prooued thus the wisedome of God hath taught vs to praie to our father in heauen and not to anie other what is it then to teach men to praie to others but to controll that wisedome of God that it hath not taught the wisest way to pray and thus in that wherein you thought to shew his humilitie you set foorth his intollerable pride ◠Thess. 2. 11. The text Therefore ⸫ God will send them the operation of error to beleeue lieng c. The note Deus mittet saith Saint Augustine libro 20. de Ciu. cap. 19. quia Deus diabolum facere ista permittet God will send bicause God will permit the diuell to do these things whereby we may take a general rule that Gods action or working in such things is his permission See annot Rom. 1. 24. The answer Now Augustine must helpe you with a generall rule that expresselie both against the whole course of scripture and also against his owne minde if you meane by permission onlie permission for he saith who doeth not tremble at these horrible iudgements of God by which he doth in the hearts of the wicked what he will rendring to euerie man according to his merits And againe he saith it is out of doubt that God doeth worke in the mindes of men to encline their willes either to good according to his mercie or els to euill according to their deserts by his iudgement sometimes open and sometimes secret but alwaies iust This I trowe is somewhat more then only permission therefore you must racke some other for that generall rule for Augustine will not yéeld it you and it groweth out of a foolish nicenes for men to be afraid to speake as the holie Ghost hath spoken afore them 2. Thess. 2. 17. The text And our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe and God our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen eternall consolation and good hope in grace ⸫ exhort your hearts and confirme you in euerie good worke and word The note This word of exhorting implieth in it comfort and consolation 2. Corinthes 1. verse 4. and 6. The answer Trueth doeth well but neuer when it is intermedled with vntruthes If this note were not defiled with the former these that follow but had passed alone then we would haue ioined with you 2. Thess. 3. 6. The text And we denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the ⸫ tradition which they haue receiued of vs. The note Here also as is noted before 1. Thessalonians 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translations auoid the word tradition being plaine in the Greeke least them selues might seeme to be noted as men walking inordinatelie and not according to Apostolicall tradition as all Schismatikes heretikes and rebels to Gods church do The answer If corrupt vse had not in your times made tradition to bée commonlie taken of the people for a doctrine deliuered by word of mouth onlie and neuer published in the holie Scriptures by writing contrarie to the sense and meaning of the Apostle then had there not béene anie iust cause of auoiding the word But you can not iustlie blame vs though we flie a word corrupted by you and therefore dangerous to deceiue withall and set downe for it some other worde no lesse aptlie agréeing to the signification of the Gréeke word and better with more plainnesse expressing vnto the vnlearned the minde and meaning of the Apostle in that place But bicause you charge other men with inordinate walking contrarie to the traditions Apostolicall answer for your selues and yeeld vs reason if you can whie you breake those which you call the Apostles constitutions why do you not commonlie and ordinarilie choose married men to be Bishops why haue you kept the common people from reading the scriptures why suffer you women to baptize why fast you not continuallie on Wednesdaies whie doo ye exclude the people both from election and approbation of Bishops and priests If these bée not the ordinances of the Apostles why do ye abuse the world with alledging the authoritie of that booke for you if they bée with what face can you obiect to others wherein you are most manifestlie faultie your selues 1. TIMOTHIE 1. Tim. 1. 5. The text But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart ⸫ a good conscience a faith not fained The note Saint Augustine saith he that list to haue the hope of heauen let him looke that he haue a good conscience let him beleeue and worke well For that he beléeueth he hath of faith that he worketh he hath of charitie praefat in Psalm 31. The answer As you alledge Saint Augustine so I would that you caried his syncere mind and loue to the truth so should we not onlie agrée in this but throwing away all minde and desire of contending enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie 1. Tim. 1. 19. The text This precept I commend to thee O Timothie according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good warfare hauing faith and a good conscience ⸫ which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the faith The note Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie from the faith of the Catholike church Againe this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had The answer True and liuelie faith is one thing and the outward profession of faith is another You loue to dallie with equiuocations knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere By such arguments as you make it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white 1. Tim. 2. 1. The text I desire therefore first of all things that obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgiuings be made for all men ⸫ for Kings and al that are in praeeminence that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie The note Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors by whom the church suffreth persecution much more for all faithfull princes and powers and people both spirituall and temporall for whom as members of Christes bodie and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices See Saint August de origine animae lib. 1. cap. 9. The answer The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul and the whole primitiue church For now such princes as punish papists or fauour not poperie must be murdered disinherited excommunicated deposed depriued giuen to the diuell and not praied for They may not looke for the dutie which was giuen to persecuting princes then For our holie father of Rome will not
allow it I see not for what purpose you alledge Augustine and therefore I passe him ouer with silence 1. Tim. 3. 4. The text Well ruling his owne house ⸫ hauing his children subiect with all chastitie The note He saith hauing children not getting children Saint Ambrose Epist 82. The answer I hope saint Ambrose doth not meane that he should haue children of other mens begetting or that it should be lawfull for a bishop to be a married man and not lawfull for him to liue according to the lawes of matrimonie which God himselfe hath set downe But I sée you are glad to vse the fathers where you find them a little too much to fauor and fansie your single life 1. Tim. 3. 6. The text Not a ⸫ neophyte least puffed vp into pride he fall into iudgement of the diuell The note Neophytus is he that was lately christened or newly planted in the mysticall bodie of Christ. The answer Héerein I confesse the church of England hath béene negligent and faultie for permitting some of your dissembling papists to exercise the ministerie of the word afore sufficient triall by length of time was had of their vnfained repentance and conuersion 2. Tim 4. ◠The text For ⸫ euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued with thankesgiuing The note We see plainly by these words such abstinence onely to be disallowed as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature creation The note We sée a double estimation of meats héere one taken from the nature creation of things the other from the person of him that vseth them as appéereth plainly in these words which God created for the faithfull and for them that haue knowen the truth Your church therefore is heere plainly noted first for that it maketh it vnlawfull for some to féede of diuers and sundrie of the creatures of God which God had appointed for the vse of all the faithfull Secondly bicause it hath generally caused men to make a superstitious difference betwixt fish fruit flesh egs and whitemeat being al alike by nature and creation For that which God hath made lawfull at all times with you is somtimes vnlawfull holines and the seruice of God or at least a parcell of it is planted in superstitious abstinence and mens consciences tied and intangled in the things in which God hath left them frée As for your ouer turning this to be meant of other ancient heretiks can no more excuse you than it did excuse the Manichées that this was meant of the Tatians Cataphriges Eucratites and such like who were long afore them 1. Tim. 4. 8. The text For ⸫ corporall exercise is profitable to little but pietie is profitable to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come The note Some saith S. Chysostom expound this of fasting but they are deceiued for fasting is a spirituall exercise See a goodly commentarie of these words in S. August lib. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33. The answer Corporall or bodily exercise are externall actions for religions sake vsed and exercised as watching long abstinence from meate and drinke the daily reciting of a certaine number of praiers lieng and lodging on the bare ground the wearing of haire cloth next the skin whippings and whatsoeuer other bodily vexations besides wherein papists plant merit and their heremites and others their religious do without al measure or mean vse These and such like are the things which saint Paul saith are profitable to little and yet a great péece of poperie consisteth in them The maners of the catholike church in saint Augustines time to which you refer vs doth as much differ from the maners of the church of Rome now as chalke doth differ from chéese 1. Tim. 5. 5. The text But she that is a widow indeed and desolate let hir hope in God and continue in obsecrations and ⸫ praiers night day The note Bicause of this continuall praier which standeth not with coniugall all and carnall acts of matrimonie as the Apostle signifieth 1. Cor. 7. 5. therfore were these widowes to liue in the state of perpetual continencie The answer All Christian men are commanded to continue in praiers and to pray without ceasing Therfore by your reason it is lawfull for no Christian to marry You care not how vainly you conclude nor into what briers you bring poore men that haue tender consciences so you seeme to say somwhat for your single life 1. Tim. 5. 17. The text The priests that rule wellet them be esteemed ⸫ woorthy of double honor especially they that labour in the worde and doctrine The note Double honor and liuelihood due to good priests The answer But goodnes of priests consisteth not in saieng masse and sacrificing for the quicke and the dead but in wel ruling their flock and in diligent and painefull instructing the people which pertaine to their charge in Christian religion 1. Tim. 5. 19. The text ⸫ Against a priest receiue not accusation but vnder two or three witnesses The note Here the Apostle will not haue euerie light fellow to be heard against a priest So Augustine for the like reuerence of priesthood admonisheth Paucarius that in no wise he admit any testimonies or accusations of heretikes against a catholike priest ep 212. The answer No reason that against ministers of the worde accusations should lightly be admitted and your dealing against vs in continuall lieng and false accusations doth verie well iustifie Augustines counsell to Paucarius For it is a verie dangerous thing to admit the accusations of popish heretikes against true Catholikes séeing they are commonly woont with their aduersaries to kéepe neither faith nor truth 1. Tim. 5. 22. The text Impose hands on no man ⸫ lightly neither do thou communicate with other mens sins The note Bishops must haue great care that they giue not order to anie that is not well tried for his faith learning and good behauiour The answer Herein we fully agrée with you But this rule hath béene as well kept by you as all good precepts haue besides But it is no matter for the pope and his bishops learned neither of Peter nor of Paul but of Ieroboam to make priests for their own tooth 1. Tim. 6. 3. The text If any ⸫ teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to pietie he is proud knowing nothing The note See the annotation before cap. 1. 34. The answer We agrée with you vpon this point that all doctrine which is odde singuler new differing from that which was first planted by the Apostles and descended from them to all nations and ages following is assuredly erronius Let vs therefore setting all other things apart examine the doctrine of your church and so much as shall be found to descend from the apostles we wil with all our harts embrace But this
and one pastor The note He meaneth the Church of the Gentils The answer It is true that Christ made of Iewes and Gentils one folde and of both he and not the pope is the one only pastor and head Iohn 10. 29. The text My father ⸫ that which he hath giuen me is greater then al. The note Another reading is my father that hath giuen me c. The answer In diuers readings you choose that which is most obscure and can not carie any true sense if it be weied with the circumstances of the place and leaue that which is plaine and carieth an inestimable comfort to all that loue God and best agréeth the Gréeke originall Iohn 11. 44. The text Iesus said to them ⸫ Loose him and let him go The note S. Cyril lib. 7. cap. vlt. in Ioh. and Augustine tract 49. in Ioh. applie this to the Apostles and priests authority of absoluing sinners affirming that Christ doth reuiue none from sinne but in the church and by the priests ministerie The answer Wée beléeue that the promise of life eternall pertaineth to none but to such as are or shalbe of the Church of God and that the ordinarie meanes whereby God effectuallie calleth men to be of his church is the ministerie of his woord But we dare not tie God to his ordinarie meanes sith he extraordinarilie called Paul and others But how well this place is applied to the ordinarie authoritie of ministers or priestes in absoluing I will spare to speake for reuerence of them whom you alledge It is well that the church hath plaine euidence of scriptures for the authoritie of binding and loosing for if it staid it selfe vpon the authoritie of men wresting such places as this to that purpose it were but a poore sillie comfort that the conscience of a poore penitent sinner could reape by the churches absolution Iohn 11. 48. The text If we let him alone so all will beleeue in him and the Romans will come and ⸫ take away our place and nation The note All men but speciall nations must take heed that whiles to saue their temporall state they forsake God they loose not both as the Iewes did August tract 49. in Io. The answer Therefore we vndergo all the perils and dangers which by your stirring vp the force and might of all the popish princes in the world can bring vpon vs rather than to displease God by giuing ouer his truth wherwith he hath blessed vs least we should prouoke his heauie indignation against vs and so perish as the Iewes haue done before vs. Iohn 12. 3. The text ⸫ Marie therfore tooke a pound of ointment of right spikenard precious and annointed the feete of Iesus and wiped his feete with hir haire and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment The note Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion and how acceptable they were to Christ See the annot Mat. 26. The answer Bicause those annotations are to receiue answer by themselues therefore I thought not good to touch them here Iohn 12. 7. The text Iesus therefore said Let hir alone that she may keepe it for the day of my ⸫ buriall The note The deuout offices of balming and annointing the dead bodies of the faithfull are here also allowed The answer And we do not disallow whatsoeuer in buriall serueth either for comfort of them that be aliue and for the honest and comely bringing the dead to the graue being the last duties that men can do to their faithfull friends Iohn 12. 8. The text For the poore you haue alwaies with you but me you shall not haue alwaies The note Not in visible and mortal condition to receiue almes of you and such like offices for supply of my necessitie The answer And why do you not say not in bodie nor in humanitie Bicause you would faine with some color shift of Christs bodily absence from the earth for the better safetie and defence of your reall preseâ—ce in the sacrament You are full of fathers in matters nâ—edlesse why do you not in this place so often repeated bring vs at the least one plaine place of some father affirming that he is not simply absent in bodie from vs but onely in such sort as you do imagine Is it not a secret confession that all antiquitie is against you I maruell that you are so impudent still to glory and to cry that your faith hath continued almost xvj hundred yéeres when you know that in a number of things you are not able to bring foorth any true authoritie of halfe the age Iohn 12. 20. The text And there were certaine Gentils of them that came vp to adore in the festiuall day The note We may see there a great difference where a man pray or adore at home or in the church and holy places When the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the temple in Hierusalem The answer Now pilgrimages are prooued and that full pithily For the Gentiles came to adore at Hierusalem When you can find such expresse commandement of God for running to saint Iames of Compostella or our Ladie of Walsingham or visiting the holie sepulchre as was for al both Iewes and conuerts then to appéere before the Lord at Hierusalem then your reason will hold Otherwise it is as much as if I should say The Iewes and conuerts of the Gentils obeied the commandement of God in going to Hierusalem at the feast daies to worship Ergo it is lawful for me to go a roging to what place of pilgrimage in the world séemeth best in mine owne eies without further warrant As for the difference of publike and priuate praier and of seruing God at home and in the common assemblies are both knowen and practised amongst vs. Iohn 12. 40. The text Therfore they ⸫ could not beleeue bicause Esay said againe he hath blinded their eies and indurated their harts c. The note If any man aske saith saint Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer roundly bicause they would not Tract 33. in Io. See annotations Matth. 13. 15. Mark 4. 12. The answer It is true that the corruption of mans will is the cause of all euill and wickednes in man But héere either your printer made a fault or your note booke deceiued you for it is in 53. treatise And I muze why you should so much couet so force Augustine to speake for you séeing that you know that of all other he is most earnest in this cause of frée will against you For in the same place he acknowledgeth the iust iudgement of God vpon them in leauing them in blindnes and not helping them to sée And teacheth vs in inquiring why God would so leaue them to crie out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. Which exclamation sheweth that Augustine had an eie to somwhat more than their will yea and to such a somwhat as was not
commonlie of vncircumcised nations were vncleane as also they estéemed of the vncircumcised persons them selues Rom. 14. 14. The text But to him that supposeth anie thing to be common to him it is common The note Though he wish the weake to be borne withall yet he vttereth his minde plainlie that in deed all the meates forbidden and vncleane in the law are now through Christ clensed and lawfull for euery man to vse The answer As Paul was plaine in deliuering his doctrine concerning daies and meats so the papists doctrine thereof is obscure darke and doubtfull so that the greatest number of their simple followers haue their consciences snarled and intangled in daies and meates and know not the indifferencie of them Rom. 15. 4. The text For ⸫ what things soeuer haue bene written to our learning they are written that by patience and consolation of the scriptures we may haue hope The note He meaneth all that is written in the old Testament much more all things written in the new Testament are for our learning and comfort The answer If both the Scriptures of the old new Testament be written for our learning what meaneth the church of Rome neither to prouide teachers in number sufficient nor yet to suffer the people to reade them in a language that they may vnderstand is it not bicause you are content to haue men nusseled in ignorance and so spoiled of the comfort which God hath prouided for them I thinke pope Paul and you be of one iudgement Rom. 15. ◠The text And the God of patience and of comfort giue you to be of one mind one toward another according to Iesus Christ that of ⸫ one minde with one mouth you may glorifie God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Vnitie in religion commended The answer Popish vnitie consisteth in this that seruice bée in one language through Christendome whether people vnderstand it or no Otherwise what vntie is and hath bene in your religion they that are acquainted with your writers and stories can tell As for example your great professor Martinius whilest he is caried with an enuious stomacke to carpe at our English translations doeth condemne yours in more then an hundred places But I confesse howsoeuer you haue dissented in other things you haue held and do hold a marueilous vnitie against al verity and that is the cause that not one of you maketh anie conscience of lieng And though there are amongst vs also some contentions yet they are not about waightie points of doctrine for therein is a verie great consent but such as hath happened amongst the Apostles them selues and are all about bearing with or rooting out some leauings of yours Rom. 15. 8. The text For I say Christ Iesus to haue bene ⸫ minister of the circumcision for the veritie of God to confirme the promises of the fathers The note Christ did execute his office and ministerie onlie towards the people of circumcision that is the Iewes The answer This note is true but yet so as that in diuerse Christ afore shewed the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 25. The text Now therefore I will go to Hierusalem to minister to the ⸫ Saints The note He meaneth the holie persons that hauing forsaken all their goods for Christ were wholie conuerted to serue the Lord with all their mind Saint Hierome against Vigilantius the heretike reprehending the almes giuen to such as do the heretikes also of our time The answer What heretikes of our time finde fault with reléeuing the néedie saints of God but you meane them that iustlie finde fault that a great number of roging Friers being lustie and able to get their liuing by the sweat of their browes should be reléeued and so deuoure and consume that which is due to the poore néedie sicke and impotent people contrarie to the precept of Paul He that laboureth not let him not eat But at Hierusalem there were then none of those that professed witfull pouertie Rom. 15. 30. The text I beseech you therefore brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the charitie of the holie Ghost that you ⸫ helpe me in your praiers for me to God The note In that the Apostle desireth to be praied for we may be mooued to seeke the same as a great benefit The answer The praiers of the faithfull are very forcible helps to aduance forward the good desires and endeuors of Gods ministers Rom. 16. 3. The text Salute Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Iesus The note The onely salutation of so woorthie a man is sufficient to fill him with great grace that is saluted Chrysost. in 2. Timoth. 4. The answer I maruell you are not ashamed to alledge the doctors for that which you your selues beléeue not Can any man by saluting bestow Gods graces where it pleaseth him to salute The fathers prooue the holie Ghost to be God bicause the gifts and graces of God are distributed as he will And I pray you how much inferior do you make Paul to the spirit of God if his salutation be sufficient to fill with graces whom it pleaseth him to salute Wel let your note haue that credit that Chrysostoms bare word without further matter may giue it Rom. 16. ◠The text Who for my life haue laid downe their necks to whom not onely I giue thanks but also the churches of the Gentils and their domesticall church The note This domesticall church was either that faithfull and Christian houshold or rather the Christians meeting togither there and in such good houses to heare diuine seruice and the Apostles preaching in those times of persecution The answer Why do you not in stead of diuine seruice say mattens and masse For we now vnderstand by diuine seruice that they praied togither in a toong they vnderstood and that likewise some parcel of scripture was read which was by their Apostles or pastors interpreted to them Which how far it disagreeth with the maner and custome of your church he that hath halfe an eie may sée Rom. 16. 15. The text Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olympias and all the saints that are with them The note The protestants heere reason thus Peter is not heere saluted Therfore he was neuer at Rome See the annotation The answer You slander the protestants Their maner of reasoning is not so loose They reason thus Paul who so carefully reckoned and saluted the chéefe and principall Christians at Rome by name would not haue forgotten Peter as the principall and chéefe if he had then béene there Therefore it is very likely that he was not then there bicause he was not then saluted We know that it is not materiall whether Peter were at Rome or no or whether he were bishop there or no. And therfore they are not points that we greatly sticke on But those that tell the time of his comming thither and how long he liued they are manifestly confuted by the truth
God in truth The note He sheweth that the Church and Christs gospell should daily growe and be spred at length through the whole world which cannot stand with the heretikes opinion of the decay thereof so quickly after Christs time nor agree by any meanes to their obscure conuenticles See S. Augustine epist. 80. in fine The answer It is true that Christs faith did grow and spread in the whole world yet you your selues will confesse that it doth not alwaies spread alike For I know you will except our times And we wil except the times wherein the Arrians florished who as you report continued longer and was better defended by princes and worldly power than we are now Then it cannot be a question how quickly some corruptions grew but whether any great diminution or lessening of the number of true Catholikes may be But the ancient testimonies of stories do also put that out of doubt This repugnance you speake of we sée not Neither haue our conuenticles as it pleaseth you to terme them béene at any time more obscure than the assemblies of Christians in the primitiue church as you your selues cannot choose but confesse S. Augustine whose authoritie you alledge in his latter daies saw a greater decay of the Christian faith by the cruel inuasion of many barbarous nations that did ouerrun both Europe and Affrike than he did thinke when he wrote that Epistle possible to haue béene in so short a space And further if we consider the stories of the times since we shal find that that the bounds of Christendom haue béene greatly lessened and diminished since saint Augustines time Flat contrarie to his opinion in that Epistle Colos. 1. 10. The text That you may walke ⸫ worthie of God in al things pleasing The note See S. Ambrose and the Gr. doctors Or thus woorthily pleasing God The answer What néed you haue of Ambrose or any other great doctors for this I cannot imagine Colos. 1. 10. The text Fructifieng in ⸫ al good works and increasing in the knowledge of God The note Many things requisite and diuers things acceptable to God besides faith The answer This is your accustomed dealing to make ignorant men beléeue that your aduersaries allow of nothing but faith When as we confesse many things requisite for Christians and acceptable to God besides faith but nothing without faith Colos. 1. â—â— The text Giuing thanks to God and the father who hath made ⸫ vs woorthie vnto the part of the lot of the saints in the light The note We are not onely by acceptation or imputation partakers of Christs benefits but are by his grace made woorthie thereof and deserue our saluation condignly The answer You prate much of your owne woorthines and prooue nothing The benefits of iustification and saluation we haue by imputation onely other benefits as newnes of life sanctification and whatsoeuer pertaineth to that change alteration which God by the gracious working and guiding of his holy spirit maketh in those which be his be really and actually in vs. We are made woorthie indéede in respect of Christs righteousnes wherewith we are adorned and in respect of our selues none otherwise than the hungrie are said to be woorthie of meate and the thirsty woorthie of drinke not bicause they deserue it but bicause they earnestly desire it The deseruing therfore of our saluation condignly as you haue learned of your schoolemen to terme it might haue béene kept in your purse for héere is no place to vent it in our market serueth not for the sale thereof Colos. 2. 4. The text But this I say ⸫ that no man deceiue you in loftinesse of words The note Heretikes do most commonly deceiue the people with eloquence namely such as haue it by the gift of nature as the heretikes of all ages had and lightly all seditious persons which draw the vulgar sort to sedition by the allurement of their toong Nothing saith saint Hierom ep 2â— ad Nepotian is so easie as with volubilitie of toong to deceiue the vnlearned multitude which whatsoeuer it vnderstandeth not doth the more admire and woonder at the same The Apostle heer calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persuasible speech The answer Héere is long labour about washing of a tile Who knoweth not that papists and such heretikes as they are by fine retoricall persuasible spéeches do carrie poore ignorant men after them and to the intent they may as saint Ierom saith be the more admired and woondered at of the people that vnderstand not they not onely endeuor to kéepe the people without knowledge but also hunt after strange and vnwoonted words such as the eares of the people haue not béene acquainted withall and their intelligence reacheth not vnto whereof this your translation is a good euidence Turne therefore this note against your selues examine well your owne consciences and repent whiles you haue time Colos. 2. 18. The text Let no man seduce you ⸫ willing in the humilitie and religion of Angels walking in the things which he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh The note That is wilfull or selfe willed in voluntarie religion For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof commeth the word following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superstition v. 23. See annotations v. 21. The answer If voluntarie religion and will worship were quite and cléere banished from amongst all those that call themselues Christians then where should poperie become For you your selues cannot for the greatest part of it shew any other ground but the will and deuise of men Colos. 2. 19. The text And not holding the head whereof the whole bodie by ioints and bands ⸫ being serued and compacted groweth to the increase of God The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is taking subministration of spirituall life and nourishment by grace from Christ the head The answer The Gréeke word signifieth our strait coniunction in Christs mysticall bodie as our bodies are ioined and knit togither by ioints and sinewes and so your note declareth the consequence of that ioining being drawen from the truth of the signification of the word Colos. 3. 15. The text And let the peace of God exult in your harts wherein you are also called in one bodie and be thankfull The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triumph and haue the victorie The answer By a metaphor drawen from the games of the Ethnikes wherein some had pricke and praise for actiuitie and strength Colos. 3. 24. The text Knowing that you shall receiue of our Lord the retribution of inheritance The note Retribution or reward for good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth rendering one for another The answer Out of Gods rendering or rewarding meriting cannot be collected and in this place the word of inheritance cléereth all For if it be our inheritance we haue it not by our deseruing Colos. 4. 3. The text Be instant in praier watching in it with thansgiuing praieng withall ⸫ for
heere we see good exhortations and praier and such other helps of man be profitable thereunto which could not be if we had not freewill The answer That conuersion from sin is the gift of God and that all helps by man which God hath thereto appointed are néedfull and necessarie it is manifest but it is impossible that the industrie of man should do good where God createth not a new hart and reneweth not a right will For the will and wisedome of man is enimitie to God And so appéereth the vanitie of your conclusion for frée will 2. Tim. 3. 8. The text But as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moises so these also resist the truth men corrupted in minde reprobate concerning the faith The note That those Magicians which resisted Moises were thus called it is not written in all the old Testament therefore it came to the Apostles knowledge by tradition as the church now hath the names of the three Kings of the penitent theefe of the souldier that pearced Christs side on the crosse The answer Howsoeuer Paul had the names of those magicians to vs it is not materiall We are sure the spirit of God hath now to vs made them knowen by him and therefore it followeth not that we must beléeue your fabulous narrations of the names number dignitie and such like of the wise men wherein you make of East West and of West East contrarie to the manifest truth so that the wiser sort of your selues do not beléeue those toies but your Romish church hath deliuered it to her children let them that will willinglie be deceiued be deceiued by her 2 Tim. 3. 14. The text But thou ⸫ continue in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned The note In all danger and diuersitie of false sectes Saint Pauls admonition is euer to abide in that was first taught and deliuered neuer to giue ouer our old faith for a new fansie This is it which before he calleth depositum 1. Timothie 6. and 2. Timothie 1. The answer And why did not Paul admonish men to hold fast that which the Pope and the church of Rome should prescribe bicause that should not or could not erre or stray from the first faith Or why do not you setting all other things apart enter into that triall with vs whether our doctrine or yours were the former Your whole doctrine swarueth farre from the first faith which the Apostles planted and the greatest part thereof is quite destitute of all testimonie of antiquitie 2. Tim. 4. 6. The text For I am euen now ⸫ to be sacrificed and the time of my resolution is at hand The note The martyrdome of Saints is so acceptable to God that it is counted as it were a sacrifice in his sight and therefore hath manie effectes both in the partie that suffereth it and in others that are partakers of the merit as of a sacrifice which name it hath by a Metaphore The answer The voluntarie suffrings of most bitter and cruel death for Gods cause of Gods saints are accepted of God as a most swéete sacrifice The effectes in the partie that suffereth bicause you haue not vttered what they be I can not imagine your meaning therefore know not what to say to it The effects it hath in others if you had dealt plainlie you should haue said to be the confirmation and strengthening of other christians by their suffrings But you come couertlie in with the partaking or partnership of their merits to make a way for the maintenance of your holie fathers gainfull marchandize for he hath the bestowing of all the merits of Peter and Paul and other saintes and they are admitted to be partakers of them that will paie most for them 2. Tim. 4. 21. The text Eubulus and pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren salute thee The note This Linus was coadiutor with and vnder Saint Peter and so counted second in the number of the popes The answer It is strange to sée how boldly our papists can set downe that which by no meanes they can be sure of first therefore good reader thou art to vnderstand that by the testimonie of all stories Peter and Paul suffered death at Rome both in one day If euer Linus therefore were bishop of Rome by the Apostles life time he was at this present when they were so néere their end that they dailie looked to be sacrificed But it is not likelie that he was as then aduaunced to that dignitie when neither Paul mentioneth him as bishop or as his or Peters coadiutor or fellow labourer and also setteth diuers other Christians afore him in his salutation which had béene a verie vnmannerlie part and a great forgetfulnesse of dutie in the Apostles if Linus had then béene Bishop there and so Christs vicar generall But bicause you terme him Saint Peters coadiutor there I pray you tel me was Saint Peter there now or no I will not vse the reason that Paul not onlie héere but alwaies forgetteth him amongst those whom he nameth in his salutations whereof groweth great likelihood that he was neuer there whiles Paul wrote thence But if he were now and before there Paul maketh a verie great and pitifull complaint of him that he amongst the rest forsook him But I had rather say he was not yet come to Rome and that Paul made Linus the first Bishop there as your Clemens also affirmeth then to admit so great an absurditie against Peter The succession of the bishops of Rome which you so much glory of and vpon the authoritie whereof your church resteth is vncertaine vaine obscure and such as your selues can make no certaine report of TITVS Tit. 1. 15. The text All things are ⸫ cleane to the cleane but to the polluted and infidels nothing is cleane but polluted are both their minds and consciences The note He speaketh not of the church absteining from meats sometimes which is not for anie vncleannes in the creatures but for chastening their bodies but he meaneth the Iewish superstition who now being christians would not cease to put difference of cleane and vncleane according to their old law See Aug. cont Faust. lib. 31. cap. 4. The answer I easily beléeue that he ment not of that which was not for your churches superstition in that matter was not yet growne But you haue brought about by your lawes of abstinencie that your simple followers in the extremitie of sicknes when there cannot be any pretence of chastening their bodies thereby are so snarled in conscience that they dare not touch or tast that which is necessary to preserue life and to restore health withal Besides chastening of your bodies in your ordinarie abstinence in poperie hath no probable shew For your richer sort neuer fare more delicately nor fill their bellies more gluttonouslie then when they abstaine from ordinarie meats and hunt after extraordinarie delicates So that no mans bodies are