An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…

This is that, whereof our saviour gave us warning, Take heed that no man deceive ¹you: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shall deceive many. Again, he sayeth, If any shall say unto you, l•e here is Christ, or there, believe it not: for there shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets. Into what shape can not he transform himself? in whose name will not he craftily set forth his errors, which dareth falsely set him self in the place of the •onne of GOD? This hath evermore been the practise of that old Serpent, to change ⟨p. 256⟩himself into the likeness of an Angel of light: and under the credit of holy men, to deceive the world with unholy and unwholesome things. Since the time that the Church of God hath departed from her first faith, and would no longer be guided by the voice of the Gospel: what, and how great forgeries have there been wrought? What Epistles, and Canons, and decretals have been devised to maintain several parts of false religion, and published under the name of Clemens, Cletus, Anacletus, and of others, whereof these holy fathers never thought? Thus have they cloaked themselves under the covert of the Apostles, & of the fathers of the primitive church, and have thought to win credit in the world, by false show of antiquity.

This is that, whereof our sauiour gaue vs warning, Take heede that no man deceiue ¹you: for many shal come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shal deceiue many. Againe, he sayeth, If any shal say vnto you, l•e here is Christ, or there, belecue it not: for there shal arise false Christes, and false Prophetes. Into what shape can not he transforme himselfe? in whose name wil not hée crastilie sette foorth his errours, which dareth falfelie sette him selfe in the place of the •onne of GOD? This hath euermore béene the practise of that olde Serpent, to chaunge ⟨p. 256⟩himselfe into the likenesse of an Angel of light: and vnder the credite of holie men, to deceiue the worlde with vnholy and vnwholesome thinges. Since the time that the Church of God hath departed from hir first faith, and would no longer be guided by the voyce of the Gospel: what, and howe great forgeries haue there béene wrought? What Epistles, and Canons, and decretals haue béene deuised to maintaine seueral partes of false religion, and published vnder the name of Clemens, Cletus, Anacletus, and of others, whereof these holie fathers neuer thought? Thus haue they cioked themselues vnder the couert of the Apostles, & of the fathers of the primitiue church, and haue thought to winne credite in the worlde, by false shewe of antiquitie.