the house ✠verse 17 So let ″ your light shine before men that they may see your good vvorkes and glorifie your father vvhich is in heauen ✠verse 18 Do not thinke that I am come to breake the Lavv or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfil ✠verse 19 For assuredly I say vnto you * til heauen and earth passe one iote or one tittle shal not passe of the Lavv til al be fulfilled ✠verse 20 He therfore that shal * breake ″ one of these least commaundements shal so teach men shal be called the least in the Kingdom of heauen But he that shal doe and teach he shal be called great in the Kingdom of heauen ⊢ ✠verse 21 For I tel you that vnles ″ your iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisees you shal not enter into the Kingdom of heaueÌ„ ✠verse 22 You haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old * Thou shalt not kil and vvho so killeth shal be in danger of iudgement ✠verse 23 But I say to you that vvhosoeuer is angrie vvith his brother shal be in danger of iudgment And vvhosoeuer shal say to his brother Raca shal be in danger of a councel And whosoeuer shal say Thou foole shal be guilty of the ″ hel of fyre ✠verse 24 If therefore thou offer thy ″ gift at the altar and there thou remember that thy brother hath ought agaynst the ✠verse 25 leaue there thy offering before the altar and goe first to be reconciled to thy brother and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift ⊢ ✠verse 26 * Be at agreement vvith thy aduersarie betimes vvhiles thou art in the vvay vvith him lest perhaps the aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the officer and thou be cast into ⸬ prison ✠verse 27 Amen I say to thee thou shalt not goe out from thence til thou repay the last farthing ✠verse 28 You haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old * Thou shalt not committe aduoutrie ✠verse 29 But I say to you that vvhosoeuer shal see a vvoman to lust her hath already committed aduoutrie vvith her in his hart ✠verse 30 And if thy right eie scandalize thee plucke it out cast it from thee for it is expedient for thee that one of thy limmes perish rather then thy vvhole body be cast into hel ✠verse 31 And if thy right hand scandalize thee cut it of and cast it from thee for it is expedient for thee that one of thy limmes perish rather then that thy vvhole body goe into â—el ✠verse 32 It vvas sayd also * vvhosoeuer shal dimisse his vvife let him giue her a bil of diuorcement ✠verse 33 But I say to you vvhosoeuer shal dimisse his vvise ″ excepting the cause of fornication maketh her to committe aduoutrie And he that shal marie her that is dimissed ″ committeth aduoutrie ✠verse 34 Agayne you haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old * Thou shalt not committe periurie but thou shalt performe thy othes to our Lord. ✠verse 35 But I say to you ″ not to svveare at al neither by heauen because it is the throne of God ✠neither by the earth because it is the foote-stole of his feete neither by HierusaleÌ„ because it is the citie of the great King ✠verse 36 Neither shalt thou svveare by thy head because thou canst not make one heare vvhite or blacke ✠verse 37 Let your talke be yea yea no no and that vvhich is ouer aboue these is of euil ✠verse 38 You haue heard that it vvas sayd * An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ✠verse 39 But I say to you ″ not to resist euil but if one strike thee on thy right cheeke turne to him also the other ✠verse 40 and to him that vvil contend vvith thee in iudgment and take away thy cote let goe thy cloke also vnto him ✠verse 41 and vvhosoeuer vvil force thee one mile goe vvith him other tvvayne ✠verse 42 He that asketh of thee giue to him and * to him that vvould borovv of thee turne not avvay ✠verse 43 You haue heard that it vvas sayd * Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and ⸬ hate thine enemie ✠verse 44 But I say to you loue your enemies doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute and abuse you ✠verse 45 that you may be the children of your father vvhich is in heauen vvho maketh his sunne to rise vpon good bad and rayneth vpon iust ⸬ vniust ✠verse 46 For if you loue them that loue you vvhat revvard shal you haue do not also the Publicans this ✠verse 47 And if you salute your brethren only vvhat do you more do not also the heathen this ✠verse 48 Be you perfect therfore as also your heauenly father is perfect ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 10. For Iustice Heretikes and other malefactours 〈◊〉 suffer willingly and stoutly but they are not blessed because they suffer not for iustice For sayth S. Aug. they can not suffer for iustice that haue deuided the Churche and where sound fayth or charitie is not there cannot be iustice Cont. ep Parm. li. 1. c. 9. Ep. 50. Psal 34. Conc. 2. And so by this scripture are excluded al false Martyrs as S. Augustine often declareth and S. Cypr. de Vnit. Eccl. nu 8. 12. Reward In Latin and Greeke the word signifieth very wages and hire dewe for workes and so presupposeth a meritorious deede 15. The light This light of the world and citie on a mountayne and candel vpon a candlesticke signifie the Clergie and the whole Churche so built vpon Christ the mountayne that it must needes be visible and can not be hid nor vnknowen Aug. cont Fulg. Donas c. 18. Li. 16. cont â—aust c. 17. And therfore the Churche being a candle not vnder a bushel but shining to al in the house that is in the world what shal I say more sayth S. Augustine then that they are blind which shut their eyes agaynst the candel that is set on the candlesticke Tract 2. in ep 10. 17. Your light The good life of the Clergie edifieth much and is Gods great honour whereas the contrarie dishonoureth him 20. One of these Behold how necessarie it is not only to beleeue but to keepe al the commaundements euen the very least 21. Your iustice It is our Iustice when it is geuen vs of God Aug. in Ps â—0 Conc. 1. De Sp. lit c. 9. So that Christians are trueâ—â—â—ust and haue in them selues inhaerent iustice by doing Gods commaundement without which iustice of workes no man of age can be saued Aug. de fid oper c. 16. Whereby we see saluation iustice and iustification not to
blessing them Ascendeth into heauen ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF THE ACTES OF THE APOSTLES THE Gospel hauing shevved hovv the Ievves most impiously rèiected Christ as also Moyses and the Prophets had foretold of them and therefore deserued to be reiected themselues also of him novv folovveth this booke of the Actes of the Apostles vvritten by S. Luke in Rome the fourth yâ—râ— of Nero An. Dom. 61 and shevveth hovv notvvithstanding their desertes Christ of his mercy as the Prophets also had foretold of him offered him selfe vnto that vnvvorthy people yea after that they had Crucified him sending vnto them his tvvelue Apostles to moue them to penance and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church and vvhiles al the Tvvelue vvere so occupied about the Ievves hovv of a persecuting Ievve he made an extraordinarie Apostle vvho vvas S. Paul and to auoide the scaÌ„dal of the Ievves to vvhom onely him selfe likevvise for the same cause had preached sent him and not any of his Twelue by and by who were his knovven Apostles vnto the Gentiles vvho neuer afore had Heard of Christ and vvere vvorshippers of many Gods to moue them also for that likevvise the Prophets had foretold to faith and penance and so by Baptisme to make them of his Church and hovv the incredulous Ievves euery vvhere resisted the same Apostle and his preaching to the Gentiles persecuting him and seeking his death and neuer ceasing vntil he fel into the handes of the Gentils that so as not onely he euery vvhere but also the Prophets afore him and Christ had foretold the Gospel might be taken avvay from them and giuen to the Gentiles euen from Hierusalem vvhose reprobation also by name had been often foretold the headcitie of the Iewes vvhere it began translated to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles Al this vvil be euident by the partes of the booke vvhich may be these sixe First hovv Christ Ascending in the sight of his Disciples promised vnto them the Holy ghost fortelling that of him they should receiue strength and so begin his Church in Hierusalem and from thence dilate it into al that Countrie that is into al Iurie yea and into Samaria also yea into al Nations of the Gentiles be they neuer so far of You shal receiue saith he the vertue of the Holy ghost coÌ„ming vpon you and you shal be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem in al Iurie and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth Chap. 1. Secondly the beginning of the Church in Hierusalem accordingly Chap. 2. Thirdly the propagation of it consequently into al Iurie and also to Samaria Chap. 8. Fourthly the propagation of it to the Gentiles also Chap. 10. Fifthly the taking of it avvay from the obstinate Ievves and geuing of it to the Gentiles by the ministerie of S. Paul and S. Barnabee Chap. 13. Sixthly of taking it avvay from Hierusalem it selfe the headcitie of the Ievves and sending it as it vvere to Rome the headcitie of the Gentiles and that in their persecuting of Paul so far * that he appealed to Caesar and so deliuering him after a sort vnto the Romanes as they bad * before deliuered to them also Christ him selfe vvhere as S. Peters first coÌ„ming thither vvas vpon an other occasion as shal be said anone Of vvhich Romanes and Gentiles therfore the same S. Paul being novv come to Rome the last Chap. of the Actes foretelleth the obstinat Ievves there saying Et ipsi audient You vvil not heare but they vvil heare that so the prediction of Christ aboue rehearsed might be fulfilled And euen to the vtmost of the earth And there doth S. Luke end the booke not caring to tel so much as the fulfilling of that vvhich our Lord had foretold Act. 27 24 to S. Paul Thou must appeare before Caesar because his purpose vvas no more but to shevv the nevv Hierusalem of the Christians vvhere Christ vvould place the cheefe seate of his Church as also in deede the Fathers and al other Catholikes haue in al ages looked thither vvhen they vvere in any great doubt no lesse then the Ievves to Hierusalem as they vvere appointed in the old Testament Deut. 17 8. And so this Booke doth shevv the true Church as plainely as the Gospel doth shevv the true Christ vnto al that do not vvilfully shut their ovvne â—ies to vvit this to be the true Church vvhich beginning visibly at Hierusalem vvas taken from the Ievves and translated to the Gentils and namely to Rome continuing visibly and visibly to continue hereafter also Vntil the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be come in that then also Al Israël may be saued and then is come the end of the vvorld For so did Christ most plainely foretel vs This Gospel of the Kingdom shal be preached in the vvhole world for a testimonie to al Nations and then shal come the consummation For the conuersion of vvhich Nations and accomplishing the fulnes of al Gentiles the foresaid Church Catholike being mindful of her office to be Christes witnes euen to the vtmost of the earth doth at this present as alvvaies send preachers to conuert and make them also Christians vvhereas the protestants and * al other Heretikes do nothing els but subuert such as before vvere Christians And this being the Summe and scope of this Booke thus to giue vs historically a iust sight of the fulfilling of the Prophets Christes prediction about the Church it is not to be marueiled at vvhy it telleth not of S. Peter coÌ„ming to Rome considering that his first coÌ„ming thither vvas not as S. Paules vvas by the Ievves deliuerie of him working so to their ovvne reprobatioÌ„ but vpoÌ„ another occasion to vvit to confound Simon Magus Eus Hist li. 2. c. 12. 13. For vvho also seeth not that it maketh no mention of his préaching to any Gentiles at al those fevv onely Act. 10 excepted vvho vvere the first and therefore lest the Gentiles should seeme lesse cared for of God then the Ievves Peter being the Head of al vvas elected of God to incorporate them into the church as before he had done the Ievves God saith he among vs chose that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the vvord of the Gospel and beleeue and S. Iames therevpon Simon hath told how God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name But othervvise I say here is no mention of Peters preaching to any Gentiles no nor of the other eleuen Apostles Vvil any man therfore inferre that neither Peter nor the other Eleuen preached to any Nation or citie of the Gentiles No the meaning of the Holy ghost vvas not to vvrite al the Actes of al the Apostles no nor the preaching of Peter and his to the Gentiles but onely to the Ievves thereby to set out vnto the vvorld the great mercy of Christ tovvard those vnvvorthy Ievves and consequently their most vvorthy reprobation for coÌ„temning
the Diuels binding Yea it is to make Antichrist and the Diuel vveaker tovvard the day of iudgement then before and the truth better to be knovven and the faith more common the neerer vve come to the same iudgement vvhich is expresly * against the Gospel and this prophecie of S. Iohn Vve see that the sectes of Luther Caluin and other be more spred through the vvorld then they vvere euer before and consequently the Pope and his religion lessened and his povver of punishing or as they call it persecuting the said Sectaries through the multitude of his aduersaries diminished How then is the Pope Antichrist Whose force shal be greater at the later end of the vvorld then before or how can it be othervvise but these Sectâ—Maisters should be Antichrists neere precursors that make Christs cheefe Ministers the Churches cheefe gouelnours that haue been these thousand yeres and more to be Antichristes â— and them selues and their sectes to be true that come so neere the time of the Diuels loosing and seduction of the personal reigne of Antichrist 8. The campe of the Saincts S. Augustine in the said 20 booke de Cluiâ— Dei cap. 11. It is not saith he to be taken that the persecutors shal gather to any place as though the campe of the saincts or the beloued citie should be but in one place vvhich in deede are no other thing but the Church of Christ spred through the vvhole vvorld And therfore vvheresoeuer the Church shal then be vvhich shal be in al Nations euen them for so much is insinuated by this latitude of the earth here specified there shal the tents of saincts be and the beloued citie of God and there shal she be besieged by al her enemies vvhich shal be in euery countrie vvhere she is in most cruel and forcible sort So vvriteth this profound holy Doctor Vvhereby vve see that as novv the particular Churches of England Scotland Flanders and such like be persecuted by their enemies in those countries so in the time of Antichrist the Churches of al Nations as of Italie Spaine France and al other vvhich novv be quiet shal be assaulted as novv the foresaid are and much more for that the general persecution of the vvhole shal be greater then the particular persecution of any Churches in the vvorld 9. There came dovvne a fire It is not meant of the fire of Hel saith S. Augustine ib. c. 12 into which the vvicked shal be cast after the resurrection of their bodies but of an extraordinarie helpe that God vvil send from heauen to giue succourse to the Saincts of the Church that then shal fight against the vvicked or the very feruent and burning zeale of religion and Gods honour vvhich God vvil kindle in the hartes of the faithful to be constant against al the forces of that great persecution 12. An other booke This is the booke of Gods knovvledge or predestination vvherein that vvhich before vvas hid to the vvorld shal be opened and vvherein the true record of euery mans vvorkes shal be conteined and they haue their iudgemeÌ„t diuersly according to their vvorkes and not according to faith only or lacke of faith only for al infidels as Turkes obstinate â—evves and Heretikes shal neuer come to that examination being othervvise condemned CHAP. XXI Heauen and earth being made nevv S. Iohn seeth the nevv citie Hierusalem prepared and adorned for the spouse of the Lambe 6 The iust are glorified 7 and the vvicked thrust into the poole of fire 12 The vvall and gates and foundations of the citie are described and measured 18 al vvhich are gold and crystal pretious stones and pearles verse 1 AND I savv a nevv heauen and a nevv earth for * the first heauen and the first earth vvas gone the sea novv is not ✠verse 2 And I Iohn savv the holy citie Hierusalem nevv descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for her husband ✠verse 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold the tabernacle of God vvith men and the vvil dvvel vvith them And they shal be his people and he God vvith them shal be their God ✠verse 4 and * God shal vvipe avvay al teares from their eies and death shal be no more not mourning nor crying neither shal there be sorovv any more vvhich ' first thinges are gone ✠verse 5 And he that sate in the throne said * Behold I make al thinges nevv ⊢ And he said to me Vvrite because these vvordes be most faithful and true ✠verse 6 And he said to me It is done * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end To him that thirsteth I vvil giue of the fountaine of the water of life gratis ✠verse 7 He that shal ouercome shal possesse these thinges and I vvil be his God and he shal be my sonne ✠verse 8 But to the feareful and incredulous and execrable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and Idolaters and al liers their part shal be in the poole burning vvith fire and brimstone vvhich is the second death ✠verse 9 And there came one of the seuen Angels that had the vials ful of the seuen last plagues and spake vvith me saying Come I vvil shevv thee the bride the vvife of the Lambe ✠verse 10 And he tooke me vp in spirit vnto a mountaine great and high and he shevved me the holy citie Hierusalem descending out of heauen from God ✠verse 11 hauing the glorie of God and the light thereof like to a prerious stone as it vvere to the iaspetr stone euen as crystal ✠verse 12 And it had a vvall great and high hauing tvvelue gates and in the gates tvvelue Angels names written thereon vvhich are the names of the tvvelue tribes of the children of Israël ✠verse 13 On the East three gates and on the North three gates and on the South three gates and on the Vvest three gates ✠verse 14 And the vvall of the citie hauing tvvelue foundations and in them tvvelue names of the tvvelue Apostles of the Lambe ✠verse 15 And he that spake vvith me had a measure of a reede of gold to measure the citie and the gates thereof and the vvall ✠verse 16 And the citie is situated quadrangle-vvise and the length thereof is as great as also the bredth and he measured the citie vvith the reede for tvvelue thousand furlonges the length and height and bredth thereof be equal ✠verse 17 And he measured the vvall thereof of an hundred fourtie foure cubites the measure of a man vvhich is of an Angel ✠verse 18 And the building of the vvall therof vvas of iasper stone but the citie it self â— pure gold like to pure glasse ✠verse 19 And the foundations of the vvall of
my beloued sonne in vvhom I am vvel pleased ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. Desert Of this word desert in Greeke eremus commeth the name Eremitages and Eremites that liue a religious and austere life in deserts and solitatie places by the example of S. Iohn Baptist whom the holy Doctors therfore call the Prince and as it were the author of such profession S. Chrys ho. 1 in Marcum ho. de Io. Baptista Hiero. ad Eustoch de eâ—stod virg Isid li. 1. c. 15 de diu off Bernardus de excel Io. Baptista Wherewith the Protestants are so offended that * they say S. Chrysostom spake rashly and vntruely And no maruel for whereas the Euangelist himself in this place maketh him a perfect paterne of penance and Eremitical life for desert or wildernes for his rough and rude apparel for abstayning from al delicate meates according to our Sauiours testimonie also of him Mt. 11 8 Luc. 7 33 they are not ashamed to peruert all with this strange commentarie that it was a desert * full of townes and villages his garment was * chamlet his meate * such as the countrey gaue and the people there vsed to make him thereby but a common man like to the rest in his maner of life cleane against Scriptures fathers 〈◊〉 reason 2. Doe penance So is the Latin word for word so readeth al antiquitie namely S. Cyprian ep 52 often and S. Augustine li. 13 Confes c. 12. and it is a very vsual speache in the New Testament specially in the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist * Christ him self and * the Apostles to signifie perfect repentance which hath not onely confession and amendment but contrition or sorow for the offense and paineful satisfaction such as S. Cyprian speaketh of in al the foresaid epistle But the Aduersaries of purpose as * namely Beza protesteth mislike that interpretation because it fauoureth Satisfaction for sinne which they cannot abide Where if they pretend the ⸬ Greeke word we send them to these places Mat. 11 21. Lu. 10 13. 1 Cor. 7 9. where it must needes signifie sorowful payneful and satisfactorie repentance we tel them also that * S. Basil a Greeke Doctor calleth the Niniuites repentance with fasting and hearecloth and ashes by the same Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And more we wil tell them in other places 8. Confessing their sinnes Iohn did prepare the way to Christ and his Sacraments not only by his baptisme but by inducing the people to confession of their sinnes Which is not to acknowledge them selues in general to be sinners but also to vtter euery man his sinnes 9. Fruite worthie He preacheth satisfaction by doing worthy fruites or workes of penance which are as S. Hierom saith in 2. Ioel fasting praying almes and the like 10. The axe Here preachers are taught to dehort from doing euil for feare of Hel and to exhort to doe good in hope of heauen which kind of preaching our Aduer doe condemne 11. In water Iohns baptisme did not remitte sinnes nor was comparable to Christs Baptisme as here it is playne and in manie other places Hiero. adu Lucifer Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. li. 5. c. 9. 10. 11. Yet is it an article of our Adu that th one is no better then the other which they say not to extol Iohns but to derogate from Christes baptisme so far that they make it of no more valure or efficacie for remission of sinnes and grace and iustification then was Iohns thereby to mainteine their manifold heresies that Baptisme taketh not away sinnes that a man is no cleaner nor iuster by the Sacrament of Baptisme then before that it is not necessarie for children vnto saluation but it is ynough to be borne of Christian parents and such like erroneous positions wel knowen among the Caluinists 12. Floore This floore is his Church militant here in earth wherein are both good and bad here signified by corne and chaffe til the separation be made in the day of iudgement contrarie to the doctrine of the Heretikes that hold the Church to consist onely of the good 16. Opened To signifie that heauen was shut in the old law til Christ by his Passion opened it and so by his Ascension was the first that entered into it contrarie to the doctrine of the Heretikes See Hebr. 9 â— and 11 40. CHAP. IIII. Christ going into the desert â—o prepare him self before his Manifestation ouercometh the Deuils tentations 12 Beginning in Galilee as the Prophet said he should 18 he calleth foure Disciples and with his preaching and miracles draweth vnto him innumerable folowers verse 1 THEN * IESVS was ledde of the Spirit into the ″ desert to be tempted of the Deuil ✠verse 2 And vvhen he had ″ fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nightes aftervvard he vvas hungrie ✠verse 3 And the tempter approched sayd to him If thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread ✠verse 4 Who ansvvered said It is vvritten Nor in bread alone doth man liue but in euery word that procedeth from the mouth of God ✠verse 5 Then the Deuil tooke him vp into the holy citie and set him vpon the pinnacle of the TeÌ„ple ✠verse 6 and sayd to him If thou be the sonne of God cast thy self dovvne for ″ it is vvritten That he wil giue his Angels charge of thee in their hands shal they hold thee vp lest perhaps thou knocke they foote agaynst a stone ✠verse 7 IESVS sayd to him againe It is vvritten Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God ✠verse 8 Againe the Deuil tooke him vp into a very high mountaine and he shevved him al the Kingdoms of the vvorld and the glorie of them ✠verse 9 and sayd to him Al these vvil I giue thee if falling dovvne thou vvilt adore me ✠verse 10 Then IESVS sayth to him Auant Satan for it is vvritten The Lord thy God shalt thou adore ″ him onely shalt thou serue ✠verse 11 Then the Deuil left him and behold Angels came and ministred to him ⊢ ✠verse 12 And * vvhen IESVS had heard that Iohn vvas deliuere vp he retyred into Galilee ✠verse 13 and leauing the citie Nazareth came dvvelt in Capharnaum a sea tovvne in the borders of Zabulon Nephthali ✠verse 14 that it might be fulfilled vvhich vvas sayd by Esay the Prophet ✠verse 15 Land of Zabulon land of Nephthali the way of the sea beyond Iordan of Galilee of the Gentils ✠verse 16 the people that sate in darknesse hath seen great light and to them that sate in a countrey of the shadow of death light is risen to them ✠verse 17 From that time IESVS began to preach and to say ″* Doe penance for the Kingdom of heauen is at hand ✠verse 18 And IESVS * vvalking by the sea
Propitiatorie and the Arke of the Testament Manna Aarons rodde and the golden altar Doth not the Sepulcher of our Lord seeme vnto thee more honorable Which as often as we enter into so often doe we see our Sauiour lie in the sindon and staying there a while we see the Angel againe sitte at his feete and at his head the napkin wrapped together The glorie of whose Sepulcher we know was long prophetied before Ioseph hewed it out by Esay saying And his rest shal be honour to witte because the place of our Lordes burial should be honoured of al men And at this present notwithstanding the Turkes dominion yet doe the Religious Christian Catholike men by Gods mighty prouidence keepe the holy Sepulcher which is within a goodly Church and Christians come out of al the world in Pilgrimage to it 19. Going then Commission to baptize and preache to al Nations geuen to the Apostles and grounded vpon Christes soueraine authority to whom was geuen al power in heauen and in earth 20. With you al daies Here Christ doth promise his concurrence with his Apostles and their successors as wel in preaching as ministring the Sacraments and his protection of the Church neuer to cease til the worlds end contrary to our Aduersaries saying that the Church hath failed many hundred yeres til Luther and Caluin ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF S. MARKES GOSPEL S Markes Gospel may be vvel diuided into foure partes The first part of the preparation that was made to the manifestation of Christ chap. 1. in the beginning The Second of his manifesting himselfe by Preaching and Miracles and that in Galilee the residue of the 1. chap. vnto the 10. chap. The third of his comming into Iurie tovvards his Passion chap. 10. The fourth of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem chap. 11. to the end of the booke Of S. Marke and his conuersation with the tvvo Apostles S. Paul and S. Barnabee vve haue at large Act. 12 and 15. somevvhat also Col. 4. and 2. Tim. 4. and to Philémon Moreouer of his familiaritie vvith the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter vve haue 1 Pet. 5. For so it pleased our Lord that onely tvvo of the Euangelistes should be of his tvvelue Apostles to vvit S. Matthew and S. Iohn The other tvvo S. Marke and S. Luke he gaue vnto vs of the Disciples of his two most principal and most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Whose Gospels therefore were of Antiquitie counted as the Gospels of S. Peter and S. Paul them selues Marke the disciple and interpreter of Peter saith S. Hierom according to that which he heard of Peters mouth wrote at Rome a briefe Gospel at the request of the Brethren about 10 or 12 yeres after our Lordes Ascension Which when Peter had heard he approued it and with his authoritie did publish it to the Church to be read as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth li. 6. hypotypos In the same place S. Hierom addeth hovv he vvent into Aegypt to preach and vvas the first Bishop of the cheefe Citie there named Alexandria and hovv Philo Iudaeus at the same time seeing and admiring the life and conuersation of the Christians there vnder S. Marke vvho vvere Monkes vvrote a booke thereof vvhich is extant to this day And not onely S. Hierom in Marco in Philone but also Eusebius Hist li. 2. ca. 15. 16. 17. Epiphanius Secta 29 Nazaraeorum li. 1. to 2. Cassianus de Instit Caenobiorum li. 2. c. 5. Sozomenus li. 1. c. 12. Nicephorus li. 2 c. 15. and diuerse others do make mention of the said Monkes out of the same Author Finally He died saith S. Hierom the 8 yere of Nero and was buried at Alexandria Anianus succeding in his place But from Alexandria he vvas translated to Venice Anno Dom. 830. It is also to be noted that in respect of S. Peter vvho sent S. Marke his scholer to Alexandria and made him the first Bishop there this See vvas esteemed next in dignitie to the See of Rome and the Bishop thereof vvas accounted the cheefe Metropolitane or Patriarch of the East and that by the first Councel of Nice Whereof see S. Leo ep 53. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 60. li. 6. ep 37. THE HOLY GOSPEL OF IESVS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MARKE CHAP. I. Iohn the Eremite of vvhom the Prophets preaching penance and liuing him self accordingly baptizeth the people to prepare them to Christ 7 telling them that it is not his but Christs Baptisme in vvhich they shal receiue the Holy Ghost 9 IESVS there is manifested from heauen 12 and by and by he also goeth into the vvildernesse 14 Beginning in Galilee 16 after that he hath called foure Disciples 21 he preacheth first in Capharnaum confirming his doctrine vvith beneficial Miracles to the great admiration of al 35 then also but first retiring into the vvildernes in al the rest of Galilee vvith like miracles verse 1 THE beginning of the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God ✠verse 2 As it is vvritten in â— Esay the Prophet ' Behold I send mine Angel before thy face vvho shal prepare thy vvay before thee ✠verse 3 A voice of one crying in the desert Prepare ye the vvay of our Lord make straight his pathes ✠verse 4 * Iohn vvas in the desert baptizing and preaching the baptisme of penance vnto remission of sinnes ✠verse 5 And there vvent forth to him al the countrie of Ievvrie and al they of Hierusalem and vvere baptized of him in the riuer of Iordan â— confessing â— their sinnes ✠verse 6 And Iohn vvas â— clothed vvith camels heare and a girdle of a skinne about his loines and he did eate locustes and vvild honie ✠verse 7 And he preached saying There commeth a stronger then I after me vvhose latchet of his shoes I am not vvorthie stouping dovvne to vnloose ✠verse 8 I haue baptized you â— vvith vvater but he shal baptize you vvith the holy Ghost ✠verse 9 And it came to passe in those daies came IESVS from Nazareth of Galilee and vvas ″ baptized of Iohn in Iordan ✠verse 10 And forth vvith comming vp out of the vvater he savv the heauens opened and â— the Spirit as a doue descending and remaining on him ✠verse 11 And a voice vvas made from heauen Thou art my beloued sonne in thee I am vvel pleased ✠verse 12 And forth vvith * the Spirit droue him out into â— the desert ✠verse 13 And he vvas in the desert fourtie daies and fourtie nightes and vvas tempted of Satan and he vvas vvith beastes and the Angels ministred to him ✠verse 14 And * after that Iohn vvas deliuered vp IESVS came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God ✠verse 15 and saying That the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand be penitent and beleeue the Gospel âœ
of God ⊢ ✠verse 35 The next day againe Iohn stoode and tvvo of his disciples ✠verse 36 And beholding IESVS vvalking he saith Behold the lambe of God ✠verse 37 And the tvvo Disciples heard him speaking and they folovved IESVS ✠verse 38 And IESVS turning and seeing them folovving him saith to them Vvhat seeke you Vvho said to him Rabbi vvhich is called by interpretation Maister vvhere dvvellest thou ✠verse 39 He saith to them Come and see They came and savv where he abode and they taried vvith him that day and it vvas about the tenth houre ✠verse 40 And Andrevv the brother of Simon Peter vvas one of the tvvo that had heard of Iohn and folovved him ✠verse 41 He findeth first his brother Simon and saith to him Vve haue found MESSIAS vvhich is being interpreted CHRIST ✠verse 42 And he brought him to IESVS And IESVS ″ looking vpon him said Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona thou shalt be called Cephas vvhich is interpreted Peter ✠verse 43 On the morovv he vvould goe forth into Galilee and he findeth Philippe And IESVS saith to him Folovv me ✠verse 44 And Philippe vvas of Bethsaida the citie of Andrevv and Peter ✠verse 45 Philippe findeth Nathanael and saith to him Him vvhom Moyses in the lavv and the Prophets vvrote of vve haue found IESVS the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth ✠verse 46 And Nathanael said to him From Nazareth can there be any good Philippe saith to him Come and see ✠verse 47 IESVS savv Nathanael comming to him and he saith of him Behold an Israelite in very deede in vvhom there is no guile ✠verse 48 Nathanael saith to him Hovv knovvest thou me IESVS ansvvered and said to him Before that Philippe did cal thee vvhen thou wast vnder the figtree I saw thee ✠verse 49 Nathanael ansvvered him and saith Rabbi thou art the sonne of God thou art the king of Israel ✠verse 50 IESVS ansvvered and said to him Because I said vnto thee I savv thee vnder the figtree thou beleeuest greater then these things shalt thou see ✠verse 51 And he saith to him Amen Amen I say to you You shal see the heauen opened and the * Angels of God ascending and defcending vpon the Sonne of man ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. Was the word The second Person in Trinitie which is the natural onely and eternal Sonne of God the Father is called the WORD not as the holy Scriptures or speaches of the Prophets and Apostles vvritten and spoken by Gods commaundement for the vttering of his diuine wil towards man be called his word but in a more diuine eminent and ineffable sort to expresse vnto vs in a sort by a terme agreable to our capacitie that the Sonne of God so is and so from euerlasting is borne of God the Father as our prime concept which is our internal and mental word is and issueth out of our intelligence minde This VVORD then Sonne or second Person in the holy Trinitie was and had his being then already when other creatures of what sort so euer had but their beginning and therfore can not be a creature as many Heretikes before the writing of this Gospel thought and as the Arrians after taught And this first sentence of the Gospel not onely the faithful but the Platonikes did so admire as S. Augustine writeth that they wished it to be written in gold 1. With God Because a man might say If the VVORD vvere before any thing vvas created vvhere or hovv could he be the Euangelist preuenting that carnal concept saith first that he vvas vvith God vvhose being dependeth not vpon time place space or any other creatures al vvhich vvere made by him secondly he giueth vs to vnderstand that the VVORD hath his proper subsistence or personalitle distincte frō God the Father vvherby Sabellius the old Heretike is refuted thirdly here is insinuated the order of these tvvo persons one tovvardes the other to vvit that the Sonne is with and of the Father and not the Father of the Sonne Fourthly you may consute here the blasphemie of Caluin holding the second Person to be God not as of God the Father but as of him self And yet such are the bookes that our youth now read commonly in England and that by commaundement 1. God vvas the VVord Lest any man vpon the premisses which set forth the relation and distinction of the second Person from the first might thinke that the Father onely were God the Euangelist expresly teacheth the VVORD to be God for though the wordes seeme to lie otherwise because we haue of purpose so owed the elegancie which the Euangelist him self obserued in placing them so and therfore they stand so both in Greeke and Latin yet in deede the construction is thus The VVORD vvas God and as in his first Epistle the same Apostle writeth true God lest any might say as the Arians did that he was God in deede but not truely and naturally but by common adoption or calling as good men in the Church be called the sonnes of God What wonderful wrangling and tergiuersation the Arians vsed to auoid the euidence of this place we see in S. Augustine li. 3 de Doct. Christ c. 2. euen such as the Protestauts do to auoid the like wordes This is my body concerning the B. Sacrament 3. By him Againe by this he signifieth the eternitie diuinitie omaipotencie and equalitie of the WORD or Sonne with God the Father because by him al things were created al things he saith both visible of this vvorld and inuisible as Angels and al spiritual creatures Wherevpon it is euident also that him self is no creature being the creator of al neither is sinne of his creation being a defecte of a thing rather then a thing it self and therfore neither of nor by him 1◠He gaue them povver Free wil to receiue or acknowledge Christ power giuen to men if they wil to be made by Christ the sonnes of God but not forced or drawen therevnto by any necessitie 14. The Vvord made flesh This is the high and diuine testimonie of Christs incarnation and that he vouchsaued to become man for the acknowledging of which inexplicable benefite and giuing humble thankes for the same al Christian people in the world by tradition of the Fathers prostrate them selues or kneele downe when they heare it sung or said at the holy Masse either in this Gospel or in the Crede by these wordes ET HOMO FACTVS EST. 1◠No man hath seen Neuer man in this mortalitie saw God in the very shape and natural forme of the diuine essence but men see him onely in the shape of visible creatures in or by which it pleaseth him to shew him self vnto many diuersly in this world but neuer in such sort as vvhen he shevved him self in the person of the Sonne of God being
things one of the ministers staÌ„ding by gaue IESVS a blovv saying Ansvverest thou the high priest so ✠verse 23 IESVS ansvvered him If I haue spoken il giue testimonie of euil but if vvel vvhy strikest thou me ✠verse 24 And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high priest ✠verse 25 And Simon Peter vvas standing and vvarming him self They said therfore to him Art not thou also of his disciples He denied and said I am not ✠verse 26 One of the seruants of the high priest saith to him his cosin vvhose eare Peter did cut of Did not I see thee in the garden vvith him ✠verse 27 Againe therfore Peter denied and forth vvith the cocke crevve ✠verse 28 * They therfore bring IESVS from Caiphas into the Palace And it vvas morning and they vvent not in into the Palace that they might not be contaminated but that they might eate the Pasche ✠verse 29 Pilate therfore vvent forth to them vvithout and said Vvhat accusation bring you against this man ✠verse 30 They ansvvered and said to him If he vvere not a malefactour vve vvould not haue deliuered him vp to thee ✠verse 31 Pilate therfore said to them Take him you and according to your lavv iudge him The Ievves therfore said to him It is not lavvful for vs to kil any man ✠verse 32 * That the vvord of IESVS might be fulfilled vvhich he said signifying what death he should die ✠verse 33 * Pilate therfore vvent into the Palace againe and called IESVS and said to him Art thou the king of the Ievves ✠verse 34 IESVS ansvvered Saiest thou this of thy self or haue others told it thee of me ✠verse 35 Pilate answered Vvhy am I a Iewe Thy nation and the cheefe priests haue deliuered thee vp to me vvhat hast thou done ✠verse 36 IESVS ansvvered My kingdom is not of this vvorld if my kingdoÌ„ vvere of this vvorld my ministers verily vvould striue that I should not be deliuered to the Ievves but novv my kingdom is not from heÌ„ce ✠verse 37 Pilate therfore said to him Art thou a king then IESVS ansvvered Thou saiest that I am a king For this vvas I borne and for this came I into the vvorld that I should giue testimonie to the truth Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voice ✠verse 38 Pilate saith to him Vvhat is truth And vvhen he had said this he vvent forth againe to the Ievves and saith to them I finde no cause in him ✠verse 39 * But you haue a custome that I should release one to you in the Pasche vvil you therfore that I relâ—ase vnto you the king of the Ievves ✠verse 40 They al therfore cried againe saying Not him but Barabbas And Barabbas vvas a theefe CHAP. XIX The Ievves are not satisfied vvith his scourging and irrision â— Pilate hearing them say that he made him self the Sonne of God is more afraid 〈◊〉 Yet they vrging him vvith his loialty tovvard Caesar and professing that them selues vvil no king but Caesar he yeldeth vnto them 17 And so Christ carying his ovvne Crosse is crucified betvvene tvvo theeues 19 Pilate vvriting notoriously the onely cause of his death to be for that he is their king or Christ 〈◊〉 His garments be so vsed euen as the Scriptures foretold 25 He hath special care of his mother to the end 28 He signifieth al that vvas vvritten of his Passion to be fulfilled and so yeldeth vp his ghost 31 Then by the levves meanes also other Scriptures about his legges and side are fulfilled 38 And finally he is honorably buried verse 1 THEN therfore Pilate tooke IESVS and scourged him ✠verse 2 And the souldiars platting a crovvne of thornes put it vpon his head and they put about him a purple garment ✠verse 3 And they came to him and said Haile king of the Ievves and they gaue him blovves ✠verse 4 Pilate vvent forth againe and saith to them Behold I bring him forth vnto you that you may knovv that I finde no cause in him ✠verse 5 IESVS therfore vvent forth carying the crovvne of thornes and the purple vestiment And he saith to them Loe the man ✠verse 6 Vvhen the cheefe priests therfore and the ministers had seen him they cried saying Crucifie crucifie him Pilate saith to them Take him you and crucifie him for I finde no cause in him ✠verse 7 The Ievves ansvvered him Vve haue a Law and according to the Law he ought to die because he hath made him self the sonne of God ✠verse 8 VvheÌ„ Pilate therfore had heard this saying he feared more ✠verse 9 And he entred into the Palace againe and he saith to IESVS Vvhence art thou But IESVS gaue him no ansvver ✠verse 10 Pilate therfore saith to him Speakest thou not to me knovvest thou not that I haue povver to crucifie thee and I haue povver to release thee ✠verse 11 IESVS ansvvered Thou shouldest not haue any povver against me vnles it vvere giuen thee from aboue Therfore he that hath betraied me to thee hath the greater sinne ✠verse 12 From thence forth Pilate sought to release him But the Ievves cried saying If thou release this man thou art not Caesars frend euery one that maketh him self a king speaketh against Caesar ✠verse 13 But Pilate vvhen he had heard these vvordes brought forth IESVS and he sate in the iudgemeÌ„t seate in the place that is called Lithóstrotos and in Hebrevv Gábbatha ✠verse 14 And it vvas the Parasceue of Pasche about the sixt houre and he saith to the Ievves Loe your king ✠verse 15 But they cried Avvay avvay vvith him crucifie him Pilate saith to them Shal I crucifie your king The cheefe priests ansvvered Vve haue no king but Caesar ✠verse 16 Then therfore he deliuered him vnto them for to be crucified And they tooke IESVS and led him forth ✠verse 17 * And bearing his ovvne ″ crosse he vvent forth into that vvhich is called the place of Caluarie in Hebrevv Gólgotha ✠verse 18 vvhere they crucified him and vvith him two others on the one side and on the other and in the middes IESVS ✠verse 19 And Pilate vvrote a title also and he put it vpon the crosse And it vvas vvritten IESVS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE IEVVES ✠verse 20 This title therfore many of the Ievves did reade because the place vvhere IESVS vvas crucified vvas nigh to the citie and it vvas vvritten in Hebrevv in Greeke and in Latin ✠verse 21 The cheefe priests therfore of the Ievves said to Pilate Vvrite not The king of the Ievves but that he said I am king of the Ievves ✠verse 22 Pilate ansvvered That vvhich I haue vvritten I haue vvritten ✠verse 23 The souldiars therfore vvhen they had crucified him tooke his garments and they made foure partes to euery souldiar a part
vnlavvful must be broken and not the vowes of Chastitie and Religion as our nevv Ministers teach by their vvordes and vvorkes CHAP. XXIIII They prosecute him to Caesarea bringing vvith them an oratour vvho before the President Felix aâ—cuseth him 10 He ansvvereth defending him self from the crimes they charged him vvith but confessing his religion plainly 〈◊〉 The Iudge perceiuing his religion to be irreprehensible yeldeth not to condemne him at their pleasure 24 yea he oftentimes vvith his vvife heareth his preaching 37 but yet doth not his dutie to deliuer him out of prison verse 1 AND after fiue daies the high priest Ananias descended vvith certaine auncients and one Tertullus an oratour vvho vvent to the President against Paul ✠verse 2 And Paul being cited Tertullus began to accuse saying Vvhereas vve liue in much peace by thee many things are corrected by thy prouidence ✠verse 3 vve doe alvvaies and in al places receiue it most excellent Felix vvith al thanks geuing ✠verse 4 But lest I hinder then any longer I desire thee of thy clemencie breifely to heare vs. ✠verse 5 Vve haue found this man pestiferous and raising seditioÌ„s to al the Ievves in the vvhole vvorld and authour of the sedition of the secte of the Nazarenes ✠verse 6 vvho also hath attempted to violat the temple vvhom also being apprehended vve vvould haue iudged according to our lavv ✠verse 7 But Lysias the Tribune comming in vvith great force tooke him avvay out of our handes ✠verse 8 commaunding his accusers to come to thee of vvhom thou maiest thy self iudging vnderstand of al these things vvhereof vve accuse him ✠verse 9 And the Ievves also added saying that these things vvere so ✠verse 10 But Paul ansvvered the President making a signe vnto him for to speake Knovving that of many yeres thoâ— art iudge ouer this nation I vvil vvith good courage ansvver for my self ✠verse 11 For thou maiest vnderstand that it is not aboue tvvelue daies to me since I vvent vp to adore in Hierusalem ✠verse 12 and neither in the temple did they finde me disputing vvith any man or causing concourse of the multitude neither in the synagogs nor in the citie ✠verse 13 neither can they proue vnto thee the things vvhereof they novv accuse me ✠verse 14 But this I confesse to thee that according to the secte vvhich they call heresie I doe so serue the father my God ' beleeuing al things that are vvritten in the Law the Prophets ✠verse 15 hauing hope in God the vvhich these also them selues expect that there shal be a resurrectioÌ„ of iust and vniust ✠verse 16 In this my self also doe studie to haue a coÌ„science vvithout offense tovvard God toward men alvvaies ✠verse 17 And after many yeres * I came to bestovv almes vpon my nation oblations and vovves ✠verse 18 In the vvhich they fouÌ„d me * purified in the teÌ„ple not vvith multitude nor vvith tumult ✠verse 19 But certaine Ievves of Asia vvho ought to be present before thee and to accuse if they had any thing against me ✠verse 20 or let these men theÌ„ selues say if they haue found in me any iniquitie forasmuch as I staÌ„d in the Councel ✠verse 21 but of this one voice only that I cried staÌ„ding among them That * of the resurrection of the dead am I iudged this day of you ✠verse 22 And Felix differed them knovving most certainely of this vvay saying Vvhen Lysias the Tribune is come dovvne I vvil heare you ✠verse 23 And he commaunded the Centurion to keepe him and that he should haue rest neither to prohibit any of his to minister vnto him ✠verse 24 And after some daies Felix comming vvith Drusilla his vvife vvhich vvas a Ievve called Paul and heard of him the faith that is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 25 And he disputing of iustice and chastitiâ— and of the iudgement to come Felix being terrified ansvvered For this time goe thy vvay but in time conuenient I vvil send for thee ✠verse 26 hoping also vvithal that money vvould be giuen him of Paul for the vvhich cause also oftentimes sending for him he spake vvith him ✠verse 27 But vvhen tvvo yeres vvere ended Felix had a successour Portius Festus And Felix being vvilling to shevv the Ievves a pleasure left Paul in prison CHAP. XXV After tvvo yeres emprisonment the Ievves continevv their sute against him soliciting the nevv President Festus â— first at Hierusalem then at Caesarea 9 vvhere through the Ievves partialitie he is faine to appeale vnto the Emperour 13 and is in the meane time brought forth by Festus giuing him good testimonie notvvithstanding the exclamations of the Ievves against him vnto king Agrippa and his Queene Bernice verse 1 FESTVS therfore vvhen he vvas come into the prouince after three daies vvent vp to Hierusalem from Caesaréa ✠verse 2 And the cheefe priests principal men of the Ievves vvent vnto him against Paul and they desired him ✠verse 3 requesting fauour against him that he vvould commaund him to be brought to Hierusalem laying vvaite for to kil him in the vvay ✠verse 4 But Festus ansvvered that Paul is in Caesaréa and that he vvould very shortly goe thither ✠verse 5 They therfore saith he that are of abilitie among you going dovvne vvith me if there be any crime in the man let them accuse him ✠verse 6 And hauing taried among them not aboue eight or ten daies he vvent dovvne to Caesaréa and the next day he sate in the iudgement seate and he commaunded Paul to be brought ✠verse 7 Vvho being brought there stoode about him the Ievves that vvere come dovvne from Hierusalem obiecting many and greuous causes vvhich they could not proue ✠verse 8 Paul making ansvver That neither against the lavv of the Ievves nor against the temple nor against Caesar haue I any thing offended ✠verse 9 But Festus vvilling to shevv the Ievves a pleasure ansvvering Paul said Vvilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem and there be iudged of these things before me ✠verse 10 And Paul said At Caesars iudgemeÌ„t seate doe I stand vvhere I ought to be iudged the Ievves I haue not hurt as thou very vvel knovvest ✠verse 11 For if I haue hurt them or done any thing vvorthie of death I refuse not to die but if none of those things be vvhereof these accuse me no man can giue me to them I appeale to Caesar ✠verse 12 Then Festus hauing conferred vvith the Councel ansvvered Hast thou appealed to Caesar to Caesar shalt thou goe ✠verse 13 And vvhen certaine daies vvere passed king Agrippa BernÃce came dovvne to Caesaréa to salute Festus ✠verse 14 And as they taried there a good many daies Festus signified to the king of Paul saying A certaine person vvas left prisoner by Felix ✠verse 15 concerning vvhom vvhen I vvas
And the God of peace be vvith you all Amen CHAP. XVI 〈…〉 and him self to many there by name 〈◊〉 he declareth the doctrine vvhich the Romanes had learned to be the touchstone is knovv Seducers 21 he doth vnto them the commendations of al the Churches and of certaine persons by names â—5 and concludeth verse 1 AND I commend to you Phoebè our sister vvho is in the ministerie of the Church that is in Cenchris ✠verse 2 that you receiue her in our Lord as it is vvorthie for saincts and that you assist her in whatsoeuer busines she shal neede you for she also hath assisted many and my self ✠verse 3 Salute Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ IESVS ✠verse 4 vvho for my life haue laid dovvne their neckes to vvhoÌ„ not I only giue thankes but also al the Churches of the Gentiles ✠verse 5 and their domestical Church Salute Epaenetus my beloued vvho is the first fruite of Asia in Christ ✠verse 6 Salute Marie vvho hath laboured much about vs. ✠verse 7 Salute Andrónicus and` Iulia ' my cosins and fellovv captiues vvho are noble among the Apostles vvho also before me vvere in Christ ✠verse 8 Salute Ampliátus my best beloued in our Lord. ✠verse 9 Salute Vrbánus our helper in Christ IESVS and Stachys my beloued ✠verse 10 Salute Apelles approued in Christ Salute them that are of Aristóbolus house ✠verse 11 Salute Herodion my kinsman Salute them that are of Narcissus house that are in our Lord. ✠verse 12 Salute Tryphaena and Tryphósa vvho labour in our Lord. Salute Persis the beloued vvho hath much laboured in our Lord. ✠verse 13 Salute Rufus the elect in our Lord and his mother and mine ✠verse 14 Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Pátrobas Hermes and the brethren that are vvith them ✠verse 15 Salute Philólogus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olympias and al the saincts that are vvith them ✠verse 16 ″ Salute one an other in a ″ holy kisse Al the churches of Christ salute you ✠verse 17 And I desire you brethren ″ to marke them that make dissensions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine vvhich you haue learned and auoid them ✠verse 18 For such doe not serue Christ our Lord ″ but their ovvne belly and by svveete speaches and benedictions seduce the hartes of innocents ✠verse 19 For ″ your obedience is published into euery place I reioyce therfore in you But I vvould haue you to be vvise in good and simple in euil ✠verse 20 And the God of peace crush Satan vnder your feete quickely The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you ✠verse 21 Timothee my coadiutor saluteth you and Lucius and Iason and SosÃpater my kinsmen ✠verse 22 I Tertius salute you verse 23 that vvrote the epistle in our Lord. Caius mine host and the whole Churches saluteth you Erastus the Cofferer of the citie saluteth you and Quartus a brother ✠verse 24 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith al you Amen ✠verse 25 And to him that is able to confirme you according to my Gospel and preaching of IESVS Christ according to the reuelation of the mysterie from eternal times kept secrete ✠verse 26 vvhich novv is opened by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the precept of the eternal God to the obedieÌ„ce of faith knovven in al Gentiles ✠verse 27 to God the only vvise through IESVS Christ ⊢ to vvhom ' be honour glorie for euer and euer Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 14. Salute one an other Neuer Sectmaisters made more foule or hard shifts to proue or defend falsehood then the Protestants but in tvvo points about S. Peter specially they passe euen them selues in impudencie The first is that they hold he vvas not preferred before the other Apostles vvhich is against al Scriptures most euidently The second is that he vvas neuer at Rome vvhich is against al the Ecclesiastical histories al the Fathers Greeke and Latine against the very sense and sight of the monuments of his Seate Sepulcher doctrine life and death there Greater euidence certes there is thereof and more vveighty testimonie then of Romulus Numas Caesars or Ciceros being there yet vvere he a very brutish man that vvould deny this to the discredite of so many vvriters and the vvhole vvorld Much more monstruous it is to heare any deny the other Theodorete saith he vvas there vvriting vpon this chapter Prosper also carmine de ingratis in principio S. Leo de natali Petri S. Augustine to 6 c. 4. cont ep fund Orosius li. 7 c. 6. S. Chrysostome in ps 48. S. Epâ—phanius haer 27. Prudentius in hymno 2. S. Laurentij hymno 12. Optatus li. 2. contra Donatistas S. Hierome in Catalogo Lactantius li. 4. c. 21 de vera sapientia Eusebius hist Eccl. li. 2 c. 13 15. S. Athanasius de fuga sua S. Cyprian ep 55. nu 6 Tertullian de prascriptionibus nu 14. and li 4 contra Marcionem nu 4. Origen in Genes apud Euseb li. 3 c. 1. Irenaeus li. 3 c. â— Hegesippus li. 3. c. 2 de excid Hierosolym Caius and Papias the Apostles ovvne scholers and Dionysius the B. of Corinth alleaged by Eusebius li. 2 c. 14. 24. Ignatius ep ad Romanos The holy Councel of Chalcedon and many other affirme it yea Peter him self according to the iudgement of the auÌ„cient Fathers confesseth he vvas at Rome calling it Babylon 1. ep c. 5. Euseb li. 2. c. 14. hist. Ec. Some of these tel the time and cause of his first going thither some hovv long he liued there some the maner of his death there some the place of his burial and al that he vvas the first Bishop there Hovv could so many of such vvisedom and spirit so neere the Apostles time deceiue or be deceiued how could Caluin and his after fiftene hundred yeres knovv that vvhich none of them could see Some great argument must they needes haue to controule the credite of the vvhole vvorld This of truth is here their argument neither haue they a better in any place to vvit If S. Peter bad bene at Rome S. Paul vvould haue saluted him as he did others here in the end of his letter to the Romanes Is not this a high point to disproue al antiquitie by Any man of discretion may straight see that S. Peter might be knovven vnto S. Paul to be out of the Citie either for persecution or busines vvhen this epistle vvas written for he went often out as S. Epiphanius declareth so the omitting to salute him can proue no more but that then he vvas not in Rome but it proueth not so much neither because the Apostle might for respect of his dignitie and other the Churches affaires write vnto him special letters and so had no cause to salute him in his common Epistle Or hovv knovv they
vnderstanding of the vvhole assemblie edifieth not him self alone but al his hearers 6. If I come That is If I your Apostle and Doctor should preach to you in an vnknovven tongue and neuer vse any kinde of exposition interpretatioÌ„ or explication of my strange vvordes vvhat profite could you take thereby 8. If the trumpet As the Trumpeter can not giue vvarning to or from the fight vnles he vse a distinct intelligible sound or stroke knovven to the souldiars euen so the preacher that exhorteth to good life or dehorteth from sinne except he doe it in a speach vvhich his hearers vnderstand can not attaine to his purpose nor doe the people any good 13. Let him pray that He that hath onely the gift of strange tonges let him pray to God for the gift of interpretation that the one may be more profitable by the other for to exhort or preach in a strange tongue vvas not vnlavvful nor vnprofitable but glorious to God so that the speach had bene either by him self or by an other aftervvard expounded 14. My spirit praieth Also vvhen a man praieth in a strange tongue vvhich him self vnderstandeth not it is not so fruitful for instruction to him as if he knevv particularly vvhat he praied Neuertheles the Apostle forbiddeth nor such praying neither confessing that his spirit hart and affection praieth vvel tovvardes God though his minde and vnderstanding be not profited to instruction as othervvise it might haue bene if he vnderstood the vvordes Neither yet doth he appoint such an one to get his strange praier translated into his vulgar tongue to obteine thereby the foresaid instruction See the Declaration folovving of this Chapter 22. A signe The extraordinarie gift of tonges vvas a miraculous signe in the primitine Church to be vsed specially in the Nations of the Heathen for their conuersion 23. Infidels In the primitiue Church vvhen Infidels dvvelt neere or among Christians and often times came vnto their publike preaching exercises of exhortation and exposition of Scriptures and the like it vvas both vnprofitable and ridiculous to heare a number talking teaching singing Psalmes the like one in this language an other in that al at once like a blacke saunts and one often not vnderstood of an other sometime not to them selues and to strangers or the simple standâ—râ—s by not at al. Vvhere othervvise if they had spoken either in knovven tonges or had done it in order hauing an expositor or interpreter vvithal the Infidels might haue bene conuinced 26. A Psalme Vve see here that those spiritual exercises consisted specially first in singing or giuing forth nevv Psalmes or praiers and laudes secondly in Doctrine teaching or reading lectures thirdly in Reuelation of secrete things either present or to come fourthly in speaking Tonges of strange Nations lastly in translating or Interpreting that vvhich vvas said into some common knovven language as into Greeke Latin c. Al vvhich gifts they had among them by miracle from the holy Ghost 27. In course Al these things they did vvithout order of pride and contention they preached they prophecied they praied they blessed vvithout any seemely respect one of an other or obseruing of turnes and entercourse of vttering their Giftes Yea vvomen vvithout couer or veile and vvithout regard of their sexe or the Angels or Priests or their ovvne husbands malepartly spake tonges taught or prophecied vvith the rest This vvas then the disorder among the Corinthians vvhich the Apostle in this vvhole chapter reprehendeth and sought to redresse by forbidding vvomen vtterly that publike exercise and teaching men in vvhat order and course as vvel for speaking in tonges as interpreting and prophecying it should be kept A MORE AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE sense of this 14 Chapter This then being the scope and direct drift of the Apostle as is most cleere by his vvhole discourse and by the record of al antiquitie let the godly graue and discrete Reader take a tast in this one point of the Protestants deceitful dealing abusing the simplicitie of the popular by peruerse application of Gods holy vvord vpon some smal similitude and equiuocation of certaine termes against the approued godly vse and truth of the vniuersal Church for the seruice in the Latin or Greeke tongue which they ignorantly or rather vvilfully pretend to be against this discourse of S. Paul touching strange tonges Know therfore first that here is no vvord written or meant of any other tongues but such as men spake in the Primitiue Church by miracle and that nothing is meant of those tongues vvhich were the common languages of the vvorld or of the Faithful vnderstood of the learned and ciuil people in euery great citie and in which the Scriptures of the Old or new Testament vvere written as the Hebrevv Greeke and Latin for though these also might be giuen by miracle without study yet being knovven to the Iewes Romans or Greekes in euery place they be not counted among the differences of barbarous and strange tonges here spoken of which could not be interpreted commonly but by the miraculous gift also of interpretation And therfore this Apostle as the Euangelists also and others did their bookes vvrote his Epistles in Greeke to the Romans and to al other Churches Vvhich vvhen he vvrote though he penned them not in the vulgar language peculiar to euery people yet he vvrote them not in Tongue that is in any strange tongue not intelligible vvithout the gift of interpretation vvhere of he speaketh here but in a notable knovven and learned speach interpretable of thousands in euery countrie No more did S. Augustine our Apostle speaking in Latin bringing in the Scriptures and Seruice in Latin preach and pray in Tonges according to the Apostles meaning here for the Latin vvas not nor is not in any part of the Vvest either miraculous or strange though it be not the National tongue of any one countrie this day And therfore S. Bede saith li. 1 hist Angl. c. 1 that being then foure diuers vulgar languages in our countrie the Latin vvas made common to them al. And in deede of the tvvo though in truth neither sort be forbidden by this passage of S. Paul the barbarous languages of euery seueral prouince in respect of the vvhole Church of Christ are rather the strange Tonges here spoken of then the common Latin tongue vvhich is vniuersally of al the Vvest Church more or lesse learned and pertaineth much more to vnitie and orderly coniunction of al Nations in one faith Seruice and vvorship of God then if it vvere in the sundry barbarous speaches of euery Prouince Vvherein al Christians that trauel about this part of the vvorld or the Iudes either vvhere so euer they come shal finde the self same Masse Mattins and Seruice as they had at home Vvhere novv if vve goe to Germanie or the Germans or Geneuians come to vs eche others Seruice shal be thought strange and
tvvo vvordes more then is in the Greeke which though it might be the sense of the place and S. Augustine so expoundeth it yet they should not make his exposition the text of holy Scripture specially vvhereas he only of al the auncient fathers as Beza confesseth so expoundeth it 33. Wrought iustice Men are not iust by beleefe onely as the Protestants affirme but by vvorking iustice And vve may note that in all this long commendation of faith in the fathers and holy persons their good vvorkes are also specially recounted as Rahabs harbouring the spies Abrahams offering his sonne vvhich their vvorkes S. Iames doth inculcate Noâ—s making the Arke Gen. 6. Abels better oblation then Cains Gen. 4. Hebr. 11. v. 4. and so forth therfore S. Clement Alexandrinus saith that the said persons and others vvere lust by saith and obedience by faith and hospitality by faith and patience by faith and humility The Apostles purpose then is nothing els but to proue to the Hebrues vvho made so great account of their Patriarches and forefathers and their famous actes that all these glorious personages and their vvorkes vvere commendable and acceptable onely through the faith they had of Christ vvithout vvhich faith none of all their liues and vvorkes should haue profited them any vvhit the Gentiles doing many noble actes as Heretikes may also doe vvhich are of no estimatioÌ„ before God because they lacke faith And that is the scope of S. Paules Epistle to the Romanes and of al other passages vvhere he commendeth faith further prouing specially in this Epistle to the Hebrues that all their sacrifices vvere nothing els but figures and attestations of the Christian faith in Christ and his death Al vvhich high resolution conclusion against the Ievves and Gentiles that the Christian faith is the true faith religion the Heretikes of our time ignorantly and brutishly abuse against Christian vvorkes sacrifice and Sacraments vvhich the Apostle meant specially to commend and establish by his high commendation of the faith in Christ 40. Without vs should not The fathers before Christ could not be accomplished that is not admitted to the heauenly ioyes vision and fruition of God till the Apostles and other of the nevv lavv vvere associate to them and the vvay to euerlasting glorie opened by our Lordes death and Ascension Neither shal either they or vve be fully perfected in glorie both of body and soul till the general resurrection Gods prouidence being so that vve should not one be consummated vvithout an other all being of one faith and redeemed by one Lord Christ CHAP. XII By the foresaid examples he exhorteth them to patience 2 and by example of Christ him self crucified 5 and because this discipline it an argument that they be Gods children 9 vvith vvhâ—se rodde they should be much more content then vvish that of their carnal fathers and because it bringeth iustification 12 Exhorting them therfore to plucke vp their hartes and to take faster footing 18 considering that all bring novv so svveete and not terrible as in the old Testament their damnation if they refuse to heare vvil be so much the greater verse 1 AND therfore vve also hauing so great a cloud of vvitnesses put vpon vs * laying avvay al vveight and sinne that compasseth vs by patience let vs runne to the fight proposed vnto vs ✠verse 2 looking on the author of faith and the consummator IESVS vvho ioy being proposed vnto him sustained the crosse contemning confusion and sitteth on the right hand of the seate of God ✠verse 3 For thinke diligently vpon him vvhich sustained of sinners such contradiction against him self that you be not vvearied fainting in your mindes ✠verse 4 For you haue not yet resisted vnto bloud repugning against sinne ✠verse 5 and you haue forgotten the consolatioÌ„ vvhich speaketh to you as it vvere to children saying My sonne neglect not the discipline of our Lord neither â—e thou vvearied vvhiles thou art rebuked of him ✠verse 6 For vvhom our Lord loueth he chasteneth and â— he scourgeth euery childe that he receiueth ✠verse 7 Perseuêre ye in discipline As vnto children doth God offer him self to you for vvhat sonne is there vvhom the father doth not correct ✠verse 8 But if you be vvithout discipline vvhereof al be made partakers then are you bastards not children ✠verse 9 Moreouer the fathers in deede of our flesh vve had for instructors and vve did reuerence them shal vve not much more obey the Father of spirites liue ✠verse 10 And they in deede for a time of fevv daies according to their vvil instructed vs but he to that vvhich is profitable in receiuing of his sanctification ✠verse 11 And al discipline for the present certes seemeth not to be of ioy but of sorovv but aftervvard it vvil render to them that are exercised by it most peaceable fruite of iustice ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause stretch vp the slacked handes and the loose knees ✠verse 13 and make straight steppes to your feete that no man halting erre but rather be healed ✠verse 14 * Folovv peace vvith al men and holinesse vvithout vvhich no man shal see God ✠verse 15 looking diligently lest any man be vvanting to the grace of God lest any roote of bitternes springing vp do hinder and by it many be polluted ✠verse 16 Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau * vvho for one dish of meate sold his first-birth-rightes ✠verse 17 For knovv ye that aftervvard also desiring to inherite the benediction he vvas reprobated * for â— he found not place of repeÌ„tance although vvith teares he had sought it ✠verse 18 For you are not come to * a palpable mount and an accessible'fire and vvhirlevvinde and darkenes and storme ✠verse 19 and the souÌ„d of trompet voice of vvordes vvhich they that heard excused them selues that the vvord might not be spokeÌ„ to them ✠verse 20 for they did not heare that which was said And if a beast shal touche the mount it shal be stoned ✠verse 21 And so terrible vvas it vvhich vvas seen Moyses said I am frighted and tremble ✠verse 22 But you are come to mount Sion and the citie of the liuing God heauenly Hierusalem and the assemblie of many thousand Angels ✠verse 23 the Church of the first-borne vvhich are vvritten in the heauens and the iudge of all God and the spirites of the iust made perfect ✠verse 24 and the mediator of the nevv Testament IESVS and the sprinkling of bloud speaking better then * Abel ✠verse 25 See that you refuse him not speaking for if they escaped not refusing him that spake vpon the earth much more vve that turne avvay from him speaking to vs from heauen ✠verse 26 Vvhose voice moued the earth then but novv he promiseth
first effect of this Sacrament is to saue the soule by giuing grace and comfort to vvithstand the terrours and tentations of the enemie going about specially in that extremitie of death to driue men to desperation or distresse of minde and other damnable inconueniences the vvhich effect is signified in the matter of this Sacrament specially 15. Shal lift him vp Vvhen it shal be good for the saluation of the partie or agreable to Gods honour this SacrameÌ„t restoreth also a man to bodily health againe as experience ofteÌ„ teacheth vs. Vvhich yet is not done by vvay of miracle to make the partie sodenly vvhole but by Gods ordinarie prouidence and vse of second causes vvhich othervvise should not haue had that effect but for the said Sacrament This is the second effect 15. They shal be remitted him Vvhat sinnes soeuer remaine vnremitted they shal in this Sacrament and by the grace thereof be remitted if the persons vvorthely receiue it this is the third effect S. Chrysostom of this effect saith thus They speaking of Priests do not onely remit sinnes in baptisme but aftervvard also according to the saying of S. Iames. If any be sicke let him bring in the Priests c. Li. 3 de Sacerd. prope initiuÌ„ Let the ProtestaÌ„ts marke that he calleth Presbyterâ—s sacerdotes that is Priests and maketh them the onely ministers of this Sacrament and not elders or other lay men By al vvhich you see this Sacrament of al other to be maruâ—lous plainely set forth by the Apostle Onely sicke men and as the Greeke vvord giueth men very vveake must receiue it onely Priests must be the ministers of it the matter of it is holy oile the forme is praier in such sort as vve see novv vsed the effects be as is aforesaid Yet this so plaine a matter and so profitable a Sacrament the enemie by Heretikes vvould vvholy abolish 16. Confesse therfore It is not certaine that he speaketh here of sacramental Confession yet the circumstance of the letter vvel beareth it and very probable it is that he meaneth of it and Origen doth so expound it ho. 2 in Leuit. Venerable Bede vvriteth thus In this sentence saith he there must be this discretion that our daily and litle sinnes vve confesse one to an other vnto our equals and beleeue to be saued by their daily praier but the vncleannes of the greater leprosie let vs according to the lavv open to the Priest and at his pleasure in vvhat maner and hovv long time he shal commaund let vs be careful to be purified But the Protestants fleing from the very vvord confession in despite of the Sacrament translate thus Acknovvledge your faultes one to an other They do not vvel like to haue in one sentence Priests praying ouer the sicke anoiling them forgiuing them their sinnes confession and the like 17. He praied The Scriptures to vvhich the Apostle alludeth make no meÌ„tion of Elias praier therfore he knevv it by tradition or reuelation Vvhereby vve see that many things vnvvritten be of equal truth vvith the things vvritten 20. Maketh to be conuerted Here vve see the great revvard of such as seeke to conuert Heretikes or other sinners from errour and vvickednes and hovv necessarie an office it is specially for a Priest 20. Shal saue Vve see it derogateth not from God to attribute our saluation to any man or Angel in heauen or earth as to the vvorkers thereof vnder God by their praiers preaching correction counsel or othervvise Yet the Heretikes are so folish and captious in this kinde that they can not heare patiently that our B. Lady or others should be counted meanes or vvorkers of our saluation THE ARGVMENT OF BOTH THE EPISTLES OF S. PETER THE FIRST AND THE SECOND OF S. Peter vve reade at large both in the Gospels and in the Actes of the Apostles and namely that Christ designed him and also made him his vicaâ— as S. Mathevv for that cause in the catalogue of the Apostles calleth him Primus the first and all antiquitie Princeps Apostolorum the Prince of the Apostles and that he accordingly executed that office after Christes departure plating the Church first among the Ievves in Hierusalem and in al that countrey and coastes about as Christ also him self before had preached to the Ievves alone But preaching at length to the Gentiles also according to Christes commission Mat. 28. v. 19. and being novv come to Rome the head citie of the Gentiles from thence he vvriteth this Epistle to his Christian Ievves hauing care of them in his absence no lesse then vvhen he vvas present and not to the Ievves that vvere at home belike because they had S. Iames or his successor S. Simon Cleophâ— resident vvith them but * to them that vvere dispersed in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia and Bithynia And that he vvriteth it from Rome him self signifieth saying The Church that is in Babylon saluteth you Vvhere by Babylon he meaneth Rome as al antiquitie doth interpret him not that he so calleth the Church of Rome but the heathen state of the Romane empire vvhich then and 300 yeres after vnto the conuersion of Constantinus the Emperour did persecute the elect Church of Rome in so much that the first 33 Bishops thereof vnto S. Siluester vvere al Martyrs For the matter vvhereof he vvriteth him self doth signifie it in these vvordes This loe the second Epistle I vvrite to you my deerest in vvhich Epistles I stirre vp by admonition your sincere minde that you may be mindeful of those vvordes c. So he saith there of both together And againe of the first to the same purpose in an other place I haue breefely vvritten beseeching and testifying that this is the true grace of God vvherein you stand For there vvere at that time certaine Seducers as S. August also hath told vs vvho vvent about to teach Onely faith as though good vvorkes vvere not necessarie nor meritorious there vvere also great persecutions to compel them vvith terrour to denie Christ al his religioÌ„ He therfore exhorteth theÌ„ accordingly neither for persecution neither by seduction to forsake it though in the first his exhortation is more principally against persecution and in the second more principally against seduction The first epistle is noted to be very like to S. Paules epistle to the Ephesians in vvordes also and so thicke of Scriptures as though he spake nothing els The time vvhen the first vvas vvritten is vncertaine the second vvas vvritteÌ„ a litle before his death as is gathered by his vvordes in the same c. 1. v. 14. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. He comforteth them in their persecutions being novv by Baptisme made the children of God vvith the hope of their heauenly exhâ—ritance 6 shevving hovv meritorious it is for them to be so constant in faith 10 and confirming them therein vvith the authoritie of the Prophets and of the
shal goe out no more and I vvil vvrite vpon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God nevv Hierusalem vvhich descendeth out of heauen from my God and my nevv name ✠verse 13 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ✠verse 14 And to the Angel of the Church of Laodicia vvrite Thus saith Amen the faithful and true vvitnesse * vvhich is the beginning of the creature of God ✠verse 15 I knovv thy vvorkes that thou art neither colde nor hote I vvould thou vvere colde or hote ✠verse 16 But because thou art ″ lukevvarme and neither cold nor hote I vvil begin to vomite thee out of my mouth ✠verse 17 Because thou saiest That I am riche and enriched and lacke nothing and knovvest not that thou art a miser and miserable and poore and blinde and naked ✠verse 18 I counsel thee to bye of me gold fire-tried that thou maiest be made riche and maiest be clothed in vvhite garmentes that the confusion of thy nakednes appeare not and vvith eie salue anoint thine eies that thou maiest see ✠verse 19 I * vvhom I loue do rebuke and chastise Be zelous therfore and doe penance ✠verse 20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man shal heare my voice and open the gate I vvil enter in to him and vvil suppe vvith him and he vvith me ✠verse 21 He that shal ouercome I vvil giue vnto him to sitte vvith me in my throne as I also haue ouercome and haue sitten vvith my father in his throne ✠verse 22 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III 5. He that shal ouercome In al these speaches to diuers Bishops and their Churches he continually encourageth them to constancie in faith and good life by setting before their eies the revvard of the next life And yet the Caluinists vvould haue no man do good in respect of such revvard 9. Adore before thy feete You see this vvord of adoration is in Scriptures vsed for vvorship of creatures also and that to fall before the feete of holy men or Angels for duety and reuerence is not idolatrie except the proper honour due to God be giuen vnto them See the Annotations vpō the 19 22 Chapter concerning the Apostles prostration before the Angel And the Aduersaries euasion saying that the adoration vvas of God onely and that before the feete of the partie signifieth nothing els but in his presence is false and against the phrase of Scriptures as 4 Reg. 4. vvhere the Sunamite adored Elisaeus falling dovvne before his feete and 4 Reg. 2. the sonnes of the Prophets adored him in the same sort and here this adoration can not be meant but of the Bishop or Angel of Philadelphia because he promiseth this honour as a revvard and as an effecte of his loue tovvardes him saying And they shal knovv that I haue loued thee And that vvhich he saith in the 22 Chapter I fel dovvne to adore before the feete of the Angel the very same he expresseth thus in the 19 Chapters I fel before his feete to adore him making it al one to adore before his feete and to adore him 11. That no man take thy crovvn◠That is his crovvne of euerlasting life and glorie if he perseuêre not to the end in faith good vvorkes othervvise an other shal enter into his place as Mathias did both to the dignitie of the Apostleship to the heauenly crovvne due for the vvel vsing and executing of the same function vvhich Iudas might and should haue had if he had perseuêred to the end and as the Gentiles came into the grace and place of the Ievves Other difficulties concerning this kinde of speache are resolued in Schoolemen and are not here to be stoode vpon 16. Lukevvarms Zeale and feruour is commendable specially in Gods cause and the Neuters that be neither hote nor cold are to Christ and his Church burdenous and lothsome as luke-vvarme vvater is to a mans stomake prouoking him to vomite and therfore he threateneth to void vp such Neuters out of his mouth CHAP. IIII. 1. A doore being open in heauen he savv one sitting in a throne 4 and round about him foure and tvventie seniors sitting 6 and the foure beastes here described 9 vvhich vvith the 24 seniors continually glorified him that sate in the throne verse 1 AFTER these thinges I looked and behold a doore open in heauen and the first voice which I heard vvas as it vvere of a trompet speaking vvith me saying Come vp hither and I vvil shevv thee the thinges vvhich must be done quickly after these ✠verse 2 Immediatly I vvas in spirit and behold there vvas a seate sette in heauen and vpon the seate one sitting ✠verse 3 And he that sate vvas like in sight to the Iasper stone and the Sardine and there vvas a raine-bovv round about the seate like to the sight of an Emeraud ✠verse 4 And round about the seate foure and tvventie seates and vpon the thrones foure and twentie seniors sitting clothed about in vvhite garmentes and on their heades crovvnes of gold ✠verse 5 And from the throne proceeded lightenings and voices and thunders and seuen lampes burning before the throne vvhich are the seuen Spirites of God ✠verse 6 And in the sight of the seate as it vvere a sea of glasse like to crystall and in the middes of the seate and round about the seate foure beastes ful of eies before and behind ✠verse 7 And the first beast like to a lion and the second beast like to a calfe and the third beast hauing the face as it vvere of a man and the fourth beast like to an egle flying ✠verse 8 And the foure beastes euery one of them had sixe vvinges round about and vvithin they are ful of eies and they had no rest day and night saying ″ Holy Holy Holy Lord God omnipotent vvhich vvas and vvhich is and vvhich shal come ✠verse 9 And vvhen those beastes gaue glorie and honour and benediction to him that sitteth vpon the throne that liueth for euer and euer ✠verse 10 the foure and tvventie seniors fel dovvne before him that sitteth in the throne and adored him that liueth for euer and euer and cast their crownes before the throne saying ✠verse 11 Thou art vvorthie O Lord our God to receiue glorie and honour and povver because thou hast created al thinges and for thy vvil they vvere and haue been created ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 8. Holy holy holy This vvord is thrise repeated here and Esa 6 and to the imitation therof in the seruice of the holy Church at Te Deum and at Masse specially in the Preface next before the great mysteries for the honour of the three persons in the B. Trinitie and that
the vvater thereof that a vvay might be prepared to the kings from the rising of the sunne ✠verse 13 And I savv from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false-prophet three ' vncleane spirites in maner of frogges ✠verse 14 For they are the spirites of Deuils vvorking signes and they goe forth to the kings of the vvhole earth to gather them into battel at the great day of the omnipotent God ✠verse 15 Behold * I come as a theefe Blessed is he that vvatcheth keepeth his garments that he * vvalke not naked and they see his turpitude ✠verse 16 And he shal gather them into a place vvhich in Hebrevv is called Armagedon ✠verse 17 And the seuenth Angel poured out his vial vpon the aire and there came forth a loud voice out of the temple from the throne saying It is done ✠verse 18 And there vvere made lighteninges and voices and thunders and a great earthquake vvas made such an one as neuer hath been since men vvere vpon the earth such an earthquake so great ✠verse 19 And the great citie vvas made into three partes and the cities of the Gentiles fel. And Babylon the great came into memorie before God * to giue her the cuppe of vvine of the indignation of his vvrath ✠verse 20 And euery Iland fled and mountaines vvere not found ✠verse 21 And great haile like a talent came downe from heauen vpon men and men blasphemed God for the plague of the haile because it vvas made exceding great CHAP. XVII The harlot Babylon clothed vvith diuers ornaments 6 and drunken of the blood of Martyrs sitteth vpon a beast that hath seuen heades and ten hornes 7 al which things the Angel expoundeth verse 1 AND there came one of the seuen Angels vvhich had the seuen vials spake vvith me saying Come I vvil shevv thee the damnation of the great harlot vvhich sitteth vpon many vvaters ✠verse 2 vvith vvhom the kings of the earth haue fornicated and they vvhich inhabite the earth haue been drunke of the vvine of her vvhoredom ✠verse 3 And he tooke me avvay in spirit in to the desert And I savv a womaÌ„ sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast ful of names of blasphemie hauing seuen heades and ten hornes ✠verse 4 And the vvoman vvas clothed round about vvith purple and scarlet and gilted vvith gold and pretious stone and pearles hauing a golden cup in her hand ful of the abomination filthines of her fornication ✠verse 5 And in her forehead a name vvritten ″ Mysterie ″ Babylon the great mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth ✠verse 6 And I savv the vvoman ″ drunken of the bloud of the Sainctes and of the bloud of the martyrs of IESVS And I marueled vvhen I had seen her vvith great admiration ✠verse 7 I And the Angel said to me Vvhy doest thou maruel I vvil tel thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast that carieth her which hath the seuen heades and the ten hornes ✠verse 8 The beast vvhich thou savvest vvas and is not and shal come vp out of the bottomeles depth and goe into destruction and the inhabitants on the earth vvhose names are not vvritten in the booke of life from the making of the vvorld shal maruel seeing the beast that vvas and is not ✠verse 9 And here is vnderstanding that hath vvisedom The seuen heades are ″ seuen hilles vpon vvhich the vvoman sitteth and they are seuen kings ✠verse 10 Fiue are fallen one is and an other is not yet come vvhen he shal come he must tarie a short time ✠verse 11 And the beast vvhich vvas is not ″ the same also is the eight and is of the seuen goeth into destruction ✠verse 12 And the ten hornes vvhich thou sawest are ten kings vvhich haue not yet receiued kingdom but shal ' receiue povver as kings one houre after the beast ✠verse 13 These haue one counsel and force and their povver they shal deliuer to the beast ✠verse 14 These shal fight vvith the Lambe and the Lambe shal ouercome them because * he is Lord of lordes and King of kinges they that are vvith him called and elect and faithful ✠verse 15 And he said to me The vvaters vvhich thou savvest vvhere the harlot sitteth are peoples and nations and tonges ✠verse 16 And the ten hornes vvhich thou savvest in the beast these shal hate the harlot and shal make her desolate and naked and shal eare her flesh and her they shal burne vvith fire ✠verse 17 for God hath giuen into their hartes to doe that vvhich pleaseth him that they giue their kingdom to the beast til the vvordes of God be coÌ„summate ✠verse 18 And the vvoman vvhich thou savvest is ″ the great citie vvhich hath kingdom ouer the kinges of the earth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 5. Babylon In the end of S. Peters first Epistle vvhere the Apostle dateth it at Babylon vvhich the auncient vvriters as vve there noted affirme to be meant of Rome the Protestants vvil not in any vvise haue it so because they vvould not be driuen to confesse that Peter euer vvas at Rome but here for that they thinke it maketh for their opinion that the Pope is Antichrist and Rome the seate and citie of Antichrist they vvil needes haue Rome to be this Babylon this great vvhore and this purple harlot for such fellovves in the exposition of holy Scripture be ledde onely by their preiudicate opinions and heresies to vvhich they dravv al things vvithout al indifferencie and sinceritie But S. Augustine Aretas and other vvriters most commonly expound it neither of Babylon itself a citie of Chaldaea or Aegypt not of Rome or any one citie vvhich may be so called spiritually as Hierusalem before chap. 11 is named spiritual Sodom and Aegypt but of the general socitie of the impious of those that preferre the terrene kingdoÌ„ and coÌ„moditie of the vvorld before God eternal felicitie The author of the Commentaries vpon the Apocalypse set forth in S. Ambrose name vvriteth thus This great vvhoore sometime signifieth Rome specially vvhich at that time vvhen the Apostle vvrote this did persecute the Church of God but othervvise it signifieth the vvhole citie of the Diuâ—l that is the vniuersal corps of the reprobate Tertullian also taketh it for Rome thus Babylon saith he in S. Iohn is a figure of the citie of Rome being so great so proud of the Empire and the destroier of the saincts Vvhich is plainely spoken of that citie vvhen it vvas heathen the head of the terrene dominion of the vvorld the persecutor of the Apostles and their successors the seate of Nero Bomitian and the like Christs special enemies the sinke of idolatrie sinne and false vvorship
Constantine reigned and yelded vp the citie to the Pope vvho holdeth not the kingdom or Empire ouet the vvorld as the Heathen did but the fatherhod and spiritual rule of the Church Hovvbeit the more probable sense is the other of the citie of the Diuel as the authâ—r of the homiâ—ies vpon the Apocalypse in S. Augustine declareth CHAP. XVIII The fall of Babylon her iudgement plagues and reuenges for the vvhich 9 the kings 16 and marchants of the earth that sometime did cleaue vnto her shal mourns bitterly 20 but heauen and the Apostles and Prophets shal reioyce verse 1 AND after these things I savv an other Angel coÌ„ming dovvne from heauen hauing great povver the earth vvas illuminated of his glorie ✠verse 2 And he cried out in force saying * Fallen fallen is Babylon the great and it is become the habitation of Deuils and the custodie of euery vncleane spirit and the custodie of euery vncleane and hateful bird ✠verse 3 because al nations haue drunke of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication and the kings of the earth haue fornicated vvith her and the marchantes of the earth vvere made riche by the vertue of her delicacies ✠verse 4 And I heard an other voice from heauen saying Goe out from her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and receiue not of her plagues ✠verse 5 Because her sinnes are come euen to heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities ✠verse 6 Render to her as she also hath rendred to you double ye double according to her vvorkes In the cuppe vvherin she hath mingled mingle ye double vnto her ✠verse 7 As much as she hath glorified her self hath been in delicacies so much giue her torment and mourning because she saith in her hart * I sit a queene Widow I am not and mourning I shal not see ✠verse 8 Therfore in one day shal her plagues come death and mourning and famine and vvith fire she shal be burnt because God is strong that shal iudge her ✠verse 9 And the kings of the earth vvhich haue fornicated vvith her haue liued in delicacies shal vveepe bevvaile them selues vpon her vvhen they shal see the smoke of her burning ✠verse 10 standing farre of for the feare of her tormentes saying Vvo vvo that great citie Babylon that strong citie because in one houre is thy iudgement come ✠verse 11 And the marchaÌ„tes of the earth shall vveepe mourne vpon her because no man shal bye their merchandise any more ✠verse 12 merchandise of gold and siluer and precious stone and of pearle and fine linnen and purple and silke scarlet and al Thyne vvood and al vessels of yuorie and al vessels of precious stone and of brasse and yron and marble ✠verse 13 and cynamon and of odours and ointement and frankeincense and vvine and oile and floure vvheate and beastes sheepe and horses and chariotes slaues and soules of men ✠verse 14 And the apples of the desire of thy soul are departed from thee al fat and goodly thinges are perished from thee and they shal no more finde them ✠verse 15 The marchantes of these things vvhich are made riche shal stand farre from her for feare of her tormeÌ„tes vveeping and mourning ✠verse 16 saying Vvo wo that great citie vvhich vvas clothed vvith silke and purple and scarlet and vvas gilted vvith gold and pretious stone pearles ✠verse 17 because in one houre are so great riches made desolate and euery gouernour and euery one that saileth into the lake and the shipmen and they that vvorke in the sea stoode a farre of ✠verse 18 and cried seeing the place of her burning saying Vvhat other is like to this great citie ✠verse 19 And they threvv dust vpon their heades and cried vveeping and mourning saying Vvo vvo that great citie in the vvhich al vvere made riche that had shippes in the sea of her prices because in one houre she is desolate ✠verse 20 Reioyce ouer her heauen and ye holy Apostles and Prophetes because God hath iudged your iudgement of her ✠verse 21 And one strong Angel tooke vp as it vvere a great milstone and threvv it into the sea saying * Vvith this violence shal Babylon that great citie be throwen and shal novv be found no more ✠verse 22 And the voice of harpers of Musicians and of them that sing on shalme and trompet shal no more be heard in thee euery artificer of euery art shal be found no more in thee and the noise of the mill shal no more be heard in thee ✠verse 23 and the light of the lampe shal no more shine in thee and the voice of the bridegrome and the bride shal no more be heard in thee because thy marchantes were the princes of the earth because al nations haue erred in thine inchauntments ✠verse 24 And in her is found the bloud of the Prophets and Sainctes and of al that vvere slaine in the earth CHAP. XIX â— The Saincts glorifying God for the iudgement pronounced vpon the harlâ—t 7 the mariage of the Lambe is prepared 10 The Angel refuseth to be adored of S. Iohn 1â— There appeareth one vvho is the word of God and the King of kings and Lord of lords sitting on a horse vvith a great armie and fighting against the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies 17 the â—irdes of the aire being in the meane time called to deuoure their flesh verse 1 AFTER theses things I heard as it vvere the voice of many multitudes in heauen saying Allelu-ia Praise and glorie and povver is to our God ✠verse 2 because true iust are his iudgementes which hath iudged of the great harlot that hath corrupted the earth in her vvhoredom and hath reuenged the bloud of his seruants of her handes ✠verse 3 And againe they said Allelu-ia And her smoke ascendeth for euer and euer ✠verse 4 And the foure and tvventie seniors fel downe and the foure beastes adored God sitting vpon the throne saying ◠″ Amen Allelu-ia ✠verse 5 And a voice came out from the throne saying Say praise to our God al ye his seruantes and you that feare him litle and great ✠verse 6 And I heard as it vvere the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many vvaters as the voice of great thunders saying Allelu-ia because our Lord God the omnipotent hath reigned ✠verse 7 Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glorie to him because the mariage of the Lambe is come and his vvife hath prepared her self ✠verse 8 And it vvas giuen to her that she clothe her self vvith silke glittering and vvhite For the silke are â— the iustifications of Sainctes ✠verse 9 And he said to me Vvrite * Blessed be they that are
the citie vvere adorned vvith al pretious stone The first foundation the iasper the second the saphire the third the calcedonius the fourth the emerauld ✠verse 20 the fifth the sardonix the sixt the sardius the seuenth the chrysolithus the eight the beryllus the ninthe the topazius the tenth the chrysoprasus the eleuenth the hyacinthe the tvvelfth the amethysâ—e ✠verse 21 And the twelue gates there are twelue pearles one to euery one euery gate vvas of one seueral pearle the streate of the citie pure gold as it vvere traÌ„spárent glasse ✠verse 22 And temple I savv not therein for our Lord the God omnipotent is the temple thereof and the Lambe ✠verse 23 And * the citie needeth not sunne nor moone to shine in it for the glorie of God hath illuminated it and the Lambe is the lampe thereof ✠verse 24 And * the Gentiles shal vvalke in the light of it and the kinges of the earth shal bring their glorie and honour into it ✠verse 25 And * the gates thereof shal not be shut by day for there shal be no night there ✠verse 26 And they shal bring the glorie and honour of nations into it ✠verse 27 There shal not enter into it any polluted thing nor that doeth abomination and maketh lie but * they that are vvritten in the booke of life of the Lambe ANNOTATION CHAP. XXI 18. Pure gold S. Gregorie li. 18. Moral 6 28 saith the heauenly state is resembled to gold pretious stone crystal glasse and the like for the puritie claritie glittering of the glorious bodies vvhere one mans body conscience and cogitations are represented to an other as corporal things in this life are seen through crystal or glasse CHAP. XXII The tree of life being vvatered vvith liuing vvater yeldeth fruictes euery moneth 3 There is neither curse nor night in the citie 6 The Angel that shevved Iohn al these things refuseth to be adored of him 14 He telleth him that the iust shal enter into the citie but the rest shal be cast forth 18 Lastly â—e protesteth and threateneth against them that shal presume to adde to this prophecie or take avvay from the same verse 1 AND he shevved me a riuer of â— liuing water ' cleere as crystal proceding from the seate of God and of the Lambe ✠verse 2 In the middes of the streate thereof and on both sides of the riuer the tree of life yelding tvvelue fruites rendring his fruite euery moneth and the leaues of the tree for the curing of the Gentiles ✠verse 3 And no curse shal be any more and the seate of God and of the Lambe shal be in it and his seruantes shal serue him ✠verse 4 And they shal see his face and his name in their foreheads ✠verse 5 And * night shal be no moâ—e and they shal not neede the light of lampe nor the light of the sunne because our Lord God doth illuminate them and they shal reigne for euer and euer ✠verse 6 And he said to me These vvordes are most faithful and true And our Lord the God of the spirites of the prophetes sent his Angel to shevv his seruantes those thinges vvhich must be done quickly ✠verse 7 And behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke ✠verse 8 And I Iohn vvhich haue heard and seen these thinges And * after I had heard and seen I fel dovvne to adore before the feete of the Angel vvhich shevved me these thinges ✠verse 9 and he said to me See thou doe not for I am thy fellow-seruant and of thy brethren the prophetes and of them that keepe the vvordes of this booke Adore God ✠verse 10 And he saith to me Seale not the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke for the time is neere ✠verse 11 He that hurâ—eth let him hurt yet and he that is in filth let him be filthie yet and he that is iust let him be iustified yet and let the holy be sanctified yet ✠verse 12 Behold I come quickly and my revvard is vvith me * to render to euery man according to his vvorkes ✠verse 13 I am * Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end ✠verse 14 Blessed are they that vvash their stoles that their povver may be in the tree of life and they may enter by the gates into the citie ✠verse 15 Vvithout are dogges and sorcerers and the vnchast and murderers and seruers of Idols euery one that loueth and maketh a lie ✠verse 16 I IESVS haue sent mine Angel to testifie to you these thinges in the Churches I am the roote and stocke of Dauid the bright and morning starre ✠verse 17 And the Spirit the bride say Come And he that heareth let him say Come And * he that thirsteth let him come and he that vvil let him take the vvater of life gratis ✠verse 18 For I testifie to euery one hearing the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke â— If any maÌ„ shal adde to these things God shal adde vpon him the plagues vvritten in this booke ✠verse 19 And if any man shal diminish of the wordes of the booke of this prophecie God shal take avvay his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and of these thinges that be vvritten in this booke ✠verse 20 saith he that giueth testimonie of these things Yea I come quickely Amen â— Come Lord IESVS ✠verse 21 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 11. He that hurteth It is not an exhortation but a commination or threatening that hovv far soeuer the vvicked increase in naughtines God hath prouided ansvverable punishment for them 18. If any man shal adde The author of the commentaries vpon this booke bearing the name of S. Ambrose saith thus of this point He maketh not this protestation against the expositours of his prophecie but against Heretikes for the expositour doth addâ— or diminish nothing but openeth the obscuritie of the narration or shevveth the moral or spiritual sense He curseth therfore Heretikes that vsed to adde somevvhat of their ovvne that vvas false and to take avvay other things that vvere contrarie to their heresies So saith this auncient vvriter And this vvas the propertie of them in al ages and so is it of ours novv as vve haue noted through the vvhole Bible and as vve haue in sundrie places set forth to the sight of al indifferent readers in the nevv Testament that al the vvorld may see that the Apostles curse is fallen vpon them and may bevvare of them 20. Come Lord Iesus And novv ô Lord Christ most iust and merciful vve they poore creatures that are so afflicted for confession and defense of the holy Catholike and Apostolike
of the Pagan gods Then vvas it Babylon vvhen S. Iohn vvrote this and then vvas Nero and the rest figures of Antichrist and that citie the resemblance of the principal place vvheresoeuer it be that Antichrist shal reigne in about the later end of the vvorld Novv to apply that to the Romane Church and Apostolike See either novv or then vvhich vvas spoken onely of the terrene state of that citie as it vvas the seate of Peter vvhen it did slea aboue 30 Popes Christs Vicars one after an other endeuoured to destroy the vvhole Church that is most blasphemous and foolish The Church in Rome vvas one thing Babylon in Rome an other thing Peter sate in Rome and Nero sate in Rome but Peter as in the Church of Rome Nero as in the Babylon of Rome Vvhich distinction the Heretikes might haue learned by S. Peter him self ep 1. chap. 5. vvriting thus The Church saluteth you that is in Babylon coëlect So that the Church and the very chosen Church vvas in Rome vvhen Rome vvas Babylon vvhereby it is plaine that vvhether Babylon or the great vvhoore do here signifie Rome or no yet it can not signifie the Church of Rome vvhich is novv and euer vvas differing from the terrene Empire of the same And if as in the beginning of the Church Nero and the rest of the persecuting Emperours vvhich vvere figures of Antichrist did principally sit in Rome so also the great Antichrist shal haue his seate there as it may vvel be though others thinke that Hierusalem rather shal be his principal citie yet euen then shal neither the Church of Rome nor the Pope of Rome be Antichrist but shal be persecuted by Antichrist and driuen out of Rome if it be possible for to Christs Vicar and the Romane Church he vvil beare as much good vvil as the Protestants novv doe and he shal haue more povver to persecute him and the Church then they haue S. Hierom epist 17. c. 7. to Marcella to dravv her out of the citie of Rome to the holy land vvarning her of the manifold allurements to sinne and il life that be in so great and populous a citie alludeth at length to these vvordes of the Apocalypse and maketh it to be Babylon and the purple vvhoore but straight vvay lest some naughtie person might thinke he meant that of the Church of Rome vvhich he spake of the societie of the vvicked only he addeth There is there in deeds the holy Church there are the triumphans monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the true confession of Christ there is the faith praised * of the Apostle and Gentilitie troden vnder foote the name of Christian daily aduancing it self on high Vvhereby you see that vvhatsoeuer may be spoken or interpreted of Rome out of this vvord Babylō it is not meant of the Church of Rome but of the terrene state in so much that the said holy Doctor li. 2. aduers Iouinian c. 19. signifieth that the holines of the Church there hath vviped avvay the blasphemie vvritten in the forehead of her former iniquitie But of the difference of the old state and dominion of the Heathen there for vvhich it is resembled to Antichrist and the Priestly state vvhich novv it hath reade a notable place in S. Leo serm 1 in natali Petri Pauli 5. Mysterie S. Paul calleth this secrete and close vvorking of abomination the mysterie of iniquitie 2. Thessal 2. and it is called a litle after in this chapter vers 7. the Sacrament or mysterie of the vvoman and it is also the marke of reprobation and damnation 6. Drunken of the bloud It is plaine that this vvoman signifieth the vvhole corps of al the persecutors that haue and shal shede so much bloud of the iust of the Prophets Apostles and other Martyrs from the beginning of the vvorld to the end The Protestants folishly expound it of Rome for that there they put Heretikes to death and allovv of their punishment in other countries but their bloud is not called the bloud of saincts no more then the bloud of theeues mankillers and other malefactors for the sheding of vvhich by order of iustice no Commonvvealth shal ansvver 9. Seuen hilles The Angel him self here expoundeth these 7 hilles to be al one vvith the 7 heads and the 7 kings yet the Heretikes blinded excedingly vvith malice against the Church of Rome are so madde to take them for the seuen hilles literally vpon vvhich in old time Rome did stand that so they might make the vnlearned beleeue that Rome is the seate of Antichrist But if they had any consideration they might marke that the Prophets visions here are most of them by Seuens vvhether he talke of heads hornes candlestickes Churches kings hilles or other thinges and that he alluded not to the hilles because they vvere iust seuen but that Seuen is a mystical number as sometimes Ten is signifying vniuersally al of that sort whereof he speaketh as that the seuen heads hilles or kingdoms which are here al one should be al the kingdoms of the world that persecute the Christians being heads and mountaines for their height in dignitie aboue others And some take it that there were seuen special Empires kingdoms or States that vvere or shal be the greatest persecutors of Gods people as of Aegypt hanaan Babylon the Persians and Greekes which be fiue-sixtly of the Romane Empire which once persecuted most of al other and which as the Apostle here saith yet is or standeth but the seuenth then vvhen S. Iohn vvrote this vvas not come neither is yet come in our daies vvhich is Antichrists state vvhich shal not come so long as the Empire of Rome standeth as S. Paul did Prophecie 2 Thessa◠2. 13. The same is the eight The beast it self being the congregation of al these vvicked persecutors though it consist of the foresaid seuen yet for that the malice of al is complete in it may be called the eight Or Antichrist him self though he be one of the seuen yet for his extraordinarie vvickednes shal be counted the odde persecutor or the accomplishment of al other therfore is named the eight Some take this beast called the eight to be the Diuel 18. The great citie If it be meant of any one citie and not of the vniuersal societie of the reprobate vvhich is the citie of the Diuel as the Church the vniuersal fellovvship of the faithful is called the citie of God it is most like to be old Rome as some of the Greekes expound it from the time of the first Emperours til Constantines daies vvho made an end of the persecution for by the authoritie of the old Romane Empire Christ vvas put to death first and aftervvard the tvvo cheefe Apostles the Popes their successors and infinite Catholike men through out the vvorld by lesser kings vvhich then vvere subiect to Rome Al vvhich Antichristian persecution◠ceased vvhen