¶ A commentary upon the second Epistle of S Paul to the Thessalonians. In the which besides the sum of our faith, there is sincerely handled & set forth at large, not only the first coming up & rising with the full prosperity & dominion, but also the fall and utter confusion of the kingdom of Antichrist: that is to say of Machomet & the Bishop of Rome.  
1538.   


Academiae Cantubrigiensis Liber    


The sum or substance of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the thessalonians.  
IT seemeth that this latter epistle of S. Paul to the Thessolonyans, was written straight way after the first, in the stead of a defence or bulwark to the same. For in that he handleth certain things at large, which in this he touchyth more scarcely. And in the beginning he doth yet still publish and praise the faith of the Thessalonians because that they had endured constantly in much temptation and affliction. For the which cause he promiseth unto them, refreshing & eternal life, and to their adversaries, fire & utter confusion: to th'intent that he might strengthen their minds. Further more because that in his first Epistle, he had made mention of the coming of the LORD, and the resurrection of the dead, some did understand that they were even then at hand: therefore he showeth in this, that the LORD shall not come, before that the child of perdition be revealed, that is to say Antichrist, whose coming and kingdom, ye also the destruction, he doth connygly paint forth truly, even that the world then to come being warned, might beware of that pestilence. Last of all he doth very often inculcate, that such men ought to be brought into an order, which with their idleness & curiosity did trouble the public or comen wealth. For he had made mention of such in the fourth chapter of his first Epistle. This Epistle truly is short, but yet very profitable & learned. In the style it differeth nothing from the first, neither is it of any less erudition than that. They say that this also was written by Paul at Athenes, and sent by men of the same town: Theophilactus thinketh that it was sent by Titus and Onesymus.   

The first Chapter.  
Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus, unto the congregation of the Thessalonians, which are in God our father, and in the LORD jesus Christ: Grace be with you and peace from God our father, and from the LORDD jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and every one of you overfloweth in love toward another between yourselves, so that we our selves rejoice of you in the congregations of God, over your patience and faith in all persecutions and tribulations that ye suffer: which is a token of the righteous judgement of God, that ye are counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the which ye also suffer.  
HE praiseth and rejoiceth at the Thessalonians, & giveth thanks unto God for their constancy and increase of virtue. Of the which we may first learn, that if we do any thing well we should give the thanks unto God, and not ascribe it unto our virtue, but to attribute unto him the principal effects of all things, and in no wise wax proud for any thing that we do well, nor yet think ourselves straight way perfect, if we seem ourselves somewhat to have profited in virtue and goodness: but rather let us think to go forward every day, and study to pass our own selves in all kind of virtues. secondly we may learn hereof that we should not enuey at other men's virtues, but rather rejoice with them, ye and to give thanks for the going forward & good example of our brethren. Here are also recited the chief points of our religion, faith, charity and suffering far other manner of things, than those which the Bishop of Rome, and a many of monks have rehearsed unto us. And in that he calleth the churches, not his but Gods, it cometh of humility and faith. For they are false deceivers which being but the servant of God and ministers of the churches, do require to be called Lords, and to usurp unto themselves, any pre-eminence over other men's servants. This place also doth teach, that saints or holy men are appointed to persecution, and to be exercised with continual afflictions: and that those tribulations are a token or demonstration of the righteous judgement of God, that is, that wicked men perish justly, but the godly are counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the which they have suffered much adversity. For after this manner doth he comfort and life up the saints, setting the pains & rewards before their eyes. 
The afflictions of this life, are not worthy of the glory which shall be s●●wed upon us. ●o. viii.  But if any man thorough the help of this place, will contend, that salvation is dew unto our afflictions, and not unto the passion and blood of Christ only, let him mark this also, that the very same man said unto to the romans, that we are justified by the benefit of faith, & not by the merit of our works. It is therefore of the fatherly liberality & good will of God, that it is here said, that eternal life is given us by right, and we made worthy of the kingdom of God thorough afflictions: where as it is plain that all our aptness is of God, and that we are made happy by the grace of God. But the goodness of God, would not discomfort our minds, & as it were thorough our inabilite, provoke us to slackness or weerines. And therefore the scripture speaketh as though we deserved somewhat, and were worthy of the kingdom of God, that we should do all things with a glad and merry mind.  
It is verily a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you which are troubled, rest with us.  
This is a cause whereby is showed, how that tribulation of saints is a token of the righteous judgement of God. Whereupon S. Ambrose sayeth very goodly: because that saint Paul sayeth, that a token of the just judgement of God, doth appear, whether upon the good or upon the bad, therefore he saith afterward: It is verily a righteous thing with god, to give unto every man according unto his deeds. What is so righteous as that they which in this world do suppress good men, and banish them out of their country thorough persecutions, should suffer such like things in the world to come, as they do themselves here: And that the other should be in rest with other saints, which coming out of many tribulations, shall receive the everlasting kingdom. For the Apostle doth set forth rest or refreshing, against the fire of tribulation, wherewith holy men without ceasing are exercised in this world. For when they shallbe gone from hence, all labour and sorrow shall cease, and quietness and toy shall follow. But to the ungodly shall happen contrary wise. Whereupon we read in the Gospel, that to the rich glutton it was said: Son remember that thou in thy life time receavedeste thy pleasure, & contrary wise Lazarus pain. Now therefore he is refreshed, and thou art tormented. It differeth nothing from this, that we read in the fourth chapter of the book of Sapience. And these things truly are to be laid up in the remembrance of the faithful, to the intent that in time of adversity we might persever in truth and righteousness, 
A true saying.  against the tentations of the devil. For the prosperity of wicked men which they have in this world, and on the the other side the trouble of holy men & their most infortunate estate, do greatly vex our minds, for to cast of the kingdom of God, and embrace this present world. Let us remember therefore the righteous judgement of God, and the change of all things. Forsooth there were in the time of the Prophets, contemners of God and lovers of this world, which (after the manner of our men) commending the felicity of the wicked, and scorning or condenning the perils that saints are in, said: Men serve God in vain, for there cometh no profit by that we have kept his commandments. And we see that proud men and subtle persons are happy, and they that do wickedness to speed well, and to be short, that such are safe as do tempt God. And what other thing is it, that men now adays do object against the true worshypers of God: what good have ye gotten by your belief? say they. But what doth Malachi answer? The LORD gave heed and heard this, and there was a book of remembrance written before the LORD, & ye shall see in time to come, that there is great difference between the righteous & the wicked, between the servant of God & the despiser of him. Malachi the iii chapter. When the LORD jesus shall show himself from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto them that know not god, and to them that obey not unto the Gospel of our LORD jesus Christ, which shallbe punished with everlasting damnation, from the presence of the LORD, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made marvelous in all them that believe (because our testimony that we had unto you, was believed) in that same day.  
He doth here paint and with express and very notable words, set forth before our eyes the coming of the LORD jesus and the manner of the iudgemenete. The same coming shallbe unto all saints very acceptable and most best welcome, and to the ungodly very sour and sorrowful. And every word hath his strength and pith. Now (saith he) the matter goeth all by words. But when the end of all things shall come, those things shall appear manifestly, of which all saints have disputed so long & many years. For the LORD jesus himself to whom all power is given in heaven & in earth, and to whom all judgement belongeth, shall appear in a corporal form and likeness, for to judge all flesh. And now doth he describe the behaviour of this mighty judge, that unto all his enemies shallbe so terrible, and so desirous and longed for of his friends. He shall come (I say) from heaven, not now (as once) creeping upon the earth, nor yet low and despised as he appeared in his first coming: But compassed about with the host of angels. For we read in Daniel the vii: A thousand thousands ministered unto him, & ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. And therefore even as a mighty king, being appointed with a chosen & strong host of men, doth set upon his enemy, so shall the LORD jesus use the ministry of angels in subduing of the wicked & maintenance of the godly. Therefore doth he call them the mighty angels of God, as he would say: they, by whom god doth exercise his power or might. Nother shall he than come forth gently & pleasant and for to heal the unruly, but be armed with horrible and flaming fire. The Apostle Peter beareth witness also, that the LORD shall judge the world by fire ii Petri four And the Prophet David describing that manner of Christ's coming to judgement, Psal. xviii. sayeth: Fire shall go forth before him, he shall send forth his arrows & scatter them he shall cast out lightenings & destroy them. And Daniel: A fiery flowed brake forth (sayeth he) & went out from his sight. Furthermore Paul doth in plain words declare whom the LORD shall destroy at his coming. He shall of his wrath render vengeance unto them which knew not god, or at the lest would not know god, which following the world, regarded not his precepts, & obeyed not the Gospel of our LORD jesus Christ. Which thing agreeth very well to the matter that is now in hand. For the Thessalonians obeyed the Gospel, & suffered persecution for it. It was sweet therefore to hear that their obedience should be healthful unto them, & to their adversaries that persecuted them damnable. For he repeating again the same thing, which he had said even now in other words: which shallbe punished (sayeth) with everlasting damntion. For even so doth he render vengeance unto them. For he punisheth these contemners, when he appointeth them unto everlasting fire. For so we read in Daniel also the xii. chapter. Many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall waken: some to eternal life, and some to shame and everlasting fire. After the same manner also doth the judge give sentence, Math. xxv: Depart fro me ye cursed children into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels: & they shall go into everlasting pain. And S. Ambrose saith excellently well: The wicked shall have the pains which are due unto them, that is, they shall evermore feel eternal confusion, and yet shall never wholly fail, that the pain itself might engender & renew them after a certain manner whereby they may ever from time to time, be as it were consumed. Therefore they deceive and are deceived, as many as do promise themselves deliverance out of hell, and do feign that after the day of judgement, wicked men also shall be forgiven. The which thing men say the Orygen thought, I wot near how truly: but it is sure the certain of the anabaptists have taught this openly. But out of this place it appeareth how falsely and wickedly. For the ungodly shall perish by everlasting death. From the presence of the LORD, that is when the LORD cometh, & from the glory of his power: that is, when he shall come gloriously, for to show his power & strength unto good and evil. For with these words (sayeth Theophylactus) he showeth how easy it is for God to punish, neither shall it be hard for him to punish: because that rebellious and obstinate people shallbe tormented even with the very sight of him. And the divine presence shall bring unto some brightness with it, and to other punishment & pain. For he shall come with glory and power, so that neither his glory shall want power, nor yet his presence be without glory. For it followeth that his coming shall not alonely be fearful unto the wicked, but glad also and glorious to the godly. He shall come (sayeth he) to be glorified in his saints. As though he would say: when he shall come for to render vengeance unto the wicked, he shall show himself glorious unto the saints also, and make their vile bodies like unto his glorious body, for the which cause he shallbe marvelous in all them that believe, who then shall praise and magnify his so great goodness and power? And this shallbe so (sayeth he) because that ye believed our witness, that is our preaching, which I preached unto you, telling you that that should come to pass, which God shall do in that day. There are which think that these words: because that ye believed our testimony, are put in by a Parenthesis, and that to declare who be the true believers, that is to say, such as give credence to the Apostles witness. Saint Ambrose sayeth that it may be expounded two ways. For he shall come (sayeth he) to punish the evil and glorify the good. For he shall seem and show himself glorious and marvelous, toward them that believe, after the ensample and faith of the Apostles, at what time they shallbe crowned with glory, the Gospel bearing witness unto them in the day of the LORD. And he shall appear to the unfaithful a sore and heavy judge, at suchtyme as they shall begin to feel the bitterness of everlasting pain. For the glory of the master is a rejoice and in manner of a crown unto the disciples, and his truth the extreme pain and misery of the unbelievers: because they believed not the true preachers.  
Wherefore we pray always for you, that our God will count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil every good purpose to goodness, and the work of faith in power, that the name of our LORD jesus Christ may be glorified by you and ye by him, thorough the grace of our God and LORD jesus Christ.  
To hard things he always addeth prayer. For faith itself and the reverence that we own unto God do teach us, that thorough prayer we ought to go about to obtain the chief gifts of God. And we should pray without ceasing. For S. Paul sayeth: We pray always for you. And what we should pray or desire, it followeth: That our God will count you worthy of this calling. What calling I pray you? The same no doubt, wherewith he shall call the blessed into his kingdom, saying: come ye blessed children of my father, possess the kingdom that is prepared for you, from the beginning of the world. Math. xxv. Compare now this place with that: Ye suffer, that ye might be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, and ye shall perceive that the free grace of God maketh us worthy of the kingdom of God. For if our merits make us worthy, what need were there to pray the LORD that he would count us worthy of his calling. That worthiness therefore hangeth upon the free liberality of God. After this we must pray, that God will fulfil all our good purposes to goodness: That is, that according to his goodness, wherewith he loveth us, he will fortunately perform that, which he hath begun in us. For he that continueth unto the end shallbe safe. Math. xxiiii. It is not unlike to this the followeth: That he will fulfil the work of faith in power. That is: that he will make our faith perfect thorough constauncy & strength of mind: the which thing once put into our minds by God overcometh all adversities. Last of all we must pray, that the name of our Lord, not our name may be glorified through our hope, & that he may glorify us in his coming: that is, make us safe in soul & body. He addeth thorough the grace of our God & Lord jesus Chrste: monishing us, that all these things do depend upon the grace of god, & not of our own merit. This is also to be marked, that in this place also, he doth in all things make the son equal to the father: whereupon it followeth, that the unite of God in the trinity is rightly defended of us.   

I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord jesus Christ, and for our assemble in him, that ye be not suddenly moved from your mind, and be not troubled, neither by spirit, neither by word nor yet by epistle, which should seem to come from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand. Let noman deceive you by any means.  
Some men understood by the fourth chapter of his first epistle the the coming of the Lord unto judgement, & the resurrection of the dead was even them at hand. There were also many deceivers, which affirmed plainly, that the end of all things was than come. Even as there lack none now adays of the sect of the Anabaptistes, which come where as is great resort of people & cease not to cry, that the day of judgement is at hand. But Paul in this place doth show what must go before the coming of the LORD, & with what foresygnes and things, man ought to be warned before. And he doth very properly beseech the Thessalonians by that same thing in which they erred, that is to say, by the coming of the LORD, of the which he hath hitherto spoken, and in the first chapter also. Furthermore he exhorteth than by the unite & concord, which we the membres have with the head jesus Christ. For we seem to be plucked from this holy body, as oft as we have no right opinion of the head or health of the membres. And he beseecheth them that they be not suddenly moved from their mind, that is from the true understanding and godly mind. Erasmus: Be not suddenly moved (sayeth he) from your mind, if that his coming be deferred. But the plainer exposition followeth: Be not of that mind and judgement, that ye should think, the day of the LORD to be now at hand. Nother be ye troubled. And to be troubled is to be amazed in the mind, to be afeared and to be destitute of counsel and help. After that he rehearseth divers manner of ways, by which the congregations are troubled. 
Three special causes o● troubling of the congregations.  The first is the spirit that is a revelation, prophecy or telling of things to come, with the which certain most ungracious knaves have deceived many, boasting themselves to have the spirit of God, where as they were led with evil lusts. The Montanystes and the Valentynians which before time were endued with such a spirit (as Ireneus and Eusebius have written) did greatly deceive the simple people, as the Anabaptistes do now. The second way to trouble the churches is word, that is doctrine coming forth of a living voice, the which if it be decked with eloquent and apparent words, it is most pestilent. The third way is a counterfeit Epistle or some writing garnished with a false inscription or title. (as S. Ambrose testified) False deceivers are wont (that they might the sooner deceive) for to fain an Epistle under the name of some noble writer, to the intent that the authority of the man, may set forth that, which can not be received by themselves. And it can not be spoken, how shamefully the certain unthrifty knaves through this craft have mocked the church of God, which have thrust in among us many books, many epistles, & works, as though they had come from the Apostles or apostolical men, or else from writers that were noble and excellent in authority, learning & holiness, which for all that they never knew or could approve, if they were yet alive. For there are abroad certain canon's of the Apostles, certain Epistles of apostolic men, yet & many little books also, under the name of Augustine & Ambrose which these men never saw: What shall I say of certain sermons garnished with the title of Cyprian & Augustine: The negligence of the age that is passed, & the covetousness of writers & printers, with the ignorance & unshamefastness of them was so great that noman can detest it to much. They that have red the writings of the old doctoures, and have seen any of Erasmus judgements upon the works of Jerome & Austen, do understand what I say. And yet shalt thou find men, which thorough the help of this place, will thrust into the church of God every thing that they lust: Objecting that all things necessary to true godliness are not written in the scriptures, because the mention is made here of the spirit of the word, and of the Epistle, by the which a more perfayte doctrine might be delivered to the world then to come. But these men do not see, that this same place doth monish us, that men should not be drawn away from their mind, that is the wholesome faith once received, through their traditions: which being covered with the cloak of the spirit, of the word, or of a decretal epistle, these men do cast unto us as Apostolic and most holy doctrine. For after this manner they do advance & only set forth unto us both their popish masses & all other things which they can not prove by the testimony of scriptures affirming that they were institute by the tradition of the Apostles, and afterward confirmed by the Epistles of apostolic men, and by the revelation of the holy ghost. Let us beware therefore of these ravening wolves, which being clothed with sheeps clothing, do come for to spoil, for to trouble, & to devour. Let us keep faithfully the meaning of Christ, with the wholesome and apostolical points of true & undefiled religion, & then shall noman deceive us by any means. That learned man tertulian, hath spoken more of this matter in his book that he made of the banishment of Heretics.  
For the LORD cometh not except there come a departing first, and that that sinful man be opened, the lost child, which is an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God or worshipped: so that he shall sit in the temple of God advancing himself as God. Do ye not remember that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  

The LORD shall not come, except that there come a departing ●yrste.  Ye think (sayeth he) that the day of the coming of the LORD is now at hand, but ye are deceived brethren. For except there come a departing first, the LORD shall not come. Except therefore that there come a departing first, & that Antichrist do reign, Christ shall not come unto judgement. Therefore the departing & reign of Antichrist or rather tyranny, shall go before the day of judgement. And here he doth describe Antichrist & his kingdom at large. We shall touch every thing with a compendious brefenes, comparing that which Daniel spoke of this matter, with these things. For it seemeth that the Apostle took much of his out of him. And first we will speak of the departing. 
Departing.  Departing is here taken after such a manner, as when a man doth slide back or fail from his author or prince. Saint Ambrose doth expound it of the dividing of the kingdom of the Romans, and of the departing of other kingdoms from it. Other have interpreted it of the departing of faith, of the which the Apostle spoke, i. Timo. iiii. saying: The spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter days some shall departed from the faith, giving heed unto sprites of error and devilish doctrines, etc. But both cometh to one effect as touching the substance of the matter. For when that same last monarchy or kingdom began to be divided, through the departing of certain kingdoms from it, than began the Christian religion and faith to be corrupted and perverted also, by them, which gave heed unto sprites of error & devilish doctrines. And by the same last monarchy or kingdom is meant the empire of Rome. For Daniel in his vii Chapter. After iii mighty kingdoms, that is to say of the Babylonians, Perses, and the Macedonyans, addeth to the fourth, that is the Romans. I saw (sayeth he) in a vision by night, and behold the fourth beast was grim and horrible and marvelous strong, it had great iron teeth, it devoured and destroyed, and stamped the residue under his feet, it was far unlike to other beasts, that were before it: For it had ten horns. I marked the horns, and behold there came up among them an other little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked away: Behold this horn had eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things. Hitherto have we rehearsed the words of Daniel. And after he had desired to know the meaning of this vision, he heard this answer: The fourth beast shallbe the fourth kingdom upon the earth, it shallbe greater than all other kingdoms, it shall devour, tread down, and destroy all the world. The ten horns are ten kingdoms that shall arise out of the kingdom, after whom there shall stand up another, which shall be greater than the first, & shall subdue three kings, and so forth. S. Jerome declaring this place of the Prophet, 
The Empire of Rome.  doth expound it of the empire of Rome, saying: He compared the kingdom of the Romans unto no beast, & named it not: to the intent that what cruelty more than other we did suppose in the beasts, we should understand that of the Romans. And surely this empire hath subdued and wasted all the world: not being alonely unlike unto other kingdoms, in the setting up & governance of the kingdom, but also in cruelness, strength, & fierceness. For what nations hath it not wasted with fire & sword, & utterly destroyed, brought them in to bondage, and as it were a full and wanton beast trod them under his feet? For the which cause Mitridates the king of Pontus (as justinus did note out of Trogus Pompeius) was wont to say of the Romans: That they did truly boast, that their first beginners or ancestors were brought up with wolf's milk, because that all the people of Rome had wolves minds, never full of blood & ever greedy & gaping after dominion & riches. Also Plinius in the vii book of his natural history, the xxv chap. saith of julius Cesar. 
julius Cesar.  He fought in plain field fifty times: he only passed Marcus Marcellus a captain of the Romans also which yet had pitched & fighten xxxix battles. For besides his victories over cities, truly I would not speak to his praise, of eleven C.xcii. M. men that were slain by him in battles. Also the great injury that mankind suffered by him: which thing to be true he himself confessed, although he made no mention of his destruction in civil wars. The self same Plinius in the xxvi chapter witnesseth, that in the temple of Minerva, was a table hanged up, briefly containing the acts of Gneus Pompeius the great which he had done in the east parts, 
Gneus Pōpe●●●  in these words following: Gneus Pompeius the great Emperor & guider of the Romans host, in the time of his wars, which continued xxx years, did beat down, put to flight, slew, and took to mercy twenty hundredth & lxxxiii. thousand men, he bowed and took viii hundredth & xlvi ships, he had yielded unto him a. M. CCCCC.xxxviii. towns and castles, and subdued all the country from the water of Meotis unto the reed see. And the title or inscription of his triumph had the third day of the kalends of October (Marcus Messala & Marcus Piso being consuls) was this: When he had once rid the see coasts of Pirates, and had restored the Romans unto their dominion which they had on the see, he brought glorious spoils out of Asia, Pontus, Armenia, Paphlagonia, Capadocia, Cilicia, Syria, from the Scythians, jews Albans, out of Iberia, the isle of Creta, and from the Basternes: And besides these he led unto his triumph these two kings Mytridates & Tigranes. We have touched only the acts, victories, & triumphs of two Emperors: we have spoken nothing yet of Scipions, Fabyones, Marius and Metellus, neither yet of Lelius Sylla, Lucullus, Marcellus, Crassus, Paulus Aemilius, Flaminius, Sertorius, Cornelius Cinna and Fymbria, and of many noble men of this sort and degree: by whose study, fervency, ambition, covetousness and desire to bear rule: To conclude, by whose wild cruelness, & extreme tyranny it came to pass that (according to the prophecy of Daniel) all the world was devoured, destroyed, and trodden underfoot.  
Ye have now the mystery of that cruel beast, now shall we show what is signified by the ten horns, and what by the half horn that sprang up among them and plucked away other three horns. The number of ten signifieth a multitude, 
The dividing of the Empire of Rome and the departing from it.  and horns kingdoms: and it meaneth that the Empire of Rome should be divided again in to many kingdoms: that is, the thorough men's departing from it, it should come to pass that many kings at once should rule in the Empire of Rome. The which thing began to be about the time of Constantine the great, some governing the kingdoms of the east, and some of the West. And after that by process of time many nations began to fall from it also, taking other kings and princes unto them. furthermore rude nations broke in, and that against the Emperor of Rome's will: ye and subduing the Provinces and kingdoms of the Empire of Rome they reigned strongly. For those things are well known, which writers of stories do tell of the frenchmen, germans, lombards, and Perses.  
And so are those things and stories, also which credible authors both Greeks and Latins have written of the bloody dominion of the Goths, Hunnies, and Wandays. And after this manner did ten horns spring out of that beast, and the departing was fulfilled of which the Apostle hath now spoken. 
Of the springings up of Antichrists.  Now shall we speak of the coming up of Antichrist, that is to say, of the revelation of that sinful man. Theridamas grew up a certain foolish opinion that Antichrist should be one only man, the which should be borne in Babylon, and of the tribe of Dan, and that he should reign certain years to the great hurt of the faithful. But the foolish men see not that Daniel did understand all the Kings, Emperors or head rulers of the Babylonians, Perses, Macedonyans, and Romans under the names of one Lion, Beer, leopard and other beasts. Therefore it must needs be, that he mente by that little horn, that is to say by Antichrist, not some one only man, but an whole kingdom and an whole body which should fight against Christ with their laws, constitutions, manners & strength. Let us therefore mark the words of the Prophet: I marked the horns (sayeth he) and behold another little horn came up among than, before whom three of the horns were plucked away. And again: Another (sayeth he) shall arise after them and shall be greater than the first, & shall subdue three kings. Ye have now the mystery, and the exposition of the same. For the horns do signify the dividing and confusion of the kingdoms. And in this confusion of things, by little & little spring the up another kingdom in the world which doth subdue three other kings.  
Let us compare with this, those things which the writers of histories have showed. 
Machomet of Arabia, some said that he was of P●●●●.  Now Machomet of Arabia in the year of our LORD vi hundredth and .xx that is to say while there was a marvelous confusion of things both in the East, and also in the West, sprang up in the time of Heraclius the Emperor, which (as Volaterranus doth recite out of a library) came of a low stock, and being fatherless one Abdemonaples a man of the stock of Ishmael bought for his captive and loved him for his favour and wit: for the which cause, he made him a ruler over his merchandise and business. Then one Sergius a monk, which for the sect of heresy fled out of the city of Constantynople into Arabia, endued him with the heresy of Nestorius, & loved Machomet greatly for his wit. In the mean season his master died without children, leaving behind him much riches, and his wife a widow of fifty years of age: whom Machomet married, and after that she was dead, he was made heir, and greatly increased with riches: and being had in honour with the foolish people (by the counsel of Sergius) began to call himself the great Prophet of God. Therefore after that his name was published, & his authority greatly augmented among his people, he made a law which he borrowed partly of the jews, partly of the Christian, ye and also of the heathen, and called it Alcoran. And those that obeyed it, he gave them to name Sarracenes or Agarens, and armed them against the Perses: Against whom because he had meetly good fortune, he began to be taken for a Prophet or a man of God. And when he had gotten him great glory, he died, after he had lived xl years. After his death many princes of that nation by succession when they had divided the multitude or hosts between them reigned some in one place, and some in another. And Homar the third after Machomet, after that he had subdued the Perses, took jerusalem and all Syria about the year of our LORD. CCCCCC. lxx Constantine the fourth then reigning. After this they that followed him invaded Egypte also, and ordained Calypha to be ruler over it. A man m●●e read more of the Sarracenes and of their kingdom, here and there among the writers of histories. And the nation of the Turks coming of the Scythyans warred under the Sarracenes in Asia, & took their profession and religion of them from time to time as it were by hand from one to another: even as they took of them also the greatest portion of their Empire, & keep it to this day getting since thereto Asia, Macedonia, Moesia, Athens, Peloponesus, Epyrus, Thratia, Illiricus, with many other countries. Now by this ye perceive what that little horn did signify, the which coming up among the ten horns did pluck up other three. For it is Machomet the which coming of a mean, ye of a most low stock, of a merchant is made a king, whose successors have holden three of the most mightiest kingdoms of the world, Persia, Syria, and Egypte: and yet I rehearse not the other kingdoms of which I made mention even now. For by the number of three, he understood many kingdoms.  
But yet all this while we have not mad an end of the mystery of iniquity. 
The byssop of Rome.  For there is another certain thing also, which pertaineth to the perfection of this body of Antichrist. Therefore while these things were in hand in the East parties, the By shop of Rome goeth about the dominion of the West in the West parties. Ye looked not that I should say such things of the boshop, but yet they are true. And who would ever have thought the the ministers of Gods word and of the churches should once have come unto such madness, as for to think & cauncell how they might get the governance of the city and of the world? Specially in as much as Christ had said in so plain words: The kings of the gentiles do rule, but so shall not ye: but I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth much fruit. And he that is greatest among you shallbe a servant to you all. But these commandments of the LORD being neglected, there began certain men to dispute of the primacy of the Byshope of Rome, at such time, as that little horn was acomming forth. And because it was written: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church. And I will give the the keys of the kingdom of heaven: And what so ever thou bindest upon earth, shallbe bound in heaven: And again because that Achasius the Bishop of Constantinople and Timotheus men of Grecia did desire of Simplicius the Bishop of Rome, that he also would condemn Peter the bishop of Alexandria the follower of Euthicetys', heresy, as one which had rule over the chief church & whose authority was of great value among all men: certain men concluded upon this, that the seat of Rome was the chief of all churches, and that the Byshope of Rome was the head ruler over all bishops. Thou sayst here also how that little horn began to lift up itself. 
John of Constantinople.  And John of Constantynople putting more coals unto this fire, held a Council among the Grecians, in the which he declared himself to be the universal Bishop or Patriarch. The which thing Mauricius the Emperor of the Romans did signify unto Gregory the first Byshope of Rome of that name, commanding him for to submit himself and to be obedient unto Ihon. But Gregory answered that the power of binding & lousing was given unto Peter, & not unto the bishops of Constantynople, and that therefore he should cease to provoke the wrath of God upon him. This same Gregory writing unto Anastasius of Antioch and to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria in the register of the vii part of his xxx Epistle, saith: Your worshipful holiness knoweth, that this name universal bishop was offered by the holy Council of Calcedonye unto them of the apostolic seat, which (god so disposing) I do now serve. But none of my predecessors did consent for to use so profane a name: because surely that if one be called an universal Patryacke, it is a derogation unto the name of other patriarchs. But God forbid the any Christen man should take that to himself, whereby he should seem to dimynyshe the honour of his brethren in any part, were it never so little These are Gregorius words. But not all only the bishops of Constantynople, but also of Rome the successors of Gregory forgetting these things, did not cease to strive about the primacy, until that Bonyface the third of that name, not long from the time of Gregory, had obtained. But yet (as Platina sayeth also, not without great contention) of Phocas the Emperor which slew Mauricius with his children very cruelly: That S. Peter's seat should be counted & called the head of all other churches. Of the which thing Paul the Deacon maketh mention also, in the four book of the acts of the lombards the xi Chapter. Now when this was granted unto the bishops of Rome, there was as it were a window opened unto the whole Empire: And then they cast their mind for to rule over the city & the whole world. And then having an occasion, they gave all their diligence to the same. And the wanders which were seen at that time, did signify a great change of things, for they were such, as were never seen before, of which the histories do testify diligently.  
And there were then very many occasions, which did lift up the Byshope of Rome very high, then going about the same thing, and specially the seditious wars and the often breaking in of rude nations. 
The breaking in of the Sarracens  For the Saracenes the generation of Machomet, after they had taken Africa, did spoil Syria and Asia and set upon Europa. Therefore the emperors being holden in the East parties because of these present perils, were compelled to set aside the governance of the West. And by this means it came to pass that the French men and lombards increased greatly, in so much that the Emperor was at the last afraid of the kings of both those nations. For although the Emperor had set certain debits for to govern Italy, yet was their power to weak for to resist them. The which thing appeared well by this one token, that when Theodorus the Emperors Leuftenaunte in Italy, had once fought with the lombards at Scultenna a river in Mutina: 
The kings of Lombardye.  it was said that he was shamefully put to flight and chased away, with the loss of vii thousand soldiers of Rome: by reason of which victory, Rotharis the king of lombardy not a little proud, joined unto his kingdom all Lyguria. Therefore after this manner the emperors power began to decay in the West, & the bishops of Rome's power increased, by so much the more, as the lombards and French men did reign largely. For a little after he was exalted by their strength, with whom he began to fall into amity. But it came to this pass by little and little, of the which thing we shall now speak. If the Byshope of Rome had been chosen by the clergy and people of the Romans, yet had the election been counted as vain, except the Emperor or the debit of italy had approved it, until that Constantyne the Emperor the son of Constance, which began to reign the year of our LORD. CCCCCC. lxx. being moved with the holiness of Bennet the second Bishop of Rome, sent a decree that from thence forth all men should believe, that man to be immediately the true vicar of Christ, which the clergy with the people and the soldiers of Rome should choice to be the pope, without any tarrying for any authority either of the prince of constantinople, or the debit of italy, as it was wont for to be. And after that the Byshope of Rome had gotten this privilege, he began to pluck his neck from the emperors pocke, and the more boldly to part: in so much that within a little while after this, when a meet occasion was offered him, that is to say, a bitter contention between the bishops of the East and of the West, he began the boldlier to exercise his authority against the Emperor himself.  
For the heresy of the Monothelytes sprang up under Heraclius the Emperor: 
The heresy of the Monothelites.  And that sect confessed only one will in Christ. Martin the first of that name gathered a synod of. C. and l bishops and condemned it at Rome. The sixth synod holden at constantinople condemned the same. And that same infection seemed then to be quenched. But Philippicus the Emperor being infect with the same, after he had banished Cyrus a Bishop of good judgement into Pontus, he made one John a certain monk Bishop over Constantynople, & sent his naughty doctrines into Rome, commanding the they should be approved by the consent of all men. Here Constantyne the Bishop of Rome the first of that name, getting a good occasion to withstand the Emperor, gathered a council and condemned Phylyppicus of heresy and, John the monk, ye and decreed also that the images of those holy fathers, which had been present at six Councils approved of all men, should be painted in S. Peter's porch. 
Contention about the use of images.  And therefore thorough this occasion thee began to be a disputation among them, of the use of images also. In the which controversy they of the east part thought more godly than they of the West: But for because that a righteous cause was joined with a wicked, it came to pass that it had the less favour among many witty and learned men. And the Greeks fell not without affection into this contention, whom it grieved that the Romans did abuse images, as a token of victory in the despite of them of the east: for by this means they turned all their crying against images. But I am not very sure whether that the Emperors Leo and constantine did defend the learning of the Monothelytes: but this is plain that they did abrogate images for avoiding of idolatry, not without the example and authority of the scriptures, and commanded the Romans more than once for to do the same. But the bishops of Rome by the means of this occasion did withdraw all the people of Italy from the obedience of the Emperor, and thrust in themselves by their own authority, calling unto them strange kings, by whose help the Byshope of Rome was made Lord of Italy, & the Emperors debit driven out. For when the Emperor Leo had given a commandment, that all which were under the Empire of Rome, should take away the pictures and images of saints for avoiding of idolatry, and that he that did other wise should have him for an open enemy: 
The bishops of Rome do condemn the Emperors of Rome.  Gregory the second admonished all men that they would in no wise fall into such error, neither for fear, neither yet for any commandment of their prince, & steered up all the people of Italy with so great vehemency of oration, that a little more would have made them to have chosen them a new Emperor. And at Ravenna truly, after that a great sedition was raised up, Paul the debit of the Emperor was slain there with his son also. Gregory the third following his example did deprive Leo as well of his Empire, 
The bishops of Rome do call upon the help of the kings of France  as of the communion with the faithful. The same Gregory called first of all upon the kings of France for help against his enemies. For whiles the Luythprandus king of lombardy was moved with the desire to bear rule, did besiege the city of Rome, and had taken all the towns on every side: this same Gregory sent ambassadors into France for to desire Charles Marcellus the father of Pipyne, that he would now the first time help Rome and the church being in trouble. And the bishops of Rome were wont to ask help of the Emperor of Constantynople, if any evil had been coming toward them by any foreign enemy. The which thing Gregory would not now do, because he had published Leo the Emperor to be an heretic, or chiefly because that Leo could scant defend his regal city from the Sarracens, much less help other men. By this mean therefore it came to pass (sayeth Platina) that then first of all the defence of the church was translated from the Emperors of Constantynople unto other men. Then Charles took upon him this defence, and delivered Rome from the siege: After that he had withdrawn Luythprandus the king and his godfather from his purpose with a loving exhortation. But the king of France through this good turn, bound the Bishops of Rome so much unto him, That Zachary the first the successor of Gregory the third, denied not his consent unto Pipyne the son of Charles, 
Pipyne by the means of the B. of Rome is made king of France.  in a matter most unhonest. For Pipyne went about the kingdom of France and desired greatly for to put Clyperichus his Lord, which came of the ancient and noble stock of the kings of France, and was the last king of the stock of Merovea, out of his kingdom, and to make himself king. Now when he had troubled greatly both the nobylite and the laity, ye and also the clergy about this matter, at the last he sent Burghardus the bishop of Herbipolis with Folradus his pressed unto zachary the Bishop of Rome: for to ask whether that he were more worthy to be king which was but the king only in name and could do nothing with his counsel and help, or else he which bore all the burden of the kingdom alone, & yet in the mean season lacked the dignity of a king? This Byshope of Rome remembering what had been done for him, gave an express sentence (I write the words of Frysingens. a wrytter of histories & a Bishop) that it was meeter, that he which took the charge of all things should be called king, than he which had but only the name of a king. For of an old custom the kings of France did leave the governance of their kingdom unto the most auncienteste of their stock: for it was the highest power nexste the kings. Now when these embabassadoures had brought this answer unto the king, Pipyne bearing himself bold of the verdict of these great learned men and chief of religion, & also of the aid of certain princes & noble men, did thrust Chylpericus his Lord and king out of his regal dignity, and when he was out of his authority did shut him in to a monastery, and he himself by the consent of his men took upon him all the kings power. And when this good king called upon the common fydelite that men had promised him, and that there were many in the realm which greatly improved such tyranny and breaking of their oaths, Zachary the Byshope of Rome assoiled Pipyne with all his of their oath, which they had made unto Chylpericus their king. And that this matter was thus handled I will bring for the two witnesses: The first out of the history of Platina, and this it is: Pipine being desirous to bear rule, sent his ambassadors unto the bishop of Rome and desired him that he would confirm the kingdom of France unto him by his authority. The Bishop granted unto his request after he had remembered what good turn he had received, and also the old kindness that had been between the bishops of Rome and the kings of the family. And so by his authority the kingdom of France was judged unto Pipyne in the year of our LORD vii hundredth liii This is Platinas saying. Now followeth the latter testimony of Gelasius, written unto Anastasius the Emperor, which is contained in the xu question the vi Canon in these words: Another bishop of Rome called zachary, deposed the king of France from his kingdom, not so much for his iniquities, as because he was unmeet for so great a dignity, 
The sheep troubleth the that the wolf should drink in that is, an occasion is lightly found.  & did set in his place Pipyne the son of Charles the Emperor, and assoiled all the people of France of their oath of allegiance. Hitherto go the words. And king Pipyne for to recompense the bishops of Rome, helped Steven the second, Bishop of Rome being oppressed of Aistulphus king of lombardy and fled into France: & after that Pipine had passed the mountains twice with an army of men, he hasted into italy, and at the last compelled Aistulphus to restore again those things which he had taken away: going about by this means for to quite the Byshope of Rome for confirming of him in his kingdom. 
Pipine giveth unto the bishops of Rome, that which belonged to the Emperor.  Then was the office of the debit given unto the Bishop of Rome, and all that lieth between Padus and Apenninus, from the Placentyns unto the pools or standing waters of Venyce, and all that is contained within Isaurus a flood of Apenninus and Adriaticus, and what so ever the Aistulphus had gotten of the men of Hetruria, and of the Sabyns: All these things (I say) did Pipine of his liberality give unto the Byshope of Rome, the Emperors Legates nothing regarded. For as Pipine was removing into italy against lombardy, Gregory the chief Secretary of the Emperor Constantyne the fourth met him, and in the name of the Emperor warned the king, that if he happened to have the victory of the lombards, that he should not give unto the Byshope of Rome nor to the Romans, the Debyteshyppe over Ravenna, which was oppressed of the lombards and belonged unto the Emperor. But Pipine drove him away from him with a meetly sharp answer, because he thought to do as he did a little while after, for the which cause he was the first of the kings of France that was called, the most Christian king.  
His son that was called Charles the great followed the ensample of his 
Charles the great.  with a loud voice, he ordained this Charles to be Emperor, & gave him a kings ornamenete: the people of Rome crying thrice together: Long life & victory be unto Charles Augustus crowned of God, the great & peaceable Emperor. These things were done, the year of our LORD viii hundredth and iii nor it is not like that these things were done without the consent and counsel of Irenes the Empress of Constantinople, specially because that the Chronicles of the Greeks do show that there were messengers directed from Charles and Leo unto Irene's, to require her that she would be married unto him: the which would soon have granted unto their requests, if that the princes of Constantinople knowing of the matter, had not banished her straight way (and that before the face of Charles Ambassadors) unto Lesbus, into an Abbey that she had builded. But Egynhartus in the life of Charles, doth lay all the fault of the translation of the Empire, to the Byshope of Rome. For Charles at the first (sayeth he) did so greatly refuse the name of the Emperor and augustus, that he said that he would not have entered into the church that day, although that there were great solemnity, if he might have known the bishops mind before. He addeth more: yet he suffered with great patience, the evil will that he had for taking that name upon him (for the Emperors of constantinople were greatly disposed with it) and he overcame their gruding with his mightiness, in the which he passed them far. Moreover their foreign wars held them back, that they could not set upon the Byshope of Rome and king Charles. And therefore did Nycephorus the first Emperor of Constantynople after the dividing of the Empire, make alliance with king Charles.  
Hitherto have we showed at large with what beginnings & in what order, 
The conclusion.  that little horn crept up, and got so great power. Nether was there then truly any power so great in all the West party, as the bishops of Rome was. For at their sentence were there mighty kingdoms translated. For first Chylpericus that was borne king of France being cast of, he did craftily constitute Pipine his governor in the kings stead. And after that he had taken away the power of the election and ordening of the Emperor from the heads of Constantynople & the Romans, he gave Charles the king of France the name of Augustus. For the which cause he himself get the rule of that city, which is the lady of the world, for a reward of this gay done deed. Furthermore he waysted that strong nation and mighty kingdom of the lombards thorough his request & counsel. Therefore he that once obtained Rome, he threw down and exalted Emperors at his own pleasure, and gave frenchmen a king, and used their service as they had been his servants. For with their armies he tamed the lombards, that he might afterward reign safely over all Italy. He I say that ruleth over so many and so great kingdoms, may he not by good right we are a glistering diadem with a triple crown: No doubt the providence of God would, that this Byshope of Rome (with this manner of apparel fyte for a king) should show forth unto all the world what he was, that is to say, that little horn that Danyell speaketh of, which came forth and put aside three other horns, and with wondrous subtlety subdued them under him.  
And here unto belongeth the gift of Lewes the son of Charles, 
The gift of the kings of France.  whom these men (for his favour and benevolence toward the seat of Rome) called Pius, that is to say, good or godly: even as before, they had given Pipine to name. The most Christian king. If any man desire to read of that same gift, he shall find it diligently written of raphael Volaterranus, in the acts of Pipine & Charles, libro. Geog. tercio. The effect of it is this: I Lewes the Emperor do grant unto the blessed saint Peter the prince of the Apostles, and thorough the unto thy vicar my Lord Paschal the high bishop and his successors for ever. The city of Rome with her iurisdyction and all the land about it, with the cities, havens and places of Hetruria that lie nigh the see, ye and all that lieth within the land of the same, and the whole dukedom of Ravenna also, even as Charles our father worthy to be had in mind, and Pipine our grandsire, did of late grant unto blessed saint Peter. Furthermore we do also approve and grant, the dukedom of Spoletyne, the Ilondes also of the inner see, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicilia: the which all of them Pipine our grandsire, of godly remembrance, and after him Charles the Emperor our father, did give by writing unto blessed saint Peter and his successors etc. 
The gift of Constantine.  In this gift here is no mention of Constantyne, the which verily is a feigned thyngt: for at the length the bishops of Rome rained at Rome and in italy, even against the Emperors of Rome's mind by the help of the kings of France. The bishops of Rome in the mean season, do oft cast forth out of their decrees the Canon which in the xcvi distinction is red after this manner: Constantyne the Emperor did grant the crown and all the regal dignity within the city of Rome and italy and the West parties, unto the apostolic man. But how soever the matter cometh to pass, we see that the bishop of Rome doth rule over all the kingdoms of the West.  

The name of Augustus or Emperor translated to the Germans.  For it belongeth hereunto also, that through the counsel and diligence of John the xiii Byshope of Rome, the Empire of Rome or the name of Augustus, was translated again from the French men unto the Germans. That is to say, to the princes of the almains, saxons, Bauares and Swychers. But how they kept them under their yoke also, the histories of many Emperors of the Germans do show full well: and specially the Canon which in the lxiii distinction is red in these words: 
King Otto.  I king Otto do promise and swear to thy my Lord John the Pope, by the father, the son and the holy ghost, and by this wood of the lively cross, and by these relics of saints, that if by the sufferance of God I come to Rome, I shall exalt the holy church of Rome, and the the ruler of the same, according to my power: & thou shalt never lose by my will or my counsel, or my consent, or mine exhortation, neither life nor members, nor yet the same honour which thou now haste. And I will make no statute nor none ordinance in Rome, of any thing that belongeth unto the or to the Romans, without thy counsel. And what soever of S. Peter's land cometh to my power, I will restore it the again. And to whom soever I shall commit the governance of italy, I shall cause him to swear that he shall help the to defend S. Peter's land with all his power. Surely these great and incredible things, if any man should compare this great alteration and change of things, and it were but with Gregory the great, the first Byshope of Rome of the name. But these sweet bishops not being content with these great things, never ceased to lay wait for the Empire of Rome by their most subtle counsels, until that they had prescribed laws of the true election of the Emperors: 
The bishop of Rome maketh laws for the election of the Emperors.  and had decreed that the confirmation of the king of Romans should depend upon them. And for the same cause Platina in the life of Gregory the fift, wrote after this manner: Gregory knowing the weakness of the Empire & the change of fortune, to the intent that the highest power should remain the longer among the germans, & that he should bear rule over other, which passed other in strength and dignity, made a decree (Otto not denying it) of the election of the Emperor, in the year of our LORD. M. and ii which thing we see kept unto our time: that is to say, that it is lawful for the Germans only to choice out that prince which is called Cesar and the king of Romans: and he should then at the last be taken for the Emperor & Augustus, 
Read Marsilius Pataninus. dictia. 2. cap. 25  if the Byshope of Rome had confirmed him. I could also bring forth other innumerable things of this same sort, But I think that the reader doth under stand plainly enough by these of whom the prophecy of Daniel & of Paul is meant.  
But some man will say, 
An objection.  thou makest two horns: Machomet and the Byshope of Rome: where as Daniel maketh mention but of one only. But except that the Bishop of Rome, being bold of the help of the frenchmen, had broken the power of the Emperor of the east, he would surely more strongly have put to flight and persecuted the multitude of the Sarracens. On the other side if that the Sarracens with their runnnyge in, had not kept the Emperor in the east parties, the power neither of the Byshope of Rome, nor of the lombards, neither yet of the Frenchmen, could not have increased so greatly in the West parties. Therefore each of them gave an occasion unto other both for to overcome & to reign. in so much that of the Empire of Rome little did remain but a bare name only For the Byshope of Rome keepeth the city of Rome, & the great Turk Constantinople. Now both of them impugn Christ's institutions & laws a like: both of them do persecute Christian men, defending their own laws, & such as hold with them. Wherefore I could not make two horns of them that are so like. Ye & the kingdom of the Perses & Medes is figured under the image of one beer indifferently, although they seem to be twain. And so in the xi chapter, the same Daniel prophesying of the self same Antichrist, and beginning at the Empire of Rome, saith not: An arm shall stand out of him, but arms shall stand out of him, & shall defile the sentuary of strength, etc. But you have now the beginning and going forward of Antichrist: here followeth now a clearer exposycion of his disposition and kingdom, by his deeds and properties.  

The disposition and kingdom of Antichrist.  For holy S. Paul, doth set forth Antichrist in divers ways as it were in his colours: that he might paint forth, and as it were set out before our eyes to behold, his disposition and kingdom. And to begin withal, he giveth him to name the sinful man. And after that, as it were expounding himself, the child of perdition. The which names after the property of the Hebrew tongue, are as much to say, as if one in our tongue should call any man, most ungracious patron, or unhappy person: ye and as it were mischief itself and perdition itself: as you would say, such a man as were the cause of wickedness, and perdition both to himself, & also unto other. If any man would read the history of Machomet or of the Turks (the brefenes of the which raphael Volaterranus hath gathered, Geog. libro vii 
Of Machomet. ) and would ponder it with a diligent judgement, he would swear that this Antichrist were the sink of all mischief, and the greatest destruction of all mankind For he had trodden down the law of God and had published his own, that is to say, a most superstitious law, in the which hypocrisy is mightily set forth, but yet in the mean season a way opened unto all wickedness. He hath also subverted most mighty cities and laid them flat upon the ground: he hath destroyed the most holycongregations of god, Antioch, Alexandria, jerusalem and constantinople with all the congregations of Grecia and Egypte: for I will rehearse no more. Truly within this lxxx years he hath invaded, beaten down & spoiled more kingdoms, than ever any mighty prince, or cruel tyrant had done before him. We have heard such examples of his cruelness, that we may very well understand by this child of perdition and sinful man, the kingdom of Machomet.  

The life of the most holy fathers of Rome.  Nother is the seat of Rome any thing behind him in mischief or wickedness. There is no mischief nor ungracious deed, but that they which are called most holy, have defiled themselves therewith. I will here use no strange witness, I do appeal unto their own Chronicles and lives. In the mean season I am not ignorant, that certain men of good fame have come unto this seat, but thou shalt read of very few, that have died uncorrupt. For who can believe that the best man that were could sit so clean in such a profane & abominable seat, that he should draw no fyltynes unto him? But it came to pass that some were worse than some, by the reason of the diversity of their dispositions. Surely for the most part of them they were not behind the most wickedest man and ungraciouste knave that is, in ambition, in evil and traitorous crafts, in wars, in bribery, in extortion, in most unsatiable covetousness, in pride most arrogaunte, in filthy lust and voluptuousness. We brought examples out of histories here before in our exposition, where we showed by what subtleties they came into the dignity of the Empire. And Platyna although he greatly spared the bishops of Rome yet being overcome with the evilness, wickedness, & unspeakable mischievous deeds of some of them, left that in writing to his posterity, which he saw to be overtrue. Beno the Cardinal did rather but touch, than describe, the most ungraciouste life of some bishops of Rome. In the life of Gregory the vii Platina did count him among the best & most innocent, but Beno rekenned him among the worst & unhappiest: as one which after sacrilege and most wicked abominations, did also use witchcraft, & all kind of ungraciousness. And Marsilius Patavinus the most learned and best writer of his time in his work, which he made at Bavarus for Lewes the fourth, of the power of the Pope and the Emperor, and called it the defender of peace, doth clearly show what the bishops of Rome be, and were many years: that is to say, proud, high minded, covetous, doers of wrong, unfaithful, troublers of peace, and the common wealth, dyspysers of God and holy authority, enemies of all goodness and honesty. Let men read the xxii xxiii. xxiiii. xxv. xxvi. Chapters, etc. of the second diction or part of his book. We have seen also bishops of Rome in our time, that nothing more unshamefast, more filthy, more abominable or wicked things can be imagined them they have done. For those things are well known, which Volaterranus hath showed of Paul the second in his xxii. book of Antropologia. of Syxtus the fourth, and Alexander the vi. very few men have thought well. Also duke Valentyne made them both noble men. julius the second was the best beloved Pope of all usurers, drunkards, whorehunters, most cruel and bloody soldiers: In so much that they wished him that he had changed rooms with Maximilian the Emperor, a man worthy of blessed remembrance. For they said that he was a man that was given unto religion, common peace and tranquillity (as in deed he was a godly and meek Emperor) and that the other was borne for war and troubling of matters. Also Pasquyllus of Rome jested upon Clement the vii with verses hanging upon him on this matter.  
Pope Clement is now gone by the help of God's clemency. 
Pasquyllus. is an image at Rome, whereon be fastened letters of things lost or of like matters that a man will have published, either privily or openly.   
Let all mankind rejoice, the whole world thorough out.  
He shamed all the world, besides his own city.  
And was the great ruin, of his time, without doubt.  
This is he which with princes, no promise would hold.  
But evermore betray them, notwithstanding any oath.  
In overcharging Italy with tributes, was never none so bold.  
great riches he had, but depart from any he was loath.  
This is he, which his own country with cruel wars did oppress.  
And filled all the earth, full of Christian men's blood.  
He spoiled many cities, thrusting out both more and less.  
Oh cruel person, who ever red that he did any good?  
infinite other things of this sort I do overpass, lest I should make the godly reader for to vomit. And surely no man (although he were very eloquent) can sufficiently declare, what multitude of wickedness hath crept from such heads of the church, among all the people of Christ: so that I have not offended in expounding this prophecy of Paul, of the bishops of Rome's kingdom. I will speak nothing now of the hypocrisy, sins and wickedness of Monks, nuns, priests and the spiritualty (as men call them) because that experience itself doth set forth all these things more clerlye then any man can describe them. For here is the thing fulfilled of which S Paul did prophycy: They shall resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate as touching the faith, but they shall prevail no longer: for their madness shallbe evident unto all men ii Timo. iii.  
secondly Paul calleth Antichrist Aduersarium, that is to say an adversary: and he calleth him an adversary or Antichrist, as though one should say, set plain contrary against Christ: as one whose wit, manners, life, doctrine, deeds, laws and institutions do fight against Christ. 
A comparison between Christ and Antichrist.  Christ came to show peace to all the world, as of whose coming the Prophets had showed before, that then most cruel nations should turn their swords into coulters, & their spears into scythes. Now Machomet doth boast himself to be sent of God in the power of armour. Christ taught that men are not defiled with those things that go into the mouth. But Mahomet hath forbidden his, wine and other meats, which god ordained to be received with giving of thanks. He hath also given unto his, circumcision, and admitteth Polygamiam: that is more wives at once then one: the which Christ hath abrogate, and taught out of the old law, that one flesh only & not two or more, aught to be in matrimony. To be short all the life and doctrine, all the laws, institutions and deeds of Mahomet are against Christ. Nother do the sayings, deeds, doctrines and rites of the Byshope of Rome with all his body, agree any better with Christ. Christ hath given us in the Prophets and by the preaching of the Apostles an absolute and perfect doctrine, which alone is sufficient enough to get everlasting life. But the Byshope of Rome sayeth, that unto that perfection we must have traditions of fathers, I wot not what, as things without which no man can be saved, and as though those holy men which lacked them were damned. Christ taught that one only God ought to be worshipped and called upon, and that by the means and intercession of his name. But the Byshope of Rome hath thrust in to the churches the praying and worshipping of saints more diligently, than the true religion of God. The Apostles out of the tradition and spirit of Christ, taught that there was but one only high pressed, & one everlasting sacrifice only, that is jesus Christ. But the Bishop of Rome subverting that order of Melchisedech, hath consecrated innumerable sacrifices for to sacrifyse daily for the sins of the quick and the dead. The apostles taught that God only doth remit sins, and that to him only men ought to confess them. But the Byshope of Rome hath set forth unto the churches wondrous lies of the power of the keys, of auricular confession, of cases reserved, and of the market of pardons. The Apostles did commend unto the churches the grace of God, they taught that the believers were justified by faith. But the Bishop of Rome hath boasted the merits of saints, ye and hath sold them to. What need is thereof many words? truth doth not so much repugn lies, nor light darkness, as Antichrist is contrary to Christ. Christ did abrogate ceremonies, he set in their stead a few sacraments, the rest he would have us to serve him in spirit and truth, and required faith and charity of us. But the Byshope of Rome as one forgetting these things, hath stuffed the church with ceremonies, ye and with most foolish rites & superstitions. And those things which Christ by his example, words and deeds had banished out of the church, he once received them again & holdeth them fast by the teeth. Christ flieth kingdoms, washeth his disciples feet, taught humility: The kings of the gentiles bear rule (sayeth he) but so shall not ye. But the bishop of Rome pursueth not after kingdoms only, but the chief Empire itself, getteth it by craft, and beareth rule over kings that are subject unto him, ye and proffereth his feet unto kings to be kissed, and such kings as kick against him, & will not worship- this beast, he striketh them with the thunder bolt of his excommunication, putteth them out of their kingdom, setteth other kings in their room, & assoileth their subjects of their oath of obedience. Christ wore a crown of thorn, & was clothed with a purple garment. But the Byshope of Rome, decked with a triple crown, as it were Darius of Persia cometh forth glistering in his gold and precious stones, compassed about with an host of men: Christ paid toll. But the Byshope of Rome doth exempt his from it, condemning and persecuting the holy authority, that requireth any tribute of this anointed sect. Christ beareth a cross: The Byshope of Rome is borne upon the shoulders of most covetous men. Christ was poor, he fed the sheep, went meekly into the town, and cast out of the temple both buyers and sellers: But this man boasteth himself to be the Lord over all the West parties, he spoileth and devoureth the sheep, and closed in with an host of men is carried proudly in a triumph, he receiveth into the temple of God all buyers and sellers, and then that will not receive them he excommuntcateth and pronounceth them heretics: To be short he hath suffered all the temples of Christ to be made so profane, that now they be like to a well trimmed market. For if I should speak nothing at all of the chopping and changing and buying of benefices, of the pardoners, or rather the devils merchandise, of the fairs of sacraments, masses and indulgences. There stand ready before the church doors, tabernacles, tables, chairs and settelles: in them are set forth to sell figures of wax, little images, feet and hands of iron and wax, hens ros cocks and innumerable much of such kind of oblations: and in the churches themselves, stand Idols with stretched out hands and because they be dumb, they have an, interpreter by, that lacketh no tongue. For he standing by the altar and by the Idol, for to salute them that come, receiveth them, allureth them, and feedeth them with fair words, expoundeth the virtues of the saint, and telleth forth the feigned miracles of the Idol: to be short he mylketh away the money from the superstitious and foolish people. And that there should be nothing to let him that should offer, he hath all sorts of money by him, and therefore he choppeth and changeth & scrappeth all into the saints box. Over the which Idol some monk or pressed hath rule, which of those offerings doth nourish his shameless household, whores, bawds, yesters, scoffers, knaves and idle houswyves': And before all things, the most holy father hath his part of these gifts: the which hath confirmed this holy merchandise, by granting of his large indulgences, for all that our LORD hath commanded: freely ye received, freely give again. Peter also saying and pronouncing: Perish thou and thy money, because thou thynkeste that the gift of God can be gotten with money. But why do I prosecute these things so much, saying he is not living that can sufficiently declare the covetousness, deceits, & unshamefastness of his most ungracious stock, with their works most contrary to Christ and true religion.  
thirdly, there followeth in Paul: 
He is exalted above a ● that is called God or worshipped.  that he is exalted above all that is called God or worshipped: which sentence may be expounded two manner of ways: either that he is exalted above God himself, and set up against all true religion and worshipping of God: either that he is exalted against all godly things, that is to say all true worshipping of God, taking the person and name of God, for true religion and godly things. But why do I stand upon these things so much? seeing that the Apostle himself doth join unto this immediately, that which may expound all the foresaid sentence: so that he shall sit in the temple of God, advancing himself as God. After this manner (I say) is he exalted against God himself and all true religion. The temple of God is here taken for the world, for the catholic and universal church and the faithful heart of every man. To sit, is for to reign & to bear rule. To advance himself as God, is to boast him of the power of God, & to promise and challenge those things as peculiar to himself, which belong only to God. Let us hear now how these things are fulfilled, in Machomet and the bishop of Rome. Mahomet doth not alonely despise the most holy trinity, but denieth also jesus Christ himself to be very God. He affirmeth that he gave a more perfecter law, than was given either of Moses or of jesus Christ: he gloried also that there was written of him in the law, and in the Gospel, ye and that his name was written from the beginning in the throne of God in the upper part on the right hand. And among us if the Bishop of Rome or his Legate had come into any town, with great diligence the congregation fell down before him at his meeting & received him, not as a man, but as God. All the relics were brought forth, & all men kneeled down to him, looked for his blessing, & thought it healthful if they might have kissed his feet. And if that any man had but once thought, that he had not had the full power in heaven & in earth, he was straight way taken for an heretic. What shall we say also, that all priests with wicked Freres did preach openly in express words in all the temples of Christian men, that the bishop of Rome was the vicar of Christ, the head of the church, and that he had full power in heaven and in earth, ye and in purgatory to: and that he did give full remission of sins, that he could not err, that all the interpretation of scripture was subject to him, that his laws ought to be kept as the law of God that he was judge over all men, & that he was under no man's judgement, ye these men were not ashamed for to put these horrible blasphemies into public & common laws. Of the which thing I will now bring forth certain evident witnesses. distinc XXII. cap. Oens. Unto Peter (saith Pope Nycolas,) the key bearer of eternal life, did God commit jurisdiction over heaven and earth. Item capit. Sacrosancta. Although all were apostles (sayeth Anacletus) yet did the LORD grant unto Peter (ye & they would the same among themselves) that he should have rule over all the Apostles, and should be called Cephas, that is to say, the head and chief of the Apostles: the which also did deliver the same manner to be kept of their successors and other bishops. Therefore this Apostolical seat is ordained of God and of none other, to be the head & hinge: and as the door is ruled by the hinge so by the ordinance of God, are all churches ruled by the authority of this holy apostolical seat. Again Distinct xix Agatho the Pope doth write thus unto all bishops: All the decres of the apostolic seat are so to be received, as if they were confirmed by the godly mouth of S. Peter himself. Item capit. In memoriam. Although that holy seat do lay a yoke upon us, scarcely able to be suffered, yet let us suffer it and obediently abide it. And a little after sayeth Pope Steven: truly because the holy church of Rome (over which God would us to rule) is set forth for a glass and an example: what so ever it decreeth or ordaineth, it is to be kept of all men for ever, and without any gainsaying. Furthermore ix questi. capit iii Gelasius the Bishop of Rome, sayeth unto all the bishops that were ordained thorough out Dardania, these words: All the church knoweth thorough out all the world, that the Pope's seat which is saint Peter's right, hath power to louse those things which are bound by any man's judgements what so ever they be, as one that hath rule to give sentence over every church. And again: All the church knoweth thorough out all the world, that the holy church of Rome hath power to judge over all men, but it is not lawful for any man to judge upon the sentence of it: for men may appeal unto that out of any part of the world, but from that no man is suffered to appeal. Item distinct. 
Abused Canon.  XL. capit. If the Pope (saith Boniface) be found negligent about his own health and his brethren's, or else unprofitable & slow in his works, or slack to do good, which hurteth himself greatly and all other men, and doth also lead with him by heaps innumerable people to be punished with him everlastingly in hell: yet let no man in the world be so hardy as to rebuke his faults: for he being ordained to judge all men, aught to be judged of no man, except he be taken swerving from the faith. Again . IX. Questi. III. capit. saith Innocencius the Pope: No man may judge the chief seat, which desireth to moderate justice: neither may the judge be judged, either of the Emperor or of all the clergy, neither of kings, nor of the people. Upon the which Canon the author of the gloze sayeth: that a counsel can not judge the Pope.  extra de elect. Significasti. Wherefore if all the whole world should give sentence in any matter against the Pope, it seemeth that men ought to stand to the sentence of the Pope. etc. Ye shall find the same thing again in cap. quanto de transla. Episcopi titulo. VII. in plain words: It is said that the Pope (sayeth he) hath an heavenly judgement, and therefore change the nature of things in applying the substance of any thing to another. And of nothing he can make some what, and make the sentence which was nothing worth, somewhat worth. For in those things which he list, 
O blasphemy.  Ei est pro ratione voluntas: his will standeth for a reason or a cause: neither is there any man that may say unto him. Why dost thou so? For he may dispense with the law, and of unryghtuosnesse make ryghtevosnesse: in correcting and changing the laws, 
The Bishop of Rome neither god nor man.  for he hath obtained full power, etc. Hereunto belongeth it that these jolly writers of comments do so oft inculcate, that the Pope is neither a man nor a God, but the vicar of God, and a certain thing mingled and made of God & of man. If any man require the places, he shall find these damnable blasphemies, in VI decretalium lib. I. de elect. & elect. potestate. titulo sexto in cap. XVII. Item in clementinarum proemio. And what need many words? This dragon usurped unto himself the full power of God in earth, he translated kingdoms, and for his own profit made and unmade all laws and rites, and turned all the old and true religion topsyturnye, & hate dashed & defiled it with his filthiness: the which thing no man can deny. He sitteth therefore in the temple of god, advancing himself to be god.  
Now will we add unto these things, 
The prophecy of Daniel upon Antichrist.  that which the godly prophet Daniel hath spoken of the same thing in the seven. chapter: Behold there were eyes (saith he) like the eyes of a man in his horn, & a mouth speaking presumptuous things. And a little after that: He shall speak words on the party of the most highest, and shall destroy the saints of the most highest, and think that he may change times and laws. All these things are very plain, by that that goeth afore. For eyes do signify prudence. He mente therefore, that this kind of men should be most subtle, because that it should rule & bring all things to pass by fraud, guile, subtlety, and craft And surely who so ever doth mark well how that these bishops of Rome, out of so low a degree have come up on high, and obtained the dignity of so great an Empire, he will say that they have been most crafty and subtle men. Nother could any man's mouth speak more presumptuous things, than it is plain here before, that Machomet & the Byshope of Rome have done. Ye and though they have arrogantly attributed so great things unto themselves, yet will they needs speak and be on the side of the most highest: insomuch that if any man yet now a days should call them the adversaries or enemies of God, he should scarcely escape their hands alive. Besides this, the one of them will be taken for the Prophet of the most highest, and the other for the vicar of God upon the earth: as men which had received this power delivered them of God himself, and do now usurp it by the laws of God. But there have not lacked which have smelled out this deceit and wickedness, and have resisted it with all their power. But the most holy father, and the victorious Emperor of the Turks have destroyed them. For how much Christian blood both of them have shed, it is declared in the history before mencyonede and how much they shed yet still, unlucky experience doth teach us well enough. Now although in very deed that no man hath the power for to make & unmake the good laws of God at his pleasure, yet hath Antichrist usurped the power upon him. Whereupon saith Daniel: he shall think that he may change the times and laws: but he sayeth not, he shall have power to change them. Now Machomet and the bishop of Rome have usurped the power unto them most shamefully, which thing we have proved a little before by sufficient testimonies. In the eleventh chapter the same Daniel sayeth: The king shall do what him list: he shall exalt & magnify himself against all that is God, he shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and he shall prosper, until the wrath be fulfilled, for his fall is appointed and so forth. For the Prophet hath spoken more upon this matter in that place, which may be understand of every witty man without any labour or exposition.  

The prophecy of Pavia wrested against the preachers of the Gospel.  And here we may not pass over that the papists do expound this place of Paul upon us. For now say they, is this departing fulfilled, when the Lutheryans and the Zwynglyans do depart from the holy seat of Rome, and with their liberty do open a gate unto all sin and mischief, and are against the Prelates of the church: besides this, they are lift up against the vicar of God himself, defiling the authority of the church, which never erred, and sitting in the temple of God, do boast themselves to preach the word of God, & therefore they think themselves worthy to be worshipped as God. But they do us wrong, because we never departed a straw breadth from the truth of the canonical scripture. For although we know not the church of Rome, as it is now ordered, yet we do knowledge the holy catholic church and the only head thereof jesus Christ. The which in as much as he promised that he would abide with us unto the end of the world, Math. xxviii. we need not believe that he hath put a vicar or debit in his stead. For a vicar standeth in the stead of him that is absent. But Christ is evermore present with his church: him only do we preach, commend, and inculcate unto our churches. We do move men continually to believe in him, & we do teach most diligently, charity, innocency and pure living. Nother do we teach any other liberty than that of which the Apostle spoke: Ye are called into liberty, but see that ye give not your liberty an occasion to the flesh, but thorough charity serve you one another, Galat. v. And we are against none of the chief of the church. For the Prelates of the church, are the ministers of the word & teachers of the truth of the Gospel: and who despiseth such? who is against such? But if any under the pretence of the church and of ministration do seek their own, bear rule, oppress the truth, & setting godly things aside, do teach men's traditions, forsooth they are of good right despised through their own default. For Peter sayeth: We must obey God more than man. And our LORD in the Gospel: See that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, & shall deceive many. furthermore we did never defile the authority of the catholic church. For we do highly esteem Christ himself and the canonical truth. Now the strength and foundation of the church is Christ & the truth. How should not we then judge honourably of the church? We have never sitten in the temple of God, but have ministered always: and for this cause have we chiefly cried against you, because that ye will bear rule or sit, & not minister as we do. Moreover we do freely confess that we leaving men's traditions do purely and simply (that is to say as much as the grace of God and our frailness will suffer) preach the canonical scripture, and for the establishing not of our authority but of it, do often say with saint Paul: He that refuseth these things, refuseth not man, but God, which hath given his holy spirit unto the Prophets and Apostles, that they should teach these things unto us i Thessalo. iiii. Yet we do give all honour to God only in all things, and unto ourselves nothing but confusion. Our churches, which are Christ's, will testify this.  
last of all I will put to the paraphrase of saint Jerome, 
The paraphrase of S. Jerome upon these words of Paul.  with the which he did expound these words of saint Paul in the . XI. question. unto Algasia, after this manner: Except (saith he) there come a departing first, and that all nations which are subject to the Empire of Rome do depart from it, and that he be revealed, that is to say opened, whom all the words of the prophets do show forth: The man of sin, in whom is the fountain of all sins, And child of perdition, that is, of the devil (for he is the destruction of all men) which is against Christ, and is therefore called Antichrist, and is exalted above all that is called god so that he treadeth down with his foot the gods of all nations, or else all comely and true religion, and in the temple of God (which is Jerusalem as some think) or else in the church (as we rather suppose) showeth himself as though he were Christ and the son of God. Except (sayeth he) that the Empire of Rome be first made desolate, and that Antichrist go before, Christ shall not come, which shall therefore so come, that he may destroy Antichrist. Ye remember sayeth he, that these things which I now writ by mine epistle, when I was with you I showed you in express words, and told you that Christ should not come, except that Antichrist went before. Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of S. Jerome.  
And now you know what withholdeth: even that he might be uttered at his tyme. For the mystery or iniquity doth already work. Let him which now holdeth, hold still, until it be taken away, and then shall that wicked be uttered, whom the LORD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the clearness of his coming.  

He writeth mor plainly of the time of Antichrist when he should come.  Some man might say, why should we not believe, that the adversary of Christ, doth now reign, and is already come, when we do see the name of Christ, & his doctrine by all means to be spoken against, of all the mightiest men of this world? The Apostle doth answer: You know what letteth: even that I told you that he should be uttered, when his time is come. Forsooth a man can not deny, but that even now the power of iniquity doth work by him, but now he setteth forth his strength more covertly, than he shall do when his time is come. For unto the body of Antichrist belong blasphemies, cruel persecutions, heresies and other such like iniquities. But these things began to bud and spring up by and by, even in the time of the Apostles. Whereupon John the Apostle sayeth: My little children, it is now the last time, & as you have herd, that Antichrist shall come, even now there begin to be many antichrists already i Iho. two. Therefore doth Paul more clearly signify unto us, that same time in the which Antichrist, that is to say, the perfection of all iniquity should be uttered, saying: When that shallbe taken away, which now withholdeth or letteth him for to reign, them shall the wicked be opened. That is to say, when that the Empire of Rome shall be taken out of the way, or at the least way troubled, then shall Antichrist reign, & after that shall Christ come both for to destroy this enemy of all saints, and also for to judge all flesh. For he doth now expound that more plainly, which he spoke of before. The words correspondent to the greek text, do make those things more plain for thus they signify: holding that now, till it be out of the way: which is as much to say, as that that thing which now only letteth, shall be taken out of the way. And then shall the wicked appear. Or else (to speak it more plain) that thing wyhche now only letteth shall be a let so long, until it be taken away: 
saint Jerome.  and when it is taken away, then shall Antichrist come forth. And S. jerom also followeth the same sense, writing unto Algasia these words in a manner: What is the cause that Antichrist cometh not now, ye know full well. Nother would he plainly say, that the Empire of Rome should be destroyed, because that they which govern it do think it everlasting. For the which cause after the Apocalypse of S. John, there was written in the forehead of the whore that was clothed in purple, a name of blasphemy, that is to say, Rome eternal. For if he had said plainly and boldly, Antichrist shall not come, except the Empire of Rome be first done away, it seemeth that he should have given a just cause of persecution, against the church in the east parties. And a little after he sayeth: The Empire of Rome which now hath all nations under it, shall cease and be taken out of the way, and then shall Antichrist the fountain of iniquity come. This sayeth Jerome. Tertulian also, 
Tertulli●  of the resurrection of the flesh: Who (sayeth he) shall be taken out of the way? but the estate of Rome, which being cut away? and scattered into ten kings shall bring in Antichrist, etc. For the departing of kingdoms from the Empire of Rome, and the running in of the rude Gotties, that is to say of the Vandals & Hunnies, did give an occasion unto the Saracens, and unto the bishops of Rome, for to invade and get the Empire. For if the one had not broken the strength of the Empire of Rome, the other had not reigned. But we have expounded all these things more at large in the history here before.  
Now followeth the ruin & destruction of Antichrist. 
Of the destruction of Antichrist.  He shall not fall by and by after that he is stricken with a stroke or weapon, but by little and little, & after he hath been made weak by many battles he shall at the last perish. But he shall not be cast down with man's hand, neither yet by the multitude of hosts, nor strength of soldiers, or gone strokes, but by the hand and power of God. For Christ shall first consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and after that shall he put him clean out of the way, with his most glorious coming into judgement. The first of these two, did Paul take out of the eleventh chapter of isaiah, whose words are these: With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and with equity shall he contend for the meek of the earth, he shall strike the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the spirit of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Now the spirit of the mouth or of the lips of God, is the true exposition of the word of god. For the word of God is the same sword, wherewith the head of this proud Golyas shall be stricken of. For Antichrist speaketh on the side of the most highest, and he sayeth that all that he doth, is deduced or taken out of the Decrees of the holy scripture. For under the pretence of this, hath he hitherto reigned safely. But when that thorough the goodness of God the light of the Gospel, that is, God's word beginneth to shine, the clouds of this deceiver do straight way vanish away. For it is plain unto all men, that this fellow in his manners and laws, is clean contrary to Christ. Therefore it cometh to pass, that all godly witted men (the truth once known) do abhor and forsake him. Therefore the sword wherewith this man is slain is the word of God, for them is he most surely slain, when that his nature and disposition are manifestly known by the doctrine of truth. The knowledge of him doth kill him and cast him down, and the cloaking and ignorance of him doth set him up. For they that know him not, do believe that he is an apostolical prophet, ye & a god to, but they that know him truly, are sure that he is Antichrist. The latter of these two did Paul take out of the vii chapter of Daniel, where we read: I looked till the seats were prepared, and the old aged sat him down, and behold, there came in the clouds of the air one like the son of man, and he came unto the old aged, and the judgement was set and the books opened. Then took I heed thereunto because of the voice of the proud words which that horn spoke. And I beheld still, till that the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given over to be burnt in the fire. And therefore sayeth Paul: Whom the LORD shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, that is to say with his most glorious coming. For our LORD said in the Gospel: Even as the lightening cometh out of the east, and appeareth unto the West, so shall the coming of the son of man be. For he shall come in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory Math. xxiiii. And even as darkness (as sayeth S. Jerome) is driven away at the coming of the Son, 
The battle & vanquishing of Antichrist.  so shall the LORD destroy and put him away with the brightness of his coming. This glory and victory is reserved unto Christ only. For they are deceived which think the Antichrist, before the day of judgement, shall by abolished by the strength of arms. But this battle between Christ & Antichrist shall rather endure unto the end of the world. And he being bold of the strength of arms, shall break a sondre & tread under his feet the saints of the most highest, but the members of Christ shall withstand him, and shall set upon him with the sword of the word of God, shall bewray his deceit, shall accuse his wickedness, and so slay him. For by this means shall he be put out of men's hearts, and his authority shall fall. 
The victory of the christian standeth in the truth of God's word and constancy.  And in the meanseason, although he be overcome, yet shall he take on, until Christ the judge shall put him quite down. And therefore my brethren our victory must stand alonely in the truth of God's word, & in the constanucy of our faith. Therefore let us betake our lives unto our faithful creator, & go forward in the affirming of the canonical truth, & glory of Christ ourredemer & LORD, against the blasphemies of this unpure dragon. Christ will be present with his, although he deliver us into his hands.  
Whose coming is by the working of Satan, with all power and dying signs and wonders and in all deceveablnes of unrighteousness among them that perish: because they received not the love of the truth, that they might have been saved. And therefore god shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies: that all they might be damned, which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unryghtousnes.  

Antichrist reigneth by power and lies.  Hitherto hath the Apostle entreated of the revelation of Antichrist, of the ruin and confusion of him: he hath spoken also of his kingdom and properties, & now he turneth him from that, and describeth his strength and works more at large. That deceiver shall come (sayeth he) prepared with the spirit and power of Satan, the which shall show forth themself in him most manifestly. For this manner of speaking Whose coming is by the working of Satan, is so much to say. Now the strength and working of Satan are chiefly, murder, and lies, as our saviour sayeth: He was a manslayer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because the truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, because he is a liar and the father of it. And Paul in this place showing the works of Satan by parts, doth teken up power and signs, that is dying wonders, and the deceivableness of unrighteousness also. For Mahomet sayeth that he is sent of God in the strength of armour, & for this cause doth he destroy all things with fire and sword. And the Byshope of Rome hath abused the armour of all kings and princes, persecuteth and slayeth the saints, either calling upon the secular arm, or else by excercising hy● own strength. The great destruction of most strong nations now in our days do testify what he may do by strength, and what murthurs, ye and betrayenge of kingdoms, and robberies, the devil hath done in the world by his procurement. We may thank his counsel and craft, that here within this xxxvi years, we have seen the strength of most strong nations, that is to say of the Helvetians, Germans, Frenchmen and spaniards, after they have been broken, to have fallen now into the kingdom of Naples, now in the dukdome of Milan, & sometime into other kingdoms, & their kings or princes banished or else led into captivity, man's laws & Gods laws plucked up by the roots, good study oppressed, most noble cities subverted, and plentiful countries utterly destroyed: to be short, there was none age spared. I do willingly pass over many things of the same sort, which the members of this bishop, and the Ecclesiastical prelate's with their companions, have done in divers parties of the world, and in many kingdoms, and provinces to the great hurt of the common wealth and of all goodness, and specially of the truth. The prudent reader doth well understand by these things which I have noted, what he should do, believe, or fly.  

Antichristes signs, and how his religion hath been greatly estabyshed by them.  Now there are two manner of signs, true, and false. Those are true, which are done in deed, and spring out of no fantasy or imagination, but are wrought of God himself by his ministers, for the stablishing of the truth. Such are all the signs of the prophets and Apostles, of Moses & of Christ. And those are false, which (by the sufferance of God) are done by the ministers or working of Satan, to the derogation of the truth or stablishing of falsehood. And of these there are diverse kinds. For there are some which by a false appearance do deceive men. There are other which are done in very deed, as they seem to be, but for this purpose, that they might lead men away from the truth unto error. For the holy Apostle doth not call them only dying signs and wonders, which have a false similitude or appearance with them, but those also, which although they be done in very deed, do yet bring men unto lies, and deceive the lookers on. S. Augustine hath disputed more of signs. In opere octoginta trium questionum. quest. LXXIX. Our LORD jesus sayeth in the xxiiii. chapter of Mathewe: There shall arise false Christ's and false prophets, and they shall do great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, the very elect should be brought in to error. Behold I have showed you before. If they say unto you, behold he is in the wilderness, go not out: behold he is in secret places, believe them not, etc. Truly great authority happened unto Machometes religion, through dying signs and wonders. Nother yet hath the estimation of the bishop of Rome's religion, increased by any thing so much, as by the multitude of miracles. For by miracles hath he thrust into the world the honouring of saints and worshipping of images. For no man can well express the wondrous crafts, 
In this pla●e the author of the comment, called Henricus Bullingerus of Tigury had put in divers pilgrimages of his own country. In the fled of which (because they were unknown to us) I have set in these of our old acquaintance without any all alteration of the intent that he brought them in for.  wherewith the devil hath deceived the whole world. They that have at any time visited our Lady at Wylsoon, Muswell, Ypswyche or Walsyngame, the rood of comfort, the rood of rest, the rood of grace in Kente, S. saviour at London, S. Thomas of Canterbury, or such like Idols: they have seen tables, oblations and more testimonies of miracles, than a great navy of ships could carry away. For some one hath crept into the chapel of our Lady, or some other saint both crooked & lame, and there hath made his petition to an Image, and came home again in good health: and therefore in witness of this thing hath hanged up his styltes before the Idolle. Another hath swimmed safe to land from a shyppewracke after he hath called upon the help of some saint, & therefore hanged a table or a figure of a ship before the Image. The third escaping of an host of men of war, made a vow unto the virgin mary, and did therefore dedicate his harness unto her. Some other after they have broken out of preson, have consecrate unto a sayncte, either a chain, or manacles or else a pair of fetters. Then came it to pass at length that not alonely those temples, but all churches of Christian men were polluted with such delusions. These false signs occupied the most holy seats in Christ's church, out of which the signs and truth of the Gospel ought to have been declared. For out of such places were these most unshamefast lies pronounced and showed, with great boldness of the preachers, and wondrous rejoicing of the most foolish people. What shall we say, that men have said, that the very Images themselves have either removed out of their places, or else have been sent of God himself from heaven, or else where as they have been hid in certain places they have come to light again. Some have laughed, and some have wept, other have trembled & given forth beams out of them, ye & sometime they or their beards have wonderfully grown in length or bigness, sometime they were gone clean away alone, and many times they have spoken. And it was lawful for no man to doubt, or else freely, that is to say truly to talk of, these things, ye a man had stand in danger of his life if he had not worshyppped and received these wickednesses as things that had come from God himself, and set forth to be worshipped. Antichrist that Bishop of Rome not being content with these abominable things, and with the extreme superstition and manifest Idolatry of the people, did almost every day consecrate new Gods, that is (as they call it) canonized them, did either institute new pilgrimages, or else confirm such as were invented or received already: he chose out relics of the most stinking and wicked men's bones, and set them forth to be worshipped, ye & promised pardon to the worshippers of them, and commanded holidays for those feigned Gods, & left nothing undone which might increase, nourish, or set forth idolatry: and did so corrupt the true religion, that the very gentiles were never much more corrupt. Beside this the provable appearance and wondrous estimation of false miracles did deceive all the wisest men in a manner. 
How many good people have been deceived like wise with the feigned miracles of the holy maidens of Rent & Ipswych.  It lacked but little, that we were not compelled to have worshipped in the stead of true signs & miracles of God, the signs & wonders, which certain black frerers consecrated to the devil had wickedly done in the city of Berne in Nuchtlande, not without the help of witchcraft you may be sure. They went already about the confirmation and approbation of the bishop of Rome, and they had lightly obtained it, but that the goodness of God having pity on the simpleness of the people, did disclose this mystery of iniquity to all the world before that it was fully finished and ended, to the derogation & shame of all other false miracles. I think that the building of these cloisters of begging Frerers, is one portion of the chief of these dying signs. He shall not be believed I know well among our posterity, that should tell them that beggars in so short a space, had builded so large & goodly houses, of the which each of them are sufficient for to receive & nourish kings and princes. But we see many thousands of these built up on high, and wretched forth, both long and large, and besides that to have gotten the goodliest portions of land in all countries and cities. Ye and these deceivers themselves, knowledging this wonder, do say: No prince or king could perform in certain hundreds of years, the which we beggars (not without miracle) have finished in so little a space. Ye and have so finished them the our buildings may compare with the most goodliest old places that are. God hath opened by this thing (say they) that the rules of our orders do not so greatly displease him: as though Daniel had not said long time before, that this should come to pass. For thus we read of Antichrist in the xi chapter: Such as will serve him, he shall give great worship and power, ye & make them Lords over many, & give them the land for naught. etc.  
Paul addeth thereunto, in all deceivableness of unrighteousness: understand that Antichrist shall come after such manner. That is to say, when he cometh, he shall bring with him all kind of iniquity, wherewith he might bring men away from the truth, equity, honesty & righteousness, & wrap men in hypocrisy and errors. We know therefore that by the means of antichrist the common justice, all honesty, & holy truth shallbe moved out of their place, & unrighteousness, hypocrisy, unshamefastness, voluptuosness, & most vain persuasions to be set up in their stead. Which things he the saith not to have all ages and degrees in possession now at this time, lacketh both his eyes & his wit. But all men shall not be deceived, but the reprobate: that is to say, they, of whom the truth was refused, and lies received, that is to say, such as do wilfully perish. And because that a secret question might be moved: 
Why the Antichrist hath so great power and prospereth so greatly.  Why hath God suffered Satan, and Antichrist his captive to have so great power? By a solution he preventeth the question and sayeth: because they received not the love of the truth, that they might have been saved. That is to say: the justice & vengeance of God, requireth the same thing to be done. For their obstinate rebellion against Christ, deserveth that all they which received not Christ, that of his charity was willing to save all men, & for his truth sake did open those things which belonged to salvation that they might have been saved, should now by the sufferance of God for the truth have falsehood, in the stead of charity tyranny, and for a saue●ure have a destroyer, and that they should now believe the lies of a wicked man, which would not believe Christ, that told them the truth. For our LORD himself sayeth, in the Gospel of John: Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. I receive not the glory of men: but I know that you have not the love of God in you. I came in the name of my father, & ye receive me not, if an other shall come in his own name, him will ye receive, Ioh v. And out of this truly it seemeth, that that noble sentence of the common people was taken: They that believed not Christ, shall believe Antichrist. And hereunto belong also the words of Paul that follow, wherewith he maketh that which goeth before more clearer, saying: And therefore, that is to say, because they received not the love of the truth, and were not the lovers and followers of true religion, God shall send them strong delusions, that is to say, most evident seduction and deceit, that even like mad persons, and men ravished of their wits, they can not chose but believe lies. And for this cause that all they might be judged, that is to say tormented & punished, which believed not the pure and simple truth: but rather approved unrighteousness, hypocrisy, superstition and error. Ye have now a reason how it cometh to pass, that the world now a days is so ready to believe the miracles, doctrines, and rites of Antichrist. It is the judgement of God, which hath showed miracles enough by his son, by his prophets and Apostles, and hath also prescribed us doctrines, and rites clearly and sufficient enough. But all these things set aside, we had rather be deceived. Therefore these priests and monks antichrists knights, deceived us by getting away our money, and never ceased to thrust in their lies unto us, until that they had emptied all men's coffers. Such things as might be brought out of the Bible seemed old forworn things▪ all men daily desired to hear new matters, and therefore was it free for every man that would, for to invent every thing that he lift. He was best allowed that had brought in any new thing into the church: and so through their unshamefastness, and our curiosity and foolishness, it came to pass, by the righteous judgement of God, that all truth was banished many years sense, and error hath reigned mightily thorough out the congregations. Now though it be thus, and that experience itself do prove these things to be over true, yet are there certain evil occupied persons, which go about to bolster up the corrupt captains of the most corrupt religion, which are bent to dostroye the spirit of the mouth of God. But the truth which is invincible, shall overcome both those vain prelate's of the church, and also their foolish defenders and shall also overthrow them and bruise them all to pieces, except they convert unto the LORD. Hitherto have we disputed more at large, than we thought to have done at the beginning, of the coming of Antichrist, of his kingdom and confusion, for the reader's pleasure, and for the erudition and warning of the simple people. Now will we return unto Paul and the thessalonians. For Paul himself after he hath finished his disputation of Antichrist, turneth him unto the thessalonians.  
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the LORD, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation thorough sanctifying of the spirit, and thorough believing the truth: whereunto he called you by our Gospel, to obtain the glory of our LORD jesus Christ. 
A notable place of the election.   
Theophylactus knitting these things very goodly with those that are gone before, sayeth thus: When he had showed them certain horrible things, and such as might amaze the mind of the hearers, he doth afterward ease their hearts, monyshing them after this manner: Let other men be afeard of these things, they (I say) which perish, and over whom the devil hath great power, but we are bound to give thanks for you unto God, because that he hath chosen you, and embraced you with his love. And this is a notable place of the election of God. For God hath chosen us unto salvation, and not that we should say: if God have chosen me, I need not fear damnation, and though I sin never so much. But God hath chosen us unto salvation sayeth Paul, which salvation is finished in us through the sanctifying of the spirit and believing the truth: that is to say, by the spirit himself, which purifieth our hearts, & giveth us true faith. For faith which is the gift of God, is mighty in operation. Paul therefore doth set true faith against the false persuasion, of the which james speaketh, saying: faith without works is dead. To this matter of election, belongeth the preaching of the Gospel also. For thorough the preaching of the Gospel, he calleth us to the true faith, and to the optayning or possession of the glory of our LORD jesus Christ: that is to say, that we might be made the glorious and beautiful possession of our LORD jesus Christ, an holy, innocent and immaculate people, which might honour and worship God, and that God himself might dwell in the hearts of them that serve him. For God hath not called us unto lusts and uncleanness, i. Thessa. iiii. but unto holiness, & pureness, and that we might become his holy temple. These things ought to be taught unto the congregations. After this manner such as are captive should be plucked out of the bondage of Antichrist: and if the any have not fallen into his captivity, let them here learn to give God continual thanks, and also to pray him that he lead them not into temptation, but deliver them from that evil, sanctify them thorough the spirit, and by true faith to keep them in the election of salvation.  
Therefore brethren stand fast, and keep the ordinances which ye have learned: whether it were by our preaching or by our Epistle.  
Now bringeth he in that which he mente in the beginning of this chapter where he said: I beseech you by the coming of our LORD jesus Christ, that ye be not suddenly moved from your mind, etc. And in the meanseason he disputeth many things to this effect; and now at the last he bringeth in & sayeth: In as much as it is thus, abide you in our ordinances which we taught you, whether it were by mouth when we were yet among you, or else by mine epistles, 
The Apostles taught all their or dinaunces, either by mouth or else by epistles written.  which I sent when I was absent from you. For I taught you the true Gospel: ye need not to seek any other. The Papists do abuse this place, for the defence of man's traditions. And we do grant, that the traditions of the Apostles, aught as well to be received as their epistles written: but we do not grant that all those are the traditions of the Apostles, which they do thrust unto us under the name of the Apostles. The traditions of the Apostles, are not contrary to their epistles written: but these men's traditions are plain contrary to the writings of the Apostles.  
Our LORD jesus Christ himself, and God our father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope thorough grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in all good saying and doing.  
He doth here after his manner, unto his admonition join an happy and lucky wish. And he doth here very connynglye bring in together the whole sum of the Gospel, that is to say, that God hath loved mankind, & given him everlasting consolation, that is jesus Christ, which is our hope, and hath given it us through his grace, and not for our merits: that is to say, that we might live evermore. He wisheth unto them (I say) that the same meek and loving God, would comfort their hearts and stablish them in all good saying & doing: that is to say, in all righteousness. For in these two things he comprehendeth all the offices or duties of a Christian man. And we english men using the same partition do divide all righteousness into good saying and doing, or into good words and works. For these are those good fruits, which spring forth of an heart that is sanctified thorough the holy ghost & true faith. saint Ambrose marked the order of S. Paul's words, 
Ambrose.  and because (sayeth he) that the father, and the son are one power and one divinity and substance, therefore he doubted not to name our LORD jesus Christ first, 
Theophilactus.  and afterward God our father. And Theophilactus noted that Paul did so order this prayer, that he did also prescribe them therewith, what it became them to do: that is, to give themselves, to say well and do well, and to persever in goodness, and specially to knowledge Christ to be the only hope, and everlasting consolation of the faithful.   


Caput. iii.  furthermore brethren pray for us, that the word of God may run abroad, and be glorified as it is with you, and that we may be delivered, from unreasonable and evil men. For all men have not faith, but the LORD is faithful, which shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have good hope of you thorough the LORD, that ye both do and will do that which we command you. And the LORD guide your hearts into the love of God, and looking after Christ.  

Of prayer.  There is nothing stronger in the sight of God than a faithful prayer, & therefore doth he by all means move the godly unto that most diligently. And here he sendeth men unto prayer also, in that most troublesome and wicked world, and in the great danger of godly men. The truth was preached in deed, but in the mean season there sprang up diverse schismaes among them also, which would seem to be the followers of true religion. And the open enemies of the catholic religion did both bamnyshe the truth, and also persecuted the chief setters forth thereof most cruelly: neither lacked their certain hypocrites & false brethren, which were worse than they, & did much more hurt unto true godliness. For it is a true saying, that an hypocritical friend doth more hurt than an open enemy. For of the one we take heed, and from the other we hide no thing. Therefore the great dishonest, wickedness, & unfaithfulness that was used in those days, did make the life of Christian men, (which otherwise was sharp enough) much more bitter. But Paul moveth men unto prayer, & saith: considering the great dangers that the world is now in, there is none other help but turn unto prayer. And he prescribeth the principal things, which they should ask of God by their continual prayer. first that the word of God might run abroad, and be glorified among all other nations, even as it was divulgate among the Thessalonians, and received of godly men with an holy rejoicing. And all the scripture beareth witness, that this was the perpetual & most feruenteste wish or desire of all saints. And in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the apostolic church did ask this one thing of God, that he would give the apostles grace & strength to speak the word of God with boldness. We offend greatly now a days, that we do ask these things so coldly of God: ye and I would to God that we did not utterly forget to ask them at all. Now where as he said to run abroad, he spoke it after the common speech, and he mente, that it might increase and spread abroad apace with out any let. And the word is glorified, when it is received of men, and all the glory given unto God only. The second thing that he teacheth to be asked with prayer is, that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men: that is from inordinate and froward men, 
Who us unreasonable & evil men.  which do nothing in their time and place, but all things perversely. And the Apostle mente the enemies of God's word, whom nothing can please, and yet in the meanseason they can do nothing well themselves. They find faults, and pervert all things, and deprave those things which are well said and done, and do lad them and defile them with shameful suspytions. They are also called shrewd, malicious and perverse men. And David in his psalms, doth desire very oft to be delivered from them. And our LORD did add unto the end of that holy prayer: deliver us from evil: not alonely from the devil, but also from all his army and body, and specially from that spiritual wickedness & those crafty deceivers. For there is more jeopardy in a false friend and one that dissembleth all thing, them in an open enemy. 
All men have not faith.  And hereunto belongeth that which followeth: For all men have not faith. For this meaneth Paul: All they are not faithful and true which would seem to be faithful. For faith in this place is usurped in the same signification that the Poet taketh it, when he sayeth: Nusquam tuta fides, a man woteth near whom he may trust. If ye will not grant this manner of speaking, than this is the meaning: touching the I do require your prayers so greatly that we might be delivered from unreasonable and froward men, it is because I know that there are many false brethren among you. For all they which pretend faith, and profess it with their mouth, have not the true faith in deed. For our LORD sayeth in the Gospel. Math. xx. Many are called, but few are chosen. And although these two senses differ not much, yet the first liketh me better. Now there followeth. But the LORD is faithful, which shall stablish you and keep you from evil For lest he should discomfort the minds of the saints through the unfaithfulness of many: although (sayeth he) that there be many unfaithful among you, yet the LORD is faithful and true, which will keep his promise with us, and be with his for ever. They do resist the Gospel, but they shall not overcome it: they let it that it can not go much abroad, but they shall not drive it clean back. They do betray the favourers of the truth, but yet they shall not utterly oppress the truth. For jesus Christ which is faithful is ever at hand for to fight for his. He shall strengthen his against the unhappiness of these men, and shall keep them from evil. For as much as he is true, he will luckily perform those things, which he hath begun in us. These words that are so full of consolation, should be often laid forth to such as are in peril & are greatly afeard also of unreasonable and evil men. Now to mitigate and as it were to correcce, that which he said before, he sayeth: But we have good hope of you through the LORD, etc. As though he would say: We say not these things because that we doubt of your constancy, no we do rather hope of you by the help of the LORD jesus that those things which I command you of prayer, of watching and steadfastness, ye both do and hereafter will do. And it hath much grace with it, if that in our admonition, we do rejoice of the thing which we desire to receive & obtain, as it were received & obtained already. Again, lest that any man should attribute overmuch unto their own strength, but that rather we should all know, that every gift is given us of God from heaven, the LORD (saith he) guide your hearts, into the love of God, and looking after Christ. To the wyhche Erasmus doth add: charity shall cause you for to study to do good unto all men, even as God is beneficial toward all men. The looking for the coming of Christ, shall cause you to suffer all afflictions manfully. Therefore in all trubles and perils, we have these two styltes for to bear us up: prayer & steadfast faith. Brethrens let us remember these things I pray you, & in as much as our times also are most corrupt & troublesome, and that for this cause it is not possible but the saints should be vexed, let us pray to God, and constantly believe that he will never fail us: although that in the meanseason many unreasonable and evil men, do either persecute or betray the truth. God is true & faith full, which can not deny himself, and the truth shall remain evermore invincible: let us cleave therefore unto the truth, and we shall have the victory, although that when we be overthrown of the world, we seem to be overcome.  
We command you brethren in the name of our LORD jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh inordynately, and not after the institution which he received of us.  
It is manifest in the fourth chapter of the first epistle, 
He condemneth delices exhort the men to labour.  what gave him an occasion of this commandment: That is to say, because that immediately after the time of the Apostles, certain curious men began to thrust themselves into the church of God, and under the pretence of religion or evil sciences and slothful idleness, did get them a sweet living. And where as before in his first epistle, he did but easily as it were bicker or skyrmyshe with them: he doth now come in open field upon them, overthrow them, and put them to flight. first of all he setteth forth the matter generally and sayeth: I will not that you have any conversation with inordinate fellows, and such as order themselves otherwise then we did ordain. And he speaketh not this thing sleghtlye, but with great authority & pithy words, saying: We command you brethren. After thee, lest any man should contemn him, when he thus commandeth them: he addeth to: in the name of our LORD jesus Christ. As though he should say: those things which we command you, we command you not so much in our own name, as at the commandment and express bidding of jesus Christ. And now he reciteth the commandment of Christ: that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother which behaveth himself inordynatelye, that is to say, not after the institution which he received of us. We will speak of that institution a little hereafter. Erasmus sayeth, that those are brought into an order, which are bound to the common law, and differ in nothing from other men. And that it is contrary to this, when any man the public laws neglect, liveth at his own pleasure. And that Paul should mean this, by walking inordynatlye, the life of Monks, which is received of us against the institution of the LORD and of the Apostles agreeth with this in all points. But when he commandeth, that we should withdraw ourselves from them, he commandeth us not to do as the anabaptists do, which separating themselves from the communion of saints, do set up a private congregation: but that we should fly their company as much as we can, to the intent that they might be ashamed & perceive themselves to be condemned for their slothfulness, and so be converted unto the LORD.  
For ye yourselves know, how ye ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves inordynatlye among you, neither took we bread of any man for nought, but wrought with labour and sweated both night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you. Not that we might not so do: but for to make ourselves an example unto you, to follow us.  
He showeth by his example what institution he had given them. 
Paul laboureth with his own hands.  He doth also persuade men to labour, and candempneth idleness. His words are plain. Although (sayeth he) I might well live at your cost and stipend (for by bread he doth understand meat & drink: ye and all such things as belong unto the sustentation and necessity of this life) yet had I rather to labour both night & day, for to show ourselves an ensample and form unto all men that they might follow us. And by this we may see what it is to walk inordynatlye, 
To live inordynatlye.  and to be in order. They live inordinately, which are idle and take their bread for naught, the is to say, 
To live ordynatlye.  like drone bees do eat up other men's labours. They live in order which with labour & sweat do work night and day, that is to say, continually, and be not chargeable to any man. The institutions and rules of all orders or Monks, 
Monks.  after that they be touched, as it were with these holy thunderbolts, do fall flat down. That which the same Paul disputed at Myletus, with the brethren of Ephesus, Actu twenty agreeth well with this.  
For when we were with you, this thing we commanded you: that if there were any that would not work, the same should not eat.  

He that laboureth not, the same should not eat.  He rehearseth the same institution of his, which he said to be contained in the express words of the LORD. And this is the law: That he which would not labour, should not eat. For slothful people deserve none alms neither. For I think it not unlike unto this law of God, which the gentiles were wont to say in like proverbs: Qui fugit molam fugit farinam: he that flieth the mill flieth the meal, that is to say: he that refuseth to labour, shall have none of the vantage. And again: Neque mell, neque apes. No bees, no honey. For if any man will not suffer bees, because they have stings, he is unworthy to have any honey. And Mimus sayeth in these words: Bear that which is grievous & painful that thou mayst have that which is pleasant and profitable. Wherefore Valerius maximus ii book i chap. saith that the Massilians do keep their gates shut against all such which under some pretence of religion do go about to maintain their idleness. If that the kings and rulers of England had marked this institution three hundredth years sooner, they had had more riches & fewer Monks. plutarch showeth in his notable & brief sentence of the Lacedæmonians, that among them, the Gods and Goddesses be painted and portured eachone with a spear in their hand: In so much that Venus herself was in complete harness. Sygnifyenge by this, that not so much as the gods were idle among them. He sayeth farther that they have this proverb among them: Put to thy hand, and call on fortune, for so we must trust on god's help, that not withstanding earnestly we put to our diligence so much as lieth in us. For God heareth not the prayers of the slougyshe fylbellyes. Again it is a common saying: God will help them that will labour. Farther more, he that hath learning or an occupation, may go where he will. Also that knowledge & cunning is a haven to men from the storms of poverty, that is to say: a science or an occupation is the only remedy or refuge for poverty. 
Erasmus in adag●is: Arcem quevis alis terra.  Wherefore they that are wise (I use the words of Erasmus) although that they have substance enough, will yet cause their children for to learn some occupation, wherewith if they fall into poverty, or should chance to be banished their country, they might yet get their living. Dionysius a tyrant among the Syracusans after he was put out of his dominion, set up a school at Corynthum & taught children learnyge and music. But now a days there are many, which having nothing of their own, do spend their time in rich men's houses, from whence if they should be driven out, they must either beg or steal. Also this place of Paul doth condemn all sturdy beggars. I need not to speak any thing of Monks and such sacrifyers, as are unprofitable to the godly ministration of the church, saying there can nothing be feigned which doth more condemn than then this. 
A necessary exhortation to princes and rulers.  Ye princes and rulers of cities take good heed, that this law of God be put in ure and have place among you, if that you love the health of the common wealth. I pray you suffer not the substance of your people, to be cast unto these puttocks to be devoured, like men that were bewitched under the pretence of religion: & wink not always at these crafty bryhers. Defend your people for God's sake, and bring the law of god again into your common wealths.  
For we have herd say, that there are certain among you, which walk inordinately, and work not at all, but live curiously. And them that are such we command and exhort by our LORD jesus Christ, that they work with quietness, and eat their own bread.  

Inordenate men must be broughte●● to an order.  He speaketh now more plainly and shortly that thing, which he hath hitherto set forth at large. The cause (sayeth he) why I speak of this matter so much, is, that I hear certain men to be among you, which do walk inordynatlye: that is to say, do no work, but lead their life curiously. Therefore we command these men by our LORD jesus Christ, that they will get their living quietly, working with their own hands. For this thing did the LORD command, Genes. iii. And condemned idleness for ever. We have herd (sayeth he) that there are certain among you which do no work at all, but give their minds to unprofitable things. 
Who do live curyouslye.  For to live curiously, is to be busy and labour in vain: as you would say, to be neither idle, nor well occupied: that this might be the meaning: I hear that there be among you which work not: for although they labour mightily & overmuch, yet their labour is unprofitable, and it were a great deal better that they were idle, then to be so evil occupied. After this manner we see certain Monks, Sacryfyers, and nuns to labour a pace: for they sing & mumble up prayers both day and night, they watch & leave nothing undone the such kind of people should do: But in as much as Christ sayeth, Math. xv. They worship me in vain, teaching the doctrines & commandments of men. Their labour is unprofitable, and to none effect. And so do the anabaptists creep into all men's houses, and read & preach both day and night: but no man calleth them, neither do they study sincerity & and pureness, but do trouble men. Usurers also run all about, and pull every man by the sleeve and take great pain: but to the intent that they might be rich, & live by the sweat of other men. For although that all these do labour strongly, yet there cometh no prosyte of their labour. For they do little good or none unto their neighbours. What said I do no good? where as they not only do hurt, but are also the greatest destruction unto the common wealth. saint Ambrose describing a certain kind of curious men, of which sort we lack none now a days, sayeth: They which desire to be idle, 
Of this sort be these honest beggars (as they seem) and they, which fain themselves to be banished for the truth sake.  go about to get an occasion, that they may make the rich men fain on them, & to call them oft unto their houses, and as they go up and down, they mark suttylly the doings and opinions of each one, by this means knowing what they would gladly hear of every man, that they may be fed thankfully and required also: which kind of doing greatly abhorreth from the doctrine of the LORD. For the belly is the God of those which get their living by such filthy and shameless provision. Hitherto is S. Ambrose saying. How much more doth it differ from the doctrine of the LORD, that Monks and sacryfyers have rob the people, under the pretence of the name & service of God, and have stuffed their bellies with most sweet delicates & dainty dishes? How much is it contrary unto the doctrine of Christ also, that sturdy beggars & hypocrites under the pretence of Christ's name do maintain their idleness, at the cost & charge of Christian men? We command and require such (sayeth the Apostle) that they work with quietness, & rate their own bread: their own bread (I say) as though he would say, not other men's bread, but their own. For they that live curiously do not eat their own bread but other men's. Farther more they labour not with quietness: for their labour causeth trouble, in as much as it is unprofitable & chargeable to the myserabe people. On the other side, necessary labour bring the with it much quietness & utility: for he that goeth about his own business and worketh with his own hands hath need of nothing i Thessalo. iiii. And therefore is chargeable to no man, but doth give to them that have need. Ephe. iiii. As many of you as are chargeable unto the people, as many of you as do no work at all, but go about things that be to no purpose, think ye that this is spoken unto you also. Christ shall punish you, except ye leave your dishonest and most uncomely idleness, and get you to labour. And here is a goodly place, to speak of the kinds of labours and business, and of the helping and duties to the poor also. For all things are out of order among us, but I had rather to subscribe unto other better learned, then to show forth mine ignorance. Lewes' vives hath written two books of this matter, in the which if the rulers would exercise themselves continually, peradventure the common wealth should be in better case than it is, & there should be less sloth & idleness, & more labour & quietness.  
And ye brethren be not weary in well doing. 
We ought to do good unto all men.   
The most part of the rich men do use to upbraid the poor their sluggishness and idleness, they other whiles not so evil or mischievous, as wretched and miserable. And by this pretence they keep their charity from them that have need of it. And therefore S. Paul sayeth: I will not by this means withdraw any man from well doing, or give any man an occasion for to order miserable people the more cruelly or ungentlely. For men ought alway to do good. They shlud do well to every man, but specially unto godly men, we would not the God should be weary of our necessities. We would that he should receive our often requests with a merry countenance. Therefore we should not be weary also, when the his membres do call upon us for our help. And it is a piteous thing: ye that a very idle person should perish for hunger. Again they offend against the doctrine of God, which are over favourable unto sturdy vagabonds. But good men can determine this strife, equity being their guide:  
If any man obey not our sayings, send us word of him by a letter: and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. And count him not as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.  
He ordaineth a punishment for the disobedient. 
A pain is ordained for the disobedient.  If that any man (sayeth he) despiseth to obey our institutions, send us word of him by Epistle, and in the meanseason let him be put out of your familiaryte: & that for this purpose, that after he is overcome with shame, he may amend. For this discipline is not ordained for the destruction of any man, but for his health. Therefore ye shall not utterly put from you a sinner, but love him always as a brother: but yet in the meanseason ye shall monish him of his fault and correct him. And out of this place we may learn what the discipline of the church is, and unto what end it ought to be put in ●…e, & also why the Apostle doth command us to fly the company of the disobedient: not that we should abhor them as enemies and wicked men, not that we should prefer ourselves above other in holiness, or else stand well in our own conceits, or exercise tyranny toward the miserable people: but that he which is guilty, being taught through our withdrawing from him, & as it were warned of himself, should remember himself, and esteem his filthiness as it is in deed, and so being ashamed, to amend. And if that by the means of the evil that reigned in him he will not amend, & by this means come to himself & repent: them shall the saints take deliberation among them, by what means this mad man may be holpen, lest that either he himself do utterly perish, or else infect other with the same disease. For they are deceived which when these that the avoiding from his company availeth not, do set aside all farther remedies, thinking that after this, the church may use none other means to bring them into the way. But Paul sayeth, send us word of him by a letter. To what purpose I pray you? That he might have the name of him that disobeyeth? But what profit should come of that? He would therefore have knowledge of such by an epistle, that he might take with godly men such counsel for those unruly people, as they should think meet. For we ought all of us to do our diligence that we destroy not then for whom Christ died, neither by our importunytie or cruelness, neither yet by our ignorance & negligence. But these words of the Apostle seem unto some men, to be understand of the private conversation of men: that is to say, that every man should abstain so much as he could from the company & familiarity, of such as are dysobedyente: And many have expounded it of the open excommunication.  
The very LORD of peace, give you peace always by all means. The LORD be with you all. The salutation of me Paul, with mine own hand. This is my token in all epistles. So I write. The grace of our LORD jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  
He concludeth his epistle, & wisheth them the bond of all righteousness, holy peace, that they might keep that always and in all their business For Satan is the author of discord, chiding, strife, envy, and privy hatred: and God is the author of concord, meknesse, and charity. He dwelleth with all saints, so long as they live in this world in truth and righteousness. His presence is the fountain of all goodness, and his absence is the cause of all darkness, error, and eternal horror. saint Ambrose sayeth that for fear of choppers and chaungers and corrupters of scriptures Paul doth testify, that he did always subscribe his salutation in every one of his epistles with his own hand: to the intent that any epistle received in his name, might not be suffered if it were not subscribed with his own hand. The Apostles took such care, lest that the congregations should be deceived by any craft or deceit. These things do show of what certainty & verity the Apostles writings be. And because that Paul did teach constantly among all nations that mankind was saved by the grace of God, therefore he repeating his wont signet or subscription did set to at the end of all his epistles, this mark and seal of our faith: The grace of our LORD jesus Christ be with you all. It appeareth: therefore by this, that the Apostle used the help of a notary or scrivener for to write his epistles that he sent.   
FINIS.   

Faults escaped in prenting.  
Werof the first number is the leaf, and A the first side, B the second, the other number is the line.  

iii. b line xxiiii. servant- read servants  
iii. b line xxvi and to usurp. read do usurp  
iiii. b line xxii accordyns, read according  
seven. a line xxvii say- he. read sayeth he  
seven b line xviii mighty engender. read might  
xi. a line xix (as S. Ambrose read For (as S Am.  
xiii. a line x departing of faith. read from faith  
xiii. b line. xxliii. ten kingdoms. read kings  
xiiii b line xxiii he bowed read bouged  
xv. a line. nineteen. Lel●us Sylla. read Lucius Sylla  
xv. b line iiii. the half horn. read little horn  
xvi. b line iii Let us therefore read Let us now ther.  
xviii. a line xu mad an end. read made an end  
xviii. b line xiiii. Entichetis' heresy. read Entichetis of  
xxxi. a line xix he had trodden down. read hath trodden  
Item and hath published for had published    

Here endeth the commentary of Henricus Bullingerus of Tygurye upon the second Epistle of saint Paul to the thessalonians, & faithfully translated into english by R. H.  Laus detur deo soli. Amen. 
printed in Southwark in S Thomas hospital by james Nicolson. Anno. 1538.