Commentary on 2 Thessalonians, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians · Chapter 3
Caput. iii.Farthermore brethren praye for vsus, that the vvorde of God may runne abrode, and be glorifyed as it is vvyth you, and that vve maye be delyuered, from vnreaſonable and euell men. For all men hauehave not fayth, but the LORD is faythfull, vvhyche ſhall ſtablyſhe you, and kepe you from euell. And vve hauehave good hope of you thorovve the LORDE, that ye both do and vvyll do that vvhyche vve cōmaunde you. And the LORDE guyde youre hartes into the louelove of God, and lokynge after Chriſte.
Of prayer.Ther is nothynge ſtronger in the ſyghte of God then a faythfull prayer, & therfore doth he by all meanes moue the godlye vntounto that mooſt dylygentlye. And here he ſendethe men vntounto prayer alſo, in that mooſte troubleſome and wycked worlde, and in the great daunger of godly men. The truthe was preached in dede, but in the mean ſeaſon ther ſprange vp dyuerſe ſchiſmaes amonge them alſo, whyche wolde ſeme to be the followers of true relygion. And the open enemyes of the catholyke relygiō dyd both bānyſhe the truthe, and alſo perſecuted the chefe ſetters forthe thereof mooſte cruelly: nother lacked ther certayne hypocrytes & falſe brethren, whyche were worſe then they, & dyd muche more hurte vntounto true godlyneſſe. For it is a true ſayenge, that an hypocrytycall frende doth more hurte then an open enemye. For of the one we take hede, and from the other we hyde no thynge. Therfore the greate dyſhoneſte, wyckednes, & vnfaythfulneſſe that was vſed in thoſe dayes, dyd make the lyfe of Chriſten men, (whyche otherwyſe was ſharpe ynoughe) much more bytter. But Paule moueth men vntounto prayer, & ſayth: Conſyderynge the greate daungers that the worlde is nowe in, ther is none other helpe but turne vntounto prayer. And he preſcrybeth the pryncypall thynges, whyche they ſhuld aſke of God by theyr contynuall prayer. Fyrſte that the worde of God myghte runne abrode, and be glorifyed amonge all other nacyōs, euen as it was dyuulgate amonge the Theſſalonians, and receaued of godlye mē wyth an holy reioycynge. And all the ſcrypture beareth wytneſſe, that thys was the perpetuall & mooſt feruenteſte wyſhe or deſyre of all ſaynctes. And in ye fourth chapter of the Actes of the Apoſtles, the Apoſtolyke church dyd aſke thys one thynge of God, that he wolde geue the apoſtles grace & ſtrengthe to ſpeake the worde of God wyth boldnes. We offende greatly nowe a dayes, that we do aſke theſe thynges ſo coldlye of God: yee and I wolde to God that we dyd not vtterlye forgette to aſke them at all. Nowe where as he ſayde to runne abrode, he ſpake it after the commune ſpeche, and he mente, that it might encreaſſe and ſpreade abrode apace wyth oute ony lette. And the worde is gloryfyed, when it is receaued of men, and all the glorye geuen vntounto God onelyonly. The ſecōde thynge that he teacheth to be aſked wyth prayer is, that we maye be delyuered from vnreaſonable and euell men: that is from inordynate and frowarde men,Who vsus vnreaſonable & eu…ll men. whyche do nothynge in theyr tyme and place, but all thynges peruerſlye. And the Apoſtle mente the enemyes of Gods worde, whō nothynge can pleaſe, and yet in the meanſeaſon they can do nothynge well themſelues. They fynde fautes, and peruerte all thynges, and depraue thoſe thynges whych are well ſayd and done, and do lade them and defyle them wyth ſhamefull ſuſpycions. They are alſo called ſhrewde, malycious and peruerſe mē. And Dauid in hys pſalmes, dothe deſyre very ofte to be delyuered frō them. And our LORDE dyd adde vntounto ye ende of that holy prayer: Delyuer vsus frō euell: not alonly from the deuell, but alſo from all hys armye and bodye, and ſpecially from that ſpyrytuall wyckedneſſe & thoſe crafty deceauers. For ther is more ieopardye in a falſe frende and one that diſſembleth all thynge, thē in an opē enemye.Al mē hauehave not faythe. And herevnto belongeth that which followeth: For all men hauehave not fayth. For this meaneth Paul: All they are not faythfull and true whyche wolde ſeme to be faythfull. For faythe in thys place is vſurped in the ſame ſygnifycacion that ye Poete taketh it, when he ſayeth: Nuſ quam tuta fides, a man woteth neare whome he maye truſte. Yf ye wyll not graūt this maner of ſpeakynge, then thys is ye meanynge: Touchynge ye I do requyre your prayers ſo greatlye that we myght be delyuered from vnreaſonable and froward men, it is becauſe I knowe that ther are many falſe brethren amonge you. For all they whyche pretende fayth, and profeſſe it wyth theyr mouthe, hauehave not the true fayth in dede. For oure LORDE ſayeth in the Goſpell. Math. xx. Many are called, but fewe are choſen. And althoughe theſe two ſences dyffer not muche, yet ye fyrſte lyketh me better. Nowe ther followeth. But the LORDE is faythfull, vvhyche ſhall ſtablyſhe you and kepe you from euell For leſte he ſhulde dyſcō forte the myndes of the ſaynctes through the vnfaythfulnes of manye: althoughe (ſayeth he) that ther be many vnfaythfull amonge you, yet the LORDE is faythful and true, whyche wyll kepe hys promyſe wyth vsus, and be wyth hys for euer. They do reſyſte the Goſpell, but they ſhall not ouercome it: they lette it that it can not go much abrode, but they ſhall not dryue it cleane backe. They do betraye the fauourers of the truthe, but yet they ſhall not vtterlye oppreſſe the truth. For Ieſus Chriſt whyche is faythfull is euer at hāde for to fyghte for hys. He ſhall ſtrēghthen hys agaynſte the vnhappyneſſe of theſe men, and ſhall kepe thē from euell. For as much as he is true, he wyll luckly perfourme thoſe thynges, whyche he hath begonne in vsus. Theſe wordes that are ſo full of conſolacion, ſhulde be often layde forth to ſuch as are in perrell & are greatlye aferde alſo of vnreaſonable and euell men. Nowe to mytygate and as it were to correcce, that whyche he ſayde before, he ſayeth: But vve hauehave good hope of you throughe the LORD, &c. As though he wolde ſaye: We ſaye not theſe thynges becauſe that we doute of your conſtauncy, no we do rather hope of you by the helpe of the LORDE Ieſus that thoſe thynges whyche I commaunde you of prayer, of watchynge and ſtedfaſtneſſe, ye both do and hereafter wyll do. And it hath muche grace wyth it, yf that in oure admonycion, we do reioyce of the thynge whyche we deſyre to receaue & optayne, as it were receaued & optayned already. Agayne, leſte that ony man ſhulde attrybute ouermuche vntounto theyr owne ſtrengthe, but that rather we ſhulde all knowe, that eueryevery gyfte is geuen vsus of God from heauē, the LORDE (ſayth he) guyde youre hartes, into the louelove of God, and lokynge after Chriſte. To ye wyhche Eraſmus dothe adde: Charite ſhall cauſe you for to ſtudye to do good vntounto all men, euen as God is benefycyal towarde all men. The lokynge for the cō mynge of Chriſte, ſhall cauſe you to ſuffer all afflyccions manfully. Therfore in all trubles and perylles, we hauehave theſe two ſtyltes for to beare vsus vp: prayer & ſtedfaſte fayth. Brethrē let vsus remembre theſe thynges I praye you, & in as muche as our tymes alſo are mooſte corrupte & troubleſome, and that for thys cauſe it is not poſſible but ye ſayntes ſhuld be vexed, let vsus praye to God, and conſtauntly beleue that he wyl neuer fayle vsus: although that in the meanſeaſon many vnreaſonable and euell men, do ether perſecute or betraye the truthe. God is true & fayth full, whyche can not denye hymſelfe, and the truthe ſhall remayn euermore inuincyble: let vsus cleue therfore vntounto ye truthe, and we ſhall hauehave the vyctory, althoughe that when we be ouerthrowen of the worlde, we ſeme to be ouercome.
Vve commaunde you brethren in the name of our LORDE Ieſus Chriſte, that ye vvythdravve your ſelues from eueryevery brother that vvalketh inordynately, and not after the inſtytucion vvhyche he receaued of vsus.
It is manyfeſte in the fourth chapter of the fyrſte Epyſtle,He condemneth deli…es exhort the men to laboure. what gaue hym an occcaſion of thys commaundemente: That is to ſaye, becauſe that immediatlye after the tyme of ye Apoſtles, certayn curious men beganne to thruſte themſelues into the church of God, and vnderunder the pretence of relygion or euell ſciences and ſlouthfull ydelnes, dyd gette them a ſwete lyuynge. And where as befor in his fyrſt epiſtle, he dyd but eaſlye as it were bycker or ſkyrmyſhe wyth them: he dothe nowe comme in open felde vponupon them, ouerthrowe them, and put thē to flyghte. Fyrſte of all he ſettethe forthe the matter generally and ſayeth: I wyll not that you hauehave ony conuerſacion wyth inordynate fellowes, and ſuche as ordre themſelues otherwyſe then we dyd ordeyne. And he ſpeaketh not thys thynge ſleghtlye, but wyth greate authoryte & pythye wordes, ſayenge: Vve commaunde you brethrē. After ye, leſte ony man ſhulde contemne hym, whan he thus commaundeth thē: he addeth to: in the name of our LORD Ieſu Chriſte. As thoughe he ſhulde ſaye: thoſe thynges whych we cōmaunde you, we commaunde you not ſo muche in our owne name, as at the commaundement and expreſſe byddynge of Ieſu Chriſte. And nowe he recytethe the cōmaundemēte of Chriſte: that ye wythdrawe your ſelues from eueryevery brother whyche behaueth hymſelfe inordynatelye, that is to ſaye, not after the inſtitucion whyche he receaued of vsus. We wyll ſpeake of that inſtytucion a lytle hereafter. Eraſmus ſayeth, that thoſe are brought into an ordre, whyche are bounde to the commune lawe, and dyffer in nothynge from other men. And that it is cōtrarye to thys, whē ony man the publyke lawes neglecte, lyueth at hys owne pleaſure. And yt Paule ſhulde meane thys, by walkynge inordynatlye, the lyfe of Monkes, whyche is receaued of vsus agaynſte the inſtytucion of the LORDE and of the Apoſtles agreeth wyth thys in all poyntes. But when he commaundeth, that we ſhulde wythdraw oure ſelues from them, he commaundeth vsus not to do as the Anabaptyſtes do, whyche ſeparatynge themſelues from ye cōmunion of ſayntes, do ſet vp a priuate cōgregacion: but that we ſhuld flye theyr company as muche as we can, to the intente that they myght be aſhamed & perceaue themſelues to be condempned for theyr ſlouthfulneſſe, and ſo be conuerted vntounto the LORDE.
For ye your ſelues knovve, hovve ye ought to follovve vsus. For vve behaued not our ſelues inordynatlye amonge you, nother toke vve breade of ony man for naught, but vvroughte vvyth laboure and ſvveat both nyght and daye, becauſe vve vvolde not be chargeable to ony of you. Not that vve myghte not ſo do: but for to make our ſelues an example vntounto you, to follovve vsus.
He ſhewethe by hys example what inſtytucion he had geuen them.Paule laboreth wt hys own hādes. He dothe alſo perſuade men to laboure, and candēpneth ydelneſſe. His wordes are playn. Althoughe (ſayeth he) I myghte well lyue at your coſte and ſtypende (for by breade he doth vnderſtonde meate & drynke: yee and all ſuche thynges as belonge vntounto ye ſuſtentacion and neceſſyte of thys lyfe) yet had I rather to laboure both nyght & day, for to ſhewe our ſelues an enſample and fourme vntounto all mē that they myght followe vsus. And by thys we maye ſe what it is to walke inordynatlye,To lyue inordynatlye. and to be in ordre. They lyue inordynatly, whych are ydle and take theyr breade for naughte, ye is to ſaye,To lyue ordynatlye. lyke drone bees do eate vp other mens laboures. They lyue in ordre whyche wyth laboure & ſweate do worke nyght and daye, that is to ſaye, contynuallye, and be not chargeable to ony man. The inſtytucions and rules of all ordres or Monkes,Monkes. after that they be touched, as it were with theſe holy thonderboltes, do fall flatte down. That whyche the ſame Paule dyſputed at Myletus, wyth the brethren of Epheſus, Actu .xx. agreeth well wyth thys.
For vvhen vve vvere vvyth you, thys thynge vve commaunded you: that yf ther vvere ony that vvold not vvorke, the ſame ſhulde not eate.
He that laboreth not, ye ſame ſhuld not eate.He reherſeth the ſame inſtytucion of hys, whyche he ſayde to be conteyned in the expreſſe wordes of the LORDE. And thys is the lawe: That he whyche wolde not laboure, ſhulde not eate. For ſlouthfull people deſerue none almes nother. For I thynke it not vnlyke vntounto this law of God, whyche the Gētyles were woūte to ſaye in lyke prouerbes: Qui fugit molam fugit farinam: he that flyeth ye mylle flyeth the meele, that is to ſaye: he that refuſeth to laboure, ſhal hauehave none of the vantage. And agayne: Ne que mel, ne que apes. No bees, no honye. For yf ony man wyll not ſuffre bees, becauſe they hauehave ſtynges, he is vnworthye to hauehave ony honye. And Mimus ſayeth in theſe wordes: Beare that whyche is greueous & paynfull that thou mayſte hauehave that whyche is pleaſaunte and profytable. Wherfore Valerius maximus .ii. boke .i. chap. ſayth that the Maſſilians do kepe theyr gates ſhutte agaynſte all ſuche whyche vnderunder ſome pretence of relygion do go aboute to mayntayne theyr ydelneſſe. Yf that ye kynges and rulers of Englande had marked thys inſtytuciō thre hundreth yeares ſooner, they had had more ryches & fewer Monkes. Plutarche ſheweth in hys notable & brefe ſentence of the Lacedemonians, that amonge them, the Goddes and Goddeſſes be paynted and portured echeone wyth a ſpeare in theyr hande: In ſo muche that Venus herſelfe was in complete harneſſe. Sygnifyenge by thys, that not ſo muche as the goddes were ydle amonge thē. He ſayeth farther that they hauehave thys prouerbe amonge them: Putte to thy hande, and calle on fortune, for ſo we muſt truſte on goddes helpe, that not wythſtondynge earneſtly we put to our dylygence ſo muche as lyeth in vsus. For God heareth not the prayers of the ſlougyſhe fylbellyes. Agayne it is a cōmune ſayenge: God wyll helpe thē that wyll laboure. Farther more, he that hath learnynge or an occupacion, maye go where he wyll. Alſo that knowlege & connynge is a hauen to men from ye ſtormes of pouertye, that is to ſaye: a ſcience or an occupaciō is the only remedy or refuge for pouerte.Eraſmus in adag…is: Arcem queuis alis terra. Wherfore they that are wyſe (I vſe the wordes of Eraſmus) althoughe yt they hauehave ſubſtaunce ynough, wyll yet cauſe theyr chyldrē for to learne ſome occupacion, wherwyth yf they fall into pouertye, or ſhuld chaunce to be banyſhed theyr contrye, they myght yet get theyr lyuynge. Dionyſius a tyraunte amonge the Syracuſans after he was put out of hys domynyon, ſette vp a ſcoole at Corynthum & taught chyldren learnyge and Muſycke. But now a dayes ther are many, whyche hauyng nothynge of theyr owne, do ſpende theyr tyme in rych mens houſes, from whence yf they ſhuld be dryuen oute, they muſte ether begge or ſteale. Alſo thys place of Paule doth condē ne all ſturdy beggers. I nede not to ſpeake ony thynge of Monkes and ſuche ſacrifyers, as are vnprofytable to the godly mynyſtracion of the churche, ſeynge ther can nothynge be fayned whyche dothe more condempne thē then thys.A neceſſary exhortacion to prynces and rulers. Ye prynces and rulers of cytyes take good hede, that thys lawe of God be put in vre and hauehave place amonge you, yf that you louelove the healthe of the cōmune welthe. I pray you ſuffre not the ſubſtaūce of your people, to be caſte vntounto theſe puttockes to be deuoured, lyke mē that were bewytched vnderunder the pretence of relygion: & wynke not alwayes at theſe craftye bryhers. Defende your people for Gods ſake, and brynge the lawe of god agayne into your commune wealthes.
For vve hauehave herde ſaye, that ther are certayne amonge you, vvhyche vvalke inordynatly, and vvorke not at all, but lyue curiouſly. And them that are ſuche vve commaūde and exhorte by our LORDE Ieſus Chriſte, that they vvorke vvyth quyetneſſe, and eate theyr ovvne breade.
Inordenate mē muſt be broughte… to an ordre.He ſpeaketh nowe more playnly and ſhortlye that thynge, whyche he hath hetherto ſet forth at large. The cauſe (ſayeth he) why I ſpeake of thys matter ſo muche, is, that I heare certayne men to be amonge you, whyche do walke inordynatlye: that is to ſaye, do no worke, but leade theyr lyfe curiouſly. Therfore we commaunde theſe men by our LORDE Ieſus Chriſte, yt they wyll get theyr lyuynge quyetlye, workynge wyth theyr owne handes. For thys thynge dyd the LORDE commaunde, Geneſ. iii. And condempned ydelneſſe for euer. We hauehave herde (ſayeth he) yt ther are certayne amonge you whyche do no worke at all, but geue theyr myndes to vnprofytable thynges.Who do lyue curyouſlye. For to lyue curiouſlye, is to be buſy and laboure in vayne: as you wolde ſay, to be nother ydle, nor well occupyed: that this myght be the menynge: I heare yt ther be among you whyche worke not: for althoughe they laboure myghtelye & ouermuche, yet theyr laboure is vnprofytable, and it were a greate deale better that they were ydle, then to be ſo euell occupyed. After thys maner we ſe certayne Mōkes, Sacryfyers, and Nonnes to laboure a pace: for they ſynge & mumble vp prayers both daye and nyght, they watche & leaue nothynge vndone ye ſuche kynde of people ſhuld do: But in as much as Chriſt ſayeth, Math. xv. They worſhyppe me in vayne, teachyng the doctrynes & commaundemētes of men. Theyr laboure is vnprofytable, and to none effecte. And ſo do the Anabaptyſtes crepe into all mens houſes, and reade & preach both daye and nyght: but no man calleth them, nother do they ſtudye ſyncerytye & and purenes, but do trouble mē. Vſerers alſo runne all aboute, and pull eueryevery mā by the ſleue and take greate payne: but to ye intente yt they myght be ryche, & lyue by the ſweate of other mē. For although that all theſe do laboure ſtrōgly, yet ther commeth no proſyte of theyr labour. For they do lytle good or none vntounto theyr neyghboures. What ſayde I do no good? where as they not only do hurte, but are alſo the greateſt deſtruccion vntounto the cō mune welthe. Saynte Ambroſe deſcrybynge a certayne kynde of curious men, of whyche ſorte we lacke none now a dayes, ſayeth: They whyche deſyre to be ydle,Of this ſort be theſe honeſte beggers (as they ſeme) and they, whych fayn thēſelues to be banyſhed for ye truthe ſake. go about to gette an occaſion, that they may make the ryche men fayne on them, & to call them ofte vntounto theyr houſes, and as they go vp and downe, they marke ſuttylly the doynges and opyniōs of eche one, by thys meanes knowynge what they wold gladlye heare of eueryevery man, that they may be fedde thankefullye and requyred alſo: whych kynde of doyng greatly abhorreth from the doctryne of ye LORDE. For the bellye is the God of thoſe whyche gette theyr lyuynge by ſuch fylthye and ſhameles prouiſion. Hetherto is S. Ambroſe ſayenge. How much more doth it dyffer from the doctryne of the LORDE, that Monkes and ſacryfyers hauehave robbed the people, vnderunder ye pretence of the name & ſeruyce of God, and hauehave ſtuffed theyr bellyes wyth mooſt ſwete delycates & deyntye dyſhes? Howe muche is it contrarye vntounto ye doctryne of Chriſt alſo, that ſturdye beggers & hypocrytes vnderunder the pretence of Chriſtes name do mayntayne theyr ydelnes, at the coſte & charge of Chriſten men? We cōmaunde and requyre ſuche (ſayeth the Apoſtle) yt they worke wyth quyetnes, & rate theyr owne breade: theyr owne breade (I ſaye) as though he wolde ſaye, not other mens breade, but theyr own. For they yt lyue curiouſly do not eate theyr own breade but other mens. Farther more they laboure not wt quyetnes: for theyr laboure cauſeth trouble, in as much as it is vnprofytable & chargeable to ye myſerabe people. On ye other ſyde, neceſſary laboure brynge the wyth it muche quyetneſſe & vtylyte: for he that goeth aboute hys owne buſyneſſe and worketh wyth hys own handes hath nede of nothynge .i. Theſſalo. iiii. And therfore is chargeable to no man, but doth geue to them that hauehave nede. Ephe. iiii. As many of you as are chargeable vntounto the people, as many of you as do no worke at all, but go aboute thynges that be to no purpoſe, thynke ye yt thys is ſpoken vntounto you alſo. Chriſte ſhall punyſhe you, excepte ye leaue your dyſhoneſt and mooſt vncomlye ydelneſſe, and gette you to laboure. And here is a goodly place, to ſpeake of the kyndes of laboures and buſyneſſe, and of the helpynge and duetyes to the poore alſo. For all thynges are out of ordre amonge vsus, but I had rather to ſubſcrybe vntounto other better learned, then to ſhewe forth myne ignoraunce. Lewes Viues hath wrytten two bokes of thys matter, in the whyche yf the rulers wold exercyſe thēſelues cōtynually, peraduē ture the cōmune welth ſhuld be in better caſe then it is, & ther ſhuldbe leſſe ſlouth & ydelneſſe, & more laboure & quyetneſſe.
And ye brethren be not vverye in vvell doynge.We oughte to do good vntounto al mē.
The mooſt parte of the ryche mē do vſe to vpbrayde ye poore theyr ſlouggyſhneſſe and ydelneſſe, they other whyles not ſo euell or myſcheuous, as wretched and myſerable. And by thys pretēce they kepe theyr charite from them that hauehave nede of it. And therfore S. Paule ſayeth: I wyll not by thys meanes wythdrawe ony man from well doynge, or geue ony man an occaſion for to ordre myſerable people the more cruelly or vngētlye. For mē ought alwaye to do good. They ſhlud do well to eueryevery man, but ſpeciallye vntounto godly men, we wold not ye God ſhulde be werye of our neceſſityes. We wolde yt he ſhuld receaue our oftē requeſtes wt a mery coūtenaūce. Therfore we ſhuld not be weerye alſo, when ye hys mēbres do call vponupon vsus for our helpe. And it is a pyteous thynge: yee yt a very ydle perſon ſhuld peryſhe for hunger. Agayne they offende agaynſt ye doctryne of God, whych are ouer fauourable vntounto ſturdye vagaboundes. But good mē can determyne this ſtryfe, equyte beynge theyr guyde:
Yf ony man obeye not oure ſayenges, ſende vsus vvorde of hym by a letter: and hauehave no cōpany vvyth hym, that he maye be aſhamed. And counte him not as an enemye, but vvarne him as a brother.
He ordeneth a punyſhemente for the dyſobediente.A payne is ordeyned for the dyſobediente. Yf that ony man (ſayeth he) deſpyſeth to obey our inſtytucions, ſende vsus worde of hym by Epiſtle, and in the meanſeaſon let hym be put oute of youre familiaryte: & that for thys purpoſe, that after he is ouercome with ſhame, he may amēde. For thys dyſciplyne is not ordeyned for ye deſtruccion of ony man, but for his health. Therfore ye ſhall not vtterly putte from you a ſynner, but louelove hym alwayes as a brother: but yet in ye meanſeaſon ye ſhall monyſhe hym of hys faute and correcte hym. And oute of thys place we maye learne what the diſciplyne of ye churche is, and vntounto what ende it oughte to be putte in …e, & alſo why the Apoſtle doth commaunde vsus to flye the company of the dyſobediente: not that we ſhuld abhorre them as enemyes and wycked mē, not that we ſhulde preferre our ſelues aboue other in holyneſſe, or els ſtāde well in our owne conceates, or exercyſe tyrannye toward the myſerable people: but that he whyche is gyltye, beynge taughte through our wythdrawynge from hym, & as it were warned of hymſelfe, ſhuld remēbre hym ſelfe, and eſteme hys fylthyneſſe as it is in dede, and ſo beynge aſhamed, to amende. And yf that by the meanes of the euell that raygned in hym he wyll not amende, & by thys meanes come to hym ſelfe & repente: thē ſhall ye ſayntes take delyberaciō amonge them, by what meanes thys madde man may be holpē, leſte that ether he himſelfe do vtterly peryſhe, or els infecte other wyth the ſame dyſeaſe. For they are deceaued whyche whē theyſe that the auoydynge from hys company auayleth not, do ſet aſyde all farther remedyes, thynkynge that after thys, the churche maye vſe none other meanes to brynge them into the waye. But Paule ſayeth, ſende vsus word of him by a letter. To what purpoſe I pray you? That he myghte hauehave the name of hym that dyſobeyeth? But what profyte ſhuld come of yt? He wolde therfore hauehave knowlege of ſuche by an epiſtle, that he myght take wyth godly men ſuche counſell for thoſe vnruelye people, as they ſhulde thynke mete. For we ought all of vsus to do our diligence that we deſtroye not thē for whome Chriſte dyed, nother by our importunytie or cruelneſſe, nother yet by our ignoraunce & neglygence. But theſe wordes of ye Apoſtle ſeme vntounto ſome mē, to be vnderſtonde of ye priuate cōuerſacion of men: that is to ſaye, that eueryevery mā ſhulde abſtayne ſo muche as he coulde from the cōpanye & familiaritie, of ſuche as are dyſobedyente: And many hauehave expounded it of the open excōmunycacion.
The very LORDE of peace, geue you peace alvvayes by all meanes. The LORDE be vvyth you all. The ſalutaciō of me Paule, vvyth myne ovvn hande. Thys is my token in all epiſtles. So I vvryte. The grace of our LORDE Ieſus Chriſte be vvyth you all. Amen.
He concludeth hys epyſtle, & wyſheth them the bonde of al ryghteouſneſſe, holy peace, that they myghte kepe yt alwayes and in all theyr buſyneſſe For Satan is the author of diſcorde, chydynge, ſtryfe, enuye, and priuy hatred: and God is the author of concorde, mekneſſe, and charyte. He dwelleth wyth all ſayntes, ſo longe as they lyue in thys world in truthe and ryghteouſneſſe. Hys preſence is the fountayne of all goodnes, and hys abſence is the cauſe of all darkeneſſe, erroure, and eternall horror. Saynte Ambroſe ſayethe that for feare of choppers and chaūgers and corrupters of ſcryptures Paule doth teſtifye, yt he dyd alwayes ſubſcrybe hys ſalutaciō in eueryevery one of hys epiſtles wt his own hande: to the intente yt ony epiſtle receaued in his name, myghte not be ſuffered yf it were not ſubſcrybed wyth hys owne hande. The Apoſtles toke ſuch care, leſte that the congregacions ſhulde be deceaued by ony crafte or deceate. Theſe thynges do ſhewe of what certayntie & verite the Apoſtles wrytynges be. And becauſe that Paule dyd teache conſtantlye amonge all nacions yt mankynde was ſaued by the grace of God, therfore he repetynge his wounte ſignet or ſubſcripcion dyd ſette to at the ende of all his epiſtles, this marke and ſeale of our faythe: The grace of oure LORDE Ieſus Chriſte be with you all. It appeareth: therfore by thys, that the Apoſtle vſed the helpe of a notarye or ſcryuener for to wryte hys epiſtles yt he ſente.
FINIS.
Fautes eſcaped in prentynge.
Werof the fyrſte nombre is the leafe, and A the fyrſte ſyde, B the ſeconde, the other nombre is the lyne.
iii. b lyne xxiiii. ſeruaū- reade ſeruauntes
iii. b lyne .xxvi. and to vſurpe. reade do vſurpe
iiii. b lyne .xxii. accordyns, reade accordynge
vii. a lyne .xxvii. ſay- he. reade ſayeth he
vii b lyne .xviii myghtye engendre. reade myght
xi. a lyne .xix. (as S. Ambroſe reade For (as S Am.
xiii. a lyne .x departynge of fayth. reade from fayth
xiii. b lyne .xxliii. ten kyngdomes. reade kynges
xiiii b lyne .xxiii. he bowed read bouged
xv. a lyne. xix. Lel…us Sylla. reade Lucius Sylla
xv. b lyne iiii. the halfe horne. reade lytle horne
xvi. b lyne .iii Let vsus therfore reade Let vsus now ther.
xviii. a lyne .xv. mad an ende. reade made an ende
xviii. b lyne xiiii. Entichetis hereſy. reade Entichetis of
xxxi. a lyne .xix. he had troden downe. reade hath trodē
Item and hath publyſhed for had publyſhed
Here endeth the commentarye of Henricus Bullingerus of Tygurye vponupon the ſeconde Epiſtle of ſaynte Paule to the Theſſalonyans, & faythfully tranſlated into Englyſhe by R. H.
Laus detur deo ſoli. Amen.
Prynted in Southwarke in S Thomas hoſpytall by Iames Nicolſon. Anno. 1538.
End of the text · Henrich Bullinger, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians (1538)