Unto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. There are sundry sorts of Churches. There is a Church of the wicked, whereof the Prophet saith, I have hated the assembly 1of the evil, and have not companied with the wicked. Two hundred and fifty Captains, 2men of renown, and famous in the congregation, joined themselves to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. But Moses said unto Korah, thou and all thy company, are gathered together against the Lord. The builders of the great tower 3of Babel were many in number, and consented to that they had imagined to do, thereby to get them a name, but the Lord did confound their language, and scattered them upon the face of the earth. The Scribes and Pharisees and high Priests held a c•uncel, and 4conferred among themselves. But, against the Lord, and against his Christ. John is commanded 5to write unto the Angel of the church of the Smyrnians, These things saith he which is first and last, which was dead, and is alive. I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan. They revile you, and speak all manner of evil against you for my names sake. They charge you with teaching false doctrine, and ⟨p. 7⟩say you have departed from the Church: that they are the seed of Abraham, the children of promise, the true worshippers of God, and which walk in the steppes of their forefathers. But, their boast hereof is vain. It profiteth them nothing, that Abraham was their father, that the covenant was made with them, that they were circumcised, that a law was given unto them. Let them not trust in their fathers: let them not trust in lying words, and say the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord. If they were Abraham's children, they would do the works of Abraham. If God were their father, then would they love Christ his Son, and seek to set forth his glory. If they were of the sheepfold of God, they would hear his voice. They are of their father the Devil, and the lusts of their father they will do. They are in name the servants of Christ, but serve Antichrist: they call themselves Jews, but are the Synagogue of Satan. For (saith the Apostle) he is 6not a Jew, which is one outward: neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:
Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christ. There are sundrie sorts of Churches. There is a Church of the wicked, wherof the Prophet saith, I haue hated the assemblie 1of the euil, and haue not companied with the wicked. Two hundred and fiftie Captaines, 2men of renowme, and famous in the congregation, ioined themselues to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. But Moses said vnto Korah, thou and al thy companie, are gathered togither against the Lord. The builders of the great tower 3of Babel were manie in number, and consented to that they had imagined to do, thereby to get them a name, but the Lord did confound their language, and scattered them vpon the face of the earth. The Scribes and Pharisées and high Priests held a c•uncel, and 4conferred among themselues. But, against the Lord, and against his Christ. Iohn is commanded 5to write vnto the Angel of the church of the Smyrnians, These things saith hee which is first and last, which was dead, and is aliue. I knowe the blasphemie of them, which saie they are Iews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan. They reuile you, and speake al maner of euill against you for my names sake. They charge you with teaching false doctrine, and ⟨p. 7⟩saie you haue departed from the Church: that they are the séede of Abraham, the children of promise, the true worshippers of God, and which walke in the steppes of their forefathers. But, their boast heereof is vaine. It profiteth them nothing, that Abraham was their father, that the couenant was made with them, that they were circumcised, that a lawe was giuen vnto them. Let them not trust in their fathers: let them not trust in lying words, and saie the temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lorde. If they were Abrahams children, they woulde doe the workes of Abraham. If God were their father, then would they loue Christ his sonne, and séeke to set foorth his glorie. If they were of the shéepefolde of God, they woulde heare his voice. They are of their father the Diuel, and the lusts of their father they wil doe. They are in name the seruants of Christ, but serue Antichrist: they call themselues Iewes, but are the Synagogue of Satan. For (saith the Apostle) he is
- 1Psal. 26.
- 2Num. 16.
- 3Gen. 11.
- 4Act. 4.
- 5•eve. 2.•eue. 2.
- 6Rom. 2.
