yet here caÌ„not cast theÌ„ out But as for haeretikes they can neuer doe it nor any other true miracle to confirme their false saith 20. Faith as mustard seed This is the Catholike faith by which only al miracles are wrought yet not of euery one that hath the Catholike faith but of such as haue a great and forcible faith and withal the gift of miracles These are able as here wee see by Christes warrant not only to doe other wonderful miracles here signified by this one but also this very same that is to moue mountaines in deede as S. Paul also presupposeth and S. Hierom affirmeth and Ecclesiastical histories namely telleth of Gregorius Neocaesariensnis that he moued a mountaine to make roome for the foundation of a Church called therfore and for other his wonderful miracles Thaumaturgus And yet faithlesse Heretikes laugh at al such things and beleue them not 21. Prayer aud fasting The force of fasting and praying whereby also we may see that the holy Churche in Exorcismes doeth according to the Scriptures When shee vseth beside the name of IESVS many prayers and much fasting to driue out Deuils because these also are here required beside faith 26. The Children fres Though Christ to auoid scandal payed tribute yet in deede he sheweth that both him self ought to be free from such payments as being the kings sonne aswel by his eternal birth of God the Father as temporal of Dauid and also his Apostles as being of his familie and in them their successors the whole Clergie who are called in Scripture the lotte and portion of our Lord. which exemption and priuilege being grounded vpon the very law of nature it self and therfore practised euen among the Heathen Gen. 42 27. good Christian Princes haue confirmed and ratified by their lawes in the honour of Christ whose ministers they are and as it were the kings sonnes as S. Hierom declareth playnly in these wordes We for his honour pay not tributes and as the Kings sonnes are free from such payments Hiero. vpon this place 27. Me and thee A great mysterie in that he payed not only for him self but for Peter bearing the Person of the Churche and in whom as the cheefe the rest were conteyned Aug. q. exno Test q. â—5 to 4. CHAP. XVIII To his Disciples he preacheth against ambition the mother of Schisme 7 foretelling both the author vvhosoeuer he be and also his folovvers of their vvo to come 〈◊〉 and shevving on the contrary side hovv precious Christian soules are to their Angels to the Sonne of man and to his Father 15 charging vs therfore to forgiue our brethren vvhen also vve haue iust cause against them be it neuer so often and to labour their saluation by al meanes possible verse 1 AT that houre the Disciples came to IESVS saying ″ Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heauen ✠verse 2 And IESVS calling vnto him a litle childe set him in the middes of them ✠verse 3 and said Amen I say to you vnles you be conuerted and become as litle children you shal not enter into the kingdom of heauen ✠verse 4 Whosoeuer therfore shal humble him self as this litle childe he is the greater in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ ✠verse 5 And he that shal receiue one such litle childe in my name receiueth me ✠verse 6 And * he that shal scandalize one of these litle ones that beleeue in me it is expedient for him that a milstone be hanged about his necke and that he be drovvned in the depth of the sea ✠verse 7 Vvo be to the vvorld for scandals for it is necessary that scandals do come but neuerthelesse vvo to that man by vvhom the scandall commeth ✠verse 8 And * if thy ″ hand or thy foote scandalize thee cut it of and cast it from thee It is good for thee to goe in to life maimed or lame rather then hauing tvvo hands or tvvo feete to be cast into euerlasting fire ✠verse 9 And if thine eye scandalize thee plucke him out and cast him from thee It is good for thee hauing one eye to enter into life rather then hauing tvvo eyes to be cast into the hel of fire ✠verse 10 See that you despise not one of these litle ones for I say to you that ″ their Angels in heauen alvvaies do see the face of my father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 11 For * the Sonne of man is come to saue that vvhich vvas perished ✠verse 12 * Hovv thinke you If a man haue an hundred sheepe and one of them shal goe astray doth he not leaue ninetie nine in the mountaines and goeth to seeke that which is straied ✠verse 13 And if it chaunce that he finde it amen I say to you that he reioyceth more fore that then for the ninetie nine that vvent not astray ✠verse 14 Euen so it is not the vvil of your father vvhich is in heauen that one perish of these litle ones ✠verse 15 But * if thy brother shal offend against thee goe and rebuke him betvvene thee and him alone If he shal heare thee thou shalt gaine thy brother ✠verse 16 and if he vvil not heare thee ioyne vvith thee besides one or tvvo that in the mouth of * tvvo or three vvitnesses euery vvord may stand ✠verse 17 And if he vvil not heare them tel the Church And if he vvil not heare the Church let him be to thee as ″ the heathen and the Publican ✠verse 18 Amen I say to you whatsoeuer you ″ shal binde vpon earth shal be bound also in heauen and vvhatsoeuer you ″ shal loose vpon earth shal be loosed also in heauen ✠verse 19 Againe I say to you that if tvvo of you shal consent vpon earth concerning euery thing vvhatsoeuer they shal aske it shal be done to them of my father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 20 For vvhere there be tvvo or three gathered in my name there am I ″ in the mindes of them ✠verse 21 Then came Peter vnto him and said * Lord how often shal my brother offend against me and I forgiue him vntil seuentimes ✠verse 22 IESVS said to him I say not to thee * vntil seuen times but vntil ″ seuentie times seuen times ⊢ ✠verse 23 Therfore is the kingdom of heauen likened to a man being a king that vvould make an account vvith his seruants ✠verse 24 And vvhen he began to make the account there vvas one presented vnto him that ovved him ten thousand talents ✠verse 25 And hauing not vvhence to repay it his lord commaunded that he should be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and it to be repayed ✠verse 26 But that seruant falling dovvne besought him saying Haue patience tovvard me and I vvil repay thee
all ✠verse 27 And the lord of that seruant moued vvith pitie dimissed him and the dette he forgaue him ✠verse 28 And vvhen that seruant vvas gone forth he found one of his felovv-seruants that did ovve him an hundred pence and laying hands vpon him thratled him saying Repay that thou ovvest ✠verse 29 And his felovv seruant falling dovvne besought him saying Haue patience tovvard me and I vvil repay the all ✠verse 30 And he vvould not but vvent his vvay and cast him into prison til he repayed the dette ✠verse 31 And his felovv-seruants seeing vvhat vvas done vvere very sorie and they came and told their lord al that vvas done ✠verse 32 Then his lord called him and he said vnto him Thou vngratious seruant I forgaue thee al the dette because thou besoughtest me oughtest nor thou therfore also to haue mercie vpon thy felovv-seruant euen as I had mercie vpon thee ✠verse 33 And his lord being angrie deliuered him to the tormenters vntil he repayed al the dette ✠verse 34 So also shal my heauenly father doe to you if you forgiue not euery one his brother from your hartes ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVIII 1. Who is the greater The occasion of this question and of thier contention for Superioritie among the rest of their infirmities which they had before the comming of the Holy Ghost was as certaine holy Doctors write vpon emulation toward Peter whom only they saw preferred before the rest in the payment of the tribute by these wordes of our Sauiour Geue it them for me and thee Chrys ho. 59. Hiero. in Mat. Vpon this place 7. Scandals The simple be most annoyed by taking scandal of their preachers Priests and elders il life and great damnation is to the guides of the people whether they be temporal or spiritual but specially to the spiritual if by their il example and slaunderous life the people be scaÌ„dalized 8. Hand foote eye By these partes of the body so necessarie and profitable for a man is signified that whatsoeuer is neerest and deerest to vs wife children freeudes riches al are to be conteâ—â—ned and forsaken for to saue our soule 10. Their Angels A great dignitie and a maruelous benefite that euery one hath from his Natiuitie an Angel for his custodie and Patronage against the wicked before the face of God Hiero. vpon this place And the thing is so plaine that Caluin dare not deny it and yet he wil needes doubt of it lib. 1. Inst c. 14. sect 1. 17. Not heare the Church Not only Heretikes but any other obstinate offender that wil not be iudged nor ruled by the Church may be excommunicated and so made as an Heathen or Publican was to the Iewes by the discipline of the same casting him our of the felowship of Catholikes Which Excommunication is a greater punishement then if he were executed by sword fire and wild beastes Aug. cont Adu leg liâ— c. 17. And againe he saith Man is more sharply and pitefully bound by the Churches Keies then with any yron or adamantine manicles or fetters in the world August ibidem 17. Heathen Heretikes therfore because they wil not heare the Church be no better nor no otherwise to be esteemed of Catholikes then heathen men and Publicans were esteemed of Catholikes then heathen men and Publicans were esteemed among the Iewes 18. You shal binde As before he gaue this power of binding and loosing ouer the whole first of al and principally to Peter vpon whom he builded his Church so here not only to Peter and in him to his successors but also to the other Apostles and in them to their successors euery one in their charge Hieron lib. 1. c. 14. aduers Iouin and Epist ad Heliod Cyprian de Vnit. Eccl. nu 3. 18. Shal loose Our Lord geueth no lesse right and authoritie to the Churche to loose then to binde as S. Ambrose writeth against the Nouatians who confessed that the Priests had power to binde but not to loose 20. In the middes of them Not al assemblies may chalenge the presence of Christ but only such as be gathered together in the vnity of the Church and therfore no conuenticles of Heretikes directly gathering against the Churche are warranted by this place Cypr. de vnit Eccles nu 7. 8. 22. Seuentie times seuen There must be no end of forgeuing them that be penitent either in the Sacrament by absolution or one man an other their offenses CHAP. XIX He ansvvereth the tempting Pharisees that the case of a man vvith his vvife shal be as in the first institution it vvas vtterly indissoluble though for one cause he may be diuorced 10 And therevpon to his Disciples he highly commendeth Single life for heaven 13 He vvil haue children came vnto him 16 He shevveth vvhat is to be done to enter into life euerlasting 20 What also for a rich man to be perfect 27 As also vvhat passing revvard they shal haue vvhich follovv that his counsel of perfection 29 yea though it be but in some one peece verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen IESVS had ended these vvordes he departed from Galilee came into the coastes of Ievvrie beyond IordaÌ„ ✠verse 2 and great multitudes folovved him and he cured them there ✠verse 3 And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him and saying Is it lavvful for a man to dimisse his vvife for euery cause ✠verse 4 Who ansvvering said to them Haue ye not read that he which did make ' from the beginning made them male and femal And he said ✠verse 5 For this cause man shal leaue father and mother and shal cleane to his vvife and they tvvo shal be in one flesh ✠verse 6 Therfore novv they are not tvvo but one flesh That therfore vvhich God hath ioyned together let ″ not man separate ⊢ ✠verse 7 They say to him why then * did Moyses commaund to giue a bil of diuorce and to dimisse her ✠verse 8 He saith to them Because Moyses for the hardnes of your hart permitted you to dimisse your vviues but from the beginning it vvas not so ✠verse 9 And I say to you that * Whosoeuer shal dimisse his vvife ″ but for fornication and shal mary an other doth committe aduoutrie and he that shal mary her that is dimissed committeth aduoutrie ✠verse 10 His disciples say vnto him If the case of a man vvith his vvife be so it is not expedient to mary ✠verse 11 Who said to them ″ Not al take this vvord but they to vvhom it is giuen ✠verse 12 For there are eunuches which vvere borne so froÌ„ their mothers vvombe and there are eunuches vvhich were made by men and there are eunuches vvhich haue ″ gelded them selues for the kingdom of heauen ″ He that can take let him take ⊢ ✠verse 13 Then *
Law But if thou iudge the Lavv thou art not a doer of the Lavv but a iudge ✠verse 12 For there is one lavv-maker and iudge that can destroy and deliuer ✠verse 13 But thou * vvhat art thou that iudgest thy neighbour Behold novv you that say To day or to morovv vve vvil goe into that citie and there certes vvil spend a yere and vvil traficke and make our gaine ✠verse 14 vvho are ignorāt vvhat shal be on the morovv For vvhat is your life It is a vapour appearing for a litle vvhile and aftervvard it shal vanish avvay ✠verse 15 for that you should say If our Lord vvil and If vve shal liue vve vvil doe this or that ✠verse 16 But novv you reioyce in your arrogancies Al such reioycing is vvicked ✠verse 17 To one therfore knovving to doe good and not doing it to him it is sinne ANNOTATION CHAP. IIII. 8. Purifie your hartes Man vve see here maketh him self cleane and purgeth his owne hart Vvhich derogateth nothing to the grace of God being the principal cause of the same Yet Protestants thinke vve derogate from Christs Passion vvhen vve attribute such effects to our owne vvorkes or to other secundarie helpes and causes CHAP. V. By the damnatiō to come vpon the vnmerciful riche he exhorteth the persecuted to patience and by their ovvne revvard and by examples 12 Not to svveare at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talke talke ◠In affliction to pray in prosperitie to sing in sicknes to call for the Priests and that they pray ouer them and anoile them vvith oile and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sicke persons confesse their sinnes 19 Finally hovv meritorious it is to conuert the erring vnto the Catholike faith or the sinner to amendment of life verse 1 GOE to novv ye riche men vveepe hovvling in your miseries vvhich shal come to you ✠verse 2 Your riches are corrupt and your garmentes are eaten of mothes ✠verse 3 Your gold and siluer is rusted and their iust shal be for a testimonie to you and shal eate your flesh as fire You haue stored to your selues vvrath in the last daies ✠verse 4 Behold ″ the hire of the vvorkemen that haue reaped your fields vvhich is defrauded of you crieth and their crie hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabboth ✠verse 5 You haue made merie vpon the earth and in riotousnes you haue nourished your hartes in the day of slaughter ✠verse 6 You haue presented and slaine the iust one and he resisted you not ✠verse 7 Be patient therfore brethren vntil the comming of our Lord. Behold the husband man expecteth the pretious fruite of the earth patiently bearing til he receiue the timely and the latevvard ✠verse 8 Be you also patient and confirme your hartes because the comming of our Lord vvil approche ' ✠verse 9 Grudge not brethren one against an other that you be not iudged Behold the iudge standeth before the gate ✠verse 10 Take an example brethren of labour and patience the prophetes vvhich spake in the name of our Lord. ✠verse 11 Behold vve accoūt them blessed that haue suffered The sufferance of Iob you haue heard and the end of our Lord you haue seen because our Lord is merciful and pitieful ✠verse 12 But before al things my brethren * ″ svveare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor other othe whatsoeuer But let your talke be yea yea no no that you fall not vnder iudgement ✠verse 13 Is any of you in heauinesse let him pray Is he of a cheereful hart let him sing ✠verse 14 Is any man sicke amōg you ″ let him bring in the priestes of the Churche and let them pray ouer him * ″ anoiling him vvith oile in the name of our Lord. ✠verse 15 and ″ the praier of faith ″ shal saue the sicke and our Lord ″ shal lift him vp and if he be in sinnes ″ they shal be remitted him ✠verse 16 ″ Confesse therfore your sinnes one to an other pray one for an other that you may be saued ⊢ for the continual praier of a iust man auaileth much ✠verse 17 * Elias vvas a man like vnto vs passible and vvith praier ″ he praied that it might not raine vpon the earth and it rained not for three yeres and sixe monethes ✠verse 18 And * he praied againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth yelded her fruite ✠verse 19 My brethren if any of you shal erre from the truth a man conuert him ✠verse 20 he must know that he vvhich maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his vvay ″ shal saue his soule from death and couereth a multitude of sinnes ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 4. The hire To vvithhold from the poore or labourer the hire or vvages that is due or promised to him for his seruice or vvorke done is a great iniquitie and one of those fiue sinnes vvhich in holy Vvrite be said to call for vengeance at Gods hand as vve see here They be called in the Catechisme Sinnes crying to heauen The other foure be Murder Gen. 18 v. 20. Vsurie Exod. 22. v. 27. The sinne against nature Gen. 18. v. 20. The oppression and vexation of vvidovves pupilles strangers and such like Ib. Exod. 3. v. 9. 12. Svveare not He forbiddeth not al othes as the Anabaptists falsely say for in iustice and iudgement vve may be by our lavvful Magistrate put to svveare and may lavvfully take an othe as also for the aduantaging of any necessarie truth vvhen time and place require but the custom of svvearing and al vaine light and vnnecessarie othes in our daily speache do displease God highly and are here forbidden by the Apostle as also by our Sauiour Mat. 5. 14. Let him bring in the Priests The Protestants for their special hatred of the holy order of Priesthod as els vvhere often so here they corrupt the text euidently translating Presbyteros elders As though the Apostle had meant men of age and not such as vvere by holy office Priests S. Chrysostom vvho knevv the sense and signification of the Greeke vvord according to the Ecclesiastical vse and the vvhole Churches iudgement better then any Protestant aliue taketh it plainely for Sacerdotes that is Priests li. 3 de Sacerdotio prope initium And if they confesse that it is a vvord of office vvith them also though they call them Elders and not Priests then vve demaund vvhether the Apostle meane here men of that function vvhich they in their nevv Churches call Elders If they say no as they must needes for Elders vvith their are not deputed specially to publike praying or administration of the Sacraments such as the Apostle here requireth to be sent for then they must needes graunt that their Elders ansvver not to the function of those vvhich in
temporal commodities sake either coiâ—ath or folovveth nevv opinions S. August li. de Vtil â—red cap. 1. And lastly by the resemblance they haue vvith the auncient and notorious Schismatike Corè and his companions vvho forsooke the ordinarie Priesthod appointed by God and would needes doe sacrifice them selues without lavvful calling Such in deede be al Heretikes and such be al their sacraments seruice and offices in their Church as Cores vvere in his schismatical tabernacles And as pride vvas the cause of his reuolting from the obedience of Moyses and Aaron his Priests and true Gouernours so is intolerable pride the cause of al Heretikes forsaking their lavvful Pastors and Rulers and namely of forsaking Christes owne Vicar in earth our true Aaron as S. Bernard calleth him De consid li. 2. cap. 8. To al such forsakers the Apostle here giueth the curse and Va due to the said three Cain Balaam and Corè and telleth them that the storme of darkenes and eternal damnation is prouided for them most liuely describing al Heretikes as in some vve to our woe haue experience by their maners in our daies in al this passage euen to the end of the epistle 19. These are they vvhich segregate them selues The conditions in the later daies that is euer since Christs time not of these onely of our age For there were many that forsooke Gods Church and segregated them selues from the fellowship of the faithful euen in the primitiue Church that vve may the lesse maruel at these mens segregating them selues and going out from the rest into seueral sectes which S. Augustine therfore calleth Segregations THE ARGVMENT OF THE APOCALYPSE OF S. IOHN THAT vvhich the old Testament foretold of Christ him self the Apostles could report the fulfilling thereof in the nevv Testament by vvay of an historie euen from his Conception to his Glorification But of his Church they could not doe the like because in their time it did but beginne being to continue long after them euen to the end of the vvorld and then at length to be glorified as Christ her Spouse alreadie is Herevpon God vvould haue S. Luke to report in the Actes of the Apostles the storie of the Churches beginning and for the rest of it to the end that vve might receiue this benefite also by the Apostles handes he vvould S. Iohn to tell vs of it in this booke by vvay of a prophecie Of vvhich booke S. Hierome saith The Apocalypse of S. Iohn hath as many sacrament or mysteries as vvordes Yea more then that In euery vvord there are hid manifold and sundrie senses Therfore it is very litle that can here be noted in respect Yet to giue the good Catholike vvhose comfort is here some litle helpe the booke may be deuided into fiue partes The first after the Proâ—â—me conteineth seuen Epistles from Christ novv in glorie to seuen Churches of Asia or for these he maketh al one to the seuen Bishops of those Churches meaning no to those only but to al his Churches Bishops throughout the vvorld saying therefore in euery one of them to al in general He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches As also in euery one he exhorteth vs to fight manfully in this spiritual vvarfare of ours against sinne for the victorie and in euery one accordingly promiseth vs a revvard in heauen But before this in the beginning of euery one be partly commendeth partly reprehendeth and exhorteth to penance Vvhere this is much to be noted and feared that among so many he reproueth somevvhat in al saue only in tvvo vvhich are the second the sixt In the beginning also of euery one he taketh some peece out of the apparition going before to frame thereof his slyle agreably to the matter of eche Epistle After this admonition to Pastors and their flockes the second part folovveth vvherein the Church and vvhole course thereof from the beginning to the end is expressed in the opening of a booke in Gods hand and the seuen seales thereof by Christ for the vvhich he seeth praise sung novv in heauen and earth not only to the Godhead as before but also after a nevv manner to Christ according to his Manhod And here vvhen he is come to the opening of the last seale signifying Domesday he letteth that matter alone for a vvhile and to speake more fully yet of the said course of the Church he bringeth in an other pagent as it vvere of seuen Angels vvith seuen Trumpets The effect of both the Seales Trumpets in this That the Church beginning and proceding there should be raised against it cruel persecutions and pestilent heresies and at length after al heresies a certaine most blasphemous Apostasie being the next preparatiue to the comming of Antichrist After al vvhich Antichrist him self in person shal appeare in the time of the sixt seale and sixt trumpet persecuting and seducing for the short time of his reigne more then al before him The Church notvvithstanding shal still continue and vvade through al because Christ her Spouse is stronger then al these aduersaries vvho also straight after the said sixt time shal in the seuenth come in maiestie and iudge al. Of the vvhich iudgement differring yet a vvhile to speake at large he doth first in the third part intreate more fully of the Deuils vvorking by Antichrist and his companie against the Church that the iustice of Christ aftervvard in iudging may be more manifest At length therefore in the fourth part he commeth to the seuen last plagues the seuenth of them conteining the final damnation of the vvhole multitude societie or corps of the vvicked from the beginning of the vvorld to the end Vvhich multitude in the Gospel and first Epistle of this same S. Iohn as also in the other Scriptures commonly is often called Mundus the vvorld and here he calleth it partly Meretricem a vvhore or harlot because vvith her concupiscence she entiseth the carnal and earthly men avvay from God partly Ciuitatem Babylon the Citie of Babylon because it maketh vvarre against Hierusalem the Citie of God and laboureth to hold Gods people captiue in sinne as it vvas shadovved in Nabuchodonosor his Babylonias leading and holding the Ievves vvith their Hierusalem in captiuitie vntil Cyrus in figure of Christ deliuered them But vvhether al these seuen plagues should be vnderstood as the seuenth of Domesday it self it is hard to define More like it is that the first sixe are to goe before Domesday but vvhether corporally and literally so as Moyses plagued Egypt or rather spiritually it is more hard to define Yet it seemeth more easie to vnderstand them corporally as also the plagues vvherevvith Elias and his fellovv shal in the time of Antichrist plague the vvicked vvhich peraduenture shal be the same last plagues vvhere of vve reade in this booke c. 11. v. 6. But not content to haue described
candlestickes of the vvorld no doubt to signfie that Christ preserueth the truth onely in and by the lavvful Bishops and Catholike Church and that Christs truth is not to be sought for in corners or conuenticles of Heretikes but at the Bishops handes and * vpon the candlesticke vvhich shineth to al in the house 20. The Angels of the Churches The vvhole Church of Christ hath S. Michael for her keeper and Protector and therfore keepeth his holy day onely by name among al Angels And as earthly kingdoms haue their special Angels Protectors as vve see in the 10 Chapter of Daniel so much more the particular Churches of ChristeÌ„dom See S. Hierom in 34 Ezech. But of those Angels it is not here meant as is manifest And therfore Angels here must needes signifie the Priests or Bishops specially of the Churches here and in them al the gouernours of the vvhole of euery particular Church of Christendom They are called Angels for that they are Gods messengers to vs interpreters of his vvil our keepers and directors in religion our intercessors the cariers and offerers of our praiers to him and mediators vnto him vnder Christ and for these causes and for their great digniâ—ie they are here and in * other places of Scripture called Angels CHAP. II. He is commaunded to vvrite diuers things to the churches of Ephesiu Sâ—yrna Pergamus and Thyatira praising them that had not admitted the doctrine of the Heretikes called Nicolaâ—ta 22 and calling others by threates vnto penance 26 and promising revvard to him that manfully ouercommeth verse 1 AND to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus vvrite Thus saith he vvhich ″ holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand vvhich vvalketh in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 2 I knovv ″ thy vvorkes and labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare euil men and hast tried them which say them selues to be Apostles and are not and hast found them liars ✠verse 3 and thou hast patience and hast borne for my name and hast not fainted ✠verse 4 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges bicause thou hast left thy first charitie ✠verse 5 Be mindeful therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and doe penance and doe the first vvorkes But if not I come to thee and ″ vvil moue thy candlesticke out of his place vnlesse thou doe penance ✠verse 6 but this thou hast ″ because thou hatest the factes ″ of the Nicolaïtes vvhich I also hate ✠verse 7 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercommeth I vvil giue to eate of the tree of life vvhich is in the Paradise of my God ✠verse 8 And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna vvrite Thus saith * the first and the last vvho vvas dead and liueth ✠verse 9 I knovv thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche and thou art blasphemed of them that say them selues to be Ievves and are not but are the synagogue of Satan ✠verse 10 Feare none of these thinges vvhich thou shalt suffer Behold the Deuil vvil send some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shal haue tribulation ten daies Be thou faithful vntil death and I vvil giue thee the crovvne of life ✠verse 11 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt of the second death ✠verse 12 And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus vvrite Thus saith he that hath the sharpe tvvo edged svvord ✠verse 13 I knovv vvhere thou dvvellest vvhere the seate of Satan is and thou holdest my name and hast not denied my faith And in those daies Antipas my faithful vvitnesse vvho vvas slaine among you vvhere Satan dvvelleth ✠verse 14 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam vvho taught Balac ″ to cast a scandal before the children of Israel to eate and commit fornication ✠verse 15 so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaïtes ✠verse 16 In like maner doe penance if not I vvil come to thee quickly and vvil fight against them vvith the svvord of my mouth ✠verse 17 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercoÌ„meth I vvil giue the hidden manna and vvil giue him a vvhite counter and in the counter a nevv name Written vvhich no man knovveth but he that receiueth it ✠verse 18 And to the Angel of the Church of ThyatÃra vvrite Thus saith the Sonne of God vvhich hath eies as a flame of fire and his feete like to latten ✠verse 19 I knovv thy vvorkes and faith and thy charitie and ministerie and thy patience and thy last vvorkes moe then the former ✠verse 20 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou permittest ″ the vvoman * Iezabel vvho calleth her self a prophetesse to teache and to seduce my seruantes to fornicate and to eate of thinges sacrificed to idols ✠verse 21 And I gaue her a time that she might do penance and ″ she vvil not repent from her fornication ✠verse 22 Behold I vvil cast her into a bedde and ″ they that commit aduoutrie vvith her shal be in very great tribulation vnlesse they do penance from their vvorkes ✠verse 23 and her children I vvil kil vnto death and al the Churches shal knovv * that I am he that searcheth the reines and hartes and I vvil giue to euery one of you according to his vvorkes ✠verse 24 But I say to you the rest vvhich are at Thyatira vvhosoeuer haue not this doctrine vvhich haue not knowen the depth ' of Satan as they say I vvil not cast vpon you an other vveight ✠verse 25 Yet that vvhich you haue hold til I come ✠verse 26 And he that shal ouercome and keepe my vvorkes vnto the end ″ I vvil giue him povver ouer the nations ✠verse 27 and * he shal rule them vvith a rod of yron and as the vessel of a potter shal they be broken ✠verse 28 as I also haue receiued of my father and I vvil giue him the morning starre ✠verse 29 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Holdeth the seuen Much to be obserued that Christ hath such care ouer the Church and the Bishops thereof that he is said here to beare them vp in his right hand and to vvalke in the middes of them no doubt to vphold and preserue them and to guide them in al truth 2. Thy vvorkes labour patience c. Things required in a Bishop first good vvorkes and great patience in tribulation next zeale and sharpe discipline tovvard offenders
is here cōmended in them thirdly vvisedom diligence in trial of false Apostles and preachers comming in sheepe-skinnes vvhere is signified the vvatchful prouidence that ought to be in them that Heretikes enter not into their flockes 5. Vvil moue Note that the cause vvhy God taketh the truth from certaine countries and remoueth their Bishops or Churches into captiuitie or desolation is the sinne of the Prelates and people And that is the cause no doubt that Christ hath taken avvay our golden candlesticke that is our Church in England God graunt vs to remember our fall to doe penance and the former vvorkes of charitie vvhich our first Bishops and Church vvere notable and renovvmed for 6. Because thou hatest Vve see here that of al things Christian people specially Bishops should haue great zeale against Heretikes and hate them that is their vvicked doctrine and conditions euen as God hateth them for vvhich onely zeale our Lord saith here that he beareth vvith some Churches and Prelates and saueth them from perishing 6. Of the Nicolaites Heretikes haue their callings of certaine persons as is noted at large Act. 11 26. These had their name of Nicolas one of the 7 first Deacons that vvere chosen Act. 6. Vvho is thought to haue taught communitie of vvomen or vviues and that it vvas lavvful to eate of meates offered to idols Vvhich later point is such a thing as if one should hold it lavvful to receiue the bread or vvine of the nevv Communion vvhich is a kinde of Idolothytae that is idolatrous meates for though such creatures be good by creation yet they be made execrable by profane blessings of Heretikes or Idolaters And concerning the name of Nicolaites giuen here by our Lord him self to those Heretikes it is a very paterne and marke vnto the faithful for euer vvhat kinde of men they should be that should be called after the like sort Arians Macedonians Nestorians Lutherans Zuinglians c. See S. Hierom cont Lucifer in fine 14. To cast a scandal Iosephus vvriteth that vvhen Balaam could not curse Gods people nor othervvise anoy them he taught Balaca vvay hovv to ouerthrovv them to vvit by presenting vnto them their Heathen vvomen very beautiful and delicate dishes of meate offered to Bel-phego◠that so being tempted they might fall to heathenish maners and displease God To vvhich craftie counsel of Balaam the Apostle resembleth Heretikes fraude vvho by offering of libertie of meate vvomen Church goodes breache of vovves and such other licentious allurements cause many moe to fall then by their preaching 20. The vvoman Iezabel He vvarneth Bishops to be zelous and stout against false Prophets and Heretikes of vvhat sort soeuer by alluding couertly to the example of holy Elias that in zeale killed 450 false prophets of Iezabel and spared not Achab nor Iezabel them selues but told them to their faces that they troubled Israel that is the faithful people of God And vvhether there vvere any such great vvoman then a furtherer and promotour of the Nicolaites vvhom the Prophete should here meane it is hard to say 21. She vvil not repent See free vvil here most plainely and that God is not the proper cause of obduration or impenitence but man him self onely Our Lord giueth sinners so long life specially to expect their amendment but Iezabel to vvhom the Apostle here alludeth vvould neuer repent 22. They that cōmit aduoutrie vvith her Such as communicate vvith Heretikes shal be damned alas vvith them for not onely such as vvere in their hartes of Iezabels religion or invvardly beleeued in Baal but such as externally for feare vvorshipped him vvhich the Scriptures call bovving of their knees to Baal are culpable as novv many bovv their knees to the Communion that bovv not their hartes 26. I vvil giue him povver Obserue that not onely Angels haue povver and regiment ouer Countries vnder God but novv for the honour of Christ humane nature and for his ministerie in the vvorld the Saincts deceased also being in heauen haue gouernement ouer men and Prouinces and therfore haue to doe vvith our affaires in the vvorld Vvhich is against the Heretikes of these daies that to take avvay our praiers to Saincts vvould spoile them of many soueraine dignities vvherein the Scriptures make them equal vvith Angels CHAP. III. He is commaunded to vvrite to the Churches of Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia recalling them that erre to penance by threatening but praising the rest and promising revvard to him that ouercommeth 15 detesting also the cold indifferent Christian 20 He saith that God knocketh at the doore of mens hartes by offering his grace for to enter in to him that vvil open vnto him by consent of free vvil verse 1 ANd to the Angel of the Church of Sardis write Thus saith he that hath the seuē Spirites of God and the seuen starres I know thy vvorkes that thou hast the name that thou liuest and thou art dead ✠verse 2 Be vigilant and confirme the rest of the things vvhich vvere to die For I finde not thy vvorkes ful before my God ✠verse 3 Haue in minde therfore in vvhat maner thou hast receiued and heard and keepe and doe penance If therfore thou vvatch not * I vvil come to thee as a theefe thou shalt not knovv vvhat houre I vvil come to thee ✠verse 4 But thou hast a fevv names in Sardis vvhich haue not defiled their garments and they shal vvalke vvith me in vvhites because they are vvorthy ✠verse 5 ″ He that shal ouercome shal thus be vested in vvhite garmentes and I vvil not put his name out of the booke of life and I vvil confesse his name before my father and before his Angels ✠verse 6 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saieth to the Churches ✠verse 7 And to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia vvrite Thus saith the Holy one and the True one he that hath the * key of Dauid he that openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth ✠verse 8 I know thy vvorkes Behold I haue giuen before thee a doore opened vvhich no man can shut because thou hast a litle povver and hast kept my vvord and hast not denied my name ✠verse 9 Behold I vvil giue of the synagogue of Satan vvhich say they be Ievves and are not but doe lie Behold I vvil make them come and ″ adore before thy feete and they shal knovv that I haue loued thee ✠verse 10 because thou hast kept the vvord of my patience and I vvil keepe thee from the houre of tentation vvhich shal come vpon the vvhole vvorld to tempt the inhabitants on the earth ✠verse 11 Behold I come quickely hold that vvhich thou hast ″ that no man take thy crovvne ✠verse 12 He that shal ouercome I vvil make him a piller in the temple of my God and he
shal goe out no more and I vvil vvrite vpon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God nevv Hierusalem vvhich descendeth out of heauen from my God and my nevv name ✠verse 13 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ✠verse 14 And to the Angel of the Church of Laodicia vvrite Thus saith Amen the faithful and true vvitnesse * vvhich is the beginning of the creature of God ✠verse 15 I knovv thy vvorkes that thou art neither colde nor hote I vvould thou vvere colde or hote ✠verse 16 But because thou art ″ lukevvarme and neither cold nor hote I vvil begin to vomite thee out of my mouth ✠verse 17 Because thou saiest That I am riche and enriched and lacke nothing and knovvest not that thou art a miser and miserable and poore and blinde and naked ✠verse 18 I counsel thee to bye of me gold fire-tried that thou maiest be made riche and maiest be clothed in vvhite garmentes that the confusion of thy nakednes appeare not and vvith eie salue anoint thine eies that thou maiest see ✠verse 19 I * vvhom I loue do rebuke and chastise Be zelous therfore and doe penance ✠verse 20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man shal heare my voice and open the gate I vvil enter in to him and vvil suppe vvith him and he vvith me ✠verse 21 He that shal ouercome I vvil giue vnto him to sitte vvith me in my throne as I also haue ouercome and haue sitten vvith my father in his throne ✠verse 22 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III 5. He that shal ouercome In al these speaches to diuers Bishops and their Churches he continually encourageth them to constancie in faith and good life by setting before their eies the revvard of the next life And yet the Caluinists vvould haue no man do good in respect of such revvard 9. Adore before thy feete You see this vvord of adoration is in Scriptures vsed for vvorship of creatures also and that to fall before the feete of holy men or Angels for duety and reuerence is not idolatrie except the proper honour due to God be giuen vnto them See the Annotations vpō the 19 22 Chapter concerning the Apostles prostration before the Angel And the Aduersaries euasion saying that the adoration vvas of God onely and that before the feete of the partie signifieth nothing els but in his presence is false and against the phrase of Scriptures as 4 Reg. 4. vvhere the Sunamite adored Elisaeus falling dovvne before his feete and 4 Reg. 2. the sonnes of the Prophets adored him in the same sort and here this adoration can not be meant but of the Bishop or Angel of Philadelphia because he promiseth this honour as a revvard and as an effecte of his loue tovvardes him saying And they shal knovv that I haue loued thee And that vvhich he saith in the 22 Chapter I fel dovvne to adore before the feete of the Angel the very same he expresseth thus in the 19 Chapters I fel before his feete to adore him making it al one to adore before his feete and to adore him 11. That no man take thy crovvn◠That is his crovvne of euerlasting life and glorie if he perseuêre not to the end in faith good vvorkes othervvise an other shal enter into his place as Mathias did both to the dignitie of the Apostleship to the heauenly crovvne due for the vvel vsing and executing of the same function vvhich Iudas might and should haue had if he had perseuêred to the end and as the Gentiles came into the grace and place of the Ievves Other difficulties concerning this kinde of speache are resolued in Schoolemen and are not here to be stoode vpon 16. Lukevvarms Zeale and feruour is commendable specially in Gods cause and the Neuters that be neither hote nor cold are to Christ and his Church burdenous and lothsome as luke-vvarme vvater is to a mans stomake prouoking him to vomite and therfore he threateneth to void vp such Neuters out of his mouth CHAP. IIII. 1. A doore being open in heauen he savv one sitting in a throne 4 and round about him foure and tvventie seniors sitting 6 and the foure beastes here described 9 vvhich vvith the 24 seniors continually glorified him that sate in the throne verse 1 AFTER these thinges I looked and behold a doore open in heauen and the first voice which I heard vvas as it vvere of a trompet speaking vvith me saying Come vp hither and I vvil shevv thee the thinges vvhich must be done quickly after these ✠verse 2 Immediatly I vvas in spirit and behold there vvas a seate sette in heauen and vpon the seate one sitting ✠verse 3 And he that sate vvas like in sight to the Iasper stone and the Sardine and there vvas a raine-bovv round about the seate like to the sight of an Emeraud ✠verse 4 And round about the seate foure and tvventie seates and vpon the thrones foure and twentie seniors sitting clothed about in vvhite garmentes and on their heades crovvnes of gold ✠verse 5 And from the throne proceeded lightenings and voices and thunders and seuen lampes burning before the throne vvhich are the seuen Spirites of God ✠verse 6 And in the sight of the seate as it vvere a sea of glasse like to crystall and in the middes of the seate and round about the seate foure beastes ful of eies before and behind ✠verse 7 And the first beast like to a lion and the second beast like to a calfe and the third beast hauing the face as it vvere of a man and the fourth beast like to an egle flying ✠verse 8 And the foure beastes euery one of them had sixe vvinges round about and vvithin they are ful of eies and they had no rest day and night saying ″ Holy Holy Holy Lord God omnipotent vvhich vvas and vvhich is and vvhich shal come ✠verse 9 And vvhen those beastes gaue glorie and honour and benediction to him that sitteth vpon the throne that liueth for euer and euer ✠verse 10 the foure and tvventie seniors fel dovvne before him that sitteth in the throne and adored him that liueth for euer and euer and cast their crownes before the throne saying ✠verse 11 Thou art vvorthie O Lord our God to receiue glorie and honour and povver because thou hast created al thinges and for thy vvil they vvere and haue been created ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 8. Holy holy holy This vvord is thrise repeated here and Esa 6 and to the imitation therof in the seruice of the holy Church at Te Deum and at Masse specially in the Preface next before the great mysteries for the honour of the three persons in the B. Trinitie and that
prouision vvas made that no heretical version set forth by Vvicleffe or his adherentes should be suffered nor any other in or after his time be published or permitted to be readde being not approued and allovved by the Diócesan before alleaging S. Hierom for the difficultie and danger of interpreting the holy Scripture out of one tonge into an other though by learned and Catholike men So also it is there insinuated that neither the Translations set forth before that Heretikes time nor other aftervvard being approued by the lavvful Ordinaries were euer in our countrie wholy forbidden though they were not to say the truth in quiet and better times much lesse when the people vvere prone to alteratioÌ„ heresie or noueltie either hastily admitted or ordinarily readde of the vulgar but vsed onely or specially of some deuout religious and contemplatiues persons in reuerence secrecie and silence for their spiritual comforte Now since Luthers reuolt also diuers learned Catholikes for the more speedy abolishing of a number of false and impious translations put forth by sundry sectes and for the better preseruation or reclaime of many good soules endangered thereby haue published the Bible in the seueral languages of almost all the principal prouinces of the Latin Church no other bookes in the world being so pernicious as hereticall translations of the Scriptures poisoning the people vnder colour of diuine authoritie not many other remedies being more soueraine against the same if it be vsed in order discretion and humilitie then the true faithful and sincere interpretation opposed therevnto Vvhich causeth the holy Church not to forbid vtterly any Catholike translation though she allow not the publishing or reading of any absolutely and without exception or limitation knowing by her diuine and most sincere wisedom how where when and to whom these her Maisters and Spouses giftes are to be bestowed to the most good of the faithful and therfore neither generally permitteth that which must needes doe hurt to the vnworthy nor absolutely condemneth that which may doe much good to the worthie Vvherevpon the order which many a wise man wished for before was taken by the Deputies of the late famous Councel of Trent in this behalfe and confirmed by supreme authoritie that the holy Scriptures though truely and Catholikely translated into vulgar tonges yet may not be indiffereÌ„tly readde of all men nor of any other then such as haue expresse licence therevnto of their lawful Ordinaries with good testimonie from their Curates or Confessors that they be humble discrete and deuout persons and like to take much good and no harme thereby Vvhich prescript though in these daies of ours it can not be so precisely obserued as in other times places where there is more due respecte of the Churches authoritie rule and discipline yet we trust all wise and godly persons will vse the matter in the meane while with such moderation meekenes and subiection of hart as the handling of so sacred a booke the sincere senses of Gods truth therein the holy Canons Councels reason and religion do require Vvherein though for due preseruation of this diuine worke from abuse and prophanation and for the better bridling of the intolerable insolencie of proude curious contentious wittes the gouernours of the Church guided by Gods Spirit as euer before so also vpon more experience of the maladie of this time theâ— before haue taken more exacte order both for the readers and translatours in these later ages then of old yet we must not imagin that in the primitiue Church either euery one that vnderstoode the learned tonges wherein the Scriptures were written or other languages into which they were translated might without reprehension reade reason dispute turne and tosse the Scriptures or that our forefathers suffered euery schole-maister scholer or Grammarian that had a litle Greeke or Latin straight to take in hand the holy Testament or that the translated Bibles into the vulgar tonges were in the handes of euery husbandman artificer prentice boies girles mistresse maide man that they were sung plaies alleaged of euery tinker tauerner rimer minstrel that they were for table talke for alebenches for boates and barges and for euery prophane person and companie No in those better times men were neither so ill nor so curious of them selues so to abuse the blessed booke of Christ neither was there any such easy meanes before printing was inuented to disperse the copies into the handes of euery man as now there is They were then in Libraries Monasteries Colleges Churches in Bishops Priests and some other deuout principal Lâ—y mens houses and handes who vsed them with seare and reuerence and specially such partes as perteined to good life and maners not medling but in pulpit and schooles and that moderately to with the hard and high mysteries and places of greater difficultie The poore ploughman could then in labouring the ground sing the hymnes and psalmes either in knowen or vnknowen languages as they heard them in the holy Church though they could neither reade nor know the sense meaning and mysteries of the same Such holy persons of both sexes to whom S. Hierom in diuers Epistles to them commendeth the reading and meditation of holy Scriptures were diligent to searche all the godly histories imitable examples of chastitie humilitie obedience clemencie pouertie penance renouÌ„cing the world they noted specially the places that did breede the hatred of sinne feare of Gods iudgement delight in spiritual cogitations they referred them selues in all hard places to the iudgement of the auncient fathers and their maisters in religion neuer presuming to contend controule teach or talke of their owne sense and phantasie in deepe questions of diuinitie Then the Virgins did meditate vpon the places and examples of chastitie modestie and demurenesse the maried on coniugal faith and continencie the parents how to bring vp their children in faith and seare of God the Prince how to rule the subiect how to obey the Priest how to teach the people how to learne Then the scholer taught not his maister the sheepe controuled not the Pastor the yong student set not the Doctor to schoole not reproued their fathers of error ignorance Or if any were in those better daies as in al times of heresie such must needes be that had itching eares tikling tonges and wittes curious and contentious disputers hearers and talkers rather then doers of Gods word such the Fathers did euer sharply reprehend counting them vnworthy and vnprofitable readers of the holy Scriptures S. Hierom in his Epistle to Paulinus after declaration that no handy craft is so base nor liberall science so easy that can be had without a maister which S. Augustine also affirmeth De vtilitate cred cap. 7. nor that men presume in any occupation to teach that they neuer learned Only saith he the art of Scripture is that vvhich euery man chalengeth this the chatting old vvife this
but by Christes warrant and authoritie and by such as he hath placed to rule his Church of whom he saith He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me They are made by the Holy Ghost ioyning with our Pastors in the regiment of the faithful they are made by our Mother the Church which whosoeuer obieth not we are warned to take him as an Heathen But on the other side al lawes doctrines seruice and iniunctions of Heretikes how soeuer pretended to be consonant to the Scriptures be commaundements of men because both the things by them prescribed are impious and the Authors haue neither sending nor commission from God 11. Not that which entereth The Catholikes doe not abstaine from certaine meates for that they esteeme any meate vncleane either by creation or by Iudaical obseruation but they abstaine for chastisment of their concupiscences Aug. li. de mor. Ec. Cath. c. 33. 18. Defile a man It is sinne only which properly defileth man and meates of them selfe or of their owne nature doe not defile but so farre as by accident they make a man to sinne as the disobedience of Gods commaundement or of our Superiours who forbid some meates for certaine times and causes is a sinne As the apple which our first parents did eate of though of it self it did not defile them yet being eaten against the precept it did defile So neither flesh nor fish of it self doth defile but the breach of the Churches precept defileth CHAP. XVI The obstinate Pharisees and Sadducees as though his foresaid miracles were not sufficient to proue him to be Christ require to see some one from heauen 5 Wherevpon forsaking them he warneth his disciples to beware of the leauen of their doctrine 〈◊〉 and Peter the time now approching for him to goe into lewrie to his Passion for confessing him to be Christ he maketh the Rocke of his Churche geuing fulnes of Ecclesiastical power accordingly 21 And after he so rebuketh him fordissuading his Crosse and Passion that he also affirmeth the like suffering in euery one to be necessarie to sâ—luation verse 1 AND there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting and they demaunded him to shevv them a signe from heauen ✠verse 2 But he ansvvered said to them when it is euening you say It vvil be faire-vvether for the elemeÌ„t is redde ✠verse 3 And in the morning This day there vvil be a teÌ„pest for the element doth glovve and lovvre The face therfore of the element you haue skil to discerne and the signes of times can you not ✠verse 4 The * naughtie and aduouterous generation seeketh for a signe and there shal not a signe be giuen it but the signe of Ionas the Prophet And he left them and vvent avvay ✠verse 5 And * vvhen his disciples vvere come ouer the vvater they forgot to take bread ✠verse 6 Who said to them Looke vvel and bevvare of the leauen of the Pharisees Sadduces ✠verse 7 But they thought vvithin them selues saying Because vve tooke not bread ✠verse 8 And IESVS knovving it said why do you thinke vvithin your selues O ye of litle faith for that you haue not bread ✠verse 9 Do you not yet vnderstand neither do you remember * the fiue loaues among fiue thousand men and how many baskets you tooke vp ✠verse 10 neither the * seuen loaues among foure thousand men and hovv many maundes you tooke vp ✠verse 11 Why do you not vnderstand that I said not of bread to you Bevvare of the leauen of the Pharisees Sadducees ✠verse 12 Then they vnderstoode that he said not they should bevvare of the leauen of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees ✠verse 13 And * IESVS came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples saying ″ whom say men that the Sonne of man is ✠verse 14 But ″ they said Some Iohn the Baptist othersome Elias and others Hieremie or one of the Prophets ✠verse 15 IESVS saith to them But vvhom do you say that I am ✠verse 16 Simon Peter ansvvered said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God ✠verse 17 And IESVS ansvvering said to him ″ Blessed art thou Simon bar-Iona because flesh bloud hath not reuealed it to thee but my father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 18 And ″ I say to thee That ″ thou art * Peter and ″ vpon this ″ Rocke vvil I ″ build my Church and the ″ gates of hel shal not preuaile against it ✠verse 19 And I * vvil giue ″ to thee the ″ keies of the kingdom of heauen And ″ vvhatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shal be bound also in the heauens and vvhatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens ⊢ ✠verse 20 Then he commaunded his disciples that they should tel no body that he vvas IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 21 From that time IESVS began to shevv his disciples that he must goe to Hierusalem suffer many things of the Ancients Scribes cheefe-Priestes and be killed and the third day rise againe ✠verse 22 And Peter taking him vnto him began to rebuke him saying Lord be it farre from thee this shal not be vnto thee ✠verse 23 Who turning said to Peter Goe after me Satan thou art a scandal vnto me because thou sauourest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men ✠verse 24 Then IESVS said to his disciples If any man wil come after me let him denie him self and take vp his crosse and follow me ✠verse 25 For he that will saue his life shal lose it and he that shal lose his life for me shal finde it ✠verse 26 For what doth it profite a man if he gaine the vvhole vvorld and sustaine the damage of his soule Or vvhat permutation shal a man giue for his soule ✠verse 27 For the Sonne of man shal come in the glorie of his father vvith his Angels and then vvil he render to euery man according to his ″ vvorkes ⊢ ✠verse 28 Amen I say to you * there be some of them that stand here that shal not taste death til they see the Sonne of man comming in his kingdom ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 13. Whom say men Christ intending here to take order for the founding regiment and stabilitie of his Church after his deceaâ—e and to name the person to whom he meant to geue the general charge thereof would before by interrogatories draw out and namely out of that one whom he thought to make the cheefe the professioÌ„ of that high and principal Article That he was the sonne of the liuing God Which being the ground of the Churches faith was a necessarie qualitie and condition in him that was to be made Head
of the same Church and the perpetual keeper of the said faith and al other points thereon depending 14. But they said When Christ asked the peoples opinion of him the Apostles al indifferently made answer but when he demaunded what them selues thought of him then loe Peter the mouth and head of the whole felowship answered for al. Chrys ho. 55. in Mat. 17. Blessed art thou Though some other as Nathanael Io. 1 49 seeme to haue before beleued and professed the same thing for which Peter is here counted blessed yet it may be plainely gathered by this place and so S. Hilarie and others thinke that none before this did further vtter of him then that he was the sonne of God by adoption as other Saincts be though more excellent then other be For it was of congruitie and Christes special appointment that he vpon whom he intended to found his new Church and whose faith he would make infallible should haue the preeminence of this first profession of Christes natural diuinitie or that he was by nature the very sonne of God a thing so farre aboue the capacitie of nature reason flesh and bloud and so repugnant to Peters sense and sight of Christes humanitie flesh and infirmities that for the beleefe and publike profession there of he is counted blessed as Abraham was for his saith and hath great promises for him self and his posteritie as the said Patriarche had for him and his seede According as S. Basil saith Because he excelled in faith he receiued the building of the Church committed to him 1â— And I say to thee Our Lord recompenseth Peter for his confession geuing him a great reward in that vpon him he builded his Church Theophilactus vpon this place 1â— Thou art Peter Christ in the first of Iohn v. 42 foretold and appointed that this man then named Simon should afterward be called Cephas or Petrus that is to say a Rocke not then vttering the cause but now expressing the same videlicet as S. Cyril writeth For that vpon him is vpon a firme rocke his Church should be builded Wherevnto S. Hilarie agreing saith O happie foundation of the Church in the imposing of thy new name c. And yet Christ here doth not so much call him by the name Peter or Rocke as he doth affirme him to be a rocke signifying by that Metaphore both that he was designed for the foundation and ground worke of his house which is the Church and also that he should be of inuincible force firmitie durablenes and stabilitie to sustaine al the windes waâ—es and stormes that might fall or beate against the same And the Aduersaries obiecting against this that Christ only is the Rocke or foundation wrangle against the very expresse Scriptures and Christes owne wordes geuing both the name and the thing to this Apostle And the simple may learne by S. Basils wordes how the case standeth Though saith he Peter be a rocke yet he is not a rocke as Christ is For Christ is the true vnmoueable rocke of him self Peter is vnmoueable by Christ the rocke For Iesus doth communicate and impart his dignities not voyding him self of them but holding them to him self bestoweth them also vpon others He is the light and yet 2 You are the light he is the Priest and yet he 3 maketh Priests he is the rocke and he made a rocke 18. And vpon this rocke Vpon that which he said Peter was wil he build his Church and therfore by most euident sequele he foundeth his Church vpon Peter And the Aduersaries wrangling against this do against their owne conscience and knowledge specially seing they know and confesse that in Christes wordes speaking in the Syriake tonge there was no difference at al betwene Petrus and Petra yea and that the Greeke wordes also though differing in termination yet signifie one thing to wit a rocke or stone as them selues also translate it Io. 1 42. So that they which professe to follow the Hebrew or Syriake and the Greeke and to translate immediatly out of them into Latin or English should if they had dealt sincerely haue thus turned Christes wordes Thou art a rocke and vpon this rocke or Thou art Peter and vpon this peter wil I build my Church For so Christ spake by their owne confession without any difference Which doth expresly stoppe them of al their vaine euasions that Petrus the former word is referred to the Apostle and petra the later word either to Christ only or to Peters faith only neither the said original tonges bearing it nor the sequele of the wordes vpon this suffering any relation in the world but to that which was spoken of in the same sentence next before neither the wordes folowing which are directly addressed to Peters person nor Christes intention by any meanes admitting it which was not to make him self or to promisse him self to be the head or foundation of the Church For his father gaue him that dignitie and he tooke not that honour to him self nor sent him self nor tooke the keies of heauen of him self but al of his father he had his coÌ„mission the very houre of his incarnation And though S. Augustine sometimes referre the word Petra to Christ in this sentence which no doubt he did because the terminations in Latin are diuers and because he examined not the nature of the original wordes which Christ spake nor of the Greeke and therefore the Aduersaries which otherwise flee to the tongs should not in this case alleage him yet he neuer denieth but Peter also is the Rocke and head of the Church saying that him self expounded it of Peter * in many places and alleageth also S. Ambrose for the same in his hymne which the Church singeth And so do we alleage the holy Councel of Chalcedon Act. 3 pag. 118. Tertullian de praescript Origen Ho. 5 in Exo. S. Cyprian De vnit Ec. S. Hilarie Can. 16 in mat S. Ambrose Ser. 47. 68. li. 6 in c. 9. Luca. S. Hierom Li. 1 in Iouin in c. 2 Esa in c. 16 Hier. S. Epiphanius In Anchor S. Chrysostom Ho. 55 in Mat. S. Cyril Li. 2 c. 12. com in Io. S. Leo Ep. â—9 S. Gregorie Li. 4 ep 32 ind 13. and others euery one of them saying expresly that the Church was founded and builded vpon Peter For though sometimes they say the Church to be builded on Peters faith yet they meane not as our Aduersaries do vnlearnedly take them that it should be builded vpon faith either separated from the man or in any other man but vpon faith as in him who here confessed that faith 1â— Rocke The Aduersaries hearing also the Fathers sometimes say that Peter had these promises and prerogatiues as bearing the person of al the Apostles or of the whole Church deny absurdly that him self in person had these prerogatiues As though Peter had been the proctor only of the Church or
Propitiatorie and the Arke of the Testament Manna Aarons rodde and the golden altar Doth not the Sepulcher of our Lord seeme vnto thee more honorable Which as often as we enter into so often doe we see our Sauiour lie in the sindon and staying there a while we see the Angel againe sitte at his feete and at his head the napkin wrapped together The glorie of whose Sepulcher we know was long prophetied before Ioseph hewed it out by Esay saying And his rest shal be honour to witte because the place of our Lordes burial should be honoured of al men And at this present notwithstanding the Turkes dominion yet doe the Religious Christian Catholike men by Gods mighty prouidence keepe the holy Sepulcher which is within a goodly Church and Christians come out of al the world in Pilgrimage to it 19. Going then Commission to baptize and preache to al Nations geuen to the Apostles and grounded vpon Christes soueraine authority to whom was geuen al power in heauen and in earth 20. With you al daies Here Christ doth promise his concurrence with his Apostles and their successors as wel in preaching as ministring the Sacraments and his protection of the Church neuer to cease til the worlds end contrary to our Aduersaries saying that the Church hath failed many hundred yeres til Luther and Caluin ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF S. MARKES GOSPEL S Markes Gospel may be vvel diuided into foure partes The first part of the preparation that was made to the manifestation of Christ chap. 1. in the beginning The Second of his manifesting himselfe by Preaching and Miracles and that in Galilee the residue of the 1. chap. vnto the 10. chap. The third of his comming into Iurie tovvards his Passion chap. 10. The fourth of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem chap. 11. to the end of the booke Of S. Marke and his conuersation with the tvvo Apostles S. Paul and S. Barnabee vve haue at large Act. 12 and 15. somevvhat also Col. 4. and 2. Tim. 4. and to Philémon Moreouer of his familiaritie vvith the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter vve haue 1 Pet. 5. For so it pleased our Lord that onely tvvo of the Euangelistes should be of his tvvelue Apostles to vvit S. Matthew and S. Iohn The other tvvo S. Marke and S. Luke he gaue vnto vs of the Disciples of his two most principal and most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Whose Gospels therefore were of Antiquitie counted as the Gospels of S. Peter and S. Paul them selues Marke the disciple and interpreter of Peter saith S. Hierom according to that which he heard of Peters mouth wrote at Rome a briefe Gospel at the request of the Brethren about 10 or 12 yeres after our Lordes Ascension Which when Peter had heard he approued it and with his authoritie did publish it to the Church to be read as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth li. 6. hypotypos In the same place S. Hierom addeth hovv he vvent into Aegypt to preach and vvas the first Bishop of the cheefe Citie there named Alexandria and hovv Philo Iudaeus at the same time seeing and admiring the life and conuersation of the Christians there vnder S. Marke vvho vvere Monkes vvrote a booke thereof vvhich is extant to this day And not onely S. Hierom in Marco in Philone but also Eusebius Hist li. 2. ca. 15. 16. 17. Epiphanius Secta 29 Nazaraeorum li. 1. to 2. Cassianus de Instit Caenobiorum li. 2. c. 5. Sozomenus li. 1. c. 12. Nicephorus li. 2 c. 15. and diuerse others do make mention of the said Monkes out of the same Author Finally He died saith S. Hierom the 8 yere of Nero and was buried at Alexandria Anianus succeding in his place But from Alexandria he vvas translated to Venice Anno Dom. 830. It is also to be noted that in respect of S. Peter vvho sent S. Marke his scholer to Alexandria and made him the first Bishop there this See vvas esteemed next in dignitie to the See of Rome and the Bishop thereof vvas accounted the cheefe Metropolitane or Patriarch of the East and that by the first Councel of Nice Whereof see S. Leo ep 53. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 60. li. 6. ep 37. THE HOLY GOSPEL OF IESVS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MARKE CHAP. I. Iohn the Eremite of vvhom the Prophets preaching penance and liuing him self accordingly baptizeth the people to prepare them to Christ 7 telling them that it is not his but Christs Baptisme in vvhich they shal receiue the Holy Ghost 9 IESVS there is manifested from heauen 12 and by and by he also goeth into the vvildernesse 14 Beginning in Galilee 16 after that he hath called foure Disciples 21 he preacheth first in Capharnaum confirming his doctrine vvith beneficial Miracles to the great admiration of al 35 then also but first retiring into the vvildernes in al the rest of Galilee vvith like miracles verse 1 THE beginning of the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God ✠verse 2 As it is vvritten in â— Esay the Prophet ' Behold I send mine Angel before thy face vvho shal prepare thy vvay before thee ✠verse 3 A voice of one crying in the desert Prepare ye the vvay of our Lord make straight his pathes ✠verse 4 * Iohn vvas in the desert baptizing and preaching the baptisme of penance vnto remission of sinnes ✠verse 5 And there vvent forth to him al the countrie of Ievvrie and al they of Hierusalem and vvere baptized of him in the riuer of Iordan â— confessing â— their sinnes ✠verse 6 And Iohn vvas â— clothed vvith camels heare and a girdle of a skinne about his loines and he did eate locustes and vvild honie ✠verse 7 And he preached saying There commeth a stronger then I after me vvhose latchet of his shoes I am not vvorthie stouping dovvne to vnloose ✠verse 8 I haue baptized you â— vvith vvater but he shal baptize you vvith the holy Ghost ✠verse 9 And it came to passe in those daies came IESVS from Nazareth of Galilee and vvas ″ baptized of Iohn in Iordan ✠verse 10 And forth vvith comming vp out of the vvater he savv the heauens opened and â— the Spirit as a doue descending and remaining on him ✠verse 11 And a voice vvas made from heauen Thou art my beloued sonne in thee I am vvel pleased ✠verse 12 And forth vvith * the Spirit droue him out into â— the desert ✠verse 13 And he vvas in the desert fourtie daies and fourtie nightes and vvas tempted of Satan and he vvas vvith beastes and the Angels ministred to him ✠verse 14 And * after that Iohn vvas deliuered vp IESVS came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God ✠verse 15 and saying That the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand be penitent and beleeue the Gospel âœ
very place in S. Matthew and in the Actes where our Sauiour and S. Paul speake thus They haue heard heauily and haue shut their eies left perhaps they may see and vnderstand and be conuerted and I heale them Whereby it is euident that the speaking in parables was not the cause for many beside the Apostles heard and vnderstood but them selues would not heare and vnderstand and be conuerted and so were the cause of their owne wilful and obstinate infidelity And therfore also he spake in parables because they were not worthy to vnderstand as the other to whom he expounded them 27. And sleepe The Church and Christs doctrine sleepe we wake we increaseth by the great prouidence of God only the preachers must sow and plant and water and * God wil giue the increase nourishing the seede in mens harts And therfore we may not giue ouer or be impatient and solicitous if we haue not alwaies good successe but doing our duty commit the rest to God 31. Mustard seed If the Church and Truth had more and more decaied and been obscured after the Apostles time vnto ours as the Heretikes hold then had it been great in the beginning and smal afterward where this Parable saith contrary that it was a mustard seed first and afterward a great tree vide Chrys to 5 contra Gentiles in vita S. Babylae Mart. 32. The birdes Of al sectes or doctrine Christs religion at the beginning was the smallest and most contemptible but the successe thereof farre passed al mans doctrine in so much that afterward al the wisest and greatest of the world made their residence and rest therein CHAP. V. To the Gerasens and in them to al men Christ manifesteth how the Diuel of his malice would vse them if he would permitte 17 and yet they like not their Sauiours presence 21 A woman Gentil that began her sicknesse when the Iewes daughter began her life signifying Abrahams time he cureth by the way as he was comming to heale the Iewes And euen then the Iewes do die but yet them also he wil reuiue as here the Iewes daughter verse 1 AND they came beyond the straite of the sea into the countrie of the Gerasens ✠verse 2 And as he vvent out of the boate immediatly there mette him out of the sepulchres a man in an vncleane spirit ✠verse 3 that had his dvvelling in the sepulchres and neither vvith chaines ″ could any man novv binde him ✠verse 4 for being often bound vvith fetters and chaines he had burst the chaines and broken the fetters and no body could tame him ✠verse 5 and he vvas alvvaies day and night in the sepulchres and in the mountaines crying and cutting him self vvith stones ✠verse 6 And seeing IESVS a farre of he ranne and adored him ✠verse 7 and crying vvith a great voice said What to me and thee IESVS the sonne of God most high I adiure thee by God that thou torment me not ✠verse 8 For he said vnto him Goe out of the man thou vncleane spirit ✠verse 9 And he asked him What is thy name And he saith to him My name is Legion because vve are many ✠verse 10 And he besought him much that he vvould not expel him out of the countrie ✠verse 11 And there vvas there about the mountaine a great heard of svvine feeding ✠verse 12 And the spirits besought him saying Send vs into the svvine that vve may enter into them ✠verse 13 And IESVS immediatly graunted vnto them And the vncleane spirits going out entred into the svvine and the heard vvith great violence vvas caried headlong into the sea about tvvo thousand and vvere stifled in the sea ✠verse 14 And they that fed them fled and caried nevves into the citie and into the fields And they vvent forth to see vvhat vvas done ✠verse 15 and they come to IESVS and they see him that vvas vexed of the deuil sitting clothed and vvel in his vvittes and they vvere afraid ✠verse 16 And they that had seen it told them in vvhat maner he had been dealt vvithal that had the diuel and of the swine ✠verse 17 And they began to desire him that he vvould depart from their coastes ✠verse 18 And vvhen he vvent vp into the boate he that had been vexed of the diuel began to beseeche him that he might be vvith him ✠verse 19 and he admitted him not but saith to him Goe into thy house to thine and tel them hovv great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had mercie vpon thee ✠verse 20 And he vvent his vvay and began to publish in Decapolis hovv great things IESVS had done to him and al marueled ✠verse 21 * And vvhen IESVS had passed in boate againe ouer the straite a great multitude assembled together vnto him and he vvas about the sea ✠verse 22 And there commeth one of the Archsynagogs named Iaîrus and seeing him he falleth dovvne at his feete ✠verse 23 and besought him much saying That my daughter is at the point of death come impose thy hands vpon her that she may be safe and liue ✠verse 24 And he vvent vvith him and a great multitude folovved him and they thronged him ✠verse 25 And a vvoman vvhich vvas in an issue of bloud tvvelue yeres ✠verse 26 and had suffred many things of many Physicions and had bestovved al that she had neither vvas any thing the better but vvas rather vvorse ✠verse 27 vvhen she had heard of IESVS she came in the preasse behind him and touched his garment ✠verse 28 for she said That ″ if I shal touche but his garment I shal be safe ✠verse 29 And forthvvith the fountaine of her bloud vvas dried and she felt in her body that she vvas healed of the maladie ✠verse 30 And immediatly IESVS knovving in him self ″ the vertue that had proceeded from him turning to the multitude said Who hath touched my garments ✠verse 31 And his Disciples said to him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou who hath touched me ✠verse 32 And he looked about to see her that had done this ✠verse 33 But the vvoman fearing and trembling knovving vvhat vvas done in her came and fel dovvne before him and told him al the truth ✠verse 34 And he said to her Daughter thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace and be vvhole of thy maladie ✠verse 35 As he vvas yet speaking they come to ' the Archsynagogue saying That thy daughter is dead vvhy doest thou trouble the Maister any further ✠verse 36 But IESVS hauing heard the vvord that vvas spoken saith to the Archsynagogue Feare not ″ only beleeue ✠verse 37 And he admitted not any man to folovv him but Peter and Iames and Iohn the brother of Iames. ✠verse 38 And they come to the Archsynagogs house
sinnes And we also haue obtained by him that wonderful grace for it is said to his Disciples Whose sinnes you shal remit they are remitted to them And how should not he be able to remit sinnes who gaue others power to doe the same 28 Leauing al folowed him The * profane Iulian charged Matthevv of to much lightnes to leaue al and folovv a stranger at one vvord but in deede hereby is seen the maruelous efficacie of Christes vvord and internal vvorking that in a moment can alter the hart of a man and cause him nothing to esteeme the things most deere vnto him Which he did not onely then in presence but also daily doth in the Church For so S. Antonie S. Francis and others by hearing only the vvord of our Sauiour read in the Church forsooke al and folowed him CHAP. VI. For reprouing by Scripture and miracle as also by reason the Pharisees blindnes about the obseruation of the Sabboth 11 they seeke his death 12 Hauing in the mountaine prayed al night he chooseth tvvelue Apostles 17 and after many miracles vpon the diseased 20 he maketh a sermon to his Disciples before the people proposing heauen to such as vvil suffer for him 24 and vvo to such as vvil not 27 Yet vvithal exhorting to doe good euen to our enemies also 19 and that the Maisters must first mend them selues 46 finally to doe good vvorkes because only faith vvil not suffice verse 1 AND it came to passe on the Sabboth second-first vvhen he passed through the corne his Disciples did plucke the eares and did eate rubbing them vvith their hands ✠verse 2 And certaine of the Pharisees said to them Vvhy doe you that vvhich is not lavvful verse 3 on the Sabboths And IESVS ansvvering them said ″ Neither this haue you read vvhich Dauid did vvhen him self vvas an hungred and they that vvere vvith him ✠verse 4 * hovv he entred into the house of God and tooke the loaues of Proposition and did eate and gaue to them that vvere vvith him vvhich it is not lavvful to eate * but only for Priests ✠verse 5 And he said to them That the sonne of man is Lord of the Sabboth also ✠verse 6 And it came to passe on an other Sabboth also that he entred into the synagogue and taught * And there vvas a man and his right hand vvas vvithered ✠verse 7 And the Scribes and Pharisees vvatched if he vvould cure on the Sabboth that they might finde hovv to accuse him ✠verse 8 But he knevv their cogitations and he said to the man that had the vvithered hand Arise and stand forth into the middes And rising he stoode ✠verse 9 And IESVS said to them I aske you if it be lavvful on the Sabboths to doe vvel or il to ″ saue a soule or to destroy ✠verse 10 And looking about vpon them al he said to the man Stretch forth thy hand And he stretched it forth and his hand vvas restored ✠verse 11 And they vvere replenished vvith madnes and they communed one vvith an other vvhat they might doe to IESVS ✠verse 12 And it came to passe in those daies he vvent forth into the mountaine to pray and he passed ″ the vvhole night in the prayer of God ✠verse 13 * And vvhen day vvas come he called his Disciples and he chose tvvelue of them ″ vvhom also he named Apostles ✠verse 14 ″ Simon vvhom he surnamed Peter and Andrevv his brother Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevv ✠verse 15 Matthevv and Thomas Iames of Alphaeus and Simon that is called Zelótes ✠verse 16 and Iude of Iames and Iudas Iscariote vvhich vvas the traitour ✠verse 17 And descending vvith them he stoode in a plaine place and the multitude of his Disciples and a very great companie of people from al Ievvrie and Hierusalem and the sea coast both of Tyre and Sidon ✠verse 18 vvhich vvere come to heare him and to be healed of their maladies And they that vvere vexed of vncleane spirits vvere cured ✠verse 19 And al the multitude sought to touch him because vertue vvent forth from him and healed al ⊢ ✠verse 20 And he lifting vp his eies vpon his Disciples said * Blessed are ye poore for yours is the kingdom of God ✠verse 21 Blessed are you that novv are an hungred because you shal be filled Blessed are you that novv doe vveepe because you shal laugh ✠verse 22 Blessed shal you be vvhen men shal hate you and vvhen they shal separate you and vpbraide you and abandon your name as euil for the sonne of mans sake ✠verse 23 ″ Be glad in that day and reioyce for behold your revvard is much in heauen ⊢ for according to these things did their fathers to the Prophets ✠verse 24 But vvo to you that are riche because you haue your consolation ✠verse 25 Vvo to you that are filled because you shal be hungrie Vvo to you that novv doe laugh because you shal mourne and vveepe ✠verse 26 Vvho vvhen al men ″ shal blesse you for according to these things did their fathers to the false-Prophets ✠verse 27 But to you I say that doe heare Loue your enemies doe good to them that hate you ✠verse 28 Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that calumniate you ✠verse 29 And he that striketh thee on the cheeke offer also the other And from him that taketh avvay from thee thy robe prohibit not thy coate also ✠verse 30 And to euery one that asketh thee giue and of him that taketh avvay the things that are thine aske not againe ✠verse 31 And according as you vvil that men doe to you doe you also to them in like maner ✠verse 32 And if you loue them that loue you vvhat thanke is to you for sinners also loue those that loue them ✠verse 33 And if ye doe good to them that doe you good vvhat thanke is to you for sinners also doe this ✠verse 34 And if ye lend to them of vvhom ye hope to receiue vvhat thanke is to you for sinners also lend vnto sinners for to receiue as much ✠verse 35 But loue ye your enemies doe good and ″ lend hoping for nothing thereby and your revvard shal be much and you shal be the sonnes of the Highest because him self is beneficial vpō the vnkinde and the euil ✠verse 36 Be ye therfore merciful as also your father is merciful ✠verse 37 Iudge not you shal not be iudged condemne not you shal not be cōdemned forgiue and you shal be forgiuen ✠verse 38 Giue and there shal be giuen to you good measure pressed dovvne and shaken together and running ouer shal they giue into your bosome For vvith the same measure that you do meate it shal be measured to you againe ✠verse
of you vpon the Sabboth loose his oxe or his asse from the manger and leadeth them to vvater ✠verse 16 But ″ this daughter of Abraham vvhom Satan hath bound loe these eightene yeres ought not she to be loosed from this bond on the Sabboth day ✠verse 17 And vvhen he said these things al his aduersaries vvere ashamed and al the people reioyced in al things that vvere gloriously done of him ⊢ ✠verse 18 He said therfore * Vvherevnto is the kingdom of God like and vvherevnto shal I esteeme it like ✠verse 19 It is like to a mustard seede vvhich a man tooke and cast into his garden and it grevv and became a great tree and the foules of the aire rested in the boughes thereof ✠verse 20 And againe he said * Like to vvhat shal I esteeme the kingdom of God ✠verse 21 It is like to leauen vvhich a vvoman tooke and hid in three measures of meale til the vvhole vvas leauened ✠verse 22 And he vvent by cities and tovvnes teaching and making his iourney vnto Hierusalem ✠verse 23 And a certaine man said to him Lord be they fevv that are saued * But he said to them ✠verse 24 Striue to enter ″ by the narrovv gate because many I say to you ″ shal seeke to enter and shal not be able ✠verse 25 But vvhen the good man of the house shal enter in and shut the doore and you shal begin to stand vvithout and knocke at the doore saying Lord open to vs and he ansvvering shal say to you I knovv you not vvhence you are ✠verse 26 then you shal begin to say Vve did ″ eate before thee and drinke and in our streates didst thou teach ✠verse 27 And he shal say to you I knovv you not vvhence you are depart from me al ye vvorkers of iniquite ✠verse 28 There shal be vveeping and gnashing of teeth vvhen you shal see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and al the Prophets in the kingdom of God and you to be thrust out ✠verse 29 And there shal come from the East and the Vvest and the North and the South and shal sit dovvne in the kingdom of God ✠verse 30 And behold they are last that shal be first and they be first that shal be last ✠verse 31 The same day there came certaine of the Pharisees saying to him Depart and get the hence because Herod vvil kil thee ✠verse 32 And he said to them Goe and tel that foxe Behold I cast out deuils and perfite cures this day and to morovv and the third day I am consummate ✠verse 33 But yet I must vvalke this day and to morovv and the day folovving because it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Hierusalem ✠verse 34 * Hierusalem Hierusalem vvhich killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee hovv often vvould I gather thy childrē as the bird doth her brood vnder her vvings and thou vvouldest not ✠verse 35 Behold your house shal be left desert to you And I say to you that you shal not see me til it come vvhen you shal say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 2. These Galilaans It is Gods mercie that he straight punisheth not al offenders but some fevv for a vvarning to all as that for Schisme he striketh nor al such as haue forsaken the Church and the lavvful Priests as he did Coré and his complices that for spoile of Churches he reuengeth not al as he did Heliodorus and al that vow and reuoke their gifts to God as Ananias and Sapphîra Some few therfore for their iust deserts be so handled for example to prouoke al others guilty of the same crimes to doe penance Which if they doe not in this life they shal all assuredly perish in the next world Optatus li. 1 cont Parmen sub finem 16. This daughter we may see that many diseases which seeme natural doe procede of the Diuel by Gods permission either for sinne or for probation and both those kindes Christ specially cured for that no natural medicines could cure them and specially because he came to dissolue the workes of Satan both in body and soul 24. By the narrovv Our Lord is not contrarie to him self in that he ansvvereth the gate to be straite and fevv to be saued whereas els vvhere he said that many should come from the East and Vvest c. and ioy with Abraham in the kingdom of heauen Mat. 8. 11. For though they be few in respect of the vvicked of al sortes yet they be many in them selues and in the societie of Angels the vvheate cornes are scarse seen at the threshing vvhen they are medled with the chaffe but vvhen the il are remoued the vvhole barne of heauen shal be filled So saith S. Aug. Ser. 32 de verb. Do. 24. Shal seeke Many vvould be saued and looke to be saued but can not because they vvil not take paines to enter in at so straite a passage that is to say to fast much pray often doe great penance for their sinnes liue in holy Churches discipline abstaine from the pleasures of this world and suffer persecution and losse of their goods and liues for Christes sake 26. Eate before thee It is not ynough to feede vvith Christ in his Sacraments or to heare his vvord the Church to chalēge heauen thereby vnlesse vve liue in vnitie of the Catholike Church So S. Augustine applieth this against the Donatistes that had the very same seruice and Sacraments which the Catholike Church had but yet seuered them selues from other Christian countries by Schisme CHAP. XIIII By occasion of dining with a Pharisee 2 after that he hath againe confounded them for maligning him for his miraculous good doing on the Sabboth 7 he teacheth them humilitie seing their ambition 1◠and in their workes to seeke retribution not of men in this worlde but of God in the world to come 16 foretelling also that the Iewes for their worldly excuses shal not tast of the Supper but the Gentils in their place 〈◊〉 Yea that so far must men be from al worldlines that they must earnestly bethinke them before they enter into his Church and be ready to forgot all 34 specially considering they must be the salt of others also verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen IESVS entred into the house of a certaine Prince of the Pharisees vpon the Sabboth to eate bread and they vvatched him ✠verse 2 And behold there vvas a certaine man before him that had the dropsie ✠verse 3 And IESVS ansvvering spake to the Lavvyers and Pharisees saying Is it Lavvful to cure on the Sabboth ✠verse 4 But they held their peace but he taking him healed him and sent him avvay ✠verse 5 And ansvvering them he said Vvhich of you shal haue
an asse or an oxe fallen into a pit and vvil not incontinent dravv him out on the Sabboth day ✠verse 6 And they could not ansvver him to these things ✠verse 7 And he spake to them also that vvere inuited a parable marking hovv they chose the first seats at the table saying to them ✠verse 8 when thou art inuited to a mariage sit not dovvne in the first place lest perhaps a more honorable then thou be inuited of him ✠verse 9 and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee Giue this man place and then thou begin vvith shame to take the last place ✠verse 10 But vvhen thou art bidden goe sit dovvne in the lovvest place that vvhen he that inuited thee commeth he may say to thee Frende sit vp higher then shalt thou haue glorie before them that sit at table vvith thee ✠verse 11 because euery one that exalteth him self shal be humbled and he that humbleth him self shal be exalted ⊢ ✠verse 12 And he said to him also that had inuited him Vvhen thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy frendes nor thy brethrē nor kinsmen nor thy neighbours that are riche lest perhaps they also inuite thee againe and recompense be made to thee ✠verse 13 But vvhen thou makest a feast cal the poore feeble lame and blinde ✠verse 14 and thou shalt be blessed because they haue nor to recōpense thee for recompense shal be made thee in the resurrection of the iust ✠verse 15 Vvhen one of them that sate at the table vvith him had heard these things he said to him Blessed is he that shal eate bread in the kingdom of God ✠verse 16 But he said to him A certaine man made a great supper and called many ✠verse 17 And he sent his seruant at the houre of supper to say to the inuited That they should come because novv al things are ready ✠verse 18 And they began al at once to make excuse The first said to him I haue bought a farme and I must needes goe forth and see it I pray thee hold me excused ✠verse 19 And an other said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee hold me excused ✠verse 20 And an other said I haue maried a vvife and therfore I can not come ✠verse 21 And the seruant returning told these things to his lord Then the maister of the house being angrie said to his seruant Goe forth quickly into the streates and lanes of the citie and the poore and feeble and blinde and lame bring in hither ✠verse 22 And the seruant said Lord it is done as thou didst commaunde and yet there is place ✠verse 23 And the lord said to the seruant Goe forth into the waies and hedges and ″ compel them to enter that my house may be filled ✠verse 24 But I say to you that none of those men that vvere called shal tast my supper ⊢ ✠verse 25 And great multitudes vvent vvith him and turning he said to them ✠verse 26 * If any man come to me and hateth not his father and mother and vvife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his ovvne life besides he can not be my disciple ✠verse 27 And he that doth not beare his crosse and come after me cannot be my disciple ✠verse 28 For vvhich of you minding to build a toure doth not first sit dovvne and recken the charges that are necessarie vvhether he haue to finish it ✠verse 29 lest after that he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it al that see it begin to mocke him ✠verse 30 saying That this man began to build and he could not finish it ✠verse 31 Or vvhat king about to goe to make vvare against an other king doth not first sit dovvne and thinke vvhether he be able vvith ten thousands to meete him that vvith tvventie thousands commeth against him ✠verse 32 Othervvise vvhiles he is yet farre of sending a legacie he asketh those things that belong to peace ✠verse 33 So therfore euery one of you that doth not renounce al that he possesseth cannot be my disciple ⊢ ✠verse 34 * Salt is good But if the salt leese his vertue vvherevvith shal it be seasoned ✠verse 35 It is profitablè neither for the ground nor for the dunghil but it shal be cast forth He that hath eares to heare let him heare ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 2◠Compel them The vehement persuasion that God vseth both externally by force of his vvord and miracles and internally by his grace to bring vs vnto him is called compelling not that he forceth any to come to him against their owne willes but that he can alter and mollifie an hard hart and make him vvilling that before vvould not S. Augustine also referreth this compelling to the penal lawes which Catholike Princes do iustly vse against Heretikes and Schismatikes prouing that they who are by their former professiō in Baptisme subiect to the Catholike Church and are departed from the same after Sectes may and ought to be compelled into the vnitie and societie of the vniuersal Church againe and therfore in this sense by the two former partes of the parable the Ievves first and secondly the Gentils that neuer beleeued before in Christ vvere inuited by faire svveete meanes onely but by the third such are inuited as the Church of God hath power ouer because they promised in baptisme and therfore are to be reuoked not onely by gentle meanes but by iust punishment also CHAP. XV. By occasion of the Pharisees murmuring at him for receiuing penitent sinners he sheweth what ioy shal be in heauen for the conuersion of one sinner 11 and for the yonger sonne which is the Gentils 25 the elder to wit the Iewes in the meane time disdaining thereat and refusing to come into his Church verse 1 AND there approched Publicans and sinners vnto him for to heare him ✠verse 2 And the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured saying That this man receiueth sinners and eareth vvith them ✠verse 3 And he spake to them this parable saying ✠verse 4 * Vvhat man of you hauing an hundred sheepe and if he hath lost one of them doth he not leaue the ninetie nine in the desert and goeth after that vvhich vvas lost vntil he finde it ✠verse 5 And vvhen he hath found it laieth it vpon his shoulders reioycing ✠verse 6 and comming home calleth together his frendes and neighbours saying to them Reioyce vvith me because I haue found my sheepe that vvas lost ✠verse 7 I say to you that euen so there shal be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner that doth penance ″ then vpon ninetie nine iust that neede not penance ✠verse 8 Or vvhat vvoman hauing ten grotes if she leese
Hel went thither specially and deliuered the said fathers out of that mansion Iren. li. 4 c. â—9 Euseb Demonst Euang. li. 10. c. 8 sub fineÌ„ Nazian orat 2 de Pasch Chrysost to 5 in demonst Quod Christus sit Deus paulo post initium Epipha in heres 46 Tatiani Ambro. de myst Pasch c. 4. Hiero. in 9 Zacharia August ep 99 li. 20 de Ciuit. c. 15. Paulinus in Panegyrico Celst Cyrillus in lo. li. 12 c. 36 ad illud Inclinato capite Gregor li. 6 ep 179. vvhich truth and place though of al the ancient vvriters confessed and proued by this and other Scriptures yet the Aduersaries deny it as they do Purgatorie most impudently 26 A great chaos A great distance betvvixt Abrahams bosome and the inferiour hel Some iudge Purgatorie to be placed there from vvhence no doubt Christ also deliuered some at his descending to hel for these in Abrahams bosome vvere not in paines and S. Augustine saith the Scriptures be plaine that he tooke some out of the places of punishment and yet none out of the hel of the damned What other place then can that be but Purgatorie 28. Lest they also If the damned had care of their frendes aliue how for what cause soeuer much more haue the Saincts and saued persons And if those in hel haue meanes to expresse their cogitations and desires and to be vnderstood of Abraham so far distant both by place and condition much rather may the liuing pray to the Saincts and be heard of them betvvixt earth that is to say the Church militant and heauen being continual passage of soules and * Angels ascending and descending by Iacobs ladder Mâ—n must not for al that be curious to searche how the soules of the deceased expresse their mindes and be heard one of an other and so fall to blasphemie as Caluin doth asking whether their eares be so long to heare so far of and wickedly measuring al things by mortal mens corporal grosse maner of vttering conceits one to an other Which was not here done by this damned nor by Abraham with corporal instruments of tongue teeth and eares though for the better expressing of the damneds case Christ vouchsaued to vtter it in termes agreeing to our capacitie CHAP. XVII So damnable it is to be author of a Schisme 3 that we must rather forgiue be it neuer so often 5 We must he feruent in faith 7 and humble withal knowing that we are bound to God and not he to vs. ″ The nine Iewes are vngrateful after that he hath cured their leprosie but the one Samaritane the one Catholike Church of the Gentils far otherwise 20 The Pharisees asking when coÌ„meth this kingdom of God of whose approching they had now heard so much he teacheth that God must reigne within vs 22 and warneth vs after his Passion neuer to goe out of his Catholike Church for any new secrete coÌ„ming of Christ that Heretikes shal pretend but onely to expect his second coÌ„ming in glorie 26 preparing our selues vnto it because it shal come vpon many vnprouided 31 specially through the persecution of Antichrist a litle before it verse 1 AND he said to his Disciples It is impossible that scandale should not come but vvo to him by vvhom they come ✠verse 2 It is more profitable for him if a mil-stone be put about his necke and he be cast into the sea then that he scaÌ„dalize one of these litle ones ✠verse 3 Looke vvel to your selues * If thy brother sinne against thee rebuke him and if he doe penance forgiue him ✠verse 4 And if he sinne against thee seuen times in a day and seuen times in a day be conuerted vnto thee saying It repenteth me forgiue him ✠verse 5 And the Apostles said to our Lord Increase faith in vs. ✠verse 6 And our lord said * If you had faith like to a mustard seede you might say to this mulberie tree be thou rooted vp and be transplanted into the sea and it vvould obey you ✠verse 7 And vvhich of you hauing a seruant plovving or keeping cattle that vvil say to him returning out of the field Passe quickly sit dovvne ✠verse 8 and saith not to him Make ready supper and gird thy self and serue me vvhiles I eate and drinke and aftervvard thou shalt eate and drinke ✠verse 9 Doth he giue that seruant thankes for doing the things vvhich he commaunded him ✠verse 10 I trovv not So you also vvhen you shal haue done al things that are commaunded you say Vve are ″ vnprofitable seruants vve haue done that vvhich vve ought to doe ✠verse 11 And it came to passe as he vvent vnto Hierusalem he passed through the middes of Samaria and Galilee ✠verse 12 And vvhen he entred into a certaine tovvne there mette him ten men that vvere lepers vvho stoode a farre of ✠verse 13 and they lifted vp their voice saying IESVS maister haue mercie on vs. ✠verse 14 Vvhom as he savv he said Goe * shevv your selues ″ to the Priests And it came to passe ″ as they vvent they vvere made cleane ✠verse 15 And one of them as he savv that he vvas made cleane vvent backe vvith a loud voice magnifying God ✠verse 16 and he fel on his face before his feete giuing thankes and this vvas a Samaritane ✠verse 17 And IESVS ansvvering said Vvere not ten made cleane and vvhere are the nine ✠verse 18 There vvas not found that returned and gaue glorie to God but this stranger ✠verse 19 And he said to him Arise goe thy vvaies because thy faith hathmade thee safe ⊢ ✠verse 20 And being asked of the Pharisees Vvhen commeth the kingdom of God he ansvvered them and said The kingdom of God commeth not vvith obseruation ✠verse 21 neither shal they say Loe here or loe there for loe the kingdom of God is vvithin you ✠verse 22 And he said to his Disciples The daies vvil come vvhen you shal desire to see one day of the Sonne of man and you shal not see ✠verse 23 * And they vvil say to you Loe here and loe there Goe not neither doe ye folovv after ✠verse 24 For euen as the lightening that lighteneth from vnder heauen vnto those partes that are vnder heauen shineth so shal the Sonne of man be in his day ✠verse 25 But first he must suffer many things and be reiected of this generation ✠verse 26 And as it came to passe in the daies of Noé so shal it be also in the daies of the Sonne of man ✠verse 27 They did eate and drinke they did marie vviues and vvere giuen to mariage euen vntil the day that Noé entred into the arke and the floud came and destroyed them al. ✠verse 28 Likevvise as it came to passe in the * daies of Lot They did eate
these things vvas stroken sad because he vvas very riche ✠verse 24 And IESVS seeing him stroken sad said Hovv hardly shal they that haue money enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 25 For it is easier for a camel to passe through the eie of a nedle then for a riche man to enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 26 And they that heard said And vvho can be saued ✠verse 27 He said to them The things that are impossible vvith men are possible vvith God ✠verse 28 And Peter said Loe vve haue left al things and haue folovved thee ✠verse 29 Vvho said to them Amen I say to you There is no man that hath leaft house or parents or brethren or vvife or children for the kingdom of God ✠verse 30 and shal not receiue much more in this time and in the vvorld to come life euerlasting ✠verse 31 * And IESVS tooke the Tvvelue and said to them Behold vve goe vp to Hierusalem and al things shal be consummate vvhich vvere vvritten by the Prophets of the sonne of man ✠verse 32 For he shal be deliuered to the Gentiles and shal be mocked and scourged and spit vpon ✠verse 33 and after they haue scourged him they vvil kil him and the third day he shal rise againe ✠verse 34 And they vnderstoode none of these things and this vvord vvas hid from them and they vnderstoode not the things that vvere said ✠verse 35 And it came to passe vvhen he drevv nigh to Iericho a certaine blinde man sate by the vvay begging ✠verse 36 And vvhen he heard the multitude passing by he asked what this should be ✠verse 37 And they told him that IESVS of Nazareth passed by ✠verse 38 And he cried saying IESVS sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me ✠verse 39 And they that vvent before rebuked him that he should hold his peace But he cried much more Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me ✠verse 40 And IESVS standing commaunded him to be brought vnto him And vvhen he vvas come neere he asked him ✠verse 41 saying Vvhat vvilt thou that I doe to thee but he said Lord that I may see ✠verse 42 And IESVS said to him Do thou see thy faith hath made thee vvhole ✠verse 43 And forthvvith he savv and folovved him magnifying God And al the people as they savv it gaue praise to God ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVIII 8. Shal he finde faith The Luciferians and Donatists vsed this place to excuse their fall from the Church as our Aduersaries novv doe saying that it vvas decaied in faith vvhen they forsooke it To vvhom vve answer as S. Hierom and S. Augustin answered them that Christ saith not that there should be no faith leaft in earth but by this maner of speache the insinuateth that at the later day in the great persecution of Antichrist faith should be more rare and the faithful among so many wicked not so notorious specially that perfect faith containing deuotion trust and affection toward God which our Maister so praised in certaine vpon whom he wrought miracles and by force vvhereof mountaines might be moued vvhich is rare euen vvhen the Church florisheth most CHAP. XIX In Ieriche he lodgeth in the house of Zachaus a Publicane and against the murmuring Iewes openeth the reasons of his so doing 11 He shevveth that the last day should not be yet 15 and whas then in the iudgement he vvil doe both to vs of his Church as vvel good as bad 47 and also to the reprobate Ievves 29 Being nevv come to the place of his Passion he entreth vveeping and foretelling the destruction of blinde Hierusalem vvhich triumph as their Christ 4◠He shevveth his zeale for the house of God and teacheth therein euery day 47 The rulers would destroy him but for feare of the people verse 1 AND entring in he vvalked through Iericho ✠verse 2 And behold a man named Zachaeus and this vvas a Prince of the Publicans and he riche ✠verse 3 And he sought to see IESVS vvhat he vvas and he could not for the multitude because he vvas litle of stature ✠verse 4 And running before he ″ vvent vp into a sycomore tree that he might see him because he vvas to passe by it ✠verse 5 And vvhen he vvas come to the place IESVS looking vp savv him and said to him Zachaeus come dovvne in hast because this day I must abide in thy house ✠verse 6 And he in hast came dovvne and receiued him reioycing ✠verse 7 And vvhen al savv it they murmured saying that he turned in to a man that vvas a sinner ✠verse 8 But Zachaeus standing said to our Lord Behold the halfe of my goods Lord I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man of any thing ″ I restore fourefold ✠verse 9 IESVS said to him That this day saluation is made to this house because that he also is the sonne of Abraham ✠verse 10 * For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that vvhich vvas lost ⊢ ✠verse 11 They hearing these things he added and spake a parable for that he was nigh to Hierusalem and because they thought that forthvvith the kingdom of God should be manifested ✠verse 12 He said therfore * A certaine noble man vvent into a farre countrie to take to him self a kingdom and to returne ✠verse 13 And calling his ten seruants he gaue them ten poundes and said to them Occupie til I come ✠verse 14 And his citizens hated him and they sent a legacie after him saying Vve vvil not haue this man reigne ouer vs. ✠verse 15 And it came to passe after he returned hauing receiued his kingdom and he commaunded his seruants to be called to vvhom he gaue the money that he might knovv how much euery mā had gained by occupying ✠verse 16 And the first came saying Lord thy pound hath gotten ten poundes ✠verse 17 And he said to him Vvel fare thee good seruant because thou hast been faithful in a litle thou shalt haue povver ouer ten cities ✠verse 18 And the second came saying Lord thy pound hath made fiue poundes ✠verse 19 And he said to him And be thou ouer fiue cities ✠verse 20 And an other came saying Lord loe here thy pound vvhich I haue had laid vp in a napkin ✠verse 21 for I feared thee because thou art an austêre man thou takest vp that thou didst not set dovvne and thou reapest that vvhich thou didst not sovv ✠verse 22 He saith to him By thine ovvne mouth I iudge thee naughtie seruant Thou didst knovv that I am an austere man taking vp that I set not dovvne and reaping that vvhich I sovved not ✠verse 23 and vvhy didst thou not giue my money to the banke and I comming might certes vvith vsurie haue
God miraculously our Sacrament more it vvas to be eaten for the time of their peregrination our Sacrament more it vvas to euery man vvhat he liked best our Sacrament more a litle thereof serued and sufficed as vvel as much our Sacrament more it vvas reserued for such daies as it could not be gathered and our Sacramēt much more it vvas kept for a memorial in the arke of the Testament our Sacrament much more the discontented and incredulous murmured and gainsaid it at our Sacrament much more it sustained their bodies in the desert our Sacrament both body and soule much more 52. Hovv can this man It came not to their minde that nothing vvas impossible to God that vvickedly said Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh but vve may make great profite of their sinne beleeuing the Mysteries and taking a lesson neuer to say or once thinke Hovv for it is a Ievvish vvord and vvorthy al punishment so saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 11 in Io. Neuertheles if one asked onely for desire to learne in humility as our Lady did touching her hauing a childe in her virginitie then he must take the Angels answer to her That it is of the Holy Ghost so saith S. Damascene li. 4. c. 14. 53. vnles you eate Christ cōmending the Sacrament of the faithful vnto vs said Except you eate c. you can not haue life in you So the life saith of life and to him that thinketh the life to be a lier this meate shal be death not life to him August Ser. 2 de verb. Ap. c. 1. And S. Leo thus Because our Lord saith Except you eate c. let vs so communicate that vve nothing doubt of the truth of Christes body and bloud for that 〈◊〉 receiued vvith mouth vvhich is beleiued in hart and they ansvver Amen in vaine that dispute against that vvhich they receiue 53. And drinke This the Protestants alleage for the necessitie of receiuing in both kindes but in respect of them selues who lightly hold al this chapter to pertaine nothing to the Sacramental receiuing but to spiritual feeding on Christ by faith onely it can make nothing for one kinde or other And in respect of vs Catholikes who beleeue Christs whole person both humanitie and Diuinitie both flesh and bloud to be in either forme and to be vvholy receiued no lesse in the first then in the second or in both this place commaundeth nothing for both the kindes 53. You shal not haue life Though the Catholikes teach these wordes to be spoken of the Sacrament yet they meane not no more then our Sauiour here doth to exclude al from saluation that receiue not actually and Sacramentally vnder one or both kindes For then children that die after they be baptized and neuer receiued Sacramentally should perish which to hold were heretical Neither did S. Augustine meane applying these wordes to infants also that they could not be saued without receiuing sacramentally as not onely the Heretikes but Erasmus did vnlearnedly mistake him but his sense is that they were by the right of their Baptisme ioyned to Christs body Mystical and thereby spiritually partakers of the other Sacrament also of Christs body and bloud As al Catholike men that be in prison ioyning with the Church of God in hart and desire to receiue and be partakers with the Church of this Sacrament and those specially that deuoutly heare Masse and adore in presence the body and bloud of Christ ioyning in hart with the Priest al these receiue life and fruite of the Sacrament though at euery time they receiue not sacramentally in one or both kindes And although in the Primitiue Church the holy Sacrament in the second kind were often giuen euen to infants to sanctifie them yet as the holy Councel hath declared it was neuer ministred vnto them with opinion that they could not be saued without it and therfore the Heretikes do vntruely charge the Church and the Fathers with that errour 54. I vvil raise him As the Sonne liueth by the Father euen so do vve liue by his flesh saith S. Hilarie li. 8. de Trin. And S. Cyril againe thus Though by nature of our flesh vve be corruptible yet by participation of life vve are reformed is the propertie of life For not onely our soules vvere to be lifted vp by the holy Ghost to life euerlasting but this rude grosse terrestrial body of ours is to be reduced to immoralitie by touching tasting and eating this agreable food of Christes body And vvhen Christ saith I vvil raise him vp he meaneth that this body vvhich he eateth shal raise him Our flesh saith Tertullian eateth the body and bloud of Christ that the soule may also be fatted therfore they shal both haue one revvard at the Resurrection And S. Irenaeus Hovv do they affirme that our bodies be not capable of life euerlasting vvhich is nourished by the body and bloud of our Lord Either let them change their opinion or els cease to offer the Eucharist S. Gregorie Nyssene also saith That liuely body entering into our body changeth it and maketh it like and immortal 55. Meate in deede Manna was not the true meate nor the water of the rocke the drinke in deede for they did but driue avvay death or famine for a time and for this life But the holy Body of Christ is the true food nourishing to life euerlasting and his bloud the true drinke that driueth death avvay vtterly for they be not the body and bloud of a mere man but of him that being ioyned to life is made life and therfore are vve the body and members of Christ because by this benediction of the mysterie vve receiue the sonne of God him self So saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 16 in Io. 58. He that eateth this bread By this place the holy Councel proueth that for the grace and effect of the Sacrament which is the life of the soule there is no difference whether a man receiue both kindes or one because our Sauiour vvho before attributed life to the eating and drinking of his body and bloud doth here also affirme the same effect vvhich is life euerlasting to come of eating onely vnder one forme Therfore the Heretikes be seditious calumniators that would make the people beleeue the Catholike Church and Priests to haue defrauded them of the grace and benefite of one of the kindes in the Sacrament Nay it is they that haue defrauded the world by taking away both the real substance of Christ and the grace from one kinde and both kindes and from al other Sacraments The Church doth onely by the wisedom of Gods Spirit and by instruction of Christ and his Apostles according to time and place for Gods most honour the reuerence of the Sacrament and the peoples most profite thereby dispose of the maner and order how the Priest how the people shal receiue
of them perished but the sonne of perdition that the * scripture may be fulfilled ✠verse 13 And novv I come to thee and these things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in them selues ✠verse 14 I haue giuen them thy vvord and the vvorld hath hated them because they are not of the vvorld as I also am not of the vvorld ✠verse 15 I pray not that thou take them avvay out of the vvorld but that thou preserue them from euil ✠verse 16 Of the vvorld they are not as I also am not of the vvorld ✠verse 17 ″ Sanctifie them in truth Thy vvord is truth ✠verse 18 As thou didst send me into the vvorld I also haue sent them into the vvorld ✠verse 19 And for thē I doe sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified in truth ✠verse 20 And not for them only doe I pray ″ but for thē also that by their vvord shal beleeue in me ✠verse 21 that they al may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one that the vvorld may beleeue that thou hast sent me ✠verse 22 And the glorie that thou hast giuen me haue I giuen to them that they may be one as vve also are one ✠verse 23 I in them and thou in me that they may be consummate in one ⊢ and the vvorld may knovv that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued ✠verse 24 Father vvhom thou hast giuen me I vvil that vvhere I am they also may be vvith me that they maye see my glorie vvhich thou hast giuen me because thou hast loued me before the creation of the vvorld ✠verse 25 Iust Father the vvorld hath not knovven thee but I haue knovven thee and these haue knovven that thou didst send me ✠verse 26 And I haue notified thy name to them and vvil notifie it that the loue vvhervvith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them ANNOTATIONS CHAP XVII 3. Life euerlasting Both the life of glorie in heauen and of grace here in the Church consisteth in the knowledge of God that in perfect vision this in faith working by charitie for knowledge of God without keeping his commaundements is not true knowledge that is to say it is an vnprofitable knowledge 1 Io. 2. 17. Sanctifie them Christ prayeth that the Apostles their successors al that shal be of their beleefe may be sanctified in truth Which is as much to say as to desire that the Church may euer haue the Spirit of truth and be free from errour Which praier of Christ had not been heard if the Church might erre 20. But for them He expresseth and it is a great comfort that he praieth not onely for the Apostles but for the whole Church after them that is for al beleeuers And al this profound and diuine praier is resembled in the holy Canon of the Masse before the consecration as here it was made before his visible Sacrifice on the crosse CHAP. XVIII Being gone to the place that Iudas the Traitor did knovv 4 he offereth him self to the hand of his enemies shovveth his Diuine might in ouerthrovving them al vvith a vvord and in sauing his Apostles from them also vvith a vvord 10 rebuketh Peter that vvould defend him from them 1◠and so being apprehended is brought bound to Annas and Caipha◠vvhere he is striken by a seruant and thrise denied of Peter 28 Againe in the morning he is by them brought to Pilate 29 Who demaunding their accusation vvhereas they vvould oppresse him vvith their authoritie 〈◊〉 and examining the point of his kingdom pronounceth him innocent yet they cri◠rather to haue a theeues life saued verse 1 WHEN IESVS had said these things he vvent forth vvith his disciples beyond the Torrent-Cedron vvhere vvas a garden into the vvhich he entred and his Disciples ✠verse 2 And Iudas also that betraied him knevv the place because IESVS had often resorted thither together vvith his Disciples ✠verse 3 * Iudas therfore hauing receiued the band of men and of the cheefe Priests and the Pharisees ministers commeth thither vvith lanternes and torches and vveapons ✠verse 4 IESVS therfore knovving al things that should come vpon him vvent forth and said to them Vvhom seeke ye ✠verse 5 they ansvvered him IESVS of Nazareth IESVS saith to them I am he And Iudas also that betraied him stoode vvith them ✠verse 6 As sone therfore as he said to them I am he they vvent backvvard and fel to the ground ✠verse 7 Againe therfore he asked them Vvhom seeke ye And they said IESVS of Nazareth ✠verse 18 IESVS ansvvered haue told you that I am he if therfore you seeke me let these goe their vvaies ✠verse 9 That the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich he said * That of them vvhom thou hast giuen me I haue not lost any ✠verse 10 Simon Peter therfore hauing a svvord drevve it out and smote the seruant of the high priest cut of his right eare And the name of the seruant vvas Malchus ✠verse 11 IESVS therfore said to Peter Put vp thy svvord into the scabbard The chalice vvhich my father hath giuen me shal not I drinke it ✠verse 12 The band therfore and the Tribune the ministers of the Ievves apprehended IESVS and bound him ✠verse 13 and they brought him to Annas first for he vvas father in lavv to Caiphas vvho vvas the high priest of that yere ✠verse 14 And * Caiphas vvas he that had giuen the cousel to the Ievves That it is expedient that one man die for the people ✠verse 15 * And Simon Peter folovved IESVS and an other disciple And that Disciple vvas knovven to the high priest and vvent in vvith IESVS into the court of the high priest ✠verse 16 but Peter stoode at the doore vvithout The other disciple therfore that vvas knovven to the high Priest vvent forth and spake to the portresse and brought in Peter ✠verse 17 The vvench therfore that vvas portresse saith to Peter Art not thou also of this mans disciples He saith to her I am not ✠verse 18 And the seruants and ministers stoode at a fire of coles because it vvas cold and vvarmed them selues And vvith them vvas Peter also standing and vvarming him self ✠verse 19 The high priest therfore asked IESVS of his disciples and of his doctrine ✠verse 20 IESVS ansvvered him I haue openly spokē to the vvorld I haue alvvaies taught in the synagogue and in the temple vvhither al the Ievves resort together and in secrete I haue spoken nothing ✠verse 21 Vvhy askest thou me aske them that haue heard vvhat I haue spoken vnto them behold they knovv vvhat things I haue said ✠verse 22 Vvhen he had said these
blessing them Ascendeth into heauen ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF THE ACTES OF THE APOSTLES THE Gospel hauing shevved hovv the Ievves most impiously rèiected Christ as also Moyses and the Prophets had foretold of them and therefore deserued to be reiected themselues also of him novv folovveth this booke of the Actes of the Apostles vvritten by S. Luke in Rome the fourth yâ—râ— of Nero An. Dom. 61 and shevveth hovv notvvithstanding their desertes Christ of his mercy as the Prophets also had foretold of him offered him selfe vnto that vnvvorthy people yea after that they had Crucified him sending vnto them his tvvelue Apostles to moue them to penance and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church and vvhiles al the Tvvelue vvere so occupied about the Ievves hovv of a persecuting Ievve he made an extraordinarie Apostle vvho vvas S. Paul and to auoide the scaÌ„dal of the Ievves to vvhom onely him selfe likevvise for the same cause had preached sent him and not any of his Twelue by and by who were his knovven Apostles vnto the Gentiles vvho neuer afore had Heard of Christ and vvere vvorshippers of many Gods to moue them also for that likevvise the Prophets had foretold to faith and penance and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church and hovv the incredulous Ievves euery vvhere resisted the same Apostle and his preaching to the Gentiles persecuting him and seeking his death and neuer ceasing vntil he fel into the handes of the Gentils that so as not onely he euery vvhere but also the Prophets afore him and Christ had foretold the Gospel might be taken avvay from them and giuen to the Gentiles euen from Hierusalem vvhose reprobation also by name had been often foretold the headcitie of the Iewes vvhere it began translated to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles Al this vvil be euident by the partes of the booke vvhich may be these sixe First hovv Christ Ascending in the sight of his Disciples promised vnto them the Holy ghost fortelling that of him they should receiue strength and so begin his Church in Hierusalem and from thence dilate it into al that Countrie that is into al Iurie yea and into Samaria also yea into al Nations of the Gentiles be they neuer so far of You shal receiue saith he the vertue of the Holy ghost coÌ„ming vpon you and you shal be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem in al Iurie and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth Chap. 1. Secondly the beginning of the Church in Hierusalem accordingly Chap. 2. Thirdly the propagation of it consequently into al Iurie and also to Samaria Chap. 8. Fourthly the propagation of it to the Gentiles also Chap. 10. Fifthly the taking of it avvay from the obstinate Ievves and geuing of it to the Gentiles by the ministerie of S. Paul and S. Barnabee Chap. 13. Sixthly of taking it avvay from Hierusalem it selfe the headcitie of the Ievves and sending it as it vvere to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles and that in their persecuting of Paul so far * that he appealed to Caesar and so deliuering him after a sort vnto the Romanes as they bad * before deliuered to them also Christ him selfe vvhere as S. Peters first coÌ„ming thither vvas vpon an other occasion as shal be said anone Of vvhich Romanes and Gentiles therfore the same S. Paul being novv come to Rome the last Chap. of the Actes foretelleth the obstinat Ievves there saying Et ipsi audient You vvil not heare but they vvil heare that so the prediction of Christ aboue rehearsed might be fulfilled And euen to the vtmost of the earth And there doth S. Luke end the booke not caring to tel so much as the fulfilling of that vvhich our Lord had foretold Act. 27 24 to S. Paul Thou must appeare before Caesar because his purpose vvas no more but to shevv the nevv Hierusalem of the Christians vvhere Christ vvould place the cheefe seate of his Church as also in deede the Fathers and al other Catholikes haue in al ages looked thither vvhen they vvere in any great doubt no lesse then the Ievves to Hierusalem as they vvere appointed in the old Testament Deut. 17 8. And so this Booke doth shevv the true Church as plainely as the Gospel doth shevv the true Christ vnto al that do not vvilfully shut their ovvne â—ies to vvit this to be the true Church vvhich beginning visibly at Hierusalem vvas taken from the Ievves and translated to the Gentils and namely to Rome continuing visibly and visibly to continue hereafter also Vntil the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be come in that then also Al Israël may be saued and then is come the end of the vvorld For so did Christ most plainely foretel vs This Gospel of the Kingdom shal be preached in the vvhole world for a testimonie to al Nations and then shal come the consummation For the conuersion of vvhich Nations and accomplishing the fulnes of al Gentiles the foresaid Church Catholike being mindful of her office to be Christes witnes euen to the vtmost of the earth doth at this present as alvvaies send preachers to conuert and make them also Christians vvhereas the protestants and * al other Heretikes do nothing els but subuert such as before vvere Christians And this being the Summe and scope of this Booke thus to giue vs historically a iust sight of the fulfilling of the Prophets Christes prediction about the Church it is not to be marueiled at vvhy it telleth not of S. Peter coÌ„ming to Rome considering that his first coÌ„ming thither vvas not as S. Paules vvas by the Ievves deliuerie of him working so to their ovvne reprobatioÌ„ but vpoÌ„ another occasion to vvit to confound Simon Magus Eus Hist li. 2. c. 12. 13. For vvho also seeth not that it maketh no mention of his préaching to any Gentiles at al those fevv onely Act. 10 excepted vvho vvere the first and therefore lest the Gentiles should seeme lesse cared for of God then the Ievves Peter being the Head of al vvas elected of God to incorporate them into the church as before he had done the Ievves God saith he among vs chose that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the vvord of the Gospel and beleeue and S. Iames therevpon Simon hath told how God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name But othervvise I say here is no mention of Peters preaching to any Gentiles no nor of the other eleuen Apostles Vvil any man therfore inferre that neither Peter nor the other Eleuen preached to any Nation or citie of the Gentiles No the meaning of the Holy ghost vvas not to vvrite al the Actes of al the Apostles no nor the preaching of Peter and his to the Gentiles but onely to the Ievves thereby to set out vnto the vvorld the great mercy of Christ tovvard those vnvvorthy Ievves and consequently their most vvorthy reprobation for coÌ„temning
name hath strengthened the faith vvhich is by him hath giuen this perfect health in the sight of al you ✠verse 17 And novv brethren I knovv that you did it through ignoraÌ„ce as also your princes ✠verse 18 But God vvho foreshevved by the mouth of al the prophets that his CHRIST should suffer hath so fulfilled it ✠verse 19 Be Penitent therfore conuert that your sinnes may be put out ⊢ ✠verse 20 that vvhen the times shal come of refreshing by the sight of our Lord and he shal send him that hath been preached vnto you IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 21 vvhom heauen truely must receiue vntil the times of the restitution of al things vvhich God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginniÌ„g of the world ✠verse 22 Moyses in deede said That a prophet shal the Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren as my self him you shal heare according to al things vvhatsoeuer he shal speake to you ✠verse 23 And it shal be euery soule that shal not heare that prophet shal be destroied out of the people ✠verse 24 And al the Prophets from Samuël and aftervvard that haue spoken told of these daies ✠verse 25 You are the children of the Prophets and of the testament vvhich God made to our fathers saying to Abraham And in thy seede shal al the families of the earth be blessed ✠verse 26 To you first God raising vp his sonne hath sent him blessing you that euery one should conuert him self from his naughtines ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. â— That vvhich I haue This power of working miracles vvas in Peter and Peter properly did giue this man his health though he receiued that force and vertue of God and in by him executed the same Therfore he saith That vvhich I haue I giue to thee and the Heretikes are ridiculous that note here a miracle done by Christ by the handes of the Apostles to make the simple beleeue that they had no more to doe then a dead instrument in the workemans hand 12. By our povver When the Apostles remit sinnes or doe any other miracles they doe it not by any humane proper or natural power in them selues but of supernatural force giuen them from aboue to proue that the faith of Christ is true and that he is God whom the Iewes crucified in whose name and faith they worke and not in their owne CHAP. IIII. The Rulers of the Ievves oppose them selues and imprison Peter and Iohn 4 But yet thousands of the people are conuerted 5 and to the Rulers also Peter boldly auoucheth by the forsaid miracle that IESVS is Christ telling them of their heinous fault out of the Psalmes and that vvithout him they can not be saued 13 They though confounded vvith the miracle yet procede in their obstinacie forbidding them to speake any more of IESVS adding also threates 23 Wherevpon the Church fleeth to praier vvherein they comfort them selues vvith the omnipotencie of God and prediction of Dauid and aske for the gift of boldnes and miracles against those threates 31 And God sheweth miraculously that he hath heard their praier â—2 The vvhole Churches vnitie and communitie of life 36. Of Barnabas by name verse 1 AND vvhen they vvere speaking to the people the Priests and magistrates of the temple and the Sadducees came vpon them ✠verse 2 being greeued that they taught the people and shevved in IESVS the resurrection from the dead ✠verse 3 and they laid handes vpon them and put them into vvard vntil the morovv for it vvas novv euening ✠verse 4 And many of them that had heard the vvord beleeued and the number of the men vvas made fiue thousand ✠verse 5 And it came to passe on the morovv that their princes and Auncients and Scribes vvere gathered into Hierusalem ✠verse 6 and Annas the high priest and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and as many as vvere of the priests stocke ✠verse 7 And setting them in the middes they asked In vvhat povver or in vvhat name haue you done this ✠verse 8 Then Peter replenished vvith the holy Ghost said to them Ye princes of the people Auncients ✠verse 9 If vve this day be examined for a good deede vpon an impotent man in vvhat he hath been made whole ✠verse 10 be it knovven to al you and to al the people of Israël that in the name of IESVS CHRIST of Nazareth vvhom you did crucifie vvhom God hath raised from the dead in this same this man standeth before you vvhole ✠verse 11 This is the stone that vvas reiected of you the builders vvhich is made into the head of the corner ✠verse 12 and there is not saluation in any other for neither is there any other name vnder heauen giuen to men vvherein vve must be saued ✠verse 13 And seeing Peters constancie and Iohns vnderstanding that they vvere men vnlettered and of the vulgar sort they marueled and they knew them that they had been vvith IESVS ✠verse 14 seeing the man also that had been cured standing vvith them they could say nothing to the contrarie ✠verse 15 But they commaunded them to goe aside forth out of the councel and they conferred together ✠verse 16 saying Vvhat shal vve doe to these men for a notorious signe in deede hath been done by them to al the inhabitants of Hierusalem it is manifest and vve can not denie it ✠verse 17 But that it be no further spred abrode among the people let vs threaten them that they speake no more in this name to any man ✠verse 18 And calling them they charged them that they should not speake at al nor teache in the name of IESVS ✠verse 19 But Peter and Iohn ansvvering said to them If it be iust in the sight of God to heare you rather then God iudge ye ✠verse 20 for vve can not but speake the things vvhich vve haue seen and heard ✠verse 21 But they threatening dimissed them not finding hovv they might punish them for the people because all glorified that vvhich had been done in that vvhich vvas chaunced ✠verse 22 For the man vvas more then fourtie yeres old in vvhom that signe of health had been vvrought ✠verse 23 And being dimissed they came to theirs and shevved al that the cheefe priests and Aucients had said to them ✠verse 24 Vvho hauing heard it with one accord lifted vp their voice to God and said Lord thou that didst make heauen earth the sea and al things that are in them ✠verse 25 vvho in the holy Ghost by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seruaÌ„t hast said Vvhy did the Gentiles rage and the people meditate vaine thinges ✠verse 26 the kings of the earth stand vp and the princes assemble together against our Lord and against his CHRIST ✠verse 27 For there assembled in deede
man standing on the right hand of God ✠verse 57 And they crying out vvith a loude voice stopped their eares vvith one accord ranne violently vpon him ✠verse 58 And casting him forth vvithout the citie they ″ stoned him and the vvitnesses laid of their garments * beside the feete of a yong man that vvas called Saul ✠verse 59 And they stoned Steuen inuocating and saying Lord IESVS receiue my spirit ✠verse 60 And falling on his knees he cried vvith a loude voice saying Lord lay not this sinne vnto them And vvhen he had said this he fel a sleepe And Saul vvas consenting to his death ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 33. Holy ground If that apparition of God him self or an Angel could make the place and ground holy and to be vsed of Moyses with al signes of reuerence and feare-how much more the corporal birth abode and wonders of the Sonne of God in Iewrie and his personal presence in the B. Sacrament may make that countrie and al Christian Churches altars holy And it is the greatest blindnes that can be to thinke it superstition to reuerence any things or places in respect of Gods presence or wonderous operation in the same See S. Hierom. ep 17 18. 27. of the holy land 48. Not in houses The vulgar Heretikes alleage this place against the corporal being of Christ in the B. Sacrament in Churches by which reason they might haue driuen him out of al houses Churches and corporal places when he vvas visible in earth But it is meant of the Diuinitie only spoken to correct the carnal Ievves who thought God either so to be conteined compassed and limited to their Temple that he could be no vvhere els or at least that he vvould not heare or receiue mens praiers and sacrifices in the Churches of the Gentiles or els vvhere out of the said Temple And so as it maketh nothing for the Sacramentaries no more doth it serue for such as esteeme Churches and places of publike praier no more conuenient nor more holy then any other profane houses or chambers For though his person or vertue be not limited to any place yet it pleaseth him condescending to our necessitie and profite to vvorke his vvonders and to be vvorshipped of vs in holy places rather then profane 38. They stoned him Read a maruelous narration in S. Augustine of one stone that hitting the Martyr on the elbovv rebounded backe to a faithful man that stood neere Who keeping and carying it vvith him vvas by reuelation vvarned to leaue it at Ancóna in Italie vvherevpon a Church or Memorie of S. Steuen vvas there erected and many miracles done after the said Martyrs body vvas found out and not before Aug. â—o 10 ser 38 de diuersis in edit Paris CHAP. VIII So farre is persecution from preuailing against the Church that by it the Church greweth from Hierusalem into al Ievvrie and Samaria 5 The second of the Deacons Philip conuerteth vvith his miracles the citie it self of Samaria and baptizeth them euen Simon Magus also him self among the rest 14 But the Apostles Peter and Iohn are the Ministers to giue them the Holy Ghost 18 Which ministerie Simon Magus vvould bie of them 16 The same Philip being sent of an Angel to a great man of Aethiopia Who came a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem first catechizeth him 16 and then he professing his faith and desiring Baptisme doth also baptize him verse 1 AND the same day there vvas made a great persecution in the Church vvhich vvas at Hierusalem and al vvere dispersed through the countries of Ievvrie and Samaria sauing the Apostles ✠verse 2 And ″ deuout men tooke order for Steuens funeral and made great mourning vpon him ✠verse 3 But Saul * vvasted the Church entring in from house to house and dravving men and vvomen deliuered them into prison ✠verse 4 They therfore that vvere dispersed passed through euangelizing the vvord ✠verse 5 And Philippe descending into the citie of Samaria preached CHRIST vnto them ✠verse 6 And the multitudes vvere attent to those things vvhich vvere said of Philippe vvith one accord hearing and seing the signes that he did ✠verse 7 For many of them that had vncleane spirits crying vvith a loud voice vvent out And many sicke of the palsey and lame vvere cured ✠verse 8 There vvas made therfore great ioy in that citie ⊢ ✠verse 9 And a certaine man named Simon vvho before had been in that citie a Magician seducing the nation of Samaria saying him self to be some great one ✠verse 10 vnto vvhom al harkened from the least to the greatest saying This man is the povver of God that is called great ✠verse 11 And they vvere attent vpon him because a long time he had bewitched them vvith his magical practises ✠verse 12 But vvhen they had beleeued Philippe euangelizing of the kingdom of God and of the name of IESVS CHRIST they vvere baptized men and vvomen ✠verse 13 Then Simon also him self beleeued and being baptized he cleaued to Philippe Seing also signes and very great miracles to be done he vvas astonied vvith admiration ✠verse 14 And vvhen the Apostles vvho vvere in Hierusalem had heard that Samaria had receiued the vvord of God theysent vnto them Peter Iohn ✠verse 15 Vvho vvhen they vvere come praied for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost ✠verse 16 For he vvas not yet come vpon any of them but they vvere only baptized in the name of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 17 Then did ″ they impose their handes vpon them and they ″ receiued the holy Ghost ⊢ ✠verse 18 And vvhen Simon had seen that by the imposition of the hand of the Apostles the holy Ghost vvas giuen he ″ offered them money ✠verse 19 saying Giue me also this povver that on vvhomsoeuer I impose my handes he may receiue the holy Ghost ✠verse 20 But Peter said to him Thy money be vvith thee vnto perdition because thou hast thought that the gift of God is purchased vvith money ✠verse 21 Thou hast no part nor lot in this vvord For thy hart is not right before God ✠verse 22 ″ Doe penance therfore from this thy vvickednesse and pray to God ″ if perhaps this cogitation of thy hart may be remitted thee ✠verse 23 For I see thou art in the gall of bitternes and the obligation of iniquitie ✠verse 24 And Simon ansvvering said ″ Pray you for me to our Lord that nothing come vpon me of these things vvhich you haue said ✠verse 25 And they in deede hauing testified and spoken the vvord of our Lord returned to Hierusalem and euangelized to many countries of the Samaritans ✠verse 26 And an Angel of our Lord spake to Philippe saying Arise and goe tovvard the South to the vvay that goeth dovvne from Hierusalem into Gaza ″
after persecutions visible their Gouernours in prison visible the Church praieth for them visibly their Councels visible their gifts and graces visible their name Christians knovven to al the vvorld of the Protestants inuisible Church vve heare not one vvord 26. Christians This name Christian ought to be common to al the Faithful and other nevv names of Schismatikes and Sectaries must be abhorred If thou heare saith S. Hierom any vvhere such as be said to be of Christ not to haue their names of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but to be called after some other certaine name as Marcionites Valentinians as novv also the Lutherans Caluinists Protestants knovv thou that they belong not to the Church of Christ but to the Synagogue of Antichrist Lactantius also li. 7 Diuin instit c. 30 saith thus when Phrygians or Nouatians or Valentinians or Marcionites or Anthropomorphites or Arrians or any other be named they cease to be Christians vvho hauing lost the name of Christ haue done on the names of men Neither can our nevv Sectaries discharge them selues for that they take not to them selues these names but are forced to beare them as giuen by their Aduersaries For so vvere the names of Arians and the rest of old imposed by others and not chosen commonly of them selues Vvhich notvvithstanding vvere callings that proued them to be Heretikes And as for the name of Protestants our men hold them vvel content therevvith But concerning the Heretikes turning of the argument against the peculiar callings of our Religious as DominicaÌ„s Franciscans Iesuites Thomists or such like it is nothing except they could proue that the orders persons so named were of diuers faithes Sectes or differed in any necessarie point of religion or vvere not al of one Christian name and Communion and it is as ridiculous as if it vvere obiected that some be Ciceronians some Plinians some good Augustine men some Hieronymians some Oxford meÌ„ some Cambrige men vvhich is most like some * Rechabites * Nazareiteâ— Neither doth their obiection that vve be called Papistes helpe or excuse them in their nevv names for besides that it is by them scornfully inuented as the name Homousians vvas of the Arians this name is not of any one man B. of Rome or els vvhere knovven to be the author of any schisme or sect as their callings be but it is of a vvhole state and order of gouernours and that of the cheefe Gouernours to vvhom vve are bound to cleaue in religion and to obey in al things So to be a Papist is to be a Christian man a childe of the Church and subiect to Christs Vicar And therfore against such impudent Sectaries as compare the faithful for folovving the Pope to the diuersitie of Heretikes bearing the names of nevv Maisters let vs euer haue in readines this saying of S. Hierom to Pope Damasus Vitalis I knovv not Meletius I refuse I knovv not Paulinus whosoeuer gathereth not vvith thee scattereth that is to say whosoeuer is not Christs is Antichrists And againe If any man ioyne vvith Peters Chaire he is mine Vve must here further obserue that this name Christian giuen to al beleeuers and to the whole Church vvas specially taken to distinguish them from the Ievves and Heathens vvhich beleeued not at al in Christ and the same novv seuereth and maketh knovven al Christian men from Turkes and others that hold not of Christ at al. But vvhen Heretikes began to rise from among the Christians vvho professed Christs name and sundry Articles of faith as true beleeuers doe the name Christian vvas to common to seuer the Heretikes from true faithful men and therevpon the Apostles by the holy Ghost imposed this name Catholike vpon the Beleeuers vvhich in al points vvere obedient to the Churches doctrine When heresies vvere risen saith S. Pacianus ep ad Symphorianum endeuoured by diuers names to tears the doue of God and Queene and to rent her in peeces the Apostolical people required their surname vvhereby the incorrupt people might be distinguished c. and so those that before vvere called Christians are novv surnamed also Catholikes Christian is my name saith he Catholike my surname And this vvord Catholike is the proper note vvhereby the holy Apostles in their Crede taught vs to discerne the true Church from the false heretical congregation of vvhat sort soeuer And not only the meaning of the vvord vvhich signifieth vniuersalitie of times places and persons but the very name and vvord it self by Gods prouidence alvvaies and only appropriated to the true beleuers and though sometimes at the beginning of Sectes chalenged yet neuer obtained by Heretikes giueth so plaine a marke and euidence that S. Augustine said In the lappe of the Church the very name of Catholike keepeth me cont ep fund c. 4. And againe tract 32 in Io. vve receiue the Holy Ghost if vve loue the Church if vve be ioyned together by charitie if vve reioyce in the Catholike name and faith And againe de ver rel c. 7. to 1. We must hold the communion of that Church vvhich is named Catholike not only of her ovvne but also of al her enemies for vvil they nil they the Heretikes also and Schismatikes them selues vvhen they speake not vvith their ovvne fellovves but vvith strangers call the Catholike Church nothing els but the Catholike Church for they could not be vnderstood vnles they discerne it by this name vvherevvith she is called of al the vvorld The Heretikes vvhen they see them selues preuented of this name Catholike then they plainely reiect it and deride the name as the Donatistes did calling it an humane forgeris or fiction vvhich S. Augustine calleth vvordes of blasphemie li. 1. c. 3â— cont Gaudrat and some Heretikes of this time call them scornefully cartholikes and cacolikes An other calleth it the most vaine terme Catholike Beza in praf no. Test an 1565. An other calleth the Catholike religion a Catholike Apostasie or defection Humfrey in vit Iuel pag. â—13 Yea and some haue taken the vvord out of the Crede putting Christian for it But against these good fellovves let vs folovv that vvhich S. Augustine de vtil cred c. 8. to 6. giueth as a rule to direct a maÌ„ the right and sure vvay from the diuersitie doubtfulnes of al error saying If after these trouble of minde thou seeme to thy self sufficiently tossed and vexed vvilt haue an end of these molestations folovv the vvay of Catholike discipline vvhich from Christ him self by the Apostles hath proceded euen vnto vs and shal procede from hence to the posteritie See the Annotation 1 Tim. 3 c. 15. CHAP. XII Herod the first king that persecuted the Church hauing at Hierusalem vvhen Barnabas and Saul vvere there vvith the collation of the Antiochians killed Iames the Apostle 3 and to please the levves imprisoned Peter vvith the minde to kil him also but frustrate by an Angel
the resurrection ✠verse 19 And appreheÌ„ding him they led him to Areopagus saying May vve knovv vvhat this new doctrine is that thou speakest of ✠verse 20 for thou bringest in certaine nevv things to our eares Vve vvil knovv therfore vvhat these things may meane ✠verse 21 And al the Athenians and the strangers seiourning there emploied them selues to nothing els but either to speake or to heare some nevves ✠verse 22 But Paul standing in the middes of Areopagus said Ye men of Athens in al things I perceiue you as it vvere superstitious ✠verse 23 For passing by and seeing your Idols I found an altar also vvherevpon vvas vvritten To the vnknovven God That therfore vvhich you vvorshippe not knovving it the same do I preach to you ✠verse 24 The God that made the vvorld and al things that are in it he being Lord of heauen earth dvvelleth not in * temples made vvith hand ✠verse 25 neither is he serued vvith mens hands needing any thing vvhereas him self giueth life vnto al and breathing and al things ✠verse 26 and he made of one al maÌ„kinde to inhabite vpon the vvhole face of the earth assigning set times and the limits of their habitation ✠verse 27 for to seeke God if happily they may feele or finde him although he be not farre from euery one of vs. ✠verse 28 For in him vve liue and moue and be as certaine also of your ovvne poëtes said For of his kinde also vve are ✠verse 29 Being therfore of Gods kinde vve may not suppose the Diuinitie to be like vnto gold or siluer or stone the grauing of art and deuise of man ✠verse 30 And the times truely of this ignorance vvhereas God dispised novv he denounceth vnto men that al euery vvhere doe penance ✠verse 31 for that he hath appointed a day wherein he vvil iudge the world in equitie by a man vvhom he hath appointed giuing al men faith raysing him vp from the dead ✠verse 32 And vvhen they had heard the resurrection of the dead certaine in deede mocked but certaine said Vve vvil heare thee againe concerning this point ✠verse 33 So Paul vvent forth out of the middes of them ✠verse 34 But certaine men ioyning vnto him did beleeue among vvhom vvas also Dionysius Areopagîta and a vvoman named Dámaris and others vvith them ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 11. Searching the Scriptures The Heretikes vse this place to proue that the heaters must trie and iudge by the Scriptures vvhether their teachers and preachers doctrine be true and so reiect that that they find not in the Scriptures as though here the sheepe vvere made iudges of their Pastors the people of the Priests and men and vvomen of al sortes euen of S. Paules doctrine it self which vvere the most folish disorder in the vvorld And they did not therfore read the Scriptures of the old Testament for none of the nevv vvere yet extant commonly to dispute vvith the Apostle or to trie and iudge of his doctrine or vvhether they should beleeue him or no for they vvere bound to beleeue him and obey his vvord vvhether he alleaged Scripture or no and vvhether they could reade or vnderstand the Scriptures or no but it vvas a great comfort and confirmation for the Ievves that had the Scriptures to finde euen as S. Paul said that Christ vvas God crucified risen and ascended to heauen vvhich by his preaching and expounding they vnderstood and neuer before though they read them and heard them read euery Sabboth As it is a great comfort to a Catholike man to heare the Scriptures declared alleaged most euidently for the Churches truth against Heretikes in Sennons or othervvise And it doth the Catholikes good much confirmeth them to vew diligently the places alleaged by the Catholike preachers Yet they must not be iudges for al that ouer their ovvne Pastors vvhom Christ commaundeth them to heare and obey and by vvhom they heare the true sense of Scriptures 22. Superstitious S. Paul calleth not them superstitious for adoring the true and only God vvith much deuotion or many ceremonies or in comely prescribed order or for doing due reuerence to holy Sacraments to Saincts and their memories Images or Monuments or for keeping the prescribed lavves daies and fastes of the Church or for fulfilling vowes made to God or for blessing vvith the signe of the Crosse or for capping and kneeling at the name of IESVS or for religiously vsing creatures sanctified in the same name or any other Christian obseruation for vvhich our nevv Maisters coÌ„demne the Catholike people of Superstition them selues vvholy voide of that vice by al vvise mens iudgement because they haue in maner taken avvay al religion and are become Epicureians and Atheists vvho are neuer troubled vvith superstition because it is a vice consisting in excesse of vvorship or religion vvhereof they are void but the Apostle calleth them superstitious for vvorshipping the Idols and goddes of the Heathen and for the feare that they had lest they should leaue out any God that vvas vnknovven to them for thus their Altar vvas inscribed Dijs Asia Europa Lybia Deo ignoto peregrino that is To the gods of Asia Europe and Lybia to the vnknovven and strange God This superstition saith S. Augustine is vvholy taken avvay from the Church by Christs incarnation and by the Apostles preaching and by Martyrs holy life and death Neither doth the Catholike Church allovv this or any other kinde of superstitious obseruation Only vve must take heede that vve beleeue not her Aduersaries definition of superstition for they vvould imply therein al true religion 29. This Diuinitie to be like Nothing can be made by mans hand of vvhat forme or sort so euer that is like to Gods essence or to the forme or shape of his Godhead or Diuinitie therfore hovvsoeuer the Heathens did paint or graue their Idols they vvere nothing like to God And this also is impertinently alleaged by Heretikes against the Churches images Vvhich are not made either to be adored vvith godly honour or to be any resemblance of the Diuinitie or any of the three persons in Godhead but only of Christ as he vvas in forme of man vvho in that respect may be truely expressed as other men by their purtraites and of the Holy Ghost not as he is in him self but as he appeared in firy tongues or in the similitude of a dooâ—e or such like And so to paint or graue any of the three persons as they appeared visibly and corporally is no more inconuenient or vnlavvful then it vvas vndecent for them to appeare in such formes And therfore to paint or portraite the Father also being the first person as he hath shevved him self in vision to any of the Prophetes of the old or nevv Testament namely to Daniel as an old man or the three Angels
for her because heare is giuen her for a veile ✠verse 16 But if any man seeme to be contentious vve haue no such ″ custome nor the ` CHVRCH ' of God ✠verse 17 And this I commaund not praising it that you come together not to better but to vvorse ✠verse 18 First in deede vvhen you come together into the Church I heare that there are schismes among you and in part I beleeue it ✠verse 19 For ″ there must be heresies also that they also vvhich are approued may be made manifest among you ✠verse 20 Vvhen you come therfore together in one is it not novv to eate ″ our Lordes supper ✠verse 21 For euery one taketh his ovvne supper before to eate And one certes is an hungred and an other is drunke ✠verse 22 Vvhy haue you not houses to eate and drinke in or contemne ye the Church of God and confound them that haue not Vvhat shal I say to you praise I you in this I do not praise you ✠verse 23 For I receiued of our Lord that vvhich also ″ I haue deliuered vnto you that our Lord IESVS ″ in the night that he vvas betraied ″ tooke ″ bread ✠verse 24 and giuing thankes brake and said ″ Take ye eate ″ THIS IS ″ MY BODY VVHICH SHAL BE DELIVERED FOR YOV ″ this doe ye for the commemoration of me ✠verse 25 In like maner also the chalice after he had supped saying THIS CHALICE IS THE NEVV TESTAMENT IN MY BLOVD this doe ye as often as you shal drinke for the coÌ„memoration of me ✠verse 26 For as often as you shal eate this bread and drinke the chalice ″ you shal shevv the death of our Lord vntil he come ✠verse 27 Therfore vvhosoeuer shal eate this bread or drinke the chalice of our Lord vnvvorthily he shal be ″ guilty of the body and of the bloud of our Lord. ✠verse 28 But let a man proue him self and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of the chalice ✠verse 29 For he that eateth and drinketh vnvvorthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to him self ″ not discerning the body of our Lord. ⊢ ✠verse 30 Therfore are there among you many weake and feble and ″ many sleepe ✠verse 31 But if vve did ″ iudge our selues vve should not be iudged ✠verse 32 But vvhiles vve are iudged of our Lord vve are chastised that vvith this world vve be not damned ⊢ ✠verse 33 Therfore my brethren vvhen you come together to eate ″ expect one an other ✠verse 34 If any man be an hungred let him eate at home that you come not together vnto iudgement And the rest ″ I vvil dispose vvhen I come ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 2. My precepts Our Pastors and Prelates haue authoritie to commaund and vve are bound to obey And the Gouerners of the Church may take order and prescribe that vvhich is comely in euery state as time and place require though the things be not of the substance of our religion 5. Euery vvoman Vvhat gifts of God so euer vvomen haue though supernatural as some had in the Primitiue Church yet they may not forget their vvomanly shamefastnes but shevv them selues subiect and modest and couer their heads vvith a veile 16. Custome If vvomen or other to defend their disorder malipertnes dispute or alleage Scriptures and reasons or require causes of their preachers vvhy by vvhat authoritie they should be thus restrained in things indifferent make them no other ansvver but this This is the custome of the Church this is our custome Vvhich is a goodly rule to represse the saucinesse of contentious â—anglers vvhich being out of al modestie and reason neuer vvant vvordes and replies against the Church Vvhich Church if it could then by prescription of tvventy or thirty yeres and by the authority of one or tvvo of their first preachers stoppe the mouthes of the seditious vvhat should not the custome of fiftene hundred yeres the decrees of many hundred Pastors gaine of reasonable modest and humble men 19. There must be heresies Vvhen the Apostle saith Heresies must be He shevveth the euent and not that God hath directly so appointed it as necessarie for that they be it commeth of mans malice and free vvil but that they be conuerted to the manifestation of the good and constant in faith the Churches vnitie that is Gods special vvorke of prouidence that vvorketh good of euil And for that there should fall Heresies and Schismes specially concerning the Article and vse of the B Sacrament of the Altar vvhereof he novv beginneth to treate it may make vs maruel the lesse to see so great dissensions Heresies and Schismes of the vvicked and vveake in faith concerning the same Such things then vvil be but vvo to him by vvhom scandals or Sectes do come Let vs vse Heretikes saith S. Augustine not to that end to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholike doctrine against their deceices vve may be more vvatchful and vvary because it is most truely vvritten There must be heresies that the tried and approued may be manifested or discoured from the holovv hartes among you Let vs vse this benefite of Gods prouidence for Heretikes be made of such as vvould erre or be naught though they vvere in the Church but being out they profite vs excedingly not by teaching the truth vvhich they knovv not but by stirring vp the carnal in the Church to seeke truth and the spiritual Catholikes to deere the truth for there be innumerable holy approued men in the Church but they be not discerned from other among vs nor manifest so long as vve had rather sleepe in darknes of ignorance then behold the light of truth therfore many are raised out of their sleepe by Heretikes to see the day of God and are glad thereof August c. 8. de vera relig 20. Our Lordes supper The Christians at or about the time of the Churches onely Sacrifice and their communicating thereof kept great feastes vvhich continued long for that the reliefe of the poore vpon the common charges of the richer sort and the charitie and vnitie of al sortes vvere much preserued thereby for vvhich cause they vvere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Charities of the auncient Fathers and vvere kept commonly in Church houses or porches adioyning or in the body of the Church vvhereof see Tertullian Apolog. c. 19. Clemens Alexand. S. Iustine S. Augustine cont Faiest li. 20 c. 20. after the Sacrifice and Communion vvas ended as S. Chrysostom ho. 27. in 1 Cor. in initio iudgeth Those feastes S. Paul here calleth Coenas Dominicas because they vvere made in the Churches vvhich then vvere called Dominica that is Our Lordes houses The disorder therfore kept among the Corinthians in these Church-feastes of Charitie the Apostle seeketh here to redresse from the foule abuses
Ps 34 conc 2 prope finem Cypr. de vnit Ec. nu ◠13. These three These are the three vertues Theological eche one by nature and definition distinct from an other and faith is by nature the first and may be and often is before and vvithout Charitie and truely remaineth in diuers after they haue by deadly sinne lost Charitie Bevvare therfore of the Heretikes opinion which is that by euery mortal sinne faith is lost no lesse then charitie CHAP. XIIII Against their vaine childishnes that thought it a goodly matter to be able to speake by miracle strange languages in the Church preferring their languages before prophecying that as opening of Mysteries he declareth that this Gift of languages is inferior to the Gift of prophecie 26 Giuing order also hovv both giftes are to be vsed to vvit the Prophet to submit him self to other Prophets and the Speaker of languages not to publish his inspiration vnles there be an interpreter 〈◊〉 Prouided alvvaies that vvomen speake not at al in the Church verse 1 FOLOVV Charitie earnestly pursue spiritual things but ″ rather that you may prophecie ✠verse 2 For he that speaketh vvith tongue speaketh ″ not to men but to God for no man heareth But in spirit he speaketh mysteries ✠verse 3 For he that prophecieth speaketh to men vnto edification and exhortation and consolation ✠verse 4 He that speaketh vvith tongues edifieth him self but he that prophecieth edifieth the Church ✠verse 5 And I would haue you al to speake vvith tongues but rather to prophecie For greater is he that prophecieth then he that speaketh vvith tongues vnlesse perhaps he interpret that the Church may take edification ✠verse 6 But novv brethren ″ if I come to you speaking vvith tongues vvhat shal I profit you vnlesse I speake to you either in reuelation or in knovvledge or in prophecie or in doctrine ✠verse 7 Yet the things vvithout life that giue a found be it pipe or harpe vnlesse they giue a distinction of soūdes hovv shal that be knovven which is piped or which is harped ✠verse 8 For ″ if the trumpet giue an vncertaine voice vvho shal prepare him self to battel ✠verse 9 So you also by a tōgue vnlesse you vtter manifest speach hovv shal that be knovven that is said for you shal be speaking into the aire ✠verse 10 There are for example so many kindes of tongues in this vvorld none is vvithout voice ✠verse 11 If then I knovv not the vertue of the voice I shal be to him to vvhom I speake barbarous and he that speaketh barbarous to me ✠verse 12 So you also because you be emulators of spirites seeke to abound vnto the edifying of the Church ✠verse 13 And therfore he that speaketh vvith the tongue ″ let him pray that he may interpret ✠verse 14 For if I pray vvith the tongue ″ my spirit praieth but my vnderstanding is vvithout fruite ✠verse 15 Vvhat is it then I vvil pray in the spirit I vvil pray also in the vnderstanding I vvil sing in the spirit sing also in the vnderstanding ✠verse 16 But if thou blesse in the spirit he that supplieth the place of the vulgar hovv shal he say Amen vpon thy blessing because he knovveth not vvhat thou saiest ✠verse 17 For thou in deede giuest thankes vvel but the other is not edified ✠verse 18 I giue my God thankes that I speake vvith the tongue of you al' ✠verse 19 But in the Church I vvil speake fiue vvordes vvith my vnderstanding that I may instruct others also rather then ten thousand vvordes in a tongue ✠verse 20 Brethren be not made children in sense but in malice be children and in sense be perfect ✠verse 21 In the Lavv it is vvritten That in other tongues and other lippes I vvil speake to this people and neither so vvil they heare me saieth our Lord. ✠verse 22 Therfore languages are for ″ a signe not to the faithful but to infidels but prophecies not to infidels but to the faithful ✠verse 23 If therfore the vvhole Church come together in one and al speake with tongues and there enter in vulgar persons or ″ infidels vvil they not say that you be madde ✠verse 24 But if al prophecie and there enter in any infidel or vulgar person he is conuinced of al he is iudged of al. ✠verse 25 the secrets of his hart are made manifest and so falling on his face he vvil adore God pronouncing that God is in you in deede ✠verse 26 Vvhat is it then brethren vvhen you come together euery one of you hath ″ a psalme hath a doctrine hath a reuelation hath a tongue hath an interpretation let al things be done to edification ✠verse 27 Vvhether a man speake with tōgue by tvvo or at the most by three and ″ in course and let one interpret ✠verse 28 But if there be not an interpreter let him hold his peace in the Church and speake to him self and to God ✠verse 29 And let prophets speake tvvo or three and let the rest iudge ✠verse 30 But if it be reuealed to an other sitting let the first hold his peace ✠verse 31 For you may al prophecie one by one that al my learne and al may be exhorted ✠verse 32 and the spirites of prophets are subiect to prophets ✠verse 33 For God is not the God of dissension but of peace as also in all the Churches of the saincts I teache ✠verse 34 ″ Let * vvomen hold their peace in the Churches for it is not permitted them to speake but to be subiect as also * the Law saith ✠verse 35 But if they learne any thing let them aske their ovvne husbands at home For it is a foule thing for a vvoman to speake in the Church ✠verse 36 Or did the vvord of God procede from you came it vnto you onely ✠verse 37 If any man seeme to be a prophet or spiritual let him knovv the things that I vvrite to you that they are the cōmaundements of our Lord. ✠verse 38 But if any man knovv not he shal not be knovven ✠verse 39 Therefore brethren be earnest to prophecie and to speake vvith tongues prohibit not ✠verse 40 But let al things be done honestly and according to order among you ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 1. Rather prophecie The gift of prophecying that is of expounding the hard points of our religion is better then the gift of strange tonges though both be good 2. Not to men To talke in a strange language vnknovven also to him self profiteth not the hearers though in respect of God vvho vnderstandeth al tonges and thinges and for the mysteries vvhich he vttereth in his spirit and for his ovvne edification in spirit and affection there be no difference but the Prophet or Expositor treating of the same matters to the
barbarous Yea and the Seruice of our ovvne language vvithin a fevv hundreth yeres or rather euery age shal vvholy become barbarous and vnknovven to our selues our tongue as al vulgar doth so often change And for edification that is for increase of faith true knovvledge and good life the experience of a fevv yeres hath giuen al the vvorld a ful demonstration vvhether our forefathers vvere not as vvise as faithful as deuout as fearful to breake Gods lavves and as likely to be saued as vve are in al our tongues translations and English praiers Much vanitie curiositie contempt of Superiors disputes emulations contentions Schismes horrible errors profenation and diuulgation of the secrete Mysteries of the dreadful Sacraments * vvhich of purpose vvere hidden from the vulgar as S. Denys Eccl. Hier. c. 1. and S. Basil de Sp. Sanct. c. 27. testifie are fallen by the same but vertue or sound knovvledge none at al. Vvherein this also is a grosse illusion and vntruth that the force and efficacie of the Sacraments Sacrifice and common praier dependeth vpon the peoples vnderstanding hearing or knovvledge the principal efficacie of such thinges and of the vvhole ministerie of the Church consisting specially of the very vertue of the vvorke and the publike office of the Priests who be appointed in Christes behalfe to dispose these Mysteries to our most good the infant innocent idiote and vnlearned taking no lesse fruite of Baptisme and al other diuine offices meete for euery ones condition then the learnedst Clerke in the Realme and more if they be more humble charitable deuour and obedient then the other hauing lesse of these qualities and more learning Vvhich vve say not as though it were inconuenient for the people to be vvel instructed in the meaning of the Sacraments and holy ceremonies and Seruice of the Church for that to their comfort and necessarie knovvledge both by preaching Catechizing and reading of good Catholike bookes Christian people do learne in al Nations much more in those countries vvhere the Seruice is in Latin then in our Nation God knovveth But we say that there be other wales to instruct them and the same lesse subiect to danger and disorder then to turne it into vulgar tongues Vve say the simple people and many one that thinke them selues some body vnderstand as litle of the sense of diuers Psalmes Lessons and Oraisons in the vulgar tongue as if they vvere in Latin yea and often take them in a vvrong peruerse and pernitious sense vvhich lightly they could not haue done in Latin Vve say that such as vvould learne in deuotion and humilitie may and must rather vvith diligence learne the tongue that such Diuine things be vvritten in or vse other diligence in hearing sermons and instructions then for a fevv mens not necessarie knovvledge the holy vniuersal order of Gods Church should be altered For if in the kingdom of England onely it be not conuenient necessarie nor almost possible to accommodate their Seruice booke to euery prouince and people of diuers tongues hovv much lesse should the vvhole Church so do consisting of so many differences Neither doth the Apostle in al this Chapter appoint any such thing to be done but admonisheth them to pray and labour for the grace of vnderstanding and interpretation or to get others to interprete or expound vnto them And that much more may vve doe concerning the Seruice in Latin vvhich is no strange nor miraculously gotten or vnderstood tongue but common to the most and cheefe churches of the vvorld and hath bene since the Apostles time daily vvith al diligence through out al these partes of Christendom expounded in euery house schole church and pulpit and is so vvel knovven for euery necessarie part of the diuine Seruice that by the diligence of parents Maisters and Curates euery Catholike of age almost can tel the sense of euery ceremonie of the Masse vvhat to ansvver vvhen to say Amen at the Priestes benediction vvhen to confesse vvhen to adore vvhen to stand vvhen to kneele when to receiue vvhat to receiue vvhen to come vvhen to depart and al other dueties of praying and seruing sufficient to saluation And thus is it euident that S. Paul speaketh not of the common tonges of the Churches Seruice Secondly it is as certaine that he meaneth not nor vvriteth any vvord in this place of the Churches publike Seruice praier or ministration of the holy Sacrament vvherein the Office of the Church specially consisteth but onely of a certaine exercise of mutual conference wherein one did open to an other and to the assemblie miraculous giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost and such Canticles Psalmes secrete Mysteries sorts of Languages and other Reuelations as it pleased God to giue vnto certaine both men and vvomen in that first beginning of his Church In doing of this the Corinthians cōmitted many disorders turning Gods gifts to pride and vanitie and namely that gift of tonges vvhich being in deede the least of al giftes yet most puffed vp the hauers and novv also doth commonly puffe vp the professors of such knovvledge according as S. Augustine vvriteth thereof This exercise and the disorder thereof vvas not in the Church for any thing we can reade in antiquitie these fourtene hundreth yeres and therfore neither the vse nor abuse nor S. Paules reprehēsion or redressing thereof can concerne any vvhit the Seruice of the Church Furthermore this is euident that the Corinthians had their Seruice in Greeke at this same time and it vvas not done in these miraculous tonges Nothing is meant then of the Church Seruice Againe the publike Seruice had but one language in this exercise they spake in many tonges In the publike Seruice euery man had not his ovvne special tongue his special Interpretation special Reuelation proper Psalmes but in this they had Againe the publike Seruice had in it the ministration of the holy Sacrament principally vvhich vvas not done in this time of conference For into this exercise vvere admitted Catechumens and Infidels and vvhosoeuer vvould in this vvomen before S. Paules order did speake and prophecie so did they neuer in the Ministration of the Sacrament vvith many other plaine differences that by no meanes the Apostles vvordes can be rightly and truely applied to the Corinthians Seruice then or ours novv Therfore it is either great ignorance of the Protestants or great guilfulnes so vntruely and peruersly to apply them Neither is here any thing meant of the priuate praiers vvhich deuout persons of al sortes and sexes haue euer vsed specially in Latin as vvel vpon their Primars as Beades For the priuate praiers here spoken of vvere psalmes or hymnes and sonnets nevvly inspired to them by God and in this conference or prophecying vttered to one an others comfort or to them selues and God onely But the praiers psalmes and holy vvordes of the Christian people vsed priuately are not composed by them nor diuersely inspired
that obiected lightnes against him for not comming to Corinth according to his promis verse 1 PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ by the vvil of God and Timothee our brother to the Church of God that is at Corinth vvith al the saincts that are in al Achaia ✠verse 2 Grace vnto you and peace from God our father and from our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 3 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of mercies and God of al comfort ✠verse 4 vvho comforteth vs in al our tribulation that vve also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse by the exhortation vvherevvith vve also are exhorted of God ✠verse 5 For as the ″ passions of Christ abound in vs so also by Christ doth our ″ comfort abound ✠verse 6 And vvhether vve be in tribulation for your exhortation and saluation vvhether vve be exhorted for your exhortation and saluation vvhich vvorketh the toleration of the same passions vvhich vve also doe suffer ✠verse 7 and our hope is firme for you knovving that as you are partakers of the passions so shal you be of the consolation also ⊢ ✠verse 8 For vve vvil not haue you ignorant brethren concerning our tribulation vvhich happened in Asia that vve vvere pressed aboue measure aboue our povver so that it vvas tedions vnto vs euen to liue ✠verse 9 But vve in our selues had the ansvver of death that vve be not trusting in our selues but in God vvho raiseth vp the dead ✠verse 10 vvho hath deliuered and doth deliuer vs out of so great dangers in vvhom vve hope that he vvil yet also deliuer vs ✠verse 11 you ″ helping vvithal in praier for vs that ″ by many mens persons thankes for that gift vvhich is in vs may be giuen by many in our behalfe ✠verse 12 For our glorie is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicity and sincerity of God and not in carnal vvisedoÌ„ but in the grace of God vve haue conuersed in this vvorld and more aboundantly tovvards you ✠verse 13 For vve vvrite no other things to you then that you haue read and knovv And I hope that you shal knovv vnto the ende ✠verse 14 as also you haue knovven vs in part that vve are ″ your glorie as you also ours in the day of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 And in this confidence I vvould first haue come to you that you might haue a second grace ✠verse 16 and by you passe into Macedonia and againe from Macedonia come to you and of you be brought on my vvay into Ievvrie ✠verse 17 Vvhereas then I vvas thus minded did I vse lightenes Or the things that I minde do I minde according to the flesh that there be vvith me It is and It is not ✠verse 18 But God is faithful because our preaching vvhich vvas to you there is not in it ″ It is and It is not ✠verse 19 For the Sonne of God IESVS Christ vvho by vs vvas preached among you by me and Syluanus and Timothee vvas not It is and It is not but It is vvas in him ✠verse 20 For al the promises of God that are in him It is therfore also by him Amen to God vnto our glorie ✠verse 21 And he that confirmeth vs vvith you in Christ and that hath anointed vs God ✠verse 22 vvho also ″ hath sealed vs and giuen the pledge of the Spirit in our hartes ✠verse 23 And I call God to vvitnesse vpon my soul that sparing you I came not any more to Corinth ✠verse 24 ″ not because vve ouerrule your faith but vve are helpers of your ioy for in the faith you stand ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. Passions of Christ Al the afflictions of the faithful be called Christes ovvne passions not onely because they be suffered for him but for that there is so straite coniunction and communion betvvixt him being the head and euery of the liuing members of his body vvhich is the Church that vvhatsoeuer is suffered by any one of the same is counted as a peece of his ovvne Passion As likevvise vvhatsoeuer good vvorkes be done to any of them or by any of them be accepted as done to or by Christ him self Vvhich thing if the Protestants vvel vveighed they vvould not maruel that the Catholike Church attributeth such force of merite and satisfaction to the vvorke of holy men 5. The comfort abound Vvorldly men that see onely the exterior miseries and afflictions that Catholikes do suffer being persecuted by the Heathen or Heretikes deeme them exceding miserable but if they felt or could conceiue the aboundance of consolation vvhich Christ euer giueth according to the measure of their afflictions they vvould neuer vvonder at the voluntary toleration of vvhat torments so euer for Christes sake but vvould vvish rather them selues to be in any dungeon in England vvith the comfort that such haue from God then to liue out of the Church in al the vvealth of the vvorld â—1 You helping in praier S. Paul knevv that the helpe of other mens praiers vvas nothing derogatorie to the office of Christes mediation or intercession for him nor to the hope that he had in God and therfore he craueth the Corinthians aide herein as a support and succours for him self in the sight of God Vvith vvhat reason or Scripture then can the Protestants say that the praiers of Sainctes be iniurious to Christ or not to stand vvith the confidence vve haue in him As though it vvere more dishonour to God that vve should vse the aide of Sainctes in heauen then of sinners in earth or * that the intercession of these our fellovves beneath vvere more auailable then the praiers of those that be in the glorious sight of God aboue 11. By many mens He meaneth that as the praiers of many ioyned together for him shal be rather heard then of any alone so their common thankes giuing to God for graunting their request shal be more acceptable and glorious to God then any one mans thankes alone Vvhich thing doth much commend the holy Churches publike praiers processions stations and pilgrimages vvhere so many meete and vniformely ioyne their praiers and laudes together vnto God 14. Your glorie The Apostles teachers and preachers that conuert countries or particular persons to Christ and the peoples or parties by them conuerted shal in the day of iudgement haue much mutual ioy and glorie of and for eche other one giuing to the other great matter of merite in this life and of revvard in the next See 1 Thess 2. v. 19. 18. It is it is not As he dischargeth him self of al other leuitie touching his promis or purpose of comming to them so much more of al inconstancie in preaching Christes doctrine and faith Vvherein one day to affirme an other day to deny to dissent from his fellovves
″ much more the ministerie of iustice aboundeth in glorie ⊢ ✠verse 10 For neither vvas it glorified vvhich in this part vvas glorious by reasō of the excelling glorie ✠verse 11 For if that which is made void is by glorie much more that vvhich abideth is in glorie ✠verse 12 Hauing therfore such hope vve vse much confidence ✠verse 13 and not * as Moyses put a vele vpon his face that the children of Israël might not behold his face vvhich is made voide ✠verse 14 but their senses vvere dulled For vntil this present day ″ the self same vele in the lecture of the old testament remaineth vnreuealed because in Christ it is made voide ✠verse 15 but vntil this present day vvhen Moyses is read a vele is put vpō their hart ✠verse 16 But vvhen he shal be conuerted to our Lord the vele shal be taken avvay ✠verse 17 And * our Lord is a Spirit And vvhere the Spirit of our Lord is there is ″ libertie ✠verse 18 But vve al beholding the glorie of our Lord vvith face reuealed are transformed into the same image from glorie vnto glorie as of our Lordes Spirit ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. The Epistle of Christ S. Paul and other holy vvriters of Scriptures did set dovvne many thinges in vvriting by penne inke and paper al vvhich be of the Holy Ghost but the special and proper booke of Christes truth and Gospel is not the external vvriting in those dead creatures but in the hartes of the faithful being the proper subiecte of these truthes and graces preached in the nevv Testament and the habitacle of the Holy Ghost In the vvhich booke of faithful mens hartes S. Paul vvrote diuers thinges not vttered in any Epistle as sundrie of the Apostles vvrote the Christian religion in the hartes of their hearers onely and in other material bookes not at all Vvhereof S. Irenaeus li. 3. ◠4. saith What and if the Apostles also had left no Scriptures ought vve not to folovv the order of the tradition vvhich they deliuered vnto them to vvhom they committed the Churches◠to the vvhich ordinance many nations of those barbarous people that haue beleeued in Christ do consent vvithout letter or inke hauing saluation vvritten in their hartes and keeping diligently the tradition of the elders And S. Hierom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiero◠c. 9. ad Pa◠In the Greede of our faith and hope vvhich being deliuered by tradition from the Apostles is not vvritten in paper and inke but in the tables camal of the hart And this is the Churches booke also vvhereby and vvherein she keepeth faithfully al truth vvritten in the hartes of those to vvhom the Apostles did preach vvith the like diligence as she keepeth and preserueth the other booke vvhich is of holy Scriptures from al corruption of Heretikes and other iniuries 5. Of our selues This maketh first against the Heretikes called Pelagians that hold our meritorious actions or cogitations to be of free vvil onely and not of Gods special grace Secondly against the Protestantes vvho on the contrarie side referre al to God and take avvay mans freedom and proper motion in his thoughtes and doings the Apostle confessing our good cogitations to be our ovvne but not as comming of our selues but of God 6. The letter killeth As the letter of the old Lavv not truely vnderstood nor referred the Christ commaunding and not giuing grace and spirit to fulfil that vvhich vvas commaunded did by occasiō kill the carnal Iew so the letter of the nevv Testamēt not truely taken nor expounded by the Spirit of Christ vvhich is onely in his Church killeth the Heretike vvho also being carnal and void of spirit gaineth nothing by the external precepts or good lessons of the Scriptures but rather taketh hurt by the same See S. Augustine to 〈◊〉 Ser. 70 1000 de tempore li. de Sp. lit c. 5. 6. seq 9. Much more The preeminence of the new Testament and of the priesthod or Ministerie thereof before the old is that the nevv by al her Sacraments and Priests as ministers immediate of grace and remission of sinnes doth so ex opere operato giue the spirit of life and charitie into the hartes of the faithful as the old did giue the letter or external act of the Lavv. 14. The self same vele As the Ievves reading the old Testament by reason of their blindnes vvhich God for the punishment of their incredulitie suffereth to remaine as a couer vpon their eies and hartes can not see Christ in the Scriptures vvhich they daily heare read in their Synagogs but shal vvhen they beleeue in him and haue the couer remoued perceiue al to be most plainely done and spoken of him in their law Scriptures euen so Heretikes hauing as S. Augustine noteth a farre greater couer of blindnes and incredulitie ouer their hartes in respect of the Catholike Church vvhich they impugne then the Iewes haue concerning Christ can not see though they read or heare the Scriptures read neuer so much the maruelous euidence of the Catholike Church and truth in al pointes but vvhen they shal returne againe to the obedience of the same Church they shal finde the Scriptures most cleere for her and her doctrine and shal vvonder at their former blindnes 17. Libertie The Spirit and grace of God in the nevv Testament dischargeth vs of the bondage of the Lavv and sinne but is not a vvarrant to vs of fleshly licence as S. Peter vvriteth nor dischargeth Christians of their obedience to order lavv and power of Magistrates spiritual or temporal as some Heretikes of these daies do seditiously teach CHAP. IIII. That according as so glorious a ministerie requireth he liueth and preacheth sincerely 〈◊〉 the vvhich glorie his Aduersaries can not count vaine considering his persecutions because persecution is to Gods glorie and to our humilitie and hope and meritorious of increase of grace in this life and of most glorious bodies and soules aftervvard verse 1 THERFORE hauing this ministration according as vve haue obteined mercie vve faile not ✠verse 2 but vve renounce the secrete things of dishonestie not walking in crastines nor ″ adulterating the vvord of God but in manifestation of the truth commending our selues to euery conscience of men before God ✠verse 3 And if our Gospel be also hidde in them that perish it is hidde ✠verse 4 in vvhom the God of this vvorld hath blinded the mindes of the infidels that the illumination of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ vvho is the image of God might not shine to them ✠verse 5 For vve preache nor our selues but IESVS Christ our Lord and vs your seruants by IESVS ✠verse 6 because God that commaunded light to shine of darkenes he hath shined in our hartes to the illumination of the knovvledge of the glorie of God in the face of Christ IESVS ✠verse 7
the Epistle to the Romanes but here lesse exactly and more briefly because the Galatians vvere very rude and the Romanes contrarivvise repleti omni scientia Rom. 15. replenished vvith al knovvledge THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE GALATIANS CHAP. I. After the foundation laide in the salutation â— 6 he exclaimeth against the Galatians and their false apostles 1â— considering that the Gospel vvhich he preached to theÌ„ he had it immediatly of Christ him self 13 Vvhich to shevv he beginneth to tel the storie of his conuersion and preaching since then that as he learned nothing of the other Apostles so yet he had their approbation verse 1 PAVL an Apostle not of men ″ neither by man but by IESVS Christ and God the Father that raised him from the dead ✠verse 2 and al the brethren that are vvith me to the churches of Galatia ✠verse 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 4 vvho gaue him self for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present vvicked vvorld according to the vvil of our God and father ✠verse 5 to vvhom is glorie for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 6 I maruel that thus so soone you are transferred from him that called you into the grace of Christ vnto an other Gospel ✠verse 7 vvhich is not an other vnles there be some that trouble you and vvil inuert the Gospel of Christ ✠verse 8 But although we ″ or an Angel from heauen euaÌ„gelize to you beside that vvhich vve haue euangelized to you be he anáthema ✠verse 9 As vve haue said before so novv I say againe If any euangelize to you beside that vvhich you haue receiued be he anáthema ✠verse 10 For do I novv vse persuasion to men or to God Or do I seeke to please men If I yet did please men I should not be the seruant of Christ ✠verse 11 For I doe you to vnderstand brethren the Gospel that vvas euangelized of me that it is not according to man ✠verse 12 For neither did I receiue it of man noâ— learne 〈◊〉 but by the reuelation of IESVS Christ ✠verse 13 For you haue heard my coÌ„uersation sometime in Iudaisme that aboue measure I persecuted the Church of God and expugned it ✠verse 14 and profited in Iudaisme aboue many of mine equales in my nation being more aboundantly an emulator of the traditions of my fathers ✠verse 15 But vvhen it pleased him that separated me from my mothers vvombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne in me ✠verse 16 that I should euangelize him among the Gentils incontinent I condescended not to flesh and bloud ✠verse 17 neither came I to Hierusalem to the Apostles my antecessors but I vvent into Arabia and againe I returned to Damascus ✠verse 18 Then after three yeres I came to Hierusalem ″ to see Peter and taried with him fiftene daies ✠verse 19 But other of the Apostles savv I none sauing Iames the brother of our Lord. ✠verse 20 And the things that I vvrite to you behold before God that I lie not ⊢ ✠verse 21 After that I came into the partes of Syria and Cilicia ✠verse 22 And I vvas vnknowen by sight to the churches of Ievvrie that vvere in Christ ✠verse 23 but they had heard only That he vvhich persecuted vs sometimes doth novv euangelize the faith vvhich sometime he expugned ✠verse 24 and in me they glorified God ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. Neither by man Though he vvere not first by mans election nomination or assignement but by Gods ovvne special appointmeÌ„t chosen to be an Apostle yet by the like expresse ordinance of God he tooke orders or imposition of hands of men as is plaine Act. 18. Let vs bevvare then of such false Apostles as novv a daies intrude them selues to the office of Ministerie and preaching neither called of God nor rightly ordered of men â— Or an Angel Many vvorthie obseruations are made in the fathers vvritings of the earnest admonition of the Apostle and much may vve gather of the text it self first that the credit of any man or Angel for vvhat learning eloquence shevv of grace or vertue so euer though he vvrought miracles should not moue a Christian man from that truth vvhich he hath once receiued in the Catholike Church of vvhich point Vincentius Liâ—inensis excellently treateth li. cont profan hares Nouitates Vvhereby vve may see that it is great pitie and shame that so many folovv Luther and Caluin and such other Ieude fellovves into a nevv Gospel vvhich are so farre from Apostles and Angels that they are not any vvhit comparable vvith the old Heretikes in giftes of learning or eloquence much lesse in good life Secondly S. Augustine noteth vpon the vvord Beside that not al other teaching or more preaching then the first is forbidden but such as is contrarie and disagreing to the rule of faith The Apostle did not say saith he If any man euangelize to you more then you haue receiued but beside that you receiued for if he should say that he should be preiudiâ—ial to him self vvho coueted to come to the Thessalonians that he might supply that vvhich vvas vvanting to their faith Novv he that supplieth addeth that vvhich vvas lacking taketh not avvay that vvhich vvas c. By vvhich vve see hovv friuolously and calumniously the Heretikes charge the Church vvith addition to the Scripture Thirdly as vvel by the vvord euangelizamus vve euangelize as the vvord accepistis you haue receiued vve may note that the first truth against vvhich no second Gospelling or doctrine may be admitted is not that onely vvhich he vvrote to the Galatians or vvhich is conteined either in his or any other of the Apostles or EuaÌ„gelistes vvritings but that vvhich vvas by vvord of mouth also preached taught or deliuered them first before he wrote to them Therfore the Aduersaries of the Church that measure the word of God or Gospel by the Scriptures onely thinking them selues not to incurre S. Paules curse except they teach directly against the vvritten vvord are fouly beguiled As therein also they any shamefully erre when they charge the Catholikes with addint to the Gospel when they teach any thing that is not in expresse wordes written by the Apostles or Euangelistes not marking that the Apostle in this Chapter and els where commonly calleth his his fellovves whole preaching the Gospel be it written or vnvvritten Fourthly by the same wordes we see condemned al after-preachings later doctrines new sectes and authors of the same that onely being true which was first by the Apostles and Apostolike men as the lavvful husbandmen of Christes fild sovved and planted in the Church and that false which was laten and as it vvere ouersovven by the enemie By which rule not onely Tertullian de praescript nu 6 9. but all other auÌ„cient Doctors and specially S.
the dead that he may be in al things holding the primacie ✠verse 19 because in him it hath vvel pleased al fulnes to inhabite ✠verse 20 and by him to reconcile al things vnto him self pacifying by the bloud of his crosse vvhether the things in earth or the things that are in heauen ✠verse 21 And you vvhereas you vvere sometime alienated and enemies in sense in euil vvorkes ✠verse 22 yet novv he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh by death to present you holy immaculate and blameles before him ✠verse 23 if yet ye coÌ„tinue in the faith grounded and stable and vnmoueable from the hope of the Gospel vvhich you haue heard vvhich is preached among al creatures that are vnder heauen vvhereof I Paul am made a minister ✠verse 24 Vvho novv reioyce in suffering for you and â— do accomplish those things that vvant of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his body vvhich is the CHVRCH ✠verse 25 vvhereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of Gods vvhich is giuen me tovvard you that I may fulfil the vvord of God ✠verse 26 the mysterie that hath been hidden from vvorldes and generations but novv is manifested to his sainctes ✠verse 27 to vvhoÌ„ God vvould make knowen the riches of the glorie of this sacrament in the Gentiles vvhich is Christ in you the hope of glorie ✠verse 28 vvhom vve preache admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in al vvisedom that vve may present euery man perfect in Christ IESVS ✠verse 29 Vvherein also I labour striuing according to his operation vvhich he vvorketh in me in povver ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 24. Dâ—â—â—â—â—plish that â—â—â—â—teth As Christ the head and his body make one person mystical and one full Christ the Church being therfore his plenitude fulâ—es or complement Ephes 1 so the passions of his head and the afflictions of the body and members make one complete masse of passions Vvith such difference for al that betvvene the one sort and the other as the preeminence of the head and specialâ—y such a head aboue the body requireth and giueth And not only these passions vvhich he suffered in him self vvhich vvere fully ended in his death and vverein them selues fully sufficient for the redemption of the vvorld remission of al sinnes but al those vvhich his body and members suffer are his also and of him they receiue the condition qualitie and force to be meritorious and satisfactorie For though there be no insufficiencie in the actions or passions of Christ the head yet his vvisedom vvil and iustice requireth and ordaineth * that his body and members should be fâ—llovves of his passions as they looke to be fellovves of his glorie that so suffering vvith him and by his example they may applâ—e to them selues and others the general medicine of Christes merites and satisfactions as it is effectually and applied to vs by Sacraments sacrifice and other vvaies also 〈…〉 sor being no more iniurious to Christeâ— death then the other notvvithstanding the vaine clamours of the Protestants that vvould vnder pretence of Christes Passion take avvay the valure of al good deedes Herevpon it is plaine novv that this accomplishment of the vvants of Christes Passions vvhich the Apostle and other Saincts make vp in their flesh is not meanâ— but of the penal and satisfactorie vvorkes of Christ in his members euery good man adding continually and specially Martyrs somevvhat to accomplish the full measure thereof and these be the plenitude of his passions and satisfactions as the Church is the plenitude of his person therfore these also through the communion of Saincts and the societie that is not onely betvvene the head and the body but also betvvene one members and an other are not only satisfactorie and many vvaies profitable for the sufferers them selues but also for other their fellovv-members in Christ for though one member can not merite for an other properly yet may one beare the burden and discharge the debt of an other both by the lavv of God and nature and it vvas ridiculous Heresie of Vvicleffe to deny the same Yea as vve see here the passions of Saincts are alvvaies suffered for the common good of the vvhole body and sometimes vvithal by the sufferers special intention they are applicable to special persons one or many as here the Apostle ioyeth in his passions for the Collossians in an other place his afflictions be for the saluation of the Corinthians sometimes he vvisheth to be Anatheâ—â—a that is according to Origens exposition iâ— li. 〈◊〉 ho. 10. 24. a sacrifice for the Ievves and he often speaketh of his death as of a libation host or offering as the fathers do of al Martyrs passions Al vvhich dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud and sacrifice make the plenitude of his Passion and haue a forcible crie intercession and satisfaction for the Church and the particular necessities thereof In vvhich as some do abound in good vvorkes and satisfactions as S. Paul vvho reckeneth vp his afflictions and glorieth in them 2 Cor. 11 and Iob vvho auoucheth that his penalties farre surmounted his sinnes and our Ladie much more vvho neuer sinned and yet suffered so great dolours so others some do vvant and are to be holpen by the aboundance of their fellovv-members Vvhich entercourse of spiritual offices and the recompense of the vvants of one part by the store of the other is the ground of the old libels of Indulgence vvhereof is treated before our of S. Cyprian See the Annotations 2 Cor. 2. v. 10 and of al indulgences or pardons vvhich the Church daily dispenseth vvith great iustice and mercie by their hands in vvhom Christ hath put the vvord of our reconcilement to vvhom he hath committed the keies to keepe and vse his sheepâ— to seede his mysteries and al his goods to dispense his povver to binde and loose his commission to remine and reteine and the stevvardship of his familie to giue euery one their meate and sustâ—nance in due season CHAP. II. He is careful for them though he vvere neuer vvith them that they rest in the vvonderful vvisedom vvhich is in Christian religion and be not caried avvay either vvith Philosophie to 〈◊〉 Christ and to sacrifice to Angelâ—â— or vvith Iudaisme to receive any 〈…〉 of Moyses lavv verse 1 FOR I vvil haue you knovv brethren vvhat maner of care I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia and vvhosoeuer haue not seen my face in the flesh ✠verse 2 that their hartes may be comforted instructed in charitie vnto al the riches of the fulnes of vnderstaÌ„ding vnto the knovvledge of the mysterie of God the Father of Christ IESVS ✠verse 3 in vvhom be al the treasures of vvisedom and knovvledge hidde ✠verse 4 But this I say that no man deceiue you in loftines of vvordes ✠verse 5 For although I
chast not detracting sober faithful in al things ✠verse 12 Let deacons be the husbandes of one vvife vvhich rule vvel their children their houses ✠verse 13 For they that haue ministred vvel shal purchase to them selues a good degree and much confidence in the faith vvhich is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 14 These things I vvrite to thee hoping that I shal come to thee quickly ✠verse 15 but if I tary long that thou maiest knovv how thou oughtest to conuerse ″ in the house of God which is the CHVRCH of the liuing God ″ the piller and ground of truth ✠verse 16 And manifestly it is a great sacrament of pietie vvhich vvas manifested in flesh vvas iustified in spirit appeared to Angels hath beene preached to gentils is beleeued in the vvorld is assumpted in glorie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. A good vvorke Nothing saith S. Augustine in this life and specially in this time is easier pleasanter or more acceptable to man then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon if the thing be done onely for fashion sake and â—â—â—â—â—ringly but nothing before God more miserable more lamentable more damnable Againe There is nothing in this life and specially at this time harder more laborious or more dangerous then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon but before God nothing more blessed if they vvarre in such sort as our Captaine commaundeth August ep 148. 2. A Bishop That vvhich is here spoken of a Bishop because the vvordes Bishop Priest in the nevv Testament be often taken indifferently for both or either of the tvvaine as is noted in an other place the same is meant of euery Priest also though the qualities here required ought to be more singular in the Bishop then in the Priest according to the difference of their degrees dignities and callings â— Of one vvife Certaine Bishops of Vigilantius sect vvhether vpon false construction of this text or through the filthines of their fleshly lust vvould take none to the Cleargie except they vvould be maried first not beleeuing saith S. Hierom aduers Vigilant c. 1. that any single man liueth chastly shevving hovv holily they liue them selues that suspect il of euery man and vvil not giue the Sacrament of Order to the Cleargie vnlâ—s they see their vviues haue great bellies and children vvalling at their mothers breastes Our Protestants though they be of Vigilantius sect yet they are scarse come so farre to commaund euery Priest to be maried Neuertheles they mislike them that vvill not marrie so much the vvorse and they suspect il of euery single person in the Church thinking the gift of chastitle to be very rare among them they do not onely make the state of mariage equal to chast single life vvith the Heretike Iouinian but they are bold to say sometimes that the Bishop or Priest may do his duety and charge better maried then single expresly against S. Paul vvho affirmeth that the vnmaried thinke of the things that belong to God and that the maried be diuersely distracted and intangled vvith the vvorld The Apostle then by this place vve novv treate of neither commauÌ„deth nor counseleth nor vvisheth nor vvould haue Bishops or Priests to marrie or such onely to be receiued as haue been maried but that such an one as hath been married so it vvere but once and that to a virgin may be made Bishop or Priest Which is no more then an inhibition that none hauing been tvvise maried or being bigamus should be admitted to that holy Order And this exposition onely is agreable to the practise of the vvhole Church the definition of auÌ„cient Councels the doctrine of al the fathers vvithout exception and the Apostles tradition Vvhich sense S. Chrysostom vvholy folovveth vpon the Epistle to Titus though here he folovv not vvholy the same sense Ho. 2 in ep ad Tit. S. Ambrose also vpon this place and most plainely and largely in his 82 Epistle post med giuing the cause why bigamus can not be made Bishop or Priest in fine affirmeth not onely the Apostle but the holy Councel of Nice to haue taken order that none should be receiued into the Cleargie that vvere tvvise maried S. Hierom Ep. 83. ad Oceanum c. 2. ep â— c. 18. ep 11. â— 2 expresly vvriteth that the Cleargie is made of such as haue had but one vvife at least after Baptisme for he thought that if one vvere often maried vvhen he vvas yet no Christian he might notvvithstanding be ordered Bishop or Priest But S. Ambrose ep 82. S. Augustine de bono Coniug c. 18. S. Innocentius the first ep 2. c. 5. â— to 1. Concil S. Leo ep 87â— S. Gregorie after them the vvhole Church exclude those also vvhich haue been tvvise maried vvhen so euer vvhereof S. Augustine giueth goodly reason and example in the place alleaged S. Leo ep 87 addeth further proueth that the maÌ„ is couÌ„ted bigamus not the husband of one vvife in respect of holy Orders not onely if he hath had tvvo vviues but if his one vvife vvere not a virgin vvhich being obserued in the high Priests of the old lavv must needes be much rather kept novv See also the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus c. 72 in S. Augustines vvorkes And by these fevv you may see hovv shamefully the state of the new heretical Cleargie of our time is fallen from the Apostolike and al the fathers practise and doctrine herein Vvho do not onely take men once or twise maried before but vvhich vvas neuer heard of before in any person or part of the Catholike Church they marie after they be Bishops or Priests once tvvise and as often as their lustes require Whereas it vvas neuer lawful in Gods Church to marrie after Holy Orders Neither is there one authentical example thereof in the world For those of vvhom Nice Councel speaketh vvere maried before were but tolerated onely to vse their wiues the fathers in the same Councel prouiding expresly at the same time that none from thence forth should marrie after they came to holy Orders and that according to the auÌ„cient tradition of the Church as Socrates and Sozomenus declare in most plaine vvordes See Suidas in the vvord Paphnutius And in vvhat countrie so euer they haue been permitted to haue carnal dealing euen vvith their vviues whom they had before it was not according to the exact rule of the Apostles Churches tradition by vvhich al that be in holy Orders should wholy abstaine not onely from marying but euen from their wiues before maried Vvhereof thus vvriteth S. Epiphanius hares 59 câ—nt Cathares The holy preaching of God receiueth not after Christ them that marrie againe after their vviues departure by reason of the great dignitie and honour of Priesthod And this the holy Church of God obserueth vvith al sinceritie Yea she doth not receiue the once maried person that yet
Cornelius epistle to Fabius concerning Nouatus Likewise S. Cyprian in many places namely ep 55. nu 1. where see the notes vpon the same S. Hiero. ep 2. c. 6. Of Subdeacon there is mention in S. Augustine ep 74 and ep 20 de epistolis 22 in edit Paris S. Epiph. harâ— 59. S. Cyprian ep 24. S. Ignatius ep 9 ad Antiochâ—nos and in the 43 canon of the Apostles Conc. Tolet. 2. can 1 3. Conc. Laodicen can 21. Epist Epiph. apud Hiero. 60. c. 1. 1â— In the house of God Al the vvorld being Gods yet the Church onely is his house the Rector or Ruler vvhereof at this day saith S. Ambrose vpon this place is damasus where let our louing brethren note vvel how cleere a case it vvas then that the Pope of Rome vvas not the Gouernour onely of one particular See but of Christes vvhole house vvhich is the Vniuersal Church vvhose Rector this day is Gregorie the thirtenth 15. The piller of truth This place pincheth al Heretikes vvonderfully and so it euer did and therfore they oppose them selues directly against the very letter and confessed sense of the same that is cleane contrarie to the Apostle some saying the Church to be lost or hidden some to be fallen avvay from Christ these many ages some to be driuen to a corner onely of the vvorld some that it is become a stewes and the seate of Antichrist lastly the Protestants most plainely and directly that it may and doth erre and hath shamefully erred for many hundred yeres together And they say herein like them selues and for the credit of their ovvne doctrine vvhich can not be true in very deede except the Church erre euen the Church of Christ vvhich is here called the house of the liuing God But the Church vvhich is the house of God whose Rector saith S. Ambrose in his time was Damasus and novv Gregorie the thirtenth and in the Apostles time S. Peter is the piller of truth the establishement of al veritie therfore it can not erre It hath the Spirit of God to lead it into al truth till the vvorldes end therfore it can not erre It is builded vpon a rocke hel gates shal not preuaile against it therfore it can not erre Christ is in it til the end of the vvorld he hath placed in it Apostles Doctors Pastors and Rulers to the consummation and ful perfection of the whole body that in the meane time we be not caried about vvith euery blast of doctrine therfore it can not erre He hath praied for it that it be sanctified in veritie that the faith of the cheefe Gouernour therof faile not it is his house his spouse his body his lotte kingdom and inheritance giuen him in this vvorld he loueth it as his ovvne flesh and it can not be diuorced or separated from him therfore it can not erre the nevv Testament Scriptures Sacraments and sacrifice can not be changed being the euerlasting dourie of the Church continued and neuer rightly occupied in any other Church but in this our Catholike Church therfore it can not erre And therfore al those pointes of doctrine faith and vvorship vvhich the Arians Manichees Protestants Anabaptistes other old or new Heretikes vntruely thinke to be errors in the Church be no errors in deede but them selues most shamfully are deceiued and so shal be still til they enter againe into this house of God vvhich is the piller and ground of al truth that is to say not onely it self free from al error in faith and religion but the piller and stay to leane vnto in al doubtes of doctrine and to stand vpon against al heresies and errors that il times yeld without vvhich there can be no certaintie nor securitie And therfore the holy Apostles and Councels of Nice and Constantinople made it an article of our Creeds to beleeue the CATHOLIKE and APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH Vvhich is not onely to acknowledge that there is such a Church as heretikes falsely say but that that which is called the Catholike Church knovven so to be and coÌ„municateth vvith the See Apostolike is the Church and that vve must beleeue heare and obey the same as the touch stone piller and firmament of truth For al this is comprised in that principle I beleeue the Catholike Church And therfore the CouÌ„cel of Nice said I beleeue in the Church that is I beleeue and trust the same in al things Neither can the Heretikes escape by fleing from the knovven visible Church to the hid congregation or companie of the Predestinate For that is but a false phantastical apprehension of Vvicleffe and his folowers The companie of the Predestinate maketh not any one Societie among them selues many of them being yet vnborne and many yet Infidels and heretikes and therfore be not of the one house of God vvhich is here called the piller of truth And those of the Predestinate that be already of the Church make not a seueral companie from the knovven Catholike Church but are baptized houseled taught they liue and die in the common Catholike visible Church or els they can neither receiue Sacraments nor saluation S. Paul instructeth not Timothee hovv to teach preach correct and conuerse in the inuisible societie of the Predestinate but in the visible house of God So that it must needes be the visible Church which can not erre If any make further question how it can be that any companie or societie of men as the Church is can be void of error in faith seing al men may erre he must knovv that it is not by nature but by priuilege of Christes presence of the Holy Ghosts assistance of our Lordes promis and praier See S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the 118 Psalme Cone 13. Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis vsqucquaque Vvhere he hath goodly speaches of this matter For the same purpose also these vvordes of Lactantius are very notable It is the Catholike Church onely that keepeth the true vvorship of God this is the fountaine of truth this the house of faith this the Temple of God vvhither if any man enter not or from vvhich if any man go out he is an aliene and stranger from the hope of euerlasting life and saluation No man must by obstinate contention flatter him self for it standeth vpon life and saluation c. S. Cyprian saith The Church neuer departeth frâ—m that vvhich she once hath knovven Ep. 55 ad Cornel. nu 3. S. Ireneus saith That the Apostles haue laid vp in the Church as in a rich treasurie al truth And that she keepeth wish most sincere diligence the Apostles faith and preaching li. 3 c. 4. 40. li. 1. c. 3. It vvere an infinite thing to recite al that the fathers say of this matter al counting it a most pernicious absurditie to affirme that the Church of Christ may erre in religion CHAP. IIII.
He prophecieth that certaine should depart from the Catholike faith vvilling Timothee therfore to inculcate to the people those articles of the said faith 7 Item to exercise him self in spiritual exercise 12 to gette authoritie by example of good life 13 to studie to teach to increase in the grace giuen him by holy orders verse 1 AND the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times certain â— shal depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour and doctrines of diuels ✠verse 2 speaking lies in hypocrisie and hauing their conscience seared ✠verse 3 â— forbidding to marie to abstaine from meates vvhich God created to receaue vvith thankes-giuing for the faithful and them that haue knovven the truth ✠verse 4 For euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued â— vvith thankes-giuing ✠verse 5 For it is â— sanctified by the vvord of God and praier ✠verse 6 These things proposing to the brethren thou shalt be a good minister of Christ IESVS nourished in the vvordes of the faith and the good doctrine vvhich thou hast attained vnto ✠verse 7 But folish and old vviues fables auoid and exercise thy self to pietie ✠verse 8 For corporal exercise is profitable to litle but pietie is profitable to al things hauing promisse of the life that novv is and of that to come ✠verse 9 A faithful saying and vvorthie of al acceptation ✠verse 10 For to this purpose vve labour and are reuiled because vve hope in the liuing God vvhich is the Sauiour of al men especially of the faithful ✠verse 11 Commaund these things and teach ✠verse 12 Let no man contemne thy youth but be an example of the faithful in vvord in conuersation in charitie in faith in chastitie ✠verse 13 Til I come attend vnto reading exhortation doctrine ✠verse 14 Neglect not ″ the grace that is in thee vvhich is giuen thee by prophecie vvith imposition of the handes ″ of priesthod ✠verse 15 These things doe thou meditate be in these things that thy profiting may be manifest to al. ✠verse 16 Attend to thy self and to doctrine be earnest in them For this doing thou shalt ″ saue both thy self and them that heare thee ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Shal depart It is the proper description of Heretikes to forsake their former faith and to be Apostataes as the Greeke vvord importeth to giue care to particular spirites of error deception rather then to the Spirit of Christ in his Church to folovv in hypocrisie and shevv of vertue the pernicious doctrine of Diuels vvho are the suggesters and prompters of al Sectes and are lying spirites in the mouthes of al Heretikes and false preachers men that haue put their conscience to silence and made it senses to the holy hurches admonition the Apostle noting * once before also in this same Epistle that Heretikes haue no conscience vvhich is the cause both of their fall and of their obduration in heresie â— Forbidding to marrie He speaketh saith S. Chrysostom of the Manichees Encratites and Marcionistes hâ— 12 in 1 Tim. S. Ambrose vpon this place addeth to these the Patritians also S. Irenaeus li. 1 c. 30. S. Epiphanius har 45. 26. 61. 30. S. Hierom 1 cont louin c. 1. ep 50 c. 1 3. S. Augustine har 25. 40. and generally al antiquitie affirme the same both of them and also of the Heretikes called Apostolici Ebionitae and the like Their heresie about mariage vvas that to marrie or to vse the act of matrimonie is of Satan as S. Irenaeus vvitnesseth li. 1 c. 22 and that the distinction of male and femal and the creation of man and vvoman for generation came of an il God They taught their hearers saith S. Augustine that if they did vse vvomen they should in any vvise prouide that they might not conceiue or beare children Clemens Alexandrinus li. 3. Strom in principie vvriteth that such admit no mariage nor procreation of children lest they should bring into the vvorld creatures to suffer miserie and mortalitie And this is the damnable opinion concerning mariage noted here by the Apostle For the second point consisting in the prohibition of meates or vse of certaine creatures made to be eaten the said Heretikes or diuers of them for they vvere not al of one sect touching these points taught that men might not eate certaine sortes of meates specially of beastes and liuing creatures for that they vvere not made say they of the good God but of the euil And vvine they called the gall of the Prince of darkenes and not to be drunke at al and the Vine vvhereof it came to be of the Diuels creation And diuers other creatures they coÌ„demned as things by nature and creation polluted and abominable August har Manich. 46. har 25 Tatian toto libro de mâ—r Manich. to 1. Lo these vvere the Heretikes and their heresies vvhich S. Paul here prophecieth of that forbid mariage and meates as you haue heard for vvhich they and their folovvers vvere condemned in diuers Councels Is it not novv an intolerable impudencie of the Protestants vvho for a smal similitude of vvordes in the eares of the simple apply this text to the fastes of the Church and the chastitie of Priests and Religious As though either by appointing or vsing some daies of abstinence from certaine meates the Church or any Catholike man condemned the said meates vnles the Rechabites Hierom. 35. or the Nazarites Num. 6. or the Niniuites Ion. 3. or Moyses Exod. 34. or Elias 3 Reg. 19. or holy Anna the vvidow Luc. 2 or Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 9. or Christ him self Mâ— 4. commending vsing and folovving a prescript number of fasting daies or God him self that in the very beginning in Paradise prescribed abstinence from the fruite of one certaine tree and after appointed so many fastes in the Lavv vnles he therfore condeÌ„ned his ovvne creatures the rest those creatures from vvhich they abstained No there be many good and lavvful causes to forbid some or to abstaine froÌ„ some meates as for obedience as in Paradise for significatioÌ„ as the Ievves for that they haue been offered to Idols as in the Epistle to the Corinthians for chastening the bodie and penance for health also and onely those causes are vnlavvful for vvhich the Manichees and other Heretikes abstained Concerning mariage likewise they may as vvel charge God or the Church for forbidding the father to marrie the daughter or the brother the sister or other prohibited persons in the Lavv as vvel might they charge Christ and the Apostle for prohibiting the man to marrie during his vviues life and appointing vvidowes that serue the Church to liue vnmaried and not admitting a maried woman as vvel as vvidovv nor her that hath had moe husbands as vvel as her that hath beeÌ„ maried but once as they
his humanity but for that his petigree is not set out in the Genesis as the genealogie of other Patriarches is but is sodenly induced in the holy historie no mention made of his stocke tribe beginning or ending and therfore in that case also resembling in a sort the sonne of God vvhose generation vvas extraordinarie miraculous and ineffable according to both his natures lacking a father in the one and a mother in the other his person hauing neither beginning nor ending and his kingdom and Priesthod specially in him self and in the Church being eternall both in respect of the time past and the time to come as the said Doctor in the same epistle vvriteth 4. Behold To proue that Christes Priesthod far passeth the Priesthod of Aaron and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament the Priesthod of the old lavv and consequently that the sacrifice of our Sauiour and the sacrifice of the Church doth much excel the sacrifices of Moyses lavv he disputeth proâ—oundly of the preeminences of Melchisedec aboue the great Patriarch Abraham vvho vvas father of the Leuites 4. Tithes The first preeminence that Abraham paied tithes and that of the best and most cheefe things that he had vnto Melchisedec as a duety and homage not for him self onely in person but for Leui vvho yet vvas not borne and so for the vvhole Priesthod of Leuies stocke acknovvledging thereby Melchisedec not onely to be a Priest but his Priest and Superior and so of al the Leuitical order And it is here to be obserued that vvhereas in the 14 of Genesis vvhence this holy narration is taken both in the Hebrue and in the 70 it standeth indifferent or doubtfull vvhether Melchisedec paied tithes to Abraham or tooke tithes of him the Apostle here putteth al out of controuersie plainely declaring that Abraham paid tithes to the other at the inferiour to his Priest and Superior And touching paiment of tithes it is a natural duety that men ovve to God in al lavves and to be giuen to his Priests in his behalfe for their honour and liuelihod Iacob promised or vovved to pay them Gen. 28. Moyses appointed them Leuit. 27. Num. 18. Deut. 12. 14. 26. Christ confirmeth that duety Mat. 23 and Abraham specially here giueth them to Melchisedec plainely thereby approuing them or their equiualent to be due to Christ and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament much more then either in the lavv of Moyses or in the lavv of Nature Of vvhich tithes due to the Clergie of Chrises Church see S. Cyprian ep 66. S. Hierom ep 1 c. 7. and ep 2 c. 5. to Hellodorus and Nepolianus S. Augustine ser 119 de tempore 7. Is blessed of the better The second preeminence is that Melchisedec did blesse Abraham vvhich vve see here S. Paul maketh a great and soueraine holy thing grounding our Sauiours prerogatiue aboue the vvhole order of Aaron therein and vve see that in this sort it is the proper act of Prieshod â— and that vvithout al controuersie as the Apostle saith he is greater in dignitie that hath authority to blesse then the person that hath not and therfore the Priests vocation to be in this behalfe far aboue any earthly king vvho hath not povver to giue benediction in this sacred maner neither to man nor other creature As here Melchisedec so Christ blessed much more and so haue the Bishops of his Church done and do Vvhich no man can maruel that our forefathers haue so highly esteemed and sought for if he marke the vvonderful mysterie and grace thereof here expressed 〈…〉 also vvhich here taketh blossing of Melchisedec him self though in an inferior sort blessed his sonnes as the other Patriarches did and fathers do their children by that example 11. If consummation The principal proposition of the vvhole epistle and al the Apostle discourse is inserted grounded vpon the former prerogatiues of Melchisedec aboue Abraham and Leul that is that the end perfection accomplishment and consummation of al mans dueties and debtes to God by the general redemption satisfaction full price and perfect ransom of al mankind vvas not atchieued by any or al the Priests of Aarons order not by any sacrifice or act of that Priesthod or of al the lavv of Moyses vvhich vvas grounded vpon the Leuitical Priesthod but by Christ and his Priesthod vvhich is of the order and rite of Melchisedec 11. What necessitie This disputation of the preeminence of Christes Priesthod aboue the Leuitical order is against the erroneous persuasion of the Ievves that thought their lavv Priesthod and sacrifices to be euerlasting and to be sufficient in them selues vvithout any other Priest then Aaron and his successors and vvithout al relation to Christes Passion or any other redemption or remission then that vvhich their Leuitical offices did procure not knovving that they vvere all figures of Christes death and to be ended and accomplished in the same Vvhich point vvell vnderstood and kept in mind vvill cleere the vvhole controuersie betvvixt the Catholikes and Protestants concerning the sacrifice of the Church for the scope of the Apostles disputation being to auouch the dignity preeminence necessitie and eternal fruite and effect of Christes Passion he had not to treate at all of the other vvhich is a sacrifice depending of his Passion specially vvriting to the Hebrues that vvere to be instructed and reformed first touching the sacrifice of the Crosse before they could fruitfully heare any thing of the other though in couert and by most euident sequele of disputation the learned and faithfull may easily perceiue vvherevpon the said Sacrifice of the Church vvhich is the Masse is grounded And therfore S. Hierom saith ep 126 that al these commendations of Melchisedec are in the type of Christ euius profectus Ecclesiae sacramenta sunt 12. Translated Note vvel this place and you shal perceiue thereby that euery lavvful forme and manner of lavv state or gouernement of Gods people dependeth on Priesthod riseth standeth falleth or altereth vvith the Priesthod In the lavv of Nature the state of the people hanged on one kind of Priesthod in the lavv of Moyses of an other in the state of Christianity of an other and therfore in the former sentence the Apostle said that the Ievvish people or Commonvvealth had their lavv vnder the Leuitical Priesthod and the Greeke more properly expresseth the matter that they vvere legitimated that is to say made a lavvful people or communitie vnder God by the Priesthod for there is no iust nor lavvful Commonvvealth in the vvorld that is not made legal and Gods peculiar and distinguished from vnlavvful Commonvveales that hold of false goddes or of none at al by Priesthod Vvherevpon it is cleere that the nevv lavv and al Christian peoples holding of the same is made lavvful by the Priesthod of the nevv Testament and that the Protestants shamefully are deceiued and deceiue others that vvould haue Christian Commonvveales to lacke
the nevv Testament are called Presbyteri in Greeke and Latin and therfore both their translation to be false and fraudulent and also their naming of their nevv degrees or orders to be fond and incongruous If they say their Ministers be correspondent to such as vvere called Presbyteri in holy vvrite and in the Primitiue Church and that they are the men vvhom the Apostle vviâ—â—eth to be called for to anoile the sicke to pray for him vvhy do they not then translate Presbyterâ—s Ministers â—hich they might doe vvith as good reason as call such as they haue taken in steede of our Catholike Priests Ministers Vvhich vvord being in large acception common to all that haue to doe about the celebration of diuine things vvas neuer appropriated by the vse either of Scripture or of the holy Church to that higher function of publike administration of the Sacraments and Seruice vvhich is Priesthod but to the order next vnder it vvhich is Deaconship And therfore if any should be called Ministers their Deacons properly should be so termed And the Protestants haue no more reason to keepe the ancient Greeke vvord of Deacon appropriated to that office by the vse of antiquity then to keepe the vvord Priest being made no lesse peculiar to the state of such onely as minister the holy Sacraments offer the Sacrifice of the Altar But these fellovves folovv neither Gods vvord nor Ecclesiastical vse nor any reason but meâ—e phantasie noueltie and hatred of Gods Church And hovv litle they folovv any good rule or reason in these things may appeare by this that here they auoid to translate Priests and yet in their CoÌ„munion booke in their order of visiting the sicke they commonly name the Minister Priest 14. Anoiling vvith oils Here is the Sacrament of extreme Vnction so plainely promulgated for it vvas instituted as al other Sacraments of the nevv Testament by our Sauiour Christ him self and as Venerable Bede thinketh and other auncient vvriters the anoiling of the sicke vvith oile Marc. 6. pertaineth therevnto that some Heretikes for the euidence of this place also as of the other for good vvorkes deny the Epistle Other as the Caluinists through their confidence of cunning shiftes and gloses confessing that S. Iames is the author yet condemne the Church of God for vsing and taking it for a Sacrament But vvhat dishonour to God is it vve pray them that a Sacrament should be instituted in the matter of oile more then in the element of vvater Vvhy may not grace remission of sinnes be annexed to the one as vvel as to the other vvithout derogation to God But they say Sacraments endure for euer in the Church this but for a season in the Primitiue Church Vvhat Scripture telleth them that this general and absolute prescription of the Apostle in this case should endure but for a season vvhen vvas it taken avvay abrogated or altered They see the Church of God hath alvvaies vsed it vpon this vvarrant of the Apostle vvho knevve Christs meaning and institution of it better then these deceiued men vvho make more of their ovvne fond ghesses and coÌ„iectures grounded neither on Scripture nor vpon any circumstance of the text noâ— any one authentical author that euer vvrote then of the expresse vvord of God It vvas say they a miraculous practise of healing the sicke during onely in the Apostles time and not long after Vve aske them vvhether Christ appointed any certaine creature or external element vnto the Apostles generally to vvorke miracles by Him self vsed sometimes clay and spittle sometimes he sent them that vvere diseased to vvash them selues in vvaters but that he appointed any of those or the like things for a general medicine or miraculous healing onely that vve reade not for in the beginning for the better inducing of the people to faith and deuotion Christ vvould haue miracles to be vvrought by sundry of the Sacraments also Vvhich miraculous vvorkes ceasing yet the Sacraments remaine still vnto the vvorldes end Againe vve demaund vvhether euer they read or heard that men vvere generally commaunded to seeke for their health by miraculous meaâ—es Thirdly vvhether al Priests or as they call them Elders had the gift of miracles in the primitiue Church No it can not be for though some had yet al these indifferently of vvhom the Apostle speaketh had not the gift and many that vvere no Priests had it both men and vvomen vvhich yet could not be called for as Priests vvere in this case And though the Apostle and others could both cure men and reuiue them againe yet there vvas no such general precept for sicke or dead men as this to call for the Apostles to heale or restore them to life againe Lastly had any external element or miraculous practise vnles it vvere a Sacrament the promisse of remission of al kinde of actual sinnes ioyned vnto it or could S. Iames institute such a ceremonie him self that could saue both body and soule by giuing health to the one and grace and remission to the other At other times these contentious vvranglers raile at Gods Church for annexing only the remission of venial sinnes to the element of vvater made holy by the Priests blessing thereof in the name of Christ and his vvord and loe here they are driuen to hold that S. Iames prescribed a miraculous oile or creature vvhich had much more povver and efficacie Into these straites are such miscreants brought that vvil not beleeue the expresse vvord of God interpreted by the practise of Gods vniuersal Church Venerable Bede in 9 Luc. saith thus It is cleere that this custome was deliuered to the holy Church by the Apostles them selues that the sicke should be anointed vvith oile consecrated by the Bishops blessing See for this and for the assertion vse of this Sacrament S. Innocentius ep 1 ad Decentium Eugubinum cap. 8. to 1. Conc Lib. 2. de visitatione infirmorum in S. Augustine cap. 4. Concil Cabilonense 2. cap. 48. Conc. Wormatiâ—nse cap. 72. to 3. Conc. Aquisgra c. 8. Flcrentinum and other later Councelâ— S. Bernard in the life of Malachie in fine This holy oile because the faithful savv to haue such vertue in the primitiue Church diuers caried it home and occupied it in their infirmities not vsing it in the Sacramental sort vvhich the Apostle prescribeth as the Aduersaries vnlearnedly obiect vnto vs but as Christians novv do and then also did concerning the vvater of Baptisme vvhich they vsed to take home vvith them after it vvas hallovved and to giue it their diseased to drinke 15. The praier of faith He meaneth the forme of the Sacrament that is the vvordes spoken at the same time vvhen the partie is anoiled vvhich no doubt are most auncient and Apostolike Not that the vvord or praier alone should haue that great effect here mentioned but ioyned vvith the foresaid vnction as is plaine 15. Shal saue The
and is no doubt much more novv in al Haeretikes al being precursors of that great Antichrist vvhich shal come tovvards the later end 3. That dissolueth To dissolue loose or separate IESVS a sunder vvas proper to al those old Heretikes that taught either against his Diuinitie or Humanitie or the Vnitie of his person being of two natures as Cerinthus Ebion Nestorius Eutyches Manes or Manichaeus Cerdon Apelles Apollinaris and the like And this is one place by vvhich vve may see that the common Greeke copies be not euer authentical and that our old approued translation may not alvvaies be examined by the Greeke that novv is vvhich the Protestants onely folow but that it is to be presupposed vvhen our old Latin text differeth plainely from the Greeke that in old time either al or the more approued Greeke reading was othervvise and that often the said Greeke was corrupted then or since by Heretikes or otherwise For of the Greekes S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 18 among the Latin fathers S. Augustine tract 6. in fine S. Leo ep 10. c. 5 and Venerable Bede did reade as we doe and this reading maketh more against the said Heretikes then that vvhich the common Greeke novv hath to vvit Euery spirit that confesseth not Christ to haue come in flesh is not of God vvhich is also in effect said before vers 2. And that therfore it vvas corrupted and altered by Heretikes see the vvordes of Socrates also a Greeke vvriter very agreable to this purpose Nestorius saith he being eloquent by nature vvhich is often in Heretikes accounted him self therfore learned disdained to study the old interpreters counting him self better then them all being ignorant that in S. Iohns Catholike epistle old Greeke copies had EVERY ONE THAT DISSOLVETH IESVS IS NOT OF GOD. So saith he adding moreouer that such as vvould separate the diuinitie from the dispensation of Christs humanitie tooke out of the old copies this sense for vvhich the old expositours noted that these which would loose IESVS had corrupted this Epistle See also the Tripartite li. 12. c. 4. 6. In this vve knovv This is the most sure general marke to knovv the true spirites and prophets from the false that those vvhich be of God wil heare and obey their Apostles and lavvful pastors succeding the Apostles and submit them selues to the Church of God the other that be not of God wil not heare either Apostle pastor or Church but be their ovvne iudges 17. That vve may haue confidence Confidence called in Latin Fiducia is neither alone with faith nor a persuasion infallible that maketh a man no lesse secure and certaine of his saluation then of the things that vve are bound to beleeue as the Protestants falsely teach but it is onely a hope wel corroborated confirmed and strengthened vpon the promises and grace of God and the parties merites And the vvordes both folowing going before proue also euidently against the Protestants that our confidence and hope in the day of iudgement dependeth not onely vpon our apprehension of Christs merites by faith or vpon his grace and mercie but also vpon our conformitie to Christ in this life in charitie and good vvorkes And that is the doctrine of S. Peter vvhen he said Labour that by good vvorkes you may make sure your vocation and election and S. Paules meaning vvhen he said I haue fought a good fight there is laid vp for me a crovvne of iustice vvhich our Lord vvil render to me in that day a iust iudge 18. Feare is not in charitie The Heretikes very falsly vnderstand this place so that Christian godly men ought to haue no doubt mistrust or feare of hel and damnation Vvhich is most euidently against the Scriptures commending euery where vnto vs the awe and feare of God and his iudgements Feare him saith our Sauiour Mat. 10 that can cast body and soul into hel And Psal 118. Pearse my flesh vvith thy feare Vvhich feare of Gods iudgements caused S. Paul al good men to chastise their bodies lest they should be reprobate and damned And the vvise man for this cause affirmeth him to be happie that is euer fearful And holy Iob faith I feared al my vvorkes And the Apostle Vvith feare and trembling vvorke your saluation Vvhich kinde of feare is euen in the iustest men and most ful of charitie consisting wel with the same vertue and is called Filialis is timer because it is such as the good childe ought to haue toward his father But there is a kinde of feare vvhich standeth not with charitie and is cleane against hope also that vvhich bringeth such perplexitie and auxietie of conscience that it induceth a man to mistrust or despaire of Gods mercies That seruile feare also vvhich maketh a man often to leaue sinning and to doe the external vvorkes of iustice not for any loue or delight he hath in God or his lawes but onely for feare of damnation though it be not il in it self but very profitable as that vvhich helpeth toward the loue of God yet it standeth not with charitie neither but is daily more and more lessened and at length quite driuen out by charitie Of these kinde of feares then the Apostle speaketh and as some expound of the feare of men also of vvhich our Sauiour saith Feare not them that kil the body CHAP. V. They that loue God must loue his natural sonne IESVS and his sonnes by adoption and keepe his commaundements vvhich to the regenerate are light 4 But not vnles they continue in the Catholike faith namely of this article that IESVS is the sonne of God and therfore able to giue vs life euerlasting 14 and al our petitions 16 and our praiers for al our brethren that sinne not vnto death dying in their mortal sinnes by impenitence Last of al he vvarneth them not to communicate vvith idols verse 1 WHOSOEVER beleeueth that IESVS is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth him vvhich begat loueth him also vvhich vvas borne of him ✠verse 2 In this vve knovv that vve loue the children of God vvhen as vve loue God and keepe his commaundementes ✠verse 3 For this is the charitie of God that vve keepe his commaundements * and ″ his commaundementes are not heauy ✠verse 4 Because al that is borne of God ouercommeth the vvorld and this is the victorie vvhich ouercommeth the vvorld our faith ✠verse 5 Vvho is he * that ouercōmeth the vvorld but he that beleeueth that IESVS is the sonne of God ✠verse 6 This is he that came by vvater and bloud IESVS Christ not in vvater only but in vvater and bloud And it is the Spirit vvhich testifieth that Christ is the truth ✠verse 7 For there be ″ three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the Father the Vvord and the Holy Ghost and these three be one ✠verse 8 And
there be three vvhich giue testimonie in earth the spirit vvater and bloud and these three be one ' ✠verse 9 If vve receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God is greater because this is the testimonie of God vvhich is greater that he hath testified of his sonne ✠verse 10 * He that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath the testimonie of God in him self ⊢ He that beleeueth not the Sōne maketh him a lier because he beleeueth not in the testimonie vvhich God hath testified of his sonne ✠verse 11 And this is the testimonie that God hath giuen vs life euerlasting And this life is in his sonne ✠verse 12 He that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life ✠verse 13 These thinges I vvrite to you that you may knovv that you haue eternal life which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God ✠verse 14 And this is the confidence which vve haue toward him that * vvhat soeuer vve shal aske according to his vvill he heareth vs. ✠verse 15 And vve knovv that he heareth vs vvhatsoeuer vve shal aske vve knovv that vve haue the petitions vvhich vve request of him ✠verse 16 He that knoweth his brother to sinne a sinne not to death let him aske and life shal be giuen him sinning not to death There is ″ a sinne to death ″ for that I say not that any man aske ✠verse 17 Al iniquitie is sinne And there is a sinne to death ' ✠verse 18 Vve know that euery one vvhich is borne of God sinneth not but the generation of God preserueth him and the vvicked one toucheth him not ✠verse 19 Vve knovv that vve are of God and the vvhole vvorld is set in vvickednesse ✠verse 20 And vve knovve that the sonne of God commeth and he * hath giuen vs vnderstanding that vve may knovv the true God may be in his true sonne This is the true God life euerlasting ✠verse 21 My litle children keepe your selues ″ from Idols Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 5. His commaundements are not heauie Hovv can the Protestants say that Gods commaundements can not possibly be fulfilled or kept in this life seing the Apostle saith they be not heauie and Christ saith his yoke is svveete and his burden light See for the ful vnderstanding of this place S. Augustine de perfectione iustitia c. 10. The Heretikes in fauour of their foresaid errour rather translate His commaundements are not greuous then are not heauie 7. Three vvhich giue testimonie An expresse place for the distinction of three persons the vnitie of nature and essence in the B. Trinitie against the Arians and other like Heretikes vvho haue in diuers ages found them selues so pressed vvith these plaine Scriptures that they haue as it is thought altered and corrupted the text both in Greeke and Latin many vvaies euen as the Protestants handle those textes that make against them But because vve are not novv troubled vvith Arianisme so much as vvith Caluinisme vve neede not stand vpon the varietie of readings or expositions of this passage See S. Hierom in his epistle put before the 7 Canonical or Catholike Epistles 16. A sinne to death A sinne to death is an other thing then a mortal sinne for it is that mortal sinne onely vvhereof a man is neuer penitent before his death or in vvhich he continueth til death and dieth in it I affirme saith S. Augustine de correp grat c. 12 that a sinne to death is to leaue faith vvorking by charitie euen til death So likevvise in the vvordes before a sinne not to death is not that vvhich vve call a venial sinne but any that a man committeth and continueth not therin til death 16. For that I say not If the sinne to death vvhere of he speaketh be the sinne vvherein a man dieth vvithout repentance according to S. Augustines vvordes before rehearsed then the praier vvhich he speaketh of must needes be praier for the dead because he speaketh of praying or not praying for them that died in deadly sinne exhorting vs to pray and encouraging vs to doe it vvith confidence to be heard if vve pray for them that departed this life not in deadly sinne and contrarivvise in maner dissuading discouraging vs from praying for such as continued in vvickednes euen til their liues end And S. Augustine setteth dovvne the Churches practise agreable to the Apostles meaning li. 21 c. 24. de Ciuit. Dei if there be any saith he that persist til death in impenitence of hart doth the Church novv pray for them that is for the soules of them that so are departed So saith he And this is the cause that Concilium Bracharense primum sap 34 forbiddeth to pray for such as die in desperation or kil them selues and the reason vvhy the Church forbeareth to pray for Heretikes that die in their heresie or mainteine heresie vnto death and by their death And that the place is most properly or onely meant of praying for the departed this conuinceth that neither the Church nor any man is dehorted here from praying for any sinner yet liuing not for he remission of any sinne in this life al sinnes of vvhat sort soeuer being pardonable so long as the committers of them be in case and state to repent as they be so long as they be in this vvorld And vve see that the Church praieth and is often heard for Heretikes Ievves Turkes Apostataes and vvhat other infidels or il men soeuer during their liues And it is great blasphemie that the Caluinistes vtter vpon this place to vvit that Apostasie and certaine other sinnes of the reprobate can not be forgiuen at al in this life Vvhich they hold onely to auoid the sequele of praying for the dead vpon these vvordes of S. Iohn besides that they must take vpon them presumptuously to knovv and discerne of Gods secretes vvho be reprobate and vvho be not and according to that pray for some and not for othersome al vvhich is most vvicked and absurd presumption As for their allegation that S. Ieremie the Prophet vvas forbidden to pray for the Ievves and vvarned that he should not be heard Chap. 7. 11. 14 there is great difference first he had a reuelation by the vvordes of God that they vvould continue in their vvickednes as vve haue not of any certaine person vvhereof S. Iohn here speaketh secondly Ieremie vvas not forbidden to pray for the remission of their sinnes nor had denial to be heard therein for any mans particular case vvhereof the Apostle here speaketh but he vvas told that they should not escape the temporal punishment and affliction vvhich he had designed for them and that he vvould not heard him therein 21. From idols It is so knovven a treacherie of Heretikes to trāslate idola images as here and in a
vvould not by paper and inke for I hope that I shal be vvith you and speake mouth to mouth that your ioy may be ful ✠verse 13 The children of thy sister electe salute thee ANNOT. 6. From the beginning This is the rule of a Christian Catholike man to vvalke in that faith and vvorship of God vvhich he hath receiued from the beginning Vvhich is that vvhich vve novv call according to the Scriptures the tradition of the Apostles that vvhich is come to vs from man to man from Bishop to Bishop and so from the Apostles So shal a faithful man auoid seducers that rise vp in euery age teaching nevv doctrine 10. This doctrine The Apostles and true Pastors their lavvful successors and the Church of God in holy Councel vse to set dovvne the true doctrine in those pointes vvhich Heretikes call into controuersie Vvhich being once done and declared to the faithful they neede no other marke or description to knovv an Heretike or false teacher by but that he commeth vvith an other doctrine then that vvhich is set dovvne to them Neither can the Heretikes shift them selues as novv a daies they vvould doe saying ô let vs first be proueds Heretikes by the Scriptures let them define an Heretike No this is not the Apostles rule Many a good honest shepheard knovveth a vvoolfe that can nor define him but the Apostle saith If he bring not this set doctrine he is a seducer So holy Church saith novv Christ is really in the B. Sacrament vnder forme of bread and vvine c. If therfore he bring not this doctrine he is a seducer and an Heretike and vve must auoide him vvhether in his ovvne definitions and censures he seeme to him self an Heretike or no. 10. Receiue him not Though in such times and places vvhere the communitie or most part be infected necessitie often forceth the faithful to conuerse vvith such in vvorldly affaires to salute them to eate and speake vvith them and the Church by decree of Councel for the more quietnes of timorous consciences prouideth that they incurre not excommunication or other censures for communicating in vvorldly affaires vvith any in this kinde except they be by name excommunicated or declared to be Heretikes yet euen in vvordly coonuersatioÌ„ and secular actes of our life vve must auoid them as much as vve may because their familiaritie is many vvaies contagious and nolsome to good men namely to the simple but in matter of religion in praying reading their bookes hearing their sermons presence at their seruice partaking of their Sacraments and al other communicating vvith them in spiritual things It is a great damnable sinne to deale vvith them 10. Nor say God saue you S. Iohn 〈…〉 anotable storie of this holy Apostle touching to is point out of S. Polycarpus vvhich is this There be some saith he that haue heard Polycarpe say that vvhen Iohn the disciple of our Lord vvas going to Ephesus into a bath to vvash him self and savv Corinthus the Heretikes vvithin the same he so denly skipt out saying that he feared lest the bath should fall because Corinthus the enemie of truth vvas vvithin So saith he of S. Iohn and addeth also a like vvorthie example of S. Polycarpe him self vvho on a time meeting Marcion the Heretike and the said Marcion calling vpon him and asking him vvhether he knew him not Yes quoth Polycarpe I knovv thee for Satans sound and heire So great feare saith S. Irernaeus had the Apostles and their disciples to communicate in vvord onely vvith such as vvere adulterers or corrupters of the truth as S. Paul also uvarned vvhen he said A man that is an Heretike after the first and second admonition auoid So far Irenaeus If then to speake vvith them or salute them is so earnestly to be auoided according to this Apostles example doctrines vvhat a sinne is it to flatter them to serue them to marie vvith them and so forth THE THIRD EPISTLE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE He commendeth Gaiues for continuing in the truth and for susteining or succouring true preachers 9 noting Diotrepes for the contrarie and praising Demétrius verse 1 THE Seniour to Gaius the deerest whom I loue in truth ✠verse 2 My deerest concerning al thinges I make my praier that thou proceede prosperously and fare vvel as thy soule doth prosperously ✠verse 3 I vvas exceding glad vvhen the brethren came and gaue testimonie to thy truth euen as thou vvalkest in truth ✠verse 4 Greater thanke ' haue I not of them then that I may heare my children do vvalke in truth ✠verse 5 My deerest thou doest faithfully vvhatsoeuer thou vvorkest on the brethren and that vpon strangers ✠verse 6 they haue rendred testimonie to thy charitie in the sight of the Church vvhoÌ„ thou shalt doe vvel bringing on their vvay in maner vvorthie of God ✠verse 7 For for his name did they depart taking nothing of the Gentiles ✠verse 8 Vve therfore ought to receiue such that vve may be coadiutors of the truth ✠verse 9 I had vvritten perhaps to the Church but he that loueth to beare primacie among them Diótrepes doth not receiue vs. ✠verse 10 For this cause if I come I vvil aduertise his vvorkes vvhich he doeth vvith malicious vvordes chatting against vs. and as though these thinges suffise him not neither him self doth receiue the brethren and them that do receiue he prohibiteth and casteth out of the Church ✠verse 11 My deerest do not imitate euil but that vvhich is good He that doeth vvel is of God he that doeth il hath not seen God ✠verse 12 To Demetrius testimonie is giuen of al and of the truth it self yea and vve giue testimonie and thou knovvest that our testimonie is true ✠verse 13 I had many thinges to vvrite vnto thee but I vvould not by inke and penne vvrite to thee ✠verse 14 But I hope forthvvith to see thee and vve vvil speake mouth to mouth Peace be to thee The freendes salute thee Salute the freendes by name THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. IVDE IN the Gospel these are called Fratres Iesu the brethren of Iesus Iames and Ioseph and Simon and Iude. Their father is called Alphaâ—us vvhere Iames is termed Iames of Alphaeus aâ—d their mother Maria Iacobi minoris Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Ioseph Vvhich Marie in an other place being called Maria Cleophae vve perceiue their father vvas named both Alphaeus and also Cleophas And that this Cleophas vvas brother to Ioseph our Ladies husband Hegesippus telleth vs. Therfore because Ioseph vvas called the father of Christ his brothers children vvere called the brethren that is according to the custom of the scripture also the kinsmen of our Lord and not because they vvere the children of Ioseph him self by an other vvife much lesse as Heluidius the heretike did blaspheme by our
thus the damnation of the vvhole adulterous blouddy societie he doth also expresly report of their three graÌ„d Captaines damnation vvhich are these Antichrist and his False prophet and the Deuil him self the author of al this mischiefe Finally on the other side in the fifth part he reporteth the vnspeakeable and euerlasting glorie that the Church after al this suffering shal by Christ her glorious Spouse be assumpted vnto And so he concludeth the booke THE APOCALYPSE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. 9. S. Iohn being banished in the ile Patmos is commaunded to vvrite to the seum Churches of Asia signified by the seuen candlestickes that vvhich he savv vpon a Sunday round about the Sonne of man 13 vvhose maner of apparâ—tion is described verse 1 THE ″ Apocalypse of IESVS Christ vvhich God gaue him to make manifest to his seruants the thinges vvhich must be done quickly and signified sending by his Angel to his seruant Iohn ✠verse 2 vvho hath giuen testimonie to the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS Christ vvhat things soeuer he hath seen ✠verse 3 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the wordes of this prophecie and keepeth those thinges Which be vvritten in it for the time is nigh ✠verse 4 Iohn ″ to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia Grace to you and peace from * him that is and that vvas and that shal come and ″ from the seuen spirites vvhich are in the sight of his throne ✠verse 5 and from IESVS Christ vvho is the faithful vvitnes the * first borne of the dead the prince of the kings of the earth vvho hath loued vs and * vvashed vs from our sinnes in his bloud ⊢ ✠verse 6 and hath made vs * ″ a kingdom and priestes to God and his father to him be glorie and empire for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 7 Behold he commeth vvith the cloudes and euery eie shal see him and * they that pricked him And al the tribes of the earth shal bevvaile them selues vpon him yea Amen ✠verse 8 * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and end saith our Lord God vvhich is and vvhich vvas and vvhich shal come the omnipotent ✠verse 9 I Iohn your brother and partaker in tribulation and the kingdom and patience in Christ IESVS vvas in the Iland vvhich is called Patmos for the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS ✠verse 10 I vvas in spirit ″ on the Dominical day and heard behind me a great voice as it vvere of a trompet ✠verse 11 saying That vvhich thou feest vvrite in a booke and send to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia to Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamus and Thiatîra and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicia ✠verse 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake vvith me And being turned I savv seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 13 in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold one like to the Sonne of man ″ vested in a priestly garment to the foote and girded about neere to the pappes vvith a girdle of gold ✠verse 14 and his head and heares vvere vvhite as vvhite vvoole as snovv and his eies as the flame of fire ✠verse 15 and his feete like to latten as in a burning fornace and his voice as the voice of many vvaters ✠verse 16 and he had in his right hand seuen starres and from his mouth proceded a sharpe tvvo edged svvord and his face as the sunne shineth în his vertue ✠verse 17 And vvhen I had seene him I fel at his feete as dead And he put his right hand vpon me saying Feare not * I am the first and the last ✠verse 18 and aliue and vvas dead and behold I am liuing for euer and euer and haue the keies of death and of hel ✠verse 19 Vvrite therefore the thinges vvhich thou hast seene and that are and that must be done after these ✠verse 20 The sacrament of the seuen starres vvhich thou hast seene in my right hand and the seuen candlestickes of Gold ″ the seuen starres are ″ the angels of the seuen churches and the seuen candlestickes are the seuen churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. APOCALYPSE Of the Apocalypse thus vvriteth the auncient father Denys Bishop of Corinth as Eusebius alleageth him li. 7 c. 20 hist Eccl. Of this booke saith he this is my opinion that the matter thereof is far more profound then my vvit can reache vnto and I doubt not but almost in euery sentence of it there lieth hidden a certaine sense exceding mystical and maruelous vvhich though I vnderstand not yet I conceiue that vnder the vvordes there is a deepe meaning and I measure not the matter by reason but attribute al to faith taking it to be more high and diuine then I can by cogitation comprise not reprouing that vvhich I vnderstand not but therfore I admire vvith reuereÌ„ce because my vvit can not attaine to it Againe S. Augustine saith that in the Apocalypse many things are obscurely spoken to exercise the minde of the reader and yet some fevv things left euident that through them a man may vvith labour searche out the rest specially for that the author so repeateth the same things in diuers sortes that seeming to speake of sundry matters in deede is found bus to vtter the same things diuers vvaies li. 20 de Ciuit. Del c. 17. Vvhich vve set dovvne here in the beginning to vvarne the good Christian reader to be humble and vvise in the reading both of al other holy Scriptures and namely of this diuine and deepe prophecie giuing him further to vnderstand that vve vvil in our Annotations according to our former trade and purpose onely or cheefely note vnto the studious such places as may be vsed by Catholikes or abused by Heretikes in the controuersies of this time and some other also that haue special matter of edification and that as breefely as may be for that the volume grovveth great 4. To the 7 Churches That certaine numbers may be obserued as significatiue and mystical it is plaine by many places of holy Scripture and by the auncient Doctors special noting of the same to many purposes Vvhereby vve see the rashnes of our Aduersaries in condemning generally al religious respect of certaine numbers in our praiers fastes or actions Namely the number of Seuen is mystical and prophetical perfect and vvhich as S. Augustine saith the Church knovveth by the Scriptures to be specially dedicated to the Holy Ghost and to appertaine to spiritual mundation as in the Prophets appointing of Naam in to vvash seuen times in lordan and the sprinkling of the bloud seuen times against the tabernacle li. 4 quâ—st in numer q. 33 See li. 5. c. 5 de Gen. ad lit li. 5 quest in Deuter. q. 42. Al these visions stand
may be broken and otherwise emploied 78. nu 10. pag. 92. nu 25. Sainctes know our doings hartes heare our praiers 64. 184. 186. m. 187. 428. 457. m. They are as Angels 198. They may be present with the liuing 49. 110. m. at their ovvne toÌ„bes monumeÌ„ts 711. Praying to Saincts that they pray for vs. 380 m. 186. 304. 471. 668 at large 679. 709. 711. 717. 309. m. They are our mediators an aduocates without any derogatioÌ„ to Christ 471. 568. 678. 679. 714 m. How Christ is our only Mediator and only Aduocate 568. 678. 679. The conclusion of al praiers is Per Christum Dominum nostrum 265 marg The Protestants arguments ansvvered 409. 607. 608. 611. nu 9. 568. 678. Vigilantius their father founder of this heresie refuted by S. Hierom 711. Hovv S. Hierom saith that Christ his Saincts are euery where ibidem Their Festiuities or holidaies 7. nu 16. 75. m. 507. at large 668. Their memories or commemorations in the sacrifice of the Masse 332. 454. 726. Canonizing of Saincts 7. Their miracles 33. nu 24. See Miracles Relikes The great honour of Saincts and that it is no derogation to Christs honour 55. nu 28. pag. 350. nu 16. pag. 553 marg 577. 601. 653. 703 marg 704. 714 marg 720 marg 742 marg They are patrones of men and countries 404. They are called sauiours redeemers c. vvithout derogation to Christ 569. 577. 653. 308 marg our hope 548 marg God and our Ladie saue vs the like speaches 337. 700. To beleeue in Saincts 409. nu 14. pag. 601. Saluation No man sure of his saluation but in hope 263. 394. 402. nu 16. pag. 403. 418. 433. 444. 493. 530. 393. marg See F. The Protestants special faith Satisfaction See Penance Satisfactorie vvorkes of one for an other 474. 485. 538. Satisfaction enioyned 143 m. Schisme Prefigured in the Ievves Schismatical temples 166. 227. 228. 448. in Ieroboams calues and altars 448. in Corè Darhan Abiron 482. 695. contrarie to the vnitie of the Church 456 501. nu 9. pag. 519. 520. detestable and sacrilegious 520. The beginning of al Schismes 426 marg In schisme no vvorke auailable to saluation 14. nu 24. pag. 180. 263. nu 4. pag. 457. num 1. See Church Schismatikes Schismatical seruice sermons to be auoided 94. 482. 590. 225 marg Specially the Communion 442. 447. 448. See Heretike and Heresie Scandal 112 marg 356. 386 marg Scripture Canonical and not Canonical discerned and iudged by the Church 499. 500. See pag. 2 after the preface S. Augustines sentences cited at large The Scripture and Church Whether is elder and of more authoritie 500. The Protestants deny many bookes of the Scripture because they are repugnant to their heresies See Heretikes They many vvaies corrupt the Scriptures See Heretikes Priuate Phantastical interpretatioÌ„ of Scriptures 669. 672. Al Heretikes and the Diuel him self alleage Scriptures but falsely p. 5. nu 25. p. 11. nu 6. p. 34. 145 m. 162. nu 20. p. 261. 402. 14. nu 35. 39. pa. 613. 645. 651. nu 12. p. 646. nu 21. p. 682. 711. 740. VvomeÌ„ great tatlers talkers of Scripture 568. Not the great talkers and hearers thereof but the doers are blessed 698 m. The Scripture is ful of profound senses 232. 508. hard to vnderstand 151 marg 311 marg 558. nu 6. pag. 613. nu 4. pag. 672. 673. 661. nu 19. p. 662 marg 740. S. Paules epistles hard about iustification by faith and therfore misconstrued of old and new heretikes 389. 646. 672. The Epistle to the Romanes hard concerning predestination 404 marg The difficultie of the Apocalypse 699. The Protestants count al Scriptures easie for euery maÌ„ to vnderstand by his priuate spirit therfore they reiect the Doctors expositioÌ„s admit nothing but Scripture 672. Their folish distinction that S. Paules epistles are not hard but the matter he vvriteth of ibid. The self same scriptures alleaged by the old heretikes and the Protestants and answered by the fathers long agoe 444. nu 5. pag. 575. 646. 711. 712. The Scripture coÌ„sisteth in the true sense therof which is only in the Cath. Church 477. nu 6. p. 669. nu 20. The bare letter killeth both Iew Heretike 477. They searche not the Scriptures deepely but superficially 232. Vvho be the litle ones that best vnderstand the Scriptures 30. nu 25. p. 169. nu 21. The auncient fathers humilitie in reading and expounding the Scriptures 67â— 5â—8 661. nu 19. pag. 699. Catholike Doctors only are right handlers of the Scriptures 590. The curse for adding and diminishing thereof and that it pertaineth to heretikes not to Catholike expositors 45. The interpretation of Scripture is called prophecie 413 marg when the same is according to the rule of faith ibid. Of the translating and reading the holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongue of the difficultie of them vvith what humilitie they ought to be read of many others pointes concerning the sacred Scriptures see the Preface to the reader The text corrupted by old heretikes 684. 687. Scriptures haue not only a literal sense but also a mystical and allegorical 7. nu 15. pag. 508. 607 marg 614 marg The ProtestaÌ„ts deride the mystical interpretations of the auncient Doctors 614 marg The people may not iudge of the sense of Scriptures or of their Pastors expositions 344. The comfort and profite of Christian Cathol men in reading and hearing the Scriptures 344. 419 marg 592. Vvhat they finde in searching the Scriptures 230. Not only Scriptures but tradition also 622. marg 559. 592. 279 marg 678 marg 717 marg The Apostles and Churches precepts 336 marg See Tradition The Churches order in reading the Scriptures in her diuine Seruice See CHVRCH Secte taken sometime in good part but novv in the euil 373. 362 marg Simonie vvhat and vvhy so called 314. Vvhat a heinous sinne ibid. nu 22. Sinne original actual 395. nu 14. 676. nu 7. Al conceiued and borne in original sinne Christ excepted and his B. mother 395. No man liueth vvithout sinne 676. nu 8. pag. 16. S. Augustine excepteth our B. Ladie ibidem Sinnes mortal and venial 14. 16. 385. 643. 676. Not God but the Diuel is author of sinne 36 m. See God Hovv the Diuel sinned from the beginning 682. CoÌ„cupiscence cause of sinne 642 m. Al sinne procedeth of three special things mentioned by S. Iohn 677 marg The lavv did not cause sinne 395. 398 m. Mortal sinne excludeth grace and iustice 682. Venial sinnes consist vvith grace and true iustice 676. Examples of venial sinnes 676. How they are taken away without any Sacrament 258. they may be forgiuen after death 94. Al remission of sinnes is by the Passion of Christ 676. Many secundarie meanes instruments of remission by which the Passion of Christ is applied 676. Vvhat is meant by Sinnes couered and not imputed 392. Sinnes against the holy Ghost 33. nu 31. Sinnes crying
power to giue it otherwise See the annot â— 20 23. Good workes necessarie Right inteÌ„tion We must vse Gods gifts Good and bad in the Church Heauen is the reward of good workes and Hel of the contrarie The Passion according to S. Matthew in these two Chapters is the Gospel at Masse vpon Palme Sunday Mr. 14 1 Lu. 22 1 TENEDRE Wenesday Mr. 14 3. Io. 12 3. ⸬ Hereby 〈◊〉 learne that the good workes of Saincts are to be recorded and set forth to their honour in the Church after their death whereof rise their holy daies and CoÌ„memorations Mr. 14 10. Lu. 22 3 Mr. 14 12. MAVNDY thursday Lu. 22 7 Ps 40 10. 1. Cor. 11 24. ⸬ See the margent note Mar. 14 23. THVRSDAY night The NOCTVRNE of Mattins in the Churches Seruice answereth to this night part of our Sauiours Passion and so consequently the other Canonical houres to the rest Zach. 13 7. Io. 13 38. 10. 18 3. Io. 2 19. Dan. 7 13. To this time the LAVDES do answer in the Churches Seruice Cost vpoÌ„ Churches altars c. Releefe of the poore Ambros li. 2 Off. c. 2â— Christ alwaies with vs in the B. Sacrament A wonderful mysterie in the Institution of the B. Sacrament The holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament Mat. 2â— 2â— The blessing of Christ referred to the creatures and working an effect in theÌ„ Consecration â— Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transsubstantiation No figuratiue but a real presence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The elements after consecratioÌ„ called bread and wine Gen. 2. Exo. 7. Io. â— De â—rat Vigils and Nocturnes Do. nu â—5 * Adu Vigilant ep â—3 The vertue of the holy Ghost Mans infirmitie Peters teares and repentance PRIME or Hora prima in the Churches Seruice Mr. 15 1 Lu. 23 1. Io. 18 28. GOOD FRIday ⸬ This Corbana was a place about the Temple which receiued the peoples gifts or offerings See Mar. 12 v. 42. Zach. 11 12. HORA TERTIA in the Churches Seruice Io. 19 2. HORA SEXTA in the Churches Seruice Ps 21 19 Ps 21 9. Sap. 2 18. HORA NONA in the Churches Seruice HORA VESPERARVM or Euensong HORA COMPLETORII or Complin SATVRDAY called Sabbatum saâ—â—ctum Horrour of conscience Desperation They that execute lawes against their coÌ„science are like to Pilate Christ derided in the B. Sacrament euen as vpoÌ„ the Crosse Catechis Calu. Instit li. 2. 16. Caluins blasphemie Reuerent vsing of our L. Body S. Hiero. in hunc locum * to 1 CoÌ„cil Corporals The Gospel for the night Masse of Christes Resurrection which is now vsed to be said on Easter eue in the morning Mr. 16 1. Luc. 24 1. Io. 20 1. EASTER day Mt. 29 32. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Friday in Easter weeke The Gospel in the feast of the B. Trinitie In Ep. 17 Paulae Eustoch ad Marcel to 1. The holy Sepulcher and Pilgrimage therevnto Esa 11. The Catholike Church to be gathered of al Nations And Christs continual protection of the same Church In Catal. Script Ecclesiast Philo de Supplicibus In Catalogo * Naucler generat 28. THE FIRST part of this Gospel of the preparatioÌ„ to Christs manifestation Mal. 3 1. Esa 40 3. the prophets Mt. 3 1. ⸬ Iohns baptisme put them in hope only of remissioÌ„ of sinnes as a preparatiue to Christes Sacrament by which sinnes were indeede to be remitted Aug. li. 5 de bapt c. 10. Lu. 3 4. Io. 1 15. Mt. 4 1. Lu. 4 1. THE SECOND part of this Gospel of Christs manifestation Mat. 4 12. Luc. 4 14. ⸬ He doth not preach beleefe or faith only but penance also Mat. 4 18. Lu. 5 2. Mat. 4 13. Lu. 4 31 Luc. 4 32. Mat. 8 14. Luc. 4. 42. Mt. 8 2. Lu. 5 12. ⸬ Our Sauiour euen when he healed the leper by extraordinarie miraculous power would not yet breake order but sent the partie to the Priest Leu. 14 3. Confession Particular confession Iohns example of penance Baptisme in water Calu. 4. inst c. 16. The B. Trinitie Christs example of penance Solitarie contemplation Mt. 9 1. Lu. 5 18 ⸬ Our Lord is moued to be merciful to sinners by other mens faith and desires and not only by the parties owne meanes alvvay Iob. 14 4. Esa 43 25. Mt. 9 9. Lu. 5 27 Mt. 9 13 Lu. 5 32 ⸬ He foretelleth that fasting shal be vsed in his Church no lesse then in the old law or in the time of Iohn the Baptist See Mat. c. 9 15. Mt. 12 1 Lu. 6 1. 1. Re. 21 6. Leu. 24 9. ⸬ The maker of the law may abrogate or dispense wheÌ„ and where for iust cause it seemeth good to him The SacrameÌ„ts to be called for in sicknes MaÌ„ hath power to remit sinnes Christ remitteth sinnes by the Priests ministerie Mt. 18 19. Mt. 18 18. ad Heliod ep 1. Amb. li. â— off c. 28. Mt. 12 9 Lu. 6 6. ⸬ The only touching of Christs holy person or any part of his clothes or whatsoeuer belonged to him did heale al diseases Mt. 5 1. 10 1. Lu. 6 12 9 1. ⸬ See here the conceite of worldly freÌ„des who thinke the Zeale of Religion madnes and therfore count them madde that are Zelous in Gods cause and for the Catholike faith and the more Zelous the more mad Mat. 12 24. Luc. 11 15. Mt. 12 46. Lu. 8 19 Sermons Seruice and praier of Heretikes The number of Twelue mystical Act. 1â— Peters preeminence Mt. 1â— Dissension of Heretikes Greg. li. â— ep 3. Venial sinnes forgiuen after death Mt. 12 32. Spiritual kinred and busines preferred before carnal and worldly The B. Virgin without sinne Mt. 13 1. Lu. 8 4. ⸬ Such as be out of the Church though they heare and read neuer so much they cannot vnderstand Esa 6 9 Bed in 4 Marc. Lu. 8 16 ⸬ Christ came not to teach his doctrine in corners and hucker mucker as Heretikes doe but to lighten the whole world therewith Lu. 8 18 ` to you that heare Mat. 13 31. Luc. 13 19. Mt. 8 23 Lu. 8 22 God is not author of sinne but mans owne will Mt. 13. Act. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 3. The Church visibly increasing Christian religion wonderfully spreading Mat. 8 28. Luc. 8 26. ⸬ It is not with out mysterie that the diuels desired and Christ suffered them to enter into the swine signifying that filthy liuers be meete dwelling places for diuels Aug. tract 6 in ep Io. Mat. 9 18. Archsynagogue cheefe gouerner of a Synagogue Luc. 8 42. ` from ⸬ To Christ that can more easily raise a dead man then we can doe one that is but a sleepe death is but sleepe Aug. de verb. Do. Sâ—r. 44. Profane and natural men The touche of Relikes Basil in Ps 115. Scripture fondly applied to proue onely faith V. 5. By three dead are signified three kind of sinners Aug. de verb. Do. ser 44. Mt. 13 54. Lu. 4 16 Mt. 10 1 Lu. 9
our Catholike Bishops tooke vp the necessarie vse of often visiting their flockes cures coÌ„mitted to their charge for confirmatioÌ„ in faith vertue reformatioÌ„ of maners both of clergie laitie Act. 13 14. Act. 13 13. ⸬ Not only the things coÌ„maunded by Christes expresse vvord or vvritten in the Scriptures as our Heretikes hold but vvhatsoeuer the Apostles and Rulers of the Church commaund is to be kept obeied See these wordes repeated againe c. 16 4. that in the greeke lest any man cauil because here the greeke hath them not The way to end dissension in religion is to coÌ„mit it to a CouÌ„cel Of vvhat persons a Councel consisteth Deut. â—â— Mal. 2 7. Agga 2 12. A general CouÌ„cel representeth the vvhole Church Luc. 10 16 li. 1. c. 1â— de bapt The first Councel at Hierusalem Peter head of the Councel his successors after him Peters preeminence both toward Iewes Gentiles Ro. 15 8. Gal. 2 7. S. Iames and the rest folow S. Peters sentence Hiero. to 2. ep 89 ad August C. 2. The principal question Incident questions How later couÌ„cels alter the former The Churches authoritie in making Decrees Going out a marke of heretikes God our Ladie and the like speaches * Gen. 48 15. 16. Iud. 7 18. 20. Exod. 14 31. VISVM EST Sp. sancto nobis 1. Tim. 5 â—1 The holy Ghost assistant in al lawful couÌ„cels to the vvorlds end and that by Christs promisse Io. 16 1â— S. Gregories reuerence of General Councels The ProtestaÌ„ts fond distinctioÌ„ betvvene the 4 first the later Councels Bezas blasphemie against the first general Councels Beza in praef Test No. an 1565. Vvhat the Fathers attribute to Councels namely S. Augustine Pâ—ouincial Councels Notvvithstanding the Holy Ghosts assistance yet humane meanes must be vsed to search the truth Lu. 1 3. Though the See Apostolike it self haue the same assistance yet councels be also necessarie for many causes Heretical or Schismatical assembles de vnit Ec. nu 7. Al good Christians rest vpon the determinatioÌ„ of a general Councel Al Heretikes make exceptioÌ„s against the couÌ„cels that condemne them Ievv ⸬ Here againe they take order that the decrees and articles of faith agreed vpon in the Councel of IerusaleÌ„ should be executed obserued vvhereby vve see both the great authoritie of Councels the diligence that al Prelates ought to haue to see the decrees Canons of the CouÌ„cels put in executioÌ„ ⸬ This people had not the Gospel denied vnto them altogether but for a time because as Venerable Bede thinketh God foresavv they vvould not beleeue so should haue been more greuously damned ⸬ Colonia is such a citie where the most inhabitants are strangers sent thither from other great cities States namely from the Romanes ⸬ Either the Diuel vvas compelled by the vertue of Paules presence to say truth or els as such do often times he spake truth novv that they might the more trust him and he better beguile them at other times 2. Cor. 11. ⸬ It is no other faith that saueth but that vvhich vvorketh by Charitie Aug. Enchirid. â— 67. c Happie Gailers that doe mercie tovvard their godly prisoners and receiue againe by them such spiritual benefites ⸬ Zelantes This is the zeale of Heretikes and a liuely paterne of their dealing at this day against Catholike Priests and preachers and the good Iasons that receiue them b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c daemoniorum The Epistle for S. Dionysius Areopagita Octob. 9. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Aduersaries in the nevv Test 1580 traÌ„slate your deuotions most corruptly against the nature of the Greeke vvord 2 Thes 2 4 and most vvickedly against the laudable deuotion of good Christians calling the PagaÌ„s idolatrie and superstitioÌ„ their deuotions ⸬ God is not concluded in Temples nor needeth them for his necessitie of dvvelling or other vses of indigence See Annot. c. 7. Act. v. 48. Act. 7 48. Aratus Dyonysius Areopagita The people may not iudge of the sense of Scriptures The comfort of Christian men by hearing or reading the Scriptures The ProtestaÌ„ts call deuotion superstition The Apostle speaketh of the Heathens superstition * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de coÌ„s EuaÌ„g li. 1 â— 26. The Catholike Church alloweth no superstition How there may be Images or resemblaÌ„ces of the thre persons in Trinitie and of Angels Dan. 7 22. Gen. 18 2. Gen. 32 24 Exo. 37 7 Esa 6 2. Images are for the peoples instruction Grego li. 9 ep 9. S. Dionysius Areopagita is al for the Catholikes Nu. 6 18. Act. 21 24. Apollo The Epistle vpoÌ„ whitson-eue c Iohns baptisme noâ— sufficieÌ„t Mt 3 11. Mr. 1 8. Lu. 3 16. c Christs baptisme necessarie ⸬ S. Paul ministred the Sacrament of CoÌ„firmatioÌ„ See anÌ„ot c. 8 〈◊〉 ` them ⸬ They made not only a general confessioÌ„ wherein al meÌ„ shew theÌ„ selues alike to be sinners as our Protestants do but euery one confessed his owne proper deedes and faultes The 6 part ⸬ Of taking avvay the Gospel froÌ„ Hierusalem the head citie of the Iewes and giuing it to ROME the head citie of the Gentils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Protestants translate shrines in the bible an 1577 to make the people thinke that it toucheth the holy shrines of Sainctes most corruptly the greeke signifyng plainly temples and that of heatheÌ„ gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Here the Heretikes adde to the text this word image more then is in the greeke to put a scruple into the peoples minde concerning holy Images Touching of Relikes miracles done by the same Act. 5 15. The name or presence or Reliques of Saincts holy men confound the Diuel In vit Hilarionis Chrys loco citato Superstitious heretical and al hurtful bookes must be made avvay Decrees and penal lawes against heretical bookes ⸬ S. Paul did here breake bread on the Sunday as it is broken in the SacrameÌ„t of the body of Christ and had both before after the celebrating of the SacrameÌ„t a sermon to the people Aug. ep â—6 ad CasulanuÌ„ Vâ—ner Beda in 20 Act. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Priests as Act. 15. 4. See the marginal annot there Act. 19 1 ⸬ Apostolike preaching commendeth not faith only but penance also to the people ⸬ Bishops or Priests for then these names were sometime vsed indiffereÌ„tly gouernours of the Church of God placed in that roome high functioÌ„ by the Holy Ghost The Christian Pentecost Sunday Avg. ep 118 c. 1. Rauening vvolues are the Heretikes of al ages Christs speaches not vvritten in the Gospel Great almesmen blessed Act. 6 5 ⸬ As S. Peter had a wife but vsed her not after his calling as it is noted els where out of S. Hierom Luâ— 4 38 so may it â—e â—aâ—d of S. Philip being Deâ—con Nu. 6 18. Act. 15 20. Nu. 6 13 c In castra So in the places folovving Act. 22 3. Virgins
sacrifices that it hath the force and vertue of al other to be offered for al persons and causes that the others for the liuing and the dead for sinnes and for thankes giuing and for vvhat other necessitie so euer of body or soule Vvhich holy action of Sacrifice they also call the MASSE in plaine vvordes August ser 251. 91. Con. Carthag 2 c. 3. 4. c. â—4 Mileuit c. 12. Leo ep 88. 81 c. 2. Grego li. 2. ep 9 93. c. This is the Apostles and Fathers doctrine God graunt the Aduersaries may find mercie to see so euident and inuincible a truth 21. Partakers of the table Though the faithful people be many vvaies knovven to be Gods peculiar and be ioyned both to him among them selues and also seuered and distinguished from al others that pertaine not to him as vvel Ievves and Pagans as Heretikes and Schismatikes by sundry other external signes of Sacraments doctrine and gouernement yet the most proper and substantial vnion or difference consisteth in the Sacrifice and Altar by vvhich God so specially bindeth his Church vnto him and him self vnto his Church that he acknovvledgeth none to be his that is not partaker of his one onely Table and Sacrifice in his Church and acquitteth him self of al such as ioyne in felovvship vvith any of the Heathen at their Idolatrie or vvith the Ievves at their Sacrifices or vvith Heretikes and Schismatikes at their prophane and detestable table Vvhich because it is the proper badge of their separation from Christ and his Church and an altar purposely erected against Christes Altar Priesthod and Sacrifice is in deede a very sacrifice or as the Apostle here speaketh a table and cuppe of Diuels that is to say wherein the Diuel is properly serued and Christes honour no lesse then * by the altars of Ieroboam or any prophane superstitious rites of Gentilitiâ— defiled And therfore al Catholike men if they locke to haue felovvship with Christ and his members in his body and bloud must deeme of it as of Idolatrie or sacrilegious superstition and abstaine from it and from al societie of the same as good To bie did from Ieroboams calues and the altars in Dan and Bethel and as the good faithful did from the Excelses and from the temple and sacrifices of Samaria Novv in the Christian times vve haue no other Idols but heresies nor Idolothytes but their false seruices shifted into our Churches in steede of Gods true and onely vvorship Cypr. de vnit Ec. nu 2 Hiero. in 11 Osee 8. Amos. in 2. Habat Aug. in ps 80. v. 10. De Ciu. Dei li. 18. c. 51. 23 Al things are lavvful Hitherto the Apostles arguments and examples vvhereby he vvould auert them from the meates offered to Idols seeme plainly to coÌ„demne their fact as Idololatrical or as participant accessory to Idolatrie not onely as of scaÌ„dal giuen to the weake brethren and so no doubt it vvas in that they went into the very temple of the Idols and did vvith the rest that serued the Idols eate and drinke of the flesh and libaments directly offered to the Idol yea and feasted together in the same bankets made to the honour of the same Idols vvhich could not but defile them and entangle them vvith Idolatrie not for that the meate it self vvas iustly belonging to any other but to God or could be defiled made noisome or vnlawful to be eaten but for and in respect of the abuse of the same and detestable dedicating of that to the diuel vvhich belonged not to him but to God alone Of vvhich sacrilegious act that ought not to be partakers as needes they must entering and eating with them in their solemnities to this end hath S. Paul hiâ— her to admonished the Corinthians Novv he declareth that othervvise in prophane feasts it is lavvful to eate vvithout curious doubting or asking vvhether this or that vvere offered meates and in markettes to bye vvhatsoeuer is theresold vvithout scruple and vvithout taking knovvledge vvhether it be of the Idolothytes or no vvith this exception first that if one should inuite him to eate or bye this or that as sacred and offered meates that then he should not eate it lest he should seeme to approue the offering of it to the Idol or to like it the better for the same Secondly vvheÌ„ the vveake brother may take offence by the same For though it be lavvful in it self to eate any of these meates vvithout care of the Idol yet al lavvful things be not in euery time and place expedient to be done CHAP. XI He commendeth them for keeping his Traditions generally 3 and in particular for this that a man praied and prophecied bareheaded a vvoman veiled he bringeth many reasons 17 About another he reprehendeth the riche that at the Charitable supper supped vncharitably as telling them that they receiued therfore vnvvorthely the B. Sacrament 23 telling them that they receiued therfore vnvvorthely the B. Sacrament and shevving them vvhat an heinous sinne that is seeing it is our Lordes body and the representation of his death as he by tradition had taught them verse 1 BE ye folovvers of me as I also of Christ ✠verse 2 And I praise you brethren that in al things you be mindeful of me and as I haue deliuered vnto you you keepe ″ my precepts ✠verse 3 And I vvil haue you knovv that the head of euery man is Christ and the head of the vvoman is the man and the head of Christ is God ✠verse 4 Euery man praying or prophecying vvith his head couered dishonesteth his head ✠verse 5 But ″ euery vvoman praying or prophecying vvith her head not couered dishonesteth her head for it is al one as if she vvere made balde ✠verse 6 For if a vvoman be not couered let her be polled but if it be a foule thing for a vvoman to be polled or made balde let her couer her head ✠verse 7 The man truely ought not to couer his head because he is the image and glorie of God but the vvoman is the glorie of the man ✠verse 8 For the man is not of the vvoman but the vvoman of the man ✠verse 9 For * the man vvas not created for the vvoman but the vvoman for the man ✠verse 10 Therfore ought the vvoman to haue povver vpon her head for the Angels ✠verse 11 But yet neither the man vvithout the vvoman not the vvoman vvithout the man in our Lord. ✠verse 12 For as the vvoman is of the man so also the man by the vvoman but al things of God ✠verse 13 Your selues iudge doth it become a vvoman not couered to pray vnto God ✠verse 14 Neither doth nature if self teach you that a man in deede if he nourish his heare it is an ignominie for him ✠verse 15 but if a vvoman nourish her heare it is a glorie