He prophecieth of Heretikes to come, 6 and noteth certaine then also for such, bidding him to
auoid them, 10 and (whatsoeuer persecution befal for it) to continue constant in the Catholike
doctrine, both because of his Maister (S. Paul himself) 15 and also because of his owne
knowledge in the Scriptures.
1. AND this know thou, that
1. Tim. 4,1.
in the last daies shal approch perilous times.
2. And
Men shal be.
Al these wordes S. Cyprian expoundeth of such as by pride and disobedience resist Gods
Priests. Let no faithful man, saith he, that keepeth in minde our Lordes and the Apostles
admonition, maruel if he see in the later times some proud and stubburne fellowes and the
enimies of Gods Priests, goe out of the Church or impugne the same: vvhen both our Lord
and the Apostle foretold vs that such should be. Cypr. ep. 55. nu. 3.
men shal be louers of themselues, couetous, hautie, proud, blasphemous, not
obedient to their parents, vnkind, wicked,
3. without affection, without peace, accusers, incontinent, vnmerciful, without
benignitie,
4. traitours, stubburne, puffed vp, and louers of voluptuousnes more then of God:
5. hauing an appearance indeed of pietie, but denying the vertue thereof. And these
auoid.
6. For of these be they that craftily enter into houses; & lead captiue seely
Women loden.
Women easily seduced by heresie.
Women loden with sinnes, are for such their deseruings, and through the frailtie of their
sexe, more subiect to the heretikes deceites, then men: the enemie attempting (as he did in
the fall of our first parents) by them to ouerthrovv men. See S. Hierom vpon the 3 chapter
of Ieremie, where he addeth that euery heresie is first broched propter gulam &
ventrem, for gluttonie and belly-cheere.
women
loden with sinnes, which are led with diuers desires:
7. alwaies learning, and neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth.
8. But as
✟
That those Magicians which resisted Moyses, were thus called, it is not written in
al the old Testament: therfore it came to the Apostles knowledge by tradition, as
the Church now hath the names of the 3. Kings, of the penitent theefe, of the
souldiar that pearced Christs side on the Crosse, and of they like.
Iannes and Mambres
Exo. 7.
resisted Moyses, so these also resist the truth, men
corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
9. But they shal prosper no further: for their
Folly manifest.
The folly of Heretikes in time appeareth.
Al heretikes in the beginning seeme to haue some shew of truth, God for iust punishment of
mens sinnes permitting them for some vvhile in some persons and places to preuaile: but in
short time God detecteth them, and openeth the eies of men to see their deceites: in so much
that after the first brunt they be mainteined by force onely, al wise men in maner seing
their falshod, though for troubling the state of such common weales vvhere vnluckely they
haue been receiued, they can not be so sodenly extirped.
folly shal be manifest to al, as theirs
also was.
10.
⋮
The rest of the Epist. for S. Georges day.
But thou hast attained to my doctrine, institution, purpose, faith, longanimitie,
loue, patience,
11. persecutions, passions: what manner of things were done to me at Antioche, at
Iconium, at Lystra: what manner of persecutions I sustained. And out of al our Lord deliuered me.
12. And
Al that wil liue.
Persecution.
Al holy men suffer one kinde of persecution or other, being greeued and molested by the
vvicked, one way or an other: but not al that suffer persecution, be holy, as al
malefactors. The Church and Catholike Princes persecute heretikes, and be persecuted of
them againe, as S. Augustine often declareth. See ep. 48.
al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesvs, shal suffer persecution.
13. But euil men & seducers shal
Prosper.
Though heresies and the authors of them be after a while discouered & by litle and litle
for saken generally of the honest, discrete, and men careful of their owne saluation, yet
their authors and other great sinners proceede from one errour and heresie to an other,
and finally to plaine Atheisme and al Diuelish disorder.
prosper to the worse: erring, and driuing into
errour.
14. But thou,
✟
In al danger and diuersitie of false Sects, S. Paules admomonition is, euer to abide
in that was first taught and deliuered, neuer to giue ouer our old faith for a new
fansie. This is it which before be calleth depositum. 1. Tim. 6. and 2 Tim. 1.
continue in those things which thou hast learned, & are committed to
thee: knowing of whom thou hast learned;
15. & because from thine infancie thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures, which can
instruct thee to saluation, by the faith that is in Christ Iesvs.
16.
Al Scripture.
Besides the Apostles teaching and tradition, the reading of holy Scriptures is a great
defense and helpe of the faithful, aud specially of a Bishop, not onely to auoid and
condemne al heresies, but to the guiding of a man in al iustice, good life and vvorkes.
The great profit of reading the Scriptures.
Vvhich commendation is not here giuen to the bookes of the new Testament onely (vvhereof
he here speaketh not, as being yet for a great part not vvritten) but to the Scripture of
the old Testament also, yea and to euery booke of it. For there is not one of them, nor any
part of them, but it is profitable to the end aforesaid, if it be read and vnderstood
according to the same Spirit vvherewith it vvas vvritten.
The Heretikes foolish argument: Al Scripture is profitable, ergo only Scripture is
necessarie & sufficient.
The Heretikes vpon this commendation of holy Scriptures, pretend (very simply in good sooth) that
therfore nothing is necessarie to iustice and saluation but Scriptures. As though euery thing that
is profitable or necessarie to any effect, excluded al other helpe, and vvere onely ynough to
attaine the same. By vvhich reason a man might as vvel proue that the old Testament vvere ynough,
and so exclude the new: or any one peece of al the old, and thereby exclude the rest. For he
affirmeth euery Scripture to haue the foresaid vtilities. and they might see in the very next line
before, that he requireth his constant perseuêrance in the doctrine vvhich he had taught him ouer
and aboue that he had learned out of the Scriptures of the old Testament, vvhich he had read from
his infancie, but could not thereby learne al the mysteries of Christian religion therein. Neither
doth the Apostle affirme here that he had his knowledge of Scriptures, by reading onely, vvithout
helpe of maisters and teachers, as the Aduersaries herevpon (to committe the holy Scriptures to
euery mans presumption) do gather: but affirmeth onely that Timothee knevv the Scriptures and
therfore had studied them by hearing good readers and teachers, as S. Paul him self did of
Gamaliel and the like, and as al christian students doe, that be trained vp from their youth in
Catholike vniuersities in the studie of Diuinitie.
1. Pet. 1,21.
Al Scripture inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to argue, to correct, to
instruct in iustice: that the man of God may be perfect, instructed to euery good worke.