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

which only taketh away the sin of the world, only quencheth the wrath to come, only abateth the edge of his Fathers Justice, even that sword cherubical which glitters before Paradise: this, this is to deny the Lord that bought them. They are all for Traditions, we for the Scriptures: the goods of our Father are in question, whither shall shall we go but to his will and testament? thither we fly, we do not deny thy word, ô Lord, we do not deny thee: but they that deny the word of Christ, deny Christ himself.

which only taketh away the sinne of the world, only quencheth the wrath to come, only abateth the edge of his Fathers Iustice, even that sword cherubicall which glitters before Paradise: this, this is to deny the Lord that bought them. They are all for Traditions, we for the Scriptures: the goods of our Father are in question, whither shall shall we goe but to his will and testament? thither we flie, we doe not deny thy word, ô Lord, we doe not deny thee: but they that deny the word of Christ, deny Christ himselfe.

Under this rank of deniers come those whilome professors of Religion, that have now accepted the mark of the beast who are so foolish, that having begun in the Spirit, they will now be made perfect by the flesh, Gal. 3.3. They despise the chaste spouse of their Saviour, and are bewitched with the painted beauty of an ill favoured strumpet. They that have seen her in her gavest dress with Christian eyes, have loathed her: others have looked on her with the eyes of flesh, and adored her. Diverse have come to Rome with a purpose to be confirmed Papists: by hearsay they magnified her; they came, saw, and scorned her. They looked for religion, and found rank idolatry: the fire of their zeal brought them to the flames of martyrdom. We have some that suffer their zeal there to die, where those good mens zeal began to live; and delight to live, where they would but die. Our mother weeps for them, not for need, but for pity, for piety, for love. Troops of better informed souls flock daily into her bosom, disdaining their late Antichristianism, and embracing her knees on their own. The mighty one of Israel, that leaves the ninety nine to reduce one lost sheep; fetch them home to his fold, though with shame, though by death. That they may shame the devil, forsake that harlot, love their own mother, bless their own Father, and lastly save their own souls.