they may teach Wherfore as many of vs as desire to be saued let vs kéep our selues within the bonds of the example of Christe and of his Apostles â—e must continue in the Apostles doctrin Now touching the Apostles doctrine we are admonished by the Apostle First that we must continew in the Apostles doctrine Afterward he sheweth the causes why euery godly man ought to continue in that kinde of doctrine For he pronouÌ„ceth plainly and techeth with great power he saith But tary thou or continevv thou stedfastly As if hée should haue said How soeuer the deceiuers and deceiued go foreward in their errors housoeuer graet numbers of men departing from the plainnes and singlenesse of the Apostles doo folowe corrupt doctrin and those Egiptian Sophisters yet neuerthelesse perseuer and continue stil thou all others that couet to please God and to abtain true saluation In what things I pray you shall they continew The Apostle addeth it In those thinges vvhich thou hast learned and vvhich haue ben committed vnto thee But Timothe had learned the Scriptures and out of theÌ„ the holy gospel as straight way the Apostle wil expound him self And this was that precious pledge which was committed vnto him Therfore the godly must perseuer and continue in the Scriptures and in the doctrin of the Gospel So shall it come to passe that they shall not be a pray to the deceiuers and to the most wicked men of this last age what was committeâ— vnto Timâ— the and against traditions Neither must we think as certain foolish men doo fain that vnwritten Traditions were committed vnto Timothe as though the Apostle had ment that without traditions the Scriptures suffise not vnto godlinesse or that he had taught one thing by woord of mouth and another thing in writing For by and by the Apostle him self wil declare that the Scriptures are moste ful and moste absolute such as are able throughly to fashion and make perfect the worshipper of God The Apostle els where affirmeth very intirely 1 Cor. 4. that his doings agrée in one sorte all alike and that he teacheth like doctrin in all Churches He sayeth also that he and his disiples walke all one way and béeing all led by one spirit doo all things with humilitie â— Cor. 3. Again to the Corinthians VVee vvrite saith he none other things vnto you then vvhich ye read and vvhich also ye knovve Yea and so I trust that ye shall knovve vnto the end And again 4. Cor. 10. As vve are in vvords by letters vvhen vve are absent such are vve indeed also vvhen we are present But it is openly apparant that those things whiche those men recken vp among the vnwritten verities affirming the same to be receiued from the Apostles euen as if were from hand to hand are so disagreing with those things which are contained in the writings of the Apostles that they are euen directly repugnant and contrary Of which kinde are those matters which they stuf in conserning the vse of Images in the Church conserning the Masse conserning single life and Munckery and infinit other such ingling deceits Where also euen that is diligently to be noted that he said not Tary thou in those things which thou shalt learn yet heerafter But tary thou in those hings vvhich thou hast learned To vs therfore partain not those things which wretched men after certain hundred yéeres haue learned of Fathers such as indéed may be called stepfathers and of lewd and superstitious Munks It foloweth now why we ought to cleue onely to this doctrin Why wee ought to cleue only to the scriptures Indéed many reasons may be alleaged but among many these are the chéefest First Knovving saith he of vvhom thou hast learned them Truely it is much to be respected of what maisters or teachers we learne any thing For the doctrin receiueth authoritie from the teachers or author therof It is thought that from the more excellent cunning and holy men proceedeth some excellent learned and holy thing Verily from men procéed humaine things and from God procéed godly and deuine things But of whom had Timothe learned or from whom came the doctrin receiued by Timothe Surely from the most holy Apostle and most select instructment of God Therfore not the man Paule but rather the Spirit of Christe inspiring Paule hath purchased authoritie vnto the doctrine Therefore Timothe knewe and al the faithful also at this day knowe that the doctrine of the Apostles sprang not from men but from our Lord God him self and that therfore we ought to beléeue the same and inseperably cleue vnto it For our Lord him self saith in his Gospel Iohn 13. Verily verily I say vnto you hee that receiueth an Apostle or vvhomsoeuer I shall send receiueth me And he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Math. 10. And again speaking of the Apostles It is not you that speak but it iâ— the spirite of your father that speaketh in you Iohn 3. And again He that is from aboue is aboue all He that procedeth of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all and what he hath seen and heard the same he testifieth Wherfore in asmuch as it appéereth that the doctrin of the Apostle is heauenly deuine with good cause doo we beléeue with good cause doo we inseperably cleue to it Neither did the Apostles without great reason say therfore shalt thou coÌ„tinue in the apostles doctrin which thou hast receiued because thou doost surely knowe that thou hast receiued and learned the same from Heauen But can we so say of the vnwritten traditions and of the ordinances of man No by no meanes Therfore why should we beleeeue them why should we receiue them why should we continew in them These things are due to the holy Scriptures only and alone They are vtterly mad that make humain things equall with deuine But they are led by the Deuil that prefer things humain before diuine and thrust downe and embace diuine things as though they were vncertain doutful vnperfect and darke Dauid the moste notable King and moste excellent Prophet of God crieth but against such filthy and blasphemous persons and pronounceth with moste true mouth Psal 19. The lawe of the Lord is a perfect law conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is true giuing wisdome to the litle ones The statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the hart The commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eyes Thy word is a Lantern vnto my feet and a light vnto my steps Furthermore the Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures or writings of the Prophets The Apostles doctrine is grounded vppon the Scriptures Paule bearing witnes and saying I was put a part to preach the Gospel of GOD vvhiche he promised afore by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures But we knowe that the same are therfore
called holy because they are vttered by the holy Ghoste It foloweth therfore in the woords of the Apostle And for that also thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures from a childe The holy fathers in olde time were wâ—nt to instruct their children out of the authenticall Booke of the lawe of God and of his Prophets Therfore because Timothes mother was a Iew borne albeit his Father was a Gentil he béeing exercised in the scriptures from a childe had accustomed him self therunto And when he heard the Apostle preache the Gospel of Christe hee vnderstoode straightway by the inspiration of the spirit of God and by conferring of the woords of Paule with the woords of the Prophets that the Apostles doctrine touching Christe was taken out of the law and the Prophets and confirmed by the testimonyes of the same And for that cause he knew that he had not learned the faith of Christe out of wandering rumours and vain talks of the people but out of the autenticall Booke that is to say out of the holy Scriptures namely inspired from God as I haue already declared and deuoutly taught and written touching things moste pure of all other by none but by such as were moste holy men All other books that where out of the Canon and common vse of the Church are accounted vnder the name of prophane Books But this is an effectuall reason and such a one as ought throughly to mooue the mindes of all men that we must therfore beléeue the Apostles doctrin and cleue only to the same because it proceded from God and is confirmed by the Authenticall Scriptures béeing moste ancient and moste holy of all other What so euer booke of what so euer Authors thou shalt compare with these Books thou shalt scarcely compare Lead or durt it self with moste fine and shining Golde Moste rightly therfore doo we beléeue that they of all men be moste foolish who either omitting the Apostles doctrin and writings of the Prophets turn aside to the inuentions of man as though there could be taught or contayned in these more absolute more cléere and more certain things then in the other or else vtterly giue no credit at all vnto the Scriptures The taunt which our Lord gaue to the vnbeléeuing disciples is right notable and woorthy of speciall remembrance Luke 24. when he said O ye fooles and slovv of hart to beleeue all those things vvhich the Prophets haue spoken The Scripture is able to make a man wise vnto saluation And now ensueth in the Apostle another reason no lesse euident why we ought only to beleue and stick fast to the Apostles doctrin and to the holy Scriptures Because saith he they are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith in christe Iesu The Philosophers haue disputed much of true and false Wisdome True wisdome and haue so entangled them selues with their chattering that they scarcely vnderstaÌ„d them selues and muche lesse reaped any frute of their disputations Paule dooth simply and truely deriue true Wisdome out of the Scriptures of God and out of the Apostles doctrine For God béeing moste excellent wise dooth very often in his woord call his commaundements and the doctrine set foorth in his lawe and by the Prophets true Wisdome And Moyses béeing elder then those men whom the Gretians call moste ancient namely Homer and Hesiodus and the Battel of Troy and also béeing much more excellent then Hercules Museus Linus Orpheus Mercurius Apollo and the other Gods of the Gentiles or then euen the holy Soothsayers elder also then the wise men of Greece Much more ancient then Plato and Aristotle dooth expresly say in Deuteronomy Deu. 4. You shall keep and doo the commaundements of the Lord for this is your wisdome and vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these ordinances and shall say This people only is wise and hath vnderstanding a famous Nation But the Apostles also at this present dooth shew that saluation is the end and also the frute of true wisdoÌ„ saying VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluation But without the true saluation of man what shall auaile I pray you the empty name and vain title of wisedome Wisdome is the knoweledge of things diuine and humain and moste chéefely of those things by which we may knowe the highest good euen God him self and therwithall to be ioyned togither with Christe The which indeed is true blessednes and the highest felicitie And now I omit to rehearse how that out of this knowledge of God springeth righteousnesse and the looue and exercise of true vertue and of all deeds that are truely good But the Scripture and doctrine of the Apostles abundantly suffiseth to giue this Wisdome and true saluation Therfore it becommeth vs to content our selues with the same Yea it is expedient for vs to bestowe all our life and all our labour vppon those holy books to depend wholly vppon them to direct all our saylings and all our waies by the same as by a moste infallible and moste sure lâ—de Starre to run and flée wholy vnto them as to a moste safe Sanctuary For Dauid cryeth out and witnesseth saying Blessed is the man that delighteth in the lawe of the Lord Psal 1. and ernestly studieth in the same bothe day and night Luke 11. For the Lord sayeth also in the Gospel Blessed are they that hear the woord of God and keepe the same And in deed this shal be the onely and safest way to escape all perils of al times and all deceits and legerdemain yea euen the moste sharp and cruel of this our last age But because saluation might be hoped for by this heauenly wisdome and also by the reading and bare knoweledge of the holy Scriptures or els by the merits of the vertues whiche we haue learned out of the Scriptures therfore in déed very godly and Apostolikely he addeth and sayth Saluation coÌ„meth by faith in Christe Through faith in Christe Iesu Therfore saluation is learned out of the Scriptures because it consisteth in Christe alone And Christe who is the bread of life the saluation and fulnes of the Saints dooth onely and alone giue true saluation But true faith béeing instructed by the spirite of God and by the holy Scriptures receiueth the same Saluation therfore is to be attributed vnto faith not to any other thing but yet not to euery faith but only vnto the same that commeth vnto vs by the grace and benefit of the holy spirit the which we lerne out of the Scriptures the true wisdome of God which extendeth and is staied vpon the aâ—only sonne of God who is our onely moste absolute most assured and eternal righteousnes redemption satisfaction sanctification life and fulnes But The end â—â—â—ft of the Scriptures as soon as the Apostle hath expounded these things very elegantly and plainly he sheweth what is the end and mark to the which we must direct all
the reading of the holy Scriptures that is to say to learn faith euen faith in Christe who is our life and saluation To that very end did Iohn the Apostle stretch foorth all his whole story of the Gospel while concluding the same he sayeth These things are written to the intent ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that beleeuing yee might haue life in his name Consequently the Apostle procéedeth with a short praise The praise of holy Scripture but yet notable comprehending many thinges and therfore worthy to be remembered to commend vnto vs the Canonicall Scriptures not somuch to prooue them to suffise to the learning and attaynment of saluation as with them to glue fast togither the mindes of all men while we all vnderstand that there remaineth vtterly no whit of sound profitable wholesome and necessary doctrin but the same is handled and taught moste perfectly in the holy Scriptures Therfore Paule the Apostle pronounceth and sayeth All Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are profitable to teach c. And hée plainly sayeth All Scriptures For if thou shalt diligently read and consider euery of the Bookes of holy Scripture bée they neuer so short thou shalt finde in euery of them all these things that are héer recited that is to say that euery one of them is able to teach to reprooue to amend and to instruct But very skilfully he addeth Theopneustos giuen by the inspiration of God The Scripture is giuen by the insprâ—tion of God For there be extant euery where authors and bookes innumerable béeing not inspired of God but set foorth by the wil of man with the which wee haue héer nothing to doo For the holy bookes haue this thing proper and peculâ—ar to them selues alone namely that they be giuen by inspiration of God as I haue all ready said a little before And Peter also the Apostle testifieth saying No prophecy of the Scriptures hath any priuat interpretation 2. Peter 1. For the Scripture came neuer by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghoste And in this point are all our Canonicall or holy Books discerned from the vnholy and prophane books of all other wise men And it is a principle of our religion and of our faith namely that the Scriptures are giuen by the Inspiration of God Wherby it commeth to passe that this saying is very often read in the prophets Thus saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god of hosts Moste truely therfore Iosephus albeit he was a Iew speaking of the Books of the olde Testament against Appio Alexandrinus in his first Booke sayeth thus Wee haue no infinit number of Bookes amongst vs dissagreeing and repugnaunt one to another but only xxij books wherin is regestred all the whole time to the whiche we iustly giue credit For it is manifest by our dooings how we beleeue our owne writings For in all these many hundred yeeres past no man hath presumed either to adde or to take away or to chaunge any thing For it is implanted in to all the Iewes euen from their cradles to talke of these holy decrees and stedfastly to dwel in them and also if need require willingly to dye for the same With good cause therfore doo wée beléeue our books of the two Testaments without gainsaying and curious search or busie enquiry It suffiseth whatsoeuer the holy Scriptures shall say vnto vs if we rightly vnderstand the same For néed wée must beléeue it The profit of the holy Sciptures But now let vs heare to what vses the holy Scripture is profitable The Apostle recoueth vp iiij kindes and vnder them he comprehendeth all other the like For it is moste certain that there is nothing wanting in the holy Scriptures namely whatsoeuer it bée that séemeth to appertain to moste perfect wisdome and doctrine And first he saith That the Scripture giuen by the inspiration of God The Scripture teacheth is profitable to teach For indeed to vnderstand the true doctrine and wisdome it behooueth vs first of all to haue the right knowledge of things to the intent we may perceiue what and of what kinde euery thing is and so what God is what his wil is what he requireth of vs what we ought to doo and what we ought to leaue vndoon what the dutie is of the true worshipper of God what man is and what kinde of one he is what was his corruption and fall and what was his setting vp again what is the saluation of man in whom it consisteth and how they may obtain the same who is Christe what his redemption is how far it extendeth But there are infinite other such like things all which for so much as is sufficient vnto godlines and pietie the Canonicall Scripture dooth declare vnto vs and teach vs. Wherby we read in the Gospel that our Lord béeing so often demaunded how we should be saued what we shoulde doo to enter in to the kingdome of God which be the cheefest commaundements of God what our dutie requireth wherwith God is moste chéefly delighted did alwaies after one sorte make answere out of the holy Scripture and sent vs back to the holy Scripture The rich glutton béeing in Hel desiring to come out from thence and to teach and giue warning to his brethern Luke 16. he sendeth him back to the Lawe and to the Prophets that is to say all the faithful that desire to be instructed touching the iudgements of God and the state of Soules in another world he sendeth them back not vnto Ghostes or vnto spirits appéering in maÌ„nes shape but vnto the Scriptures Wheruppon Paule wrat vnto the Romaines Rom. 15 VVhatsoeuer things haue been written they were written for our lerning Let vs therfore take the necessary rules of our religion out of the scriptures And those things that are not taught in the Scriptures let vs not think them to be either necessary or holesome for vs. Moreouer in true wisdome it is requisit that wée bee taught nothing but that onely which is true and good and yet that wee shoulde vnderstand also what things are false and so resist the same The Scripture reproueth It foloweth therfore in the woordê of the Apostle that héerin also the Scripture is profitable Pros elenchon that is to say reproouing and to the conuiction and confutation of falshod finally to blaming to accusing and to sharp rebuking Therfore if any false Iugler or crafty deceiuer bring in an opinion vntrue and vngodly Heresies or confuted by the Scripture if hée corrupt the pure vnderstanding of the woord foorthwith the Scriptures ministreth holy arguments with which the godly may confute such a false deceiuer And after that sorte wée sée our Lord Iesus to haue doon in the Gospel who as often as either the Pharises or els the Saduces were to be confuted with the Swoord of the Scripture slew their false opinions
and interpretation Therfore are they moste foolish who think that hereticks cannot be ouer come by the Scriptures onely but that rather they are to be conuinced by councels and decrées of councelles or els by cursings For we finde that Paule the Apostle also in the acts of the Apostles did with stand and ouercome bothe the rebellious Iewes and also all the enemies of the Gospel with none other weapons then of the Scriptures And very well and in good time commeth héere to my remembrance a noble sentence of Saint Augustines which he vseth againste Maximinus the Arrian Heretick in his third Book and faith But now neither I ought to alledge the councel of Nice neither thou the councel of AriminuÌ„ as therby to obtaine the victory And neither I nor thou to be bound to the authoritie of this man or that man But by the authoritie of the Scriptures beeing witnesses not proper to any but common and indifferent to vs bothe let matter with matter cause with cause and reason with reason contend togither You sée therfore how Saint Augustines iudgement was that the detestable heresie of Arrius could be confuted by the Scriptures and not by councels But now at this day we haue the self same Scriptures What should set therfore but that we may with the Scriptures strongly conuince all errors and heresies whatsoeuer at what soeuer time they spring vp For the Apostle had said that the Scripture is méer for confutation Furthermore if there be any thing corrupted in the Church as many times the moste excellent ordinances of God are peruerted either by the rashnes The Scripure amendeth and reformeth or the superstition or the foolishnes of man it is necessary to be amended It foloweth therfore in the Apostle that héer also the Scripture is requisit Pros epanothosin that is to renew and as I may so say to make straight and amend The holy histories setteth foorth vnto vs in many and sundry places the vse and example of that thing For as often as the sinceritie and purenesse of Religion was defiled by the negligence wickednes ignorance and couetousnesse of the Rulers and the préests and then by God were sent Prophets and Kings to amend the errors that were generally receiued we read that they did none otherwise reforme and correct the Churche then acording to the form and rule of the diuine Scriptures The holy story of Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias wel inough knowen And also our Lord Iesus with holy Scripture correcteth the vices of his time corrupting holy Matrimonie He also purging the Temple of Ierusalem through the couetousnes of the préests filthily conuerted in to a market place dooth euen of his owne accorde bring foorth scriptures and sayeth It is written my house shal be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den for theeues Moreouer it behooueth them that are taught and reformed aright The Scripture kepeth vs in order to be kept vnder the rule of discipline and good order lest at any time they doo vnchristianly and vnshamefastly wax dissolute and carelesse Paule therfore dooth shewe that not somuche as in this behalfe also any thing can be lacking in holy Scripture For it is profitable saith hée Pros paideian that is vnto discipline and chastisement Zuor ziichtigung vnmeister scafft For it ministreth the perfect rules of life and sheweth sharp chastisements In dâ—â—d from thence did Esdras Nehemias fetch the right Discipline From â—â—ence did the Apostle fetch his doctrine as often as he reprooued the Churches that went aâ—ray into error whome he â—â—adeth into the way again and kéepeth them in order with the Scriptures What soeuer rules of life the Apostle prescribeth to euery degree euery kinde and to euery age the same he fetcheth out of the Scriptures Finally the holy Scripture dooth teache and instruct vs in all things in which we haue any néed of teaching or instruction The same dooth reprooue rebuke accuse drawe foorth conuince refute all kindes of errors heresies The same correcteth ameÌ„deth reformeth and finally keepeth vs vnder hâ—lâ— discipline lest we should wax â—â—â—sâ— and run at ryot and it is a moste perfect Canon and a moste sure and infallible rule of holy life and true saluation Therfore why should not the same suffise in the Church to gouern the men of this last age and to deliuer them from all corruptions Neither is there any cause why we shoulde take vnto vs the rules that is to say the reuoltings and Apostacies of the Munks There is no cause why we should beg or borow these things necessary to saluation els where out of the stinking puddles of men and out of the counterfet traditions and decrees of men The Fountain of liuing water is set foorth and laid open vnto vs of God But all those partes of godly wisdome and of christian doctrine The drift of the wisedome and doctrin of God are directed to a certain and an onely end and mark which the apostle addeth and sayeth In rightuousnesse But wee knowe that Christe is the righteousnes of the faithful To this end therfore all these things doo partain namely that Christe may liue in vs and we in him that he reconciling vs to God may take away our vnrightuousnesse and so giue his rightuousnesse vnto vs and that he may be our rightuousnesse before God the Father through whome afterwarde wée might walk in rightuousnes during our whole life with continuall repentance For as I haue shewed alredy this is the only end and scope of the whole Scriptures But neuerthelesse the purpose and meaning of the Apostles woords remainethe as yet vnperfet For the Apostle hath said All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to reprooue to amend to instruct in rightuousnes It foloweth that hée must make an end of the sentence and finish the matter That the man of God may be made perfect The Scripture fashioneth maketh perfect the true worshippers of god prepared vnto all good woorks All the partes of this doctrin saith hée doo tend to this end and doo woork this effect that he which wil be a faithful and perfect seruaunt of God may want nothing therunto but may obtain by the instruction of the Scriptures to be made perfect and prepared to euery good woork Let vs note wel in these woords of the Apostle yée reuerend Fathers and déer bretheren how that vnto the Scripture is manifestly attributed a moste absolute perfection against the madnes and furies of all men yea against the raging blasphemies of those that falsely affirm the same to be vnperfect and maimed and therfore méet to be patched vp with the rags of the traditions and decrées of the Church That the man of God saith Paule may be made Perfet Perfet I say Artios whole sounde absolute in all pointes and such a one as lacketh nothing at all What is it therfore that is néedful to be mended by these traditioners Moreouer he addeth
Prepared vnto euery good woork He saith not to one good woork or two or a few good woorks but to euery good woorke Exertismenos prepared perfited ended throughly trimmed vp Vsgebutzt made absolute and finished Nothing therfore remaineth for the Munks and Balles Traditioners that should by their inuentions be added now at the length after certain hundred yéeres to make the matter perfet The holy Scripture is moste absolute moste fully teaching all those things that belong to the attainment of godly life and saluation And the same is able throughly to fashion or instruct and make perfet the true worshipper of God The Scripture excelleth Philosophy also Héerin also the holy Scripture dooth far surmount all Philosophy and all Philosophers them selues muche more the papisticall Sophisters or traditioners of Ball. Very triuily and very truely spake Firmianus Lactantius that Christian Cicero concerning false wisdome in his third Booke of institutions the xxvi chapter Onely the heauenly doctrine saith he the which alone is wisedome bringeth to passe those things which the Philosophers were neuer able to doo The commaundements of God because they are sincere and pure of how great force they are in the harts of men dayly experience dooth shewe it Bring me a man inclined to anger il tunged vnruly and rash with a few of Gods words I wil make him as quiet as a lamb Bring me a couetous person a greedy scraper and a nigard hencefoorth wil I make him liberall Bring me one that is feareful of death and of pain straight way he wil despise hothe Gallowes and fire and daungers yea the torments of the brasen bul Bring me him that is a lecherer and adulterer a ruffian and a royater hencefoorth shall thou see him sober chaste and continent Bring me a cruel person and one that thirsteth after blood soon shall that fury bee chaunged into clemency and mercy Bring me an vniust man vnwise and sinful he shall be straightway iust wise innocent and harmlesse So great is the might of godly wisdome that beeing powred into the hart of man it wil at once euen with one push expell and driue out foolishnes the mother of all sin Hath euer yet hitherto any of the Philosophers performed these things or if he were willing were he able to doo it Who when they haue spent their whole time in the studie of Philosophy yet neuerthelesse are not able if nature do a litle withstand it to make them selues or any others the better therwith Their wisdom therfore how much soeuer it can doo yet dooth it not roote out vices but hide them But a fewe of Gods commaundements doo so throughly and wholly chaunge a manne and by garnishing the olde doo so make him newe that thou canst not knowe him to bee the same man he was But these very trim sayings of Lactantius doo very much make to the praise of our holy Scriptures or of the woord of God The which woord in déed excelleth infinitly the wisdome of the world be it neuer so absolute and perfet So that this chosen speciall Apostle of Christe with very good cause would haue all the faithful in all things to haue respect only to the woord of God and to cleue fast vnto the same euen to the very last breth Conclusion Moreouer now it should remain for me to gather those things in to a short summe whiche I haue hitherto expounded somewhat at large and to stir vp your mindes to a moste feruent study and looue of the holy Scriptures that béeing instructed and prepared yée might be the better able to kéep the flock committed to your charge from those perils of these our daies that be the last and therfore moste corrupt moste miserable and ful of all calamities But séeing that through the singuler grace giuen vnto you from the Lord ye be otherwise vigilant and watchfull and doo vnderstand and féele also to how greate and what kinde of daungers we are layde open and oppressed with all whiche cannot any way but onely by feruent prayers vnto God and sincere and diligent doctrine taken out of the Scriptures be put back driuen away or be made vnhurtful to the godly I wil now conclude with the holy and vehement woords of the blessed Apostle which he Ioyneth immediatly to those which I haue all ready rehersed and expounded He speaking to euery one of vs sayeth I beseech thee therfore before God and before our Lord Iesus Christe who shall iudge the quick and the dead at his appeering in his kingdom preach the woord be feruent in season out of season reprooue rebuke exhorte with all long suffering and doctrine For the time wil come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but after theire owne lusts shall they whose eares itch get them an heap of Teachers and shall turn their eare from the trueth vnto fables But watch thou in all things and suffer aduersitie and doo the woorks of an Euangelist fulfill thine office to the vttermoste But because euery good gift and euery perfect gift commeth from aboue descending from the Father of light making our humble petitions vnto him let vs aske of him those things whiche are necessary to the performing of this businesse waighty indéede and hard And let vs pray Our Father which art in Heauen c.
Of the end of the world and iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christe to come and of the moste perillous dangers of this our moste corrupt age and by what meanes the godly may auoid the harmes therof two sermons preached in latin in the assembly of the clergie by Henry Bullinger and now sorely englished by Thomas Potter ¶ Heerin are expounded the words of our sauiour Mat. 24. touching the end of the world the last iudgmeÌ„t Also the words of DaÌ„â—elin the 7. chap. coÌ„cerning the most troublesoÌ„e kingdoÌ„e of the Pope the end therof Finally the woords of the Apostle 2. Tim. 5. concerning the perils of the last times and the excellency and fulnes of holy Scripture Imprinted at London at the long shop in the Pultrie by Iohn Allde Of the end of the world the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christe to come and of the moste gréeuous perils of this our moste corrupt age or time ⧠The first Sermon of Henry Bullinger THE matter it self requireth and the examples bothe of the Prophets and also of the Apostles doo instruct vs that all our Ecclesiasticall preachings doctrines I mean admonitions rebukings exhortations counsails and comfortings are to be framed according to the time And moreouer that all Ecclesiasticall dooings are to be referred vnto edifying But if wée should now intreat and speak as the present time requireth and to the prophet of vs all who are moste of vs ministers of the Church and therefore are wee moste cheefely assembled héere to th'entent somewhat should bée said concerning the duety of our office that is moste principally requisit to knowe there appéereth to vs no matter more profitable nor more necessary then to admonish your holinesse ye Fathers and brethern honorable and most déerly beloued of the consummation of the world The preposition and the finall iudgement of Christe Iesus our Lord. And also as our speciall duty requireth diligently and ernestly to stir vp the people of Christe committed to our charge vnto a sober watchfulnes lest sudainly and vnwares the day of the Lord steale vppon them which vndoutedly cannot be far of and which our elders afore vs teachers in the Church abooue a thousand or ix hundred yéeres past did think to be at hand How much rather ought we vppon whom the ends of the world are come who also haue most manifestly séenful filled very many of the Prophesies that haue been set foorth concerning the end of the world and the things that should come to passe immediatly before the day of Iudgement to lift vp our heds knowing that our redemption euen now draweth néer Christe Iesus our Lord béeing yet a fauourable high Préest of the faithful on the right hand of his father but héerafter at the last a moste seuere and yet moste iust iudge of all the whole world graunt mée habilitie to speak duly vnto you and you grace plentifully to heare with frute to the glory of his name and edifying of his Church And because blessed Peeter the Apostle the cheef teacher of this Church and moste faithful Disciple of Iesus Christe our Lord saith If any man speak let him speak as the sayings of God I wil studiously indeuour to shewe foorth and with as much plainnes as I may to open my whole matter euen with the woords of Christe our Lord and with the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles For the holy Prophets in whom was the Spirite of Christe Daniel moste chéefely and Zacharias omitting Esay Ezechiel haue most diligently and copiously instructed the Church of God with their prophesies concerning the latter times of the world and the iudgement of Christe our Lord to come But Christe our Lord the light and fulfilling of the lawe and the Prophets hath so largely and so manifestly debated of these matters that if any man doo yet desire a more plain exposition may séem to séek at the Sun béeing of it self moste bright shining a light much brighter The ê“phecy of Christ touching the end of the world and the maner of the last dayes He béeing demaunded of his Disciples in the mouÌ„t Oliuet and in the sight of the most famoê° Citie of Hierusalem what should be the token of his coÌ„ming and of the end of the world Made answere That the holy Citie of Hierusalem should first of all be taken and laid flat to the ground and that the Iewes them selues should be led captiue into all nations Wath 24 And that the Gospel of the kingdome should be receiued of all natioÌ„s throughout the whole world And that afterward should false Prophets go abrode who with false doctrine and faied miracles should deceiue the world that vvith such prohability happy successe that euen the very elect should haue combrance thervvith Among other things he resiteth False teachers and false Christes and euen those Antichristes also that should forsake the very true Christe the sonne of the eternall God and should not sincerely vnto the faithful shew him foorth sitting on the right hand of his father but in the earth in the desert in sundry and diuers places and also euen En tois temeios that is to say in close and secret places in Chests and Ambries For the Grecians call Temeia secret and wel fenced places where treasures are laid vp also the hidden and priuy places of a house and the very Ambry or Spence And the little Sacrament houses diligently fenced with Locks and boltes the Popes men call them Ambries As sure as God is in the Ambry out of the which as out of an Ambry they bring foorth Viaticum their viage prouision or Howzel as they call it But our Lord in the Gospel with loud voice crieth out saying Do not beleeue them doo not go foorth doo not beleeue them Beeholde I haue tolde you before And héeer he addeth by and by that greeuous persecutions shall arise against the godly He saith that there shal be great troubles that there shall appeer tokens in the Sun in the moon and in the starres that some shal be greeued vvith great peÌ„ciuenes through despair that soÌ„e beeing dissolute vvaÌ„ton through to much a certain carelesse securitie shall be in that last day ouervvhelmed that the vvorld shal be about the end altogither such as it vvas before the flud in the daies of Loth vvhile the Giants Sodomites lay sleeping and snorting quietly in the dung of vvickednesse despising all the good admonitions of God giuen vnto them by the holy Fathers in so much the destruction came vpon them vnlooked for Paule the Apostle of Christe speaking also of that vngodly securitie 2. Thesse 5. Of the times saith hee at vvhat momeÌ„t our Lord vvil come to execute iudgement there is no need for mee to vvrite vnto you brethern For you your selues do plainly knovve that the day of the Lord vvil come as a theef in the night For vvhen they shall say peace and quiet safetie then
yéeres and half a yéere in which Antichriste should rain and then afterward should be quite abolished But the doctrine of the Gospel is repugnant to that interpretation which constantly affirmeth that the day of iudgement is knowen vnto no man And Daniel also in the self same chapter saith that the beast shall rage vntil the seats be prepared that is euen vntil the day of iudgement And that he shall then be thrown down hedlong in to the déep pit of Hel and also that the faithful shal be deliuered and glorified who haue for Christes cause sustained all kindes of punishments Verily Paule agréeing with Daniel VVhom our Lord saith he shall put away with the brightnesse of his comming But who can certainly declare vnto vs the time of Christes comming that is the day of Iudgement But hée which shall say that Antichriste shall reign iij. yéeres and a half and straight wayes after be abolished may seeme to declare it plainly For the end of Antichristes kingdome is the very last day of the finall Iudgement Therfore by that dark kinde of speaking no time certain is appointed But rather the godly are admonished of patience and long suffering and that we should not ouer curiously séeke out the very moment of this time but rather refer it vnto Christe who saieth in an other place vnto his Disciples It belongeth not to you to knowe the times and moments of times which the father hath reserued vnto him self But vvatch ye that when your Lord shall come he may finde you vvaking After these things Daniel moste plentifully witnesseth that the world shal be at an end and that the day of iudgemēt shall certainly come and throwe down Antichriste in to Hel. Vpon which treatise Christ our Lord hath set foorth a large Commentary and an exposition by the hands of Iohn his Apostle in the xix and xx chapters of the Apocalips the which I leaue vnto your diligence to be serched out and for brevities sake I doo not ouer busily sift out this matter The conclusion And now I suppose it appéereth vnto you by the moste cleere doctrine of Iesus Christe our Lord and also by the euident sayings of the moste holy Prophets of God and by the plain interpretation of the moste select and chosen Apostles of Christe Finally the manifest comparison of the things them selues which partely the Histories doo testifie to haue béen doon a long time agoe and partly we sée them dayly come to passe before oure eyes that the Prophecyes of the last time are now all ready fulfilled and that therfore the day of our Lord is at hand and our redemption approcheth néere Wherby I think you all doo vnderstand that your duties require you to admonish to exhorte and instantly to call vppō and vrge the faithful to watch and lift vp their heads shaking away all drowsines And that they looke for none other signes nor other times but to beleeue the Gospel the Prophets and Apostles and the very things them selues apparent before the eyes of all men and also that they wait not for any other Antichriste to come but to take now good héed to them selues of him that is now presently reigning and troubling all things to flée vnto Christe Iesus who is the fulnes of the faithful and in him to séek all things pertaining to our saluation to depend wholy vppon his mouth and vppon his help to haue respect vnto him alone to depart from all vncleannesse to liue godly and honestly and moste chéefly to beware of vngodly securitie and careles negligence and also of drunkennesse bothe spirituall and corporall that when the Iudge our Lord Iesus Christe shall appéere in the clouds of Heauen with great power and glory we may ioyfully be taken vp in to the aire to meet him and so alwaies liue with our Lord. To whom be glory for euer FINIS ¶ THE SECOND Sermon of Henry Bullinger teaching by the woords of the Apostle 2. Timothe 3. after what sorte the godly may auoid the harms of the moste perillous daungers in this our last age RIght notable is the place of the Apostle Paule which in the latter epistle to Timothe and the third Chapter is woord by woord after this sort But perseuer thou in those things which thou hast learned and vvhich haue been committed vnto thee knowing of vvhom thou hast learned them and for that also thou hast knowen holy Scriptures from a childe vvhich are able to make thee vvise vnto saluation through faith in Christe Iesu For all Scriptures giuen by inspiratiō of God are profitable to teach to reprooue to amend to instruct in rightuousnesse that the mā of God may be perfet preparad to all good vvorks The Scriptures set foorth euen to our eyes The bountiful goodnes of God toward mankinde shineth foorth in many things but moste chéefly in that that he hath so measured the doctrin of our saluation which he committed to the world by moste excellent men that it is agréeable not onely to the same time in which it was first set foorth by the prophets and Apostles but vnto vs also vppon whom the ends of the worlde are come And truely all the moste holy cumpany of the Prophets and Apostles with one consent doo testifie that the last times shal be of all other moste perillus They doo moste diligently and copiously not onely describe those daungers but also set them foorth before our eyes to be seene to that end no dout that the godly should not be entangled and perish in euil and in perils The argument and drift of the matter Of that number is Paule the vessel of election who at this present procéeding in moste godly order dooth first of all very diligently showe foorth the daungers of this our last age Afterward hée declareth a remedy wherby the godly may escape the harmes therof The thing is not onely elegant notable and wholesome but also very necessary moste chéefly for vs and our time Therfore haue I chosen this place to entreat of now before you ye honorable fathers and bretheren moste déerly beloued in our Lord that beeing instructed with the doctrin of the Apostles we may through the spirite of God be strengthened in true godlinesse and he able to deliuer out of daungers the flock of our Lord committed to our charge the Lord blessing our labours Our Lord assist vs with his grace and direct vs alwaies in the way of saluation But The description of the euil acts daungers recited in the Scriptures like as the Phisitions in their books doo moste diligently describe euen such diseases as are moste filthy not to the intent to praise and commend them or els allow them but to th'nd they may be exactly knowne and the more perfectly cured so the Scripture in this present place infinite others doth moste manifestly reherse mischeuous deeds euen such as are to be abhorred and not to be named without sir reuerence not to the
intent to teach and commend the same but to the end wee might knowe them the better iudge therof not according to the flesh but according to the spirite of God and also that we might warely auoid them And more ouer apparently beholding those things to be fulfilled in the world which the holy Prophets of God and the Apostles of Christe haue foretolde should come to passe we might vnderstand that those times are now at hand corrupted and perillous and for that cause should pray the more ernestly and watch the more diligently The Apostle therfore about the beginning of the Chapter a litle before the words that I haue resited dooth reherse in a loÌ„g beadroll diuers wicked acts and wicked men And saith that all ages all kindes and all degrees of men in this our last time shall be moste corrupt The discrption of the manners or men of the last age This knovve thou saith he that in the last daies shall come moste hard and perillous times For men shal be loouers of them selues standing greatly in their ovvne conceits and seeking for their owne gaine louers of their owne gaine louers of money scraping the same by hook and by crooke not refraining from very sacriledge nor from moste filthy Simony Men shal be very disdainful puffed vp proude and vain glorious also blasphemers moste cheefly against God secondly against holy men and against the trueth it felt and against holy things They shal be disobedient to their Fathers to their mothers to their magistrats to their maisters and to their teachers beeing not onely vnthankful to God and to men but also requiting good turnes vvith euil They shal be vvicked men such as haue no fear nor reuerence and such as impudeÌ„tly run hedloÌ„g vnto all kind of mischeuoê° acts They shal be Astorgoi vvithout any harty and feruent charitie vvithout any zelus remorse of loue godlines and humanitie not louing somuch as those that be neer vnto theÌ„ as Fathers mothers Children VViues and kinsfolkes But bitter cruel and vngentle endued vtterly vvith vvilde and vnciuil manners vvho also haue not the common sence and remorse of nature measuring all things by affection by couetousnes by ambition and greedy desire They shal be vnmindeful of their couenaÌ„ts of their faith of their bargaines and of their promises beeing vnfaithful and moste vain and vtterly inconstant and moste light persons finally back biters and slanderers scoffers and mockers of holy good honest thiÌ„gs peruerting also things vvel spoken into a peruerst meaning and vvresting things after their levvd affections that are singly and plainly vttered They shal be vvanton and outragious namely in the apparel of their bodies in buildings in garments in meat and drink filthy gluttoÌ„s drounckerds whoremongers adulterers and Sodomits proud Pecoks nice and folish Phrigians They shal be moreouer Anemeroi vngentle vnciuil rude barbarous and euen vvilde men rowe wild vndfihisch lijt therfore Aphilagathoj such as greatly regard not or looue not good and honest men neither delight in their company For as they abhorre the best things and accustome themselues to the vvorst so they cannot abide a faithful Counceller Therfore they shall betray these men that looue trueth and godlines They shall doo no thing sincerely and vncorruptly but shall intangle all things vvith practises as they call them vvith crafty fetches and traitorly suttleties Moreouer they shal be heddy and vvilful dooing nothing by the rule of reason and iudgement but all things rashly stoutly and obstinately For they shal be of a minde altogither proud puffed vp and svvelling They shall looue their pleasures more then God him self and godly things For they shall conuert the very religion in to gaine to the intent they may haue to bestovve vppoÌ„ their pleasure Certes thou maist sée very many that more hartily delight in Tauernes then in Temples doo more estéeme the furnished daintie yea drunken feasts then ecclesiasticall preachings sober and ful of the spirite of God For the matter is now come to this point that moste men haue in déede an outward shewe and resemblance of godlinesse and will be called moste holy moste spirituall moste catholike moste right belonging and very good Christians but yet in the mean season they lack the vertue and power of godlines and true Religion and are moste vaine Hipocrites and dissemblers men without all religion and humanitie abominable and execrable And hitherto hath the Apostle declared these things concerning the corrupt men that shal be in the last time and the naughty conditions of all kindes of all ages and of all degrées But haue not the Prophets and euen Iesus Christe him self the Lord of Prophets foreshewed these things also before hand For in the Gospel omitting the Prophets he speaking moste manifestly said Luke 18. But vvhen the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith vppon the Earth Math. 24. And again Iniquitie shall vtterly abound and the looue of many shall abate And yet again moste manyfestly As were the daies of Noe saith hée so shall be also the comming of the sonne of man For as they were in the daies before the flud eating and drinking marying and maried euen vnto the day when Noe entred into the Arke and knewe of nothing vntill the Flud came and tooke them all awaiy so shal be the comming of the Sonne of man Luke 17. In like manner also as it happened in the daies of Loth they did eat drink bie sel plant and build But what day as Loth went foorth from the Sodomits it rained fire and brimstone from Heauen and destroyed them all so shal be also the day in vvhich the Sonne of man sbalbe reueled Wherfore there is no cause to shew forth in many woords what kinde of men they were in the daies of Noe and Loth seeing our Lord him self hath most plentifully declared the same vnto vs namely that they were men altogither carnall vtterly despising diuine and holy things séeking nothing but carnall matters so that they might séem to degenerate or be turned in to certain brute and wilde beastes But who can deny that such are at this day the greatest parte of the common people and the nobilitie and rulers and almoste all wise men Beholde what Kings and Princes doo and also the spiritual fathers like wise the learned and excellent men in the world Harken what the common people talketh of Religion of rightuousnesse of honestie and of the hope of the world to come You shal be forced to cry out with the Prophet and say There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. There is none that hath vnderstanding There is none that seeketh after God All are turned aside and are become vnprofitable There is none that dooth good no not one Their throte is an open Sepulchre they haue vsed their tungs vnto disceit and the poyson of Asps is vnder their lips whose mouth is ful of curssing and bitternes their feet are swift to