Indeed in the primitive times there the greatest contention was about the Doctrines of Religion, what Doctrines should hold upon Christ and what not, and the people of God did there suffer most for contending about the doctrines that held upon Christ the Head, they would not receive a Doctrine but what held on Christ, and what was obtruded upon them, not holding upon Christ the Head they did reject. And Luther upon this place hath this speech, he tells us how much the Church in after time did suffer for this very thing, and saith, What kind of dangers did environ the Church, and do environ it for acknowledging Christ to be the head, these our times do sufficiently testify. And further, because we preach Christ to be the whole head, therefore we are subject to Anathemas, and to all kind of punishment. And in these latter times it is like that the great contention will be, rather about the head-ship of Christ in the point of his government then in the other, the other being so clear unto us; and the sufferings of the people of God will be so much the more grievous, because that this is accounted such a little thing, such a poor business: And further, because this doth not seem to be altogether so clearly revealed in the Scripture, as other Doctrinal points that hold upon Christ the •ead. And Christ the rather hath so disposed ⟨p. 117⟩of things, that this shall not be so clearly revealed, because he intended to suffer Antichrist to rise to his height: and it cannot be imagined that if the Doctrine of Christs government in his Church had been clearly and demonstratively laid down, so as there could have been no gain-saying of it, I say it cannot be imagined how it is possible for Antichrist to have risen to that height that he hath; Christ because he intended to bring about many passages of his providence, and many great works of his that way in suffering Antichrist to arise; therefore he hath left this point so in the word as is subject to many doubts, and may occasion many objections against it.
Indeed in the primitive times there the greatest contention was about the Doctrines of Religion, what Doctrines should hold upon Christ and what not, and the people of God did there suffer most for contending about the doctrines that held upon Christ the Head, they would not receive a Doctrine but what held on Christ, and what was obrtuded upon them, not holding upon Christ the Head they did reject. And Luther upon this place hath this speech, he tells us how much the Church in after time did suffer for this very thing, and saith, What kinde of dangers did inviron the Church, and do inviron it for acknowledging Christ to be the head, these our times doe sufficiently testifie. And further, because we preach Christ to be the whole head, therefore we are subject to Anathemas, and to all kinde of punishment. And in these latter times it is like that the great contention will be, rather about the head-ship of Christ in the point of his government then in the other, the other being so cleare unto us; and the sufferings of the people of God will be so much the more grievous, because that this is accounted such a little thing, such a poor businesse: And further, because this doth not seem to be altogether so clearely revealed in the Scripture, as other Doctrinall points that hold upon Christ the •ead. And Christ the rather hath so disposed ⟨p. 117⟩of things, that this shall not be so clearly revealed, because he intended to suffer Antichrist to rise to his height: and it cannot be imagined that if the Doctrine of Christs government in his Church had beene clearly and demonstratively laid down, so as there could have beene no gain-saying of it, I say it cannot be imagined how it is possible for Antichrist to have risen to that height that he hath; Christ because hee intended to bring about many passages of his providence, and many great workes of his that way in suffering Antichrist to arise; therefore he hath left this point so in the word as is subject to many doubts, and may occasion many objections against it.
