but now it hath vtterly none Penitents in the primitiue church did but giue testimonie vnto the church of their heartie and vnfained repentance and not as you would haue men imagine satisfie for their sinnes and deserue at Gods hand remission and pardon therof Augustine neuer dreamed of any such matter but he wrote against the Nouatians who denied repentance to them that sinned after they were baptized against whom he prooueth by the example of Peter which had denied Christ by the authoritie of this present text that men after baptisme were not to be excluded from repentance and so maintaineth the custome of the church in admitting penitents which had béene afore for their faults excommunicated what is this to that you alledge him for against our translation 2. Cor. 13. 10. The text Therefore these things I write absent that being present I may not deale hardly according to the power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction The note Ecclesiastical ⸫ power to punish offenders by the censures of the church The answer Which power we reuerence and kéepe offenders in awe withall though we contemne and despise the vsurped power of the Romish church and care not for her thunderbolts GALATHIANS Galat. 1. 6. The text I maruell that you are so soone transferred from him that called into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospel which is not another vnlesse there be some that trouble you and will ⸫ inuert the Gospel of Christ. The note New Gospellers that peruert corrupt or alter the one onlie true and first deliuered Gospell are to be auoided See Saint Augustine contra Faust. libro 32. cap. 27. The answer The Gospel of God is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer whosoeuer therefore doeth preach any power of pope of man of fréewill or of anie other creature or thing whatsoeuer to saluation preacheth a newe Gospell and not the Gospell of God and therefore are to be auoided The whole doctrine therefore of the Popes church is to be auoided for it is nothing els but a new coined Gospell Your note booke still deceiueth you there are not so many chapters in that booke Galat. 1. 19. The text But other of the Apostles sawe I none sauing Iames ⸫ the brother of our Lord. The note Saint Iames was called our Lords brother after the Hebrew phrase of the Iewes by which neere kinsemen are called brethren for they were not brethren in deede but rather sisters children The answer If vpon this you should méete with men as froward as your selues are in expounding this is my bodie they might make you worke by not admitting any interpretation and therefore you might sée how fond a thing it is so to sticke to the letter that you will not admit the mind of the speaker Galat. 2. 11. The text And when Cephas was come to Antioch I resisted him ⸫ in face bicause he was reprehensible The note That is in presence before them all as Beza him selfe expoundeth it yet the English Bezites to the more disgracing of saint Peter translate to his face No. Testamen anno 1580. The answer It is somwhat that once in your liues you are content to acknowledge that you haue learned somwhat of master Beza but I thinke he should not haue béene spoken of héere but to take occasion by him to vtter your choller and to ease your stomacke a little vpon those whom you call English Bezites whose intent as you surmise was in their translation to disgrace S. Peter As if it had béene greater disgrace to saint Peter to be told of his fault to his face than to be told of it reprooued for it in the presence of the multitude But howsoeuer it was we sée plainly S. Peter went awry and brought others into the like danger And further we sée that his authoritie was not so great but he might be reprooued Yet though the pope go headlong to hell and lead thousands of souls with him thither no man may say Why dost thou this Gal. 2. 16. The text But knowing that a man is not iustified by the ⸫ works of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ we also beleeue in Iesus Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for the which cause by the works of the law no flesh shall be iustified The note By this and by the discourse of the whole epistle you may perceiue that when iustification is attributed to faith the works of charitie are not excluded but the works of Moises law that is the ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments thereof principally and consequently all works done meerly by nature and free will without the faith grace spirit and aide of Christ. The answer Helpe helpe Paul hath set the popes kitchin on fire Our Rhemists bring water but it runneth out by the way For both by this and the whole course of this epistle we sée that this new Gospell into the which the Galathians were translated was a péece of poperie Namely that they ioined in the cause of iustification saluation their works with Christ the law with the gospel But our Rhemists tel vs first that not the works of charity but the works of the law are excluded by S. Paul As who should say that there were any works of loue that are not commanded in the law And therefore if the works of the law be excluded the works of loue and charitie must be excluded also But to helpe this they adde that ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments are meant principally But against that Paul maketh him accursed that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it If blessednes and iustification be our deliuerie from that curse who séeeth not that the whole law and euery part of it and euery worke of it must be excluded But further they adde that al works done méerely by nature and frée will are excluded wherein the word méerely is to be noted bicause it expresseth that their meaning is if there be a little helpe of faith or grace that then works be not excluded To the which I say this was the case of the Galathians and the very matter against the which the Apostle bendeth his whole force for that they being Christians and so beléeuers did not exclude their works and méerely ascribe their iustification to the grace of Christ for that they parted the matter as the papists do betwixt Christ and their works the whole maner of the Apostles reasoning in the next chapter doth plainely shew And therefore I will conclude with the Apostle By grace we are saued through faith and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God not of works that no man glorie Galat. 3. ◠The text O senselesse Galathians who hath ⸫ bewitched you not to obey the truth before whose eies Iesus Christ was proscribed being crucified among you The note For any people or
his disciples did plucke the eares and did eat rubbing them with their hands The note Saint Hierom Epist. 2. ad Nepotianum writeth of himselfe that being at Constantinople he asked his master Gregorie the Nazianzene the famous Doctor then bishop there what sabaoth this was Who by his answer declared that it was very hard to tell Neither is it yet knowen to the best learned Yet the Protestants are woont to say All is very easie The answer If Papists made any conscience of lieng and standering a great many of our controuersies would quickly be at an end Who euer said or wrote that all is easie But we do not vnder pretence of hardnes and difficulty fray poore men from searching after and séeking Christ in the Scriptures as you do but exhort men so vse more care and diligence to studie them with humilitie and to vse all helps which God hath lent them And that this was Saint Ieroms mind may appéere that in his Epistles he vouchsafeth the answering and opening of many a question and that to women whom he doth not dissuade or discourage from reading Luke 6. â—0 The text And ⸫ to euery one that asketh thee giue The note That is to euery one iustly asking For that which is vniustly asked may iustly be denied Augustine libro 1. cap. 40. de sermone Dom. in monte The answer He iustly asketh whom néede driueth to aske And we cannot iustly denie if God haue so blessed vs that we may spare that which is asked But the contributions of papists to maintaine traitors abroad are neither iustly required nor iustly giuen Luke 6. 48. The text Euery one that commeth to me and heareth my words and doth them I will shew you to whom he is like He is like a man ⸫ building an house that digged deepe and laid the foundation vpon a rocke The note He buildeth rightly and surely that hath both faith and good works he buildeth on sand that trusteth to his faith or reading or knowledge of the scriptures and doth not worke or liue accordingly The answer Against vaine boasters and flatterers of themselues no doubt Christ speaketh and not against true beléeuers For true faith worketh by loue and therefore endeuor of obedience is his inseparable companion Luke 7. 6. The text Lord trouble not thy selfe For ⸫ I am not woorthie that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe The note See the annotations vpon S. Matthew cap. 8. 8. The answer Yée do but cumber vs with these references which when we sée them are to small purpose and shall be answered with your other annotations Luke 7. â—3 The text The ⸫ poore are euangelized The note Pauperes euangelizantur that is to the poore the Gospell is preached and they receiue it The answer It had béene no more shame for you to haue learned of vs to translate plainly then for to learne of vs to note aptly and truly according to the sense and meaning of the words For it is true that the poore receiue the glad tâ—â—ings of the Gospell But the proud pope his rich cardinals his fat greasie shauelings wallowing in the wealth of this world and puffed vp in a proud conceit of themselues as they are not poore so are they not apt to receiue the Gospell Luke 7. 25. The text But what went ye forth to see a man clothed ⸫ in soft garments Behold they that are in costly apparell and delicacies are in the house of kings The note Marke this well concerning Iohns apparell and diet See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 3. 4. The answer Concerning Iohns apparell we sée nothing héere but that it was not courtly Concerning his diet héere is nothing at all We haue looked for the annotations to which you refer vs and haue lost our labour for we can find none vpon that verse Luke 7. 30. The text But the pharisies and the lawyers ⸫ despised the counsell of God against themselues being not baptized of him The note As they that contemned Iohns baptisme despised Gods counsell and wisedome so much more they which make no account of the sacraments of the church despise Gods counsell and ordinance touching their saluation to their owne damnation The answer Your note is true But you vnder the color and name of sacraments do obtrude to the people that whereof God was neuer author but which resteth and is founded vpon your owne counsell and wisedome which we despise bicause we know it to be enimitie against God Luke 7. 37. The text And behold a woman that was in the citie a sinner as she knew that he was set downe in the pharisies house she brought an alabaster boxe of ointment and standing behind besides his feete she began to ⸫ water his feete with teares and wiped them with the haires of hir head and kissed his feete and annointed them with the ointment The note A perfect paterne of true penance in this woman who sought of Christ with open teares and other strange works of satisfaction and deuotion remission of hir sinnes The answer This sheweth your want of due and sound proofe for mens satisfieng for their sinnes when you scrape héere for satisfaction I pray you which call you a satisfactorie worke hir teares hir wiping his féet with hir haire or hir cost in annointing of Christ. As repentance is fained wherof no fruits can appéere so it is a grosse forgerie to imagine the outward testimonies of true repentance to be so many satisfactions for sinnes Draffe is good ynough for swine and any thing you offer is truth amongst your followers Luke 7. 47. The text For the which I say to thee Many sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she hath loued much But to whom lesse is forgiuen he loueth lesse The note Not onely faith as you may perceiue but loue or charitie obtaineth remission of sinnes The answer And how may we perceiue it Forsooth loue is the cause that she hath many sinnes forgiuen hir This collection is but grating vpon a word contrarie to the plaine sense of the place For if they loue more that haue more forgiuen and they lesse to whom lesse is forgiuen then it is manifest that loue is a consequent of forgiuenes and not a cause And therefore you do but abuse men with the Coniunction causall which is héere as diuers times elsewhere a note of consequence as it is plaine by the words immediately following But to whom lesse is forgiuen he loueth lesse So according to the proportion of forgiuenes the proportion of loue followeth Luke 7. 49. The text And they ⸫ that sate together at the table began to say within them selues ⸫ who is this that also forgiueth sinnes The note As the Pharisies did alwaies caâ—pe Christ for remission of sinnes vpon earth so the heretikes reprehend his church that remitteth sinnes by his authoritie The answer It appeareth by the Pharisies busâ—e carping that it was a receiued truth that onlie God could pardon offences committed against God And they
spirit c. The note All these gifts be those which the learned call gratias gratis daâ—as which be bestowed often vpon euill liuers which haue not the other graces of God whereby their persons should be gratefull iust and holie in his sight The answer That these graces which are here recited are fréely giuen many times to the wicked is manifest and confessed of all But that which you would secretly insinuate that the other graces wherby men are made gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight are not fréely giuen but to those that procure them by works preparatorie or to them that deserue them by inherent iustice is manifestlie and directly opposite to the Scriptures Romaines 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. 1. Cor. 12. 1â— The text For as the bodie is one and hath manie members and all the members of the bodie wheras they be manie yet are ⸫ one bodie so also Christ. The note A maruellous vnion betwixt Christ and his church and a great comfort to all catholikes being members thereof that the church and he the head and the bodie make and be called one Christ. Aug. de vnita Eccl. The answer A maruellous good note wherin onely this héed is to be taken that men be not deceiued by ioining themselues to those that are catholikes in name and not in déede Which it is impossible otherwise to auoide then by holding fast the societie of them that imbrace and keepe that forme of doctrine which was deliuered to the church by the apostles whom all parts confesse to be true catholikes 1. Cor. 12. 28. The text Are all apostles are all prophets are all doctors ⸫ are all myracles haue all the grace of doing cures c. The note Saint Augustine ep 137. giueth the same reason why myracles and cures be done at the memories or bodies of some saints more then at others and by the same saints in one place of their memories rather then at other places The answer Augustine was a man sometimes as well as others deceiued by illusions For why should not the same saints memories bée honored with myracles in Affrica as well as in Italie For it was not to places but to persons that the gift of doing myracles was granted How much trulier wrote Augustine that myracles were not suffered to endure to his time least men should alwaies séeke visible confirmations and least men should waxe cold by the commonnes of those things by the strangenes wherof they were first enflamed 1. Cor. 13. 2. The text And if I should haue prophecie and knew all mysteries and all knowledge and if I should ⸫ haue all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing The note This prooueth that faith is nothing woorth to saluation without works and that there may be true faith without charitie The answer It is strange that when in the former chapter you haue set faith among the gifts that are giuen often vnto the wicked now the same faith being spoken of you would haue it to be taken for the faith we speake of in the cause of iustification and so consequently that it might be without charitie Whereas there is as much difference betwéene that faith and this as is betwixt the beléefe of the omnipotent power of God and affiance in his goodnes But admit that that were granted you which you so much desire that a true faith were here ment how followeth your reason Is euerie supposition a proofe Saint Paule saith if an angell from heauen teach an other gospell c. doth it follow that an angell from heauen may teach an other Gospell do you not sée the vanitie of your proofe 1. Cor. 13. 10. The text But ⸫ when that shall come that is perfect that shal be made voide that is in part The note By this text Saint Augustine lib. 22. Ciu. cap. 29. prooueth that the saints in heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here then they had whiles they liued here The answer Saint Augustine there entreateth of the knowledge and sight of God which the godly shall haue after the resurrection of their bodies And he speaketh in that place no word of the knowledge that dead men haue touching the affaires of men liuing here whiles this world endureth But touching that matter his mind is as he expresseth it else where that the saints in heauen know no more what we do here then we know what they do there But you care not how you lie so you may turne men from God to put confidence in creatures 1. Cor. 13. 13. The text And now there remaine faith hope and charitie these three But the ⸫ greater of these is charitie The note Charitie is of all three the greatest How then doth onely faith being inferior to it saue and iustifie and not charitie The answer I will not at all touch that charitie is not simply the greatest but in some certaine respects But I will come to your reason If faith iustified by the vertue and merite of it self then your reason were somewhat for then charitie being the greater vertue should rather iustifie But now when it is but an instrument to lay hold vpon Christ our righteousnes your reason holdeth not Our hands are inferior to some other parts of man yet our hands are the onely instruments whereby we lay holde on and vse such weapons as serue for our defence And therefore men are called men of their hands 1. Cor. 4. 14. The text But if thou blesse in the spirit he that supplieth the place of the ⸫ vulgar how shall he say Amen vpon thy blessing bicause he knoweth not what thou saiest The note By this word are ment all rude vnlearned men but specially the simple which were yet vnchristened as the Catechumens which came into those spirituall exercises as also infidels did at their pleasures The answer By this word are ment all priuate men for it is euident that except they vnderstoode the publike praier and thankesgiuing they could not shew foorth their assent by saieng Amen 1. Cor. 15. 3. The text For ⸫ I deliuered vnto you first of all which I also receiued That Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures The note This deliuerie in the Latine and Greeke importeth tradition and so by tradition did the Apostles plant the church in all truth before they wrote any thing The answer The controuersie is not whether tradition or writing was first but whether the apostles did not write as much as is necessarie for vs to know and kéepe and whether traditions which vnder their name you obtrude be to be iudged by their writings or not As for that tradition he speaketh of here he specifieth most plainly in writing and therefore this can not make for your vnwritten verities to the which you would faine impropriate the name of traditions 1. Cor. 15. 10. The text But by the grace of God I am that which I am and his grace in
person to forsake the faith of their first Apostles and conuersion at the voice of a few nouellaries seemeth to wise men a very bewitching and senselesse brutishnes Such is the case of our poore countrie Germanie and others The answer That Rome hath forsaken the faith and doctrine taught by their first Apostles Paul and Peter as this Epistle doth most euidently testifie at the voice of their most proud prelats and that other countries haue from thence tasted of the same cup séemeth not to wise worldlings but to the spirit of God and to those that are thereby led and guided a very bewitching and yet withall the iust iudgement of God vpon those that had not or haue not any loue to the truth Thus haue you most manifestly your note returned vpon your selues For Paule and Peter were out of all doubt the Apostles of God and the doctrine deliuered by them voide of all filth and corruptions Galat. 3. 7. The text Know yee therefore that they that are of ⸫ faith the same are the children of Abraham The text This faith wherby Abraham was iustified and his children the Gentiles beleeuing in Christ implieth all Christian vertues of the which the first is faith the ground and foundation of all the rest and therfore here and else where often named of the Apostle The answer Sée your foule shifts when we say faith iustifieth then you vrge against vs a dead faith voide of all Christian vertues yea you go farther for you affirme that all faith and so consequently a true liuely faith may be without charitie Againe on the contrarie side when the force and plainnes of the text driueth you to confesse iustification by faith then faith implieth all Christian vertues So when it may serue your turne things inseparable as true faith hope and charitie must be separated and againe for the like aduantage things distinct must be confounded and one must imply and comprehende an other But for answer we confesse that faith is accompanied with all Christian vertues but neither they nor faith do iustifie by their owne vertue or merit as qualities inherent or resiant in vs. But faith is said to iustifie bicause by it we apprehend and lay hold vpon Christ and his righteousnes which is thereby made ours by Gods imputation And this office is proper to faith and not to any other vertue Galat. 4. 3. The text So we also when we were litle ones were seruing vnder the elements of the world The note That is the rudiments of religion wherein the carnall Iewes were trained vp or the corporall creatures wherin their manifold sacrifices sacraments and rites did consist The answer If the corporall creatures vsed in the multitude of their sacrifices sacraments and rites were an argument of their seruile estate vnder the law then consider the great heape of rites and ceremonies in your church and sée whether they doo not serue to bring Christians into seruitude and bondage againe by making them to serue vnder the elements of the world againe Naie the state of the Iewes was lesse seruile and more tolerable both in respect of number and multitude of ceremonies and in respect of the commander For the greater the dignitie of the commander is the more tolerable and better is the condition and state of the seruant Galat. 4. 14. The text And your tentation in my flesh you despised not neither reiected but as an ⸫ Angell of God you receiued me as Christ Iesus The note So ought all catholike people receiue their teachers in religion with all dutie loue and reuerence The answer The name of catholike being to true catholikes applied wée imbrace your note Galat. 4. 29. The text But ⸫ as then he that was borne according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit so now also The note This mutuall persecution is a figure also of the church iustly persecuting heretikes and contrariwise of the heretikes which be the children of the bond woman vniustly persecuting the catholike church Augustine epist. 48. The answer The text is plaine that he that is after the flesh persecuted him which is after the spirit a plaine figure of your persecuting church The casting out of the bondwoman and her sonne done by Abraham may be drawne by Augustin or some other father to that purpose that you alledge it Galat. 5. 17. The text For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these are aduersaries one to another ⸫ that not whatsoeuer things you will these you do The note Heere men thinke saith Saint Augustine the apostle denieth that we haue free libertie of will not vnderstanding that it is said to them if they will not hold fast the grace of faith conceiued by which onely they can walke in the spirit and not accomplish the concupiscences of the flesh in cap. 5. Gal. The answer The text is plaine against both libertie and abilitie of will And Saint Augustine as you know confesseth that when he wrote this he did not vnderstand that the words were verified of them which were vnder grace and not vnder the law Bicause that though such do not consent to the concupiscence of the flesh against the which in spirit they long yet they would not haue any of those corruptions of the flesh if they might and they do not whatsoeuer they would bicause they would want them and can not But then they shall not haue them when they haue not corruptible flesh Do yée not sée what a patron you haue of S. Augustine and are you not ashamed to alledge that as his which you know he himselfe hath reuoked Galat. 5. 21. The text Which I foretel you as I haue foretold you that they which ⸫ do such things shall not obtaine the kingdome of heauen The note Saint Augustine sheweth hereby that not onely infidelitie is a damnable sinne The answer Wherein we not onely agrée with Saint Augustine but also say farther that willing ignorance the mother of popish deuotion in the which you were woont to nussell your followers is a great and damnable sinne Galat. 6. 9. The text And doing good let vs not faile For in due time we shall ⸫ reape not failing The note The works of mercy be the seede of life euerlasting and the proper cause thereof and not faith onely The answer This is plaine blasphemie to place the proper cause of eternal life and saluation not in Christ but in our selues and in our owne works of mercie which you here most plainely do Your reason is taken out of the metaphor of séede and sowing The vanitie of it is in this that you racke the metaphor beyond the scope and meaning of the apostle For the apostle exhorteth them to liberalitie especially towards their teachers and instructers in the faith To incourage men therunto he telleth them that they shall be as sure or more sure of the rewardes promised of God then the sower shall be to reape that which
chastened by your fasting daies but their whom néede or nigerdlines doth continuallie compell to borrow of their bellies Tit. 2. 15. The text These things speake and exhort and rebuke ⸫ with all authoritie The note Bishops must be stout and commande in Gods cause and the people must in no wise disobey or contemne them The answer So must also euerie minister of the word and their flockes do owe vnto them honor and obedience and you must remember that your popes cause is not gods cause Tit. 3. 5. The text But when the benignitie and kindnes towarde man of our sauiour God appeered not by the works of iustice which we did but according to his mercy he hath saued vs ⸫ by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie ghost The note As before in the Sacrament of holie orders 1. Timoth. 4. and 2. Timoth. 1. so heere it is plaine that baptisme giueth grace and that by it as by an instrumentall cause we be saued The answer Concerning your Sacraments of orders of your own institution and grace by them giuen you haue receiued answer before That baptisme is amongst the instrumentall causes of our saluation no man denieth And likewise we grant vnto you that by it grace is giuen to the woorthy receiuers so that you vnderstand by baptisme the whole sacrament and not the outward acte and worke of the minister onely as you commonly do Tit. 3. 10. The text A man that is an heretike after the first and second ⸫ admonition auoide Knowing that he that is such an on is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement The note These admonitions and corruptions must be giuen to such as erre by our spirituall Gouernors and pastors to whom if they yeeld not Christian men must auoide them The answer If we were agréed of the church and gouernors thereof then we would not contende with you about your note But nowe so long as you wil not suffer the church to be discerned by the scriptures nor cleaue to that church which receiueth the doctrine in them deliuered the admonitions and correptions of your gouernors are to be contemned despised and disobeied PHILEMON Phile. 1. 5. The text I giue thanks to my God alwaies making a memory of thee in my praiers Hearing thy ⸫ charitie and faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and toward all the saints The note Faith and charitie commended alwaies togither both necessarie to make a compleate Christian man and to iustification and saluation The answer Faith and charitie alwaies togither but not alwaies commended togither both necessarie to make a compleat Christian faith for iustification and charitie for sanctification But you the better to blinde men confounde that which you should distinguish Phile. 1. 7. The text For I haue had great ioy and consolation in thy charitie bicause the bowels of the saints ⸫ haue rested by thee brother The note The duties of charitie and mercie done to Christs prisoners are exceeding acceptable to God and all good men The answer This is verie true and yet you the popes prisoners and not Christs Phile. 1. 1◠The text And ⸫ do thou receiue him as mine owne bowels The note All spirituall men ought to be exceeding propense and readie to procure mens pardon and reconciliation to all penitent The answer It is to be maruelled at that men shewing so little mercie as you are woont and so voide of all pitie as your tragicall doings haue shewed you to be should now become teachers of mercie and pitie to other men Phile. 1. 1◠The text I Paule haue written with mine owne hand I will repay it not to say to thee ⸫ that thou owest me thine own selfe also The note The great det and dutie that we owe to such as be our spirituall parents in Christ. The answer As to our parents we can make no sufficient recompense so much lesse are we able to requite those which are Gods good instruments of our regeneration HEBREWES Hebr. 1. 4. The text Being made so much more excellent than Angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them The note The excellencie of Christ aboue Angels The answer And therefore consequently his excellencie aboue Moyses the prophets and all creatures whatsoeuer Hebr. 1. 14. The text Are they not al ⸫ ministring spirits sent to minister for them which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation The note The holy angels saith S. Augustine to the societie of whom we aspire in this our peregrination as they haue eternitie to continue so also facilitie to know and felicitie to rest For they do helpe vs without all difficultie bicause with their spirituall motions pure and free they labor and trauell not De ciuitate lib. 11. cap. 31. The answer I would your doctrine of Angels were alwaies as this which here you learne of Augustine then some of your vnprofitable controuersies which now trouble the world would soone be cut of and throwen to the dunghill amongst other filth and mire of poperie But these and such other good things are defiled with the rest that you couple them with And more I haue not to say to you for this note Hebr. ◠1. The text Therefore more abundantly ought we to obserue those things which we haue heard ⸫ least perhaps we run out The note As that which runneth out of a broken vessel or that runneth by is lost The answer He is said to run out which doth not hold and kéepe the word which he heareth of whom we say in English In at the one eare and out at the other Hebr. 2. 9. The text But him that was a little lessened vnder the Angels we see Iesus ⸫ bicause of the passion of death crowned with glory and honor that through the grace of God he might tast of death for all The note This prooueth against the Caluinists that Christ by his passion merited his own glorification which they would not for shame denie of Christ but that they are at a point to denie all meritorious works yea euen Christs also And therefore they translate also this heretically by transposing the words In the bible printed 1579. The answer The force of this proofe resteth vpon the signification of the Gréeke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which héere as often else where doth signifie the finall cause or end and is to be referred to his lessening which goeth before and not to his crowning which commeth after As if he should say we sée him that is Iesus bicause of his suffering or that he might suffer a little lessened vnder the Angels that is made man And thus your proofe faileth and commeth to naught Otherwise for Christs merits we do more highly estéeme of them than you But the holie Ghost hath taught vs that he tooke our nature vpon him not for himselfe but for our good so that whatsoeuer he did in our nature was not to gaine to him selfe but to vs not to his
See Augustine vpon this place The answer You know that your collection will not hold and therfore you turne Saint Augustine to vs. Wherein still is to be noted that you of purpose flie from these works which Augustine wrote against Pelagius wherein of purpose he handleth the matter of fréewill and scrape and scratch for it here and there where he speaketh little of it and that but by the way The spéech that Augustine vseth in this place is this that God sanctifieth but hée sanctifieth not them which are not willing to be sanctified And therfore bicause man adioineth his will to God he is said to sanctifie himselfe This spéech of Augustine though it may be racked against his minde to serue your assertion of fréewill yet being interpreted according to his vndoubted meaning as in manie places he vttereth against Pelagius of those onely whose wils God altered and to whom God also giueth power in some measure to performe their good desires is verie tollerable and may well stand 1. Iohn 3. 17. The text He that shall haue the substance of the world and shall see his brother haue need and shal shut his bowels from him how doth the charitie of God abide in him The note Euerie man is bound to giue almes according to his abilitie when he seeth his brother in great necessitie The answer And yet not to thinke his déede meritorious but onely to declare and shew that the loue of God dwelleth in him 1. Iohn 3. 23. The text And this is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and ⸫ loue one another as he hath giuen commandement to vs. The note Least any man should thinke by the words next before onely faith in Christ to be commanded or to please God he addeth to faith the commandement of charitie or loue of our neighbor The answer If there be any that thinke faith onely commanded or do separate loue from it tell vs I pray you who they be and where they remaine that we also may know them hate abhor and detest them 1. Ioh. 4. 12. The text God ⸫ no man hath seene at any time The note No man in this life nor with corporall eies can see the proper essence or substance of the deitie See S. Augustine ad Paulin. de videndo Deo Epist. 112. The answer Still you send vs to those schoolmasters to whom the simple can haue no accesse and therefore by whom they cannot be the better 2. Ioh. v. 8. The text Looke to your selues that you lose not the things which you haue wrought but that you may receiue a full ⸫ reward The note Reward for keeping fast the catholike faith The answer Which is full contrarie to the faith of the Romish church at this day 2. Ioh. v. 9. The text Euery one that ⸫ reuolteth and persisteth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God The note To go backe or reuolt from the receiued truth and doctrine apostolicall is damnable The answer But al papists are gone backe from the truth in the primitiue church receiued therfore except they repent they are damned 3. Ioh. v. 5. The text My deerest thou doest faithfully whatsoeuer thou workest on the brethren ⸫ and that vpon strangers The note A great grace to be beneficiall to strangers specially to them that be of our catholike faith and suffer for the same The answer Remember then your vngracious gouernment in the daies of Quéene Mary when al those strangers which afore in the daies of good king Edward were intertained and comforted in England bicause they had left their countries for the kéeping of a good conscience and for the testimonie of the true ancient most holie catholike faith were banished this land and sent to séeke a resting place where they might find or get it 3. Ioh. v. 9. The text I had written perhaps to the church but he that loueth to beare ⸫ primacie amoÌ„gst them Diotrepes doth not receiue vs. The note It seemeth saith saint Bede he was an archheretike or proud sectmaster The answer Uery much resembling my Lord Bishop of Rome in loue of primacie though far comming behind him in height of pride and in all other wickednes and mischiefe 3. Ioh. v. 10. The text For this cause if I come I wil ⸫ aduertise his works which he doth with malicious words chatting against vs. The note That is I wil rebuke them and make them knowen to be wicked Bede The answer This exposition we receiue and God hath verified it vpon your owne heads For your Diotrepes of Rome his casting out all those that beare fauor to them that loue the truth is now to al the world made manifest to be wicked and they are sufficiently aduertised both of him and his works Iâ—de vers 4. The text For there are certaine men secretly entred in which were long ago prescribed vnto this iudgement impious transferring the grace of our God ⸫ into riotousnes and denieng the onely dominator and our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Diuers heretikes abuse the libertie of Christs grace and Gospell to the fulfilling of their carnall lusts and concupiscences The answer It is very true and yet none so much and so grossely as papists For if they would leaue their lies and forgerie and sticke to such testimonies as are without exception they should easily sée it and be compelled to confesse it Iude vers 5. The text But I will admonish you that once know al things that ⸫ Iesus sauing the people out of the land of Egypt secondly destroied them which beleeued not The note This is our Sauiour not Iosue as saint Hierom noteth ep 17. see Abac c. 3. verse 18. The answer That it could not be Iosua that is héere meant both the truth of the storie of the children of Israels deliuerie out of Egypt and of the punishment of the incredulous and also the Gréeke text which hath not Iesus but the Lord doth plainly and euidently testifie Iude vers 8. The text In like maner these also defile the flesh and ⸫ despise dominion and blaspheme maiestie The note Such be heretikes that will not be subiect to anie superior or that refuse to obey the lawes either of spirituall or temporall rulers in which kind speciallie in blaspheming the supreme spirituall magistrate the Protestants do passe The answer It is somewhat that you do not alwaies passe ouer those places with silence wherein you are so liuelie described for of these heretikes the pope is the head and you his clawbackes are members For to what superior doeth the Pope acknowledge himselfe subiect and do not all ecclesiasticall persons of his church challenge exemption from the authoritie of temporall power what maiesty is there vpon the earth which he blasphemeth not when he abaseth the highest earthlie maiestie so farre vnder him selfe as the moone is inferior to the sunne Iudes description therefore agréeth to none so well as to your selues APOCALYPSE Apocal. 1.
thankesgiuing that the saints of God vse for his benefits It is called the song of Moyses and Christ bicause the benefits of all times of the lawe and of the Gospell are therein considered the deliuerie of the children of Israel and the redemption of all nations vnder heauen It consisteth of thrée parts namely in considering the woonderfulnes and gloriousnes of Gods works the iustice and truth of God in his waies and the terriblenes and fearefulnes of his iudgements Apoc. 1◠6. The text ⸫ Bicause they haue shed the blood of the saints and prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are woorthie The note The great reuenge that God will do at the later daie vpon the persecutors of his saints The answer The great reuenge that God hath done and shewed vpon all the persecuting tyrants of the primitiue church And this withal is to be diligently remembred that Gods arme is not shortened and his hand is stretched out still And therefore still blood must be the drinke of them that delight in blood and they that loue darknes shall haue their rewarde in the kingdome of darknes and they that loue not the truth must be giuen ouer to beléeue lies Apoc. 16. 9. The text And men boiled with great heate and ⸫ blasphemed the name of God hauing power ouer these plagues The note The desperate and damned persons shall blaspheme God perpetuallie which shall be such onely as do not repent in this life The answer If I did not perceiue that these plagues are referred to former times I would referre this to you whome I sée blinded with hipocrisie and drunken with the confidence of your owne merits so that when you intend and purpose to serue God you commit idolatrie and bicause you sée not your sinnes you can not abide anie admonition or reproouing and when God striketh and punisheth you bicause you vnderstand not the cause you are neuer the better but grudge and blaspheme and runne headlong to the diuell without repentance But when I looke vnto those former times which are here spoken of I finde the same rootes of euill in them which are in you although not so déepe rooted in them as in you that is the philosophicall doctrine of frée will and confidence in them selues and their workes which made them suppose that they pleased God when they killed his saints enemies to those opinions and bicause they did not imagine that they did amisse therefore no maruell though they repented not but grudged and blasphemed at the plagues which God powred vpon them For the same causes must néedes in euerie one haue like effectes Apoc. 16. 11. The text And they blasphemed the God of heauen bicause of their paines and woundes and ⸫ did not penance from their works The note See chapter 9. verse 2. in the margent The answer The foole will not giue his bable for the tower of London for then he should misse a great deale of good sport Your marginall annotation hath bene viewed and answered the substance wherof being friuolous and foolish you haue repeated I knowe not howe oft in these annotations Apoc. 16. 13. The text And I sawe from the mouth ⸫ of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet three vncleane spirits in maner of frogges The note The dragon is the diuell the beast Antichrist or the societie whereof he is the head the false prophet either Antichrist him selfe or the companie of heretikes and seducers that follow him The answer That by the dragon the diuell is signified and by the beast the Pope or the societie whereof he is the head we easilie consent with you but the false prophet here we suppose to be Mahomet that hath seduced the whole empires of the Turkes and Persians And al these by euill wicked and seducing spirits bend them selues and all their force against the Church and kingdome of Christ. Apoc. 16. 16. The text And he shall gather them into a place which in Hebrewe is called Arina-gedon The note The hill of theeues by Saint Hieroms interpretation The answer The coniectures of interpreters is very diuers vpon this word but this is plaine that being in the time of the sixt Angels powring foorth his viall it is a matter to be accomplished néere about our times and it is therefore the diligentlier to be considered and weighed of vs with the issue of it The summe of it is that the diuell and Antichrist shall by their false prophets perswade the Kings of the earth to bend all their whole force against the church and against the Gospel of God to extinguish and destroy it By all likelihoode the time of accomplishing this is nowe at hand for I suppose there was neuer afore anie such conspiracie of princes for that purpose But God who drewe Iabin and Sisera to Magiddo which bicause it was placed by a mountaine is called héere Arma-gedon to giue them and all their great armie into the hand of a woman to destruction hath promised to doe the like héere to the great comfort and consolation of his church and people especiallie of those which are now gouerned by Deborah Apoc. 16. 19. The text And ⸫ the great citie was made into three parts and the cities of the Gentiles fell The note The citie or common welth of the wicked diuided into three partes into infidels heretikes and euill Catholikes The citie is here called Babylon whereof see the next chapter verse 5. The answer The citie still I take for Rome called héere Babilon The diuision of it I take to be into Epicurean Atheists close hipocrites and cruell superstitious and yet openlie wicked ignorant people Apoc. 17. ◠The text And there came to me one of the seuen Angels which had the seuen vials and spake with me saieng Come I will shewe thee the damnation of the great harlot The note The small damnation of the whole companie of the reprobate called heere the great whore The answer The finall damnation of the popes of Rome and their church there so euidentlie described by their maners nature properties conuersation of life apparell power ouer the kings of the earth that neither man nor place vpon the earth can be found to which euerie part of this description can so aptlie agrée to as to these Open therefore your eies and espie her whom the holie Ghost laieth out so openlie before you and flie from her betimes least you be partaker of her plagues and damnation Apoc. 17. 1. The text Which sitteth vpon ⸫ many waters The note These many waters are many peoples verse 15. The answer Héere you haue found scripture for your vniuersalitie The whoore hath a large dominion and many people vnder hir euen as many as without all iudgement receiue whatsoeuer it pleaseth the bishops of Rome to obtrude to them Apoc. 17. 8. The text The beast which thou sawest ⸫ was and is not and shal come vp out of
downe granted you or else your conclusion carieth not so much as anie shew or likelihood of following That diuers take this Angell to be Christ you your selues confesse and that Christ is many times in scriptures called an Angell I am sure you will not denie That one Angell offereth and not many what can it signifie but that we haue one mediator not many and if we haue but one then why may not Christ be he That of the 24. elders in the fift chapter is a vision of the saints vpon the earth offering their owne praiers For Iohn in that chapter doth not describe the state of the church as it shall be in heauen but as it is héere vpon the earth and therefore setteth it downe magnifieng and praising the lambe by whom the booke was opened that is Gods will in his word reuealed and made knowen But you did well to tell vs that saints héere are taken for holy persons vpon earth for your blind schollers do not imagine that there be any saints but those which are dead and gone and which the pope hath canonized and are to be found in his calendar If the superior saints offer the praiers of the inferior then we néed to learne the orders of saints and Angels in heauen that we go not to them that themselues néed the helpe and intercession of others But who can so tell vs that we may beléeue him You say it is not against the scriptures If it be scripture that telleth vs that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes and that we haue one mediator then multitude of mediators and aduocates is against scripture We dare not beléeue your dreames which are no where warranted in the word And we maruell not that you thinke it no derogation to Christ to take away his mediatorship of intercession when you make him but halfe a redéemer and halfe a sauiour As for that of Raphaell it may serue to deceiue your simple followers withall but not to confirme any matter of controuersie against your learned aduersaries who know it not to be canonicall scriptures Apoc. 9◠1. The text And the fift Angell sounded with the trumpet and I saw ⸫ a star to haue fallen from heauen vpon the earth and there was giuen to him the key of the pit of bottomlesse depth The note Most vnderstand all this of heretikes The fall of an archheretike as Arius Luther and Caluin out of the Church of God which haue the key of hell to open and bring foorth all the old condemned heresies buried before in the depth The answer And we also vnderstand this of archheretikes But as you erre in your iudgement of heresie so you set them downe for archheretikes who were not but principall and woorthie ministers of God in his church Your odious coupling of Luther and Caluin with Arius is ridiculous when neither they had nor held any of Arius heresies It is true and signified by the star that heretikes rise of those that haue béen of great account amongst Christians and therfore haue the more opportunitie to deceiue with and become sectmasters as the bishops of Rome who were sometimes most highly and woorthily estéemed and now are become apostataes These as they rightfully challenge to themselues the keies of hell so haue they let abroad in a maner al condemned heresies Ebions heresie in denieng that faith alone sufficeth for iustification Montanus heresie in making lawes for fasting daies The Manichées heresie in forbidding priests to marrie and so consequently of most heresies one péece or other Apoc. 9. 3. The text And from the smoke of the pit there issued foorth ⸫ locusts into the earth and power was giuen to them as the scorpions of the earth haue power And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree but onely men which haue not the signe of God in their foreheads The note Innumerable petie heretikes following their maisters after the opening and smoke of the bottomlesse pit The answer The innumerable locusts that deuour the wealth of the earth and with their vaine speculatious sting and poison those which loue not the truth are by the pope let out of hell and haue sparsed ouer the christian world in infinite multitudes as both his schoolemen and the sundry and diuers orders of his religious do testifie For what estimate may be made of the whole number when only one order namely the Franciscane friers were able to spare to the pope thirtie thousand able men to beare armour at one time Apoc. 9. 11. The text And they had ouer them a king the angell of the bottomlesse depth whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon The note The cheefe master of heretikes The answer You say that in English his name is destroyer We sée then the diuell who was an homicide and a destroier from the beginning is this king and captaine ouer the archheretike and his locustes and that they vnder him worke the great and mightie destruction of men which here is prophesied And this agréeth with the prediction of the apostle Paule That antichrist should come by the working of sathan with all power and signes and lieng woonders The pope therefore and his cleargie haue both a mightie and a cunning king and captaine to conduct them to destroy and to be destroied Apoc. 9. 20. The text ⸫ And the rest of men which were not slaine with these plagues neither ⸫ haue done penance from the works of their hands not to adore deuils and idols of gold siuer and brasse and stone and wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke and haue not done penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts The note Pagans infidels and sinfull impenitent catholikes must be condemned also This phrase being the like both in Greeke and Latin signifieth such sorrowfull and penall repentance as causeth a man to forsake his former sinnes and to depart from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the same phrase cap. 2. 21. 22. Acts. 8. 22. The answer Your two notes being both out of one sentence which could not well be deuided I haue coupled togither And bicause I am sure that by catholikes you meane none other but papists therefore you do well to couple them with pagans infidels For touching saluation and damnation they stand all in one state case that is in the state of damnation except they repent As for your phrase which you make so much a doo about it hath alreadie béen diuers tunes examined prooued that your imagined satisfactorie penance can not be gathered out of it Otherwise we do think that repentance to be but counterfet which wanteth the testimonies of true repentance doth not cause men to forsake their former sins and to depart from them But I pray you tell me your images of gold siluer
brasse stone and wood can they see heare or walke haue you done penance from the works of your hands or will you wilfully go to the diuell Apoc. 10. ◠The text And I saw an other angell strong descending from heauen clothed with a cloud and a rainbowe on his head and his face was as the sunne and his feet as a pillar of fier The note Christ the valiant angell is heere described The answer I maruell that you followed not your Liranus to expounde this of the bishop of Rome but that flatterie you are ashamed of though in other things you excéede him But the circumstances make it plaine his dignitie power strength his decking from top to toe the greatnes of his voice the brightnes of his countenance his vnused steps comprehending lande and sea togither can not well agrée to any other Apoc. 10. ◠The text And when the seauen thunders had spoken their voices I was about to write And I heard a voice from heauen saieng vnto me Signe the things which the seauen thunders haue spoken and ⸫ write them not The note Manie great mysteries and truths are to be preserued in the church which for causes knowen to Gods prouidence are not to be written in the booke of holie Scripture The answer Farre fetched and déere bought is good for ladies Iohn was forbidden to write Ergo they are kept in the church When you can prooue that your church knoweth those things which Saint Iohn was forbidden to write and those things which Saint Paule heard and sawe in heauen and might not vtter then will I beléeue all your vnwritten verities Apoc. 10. ◠The text And the angell which I saw standing vpon the sea and vpon the land ⸫ lifted vp his hand to heauen and he sware by him that liueth for euer and euer c. The note This was the maner of taking an othe by the true God as Deut. 32. The answer There were diuers and sundrie maners of taking othes by the true God which I do not thinke so necessarie here to be noted as that you haue taught men to forsake God and to sweare by those which are not Gods and as the thing which is héere sworne that is that time shalbe no more which is most necessarie for men to consider that they flatter not them selues with the eternall continuance of the world Apoc. 10. ◠The text And he said to me Take the booke and ⸫ deuoure it The note By earnest studie and meditation The answer You say well adde this I pray you that it is not onlie to be read studied and thought vpon but also in as large measure as we are able to attaine to vnderstood and laied vp in our harts Apoc. 10. 9. The text And it shall make thy bellie to be bitter but in thy mouth it shalbe ⸫ sweete as it were honie The note Sweete in the reading but in the fulfilling somewhat bitter bicause it commandeth works of penance and suffring of tribulations The answer The promises of the most gratious fauour of God and good life to beleeuers are swéete and delectable but that we must passe through manie and bitter tribulations to come to life to flesh and blood can not be but bitter As for your satisfactorie workes of penance which your mind runneth on are not to be found any where in this booke but your hart is alwaies on your half penie Apoc. 11. 2. The text But the court which is without the temple cast foorth and measure not that bicause it is giuen to the Gentiles and they shall tread vnder foot the holie citie ⸫ two fourtie moneths The note Three yeeres and an halfe which is the time of Antichrists raigne and persecution The answer But that these moneths are to be measured here by our ordinarie moneths that resteth to be prooued The onlie thing that we can learne by this is that Antichrists raigne shall not endure alwaies but in comparison of Christes raigne which shalbe eternall if shalbe verie short But how long or how short so euer the time is this is certaine and plaine against the papists that during Antichrists raigne the holie citie that is the church shall be troden vnder foote Apoc. 11. 7. The text And when they shall haue finished their testimonie the ⸫ beast which ascended from the depth shall make warre against them and shall ouercome them and kill them The note The great Antichrist The answer The bishop of Rome who though in the eies of the world séeme to preuaile and to kill the witnesses of Gods truth yet he can not do it till they haue finished their testimonie that is the time that God hath appointed them for the execution of their office Apoc. 11. 8. The text And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the ⸫ great citie which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt where the Lorde also was crucified The note He meaneth Hierusalem named Sodome and Egypt for imitation of them in wickednes so that we see his chiefe raigne shalbe there though his tirannie may extend to all places of the world The answer How faine you would turne mens eies from Rome to looke for the great Antichrist els where Séeing the names and other attributes are spirituall descriptions of this citie and that Rome resembleth Hierusalem in killing Christ in his members is like Sodom in beastlie filthinesse and like Egypt both in ambition and superstition and in indeuor to hold the people of God in seruitude and thraldom I sée not why we should still thinke that to be the great citie here spoken of Apoc. 11. 10. The text And the inhabitants of the earth ⸫ shall be glad vpon them and make merrie The note The wicked reioice when holie men are executed by the tirants of the world bicause their life and doctrine are burdenous vnto them The answer This is verie true and taught by dailie experience vnder the Pope and such tirannous princes as bend their might force and authoritie to aduance his dignitie Apoc. 11. 15. The text And the seuenth Angel sounded with a trumpet and there were made loud voices in heauen saieng ⸫ The kingdome of this world is made our Lordes and his Christes and he shall raigne for euer and euer Amen The note The kingdome of this world vsurped before by Satan and Antichrist shall afterward be Christs for euer The answer This last trumpet summoneth all the dead to rise againe and so to come to iudgement at which time all enemies shalbe destroied and God sole seazed in quiet possession for euer and euer of the whole world Apoc. 11. 18 The text And the Gentiles were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and ⸫ to render reward to thy seruants the prophets and saints and to them that feare thy name little and great c. The note To repaie the hire or wages for so both the Greeke word and the Latin signifie due to holie men proueth against