An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians by the reuerend Father Iohn Ievvel ... ; vvhereunto is adioined a very necessarie table of the principal matters contained in this exposition.

¶ The Second Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Thessalonians.

CHAP. I.

PAule, and Syluanus, and Timo∣theus, vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God our father, and in our Lord Iesus Christ.

IN the former Epistle, hée wrote somewhat touching the latter day and the com∣ming of our Lord to iudge∣ment, and saide, that that daie shall come as a théefe in the night: and therefore arborted them to watch, and praie, and to prepare themselues to be in a readinesse.

The false Apostles did fondly and malitiou∣sly mistake his wordes: and deuised meanes thereby to disquiet the mindes of the faithfull, and to trouble the Church of God. Thus could the Prince of darkenesse, the olde Serpent, and deceiuing spirite, turne the truth of God into occasion of slander. In the meane while the Apostle was farre off from them at A∣thens. But when he heard of their case, hée sent vnto them this other Epistle, where∣in hée declareth more plainely that matter which before séemed doubtfull, and séeketh to satisfie their hearts, and to remooue them from that errour, which they had concei∣ued.

In discourse hereof, he taketh occasion to speake of Antichrist, of whome wée heare much, and haue had warning often. Hée tel∣leth vs, that he shall come in working of signes, and wonders: that he is the man of sinne which shal thrust himselfe into the place of Christ. Hée sheweth who is Antichrist, and how we may know him, what things hée shall doe, what credite he shall haue in the worlde: and by what power hée shall be ouer∣throwne and confounded. After this he spea∣keth of idlenesse, and of bodily labour, and requireth euerie man to liue in the sweate of their browes, and in painefull trauel, as God

hath ordeined. Other comfortable, and neces∣sarie doctrine is del•…•…uered in this epistle, as wil appeare. The whole matter of the epistle is so fit for these dayes in which we liue, as if it were purposely written for vs. For we liue in the later age of the worlde: and it cannot be but the end of al thinges is at hande, and that the glorious appearing of our Lorde shal b•…•… shortly.

Paule, and Syluanus, and Timotheus. This Epistle was sent, not onely from Paule, but also from Timothie, and Syluanus. These thrée were al guided by one •…•…pirite, and had al one like care for the Church of GOD. Therefore he writeth thus, Paule, and Syl∣uanus, and Timotheus, the seruauntes of God, chosen from our mothers wombe, and appointed to publishe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to carie his name before Kinges, and Princes: and especially, I Paule, which am your father, and hau•…•… begotten you in Christ: which was sometimes a blasphemer, and did persecute the faithful: whom it plea∣sed GOD to make a chosen vessel for him∣selfe: which am also hated of my brethren and kinsmen after the fleshe for the Gospels sake: and which am readie to giue my life for your behalfe.

Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians,

which is in God our father &c. You are (sayth he) the beloued of God, you are his people, and he hath assured his mercie vnto you: you haue the promise, and the earnest of the life to come. Here let vs marke the state of that countrie, as it was then, and compare it with it selfe as it is now. Then it was the church of God: for otherwise S. Paule would not so haue called it, according to the grace of God giuen vnto him he layde the foundation, he planted and wa∣tred their hearts, and God gaue the increase. So that they receiued the worde in much a•…•…tion: and the worde of the Gospel sounded from them not only in Macedonia, & Achaia, but their faith towardes God was spread also abroade in al quarters. In such sort were they a Vessel sanoified vnto honour, ful of blessing, and ful of the mercie, and grace of God.

But what is become of that countrey? In what case standeth the church of Thessalonica at this day? It is now the Sinagogue of Sa∣than, vnder the tyrannie of the Turke, and such as are enemies of the crosse of Christ. Such a change hath the right hande of the Lord wrought in that place, which hath some∣times béene his holie Tabernacle. I thought good to marke this, that we might vnderstand how vaine a thing it is, to put confidence in ci∣ties

or churches, or in y^e names of our fathers.

The Church of Thessalonica, whose founda∣tion was surely built by S. Paule himselfe, for which he was so careful, vnto which he wrate special letters to commende their increase in godlinesse, and their stedfastnesse in the Gos∣pel, is forsaken, and laide wast. If the worke which the spirite of God wrought by the A∣postle, be decayed, whose work may we thinke shal stande? Ieremie spake vnto the people of the Jewes, saying, Trust not in lying wordes, * 1.1 saying, the Temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord. That temple GOD himselfe commaunded to be built, the forme and fashion thereof God him∣selfe deuised, and appointed, therein he placed his Tabernacle, and sette vp his mercie seate, therein he shewed foorth his maiestie, and the glorie of his countenaunce. Yet, al this not∣withstanding, God saide by the prophet, trust not in these wordes, they be lying words, and wil deceiue you.

As the Prophet spake of the temple at Ie∣rusalem so may it be sayde of any other church throughout the worlde. So may it be saide of the Churche of Rome. Wée may say, trust not in lying wordes, saying, the church of Rome, the Church of Rome. Say not thus with your selues, the Church of Rome

is built vpon a rocke so surely that it can not be moued, or that no winde can shake it: say not, the faith of that Church can neuer faile. These be lying wordes, trust not in them, for Christ neuer spake any such thing of y^e church of Rome. It neuer had promise of more special priuiledge, than was giuen to the Church at Thessalonica. Reade the Scriptures, beholde the words of our Sauiour, and consider them, yen shal finde no spéech made of the Church of Rome, nor any promise, nor péece of promise, wherein he bindeth himselfe more to y^e church of Rome, than he hath done to other churches, or to this of Thessalonica.

Thessalonica was beautiful in the sight of God, the Lorde of hostes had pitched his tentes rounde about her, the name of the most bolie was placed in the middest of her, shée enioyed like spirituall peace and prosperitie, as did the Ierusalem of the almightie: she was as a Citie fenced within it selfe: but the Lord hath taken away the light of his counte∣naunce from her, shée hath forsaken the waies of righteousnesse, she hath left off to serue the Lorde, and is become the place which the Lorde hath forsaken: there is scarce anie rem∣nant left there of those which call vppon the name of our saluation, and loue the Lorde Iesus with an vnfained heart. This is the

Lordes doing, and it is marueilous in our eyes. And is his hande shortned, that he can∣not, or is his zeale abated that he wil not, in like seueritie deale with such as forsake him? If he spared not the natural braunches, if Ie∣rusalem were ouerthrowne because of her ini∣quities, it cannot be that hee wil spare other places, that doe the like, but that they shal also be cut off. This is it that our Sauiour hath saide in the Gospel by S. Mathewe, Therefore say I vnto you, the kingdome of God shal be taken from you, and shal be giuen to a nation, which shal bring foorth the fruites thereof. Such terrible, & dreadful examples hath God layde before our eyes, to kéepe vs in his feare, and in a•…•…e of his iudgements.

V. 2. Grace be with you, and peace, from GOD our Father, and from the Lorde Iesus Christ.

This is the salutation of Paule, in al his E∣pistles: to say, I wish that the blessing, and fa∣nour, and loue of God may light vppon you. But for the better consideration hereof, & that we may know how earnestly we ought to pray vnto God for this grace and peace, which the Apostle wisheth to the Churches: let vs looke into our selues, and sée how miserable we are, if wee be left voyde of this grace, and if God take his holy spirite away from vs. By nature

what are we other, than the bonde slaues of sinne? We are not able to lift vp our eyes in∣to heauen, nor to beléeue in GOD, nor to praise him, nor to cal vppon his name. We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues. Vnlesse hee open our lippes, wee cannot shewe foorth his prayse: Vnlesse hée heale our deafenesse, we cannot giue care to his worde: Vnlesse he giue vs vnderstanding heartes, wee cannot take •…•…owledge of his wil. Destruction, and vnhappinesse, sayth the Prophet Dauid, are in * 1.2 their wayes, and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes, speaking of such as had not recey∣ued the fauour and grace of God to guide and direct them. And by the Prophet Malachie God vttereth his displeasure against them, saying, I haue no pleasure in you, sayeth the * 1.3 Lorde of hostes, neither wil I accept an offring at your handes.

Therefore the Apostle prayeth, that they may receiue such measure of Gods grace, as may quench in them the fierie dartes of the wicked, and enhable them to holde fast that worthie thing, that is committed vnto them, and may kéepe them holic and vndefiled, a∣gainst the glorious comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

V. 3. Wee ought to thanke God alwayes for you, bretheren as it is meete, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the loue of euerie one of you towardes another aboun∣deth.

4. So that we our selues reioice of you in the church of God, because of your patience, and fayth in al your persecutions, and tribulations, that ye suffer.

God hath wrought this good worke of faith, and loue, and pacience in your hearts: he wil make it prosper, and encrease. It is he which hath put this fire in you, and he wil make it burne. Hee hath layde his leauine in the dough or meale of your heart, and wil make it heauie, and worke, vntill al be leauined. Hée wil make you abounde more and more, and wil bring to a good ende the thing he hath be∣gonne.

Your faith groweth exceedingly. This is the wil of God, that we ware and encrease in al holinesse. Hereby we know, whether we be of God or no. We may not stand at a stay, but must be renewed. One sayth, in via virtutis qui nō proficit, deficit. Whosoeuer mendeth not him self in the practise of vertue, he groweth worse. God hath placed vs in a race to run: we must so run that we may attaine the price. We are graffes of y^e Lords planting, we must grow to

the heigh and breadth of a trée, and bring foorth fruit. We are pilgrimes and strangers, and passe by the wildernesse of this world, in∣to our heauenly resting place: wee may not stay by the way, but must remoue our tentes, and continually march on forwarde, vntill that day come, when wee shall enter into the lande of promise.

So that we our selues reioyce of you in the Church of God, &c. Your faith is not onelie true, and pure, but setled, and constant. For you continued stedfast in the middest of per∣secution: you haue béene tormented, and iuf∣fred afflictions in your bodie, by the handes of tyrauntes: yet could they neuer remoue you, from your faith in our sauiour Iesus Christ, nor from your obedience to the wil of God. You knowe, that al which wil liue godly in * 1.4 Christ Iesus, shal suffer persecution. Yet are you comforted, and say as the prophet Dauid, The Lord is with me, therefore I wil not feare, * 1.5 what man can doe vnto me. You cannot for∣get who it is that saide, Whosoeuer shal con∣fesse * 1.6 me before men, him wil I confesse also be∣fore my father which is in heauen. But who∣soeuer shal denie mee, I wil also denie him be∣fore my father which is in heauen. He that lo∣seth his life for my sake, shal finde it. He that endureth vnto the ende, he shal be saued. And

•…•…gnien, Blessed shal ye be, whē men reuite you, * 1.7 and persecute you, and saie al maner of euill a∣gainst you, for my sake, falsely. Reioice and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen. For so persecuted they the Prophets, which were be∣fore you.

V. 5 Which is a manifest token of the righ∣•…•…eous iudgement of God, that ye may be coun∣ted worthie of the kingdome of God, for the which ye also suffer.

6 For it is a righteous thing with God, to re∣compence tribulation, to them that trouble you.

7 And to you, which are troubled, rest with vs, when the Lord Iesus shal shew himself from heauen, with his mightie Angels,

8 In flaming fire, rendring vengeance vnto them, that doe not knowe, and which obey not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ.

9 Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power.

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be made maruelous in al them that beleeue, because our testimonie towards you was beleeued in that daie.

Many are the troubles which the righteous men do suffer, but the Lord wil deliuer them.

After-Paul and Barnaba•…•… had preached the gla•…•… tidings of the gospel, they confirmed the di•…•…∣ples hearts, and exhorted them to con•…•…inue in * 1.8 the faith, and said, that we must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdom of God. We must not therefore be afraid for anie terror of them which trouble vs for righteousnes sake: but rather looking ouer, and beyond them, we must reioice, and giue thankes to God, who hath made vs worthie not onelie to beléeue in him, but also to suffer for his sake, For wee * 1.9 know that if our earthlie house of this taberna∣cle be destroied, we haue a building giuen of God, an house not made with hands, but eter∣nall in the heauens. These persecutions and tribulations, which you suffer, are a manifest token (saith the Apostle) of Gods loue towards * 1.10 you. For, whom the Lord loueth, he chastneth: and he scourgeth euerie son that he receiueth. The Prophets, and Apostles, and Martires, which were not onlie reuiled and scourged, but beheaded, cut in péeces, drowned in the wa∣ters, consumed in the the fire, or by anie other de•…•…ises of tyrants, cruelly put to death, did by this waie receiue the manifest token of their happie and blessed estate, and by this way did enter into the kingdome of God. Athanasius an antient father teck•…•…neth the suffering of per∣secution, to be a special note of a Christian m•…•…

saying: Cad•…•… Christianorū proprium est: c•…•…dere au∣•…•… * 1.11 christionos, Pilati & Caiphae officia sunt. It is the part of Christians to be persecuted: but to per∣secute the Christians, it is the verie office of Pi∣late and Ca•…•…aphas.

The Lord is not vniust, but al his workes are righteousnesse & truth. Their little & short tribulation in this life prepareth an eternall, & excéeding weight of glory vnto his seruants. Though they sow in teares, they shal reape in io•…•…e. They shal be taken vp into heauen, and shal sée God face to face, and shal be crowned with glorie and honour. As for the vngodlie, it is not so with them, they may flourish for a time, and haue great power and authoritie in this worlde, but the lamb shal ouercome them, and their •…•…nd shalbe according to their works. Dauid saith, Vpon the vngodly, he shall raine * 1.12 snares, fire, and brimstone, storme and tempest: this shal be their portion to drinke.

When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe him selfe from heauen. There are many which are ashamed of Christ, and of his word, in the pre∣sence of such as are enimies to the Crosse of Christ, and haue countenance and auctoritie in this worlde. But a time shall come, when Christ will shewe himselfe from heauen ac∣companied with his holie Angels. Then will •…•…e also be ashamed of them, and put them from

his presence: then will he render bengeaunc•…•… to them that haue hated his trueth: they shall then know whose members they haue killed, and whose word and gospel it was, which they so despitefully reproched. Then the s•…•…ake of their torments shall ascend euermore, and they shall haue no rest daie, nor night. In this maner shal God triumph in victorie ouer the wicked, by iudging them to euerlasting destruction: and wil shew himselfe wonderful in giuing rest, and ioie, and glorie, and euerla∣sting blessednesse to all those which loue his trueth, and beléeue in him.

V. 11 Wherefore wee also praie alwaies for you, that our God maie make you worthie of this calling, and fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodnesse, and the worke of faith with po∣wer.

12 That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, accor∣ding to the grace of our God, and of the Lord Iesus Christ.

God blesse that good thing which he hath be∣gun in you, and kéepe you stedfast in the truth, that you looke not backe nowe, after you haue put your hand to the plough, and that you giue no place to their dangerous and subtle persua∣sions, who persecute you: take héede to your

selues, and beware, that you put not the word of God from you. He hath shewed you his good∣nesse and mercie, in that he hath deliuered you •…•…rom the power of darkenesse, and hath tran∣•…•… you into the kingdome of his deare son. I make my praier to God without ceasing, for you alwaies, that he wil make you worthie of this •…•…eauenly calling, and that he will euer more & more fil you with the riches and abun∣•…•…nce of his goodnes and mercie: that through him you may be made perfect in al good works.

CHAP. 2.

NOwe I beseech you brethren, by the com∣ming of our Lord Iesus Christ, and by our assembling vnto him:

2 That yee be not sodainely mooued from your mind, nor troubled, neither by spirite, nor by word, nor by letter, as it were from vs, as though the daie of Christ were at hand.

YOu are the children of those fathers, which haue fallen from their stedfastnesse, and haue béene led into errour: be∣ware least you also be carried away with euery blast of false •…•…rine. The Diuel is subtile, his baites are pleasaunt, you are weake and simple, he will

soone deceiue you. Here let vs consider howe easily man maie be deceiued, that so we mai•…•… knowe the corruption and weakenesse of our nature, and therefore what cause we haue euer to walke warily, to take heede to our steppes, and to praie vnto GOD that hee •…•…line our heartes vnto his testimonies. When I saie, man maie be deceiued: I meane not baies or children, or fooles, or the simpler sorte of men: but the learned, the wife, the politike: the •…•…ga and Princes of the worlde: the teachers, and rulers of the peo∣ple.

When Adam was yet in Paradise, and made the ruler ouer al the bea•…•…s of the •…•…ld, and was full of the graces and blessings of God, he soone departed from the ecunt•…•…ll of God, and gaue eare to the serpent: so easily was he •…•…eceiued. Israel was as the apple of the Lords eie, a people whom the Lord loued, and to whome he gaue their hearts deure. Hee deliuered them from Pharao, and with an out∣stretched arme ledde them through the red sea. Who would thinke si great •…•…cies would e∣•…•…er be forgotten? or that such a people, so wel instructed in the knowledge of God, and so of∣ten put in mind of their duetie, shoulde either most parte, or al of them turne from GOD? Moses was absent but a while: he went aside

to receiue the tables of couenaunt, in the meane time they made vnto themselues a molten calfe, and worshipped it, they offred vnto it, and saide, These be thy Gods, O Is∣rael, * 1.13 that haue brought thee out of the lande of AEgipt. So easily were the wisest of them and Aaron, and the whole multituted decei∣ued.

Their children after them forsooke the * 1.14 Lord, and serued Baal, and Astaroth, They said to a tree, thou art my father, and to a stone, thou hast begotten me. They haue turned their * 1.15 backe to me, and not their face, saith god by the prophet Ieremie. And was this y^e offence but of some smal number of them: were they but few or of the baser and simpler sorte, whome the wicked spirite had thus seduced to make them forsake the true and liuing GOD, and to giue the glorie due vnto him, to dombe crea∣tures, and to the works of their owne hands? No, they departed from GOD in greate multitudes, with full consent, and vnitie, they warranted their doings by antiquitie, and by the custome of their fathers before them. The Prophet saith, According to the num∣ber * 1.16 of thy cities were thy Gods, O Iudah: and to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue ye set vp altares of confusion, euen altares to burne incense vnto Baal. And in an other

place, he saith, A great multitude, euen al the * 1.17 people that dwelt in the land of Aegipt in Pha∣thros answered Ieremie, saying: the word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde, wee wil not heare it of thee. But wee wil do whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to poure out drinke offerings vn∣to her, as wee haue done, we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes &c. Thus, euen a∣mong that nation, which God hath chosen vn∣to himselfe, the Apostacie was so great, the de∣parture from true holinesse was so vniuersal, that not onelie euerie citio, but euerie stréete was defiled with their Idolatrie. And besides the women which burnt incense vnto other Gods: a great multitude, yea all the people with one consent cried out against their prea∣cher, refused to heare the word of God, and maintained their super•…•…tion.

The lilie may be said of the Scribes & Pha∣rises. They were wise, they were learned, and caried great them of holinesse: yet they loued darknes better than light: they were blind lea∣ders of the blind, they despised the commande∣mits of god, for their own traditions: & not on lie they, but Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles, and people of Israel gathered the salues togitherngainst against the Lord, I against his Christ.

What shoulde I speake of those Churches which the Apostles of Christ planted, and wa∣tered, and confirmed in the trueth: at Corinth Paule preached the Gospel, they receiued it gladly: he thanketh GOD on their behalfe, That in al thinges they were made rich in him, in al kinde of speache, and in al knowledge. Yet soone after they abused the holy mysteries, they denyed the resurrection of the dead, they became carnal, and had enuying, and strife, and contention among themselues. The Ga∣lathians reioy•…•…h so much in him, that he wri∣teth thus of them, I beare you record, that if it * 1.18 had beene possible, you would haue plucked out your owne eyes, and haue giuen them to me. Yet they did not abide in the trueth, but gaue eare to false Apostles, and were decei∣ued. Therefore he reprooueth them, saying: O foolish Galathians, who hath bewi•…•…ched * 1.19 you that you should not obey the trueth? are ye so foolish that after ye haue begonne in the spirite, yee would nowe be made perfect in the flesh? ye did runne wel: who did let you, * 1.20 that yee did not obey the trueth? I am in feare of you; least I haue bestowed on you labour * 1.21 in vaine.

This frailtie, and weakenesse of our cor∣rupt nature, hath shewed it selfe foorth, and hath appeared in al ages. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and our

Fathers, haue gone astraie, and haue solow∣ed after lyes. The Lorde hath looked downe * 1.22 from heauen vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that would vnderstande, and •…•…eoke God. Al are gone out of the way: they are al corrupt: there is none that doth good, no not one, sayth the Prophet Dauid. There∣fore the Apostle besee•…•…heth the church at Thes∣salonica, that they settle themselues vppon a sure foundation, and that they be not remo∣•…•…d from the trueth. He putteth them in mind what they haue heard, and of whom they haue heard it, and e•…•…horteth them to continue sted∣fast therein.

Neither by spirite, nor by worde, nor by letter, as it were from vs. Let no man enti•…•…e you from the loue of the trueth, nor withdraw you, or remoue you from that blessed •…•…pe vn∣to which you becalled, neither by pretence of any, which any would séeme to re∣ceiue of the spirite of God: nor by pretence of any woords of mine, as if I had so spoken: nor by any letter, giuen vnto you in my name, as if I had so written. In these woordes, hee docth not onelie strengthen them against such practises of crafty, and false teachers: but giueth them there withal a testi∣monie of their constant abiding in the trueth of the Gospel.

Otherwise, if the seducers had prenay∣led: and if the Thessalonians had yéelded vnto them, and receyued their errour: h•…•…e woulde then haue framed his speeche vnto them after this manner. Oh suff•…•…r your selues to hee aduised. You 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not runne wel, you haue lost the high way. Giue place to the spirite of God, submit your selues vn∣der his mightie hande, refuse not the calling whereby hee hath called you. I coulde speake such thinges, wherewith you woulde be better pleased: but your case is such, it re∣quireth rather fr•…•…, and planie, and •…•…arpe reprehension whereby you may be brought to consider, and amend your errours: than faire, and smoothed spéech, which might hould you stil in your follie.

Séeke therefore the kingdome of GOD, and the glorie thereof, and seeke not your selues. Weigh trueth and fals•…•…de in an in∣different ballaunce, so sh•…•…l the heauier weight of the one soone bewray the lightnesse of the o∣ther. What thing in the worlde so Massie, and so weightie, as is the trueth? Harden not your heartes, as did your Fathers in the Wildernesse. It is no sinne to yéelde vnto GOD: it is no shame to lay a part al affection, and to chaunge your minde to the denial of al vngodlinesse, and imbracing

of true holinesse. The wise man sayth, There * 1.23 is a shame that bringeth sinne, and a shame that bringeth worshippe and fauour. In this sort it is likely the Apostle would haue spoken, if néede had so required. But nowe, seeing them forcibly assaulted, and that yet they striued with such good courage against the perswasions of the wicked: he commen∣deth their stedfastnesse, and exhorteth them by these wordes, not to yéelde vnto their per∣secutours, nor to goe from their faith in Christ Iesus.

Neither by spirite: that is, by reuelation of the spirite. The spirite of God wrought mightily, and bestowed sundrie and great giftes vppon men. Christ sayde to his Disci∣ples, When they deliuer you vp, take yee no * 1.24 thought, howe or what ye shal speake: for it shal bee giuen you in that same houre, what yee shall speake. For it is not ye that speake, but the spirite of your father, which speaketh in you. And againe, saith he, I wil pray the fa∣ther, * 1.25 and he shal giue you an other comforter, that hee may bide with you for euer. The spi∣rite of trueth, whome the worlde can not re∣ceiue, because the worlde feeth him not, nei∣ther knoweth him: but yee knowe him: for he dwelleth with you, and shal bee in you. The holie Ghost shal be with you, to assist

you, to teach you al thinges, to direct your counsels, to leade you into al trueth, and to preserue you from al errour.

Nowe, as the spirite of God was among the faithful, and distributed to euerie man seueral giftes, as it séemed best to profit with∣al: so did the spirite of Satan waite vpon the wicked, and possessed their hearts and bodies, and caused them to imagine, and to doe those thinges which were vnséemely. He vsed them as instrumentes to disquiet the Church of God, and to cast into it the séede of error, of vn∣trueth, and dissention. Of such spirites Saint Iohn giueth warning, saying, beleeue not e∣uerie spirite, but trie the spirites, whether they * 1.26 are of God: for many false Prophets are gone into the worlde. At what time Achab would not beléeue the aunswere which the Prophet Micheas made him: there came foorth a spirite, and stoode before the Lorde, and sayde, I wil go out, and be a false spirite in the mouth of al his * 1.27 prophetes. This spirite euer walketh vp and downe, séeking whome hee may deuour, and blindeth the mindes of many, that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ may not shine vnto them. Take héere, that you be not decei∣ued by any such, which shal séeke to abuse you, by pretence of reuelation. Though they shal take vpon them to tel you of the day or houre

of the comming of our Lord, beloeue them not: for the false spirite is in the mouth of such pro∣phetes.

Nor by worde: or, if anie shal report, and goe about to perswade you, that I haue so spoken, or taught in the congregations: or will boldely countenaunce out suche mat∣ter, and tell you, saring, I was present, I hearde his wordes and remember them, this was the doctrine which Paule prea∣ched: refuse him that is such a one, for hee bringeth not the trueth vnto you, but deceiueth you with lying and vaine fables. Nor by letter, as it were from vs. Againe, it may bee, they which lie in waite to de∣stroye you, for their better way, wil coun∣terfaite letters, and sende them vnto you in my name. This is a token in them that they bée past shame, bee not you carried a∣way by anie such pretence from that which wee haue preached vnto you. Wée haue not taught you, that the day of Christ is at hande. Oh then be not so soone remooued a∣way vnto an other Gospel, by them which trouble you, and intende to peruert the Gos∣pel of Christ.

Manie such s•…•…eightes and false deuises haue béene vsed by deceiuing spirites, to blind the eyes of the simple. There haue béene some,

which haue •…•…etie abroade their owne fanta∣sies vnder the names of Adam the first man, that GOD created vppon the face of the earth, and of Cain and Seth. Others haue cal∣led their owne dreames, the Gospel of Tho∣mas, and of Bartholemewe and of Barnabee and of the Apostles of Christ. Saint August. sayth of the Manichees. Manichaeilegunt serip∣turas * 1.28 Apocryphas, nescto à quibus sutoribus fabula∣rum, sub nomi•…•…e Apostolorum Scrip•…•…as. The Mani∣chees •…•…ead secret hidden Scriptures, written, I know not by what coblers of fables, vnder the name of the Apostles. Such writings were ne∣uer written by them, whose name they brare: but were wickedly and falsely counterfaited vnder their names by sundrie heretiques.

This is that, whereof our sauiour gaue vs warning, Take heede that no man deceiue * 1.29 you: for many shal come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shal deceiue many. Againe, he sayeth, If any shal say vnto you, l•…•…e here is Christ, or there, belecue it not: for there shal arise false Christes, and false Prophetes. Into what shape can not he transforme him∣selfe? in whose name wil not hée crasti∣lie sette foorth his errours, which dareth falfelie sette him selfe in the place of the •…•…onne of GOD? This hath euermore béene the practise of that olde Serpent, to chaunge

himselfe into the likenesse of an Angel of light: and vnder the credite of holie men, to deceiue the worlde with vnholy and vnwholesome thinges. Since the time that the Church of God hath departed from hir first faith, and would no longer be guided by the voyce of the Gospel: what, and howe great forgeries haue there béene wrought? What Epistles, and Canons, and decretals haue béene deuised to maintaine seueral partes of false religion, and published vnder the name of Clemens, Cletus, Anacletus, and of others, whereof these holie fathers neuer thought? Thus haue they cio∣ked themselues vnder the couert of the Apo∣stles, & of the fathers of the primitiue church, and haue thought to winne credite in the worlde, by false shewe of antiquitie.

It is certaine, that the sonne of man shal come with his holie Angels, and shal rewarde euerie man according to that he hath doone in this life. Then will he giue sentence against the wicked, and wil place the faithful at his right hande. In that day the heauens shal passe * 1.30 away with a great noyse, and the elementes shal melt with feruent heate, the earth also and the workes that are therein, shal be vtter∣ly burned. In that day we which liue, and re∣maine, * 1.31 shal be caught vp together with them (that are dead in Christ) in the cloudes, to

meete the Lord in the aire. But, of that daie and * 1.32 houre knoweth no man: no not the Angelles of heauen, but my father onelie, saith our sauiour Christ.

Now it remaineth, that we sée, by occasion of this practise of the false Prophets, or false Apostles of whome Saint Paul héere warneth the Thessalonians, howe the wicked abuse the holie Scriptures, and vnderstand them con∣trarie to their meaning. Saint Peter saide, The * 1.33 daie of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night, euen as Paule had written vnto this people: as also it is spoken in the wordes of Christ, They •…•…all see the sonne of man come * 1.34 in the cloudes, with power and great glorie. The false Apostles vse the same wordes, and wrest them to euill purpose: and take vppon them to iudge of the end of the worlde, and at what time the comming of Christ should be.

Christ saide, Destroie this temple and in * 1.35 three daies I will raise it vp againe. There a∣rose certaine that did beare false witnesse a∣gainst him, saying, we heard him saie, hée would destroy this temple made with hands. Then remembred, that Temple was fortie and fire yeares a building, and thought it im∣possible that he could reare it in three daies. They tooke his wordes otherwise than bée

meant. They thought of the materiall temple of stone in Hierusalem, and he spake of the tem∣ple of his bodie. * 1.36

Againe, Christ saith, Thou arte Peter, and vppon this rocke will I builde my Church. These are the wordes of Christ spoken vnto Peter, after he had witnessed of him that hée is Christ the sonne of the liuing God. Héereof, they say, Peter is the rocke: and the Bishop of Rome is Peters successor: he is the rocke vpon which the church is builded, and shall stand stedfast for euer. But they vnderstand the wordes contrarie to the meaning. For, alas who would conceiue, that God would build his Church vpon a man, or vpon any creature? Christ only is that rock whereupon his church is setled. Other foundation can no man lay, thā * 1.37 that is laide, which is Iesus Christ. Therefore Chrysostome expoundeth those wordes, Super * 1.38 hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam. id est, su∣per fidem atque confessionem. I will builde my Church vpon this rocke: that is, vpon this faith, and confession. Likewise Saint Augustine: Su∣per * 1.39 hanc petram, quam consessus es, &c. Vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed, vppon this rocke, which thou hast knowen, saying, thou arte Christ the sonne of the liuing God, will I build my Church. That is, I will build my Church vpon my selfe, which am the sonne of

the liuing God. I will not build my selfe vppon thee, but I wil thee vpon me.

Christ saith, Except a man be borne againe, * 1.40 hee can not see the kingdome of God. These words are most true. For, by our owne na∣ture, we be the vessels of Gods wrath, and the children of danmation. Vnlesse we be re∣generate, and borne a new of water and of the holie ghost, we cannot be saued. Yet Nicode∣mus a wise man, a Pharisée, and a ruler of the Iewes mistooke this speech: it séemed strange vnto him, how a man might be borne, when he is olde. Can he enter (saith he) the second time into his mothers wombe, and be borne? how can these things be? Iesus aunswered, and said vnto him, arte thou a maister of Israel, and kno∣west not these things? This newe birth must be from aboue: euen by the working of the ho∣lie ghost.

Againe, Christ saieth, Excepte yee •…•…ate the * 1.41 flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no life in you. The Iewes heard him, but mistooke his words. They did not vnderstand his meaning. Therefore they said, This is an hard saying, who can abide the hearing of it? They reasoned among thēselues how it might be, that either he could giue thē his flesh to eate: or, that th•…•…y could take his •…•…esh and eate it, or take his bloud to drinke it.

but when Iesus knewe, that his Disciples mur∣mured at it, hee saide vnto them, Doth this of∣fend you? It is the spirite that quickneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. Hereof Augustine saith, Acceperunt illud suulté, &c. They tooke * 1.42 the saying of Christ foolishly, they thought of it carnally, and imagined that the Lord would cut off fmall peeces from his bodie, and giue it to them. Therefore they saide, This saying is hard. They were hard, and not the saying. For, if they had beene meeke, and not hard, they would haue said to themselues: this is not spo∣ken without some cause: there is some myste∣rie hidden vnder his wordes. And againe hée saith, Spiritualiter intelligite quae loquutus sum. * 1.43 Non hoc corpus, &c. Vnderstand those things spiritually, which I haue spoken vnto. You shall not eate (with the mouth of your bodie) this bodie that you see, nor shall you drinke that bloud which they shall shed, that shall cru∣cifie me. I haue commended vnto you some sacrament: vnderstand it spiritually, and it shal quicken you.

Thus we sée the true meaning of Christs words, and after what grosse manner the Ca∣pernaites vnderstood them. Let vs beware wée fall not into like errour. Christ spake truely of his bodie, when hée called it a Temple. The Iewes destroyed it, and in thrée daies, he did

raise it vp againe. Mistake not his wordes, be not deceiued. It is true that he said, Vpon this rocke. will I build my Church. Mistake him not: Christ himselfe is the rocke, and not Pe∣ter. It is true, that a man must be borne a new, or else he cannot be saued. Mistake not this: hereby is meant not a bodily birth, but a renuing of the soule of man. It is truely said, that Christs flesh, is that bread that came frō heauen, and giueth life to the worlde: but mi∣stake it not, for this bread filleth not the bodie, but the minde: it requireth the hunger of the inner man. Euen so is it true that the Apostle saith of the daie of the Lorde. Take héede you mistake him not, and fall into the errour of the false Apostles, which take vpon the to appoint the time and houre, when the son of man shall come vnto iudgement.

V. 3. Let no man deceiue you by anie meanes: for that daie shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perditi∣on.

The Church of God hath euer béene vn∣der persecution, and afflictions, as may ap∣peare by the stories of al ages: but GOD hath not failed to comfort them, and worke their deliuerance. Israel was in great bondage vnder Pharao. They were put to great stauerie

to •…•…hoppe strawe, and to bake bricke, &c. Their male children were slaine before their faces. This was done vnto them, that so they might be rooted out, and their name quite put out from the •…•…arth. It was high time for the Lord to put to his hand. They called vpon him in their troubles and he heard them. Then sent he Moses and Aaron, and deliuered them: he opened the redde sea, and gaue them pas∣sage.

When the Phili•…•…ines oppressed them, GOD sent them Gedeon, Barac, Iehu, Debo∣ra, and Sampson, whom he endued with wise∣dome, and courage, and p•…•…wer to ouercome their enimies, and to sette them at libertie. What should I speake of Nabuchodonosor, An•…•…ochus, Nero, Iulian, and other tyrants? They oppr•…•…ssed the seruants of GOD, and kept them in great miserie. But God looked downe from heauen, and was their helper in the time of néede: he brake the •…•…ords asunder, and delinered them. The more •…•…ie was extended or practised against them, the more glorious did GOD shei•…•… himselfe, in the 〈…〉〈…〉

of Antichrist. By him the Church of God shall suffer great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world. And then shal his surie encrease, and his tyranic be the greater, when his kingdome shall decay, and the daies of his desolation shall be at hande. Primasius saith, Tunc cadet Babylon, quando nouis sime pote∣sta•…•…em * 1.44 persequendi sanctos acceperit. Then shall Babylon come to the ground, when she shall last of al take power to persecute the Saints of God. For then wil God arise, and will iudge his owne cause, he wil deliuer the af•…•…icted, and will slaie Antichrist with the breath of his mouth. Hereof S. Gregorie saith thus, The * 1.45 Church after these daies of her affliction, shall afterwarde notwithstanding be •…•…rengihned with great power and might of preaching.

Except there come a departing first. There must first be a departing from faith in the Church of God, and then shall be the comming of the Lorde. There was one general depar∣ting in the daies of Noah. Al flesh had corrupt their waies: there was not ani•…•… that did seeke after righteousnesse. Then came the daie of the Lorde vpon them: he powred out the wa∣ter•…•…, and they preuailed vpon the earth, so that both man and cattel, and worme, & the soule of the heauen were destroied. There was a gene∣ral departing of the Iewes, & people of God at

Hierusalem. They made the house of God a denne of théeues: they saued a théefe, and cru∣cified the Lord of glorie. God had no delight in them, neither regarded their sacrifices. Christ said vnto them, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, thou * 1.46 that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which haue beene sent vnto thee, howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children togither, euen as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings, and yee woulde not? Beholde, your house is left vnto you desolate. They shall not * 1.47 leaue in thee one stone vpon another, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. Such a departing it shall be, whereof the Apo∣stle speaketh, and so general, that the sonne of man when he commeth shall hardly finde faith vpon the earth.

But this departing is diuersly taken. Some vnderstād it of the empire, that the kingdom•…•… and countries which were before in subiection to that estate, shal depart from it, and that then Antichrist shal spring vp. Others thinke that this is spoken of that departing wherein the godlie haue carried themselues from the obe∣dience of the church of Rome. But others more truly say, it is the departure from the doctrine, and religion, and loue, and obedience of the go∣spel of Christ: wherof in another place he saith, In the latter times some shall depart from the * 1.48

faith, and shal giue heede to spirites of errour, and doctrines of Diuels, forbidding to marrie, and commaunding to abstaine from meates, which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes of them which beleeue and know the truth. These men shall haue a forme of godlinesse, but shall denie the power there∣of. They shall turne their eares awaie from the truth, and wil encline their hearts to heare fables.

The wordes of the Apostle are plaine, to shew that there shal be a departing. But, as we sée it is not agréed vppon, what maner of departing this shal be, nor by whome it shall be wrought. Our aduersaries lay it vnto vs, saying, you haue wrought this departing: you haue departed from the Church of Rome, you are they of whome S. Paule hath spoken: you are the founders of Antichrist: so say they. But would to God, they and their fathers, and the Church of Rome had not wrought this de∣parture. Bernard behelde the state, and pride, and disorders of the Church of Rome in his time, therefore saide, Superest vt reueletur homo * 1.49 pe•…•…cati, filius perditionis: non modo demonium di∣•…•…, sed & meridianum: quod non solum trans∣figuratur in angelum lucis: sed extollitur supra umne quod dicitur Deus, aut quod colitur. It re∣maineth, that the man of sinne, that is, the

sonne of perdition, be reueiled: euen the diuel which flieth not onely in the day, but destroy∣eth in the noone day: which is not only chan∣ged into an angel of light, but is exalted aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped. And Gregorie did sée who they were that should worke this departing, and make way for Antichrist: therefore sayde, Ego fidenter de∣co, * 1.50 &c. I speake it boldly: Whosoeuer calleth himselfe the vniuersal priest, or des•…•…reth so to be called (as doth the Pope) in the pride of his heart, he is the forerunner of Antichrist.

Now, that we may yet better know what maner of departure that shal be, let vs consi∣der, what Saint Paule speaketh of the Church of God, which was in his tune. Vnto the Co∣ri•…•…thinans he sayeth, If al prophecie, and there * 1.51 come in onē that beleeueth not, or one vn∣learned: he is rebuked of al men, he is iudged of al men, and so are the secrets of his h•…•…art made manifest, and so wil he fal downe on his face, and worship God, and say plainly, that God is in you in deede. How is it then brethern? When you come together euerie one of you hath a psalme, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a reuelation, hath an interpretation: let al things be done vnto edifying, &c. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as we see in al the churches. Blessed were they of God.

Al thinges among them were done to edify∣ing. The holy scriptures were read openly in the presence of the people: the people rcuerent∣ly kept silence, and gaue eare, and vnderstood the wil of God, and submitted themselues vn∣to it. The prayers were in a knowne tongue, to that •…•…e vnlearned might vnderstand them, and say, Amen. The holis misteries were du∣ly ministred. The people receiued the sacra∣ment of the Lordes supper vnder both kindes, as Christ had instituted: and did al communi∣tate together. Chrisostoine writing vppon that chapter sayth, Vere tum Ecclesia coelum fu∣it, * 1.52 &c. Verely the church then was a heauen, the spirite of God ordring al thinges, and dire∣cting al the heads of the church.

In the time of Tertullian, the Christians stil kept this maner. Therefore he sayth, Co•…•…∣mus * 1.53 ad diui•…•…arum literarum commemor ationem, fidem sanet is vocibus pascimus, spem erigimus, fi∣duciam sigimus, We meete together at the rea∣ding of the holy scriptures: wee nourish our faith with those heauenly wordes: by them we raise vp our hope, & settle our affiance & trust. Augustine, Chrisostome, Origen & other aun∣tient and godly fathers commended the rea∣ding of the scriptures vnto the people, called vpon them to read them theselues, or to get o∣thers to reade vnto them. And that they would

heare them not onely in the Church, but also at home in their houses. They taught them, the hurt and daunger of ignoraunce, that igno∣raunce of the scriptures hath béene the cause of her esies, and that it hath brought in corrupti∣on of life, and of maners. This was the order and vsage of the Church in the time of the ho∣ly Apostles, and of our first fathers. The peo∣ple were guided by the worde of God, they were made partakers of the holie mysteries, and al thinges were done in the Church to e∣difying. And the same order is this day resto∣red, and practised in our churches.

Let vs looke into the church of Rome, and behold the vsage & behauiour thereof. Where shal we find that heauenly comelinesse which S. Paule requireth? Where is the comfortable reading of scriptures? Where is the people taught their saluation in Christ Iesus? where is the brotherly méeting of al the congregati∣on at the communion of the Lordes supper? May we say of Rome that it holdeth fast the forme and fashion of that church which Christ and his Apostles left vnto vs, and which the holy ancient fathers continued? nay, rather, we may say of them with Chrisostome: they may haue the chestes and cofers wherein the treasure was sometimes kept, but the trea∣sures they haue not. We may say, it is not

nowe a house of prayer but a denne of théeues. We may say, it shal no more be called Bethel, the house of God, but Bethauen, the house of vanitie, or of lying.

Iupiter and Bacchus, and the Idols of the heathen, were not so dishonored of their wor∣shippers, as the almightie and euerlasting, and onely true God is dishonoured in that si∣nagogue. I speake of it, as it is nowe, and as it hath béene these many yeares. For in the time of our elder fathers, it had great testimonie of true holinesse. Ignatius called it castissimam, most chaste. Tertullian saide, it was a happie Church, because the Apostles of Christ suffe∣red martyrdome in it, and left their whole doctrine vnto it. And in like sort did o∣thers giue vnto Rome, as it was in those times reuerent and worthie commendation. But now, saith he, O Roma, à Roma, quantum mutata vetusta es? nunc caput es scelerum, quae caput orbis eras. O Rome, howe much art thou channged from the olde Rome? thou, which hast beene the chiefe in al the worlde, art nowe the chiefe in al naughtinesse. They haue forsaken the trade of life, and the loue of the Gospel, which they of olde time had in Rome, and therefore cannot be inheritours of their com∣mendation.

When Chrisostme considered the state of

the Church as the Apostle speaketh of it vnt•…•… the Corinthians, & did see how farre the church in his time swarued from that: he sayd, Nunc * 1.54 verò vestigia tantum rerum illarum tenemus. We haue now the only bare signes of those things. Againe, Videtur ecclesia hodie, mulieri quae man∣suetudine veteri exciderit similis, quaeqúe Symbola tantum, &c. The church which is now, may be likened to a woman, which hath forsaken her wonted modestie. And hath only certaine out∣ward shewes of that first felicitie, and keepeth stil the hutches and boxes of precious thinges, but lacketh the treasure which was in them. To such a woman may the church this day be likened. I speake not this of the giftes: (for the matter were not so great, if we wanted them only:) but of life and of vertue. And againe he sayth, Scrinium aliud paternt the sauri exinanitum bodie dicam &c. I wil tel you of one other boxe of that treasure which our father left vnto vs, which is empty, and hath nothing left in it at this day. In times past they did sing altoge∣ther, so doe we also: but then they were al of one minde, & of one heart: at this day you shal not finde one man that agreeth with himselfe, there is such warre and discord in al thinges e∣uerie where. The name of peace is common in al places, but peace it selfe is no where to bee founde. Then men did vse their houses like

churches: now men do vse the church, as they vse their house, nay, more prophanely than any house, Thus Chrisostome blamed the church in his time, and layeth out their departing from the faith. He liued about 411. yeres after Christ.

What may we thinke, he would say of the church that hath béene of later yeres, if he had liued to sée the desormitie and abuses thereof? where, besides that they are not of one minde and of one heart, they suffer not the people al∣together to sing the praises of God: where they haue not only emptie•…•… such boxes or hutches, wherein Christ left great treasures vnto his church, but haue made light account of them, and haue cast away the very patterns and i∣mages of true godlinesse. They driue away the people from reading the scriptures, and reckon that as vnlaweful, as to cast the bread of the children vnto degges, or pearles before Swine. They leade men from trust in the bloud of Christ, and teach them to beléeue such thinges, and to put confidence in those crea∣tures, which cannot profit, or helpe them at al. You may remember what prayers they vsed. But blesse your eares: for they are wordes ful of horrible blasphemie. They sayde to the holy and blessed Virgin Marie, the mother of our redéemer & sauiour. In te virgo Maria confidimus,

in te speramus, nos defendas in aeternum. Our trust and hope we put in thee. O Virgine Marie, de∣fende vs euerlastingly. They say, O faelix puer∣pera nostra pians scelera. O happy mother which doest purge vs from our sinnes. And, Sanctae Mariae merita ducant nos ad regna coelestia. The merites of holie Marie bring vs to the hea∣uenly kingdome. Againe, Tu mediatrix dei & hominum, aduocata pauperum, refugiū peccatorum. Thou art the mediatour betweene God and man, the aduocate for the poore, the refuge of al sinners. O merciful Christ, what is become of thy passion? where is the price of thy blout: howe are we lead away from thée to séeke re∣demption in a creature? Againe they say vn∣to her. Thou art the Ladie of Angels: thou art the Queene of heauen. Commaund thy sonne: shew thy selfe to be a mother. He is thy sonne, thou art his mother: the mother may com∣maunde, the childe must obey. Againe, they turne al that is spoken in y^e whole booke of the Psalmes of the prophet Dauid, either of God, or of Christ, and apply it to the Virgin Marie, & cal that Psalter, Psalterium beatae Mariae, the Psalter of blessed Marie. Who wil take the paines to peruse it, shal find that comfortable spéech of our sauiour, Come vnto me al yeo * 1.55 that are wearie and laden, and I wil ease you, * 1.56 thus blasphernously abused in y^e second psalme.

Venite ad eam omnes qui laboratis, & tribulati e∣stis: & refrigerium & solatium dabit animabus ve∣stris. Come vnto her al yee that trauell, and be heauily loaden: & she wil giue rest & comforte to your soules. An other saith the kingdome of god is of two parts, of iustice and of mercy. He reseructh iustice to himselfe: & the other part, that is mercy, he hath yelded vnto his mother. Therfore one of them plaieth the Proctour, & taketh vpon him to shew the differēce of those * 1.57 two courtes, saying: A foro iustitiae dei appel∣landum est ad forum misericordiae matris eius. You must appeale from the court of Gods iustice, to the court of his mothers mercie. And is there not good cause, he should giue vs this counsell, if it be true that he hath written? Nulla gratia venit de coelo ad terram, nisi transeat per manu•…•… Mariae. Est enim meàiatrix saluationis, iustifi∣cationis, recōciliationis, communicationis. No mer∣cie commeth from heauen to the earth, but it must passe by the handes of Marie. For shee is the mediatour of our saluation, of our iustifi∣cation, of our reconciliation, and of our partici∣pation. What is blasphemie, if this be not blasphemie? They which wil séeme somewhat to blush at these things, wil perhappes excuse this, and call it spirituall daliance. Vnhappie are they, and heauy iudgement shall abide thē, that in such sort dallie and scorne the price of

our redemption. O let vs open our eies: we are the sonnes of God. God hath giuen vs eies to sée, and eares to heare, and hearts to vnder∣stand. Let vs iudge vprightly. It is gods cause. Whosoeuer considereth these and such other great errors, must néeds confesse that y^e church of Rome, hath wrought that departing where∣of the Apostle speaketh. In the late councell of Trident, Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto did something plainly acknowledge the great A∣postasie, and departing of the church of Rome, both in matters of faith, and in conuersation, and life. These be his words, Vtinam à religione ad superstitionem, &c. Woulde God they were not gone wholie with generall consent, from religion to superstition: frō faith ro infidelitie: from Christ to Antichrist: frō God to Epicure: saying with wicked heart and filthie mouth, there is no God. Neither hath there bene this great while anie pastor or Pope, that regarded these things. For they al, both Pope and Car∣dinals and other sought their owne: and not so much as one of them, sought for the things that pertaine to Iesus Christ. Yet, say they, there can be no departing from faith in the Church of Rome, the faith thereof cannot faile: for Christ hath said, I haue praied for thee, that thy faith * 1.58 faile not. And againe, The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it. Therefore in that place * 1.59

there can be no decay. This is the saying of some, who humble not themselues to knowe their errour: who loue the praise of men more than the praise of God: whose glorie is their shame, which mind earthly things.

The Apostle saith, there shall be a departing that it shal be, not among the Jewes, and Jnfi∣dels, but among those which were reckoned to be of the housholde of faith, and the children of God. What is it frō which they shal depart, or wherein the decay shall be? doth he meane their riches, their gold, and siluer, & bread, &c. No, but the doctrine of the gospell, and faith in Christ. The pure words, which as siluer from the earth are tried, and purified seauen times in the fire: the wel of water which springeth vp into euerlasting life, shal decay in the house of God. The people shall shut their eares that they may not heare the truth, and shall giue héede vnto spirites of errour, and doctrines of diuels which speake lies through hipocrisie.

And let them not say the church of Rome can not erre. For, where did Christ euer giue, or where haue the Apostles euer m•…•…de mention of any such priuiledge granted to that Church? S. Peter saith, There were false Prophets also a∣mong * 1.60 the people, euen as there shall be false teachers among you: which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies, euen denying the Lord,

that hath bought them, and bring vpon them∣selues swift damnation, and many shall folow their damnable waies, by whome the waie of truth shall be euil spoken of. Paul warned the * 1.61 Church of God at Ephesus, not onelie that af∣ter his departing gréeuous woolues should en∣ter in among them: but also, that of themselues should men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them. When Christ said, When the sonne of man shall come, shall hee * 1.62 finde faith vpon the earth? And when he told his Disciples that the abhomination of desola∣tion shall stand in the holy place: when he warned them in this sorte, Then if anie shall * 1.63 saie vnto you: Loe, here is Christ, or there, be∣leeue it not. For there shall arise false Christs, & false Prophets, and shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible the verie e∣lect should be deceiued: It is most euident, he spake of that departing which should come, & should appeare in the church of God: which de∣parting our forefathers did behold, and marke in their times: and which hath of late yeares appeared so manifestly, that no man, who is not wilfully blind can doubt thereof.

S. Paule knew not anie such state of the Church of Rome, or anie especiall grant made vnto it, in such forte, that it should neuer erre: for vnto the church of Rome he writeth, Boast * 1.64

not thy selfe. Be not high minded, but feare. For if God spared not the naturall braunches: take heede least he also spare not thee. Thorow vn∣beliefe they are broken off, & thou standest by faith. Behold therefore the bountifulnes and se∣ueritie of God. Towards them which haue fal∣len, seueritie: but, towards thee, bountifulnesse, if thou continue in his bountifulnes: or els thou shalt also be cut off. That is, if he spared not the Iewes his owne people, how wil he spare thée that art but a stranger? If thou continue not, thou shalt be cut off. It may be thou shalt also depart from the faith, as the Iewes haue done: then shalt thou be as a withered branch, & shalt not draw any moisture from the roote: then wil God also forsake thée: and thy end shal be worse than the beginning. I trow in saying thus: he said not, Thou shalt not erre. If the Church of Rome cannot erre, what néede haue they of that church, either of the Scriptures, or of the fathers, or councels? Perhaps through this pride, they grew first to despise the holie Scriptures, & would not direct their waies by them. They are high minded, and boast them∣selues, that they are as mount Sion, which shal not be mooued. Yet our Sauiour likeneth the Church sometimes to shéep, as in the 15. of S. Mathew, I am not sent, but vnto the lost sheepe of Israel. Sometimes to children, which are

simple, and soone beguiled. Sometimes to a Vine, which is weake, & easily throwne down: sometimes to the moone, which waxeth and is also in wane, and many times giueth no light. The anciēt fathers compare the church of god to no one thing so vsually, as to a shippe. And who knoweth not how a ship is tossed hither & thither? how it is in dāger of sands & of rocks, and of pirats, & in danger of drowning by lea∣king? If the shéepe were not a straying kind of cattel, what should they néede a shéepheard? If little children could guide themselues, what néede had they of a guider? If the vine did not hang down, and lie on the ground, what néede were there of proppes or of one to set it vp? If there were no feare for the passage of a ship, if it could not miscarie, what should it néede a Pilote? Let no man therefore saie: the church is safe for euer, it cannot erre, it can not decay. Such words are deceiuable, and lying words. For, false Prophets shal come. There shalbe a desolation: there shal be a departing, euen in the house of God: and that daie of Christ shall not come, except there come a departing first. And that, that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition.

V. 4 Which is an aduersarie, and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that hee doth sit in the temple

of God, shewing himselfe that he is God. This the Apostle speaketh of Antichrist. Hée is the man of sinne, and the sonne of perdition. It will be somewhat hard to treat of this matter, and to opē the words of this scripture. What∣soeuer I shall speake, it will be ill taken of ma∣nie, and manie will doubt of the truth of my spéeches, such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle disciphereth to be Antichrist. Al∣beit whatsoeuer I will vtter in opening the Apostles wordes shall be such as the holie scriptures and learned writings of the holie fathers haue left vnto vs, and the church of God hath prooued, and at this daie doth prooue to be true. God promised, that Christ shoulde come into the worlde, euen the Shiloh, vnto whome al the people should be gathered: and that he should be the hope of Israel and deliuer his people from their sins. God made promise of him to Adam, & to Abraham, Dauid, &c. The scriptures are ful, and the prophets make oftē mention of this promise. Olde men, and yong men, and al the people waited for the fulfilling * 1.65 thereof, & said: Send him whom thou wilt send. * 1.66 And againe, Yee heauens send the dewe from aboue, and let the clouds drop down righteous∣nes: let the earth open, and let saluation and iu∣stice grow forth. And againe, God wil come & * 1.67 saue you. Thus was euerie eie bent vpon him

and euery heart waited for his comming. But when the fulnesse of time was come, God sent * 1.68 foorth his son made of a woman, that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes. Hee was in * 1.69 the world, and the world knew him not. Hee came vnto his owne, and his own receiued him not. Light came into the worlde, and men lo∣ued * 1.70 darknesse better than light They to whom the promise was made, and which wished for him, and made al their common talke of the hope of his comming, when he came knewe him not, they reuiled him, and saide, Beholde a * 1.71 glutton and drinker of wine, a friend vnto pub∣licans and sinners. They called him Beelzebub: and a false prophet, and a seducer of the people. Him they did take by the hands of the wicked: they betraied him, they denied the holie one and iust: they hanged on a trée, and killed the lord of life. Such was the receiuing of Christ. This did they to him through ignorance. It was not giuen them to knowe the secretes of the kingdome of heauen. They haue not •…•…no∣wen the father, nor whom he hath sent, Iesus Christ. Therefore saith he, I confesse vnto thee * 1.72 father, Lord of heauen and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned, and hast reuealed them to babes: euen so father bi∣cause it so pleased thee.

Now, as the comming of Christ was, such is

the comming of Antichrist. God hath foretold of his comming. Daniel hath foretold. Christ, and his Apostles Paule and Iohn haue fore∣tolde it, the Scriptures, and o•…•…de Fathers make often mention hereof. There is none, neither olde nor young: neither learned nor vnlearned, but he hath hearde of Antichrist. They hate his name, and detest him, before they know him. But here you may marke the wonderful sleight and sutteltie of Satan. The worlde shal looke after the comming of Anti∣christ. He shal not faile but come. Al men shal carie hatred against him, and recken him ab∣hominable, and yet their eyes shal be blinded, and their hearts deceiued, so that they shal not knowe him. They shal hate his name, and em∣brace his doctrine: he shal couer himselfe with a cloke of holinesse. They shal thinke they doe good seruice vnto Christ, but shal therein doe seruice vnto Antichrist.

The diuerse fantasies of men, haue de∣uised manie sundrie fonde tales of the person of Antichrist. Some say he should be a Iewe, of the tribe of Dan. Some that he should bée borne in Babylon: some, that he should be bred vp in Bethsaida and Corazin: some, that he should rise vp in Syria: some, that Mahomet is Antichrist: some that he should ouerthrowe Rome: some, that he should builde vp the Ci∣tie

of Hierusalem: some, that Nero was Anti∣christ: some, that he should be borne of a Fry∣er and a Nonne: some, that he should conti∣nue but three yeares and a halfe: some, that he shoulde turne trées vpside downe, with the toppes in the grounde, and should force the rootes to growe vpwarde, and then should flée vp into heauen, and fal downe, and breake his necke. These tales haue béene craftily deuised to beguile our eyes, that whilest we thinke vpon these gesses, and so occupie our selues in beholding a shadowe or probable coniecture of Antichrist, he which is Antichrist indéede may vnawares deceiue vs.

Except that man of sinne bee disclosed. The Apostle séemeth to teach vs of Antichrist, as if he should be one man, because he calleth him, The man of sinne. But wee may not so take him. The maner of the scripture is often∣times, and in diuerse places it speaketh that of manie, which séemeth to be-spoken but of one. So doeth Daniel set foorth the kingdome, * 1.73 and al the kings of Persia, in the name & like∣nesse of a Beare, and so describeth the state of other whole kingdomes in such particular names. And so doeth the spirite of GOD in the Reuelation set downe vnder the name of * 1.74 the Beast, the succession and continuaunce of many. He meaneth not therefore, that Anti∣christ,

shal be anie one onelie man, but one e∣state or kingdome of men, and a continuaunce of some one power and tyrannie in the Church.

We reade of Pharao a cruel tyrant, that he did persecute the people of God in Egypt. And, of Nabuchodonoser that hee oppressed them, and brought them captiues into Babylon. And of Antiochus, that he likewise fought against them, and did ouercome them, and ledde them captiues into Macedonia. They al were migh∣ty and cruel tyrants. Yet one other shal come, whose crueltie shal be heauier, and whose continuaunce shal bée longer than was the cruelty or continuaunce of any of these. Who shal worke his purpose not in Aegypt, nor in Babylon, nor in Macedonia, But in the holie place, euen in the Church of Christ, and in the house of God. And this state, and continuance of persecution in the church, is the state of An∣tichrist.

But what shall he do whereby he may bee knowen? Paul sayeth, Which is an aduersarie. This shal bee the marke whereby you may knowe him, he shal set himselfe against God, and against Christ, for hee is an enemie of the Crosse of Christ. Why then (saye you) are not the Iewes, and Mahomet, and the Turke eyther al, or the most wicked

of them so called, séeing they vtterly refuse al Christian religion? because none of these sit in the temple of God: which is the place, where Antichrist shal aduance himselfe: and because Antichrist shal not in open shewe set himselfe against Christ as doeth Mahomet, and the Turkes: but suttlelie and craftily like an e∣uil and vngracious seruant. He wil not open∣ly speake his blasphemies, or spit at the Gospel of God, or defie the name of Christ: but he wil cal himselfe, The seruaunt of God: perhaps the Vicar of Christ, and perhaps the seruaunt of Gods seruantes: or perhaps the heade, or the chiefe member of the Church. He shal say, he is ledde with the zeale of Gods house, and shal do nothing lesse: for, he shal séeke himself. He shal say, he séeketh the glorie of God, when al that he doth is for the enriching and ambi∣tious enlarging of his owne worldly pompe and vanitie.

In matters of Princes, if any man take vpon him the name of an embassadour, or de∣putie to a prince, hauing no commission there∣to, and in this boldenesse presume to leuie and raise a power, and force the subiectes to followe him: although he worke al this vnder the name, and by the colour of the princes au∣thoritie (as is the maner of rebels to doe) yet hée is a traitour, and his doinges are not wel

thought of because he dealeth in the Princes matters without warrant from the Prince. Eu•…•…n so Antichrist, he shal come in the name of Christ, yet wil he doe al thinges against Christ, and vnder pretence and colour of ser∣uing Christ, he shal deuour the shéepe and peo∣ple of Christ: he shal deface whatsoeuer Christ hath taught: he shal quench that fire which Christ hath kindled: he shal roote vp those plants which Christ hath planted: hée shall vndermine that house which Christ hath built.

He shal be contrarie to Christ. His faith contrarie to the faith of Christ: and his life contrarie to the life of Christ. Is any man desi∣rous to know Antichrist? his comming shalbe notable, it shal astonne the worlde. By this marke you may know him. He shal be contra∣rie to Christ. To shewe you at large this con∣trarietie by comparison of things contrarie in Christ and Antichrist would aske long time. It shal be sufficient, we consider onely some fewe wherein they are manifestlie contrarie, that by them, iudgement may be made of the residue.

Saint Paule sayth, With one offering hath * 1.75 hee consecrated for euer them that are sancti∣fied. And againe, We are sanctified by the of∣fering * 1.76 of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made.

What is he then that sayeth, I make priestes to offer a dayly sacrifice, for the sinnes of the people: by whome the offering vp of the bodie of Christ is made euerie day? he is contrary to Christ, he is Antichrist. Saint Paule sayth, God * 1.77 hath appointed Christ ouer al thinges to bee the heade of the Church. What is hee then, which sayeth, I am the heade of the Church? which sayth, Al the Churches of God are knit in mee. You must vnderstande as I vnder∣stande: you must heare with mine eares, and sée with mine eyes: I wil gouerne, and direct you. He is contrarie to Christ. This is Anti∣christ. Christ ordayned that the Communi∣on * 1.78 should be ministred vnder both kindes. What is he then that deliuereth it to the peo∣ple but vnder one kinde? hee is contrarie to Christ. He breaketh the first institution of the Lordes supper: he is Antichrist.

Christ sayth, My kingdome is not of this * 1.79 worlde. What is he then which sayeth, I am Lorde of Lordes, and King of Kings, I haue right to both swords: my power and au∣thoritie reacheth ouer al the kingdomes of the worlde? he is contrarie to Christ, he is Anti∣christ. Christ washed his disciples feete. What * 1.80 is he then, that giueth his feete to be kissed of Kinges and Emperours? He is contrarie to Christ: he is Antichrist. Christ paide tribute to

Caesar. What is he then, that exempteth him∣selfe, * 1.81 and his cleargie from the temporal sword and authoritie? he is contrarie to Christ, he is Antichrist. Christ allowed mariage, and repro∣ued fornication. What is he then that allow∣eth fornication, and forbiddeth mariage? he is cōtrary to Christ: he is Antichrist. Christ saith, Search the Scriptures. What is he then, which * 1.82 saieth, giue not that which is holy vnto dogs, neither cast pearles before swine: ye may not search the scriptures? he is contrary to Christ: he is Antichrist. These be the certain and vn∣doubted markes of Antichrist.

So that he doth sit in the tēple of God. That is, he is bold, and without force of anie dann∣ger. He is not driuen to hide himselfe in a cor∣ner: he is exalted in the eye, and in the heart of the world. He beareth rule in the conscience of men. He hath the keyes to open and shut at his pleasure. He maketh Kings and Princes be∣come his subiectes. He ruleth them: not by sword or speare only, but by pretence of reli∣gion: he telleth them, al things are put in sub∣iection vnder his féete: that he is the vicar of Christ: that his worde must be taken as the worde of God. So, he sitteth in the temple of God, as if he were God.

The godly preachers, sit also in the tēple of god: they are y^e ministers of Christ, & disposers

of the secretes of God. There they expound the Scriptures, and she we the good and accep∣table wil of God. There they exhort, & teach, and reproue, and correct, and instruct the peo∣ple in righteousnesse. Antichrist sitteth not in the Church after this sort. He teacheth not, nor exhorteth the people. He maketh that no part of his office. How sitteth he then? What shal he say, what shal he doe? The Apostle tel∣leth vs, He exalteth himselfe against al that is called God, or that is worshipped. He shal be honoured with the honour that is due vnto God. He shal shine and glitter in gold and pre∣cious stones. Hee shal be carried vppon the shoulders of men, and waited vpon by kings, and princes, and great estates. So shal he bée contrarie to Christ.

Christ was humble and lowly. The pro∣phet in his owne person speaketh of him, I am a worme, and not a man: a shame of men, * 1.83 and the contempt of the people. And the Apo∣stle sayth, He humbled himselfe, and became * 1.84 obedient vnto the death, euen the death of the crosse. Beholde his parentes, his birth, his cradle: beholde his life, his disciples, his doctrine, and his death. Al were witnesses vnto his humilitie. He sayth of himselfe, The sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his * 1.85 heade. And to his Disciples he sayeth, The

kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them, and * 1.86 they that beare rule ouer them are called gra∣cious Lordes: but you shall not be so. And a∣gaine, Learne of me, that I am meeke and low∣ly * 1.87 in heart: and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules.

Nowe on the other parte take viewe of Antichrist. Beholde his birth, his place, his thaire, his estate, his doctrine, his disciples, and al his life. You shall sée nothing but pomp and glorie. Gregorie calleth him the King of pride. He is proude in life, proude in do∣•…•…trine, proud in worde, and proud in déedes. Hée is like vnto Lucifer, and setteth himselfe before his brethren, and ouer nations and kingdomes. Hée maketh euerie knée to how downe to him and worship him: hée maketh Kings to bring him water, to carie his traine, to holde his cup, to beare his dish, to leade his bridle, and to holde his stirrup: hée claimeth power ouer heauen and earth: hée saieth, hée is Lorde ouer all the worlde, the Lorde of Lordes, and the King of Kings: that his authoritie reacheth vp into heauen, and down into hell: that hée can commaund the Angels of GOD: that hée condemneth whom hée will condemne: that he maketh Saints at his pleasure: that whatsoeuer he blesseth is blessed: and that it is cursed whatsoeuer he curseth.

Hée selleth merites, the forgiuenesse of sinnes: the sacrifice for the quicke and the dead. Hée maketh marchandize of the soules of men. Hée laieth his filthie handes vppon the Lordes annointed. Hée remooueth kings, and deposeth the states and Princes of the world. This is Antichrist. This is his power. Thus shal he worke and make himselfe mani∣fest. So shall he sit in the temple of God. The people shall woonder at him, and shall haue him in reuerence. They shall say, who is like vnto the beast? Who is so wise, so migh∣tie, so godlie, so vertuous, so holie, so like vnto God? so intolerable and monstrous shal be his pride.

It were much for hym to sitte in the seate, and to occupie the roome of an earth∣ly King or Emperour. But he shall take vppon him the authoritie and the name of GOD, the name of the liuing Lorde, the name of GOD which hath made heauen and earth, euen the name of GOD the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in this pride hée shall excéede al others that haue béene wicked. The Pharises and the Scribes were wicked: yet none of them did sit in the tem∣ple of God, shewing himselfe that hée was God. Arius, Nestorius, Montanus, Valenti∣nus were wicked heretiques, yet they neuer

•…•…ooke vppon them the name of God. What shoulde I saie of this blasphemie? or in whom may wée find the like? Mahomet was a Turke and a false Prophet, and a deceiuer of the people, yet he tooks not vppon him the name of God. This point and reach of vngodlinesse belongeth onelie to Antichrist. He shall sit in the place of God in iudgements: he shall shewe himselfe out of that place as if he were God. Irenaeus saieth, Quum sit servus, tamen * 1.88 •…•…dor ari vult•…•…ut deus. Whereas hee is but a ser∣•…•…ant, hee will be worshipped as if hee were God.

But some will saie, Antichrist shall be mortall as other men, borne of a mortall fa∣ther and mother: hée shall knowe, that he shal die: and that he is but dust, and shal returne againe into dust: that hée can not make him∣selfe, no that he can not make the least, and •…•…ilest of al creatures. Howe then will he pro∣claime himselfe to be an immortall God? How wil he cal himselfe God that made heauen and earth? or, God which had no beginning, nor shall haue anie ende? no, this is not the meaning of these wordes. Hée shall not so thinke of himselfe, nor so saie. I will tell you after what sorte hee shall sitte in the Temple of GOD, and howe the worlde shall

receiue him and reuerence him as GOD. Hée shall take to himselfe that supreme autho∣ritie, and prerogatiue, which appertaineth onelie to GOD by nature. Although hee be but a man, yet in office he will be accoun∣ted as GOD. He shall compare his lawes, with the lawes of GOD. He shall say, his worde is the worde of GOD. Whatsoeuer he saieth, he shall saie it is the voice of the spi∣rite of God: of the same authoritie, that is gospell of Christ: no man maie breake it: no man may touch the credite thereof: if ani•…•… man with stande it, hée must thinke he doth sacrilege, committeth blasphemie, and sin∣neth against the holie Ghost. Againe, he shal breake the lawes of God to vphold his owne, and shal pul downe GOD to set vp himselfe. Such shall be the power and auctoritie of An∣tichrist: so shall he possesse the consciences of the people: so shall hée sitte as an Idoll in their hearts: so shall he stande in the place of God, and shew-himselfe that he is GOD. The people shall receiue his doctrine and be∣léeue his worde. They shall sall downe be∣fore him and worship him. They shall saie, Who is like vnto the beast? What creature is * 1.89 so beautifull as he? They shall honour him as God.

But what is hée, which hath suffered

himselfe to be so called? Who is hée which hath béene called by the name of GOD? Of all the creatures which haue professed the faith of Christ, of al the Kings, or Bishops, or Priests, or laie people that euer were in the Church of GOD, who euer required to be called by the holie name of GOD? Or, who euer liked well of them which so cal∣led him? Who hath béene so wicked? Who hath euer so much forgotten himselfe? In what place hath he dwelt? Or what hath hée béene?

Here mée thinketh I sée the secrete mo∣tions of your heart. You looke that I shoulde name the Bishoppe of Rome: that it is hée which hath suffered himselfe to be called by the name of GOD. I will not tell you in mine owne wordes. Vnlesse the Bishop himselfe so speake, I will not tell you. Marke then, and witnesse of my indifferencie, whi∣lest I speake hereof, that I followe not affe∣ction, but deale vprightly. Therefore, I say againe, vnlesse the Bishop himselfe, suffer himselfe to be called by the name of GOD, I will not so saie of him. Then let vs sée what hée hath written of himselfe, and what hée hath suffered others to write. Pope Nicholas saith, Constat summum pontificem à pio principe * 1.90 Constantino Deum appellari. It is wel knowen,

that the Pope, of the godlie Prince Con∣stantine was called God. And therefore Pope Pius in his Bull saieth, Nemo audeat * 1.91 obedire. No man dare obey hir, or her will, or commaundements, or lawes vpon paine of our curse.

The Pope was well content to suffer Christopher Marcellus, one of his Parasites in the Councel of Laterane, to say vnto him, Tu * 1.92 es alter deus in terris: Thou arte an other God in earth. The Pope is content in such sorte to haue a diuision of tenures made betwéene him and God, as the Poet sometime flatteringly wrote, Divinsuni imperium cum Iove Caesar ha∣bet. The Emperour parteth his rule, and hol∣deth halfe with Iupiter. In the Extrauagants * 1.93 it is set down. Dominus de us noster Papa, Our Lord God the Pope. Marke these words. Our Lord God the Pope. In them the Pope is cal∣led Lord, and is called God. Oh merciful Lord God, which from thy heauens beholdest this vanitie, how great is thy mercie in suffering this? I deuise not this. His owne bookes, his owne doctors, his owne decrées and decretals speake it, and set it downe. Credere dominum de∣um * 1.94 nostrum Papam non potuisse statuere, prout sta∣tuit, Hereticum censeretur. To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as hee decrecd, it were a matter of Heresie. It is so

written there, he hath heard it, he hath séene it, he knoweth it is so, yet he suffereth it to goe abroad, and thereby suffreth himselfe to be cal∣led God.

He hath burnt many Saints of God, and holie men for no other cause, but for the pro∣fession of the Gospell. He hath in manie pla∣ces burnt the holie Bible, and such bookes as teach nothing but godlinesse. Where did he e∣uer burne? what speake I of burning? where may it appeare that euer he controlled any for so writing, or called in such spéeches?

One of them séemeth to take shame of this shamelesse, and blasphemous stile or ti∣tle. He séeketh friendly to temper, and quali∣fie, and take vp the matter. Nec deus es nec ho∣mo, * 1.95 quasi neuter es inter vtrumque. Thou arte neither God nor man: in a manner thou arte neither of both: but rather a meane betweene both. That is, thou art not so high as God, nor yet so base as man: Whom then shal we ima∣gine him to be? Is he an Archangell, or Angel, or a spirite of the aire? God giue him grace to sée his owne vanitie: that hée maie knowe, he is but a miserable and mortal man: that hée maie knowe that a time shall come when his hipocrisie and dissimulation shall be disclosed. GOD giue him grace to be∣come godlie, as becommeth the man of God.

That he maie indéed be the minister of Christ, and a disposer of the secrets of God: that hee may serue God in trueth, in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life. But you saie, the Pope at this daie is not called GOD. Hée rather abaseth himselfe, and wri∣teth himselfe by a title of humilitie, and is cal∣led so, Servus servorum, The seruant of seruants. Be it so, that he is so called, and so written: yet he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lordes. * 1.96 This seruant saieth, I doe make holie the vn∣holie: I doe i•…•…stifie the wicked: I doe forgiue sinnes: I open, and no man shutteth. This seruant can saie, whosoeuer obeyeth not mée, hée shall be rooted out. This seruant maie dis∣pence * 1.97 for anie commaundement of the olde and newe Testament. This seruant hath Christs lieftenantship not onelie ouer things in heauen, ouer things in earth, and ouer things in hell: but also ouer the Angelles both good and bad. No man maie iudge this seruant. For they saie, Papa solutus est omni lege hu∣mana: The Pope is exempted from all lawe of man. And againe, Nec totus clerus, nec totus umndus potest Papam iudicare aut deponere. Nei∣ther all the Cleargie, nor all the whole world, maie either iudge or depose the Pope. Such a power this seruant of seruantes claimeth to himselfe. What greater power maie

be giuen vnto GOD? What Angel, what archangel euer had the like power?

And this power euen at this day Pope Pius chalengeth as proper to his seate. That hée hath the authority which is due to Christ ouer his Church that no man may iudge him, nor say he doth erre, nor aske why he doth so. He is inuested in the priuiledge of his Church, and loseth no one iote of his dignitie. It is yet good at this day which hath béene set downe: Sacri∣legij * 1.98 instar esset disputare de facto papae. It is sinne, as great as sacriledge, or Church robbing, to reason of anie the Popes doinges. These be their owne wordes. God knoweth, before whom we stande this day, they be their owne wordes, and not mine. Thus doth he sit in the temple of God, shewing himselfe that hee is God.

And therefore may we say, as sometime sayd Eusebius, Hoc est argumentum, eos odisse de∣um, * 1.99 quod ve•…•…nt seipsos appellari Deos. This is an euident token, that they hate God, because they wil haue themselues called by the name of God. Or as Gregory, who speaking of Anti∣christ, saide, Cùm sit damnatus homo, & nequa∣quàm * 1.100 spiritus, Deum se esse mentitur. Whereas he is a cursed man and not a spirite, he faigneth himselfe, by lying, to be a God.

V. 5. Remember ye not, that when I was

yet with you, I told ye these thinges?

Before I departed from you to goe farther, to plant the Gospel in other churches, I tolde you that Antichrist should come, and that hee should oppresse and confounde the Church of Christ. Paule was chosen to be an Apostle. The office of an Apostle was not to rest in any one certaine place, but to passe from countrey to countrey, from lande to lande, and to fil al the world with knowledge of the Gospel, and therein appeareth the difference betwéene an Apostle and a Bishop. A Bishop had the charge of one certaine Church, an Apostle had the charge ouer al the churches.

But Paule was not tyed to any one citie, or Ilande, or countrey. He had authoritie to preach to al cities and countries: to al landes and Ilandes from the east to the west. So did Christ appoint his Apostles: Goe ye into all * 1.101 the worlde, and preach the Gospel vnto eue∣rie creature. They were not sent to Ierusalem, nor to Samaria, nor to Ephesus, nor to Rome only: but into al the world. The whole world was their dioces, and their prouince. So speaketh the Prophet Dauid of them: Their sounde is gone foorth through the earth: and * 1.102 their wordes into the endes of the worlde. This was the commission which our Sani∣our gaue vnto Iohn, and to Iames, to Paule,

and to Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles: that they should goe into al the world. There∣fore if any of the Apostles should haue staide in one only place, and haue gone no farther, he had offended, and done otherwise than Christ commaunded.

Here we sée howe foulie they are deceiued which say, Peter was Bishop of Rome, and did sitte there fiue and twentie yeares. They that say so, knowe not what they say. It is an errour. Christ made Peter an Apostle, and not to sit as a Bishop at Rome. He sayde vnto Peter, Goe into al the worlde: thou shalt be a witnesse vnto me, vnto y^e outmost coasts of the earth: I sende thee vnto al the churches, and not to one alone. The like charge receiued Paul: he trauailed frō Damascus to Arabia: from Arabia to Ierusalem: from Ierusalē to Illyricum: from Illyricum to Rome, & so from countrey to countrey, and from coast to coast, to make a pleasaunt perfume of the Gospel of God, in al the worlde, that it might be vnto them a sauour of life vnto life. Therefore sayeth he to the Thessalomans. Ye remember that when I was with you, I tolde you these thinges. The spirite of GOD warned me to goe far∣ther. Other churches required my presence: I was debter vnto thē as vnto you. Yet before I left you, I told you what daungers shoulde

•…•…nsue. It was mine office, I was bounde so to doe, least you might be deceiued. I told you Antichrist should come, euen that man of sin, the sonne of perdition, which should destroy himselfe and others also. I tolde you he should be an aduersarie of the Gospel of Christ: that he should aduaunce himselfe ouer al the kings and powers of the world: that he should sit as God in the holy place: that the people should giue him place to sit in their harts, and in their consciences.

This warning the Apostle gaue to the Thessalonians. The like warning he gaue to other Churches where he taught the Gospel: and the same is also spoken vnto vs. They knewe by his teaching that Antichrist should come. We know by the markes which he hath giuen to know Antichrist, that he is alreadie come: and that, the very same is come, which the Apostle describeth: that he is growen vnto his fulnesse, and hath stalled himselfe in the place of God.

V. 6. And nowe yee knowe what with∣holdeth: that hee might bee reueyled in his time.

Paule séemeth not in these wordes to say, what letteth the comming of Antichrist: but what shal stay the comming of Christ. For so be maketh entrie into his matter: I beseeche

you, by the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye be not troubled as though the day of Christ were at hand. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes. For the day of Christ shal not come, except there come a departing first, and that Antichrist be disclosed. Euen so here he sayth, ye know what withholdeth Christ, and why he cōmeth not. Euen this, that Antichrist might first be reueiled in his time. His time is appointed. The spring commeth not, vntil the winter haue gone before: the night goeth before, and then the day commeth. And so shal not the glorious maiestie of Christs comming appeare, before the dreadful and daungerous dayes of Antichrist shal come. There shal be no deliuerie, vnlesse bondage goe before.

Antichrist shal bring the worlde into bon∣dage: he shal do violence to the saints of God: he shal be as a continual storme, and darke∣nesse in the church. The godly shal looke vp to heauen, and cal for ayde: they shal crie vnto the Lorde, and he wil heare them. They shal say, O come Lord Iesus, thy kingdome come, confounde thine enemies. Then wil hee not staie: he wil appeare, and she we himselfe in glorie. In the meane while this is the cause of his stay, this letteth his comming: Antichrist must first come. This I take to be the Apo∣stles meaning. It agréeth with the beginning.

It is simple, cleare, and plaine, and without danger of errour.

Antichrist shal appeare, not when he wil: but he shalbe reuealed in his time. His time is the time of darkenesse: when shepheardes and the guides of the people shal be carelesse: when the word shal be loathed: when the light shall be put out: when superstition shal reigne: when ignorance shal haue the vpper hand: when the creature shal not be knowen from the creator: when there shal be no feare of God, no regard of godlinesse: when the people shal not knowe neither wherefore they pray, nor whom they worship, nor in whom they beleeue: then shal it appeare that Antichrist is come, then he shal shewe himselfe: this is his time.

V. 7. For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke, onely he which nowe letteth, shal let til he be taken out of the way.

The mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke. Let vs not be deceiued. Antichrist shal certainly come, and shal drawe many into er∣rour. As it was with Christ, at his cōming, he was in the world, he did the workes of his fa∣ther, yet fewe knewe him: So shal it be with Antichrist, hee shal be in the worlde, he shal worke his iniquitie, and fewe shal know him. Paule liued more than fiftéene hundred yeares past. Yet then he saide the mysterie of the ini∣quitie

doth alreadie worke. The diuel is not idle, sayth he, Antichrist euen nowe worketh, when as the bloud of Christ was fresh: when as yet the Apostles and many other witnesses of our redemption by Christ were liuing. And S. Iohn sayth, Euen now are there many Anti∣christs * 1.103 come alreadie. So soone was his foun∣dation cast, his plot laide, his way prepared, and his work begun. So long sithens did Paul sée some which delited in the workes of darke∣nesse: which were the enemies of the crosse of Christ, which serued their belly and not the Lord, euen then did he sée y^e gréeuous wolues not sparing the flocke, should enter in among them. Al these were the forerunners and the harbingers of Antichrist.

We may not thinke y^e Antichrist shal come as a robber by the high wayes, or like a mur∣therer, or like a tyrant that burneth our hou∣ses, or sacketh our cities, or destroyeth our fieldes, or pulleth downe al that is before him. Wee may not looke that hee should say I am Antichrist, I am that man of sinne, I am the sonne of perdition, I am the aduersarie, and am contrarie to Christ. He shal not shew forth himselfe in such a sort, he shal not so speake of himselfe. He is suttle and cunning, hee shal deceiue the learned and the wise: he shal cast himself into a colour of holinesse: he shal fast,

he shal pray, he shal giue almes and shewe mercie: he shal walke as if he were a disciple of Christ: he shal counterfeite an Angel of light. He shal goe before, and the worlde shal follow him. So shal the mysterie of iniquitie worke. His life, his religion, his doctrine shal be close & hid, and secret. Antichrist worketh in mysterie. Hierome sayth, Ingemuit totus or∣bis, * 1.104 & Arianum se esse miratus est. The whole worlde mourned, and did maruaile that they were possessed with the errour of Arius: that they denyed the diuinitie of Christ before they were ware. This was a mysterie. So shal the learned and wise be deceiued. They shal ho∣nour Antichrist vnwares. They shal say, we defye him, and detest him, and yet shal fal downe and worship him. This is a mysterie. So secrete shal his dealing be, it shal not bee knowen to many.

He shal walke in craftinesse, and handle the worde of God deceitfully: he shal mingle his lies with the truth of God: he shal mingle his poyson with the wholesome foode of our soules; so closely and suttlely, that it shal hard∣ly be espied: he shal goe forwarde by little and little, and so winne credite, and conueigh him selfe into the heartes of the people. This is a mysterie. Christ sayeth, A man sowed good * 1.105 feede in his fielde, but while men slept, there

came his foe, & sowed tares amōg the wheate, •…•…nd went his waie. They grew together, and had both one like colour. The housholder willed them to let both grow together til har∣nest come, least with the tares, they plucke vp the wheate also. So shall be the comming of Antichrist. He shal come whiles men sléepe, in the night of blindnesse, and of negligence, and of ignorance: and shall so we his tares with the Lords wheate. They shal both grow vp to∣gether. The day of the Lord shal reueale them and set ech part by it selfe. This is a mysterie, and as it is secret, so is it long in working. This mysterie began in the d•…•…ies of the Apo∣stles, and continueth on stil vnto our time. It is stil in worke.

But who be they, which follow his loare: which yéeld themselues to him, and which shal be dereiued? are they poore men, or artificers, or labourers? or are they vnlearned and igno∣rant men? No, no, he shall deceiue Priests, •…•…ops, Archbishops, Princes, Kings, Emperours, the grauest, the best learned, the wi•…•…est, the mightiest men in the world. He shall •…•…nd their eies, and amaze their hearts. They shall runne to him out of al parts of the earth: they shall fall downe before him: they shall aske councell of him: they shall saie, thou art the Doctour of Doctours, thou art the father

of fathers, thou arte the comforte of the Church, thou art the light of the worlde, thou arte most holie: al lawe, and al knowledge is hid in thy brest: we beséech thy holinesse, shew vs thy waie, expounde thou the lawe vnto vs, teach vs howe wée may be saued: thou hast the key of knowledge, thy word is the word of truth. So shall they créepe to Anti∣christ, so shall they poure out their soules be∣fore him, so shall they séeke counsell at his mouth, so shall they fetch light at the Prince of darknesse.

This mysterie, saith S. Paul, doth alreadie worke, it shall increase and goe forward and growe to a perfection. A thorne when it is yong is soft and gentle, ye may thrust at it with your finger, it wil not hurt you: but af∣ter, it waxeth and groweth hard & stubborne, it will pierce to the flesh and drawe bloud. A Beare when he is yong is harmlesse and inno∣cent, yée may dandle it, and dallie with it, as with a whelp, it hath not chambers to gripe, no téeth to bite, nor pawes to teare: but after it wil growe, and become fierce and cruel like the sire. A serpent when it is yong, is litle and pretie: it hath no sting nor poison. You maie take it in your hand and laie it in your lap, it will not burt you. After, it will encrease in benime, and grow in mischiefe, and be like it

selfe: then it wil shake the sting, and cast poi∣son, and prooue dangerous.

Such a thorne, such a beare, such a serpent is Antichrist. At the first he shall séeme soft and gentle, and pretie and innocent. After hée shal growe fierce, and arme himselfe with sting and poison. But a thorne though it be soft, is a thorne: a beare though he be little is a beare: a serpent though it be pretie is a ser∣pent. Euen so Antichrist, though he séeme gentle, milde, and simple, yet is he Antichrist. He groweth by degrées, he wil be like his sire, his pawes wil be dreadfull, his mouth wil be deadly.

Whosoeuer knowe the nature and work∣ing of an earthquake, how it groweth and how it worketh, know, that at the first it is some li∣tle winde, gathered and kept in some hollowe places of the earth: there it lieth closely some∣times for manie yeares, without giuing foorth anie noise, without stirring or shaking. One may walke ouer it and perceiue nothing. Af∣ter it groweth strong and violent, it séeketh a maie out, it forceth it selfe, it gathereth Srength and commeth abroade, it wil staie no longer. Out it breaketh, and teareth the earth, and renteth rockes, ouerthroweth moun∣taines, shaketh down townes and cities, swal∣loweth by whole riuers: it inflameth the aire,

raiseth thunder, roareth vp into Heauen, and astonieth the worlde. Such is the working of an earthquake: so great and mightie at the ende, so little and simple at the first. Such shall be the mysterie and comming of Anti∣christ. At the beginning he shall be like a litle winde, and shall enter into the hollownesse and darkenesse of the Church, but after, hée shal shake the whole world. He shal shew forth himselfe at the first with countenance of deuo∣tion and holinesse, that he may closely and pri∣uily, and secretly wreath in himselfe. Few shal be able to vnderstand the mysterie of his dea∣ling. After, he shall be opened, and appeare as he is.

Who would thinke there were anie euill in forcing of virginitie, chastitie, or single life? He that is vnmarried, careth for the things of the Lorde, howe he maie please the Lord, that he may be holie both in body, and also in spirit. Would God it were so with al, that haue ta∣ken the profession of single life. But the colour is faire. Hence hath it growne, that Bishops, and Priests, and yong men, and maidens haue continued single. This seēmed strange, and a myracle, and a matter of great holinesse. But this is a mysterie: this is a waie to bring in Antichrist. Marke what Saint Paul speaketh héereof, They shal forbid to marrie. Of whom * 1.106

speaketh he? Of Antichrist, and his Disciples. They shall forbid lawfull marriage, as vnho∣lie, and as a state of life vnfit for their holines. Yet Christ Iesus the sonne of God did neuer forbid it. His Apostles were married and had wiues.

This, saith Saint Paul is a marke of Anti∣christ, by this shall he be knowne. Forbidding of marriage is a doctrine of Diuelles: not of Christ, or of God, but of diuels. It is a gulfe, it is a sea, it is a world, it is a hel of iniquitie: and the vilest vilanie that euer crept into the Church of GOD. Hierome expounding the wordes of Daniel, Hee shall haue no regarde to the desires of women, saith, Facili∣•…•… * 1.107 interpretatio est, de Antichristo, quodideo simu∣l•…•… castitatem vt plurimos decipiat. The better ex∣position here of is to applie these words to An∣tichrist, for that he shal pretend chastitie, that he may deceiue manie. This is the mysterie of iniquitie. This is the practise of Antichrist. He∣shall come with a cloake of counterfaited cha∣stitie, not with true chastitie hath in bodie, and also in spirite, but with counterseit chastitie, and so shall deceiue the hearts of ma∣nie.

Who would thinke there were any euil in single communisn? D•…•… why maie not euerie bodie folow his own deuotion, and receiue the

sacrament when he wil? what harme is here∣in? It may séeme to be done for the reuerence vnto the sacrament, least it shoulde growe in contempt, if it were vsed often. These reasons are faire and fresh, but this is a mysterie, and a practise of Antichrist. For, by this meanes haue they shut out the faithfull people of God, and made them negligent & carlesse for the re∣ceiuing of the Lords supper: they abused the Church of the liuing God, they turned the re∣membrance of the death of Christ into a Mai∣game: they made the people commit horrible and open idolatrie, to worship the creature in stead of the Creator, which is God blessed for euer.

Who would thinke there were anie euil in the keies of the Church? They are the expoun∣ding of the law, and the disclosing of the wil of God. They are the chiefest comfort of our con∣science. But Antichrist shall take those keies vnto himselfe, and shall build vppe his owne kingdome with them. He shall shut, that God hath opened: and shal open that God hath shut. This is also the mysterie of iniquitie.

Who would thinke there were any euil in godlie praiers of the Church? Christ saieth. Watch and praie, for you knowe not in what * 1.108 houre your Maister wil come. And againe, * 1.109 Praie thou to thy father which is in secrete, and

thy father which seeth thee in secrete shall re∣warde thee openly. And againe, Aske and ye * 1.110 shall receiue, seeke and ye shall find: knocke and it shall be opened vnto you. Saint Paule saith, Praie without ceasing. The Prophet Da∣uid * 1.111 saith, The Lord is nigh vnto al them that call vpon him, to al that call vpon him faithful∣ly. For the Lord will heare the praiers of his Saints, and deliuer them when they call vpon him. These praiers shall Antichrist take to worke his iniquitie. And vnder pretence of them shall deuour widowes houses, and shal make a net of them to fish and drag for al the riches of the world. This is also the mysterie of iniquitie.

Who would think there were so great euil in the doctrine of Purgatorie? What if one thought that his father or friend died in some beniall sinne, and were chastised somewhile in purgatorie •…•…ire, and that he might be reléeued by praiers? For this iolie pretence and imagi∣nation haue they thereof. What if one should so thinke? what hurt were it? Brethren this is the mysterie of al mysteries, & the secrete of al secrets. In this standeth the countenance, and al the welfare of Antichrist. He hath impropri∣ed the whole kingdome of Purgatorie to him∣selfe, and hath made it more gainefull, than heauen and earth. There he selleth praiers:

there he maketh port sale of buls and pardons: there he selleth forgiuenesse of sinnes, à culpa & poena. He selleth the mercies of GOD, the bloud of the Martyres, the workes of super∣erogation, the merits of his fratries, the bloud of Christ. There he selleth paradise, deliue∣rance or assurance from hel, and entrance into heauen, he maketh marchandise of the soules of the people. This is the alonelie mysterie a∣boue al other mysteries.

Who would thinke there were anie euill in the name of the Church? It is the witnesse bearer vnto the gospel. It is the pillar of truth. It is the spouse of Christ. Yet saith Christ: An∣tichrist shall come in my name. He shall séems holie, he shall talke of the gospel, he shall carie the face of the church, and deceiue many. This is a mysterie.

Who would thinke it a matter of so great inconuenience, for a man to call the Bishop of Rome the greatest Bishop, or the chiefest Pa∣triarke, and the highest Iudge: and to say that al appeales lie vnto him? what hurt may this be? It séemeth a small matter, a matter of nothing. But it is a practise, it is a secret, and a mysterie. Hence flowed al the streames of vanitie and presumption wherein he aduaun∣ceth himselfe. Hence it is, that he saith, I am aboue Kings and Emperours. I am aboue

generall counsels. I am aboue the whole Church of Christ. I am aboue the Angels of God. I haue power to commaunde and to countermaunde them at my pleasure. I am the succssour of Peter. I am the vicar of Christ. No man may iudge me whatsoeuer I doe. I can not erre. General councels might erre, the Apostles might erre: the Angels of God might erre: but I can not erre. I haue the ful∣nesse of power. The whole worlde is my dio∣resse. Whosoeuer is saued, is vnder me. Who so euer is not vnder me is cursed of God. I am the light of the worlde. I can in a manner doe whatsoeuer God can doe. Al these spéeches are writen, are printed, are published, and proclai∣med abroade. This is a mysterie of iniquitie, this is a déepe secrete. These are the verie waies and steppes of Antichrist. God giue vs eyes to see them, and heartes that we may dis∣cerne them.

Paule did sée this mysterie working euen in that time hee liued. Iohn sayeth, Diotre∣phes * 1.112 loueth to haue the preeminence. To lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren, to be the head of the Church, and to beare a maisterie. So Paule espied contentions in Corinth: Euerie * 1.113 one of you saith, I am Paules, and I am Apol∣los, and I am Cephas, and I am Christs. These were the beginnings of Antichrist. But Paule

sayeth, Wee preach not our selues, but Christ * 1.114 Iesus the Lorde, and our selues your seruantes for Iesus sake. So the true Disciples of Christ recken not themselues any thing, but the mē∣bers one of an other, but the ministers by whō the people beléeue, but witnesses chosen before of God, but such as are commanded to preach, but Gods labourers.

Nowe let vs consider these markes of An∣tichrist. Was there euer any, which hath for∣bidden laweful marriage? and accounted it a state of life which is vncleane, and not méete for his holinesse? and deceiued the world with counterfaite chastitie? the same is Antichrist. For Hierome telleth vs, Antichrist shal pre∣tend chastitie, that he may deceiue manie: and Paule calleth forbidding of Marriage, the doc∣trine of Diuels.

Was there euer any which hath shut soorth the faithful from the holy Communion, and hath made them carelesse for the receiuing thereof? which hath defaced the sacrament, ab∣used the Church of God, and caused the people to giue the honor of God vnto a creature? this is the working of the mysterie of iniquitie: he is Antichrist.

Was there euer any, which tooke the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, and wrought to himselfe therwith a principalitie or kingdome

in earth? was there euer any which hath shut them out from the kingdome of God, to whom God hath opened it, and hath set frée the consci∣ences of those sinners whom God hath not loo∣sed? he is Antichrist.

Was there euer anie which beguiled the people, which deuoured widowes houses vn∣der colour of long praiers, and hath vsed them as a net to fishe for the treasures and riches of al the world? he is Antichrist.

Was there euer anie which solde bulles, and pardons, and forgiuenesse of sinnes, and the mercies of God, and the merites of men, and the bloud of the Martyres, and the passion of Christ the sonne of God? Was there euer anie that solde Paradise, and Heauen, & mad•…•… sale of the soules of the people, and al for mo∣ney? the same is Antichrist.

Was there euer anie which came in the name of Christ, with the shewe of holi∣nesse, with the countenaunce of the Church, and hath shewed himselfe in all his life and doctrine contrarie to Christ? hee is Anti∣christ.

Was there euer anie which hath saide? I am aboue Kinges and Emperours, and the states of the worlde: I am aboue Councels, I am aboue the whole Church of Christ, and

aboue the Angels of God. No man may iudge me: I can not erre. Whosoeuer shal be saued must be vnder me. If any shal not obey mée, they are cursed before God: God and I haue one iudgement seate, we sit together, I can do, whatsoeuer God can doe. He that thus saith is Antichrist. The mysterie of iniquitie doeth worke alreadie, saith the Apostle. He shal not open himselfe. What so euer hée doeth, hee doth it in secrete. So shal he auaunce himselfe: so shal hee speake great thinges and blasphe∣mies against the highest: so shal he preuaile and prosper: so shall hée darken the heauens, and drawe the thirde part of the starres after him: so shal he sit in the holy place, euen in the seate of God and al this shal he worke vnder pretence of humilitie, and shal cal himselfe the seruant of seruaunts.

Onely he which now withholdeth, shal let til he be taken out of the way.

Nowe the Emperour holdeth the whole power and authoritie ouer the worlde: but it shal be taken away from him, and then shal Antichrist come, when al stoppes and lets shal be remoued. Who is he that doth stoppe him and let his comming? The Emperour of Rome. So saith Tertullian, so Augustine, Am∣brose, and Chrysostome. Antichrist shal pos∣sesse a great part of the Romaine Empyre:

yet so long as the Emperour shal stande and prosper, he wil not suffer any part of his em∣pire to be abated. So long as the Emperour shal be able to beare himselfe, Antichrist shal neuer be able to growe. But a time shal come when the Empire of Rome shal be rent asun∣der, then the authoritie of the Emperour shall decay, then Antichrist shal gather strength, and shal place himselfe where the Emperour was. A traitour can not vsurpe the crowne so long as the right king is able to stande and maintaine his state. Antichrist is a traitour. A traitour both to God and man. When the Emperour shal fal and decay, then he shal rise vp. When the Emperour becommeth weake, then he shal growe strong. Therefore Paule saith, Antichrist shal not come yet, for the Em∣perour letteth him. The Emperour shalbe re∣moued, and then shal Antichrist come.

But before I procéede to say more of this diuision of the Empire. That wee may come to the bottome of this matter, & so sée the mea∣•…•…ng of this prophecie euidentlie layde open before vs, I wil shewe more plainly, and par∣ticularly of Antichrist, who he shal be. It is a hard and doubtful thing, as are al prophecies, but marke wel, that shal be spoken. I will speake nothing without good warraunt and authoritie of the olde writers and fathers. I

wil tel you the conditions of Antichrist, and where hée shal dwell: that knowne, it shall be no harde matter to knowe the rest.

Who shal he be then, or of what condition, that we may knowe him? Some haue said, he should be a Jewe of the tribe of Dan: some that Nero the bloudy tyrant should rise again and hee should be Antichrist: some that hee should be a mightie persecutour, which should rage and range ouer the whole worlde, rase towers and castles, set on fire the Church and oratories, and kill whom so euer he méeteth: Hyppolitus saieth he shal be begotten by the Diuel, and himselfe shal be a diuel. These de∣uises were imagined and written many hun∣dred yeares sithence, as euerie bodie were best able to deuise. But these are fables, and haue no grounde. To say the trueth, Antichrist shal neither be a Jew, nor Nero, nor one begotten by the Diuel. He shal be a Christian, he shal be a Bishoppe, and a holie father, and a Bi∣shop of great shewe and countenaunce in the worlde. Marke, he shal not be a King, nor an Emperour, nor a tyrant, nor a temporal Prince, but a Bishop.

But howe may this be knowne, that wee may be certaine of it? For you wil charge my sayings with partialitie, as if what should bée spoken by mee, might procéede of displeasure

and malice. Who then hath so spoken or writ∣ten, that we may beléeue him? Heare Grego∣rie himselfe a Bishoppe of Rome, what he re∣corded of this matter well nigh a thousande yeares agoe. Rex superbiae prope est, & quod dici * 1.115 nefas est, sacerdotum est praeparatus exercitus. The king of pride (that is, Antichrist) is euen at hande, and an armie of priestes is prepared: which is a wicked, or horrible thing to be spo∣ken. Loe, both the king, which is Antichrist: and his garde to waite vpon him: a companie of priestes and clarkes: of Monkes and Fry∣ers to attend vpon him. And vpon whom shal an armie of priestes attende, but vpon a Bi∣shoppe?

If you saye, this is no plaine proofe, but forced, and wrested, because he nameth not a Bishop, but a king of pride: heare him againe, Fidenter dico, quòd quisquis se vniuersalem sacer∣dotem * 1.116 vocat, vel vocari de siderat, in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit. I speake it boldlie, whosoeuer either calleth himselfe the vniuer∣sal priest, or desireth so to be called (as doeth the Pope) in the pride of his hart, he is the fore∣runner of Antichrist. In this place, he doeth not only tel vs, Antichrist shal be a Bishoppe, but also what maner of Bishoppe. He shal be a Bishop, & that Bishop, which shal claime vni∣uersal authoritie. Such a Bishop as shal say,

It is of the necessitie of saluation, that euerie soule be subiect to mee. Which shal say, it is plaine, that the church is one, because in the vniuersal church, there is one supreme heade, that is, the Pope.

Sybilla sayeth, this king, shal be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.117 that is; shal haue a white heade: and shal bée called by a name much like to Pontus. In which two markes of his heade and name, whom can we finde but a Bishoppe? Who weareth solemnely a white myter of siluer, and adourned with precious stones, and in Latine is named pontifex. Againe, Ioachimus Abbas saieth, he shal exalt himselfe aboue al that is called God: for he onely shal bée called holy Lorde, and most holy Pope. So that for our direction, we heare not only of a King of pride, and his garde of priestes: but we are learned that this king shal haue a white head and a name much like pontus, that is, shal be pontifex, a Bishoppe. Gregorie morcouer hath saide he shal cal himselfe, or desire to be called an vniuersal priest: and Ioachimus an Ab∣bot hath tolde vs, Antichrist shal be called, •…•…∣ly Lord, and most holy Pope.

But where shal Antichrist bée resident? In what place shal we séeke him? for, if we looke for him in one place, and he be in an o∣ther, we shal not finde him. Where then is

he stalled, in what Citie? in what Church? Some saie, in Babylon, some in Syria, some in Chaldea, some in Hierusalem vpon mount Si∣on, some in one place, some in an other. These are but gesses, and beare no waight. Paule telleth vs, hée shall créepe into the Empire of Rome. So saith the Apostle, and so the fathers. The Empire shall be made waste, and then Antichrist shall come, and inuade the Church. But the Empire was great and wide, it rea∣ched thed ouer a great part of the world. It did con∣taine England, Fraunce, Spaine, Germanie, Po∣land, Denmarke, Italie, Illyricum, Macedonia, Thracia, Graecia, Asia, Armenia, Aegypt, Mau∣ritania, and the rest of Affrica. Al these were partes of the Empire of Rome. In what part, or in what Citie, or in what Church of al these shall he sit?

Saint Iohn saieth, The seauen heades, are * 1.118 seauen mountaines on which the woman sit∣teth. Antichrist shall sit in a Citie built vppon seauen hilles. Where shall we find such a Ci∣tie in the whole worlde? is it Hierusalem, or Athens, or Constantinople, or Antioch? Where wée finde a Citie so built, that Citie is the place of Antichrist. There is none but one. The spi∣rit of God cannot lie. But which is that one? Al writers as wel olde as new, call that Citie Rome. Rome is built vppon seauen hilles.

They be yet standing. The names of the hilles are knowne to be these, Palatinus, Quirinalis, Auentinus, Caelius, Viminalis, Exquilius, Ianicu∣laris. The Poet speaking of this Citie saith, Septem{que} vna sibi muro circundedit arces. And this one citie hath compassed in to it self with a wal seauen high places. Therefore Plutarch calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of seauen hilles. They haue vsed in Rome, in their generall processions in gang wéeke to goe to these seauen hilles, and to do some solemne péece of seruice at euery of them. Rome is the Citie of seauen heades: Rome is the Citie built vppon seauen hilles: therefore the Citie which Iohn describeth: and therefore it is the tabernacle, and stal, in which Anti∣christ shall sit.

Sybilla wrote two thousand yeares si∣thence, * 1.119 That the greatest terrour and furie of his empire, and the greatest woe that hee shall worke, shall be by the bankes of Tyber. And who is there that hath heard anie thing of the situation of Rome, that doth not knowe it is built on the bankes of Tyber? Irenaeus, who * 1.120 liued welneare fiftéene hundred yeares agoe, saith, the name of Antichrist, expressed by that number shall be Latinus, that is, he shall sit in a citie called Latium, that is, Rome. Ioa. chimus Abbas saith, Antichristus iam pridem natus est Romae. & altius extolletur in sede Aposto∣lica.

Antichrist is long since borne in Rome, and yet shal be aduanced higher in the Apostolike see. Bernard saith, Bestia illa de Apocalipsi, cui * 1.121 datum est os loquens blasphemias, & bellum gerere cum sanctis, Petri cathedram occupat, tanquam leo paratus ad praedam. The beast that is spoken of in the booke of Reuelations, vnto which beast is giuen a mouth to speake blasphemies, and to keepe warre against the Saintes of God is now gotten into Peters chaire, as a Lion prepared to his praie. These wordes are cleare as the sunne beames.

Saint Iohn saieth, Antichrist shall sit in a Citie built vpon seauen hilles. That Citie is the Citie of Rome. Dame Sybilla saieth, his greatest worke shal be by the bankes of Tyber. That Citie so built, is the Citie of Rome. Ire∣neus saieth, the name of Antichrist shall be Latinus: this name belongeth to the Bishop of Rome. Bernard saith, the beast that is spoken of in the Reuelation, is gotten into Peters chaire. Iohn liued 1560. yeares since. Sybilla 2000: Irenaeus about 1500: Ioachimus Ab∣bas 300: Bernard liued about foure hundred yeares sithence, and by the testimonie of all these, Antichrist shall be a Bishop and placed at Rome.

You maruel at this, howe it should be possi∣ble that Antichrist shoulde sit in Peters chaire,

you heare who hath said it: and no wonder at al, for he shal sit in the place of God, in the holy place, in the Church of Christ. So doth Augu∣stine gather vpon the Apostles wordes: Non * 1.122 enim templum alicuius idoli, aut daemonis, templum dei Apostolus diceret. For the temple of an idol, or of a diuel, the Apostle would neuer call the temple of God. And Hierome saith, Antichri∣stus * 1.123 sedebit in templo dei, vel Hierosolymis (vt qui∣dam putant) vel in Ecclesia (vt verius arbitramur) ostendens setanquam ipse sit Christus & filius dei. Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God, either at Ierusalem (as some imagine) or in the church (as we more truely thinke) shewing himselfe as if he were Christ, and the sonne of God. A∣gaine he saith of him, Antichrist shall tread vn∣der * 1.124 his feete al approoued and true religion. And Saint Hilarie saith, Anne ambiguum est * 1.125 Antichristum in ijs esse sessurum. Is there anie doubt but Antichrist shal sit in the same houses? He shal sit in those houses and buildings, with which you are in loue, and which you honour. And againe he saith, Sub specie euangelicae pra∣dicationis * 1.126 Christo contrarius erit: vt dominus noster Iesus Christus denegetur, quum praedicari credi∣tur. Hee shall be contrarie to Christ, vnder the colour of preaching the gospel: so that our Lord Iesus Christ shall then be denied, when a man would thinke hee is preached. Thus we

wée haue séene who shall be Antichrist, and in what Church hée shall be: that he shall be a Bishoppe, and shall be stalled or placed in Rome.

Now to returne againe to the wordes of the Apostle, Onelie hee which nowe letteth, shall let till hee be taken awaie.

Nowe the Emperour hath the rule ouer the worlde. Let him kéepe it. There shall a time come when he shall loose his possessions: then Antichrist shall appeare. When the Em∣pire shall be dismembred, and the kingdomes belonging to him shall departe from him, then shall be the comming of Antichrist. Who will looke into the storie of things and times past, shall perceiue the meaning of the Apostle: and how the empire of Rome, being so great, is con∣sumed and brought to nothing: and in what sorte Antichrist, which was once so poore and simple, so little regarded and obscure, might growe to be so great, and auaunee himselfe aboue Kings and Princes. The empoueri∣shing of the one, was the enriching of the o∣ther.

I tolde you, that the empire of Rome con∣tained sometimes a great part of the worlde, as England, Fraunce, Spaine, Germanie, &c. Where is England nowe? It is diuided from, and is no part of the Empire. Where

is Fraunce, Spaine, Italie, Illyricum? where is Rome it selfe? They are taken awaie from it, and are now no part of the Empire. Where is Macedonia, Thracia, Graecia, Asia, Armenia, &c. Wée can not thinke of them, but with heauinesse. They be nowe vnder the Turke: they are taken awate, and are no part of the Empire. What is become of the great coun∣tenaunce which the Emperour had in al the world? Hée is nowe in comparison no bodie. What part of al the Empire is left vnto him? Not one. He hath not left him one Citie, or towne. What is become of al which did be∣long to him? They are dissolued, taken from him, and his estate is brought to no∣thing.

In the meane while Antichrist encreased, and grewe to wealth by spoile of the Empire. The Bishoppe of Rome hath at this daie ma∣nie Countries and Lordshippes, Poore Peter had none. Howe then came he by them? By the spoile of the Empire. He hath the title of Forum-Iulium. Where hath hée it, but of the spoile of the Empire? Where hath hée so ma∣nie countries beginning at Luke, and onward to the Alpes, but by the spoile of the Empire? Hée hath Rauenna Forum Sempronij, Beneuentum and Spoletum. Al these he hath by the spoile of

the Empire. Hée claimeth the kingdome of Naples, and of Sicile, hée is the Lord Para∣mount. King Philip is his vassall, and pai∣eth him tribute. Hée hath Rome it selfe. It did belong vnto the Emperour. Howe grewe it to the Bishoppe? whence hath hée it? By the spoile of the Empire. Wée sée then, that the Emperour is abated: that the Bi∣shop is encreased, and so encreased, that hée hath made the Emperour to be his man, to beare his traine, to wait vpon him, to knéele downe, and to kisse his foote. This could he neuer bring to passe, whiles the Empire stoode whole, and the Emperour was able to make his parte good. But these things were doone, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken, The Kings of the earth shall giue their * 1.127 strength and power to the beast, &c. That they may agree together, and giue their king∣dome vnto the beast, vntil the wordes of God be fulfilled. Who that beast shall be, Augustine writing vppon the Psalmes verie well declareth, Ita traditur de Anti∣christo, * 1.128 quod omnes reges superaturus sit, & solus regnum obtenturus. Thus it is written of Anti∣christ, that hee shall conquere al Kings, and obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone, and who it is vnto whome the Kings of the earth haue giuen their kingdome: and which

doth obtaine the kingdome himselfe alone., if anie man doubt, let him be aduised by these sayings of them, which knew it well, and were not enimies to the Bishoppricke of Rome, Iohan. de Parisiis saith Some thinke, that * 1.129 by reason of this donation (of Constantine) the Pope is the Emperour, and the Lord of the world: and that hereby hee hath power both to set vp, and also to put downe Kings, as an Emperour. And if this be too little, to saie thus vpon heare-saie, the same saith further plainely, Omnis potestas saecularis immediate da∣ta est Papae. Al manner temporal power was gi∣uen immediatly vnto the Pope. What other thing is it that Innocentius saith? The Empe∣rour holdeth his empire of the Pope: and ther∣fore hee is bounde to sweare homage and feal∣tie to the Pope, as the vassall is bound to his Lord.

In this right Pope Adrian saide, Behold it is in our hand to bestowe the Empire vpon whome wee liste. Were not the state of the empire now decayed: were not the prophe∣cie of the Apostle nowe fulfilled: were not the Emperour (howsoeuer hée haue in a my∣sterie a bare name left) taken awaie, as wel in respect of the Countries which hée did holde; as of the authoritie, the rule, and power which hée had ouer the worlde: these

proude spéeches could neuer haue béene suffe∣red.

Now then séeing the empire is so decayed, and abased, and the Bishop of Rome so highly aduaunced into his seate and authoritie (so highly I say) that some are bold to say, The Pope hath the princehoode of all the whole worlde, and, The Pope is king of kinges, and Lord of Lords: Let Gregorie, who hath other∣where giuen great light to this prophecy, shew vs hereby also to knowe who is Antichrist. He sayth, Antichristus veniens ipsas etiam sum∣mas * 1.130 huius saeculi potestates obtinebit. Antichrist when he shal come, shal conquere the highest estates, and powers of this world.

This whole matter is also expressed in the seuenth of Daniel. The fourth beast was feare∣ful, * 1.131 and terrible, and very strong, it had great yron téeth: it deuoured and brake in peeces, and stamped the residue vnder his féete: and it was vnlike to the beastes that were before it: for it had ten hornes. And beholde, there came vp among them an other little horne, which had eyes like a man, and a mouth spea∣king presumptuous things. This beast is the empire of Rome, the greatest Empire that e∣uer was. It was diuided into tenne, or, into sundrie kingdomes, as I shewed you, and as we sée this day. The little horne is Antichrist.

The Empire shal be diuided and weakened, then Antichrist shal come. He shal speak words * 1.132 against the most high, and shal consume the Saints of the most high, and thinke that he may chaunge times and lawes, and they shal be gi∣uen into his hand. Daniel sayth he shal speake wordes against the most high, and shal thinke he may chaunge times and lawes, and they shal be giuen into his hande. Wherein he she∣weth not onely the pride and presumption of Antichrist, but that he shal also preuaile for a time. Such a one there hath béene, & yet is. He blasphemeth God, murdereth the saints, hath chaunged times and lawes, the lawes of God, and the lawes of nature. He is Antichrist.

To make an end of this part of knowledge of Antichrist, who he shal be, in what place he shal dwel, and of that which should let his cō∣ming: let vs remember he shal be no Iew nor heathen, but a christian, and no king or tem∣poral wight, but a bishop, an vniuersal priest, and most holy Pope. As Hierome vppon the wordes of the prophet, O pastor & Idolum, &c. O idol sheapheard, that &c. sayth, Pastor stul∣tus * 1.133 & imperitus haud dubitem quin sit Antichri∣stus, qui in consummatione mundi dicitur esse ven∣turus, I doubt nothing but that this foolish and vnskilfull sheaphearde is Antichrist, which should come towardes the end of the worlde.

And farther sayth: Tam sceleratus est pastor vt * 1.134 non idolorum cultor sed ipse idolum nominetur: dum se appellat deum & vult ab omnibus adorari. This shephearde is so wicked that he is not called a worshipper ofidols, but an idol it self: because he calleth himselfe God, & wilbe worshipped of al men.

Let vs remember we may not séeke him in the stréetes, or in market places, or in woods, or in the wildernesse: but in the temple of god. There shal he sit, and holde the sterne, & deuise lawes & canons, and shal rule the heartes and confciences of the people: there shal he shewe his power, and put on him the cl•…•…ake of sim∣plicitie, and of truth, and of holinesse.

S. Augustine sayth, Antichrist shal not only sit in the church of god, but also shal shew him∣selfe in outward appearaunce, as if he himself were the Church it selfe. Non in templo Dei, * 1.135 sed, in templum dei sedeat: tanquam ipse sit tem∣plum dei, quod est ecclesia. Not, that he sitteth in the temple of God, but he sitteth as the tem∣ple of God, as if he himselfe were the temple of God, which is the Church. Let vs remember what shal let his comming, euen the safetie of the Emperour, & his continuaunce in that ful power and estate wherein he then was. The decaie of the Empire shal make way for An∣tichrist. If therefore it be weakened and hath

béene weakened any time sithence, if the king∣doms of the world be diuided from it: that is an euident token that the cōming of Antichrist is not stopped, but he hath come and shewed himselfe, and by little and little euer since such decay of the Empire, hath enlarged himselfe and established his power ouer al countries and nations, as Chrysostome sayth: Donec il∣lius * 1.136 imperij timor fuerit. &c. As long as the Em∣pire shal be had in awe, no man, shal straight∣way submit himselfe to Antichrist: but after that the Empire shal be dissolued, Antichrist shal inuade the state of the Empire standing voyde: and shal labour to pul vnto himselfe the empire both of man and God.

V. 8. And then shal that wicked man be vt∣tered, whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of his mouth, and shal destroy him with the appearaunce of his comming.

Antichrist shal be opened by little and lit∣tle. Al his deuises and practises shal be disclo∣sed: that they may appeare and be séene of the world. He is in this place called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a man without order. This is another peculiar note of Antichrist. He shal séeke to be frée, and goe at libertie: he shal be tied to no lawe, neither of God, nor of man. Let vs once againe looke in∣to the state of the Church of Rome to séeke out this lawlesse man. There he sitteth, that saith,

I cannot erre. Why is it saide, Papa solutus est * 1.137 omni lege humana. The Pope is exempted from al lawe of man? And againe, why must we ex∣pounde any fact of the holy father for the best? and, if it be theft, or any other thing, that of it selfe is euil (as adulterie or fornication) we must thinke it is done by the secrete inspirati∣on of God. Againe why say they, The doings * 1.138 of the Pope are excused, as Sampsous mur∣ders: as the Iewes robberies: and as the ad∣ulteries of Iacob. And againe, why say they? Neither al the cleargie, nor al the whole world * 1.139 may either iudge or depose the Pope: but be∣cause he is lawlesse.

Why is it saide, In ijs quae vult est ei pro rati∣one * 1.140 voluntas, nec est qui dicat illi, domine cur it a fa∣cis? In such thinges as he willeth, his wil stan∣deth in steede of reason, neither may any man say vnto him, O sir, why doe ye this? but, be∣cause he is lawlesse. Why is it said of him, al∣though * 1.141 al the world would iudge in anie mat∣ter against the Pope, yet it séemeth we ought to stande to the iudgement of the Pope. For he séemeth to haue al lawes in the chest of his bosome, but because he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that lawlesse man? Why is it, notwithstanding the Pope * 1.142 drawe innumerable companies of people by heapes with him into hel, that yet no mortall man may once dare reproue him, but because

he is that lawelesse man?

Why is it said, Papa etiam rerum naturam im∣mutat, * 1.143 substantialia alicuius rei applicando alteri & de nihilo potest facere aliquid, & sententiam quae nulla est aliquam facere. Ille enim potest supra ius dispensare, & de iniustitia facere i•…•…stitiam cor∣rigendo iura & mutando. The Pope may also change the very nature of thinges, in applying the substantial partes of one thing to another: and of nothing can make something: and of no sentence, may make a sentence: for he may dispense aboue the lawe, and of wrong may make right, by correcting and chaunging the lawes. One Zabarella sayth, they perswa∣ded the bishops, that they might do al thinges: and therefore whatsoeuer they listed, yea such thinges as are not laweful. Howe could this haue béene wrought, but that the scriptures should be fulfilled? This is he whom Paul de∣scribeth, that wicked lawlesse man. Thus he reigneth and ruleth without lawe, without reason, without feare of God, without regard of man. He is exempted from al lawe, and his worde is lawe to binde al the worlde. This is Antichrist. This is he of whō Daniel prophe∣cied, * 1.144 He shal thinke he may chaunge lawes and times: the times of nature & the lawes which God himselfe hath ordained. This is he which hath caried himselfe so long time vnder the co∣lour

of holinesse: this is he, which hath begui∣led and blinded the eyes of the worlde.

But blessed be the name of our God, which is the God of truth, and the God of lights: his tyrannie and trecherie is nowe reuealed, and therefore not regarded. Oh what mountaines of money made he sometimes of pardons? His pardons were reputed the only safetie, & com∣fort of mens soules. He was not reckoned a christian whosoeuer sought them not. No man might lacke them neither in his life, nor after his death. But where are they nowe? what is become of them? who buieth thē? who regar∣deth the hauing of thē? who reposeth his trust in the•…•… children make sport of them, and play with them in the stréetes. They sée the filth of them, and the sollie, and abhorre them. Howe commeth this so to passe? The man of sinne is reuealed.

What a kingdome made he of purgatorie? he shut out thence whom he listed: and released such as were there at his pleasure. He claimed power ouer the quick & dead: he sold the yeres, the dai•…•…s, and the monethes by rounde recko∣ning, a hundred, fiue hundred, and a thousand, and thousand thousands yeares of pardon. Of which follie his owne Canonistes were a∣shamed. One of them saith, Nā quod dicitur Pe∣tro, * 1.145 tibi dab•…•… claues, &c. Touching that Christ

sayde vnto Peter, Vnto thee wil I wiue the keies, &c. We must vnderstande this authority with a corne of salt (other •…•…ise it may be vn∣sauerie). Therefore certaine of the Popes par∣dons that promise twentie thousand yeres, are foolish and superstitious.

This was not giuen for nothing, but solde for money. Who had ought to giue, had spéedy dispatch: but poore soules that had nothing, or no friendes to pay for them, should lie still. This was a wealthie kingdome. But nowe where is purgatorie? who regardeth it? Who careth for it? children scorne it in their stréets, and knowe it is a •…•…able. Howe commeth this so to passe? the wicked, or lawelesse man is reuealed.

He was able to rule the whole world with a becke. His word stood as the worde of God: no Prince nor Emperour durst withstand it. It was thought impossible that hee should •…•…rre. But nowe the worlde séeth, his wo•…•… deceiueable and vaine: he erreth, and hath liued in great errour. Now fewe men wil be∣léeue him: no Prince wil trust his word: how∣soeuer they (whose eyes God hath not yet ope∣ned to sée the truth) trust him in religion, in worldly matters they wil not trust him. How commeth this so to passe? the man of sinne is reuealed.

What shall I saie more? behold round about the worlde all places, and euen Rome it selfe. The poore massing Priest standeth a colde, and can get no hire: the Popes Palles lie a rot∣ting: his Bulles goe a begging: his wares stand vpon his hand: no wise man will buy them. Why? howe commeth this so to passe? The man of sinne is reuealed, all his deceit and treacherie is reuealed.

The Pope stirreth and striueth at this day al that he can. He excommunicateth and cur∣seth: he sendeth out his bulles: he bloweth vp seditions: he bréeoeth treasons: he raiseth sub∣iects against their Princes: he setteth Princes vpon their subiects: he imprisoneth, and mur∣dereth the Saints of God: he shaketh and en∣flameth the whole world in his quarrels. But al in vaine. Why so? howe commeth this to passe? there is no counsaile, no wisedome, no fire, no sworde, that shall preuaile a∣gainst the Lorde. The man of sinne, and his errours are reuealed. Men sée and know, and detest the blindnesse wherein they were lead: the people forsake him ouer and ouer the world.

Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming.

9 Euen him whose comming is by the effe∣ctual

working of Satan, with all power and signes, and lying wonders.

10 And in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteous∣nesse, among them that perish, because that they receiued not the word of the trueth, that they may be saued.

By the order of the Apostles wordes I shoulde nowe speake of the ouerthrow of An∣tichrist: how, and by what power he shall be confounded. But, because the two verses next following, speake yet of the state of Antichrist, by whose meanes he shal come: and of what countenaunce he shall be: and with whome he shall preuaile: it shal be good we consider these things first, and then shew how •…•…e shall be de∣stroyed.

When Christ came into the worlde, hée came in the name of his father, to saue the lost shéepe of the house of Israel, and to gather the flocke that was scattered. Antichrist shall come in the name of the Diuel, to scatter and disperse, and consume the stocke of Gods shéepe. His comming shall be by the effec∣tuall working of Sathan. And what or who is Sathan? he hath béene a murderer from the beginning: through his enuie came death in∣to the worlde: hee is the Prince of this world: the Prince of darkenesse: the father of lies: the spirite of pride, which hath saide, I will

ascend aboue the height of the cloudes, and I will be like the most high. He shal worke and inflame the heart of Antichrist, and fil it with his spirite and wickednesse, and shall make him the man of sinne, and the sonne of perditi∣on, full of vanitie, and of pride, and of vngodli∣nesse, that he maie mocke the world, and blind the hearts of the people.

His comming shall be by the working of Sathan: yet he shall make shew as if he came in the name of Christ. He shall come with fa∣therly lóokes, with holie countenance, and shal set himselfe in the holy place: but his whole in∣deuour shalbe to deface the kingdom of Christ: which he shall practise to doe, not by the lea∣ding of anie Angel or Archangel, or by the po∣wer of God, but by the effectuall working of Satan. He shall alleage the Doctours and Fa∣thers: he shall alleage Peter and Paul, the holy Apostles of Christ: he shall alleage Christ, and God himself, as though his doings were war∣ranted by them: he shall saie, I am the but∣tresse and pillar of the Church, my word is the word of God: he shal set vp masses and sacrifi∣ces of his owne: he shall take awaie the word of God: he shal teach the people to giue diuine honour to a weake creature.

But S. Paul in this place discloseth him, and his doings, and laieth them open to the eies of

the faithfull. He worketh not the worke of an Euangelist as did Peter or other the Apostles, he taketh not power and au•…•…oritie either of God or of Christ: but his comming is by the operation of Satan. Therefore hee foreshew∣eth, Antichrist shal commaund to abstaine from meates. He shall saie, touch not, taste not. He shal also forbid to marrie. He shal saie, marri∣age is vnholie, and vnlawful, not conuenient, nor méete for holie profession. Who would not thinke it a holie thing to abstaine from meats, and to chastise the bodie? who would not think it a holie thing, to abstaine from mariage, and to thinke of those things which belong to God? séeing holinesse and deuotion are a pleasaunt sacrifice to God: but yet it is not al so. Some shall speake lies through hipocrisie, forbidding to marrie, and commaunding to abstaine from * 1.146 meates. They shal depart from the faith, and giue heede to the spirites of errour, and do∣ctrines of Diuels. He saith it is the Diuels gos∣pel. They are canons and rules of Antichrist. Satan shal instruct him, Satan shall bee the author and sounder of that religion.

With al power, and signes, and lying won∣ders, and in al deceiueablenesse of vnrighteous∣nesse. He shal néede to be of great power and force that shall incounter with God. There∣fore the Apostle saith, he shal come with myra∣cles

and deuises of Satan. Christ forefold, that false Christs shall rise, and false Prophets, and * 1.147 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, * 1.148 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 pro∣fesse 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 * 1.149 with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed. And as the Apostle, Saluation * 1.150 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 Mo∣ses: * 1.151 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 * 1.152

his seruāts, 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 ri∣uer, was turned into bloud: and the inchaun∣ters of Aegipt did likewise with their sorce∣ries. And as Aaron caused frogges to come * 1.153 and couer the land, so the sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries. But the illusions of the * 1.154 magical Artes came to naught (saith Salomon) and it was a most shamefull reproch for boa∣sting 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 my∣racles be false? If false, howe be they myra∣cles? If myracles, how be they false? They shal be false after two sortes, some are called false myracles, bicause they séeme to be myra∣cles, and are not. Some are called false my∣racles, because they are vsed falsly to maine∣taine his falshoode.

Of the first sorte of false myracles, we haue séene an infinite number in the dai•…•…s of our fa∣thers in the kingdom of Antichrist. Then was there appearance of spirits, and visions of An∣gels, our Ladie came swimming downe from

heauen, poore soules came créeping and cry∣ing 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 pardōs, & 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. Often∣times 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 •…•…ies: they coulde mooue their hands: they coulde open their mouths: they could set bones, and knit sine•…•…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 wi∣•…•…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 mi∣racles. 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 behol∣ding, 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 re∣medie for you. It was Apollonia, it was Ge∣nouefa, it was Sitha, it was our Ladie. Such a Saint is able to do much: such a Saint can worke miracles.

Hereof grew in•…•…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: Pe∣tronilla, for agues: and others, for other pur∣poses. 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 Walsing∣ham, 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 a∣mong the Iewes: According to the number of * 1.155 thy Cities, were thy Gods. Hereof grewe Pyl∣grimages, 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. Eue∣rie 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 where∣with 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 pos∣sesse

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 darke∣nesse 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 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 excommu∣nicate,

and release from excommunication: hée shal promise forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting. He shal make boast of the Fa∣thers, 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 be∣guile 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 ca∣tholike? without him no man is to be reko∣ned 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 myra∣cles shal he worke, so shal he conquere and sub∣due the worlde.

Nowe, who bee they which shal bee decey∣ued, 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 glo∣rious 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 vn∣righteousnesse, because hée hath not receiued the loue of the trueth that hée might bee sa∣ued.

Here marke, he doeth not saye, Because they receiued not the trueth, but, he sayth, be∣cause 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 * 1.156 the power of God vnto saluation to euery one * 1.157 that beleeueth: for it is the sauour of life vnto life. They can say, There is giuen none other * 1.158 name vnder heauen, whereby wee must bee saued, neither is there saluation in anie other than by Iesus Christ, whome we haue lear∣ned by the Gospel: manie wil confesse, there

was neuer more, nor better teaching since the time of the Apostles. They séeme to re∣ceiue the trueth. But they are like the horse and mule in whome is no vnderstan∣ding. They receiue it, because the Prince receyueth it, and because the politique lawes of countries establishe it. They are carri∣ed 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, * 1.159 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 •…•…har∣ged vppon them for their damnation, for

our Sauiour sayeth, If I had not come and * 1.160 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 con∣uerted 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 abho∣mination 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 re∣nue * 1.161 a right spirite within me, and, take not

thy holy spirite from mee. And againe, O * 1.162 Lorde my GOD lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death. And againe hee sayeth, * 1.163 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 percei∣ueth * 1.164 not the thinges of the spirite of God: for they are foolishnesse vnto him. No man know∣eth the thinges of GOD, but the spirite of God. And those thinges which God hath pre∣pared for them that loue him, he hath reuealed vnto vs by his spirite. Christ sayth, No man * 1.165 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 dread∣ful, 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 iudge∣ment of GOD. And this is the condem∣nation, * 1.166 that light is come into the worlde, and men loued darkenesse rather than light. They forsake the light, and delight in darke∣nesse, and this is their condemnation. They wil not vnderstande, nor séeke after God, that they may be reformed. The Prophet saith, Be∣cause * 1.167 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 as•…•…onied. They shal fall into rebuke and the snares of the Diuell. They shal be drowned in perdition and de∣struction.

So great shal be the power of errour. Men shal not onely be deceiued, but shal be de•…•…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 destru∣ction 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 repr•…•…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 deceit∣fulnesse. They shall despise the glorions Gos∣pell of Christ: therefore GOD shall forsake them, and giue them ouer to followe Anti∣christ.

God hath this daie sent the light and com∣fort 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 * 1.168 God that bringeth saluation to al men hath ap∣peared. And to the Colossians he saieth: The * 1.169 Gospel is come vnto you, euen as it is vnto all the worlde. And againe, Haue they not heard? * 1.170 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 Esa•…•…as * 1.171 saieth, Lord, who shall beleeue our reporte? And againe saieth the Prophet Esay, I'haue * 1.172 spred out my handes al the daie vnto a rebelli∣ous people, which walked in a waie that was not good. Wisedome crieth in the stréetes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I haue called and ye refused, I haue stretched Prou•…•…

out mine hande, and none woulde regarde. Such is the power of Satan, so shall hée stoppe their eares, that they shall not vnder∣stande 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 * 1.173 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 * 1.174 both kindes. Saint Paul telleth the Corinthians, As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke * 1.175 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 can∣not 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 pow∣er 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 con∣tinue in it, and finde no faulte. They sée, wherein their Fathers were deceiued, yet they sa•…•…, they coulde not be deceiued. They sée manie and fowle abuses, yet séeke not to re∣dresse them. For they saie, wée will walke in the waies of our forefathers: wée will be∣lieue, as they beléeued, howsoeuer they be∣lieued. 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 ter∣rible 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 them∣selues, and to prouide for their children. They haue knowledge in al things else. But them∣selues, and the trueth of God, and the way to saluation they haue not knowne. A théese, when he is taken, blusheth. A harlot is asha∣med of her filthinesse, and a drunkard of his beastlinesse. But they that are such, haue hardned their faces, they cannot blush. What∣soeuer 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 * 1.176 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 a∣gainst 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 fa∣thers, 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 iudge∣ment of God standeth not in the multitude, but in the truth. Whosoeuer shall set them∣selues against his holie will, be they neuer so manie, they shal be damned. Let such marke wel what Ignatius who liued in the time of the Apostles hath saide. Audivi quosdam dicen∣tes, si non invenero Evangelium in antiquis, non credam. Talibus autem ego dico: quia mihi anti∣quit as Iesus Christus est, cui non obeaire, manife∣stus & irremissibilis interitus est. Ignaty epist. 5. ad Philadel, I haue heard some which saie, vnlesse I find the Gospell in them of olde time, I wil not beleeue it. But vnto such I saie, that Iesus Christ is, vnto me antiquitie. Whome to disobey is manifest and vnpardonable destruction. Let no man saie, I hope I doe well, my mea∣ning

is good, I haue a desire to please GOD: I beléeue well, I doe my conscience: If I doe a•…•…isse God will regard my simplicitie. Let no man so saie. Saint Augustine saith, It is certain * 1.177 that a foolish faith, not onelie doeth no good, but also hurteth. If thou beléeue not the truth, thou dwellest in lying: thou art the child of the Diuel, which is a liar, and the father there∣of. The mouth which speaketh lies slaieth the * 1.178 soule. Thy faith is no faith, it is but a wilful opinion, it is but an errour, for it is not ac∣cording to the truth, it is not built vppon the rocke, it is not grounded on the word of God. Change thine errour. Faith is by hearing, and * 1.179 hearing by the worde of GOD: receiue the truth, beléeue the truth, and loue the truth. O∣therwise, if thou refuse the breade of life, and féede on poison: if thou forsake the water of life, and digge vnto thy selfe a Cesterne that wil holde no water: thou shalt leade thy daies in wilfulnesse and shalt die in sinne: thy bloud shall be vpon thine owne head. Thou shalt not s•…•…e the glorie of God, death and damnation shall be thy méede, bycause thau hadst plea∣sure in wickednesse, and diddest not giue thy heart to receiue, and loue, and beléeue the truth.

Nowe it remaineth, that wée heare

howe Antichrist shall be euerthrowen. Wée haue séene his pompe and pride, his might and power, that hée ouerlooketh all the worlde, bindeth all Kings and Princes, and nations to kéepe his lawes, and is him∣selfe exempted from all lawes of GOD or man. So mightie and so maruailous is his power, Who can declare it? Hée is called of his owne side, Stupor mundi, The gaze stocke, or wonder of the world. Something lesse than God, something more than man. But, be∣ing in all this estate, in the middest of his Pon∣tificalibus, so fast mortized, so high built vppe to the skies, so surely shoared, so strongly beset on euerie side, hée shall be sodainely shaken downe, and become the shame of the world.

How maie this be done? being so mortized, so built, so shoared, and so beset, who shal shake him downe? What power shall consume him? shall it be the great power of Kings or of Emperours? They shall giue their pow∣er * 1.180 and auctoritie to the beast, and fight with the lamb, that is, against Christ. Shal it be the auctoritie of Bishoppes and Cardinalles, and great Clearkes? al they are lincked and ioined to him. Shall it be by the wisedome and drift of Counsailours and men of lawe? They be the féede men, and sworne to him.

Shal it be the violence and conspiracie of the people? They shall knéele downe to him, and honour him, and reuerence him as an Angell of God. If neither the power of Doctours, nor of Bishops, nor Archbishops: if not the power of Counsailors, and men at lawe: if not the po∣wer of the Kings and Princes of the worlde: if not the power and commotion of the people: if al these shal not abolishe him: what power then is it, wherewith he shall be consumed? it shal be the power of God which shal be re∣uealed from aboue, The Lorde shall consume him with the spirite of his mouth.

These wordes are diuersly taken. Some •…•…und them thus: GOD shal appoint the great Angel Michael to set vppon Antichrist, and he shal destroy him. Others take these wordes to be spoken of the daie of iudge∣ment, and then this shal be fulfilled when Christ shall saie: Departe from mee yee cur∣sed into euerlasting fire: that this is the spirit of the Lordes mouth wherewith hée shall be consumed. But the Apostle speaketh of the prea•…•…hing of the gospel. That God by his word which is mightie to doe al that whereunto hée appointeth it, shal make his doings manifest, and let al the world sée that he was not sent of God: that he did neuer set foorth the glorie of God: that hée hath not sought the saluation

of the people: that in matters of faith, and in al his life he is aduersarie to Christ, this is that breath that shal descrie his errours and vanities, this is that spirite which shal con∣sume the kingdome of Antichrist. This ouer∣throwe is alreadie begun, as our eyes may be∣holde this day.

In like sort speaketh Esay the prophet. He * 1.181 shal smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lippes shal he slaie the wicked. Princes make their conquests by power and strength, by fire and sworde, and engines of warre, but God shal beate downe his adu•…•…rsarie with the r•…•…d of his mouth. By the true preaching of his worde. His worde is mightie, it is his sword, it is his mace: it is the rod of his mouth: it is the breath of his lippes. It is of great force, no strength shal withstand it, it shal finite the earth, it shal •…•…ea the wic∣ked. S. Paule sayth, We doe not warre after * 1.182 the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are mightie through God to cast downe holdes. This sword hath hewne downe in many pla∣ces, the crueltie, tyrannie, simonie, insatiable gréedinesse, the errours, ignoraunce, darke∣nesse, vanities, hipocrisie, superstition and ido∣latry, which haue bin brought into the church and vsed by Antichrist. These were the pil∣lars, and strength, and glorie of his kingdome.

And here marke the Apostles spéech. Hée saith not, God shal cōuert Antichrist, or change his heart that he may be saued. But he sayth, Whom the Lord shal consume. Gods word is almightie. By his word he can do whatsoeuer pleaseth him. He can make the deafe to heare, & the blind to sée. He was able to cal the théefe vpon the crosse, vnto repentance. He was able to raise vp Lazarus out of his graue. He is a∣ble of stones to raise vp children to Abraham. He can throw downe euery high thing, that is exalted against the glorie of GOD, and wil bring kinges and Princes, and the rulers of the earth to the obedience of Christ. But of Antichrist it is sayd, The Lorde shal consume him. Such is the hardnesse & blindnesse of his heart, he wil not receiue the loue of the truth, he wil not beléeue the trueth of God, that he might be saued. Therefore destruction shal come vpon him.

Hereby we are taught what to thinke, or hope of reformation of the abuses and errours of the church of Rome. They haue béene ad∣uertised of them not only by the professours of the gospel: but also many of themselues haue spoken for reformatiō of sundrie abuses. They haue kept many counsailes and assemblies. They haue promised redresse. They haue sit in consultation many yeares. What one thing

haue they reformed? sée & looke ouer their a•…•…es and sessions. They be abroad in print. Hither∣to they haue reformed nothing, no, not their pardons: no, not their sr•…•…ws: they haue hard∣ned their heartes, and set themselues against the highest. Therefore shal the glorie of the Lord shew it selfe in their destruction. With the breath of his lippes they shal be consumed and brought to nothing.

And shal abolish with the brightnesse of his comming. The Lord shal come, and shal make his enemies his footstoole. Then the sunne shal be black as a sackcloth, & the moone shal be like blood. There shal be an earthquake: Kinges, & great men, and rich men, and euery bond man and frée man shal hide themselues in dennes: they shal say to the hils, and mountaines, and rockes, fal vpon vs & hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. Then shal Antichrist be quite ouerthrowen. Then his kingdome shal be vtterly abolished and haue an end. Then it shal appeare, who hath sought the glorie of Christ, who hath followed the doctrine of the gospel, and who hath done the true endeuor of a faithful shepheard, thē it shal appeare who is the woolfe who scattereth & spoileth the flocke. S. Hierome. sayth Circumdabit •…•…um calix dexte∣re * 1.183 domini, &c. The cuppe of the Lordes right

hande (which is the Lorde and sauiour) shal compasse him about, when hee shal staie him with the breath of his mouth, and shal destroie him with the brightnes of his comming. Then al the ignominie and shame which hee hath heaped vp vppon himselfe with thoughtes, deedes, and wordes, shal fal vppon his glorie and pompe: in so much that he shal be after∣warde as vile and contemned of al men: as he was before reputed or highly esteemed of them.

This might suffise touching the ruine and fal of Antichrist. Yet I wil adde to that hath béene spoken, the maner of the sight, and of the victorie, and of the triumphe which shall followe. The fight is doubtful and daungerous: the victorie shal be glorious: the triumph shal be ioyful. Heare let vs cal to re∣membraunce the warres which tyrantes and vngodly princes haue made against the peo∣ple of God, and what hath followed. Scuache∣rib the great king of the Assirians, came vp a∣gainst Ierusalem with horses & chariots, and infinite nūbers of pickt souldiers. The whole countrey of Iewrie was in an agonie: al the people were astonied with feare, to sée so many enemies, and themselues so fewe: to sée the e∣nemies so strong, and themselues so weake. They knewe not, neither where to séeke aide,

nor how to escape the present danger. Sodain∣ly the Lord sent his Angel from heauen to re∣lieue his people. In one night he smote in the * 1.184 campe of the Assyrians, an hundred foure score and fiue thousand, which were al dead coarses. The residue were scattered, and ranne away stragling: they knewe not where to hide their head. King Senacherib went his way and re∣turned. And when he was in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at home, and woorshipping his God Nisroch, in the tem∣ple, Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slew him.

Remember the cruel warres which Na∣buchodonozer King of Babilon made against Gods people. He tooke their citie, spoyled their Temple, sacked Ierusalem, and gaue the pray to his souldiers. He tooke the Nobles and gen∣tlemen, and marchants, and yeomen, and led them captiues. Some of them he tooke with him to Babilon, and some he sold for money: so great and so terrible was his victorie. In the middest of al his pompe, God bereft him of his wit, and astonied him with deadly madnesse. He was driuen from men, and did eate grasse * 1.185 as the Oxen, and his bodie was wet with the dewe of heauen, til his hayres were growen as Eagles feathers, & his nayles like birds clawes. He imagined that he was an Oxe, that he had hoofe and horne, and haire as Oxen. Hée

therefore forsooke his palace, his princely ap∣parel, and daintie fare, and lay abroade, and fed with beastes. So did God auenge the cause of his people.

Who hath not heard of the war which Pha∣rao had against the Israelites, the battaile was strange, and the victory sodaine. The people of god was beset with dangers on euery side, the * 1.186 wildernesse had shut them in. Before their fa∣ces they saw the raging sea, that they could not scape it, behinde their backes, they did beholds Pharao with his army march after thē: if they went forward they must néedes be drowned: if they retired, they must néedes be slaine. Their enemies were mightie, and they were weake. Sodainly God deuided the waters, & made the sea dry land, so that the children of Israel went through the middest of the sea vpō dry ground safely as through a medow, Pharao followed after with his sword and speare to worke his fury. Then the sea returned to his course, and drowned the chariots, & horsemen, and al the host of Pharao, there remained not one of them aliue. Their carkases lay afloat vpon the wa∣ter, and were cast in heapes vppon the shoare. Such shal bee the ende of those that hate the Lorde. So shal he make his name triumph o∣uer al the world.

Let vs imagine a battaile of two mightie

princes, both of great power, and of great •…•…ourage, they méete togither in the fielde, they ioyne battaile, both sides encounter together, either part is bent to beate downe the other, what an horrour is it to heare the braying of Horses, the sounde of trumpets, the thunder of drummes, the roaring of guns, the clashing of swords, the groning and mournful voice of them which are slaine, and the crying & trem∣bling of the people? nowe let vs by this make some resemblance of the battaile betwéene Christ and Antichrist, betwéene Christ the sonne of God, and Antichrist the sonne of the diuel. Either of them is wel prepared. They are both mightie, and haue both of them soul∣diers, and knightes to attende vpon them.

Antichrist shal come from the earth, for al his glorie is vpon the earth, his power shal be the power of Satan. Christ shal come from the heauens aboue, euen from the bosome of his father. What cognisance shal they giue? how & by what difference shal their souldiers be discerned? the ensigne of Christ shal be e∣nerlasting truth: the ensigne of Antichrist shal∣be, falshood and vanitie, and al deceitfulnesse. By these markes shal either be knowen. With what souldiers shal they make their fielde? they that shal follow Christ are poore and sim∣ple, who haue forsaken themselues, their goods,

and their liues, and tremble at the worde of God. The men of warre which fight with Antichrist and followe him, shal bee mightie Kinges and Princes, and powers, and states of the worlde, as S. Iohn hath sayde. And Gre∣gorie * 1.187 hath sayde, An armie of Priestes is prepa∣red to waite vpon the king of pride. And here, by may you knowe him.

What armour shal they haue, and with what weapon shal they fight? Antichrist shall furnish his men with speare, and sworde, and fire. He shal reioyce in killing, in burning, and in shedding of blo•…•…d. Christ shal send his men into the field naked, and armed with pacience. They shal take vppe their crosse and followe him, readie to suffer whatsoeuer shal be layde vppon them. Their weapons shal be prayers and wéeping. What shal be the pretense of this fight? Antichrist shal come in his owne name, to maintaine and exalt himselfe. Christ shal come in his fathers name, to mainetaine the glorie of his father. What shal they séeke? wherefore fight they? what is it they shal de∣sire to mainetaine? Antichrist shall desire to mainetaine his owne traditions, Christ shal maintaine the holy worde of God. Christ shal procure the glory of his father: Antichrist shal maintaine his owne glory. In what place shal this battaile be? vpon what downes or plaine,

or in what countrey? Neither in hill, nor in a∣nie plaine, but in the hearts of the people. There shall the warre be. There shall it be fought. If it were possible the elect should be confounded. His assault shall be so terrible, that manie shall be offended in Christ: manie shall denie Christ: manie shall be ashamed of him: and the loue of manie shall waxe colde. But blessed is he which continueth to the end.

We haue heard briefly of Christ and Anti∣christ, their estates, their seuerall cognisance, what bands of mē they shall haue, what armor they shal beare, by what title they shall claime, what they shal séeke, & where the fight shal be, that it shalbe made in the consciences of y^e peo∣ple. There shall Antichrist sit: there shall he be worshipped as God: there they shall call him the holie and most holie father: there shalbe gi∣uen to him the power of heauen and earth: there he himselfe shall rouze himselfe, and be setled, and shal say, I sit as a Prince, I shal ne∣uer be remooued, I cannot fall. But Christ shal blow him down with the breath of his mouth, and shal abolish him with the brightnesse of his comming. Christ shall haue the vpper hād, and destroy him. Euen that Christ whome they made the reproch & scorne of the people, whom they reuiled calling him drunkard, and compa∣nion vnto Publicans & harlots, which was so

poore & simple, which was oppressed and affli∣cted, and yet opened not his mouth, which was brought as a shéep to y^e slaughter, & was killed.

S. Iohn had a reuelation, and did sée Iesus * 1.188 Christ the sonne of God. And, Hee had in his right hand seauen starres, and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword. It was sharpe and mightie: it entreth thorow euen to the di∣uiding * 1.189 asunder of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioints and the marow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So we sée the breath of the mouth of Christ is a sword. This sword shal ouerthrow Antichrist. Remēber how Dagon sell on his face vpon the * 1.190 ground before the Arke of the Lord, how hée could not stand, how at that presence, the head and the two palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the threshold with a fall. So shall Anti∣christ fall at the presence of Christ. His armes and his head shal be broken off, and he shal not stand. Remember, that Aaron cast forth his rod * 1.191 before Pharao and his seruāts, and it was tur∣ned into a serpent: so did the charmers of Ae∣gypt. They cast down euerie man his rod, and they were also turned into serpents. But Aa∣rons rod deuoured their rods, & consumed them to nothing. Euen so shall the truth of Christ consume and bring to nothing the falshood of Antichrist. Al his glorie shall be scattered as

the chaffe which the wind driueth awaie, as a thinne some is scattered away with a storme, and as the smoke which is dispersed with the wind, and as the darknes which can not abide in the sight of the sunne: it shal be consumed, it shal be defaced, it shall not stand. At the name of Iesus euerie knée shall how, & euery tongue shall confesse, that Iesus Christ is mightie, to the glorie of God the father: that he is worthy to receiue glorie, and honor, and power.

But who may better disclose this mysterie, and the fall of Antichrist, than Iohn. the Euan∣gelist, which leaned on Iesus bosome, whome Iesus loued, and which was indued with wis∣dome from aboue? Let vs heare him. I saw (saith he) an Angel slie in the midst of heauen, * 1.192 hauing an euerlasting gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth, and to euery na∣tion and kinred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Feare God, & giue glorie to him: for the houre of his iudgement is come, & worship him that made heauen & earth, and the sea, & the fountains of waters. And there folo∣wed another Angell, saying: It is fallen, it is fallen, Babilon y^e great city: for she made al na∣tions to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third Angel folowing thē, said with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receiue his marke in

his forehead, or on his hand, the same shall drinke the wine of the wrath of God, and shall be tormented in fire and brimstone, before the holie Angels, and before the holie Lamb, they shall haue no rest daie nor night.

Againe, the seauenth Angel poured out his * 1.193 viall into the aire, and there came a loud voice out of the Temple of heauen from the throne, saying, It is done. That is, it is concluded, iudgement is giuen, it shall stande for euer. And there were voices and thunderings, and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake, and the great citie was rent into thrée partes, and great Babylon came in remembrance be∣fore God, to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath. Then one of the Angels talked with me, saying, Come, I wil * 1.194 shewe thée the damnation of the great whore that sitteth vppon manie waters, with whom haue committed fornication the Kings of the earth, & the inhabitants of the earth are drun∣ken with the wine of her fornication. And, in the same Chapter he saith: These haue al one mind & shal giue their power and authoritie to the beast, that is, to Antichrist. Thus the kings & al princes (as squiers to his bodie) shall fight against the lamb. But the lamb shal ouercome them, for he is lord of lords, and king of kings.

I saw an other Angel comming down from * 1.195

heauen, hauing great power, so that the earth was lightned with his glorie, and he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon the great citie (the harbor and palace of Antichrist) and is become the ha∣bitation of Diuels, and the hold of al foule spi∣rites. And I heard an other voice from heauen say: •…•…o out of her my people (beléeue her not, do not as she commaundeth you) that ye be not partakers in her sinnes, and that ye receiue not of her plagues. For her sinnes are come vp into heauen, and God hath remembred her iniqui∣ties. Reward her euen as she hath rewarded you, & giue her double according to her works: and in the cup that she hath filled vnto you, fill her the double. In as much as she glorified her selfe, and liued in pleasure, so much giue you to her forment and forrow. For she saith in her heart, I sit being a Quéene: the world is mine, no ill shal touch me. Therefore shal her plagues come at one day, death, and sorow, and famine, and she shal be burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her. And the kings of the earth, which haue committed for∣nication, and liued in pleasure with her, shall bewaile her, when they shall sée the smoake of her burning, and shall stand a far off for feare of her torment, saying, alas, alas, the great ci∣•…•…ie Babylon, the mightie citie, for in one houre

is thy iudgement come. And the Marchants of the earth shal wéepe and waile ouer her: for no man buieth their ware any more: the ware of gold & siluer, and of pretions stone, & of pearls, and of fine linnen, & of purple, and of silke, & of scarlet, and of al maner of Thime wood, & of al maner of Yuorie, & of al vessels of most preti∣ous wood, & of brasse, and of yron, & of marble, and of cinamome, and odours, and ointments, and frankencense, and wine, and oile, and fine flower, and wheat, and beasts, and shéepe, and horses, and chariots, and seruants, and soules of men•…•…o man anie more shall buie her parch∣ment, waxe and seales: no man shall buie her orders, her dispensations, pluralities, totquot, non residence, Perinde valere: no man shal buie her concubines, her oile, salt, holie water, holie bread: no man shal buie her palles, her agnos dei, her iubilees, masses, trentals, and pard•…•…ns: no man shall any more buie of her, forgiuenes of their sins, and life euer lasting: no man shall regard her: no man shall buie, or séeke to get this marchandise of her anie more.

The marchants of these wares shal stand a far off, for feare of her plagues, and saie, alas that great city that was clothed in reines, and scarlet, and purple, and golde, and diamonds, and pretious stones, in one houre is al thy glo∣rie stript from thée: O what city vnder heauen

was like vnto thée? Thou wast the great citie, the noble, and the holie citie. Then a mightie Angel tooke vp a stone, like a great milstone, & cast it into the sea saying: With such viol•…•…nce shal the great citie Babylon be cast, and shal be found no more. She shall be out of remem∣brance, they shall séeke the place where shée stood, and not find it. The voice of harpers and musitions, shal be no more heard in her: The light of a candle shal shine no more in her: her marchants, officers, and dataries were the great men of the earth, and by her enchaunt∣ments were al nations deceiued. And in her was found the bloud of the Prophets, and of the saints, & of al that were staine vpon earth.

Then I heard a great voice of a great mul∣titude in heauen, saying, Halleluiah saluation, and glorie, and honour, and power be to the Lorde our God. For he hath condemned the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand. And againe they saide, Halleluiah, and the smoake rose vp for euermore, and the foure and •…•…nen∣tie elders fel down, & worshipped god that safe on the throne, saying, Amen Halleluiah. Then a voice came out of the throne, saying: praise our God al ye his seruants both small & great. And I heard like y^e voice of a great multitude,

and as the voice of manie waters, and as the voice of strong thunderings, saying: Halleluiah, for our Lord God almightie hath raigned. Let vs be glad and reioice, & giue glorie to him: for she is fallen, she is fallen, Babylon that great citie: there she lieth, the mother of filth and for∣nication. There lieth Antichrist the man of sin, the son of perdition, which is an aduersarie, which hath sit in the temple of God, and exal∣ted himselfe aboue al that is called God: that wicked & lawlesse man lieth there. The Lamb, the roote of Iesse, the lion of the tribe of Iuda, hath ouercome, and gotten the victorie. He is worthy to receiue glorie and honor. Then shal the Apostles, and the Prophets, & the Angels saie, praise and honor and glorie be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne, and vnto the lamb for euermore. We thank thée, we giue thanks to thée O God, which art, and was, and shal be. Thou hast auenged the bloud of the Pro∣phets and Martyres, thou hast destroyed them that haue defiled the earth. Thy name be bles∣sed for euer. Amen Halleluiah. Such glée and triumph shall be in heauen for the ouerthrow of Antichrist.

Thus haue I by occasion of the Apostles words, spokē of the comming, and of the king∣dome of Antichrist. And, least we might be de∣•…•…eiued as touching his person: I haue saide

what hée should bée, what thinges he shal doe, of what estate he shal bée, what countenaunce he shal carie, in what place he shal sit, at what time shal be his comming, by what meanes he shal preuaile, who they be that shal beléeue in him, what power shal beate him downe, what ende hee shal haue, what triumph shal followe vpon his fal.

I haue tolde you, that he shal be the ouer∣throwe of the worlde, the confusion of the Church, the sonne of perdition: that he shal destroye himselfe, and be the destruction of others.

I haue tolde you, he shal be a reuerend fa∣ther, and weare a myter, and be a Bishop, and a Bishop of Bishoppes. So saith Gregorie, so Ierome, so Augustine, and Barnard, and others. And can not we tel who it is, that calleth him∣selfe an vniuersal Bishop, the Bishoppe of al Churches? Doe we not heare of such a one? Doe we not know him? What soeuer he be, wheresoeuer he dwel, what countenaunce so∣euer he beare, he is Antichrist. I haue tolde you, he shal sit in the temple of God, in the consciences of the people: that the people shal heare, credite, follow, and honor him, as if he were God: and thinke it sinne and da•…•…aio∣on to breake his loare.

I haue tolde you where hee shal be stal∣led

where his chiefe place shal be, whence hée may be séene. Saint Iohn sayth, he shal sit in a Citie built vpon seauen hils: that citie is the citie of Rome. Rome is so built, Rome is set vp∣on seauen hils. Dame Sybilla sayth, Antichrist shal sit by the water of Tyber: and Tyber is a riuer, that runneth by Rome. Ioachimus Ab∣bas sayeth, Antichrist is long since borne at Rome, and shal be aduaunced in the Aposto∣lique sée. He is borne, and sheweth himselfe, not at Babylon, not at Constantinople, but at Rome. These be plaine spéeches. If any man doubt this, let him reade their bookes, they be extant abroade. Antichrist shal sit in Peters chaire, and Rome shal be the seate of his king∣dome.

I haue tolde you, he shal come when the state, and maiestie of the Empire shal bee weakened. Antichrist shal possesse the Empe∣rours landes, and beare the sword, and weare his crown•…•…, and shal make the Emperour fal downe and worship him, and kisse his féete. Hath there euer béene any such Bishop in the worlde? Hath there (I say) euer béene anie such? If euer there were any such, Saint Paule sayth, the same is Antichrist.

I tolde you, the worlde shal fal downe, and reuerence him, and shal séeke life and sal∣nation at his hands. Iohn sayth, they shal crie,

Oh who is like the beast, who is like our holie father? who is so wise, so learned, so ho∣lie? they shal followe him whither soeuer hée wil leade them: they shal eate what so euer he wil giue them. And they which shal doe thus, are such as haue no féeling, no care, no loue to the trueth of God. Therefore God for∣saketh them, and leaueth them to follow li•…•…s. I tolde you, he shal preuaile by falshoode, and by fained myracles: by Bulles, by Pard•…•…ns, by Purgatories, and by such other deuises, and shifts of Sathan.

I tolde you, he shal be contrarie to Christ, in Sacramentes, in sacrifice, in prayers, in life, in doctrine, in religion, in the whole forme and order of the Church. He shal shutte, that Christ hath opened. He shal open, that Christ hath shutte. He shal curse, that Christ hath blessed: and blesse, that Christ hath cursed. No man shal be accounted faithful, no man catholike, no man the sonne of the Church, no man may be saued without him. Such credite and countenaunce shal he beare.

I tolde you, he shal be confounded and beaten downe by the force and power of Gods mightie worde. His worde is omnipotent. It shal disclose the workes of darkenesse: it shal hewe downe Idolatrie, Superstition, and the whole kingdome

of Antichrist, as our eyes doe sée this day, Blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ: his mightie hand hath wrought these thinges. Hee hath triumphed the name of his Christ: he wil blesse the thinges he hath begunne. He wil ouerthrowe the whole po∣wer of Antichrist, by his presence, and by the glorie of his comming. Then shal it appeare who is the successour of Peter, who is the true vicar of Christ, and who is Antichrist.

V. 13. But wee ought to giue thankes alwayes to God for you, brethren, beloued of the Lorde, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation, through sanctification of the spirite, and the faith of trueth.

14. Whereunto hee called you by our Gospel, to obtaine the glorie of our Lord Ie∣sus Christ.

God hath chosen you frō the beginning, his election is sure for euen The Lorde knoweth who are his. You shal not be deceiued with the power and suttletie of Antichrist, you shal not sal from grace, you shal not perish. This is the comfort, which abydeth with the faithful, when they beholde the fal of the wic∣ked. When they sée them for sake the trueth, and delight in fables. When they sée them re∣turne to their vomit, and to wallowe againe

in the myer. When we sée these thinges in o∣ther, we must say, alas, they are examples for mée, and they are lamentable examples. Let him that standeeh take héede that he fal not. But God hath loued me, and hath chosen me to saluation. His mercie shal goe before mée, and his mercie shal follow in me. His mercie shal guide my féete, and stay me from falling. If I stay by my selfe, I stay by nothing, I must néedes come to grounde. Although al the worlde shoulde be drowned with the waues of vngodlinesse, yet wil I holde by the boate of his mercie, which shal safely preserue me. If al the world be set on fire with the flame of wickednesse, yet wil I créepe into the bosome of the protection of my Lorde, so shal no flame hurt me. He hath loued me, he hath chosen me, he wil kéepe mée. Neither the example, nor the companie of others, nor the entising of the diuel, nor mine owne sensual imagina∣tions, nor sworde, nor fire is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde. This is the comfort of the faithful. So shal they wash their hands in the bloud of the Lambe.

Therefore saieth Paule, you are my chil∣dren: I haue begotten you in Christ, God hath giuen you vnto mee, he hath made the Gospel which is come vnto you by my ministerie.

fruiteful in you, I ought to giue God thankes alwayes for you. Whatsoeuer falleth vpon o∣thers, although others fal and perish, although they forsake Christ, and followe after Anti∣christ, yet God hath loued you, and giuen his sonne for you, he hath chosen you and prepared you to saluation, & hath written your names in the booke of life.

But howe may we knowe that God hath chosen vs? howe may we sée this election? or howe may we feele it? the Apostle saith, Tho∣rough sanctification, and the faith of trueth, these are tokens of Gods election. Haue you receiued the gospel? it is the light of the world, it teacheth vs to knowe that God is God, and that wee are his people. The credite you giue to the Gospel, is a witnesse of your ele∣ction. We beléeue what soeuer God speaketh, because it is the worde of God. For his word is trueth. We beléeue that Christ is the lambe * 1.196 of God, that he hath taken away the sinnes of the world: because it is the word of God. We * 1.197 beléeue that the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from al sin: because it is the word of God. We beléeue, Christ came to saue sinners. Be∣cause * 1.198 it is the worde of God. We beléeue, * 1.199 God wil deferre his wrath, and will shews mercie for himselfe, for his owne names sake: because it is the worde of God. We beléeue, * 1.200

they that trust in the Lorde, shal not be con∣founded, because it is the worde of God. We * 1.201 beléeue, we are saued by grace through faith, and that not of our selues, it is the gift of God: not of workes, least any man should boast: be∣cause it is the word of God. We beléeue, with∣out * 1.202 faith it is impossible to please God: and a∣gaine, that faith commeth by hearing: and a∣gain, * 1.203 that it is the gift of God: because it is the word of God. It is the trueth. We beléeue that * 1.204 Antichrist shal be confounded, and bereft of al his glorie, because the worde of the Lord hath spoken it. His word is righteousnes and truth. We wil alwaies beléeue that is true, therfore we cannot but beléeue the word of God.

Faith knoweth no falshood, it beholdeth the truth onely, and not al truth, but the truth of God. It is not setled vpon vanities, nor vpon errors. Unlesse it be truth by the word of God, whatsoeuer thou holdest in opinion, is not to be called faith. The Turke is setled in errors, he perswadeth himselfe hee is rightly setled, he calleth his opinions, Faith and beléese. Yet this is not faith, because it is not the faith of truth, it hath not the worde of GOD to assure it. Therefore when men wil say, be∣léeue our Masses, beléeue our sacrifices: be∣léeue our transubstantiations, and our real presences: beléeue vs what soeuer we say,

beléeue that we can not erre, beléeue that you are in a good beléefe, if you say you beléeue as the Church beléeueth, though you knowe not how or what y^e Church beléeueth. They abuse and mocke the people of God. There is no truth in this doctrine. It neuer past out of the mouth of God. God ordeined not Masses, nor that the priest should offer sacrifice for the quicke and dead. Therefore it is no matter of faith, it is folly, and vanity, it is vngodlinesse, it is errour, it hath no substance. He that re∣ceiueth such doctrine, maketh much of a sha∣dowe, he can not hold it.

Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the worde of God. The worde of God is trueth. The Gospel is the worde of God, and the power of God to saue them that beléeue. The beliefe of the Gospel is laide vp in our heartes by the spirite of God. He bringeth vs to the knowledge of the trueth. This spirite beareth witnesse vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God.

This spirite teacheth vs to withdrawe our mindes from worldly cares, to cal our do∣ings to a reckoning, to thinke of the dreadful day of iudgement, to repent for our former sinnes, and to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse. This spirite sheweth vs the mercy of God, helpeth vs to pray, and prayeth

for vs, is our comforter, helpeth our in•…•…irmi∣ties, and maketh vs knowe the things that are giuen vs of GOD. This did Dauid sée, when he praied, Create a cleane heart in mee oh God, and renue a right spirit within mee; My heart is sinfull, my heart is foule: renue it with thy spirite, thy spirite in right, he shall make my heart cleane. Againe, take not thy holie spirit from me. I am thy seruant, and the sonne of thy handmaiden, turne thy far•…•… awaie from my sinnes: be•…•…lde me, and re∣ceiue me in thy mercie. Restore me to the light of thy countenance. Open thou my lippes, and my mouth shal shew foorth thy praise: sta∣blish me with thy frée spirit. This strength we gather in God by his spirite. This comforteth vs in al temptations, and •…•…areth witnesse with our spirit, that we be the children of God: that God hath chosen vs, and doth loue vs, and hath prepared vs to saluation: that wée are the •…•…eires of his glorie: that God will kéepe vs as the apple of his eiè, that de wil defend vs, and we shall not perish.

V. 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and keepe al the instructions which yee haue beene taught, either by word or by our epistle.

God hath set you in a race. Let no man hin∣der you, let no man kéepe you from the goale. Stand past and kéepe that doctrine which you

haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I was present with you, I taught you by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of mouth: when I was away from you. I taught you by letters. I am carefull for you. I beare you in my heart: and loue you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ Jesus. Hée hath giuen me charge euer you, hee will require you at my handes. I haue clensed and garnished your hearts by the word of trueth: take héede, take héede the wicked spirit come not, and bring sea∣•…•… spirites worse than himselfe, and enter in, and •…•…el with you, and the end of you be worse than the beginning.

Remember Lots wife, shée went not foorth straight into the maie appointed her, but loo∣ked backe behind hir, and she became a pillar of salt: and so continueth vntill this daie. A ter∣rible example to those, which haue set their hand to the plough, and looke backe againe, and haue made themselues vnworthie the kingdome of heauen. God will forsake such, and make their hearts hard as a stone. You are the •…•…ome of the Lordes fielde, God hath blessed you, growe then and be fruitfull vntill the haruest, that you may be gathered, into the Lordes barne. You are the light of God, which God himselfe hath kindled: let no p•…•…ffe of wind put you out. You are the house of God, God hath built you vppon a rocke: let no violence, nor tempestuous-weather beate you downe.

I haue spoken to you, I haue written to you. I haue shewed you the whole counsaile of God. The word which I spake to you, is the verie worde of God. I testitie before the Lord, and call God to witnesse vnto my soule, that it is the truth of God, and not anie deuise of man. You did beléeue it, you receiued it not as the word of men, but as it is indeede the word of God. Become not now vnfaithful, al∣though you spie many infirmities in your tea∣chers: although you sée them fal into offences, and ware couetous, and giue euil example in their life and conuersation. Although you sée the faith of manie shalten, and that they haue put away from them a good conscience, and turne backe from the loue of the gospell which they once séemed to professe, and so are gone out from among you: yet stande you vpright. Hold fast y^e doctrine which you haue receiued: and continue in the things which you haue learned, and be perswaded that they are able to make you wise vnto saluation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Christ saith, woe be to the worlde because of offences, who∣soeuer * 1.205 shal offend one of these litle ones, which beléeue in mée, it were better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that hée were drowned in the deapth of the sea. And againe hee saith, Blessed is he * 1.206

which is not offended in me. Therefore, worke your own saluation in trembling and in feare. Blessed is he that abideth with Christ in temp∣tations, and continueth faithfull vnto the end.

V. 16. Nowe the same Iesus Christ our Lorde, and our God euen the father which hath loued vs, and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation, and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in euerie worde and good worke.

After his exhortation that they would stand fast, and continue faithfull vnto the ende: hée turneth himselfe to God, and praieth him to looke vppon them mercifully downe from hea∣uen, and to fulfill the worke begunne, and to increase and multiplie his grace in them. So ought al Preachers and seruantes of God to doe in their sermons. For, alas, what are we? what is our worde? what is our labour with∣out the assistance of God? We are, onelie the voice of a crier in the wildernesse: wée call vppon the people to prepare the waie of the Lorde, and to make his paths straight: wée giue warning, that the Lord is euen at hand. He that teacheth is nothing: hée that plan∣teth is nothing: he that watereth is nothing: our tongue is nothing: our word is nothing: our wit is nothing: Peter is nothing: Paul is

nothing. It is God which openeth the hearts of the people, and maketh them tremble at his words. It is God which giueth the increase, and maketh his worde to be of force.

The Prophet saith, The Lord gaue the * 1.207 worde: great was the companie of Preachers. It is the worke of GOD, both to make his worde mightie, and to make the people to receiue it, and yéelde vnto it. Hée giueth vs hearts to féele the comfort of his word, and to yéeld our obedience in doing as the worde requireth. For, he is the father of lights, from whom al giftes are powred downe vppon vs. Wée are the children of Adam: wée are flesh and bloud, and nothing but vile claie and a∣shes. Our eies are dimme, our senses dul, and our hearts heauie. Christ telleth vs truely, Without me ye can do nothing, neither heare * 1.208 the word, nor beléeue it.

I marke your presence, that you are ma∣nie gathered together this daie in this place. Euerie man séemeth to stand with bent coun∣tenance, and earnest lookes, and desirous to learne. And albeit I which speake am but a worme, vnworthie to créepe vppon the earth, yet the word which we haue heard is the word of God, the word of comfort, and the word of life. But God knoweth in al this companie how manie haue eares to heare. In the Acts

of the Apostles, when God opened their harts, they vnderstoode the Scriptures. Before they heard, and knew not what they heard. Paule preached: Lydia a woman which solde purple * 1.209 heard him: the Lord opened her heart, that shée hearkned vnto Paul. Then she vnderstoode his words and beléeued. This comfort is of God, who hath loued vs, and hath giuen vs euerla∣sting consolation, he wil giue you vnderstan∣ding hearts, and will stablish you in euerie word, and good worke.

CHAP. 3.

FVrthermore brethren, praie for vs, that the word of the Lord, maie haue free passage, and be glorified, euen as it is with you.

PRaie for me, that I may be a faithfull seruante, doing the will of GOD from my heart, that he will open my mouth boldly to publish the se∣cret of the Gospell, and to declare the riches and glorie of his kingdome. For of my selfe I am

nothing. I haue not the key of Dauid, I cannot giue light vnto the wor•…•…e, and am not able to open the hearts of the people. That the word of God may haue free passage: he saieth not, praie for vs, that my word may haue pas∣sage: or, that my name may be spoken of and glorified: or, that the people may beholde my doings and talke of me. For, we preach not our * 1.210 selues, but Christ Iesus the Lorde, and our selues your seruants for Christes sake. I am but an vnprofitable seruant. I am the poore Ore that treadeth out the wheate: I am a poore crier to proclaime the will of the Lorde.

Praie you that the worde of the Lorde may haue frée passage, that the Gospell of Christ may be glorified, that the hearts of the people may be readie and gréedie to receiue it, that the kingdome of Heauen suffer vio∣lence, and the violent take it by force: that the worde may so possesse the heartes of the people, as fire hath passage through stubble: that it may shine as the sunne beames ouer al the worlde: that it may be knowne from Cast to Weast, and from North to South. In this forte pray, that the worde may haue a glorious entraunce into you and also a∣mong other. Héerein shall appeare the loue you haue to the Saintes, and the

zeale you beare to the house of God, when you wish others to be partakers of his blessednesse with you: when you séeke not your owne glorie, but the building of the Church of Christ: when you praie that GOD will be mercifull vnto other•…•… as vnto you: that a light may be giuen to them which sitte in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death: that they may knowe the time of their visitati∣on.

Such a praier made Dauid, God be mer∣ciful * 1.211 vnto vs, and blesse vs, and cause his fare to shine among vs: that they may knowe thy waie vpon earth, thy sauing health among al nations. Let the people praise thée, oh God, let al the people praise thée. Thus did Hieremie praie, Turne thou vs vnto thee oh Lord, and * 1.212 we shall be turned. Giue vs a new heart and a new spirit, encline our hearts vnto thy testi∣monies, that wée may knowe and feare thy name. So did Christ teach vs to praie, Ha∣lowed be thy name, among the infidels which * 1.213 knowe thée not: let thy name be had in reue∣rence among al people. Thy kingdome come, thy will be done. There is no other God, but onelie thou, let al the earth come and worship thée. Euen so must we also pray, that the word of God may haue frée passage, and his name be glorified in al places.

V. 2. And that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and il men: for al men haue not faith.

3. But the Lorde is faithfull, which will stablishe you, and keepe you from all e∣uill.

4. And wee are perswaded of you tho∣rowe the Lorde, that yee both doe, and will doe the thinges which wee commaunde you.

5. And the Lorde guide your heartes to the loue of GOD, and the wayting for of Christ.

From vnreasonable and euil men. Which conspire against the Lorde, and his annoin∣ted: which blaspheme that good name that is called vpon vs. Such were Iannes and Iam∣bres, which resisted Moses in the time of the lawe. Such were they in the time of the Pro∣phets, which saide, The worde that thou hast * 1.214 spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde, wee wil not heare it of thee. But we wil doe what∣soeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen, as we haue done, both we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes. Such were in the time of the Gospel the Scribes and the Pharises, Which made the commaundement of God, of * 1.215 no authoritie by their tradition. Which turned

darknesse into light, and light into darkenesse. Such was Alexander the copper smith. Such were others. The whole Scriptures are ful of such. They were false prophets, false Apostics, false brethren. They cauled di•…•…sion in the church. They went out to preach in the name of Christ, but inwardly they were rauening woolues.

Such were in the dayes of our fathers, and such there are in our dayes, such Iannes and Iambres, such idol worshippers, such srorners of Gods word, such scribes and Pharises, such Alexanders, such false prophets, false Apostles, and false brethren, we haue more than a good many in our dayes. They pretend the Gospel: no man more. In company of protestants, they wil be protestants, in company of others, they are quite become contrarie. They come to the church, and receiue the holy communion: they resort secretely to corners where they heare masse. They like the one, and like the other. They like the light, and they loue darkenesse, and make no difference betwéene them. These are readie to serue Christ, and also readie to serue Antichrist: faithful neither to God, nor to Baal. And this is among many counted the highest point of wisedome, to be able so to co∣lour and hide himselfe, that you shal not know what profession he is of, to what church

he ioyneth himselfe, what religion he holdeth, whose worde or Gospel he followeth, in what GOD he beléeueth. Such there are. And they onelie, bée the singuler men, reckoned the sine wittes, and cunning fellowes of the worlde.

This is to be lamented, that in a christian estate there should be any such. That they at whose handes God shal require a straiter ac∣coumpt, than of others: because he hath giuen them the vse of greater talents, either of wit, or of learni•…•…g, or of preferment, or of riches, should so mispende the good giftes of God, or vse his talents to such euil purpose, that they more than al other, shoulde deuise meanes how to deny Christ among men, and as much as in them lieth to seeke to cr•…•…e againe the Lorde of glorie.

The lewes deale not so wickedly, the Turks deale not so traiterously. The Je•…•…e, although his case bee miserable, and his heresies most dangerous: yet hee is earnest in his folly: he wil not dissemble his profession. The Turke is faithful vnto Mahomet, and wil not denie, or forsake him.

These false brethren, and dissembling chri∣stians are worse than Iewes and Turkes. They are voyde of conscience, voyde of sayth, voyde of feare, of shame, and of

the grace of GOD. They are filthie swine, shamelesse dogges, and the enemies of the crosse of Christ. These hinder the passage of the Gospel, and blaspheme the holie worde of their saluation, and do al that in them lyeth to abolish the light of Gods truth. S. Paule telleth vs, al men haue not faith: many hearts lie na∣ked and voide of faith, many séeme to liue, and yet are dead.

Howsoeuer these men carie out their doings in this life, they cannot mock God. He know∣eth who are his. Christ shall say vnto these running witted dissemblers, depart from mée ye hipocrites, I knowe you not. You shal re∣ceiue your portion with the diuel and his An∣gels.

Pray that we may be deliuered from such vnreasonable and euil men: that they stoppe not the frée passage of the Gospel: that they may haue no power against the glorie of God. Then shal it appeare, that God is faithful in al his wordes, and holy in al his workes: that his truth and mercie shal last for euer. He wil establish vs in al goodnesse, and defende vs from al euil: he wil kéepe vs from al the po∣wer of Satan: he wil kéepe vs from al temp∣tation, that the wicked shal not preuaile a∣gainst vs.

And we are perswaded of you through the

Lorde that ye both doe and wil doe the things which wee warne you of. You knowe what commaundements we gaue you by the Lord. I spake vnto you the wil of GOD, and not mine owne. I was vnto you but a messenger, to deliuer vnto you such an errand as GOD sent vnto you: I hope ye haue receiued it in such dutie as becommeth, and that you both doe, and wil hereafter obey it. I am your phi∣sitian. The receipt which I haue giuen you, is soueraigne, and shall worke your health: I trust it tarieth with you, & you brooke it wel. I haue spoken vnto you in the name of God. His name is holy. He wil cause that my labor shal not be in vaine, but wil make it fruitful in you. Although al men haue not saith, yet al men are not voide of faith. Although there be many, the children of this world, yet there be some the children of light: he that is of God, heareth the worde of God. They that be the sonnes of God are obedient to the wisedome of god their father. God guide your harts, that you may loue him, that you may knowe what good God hath wrought vnto your soules: that you may sée the depth of his mercie: that in al your tribulation and aduersitie vnder the crosse, and in your death, you may looke for the day of Christ: when the trumpet shal be soun∣ded, the graues shal be opened, the dead bodies

shal come foorth, and we shal bée taken vp in∣to the cloudes: then shal he chaunge our vile b•…•…die, that it may be like his glorious bodie: then shal we be like the Angels of God, wée shal sée God face to face, and rest with him for euer.

V. 6. We warne you brethren in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that yee withdrawe your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately, & not after the instruction which he receiued of vs.

The kingdome of God is like to a draw net * 1.216 •…•…ast into the Sea, that gathereth of al kinde of thinges: it is like a fielde, wherein groweth both corne and wéedes. Sundrie Uirgines went out to wa•…•…e vppon the Spouse, some were wise, some were foolish: some had oyle in their Lampes, some had none. Many came to the mariage, some had their wedding gar∣ment, some lacked it. Manie are called, but fewe are chosen. Some beare the name of christians, yet liue in Vsurie, to the spoyle and vndoing of their brethren. Some beare the name of Christians, yet liue in adulterie and fornication, as the heathen which knowe not God. These be they through whom the name of God is euil spoken of.

Therefore sayeth Paule, I warne you that

you withdrawe your selues from euerie bro∣ther, that walketh inordinately. Forsake him, refuse his companie, eate not with him, dru•…•…ke not with him, that so he may be asha∣med of his filthinesse. Keceiue him not to your house, nor bid him God spéede. For he that bid∣deth him. God spéede, is partaker of his euil béedes. Haue you no fellowship with the vn∣fruitful workes of darkenesse, but euen re∣prone them rather. A little leauen doth leauen the whole l•…•…mpe. The wrath of god shal come not onelie vpon those which commit wicked∣nesse, but also vpon al those which consent to the working thereof. Among the Corinthians one had committed incest, & taken his fathers wife. Saint Paule sayeth, Let such one be de∣liuered * 1.217 vnto Satan, for the destruction of the fleshe, that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus. Deliuer him vp to Sa∣tan.

Marke his •…•…rdes, and in what case he spea∣keth them. For, they that delite in wicked∣nesse, & are sold ouer vnto sinne, which are fil∣thie, and increáse in filthines: They are not of God, they haue no part in the Church of God. The Diuel and Satan hath power ouer them, therefore deliuer th•…•…m vp vnto Satan. The rewarde of sinue is death: the soule which hath sinned, shal die. For this cause

hath the Church of God ordained excommuni∣cation: that he which hath do•…•…e wickedly may bee ashamed: that others who are guiltlesse may be afraid: and that the heauie displeasure of God may be auoyded.

We warne you (saith he) in the name of our Lorde. You know me, and my name, and that I am an Apostle of Christ. But the comman∣dement which I giue you, is in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. I warne you by the glorious day of his comming, that you with∣drawe your selues from euerie one that liueth inordinately. Receiue him not to your compa∣nie, bid him not God spéede, that you be not partakers of his euil, that he may knowe his filthiuesse, and be ashamed. Yet let vs praie for such, that they may bee sorie, that they may knowe whome they haue offended, and turne againe vnto the Lorde. For God would not the death of a sinner, but that he repent of his wickednesse, and liue. The mercie of God is abou•…•… al his workes.

V. 7. For ye your selues know, how ye ought to followe vs: for wee behaued not our felues inordinately among you.

8. Neither tooke we bread of any man for nought: but we wrought with labour and tra∣•…•…aile night and day because wee would not be chargeable to any of you.

9 Not bicause we haue not auctoritie, but that we might make our selues an example vn∣to you, to follow vs.

10 For euen when wee were with you, this wee warned you of, that if there were anie which would not worke, that hee shoulde not eate.

11 For wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately, and worke not at al, but are busie bodies.

12 Therefore them that are such, we warne and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ, that they worke with quietnesse, and eate their owne bread.

13 And ye, brethren, be not wearie in wel doing.

Here Paul maketh his spéech against those who vnder the pretence of the Gospell liued idlely, and would not labour. Take an cram∣ple of me, I liued not idlely, I earned my bread, I was not chargeable to anie. Do you as you haue vs for an example. So ought the seruants of God to liue, that their wel doing maie be a patterne for the people to followe. Saint Paul telleth Timothie, A Bishop must be * 1.218 vnreproueable. He saith not, without sinne: for no man is without sinne: but, without rebuke. And againe, Let no man despise thy * 1.219 youth, but be vnto them that beleeue, an ex∣ample

in word, in conuersation, in loue, in spi∣rit, in faith, and in purenesse. And vnto Titus the Bishop of Candia he saith: In al things shewe thy self an example of good works, with vncor∣rupt doctrine, with grauitie, integritie, & with the wholesome word, which cannot be condem∣ned, that he which withstandeth maie be asha∣med, hauing nothing concerning you to speake euill of. So, in this place to the Thessalonians, he saith, you behold my conuersation, howe I haue liued among you. Be ye folowers of me: let me be the patterne for you to follow. Such shoulde be the spéech of al those who are Bi∣shops & ministers in the church of God. They must walk so vprightly, that they may be vnto al others the patterns of good life, of liberali∣tie, of mercie, and of loue. They must carie the arke of the Lord, that the people maie followe them.

We behaued not our selues inordinately, &c. Whereas I was an Apostle of Christ, the first fruits of the gospel, a chosen vessel, called from aboue, and set apart from mine owne owne, to be the embassadour of God into the worlde, and had so much to do: Yet I vsed my hands, and pained my bodie, to get my bread. I liued like one of Adams children in trauell of my bo∣die, and sought my bread in the sweate of my browes. Not that I might not lawfully haue

liued vpon you, and haue required my main∣tenance at your hands. It was lawfull for me to haue done so, for the workman is worthy of his hire. God hath appointed that he which teacheth the Gospel, shall liue by the Gospel.

This matter S. Paule reasoneth with the Corinthians, Haue wee not power to eate and * 1.220 drinke? or haue we not power to leade about a wife, a sister, as wel as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lorde and Cephas? Who goeth a warfare at anie time at his owne cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruite thereof? or, who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke? I might eate and drincke at your charge, and require charges of you for me, and mine. I am the souldior of God. Christ is my captaine: I haue planted the vine of the Lord of hosts a∣mong you, I haue fed you, you are the shéepe of the house of Israel. The hire due to the souldi∣our: the fruit wherof he should eate which kée∣peth the vine, and the milke which Christs shéepe yéeld to their féeder, is nothing else but your charitable beneuolence towards the ser∣uants of Christ. Againe, It is written in the law of Moses. Thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne. He tra∣naileth for thée, that thou maiest liue. Suffer him to licke a little for his paines. We are the

Lordes oxen, we thresh foorth his corne. If we haue sowne vnto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if wee reape your carnall things? We are Gods husbandmen, we trauaile and take paines, we plough, we sowe, we har∣rowe, wée are abroade in wind and weather, in storme, in haile, in lightning and thun∣der. No man knoweth the care the poore hus∣bandman taketh. Winter nor Sommer, our worke is neuer at an ende. Now if we by our labour minister to you the breade which com∣meth from heauen, is it much that you giue vs the bread of the earth? Do you not know that they which waite at the altare are parta∣takers with the altare? It hath so séemed good vnto GOD, it is his appointment, he hath established it by his lawe, and it is most agréeable to the lawe of reason, and na∣ture.

Yet this is also to be weighed in the consi∣deration hereof, that whosoeuer asketh the paie of a souldiour, must buckle his armour, and goe a warrefare. He that drinketh the wine, must plant the grape: he that requireth milke, must féede the flocke: he that wil not be mureled, must thresh the corne: he that reapeth carnall things, must sowe spirituall things: he that requireth the bread of the earth, must minister to his hearers the bread of hea∣uen:

he that wil liue of the sacrifice, or of the altar, or of the Gospell: must offer the sacri∣fice, wait vpon the altar, and teach the gospel. He that teacheth not the gospell, nor careth for the teaching: he that serueth not the altar, nor careth for the seruing: hée that goeth not on warrefare, that planteth not, that féedeth not, that thresheth not, that plougheth not, that frauaileth not, that taketh no paines, that a∣bideth not lightning, thunder, wind, weather, storme and ha•…•…le: he that careth not to doe these things: I can make no account of him. He is not within Paules reckning. The work∣man is worthie of his hire. But what right hath hée to the hire which is not a worke∣man?

I might, saith he, haue receiued maintei∣nance at your handes: but I tooke nothing, that I might be an example for you to follow, that none shoulde liue idlely, but that They worke with quietnesse, and eate their owne bread. Idlenesse is the mother of all mischiefe. An idle packe is as if he were alreadie dead. His féete serue him not to trauaile: his hands helpe him not to worke: his eies serue him not to sée his estate: his heart regardeth not the time and miserie of his age. Beggerie falleth vpon him, and gnaweth his bones, but he feé∣leth it not. For he is as if he were alreadie

dead. Salomon faith, He that foloweth idle∣nesse, * 1.221 hath no vnderstanding. And againe, He * 1.222 that followeth idlenesse, shall be filled with po∣uertie. He is vnprofitable to himselfe, and vnto others. His children shal begge at euerie doore. Againe he saith, The slouthfull wil not plough * 1.223 because of winter: hee shall begge in sommer, but haue nothing. That is, men that haue re∣ceiued encrease of Gods blessing by taking paines, shall denie breade vnto such, and vp∣braide them for their idleuesse, and so driue them to labour. They will saie, as it is deui∣sed that the Ant said, in like case to the Gras∣hopper. In the sommer thou diddest nothing but sing, therefore thou maist sterue in the winter. These extremities be great, if a man wil weigh them aduisedly. Yet Ecclesiasticus saith farther, Idlenesse bringeth much euil. It * 1.224 is an euil teacher. He that doth nothing is ill occupied. The minde of man is euer stirring and doing somewhat. If it be not doing well, it is doing ill. Water is cleare, and faire, fresh, & comfortable: yet if it stand still in a hole, or be kept long in a vessel, whence it hath no issue, it wil rotte and smell, and be vnwholesome. E∣uen so it fareth with the sons of Adam, if they haue nothing to doe, no waie to bestowe their witte, they will rotte, and proue vnwholesome and deuise mischiefe al the daie long.

What is it that filleth the prisons, and brin∣geth so manie to the gallowes, and causeth so many parents to bewaile the vntimely death of their children, but idlenesse? when the poore wretches haue receiued their iudgement, and come to the place of execution, and stand on the ladder, what counsaile giue they to young men, and to children, but to beware of idle∣nesse? what is cause of such, and so manie diseases in the bodie? Aske the Phisitions, and they will tell you idlenesse. Whereof rise mut∣terings in Cities against Magistratrs? where∣of rise rebellions in kingdomes against Prin∣ces? you can giue no greater cause thereof than idlenesse. Beholde (saith the Lorde) this was * 1.225 the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome, pride, fulnesse of bread, and abundance of idlenes. This was it that called for fire downe from heauen, and wasted so manie cities into ashes. Christ sai∣eth, Of euerie idle word that men shal speake, * 1.226 they shal giue an accompt thereof at the day of iudgement. If we shal make accompt for our idle wordes, what shall we doe for our idle handes, for our idle féete, for our idle bodie, for our idle soule? what accompt for al our i∣dlenesse shall wée make at the daie of iudge∣ment?

We warned you, saith the Apostle, that if anie would not work, the same should not eat•…•…

This is a hard saying: yet saith Paule I my selfe haue kept it. I haue fulfilled it in mine owne bodie. He doth not saie, if any be sicke or weake, or impotent, and can not worke, but if anie be idle, and froward, and will not worke: to such a one giue not to eate: that so he maie sée the daunger of idlenesse, and worke with his handes the thing which is good, * 1.227 that he maie haue to giue him that needeth. It is not lawfull to giue them the breade of the Church, and the almes ordained for re∣liefe of the poore. This bread they maie not eate.

But you will saie, Kings and Counsai∣lours, Bishoppes, Preachers, and all other sorts of learned men neither plough, nor sow, nor hedge, nor ditch, nor vse such painefull la∣bour of the body: they sit at rest and liue idlely. They that so thinke are deceiued. The toile which princes take, and the great cares wher∣with they are occupied, passe al other cares in the world. Saint Paul calleth the office of a Bi∣shop, * 1.228 a good worke. If a bishop, or minister stu∣die the Scriptures, preach the gospel, catechize the children, and take a care of the soules of Gods people: if he sowe the Lordes fielde, féede the Lords flocke, thresh the Lords corne, * 1.229 and walke before the people carefully: if he haue the care of the Churches, and can say

with the Apostle, who is weake, and I am not * 1.230 weake? who is offended, and I burne not? any offence that is giuen to my brother, is to mee as a fire, or as a torment. If he be instant in * 1.231 season, and out of season: if he do the worke of an Euangelist, and make his ministerie fully knowen: he shal finde himselfe occupyed, and not be idle.

The maister of the shippe séemeth to bée idle, to sit stil, and to doe nothing. He stirreth not the pumpe, he driueth not the oares, he soundeth not the déepe, he rideth not the ropes, he skaleth not the shrowdes, hee runneth not hither and thither, forewarde or backwarde, vnder the hatches or aboue. Hée sitteth stil, holdeth his peace, and looketh vpon the loade starre, and in appearaunce doth nothing. But his labour passeth all the rest. Whithout his labor, al the paines which the other Mariners take were lost. Were it not for his labour, the shippe woulde soone strike vpon rockes, and be stayed in the sandes, and they al should perish. Euen so fareth it in the state of prin∣ces, and of their counsaylors, they séeme to doe nothing, yet they doe al thinges, which is for the peace and the wealth, and the safegarde of al the people.

Be not wearie in wel doing: many occasi∣ons to discourage you to doe wel. The worlde

is ful of lets, but be you stedfast, vnmoueable, & abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Stand fast, and kéepe the instructions, which you haue béene taught. Distribute to the necessitie of the saints. Doe good vnto al men, especially to them that be of the housholde of faith. Liue not after the lusts of men in wantonnesse, drunkennesse, & glut∣tonie, and in abhominable idolatrie. Though they speake euil of you, because you runne not with thē vnto that same excesse of riot: though the Diuel cast you into prison, and there you haue tribulation, be you faithful vnto death. They that haue afflicted you shal giue an ac∣count to the righteous iudge: and the afflic∣tions which you suffer in this present time are not woorthie of the glorie which shal bee shewed vnto you.

V. 14. If any man obey not this our saying, note him by a letter, and haue no companie with him, that he may be ashamed.

15. Yet count him not as an enemie, but ad∣monish him as a brother.

You haue béene taught not only what you shal beléeue, but also how ye ought to liue: bée ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. If any despise and wil not follow our doctrin, for∣sake him, and let him haue no fellowship with

you: that, so he may be ashamed, and repent, & turne againe to the obedience of Christ. But lay apart al bitternes, and anger, & wrath. Re∣proue him, but hate him not. Kil the sin that is in him by al the meanes you can, for it is the worke of the Diuel: but recouer againe the man that did offend, & restore him if it be possi∣ble, by exhortation, and by your prayers made for him: for he is the creature of God.

Here I haue good occasion to speake of ex∣communication, a principal part of the disci∣pline of the Church: a matter which manie know not, which some do souly abuse, & ouer lightly giue forth, & which many regard not as they ought. It cutteth vs off from the bodic of Christ, and remoueth vs from the felowship of the Gospel. Let no man despise it. It is y^e sword of God, the power of the holy Ghost, the disci∣pline of Christ, it is an ordinaunce which the Church hath receiued from aboue.

By it the Goates are diuided from the Lambes, the wéede from the good corne, and the sonnes of GOD from the sonnes of Be∣lial. It hath continued from the beginning, and hath béene vsed in the Church of Christ, in the sinagogue of the Iewes, in the lawe of Moses, and before Moses receyued the lawe: among the Patriarches, and the Prophets, and the Apostles of Christ. Christ

sayeth, If thy brother trespasse against thee, * 1.232 in doing any wickednesse, Goe and tel him his fault betweene thee, & him alone: if he heare thee, thou hast wonne thy brother. But if hee heare thee not, take yet with thee one or two: and if he wil not vouchsafe to hea•…•…e them, tel it vnto the Church, publish it, and make it knowen: And if he refuse to heare the Church also, if he continue wilful, and stande in his wickednesse: Let him be vnto thee as a hea∣then man and a publicane. This forme of ex∣communication our sauiour hath set downe, whereby the wicked and vngodly are remoued from the Church of Christ.

So Saint Paule speaketh of him that li∣ued in filthynesse, with his fathers wife. That they giue him no comfort in wickednesse, but take away the euil from among them. Let such a one, sayeth he, Bee deliuered vnto Sa∣than, * 1.233 for the destruction of the fleshe, that the spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus. Companie not together with fornicatours. If anie that is called a brother, be a fornicatour, or couetous, or an idolater, or a rayler, or a drunkarde, or an extortioner, with such one eate not. Let him be put away from the companie of the faithfull. So did Saint Paule excommunicate Himenaeus, and * 1.234 Alexander, and deliuered them to Satan, that

they might learne not to blaspheme.

In the lawe of Moses God commaunded * 1.235 the children of Israel to put out of the host eue∣rie leaper, that they should neither eate, nor drinke, nor walke abroad, nor come to church, nor offer sacrifice, nor make their prayers with the people. Such one, whithersoeuer he went, hid his face, rent his clothes, gaue warning to auoide his companie, and to flie from him, because he was foule and filthy. His hands were filthy, & made the water vncleane: his breath was corrupt, and infected the ayre. So miserable was his case. This was a kinde of excommunication: in such sort were the fil∣thie diuided from the cleane.

God also sette downe this ordinaunce * 1.236 to Abraham, that euerie vncircumcised man childe, should be cut off from his people, be∣cause he hath broken the couenaunt. This ordinaunce of excommunication God hath appointed against Idolaters, against for∣nicatours, and craftie deceiuers, and other such like offenders in the seauen and twen∣tith of Deuteronomie, Cursed bee the man that shal make anie carued or molten Image, an abhomination vnto the Lorde, the worke of the handes of the craftesman, and putteth it in a secret place. And al the people shal aunswere and say, Amen. Cursed be he, that

maketh the blinde goe out of the way: and al the people shal aunswere and say, Amen. This is excommunication. This is the vse of the keyes. This is that, of which Christ spake, He that heareth you, heareth mee, and he that * 1.237 despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despi∣seth me, despiseth him that sent mee. And, * 1.238 Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit, they are remit∣ted: and whosoeuers sinnes yee retaine, they are retained. Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth, * 1.239 shall be bounde in heauen: and whatsoener ye loose on earth, shalbe loosed in heauen. That which you say, shal be confirmed: it shal conti∣nue and stande for euer.

If anie therefore be excommunicate from the Church, and remoued from the fellowship of the Gospel, and from the hope of the life to come: let him humble himselfe, and pray vnto God, that he wil open his eyes, and that hée may see in what case he standeth. Let him lay foorth his heart in the sight of God, and consi∣der his fault, and behold his miserie, & thinke thus with himself: I was sometimes the child of God, and a member of his bodie: I was a •…•…raunch of the vine, which God hath planted: and a shéepe of his pasture. But now alas I am diuided from the pastures of life. I am fruitelesse and withered, and cut off from that blessed vine: I receiue no moysture from that

heauenly roote: I am no more a member of the bodie of Christ. I am out of Paradise, and haue no ioy, or pleasure: I am out of the tem∣ple and cannot offer any sacrifice: I am fallen from that heauenly Hierusalem, from the Ci∣tie of God, from the fellowship of the Saints, and can not knéele downe, nor lift vp my handes, nor make my prayers. God wil not heare me, I am none of his: I am as a heathen & a publicane, I can not thinke of those things which are on high aboue.

But why art thou cut off from thy bre∣thren, and banished out of the florke of Christ? because of thine vngodlynesse, and loosenesse of life. Because thou hast offended heauen & earth: and hast offended against the Church of God. And liued in fornication, and adul∣terie: and both thy body and thy minde are de∣filed: thou art vnworthie to dwel in the house of God: his house is holy.

By what authoritie is this doone? thou must not thinke that the Judge or the Officer doth it. It is not the iudgement of any mortal man. It is the iudgement of the almighty, and euerlasting God. It is his hand that bringeth this to passe against thée. It is his worde, it is his key. His hande is mightie, his worke shal stande, his word is forcible, his hey is the key of Dauid, it openeth, and no man shutteth,

it shutteth and no man openeth. God is depar∣ted from thy heart: his spirite wil not dwel in a filthie soule: there is no agréement betwéene God and Belial. Thy soule is voyde of grace and of the feare of God.

What becommeth of thee in this case? Whither doest thou goe, into what miserie doest thou fal? into the gulfe of death: into the seate of pestilence, and the power of Sathan, and the snares of the Diuel, & into a reprobate minde. Thy heart followeth him: thy soule serueth him. He is the father of al the children of disobedience, and his children followe him. Thou art filthie and increasest in filthinesse, the feare of God is not before thée, thou doest not acknowledge thy sinne, because of the blindnesse of thy heart.

Wreake not thy selfe vppon thy neigh∣bour that accused thée, nor vppon the Iudge, that pronounced sentence against thée. The sentence is none of his: this is not his worke, he hath not iudged thée. The hande of God is stretched foorth to thy punishment: it is thine owne life, and wickednesse which forceth indgement vppon thée. The Iudge sitteth in the place of GOD, in the seate of iustice: hée can not blesse, that GOD hath cur∣sed: hee must néedes doe right and eq•…•…ie. Hee séeth the abhomination of thy life, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

séeth the filthinesse which thou hast done in the house of God, and therefore saieth: In nomine Dei, &c. in the name of the liuing God, and of Iesus Christ, before whome I stande, and be∣fore whome al flesh shall appeare: by the au∣thoritie of his word, and by the power of the holie ghost, I diuide thée from the felowshippe of the Gospell, and declare, that thou arte no more a member of the bodie of Christ, thy name is put out of the booke of life: thou hast no parte in the life to come: thou arte not in Christ, and Christ is departed from thée. I deliuer thée to Sathan, the Prince of dark∣nesse. Thy rewarde shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Thou shalt sterue and wither, and not abide. The grace of GOD is taken out of thy heart. The face of the Lorde is vppon al them that doe euill, they shall not taste of his mer∣cie.

As for the Iudge and Minister, which gi∣ueth sentence against thée, hée mourneth and lamenteth for thée. When he striketh thée, hée striketh himselfe. We are al one flesh, and one bloud, and al together make one bodie, and are one an others members. Therefore, when he doth excommunicate thée, from the brethren, he cutteth off an arme from his owne bodie. Ieremie dealt roughly with

the people that offended God, and threatned them, that the enimie should come vpon them, the sworde shoulde deuoure them, and they shoulde be vtterly destroied, yet he wished that he had a streame of teares, that his hart might haue wherwith to mourne for their transgres∣sions.

Dauid praieth, that God will stretch foorth his hand vpō the wicked, Scatter them abroad * 1.240 by thy power, and put them downe oh Lorde our shield. Againe, Let them be chaffe before * 1.241 the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scat∣ter them. And againe, Let their table be a * 1.242 snare before them, and their prosperitie their ruine. Againe, Let his praier be turned into * 1.243 sinne. Aide him not, heare him not when hée calleth vnto thée. Yet he saith, I saw the trans∣gressours, and was grieued because they kepte not thy word. I pined away, and consumed to death, the griefe was so deadly vnto my soule.

Christ cried out woe vppon Corazin and Bethsaida: vppon the Scribes and Pharises: yet when he came nigh to Ierusalem, he wept ouer it, saying: Oh if thou haddest euen nowe * 1.244 at the least in this thy daie known those things, which belong vnto thy peace: but nowe are they hidde from thee. Thine enimies shall make thee euen with the grounde, they shall

not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. Euen such a sorrowe also had Saint Paule for those that offended God, Who is weake, and * 1.245 I am not weake, who is offended and I burne not? My bodie is shaken, my heart is woun∣ded for them, such a care haue I for the church of God.

It is reported of Iohn the Euangelist, that * 1.246 hée commended a yongman to the education of a certaine Bishop nigh to Ephesus: and when he heard that he was fledde and followed the companie of such as were dissolute, riotous, and giuen ouer to al manner lew•…•…sse: hée was carefull for him, and sought him out. And came to the place where he and ill compa∣nie were. When the yongman knew him, he was astonied, and •…•…ed awaie from him. But the olde man followed him, and cried, Oh my child turne againe, turne vnto me, I am thy father, I haue begotten thée in Christ Iesus. I come not to hurt thée, there is yet hope of sal∣uation, I will make answere vnto Christ for thée. Fall to the ground, holde vp thy hands, aske mercie of God, he is mercifull and will receiue thée. At these wordes the yongman cast downe his weapons, and trembled, and wept bitterly, and was conuerted.

When Dauid heard of the destruction of

that wicked wight Absalon, he wrong his * 1.247 hands and wept saying, O my sonne Absalon, my sonne, my sonne Absalon, woulde God I had died for thee, oh Absolon, my sonne, my sonne. Such a care, such a loue, and zeale hath a godlie minister ouer his people, if he be a true pastor, which hath taken his calling from God, and hath due consideration of his charge.

He wéepeth for the sinnes of the people, as did Ieremie, he gusheth out into teares, and consumeth awaie as Dauid, bicause of the vn∣godlie: he is wounded at heart, and trembleth, as Paul, to sée them perish. He séeketh for them, calleth after them, that they maie returne, to him as did Iohn the Cuangelist: and is wil∣ling to die for their sake, if so be he might re∣déeme them, as Dauid was for Absalon. The people are his children, he is their father. Albe∣it they be wicked, and filthie: yet he presen∣teth himselfe before God for them, and pou∣reth foorth his praiers, and saith sanctifie them, oh Lorde, sanctifie them with thy trueth, thy word is truth. Let their hearts sée the wrath to come, and thy heauie displeasure, which they haue deserued, and hangeth ouer their heads. They are thine, saue them, and let not satan preuaile against them. Turne them oh Lorde, and they shall be turned. Giue them a newe heart, and renew a cleane spirite in

them, that they may feare thée al the dayes of their life. Turne away the captiuitie of their soules. Bring them to the fellowshippe of the Gospel: make them liuely stones méete for thy building, builde vp the walles of Hierusalem. So careful is a good minister for the people of his charge, be they neuer so vngodly. Yea the more they lack the comfortable grace of God, the more must be the care for them. This is that Saint Paule sayth, haue no companie with such, to encourage him: yet count him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.

V. 16. Now the Lorde of peace, giue you peace alwaies by al meanes. The Lord be with you al.

17. The salutation of me Paule, with mine owne hande, which is the token in euerie epi∣stle: so I write.

18. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you al.

I neede not commende peace vnto you. It is the garde and strength of mighty Princes: it is the nurse and fosterer of the Church of God: it is the wealth and prosperitie of the worlde: it is the comfort and quietnesse of our conscience: it is truce taken with God and man, and our owne selues. I néede not to tel you who is the worker of peace. You knowe God is the God of peace. Worldlie

peace séemeth to be made by the wil and liking of men: but God moueth their heartes, and establisheth it. But the peace of the heart, and quietnesse of minde passeth al vnderstanding. The power, and wisedome, and strength, and riches of al the world are not able to make it. It is the glorie of God, that hee alone is the God of peace.

I pray for you, that nothing may be doone among you, to the hinderaunce of peace: but that it abide with you alwaies, not for a while, not in prosperitie onely: but in persecution, in your death, and for euer. If God be with you, you shal haue peace. And if you loue one an o∣ther and kéepe his word: God wil come to you, and loue you, and abide with you, and giue you the comfort of his peace.

The salutation of me Paule: hee gaue them warning before of false Apostles, who came in his name, and pretended his worde or his let∣ter. Therfore now telleth them, how they shal know certainly, whether such Epistles as they receiue be his, written, or sent by him. In eue∣rie Epistle, that I sende, saith he, to the Chur∣ches, or to any the brethren, I write mine owne name, and sende this gréeting written with mine owne hande, which nowe I send to you al, The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you al.

AMEN.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ierem. 7.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 14.
• * 1.3

  Malac. 1.
• * 1.4

  I. Tim. 3.
• * 1.5

  Psa. 118.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 10.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 5.
• * 1.8

  Act. 14.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cor. 5.
• * 1.10

  Heb. 12.
• * 1.11

  Athanas. ad solitariam vitarn agentes.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 11.
• * 1.13

  Exod. 12.
• * 1.14

  Iudges. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  Ier. 2.
• * 1.16

  Ier. 1 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.17

  Ierem. 44.
• * 1.18

  Gal. 4.
• * 1.19

  Gala. 3.
• * 1.20

  Gal. 5.
• * 1.21

  Gala. 4.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 14.
• * 1.23

  Eecle. 4.
• * 1.24

  Ma•…•…h. 10.
• * 1.25

  Iohn 14.
• * 1.26

  1. Iohn. 4.
• * 1.27

  1. King. 2•…•….
• * 1.28

  Aug. contra Fauflum lib. 22. cap. 80.
• * 1.29

  Matt. 24.
• * 1.30

  2. Pet. 3.
• * 1.31

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Thes. 4.
• * 1.32

  Mat. 24.
• * 1.33

  2. Pet. 3.
• * 1.34

  Mat. 24.
• * 1.35

  Iohn•…•…
• * 1.36

  Matth. 16.
• * 1.37

  1. Cor. 3.
• * 1.38

  Chrys. hom. 55 in Mat.
• * 1.39

  Hom 13. de verb. dom. sec. Mat.
• * 1.40

  Ioh. 3.
• * 1.41

  Iohn 6.
• * 1.42

  •…•…g in Psal. 98.
• * 1.43

  Itid.
• * 1.44

  Primas in apoc. ca. 16.
• * 1.45

  Greg. in 10. ca. 29. lib. 19. ca 9.
• * 1.46

  Mat. 23.
• * 1.47

  Luke 19.
• * 1.48

  Tim. 4.
• * 1.49

  Bern. Serm. 6. in Ps. 91.
• * 1.50

  Greg. lib. 6. epist. 30.
• * 1.51

  1. Cor. 14.
• * 1.52

  Chri. ho. 36. in 1. ad Cor.
• * 1.53

  Tertul in Apologetics
• * 1.54

  Chris. in 14. 1. Corinth.
• * 1.55

  Matt. 11.
• * 1.56

  Psal. Bea•…•…e Mariae ps. 2.
• * 1.57

  Bernardinus in Mariali.
• * 1.58

  Luke 22.
• * 1.59

  M•…•…tth. 16.
• * 1.60

  1. Per. 2.
• * 1.61

  Act. 20.
• * 1.62

  Luke 18.
• * 1.63

  Mat. 24.
• * 1.64

  Rom. 11.
• * 1.65

  Exod. 4.
• * 1.66

  Esaie. 45.
• * 1.67

  Es•…•…i. 35.
• * 1.68

  Galat. 4.
• * 1.69

  Iohn 1.
• * 1.70

  Iohn 3.
• * 1.71

  Mat. 11.
• * 1.72

  Luke 10.
• * 1.73

  Dan. 7.
• * 1.74

  Reue. 13.
• * 1.75

  Heb. 10.
• * 1.76

  Ibid.
• * 1.77

  Eph. 1.
• * 1.78

  Matt. 26.
• * 1.79

  Iohn 18.
• * 1.80

  Ioh. 13.
• * 1.81

  Mat. 17. Marke 10.
• * 1.82

  Iohn 5.
• * 1.83

  Psal. 22.
• * 1.84

  Phil. 2.
• * 1.85

  Matt. 8.
• * 1.86

  Luke 12.
• * 1.87

  Matth. 11.
• * 1.88

  Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. p•…•…∣timo.
• * 1.89

  Reu. 13.
• * 1.90

  Dist. 96. sa∣tis cuideter.
• * 1.91

  Bulla Pii V. contra Eliz.
• * 1.92

  In concilio Later. sess. 4.
• * 1.93

  Extravag. Ioh 22. cum in•…•…er in glosa.
• * 1.94

  tid.
• * 1.95

  clemen•…•…. in prooemio, in glosa.
• * 1.96

  Extra. de Maior. & obedientis.
• * 1.97

  Summa an∣g•…•…i in dicti∣one. Papa. Extra de con•…•…. statuta cano∣nun: Felinus. 9 Qu. e. 3. c•…•…ncta. Pit de paludede potest. Pp. Artic. 4.
• * 1.98

  Distinct. 40. non no 1: in glos.
• * 1.99

  Euseb. de praepara. li. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.100

  Greg. in Iob. lib. 25. cap. 14.
• * 1.101

  Marke 16.
• * 1.102

  Psal. 19.
• * 1.103

  1. Ioh. 2.
• * 1.104

  Hieron. dial. cont. Luci∣ferian. ca. 7.
• * 1.105

  Matth. 13.
• * 1.106

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Tim. 4.
• * 1.107

  Hieron in 11. Dauiel.
• * 1.108

  Mat. 24.
• * 1.109

  Mat. 6.
• * 1.110

  Matt. 7.
• * 1.111

  1. Thes. 5. Psal. 145.
• * 1.112

  Epi. 13. Ioh.
• * 1.113

  1. Cor. 2.
• * 1.114

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Cor. 4.
• * 1.115

  Greg. lib. 4. Epist. 38.
• * 1.116

  Greg. lib. 6. Epist. 30.
• * 1.117

  Oraeulorum cap. 8.
• * 1.118

  Reuel. 17.
• * 1.119

  Syb. oracul. cap. 8.
• * 1.120

  Iraen lib. 5. cap. vltimo.
• * 1.121

  Bern epist. 125.
• * 1.122

  De ciuit. dei li. 20. ca. 19.
• * 1.123

  Ad Algasia. Hieron. Quaest. 11.
• * 1.124

  Ibid.
• * 1.125

  Hil. contra. Auxentium.
• * 1.126

  Ibid.
• * 1.127

  Reuel. 17.
• * 1.128

  Aug. in Psa. 9.
• * 1.129

  Johan. de Paris. de potestat. regia. ca. 22.
• * 1.130

  Greg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 33. ca. 22. in lob
• * 1.131

  Dan. 7.
• * 1.132

  Dan. 7.
• * 1.133

  Hiero in 11. Z•…•…cgar.
• * 1.134

  Ibid.
• * 1.135

  De 〈◊〉〈◊〉. dai li. 20. ca. 19.
• * 1.136

  Chriso. hom. 4. in 2.2. Thess.
• * 1.137

  Extra de co∣stit. licet. 9 qu. 3. cūci. 10. de parisi∣is, de pot. reg & papali.
• * 1.138

  Dist. 40. non nos: in glosa.
• * 1.139

  Pet. de pal•…•… de depot. Pp. Art. 4.
• * 1.140

  Extra de translat. Epi. quanto in glo.
• * 1.141

  Distinct. 40. si Papa. in glosa.
• * 1.142

  Ibid.
• * 1.143

  De trans•…•…. E∣pis. ca. quan∣•…•…, glosa. •…•…is. 7
• * 1.144

  Daniel. 7.
• * 1.145

  10. Maior in 4. sentent. dist. 20. qu. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.146

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.147

  Mark. 13.
• * 1.148

  Mat. 7.
• * 1.149

  Mark. 16.
• * 1.150

  Heb. 2.
• * 1.151

  2. Tim. 3.
• * 1.152

  Exod. 7.
• * 1.153

  Exod. 8.
• * 1.154

  Wis. 17.
• * 1.155

  Ier. 11.
• * 1.156

  Rom. 1.
• * 1.157

  2. Cor. 2.
• * 1.158

  Act. 4.
• * 1.159

  2. Pet. 2.
• * 1.160

  Iohn 15.
• * 1.161

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.162

  Psal. 13.
• * 1.163

  Psal. 36.
• * 1.164

  1. Cor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.165

  Ioh. 6.
• * 1.166

  Ioh. 3.
• * 1.167

  Psal. 109.
• * 1.168

  Tit. 2.
• * 1.169

  Coloss. 1.
• * 1.170

  Rom. 10.
• * 1.171

  Rom. 10.
• * 1.172

  Esai 65.
• * 1.173

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.174

  Luke 22.
• * 1.175

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.176

  Mat. 21.
• * 1.177

  Aug. quae 43 in quaestion. v•…•…ter. & no vitestam.
• * 1.178

  Wisd. 1.
• * 1.179

  Rom. 10.
• * 1.180

  Reuel. 1•…•….
• * 1.181

  Eza. 11.
• * 1.182

  2. Cor. 10.
• * 1.183

  Hicro lib•…•… in 2. Ab•…•….
• * 1.184

  2. King. 19.
• * 1.185

  Dan. 4.
• * 1.186

  Exod. 14.
• * 1.187

  Reu. 17.
• * 1.188

  Reu. 1.
• * 1.189

  Heb. 4.
• * 1.190

  1. Sam. 5.
• * 1.191

  Exod. 7.
• * 1.192

  Reu. 14.
• * 1.193

  Reuel. 16.
• * 1.194

  Reuel. 17.
• * 1.195

  Reuel. 18.
• * 1.196

  Iohn. 1.
• * 1.197

  1. Iohn 1.
• * 1.198

  Matt. 9.
• * 1.199

  Esaie. 48.
• * 1.200

  Psal. 22.
• * 1.201

  Eph. 2.
• * 1.202

  Hcb. 11.
• * 1.203

  Rom. 10. Philip.
• * 1.204

  Reu. 18. 19.
• * 1.205

  Matt. 18.
• * 1.206

  Matt. 11.
• * 1.207

  Psal. 68.
• * 1.208

  Iohn 15.
• * 1.209

  Act. 16.
• * 1.210

  2. Cor. 4.
• * 1.211

  Psal. 67.
• * 1.212

  Iam. 5.
• * 1.213

  Matt. 6.
• * 1.214

  Ierem. 44.
• * 1.215

  Matt. 15.
• * 1.216

  Mat. •…•…3.
• * 1.217

  1. Cor. 5.
• * 1.218

  1. Tim. 3.
• * 1.219

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.220

  1. Cor. 9.
• * 1.221

  Prou. 12.
• * 1.222

  Prou. 28.
• * 1.223

  Prou. 20.
• * 1.224

  Eccle. 23.
• * 1.225

  Ezech. 16.
• * 1.226

  Mat 12.
• * 1.227

  Ephe. 4.
• * 1.228

  1. Tim. 3.
• * 1.229

  2. Cor. 11.
• * 1.230

  2. Cor. 11.
• * 1.231

  2. Tim. 4.
• * 1.232

  Matth. 18.
• * 1.233

  1. Cor. 5.
• * 1.234

  1. Tim. 1.
• * 1.235

  Num. 5.
• * 1.236

  Gen. 17.
• * 1.237

  Luke 10.
• * 1.238

  Ioh. 20.
• * 1.239

  Matt. 18.
• * 1.240

  Psal. 59.
• * 1.241

  Psal. 35.
• * 1.242

  Psal. 69.
• * 1.243

  Psal. 109.
• * 1.244

  Luke 19.
• * 1.245

  2. Cor. 11.
• * 1.246

  Eus lib. 3. cap. 23.
• * 1.247

  2. Sam. 18.