A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

The Sentinel perceives a passenger; Who goes there? A Friend. Give the word. Lux Christi; I am for the light of the Gospel: though he be a false friend, yet the word admits him. But the Sentinel, asking, Who goes there? it is answered, a Friend. Give the word: Tenebrae mundi, I am for darkness and Ignorance. Shall he pass, he is a friend to the Pope? As Demosthenes got more by silence, than other Advocates by pleading: so the Pope hath got more by darkness, than any Bishop of the Christian world by light. Others get only heaven, but he hath got heaven, and earth, and Purgatory, (and perhaps hell) to boot.

The Centinell perceives a passenger; Who goes there? A Friend. Give the word. Lux Christi; I am for the light of the Gospell: though he be a false friend, yet the word admits him. But the Centinell, asking, Who goes there? it is answered, a Friend. Give the word: Tenebrae mundi, I am for darknesse and Ignorance. Shall he passe, he is a friend to the Pope? As Demosthenes got more by silence, than other Advocates by pleading: so the Pope hath got more by darknesse, than any Bishop of the Christian world by light. Others get onely heaven, but he hath got heaven, and earth, and Purgatory, (and perhaps hell) to boot.

Simplicity, sometimes a sin Personal in the Lay-people, is now become a sin Cathedral in the Teachers. But though the people may not read the Scripture, yet they preach Scripture. But alas, how should the people know whether they preach Scripture or not? who can discern a wolf from a sheep, without some light? They tell you the miracles of such a Block, the wonders of a Crucifix, what prayers you must number to Saints. They make Sermons, as they did their Church-windows: so much painting in them, that they quite keep out the light. And in conclusion, they persuade the people to love darkness: for this will bring them to devotion; just as sure ⟨p. 350⟩as the Devil would bring them to salvation. Consider and pity their estate: exterior darkness hath caused interior darkness. When the heavens are shadowed with thick clouds, the glorious Sun retired to his descent, the Moon afraid to put forth her silver horns, the Stars not able to twinkle in their spheres; not a little candle, not a spark of fire to be gotten: O uncomfortable confusion! Ten thousand times more wretched is the souls estate in this spiritual darkness: what are the companions of it, but error and terror? First, as in the night all things have lost their colours, in respect of our apprehension. Who could know the blew Friars from the grey, or the white from the black, or Nicholas Clerks from either? So the darkened soul thinks blessing and cursing all one: to worship our Lady as good as to worship our Lord,