Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ Againe j. Cor. iij Euery mannes woorke shalbee made manifest for the daie shall declare it because it shalbee reueiled by the Fire Therefore when that laste daie shall like a sodaine flashe of Lightnyng come vppon vs all thynges in this Heauen and this Earth shall in the twincklyng of an eye be consumed to Cinders and sodainly chaunged with Fire euen as in the tyme of Noah all thynges were chaunged with the water and that GOD will not faile in this his threatening commination wherof we ought to take his former dealyng for an infallible token the whiche he hath left vnto vs for a signe Dearely beloued bee not ignoraunte of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeres and a thousande yeres as one daie The Lorde is not slacke concernyng his promise as some men counte slacknesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perishe but would all men to come to repentaunce But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thiefe in the night in the whiche the Heauens shall passe awaie with noyse and the Elemētes shall melt with heate and the Earth with the woorkes that are therein shalbe burnt vp IN these woordes S. Peter meeteth with those cauillers of whom he spake afore whiche saie that the Apostles haue foretold many vaine and foolish tales of the latter Daie and that al thinges stande still in the same course and order as thei did before notwithstandyng so long a space of tyme since thei foretold and Prophecied thereof And this place borowed he out of the praier of Moses in the lxxxx Psalme A thousand yeres saieth he in thy sight are as yesterdaie when it is paste This is after twoo sortes to bee vnderstoode and taken One as it hath respecte and relation to God the other as it respecteth Men and the Worlde Againe this life is to be considered after one sort the life to come after an other This life can not bee the life to come because into that none can passe but by Death that is till he ceasse from the functions of this mortall life This present Life consisteth and is preserued by eatyng drinkyng sleapyng digestyng c. all whiche consiste and are doen within the limitation of Houres Daies and Yeres But when thou wilt throughly consider the life to come thou must quight forget and put out of thy cogitation and remembrance all the course of this present life and neuer thinke to make any conference or comparison betweene this Life and it For all thynges in it are as one Daie one Houre one Minute one Moment Seyng therefore that there is no Dinumeration of tyme with God it followeth that a thousande yeres with hym are as one daie and therefore the first manne Adam is as neere to God as he that shalbe laste borne the daie next afore the Generall daie of Iudgement For God respecteth not tyme according as the same is in length but rather as it were aslope as if a man should behold and looke vpō a verie long Tree liyng ouerthwarte or aslope afore hym For so should he with one glaunce of his eye beholde bothe the endes thereof at once whiche he could not doe if he should stande at the one ende and beholde it long wise Now we mortall Creatures can not by our owne reason beholde and consider the Tyme but accordyng to the length by numbryng and addyng yere to yere from Adam till the laste daie But with God all thynges are lapped vp as it were in one bundle and seen with one blushe What we thinke to de long the same with hym is shorte and contrariwise A man when he dieth lieth buried in the Earth and his bodie is consumed into duste neither knoweth he any thyng but when he shall arise againe in the laste daie he shall thinke he hath slept as it were scarcely as houre then shall he see and beholde a greate multitude that liued after hym of whom hee knewe nothyng at all Saincte Peters meanyng therefore is this The Lorde is not slacke to performe his promise as these Mockers and Skorners doe thinke that he is but is pacient and long suffryng therefore be ye ready against the laste daie whiche will come sooner then ye looke for and will sodainly ouertake the wicked Worldlynges as Saincte Paule saieth j. Theis v. When thei shall saie peace and safetie then shall come vppon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and ther shall not escape That daie shall come with suche a noise and shall so sodainly as it were a terrible tempest fall vpon the world that al thinges shalbe consumed in a moment Seyng therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Lookyng for and hastyng vnto the commyng of that daie of God SEyng that ye know that all these thinges shall passe awaie bothe Heauen Earth and all thinges therein consider and waigh with your selues with what holinesse of life and godlinesse of conuersation ye ought to stande readie against that daie For S. Peter so describeth this daie as that it is euen now at hande against the whiche wee should not onely be in a readinesse but also moste ioyfully and gladly expect and looke for the commyng thereof Yea he would haue vs with moste willing myndes to goe to meete the Lorde in that daie as in whiche wee hope at length to bee clearely ridde and deliuered from the tyrannie of Sinne Death and Hell By the whiche the heauens beyng on fier shalbee dissolued the Elementes shall melt with heate But we looke for newe Heauens and a new Earth accordyng to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse THE Lord by his Prophetes in sundry places hath promised that he will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth as Esay Lxv. Loe I will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth and the former shall not be remembred not come into your mynde Againe Esay xxx The light of the Moone shalbee as the light of the Sunne the light of the Sunne shalbe seuenfold and like the light of seuen daies And Christ saith Matth. xiij that the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father But how after what fashion al this shall come to passe we cā not tell sauing that it is faithfully promised by him who can not deceiue that there shalbee newe Heauens and a newe Earth in which shall dwell no sinne vncleannesse but righteousnesse and they that bee the children of God as Paule also Rom. viij witnesseth There shalbe nothyng but ioye and perpetuall solace to wit the kyngdome of God and all felicitie Here he that would bee inquisitiue to knowe whether the elect and blessed shal at that tyme bee in the Heauens or on the Earth Truely this place soundeth that thei shal remaine and dwell on the Earth so that al both Heauens and Earth shalbe as one Paradise
sawe their obstinate perseueraunce in Sinne My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with Manne because he is but fleshe his daies shalbe an hundreth and twentie yeres Genes vj. And a little after in the same Chapter I will destroye from the Earth the Man whom I haue created from Man to Beast to the creepyng thyng and to the Foule of the Heauen c. These wordes did Noah in his daiely Sermons preache and beate into their heades withall also buildyng the Arke accordyng as God had commaunded hym and that in the full space of an hundreth yeres But thei were so senselesse of their estate and so frozen in the dregges of their accustomed Synnes that thei laughed him to skorne and grewe still more and more obstinate and rebellious The Sinnes wherefore God brought the Floud vppon the Worlde as it appeareth in the same sixte Chapter of Genesis were that the Soonnes of God that is the Children of the holie Fathers degenerated from the Faith and knowledge wherein thei had been trained taught For seing the daughters of MeÌ„ that thei were faire thei tooke them wiues of all that thei liked Of whom were borne mightie Gyantes and lawlesse Tyrantes whiche did all thynges accordyng to their owne lustes and as beste liked themselues This was the cause why God punishing their sinnes drouned the whole Worlde And tourned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrewe theÌ„ and made theim an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly THis third example is of the fiue Cities whiche God destroied as we read Genes xix Ezechiel also in his xvj Chapter speakyng hereof in the persone of God and appliyng his woordes by waie of vpbraidyng to Hierusalem saieth This was the iniquitio of thy Sister Sodom Pride fulnesse of Bread abundauÌ„ce of Idlenesse both in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hande of the poore and needie but thei were hautie and committed abhomination before me therefore I tooke theim awaie as pleased me Sodome and Gomorrha and the Territories thereof till the Lorde destroyed them were as Moses witnesseth Genes xiij as the Paradise or gardein of the Lorde aboundyng and flowyng with plentie of Wine and Oile in theim all thynges that to the life of man were either necessarie delightfull or commodious were in moste aboundaunce to bee had in so muche that the common sorte beleeued that God hymself had chosen it for his owne peculier habitation and dwellyng And therefore as Moses in the same Chapter saith the people thereof were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lorde leadyng their liues accordyng to the leuell of their owne leude lustes Whiche inordinate beastly and wicked lustes their owne vaine curiositie and the greate plentifull aboundaunce and Idlenesse whiche thei enioyed procured and brought vnto them As wee at this daie by experience doe set that the wealthier aâ—y Cities be the wantoner and dissoluter life the people therein lead but where Famine Penurie or other extremities pinche there the Citezeins are nothyng so muche giuen to loosenesse and Sinne. And therefore God vseth to exercise and enure those that be his and whom he loueth with hard cheere and slender pittaunces because they maie the better walke in integritie of life These therefore are the three dreadfull Examples wherewith S. Peter threateneth the vngodlie whiche he here aptly alledgeth and bringeth in as fitlie hittyng the persones of whoÌ„ he here speaketh who he saieth liued euen as these Sodomites and Gomorrheans did whose greeuous punishement is heere laied before them for their greater terrour And therefore these thynges agree in eche respect and verie fittly are to be applied namely and specially vnto the Pope with his Cardinalles Bisshoppes Munkes Friers Nunnes and all the rest of his filthie Spiritualtie and rumpwood retinue For thei beyng appoincted to be as it were Angels in the places of Apostles truely to preache and expounde the Woorde of God in steade of beyng suche Angelles for the name Angell is a worde of Office and not of Nature signifiyng a Messenger or an Embassadour wherevppon all Preachers of the Truthe who are the Messengers of GOD are called in the Scriptures Mala. ij j. Cor. xj by y e name of Angels thei do cary vs headlong with themselues into the dungeon of error and quite reuolte from their loyall allegiaunce to GOD by mere Pride and Apostacie like these of whom S. Peter here speaketh aduauncyng theimselues aboue God and will haue no Lorde ouer them but bee Lordes themselues and of them selues And yet will thei bee called Apostolicall hauyng nothyng in theim but onely a vaine braggyng shewe of the bare name and title as heere afore in this Chapter thei are named by the name Angelles who properly are not so This blasphemous route therefore of Pope and Popelynges for that thei haue conspired with the Deuill against God and denied hym that is their Creatour are kepte faste fettered in Chaines of darkenesse vnto damnation whose Iudgement as he saied afore ceasseth not neither dooeth their damnation sleepe although as yet it bee not fullie and completly come vpon them Againe thei bee herein also like vnto the old Worlde who although thei haue the Prophetes and the Woorde of GOD preached vnto them yet did thei blaspheme and as it were defy hym and as Moses writeth of them tooke to theim selues Wiues accordyng to their owne lustes and likynges and became mightie Tyrauntes and Gyantes in the earth Gen. vj. Now a little let vs see whether all the properties and dealynges reported by Moses to be in those men of the old World bee not nowe moste manifestly resiaunte and inuested in our Popishe Clergie For thei now be greate mightie and dreadfull Tyrauntes thei liue of all menne moste delicately moste riotouslie and euen as thei liste theimselues thei haue moste aboundaunt store and plentie of all thynges thei oppresse the Worlde and with their tyrannous exactions and bloodie cruelties ouercrowe all Christendome and yet maie no manne speake one woorde or once open his mouthe against them no not Kynges and Princes Againe if thei bee disposed to take a waie a mannes Wife or his daughter from hym thei maie with suche impunitie dooe it that no man maie dare so muche as complaine of their violence and if any doe complaine yet are thei themselues the iudges of the matter and so it shall be euen as good to saie nothyng at all for amendes hee shall haue none at all Finallie by all the shiftes and driftes by all the waies and meanes that thei can possibly deuise to pill and poll robbe and spoile rake and scrape by cosonage pillage exaction tribute commaundementes licenses depredations and al other suttle trickes whatsoeuer thei hale and pull thei catche and snatche vnto theim without hoe without measure without conscience without shame And if any manne in any sorte laye his lawfull claime or touche any thyng whiche thei pretende to be theirs and whiche thei haue in theirs
heard and God is moste humbly to bee desired and praied vnto to turne his heauie wrath and plague from vs. For this calamitie and wretchednesse commeth not vpon vs by chaunce or blinde fortune but it is sent vnto vs from God as a plague for our wickednesse and impietie as S. Paule witnesseth ij Thes ij Because saieth he they receiued not the Loue of the truth that they might bee saued therefore shall God sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes For if this punishment and reuenge of God had extended no further but to the perishing onely of these false counterfaite and seducing Teachers thēselues it might haue seemed very tollerable but now they hauyng maistered and ouerruled the whole Worlde at their own pleasures they haue caried with them to hell whole multitudes of people that haue beene bewitched and enchaunte◠with their spirituall sorceries There is no remedie therefore for vs to recure this mischiefe but to prostrate our selues before the mercie seate of almightie God in all feare and humilitie moste penitently confessyng our faultes and suppliauntlie imploryng his diuine grace and assistaunce◠that it might please him to vouchsafe to remoue and take awaie this plague from vs. It is earnest and hartie praier wherewith wee must impugne and withstande these false and deceiptfull Teachers for Sathan our Aduersarie the Deuill will not bee driuen awaie with any other weapons ¶ The third Chapter THis seconde Epistle I now write vnto you beloued wherewith I stirre vp and warne your pure myndes To call to remembraunce the wordes whiche were told before of the holie Prophetes and also the commaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lorde and Sauiour This firste vnderstande that there shall come in the laste daies mockers whiche will walke after their lustes And saie Where is the promes of his comming for since the Fathers died all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation For this thei willyngly knowe not that the Heauens were of olde and the Earth that was of the water and by the water by the woorde of God Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water But the Heauens and Earth whiche are now are kepte by the same Woorde in store and reserued vnto fire against the daie of Iudgemente and of the destruction of vngodlie men Dearely beloued bee not ignoraunt of this one thyng that one daie is with the Lorde as a thousande yeres and a thousande yeres as one daie The Lorde is not slacke cōcernyng his promise as some men count slackenesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perishe but would all men to come to repentaunce But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thief in the night in the whiche the Heauens shall passe awaie with a noyse and the Elementes shall melte with heate and the Earth with the woorkes that are therein shalbe burnt vp Seeyng therefore that all these thinges must bee dissolued what maner persones ought ye to bee in holie conuersation and godlinesse Lookyng for and hastyng vnto the commyng of the daie of God by the whiche the Heauens beeyng on fire shal be dissolued and the Elementes shall melt with heate But we looke for newe Heauens and a newe Earth accordyng to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherefore beloued seyng that ye looke for suche thinges bee diligent that ye maie bee founde of hym in peace without spot and blamelesse And suppose that the long sufferyng of our Lorde is saluation euen as our beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome giuen vnto hym wrote to you As one that in all his Epistles speaketh of these thinges emong the whiche some thynges are harde to bee vnderstande whiche thei that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as thei doe also other Scriptures vnto their owne destructiō Ye therefore beloued seeyng ye knowe these thynges before beware least ye be also plucked awaie with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to hym bee glorie bothe now and for euermore Amen This secōd Epistle I now write vnto you beloued wherwith I stirre vp and warne your pure mindes To call to remembraunce the wordes which were tolde before of the holy Prophets and also the cōmaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lorde and Sauiour IN this Chapter wee are admonished to bee in a readinesse and euery minute of an hower to looke for the last daie And first S. Peter declareth vnto them how that he hath not written this Epistle to theim purposely and with intent to laye doune vnto them the foundation of Faith for that had he laied doune very substancially effectually and sufficiently afore but to excite and stirre them vp and to admonishe and put them in remembraunce that thei forgett not those thinges whiche thei had afore heard and receiued but rather that thei should perseuere in that sinceritie of mynde and vnderstandyng whiche was requisite fitte expediente and appertinent vnto true Christianitie For the office and duetie of all true Preachers is not onely to teache but also continually to admonishe and exhort Because so long as wee bee clad with this fleshe and bloud wee haue greate neede to haue the Worde of God to dwell plentifully in vs to raigne beare soueraigne authoritie in vs whereby wee maie resist the motions suggestions delites and concupiscences of the Fleshe and with faithfull constancie valiantly subdue resist and striue against the lustes thereof This first vnderstande that there shall come in the last dayes mockers whiche will walke after their lustes And saie Where is the promise of his commyng for since the fathers dyed all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation THere bee some yet at this daie very waueryng and ficklemynded being caried awaie through certaine reasons sette downe in a Booke entituled and written of Antichrist in whiche Booke is declared that before the latter daie men should fall into suche grosse and Deuilish errour as to denye God and to mocke deryde all that thei heare preached of Christe and of Domesdaie And this saiyng is true from whence soeuer it was borowed But it ought not so straictly to bee taken as though the whole World should fall into suche a generall Apostacie and so vniuersally blaspheme God but that the greater parte and portion thereof should fall awaie For we see it now plainly come to passe and more and more dailie will it burst out that when and where the Gospell shall be published and openly preached among men many wicked shall be wraie themselues and the inward hartes of many shalbe openly detected whose wickednesse and impietie now secretly lurketh is dissimuled And the number now adaies is not small that beleeue little or nothyng of the latter daie neither thinke that euer it will come Of suche mockers and skorners S. Peter here forewarneth vs tellyng vs that there should be
sundrie whiche would think there were none other life after this and therfore would passe their daies lewdely inordinately and accordyng to the deuises of their own sensuall lustes In deede at Rome and in Italie this Prophesie is long ago fulfilled and thei that come from thence to vs bryng with them this opinion that what filthie and wicked life they leade there the same doe they teach vs and those Countries where they chaunce to inhabite But a little before the latter daie suche maner of men must needes bee as Christe himself foretolde Matth. xxiiij As the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the commyng of the soonne of man be For as in the daies before the floud thei did eate and drinke marie and giue in mariage euen vntill the daye that Noah entred into the Arke and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all awaie so shall also the commyng of the sonne of man be And a litle after in the same Chapter Bee ye readie for in suche a tyme as ye thinke not will the sonne of man come Againe Luc. xxj As a snare shal that day come vppon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Againe Luk. xvij As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one parte vnder Heauen shineth vnto the other parte vnder Heauen so shal the sonne of man be in his daie That is it shall come merueilous sodainly and moste vnlooked for when as the Worlde shall liue in moste senselesse securitie and the Woorde of God altogether deryded and contemptuously skorned This therefore shalbee a signe and a token of the neere approchyng of the latter daie when as menne shall loosely liue accordyng to their owne wilfull lustes and pleasures and whē as thei shall presumptuously aske Where is now the promise of his commyng The Worlde hath continued thus long and euery thyng is in the same case as it hitherto hath been what straunge thyng shall there now happen Sainct Peter therefore forewarneth vs that we bee not lightly caried awaie with these wicked speeches but rather knowe that thei bee vndoubted signes and tokens that this daie will come and that verie shortlie For this they willingly knowe not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the woorde of God Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water THei are suche peruerse and frowarde persones saieth he that thei disdaine and grudge to bestowe any tyme or labor in learnyng the truth in so muche that with a flearyng disdaine thei resiste and can not be brought so muche as euen to reade the Scriptures Yea thei are so wilfull and obstinate that thei will not seeme either to thinke or know how that the same thyng came to passe also in the olde worlde when Noah builte the Arke Namely how that the Earth beeyng separated frō the water was in the beginnyng made by the Woorde of God and how againe the same Earth was whollie ouerflowed and drouned with water and how that menne liued then so secure and carelesse that thei looked for no harme to come vnto theim neither thought of any destruction at hande And yet sodainly the Floud couered theim all Of all whiche these peruerse and froward persones are willyngly and wilfully ignorant The plaine meanyng of his woordes is as if he should saie If God then destroied the Worlde with water and by a terrible example declared that he was able to droune it vniuersallie how muche more will he destroie it now hauyng so muche and so often in plaine and sundrie wordes and in so many seuerall places threatened and promised thesame Heauen and Earth had their Beginnyng and Creation by the Woorde of God thei were not from euerlastyng And the Waters that rested aboue in the Cloudes were by a Firmament separated from the Waters whiche were in Seas and Riuers vpō the Earth belowe So that the Earth which was ouerwhelmed and surrounded with the Deepe was by the Worde of GOD parted from the Waters and became drie lande standyng and beeyng hemmed in by the Waters And that whiche Moses at large describeth is by Saint Peter here but lightly touched By the same Worde of GOD whereby thei were made and created are all thynges therein preserued and gouerned For it is not there Nature so to stande or to remaine in suche situation and therefore if God by his vnspeakable power did not vpholde preserue and gouerne theim all thynges would quickly come to a wrecke and ruine and bee sonedrenched couered and wholly ouerflowed with Water But mightie is thee Worde whiche God spake whē he saied Lette the waters vnder the heauens bee gathered into one place and let the drie lande appeare That it let the Waters depart aside and giue place that the drie lande maie bee seen and that menne maie dwell thereon for otherwise as I saied afore by Nature the water would ouerflowe and couer the whole Earth Whiche that it so commeth not to passe is as straunge a miracle as any is among all the woorkes of God Now saieth Sainct Peter These wilfull flouters and stiffe-necked deriders are so peruerse and incōsiderate that thei maliciously thinke skorne to shewe this honor to the holie Ghost to reade the Scriptures and therein to see how God keepeth preserueth and gouerneth the worlde within the water wherby thei might well perceiue and see that all thynges are in the handes of GOD and therefore sithe he hath once alreadie destroied the world by bringing therevpon the general Deluge so also when it pleaseth him can he doe vnto vs. For the example thereof ought so greatly to mooue eche one of vs that as he then performed that whiche afore he threatened so we should now none otherwise think but that he will surely abide by his woordes and doe that whiche he hath spoken concernyng vs. But the Heauens and Earth whiche are now are kepte by the same Woorde in stoare and reserued vnto fier against the daie of Iudgement and of the destruction of vngodlie menne IN the old tyme when God drouned the whole Worlde in the generall Floude the waters in moste abundaunce gushed out of the Cloudes aboue spouted out of the bowelles of the Earth belowe and on euery side suche streames encreased that nothyng was now to bee seene but Waters the Earth accordyng to her Nature beyng all drouned and couered vnder the Waters But God promised that hee would neuer thence forthe destroie the Worlde with waters any more makyng a couenaunt and giuyng his Rainbowe in the Cloudes for a signe thereof Genes ix Therefore he will nexte consume and destroye it with Fire so that there shall then nothing appeare but Fire as aforetyme there was nothyng seene but water Hereof also S. Paule ij Thess j. When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe hymself from heauen with his mightie Angells in flamyng Fier rendryng vengeance to them that doe not knowe God and whiche doe not obeye vnto the
the old birth proceeded and came of Seede the newe Birth also must needes be of some Seede But what Seede is this Truely not fleshe and blood What then Nothing that is corruptible and mortall but euen the eternall and liuyng worde This is all that whereby we liue whereby we are nourished and haue our beyng and whereby specially as he here saieth we are regenerated But how and by what meanes is this wont to bee dooen and brought to passe God sendeth out this his Worde to 〈◊〉 the Gospell whiche casteth seede into the hartes of menne â—f this Seede abide and sticke Fast in the harte then is there presently readie the holie Ghoste who fashioneth a newe manne whiche becomneth altogether of an other fort their he was afore hath other deuises thoughtes and cogitations other wordes and other woorkes And thus is he whollie and altogether altered Whatsoeuer thou aforetyme diddest est huc and auoide now thou pursuest and seekest what soeuer thou â—aâ—ste sought thou now fleest The state of Corporall generation is suche that the Seede whiche is in manne hath his alteration and remaineth not still Seede But the Seede of the Spirite can not bee chaunged but remaineth one for euer so entirely alteryng chaungyng me that I am transmitted and altered into it and the corruption and euill whiche naturally dwelleth in me is quite abolished And therefore this is a wonderfull kinde of Birthe and of a merueilous Seede For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the word of the Lord endureth for euer THis place is takeÌ„ out of the xl Chap. of Esaiâ— Where a voice saied vnto the Prophete Crie And he saied what shall I crie To whom the voice saied Crie thus All fleshe is grasse and al the glorie thereof as the flower of the feeld The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth a waie but the word of the Lorde standeth for euer These wordes hath S. Peter here brought in and alledged For this Epistle is as I saied bothe riche and grounded vpon the aucthoritie of sondrie Scriptures Now the meanyng of the Scripture here alledged is this The woorde of the Lorde endureth for euer But whatsoeuer is fleshe and blood the same is as corruptible grasse Bee a manne of neuer so flourishyng and gallant age bee he neuer so riche and mightie neuer so wise and iuste neuer so braue freshe and beautifull all whiche appertaine to the flower yet doeth the flower in the ende wither awaie and that whiche in gallante age and beautie lately excelled is waxed olde and become ilfauoured that whiche earst was riche is growne to be poore and so forthe also all other thinges fade awaie sauyng onely the Woorde of God Whiche Seede can neuer perishe nor decaye And this is the Worde whiche is preached among you AS though he should saie you neede not to seeke farre how to come to this Woorde for behold you haue it euen before your eyes It is that Worde whiche wee preache vnto you by this you maie qualifie and restraine all wicked desires Thou needest not to seeke farre for it onely looke to this that thou gladly embrace it when it is preached vnto thee For it is so neere vnto thee that it maie bee heard As Moses also saieth in the xxx of Deuter. The worde which I commaunde thee this daie is not farre of from thee that thou shouldest neede to goe farre to seeke it as either to goe vp to heauen or to goe ouer the Sea to fetche it but it is verie neere vnto thee euen in thy mouthe and in thy harte It was straightwaies preached and heard but when it hath feased and takeâ— full possession of thy harte it can not any more dye and vanishe awaie neither dooeth it suffer thee to dye but saueth thee so long as thou stickest and cleauest faste vnto it As when I heare how that Iesus Christ died for me and bore all my synnes and purchased heauen for me and also how he hath giuen all that he hath vnto me now dooe I heare the Gospell and glad thynges I meane the Worde of God beyng preached whiche peraduenture quickly passeth awaie and is forgottenâ— but if it bee effectually receiued with the harte and that thou throughlie embrace hym in faithe then can not he any more slippe from thee nor be forgotten This truthe no Creature whatsouer is able to ouerthrowe the Gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againste it Yea although I sticke faste in the Iawes of the Deuill yet if I be able to take holde vpon and to apprehende this Woorde I muste needes bee bailed and deliuered thence and shall remaine where the Woorde remaineth And therefore it is not without good cause that the Apostle here in effect saieth that there is none other Worde to bee looked for then this whiche we haue preached vnto you To this purpose tendeth that whiche Paule in the firste to the Romaines saieth I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue The Woorde is the Diuine and eternall power of God For although the voice sounde or speeche dooe quicklie vanishe and passe awaie yet the kernell that is to saie the knowledge and truthe contained in that voice remaineth stil As when I putt a Goblet or Iugge of wine to my mouthe I drinke vp the Wine the Goblet or Iugge remaining still vnspent So also y e Word which being brought vnto vs by voice descendeth into the harte and there beginneth to haue life the voice remainyng still without and vanishyng awaie And therefore it is well tearmed the power of GOD yea rather God hymself For so he saied vnto Moses Exod. iiij I will be in thy mouthe And in the lxxxj Psalme Open thy mouthe wide that is shewe forthe boldlie speake out bee an hungred and I will fill it I my self beyng present with thee will speake enough So also Christe in the xiiij of Ihon saieth I am the waie the truthe and the life he that cleaueth therevnto the same is borne of God Therefore this Seede is the Lorde our God hymself All which thinges serue to this end to instruct and teache vs that wee can not possibly bee relieued and holpen by woorkes and the Woorde be it neuer so small a thyng in shewe when it is vttered out of the mouth and in apparaunce seeme nothyng glorious and honorable yet is there in it a kinde of suche incomparable vertue and force as maketh so many the children of God as faithfully cleaue thereunto Iohn 1. VpoÌ„ suche an excellent staie and goodnesse leaneth our saluation This is the first Chapter of this Epistle wherein thou seest with what singuler Arte and cunnyng sainct Peter handleth and preacheth Faithe Whereby it manifestly appeareth that is Epistle is the very Gospell or glad Tydynges it self Now followeth next the seconde Chapter wherein he teacheth vs
stabished in the present truth For I think it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce Seyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie doune this my tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also maye be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng For wee followed not deceiuable fables when wee opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ but with our eyes wee sawe his maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came suche a voyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whō I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise in your hartes So that ye first knowe this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the will of man but holiemen of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Simon Peter a Seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to you whiche haue obteined like precious Faithe with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christ AS in the former Epistle so in this wee haue bothe a Subscription and an Inscription That wee maie knowe bothe who writeth it and to whom it is written namelie to them that zealously heare the Woorde of GOD and constantly stande by Faithe in the sincere profession of the same But what Faithe meaneth he Euē that saith he whiche is by the righteousnesse of God In whiche woordes he ascribeth Iustification to Faithe onely euen as S. Paule Roma j. saieth In the Gospell the righteousnesse of GOD is reueiled from Faithe to Faithe as it is written The iuste shall liue by Faithe Sainct Peter therefore warneth them to stand readie not to be beguiled nor to suffer the doctrine of Faithe whiche thei had receiued and learned to slippe awaie from thē And whereas he here peculierly speaketh of the Righteousnesse of God he thereby excludeth and putteth backe all humaine Iustice For it is Faithe onely that iustifieth vs before GOD and therefore Faithe is called the Righteousnesse of God For before the worlde it is nothyng accoumpted of nay it is rather persecuted and flatly condemned Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde THis is an vsuall Salutation wont to bee prefixed at the beginnyng of Letters and Epistles The meanyng whereof is thus I wishe vnto you the encrease of Grace and peace and that ye maie bee therewith enriched euery daie more and more Whiche grace issueth and floweth from the knowledge of GOD and of our Lorde Iesu Christ as if he should saie This Grace no manne can haue vnlesse he haue withall the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ Of this knowledge of GOD aswell the Apostles as the Prophetes dooe verie often and almoste continually make mention in the holie Scriptures as Esaie the xj In all my holie hill thei shall not hurte nor destroye for the Earth shalbe full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the Sea That is The knowledge of God shall bee as plentifull and abundaunt as the waters of the swellyng Sea when it breaketh out and surroundeth some whole Countrey And here hence shall suche peace and tranquillitie presently ensue that no man shal seeke to molest or damnifie an other But this is not to knowe God if thou dooe but onely beleeue that God is Almightie and that he hath created and made all thynges and that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie suffred death and rose againe for thus muche doe the Turkes Iewes and Deuilles beleeue But the true knowledge of GOD is this That thou haue a feelyng of hym in thyne harte conscience and that thou be certainly perswaded that God and his Christ is thy God and thy Christ whiche belief the Deuilles and false counterfaite Christians haue not neither can haue Therefore the knowledge of God is nothing els then a sounde and entire Faithe in Christ For when thou thus fullie knowest GOD and Christe thou wilte moste gladlie resigne and committe thy self vnto hym and firmely beleeue and trust in hym aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life This settled confidence and sure trust can not bee in theim that haue euill consciences that is in theim that want true and sincere Faithe For thei knowe GOD none otherwise but that he is the God of S. Peter and of all the Sainctes in Heauen But for their God thei dooe not knowe hym neitheir haue any feelyng of hym but haue hym and take hym rather as their heauie tormentour and angrie Iudge To haue GOD is to haue all Grace all Mercie and all goodnesse that can bee named To haue Christe is to haue a Sauiour and a Mediatour who hath brought vs vnto God and made hym now all ours and at whose handes he hath obtained for vs all Grace and Blessyng All these thynges thou muste drawe and applie to thy self and not doubte but that Christ is thyne and thou Christes And this is the true knowledge of Christ An vmnaried woman seyng a man maie saie this is a Manne but she can not saie this is my Manne or my Housebande In like sort all of vs can saie This is God But all of vs can not saie that he is our God because wee dooe not all of vs beleeue and trust in hym and comfort our selues onely in hym and by hym This true knowledge of GOD the Scripture tearmeth the face and Countenaunce of the Lorde whereof the Prophetes speake verie copiouslie For thei that see not his face and knowe hym not doe see but onely his hinder partes that is doe see hym as their angrie and displeased God whereas if thei sawe his face that is if thei had the true knowledge of hym by Faith thei should behold and see nothing but Grace and Mercie Wee see here how sainct Peter in this his seconde Epistle purposely entreateth not of Faithe for he largelie discoursed therevppon in his former Epistle but his purpose is in this to write an Exhortation to them whiche beleeue that thei should shewe forthe their Faithe by Good workes For he would not haue Faithe to bee without Good woorkes nor Good woorkes without Faithe But firste he requireth in vs Faithe and Faithe beeyng once surely grounded to shewe foorthe Good woorkes And therefore he addeth According as his godlie power hath giuen vnto vs all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse WHen wee throughlie knowe God by Faithe wee are possessed of the franke gift of all
and retaine the same sincerelie and soundlie without addyng any thyng therevnto or myngâ—ng any false and erroneous doctrine therwith And therefore S. Peter now afterward addresseth hym self to write against humaine doctrines and newfangled deuises of mannes Idle and fonde imagination But for what cause dooeth he saie Wee haue a moste sure Woorde of the Prophetes Truely I am thus fullie perswaded that wee shall neuer hencefoorthe haue any suche Prophetes as in the old Testamente the Iewes had A Prophete properlie is hee that bringeth the glad tidynges of Iesus Christ and although many of the Prophetes in the old Testament prophecied also of other matters to come yet thei came and were sent of God peculiarly to this ende and purpose to preache and foretell of Christe All thei that beleeue in Christe are Prophetes For thei haue the chief head of that thing whiche Prophetes ought to haue although al of them haue not the gift of Propheciyng For euen as through the Faithe of one Iesus Christ wee are all Brothers Kynges and Priestes so also through Christe wee are Prophetes For wee can all vtter and declare those thinges that appertaine to the glorie of GOD and Christian life wee also so farre as is needefull and expedient for vs can foretell of thynges to come as that there shall bee a daie of generall Iudgement and that wee shall all rise againe from the dead and finally wee vnderstande the whole Scripture This witnesseth S. Paule saiyng You maie all Prophecie one by one j. Cor. xiiij Therefore saieth S. Peter thus We haue suche a worde of the Prophetes as is sure inough of it self Onely see ye that it bee firme and sure to you And ye dooe well if ye take heede vnto it As though he should saie It is verie necessarie and expedient for you to stande sure in it For it fareth with vs in this case of the Gospell muche like as it dooeth with a man that is taken and enclosed in a darke house at Midnight who had neede to haue Candlelighte till it bee daie light that hee maie see whiche waie to goe Euen so the Gospell is as a Candle at Midnight and in the darcke whereas all humaine reason and wisedome is nothyng but mere errour and blindnesse The Worlde is nothyng els but a Kyngdome of darkenesse In this darkenesse God lighteneth vs with his Candle to wit his glorious Gospell whiche directeth our steppes aright that wee maie see whiche waie to goe and walke in this Worlde till suche tyme as the Mornyng appeare and the daie dawne This place doeth also mainly oppugne and beate doune all the foolishe tromperies of humaine doctrines For seyng that the Woorde of God is the Candle and Lanterne that giueth light in darke corners and obscure places wee must necessarily therevpon conclude that al other thinges be mere darknesse For if there had been any other Light beside the Woorde S. Peter would not haue vsed these speeches Neuer consider and waigh therefore how skilfull and wise those menne bee that teache any other doctrine beside the Woorde of God neither let it any whit mooue thee how gloriouslie and galantly so euer thei couche their smothed reasons For where thou feelest and seest the Worde of God to bee absent doubt not but all which thou hearest is mere blindnes and erroneous darkenes Neither lette it any thyng mooue thee in that thei bâ—agge and saie that thei haue the holie Ghost For how can thei haue the Spirite of God which haue not the Word of God And therefore thei doe nothyng els but call Light darkenesse and darkenesse light as it is saied Esaie v. This Woorde of God is the Gospell whereby wee are through Christ redeemed from Sinne Death and Hell he that harkeneth and giueth eare therevnto hath a Linke or a Lampe lighted and kindled in his harte By the which we may see and are enlightened and taught what to our duties is appertainyng But where soeuer this Lampe is absent there wee fall into our owne rotten waies and seeke by Works Merites and deuises of our own Forge to bespeake forsooth make to our selues a nerer waie to Heauen Here now and in suche like cases thou maiest with the helpe of this Lampe iudge and plainly perceiue all these doatyng Inuentions and dreames to bee nothyng but mere darkenesse The aucthours whereof haue not the Light neither can thei abide the Light and therefore thei must needes remaine in darkenesse and continue in blindnesse For this is the Light that teacheth vs what we ought to doe and what thinges be needefull and necessarie to our Saluation whiche be poinctes farre differyng from the wisedome and skill of the Worlde Wee daiely stande in greate neede of this Light and we must giue heede vnto it euen till the laste daie Afterwardes we shall not neede the Worde any longer as a Candle is wont to be quenched and put out when the broad daie light is once appeared So that ye first knowe this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the will of man but holie men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost HErein S. Peter beginneth to oppugne false and erroneous doctrines and of his words this is the meanyng Forasmuch as ye knowe that wee haue the Worde of God cleaue fast vnto it and suffer not your selues to bee seduced by false Teachers although thei come and saie that thei haue the holy Ghoste For know ye this first that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Note this saiyng therefore well and thinke not that ye shall euer bee able of your owne reason and industrie to expounde and explane the Scriptures Hereby are throwne doune to the grounde all the proper and priuate interpretations of all the Fathers and strait charge here giuen to the contrarie that no man should relye or leane to any suche explanations If either Hierome or Augustine or any other of the Fathers interprete and expounde any place of the Scripture of themselues or by any of their owne deuised gloses we are if the same be dissonant to the doctrine contained in other textes of the sacred Scriptures vtterly to refuse those their interpretations For S. Peter doth here forbidd any man to interprete and expound the Scripture by his own spirit The true explanation thereof is the woorke of the holie Ghost and he it is that must interprete and expounde the same or els it must be left without interpretation Therefore if any of the auncieÌ„t Fathers can auerre and iustifie his interpretation and exposition by the Scripture and can thereby prooue that the place whiche he expoundeth is so to bee taken and vnderstoode we are reuerently to accept and embrace his saiynges if no we are not bounden to beleeue hym Within the compasse of this Censure also wee maie see how S. Peter noteth and nippeth the spirites of those greate Rabbines Doctors that