wise man will wander after such vncertaine steps as they lead him in Hierome taketh this place to be paradise and Hierome taketh this place not to be paradise in this place by you quoted and if your owne authour be not constant what shall we thinke of the rest Augustine can not tell whether the bosome of Abraham be paradise or hell but in reasoning the case he deliuereth thrée reasons why it should not be hell first bicause hell is named in the text in the death of the rich man and not named in the death or rest of Lazarus Secondlie bicause it is hard to finde the name of hell in scriptures taken in good part for a place of ioy and rest so that if the scriptures had said that Christ had gone into Abrahams bosome after death and had not told of the loosing of the sorrowes of death he would haue marueiled that any durst haue béene so bold as to haue affirmed that he discended into hel Thirdlie the great and wonderfull distance héere mentioned betwixt hell and Abrahams bosome it were too long and not agréeing with the breuitie which I haue hitherto vsed to rippe vp the disagréeing iudgements of the fathers whether Abrahams bosome be parcell of heauen or hell or whether it be aboue vs or beneath vs for so alwaies it is when men are vncertainlie caried after the vanitie of their owne minde and conceite they wot not whither them selues How much better had it béene for them and you to hold fast that which saint Augustine calleth the faith of the Catholikes namelie that the kingdome of heauen is a place of ioy for the faithfull and hell a place of punishment for infidels and apostataes and that a third place either for rest or punishment is vnknowne and no where found in scriptures These two places are héere liuelie described for the rich man went to hell a place of torments but Lazarus was caried into Abrahams bosome a place of ioy and rest Heauen is called Abrahams bosome bicause that God gaue him that honour to bée father of the faithfull therefore his children are said to be gathered into his bosome when together with him they are crowned with heauenlie ioy and rest the reward of his and their faith Luke 16. 25. The text And Abraham said vnto him Sonne remember that thou didst receiue ⸫ good things in thy life time and Lazarus likewise euill but now he is comforted and thou art tormented The note To be in continuall pleasures ease welth peace and prosperitie in this world is perillous and a signe of paines in the next Saint Hierome The answer You haue cited Saint Hierome at randon in a cause néedlesse we haue learned of the Apostle that God doth chastice euery child whom he receiueth and that they which in this life escape his rod are bastards and not children Séeing then Hieroms spéech is warranted by the word we acknowledge with you that continual pleasures ease welth peace and prosperitie are perillous and betokeneth that God deferreth the punishment of such to the next life Luke 16. 29. The text And Abraham said to him ⸫ They haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them The note Abraham had knowledge of things in earth which were not in his time as that they had Moyses and the prophets bookes which he neuer saw Augustin de cura promortuis cap. 14. The answer Augustines iudgement is that the dead know no more what we do héere then we know what they do there against which his iudgement he obiecteth this which you boldlie put downe for his assertion To which he answereth that this knowledge was extraordinarie either by relation of Moyses and the Prophets now dead and with Abraham or by ministerie of Angels which serue men héere who reueale to saints there so much as it pleaseth God to let them know What is this then to anie ordinarie knowledge of our affaires héere Which is the thing that you would faine persuade men to encourage them forward in inuocation of dead mē which you may the easilier get at their hands if you can assure them that the saints departed know their necessities and heare their praiers But how much better and trulier might you haue noted that God denieth to those to whom hée hath graunted his word extraordinarie instruction by the dead which would ouerthrow the credit of those fables whereupon your purgatorie is grounded Luke 17. 1. The text And he said to his disciples It is ⸫ impossible that scandale should not come but wo to him by whom they come The note Not of meere necessitie for then it were no fault but presupposing the great wickednesse of men it is impossible but there shalbe scandales and therefore it followeth wo to him by whom they come The answer If it were such necessitie as should exclude will then there were no fault but nowe as scandals as you tearme them are necessarie so you wilfullie and wittinglie runne into them and therefore wo to you To omit all other the séeking to murther the Lords anointed our most gratious soueraigne an horrible offence answer it and excuse it if you can Luk. 17. 19. The text And he said to him Arise go thy waies bicause ⸫ thy faith hath made thee safe The note And yet we see heere it was not onlie faith but also his thankefulnes and returning to giue glorie to God The answer We sée héere two things First the impudent boldnes of papistes that dare controll the spéech of our Lord and Sauiour Christ. Secondlie that though faith be accompanied with many other vertues yet Christ ascribeth the receiuing and embracing of safetie and such benefits as procéed from God to men to faith onlie and alone Luk. 17. 21. The text The kingdom of God commeth not with obseruation neither shall they say loe heere or lo there for loe the kingdome of God is within you The note Whiles they looke and aske for a temporall kingdome in pompe and glorie loe their king and Messias was now among them whose spirituall kingdome is within all the faithfull that haue dominion ouer sinne The answer If the kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation then how say you that it must alwaies haue a visible and a knowne succession of bishops in a place certaine which is directlie against this spéech of Christ. Luke 17. 23. The text And they will say to you Lo heere and lo there ⸫ Go not neither do ye follow after The note No man must run out of the Church after schismatikes to heare them preach Christ in corners Christs doctrine being open in al the world See annot Matthew 24. 23. The answer But all they are schismatikes who haue diuided themselues from the doctrine which Christ and his Apostles openly deliuered to the whole world therefore whether they preach openly or in corners men may not heare them nor go after them But you papists teach that whereof there is no commandement no
prooued thus the wisedome of God hath taught vs to praie to our father in heauen and not to anie other what is it then to teach men to praie to others but to controll that wisedome of God that it hath not taught the wisest way to pray and thus in that wherein you thought to shew his humilitie you set foorth his intollerable pride ◠Thess. 2. 11. The text Therefore ⸫ God will send them the operation of error to beleeue lieng c. The note Deus mittet saith Saint Augustine libro 20. de Ciu. cap. 19. quia Deus diabolum facere ista permittet God will send bicause God will permit the diuell to do these things whereby we may take a general rule that Gods action or working in such things is his permission See annot Rom. 1. 24. The answer Now Augustine must helpe you with a generall rule that expresselie both against the whole course of scripture and also against his owne minde if you meane by permission onlie permission for he saith who doeth not tremble at these horrible iudgements of God by which he doth in the hearts of the wicked what he will rendring to euerie man according to his merits And againe he saith it is out of doubt that God doeth worke in the mindes of men to encline their willes either to good according to his mercie or els to euill according to their deserts by his iudgement sometimes open and sometimes secret but alwaies iust This I trowe is somewhat more then only permission therefore you must racke some other for that generall rule for Augustine will not yéeld it you and it groweth out of a foolish nicenes for men to be afraid to speake as the holie Ghost hath spoken afore them 2. Thess. 2. 17. The text And our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe and God our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen eternall consolation and good hope in grace ⸫ exhort your hearts and confirme you in euerie good worke and word The note This word of exhorting implieth in it comfort and consolation 2. Corinthes 1. verse 4. and 6. The answer Trueth doeth well but neuer when it is intermedled with vntruthes If this note were not defiled with the former these that follow but had passed alone then we would haue ioined with you 2. Thess. 3. 6. The text And we denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the ⸫ tradition which they haue receiued of vs. The note Here also as is noted before 1. Thessalonians 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translations auoid the word tradition being plaine in the Greeke least them selues might seeme to be noted as men walking inordinatelie and not according to Apostolicall tradition as all Schismatikes heretikes and rebels to Gods church do The answer If corrupt vse had not in your times made tradition to bée commonlie taken of the people for a doctrine deliuered by word of mouth onlie and neuer published in the holie Scriptures by writing contrarie to the sense and meaning of the Apostle then had there not béene anie iust cause of auoiding the word But you can not iustlie blame vs though we flie a word corrupted by you and therefore dangerous to deceiue withall and set downe for it some other worde no lesse aptlie agréeing to the signification of the Gréeke word and better with more plainnesse expressing vnto the vnlearned the minde and meaning of the Apostle in that place But bicause you charge other men with inordinate walking contrarie to the traditions Apostolicall answer for your selues and yeeld vs reason if you can whie you breake those which you call the Apostles constitutions why do you not commonlie and ordinarilie choose married men to be Bishops why haue you kept the common people from reading the scriptures why suffer you women to baptize why fast you not continuallie on Wednesdaies whie doo ye exclude the people both from election and approbation of Bishops and priests If these bée not the ordinances of the Apostles why do ye abuse the world with alledging the authoritie of that booke for you if they bée with what face can you obiect to others wherein you are most manifestlie faultie your selues 1. TIMOTHIE 1. Tim. 1. 5. The text But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart ⸫ a good conscience a faith not fained The note Saint Augustine saith he that list to haue the hope of heauen let him looke that he haue a good conscience let him beleeue and worke well For that he beléeueth he hath of faith that he worketh he hath of charitie praefat in Psalm 31. The answer As you alledge Saint Augustine so I would that you caried his syncere mind and loue to the truth so should we not onlie agrée in this but throwing away all minde and desire of contending enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie 1. Tim. 1. 19. The text This precept I commend to thee O Timothie according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good warfare hauing faith and a good conscience ⸫ which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the faith The note Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie from the faith of the Catholike church Againe this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had The answer True and liuelie faith is one thing and the outward profession of faith is another You loue to dallie with equiuocations knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere By such arguments as you make it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white 1. Tim. 2. 1. The text I desire therefore first of all things that obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgiuings be made for all men ⸫ for Kings and al that are in praeeminence that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie The note Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors by whom the church suffreth persecution much more for all faithfull princes and powers and people both spirituall and temporall for whom as members of Christes bodie and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices See Saint August de origine animae lib. 1. cap. 9. The answer The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul and the whole primitiue church For now such princes as punish papists or fauour not poperie must be murdered disinherited excommunicated deposed depriued giuen to the diuell and not praied for They may not looke for the dutie which was giuen to persecuting princes then For our holie father of Rome will not
the best frame and forme they can all the arguments of the aduersaries and to ech seuerall argument the answere as plainely and briefly as it can be comprised which being done and compiled into one or two volumes whatsoeuer they write hereafter except they bring which I thinke impossible some newe thing heretofore vnheard of to be referred to those volumes for answer and so to cease troubling the world with more bookes Touching mine answers to their marginall notes I hope it will appeere that I haue studied with as much breuitie and plainnes as I could possibly to discipher their vanitie and trifling wherewith they haue blotted and blurred their margents of their Testament Their translation and larger annotations though many times great occasions are offered to carpe at them yet as neere as I could possiblie I haue left them vntouched to him or them whosoeuer he or they be that of purpose shall deale with that matter To the end that my truth and simplicitie of dealing may the better appeere to the Reader of what sort soeuer he be I haue set downe the text wherevpon their notes are gathered according to their owne translation and their notes word forword and then mine answers By which doing I hope it will well appeere that when out of their most partiall translation which they of purpose haue framed for their best aduantage the things which they gather will not follow nor be confirmed that they are vtterlie destitute of all helpe of the scriptures how soeuer they labor to wring them to their purpose But concerning mine owne doing this shall suffice If this which I haue done shall by you most reuerend father be iudged to be profitable for the church and people of God I haue that which I desire The Lord God blesse keepe and preserue you At Dunburie the xij of Aprill 1588. A view of the marginall notes of the Popish Testament translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at Rhemes in Fraunce Matt. 1. ver 2â— The text ANd she shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name ⸫ Iesus The note Iesus an Hebrew word in English Sauiour The answer If you would assigne vs none other Sauiour neither in part nor in whole our controuersies were at an end we should not neede to fill the worlde with our pamphlets Matt. 2. 16. The text Then Herode perceiuing that he was deluded by the Sages was exceeding angrie and sending murdered all the ⸫ men children that were in Bethlehem and in all the borders thereof from two yeeres olde and vnder The note The martyrdome of holy Innocents whose Holy-day is kept the 28. of December The answer You studyed no doubt harde for this note or els so learned a matter coulde not haue passed your penne That these children were murdered for Christes cause I well perceiue and yet because their death was not a voluntarie testimonie to the trueth I see not any iust reason to accompt them Martyrs Howbeit it is not a matter woorth the contending about Matt. 3. 10. The text Euery tree therefore that doth ⸫ not yeeld good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The note It is not onely damnable to doe euill but also not to doe good Aug. Sermone 6â— de temp The answer You doe well to cite Augustine for this and we beléeue it not bicause he sayeth it but bicause this text doeth enforce it And you must either tell vs what euill doing is smaller then not doing good or els your veniall sinnes must be quite banished the countrey Matth. 5. 26. The text Be at agreement with thine aduersary betimes whiles thou art in the way with him least perhaps the aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the officer and thou be cast into ⸫ prison The note This prison is taken of very auncient Fathers for Purgatorie namely Saint Cyprian epist. 52. ad Anton. nu 6. The answer And what néede Fathers for this Is it not ynough that your holy father of Rome taketh it so The fathers might erre he can not erre If this prison be purgatorie then no man can passe out of it without paying the last farthing And if that be so the sale of pardons and such pelte is marred For howe can pardon take place where payment is so peremptorily required But Cyprian taketh it for purgatorie I haue looked into the place by you quoted and find it not so onely he toucheth there this present place but neither his wordes nor the circumstances of the place afore nor after doe enforce any meaning of your purgatorie that I can sée Therefore it argueth either great negligence in you in not searching or great penurie of fathers so applying this place if you searching could find none more plaine for your turne than this Augustine expoundeth this place of hell plainly and flatly As for your purgatorie Plato the Ethnicke philosopher of great fame was the first founder thereof that I haue read of Matth. 5. 43. The text Thou shalt loue thine neighbour and ⸫ hate thine enemie The note So taught the Pharisees not the lawe The answer So say we to them that turne precepts to counsels so teach the papistes and not the Gospel Matth. 5. â—5 The text Who maketh his sunne to rise vpon good bad and raineth vpon iust and ⸫ vniust The note We see that the temporall prosperitie of persons and countries is no signe of better men or truer religion The answer Therefore the Popes long continued rolle of succession is no good argument to approoue his religion nor his present prosperitie his goodnesse and holinesse Matth. 6. 11. The text Giue vs to day our ⸫ supersubstantiall bread The note In Saint Luke the Latine is panem quotidianum daily bread the Greeke being indifferent to both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer You do in this according to your common custome that which is most obscure farthest from the peoples vnderstanding and may best serue you to dally withall that you make choise of Matth. 6. 31. The text Be not carefull therefore saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be couered For all these things the ⸫ heathen doe seeke after The note They seeke temporall things onely and that not of the true God but of their idols or by their owne industrie The answer To contend with you about the heathen it were but a follie It is manifest that many of them looked for immortalitie of the soule and felicitie after this life as their Elisij campi doe testifie But for séeking either by your owne industrie or by them which are no gods you and they may be coupled together For you be right cousin germaines and therein you giue them not place an inch Matth. 7. 11. The text If you then being naught know how to giue good giftes to your children how much more will your Father which is in heauen giue ⸫
much of your vsuall corruption as commonly your notes do Other thing it hath not woorth the nothing downe Mat. 12. 25. The text Euerie kingdome ⸫ diuided against it selfe shal be made desolate and euerie citie or house diuided against it selfe shall not stande The note Therefore the kingdome of heretikes can not possibly stand bicause it is alwaies full of diuision and dissention The answer If all heresies and sects in the whole world be raked out and al their contentions and strifes numbred yet neither in number nor in weight can they excéede the strifes that haue béene and are among our popish heretikes themselues Wherefore as their kingdome hath alreadie begun to fall so it is not like to endure Mat. 12. 33. The text Either ⸫ make the tree good and his fruite good or make the tree euill and his fruit euill The note It is a mans owne free will and election to be a good tree or an ill tree to bring foorth good fruits or bad So Augustine vpon this place Lib. 2. cap. 4. de Actis cum Foelice Manichaeo The answer I maruell not that péeuish papists hold this for their own consciences do testifie to them that the best ground they haue for being such trées as papists may be is the corrupt motions of their owne will and choise But we know that no man commeth to Christ but whom the father draweth and he hath no shéepe but those whom his father hath giuen him and of them he pronounceth they make not choise of him but he of them As for Augustine he wrote scant aduisedly of fréewill till Pelagius did awake him For till then as he himselfe confesseth he had not diligently sought nor yet found what the election of grace ment Therefore in the matter of fréewill if you bring any thing that Augustine wrote afore he wrote against Pelagius you do but abuse men with his name against his minde which in this shall appéere thus The question betwéen the Manichées and Augustine was what was the originall cause of euil The Manichean maketh two eternall incommutable natures one good the other euill one the author of good the other the author of euill On the contrarie part Augustine maketh freewill the originall cause of euil The Manichean amongst other scriptures wrested to his purpose to prooue his two natures vseth this of the two trées good and bad Augustine to take away his application of this text answereth that it was the wil of man that made him a bad tree and that it was in his choise whether he would be good or bad After this ariseth Pelagius of whom the papists haue learned their freewill he for his defence catcheth at spéeches vsed by Augustine against the Manicheans Augustine replieth that though some spéeches vsed against the Manicheans might séeme to fauor the error of fréewill yet other spéeches of his euen in those his books against the Manicheans will sufficiently cleere him from any such meaning and therefore giueth men this rule that that which in those bookes and in that question he spake of will to do well he spake of the will of man in which man was first created and not otherwise Thus we sée that our Rhemists learned this of their captaine Pelagius and that they go about by Augustine to prooue that which he ment not that is the freedome of our wils now Matt. 13. 13. The text Therefore in parables I speake to them bicause seeing they see not and ⸫ hearing they heare not neither do they vnderstande The note When Gods word is preached they properly haue eares to heare that haue harts to obey and they hearing do not heare which heare by sense of their bodie and obey not by consent of their harts August de done perseuerantiae cap. 14. The answer We like Augustines exposition verie well and praie to God most hartily for you that he in mercy wil vouchsafe to withdraw from you that his heauie iudgement which most manifestlie hath lien vpon you and to giue you now at length eares to heare and eies to sée withall which hitherto you haue most dangerouslie wanted Matth. 13. 39. The text And the enimie that sowed them is ⸫ the diuell The note Not God then but the diuell is the author of all euill The answer In this we consent sauing that we know you haue a malicious meaning to make your blind ignorant followers beléeue that we holde God to be the author of euill which assertion we and euerie one of vs do with all our harts abhorre and detest as most wicked and blasphemous Matth. 13. â—8 The text Which when it was filled drawing it foorth and sitting by the shore they choose out the good ⸫ into vessels but the bad they did cast out The note Here also are signified good and bad in the church The answer No man doth denie but that in the outward account of the church so long as it is in this vale of miserie many hypocrites are and yet in truth and in the iudgement of him that cannot be deceiued in discerning his neuer of the church Matth. 14. â— The text And the king was stroken sad yet bicause of his ⸫ oth and for them that sate with him at table he commanded it to be giuen The note A wicked and a rash oth and more wickedly fulfilled bicause an vnlawfull oth bindeth no man The answer That a wicked rash oth bindeth no man to performance we easily consent But this can be no cloke for the manifold periuries which your companie haue committed many waies but most specially in breaking the lawfull oth of obedience to their lawfull prince not rashly but with good aduise and deliberation made by the most part of them Matth. 14. 1â— The text And his disciples came and tooke the bodie and buried it ⸫ and came and told Iesus The note Saint Iohns disciples at this time had wel learned their dutie toward Christ. The answer Two things commendable in Iohns disciples are héere set downe vnto vs Their expressing of their loue toward their master and teacher in burying his bodie and their repaire to Christ. But how much and how greatly they had prâ—fited in the doctrine which their master had taught them that appéereth not Matth. 14. 31. The text And incontinent ⸫ Iesus stretching foorth his hand tooke hold of him and said vnto him O thou of little faith The note Notwithstanding the infirmities of them that gouerne the Church yet Christ sustaineth them and holdeth them vp yea and by them whatsoeuer they are he vpholdeth and preserueth his Church The answer Far fetched and déere bought is good for ladies Christ saued Peter from drowning notwithstanding the weaknes of his faith Therefore he must néedes saue the Pope whatsoeuer infirmities be in him Other or better consequence than this out of this place I am sure you can make none For that you do not meane all that gouerne any part of the Church I gather both
and Sinods or publike praiers is of more force than of any particular man The answer It is true that the vnitie and agréement of Gods Saints ioyned in praier and the consent of many gouernors of the Church in executing discipline is of more force than if the same be done of a very few And yet your proud prelate of Rome will haue his doings being but one stand and be of force against all consent whatsoeuer Matth. 19. 11. The text Not all ⸫ take this word but they to whom it is giuen The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capiunt The answer This most plainly sheweth that the vertue of continencie is not in euery mans will but a rare gift of God and that therefore they not onely deale rashly but also directly against Gods will and pleasure that vowe perpetuall single life And I doo not doubte but that your other annotations shall shortly be answered Matth. 19. 17. The text But ⸫ if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements The note I see not saith Saint Augustine why Christ should say if thou wilt haue life euerlasting keepe the commandements if without obseruing of them by onely faith one might be saued Augustine de fide operi cap. 1â— The answer Augustine in that place speaketh not against those that ascribe iustification to a true and a liuely faith but against the papistical opinion of them which vnderstood by them that build vpon Christ hay and stubble such Christians as liue wickedly whom they affirmed that they should passe through purgatorie fier and so be partakers of saluation through the merite of their foundation Against these Augustine replieth that he séeth not to what purpose Christ should exact the kéeping of the commandements if such a faith that is a bare profession of Christianitie might saue What is this against that faith which worketh obedience in beléeuers as it is written By faith Abraham obeyed God who then séeth not your vanitie in applying against vs that which was spoken against the patrones of purgatorie Matt. 19. 24. The text And againe I say to you it is easier for a camel to passe thorow the eie of a needle ⸫ than for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen The note Saint Marke expoundeth it thus rich men trusting in their riches cap. 10. verse 24. The answer This as farre as I now remember is the first note saue one giuen vs by conference of places of Scripture And if this kind of gathering were more in vse with you we should haue a great many fewer controuersies betwixt vs. Matt. 19 29. The text And euery one that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or ⸫ wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receiue an hundred folde and shall possesse life euerlasting The note Hereof is gathered that the Apostles amongst other things left their wiues also to followe Christ. Hierom. lib. 1. aduer Iouinianum The Answer The Apostles were neuer taught by Christ to leaue those dueties vnperfourmed which God had imposed vpon men therfore not their dueties towardes their wiues Further to leaue these things was not absolutelie to leaue either possession or vse of them but onelie so to bridle them selues as that the hauing of these things were no withdrawing of them from cleauing to Christ folowing their calling For Matthew had stil his house in which he feasted Christ. Lazarus and his sisters dwelt in their owne at Bethania Ioseph was ritch and yet a disciple and if Peters wiues mother were cared for and healed of her feuer it is not likelie that her daughter was cast off Further what say you to the canons which you say are the Apostles which forbid priestes to leaue their wiues vnder pretence of religion But you tell vs that Hierome gathereth it what then must we therefore of necessitie beléeue it He telleth vs in the same booke that the end of marriage is death and the ende of single life is life and I am sure you therein beléeue him not But this is your practise such absurd collections as you are ashamed to set downe as your owne gathering ye gladlie shroud vnder the name of some Father to abuse your followers with Matth. 20. 11. The text And receiuing it they ⸫ murmured against the good man of the house saying The note The Iewes are noted for enuying the vocation of the Gentiles and their rewarde equall with them selues The answer It is true that the Iewes enuied the calling of the Gentiles as the papistes at this day can not abide that reformed Christians take the name of Catholike christians and Church of God but that by this murmuring that enuying of equalitie of reward is meant is your bare surmise which you can not proue For the purpose of the parable is nothing els but to shew that it is frée for God to reward whom he will though they deserue it not Matth. 20. 25. The text And Iesus called them vnto him and said you knowe that the princes of the Gentiles ouer rule them and they that are the greater exercise power against them The note Superioritie is not here forbidden amongest Christians neither ecclesiasticall nor temporall but heathenish tirannie is forbidden and humilitie commended The answer Christ here distinguisheth the regiment of his church from ciuill gouernment and denieth that any of the Apostles shalbe aduaunced ouer his fellow apostles in dignitie as kings ouer their subiectes which â—latlie striketh downe your supposed primacie of Peter As for heathenish tirannie the popes of Rome haue excéeded all that euer went before them for they haue not onelie put their Cardinals into sackes and throwne them into the sea but also they haue not suffered one another to rest in their graues Matth. 21. 12. The text And Iesus entred into the temple of God and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple The note How much the abuse of the churches by marchandizing walking or other prophane occupying of them displeaseth God here we may see The answer Prophane occupying of the church displeaseth God but héere is a further thing meant namelie buying and selling vnder pretence of religion and seruice of God as héere the selling of such things as perteined to the seruice of the temple and with you the selling of masses diriges trentals and pardons such like stuffe Where couetousnesse of sacrificing priests is the expresse cause of prophaning the temple which you sâ—ilie passe ouer bicause it toucheth your selues very nighlie Matth. 21. 19. The text And seeing a certaine ⸫ figge tree by the way side he came to it and found nothing oâ— it but leaues onelie The note The Iewes hauing the word of the lawe and not the deedes were the figge tree full of leaues and voide of fruit Aug. de verb. dom serm 44. The answer In the fig trée he did set out what end and issue remaineth for hypocrites which make a
and one pastor The note He meaneth the Church of the Gentils The answer It is true that Christ made of Iewes and Gentils one folde and of both he and not the pope is the one only pastor and head Iohn 10. 29. The text My father ⸫ that which he hath giuen me is greater then al. The note Another reading is my father that hath giuen me c. The answer In diuers readings you choose that which is most obscure and can not carie any true sense if it be weied with the circumstances of the place and leaue that which is plaine and carieth an inestimable comfort to all that loue God and best agréeth the Gréeke originall Iohn 11. 44. The text Iesus said to them ⸫ Loose him and let him go The note S. Cyril lib. 7. cap. vlt. in Ioh. and Augustine tract 49. in Ioh. applie this to the Apostles and priests authority of absoluing sinners affirming that Christ doth reuiue none from sinne but in the church and by the priests ministerie The answer Wée beléeue that the promise of life eternall pertaineth to none but to such as are or shalbe of the Church of God and that the ordinarie meanes whereby God effectuallie calleth men to be of his church is the ministerie of his woord But we dare not tie God to his ordinarie meanes sith he extraordinarilie called Paul and others But how well this place is applied to the ordinarie authoritie of ministers or priestes in absoluing I will spare to speake for reuerence of them whom you alledge It is well that the church hath plaine euidence of scriptures for the authoritie of binding and loosing for if it staid it selfe vpon the authoritie of men wresting such places as this to that purpose it were but a poore sillie comfort that the conscience of a poore penitent sinner could reape by the churches absolution Iohn 11. 48. The text If we let him alone so all will beleeue in him and the Romans will come and ⸫ take away our place and nation The note All men but speciall nations must take heed that whiles to saue their temporall state they forsake God they loose not both as the Iewes did August tract 49. in Io. The answer Therefore we vndergo all the perils and dangers which by your stirring vp the force and might of all the popish princes in the world can bring vpon vs rather than to displease God by giuing ouer his truth wherwith he hath blessed vs least we should prouoke his heauie indignation against vs and so perish as the Iewes haue done before vs. Iohn 12. 3. The text ⸫ Marie therfore tooke a pound of ointment of right spikenard precious and annointed the feete of Iesus and wiped his feete with hir haire and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment The note Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion and how acceptable they were to Christ See the annot Mat. 26. The answer Bicause those annotations are to receiue answer by themselues therefore I thought not good to touch them here Iohn 12. 7. The text Iesus therefore said Let hir alone that she may keepe it for the day of my ⸫ buriall The note The deuout offices of balming and annointing the dead bodies of the faithfull are here also allowed The answer And we do not disallow whatsoeuer in buriall serueth either for comfort of them that be aliue and for the honest and comely bringing the dead to the graue being the last duties that men can do to their faithfull friends Iohn 12. 8. The text For the poore you haue alwaies with you but me you shall not haue alwaies The note Not in visible and mortal condition to receiue almes of you and such like offices for supply of my necessitie The answer And why do you not say not in bodie nor in humanitie Bicause you would faine with some color shift of Christs bodily absence from the earth for the better safetie and defence of your reall preseâ—ce in the sacrament You are full of fathers in matters nâ—edlesse why do you not in this place so often repeated bring vs at the least one plaine place of some father affirming that he is not simply absent in bodie from vs but onely in such sort as you do imagine Is it not a secret confession that all antiquitie is against you I maruell that you are so impudent still to glory and to cry that your faith hath continued almost xvj hundred yéeres when you know that in a number of things you are not able to bring foorth any true authoritie of halfe the age Iohn 12. 20. The text And there were certaine Gentils of them that came vp to adore in the festiuall day The note We may see there a great difference where a man pray or adore at home or in the church and holy places When the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the temple in Hierusalem The answer Now pilgrimages are prooued and that full pithily For the Gentiles came to adore at Hierusalem When you can find such expresse commandement of God for running to saint Iames of Compostella or our Ladie of Walsingham or visiting the holie sepulchre as was for al both Iewes and conuerts then to appéere before the Lord at Hierusalem then your reason will hold Otherwise it is as much as if I should say The Iewes and conuerts of the Gentils obeied the commandement of God in going to Hierusalem at the feast daies to worship Ergo it is lawful for me to go a roging to what place of pilgrimage in the world séemeth best in mine owne eies without further warrant As for the difference of publike and priuate praier and of seruing God at home and in the common assemblies are both knowen and practised amongst vs. Iohn 12. 40. The text Therfore they ⸫ could not beleeue bicause Esay said againe he hath blinded their eies and indurated their harts c. The note If any man aske saith saint Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer roundly bicause they would not Tract 33. in Io. See annotations Matth. 13. 15. Mark 4. 12. The answer It is true that the corruption of mans will is the cause of all euill and wickednes in man But héere either your printer made a fault or your note booke deceiued you for it is in 53. treatise And I muze why you should so much couet so force Augustine to speake for you séeing that you know that of all other he is most earnest in this cause of frée will against you For in the same place he acknowledgeth the iust iudgement of God vpon them in leauing them in blindnes and not helping them to sée And teacheth vs in inquiring why God would so leaue them to crie out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. Which exclamation sheweth that Augustine had an eie to somwhat more than their will yea and to such a somwhat as was not
condemned in the Scriptures and not the holie images of Christ and his saints The answer Lo here be popish images manifestlie condemned for you can not denie for all the world knoweth it that you change the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of a corruptible man There were at that time no images of Christ and his saints to speake against But the reasons by which the prophets and apostles condemned the former images of the Gentiles do beate downe also the images and idolatrie of the papists Rom. 1. 24. The text For the which cause God ⸫ hath deliuered them vp vnto the desires of their hart into vncleannes for to abuse their owne bodies among themselues ignominiouslie The note Ephes. 4. 19. he saith they haue deliuered or giuen vp themselues to all vncleannes By which conference of Scriptures we learne that themselues are the cause of their owne sinne and damnation God of his iustice permitting and leauing them to their owne will and so giuing them vp into passions c. The answer By conference of Scriptures we learne that the matter and cause of sinne and so consequently of damnation resteth in the wicked themselues and that God also in iustice punisheth sinne by sinne As in this chapter God punisheth the idolatrous with a most filthy sinfull life Peruse ouer your stories of Rome and sée whether euer this iudgement of God vpon men for idolatris were more manifestly laid vpon any people then it hath béene and is vpon Rome And tell vs what other people haue set out the praises of Sodomitrie in print most impudently to the face of all the world Rom. 2. 7. The text To them truly that according to patience in good works seeke glorie and honor and incorruption life eternall The note Good men also according to the merits of their good will shall haue their reward August ep 47. The answer And why do you not adde that their good will is the gift of the grace of God séeing Augustine addeth it Further merits with Augustine are taken simply for works and not as it commonly soundeth with the papist for a desert equiualent and correspondent to the reward Lastly he acknowledgeth that God rewardeth and crowneth his owne gifts in vs. How this can make for your doctrine of merits I pray you tell vs. Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 The text Thou therefore ⸫ that teachest another teachest not thy selfe that preachest men ought not to steale thou stealest c. The note It is a shamefull and a damnable thing for preachers teachers or other guides of mens life to commit the same things themselues which they reprooue in other The answer And can the pope and his cardinals be damned or must we secretly except them I pray you tell vs whether For in the whole world it is impossible to find any mans sinnes more plain or more monstrous Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 The text For ⸫ the name of God is blasphemed through you among the Gentils The note It is a great sinne that by the ill life of the faithfull our Lords name should be ill spoken of among the misbeleeuers and manie withdrawen from the true religion thereby The answer I do not take it that you meane that murdering of princes treason periurie sedition rebellion to set vp popish religion to be any sinne at all and yet it maketh your profession euill spoken of and alienateth therefrom all that carrie not bloodie minds and harts Rom. 2. 25. The text Circumcision indeed profiteth if thou obserue the law but if thou be a preuaricator of the law thy circumcision is become ⸫ prepuce The note Prepuce is the foreskin not circumcised and therefore signifieth the Gentils or the state or condition of the Gentils as circumcision the Iewes and their state The answer You can find in your hart to borrow of master Beza but not to be thankfull for that he lendeth you Rom. 3. 4. The text God forbid but God is true and euery man a lier as it is written That thou maist be iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged The note God onely by nature is true all men by nature may lie deceiue and be deceiued yet God by his grace and spirit may and doth preserue the Apostles and principall gouernors of his people and the church and councels in all truth though they were and are meere men The answer If you meane by these principall gouernors the pope and his cardinals as I do not doubt but you do then we answer That as they are méere men so they shew themselues for they both haue erred and do erre I would faine see one plaine place in all the ancient fathers that no bishop of Rome can err in saith That position is a late heresie vnknowen for a whole thousand yéeres after Christ. And the generall consent of the diuines of Christendome against it till within these two hundred yéeres as may appéere in the councell of Basill where pope Eugenius was condemned for an obstinate heretike and therefore deposed Rom. 3. 14. The text The venim of aspes vnder their lips The note Aspidum a little kind of serpents The answer We acknowledge it Rom. 3. 22. The text And the iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that ⸫ beleeue in him The note To beleeue in him heere compriseth not onely the act of faith but of hope and charitie as the Apostle explicateth himselfe Gilat 5. 6. The answer I neuer saw so loose dealing of any but of such as both willingly deceiue themselues and labour to beguile others The Apostle telleth that faith worketh by charitie and you thereupon conclude that to beléeue compriseth the acts of faith hope and charitie How this conclusion followeth neither I sée neither can you make it euident But let it he granted you then how can you excuse your selues of intollerable lieng and slandering when almost euery where you speake of the doctrine of iustification by faith and beléeuing as though hope and charitie were from faith exiled and banished But your shifts are foule and manifest slanders where you may and when by plaine euidence of the text you are beaten from them then it is not ynough for hope and charitie to accompanie faith but they must be also comprised of faith Rom. 3. 24. The text Iustified ⸫ gratis by his grace by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus The note No man attaineth his first iustification by the merits either of his faith or workes but meerelie by Christs grace and mercie though his faith and works proceeding of grace be dispositions and preparations thereunto The answer Is Pelagius aliue againe or why do ye not cite him that your followers may know your doctrine to be ancient and also whom you follow therein In all that Augustine wrote against Pelagius and his adherents let vs sée somewhat to iustifie your note First you acknowledge Christs méere grace and mercie in our first iustification and
vs not to apprehend Christs iustice by faith onlie but to be renued in our selues truly and to put on vs the new man formed and created in iustice and holines of truth By which freewil also is prooued to be in vs to worke with God and to consent vnto him in our sanctification The answer Who doth so teach iustification by faith onely that he doth not also teach sanctification as the ioined companion thereof But lieng and slaundering is your delight which I do not saie bicause you haue expresly vttered your minde but bicause you do couertly insinuate so much to your blinde followers Your proofe for fréewill is woorth thrée skips of a louse You may conclude it out of euerie exhortation as well as out of this it will follow all alike Ephes. 5. â— The text For vnderstanding know you this that no fornicator or vncleane or couetous person which is ⸫ the seruice of idols hath inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God The note See the hereticall corruption of this in the annot Col. 3. 5. The answer We haue séene your annotation and finde your quarrel stale as being mooued afore by master Martinius and answered by master Doctor Fulke And farther we sée that idolaters are beholding to you for you take as great paines as men may do to vpholde them in their idolatrie which in plaine English signifieth worshipping of images Ephes. 5. 23. The text Let women be subiect to their husbands as to our Lord bicause the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the ⸫ church The note It is much to be noted that in the first English Bibles there is not once the name of Church in all the Bible but in steede thereof Congregation which is so notorious a corruption that themselues in their later Bibles correct it for shame and yet suffer the other to be read and vsed still See the Bible printed 1562. The answer Surelie Martinius was to blame that left you no quarel vnmooued to our translation it hath béene answered that our first translators translated aptlie and trulie when they translated congregation and that they therein committed no fault whereof they or others ought to be ashamed That the word Church was not shunned in anie sinister respect or meaning the translating of the same word church in the créede the vsing of the worde church in the notes of those first Bibles in our Catechismes alwaies in our latter translations as you confesse do manifestlie shew The cause whiâ— the translators did vse the word congregation rather then the word church was bicause in those times ignorance raigning the word congregation was more plaine and lesse ambiguous and doubtfull and therefore lesse danger in it of misconstruing or mistaking then in the other thus is your notorious corruption come to nothing Ephes. 6. 8. The text Knowing that euerie one what good soeuer he shall do that shall he ⸫ receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free The note God leaueth no good worke vnrewarded The answer It is verie true and yet you neuer the nigher your merit Ephes. 6. 14. The text Stand therefore hauing your loines girded in truth and ⸫ clothed with the brestplate of iustice c. The note If man could not be trulie iust or hâ—â—e iustice in him selfe how could he be clothed with iustice The answer Men after this life are clothed with their habitation in heauen their habitation in heauen is not in them selues In like maner may they be clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ which though it make them trulie iust yet is in Christ and not in them selues The whole armour is Gods and by him giuen vs to defend our selues withall I maruell that you finde neither holiwater nor crosse nor anie such deuise of poperie among all this armour I thinke therefore that it followeth manifestlie that those péeces of armour neuer came out of Gods store-house Ephes. 6. 23. The text Peace to the brethren and ⸫ charitie with faith from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Saint Augustine noteth in sundrie places vpon this same text that faith without charitie serueth not to saluation Lib. 50. hom 7. The answer As for that faith which is without charitie we as we haue often told you estéeme it not woorth two strawes otherwise that a true faith onlie and alone iustifieth Saint Augustine will tell you if you will vouchsafe to sée it It is necessarie for a man that not onlie when he is wicked he should be iustified that is of a wicked man made iust when good things are rendered to him for euill but also when he is now iustified by faith that grace should walke with him and he rest thereupon least he fall And againe that Paul should be called from heauen and be conuerted by so great and effectuall a calling the grace of God alone was the cause thereof for his merits were great but euill PHILIPPIANS Philip. 1. â—7 The text And in nothing be ye terrified of the aduersaries which to them is ⸫ cause of perdition The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifest proofe and euidence The answer We thinke you can interpret a Gréeke word right if you list as you haue done this Philip. 2. 16. The text Conteining the word of life ⸫ to my glorie in the day of Christ bicause I haue not runne in vaine nor in vaine labored The note Such as haue by their preachings gained anie to Christ shall ioy and glorie therein exceedinglie at the day of our Lord. The answer And what shall they do that gaine from Christ to Antichrist Philip 2. â—7 The text But and if I be ⸫ immolated vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I reioice and congratulate with you all The note Pastors ought to be so zealous of the saluation of their flocke that with Saint Paul they should offer themselues to the death for the same The answer Such example gaue the prince of pastors such strength hath God giuen to a number of faithfull ministers as our eies haue séene and infinite multitudes are able to testifie and the booke or monument of martyrs hath recorded to all posteritie Philip. 2. 21. The text For ⸫ all seeke the things that are their owne and not the things that are Iesus Christs The note Manie forsake their teachers when they see them in bonds and prison for their faith bicause most men preferre the world before Christes glorie The answer This is verie true and yet the text rather speaketh of them that should be carefull ouer the flocke that a number of them shranke away after the world and prouided rather for them selues then for the flocke And consider you well vpon this spéech whether Peters being at Rome then when Paul wrote this were likelie or no when Paul had there none like minded to him selfe And it is a very simple shift to say that Peter might then be absent from Rome
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
yoke of the law with the fond and heauie additions of their late masters called Deuteroses The heretikes to make it sound to the simple against the traditions of the church corrupt the text thus Which you haue receiued by tradition of the father The answer Two things we sée in your note First an exposition what is héere meant by traditions secondly a fond quarell to our translations First you affirme boldly without blushing that héere by tradition the errors of gentilitie are meant But bicause that carieth not so much as any probable shew therefore presently you flie from it saieng if he wrote to the Iewes then he c. As if any man could doubt to whom he wrote when both he was the Apostle of circumcision and also he nameth them to whom he wrote strangers of the dispersion of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia It is manifest that the Iewes at that time dwelt in euery part of these countries as strangers dispersed héere and there which cannot with any shew for proofe be imagined of any nation besides Your yoking of Gods law with those traditions or additions called Deuteroses sheweth your vile and base estimation of Gods word But as whatsoeuer the Iewes had frō their fathers added to Gods lawe was cause of vaine conuersation so also your additions to the Gospell of Christ called traditions are causes of like vanitie and vnprofitable trauell and labor in them that vse them Your quarrell to our translations is but méere wrangling sith your translation hath the same in effect for how could the fathers deliuer except the sonnes receiued or how were they deliuered by Christ from their vaine cōuersation if they had not receiued it first But wranglers will neuer leaue cauilling 1. Pet. 2. 9. The text But you are an elect generatiō a ⸫ kingly priesthood an holie nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues which from darknes hath called you into his maruelous light The note The protestants can no more gather of this that all Christians be priests than that al be kings as is most plaine Apocalypse 1. 6. and 5. 10 Thou hast made vs a kingdome or kings and priests The answer We gather both the one and the other and we know of none other sacrifices now to be offered to God but those which euerie Christian man and woman are bound to offer and therefore we néed not your sacrificing priests with their paltrie 1. Pet. 2. 13. The text Be subiect therefore to euerie ⸫ humane creature for God whether it be to the king as excelling c. The note So is the Greeke but the protestants in fauor of temporal lawes made against the catholike religion translate it very falsely thus To all maner ordinance of man themselues boldly reiecting ecclesiasticall decrees as mens ordinances The answer The Gréeke scholiast whom I hope you will neither accuse of corrupt meaning nor denie that he vnderstood the Gréeke interpreteth it as we translate By ordinances of man we vnderstand not as you slander vs lawes of men but princes and magistrates elected appointed and created by men The decrées of your church we reiect as well bicause that they being but the ordinances of men are obtruded in the place and stead of Gods law as also bicause we acknowledge no dutie of subiection to the makers and ordeiners of them being to vs English men méere stangers to whom we owe no more dutie than to any other forrem potentates 1. Pet. 2. 17. The text ⸫ Loue the fraternitie The note In this speech is often commended the vnitie of al Christians amongst themselues The answer Which vnitie you haue broken many waies First in cutting your selues from the churches of the east parts of the world Secondly in falling from the ancient faith which the church of Rome it selfe first of all in old time professed Thirdly in your obstinate opposing your selues now to those that retaine kéepe and hold fast the ancient holie catholike faith deliuered by Christ and his Apostles to the church 1. Pet. 3. 1. The text In the like maner let the women be subiect to their husbands that if any beleeue not the word by the conuersation of the women without the word they may be woon considering your chaste conuersation in feare The note How women should behaue themselues towards their husbands The answer Which counsell and prescription all godly matrones imbrace 1. Pet. 3. 3. The text Whose trimming let it not be outwardly the plaiting of haire or laieng on of gold round about or putting on vestures c. The note Against the proud curious and costly attire of women wherein this ill time of ours exceedeth The answer Iniquitie decreaseth not towards the latter end 1. Pet. 3. 7. The text Husbands likewise dwelling with them according to knowledge as vnto the weaker feminine vessell imparting honor as it were to the coheires also of grace of life that your praiers be not hindered The note How husbands should behaue themselues towards their wiues The answer Which good lesson God grant all married men may kéepe and obserue In which lesson one thing is to be obserued that married men may so dwell with their wiues that their praieng be not thereby hindered contrary to that which in your notes you haue diuers times affirmed 1. Pet. 4. 6. The text For for this cause also was ⸫ it euangelized to the dead that they may be iudged indeed according to men in the flesh but may liue according to God in the spirit The note It hath the same difficultie and sense that the other word haue before 1. Chap. 3. See the annotation there v. 19. and S. August epist. 69. and Oecumenius vpon this place The answer Time is the daughter of truth and therefore things that somtimes seemed obscure are in time reuealed made open and plain and so is this The sense is plaine The Gospell was preached in former ages to them that are now dead Christ by his spirit preached to the rebellious and disobedient people which liued in the daies of Noe. Your annotation which you refer vs vnto is friuolous grounded vpon a malicious slander that we denie Christs descending into hell wheras we onely denie the popish sense and interpretation of that article And concerning Augustine your note booke once againe deceiued you For in the place which you quote there is nothing touching this matter but in his 99. epistle he handleth this place and especially the former in the thirde chapter at large concerning Christs preaching to disobedient persons in the daies of Noe. Where after that by many reasons he had prooued that your opinion whereby you apply this place to Christs descending into hell can by no meanes stand he enclineth though not fully and certainly that it is not ment at all of Christs descending into hell and rather thinketh that Peter meaneth that those times of Noe were a figure of our times and the generall disobedience then a figure
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