spirit c. The note All these gifts be those which the learned call gratias gratis daâ—as which be bestowed often vpon euill liuers which haue not the other graces of God whereby their persons should be gratefull iust and holie in his sight The answer That these graces which are here recited are fréely giuen many times to the wicked is manifest and confessed of all But that which you would secretly insinuate that the other graces wherby men are made gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight are not fréely giuen but to those that procure them by works preparatorie or to them that deserue them by inherent iustice is manifestlie and directly opposite to the Scriptures Romaines 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. 1. Cor. 12. 1â— The text For as the bodie is one and hath manie members and all the members of the bodie wheras they be manie yet are ⸫ one bodie so also Christ. The note A maruellous vnion betwixt Christ and his church and a great comfort to all catholikes being members thereof that the church and he the head and the bodie make and be called one Christ. Aug. de vnita Eccl. The answer A maruellous good note wherin onely this héed is to be taken that men be not deceiued by ioining themselues to those that are catholikes in name and not in déede Which it is impossible otherwise to auoide then by holding fast the societie of them that imbrace and keepe that forme of doctrine which was deliuered to the church by the apostles whom all parts confesse to be true catholikes 1. Cor. 12. 28. The text Are all apostles are all prophets are all doctors ⸫ are all myracles haue all the grace of doing cures c. The note Saint Augustine ep 137. giueth the same reason why myracles and cures be done at the memories or bodies of some saints more then at others and by the same saints in one place of their memories rather then at other places The answer Augustine was a man sometimes as well as others deceiued by illusions For why should not the same saints memories bée honored with myracles in Affrica as well as in Italie For it was not to places but to persons that the gift of doing myracles was granted How much trulier wrote Augustine that myracles were not suffered to endure to his time least men should alwaies séeke visible confirmations and least men should waxe cold by the commonnes of those things by the strangenes wherof they were first enflamed 1. Cor. 13. 2. The text And if I should haue prophecie and knew all mysteries and all knowledge and if I should ⸫ haue all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing The note This prooueth that faith is nothing woorth to saluation without works and that there may be true faith without charitie The answer It is strange that when in the former chapter you haue set faith among the gifts that are giuen often vnto the wicked now the same faith being spoken of you would haue it to be taken for the faith we speake of in the cause of iustification and so consequently that it might be without charitie Whereas there is as much difference betwéene that faith and this as is betwixt the beléefe of the omnipotent power of God and affiance in his goodnes But admit that that were granted you which you so much desire that a true faith were here ment how followeth your reason Is euerie supposition a proofe Saint Paule saith if an angell from heauen teach an other gospell c. doth it follow that an angell from heauen may teach an other Gospell do you not sée the vanitie of your proofe 1. Cor. 13. 10. The text But ⸫ when that shall come that is perfect that shal be made voide that is in part The note By this text Saint Augustine lib. 22. Ciu. cap. 29. prooueth that the saints in heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here then they had whiles they liued here The answer Saint Augustine there entreateth of the knowledge and sight of God which the godly shall haue after the resurrection of their bodies And he speaketh in that place no word of the knowledge that dead men haue touching the affaires of men liuing here whiles this world endureth But touching that matter his mind is as he expresseth it else where that the saints in heauen know no more what we do here then we know what they do there But you care not how you lie so you may turne men from God to put confidence in creatures 1. Cor. 13. 13. The text And now there remaine faith hope and charitie these three But the ⸫ greater of these is charitie The note Charitie is of all three the greatest How then doth onely faith being inferior to it saue and iustifie and not charitie The answer I will not at all touch that charitie is not simply the greatest but in some certaine respects But I will come to your reason If faith iustified by the vertue and merite of it self then your reason were somewhat for then charitie being the greater vertue should rather iustifie But now when it is but an instrument to lay hold vpon Christ our righteousnes your reason holdeth not Our hands are inferior to some other parts of man yet our hands are the onely instruments whereby we lay holde on and vse such weapons as serue for our defence And therefore men are called men of their hands 1. Cor. 4. 14. The text But if thou blesse in the spirit he that supplieth the place of the ⸫ vulgar how shall he say Amen vpon thy blessing bicause he knoweth not what thou saiest The note By this word are ment all rude vnlearned men but specially the simple which were yet vnchristened as the Catechumens which came into those spirituall exercises as also infidels did at their pleasures The answer By this word are ment all priuate men for it is euident that except they vnderstoode the publike praier and thankesgiuing they could not shew foorth their assent by saieng Amen 1. Cor. 15. 3. The text For ⸫ I deliuered vnto you first of all which I also receiued That Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures The note This deliuerie in the Latine and Greeke importeth tradition and so by tradition did the Apostles plant the church in all truth before they wrote any thing The answer The controuersie is not whether tradition or writing was first but whether the apostles did not write as much as is necessarie for vs to know and kéepe and whether traditions which vnder their name you obtrude be to be iudged by their writings or not As for that tradition he speaketh of here he specifieth most plainly in writing and therefore this can not make for your vnwritten verities to the which you would faine impropriate the name of traditions 1. Cor. 15. 10. The text But by the grace of God I am that which I am and his grace in
that meaning procéedeth out of diuellish pride and hath no ground nor warrant out of this place For the Apostle héere doth nothing else but commend the liberalitie of the Macedonians in contributing to the reléefe of Gods afflicted saints Whereby they gaue good testimonie that they had wholy addicted themselues to God to be ruled and aduised by the Apostle and other ministers of Gods word All which the Apostle doth to that end to stirre vp them of Achaia to the like liberalitie 2. Cor. 9. 4. The text Least when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you vnreadie we that may not ye may be ashamed in this substance The note That is in this matter of almes Chrysost. Theophilact The answer This is well noted you might haue spared your fathers 2. Cor. 9. 9. The text As it is written he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth for euer The note The fruit of almes is the increase of grace in all iustice and good works to life euerlasting God giuing these things for reward and recompence of charitable works which therefore be called the seed or meritorious causes of these spirituall fruits The answer I pray you tell vs how you collect this What necessarie consequence out of this place you can make thereof Otherwise wée must estéeme it as we estéeme of the most part of your other notes as of collections tied to your texts with poynts that will scant hold the tieng 2. Cor. 11. 2. The text For I haue ⸫ despoused you to one man to present you a chaste virgin vnto Christ. The note The Apostles and their successors did despouse the people whom they conuerted to Christ in all puritie and chastitie of truth and wholy vndefiled and void of error and heresie The answer The pope and his cleargie do despouse the people whom they seduce to the purpled whoore of Babylon in all spirituall impuritie and fornication and vntruth full of error and lies 2. Cor. 11. 4. The text For if he that ⸫ commeth preach another Christ whom we haue not preached or you receiue another spirit whom you haue not receiued or another Gospel which you haue not receiued you might well suffer it The note The note of a false teacher to come that is without lawfull calling or sending to thrust and intrude him selfe in another mans charge The answer This note is true but not well collected out of this text For I suppose you do not thinke that false teachers may well be suffered But howsoeuer you haue gathered it your note doth most liuely describe your wandering Iesuits and seminarie priests which without all lawfull calling or sending do secretly thrust themselues into other mens charges preach a new Christ and a new Gospell vnheard of in the daies of Paul 2. Cor. 11. 13. The text For such Apostles are ⸫ craftie workers transfiguring themselues into Apostles of Christ. The note A proper terme for heretikes that shape themselues into the habit of true teachers specially by often allegation and commendation of the scriptures Read the notable admonition of the ancient writer Vincentius Lirinensis in his golden booke against the prophane nouelties of all heresies The answer It is indéed a proper terme and no heretike euer did beare a more glorious shew than the papist Uincentius Lirinensis was carefull both to auoid all heresies himselfe and also to admonish others to take héed thereof His lessons be good such as we practise and you refuse For first he alloweth the canonical scriptures as perfect and sufficient to determine al controuersies which you refuse Secondly to auoid the wrangling of heretikes about the true interpretation of them he adioineth tradition which he doth not take to be vnwritten verities not spoken of in the scriptures as you do but for the sense and interpretation of them which was held and beléeued in the first churches planted by the Apostles by the Apostles I say and their coadiutors direction Thirdly he thinketh that not only the men of greatest fame and estimation in the church might erre but also that the whole or greatest part of the visible church might erre contrarie to your assertion which hold that the church cannot erre and that in that case he that will not be caried into error with multitude and companie must repaire vnto antiquitie which is far from suspition of prophane noueltie euen as we at this day appeale to the scriptures and primitiue church Now then if you will be iudged by his rules it will appéere that papists are craftie workers and so consequently heretikes and bringers in of profane nouelties 2. Cor. 11. 28. The text My daily ⸫ instance the earefulnes of all churches The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysostom and Theophilact interpret it of daily conspiracie against him Others of the multitude of cares instant and vrgent vpon him The answer Your latter exposition whereof you kéepe close the authors is the better and to be preferred bicause it is Paules owne who so interpreteth his owne meaning in the next words following 2. Cor. 12. 2. The text I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres ago whether in bodie I know not or out of the bodie I know not God doth know such a one ⸫ rapt euen into the third heauen The note By this we may prooue that it is neither impossible incredible nor indecent that is reported by ancient fathers of some that haue beene rauished or rapt whether in bodie or out of the bodie God knoweth and brought to see the state of the next life as well of the saued as of the damned The answer Bicause that which hath béene done may be done and it is neither impossible nor incredible must we therefore beléeue all fabulous narrations whereof great number are forged vnder the names of fathers others too readilie receiued and beléeued of men not espieng at that time the subtiltie of the diuell in working those illusions If this foundation faile you your purgatory goeth to the ground Paul vttereth nothing of that he heard and saw there bicause they were secrets vnlawful to be vttered Shal not that condemne the rash boldnesse of others that take vpon them to vtter and tell all and more then all 2. Cor. 12. 21. The text Least againe when I come God humble me amongst you and I mourne manie of them that sinned before and ⸫ haue not done penance for the vncleannes fornication and incontinencie that they haue committed The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Saint Augustine epist. 108. is spoken heere of doing great penance for hainous sinnes as paenitents did in the Primitiue church So that it is not onlie to repent or amend their liues as protestants translate it The answer You haue béene often inough answered for our translations in this case If amendment of life true repentance could be without anie tokens or testimonies of heartie griefe and sorrow for sinnes passed then your quarrell might haue some probable shew in it
brasse stone and wood can they see heare or walke haue you done penance from the works of your hands or will you wilfully go to the diuell Apoc. 10. ◠The text And I saw an other angell strong descending from heauen clothed with a cloud and a rainbowe on his head and his face was as the sunne and his feet as a pillar of fier The note Christ the valiant angell is heere described The answer I maruell that you followed not your Liranus to expounde this of the bishop of Rome but that flatterie you are ashamed of though in other things you excéede him But the circumstances make it plaine his dignitie power strength his decking from top to toe the greatnes of his voice the brightnes of his countenance his vnused steps comprehending lande and sea togither can not well agrée to any other Apoc. 10. ◠The text And when the seauen thunders had spoken their voices I was about to write And I heard a voice from heauen saieng vnto me Signe the things which the seauen thunders haue spoken and ⸫ write them not The note Manie great mysteries and truths are to be preserued in the church which for causes knowen to Gods prouidence are not to be written in the booke of holie Scripture The answer Farre fetched and déere bought is good for ladies Iohn was forbidden to write Ergo they are kept in the church When you can prooue that your church knoweth those things which Saint Iohn was forbidden to write and those things which Saint Paule heard and sawe in heauen and might not vtter then will I beléeue all your vnwritten verities Apoc. 10. ◠The text And the angell which I saw standing vpon the sea and vpon the land ⸫ lifted vp his hand to heauen and he sware by him that liueth for euer and euer c. The note This was the maner of taking an othe by the true God as Deut. 32. The answer There were diuers and sundrie maners of taking othes by the true God which I do not thinke so necessarie here to be noted as that you haue taught men to forsake God and to sweare by those which are not Gods and as the thing which is héere sworne that is that time shalbe no more which is most necessarie for men to consider that they flatter not them selues with the eternall continuance of the world Apoc. 10. ◠The text And he said to me Take the booke and ⸫ deuoure it The note By earnest studie and meditation The answer You say well adde this I pray you that it is not onlie to be read studied and thought vpon but also in as large measure as we are able to attaine to vnderstood and laied vp in our harts Apoc. 10. 9. The text And it shall make thy bellie to be bitter but in thy mouth it shalbe ⸫ sweete as it were honie The note Sweete in the reading but in the fulfilling somewhat bitter bicause it commandeth works of penance and suffring of tribulations The answer The promises of the most gratious fauour of God and good life to beleeuers are swéete and delectable but that we must passe through manie and bitter tribulations to come to life to flesh and blood can not be but bitter As for your satisfactorie workes of penance which your mind runneth on are not to be found any where in this booke but your hart is alwaies on your half penie Apoc. 11. 2. The text But the court which is without the temple cast foorth and measure not that bicause it is giuen to the Gentiles and they shall tread vnder foot the holie citie ⸫ two fourtie moneths The note Three yeeres and an halfe which is the time of Antichrists raigne and persecution The answer But that these moneths are to be measured here by our ordinarie moneths that resteth to be prooued The onlie thing that we can learne by this is that Antichrists raigne shall not endure alwaies but in comparison of Christes raigne which shalbe eternall if shalbe verie short But how long or how short so euer the time is this is certaine and plaine against the papists that during Antichrists raigne the holie citie that is the church shall be troden vnder foote Apoc. 11. 7. The text And when they shall haue finished their testimonie the ⸫ beast which ascended from the depth shall make warre against them and shall ouercome them and kill them The note The great Antichrist The answer The bishop of Rome who though in the eies of the world séeme to preuaile and to kill the witnesses of Gods truth yet he can not do it till they haue finished their testimonie that is the time that God hath appointed them for the execution of their office Apoc. 11. 8. The text And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the ⸫ great citie which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt where the Lorde also was crucified The note He meaneth Hierusalem named Sodome and Egypt for imitation of them in wickednes so that we see his chiefe raigne shalbe there though his tirannie may extend to all places of the world The answer How faine you would turne mens eies from Rome to looke for the great Antichrist els where Séeing the names and other attributes are spirituall descriptions of this citie and that Rome resembleth Hierusalem in killing Christ in his members is like Sodom in beastlie filthinesse and like Egypt both in ambition and superstition and in indeuor to hold the people of God in seruitude and thraldom I sée not why we should still thinke that to be the great citie here spoken of Apoc. 11. 10. The text And the inhabitants of the earth ⸫ shall be glad vpon them and make merrie The note The wicked reioice when holie men are executed by the tirants of the world bicause their life and doctrine are burdenous vnto them The answer This is verie true and taught by dailie experience vnder the Pope and such tirannous princes as bend their might force and authoritie to aduance his dignitie Apoc. 11. 15. The text And the seuenth Angel sounded with a trumpet and there were made loud voices in heauen saieng ⸫ The kingdome of this world is made our Lordes and his Christes and he shall raigne for euer and euer Amen The note The kingdome of this world vsurped before by Satan and Antichrist shall afterward be Christs for euer The answer This last trumpet summoneth all the dead to rise againe and so to come to iudgement at which time all enemies shalbe destroied and God sole seazed in quiet possession for euer and euer of the whole world Apoc. 11. 18 The text And the Gentiles were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and ⸫ to render reward to thy seruants the prophets and saints and to them that feare thy name little and great c. The note To repaie the hire or wages for so both the Greeke word and the Latin signifie due to holie men proueth against
A VIEW OF THE MARGINAL NOTES OF THE Popish Testament translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at RHEMES in France By George Wither Psalm 19. vers 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple Augustine in epistolam Iohan. tract primo Iohannes maluit se ponere in numero peccatorum vt Christum haberet aduocatum quam ponere se pro Christo aduocatum inueniri inter damnandos superbos Iohn had rather place himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ to be his aduocate than to let himselfe in steed of Christ to be an aduocate and so to be found amongst damnable proud men Printed at London by Edm. Bollifant for Thomas Woodcocke TO THE MOST-REVEREND FAther in God IOHN Archbishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitane of England GEORGE WITHER wisheth abundant increase of all heauenly and spirituall blessings IT is the manner vse and custome of all that set foorth any thing to be seene and read of others to set downe some reasons that mooued them to take such pains and to publish their labors In the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred eightie two a testament traÌ„slated into English at Rhemes in France was published in print by the English fugitiue Papists resiant there The censure view and examination whereof hath euer since been hartily looked or rather longed for of all both rich and poore high and low that feare God and loue his truth But by what occasion I cannot tell it hath been hitherto delaied Whereupon I thought it would not be amisse neither misliked if some thing in the meane space might be done toward the satisfaction of the well affected and the repressing of the triumphes of the contrarie Therefore at my returne from London from Michaelmasse terme last past I tooke in hand to discouer the loose corrupt vniust and vntrue dealing of our Rhemists in their marginall notes Which if I could effect and bring to passe afore an answer to their whole worke came foorth I did suppose that it would somwhat diminish the griefe of manie good men and make them the more patiently to expect and wait for the censure of the whole work And againe if it should happen that by reason I tooke it in hand so late that I â—ould not compasse it or bring it to passe afore the censure of the whole worke were in presse yet I did thinke that bicause that worke could not be but verie great and therfore chargeable that it would not be thought amisse of if some part were answered by it selfe which the poorer and those which either were vnable or vnwilling to be at charges with the other might attaine and haue with small cost Now hauing by the fauor of God gone through it I thought that I could not choose a better patron for it than your Grace whom God hath aduanced to the highest Ecclesiasticall place and dignitie in our Church of England For some make the dedication of their works testimonies of old friendship and familiaritie and as it were monuments of their old long continued loue Which cause if there were no more were sufficient considering the loue wherewith you haue imbraced me these thirtie yeeres and vpwards Others do it to witnes their mindfulnes of their dutie to them that be in honorable place and calling And why should not I heerin also imitate them sith it hath pleased God leauing me in a meane place so highly to aduance you Others to get the fauâ—â—able patronage and defence of their works by high dignitie and authoritie against all maleuolous cauillers and backbiters whereof this wicked world is alwaies full And heer of both I stand in great need hauing the whole band of Popish sophisters in this against me and also none can better protect and defend me than you either for learning and iudgement or for power and authoritie wherewith God hath indued you Their whole worke consisteth altogither of lieng fraud and deceit which I thought not vnmeete in some part to touch disclose and make manifest in this mine Epistle First in their Preface then in their Translation after in their collected and concluded Annotations lastly in their thicke and threefold allegations of the fathers In which I will vse all possible breuitie and shortnes for that my purpose is but to giue a little small taste of their foule and shamelesse dealings whereby the sinceritie of their dealing in the rest may be the easilier and better gessed at The first part of their Preface maintaineth against the whole course of the Scriptures and against all authoritie of the ancient primitiue Church that it is not necessarie for al Christians to haue and read the Scriptures in a knowen vulgar toong Which if it were true why are all men commanded continually to talke of them and to write them vpon the doores wals and posts of their houses and how should they meditate in them day and night How should fathers teach them to their children and they againe to their children The Scriptures giue wisedome to the simple why then shall not the simplest seeke in them to waxe wise If life be to be found in the Scriptures why shall not all search them that looke for life If they be written for our learning why should it not be as lawful to learne by reading as by hearing The CoÌ„stitutions which they sundry times alledge as ordeined by the Apostles do appoint Laie men to read the Law the books of the Kings the Psalmes and the Gospell Saint Hierome commendeth poore plough men bicause at the plough taile in their worke and labor they could sing the Psalmes Our Rhemists adde of their owne beleeue them if you list to salue the matter withall that they sang in a language they vnderstood not and wherein they could not read those Scriptures Saint Chrysostome exhorted the common people to get them Bibles and Testaments and refuted the same obiections which the Papists at this day make to the contrary But our Papists tel vs that he dealt like a pulpit man and therfore his rules must not be generall but serue for his owne people which he preached vnto As who should say the pulpit were not as meet a place to deliuer the rules of religion and a generall truth in as the schooles They adde that euery artificer dealeth in the hardest and deepest matters of religion omitting the more easie that they presuppose no difficulties that they aske for no expositor that they feele no depth of Gods science in Scripture that maners and life are nothing amended that priuate fantasies and not the sense of the Church and doctors thereof in interpreting the Scriptures is followed And whosoeuer knoweth the state and condition of the Church of England knoweth all this to be an beape and dunghill of lies packed togither If their commendation of their Churches
the best frame and forme they can all the arguments of the aduersaries and to ech seuerall argument the answere as plainely and briefly as it can be comprised which being done and compiled into one or two volumes whatsoeuer they write hereafter except they bring which I thinke impossible some newe thing heretofore vnheard of to be referred to those volumes for answer and so to cease troubling the world with more bookes Touching mine answers to their marginall notes I hope it will appeere that I haue studied with as much breuitie and plainnes as I could possibly to discipher their vanitie and trifling wherewith they haue blotted and blurred their margents of their Testament Their translation and larger annotations though many times great occasions are offered to carpe at them yet as neere as I could possiblie I haue left them vntouched to him or them whosoeuer he or they be that of purpose shall deale with that matter To the end that my truth and simplicitie of dealing may the better appeere to the Reader of what sort soeuer he be I haue set downe the text wherevpon their notes are gathered according to their owne translation and their notes word forword and then mine answers By which doing I hope it will well appeere that when out of their most partiall translation which they of purpose haue framed for their best aduantage the things which they gather will not follow nor be confirmed that they are vtterlie destitute of all helpe of the scriptures how soeuer they labor to wring them to their purpose But concerning mine owne doing this shall suffice If this which I haue done shall by you most reuerend father be iudged to be profitable for the church and people of God I haue that which I desire The Lord God blesse keepe and preserue you At Dunburie the xij of Aprill 1588. A view of the marginall notes of the Popish Testament translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at Rhemes in Fraunce Matt. 1. ver 2â— The text ANd she shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name ⸫ Iesus The note Iesus an Hebrew word in English Sauiour The answer If you would assigne vs none other Sauiour neither in part nor in whole our controuersies were at an end we should not neede to fill the worlde with our pamphlets Matt. 2. 16. The text Then Herode perceiuing that he was deluded by the Sages was exceeding angrie and sending murdered all the ⸫ men children that were in Bethlehem and in all the borders thereof from two yeeres olde and vnder The note The martyrdome of holy Innocents whose Holy-day is kept the 28. of December The answer You studyed no doubt harde for this note or els so learned a matter coulde not haue passed your penne That these children were murdered for Christes cause I well perceiue and yet because their death was not a voluntarie testimonie to the trueth I see not any iust reason to accompt them Martyrs Howbeit it is not a matter woorth the contending about Matt. 3. 10. The text Euery tree therefore that doth ⸫ not yeeld good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The note It is not onely damnable to doe euill but also not to doe good Aug. Sermone 6â— de temp The answer You doe well to cite Augustine for this and we beléeue it not bicause he sayeth it but bicause this text doeth enforce it And you must either tell vs what euill doing is smaller then not doing good or els your veniall sinnes must be quite banished the countrey Matth. 5. 26. The text Be at agreement with thine aduersary betimes whiles thou art in the way with him least perhaps the aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the officer and thou be cast into ⸫ prison The note This prison is taken of very auncient Fathers for Purgatorie namely Saint Cyprian epist. 52. ad Anton. nu 6. The answer And what néede Fathers for this Is it not ynough that your holy father of Rome taketh it so The fathers might erre he can not erre If this prison be purgatorie then no man can passe out of it without paying the last farthing And if that be so the sale of pardons and such pelte is marred For howe can pardon take place where payment is so peremptorily required But Cyprian taketh it for purgatorie I haue looked into the place by you quoted and find it not so onely he toucheth there this present place but neither his wordes nor the circumstances of the place afore nor after doe enforce any meaning of your purgatorie that I can sée Therefore it argueth either great negligence in you in not searching or great penurie of fathers so applying this place if you searching could find none more plaine for your turne than this Augustine expoundeth this place of hell plainly and flatly As for your purgatorie Plato the Ethnicke philosopher of great fame was the first founder thereof that I haue read of Matth. 5. 43. The text Thou shalt loue thine neighbour and ⸫ hate thine enemie The note So taught the Pharisees not the lawe The answer So say we to them that turne precepts to counsels so teach the papistes and not the Gospel Matth. 5. â—5 The text Who maketh his sunne to rise vpon good bad and raineth vpon iust and ⸫ vniust The note We see that the temporall prosperitie of persons and countries is no signe of better men or truer religion The answer Therefore the Popes long continued rolle of succession is no good argument to approoue his religion nor his present prosperitie his goodnesse and holinesse Matth. 6. 11. The text Giue vs to day our ⸫ supersubstantiall bread The note In Saint Luke the Latine is panem quotidianum daily bread the Greeke being indifferent to both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer You do in this according to your common custome that which is most obscure farthest from the peoples vnderstanding and may best serue you to dally withall that you make choise of Matth. 6. 31. The text Be not carefull therefore saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be couered For all these things the ⸫ heathen doe seeke after The note They seeke temporall things onely and that not of the true God but of their idols or by their owne industrie The answer To contend with you about the heathen it were but a follie It is manifest that many of them looked for immortalitie of the soule and felicitie after this life as their Elisij campi doe testifie But for séeking either by your owne industrie or by them which are no gods you and they may be coupled together For you be right cousin germaines and therein you giue them not place an inch Matth. 7. 11. The text If you then being naught know how to giue good giftes to your children how much more will your Father which is in heauen giue ⸫
shewe of that which they haue not Matth. 22. 10. The text And his seruants going forth into the waies gathered together all that they found ⸫ bad and good and the mariage was filled with guestes The note Not onelie good men be within the church but also euill men against the heretikes of these dayes The answer To which we answer that though in the outward participation of the word and sacraments many wicked are ioyned with good yet in trueth none are of the church but such as to whom the promises of remission of sins and resurrection to life eternall do pertaine And also we saie that this is a friuolous collection drawen from the outward calling to the truth of being in the church For many are called but few chosen Further nothing can iustly be gathered out of this parable but that the Iewes which were first called made themselues vnwoorthy of their calling and that in calling the Gentiles into their roomes place there was no respect had how bad they were afore their conuersion But the grossest sinners for the most part did soonest and gladliest receiue the promise of grace and fauor offered in Christ. And they that racke the calling and comming beyond this racke it beyond the meaning of Christ. And the bad that come without amendment shall be sure to be serued as he that came without his mariage garment Matth. 23. 5. The text But they do all their works to be seene of men For they make broad their ⸫ philacteries and enlarge their fringes The note These philacteries were peeces of parchment wherein they wrote the ten commandements and folded it and caried it on their fordhead before their eies imagining groslie and supersticiouslie that so they fulfilled that which is said Deut. 6. They shall be immooueable before thine eies Hierom in 23. Mat. The answere It is well that you so diligently tell vs the meaning of the worde philacteries but the simpler sort must take it vpon your owne credit for they can not looke into Hierom for it But this they may sée that the Pharisées neither in apparell nor otherwise hunted more for estimation of holines amongst men than your sectaries I should haue said religious do most manifestly Matth. 23. 37. The text Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest them that were sent to thee how often would I gather thy children as the hen doth gather hir chickens vnder hir wings and thou ⸫ wouldest not The note Freewill The answere It is true that men of their owne will do fréely and franklie sinne and refuse grace but this is their greatest slauerie bondage that can be For so they shew themselues slaues of sin And therefore if that be the fréedome of will you so much contend for you may take it to your selues Matth. 24. 11. The text And manie ⸫ false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many The note There were in the people false prophets as among you also shall be lieng masters which shall bring in sects of perdition 2. Peter 2. The answer If lieng and denieng the benefit of Christs death by which we were bought be good and true notes to know false prophets by as they are for that purpose there by Peter deliuered then all the gouernors of the popish church be false prophets Their lies are so grosse as that they themselues are ashamed of them and how they giue to others the glory of our redemption onely due to Christ he knoweth nothing that knoweth not Matth. 24. 23. The text Then if any man shal say to you Lo ⸫ here is Christ or there do not beleeue him The note Whosoeuer draweth Christ or his Church from the communion or fellowship of all nations Christened to one corner towne or countrie beleeue him not Augustine de vnit Ecclesiae cap. 3. The answer Augustine there teacheth vs to séeke the church in the Scriptures not at Rome but diffused euerywhere thorough the whole world They therefore that leade vs to Rome to seeke Christ and his church there by this rule of Augustine are not to be beléeued bicause Rome is but one litle corner countrie or rather towne of the world We embrace that doctrin which the Apostles planted in all nations and we hold that God since the calling of the Gentils hath had alwaies his church generally dispersed thorough the world though in all places and in all times not alike and though to vs which liue at this time and in one corner of the world a great number of the churches children or rather particular churches haue béene and are hidden and vnknowne But this we know that Rome somtimes a faithful citie is now and hath béene many yeeres become a harlot Matth. 24. 30 The text And then shall appeere ⸫ the signe of the sonne of man in heauen The note This signe of the sonne of man is the holie crosse which then shall appeere to the Iewes to their confusion Chrys. in Matt. homilia 77. It shall be no lesse confusion to heretikes which can not abide the signe thereof The answer This is but Chrysostomes coniecture for neither he nor you can bring any good reason why it should be so The glorie and maiestie wherein he shall come set out in the words immediately following by al reasonable coniecture should make plain the words before and declare what was meant by the signe of the sonne of man What heretikes you meane that cannot abide the signe of the crosse I know not The idolatrous abusing of the crosse in poperie and the attributing to the signe thereof the vertues which it cannot haue that no good Christians can abide who yet haue learned to glorie in nothing but in the crosse of Christ. Matt. 25. 8. The text And the foolish said to the wise Giue vs of ⸫ your oile bicause our lamps are going out The note If we be not in the fauour of God and haue not our owne merits we shall not be holpen by other mens deserts at the day of iudgement The answer If the fauour of God might so easily be procured or promerited as some papists write by saying of Aue Maria or offering to our Ladie a taper or seruing some saint I thinke few would die out of the fauour of God But to that which I take to be your meaning if men be in the fauour of God and haue some merits of their owne then they may be holpen by other mens deserts Which collection is tied to this place with points For though we should vnderstand as you do by oile meritorious works yet the quite contrarie is flatly héerof gathered First they are héere condemned for fooles that go a borrowing or séeke helpe at the merits of others Then they that b◠wise dare spare none from themselues for feare of wanting themselues And from whence then may men get that supplie of merits when they which are wisest and best can spare none But bicause you haue no manifest scriptures to
is that can be picked out of his speciall naming But to graunt that he had some petit prerogatiue what is that to those which you chalenge to his pretended successors LVKE Luke 1. 10. The text And all the multitude of the people were ⸫ praying without at the houre of the incense The note We see here that the Priest did his dutie within the people in the meane time praying without and that the priestes functions did profit them though they neither heard nor sawe his doings The answer You would faine finde warrant for your chauncels and as gladlie would you prooue that your masses mumbled in a corner were profitable not onelie to them which being present vnderstand not but to those also which neither heare nor sée them but you must séeke better proofe than the abolished figures of the old lawe For by this diuision of priest and people in sundrie places of the same temple is nothing els taught vs but that heauen is shut to vs by reason of our sinnes and that we can not enter into the presence of God there but in the person of our Priest our Mediatour and that in him and by him our prayers are accepted as at large the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth teach vs. But if you would prooue any thing for your selues shew vs that either priest or people praied in a toung they vnderstood not or that either in the temple or in the synagogues the scriptures were read in a strange language Or that they which read were shut vp in some odde corner of the synagogue where that which they read could not be heard of the people If you could finde warrant for any of these then you had some defence for your ordinarie church seruice but because you want this therefore you flie to the figures of the old law to wring out of them that which neuer was to be learned by them But in this dealing you do but bewray your penurie Luke 1. 15. The text For he shalbe great before our Lord ⸫ and wine and sicer he shall not drinke The note This abstinence foretold and prescribed by the angel sheweth that it is a worthie thing and an acte of religion in Saint Iohn as it was in the Nazarites The answer The abstinence foretold and prescribed shewed that sanctimonie should not be wanting in him neither in déed nor in outward shew but that he should liue as a man wholie dedicate to God The prescription and appointment of God maketh the acte good bicause it was a testimonie of holy obedience But what maketh this for your will worships whereof you haue no warrant but your owne wisedome Luke 1. 20. The text And behold ⸫ thou shalt be dumme and shalt not be able to speake vntill the day wherein these things shall be done For bicause thou hast not beleeued my wordes which shall be fulfilled in their time The note Zacharie punished for doubting of the Angels word The answer And thinke you papistes to escape the punishment of God for teaching men to doubt of the trueth of Gods promises Luke 1. 28. The text Haile full of grace our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou amongst women The note The beginning of the Aue Marie See the rest verse 42. The answer A profound note Mary tooke it for a salutation but the church of Rome haue vsed it as a praier Luke 1. 34. The text And Marie said to the Angell ⸫ How shal this be done Bicause I know not man The note She doubted not of the thing as Zacharie but inquired of the means The answere If you would haue giuen to euerie man his due praise I do not doubt but you might haue quoted Master Beza for you borrowed this out of his annotations Luke 1. 38. The text And Marie said ⸫ Behold the handmaid of our Lord be it done to me according to thy word The note At this very moment when the blessed virgin gaue consent she conceiued him perfect God and perfect man The answer That she conceiued him perfect God and perfect man is by many places well warranted But concerning the very moment of the time when she conceiued I take it to be one of Gods secrets which he hath kept to himselfe and which the holie Ghost hath not reuealed bicause it is not necessarie for vs to know Luke 1. 41. The text And it came to passe as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Marie the ⸫ infant did leape in hir wombe The note Iohn Baptist being yet in his mothers wombe reioiced and acknowledged the presence of Christ and his mother The answer What sense the child had in his mothers wombe of the presence of Christ I know not and yet I doubt not but it was the secret force of Gods holy spirit that caused that motion in the child But if your note be true then grace was conferred vpon this child afore he was partaker of any sacrament except you will say that the ioyfull acknowledging of the presence of Christ may be without grace Luke 1. 46. The text My soule doth magnifie our Lord. The note Magnificat at Euensong The answer I thinke your meaning is that Magnificat is vsed at Euensong and not that our Ladie sang Euensong or that it was héere appointed to be song at Euensong Luke 1. 48. The text Bicause he hath regarded the humilitie of his handmaid For behold from hencefoorth ⸫ all generations shall call mee blessed The note Haue the Protestants alwaies had generations to fulfill this prophesie or do they call hir blessed that derogate what they can from hir graces blessings and all hir honor The answer The Protestants had their generations afore any papists were in the world And as they giue to the blessed virgin all honor that is due to hir so neither she nor they can abide that you should rob God of his honor to giue it hir Luke 1. 80. The text And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit and was ⸫ in the deserts vntill the day of his manifestation to Israel The note Marke that he was a voluntarie Eremite and chose to be solitarie from a child till he was to preach to the people insomuch that antiquitie counted him the first Eremite The answer You do but bleare the eies of the ignorant with the likenes of the name Antiquitie neuer knew what the profession of your Eremites meant And if you vouchsafed to giue vs a definition of Eremites then we should easily exclude from it either Iohn or your superstitious hipocriticall Eremites For it is one thing to liue in a desert as Iohn did it is another thing to liue without societie and companie as yours do and Iohn did not And further you must prooue that he shut vp himselfe to satisfie for his sins and that he was a paterne or example for others so to do without further warrant or vocation Which bicause you cannot do Iohn will not serue for a shield or defence for your
Gospell these words who was of Cainan though all the Greeke copies both of the old Testament and of the new haue the words with full consent Wherby we learne the intolerable saucines of the Caluinists and their contempt of holie Scripture that dare so deale with the verie Gospell it selfe The answer If this be such intollerable boldnes of Beza as you account it to correct the Gréeke by the Hebrew and to prefer the authoritie of Moyses the Hebrew text then condemne Saint Augustine who taught that boldnes to him and others De Ciuitate dei libro 15. cap. 13. 14. Luk. 4. â— The text And Iesus ful of the holie Ghost returned from Iordan and was driuen in the spirit into the desert ⸫ Fortie daies and was tempted of the diuell The note The churches fast of fortie daies called Lent commeth of this and is an apostolicall tradition Clem. Constit. Apost Lib. 5. cap. 13. Hier. ep ad Marcel adu erro Montani Leo serm 6. 9. de Quadragesima The answer Now the example of Christ and the authoritie of the Apostles must confirme our Lenten fast of fortie daies Two waighty reasons and therfore néed to be well considered of Christs faste was miraculous and therefore they that propound this for an example to imitate may as well appoint vs to imitate him in commanding both winde and sea But the apostles appointed it as Clement Hierome and Leo saie Clemens is a counterfait and he and Hierom name Quadragesima but what number of daies they ment thereby that appéereth not But the impudencie of them appéereth that obtrude vnder the name of Clemens constitutions Apostolicall that which their owne church obserueth not but reiecteth But that your fortie dais faste was not an apostolicall tradition appéereth many waies First for that the heretike Montanus as Eusebius testifieth was the first that appointed certaine times and daies to faste in Secondly bicause Augustine knew not of any daies or times appointed by the Apostles to be kept as fasting daies Thirdly bicause the obseruation of fasting daies and namely of fasting afore Easter was frée and was diuers according as euerie particular church sawe good Which Augustine séeing when he was yet but a nouice in Christ asked the aduise of Saint Ambrose who willed him to do as he saw him do afterward explaining his minde willed him to frame himselfe therein to the maner of ech church that he should come to so should he neither giue nor take offence Irenaeus as Eusebius reporteth wrot to Uictor bishop of Rome of the great varietie of the churches fasting afore Easter which dissent in fasting did not saith he break their coÌ„sent in faith The churches where Epiphanius was conuersant kept their faste of Quadragesima but seauen daies afore Easter The church of Rome kept it thrée wéekes afore Easter as the Tripartite story telleth vs. Finally the libertie and diuersitie of the churches in kéeping of it was so diuers and great that Socrates one of the authors of the tripartite storie marueileth that in such difference of time and daies the name of Quadragesima in all places remained one Now sée how truelie you thrust vpon vs vnder the name of Apostolicall tradition that which neither your church of Rome neither yet the most part of Christs church did obserue and kéepe for foure hundred yéeres after Christ that is your fortie daies faste Luk. 4. 8. The text ⸫ Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God and him onelie shalt thou serue The note See the annotations in Saint Matthew cap. 4. vers 11. The answer We haue séene your annotation not woorth the looking on which shall receiue answer with his fellowes Luk 4. 10. The text For ⸫ it is written that he hath giuen his Angels charge of thee that they preserue thee and that in their hands they shal beare thee vp least perhaps thou knocke thy foote against a stone The note If the diuell alledge Scripture against Christ no maruell that heretikes do so against Christs church The answer They no doubt be heretikes which do not think that to be the best way to refel the diuelish wresting of scriptures which Christ himselfe vsed that is by the Scriptures Therfore papists flieng that trial and taking vpon them to deuise wiser better means then Christ gaue example of cannot choose but be presumptuous proud heretikes Lukâ— 4. 16. The text And he came to Nazareth where he was brought vp and he entered ⸫ according to his custome on the Saboath day into the Synagogue and he rose vp to read The note Our Sauiour Christ vsed to preach in their synagogues The answer You might haue added on the Saboath daies and haue set downe that your Romish Church spendeth the saboth in a few superstitious and idolatrous actions and that those being done then their people sit downe to eate and drinke and rise againe to play and so a great part of their Saboath they consume in lasciuâ—ous wantonnes As for preaching they were woont to kéep it for high daies Luke 4. 22 The text And al giue testimonie to him And they ⸫ maruelled in the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth The note He had maruellous grace and an extraordinarie force in moouing the harts of his hearers The answer But the hardnes of their harts the more appéered in that so few of them were pearced and truly conuerted And bicause the same corruptions rest in vs which were in them we sée that it is not the excellencie of any mans gifts that can truly winne to God except he by his almightie power inwardly worke a reformation and create new harts and renew right spirits in vs. Luke 5. 1â— The text And he commanded him that he should tell no bodie but goe ⸫ shew thy selfe to the priest and offer for thy cleansing as Moyses commanded for a testimonie to them The note See Saint Mathew cap. 8. 4. The answer Your references are not worth the looking on as will appéere when they receiue answer togither Luke 5. 3â— The text ⸫ I came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance The note Christ came not to call those which presume of their owne iustice and that count them selues to haue no neede of Christ. The answer Then Christ came not to call Papists for they can merit heauen by their owne inherent iustice which if it be not a proud presumption then I know not what presumption meaneth And though in word they will séeme to néede Christ yet that néede can not stand with the rest of their doctrine Luke 5. 33. The text Why do the disciples of Iohn ⸫ fast often and make obsecrations and of the pharisies in like maner but thine do eate and drinke The note See Saint Matthew annotations c. 9. 15. The answer We haue séene it and answered it before Luke 6. â— The text And it came to passe on the ⸫ sabaoth Second-first when he passed through the corne
and graces offered And further wée learne that as the authoritie and credit of this woman by whom the Samaritans were first conuerted was not greater therefore then the credit and authoritie of our Sauiour Christ by whome the Samaritans were now confirmed so the authoritie of the church first drawing men to beleeue is not greater then the authoritie of the scriptures by which men be after confirmed in the truth of their beléefe As for your addition of other instructions if you meane thereby your vnwritten verities or some such like stuffe you might haue kept it for your owne stoore Iohn 5. 6. The text And there is at Hierusalem vpon ⸫ probatica a pond which in Hebrew is surnamed Bethsaida hauing fiue porches The note By our Latine text and the Greeke this miraculous pond was in or vpon probatica that is a place where sheepe to be sacrificed were kept but by other Latin copies Saint Hierome and some Greeke fathers probatica is the very pond it selfe so called bicause the sheepe of sacrifice were there washed The answer Whether the pond were probatica or in or vpon probatica whether shéepe were sold there washed there or kept there it is not materiall nor woorth the contending for Iohn 5. 29. The text Maruaile not at this bicause the houre commeth wherein all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they that haue ⸫ done good things shal come forth into the resurrection of life The note Not faith onlie but good and ill deeds shalbe counted and accordinglie rewarded at the day of iudgement The answer And who denieth this and yet then the onlie instrument of vniting vs to Christ our righteousnesse shalbe faith onlie alone Iohn 5. 39. The text Search the ⸫ scriptures for you thinke in them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimonie of me The note Catholikes search the scriptures and finde there Peters and his successors primacie the reall presence the priests power to forgiue sinnes iustification by faith and good workes virginitie preferred before matrimonie breach of the vow of continencie damnable voluntarie pouertie penance almes and good deeds meritorious diuers rewards in heauen according to diuerse merits and such like The answer Whom haue we héere Thraso or Gnato For this can not procéed but either from a vainglorious vaunter or from a filthie flatterer You catholikes may as eâ—silie wring water out of a flint as find in the scriptures that which is not in them as in the particulars which you haue reckoned in their particular places are or shalbe shewed And to the end your credulous followers may be the lesse able to espie your fraud herein you haue hitherto kept them safe from searching the scriptures and now when by Gods good benefit you can no longer kéep them from the scriptures you haue sent them the scriptures in their mother tongue not to the end they should search but corrupted and of purpose obscured and darkened to the end to terrifie and feare men from searching for if with humilitie and hartie desire of truth they would diligently search the scriptures the testimonies of them would driue them to leaue you and to flie to Christ for life Iohn 5. 43. The text I am come in the name of my father and you receiue me not if ⸫ another shall come in his owne name him will you receiue The note He meaneth specially Antichrist then how can the pope be he seeing the Iewes receiue him not The answer He meaneth anie false and forged Christ and not Antichrist of which sort it is well knowen there were diuers both before and after Christ whom the Iewes were very readie to embrace And it is manifest that they were not onlie readie to receiue such impostors seducers as vaunted them selues to be Christ but also by a solemne embassage the prouoked and procured as much as in them lay Iohn Baptist to haue and take that honor vpon him Further you forget that which some of you haue much contended for namely the force of the Gréeke article by addition whereof in other places you will inforce Antichrist to be meant of some particular man but héere that must be meant of Antichrist which neither hath article added nor yet can possibly with anie probabilitie bée restrained to any one particular person Thus may your holie father be Antichrist still for any let that is in this place Ioh. 6. 23. The text But other boates came in from Tyberias beside the place where they had eaten the bread our Lord ⸫ giuing thanks The note These words do plainly import that the giuing thanks was an effectuall blessing of the bread and working the multiplication thereof The answer These words do plainly import that the blessing which the other Euangelists speake of was nothing else but praier and thankesgiuing by the which the creatures of God are sanctified to the vse and behoofe of men Ioh. 6. 32. The text ⸫ Amen Amen I say to you Moyses gaue you not the bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen The note Why we keepe the Hebrewâ—word Amen and translate it not See the annot cap. 8. vers 34. The answer This is a cloake for the raine if you had only abstained from translating such words as vse hath vpon occasion made common to other toongs we would not greatly blame you but your hunting and séeking vnder that and the like pretences to leaue things as darke as you can is that which men do iustlie condemne in you Ioh. 7. â— The text And the festiual day of the Iewes ⸫ Scenopegia was at hand The note Scenopegia Leuit. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the feast of Tabernacles which the Iewes kept from the seauenth of October for eight daies togither by Gods commandement for a memorie that their fathers dwelt by Gods protection fortie yeeres in tabernacles or tents and not in houses comming out of Egypt See Leuit. 23. 34. The answer You might haue kept your margent vnblotted if it had stoode with your pleasure to haue translated Scenopegia The place in Leuiticus would sufficiently haue shewed the cause of the institution Ioh. 7. 17 The text If any man ⸫ will do the will of him he shall vnderstand of the doctrine whether it be of God or I speake of my selfe The note The way to come to know the truth is to liue well The answer The way to come to know and vnderstand the truth is wholie to renounce resigne our owne will and to giue our selues ouer wholie to the obedience of God For the Lord himselfe wil teach the humble and méeke euen them that feare him Ioh. 7. 18. The text ⸫ He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie The note It is spoken of Antichrist specially and it is true in all heretikes Augustin tract 29. in Euangelium Io. The answer If euer it was verified of any it is most true of the bishop of
men from the true catholike and vniuersall church and so bring them to the pit of perdition Iohn 8. 49. The text Iesus answered ⸫ I haue no diuell but I do honor my father and you haue dishonored me The note He denieth not that he is a Samaritane bicause he is our keeper or protector as the word signifieth and bicause he is indeed that mercifull Samaritane in the parable of the wounded man Luk. 10. 33. August tract 43. in Iohn The answer Augustine as some other also of the fathers is much delighted with allegories sometime more then enough But why did you not spare Augustine héere where you néeded him not and vse him afore in that you knew would be denied to you to prooue that works make men the children of Abraham what is it not bicause you could get no helpe at his hand Iohn 9. 3. The text Iesus answered ⸫ neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God may be manifested in him The note Though manie infirmities fall for sinne yet not all some comming for probation and some sent that God by the cure thereof may be glorified The answer Men are not rashly to be iudged of for the afflictions or the infirmities which God laieth vpon them or theirs Considering that God hath diuers ends purposes for the which he scourgeth his owne chosen children as wel as the vngodly wicked and reprobate Iohn 9. 5. The text The night commeth ⸫ when no man can worke The note The time of working and meriting is in this life after death we can deserue no more by our deeds but must onely receiue good or ill according to the difference of works heere The answer If this note be true then how excuse you your selues in making men pay for your praiers your pardons masses diriges trentals and such like trash for the soules of their friends departed séeing works after death do them no good and séeing they must receiue according to that they haue done in their bodies whether it be good or bad Are you not ashamed to cosin your credulous followers Your coupling of works and merits déedes and deseruing is not woorth the noting bicause it cannot now besot any but méere fooles Iohn 9. 7. The text Go ⸫ wash in the poole of Siloe which is interpreted sent The note This was a figure of baptisme to which al men borne in sin and blindnes are sent for health sight Ambrose Lib. 3. cap. 2. de Sacramentis The answer Stil we must sée your great reading and your followers must thinke that there is no such clearks in the whole world againe The truth of Ambroses spéech héerin is not woorth the discussing but it is ynough to you that a father speaketh it if it be not against anie thing determined by your church of Rome Iohn 9. 24. The text They therefore againe called the man that had beene blind and said to him ⸫ Giue glorie to God we know that this man is a sinner The note So saie the heretikes when they derogate from miracles done by Saints or their relikes pharisaically pretending the glorie of God As though it were not Gods glory when his saints do it by his power vertue yea his greater glorie that doth such things by his seruants and by the meanest things belonging to them as Peters shadow Act. 5. and Paules napkin Act. 9. The answer If by pretence of giuing glorie to God the pharisies had not gone about to derogate from the glory of our Lord and Sauiour Christ their words had not béene faultie We confesse that by the smaller and weaker things God worketh the more his glory thereby appéereth Yet that maketh nothing for your impudent shamelesse forged miracles as in making our Ladie a chappell kéeper I will not saie a baude in a nunnerie xv yéeres togither to couer the vile life of Beatrix the Nun who plaied the whoore so many yéeres togither Do you thinke that such miracles as this will make to the glorie of God And yet your bookes of lies are full of them Iohn 9. 39. The text And Iesus saide to him For iudgement came I into this world ⸫ that they that see not may see and they that see may become blind The note By this we see that this miracle was not onely marueilous and beneficiall to the blind but also significatiue of taking away spirituall blindnes The answer It is very true that the miracles of Christ were not lik popish miracles strange things onlie to be wondered at but foretold by the prophet Esaie beneficiall to the parties for whom they were done or wrought and significatiue that is bearing witnes to the truth of his doctrine All which properties the lying signes and wonders of the popish church want Iohn 10. 1. The text He that entreth not by doore into the folde of sheepe but climeth vp another way he is ⸫ a thiefe and a robber The note The thiefe is the heretike speciallie and anie other that vnlawfully breake in vpon the sheepe to kill and to destroy them by false doctrine and otherwise The answer Poperie is a dunghill compacted of the shreds of many heresies Christ being the onlie doore and heauen the folde prouided for the safe kéeping of Gods flocke the papists must néedes bée théeues and robbers for that they will clime into heauen by many waies besides Christ. Iohn 10. 4. The text And when he hath let foorth his owne sheepe hee ⸫ goeth before them and the sheepe follow him bicause they knowe his voice The note That is the fashion of Iurie and other countries signifiyng that the shepherd or pastor must teach the sheepe and not they him The answer Onlie England haue their shéepe and other cattell wander abroad harmelesse hauing no kéeper which in other countries is counted a miracle Your signification we accept and therefore conclude that you are none of Christs shéepe bicause you take vpon you to set your shepherd to schoole Further it is to be noted how continuallie the scripture calleth the shéepe of Christ to the hearkening to his voice contrarie to the papists who call all to the harkening to and obeying of their church Iohn 10. 15. The text As the father knoweth me and I know my father ⸫ I yeeld my life for my sheepe The note Christs death was so necessarie for the flocke that when he might haue escaped he voluntarilie offered him selfe to death for his flocke The answer That Christs death was necessarie in word you graunt but when it cōmeth to péecing of it with other parts of your doctrine it must stand for a worke néedlesse else it can not hold togither For if the blood of saint Thomas could helpe vs to heauen what néeded Christ to haue shed his blood for vs Iohn 10. 16. The text And ⸫ other sheepe I haue that are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be made one fold
and one pastor The note He meaneth the Church of the Gentils The answer It is true that Christ made of Iewes and Gentils one folde and of both he and not the pope is the one only pastor and head Iohn 10. 29. The text My father ⸫ that which he hath giuen me is greater then al. The note Another reading is my father that hath giuen me c. The answer In diuers readings you choose that which is most obscure and can not carie any true sense if it be weied with the circumstances of the place and leaue that which is plaine and carieth an inestimable comfort to all that loue God and best agréeth the Gréeke originall Iohn 11. 44. The text Iesus said to them ⸫ Loose him and let him go The note S. Cyril lib. 7. cap. vlt. in Ioh. and Augustine tract 49. in Ioh. applie this to the Apostles and priests authority of absoluing sinners affirming that Christ doth reuiue none from sinne but in the church and by the priests ministerie The answer Wée beléeue that the promise of life eternall pertaineth to none but to such as are or shalbe of the Church of God and that the ordinarie meanes whereby God effectuallie calleth men to be of his church is the ministerie of his woord But we dare not tie God to his ordinarie meanes sith he extraordinarilie called Paul and others But how well this place is applied to the ordinarie authoritie of ministers or priestes in absoluing I will spare to speake for reuerence of them whom you alledge It is well that the church hath plaine euidence of scriptures for the authoritie of binding and loosing for if it staid it selfe vpon the authoritie of men wresting such places as this to that purpose it were but a poore sillie comfort that the conscience of a poore penitent sinner could reape by the churches absolution Iohn 11. 48. The text If we let him alone so all will beleeue in him and the Romans will come and ⸫ take away our place and nation The note All men but speciall nations must take heed that whiles to saue their temporall state they forsake God they loose not both as the Iewes did August tract 49. in Io. The answer Therefore we vndergo all the perils and dangers which by your stirring vp the force and might of all the popish princes in the world can bring vpon vs rather than to displease God by giuing ouer his truth wherwith he hath blessed vs least we should prouoke his heauie indignation against vs and so perish as the Iewes haue done before vs. Iohn 12. 3. The text ⸫ Marie therfore tooke a pound of ointment of right spikenard precious and annointed the feete of Iesus and wiped his feete with hir haire and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment The note Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion and how acceptable they were to Christ See the annot Mat. 26. The answer Bicause those annotations are to receiue answer by themselues therefore I thought not good to touch them here Iohn 12. 7. The text Iesus therefore said Let hir alone that she may keepe it for the day of my ⸫ buriall The note The deuout offices of balming and annointing the dead bodies of the faithfull are here also allowed The answer And we do not disallow whatsoeuer in buriall serueth either for comfort of them that be aliue and for the honest and comely bringing the dead to the graue being the last duties that men can do to their faithfull friends Iohn 12. 8. The text For the poore you haue alwaies with you but me you shall not haue alwaies The note Not in visible and mortal condition to receiue almes of you and such like offices for supply of my necessitie The answer And why do you not say not in bodie nor in humanitie Bicause you would faine with some color shift of Christs bodily absence from the earth for the better safetie and defence of your reall preseâ—ce in the sacrament You are full of fathers in matters nâ—edlesse why do you not in this place so often repeated bring vs at the least one plaine place of some father affirming that he is not simply absent in bodie from vs but onely in such sort as you do imagine Is it not a secret confession that all antiquitie is against you I maruell that you are so impudent still to glory and to cry that your faith hath continued almost xvj hundred yéeres when you know that in a number of things you are not able to bring foorth any true authoritie of halfe the age Iohn 12. 20. The text And there were certaine Gentils of them that came vp to adore in the festiuall day The note We may see there a great difference where a man pray or adore at home or in the church and holy places When the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the temple in Hierusalem The answer Now pilgrimages are prooued and that full pithily For the Gentiles came to adore at Hierusalem When you can find such expresse commandement of God for running to saint Iames of Compostella or our Ladie of Walsingham or visiting the holie sepulchre as was for al both Iewes and conuerts then to appéere before the Lord at Hierusalem then your reason will hold Otherwise it is as much as if I should say The Iewes and conuerts of the Gentils obeied the commandement of God in going to Hierusalem at the feast daies to worship Ergo it is lawful for me to go a roging to what place of pilgrimage in the world séemeth best in mine owne eies without further warrant As for the difference of publike and priuate praier and of seruing God at home and in the common assemblies are both knowen and practised amongst vs. Iohn 12. 40. The text Therfore they ⸫ could not beleeue bicause Esay said againe he hath blinded their eies and indurated their harts c. The note If any man aske saith saint Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer roundly bicause they would not Tract 33. in Io. See annotations Matth. 13. 15. Mark 4. 12. The answer It is true that the corruption of mans will is the cause of all euill and wickednes in man But héere either your printer made a fault or your note booke deceiued you for it is in 53. treatise And I muze why you should so much couet so force Augustine to speake for you séeing that you know that of all other he is most earnest in this cause of frée will against you For in the same place he acknowledgeth the iust iudgement of God vpon them in leauing them in blindnes and not helping them to sée And teacheth vs in inquiring why God would so leaue them to crie out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. Which exclamation sheweth that Augustine had an eie to somwhat more than their will yea and to such a somwhat as was not
persecutors he promiseth to his worshippers his manifest intercession and suffrages in homilia S. Stephani And Saint Augustine Si Stephanus non sic orasset ecclesia Paulum non haberet ser 1. de Stephano The answer Euerie one séeth that it is a very foolish collection to gather a promise of intercession to his worshippers out of this praier for his persecuters and therfore it is not the authoritie of Eusebiâ—s Emissenus that can mooue vs except he bring better reason with him But you would haue your ignorant followers to thinke that Saint Augustine helpeth you in this case and therefore you haue set him downe in latine that they might not espie that his words make nothing to your purpose for who euer mooued doubt whether Saint Steuens praier did obteine at the hand of God mercie for some of his persecuters or els the conuersion of the Apâ—stle Paul but what maketh that for the intercession of saints when they are dead and gone Actes 8. 4. The text They therefore that were dispersed passed thorow â—uangelizing the word The note This persecution wrought much good being an occasion that the dispersed preached Christ in diuers countries where they come The answer God turneth all things to good to them that loue him and your persecutions also haue had the like effect of spreading the Gospel which though you sée and can not but confesse yet you furiouslie stil rage against God and stirre vp what princes you can to persecute the Gospell and the professors thereof 〈◊〉 8. 14. The text And when the Apostles who were in Hierusalem had heard that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent to them Peter and Iohn The note Saepè sibi socium petens facit esse Iohannem Ecclesiae quia virgo placet Arator apud Bedam in Act. The answer How chaunce you set not downe your note in English did you meane that no bodie should know it but such as could vnderstand latine If the ministerie of married men had not béene as wel accepted and liked of the church then as the ministerie of others neither would Philips dealing at Samaria béene so well allowed of as it was neither yet had saint Peter béene a méete messenger to haue bene sent about that businesse But Iohn was liked of bicause he was a virgin it well appeareth that neither Philip nor Peter were disliked bicause they were married But I praie you tell me what church now may be so bold as to send the Pope on their errand or about their businesse Either the Church then had greater authoritie then now and Peter lesse then his supposed successors haue now or els the Popes now are prouder and take more vpon them then hée did Actes 8. â—7 The text And behold a man of Aethiopia an eunuche of great authoritie vnder Candace the Queene of the Aethiopians who was ouer all her treasures was come to Hierusalem ⸫ to adore The note Note that this Ethiopian came to Hierusalem to adore that is on pilgrimage Wherebie we may learne that it is an accptable acte of religion to go from home to places of greater deuotion and sanctification The answer All that euer were Iewes borne or Iewes by conuersion were bound by the law of God to offer their sacrifices at IerusaleÌ„ at certaine times in person to appéere there before him Now if yoâ— can shew any of your places of pilgrimage so by God himselfe chosen sanctified for that purpose than we yéeld to you Otherwise your reason holdeth not as being drawen from worship commanded by God to will worship that is worship deuised by men Acts 8. 31. The text And he said Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things which thou readest Who said And ⸫ how can I vnles some man shew me The note The scriptures are so written that they cannot be vnderstood without an interpreter as easie as our protestants make them See S. Hierom Epistola ad Paulinum de omnibus diuinae historiae libris set in the beginning of Latin bibles The answer How easie do protestants make them Do they not take continuall paines to interpret the scriptures to the people They are hard but not all That it was not the custome of the church and people of God to fray men from them bicause of the hardnes of them which is the controuersie betwixt you and vs appéereth in that the eunuch read euen those scriptures which he vnderstood not And that God blesseth such endeuors of humble harted Christians appéereth also in that God sent him an interpreter of that which he vnderstood not And what can you gather out of Ierom to the contrarie of this Acts. 9. 4. The text And falling on the ground he heard a voice saieng to him ⸫ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The note The heretikes that conclude Christ so in heauen that he can be no where else till the day of iudgement shall hardly resolue a man that would know where Christ was when he appeered heere in the way and spake these words to Saul The answer We answer shortly and plainly as difficult a matter as you make of it that his bodie was then in heauen when his maiestie appéered and his voice was heard vpon earth What can you oppose to this Acts. 9. 18. The text And foorthwith there fell from his eies as it were scales and he receiued sight and rising he was ⸫ baptized The note Paul also himselfe though with the diuine and heauenly voice prostrated and instructed yet was sent to a man to receiue the sacraments and to be ioined to the church Augustine in doctrina Christiana in prooemio The answer You néeded much a doctor for this which euery man confesseth and no man denieth But it is euident that you hunt for nothing but vainglorious estimation Acts. 9. 31. The text The ⸫ church truly through all Iewrie and Galile and Samaria had peace and was edified walking in the feare of our Lord and was replenished with the consolation of the holie Ghost The note The church visibly proceedeth still with much comfort and manifold increase euen by persecution The answer God in the midst of persecution sendeth sometimes peace and rest to his as he hath done to his church of England to your great griefe whose rage and furie God hath bridled and to their singular comfort Acts. 9. 36. The text This woman was full of ⸫ good works and almes deedes which she did The note Behold good works and almes deeds and the force thereof reaching to the next life The answer Though this note be but sorâ—ly collected out of this place yet we confesse that the dead resting from their labors their works follow them and yet you neuer the nigher to the proouing of your merits Acts 9. 39. The text And Peter rising vp came with them and when he was come they brought him vp into the vpper chamber and all the widowes stood about him weeping ⸫ and shewing him the cotes and
But their care is far vnlike for they are seldome in their charge they visit once in thrée yéere most commonly by their deputes neither to reforme life nor maners but either to shewe themselues abroad like lords or else to fill their purses This I am sure they neither learned of Paule nor Barnabas Act. 15. 41. The text And he walked thorough Siria and Cilicia confirming the churches ⸫ commanding them to keepe the precepts of the apostles and ancients The note Not onely the things commanded by Christs expresse word or written in the Scriptures as our heretikes hold but whatsoeuer the apostles and rulers of the church command is to be kept and obeied So these words repeated againe cap. 16. 4. and that in the Greeke least any man cauill bicause here the Greeke hath them not The answer You do well to ioine apostles with rulers else no man would beléeue you But I pray you where may we â—inde those things which the apostles haue commanded and are not expressed in the scriptures If you obtrude those things which you falsely call the canons and constitutions of the apostles then we bid you first reforme your church by them For though there be some corruptions in them vnknowen in the apostles time yet your church if it had no more should want at least thrée quarters of her corruptions It were woonderfull if other men should credite your forgerie which you your selues haue small regard to If you alledge this present text it is manifest that the precepts which the apostles commanded to be kept were sent in writing by the hands of Paule and Barnabas which writing is set downe by Luke word for word How then can you gather from hence anie defence of your vnwritten verities or any credite to your deuises not warranted by the Scriptures Act. 16. 4. The text And when they passed through the cities they deliuered vnto them to keepe the ⸫ decrees that were decreed of the Apostels and ancients at Hierusalem The note Here againe they take order that the decrees and articles of faith agreed vpon in the councell of Hierusalem should be executed and obserued whereby we see both the great authoritie of councels and the diligence that all prelates ought to haue to see the decrees and canons of the councels put in execution The answer In the former note these decrées you did insinuate to be matters vnwritten and now in this note they are articles of our faith and so consequently some articles of our faith are not written O miserable men What state are they in whom you lead When you pull from them the foundation and groundworke of their faith The authoritie of lawfull councels we reuerence as much as is lawfull to reuerence men But by this councel we gather that a councell may be lawfully called though the bishop of Rome call it not and that it is not néedful that he or his legate à latere should be president in councels and that it is not of necessity requisite that he should confirme and ratifie councels For it is manifest that no bishop of Rome bare stroke in this councel Acts. 16. 6. The text And passing through Phrigia and the countrie of Galatia they were ⸫ forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia The note This people had not the Gospell denied vnto them altogither but for a time bicause as venerable Bede thinketh God foresaw they would not beleeue and so should haue beeâ— more grieuously damned The answer Modestie requireth that you leaue the Lords secrets to himselfe The holie Ghost hath not reuealed the cause why he forbad them to preach in Asia and permitted them not to go into Bithinia and therefore we are to leaue it as a thing which God hath not thought necessary for vs to know But this is manifest that the good desires of Gods saints are not in their owne power to bring to passe when they will Acts. 16. 12. The text And from thence to Philippie which is the first citie of Macedonia a ⸫ Colonia The note Colonia is such a citie where the most inhabitants are strangers sent thither from other great cities and states namely from the Romans The answer Your interpretation of Colonia we receiue as a thing wherof our Grammar boies are not ignorant Acts. 16. 17. The text The same following Paul and vs cried saieng These men are the seruants of the high God which preach vnto you the waie of saluation The note Either the diuell was compelled by vertue of Paules presence to saie truth or else as such do often times he spake truth now that they might the more trust him and he better beguile them at other times The answer Your later coniecture I receiue as a thing that you can speake in by great experience as hauing learned that péece of cunning of the diuell neuer to vse truth but to the end to giue color and credit to lies withall Acts. 16. 3â— The text Masters what must I do to be saued But they said ⸫ Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy house The note It is none other faith that saueth but that which worketh by charity August Enchirid. cap. 67. The answer Grant vs that that faith is the onely hand whereby we take hold of Christ our saluation and then a great part of our controuersie is at an end Acts. 16. 33. The text And he taking them in the same hower of the night ⸫ washed their wounds and himselfe was baptized and all his house incontinent The note Happie gailers that do mercie toward their godly prisoners and receiue againe by them such spirituall benefits The answer It was the greatest happines that could fall vpon him and his house to receiue such vnder his â—oofe by whom God so blessed him and his On the contrarie side it is a dangerous matter for gailers and keepers to be cumbred with wicked seditious and traiterous Iesuits and seminarie priests Acts. 17. 5. The text But the Iewes ⸫ enuieng and taking to them of the rascall sort certaine naughtie men and making a tumult stirred the citie and besetting Iasons house sought to bring them foorth vnto the people The note Zelantes This is the zeale of heretikes and a liuely paterne of their dealing at this day against the catholike priests and preachers and the good Iasons that receiue them The answer Looke vpon the late storie of France and there you shall sée that it is the practise of you papists to stir vp the rascall sort to misuse nay to kill and cut the throtes of Gods déere saints Acts. 17. 23. The text For passing by and seeing your idols I found an altar also whereupon was written To the vnknowen God The note The aduersaries in the new Testament 1580. translate your deuotions most corruptly against the nature of the Greeke word 2. Thes. 2. 4. and most wickedly against the laudable deuotion of good Christians calling the pagans idolatrie and superstition their
wils but that they be sweetely drawen mooued and induced to do good August Euchiridion cap. 64. de verb. domini ser. 43. ca. 7. de verb. Apost ser. 13. cap. 11. 12. The answer Here you bring authorities thicke where néede none Who euer expounded this leading of the spirit of forcible constreining men against their wils Bicause your fréewill is denied you would haue your followers to beléeue that we make men blocks and stocks As for you you are so far from being led by the spirit that you haue no sence nor féeling of it and therfore dare not say that you haue the spirit of God And good reason why you should not bicause the holy Ghost hath not wrought in you any change or alteration from your superstitions follies Rom. 9. 11. The text For when they were not yet borne nor had done any good or euill that the purpose of God according to election might stande not of works but of the caller it was said to her That the elder shall serue the yoonger The note S. Hierom q. 10. ad Hedibiam All the Epistle surely to the Romaines needeth interpretation and is enwrapped with so great obscurities to vnderstand it we neede the helpe of the holie Ghost who by the Apostle did dictate these same things but especially this place Howbeit nothing pleaseth vs but that which is Ecclesiasticall that is the sense of the Church The answer Saint Hierome did not vse this spéech to fraie any from reading anie part of the scriptures and inquiring the sense of them For he himselfe séeketh to satisfie the questions propounded and that to a woman whom he scarcely knew That this epistle néedeth interpretation and especially the illumination of that spirit which caused it to be written it hath common with the rest of the Scriptures For the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the spirit of God which are spiritually discerned We would be loath to please our selues with any priuate interpretation not receiued nor allowed of the true church of God But you would gladly haue this whole Epistle out of the way and especially this chapter bicause it setteth out plainely Gods frée election and choise without respect or regard had to works either aforegoing or following Which sense though contrarie to the sense of your church Saint Hierome holdeth as the sense of the church then And therefore he concludeth that question that Hedibia should for euer hold her peace from inquiring anie causes of Gods will why he is mercifull to one seuere to another Rom. 9. 22. The text And if God willing to shew wrath and to make his might knowne ⸫ susteined in much patience the vessels wrath apt to destruction c. The note That God is not the cause of any mans reprobation or damnation otherwise then for punishment of his sins he sheweth by that he expecteth all mens amendment with great patience and consequently that they haue also freewill The answer The cause and matter of mans damnation is in himselfe And yet God did prepare the wicked or damned to be vessels of ignominie or dishonor It is wel that you rake so diligently amongst the vngodly and reprobate for your fréewill For they sin frankly and fréely And if you finde it not amongst the slaues of sinne you shall finde it no where But I haue told you and do tell you againe that this fréedome to do euill is the seruitude of sinne and that therefore this fréewill cannot do any thing but sinne Rom. 10. 4. The text For the end of the law is Christ vnto ⸫ iustice to euery one that beleeueth The note The law was not giuen to make a man iust or perfect by it selfe but to bring vs to Christ to be iustified by him The answer If the law were not giuen to make a man iust then how can a man be iustified by his owne works and obedience Againe how then do you holde it possible to be fulfilled by men for no doubt it maketh iust the fulfillers thereof Though you bring all your suttle shifts and euasions togither yet if you holde fast this note your inherent iustice to make a man iust withall shall be iust woorth two strawes Rom. 10. 5. The text For Moyses wrote ⸫ that the iustice which is of the law the man that hath done it shall liue in it The note The iustice of the law of Moyses went no further of it selfe but to saue a man from temporall death and punishment prescribed to the transgressors of the same The answer Were not the ten commandements part of the law of Moses And doth not Christ answer the yoong man that would know by what doing he should haue life euerlasting Kéepe the commandements Did the curse of the law from which Christ deliuered vs extend no further than to temporall punishment Perfect righteousnes bringeth perfect life The law is a perfect rule of righteousnes therefore if it could be fulfilled of vs it should bring vs to perfect eternall life What meaneth Paul by his opposition of those two sentences The iust shall liue by faith And he that doth these things shall liue in them if one and the same life eternall be not promised in both in the one to beléeuers in the other to doers Againe if this your note were true the law of it selfe and in it selfe had béene too weake to iustifie or sanctifie but saint Paul saith not it was too weake in it selfe but it was weakened by the flesh and therefore could not iustifie But as all poperie is patched togither of old and new heresies so this patch was borrowed of the Manicheans Rom. 10. 13. The text For euerie one ⸫ whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued The note To beleeue in him and to inuocate him is to serue him with all loue and sincere affection All that so do shall doubtlesse be saued and shall neuer be confounded The answer If to inuocate him be to serue him then why teach you men to inuocate others and so consequently to serue others which are but men And thus whilest you are loth to attribute saluation to faith alone but would make it common to works also you cut your owne throtes and shew your selues to all the world to be manifest impostors and deceiuers Rom. 10. 16. The text But all ⸫ do not obey the Gospell The note We see then that it is in a mans freewill to beleeue or not to beleeue to obey or disobey the Gospell or truth preached The answer Your sight is sharpe you can sée far into a mill stone no reasonable man can sée how your consequence followeth All do not obey ergo they haue frée will to obey or not to obey It is like this All papists go not whither they list ergo no papists are in prison or restrained of libertie Rom. 11. 4. The text I haue left me seuen thousand men that haue not bowed their knees to ⸫ Baal The note The heretikes adde
commonlie of vncircumcised nations were vncleane as also they estéemed of the vncircumcised persons them selues Rom. 14. 14. The text But to him that supposeth anie thing to be common to him it is common The note Though he wish the weake to be borne withall yet he vttereth his minde plainlie that in deed all the meates forbidden and vncleane in the law are now through Christ clensed and lawfull for euery man to vse The answer As Paul was plaine in deliuering his doctrine concerning daies and meats so the papists doctrine thereof is obscure darke and doubtfull so that the greatest number of their simple followers haue their consciences snarled and intangled in daies and meates and know not the indifferencie of them Rom. 15. 4. The text For ⸫ what things soeuer haue bene written to our learning they are written that by patience and consolation of the scriptures we may haue hope The note He meaneth all that is written in the old Testament much more all things written in the new Testament are for our learning and comfort The answer If both the Scriptures of the old new Testament be written for our learning what meaneth the church of Rome neither to prouide teachers in number sufficient nor yet to suffer the people to reade them in a language that they may vnderstand is it not bicause you are content to haue men nusseled in ignorance and so spoiled of the comfort which God hath prouided for them I thinke pope Paul and you be of one iudgement Rom. 15. ◠The text And the God of patience and of comfort giue you to be of one mind one toward another according to Iesus Christ that of ⸫ one minde with one mouth you may glorifie God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Vnitie in religion commended The answer Popish vnitie consisteth in this that seruice bée in one language through Christendome whether people vnderstand it or no Otherwise what vntie is and hath bene in your religion they that are acquainted with your writers and stories can tell As for example your great professor Martinius whilest he is caried with an enuious stomacke to carpe at our English translations doeth condemne yours in more then an hundred places But I confesse howsoeuer you haue dissented in other things you haue held and do hold a marueilous vnitie against al verity and that is the cause that not one of you maketh anie conscience of lieng And though there are amongst vs also some contentions yet they are not about waightie points of doctrine for therein is a verie great consent but such as hath happened amongst the Apostles them selues and are all about bearing with or rooting out some leauings of yours Rom. 15. 8. The text For I say Christ Iesus to haue bene ⸫ minister of the circumcision for the veritie of God to confirme the promises of the fathers The note Christ did execute his office and ministerie onlie towards the people of circumcision that is the Iewes The answer This note is true but yet so as that in diuerse Christ afore shewed the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 25. The text Now therefore I will go to Hierusalem to minister to the ⸫ Saints The note He meaneth the holie persons that hauing forsaken all their goods for Christ were wholie conuerted to serue the Lord with all their mind Saint Hierome against Vigilantius the heretike reprehending the almes giuen to such as do the heretikes also of our time The answer What heretikes of our time finde fault with reléeuing the néedie saints of God but you meane them that iustlie finde fault that a great number of roging Friers being lustie and able to get their liuing by the sweat of their browes should be reléeued and so deuoure and consume that which is due to the poore néedie sicke and impotent people contrarie to the precept of Paul He that laboureth not let him not eat But at Hierusalem there were then none of those that professed witfull pouertie Rom. 15. 30. The text I beseech you therefore brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the charitie of the holie Ghost that you ⸫ helpe me in your praiers for me to God The note In that the Apostle desireth to be praied for we may be mooued to seeke the same as a great benefit The answer The praiers of the faithfull are very forcible helps to aduance forward the good desires and endeuors of Gods ministers Rom. 16. 3. The text Salute Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Iesus The note The onely salutation of so woorthie a man is sufficient to fill him with great grace that is saluted Chrysost. in 2. Timoth. 4. The answer I maruell you are not ashamed to alledge the doctors for that which you your selues beléeue not Can any man by saluting bestow Gods graces where it pleaseth him to salute The fathers prooue the holie Ghost to be God bicause the gifts and graces of God are distributed as he will And I pray you how much inferior do you make Paul to the spirit of God if his salutation be sufficient to fill with graces whom it pleaseth him to salute Wel let your note haue that credit that Chrysostoms bare word without further matter may giue it Rom. 16. ◠The text Who for my life haue laid downe their necks to whom not onely I giue thanks but also the churches of the Gentils and their domesticall church The note This domesticall church was either that faithfull and Christian houshold or rather the Christians meeting togither there and in such good houses to heare diuine seruice and the Apostles preaching in those times of persecution The answer Why do you not in stead of diuine seruice say mattens and masse For we now vnderstand by diuine seruice that they praied togither in a toong they vnderstood and that likewise some parcel of scripture was read which was by their Apostles or pastors interpreted to them Which how far it disagreeth with the maner and custome of your church he that hath halfe an eie may sée Rom. 16. 15. The text Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olympias and all the saints that are with them The note The protestants heere reason thus Peter is not heere saluted Therfore he was neuer at Rome See the annotation The answer You slander the protestants Their maner of reasoning is not so loose They reason thus Paul who so carefully reckoned and saluted the chéefe and principall Christians at Rome by name would not haue forgotten Peter as the principall and chéefe if he had then béene there Therefore it is very likely that he was not then there bicause he was not then saluted We know that it is not materiall whether Peter were at Rome or no or whether he were bishop there or no. And therfore they are not points that we greatly sticke on But those that tell the time of his comming thither and how long he liued they are manifestly confuted by the truth
of the word against which no credit of men can stand For his being bishop there the consent is not so great as you Thrasonically brag of For some hold that neither he was bishop there nor made the first bishop there Some make Paul as much bishop there as Peter That Peter might then be out of the citie either for persecution or busines or else that being there Paule might write other letters wherin this might be inclosed are but your surmises wanting both testimonie of antiquitie and al probabilitie Rom. 16. 17. The text And I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissentions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine which you haue learned ⸫ and auoid them The note Of the prince of the Apostles saith Theodoret vpon this place The answer Why we should thinke they learned of Peter I sée no reason But for that which you would haue the simple beléeue that by the word which it pleaseth you to translate prince Peters supremacie aboue the other Apostles is meant they are to be admonished that the fathers giue the same name to Paule as well as to Peter whereby it appéereth that they thought not of any such supreme power or authoritie which also is not onely manifest by the continual practise of the first church but also by plaine spéeches of the fathers Eusebius saith that neither Peter nor Iohn tooke vpon them to be chéefe ouer the Apostles but gaue the primacie to Iames whom they made bishop of the Apostles Cyprian saith that all the Apostles were equal in authoritie Ambrose cannot tell of Peter and Paul whether of them he may preferre By this it is euident that the fathers meant not by reuerend titles they gaue Peter to exalt him in authoritie aboue the rest Rom. 16. 18. The text For such do not serue Christ our Lord but their owne bellie and by ⸫ sweete speeches and benedictions seduce the harts of the innocents The note The speciall way that heretikes haue euer had to beguile was and is by sweete words gaie speeches which their sheeps coate see before described particularly in the annotation vpon Saint Matthew cap. 7. vers 15. The answer Is there any way of beguiling that papists want Did euer any in the worlde prouide better for their bellies Did you not make of Saint Peters keies picklockes to rob euerie mans coffers with them Extraordinarie tokens of fained holines where shall a man looke for them if he finde them not in your Iesuites and friers filed and fine spéeches are your studie And that they may be more admired and better able to deceiue you kéepe from the people the key of knowledge you nuzell them in ignorance to the ende they should not be able to discerne words from matter 1. Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 1◠The text And I meane this for that euerie one of you saith ⸫ I certes am Paules and I Apollos but I Cephas and I Christs The note The beginning of schismes is ouer much admiring and addicting mens selues to their owne particular masters The answer We haue one master that is to saie Christ him we professe to follow and of him to learne others of what godlines or estimation so euer we follow but so far foorth as they followed Christ. If admiring of men and addicting mens selues to particular masters be the beginning and cause of schismes Then what can you say for your Austen friers your Dominicans your Franciscans your Iesuites your schoolemen your Thomists your Scotists why they should not go for schismatikes Haue they not the authors of their their sects in admiration Haue they not addicted themselues to their particular masters Haue they not deuised a number of vntruthes to bring their masters into admiration and estimation What though there be some kinde of consent amonst them yet that excuseth them not from being schismatikes no more then the consent of Pharisies Sadduces other sectaries of the Iewes against Christ and his truth did excuse them 1. Cor. 3. 2. The text As it were to litle ones in Christ I gaue you ⸫ milke to drink not meate for you could not as yet But neither can you now verily for yet you are carnall The note The church onely hath truth both in her milke and in her bread that is whether she instruct the perfect or imperfect who are called carnall Aug. lib. 15. cap. 3. contra Faustum The answer If you went not about with the name of the church to beguile the simple as though thereby your church were vnderstood wée néeded not to giue this any answer But now to auoide your deceite we as we learne of Augustine admonish all men by the scriptures to iudge of the church least therin being deceiued they in stéed of milke and bread receiue strong poison 1. Cor. 3. 9. The text For we are Gods coadiutors ⸫ you are Gods husbandrie you are Gods building The note A maruellous dignitie of spirituall pastors that they be not the onely instruments or ministers of Christ but also Gods coadiutors in the worke of our saluation The answer I haue not hitherto neither carped at your old translator neither yet at your translation neither will I begin here though I might Onlie this I would haue all men to obserue diligently that in this dignitie which God hath bestowed vpon men to vse their labor and paines in his worke men do vse strength not naturall but conferred by grace that they may be apt and fit instruments to aduance forward Gods worke so that they haue nothing of themselues in themselues to glorie of And further that all that which is chéefe in this worke as all encrease of goodnes saluation and life do so procéede from God as that therein he vseth no mans helpe but his owne 1. Cor. 4. 6. The text But these things ⸫ brethren I haue transfigured into my selfe and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against another aboue that is written The note Lo when he named himselfe and Apollo and Cephas he ment other seditious and factious preachers whose names he spared The answer We sée rather that those which are seditious and factious doo for their better winning of credit shroud them selues vnder the names of those which be famous for godlines and learning And so it is like that they did at Corinth that the Apostle correcting the fault was content to spare their names that by that milde dealing he might the better winne them if it were possible 1. Cor. 4. 15. The text For ⸫ if you haue ten thousand paedagogues in Christ yet not manie fathers The note So may Saint Augustine our Apostle say to vs English men The answer The reader is here to vnderstand that our papists meane Augustine the monke not Augustine the famous doctor and that this Augustine was no Apostle for that he was not sent vs immediatlie from God but from a méere man This
me hath not been ⸫ voide but I haue labored more aboundantly then all they yet not I but the grace of God with me The note In him Gods grace is not voide that worketh by his freewill according to the motion and direction of the same grace The answer As you haue drawen fréewill from philosophie so you plant grace in the roome of that which the philosophers called right reason and you giue vnto it no more then they did to right reason that is to mooue and direct the will But Paule on the contrary side so attributeth all to grace that he leaueth nothing to himselfe I haue labored saith he yet not I but the grace of God with me that is to saie which is with me 1. Cor. 15. 14. The text And if Christ be not risen againe then vaine is our preaching vaine also is your faith and we are found also ⸫ false witnesses of God c. The note So we may say if the catholike faith in all points be not true then our first apostles were false witnesses then hath our countrie beleeued in vaine all this while are all our forefathers dead in their sins perished which presupposing Christ to be God were the greatest absurditie in the worlde The answer And whie did you not say if the faith which the church of Rome at this day professeth be not in al points true for that we know you meane by the Catholike faith but you would haue your words true howsoeuer your meaning was But we denie your Romish faith to be the catholike faith By our first Apostles also you meane neither Peter nor Paul nor anie of Christes Apostles but Augustine the monke pope Gregories apostle but if his doctrine were Catholike neither yours nor ours is in all points Catholike For our forefathers which you speake of you meane those which liued of late yeeres for those of elder time knew not your faith they could not tell that the Pope could not erre they thought him subiect to the whole church they knew nothing of transubstantiation of concomitance and of a number of such toies as you of late haue coined And therefore let men vnderstand that the Catholike faith is that which Paul and Peter and the other Apostles of Christ left vnto vs taught in the scriptures and that which the first church of Christ beléeued and embraced at their hands and which the church of Rome at this day persecuteth and then your note may stand vntouched 1. Cor. 15. 42. The text For ⸫ starre differeth from starre in glorie so also the resurrection of the dead The note The glorie of the bodies of saints shall not be all alike but different in heauen according to mens merits The answer The Apostle putteth no difference here betwéene the glorified bodies of the saints but betwéene the state of our bodies afore the resurrection and after the resurrection betwixt which two states of the selfe same bodies there shalbe as great difference as betwixt the glorie of the sunne the glorie of anie other starre therefore you do but according to your accustomed order wrest this text to bring men to put confidence in their owne merits 1. Cor. 15. 44. The text It is sowen a naturall bodie it shall rise a spirituall bodie The note As to become spirituall doeth not take away the substance of the bodie glorified no more when Christes bodie is said to be in spiritual sort in the sacrament doth it import the absence of his true bodie substance The answer Hungrie dogges eate durtie puddings this stuffe must serue where better can not be had Our bodies though spiritual and configured as you call it to the bodie of his glorie yet are true bodies not in manie places at once whereof it followeth that Christes bodie being a true glorified bodie is not in manie places at once for that can not stand with the trueth of his bodie 1. Cor. 15. 5◠The text This I say brethren that flesh and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God neither shall corruption possesse incorruption The note Flesh and blood signifie not here the substance of those things but the corrupt qualitie incident to them in this life by the fall of Adam The answer If you should light on men as froward and contentious as your selues they might with as great reason contend with you for the litterall sense of flesh and blood as you do for the litterall sense of This is my bodie which spéech being of a Sacrament you will by no means admit to be of the same nature and to haue like interpretation as all other spéeches of Sacraments haue 1. Cor. 16. 2. The text In ⸫ the first of the Sabaoth let euerie one of you put a part with him selfe laying vp what shall well like him that not when I come collections be made The note That is Sunday Hierome q. 4. Hedibiae So quickelie did the Christians keepe Sunday holie day and assembled to diuine seruice on the same The answer For Sunday that it was appointed by the Apostles to bée kept for the Saboath that it was so solemnized in their times it is manifest you needed not Saint Hieroms authoritie for it sauing that you loue to vse the fathers where you least need them 1. Cor. 16 8. The text But I will tarie at Ephesus till Pentecost The note The heretikes and other new fangled striue amongst themselues whether Pentecost signifie here the terme of fiftie daies or els the Iewes holie day so called But it commeth not to their minds that it is most like to be the feast of Whit suntide kept and instituted euen then by the Apostles as appeareth by the fathers See Augustine epist 119. cap. 15. and 16. Ambrose in cap. 17. Lucae The answer In Augustine I find certaine mysteries in the number of fifty noted as well out of the new testament as out of the old and that the feast of Pentecost was in his time kept of Christians but what was meant by it in this place or whether the Apostles did institute that feast to be kept of Christians or not I find nothing there In Ambrose I find that the beginning of the eighth wéeke after Easter maketh the Pentecost and that Paul in this place promised to tarrie till that time and that they kept all the fiftie daies as Easter but whether by the apostles tradition or no that is left vncertain So we sée not by your fathers that the apostles instituted the feast of Whitsuntide But we sée that you loue to trouble your selues and others with trifles 1. Cor. 16. 2◠The text If any man loue not our Lord Iesus Christ be he Anathema ⸫ Maran-atha The note That is our Lord is come Hierom ep 173. Therefore Anathema to all that loue him not or beleeue not Theophilact vpon this place The answer In matter not in controuersie betwixt vs you make vnnecessarie shew of reading If you did either in loue or in faith
triall you flie And if anie time you make a shew of comming to it then by and by your church must giue credite to your doctrine your church cannot erre your pope cannot erre we must beléeue your doctrine not bicause you can prooue it to haue come from the Apostles but bicause your church and pope haue giuen sentence for it but if you durst abide by your note we would easily shew your doctrin to be erronious 1. Tim. 6. 10. The text For the roote of all euill is couetousnes ⸫ which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled themselues in manie sorrowes The note As in the first chapter the lacke of faith and good conscience so here couetousnes and the desire of these temporall things and in the ende of this chapter presumption and boasting of knowledge are causes of falling from the faith heresie often being the punishment of former sins The answer It is very true that God punisheth sin by sin and that there be many causes for which wicked men are wont to forsake the faith which they do or did somtimes professe The causes in your note assigned lacke of faith and good conscience couetousnes presumption and boasting if all the world be sought from one end to the other there cannot any be founde in whom these causes haue so euidently concurred and wrought as in your most holy fathers of Rome wherein I referre my selfe to the credite of your owne stories 1. Tim. 6. 19. The text Command the rich of this world not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God who giueth al things aboundantly to enioy to do wel to become rich in good works to giue easelie to communicate to heape vnto themselues a good ⸫ foundation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life The note Almes deeds and good works laid for a foundation and ground to attaine euerlasting life So say the doctors vpon this place The answer If you had shewed vs what doctors had so spoken we woulde haue shewed you their meaning But we know that neither they nor the apostles ment by the word foundation to put Christ out of his office or place but onlie to oppose against the vncertaintie of riches here the certaintie of promised blessednes in the time to come According to the saieng of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 2. TIMOTHIE ◠Tim. 1. 6. The text For the which cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of my hands The note Heere againe it is plaine that holy orders giue grace and that euen by and in the externall ceremonie of imposing the bishops hands And it is a maner of speech specially vsed in this Apostle and S. Luke that orders giue grace to the ordered and that to take orders or authoritie to minister sacrament or preach is to be giuen or deliuered to Gods grace Acts. 14. 25. The answer Héere you say that that is plaine which no wise man can sée namely that holy orders giue grace in and by the externall ceremonie of imposing of the bishops hands For if that were so what néeded there be any choise of men furnished with gifts and graces for that purpose sith in the very ordering they should be sufficiently indued with gifts and graces necessarie and néedfull And how fel it out that there were so great a number of popish priests void and destitute of al gifts graces after their ordering when the bishop had conferred and bestowed vpon them all that he could It is euident by the manifold commendations that the Apostle giueth to Timothie as well for his owne studie in the scriptures as also for his bringing vp vnder his mother and grandmother that he was a man furnished with gifts afore Paul and the elders ordered him But bicause the praiers of the church in that his consecrating to the worke of God were not in vaine that blessing and increase of aptnesse and fitnesse which God at their petitions gaue him at that time is called the gift or grace by imposition of hands In the like order it is true that all those which be rightly ordered are deliuered to the grace of God bicause the same God who of his mercifull goodnes afore indued them with gifts made them fit and méete for the worke of his ministerie and mooued his church to call them thereunto afterward by and in the imploieng of their talents to his glorie and the benefit of his church and people increaseth and augmenteth their gifts 2. Tim. 1. 13. The text Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and in ⸫ the loue in Christ Iesus The note Faith and loue coupled commonly togither in this Apostles writing The answer Paul so speaketh of them bicause faith and loue be companions inseparable But such mates as you are bend themselues to vncouple these to the end they might haue some probable shew of matter to prate withall against iustification by onely faith 2. Tim. 1. 16. The text Our Lord giue mercie to the house of Onesiphorus bicause he hath often refreshed me and hath ⸫ not beene ashamed of my chaine The note What an happie and meritorious thing it is to releeue the afflicted for religion and not to be ashamed of their disgrace yrons or what miserie so euer The answer Put meritorious into your purse and vnderstand true religion and then we agrée to your note 2. Tim. 2. 10. The text Therefore ⸫ I sustaine all things for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glorie The note Marke heere that the elect though sure of their saluation yet are saued by the means of their preachers and teachers as also by their owne endeuor The answer Marke héere the force and might of truth which hath héere wrested this confession of truth from you that the elect are sure of their saluation to which the whole course of your doctrine is opposite The ministerie of the word and mens owne endeuors to attaine the knowledge of the truth we acknowledge to be meanes appointed of God to saue those which be his 1. Tim. 2. 16. The text But profane and vaine speeches auoid The note See the annotation before 1. Timoth. 6. verse 20. The answer We haue séene your note and do sée that both your reasons and authorities there stand very well against your selues But I refer the answer of it to the answer of all your annotations 1. Tim. 2. 25. The text But the seruant of our Lord must not wrangle but be mild towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the truth least sometime ⸫ God giue them repentance to know the truth The note Conuersion from sinne and heresie is the gift of God and of his speciall grace yet
chastened by your fasting daies but their whom néede or nigerdlines doth continuallie compell to borrow of their bellies Tit. 2. 15. The text These things speake and exhort and rebuke ⸫ with all authoritie The note Bishops must be stout and commande in Gods cause and the people must in no wise disobey or contemne them The answer So must also euerie minister of the word and their flockes do owe vnto them honor and obedience and you must remember that your popes cause is not gods cause Tit. 3. 5. The text But when the benignitie and kindnes towarde man of our sauiour God appeered not by the works of iustice which we did but according to his mercy he hath saued vs ⸫ by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie ghost The note As before in the Sacrament of holie orders 1. Timoth. 4. and 2. Timoth. 1. so heere it is plaine that baptisme giueth grace and that by it as by an instrumentall cause we be saued The answer Concerning your Sacraments of orders of your own institution and grace by them giuen you haue receiued answer before That baptisme is amongst the instrumentall causes of our saluation no man denieth And likewise we grant vnto you that by it grace is giuen to the woorthy receiuers so that you vnderstand by baptisme the whole sacrament and not the outward acte and worke of the minister onely as you commonly do Tit. 3. 10. The text A man that is an heretike after the first and second ⸫ admonition auoide Knowing that he that is such an on is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement The note These admonitions and corruptions must be giuen to such as erre by our spirituall Gouernors and pastors to whom if they yeeld not Christian men must auoide them The answer If we were agréed of the church and gouernors thereof then we would not contende with you about your note But nowe so long as you wil not suffer the church to be discerned by the scriptures nor cleaue to that church which receiueth the doctrine in them deliuered the admonitions and correptions of your gouernors are to be contemned despised and disobeied PHILEMON Phile. 1. 5. The text I giue thanks to my God alwaies making a memory of thee in my praiers Hearing thy ⸫ charitie and faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and toward all the saints The note Faith and charitie commended alwaies togither both necessarie to make a compleate Christian man and to iustification and saluation The answer Faith and charitie alwaies togither but not alwaies commended togither both necessarie to make a compleat Christian faith for iustification and charitie for sanctification But you the better to blinde men confounde that which you should distinguish Phile. 1. 7. The text For I haue had great ioy and consolation in thy charitie bicause the bowels of the saints ⸫ haue rested by thee brother The note The duties of charitie and mercie done to Christs prisoners are exceeding acceptable to God and all good men The answer This is verie true and yet you the popes prisoners and not Christs Phile. 1. 1◠The text And ⸫ do thou receiue him as mine owne bowels The note All spirituall men ought to be exceeding propense and readie to procure mens pardon and reconciliation to all penitent The answer It is to be maruelled at that men shewing so little mercie as you are woont and so voide of all pitie as your tragicall doings haue shewed you to be should now become teachers of mercie and pitie to other men Phile. 1. 1◠The text I Paule haue written with mine owne hand I will repay it not to say to thee ⸫ that thou owest me thine own selfe also The note The great det and dutie that we owe to such as be our spirituall parents in Christ. The answer As to our parents we can make no sufficient recompense so much lesse are we able to requite those which are Gods good instruments of our regeneration HEBREWES Hebr. 1. 4. The text Being made so much more excellent than Angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them The note The excellencie of Christ aboue Angels The answer And therefore consequently his excellencie aboue Moyses the prophets and all creatures whatsoeuer Hebr. 1. 14. The text Are they not al ⸫ ministring spirits sent to minister for them which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation The note The holy angels saith S. Augustine to the societie of whom we aspire in this our peregrination as they haue eternitie to continue so also facilitie to know and felicitie to rest For they do helpe vs without all difficultie bicause with their spirituall motions pure and free they labor and trauell not De ciuitate lib. 11. cap. 31. The answer I would your doctrine of Angels were alwaies as this which here you learne of Augustine then some of your vnprofitable controuersies which now trouble the world would soone be cut of and throwen to the dunghill amongst other filth and mire of poperie But these and such other good things are defiled with the rest that you couple them with And more I haue not to say to you for this note Hebr. ◠1. The text Therefore more abundantly ought we to obserue those things which we haue heard ⸫ least perhaps we run out The note As that which runneth out of a broken vessel or that runneth by is lost The answer He is said to run out which doth not hold and kéepe the word which he heareth of whom we say in English In at the one eare and out at the other Hebr. 2. 9. The text But him that was a little lessened vnder the Angels we see Iesus ⸫ bicause of the passion of death crowned with glory and honor that through the grace of God he might tast of death for all The note This prooueth against the Caluinists that Christ by his passion merited his own glorification which they would not for shame denie of Christ but that they are at a point to denie all meritorious works yea euen Christs also And therefore they translate also this heretically by transposing the words In the bible printed 1579. The answer The force of this proofe resteth vpon the signification of the Gréeke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which héere as often else where doth signifie the finall cause or end and is to be referred to his lessening which goeth before and not to his crowning which commeth after As if he should say we sée him that is Iesus bicause of his suffering or that he might suffer a little lessened vnder the Angels that is made man And thus your proofe faileth and commeth to naught Otherwise for Christs merits we do more highly estéeme of them than you But the holie Ghost hath taught vs that he tooke our nature vpon him not for himselfe but for our good so that whatsoeuer he did in our nature was not to gaine to him selfe but to vs not to his
thing or such a thing in the scriptures is also in your church seruice It were too great a disgrace for you to say or sing in plaine English praise yée the Lord. Apoc. 19. 7. The text Let vs be glad and reioice and giue glorie to him bicause ⸫ the marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hir selfe The note At this day shall the whole church of the elect be finally and perfectly ioined vnto Christ in marriage inseparable The answer In the meane space we had néed to take great héed of being seduced by your perswasions and so of forsaking Christ and coupling our selues to another man that is to the pope which is both the popes and yours whole endeuors Apoc. 19 9. The text And he said to me write Blessed be they that are called to the ⸫ supper of the marriage of the Lambe The note That is the feast of eternall life prepared for his spouse the church The answer And not for you which imbrace another head and spouse in his stéede to whom you haue giuen greater preheminence then to Christ himselfe Apoc. 19. 13. The text And he was clothed with a garment sprinckled with blood and his name is called the word of God The note The second person in Trinitie the Sonne or the word of God which was made flesh Io. 1. The answer Who shall confound antichrist and all the power of the earth which taketh his part euen with the sword that procéedeth out of his mouth Apoc. 19. 16. The text And he hath in his garment and in his thigh written king of kings and lord of lords The note Euen according to his humanitie also The answer Our Lord and Sauior Christ God and man after his resurrection is aduanced aboue all principalities and powers and euery name that is named in heauen and in earth Apoc. 20. 1. The text And I sawe an angell descending from heauen hauing the key of the bottomlesse depth and a great chaine in his hand The note See in S. Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit ca. 7. 8. seq the exposition of this chapter The answer Your referring men to the doctors sheweth that your care is not for ignorant men to profite them for they are not the better for this reference and the learned néedeth it not Apoc. 20. ◠The text And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was giuen them and the soules of the beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus and for the word of God and that adored not the beast nor his image nor receiued his character in their foreheads or in their hands and haue liued and reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres The note Quid in millenario numero nisi ad proferendam nouam sobolem perfecta vniuersitas praestitae generationis exprimitur hinc per Iohannem dicitur Et regnabunt cum illo mille annis quia regnum sanctae ecclesiae vniuersitatis perfectione solidatur D. Gregorius libro 9. moral cap. 1. The answer Your poore countrimen are greatlie beholding to you they are much the better for your note they vnderstand it as well and are edified as much by it as by your church seruice And for my part bicause you haue not vouchsafed to turne it into English your selues and bicause it toucheth no matter of controuersie betwixt vs I will also take mine ease and leaue it as I finde it Apoc. 20. 7. The text And when the thousand yeeres shall be consummate Satan shalbe loosed out of his prison and shall go foorth and seduce ⸫ the nations that are vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog and shall gather them into battell the number of whom is as the sand of the sea The note Saint Augustine thinketh that these do not signifie anie certaine nations but all that shall then be ioyned with the diuell and Antichrist against the church lib. 20. de ciuitate cap. 11. See Saint Hierome in Ezechielem lib. 11. The answer We agrée with Augustine that all enemies of the church are signified open as Turkes and such like priuie as the Pope papists and such like who vnder the name and title of Christ persecute the members of Christ which the text it selfe doeth plainlie insinuate which saith that they are the nations which are vpon the foure corners of the earth Apoc. 20. 11. The text And I sawe a great white throne and one sitting vpon it from whose sight ⸫ earth and heauen fled and there was no place found for them The note They shall then be new not the substance but the shape changed 2. Peter 3. See Saint Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit cap. 14. The answer That this is to be expounded of the innouation of heauen and earth we consent but I muse for whome you gathered your notes The learned without you know whither to repaire for resolution in their doubts The vnlearned can not consult with Augustine though they would These references to sée the iudgement of Doctors haue no profit but to make a shew of your reading Apoc. 20. 12. The text And I sawe the dead great and little standing in the sight of the throne and ⸫ bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is of life the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works The note The bookes of mens consciences where it shalbe plainlie read what euerie mans life hath bene The answer Our owne consciences and thoughts at that day shall either accuse or excuse vs. Looke therefore well into your consciences and take héede that you trust not too much and to farre to your Pope of Rome for it is well knowen that he is but a mortall man and not God Apoc. 20. 15. The text And ⸫ he that was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the poole of fire The note Such as do no good workes if they haue age and time to do them are not found in the booke of life The answer Your note is neither gathered out of this place neither warranted by anie other He that liueth to mans state hath age and he that liueth long hath time to do good workes but suppose they haue done none shal we cut frō them hope of mercie afore the last gaspe may not the like grace be shewed them that was graunted to the penitent theefe The time therefore of working must begin at their conuersion and true turning to God whether it be earlie or late otherwise this place sheweth nothing but that onlie the elect shalbe saued Others though in shew they haue led a painfull religious life though they shalbe able to say Lord haue not we done thus and thus in thy name yet shall haue answere depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew you Apoc. 21. 2. The text And I Iohn sawe ⸫ the holie citie Hierusalem new descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for hir husband The note The Church