Peter the last chapter it is sayd. Euen as our welbeloued brother Paule according to the wisedome that God hath geuen vnto hym, hath written vnto you: Glossa. The chiefest of the Apostles hath here forgotten hys papall autoritie, and also hys keyes that were deliuered vnto hym: For he is astonied as it were at the great wisdome geuen vnto hys brother Paule. For in deede, it is the maner of the elect children of God, to be more in loue wyth the vertues of other men then wyth their owne: wherefore in the second chap. to the Philip, is writtē. Let those that are superiours esteeme of themselues in all humilitie. They therfore that do the contrary, saying that their state or doynges be better then other mens, although they be preachers, yet are they no true Apostles, but in deede false prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne. 5. is that true preachers neede no letters commendatorie.The fift signe is, that true Apostles neede no letters of commendation: nor yet desire to haue themselues praysed of men: as in the 2. Cor. 3. chap. the Apostle sayth, we neede not the letters of commendation of any man: that is to say of false prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne. 6. is that true Apostles preach not vnles they be sent.The sixt signe is, that true Apostles, do not preach vnlesse they be sent, as in the 10. chap. to the Rom. how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent, Glossa. There be no true Apostles but those that be sent. For they haue no neede of Signes which are true witnes bearers, but those that be not sent and do preach, are false prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne 7. is when those false prophets preach that were not sent.The seuenth signe is, for as much as false Prophetes haue not their auctoritie in their owne names: wherfore, in the 2. epist. of S. Paule to the Cor. it is written. For we dare not boast our selues or make comparison, Glossa That is to say, with those that be false prophetes: not takyng their authoritie from God, but vsurpyng the same desirous to beare rule, clayming in their owne name their auctoritie. And therfore although peraduenture by presumption they say that they are sent of God, as all heretikes wyll say: yet notwithstanding, vnlesse they shall proue their sendyng, eyther by spirituall prophecie as Iohn Baptist did, saying: I am the voyce of a cryer in the desert: As out of the prophet Esay in the first chapter of S. Ihons Gospell is alleged: Or els by myracles, as Moyses dyd which turned hys rodde into a Serpent, and agayne from a Serpent to a rod, as in the. 7. chap. of Exodus: they ought to be excommunicated, tyll such tyme they cease frō preaching: Yet notwithstanding, a myracle ought not to be a sufficient testimonie of their sending, for as much as they be done oftentimes, and that of euill and wicked men. 1. q. 1. we may perceaue towardes the end. But myracles ought to be suspected, for as much as our Sauiour sayth in the. 23. of Mathew. Thē shall false prophetes arise, &c. Therfore, they which do chalenge authoritie in their owne name, for as much as they haue not their authoritie from God, they are not true Apostles but false Preachers.

MarginaliaSigne 8. is that false prophetes pretend great holynes in superstition.The viij. signe is, that false prophets pretending great wysdome and holynes to be in superstition, haue named their owne traditions to be religion, the which are rather to be counted sacriledge or Church robberie, and doe vsurpe vnto themselues the due desertes of other men by boasting and bragging among straūge and vnknowen people. Wherfore, the Apostle speaking of false Prophets in the. 2. chap. to the Coloss. sayth. According to þ^e precepts of men, which hauyng a face of wysedome consiste in superstition, interlaced with humilitie. Glose. That is to say, myngled wyth fayned religion that it might be called religion, when in very deede it is nothyng els but sacrilege, because it is cōtrary to all authoritie: that is contrary to God hymselfe: that any man should desire to haue gouernment of a multytude wythout publique commaundement, as in Deutronomium. 23. chap. Thou hast entred into thy neighbours vyneyard. Glose. that is to say, into the Church of an other byshop. May a man warne and admonishe others, or els correcte that congregation which is not lawfull for hym to gouerne, nor yet to take so great a charge vpon hym? no. And that it is not lawful to enter into an other byshops dioces, it is apparant: because it is not lawfull for the Archbyshop so to do. To this effect appertayneth that which is red. 6. q. 3. And also it is written 9. q. 2. through out. Therefore those preachers which agaynst God and his diuine Scriptures doe call their owne traditions religiō, are not true Apostles but false Prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne. 9. is, that when they neyther preach nor minister, yet lyue vpon other mens labours.The ix. signe is by the authoritie which they haue, For as much as they be no preachers of the Gospel or ministers of the Sacramentes they will lyue by the Gospell, and not by the labour of their owne handes, agaynst the text in the. 2. Thess. 3. neither haue we eaten any mans bread for naught, or of free cost. Glossa. Then, those false Prophetes ought much more to lyue by their labour, which haue not that authoritie which we ought to haue, that is to say to lyue by the Gospell. And S. Augustine speaketh of this more expresly in his booke De opere monachorum, by these wordes. These our brethren do clayme to them selues (very rashly as me thinketh) that they haue any such authoritie, to lyue by the Gospell. If they be preachers of the Gospell, I graunt that in deed they haue such authoritie: if they be ministers of the aulter, if they be disposers of the Sacramentes: they cannot well but take to thēselues this authoritie, as also manifestly to chalenge the same, if at the least they haue not where with all to sustaine this present lyfe, without labour of their handes &c. As though he would haue sayd, if they be not such maner of men, then haue they no authoritie to lyue by the Gospell. Therfore those preachers, which haue not authoritie to lyue of the Gospell, or els minister the Sacraments, because they haue no congregation whereby to take charge of soules, yet for all that will needes lyue vpon the Gospell, they be no true Apostles but false Prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne. 10. is that false prophetes take that to them which pertayneth to the worde of God.The x. signe is, that false teachers, reioyce more to be commended themselues, then the worde of God to haue the commendatiō and prayse. But they that are true preachers and Apostles, are farre otherwise mynded as to the Thess. 2. not seakyng the prayse of men. &c. And herein he toucheth those false Prophetes, which desire rather to be commēded themselues, then that the word of God which they preach should haue the commendatiō. But he is an Apostle, which not seekyng the glory of this present world, but for the glory to come, doth abase himselfe to the intent that þ^e preaching and word of God might be commended and exalted. They therfore which desire to haue prayse and to be commēded of others, rather then that the word of God should haue the prayse, be no true Apostles but false Prophetes.

MarginaliaSigne. 11. is, that false prophetes do preach forgayne & not for Gods cause.The xi. signe is, that true Apostles do preach onely for Gods cause, and for the health of soules, and for no temporall gayne as in the. 2. Cor. 4. saying, we preach not our selues. &c. Glose. Our preachyng tendeth not to our glory and gayne, but onely to the glory of Christ. But the preachyng of Christ by those that are false Prophetes, tendeth to the contrary. Wherupō in the. Phil. 1. is sayd: Whether it be vpō occasion geuen, or els for the verities sake, let Christ be preached &c. Glosse. False Prophetes do preach the Gospell vpon some occasion, as either by seekyng some commoditie at the handes of men, or els because of gettyng goodes, honour, or prayse among men. Which notwithstandyng, that they be ready and willyng as it should seeme to beare and sustaine iniuries: yet they seeke not so much the health of hym to whom they preach, as in very deede they do their owne commoditie and gayne. Wherupon. 2. Cor. 12. Glosse. Because I seeke not the things that be yours, that is to say, not your treasure as gold and siluer, but onely you your selues. Glosse. For otherwayes it could by no meanes be gathered, that they should vnderstand hym to speake or meane of their substaunce, because he more estemeth them then their money, to the intent that they might vnderstand his great good will toward them. Therfore, these euill and naughty preachers which preach for worldly gayne, or honor, or els for the prayse & commendation of men, be no true Apostles but false Prophetes. But it may be asked, how shall men vnderstand wh? these good felowes preach for their owne vayne glory sake? It may be aunswered thus, when they preach before they be called, as in the. 2. Cor. 11. Whosoeuer boasteth let hym boast and reioyce in the Lord. Glosse. Which thyng to do, cannot be by any meanes, that hath not hys authoritie from God. For if any such Prophet preach, he seeketh his owne glory: and that may easly be perceaued. Because he is not called of God he hath no such authoritie of hym, that is to say, of his Churche or congregation, As to the Heb. 7. No man taketh to hymselfe any dignitie, but he that is called of God as Aaron was. The Glosse. He is called of God that is lawfully chosen of the congregation.

MarginaliaSigne 12. is that false prophetes do counterfaite to loue where they hate.The xij. signe or token of a false Prophet is: Because such Prophetes do counterfait themselues to haue greater care, and loue to mens soules, then those that be their very gouernours & pastours haue, although they haue no charge at all of them, agaynst whom the Glose speaketh, and the. 1. Thess. 2. We are become meeke and louyng towardes you, euen as the nurse which geueth her child sucke Glosse. A woman nurseth other mens children for wages and not for loue alone, but she giueth her owne sucke of very loue without respect of money. Therefore, those preachers whiche fayne themselues, to haue a greater loue and affection to the soules of men, then they that haue the charge ouer thē, seme not to be true Apostles. The Apostles study not for eloquence nor for the curious placyng of their words, but false Prophetes do them both. As in the. 2. Cor. 11. If the simple and vneloquent man. &c. Glosse. The Apostle were not