of his bondes according to his vvoonted manner Furthermore he shevveth that hee is in present perill of vnreasonable and euill men Whereof it may be gathered that he did write this Epistle as hee vvas in his iourney tovvarde Ierusalem And the Latines haue a long time beene of opinion that it vvas vvritteÌ„ from Athens Some also thinke that it vvas sent by Titus Onesimus CHAPTER I. 1 Paul and Siluanus and Timotheus vnto the Church of the ThessaloniaÌ„s in God our father and in the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Grace bee with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christ PAVL and Siluanus and Timotheus As in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians so in this Epistle also the Apostle beginneth retayninge the same forme of subscription title and salutation The Apostle Paule himselfe being the author of this Epistle doth neuerthelesse vouchsafe to make others consortes with him of the same which were his woorkefellowes in the ministerie of the worde not arrogating to him selfe alone the prerogatiue and prehemineÌ„ce as those doe which seeke themselues but shewing his common consent with others in doctrine which were the seruants of Christ he ioyneth two with him as authors of the Epistle Siluanus was a diligent helper of Paul in the Gospel who preached Christ to the Corinthians as appeareth in the same Epistle where it is saide For the sonne of God Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.19 Act. 15.22 who was preached among you by vs that is by me and Siluanus and Tymotheus c. This Siluanus is euen the very same which in the Acts of the Apostles is called Silas as some coniecture the name being somewhat enlarged and deformed according to the manner of the Grekes and Latines Tymotheus was the sonne of a certaine godly and faithfull woman of Iudea whom the Apostle calleth Eunice but his father was a Greke 2. Tim. 1.5 and his graundmothers name was Lois This man preached Christ at Thessalonica and kept Paul company going into Asia Thus then we see that the Apostle writeth his Epistle in the name of three both to shewe that they did all agree together in teaching and also to bring the more authoritie and credit vnto his Epistle For there is more credit giueÌ„ to many of one profession and misterie than to one alone according to the common prouerb No man is so quicke sighted that he can see all thinges perfitly Wherefore Paul very prudently hath inserted the names of his consortes Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father By these woords he declareth y the true Church was among the Thessalonians and they doe contayne a notable description of the Church which is the true and lawfull spouse of Christ which among other notes may be known by this one namely A special note of the true Church if it be a congregation gathered together in God the father and in our Lorde Iesus Christ For there is a Church gathered together in God our father in the Lord Iesus Christ and there is a Church gathered together in the Diuell as is the malignaunt Church This title then doth testifie that this Epistle was in the first begining dedicated to that Church which in Thessalonica agreeing in the vnitie of faith woorshipped one God the father and the Lord Iesus Christ and which stedfastly beleeued the promises of the Gospell that in them alone is conteyned the doctrine of Christian righteousnesse and of eternall life For without the knowledge of them and faith no man can bee truely reckoned to appertayne to the Church of God the father and of our Lord Iesus Christ And now let vs thinke that this Epistle doth no lesse appertayne to euery one of vs then it did to the Thessalonians which are also endued with a true and liuely faith in God the father and in our Lord Iesus Christ yea rather it doth most especially profite the Church at this day that it may serue as a caueat in these latter times wherein Antichrist is reuealed to make vs beware of deceiuers who without this Epistle could not so well be knowne Antichrist with them raging in the Church and spoyling the same It is also to be noted that the Apostle hath ioyned God the father and our Lord Iesus Christ together therby to shewe that the sonne is nothing inferior to the father in this matter Grace be with you and peace from God our father c. First of al the Apostle wisheth vnto them grace that is to say reconciliation and the endowment of the holy Ghâ—â—t for there is nothing more to bee desired then to haue God our mercifull father then he wisheth vnto them peace that is all other good giftes which are needful for them For this worde peace signifieth generally al ioyful and prosperous successe Therefore what ioy and prosperitie soeuer we haue if we haue not the fauour of God withall our blessing shall soone be turned into a curse So that the onely foundation of our felicitie is the fauour and loue of God whereof it commeth to passe that our prosperitie is firme and permanent and our saluation most sure in the middest of aduersitie He addeth that this grace and peace doth come from God the father to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer good thing commeth to vs the same coÌ„meth from the free grace goodnes and fauour of God He putteth downe the name of Father and not of a Iudge that thereby we might haue the feeling of his vnspeakeable loue toward vs. And from the Lord Iesus Christ He ioyneth God the father the Lord Iesus Christ together to teach vs y grace al other good things are giuen vnto vs for his sonnes sake our mediator Secondly that wee may knowe howe wee shal be sure to receiue them namely if we aske them for his sonnes sake Thirdly he giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the sonne is by nature God reigning in equall power with the father and helping vs by his diuine power Therefore he intending to wish the summe of felicitie to the Godly commeth to the fountaine it self that is to the grace of God the which alone doth not onely bringe vnto vs euerlasting blessednes but also is the cause of all good thinges in this life 3 We ought to thanke God alwaies for you brethren as it is meete because that your faith groweth excedingly and the loue of euery one of you toward another aboundeth The first part of the Epistle is gratulatorie and consisteth of thanks giuing for thankes are giuen vnto God as the giuer and confirmer of those benefites After this manner the Apostle for the most part beginneth all his Epistles giuing thanks with them vpon whom the gift of Iustification is bestowed Alwaies He meaneth that he hath daily new occasion ministred to him of giuing thankes vnto God For you brethren That is to say on your behalfe for your constancie and increase in spirituall thinges putting the persons for the things as we shal see
is the loue study and earnest desire of the trueth especially of that doctrine which is deliuered in the Gospel concerning our eternall saluation through Christe This trueth the Papists doe impugne with no lesse crueltie then they haue alwayes done the professours thereof 11 And therefore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes The Apostle stil proceedeth with the punishment of incredulitie and impenitencie by which two vices it commeth to passe that some doe speake against the doctrine of truth saluation He doth not onely say that men shall beleue errors but also that the reprobate shall be blinded in such wise that without all iudgement they shall runne headlong into death For as God doth inwardly illuminate vs with his spirite that his doctrine may be effectuall with vs and doth open our eyes and heartes that it may pierce and enter therin euen so by his iust iudgement hee deliuereth those ouer into a reprobate sence whom hee hath appointed to destruction that with closed eyes and dulled minds as men voyde of sence astonished they may yeelde them selues to Sathan and to his ministers to be deceiued And being seduced they are most perilously beguiled because when they doe beleeue that they are in the way of righteousnesse of trueth and of saluation they doe walke in the waye of iniquity of lies and of euerlasting destruction And in very deed we haue a manifest spectacle of this thing in the papacie It cannot be told what a woonderfull heape of errors are therin what grosse and shamfull absurdity of superstitions and what doting dilusions and dreames farre from common sence All they which haue but a meane tast of the sacred Scriptures cannot somuch as thinke of those monstrous thinges without great horror How commeth it to passe then that all the world is astonished in such wise that they cannot see them but because the Lorde hath striken them with blindnesse turned them as it were into sencelesse blockes For deceiueable sleights are effectuall in them because the Diuell worketh together in theÌ„ blinding the minds of the vnbeleeuing that the light of the glory of the Gospell which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. might not shine vnto them Therefore we must obserue and note in this place that impietie lyes errors sectes and heresies with such like are punishments of the contempt of Gods worde For God is not wont to suffer the contempt of his worde to escape vnpunished but doth most grieuously take vengeance on the same that men may knowe that there is no dallying with God So our auncestors were punished with deceiueable wayes in the myst of darkenesse for the contempt of the word because they beleeued lyes Now we may easily gather by examples already past what is to be feared will befall vs vnthankfull men at this day for the contempt of the Gospell of Christ 12 That all they might be iudged which beleeue not the truth but haue approued vnrighteousnesse That is to say that they might suffer the punishment due for their impietie and perish by the iust iudgment of God So that there is no cause why they that perishe should any manner of way laye the blame vpon God because they haue gotten that which they sought for For we must remember what Moses writeth that our heartes are tried and proued when false doctrines are published by deceiuers because they doe not preuaile with any but with those which doe not loue God with their whole heart Deut. 13.3 Therfore they which loue vnrighteousnes shal reape the fruite thereof So Christ said vnto the Iewes Iohn 5.40 But ye wil not come to me that ye might haue life I receiue not prayse of men But I knowe you that ye haue not the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not If another shall come in his owne name him will ye receiue When the Apostle saith here That al he giueth vs to vnderstand that the contempt of God is not excused by their great rout and multitude which refuse to obey the Gospell For God is a iudge of the whole world who will as soone take vengeance vpon a hundred thousand as vpon one man But haue approued vnrighteousnesse He expoundeth by an Antithesis or comparison what it is not to beleeue the truth And the Greeke participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a willing promptnesse vnto euill and therefore it is translated of some But had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hereby all excuse is taken from the vnthankeful seeing they take so great pleasure in vnrighteousnesse that they prefer the same before the righteousnesse of God Now if we doe compare with these woordes those things which seducers and the seduced Papistes doe account to be their great prayse we shall easily see what is the chiefe reward which is due to them namely most fearefull wrath and double condemnation â—or they will not beleeue the truth but dâ—â—light in vnrighteousnesse and in impietie being sedused by the prince of daâ—â—â—es and by Sathan the father of lyes â—s far concerning the crueltie and iâ—â—â—â—ie of Antichrist concerning of the â—euils which he hath brought into the Church by wicked doctrines and by the oppression of the Gospell of Christ 13 But we ought alwayes to giue thankes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth The Apostle hauing before declared certaine horrible thinges which might terrefie and trouble the hearers minde doth now comfort the heartes of the faithfull and doth more plainely segregate disseuer the Thessalonians froÌ„ the reprobate least their faith might wauer with the feare of the defectioÌ„ to come Howbeit his intention was to prouide not onely for them but also for posterities to come neither doth he only confirme them that they might not be carried into the same ruine with the world but also by this câ—â—parison he doth the more coÌ„mend the 〈◊〉 of God towards the that whereas 〈◊〉 behold almost the whole world to bâ—â—ed headlong together as it were 〈◊〉 â—iolent empest they by the hand o◠〈◊〉 liued in a quiet and firme state of lâ—fe Thus it is conuenient to behold the iâ—â—â—ments of God in the reprobate that theâ— may be as it were looking glasses vnto vs to consider his mercie toward vs. For we must make this accoumpt that it commeth to passe onely by the singular grace and fauour of God that we in like manner doe not perishe miserably with them Brethren beloued of the Lorde He calleth them so that they may the better consider that they are for no other cause deliuered from the vniuersall distruction of the worlde but because God hath freely loued them Of this fauour and grace of God Moses remembred the Iewes saying Deut. 7.7 God hath not therefore so greatly exalted you because you were more mightie or
mo in number than others but because he loued your fathers For so often as we heare mention made of his loue we ought by and by to remember that saying of the Apostle Not that we loued him first Iohn 4.10 And the certaine and sure signes of the loue of God toward vs are the proclayming of the Gospell and the preaching of remission of sinnes through Christ For by that publication of Gods will it is both testified that we are receiued into the grace of adoption through Christ and also are reckoned in the number of Gods sonnes if so be we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell through faith and doe commit our selues to the grace of the most mercifull God Psal 147.11 Iohn 3.16 For the Lord loueth those that feare him and that put their trust in his mercie Moreouer God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Ephe. 16. that they that beleue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This therefore is that grace of God which maketh vs accepted through the beloued that is through Christ Wo therefore be vnto those wicked teachers which wil haue vs to doubte of the Grace of God and whether we are loued of God when as God would haue vs more sure of nothing then that beleeuing the Gospell we assure our selues to be in his fauour and to be beloued of Christ Because that God hath from the beginning chosen you The Apostle expresseth the cause why all men shal not be ouerwhelmed in one and the selfe same destruction namely because Sathan can doe nothing against those to hinder their saluation although heauen and earth be confounded together For this saying of Christ shall alwayes abide most firme My sheepe hear my voice and I knowe them Iohn 10.27 and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall take them ou◠〈◊〉 my hande There is no doubt but thaâ— the Apostle speaketh of Gods eternall electioÌ„ For he meaneth that there is no feare of the altering of their saluation which is fouÌ„ded vpon gods eternal election thogh there happen a troublesome alteration of thinges As if he should say let this be a horror and feare to others to those I say which perish in whom the Diuels can much preuaile but as for you ye are without peril as the beloued of God such as are elected froÌ„ the beginning Therefore what garboyle trouble soeuer Sathan woorketh in the worlde yet your saluation was laid vp in safety for you before the world was made For election signifieth a purpose of shewing mercie and of sauing those whom God hath ordayned by that purpose to obtayne eternall life for an inheritance But because it is not our part to enter into the secret counsell of God there to seeke the certaintie of our saluation he deliuereth vnto vs certaine signes and tokens of election which ought sufficiently to assure vs thereof Through sanctification of the spirit That is to say by the holy Ghost which doth purifie our hearts and giue vnto vs a true faith Therefore to know whether God hath elected vs or no we must not seeke what God hath done before the creation of the worlde but we shal finde in our selues a lawfull triall namely if he hath sanctified vs with his spirit established vs in the faith of his Gospell For it is the office of the holy Ghost to illuminate our darkened heartes which are naturally blinde to teach the ignorant to comfort the afflicted to bringe those that goe astray into the right way and so to sanctifie them that their workes may be acceptable to the omnipotent God The Apostle calleth that the Faith of truth by which the elect doe beleeue the Gospell of Christ For this is contrary to that false perswasion concerning the which Iames pronounceth saying Faith without workes is dead And the faith which we heare to the Gospell â—â—mes 2. is an assured testimony of our adoption and the spirit doth giue that adoption and they which are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Iohn 3.36 are the sonnes of God And he which possesseth Christ by faith hath euerlasting life All which thinges are diligently to be noted least we pretermitting the reuelation of Gods will whereupon he commaundeth vs to rest we going about to drawe the same from his secrete counsell in the which he woulde not haue vs inquisitiue should bring our selues into a confused laberinth or maze Therefore we must holde our selues contented with the faith of the Gospell and with the grace of the spirit by which we are regenerated that we may assure our selues to be elected of God and that we shall haue the saluation of eternall life if we doe truly beleeue in Christ the sonne of God And hereby their wickednes is confuted which make Gods election a cloake of all filthynesse when as Peter so ioyneth the same with faith and regeneration 1. Peâ— that they cannot be separated And Paul himselfe in an other place testifieth Ephe. 1.4 that we were elected before the foundation of the world was layed that we might be blamelesse and holy in the sight of God in loue 14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ The preaching of the Gospell pertayneth to the confirmatioÌ„ of election For this is the meane by which we come vnto saluation whereunto God hath chosen vs. God therefore hath called vs vnto a true faith not by the righteousnes of the law but by the Gospell euen as Paul testifieth in an other place 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued and called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appearing of our sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell And therefore by the Gospell because no man can beleeue in Christ but by the publication therof who being now glorified raigneth at the right hand of God the father in heauen Rom. 10.17 For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God By our Gospell He calleth it his Gospell not that it sprang from him but because the preaching thereof was committed to him As if he should say By the Gospell which we haue preached which was committed to vs to preach And here are to be noted certaine degrees of our saluation For we are from the beginning chosen to saluation and then we are made partakers of saluation through sanctification of the spirite through beleeuing of the truth and through the Gospell To obtaine the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Christ This doth bring no small consolation to the faithful when they know that doth they and their saluation are so in the handes of God euen as a fixed
First what the first beast is whose power the second beaste doth execute Secondlie what this seconde Beaste is which so doth exercise his power in his sight The first of these beasts in this thirteenth chapter hauing seuen heades and ten hornes must needes signify the city of Rome which may easily bee prooued by two demonstrations First by the eâ—position of the seuenteene Chapter of the same Apocalyps where is declared and described the sayde beast to stande on seuen hilles and to contayne ten kinges hauing the whole power of the Dragon giuen and also the same City to bee named the Whoore of Babylon drunken with the bloude of Saynts All which properties ioyned together canne agree in no wise but onely to the Heathen Empyer of Rome which Citye at the time of writing these prophesies had the gouernment of the whole worlde The seconde demonstration maye bee brought out of the number of the moneths assigned to this Beaste For it is written in the aboue named Chapter that this Beaste had power to make that is to worke his malice against the members of the Church of Christe forty two moneths Which moneths counted by Sabbates of yeeres that is euery moneth for seuen yeeres maketh vp the iust number of those yeares in which the primitiue Church was vnder the tenne terrible persecutions of Heathen Emperours of Rome Which thing thus standing prooued and confessed that the first Beaste must needes signify the Empyre and Cyty of Rome then must it necessarilye followe that the seconde Beaste with the Lambs Hornes must signify the Byshoppe and Pope of the same City of Rome The reason whereof is euident and apparent by that which followeth in the prophesy where it is declared that the seconde beaste hauing the two hornes of a Lamb receiued and exercised all the power of the first Beaste before or in the sighte of the sayde Beaste Whiche cannot bee verified neyther in the Turke nor in any other but onely in the Pope of Rome who receiueth vsurpeth and deriueth to himselfe all the power of that City and Monarchie of Rome insomuch that he sayth that when Constantine or Ludouicus yeelded vnto him the rule and kingdome of the city of Rome he gaue him but his owne and that which of right and duety belonged to him beefore And this authority or power ouer all the Empyre of Rome hee worketh not in Asia or in Constantinople as the Turk doth but in the sight of the beast which gaue him the power that is in the City of Rome it selfe which is the first beast in the beginning of this 13. Chapter described The fourth reason is And hee causeth the earth and all the inhabitants therein to worship and honoure the first beaste which had a deadly wound and was cured c. The interpretation of this part as also of all the other partes of the same Chapter standeth vppon the definition of the first Beast For beeing graunted as it cannot be denied that the first beaste signifieth the City and Empyre of Rome It must consequentlye followe that the Byshop whome wee call the Pope of the same Citye of Rome must bee vnderstande by the seconde Beaste forsomuch as neyther Turke nor anye other but onely the Byshoppe of Rome hath holden vp the estimation and dignity of that city which began to be in ruine and decay by the Vandalians Gotthes Herulians and Lombardes about the yeare of our Lorde fowre hundred fiftye sixe But afterwarde by the Byshop of Rome the pristine state and honoure of that City reuiued againe and flourished in as greate veneration as euer it did before And that is it which the holye ghost seemeth heere to meane of the first Beast saying That hee had a wound of the swoorde and was cured For so it followeth The fifth reason And hee caused all the inhabitauntes of the earth to make the image of the beaste which had the stripe of the sword and liued And it was giuen to him to giue life to the image of the Beast and to make the image thereof to speake and to cause all them that worshipped not the image of the Beaste to bee killed forcing all persons both little and greate riche and poore bonde and free to take the marke of the beaste in their right hand or in their foreheads and that none mighte buye or sell but â—hey which had the mark or the name of the beast or the nuÌ„ber of his name By giuing life to the image of the beast and making it to speake is to bee presupposed that the beaste was 〈◊〉 a neere poynt of death and lay speachelesse afore insomuch that the Citye of Rome beganne to loose and change his name and was called a while Odoacria of Odoacer king of the Herulians who by dint of sword surprised the Romans and yet notwithstanding by the meanes of this Romayn Prelate the sayde City of Rome which was then readye to giue the Ghoste so recouered her maiesty and strength agayne that it is harde to saye whether Rome did euer rufle and rage in her tyranny before in the time of Nero Domitian Diocletian and other Emperours more tragically then it hath doone since vnder the Pope or whether that Rome had all Kinges Queenes Princes Dukes Lordes and all subiectes more vnder obedience and subiection when the Emperours raigned or nowe in the raigne of the Pope And therefore it is sayde not without cause of the holy ghoste That it is giuen to him to giue life and speeche to the image of the Beaste causing all them to bee slayne which will not worship the image of the beaste c. As for example hereof who seethe not what number and multitudes of Christian men Women and Children in all Countries haue beene put to the fire and Sworde Stories of all times will declare what hauocke hath beene made of Christian bloude about the preheminence and maiority of the sea of Rome what Churches and Countries bothe Greekes and Latine haue beene excommunicated what Kinges haue beene deposed and Emperours stripped from their imperiall seate and all because they woulde not stoupe and bende to the image of the beast that is to the maiesty and tytle of Rome aduaunced nowe so highly by the Byshop thereof as it was neuer higher before in the reigne of Nero or Diocletian Wherefore taking the first beaste to signify the Empyre of Rome which cannot be denied it is playne that the seconde beaste must necessarily be applied to the Pope and not to the Turke forsomuche as the Turke seeketh nothing lesse then the aduauncement of that empyre but rather stirreth against it to plucke it downe The last reason is grounded vppon the number of the beastes name expressed by the holy Ghoste in the same prophesy by the Greeke letters χ ξ ζ. In which letters although there lyeth greate darknesse and difficulty to be vnderstoode yet the same is by certayne auncient Fathers expounded coniecturally to contayne the name of the beaste Of the which reade that which is alreadye expressed in the exposition going beefore vppon the Thessalonians Another prophesie out of Daniel Chapter 11. ver 28. HE shall returne and fret against the holy couenant so shall he doe hee shal return and haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy couenaunt And armes shall stande on his part and they shall pollute the sanctuarye of strength and shall take away the dayly sacrifice and they shall set vp the abhominable desolation And such as wickedly breake the couenaunt shall flatter with him deceitfully but the people that doe knowe their God shall preuaile and prosper And they that vnderstand among the people shall instruct many yet they shall fall by sword and by flame by captiuity and by spoil many dayes Nowe when they shall fall they shal be holpen vvith a little helpe but many shal cleaue vnto them fainedly And some of them of vnderstanding shall fall to bee tried and to bee purged and to make them white till the time be out for there is a time appointed And the kinge shall do vvhat him lyst hee shall exault him-selfe and magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake maruellous thinges against the God of Gods and shal prosper till the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made Neyther shall hee regarde the God of his Fathers nor the desires of Women nor care for anye God for hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all But in his place shall hee honour the God Mauzzim and the God whome his fathers knewe not shall hee honour with golde and with siluer and with pretious stones and with pleasante thinges c. Verses prophesiyng the comming of Antichrist Cum fuerint anni completi mille ducenti Et decies seni post partum virginis almae Tunc Antichristus nascetur daemone plenus These Verses are thus englished A thousand two huÌ„dred sixtie yeres from Christ his birth expired Then shall the monster Antichriste be borne with diuel ful inspired FINIS