The first part appeareth manifest by that which is already spoken, that all miracles in the time of Antichrist shall cease in the elect.
The second part is also evident: forasmuch as none of the present preachers can show by the Scripture of the law of God, that he is specially named thereunto.
And likewise, I do also affirm and say, as touching all preachers who shall come hereafter, that they are not named by name; but let no man here object Enoch and Elias, who were ancient preachers, and prophesied by the Holy Spirit of God. And it is apparent, that like as it is not a cause sufficient to prove, that this priest or deacon is sent of God to preach, because he worketh miracles; so is it not a cause sufficient to prove that he is not sent of God to preach, because he doth no miracles; but to confess the truth, to work righteousness, to contemn the world with the glory thereof, patiently to suffer rebukes, is a sufficient testimony for any priest or deacon, having knowledge of the law of God, freely to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, forasmuch as, in such case, he is sent of God. And this is the sending which the apostle speaketh of in Romans xii. "How should they preach, except they be sent?" Whereupon the Gloss of St. Augustine writeth thus; "These things serve to set forth God's grace, declaring that all our goodness is prevented[1] by grace." "For," he saith, "belief cometh of hearing, hearing cometh of preaching, and preaching by the sending of God; so that it altogether and wholly cometh out of the fountain of grace, and preaching truly cometh of sending." This hath the Gloss: "How shall they then preach, without they be sent of God? And this is evident, that the great and principal sending is from God alone, as it is proved by Moses."
The second sending is both from God and man; as by the example of Joshua and others, who were sent both by God and the rulers to preach.
The third sending is from man alone; which is not founded in the law of God, but in men's traditions, which they rather esteem.
The fourth sending, which hath but the name only, is proper to them, who of themselves unworthily usurp the office of preaching, as those false prophets of whom God speaketh in Jeremy xxiii., "I did not send them, and they ran; I spake not unto them, and they prophesied: if they had continued in my counsels, and had declared my words unto my people, I would have converted them from their evil ways, and wicked imaginations." And our Saviour speaketh of these prophets in Matthew, saying, "There shall arise false prophets." And Peter, his true vicar, in his second epistle and second chapter, prophesying unto the faithful believers in Christ, speaketh thus of them: "There were amongst the people false prophets, as there shall be amongst you also masters of lies, through whom the truth shall be blasphemed and slandered;" and that he might the better instruct the people to know them, he addeth, "They shall go about with feigned words, for coveteousness' sake, to make merchandize of you."
Difference between the ministers of Christ and Antichrist.Wherefore every faithful man, diligently weighing these things in his mind, may now easily perceive how great a number of false prophets there be, through whom the christian truth is blasphemed, and all covetous dealing is exercised; and these are they who freely preach lies. But the humble and true ministers of Christ, wheresoever they do appear, by and by are persecuted, whereby the prophecy of the apostle is verified, which is written in the second epistle to Timothy, chap. iii. "All men," saith he, "which desire to live godly, shall suffer persecution; but the evil men and seducers shall prosper in their wickedness, running daily more and more into all kinds of errors." Ministers of Antichrist do cloak the vices of their prelates.The wicked have now so much prevailed, that they do preach lies, making heretics of the faithful Christians; neither is there any man that dare prohibit them their lying, so that they do not preach against the vices of the prelates. How then can you say, that Antichrist is not exalted above all that is called God, suppressing the members of Christ in his office, fortifying and fostering his members in lying? Therefore the true and faithful disciples of Christ ought to stand ready girt about their loins, and shoes upon their feet, in defence of the gospel, taking the sword in hand, which is the word of God [Ephes. vi.], and to fight against the crafts of Antichrist, who goeth about utterly to extinguish the true preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.- ↑ Is preceded by, or is the result of.—Ed.
