them abroad by thy power and put them downe oh Lorde our shield Againe Let them be chaffe before the winde and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them And againe Let their table be a snare before them and their prosperitie their ruine Againe Let his praier be turned into sinne Aide him not heare him not when hée calleth vnto thée Yet he saith I saw the transgressours and was grieued because they kepte not thy word I pined away and consumed to death the griefe was so deadly vnto my soule Christ cried out woe vppon Corazin and Bethsaida vppon the Scribes and Pharises yet when he came nigh to Ierusalem he wept ouer it saying Oh if thou haddest euen nowe at the least in this thy daie known those things which belong vnto thy peace but nowe are they hidde from thee Thine enimies shall make thee euen with the grounde they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation Euen such a sorrowe also had Saint Paule for those that offended God Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not My bodie is shaken my heart is wounded for them such a care haue I for the church of God It is reported of Iohn the Euangelist that hée commended a yongman to the education of a certaine Bishop nigh to Ephesus and when he heard that he was fledde and followed the companie of such as were dissolute riotous and giuen ouer to al manner lewâ—…sse hée was carefull for him and sought him out And came to the place where he and ill companie were When the yongman knew him he was astonied and â—…ed awaie from him But the olde man followed him and cried Oh my child turne againe turne vnto me I am thy father I haue begotten thée in Christ Iesus I come not to hurt thée there is yet hope of saluation I will make answere vnto Christ for thée Fall to the ground holde vp thy hands aske mercie of God he is mercifull and will receiue thée At these wordes the yongman cast downe his weapons and trembled and wept bitterly and was conuerted When Dauid heard of the destruction of that wicked wight Absalon he wrong his hands and wept saying O my sonne Absalon my sonne my sonne Absalon woulde God I had died for thee oh Absolon my sonne my sonne Such a care such a loue and zeale hath a godlie minister ouer his people if he be a true pastor which hath taken his calling from God and hath due consideration of his charge He wéepeth for the sinnes of the people as did Ieremie he gusheth out into teares and consumeth awaie as Dauid bicause of the vngodlie he is wounded at heart and trembleth as Paul to sée them perish He séeketh for them calleth after them that they maie returne to him as did Iohn the Cuangelist and is willing to die for their sake if so be he might redéeme them as Dauid was for Absalon The people are his children he is their father Albeit they be wicked and filthie yet he presenteth himselfe before God for them and poureth foorth his praiers and saith sanctifie them oh Lorde sanctifie them with thy trueth thy word is truth Let their hearts sée the wrath to come and thy heauie displeasure which they haue deserued and hangeth ouer their heads They are thine saue them and let not satan preuaile against them Turne them oh Lorde and they shall be turned Giue them a newe heart and renew a cleane spirite in them that they may feare thée al the dayes of their life Turne away the captiuitie of their soules Bring them to the fellowshippe of the Gospel make them liuely stones méete for thy building builde vp the walles of Hierusalem So careful is a good minister for the people of his charge be they neuer so vngodly Yea the more they lack
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
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
Iesus Christ. When this worde is read Princes and Emperours stande vp and laie downe their sword and vncouer their head and bowe their bodie and doe reuerence bicause they knowe it is the worde of GOD which God himselfe vttered that it should be as the deaw of heauen to moisten our soules as a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a sauour of life vnto life and the verie power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beléeueth Without this worde wée can receiue no comforte wée can not sée the light nor growe in saith nor abide in the Church of God It is the word of reconciliation By it God maketh atonement betwéene himselfe and the sonnes of men Therfore when the Epistles the Psalms the Chapters and the Gospell are read in our hearing let vs remember whose worde wée heare Let vs thinke thus with our selues These are the words of our gracious GOD. My God openeth his mouth from heauen aboue Hée speaketh to me that I maie be saued he speaketh to me to kéepe mée from errour to comforte mée in the aduersities and troubles of this life and to leade me to the life to come What is the cause why so manie so little regarde the worde of GOD Why they doubt it and suspect it Why they are so soone wearie of it and beare it not that reuerence that belongeth to it Bicause they thinke not neither from whome it commeth nor with whose bloud it is sealed nor to Inhose benefite it is written Let vs not be ashamed to giue place to the worde of GOD to awake our senses and to submit them and our wisedome and learning and bodies and soules vnto it Let vs not harden our hearts Let vs humble our selues before God and saie Beholde here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies Which also worketh in you that belceue Whosoeuer heareth the wordes of God and doth them not shall be likened to a foolish man that buildeth his house vppon the sand If yee know these things saith Christ blessed are yee if ye doe them The same worde of God which Paule taught the Thessalonians which was preached by Peter and the rest of the Apostles to the faithfull which Christ receiued of his father and deliuered to his Church is this day by the mercie of God purely and truly set downe vnto you By it you are required to amend your liues and comforted in the promises of GOD to the forgiuenesse of your sinnes If there he anie in whom it worketh not this effecte if there be anie which though they heare it beléeue it not nor are thereby renewed in their mindes it is a token that they haue not receiued the lous of the trueth of the Gospell they despise the worde of saluation and it shall iâ—…dge them in that daie V. 14. For brethren you are become followers of the Church of GOD which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because yee haue also suffered the same things of your owne countrie men euen as they of the Iewes 15. Who both killed the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophetes and haue persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrarie to al men 16. And forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alwaies For the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Wherein became they followers In suffring as they did This is the badge and cognisance of the sonnes of God Christ sayth If any man wil come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and followe mee They followed others not in pleasure and glory but in trouble and persecution For that was the way of the prophetes and Apostles and of Christ himselfe Esay the Prophet was cut in sunder with a Sawe What more cruel death His bodie was rent his bowels torne and yet hee not quite dead In such sort it liked the cruel tormentors to sport themselues Why what had he done he was a prophet They néeded no other matter against him It was ynough that they found him to be a prophet Hieremie was stoned to death Wherefore because he called the people to repentaunce that they might be saued Because he was a prophet Amos was slaine with a barre poore olde man No reuerence giuen to his gray head no regarde or pitie was taken of him Wherefore because he rebuked iniquitie Because he was a Prophet Zacharie was sâ—…aine when he was in his prayers and doing sacrifice in the holy place betwéene the entraunce and the alter Wherefore Because he declared the trueth because he was a prophet This hath béene the malice and hatred of the Diuel The Prince of the darkenesse of this world hath raged so euen from the beginning By this meanes he hath sought to deface the truth glorie of God and to establish his owne kingdome in shedding the bloud and murthering the saints of God The Churches of God in Iudea were miserably bered and afflicted they were hated of al men and counted vnworthie of life Wherfore because they turned to the true liuing god did beléeue in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore they were stript spoyled headed quartred drowned burnt and put to most reprocheful death Who would become their â—…ollowers Who would willingly learne to be so persecuted and made gazing stockes to al the worlde is discouraged not the Thessalonians They were a thousand mileâ—… distant from Iudea but were ioyned in fellowship of the Gospel and in brotherly loue vnto them They hearde of their mildenesse and of their constancie and were stirred vp by their example They did hearken after them and were carefull for them as for their brethren and the members of the same bodie You haue heard what numbers of late haue béene persecuted and put to death among vs. Wherefore because they turned from idols to serus God as he hath commanded and did put their trust in him You haue hearde how patiently and méekely they went to their death and what a plentiful haruest God hath raised of their bloud For the death of his saintes is precious in the sight of the Lorde Their bloud cannot be spent in vaine Wee must remember their patience and zeale and the cause why they suffred We must not despise or set light by the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which they so ioyfully gaue their liues And it is not ynough that we be mindeful of such examples as we haue had at home We must also carefully consider of other Churches abroade God hath kindled a fire he wil haue it burne O what formentes doe our brethren daily suffer What crueltie is deuised daily against them I speake not of death onelie but of rackings and wonderful extremities more painefull than death Wherefore are these thinges done vnto them Because they are turned to the true and liuing God and beléene in the name of Jesus Christ. Some they hang by the hands and drawe vp with
of the highest wherein they shaldwell this is the holie mountaine wherein they shall rest that walke vprightly and worke righteousnesse and speake the truth in their heart Here lette vs consider the rages and tempests of a troubled minde and of an vnquiet conscience which knoweth that GOD is an auenger of all wickednesse and that death is the due rewarde of sinne which acknowledgeth him selfe to be a sinner and findeth no way howe he shall escape Hell fire This man when he thinketh with him selfe of these things hée can not but be amazed and disquieted aboue measure The sounde of the Trumpet is euer in his eares he heareth the voice of the Judge saying stand foorth sinner now declare how thou hast vsed thy bodie giue a reckoning of thy whole life Then his conscience beginneth to quake and tremble Then he néedeth no witnesse to accuse him nor iudge to condemn him Hée is both witnesse and iudge against himselfe The daunger hereof maie somewhat appeare in those which are taken and prisoned and arraigned before a Judge When hée knoweth him selfe guiltie heareth the euidence prwued against him séeth the Judge seuere to deale iustice without mercie and therfore is assured of death what griefe and torment féeleth he at heart what would he not giue what would he not doe to scape the danger But the danger whereunâ—… God iudgeth vs is greater And the maner of his iudgement is straighter Here the Judge maie be deceiued he is but a man but there GOD is the Judge who is the searcher of the heart and raines and no man shall be hidde from his heate Here nothing can be done without euidence without witnesses and proofe before God he that hath offended shall accuse himselfe This is the case of conscience It selfe is witnesse it selfe caâ—…eth for iudgement to condemnation His conscience shall make the sinner say I haue offended against God I haue despised his word would not giue care to learne it I would not knowe the time of Gods mercie and of my visitation I liued in fornication and committed theft and kept wrongfully other mens goods I was disobedient to parents nourtered not my children in the feare of God kept not my heart from doing iniquitie I abused my goods my wits my senses and the good grace of God I haue sinned against heauen and against God and am not worthie to be called his sonne the wrath of God is worthily fallen vpon me hel fire is my méede the mercie of God can not saue me for my sinne is greater than that it can be forgiuen Mine owne hart conscience heauen and earth the angels and archangels God himselfe and Christ the redéemer of them that beléeue in him are against me I can not cast mine eyes to any place but euer I sée my damnation before me Then doth he tremble with agony and stande in feare His hart dasheth and beateth as the waues of the sea He sâ—…leth vprore warre lightning thoÌ„der death and hel in his heart hée shal flée when no man followeth him He shal sayâ—… to the hilles and rockes fal on me and hide me from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Such is the terrour of an vnquiet mindâ—… Though al the princes in the world would ioyne themselues to do it The wicked can neuer enioy peace God kéepe vs far from such agonies and giue vs pure hearts and cleare consciences CHAP. 4. ANd furthermore wee beseech you bretheren and exhort you in the Lord lesus that ye increase more and more as yee haue receiued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God 2. For ye knowe what commaundementes we gaue you by the Lord Iesus WE commaunde you not nor vse any force but entreat you with all pacience and méekenesse that yée wil loue your owne soules and thinke and doe those thinges which please God You are they to whom the promise was made God hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruailous light He hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they knowen his iudgementes Wee come not to you in our owne name We haue charge to preach y e gospell to al nations Therefore we speake vnto you in y e name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We shewe you the way that you may walke in it we declare vnto you the wil of God that you may be saued For yet wil the Lorde waite that he may haue mercie vpon you and therefore wil he be exalted that he may haue compassion vpon you sayeth the Prophet Esay Wee haue opened vnto you that whole treasure of Gods mercie We haue lead you to the throne of grace and made you sée the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde We haue preached vnto you remission and forgiuenesse of your sinnes through his name If you haue hearde vs and beléeue you shal be saued If any man preach vnto you otherwise than that you haue receiued let him be accursed How ye ought to walke and please God It is not ynough that ye beléeue Ye must also walke and liue according to knowledge This is the wil of God For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which GOD hath ordained that wee should walke in them For the grace of God hath appeared that bringeth saluation vnto al men teacheth vs that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this life Looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glorie of the mighty God of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. In this sort hath our teaching béene among you That you might shewe foorth your faith by your works That it auaileth you nothing to say you haue faith if you haue no workes because the faith that hath no workes is dead This we are taught by the words of our Lord Iesus he sayth Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doeth my fathers wil that is in heauen Againe Euerie tree that bringeth not foorth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire The seruaunt that knoweth his maisters wil and doeth it not shal be beaten with manie stripes Thus hath our Lorde commaunded vs to be like our father which is in heauen to let our light so shine before men that they may sée our good workes Thus the Apostle taught Thus the church of God this day teacheth It requireth faith as the instrument and meanes to apply the merites and passion of Iesus Christ for our saluation and good workes as fruits and witnesses of our faith Whosoeuer learneth aright and beléeneth the gospell as he ought groweth and goeth forwarde from vertue to vertue If be were ignorant before he commeth thereby to knowledge If hee were weake he groweth in strength If hée were wicked he turneth vnto gedlinesse V. 3. For this is the wil of God euen your holinesse and that yee should
constant For you continued stedfast in the middest of persecution you haue béene tormented and iuffred afflictions in your bodie by the handes of tyrauntes yet could they neuer remoue you from your faith in our sauiour Iesus Christ nor from your obedience to the wil of God You knowe that al which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Yet are you comforted and say as the prophet Dauid The Lord is with me therefore I wil not feare what man can doe vnto me You cannot forget who it is that saide Whosoeuer shal confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie mee I wil also denie him before my father which is in heauen He that loseth his life for my sake shal finde it He that endureth vnto the ende he shal be saued And â—…gnien Blessed shal ye be wheÌ„ men reuite you and persecute you and saie al maner of euill against you for my sake falsely Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you V. 5 Which is a manifest token of the righâ—…eous iudgement of God that ye may be counted worthie of the kingdome of God for the which ye also suffer 6 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7 And to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shew himself from heauen with his mightie Angels 8 In flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe and which obey not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. 9 Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruelous in al them that beleeue because our testimonie towards you was beleeued in that daie Many are the troubles which the righteous men do suffer but the Lord wil deliuer them After-Paul and Barnabaâ—… had preached the glaâ—… tidings of the gospel they confirmed the diâ—…ples hearts and exhorted them to conâ—…inue in the faith and said that we must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdom of God We must not therefore be afraid for anie terror of them which trouble vs for righteousnes sake but rather looking ouer and beyond them we must reioice and giue thankes to God who hath made vs worthie not onelie to beléeue in him but also to suffer for his sake For wee know that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These persecutions and tribulations which you suffer are a manifest token saith the Apostle of Gods loue towards you For whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euerie son that he receiueth The Prophets and Apostles and Martires which were not onlie reuiled and scourged but beheaded cut in péeces drowned in the waters consumed in the the fire or by anie other deâ—…ises of tyrants cruelly put to death did by this waie receiue the manifest token of their happie and blessed estate and by this way did enter into the kingdome of God Athanasius an antient father teckâ—…neth the suffering of persecution to be a special note of a Christian mâ—… saying Cadâ—… ChristianoruÌ„ proprium est câ—…dere auâ—… christionos Pilati Caiphae officia sunt It is the part of Christians to be persecuted but to persecute the Christians it is the verie office of Pilate and Caâ—…aphas The Lord is not vniust but al his workes are righteousnesse truth Their little short tribulation in this life prepareth an eternall excéeding weight of glory vnto his seruants Though they sow in teares they shal reape in ioâ—…e They shal be taken vp into heauen and shal sée God face to face and shal be crowned with glorie and honour As for the vngodlie it is not so with them they may flourish for a time and haue great power and authoritie in this worlde but the lamb shal ouercome them and their â—…nd shalbe according to their works Dauid saith Vpon the vngodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe him selfe from heauen There are many which are ashamed of Christ and of his word in the presence of such as are enimies to the Crosse of Christ and haue countenance and auctoritie in this worlde But a time shall come when Christ will shewe himselfe from heauen accompanied with his holie Angels Then will â—…e also be ashamed of them and put them from his presence then will he render bengeauncâ—… to them that haue hated his trueth they shall then know whose members they haue killed and whose word and gospel it was which they so despitefully reproched Then the sâ—…ake of their torments shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest daie nor night In this maner shal God triumph in victorie ouer the wicked by iudging them to euerlasting destruction and wil shew himselfe wonderful in giuing rest and ioie and glorie and euerlasting blessednesse to all those which loue his trueth and beléeue in him V. 11 Wherefore wee also praie alwaies for you that our God maie make you worthie of this calling and fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power 12 That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ. God blesse that good thing which he hath begun in you and kéepe you stedfast in the truth that you looke not backe nowe after you haue put your hand to the plough and that you giue no place to their dangerous and subtle persuasions who persecute you take héede to your selues and beware that you put not the word of God from you He hath shewed you his goodnesse and mercie in that he hath deliuered you â—…rom the power of darkenesse and hath tranâ—… you into the kingdome of his deare son I make my praier to God without ceasing for you alwaies that he wil make you worthie of this â—…eauenly calling and that he will euer more more fil you with the riches and abunâ—…nce of his goodnes and mercie that through him you may be made perfect in al good works CHAP. 2. NOwe I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him 2 That yee be not sodainely mooued from your mind nor troubled neither by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the daie of Christ were at hand YOu are the children of those fathers which haue fallen from their stedfastnesse and haue béene led into errour beware least you also be carried away with euery blast of
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
his mother the mother may commaunde the childe must obey Againe they turne al that is spoken in y e whole booke of the Psalmes of the prophet Dauid either of God or of Christ and apply it to the Virgin Marie cal that Psalter Psalterium beatae Mariae the Psalter of blessed Marie Who wil take the paines to peruse it shal find that comfortable spéech of our sauiour Come vnto me al yeo that are wearie and laden and I wil ease you thus blasphernously abused in y e second psalme Venite ad eam omnes qui laboratis tribulati estis refrigerium solatium dabit animabus vestris Come vnto her al yee that trauell and be heauily loaden she wil giue rest comforte to your soules An other saith the kingdome of god is of two parts of iustice and of mercy He reseructh iustice to himselfe the other part that is mercy he hath yelded vnto his mother Therfore one of them plaieth the Proctour taketh vpon him to shew the differeÌ„ce of those two courtes saying A foro iustitiae dei appellandum est ad forum misericordiae matris eius You must appeale from the court of Gods iustice to the court of his mothers mercie And is there not good cause he should giue vs this counsell if it be true that he hath written Nulla gratia venit de coelo ad terram nisi transeat per manuâ—… Mariae Est enim meà iatrix saluationis iustificationis recoÌ„ciliationis communicationis No mercie commeth from heauen to the earth but it must passe by the handes of Marie For shee is the mediatour of our saluation of our iustification of our reconciliation and of our participation What is blasphemie if this be not blasphemie They which wil séeme somewhat to blush at these things wil perhappes excuse this and call it spirituall daliance Vnhappie are they and heauy iudgement shall abide theÌ„ that in such sort dallie and scorne the price of our redemption O let vs open our eies we are the sonnes of God God hath giuen vs eies to sée and eares to heare and hearts to vnderstand Let vs iudge vprightly It is gods cause Whosoeuer considereth these and such other great errors must néeds confesse that y e church of Rome hath wrought that departing whereof the Apostle speaketh In the late councell of Trident Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto did something plainly acknowledge the great Apostasie and departing of the church of Rome both in matters of faith and in conuersation and life These be his words Vtinam à religione ad superstitionem c. Woulde God they were not gone wholie with generall consent from religion to superstition froÌ„ faith ro infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist froÌ„ God to Epicure saying with wicked heart and filthie mouth there is no God Neither hath there bene this great while anie pastor or Pope that regarded these things For they al both Pope and Cardinals and other sought their owne and not so much as one of them sought for the things that pertaine to Iesus Christ. Yet say they there can be no departing from faith in the Church of Rome the faith thereof cannot faile for Christ hath said I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not And againe The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Therefore in that place there can be no decay This is the saying of some who humble not themselues to knowe their errour who loue the praise of men more than the praise of God whose glorie is their shame which mind earthly things The Apostle saith there shall be a departing that it shal be not among the Jewes and Jnfidels but among those which were reckoned to be of the housholde of faith and the children of God What is it froÌ„ which they shal depart or wherein the decay shall be doth he meane their riches their gold and siluer bread c. No but the doctrine of the gospell and faith in Christ. The pure words which as siluer from the earth are tried and purified seauen times in the fire the wel of water which springeth vp into euerlasting life shal decay in the house of God The people shall shut their eares that they may not heare the truth and shall giue héede vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lies through hipocrisie And let them not say the church of Rome can not erre For where did Christ euer giue or where haue the Apostles euer mâ—…de mention of any such priuiledge granted to that Church S. Peter saith There were false Prophets also among the people euen as there shall be false teachers among you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themselues swift damnation and many shall folow their damnable waies by whome the waie of truth shall be euil spoken of Paul warned the Church of God at Ephesus not onelie that after his departing gréeuous woolues should enter in among them but also that of themselues should men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them When Christ said When the sonne of man shall come shall hee finde faith vpon the earth And when he told his Disciples that the abhomination of desolation shall stand in the holy place when he warned them in this sorte Then if anie shall saie vnto you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not For there shall arise false Christs false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued It is most euident he spake of that departing which should come should appeare in the church of God which departing our forefathers did behold and marke in their times and which hath of late yeares appeared so manifestly that no man who is not wilfully blind can doubt thereof S. Paule knew not anie such state of the Church of Rome or anie especiall grant made vnto it in such forte that it should neuer erre for vnto the church of Rome he writeth Boast not thy selfe Be not high minded but feare For if God spared not the naturall braunches take heede least he also spare not thee Thorow vnbeliefe they are broken off thou standest by faith Behold therefore the bountifulnes and seueritie of God Towards them which haue fallen seueritie but towards thee bountifulnesse if thou continue in his bountifulnes or els thou shalt also be cut off That is if he spared not the Iewes his owne people how wil he spare thée that art but a stranger If thou continue not thou shalt be cut off It may be thou shalt also depart from the faith as the Iewes haue done then shalt thou be as a withered branch shalt not draw any moisture from the roote then wil God also forsake thée and thy end shal be worse than the beginning I trow in saying thus he said not Thou shalt not
pray he shal giue almes and shewe mercie he shal walke as if he were a disciple of Christ he shal counterfeite an Angel of light He shal goe before and the worlde shal follow him So shal the mysterie of iniquitie worke His life his religion his doctrine shal be close hid and secret Antichrist worketh in mysterie Hierome sayth Ingemuit totus orbis Arianum se esse miratus est The whole worlde mourned and did maruaile that they were possessed with the errour of Arius that they denyed the diuinitie of Christ before they were ware This was a mysterie So shal the learned and wise be deceiued They shal honour Antichrist vnwares They shal say we defye him and detest him and yet shal fal downe and worship him This is a mysterie So secrete shal his dealing be it shal not bee knowen to many He shal walke in craftinesse and handle the worde of God deceitfully he shal mingle his lies with the truth of God he shal mingle his poyson with the wholesome foode of our soules so closely and suttlely that it shal hardly be espied he shal goe forwarde by little and little and so winne credite and conueigh him selfe into the heartes of the people This is a mysterie Christ sayeth A man sowed good feede in his fielde but while men slept there came his foe sowed tares amoÌ„g the wheate â—…nd went his waie They grew together and had both one like colour The housholder willed them to let both grow together til harnest come least with the tares they plucke vp the wheate also So shall be the comming of Antichrist He shal come whiles men sléepe in the night of blindnesse and of negligence and of ignorance and shall so we his tares with the Lords wheate They shal both grow vp together The day of the Lord shal reueale them and set ech part by it selfe This is a mysterie and as it is secret so is it long in working This mysterie began in the dâ—…ies of the Apostles and continueth on stil vnto our time It is stil in worke But who be they which follow his loare which yéeld themselues to him and which shal be dereiued are they poore men or artificers or labourers or are they vnlearned and ignorant men No no he shall deceiue Priests â—…ops Archbishops Princes Kings Emperours the grauest the best learned the wiâ—…est the mightiest men in the world He shall â—…nd their eies and amaze their hearts They shall runne to him out of al parts of the earth they shall fall downe before him they shall aske councell of him they shall saie thou art the Doctour of Doctours thou art the father of fathers thou arte the comforte of the Church thou art the light of the worlde thou arte most holie al lawe and al knowledge is hid in thy brest we beséech thy holinesse shew vs thy waie expounde thou the lawe vnto vs teach vs howe wée may be saued thou hast the key of knowledge thy word is the word of truth So shall they créepe to Antichrist so shall they poure out their soules before him so shall they séeke counsell at his mouth so shall they fetch light at the Prince of darknesse This mysterie saith S. Paul doth alreadie worke it shall increase and goe forward and growe to a perfection A thorne when it is yong is soft and gentle ye may thrust at it with your finger it wil not hurt you but after it waxeth and groweth hard stubborne it will pierce to the flesh and drawe bloud A Beare when he is yong is harmlesse and innocent yée may dandle it and dallie with it as with a whelp it hath not chambers to gripe no téeth to bite nor pawes to teare but after it wil growe and become fierce and cruel like the sire A serpent when it is yong is litle and pretie it hath no sting nor poison You maie take it in your hand and laie it in your lap it will not burt you After it will encrease in benime and grow in mischiefe and be like it selfe then it wil shake the sting and cast poison and prooue dangerous Such a thorne such a beare such a serpent is Antichrist At the first he shall séeme soft and gentle and pretie and innocent After hée shal growe fierce and arme himselfe with sting and poison But a thorne though it be soft is a thorne a beare though he be little is a beare a serpent though it be pretie is a serpent Euen so Antichrist though he séeme gentle milde and simple yet is he Antichrist He groweth by degrées he wil be like his sire his pawes wil be dreadfull his mouth wil be deadly Whosoeuer knowe the nature and working of an earthquake how it groweth and how it worketh know that at the first it is some litle winde gathered and kept in some hollowe places of the earth there it lieth closely sometimes for manie yeares without giuing foorth anie noise without stirring or shaking One may walke ouer it and perceiue nothing After it groweth strong and violent it séeketh a maie out it forceth it selfe it gathereth Srength and commeth abroade it wil staie no longer Out it breaketh and teareth the earth and renteth rockes ouerthroweth mountaines shaketh down townes and cities swalloweth by whole riuers it inflameth the aire raiseth thunder roareth vp into Heauen and astonieth the worlde Such is the working of an earthquake so great and mightie at the ende so little and simple at the first Such shall be the mysterie and comming of Antichrist At the beginning he shall be like a litle winde and shall enter into the hollownesse and darkenesse of the Church but after hée shal shake the whole world He shal shew forth himselfe at the first with countenance of deuotion and holinesse that he may closely and priuily and secretly wreath in himselfe Few shal be able to vnderstand the mysterie of his dealing After he shall be opened and appeare as he is Who would thinke there were anie euill in forcing of virginitie chastitie or single life He that is vnmarried careth for the things of the Lorde howe he maie please the Lord that he may be holie both in body and also in spirit Would God it were so with al that haue taken the profession of single life But the colour is faire Hence hath it growne that Bishops and Priests and yong men and maidens haue continued single This seeÌ„med strange and a myracle and a matter of great holinesse But this is a mysterie this is a waie to bring in Antichrist Marke what Saint Paul speaketh héereof They shal forbid to marrie Of whom speaketh he Of Antichrist and his Disciples They shall forbid lawfull marriage as vnholie and as a state of life vnfit for their holines Yet Christ Iesus the sonne of God did neuer forbid it His Apostles were married and had wiues This saith Saint Paul is a marke of Antichrist by this shall he be knowne Forbidding of marriage
and shall shew signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the verie elect Againe he saith Manie wil saie to me in that daie Lord Lord haue we not in thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out Diuels and by thy name done manie great workes and then wil I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie These things shall Satan bring to passe vnder my name The Apostles wrought miracles thereby to confirme the Gospell which they preached As the Euangelist writeth The Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed And as the Apostle Saluation at the first began to be preached by the Lorde and was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnesse thereto with signes and wonders and with diuers miracles and gifts of the holie ghost according to his wil. So shal Antichrist worke miracles to ouerthrowe the gospell As Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so doe these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shall be knowne to all men as theirs also was Aaron cast foorth his rod before Pharao and his seruaÌ„ts and it was turned into a serpent And the charmers of Aegipt did in like maner with their enchauntments Aaron smote the water and al the water that was in the riuer was turned into bloud and the inchaunters of Aegipt did likewise with their sorceries And as Aaron caused frogges to come and couer the land so the sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries But the illusions of the magical Artes came to naught saith Salomon and it was a most shamefull reproch for boasting their knowledge So shall Antichrist come in working signes and lying wonders as did Iannes and Iambres to desace the gospell and glorie of God It is not saide he shal worke wonders but false lying wonders But howe can his myracles be false If false howe be they myracles If myracles how be they false They shal be false after two sortes some are called false myracles bicause they séeme to be myracles and are not Some are called false myracles because they are vsed falsly to mainetaine his falshoode Of the first sorte of false myracles we haue séene an infinite number in the daiâ—…s of our fathers in the kingdom of Antichrist Then was there appearance of spirits and visions of Angels our Ladie came swimming downe from heauen poore soules came créeping and crying out of purgatorie and ietted abroad and kept stations casting stakes of fire and beset highwaies and bemoned their cases the pains and torments were so bitter They sought for helpe and cried for good praiers they cried for Diriges they cried for Masses of Requiem for masses of Scala coeli for trentals of masses Hereof grew portsale of pardoÌ„s hereof grew the prouince of purgatorie the most gainfull countrie that euer was vnder y e citie of Rome But these myracles were no miracles at al. They were deuised by suttle varlets and lazie lordaines for a purpose to get money Oftentimes the spirite hath béene taken and laide in the stockes the Angel hath béene stript good Ladie hath béene caught the conueyance and the miracle hath appeared the engines and sleights and the cause and the manner of the working hath béene confessed In those daies Idols could goe on foote Roodes could speake Belles coulde ring alone Images could come downe and light their owne candles Dead stockes coulde sweat and bestirre themselues they could turne their â—…ies they coulde mooue their hands they coulde open their mouths they could set bones and knit sineâ—…es they coulde heale the sicke and raise vp the dead These myracles were conueyaunces and suttleties and indéed no miracles The trunks by which they did speake the strings and wiâ—…rs with which they mooued their faces and bands al the rest of their treacherie hath béene disclosed These be the miracles of which Paul speaketh Miracles in sight but indéede no miracles The other sort of false miracles is when such things as be in déede wrought and done are vntruelie applied by Antichrist to maintaine his falshoode God giueth recouerie to the diseased the deafe receiue their hearing the blind receiue their sight He asswageth the tempests and staieth the rage of fire that it continue not These things are done by the finger of God Antichrist draweth vs from so thinking of the mercie of God and telleth vs we haue other friends to whom we are beholding which haue done so and so for vs. It was this Saint saith he it was that Saint that tooke pitie of your case and wrought the remedie for you It was Apollonia it was Genouefa it was Sitha it was our Ladie Such a Saint is able to do much such a Saint can worke miracles Hereof grew inâ—…ocation of Saints Hereof it came to passe that ech Saint was assigned allotted to his sundry charge and seueral office apart Saint Blase for the choaking Saint Roch for the pestilence Antonie for the burning Valentine for the falling sickenesse Romane for madnesse Apollonia for the toothach Petronilla for agues and others for other purposes Wherein it was wisely foreseene that they were so limited and ordered least perhaps else any one might be ouer saucie and incroch vppon and trouble his fellowes It was also foreséene that al saintes shoulde not haue power to worke in al places Some wrought at Canterburie some at Walsingham some at Yorke some at Buxton some in one place some in another some in the townes some in the fieldes Euen as Hieremie saide among the Iewes According to the number of thy Cities were thy Gods Hereof grewe Pylgrimages and Worshipping of Images and kissing of Reliques Hereof grewe oblations and enritching of Abbies Euerie man had his peculiar Saint on whome he called Euerie countrey was ful of Chappels euerie Chappel ful of myracles and euerie myracle ful of lies These myracles are wrought by Anti-thriste They are his tooles wherewith he worketh they are his weapons wherewith hée preuayleth They are ful of lying full of deceitfulnesse and ful of wickednesse So shal Antichrist preuaile and rule ouer the worlde By these myracles he shal possesse the eares the eyes and the heartes of manie and shall drawe them after him He shall shadowe the Moone and darken the Sunne and make the thirde part of the starres of heauen to followe him Hée shal chaunge light into darkenesse and darkenesse into light Hée shal worke in al thinges at his pleasure If a man sée wel hee shal make him blinde This is a myracle Such as are whole he shal make sicke he shal infect them with leprosie which before were cleane This is a myracle He shal chaunge the sense and féeling of nature hée shal make the sonne hate the father and shal make the Father hate the sonne yea to séeke the death of his sonne This is a myracle Hee shal make the
light They forsake the light and delight in darkenesse and this is their condemnation They wil not vnderstande nor séeke after God that they may be reformed The Prophet saith Because he loued cursing it shal come vnto him and because he loued not blessing so shal it be farre from him God will strike them with blindenesse They shal be asâ—…onied They shal fall into rebuke and the snares of the Diuell They shal be drowned in perdition and destruction So great shal be the power of errour Men shal not onely be deceiued but shal be deâ—…iued mightilie and stronglie They shal desire to be deceiued and shal beare a deadly hatred against him who so euer shal séeke to reforme them They shal harden their heartes against God and his holy worde they shal stop their eares and not hearken to his counsell they shal not open their eyes to beholde the destruction which is to come vpon them So great and so mightie shal be the delusion So deadly shal be the cloud and blindnesse of their hearts They shal bee giuen ouer into a reprâ—…bate minde They shal be filthie and increase in filthinesse Such shall be the power of Satan such shall be the power of errour and deceitfulnesse They shall despise the glorions Gospell of Christ therefore GOD shall forsake them and giue them ouer to followe Antichrist God hath this daie sent the light and comfort of his holie word into the worlde Manie godlie men haue desired to sée that we sée and to heare that we do heare Blessed be the name of the Lorde which hath in mercie visited vs. We beséeth him to blesse the worke that hée hath begunne Saint Paul saith The grace of God that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared And to the Colossians he saieth The Gospel is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the worlde And againe Haue they not heard no doubt their sounde went through all the earth and their wordes into the endes of the worlde The poore receiue the glad tidings of the gosped GOD hath visited and redéemed his people But yet the Apostle saieth They haue not al beleeued our Gospel For Esaâ—…as saieth Lord who shall beleeue our reporte And againe saieth the Prophet Esay I'haue spred out my handes al the daie vnto a rebellious people which walked in a waie that was not good Wisedome crieth in the stréetes 〈◊〉 I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched Prouâ—… out mine hande and none woulde regarde Such is the power of Satan so shall hée stoppe their eares that they shall not vnderstande what is spoken in the name of the Lord. Paul is a true Prophet and foretold long before that which we maie nowe beholde with our eies In the latter times some shall giue heede vnto spirites of errour They shall be as men without sense or féeling they shall forsake the truth and betake themselues to followe lies and fables Euen they shall doe this which shall sitte in the Church of God who shall professe and carrie the name of Christ. Christ ministred his last supper in both kindes Saint Paul telleth the Corinthians As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death till hee come That this institution of Christ should be kept in the Church vntil the ende of the worlde The Apostles receiued this order the holie fathers and martires vsed it But nowe manie euen too too manie wil not so haue it nor so vse it They will not followe the example of the Fathers nor of Martires nor of the Apostles nor kéepe the ordinance of Christ so strong a delusion hath bewitched them The people of God were taught to praie in the vulgare tongue that their heartes might giue consent and their mouth saie Amen This order did Peter and Paul and Iohn and Iames and the godlie fathers kéepe There is not one of them that tooke order for the contrarie but nowe there are some risen vp which in spite of Christ and his Apostles saie praiers shall be made in a strange tongue either Latine or Gréeke The people shall not vnderstand what they heare They shall not knowe what it is which they themselues saie their hearts cannot giue consent thereto their mouths cannot saie Amen The example of the Apostles the commaundement of Christ the comforte of the people the confusion of the Church nothing mooueth them so great and mighty is the power of error The people worshippe a creature in stéede of the creator who is GOD ouer all blessed for euer They sée they doe amisse yet continue in it and finde no faulte They sée wherein their Fathers were deceiued yet they saâ—… they coulde not be deceiued They sée manie and fowle abuses yet séeke not to redresse them For they saie wée will walke in the waies of our forefathers wée will belieue as they beléeued howsoeuer they belieued Wée will doe as they did whatsoeuer they did they will not heare the worde of the Lord. Thus shall they delight in darkenesse and loath the light they wil be deceiued and will not sée the trueth So mightie and so terrible is the power of errour They be learned in Philosophie and in the tongues they be learned in the lawes they be learned in Phisicke learned in the Doctours and learned in stories They are skilfull to buie and sell to purchase land to enrich themselues and to prouide for their children They haue knowledge in al things else But themselues and the trueth of God and the way to saluation they haue not knowne A théese when he is taken blusheth A harlot is ashamed of her filthinesse and a drunkard of his beastlinesse But they that are such haue hardned their faces they cannot blush Whatsoeuer they haue saide or doone either openly or in secret by hipocrisie or crueltie by rauin or treacherie in offering pardons to sale in deceiuing the people of God in accusing the righteous and condemning the innocent they cannot repent they knowe no shame So great is the power of errour Christ saith vnto them The Publicanes and the harlots shall go before you into the kingdome of God They consider that they haue done amisse but you are wilfull in your blindenesse Oh the depth of the wisedome and knowledge of God Who is wise and considereth this They striue against the manifest truth they striue against their owne conscience they striue against the spirite of God This is that sinne which shall neuer be forgiuen neither in this worlde nor in the world to come Therefore saith Paul that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth Al shal be damned which beléeued not Then let no man saie I will follow the example of my fathers I wil doe as the greater part doth So manie and so manie for so manie yeares in so manie places haue bin on this side The iudgement of God standeth not in the multitude but in the truth Whosoeuer
water of Tyber and Tyber is a riuer that runneth by Rome Ioachimus Abbas sayeth Antichrist is long since borne at Rome and shal be aduaunced in the Apostolique sée He is borne and sheweth himselfe not at Babylon not at Constantinople but at Rome These be plaine spéeches If any man doubt this let him reade their bookes they be extant abroade Antichrist shal sit in Peters chaire and Rome shal be the seate of his kingdome I haue tolde you he shal come when the state and maiestie of the Empire shal bee weakened Antichrist shal possesse the Emperours landes and beare the sword and weare his crownâ—… and shal make the Emperour fal downe and worship him and kisse his féete Hath there euer béene any such Bishop in the worlde Hath there I say euer béene anie such If euer there were any such Saint Paule sayth the same is Antichrist I tolde you the worlde shal fal downe and reuerence him and shal séeke life and salnation at his hands Iohn sayth they shal crie Oh who is like the beast who is like our holie father who is so wise so learned so holie they shal followe him whither soeuer hée wil leade them they shal eate what so euer he wil giue them And they which shal doe thus are such as haue no féeling no care no loue to the trueth of God Therefore God forsaketh them and leaueth them to follow liâ—…s I tolde you he shal preuaile by falshoode and by fained myracles by Bulles by Pardâ—…ns by Purgatories and by such other deuises and shifts of Sathan I tolde you he shal be contrarie to Christ in Sacramentes in sacrifice in prayers in life in doctrine in religion in the whole forme and order of the Church He shal shutte that Christ hath opened He shal open that Christ hath shutte He shal curse that Christ hath blessed and blesse that Christ hath cursed No man shal be accounted faithful no man catholike no man the sonne of the Church no man may be saued without him Such credite and countenaunce shal he beare I tolde you he shal be confounded and beaten downe by the force and power of Gods mightie worde His worde is omnipotent It shal disclose the workes of darkenesse it shal hewe downe Idolatrie Superstition and the whole kingdome of Antichrist as our eyes doe sée this day Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ his mightie hand hath wrought these thinges Hee hath triumphed the name of his Christ he wil blesse the thinges he hath begunne He wil ouerthrowe the whole power of Antichrist by his presence and by the glorie of his comming Then shal it appeare who is the successour of Peter who is the true vicar of Christ and who is Antichrist V. 13. But wee ought to giue thankes alwayes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirite and the faith of trueth 14. Whereunto hee called you by our Gospel to obtaine the glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ. God hath chosen you froÌ„ the beginning his election is sure for euen The Lorde knoweth who are his You shal not be deceiued with the power and suttletie of Antichrist you shal not sal from grace you shal not perish This is the comfort which abydeth with the faithful when they beholde the fal of the wicked When they sée them for sake the trueth and delight in fables When they sée them returne to their vomit and to wallowe againe in the myer When we sée these thinges in other we must say alas they are examples for mée and they are lamentable examples Let him that standeeh take héede that he fal not But God hath loued me and hath chosen me to saluation His mercie shal goe before mée and his mercie shal follow in me His mercie shal guide my féete and stay me from falling If I stay by my selfe I stay by nothing I must néedes come to grounde Although al the worlde shoulde be drowned with the waues of vngodlinesse yet wil I holde by the boate of his mercie which shal safely preserue me If al the world be set on fire with the flame of wickednesse yet wil I créepe into the bosome of the protection of my Lorde so shal no flame hurt me He hath loued me he hath chosen me he wil kéepe mée Neither the example nor the companie of others nor the entising of the diuel nor mine owne sensual imaginations nor sworde nor fire is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde This is the comfort of the faithful So shal they wash their hands in the bloud of the Lambe Therefore saieth Paule you are my children I haue begotten you in Christ God hath giuen you vnto mee he hath made the Gospel which is come vnto you by my ministerie fruiteful in you I ought to giue God thankes alwayes for you Whatsoeuer falleth vpon others although others fal and perish although they forsake Christ and followe after Antichrist yet God hath loued you and giuen his sonne for you he hath chosen you and prepared you to saluation hath written your names in the booke of life But howe may we knowe that God hath chosen vs howe may we sée this election or howe may we feele it the Apostle saith Thorough sanctification and the faith of trueth these are tokens of Gods election Haue you receiued the gospel it is the light of the world it teacheth vs to knowe that God is God and that wee are his people The credite you giue to the Gospel is a witnesse of your election We beléeue what soeuer God speaketh because it is the worde of God For his word is trueth We beléeue that Christ is the lambe of God that he hath taken away the sinnes of the world because it is the word of God We beléeue that the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from al sin because it is the word of God We beléeue Christ came to saue sinners Because it is the worde of God We beléeue God wil deferre his wrath and will shews mercie for himselfe for his owne names sake because it is the worde of God We beléeue they that trust in the Lorde shal not be confounded because it is the worde of God We beléeue we are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast because it is the word of God We beléeue without faith it is impossible to please God and againe that faith commeth by hearing and again that it is the gift of God because it is the word of God It is the trueth We beléeue that Antichrist shal be confounded and bereft of al his glorie because the worde of the Lord hath spoken it His word is righteousnes and truth We wil alwaies beléeue that is true therfore we cannot but
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
they wil be protestants in company of others they are quite become contrarie They come to the church and receiue the holy communion they resort secretely to corners where they heare masse They like the one and like the other They like the light and they loue darkenesse and make no difference betwéene them These are readie to serue Christ and also readie to serue Antichrist faithful neither to God nor to Baal And this is among many counted the highest point of wisedome to be able so to colour and hide himselfe that you shal not know what profession he is of to what church he ioyneth himselfe what religion he holdeth whose worde or Gospel he followeth in what GOD he beléeueth Such there are And they onelie bée the singuler men reckoned the sine wittes and cunning fellowes of the worlde This is to be lamented that in a christian estate there should be any such That they at whose handes God shal require a straiter accoumpt than of others because he hath giuen them the vse of greater talents either of wit or of learniâ—…g or of preferment or of riches should so mispende the good giftes of God or vse his talents to such euil purpose that they more than al other shoulde deuise meanes how to deny Christ among men and as much as in them lieth to seeke to crâ—…e againe the Lorde of glorie The lewes deale not so wickedly the Turks deale not so traiterously The Jeâ—…e although his case bee miserable and his heresies most dangerous yet hee is earnest in his folly he wil not dissemble his profession The Turke is faithful vnto Mahomet and wil not denie or forsake him These false brethren and dissembling christians are worse than Iewes and Turkes They are voyde of conscience voyde of sayth voyde of feare of shame and of the grace of GOD. They are filthie swine shamelesse dogges and the enemies of the crosse of Christ. These hinder the passage of the Gospel and blaspheme the holie worde of their saluation and do al that in them lyeth to abolish the light of Gods truth S. Paule telleth vs al men haue not faith many hearts lie naked and voide of faith many séeme to liue and yet are dead Howsoeuer these men carie out their doings in this life they cannot mock God He knoweth who are his Christ shall say vnto these running witted dissemblers depart from mée ye hipocrites I knowe you not You shal receiue your portion with the diuel and his Angels Pray that we may be deliuered from such vnreasonable and euil men that they stoppe not the frée passage of the Gospel that they may haue no power against the glorie of God Then shal it appeare that God is faithful in al his wordes and holy in al his workes that his truth and mercie shal last for euer He wil establish vs in al goodnesse and defende vs from al euil he wil kéepe vs from al the power of Satan he wil kéepe vs from al temptation that the wicked shal not preuaile against vs. And we are perswaded of you through the Lorde that ye both doe and wil doe the things which wee warne you of You knowe what commaundements we gaue you by the Lord. I spake vnto you the wil of GOD and not mine owne I was vnto you but a messenger to deliuer vnto you such an errand as GOD sent vnto you I hope ye haue receiued it in such dutie as becommeth and that you both doe and wil hereafter obey it I am your phisitian The receipt which I haue giuen you is soueraigne and shall worke your health I trust it tarieth with you you brooke it wel I haue spoken vnto you in the name of God His name is holy He wil cause that my labor shal not be in vaine but wil make it fruitful in you Although al men haue not saith yet al men are not voide of faith Although there be many the children of this world yet there be some the children of light he that is of God heareth the worde of God They that be the sonnes of God are obedient to the wisedome of god their father God guide your harts that you may loue him that you may knowe what good God hath wrought vnto your soules that you may sée the depth of his mercie that in al your tribulation and aduersitie vnder the crosse and in your death you may looke for the day of Christ when the trumpet shal be sounded the graues shal be opened the dead bodies shal come foorth and we shal bée taken vp into the cloudes then shal he chaunge our vile bâ—…die that it may be like his glorious bodie then shal we be like the Angels of God wée shal sée God face to face and rest with him for euer V. 6. We warne you brethren in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that yee withdrawe your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately not after the instruction which he receiued of vs. The kingdome of God is like to a draw net â—…ast into the Sea that gathereth of al kinde of thinges it is like a fielde wherein groweth both corne and wéedes Sundrie Uirgines went out to waâ—…e vppon the Spouse some were wise some were foolish some had oyle in their Lampes some had none Many came to the mariage some had their wedding garment some lacked it Manie are called but fewe are chosen Some beare the name of christians yet liue in Vsurie to the spoyle and vndoing of their brethren Some beare the name of Christians yet liue in adulterie and fornication as the heathen which knowe not God These be they through whom the name of God is euil spoken of Therefore sayeth Paule I warne you that you withdrawe your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately Forsake him refuse his companie eate not with him druâ—…ke not with him that so he may be ashamed of his filthinesse Keceiue him not to your house nor bid him God spéede For he that biddeth him God spéede is partaker of his euil béedes Haue you no fellowship with the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse but euen reprone them rather A little leauen doth leauen the whole lâ—…mpe The wrath of god shal come not onelie vpon those which commit wickednesse but also vpon al those which consent to the working thereof Among the Corinthians one had committed incest taken his fathers wife Saint Paule sayeth Let such one be deliuered vnto Satan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Deliuer him vp to Satan Marke his â—…rdes and in what case he speaketh them For they that delite in wickednesse are sold ouer vnto sinne which are filthie and increáse in filthines They are not of God they haue no part in the Church of God The Diuel and Satan hath power ouer them therefore deliuer thâ—…m vp vnto Satan The rewarde of sinue is death the soule which hath sinned shal die For this cause hath the
Lorde Iesus Christ in the sight of God euen our Father 4 Knowing beloued brethren that ye are elect of God 5 For our Gospel was not vnto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy ghost and in much assuraunce as ye know after what maner we were among you for your sakes We giue thankes c. Paule teacheth what is the office of a good minister He must euer carrie in remeÌ„brance y e estate of the congregation ouer which the Lord hath placed him He must giue thankes to God in their behalfe and pray for them that God will blesse that which he hath begunne and conâ—…rme them vnto the end that they may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ that he will behold them from aboue and blesse his inheritaunce and guide the shéepe of his pasture Your effectual faith Faith is not idle it worketh and is forcible it breaketh out like fire it is alwayes fruitefull through loue Faith without workes is no faith it is dead and bringeeh death And diligent loue Loue is paineful and ful of trainaile it thinketh not euil it seeketh not hir owne things it is bountiful This loue had the Thessalonians to the saints of God which suffered affliction in all places for the Gospels sake Many were spoyled of their goods cast out of their houses and banished from their countrey Euen as at this day for the like cause manie of our brethren the good seruantes of God are driuen into banishment cast into prisons put to the sworde or consumed in fire in those places where the God of this worlde hath so blinded their eyes that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine vnto them It is high time in such cases for charitie to shew hir self She can not dissemble nor despise the teares of hir brother It sheweth foorth as the morning light it taketh from hir selfe to relieue them which are in neede It dealeth bread to the hungrie and bringeth the poore that wander vnto hir house and couereth the naked and hideth not hir face from hir owne flesh Vnto them that haue this loue the Lorde giueth his blessing Blessed is hee that considereth the poore and needy the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble And Christ saith Blessed are the merciful for they shal finde mercie And the patience of your hope How many are the troubles which the children of God suffer in this life let vs beholde the times which were before vs. Abel was innocent and iust yet was he slaine by the hands of his brother and without a cause The Prophet Dauid saieth of the Prophetes and holy men of God and the same words saith the Apostle of the Church of Christ vnder the Gospel For thy sake are we killed al the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Ieremie sayeth Thy worde is vnto them as a reproch and againe For thy sake I haue suffred rebuke What vilanies were wrought against our sauiour Christ They reproched him in spéeches brought false accusations and false witnesse against him and killed the innocent in whose mouth there was found no guile WheÌ„ S. Paul appealed to the witnesse of Timothie who did fully know his doctrine maner of liuing purpose faith long suffering loue and patience and that he knewe also the persecutions and afflictions which came vnto him and which he suffered at Antiochia IconiuÌ„ and at Lystra after he had thus remeÌ„bred his persecutions his owne innocencie he saith Al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution What then hath the godly to leane vnto but hope the prophet Dauid therfore said Though I should walke through the vallie of the shadowe of death I wil feare no euil for thou art with mee Therefore saide Iob though hee flaie me yet wil I trust in him For he that putteth his trust in the Lorde shal neuer be confounded In this hope spake S. Paule Christ is to me both in life death aduantage Againe Whether we liue or die we are the Lords And againe God forbid that I shoule reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. And to y e Romans he saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This is the foundation of faith euen a strong rocke which shal continue for euer Neither tribulatioÌ„ nor anguish nor persecutioÌ„ nor famine nor any danger can remoue the faithful from his hope But the wicked and vnstable fal from their hope and their fal is miserable They haue hard the worde of God that teacheth vnto saluation but did not regard it they haue forgotten the workes of the Lorde and receiued his grace in vaine For when they haue heard the worde the Diueâ—… commeth taketh away the word out of their heartes least they should beléeue and be saued And the end of these men is worse than the beginning It was not so with the Thessalonians They receiued the worde of God willingly and it was fruitful in them so that thereby they increased in faith in loue and in hope Their faith the Apostle calleth forcible or â—…ffectual their loue diligent painful their hope mightie through patience whereby they ouercome al maner of dangers reioyceth on their behalfe because he found so great successe of his trauaile in the Gospel amongst them Knowing that you are elect of God You were blind y e children of wrath without vnderstanding without God without hope But God hath had mercy vpoÌ„ you hath giueÌ„ you grace to know your calling Herein it appeareth y t you are the chosen of God and of the flocke of Christ. My sheepe saith he heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me and I giue vnto them eternal life and they shal neuer perish neither shal anie plucke them out of mine hande For our Gospel was not vnto you in worde only but also in power and in the holy ghost and in much assuraunce That you haue yéelded obedience vnto the worde and that my ministerie hath béene effectual amongst you it commeth not of any power in your selues or in me it is the worke of God He hath blessed my ministery he hath blessed your hearts It is the gift of God least any man shoulde boast thereof Hereof he speaketh to the Corinthians Who is Paule then and who is Apollos but the ministers by whome yee beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase It is he which hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Without him we can do nothing He guideth vs and al our couÌ„sailes and leadeth vs into al trueth No man can come vnto mee sayth Christ except the father which hath sent me drawe him And by y e Prophet Ezechiel God saith I wil giue you a new heart
and a new spirite wil I put within you I will put my spirite within you and will cause you to walke in my statutes and you shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And by the Prophet leremie I wil put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Therefore Dauid maketh his praier Teach me O Lord giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law The words of the Preacher enter in at the â—…are The spirite of God conueyeth them into the heart Augustine saith Auditur euangelium Auditur credunt quidam non credunt qui credunt intus a patre audiunt discunt qui non credunt foris audiunt intus non audiunt neque discunt Hoc est illâ—… datâ—…r vt credant illis non datur The Gospesis declared Some there are which beleeue some there are which beleeue not They which beleeue heare it inwardly by the father and so learne it They which beleeue not heare it onlie with their outward sense and not with inward feeling and therefore learne it not As much to saie to them it is giuen to beleeue to the other it is not giuen In the Actes of the Apostles Lydia a woman of the Citie of the Thiatirians heard the preaching of the Apostle Paul But it is saide Whose heart the Lord oponed that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake The people which said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do did heare al the wordes of Peter but they had another teacher that gaue force vnto the worde and made it fruitefull in them and therefore it is said They were pricked in their hearts This also appeared in the Disciples which walked towards Emaus they heard Christ open the Scriptures vnto them they reasoned with him yet vntill their eles were opened they knew him not His worde crept into their eares but it was the spirite of God which wrought within them which inflamed their hearts and made them to knowe him Thus God blesseth his word and maketh it yéeld fruit in such measure as his wisedome hath appointed His blessing appeareth greater when many are conuerted yet is his word al one and the power thereof no whit shorter when it is vtterly refused or receiued but of few Surely saith God as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth maketh it-fruitfull that it maie giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth It shal not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I wil and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it It is the word of the liuing God which is blessed for euer And blessed is that hart which can receiue it which GOD instructeth and to which he giueth knowledge of his worde which doth so learne it that he is assured of the truth thereof and nothing doubteth but it is indéede the worde of life which saieth thereof this is the waie in which if I walke I shall certainely go forward to the Citie of my GOD this is the truth if I hearken vnto it I shall neuer be dereiued Whosoeuer findeth himselfe indued with this grace he doth as plainely and evidently iudge of the wordes of God and trie out the trueth thereof from the deuises and doctrines of men as a man of cléere eie sight is ahle to iudge of colours and to knowe one colâ—…ur from an other Yea in this is the knowledge of that more certain because colour doth fade and alter and manie times one colour thereby waxeth like an other but the truth of GOD doth neuer alter it continueth one throughal ages it is the word of euerlasting life Heauen and earth shall perish but one title thereof shall not be lost The truth of God shall be established for euer The humble shall heare it and be glad As ye knowe after what maner wee were among you for your sakes You knowe howe I behaued my selfe after what maner I haue liued among you You knowe my first comming and entrie vnto you You knowe what doctrine I haue taught and what hath béene my conuersation of life I neuer deceiued any nor offered wrong vnto the simplest I sought not you nor yours but those things which are Iesus I haue liued by the labor of my hands in watchings in hunger in colde and nakednesse God hath ordained that they which teach the gospel should liue by the gospel Who séedeth a â—…lacke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke But I haue not vsed this libertie For I haue a great care least by anie meanes I should offend you Yet would I neuer flatter anie in that thing they had done amisse I neuer spared to rebuke ill If I should feare or séeke to please men I were not the seruant of Christ. I séeke not mine owne glorie but the glorie of him that sent me who also hath made me a minister of his gospel I haue forsaken al things my goods and life my flesh and my bodie and am daily in perils compassed daily by persecution séedeath death daily before mine eies for the loue I be are to you and for the care I haue of the Church You are the Lords shéepe I am your shaepeheard you are the house of God I am your builder you are Gods orchard I am your ouerséer and workeman I shall giue an attâ—…mpt for your soules You know how â—…ly I haue loued you in thâ—… Lord. Your griese hath béene my griese your ioie hath béene my ioie I haue praied for you daie and night and haue giuen thanks to God for you and reioâ—…ced in your behalfe What is more deare to a man than life yet haue I desired to yeeld vp my life that you might liue I haue béene readie to suffer death if thereby I might doe you good These things you cannot but remember your conscience beareth mée witnesse that I haue thus liued among you for your sake V. 6. And ye become followers of vs and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioie of the holie ghost He commendeth the godlie for the practise of that which they haue learned and séene in him in that they haue receiued the gospel and framed their liues accordingly and haue continued stedfast in the same in the middes of persecution Herein he doth not onlie laie out himselfe and the other Apostles for an example but telleth them that this waie is also â—…roden out by our Lorde himselfe Who as he is the waie and the light that lightneth euerie man which commeth into the worloe so did he heare his crosse and did laie downe his life for his shéepe Therefore he saide to his Disciples The disciple is not aboue his Maister nor the seruant aboue his Lorde It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Maister is and the seruant as his