Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 2 · Lecture 4
THE FOVRTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
2. THESSA. CHAP. 2. verſ. 1. 2. 3.
1 NOW vve beſeech you, brethren, by the comming of our Lord Ieſus Christ, and by our aſſembling vntounto him,
2 That ye be not ſuddenly mooued from your mynde, nor troubled neithr by spirit, nor by vvord, nor by letter, as it were from vsus, a… though the day of Christ vvere at hand.
3 Let no man deceiue you by any meanes:
IN the chapter preceding ye hauehave heard, brethren, firſt of the ſaluation of the Apoſtle, wherein he wiſhes to the Theſſalonians grace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Then we came to his preface, wherein he rejoices and giues thanks to God, for the increaſe of grace, of faith, of louelove they had receiued. And thirdly, we came to that conſolation, that he miniſters to them againſt the affliction and trouble vnderunder the which they lay for the faith of Chriſt. Now to come to this chapter. In it the Apoſtle firſt admoniſhes the Theſſalonians that they giuegive not eare to deceiuers and falſe teachers, who would perſwade them that the comming of the Lord Ieſus was at hand, and thereafter …e enters in a refutation of this pointe of falſe doctrine and hereſie. Now to make this more plaine. The occaſion (as it appeares) of that▪ which the Apoſtle wrytes in this chapter is this, In his▪ firſt Epiſtle written to them and fourth chapter thereof he ſpoke concerning the ſecond comming▪ of the Lord Ieſus,… and beſide other thinges, as we may read there, he ſpecifies theſe wordes, We, ſayes he, vvhichwhich liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lord ſhall be caught vp in the cloudes vvith them vvho are departed this lyfe after their reſurrection. The Theſſalonians reading this, incontinent concludes, Chriſt ſhall come ere euer we die, we ſhall be found on lyfe at his comming, and we ſhall be re…t vp in the aire to meete the Lord in the cloudes vvith them who are departed▪ Now in this meane-tyme the deuill is buſie to confirme them in this error, and therefore he raiſes vp deceyuers and falſe teachers that went about to perſwade them of the trueth of this, as though it had beene true, that they ſhould be liuing at the Lords comming. Theſe falſe teachers alledged for them partlie the reuelation of the Spirite of God, partlie a tradition of Paul, which both were falſe. Therefore, the Apoſtle vnderſtanding this, tooke occaſion to vvryte this Epiſtle, and eſpeciallie, this ſecond chapter, wherein he admoniſhes or rather effectuouſlie requeſtes them, that they ſuffered not themſelues to be deceiued, as though the comming of the Lord were at hand, and thereafter falles out in a refutation of this error.
To returne to the wordes. In the wordes we hauehave read in the firſt verſe we hauehave the earneſt requeſt of the Apoſtle, together with an obteſtation adjuring them with all grauitie, by the comming of the Lord Ieſus, by the aſſembling of the elect to him at his comming, that they ſhould not ſuffer themſelues ſo to be deceyued, as though the comming of the Lord were at hand. Now to inſiſt in this firſt verſe, Novv vve beſeech you ſayes he, by the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and by our aſſembling vntounto him. The words bears a great obteſtation, wherein he ſtraites them vnderunder the paine of lyfe and death, that, as euer they wold look to hauehave joy in Chriſts comming and to communicat with his glory, they ſhold not ſuffer themſelues to be deceiued. Then▪ brethren, ye ſee in requeſting and that in lenity, he obteſts and adjures them in grauity and in ſome ſeuerity. He joines and tempers two contrare things together, ſweetneſſe and lenity on the one part, ſowrenes and ſeuerity on the other part Firſt, he dravves them on and intreates them vvillinglie to obey that vvhichwhich he requyres of them; and then againe in a maner violentlie he pulles them. He both leades and dravves. Requeſting in l…tie he leades them, obteſting in ſeuerine he dravves them, as it vvere, violentlie. Commonlie ye ſhall finde he vſes this forme of requeſting. In the 2. Epiſt. to the Cor. 10. chap. 1. verſe, … I Paul myſelfe, beſeech you by the meekneſſe and gentleneſſe of our Lord Ieſus Christ. There ye hauehave the requeſt vvith an adjuring and charging of them. Novv brethren, take theſe tvvo, take lenitie vvith ſeueritie together, they vvill hauehave a great force in the hearers to bring them forvvard: ſunder them, none of them vvill be ſo effectuall; lenitie the alone hes leſſe force, ſeueritie the alone is ouer ſharpe. It will deſtroy more nor vvin, bind them together they hauehave a great power. In the 2. Epiſtle to Timothie 4. chap. 2. verſe, … there is …eueritie; and againe, exhort vvith all … ſuffring and …, there is meekneſſe▪ Looke that theſe two be not ſeuered. This was the Apoſtles maner of doing, and thus forme …e vſes bindes euerie one of vsus that ſpeakes in the Church of God to the end of the world to vſe the lyke.
Yet to inſiſt in the vvordes. I beſeech you by the comming of the Lord Ieſus Christ, and by our aſſembling vntounto him. Ye ſee tvvo thinges heere vvhereby he adjures them to obey his requeſt. The firſt is the co…ing of Chriſt. The ſecond is our aſſembling to him at his comming. Then it fellowes, that ſeeing he obteſ…s by theſe two thinges that we ſhould not doubt but the Lord Ieſus will come, and when he commes that we ſhall aſſemble vntounto him: for all obteſtations are made by things, which are counted vndoubted trueths. The things whereby any man objures and obteſts another man ſhould be ſure grounds. Now the Apoſtle obteſts them by theſe two things. Therefore we ſhould not doubt but theſe two are true,Chriſts ſec…nd comming to the cauſe of our aſſembling vntounto him. that Chriſt ſhall come, and we ſhall aſſemble vntounto him. Yet compare theſe two together, the firſt is the cauſe, his comming; the ſecond is the effect. our aſſembling vntounto him. The comming of the Lord ſhall be found effectual in that day to our recollection, to the gathering and aſſembling of the whole elect vntounto him. The preſence and the comming of Chriſt is euer effectuall to the meeting of the Saintes, where he is, there muſt be a meeting, he cannot be his alone. In the 24. of Matthevv 28. verſe. Chriſt ſayes, Where the …ar…on is, the ther vvill the Egles reſort. So where Chriſt is, there ſhall the elect reſort. He came no ſooner in the world but ſome elect both Iew and Gentile reſorted to him, ſo that there was not a Church raiſed vp: But at ſecond comming there ſhall be another kinde of aſſemblie. At that tyme all the elect from the foure quarters of the earth ſhall be gathered, and neuer one ſhall be miſſed, all ſhall be in that generall aſſemblie, when the Lord ſhall come in that glorious day, and that aſſembly ſhall be through the power and effectualnes of Chriſt. At his comming there ſhall come a ſweet ſmell from him that ſhall draw all the elect that euer was together vntounto him.
Yet to inſiſt. Theſe tvvo thinges are joyned together vvith great diſcretion: He ſayes not onelyonly by the comming of the Lord, but alſo by our aſſembling vntounto him: For if he had ſaid, by the comming of the Lord onelyonly, it had beene a great motiue to hauehave terrified vsus: For the ſpeaking of Chriſts comming without any further conſideration and mention of our lyfe and our aſſembling vntounto him would rather terrifie thee nor comforte thee. Therefore the vvicked deſires neuer to heare of his comming: for vvhen their conſciences are vvakned they are terrified. But when the godly heares that Chriſt ſhall come, and that men ſhall be conjoyned to him and be partakers of his glory, and that he ſhall not be glorified without them, that is comfortable▪ they neuer heare it without joy. Therefore if euer thou would finde comfort at Chriſts comming, looke that thou finde an aſſurance in thy hart that thou ſhalt be made partaker of his glory at his comming Further marke in this obteſtation. This vndoubted certainty of Chriſtes comming, and our aſſembling vntounto him, binds and obliſes eueryevery one of vsus to beleue the trueth of the doctrine concerning his comming, and to ſlee and eſchew all falſe doctrine thereof. As namely this pointe of falſe doctrine that ſtands in limitating and bounding his comming at a certaine tyme, as they would ſay, He will come in ſuch an age, in ſuch a yeere, ſuch a day, an houre, all is falſe doctrine. So I ſay the benefite of his comming, and the glorie vve ſhall receyue at his comming bindes vsus that vve beleeue nothing but the trueth: in ſuch ſort, that, if we will beleue the trueth of his comming, we ſhall be partakers of his glorie at his comming. If we decline any thing from the trueth of the doctrine of his comming, we ſhall hazard the glory, which othervvayes we ſhould hauehave. This which I ſet downe vntounto you in particulare concerning one Article of our faith, is true in all the reſt: For, there is not one bleſſing of God in Chriſt, but it obliſes vsus to beleue the true doctrine, concerning that bleſſing, in ſuch ſort, that, if we will beleeue the truth concerning that bleſſing, we ſhall be partakers of that bleſſing, and if we beleue not the trueth ſpoken, concerning that bleſſing, we depryue our ſelues of that bleſſing. To make it plaine. The benefite of juſtification, whereby we are juſtified before God, onelyonly by the bloude of Chriſt and his merite, and not by the merites of men, bindes vsus to beleue the trueth of it, in ſuch ſort, that, if we will beleeue and ſeeke juſtification in the bloud and merites of Chriſt onelyonly, we ſhall be juſtified. If, againe, we refuſe to vnderſtand the true way of our juſtification and repoſe on our vvorkes, vve hazard our juſtification. In the 9. chapter, to the Romans, verſ. 31. 32. we reade, the Iewes ſoght to be juſtified by the workes of the Law. (So does the Papiſts, by their merites) But, vvhat came of it? The Apoſtle ſayes, They attamed not to it. And why? Becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but, by the vvorkes of the Lavv. Ye ſee, heere, that peruerſe and falſe opinion, which the Iewes had, concerning mans juſtification made them, not to attaine to juſtification. No more ſhalt thou be juſtified, who will be juſtified by thy vaine workes. The Prophet Eſay ſaies (Eſay 64. 6) all our righteouſneſſe is lyke a menſtruous clout, ſcarcely to be looked on, let be to be preſented as a meane, whereby to be juſtified by God; if thou wilt ſeeke to be juſtified by thy works, I denoūce to thee, in the name of God, that, at that great day, thou ſhalt finde thy ſelf not to be juſtified. The Lord giuegive vsus grace to imbrace the trueth, and the onelyonly way of juſtification and ſaluation.
In the next verſe, he commes to the thing be requeſted them, not to doe. It is this, that, they ſhould not ſuffer themſelues to be deceyued, as if Chriſtes comming vvere at hand. Novv, for the better vnderſtanding heereof, I ſhall take vp this ſecond verſe, in theſe three pointes. Firſt, vve hauehave that thing, which he requeſts them not to doe. To wit, That they be not ſuddenly moued in their mynde, and be not ſuddenly troubled; in one word, that they ſuffer not themſelues to be deceyued. Then we hauehave the means (which are thre in number) by the which the falſe teachers vſed to deceyue them. The firſt is by reuelation pretending falſlie the reuelation of the spirit. The ſecond is by vvord or traditiō. The third is, by letter, as it vver from him. In the third place he ſets down the Hereſie which falſe teachers labored to perſwad them to be true, to witte, that the day of the Lord was at hand. Now to come back to the words. In the beginning of the verſe he ſayes, I requeſt you, that ſuddenly ye be not moued. Conſider the words, and then he ſubjoynes nor yet troubled. The firſt of theſe two reſpects the mynde, next the hart, mouing from the mynde reſpects the mynde, trouble reſpects the hart: for, the hart and the affections are ſuddenly troubled. Now by the mynde I vnderſtand not eueryevery minde: for, euerie man hes a minde, an Heretike hes a minde, an Idolater a minde, but, I vnderſtand, heere, a ſound minde and rightly informed, and ſpeciallie in this pointe of doctrine concerning Chriſts comming: A minde that is inlightned, not with the light of nature onelyonly, but alſo, with the ſpirituall light of faith in Chriſt. Now he requeſts them, that, they be not moued, as it were, a jaw of the ſea (for, the word is borrowed) And moued, to what thing? If the mouing be from a ſound minde, and informed by the light of Chriſt, it muſt be to a minde that is without faith in Chriſt, a minde peruerſlie inſtructed, without the light of God. The maner, is ſuddenly. It is ſhame to be moued from that which is good, but it is a greater ſhame ſuddenly, as it were, with euerie light winde to be caried away. Thefore, the Apoſtle marueiles, that the Galathians was ſo ſuddenlie caried away to another Goſpell. Galat. chap. 1. verſe 6. Now to come to the leſſon. Who is the man that is in his right minde? Who is he that is in his witte? Is eueryevery man in his wit? No. OnelyOnly that man is in his wit, whoſe mynde is inlightned by the ſupernaturall light of the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. OnelyOnly the beleuer is in his right wit. Who is the man that is by his mynde and is mad? Tharman (albeit otherwaies he had all the wit of the world in his head) that wants this light of faith in Chriſt, is madde, and the end ſhall kythe, and declare it, and the vviſer in worldlie thinges; if he be without this ſupernaturall wit he it … the madder.… This then muſt followe. By nature we are all borne mad and by our myndes, mad fooliſhe, witleſſe, no otherwaies borne. Therefore, the Apoſtle, to Titus chap. 3. verſ. 3. ſaies▪ We alſo, lewes, aſwell as the Gentiles, vvere vnvvyſe, madde and by our myndes, meaning, that, without Chriſt we are all mad fooles. Brethren, there are two ſorts of this ſpirituall madneſſe, one naturall common to all the ſonnes of Adam, all are euer madde, till they know Chriſt, euer continuing in madneſſe, till they beeleue in Chriſt. The other ſort of madneſſe is, that is acquyred by the defection and falling away from the knowledge of Chriſt, eueryevery Apoſtate is mad, eueryevery one that hes known the trueth and falles therefrom, becommes mad. Of this madneſſe Paul ſpeaks Gal. 3 chap. 1. verſe, O fooliſh Galathians, &c. Now if ye will compare theſe two madnes the one naturall, the other by defection. The ſecond is more dangerous, nor the firſt. Madnes that commes by Apoſtaſie, of all other is the moſt dangerous madnes: and therefore Peter 2. Epiſtle chap. 2. verſe. 20. ſayes, The latter condition is vverſe, nor the former. Madnes that commes of the defection from the knowne trueth is worſe, nor the madneſſe we had before we knew Chriſt. And ſo he ſubjoynes, It had bene better, neuer to hauehave knovvne the vvay of Christ, nor, after knovvledge, to hauehave fallen back againe. It is better to a man euer to hauehave bidden in the naturall madnes, nor once to hauehave bene wiſe and inlightned and then, to hauehave made defection. There is a recouerie after the firſt madnes, but, after the ſecond, it is verie hard to get recouerie. An apoſtate hardly recouers, but, oft, the Apoſtate will fall to blaſphemie againſt the holy Spirit. Therefore, let eueryevery one ſtriue by al means to keepe the trueth.
Now the next thing he requeſtes, is that they be not troubled. The vvord is borrovved, and in the ovvne language it ſignifies that horror that ryſes in the hart of man, through the clamor, or noyſe of any tumult. Ye ſee, men will be afrayed, when they heare any tumulte. So vvere the Theſſalonians afrayed, vvhen they heard, that, Chriſtes comming vvas at hand. Novv vvill ye compare this terrour vvith the mouing out of the mynde, it follovves verie vvell: For, the man vvho hes his mynde euill informed, and not inlightned by the faith of Chriſt can hauehave no reſt and peace in hart. For ye ſee a madde man hes neuer quyetneſſe in his hart, but his affections are euer in trouble. So a man ſpiritually madde without the light of Chriſt and ſaluation is neuer ſetled in his hart. An Idolater is neuer ſetled in hart, an Herotike hes neuer a ſetled hart, euer his affectiones on feare. Therefore he who would hauehave that peace and joy that paſſes all vnderſtanding, let him ſeeke light to knowe Chriſt, and to know the trueth concerning him, otherwaies ſhall he neuer get peace and joy. Then in one word I aske the queſtion. Who is he that is happie? Who is he that hes a ſtable and ſetled hart? Who is he that hes peace in his affectiones, and hes them ſet in order, ſo that he may take reſt both day and night? I anſwere. The faithfull who beleeues the trueth in Chriſt. This man is bleſſed being iuſtified by faith vve hauehave peace tovvards God, ſayes the Apoſtle. Rom. chap. 5. verſe 1. If thou be not juſtified by faith in Chriſt no peace, but euer trouble and vnquyetneſſe both with thy ſelfe and vvith God. God ſhall make one affection to fight with another, and to harle thee before his fearefull tribunall. Then who is he that hes not a ſtable and ſetled hart? Who is he that hes not his affections ſetled? He that beleeues not in Chriſt, he that beleeues not in the trueth of God in Chriſt, he that knowes not the way of ſaluation, he hes not a ſetled hart. It is truely ſaid Eſ. 7▪ cha. 57, verſe 21. No true peace for the vvicked: for they hauehave vnſtable harts; and when thou ſeeſt the jawing and mouing of the raging ſea, thou may ſay, this is nothing in reſpect of the trouble that the vvicked hes in conſcience: for the trouble of the hart and vnquyetneſſe in the affectiones, of all troubles is the greateſt; and ſurelie he vvho hes not the peace of God, but is troubled in hart, vvould gladlie be turned in any thing. When it pleaſes the Lord to make one affection riſe againſt another, ô vvhat paine trovveſt thou that perſon ſuſtaines? And againe, ô hovv prerious a thing is faith in Ieſus! Haſt thou it? nothing ſhall trouble thee. So preaſe euer to hauehave faith in Chriſt: Haſt thou faith? thou ſhalt in joy peace and a quyet minde: What euer be thy eſtate in the world, be thou rich, both on poore, haſt thou faith in Ieſus Chriſt, thou reſts by day and night, nothing troubles thee: yea euen in theſe things, that appears to bring ſome greefe to thy body outwardly, as ſiknes &c. Yet in thy ſoule in ſome meaſure thou ſhalt injoy peace and joy in Ieſus Chriſt, that ſhall make the patiently beare the outward croſſe.
Now in the ſecond part of the verſe we hauehave the meanes ſet downe which the deceiuers vſed to deceiue the Theſſalonians with concerning Chriſts comming.… of deceyuing men. They are thre: firſt, Neither by spirit, that is to ſay, by dreames which men pretended to be reuelations of the Spirit. The next is, neither by vvord, that is by any tradition that they ſaid they had of Paul. The third is, neither by forged wryting or Epistle, as if they had any which Paul had written to them concerning Chriſts comming Now what are the thinges that cheefly euer from the beginnig hes made men madde, and hes troubled the harts of the people and the Church of God? Euen theſe ſame three things. In all ages men hes riſen vp that hes ſaid, We hauehave receiued reuelation extraordinar from the Spirit of God. Such as of olde were the Valentinians and Montaniſts, ſuch are the Anabaptiſts this day, ſuch are many Papiſts, and Monkes in their cloſters. When they dreame they pretend the reuelation of the Spirit; yea ſome of them hes pretended a reuelation to ſlay kings. O but it is a falſe reuelation, and it is not from Gods, Spirit, but from the Spirit of the deuill. This is the firſt meane of deceyuing. The next which hes euer troubled the world and broght men to madneſſe is. Traditions, which the Papiſts extols ſo highly that they make them equall with the holy writ. The laſt that hes made men madde is writtings that hes bene ſtolne in into the Church of God vnderunder the name of holineſſe, and yet written by wicked and profaine men. Such as were the Goſpels of Thomas, Barthelmevv, and Nicodemus, and the Papiſts are full of ſuch writtes bearing the names of men that neuer ſaw ſuch paltrie. So theſe three thinges hes made and makes men madde. Now as theſe three makes men madde, ſo there is one thing that keepes men in their myndes, that is onelyonly the Canonicall Scripture of the Olde and New Teſtament, the writings of the Prophites and Apoſtles. Keepe me the Scripture, hold by it onelyonly, thou ſhalt be keeped in thy right minde, and thou ſhalt hauehave an ſetled hart. Trow therefore no ſpirits, that is falſe reuelation of Spirits. Trow nothing but that which is reueiled in the word: for I lay thee this as a ſure ground. The Spirit of God will neuer reueale nor ſpeake to thee any thing but that which is written in the olde and nevv Teſtament. If any will come with a reuelation, aske at him, is that conteined in the Scripture? Is it reueiled in the word? Trow not theſe traditions and theſe vnwritten verities that is aſcryued to the Apoſtles: for vvith theſe the vvorld is deceyued. Trow nothing but that which is in the word or may ſtand with the word. And laſt, as for writtes, beleeue no writ but this writ which is conteined in the olde and new Teſtament, and ſuch as godlie men hes ſet dovvne agreeing vvith the olde and new Teſtament. Keepe this ground of the Canonicall Scripture. I aſſure thee, thou ſhalt be keeped in thy minde, and ſhall be reſerued ſo till the glorious comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
In the laſt parte of the verſe. The Hereſie is ſet downe, as though, ſayes he, he day of Christs comming vver at hand Brethren, it was an Hereſie to ſay the comming of Chriſt was at hand. Ye will wonder at thi…. Sayes not Iames in his Epiſtle 5. chap. 8. verſe The comming of the Lord dravves neare. Sayes not Peter in his firſt Epiſtle chap. 4. verſe 5. Christ is ready to iudge the quick and the dead, and thereafter ſayes he not. The end of all thinges is at hand and are not theſe dayes called the laſt dayes? Is not the Scripturefull of this? and ſo is not the day of the Lord neare hand? How count ye it an Hereſie then to ſay, The day of the Lord is at hand? I anſwere. There is a great difference betweene theſe two: for theſe men who ſaid the day of the Lord was inſtant preſcryued a certaine and definite tyme to his comming, at the leaſt they thought that Chriſt ſhould come in that age and generation wherein they were, and ſo they bounded Chriſts comming till a certaine tyme. To ſay he will come in this yeere or that yeere, in this age or that age it is Hereſie. Theſe men went about to perſwade the Theſſalonians that the Lord Ieſus ſhould come in that age, which was falſe and pernitions; and that it was falſe experience teaches vsus. There are paſt ſince that tyme ſixtene ages that is ſixteene hundreth yeere, and yet they ſaid then that the Lord ſhould come in that age. Againe it is pernitious and euill to limitate and bound Chriſts comming; for if his comming be not in that age which they calculate, it will fall out, thât, either the godly that would faine hauehave his comming (for, they ſooke euer for it) will faint and fall away through impatience, or elſe it will make the people to think that this doctrine of Chriſts comming is but a fable. They will ſay, the tyme of Chriſts comming which they ſaid was is by paſt and he is not come. Therefore beware to preſcryue to it a particulare tyme. Now I marke two pernitious Hereſies in the new Teſtament concerning his comming. One that preſcryued a tyme, and ſaid, Chriſt ſhall come ſhortly, in ſuch an age, in ſuch a yeere, as in this place: Another that ſaid he ſhall neuer come. 2. Peter chap. 3. verſ. 3. 4. Let vsus preaſe therefore to holde vsus by the trueth, and keepe vsus from theſe extremities that the deuill preaſes to draw vsus to.
Now in the next verſe and in the beginning thereof he repeats againe his requeſt and that in few wordes. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes. It is the ſame thing which he ſaid before, but it is contracted in fewer words. Now what needs this repetition and doubling ouer? was it not eneugh to him to hauehave ſaid once be not deceyued? Brethren, men can neuer beware eneugh of ſeducers and falſe teachers, and therefore the watch-men can neuer ouer earneſtly and oft eneugh warne them to beware of them. And if I ſhould ſtand vp from morne till night, crying, keepe you from deceyuers, it will not be ſufficient; I ſpeak not ſo oft as need craues. Paul to the Philip chap. 3. verſe 1. ſaies; It greenetly me not to vv… to you the ſame things, and for you it is a ſure thing: and then he ſubjoins. Bevvare of dogs, bevvare of euill vvorkers, bevvare of the conciſion. So I ſay, we can neuer be earneſt eneugh in warning you to beware of falſe teachers, and namelie to beware of Papiſts: for experience might hauehave teached vsus within theſe few dayes what neede we hauehave to warne you to beware of Papiſtrie. Now he ſayes, Let no man deceiue you, that is, be not deceiued with any man without exception of perſon, in matters of Religion beleeue no man for his ranke. Brethren, experience teaches this daily. The perſons and authority of men deceiues many ſimple men. The eſtimation of learning and dignitie deceiues many. The Apoſtle knew this, and therefore he ſayes, Let no man; and againe he ſayes, he no meanes, neither by this meane, nor that meane: as he excludes all perſons, ſo he excludes all the waies of deceit. The waies of the deuill that he ſuggyres to falſe …eachers to deceiue men by, are infinite. There is no end of his waies. Hes he ſet one way? failles that way? he hes another way. If that failles too, he hes another, and ſo forth without end. So infinite are his waies to deceiue the godlie. Therefore the Apoſtle knowing that the deuill hes many wayes to deceiue them, forbids them to beleeue any of his meanes. Now the argument whereby he deceiues them, is, all is deceite. What euer be the perſon, what euer be the way, all is deceite. Therefore be not deceiued. There is ſuch a great loſe and domage in this one thing we call deceite that there is no other thing that will vpſet it. The loſe thou getſt by deceite will neuer be vpſet: all the kings and doctors vnderunder Heauen will neuer ſet vp thy loſe thou getſt by defection. Alas, what hes that … win when he hes win all the world and loſt his ſoule by falling away from the trueth. Now the Lord let eueryevery man ſee that there is nothing comparable to this hurt of deceiuing. What pleaſure can thou hauehave of all the kingdomes of the world when thou haſt a troubled hart and conſcience, when thou haſt an vnquyet ſoule within thee? Therfore as we ſay, It is good to ſleepe in a ſound skinne. Change not a ſetled minde and pacified hart with all the world, and preferre a ſound minde inlightned with the knowledge of Chriſt to all the honours and dignity in the world. And becauſe we are ſo vnſtable mynded and ſo ready to alter that except we be ſurely anchored on Chriſt we ſhall be euer beatten away with eueryevery light wind of falſe doctrine. Therefore we hauehave to pray that our ſoules may be anchored by a ſure faith on Chriſt. The Lord therefore by his grace anchor our ſoules on Chriſt. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praiſe for euer.
AMEN.