tribunal of Pope Councels Bishops Synodes but eche man to his ovvne phantastical spirit his ovvne sense of Scriptures and his ovvne vvilful obdurate rebellion against Gods Church and his Superiors in the same But here vve see S. Paul and Barnabas men that vvere Apostles and ful of the Spirit of God and the other parties though neuer so much partial to the ceremonies of their Lavv by their former long vse and education therein yet not to stand stifly to their ovvne opinion on either side but to condescend to referre the vvhole controuersie and the determination thereof to the Apostles Priests or Auncients of Hierusalem that is to say to commit the matter to be tried by the heads and Bishops and their determination in Councel This is Gods holy and vvise prouidence among other iudgements in his Church to keepe the Christian people in truth and vnitie and to condemne sectes and false teachers and troublers of the Church By vvhich iudgements and order vvhosoeuer vvil not or dare not be tried in al their doctrine and doings they shevv them selues to mistrust their ovvne cause and to flee from the light and ordinance of God Vvithout vvhich order of appeasing al differences in faith and constructions of the Scriptures the Church had beene more defectual and insufficient then any Commonvvealth or Societie of men in the vvorld none of vvhich euer vvanteth good meanes to decide al discordes and dissension arising among the subiects citizens of the same 6. Apostles and Auncients The Heresies of our Protestants vvhich vvould haue al men to giue voice or to be present in Councels and of others that vvould haue none but the holy or elect to be admitted are refuted by this example vvhere vve see none but Apostles Priests or Ancients assembled to dispute of the matter though many deuout people vvere in the citie the same time Neither did euer any other in the Auncient Councels of the Church assemble to debate and define the matter but such though many other for other causes be euer present Secular men or vvomen be their gifts neuer so great can not be iudges in causes of faith and religion If any thing saith God â—e hard and doubtful thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuitical stocke and thou shalt folovv their sentence Againe The lippes of the Priest shal keepe knovvledge and the Lavv thou shalt require of his mouth Againe Aske the Lavv of the Priest Much more must vve referre al to our Bishops and Pastors vvhom God hath placed in the regiment of the Church vvith much larger priuilege then euer he did the old Priests ouer the Synagogue to vvhom it is said He that despiseth you despiseth me And it is to be noted that the Bishops so gathered in Councel represent the vvhole Church haue the authoritie of the vvhole Church and the Spirit of God to protect them from error as the vvhole Church SS Paul and Barnabas come hither for the definition of the vvhole Church The sentence of a plenarie or general Councel saith S. Augustine is the consent of the vvhole Church And so it must needes be in the Church because the Magistrates Senate Councel or deputies of al commonvvealthes represent the vvhole body and to haue it othervvise as the Churches Rebels vvish vvere to bring al to hel and horrour and them selues to be perpetually by the seditious and popular persons vpholden against Lavv reason and religion in their vvickednes â— Assembled A Councel vvas called to discusse the matter vvhich Councel vvas the more easily gathered because the Christian Bishops and countries vvere not yet so many but that the principal Gouernours of the Church being not far dispersed and as many learned men as vvere necessarie might be in Hierusalem or easily called thither And it vvas not a Prouincial Councel or Synode only but a general Councel consisting of the cheefe Apostles and Bishops that then vvere though the number vvas nothing so great as aftervvard vsed to assemble vvhen the Church vvas spred into al nations 7. Peter rising vp S. Peter as the head of the Church speaketh first as his Successors haue euer had not only in their personal presence but in their absence by their legates and substitutes the cheefe voice in al Councels general none euer receiued into authoritie and credite in the Church vvithout their Confirmation And therefore the Councels of the Arians and of other Heretikes vvere they neuer so great vvanting the Popes assent assistance or Confirmation did shamfully erre as Ariminense for the Arians and Ephesinum secundum for the Nestorians and such like condemned Assemblies 7. Chose that by my mouth Though Paul vvere called and appointed specially to be the Apostle of the Gentils yet that vvas S. Peters special priuilege by Gods ovvne choise that the first Gentils should be called by his mouth and that he first should vtter to the Church that truth of the admission of the Gentils him self for that he vvas Christes Vicar being notvvithstanding as his Maister vvas Minister Circuncisionis that is Apostle of the Ievves Christ deferring al preeminence vnto him in that point also 1â— Iames. S. Iames because he vvas an Apostle and also Bishop of Hierusalem gaue his sentence next for the speache interposed of SS Paul and Barnabas vvas but for their better information in the decision of the matter and for confirmation of S. Peters sentence though they being Apostles and Bishops had voices in the Councel also as many mâ— had though their sentences be not heare reported And vvhere S. Iames in his speach saith I iudge it is not meant that he gaue the principal definitiue sentence for he as al the rest folovved and allovved the senteÌ„ce of S. Peter as it is plaine in the text the vvhole assembly for reuerence of his person and approbation of his sentence holding their peace Al the multitude saith S. Hierom held their peace and into his sentence Iames the Apostle al the Priests did passe together For though S. Iames did particularise certaine points incident to the question debated as of eating strangled meates c. yet the proper controuersie for vvhich the Councel assembled vvas Vvhether the Gentils conuerted vvere bound to obserue the Lavv of Moyses and it vvas concluded that they vvere not bound nor ought not to be charged vvith Moyses Lavv or the Sacraments and ceremonies of the same this is the substance and principal purpose of this Councels decree vvhich doth binde for euer and Peter saith S. Hierom in the same place vvas Prince or author of this decree the matter of fornication and Idolothytes being but incident to the question or resolution and the forbidding of eating strangled and bloud but a temporal prohibition vvhich by the consent of the Church or othervvise aftervvard vvas abrogated the Church of God hauing the true sense of difference of times place persons vvhen and
candlestickes of the vvorld no doubt to signfie that Christ preserueth the truth onely in and by the lavvful Bishops and Catholike Church and that Christs truth is not to be sought for in corners or conuenticles of Heretikes but at the Bishops handes and * vpon the candlesticke vvhich shineth to al in the house 20. The Angels of the Churches The vvhole Church of Christ hath S. Michael for her keeper and Protector and therfore keepeth his holy day onely by name among al Angels And as earthly kingdoms haue their special Angels Protectors as vve see in the 10 Chapter of Daniel so much more the particular Churches of ChristeÌ„dom See S. Hierom in 34 Ezech. But of those Angels it is not here meant as is manifest And therfore Angels here must needes signifie the Priests or Bishops specially of the Churches here and in them al the gouernours of the vvhole of euery particular Church of Christendom They are called Angels for that they are Gods messengers to vs interpreters of his vvil our keepers and directors in religion our intercessors the cariers and offerers of our praiers to him and mediators vnto him vnder Christ and for these causes and for their great digniâ—ie they are here and in * other places of Scripture called Angels CHAP. II. He is commaunded to vvrite diuers things to the churches of Ephesiu Sâ—yrna Pergamus and Thyatira praising them that had not admitted the doctrine of the Heretikes called Nicolaâ—ta 22 and calling others by threates vnto penance 26 and promising revvard to him that manfully ouercommeth verse 1 AND to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus vvrite Thus saith he vvhich ″ holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand vvhich vvalketh in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 2 I knovv ″ thy vvorkes and labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare euil men and hast tried them which say them selues to be Apostles and are not and hast found them liars ✠verse 3 and thou hast patience and hast borne for my name and hast not fainted ✠verse 4 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges bicause thou hast left thy first charitie ✠verse 5 Be mindeful therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and doe penance and doe the first vvorkes But if not I come to thee and ″ vvil moue thy candlesticke out of his place vnlesse thou doe penance ✠verse 6 but this thou hast ″ because thou hatest the factes ″ of the Nicolaïtes vvhich I also hate ✠verse 7 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercommeth I vvil giue to eate of the tree of life vvhich is in the Paradise of my God ✠verse 8 And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna vvrite Thus saith * the first and the last vvho vvas dead and liueth ✠verse 9 I knovv thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche and thou art blasphemed of them that say them selues to be Ievves and are not but are the synagogue of Satan ✠verse 10 Feare none of these thinges vvhich thou shalt suffer Behold the Deuil vvil send some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shal haue tribulation ten daies Be thou faithful vntil death and I vvil giue thee the crovvne of life ✠verse 11 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt of the second death ✠verse 12 And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus vvrite Thus saith he that hath the sharpe tvvo edged svvord ✠verse 13 I knovv vvhere thou dvvellest vvhere the seate of Satan is and thou holdest my name and hast not denied my faith And in those daies Antipas my faithful vvitnesse vvho vvas slaine among you vvhere Satan dvvelleth ✠verse 14 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam vvho taught Balac ″ to cast a scandal before the children of Israel to eate and commit fornication ✠verse 15 so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaïtes ✠verse 16 In like maner doe penance if not I vvil come to thee quickly and vvil fight against them vvith the svvord of my mouth ✠verse 17 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercoÌ„meth I vvil giue the hidden manna and vvil giue him a vvhite counter and in the counter a nevv name Written vvhich no man knovveth but he that receiueth it ✠verse 18 And to the Angel of the Church of ThyatÃra vvrite Thus saith the Sonne of God vvhich hath eies as a flame of fire and his feete like to latten ✠verse 19 I knovv thy vvorkes and faith and thy charitie and ministerie and thy patience and thy last vvorkes moe then the former ✠verse 20 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou permittest ″ the vvoman * Iezabel vvho calleth her self a prophetesse to teache and to seduce my seruantes to fornicate and to eate of thinges sacrificed to idols ✠verse 21 And I gaue her a time that she might do penance and ″ she vvil not repent from her fornication ✠verse 22 Behold I vvil cast her into a bedde and ″ they that commit aduoutrie vvith her shal be in very great tribulation vnlesse they do penance from their vvorkes ✠verse 23 and her children I vvil kil vnto death and al the Churches shal knovv * that I am he that searcheth the reines and hartes and I vvil giue to euery one of you according to his vvorkes ✠verse 24 But I say to you the rest vvhich are at Thyatira vvhosoeuer haue not this doctrine vvhich haue not knowen the depth ' of Satan as they say I vvil not cast vpon you an other vveight ✠verse 25 Yet that vvhich you haue hold til I come ✠verse 26 And he that shal ouercome and keepe my vvorkes vnto the end ″ I vvil giue him povver ouer the nations ✠verse 27 and * he shal rule them vvith a rod of yron and as the vessel of a potter shal they be broken ✠verse 28 as I also haue receiued of my father and I vvil giue him the morning starre ✠verse 29 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Holdeth the seuen Much to be obserued that Christ hath such care ouer the Church and the Bishops thereof that he is said here to beare them vp in his right hand and to vvalke in the middes of them no doubt to vphold and preserue them and to guide them in al truth 2. Thy vvorkes labour patience c. Things required in a Bishop first good vvorkes and great patience in tribulation next zeale and sharpe discipline tovvard offenders
is here cōmended in them thirdly vvisedom diligence in trial of false Apostles and preachers comming in sheepe-skinnes vvhere is signified the vvatchful prouidence that ought to be in them that Heretikes enter not into their flockes 5. Vvil moue Note that the cause vvhy God taketh the truth from certaine countries and remoueth their Bishops or Churches into captiuitie or desolation is the sinne of the Prelates and people And that is the cause no doubt that Christ hath taken avvay our golden candlesticke that is our Church in England God graunt vs to remember our fall to doe penance and the former vvorkes of charitie vvhich our first Bishops and Church vvere notable and renovvmed for 6. Because thou hatest Vve see here that of al things Christian people specially Bishops should haue great zeale against Heretikes and hate them that is their vvicked doctrine and conditions euen as God hateth them for vvhich onely zeale our Lord saith here that he beareth vvith some Churches and Prelates and saueth them from perishing 6. Of the Nicolaites Heretikes haue their callings of certaine persons as is noted at large Act. 11 26. These had their name of Nicolas one of the 7 first Deacons that vvere chosen Act. 6. Vvho is thought to haue taught communitie of vvomen or vviues and that it vvas lavvful to eate of meates offered to idols Vvhich later point is such a thing as if one should hold it lavvful to receiue the bread or vvine of the nevv Communion vvhich is a kinde of Idolothytae that is idolatrous meates for though such creatures be good by creation yet they be made execrable by profane blessings of Heretikes or Idolaters And concerning the name of Nicolaites giuen here by our Lord him self to those Heretikes it is a very paterne and marke vnto the faithful for euer vvhat kinde of men they should be that should be called after the like sort Arians Macedonians Nestorians Lutherans Zuinglians c. See S. Hierom cont Lucifer in fine 14. To cast a scandal Iosephus vvriteth that vvhen Balaam could not curse Gods people nor othervvise anoy them he taught Balaca vvay hovv to ouerthrovv them to vvit by presenting vnto them their Heathen vvomen very beautiful and delicate dishes of meate offered to Bel-phego◠that so being tempted they might fall to heathenish maners and displease God To vvhich craftie counsel of Balaam the Apostle resembleth Heretikes fraude vvho by offering of libertie of meate vvomen Church goodes breache of vovves and such other licentious allurements cause many moe to fall then by their preaching 20. The vvoman Iezabel He vvarneth Bishops to be zelous and stout against false Prophets and Heretikes of vvhat sort soeuer by alluding couertly to the example of holy Elias that in zeale killed 450 false prophets of Iezabel and spared not Achab nor Iezabel them selues but told them to their faces that they troubled Israel that is the faithful people of God And vvhether there vvere any such great vvoman then a furtherer and promotour of the Nicolaites vvhom the Prophete should here meane it is hard to say 21. She vvil not repent See free vvil here most plainely and that God is not the proper cause of obduration or impenitence but man him self onely Our Lord giueth sinners so long life specially to expect their amendment but Iezabel to vvhom the Apostle here alludeth vvould neuer repent 22. They that cōmit aduoutrie vvith her Such as communicate vvith Heretikes shal be damned alas vvith them for not onely such as vvere in their hartes of Iezabels religion or invvardly beleeued in Baal but such as externally for feare vvorshipped him vvhich the Scriptures call bovving of their knees to Baal are culpable as novv many bovv their knees to the Communion that bovv not their hartes 26. I vvil giue him povver Obserue that not onely Angels haue povver and regiment ouer Countries vnder God but novv for the honour of Christ humane nature and for his ministerie in the vvorld the Saincts deceased also being in heauen haue gouernement ouer men and Prouinces and therfore haue to doe vvith our affaires in the vvorld Vvhich is against the Heretikes of these daies that to take avvay our praiers to Saincts vvould spoile them of many soueraine dignities vvherein the Scriptures make them equal vvith Angels CHAP. III. He is commaunded to vvrite to the Churches of Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia recalling them that erre to penance by threatening but praising the rest and promising revvard to him that ouercommeth 15 detesting also the cold indifferent Christian 20 He saith that God knocketh at the doore of mens hartes by offering his grace for to enter in to him that vvil open vnto him by consent of free vvil verse 1 ANd to the Angel of the Church of Sardis write Thus saith he that hath the seuē Spirites of God and the seuen starres I know thy vvorkes that thou hast the name that thou liuest and thou art dead ✠verse 2 Be vigilant and confirme the rest of the things vvhich vvere to die For I finde not thy vvorkes ful before my God ✠verse 3 Haue in minde therfore in vvhat maner thou hast receiued and heard and keepe and doe penance If therfore thou vvatch not * I vvil come to thee as a theefe thou shalt not knovv vvhat houre I vvil come to thee ✠verse 4 But thou hast a fevv names in Sardis vvhich haue not defiled their garments and they shal vvalke vvith me in vvhites because they are vvorthy ✠verse 5 ″ He that shal ouercome shal thus be vested in vvhite garmentes and I vvil not put his name out of the booke of life and I vvil confesse his name before my father and before his Angels ✠verse 6 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saieth to the Churches ✠verse 7 And to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia vvrite Thus saith the Holy one and the True one he that hath the * key of Dauid he that openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth ✠verse 8 I know thy vvorkes Behold I haue giuen before thee a doore opened vvhich no man can shut because thou hast a litle povver and hast kept my vvord and hast not denied my name ✠verse 9 Behold I vvil giue of the synagogue of Satan vvhich say they be Ievves and are not but doe lie Behold I vvil make them come and ″ adore before thy feete and they shal knovv that I haue loued thee ✠verse 10 because thou hast kept the vvord of my patience and I vvil keepe thee from the houre of tentation vvhich shal come vpon the vvhole vvorld to tempt the inhabitants on the earth ✠verse 11 Behold I come quickely hold that vvhich thou hast ″ that no man take thy crovvne ✠verse 12 He that shal ouercome I vvil make him a piller in the temple of my God and he
but in spirit I beheld the similitudes of the thinges folovving b The I GENERAL VISION of the 7 according to S. Ambrose ⸬ It seemeth not to be Christ him self but an Angel bearing Christes person vsing diuers speaches proper to Christ c podére Sap. 18 24. Esa 41 4. 44 6. ⸬ S. Irenaeus alluding to this saith The Church euery vvhere preacheth the truth and this is the seuenfold candlesticke bearing the light of Christ c. Li. 5. aduersâ—haer An admonition to the reader concerning the difficultie of this booke Numbers mystical The number of Seuen mystical specially in this booke Grace peace from God the holy Angels God and our Ladie saue vs and the like Hovv al Christians be both kings Priests Difference of holy daies and vvorkedaies Sunday made holiday by the Apostles the Churches authoritie Other feastes ordained by the Church As Saturday was in memorie of the creation so Sunday of Christs resurrection The Church vseth not the Heathenish names of daies but Dies Dominicus feriae Sabbatum God giueth greater grace at holy times of praier fasting Priestly garments The true religioÌ„ manifest as the light on a candlesticke Mat. 5. 15 Angels Protectors Bishops Priests are called Angels Malach. 2 7. ⸬ That vvhich before he vvilled him to vvrite to the church he now vvilleth to be vvritten to the Angels or Bishops of the same onely vvhere vve see it is al one to the Church and to the head or gouernour therof ⸬ By this vve see is plainely refuted that vvhich some Heretikes hold that a man once in grace or charitie can neuer fall from it Apoc. 1 17. ⸬ This Church representeth the state of them that are spoiled of their goodes emprisoned manifoldly afflicted for the catholike faith ⸬ The singular revvard of Martyrdom ⸬ The death of the body is the first death the death of the soule the secoÌ„d vvhich Martyrs are surest to escape of al men ⸬ The special residence of Satan is vvhere the faithful are persecuted for Christes truth vvhere not to deny the Cath. faith for feare is much here commended Nu. 24 14. 25 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calculâ—Ì„ ⸬ None of these are any thing vvorth vvithout the other 3 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 16. ⸬ Vvho 〈◊〉 nor here that good vvorkes deserue al utioÌ„ as il workes damnation and that it is not faith alone that God revvardeth but that faith vvhich vvorketh by charitie Ps 7 10 Ier. 11 20. ` depthes Ps 2 9. ⸬ This great priuilege of Saâ—cts riseth of the povver and preeminence of Christ vvhich his father gaue him according to his humanitie and therfore to deny it to Saincts is to deny it to Christ him self Christs care of his Church Special vertues required in a Bishop Sinne is the cause that God taketh the Cath. faith from couÌ„tries Zeale against Heretikes Nicolaites the first Heretikes so called as a paterne of Arians Lutherans and the like peculiar callings Balaam ouercomming Gods people by persuasion of lecherie and bellicheere vvas a type of Heretikes li. 4. Antiq c. 6. 2. Pet. 2 15. Iuda v. 11. Zeale against Heretikes 3 Reg. 18. Achab and Iezabel Free vvil God is not author of euil They that communicate vvith Heretikes shal be daÌ„ned vvith them 3 Reg. 19. v. 18. Ro. 11. Saincts also are Patrones not only Angels 1 Thes 5 2. 2 Pet. 3 10. Apo. 16 15. c Such as haue not coÌ„mitted deadly sinne after baptisme ⸬ Note that there is in maÌ„ a vvorthinesse of the ioyes of heauen by holy life this is a coÌ„moÌ„ speache in holy Scripture that man is worthy of God of heaueÌ„ of saluatioÌ„ Esa 22 22. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastici 24 9. 14. Col. 1 15. Prou. 3 12. Heb. 12 6. ⸬ God first calleth vpoÌ„ man and knocketh at the doore of his hart that is to say offereth his grace and it lieth in man to giue coÌ„sent by free wil holpen also by his grace Doing vvel in respect of revvard Adoration of creatures called Dulia Perseuêrance in good continuing to the end Neuters of indifferents in religion The 2 part first the booke with 7 seales secoÌ„dly 7 Angels with trumpets THE 2 VISION In which is represented vnto vs the glorie and maiestie of God in heauen and the incessant honour praises of al Angels and Saincts assisting him Vvhich is resembled in the daily honour done to him by al orders and sortes of holy men in the Church militant also ⸬ These foure beastes and the like described Ezaech 1 by the iudgement of the holy Doctors signifie the 4 Euangelistes and in them al true preachers the man Mathevv the lioÌ„ Marke the calle Luke the egle Iohn See the causes hereof in the Summe of the 4 Euangelist pag. 1. S. Gregoin 1. Ezech. Es 6 3. The Sanctus thrise repeated THE 3 VISION ⸬ S. Gregorie taketh it to be the booke of holy Scripture li. 4. Dialog c. 42. ⸬ He speaketh not of the damned in Hel of vvhom there could be no question but of the faithful in Abrahams bosome in Purgatorie c So did Iacob Gen. 49. call Christ for his kingly fortitude in subduing the vvorld vnto him Gen. 49 9. b The Epistle vpon al-Hallovves eue ⸬ So Christ is called for that he is the immaculate host or sacrifice for our sinnes ⸬ This maketh against the Caluinistes vvho are not coÌ„tent to say that vve merite not but that Christ merited not for him self Calu. Philip 2. v. 9. 1 Pet. 2. ` kinges The Epistle in a votiue Masse of the holy Angels Dan. 7. 10. ` riches ⸬ Al the said creatures are bound to giue honour not onely to God but to Christ as man and our redeemer so they here doe Apoc. 4 11. The Saincts in heauen offer our praiers to God Spiritual kings and Priests Limbus Patrum and Purgatorie ⸬ This one stole signifieth the glorie or blisse of the soule onely but at the day of iudgement they shal haue it doubled by adding the glorie of their body also c The tribulation that shal fall in the time of Antichrist Osâ—e 10. Lu. 23 50. Consecration of altars vvith Sainctâ— relikes Saincts be present at their tombes and relikes The Caluinistes heresie concerning the Saincts consuted by S. Hierom long agoe Apoc. 14. They vnlearnedly accuse S. Hierom aâ— an Vbiquiste Hovv S. HieroÌ„ saith Christ his Saincts are euery vvhere Iob. 1. That Saincts pray for vs S. Hierom proueth against the Heretike Vigilantius Hovv Martyrs crie for reuenge b The Epistle vpon Al hallovves day ⸬ It is an allusion to the signe of the Crosse vvhich the faithful beare in their foreheads to shevv they be not ashamed of Christ S. August tract 43. in Io. c Of al the tribes put together so many 144000. He signifieth by these thousands and the multitude folowing al the elect but the elect of the Ievves to be in a certaine number the elect of
very place in S. Matthew and in the Actes where our Sauiour and S. Paul speake thus They haue heard heauily and haue shut their eies left perhaps they may see and vnderstand and be conuerted and I heale them Whereby it is euident that the speaking in parables was not the cause for many beside the Apostles heard and vnderstood but them selues would not heare and vnderstand and be conuerted and so were the cause of their owne wilful and obstinate infidelity And therfore also he spake in parables because they were not worthy to vnderstand as the other to whom he expounded them 27. And sleepe The Church and Christs doctrine sleepe we wake we increaseth by the great prouidence of God only the preachers must sow and plant and water and * God wil giue the increase nourishing the seede in mens harts And therfore we may not giue ouer or be impatient and solicitous if we haue not alwaies good successe but doing our duty commit the rest to God 31. Mustard seed If the Church and Truth had more and more decaied and been obscured after the Apostles time vnto ours as the Heretikes hold then had it been great in the beginning and smal afterward where this Parable saith contrary that it was a mustard seed first and afterward a great tree vide Chrys to 5 contra Gentiles in vita S. Babylae Mart. 32. The birdes Of al sectes or doctrine Christs religion at the beginning was the smallest and most contemptible but the successe thereof farre passed al mans doctrine in so much that afterward al the wisest and greatest of the world made their residence and rest therein CHAP. V. To the Gerasens and in them to al men Christ manifesteth how the Diuel of his malice would vse them if he would permitte 17 and yet they like not their Sauiours presence 21 A woman Gentil that began her sicknesse when the Iewes daughter began her life signifying Abrahams time he cureth by the way as he was comming to heale the Iewes And euen then the Iewes do die but yet them also he wil reuiue as here the Iewes daughter verse 1 AND they came beyond the straite of the sea into the countrie of the Gerasens ✠verse 2 And as he vvent out of the boate immediatly there mette him out of the sepulchres a man in an vncleane spirit ✠verse 3 that had his dvvelling in the sepulchres and neither vvith chaines ″ could any man novv binde him ✠verse 4 for being often bound vvith fetters and chaines he had burst the chaines and broken the fetters and no body could tame him ✠verse 5 and he vvas alvvaies day and night in the sepulchres and in the mountaines crying and cutting him self vvith stones ✠verse 6 And seeing IESVS a farre of he ranne and adored him ✠verse 7 and crying vvith a great voice said What to me and thee IESVS the sonne of God most high I adiure thee by God that thou torment me not ✠verse 8 For he said vnto him Goe out of the man thou vncleane spirit ✠verse 9 And he asked him What is thy name And he saith to him My name is Legion because vve are many ✠verse 10 And he besought him much that he vvould not expel him out of the countrie ✠verse 11 And there vvas there about the mountaine a great heard of svvine feeding ✠verse 12 And the spirits besought him saying Send vs into the svvine that vve may enter into them ✠verse 13 And IESVS immediatly graunted vnto them And the vncleane spirits going out entred into the svvine and the heard vvith great violence vvas caried headlong into the sea about tvvo thousand and vvere stifled in the sea ✠verse 14 And they that fed them fled and caried nevves into the citie and into the fields And they vvent forth to see vvhat vvas done ✠verse 15 and they come to IESVS and they see him that vvas vexed of the deuil sitting clothed and vvel in his vvittes and they vvere afraid ✠verse 16 And they that had seen it told them in vvhat maner he had been dealt vvithal that had the diuel and of the swine ✠verse 17 And they began to desire him that he vvould depart from their coastes ✠verse 18 And vvhen he vvent vp into the boate he that had been vexed of the diuel began to beseeche him that he might be vvith him ✠verse 19 and he admitted him not but saith to him Goe into thy house to thine and tel them hovv great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had mercie vpon thee ✠verse 20 And he vvent his vvay and began to publish in Decapolis hovv great things IESVS had done to him and al marueled ✠verse 21 * And vvhen IESVS had passed in boate againe ouer the straite a great multitude assembled together vnto him and he vvas about the sea ✠verse 22 And there commeth one of the Archsynagogs named Iaîrus and seeing him he falleth dovvne at his feete ✠verse 23 and besought him much saying That my daughter is at the point of death come impose thy hands vpon her that she may be safe and liue ✠verse 24 And he vvent vvith him and a great multitude folovved him and they thronged him ✠verse 25 And a vvoman vvhich vvas in an issue of bloud tvvelue yeres ✠verse 26 and had suffred many things of many Physicions and had bestovved al that she had neither vvas any thing the better but vvas rather vvorse ✠verse 27 vvhen she had heard of IESVS she came in the preasse behind him and touched his garment ✠verse 28 for she said That ″ if I shal touche but his garment I shal be safe ✠verse 29 And forthvvith the fountaine of her bloud vvas dried and she felt in her body that she vvas healed of the maladie ✠verse 30 And immediatly IESVS knovving in him self ″ the vertue that had proceeded from him turning to the multitude said Who hath touched my garments ✠verse 31 And his Disciples said to him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou who hath touched me ✠verse 32 And he looked about to see her that had done this ✠verse 33 But the vvoman fearing and trembling knovving vvhat vvas done in her came and fel dovvne before him and told him al the truth ✠verse 34 And he said to her Daughter thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace and be vvhole of thy maladie ✠verse 35 As he vvas yet speaking they come to ' the Archsynagogue saying That thy daughter is dead vvhy doest thou trouble the Maister any further ✠verse 36 But IESVS hauing heard the vvord that vvas spoken saith to the Archsynagogue Feare not ″ only beleeue ✠verse 37 And he admitted not any man to folovv him but Peter and Iames and Iohn the brother of Iames. ✠verse 38 And they come to the Archsynagogs house
flesh therfore novv they are not tvvo but one flesh ✠verse 9 That therfore vvhich God hath ioyned together let not man separate ✠verse 10 And * in the house againe his Disciples asked him of the same thing ✠verse 11 And he saith to them Whosoeuer dimisseth his vvife and ″ marrieth an other committeth aduoutrie vpon her ✠verse 12 And if the vvife dimisse her husband and mary an other she committeth aduoutrie ✠verse 13 And * they offered to him yong children that he might touche them And the Disciples threatened those that offered them ✠verse 14 Whom vvhen IESVS savv he tooke it il and said to them Suffer the little children to come vnto me and prohibit them not for the kingdom of God is for such ✠verse 15 Amen I say to you Whosoeuer receiueth not the kingdom of God as a litle childe shal not enter into it ✠verse 16 And embracing them and imposing hands vpon them he blessed them ✠verse 17 And vvhen he vvas gone forth in the vvay a certaine man running forth and kneeling before him asked him * Good Maister vvhat shal I doe that I may receiue life euerlasting ✠verse 18 And IESVS said to him Why callest thou me good ″ None is good but one God ✠verse 19 Thou knovvest the commaundements * Commit not aduoutrie Kil not Steale not Beare not false vvitnesse doe no fraude Honour thy father and mother ✠verse 20 But he ansvvering said to him Maister al these things I haue obserued from my youth ✠verse 21 And IESVS beholding him loued him and said to him One thing is vvanting vnto thee goe sel vvhatsoeuer thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come folovv me ✠verse 22 Who being stroken sad at the vvord vvent avvay sorovvful for he had many possessions ✠verse 23 And IESVS looking about saith to his Disciples Hovv hardly shal they that haue money enter into the kingdom of God! ✠verse 24 And the Disciples vvere astonied at his vvordes But IESVS againe ansvvering saith to them Children hovv hard is it for them that trust in money to enter into the kingdom of God! ✠verse 25 It is easier for a camel to passe through a nedels eie then for ″ a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 26 Vvho marueled more saying to them selues And vvho can be saued ✠verse 27 And IESVS beholding them saith Vvith men it is impossibile but not vvith God for al things are possible vvith God ✠verse 28 And Peter began to say vnto him Behold vve haue left al things and haue folovved thee ✠verse 29 IESVS ansvvering said Amen I say to you there is no man vvhich hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or children or landes for me and for the Gospel ✠verse 30 that shal not receiue ″ an hundred times so much novv in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and landes vvith persecutions and in the vvorld to come life euerlasting ✠verse 31 But * many that are first shal be last and the last first ✠verse 32 And they vvere in the vvay going vp to Hierusalem and IESVS vvent before them and they vvere astonied and folovving vvere afraid And * taking againe the Tvvelue he began to tel them the things that should befal him ✠verse 33 That behold vve goe vp to Hierusalem and the Sonne of man shal be betrayed to the cheefe Priestes and to the Scribes and Auncients and they shal condemne him to death and shal deliuer him to the Gentiles ✠verse 34 and they shal mocke him and spit on him and scourge him and kil him and the third day he shal rise againe ✠verse 35 And * there come to him Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee saying Maister vve vvil that vvhat thing soeuer vve shal aske thou doe it to vs. ✠verse 36 But he said to them What vvil you that I doe to you ✠verse 37 And they said Graunt to vs that vve may sit one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy glorie ✠verse 38 And IESVS said to them You vvotte not vvhat you aske can you drinke the cuppe that I drinke or be baptized vvith the baptisme vvhervvith I am baptized ✠verse 39 But they said to him Vve can And IESVS said to them The cuppe in deede vvhich I drinke you shal drinke and vvith the baptisme vvhervvith I am baptized shal you be baptized ✠verse 40 but to sit on my right hand or on my left is not mine to giue vnto you but to vvhom it is prepared ✠verse 41 And the ten hearing began to be displeased at Iames and Iohn ✠verse 42 And IESVS calling them saith to them * You knovv that they vvhich seeme to rule ouer the gentiles ouerrule them and their Princes haue povver ouer them ✠verse 43 But it is not so in you but vvhosoeuer vvil be greater shal be your minister ✠verse 44 and vvhosoeuer vvil be first among you shal be the seruant of al. ✠verse 45 For the Sonne of man also is not come to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his life a redempption for many ✠verse 46 And * they come to Iericho and vvhen he departed from Iericho and his Disciples and a very great multitude the sonne of Timaeus Bar-timaeus the blinde man sate by the way side begging ✠verse 47 Vvho vvhen he had heard that it is IESVS of Nazareth he began to crie and to say IESVS sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me ✠verse 48 And many threatened him to hold his peace but he cried much more Sonne of Dauid verse 49 haue mercie vpon me And IESVS standing stil commaunded him to be called And they call the blinde man saying to him Be of better comfort arise he calleth thee ✠verse 50 Vvho casting of his garment leapt vp and came to him ✠verse 51 And IESVS ansvvering said to him Vvhat vvilt thou that I doe vnto thee And the blinde man said to him Rabbôni that I may see ✠verse 52 And IESVS said to him Goe thy vvaies thy faith hath made the safe And forthvvith he savv and folovved him in the vvay ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 4. Permitted Some things are permitted though not approued or allowed to auoid greater inconueniences No man may doe euil for any cause but he may permit other mens euils for diuerse causes as God him self doeth who can doe no euil So doth the Prince and Common-wealth permit lesser euils to eschew greater and so may the Holy Church much more as S. Augustine saith she doeth being placed among much chaffe and much cockle tolerate many things and yet whatsoeuer is against faith and good life she neither approueth nor
the poole of Siloé and wash And I vvent and vvashed and savv ✠verse 12 And they said to him Vvhere is he He saith I knovv not ✠verse 13 They bring him that had been blinde to the Pharisees ✠verse 14 And it vvas the Sabboth vvhen IESVS made the clay and opened his eies ✠verse 15 Againe therfore the Pharisees asked him hovv he savv But he said to them He put clay vpō mine eies I vvashed and I see ✠verse 16 Certaine therfore of the Pharisees said This man is not of God that keepeth not the Sabboth But others said Hovv can a man that is a sinner doe these signes And there vvas a schisme among them ✠verse 17 They say therfore to the blinde againe Thou vvhat saiest thou of him that opened thine eies And he said That he is a Prophet ✠verse 18 The levves therfore did not beleeue of him that he had been blinde and savv vntil they called the parents of him that savv ✠verse 19 and asked them saying Is this your sonne vvhom you say that he vvas borne blinde hovv then doeth he novv see ✠verse 20 His parents ansvvered them and said Vve knovv that this is our sonne and that he vvas borne blinde ✠verse 21 but hovv he novv seeth vve knovv not or vvho hath opened his eies vve knovv not aske him self he is of age let him self speake of him self ✠verse 22 These things his parents said because they feared the levves for the Ievves had novv conspired that if any mā should cōfesse him to be CHRIST he should be ″ put out of the Synagogue ✠verse 23 Therfore did his parents say That he is of age aske him self ✠verse 24 They therfore againe called the man that had been blinde and said to him Giue glorie to God vve knovv that this man is a sinner ✠verse 25 He therfore said to them Whether he be a sinner I know not one thing I know that vvhereas I vvas blinde novv I see ✠verse 26 They said therfore to him Vvhat did he to thee hovv did he open thine eies ✠verse 27 He ansvvered them I haue novv told you and you haue heard vvhy vvil you heare it againe vvil you also become his disciples ✠verse 28 They reuiled him therfore said Be thou his disciple but we are the disciples of Moyses ✠verse 29 We know that to Moyses God did speake but this man vve knovv not vvhence he is ✠verse 30 The man ansvvered and said to them For in this it is marueilous that you knovv not vvhence he is and he hath opened mine eies ✠verse 31 and vve knovv that sinners God doth not heare but if a man be a seruer of God and doe the vvil of him him he heareth ✠verse 32 From the beginning of the vvorld it hath not been heard that any man hath opened the eies of one borne blinde ✠verse 33 Vnles this man vvere of God he could not doe any thing ✠verse 34 They ansvvered and said to him Thou vvast vvholy borne in sinnes and doest thou teach vs And they did cast him forth ✠verse 35 IESVS heard that they cast him forth and vvhen he had found him he said to him Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God ✠verse 36 He ansvvered and said Vvho is he Lord that I may beleeue in him ✠verse 37 And IESVS said to him Both thou hast seen him and he that talketh vvith thee he it is ✠verse 38 But he said I beleeue Lord. And falling dovvne he adored him ⊢ ✠verse 39 And IESVS said to him For iudgement came I into this vvorld that they that see not may see and they that see may become blinde ✠verse 40 And certaine of the Pharisees that vvere vvith him heard and they said to him Vvhy are vve also blinde ✠verse 41 IESVS said to them If you vvere blinde you should not haue sinne but novv you say That vve see Your sinne remaineth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 6. Made clay Christ that could haue cured this man by his onely wil or word yet vsed certaine creatures as his instruments in working and diuers circumstances and ceremonies clay water anoynting washing c. No maruel then that he and his Church vse such diuersities of Sacraments and ceremonies external in curing our soules 22. Put out of the Synagogue The Heretikes vntruely translate here v. 35. Excommunicate to make the simple conceaue the Churches Excōmunication to be no other or no better or no more rightly vsed against them then this casting our of the Synagogue of such as confesssed our Sauiour They might as wel haue translated for Synagogue Church for the Old Testament the new for Law grace for flesh spirit for Moyses Christ For no lesse difference is there betwene casting out of the Synagogue and Excommunication Besides that not euery one which was not of the Iewes Synagogue was therfore out of the communion of the Faithful many true beleeuers being in other partes of the world not subiect to the Iewes Synagogue Law nor Sacraments And therfore it was not al one to be out of the Synagogue and to be excommunicated as now whosoeuer is out of the Churches communion either by his owne wil or for his iust deserts thrust out of it by the spiritual Magistrate he is quite abandoned out of al the societie of Saincts in heauen and earth so long as he so continueth As for the cause of thrusting this poore man and such other out of the Synagogue and excommunicating Heretikes there is as great oddes as betwixt heauen and hel he being vsed so for folowing Christ and his Church these for forsaking Christ and his Church Some more agreement there is betwene that corrupt sentence of the Iewes against the folowers of Christ and the pretended excommunication executed against Catholike men by our Heretikes although in truth there is no great resemblance For the Iewes though they abused their power sometimes yet had they authoritie in deed by Gods law so to punish contemners of their Law therfore it was feared and respected euen of good men But the excommunication vsed by heretikes against Catholikes or any offenders is not to be respected at al being no more but a ridiculous vsurpation of the Churches right and fashion of the same for out of their Synagogues al faithful men ought to flee and not tarie to be thrust out according to the warning giuen against Coré and Dathan Be ye separated from their tabernacles lest you be vvrapped in their sinnes CHAP. X. He continueth his talke to the Pharisees shevving that they and al other that wil not enter in by him are wolues and that they which heare them are not the true sheepe 11 But that him self is the good Pastor and therfore to saue the sheepe from these wolues he wil yeld his life which othervvise no might of theirs could take from
more infirme and ignorant sort of Christian men be called sensual or carnal also vvho being occupied in secular affaires and giuen to sensual ioy and vvorldlines haue no such sense nor feeling of these great gifts of God as the perfecter sort of the faithful haue Vvho trying these high pointes of religion not by reason and sense but by grace faith and Spirit be therfore called spiritual The spiritual then is he that iudgeth and discerneth the truth of such things as the carnal can not attaine vnto that doth by the spirit of the Church vvhereof he is partaker in the vnitie of the same not onely see the errours of the carnal but condemneth them and iudgeth euery povver resisting Gods spirit and vvord the carnal Ievv Heathen or Heretike hauing no meanes nor right to iudge of the said spiritual man For vvhen the spiritual is said to be iudged of none the meaning is not that he should not be subiect or obedient to his Pastors and spiritual Povvers and to the vvhole Church specially for the trial or examination of al his life doctrine and faith but that a Catholike man and namely a teacher of Catholike doctrine in the Church should not be any vvhit subiect to the iudgement of the Heathen or the Heretike nor care vvhat of ignorance or infidelitie they say against him for such carnal men haue no iudgement in such things nor can attaine to the Churches vvisedom in any ceremonie mysterie or matter vvhich they condemne Therfore S. Irenaeus excellently declaring that the Church and query spiritual childe thereof iudgeth and condemneth al false Prophets and Heretikes of vvhat sort so euer at length he concludeth vvith these notable vvordes The spiritual shal iudge also all that make schismes vvhich be cruel not hauing the loue of God and respecting their ovvne priuate more then the vnitie of the Church mangle deuide and as much as in them lieth kill for smal causes the great and glorious body of Christ speaking peace and seeking battaile He shal iudge also them that be out of the truth that is to say out of the Church vvhich Church shal be vnder no mans iudgement for to the Church are al things knovven in vvhich is perfect faith of the Father and of al the dispensation of Christ and firme knovvledge of the Holy Ghost that teacheth all truth CHA. III. If they vvil not be carnal stil they must boast in God only not in their preachers which are but his ministers 10 and neede to looke vvel hovv they preach 12 because not al preaching though it be Catholike is meritorious but rather it buildeth matter to be purged by fire vvhen it is vaine and vnfruitful as also any other like vvorkes of other Catholikes marie if it be heretical destroying the temple of God then it vvorketh damnation 18 The remedie is to humble them selues and referre al to God verse 1 AND I brethren could not speake to you as to spiritual but as to carnal As it vvere to litle ones in Christ ✠verse 2 I gaue you milke to drinke not meate for you could not as yet but neither can you novv verely for yet you are carnal ✠verse 3 For vvhereas there is among you emulation and contention are you not carnal and vvalke according to man ✠verse 4 For vvhen one saith I certes am Paules an other I Apollos are you not â—men ' Vvhat is Apollo then and vvhat is Paul ✠verse 5 The ministers of him vvhom you haue beleeued to euery one as our Lord hath giuen ✠verse 6 I planted Apollo vvatered but God gaue the increase ✠verse 7 Therfore neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that vvatereth but he that giueth the increase God ✠verse 8 And he that planteth and he that vvatereth are one And â— euery one shal receiue his owne reward according to his ovvne labour ✠verse 9 For vve are Gods coadiutors you are Gods husbandrie you are Gods building ✠verse 10 According to the grace that is giuen me as a vvise vvorkemaster haue I laid the foundation and an other buildeth therevpon but let euery one looke hovv he buildeth thereon ✠verse 11 For other foundation no man can lay beside that vvhich is laid vvhich is Christ IESVS ✠verse 12 And if any man build â— vpon this foundation gold siluer pretious stones vvood hay stubble ✠verse 13 the vvorke of euery one â— shal be manifest for â— the day of our Lord vvil declare because it shal be reuealed in fire and the vvorke of euery one of vvhat kinde it is the fire shal trie ✠verse 14 If any mans vvorke abide vvhich he built therevpon he shal receiue revvard ✠verse 15 If any mans vvorke burne he shal suffer detriment but him self shal be saued yet so â— as by fire ✠verse 16 Knovv you not that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dvvelleth in you ✠verse 17 But if any violate the temple of God God vvil destroy him For the temple of God is holy vvhich you are ✠verse 18 Let no man seduce him self if any man seeme to be vvise among you in this world let him become a foole that he may be vvise ✠verse 19 For the vvisedom of this vvorld is folishnes vvith God For it is vvritten I vvil compasse the vvise in their subteltie ✠verse 20 And againe Our Lord knovveth the cogitations of the vvise that they be â—aine ✠verse 21 Let no man therfore glorie in men For al things are yours ✠verse 22 vvhether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the vvorld or life or death or things present or things to come for al are yours ✠verse 23 and you are Christs and Christ is Gods ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 8. Euery man shal receiue according A most plaine text for proofe that men by their labours and by the diuersities thereof shal be diuersly revvarded in heauen and therfore that by their vvorkes proceding of grace they do deserue or merite heauen and the more or lesse ioy in the same for though the holy Scripture coÌ„monly vse not this vvord merite yet in places innumerable of the old and nevv Testament the very true sense of merite is conteined and so often as the vvord merces and the like be vsed they be euer vnderstood as correlatiues or correspondent vnto it for if the ioy of heauen be â—erribution repaiment hire vvages for vvorkes as in infinite places of holy Scripture then the vvorkes can be none other but the valure deseit price vvorth and merite of the same And in deede this vvord revvard vvhich in our English tonge may signifie a volutary or bountiful gift doth not so vvel expresse the nature of the * Latin vvord or the Greeke vvhich are rather the very stipend that the hired vvorkeman or iournieman couenanteth to haue of him vvhose vvorke he doth and is a thing equally
Catholike Church that is to say that visible companie of Christians vvhich hath euer had and by good records can proue they haue had a continual ordinarie succession of Bishops Pastors and Doctors to be the onely true Church and these other good fellovves that for many vvorldes or ages together can not shevv that they had any one Bishop or ordinarie yea or extraordinaâ—â—e officer for them and their sect to be an adulterous Heretical generation And this place of the Apostle assuring to the true Church a perpetual visible continuance of Pastors and Apostles or their successors vvarranted the holy fathers to trie al Heretikes by the most famous succession of the Popes of Rome So did S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 3. Tertullian in prascript Optatus li. 2 cont Parm. S. Augustine in ps cont part Donat. et cont ep Manich. c. 4. et ep 165. Epiph. har 27. and others 14. With euery vvinde The special vse of the spiritual Gouernours is to keepe vs in vnitie and constancie of the Catholike faith that vve be not carried avvay vvith the blast or vvind of euery heresie Vvhich is a very proper note of sectes and nevv doctrines that trouble the infirme vveaklings of the Church by certaine seasons of diuerse ages as sometime the Arians then the Manichees an other time the Nestorians then the Lutherans Caluinists and such like vvho at diuers times in diuers places haue blovven diuers blastes of flase doctrine CHAP. V. He continueth his exhortation to good life 5 assuring them against al deceiuers that no committer of mortal sinne shal be saued considering that for such sinnes it is that the Heathen shal be damned â— that Christians must rather be the light of al others 22 Them he commeth in particular and exhorteth husbands and vviues to do their duety one tovvardes the other by the example of Christ and his obedient and beloued spouse the Church verse 1 BE ye therfore folovvers of God as most deere children ✠verse 2 and * walke in loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered him self for vs an oblation and host to God in an odour of svvetenes ✠verse 3 But * fornication and al vncleannes or auarice let it not so much as be named among you as it becommeth sainctes ✠verse 4 or filthines or foolish talke or scurrilitie being to no purpose but rather giuing of thankes ✠verse 5 For vnderstanding knovv you this that no fornicatour or vncleane or couetous person vvhich is the seruice of Idols hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God ✠verse 6 Let no man seduce you vvith vaine vvordes For for these things commeth the anger of God vpoÌ„ the children of diffidence ✠verse 7 Become not therfore partakers vvith them ✠verse 8 For you vvere sometime darkenes but novv light in our Lord. Vvalke as children of the light ✠verse 9 for the fruite of the light is in al goodnes and iustice and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 10 prouing vvhat is vvel pleasing to God ✠verse 11 and communicate not vvith the vnfruitful vvorkes of darkenes but rather reproue them ✠verse 12 For the things that are done of them in secrete it is shame euen to speake ✠verse 13 But al things that are reproued are manifested by the light for al that is manifested is light ✠verse 14 for the vvhich cause he saith Rise thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvil illuminate thee ✠verse 15 See therfore brethren how you vvalke vvarily not as vnvvise but * as vvise ✠verse 16 redeeming the time because the daies are euil ✠verse 17 Therfore become not vnvvise but * vnderstanding vvhat is the vvil of God ✠verse 18 And be not drunke vvith vvine vvherein is rioteousnes but be filled vvith the Spirit ✠verse 19 speaking to your selues in psalmes hymnes and spiritual canticles chauÌ„ting and singing in your hartes to our Lord ✠verse 20 giuing thankes alvvaies for al things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ to God the Father ✠verse 21 Subiect one to an other in the feare of Christ ✠verse 22 Let * vvomen be subiect to their husbandes as to our Lord ✠verse 23 because * the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the CHVRCH Him self ″ the sauiour of his body ✠verse 24 But as the CHVRCH is subiect to Christ so also the vvomen to their husbands in al things ✠verse 25 Husbands loue your vviues as Christ also ″ loued the CHVRCH and deliuered him self for it ✠verse 26 that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of vvater in the vvord ✠verse 27 that he might present to him self a glorious CHVRCH not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it may be holy and vnspotted ✠verse 28 So also men ought to loue their vviues as their ovvne bodies He that loueth his vvife loueth him self ✠verse 29 For no man euer hated his ovvne flesh but he nourisheth cherisheth it ″ as also Christ the CHVRCH ✠verse 30 because vve be the members of his body of his flesh of his bones ✠verse 31 For this cause shal maÌ„ leaue his father mother and shal cleane to his vvife and they shal be tvvo in one flesh ✠verse 32 ″ This is a great sacrameÌ„t but I speake in Christ and in the CHVRCH ✠verse 33 Neuertheles you also euery one let eche loue his vvife as him self and let the vvife feare her husband ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 21. Sauiour of his body None hath saluation or benefite by Christ that is not of his body the Church And vvhat Church that is S. Augustine expresseth in these vvordes The Catholike Church onely is the body of Christ vvhereto she is â—ead out of this body the Holy Ghost quickeneth no man And a litle after He that vvil haue the Spirit let him bevvare he remains not out of the CHVRCH let him bevvare he enter not into it fâ—inedly August ep 50 ad Bonifacium comitem in fine 24. Subiect to Christ The CHVRCH is alvvaies subiect to Christ that is not onely vnder him but euer obedient to his vvordes and commaundement Vvhich an euident and inuincible demonstration that she neuer rebelleth against Christ neuer falleth from him by error Idolatrie or false vvorship as the Heretikes novv and the Donatistes of old did teach 25. Loued the Church Loe Christes singular loue of the CHVRCH for vvhich onely the members thereof he effectually suffered his Passion and for vvhose continual cleansing and purifying in this life he instituted holy Baptisme and other Sacraments that at length in the next life it may become vvithout al spot vvrinkle or blemish for in this vvorld by reason of the manifold infirmities of diuers her members she can not be vvholy vvithout sinne but must
plant Therfore if the rest be Antichrist let Beza boldly say that S. Peter vvas so also and that diuers of the auÌ„cient Catholike fathers did serue and vvorke though vnvvares tovvardes the setting vp of the great Antichrist for so doth that blasphemous penne boldly vvrite in his Annotations vpon this place and an English printed booke of late comming forth out of the same schoole hath these vvordes As for Leo and Gregorie Bishops of Rome although they vvere not come to the ful pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing vvrought in that Seate neere fiue or sixe hundred yeres before them and then greatly increased they vvere deceiued vvith the long continuance of errour Thus vvriteth a malapert scholer of that impudent schole placing the mysterie of Antichrist as vvorking in the See of Rome euen in S. Peters time and making these tvvo holy fathers great vvorkers and furtherers of the same vvhereas an other English Rabbine doubted not at Paules crosse to speake of the self same fathers as great Doctors and Patrones of their nevv Gospel thus O Gregorie ô Leo if vve be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Vvhereof vve giue the good Christian Reader vvarning more diligently to bevvare of such damnable bookes and Maisters carying many vnaduised people to perdition 4. Extolled The great Antichrist vvhich must come neere the vvorldes end shal abolish the publike exercise of al other religions true and false and pull dovvne both the B. Sacrament of the altar vvherein coÌ„sisteth specially the vvorship of the true God and also al Idols of the Gentils and sacrifices of the Ievves generally al kinde of religious vvorship sauing that vvhich must be done to him self alone vvhich vvas partly prefigured in such kings as published that no God nor man but them selues should be praied vnto for certaine daies as * Darîus and such like Hovv can the Protestants then for shame and vvithout euident coÌ„tradiction auouch the Pope to be Antichrist vvho as vve say honoureth Christ the true God vvithal his povver or as they say honoureth Idols and chalengeth no diuine honour to him self much lesse to him self onely as Antichrist shal do He huÌ„bly praieth to God lovvly kneeâ—eth dovvne in euery Church at diuers altars erected to God in the memories of his Saincts and praieth to them He saieth or heareth Masse daily vvith al deuotion he confesseth his sinnes to a Priest as other poore men do he adoreth the holy Eucharist vvhich Christ affirmed to be his ovvne body the Heretikes call it an Idol no maruel if they make the Pope his Vicar Antichrist vvhen they make Christ him self an Idol These religious dueties doth the Pope vvhereas Antichrist shal vvorship none nor pray to any at the least openly 4. In the temple Most auncient vvriters expound this of the Temple in Hierusalem vvhich they thinke Antichrist shal build vp againe as being of the Ievves stocke and to be acknovvledged of that obstinate people according to our Sauiours prophecie Io. 5 for their expected and promised Messias Iren. li. 5 in fine Hyppolyt de consum mundi Cyril Hieros Cacech 15. Author op imp ho. 49. in Mat. See S. Hierom in 11 Dan. Grego li. 31. Moral c. 11. Not that he shal suffer them to vvorship God by their old maner of sacrifices al vvhich he vvil either abolish or conuert to the onely adoration of him self though at the first to apply him self to the Ievves he may perhaps be circumcised and keepe some part of the law for it is here said that he shal sitte in the Temple as God that is he shal be adored there by sacrifice and diuine honour the name and vvorship of the true God wholy defaced And this they thinke to be the abominatioÌ„ of desolation foretold by Daniel mentioned by our Sauiour prefigured and resembled by Antiochus and others that defaced the worship of the true God by prophanation of that Temple specially by abrogating the daily sacrifice which was a figure of the only sacrifice and continual oblation of Christes holy body and bloud in the Church as the abolishing of that vvas a figure of the abolishing of this vvhich shal be done principally most vniuersally by Antichrist him self as novv in part by his forerunners through out al Nations and Churches of the vvorld though then also Masse may be had in secret as it is novv in nations vvhere the secular force of some Princes prohibiteth it to be said openly For although he may haue his principal seate and honour in the Temple and citie of Hierusalem yet he shal rule ouer the vvhole vvorld and specially prohibite that principal vvorship instituted by Christ in his Sacraments as being the proper Aduersarie of Christes person name lavv and Church the prophanation and desolation of vvhich Church by taking avvay the sacrifice of the altar is the proper abomination of desolation and the vvorke of Antichrist onely S. Augustine therfore li. 20 de ciuit c. 19. and S. Hierom q. 11 ad Algasiam do thinke that this sitting of Antichrist in the temple doth signifie his sitting in the Church of Christ rather then in Salomons temple Not as though he should be a cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a special part of his body mystical and be Antichrist and yet vvithal continuing vvithin the Church of Christ as the Heretikes feine to make the Pope Antichrist vvhereby they plainely confesse and agnise that the Pope is a member of the Church c. in ipso sinu Ecclesiae and in the very bosome of the Church say they for that is ridiculous that al Heretikes vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes as his precursors should go out of the Church and the great Antichrist him self should be of the Church in the Church coÌ„tinevv in the same and yet to them that make the vvhole Church to reuolt from God this is no absurditie But the truth is that this Antichristian reuolt here spoken of is from the Catholike Church and Antichrist if he euer vvere of or in the Church shal be an Apostata and a renegate out of the Church and shal vsurpe vpon it by tyrannie and by chalenging vvorship religion gouernement thereof so that him self shal be adored in al the Churches of the vvorld vvhich he list to leaue standing for his honour And this is to sitte in the temple oâ— against the Temple of God as some interprete If any Pope did euer this or shal do then let the Aduersaries call him Antichrist And let the good Reader obserue that there be tvvo special causes vvhy this great man of sinne is called Antichrist The one is for impugning Christes kingdom in earth that is to say his spiritual regiment vvhich he constituted and appointed in his Church and the forme of gouernement ordained therein applying al to him self by singular tyrannie and vsurpation in vvhich kinde S. Athanasius ep at Solit. vit
good might be not as it vvere of necessitie but voluntarie ✠verse 15 For perhaps therfore he departed for a season from thee that thou mightest take him againe for euer ✠verse 16 novv not as a seruant but for a seruant a most deere brother especially to me but hovv much more to thee both in the flesh and in our Lord ✠verse 17 If therfore thou take me for thy fellovv receiue him as my self ✠verse 18 And if he hath hurt thee any thing or is in thy dette that impute to me ✠verse 19 I Paul haue vvritten vvith mine ovvne hand I vvil repay it not to say to thee that thou ovvest me thine ovvne self also ✠verse 20 Yea brother God graunt I may enioy thee in our Lord. Refresh my bovvels in our Lord. ✠verse 21 Trusting in thy obedience I haue vvritten to thee knovving that thou vvilt doe aboue that also vvhich I do say ✠verse 22 And withal prouide me also a lodging for I hope by your praiers that I shal be giuen to you ✠verse 23 There salute thee Epaphras my fellovv-prisoner in Christ IESVS ✠verse 24 Marke Aristarchus Demas and Luke my coadiutors ✠verse 25 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be with your spirit Amen ANNOT. 5. Tovvard al the sainctes The Apostle sticketh not to say Charitie and faith in Christ and al his Saincts vvhich our captious Aduersaries count in Catholike mens speaches and vvritings very absurd feining that in al such vve make no difference betvvixt the loue vve beare to Christ and the loue vve owe to our neighbours betvvixt the trust or beleefe vve haue in God and that vvhich vve haue in his holy Saincts Malice and contention doth so blinde al Heretikes THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE HEBREVVES THAT the Hebrevves vvere not all the Ievves but only a part of them it is manifest Act 6 vvhere the primitiue Church of Hierusalem although it consisted of Ievves only as vve reade Act. 2 yet is said to consist of tvvo sortes Greekes Hebrues Vvhich againe is manifest Phil. 3. vvhere S. Paul coÌ„paring him self with the Iudaical false-Apostles saith that he also is an Hebrue of Hebrues Finally they seeme to haue been those Ievves vvhich vvere borne in Iurie vvhich for the most part dwelled also there Therefore to the Christian Ievves in Hierusalem and in the rest of Iurie S. Paul vvriteth this Epistle out of Italic saying therevpon The brethreÌ„ of Italie salute you Heb. 13. By vvhich vvordes by these other in the same place Knovv ye our brother Timothee to be dimissed vvith vvhom if he come the sooner I vvil see you it is euident that he vvrote this not only after he vvas brought prisoner to Rome vvherein S. Luke endeth the Actes of the Apostles but also after he vvas set at libertie there againe Many causes are giuen of the Doctors vvhy vvriting to the Ievves he doth not put his name in the beginning Paul an Apostle c. as he doth lightly in his Epistles to the Churches and Bishops of the Gentils The most likely cause is for that he vvas the preacher and Apostle and Maister of the Gentils And againe in an other place he saith that himself vvas appointed the Apostle of the Gentils at Peter of the Ievves Gal. 2. Only S. Peter therfore vvriting to the Ievves doth vse this stile Peter an Apostle of IESVS Christ c. because he vvas more peculiarly their Apostle as being the vicar of Christ vvho vvas also himself more specially the minister of the Circumcision that is as him self speaketh not senâ— but to the sheepe vvhich vvere lost of the house of Israël Mat. 15. The Argument of the Epistle S. Paul him self doth tell vs in tvvo vvordes calling it verbum solatij the vvord of solace and comfort Vvhich also is plaine in the vvhole course of the Epistle namely in the tenth chapter v. 32. c. Vvhere he exhorteth them to take great comfort and confidence in their manifold tribulations sustained of their ovvne countrie men the Ievves vvhereof the Apostle also maketh mention to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 2. v. 14. Those persecutions then of the obstinate incredulous Ievves their countrie men vvas one great tentation vnto them An other tentation vvas the persuasions that they brought vnto them out of Scriptures to cleaue vnto the Lavv and not to beleeue in IESVS the dead man And vvhereas the Ievves did magnifie their lavv by the Prophetes and by the Angels by vvhom it vvas giuen and by Moyses and by their land of promise into vvhich Iosue brought them and by their father Abraham and by their Aaronicall or Leuitical priesthâ—d and sacrifices by their Tabernaâ—le by their Testament he shevveth that our Lord IESVS as being the natural sonne of God passeth incomparably the Prophetes the Angels and Moyses that the Rest or quietnes vvhich God promised vvas not in their earthly land but in heauen that his figure Melchisedec far passed Abraham and that his priesthod Sacrifice Tabernacle and testament far passed theirs In al vvhich he shooteth often at these three markes to take avvay the scandal of Christes death by giuing them sundrie good reasons testimonies of it to erect their mindes from visible and earthly promises to vvhich only the Ievves vvere vvholy bent to inuisible and heauenly and to insinuate that the Ceremonies should novv cease the time of their correction by Christ being novv come The Epistle may be deuided into these partes the first Of Christes excellencie aboue the Prophetes Angels Moyses and Iosue c. 1. 2. 3. 4. The second of his priesthod and excellencie thereof aboue the priesthod of the old Testament c. 5. vnto the middest of the 10. The last part is of exhortation c. 10. v. 9. to the end of the Epistle THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREVVES Let the Christian Reader note the corruption and impudent boldnes of our Aduersaries that vpon a false priuate persuasion of their ovvne that S. Paul vvas not the author of this Epistle leaue out his name in the title of the same contrarie to the authentical copies both Greeke and Latin In old time there vvas some doubt vvho should be the vvriter of it but then vvhen it vvas no lesse doubted vvhether it vvere Canonical Scripture at al. Aftervvard the vvhole Church by vvhich onely vve knovv the true Scriptures from other vvritings held it and deliuered it as novv she doth to the faithful for Canonical and for S. Paules Epistle Notvvithstanding the Aduersaries vvould haue refused the Epistle as vvel as they do the Author but that they falsely imagine certaine places thereof to make against the Sacrifice of the Masse CHAP I. God spake to their fathers by the Prophets but to them selues by his ovvne Sonne 14 vvho incomparably passeth al the Angels verse 1 DIVERSELY and many vvaies in times past God speaking to the
estimation examples of some peculiar traditions out of the fathers S. Chrysostom S. Basil S. Hierom. S. Augustine S. Epiphanius S. Irenaeus Tertullian S. Cyprian Origen The Scriptures giuen vs by tradition and the sense thereof The Creede an Apostolical tradition An inuincible argument for the credite of Traditions â— Here also 〈◊〉 as is noted before 2 Thess 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translatioÌ„s auoid the vvord Tradition being plaine in the Greeke lest them selues might seeme to be noted as men vvalking inordinately and not according to Apostolical Tradition as al Schismatikes Heretikes and rebels to Gods Church doe Ep. 6 18. Col. 4 3. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Th. 2. 1. Cor. 9 6. Gal. 6 9. The heretikes cauillation against Religious meÌ„ that vvorke not ansvvered 1 Cor. 9. The spiritual trauailes of the Clergie * See S. Cypr. ep 66. Religious meÌ„ working with their handes Monkes were shauen in the primitiue Church and Nonnes clipped of their heare S. Augustines opinion concerning Religious mens working or not working li. de â—p Monach. c. 21. Ecclesiastical censures against the disobedient Not to communicate with excoÌ„municate persons but in certaine cases 1 Timoth. 3. 1 Timoth. 3. * 1 Tim. 1. Act. 20. v. 25. 38. Col. 2. v. 1. ⸬ S. Augustine saith He that list to haue the hope of heaueÌ„ let him looke that he haue a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce to haue a good conscience let him beleeue vvorke vvel for that he beleueth she hath of faith that he vvorketh he hath of charitie Praefat. in Psa 31. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 7 13 Mt. 9 13. Mr. 2 17. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Euil life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to Heresie from the faith of the Catholike Church Againe this plainely reproueth the heretikes false doctrine saying that no man can fall from the faith that he once truely had Teaching othervvise then the doctrine receiued is a special marke of Heretikes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luthers teaching othervvise Al heretical doctrine is fables Curious questioning in religion Charitie the very formal cause of our iustification Heretikes great boasters but vnlearned Libertines alleage scripture Excommunication of Heretikes and the effect thereof The Priests high authoritie of Excommunication The terrible effect thereof ⸬ Euen for heathen kings Emperours by vvhom the Church suffereth persecution much more for al faithful Princes powers and people both spiritual and temporal for vvhom as members of Christes body and therfore ioyning in praier oblation vvith the ministers of the Church the Priestes more properly and particularly offer the holy Sacrifice See S. Augustine de orig anima li. 1. c. p. 2. Tim. 1 11. 1. Pet. 3 3. 1. Cor. 14 34. Gen. 1 27. 3 6. ` she The praiers petitions in the Masse deduced out of the Apostles vvordes by S. Augustine other fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PATER NOSTER in the Masse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Theoph. in hunc loc Praier in the Masse for kings and other God vvil no mans perditioÌ„ but the saluation of al. Hovv there is but one Mediator Christ and vvhat it is to be such a Mediator * Aug. li. 9. de Ciu. cap. 15. De fid ad Pet. c. 2. The different maner of praying to Christ and to Saincts Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Hovv there be many mediators as there be many sauiours and redeemers eueÌ„ in the Scriptures Iud. 3 9. 2 Esd 9 27. Act. 7 35. Women great talkers of Scripture and promoters of heresie * S. Chrys Ho. 9. in 1. Tim. Tit. 1 6. c He saith hauing children not getting children S. Ambr. Ep. 82. b Neophytus is he that vvas lately christened or nevvely planted in the mystical body of Christ b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great charge great merite of Ecclesiastical functions The Apostle vnder the name of Bishop instructeth Priestes also The heretikes opinion coÌ„cerning Priests mariage 1 Cor. 7. S. Paules place of one vvife excludeth bigamos from holy Orders * li. 2 ep 25. Vvho are counted bigami Leuit. 21. The Heretical clergie nothing regardeth the Apostles prescription of one vvife None euer maried after holy Orders Socrat. li. 1 c. 8. They that vvere made Priests of maried men absteined from their vviues Sozom. li. 1 c. â—2 S. Epiphanius Mariage of Priests is contrarie to the auÌ„cient canoÌ„s Eusebius S. Hierom. S. Augustine See S. Leo ep 92. c. â— S. Ambrose Tertullian S. Cyprian Councels None rashly to be admitted to the Clergie Heretikes admit al sortes vvithout exception The three holy orders only bound to chastitie Leo ep 92. c. 3. Greg. li. 1 ep 42. The 4 inferiour orders not bound to chastitie Al the seuen orders auncient eueÌ„ from Christ and the Apostles time S. Ambrose calleth the B. of Rome Rector of the vvhole Church The heretikes say directly coÌ„trarie to the Apostle that the Church is not the piller of truth That the Church is the piller of truth and can not erre is proued by many reasons Io. 14 16. Mat. 16. Mat. 28. Eph. 4. Io. 17. Luc. 22. Psal 2. Eph. 5. The meaning of this article I beleeue the Cath. Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the visible Church that is the piller or truth and can not erre Vvhence the Church hath this priuilege neuer to erre S. Augustine Lactantius S. Cyprian S. Irenaeus 2 Tim. 3 3 Pet. 3. Iude v. 18. ⸬ We see plainely by these vvordes such abstinence only to be disalovved as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature creation 1. Tim. 1 4. Tit. 3 9. ⸬ Some saith S. Chrysost expound this of fasting but they are deceiued-for fasting is a spiritual exercise See a goodly commentarie of these vvordes in S. August li. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33. Al Heretikes are apostataes from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 1. 19. The old Heresies against matrimonie * Aug. har 46. The old Heresies about abstinâ—â—e from meates The Catholikes impudently charged vvith the said old heresies Abstinence from certaine meates is no condemnation of the meates Diuers good causes of abstinence Forbidding certaine persons to marrie is no condemnation of matrimonie Catholikes esteeme matrimonie more then the Protestants doe The Protestants obiectoÌ„s answered long ago by S. Hierom and S. Augustine * Aug. li. 2 c. 5 de nupt câ—ncupise Blessing of the table or of meates specially by a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To blesse is a preeminence of the better person Hebr. 7. No creature il by nature yea one more sanctified then an other Holy times and places euery thing deputed to the seruice of God holy Mat. 23. 2 Pet. 1. Creatures hallovved by the signe of the Crosse The blessing of our meate vvhat a vertue it hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
as Marc. 7 3. Nisi crebro lauerint Erasmus thinketh that he did read in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often and Beza and others commend his coniecture yea and the English Bibles are so translated vvhereas novv it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich signifieth the length of the arme vp to the elbovv And vvho vvould not thinke that the Euangelist should say The Pharisees vvash often because othervvise they eate not rather then thus Vnles they vvash vp to the elbovv they eate not 7. If al such coniectures and al the Greeke fathers help vs not yet the Latin fathers vvith great consent vvil easily iustifie the old vulgar trāslation vvhich for the most part they folovv and expound as Io. 7 39. Nondum erat spiritus datus so readeth S. Augustine li. 4 de Trinit c. 20. and li. 83. Quaest q. 62. and tract 52 in Ioan. Leo ser 2 de Pentecoste Vvhose authoritie vvere sufficient but in deede Didymus also a Greeke Doctor readeth so li. 2 de Sp. sancto translated by S. Hierom and a Greeke copie in the Vaticane and the Syriake nevv Testament Likevvise Io. 21 22. Sic eum volo manere so reade S. Ambrose in Psal 45. Psal 118. octonario Resh s. Augustine and Ven. Bede vpon S. Iohns Gospel 8. And lastly if some other Latin fathers of auncient time reade othervvise either here or in other places not al agreing vvith the text of our vulgar Latin the cause is the great diuersitie and multitude that vvas then of Latin copies vvhereof S. Hierom complaineth til this one vulgar Latin grevv onely into vse Neither doth their diuers reading make more for the Greeke then for the vulgar Latin differing oftentimes from both as vvhen S. Hierom in this last place readeth Si sic eum volomanere li. 1. adu Iouin it is according to no Greeke copie novv extant And if yet there be some doubt that the readings of some Greeke or Latin fathers differing from the vulgar Latin be a checke or condemnation to the same let Beza that is let the Aduersarie him self tel vs his opinion in this case also Vvhosoeuer saith he shal take vpon him to correct these things speaking of the vulgar Latin translation out of the auncient fathers vvritings either Greeke or Latin vnles he doe it very circumspectly and aduisedly he shal surely corrupt al rather then amend it because it is not to be thought that as often as they cited any place they did alvvaies looke into the booke or number euery vvord As if he should say Vve may not by and by thinke that the vulgar Latin is faultie and to be corrected vvhen vve read othervvise in the fathers either Greeke or Latin because they did not alvvaies exactly cite the vvordes but folovved some commodious and godly sense thereof Thus then vve see that by al meanes the old vulgar Latin translation is approued good and better then the Greeke text it self and that there is no cause vvhy it should giue place to any other text copies or readings Marie if there be any faultes euidently crept in by those that heretofore wrote or copied out the Scriptures as there be some them vve graunt no lesse then vve vvould graunt faultes novv a daies committed by the Printer and they are exactly noted of Catholike vvriters namely in al Plantins Bibles set forth by the Diuines of Louan and the holy Councel of Trent vvilleth that the vulgar Latin text be in such pointes throughly mended so to be most authentical Such faultes are these Inside for in fine Praescientiam for praesentiam Suscipiens for Suspiciens and such like very rare vvhich are euident corruptions made by the copistes or grovven by the similitude of vvordes These being taken avvay vvhich are no part of those corruptions and differences before talked of vve translate that text vvhich is most sincere and in our opinion and as vve haue proued incorrupt The Aduersaries contrarie translate that text vvhich them selues confesse both by their vvritings and doings to be corrupt in a number of places more corrupt then our vulgar Latin as is before declared And if vve vvould here stand to recite the places in the Greeke vvhich Beza pronounceth to be corrupted vve should make the Reader to vvonder hovv they can either so plead othervvise for the Greeke text as though there vvere no other truth of the nevv Testament but that or hovv they translate onely that to deface as they thinke the old vulgar Latin vvhich them selues so shamfully disgrace more then the vulgar Latin inuenting corruptions vvhere none are nor can be in such vniuersal consent of al both Greeke and Latin copies For example Mat. 10. The first Simon Vvho is called Peter I thinke saith Beza this vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first hath been added to the text of some that vvould establish Peters Primacie Againe Luc. 22. The Chalice that is shed for you It is most likely saith he that these vvordes being sometime but a marginal note came by corruption out of the margent into the text Againe Act. 7. Figures vvhich they made to adore them It may be suspected saith he that these vvordes as many other haue crept by corruption into the text out of the margent And 1 Cor. 15. He thinketh the Apostle said not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 victorie as it is in al Greeke copies but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contention And Act. 13. he calleth it a manifest errour that in the Greeke it is 400 yeres for 300. And Act. 7. v. 16. he reckeneth vp a vvhole catalogue of corruptions namely Marc. 12. v. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhich is a farthing and Act. 8. v. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is desert and Act. 7. v. 16 the name of Abraham such like Al vvhich he thinketh to haue been added or altered into the Greeke text by corruption But among other places he laboureth excedingly to proue a great corruption Act. 7. v. 14. vvhere it is said according to the Septuaginta that is the Greeke text of the old Testament that Iacob vvent dovvne into Aegypt vvith 75 soules And Luc. 3. v. 36. he thinketh these vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhich vvas of Cainan to be so false that he leaueth them cleane out in both his editions of the nevv Testament saying that he is bold so to doe by the authoritie of Moyses Vvhereby he vvil signifie that it is not in the Hebrue text of Moyses or of the old Testament and therfore it is selfe in the Greeke of the nevv Testament Vvhich consequence of theirs for it is common among them and concerneth al Scriptures if it vvere true al places of the Greeke text of the nevv Testament cited out of the old according to the Septuaginta and not according to the Hebrue vvhich they knovv are very many should be false and so by tying them selues onely to the Hebrue in the old
yet here caÌ„not cast theÌ„ out But as for haeretikes they can neuer doe it nor any other true miracle to confirme their false saith 20. Faith as mustard seed This is the Catholike faith by which only al miracles are wrought yet not of euery one that hath the Catholike faith but of such as haue a great and forcible faith and withal the gift of miracles These are able as here wee see by Christes warrant not only to doe other wonderful miracles here signified by this one but also this very same that is to moue mountaines in deede as S. Paul also presupposeth and S. Hierom affirmeth and Ecclesiastical histories namely telleth of Gregorius Neocaesariensnis that he moued a mountaine to make roome for the foundation of a Church called therfore and for other his wonderful miracles Thaumaturgus And yet faithlesse Heretikes laugh at al such things and beleue them not 21. Prayer aud fasting The force of fasting and praying whereby also we may see that the holy Churche in Exorcismes doeth according to the Scriptures When shee vseth beside the name of IESVS many prayers and much fasting to driue out Deuils because these also are here required beside faith 26. The Children fres Though Christ to auoid scandal payed tribute yet in deede he sheweth that both him self ought to be free from such payments as being the kings sonne aswel by his eternal birth of God the Father as temporal of Dauid and also his Apostles as being of his familie and in them their successors the whole Clergie who are called in Scripture the lotte and portion of our Lord. which exemption and priuilege being grounded vpon the very law of nature it self and therfore practised euen among the Heathen Gen. 42 27. good Christian Princes haue confirmed and ratified by their lawes in the honour of Christ whose ministers they are and as it were the kings sonnes as S. Hierom declareth playnly in these wordes We for his honour pay not tributes and as the Kings sonnes are free from such payments Hiero. vpon this place 27. Me and thee A great mysterie in that he payed not only for him self but for Peter bearing the Person of the Churche and in whom as the cheefe the rest were conteyned Aug. q. exno Test q. â—5 to 4. CHAP. XVIII To his Disciples he preacheth against ambition the mother of Schisme 7 foretelling both the author vvhosoeuer he be and also his folovvers of their vvo to come 〈◊〉 and shevving on the contrary side hovv precious Christian soules are to their Angels to the Sonne of man and to his Father 15 charging vs therfore to forgiue our brethren vvhen also vve haue iust cause against them be it neuer so often and to labour their saluation by al meanes possible verse 1 AT that houre the Disciples came to IESVS saying ″ Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heauen ✠verse 2 And IESVS calling vnto him a litle childe set him in the middes of them ✠verse 3 and said Amen I say to you vnles you be conuerted and become as litle children you shal not enter into the kingdom of heauen ✠verse 4 Whosoeuer therfore shal humble him self as this litle childe he is the greater in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ ✠verse 5 And he that shal receiue one such litle childe in my name receiueth me ✠verse 6 And * he that shal scandalize one of these litle ones that beleeue in me it is expedient for him that a milstone be hanged about his necke and that he be drovvned in the depth of the sea ✠verse 7 Vvo be to the vvorld for scandals for it is necessary that scandals do come but neuerthelesse vvo to that man by vvhom the scandall commeth ✠verse 8 And * if thy ″ hand or thy foote scandalize thee cut it of and cast it from thee It is good for thee to goe in to life maimed or lame rather then hauing tvvo hands or tvvo feete to be cast into euerlasting fire ✠verse 9 And if thine eye scandalize thee plucke him out and cast him from thee It is good for thee hauing one eye to enter into life rather then hauing tvvo eyes to be cast into the hel of fire ✠verse 10 See that you despise not one of these litle ones for I say to you that ″ their Angels in heauen alvvaies do see the face of my father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 11 For * the Sonne of man is come to saue that vvhich vvas perished ✠verse 12 * Hovv thinke you If a man haue an hundred sheepe and one of them shal goe astray doth he not leaue ninetie nine in the mountaines and goeth to seeke that which is straied ✠verse 13 And if it chaunce that he finde it amen I say to you that he reioyceth more fore that then for the ninetie nine that vvent not astray ✠verse 14 Euen so it is not the vvil of your father vvhich is in heauen that one perish of these litle ones ✠verse 15 But * if thy brother shal offend against thee goe and rebuke him betvvene thee and him alone If he shal heare thee thou shalt gaine thy brother ✠verse 16 and if he vvil not heare thee ioyne vvith thee besides one or tvvo that in the mouth of * tvvo or three vvitnesses euery vvord may stand ✠verse 17 And if he vvil not heare them tel the Church And if he vvil not heare the Church let him be to thee as ″ the heathen and the Publican ✠verse 18 Amen I say to you whatsoeuer you ″ shal binde vpon earth shal be bound also in heauen and vvhatsoeuer you ″ shal loose vpon earth shal be loosed also in heauen ✠verse 19 Againe I say to you that if tvvo of you shal consent vpon earth concerning euery thing vvhatsoeuer they shal aske it shal be done to them of my father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 20 For vvhere there be tvvo or three gathered in my name there am I ″ in the mindes of them ✠verse 21 Then came Peter vnto him and said * Lord how often shal my brother offend against me and I forgiue him vntil seuentimes ✠verse 22 IESVS said to him I say not to thee * vntil seuen times but vntil ″ seuentie times seuen times ⊢ ✠verse 23 Therfore is the kingdom of heauen likened to a man being a king that vvould make an account vvith his seruants ✠verse 24 And vvhen he began to make the account there vvas one presented vnto him that ovved him ten thousand talents ✠verse 25 And hauing not vvhence to repay it his lord commaunded that he should be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and it to be repayed ✠verse 26 But that seruant falling dovvne besought him saying Haue patience tovvard me and I vvil repay thee
euil into the resurrection of iudgement ⊢ ✠verse 30 I can not of my self doe any thing As I heare so I iudge and my iudgement is iust because I seeke not my vvil but the vvil of him that sent me ✠verse 31 If I giue testimonie of my self my testimonie is not true ✠verse 32 There is an other that giueth testimonie of me and I knovv that the testimonie is true vvhich he giueth of me ✠verse 33 * You sent to Iohn and he gaue testimonie to the truth ✠verse 34 But ″ I receiue not testimonie of man but I say these things that you may be saued ✠verse 35 He vvas the lampe burning and shining And you vvould for a time reioyce in his light ✠verse 36 But I haue a greater testimonie then Iohn For the vvorkes vvhich the Father hath giuen me to perfit them the very vvorkes them selues vvhich I doe giue testimonie of me that the Father hath sent me ✠verse 37 And the Father that sent me him self hath * giuen testimonie of me neither haue you heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape ✠verse 38 and his vvord you haue not remaining in you because vvhom he hath sent him you beleeue not ✠verse 39 ″ Search the scriptures for you thinke in them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimonie of me ✠verse 40 and you vvil not come to me that you may haue life ✠verse 41 Glorie of men I receiue not ✠verse 42 But I haue knovven you that the loue of God you haue not in you ✠verse 43 I am come in the name of my Father and you receiue me not if an other shal come in his ovvne name him you vvil receiue ✠verse 44 Hovv can you beleeue that receiue glorie one of an other and the glorie vvhich is of God only you seeke not ✠verse 45 Thinke not that I vvil accuse you to the Father there is that accuseth you Moyses in vvhom you trust ✠verse 46 For if you did beleeue Moyses you vvould perhaps beleeue me also for of me he hath vvritten ✠verse 47 And if you doe not beleeue his vvritings hovv vvil you beleeue my vvordes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 2. A pond This is as great a wonder and worke as was in the old Law yet neuer recorded in the Scripture before the conditions and circunstances of the same much to be distinctly weighed against the Miscreants of this time for many causes First that God without derogation to his honour yea to the great cōmendation of it doth giue vertue of miracles and cure to water or other creatures Secondly that he giueth such vertues to these creatures specially which be by vse and occupying in sacred functions or otherwise as it were sanctified for this pond was it wherein the carcasses of sheepe therfore called Probatica other beasts to be sacrificed were first washed to which being alwaies red as S. Hierom saith with the bloud of hostes this force was giuen for the commendation of the sacrifices of the Law there offered How much more may we acknowledge such workes of God miraculously done in or about the Sacrifice or Sacrament of the new Testament which faithlesse men wholy reiect and condemne for fables because they know not the Scriptures nor the power of God Thirdly that this operation was giuen at one time more then an other rather on great festiual daies then other vulgar times for this vvas the feast of Pasche or of Pentecost as daies more sanctified and vvhen the people made greater concourse which shevveth that vve should not vvonder to see great miracles done at the Memories and feastes of Martyrs or other great Festiuities more then at other places and times Fourthly that the Angels or some special Saincts are Presidents or Patrones of such places of miracle and workers also vnder God of the effects that there extraordinarily be done Which ought to make Christians lesse doubt that the force of diuers waters in the world is iustly attributed by our forefathers and good stories to the prayers and presence of Saincts which profane incredulous men referre onely to nature vntruely pretending that God is more glorified by the workes of nature which be of his ordinarie prouidence then by the graces of Miracle giuen to his Saincts or Angels by his extraordinarie prouidence Fifthly that miracles be not wrought on men by their faith onely and as wel by their presence in spirit as in body or vpon the parties desire or deuotion onely according to the Heretikes pretext that God is a like present by his power and grace to euery man and place and therfore that men neede not to go from their owne houses or countries to seeke holines or health at the places of Christs or his Saincts birth death memories for none could haue benefite of this water but he that could touch it and be in it corporally and at that iust time when the water was in motion by the Angel Yea sixtly we may consider that in such cases to make the matter more maruelous rare and more earnestly to be sought for and to signifie to vs that God hath al such extraordinary operations in his owne wil and commaundement without al rules of our reasons and questioning thereon none could be healed but that person who first could get into the pond after the Angel came and stirred the same Seuenthly that these graces of corporal cures giuen to this water * prefigure the like force of the Sacrament of Baptisme for the cure of soules though we neede not seeke correspondence thereof to the figure in euery point Lastly Christ by his power of excellencie and prerogatiue could and did heale this poore man that could get no body to help him into the water because he earnestly and long desired the remedie by God appointed but was excluded by necessitie as our Lord saueth al such as die without Baptisme if they in their owne persons earnestly intended desired and sought for the same 14. Sinne no more We may gather hereby that this mans long infirmitie was for punishment of his sinnes and that men often attribute their sicknes to other natural defects and seeke for remedies of the world in vaine when the sinne for which it was sent remaineth or is not repented of◠and therfore that in al infirmities men should first turne to God goe to their Ghostly father and then call for the wordly Phisicions afterward 34. I receiue not Our Maister meaneth that mans testimonie is not necessarie to him nor that the truth of his Diuinitie dependeth on worldly witnesses or mens commendations though to vs such testimonies be agreable and necessarie and so for our instruction he vouchsaued to take the testimonies of Iohn the Baptist and Moyses and the Prophets and departing out of this world to send forth al his Apostles and in
he accounteth of them by this that he dieth for them 15 and reuealeth vnto them the secretes of heauen 17 and appointeth their fruite to be perpetual 1◠confirming them also against the persecutions and hatred of the obstinate Ievves verse 1 I AM the true vine and my father is the husband-man ✠verse 2 Euery branche in me not bearing fruite he vvil take it avvay and euery one that beareth fruite he vvil purge it that it may bring more fruite ✠verse 3 Novv you are cleane for the word vvhich I haue spoken to you ✠verse 4 Abide in me and I in you As the branche can not beare fruite of it self vnles it abide in the vine so you neither vnles you abide in me ✠verse 5 I am the vine you the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same beareth much fruite for vvithout me you can doe nothing ✠verse 6 If any abide not in me he shal be cast forth as the branche and shal vvither and they shal gather him vp and cast him into the fire and he burneth ✠verse 7 If you abide in me and my vvordes abide in you you shal aske vvhat thing soeuer you vvil and it shal be done to you ⊢ ✠verse 8 In this my father is glorified that you bring very much fruite and become my Disciples ✠verse 9 As my father hath loued me I also haue loued you Abide in my loue ✠verse 10 If you keepe my precepts you shal abide in my loue as I also haue kept my fathers precepts and doe abide in his loue ✠verse 11 These things I haue spoken to you that my ioy may be in you and your ioy may be filled ✠verse 12 * This is my precept that you loue one an other as I haue loued you ✠verse 13 Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yeld his life for his frendes ✠verse 14 You are my frendes if you doe the things that I commaund you ✠verse 15 Novv I cal you not seruants for the seruant knovveth not vvhat his lord doeth But you I haue called frendes because al things vvhatsoeuer I heard of my father I haue notified vnto you ✠verse 16 You chose not me but I chose you and haue appointed you that you goe bring fruite and your fruite abide that vvhatsoeuer you aske the father in my name he may giue it you ⊢ ✠verse 17 These things I commaund you that you loue one an other ✠verse 18 If the vvorld hate you knovv ye that it hath hated me before you ✠verse 19 If you had been of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you ✠verse 20 Remembre my vvord that I said to you * The seruant is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted me you also vvil they persecute if they haue kept my vvord yours also vvil they keepe ✠verse 21 But al these things they vvil doe to you for my name sake because they knovv not him that sent me ✠verse 22 If I had not come and spoken to them they should not haue sinne but novv they haue no excuse of their sinne ✠verse 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also ✠verse 24 If I had not done amōg them vvorkes that no other man hath done they should not haue sinne but novv both they haue seen and they doe hate both me and my Father ✠verse 25 But that the vvord may be fulfilled vvhich is vvritten in their lavv That they hated me gratis ⊢ ✠verse 26 But vvhen the Paraclete commeth vvhom I * vvil send you from the Father the Spirit of truth vvhich procedeth from the Father he shal giue testimonie of me ✠verse 27 and you shal giue testimonie because you are vvith me from the beginning ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 4. Vnles you abide These conditional speaches If you remaine in the vine If you keepe my commaundements and such like giue vs to wit that we be not sure to persist or perseuêre nor to be saued but vnder conditions to be fulfilled by vs. Aug. de corrept gra c. 13. 4. Vnles it abide Whosoeuer by Heresie or Schisme or for any other cause is cut of or separated from the Church he can do no meritorious worke to Saluation 10. Keepe my praecepts This careful and often admonition of keeping his commaundements proueth that a Christian mans life is not onely or principally in faith but in good workes 24. If I had If the Iewes had not sinned by refusing Christ in case he had not done greater miracles then any other then were it a great folly of Catholikes to beleeue Luthers or Caluins new opinions without any miracles at all 26. Whom I vvil send The Holy Ghost is sent by the Sonne therfore he procedeth from him also as from the Father though the late Schismatical Greekes thinke otherwise 27. You shal giue He vouchsafeth to ioyne together the testimonie of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles that we may see the testimonie of truth ioyntly to consist in the Holy Ghost and in the Prelats of the Church CHAP. XVI The cause vvhy be foretelleth them their persecution by the Ievves is that they be not aftervvard scandalized thereat 4 Though they thinke this heauie nevves it is for their vantage that he departeth because of the great benefites that they shal receiue by the comming them of the Holy Ghost vvho shal also be his vvitnes against his enemies 16 Although in this vvorld they shal so be persecuted yet to his heauenly Father they and their praiers made in his name shal be most acceptable and at length the childe that is Christ in al his members being borne their ioy shal be such as no persecutor can take from them 31 Hovvbeit at this instant of his apprehension they vvil al forsake him verse 1 THESE things haue I spoken to you that you be not scandalized ✠verse 2 Out of the synagogs they vvil cast you but the houre commeth that euery one vvhich killeth you shal thinke that he doeth seruice to God ✠verse 3 and these things they vvil doe to you because they haue not knovven the Father nor me ✠verse 4 But these things I haue spoken to you that vvhen the houre shal come you may remember them that I told you ⊢ ✠verse 5 But I told you not these things from the beginning because I vvas vvith you And novv I goe to him that sent me and none of you asketh me Vvhither goest thou ✠verse 6 But because I haue spoken these things to you sorovv hath filled your hart ✠verse 7 But I tel you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe For if I goe not the Paraclete shal not come to
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
glorie any vvhit comparable yet they vvere meritorious or vvorthy of heauen so be ours And therfore to expresse the said coÌ„parison here he saith They art not condigne to the glorie He saith not of the glorie as the Heretikes falsly traÌ„slate though the Scripture speaketh so also vvhen it signifieth only a coÌ„parison as Prou. in the greeke Omne pretiosum non est illa dignuÌ„ S. Augustine iâ—â—i dignum S. Hierom non valet huic comparari that is No pretious thing is vvorthie of vvisedom or to be compared vvith it See the like Eccle. 26 20. Tob. 9 2. But vvhen the Apostle vvil expresse that they are condigne vvorthy or meritorious of the glorie he saith plainely That our tribulation vvhich presently is momentâ—nie and light vvorketh aboue measure excedingly an eternal vveight of gloris in vs. The valevv of Christes actions riseth not of the leingth or greatnes of them in them selues though so also they passed al mens doings but of the vvorthines oâ— the person And so the value of ours also riseth of the grace of our adoption vvhich maketh those actioÌ„s that of their natures be not meritorious nor ansvverable to the ioyes of heauen in them selues to be vvorthy of heauen And they might as vvel proue that the vvorkes of sinne do not demerite damnation for sintre in deede for the quantity and nature of the vorke is not ansvverable in pleasure to the paine of Hel but because it hath a departing or au auersion from God be it neuer so short it deserueth damnation because it alvvaies procedeth from the enemy of God as good vvorkes that be meritorious procede from the childe of God 24. By hope saued That vvhich in other places he attributeth to faith is here attributed to hope for vvhensoeuer there be many causes of one thing the holy vvriters as matter is ministred and occasion giuen by the doctrine then handled sometimes referre it to one of the causes sometime to an other not by naming one alone to exclude the other as our Aduersaries captiously and ignorantly do argue but at diuers times and in sundrie places to expresse that vvhich in euery discourse could not nor needed not to be vttered In some discourse faith is to be recommended in others charitie in an other hope sometimes almes mercies els vvhere other vertues One vvhile Euery one that beleeueth is borne of God 1 Io. â— 1. An other vvhile Euery one that loueth is borne of God 1 Io. 4 7. Sometimes faith purifieth mans hart Act. 15 9. And an other time Charitie remitteth sinnes 1 Pet. 4 â— Of faith it is said The iust liueth by faith Ro. 1 17. Of charitie We knovv that vve are transferred from death to life because vve loue c. 1 Io. 3 14. 27. The Spirit desireth Arîus and Macedonius old Heretikes had their places to contend vpon against the Churches sense as our nevv Maisters novv haue They abused this text to proue the Holy Ghost not to be God because he needed not to pray or aske but he might commaund if he vvere God Therfore S. Augustine expoundeth it thus The Spirit prayeth that is causeth and teacheth vs to pray and vvhat to pray or aske August de anima eius orig li. 4 c. 9. ep 121. c. 15. 30. Whom he hath predestinated Gods eternal foresight loue purpose predestination and election of his deere children and in time their calling iustifying glorifying by Christ as al other actes and intentions of his diuine vvil and prouidence tovvardes their saluation ought to be reuerenced of al men vvith dreadful humilitie and not to be sought out or disputed on vvith presumptuous boldnes and audacitie for it is the gulfe that many proud persons both in this age and alvvaies haue by Gods iust iudgement perished in founding thereon most horrible blasphemies against Gods mercie nature and goodnes and diuers damnable errours against mans free vvil and against al good life and religion This high conclusion is here set dovvne for vs that vve may learne to knovv of vvhom vve ought to depend in al our life by vvhom vve expect our saluatioÌ„ by vvhose prouidence al our graces giftes and vyorkes do stand by vvhat an euerlasting gratious determination our redemption vvhich is in Christ IESVS vvas designed to giue God incessable thankes for our vocation and preferment to the state vve be in before the Ievves vvho deserued no better then they before the light of his mercie shining vpon vs accepted vs and reiected them But this said eminent truth of Gods eternal predestination standeth as vve are bound to beleeue vnder paine of damnation vvhether vve vnderstand hovv or no so S. Augustiue in al his diuine vvorkes vvritten of the same De gratia lib arb De corrept gratia Ad articulos falsò impositos defendeth declareth proueth and conuinceth that it doth stand I say vvith mans free vvil and the true libertie of his actions and forceth no man to be either il or good to sinne or vertue to saluation or damnatioÌ„ nor taketh avvay the meanes or nature of merites and cooperation vvith God to our ovvne and other mens saluation 38. I am sure This speache is coÌ„mon in S. Paul according to the latin translation vvhen he had no other assured knovvledge but by hope as Ro. 15 14 2 Tim. 1 5. Heb. 6 9 Vvhere the Greeke vvord signifieth only a probable persuasion And therfore except he meane of him self by special reuelation or of the predestinate in general in vvhich tvvo cases it may stand for the certitude of saith or infallible knovvledge othervvise that euery particular man should be assured infallibly that him self should be iustified and not that onely but sure also neuer to sinne or to haue the gift of perseuêrance and certaine knovvledge of his predestination that is a most damnable false illusion and presumption condemned by the Fathers of the holy Councel of Trent Sess â— c. 9. 12. 13. With a protestation of his sorow for it lest they should thinke him to reioyce in their perdition he insinuateth the Iewes to be reprobate although they come of Abrahams flesh 6 saying to be the sonnes of God goeth not by that but by Gods grace 19 considering that al vvere one damned masse 24 by which grace the Gentils to be made his people and so the prophess to haue foretold of them both 30 And the cause hereof to be that the Gentils submit them selues to the faith of Christ vvhich the Iewes vvil not verse 1 I SPEAKE the verity in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me vvitnes in the holy Ghost ✠verse 2 that I haue great sadnesse continual sorovv in my hart ✠verse 3 For I vvished my self to be an ″ anáthema from Christ for my brethren vvho are my kinsmen according to the flesh ✠verse 4 vvho are Israëlites vvhose is the adoption of sonnes and the glorie and the
or Peter so bouÌ„d to the Ievves only that he could not meddle vvith the Gentiles seing he vvas * the man chosen of God by whom the Gentils should first beleeue vvho first baptized them and first gaue order concerning them Therfore the treacherie of Caluin is intolerable that vpon this distinction of the Apostles charge vvould haue the simple suppose that S. Peter could not be Bishop of Rome so might he barre â— Iohn from Ephesus also nor deale among the Gentiles as a thing against Gods ordinance and the appointment betvvene him and S. Paul as though thereby the one had bound him self to the other not to preach or meddle vvithin his fellovves compasse And vvhich is further most seditious he exhorteth al men to keepe fast the foresaid compact and rather to haue respect to S. Paules Apostleship then to S. Peters as though the preaching authoritie and Apostleship of both vvere not a like true and al of one holy Spirit vvhether they preached to Iewes or Gentiles as both did preach vnto both peoples as is already proued and at length partly by the daily decay of the Ievvish state and their incredulitie and partly for that in Christianitie the distinction of Iew Gentil ceased after a season both vvent to the cheefe citie of the Gentiles and there founded the Church common to the Hebrues and al nations Peter first and Paul aftervvard And therfore Tertullian saith de prâ—script nu 14. O happie Church to vvhich the Apostles povvred out al doctrine vvith their bloud Where Peter suffereth like to our Lordes passion vvhere Paul is â—rovvned vvith Iohn Baptists death 9. Gaue the right handes of societie There is and alwaies ought to be a common fellowship and fraternitie of al Pastores and preachers of the Church Into vvhich societie who so euer entereth not but sandeth in Schisme and separation from Peter and the cheefe Apostolike Pastors what pretence so euer he hath or vvhence so euer he chalengeth authoritie he is a vvolfe and no true Pastor Vvhich vnion and communion together was so necessarie euen in S. Paules case that notvvithstanding his special calling of God yet the Holy Ghost caused him to go vp to his elder Apostles to be receiued into their fellovvship or brotherhod for it is to be noted that SS Peter Iames and Iohn vvere not sent to S. Paul to ioyne vvith him or to be tried for their doctrine and calling by him but contrariewise he vvas sent to them as to the cheefe and knovven ordinarie Apostles They therfore gaue Paul their handes that is to say tooke him into their societie and not he them And S. Hieroms rule concerning this shal be found true to the vvorldes end speaking of S. Peters successor He that gathereth not vvith thee scattereth Ep. 17. And in an other place for the same cause he calleth Rome tutissimum Communionis portum the most safe and sure hauen of communion or Societie Ep. 16. 6. â— And vvhereas the Heretikes by this also vvould proue that Peter had no preemineÌ„ce aboue Paul being his fellovv Apostle it is ridiculous As though al of one fellowship or brotherhod he alvvaies equal or as though there vvere not order and gouernement superioritie and inferioritie in euery societie vvel appointed And they might perceiue by this vvhole passage that Peter vvas the special and in more singular sort the Apostle of the Ievves though Iames and Iohn vvere also as S. Paul is also called in more singular sort the Apostle and doctor of the Gentiles then S. Barnabas and yet they vvere both alike taken here into this societie as they were both at once and alike segregated into this ministerie and ordered together Act. 13. It is a poore reason then to say or thinke S. Peter not to be aboue S. Barnabas neither because of this societie and fellovvship vnto vvhich he vvas receiued together vvith S. Paul 11. I resisted him Vvicked Porphyrie as S. Hierom vvriteth chargeth S. Paul of enuie and malâ—part boldnes and S. Peter of errour Proâ—m Comment in Galat. Euen so the like impious sonnes of Cham for this and for other things gladly charge S. Peter as though he had committed the greatest crimes in the vvorld for it is the propertie of Heretikes and il men to be glad to see the Saincts reprehended and their faultes discouered as vve may learne in the vvritings of S. Augustine against Faustus the Manichee vvho gathered out al the actes of the holy Patriarches that might seeme to the people to be vvorthy blame Vvhom the said holy Doctor defendeth at large against him as both he and before him S. Cyprian finde here vpon this Apostles reprehension much matter of praising both their vertues S. Paules great zeale and S. Peters vvonderful humilitie that the one in the cause of God vvould not spare his Superior and that the other in that excellent dignitie vvould not take it in il part nor by allegation of his Supremaâ—iâ— disdaine or refuse to be controvvled by his iunior vvhich of the tvvo they count the greater grace and more to be imitated For neither Peter saith S. Cyprian Whom our Lord chose the first and vpon vvhom he built the Church vvhen Paul disputed vvith him of circumcision chalâ—vged insolently or arrogantly tooke any thing to him self saying that he had the Primacie and therfore the later Disciples ought rather to obey him ep 71 ad Quintum nu 2. And S. Augustine ep 19. c 2 in fine That saith he vvhich vvas done of Paul profitably by the libertie of charitie the same Peter tooke in good part by holy and benigne godlines of humilitie and so he gaue vnto posteritie a more rare and holy example if at any time perhaps they did amis to be content to be corrected of their iuniors then Paul for to be bold and confident yea the inferiors to resist their betters for defending the truth of the Gospel brotherly charitie alvvaies preserued By vvhich notable speaches of the Doctors vve may also see how friuolously the Heretikes argue herevpon that S. Peter could not be Superior to S. Paul being so reprehended of him vvhereas the Fathers make it an example to the Superiors to beare vvith humilitie the correption or controulement euen of their inferiors Namely by this example S. Augustine li. 2 de bapt 6. 1. excellently declareth that the B. Martyr S. Cyprian vvho vvalked avvry touching the rebaptizing of them that vvere christened of Heretikes could not nor vvould not haue been offended to be admonished reformed in that point by his fellovves or inferiors much lesse by a vvhole Councel We haue learned saith he that Peter the Apostle in vvhom the Primacie of the Apostles by excellent grace is so preeminent vvhen he did othervvise concerning circumcision then the truth required vvas corrected of Paul the later Apostle I thinke vvithout any reproch vnto him Cyprian the Bishop may be compared to Peter the Apostle hovvbeit I ought rather
one an other ✠verse 14 For al the Lavv is fulfilled in one vvord Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self ✠verse 15 But if you bite and eate one an other take heede you be not consumed one of an other ✠verse 16 And I say vvalke in the spirit and the Iustes of the flesh you shal not accomplish ✠verse 17 For the flesh Iusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these are aduersaries one to an other that not vvhat things soeuer ″ you vvil these you doe ✠verse 18 But if you be ledde by the spirit you are not vnder the Lavv. ✠verse 19 And the vvorkes of the flesh be manifest vvhich are fornication vncleannes impudicitie lecherie ✠verse 20 seruing of Idols vvitch-craftes enmities coÌ„tentions emulations angers bravvles dissensions sectes ✠verse 21 enuies murders ebrieties commessations and such like vvhich I foretel you as I haue foretold you that they vvhich doe such things shal not obteine the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 But the fruite of the Spirit is Charitie ioy peace patience benignitie goodnes longanimitie ✠verse 23 mildnes faith modestie coÌ„tinencie chastitie Against such there is no lavv ✠verse 24 And they that be Christs haue crucified their flesh vvith the vices and concupiscences ⊢ ✠verse 25 If vve liue in the spirit in the spirit also let vs vvalke ✠verse 26 Let vs not be made desirous of vaine glorie prouoking one an other enuying one an other ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 6. Faith This is the faith vvorking by charitie vvhich S. Paul meaneth els vvhere vvhen he faith that faith doth iustifie And note vvel that by these termes circumcision prepuce not auailable to iustification it is plaine that in the other places he meaneth the vvorkes of Circumcision and Prepuce that is of the Ievves and the Gentils vvithout faith vvhich auaile not but faith vvorking by charitie as vvho should say faith and good vvorkes not vvorkes vvithout faith Againe note here that if the Protestants vvho pretend conference of places to be the best or only vvay to explicate hard speaches of the holy Scriptures had folovved but their ovvne rule this one text vvould haue interpreted cleated vnto them al other vvhereby iustice and saluation might seeme to be attributed to faith alone the Apostle here so expresly setting dovvne the faith vvhich he commendeth so much before not to be alone but vvith charitie not to be idle but to be vvorking by Charitie as S. Augustine noteth defid ep c. 14. Further the good Reader must obserue that vvhereas the Protestants some of them confesse that Charitie and good vvorkes be ioyned and requisite also and that they exclude them not but commend them highly yet so that the said Charitie or good vvorkes are no part of our iustice or any cause of iustification but as fruites and effectes of faith onely vvhich they say doth all yea though the other be present this false glose also is reproued euidently by this place vvhich teacheth vs cleane contrarie to vvitte that faith hath her vvhole actiuitie and operation tovvard iustice and saluation of charitie and not contrarievvise vvithout vvhich it can not haue any act meritorious or agreable to God for our saluation for vvhich cause S. Augustine saith li. 〈◊〉 de Trin. c. 18. Fidem non facit vtilem nisi charitas nothing maketh faith profitable but charitie But the Heretikes ansvver that vvhere the Apostle saith faith vvorketh by charitie he maketh charitie to be the instrument only of faith in vvel vvorking and therfore the inferior cause at the least but this also is easily refuted by the Apostles plaine testimonie affirming that charitie is * the greater vertue that if a man had al faith and lacked charitie he vvere vvorth nothing And againe * that Charitie is the perfection and accoÌ„plishment of of the Iavv as faith iâ— not vvhich can not agree to the instrumental or inferior cause And therfore vvhen it is said that faith vvorketh by charitie it is not as by an instrument but as the body vvorketh by the soul the matter by the forme vvithout vvhich they haue no actiuitie Vvherevpon the the Schooles call Charitie the forme or life of faith that is to say the force actiuitie operatiue qualitie thereof in respect of merite and iustice Vvhich S. Iames doth plainely insinuate vvhen he maketh faith vvithout Charitie to be as a dead corps vvithout soul or life and therefore vvithout profitable operation c. 2. v. 26. â—â— Libertie an occasion They abuse the libertie of the Gospel to the aduantage of their flesh that vnder pretense therof shake of their obedience to the lavves of man to the decrees of the Church and Councels that vvil liue and beleeue as they list and not be taught by their Superiors but fornicate vvith euery Sect maister that teacheth pleasant licentious things and al this vnder pretence of spirit libertie and freedom of the Gospel Such must learne that al heresies schismes and rebellions against the Church and their lavvful Prelates be counted here among the vvorkes of the flesh Sâ—â— S. Augustine de fid op c. 24. 25. If any do sinne therest that do the vvorkes of the Holy Ghost must not therfore take pride in them selues but rather make humilitie of it partly by fearing their ovvne fall partly by looking straitly to their ovvne vvorkes 6 He exhorteth earnestly to good vvorkes assuring them that they shal reaps none other then here they sovv 11 With his ovvne hand he vvriteth telling them the true cause vvhy those false Apostles preach circumcision to be only to please the Ievves 17 and a plaine argument that he preacheth it not to be this that he is persecuted of the Ievves verse 1 BRETHREN and if a man be preoccupared in any fault you that are spiritual instruct such an one in the spirit of lenitie considering thine ovvne self lest thou also be tempted ✠verse 2 Beare ye one an others burdens so you shal fulfil the lavv of Christ ✠verse 3 For if any man esteeme him self to be something vvhereas he is nothing he seduceth him self ✠verse 4 But let euery one proue his ovvne vvorke so in him self only shal he haue the glorie and not in an other ✠verse 5 For euery one shal beare his ovvne burden ✠verse 6 And let * him that is catechized in the vvord communicate to him that catechizeth him in al his goods ✠verse 7 Be not deceiued God is not mocked ✠verse 8 For what things a maÌ„ shal sow those also shal he reape For he that sovveth in his flesh of the flesh also shal reape corruptioÌ„ but he that soweth in the spirit of the spirit shal reape life euerlasting ✠verse 9 And * doing good let vs not faile For in due time vve shal reape not failing ✠verse 10 Therfore vvhiles
Antichrist or before shal refuse to obey the same but for that neere to the time of Antichrist and the consummation of the vvorld there is like to be a great reuolt of kingdoms peoples and Prouinces from the open external obedience and communion thereof Vvhich reuolt hauing been begunne and continued by Heretikes of diuers ages resisting hating the Seate of Peter vvhich they called cathedram pestilentia the chaire of pestilence * in S. Augustines daies because it is Christes fort erected against Hel gates and al Heretikes and being novv vvonderfully increased by these of our daies the next precursors of Antichrist as it may seeme shal be fully atchieued a litle before the end of the vvorld by Antichrist him self though euen then also vvhen for the fevv daies of Antichristes reigne the external state of the Romane Church and publike entercourse of the faithful vvith the same may cease yet the due honour and obedience of the Christians tovvard it and communion in hart vvith it and practise thereof in secrete and open confessing thereof if occasion require shal not cease no more then it doth novv in the Christians of Cypres and other places vvhere open entercourse is forbidden This is certaine and vvonderful in al vvise mens eies and must needes be of Gods prouidence a singular prerogatiue that this Seate of Peter standeth vvhen al other Apostolike Sees be gone that it stood there for certaine ages together vvith the secular seate of the Empire that the Popes stood vvithout vvealth povver or humane defense the Emperours knovving vvitting and seeking to destroy them and putting to the svvord aboue thirtie of them one after an other yea and being as much afraid of them as if they had been amuli imperij Competitors of their Empire as S. Cyprian noteth epist 52 ad Antonianum num 3 of S. Cornelius Pope in his daies and Decius then Emperour againe that the Emperours aftervvard yelded vp the citie vnto them continuing for al that in the Emperial dignitie still that the successors of those that persecuted them laid dovvne their crovvnes before their Seate and sepulcres honouring the very memories and Relikes of the poore men vvhom their predecessors killed that novv vvel neere these 1600 yeres this Seat standeth as at the beginning in continual miserie so novv of long time for the most part in prosperitie vvithout al mutation in effect as no other kingdom or State in the vvorld hath done euery one of them in the said space being manifoldly altered It standeth vve say al this vvhile to vse S. Augustines vvordes de vtil cred c. 17. Frustra circumlatrantibus haereticis the Heretikes in vaine barking about it not the first Heathen Emperours not the Gothes and Vandals not the Turke not any sackes or massakers by Alaricus Gensericus Attila Borbon and others not the emulation of secular Princes vvere they kings or Emperours not the Popes ovvne diuisions among them selues and manifold difficulties and dangers in their elections not the great vices vvhich haue been noted in some of their persons no◠al these nor any other endeuour or scādal could yet preuaile against the See of Rome nor is euer like to preuaile til the end of the vvorld dravv neere at vvhich time this reuolt here spoken of by the Apostle may be in such sort as is said before and more shal be said in the Annotations next folovving ◠The man of sinne There vvere many euen in the Apostles time as vve see by the 4 Chapter of S. Iohns first epistle and in the vvritings of the aūcient fathers that vvere forerunners of Antichrist and for impugning Christes truth and Church vvere called antichristes vvhether they did it by force and open persecution as Nero and others either Heathen or Heretical Emperours did or by false teaching and other deceites as the Heretikes of al ages in vvhich common and vulgar acception S. Hierom saith al belonged to Antichrist that vvere not of the communion of Damasus then Pope of Rome Hiero. ep 57 ad Damas and in an other place al that haue nevv names after the peculiar calling of Heretikes as Arians Donatistes and as vve say novv Caluinistes Zuinglians c. al such saith he be Antichristes Dial. cont Lucifer c. 9. Yea these later of our time much more then any of the former for diuers causes vvhich shal aftervvard be set dovvne Neuerthelesse they nor none of them are that great Aduersarie enemie and impugner of Christ vvhich is by a peculiar distinction and special signification named the Antichrist 1 Io. 2. and the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the Aduersarie described here els vvhere to oppose him self directly against God our Lord IESVS CHRIST The Heathen Emperours vvere many Turkes be many Heretikes haue been and novv are many therfore they can not be that one great Antichrist vvhich here is spoken of and vvhich by the article alvvaies added in the Greeke is signified to be one special and singular man as his peculiar direct opposition to Christs person in the 5 chapter of S. Iohns Gospel v. 43 the insinuation of the particular stocke and tribe vvhereof he should be borne to wit of the Ievves for of them he shal be receiued as their Massias Io. 5. v. 43. and of the tribe of Dan. Ire◠li. 5. Hieron com in c. 11 Dan. August q. in Ios q. 22 the note of his proper name Apoc. 13 the time of his appearing so neere the vvorldes end his short reigne his singular vvast and destruction of Gods honour and al religion his feined miracles the figures of him in the Prophets and Scriptures of the nevv old Testament al these many other arguments proue him to be but one special notorious Aduersarie in the highest degree vnto vvhom al other persecutors Heretikes Atheistes and vvicked enemies of Christ and his Church are but members and seruants And this is the most common sentence also of al aūcient fathers Onely Heretikes make no doubt but Antichrist is a vvhole order or succession of men vvhich they hold against the former euident Scriptures and reasons onely to establish their folish and vvicked paradoxe that Christes cheefe Minister is Antichrist yea the vvhole order Vvherein Beza specially pricketh so high that he maketh Antichrist euen this great Antichrist to haue been in S. Paules daies though he vvas not open to the vvorld Vvho it should be except he meane S. Peter because he vvas the first of the order of Popes God knovveth And sure it is except he vvere Antichrist neither the vvhole order nor any of the order can be Antichrist being al his lavvful successors both in dignitie and also in truth of Christes religion Neither can al the Heretikes aliue proue that they or any of them vsed any other regiment or iurisdiction Ecclesiastical in the Church or forced the people to any other faith or vvorship of God then Peter him self did preach and
degentes is bold to call the Emperour Constantius being an Arian Heretike Antichrist for making him self Principem Episcoporum Prince ouer the Bishops and President of Ecclesiastical iudgements c. The other cause is for impugning Christes Priesthod vvhich is only or most properly exercised in earth by the sacrifice of the holy Masse instituted for the commemoration of his death for the external exhibition of godly honour to the B. Trinitie vvhich kinde of external vvorship by sacrifice no lavvful people of God euer lacked And by these tvvo things you may easily perceiue that the Heretikes of these daies do more properly and neerely prepare the vvay to Antichrist and to extreme desolation then euer any before their special heresie being against the spiritual Primacie of Popes and Bishops and against the sacrifice of the altar in vvhich tvvo the soueraintie of Christ in earth consisteth 6. What letteth S. Augustine li. 20 c. 19 de ciuit del professeth plainely that he vnderstandeth not these vvordes not that that folovveth of the mysterie of iniquitie and least of al that vvhich the Apostle addeth Only that he vvhich holdeth novv do hold c. Vvhich may humble vs al and stay the confident rashnes of this time namely of Heretikes that boldly feine hereof vvhatsoeuer is agreable to their heresie and phantasie The Apostle had told the Thessalonians before by vvord of mouth a secret point vvhich he vvould not vtter in vvritting and therfore referreth them to his former talke The mysterie of iniquitie is coÌ„monly referred to Heretikes vvho vvorke to the same and do that that Antichrist shal do but yet not openly but in couert and vnder the cloke of Christes name the Scriptures the vvord of the Lord shevv of holines c. Vvhereas Antichrist him self shal openly attempt and atchieue the foresaid desolation and Satan novv seruing his turne by Heretikes vnderhand shal tovvard the last end vtter reueale bring him forth openly and that is here to be reuealed that is to appeare in his ovvne person These other vvordes Only that he vvhich novv holdeth hold Some expound of the Emperour during vvhose continuance in his state God shal not permit Antichrist to come meaning that the very Empire shal be vvholy desolate destroied and taken avvay before or by his comming vvhich is more then a defection from the same vvhereof vvas spoken before for there shal be a reuolt from the Church also but it shal not be vtterly destroied Others say that it is an admonition to al faithful to hold fast their faith and not to be beguiled by such as vnder the name of Christ or Scriptures seeke to deceiue them til they that novv pretend religion and the Gospel end in a plaine breach reuolt and open apostasie by the appearance of Antichrist vvhom al Heretikes serue in mysterie that is couertly and in the Diuels meaning though the vvorld seeth it not nor them selues at the beginning thought it as novv euery day more more al men perceiue they tend to plaine Atheisme and Antichristianisme 9. In al povver Satan vvhose povver to him is abridged by Christ shal then â—e let loose and shal assist Antichrist in al maner of signes vvonders and false miracles vvhereby many shal be seduced not only Ievves But al such as be deceiued and caried avvay by vulgar speache only of Heretikes that can vvorke no miracles much more shal folovv this man of sinne doing so great vvonders And such both novv do solovv Heretikes and then shal receiue Antichrist that deserue so to be forsaken of God by their forsaking of the vnitie and happie fellovvship of Saincts in the Catholike Church vvhere onely is the Charitie of truth as the Apostle here speaketh 15. Traditions Not onely the things vvritten and set dovvne in the holy Scriptures but al other truthes and pointes of religion vttered by vvord of mouth and deliuered or giuen by the Apostles to their scholers by tradition be so here approued and els vvhere in the Scripture it self that the Heretikes purposely guilfully and of il coÌ„science that belike reprehendeth them refraine in their translations from the Ecclesiastical and most vsual vvord Tradition euer-more vvhen it is taken in good part though it expresse most exactly the signification of the Greeke vvord but vvhen it soundeth in their fond phantasie against the traditions of the Church as in deede in true sense it neuer doth there they vse it most gladly Here therfore and in the like places that the reader might not so easily like of Traditions vnvvritten here commended by the Apostle they translate it Instructions Constitutions Ordinances and vvhat they can inuent els to hide the truth from the simple or vnvvarie Reader vvhose translations haue no other end but to beguile such by art and conueiance But S. Chrysostom ho. 4 in 1 Thes 2. and the other greeke scholies or commentaries say herevpon both vvritten and vnvvritten precepts the Apostles gaue by tradition and both be vvorthy of obseruation S. Basil De Sp. Sancto c. 29 in principio thus I account it Apostolike to continevv famely euen in vnvvritten traditions and to proue this he alleageth this place of S. Paul In the same booke c. 17 he saieth If vve once go about to reiect vnvvritten customs as things of no importance vve shal are vve be avvare doe damage to the principal partes of the faith and bring the preaching of the Gospel to a naked name And for example of these necessarie traditions he nameth the signe of the Crosse praying tovvards the east the vvords spoken at the eleuatioÌ„ of sheavving of the holy Eucharist vvith diuerse cerimonies vsed before after the consecration the halovving of the sont the blessing of the oile the anointing of the baptized vvith the same the three immersions into the font the vvordes of abrenuntiatioÌ„ and exorcismes of the partie that is to be baptised c. Vvhat scripture saith he taught these and such like none truly al comming of secret and silent tradition vvherevvith our fathers thought it meete to couer such mysteries S. Hierom Dialog cont Lucif c. 4. et ep 28 ad Liâ—iniuÌ„ reckeneth vp diuers the like traditioÌ„s vvilling men to attribute to the Apostles such customs as the Church hath receiued in diuers christian countries S. Augustine esteemeth the Apostolike traditions so much that he plainely affirmeth in sundrie places not onely the obseruation of certaine festiuities fastes ceremonies whatsoeuer other solemnities vsed in the Catholike Church to be holy profitable and Apostolike though they be notvvritten at al in the scriptures but he often also vvriteth that many of the articles of our religion and pointes of highest importance are not so much to be proued by scriptures as by tradition namely auouching that in no vvise vve could beleeue that children in their infancie should be baptized if it vvere not an Apostolical tradition De Gen. ad lit li.
mans perdition but hath prouided a general medicine redemption to saue al from perishing that vvil accept it or that haue it applied vnto them by his Sacraments and other meanes by him ordained and so vvould haue al saued by his conditional vvil and ordinance that is if men vvil them selues by accepting doing or hauing done vnto them al things requisite by Gods lavv for God vseth not his absolute vvil or povver tovvardes alâ—â—â— this case But he that list see the manifold senses al good and true that these vvordes may beare let him see S. Augustine Ad articul sibi false impos resp â— to 7. Eâ—ch c. 103. Ep. 107. De cor grat c. 15. and S. 〈◊〉 li. 2. de orthod fide â— 29. 5 One mediator The Protestants are to peuish and pitifully blind that charge the Catholike Church Catholikes vvith making moe Mediators then one vvhich is Christ our Sauiour in that they desire the Saincts to pray for them or to be their patrones and intercessors before God Vve tel them therfore that they vnderstand not vvhat it is to be a Mediator in this sense that S. Paul taketh the vvord and in vvhich it is properly and onely attributed to Christ For to be thus a Mediator is by nature to be truely both God and man to be that one eternal Priest and Redeemer vvhich by his sacrifice and death vpon the Crosse hath reconciled vs to God and paied his bloud as a full and sufficient raunsom for al our sinnes him self vvithout neede of any redemption neuer subiect to possibilitie of sinning againe to be the singular Aduocar and Patrone of mankind that by him self alone and by his ovvne merites procureth al grace mercie to mankind in the sight of his â—ather none making any intercession for him nor geuing any grace or force to his praiers but he to al none asking or obtaining either grace in this life or glorie in the next but by him In this sort then as S. Augustine truely saith Cont. ep Parm. li. 2. c. 8. neither Peter nor Paul no nor our B. Lady nor any creature vvhatsoeuer can be our Mediator The aduersaries thinke to basely of Christes mediation if they imagine this to be his onely prerogatiue to pray for vs or that vve make the saincts our Mediators in that sort as Christis vvhen vve desire them to pray for vs. vvhich is so far inferior to the singular mediation of him that no Catholike euer can or dare thinke or speake so basely vnto him as to desire him to pray for vs but vve say Lord haue mercie vpoÌ„ vs Christ haue mercie vpon vs not Christ pray for vs as vve say to our Ladie and the rest Therfore to inuocate Saincts in that sort as the Catholike Church doth can not make them our Mediators as Christ is vvhom vve must not inuocate in that sort And as vvel make vve the faithful yet liuing our Mediators by the Aduersaries arguments vvhen vve desire their praiers as the departed Saincts But novv touching the vvord Mediator though in that singular sense proper to our Sauiour it agreeth to no mere creature in heauen or earth yet taken in more large and common sort by the vse of Scriptures doctors and vulgar speach not onely the Saincts but good men liuing that pray for vs and help vs in the vvay of saluation may and are rightly called Mediators As S. Cyril li. 22 Thesaur c. 10 proueth that Moyses according to the Scriptures and Ieremie and the Apostles and others be Mediators Read his ovvne wordes for they plainely refute al the Aduersaries cauillations in this case And if the name of * fauiour and redeemer be in the Scriptures giuen to men vvithout derogation to him that is in a more excellent and incomparable maner the onely Sauiour of the vvorld vvhat can they say vvhy there may not be many Mediators in an inferior degree to the only and singular Mediator S. Bernard saith Opus est mediatore ad Mediatorem Christum nec alter nobis vtilior quam Maria. that is We haue neede of a mediator to Christ the Mediator and there is none more for our profite then our Ladie Bernard Ser. qui incipit Signum magnum apparuit c. post Ser. 5 de Assumpt S. Basil also in the same sense vvriting to Iulian the Apostata desireth the mediation of our Ladie of the Apostles Prophets and Martyrs for procuring of Gods mercie and remission of his sinnes His vvordes are cited in Conc. Nic. 2. act 4. pag. 110 111. Thus did and thus beleeued al the holy fathers most agreably to the Scriptures and thus must al the children of the Church do be the Aduersaries neuer so importunate and vvilfully blinde in these matters 12. I permit not In times of licentiousnes libertie and heresie vvomen are much giuen to reading disputing chatting and langling of the holy Scriptures yea and to teach also if they might be permitted but S. Paul vtterly forbideeth it and the Greeke Doctors vpon this place note that the vvoman taught but once that vvas vvhen after her reasoning vvith Satan she persuaded her husband to transgression and so she vndid al mankind And in the Ecclesiastical vvriters vve find that vvomen haue been great promoters of euery sort of heresie vvhereof see a notable discourse in S. Hierom ep ad Ctâ—siph cont Pelag. c. 2. vvhich they vvould not haue done if they had according to the Apostles rule folovved pietie and good vvorkes and liued in silence and subiection to their husbands CHAP. III. Of vvhat qualitie they must be vvhom he ordaineth Bishops â— and Deacons 14 and the cause of his vvriting to be the excellencie of the Catholike Church and of Christ vvho is the obiect of our religion verse 1 A Faithful saying If a man desire a Bishops office he desireth ″ a good worke ✠verse 2 * It behoueth therfore ″ a Bishop to be irreprehensible the husband ″ of one vvife sobre vvise comely chast a man of hospitalitie a teacher ✠verse 3 not giuen to vvine no fighter but modest no quareler not couetous ✠verse 4 vvel ruling his ovvne house hauing his children subiect vvith al chastitie ✠verse 5 But if a man knovv not to rule his ovvne house hovv shal he haue care of the Church of God ✠verse 6 ″ Not a neophyte lest puffed into pride he fall into the iudgment of the Deuil ✠verse 7 And he must haue also good testimonie of them that are vvithout that he fall not into reproch and the snare of the Deuil ✠verse 8 Deacons in like maner chast not double tonged not giuen to much vvine not folovvers of filthie lucre ✠verse 9 hauing the mysterie of faith in a pure coÌ„science ✠verse 10 And let these also be proued first so let them minister hauing no crime ✠verse 11 The vvomen in like maner
a crovvne correspondent in heauen S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the Apostle expresseth both breifely thus Hovv should be repay as a iust iudge vnles he had first giuen as a merciful father 〈◊〉 de grat lib. arbit c. 6. And vvhen you heare or read any thing in the Scriptures that may seeme to derogate from mans vvorkes in this case it is alvvaies meant of vvorkes considered in their ovvne nature and valure not implying the grace of Christ by vvhich grace it coÌ„meth not of the vvorke in it self that vve haue a right to heauen deserue it vvorthily vvhich the Apostle in the 6 to the Hebrues more then insinuateth saying these vvordes God is not vniust to forget your vvorke loue vvhich you haue shovved in his name c. As though he vvould say that he vvere vniust if he did forget to recompense their vvorkes * The parable also of the men sent into the vineyard proueth that heauen is our ovvne right bargained for and vvrought for and accordingly paid vnto vs as our hire at the day of iudgement for that is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhereby the Scripture so often calleth it It is the goale the marke the price the hire of al striuing running labouring due both by promis and by couenant and right dette See a notable place in S. Augustine in Psal 83 in fine and 100 in initie ho. 14 c. 2. li. 50 hom S. Cyprian also and namely the later end of his booke de opere â—â—â—mosyna and thou shalt easily contemne the contrarie falshod vvhich doth not so much derogate from mans vvorkes as from Gods grace vvhich is the cause and ground of al vvorthines in mans merites S. Augustines vvordes be these Marke that he to vvhom our Lord gaue grace hath our Lord also his detter He found him a giuer in the time of mercie he hath him his detter in the time of iudgement See the place and the rest her coted vvhere he examineth and explicateth the matter at large THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO TITVS THAT Titus vvas a Gentil and not a Ievv and that he vvas in S. Paules traine at the least the 14 yere after his conuersion if not before vve vnderstand by the Epistle to the Galatians c. 2. And that he continued vvith him to the very end appeareth in the second to Timothee c. 4. Vvhere he maketh mention that he sent him from Rome into Dalmatia vvhen him self vvas shortly after to be put to death And therefore although S. Luke neuer name him in the Actes as neither him self yet no doubt he comprehendeth him commonly vvhen he speaketh thus in the first person plurall Forthvvith vve sought to goe into Macedonia Act 16. For S. Paul also sent him to Corinth betvvene the vvriting of his 1 2 to the Corinthians vvhich time concurreth vvith Act. 19 by occasion vvhereof he maketh much and honorable mention of him in the said second Epistle c 2. c. 7. and againe * he sent him vvith the same Epistle both times about great matters so that no doubt he vvas euen then also a Bishop and receiued accordingly of the Corinthians vvith feare and trembling 2. Cor. 7 v. 15. But the same is plainer in this Epistle to him self c. 1. v. 5. Vvhere the Apostle saith for this cause I left thee at Crete c. By vvhich vvordes it is manifest also that this Epistle vvas not vvritten during the storie of the Actes seing that no mention is there of S. Paules being in the I le of Crete but after his dismission at Rome out of his first trouble and before his second or last trouble there as is euident by these vvordes Vvhen I shall send to thee Artemas or Tychicus make hast to come to me to Nicopolis for there I haue determined to vvinter Tit. 3. Therefore he instructeth him and in him all Bishops much like as he doth Timothee vvhat qualities he must require in them that he shall make priests and Bishops in vvhat sort to preach and to teach al sortes of men to commend good vvorkes vnto them finally him self to be their example in all goodnes THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO TITVS CHAP. I. Of vvhat qualitie the Priests and Bishops must be 9 namely learned considering the Iudaical seducers of that time 12 That the Cretensians must be roughly vsed 10 haue them continue sound in faith verse 1 PAVL the seruant of God and an Apostle of IESVS Christ according to the faith of the elect of God and knowledge of the truth vvhich is according to pietie ✠verse 2 into the hope of life euerlasting vvhich he promised that lieth not God * before the secular times ✠verse 3 but hath manifested in due times his vvord in preaching vvhich is coÌ„mitted to me according to the precept of our Sauiour God ✠verse 4 to Titus my beloued sonne according to the coÌ„mon faith grace and peace from God the father and Christ IESVS our Sauiour ✠verse 5 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest reforme the things that are vvanting and shouldest ″ ordaine priestes by cities as I also appointed thee ✠verse 6 * if any be vvithout crime the husband ″ of one vvife hauing faithful children not in the accusation of riote or not obedient ✠verse 7 For a Bishop must be vvithout crime as the stevvard of God not proud not angrie not giuen to vvine no striker not couetous of filthy lucre ✠verse 8 but giuen to hospitalitie gentle sober iust holy continent ✠verse 9 embracing that faithful vvord vvhich is according to doctrine that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine to reproue them that gainesay it ✠verse 10 For there be many disobedient vaine-speakers and seducers especially they that are of the Circumcision ✠verse 11 vvho must be controuled vvho subuert vvhole houses teaching the things they ought not for filthie lucre ✠verse 12 One of them said their ovâ—ne proper prophete The Cretensians alvvaies lierâ— naughtie beastes slouthful bellies ✠verse 13 This testimonie is true For the vvhich cause rebuke them sharpely that they may be sound in the faith ✠verse 14 not attending to Ievvish fables and commaundements of men auerting them selues from the truth ✠verse 15 * Al things are cleane to the cleane but to the polluted and to infidels nothing is cleane but polluted are both their minde and conscience ✠verse 16 They confesse that they knovv God but in their vvorkes they deny vvhereas they be abominable and incredulous and to euery good vvorke reprobate ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. Ordaine Priests Though Priests or Bishops may be nominated and elected by the Princes people or Patrons of places according to the vse of the time and diuersitie of Countries and fashions yet they can not be ordered and consecrated but by a Bishop vvho vvas him self rightly ordered or consecrated
✠verse 5 So Christ also ″ did not glorifie him self that he might be made a high priest but he that spake to him My Sonne art thou I this day haue begotteÌ„ thee ✠verse 6 As also in an other place he saith Thou art ″ a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ⊢ ✠verse 7 Vvho in the daies of his flesh ″ vvith a strong crie and teares offering praiers and supplications to him that could faâ—e him from death vvas heard ″ for his reuerence ⊢ ✠verse 8 And truely vvhereas he was the Sonne he learned by those things vvhich he suffered obedience ✠verse 9 and being consummate ″ vvas made to al that obey him cause of eternal saluation ✠verse 10 called of God a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec ✠verse 11 Of vvhome vve haue great speache and ″ inexplicable to vtter because you are become vveake to heare ✠verse 12 For vvhereas you ought to be maisters for your time you neede to be taught againe your selues vvhat be the elements of the beginning of the vvordes of God and you are become such as haue neede of milke not of strong meate ✠verse 13 For euery one that is partaker of milke is vnskilful of the vvord of iustice for he is a childe ✠verse 14 But strong meate is for the perfect them that by custome haue their senses exercised to the discerning of good euil ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 1. Euery high Priest By the description of a Priest or high Priest for to this purpose al is one matter he proueth Christ to be one in most excellent sort First then a Priest must not be an Angel or of any other nature but mans Secondly euery man is not a Priest but such an one as is specially chosen out of the rest and preferred before other of the community seuered assumpted and exalted into a higher state and dignitie then the vulgar Thirdly the cause and purpose vvhy he is so sequestred and piked out from the residue is to take charge of Diuine things to deale as a mediator betvvixt God and the people to be the Deputie of men in such things as they haue to craue or to receiue of God and to present or giue to him againe Fourthly the most proper and principal part of a Priests office is to offer oblations giftes and sacrifices to God for the sinnes of the people vvithout vvhich kind of most soueraine dueties no person people or Commonvvealth can appertaine to God and vvhich can be done by none of vvhat other dignitie or calling soeuer he be in the vvorld that is not a Priest diuers Princes as vve read in the Scriptures punished by God and king Saul deposed from his kingdom specially for attempting the same And generally vve may learne here that in ijs qua sunt ad Deum in an matters touching God his seruice and religion the Priest hath onely charge and authority as the Prince temporal is the peoples gouernour guider and so retaine in the things touching their vvorldly affaires Vvhich must for al that by him be directed and manneged no othervvise but as is agreable to the due vvorship and seruice of God against vvhich if the terrene Povvers commit any thing the Priests ought to admonish them from God Vve learne also hereby that euery one is not a Priest and that the people must alvvaies haue certaine persons chosen out from among them to deale in their sutes and causes vvith God to pray to minister Sacraments and to sacrifice for them And vvhereas the Protestants vvil haue no Priest Priesthod nor sacrifice but Christ and his death pretending these vvordes of the Apostle to be verified onely in the Priesthod and Seruice of the old lavv and Christes person alone and after him of no moe therein they shevv them selues to be ignorant of the Scriptures and of the state of the nevv Testament and induce a plaine Atheisme and Godlesnesse into the vvorld for so long as man hath to doe vvith God there must needes be some deputed and chosen out from among the rest to deale according to this declaration of the Apostle in things pertaining to God and those must be Priests for els if men neede to deale no more but immediatly vvith Christ vvhat doe they vvith their Ministers Vvhy let they not euery man pray and minister for him self and to him self Vvhat doe they vvith Sacraments seing Christes death is as vvel sufficient vvithout them as vvithout sacrifice Vvhy standeth not his death as vvel vvith Sacrifice as vvith Sacraments as vvel vvith Priesthod as vvith other Ecclesiastical functioÌ„ There is no other cause in the vvorld but that Sacrifice being the most principal act of religion that man ovveth to God both by his Lavv and by the lavv of nature the Diuel by these his ministers vnder pretence of deferring or artributing the more to Christes death vvould abolish it This definition of a Priest and his function vvith al the properties thereto belonging holdeth not onely in the lavv of Moyses and order of Aarons Priesthod but it vvas true before in the lavv of nature in the Patriarches in Melchisedec and novv in Christ and all his Apostles and Priests of the nevv Testament sauing that it is a peculiar excellencie in Christ that he onely offered for other mens sinnes and not at all for his ovvne as all other doe 4. Taketh to him self A special prouiso for all Priests preachers and such as haue to deale for the people in things pertaining to God that they take not that honour or office at their ovvne hands but by lavvful calling and consecration euen as Aaron did By vvhich clause if you examine Luther Caluin Beza and the like or if al such as novv a daies intrude them selues into sacred functions looke into their consciences great and foul matter of damnation vvil appeare 5. Did not glorifie him self The dignity of Priesthod must needes be passing high and soueraine vvhen it vvas a promotion and pereferment in the sonne of God him self according to his manhod and vvhen he vvould not vsurpe nor take vpon him the same vvithout his fathers expresse commission and calling therevnto An eternal example of humility and an argument of condemnation to al mortal men that arrogate vniustly any function or povver spiritual that is not giuen them from aboue and by lavvful calling and commission of their superiors 6. A Priest for euer In the 109 Psalme from vvhence this testimonie is taken both Christes kingdom and Priesthod are set fourth but the Apostle vrgeth specially his Priesthod as the more excellent and preeminent state in him our Redemption being vrought atchieued by sacrifice vvhich vvas an act of his Priesthod and not of his kingly povver though he vvas properly a king also as Melchisedec vvas both Priest and king being a resemblance of Christ in both but much more in his
Christ in so easie and perfect penance and cleansing of sinnes as that first sacrament of generation did yeld vvhich applieth Christes death in such ample maner to the receiuer that it taketh avvay al paines due for sinnes before committed and therfore requireth no further penance aftervvard for the sinnes before committed al being vvashed away by the force of that Sacrament duely taken S. Augustine calleth the remission in Baptisme Magnam indulgentiam a great pardon Enchirid. c. 64. The Apostle therfore warneth them that if they fall from their faith and from Christes grace and lavv vvhich they once receiued in their Baptisme they may not looke to haue any more that first great and large remedie applied vnto them nor no man els that sinneth after Baptisme though the other penance vvhich is called the Second table after shipvvracke vvhich is a more paineful medicine for sinne then Baptisme requiring much fasting praying and other afflictions corporal is open not onely to other sinners but to al once baptized Heretikes or oppugners of the truth malitiously and of purpose or what way so euer during this life See S. Cypriah ep 52. S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine cont ep Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep 50. S. Damascene li. 4. c. 10. 10. God is not vniust It is a vvorld to see vvhat vvringing vvrithing the Protestants make to shift them selues from the euidence of these vvordes vvhich make it most cleere to all not blinded in pride and contention that good vvorkes be moritorious and the very cause of saluation so far that God should be vniust if he rendered not heauen for the same Reuera grandis iniustitia Dei saith S. Hierom Si tantùm peocata puniret bona opera non susciperet That is In deede great vvere Gods iniustice ◠if he vvould onely punish sinnes and vvould not receiue good vvorkes Li. 2. cont Iouin c. 2. CHAP. VII To proue the Priesthod of Christ incomparably to excel the priesthod of Aaron and therfore that Leuitical priesthod novv to cease and that lavv also vvith it he scanneth euery vvord of the verse alleaged out of the Psalme Our Lord hath svvorne thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec verse 1 FOR this ″ Melchisedec the king of Salem Priest of the God most high * vvho mette Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ✠verse 2 to vvhom also Abrahā deuided tithes of al first in deede by interpretation the king of iustice then also king of Salem vvhich is to say king of peace ✠verse 3 ″ vvithout father without mother vvithout genealogie hauing neither beginning of daies nor end of life but likened to the sonne of God continueth a priest for euer ✠verse 4 And ″ behold hovv great this man is to vvhom also Abraham the Patriarke gaue ″ tithes of the principal things ✠verse 5 And certes * they of the sonnes of Leui that take the priesthod haue commaundement to take tithes of the people according to the Lavv that is to say of their brethren albeit them selues also issued out of the loines of Abraham ✠verse 6 but he vvhose generation is not numbered among them tooke tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises ✠verse 7 But vvithout al contradiction that vvhich is lesse ″ is blessed of the better ✠verse 8 And here in deede men that die receiue tithes but there he hath vvitnes that he liueth ✠verse 9 And that it may so be said by Abraham Leui also which receiued tithes vvas tithed ✠verse 10 for as yet he vvas in his fathers loines vvhen Melchisedec mette him ✠verse 11 If then consummation vvas by the Leuitical priesthod for vnder it the people receiued the Lavv ″ vvhat necessitie vvas there yet an other priest to rise according to the order of Melchisedec and not to be called according to the order of Aaron ✠verse 12 For the priesthod being ″ translated it is necessarie that a translation of the Lavv also be made ✠verse 13 For he on vvhom these things be said is of an other tribe of the vvhich none attended on the altar ✠verse 14 For it is manifest that our Lord sprung of Iuda in the which tribe Moyses spake nothing of priestes ' ✠verse 15 And yet it is much more euident if according to the similitude of Melchisedec there arise an other priest ✠verse 16 which vvas not made according to the Lavv of the carnal commaundement but according to the povver of life indissoluble ✠verse 17 For he vvitnesseth That thou art ″ a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ✠verse 18 Reprobation certes is made ″ of the former cōmaundement because of the vveakenesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof ✠verse 19 For the Lavv brought nothing to perfection but an introduction of a better hope by the vvhich vve approche to God ✠verse 20 And in as much as it is not vvithout an othe the other truely vvithout an othe vvere made priestes ✠verse 21 but this ″ vvith an othe by him that said vnto him Our Lord hath svvorne and it shal not repent him thou art a priest for euer ✠verse 22 by so much is IESVS made a suretie of a better testamēt ✠verse 23 And the other in deede vvere made priestes ″ being many because that by death they vvere prohibited to continue ✠verse 24 but this for that he continueth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthod ✠verse 25 vvhereby he is able to saue also for euer going ' by him self to God alvvaies liuing to make intercession for vs. ✠verse 26 For it vvas seemely that vve should haue such a high priest holy innocent impolluted separated from sinners and made higher then the heauens ✠verse 27 vvhich hath not necessitie daily as the priestes first * for his ovvne sinnes to offer hostes then for the peoples for ″ this he did once in offering him self ⊢ ✠verse 28 For the Lavv appointeth priestes them that haue infirmitie but the vvord of the othe vvhich is after the Lavv the Sonne for euer perfected ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 1. Melchisede◠The excellencie of this person vvas so great that some of the antiquity tooke him to be an Angel and some the holy Ghost Vvhich opinion not onely the Hebrues that auouch him to be Sem the sonne of Noë but also the cheefe fathers of the Christians do condemne not doubting but he vvas a mere man and a Priest and a king vvhosoeuer he vvas for els he could not in office and order and sacrifice haue been so perfect a type and resemblance of our Sauiour as in this Chapter and other is shevved 3. Without father Not that he vvas vvithout father and mother saith S. Hierom ep 126 for Christ him self vvas not vvithout father according to his diuinity not vvithout mother in
booke to be Canonical Scripture But Caluin and his companions disagreing vvith their Maisters confesse it to be holy Scripture but their shiftes and fond gloses for ansvver of so plaine places be as impudent as the denying of the Epistle vvas in the other vvho vvould neuer haue denied the booke thereby to shevv them selues Heretikes if they had thought those vulgar euasions that the Zuinglians and Caluinists do vse vvhereof they vvere not ignorant could haue serued In both sortes the Christian Reader may see that al the Heretikes vaunting of expresse Scriptures the vvord of God is no more but to delude the vvorld vvhereas in deede be the Scriptures neuer so plaine against them they must either be vvrested to sound as they say or els they must be no Scriptures at all And to see Luther Caluin Beza their fellovves sitte as it vvere in iudgement of the Scriptures to allovv or disallovv at their pleasures it is the most notorious example of Heretical pride miserie that can be See their prefaces and censures vpon this Canonical Epistle the Apocalypse the Machabees and other 21. Abraham vvas he not iustified by vvorkes It is much to be noted that S. Augustine in his booke de fide operibus c. 14. vvriteth that the heresie of onely faith iustifying or sauing vvas an old Heresie euen in the Apostles time gathered by the false interpretation of some of S. Paules profound disputation in the Epistle to the Romans vvherein he commended so highly the faith in Christ that they thought good vvorkes vvere not auilable adding further that the other three Apostles Iames Iohn and Iude did of purpose vvrite so much of good vvorkes to correct the said errour of onely faith gathered by the misconstruction of S. Paules vvordes Yea vvhen S. Peter Ep. 2 c. 3. vvarneth the faithful that many things be hard in S. Paules vvritings and of light vnlearned men mistaken to their perdition the said S. Augustine affirmeth that he meant of his disputation concerning faith vvhich so many Heretikes did mistake to condemne good vvorkes And in the preface of his commentarie vpon the 31 Psalme he vvarneth al men that this deduction vpon S. Paules speache Abraham vvas iustified by faith therfore vvorkes be not necessarie to saluation is the right vvay to the gulfe of Hel and damnation And lastly vvhich is in it self very plaine that vve may see this Apostle did purposely thus commend vnto vs the necessitie of good vvorkes and the inanity aud insufficiencie of onely faith to correct the errour of such as misconstrued S. Paules vvordes for the same the said holy Doctor noteth that of purpose he tooke the very same example of Abraham vvhom S. Paul said to be iustified by faith and declareth that he vvas iustified by good vvorkes specifying the good vvorke for vvhich he vvas iustified and blessed of God to vvitte his obedience and immolation of his onely sonne But hovv S. Paul saith that Abraham vvas iustified by faith see the Annotations vpon that place Ro. 4. v. 1. 22. Faith did vvorke vvith Some Heretikes hold that good vvorkes are pernicious to saluation and iustification other that though they be not hurtful but required yet they be no causes or vvorkers of saluation much lesse meritorious but are as effectes and fruites issuing necessarily out of faith Both vvhich fictions falshods and flightes from the plaine truth of Gods vvord are refuted by these vvordes vvhen the Apostle saith That faith vvorketh together vvith good vvorkes making faith to be a coadiutor or cooperator vvith vvorkes and so both ioyntly concurring as causes and vvorkers of iustification yea aftervvard he maketh vvorkes the more principal cause vvhen he resembleth faith to the body and vvorkes to the spirit or life of man 23. The frend of God By this also an other false and friuolous euasion of the Heretikes is ouertaken vvhen they feine that the Apostle here vvhen he saith vvorkes do iustifie meaneth that they shew vs iust before men and auaile not to our iustice before God For the Apostle euidently declareth that Abraham by his vvorkes vvas made or truely called the freend of God and therfore vvas not as the Heretikes say by his vvorkes approued iust before man onely 24. Not by faith onely This proposition or speache is directly opposite or contradictorie to that vvhich the Heretikes hold For the Apostle saith Man is iustified by good workes and not by faith only but the Heretikes say Man is not iustified by good vvorkes but by faith only Neither can they pretend that there is the like contradiction or contrarietie betwixt S. Iames speache and S. Paules for though S. Paul say man is iustified by faith yet he neuer saith by faith onely nor euer meaneth by that faith vvhich is alone but alvvaies by that faith vvhich vvorketh by charitie as he expoundeth him self Though concerning vvorkes also there is a difference betwixt the first iustification vvhereof S. Paul specially speaketh and the second iustification vvhereof S. Iames doth more specially treate Of vvhich thing els vvhere there is ynough said The fathers in deede vse sometimes this exclusiue sola onely but in far other sense then the Protestants For some of them thereby exclude only the vvorkes of Moyses law against the Iewes some the vvorkes of nature and moral vertues vvithout the grace or knowledge of Christ against the Gentiles some the necessitie of external good vvorkes vvhere the parties lacke time and meanes to doe them as in the case of the penitent theefe some the false opinions sectes and religions contrarie to the Catholike faith against Heretikes and miscreants some exclude reason sense and arguing in matters of faith and mysterie against such as vvil beleeue nothing but that they see or vnderstand some the merite of vvorkes done in sinne before the first iustification some the arrogant Pharisaical vaunting of mans ovvne proper vvorkes and iustice against such as referre not their actions and good deedes to Gods grace To these purposes the holy Doctors say sometimes that only faith saueth and serueth but neuer as the Protestants vvould haue it to exclude from iustification and saluation the cooperation of mans free vvil dispositions and preparations of our hartes by praiers penance and sacraments the vertues of hope and charitie the purpose of vvel-vvorking and of the obseruation of Gods commaundements much lesse the vvorkes and merites of the children of God proceding of grace and charitie after they be iustified and are now in his fauour vvhich are not only dispositions and preparations to iustice but the meritorious cause of greater iustice and of saluation 25. Rahab This Apostle alleageth the good vvorkes of Rahab by vvhich she vvas iustified and S. Paul 11 Hebr. saith she vvas iustified by faith Vvhich are not contrarie one to the other for both is true that she vvas saued by faith as one faith and that she vvas saued by her vvorkes as the
Al vvhich being vvel considered the Heretikes are to contentious and incredulous to discredite the same as they commonly doe CHAP. XII 4 The great dragen the Diuel vvatching the vvoman that brought forth a man childe to deuoure it God tooke avvay the childe to him self and fed the vvoman in the desert 7 Michael fighting vvith the dragon ouercoÌ„meth him 13 vvho being throvven dovvne to the earth persenâ—teth the vvomaÌ„ her seede verse 1 AND a great signe appeared in heauen a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne and the moone vnder her feete on her head a crovvne of tvvelue starres ✠verse 2 being with childe she cried also traueling and is in anguish to be deliuered ✠verse 3 And there vvas seen an other signe in heauen and behold a great red dragon hauing seueÌ„ heades ten hornes and on his heades seuen diademes ✠verse 4 his taile drevv the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth and the dragon stoode before the vvoman vvhich vvas ready to be deliuered that vvhen she should be deliuered he might deuoure her sonne ✠verse 5 And she brought forth a man childe vvho vvas * to gouerne al nations in an yron rodde her sonne vvas taken vp to God and to his throne ✠verse 6 ″ the vvoman fled into the vvildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that there they might feede her a thousand tvvo hundred sixtie daies ✠verse 7 And there vvas made ″ a great battel in heauen Michael and his Angels fought vvith the dragon and the dragon fought and his Angels ✠verse 8 and they preuailed not neither vvas their place found any more in heauen ✠verse 9 And that great dragon vvas cast forth the old serpent vvhich is called the Deuil and Satan vvhich seduceth the vvhole vvorld and he vvas cast into the earth his Angels vvere throvven downe vvith him ✠verse 10 And I heard a great voice in heauen saying Novv is there made saluation and force and the kingdom of our God and the povver of his Christ because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth vvho accused them before the sight of our God day and night ✠verse 11 And they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the vvord of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto death ✠verse 12 Therfore reioyce ô heauens and you that dvvel therein Vvo to the earth and to the sea because the Diuel is desceÌ„ded to you hauing great vvrath knovving that he hath a litle time ✠verse 13 And after the dragon savv that he vvas throvven into the earth he persecuted the vvomaÌ„ vvhich brought forth the man-childe ✠verse 14 and there vvere giuen to the vvoman tvvo vvinges of a great egle that shee might flie into the desert vnto her place vvhere she is nourished for a time times halfe a time from the face of the serpent ✠verse 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the vvoman vvater as it vvere a floud that he might make her ″ to be caried avvay vvith the floud ✠verse 16 And the earth holpe the vvoman and the earth opened her mouth and svvallovved vp the floud vvhich the dragon cast out of his mouth ✠verse 17 And the dragon vvas angrie against the vvoman and vvent to make battel vvith the rest of her seede vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of IESVS Christ ✠verse 18 And he stood vpon the sand of the sea ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 6. The vvoman fled This great persecution that the Church shal flee from is in the time of Antichrist and shal endure but three yeres and a halfe as is noted v. 14 in the margent In vvhich time for al that she shal not vvant our Lordes protection nor true Pastors nor be so secrete but al faithful men shal knovv and folovv her much lesse shal she decay erre in faith or degenerate and folovv Antichrist as Heretikes do vvickedly feine As the Church Catholike novv in England in this time of persecution because it hath no publike state of regiment nor open free exercise of holy functions may be said to be fled into the desert yet it is neither vnknovven to the faithful that folovv it nor the enemies that persecute it as the hidde company that the protestants talke of vvas for some vvorldes together neither knovven to their frendes nor foes because there vvas in deede none such for many ages together And this is true if vve take this flight for a very corporal retiring into vvildernes Vvhere in deede it may be and is of most expounded to be a spiritual flight by forsaking the ioyes and solaces of the vvorld and giuing her self to contemplation and penance during the time of persecution vnder Antichrist And by enlarging the sense it may also very vvel signifie the desolation and affliction that the Church suffereth and hath suffered from time to time in this vvildernes of the vvorld by al the forerunners and ministers of Antichrist Tyrants and Heretikes 7. A great battel In the Church there is a perpetual combat betvvixt S. Michael protector of the Church militant as he vvas sometime of the Ievves Synagogue Dan. 10 21 and his Angels and the Deuil and his ministers the perfect victorie ouer vvhom shal be at the iudgement Marke here also the cause vvhy S. Michael is commonly painted fighting vvith a dragon 15. To be caried avvay By great persecution he vvould dravv her that is her children from the true faith but euery one of the faithful elect gladly bearing their part thereof ouercome his tyranoie At vvhose constancie he being the more offended vvorketh malicious attempts in assaulting the frailer sort vvho are here signified by the rest of her seede that keepe the commaundemants but are not so perfect as the former CHAP. XIII 1 A beast rising vp out of the sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes ten diademes 5 blasphemeth God 7 and vvarreth against the Saincts destroieth them 11 And an other beast rising out of the earth vvith tvvo hornes vvas altogether for the foresaid beast constraining men to make and adore the image thereof and to haue the character of his name verse 1 AND I savv ″ a beast comming vp from the sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes vpon his hornes ten diademes and vpon his heades names of blasphemie ✠verse 2 And the beast vvhich I savv vvas like to a libarde and his feete as of a beare and his mouth as the mouth of a lion And the dragon gaue him his ovvne force and great povver ✠verse 3 And I savv one of his heades as it vvere slaine to death and the vvound of his death vvas cured And al the earth vvas in admiration after the beast ✠verse 4 And they adored the dragon vvhich gaue povver to the beast
Catholike Church in the captiuitie of schisme heresie Lastly vve might aske them vvhether it be al one to say Mat. 21 Hosanna Saue vs vve beseeche thees vvhereas Hosanna is vvithal aâ—vvord of exceding congratulation and ioy vvhich they expressed tovvard out Sauiour euen so Alleluia hath an other maner of sense and signification in it then can expressed by Praise ye the Lord. 8. Iustifications of Saincts Here the Heretikes in their translations could not alter the vvord iustifications into ordinances or constitutions as they did falsely in the first of S. Luke vvhereof see the AnnotatioÌ„ there vers 6. but they are forced to say in Latin iustificationes as Beza and in English righteousnes for iustifications they vvil not say in any case for feaâ—e of inconuenience yea and they can not deny but these iustifications be the good vvorkes of saincts but vvhere * they make this glose that they be so called because are the fruites of effect of faith and of the iustice vvhich vve haue by onely faith it is most euidently false against the very text and nature of the word for there is no cause vvhy any thing should be called a mans iustification but for that it maketh him iust so that iustifications be the vertues of faith hope charitie and good deedes iustifying or making a man iust and not effectes of iustification neither faith onely but they al together be the very ornaments and invvard garments beauty and iustice of the soule as here it is euident 10. And I fel. The Protestants abuse this place and the example of the Angels forbidding Iohn to adore him being but his fellow seruant and appointing him to adore God against al honour reuerence and adoration of Angels Saincts or other sanctified creatures teaching that no religious vvorship ought to be done vvto them But in truth it maketh for no such purpose but only vvarneth vs that Diuine honour and the adoration due to God alone may not be giuen to any Angel or other creature S. August de vera relig cap. vltimo And vvhen the Aduersaries replie that so great an Apostle as Iohn vvas could not be ignorant of that point not vvould haue giuen diuine honour vnto an Angel for so he had been an Idolater and therfore that he vvas not reprehended for that but for doing any religious reuerence or other honour vvhatsoeuer to his fellovv-seruant 〈◊〉 ve ansvver that by the like reason S. Iohn being so great an Apostle if this later kinde of reuerence had been vnlavvful and to be reprehended as the Protestants hold it is no lesse then the other could not haue been ignorant thereof not vvould haue done it Therfore they might much better haue learned of S. Augustine q. 61 in Genes hovv this facte of S. Iohn vvas corrected by the Angel and vvherein he errour vvas In effect it is thus That the Angel being so glorious and ful of maiestie presenting Christs person and in his name vsing diuers vvordes proper to God as I am the first and the last and aliue and vvas dead and such like might vvel be taken of S. Iohn by errour of his person to be Christ him self and that the Apostle presuming him to be so in deede adored him vvith Diuine honour vvhich the Angel correcting told him he vvas not God but one of his fellovves and therfore that he should not so adore him but God Thus then vve see Iohn vvas neither so ignorant to thinke that any vndue honour might be giuen to any creature not so il to commit idolatrie by doing vndue vvorship to any Angel in heauen and therfore vvas not culpable at al in his facte but onely erred materially as the Scholemen call it that is by mistaking one for an other thinking that vvhich vvas an Angel to haue been our Lord because he knevve that our Lord him self is also * called an Angel and hath often appeared in the visions of the faithful And the like is to be thought of the Angel appearing in the 22 of the Apocalypse vvhether it vvere the same or an other for that also did so appeare that Iohn not tell vvhether it vvere Christ him self or no til the Angel told him Once this is certaine that Iohn did not formally as they say commit idolatrie not sinne at al herein knovving al dueties of a Christian man no lesse then an Angel of heauen being also in as great honour vvith God yea and in more then many Angels Vvhich perhaps may be the cause and consequently an other explication of this place that the Angel knovving his great greaces and merites before God vvould not accept any vvorship or submission at his handes though Iohn againe of like humilitie did it as also immediatly aftervvard chap. 22. vvhich belike he vvould not haue done if he had been precisely aduised by the Angel but a moment before of errour vnduetifulnes in the facte Hovvsoeuer that be this is euident that this the Angels refusing of adoration taketh not avvay the due reuerence and respect vve ought to haue to Angels or other sanctified persons and creatures and so these vvordes See thou doe it not signifie rather an earnest refusal then any signification of crime to be committed thereby And maruel it is that the Protestants making them selues so sure of the true sense of euery doubtful place by conference of other Scriptures folow not here the conference and comparing of Scriptures that them selues so much of onely require Vve vvil giue them occasion and a methode so to doe thus He that doubteth of this place findeth out three things of question vvhich must be tried by other Scriptures The first vvhether there ought to be or may be any religious reuerence or honour done to any creatures taking the vvord religion or religious vvorship not for that special honour vvhich is properly and onely due to God as S. Augustine sometimes vseth it but for reuerence due to any thing that is holy by sanctification or application to the seruice of God The second thing is vvhether by vse of Scriptures that honour be called adoration in latin or by a vvord equiualent in other languages Hebrue Greeke or English Lastly vvhether vve may by the Scriptures fall downe prostrate before the things or at the feete of the persons that vve so adore â—or of ciuil duetie done to our Superiors by capping kneeling or other courtesie I thinke the Protestants vvil not stand vvith vs though in deede their arguments make as much against the one as the other But for religious vvorship of creatures vvhich vve speake of let them see in the Scriptures both old and nevv first vvhether the Temple the tabernacle the Arke the propitiatorie the Cherubins the altar the bread of proposition the Sabboth and al their holies vvere not reuerenced by al signes of deuotion and religion vvhether the Sacraments of Christ the Priests of
thereof b The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 6 SuÌ„day after Pentecost ⸬ Remission of sinne nevv life sanctification and iustificatioÌ„ are giuen by baptisme because it resembleth in vs and applieth to vs Christes death and resurrectioÌ„ and engraffeth vs into him Io. 8 34. 2. Pet. 2 19. ⸬ Here againe is signified that our discharge froÌ„ the boÌ„dage of sinne is by the Christian faith by obedience to the vvhole doctriÌ„e of Christs religion in that the Apostle attributeth this their deliuerance froÌ„ sinne to their humble receiuing of the Catholike faith The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 7 Sunday after Pentecost ⸬ He signifieth that as vvhen they vvere subiect to sinne by coÌ„tinual ofteÌ„ vvorking vvickednes they increased their iniquitie that so also novv being iustified they may should by external vvorkes of Iustice increase their iustice and sanctification Not only faith The old man the nevv Dying to sinne Liuing to God Hovv concupisceÌ„ce is called sinne The doctrine of our first Apostles Life euerlasting a stipend and yet grace 1. Cor. 7 39. ⸬ Nothing but death dissolueth the band betvvixt man vvife though for fornication one may depart from an others companie therfore to mary againe is aduoutrie during the life of the partie separated ⸬ Being novv baptised and dead to sinne engraffed in Christs mystical body you are discharged of the Lavv of Moyses and are free in Christ c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ By Baptisme vve haue not Christes iustice imputed to vs but an invvard nevvnesse of spirit giuen vs and resident in vs. Exo. 20 17. Deu. 5 â—1 ⸬ Sinne or conâ—upisceÌ„ce which vvas a sleepe before vvas wakened by prohibition the Lavv not being the cause thereof not giuing occasion therevnto but occasion being taken by our corrupt nature to resist that which was commaunded 1 Tim. 1 8. The Epistle in a Votiue Masse for sinnes c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actual concupiscence forbidden not habitual Soden inuoluâ—taâ—ie motions are no sinne Concupiscence taketh not avvay free vvil c. 5 17. Sinne is voluntarie and otherwise it is no sinne ep ad Asâ—lâ—cum â—00 Concupiscence defileth not a iust mans actioÌ„â— as the Lutherâ—s say ⸬ This conuinceth against the Churches aduersaries that the lavv that is Gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts may be kept that the keeping thereof is iustice that in christian men that is fulfilled by Christs grace vvhich by the force of the Lavv could neuer be fulfilled ` enmitie The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 8 Sunday after Pentecost ⸬ He meaneth not that the ChildreÌ„ of God be violently coÌ„pelled against their vvilles but that they be svveetly dravveÌ„ moued or induced to do good Aug. Enchirid. c. 64. De verb. Do. ser 43 c. 7. et de verb. Apost ser 13 c. 11. 12. 2 Tim. 1 7 Gal. 4 5. The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 4 Sunday after Pentecost and for many Martyrs condignae ad gloriam The Epistle for S. Ignatius Febr. 1. Ps 43 22. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The testimonie of the Spirit NovvithstandiÌ„g Christs satisfaction and Passion yet ours also is required Al suffering in this life is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glorie and yet it is meritorious vvorthy of the same * ad gloriaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretical traÌ„slation 1. Cor. 4. 1â— Vvhence the merite of vvorkes riseth As sometime faith only is named so els vvhere only hope and only charitie as the cause of our saluation Scripture abused against the Godhead of the Holy Ghost The doctrine of predestination hovv to be reuerenced and vvhat it teacheth vs. Gods predestition taketh not avvay free wil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confide Hiero. q. 9 ad Algas No man ordinarily is sure of his saluation but only in hope c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 21 â—2 Gen. 18 10. S. Hierom. q. to ad Hedibiam Gen. 25 21. Al the epistle surely to the Romanes needeth 〈◊〉 and is 〈◊〉 wrapped with 〈…〉 that to vnderstaÌ„d it we neede the helpe of the Holy Ghost who by the Apostle did dictat these same things but especiaally this place Howâ—eit nothiÌ„g pleaseth vs but that which is Ecclesiastical that is the sense of the Church Gen. 25 23. Mal. 1 2. Exo. 33 19. Exo. 9 16. ⸬ That God is not the cause of any mans reprobation or damnation othervvise then for punishment of his sinnes he shevveth by that he expecâ—teth al mens amendement vvith great patience and consequently that they haue also freo vvil ` apted fitted Os 2 23. Os 1 10 Es 10 22. Es 1 9. c Here vve see that they are the cause of their ovvne damnation by infidelity Es 8 14. 28 16. Anáthema In vvhat sense S. Paul vvisheth to be anáthema 〈◊〉 â—2 12. Gods promis not made to carnal Israel Isaac preferred before Ismael Iacob before Esau By the example of Iacob and Esau is shewed Gods mere mercie in the elect and iustice in the reprobate That God is not vniust or an accepter of persons is declared by familiar examples S. Augustines example is of tvvo debters the one forgiueÌ„ all and the other put to pay all by the same creditor li. de predest gra cap. 4. Predestination and reprobatioÌ„ take not avvay free vvil neither must any man be retchlesse desperate â— Pet. â— 10. Our election or coÌ„uersion is not of our selues but of Gods grace and mercie Exo. 9 16. In vvhat sense God raised vp Pharao c. Heretical bookes concerning predestination The example of the pot and the potter 2 Tim. 2 21. ⸬ The Lavv vvas not giueÌ„ to make a maÌ„ iust or perfect by it self but to briÌ„g vs to Christ to be iustified by him ⸬ The iustice of the Law of Moyses went no further of it self but to saue a man from the temporal death and punishmeÌ„t prescribed to the traÌ„sgressors of the same Leu. 18 5. Deu. 30 12. The Epistle vpoÌ„ S. Andrevves day Nouemb. 30. Es 28. 16 Ioel. 2 22. ⸬ To beleeue in him to inuocate him is to serue him with al loue and sincere affectioÌ„ Al that so doe shal doubtlesse be saued shal neuer be confounded Es 52 7. ⸬ We see then that it is in a mans free wil to beleeue or not to beleeve to obey or disobey the Gospel or truth preached Es 53 1. Ps 18. 5. Deu. 32 21. Es 65 1. Es 63 2. Gods iustice the Ievves ovvne iustice Iustice of faith Open coÌ„fession protestation of our faith is sometime necessarie Euseb li. 6 c. 31 histor Eccles The place alleaged against inuocatioÌ„ of Sainctes ansvvered Preachers not lavvfully called not sent Confes des Egli de France The first iustification of mere grace Free vvil 3. reg 19. 20. c The Heretikes adde here also Image to the text as Act 19 â—5 Es 6 9. Ps 68 23 ⸬ The Ievves are not relected vvholy incurably for euer but for a part and for a time suffered to fall Which God did turne to the
is import the absence of his true body and substance Gen. 2 7 ⸬ Flesh and bloud signifie not here the substance of those things but the corrupt qualitie incident to them in this life by the fall of Adam b The Epistle vpoÌ„ Al-soules day Ap. 8 2. 11 15. Os 13 14. Free vvil vvith grace Heret translation Fasting is meritorious The 8 part Of the contributions ⸬ That is SuÌ„day Hiero. q. 4. Hedibiae So quickly did the Christians keepe Sunday holiday and assembled to Diuine Seruice on the same ⸬ The Heretikes other nevv fangled striue among them selues vvhether Pentecost signifie here the terme of fiftie daies or els the Ievves holy day so called But it coÌ„meth not to their mindes that it is most like to be the feast of whitsontide kept instituted eueÌ„ theÌ„ by the Apostles as appeareth by the Fathers Seâ— S. Aug. ep 119 c. 15 16. Ambr. in c. 17. Luca. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c See Ro. 16 16. c That is our Lord is come Hiero. ep 173. Therfore anathema to al that loue him not or beleue not Thâ—â—phyla vpon this place c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 2. 1. The Epistle for a Martyr that is a Bishop c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al our afflictions be Christs afflictions for the coniunction betwene the head body Merite and satisfaction Vvorldly men feele not the comfort of afflicted Catholikes IntercessioÌ„ of Saincts or holy men for vs no derogation to Christ Hiero. coÌ„t Vigil Publike praiers fastes Their glorie in heauen that conuert other The Protestants inconstancie in chaÌ„ging their writings translations seruice bookes c. Eph. 4 3â— The indeleble character of Baptisme CoÌ„firmatioÌ„ Holy Orders See Conc. Tarraco to â— Concil The Caluinistes vvil be subiect to no tribunal in earth for trial of their religioÌ„ Tyrannical dominioÌ„ is forbid in Prelates not Ecclesiastical Soueraintie for examination of faith or maners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3 9. 1 Cor. 4 15. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though he did great Penance saith Theodorete yet he calleth this pardoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grace because his sinne vvas greater then his penance The Apostle excommunicateth enioyneth penance and afterward pardoneth absolueth 1. Cor. â— 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pardon or remission of penance enioyned Penance and satisfaction euidently proued against the Protestants Ioel. 2 12. Mt. 3. et 4 Act. 2 et 26. Zeale against the excommunicate The Apostle chalengeth their obedieÌ„ce to his Ecclesiastical authoritie The authoritie of Indulgences vvhervpoÌ„ it is grouÌ„ded Mat. 18 18. Cypria ep 13. 14. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Theodoret in huÌ„e loc Vvhat is a pardon or indulgence Io. 8 11. Cypr. locis citatu Indulgences or pardons in the primitiue Church 2 Cor. 8. Col. 1 24. Al pardon and remission is in the vertue and name of Christ Heretical traÌ„slation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5 4. Io. 20 2â— Al binding loosing must be vsed to the parties saluation Conc. Nic. can 12. The great penance of the primitiue Church Ancyran can 2 5. Vvhy more pardons and Indulgences now then in old time Mat. 11 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Heretikes corrupting of the Scripture The Epistle vpon the 12 Sunday after Peâ—tecost Exo. 34 33. 10. 4 24 The Apostles vvrote the Gospel in mens hartes much more then in paper Scripture written and Tradition vnwritten God grace free will both must coÌ„curre The letter killeth both Ievv and Heretike The preeminence of the new TestameÌ„t Sacraments c. The heretikes more blinde in not seing the Church then the Iewes in not seing Christ Aug. in Psal 10. Conâ— â— True ChristiaÌ„ libertie â— Pet. 2 1â— The Epistle for S. Athanasius Mai. Io. c aporiamur See S. Ambr. Theoph. Ps 115 10. b corrumpitur The English Bible 1577 doth falsely translate prepareth c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretikes corrupters of Gods word Catholike Doctors right handlers therof See Irâ—â— li. 1. c. 1. in 2 ad Rom. â— Tim. 2. Tribulations meritorious of glorie Aug. in ps 93. prope finem ⸬ This place proueth that the Saincts departed novv since Christ sleepe not til the day of iudgement and that they be not holden in any seueral place of rest from the fruition of God til the resurrection of their bodies but that they be present vvith God in their soules Ro. 14 10. Esa 43. 19. Apoc 21 5. c That is to say a sacrifice and an host for sinne See the last annot of this chapter The obiection against praiers for the dead ansvvered by S. Augustine Vvorkes meritorious and demeritorious Bishops and Priests vnder Christ ministers of our reconciliatioÌ„ Gods iustice wherewith he maketh vs iust c. Io. 3 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epistle vpon the first Sunday of Lent Es 49 8 The Epistle for many Martyrs ⸬ S. Augustine in ps 113 gathereth hereby that the Apostles did vovv pouertie ⸬ It is not lawful for Catholikes to marie vvith Heretikes or Infidels See S. Hierom. cont Iâ—uinian li. 1. Conc. Laod. â— 10 31. Leu. 26 11. Es 52 11 Hier. 31 1. Gods Ministers are his coadiutors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods grace forceth no maÌ„ against his vvil Voluntarie penance Not to communicate with Heretikes in any acte of religion Num 16 26. ⸬ Contrition or sorovvful lamenting of our oftenses is the cause of saluation Not onely faith then saueth as the Heretikes affirme Contrâ—tion for a mans sinne vvorketh saluatioÌ„ * To. 2. in assert art 6. â— Leone dâ—nuiat ⸬ The principal respecte next after God is to be had of our maisters in religion in al temporal and spiritual dueties The Epistle for S. Paulinus Iun. 2â— Exo. 16 28. The Epistle vpon S. Lukes day Octob. 18. Ro. 12 17. Temporal benefites vpon spiritual persons One may satisfie and supererogate for an other c That is in this matter of almes Chrys Theophyl The Epistle for S. Laurence Aug. 10 Eccles 35 11. Ps 111 9 ⸬ The fruite of almes is the encrease of grace in al iustice and good workes to life euerlasting God giuing these things for revvard recompense of charitable workes which therfore be called the seed or meritorious cause of these spiritual fruites Procters for Catholike prisoners Cheereful giuing The greater almes the greater merite and revvard Almes redouÌ„d to Gods honour c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. 9 23 Punishing of Heretikes Their pride The spiritual povver of Bishops against Heretikes Caluin vpon this place Heretical CoÌ„sistories Ecclesiastical censures namely Excommunication wheÌ„ where to be executed ⸬ The Apostles and their successors did despouse the people vvhom they conuerted to Christ in al puritie Chastitie of truth and vvholy vndefiled and void of errour and heresie Gen. 3 4 ⸬ The note of a false teacher to come â—hat is vvithout lavvful calling or
and in others that are partakers of the merite as of a sacrifice vvhich name it hath by a Metaphore Col. 4 14 ` â—vvil deliuer 2 Timo. 1 16. c This Linus vvas coadiutor with vnder â— Peter so counted secoÌ„d in the number of Popes The Apostle prophecied of our nevv delicate preachers Esa 30. v. 10. Vvorkes meritorious How heauen is due both of iustice and mercie It is not of vs but of Gods grace that vvorkes be meritorious Mat. 20. To such good vvorkes heaueÌ„ is due to say the contrarie is to derogate from Gods grace In Ps 100 2 Corinth 8. 2. Tim. 1 9. 1. Tim. 3 2. Epimenides ⸬ He speaketh not of the Churches abstaining from meates some times vvhich is not for any vncleannes in the creatures but for chastening their bodies but he meaneth the Ievvish superstition vvho novv being Christians vvould not cease to put difference of cleane and vncleane according to their old lavv See S. Augustine Cont. Faust li. 31. c. 4. Rom. 14 20. Priests must be consecrated by Bishops only The popular election of the Cleargie taken avvay The preemineÌ„ce of a Bishop aboue a Priest To put no differeÌ„ce betvvene them is Aërius heresie Heret translation Bigami excluded from holy Orders and the causes thereof The notable men of both TestameÌ„ts that liued coÌ„tineÌ„tly from vviues Only the Protestants complaine that they haue not the gift of chastitie c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pudicos Eph. 6 5. Col. 3 22. 1. Pet. 2 18. The Epistle at the first Masse on Christmas day and vpon the Circumcision of our Lord. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Bishops must be stout and coÌ„maund in Gods cause and the people must in no vvise disobey or contemne them b The Epistle at the 2 Masse on Christmas day and in the Votiue Masse of our B. Lady betvvene Christmas and Candlemas c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1 9. ⸬ As before in the Sacrament of holy Orders 1. Tim. 4. and 2 Tim. 1 so here it is plaine that Baptisme giueth grace that by it as by an instrumental cause we be saued 1 Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 2 23. ⸬ These admonitions or correptions must be giuen to such as erre by our Spiritual Gouernours and Pastors to vvhom if they yeld not Christian men must auoid them c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesse Vvho is proprely an Heretike vvho is not Description or markes hovv to knovv an Heretike vit Aug. c. 1â— The former markes agree to the Protestants Their bookes seruice preaching must be auoided Ep. 52. nu 7. The Church seeketh the amendement of the most obstinate Heretikes Heretikes cut them selues froÌ„ the Church ⸬ Faith and charitie commeÌ„ded alwais together both necessarie to make a complete ChristiaÌ„ man and to iustification saluation ⸬ The dueties of charitie and mercie done to Christes prisoners are exceding acceptable to God and al good men Col. 4 9. ⸬ Al Spiritual men ought to be exceding propense and ready to procure mens pardon and recoÌ„ciliation to al penitents ⸬ The great debt duetie that vve owe to such as be our spiritual parents in Christ c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and beleefe in Saincts 2. Tim. 1. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 1. * Yet vvas Christ head of the Gentils also So likevvise his vicar S. Peter notwithstaÌ„diÌ„g his more peculiar Apostleship ouer the Iewes Rom. 5. Heb. 1â— Heretical corruption * In the English Bible of the yerâ— 2579. The Epistle to the Hebrues is S. Paules The Epistle at the third masse on Christmas day Sap. 7 26. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellencie of Christ aboue Angels Ps 2 7. 2. reg 7 14. Ps 96 8. Ps 103 4. Ps 44 7. Ps 101 26. Ps 109 1 1. Cor. 15 25. ⸬ The holy Angels saith S. Augustine to the societie of vvhom vve aspire in this our peregrination as they haue eternitie to continue so also facilitie to knovv and felicitie to rest for they do helpe vs vvithout al difficultie because vvith their spiritual motions pure and free they labour or trauel not De Ciuis li. 11. c. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The B. Sacrament a figure and yet the true body The adoratioÌ„ of Christ in the B. Sacrament c As that vvhich runneth out of a broken vessel or that ruÌ„neth by is lost c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 16 20. Ps 8 5. 1 Cor. 15 Eph. 1. Pâ—ilip 2 8. ⸬ This proueth against the Caluinists that Christ by his PassioÌ„ merited his owne glorification which they would not for shame deny of Christ but that they are at a point to deny al meritorious workes yea eueÌ„ in Christ also and therfore they translate also this senteÌ„ce heretically by transposing the wordes In the Bible printed the yere 1579. Ps 21 23 Ps 17 3. Es 8 18. Ose 13 14. 1 Cor. 15 54. c The dignitie of man in that Christ tooke our nature vnto his person in Deitie and not the nature of Angels The excellencie of Christ aboue Moyses Nu. 12 7 Ps 94 8 ⸬ Faith is the ground worke of our creatioÌ„ in Christ which if we hold not fast al the building is lost Nu. 14 37. 21 23. Ps 94 11 ⸬ If the Apostle had not euideÌ„tly here shewed that the Sabboths rest was a figure of the eternal repose in heauen who durst to haue applied that Scripture of Gods rest the seuenth day to that purpose Or hovv can our Aduersaries now reprehend the like applicatioÌ„ manifoldly vsed in al holy auncient writers to the like end Gen. 2 2. Heb. 3 7. c So Iosue is called in Greeke ⸬ Whatsoeuer God threateneth by his vvord concerning the punishment of sinne and incredulitie shal be executed be the offense neuer so secrete deepe or hidden in our harts because Gods speach passeth easily and searcheth throughly euery part power and facultie of mans soul The Epistle in a Masse for the election of the Pope Scripture abused against inuocation of Saincts The Epistle for a Bishop that is a Confessor and for S. Thomas of Canterburie 2 Par. 26 18. 1 Par. 23 13. Ps 2 7. Ps 109 4. The descriptioÌ„ of a Priest and his office 3 Reg. 13. 2 Par. 26. 1 Reg. 13. The Princes temporal authoritie how far it extendeth There is a peculiar order calling of Priests of the new Testament Priests and sacrifice necessarie in the new Testament nothing derogatorie to Christs priesthod or sacrifice The difference and excellencie of Christs Priesthod Al true priests and preachers must be lawfully called thereto The dignitie function of Priesthod is not to be vsurped Christ both Priest king but his Priesthod more excellent of the two Psal 2. 109. Christ a Priest as he is man not as he is God 〈◊〉 pag. 89. The sacrifice on the Crosse vvas the principal acte of Christs priesthod Luc. 23. 46. Priests praiers more effectual Christs Priestly actions Notorious Heretical