many other vvomen that came vp together vvith him to Hierusalem ✠verse 42 And vvhen euening vvas come because it vvas the Parasceue vvhich is the Sabboth-eue ✠verse 43 came Ioseph of Arimathaea a noble Senatour vvho him self also vvas expecting the kingdom of God and he vvent in boldly to Pilate and asked the body of IESVS ✠verse 44 But Pilate marueled if he vvere novv dead And sending for the Centurion asked him if he vvere novv dead ✠verse 45 And vvhen he vnderstoode by the Centurion he gaue the body to Ioseph ✠verse 46 And Ioseph ″ bying sindon and taking him dovvne vvrapped him in the sindon and laid him in a monument that vvas hevved out of a rocke And he rolled a stone to the doore of the monument ✠verse 47 And Marie Magdalene and Marie of Ioseph beheld vvhere he vvas laid ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 11. Cheefe Priests Heretikes abuse the ignorant people with these naughtie Priests of the old Testament to make that name odious and to discredite the Priests of Christ in the new Testament But for these Priests thou maist not maruel that they are so busy against Christ * partly because they were such as were intruded by the secular power of the Roman Emperour and from yere to yere by bribery and frendship not by succession according to the Law of Moyses partly because the time was now come when the old Priesthod of Aaron should cease and the new begin according to the order of Melchife dec and for these causes cod suffered their former priueleges of wisedom and iudgemeÌ„t and discretion to decay in these later vsurpers and that according to the Prophet saying The Law shal perish from the Priest and counsel from the Ancients But the Priesthod of the new Testament is to continew vnto the end of the world and hath as being the principal part of the Church the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost for euer promised to teach it al truth and for Peter the cheefe Priest thereof vnder Christ our Sauiour praied That his faith should not faile and to the rest he said He that heareth you heareth me â—â— To satisfie the people Pilate should haue suffered death rather then by other mens prouocation or commaundement haue executed an innocent as a Christian iudge should rather suffer al extremitie then giue sentence of death against a Catholike man for his faith â—6 Bying sindon This dutie done to Christes body after his departure was exceding meritorious and is therfore by holy write so often commended for an example to faithful men to vse al honour and deuotion towards the bodies of Saincts and holy persons CHAP. XVI The third day to three vvomen at his Sepulcher an Angel telleth that he is risen and vvil as he promised Mar. 14 28. shevv him self in Galileâ— 9 The same day he appeareth to Marie Magdalene aftervvard to tvvo Disciples yet the Eleuen vvil not beleeue it vntil to them also he appeareth 15 To vvhom hauing giuen commission into al nations vvith povver also of Miracles he ascendeth and they plant his Church euery vvhere verse 1 AND vvhen the Sabboth vvas past Marie Magdalene and Marie of Iames and Salôme ″ bought spices that comming they might anoint IESVS ✠verse 2 And very early the first of the Sabboths they come to the monument the sunne being novv risen ✠verse 3 And they said one to an other Vvho shal roll vs backe the stone from the doore of the monument ✠verse 4 And looking they savv the stone rolled backe for it vvas very great ✠verse 5 And entring into the monument they savv a yong man sitting on the right hand couered vvith a vvhite robe and they vvere astonied ✠verse 6 Vvho saith to them Be not dismaied you seeke IESVS of Nazareth that vvas crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place vvhere they laid him ✠verse 7 But goe tel his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shal see him * as he told you ⊢ ✠verse 8 But they going forth fled from the monument for trembling and feare had inuaded them and they said nothing to any body for they vvere afraid ✠verse 9 And he rising early the first of the Sabboth * appeared first to Marie Magdalene * out of vvhom he had cast seuen deuils ✠verse 10 She vvent and told them that had been vvith him that vvere mourning and vveeping ✠verse 11 And they hearing that he vvas aliue and had been seen of her did not beleeue ✠verse 12 And * after he appeared in an ″ other shape to tvvo of them vvalking as they vvere going into the countrie ✠verse 13 and they going told the rest neither them did they beleeue ✠verse 14 Last * he appeared to those eleuen as they sate at the table and he exprobrated their incredulity and hardnes of hart because they did not beleeue them that had seen him risen againe ✠verse 15 And he said to them * Going into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospel to al creatures ✠verse 16 He that ″ beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned ✠verse 17 And them that beleeue ″ these signes shal folow In my name shal they cast out deuils They shal speake vvith nevv tonges ✠verse 18 Serpents shal they take avvay And if they drinke any deadly thing it shal not hurt them They shal impose hands vpon the sicke and they shal be vvhole ✠verse 19 And so our Lord IESVS after he spake vnto them * vvas assumpted into heauen and sate on the right hand of God ✠verse 20 But they going forth preached euery vvhere our Lord working vvithal and confirming the vvord vvith signes that folovved ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 1. Bought spices As she did bestow and consume a costly ointment vpon his body being yet aliue c. 14 3 Christ him self defending and highly commending the fact against Iudas and other who accounted it to be superfluous and better to be bestowed otherwise So not without great deuotion and merite she and these other women seeke to anoint his body dead though Heretikes or other simple persons may pretend such things to be better bestowed vpon the poore and therfore * she first before al other * and they next saw him after his Resurrection 12. In an other shape Christ though he haue but one corporal shape natural to his person yet by his omnipotencie he may be in whatsoeuer forme and appears in the likenesse of any other man or creature as he list Therfore let no man thinke it strange that he may be vnder the forme of bread in the B. Sacrament 16. He that beleeueth Note wel that whereas this Euangelist mentioneth only faith and baptisme as though to beleeue and to be baptized were
vpon him so 23 that for their crying the Tribune commaundeth him to be scourged as Which yet by his vvisedom he escapeth verse 1 MEN brethren and fathers heare vvhat account I doe render novv vnto you ✠verse 2 And vvhen they had heard that he spake to them in the Hebrevv tongue they did the more keepe sileÌ„ce ✠verse 3 And he saith * I am a man a Ievve borne at Tarsus in Cilicia but brought vp in this citie at the feete of Gamaliel instructed according to the veritie of the lavv of the fathers an emulátour of the Lavv as also al you are this day ✠verse 4 vvho * persecuted this vvay vnto death binding deliuering into custodies men vvomeÌ„ ✠verse 5 as the high Priest doth giue me testimonie and al the auncients ✠verse 6 of vvhom * receiuing letters also to the brethren I vvent to Damascus that I might bring them thence bound to Hierusalem to be punished verse 7 And it came to passe as I vvas going and dravving nigh to Damascus at midday sodeÌ„ly from heauen there shone round about me much light ✠verse 8 and falling on the ground I heard a voice saying to me Saul Saul vvhy persecutest thou me ✠verse 9 And I ansvvered Vvho art thou Lord And he said to me I am IESVS of Nazareth vvhom thou persecutest ✠verse 10 And they that vvere vvith me savv the light in deede but the voice they heard not of him that spake vvith me ✠verse 11 And I said Vvhat shal I doe Lord And our Lord said to me Arise and goe to Damascus and there it shal be told thee of al things that thou must doe ✠verse 12 And vvhereas I did not see for the brightnesse of that light being led of my companions by the hand I came to Damascus ✠verse 13 And one Ananias a man according to the Lavv hauing testimonie of al the Ievves inhabitants ✠verse 14 comming to me and standing by me said to me Brother Saul looke vp And I the self same houre looked vp on him ✠verse 15 But he said The God of our fathers hath prëordained thee that thou shouldest knovv his vvil and see the Iust one and heare a voice from his mouth ✠verse 16 because thou shalt be his vvitnes to al men of those things vvhich thou hast seen and heard ✠verse 17 And novv vvhat tariest thou Rise vp and be baptized vvash avvay thy sinnes inuocating his name ✠verse 18 And it befel me returning into Hierusalem and praying in the temple that I vvas in a traunce ✠verse 19 and savv him saying vnto me Make hast and depart quickely out of Hierusalem because they vvil not receiue thy testimonie of me ✠verse 20 And I said Lord they knovv that I did cast into prison and beate in euery synagogue them that beleeued in thee ✠verse 21 And vvhen the bloud of Steuen thy vvitnes vvas shed I stoode by and consented and kept the garments of them that killed him ✠verse 22 And he said to me Goe for into the Gentiles a farre vvil I send thee ✠verse 23 And they heard him vntil this vvord and they lifted vp their voice saying Avvay vvith such an one from the earth for it is not meete he should liue ✠verse 24 And vvhen they cried out and threvv of their garments and cast dust into the aire ✠verse 24 the Tribune commaunded him to be caried into the castel and to be beaten vvith vvhippes and that he should be tormented to knovv for vvhat cause they did so crie at him ✠verse 25 And vvhen they had bound him very straight vvith thoÌ„gs Paul saith to the Centurion standing by him Is it lavvful for you to vvhippe a man that is a Romane and vncondemned ✠verse 26 Vvhich the Centurion hearing vvent to the Tribune and told him saying Vvhat vvilt thou doe for this man is a citizen of Rome ✠verse 27 And the Tribune comming said to him Tel me art thou a Romane But he said Yea. ✠verse 28 And the Tribune ansvvered I obtained this citie vvith a great summe And Paul said But I vvas also borne to it ✠verse 29 Immediatly therfore they departed from him that vvere to torment him The Tribune also feared after he vnderstoode that he was a citizeÌ„ of Rome and because he had bound him ✠verse 30 But the next day meaning to knovv more diligently for vvhat cause he vvas accused of the Ievves he loosed him and commaunded the Priests to come together and al the Councel bringing forth Paul he set him among them CHAP. XXIII As the people in the tumult so also the very châ—efe of the Ievves in their Councel shevv them selues obstinaâ—â— and vvilful persecutors of the truth in S. Pauls person Whose behauiour tovvardes them is ful of constancie modestie and vvisedom 11 Christ also by a vision encouraging him and foretelling that he shal to Rome 12 Yea they conspire vvith 40 men to kil him traiterously 1â— But the matter being detected the Romane Tribune conueigheth him strongly to Caesaréa verse 1 AND Paul looking vpon the Councel said Men brethren I vvith al good conscience haue conuersed before God vntil this present day ✠verse 2 And the high Priest Ananias commaunded them that stoode by him to smite him on the mouth ✠verse 3 Then Paul said to him God shal strike thee thou vvhited vvall And thou sitting iudgest me according to the lavv and contrarie to lavv doest thou commaund me to be smitten ✠verse 4 And they that stoode by said Doest thou reuile the high Priest of God ✠verse 5 And Paul said â— I knevve not brethren that he is the high Priest For it is vvritten The prince of thy people thou shalt not misspeake ✠verse 6 And Paul knovving that the one part vvas of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees he cried out in the Councel Men brethren * I am a Pharisee the sonne of Pharisees of the hope and resurrection of the dead am I iudged ✠verse 7 And vvhen he had said these things there rose dissension betvvene the Pharisees and Sadducees and the multitude vvas diuided ✠verse 8 For the â— Sadducees say * there is no resurrection nor Angel nor spirit but the Pharisees confesse both ✠verse 9 And there vvas made a great crie And certaine of the Pharisees rising vp stroue saying Vve finde no euil in this man vvhat if a spirit hath spoken to him or an Angel ✠verse 10 And vvhen there vvas risen great dissensioÌ„ the Tribune fearing lest Paul should be torne in peeces by them coÌ„maunded the souldiars to goe dovvne and to take him out of the middes of them and to bring him into the castel ✠verse 11 And the night folovving our Lord standing by him said Be constant for as thou hast testified of me in Hierusalem so must thou testifie at Rome
also ✠verse 12 And vvhen day vvas come certaine of the Ievves gathered them selues together â— vovved them selues saying that they vvould neither eate nor drinke til they killed Paul ✠verse 13 And they vvere more then fourtie men that had made this conspiracie ✠verse 14 vvho came to the cheefe priests and the auncients and said By execration vve haue vovved our selues that vve vvil eate nothing til vve kill Paul ✠verse 15 Novv therfore giue you knovvledge to the Tribune vvith the CouÌ„cel that he bring him forth to you as if you meant to knovv some more certaintie touching him But we before he come neere are ready for to kil him ✠verse 16 Vvhich vvhen Paules sisters sonne had heard of their lying in vvaite he came and entred into the castel and told Paul ✠verse 17 And Paul calling to him one of the Centurions said Bring this yong man to the Tribune for he hath some thing to tel him ✠verse 18 And he taking him brought him to the Tribune and said The prisoner Paul desired me to bring this yong man vnto thee hauing some thing to say to thee ✠verse 19 And the Tribune taking him by the hand vvent aside vvith him apart and asked him Vvhat is it that thou hast to tel me ✠verse 20 And he said The Ievves haue agreed to desire thee that to morovv thou vvilt bring forth Paul into the Councel as though they meant to inquire some more certaintie touching him ✠verse 21 But doe not thou credite them for there lie in vvaite for him more then fourtie men of them vvhich haue vovved neither to eate nor to drinke til they kil him and they are novv ready expecting thy promisse ✠verse 22 The Tribune therfore dimissed the yong man commaunding that he should speake to no man that he had notified these things vnto him ✠verse 23 And calling tvvo Centurions he said to them Make ready tvvo hundred souldiars to goe as farre as Caesaréa and seuentie horsemen and launces tvvo hundred from the third houre of the night ✠verse 24 and prepare beasts that setting Paul on they might bring him safe to Felix the President ✠verse 25 For he feared lest perhaps the Ievves might take him avvay and kil him and him self aftervvard should sustaine reproche as though he vvould haue taken money ✠verse 26 vvriting a letter conteining this much Claudius Lysias to the most excellent President Felix greeting ✠verse 27 This man being apprehended of the Ievves and ready to be killed of them I comming in vvith the band deliuered him vnderstanding that he is a Romane ✠verse 28 and meaning to knovv the cause that they obiected vnto him I brought him downe into their Councel ✠verse 29 Vvhom I found to be accused concerning questions of their lavv but hauing no crime vvorthie of death or of bandes ✠verse 30 And vvhen it vvas told me of embushments that they had prepared against him I sent him to thee signifying also to the accusers to speake before thee Fare vvel ✠verse 31 And the souldiars according as it vvas commaunded them taking Paul brought him by night to Antipatris ✠verse 32 And the next day sending avvay the horsemen to goe vvith him they returned to the castel ✠verse 33 Vvho vvhen they vvere come to Caesaréa and had deliuered the letter to the President they did set Paul also before him ✠verse 34 And vvhen he had read and had asked of vvhat prouince he vvas and vnderstanding that of Cilicia ✠verse 35 I vvil heare the said he vvhen thy accusers are come And he commaunded him to be kept in Herods palace ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXIII â— I knevv not Our Lord saith S. Cyprian in the Gospel when it was said to him Answerest thou the high Priest 〈◊〉 teaching that the honour of Priesthod must be kept said nothiÌ„g to the high Priest but only purging his innocencie said If I haue spoken euil beare witnes of euil but if wel why smitest thou me Also the blessed Apostle vvhen it vvas said to him Doest thou assaile the high Priest so with il wordes spake not any thing coÌ„tumeliously against the Priest whereas he might haue put forth him self stoutly against them which had both crucified our 〈◊〉 and vvhich had novv also lost their God and Christ Temple and Priesthod but though in false and spoiled Priests yet coÌ„sidering the very bare shadovv of the name of Priests he said I knew not brethren that he vvas high Priest By vvhich vvordes of the Apostle either it maâ— be thought he knevv not in deed that he vvas in that function because he had not beene of long time in those partes or els that he so said in respect of the abrogation of the high Priesthod of the Ievves vvhereby he knevv this man not to be truely any Priest as also because at this time they came not orderly to it by succession of Aaron and Lavv of Moyses but by the Roman Emperours fâ—uour * as is said before though as it is lavvful in such a case the Iesse to irritate them he frameth his speach so 〈◊〉 they might not take occasion of further accusation against him 8. The Sadducees This vvas the vvorst Heresie among the Ievves denying that there be any Angels or spirits the ResurrectioÌ„ also of the bodies consequeÌ„tly as it may very vvel be gathered by the booke of the Machabees they denied praier for the dead for to offer or pray for the dead to thinke rightly religiously of the ResurrectioÌ„ are made there sequels one of an other Of this sect of Sadducees vvas as Eusebius vvriteth li. 2. c. 2â— Ec. hist this Ananias the High Priest that caused Paul to be smitten for their Priesthod had novv no more the protection of God to preserue it in truth and right iudgement the Christian Priesthod being then established 12. Vovved them selues Such vovve other or execrations as this binde no man before God yea they must in no vvise be obserued It is a great offence either to vovv voluntarily or to take any such thing vpon a man for feare or by commaundement For example if thou haue rashly by promes vow or othe appointed to be reuenged vpon any man thou bindest not thy self thereby neither must thou keepe thy promes If thou be put to an othe to accuse Catholikes for seruing God as they ought to do or to vtter any innocent man to Gods enemies and his thou oughtest first to refuse such vnlavvful othes but if thou haue not constancie and courage so to do yet know thou that such othes binde not at al in conscience and Lavv of God but may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation For to make or take such vowes or othes is one sinne aâ—d to keepe them is an other far greater as vvhen Herode to keepe his othe killed Iohn Baptist And such vowes and othes to God as these are
at Hierusalem the cheefe priests and the auncients of the Ievves came vnto me desyring condemnation against him ✠verse 16 To vvhom I ansvvered That it is not the Romanes custome to yeld vp any man before that he vvhich is accused haue his accusers present and take place to make his ansvver for to cleere him self of the crimes ✠verse 17 Vvhen they therfore vvere assembled hither vvithout any delaie the day folovving sitting in the iudgement seat I commaunded the man to be brought ✠verse 18 Of vvhom vvhen the accusers stoode vp they brought no cause vvhich I thought il of ✠verse 19 but certaine questions of their ovvne superstition they had against him and of one IESVS deceased vvhom Paul affirmed to liue ✠verse 20 Doubting therfore of this kinde of question I said vvhether he vvould goe to Hierusalem there be iudged of these things ✠verse 21 But Paul appealing to be kept vnto the knovvledge of Augustus I commaunded him to be kept til I send him to Caesar ✠verse 22 And Agrippa said to Festus My self also vvould heare the man To morovv said he thou shalt heare him ✠verse 23 And the next day vvhen Agrippa and Bernice vvere come vvith great pompe and had entred into the hall of audience vvith the Tribunes and principal men of the citie at Festus commaundement Paul vvas brought ✠verse 24 And Festus saith King Agrippa and al ye men that are present together vvith vs you see this man concerning vvhom al the multitude of the Ievves called vpon me at Hierusalem requesting and crying out that he ought not to liue any longer ✠verse 25 Yet haue I found nothing that he hath committed vvorthie of death But forasmuch as he himself appealed to Augustus I haue determined to send him ✠verse 26 Of vvhom vvhat to vvrite for certaintie to my lord I haue not For the vvhich cause I haue brought him forth to you and especially to thee king Agrippa that examination being made I may haue vvhat to vvrite ✠verse 27 For it seemeth to me vvithout reason to send a prisoner not to signifie his causes CHAP. XXVI In that honorable Audience being permitted to speake 2 he declareth to the king vvhat he first vvas 1â— and hovv miraculously he vvas conuerted 19 and that he hath preached sinâ—â— as he vvas commaunded from heauen and as the Prophets had foretold of Christ 24 Which strange tale Festus the Heathen President hearing saith that he is mad 25 But he ansvvereth and exhorteth them al to be Christians as he is â—0 They finally pronounce that he might be set at libertie but only for his appeale verse 1 BVT Agrippa said to Paul Thou art permitted to speake for thy self Then Paul stretching forth his hand began to make his ansvver ✠verse 2 Touching al things vvhereof I am accused of the Ievves king Agrippa I account my self happie for that I am to defend my self this day before thee ✠verse 3 especially vvhereas thou knovvest al things that are among the Ievves customes and questions for the vvhich cause I beseeche thee heare me patiently ✠verse 4 And my life truely from my youth vvhich vvas from the beginning in my nation in Hierusalem al the Ievves doe knovv ✠verse 5 knovving me before from the beginning if they vvil giue testimonie that according to the most sure secte of our religion I liued a Pharisee ✠verse 6 And novv for the hope of the promisse that vvas made of God to our fathers doe I stand subiect to iudgement ✠verse 7 the vvhich our tvvelue tribes seruing night and day hope to come vnto Of the vvhich hope o king I am accused of the Ievves ✠verse 8 Vvhat incredible thing is it iudged vvith you if God raise the dead ✠verse 9 And my self truely had thought that I ought to doe against the name of IESVS of Nazareth many contrarie things ✠verse 10 Vvhich also I * did at Hierusalem and many of the saincts did I shut vp in prisons hauing receiued authoritie of the cheefe priests and vvhen they vvere put to death I brought the sentence ✠verse 11 And through out al the synagogs often times punishing them I coÌ„pelled them to blaspheme and yet more mad against them I persecuted them euen vnto foraine cities ✠verse 12 Among vvhich things vvhiles * I vvent to Damascus vvith authoritie and permission of the cheefe priests ✠verse 13 at midday in the vvay I savv o king from heauen a light to haue shined round about me and them that vvere in companie vvith me aboue the brightnes of the sunne ✠verse 14 And vvhen al vve vvere fallen dovvne on the ground I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue Saul Saul vvhy persecurest thou me It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricke ✠verse 15 And I said Vvho art thou Lord And our Lord ansvvered I am IESVS vvhom thou doest persecure ✠verse 16 But rise vp and stand vpon thy feete for to this end haue I appeared to thee that I may ordaine thee a minister and vvitnes of those things vvhich thou hast seen and of those things vvherein I vvil appeare to thee ✠verse 17 deliuering thee out of the peoples natioÌ„s vnto the vvhich novv I send thee ✠verse 18 to opeÌ„ their eies that they may be conuerted from darkenes to light and from the povver of Satan to God that they may receiue remission of sinnes and lot among the saincts by the faith that is in me ✠verse 19 Vvherevpon king Agrippa I vvas not incredulous to the heauenly vision ✠verse 20 but to them first that are at Damascus and at Hierusalem and vnto al the countrie of levvrie and to the Gentiles * did I preach that they should doe penaÌ„ce and turne to God doing vvorkes vvorthie of penance ✠verse 21 For this cause the Ievves vvhen I vvas in the temple * apprehending me atteÌ„pted meaning to kil me ✠verse 22 But aided by the help of God I stand vntil this day testifying to small and to great saying nothing beside those things vvhich the Prophets did speake should come to passe Moyses ✠verse 23 if CHRIST vvere passible if the first of the resurrection from the dead he vvere to shevv light to the people and to the Gentiles ✠verse 24 As he spake these things made his ansvver Festus vvith a loud voice said Thou art mad Paul much learning turneth thee to madnesse ✠verse 25 And Paul said I am not mad most excellent Festus but I speake vvordes of veritie and so brietie ✠verse 26 for the king knovveth of these things to vvhom also I speake constantly for I thinke none of these things to be vnknovven to him For neither vvas any of these things done in a corner ✠verse 27 Beleeuest thou the prophets king Agrippa I knovv that thou beleeuest ✠verse 28 And Agrippa
as the Anabaptistes argue falsely against Gentlemen and the Caluinistes applie it peruersely against the vacant life of the Clergie specially of Monkes and other Religious men But it is a natural admonitioÌ„ onely giuen to such as had not vvherevvith to liue of their ovvne or any right or good cause vvhy to chalenge their finding of others and to such as vnder the colour of Christian libertie did passe their time idly curiously vnprofitably and scandalously refusing to do such vvorkes as vvere agreable to their former calling and bringing vp Such as these vvere not tolerable specially there and then vvhen the Apostle and others that might lavvfully haue liued of the altar and their preaching yet to disburden their hearers and for the better aduancement of the Gospel vvrought for their liuing * protesting neuertheles continually that they might haue done othervvise as vvel as S. Peter and the rest did vvho vvrought not but vvere found othervvise iustly and lavvfully as al sortes of the Clergie preaching or seruing the Church and the alter be and ought to be by the lavv of God and nature Vvhose spiritual labours far passe al bodily trauailes where the dueties and functions of that vocation be done accordingly as S. Augustine affirmeth of his ovvne extraordinarie paines incident to the Ecclesiastical affaires and regiment in steede of vvhich if the vse of the Church and his infirmitie vvould haue permitted it he vvisheth he might haue laboured vvith his handes some houres of the day as some of the Clergie did euer voluntarily occupie them selues in teaching vvriting grauing painting planting sovving embrodering or such like seemely and innocent labours See S. Hierom ep 114 seu praef in Iob. and in vit Hilario And Monkes for the most part in the primitiue Church fevv of them being Priests and many taken from seruile vvorkes and handicraftes yea often times professed of bondmen made free by their maisters to enter into religioÌ„ vvere appointed by their Superiors to vvorke certaine houres of the day to supply the lackes of their Monasteries as yet the Religious do vvomen specially in many places vvhich standeth vvell vvith their profession And S. Augustine vvriteth a vvhole booke de opera Monachorum to 3. against the errour of certaine disordered Monkes that abused these vvordes Nolite esse soliciti he not careful c. and Respicite vâ—latilia cali behold the foules of the aire c. to proue that they should not labour at al but pray only and commit their finding to God not only so excusing their idlenes but preferring them selues in holines aboue other their fellowes that did worke and erroneously expounding the said Scriptures for their defence as they did other Scriptures to proue they should not be shauen after the maner of Monkes Vvhich letting their heads to grow he much blameth also in them See li. 2. Retract c. 21. â— op Monach. c. 31. and S. Hieromes ep 48. c. 3. of Nonnes cutting their heare Vvhere by the vvay you see that the Religious vvere shauen euen in S. Augustines time vvho reprocheth them for their heare calling them Crinitos Hearelings as the Heretikes novv contrarievvise deride them by the vvord Rasos Shauelings So that there is a great difference betvvene the auncient Fathers and the nevv Protestant And as for hand labours as S. Augustine in the booke alleaged would not haue Religious folke to refuse them vvhere necessitie bodily strength and the order of the Church or Monasterie permit or require them so he expresly vvriteth that al can not nor are not bound to vvorke and that vvho so euer preacheth or ministreth the Sacraments to the people or serueth the altar as al Religious men commonly now do may chalenge their liuing of them vvhom they serue and are not bound to vvorke * no nor such neither as haue been brought vp before in state of Gentlemen and haue giuen avvay their lands or goods and made them selues poore for Christes sake Vvhich is to be noted because the Heretikes affirme the said Scripture and S. Augustine to condemne al such for idle persons 14. Obey not Our Pastors must be obied and not onely secular Princes and such as vvill not be obedient to their spiritual gouernours the Apostle as S. Augustine saith giueth order and commaundement that they be corrected by correption or admonition By degradation excommunication and other lavvful kindes of punishments Cont. Donatist post collat c. 4. 20. Read also this holy fathers answer to such as said Let our Prelates commaund vs onely vvhat vve ought to do and pray for vs that vve may do it but let them not correct vs. Vvhere he proueth that Prelates must not onely commaund and pray but punish also if that be not done vvhich is commaunded Li. de correp grat c. 3. 14. Note him Disobedient person to be excommunicated and the excommunicated to be separated from the companie of other Christians and the faithful not to keepe any companie or haue conuersation vvith excommunicated person neither to be partaker vvith them in the fault for vvhich they are excommunicated nor in any other act of religion or office of life except cases or mere necessitie and other prescribed and permitted by the law al this is here insinuated and that al the Churches censures be grounded in Scriptures and the examples of the Apostles THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO TIMOTHEE AFTER the Epistles to the Churches novv folovv his Epistles to particular person as to Timothee to Titus vvho vvere Bishops and to Philémon Of Timothee vve reade Act. 16. hovv S. Paul in his visitation tooke him in his traine at Lystra circumciding him before because of the Ievves he vvas then a Disciple that is to say a Christian man Aftervvard the Apostle gaue him holy Orders and consecrated him Bishop as he testifieth in both these Epistles vnto him 1. Tim. 4. v. 14. and 2. Tim. 1. v. 6. He vvriteth therfore vnto him as to a Bishop and him self expresseth the scope of his first Epistle saying These things I vvrite to thee that thou maiest knovv hovv thou oughtest to conuerse in the House of God vvhich is the Church And so he instructeth him and in him al Bishops hovv to gouerne both himself others and touching himself to be an example a spectacle to al sortes in al vertue as touching others to prohibit al such as goe about to preach othervvise then the Catholike Church hath receiued and to inculcate to the people the Catholike faith to preach vnto yong and old men and vvomen to seruants to the riche to euery sort conueniently Vvith vvhat circumspection to giue orders to vvhat persons for vvhom to pray vvhom to admit to the vovv of vvidovvhod c. This Epistle vvas vvritten as it seemeth after his first emprisonmeÌ„t in Rome vvhen he vvas dismissed and set at libertie and therevpon it is that he might say here I hope
to come to thee quickly to vvit vnto Ephesus vvhere he had desired him to remaine although in his voiage to Hierusalem before his being at Rome he said at Milétum to the Clergie of Ephesus vpoÌ„ probable feare And now behold I knovv that you shal no more see my â—ace Vvhere it vvas vvritten it is vncertaine though it be commonly said at Laodicia Vvhich seemeth not because it is like he vvas neuer there as may be gathered by the Epistle to the Colossians vvritten at Rome in his last trouble vvhen he vvas put to death THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO TIMOTHEE CHAP. I. He recommendeth vnto him to inhibite certaine Ievves vvho iangled of the Lavv as though it vvere contrarie to his preaching 11 Against vvhom he auoucheth his ministerie though he acknovvledge his vnvvorthines verse 1 PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ according to the commaundement of God our sauiour and of Christ IESVS our hope ✠verse 2 to Timothee his beloued sonne in the faith Grace mercie and peace from God the father and from Christ IESVS our Lord. ✠verse 3 As I desired thee to remaine at Ephesus vvhen I vvent into Macedonia that thou shouldest denounce to certaine ″ not to teache othervvise ✠verse 4 nor to attend ″ to fables and genealogies hauing no ende vvhich minister ″ questions rather then the edifying of God vvhich is in faith ✠verse 5 But ″ the ende of the precept is charitie from a pure hart and a good conscience and a faith not feined ✠verse 6 From the vvhich things certaine straying are turned into vaine talke ✠verse 7 ″ desirous to be doctors of the Lavv not vnderstanding neither vvhat things they speake nor of vvhat they affirme ✠verse 8 But vve know that * the Lavv is good if a man vse it lavvfully ✠verse 9 knovving this that ″ the Lavv is not made to the iust man but to the vniust and disobedient to the impious and sinners to the vvicked and contaminate to killers of fathers and killers of mothers to murderers ✠verse 10 to fornicatours to lyers vvith maÌ„kinde to man-stealers to liers to periured persons and vvhat other thing soeuer is contrarie to sound doctrine ✠verse 11 vvhich is according to the Gospel of the glorie of the blessed God vvhich is committed to me ✠verse 12 I giue him thankes vvhich hath strengthened me Christ IESVS our Lord because he hath esteemed me faithful putting me in the ministerie ✠verse 13 vvho before vvas blasphemous and a persecutor contumelious but I obteined the mercie of God because I did it being ignorant in incredulitie ✠verse 14 And the grace of our Lord ouer-abounded vvith faith and loue vvhich is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 15 A faithful saying vvorthie of al acceptatioÌ„ that Christ IESVS came into this vvorld * to saue sinners of vvhom I am the cheefe ✠verse 16 But therfore haue I obtained mercie that in me first of al Christ IESVS might shevv al patience to the information of them that shal beleeue on him vnto life euerlasting ✠verse 17 And to the king of the vvorldes immortal inuisible onely God honour glorie for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 18 This precept I commend to thee ô Timothee according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good vvarfare ✠verse 19 hauing faith and a good conscience vvhich certaine repelling haue made shipvvracke about the faith ✠verse 20 Of vvhom is Hymenaeus Alexander vvhom I haue ″ deliuered to Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 3. Not to teach othervvise The proper marke of Heretikes false preachers is to teach othervvise or contrarie to that vvhich they found taught and beleeued generally in the vnitie of the Catholike Church before their time al doctrine that is odde singular new differing from that vvhich vvas fâ—rst planted by the Apostles and desceÌ„ded downe from them to al nations and ages folowing vvithout contradiction being assuredly erroneous The Greeke vvord vvhich the Apostle here vseth expresseth this point so effectually that in one compound terme he giueth vs to vvit that an Heretike is nothing els but an after-teacher or teacher-otherwise vvhich euen it self alone is the easiest rule euen for the simple to discerne a false Prophet or preacher by specially vvhen an heresie first beginneth Luther found al Nations Christian at rest and peace in one vniforme faith and al preachers of one voice and doctrine touching the B. Sacrament and other Articles so that vvhat so euer he taught against that vvhich he found preached and beleeued must needes be an other doctrine a later doctrine an after-teaching or teaching othervvise and therfore consequently must needes be false And by this admonitioÌ„ of S. Paul al Bishops are vvarned to take heede of such and specially to prouide that no such odde teachers arise in their dioceses 4. To fables He speaketh specially of the Iewes after-doctrines and humane constitutions repugnant to the lawes of God vvhereof Christ giueth warning Mt. 23 and in other places vvhich are conteined in their Cabala and Talmud generally of al heretical doctrines vvhich in deede how so euer the simple people be beguiled by theÌ„ are nothing but fabulous inuentions as vve may see in the Valentinians Manichees and oâ—hers of old by the brethren of loue Puritans Anabaptistes and Caluinistes of our time For which cause Theodorete entitleth his booke against Heretikes Hereticarum fabularum Of Heretical fables 4. Questions Let our louing brethren consider vvhether these contentious and curious questionings and disputes in religion vvhich these vnhappie heresies haue in gendered haue brought forth any increase of good life any deuotion or edification of faith and religion in our daies and then shal they easily iudge of the truth of these new opinions and the end that wil folovv of these innouations In truth al the world now seeth they edifie to Atheisme and no othervvise 5. The end Charitie Here againe it appeareth that Charitie is the cheese of al vertues and the end consummation and perfection of al the law and precepts and yet the Aduersaries are so fond as to preferre faith before it yea to exclude it from our iustification Such obstinacie there is in them that haue once in pride stubbernes forsaken the euident truth Charitie doubtles which is here commended is iustice it self and the very formal cause of our iustification as the vvorkes proceding thereof be the vvorkes of iustice Charitas incheata saith S. Augustine inchoata iustitia Charitas prouecta prouecta iustitia Charitas magna magna iustitia Charitas perfecta perfecta iustitia est Charitie novv beginning is iustice beginning Charitie grovven or increased is iustice grovven or increased great Charitis is great iustice perfect Charitie is perfect iustice Li. de nat grat c. 70. 7. Desirous to be Doctors It is the
not blame checke or reprehension of men as some to make the fault seeme lesse vvould haue it but iudgement or eternal damnatioÌ„ which is a heauy sentence God graunt al maried Priests and Religious may consider their lamentable case Vvhat a greuous sinne it is see S. Ambrose ad virginem lapsam cap. 5 8. 12. Their first faith Al the auncient fathers that euer wrote commentaries vpon this Epistle Greeke and Latin as S. Chrysostom Theodorete Oecumenius Theophylactus Primasius S. Ambrose Ven. Bede Haimo Anselme and the rest also al others that by occasion vse this place as the 4 Councel of Carthage ca. 104. and the 4 of Toleto c. 55. S. Athanasius li. de virginitate S. Epiphanius har 48. S. Hierom cont Iouinianum li. 1. c. 7. in c. 44. Ezech. prope finem S. Augustine in exceding many places al these expound the Apostles vvordes of the vovv of Chastitie or the faith and promis made to Christ to liue continently What is to breake their first faith â— saith S. Augustine They vovved and performed not In ps 75. prope finâ—m Againe in an other place They breake their first faith that stand not in that vvhich they vovved Li. de Sancta virgin c. 33. Againe he and aâ— the fathers vvith him in Carthage Councel before named If any vvidovves how yong so euer they vvere left of their husbands deceased haue vovved them selues to God left their laical habite and vnder the testimonie of the Bishop and Church haue appeared in religious vveede and aftervvard goâ— any more to secular mariage according to the Apostles sentence they shal be damned because they vvere so bold to make void the faith or promis of Chastitie which they vovved to our Lord. So saith he and 215 fathers moe in that Councel And this promis of chastitie is called faith because the fidelitie betvvixt maried persons is ordinarily called of holy writers faith and the vovv of chastitie made to God ioyneth him the persons so vovving as it vvere in mariage so farre that if the said persons breake promis they are counted and called in the last alleaged Councel Gods adulterers In the 3 to the Romanes also and often els vvhere faith is taken for promis or fidelitie And that it is so taken here the vvordes irritum facere to frustrate and make void do proue for that terme is commonly vsed in matter of vovv promis or compacte Gen. 17. Num. 30. This promis is called here prima fides the first faith in respect of the later promis vvhich vovvbreakers make to them vvith vvhom they pretend to marrie So saith S. Augustine li. de bono viduit c. 8. 9. and Innocentius 1 ep 2 â—ap 13. to 1. Conâ— And this is the onely natiue euident and agreable sense to the circumstance of the letter And the vaine euasion of the Heretikes to saue the Apostate-Monkes Friers Nunnes and Priests from damnation for their pretended mariages is friuolous to vvit that first faith here signifieth the faith of Baptisme or Christian beleefe not the promis or vovv of Chastitie But vve aske them if this faith of Baptisme be broken by mariage or no. For the text is plaine that by intending to marie they breake their faith and by breaking their faith they be damned if they die vvithout repentance In truth vvhich vvay so euer they writhe them selues to defend their sacrilege or pretended mariages they lose their labour and struggle against their ovvne conscience and plaine Scripture 14. I vvil the yonger He speaketh of such yong ones as vvere yet free For such as had already made vovv neither could they vvithout damnation marie vvere they yong or old nor he vvithout sinne commaund or counsel them to it Neither as S. Hierom proueth to Gerontia and S. Chrysostom vpon this place doth he precisely commaund or counsel the yong ones that vvere free to marie or absolutely forbid them to vovv chastitie God for bid say they But his speach conteineth onely a vvise admonition to the frailer sort that it vvere farre better for them not to haue vowed at all but to haue maried againe then to haue fallen to aduoutrie and Apostasie after profession Vvhich is no more but to preferre second mariage before fornication and a good warning that they vvhich are to professe looke wel vvhat they do S. Paules experience of the fall of some yong ones to mariage caused him to giue this admonition here as also that before that none should be receiued to the Churches almes vnder threescore yeres of age Not forbidding the Church for euer to accept any vovves of vvidowes or virgins til that age as the Heretikes falsely affirme but shewing vvhat vvas meete for that time and the beginning of Christianitie vvhen as yet there vvere no Monasteries builded no prescript rule no exact order of obedience to Superiors but the professed as S. Paul here noteth coursed wandered vp and downe idly as novv our professed virgins or Nunnâ—s do not neither can do Of vvhom therfore vvhere discipline is obserued there is no cause of such danger Besides that vvidowes hauing had the vse of carnal copulation before are more dangerously tempted then virgins that are brought vp from their tender age in pietie and haue no experience of such pleasures See S. Ambrose li. de viduis prouing by the example of holy Anna vvho liued a vvidow euen from her youth til 80 yeres of age in fasting and praying night and day that the Apostle doth not here without exception forbid al yong vvidowes to vow yea he esteemeth that profession in the yonger women much more laudable glorious and meritorious See his booke de Viduis in initio 15. After Satan Vve may here learne that for those to marie vvhich are professed is to turne backe after Satan For he speaketh of such as vvere maried coÌ„trarie to their vow And herevpon vve call the Religious that marie as Luther Bucer Peter martyr and the rest Apostataes More vve learne that such yong ones haue no excuse of their age or that they be vehemently tempted and burne in their concupiscences or that they haue not the gift of Chastitie For notvvithstanding al these excuses these yong professed vvidowes if they marie go backvvard after Satan and be Apostataes damned except they repent For as for the Apostles vvordes to the Corinthians It is better to marie then to burne Vve haue before declared out of the fathers and here vve adde that it pertaineth onely to persons that be free and haue not vowed to the contrarie as S. Ambrose li. ad virg laps c. 5. S. Augustine de bono vid. c. 8. and S. Hierom li. 1. cont Iouin c. 7. expound it The Heretikes of our time thinke there is no remedie for fornication or burning but mariage and so did S. Augustine vvhen he was yet a Manichee Putaâ—am me miserum c. I thought saith he li. 6. Confes
temporal commodities sake either coiâ—ath or folovveth nevv opinions S. August li. de Vtil â—red cap. 1. And lastly by the resemblance they haue vvith the auncient and notorious Schismatike Corè and his companions vvho forsooke the ordinarie Priesthod appointed by God and would needes doe sacrifice them selues without lavvful calling Such in deede be al Heretikes and such be al their sacraments seruice and offices in their Church as Cores vvere in his schismatical tabernacles And as pride vvas the cause of his reuolting from the obedience of Moyses and Aaron his Priests and true Gouernours so is intolerable pride the cause of al Heretikes forsaking their lavvful Pastors and Rulers and namely of forsaking Christes owne Vicar in earth our true Aaron as S. Bernard calleth him De consid li. 2. cap. 8. To al such forsakers the Apostle here giueth the curse and Va due to the said three Cain Balaam and Corè and telleth them that the storme of darkenes and eternal damnation is prouided for them most liuely describing al Heretikes as in some vve to our woe haue experience by their maners in our daies in al this passage euen to the end of the epistle 19. These are they vvhich segregate them selues The conditions in the later daies that is euer since Christs time not of these onely of our age For there were many that forsooke Gods Church and segregated them selues from the fellowship of the faithful euen in the primitiue Church that vve may the lesse maruel at these mens segregating them selues and going out from the rest into seueral sectes which S. Augustine therfore calleth Segregations THE ARGVMENT OF THE APOCALYPSE OF S. IOHN THAT vvhich the old Testament foretold of Christ him self the Apostles could report the fulfilling thereof in the nevv Testament by vvay of an historie euen from his Conception to his Glorification But of his Church they could not doe the like because in their time it did but beginne being to continue long after them euen to the end of the vvorld and then at length to be glorified as Christ her Spouse alreadie is Herevpon God vvould haue S. Luke to report in the Actes of the Apostles the storie of the Churches beginning and for the rest of it to the end that vve might receiue this benefite also by the Apostles handes he vvould S. Iohn to tell vs of it in this booke by vvay of a prophecie Of vvhich booke S. Hierome saith The Apocalypse of S. Iohn hath as many sacrament or mysteries as vvordes Yea more then that In euery vvord there are hid manifold and sundrie senses Therfore it is very litle that can here be noted in respect Yet to giue the good Catholike vvhose comfort is here some litle helpe the booke may be deuided into fiue partes The first after the Proâ—â—me conteineth seuen Epistles from Christ novv in glorie to seuen Churches of Asia or for these he maketh al one to the seuen Bishops of those Churches meaning no to those only but to al his Churches Bishops throughout the vvorld saying therefore in euery one of them to al in general He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches As also in euery one he exhorteth vs to fight manfully in this spiritual vvarfare of ours against sinne for the victorie and in euery one accordingly promiseth vs a revvard in heauen But before this in the beginning of euery one be partly commendeth partly reprehendeth and exhorteth to penance Vvhere this is much to be noted and feared that among so many he reproueth somevvhat in al saue only in tvvo vvhich are the second the sixt In the beginning also of euery one he taketh some peece out of the apparition going before to frame thereof his slyle agreably to the matter of eche Epistle After this admonition to Pastors and their flockes the second part folovveth vvherein the Church and vvhole course thereof from the beginning to the end is expressed in the opening of a booke in Gods hand and the seuen seales thereof by Christ for the vvhich he seeth praise sung novv in heauen and earth not only to the Godhead as before but also after a nevv manner to Christ according to his Manhod And here vvhen he is come to the opening of the last seale signifying Domesday he letteth that matter alone for a vvhile and to speake more fully yet of the said course of the Church he bringeth in an other pagent as it vvere of seuen Angels vvith seuen Trumpets The effect of both the Seales Trumpets in this That the Church beginning and proceding there should be raised against it cruel persecutions and pestilent heresies and at length after al heresies a certaine most blasphemous Apostasie being the next preparatiue to the comming of Antichrist After al vvhich Antichrist him self in person shal appeare in the time of the sixt seale and sixt trumpet persecuting and seducing for the short time of his reigne more then al before him The Church notvvithstanding shal still continue and vvade through al because Christ her Spouse is stronger then al these aduersaries vvho also straight after the said sixt time shal in the seuenth come in maiestie and iudge al. Of the vvhich iudgement differring yet a vvhile to speake at large he doth first in the third part intreate more fully of the Deuils vvorking by Antichrist and his companie against the Church that the iustice of Christ aftervvard in iudging may be more manifest At length therefore in the fourth part he commeth to the seuen last plagues the seuenth of them conteining the final damnation of the vvhole multitude societie or corps of the vvicked from the beginning of the vvorld to the end Vvhich multitude in the Gospel and first Epistle of this same S. Iohn as also in the other Scriptures commonly is often called Mundus the vvorld and here he calleth it partly Meretricem a vvhore or harlot because vvith her concupiscence she entiseth the carnal and earthly men avvay from God partly Ciuitatem Babylon the Citie of Babylon because it maketh vvarre against Hierusalem the Citie of God and laboureth to hold Gods people captiue in sinne as it vvas shadovved in Nabuchodonosor his Babylonias leading and holding the Ievves vvith their Hierusalem in captiuitie vntil Cyrus in figure of Christ deliuered them But vvhether al these seuen plagues should be vnderstood as the seuenth of Domesday it self it is hard to define More like it is that the first sixe are to goe before Domesday but vvhether corporally and literally so as Moyses plagued Egypt or rather spiritually it is more hard to define Yet it seemeth more easie to vnderstand them corporally as also the plagues vvherevvith Elias and his fellovv shal in the time of Antichrist plague the vvicked vvhich peraduenture shal be the same last plagues vvhere of vve reade in this booke c. 11. v. 6. But not content to haue described