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
hated of them that embrace his doctrine 281 Fond tales of Antichrist 281 320 Antichrist not any one mā 282 Antichrist a Bishop 320 330 379 Antichrist an vniuersal king 329 Antichriste by what markes knowen 283 316 334 Antichrist commeth in shew of seruing Christ. 285 341 Antichrist ruleth by pretence of religion 287 349 Antichrist suttle and cunning 305 308 Antichrist taught of Satan 340 Antichrist proud and pompous 289 332 Antichrist exceeding cruel 263 283 Antichrist wherin his strength standeth 363 Antichrist his place or seate 290 326 379 Antichrist howe taken as God 291 Antichrist whom he deceiueth 207 351 381 Antichrist in what time reucaled 304 Antichrist not to be conuerted 364 Antichrist by what power ouerthrowen 361 363 381 Apostasie from the faith 94 388 Perswasions to Apostasie 97 Retentiue from Apostasie 98 Appearaunce of eu◅ auoide 219 Astronomers passe boundes 182 B Babilon wherein rich 376 Babilon fallen 373 Babilons fal causeth ioy in heauen 377 Battaile betweene Christ and Antichrist 369 Bishop of Rome seruant of seruauntes 296 Bishop of Rome rich by the spoil of the Empire 328 Bishop of Rome his priuiledge 292 296 349 Bishop of Rome lawelesse 334 Bishop of Rome called God 293 Busie bodies 155 C Children how to be nurtured 62 Children how they waxe ill 69 Church of the faithful 9 Chnrch of the wicked 6 The name of the Church and fathers deceiueable 234 359 Church cōpared to weak things 279 Churches particular decaye in faith 270 Church primitiue how ordered 266 Church of Rome hath no speciall promise 236 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue Church 268 274 Christ ouercommeth 372 Cities wel gouerned 32 Single communion 311 Conscience 103 Constancie in the truth 214 240 244 388 412 Couetousnesse hindereth the Gospel 56 85 Crosse of Christ of whom esteemed 218 D Dead in Christ. 176 Deceite in bargaining enricheth not 111 Decrees and decretalles forged 256 Disciples of Christ are humble 316 Departing from the faith 263 375 Doctrines contrary to the word of God 48 E Election howe knowen 384 Empire large sometimes 323 Empire decaied a signe that Antichrist is come 327 3◅4 380 Emperour hath not any one citie of the Empire 328 Encrease in holinesse 154 239 Enemies to the gospel raise nobles 41 188 214 224 339 Excommunication what it is 413 Excommunication daungerous 416 418 Excommunication why ordeined 402 413 F Faith grounded on the worde 384 Faith without the truth no faith 369 385 Faith is not idle 12 109 Faithful men examples of godlinesse 28 30 148 Faithful man hath three badges 205 False brethren 396 397 False brethren auoide 401 False miracles of two sortes 343 Fathers howe carefull for their children 60 Fathers or multitude no rule to warrant religion 359 Filthinesse cloaked vnder pretence of single life 310 405 Flesh of Christ howe eaten 261 Foolish faith hurteth 360 Fornication 109 G Gospel what it worketh 79 Gospel no cause of tumults 40 Gospel often refused 40 80 351 Gospel not quailed by crueltie 75 77 242 262 God maketh his gospel fruitful 16 30 37 391 393 God openeth his trueth to the simple 19 292 God maketh thē loue the trueth that sometimes hated it 37 God deliuereth the faithful 205 366 Godly men are persecuted 13 22 73 92 188 179 242 261 Goods not free for il vses 128 Grace what it worketh in vs. 11 238 380 H Hearers of the word 69 209 352 Hipocrisie a high point of wisedome 396 Hope of the faithful 14 157 383 I Idlenes the teacher of mischief 156 407 Idle bodies not to be relieued 410 Ignorance cause of wickednes 116 Ignoraunce cause of despaire 158 Image worship 347 Images in steede of preaching ◅46 Infidels shall rise againe 169 Interest and V◅urie differ 135 Inuocation of saintes 346 Ioye of the godly or wicked 200 Ioye in tribulations 23 91 190 Day of iudgement vnknowen 181 261 Day of iudgement comfortable 174 176 179 Day of iudgement dreadful 174 243 365 K Keyes of the Church abused 312 Kissing ofreliques 347 L Labour required in euerie vocation 156 157 Labourers in the gospel worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Later day as dayes of Noah 170 Latine service a cloake for ignorant priestes 46 Lawe necess◅ie 151 Law may be followed betweene filendes 150 151 Loue the fruits thereof 12 147 152 191 200 Loue perswadeth to godlinesse 191 M Man of sinne reuealed 337 363 Mariage in ministers 217 Masse no teacher of godlinesse 216 Minister his office 12 20 35 43 49 50 52 80 87 410 Ministers painful worthie maintenance 58 147 405 Ministers vnprofitable to be remoued 85 194 196 407 Miracles wrought by Antichrist 348 Mourning ouer the dead 160 N Naturall corruption of man 237 246 Newe birth or regeneration 259 O Oblations and enriching of abbies 347 Office of Apostle and Bishop diuers 300 P Pardons 337 Peace in the Church the gift of God 223.423 Peace wherein it consisteth 225 423 People ought to reade the sc◅ptures 82.84 228 Peter no bishop of Rome 301 Pilgrimage 347 Pleasers of men 55.57 Pope no sollower of Peter 216 Pope aboue Emperour 330 Praier continually needful 204 Praier howe to be made for the wicked 402 422 Prayer abused to couetousnesse 313 Preachers are Gods instrumēts 390 399 Preachers most needefull 194 Primacie the fountaine of vaine presumption 314 337 Primitive Church 266 Princes and Magistrates labour 410 Purgatory impropried to the bishop of Rome 3◅3 Purgatorie a shoppe of mar◅ 314 337 R Reason the husbande 226 Reformatiō of Rome past hope 364 Refusers of the worde 72 195 210 352 357 Religion what it is 32 Religion by whō established 39 Religion of whom receiued 81 352 358 Religion forced or diffemoled 350 T◅th of religion howe tryed 212 250 359 Reliques 347 R◅tion of the bodie 165 Resemblaunces of resurrection 163 Resurrection of infidels 169 Rocke wherein the Church is built 258 Church of Rome may erre 275 277 Church of Rome vnlike the primitiue 268 274 Rome departed from the faith 265 Rome the seate of Antichrist 323 380 S Satans sleights against the gospel 86 254. Scriptures what they teach 34 Scriptures forged 255 Scriptures wrested 257 Sinne punished by sinne 82 Sinne which shall not be forgiuen 359 Spirit of God our guide 208 252 386 Superstition zealous 78 T Teachers examples of godlines 403. False teachers deale deceitfully 46 51 56 253 Thanks due to God in al things 205 The ssalonica once beloued now forsaken 236 Torments straunge and cruel against the godly 75 Translation of Scriptures 47 V Vsurie what it is 113 Vsurie whence it groweth 115 142 Vsurie what good it doeth 116 129 130 Vsurie defended 124 128 138 Vsurie and interest differ 135 Vsurie forbidden by scripture 121 Vsurie disproued by learned fathers 118 Vsurie condemned by lawes 138 Cases for Vsurie answered 131 Vsurer worse than a theefe 138 Vsurer excommunicate by his owne conscience 145 W Walkers inordinately to be reproued 198 Warre howe terrible 369
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
theft therefore lawful S. Iames sayth The Diuels beleeue and tremble take example of the Diuels They beléeue but their bare vaine and dead faith in which they can doe no good can not serue them Euen so shal not your faith if it be dead and voyde of al good workes saue you God himselfe to reproue the vnthankefulnesse and forgetfulnesse of his people which did so often forsake him and followed Baal and Astaroth sayeth in this manner vnto them What nation did euer forsake their Gods Doeth he in this spéech approue that the Idols of the heathen are Gods or because God taketh example of idolatrie shal idolatrie therefore be laweful he biddeth his seruaunts to be as faithful and willing and readie to serue him the God of heauen and earth as the gentils were in seruice of their Idols the workes of their owne handes As God did wil the Israelites to take example of the Ido laters And as Christ biddeth take example of the false steward and as Iames of the Diuels so is this parable an example of that which is commendable that is the diligence of the seruauntes Vsurie is no more allowed by this than idolatrie and falshoode and the diuel is by the other Some wil say I haue no trade to liue I must néedes giue my money to Vsurie or else I must begge This is it that I spake of This sheweth that despaire and mistrust in the prouidence of God is the mother of Vsurie If this were cause why he should be an vsurer if this be wel spoken for defence of his wickednes why may not the théefe or y e bawd or the enchanter by like answere excuse themselues and stande in defence of their dooings Augustine therefore saith Audent etiam fenerarores dicere non habeo aliud vnde viuam c. The vsurers are bold to say they haue no other trade whereby to liue So wil the theefe tel me when I take him in his theft So wil he say that breaketh in to other mens houses So wil the baude say that buieth young maidens to vse them to filthines So wil the wicked enchanter that selleth his sinne If we reproue any of al these they wil answere that this is their mainteinance and that they haue not any other way to liue But August sayth Quasi non hoc ipsum in illis maxima puniendum est quia artem nequitiae deleâ—…runt vnde viuerent inde se volunt pascere vnde offendant eum a quo omnes pascuntur As if they were not therefore most worthie to be punished because they haue chosen a trade of wickednesse to liue by and will mainetaine themselues by that thing wherewith they displease him by whom al are mainetained Howe much better would it be with them if they did serue God truely in such place and calling wherein they might most set foorth his glorie and doe such thinges as should be profitable to themselues and others The seruaunt of God knoweth there is no want to those that feare him He knoweth the Lord hath care ouer him and therefore casteth his care vpon the Lorde He sayth as the Prophet The Lorde is my shephearde I shal want nothing And The Lord is the defender of my life of whome then shal I be afrayde I trusted in thee O Lorde and saide thou art my God My times are in thy hande Thus much I thought expedient to speake of the loathsome and foule trade of Vsurie I knowe not what fruit wil growe thereby and what it wil worke in your hearts If it please God it may doe that good that I wish I haue doone my dutie I cal God for a record vnto my soule I haue not deceiued you I haue speken vnto yoâ—… y e truth If I be deceiued in this matter O God thou hast deceiued me Thy word is plaine Thou sayest Thou shalt take no Vsurie thou sayest He that taketh encrease shal not liue What am I that I shoulde hide the words of my God or kéepe them back from the hearing of his people the learned old Fathers haue taught vs it is no more laweful to take Vsurie of our brother than it is to kil our brother They that be of God heare this and consider it and haue a care that they displease him not But the wicked that are no whit moued and care not what God sayth but cast his word behind them which haue eies and sée not and eares yet heare not because they are filthie they shalbe â—…lthie stil. Their gréedie desire shal encrease to their confusion and as their monie mcreaseth so shal they encrease the heapes of their sinnes Pardon me if I haue béene long or vehement Of those that are vsurers I aske no pardon I heare that there are certaine in this city which wallow wretchedly in this filthinesse without repentance I giue them warning in the hearing of you all and in the presence of God that they forsake that cruel and detestable sinne If otherwise they continue therein I will open their shame and denounce excommunication against them and publish their names in this place before you all that you may knowe them and abhorre them as the plagues and monsters of the worlde that if they be past all feare of God they may yet repent and amend for worldlie shame Tel me thou wretched wight of the world thou vnkinde creature which art past all sense and feeling of God which knowest the will of God and doest the contrarie how darest thou come into the Church It is the Church of that GOD which hath saide Thou shalt take no Vsurie And thou knowest he hath so laid How darest thou reade or heare the word of God it is the word of that God which condemneth Vsurie And thou knowest he doth condemne it How darest thou come into the companie of thy brethâ—… Vsurie is the plague and destruction and vndoing of thy brethren And this thou knowest How darest thou looke vpon thy children Thou makest the wrath of God fall downe from heauen vpon them Thy iniquitie shal be punished in them to the third and fourth generation This thou knowest How darest thou looke vp into heauen Thou hast no dwelling there thou shalt haue no place in the tabernacle of the highest This thou knowest Because thou robbest the poore deceiuest the simple and catest vp the widows houses Therefore shall thy children be naked and begge their bread therefore shalt thou and thy riches perish together But Christ saith The houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Zacheus was a receiuer of tribute was rich when he receiued Iesus to abide in his house He stoode foorth and saide vnto the Lord Beholde Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure â—…olde Then Iesus said vnto him This daie salâ—…ation is
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