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
ynough S. Matthew addeth these wordes also of our Sauiour teaching them to obserue al things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you which conteineth al good workes and the whole iustice of a Christian man 17. These signes shal folow It is not meant that al Christians or true beleeuers should doe miracles but that some for the proofe of the faith of al should haue that gift The which is the grace or gift of the whole Church executed by certaine for the edification and profite of the whole THE ARGVMENT OF S. LVKES GOSPEL S Lukes Gospel may be diuided into fiue partes The first part is of the Infancie both of the precursor and of Christ himselfe chap. 1 and 2. The second of the Preparation that vvas made to the manifestation of Christ chap. 3 and a piece of the 4. The third of Christes manifesting him selfe by preaching and miracles specially in Galilee the other piece of the 4 chap. vnto the middes of the 17. The fourth of his comming into Iurie tovvards his Passion the other piece of the 17 chap. vnto the middes of the 19. The fifth of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem the other part of the 19 chap. vnto the end of the booke S. Luke vvas sectator saith S. Hierome that is a disciple of the Apostle Paul and a companion of 〈◊〉 his peregrination And the same vve see in the Actes of the Apostles Vvhere from the 16 chap. S. Luke putteth him selfe in the traine of S. Paul vvriting thus in the storie Forthwith we sought to goe into Macedonia and in like maner in the first person commonly through the rest of that booke Of him and his Gospel S. Hierom vnderstandeth this saying of S. Paul Vve haue sent with him the brother vvhose praise is in the Gospel through al Churches where also he addeth Some suppose so often as Paul in his Epistles saith According to my Gospel that he meaneth of Lukes booke And againe Luke learned the Gospel not onely of the Apostle Paul who had not been with our Lord in flesh but of the other Apostles which him selfe also in the beginning of his booke declareth saying As they deliuered to vs who them selues from the beginning saw and were ministers of the word It foloweth in S. Hierome Therfore he wrote the Gospel as he had heard but the Actes of the Apostles he compiled as he had seen S. Paul vvriteth of him by name to the Colossians Luke the Physicion saluteth you and to Timothee Luke alone is with me Finally of his end thus doth S. Hierome vvrite He liued fourescore and foure yeres hauing no wife He is buried at Constantinople to vvhich citie his bones vvith the Relikes of Andrew the Apostle were translated out of Achaia the twentith yere of Constantinus And of the same Translation also in another place against Vigilantius the Heretike It grieueth him that the Relikes of the Martyrs are couered with pretious couerings and that they are not either tied in cloutes or throwen to the dunghil why are we then * sacrilegious when we enter the Churches of the Apostles Was Constantinus ' the Emperour sacrilegious who translated to Constantinople the holy Relikes of Andrew Luke and Timothee at which the Diuels rore and the inhabiters of Vigilantius confesse that they feele their presence His sacred body is novv as Padua in Italie Vvither it vvas againe translated from Constantinople THE HOLY GOSPEL OF IESVS CHRIST ACCORDING TO LVKE CHAP. I. The Annunciation and Conception first of the Precursor 26 and sixe moneths after of Christ also him self 39 The Visitation of our Ladie vvhere both the mothers do Prophecie 5â— The Natiuitie and Circuâ—cision of the Precursor vvhere his father doth prophecie 80 The Precursor is from a childe an Eremite verse 1 BECAVSE many haue gone about to compile a narration of the things that haue been accomplished among vs ✠verse 2 according as they haue deliuered vnto vs vvho from the beginning them selues savv and vvere ministers of the vvord ✠verse 3 it seemed good also vnto me ″ hauing diligently atteined to al things from the beginning to vvrite to thee in order good * Theophilus ✠verse 4 that thou maist knovv the veritie of those vvordes vvhere of thou hast been instructed ✠verse 5 There vvas in the daies of Herod the king of Ievvrie a certaine Priest named Zacharie of the * course of Abia and his vvife of the daughters of Aaron and her name Elizabeth ✠verse 6 And they vvere both ″ iust before God vvalking ″ in al the commaundements ″ and iustifications of our Lord vvithout blame ✠verse 7 and they had no sonne for that Elizabeth vvas barren and both vvere vvel striken in their daies ✠verse 8 And it came to passe vvhen he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God ✠verse 9 according to the custome of the Priestly function he vvent forth by lot * to offer incense entring into the temple of our Lord ✠verse 10 and * al the multitude of the people vvas praying vvithout at the houre of the incense ✠verse 11 And there appeared to him an Angel of our Lord standing on the right hand of the altar of incense ✠verse 12 And Zacharie vvas troubled seeing him and feare fel vpon him ✠verse 13 But the Angel said to him Feare not Zacharie for thy praier is heard and thy vvife Elizabeth shal beare thee a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Iohn ✠verse 14 and thou shalt haue ″ ioy and exultation and many shal reioyce in his natiuitie ✠verse 15 for he shal be great before our Lord and vvine and sicer he shal not drinke and he shal be replenished vvith the Holy Ghost euen from his mothers vvombe ✠verse 16 and he shal * conuert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God ✠verse 17 and he shal goe before him * in the spirit and vertue of Elias that he may conuert the hartes of the fathers vnto the children and the incredulous to the vvisedom of the iust to prepare vnto the Lord a perfect people ⊢ ✠verse 18 And Zacharie said to the Angel Vvhereby shal I knovv this for I am old and my vvife is vvel striken in her daies ✠verse 19 And the Angel ansvvering said to him I am Gabriel that assist before God and am sent to speake to thee and to euangelize these things to thee ✠verse 20 And behold thou shalt be dumme and shalt not be able to speake vntil the day vvherein these things shal be done for-because thou hast not beleeued my vvordes vvhich shal be fulfilled in their time ✠verse 21 And the people vvas expecting Zacharie and they marueled that he made tariance in the temple ✠verse 22 And comming forth he could not speake to them and they knevv that he had seen a
vpon Seuens seuen Churches seuen Angels seuen starres seuen spirites seuen candlestickes seuen lampes seuen trumpets seuen vialâ— seuen horneâ— of the Lambe seuen hilles seuen thunders seuen heades of the Dragon signifying the Diâ—el seuen of the beast that is Antichrist seuen of the beast that the harlot rid vpon finally the number also of the visions is specially marked to be seuen in this booke and euery time that this number is vsed in this prophecie it hath a mysterie a more large meaning then the nature of that number is precisely and vulgarly taken for As vvhen he vvriteth to seuen Churches it is to be vnderstood of al the Churches in the vvorld as the seuen Angels for al the Angels or gouernours of the vvhole Catholike Church and so forth in the rest because the number of Seuen hath the perfection of vniuersalitie in it as S. Augustine saith li. 5 quâ—st in Deuter. q. 42. 4. From the 7 spirites The Holy Ghost may be here meant and so called for his seuen fold giftes and graces as some expositours thinke but it seemeth more probable that he speaketh of the holy Augels by comparing this to the like in the 5 Chapter folovving vvhere he seemeth to call these the seuen spirites sent into al the vvorld as S. Paul to the Hebrues c. 1. 14 speaketh of Angels and so the Protestants take it in their coÌ„mentaries vvhich vve note because therevpon they must needes confesse that the Apostle here giueth or vvisheth grace and peace not from God onely but also from his Angels though that benediction commeth one vvay of God and an other vvay of his Angels or Sainctes being but his creatures And so they may learne that the faithful often loyning in one speache God and our Lady our Lord and any of his Saincts to helpe vs or blesse vs is not superstitious but an Apostolical speache and so the Patriarch said Gen. 48. v. 16. The Angel that deliuereth me from al euils blesse these children See the Annot. Act. 25 28. 6. A kingdom and Priests As al that truely serue God and haue the dominion and superioritie ouer their concupiscences and vvhatsoeuer vvould induce them to sinne be kings so al that employ their vvorkes and them selues to serue God offer al their actions as an acceptable sacrifice to him be priests Neuerthelesse as if any man vvould therevpon affirme that there ought to be no other earthly povvers or kings to gouerne in vvorldly affaires ouer Christians be vvere a seditious Heretike euen so are they that vpon this or the like places vvhere al Christians be called priests in a spiritual sort vvould therfore inferre that euery one is in proper signification a Priest or that al be Priests alike or that there ought to be none but such spiritual priests for it is the seditious voice of Corè saying to Moyses and Aaron Let it suffiâ—â— you that al the multitude is of holy ones and the Lord is in theâ—â— Vvhy are you extolled ouer the people of the Lord Num. 16. 10. On the Dominical day Many notable pointes may be marked here first that euen in the Apostles time there vvere daies deputed to the seruice of God and so made holy and different though not by nature yet by vse and benediction from other profane or as vve call them vvorke-daies Secondly that the Apostles and faithful abrogated the Sabboth vvhich vvas the seuenth day and made holy day for it the next day folovving being the eight day in count from the creation and that vvithout al Scriptures or coÌ„maundement of Christ that vve reade of yea vvhich is more not onely othervvise then vvas by the Lavv obserued but plainely othervvise then vvas prescribed by God him self in the second commaundement yea and othervvise then he ordained in the first creatioÌ„ vvhen he sanctified precisely the Sabboth day not the day folovving Such great povver did Christ leaue to his Church and for such causes gaue he the holy Ghost to be resident in it to guide it into al truthes euen such as in the Scriptures are not expressed And if the Church had authoritie inspiration from God to make Sunday being a vvorke-day before an euerlasting holy day and the Saturday that before vvas holy day novv a common vvorkeday vvhy may not the same Church prescribe appoint the other holy feasts of Easter Vvhitsuntide Christmas and the rest for the same vvarrant she hath for the one that she hath for the other Thirdly it is to be noted that the cause of this change vvas for that novv vve Christians esteeming more our redemption then our first creation haue the holy day vvhich vvas before for the remembrance of Gods accomplishment of the creation of things novv for the memorie of the accomplishment of our redemption Vvhich therfore is kept vpon that day on vvhich our Lord rose from life to death vvhich vvas the day after the Sabboth being called by the Ievves vna or prima Sabbathi the first of or after the Sabboth Mat 28. Act. 10. 1 Cor. 16. Fourthly it is to be marked that this holy day by the Apostles tradition also vvas named Dominiâ—â—â— dieâ— our Lordes day or the Dominike vvhich is also an old Ecclesiastical vvord in our language for the name Sunday is a heathenish calling as al other of the vveeke daies be in our laÌ„guage some imposed after the names of planets as in the Romans time some by the name of certaine Idols that the Saxons did vvorship to vvhich they dedicated their daies before they vvere Christians Vvhich names the Church vseth not but hath appointed to call the first day the Dominike after the Apostle here the other by the name of Feries vntil the last of the vveeke vvhich she calleth by the old name Sabboth because that vvas of God and not by imposition of the heathen See the marginal Annotation Luc. 24 1. Lastly obserue that God reuealeth such great things to Prophets rather vpon holy daies and in times of contemplation sacrifice and praier then on other profaue daies and therfore as S. Peter Act. 10 had a reuelation at the six houre of praier and Zacharie Luc. 1 at the houre of incense and Cornelius Act. 10 vvhen he vvas at his praiers the ninthe houre so here S. Iohn noteth that he had al these maruelous visions vpon a Sunday 13. Vested in a Priestly garment He appeared in a long garment or vestment proper vnto Priests for so the vvord poderes doth signifie as Sap. 18 24 and that vvas most agreable for him that represented the person of Christ the high Priest and appeared to Iohn being a most holy Priest and vvho is specially noted in the Ecclesiastical historie for his Priestly garment called péâ—alon or lamina Euseb li. 3 hist Eccl. c. 25. li. 5 c. 23. 20. The seuen starres The Bishops are the starres of the Church as the Churches them selues are the golden
in the Churches seruice expounded in sermons alleaged and interpreted in the Commentaries and vvritings of the auncient fathers of the Latin Church 5. The holy Councel of Trent for these and many other important considerations hath declared and defined this onely of al other latin translations to be authentical and so onely to be vsed and taken in publike lessons disputations preachings and expositions and that no man presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refuse the same 6. It is the grauest sincerest of greatest maiestie least partialitie as being vvithout al respect of controuersies and contentions specially these of our time as appeareth by those places vvhich Erasmus and others at this day translate much more to the aduantage of the Catholike cause 7. It is so exact and precise according to the Greeke both the phrase and the word that delicate Heretikes therfore reprehend it of rudene◠And that it follovveth the Greeke far more exactly then the Protestants translations beside infinite other places we appeale to these Tit. 3. 14. Curent bonis operibus praeesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Engl. bib 1577 to mainteine good vvorkes and Hebr. 10 20. Viam nobis initiatut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 English Bib. he prepared So in these vvordes Iustificationes Traditiones Idola c. In al vvhich they come not neere the Greeke but auoid it of purpose 8. The Aduersaries them selues namely Beza preferre it before al the rest Inpraefat no. Test an 1556. And againe he saith that the old Interpreter translated very religiously Annot. in 1. Luc. v. 1. 9. In the rest there is such diuersitie and dissension and no end of reprehending one an other and translating euery man according to his fantasie that Luther said If the vvorld should stand any long time vve must receiue againe which he thought absurd the Decrees of Councels for preseruing the vnitie of faith because of so diuers interpretations of the Scripture And Beza in the place aboue mentioned noteth the itching ambition of his fellovv-translators that had much rather disagree and dissent from the best then seeme them selues to haue said or vvritten nothing And Bezas translation it self being so esteemed in our countrie that the Geneua English Testaments be translated according to the same yet sometime goeth so vvide from the Greeke and from the meaning of the holy Ghost that them selues which protest to trāslate it dare not folow it For example Luc. 3 36. They haue put these wordes The sonne of Cainan which he wittingly and wilfully left out and Act. 1 14. they say Vvith the vvomen agreably to the vulgar Latin where he saith Cum vxoribus vvith their vviues 10. It is not onely better then al other Latin trāslations but then the Greeke text it self in those places where they disagree The proofe hereof is euident because most of the auncient Heretikes were Grecians therfore the Scriptures in Greeke were more corrupted by them as the auncient fathers often complaine Tertullian noteth the Greeke text which is at this day 1 Cor. 19. 47 to be an old corruption of Marcion the Heretike and the truth to be as in our vulgar latin Secundus homo de coelo coelestis The second man from heauen heauenly So reade other auncient fathers and Erasmus thinketh it must needes be so and Caluin him self folovveth it Instit li. 2. c. 13. parag 2. Againe S. Hierom noteth that the Greeke text 1 Cor. 7 33 which is at this day is not the Apostolical veritie or the true text of the Apostle but that which is in the vulgar Latin Qui cum vxore est solicitus est quae sunt mundi quomodo placeat vxori diuisus est He that is vvith a vvife is careful of vvorldly things hovv he may please his vvife and is deuided or distracted The Ecclesiastical historie called the Tripartite noteth the Greeke text that now is 1 Io. 4 3 to be an old corruption of the auncient Greeke copies by the Nestorian Heretikes the true reading to be as in our vulgar Latin Omnis spiritus qui soluit IESVM ex Deo non est Euery spirit that dissolueth IESVS is not of God and Beza confesseth that Socrates in his Ecclesiastical historie readeth so in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But the proofe is more pregnant out of the Aduersaries them selues They forsake the Greeke text as corrupted and translate according to the vulgar Latin namely Beza and his scholers the English translatours of the Bible in these places Hebr. chap. 9 vers 1. saying The first couenant for that vvhich is in the Greeke The first tabernacle vvhere they put couenant not as of the text but in an other letter as to be vnderstood according to the vulgar Latin vvhich most sincerely leaueth it out altogether saying Habuit quidem prius instificationes c. The former also in deede had iustifications c. Againe Ro. 11 vers 21. They translate not according to the Greeke text Temporiseruientes seruing the time vvhich Beza saith must needes be a corruption but according to the vulgar Latin Domino seruientes seruing our Lord. Againe Apoc. 11 vers 2. they translate not the Greeke text Atrium quod intra templum est the court vvhich is vvithin the teme but cleane contrarie according to the vulgar Latin vvhich Beza saith is the true reading Atrium quod est foris templum the court vvhich is vvithout the temple Onely in this last place one English Bible of the yere 1562 folovveth the errour of the Greeke Againe 2 Tim. 2. vers 14. they adde but more then is in the Greeke to make the sense more cōmodious and easie according as it is in the vulgar Latin Again Ia. 5 12. they leaue the Greeke and folovv the vulgar Latin saying lest you fall into condemnation I doubt not saith Beza but this is the true and sincere reading and I suspect the corruption in the Greeke came thus c. It vvere infinite to set dovvne al such places vvhere the Aduersaries specially Beza folovv the old vulgar Latin and the Greeke copie agreable therevnto condemning the Greeke text that novv is of corruption Againe Erasmus the best translatour of al the later by Bezas iudgement saith that the Greeke sometime hath superfluities corruptly added to the text of holy Scripture as Mat. 6. to the end of the Pater noster these vvordes Because thine is the kingdom the povver and the glorie for euer-more Vvhich he calleth nugas trifles rashly added to our Lords praier and reprehendeth Valla for blaming the old vulgar Latin because it hath it not likevvise Ro. 11 6. these vvordes in the Greeke and not in the vulgar latin But if of vvorkes it is not novv grace othervvise the vvorke is no more a vvorke and Mar. 10 29. these vvordes or vvife and such like Yea the Greeke text in these superfluities condemneth
word soundeth for vs Againe was he a Papist in these kinde of wordes onely and was he not in whole sentences as Tibi dabo claues c. Quicquid solueris in terrae erit solutum in coelis and Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis and Tunc reddet vnicuique secundum operasua and Nunquid poterit sides saluare eum Ex operibus iustificatur homo non ex fide tantùm and Nubere volunt damnationem habentes quia primam fidem irritam fecerunt and Mandata eius grauia non sunt and Aspexit in remunerationem Are al these and such like Papistical translations because they are most plaine for the Catholike faith which they call Papistrie Are they not word for word as in the Greeke and the very wordes of the holy Ghost And if in these there be no accusatiō of Papistical partiality vvhy in the other Lastly are the auncient fathers General Councels the Churches of al the west part that vse al these speaches phrases now so many hundred yeres are they al Papistical Be it so and let vs in the name of God folow them speake as they spake translate as they translated interprete as they interpreted because we beleeue as they beleeued And thus far for defense of the old vulgar Latin translation and why we translated it before al others Now of the maner of translating the same IN THIS OVR TRANSLATION because we wish it to be most sincere as becōmeth a Catholike translation and haue endeuoured so to make it we are very precise religious in folowing our copie the old vulgar approued Latin not onely in sense which we hope we alwaies doe but sometime in the very wordes also and phrases which may seeme to the vulgar Reader to common English cares not yet acquainted therewith rudenesse or ignorance but to the discrete Reader that deepely weigheth and considereth the importance of sacred wordes and speaches and how easily the voluntarie Translatour may misse true sense of the Holy Ghost we doubt not but our consideration and doing therein shal seeme reasonable and necessarie yea and that al sortes of Catholike Readers wil in short time thinke that familiar which at the first may seeme strange wil esteeme it more when they shal otherwise be taught to vnderstand it then if it were the common knowen English For example vve translate often thus Amen amen I say vnto you Vvhich as yet seemeth strange but after a while it wil be as familiar as Amen in the end of al praiers and Psalmes and euen as when we end with Amen it soundeth far better then So be it so in the beginning Amen Amen must needes by vse and custom sound far better then Verily verily Vvhich in deede doth not expresse the asseueration and assurance signified in this Hebrue word besides that it is the solemne and vsual word of our Sauiour to expresse a vehement asseueration and therfore is not changed neither in the Syriake nor Greeke nor vulgar Latin Testament but is preserued and vsed of the Euangelistes and Apostles them selues euen as Christ spake it propter sanctiorem authoritatem as S. Augustine saith of this and of Allelu-ia for the more holy and sacred authoritie thereof li. 2. Doct. Christ c. 11. And therfore do we keepe the word Allelu-ia Apoc. 19 as it is both in Greeke and Latin yea and in al the English translations though in their bookes of common praier they translate it Praise ye the Lord. Againe if Hosanna Raca Belial and such like be yet vntranslated in the English Bibles why may not we say Corbana and Parasceue specially when they Englishing this later thus the preparation of the Sabboth put three wordes more into the text then the Greek word doth signifie Mat 27 62. And others saying thus After the day of preparing make a cold translation and short of the sense as if they should trāslate Sabboth the resling for Parasceue is as solemne a word for the Sabboth eue as Sabboth is for the Iewes seuenth day and now among Christians much more solemner taken for Good-friday onely These wordes then we thought it far better to keepe in the text and to tel their signification in the margent or in a table for that purpose then to disgrace bothe the text them with translating them Such are also these wordes The Pasche The feast of Azymes The bread of Proposition Vvhich they translate The Passeouer The feast of svvete bread The shevv bread But if Pentecost Act. 2 be yet vntrāslated in their bibles and seemeth not strange why should not Pasche and Azymes so remaine also being solemne feastes as Pentecost was or why should they English one rather then the other specially whereas Passeouer at the first was as strange as Pasche may seeme now and perhaps as many now vnderstand Pasche as Passemer and as for Azymes when they English it the feast of svveete bread it is a false interpretatiō of the word nothing expresseth that which belongeth to the feast concerning vnleauened bread And as for their terme of shevv bread it is very strange and ridiculous Againe if Proselyte be a receiued word in the English bibles Mat. 23. Act. 2 why may not we be bold to say Neophyte 1 Tim. 3 specially when they translating it into English do falsely expresse the signification of the word thus a yong scholer Vvhereas it is a peculiar word to signifie them that were lately baptized as Catechumenus signifieth the newely instructed in faith not yet baptized who is also yong scholer rather then the other and many that haue been old scholers may be Neophytes by differring baptisme And if Phylacteries be allowed for English Mat. 23 we hope that Didragmes also Prepuce Paraclete and such like wil easily grow to be currant and familiar And in good sooth there is in al these such necessitie that they can not conueniently be translated as when S. Paul saith concisio non circumcisi◠how can we but folow his very wordes and allusion And how is it possible to expresse Euangelizo but as vve do Euangelize for Euangelium being the Gospel what is Euangelizo or to Euangelize but to shew the glad tydings of the Gospel of the time of grace of al Christs benefites Al which signification is lost by translating as the English bibles do I bring you good tydings Luc. 2 10. Therfore we say Depositum 2 Tim. 6. and He exinanited him self Philip. 2. and You haue reflorished Philip. 4. and to exhaust Hebr. 9 28 because vve can not possibly attaine to expresse these vvordes fully in English and vve thinke much better that the reader staying at the difficultie of them should take an occasion to looke in the table folovving or othervvise to aske the ful meaning of them then by putting some vsual English vvordes that expresse them not so
of Galilee savv tvvo brethren Simon vvho is called Peter his brother casting a nette into the sea for they vvere fishers ✠verse 19 he sayth to them Come ye after me and I vvil make you to be fishers of men ✠verse 20 But they incontinent leauing the nettes folovved him ✠verse 21 And going forvvard from thence he savv * other tvvo brethren Iames of Zebedee Iohn his brother in a shippe vvith Zebedee their father repayring their nettes and he called them ✠verse 22 And they furthvvith left their nettes father and folovved him ⊢ ✠verse 23 And IESVS vvent round about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogs preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and ″healing euery maladie and euery infirmitie in the people ✠verse 24 And the bruite of him vvent into al Syria and they presented to him al that vvere il at ease diuersly taken vvith diseases and torments and such as vvere possest and lunatikes and sicke of the palsey and he cured them ✠verse 25 And much people folovved him from Galilee and Decapolis and Hierusalem and from beyond Iordan ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Desert As Iohn the Baptist so our Sauiour by going into the desert and there liuing in contemplation euen among brute beasts and subiect to the assaults of the Diuel for our sinnes geueth a warrant and example to such holy men as haue liued in wildernesse for penance and contemplation called Eremites 2. Fasted fourtis daies Elias and Moyses saith S. Hierom by the fast of 40 daies were filled with the familiaritie of God and our Lord him self in the wildernesse fasted as many to leaue vnto vs the solemne daies of fast that is Lent Hiero. in c. 58 Esa S. Augustine also hath the very like wordes ep 119. And generally al the ancient fathers that by occasion or of purpose speake of the Lent-fast make it not onely an imitation of our Sauiours fast but also an Apostolicall tradition and of necessitie to be kept Contemâ—e not Lent saith S. Ignatius for it conteineth the imitation of our Lordes conuersation And S. Ambrose saith plainely that it was not ordained by men but consecrated by God nor inuented by any earthly cogitation but commaunded by the heauenly Maiestie And againe that it is sinne not to fast al the Lent S. Hieroms wordes also be most plaine We saith he fast fourtie daies or make one Lent in a yere according to the tradition of the Apostles in time conuenient This time most conuenient is as S. Augustine saith ep 119 immediatly before Easter thereby to communicate with our Sauiours Passion and as other writers do adde thereby to come the better prepared and more worthily to the great solemnitie of Christes Resurrection beside many other goodly reasons in the ancient fathers which for breuitie we omitte See good Christian Reader 12 notable sermons of S. Leo the Great de Quadragesiâ—â— of Lent namely Ser. 6 and 9. Where he calleth it the Apostles ordinance by the doctrine of the Holy Ghost See S. Ambrose from the 23 sermon forward in S. Bernard 7 sermons and in many other fathers the like Last of al note well the saying of S. Augustine who affirmeth that by due obseruation thereof the wicked be separated from the good infidels from Christians Heretikes from faithful Catholikes 6. It is written Heretikes alleage scriptures as here the Deuil doeth in the false sense the Churche vseth them as Christ doeth in the true sense and to consute their falsehood Aug. cont lit Petil. li. â— c. 〈◊〉 10. 7. 11. Him only serue It was not sayd sayth S. Augustine The Lord thy God only shalt thou â—dore as it was said Him onely shalt thou serue in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. sup Gen. 9. 61. Wherevpon the Catholike Churche hath alwayes vsed this most true and necessarie distinction that there is an honour dew to God only which to giue vnto any creature were Idolatrie and there is an honour dew to creatures also according to their dignitie as to Saints holy things and holy place See Euseb Hist Ec. li. 4. c. 14. S. Hierom. cont Vigil ep 53. Aug. li. 10. Ciâ—it c. 1. li. 1 Trin. c. 6. Conâ— Nic. 2. Damase li. 1. de Imag. Bed in 4. Luc. 17. Doe penance That penance is necessarie also before baptisme for such as be of age as Iohns so our Sauiours preaching declareth both beginning with penance 23. Healing euery maladie Christ saith S. Augustine by miracles gat authoritie by authoritie found credit by credit drew together a multitude by a multitude obteyned antiquitie by antiquitie fortified a Religion which nor only the most fond new rysing of Heretikes vsing deceitful wiles but neither the drowsie old errour of the very Heathen with violence setting agaynst it might in any part shake and cast downe Aug. de vtil cred c. 14. CHAP. V. First 3 he promiseth rewardes 13 and he layeth before the Apostles their office 17 Secondly he protesteth vnto vs that we must keepe the commaundements and that more exactly then the Scribes and Pharisees whose iustice weas counted most perâ—ite but yet that it was vnsufficient he sheweth in the precepts of 21 Murder â—7 Aduoutrie â—1 Diuorce 〈◊〉 Swearing 38 Reuenge 42 Vsurie 43 Enemies verse 1 AND seeing the multitudes he * vvent vp into a mountaine and vvhen he vvas set his Disciples came vnto him ✠verse 2 and opening his mouth he taught them saying ✠verse 3 Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heauen ✠verse 4 Blessed are the meeke for they shal possesse the land ✠verse 5 Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted ✠verse 6 Blessed are they that hunger thirst after iustice for they shal haue their fil ✠verse 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shal obtayne mercie ✠verse 8 Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shal see God ✠verse 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shal be called the children of God ✠verse 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution ″ for iustice for theirs is the Kingdom of heauen ✠verse 11 Blessed are ye vvhen they shal reuile you and persecute you speake al that naught is agaynst you vntruely for my sake ✠verse 12 be glad reioyce for your″ revvard is very great in heauen ⊢ For so they persecuted the Prophets that vvere before you ✠verse 13 You are the * salt of the earth ✠verse 14 But if the salt leese his vertue vvherevvith shal it be salted It is good for nothing any more but to be cast forth and to be troden of men ✠verse 15 You are the ″ light of the vvorld A citie cannot be hid situated on a mountaine ✠verse 16 Neither do men light a * candel and put it vnder a bushel but vpon a caÌ„dlesticke that it may shine to al that are in
things therfore vvhatsoeuer you vvil that men doe to you doe you also to them For this is the Lavv and the Prophets ✠verse 13 Enter ye by the narrovv gate because brode is the gate and large is the vvay that leadeth to perdition and many there be that enter by it ✠verse 14 Hovv narrovv is the gate and straite is the vvay that leadeth to life and fevv there are that finde it ✠verse 15 Take ye great heede of false Prophets vvhich come to you in the ″ clothing of sheepe but invvardly are rauening vvolues ✠verse 16 ″ By their fruites you shal knovv them Do men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistels ✠verse 17 Euen so euery good tree yeldeth good fruites and the euil tree yeldeth euil fruites ✠verse 18 A good tree can not yeld euil fruites neither an euil tree yeld good fruites ✠verse 19 Euery tree that yeldeth not good fruite shal be cut dovvne and shal be cast into fyre ✠verse 20 Therfore by their fruites you shal knovv them ✠verse 21 Not euery one that sayth to me ″ Lord Lord shal enter into the Kingdom of heauen but he that doeth the vvil of my father vvhich is in heauen he shal enter into the kingdom of heauen ⊢ ✠verse 22 Many shal say to me in that day Lord Lord haue not vve prophecied in they name and in thy name cast out diuels and in thy name vvrought many miracles ✠verse 23 And then I vvil cōfesse vnto them That I neuer knevv you depart from me you that vvorke iniquitie ✠verse 24 Euery one therfore that heareth these my vvordes and doeth them shal be likened to a vvise man that built his house vpon a rocke ✠verse 25 and the rayne fel and the fluddes came the vvindes blevve and they beate agaynst that house and it fel not for it vvas founded vpon a rocke ✠verse 26 And euery one that heareth these my vvordes doeth them not shal be like a foolish man that built his house vpon the sand ✠verse 27 and the rayne fel and the fluddes came and the vvindes blevve and they beate agaynst that house and it fel the fall therof vvas great ✠verse 28 And it came to passe vvhen IESVS had fully ended these vvordes the multitutde vvere in admiration vpon his doctrine ✠verse 29 For he vvas teaching them as hauing povver and not as their Scribes and Pharisees ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 1. Iudge not It is not Christian part to iudge il of mens actes which be in them selues good and may procede of good meaning or of mans inward meanings and intentions which we can not see of which fault they must beware that are to suspicious and giuen to deeme alwayes the worst of other men But to say that Iudas or an Heretike euidently knowen to die obstinatly in heresie is damned and in al other playne and manifest cases to iudge is not forbidden 6. Holy to dogges No holy Sacrament and specially that of our Sauiours blessed body must be geuen wittingly to the vnworthy that is to them that haue not by confession of al mortal sinnes examined and proued them selues See the Annot. 1. Cor. 11 27. 28. 29. ◠Euery one that asketh Al things that we aske necessarie to saluation with humilitie attention continuance and other dewe circunstances God wil vndoubtedly graunt when it is best for vs. 15. Clothing of sheepe Extraordinarie apparance of zeale and holines is the sheepes cote in some Heretikes but these of this time weare not that garment much being men of vnsatiable sinne This is rather their garment common to them with al other Heretikes to crake much of the word of the Lord and by pretensed allegations and * sweete wordes of benediction and specially by promise of knowledge light and libertie of the Gospel to seduce the simple and the sinful 16. Fruites These are the fruites which Heretikes are knowen by diuision from the whole Churche diuision among them selues taking to them selues new names and new malsters inconstancie in doctrine disobedience both to others and namely to spiritual officers loue and liking of them selues pride and intolerable vaunting of their owne knowledge aboue al the holy Doctors corruption falsification and quite denying of the parts of Scriptures that specially make agaynst them and these be common to al Heretikes lightly Othersome are more peculiar to these of our time as Incestuous mariages of vowed persons Spoile of Churches Sacrilege and profanation of al holy things and many other special poynts of doctrine directly tending to the corruption of good life in al states 21. Lord Lord. These men haue faith otherwise they could not inuocate Lord Lord Ro. 10. But here we see that to beleeue is not ynough and that not only infidelitie is sinne as Luther teacheth Yea Catholikes also that worke true miracles in the name of our Lord and by neuer so great fayth yet without the workes of iustice shal not be saued 1. Cor. 13. Agayne consider here who they are that haue so often in their mouth The Lord the Lord and how litle it shal auaile them that set so litle by good workes and contemne Christian iustice CHAP. VIII Immediatly after his Sermon to confirme his doctrine with a miracle he cureth a Leper 5 But aboue him and al other Iewes he cōmendeth the faith of the Centurion who was a Gentil and foretelleth by that occasion the vocation of the Gentiles and reprobation of the Iewes 14 la Peters house he sheweth great grace 18 In the way to the sea he speaketh with two of folowing him 23 and vpon the sea commaundeth the tempest 28 and beyond the sea he manifesteth the deuils malice agaynst man in an heard of svvine verse 1 AND vvhen he vvas come dovvne from the mountaine great multitudes folovved him ✠verse 2 And * behold a leper came and adored him saying Lord if thou vvilt thou canst make me cleane ✠verse 3 And IESVS stretching forth his hand touched him saying I vvil be thou made cleane And forthvvith his leprosy vvas made cleane ✠verse 4 And IESVS sayth to him See thou tel no body but goe * shevv thy self to the ″ priest offer the ″ gift vvhich Moyses commaunded for a testimonie to them ✠verse 5 And * vvhen he vvas entred into Capharnaum there came to him a Centurion beseeching him ✠verse 6 saying Lord my boy lieth at home sicke of the palsey is sore tormēted ✠verse 7 And IESVS sayth to him I vvil come cure him ✠verse 8 And the Centurion making ansvver sayd Lord ″ I am not vvorthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe but only say the vvord and my boy shal be healed ✠verse 9 For I also am a man subiect to authoritie hauing vnder me souldiars and I say to this goe and he goeth and to an other come
✠verse 9 And in vaine do they vvorshippe me teaching doctrines and ″ commaundements of men ✠verse 10 And hauing called together the multitudes vnto him he said to them Heare ye and vnderstand ✠verse 11 ″ Not that vvhich entreth into the mouth defileth a man but that vvhich procedeth out of the mouth that defileth a man ✠verse 12 Then came his Disciples and said to him Doest thou knovv that the Pharisees vvhen they heard this vvord vvere scandalized ✠verse 13 But he ansvvering sayd All planting vvhich my heauenly father hath not planted shal be rooted vp ✠verse 14 Let them alone blinde they are guides of the blinde And if the blinde be guide to the blinde both fall into the ditch ✠verse 15 And Peter ansvvering sayd to him Expound vs this parable ✠verse 16 But he sayd Are you also as yet vvithout vnderstanding ✠verse 17 Do you not vnderstand that al that entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast forth into the priuy ✠verse 18 But the things that proceede out of the mouth come forth from the hart and those things ″ defile a man ✠verse 19 For from the hart come forth euil cogitations murders aduoutries fornications thefts false testimonies blasphemies ✠verse 20 These are the things that defile a man but to eate vvith vnvvashen hands doeth not defile a man ⊢ ✠verse 21 And IESVS vvent forth from thence and retired into the quarters of Tyre and Sidon ✠verse 22 And behold * a vvoman of Chanaan came forth out of those coastes and crying out sayd to him Haue mercie vpon me O lord the Sonne of Dauid my daughter is sore vexed of a Deuil ✠verse 23 Who ansvvered her not a vvord And his Disciples came and besought him saying Dimisse her because she crieth out after vs ✠verse 24 And he ansvvering said I vvas not sent but to the sheepe that are lost of the house of Israel ✠verse 25 But she came and adored him saying Lord help me ✠verse 26 Who ansvvering said It is not good to take the bread of the Children and to cast it to the dogges ✠verse 27 But she said Yea lord for the vvhelpes also eate of the crummes that fal from the table of their maisters ✠verse 28 Then IESVS ansvvering said to her O vvoman great is thy faith be it done to thee as thou vvilt and her daughter vvas made hole from that houre ⊢ ✠verse 29 And vvhen IESVS vvas passed from thence he came beside the sea of Galilee and ascending into the mountaine sare there ✠verse 30 And there came to him great multitudes hauing vvith them dumme persons blinde lame feeble and many others and they cast them dovvne at his feete and he cured them ✠verse 31 so that the multitudes marueled seeing the dumme speake the lame vvalke the blinde see and they magnified the God of Israel ✠verse 32 And * IESVS called together his Disciples and said I pitie the multitude because three dayes novv they continue vvith me and haue not vvhat to eate and dimisse them fasting I vvil not lest they fainte in the vvay ✠verse 33 And the disciples say vnto him vvhence then may vve gette so many loaues in the desert as to fil so great a multitude ✠verse 34 And IESVS sayd to them Hovv many loaues haue you but they sayd Seuen a fevv litle fishes ✠verse 35 And he commaunded the multitude to sit dovvne vpon the ground ✠verse 36 And taking the seuen loaues the fishes and geuing thankes he brake gaue to his disciples and the disciples gaue to the people ✠verse 37 And they did al eate and had their fill And that vvhich vvas left of the fragments they tooke vp seuen baskets ful ✠verse 38 And there vvere that did eate foure thousand men beside children vvomen ✠verse 39 And hauing dimissed the multitude he vvent vp into a boate and came into the coastes of Magedan ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 8. With their lippes This is to be vnderstood properly of such as haue euer God in their mouth the word of our Lord the Scriptures the Gospel but in their hart and al their life be in deede Godles It may be applied also to such as say their prayers without attention or eleuation of mind to God whether he vnderstand the prayers or no that saith them For many a poore Christian man that vnderstandeth not the wordes he speaketh hath his hart neerer heauen more seruor and deuotion more edification to him self more profite in spirit as the Apostle speaketh and lesse distractions then not only al Heretikes Which haue no true feeling of such things but then many learned Catholikes And therefore it is not to be vnderstood of praying in vnknowen tongues as Heretikes sometime expound it farre wide from the circumstance of the place and Christes intention speaking of the hypocritical Iewes 9. Commaundements of men Such only are here called traditions doctrines or commaundements of men which be either repugnant to Gods lawes as this of defrauding their parents vnder pretense of religion or which at the lest be friuolous vnprofitable and impertinent to pietle or true worshipe as that other sort of so often Washing hands and vessels without regard of inward puritie of hart and mind Let no man therefore be abused with the Protestants peruerse application of this place against the holy lawes canons and precepts of the Church and our spiritual Gouernours concerning fastes festiuities and other rules of discipline and due order in life and in the seruice of God For such are not repugnant but consonant to Gods word and al pietie and our Lord is truely honoured worshiped and serued both by the making and also by the obseruing of them * S. Paul gaue commaundements both by his epistles and by word of mouth euen in such matters wherein Christ had prescribed nothing at al and he chargeth the faithful to obserue the same The Apostles and Priests at Hierusalem made lawes and the Christians were bound to obey them The keeping of Sunday in steede of the Sabboth is the tradition of the Apostles and dare the Heretikes deny the due obsentation therof to be an acceptable worshipe of God They prescribed the Festes of Easter and whitsontide and other Solemnities of Christ and his Saincts which the Protestants them selues obserue They appointed the Lent and Imber fastes and other as wel to chastise the concupiscence of man as to serue and please God thereby as is plaine in the fasting of * Anna Tobie Iudith Esther who serued and pleased God thereby Therefore neither these nor other such Apostolike Ordinances nor any precepts of the holy Church or of our lawful Pastors are implied in these Pharisaical traditions here reprehended nor to be compted or called the doctrines and commaundements of men because they are not made by mere humane power
saith to him Frende hovv camest thou in hither not hauing a vvedding garment But he vvas dumme ✠verse 13 Then the king said to the vvaiters Binde his hands and feete and cast him into the vtter darkenes there shal be vveeping gnashing of teeth ✠verse 14 For many be called but fevv elect ◠✠verse 15 * Then the Pharisees departing consulted among them selues for to entrappe him in his talke ✠verse 16 And they send to him their disciples vvith the Herodians saying Maister vve knovv that thou art a true speaker and teachest the vvay of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou doest not respect the person of men ✠verse 17 tel vs therfore vvhat is thy opinion is it lavvful to giue tribute to Caesar or not ✠verse 18 But IESVS knovving their naughtines said what do you tempt me Hypocrites ✠verse 19 Shevv me the tribute coine And they offred him a penie ✠verse 20 And IESVS saith to them whose is this image and superscription ✠verse 21 They say to him Caesars Then he saith to them Render therfore the things that are Caesars â— to Caesar and the things that are Gods to God ✠verse 22 And hearing it they marueled and leauing him vvent their vvaies ✠verse 23 * That day there came to him the Sadducees that say there is no resurrection and asked him ✠verse 24 saying Maister Moyses said If a man die not hauing a childe that his brother marie his wife and raise vp seede to his brother ✠verse 25 And there vvere vvith vs seuen brethren and the first hauing maried a vvife died and not hauing issue left his vvife to his brother ✠verse 26 In like maner the second and the third euen to the seuenth ✠verse 27 And last of al the vvoman died also ✠verse 28 In the resurrection therfore vvhose vvife of the seuen shal she be for they al had her ✠verse 29 And IESVS answering said to them You do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the povver of God ✠verse 30 For in the resurrection neither shal they marie not be maried but are â— as the Angels of God in heauen ✠verse 31 And concerning the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead haue you not read that vvich vvas spoken of God saying to you ✠verse 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob He is not God â— of the dead but of the liuing ✠verse 33 And the multitudes hearing it marueled at his doctrine ✠verse 34 * But the Pharisees hearing that he had put the Sadducees to silence came together ✠verse 35 and one of them a doctor of lavv asked of him tempting him ✠verse 36 Maister vvhich is the great commaundement in the lavv ✠verse 37 IESVS said to him Thou shalt loue the lord thy God from thy whole hart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole minde ✠verse 38 This is the greatest and the first commaundement ✠verse 39 And the second is like to this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thyself ✠verse 40 â— On these tvvo commaundements dependeth the vvhole Lavv and the Prophets ✠verse 41 And * the Pharisees being assembled IESVS asked them ✠verse 42 saying What is your opinion of Christ Whose sonne is he They say to him Dauids ✠verse 43 He saith to them Hovv then doth Dauid in spirit cal him Lord saying ✠verse 44 The Lord said to my Lord sitte on my right hand vntil I put thine enemies the foote stole of thy feete ✠verse 45 If Dauid therfore call him Lord hovv is he his sonne ✠verse 46 And no man could ansvver him a vvord neither durst any man from that day aske him any more ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 2. Mariage Then did God the Father make this mariage when by the mysterie of the Incarnation he ioyned to his sonne our Lord the holy Church for his spouse Greg. hom â—8 3. Seruants The first seruants here sent to inuite were the Prophets the second were the Apostles and al that afterward conuerted countries or that haue and doe reconcile men to the Church 5. One to his farme Such as refuse to be reconciled to Christes Church alleage often vaine impediments and worldly excuses which at the day of iudgement wil not serue them 11. A man not attyred If profiteth not much to be within the Church and to be a Catholike except a man be of good life for such an one shal be damned because with faith he hath not good workes as is euident by the example of this man who was within and at the feast as the rest but lacked the garment of charitie and good workes And by this man are represented al the bad that are called and therfore they also are in the Church as this man was at the feast but because he was called and yet none of the elect it is euident that the Church doth not consist of the elect only contrarie to our Aduersaries 2â— To Caesar Temporal duties and payments exacted by worldly Princes must be payed so that God be not defrauded of his more soueraine dutie And therfore Princes haue to take heede how they exact and others how they geue to Caesar that is to their Prince the things that are dewe to God that is to his Ecclesiastical ministers Wherevpon S. Athanasius reciteth these goodly wordes out of an epistle of the ancient and famous CoÌ„fessor Hosius Cordubensis to CoÌ„stantius the Arian Emperour Cease I beseche thee and remember that thou art mortal feare the day of iudgement intermedle not with Ecclesiastical matters neither doe thou commaund vs in this kinde but rather learne them of vs to thee God hath committed the Empire to vs he hath coÌ„mitted the things that belong to the Church and as he that with malicious eies carpeth thine Empire gainesayeth the ordinance of God so doe thou also beware lest in drawing vnto thee Ecclesiastical matters thou be made guilty of a great crime It is written Geue ye the things that are Caesars to Caesar and the things that are Gods to God Therfore neither is it lawful for vs in earth to hold the Empire neither hast thou O Emperour power ouer incense and sacred things Athan. Ep. ad Solit. vitaÌ„ agentes And S. Ambrose to Valentinian the Emperour who by the il counsel of his mother Iustina an Arian required of S. Ambrose to haue one Church in Millan deputed to the Arian Heretikes saith we pay that which is Caesars to Caesar and that which is Gods to God Tribute is Caesars it is not denied the Church is Gods it may not verely be yelded to Caesar because the Temple of God can not be Caesars right Which no man can deny but it is spoken with the honour of the Emperour for what is more honorable then that the Emperour be said to
many other vvomen that came vp together vvith him to Hierusalem ✠verse 42 And vvhen euening vvas come because it vvas the Parasceue vvhich is the Sabboth-eue ✠verse 43 came Ioseph of Arimathaea a noble Senatour vvho him self also vvas expecting the kingdom of God and he vvent in boldly to Pilate and asked the body of IESVS ✠verse 44 But Pilate marueled if he vvere novv dead And sending for the Centurion asked him if he vvere novv dead ✠verse 45 And vvhen he vnderstoode by the Centurion he gaue the body to Ioseph ✠verse 46 And Ioseph ″ bying sindon and taking him dovvne vvrapped him in the sindon and laid him in a monument that vvas hevved out of a rocke And he rolled a stone to the doore of the monument ✠verse 47 And Marie Magdalene and Marie of Ioseph beheld vvhere he vvas laid ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 11. Cheefe Priests Heretikes abuse the ignorant people with these naughtie Priests of the old Testament to make that name odious and to discredite the Priests of Christ in the new Testament But for these Priests thou maist not maruel that they are so busy against Christ * partly because they were such as were intruded by the secular power of the Roman Emperour and from yere to yere by bribery and frendship not by succession according to the Law of Moyses partly because the time was now come when the old Priesthod of Aaron should cease and the new begin according to the order of Melchife dec and for these causes cod suffered their former priueleges of wisedom and iudgemeÌ„t and discretion to decay in these later vsurpers and that according to the Prophet saying The Law shal perish from the Priest and counsel from the Ancients But the Priesthod of the new Testament is to continew vnto the end of the world and hath as being the principal part of the Church the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost for euer promised to teach it al truth and for Peter the cheefe Priest thereof vnder Christ our Sauiour praied That his faith should not faile and to the rest he said He that heareth you heareth me â—â— To satisfie the people Pilate should haue suffered death rather then by other mens prouocation or commaundement haue executed an innocent as a Christian iudge should rather suffer al extremitie then giue sentence of death against a Catholike man for his faith â—6 Bying sindon This dutie done to Christes body after his departure was exceding meritorious and is therfore by holy write so often commended for an example to faithful men to vse al honour and deuotion towards the bodies of Saincts and holy persons CHAP. XVI The third day to three vvomen at his Sepulcher an Angel telleth that he is risen and vvil as he promised Mar. 14 28. shevv him self in Galileâ— 9 The same day he appeareth to Marie Magdalene aftervvard to tvvo Disciples yet the Eleuen vvil not beleeue it vntil to them also he appeareth 15 To vvhom hauing giuen commission into al nations vvith povver also of Miracles he ascendeth and they plant his Church euery vvhere verse 1 AND vvhen the Sabboth vvas past Marie Magdalene and Marie of Iames and Salôme ″ bought spices that comming they might anoint IESVS ✠verse 2 And very early the first of the Sabboths they come to the monument the sunne being novv risen ✠verse 3 And they said one to an other Vvho shal roll vs backe the stone from the doore of the monument ✠verse 4 And looking they savv the stone rolled backe for it vvas very great ✠verse 5 And entring into the monument they savv a yong man sitting on the right hand couered vvith a vvhite robe and they vvere astonied ✠verse 6 Vvho saith to them Be not dismaied you seeke IESVS of Nazareth that vvas crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place vvhere they laid him ✠verse 7 But goe tel his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shal see him * as he told you ⊢ ✠verse 8 But they going forth fled from the monument for trembling and feare had inuaded them and they said nothing to any body for they vvere afraid ✠verse 9 And he rising early the first of the Sabboth * appeared first to Marie Magdalene * out of vvhom he had cast seuen deuils ✠verse 10 She vvent and told them that had been vvith him that vvere mourning and vveeping ✠verse 11 And they hearing that he vvas aliue and had been seen of her did not beleeue ✠verse 12 And * after he appeared in an ″ other shape to tvvo of them vvalking as they vvere going into the countrie ✠verse 13 and they going told the rest neither them did they beleeue ✠verse 14 Last * he appeared to those eleuen as they sate at the table and he exprobrated their incredulity and hardnes of hart because they did not beleeue them that had seen him risen againe ✠verse 15 And he said to them * Going into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospel to al creatures ✠verse 16 He that ″ beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned ✠verse 17 And them that beleeue ″ these signes shal folow In my name shal they cast out deuils They shal speake vvith nevv tonges ✠verse 18 Serpents shal they take avvay And if they drinke any deadly thing it shal not hurt them They shal impose hands vpon the sicke and they shal be vvhole ✠verse 19 And so our Lord IESVS after he spake vnto them * vvas assumpted into heauen and sate on the right hand of God ✠verse 20 But they going forth preached euery vvhere our Lord working vvithal and confirming the vvord vvith signes that folovved ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 1. Bought spices As she did bestow and consume a costly ointment vpon his body being yet aliue c. 14 3 Christ him self defending and highly commending the fact against Iudas and other who accounted it to be superfluous and better to be bestowed otherwise So not without great deuotion and merite she and these other women seeke to anoint his body dead though Heretikes or other simple persons may pretend such things to be better bestowed vpon the poore and therfore * she first before al other * and they next saw him after his Resurrection 12. In an other shape Christ though he haue but one corporal shape natural to his person yet by his omnipotencie he may be in whatsoeuer forme and appears in the likenesse of any other man or creature as he list Therfore let no man thinke it strange that he may be vnder the forme of bread in the B. Sacrament 16. He that beleeueth Note wel that whereas this Euangelist mentioneth only faith and baptisme as though to beleeue and to be baptized were
vision in the temple And he made signes to them and remained dumme ✠verse 23 And it came to passe after the daies of his office vvere expired ″ he departed into his house ✠verse 24 And after these daies Elizabeth his vvife conceiued and hid her self fiue moneths saying ✠verse 25 For thus hath our Lord done to me in the daies vvherein he had respect to take avvay my reproche among men ✠verse 26 And in the sixt moneth the Angel Gabriel vvas sent of God into a citie of Galilee called Nazareth ✠verse 27 * to a virgin despoused to a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name vvas MARIE ✠verse 28 And the Angel being entred in said vnto her ″ HAILE ″ ful of grace our Lord is vvith thee blessed art thou among vvomen ✠verse 29 Vvho hauing heard vvas troubled at his saying and thought vvhat maner of salutation this should be ✠verse 30 And the Angel said to her Feare not MARIE for thou hast found grace vvith God ✠verse 31 * Behold thou shalt conceiue in thy vvombe and shalt beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS ✠verse 32 he shal be great and shal be called the sonne of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seate of Dauid his father ✠verse 33 * and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdom there shal be no end ✠verse 34 And MARIE said to the Angel Hovv shal this be done ″ because I knovv not man ✠verse 35 And the Angel ansvvering said to her The Holy Ghost shal come vpon thee and the povver of the most High shal ouershadovv thee And therfore also that vvhich of thee shal be borne Holy shal be called the sonne of God ✠verse 36 And behold ″ Elisabeth thy cosin she also hath conceiued a sonne in her old age and this moneth is the sixt to her that is called barren ✠verse 37 because there shal not be impossible vvith God any vvord ✠verse 38 And MARIE said BEHOLD the handmaid of our Lord be it done to me according to thy word ⊢ And the Angel departed from her ✠verse 39 And MARIE rising vp in those daies vvent vnto the hil countrie vvith speede into a citie of Iuda ✠verse 40 and she entred into the house of Zacharie and saluted Elisabeth ✠verse 41 And it came to passe as Elisabeth heard the salutation of MARIE the infant did leape in her vvombe and Elisabeth vvas replenished vvith the Holy Ghost ✠verse 42 and she cried out vvith a loude voice and said ″ BLESSED art thou among vvomen and blessed is the fruite of thy vvombe ✠verse 43 And vvhence is this to me that the ″ mother of my Lord doth come to me ✠verse 44 For behold as the voice of thy salutation founded in mine eares the infant in my vvombe did leape for ioy ✠verse 45 And blessed is she that beleeued because those things shal be accomplished that vvere spokē to her by our Lord. ✠verse 46 And MARIE said MY SOVLE doth magnifie our Lord. ✠verse 47 And my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour ⊢ ✠verse 48 Because he hath regarded the humilitie of his handmaid for behold from hence forth al generations ″ shal call me blessed ✠verse 49 Because he that is mightie hath done great things to me and holy in his name ✠verse 50 And his mercie from generation vnto generations to them that feare him ✠verse 51 He hath shevved might in his arme he hath dispersed the proude in the conceit of their hart ✠verse 52 He hath deposed the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble ✠verse 53 The hungrie he hath filled vvith good things and the riche he hath sent avvay emptie ✠verse 54 He hath receiued Israel his childe being mindeful of his mercie ✠verse 55 As he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seede for euer ✠verse 56 And MARIE taried vvith her about three moneths and she returned into her house ✠verse 57 And Elisabeths ful time vvas come to be deliuered and she bare a sonne ✠verse 58 And her neighbours and kinsfolke heard that our Lord did magnifie his mercie vvith her and they did congratulate her ✠verse 59 And it came to passe on the eight day they came to circumcise the childe and they called him by his fathers name Zacharie ✠verse 60 And his mother ansvvering said Not so but he shal be called Iohn ✠verse 61 And they said to her That there is none in thy kinred that is called by this name ✠verse 62 And they made signes to his father vvhat he vvould haue him called ✠verse 63 And demaunding a vvriting table he vvrote saying * Iohn is his name And they al marueled ✠verse 64 And forthvvith his mouth vvas opened and his tonge and he spake blessing God ✠verse 65 And feare came vpon al their neighbours and al these things vvere bruited ouer al the hil-countrie of Ievvrie ✠verse 66 and all that had heard laid them vp in their hart saying what an one trovv ye shal this childe be For the hand of our Lord vvas vvith him ✠verse 67 And Zacharie his father vvas replenished vvith the Holy Ghost and he prophecied saying ✠verse 68 BLESSED BE OVR LORD God of Israel because he hath visited and vvrought the redemption of his people ⊢ ✠verse 69 And hath erected the horne of saluation to vs in the house of Dauid his seruant ✠verse 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that are from the beginning ✠verse 71 Saluation from our enemies and from the hand of al that hate vs ✠verse 72 To vvorke mercie vvith our fathers and to remember his holy testament ✠verse 73 * The othe vvhich he svvare to Abraham our father ✠verse 74 that he vvould giue to vs That vvithout feare being deliuered from the hand of our enemies vve may serue him ✠verse 75 In holines and ″ iustice before him al our daies ✠verse 76 And thou childe shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for * thou shalt goe before the face of our Lord to prepare his vvaies ✠verse 77 To giue knovvledge of saluation to his people vnto remission of their sinnes ✠verse 78 Through the bovvels of the mercie of our God in vvhich ″ the * Orient from on high hath visited vs ✠verse 79 To illuminate them that sit in darkenes and in the shadovv of death to direct our feete into the vvay of peace ✠verse 80 And the childe grew and vvas strengthened in spirit and vvas in the deserts vntil the day of his manifestatiō to Israel ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 3. Hauing diligently atteined Hereby vve see that though the
and grace that ensued by CHRIST IESVS Note also that as then in Circuncision so novv in Baptisme vvhich ansvvereth therevnto names are giuen And as vve see here and in al the old Testament great respect was had of names so we must beware of strange profane and secular names now a daies to common and rather according to the * Catechisme of the holy Councel of Trent take names of Saincts and holy men that may put vs in minde of their vertues 75. Iustice before him Here also we see that we may haue true iustice not only in the sight of men or by the imputation of God but in deede before him and in his sight and that the comming of Christ vvas to giue men such iustice 78. The orient Maruel not if Heretikes controule the old authentical translation as though it differed froÌ„ the greeke vvhereas here they make much a doe to coÌ„troule not only al the greeke interpreters of the old testament but also S. Luke him self for the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as differing from the Hebrevv CHAP. II. The Natiuitie of Christ 8 and manifestation thereof to the Shepheards by an Angel and by them to others 21 His Circuncision 22 His Presentation together with Simeons as also Annes attestation and prophecying of his Passion of the Iewes reprobation and of the Gentils illumination 41 His annual ascending to Hierusalem with his parents to whom he was subiect and his fulnes of wisedom shewed among the Doctors at twelue yeres of his age verse 1 AND it came to passe in those daies there came forth an edict from Caesar Augustus that the vvhole vvorld should be enrolled ✠verse 2 This first enrolling vvas made by the President of Syria Cyrinus ✠verse 3 And al vvent to be enrolled euery one into his ovvne citie ✠verse 4 And Ioseph also vvent vp from Galilee out of the citie of Nazareth into Ievvrie to the citie of Dauid that is called Bethâ—lehem for-because he vvas of the house and familie of Dauid ✠verse 5 to be enrolled vvith MARIE his despoused vvife that vvas vvith childe ✠verse 6 And it came to passe vvhen they vvere there her daies vvere fully come that she should be deliuered ✠verse 7 And she brought forth her first begotten sonne and svvadled him in clothes and laid him dovvne in a manger because there vvas not place for them in the inne ✠verse 8 And there vvere in the same countrie shepheards vvatching and keeping the night vvatches ouer their flocke ✠verse 9 And behold an Angel of our Lord stood beside them and the brightnes of God did shine round about them and they feared vvith a great feare ✠verse 10 And the angel said to them Feare not for behold I euangelize to you great ioy that shal be to al the people ✠verse 11 because this day is borne to you a SAVIOVR vvhich is Christ our Lord in the citie of Dauid ✠verse 12 And this shal be a signe to you You shal finde the infant svvadled in clothes and laid in a manger ✠verse 13 And sodenly there vvas vvith the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie praising God and saying ✠verse 14 Glorie in the highest to God and in earth peace to â—men of good vvil ⊢ ✠verse 15 And it came to passe after the Angels departed from them into heauen the shepheards spake one to an other Let vs goe ouer to Bethlehem and let vs see this vvord that is done vvhich our Lord hath shevved to vs. ✠verse 16 And they came vvith speede and they found MARIE and Ioseph and the infant laid in the manger ✠verse 17 And seeing it they vnderstood of the vvord that had been spoken to them concerning this childe ✠verse 18 And al that heard did maruel and concerning those things that vvere reported to them by the shepheards ✠verse 19 But MARIE ″ kept al these vvordes conferring them in her hart ✠verse 20 And the shepheards returned glorifying and praysing God in al things that they had heard and seen as it vvas said to them ⊢ ✠verse 21 And * after eight daies vvere expired that the childe should be circuncised his name vvas called IESVS vvhich vvas * called by the Angel before that he vvas conceiued in the vvombe ⊢ ✠verse 22 And after the daies vvere fully ended of her purification * according to the lavv of Moyses they caried him into Hierusalem to present him to our Lord ✠verse 23 as it is vvritten in the lavv of our Lord That euery male opening the matrice shal be called holy to the Lord. ✠verse 24 and to giue a sacrifice * according as it is vvritten in the lavv of our Lord a paire of turtles or tvvo yong pigeons ✠verse 25 And behold there vvas a man in Hierusalem named Simeon and this man vvas iust and religious expecting the consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost vvas in him ✠verse 26 And he had receiued an ansvver of the Holy Ghost that he should not see death vnles he savv first the CHRIST of our Lord. ✠verse 27 And he came in spirit into the temple And vvhen his parents brought in the childe IESVS to doe according to the custome of the Lavv for him ✠verse 28 he also tooke him into his armes and blessed God and said ✠verse 29 NOW THOV doest dimisse thy seruant O Lord according to thy vvord in peace ✠verse 30 Because mine eies haue seen thy SALVATION ✠verse 31 Vvhich thou hast prepared before the face of al peoples ✠verse 32 A light to the reuelation of the Gentils and the glorie of thy people Israel ⊢ ✠verse 33 And his father and mother vvere marueling vpon those things vvhich vvere spoken concerning him ✠verse 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to MARIE his mother Behold this is set ″ vnto the ruine and vnto the resurrection of many in Israel and for a signe vvhich shal be contradicted ✠verse 35 and thine ovvne soule shal a svvord pearce that out of many hartes cogitations may be reuealed ✠verse 36 And there vvas Anne a prophetisse the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser she vvas farre striken in daies and had liued vvith her husband seuen yeres from her virginitie ✠verse 37 And she vvas ″ a vvidovv vntil eightie and foure yeres vvho departed not from the temple ″ by fastings and praiers seruing night and day ✠verse 38 And she at the same houre sodenly comming in confessed to our Lord and spake of him to al that expected the redemption of Israel ✠verse 39 And after they had vvholy done al things according to the lavv of our Lord they returned into Galilee into their citie Nazareth ✠verse 40 And the childe grevv and vvaxed strong ' ful of vvisedom and the grace of God vvas in him âœ
39 And he said to them a similitude also Can the blinde leade the blinde doe not both fal into the ditch ✠verse 40 The disciple is not aboue his maister but euery one shal be perfect if he be as his maister ✠verse 41 And vvhy seest thou the mote in thy brothers eie but the beame that is in thine ovvne eie thou considerest not ✠verse 42 Or hovv canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me cast out the more out of thine eie thy self not seeing the beame in thine ovvne eie Hypocrite cast first the beame out of thine ovvne eie and then shalt thou see clerely to take forth the more out of thy brothers eie ⊢ ✠verse 43 For there is no good tree that yeldeth euil fruites nor euil tree that yeldeth good fruite ✠verse 44 For euery tree is knovven by his fruite For neither doe they gather figges of thornes neither of a bush doe they gather the grape ✠verse 45 The good man of the good treasure of his hart bringeth forth good and the euil man of the il treasure bringeth forth euil for of the aboūdance of the hart the mouth speaketh ✠verse 46 And vvhy cal you me Lord Lord and doe not the things vvhich I say ✠verse 47 Euery one that commeth to me and heareth my vvords and doeth them I vvil shevv you to vvhom he is like ✠verse 48 He is like to a man building a house that digged deepe and laid the foundation vpon a rocke And vvhen an inundation rose the riuer bette against that house and it could not moue it for it vvas founded vpon a rocke ✠verse 49 But he that heareth and doeth not is like to a man building his house vpon the earth vvithout a foundation against the vvhich the riuer did beate and incontinent it fell and the ruine of that house vvas great ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 1. Neither this haue you read The Scribes and pharisees boasted most of their knovvledge of the Scriptures but our Sauiour often shevveth their great ignorance Euen so the Heretikes that novv a daies vaunt most of the Scriptures and of their vnderstanding of them may soone be proued to vnderstand litle or nothing 9. Saue a soule Hereby it seemeth that Christ as at other times lightly alvvaies did not only heale this man in body but of some correspondent disease in his soule 12. The vvholenight Our Sauiour instantly prayed alone in the mount vvithout doore al night long as a preparation to the designement of his Apostles the day after to giue example to the Church of praying instantly vvhen priests are to be ordered and a lesson to vs al vvhat vve should doe for our ovvne necessities vvhen Christ did so for other mens 13. Vvhom he named Apostles Here it is to be noted against our Aduersaries that deceitfully measure to the simple the vvhole nature and qualitie of certaine sacred functions by the primitiue signification and compasse of the names or vvordes vvhereby they be called vvith vvhom as a Priest is but an elder and a Bishop a vvatchman or Superintendent so an Apostle is nothing but a Legate or Messenger and therfore as they argue * can make no Lawes nor prescribe or teach any thing not expressed in his mandatum Know therfore against such deceiuers that such things are not to be ruled by the vulgar signification of the word or calling but by vse and application of the holy writers and in this point by Christs ovvne expresse imposition And so this vvord Apostle is a calling of Office gouernement authoritie and most high dignitie giuen by our Maister specially to the College of the Tvvelue whom he endued aboue that vvhich the vulgar etymologie of their name requireth vvith povver to bind and loose to punish and pardō to teach and rule his Church Out of vvhich roome and dignitie vvhich is called in the Psalme and in the actes a Bishoprike vvhen Iudas sel Mathias vvas chosen to supply it and vvas numbered among the rest vvho vvere as founders or foundations of our religion as the Apostle termeth them Therfore to that college this name agreeth by special imposition and prerogatiue though aftervvard it vvas by vse of the Scriptures extended to S. Paul and S. Barnabas and sometimes to the Apostles successors as also by the like vse of Scriptures to the first conuerters of countreis to the saith or their coadiutors in that function In vvhich sense S. Paul chalengeth to be the Corinthians Apostle and nameth Epaphroditus the Philippians Apostle as vve call S. Gregorie his Disciple S. Augustin our Apostles of England In al vvhich taking it euer signifieth dignitie regiment Paternitie Principalitie and Primacie in the Church of God according to S. Paul 1. Cor. 12 He hath placed in his Church first in deede Apostles c. whereby vve may see that S. Peters dignitie vvas a vvonderful eminent Prerogatiue and Soueraintie when he vvas the head not only of other Christian men but the head of al Apostles yea euen of the College of the Tvvelue And if our Aduersaties list to haue learned any profitable lesson by the vvord Apostle more profitably and truely they might haue gathered that Christ called these his principal officers Apostles or Sent him self also specially and aboue al other being Missus that is Sent and called also Apostle in the Scriptures to vvarne vs by the nature of the vvord that none are true Apostles Pastors or Preachers that are not specially sent and called or that can not shevv by vvhom they be sent and that al Heretikes therfore be rather Apostates then Apostles for that they be not sent nor duely called nor chosen to preach 14. Simon Peter in the numbering of the Apostles alvvaies first named and preferred before Andrevv his elder brother and senior by calling See Annotat. Mt. 10 2. 23. Be glad The common miseries that fall to the true preachers and other Catholike men for Christs sake as pouertie famin mourning and persecutions be in deede the greatest blessings that can be and are meritorious of the revvard of heauen Contrarievvise al the felicities of this vvorld vvithout Christ are in deede nothing but vvo and the enterance to euerlasting miserie 26. Shal blesse you This vvo pertaineth to the Heretikes of our daies that delight to haue the peoples praises and blessings and shoutes preaching pleasant things of purpose to their itching eares as did the False-Prophets vvhen they vvere magnified and commended therfore of the carnal Ievves 35 Land hoping nothing In that vve may here seeme to be moued to lend to those vvhom vve thinke not able nor like euer to repay againe it must be holder for a counsel rather then a commaundement except the case of necessitie but it may be taken rather for a precept vvherein vsurie that is to say the expectation not of the money lent but of vantage
for lone is forbidden as by other places of Scripture it is condemned and is a thing against the Lavv of nature and nations And greate shame and pitie it is that it should be so much vsed or suffered among Christians or so couered and cloked vnder the habite of other contractes as it is CHAP. VII He testifieth the faith of the Centurion who was a Gentil to be greater them he found among al the Iewes and cureth his seruant absent 11 the vvidovves sonne he reuiueth and restoreth to her and is renowmed therevpon 18 To Iohns messengers he answereth vvith miracles leauing to Iohn to preach thereby vnto them that he is Christ 24 And afterward he declareth how vvorthy credit was Iohns testimonie 29 inueighing against the Pharisees 31 Who vvith neither of their maners of liuing could be wonne 36 shewing also vnto them by occasion of Marie Magdalen how he is a frende to sinners not to maintaine them in sinne but to forgiue them their sinnes vpon their faith and penance verse 1 AND vvhen he had fully said al his vvords into the cares of the people he entred into Capharnaum ✠verse 2 And the seruant of a certaine Centurion being sicke vvas readie to die vvho vvas deere vnto him ✠verse 3 And when he had heard of IESVS he sent vnto him the Auncients of the Ievves desiring him to come and heale his seruant ✠verse 4 But they being come to IESVS besought him earnestly saying to him That he is vvorthie that thou shouldest doe this for him ✠verse 5 for he loueth our nation and he hath ″ built a synagogue for vs. ✠verse 6 And IESVS vvent vvith them And vvhen he vvas novv not farre from the house the Centurion sent his frends vnto him saying Lord trouble not thy self for I am not vvorthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe ✠verse 7 for the vvhich cause neither did I thinke my self vvorthie to come to thee but say the vvord and my seruant shal be made whole ✠verse 8 for I also am a man subiect to authoritie hauing vnder me souldiars and I say to this goe and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruant doe this and he doeth it ✠verse 9 Vvhich IESVS hearing marueiled and turning to the multitudes that folovved him he said Amen I say to you neither in Israel haue I found so great faith ✠verse 10 And they that vvere sent being returned home found the seruant that had been sicke vvhole ✠verse 11 And it came to passe aftervvard he vvent into a citie that is called Naim and there vvent vvith him his Disciples and a very great multitude ✠verse 12 And vvhen he came nigh to the gate of the citie behold a dead man vvas caried forth the only sonne of his mother and she vvas a vvidovv and a great multitude of the citie vvith her ✠verse 13 Vvhom vvhen our Lord had seen being moued vvith mercie vpon her he said to her Vveepe not ✠verse 14 And he came neere and touched the coffin And they that caried it stood stil and he said Yong man I say to thee Arise ✠verse 15 And he that vvas dead sate vp and beganne to speake And he gaue him to his mother ✠verse 16 And feare tooke them al and they magnified God saying That a great Prophet is risen among vs and That God hath visited his people ✠verse 17 And this saying vvent forth into al Ievvrie of him and into al the countrie about ✠verse 18 And Iohns disciples shevved him of al these things ✠verse 19 * And Iohn called tvvo of his disciples and sent them to IESVS saying Art thou he that art to come or expect vve an other ✠verse 20 And vvhen the men vvere come vnto him they said Iohn the Baptist hath sent vs to thee sying Art thou he that art to come or expect vve an other ✠verse 21 And the self same houre he cured many of maladies and hurtes and euil spirits and to many blinde he gaue sight ✠verse 22 And ansvvering he said to them Goe and report to Iohn vvhat you haue heard and seen * That the blinde see the Iame vvalke the lepers are made cleane the deafe heare the dead rise againe ✠verse 23 the poore are euangelized and blessed is he vvhosoeuer shal not be scandalized in me ✠verse 24 * And vvhen Iohns messengers vvere departed he began to say of Iohn to the multitudes Vvhat vvent you out into the desert to see a reede moued vvith the vvinde ✠verse 25 But vvhat vvent you forth to see a man clothed in soft garments behold they that are in costly apparel and delicacies are in the house of kings ✠verse 26 But vvhat vvent you out for to see a Prophet Certes I say to you and more then a Prophet ✠verse 27 this is he of vvhom it is vvritten Behold I send mine Angel before thy face vvhich shal prepare thy vvay before thee ✠verse 28 For I say to you A greater Prophet among the children of vvomen then Iohn the Baptist there is no man but he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God is greater then he ✠verse 29 And al the people hearing and the Publicans iustified God being baptized vvith Iohns baptisme ✠verse 30 But the Pharisees and the lavvyers despised the cousel of God against them selues being not baptized of him ✠verse 31 And our Lord said Vvherevnto then shal I liken the men of this generation and vvherevnto are they like ✠verse 32 They are like to children sitting in the market-place and speaking one to an other and saying Vve haue piped to you and you haue not daunced vve haue lamented and you haue not vvept ✠verse 33 For Iohn the Baptist came * neither eating bread nor drinking vvine and you say He hath a deuil ✠verse 34 The sonne of man came eating and drinking and you say Behold a man that is a gurmander and a drinker of vvine a frende of Publicans and sinners ✠verse 35 And vvisedom is iustified of al her children ✠verse 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him to eate vvith him And being entred into the house of the Pharisee he sate downe to meate ✠verse 37 And behold a vvoman that was in the citie a sinner as she knevv that he vvas set dovvne in the Pharisees house she brought an alabaster boxe of ointment ✠verse 38 and standing behind beside his feete she began to vvater his feete vvith teares vviped them vvith the heares of her head and kissed his feete anointed them with the ointmēt ✠verse 39 And the Pharisee that had bid him seeing it spake vvithin him self saying This man if he vvere a Prophet vvould knovv certes vvho and vvhat maner of vvomā she is vvhich toucheth him that she is a sinner ✠verse 40 And IESVS ansering
and they receiue you eate such things as are set before you ✠verse 9 and cure the sicke that are in it and say to them The kingdom of God is come nigh vpon you ⊢ ✠verse 10 And into vvhatsoeuer citie you enter and they receiue you not going forth into the streates thereof say ✠verse 11 The dust also of your citie that cleaueth to vs vve doe vvipe of against you yet this knovv ye that the kingdom of God is at hand ✠verse 12 I say to you it shal be more tolerable for Sodom in that day then for that citie ✠verse 13 Vvo to thee Corozáim vvo to thee Beth-saida for if in Tyre and Sidon had been vvrought the miracles that haue beene vvrought in you they had done penance sitting in sacke cloth and ashes long agoe ✠verse 14 But it shal be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the iudgement then for you ✠verse 15 And thou Capharnaum that art exalted vnto heauē thou shalt be thrust dovvne euen vnto hel ✠verse 16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me ✠verse 17 And the Seuentie-tvvo returned vvith ioy saying Lord the Deuils also are subiect to vs in thy name ✠verse 18 And he said to them I savv Satan as a lightening fal from heauen ✠verse 19 Behold I haue giuen you povver to treade vpon serpents and scorpions and vpon al the povver of the enemie and nothing shal hurt you ✠verse 20 But yet reioyce not in this that the spirits are subiect vnto you but reioyce not in this that your names are vvritten in heauen ⊢ ✠verse 21 In that very houre he reioyced in spirit and said I confesse to thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the vvise and prudent and hast reuealed them ″ to litle ones Yea Father for so hath it vvel pleased thee ✠verse 22 Al things are deliuered to me of my father And no man knovveth vvho the Sonne is but the Father and vvho the Father is but the Sonne and to vvhom the Sonne vvil reueale ✠verse 23 And turning to his Disciples he said Blessed are the eies that see the things that you see ✠verse 24 For I say to you that many Prophets and Kings desired to see the things that you see and savv them not and to heare the things that you heare and heard them not ✠verse 25 And behold a certaine lavvyer stoode vp tempting him and saying Maister by doing of vvhat thing shal I possesse life euerlasting ✠verse 26 But he said to him In the lavv vvhat is vvritten hovv readest thou ✠verse 27 He ansvvering said Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith thy vvhole hart and vvith thy vvhole foule and vvith al thy strength and vvith al thy minde and thy neighbour as thy self ✠verse 28 And he said to him Thou hast ansvvered right ″ this doe and thou shalt liue ✠verse 29 But he desirous to iustifie him self said to IESVS And vvho is my neighbour ✠verse 30 And IESVS taking it said A certaine man vvent dovvne from Hierusalem into Iericho and fel among theeues vvho also spoiled him and giuing him vvoundes vvent avvay leauing him ″ halfe-dead ✠verse 31 And it chaunced that a certaine Priest vvent dovvne the same vvay and seeing him passed by ✠verse 32 In like maner also a Leuite vvhen he vvas neere the place and savv him passed by ✠verse 33 But a certaine Samaritane going his iourney came neere him and seeing him vvas moued vvith mercie ✠verse 34 And going vnto him bound his vvoundes povvring in oile and vvine and setting him vpon his ovvne beast brought him into an inne and tooke care of him ✠verse 35 And the next day he tooke forth tvvo pence and gaue to the host and said Haue care of him and vvhatsoeuer thou shalt supererogate I at my returne vvil repay thee ✠verse 36 Vvhich of these three in thy opinion vvas neighbour to him that fel among theeues ✠verse 37 But he said He that did mercie vpon him And IESVS said to him Goe and doe thou in like maner ⊢ ✠verse 38 And it came to passe as they vvent and he entred into a certaine tovvne and a certaine vvoman named Martha receiued him into her house ✠verse 39 and she had a sister called Marie vvho sitting also at our Lords feete heard his vvord ✠verse 40 But Martha vvas busie about much seruice vvho stoode and said Lord hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serue speake to her therfore that she help me ✠verse 41 And our Lord ansvvering said to her Martha Martha thou art careful and art troubled about very many things ✠verse 42 But one thing is necessarie ″ Marie hath chosen the best part vvhich shal not be taken avvay from her ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 21. To litle ones By this place euery vulgar artificer may not presume that God hath reuealed al truth to him and therfore refuse to be taught of the learned for Christ did not aftervvard endevv fishers and vulgar men nor any other vvith the gifts of vvisdom and tonges vvithout their industrie study and teaching though at the beginning of great prouidence he did it that it might be cleere to the vvorld that al Nations vvere conuerted to him not by persuasion of cunning Orators or subtil Disputers but by the plaine force of his grace and truth vvhich S. Augustine counteth greater then al other miracles Further we are taught by this place that the poore humble obedient children of the Church knovv by their faith the high mysteries of Christes Diuinity and his presence in the B. Sacrament and such like rather then Arius Caluin and other like proud Scribes and Pharisees 28. This doe Not by faith only but by keeping Gods commaundements we obtaine life euerlasting not onely by beleeuing but by doing The heretikes say that it is impossible to keepe this commaundement of louing God with al our hart But the Scriptures giue vs examples of diuers that haue kept and fulfilled it as far as is requisite in this life 3. reg 14 8. ◠Par. 15 15. Ps 118 10. Ecclci 47 9 10. 4 Reg. 20 3. 5. Luc. 1 5. And if it vvere impossible to keepe it and yet by Christ proposed for the meane to obtaine life euerlasting he had mocked this Lavvyer and others and not taught them 30. Halfe dead Here is signified man vvounded very sore in his vnderstanding and free-wil and al other povvers of soule and body by the sinne of Adam but yet that neither vnderstanding nor free-vvil nor the rest vvere extinguished in man or taken avvay The Priest and Leuite signifie the Lavv of Moyses this Samaritane is Christ the Priest of the nevve Testament the
time ✠verse 10 And in time he sent to the husbandmen a seruant that they should giue him of the fruit of the vineyard Vvho beating him sent him avvay emptie ✠verse 11 And againe he sent an other seruant But they beating him also and reprochfully abusing him sent him avvay emptie ✠verse 12 And againe he sent the third vvho vvounding him also cast him out ✠verse 13 And the lord of the vineyard said Vvhat shal I doe I vvil send my beloued sonne perhaps vvhen they shal see him they vvil reuerence him ✠verse 14 Vvhom vvhen the husbandmen savv they thought vvithin them selues saying This is the heire let vs kil him that the heritage may be ours ✠verse 15 And casting him forth out of the vineyard they killed him Vvhat therfore vvil the Lord of the vineyard doe to them ✠verse 16 He vvil come and vvil destroy these husbandmen and vvil giue the vineyard to others Vvhich they hearing said to him God forbid ✠verse 17 But he beholding them said Vvhat is this then that is vvritten The stone vvhich the builders reiected the same is become into the head of the corner ✠verse 18 Euery one that falleth vpon this stone shal be quashed and vpon vvhom it shal fall it shal breake him to pouder ✠verse 19 And the cheefe Priests and Scribes sought to lay handes vpon him that houre and they feared the people for they knevv that he spake this similitude to them ✠verse 20 * And watching they sent spies which should feine them selues iust that they might take him in his talke and deliuer him to the principaltie and povver of the Praesident ✠verse 21 And they asked him saying Maister vve knovv that thou speakest and teachest rightly and thou doest not accept person but teachest the vvay of God in truth ✠verse 22 Is it lavvful for vs to giue tribute to Caesar or no ✠verse 23 But considering their guile he said to them Vvhy tempr you me ✠verse 24 Shevv me a penie Vvhose image hath it and inscription They ansvvering said Caesars ✠verse 25 And he said to them Render therfore the things that are Caesars to to Caesar and the things that are Gods to God ✠verse 26 And they could not reprehend his vvord before the people and marueiling at his ansvver they held their peace ✠verse 27 * And there came certaine of the Sadducees vvhich denie that there is a resurrection and they asked him ✠verse 28 saying Maister Moyses gaue vs in vvriting * If a mans brother die hauing a vvife and he haue no children that his brother take her to vvife and raise vp seede to his brother ✠verse 29 There vvere therfore seuen brethren and the first tooke a vvife and died vvithout children ✠verse 30 And the next tooke her and he died vvithout children ✠verse 31 And the third tooke her In like maner also al the seuen and they left no seed and died ✠verse 32 Last of al the vvoman died also ✠verse 33 In the resurrection therfore vvhose vvife shal she be of them sithens the seuen had her to vvife ✠verse 34 And IESVS said to them The children of this vvorld marrie and are giuen in mariage ✠verse 35 but they that ″ shal be counted vvorthie of that vvorld and the resurrection from the dead neither marrie nor take vviues ✠verse 36 neither can they die any more for they are ″ equal to Angels and they are the sonnes of God seeing they are the sonnes of the resurrectioÌ„ ✠verse 37 But that the dead rise againe Moyses also shevved beside the bush as he calleth the Lord The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob ✠verse 38 For God is not of the dead but of the liuing for al liue to him ✠verse 39 And certaine of the Scribes ansvvering said to him Maister thou hast said vvel ✠verse 40 And further they durst not aske him any thing ✠verse 41 But he said to them * Hovv say they that Christ is the sonne of Dauid ✠verse 42 and Dauid him self saith in the booke of psalmes The Lord said to my Lord Sit on my right hand ✠verse 43 til I put thine enemies the foote stoole of thy feete ✠verse 44 Dauid then calleth him Lord and hovv is he his sonne ✠verse 45 And al the people hearing him he said to his Disciples ✠verse 46 * Bevvare of the Scribes that vvil vvalke in robes and loue salutations in the market-place and the first chaires in the synagogs and the cheefe roomes in feastes ✠verse 47 vvhich deuoure vvidovves houses feining long praier These shal receiue greater damnation ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XX. â—â— Shal be counted vvorthie This truth and speach that good men be vvorthy of heauen is according to the Scriptures and signifieth that mans vvorkes done by Christs grace do condignely or vvorthely deserue eternal ioy as Sap. 3. God proued them and found them vvorthy of him self and Mat. 10. He that loueth his father more then me is not vvorthy of me and Colos 1 That you may vvalke vvorthy of God and most plainly Apoc. 3. They shal vvalke vvith me in vvhite because they are vvorthy as of Christ c. 1 Thou art vvorthy o Lord to receiue glorie c. And that to be counted vvorthie and to be vvorthie is here al one it is plaine by the Greeke vvord vvhich S. Paul vseth so as the aduersaries ovvne English Testaments do testifie reading thus Hebre. 10. Of hovv much sorer punishment shal he be vvorthie vvhich c. And it must needes signifie because men for sinnes are not only counted but are in deede vvorthie of punishment as them selues do graunt They do greatly therfore forget them selues and are ignorant in the Scriptures and knovv not the force nor the valure of the grace of God which doth not onely make our labours grateful to God but worthie of the reward which he hath prouided for such as loue him See the Annot. 2 Thess 1 5. â—6 Equal to Angels Saincts of our kinde now in their soules and after their resurrection in body and soule together shal be in al things equal to Angels and for degree of blisse many Saincts of greater merite shal be aboue diuers Angels as S. Iohn Baptist the Apostles and others and our B. Lady aboue al the orders of holy spirits in dignitie and blisse and no maruel our nature by Christ being so highly exalted aboue al Angels CHAP. XXI He commendeth the poore vvidovv for her tvvo mites aboue al. 5 Hauing said that the Temple shal be quite destroied 7 he foretelletb first many things that shal goe before 20 then a signe also vvhen it is neere after vvhich shal come the destruction it self in most horrible maner vvithout hope of restitution vntil al Nations of the Gentils be gathered into his Church in
saying Verely this fellovv also vvas vvith him for he is also a Galilaean ✠verse 60 And Peter said Man I knovv not vvhat thou sayest And incontinent as he vvas yet speaking the cocke crevv ✠verse 61 And our Lord turning looked on Peter And Peter remembred the vvord of our Lord as he had said That before the cocke crovv thou shalt thrise denie me ✠verse 62 And Peter going forth a doores vvept bitterly ✠verse 63 And the men that held him mocked him beating him ✠verse 64 And they did blindefold him and smote his face And they asked him saying Prophecie vvho is it that smote thee ✠verse 65 And blaspheming many other things they said against him ✠verse 66 And vvhen it vvas day there assembled the auncients of the people and cheefe Priests and Scribes and they brought him into their councel saying ✠verse 67 If thou be Christ tel vs. And he said to them If I tel you you vvil not beleeue me ✠verse 68 if also I aske you vvil not ansvver me nor dimisse me ✠verse 69 But from hence forth the Sonne of man shal be sitting on the right hand of the povver of God ✠verse 70 And they al said Art thou then the sonne of God Vvho said You say that I am ✠verse 71 But they said Vvhat neede vve testimonie any further For our selues haue heard of his ovvne mouth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 15. With desire I haue desired This great desire he had to eate this Paschal lambe was not for it self vvhich he had celebrated many yeres before but because he meant immediatly after the Paschal of the Law vvas sacrificed eaten to institute the other new Paschal in the oblation and eating of his owne body by vvhich the old Paschal should end and be fulfilled and in which the old Testament and Law ceasing the Kingdom of God which is the state of the new Testament and of his Church should begin For the very passage from the old Law to the new was in this one supper 17. Taking the chalice This chalice according to the very euidence of the text it self also is not the second part of the Holy Sacrament but that solemne cuppe of vvine vvhich belonged as a libament to the offering and eating of the Paschal lambe Which being a figure specially of the holy Chalice vvas there drunken by our Sauiour and giuen to the Apostles also with declaration that it should be the last cuppe of the Law not to be drunken any more til it should be drunken new in the kingdom of God that is to say in the celebration of the B. Sacrament of his bloud of the new Testament And by this place it seemeth very like that the wordes in S. Matthew I wil not drinke of the fruite of the vine c. were pertaining to this cuppe of the old Law and not to the Holy Sacrament though they be there by repetition or recapitulation spoken after the holy Chalice 19. This is my body Although sense tel thee it is bread yet it is the body according to his vvordes let faith confirme thee iudge not by sense after the vvordes of our Lord let no doubt rise in thy minde Cyril mystag 4. Of the veritie of flesh and bloud there is left no place to doubt by the profession of our Lord him self and by our faith it is flesh and bloud in deede Is not this truth To them be it vntrue which deny IESVS CHRIST to be true God Hilar li. 8 de Trinit 19. Which is giuen As the former wordes make and proue his body present so these wordes plainely signifie that it is present as giuen offered or sacrificed for vs and being vttered in the present tence it signifieth not onely that it should aftervvard be giuen or offered on the Crosse but that it vvas then also in the Sacrament giuen and offered for vs. Whereby it is inuincebly proued that his Body is present as an host or Sacrifice and that the making or consecrating thereof must needes be Sacrificing And therfore the holy Fathers in this sense call it a Sacrificing Nissen orat 1 de resur Leo ser â— et â— de Pass Hesychius li. 2. in Leuit. c. 8. Grego ho. 37 in Euang. et Dial. li 4 c. 59. Cyrillus Hieros mystag 5. Dionys Eccl. hier c. 3. Ignat. ep 5. ad Smyrn Iustinus dial cum Tryph. circ med Iren. li. 4 c. 32 et 14. Tertu de cult fam et ad vxor li. 2. Cypr. ep ad Cacil et de Can. Do. Euseb Demonst euang li. 1 c. 10 Nazian orat â— cont IulianuÌ„ Chryst ho. 83 in 26 Mat. et li. 6 de Sacerd. Ambros li. 4 de Sacram. c. 6. et li. 1 Offic. c. 48. Hiero. in ep ad Hedib q 2. et ad Euagr. ep 126 to 3. August in psal 33 conc 1. et alibi sape Graci omnes in 9 Hebr. et Primasius Conc. Nic. 1. can 14. Ephes ad Nestor Constantinop 6. can 32. Nicen. â— act 6 to 3. Laâ—cran Constant Flor. Trid. 19. Doe this In these vvordes the holy Sacrament of Order is instituted because povver and coÌ„mission to doe the principal act and vvorke of Priesthod is giuen to the Apostles that is to doe that vvhich Christ then did concerning his body which was to make and offer his body as a sacrifice for vs and for all that haue neede of Sacrifice and to giue it to be eaten as Christes body sacrificed to al faithful For as the Paschal lambe was first sacrificed and then eaten so vvas his body and thus to doe he here giueth commission and authoritie to the Apostles and to al Priests which be their successors in this matter Dionys cal Hierar c. 3. Iren. li. 4 c. 32. Cypr. ep ad Cacil Chrys ho. 17 in ep ad Hebr. Ambros in Ps 38. in c. 10 ad Hebr. 19. For a commemoration This Sacrifice and Sacrament is to be done perpetually in the Church for the commemoration of Christ specially of his Passion that is to say that it may be a liuely representation exemplar and forme of his Sacrifice vpon the crosse Of vvhich one oblatioÌ„ on the crosse not onely al other sacrifices of the Lavv vvere figures but this also though this in a more nigh high mystical and maruelous sort then any other for in them Christ death vvas signified as by resemblance and similitudes of external creatures and bodies of brute beasts but in this of the new Testament his body visibly sacrificed on the crosse in and by the self same body sacrificed and immolated in SacrameÌ„t and vnder the shapes of bread and vvine is most neerely perfectly resembled and therfore this is most properly coÌ„memoratiue as most neerely expressing the very condition nature efficacie sort and substance of that on the crosse For which the holy fathers call it the very self same sacrifice though in other maner which was
the place vvhere men must adore ✠verse 21 IESVS ' saith to her Vvoman beleeue me that the houre shal come vvhen you shal neither in this mountaine nor in Hierusalem adore the Father ✠verse 22 * You adore that you knovv not vve adore that vve knovv for saluation is of the Ievves ✠verse 23 But the houre commeth and novv it is vvhen the true adorers shal adore the Father ″ in spirit and veritie for the Father also seeketh such to adore him ✠verse 24 God is a spirit and they that adore him must adore in spirit and veritie ✠verse 25 The vvoman saith to him I knovv that MESSIAS commeth vvhich is called CHRIST therfore vvhen he commeth he vvil shevv vs al things ✠verse 26 IESVS saith to her I am he that speake vvith thee ✠verse 27 And incontinent his Disciples came and they marueiled that he talked vvith a vvoman No man for al that said Vvhat seekest thou or vvhy talkest thou vvith her ✠verse 28 The vvoman therfore left her vvater-pot and she vvent into the citie and saith to those men ✠verse 29 Come and see a man that hath told me al things vvhatsoeuer I haue done Is not he CHRIST ✠verse 30 They vvent forth therfore out of the citie and came to him ✠verse 31 In the meane time the Disciples desired him saying Rabbi eate ✠verse 32 But he said to them I haue meate to eate vvhich you knovv not ✠verse 33 The Disciples therfore said one to an other Hath any man brought him for to eate ✠verse 34 IESVS saith to them My meate is to doe the vvil of him that sent me to perfit his vvorke ✠verse 35 Doe not you say that yet there are foure moneths and haruest commeth Behold I say to you lift vp your eies and see the countries that they are vvhite already to haruest ✠verse 36 And he that reapeth receiueth hire and gathereth fruite vnto life euerlasting that both he that sovveth and he that reapeth may reioyce together ✠verse 37 For in this is the saying true that it is one man that sovveth and it is an other that reapeth ✠verse 38 I haue sent you to reape that vvhich you laboured not others haue laboured and you haue entred into their labours ✠verse 39 And of that citie many beleeued in him of the Samaritans for the vvord of the vvoman giuing testimonie that he told me al things vvhatsoeuer I haue done ✠verse 40 Therfore vvhen the Samaritans vvere come to him they desired him that he vvould tarie there And he taried there tvvo daies ✠verse 41 And many moe beleeued for his ovvne vvord ✠verse 42 And they said to the vvoman That novv not for thy saying doe vve beleeue for our selues haue heard and doe knovv that this is the Sauiour of the vvorld in deede ⊢ ✠verse 43 And after the tvvo daies he departed thence and vvent into Galilee ✠verse 44 For IESVS him self gaue testimonie that a Prophet hath not honour in his ovvne countrie ✠verse 45 Therfore * vvhen he vvas come into Galilee the Galilaeans receiued him vvhereas they had seen al things that he had done at Hierusalem in the festiual day for them selues also came to the festiual day ✠verse 46 He came againe therfore into Cana of Galilee * Vvhere he made vvater vvine And there vvas a certaine lord vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capharnáum ✠verse 47 He hauing heard that IESVS came from Ievvrie into Galilee vvent to him and desired him that he vvould come dovvne heale his sonne for he began to die ✠verse 48 IESVS therfore said to him Vnlesse you see signes and vvonders you beleeue not ✠verse 49 The lord saith to him Lord come dovvne before that my sonne die ✠verse 50 IESVS saith to him Goe thy sonne liueth The man beleeued the vvord that IESVS said to him and vvent ✠verse 51 And as he vvas novv going dovvne his seruants mette him and they brought vvord saying That his sonne liued ✠verse 52 He asked therfore of them the houre vvherein he vvas amended And they said to him That yesterday at the seuenth houre the feuer left him ✠verse 53 The father therfore knevv that it vvas in the same houre vvherein IESVS said to him Thy sonne liueth and him self beleeued and his vvhole house ⊢ ✠verse 54 This againe the * second signe did IESVS vvhen he vvas come from Ievvrie into Galilee ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. â—0 Our Fathers adored By adoration is meant doing of sacrifice for other offices of Religion might be done in any place The Samaritanes to defend their adoring in Garizim pretended their worshiping there to be more ancient then the Iewes in Hierusalem referring it to Iacob Whereas in deede that Patriarch adoring there before the Temple vvas appointed or the Lavv giuen made nothing for their Schisme Which vvas begone by Manasses a fugitiue Priest onely to hold his vnlavvful wife thereby and to obtaine Superioritie in Schisme vvhich he could not doe in the vnitie of his brethren long after the Temple of Hierusalem from vvhich the reuolt vvas made Therfore Christ giueth sentence for the Ievves and the Temple of Hierusalem affirming that they had a good ground thereof but the Samaritanes none at al. Iosephus also recordeth hovv the Samaritanes demaunded of Alexander the Great the like priuileges and immunities as he had graunted to the high Priest and Temple of Hierusalem pretending their Temple to be as great and as vvorthy and them selues to be Ievves as the other and to vvorship the same God but their Schismatical hypocrisie vvas easely spied and dimissed vvith nothing An other time the Ievves and Samaritanes as the same vvriter testifieth made a great sturre in Alexandria about the truth and antiquitie of the Schismatical temple and seruice in Garizim and the other true Temple of Salomon in so much that the matter vvas put to arbitrement by Ptolomaeus the kings commaundement onely to trieâ— whether of the two was first And the Schismatikes as their custome is per saltum can make their Church or seruice as old as they list referring it to the Patriarches as our Schismatikes do now to Christ and the Apostles But when the trial was made onely they of Hierusalem did inuincibly proue by continual succession of their Priests and by the iust note of the time when the Schismatikes went out from them that theirs was the lavvful and the other the false temple and false adoration and so it was iudged and the Samaritanes put to silence Afterward the said Schismatikes which is lightly the end of al Schismes reuolted quite from the Iewes religion and dedicated their temple in Garîzim to Iupiter Olympius as Caluins supper and his bread and wine is like at length to come to the sacrifice of Ceres and Bacchus 23. In Spirit and veritie Our Sauiour foretelleth her that the
but raise it in the last day ✠verse 40 And this is the vvil of my father that sent me that euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him haue life euerlasting and I vvil raise him in the last day ⊢ ✠verse 41 The Ievves therfore murmured at him because he had said I am the bread vvhich descended from heauen ✠verse 42 and they said is not this IESVS the sonne of Ioseph vvhose father and mother vve knovv Hovv then faith he That I descended from heauen ✠verse 43 IESVS therfore ansvvered and said to them Murmure not one to an other ✠verse 44 no man can come to me vnles the Father that sent me ″ dravv him and I vvil raise him vp in the last day ✠verse 45 It is vvritten in the Prophers And al shal be docible of God Euery one that hath heard of the Father and hath learned commeth to me ✠verse 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father but he vvhich is of God this hath seen the Father ✠verse 47 Amen amen I say to you he that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting ✠verse 48 I am the bread of life ✠verse 49 Your fathers did eate ″ Manna in the desert and they died ✠verse 50 This is the bread that descendeth from heauen that if any man eate of it he die not ✠verse 51 I am the liuing bread that came dovvne from heauen If any man eate of this bread he shal liue for euer and * the bread vvhich I vvil giue is my flesh for the life of the vvorld ⊢ ✠verse 52 The Ievves therfore stroue among them selues saying ″ Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh to eate ✠verse 53 IESVS therfore said to them Amen amen I say to you ″ Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man ″ and drinke his bloud ″ you shal not haue life in you ✠verse 54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and ″ I vvil raise him vp in the last day ⊢ ✠verse 55 For my flesh is ″ meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede ✠verse 56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him ✠verse 57 As the liuing father hath sent me and I liue by the father and he that eateth me the same also shal liue by me ✠verse 58 This is the bread that came dovvne from heauen Not as your fathers did eate Manna and died ″ He that eateth this bread shal liue for euer ⊢ ✠verse 59 These things he said teaching in the Synagogue in Capharnáum ✠verse 60 Many therfore of his Disciples hearing it said This saying is hard and vvho can heare it ✠verse 61 But IESVS knovving vvith him self that his Disciples murmured at this he said to them Doth this scandalize you ✠verse 62 ″ If then you shal see * the Sonne of man ascend vvhere he vvas before ✠verse 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth ″ the flesh profiteth nothing The vvordes that I haue spoken to you be spirit and life ✠verse 64 But there be certaine of you ″ that beleeue not For IESVS knevv from the beginning vvho they vvere that did not beleeue and vvho he vvas that vvould betray him ✠verse 65 And he said Therfore did I say to you that no man can come to me vnles it be giuen him of my Father ✠verse 66 After this many of his Disciples ″ vvent backe and novv they vvalked not vvith him ✠verse 67 IESVS therfore said to the Tvvelue Vvhat vvil you also depart ✠verse 68 Simon ″ Peter therfore ansvvered him Lord to vvhom shal vve goe thou hast the vvordes of eternal life ✠verse 69 And vve beleeue and haue knovven that thou art Christ the sonne of God ✠verse 70 IESVS ansvvered them Haue not I chosen you the Tvvelue of you one is a deuil ✠verse 71 And he meant Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne for this same vvas to betray him vvhereas he vvas one of the Tvvelue ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 27. Worke not the meate By their greedy seeking after him for meate of the body he taketh occasion to dravv them to the desire of a more excellent foode which he had to giue them and so by litle to open vnto them the great meate and mysterie of the B. Sacrament which as he proueth doth not onely far passe their ordinarie bread or his maruelous multiplied loaues but Manna it self which they thought came from heauen and so much wondered at it 32. The true bread Though the person of Christ incarnate euen out of the Sacrament also be meant vnder the Metaphores of bread and drinke from heauen and our beleefe in him be signified by eating and feeding yet the causes why they should be recommended vnto vs in such termes were that he was to be eaten and drunken in deed in the formes of bread and wine for the which cause his body on the crosse is called his bread his bloud shed on the crosse * the bloud of the grape no doubt because the same body and bloud were in Holy Sacrament to be eaten and drunken In vvhich speaches either of Christs person generally or peculiarly of the same as in the B. Sacrament the true bread is not taken proprely and specially for that substance which is of corne and called vvith vs bread but generally for food or meate and therfore it hath ioyned vvith it lightly a terme signifying a more excellent sort of sustenance as the true bread the bread of heauen the bread of life Supersubstantial bread in which sort the holy Sacrament which is Christs body is both here and in S. Luke and S. Paul also often called bread euen after consecration not onely for that it was made of bread but because it is bread more truely and by more excellent property and calling then that vvhich ordinarily is named bread 44. Dravv him The Father dravveth vs and teacheth vs to come to his Sonne and to beleeue these high and hard mysteries of his incarnation and of feeding vs vvith his ovvne substance in the Sacrament not cōpelling or violenty forcing any against their will or without any respect of their consent as Heretikes pretend but by the svveete internal motions and persuasions of his grace and spirit he wholy maketh vs of our owne vvill and liking to consent to the same 49. Manna and died The Heretikes holding the fathers of the old Testament to haue eaten of the same meate and to haue had as good Sacraments as vve be here refuted Christ putting a plaine difference in the very substance thereof and in the graces and effects much more at large Manna vvas onely a figure of the B. Sacrament though a very excellent figure thereof for many causes It came in a sort from heauen out Sacrament more it vvas made by
elements vnder which it is and we eate it that the vnfaithful and infirme do so stumble at Christ in the Sacrament as the Iewes and Gentils did at Christ in his humanitie For the causes of contradictions of the Incarnation and Transsubstantion be like And it may be verily deemed that whosoeuer now can not beleeue the Sacrament to be Christ because it is vnder the formes of bread and wine and is eaten and drunken would not then haue beleued that Christ had bene God because he was in shape of man and crucified To conclude it was not a figure nor a mysterie of bare bread and wine nor any Metaphorical or Allegorical speach that could make such a troupe of his Disciples reuolt at once when he said he was a doore a vine away a Pastor and such like vnto which kinde of speaches the protestants ridiculously resemble the wordes of the holy Sacrament who was so mad to mistake him or to forsake him for the same For the Apostles at the least would haue plucked them by the sleeues and said Goe not away my maisters he speaketh parables The cause therfore was their incredulitie and the height of the Mysterie for that they neither knew the meanes how it might be present nor would beleeue that he was able to giue his flesh to be eaten in many places And euen such is the vnbeleefe of the Heretikes about this matter at this day â—â— Peter ansvvered Peter answereth for the Twelue not knowing that Iudas in hart was already naught and beleued not Christs former wordes touching the B. Sacrament but was to reuolt afterward as wel as the other Wherein Peter beareth the person of the Church and al Catholike men that for no difficulty of his word nor for any reuolt be it neuer so general of Schismatikes Heretikes or Apostataes either for this Sacrament or any other Article wil euer forsake Christ And when company draweth vs to reuolt let vs say thus Lord whither or to whom shal we goe when we haue forsaken thee to Caluin Luther or such and forsake thee and thy Church with the vnfaithful multitude No thou hast the wordes of life and we beleeue thee and thy Church wil not nor can not beguile vs. Thou hast saith S. Augustine life euerlasting in the ministration of thy body and bloud and a litle after Thou art life euerlasting it self and thou giuest not in thy flesh and bloud but that vvhich thy self art CHAP. VII The Iewes of Hierusalem seeking his death he walketh in Galilee where he signifieth to his brethren that not in this feast Scenopégia but in an other to wit Pasche folovving the Ievves should kil him that is not vvhen they vvould but vvhen he vvil 10 In so much that at this feast he teacheth openly in the Temple and conuerteth many 14 both in the middle day 37 and the last day thereof vvithout any hurt though also the Rulers send to apprehend him verse 1 AFTER these things IESVS vvalked into Galilee ' for he vvould not vvalke into Ievvrie ' because the Ievves sought to kil him ✠verse 2 And the festiual day of the Ievves * Scenopégia vvas at hand ✠verse 3 And his brethreÌ„ said to him Passe from hence and goe into Ievvrie that thy Disciples also may see thy vvorkes vvhich thou doest ✠verse 4 For no man doeth any thing in secrete and seeketh him self to be in publike If thou doe these things manifest thy self to the vvorld ✠verse 5 For neither did his brethren beleeue in him ✠verse 6 IESVS therfore saith to them My time is not yet come but your time is alvvaies readie ✠verse 7 The vvorld can not hate you but me it hateth because I giue testimonie of it that the vvorkes there of are euil ✠verse 8 Goe you vp to this festiual day I goe not vp ' to this festiual day because my time is not yet accomplished ✠verse 9 when he had said these things him self taried in Galilee ✠verse 10 But after his brethren vvere gone vp then he also vvent vp to the festiual day not openly but as it vvere in secrete ✠verse 11 The Ievves therfore sought him in the festiual day and said Vvhere is he ✠verse 12 And there vvas much murmuring in the multitude of him For certaine said That he is good And others said No but he seduceth the multitudes ✠verse 13 Yet no man spake openly of him for feare of the Ievves ⊢ ✠verse 14 And vvhen the festiuitie vvas novv halfe done IESVS vvent vp into the teÌ„ple and taught ✠verse 15 And the Ievves marueiled saying Hovv doth this man knovv letters vvhereas he hath not learned ✠verse 16 IESVS ansvvered them and said My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me ✠verse 17 If any man vvil doe the vvil of him he shal vnderstand of the doctrine vvhether it be of God or I speake of my self ✠verse 18 He that speaketh of him self seeketh his ovvne glorie But he that seeketh the glorie of him that sent him he is true and iniustice in him there is not ✠verse 19 Did not Moyses giue you the lavv and none of you doeth the lavv ✠verse 20 * Vvhy seeke you to kil me The multitude ansvvered and said Thou hast a deuil vvho seeketh to kil thee ✠verse 21 IESVS ansvvered and said to them One vvorke I haue done and you doe al marueil ✠verse 22 Therfore * Moyses gaue you circuncision not that it is of Moyses but * of the fathers and in the Sabboth you circuncise a man ✠verse 23 If a man receiue circuncision in the Sabboth that the lavv of Moyses be not broken are you angrie at me because I haue healed a man vvholy in the Sabboth ✠verse 24 Iudge not according to the face but iudge iust iudgement ✠verse 25 Certaine therfore of Hierusalem said Is not this he vvhom they seeke to kil ✠verse 26 And behold he speaketh openly and they say nothing to him Haue the Princes knovven in deede that this is CHRIST ✠verse 27 But this man vve knovv vvheÌ„ce he is But vvhen CHRIST coÌ„meth no man knovveth vvhence he is ✠verse 28 IESVS therfore cried in the temple teaching and saying Both me you doe knovv and vvhence I am you knovv And of my self I am not come but he is true that sent me vvhom you knovv not ✠verse 29 I knovv him because I am of him and he sent me ✠verse 30 They sought therfore to apprehend him and no man laide handes vpon him because his houre vvas not yet come ✠verse 31 But of the multitude many beleeued in him ⊢ and said CHRIST vvhen he coÌ„meth shal he doe more signes then these vvhich this man doeth ✠verse 32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things touching him and the Princes ' and Pharisees sent ministers to apprehend him
Father in me The vvordes that I speake to you of my self I speake not But my father that abideth in me he doeth the vvorkes ✠verse 11 Beleeue you not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Othervvise for the vvorkes them selues beleeue ✠verse 12 Amen amen I say to you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he also shal doe and greater then these shal he doe ✠verse 13 because I goe to the Father and vvhatsoeuer you shal aske in my name that wil I doe ⊢ that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne ✠verse 14 If you aske me any thing in my name that vvil I doe ✠verse 15 If you loue me keepe my commaundements ✠verse 16 And I vvil aske the father and he vvil giue you an other Paraclete that he may abide vvith you for euer ✠verse 17 the Spirit of truth vvhom the vvorld can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knovveth him but you knovv ' him because he shal abide vvith you and shal be in you ✠verse 18 I vvil not leaue you orphanes I vvil come to you ✠verse 19 Yet a litle vvhile and the vvorld seeth me no more But you see me because I liue and you shal liue ⊢ ✠verse 20 In that day you shal knovv that I am in my father and you in me and I in you ✠verse 21 He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them he it is that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I vvil loue him and vvil manifest my self to him ⊢ ✠verse 22 Iudas saith to him not that Iscariote Lord vvhat is done that thou vvilt manifest thy self to vs and not to the vvorld ✠verse 23 IESVS ansvvered and said to him If any loue me he vvil keepe my vvord and my father vvil loue him and vve vvil come to him and vvil make abode vvith him ✠verse 24 He that loueth me not keepeth not my vvordes And the vvord vvhich you haue heard is not mine but his that sent me the Fathers ✠verse 25 These things haue I spoken to you abiding vvith you ✠verse 26 But the Paraclete the holy Ghost vvhom the Father vvil send in my name he shal teach you al things suggest vnto you al things vvhatsoeuer I shal say to you ✠verse 27 Peace I leaue to you my peace I giue to you not as the vvorld giueth doe I giue to you Let not your hart be troubled nor feare ✠verse 28 You haue heard that I said to you I goe and I come to you If you loued me you vvould be glad verily that I goe to the Father because the Father is greater then I. ✠verse 29 And novv I haue told you before it come to passe that vvhen it shal come to passe you may beleeue ✠verse 30 Novv I vvil not speake many things vvith you for the prince of this vvorld commeth and in me he hath not any thing ✠verse 31 But that the vvorld may knovv that I loue the Father and as the Father hath giuen me commaundement so doe I ⊢ Arise let vs goe hence ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. Greater then these S. Chrysostom in a whole booke against the Pagans proueth that this was fulfilled not onely in Peters shadow and Paules garments which as we read in the Actes healed infirmities but also by the Relikes and monuments of Saincts namely of S. Babylas of whom he there treateth thereby inferring that Christ is God who could and did performe these wonderful wordes by the very ashes of his seruants The Protestants cleane contrarie as patrones of the Pagans infidelitie as though our Sauiour had promised these the like miraculous workes in vaine either not meaning or not able to fulfil thē so do they discredite al the approued histories of the Church concerning miracles wrought by Saincts namely that S. Gregorie Thaumaturgus remoued a mountaine the miracles of S. Paul the eremite and S. Hilarion written by S. Hierom the miracles of S. Martin written by Seuerus Sulpitius the miracles testified by S. Augustine de Ciuit Dei the miracles approued by S. Gregorie in his Dialoges the miracles reported by S. Bede in his Ecclesiastical storie and liues of Saincts and al other miracles neuer so faithfully recorded in Ecclesiastical writers In al which things aboue their reach of reason and nature they are as litle persuaded and haue no more faith then had the Pagans against whom S. Chrysostom in the foresaid booke and S. Augustine de Ciu. Dei li. 22 c. 8 and other Fathers heretofore haue written No man therfore needeth to maruel that the very Image of our Lady the like doe miracles euen as Peters shadow did nor wonder if such things seeme stranger and greater then those which Christ him self did whereas our Sauiour to put vs out of doubt saith expresly that his Saincts shal doe greater things then him self did 16. For euer If the Holy Ghost had been promised onely to the Apostles their successors and the Church after them could not haue chalenged it but it vvas promised them for euer Whereby we may learne both that the priuileges and promisses made to the Apostles were not personal but pertaining to their offices perpetually and also that the Church and Pastors in al ages had and haue the same Holy Ghost to gouerne them that the Apostles and primitiue Church had 17. The spirit of truth They had many particular giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost before and many vertues by the same as al holy men haue at al times but the Holy Ghost here promised to the Apostles and their successors for euer is to this vse specially promised to direct them in al truth and veritie and is contrarie to the spirit of errour heresie and falshod And therefore the Church can not fall to Apostasie or Heresie or to nothing as the Aduersaries say 28. Father greater then I. There is no place of Scripture that seemeth any thing so much to make for the Sacramentaries as this and other in outward shew of wordes seemed to make for the Arians who denied the equalitie of the Sonne with the Father Which wordes yet in deede rightly vnderstood after the Churches sense make nothing for their false secte but only signifie that Christ according to his Manhod wa◠inferior in deede and that according to his Diuinitie he came of the Father And if the Heresie or disease of this time were Arianisme we should stand vpon these places and the like against the Arians as we now do vpon others against the Protestants whose secte is the disease and bane of this time CHAP. XV. He exhorteth them to abide in him that is his Church being the true vine and not the Synagogue of the Ievves any more 9 and in his loue louing one an other and keeping his commaundements 13 shevving hovv much
Pastors them selues but thou wilt aske me how I proue that euen by our Lordes word for to whom of al I say not onely Bishops but Apostles were the sheepe so absolutely and without limitation coÌ„mitted If thou loue me Peter feede my sheepe He saith not the people of this kingdom or that citie but my sheepe without al distinction So S. Bernard And herevnto may be added that the second feede is in greeke a word that signifieth withal to gouerne and rule as Ps â— Mich. 5. Mat. 2. Apoc. 2. and therfore it is spoken of Dauid also and other temporal Gouerners as the Hebrew word answering therevnto in the Scriptures very often and the Greeke in profane writers also 1â— An other shal gird thee He Prophecieth of Peters Martyrdom and of the kinde of death which he should suffer that was crucifying which * the Heretikes fearing that it were a steppe to proue he was martyred in Rome deny whereas the Fathers and ancient writers are as plaine in this as that he was at Rome Origen apud Euseb li. 3. c. 1. Euseb li. 2. c. 24. Hist Ec. Tertul. de praescript nu 14. Aug. tract 123 in Ioan. Chrysost Beda in hunc locum THE SVMME AND THE ORDER OF THE EVANGELICAL HISTORIE gathered breifly out of al foure euen vnto Christs Ascension * ⎠* Mt. Mr. Lu. Io.     1 THE preface mouing the Reader to receiue CHRIST being the aeternal VVORD of God the life and the light   1  The Angel telleth Zacharie of the conception of Iohn Baptist Christs Precursor and Elizabeth conceiueth him   1  The same Angel doing his message to the B. Virgin CHRIST is incarnate in her wombe   1  Our B. Ladie visiteth Elizabeth and Iohn Baptist is borne and circuncised 1    The Angel telleth Ioseph that his vvise is vvith childe by the Holy Ghost 1  3  The genealogie of Christ   2  The birth of Christ in Bethlehem and his circuncision 2    The Sages come from the East and adore Christ   2  Christ is presented in the Temle vvhere Simeon and Anna prophecie of him 2    Ioseph vvith the childe and his mother fleeth into Aegypt and returneth to Nazareth   2  Iesus being sought of his parents is found in the Temple among the Doctors 3 1 3  Iohn the Baptist preacheth and baptizeth preparing al to receiue Christ and among other Christ is baptized of him 4 1 4  Christ fasteth fourtie daies and is tempted in the vvildernesse    1 Iohn giueth testimonie of Christ to the legates of the Ievves to the people and to his ovvne disciples    2 Christ vvorketh his first miracle turning vvater into vvine at a mariage    1 In the feast of Pasche he casteth out the biers and sellers in the Temple insinuating to the Iewes his death and resurrectioÌ„    3 He teacheth Nicodemus by night and baptizeth in Iurie by the ministerie of his disciples vvherevpon a question is moued to Iohn about their tvvo baptismes 14 6 3  Iohn Baptist is put into prison for reprehending Herods incestuous aduoutrie 4   4 After Iohns emprisonment Christ returning into Galilee by Samaria talketh vvith the Samaritane vvoman    4 He healeth a lordes sonne of an ague 4 1 4  He preacheth in Galilee and vvaxeth very famous 4 1 5  He calleth foure disciples out of the boate and they folovv him  1 4  He healeth one possessed of a diuel in the Synagogue 8 1 4  He cureth Simon Peters mother in lavv many sicke persons 8  9  He refuseth three that offer to folovv him 8 4 8  He appeaseth the tempest on the sea 8 5 8  He healeth tvvo possessed of diuels in the countrie of the Gerasens and permitteth the diuels to enter into svvine 9 2 5  He healeth the sicke of the palsey being let dovvne through the tiles     He calleth Matthevv from the custome house and disputeth vvith Iohns disciples and the Pharisees of fasting 9 5 8  He raiseth the Archisynagogs daughter and cureth her that had a fluxe of bloud 9    He healeth tvvo blinde and one possessed    5 He healeth him on the Sabboth day that lay at the Probatica and had been diseased 38 yeres 12 3 6  He confuteth the Pharisees being offended that his disciples bruised the eares of corne on the Sabboth 12    He refelleth the Pharisees being offended because he cured the vvithered hand on the Sabboth 5.6.7 3 6  He chooseth the 12 Apostles and maketh that diuine sermon called Sermo Domini in monte the Sermon of our Lord in the mount conteining the paterne of a Christian mans life 8 1 5  He cureth a leper 8  7  He healeth the Centurions seruant   7  He raiseth the vvidovves sonne at Naim 11  7.9  Iohn sendeth out of prison his disciples vnto Christ   7  He forgiueth M. Magdalens sinnes preferring her much before the Phâ—risee that despised her 12 3 11  He healeth him that had a deafe and dumme deuil and refuteth the blaspheming Pharisees 12 3 11.8  He preferreth the obseruers of Gods vvord before carnal mother and brethren 13 4 8  The parable of the sovver 13 4   The parables of the cockle of the seede grovving vvhen men sleepe of the mustard seede and of the leauen 13    The parables of the treasure hid in the field of the pretious stone and of the nette 13 6 4  Teaching in Nazareth he condemneth it of incredulitie 9.10 6 8  He sendeth the tvvelue Apostles to preache 14 6 9  Iohn is beheaded and the fame of Iesus commeth to Herods eares 14 6 9 6 He feedeth 5000 men vvith fiue loaues 14 6  6 He vvalketh vpon the sea and so maketh Peter also to doe    6 He reasoneth of Manna and of the true bread from heauen 15 7   He reprehendeth the Pharisees for cauilling at his disciples because they did eate vvith vnvvashed handes     He healeth the daughter of the vvoman of Canaan  7   He cureth a man that vvas deafe and dumme 15 8   He feedeth 4000 vvith seuen loaues 16 8   He reiecteth the Pharisees that asked a signe and biddeth his disciples bevvare of their leauen  8   He healeth a blinde man in Bethsaida 16 8 9  The time that he vvil passe out of this vvorld novv dravving nigh he maketh Peter for confessing him to be Christ the Rocke vpon vvhich he vvil build his Church promising to giue him the keies of heauen and
of nevv vvine ✠verse 14 But Peter standing vvith the Eleuen lifted vp his voice and spake to them Ye men Ievves and al you that dvvel in Hierusalem be this knovven to you and vvith your eares receiue my vvordes ✠verse 15 For these are not drunke as you suppose vvhereas it is the third houre of the day ✠verse 16 But this is it that vvas said by the Prophet Ioël ✠verse 17 And it shal be in the last daies saith our Lord of my Spirit I vvil povvre out vpon al flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shal prophecie and your yong men shal see visions and your auncients shal dreame dreames ✠verse 18 And vpon my seruants truely and vpon my handmaides vvil I povvre out in those daies of my Spirit and they shal prophecie ✠verse 19 and I vvil giue vvonders in the heauen aboue and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fire and vapour of smoke ✠verse 20 The sunne shal be turned into darkenes and the moone into bloud before the great and manifest day of our Lord doth come ✠verse 21 And it shal be euery one vvhosoeuer calleth vpon the name of our Lord shal be saued ⊢ ✠verse 22 Ye men of Israël heare these vvordes IESVS of Nazareth a man approued of God among you by miracles and vvonders and signes vvhich God did by him in the middes of you as you knovv ✠verse 23 this same ″ by the determinate counsel and prescience of God being deliuered you by the handes of vvicked men haue crucified and slaine ✠verse 24 vvhom God hath raised vp ″ loosing the sorovves of hel according as it vvas impossible that he should be holden of it ✠verse 25 For Dauid saith concerning him I foresavv the Lord in my sight alvvaies because he is at my right hand that I be not moued ✠verse 26 For this my hart hath been glad and my tongue hath reioyced moreouer my flesh also shal rest in hope ✠verse 27 Because thou vvilt not leaue ″ my soul in hel nor giue thy Holy one to see corruption ✠verse 28 Thou hast made knovven to me the vvaies of life thou shalt make me ful of ioyfulnes vvith thy face ✠verse 29 Ye men brethren let me boldly speake to you of the Patriarch Dauid that * he died and vvas buried and his sepulchre is vvith vs vntil this present day ✠verse 30 Vvhereas therfore he vvas a Prophet and knevv that by an othe God had svvorne to him that of the fruite of his loynes there should sit vpon his seate ✠verse 31 forseeing he spake of the resurrection of Christ for neither vvas he left in hel neither did his flesh see corruption ✠verse 32 This IESVS hath God raised againe vvhereof al vve are vvitnesses ✠verse 33 Being exalted therfore by the right hand of God and hauing receiued of his father the promisse of the holy Ghost he hath povvred out this vvhom ' you see and heare ✠verse 34 For Dauid ascended not into heauen but he saith Our Lord hath said to my Lord sit on my right hand ✠verse 35 vntil I make thine enemies the footestoole of thy feete ✠verse 36 Therfore let al the house of Israël know most certainly that God hath made him both Lord and CHRIST this IESVS vvhom you haue crucified ✠verse 37 And hearing these things they were compuncte in hart and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Vvhat shal vve doe men brethren ✠verse 38 But Peter said to them Doe penance and be euery one of you baptized in the name of IESVS CHRIST for remission of your sinnes and you shal receiue the gift of the holy Ghost ✠verse 39 For to you is the promisse and to your children and to al that are farre of vvhomsoeuer the Lord our God shal call ✠verse 40 Vvith very many other vvordes also did he testifie and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this peruerse generation ✠verse 41 They therfore that receiued his vvord vvere baptized and there vvere added in that day about three thousand soules ✠verse 42 And they vvere perseuéring in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and praiers ✠verse 43 And feare came vpon euery soul many vvonders also and signes vvere done by the Apostles in Hierusalem and there vvas great feare in al. ✠verse 44 Al they also that beleeued vvere together * and had ″ al things cōmon ✠verse 45 Their possessions and substance they sold and deuided them to al according as euery one had neede ✠verse 46 Daily also continuing vvith one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house they tooke their meate vvith ioy and simplicitie of hart ✠verse 47 praising God and hauing grace vvith al the people And our Lord ″ increased them that should be saued daily together ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. The daies of Pentecost As Christ our Pasche for correspondence to the figure was offered at the Iewes great feast of Pasche so fifty daies after in Greeke Pentecost for accomplishing the like figure of the Law-giuing in Mount Sinal he sent downe the Holy Ghost iust on the day of their Pentecost which was alwaies on Sunday as appeareth Leuit. 23 15. Both which daies the Church keepeth yerely for memorie of Christs death and Resurrection and the sending downe of the Holy Ghost as they did the like for record of their deliuerie out of Aegypt and their Law giuing aforesaid the said Feastes with vs conteining besides the remembrance of benefites past great Sacraments also of the life to come Aug. ep 119 C. 16. 4. Al replenished Though the Apostles and the rest were baptized before and had thereby receiued the grace of the Holy Ghost to sanctification and remission of sinnes as for diuers other purposes also Yet as Christ * promised them they should be further indued with strength and vertue from aboue so here he fulfilleth his promes visibly powring downe the Holy Ghost vpon al the companie and vpon euery one of them thereby replenishing the Apostles specially with al truth wisedom and knowledge necessarie for the gouernement of the Church and giuing both to them and to al other present the grace and effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation accomplishing corroborating and strengthening them in their saith and the confession of the same And lastly for a visible token of Gods Spirit he endued them al with the gift of diuers strange tonges al I say there present as wel our Ladie as other holy women and brethren besides the Apostles though ◠the Heretikes fondly argue for the desire they haue to dishonour Christs mother that neither she nor they were there present nor had the gift of tongues contrarie to the plaine text that saith They vvere al together to wit al the 120 mentioned
in this citie against thy holy childe IESVS vvhom thou hast anointed Herod and Pontius Pilate vvith the Gentiles and the people of Israël ✠verse 28 to doe vvhat thy hand thy counsel decreed to be done ✠verse 29 And novv Lord looke vpon their threatenings and giue vnto thy seruants vvith al confidence to speake thy vvorde ✠verse 30 in that that thou extend thy hand to cures and signes and vvonders to be done by the name of thy holy sonne IESVS ✠verse 31 And vvhen they had praied the palce vvas moued vvherein they vvere gathered and they vvere al replenished vvith the holy Ghost and they spake the vvord of God vvith confidence ✠verse 32 And the multitude of beleeuers had one hart and one soule neither did any one say that ought vvas his ovvne of those things vvhich he possessed but al things vvere common vnto them ✠verse 33 And vvith great povver did the Apostles giue testimonie of the resurrection of IESVS CHRIST our Lord and great grace vvas in al them ✠verse 34 For neither vvas there any one needie among them For as many as vvere ovvners of landes or houses sold and brought the prices of those things vvhich they sold ✠verse 35 and laid it before the feete of the Apostles And to euery one vvas deuided according as euery one hade neede ✠verse 36 And Ioseph vvho vvas surnamed of the Apostles Barnabas vvhich is by interpretation the sonne of consolation a Leuite a Cyprian borne ✠verse 37 vvhereas he had a peece of land sold it and brought the price and laid it ″ before the feete of the Apostles ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 37. Before the feete He as the rest did not onely giue his goods as in vulgar almes but in al humble and reuerent maner as things dedicated to God he laid them downe at the Apostles holy feete as S. Luke alwaies expresseth and gaue them not into their handes The Sunamite fel downe and embraced Elisaeus feete Many that asked benefites of Christ as the woman sicke of the bloudy fiuxe fel downe at his feete and Maâ—ie kissed his feete Such are signes of due reuerence done both to Christ and to other sacred persons either Prophetes Apostles Popes or others representing his person in earth See in S. Hierom of Epiphanius Bishop in Cypres how the people of Hierusalem of al sortes flocked together vnto him offering their children to take his blessing kissing his feete plucking the hemmeâ— of his garment so that he could not moue for the throng Ep. â—1 c. 4 cont eâ—â—o Io. Hierosol CHAP. V. Ananias and his vvife Saphîra for their sacrilege at Peters word fall downe dead to the great terrour of the rest 12 By the Apostles miracles not onely the number but also their faith so increaseth that they seeke in the streateâ— to the very shadow of Peter the townes also about bringing their diseased to Hierusalem 17 The Rulers againe oppose them selues but in vaine 19 For out of prison an Angel deliuereth them bidding them preach openly to al 27 and in their Councel Peter is nothing afraid of their bigge wordes 34 Yea Gamaliel being one of them selues casâ—eth a doubt among them lest the matter be of God and therfore impossible to be dissolued 40 Finally the Apostles being scourged by them count it an honour and cease no day from preaching verse 1 BVT a certaine man named Ananias vvith Saphîra his vvife sold a peece of land ✠verse 2 and ″ defrauded of the price of the land his vvife being priuie thereto and bringing a certaine portion laide it at the feete of the Apostles ✠verse 3 And ″ Peter said Ananias vvhy hath Satan tempted thy hart that thou shouldest lie to the holy Ghost and defraude of the price of the land ✠verse 4 Remaining did it not remaine to thee and being sold vvas it not ″ in thy povver Vvhy hast thou put this thing in thy hart Thou hast not lied ″ to men but to God ✠verse 5 And Ananias hearing these vvordes fel dovvne and gaue vp the ghost And there came great feare vpon al that heard it ✠verse 6 And yong men rising vp remoued him and bearing him forth buried him ✠verse 7 And it vvas the space as it vvere of three houres and his vvife not knovving vvhat vvas chaunced came in ✠verse 8 And Peter ansvvered her Tel me vvoman vvhether did you sel the land for so much But she said Yea for so much ✠verse 9 And Peter vnto her Vvhy haue you agreed together to tempt the Spirit of our Lord Behold their feete that haue buried thy husband at the doore and they shal beare thee forth ✠verse 10 Forthvvith she fel before his feete and gaue vp the ghost And the yong men going in found her dead and caried her forth and buried her by her husband ✠verse 11 And there fel great feare in the vvhole Church and vpon al that heard these things ✠verse 12 And by the handes of the Apostles vvere many signes and vvonders done among the people And they vvere al vvith one accord in Salomons porche ✠verse 13 But of the rest none durst ioyne them selues vnto them but the people magnified them ✠verse 14 And the multitude of men and vvomen that beleeued in our Lord vvas more increased ✠verse 15 so that they did bring forth the sicke into the streates and laid them in beddes and couches that vvhen Peter came ″ his shadovv at the least might ouer shadovv any of them and they all might be deliuered from their infirmities ✠verse 16 And there ranne together vnto Hierusalem the multitude also of the cities adâ—oyning bringing sicke persons and such as vvere vexed of vncleane spirits vvho vvere al cured ⊢ ✠verse 17 And the high priest rising vp and al that vvere vvith him vvhich is the heresie of the Sadduces vvere replenished vvith zeale ✠verse 18 laid hands vpon the Apostles and put them in the common prison ✠verse 19 But an Angel of our Lord by night opening the gates of the prison leading them forth said ✠verse 20 Goe and standing speake in the temple to the people al the vvordes of this life ✠verse 21 Vvho hauing heard this early in the morning entred into the temple and taught And the high priest comming and they that vvere vvith him called together the Councel al the auncients of the children of Israël and they sent to the prison that they might be brought ✠verse 22 But vvhen the ministers vvere come and opening the prison found them not returning they told ✠verse 23 saying The prison truely vve found shut vvith al diligence and the keepers standing before the gates but opening it vve found no man vvithin ✠verse 24 And as soone as the Magistrate of the temple and the cheefe priests heard these vvordes they vvere in doubt of them vvhat vvould
man standing on the right hand of God ✠verse 57 And they crying out vvith a loude voice stopped their eares vvith one accord ranne violently vpon him ✠verse 58 And casting him forth vvithout the citie they ″ stoned him and the vvitnesses laid of their garments * beside the feete of a yong man that vvas called Saul ✠verse 59 And they stoned Steuen inuocating and saying Lord IESVS receiue my spirit ✠verse 60 And falling on his knees he cried vvith a loude voice saying Lord lay not this sinne vnto them And vvhen he had said this he fel a sleepe And Saul vvas consenting to his death ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 33. Holy ground If that apparition of God him self or an Angel could make the place and ground holy and to be vsed of Moyses with al signes of reuerence and feare-how much more the corporal birth abode and wonders of the Sonne of God in Iewrie and his personal presence in the B. Sacrament may make that countrie and al Christian Churches altars holy And it is the greatest blindnes that can be to thinke it superstition to reuerence any things or places in respect of Gods presence or wonderous operation in the same See S. Hierom. ep 17 18. 27. of the holy land 48. Not in houses The vulgar Heretikes alleage this place against the corporal being of Christ in the B. Sacrament in Churches by which reason they might haue driuen him out of al houses Churches and corporal places when he vvas visible in earth But it is meant of the Diuinitie only spoken to correct the carnal Ievves who thought God either so to be conteined compassed and limited to their Temple that he could be no vvhere els or at least that he vvould not heare or receiue mens praiers and sacrifices in the Churches of the Gentiles or els vvhere out of the said Temple And so as it maketh nothing for the Sacramentaries no more doth it serue for such as esteeme Churches and places of publike praier no more conuenient nor more holy then any other profane houses or chambers For though his person or vertue be not limited to any place yet it pleaseth him condescending to our necessitie and profite to vvorke his vvonders and to be vvorshipped of vs in holy places rather then profane 38. They stoned him Read a maruelous narration in S. Augustine of one stone that hitting the Martyr on the elbovv rebounded backe to a faithful man that stood neere Who keeping and carying it vvith him vvas by reuelation vvarned to leaue it at Ancóna in Italie vvherevpon a Church or Memorie of S. Steuen vvas there erected and many miracles done after the said Martyrs body vvas found out and not before Aug. â—o 10 ser 38 de diuersis in edit Paris CHAP. VIII So farre is persecution from preuailing against the Church that by it the Church greweth from Hierusalem into al Ievvrie and Samaria 5 The second of the Deacons Philip conuerteth vvith his miracles the citie it self of Samaria and baptizeth them euen Simon Magus also him self among the rest 14 But the Apostles Peter and Iohn are the Ministers to giue them the Holy Ghost 18 Which ministerie Simon Magus vvould bie of them 16 The same Philip being sent of an Angel to a great man of Aethiopia Who came a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem first catechizeth him 16 and then he professing his faith and desiring Baptisme doth also baptize him verse 1 AND the same day there vvas made a great persecution in the Church vvhich vvas at Hierusalem and al vvere dispersed through the countries of Ievvrie and Samaria sauing the Apostles ✠verse 2 And ″ deuout men tooke order for Steuens funeral and made great mourning vpon him ✠verse 3 But Saul * vvasted the Church entring in from house to house and dravving men and vvomen deliuered them into prison ✠verse 4 They therfore that vvere dispersed passed through euangelizing the vvord ✠verse 5 And Philippe descending into the citie of Samaria preached CHRIST vnto them ✠verse 6 And the multitudes vvere attent to those things vvhich vvere said of Philippe vvith one accord hearing and seing the signes that he did ✠verse 7 For many of them that had vncleane spirits crying vvith a loud voice vvent out And many sicke of the palsey and lame vvere cured ✠verse 8 There vvas made therfore great ioy in that citie ⊢ ✠verse 9 And a certaine man named Simon vvho before had been in that citie a Magician seducing the nation of Samaria saying him self to be some great one ✠verse 10 vnto vvhom al harkened from the least to the greatest saying This man is the povver of God that is called great ✠verse 11 And they vvere attent vpon him because a long time he had bewitched them vvith his magical practises ✠verse 12 But vvhen they had beleeued Philippe euangelizing of the kingdom of God and of the name of IESVS CHRIST they vvere baptized men and vvomen ✠verse 13 Then Simon also him self beleeued and being baptized he cleaued to Philippe Seing also signes and very great miracles to be done he vvas astonied vvith admiration ✠verse 14 And vvhen the Apostles vvho vvere in Hierusalem had heard that Samaria had receiued the vvord of God theysent vnto them Peter Iohn ✠verse 15 Vvho vvhen they vvere come praied for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost ✠verse 16 For he vvas not yet come vpon any of them but they vvere only baptized in the name of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 17 Then did ″ they impose their handes vpon them and they ″ receiued the holy Ghost ⊢ ✠verse 18 And vvhen Simon had seen that by the imposition of the hand of the Apostles the holy Ghost vvas giuen he ″ offered them money ✠verse 19 saying Giue me also this povver that on vvhomsoeuer I impose my handes he may receiue the holy Ghost ✠verse 20 But Peter said to him Thy money be vvith thee vnto perdition because thou hast thought that the gift of God is purchased vvith money ✠verse 21 Thou hast no part nor lot in this vvord For thy hart is not right before God ✠verse 22 ″ Doe penance therfore from this thy vvickednesse and pray to God ″ if perhaps this cogitation of thy hart may be remitted thee ✠verse 23 For I see thou art in the gall of bitternes and the obligation of iniquitie ✠verse 24 And Simon ansvvering said ″ Pray you for me to our Lord that nothing come vpon me of these things vvhich you haue said ✠verse 25 And they in deede hauing testified and spoken the vvord of our Lord returned to Hierusalem and euangelized to many countries of the Samaritans ✠verse 26 And an Angel of our Lord spake to Philippe saying Arise and goe tovvard the South to the vvay that goeth dovvne from Hierusalem into Gaza ″
Immediatly therfore I sent to thee and thou hast done vvel in comming Novv therfore al vve are present in thy sight to heare al things vvhatsoeuer are commaunded thee of the Lord. ✠verse 34 And Peter opening his mouth said In very deede I perceiue that God is not an accepter of persons ✠verse 35 but in euery nation he that feareth him and vvorketh iustice is acceptable to him ✠verse 36 The word did God send to the children of Israël preaching peace by IESVS CHRIST this is Lord of al. ✠verse 37 You knovv the vvord that hath been made through al Ievvrie for * beginning frō Galilee after the baptisme vvhich Iohn preached ✠verse 38 IESVS of Nazareth hovv God anointed him vvith the holy Ghost and vvith povver vvho vvent through out doing good and healing al that vvere oppressed of the Deuil because God vvas vvith him ✠verse 39 And vve are vvitnesses of al things that he did in the countrie of the Ievves and in Hierusalem vvhom they killed hanging him vpon a tree ✠verse 40 Him God raised vp the third day and ″ gaue him to be made manifest ✠verse 41 not to al the people but to vs vvho did eate and drinke vvith him after he rose againe from the dead ✠verse 42 And he commaunded vs to preach to the people and to testifie that it is he that of God vvas appointed iudge of the liuing and of the dead ✠verse 43 To him al the prophets giue testimonie that al receiue remission of sinnes by his name vvhich beleeue in him ⊢ ✠verse 44 As Peter vvas yet speaking these vvordes the holy Ghost fel vpon al that heard the vvord ✠verse 45 And the faithful of the Circumcision that came with Peter vvere astonied for that the grace of the holy Ghost vvas poured out vpon the Gentiles also ✠verse 46 For they heard them speaking with tonges and magnifying God Then Peter ansvvered ✠verse 47 Can any man forbid vvater that these should not be ″ baptized vvhich haue receiued the holy Ghost as vvel as vve ✠verse 48 And he commaūded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST ⊢ Then they desired him that he vvould tarie vvith them certaine daies ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 2. Doing many almes deedes He knevv God creator of al but that his omnipotent Sonne vvas incarnate he knevv not and in that faith he made praiers and gaue almes vvhich pleased God and by vvel doing he deserued to knovv God perfectly to beleeue the mysterie of the Incarnation and to come to the Sacrament of Baptisme So saith Venerable Bede out of S. Gregorie And S. Augustine thus li. 1 de Bapt. c. 8. Because vvhatsoeuer goodnes he had in praiers and almes the same could not profite him vnles he vvere by the band of Christian Societie and peace incorporated to the Church he is bidden to send vnto Peter that by him he may learne Christ by him he may be baptized c. Vvhereby it appeareth that such vvorkes as are done before iustification though they suffice not to saluation yet be acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification and such as moue God to mercie as it might appeare also by Gods like prouident mercifulnes * to the Eunuche though al such vvorkes preparatiue come of grace also othervvise they could neuer deserue at Gods hand of congruity or any othervvise tovvard iustification 9. To pray about the sixt houre The houre is specified for that there vvere certaine appointed times of praies vsed in the Lavv vvhich deuout persons according to the publike seruice in the Temple obserued also priuately and vvhich the Apostles and holy Church aftervvard both kept and increased Vvhereof thus vvriteth S. Cyprian very notably In celebrating their praiers vve finde that the three children with Daniel obserued the third sixt and ninthe houre as in Sacrament or mysterie of the holy Trinitie c. And a litle after Which spaces of houres the vvorshippers of God spiritually or mystically determining long since obserued set times to pray and aftervvard the thing became manifest that it vvas for Sacrament or mysterie that the iust so praied For at the third houre the holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles fulfilling the grace of our Lords promis and at the sixt houre Peter going vp to the higher roome of the house vvas both by voice and signe from God instructed that al Nations should be admitted to the grace of saluation vvhereas of cleansing the Gentiles he doubted before and our Lord being crucified at the sixt houre at ninthe vvashed avvay our sinnes vvith his bloud But to vs deerly beloued beside the seasons obserued of old both the times and sacraments of praying be increased for vve must pray in the morning early that the Resurrection of our Lord may be celebrated by morning praier as of old the holy Ghost designed in the Psalme saying In the morning early vvil I stand vp to thee early in the morning vvilt thou heare my voice Tovvard the euening also vvhen the sunne departeth and the day endeth vve must of necessitie pray againe S. Hierom also vvriting of Daniels praying three times in a day saith There are three times vvherein vve must bovv our knees to God The third the sixt and the ninthe houre the Ecclesiastical tradition doth vvel vnderstand Moreouer at the third houre the Holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles at the sixt Peter vvent vp into a higher chamber to pray at the ninthe * Peter and Iohn vvent to the Temple Againe vvriting to Eustochium a virgin and Nonne ep 22. c. 16. Though the Apostle bid vs pray alvvaies and to holy persons their very sleepe is praier yet vve must haue distinct houres of praier that if perhaps vve be othervvise occupied the very time may admonish vs of our office or duety The third sixt ninthe houre morning early and the euening no man can be ignorant of And to Demetrias ep 8. c. 8. that in the Psalmes and praier she must keepe alvvaies the third sixt ninthe houre euening midnight and morning He hath the like ep 7 c. 5. And ep 27 c. 10. he telleth hovv Paula the holy Abbesse vvith her religious Nonnes sang the Psalter in order in the morning at the third sixt ninthe houre euening midnight by midnight meaning the time of Martins therfore called Nocturnes agreably to S. Cyprian de Orat. Do. num 15 and by the morning the first houre called Prime al correspondent to the times and houres of Christs Passion as in S. Matthevv is noted c 26. 27. By al vvhich vve see hovv agreable the vse of the Churches seruice is euen at this time to the Scriptures and primitiue Church and hovv vvicked the Puritan Caluinistes be that count al such order and set seasons of praier superstition and lastly hovv insufficient and vnlike the nevv pretended Church-seruice of
sent of God at the continual praiers of the Church made for her cheefe Pastor 19 being puffed vp vvith such pride that at Casarea he refuseth not to be honoured as God 23 is miraculously striken of Gods Angel 24 And so after the persecutors death the Churches preaching prospereth excedingly verse 1 AND at the same time Herod the king set his hādes to afflicte certaine of the Church ✠verse 2 And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn vvith the svvord ✠verse 3 And seing that it pleased the Ievves he added to apprehend Peter also And it vvas the daies of the Azymes ✠verse 4 Vvhom vvhen he had apprehended he cast into prison deliuering him to foure quaterniōs of souldiars to be kept meaning after the Pasche to bring him forth to the people ✠verse 5 And Peter in deede vvas kept in prison But ″ praier vvas made of the Church vvithout intermission vnto God for him ✠verse 6 And vvhen Herod vvould haue brought him forth the same night Peter vvas sleeping betvvene tvvo souldiars bound vvith ″ tvvo chaines and the keepers before the doore kept the prison ✠verse 7 And behold an Angel of our Lord stoode in presence and light shined in the house and striking Peters side he raised him saying Arise quickely And the chaines fel from his handes ✠verse 8 And the Angel said to him Gird thee and put on thy shoes And he did so And he said to him Put thy garment about thee folovv me ✠verse 9 And going forth he folovved him he knew not that it vvas true vvhich vvas done by the Angel but he thought that he savv a vision ✠verse 10 And passing through the first the second vvatch they came to the yron gate that leadeth to the citie vvhich of it self opened to them And going out they vvent forvvard one streate and incontinent the Angel departed from him ✠verse 11 And Peter returning to him self said Novv I knovv in very deede that our Lord hath sent his Angel and deliuered me out of Herods hand from al the expectation of the people of the Ievves ⊢ ✠verse 12 And considering he came to the house of Marie the mother of Iohn vvho vvas surnamed Marke vvhere many vvere gathered and praying ✠verse 13 And vvhen he knocked at the doore of the gate there came forth a vvenche to see named Rhodè ✠verse 14 And as she knew Peters voice for ioy she opened not the gate but running in she told that Peter stoode before the gate ✠verse 15 But they said to her Thou art mad But she affirmed that it vvas so But they said It is ″ his Angel ✠verse 16 And Peter cōtinued knocking And vvhē they had opened they savv him vvere astonied ✠verse 17 And beckening vvith his hand to them that they should hold their peace he told hovv our Lord had brought him out of prison and he said ″ Tel these things to Iames to the brethren And going forth he vvent into an other place ✠verse 18 And when day vvas come there vvas no litle a doe betvvene the souldiars vvhat vvas become of Peter ✠verse 19 And Herod vvhen he had sought him and had not found making inquisitiō of the keepers cōmaūded them to be led avvay going dovvne frō Ievvrie into Caesaréa there he abode ✠verse 20 And he vvas angrie vvith the Tyrians and the Sidonians But they vvith one accord came to him and persuading Blastus that vvas cheefe of the kings chamber they desired peace for that their countries vvere nourished by him ✠verse 21 And vpon a day appointed Herod being araied vvith kingly attire sate in the iudgement seate and made an oration to them ✠verse 22 And the people made acclamation The voices of a God not of a man ✠verse 23 And forthvvith an Angel of our Lord strooke him because he had not giuen the honour to God and being consumed of vvormes he gaue vp the ghost ✠verse 24 But the vvord of our Lord increased and multiplied ✠verse 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Hierusalem hauing accomplished their * ministerie taking vvith them Iohn that vvas surnamed Marke ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 5. Praier vvas made The Church praied incessantly for her cheefe Pastor and was heard of God and al Christian people are vvarned thereby to pray for their Bishopes and Pastors in prison 6. Tvvo chaines These chaines are famous for miracles and vvere brought from Hierusalem to Rome by Eudoxia the Emperesse vvife to Theodosius the yonger vvhere they vvere matched placed vvith an other chaine that the same Apostle vvas tied with by Nero a Church foūded therevpon named Petri ad vincula Vvhere they are religiously kept and reuerenced vntil this day and there is a Feast in the vvhole Church for the same the first of August vvhich vve call Lammas day 15. His Angel If proper Angels saith S. Chrysostom be deputed by our Lord to such as haue only charge of their ovvne life as one of the iust said * The Angel vvhich hath deliuered me from my youth vpvvard much more are supernal Spirits at hand to helpe them vnto vvhom the charge and burden of the vvorld is committed Chrys in laud. Pauli ho. 7 to 3. 17. Tel Iames. He vvilleth them to shevv this to S. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem and to the Christians that they might see the effect of their praiers for him giue God thankes for S. Iames no doubt published cōmon praier for S. Peter CHAP. XIII The preachers of the Church of Antioche preparing thēselues the Holy Ghost out of them al chooseth Saul and Barnabas 3 They being first consecrated Bishops 4 go◠their appointed circuite ouer al th◠land of Cypres the Proconsul vvhereof is also conuerted seing the miraculous excecation of a Ievv by Paul 13 Thence into Pamphilia 14 and Pisidia vvhere in Antioche Paul preacheth to the Ievves shevving that IESVS is Christ 38 and that in him is saluation and not in their Lavv of Moyses 40 vvarning them to bevvare of the reprobation foretold by the Prophets 44 But the next Sabboth they blasphening he in plaine termes forsaketh them and turneth to the Gentiles Whereat the Gentils be as glad on the contrarie side 50 Finally the Ievves raising persecution they forsake them pronouncing them to be obstinate contemners verse 1 AND there vvere in the Church vvhich vvas at Antioche Prophets and Doctors among vvhom vvas Barnabas Simon that vvas called Niger and Lucius of Cyréne and Manahen vvho vvas the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch and Saul ✠verse 2 And as they vvere ″ ministring to our Lord and fasting the holy Ghost said ″ Separate me Saul and Barnabas vnto the vvorke vvhereto I haue taken them ✠verse 3 Then they ″ fasting and praying and ″ imposing hands vpō them dimissed them ✠verse 4 And they being ″ sent of the holy
Ghost vvent to Seleucia and thence sailed to Cypres ✠verse 5 And vvhen they vvere come to Salamîna they preached the vvord of God in the synagogs of the Ievves And they had Iohn also in their ministerie ✠verse 6 And vvhen they had vvalked through out the vvhole iland as farre as Paphos they found a certaine man that vvas a magician a false-prophete a Ievv vvhose name vvas Bar-iesu ' ✠verse 7 vvho vvas vvith the Proconsul Sergius Paulus a vvise man He sending for Barnabas Saul desired to heare the vvord of God ✠verse 8 But Elymas the magician for so is his name interpreted resisted them seeking to auert the Proconsul from the faith ✠verse 9 But Saul othervvise Paul replenished vvith the holy Ghost looking vpon him ✠verse 10 said O ful of al guile and al deceit sonne of the deuil enemie of al iustice thou ceasest not to subuert the right vvaies of our Lord. ✠verse 11 And novv behold the hand of our Lord vpon thee and thou shalt be blind not seing the sunne vntil a time And forthvvith there fel dimnesse and darkenesse vpon him and going about he sought some body that vvould giue him his hand ✠verse 12 Then the Proconsul vvhen he had seen that vvhich vvas done beleeued marueling at the doctrine of our Lord. ✠verse 13 And vvhen Paul and they that vvere vvith him had sailed from Paphos they came to Pergè in Pamphylia And Iohn depárting from them returned to Hierusalem ✠verse 14 But they passing through Pergè came to Antioche in Pisidia and entring into the synagogue on the day of the Sabboths they sate dovvne ✠verse 15 And after the lesson of the Lavv and the Prophets the princes of the Synagogue sent to them saying Men brethren if there be among you any sermon of exhortation to the people speake ✠verse 16 And Paul rising vp and vvith his hand beckening for silence said Ye men of Israël and you that feare God harken ✠verse 17 The God of the people of Israël chose our fathers and exalted the people vvhen they vvere seiourners in the land of Aegypt and in a mightie arme brought them out thereof ✠verse 18 and for the space of fourtie yeres tolerated their maners in the desert ✠verse 19 And destroying seuen nations in the land of Chanaan by lot he deuided their land among them ✠verse 20 as it vvere after foure hundred and fiftie yeres and after these things he gaue Iudges vntil Samuël the prophet ✠verse 21 And thenceforth they desired a king and he gaue them * Saul the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin fourtie yeres ✠verse 22 and remouing him he raised them vp * Dauid to be king to vvhom giuing testimonie he said I haue found Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man according to my hart vvho shall doe al my vvilles ✠verse 23 Of his seede God according to his * promisse hath brought forth to Israël a Sauiour IESVS ✠verse 24 Iohn * preaching before the face of his comming baptisme of penance to al the people of Israël ✠verse 25 And vvhen Iohn fulfilled his course he said Vvhom doe * you thinke me to be I am not he but behold there commeth after me vvhose shoes of his feete I am not vvorthie to vnloose ✠verse 26 Men brethren children of the stocke of Abraham they among you that feare God to you the vvord of this saluation vvas sent ✠verse 27 For they that inhabited Hierusalem and the princes thereof not knovving him nor the voices of the prophets that are read euery Sabboth iudging haue fulfilled them ✠verse 28 and finding no cause of death in him * desired of Pilate that they might kil him ✠verse 29 And vvhen they had cōsummated al things that vvere vvrittē of him taking him dovvne from the tree they put him in a monument ✠verse 30 But God raised him vp from the dead the third day ✠verse 31 vvho vvas * seen for many daies of them that came vp together vvith him from Galilee into Hierusalem vvho vntil this present are his vvitnesses to the people ✠verse 32 And vve preach vnto you that promisse vvhich vvas made to our fathers ✠verse 33 that God hath fulfilled this same to our children ' raising vp IESVS as in the second Psalme also it is vvritten My sonne art thou this day haue I begotten thee ✠verse 34 And that he raised him vp from the dead not to returne novv any more into corruption thus he said That I vvil giue you the holy things of Dauid faithful ✠verse 35 And therfore in an other place also he saith Thou shalt not giue thy holy one to see corruption ✠verse 36 For Dauid in his generation vvhen he had serued according to the vvil of God slept and he vvas laid to his fathers savv corruption ✠verse 37 But he vvhom God hath raised vp savv no corruption ✠verse 38 Be it knovven therfore to you men brethren that through him forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached to you from al the things from the vvhich you could not be iustified by the lavv of Moyses ✠verse 39 In him euery one that beleeueth is iustified ✠verse 40 Take heede therfore lest that come vpon you vvhich is spoken in the prophets ✠verse 41 See ye cōtemners and vvonder and perish because I vvorke a vvorke in your daies a vvorke vvhich you vvil not beleeue if any man shal tel it you ✠verse 42 And they going forth they desired them that the Sabboth folovving they would speake vnto them these wordes ✠verse 43 And vvhen the synagogue vvas dimissed many of the Iewes and of the strangers seruing God folovved Paul Barnabas vvho speaking exhorted them to continue in the grace of God ✠verse 44 But the next Sabboth the vvhole citie almost assembled to heare the vvord of God ✠verse 45 And the Ievves seing the multitudes vvere replenished vvith enuy contradicted those things vvhich vvere said of Paul blaspheming ✠verse 46 Then Paul and Barnabas constantly said To you it behoued vs first to speake the vvord of God but because you repell it and iudge your selues vnvvorthie of eternal life behold vve turne to the Gentils ✠verse 47 For so our Lord commaunded vs I haue put thee to be the light of the Gentils that thou maiest be saluation vnto the vtmost of the earth ✠verse 48 And the Gentils hearing it vvere glad and glorified the vvord of our Lord and there beleeued as many as vvere preordinate to life euerlasting ✠verse 49 And the vvord of our Lord vvas spred through out the vvhole countrie ✠verse 50 But the Ievves stirred vp religious and honest vvomen and the cheefe of the citie and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and they did cast them forth out of
their coastes ✠verse 51 But they * shaking of the dust of their fecte against them came to Icónium ✠verse 52 The disciples also vvere replenished vvith ioy and vvith the holy Ghost ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 2. As they vvere ministring If vve should as our Aduersaries do boldly turne vvhat text vve list and flee from one language to an other for the aduantage of our cause vve might haue translated for ministring sacrificing for so * the Greeke doth signifie and so Erasmus translated yea vve might haue translated Saying Masse for so they did and the Greeke Fathers here of had their name Liturgie vvhich Erasmus translateth Masse saying Missa Chrysostomi But vve keepe our text as the translators of the Scriptures should do most religiously 2. Separate me Though Paul vvere taught by God him self and specially designed by Christ to be an Apostle and here chosen by the Holy Ghost together vvith Barnabas yet they vvere to be ordered consecrated and admitted by men Vvhich vvholy condemneth al these nevv rebellious disordered spirites that chalenge and vsurpe the office of preaching and other sacred actions from heauen vvithout the Churches admission 3. Fasting Hereof the Church of God vseth and prescribeth publike fastes at the foure soléue times of giuing holy Orders vvhich are our Imber daies as a necessarie preparatiue to so great a vvorke as S. Leo declareth by this place naming it also an Apostolical tradition See S. Leo Ser. 9 de ieiuniâ— 7 mensis Calixtus ep 1. to 1. Conc. Conc. Magunt c. 34. 35. to 3. And this fasting vvas not fasting from sinne nor moral or Christian temperance as the Protestants ridiculously affirme for such fasting they vvere bound euer to keepe but it vvas abstinence for a time from al meates or from some certaine kindes of meates vvhich vvas ioyned vvith praier and sacrifice and done specially at such seasons as the Church prescribed of al together as in Lent the Imber daies Friday Saturday and not vvhen euery man list as Aërius and such Heretikes did hold S. August har 53. 3. Imposing hands Because al blessings and consecrations vvere done in the Apostles time by the external ceremonie of imposition of hands diuers Sacraments vvere named of the same specially Confirmation as is noted before and holy Ordering or consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons and Subdeacons as vve see here and els vvhere In vvhich though there vvere many holy vvordes and ceremonies and a very solemne action yet vvhatsoeuer is done in those Sacraments is altogether called Imposition of hands as vvhatsoeuer vvas done in the vvhole diuine mysterie of the B. Sacrament is named fraction of bread for the Apostles as S. Denys Eccl. bier c. 1 in fine vvriteth purposely kept close in their open speaches and vvritings vvhich might come to the hands or eares of Infidels the sacred vvordes and actions of the Sacraments And S. Ambrose saith in 1 Tim. c. 4. The imposition of the hand is mystical vvordes vvherevvith the elected is conformed and made apt to his function receiuing authoritie his conscience bearing vvitnes that he may be bold in our Lordes steed to offer sacrifice to God And S. Hierom The imposition of hand is the Ordering of Clerkes Which is done by praier of the voice and imposition of the hand And this is in some inferior orders also but Paul and Barnabas vvere ordered to a higher function then inferior Priests euen to be Bishops through out al Nations 4. Sent of the Holy Ghost Vvhosoeuer be sent by the Church are sent of the Holy Ghost though in such an extraordinarie sort it be not done Vvhereby vve see hovv far the Officers of our soules in the Church do passe the temporal Magistrates vvho though they be of Gods ordinance yet not of the Holy Ghosts special calling CHAP. XIIII Naxt in Iconiâ—â— they preach vvhere many being conuerted of both sortes the obstinate Ievves raise persecution 6 Then in the tovvnes of Lycaâ—niÌ„a vvhere the Heathen first seing that Paul had healed one borne lame are hardly persuaded but they are Gods 18 but aftervvard by the instigation of the malitious Ievves they stone Paul leauing him for dead 20 And so hauing done their circuite they returne the same vvay confirming the Christians and making Priests for euery Church 2â— And being come home to Antioche in Syria they report al to the Church there verse 1 AND it came to passe at Iconium that they entred together into the synagogue of the Ievves and so spake that a very great multitude of Ievves and of the Greekes did beleeue ✠verse 2 But the Ievves that vvere incredulous stirred vp and incensed the hartes of the Gentils to anger against the brethren ✠verse 3 A long time therfore they abode dealing confidently in our Lord vvho gaue testimonie to the vvord of his grace graunting signes and vvonders to be done by their handes ✠verse 4 And the multitude of the citie vvas deuided and certaine of them in deede vvere vvith the Ievves but certaine vvith the Apostles ✠verse 5 And vvhen the Gentils and the Ievves vvith their princes had made an assault to vse them contumeliously and to stone them ✠verse 6 vnderstanding it they fled to the cities of Lycaónia Lystra and Derbé and the vvhole countrie about and there they vvere euangelizing ✠verse 7 And a certaine man at Lystra impotent of his feete sate there lame from his mothers vvombe that neuer had vvalked ✠verse 8 This same heard Paul speaking Vvho looking vpon him and seeing that he had faith for to be saued ✠verse 9 he said vvith a loud voice Stand vp right on thy feete And he leaped vvalked ✠verse 10 And the multitudes vvhen they had seen vvhat Paul had done lifted vp their voice in the lycaónian tongue saying Gods made like to men are descended to vs. ✠verse 11 And they called Barnabas Iupiter but Paul Mercurie because he vvas the cheefe speaker ✠verse 12 The Priest also of Iupiter that vvas before the citie bringing oxen garlands before the gates vvould vvith the people ″ sacrifice ✠verse 13 Vvhich thing vvhen the Apostles Barnabas Paul heard renting their coates they leaped forth into the multitudes crying ✠verse 14 and saying Ye men vvhy doe you these things Vve also are mortal men like vnto you preaching to you for to conuert from these vaine things to the liuing God that made the heauen and the earth and the sea and al things that are in them ✠verse 15 vvho in the generations past suffred al the Gentils to goe their ovvne vvaies ✠verse 16 Hovvbeit he left not him self vvithout testimonie being beneficial from heauen giuing raines and fruiteful seasons filling our hartes vvith foode gladnes ✠verse 17 And speaking these things they scarse appeased the multitudes from sacrificing to them ✠verse 18 But there came in certaine Ievves from Antioche
and Icónium and persvvading the multitudes and * stoning Paul they drevv him out of the citie thinking him to be dead ✠verse 19 But the disciples compassing him round about he rising vp entred into the citie and the next day he vvent forth vvith Barnabas vnto Derbè ✠verse 20 And vvhen they had euangelized to that citie and had taught many they returned to Lystra and Icónium and to Antioche ✠verse 21 confirming the hartes of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that by many tribulations vve must enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 And vvhen they ″ had ordained to them ″ Priests in euery Church and had praied vvith fastings they commended them to our Lord in vvhom they beleeued ✠verse 23 And passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia ✠verse 24 and speaking the vvord of our Lord in Pergé they vvent dovvne into Attalia ✠verse 25 and from theÌ„ce they sailed to Antioche * vvhence they had been deliuered to the grace of God vnto the vvorke vvhich they accomplished ✠verse 26 And vvhen they vvere come and â—ad assembled the Church they reported vvhat great things God had done vvith them that he had opened a doore of faith to the Gentils ✠verse 27 And they abode no litle time vvith the disciples ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. They vvould sacrifice This loe is the diuine vvorship consisting in external sacrifice and in acknovvledging the parties vvorshipped to be gods vvhich * may be done to no man nor creature and therfore the Apostles refuse it vvith al possible diligence and al the Angels and Saincts in heauen refuse that adoration by sacrifice The Catholike Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to vvorship any Sainct in heauen or earth She hath but one external Sacrifice vvhich is in the holy Masse of Christs body and bloud that she offereth to God alone and neither to Peter nor to Paul saith S. Augustine though the Priest that sacrificeth standeth ouer their bodies and offereth in their memories But other kindes of honours and dueties inferior vvithout al comparison hovv great so euer they be to this vve do as the Scriptures and Nature teache vs to al Superiors in heauen and earth according to the degrees of grace honour and blessednes that God hath called them vnto from our B. Ladie Christs ovvne mother to the lest seruant he hath in the vvorld for vvhich the Heretikes vvould neuer accuse Christian people of Idolatrie if they had either grace learning faith or natural affection â—â— Had ordained The Heretikes to make the vvorld beleeue that al Priests ought to be chosen by the voices of the people and that they neede no other Ordering or Consecration by Bishops pressing the proâ—ane vse of the * Greeke vvord more then the very natural signification requireth and Ecclesiastical vse beareth translate thus Ordained by election Vvhereas in deede this vvord in Scripture signifieth Ordering by imposition of hands as is plaine by other vvordes equiualent Act. 6 13. 1 Tim. 4. â— 2 Tim. 1. Vvhere the Ordering of Deacons Priests and others is called * Imposition of hands not of the people but of the Apostles And this to be the Ecclesiastical vse of the vvord appeareth by S. Hierom saying as is before alleaged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— the Ordering of Clerkes or Clergie men by praier of voice and imposition of hand â—â— Priests Euen so here also as before fleing from the proper apt knovven vvord vvhich is most precisely correspondent to the very Greeke in our tongue and al nations they translate for Priest Elder that is for a calling of Office a vvord of age for a terme of art and by consent of al the Church and Apostolike authoritie and Fathers appropriated to holy Order a vulgar common and profane terme Vvith as litle grace as if they should translate Pontificem a bridgemaker the Maior of London the Bigger of London And thus you see vvithin three vvordes compasse they flee guilefully from the Latin to the Greeke and againe guilefully from the Greeke to the vulgar English Such corruption of Scriptures their hatred of Priesthod driueth them vnto If they had translated it so vvhen the Scriptures vvere first vvritten at vvhich time the vvord vvas but nevvly receiued into the special and Ecclesiastical signification and vvhen it vvas yet taken sometimes in common profane sort as 1 Tim. 5. or there only vvhere our auÌ„cient Latin version turneth Presbyter into Senior because the vvord vvas not yet vvholy and only appropriated to holy Orders as aftervvard by vse of many hundred yeres it vvas and is their dealing might haue had some colour of honestâ—e and plainesse vvhich novv can not be but of plaine falshod and corruption and that of further purpose then the simple can see Vvhich is to take avvay the office of Sacrificing and other functions of Priests proper in the nevv TestameÌ„t to such as the Apostles often and the posteritle in maner altogether call Priests Presbyteros Vvhich vvord doth so certainely imply the authoritie of sacrificing that it is by vse made also the onely English of Sacerdos the Aduersaries them selues as vvel as vve so translating it in al the old and nevv Testament though they can not be ignorant that Priest commeth of Presbyter and not of Sacerdos and that antiquitie for no other cause applied the signification of Presbyter to Sacerdos but to shevv that Presbyter is in the nevv Lavv that vvhich Sacerdos vvas in the old the Apostles abstaining from this and other like old names at the first and rather vsing the vvordes Bishops Pastors and Priests because they might be distinguished from the Gouernours and sacrificers of Aarons order vvho as yet in the Apostles time did their old functions still in the Temple And this to be true and that to be a Priest is to be a man appointed to sacrifice the Heretikes them selues calling Sacerdos alvvaies a Priest must needes be driuen to confesse Although their folly is therein notorious to apply vvillngly the vvord Priest to Sacerdos and to take it from Presbyter vvhereof it is properly deriued not only in English but in other languages both french and Italian Vvhich is to take avvay the name that the Apostles and fathers gaue to the Priests of the Church to giue it vvholy onely to the order of Aaron vvhich neuer had it before our Priesthod began Neuer did there Heretikes stand so much vpon doubtful deriuations and descant of vvordes as these Protestants do and yet neuer men behaued them selues more fondly in the same as vvhosoeuer marketh the distinction of their Elders Ministers Deacons and such like shal perceiue CHAP. XV. Some of those Ievves also that vvere Christians do fall and are authors of the Heresie of Iudaizing 2 They referre the matter to Councel 7 Wherein after great disputation Peter striking the stroke
12 and other confirming his sentence vvith miracles 13 and vvith Scriptures 22 and the Apostles and Priests do vvrite and coÌ„maâ—nd in the name of the Holy Ghost vvhat is to be done 30 And the faithful thereby are straightvvaies quieted in minde 36 After vvhich Paul and Barnabas thinking to goe againe their aboue said circuite together are by occasion of Marke parted to the greater increase of the Church verse 1 AND certaine comming dovvne from Ievvrie taught the brethren That * vnles you be circumcised according to the maner of Moyses you can not be saued ✠verse 2 No litle sedition therfore being risen to Paul and Barnabas against them they ″ appointed that Paul and Barnabas should goe vp certaine others of the rest ' to the Apostles and priests vnto Hierusalem vpon this question ✠verse 3 They therfore being brought on their vvay by the Church passed through Phoenîce and Samaria reporting the conuersion of the Gentiles and they made great ioy to al the brethren ✠verse 4 And vvhen they vvere come to Hierusalem they vvere receiued of the Church and of the Apostles and Auncients declaring vvhatsoeuer God had done vvith them ✠verse 5 And there arose certaine of the heresie of the Pharisees that beleeued saying That they must be circumcised commaunded also to keepe the lavv of Moyses ✠verse 6 And the ″ Apostles and Auncients ″ assembled to consider of this vvord ✠verse 7 And vvhen there vvas made a great disputation ″ Peter rising vp said to them Men brethren you knovv that * of old daies God among vs ″ chose that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the vvord of the Gospel and beleeue ✠verse 8 And God vvhich knovveth the hartes gaue testimonie * giuing vnto them the holy Ghost as vvel as to vs ✠verse 9 and hath put no difference betvvene vs and them by faith purifying their hartes ✠verse 10 Novv therfore vvhy tempt you God to put a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples vvhich neither our fathers nor vve haue been able to beare ✠verse 11 but by the grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST vve beleeue to be saued in like maner as they also ✠verse 12 And al the multitude held their peace and they heard Barnabas and Paul telling vvhat great signes and vvonders God had done among the Gentiles by them ✠verse 13 And after they held their peace ″ Iames ansvvered saying Men brethren heare me ✠verse 14 Simon hath told hovv God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name ✠verse 15 And to this accord the vvordes of the prophets as it is vvritten ✠verse 16 After these things I vvil returne and vvil reedifie the tabernacle of Dauid vvhich vvas fallen and the ruines thereof I vvil reedifie and set it vp ✠verse 17 that the residue of men may seeke after the Lord and al nations vpon vvhom my name is inuocated saith the Lord that doeth these things ✠verse 18 To our Lord vvas his ovvne vvorke knovven from the beginning of the vvorld ✠verse 19 For the vvhich cause ″ I iudge that they vvhich of the Gentiles are conuerted to God are not to be disquieted ✠verse 20 but to vvrite vnto them that they refraine them selues from the contaminations of Idols and ″ fornication and strangled things and bloud ✠verse 21 For Moyses of old times hath in euery citie them that preach him in the synagogs vvhere he is read euery Sabboth ✠verse 22 Then it pleased the Apostles and Auncients vvith the vvhole Church to chose men out of them to send to Antioche vvith Paul and Barnabas Iudas vvho vvas surnamed Barsabas Silas cheefe men among the brethren ✠verse 23 vvriting by their handes The Apostles and Auncients the brethren to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioche and in Syria and Cilicia greeting ✠verse 24 Because vve haue heard that certaine ″ going forth from vs haue troubled you vvith vvordes subuerting your soules to vvhom vve gaue no commaundement ✠verse 25 It hath pleased vs being gathered in one to chose out men and to send them vnto you vvith our deerest Barnabas and Paul ✠verse 26 men that haue giuen their liues for the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 27 Vve haue sent therfore Iudas Silas vvho them selues also vvil in vvordes report vnto you the same things ✠verse 28 For it hath seemed good ″ to the holy Ghost to vs to lay no further burden vpon you then these necessarie things ✠verse 29 that you absteine from the things immolated to Idols and bloud and that vvhich is strangled and fornication from the vvhich things keeping your selues you shal doe vvell Fare ye vvel ✠verse 30 They therfore being dimissed vvent dovvne to Antioche and gathering the multitude deliuered the epistle ✠verse 31 Vvhich vvhen they had read they ″ reioyced vpon the consolation ✠verse 32 but Iudas and Silas them Selues also being prophets vvith many vvordes comforted the brethren and confirmed them ✠verse 33 And hauing spent some time there they vvere vvith peace dimissed of the brethren vnto them that had sent them ✠verse 34 But it seemed good vnto Silas to remaine there and Iudas departed alone ✠verse 35 and Paul and Barnabas taried at Antioche teaching and euangelizing vvith many others the vvord of our Lord. ✠verse 36 And after certaine daies Paul said to Barnabas Let vs returne and visite our brethren in al cities vvherein vve * haue preached the vvord of our Lord hovv they doe ✠verse 37 And Barnabas vvould haue taken vvith them Iohn also that vvas surnamed Marke ✠verse 38 But Paul desired that he as vvho * had departed from them out of Pamphylia and had not gone vvith them to the vvorke might not be receiued ✠verse 39 And there rose a ″ dissention so that they departed one from an other that Barnabas in deede taking Marke sailed to Cypres ✠verse 40 But Paul chosing Silas departed being deliuered of the brethren to the grace of God ✠verse 41 And he vvalked through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches Commaunding them to keepe the praecepts of the Apostles and the Auncients ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 1. Appointed Vve learne by this example vvhat is to be done vvhen any controuersie ariseth in religion betvvene the teachers or other Christian people Vve see it is not ynough to contend by allegations of Scriptures or other proofes seeming to make for either part for so of contentious part taking there should be no end but the more vvriting vvrestling striuing there vvere euery one for his ovvne fansie cloking it vvith the title of Gods vvord and Scripture the more Schismes Sectes and diuisions vvould fall as vve see specially in the restles Heresies of our time Vvhose faâ—tors admitting no iudges stand to no trial of mortal men to no
said of Paul ✠verse 15 And vvhen she vvas baptized and her house she besought vs saying If you haue iudged me to be faithful to our Lord enter in vnto my house and tarie And she constrained vs. ✠verse 16 And it came to passe as vve vvent to praier a certaine vvenche hauing a Pythónical spirit mette vs that brought great gaine to her maisters by diuîning ✠verse 17 This same folovving Paul and vs cried saying These men are the seruants of the high God vvhich preach vnto you the vvay of saluation ✠verse 18 And this she did many daies And Paul being sorie and turning said to the spirit I coÌ„maund thee in the name of IESVS CHRIST to goe out from her And he vvent out the same houre ✠verse 19 But her maisters seeing that the hope of their gaine vvas gone apprehending Paul and Silas brought them into the market place to the Princes ✠verse 20 and presenting them to the magistrates they said These men trouble our citie being Ievves ✠verse 21 and they preach a fashion vvhich it is not lavvful for vs to receiue nor doe being Romanes ✠verse 22 And the people ranne against them and the magistrates tearing their coates commaunded them to be beaten vvith roddes ✠verse 23 And vvhen they had laid * many stripes vpon them they did cast them into prison commaunding the keeper that he should keepe them diligently ✠verse 24 Vvho vvhen he had receiued such commaundement cast them into the inner prison and made their feete fast in the stockes ✠verse 25 And at mid-night Paul and Silas praying did praise God And they that vvere in prison heard them ✠verse 26 But sodenly there vvas made a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison vvere shaken And forthvvith al the doores vvere opened and the bands of al vvere loosed ✠verse 27 And the keeper of the prison vvaked out of his sleepe and seeing the doores of the prison opened dravving out his svvord vvould haue killed him self supposing that the prisoners had been fled ✠verse 28 But Paul cried vvith a loud voice saying Doe thy self no harme for vve are al here ✠verse 29 And calling for light he vvent in and trembling fel dovvne to Paul and Silas at their feete ✠verse 30 and bringing them forth he said Maisters vvhat must I doe that I may be saued ✠verse 31 But they said Beleeue in our Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued and thy house ✠verse 32 And they preached the vvord of our Lord to him vvith al that vvere in his house ✠verse 33 And he taking them in the same houre of the night vvashed their vvounds and him self vvas baptized and al his house incontinent ✠verse 34 And vvhen he had brought them into his ovvne house he laid the table for them and reioyced vvith al his house beleeuing God ✠verse 35 And vvheÌ„ day vvas come the magistrates sent the sergeants saying Let those men goe ✠verse 36 And the keeper of the prison told these vvordes to Paul That the magistrates haue sent that you should be let goe novv therfore departing goe ye in peace ✠verse 37 But Paul said to them Being vvhipped openly vncoÌ„demned men that are Romanes they haue cast vs into prison novv do they send vs out secretly Not so but let them come let vs out them selues ✠verse 38 And the sergeants reported these wordes to the magistrates And they vvere afraid hearing that they vvere Romanes ✠verse 39 and comming they besought them bringing them forth they desired them to depart out of the citie ✠verse 40 And going out of the prison they entred in vnto Lydia and hauing seen the brethren they comforted them and departed CHAP. XVII Hovv in other parts of Macedonia he planted the Church and namely at Thessalonica 5 vvhere the obstinate Ievves are so malicious that they pursue him also into Berâ—a 14 From vvhence being conducted into Greece he preacheth at Athens both to the Ievves and Gentiles disputing vvith the Philosophers 19 and in Areopagods persuading them from their Idols vnto one God and IESVS CHRIST raised from the dead verse 1 AND vvhen they had vvalked through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica vvhere there vvas a synagogue of the Ievves ✠verse 2 And Paul according to his custome entred in vnto them there Sabboths he discoursed to them out of the Scriptures ✠verse 3 declaring and insinuating that it behoued CHRIST to suffer and to rise againe from the dead and that this is IESVS CHRIST vvhom I preach to you ✠verse 4 And certaine of them beleeued and vvere ioyned to Paul and Silas and of the Gentiles that serued God a great multitude and noble vvomen not a fevv ✠verse 5 But the Ievves enuying taking vnto them of the rascal sort certaine naughtie men and making a tumult stirred the citie and besetting Iasons house sought to bring them forth vnto the people ✠verse 6 And not finding them they drevv Iason and certaine brethren to the princes of the citie crying That these are they that stirre vp the vvorld and are come hither ✠verse 7 vvhom Iason hath receiued and al these doe against the decrees of Caesar saying that there is an other king IESVS ✠verse 8 And they moued the people and the princes of the citie hearing these things ✠verse 9 And taking a satisfaction of Iason and of the rest they dimissed them ✠verse 10 But the brethren forthvvith by night sent avvay Paul and Silas vnto Beroea Vvho vvhen they vvere come entred into the synagogue of the Ievves ✠verse 11 And these were more noble then they that are at Thessalonica vvho receiued the vvord vvith al greedines daily searching the scriptures if these things vvere so ✠verse 12 And many surely of them beleeued and of honest vvomen Gentiles and men not a fevv ✠verse 13 And vvhen the Ievves in Thessalonica vnderstood that at Beroea also the vvord of God vvas preached by Paul they came thither also mouing and troubling the multitude ✠verse 14 And then immediatly the brethren sent avvay Paul to goe vnto the sea but Silas and Timothee remained there ✠verse 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him as farre as Athens and receiuing commaundement of him to Silas and Timothee that they should come to him very speedily they departed ✠verse 16 And vvhen Paul expected them at Athens his spirit vvas incensed vvithin him seeing the citie giuen to Idolatrie ✠verse 17 He disputed therfore in the synagogue vvith the Ievves them that serued God and in the market-place euery day vvith them that vvere there ✠verse 18 And certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and the Stoâ—kes disputed vvith him and certaine said Vvhat is it that this vvord-sovver vvould say But others He seemeth to be a preacher of nevv gods because he preached to them IESVS and
receiue him Vvho vvhen he vvas come profited them much that had beleeued ✠verse 28 For he vvith vehemencie conuinced the Ievves openly shevving by the scriptures that IESVS is CHRIST CHAP. XIX Hovv Paul began the Church of Ephesus first in 1â— that vvere baptized vvith Iohns baptisme â— then preaching three moneths in the Synagogue of the Ievves vntil for their obstinacie and blaspheming he forsooke them disputing aftervvard in a certaine schoole for tvvo yeres space to the maruelous increase of the Church specially through his great miracles also in healing diseases vvith the touche of his clothes and expelling diâ—els 13 vvho yet contemned the Exorcists of the Ievves 18 Hovv the Christians there confesse their actes and burne their vnlavvful bookes 21 and hovv he foretold that after he had been at Hierusalem he must see Rome 23 and vvhat a great sedition vvas raised against him at Ephesus by them that got their liuing of vvorking to the idolatrous Temple of Diana verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen Apollo vvas at Corinth that Paul hauing gone through the higher partes came to Ephesus and found certaine disciples ✠verse 2 and he said to them Haue you receiued the holy Ghost beleeuing But they said to him Nay neither haue vve heard whether there be a holy Ghost ✠verse 3 But he said In vvhat then vvere you baptized Vvho said In Iohns baptisme ✠verse 4 And Paul said * Iohn baptized the people vvith the baptisme of penance saying That they should beleeue in him that vvas to come after him that is to say in IESVS ✠verse 5 Hearing these things they vvere baptized in the name of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 6 And vvhen Paul had imposed hands on them the holy Ghost came vpon them and they spake vvith tongues and prophecied ✠verse 7 And all the men vvere about tvvelue ✠verse 8 And entring in to the synagogue he spake confidently for three moneths disputing and exhorting of the kingdom of God ⊢ ✠verse 9 But vvhen certaine vvere indûrate and beleeued not il-speaking the vvay of our Lord before the multitude departing from them he separated the disciples daily disputing in the schole of one Tyrannus ✠verse 10 An this vvas done for the space of tvvo yeres so that al vvhich dvvelt in Asia heard the vvord of our Lord Ievves and Gentils ✠verse 11 And God vvrought by the hand of Paul miracles not common ✠verse 12 so that there vvere also brought from his body â— napkins or handkerchefs vpon the sicke and the diseases departed from them and the vvicked spirits vvent out ✠verse 13 And certaine also of the Iudaical exorcists that vvent about assaied to inuocate vpon them that had euil spirits the name of our Lord IESVS saying I adiure you by IESVS vvhom Paul preacheth ✠verse 14 And there vvere certaine sonnes of Sceua a Ievve cheefe priest seuen that did this ✠verse 15 But the vvicked spirit ansvvering said to them IESVS I knovv and â— Paul I knovv but you vvhat are ye ✠verse 16 And the man in vvhom the vvicked spirit vvas leaping vpon them and mastring both ' preuailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and vvounded ✠verse 17 And this vvas made notorious to al the Ievves and the Gentiles that dvvelt at Ephesus and feare fel vpon al them and the name of our Lord IESVS vvas magnified ✠verse 18 And many of them that beleeued came confessing and declaring their deedes ✠verse 19 And many of them that had folovved â— curious things brought together their â— bookes and burnt them before al and counting the prices of them they found the money to be fiftie thousand pence ✠verse 20 So mightely increased the vvord of God and vvas confirmed ✠verse 21 And vvhen these things vvere ended Paul purposed in the Spirit vvhen he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to goe to Hierusalem saying After I shall haue been there I must see Rome also ✠verse 22 And sending into Macedonia tvvo of them that ministred vnto him Timothee and Erastus himself remained for a time in Asia ✠verse 23 And at that time there vvas made no litle trouble about the vvay of our Lord. ✠verse 24 For one named Demetrius a siluer-smith that made siluer temples of Diána procured to the artificers no smal gaine ✠verse 25 vvhom calling together and them that vvere the same kinde of vvorkemen he said Sirs you knovv that our gaine is of this occupation ✠verse 26 and you see and heare that this same Paul by persuasion hath auerted a great multitude not only of Ephesus but almost of al Asia saying That they are not gods vvhich be made by handes ✠verse 27 And not only vnto vs is this part in danger to be reproued but also the temple of great Diana shal be reputed for nothing yea her maiestie shal begin to be destroied vvhom al Asia the vvorld vvorshippeth ✠verse 28 Hearing these things they vvere replenished vvith anger and cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians ✠verse 29 And the vvhole citie vvas filled vvith confusion they ranne violently vvith one accord in to the theátre catching Gaius and Aristarchus Macedonians Paules companions ✠verse 30 And vvhen Paul vvould haue entred into the people the disciples did not permit him ✠verse 31 And certaine also of the Princes of Asia that vvere his frendes sent vnto him desying that he vvould not adueÌ„ture him selfe into the theátre ✠verse 32 and others cried an other thing For the assemblie vvas confuse the more part knevv not for vvhat cause they vvere assembled ✠verse 33 And of the multitude they drevv forth Alexander the Ievves thrusting him forvvard But Alexander vvith his hand desiring silence vvould haue giuen the people satisfaction ✠verse 34 Vvhom as soone as they perceiued to be a Ievve there vvas made one voice of al almost for the space of tvvo houres crying out Great is Diana of the Ephesians ✠verse 35 And vvhen the Scribe had appeased the multitudes he saith Ye men of Ephesus for vvhat man is there that knovveth not the citie of the Ephesians to be a vvorshipper of great Diana Iupiters childe ✠verse 36 Forasmuch therfore as these things can not be gainsaid you must be quieted and doe nothing rashly ✠verse 37 For you haue brought these men being neither sacrilegious nor blaspheming your Goddesse ✠verse 38 But if Demetrius and the artificers that are vvith him haue matter to say against any man there are Courtes kept in the common place there are Proconsuls let them accuse one an other ✠verse 39 And if you aske any other matter it may be resolued in a lavvful assemblie ✠verse 40 For vve are in danger also to be accused for this daies sedition vvhereas there is no man guilty by vvhom vve may
Pauls vvritings hold this for a certaintie as the Apostles ovvne defense vvhatsoeuer he seeme to say hereafter sounding in their sense that sinne commeth of God or may therfore be committed that he may vvorke good thereof that the Apostle him self condemneth that sense as slaunderous and blasphemous 10. Not any iust These general speaches that both Ievv and Gentile be in sinne and none at al iust are not so to be taken that none in neither sort vvere euer good the Scriptures expresly saying that Iob Zacharie Elisabeth and such like vvere iust before God it vvere blasphemie to say that these vvordes alleaged out of the 13 Psalme vvere meant in Christes mother in S. Iohn the Baptist in the Apostles c. For this only is the sense that neither by the lavv of nature nor lavv of Moyses could any man be iust or auoid such sinnes as here be reckened but by faith and the grace of God by vvhich there vvere a number in al ages specially among the Ievves that vvere iust and holy vvhom these vvordes touch not being spoken only to the multitude of the vvicked vvhich the Prophet maketh as it vvere a seueral body conspiring against Christ and persecuting the iust and godly of vvhich il companie he saith that none vvas iust nor feared God 20. By the vvorkes of the Lavv. S. Hierom and S. Chrysostom expound this of the ceremonial vvorkes only and in that sense the Apostle specially prosecuteth this proposition in his Epistle to the Galatians but it is true also of al mans moral vvorkes done vvithout faith the grace of God vvhich can not be acceptable or auailable in Gods sight to iustifie any man And so S. Augustine taketh it de Sp. lit c. â— to â— 22. Iustice of God Bevvare of the vvicked and vaine commentarie of the Caluinistes glosing the iustice of God to be that vvhich is resident in Christ apprehended by our faith and so that imputed to vs vvhich vve in deede haue not Vvherein at once they haue forged them selues against Gods manifest vvord a nevv no iustice a phantastical apprehension of that vvhich is not a false faith and vntrue imputation vvhereas the iustice of God here is that vvherevvith he endueth a man at his first conuersion and is novv in a man and therfore mans iustice but yet Gods Iustice also because it is of God Of this iustice in vs vvhereby vve be truely iustified and in deede made iust S. Augustine speaketh thus The grace of Christ doth vvorke our illumination and iustification invvardly also And againe He giueth to the faithful the most secrete grace of his Spirit vvhich seâ—retly he povvreth into infants also And againe They are iustified in Christ that beleeue in him through the secrete communication and inspiration of spiritual grace vvhereby euery one leaneth to our Lord. And againe Hemaketh iust â—eâ—evving by the Spirit and regeneration by grace 28. By faith vvithout vvorkes This is the place vvherevpon the Protestants gather falsly their only faith and vvhich they commonly auouch as though the Apostle said that only faith doth iustifie Vvhere he both in vvordes and meaning excepteth only the vvorkes of the Lavv done vvithout Christ before our conuersion neither excluding the Sacraments of Baptisme or Penance not hope and charitie or other Christian vertues al vvhich be the iustice of faith as the good vvorkes proceding thereof be likevvise the lavv and iustice of faith Al vvhich the Aduersaries vvould exclude by foisting in the terâ—e only Of vvhich kind of men S. Augustine vpon this place faith thus Men not vnderstanding that vvhich the Apostle saith vve counte a man to be iustified by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Lavv did thinke that he said faith vvould suffise a man though he liued il and had no good vvorkes Which God forbid the vessel of election should thinke vvho in a certaine place after he had said * In Christ IESVS neither circumcision nor prepuce auaileth any vvhit he straight added but faith vvhich vvorketh by loue CHAP. IIII. That Abraham vvas not iustified by his ovvne povver but by Gods grace in vvhom he beleeued 6 vvhich is a vvay for the sinner also to come to iustice 9 And that seing he vvas not as then circumcised not only the circumcised lovv but also the vncircumcised Gentil may by beleeuing the Christian faith come to iustice as Abraham did 〈◊〉 specially considering also that Abraham vvas promised to be Father of the vvhole vvorld and not only of the Ievves to vvhom onely the Lavv vvas giuen and that not to fulfil the promise but for an other cause verse 1 VVHAT shal vve say then that ″ Abraham did finde our father according to the flesh ✠verse 2 For if Abraham vvere iustified ″ by vvorkes he hath glorie but not vvith God ✠verse 3 For vvhat saieth the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it vvas reputed him to iustice ✠verse 4 But ″ to him that vvorketh the revvard is not imputed according to grace but according to dette ✠verse 5 But ″ to him that vvorketh not yet beleeueth in him that iustifieth the impious his faith is reputed to iustice according to the purpose of the grace of God ✠verse 6 ″ As Dauid also termeth the blessednes of a man to vvhom God reputeth iustice vvithout vvorkes ✠verse 7 Blessed are they vvhose iniquities be forgiuen and vvhose sinnes be ″ couered ✠verse 8 Blessed is the man to vvhom our Lord hath not imputed sinne ✠verse 9 This blessednes then doth it abide in the circumcision or in the prepuce also For vve say that vnto Abraham faith vvas reputed to iustice ✠verse 10 Hovv vvas it reputed in circumcision or in prepuce Not in circumcision but in prepuce ✠verse 11 And * he receiued the signe of circumcision ″ a seale of the iustice of faith that is in prepuce that he might be the father of al that beleeue by the prepuce that vnto them also it may be reputed to iustice ✠verse 12 and might be father of circumcision not to them only that are of the circumcision but to them also that folovv the steppes of the faith that is in the prepuce of our father Abraham ✠verse 13 For not by the Lavv vvas the promisse to Abraham or to his seede that he should be heire of the vvorld but by the iustice of faith ✠verse 14 For if they that are of the Lavv be heires faith is made voide the promisse is abolished ✠verse 15 For the Lavv vvorketh vvrath For vvhere is no lavv neither is there preuarication ✠verse 16 Therfore of faith that according to grace the promisse may be firme to al the seede not to that only vvhich is of the Lavv but to that also vvhich is of the faith of Abraham vvho is the father of vs al as it is vvritten ✠verse 17 For a
testament and the lavv giuing and the seruice and the promisses ✠verse 5 vvhose are the fathers of vvhom Christ is according to the flesh vvho is aboue al things God blessed for euer Amen ✠verse 6 But not that the vvord of God is frustrate For ″ not al that are of Israël they be Israëlites ✠verse 7 nor they that are the seede of AbrahaÌ„ al be children ″ but in Isaac shal the seede be called vnto thee ✠verse 8 that is to say not they that are the childreÌ„ of the flesh they are the children of God but they that are the childreÌ„ of the promisse are esteemed for the seede ✠verse 9 For the vvord of the promisse is this According to this time vvil I come and Sarae shal haue a sonne ✠verse 10 And not only she But * Rebecca also conceiuing ″ of one copulation of Isaac our father ✠verse 11 For vvhen they vvere ″ not yet borne nor had done any good or euil that the purpose of God according to election might stand ✠verse 12 not of vvorkes but of the caller it vvas said to her That the elder shal serue the yonger ✠verse 13 as it is vvritten Iacob I loued but Esau I hated ✠verse 14 Vvhat shal vve say then ″ Is there iniquitie vvith God God forbid ✠verse 15 For to Moyses he saith I vvil haue mercie on vvhom I haue mercie and I vvil shevv mercie to vvhom I vvil shevv mercie ✠verse 16 Therfore it is ″ not of the vviller nor the runner but of God that shevveth mercie ✠verse 17 For the Scripture saith to Pharao That ″ to this very purpose haue I raised thee that in thee I may shevv my povver and that my name may be venovvmed in the vvhole earth ✠verse 18 Therfore on vvhom he vvil he hath mercie and vvhom he vvil he doth indurate ✠verse 19 Thou saiest therfore vnto me Vvhy doth he yet complaine for vvho resisteth his vvil ✠verse 20 O man ″ vvho art thou that doest ansvver God Doth the vvorke say to him that vvrought it Vvhy hast thou made me thus ✠verse 21 Or hath not ″ the potter of clay povver of the same masse to make one vessel vnto honour and an other vnto coÌ„tumelie ✠verse 22 And if God vvilling to shevv vvrath and to make his might knovven susteined in much patience the vessels of vvrath apte to destruction ✠verse 23 that he might shevv the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie vvhich he prepared vnto glorie ✠verse 24 Vvhom also he hath called vs not only of the Ievves but also of the Gentiles ✠verse 25 as in Osee he saith I vvil call that vvhich is not my people my people and her that vvas not beloued beloued and her that hath not obteined mercie hauing obteined mercie ✠verse 26 And it shal be in the place vvhere it vvas said to them you are not my people there they shal be called the sonnes of the liuing God ✠verse 27 And Esaie crieth for Israel If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea the remaines shal be saued ✠verse 28 For consummating a vvord and abridging it in equitie because a vvord abbridged shal our Lord make vpon the earth ✠verse 29 And as Esay foretold Vnles the Lord of Sabaoth had left vs seede vve had been made like Sodom and vve had been like as Gomorrha ✠verse 30 What shal vve say then That the Gentiles vvhich pursued not after iustice haue apprehended iustice but the iustice that is of faith ✠verse 31 But Israel in pursuing the lavv of iustice is not come vnto the lavv of iustice ✠verse 32 Vvhy so Because not of faith but as it vvere of vvorkes for they haue stombled at the stone of stombling ✠verse 33 as it is vvritten Behold I put in Sion a stone of stombling and a rocke of scandal and vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him shal not be confounded ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX â— Anáthema Anáthema by vse of Scripture is either that vvhich by separation from profane vse and by dedication to God is holy dreadful and not vulgarly to be touched or contrarievvise that which is reiected seuered or abandoned from God as cursed and detested and therfore is to be auoided And in this later sense according as S. Paul taketh it 1 Cor. 16. If any loue not our Lord IESVS CHRIST be he Anathema that is to say Avvay vvith him Accursed be he Bevvare you company not vvith him the Church and holy Councels vse the vvord for a curse and excommunication against Heretikes and other notorious offenders and blasphemers Novv hovv the Apostle vvishing him self to be Anathema from Christ to saue his Countrie mens soules did take this vvord it is a very hard thing to determine Some thinke he desired onely to die for their saluation Others that being very loth to be kept from the fruition of Christ yet he could be conâ—ent to be so still for to saue their soules Others that he vvished vvhat inalediction or separation from Christ so euer that did not imply the disfauour of God tovvards him nor take avvay his loue tovvard God This only is certaine that it is a point of vnspeakable charitie in the Apostles breast and a paterne to al Bishops and Priests hovv to loue the saluation of their flocke As the like vvas vttered by Moyses vvhen he said Either forgiue this people or blot me out of thy booke 6. Not al of Israel Though the people of the Ievves vvere many vvaies honoured and priuiledged and namely by Christes taking flesh of them yet the promis of grace and saluation vvas neither onely made to them nor to al them that carnally came of them or their fathers Gods election and mercie depending vpon his ovvne purpose vvil and determination and not tied to any nation familie or person 7. But in Isaac The promisse made to Abraham vvas not in Ismael vvho vvas a sonne borne onely by flesh and nature but in Isaac vvho vvas a sonne obtained by promisse faith and miracle and vvas a figure of the Churches children borne to God in Baptisme 10. Of one copulation It is proued also by Gods choosing of Iacob before Esau vvho vvere not onely brethren by father and mother but also tvvinnes and Esau the elder of the tvvo vvhich according to carnal count should haue had the preeminence that God in giuing graces folovveth not the temporal or carnal prerogatiues of men or families 11. Not yet borne By the same example of those tvvinnes it is euident also that neither nations nor particular persons be elected eternally or called temporally or preferred to Gods fauour before others by their ovvne merites because God vvhen he made choise and first loued Iacob and refused Esau respected them both as il and
also to shevv to the vvorld that no obstinacie of neuer so mightie offenders can resist me to doe any thing vvhich shal not fall to my glorie Vvhich is no more to say but that God often for the punishment of Nations and to shevv his iustice and glorie giueth vvicked Princes vnto them and indueth them vvith povver and al prosperitie and taking his grace from them vpon their deserts hardeneth their hartes so as they vvithsand and contemne God and afflict his people in vvhose end and fall either temporal or eternal at the length God vvil euer be glorified Neither vvould he either raise or suffer any such or giue them povver and prosperitie in this life vvherevpon he knovveth they vvil be vvorse but that he can vvorke al that to his honour and glorie mary that he vseth not such rigorous iustice on al that deserue it that is his great grace and mercie And that he exerciseth his iustice vpon some certaine persons rather then vpon other some of equal deserts that lieth vvholy vpon his vvil in vvhose iudgements there be many things secrete but nothing vniust 20. Who art thou Here the Apostle staieth the rashnes and presumption of such poore vvormes as take vpon them to question vvith God of their election or reprobation as certaine impious Heretikes of our time haue done setting out bookes farsed vvith most blasphemous and erroneous doctrine cōcerning this high and hidden mysterie and haue giuen occasion to the ignorant vvhich alvvaies be curious to iangle and perniciously to erre in these things that are impossible to be vnderstood of any or vvel thought of but of the obedient and humble 31. The potter This example of the pot and potter reacheth no further but to declare that the creature may not reason vvith God his maker vvhy he giueth not one so great grace as an other or vvhy he pardoneth not one as vvel as an other no more then the chamber pot may chalenge the Potter vvhy he vvas not made a drinking pot as vvel as an other And therfore the Heretikes that extend this similitude to proue that man hath no free vvil no more then a peece of clay doe vntruely and deceitfully apply the example specially vvhen vve may see expresly in the booke of Exodus that Pharao notvvithstāding his indurate hart had free vvil vvhere both it is said He vvould not dismisse the people and He indurated his owne hart him self Exo. c. ◠15. and in the Hebrue v. 32. c. 9. 35. 1 Reg. 6 6. And this Apostle also vvritheth that * a man may cleanse him self from the filthy and so become a vessel of honour in the house of God CHAP. X. The Lavv vvar not as the Ievves ignorant zeale supposed for them to iustifie them selues by it considering that they could not fulfil it ◠but to bring them to Christ to beleeue in him and so for his sake to be iustified by the grace of God 5 according to Moyses saying and the Apostles preaching 11 that so the Gentils also according to the Prophets hearing and beleeuing might come to iustice the Ievves in the meane time though inexcusably remaining incredulous verse 1 BRETHREN the vvil of my hart surely and praier to God is for them vnto saluation ✠verse 2 For I giue them testimonie that they haue zeale of God but not according to knovvledge ✠verse 3 For not knovving ″ the iustice of God seeking to establish their ovvne they haue not been subiect to the iustice of God ✠verse 4 For the end of the Law is Christ vnto iustice to euery one that beleeueth ✠verse 5 for Moyses vvrote that the iustice vvhich is of the Lavv the man that hath done it shal liue in it ✠verse 6 But ″ the iustice vvhich is of faith saith thus Say not in thy hart Vvho shal ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ dovvne ✠verse 7 Or vvho descendeth into the depth that is to call Christ againe from the dead ✠verse 8 But vvhat saith the Scripture The vvord is nigh in thy mouth and in thy hart this is the vvord of faith vvhich vve preach ✠verse 9 For if thou confesse vvith thy mouth our Lord IESVS and in thy hart beleeue that God hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued ✠verse 10 For vvith the hart vve beleeue vnto iustice but vvith the mouth confession is made to saluation ✠verse 11 For the Scripture saith Vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him shal not be confounded ✠verse 12 For there is no distinction of the Iew and the Greeke for one is Lord of al riche tovvard al that inuocate him ✠verse 13 For euery one vvhosoeuer shal innocate the name of our Lord shal be saued ✠verse 14 ″ Hovv then shal they inuocate in vvhom they haue not beleeued Or hovv shal they beleeue him vvhom they haue not heard And hovv shal they heare without a preacher ✠verse 15 But hovv shal they preach ″ vnles they be senti as it is vvritten Hovv beautiful are the feete of them that euangelize peace of them that euangelize good things ✠verse 16 But al do not obey the Gospel For Esay saith Lord vvho hath beleeued the hearing of vs ✠verse 17 Faith then is by hearing and hearing is by the vvord of Christ ✠verse 18 But I say haue they not heard And certes into al the earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the endes of the vvhole vvorld the vvordes of them ⊢ ✠verse 19 But I say hath not Israel knovven Moyses first saith I vvil bring you to emulation in that vvhich is not a nation in a folish nation I vvil driue you into anger ✠verse 20 But Esay is bold and saith I vvas found of them that did not seeke me openly I appeared to them ″ that asked not of me ✠verse 21 But to Israel he saith Al the day haue I spred my handes to a people that beleeueth not and contradicteth me ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. ◠The iustice of God The iustice of God is that vvhich God giueth vs through Christ the Ievves ovvne or proper iustice is that vvhich they had or chalenged to haue of them selues and by their ovvne strength holpen onely by the knovvledge of the Lavv vvithout the helpe or grace of Christ 6. The iustice of faith The iustice vvhich is of faith reacheth to the life to come making man assured of the truth of such Articles as concerne the same as of Christs Ascension to heauen of his Descending to Hel of his comming dovvne to be Incarnate and his Resurrection and returne againe to be glorified by vvhich his actions vve be pardoned iustified and saued as by the Lavv vve could neuer be 8. The vvord of faith The vvord of faith is the vvhole Lavv of Christ concerning both life and doctrine grounded vpon this
and iustly ansvvering to the time and vveight of his trauels and vvorkes in vvhich sense the Scripture saith Dignus est operarius mercede sua the vvorkeman is vvorthy of his hire rather then a free gift though because faithful men must acknovvledge that their merites be the giftes and graces of God they rather vse the vvord revvard then hire stipend or repaiment though in deede it be al one as you may see by diuers places of holy vvrite as * My merces revvard is vvith me to render to euery one * according to his vvorkes And Our Lord vvil â—ender vnto me according to my iustice Ps 1â— And the very vvord it self merite equiualent to the Greeke is vsed thus Mercie shal make a place to euery one * according to the merite of workes Ecclâ—i 16 15. And If you doe your iustice before men you shal not haue reward in heauen Mat. 6 1. Vvhere you see that the revvard of heauen is recompense of iustice And the euasion of the Heretikes is friuolous and euidently false as the former and like vvordes do conuince for they say heauen is our Merces or revvard not because is is due to our vvorkes but to the promes of God vvhere the vvordes be plaine According to euery mans vvorkes or labours vpon vvhich vvorkes and for vvhich vvorkes conditionally the promes of heauen vvas made 12. Vpon this foundation The foundaion is Christ and faith in him vvorking by charitie The vppes building may be either pure and perfect matter of gold siluer and pretious stone vvhich according to the most authentical and probable exposition be good vvorkes of charitie and al Christian iustice done by Gods grace or els vvood hay stubble vvhich signifie the manifold actes of mans infirmitie and his venial sinnes Vvhich more or lesse mixed and medled vvith the better matter aforesaid require more or lesse punishmeÌ„t or purgation at the day of our death At vvhich day if by penance or other meanes in the Church the said venial sinnes be before hand cleansed there shal neede no purgiug at al but they shal straight receiue the reward due to them 13. Shal be manifest Vvhether our life and workes be pure and neede no cleansing novv in this vvorld is hard to iudge but the day of our Lord vvhich is at our death vvil make it plaine in vvhat termes euery mans life is tovvards God for then Purgatorie fire shal reueale and proue it for vvhosoeuer hath any impure matter of venial sinnes or such other dettes to Gods iustice paiable and purgable must into that fire and after due paiment and cleansing be saued through the same Vvhere the vvorkes of the perfect men and such as died vvith al dettes paied cleansed or forgiuen are quitted from the fire and neuer incurre damage paine or losse thereby The places of fathers expounding this for Purgatorie be very many most euident vvhich are cited in the last Annotation folovving 1â— The day of our Lord shal declare That this purgation rather signifieth the place of Gods iustice after our death then any affliction in this life the Apostles precise specifying of fire declareth and of reuealing and notifying the difference of mens vvorkes by the same vvhich is not done euidently euer in this life and namely the vvord day of our Lord vvhich commonly and properly signifieth in Scripture and namely in this Apostle 1 Cor. 3 5. 2 Cor. 1 1â— Philip. 1 10. 6. 1 Thes â— 2. 2 Thes 2 2. either the particular or the general iudgement and therfore that the trial spoken of is not properly nor litterally meant any affliction or aduersitie of this life as Caluin also coÌ„fesseth coyning a folish nevv construction of his ovvne Vvhere you may note also in that mans Commentarie that this vvord dies Domini vvas so preiudicial against him and al other expositions of the trial to be made in this vvorld that he vvould gladly haue Domini ouâ— reading thus A day shal â—â—me vvhich shal open c. Vvhere vnderstand that if it vvere only Dies as * in the Greeke yet thereby also the Scripture is vvont to signifie the self same thing as 2 Tim. 1 12. 28. and 2 Tim. 4 8. and Heb. 10 25 the day as in this place vvith the greeke article only vvhich is al one vvith Dies illa or Dies Domini 15. As by fire S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the Psalme 37. Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation nor amend me in thy vvrath For it shal come to passe saith he that some be amended in the vvrath of God and be rebuked in his indignation And not al perhaps that are rebuked shal be amended but yet some there shal be saued by amending It shal be so surely because amending it â—amed yet so as by fire but some there shal be that shal be rebuked and not amended to vvhom he shal say Goe ye into euerlasting fire Fearing therfore these more greuous paines he desireth that he may neither be rebuked in indignation by eternal fire nor amended in his vvrath that is to say Purge me in this life and make me such an one as shal not neede the amending fire being for them vvhich shal be saued yet so as by fire Wherfore but because here they build vpon this foundation vvood hay stubble for if they did build gold siluer and pretious stones they should be secure from both fires not onely from that eternal vvhich shal torment the impious eternally but also from that vvhich shal amend them that shal be saued by fire for it is said he shal be safe yet so as by fire And because it is said he shal be safe that fire is coÌ„temned Yea verely though safe by fire yet that fire shal be more greuous then vvhatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life And you knovv hovv great euils the vvicked haue suffered and may suffer yet they haue suffered such as the good also might suffer for vvhat hath any malefactor suffered by the lavves that a Martyr hath not suffered in the confession of Christ These euils therfore that are here be much more easie and yet see hovv men not to suffer them doe vvhatsoeuer thou coÌ„maundest Hovv much better doe they that vvhich God commaundeth that they may not suffer thâ—se greater paines Thus far S. Augustine See S. Ambr. vpon this place 1 Cor. 3. Ser. 20 in Psal â—18 Hiero. li. 2 c. 13 adu Iouinianum Gieg. li. 4. Dialog c. â—9 in Psal 1. Pâ—nit in principie Origen 〈◊〉 â— in c. 15. Exod. and bâ— 14 in c. 24. Leuit. CHAP. IIII. He requireth to be esteemed for his office but regardeth not to be praised of man for his vertue considering that neither his ovvne conscience is a sufficient iudge thereof but onely God vvho seeth al. 8 He toucheth them for contemning in their pride the Apostles them selues as miserable 18 threatening to come to those proude Falseapostles vvho vvere the
authors of al these schismes verse 1 SO let a man esteeme vs as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God ✠verse 2 Here novv is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful ✠verse 3 But to me it is a thing of lest account to be iudged of you or of mans day but I iudge not my self neither ✠verse 4 For I am not guilty in conscience of any thing◠″ but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord. ✠verse 5 Therfore iudge not before the time vntil our Lord do come vvho also wil lighten the hiddeÌ„ things of darkenes and vvil manifest the counsels of the hartes then the praise shal be to euery man of God ⊢ ✠verse 6 But these things brethren I haue transfigured into my self and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against an other aboue that is vvritten ✠verse 7 For vvho discerneth thee Or vvhat hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued what doest thou glorie as though thou hast nor receiued ✠verse 8 Now you are filled now are you become riche without vs you reigne I would to God you did reigne that vve also might reigne vvith you ✠verse 9 For I thinke that God hath shevved vs Apostles the last as it vvere deputed to death because vve are made a spectacle to the vvorld and to Angels and men ✠verse 10 Vve are fooles for Christ but you vvise in Christ vve vveake but you strong you noble but vve base ✠verse 11 Vntil this houre we doe both hunger and thirst and are naked and are beaten vvith buffets and are vvanderers ✠verse 12 and labour vvorking vvith our ovvne handes vve are cursed and do blesse vve are persecuted and susteine it ✠verse 13 vve are blasphemed and vve beseeche vve are made the refuse of this vvorld the drosse of al euen vntil novv ✠verse 14 Not to confound you do I vvrite these things but as my deerest children I admonish you ⊢ ✠verse 15 For if you haue ten thousand paedagoges in Christ yet not many fathers For in Christ IESVS by the Gospel I begat you ⊢ ✠verse 16 I beseeche you therfore be folovvers of me ✠verse 17 Therfore haue I sent to you Timothee vvho is my deerest sonne and faithful in our Lord vvho vvil put you in minde of my vvaies that are in Christ IESVS as euery vvhere in euery Church I teach ✠verse 18 As though I vvould not come to you so certaine are puffed vp ✠verse 19 But I vvil come to you quickly if our Lord vvil and vvil knovv not the vvordes of them that be puffed vp but the povver ✠verse 20 For the kingdom of God is not in vvordes but in povver ✠verse 21 Vvhat vvil you â— in rodde that I come to you or in charitie and the spirit of mildnes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 4. But not iustified The Heretikes are certaine that they be in Gods grace but S. Paul though guiltie of no crime in his conscience durst not assure him self that he vvas iustified neither could take vpon him to be iudge of his ovvne hart and cogitations vvhether they vvere pure or no but the trial thereof he left onely to Gods iudging day 21. In rodde The Apostles haue povver of discipline and censures against offenders and povver of gentlenes meekenes and indulgence also to vse either punishing or pardoning according to their wisedom and according to the occasions of time and place CHAP. V. Sharply rebuking their Clergies negligence 3 him self absent excommunicateth that publike incestuous person 6 commaunding that hereafter no Christian be so tolerated in any open crime but excommunicated verse 1 THERE is plainely heard fornication among you and such fornication as the like is not among the heathen so that one hath his * fathers vvife ✠verse 2 And you are puffed vp and haue not mourned rather that he might be taken avvay from amoÌ„g you that hath done this deede ✠verse 3 â— I in deede absent in body but present in spirit haue already iudged as present him that hath so done ✠verse 4 in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ â— you being gathered together and my spirit â— vvith the vertue of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 5 to deliuer such an one â— to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 6 Your glorying is not good Knovv you not that a litle leauen corrupteth the vvhole paste ✠verse 7 Purge the old leauen that you may be a nevv paste as you are azymes For our Pasche Christ is immolated ✠verse 8 Therfore â— let vs feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice and vvickednes but in the azymes of sinceritie and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 9 I vvrote to you in an epistle Not to keepe companie vvith fornicatours ✠verse 10 I meane not the fornicatours of this vvorld or the couetous or the extorsioners or seruers of Idols othervvise you should haue gone out of this vvorld ✠verse 11 But novv I vvrote to you not to keepe companie if he that is named a brother be a fornicatour or a couetous person or a seruer of Idols or a railer or a drunkarde or an extorsioner vvith such an one ″ not so much as to take meate ✠verse 12 For vvhat is it to me to iudge of them that are vvithout Do not you iudge of them that are vvithin ✠verse 13 for them that are vvithout God vvil iudge Take away ″ the euil-one from among your selues ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 2. I absent S. Paul here vseth his Apostolike povver of binding this incestuous person excommunicating him by his letters and Mandaâ—â—â— though absent 4. You being gathered Though he commaunded the acte should be done in the face of the Church as such sentences and censures be at this day executed also yet the iudgement and authoritie of giuing sentence vvaâ— in him self and not in the vvhole multitude as the Protestants and the popular Sectaries affirme for the povver of binding and loosing vvas not giuen to the vvhole Church but as in the persons of the Prelats to them for the benefite of the vvhole Vvherevpon S. Chrysostome vpon those vvordes Dic Ecclesia Tel the Church Mat. 18 Complaine to the Church that is saith he to the Prelats and Presidents thereof 4. With the vertue Al such great povver ouer sinners is holden and exercised in the name and vertue of CHRIST IESVS And vvhosoeuer setteth light by it despiseth our Lordes name and povver 5. To Satan To assure vs that al excommunicate persons be in the povver and possession of the Diuel and quite out of Christes protection as soone as they be separated by the Churches
expressed here in the text And as S. Ambrose in hunc locum and most good authors novv thinke this vvhich he calleth Dominicam coenam is not meant of the B. Sacrament as the circunstances also of the text do giue namely the reiecting of the poore the rich mens priuate deuouring of al not expecting one an other glottony and drunkennesse in the same vvhich can not agree to the holy Sacrament And therfore the Heretikes haue smal reason vpon this place to name the said holy SacrameÌ„t rather the Supper of the Lord then after the maner of the primitiue Church the Eucharist MASSE or Liturgie But by like they vvould bring it to the supper againe or Euening seruice vvhen men be not fasting the rather to take avvay the old estimation of the holines thereof 23. I haue deliuered As al other partes of religion vvere first deliuered by preaching and vvord of mouth to euery Nation conuerted so this holy order and vse of the B. Sacrament vvas by S. Paul first giuen vnto the Corinthians by tradition Vnto vvhich as receiued of our Lord he reuoketh them by this Epistle not putting in vvriting particularly al things pertaining to the order vse and institution as he aftervvard saith but repeating the summe and substance thereof and leauing the residue to his returne But his vvordes and narration here vvritten vve vvil particularly prosecute because the Heretikes make profession to folovv the same in their pretended reformation of the MASSE 23. Ia the night First the Aduersaries may be here conuinced that al the circumstaÌ„ces of time person place vvhich in Christes action are noted neede not to be imitated As that the SacrameÌ„t should be ministred at night to men onely to onely tvvelue after or at supper such like because as S. Cyprian ep â—3 nu â— S. Augustine ep 118. c. 6. note there vvere causes of those accidents in Christ that are not novv to be alleaged for vs. He instituted then this holy act vve do not he made his Apostles Priests that is to say gaue them commission to do and minister the same vve do not he vvould haue this the last act of his life vvithin the bounds of his Passion it is not so vvith vs. he vvould eate and make an end of the Paschal to accomplish the old Lavv that can not be in our action therfore he must needes doe it after supper and at night vve may not do so he excluded al vvomen al the rest of his Disciples al lay men vve inuite al faithful men vvomen In many circunstances then neither vve may imitate Christes first action nor the Heretikes as yet do though they seeme to encline by abandoning other names sauing this calling it Supper to haue it at night and after meate though as is before noted they haue no iust cause to call it so vpon Christ fact seeing the Euangelists do plainely shevv * that the Sacrament vvas instituted after Supper as the Apostle him self here recordeth of the later part in expressâ— speach And most men thinke a long sermon and the vvashing of the Apostles feete came betvvene yea and that the supper vvas quite finished grace said But in al these and such like things the Catholike Church onely by Christes Spirit can tel vvhich things are imitable vvhich not in al his actions â—1 Tooke Christ tooke bread into his hands applying this ceremonie action and benediction to it and did blesse the very element vsed povver and actiue vvord vpon it * as he did ouer the bread and fishes vvhich he multiplied and so doth the Church of God and so do not the Protestants if they folovv their ovvne booke and doctrine but they let the bread cuppe stand a loofe and occupie Christes vvordes by vvay of report and narration applying them not at al to the matter proposed to be occupied and therfore hovvsoeuer the simple people be deluded by the rehersal of the same vvordes vvhich Christ vsed yet consecration benediction or sanctification of bread and vvine they professe they make none at al. At the first alteration of religion there vvas a figure of the Crosse at this vvord He blessed and at the vvorde He tooke there vvas a glosse or rubrike that appointed the Minister to imitate Christs action and to take the bread into his hands aftervvard that vvas reformed and Christes action abolished and his blessing of bread turned to thankes giuing to God 23. Bread Christ made the holy Sacrament of vnleauened bread and al the Latin Church imitateth him in the same as a thing much more agreable to the signification both in it self and in our liues then the leauen Yet our Aduersaries neither folovv Christ S. Paul nor the vvest Church in the same but rather purposely make choise of that kind that is in it self more vnseemely and to the first institution lesse agreable In the other part of the Sacrament they contemne Christ and his Church much more impudently and damnably For Christ and al the Apostles and al Catholike Churches in the vvorld haue euer mixed their wine vvith water for great mysterie and signification specially for that water gushed together vvith bloud out of our Lordes side This our Lord did saith S. Cyprian Ep. 63 ad Cecilium nu 4 7. and none rightly offereth that folovveth not him therein Thus Irenaeus li. 5. c. 1. Iustine Apolog. 2. in fine and al the Fathers testifie the Primitiue Church did and in this sort it is done in al the MASSES of the Greekes S. Iames S. Basils S. Chrisostoms and yet our Protestant pretending to reduce al to Christ vvil not doe as he did and al the Apostles and Churches that euer vvere 24. This is These vvordes being set dovvne not in the person of the Euangelistes or Apostles but expressed as in Christes ovvne person to be said ouer the bread and the like ouer the vvine are the formes of the Sacrament and vvordes of consecration neither is it a Sacrament but as S. Augustine saith vvhen the vvordes come that is to say actiuely and presently be applied to the elements of the same Therfore the Protestants neuer applying these vvordes more then the vvhole narration of the institution nor reciting the vvhole as is said othervvise then in historical maner as if one vvould minister Baptisme neuer apply the wordes of the SacrameÌ„t to the childe but onely read Christes speaches of the same make no Sacrament at al. And that these proper vvordes be the onely forme of this Sacrament and so to be spoken ouer or vpon the bread and vvine S. Ambrose plainly and precisely vvriteth recording hovv far the Euangelists narratiue vvordes do goe and vvhere Christes ovvne peculiar mystical vvordes of consecration begin and so the rest of the fathers Ambro. li. 4. de Sacr. e. 4. c. 9. de init Myster Iusti Apolog. 2. in fine Cypr. de Can. Do. nu 1. 2. Aug. Ser. 28. de
Ecclesiast Hier. c. 1 part â— in princip and before the receiuing the vvhole Church of God crieth vpon it Domine non sum digniâ—s Deus propitius este mihi peccators Lambe of God that takest avvay the sinnes of the vvorld haue mercie on vs. And for better discerning of this diuine meate vve are called from common profane houses to Gods Churchs for this vve are forbidden to make it in vulge apparel and are appointed sacred solemne vestiments Hiero. in Epitaph Nâ—pot li. 2 adu Pelag. c. 9. Paulinus ep 12 ad Seuer Io. Diaco in vit D. Greg. li. 3 c. 59. For this is the halovving of Corporals and Chalices Ambr. 2 Off. c. 28. Nazianz Orat. ad Arianos Optatuâ— li. 6 in initio for this profane tables are remoued and altars consecrated August Ser de temp 255. for this the very Priests them selues are honorable chast sacred Hiero. ep 1 ad Heliodorum c. â— Liâ— adu Iouin c. 19 Ambros in 1 Tim. 3. for this the people is forbidden to touch it vvith coÌ„mon hands Nazianz. orat ad Aâ—â—anoâ— in initio for this great care and solicitude is taken that no part of either kinde fall to the ground Cyril Hieros mystag 5 in fine Orig. ho. 13 in c. 25 Exod. for this sacred prouision is made that if any hosts or parts of the Sacrament do remaine vnreceiued they be most religiously reserued vvith al honour and diligence possible and for this examination of consciences confession continencie as S. Augustine saith receiuing it fasting Thus dovve Catholikes and the Church of God discerne the holy Body and bloud by S. Paules rule not onely from your profane bread and vâ—ine vvhich not by any secrete abuse of your Curats or Clerkes but by the very order of your booke the Minister if any remaine after your Communion may take home vvith him to his ovvne vse and therfore is no more holy by your ovvne iudgement then the rest of his meates but from al other either vulgar or sanctified meates as the Catechumens bread and our vsual holy bread If al this be plaine and true and you haue nothing agreable to the Apostles nor Christes institution but al cleanâ— contrarie then imporet vobis Deus and confound you for not discerning his holy Body and for conculcating the bloud of the nevv Testament â—0 Many sleepe Vve see here by this it is a fearful case and crime to defile by sinne as much as in vs lieth the body of Christin the Sacrament seeing God strooke many to death for it in the Primitiue Church and punished others by greuous sicknes No maruel that so many strange diseases and deaths fall vpon vs novv in the vvorld 31. Iudge your selues Vve may note here that it is not ynough onely to sinne no more or to repent lightly of that vvhich is past but that vve should punish our selues according to the vveight of the faults past and forgiuen and also that God vvil punish vs by temporal scourges in this life or the next if vve do not make our selues very cleane before vve come to receiue his holy Sacrament vvhose heaâ—y hands vve may escape by punishing our selues by fasting and other penance 33. Expect one an other Returning novv to their former fault and disorder for the vvhich he tooke this occasion to talke of the holy Sacrament and hovv great a fault it is to come vnvvorthely to it he exhorteth them to keepe their said suppers or feastes in vnitie peace and sobrietie the riche expecting the poore c. 34. I vvil dispose Man particular orders decrees moe then be here or in any other booke of the nevv Testament expresly vvritten did the Apostles as we see here and namely S. Paul to the Corinthians set dovvne by tradition vvhich our vvhole ministration of the MASSE is agreable vnto as the substance of the Sacrifice and Sacrament is by the premisses proued to be most consonant Caluins supper and Communion in al points vvholy repugnant to the same And that it agreeth not to these other not vvritteÌ„ traditions they easely confesse The * Apostles deliuered vnto the Church to take it onely fasting they care not for it The Apostles taught the Church to consecrate by the vvordes and the signe of the Crosse vvithout vvhich saith S. Augustine tract in Io. 118. Ser. â—5 in append Chrys ho. 〈◊〉 in 16 Mat. no Sacrament is rightly perfited the Protestants haue takeÌ„ it avvay The Apostles taught the Church to keepe * a Memorie or inuocatioÌ„ of Saincts in this Sacrifice the Caluinists haue none The Apostles decreed that in this Sacrifice there should be special praiers for the dead Chrys ho. in ep ad Philip. Aug. de cur pro mort c. 1 they haue none Likewise that water should be mixed with the winâ— and so forth See Annot. in c. 11 〈◊〉 23. Bread Therfore if Caluin had made his new administration according to all the Apostles written wordes yet not knovving how many things beside the Apostle had to prescribe in these wordes Catera cum venerâ— disponam the rest I wil dispose when I come he could not haue satisfied any wise man in his new chaunge But now seeing they are fallen to so palpable blindnes that their doing is directly opposite to the very Scripture also which they pretend to folow onely and haue quite destroied both the name substance and al good accidents of Christes principal Sacrament we trust al the world wil see their folly and impudencie CHAP. XII They must not make their diuersitle of Giftes an occasion of Schisme considering that al are of one Holy Ghost and for the profit of the one body of Christ vvhich in the Church 12 Vvhich also could not be a body vvithout such varietie of members 12 Therfore neither they that haue the inferiour giftes must be discontent seing it is Gods distribution nor they that haue the greater contemne the other considering they are no lesse necessarie 25 but al in al ioyne together 2â— and euery one knovv his ovvne place verse 1 ANd concerning spiritual things I vvil not haue you ignoraÌ„t brethren ✠verse 2 You know that vvhen you vvere heathen you vvent to dumme Idols according as you vvere ledde ✠verse 3 Therfore I doe you to vnderstand that no maÌ„ speaking in the Spirit of God saith anáthema to IESVS And no man can say Our Lord IESVS but in the holy Ghost ✠verse 4 And there are diuisions of graces but one Spirit ✠verse 5 Andthere are diuisions of ministrations but one Lord. ✠verse 6 And there are diuisions of operations but one God vvhich vvorketh al in al. ✠verse 7 And the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen vnto euery one to profit ✠verse 8 To one certes by the Spirit is giuen the vvord of vvisedom and to an other the vvord of knovvledge according to the same Spirit ✠verse 9 to an other
according as the children of Israel vvere commaunded by God to separate them selues from the Schismatikes Corè Dathan and Abiron and their tabernacles by these vvordes Depart from the tabernacles of the impious men and touch ye not those things vvhich pertaine to them lest you be envvrapped in their sinnes CHAP. VII He procedeth to exhorte them to puritie and to receiue him into their charitie 3 Which lest they should thinke he speaketh to accuse them he commendeth them highly both for their behauiour tovvard Titus and for their penance vvhich they had done vpon his other epistle verse 1 HAVING therfore these promisses my deerest let vs cleanse our selues from al inquinatiō of the flesh and spirit persiting sanctification in the feare of God ✠verse 2 Receiue vs. Vve haue hurt no man vve haue corrupted no man vve haue circumuented no man ✠verse 3 I speake not to your cōdemnation for I said before that you are in our hartes to die together and to liue together ✠verse 4 Much is my confidence vvith you much is my glorying for you I am replenished vvith consolation I do excedingly abound in ioy in al our tribulation ✠verse 5 For also vvhen vve vvere come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but vve suffered al tribulatiō vvithout combats vvithin feares ✠verse 6 But God that comforteth the humble did comforte vs in the comming of Titus ✠verse 7 And not only in his comming but also in the consolation vvhervvith he vvas comforted among you reporting to vs your desire your vveeping your emulation for me so that I reioyced the more ✠verse 8 For although I made you sorie in an epistle it repenteth me not albeit it repented me seing that the same epistle although but for a time did make you sorie ✠verse 9 Novv I am glad not because you vvere made sorie but because you vvere made ″ sorie to penance For you vvere made sorie according to God that in nothing you should suffer detriment by vs. ✠verse 10 For the sorovv that is according to God vvorketh penance vnto saluation that is stable but the sorovv of the vvorld vvorketh death ✠verse 11 For behold this very thing that you vvere made sorie according to God hovv great carefulnes it vvorketh in you yea defense yea indignation yea feare yea desire yea emulation yea reuenge in al things you haue shevved your selues to be vndefiled in the matter ✠verse 12 Therfore although I vvrote to you not for him that did the iniurie nor for him that suffered but to manifest our carefulnes that vve haue for you before God ✠verse 13 therfore vve are comforted But in our consolation vve did the more aboundantly reioyce vpon the ioy of Titus because his spirit vvas refreshed of al you ✠verse 14 And if to him I gloried any thing of you I am not cōfounded but as vve spake al things to you in truth so also our glorying that vvas to Titus is made a truth ✠verse 15 and his bovvels are more aboundantly toward you remembring the obedience of you al hovv vvith feare and trembling you receiued him ✠verse 16 I reioyce that in al things I haue confidence in you ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 9. Sorie to penance The sorovv vvhich a man taketh for vvorldly losses or any temporal aduersitie is not here commended but that vvhich is and ought to be in al men for their sinnes past vvhich is called here Sorovv tovvardes God and for penance othervvise called Contrition and is a thing excedingly requisite and much praised the fruites vvhereof are these that the Apostle reckeneth vvorking saluation Vvhich doctrine is farre distant from Luthers and Caluins and such vvicked Libertines that teach contrition to be al together a meanes to make sinnes either hypocrites or to put them in despaire CHAP. VIII By the example of the poore Macedonians he exhorteth them to contribute largely vnto the Church of Hierusalem 7 and by praising of them 9 and by the example of Christ 14 and by their ovvne spiritual profite in being partakers of that Churches merites 16 and by commending the collectors that he sendeth verse 1 AND vve doe you to vnderstand brethren the grace of God that is giuen in the churches of Macedonia ✠verse 2 that in much experience of tribulation they had aboundance of ioy their very deepe pouertie abounded vnto the riches of their simplicitie ✠verse 3 for according to their povver I giue them testimonie and aboue their povver they vvere willing ✠verse 4 vvith much exhortation requesting vs the grace and communication of the ministerie that is done tovvard the saincts ✠verse 5 And not as vve hoped but their ovvne selues they gaue first to our Lord then to vs by the vvil of God ✠verse 6 in so much that vve desired Titus that as he began so also he vvould perfit in you this grace also ✠verse 7 But as in al things you abound in faith and vvord and knovvledge al carefulnes moreouer also in your charitie tovvard vs that in this grace also you may abounde ✠verse 8 I speake not as commaunding but by the carefulnes of others approuing also the good disposition of your charitie ✠verse 9 For you knovv the grace of our Lord IESVS Christ that for you he vvas made poore wheras he vvas riche that by his pouertie you might be riche ✠verse 10 And in this point I giue counsel for this is profitable for you vvhich haue begōne not only to doe but also to be willing from the yere past ✠verse 11 but novv perfourme ye it also in deede that as your minde is prompt to be vvilling so it may be also to perfourme of that vvhich you haue ✠verse 12 For if the vvil be prompt it is accepted according to that vvhich it hath not according to that vvhich it hath not ✠verse 13 For not that other should haue ease and you tribulation but by an equalitie ✠verse 14 Let in this present time your ″ aboundance supplie their vvant that their aboundance also may supplie your vvant that there be an equalitie ✠verse 15 as it is vvritten He that had much abounded not and he that had litle vvanted not ⊢ ✠verse 16 And thankes be to God that hath giuen the self same carefulnes for you in the hart of Titus ✠verse 17 for that he admitted in deede exhortation but being more careful of his ovvne vvil he vvent vnto you ✠verse 18 Vve haue sent also vvith him the brother vvhose praise is in the Gospel through al the churches ✠verse 19 not only that but also he vvas ordeined of the churches fellovv of our peregrination for this grace vvhich is ministred of vs to the glorie of our Lord and our determined vvil ✠verse 20 auoiding this lest any man might reprehend vs in this fulnes that is ministred of vs. ✠verse 21 For
vvith him ✠verse 10 Hence forth brethren be strengthened in our Lord in the might of his povver ✠verse 11 Put you on the armour of God that you may stand against the deceites of the Deuil ✠verse 12 For our vvrestling is not against flesh and bloud but against Princes and Porestats against the * rectors of the vvorld of this darkenes against the spirituals of vvickednes in the celestials ✠verse 13 Therfore take the armour of God that you may resist in the euil day and stand in al things perfect ✠verse 14 Stand therfore hauing your loines girded in truth and clothed with the breast-plate of iustice ✠verse 15 hauing your feete shod to the preparation of the Gospel of peace ✠verse 16 in al things taking the shield of faith vvherevvith you may extinguish al the firie dartes of the most vvicked one ✠verse 17 and take vnto you the * helmet of saluation and the svvord of the spirit vvhich is the vvord of God ⊢ ✠verse 18 in al praier and supplication praying at al time in spirit and in the same vvatching in al instance and supplication for al the saincts ✠verse 19 and for me that speache may be giuen me in the opening of my mouth vvith cōfidence to make knowen the mysterie of the Gospel ✠verse 20 for the vvhich I am a legate in this chaine so that in it I may be bold according as I ought to speake ✠verse 21 And that you also may knovv the things about me vvhat I doe Tychicus my deerest brother and faithful minister in our Lord vvil make you vnderstād al things ✠verse 22 vvhom I haue sent to you for this same purpose that you may know the things about vs and he may comfort your hartes ✠verse 23 Peace to the brethren and charitie vvith faith from God the Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 24 Grace with al that loue our Lord IESVS Christ in incorruption Amen †THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE PHILIPPIANS HOVV S. Paul vvas called by a vision into Macedonia vve reade Act. 16. and hovv he came to Philippi being the first citie thereof and of his preaching miracles and suffering there And againe Act. 19. Paul purposed in the Spirit vvhen he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to goe to Hierusalem saying After I haue been there I must see Rome also Vvhich purpose he executed Act. 20. taking his leaue at Ephesus And being aftervvard come into Achaia he had counsel to returne through Macedonia and so at length from Philippi he began his nauigation tovvard Hierusalem and from Hierusalem being caried prisoner to Rome Act. 28. he vvrote from thence this Epistle to the Philippians or rather in his second apprehension about 10 yeres after the first In it he confirmeth them as he did * the Ephesians also about the same time against the tentatiō that they might haue in hearing that he vvere executed therfore he first saith And I vvil haue you knovv brethren that the things about me are come to the more furtherance of the Gospel so that my bandes vvere made manifest in Christ in al the Court c. Secondly he signifieth that his desire is to he dissolued and to be vvith Christ but yet lest they should be discomforted that he hopeth to come againe to them Vvhereof notvvithstanding that he hath yet no certaintie he signifieth in saying I hope to send Timothee vnto you immediatly as I shal see the things that concerne me Thirdly therefore he prepareth them against the vvorst saying I hope to come againe to you but and if I be immolated vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I reioyce and congratulate vvith you al and the self same thing do you also reioyce and congratulate vvith me Moreouer he partly vvarneth them as he had done before of those Iudaical False-apostles vvho preached circumcision Moyses lavv to the Christian Gentils partly he exhorteth them to suffer persecution to liue vvel and specially to humble them selues one to an other rather then by any pride to breake the peace vnitie of the Church THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. Hauing signified that he vseth to thanke God for their vertue 9 and also to pray for their encrease 12 he certifieth them for their confirmatiō comfort vvhat good was come through his trouble at Rome 24 that he doubteth not though he rather desire martyrdom but to come againe vnto them 27 exhorting them to liue as they ought to do 28 and namely not to shrinke for persecution verse 1 PAVL and Timothee the seruants of IESVS Christ to al the sainctes in Christ IESVS that are at Philippi vvith the ″ Bishops and Deacons ✠verse 2 Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 3 I giue thankes to my God in al memorie of you ✠verse 4 alvvaies in al my praiers for al you vvith ioy making petition ✠verse 5 for your communicating in the Gospel of Christ from the first day vntil novv ✠verse 6 trusting this same thing that he which hath begōne in you a good worke vvil perfit it vnto the day of Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 as it is reason for me this to thinke for al you for that I haue you in hart in my bandes and in the defense and the confirmation of the Gospel al you to be partakers of my ioy ✠verse 8 For God is my vvitnes hovv I couet you al in the bowels of IESVS Christ ✠verse 9 And this I pray that your charitie may more and more abound in knovvledge and in al vnderstanding ✠verse 10 that you may approue the better things that you may be sincere and vvithout offence vnto the day of Christ ✠verse 11 replenished vvith the fruite of iustice by IESVS Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God ⊢ ✠verse 12 And I vvil haue you knovv brethren that the things about me are come to the more furtherance of the Gospel ✠verse 13 so that my bandes vvere made manifest in Christ in al the court and in al the rest ✠verse 14 that many of our brethren in our Lord hauing confidence in my bandes vvere bold more aboundantly vvithout feare to speake the vvord of God ✠verse 15 Some in deede euen for enuie and contention but some also for good vvil preache Christ ✠verse 16 Some of charitie knovving that I am set vnto the defense of the Gospel ✠verse 17 And some of contention preache Christ not sincerely supposing that they raise affliction to my bandes ✠verse 18 But vvhat So that by al meanes vvhether by occasion or by truth Christ be preached in this also I reioyce yea vvil reioyce ✠verse 19 For I knovv that this shal fall out to me vnto saluatiō by your praier and the subministration of the
and diuers other in holy vvrite proue that he merited for him self according to al learned mens iudgement As Apoc 5. The lambe that vvas slaine is vvorthie to receiue povver and Diuinitie And Heb. 2. We see IESVS for the passion of death crowned vvith glorie and honour See S. Augustine vpoÌ„ these vvordes of the Psalme 109. propterea exaltabit caput 10. Name of IESVS By the like vvickednes they charge the faithful people for capping or kneeling vvhen they heare the name of IESVS as though they vvorshipped not our Lord God therein but the syllables or letters or other material elemeÌ„ts vvhereof the vvord vvritten or spoken consisteth and al this by sophistications to dravv the people from due honour and deuotion tovvard CHRIST IESVS vvhich is Satans drift by putting scruples into poore simple mens mindes about his Sacraments his Saincts his Crosse his name his image such like to abolish al true religioÌ„ out of the vvorld and to make them plaine Atheists But the Church knovveth Satans cogitations and therfore by the Scriptures and reason vvarranteth and teacheth al her children to do reuerence vvhen so euer IESVS is named because Catholikes do not honour these things nor count them holy for their matter colour sound and syllables but for the respect and relation they haue to ouâ— Sauiour bringing vs to the remembrance and apprehension of Christ by sight hearing or vse of the same signes els vvhy make vve not reuerence at the name of Iesus the sonne of â—irach as vvel as of IESVS CHRIST And it is a pitieful case to see these prophane subtelties of Heretikes to take place in religion vvhich vvere ridiculous in al other trade of life Vvhen vve heare our Prince or Soueraine named vve may vvithout these scruples doe obeisance but tovvardes Christ it must be superstitious 12. With feare and trembling Against the vaine presumption of Heretikes that make men secure of their predestination and saluation he vvilleth the Philippians to vvorke their saluation vvith feare and trembling according to that other Scripture Blessed is the man that alvvaies iâ— fearful Prouerb 28 v. 14. 13. Worketh in you Of this thus saith S. Augustine Not because the Apostle saith it is God that vvorketh in you both to vvil and vvorke must vve thinke he taketh avvay our free vvill For if it vvere so then vvould he not a litle before haue vvilled them to vvorke their ovvne saluation vvith feare and trembling For vvhen they be commaunded to vvorke their free vvil is called vpon but vvith trembling and feare is added lâ—st by attributing their vvel vvorking to them selues they might be proud of their good deedes as though they vvere of them selues August de gratia lib. arbit c. 9. 17. The sacrifice The obedience of faith and matryrdom be so acceptable actes to God vvhen they be voluntarily referred to his honour that by a metaphore they be called sacrifice and pleasant hostes to God CHAP. III. He vvarnâ—th them of the False-apostles * shevving that him self had much more to bragge of in Iudaisme then they but that he maketh price of nothing but only of Christ and of Christian iustice and of suffering vvith him 12 vvherein yet he acknovvledgeth his imperfection 17 exhorting them to beare Christes Crosse vvith him and not to imitate those bellygods verse 1 FROM hence forth my brethren reioyce in our Lord. To vvrite the same things vnto you to me surely it is not tedious and to you it is necessarie ✠verse 2 See the dogges see the euil vvorkers see the concisioÌ„ ✠verse 3 For vve are the circumcision vvhich in spirit serue God and vve glorie in Christ IESVS and not hauing confidence in the flesh ✠verse 4 albeit I also haue confidence in the flesh ✠If any other man seeme to haue confidence in the flesh I more ✠verse 5 circumcised the eight day of the stocke of Israël of the tribe of Beniamin * an Hebrevv of Hebrevves * according to the Lavv a Pharisee ✠verse 6 according to emulation persecuting the Church of God according to the iustice that is in the Lavv conuersing vvithout blame ✠verse 7 But the things that vvere gaines to me those haue I esteemed for Christ detriments ✠verse 8 Yea but I esteeme al things to be detriment for the passing knovvledge of IESVS Christ my Lord for vvhom I haue made al things as detriment and do esteeme them as dung that I may gaine Christ ✠verse 9 and may be found in him not hauing ″ my iustice vvhich is of the Lavv but that vvhich is of the faith of Christ vvhich is of God iustice in faith ✠verse 10 to knovv him and the vertue of his resurrection and the societie of his passions configured to his death ✠verse 11 if by any meanes I may come to the resurrection vvhich is from the dead ✠verse 12 ″ Not that novv I haue receiued or novv am perfect but I pursue if I may comprehend vvherein I am also comprehended of Christ IESVS ⊢ ✠verse 13 Brethren I do not account that I haue comprehended Yet one thing forgetting the things that are behinde but stretching forth my self to those that are before ✠verse 14 I pursue to the marke to the price of the supernal vocation of God in Christ IESVS ✠verse 15 Let vs therfore as many as are perfect be thus minded and if you be any ″ othervvise minded this also God hath reuealed ' to you ✠verse 16 Neuerthelesse vvherevnto we are come that vve be of the same minde let vs continue in the same rule ✠verse 17 Be folovvers of me brethren obserue them that vvalke so as you haue our forme ✠verse 18 For * many vvalke vvhom often I told you of and novv vveeping also I tel you the enemies of the crosse of Christ ✠verse 19 vvhose end is destruction vvhose God is the belly and their glorie in their confusion vvhich minde vvorldly things ✠verse 20 But our conuersation is in heauen vvhence also vve expect the Sauiour our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 21 vvho vvil reforme the body of our humilitie configured to the body of his glorie according to the operation vvhereby also he is able to subdue al things to him self ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 9. My iustice Diuers Lutherans in their translations do shamfully mangle this sentence by transposing the vvordes and false poluting of the partes hereof to make it haue this sense that the Apostle vvould haue no iustice of his ovvne but onely that iustice vvhich is in Christ Vvhich is a false and heretical sense of the vvordes and not meant by S. Paul vvho calleth that a mans ovvne Iustice vvhich he chalengeth by the vvorkes of the Lavv or nature vvithout the grace of Christ and that Gods iustice as S. Augustine expoundeth this place not vvhich is in God or by vvhich God is
in your account ✠verse 18 But I haue al things and abound I vvas filled after I receiued of Epaphroditus the things that you sent an odour of svveetenes an ″ acceptable host pleasing God ✠verse 19 And my God supply al your lacke according to his riches in glorie in Christ IESVS ✠verse 20 And to God our father be glorie vvorld vvithout end Amen ✠verse 21 Salute ye euery saincte in Christ IESVS The brethren that are vvith me salute you ✠verse 22 Al the sainctes salute you but especially they are of Caesars house ✠The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith your spirit Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. My ioy He calleth them his ioy and crovvne for that he expected the crovvne of euerlasting life as a revvard of his labours tovvardes them Vvhereby vve may learne also that besides the essential glorie vvhich shal be in the vision and fruition of God there is other manifold fellcitie incident in respect of creatures â— Sincere companion The English Bibles vvith one consent interprets the Greeke vvordes faithful yokefellovv perhaps to signifie as some vvould haue it that the Apostle here speaketh to his vvife but they must vnderstand that their Maisters Caluin and Beza mislike that exposition and * al the Greeke fathers almost much more reiect it and it is against S. Paules ovvne vvordes speaking to the vnmaried That it is good for them to remaine so euen as him self did 1 Cor. 7 8. Vvhereby it is euident he had no vvife and therfore meaneth here some other his coadiutor and fellovv-labourer in the Gospel 1â— Acceptable Hovv acceptable almes are before God vve see here namely vvhen it is giuen for religion to deuout persons for a recompense of spiritual benefites for so it putteth on the condition of an oblation or sacrifice offered to God and is most acceptable and svvete in his sight THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE COLOSSIANS THE Epistle to the Colossians is not only in sense but almost in vvordes also all one vvith the Epistle to the Ephesians and vvas sent also by the same messenger Tychicus c. 4 â— 7. And in it he maketh like mention of his bandes and sufferings c. 1. v. 24. and c. 4. v. 3 18. And therfore no doubt is vvas vvritten at Rome at the same time to vvitte in his last apprehension yet before he knevv of his martyrdom This difference there is that he had himself preached to the Ephesians but vvith the Colossians he had neuer bene as he signifieth c. 2. v. 1. Therefore although in matters of exhortation he be here briefer then to the Ephesians yet in matters of doctrine be is longer And generally he assureth them that to be the truth vvhich their Apostle Epaphras had taught them but namely he giueth them vvarning both of the Iudaical False-apostles vvho sought to corrupt them vvith some ceremonies of Moyses lavv and also of the Platonike Philosophers vvho reiected Christ vvho is in deede the head of the Church and Mediator to bring vs to God and in steed of him brought in certaine Angels as more excelleÌ„t then be vvhom they termed Minores dij teaching the people to sacrifice vnto them calling that humilitie that they might bring them to the great God Vvith vvhich falsehood the heresie of Simon Mague a long time deceiued many as vve reade in Epiph. har 21. Against such therefore S. Paul telleth the Colossians that Christ is the Creator of all the Angels God in person the head of the Church the principall in all respects that he is the Redeemer Mediator and pacifier betvvene God and men and therefore by him vve must goe to God so that vvhether vve pray our selues or desire any other in earth or in heauen to pray for vs al must be done as the Cath. Church in euery Collect doth Per Christum dominum nostrum that is through Christ our Lord. or per Do. nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum qui tecum viuit regnat c. Vvhereby the Church professeth coÌ„tinually against such seductions both the Mediator ship and the Godhead of Christ THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE COLOSSIANS CHAP. I. Saying that he thanketh God for their excellent faith and charitie and continually praieth for their encrease he doeth vvithal giue vvitnes to the preaching of their Apostle Epaphrâ—s and extelleth the grace of God in bringing them to Christ vvho is cheefe aboue al and peacemaker by his bloud This is the Gospel not of Epaphras alone but of the vniuersal Church and of Paul him self vvho also suffereth for it verse 1 PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ by the vvil of God and brother Timothee ✠verse 2 to them that are at Colossa sainctes and faithful brethren in Christ IESVS ✠verse 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord IESVS Christ Vve giue thankes to God and the Father of our Lord IESVS Christ alvvaies for you praying ✠verse 4 hearing your faith in Christ IESVS and the loue vvhich you haue tovvard al the saincts ✠verse 5 for the hope that is laid vp for you in heauen vvhich you haue heard in the vvord of the truth of the Gospel ✠verse 6 that is come to you as also in the vvhole vvorld it is and fructifieth and grovveth euen as in you since that day that you heard knevv the grace of God in truth ✠verse 7 as you learned of Epaphras our deerest fellovv-seruant vvho is a faithful minister of IESVS Christ for you ✠verse 8 vvho also hath manifested to vs your loue in spirit ✠verse 9 Therefore vve also from the day that vve heard it cease not praying for you and desiring that you may be filled vvith the knovvledge of his vvil in al vvisedom and spiritual vnderstanding ✠verse 10 that you may vvalke vvorthie of God in al things pleasing Fructifying in al good vvorke increasing in the knovvledge of God ✠verse 11 in al povver strengthened according to the might of his glorie in al patience and longanimitie vvith ioy ✠verse 12 giuing thankes to God and the Father vvho hath made vs vvorthy vnto the part of the lot of the sainctes in the light ✠verse 13 vvho hath deliuered vs from the povver of darkenes and hath translated vs into the kingdom of the sonne of his loue ✠verse 14 in vvhom vve haue redemption the remission of sinnes ⊢ ✠verse 15 vvho is thâ— * image of the inuisible God the first-borne of al creature ✠verse 16 because * in him vvere created al things in heauen and in earth visible and inuisible vvhether Thrones or Dominations or Principalities or Potestates ✠al by him in him vvere created ✠verse 17 and he is before al and al consist in him ✠verse 18 And he is the head of the body the CHVRCH vvho is the beginning first-borne of
of Timothee to Thessadonica they mette not at Athens againe but at Corinth The first three chapters of it are to confirme and comfort them against the tentations of those persecutions The other tvvo are of exhortation to liue according to his preceptes namely in sanctification of their bodies and not in fornication to loue one an other to comfort one an other about their frendes departed vvith the doctrine of the Resurrection and vvith continuall preparation to die the laietie to obey and the Cleargie to be diligent in euery point of their office THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS CHAP. I. He thanketh Gâ—â— for them â— and gathereth that they are elect because his preaching at their first conuersion vvas vvith diuine povver and they on the other side receiued it vvith al ioy notvvithstanding the great persecution that vvas raised against them verse 1 PAVL and Siluanus and Timothee to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father our Lord IESVS Christ Grace to you and peace ✠verse 2 Vve giue thankes to God alvvaies for al you making a memorie of you in our praiers without intermissioÌ„ ✠verse 3 mindeful of the vvorke of your faith and labour and of the charitie of the enduring of the hope of our Lord IESVS Christ before God and our father ✠verse 4 knovving brethren beloued of God your election ✠verse 5 that our Gospel hath not been to you in word only but in povver and the holy Ghost and in much fulnesse as you knovv vvhat maner of men vve haue been among you for your sakes ✠verse 6 And you became ″ folovvers of vs of our Lord receiuing the vvord in much tribulation vvith ioy of the holy Ghost ✠verse 7 so that you were made a paterne to al that beleeue in Macedonia in Achaia ✠verse 8 For from you vvas bruited the vvord of our Lord not only in Macedonia and in Achaia but in euery place your faith vvhich is to God vvard is proceded so that it is not necessarie for vs to speake any thing ✠verse 9 For they them selues report of vs vvhat maner of entring vve had to you and how you are turned to God from Idols to serue the liuing and true God ✠verse 10 and to expect his Sonne from heauen vvhom he raised vp from the dead IESVS vvho hath deliuered vs from the vvrath to come ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 6. Folovvere of vs. S. Paul is hold to commend them for imitation of him yea and to ioyne him self in that point vvith Christ to be their paterne to vvalke after Vvhere without curiositie he nameth him self first and our Lord aftervvard because he vvas a more neere and ready obiect then Christ vvho vvas not nor could not be folovved but through the preaching and conuersation of the Apostle vvho vvas in their sight or hearing And this imitation of some holy man or other hath made so many Religious men of diuers orders and rules al tending to the better imitation of Christ our Lord. See the like vvordes of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. â— and Philip. 3 17. CHAP. II. No calleth euen them selues to vvitnes that his preaching vnto them vvas as he said in most commendable maner 〈◊〉 And againe on the other side he thanketh God for their maner of receiuing it that is vvith al ioy notvvithstanding the persecution of their ovvne citizens verse 1 FOR your selues knovv brethren our entrance vnto you that it vvas not vaine ✠verse 2 but hauing suffered before and * been abused vvith contumelies as you knovv at Philippi vve had confidence in our God to speake vnto you the Gospel of God in much carefulnes ✠verse 3 For our exhortation vvas not of errour nor of vncleannesse nor in deceite ✠verse 4 but as vve vvere approued of God that the Gospel should be committed to vs so vve speake not as pleasing men but God vvho proueth our hartes ✠verse 5 For neither haue we been at any time in the vvord of adulation as you knovv nor in occasion of auarice God is vvitnes ✠verse 6 nor seeking glorie of men neither of you nor of others ✠verse 7 Vvhereas vve might haue been a burdeÌ„ to you as the Apostles of Christ but vve became children ' in the middes of you as if a nource I should cherish her children ✠verse 8 so hauing a desire to you vve would gladly deliuer vnto you not only the Gospel of God but also our ovvne soules because you are become most deere vnto vs. ✠verse 9 For you are mindeful brethren of * our labour and toile day night vvorking lest vve should charge any of you vve preached among you the Gospel of God ✠verse 10 You are vvitnesses and God hovv holily and iustly and vvithout blame vve haue been to you that did beleeue ✠verse 11 as you knovv in vvhat maner we desiring and comforting you haue adiured euery one of you as a father his children that you vvould vvalke vvorthie of God vvho hath called you into his kingdom and glorie ✠verse 12 Therfore vve also giue thankes to God vvithout intermission because that vvhen you had receiued of vs the vvord of the hearing of God you receiued it not as the vvord of men but as it is in deede ″ the vvord of God who vvorketh in you that haue beleeued ✠verse 13 For you brethren are become folovvers of the churches of God that be in Iewrie in Christ IESVS for you also haue suffered the same things of your ovvne lineage as they also of the Ievves ✠verse 14 vvho both killed our Lord IESVS and the Prophets and haue persecuted vs and please not God and are aduersaries to al men ✠verse 15 prohibiting vs to speake to the Gentiles that they may be saued to make vp their sinnes alvvaies for the vvrath of God is come vpon them euen to the end ✠verse 16 But vve brethren depriued of you for a short time in sight not in hart haue hastened the more aboundantly to see your face vvith much desire ✠verse 17 For vve vvould haue come to you I Paul certes once and againe but Satan hath hindred vs. ✠verse 18 For vvhat is our hope or ioy or crovvne of glorie Are not you before our Lord IESVS Christ in his comming ✠verse 19 For you are our glorie and ioy ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 12. The vvord of God The Aduersaries vvil haue no vvord of God but that vvhich is vvritten and conteined in the Scripture but here they might learne that al Paules preaching before he vvrote to them vvas the very vvord of God They might also learne that vvhat so euer the lavvful Apostles Pastors and Priestes of Gods Church preach in the vnitie of the same Church is to be taken for Gods ovvne vvord and ought not to be reputed of them for doctrines of men or â—â—arisaical traditions as they falsly
call canons precepts and decrees of holy Church CHAP. III. Because he could not come himself as he desired he sent Timothes 6 At vvhose returne novv vnderstanding it as they stand still stedfast notvvithstaÌ„ding al those persecutions he reioyceth excedingly to praying that he may see them agaiÌ„st 12 and for their increase in 〈◊〉 verse 1 FOR the vvhich cause forbearing no longer it pleased vs to remaine at Athens alone ✠verse 2 And vve sent Timothee our brother the minister of God in the Gospel of Christ to confirme you and exhort you for your faith ✠verse 3 that no man be moued in these tribulations for your selues knovv that vve are appointed to this ✠verse 4 For euen vvheÌ„ vve vvere vvith you vve foretold you that vve should suffer tribulatioÌ„s as also it is come to passe you knovv ✠verse 5 Therfore I also forbearing no loÌ„ger sent to knovv your faith lest perhaps he that tempteth hath tempted you our labour be made vaine ✠verse 6 But now * Timothee coÌ„ming vnto vs froÌ„ you reporting to vs your faith charitie and that you haue a good remeÌ„brance of vs alvvaies desiring to see vs as vve also you ✠verse 7 therfore vve are coÌ„forted brethreÌ„ in you in al our necessitie tribulation by your faith ✠verse 8 because novv vve liue if you stand in our Lord. ✠verse 9 For vvhat thankes giuing can vve render to God for you in al ioy vvherevvith vve reioyce for you before our God ✠verse 10 night and day more aboundantly praying that vve may see your face and may accomplish those things that vvant of your faith ✠verse 11 And God him self and our Father and our Lord IESVS Christ direct our vvay to you ✠verse 12 And our Lord multiplie you and make your charitie abound one to an other tovvard al men as vve also in you ✠verse 13 to coÌ„firme your hartes vvithout blame in holinesse before God and our Father in the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ vvith al his Sainctes Amen CHAP. IIII. He exhorteth them to liue as he taught them and namely to absteine from al fornicatioÌ„ 9 to loue one an other 11 to meddle onely vvith their ovvne matters 12 to behaue them selues vvel tovvard the Infidels 13 Touching their frendes departed he comforteth them shevving that they shal meate againe as the Resurrection and be vvith Christ for euer verse 1 FOR the rest therfore brethren vve desire beseeche you in our Lord IESVS that as you haue receiued of vs hovv you ought to vvalke and to please God as also you doe vvalke that you abounde more ✠verse 2 For you knovv vvhat precepts I haue giuen to you by our Lord IESVS ✠verse 3 For this is the vvil of God your sanctificatioÌ„ that you abstaine from fornication ✠verse 4 that euery one may knovv to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour ✠verse 5 not in the passion of lust as also the Gentiles that knovv not God ✠verse 6 and that no man ouergot nor circumuent his brother in businesse because our Lord is reuenger of al these things as vve haue foretold you haue testified ✠verse 7 For God hath not called vs into vncleannesse but into sanctification ⊢ ✠verse 8 Therfore he that despiseth these things despiseth ″ not man but God vvho also hath giuen his holy Spirit in vs. ✠verse 9 But concerning the charitie of the fraternitie vve haue no neede to vvrite to you ✠for * your selues haue learned of God to loue one an other ✠verse 10 Yea and you doe it tovvard al the brethren in al Macedonia But vve desire you brethreÌ„ that you abouÌ„d more ✠verse 11 that you employ your indeuour to be quiet that you doe your ovvne businesse vvorke vvith your ovvne handes as we haue coÌ„maunded you ✠verse 12 and that you vvalke honestly tovvard them that are vvithout and neede nothing of any mans ✠verse 13 And vve vvil not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them that ″ sleepe that you be not sorovvful as also others that haue no hope ✠verse 14 For if vve beleeue that IESVS died and rose againe so also God them that haue slept by IESVS vvil bring vvith him ✠verse 15 For this vve say to you in the vvord of our Lord * that vve vvhich liue vvhich are remaining in the aduent of our Lord shal not preuent them that haue slept ✠verse 16 For our Lord him self in commaundement and in the voice of an * Archangel and in the troÌ„pet of God vvil descend from heauen and the dead that are in Christ shal rise againe first ✠verse 17 Then vve that liue that are left vvithal shal be taken vp vvith them in the cloudes to meete Christ into the aire and so alvvaies vve shal be vvith our Lord. ✠verse 18 Therfore coÌ„fort ye one an other in these vvordes ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 8. Not man but God He that despiseth the Churches or her lavvful Pastors preceptâ— offendeth no lesse then if he contemned Gods expresse commaundements For they be of the holy Ghost and are not to be counted among the commaundements of men onely 13. Sleepe Some Heretikes peruersly inferred of this that the foules did sleepe til the day of iudgement vvhere it is meant of the bodies onely CHAP. V. To talke of the time of the Resurrection it not necessarie but to prepare our selues against that time so sedaine and so terrible to the vnprepared 12 He beseecheth the â—aietie to be obedient 14 and the Clergia to be vigilant vvith many short precepts mee verse 1 AND of the times and momentes brethren you neede not that vve vvrite to you ✠verse 2 For your selues knovv perfectly that the day of our Lord shal so come as * a theefe in the night ✠verse 3 For vvhen they shal say peace securitie then shal sodaine destruction come vpon them as the paines to her that is vvith childe and they shal not escape ✠verse 4 But you brethren are not in darknesse that the same day may as a theefe ouertake you ✠verse 5 For al you are the children of light and children of the day vve are not of the night nor of darknesse ✠verse 6 Therfore let vs not sleepe as also others but let vs vvatch and be sober ✠verse 7 For they that sleepe sleepe in the night they that be drunke be drunke in the night ✠verse 8 But vve that are of the day are sober * hauing on the breast-plate of faith and charitie and a helmet the hope of saluation ✠verse 9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto vvrath but vnto the purchasing of saluation by our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 10 vvho died for vs that vvhether vve vvatch or sleepe vve may liue together vvith him ✠verse 11 For the
vvhich cause comfort one an other edifie one an other as also you doe ✠verse 12 And vve beseeche you brethren that you vvil knovv them that labour among you and that gouerne you in our Lord and admonish you ✠verse 13 that you haue them more aboudaÌ„tly in charitie for their vvorke haue peace vvith them ✠verse 14 And vve beseeche you brethren admonish the vnquiet comfort the vveake-minded beare vp the vveake be patient to al. ✠verse 15 See that * none render euil for euil to any man but alvvaies that vvhich is good pursue tovvards eche other and tovvards al. ✠verse 16 Alvvaies reioyce ✠verse 17 Pray * vvithout intermission ✠verse 18 In al things giue thankes for this is the vvil of God in Christ IESVS in al you ✠verse 19 The Spirit extinguish not ✠verse 20 Prophecies despise not ✠verse 21 But ″ prooue al things hold that which is good ✠verse 22 From al appearance of euil refraine yourselues ✠verse 23 And the God of peace him self sanctifie you in al things that your vvhole spirit and soule and body vvithout blame may be preserued in the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ ⊢ ✠verse 24 He is faithful that hath called you vvho also vvil doe it ✠verse 25 Brethren pray for vs. ✠verse 26 Salute al the brethren in a holy kisse ✠verse 27 I adiure you by our Lord that this epistle be read to al the holy brethren ✠verse 28 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you Amen ANNOTAT CHAP. V. 10 But proous Though vve may not extinguish the spirit nor coÌ„teÌ„mne the prophets yet vve must bevvare vve be not deceiued by geuing to light credite to euery one that vauÌ„teth him self of the spirit as Arch-heretikes euer did vve must trie thâ—â— by the doctrine of the Apostles the Spirit of the Catholike Church vvhich can not be guile â— THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS THE second to the Thessalonians hath in the title as the first Paul and Siluanus and Timothee c. And therfore it seemeth to haue bene vvritten in the same place to vvitte at Corinth vvhere they remained a yere and sixe moneths straight vpon their answer to the first epistle First he thanketh God for their increase and perseuêrance comforting them againe in those persecutions and praieth for their accomplisment Secondly he assureth them tht the day of Iudgement is not at hand putting them in rememberaÌ„ce vvhat he told them thereof by vvord of mouth vvhen he vvas present as therfore he biddeth them aftervvard to hold his Traditions vnvvritten no lesse then the vvritten to vvitte that all those persecutions and heresies raised then and aftervvard against the Catholike Church vvere but the mysterie of Antichrist and not Antichrist himself but that there should come at length a plaine Apostasie theÌ„ the vvhole fore running mysterie being once perfitly vvrought should folovv the reuelation of Antichrist himself in person as after all the mysteries of the old Testament Christ IESVS our Lord came him self in the fulnes of time And then at length after all this the day of Iudgement and second comming of Christ shal be as hand and not before vvhatsoeuer pretense of vision or of some speach of mine saith S. Paul any make to seduce you vvithal or of my former epistle or any other For vvhich cause also in the end of this epistle he biddeth them to knovv his hand vvhich is a signe in euery epistle Lastly he requesteth their praiers and requireth them to keepe his commaundements and Traditions namely that the poore vvhich are able get their ovvne liuing vvith vvorking as he also gaue them example though he vvere not bound thereto THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS CHAP. I. He thanketh God for their increase in faith and charitie and constancie in persecution assuring them that they merite thereby the kingdom of God as their persecutors do damnation 11 and also praieth for their accomplishment verse 1 PAVL and Siluanus and Timothee to the churche of the Thessalonians in God our Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 3 Vve ought to giue thankes alvvaies to God for you brethren so as meete is because your faith increaseth excedingly and the charitie of euery one of you aboundeth tovvards eche other ✠verse 4 so that vve our selues also glorie in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in al your persecutions and tribulations vvhich you sustaine ✠verse 5 for an example of the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God that you may be counted vvorthie of the kingdom of God for the vvhich also you suffer ✠verse 6 if yet it be iust vvith God to repay tribulation to them that vexe you ✠verse 7 and to you that are vexed rest with vs in the reuelation of our Lord IESVS from heauen vvith the Angels of his povver ✠verse 8 in flame of fire giuing reuenge to them that knovv not God that obey not the Gospel of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 9 vvho shal suffer eternal paines in destruction from the face of our Lord and from the glorie of his povver ✠verse 10 vvhen he shal come to be glorified in his sainctes and to be made maruelous in al them that haue beleeued because our testimonie concerning you vvas credited in that day ✠verse 11 Vvherein also vve pray alvvaies for you that our God make you vvorthie of his vocation and accomplish al the good pleasure of his goodnesse the vvorke of faith in povver ✠verse 12 that the name of our Lord IESVS Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our God and of our Lord IESVS Christ CHAP. II. He requireth them in no case to thinke that Domesday is at hand â— repeating vnto them that there must before come first a reuolt secondly the reuelation also of Antichrist him self in person and that Antichrist shal not permit any God to be vvorshipped but onely him self that also vvith his lying vvonders he shal vvinne to him the incredulous Ievves But Christ shal come then immediatly in maiestie and destroy him and his 13 Therfore he thanketh God for the faith of the Thessalonians 15 and biddeth them sticke to hiâ— Traditions both vvritten and vnvvritten praieth God to coÌ„firme them verse 1 AND vve desire you brethren by the coÌ„ming of our Lord IESVS Christ and of our congregatioÌ„ into him ✠verse 2 that you be not easily moued from your sense nor be terrified neither by spirit nor by word nor by epistle as sent by vs ″ as though the day of our Lord vvere at hand ✠verse 3 Let no man seduce you by any meanes for ″ vnlesse there come a reuolt first and ″
the man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition ✠verse 4 vvhich is an aduersarie is ″ extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth ″ in the temple of God shevving him self as though he were God ✠verse 5 Remember you not that vvhen I vvas yet vvith you I told you these things ✠verse 6 And now ″ vvhat letteth you knovv that he may be reuealed in his time ✠verse 7 For novv the mysterie of iniquitie vvorketh only that he vvhich novv holdeth doe hold vntil he be taken out of the vvay ✠verse 8 And then that vvicked one shal be reuealed * vvhom our Lord IESVS shal kil vvith the spirit of his mouth shal destroy vvith the manifestation of his aduent him ✠verse 9 vvhose comming is according to the operatioÌ„ of Satan ″ in al povver and lying signes and vvonders ✠verse 10 and in al seducing of iniquitie to them that perish for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued ✠verse 11 Therfore God vvil send them the operation of errour to beleeue lying ✠verse 12 that al may be iudged vvhich haue not beleeued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie ✠verse 13 But vve ought to giue thaÌ„kes to God alvvaies for you brethreÌ„ beloued of God that he hath chosen you first-fruites vnto saluation in sanctification of spirit and faith of the truth ✠verse 14 into the vvhich also he hath called you by our Gospel vnto the purchasing of the glorie of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 Therfore brethren stand and hold the ″ traditioÌ„s vvhich you haue learned vvhether it be by vvord or by our epistle ✠verse 16 And our Lord IESVS Christ him self and God our father vvhich hath loued vs and hath giuen eternal consolation and good hope in grace ✠verse 17 exhort your hartes and confirme you in euery good vvorke and vvorde ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. â— Aâ— though the day The curiositie of man fed by Satans deceites hath sought to knovv and to giue out to the vvorld such things as God vvil not impart to him nor be necessarie or profitable for him to knovv so farre that both in the Apostles daies and often aftervvard some haue feined reuelations some falsely gathered out of the Scriptures some presumed to calculate and coniecte by the starres and giuen furth to the vvorld a certaine time of Christes coming to iudgement Al vvhich seducers be here noted in the person of some that vvere about to deceiue the Thessalonians therein And S. Augustine in his 80 Epistle ad Hesychium proueth that no man can be assured by the Scriptures of the day yere or age that the end of the vvorld or the second Aduent shal be â— Vnles there come a reuolt first Though vve can not be assured of the moment houre or any certaine time of our Lordes coÌ„ming yet he vvarranteth vs that it vvil not be before certaine things be fulfilled vvhich must come to passe by the course of Gods prouidence and permission before vvhich are diuers vvhereof in other places of Scriptures vve be forevvarned Here he vvarneth vs of tvvo specially of a reuolt defection or an apostasie and of the comming or reuelation of Antichrist Vvhich tvvo pertaine in effect both to one either depending of the other and shal fall as it may be thought neere together and therfore S Augustine maketh them but one thing This apostasie or reuolt by the iudgement in maner of al auncient vvriters is the general forsaking fall of the Romane empire So Tertullian li. de resur carnis S. Hierom q 11 ad Algasiam S. Chrysostom ho. 4. and S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 20 c. 19. Al vvhich fathers and the rest * Caluin presumpâ—kously condemneth of errour and follie herein for that their exposition agreeth not vvith his and his fellovves blasphemous fiction that the Pope should be Antichrist To establish vvhich false impietie they interprete this reuolt or apostasie to be a general reuolt of the visible Church from God vvhose house or building they say vvas sodenly destroied and lay many yeres ruined and ruled onely by Satan and Antichrist So faith the foresaid Arch-heretike here though for the aduantage of his defence and as the matter els vvhere requireth he seemeth as al their fashion is to speake in other places quite contrarie but vvith such colour and collusion of vvordes that neither other men nor him self can tell vvhat he vvould haue or say And his fathers Vvicleffe and Luther his fellovves and folovvers Illyricus Beza and the rest are for the time of the Churches falling from Christ so various among them selues and so contrarie to him that it is horrible to see their confusion and a pitieful case that any reasonable man vvil folovv such companions to euident perdition But concerning â—his errour and falshod of the Churches defection or reuolt it is refuted suffiâ—iently by S. Augustine against the Donatistes in many places Vvhere he proueth that the Church shal not faile to the vvorldes end no not in the time of Antichrist affirming them to deny Christ and to robbe him of his glorie inheritance bought vvith his bloud vvhich teach that the Church may faile or perish Li. de vnit Ec. c. 12. 13. De Ciuit. li. 20. c. 8. In Psal 85 ad illud Tu soâ—u Deus magnus ps 70 Conc. 2. Psal 60. De vtil cred c. 8. S. Hierom refuteth the same vvicked Heresie in the Luciferians prouing against them that they make God subiect to the Diuel and a poore miserable Christ that imagine the Church his body may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the vvorld both of them ansvver to the Heretikes arguments grounded on Scriptures falsely vnderstood vvhich vvere to long here to rehearse It is ynough for the Christian reader to knovv that it is an old deceite and excuse of al Heretikes and Schismatikes for defence of their forsaking Gods Church that the Church is perished or remaineth hidden or in them selues onely and in those places vvhere they and their folovvers dvvel to knovv also that this is reproued by the holy Doctors of the primitiue Church and that it is against Christes honour povver prouidence and promis If the Aduersaries had said that this reuolt vvhich the Apostle foretelleth shal come before the vvorldes end is meant of great numbers of Heretikes Apostataes reuolting from the Church they had said truth of them selues and such others vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes And it is very like be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and al learned Catholikes that this great defection or reuolt shal not be onely from the Romane empire but specially from the Romane Church and vvithal from most points of Christian religion not that the Catholike Christians either in the time of
10 c. 23. Tradition caused him to beleeue that the baptized of heretikes should not be rebaptized notvvithstanding S. Cyprians authoritie and the manifold scriptures alleaged by him though they seemed neuer so pregnant De bap li. 2. c. 7. By tradition onely he and others condemned Heluidius the heretike for denying the perpetual virginitie of our Lady And vvithout this be the Scriptures neuer so plaine no Arian no Macedonian no Eutychian no Pelagian no Zuinglian vvil yeld We must vse tradition saith S. Epiphanius â—har 61 Apostolicorum For the Scripture hath not al things and therfore the Apostles deliuered certaine things in vvriting certaine by tradition and for that he alleageth this place also of S. Paul And againe haer 55. Melchised There be boundes set dovvne for the foundation and building vp of our faith the tradition of the Apostles and holy Scriptures and succession of doctrine so that truth is euery vvay â—insed S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 4. hath one notable chapter that in al questions vve must haue recourse to the traditions of the Apostles teaching vs vvithal that the vvay to trie an Apostolical tradition and to bring it to the fountaine is by the Apostolike succession of Bishops but specially of the Apostolike See of Rome declaring in the same place that there be many barbarous people simple for learning but for constancie in their faith most vvise vvhich neuer had Scriptures but learned onely by tradition Tertullian li. de corona militis nu â— reckeneth vp a great number of Christian obseruations or customs as S. Cyprian in many places doth in maner the same vvhereof in fine he concludeth Of such and such if thou require the rule of Scriptures thou shalt finde none Tradition shal be alleaged the author custom the confirmer and faith the obseruer Origen also of this matter vvriteth in plaine termes that there be many thinges done in the Church vvhich he there nameth vvhereof there is no easier reason to be giuen then tradition from Christ and the Apostles ho. 5. in Numer S. Dionysius Areopagita referreth the praying and oblation for the dead in the Liturgie or Masse to an Apostolical tradition in fine Eâ— Hierarch c. 7. parte 3. So doth Tertullian De coron militit S. Augustine De â—ura pro mortuis c. 1. S. Chrysostom ho. 3. in ep ad Philip. in Moral S. Damascene Sâ—r. de defunctis in initio Vve might adde to al this that the Scriptures them selues euen al the bookes and partes of the holy Bible be giuen vs by tradition els vve should not nor could not take them as they be in deede for the infallible vvord of God no more then the vvorkes of S. Ignatius S. Clement S. Denys and the like The true sense also of the Scriptures vvhich Catholikes haue heretikes haue not remaineth stil in the Church by tradition The Crede is an Apostolike traditioÌ„ Ruffin in expo Symb. in principio Hiero. ep 61. c. 9. Ambros Ser. 38. Aug. de Symb. ad Catechum li. 3. c. 1. And vvhat Scriptures haue they to proue that vve must accept nothing not expresly vvritten in Scriptures Vve haue to the contrarie plaine Scriptures al the fathers most euident reasons that vve must either beleeue traditions or nothing at al. And they must be asked vvhether if they vvere assured that such and such things vvhich be not expressed in Scriptures vvere taught and deliuered by vvord of mouth from the Apostles they vvould beleeue them or no If they say no then they be impious that vvil not trust the Apostles preaching if they say they vvould if they vvere assured that the Apostles taught it then to proue vnto them this point vve bring them such as liued in the Apostles daies and the testimonies of so many fathers before named neere to those daies and the vvhole Churches practise and asseueratioÌ„ descending dovvne from man to man to our time vvhich is a sufficient proofe at least for a matter of fact in al reasonable mens iudgement specially vvhen it is knovven that S. Ignatius the Apostles equal in time vvrote a booke of the Apostles traditions as Eusebius vvitnesseth li. 3. Ec. hist c. 30. And Tertullians booke of prescriptioÌ„ against Heretikes is to no other effect but to proue that the Church hath this vantage aboue Heretikes that she can proue her truth by plaine Apostolike tradition as none of them can euer do CHAP. III. He desireth their praiers 4 and inculcateth his precepts and traditions namely of vvorking quietly for their ovvne liuing commaunding to excommunicate the disobedient verse 1 FOR the rest brethren pray for vs that the vvord of God may haue course and be glorified as also vvith you ✠verse 2 and that vve may be deliuered from importunate and naughtie men for al men haue not faith ✠verse 3 But our Lord is faithful vvho vvil confirme and keepe you from euil ✠verse 4 And vve haue confidence of you in our Lord that the things vvhich vve commaund both you doe and vvil doe ✠verse 5 And our Lord direct your hartes in the charitie of God and patience of Christ ✠verse 6 And vve denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ that you vvithdravv your selues froÌ„ euery brother vvalking inordinarly and not according to the traditioÌ„ vvhich they haue receiued of vs. ✠verse 7 For your selues knovv hovv you ought to imitate vs for vve haue not been vnquiet among you ✠verse 8 * neither haue vve eaten bread of any man gratis but in labour in toile night and day vvorking lest vve should burden any of you ✠verse 9 * Not as though vve had not authoritie but that vve might giue our selues a paterne vnto you for to imitate vs. ✠verse 10 For also vvhen vve vvere vvith you this vve denounced to you that if any vvil not vvorke â— neither let him eate ✠verse 11 For vve haue heard of certaine amoÌ„g you that vvalke vnquietly vvorking nothing but curiously meddling ✠verse 12 And to them that be such vve denounce beseeche them in our Lord IESVS Christ that vvorking vvith silence they eate their ovvne bread ✠verse 13 But you brethren * fainte not vvel-doing ✠verse 14 And if any â— obey not our vvord â— note him by an epistle ✠verse 15 and do not companie vvith him that he may be confounded and do not esteeme him as an enemie but admonish him as a brother ✠verse 16 And the Lord of peace him self giue you euerlasting peace in euery place Our Lord be vvith you al. ✠verse 17 The saluation vvith mine ovvne hand Paules vvhich is a signe in euery epistle so I vvrite ✠verse 18 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 10. Neither let them eate It is not a general precept or rule that euery man should liue by this handvvorke
Cornelius epistle to Fabius concerning Nouatus Likewise S. Cyprian in many places namely ep 55. nu 1. where see the notes vpon the same S. Hiero. ep 2. c. 6. Of Subdeacon there is mention in S. Augustine ep 74 and ep 20 de epistolis 22 in edit Paris S. Epiph. harâ— 59. S. Cyprian ep 24. S. Ignatius ep 9 ad Antiochâ—nos and in the 43 canon of the Apostles Conc. Tolet. 2. can 1 3. Conc. Laodicen can 21. Epist Epiph. apud Hiero. 60. c. 1. 1â— In the house of God Al the vvorld being Gods yet the Church onely is his house the Rector or Ruler vvhereof at this day saith S. Ambrose vpon this place is damasus where let our louing brethren note vvel how cleere a case it vvas then that the Pope of Rome vvas not the Gouernour onely of one particular See but of Christes vvhole house vvhich is the Vniuersal Church vvhose Rector this day is Gregorie the thirtenth 15. The piller of truth This place pincheth al Heretikes vvonderfully and so it euer did and therfore they oppose them selues directly against the very letter and confessed sense of the same that is cleane contrarie to the Apostle some saying the Church to be lost or hidden some to be fallen avvay from Christ these many ages some to be driuen to a corner onely of the vvorld some that it is become a stewes and the seate of Antichrist lastly the Protestants most plainely and directly that it may and doth erre and hath shamefully erred for many hundred yeres together And they say herein like them selues and for the credit of their ovvne doctrine vvhich can not be true in very deede except the Church erre euen the Church of Christ vvhich is here called the house of the liuing God But the Church vvhich is the house of God whose Rector saith S. Ambrose in his time was Damasus and novv Gregorie the thirtenth and in the Apostles time S. Peter is the piller of truth the establishement of al veritie therfore it can not erre It hath the Spirit of God to lead it into al truth till the vvorldes end therfore it can not erre It is builded vpon a rocke hel gates shal not preuaile against it therfore it can not erre Christ is in it til the end of the vvorld he hath placed in it Apostles Doctors Pastors and Rulers to the consummation and ful perfection of the whole body that in the meane time we be not caried about vvith euery blast of doctrine therfore it can not erre He hath praied for it that it be sanctified in veritie that the faith of the cheefe Gouernour therof faile not it is his house his spouse his body his lotte kingdom and inheritance giuen him in this vvorld he loueth it as his ovvne flesh and it can not be diuorced or separated from him therfore it can not erre the nevv Testament Scriptures Sacraments and sacrifice can not be changed being the euerlasting dourie of the Church continued and neuer rightly occupied in any other Church but in this our Catholike Church therfore it can not erre And therfore al those pointes of doctrine faith and vvorship vvhich the Arians Manichees Protestants Anabaptistes other old or new Heretikes vntruely thinke to be errors in the Church be no errors in deede but them selues most shamfully are deceiued and so shal be still til they enter againe into this house of God vvhich is the piller and ground of al truth that is to say not onely it self free from al error in faith and religion but the piller and stay to leane vnto in al doubtes of doctrine and to stand vpon against al heresies and errors that il times yeld without vvhich there can be no certaintie nor securitie And therfore the holy Apostles and Councels of Nice and Constantinople made it an article of our Creeds to beleeue the CATHOLIKE and APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH Vvhich is not onely to acknowledge that there is such a Church as heretikes falsely say but that that which is called the Catholike Church knovven so to be and coÌ„municateth vvith the See Apostolike is the Church and that vve must beleeue heare and obey the same as the touch stone piller and firmament of truth For al this is comprised in that principle I beleeue the Catholike Church And therfore the CouÌ„cel of Nice said I beleeue in the Church that is I beleeue and trust the same in al things Neither can the Heretikes escape by fleing from the knovven visible Church to the hid congregation or companie of the Predestinate For that is but a false phantastical apprehension of Vvicleffe and his folowers The companie of the Predestinate maketh not any one Societie among them selues many of them being yet vnborne and many yet Infidels and heretikes and therfore be not of the one house of God vvhich is here called the piller of truth And those of the Predestinate that be already of the Church make not a seueral companie from the knovven Catholike Church but are baptized houseled taught they liue and die in the common Catholike visible Church or els they can neither receiue Sacraments nor saluation S. Paul instructeth not Timothee hovv to teach preach correct and conuerse in the inuisible societie of the Predestinate but in the visible house of God So that it must needes be the visible Church which can not erre If any make further question how it can be that any companie or societie of men as the Church is can be void of error in faith seing al men may erre he must knovv that it is not by nature but by priuilege of Christes presence of the Holy Ghosts assistance of our Lordes promis and praier See S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the 118 Psalme Cone 13. Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis vsqucquaque Vvhere he hath goodly speaches of this matter For the same purpose also these vvordes of Lactantius are very notable It is the Catholike Church onely that keepeth the true vvorship of God this is the fountaine of truth this the house of faith this the Temple of God vvhither if any man enter not or from vvhich if any man go out he is an aliene and stranger from the hope of euerlasting life and saluation No man must by obstinate contention flatter him self for it standeth vpon life and saluation c. S. Cyprian saith The Church neuer departeth frâ—m that vvhich she once hath knovven Ep. 55 ad Cornel. nu 3. S. Ireneus saith That the Apostles haue laid vp in the Church as in a rich treasurie al truth And that she keepeth wish most sincere diligence the Apostles faith and preaching li. 3 c. 4. 40. li. 1. c. 3. It vvere an infinite thing to recite al that the fathers say of this matter al counting it a most pernicious absurditie to affirme that the Church of Christ may erre in religion CHAP. IIII.
of the Crosse and the bread saith he vvhich they receiue thought it be not the body of Christ yet is holy and more holy then the vsual bread of the table He meaneth a kinde of bread then halovved specially for such as vvere not yet admitted to the B. Sacrament either the same or the like to our holy bread vsed in the Church of England and France on Sundaies And it vvas a common vse in the primitiue Church to blesse loaues and send them for sacred tokens from one Christian man to an other and that not among the simple and superstitious as the Aduersaries may imagine but among the holiest learnedst and vvisest Such halovved breads did S. Paulinus send to S. Augustine and Alipius and they to him againe calling them blessings Read S. Hierom in the life of Hilaâ—ion post medium hovv Princes and learned Bishops other of al sortes came to that holy man for holy bread panem benedictum In the primitiue Church the people commonly brought bread to the Priests to be halovved Author op imp ho. 14 in Mt. The 3 CouÌ„cel of Carthage cap. 24. maketh mention of the blessing of milke honie grapes and corne See the 4 Canon of the Apostles And not onely diuers other creatures vsed at certaine times in holy Churches seruice as vvaxe fire palmes ashes but also the holy oile Chrisme and the vvater of Baptisme that also vvhich is the cheefe of al Priestly blessing of creatures the bread and vvine in the high Sacrifice be sanctified for vvithout sanctification yea as S. Augustine affirmeth tract 118. in Ioan. vvithout the signe of the Crosse none of these things can rightly be done Can any man novv maruel that the Church of God by this vvarraÌ„t of S. Paules vvord expouÌ„ded by so long practise and tradition of the first fathers of our religion doth vse diuers elements and blesse them for mans vse and the seruice of God expelling by the inuocatioÌ„ of Christes name the aduersarie povver from them according to the authoritie giuen by Christ Super omnia dâ—monia ouer al Diuels and by praier vvhich importeth as the Apostle here speaketh desire of help as it vvere by the vertue of Christ to combat vvith the Diuel and so to expel him out of Gods creatures vvhich is done by holy exorcisme and euer beginneth Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini as vve see in the blessing of holy vvater and the like sanctification of elements Vvhich exorcismes namely of children before they come to Baptisme see in S. Augustine li. 6 cont Iulian c. 5. de Eâ— dogmat 6. 31. Denupt concupis li. 1 6. 20. and of holy vvater that hath been vsed these 1400 yeres in the Church by the institution of Alexander the first in al Christian countries and of the force thereof against Diuels see a famous historie in Eusebius li. 5 c. 21. and in Epiphanius her 30 Ebionitarum See S. Gregorie to S. Augustine our Apostle of the vse thereof in halovving the Idolatrous temples to be made the Churches of Christ apud Bedam li 1 c. 30 hist Angl. Remember hovv the Prophet Eliseus applied salt to the healing and purifying of vvaters 4 Reg. 2 hovv the Angel Raphael vsed the liuer of the fish to driue avvay the Diuel Tob. 6. 8 hovv Dauids harp and Psalmodie kept the euil spirit from Saul 1 Reg. 16 hovv a peece of the holy earth saued such a mans chamber from infestatioÌ„ of Diuels August de Ciuit. dei li. 22 c. 8 how Christ him self both in SacrameÌ„ts out of them occupied diuers sanctified elements some for the health of the body some for grace and remission of sinnes and some to vvorke miracles by See in S. Hierom against Vigilantius c. 2. hovv holy Relikes tormeÌ„t them In the historie of Iulianus the Apostata hovv the signe of the Crosse in the Actes cap. 19 hovv the name of IESVS yea and of Paul putteth them to flight Furnish your selues vvith such examples and groundes of Scriptures and antiquitie and you shal contemne the Aduersaries cauillations and blasphemies against the Churches practise in such things and further also finde these sacred actions and creatures not only by increase of faith feruor and deuotion to purge the impuritie of our soules and procure remission of our daily infirmities but that the cheefe Ministers of Christes Church by their soueraine authoritie graunted of our Lord may ioyne vnto the same their blessing and remission of our venial sinnes or spiritual dettes as vve see in S. Iames remission of al sinnes to be annexed to the vnction vvith holy oile vvhich to the Catholikes is a Sacrament but to the Protestants vvas but a temporal ceremonie and to some of them not of Christes institution but of the Apostles onely In their ovvne sense therfore they should not maruel that such spiritual effectes should procede of the vse of sanctified creatures vvhereas venial trespasses be remitted many vvaies though mortal ordinarily by the Sacraments onely S. Gregorie did commonly send his benediction and remission of sinnes in and vvith such holy tokens as vvere sanctified by his blessing and touching of the Apostles bodies and Martyrs Relikes as novv his successors do in the like halovved remembrances of religion See his 7 booke epistle 126 and 9 booke epistle 60. Thus therfore and to the effectes aforesaid the creatures of God be sanctified If any man obiect that this vse of creatures is like coniuration in Necromancie he must knovv the difference is that in the Churches sanctifications and exorcismes the Diuels be commaunded forced and tormented by Christes vvord and by praiers but in the other vvicked practises they be pleased honoured and couenanted vvithal and therfore the first is godly and according to the Scriptures but Necromancie abominable and against the Scriptures 14. The grace S. Augustine declareth this grace to be the gift of the holy Ghost giuen vnto him by receiuing this holy Order vvhereby he vvas made fitte to execute the office to his ovvne saluation and other mens And note vvithal that grace is not onely giuen in or vvith the Sacraments by the receiuers faith or deuotion but by the Sacrament per impositionem by imposition of handes for so he speaketh 2 Tim. 1. which is here said cum impositione vvith imposition 14. With imposition S. Ambrose vpon this place implieth in the vvord Imposition of â—ands al the holy action and sacred vvordes done and spoken ouer him vvhen he vvas made Priest Whereby saith he he vvas designed to the vvorke and receiued authoritie that he durst offer sacrifice in our Lordes steede vnto God So doth the holy Doctor allude vnto the vvordes that are said novv also in the Catholike Church to him that is made Priest Accipe potestatem offerendi pro viuis mortuis in nomine Domini that is Take or receiue thou authoritie to offer for the liuing and
c. 11. that I should be an vnhappie and miserable man if I should lacke the companie of a vvoman and the medicine of thy mercie to heale the same infirmitie I thought not vpon because I had not tried it and I imagined that continencie vvas in a mans ovvne povver and libertie vvhich in my self I did not feele being so foolish not to vnderstand that no man can be continent vnles thou giue it Verely thou vvouldest giue it if vvith invvard mourning I vvould knocke at thy 〈◊〉 and vvith sound faith vvould â—ast my care vpon thee By al vvhich you may easily proue that chastitie is a thing that may lavvfully be vowed that it is not impossible to be fulfilled by praier fasting and chastisement of mens concupiscence that it is a thing more grateful to God then the condition of maried persons for els it should not be required either in the Cleargie or in the Religious finally that it is most abominable to persuade the poore virgins or other professed to such sacarilegious vvedlocke which S. Augustine auoucheth to be vvorse then aduoutrie de bâ—n vidâ— â— 4. 11. Iouinian vvas the first that euer made mariage equal vvith virginitie or chast life for vvhich he vvas condemned of heresie Aug. in argumento li. de bonâ— Coniugali de pec merit li. 3. c. 7. Li. de hares har 82. He vvas the first that persuaded professed virgins to marie which S. Augustine saith vvas so clerely and vvithout question vvicked that it could neuer infect any Priest but certaine miserable Nunnes Yea for this strange persuasion he calleth Iouinian a monster saying of him thus Li. 2. Râ—tract cap. 22. The holy Church that is there at Rome most faithfully and stoutly resisted this monster S. Hierom calleth the said Heretike and his complices Christian epicures li 2 cont Iouin c. 19. See S. Ambrose ep 82 ad vâ—â—câ—llensem epiâ—â—opum in initiâ— But vvhat vvould these holy doctors haue said if they had liued in our doleful time vvhen the Protestants go quite avvay vvith this vvickednes and call it Gods vvord 17. In vvord and doctrine Such Priests specially and Prelates are vvorthy of double that is of the more ample honour that are able to preach and teach and do take paines therein Vvhere vve may note that al good Bishops or Priests in those daies vvere not so vvel able to teach as some others and yet for the ministerie of the Sacraments and for vvisedom and gouernement vvere not vnmeete to be Bishops and Pastors for though it be one high commendation in a Prelate to be able to teach as the Apostle before noted yet al can not haue the like grace therein and it is often recompensed by other singular giftes not lesse necessarie S. Augustine laboured in vvorde and doctrine Alipius and Valerius vvere good Bishops and yet had not that gift Possid in vit Aug. c. 5. And some times and countries require preachers more then other Al vvhich vve note to discouer the pride of Heretikes that contemne some of the Catholike Priests or Bishops pretending that they can not preach as they do vvith meretricious and painted eloquence â—3 Waâ—er You see hovv lavvful and hovv a holy a thing it is to fast from some meates or drinkes either certaine daies or alvvaies as this B. Bishop Timothee did vvho vvas hardly induced by the Apostle to drinke a litle vvine vvith his vvater in respect of his infirmities And marke vvithal vvhat a calumnious and stale cauillation it is that to abstaine from certaine meates and drinkes for punishment of the body or deuotion is to condemne Gods creatures See an homilie of S. Chrysostom vpon these vvordes to 5. CHAP. VI. Vvhat to teach seruants 3 If any teach against the doctrine of the Church obstinately he doth it of pride and for lucre 11 But the Catholike Bishop must folovv vertuâ— hauing his eie alvvaies to life euerlasting and to the coÌ„ming of Christ 17 Vvhat to commaund the riche 20 Finally to keepe most carefully the Catholike Churches doctrine vvithout mutation verse 1 WHOSOEVER are seruantes vnder yoke let them counte their maisters vvorthie of al honour lest the name of our Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed ✠verse 2 But they that haue faithful maisters let them not contemne them because they are brethren but serue the rather because they be faithful and beloued vvhich are partakers of the benefite These things teache and exhort ✠verse 3 If any man teach othervvise and consent not to the sound vvordes of our Lord IESVS Christ and to that doctrine vvhich is according to pietie ✠verse 4 he is proude knowing nothing but ″ languishing about questions and strife of vvordes of vvhich rise enuies contentions blasphemies euil suspicions ✠verse 5 conflictes of men corrupted in their minde and that are depriued of the truth that esteeme gaine to be pietie ✠verse 6 But pietie vvith sufficiencie is great gaine ✠verse 7 For vve * brought nothing into this vvorld doubtlesse verse 8 neither can vve take avvay any thing But * hauing foode and vvhervvith to be couered vvith these vve are content ✠verse 9 For they that vvil be made riche fall into tentation the snare of the deuil many desires vnprofitable and hurteful vvhich drovvne men into destruction and perdition ✠verse 10 For the roote of al euils is couetousenes vvhich certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled them selues in many sorovves ✠verse 11 But thou ô man of God flee these things and pursue iustice pietie faith charitie patience mildenes ✠verse 12 Fight the good fight of faith apprehend eternal life ⊢ vvherein thou art called and hast confessed a good confession before many vvitnesses ✠verse 13 I commaund thee before God vvho quickeneth al things and Christ IESVS vvho * gaue testimonie vnder Pontius Pilate a good confession ✠verse 14 that thou keepe the commaundement vvithout spotte blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 vvhich in due times the Blessed onely Mightie vvil shevv the * King of kings and Lord of lordes ✠verse 16 vvho only hath immortalitie and inhabiteth light not accessible * vvhom no man hath seen yea neither can see to vvhom be honour and empire euerlasting Amen ⊢ ✠verse 17 Commaund the riche of this vvorld not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertaintie of riches but in the liuing God vvho giueth vs al things aboundantly to enioy ✠verse 18 to doe wel to become riche in good workes to giue easily to communicate ✠verse 19 to heape vnto them selues a good fouÌ„dation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life ✠verse 20 O Timothee keepe the ″ depositum auoiding the ″ profane nouelties of voices oppositions of ″ falsely called knovvledge ✠verse 21 Vvhich certaine promising haue erred about the faith Grace be vvith
thee Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 4. Languishing Euen these be the good disputes of our nevv Sect-maisters and the vvorld hath to long proued these inconueniences here named to be the fruites of such endles altercations in religion as these vnhappie sectes haue brought forth 20. Depositum The vvhole doctrine of our Christianitie being taught by the Apostles and deliuered to their successors and comming dovvne from one Bishop to an other is called the Depositum as it vvere a thing laid into their hands and committed vnto them to keepe Vvhich because it passeth from hand to hand from age to age from Bishop to Bishop vvithout corruption change or alteration is al one vvith Tradition and is the truth giuen vnto the holy Bishops to keepe and not to lay men See the notable discourse of Vincentius Lirinensis vpon this text li. cont profan har Nouationes And it is for this great old and knovven treasure committed to the Bishops custodie that S. Irenaeus calleth the Catholike Church Depositorium diues the rich treasurie of truth li. 3. c. 4. And as Clemens Alexandrinus vvriteth li. 2 Strom this place maketh so much against al Heretikes vvho do al change this Depositum that 〈◊〉 onely such men in his daies denied this Epistle The Heretikes of our daies chalenge also the truth and say it is the old truth but they leape 14 or 15 hundreth yeres for it ouer mens heads to the Apostles But vve call for the Depositum and aske them in vvhose hands that truth vvhich they pretend vvas laid vp and hovv it came dovvne to them for it can not be Apostolical vnles it vvere Depositum in some Timothees hand so to continevv from one Bishop to an other vntil our time and to the end 20. Profane nouelties Non dixit antiquitates saith Vincentius Lirinensis non dixit vetustates sed prophanas nouitates Nam si vitanda est nouitas tenenda est antiquitas si prophana est nouitas sacratae est vetustas that is He said not ANTIQVITIES he said not AVNCIENTNES but PROFANE NOVELTIES For if noueltie is to be auoided antiquitie is to be kept if noueltie be profane auncientnes is holy and sacred See his vvhole booke against the profane nouelties of heresies Vve may not measure the nevvnes or oldnes of wordes and termes of speaking in religion by holy Scriptures only as though all those or only those were new and to be reiected that are not expresly found in holy vvrite but vve must esteeme them by the agreablenes or disagreablenes they haue to the true sense of Scriptures to the forme of Catholike faith and doctrine to the phrase of the old Christians to the Apostolike vse of speache come vnto vs by tradition of all ages and Churches and to the prescription of holy Councels and Schooles of the Christian world vvhich haue giuen out according to the time and questions raised by heretikes and contentious persons very fit artificiall and significant vvordes to discerne and defend the truth by against falshod These termes Catholike Trinitie Person Sacrament Incarnation Masse and many moe are not in that sense vvherein the Church vseth them in the Scriptures at all and diuers of them were spoken by the Apostles before any part of the nevv Testament vvas vvritten some of them taken vp straight after the Apostles daies in the vvrittings and preachings of holy Doctors and in the speach of all faithfull people and therfore can not be counted Nouelties of vvordes Others beside these as Consubstantial Deipara Transsubstantiation and the like vvhich are neither in expresse termes found in Scriptures not yet in sense if vve should folovv the iudgement of the speciall sectes against vvhich the said vvordes were first inuented the Arians crying out against Nicene Councel for the first the Nestorians against the Ephesiue Coūcel for the second the Lutherans Caluinists against the Laterā and the later Councels for the third these vvordes also notwithstanding by the iudgemēt of holy Church and Councels approued to be consonant to Gods vvord and made authenticall among the faithfull are sound and true vvordes and not of those kinde vvhich the Apostle calleth Nouelties The vvordes then here forbidden are the new prophane termes and speaches inuented or specially vsed by heretikes such as S. Irenee recordeth the Valentinians had a number most monstruous as the Manichees had also diuers as may be seene in S. Augustine The Arians had their Similis substantia and Christ to be ex non existentibus the other heretikes after those daies had their Christiparam and such like agreable to their sectes But the Protestants passe in this kinde as they excede most heretikes in the number of new opinions as their Seruum arbitrium ' their sole faith their fiduce their apprehension of Christes iustice their imputatiue righteousnes their horrible termes of terrors anguishes distresses distrust feares and feeling of hell paines in the soule of our Sauiour to expresse their blasphemous fiction of his temporall damnation vvhich they call his descending to hell Their markes tokens and badges Sacramentall their Companation Impanation Circumpanation to auoid the true conuersion in the Eucharist their presence in figure in faith signe spirit pleadge effect to auoid the reall presence of Christes body These and such like innumerable vvhich they occupie in euery part of their false doctrine are in the sense that they vse them all false captious and deceitfull vvordes and are nouitates vocum here forbidden And though some of the said termes haue been by some occasion obiter vvithout il meaning spokē by Catholikes before these Heretikes arose yet now knovving thē to be the propre speaches of Heretikes Christiāmen are boūd to auoid them Wherein the Church of God hath euer been as diligent to resist Nouelties of vvordes as her Aduersaries are busy to inuent them for vvhich cause she vvil not haue vs cōmunicate vvith them nor folow their fashion and phrase nevvly inuented though in the nature of the vvordes sometime there be no harme In S. Augustines daies vvhen Christiā men had any good befallē them or entered into any mans house or met any frind by the vvay they vsed alvvaies to say Deo gratias The Donatistes and Circumcellions of that time being nevvsangled forsooke the old phrase and vvould alvvaies say Laus Deo from vvhich the Catholike men did so abhorre as the said Doctor vvriteth that they had as leefe mette a theefe as one that said to them Laus Deo in steede of Deo gratias As novv vve Catholikes must not say The Lord but Our Lord as vve say Our Lady for his mother not The Lady Let vs keepe our forefathers vvordes and vve shal easily keepe our old and true saith that vve had of the first Christians Let them say Amendement abstinence the Lordes Supper the Communion table Elders Ministers Superintendent Congregation so be it praise ye the Lord Morning-Praier Euening-praier and the rest as they vvill
Let vs auoid those Nouelties of vvordes according to the Apostles prescript and keepe the old termes Penance Fasting Priest Church Bishop Masse Mattins Euensong the B. Sacrament Altar Oblation Host Sacrifice Alleluia Amen Lent Palme-Sunday Chrisimas the very vvordes vvil bring vs to the faith of our first Apostles and condemne these nevv apostates nevv faith and phrases 20. Falsely called knovvledge It is the propertie of al Heretikes to arrogate to them selues great knovvledge and to condemne the simplicitie of their fathers the holy Doctors and the Church but the Apostle calleth their pretended skill a knovvledge falsely so called being in truth high and deepe blindnes Such saith S. Irenaeus li. 5 c. 17. as forsake the preaching of the Church argue the holy Priests of vnskilfulnes not considering hovv far more vvorth a religious idiote is them a blasphemous and impudent sophister such as al Heretikes be And againe Vincentius Lirinensis speaking in the person of Heretikes saith Come ô ye folish and miserable men that are commonly called Catholikes and learne the true faith vvhich hath been hid many ages heretofore but is reuealed and shevved of late c. See his vvhole booke concerning these matters THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO TIMOTHEE THE cheefe scope of this second to Timothee is to open vnto him that his martyrdom is at hand Vvhich yet he doth not plainely before the end preparing first his minde vvith much circumstance because he knevv it vvould grieue him sore and also might be a tentation vnto him Therfore he talketh of the cause of his trouble of the revvard that the one is honorable and the other most glorious and exhorteth him to be constant in the faith to be ready alvvaies to suffer for it to fulfil his ministerie to the end as him self novv had done his Vvhereby it is certaine that it vvas vvritten at Rome in his last apprehension and emprisonment there as he signifieth by these vvordes Cap. 1 Onesiphorus vvas not ashamed of my chaine but when he was come to Rome carefully sought me c. And of his martyrdom thus For I am novv ready to be offered and the time of my resolution or death is at hand cap. 4. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO TIMOTHEE CHAP. I. Vvith his praises he couertly exhorteth him not to be dismaied for his trouble 6 hauing grace giuen in Orders to helpe him 8 and knovving for vvhat cause he is persecuted and namely vvith the example of Onesiphorus verse 1 PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ by the vvil of God according to the promisse of the life which is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 2 to Timothee my deerest sonne grace mercie peace from God the father and Christ IESVS our Lord. ✠verse 3 I giue thankes to God vvhom I serue from my progenitours in a pure conscience that vvithout intermission I haue a memorie of thee in my praiers night and day ✠verse 4 desiring to see thee mindeful of thy teares that I may be filled vvith ioy ✠verse 5 calling to minde that faith vvhich is in thee not feined vvhich also dvvelt first ″ in thy grandmother Loïs and thy mother Eunîce and I am sure that in thee also ✠verse 6 For the vvhich cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God vvhich is in thee by the imposition of my handes ✠verse 7 For God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of povver and loue and sobrietie ✠verse 8 Be not therfore ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but trauail vvith the Gospel according to the povver of God ✠verse 9 vvho hath deliuered and called vs by his holy calling * not according to our vvorkes but according to his purpose and grace vvhich vvas giuen to vs in Christ IESVS * before the secular times ✠verse 10 But it is manifested novv by the illumination of our Sauiour IESVS Christ vvho hath destroied death illuminated life and incorruption by the Gospel ✠verse 11 vvherein * I am appointed a preacher and Apostle and Maister of the Gentiles ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause also I suffer these things but I am not cōfounded For I know whom I haue beleeued I am sure that he is able to keepe my ″ depositum vnto that day ✠verse 13 Haue thou ″ a forme of sound vvordes vvhich thou hast heard of me in faith in the loue in Christ IESVS ✠verse 14 Keepe the good depositum by the holy Ghost vvhich dvvelleth in vs. ✠verse 15 Thou knovvest this that al vvhich are in Asia be auerted from me of vvhom is Phigelus and Hermogenes ✠verse 16 Our Lord giue mercie to * the house of Onesiphorus because he hath often refreshed me and hath not been ashamed of my chaine ✠verse 17 but vvhen he vvas come to Rome he sought me carefully and found me ✠verse 18 ″ Our Lord graunt him to finde mercie of our Lord in that day And how many things he ministred to me at Ephesus thou knovvest better ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. In thy grandmother Though God shevv mercie to many that be of incredulous heretical or il parents yet it is a goodly benediction of God to haue good education and to haue good faithful progenitors and Catholike parents And it is a great sinne to forsake the faith of our fathers that be Catholikes or contrarie to our education in the Church to folovv strange doctrines abandoning not onely our next natural parents faith but the aūcient faith and beleefe of al our progenitors for many hundred yeres together And if to folovv the faith of mother and grandmother onely the Christian religion being then but nevvly planted vvas so commendable euen in a Bishop hovv much more is it novv laudable to cleaue fast to the faith of so many our progenitors and ages that continued in the same Christian religion vvhich they first receiued Our Protestants in their great vvisedom laugh at good simple men vvhen they talke of their fathers faith But S. Hierom I am a Christian saith he and borne of Christian parents and carie the signe of the crosse in my forehead And againe ep 65. c. 3. Vntil this day the Christian vvorld hath been vvithout this doctrine that faith vvil I hold fast being an old man vvherein I vvas borne a child And the holy Scriptures set vs often to schole to our fathers Aske thy fathers and they vvil shevv thee thy auncetours and they vvil tel thee And againe Our fathers haue shevved vnto vs. And cōmonly the true God is called the God of the faithful and of their forefathers Dan. 2. 3. And false Gods and nevv doctrines or opinions be named Nevv and fresh such as their fathers vvorshipped not Deut. 32. Finally S. Paul both here and often els alleageth for his defense and commendation that he vvas of faithful progenitors
And it is a case that Heretikes can not lightly bragge of no one sect commonly during so long vvithout intermission that they can haue many progenitors of the said sect Vvhich is a demonstration that their faith is not true and that it is impossible our Catholike faith to be false supposing the Christian religion to be true 12. Depositum A great comfort to al Christians that euery of their good deedes and sufferings for Christ and al the vvorldly losses susteined for defense or confession of their faith he extant vvith God and kept as depositum to be repaied or receiued againe in heauen Vvhich if the vvorldings beleeued or considered they vvould not so much maruel to see Catholike men so vvillingly to lose land libertie credit life and al for Christes sake and the Churches faith 13. A forme The Apostles did set dovvne a platforme of faith doctrine phrase of Catholike speach and preaching that not so much by vvriting as here vve see as by vvord of mouth to vvhich he referreth Timothee ouer and aboue his Epistles vnto him And hovv precisely Christian Doctors ought to keepe the forme of vvordes aunciently appropriated to the mysteries and matters of our religion S. Augustine expresseth in these vvordes li. 10 de ciuit c. 23. Philosophers speake vvith freedom of vvordes c. but vve must speake according to a certaine rule lest licentious libertie of vvordes breede an impious opiniō of the things also that are signified by the same Trinitie person essence Consubstantial Transsubstantiation Masse Sacrament and such like be verba sana as the Apostle speaketh sound vvordes giuen to expresse certaine high truthes in religion partly by the Apostles and first founders of our religion vnder Christ and partly very aptly inuented by holy Councels and fathers to expresse as neere as could be the high inestable or vnspeakable veritie of some points and to stoppe the Heretikes audacitie and inuention of nevv vvordes and prophane speaches in such things vvhich the Apostle vvarneth Timothee to auoid 1 ep c. 6 10. and 2 ep 2 16. See the Annotations there 18. Our Lord. To haue this praier of an Apostle or any Priest or poore Cath. man so relieued giueth the greatest hope at the day of our death or general iudgemēt that can be and it is worth al the landes honours and riches of the vvorld CHAP. II. He exhorteth him to labour diligently in his office considering the revvard in Christ and his denial of them that deny him 14 Not to contend but to shunne heretikes neither to be moued to see some subuerted considering that the elect continue Catholikes and that in the Church be of al sortes 24 Yet vvithal svveetenes to reclaime the deceiued verse 1 THOV therfore my sonne be strong in the grace vvhich is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 2 the things vvhich thou hast heard of me by many witnesses these cōmend to faithful men vvhich shal be fit to teach others also ✠verse 3 Labour thou as a good souldiar of Christ IESVS ✠verse 4 ″ No man being a souldiar to God intāgleth him self vvith secular businesses that he may please him to vvhom he hath approued him self ✠verse 5 For he also that striueth for the maisterie is not crovvned vnlesse he striue lavvfully ✠verse 6 The husbandman that laboureth must first take of the fruites ✠verse 7 Vnderstand vvhat I say for our Lord vvil giue thee in al things vnderstanding ✠verse 8 Be mindeful that our Lord IESVS Christ is risen againe from the dead of the seede of Dauid according to my Gospel ✠verse 9 vvherein I labour euen vnto bandes as a malefactour but the vvord of God is not tied ✠verse 10 Therfore I sustaine al things for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation vvhich is in Christ IESVS vvith heauenly glorie ✠verse 11 A faithful saying For if vve be dead vvith him vve shal liue also together ✠verse 12 If vve shal sustaine vve shal also reigne together * If vve shal deny he also vvil denie vs. ✠verse 13 * If vve beleeue not he continueth faithful he can not denie him self ✠verse 14 These things admonish testifying before our Lord. Contend not in vvordes for it is profitable for nothing but for the subuersion of them that heare ✠verse 15 Carefully prouide to present thy self approued to God a vvorkeman not to be confounded ″ rightly handling the vvord of truth ✠verse 16 But profane and vaine speaches auoid for they doe much grovv to impietie ✠verse 17 ″ their speache spreadeth as a canker of vvhom is Hymenaeus and Philêtus ✠verse 18 vvho haue erred from the truth saying that the resurrection is done already and haue subuerted the faith of some ✠verse 19 But the sure foundation of God standeth hauing this seale Our Lord knovveth vvho be his and let euery one depart from iniquitie that nameth the name of our Lord. ✠verse 20 But ″ in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of siluer but also of vvood and of earth and certaine in deede vnto honour but certaine vnto contumelie ✠verse 21 If any man therfore shal ″ cleanse him self from these he shal be a vessel vnto honour sanctified profitable to our Lord prepared to euery good vvorke ✠verse 22 But youthful desires flee and pursue iustice faith charitie peace vvith them that inuocate our Lord from a pure hart ✠verse 23 And * foolish and vnlearned questiōs auoid knovving that they ingender braules ✠verse 24 But the seruant of our Lord must not vvrangle but be milde tovvard al men apt to teache patient ✠verse 25 vvith modestie admonishing them that resist the truth lest sometime God giue them repentance to knovv the truth ✠verse 26 and they recouer them selues from the snares of the deuil of vvhom they are held captiue at his vvil ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 4 No man being a souldiar First of al the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. maketh mariage the needful cares solicitude and distractions therevpon euer depending special impediments of al such as should employ them selues vvholy to Gods seruice as Bishops Priests are bound to do He that is vvith a vvife saith he is careful for the vvorld hovv to please his vvife and is distracted or deuided 2 Cor. 7. Secondly the practise of Physicke merchandise or any other profane facultie and trade of life to gather riches and much more to be giuen to hunting hauking gameuing shevves enterludes or the like pastimes is here forbidden Thirdly the seruices of Princes and manifold base offices done to them for to obtaine dignities and promotions are disagreable to Priestly functions not so to be their chaplens for his purpose to preach vnto them to heare their confessions to minister the Sacraments vnto them to say Diuine seruice before them and such other spiritual dueties for al such seruices done
other but not al that suffer persecution be holy as al malefactors The Church and Catholike Princes persecute heretikes and be persecuted of them againe as S. Augustine often declareth See ep 48. 13. Prosper Though heresies and the authors of them be after a while discouered by litle and litle forsaken generally of the honest discrete and men careful of their owne saluation yet their authors and other great sinners proceede from one errour and heresie to an other and finally to plaine Atheisme and al Diuelish disorder 16. Al Scripture Besides the Apostles teaching and tradition the reading of holy Scriptures is a great defense and helpe of the faithful aud specially of a Bishop not onely to auoid and condemne al heresies but to the guiding of a man in al iustice good life and vvorkes Vvhich commendation is not here giuen to the bookes of the new Testament onely vvhereof he here speaketh not as being yet for a great part not vvritten but to the Scripture of the old Testament also yea and to euery booke of it For there is not one of them nor any part of them but it is profitable to the end aforesaid if it be read and vnderstood according to the same Spirit vvherewith it vvas vvritten The Heretikes vpon this commendation of holy Scriptures pretend very simply in good sooth that therfore nothing is necessarie to iustice and saluation but Scriptures As though euery thing that is profitable or necessarie to any effect excluded al other helpe and vvere onely ynough to attaine the same By vvhich reason a man might as vvel proue that the old Testament vvere ynough and so exclude the new or any one peece of al the old and thereby exclude the rest For he affirmeth euery Scripture to haue the foresaid vtilities and they might see in the very next line before that he requireth his constant perseuêrance in the doctrine vvhich he had taught him ouer and aboue that he had learned out of the Scriptures of the old Testament vvhich he had read from his infancie but could not thereby learne al the mysteries of Christian religion therein Neither doth the Apostle affirme here that he had his knowledge of Scriptures by reading onely vvithout helpe of maisters and teachers as the Aduersaries herevpon to committe the holy Scriptures to euery mans presumption do gather but affirmeth onely that Timothee knevv the Scriptures and therfore had studied them by hearing good readers and teachers as S. Paul him self did of Gamaliel and the like and as al christian students doe that be trained vp from their youth in Catholike vniuersities in the studie of Diuinitie CHAP. IIII. He requireth him to be earnest vvhile he may because the time vvil come vvhen they vvil not abide Catholike preaching 5 and to fulfil his course as him self novv hath done 9 and to come vnto him vvith speede because the rest of his traine are dispersed and he dravveth novv to heauen verse 1 I Testifie before God and IESVS Christ vvho shal iudge the liuing and the dead and by his aduent and his kingdom ✠verse 2 Preach the vvord vrge in season out of season reproue beseeche rebuke in al patience and doctrine ✠verse 3 For ″ there shal be a time vvhen they vvil not beare â—ound doctrine but according to their ovvne desires they vvil heape to them selues maisters hauing itching eares ✠verse 4 and from the truth certes they vvil auert their hearing and to fables they vvil be conuerted ✠verse 5 But be thou vigilant labour in al things doe the vvorke of an Euangelist fulfil thy ministerie Be sober ✠verse 6 For I am euen novv to be sacrificed the time of my resolutioÌ„ is at hand ✠verse 7 I haue fought a good fight I haue consummate my course I haue kept the faith ✠verse 8 Concerning the rest there is laid vp for me ″ a crovvne of iustice vvhich our Lord vvil render to me in that day a iust iudge and not only to me but to them also that loue his comming ⊢ ✠verse 9 Make hast to come to me quickly ✠verse 10 For Demas hath left me louing this vvorld and is gone to Thessalonica Crescens into Galatia Titus into Dalmatia ✠verse 11 * Luke only is vvith me Take Marke and bring him vvith thee for he is profitable to me for the ministerie ✠verse 12 But Tychicus I haue sent to Ephesus ✠verse 13 The cloke that I left at Troas vvith Carpus coÌ„ming bring vvith thee and the bookes especially the parchement ✠verse 14 Alexander the Coppersmith hath shevved me much euil our Lord vvil revvard him according to his vvorkes ✠verse 15 vvhom doe thou also auoid for he hath greatly resisted our vvordes ✠verse 16 In my first ansvver no man vvas with me but al did forsake me be it not imputed to them ✠verse 17 But our Lord stoode to me and strengthened me that by me the preaching may be accomplished and al Gentiles may heare and I was deliuered from the mouth of the lion ✠verse 18 Our Lord â— hath deliuered ' me from al euil vvorke and vvil saue me vnto his heauenly kingdom to vvhom be glorie for euer euer Amen ✠verse 19 Salute Prisca and Aquila and * the house of Onesiphorus ✠verse 20 Erastus remained at Corinth And Trophimus I left sicke at Milêtum ✠verse 21 Make hast to come before vvinter Eubûlus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and al the brethren salute thee ✠verse 22 Our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith thy spirit Grace be vvith you Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 3. There shal be a time If euer this time come as needes it must that the Apostle foresavv and foretold novv it is vndoubtedly for the properties fall so iust in euery point vpon our nevv Maisters and their Disciples that they may seeme to be pourtered out rather then prophecied of Neuer vvere there such delicate Doctors that could so pleasantly clavv and so svveetly rubbe the itching eares of their hearers as these vvhich haue a doctrine framed for euery mans phamsie lust liking and desire the people not so fast crying Speake placentia things that please but the Maisters as fast vvarranting them to doe placentia 8. Acrovvne of iustice This place conuinceth for the Catholikes that al good vvorkes done by Gods grace after the first iustification be truely and properly meritorious and fully vvorthy of euerlasting life and that therevpon heauen is the due and iust stipend crovvne or recompense vvhich God by his iustice ovveth to the persons so vvorking by his grace for he rendreth or repaieth heauen as a iust iudge and not onely as a merciful giues and the crovvne vvhich he paieth is not onely of mercie or fauour or grace but also of iustice It is his merciful fauour and grace that vve vvorke vvel merite heauen it is his iustice for those merites to giue vs
Christ in so easie and perfect penance and cleansing of sinnes as that first sacrament of generation did yeld vvhich applieth Christes death in such ample maner to the receiuer that it taketh avvay al paines due for sinnes before committed and therfore requireth no further penance aftervvard for the sinnes before committed al being vvashed away by the force of that Sacrament duely taken S. Augustine calleth the remission in Baptisme Magnam indulgentiam a great pardon Enchirid. c. 64. The Apostle therfore warneth them that if they fall from their faith and from Christes grace and lavv vvhich they once receiued in their Baptisme they may not looke to haue any more that first great and large remedie applied vnto them nor no man els that sinneth after Baptisme though the other penance vvhich is called the Second table after shipvvracke vvhich is a more paineful medicine for sinne then Baptisme requiring much fasting praying and other afflictions corporal is open not onely to other sinners but to al once baptized Heretikes or oppugners of the truth malitiously and of purpose or what way so euer during this life See S. Cypriah ep 52. S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine cont ep Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep 50. S. Damascene li. 4. c. 10. 10. God is not vniust It is a vvorld to see vvhat vvringing vvrithing the Protestants make to shift them selues from the euidence of these vvordes vvhich make it most cleere to all not blinded in pride and contention that good vvorkes be moritorious and the very cause of saluation so far that God should be vniust if he rendered not heauen for the same Reuera grandis iniustitia Dei saith S. Hierom Si tantùm peocata puniret bona opera non susciperet That is In deede great vvere Gods iniustice ◠if he vvould onely punish sinnes and vvould not receiue good vvorkes Li. 2. cont Iouin c. 2. CHAP. VII To proue the Priesthod of Christ incomparably to excel the priesthod of Aaron and therfore that Leuitical priesthod novv to cease and that lavv also vvith it he scanneth euery vvord of the verse alleaged out of the Psalme Our Lord hath svvorne thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec verse 1 FOR this ″ Melchisedec the king of Salem Priest of the God most high * vvho mette Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ✠verse 2 to vvhom also Abrahā deuided tithes of al first in deede by interpretation the king of iustice then also king of Salem vvhich is to say king of peace ✠verse 3 ″ vvithout father without mother vvithout genealogie hauing neither beginning of daies nor end of life but likened to the sonne of God continueth a priest for euer ✠verse 4 And ″ behold hovv great this man is to vvhom also Abraham the Patriarke gaue ″ tithes of the principal things ✠verse 5 And certes * they of the sonnes of Leui that take the priesthod haue commaundement to take tithes of the people according to the Lavv that is to say of their brethren albeit them selues also issued out of the loines of Abraham ✠verse 6 but he vvhose generation is not numbered among them tooke tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises ✠verse 7 But vvithout al contradiction that vvhich is lesse ″ is blessed of the better ✠verse 8 And here in deede men that die receiue tithes but there he hath vvitnes that he liueth ✠verse 9 And that it may so be said by Abraham Leui also which receiued tithes vvas tithed ✠verse 10 for as yet he vvas in his fathers loines vvhen Melchisedec mette him ✠verse 11 If then consummation vvas by the Leuitical priesthod for vnder it the people receiued the Lavv ″ vvhat necessitie vvas there yet an other priest to rise according to the order of Melchisedec and not to be called according to the order of Aaron ✠verse 12 For the priesthod being ″ translated it is necessarie that a translation of the Lavv also be made ✠verse 13 For he on vvhom these things be said is of an other tribe of the vvhich none attended on the altar ✠verse 14 For it is manifest that our Lord sprung of Iuda in the which tribe Moyses spake nothing of priestes ' ✠verse 15 And yet it is much more euident if according to the similitude of Melchisedec there arise an other priest ✠verse 16 which vvas not made according to the Lavv of the carnal commaundement but according to the povver of life indissoluble ✠verse 17 For he vvitnesseth That thou art ″ a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ✠verse 18 Reprobation certes is made ″ of the former cōmaundement because of the vveakenesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof ✠verse 19 For the Lavv brought nothing to perfection but an introduction of a better hope by the vvhich vve approche to God ✠verse 20 And in as much as it is not vvithout an othe the other truely vvithout an othe vvere made priestes ✠verse 21 but this ″ vvith an othe by him that said vnto him Our Lord hath svvorne and it shal not repent him thou art a priest for euer ✠verse 22 by so much is IESVS made a suretie of a better testamēt ✠verse 23 And the other in deede vvere made priestes ″ being many because that by death they vvere prohibited to continue ✠verse 24 but this for that he continueth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthod ✠verse 25 vvhereby he is able to saue also for euer going ' by him self to God alvvaies liuing to make intercession for vs. ✠verse 26 For it vvas seemely that vve should haue such a high priest holy innocent impolluted separated from sinners and made higher then the heauens ✠verse 27 vvhich hath not necessitie daily as the priestes first * for his ovvne sinnes to offer hostes then for the peoples for ″ this he did once in offering him self ⊢ ✠verse 28 For the Lavv appointeth priestes them that haue infirmitie but the vvord of the othe vvhich is after the Lavv the Sonne for euer perfected ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 1. Melchisede◠The excellencie of this person vvas so great that some of the antiquity tooke him to be an Angel and some the holy Ghost Vvhich opinion not onely the Hebrues that auouch him to be Sem the sonne of Noë but also the cheefe fathers of the Christians do condemne not doubting but he vvas a mere man and a Priest and a king vvhosoeuer he vvas for els he could not in office and order and sacrifice haue been so perfect a type and resemblance of our Sauiour as in this Chapter and other is shevved 3. Without father Not that he vvas vvithout father and mother saith S. Hierom ep 126 for Christ him self vvas not vvithout father according to his diuinity not vvithout mother in
saying Yet once and I vvil moue not only the earth but heauen also ✠verse 27 And in that he saieth Yet once he declareth the translation of moueable things as being made that those things may remaine vvhich are vnmoueable ✠verse 28 Therfore receiuing an vnmoueable kingdom vve haue grace by the vvhich let vs serue pleasing God vvith feare reuerence ✠verse 29 For * our God is a consuming fire ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 6. He scourgeth By this vve proue that God often punisheth the sinnes euen of his louing children though not vvith eternal damnation yet vvith temporall chastisement and correction that he doth not alvvaies together vvith the remission of deadly sinnes eternal punishment exempt the offender receiued to his grace from al fatherly correction either in this life or in the next Neither haue the Heretikes of this time any reason or scripture in the vvorld vvhy they should take avvay Gods chastisement of his children in the next life more then in this vvorld 17. He found not It is not meant that Esau could not find remission of his sinne at Gods hand but that hauing once sold and yelded vp the right of his first-birth to his yonger brother it vvas to late to be sorie for his vnaduised bargaine CHAP. XIII He commandeth vnto them mutual loue 2 hospitality 3 compassion 4 chastitie 5 contentation 7 imitation of the faith of their Catholike Prelates and Martyrs not harkening to the doctrines of Heretikes nor fearing the casting out of the Ievves synagogus 17 and obedience to their present pastors 18 And so vvith requesting their praiers and praying for them he endeth the Epistle verse 1 LET the charitie of the fraternitie abide in you ✠verse 2 And ◠hospitalitie do not forget for by this certaine being not avvare * haue receiued Angels to harbour ✠verse 3 Remember them in bondes as if you vvere boūd vvith them and them that labour as your selues also remaining in bodie ✠verse 4 ◠Mariage honorable in all and the bed vndefiled For fornicatours aduouterers God vvil iudge ✠verse 5 Let your maners be vvithout auarice contented vvith things present For he said I vvil not leaue thee neither vvil I forsake thee ✠verse 6 so that vve do confidently say Our Lord is my helper I vvil not feare vvhat man shal doe to me ✠verse 7 ◠Remember your Prelates vvhich haue spoken the vvord of God to you the end of vvhose conuersation beholding imitate their faith ✠verse 8 IESVS Christ yesterday and to day the same also for euer ✠verse 9 Vvith various strāge doctrines be not led avvay For it is best that the hart be established vvith grace ◠not vvith meates vvhich haue not profited those that vvalke in them ✠verse 10 ◠Vve haue an altar vvhereof they haue not povver to eate vvhich serue the tabernacle ✠verse 11 For * the bodies of those beastes vvhose bloud for sinne is caried into the holies by the high priest are burned vvithout the campe ✠verse 12 For the vvhich thing IESVS also that he might sanctifie the people by his ovvne bloud suffered vvithout the gate ✠verse 13 Let vs goe forth therfore to him vvithout the campe carying his reproche ✠verse 14 For vve haue not here a permanent citie but vve seeke that vvhich is to come ✠verse 15 By him therfore let vs offer ◠the host of praise alvvaies to God that is to say * the fruite of lippes confessing to his name ✠verse 16 And beneficence and communication do not forget for vvith such hostes ◠God is promerited ✠verse 17 ◠Obey your Prelates and be subiect to them For they vvatch as being to render account for your soules ⊢ that they may doe this vvith ioy and not mourning for this is not expedient for you ✠verse 18 Pray for vs for vve haue confidence that vve haue a good conscience vvilling to conuerse vvel in all ✠verse 19 And I beseeche you the more to doe this that I may the more spedily be restored to you ✠verse 20 And the God of peace vvhich brought out from the dead the great Pastor of the sheepe in the bloud of the eternal testamēt our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 21 fitte you in al goodnes that you may doe his vvil doing in you that vvhich may please before him by IESVS Christ to vvhom is glorie for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 22 And I desire you brethren that you suffer the vvord of consolation For in very fevv vvordes haue I vvritten to you ✠verse 23 Knovv you our brother Timothee to be dismissed vvith vvhom if he come the sooner I vvil see you ✠verse 24 Salute al your prelates and al the sainctes The brethren of Italie salute you ✠verse 25 Grace be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 2. Hospitality Hospitality that is receiuing and harbouring of poore pilgrimes persecuted and desolate persons is so acceptable to God and so honorable that oftentimes it hath been mens good happe to harbour Angles in steede of poore folke vnawares Vvhich must needes be euer a great benediction to them and their families as vve see by Abraham and Lot Gen. 18. 19. and the like fell also to S. Gregorie as Io. Diaconus vvriteth to vvhose ordinarie table of poore men not onely Angels but Christ also came in Pilgrimes vveede In vit li. 1. c. 10. li. 2. c. 22 23. vvhereof if vve had not example and vvarrant by S. Paules vvordes in this place and many other expresse Scriptures of the old Testament these scorneful miscreants of this time making so litle account both of good vvorkes and such miraculous enterance of Christ and his Angels into holy mens harbour vvould make this also seeme fabulous as they do other like things 4. Mariage honorable The Apostle saith a holy doctor saith Mariage honorable in all and the bed vndefiled And therfore the seruants of God in that they are not maried thinke not the good of mariage to be a fault but yet they doubt not perpetual continencie to be better them good mariage specially in this time vvhen it is said of continencie He that can take let him take De fid ad Pet. 6. 3. apud Aug. in fine Marke the doctrine of the fathers and of the Catholike Church concerning matrimonie that it is honorable and so honorable that it is a holy sacrament but yet inferiour to virginity and perpetual continencie honorable in all that is all such as may lawfully marie and are lawfully maried not in brother and sister not in persons that haue vowed the contrarie to vvhom the same Apostle saith it is damnable 1. Tim. 5. v. 11. And this vvere the meaning of this place if it vvere to be read thus Mariage is honorable But to see how the Protestants in all their translations
Holy Ghost 15 Exhorting them to liue also accordingly in al holines 15 considering the holines of God the vprightnes of his iudgement the price of their redemption by Christ 22 and the vertue of the seede in them â—hich is grace regeneratiue in Baptisme foretold by the Prophet also verse 1 PETER an Apostle of IESVS Christ to the electe strangers of the dispersion of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia ✠verse 2 according to the prescience of God the Father into sanctification of the Spirit vnto the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of IESVS Christ Grace to you and peace be multiplied ✠verse 3 Blessed be God and the father of our Lord IESVS Christ vvho according to his great mercie hath regenerated vs vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of IESVS Christ from the dead ✠verse 4 vnto an inheritance incorruptible and incontaminate and that can not fade conserued in the heauens in you ✠verse 5 vvho in the vertue of God are kept by faith vnto saluatioÌ„ ready to be reuealed in the last time ✠verse 6 wherin you shal reioyce a litle novv if you must be made heauy in diuerse tentations ✠verse 7 that the probation of your faith much more pretious then gold vvhich is proued by the fire may be found vnto praise and glorie and honour in the reuelatioÌ„ of IESVS Christ ⊢ ✠verse 8 vvhom hauing not seen you loue in vvhom novv also not seing you beleeue and beleeuing you reioyce vvith ioy vnspeakable and glorified ✠verse 9 receiuing the end of your faith the saluation of your soules ✠verse 10 Of the vvhich saluation the Prophetes inquired searched vvhich prophecied of the grace to come in you ✠verse 11 searching vnto vvhich or vvhat maner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie foretelling those passions that are in Christ and the glories folovving ✠verse 12 to vvhom it vvas reuealed that not to theÌ„ selues but to you they ministred those things vvhich novv are told you by them that haue euangelized to you the holy Ghost being sent from heauen on vvhom the Angels desire to looke ✠verse 13 For the vvhich cause hauing the loines of your minde girded sober trust perfectly in that grace vvhich is offered you in the reuelation of IESVS Christ ✠verse 14 as children of obedience not configurated to the former desires of your ignorance ✠verse 15 but according to him that hath called you the Holy one be you also in al conuersation holy ✠verse 16 because it is vvritten You shal be holy because I am holy ✠verse 17 And if you inuocate the Father him vvhich * vvithout acception of persons iudgeth according to euery ones vvorke in feare conuerse ye the time of your peregrination ✠verse 18 Knovving that * not vvith corruptible things gold or siluer you are redeemed from your vaine conuersation of your fathers tradition ✠verse 19 but vvith the pretious bloud as it vvere of an immaculate and vnspotted lambe Christ ✠verse 20 * foreknovven in deede before the constitution of the vvorld but manifested in the last times for you ✠verse 21 vvhich by him are faithful in God vvho raised him from the dead and hath giuen him glorie that your faith and hope might be in God ✠verse 22 Making your soules chaste in obedience of charitie in the sincere loue of the fraternitie from the hart loue ye one an other earnestly ✠verse 23 borne againe not of corruptible seede but incorruptible by the vvord of God vvho liueth and remaineth for euer ✠verse 24 For al flesh is as grasse and al the glorie thereof as the floure of grasse the grasse is vvithered and the floure thereof is fallen avvay ✠verse 25 But the vvord of our Lord remaineth for euer and this is the vvord that is euangelized among you CHAP. II. Novv after their Baptisme vvhat must be their meate 4 and being come to Christ hovv happie they be abouâ— their incredulous brethren according to the Scriptures also 11 Wherevpon he beseecheth them to shine in good life among the Heathen so to procure their conuersion 13 to be obedient subiects to higher Povvers hovvsoeuer some misconster Christian libertie 14 and seruants to obey their Maisters 19 And so doing vvel though they suffer for it it is very meritorious 21 vvhereas Christ also not onely gaue them example 24 but also by his death hath made them able to liue iustly verse 1 LAYING avvay therfore al malice and al guile and simulations and enuies and al detractions ✠verse 2 as infants euen novv borne reasonable milke vvithout guile desire ye that in it you may grovv vnto saluatioÌ„ ✠verse 3 if yet you haue tasted that our Lord is svveete ✠verse 4 Vnto vvhom approching a liuing stone of men in deede reprobated but of God elect and made honorable ✠verse 5 be ye also your selues superedified as it vvere liuing stones spiritual houses ' a holy priesthod to offer ″ spiritual hostes acceptable to God by IESVS Christ ✠verse 6 For the vvhich cause the Scripture conteineth Behold I put in Sion a principal corner stone elect pretious and he that shal beleeue in him shal not be confounded ✠verse 7 To you therfore that beleeue honour but to them that beleeue not the stone vvhich the builders reiected the same is made into the head of the corner ✠verse 8 and * a stone of offense and a rocke of scandal to them that stumble at the vvord neither doe beleeue wherin also they are put ' ✠verse 9 But you are an * elect generation a kingly priesthod a holy nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues vvhich from darkenesse hath called you into his maruelous light ✠verse 10 Vvhich sometime not a people but novv the people of God Vvhich not hauing obtained mercie but novv hauing obtained mercie ✠verse 11 My deerest I beseche you as strangers pilgrimes * to refraine your selues from carnal desires which vvarre against the soule ✠verse 12 hauing your conuersation good among the Gentiles that in that vvherein they misreport of you as of malefactors by the good vvorkes considering you * they may glorifie God in the day of visitation ✠verse 13 * ″ Be subiect therfore to euery humane creature for God vvhether it be ″ to king as excelling ✠verse 14 or to rulers as sent by him to the reuenge of malefactors but to the praise of the good ✠verse 15 for so is the vvil of God that doing vvel you may make the ignorance of vnvvise men to be dumme ✠verse 16 as free ″ not as hauing the freedom for a cloke of malice but as the seruants of God ✠verse 17 Honour al men Loue the fraternitie Feare God Honour
be temporally chastised in the next life cannot be saued vvithout great vvatch feare and trembling and much labouring and chastisement And this is far contrarie to the Protestants doctrine that putteth no iustice but in faith alone maketh none iust in deede and in truth teacheth men to be so secure and assured of their saluation that he that hath liued vvickedly al his life if he onely haue their faith at his death that is if he beleeue stedfastly that he is one of the elect he shal be as sure of his saluation immediatly after his departure as the best liuer in the vvorld CHAP. V. He exhorteth Priests to feede their flockes onely for Gods sake and revvard of heauen vvithout al lordlines 5 the laie to obey al to be humble one toâ—ards an other 8 to be constant in the Catho faith considering it is not man but that lion the Diuel that persecuteth them 9 as he doth the vvhole Church also that God vvil after a vvhile make them secure in heauen verse 1 THE seniors therfore that are among you I beseche my self a fellovv senior vvith them and a vvitnesse of the passions of Christ vvho am also partaker of that glorie vvhich is to be reuealed in time to come ✠verse 2 feede the flocke of God vvhich is among you prouiding not by constrainte but vvillingly according to God neither for filthie lucre sake but voluntarily ✠verse 3 neither as â— ouerruling â— the Clergie but made examples of the flocke from the hart ✠verse 4 And vvhen the prince of pastors shal appeare you shal receiue the incorruptible crovvne of glorie ✠verse 5 In like maner ye yong men be subiect to the seniors And do ye al insinuate humilitie one to an other because God resisteth the proude and to the humble he giueth grace ✠verse 6 * Be ye humbled therfore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in the time of visitation ✠verse 7 * casting al your carefulnes vpon him because he hath care of you ✠verse 8 Be sober and vvatch because your aduersarie the Deuil as a roaring lion goeth about seeking vvhom he may deuoure ✠verse 9 vvhom resist ye strong in faith knovving that the self same affliction is made to that your fraternitie vvhich is in the vvorld ✠verse 10 But the God of al grace vvhich hath called vs vnto his eternal glorie in Christ IESVS he vvil perfite you hauing suffered a litle and confirme and stablish you ✠verse 11 To him be glorie and empire for euer and euer Amen ⊢ ✠verse 12 By Syluanus a faithful brother to you as I thinke I haue breefely vvritten beseching and testifying that this is the true grace of God vvherein you stand ✠verse 13 The Church saluteth you â— that is in Babylon coëlect and Marke my sonne ✠verse 14 * Salute one an other in a holy kisse Grace be to al you vvhich are in Christ IESVS Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 1. Seniors Though the Latin Senior be not appropriated to holy order by vse of speache neither in the Latin nor in our language yet it is plaine that the Greeke vvord Presbyter vvhich the Apostle here vseth is here also as commonly in other places of the new Testament a vvord of Ecclesiastical office and not of age and is as much to say as Priest or Bishop For the Apostle him self being of that order speaketh as by his vvordes it is plaine to such as had charge of soules saying Feedâ— the flocke of God vvhich is among you Because vve folow the vulgar latin translation vve say Seniors and Senior vvhereas othervvise vve might and should say according to the Greeke The Priests therfore I beseech my self a follovv-priest vvith them So doth S. Hierom read Presbyteros compresbyter and expound ep 85. So translateth Erasmus and Beza him self 3. Ouerruling Not superiority preeminence souerainty or rule on the one side not obedience subiection and inferiority on the other side be forebidden in the Clergie but tyrannie pride and ambitious domination be forbidden and humility meekenes moderation are commended in Ecclesiastical Officers the Greeke vvord here of ruling or ouerruling being the same that our Sauiour vseth in the Gospel of the tyrannical rule of secular Heathen Princes saying to his Apostles that it shal not be so among them according as here the prince of the Apostles teacheth his brethren the Ecclesiastical rulers 3. The Clergie Some of the English nevv translations turne it corruptly Parishes others heritages both to auoid the most knovven true and common vvord in al Christian languages to vvit Clergie a vvord by vse of al antiquity agreably to the holy Scriptures made proper to the Spiritualty or Clergie though in an other more vulgar acception it may agree to al Christs chosen heritage as vvel of lay people as Priests vvhich the Protestants had rather folovv because they vvill haue no difference betvvene the laity the Clergie But the holy fathers far othervvise euen from the beginning Vvhereof see S. Cyprian ep 4. 5. 6. c. And S. Hierom ep 2 to Nepotianus â— 5. vvhere he interpreteth this vvord Therfore saith he Clericus that is a Clergie man vvhich serueth the Church of Christ let him first interprete his name and the signification of the name being declared let him endeuour to be that vvhich he is called If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleâ—us in Greeke be called in Latin Sors therfore are they called Clerici that is Clergie men because they are of the lot of our Lord or because our Lord him self is the lot or portion of Clergie men c. Vvhich calling no doubt vvas taken out of the holy Scriptures Numer 18. and Deutero 18. vvhere God is called the inheritance lot and portion of the Priests and Leuites and novv vvhen men be made of the Clergie they say Dominus pars haereditatis meae that is Our Lord is the portion of mine inheritance but specially out of the nevv Testament Act. 1 17. 25. and 8 21. Vvhere the lot or office of the Ecclesiastical ministerie is called by this vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleâ—us See in Venerable Bede the causes vvhy this holy state being seuered by name from the Laity doth vvearâ— also a crovvne on their head for distinction Lib. 5. hist Angl. c. 22. 4. Crovvne of glorie Aâ— life euerlasting shal be the revvard of al the iust so the preachers Pastors that doe vvel for their doing shal haue that revvard in a more excelleÌ„t degree expressed here by these vvordes Crovvne of glorie according to the saying of Daniel c. 12. They that sleepe in the dust of the earth shal avvake one sort to life euerlasting others to euerlasting rebuke but such as he learned shal shine as the brightnes of the firmament and such as instruct many to iustice shal be as starres
S. Deipara in fine S. Hilarie in Psal 124. S. Chrysostom ho. 66 ad po Antiochenum in fine Theodorete de curat Graeâ—orum affectuum li. 8 in fine Finally al the fathers are ful of these things vvho better knevv the meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Holy Ghost then these nevv interpreters doe 20. Priuate The Scriptures can not be rightly expounded of euery priuate spirit or phantasie of the vulgar reader but by the same spirit vvherevvith they vvere vvritten vvhich is resident in the Church CHAP. II. At not onely Prophets but also false-prophets vvere in the old Testament so novv likevvise there shal be Maisters of Heresie to the damnation of them selues and of their folovvers 4 And of their damnation he pronounceth by examples as he comforteth the vertuous Catholikes or true beleeuers vvith the example of Lot because of their railing at their Superiors and Prelates their blaspheming of Catholike doctrine their voluptuous liuing their lecherie their couetousnes their maner of seducing and the persons seduced 20 for vvhom it had been lesse damnable if they had neuer been Christians verse 1 BVT there vvere also falseâ— prophets in the people as also in you there * shal be lying maisters vvhich shal bring in sectes of perdition denie him that hath bought them the Lord bringing vpon them selues speedie perdition ✠verse 2 And many shal folovv their riotousnesses by vvhom the vvay of truth shal be blasphemed ✠verse 3 and in auarice shal they vvith feined vvordes make merchandise of you vnto vvhom the iudgement novv long since ceaseth not and their perdition slumbereth not ✠verse 4 For if God spared not Angels sinning but with the ropes of Hel being dravven dovvne into Hel deliuered them to be tormented that they should be reserued vnto iudgemeÌ„t ✠verse 5 he spared not the original vvorld but * kept the eight Noë the preacher of iustice bringing in the deluge vpon the vvorld of the impious ✠verse 6 And * bringing the cities of the Sodomites and of the Gomorrheites into ashes he damned them vvith subuersion putting an example of them that shal doe impiously ✠verse 7 and * deliuered iust Lot oppressed by the iniurie and luxurious conuersation of the abominable men ✠verse 8 for in sight and * hearing he vvas iust dvvelling vvith them vvho from day to day vexed the iust soule vvith vniust vvorkes ✠verse 9 Our Lord knovveth to deliuer the godly from tentation but to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be tormented ✠verse 10 and especially them vvhich vvalke after the flesh in concupiscence of vncleannesse and coÌ„temne dominion bold self-pleasers they â— feare not to bring in sectes blaspheming ✠verse 11 Vvhereas Angels being greater in strength and povver beare not the execrable iudgemeÌ„t against them ✠verse 12 But these men as vnreasonable beastes naturally tending to the snare and into destruction in those things vvhich they know not blaspheming shal perish in their corruption ✠verse 13 receiuing the revvard of iniustice esteeming for a pleasure the delightes of a day coinquinations and spottes flovving in delicacies in their feastings rioting vvith you ✠verse 14 hauing eies ful of adulterie and incessant sinne alluring vnstable soules hauing their hart exercised vvith auarice the children of malediction ✠verse 15 leauing the right vvay they haue erred hauing folovved the vvay of Balaam of Bosor vvhich loued the revvard of iniquitie ✠verse 16 but * had a checke of his madnesse the dumme beast vnder the yoke speaking vvith mans voice prohibited the folishnes of the prophet ✠verse 17 These are fountaines vvithout vvater and cloudes tossed vvith vvhirlevvindes to vvhom the mist of darkenesse is reserued ✠verse 18 For speaking the proud things of vanitie they allure in the desires of fleshly riotousnes those that escape a litle vvhich conuerse in errour ✠verse 19 promising them libertie vvhereas them selues are the slaues of corruption for * vvherevvith a man is ouercome of that he is the slaue also ✠verse 20 For if fleeing from the coinquinations of the vvorld in the knovvledge of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ they againe intangled vvith the same be ouercome * the later things are become vnto them vvorse then the former ✠verse 21 For it vvas better for them not to knovv the vvay of iustice then after the knovvledge to turne backe from that holy coÌ„maundement vvhich vvas deliuered to them ✠verse 22 For that of the true prouerbe is chaunced to them * The dogge returned to his vomite and The sovve vvashed into her vvallovving in the mire CHAP. III. Thâ—se 〈◊〉 Epistles â—e vvriteth to confirme them in the Apostles doctrine and vvarnetâ— them of scorners that shal come and denie Domesday 5 Whose vaine argument he ansvvereth and giueth the reason of Gods so long patience 10 exhorting to al holines of life in respect of that terrible day 16 Finally giuing vvarning of such as misinterprete S. Paules Epistles the other Scriptures and that vve must not for any thing fall from the true faith verse 1 THIS loe the second epistle I vvrite to you my deerest in vvhich I stirre vp by admonition your sincere minde ✠verse 2 that you may be mindeful of those vvordes vvhich I told you before from the holy Prophetes and of your Apostles of the preceptes of our Lord and Sauiour ✠verse 3 Knovving this first that * in the last daies shal come mockers in deceit vvalking according to their ovvne concupiscences ✠verse 4 saying Vvhere is his promise or his coÌ„ming For verse 5 since the time that the fathers slept al things do so perseuêre from the beginning of creature for they are vvilfully ignorant of this that the heauens vvere before the earth out of vvater and through vvater consisting by the vvord of God ✠verse 6 by the vvhich that vvorld then being ouerflovved vvith vvater perished ✠verse 7 But the heauens vvhich novv are the earth are by the same word kept in store reserued to fire vnto the day of iudgemeÌ„t of the perdition of the impious men ✠verse 8 But this one thing be not ignoraÌ„t of my deerest that * one day with our Lord is as a thousand yeres a thousand yeres as one day ✠verse 9 Our Lord slacketh not his promis as some do esteeme it but he doth patiently for you * not vvilling that any perish but that al returne to penance ✠verse 10 And * the day of our Lord shal come as a theefe in the vvhich the heauens shal passe vvith great violence but the elementes shal be resolued vvith heate and the earth and the vvorkes vvhich are in it shal be burnt ✠verse 11 Therfore vvhereas al these thinges are to be dissolued vvhat maner of men ought you to be in holy
he is our onely aduocate because he is our onely redeemer and herevpon he alone immediatly by and through him self and vvithout the aide or assistance of any other man or Angel in his ovvne name right and merites confidently dealeth in our causes before God our iudge so procureth our pardon vvhich is the highest degree of aduocation that can be Al vvhich notvvithstanding yet the Angels and Saincts and our fellovves aliue may and do pray for vs and in that they deale vvith God by intercession to procure mercie for vs may iustly be called our aduocates not so as Christ is vvho demaundeth al things immediatly by his ovvne merites but as secondary intercessors vvho neuer aske nor obtaine any thing for vs but per Christum Dominum nostrum by and through Christ our common Lord Aduocate and Redeemer of mankinde And behold hovv S. Augustine tract 1 in ep Io. vpon these very vvordes preuented the Heretikes cauillations Sed dicit aliquis c. But some man vvil say Do not the Saincts them pray for vs do not Bishops then or Prelates and Pastors pray for the people Yetâ— saith he Marke the Scriptures and you shal finde that the Apostles praied for the people and againe desired the people to pray for them and so the head praieth for al and the members one for an other And likevvise lest the Heretikes should say there is a difference betvvixt the liuing and the dead in this case thus the same holy father vvriteth vpon the 85 Psalme in fine Our Lord Iesus Christ doth yet make intercession for vs al the Martyrs that be vvith him pray for vs neither vvil their intercession cease til vve cease our gronings In this sense therfore vvhosoeuer praieth for vs either aliue or dead is our aduocate as S Augustine ep 59 to Paulinus circa med calleth Bishops the peoples aduocates vvhen they giue them their benediction or blessing So doth the holy Church call our B. Lady our aduocate by the very vvordes of S. Irenaeus that you may see such speaches be no nevv inuentions of the later ages but Apostolical The obedient Virgin MARIE saith he is made the aduocate of the disobedient virgin Eue. And to confound the ProtestaÌ„ts plainely in that they thinke or pretend that the aduocation or patronage of Saincts should be iniurious to Christ remeÌ„ber that * our Sauiour acknovvledgeth Angels to be deputed for the protection vvhich is nothing els but aduocation of infants before the face of God besides the plaine examples in the old Testament Gen. 48. v. 16. Tob. 5. v. 27. c. 12. v. 12. Dan. 10. And this not onely the Catholike Church but the very English Protestants them selues in their seruice booke and in the Collect of Michelmas day professe and pray for the same protection or aduocation of Angels and defend the same against their yonger brethren the Puritanes 2. For the vvhole vvorlds S. Augustine gathereth hereof against the Donatistes and al other Heretikes that vvould driue the Church into corners or some certaine countries from the vniuersalitie of al Nations vvhereof it vvas named by the Apostles Catholike that the true religion and Church and consequently the effect of Christs propitiation death and aduocation pertaineth not to one age nation or people but to the vvhole vvorld S. Augustine vpon this place to 9. tract 1 in ep Io. 4. He that saith he knovveth To knovv God here signifieth as it doth often in the Scriptures to loue that is as in the last chapter to be in societie vvith him and to haue familiar and experimental knovvledge of his graces If any vaunt them selues thus to knovv God and yet keepe not his commaundements he is a lier as al Caluinistes and Lutherans that professe them selues to be in the fauour of God by onely faith affirming that they neither keepeâ— not possibly can keepe his commaundements 18. Many antichrists The holy Apostle S Iohn saith S. Cyprian did not put a difference betvvixt one heresie or schisme and an other not meant any sort that specially separated them selues but generally called al vvithout exception antichristes that vvere aduersaries to the Church or vvere gone out from the same And a litle after It is euident that al be here called antichristes that haue seuered them selues from the charitie and vnitie of the Catholike Church So vvriteth he ep 76. nu 1 ad Magnum Vvhereby vve may learne that al Heretikes or rather Arch-heretikes be properly the precursors of that one and special Antichrist vvhich is to come at the last end of the vvorld vvhich is called here immediatly before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that peculiar and singular Antichrist 19. They vvent cut from vs. An euident note and marke vvhereby to conuince al Heretikes and false teachers to vvit that being once of the common Catholike Christian fellovvship they forsooke it and vvent out from the same Simon Magus Nicolas the Deacon Hymenaeus Alexander Philétus Arîus Macedonius Pelagius Nestorius Eutyches Luther Caluin and the like vvere of the common societie of al vs that be Christian Catholikes they vvent out from vs vvhom they savv to liue in vnitie of faith and religion together and made them selues nevv conuenticles therfore they vvere as the Apostle here shevveth antichristes and vve and al that abide in the auncient fellovvship of Christian religion that vvent not out of their fellovvship in vvhich vve neuer vvere nor out of any other societie of knovven Christians can not be Schismatikes or Heretikes but must needes be true Christian Catholike men Let our aduersaries tel vs out of vvhat Church vve euer departed vvhen and vvhere and vnder vvhat persons it vvas that vve reuolted as vve can tel them the yere the places the Ringleaders of their reuolt 19. They vvere not of vs. He meaneth not that Heretikes vvere not or could not be in or of the Church before they vvent out or fel into their heresie or schisme but partly that many of them vvhich aftervvard fall out though they vvere before vvith the rest and partakers of al the Sacraments vvith other their fellovves yet in deede vvere of naughtie life and conscience vvhen they vvere vvithin and so being rather as if humors and superfluous excrements then true and liuely partes of the body after a sort may be said not to haue been of the body at al. So S. Augustine expoundeth these vvordes in his commentarie vpon this place tract 3. but els vvhere more agreably as it seemeth that the Apostle meaneth that such as vvil not tarie in the Church but finally forsake it to the end in the prescience of God and in respect of the small benefite they shal haue by their temporal smal abode there be not of or in the Church though according to this present state they are truely members thereof Li. de corrept gr c. 9 de dono perseuâ—â— c. 8. 19. That they may be manifest God permitteth
thus the damnation of the vvhole adulterous blouddy societie he doth also expresly report of their three graÌ„d Captaines damnation vvhich are these Antichrist and his False prophet and the Deuil him self the author of al this mischiefe Finally on the other side in the fifth part he reporteth the vnspeakeable and euerlasting glorie that the Church after al this suffering shal by Christ her glorious Spouse be assumpted vnto And so he concludeth the booke THE APOCALYPSE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. 9. S. Iohn being banished in the ile Patmos is commaunded to vvrite to the seum Churches of Asia signified by the seuen candlestickes that vvhich he savv vpon a Sunday round about the Sonne of man 13 vvhose maner of apparâ—tion is described verse 1 THE ″ Apocalypse of IESVS Christ vvhich God gaue him to make manifest to his seruants the thinges vvhich must be done quickly and signified sending by his Angel to his seruant Iohn ✠verse 2 vvho hath giuen testimonie to the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS Christ vvhat things soeuer he hath seen ✠verse 3 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the wordes of this prophecie and keepeth those thinges Which be vvritten in it for the time is nigh ✠verse 4 Iohn ″ to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia Grace to you and peace from * him that is and that vvas and that shal come and ″ from the seuen spirites vvhich are in the sight of his throne ✠verse 5 and from IESVS Christ vvho is the faithful vvitnes the * first borne of the dead the prince of the kings of the earth vvho hath loued vs and * vvashed vs from our sinnes in his bloud ⊢ ✠verse 6 and hath made vs * ″ a kingdom and priestes to God and his father to him be glorie and empire for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 7 Behold he commeth vvith the cloudes and euery eie shal see him and * they that pricked him And al the tribes of the earth shal bevvaile them selues vpon him yea Amen ✠verse 8 * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and end saith our Lord God vvhich is and vvhich vvas and vvhich shal come the omnipotent ✠verse 9 I Iohn your brother and partaker in tribulation and the kingdom and patience in Christ IESVS vvas in the Iland vvhich is called Patmos for the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS ✠verse 10 I vvas in spirit ″ on the Dominical day and heard behind me a great voice as it vvere of a trompet ✠verse 11 saying That vvhich thou feest vvrite in a booke and send to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia to Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamus and Thiatîra and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicia ✠verse 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake vvith me And being turned I savv seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 13 in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold one like to the Sonne of man ″ vested in a priestly garment to the foote and girded about neere to the pappes vvith a girdle of gold ✠verse 14 and his head and heares vvere vvhite as vvhite vvoole as snovv and his eies as the flame of fire ✠verse 15 and his feete like to latten as in a burning fornace and his voice as the voice of many vvaters ✠verse 16 and he had in his right hand seuen starres and from his mouth proceded a sharpe tvvo edged svvord and his face as the sunne shineth în his vertue ✠verse 17 And vvhen I had seene him I fel at his feete as dead And he put his right hand vpon me saying Feare not * I am the first and the last ✠verse 18 and aliue and vvas dead and behold I am liuing for euer and euer and haue the keies of death and of hel ✠verse 19 Vvrite therefore the thinges vvhich thou hast seene and that are and that must be done after these ✠verse 20 The sacrament of the seuen starres vvhich thou hast seene in my right hand and the seuen candlestickes of Gold ″ the seuen starres are ″ the angels of the seuen churches and the seuen candlestickes are the seuen churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. APOCALYPSE Of the Apocalypse thus vvriteth the auncient father Denys Bishop of Corinth as Eusebius alleageth him li. 7 c. 20 hist Eccl. Of this booke saith he this is my opinion that the matter thereof is far more profound then my vvit can reache vnto and I doubt not but almost in euery sentence of it there lieth hidden a certaine sense exceding mystical and maruelous vvhich though I vnderstand not yet I conceiue that vnder the vvordes there is a deepe meaning and I measure not the matter by reason but attribute al to faith taking it to be more high and diuine then I can by cogitation comprise not reprouing that vvhich I vnderstand not but therfore I admire vvith reuereÌ„ce because my vvit can not attaine to it Againe S. Augustine saith that in the Apocalypse many things are obscurely spoken to exercise the minde of the reader and yet some fevv things left euident that through them a man may vvith labour searche out the rest specially for that the author so repeateth the same things in diuers sortes that seeming to speake of sundry matters in deede is found bus to vtter the same things diuers vvaies li. 20 de Ciuit. Del c. 17. Vvhich vve set dovvne here in the beginning to vvarne the good Christian reader to be humble and vvise in the reading both of al other holy Scriptures and namely of this diuine and deepe prophecie giuing him further to vnderstand that vve vvil in our Annotations according to our former trade and purpose onely or cheefely note vnto the studious such places as may be vsed by Catholikes or abused by Heretikes in the controuersies of this time and some other also that haue special matter of edification and that as breefely as may be for that the volume grovveth great 4. To the 7 Churches That certaine numbers may be obserued as significatiue and mystical it is plaine by many places of holy Scripture and by the auncient Doctors special noting of the same to many purposes Vvhereby vve see the rashnes of our Aduersaries in condemning generally al religious respect of certaine numbers in our praiers fastes or actions Namely the number of Seuen is mystical and prophetical perfect and vvhich as S. Augustine saith the Church knovveth by the Scriptures to be specially dedicated to the Holy Ghost and to appertaine to spiritual mundation as in the Prophets appointing of Naam in to vvash seuen times in lordan and the sprinkling of the bloud seuen times against the tabernacle li. 4 quâ—st in numer q. 33 See li. 5. c. 5 de Gen. ad lit li. 5 quest in Deuter. q. 42. Al these visions stand
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
euery one of them one and it vvas said to them that they should rest yet a litle time ″ til their fellovv-seruaÌ„tes be complete and their brethren that are to be slaine euen as they ✠verse 12 And I savv vvhen he had opened the sixt seale and behold there vvas made a great earth-quake and the sunne became blacke as it vvere sacke cloth of heare and the vvhole moone became as bloud ✠verse 13 and the starres from heauen fel vpoÌ„ the earth as the figge tree casteth her greene figges when it is shaken of a great vvinde ✠verse 14 and heauen departed as a booke folded together and euery hil and ilandes vvere moued out of their places ✠verse 15 And the kinges of the earth princes and tribunes and the riche and the strong and euery bond-man and free-man * hid them selues in the dennes and the rockes of mountaines ✠verse 16 And they say to the mountaines and the rockes * Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe ✠verse 17 because the great day of their wrath is come and vvho shal be able to stand ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 9. Vnder the altar Christ as man no doubt is this altar vnder vvhich the soules of al Martyrs liue in heauen expecting their bodies as Christ their head hath his body there already And for correspondence to their place of state in heauen the Church saieth commonly their bodies also or relikes neere or vnder the altars vvhere our Sauiour body is offered in the holy Masse and hath a special prouiso that no altars be erected or consecrated vvithout some part of a Saincts body or relikes Conâ— Asrican can 50. Carthag 5. can 14. See S. Hierom cont vigilant c. 3. S. Augustine de ciuit li. 8. c. 27. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 50. li. 1. ep 52. li. 2 ep 58. Vvher vnto the Prophet seemeth here to allude making their soules also to haue their being in heauen as it vvere vnder the altar But for this purpose note vvel the vvordes of S. Augustine or vvhat other auncient writer soeuer vvas the author thereof Ser. 11 de Sanctis Vnder the altar saith he of God I savv the soules of the slaine What is more reuerent or honorable then to rest vnder that altar on vvhich sacrifice is done to God and in vvhich our Lord is the Priest as it is vvritten Thou art a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec Rightly do the soules of the iust rest vnder the altar because vpon the altar our Lordes body is offered neither vvithout cause do the iust there call for reuenge of their bloud vvhere also the bloud of Christ is shed for sinners and many other goodly vvordes to that purpose This place also the vvicked heretike Vigilantius as S. Hierom vvriting against him vvitnesseth c. 2 abused to proue that the soules of Martyrs and other Saincts vvere included in some certaine place that they could not be present at their bodies and monuments vvhere Christian people vsed in the primitiue Church to pray vnto them as Catholike men doe yet nor be vvhere they list or vvhere men pray vnto them To vvhich the holy doctor ansvvereth at large that they be vvheresoeuer Christ is according to his humanitie for vnder that altar they be Part of his vvordes be these that you may see hovv this blessed father refuted in that Heretike the Caluinistes so long before they vvere borne Dcst thou saith he presâ—â—ribe savves to God Doest thou feâ—ter the Apostles that they may be kept in prison til the day of iudgement and be kept from their Lord of vvhom it is vvritten They folovv the Lambe vvhither soeuer he goeth If the Lambe be in euery place then they that he vvith the Lambe must be euery vvhere And if the diuel and vvicked spirites gadding abrode in the vvorld vvith passing celeritie be present euery vvhere shal holy Martyrs after the sheading of their bloud be kept close vnder an altar that they can not sturre out from thence So ansvvereth this learned doctor Vvhich misliketh our Caluinistes so much that they charge him of great errour in that he saith Christ according to his humanitie is euery vvhere as though he vvere an Vbiquetarie Protestant Vvhere if they had any iudgement they might perceiue that he meaneth not that Christ or his Saincts should be personally present at once in euery place alike as God is but that their motion speede and agilitie to be vvhere they list is incomparable and that their povver and operation is accordingly vvhich they may learne to be the holy doctors meaning by the vvordes that folovv of the Diuel and his ministers vvhoÌ„ he affirmeth to be euery vvhere no othervvise but by their exceding celeritie of being and vvorking mischeefe novv in one place novv in an other and that in a moment For though they be spirites yet are they not euery vvhere at once according to their essence And for our nevv Diuines it vvere a hard thing to determine hovv long Satan that told our Lord he had circuited the earth vvas in his iourney and in the particular consideration and tentation of Iob and hovv many men he assaulted in that his one circuite No no. such curious companions knovv nothing nor beleeue nothing but that they see vvith corporal eies and teach nothing but the vvay to infidelitie 10. And they cried S. Hierom also against the said Vigilantius reporteth that he vsed an argument against the praiers of Saincts out of this place for that these Martyrs cried for reuenge and could not obtaine But vve vvil report his vvordes that you may see how like one heretike is to an other these of our daies to those of old Thou saiest in thy booke saith S. Hierom c. 3. that vvhiles vve be aliue one of vs may pray for an other but after vve be dead no mans praier shal be heard for an other specially seing the Martyrs asking reuenge of their bloud could not obtaine So said the Heretike Against vvhich the holy Doctor maketh a long refuâ—ation prouing that they pray much more after they be in heauen then they did here in earth and that they shal be much sooner heard of God then vvhen they vvere in the vvorld But for the Heretikes argument framed out of these vvordes of the Apocalypse thus These Martyrs did not obtaine 〈◊〉 Saincts do not pray for vs it vvas so friuolous and the antecedent so manifestly false that he vouchsaued not to stand about it For it is plaine that the Martyrs here vvere heard and that their petition should be fulfilled in time appointed by God vvherevnto they did and do alvvaies conforme them selues for it vvas said vnto them That they should rest yet a litle time til c. And that Martyrs praiers be heard in this case our Sauiour testifieth Luc 18 saying And vvil not God reuenge
✠verse 18 And an other Angel came forth from the altar vvhich had povver ouer the fite and he cried vvith a loud voice to him that had the sharpe sickle saying Thrust in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth because the grapes thereof be ripe ✠verse 19 And the Angel thrust his sharpe sickle into the earth and gathered the vineyard of the earth cast it into the great presse of the vvrath of God ✠verse 20 and the presse vvas troden vvithout the citie and bloud came forth out of the presse vp to the horse bridles for a thousand sixe hundred furlongs ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 13. From hence forth novv This being specially spoken of Martyrs as not onely S. Augustine seemeth to take it but the Caluinists them selues translating in domino for our Lords cause the Protestants haue no reason to vse the place against Purgatorie or praier for the departed seeing the Catholike Church and al her children confesse that al Martyrs are straight after their death in blisse and neede no praiers Vvhereof this is S. Augustines knovven sentence He doeth iniurie to the Martyr that praieth for the Martyr Ser. 17 de verb. Apost c. 1. and againe to this purpose he vvriteth thus most excellently tract 84 in Ioan. We keepe not a memorie of Martyrs at our Lords table as vve doe of other that rest in peace that is for the intent to pray for them but rather that they may pray for vs c. But if vve take the vvordes generally for al deceased in state of grace as it may be also then vve say that euen such though they be in Purgatorie and Gods chastisement in the next life and neede our praiers yet according to the foresaid vvordes of S. Augustine do rest in peace being discharged from the labours afflictions and persecutions of this vvorld and vvhich is more from the daily dangers of sinne and damnation and put into infallible securitie of eternal ioy vvith vnspeakable comfort of conscience and such in deede are more happie and blessed then any liuing vvho yet are vsually in the Scriptures called blessed euen in the middes of the tribulations of this life Vvhereby vve see that these vvordes from hence forth they shal rest from their labours may truely agree to them also that are in Purgatorie and so here is nothing proued against Purgatorie Lastly this aduerbe á modo in Latin as in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not properly signifie from this present time forvvard as though the Apostle had said that after their death and so forvvard they are happie but it noteth and ioyneth the time past together vvith the time present in this sense that such as haue died since Christs Ascension vvhen he first entring into heauen opened it for others goe not to Limbus Patrum as they vvere vvont before Christs time but are in case to goe straight to blisse except the impediment be in them selues Therfore they are here called blessed that die novv in this state of grace of the nevv Testament in comparison of the old faithful and good persons CHAP. XV. 2 They that had novv ouercome the beast and his image and the number of his name do glorifie God 6 To seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues are giuen seuen cuppes full of the vvrath of God verse 1 AND I savv an other signe in heauen great and maruelous seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues Because in them the wrath of God is consummate ✠verse 2 And I savv as it vvere a sea of glasse mingled vvith fire and them that ouercame the beast and his image and the number of his name standing vpon the sea of glasse hauing the harpes of God ✠verse 3 and singing the song of Moyses the seruant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruelous are thy vvorkes Lord God omnipotent iust and true are thy vvaies King of the vvorldes ' ✠verse 4 Vvho shal not feare thee o Lord and magnifie thy name because thou only art holy because al nations shal come adore in thy sight because thy iudgements be manifest ✠verse 5 And after these things I looked and behold the temple of the tabernacle of testimonie was opened in heauen ✠verse 6 and there issued forth the seuen Angels hauing the seuen plagues from the temple reuested vvith cleane and vvhite stone ' girded about the breastes vvith girdles of gold ✠verse 7 And one of the foure beastes gaue to the seuen Angels seuen vials of gold ful of the vvrath of the God that liueth for euer and euer ✠verse 8 And the temple vvas filled vvith smoke at the maiestie of God and at his povver and no man could enter into the temple til the seuen plagues of the seuen Angels vvere consummate CHAP. XVI Vpon the pouring out of the seuen cuppes of Gods vvrath on the land the sea the fountaines the seat of the beast Euphrâtes and the aire there arise sundrie plagues in the vvorld verse 1 AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seuen Angels Goe and poure out the seuen vials of the vvrath of God vpon the earth ✠verse 2 And the first vvent and poured out his vial vpon the earth and there vvas made a cruel and very sore vvound vpon men that had the character of the beast and vpon them that adored the image thereof ✠verse 3 And the second Angel poured out his vial vpon the sea and there vvas made bloud as it vvere of one dead and euery liuing soul died in the sea ✠verse 4 And the third poured out his vial vpon the riuers the fountaines of vvaters and there vvas made bloud ✠verse 5 And I heard the Angel of the vvaters saying Thou art iust ô Lord vvhich art and vvhich vvast the holy one because thou hast iudged these things ✠verse 6 because they haue shed the bloud of the Sainctes and Prophets thou hast giuen them bloud to drinke for they are vvorthie ✠verse 7 And I heard an other saying Yea Lord God omnipotent true and iust are thy iudgements ✠verse 8 And the fourth Angel poured out his vial vpon the sunne and it vvas giuen vnto him to afflict men vvith heate and fire ✠verse 9 and men boiled vvith great heate and blasphemed the name of God hauing povver ouer these plagues neither did they penance to giue him glorie ✠verse 10 And the fift Angel poured out his vial vpon the seate of the beast and his kingdom vvas made darke and they together did eate their tonges for paine ✠verse 11 they blasphemed the God of heauen because of their paines and vvoundes did not penance from their vvorkes ✠verse 12 And the sixt Angel poured out his vial vpon that great riuer Euphrâ—tes and dried vp
called to the supper of the mariage of the Lambe ⊢ And he said to me These vvordes of God be true ✠verse 10 â— And * I fel before his feete to adore him And he saith to me See thou doe not I am thy fellovv-seruant and of thy brethren that haue the testimonie of IESVS Adore God For the testimonie of IESVS is the spirit of prophecie ✠verse 11 And I savv heauen opened and behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him vvas called Faithful and True and vvith iustice he iudgeth fighteth ✠verse 12 And his eies as a flame of fire and on his head many diademes hauing a name written vvhich no man knovveth but him self ✠verse 13 * And he vvas clothed vvith a garment sprinkled vvith bloud his name is called THE VVORD OF GOD. ✠verse 14 And the hostes that are in heauen folovved him on vvhite horses clothed in vvhite and pure silke ✠verse 15 And out of his mouth procedeth a sharpe svvord that in it he may strike the Gentiles And * he shal rule them in a rod of yron and he treadeth the vvine presse of the furie of the vvrath of God omnipotent ✠verse 16 And he hath in his garment and in his thigh vvritten * KING OF KINGES AND LORD OF LORDES ✠verse 17 And I savv one Angel standing in the sunne he cried vvith a loud voice saying to al the birdes that did flie by the middes of heauen Come and assemble together to the great supper of God ✠verse 18 that you may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of tribunes and the flesh of valiants and the flesh of horses of them that sit on them the flesh of al freemen and bondmen and of litle and great ✠verse 19 And I savv the beast and the kings of the earth their armies gathered to make vvarre vvith him that sate vpon the horse and vvith his armie ✠verse 20 And the beast vvas appreheÌ„ded and vvith him the false â—prophet vvhich vvrought signes before him vvherevvith he seduced them that tooke the character of the beast and that adored his image These tvvo were cast aliue into the poole of fire burning also with brimstone ✠verse 21 And the rest vvere slaine by the svvord of him that sitteth vpon the horse vvhich procedeth out of his mouth and al the birdes vvere filled vvith their flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIX 4. Amen Alleluia These tvvo Hebrâ—e vvordes as other els vvhere both in the Greeke Latin text are kept religiously not translated vnles it be once or tvvise in the Psalmes Yea and the Protestants them selues keepe them in the text of their English Testaments in many places and maruel it is vvhy they vse them not in al places but sometimes turne Amen into verely vvhere of see the Annotation Ioan. 8. v. 34. and in their Seruice booke they translate Alleluia into Praise ye the Lord as though Alleluia had not as good a grace in the acte of seruing God vvhere it is in deede properly vsed as it hath in the text of the Scripture The Church Catholike doth often and specially vse this sacred vvord to ioyne vvith the Church triumphant consisting of Angels and Saincts vvho here are said to laude and praise God vvith treat reioycing by this vvord Alleluia and by often repetition thereof as the Catholike Church also vseth namely in Easter time euen til Vvhiâ—-sontide for the ioy of Christs resurrection vvhich as S. Augustine declareth ep ad Ianuarium vvas the general vse of the Primitiue Church making a greater mysterie and matter of it then our Protestants novv do At other times of the yere also he saith it vvas sung in some Churches but not in al and S. Hierom numbereth it among the heresies of Vigilantius That Alleluia could not be sung but at Easter Aduers Vigilant c. 1. The truth is by the vse of the Scriptures it hath more in it then Praise ye the Lord signifying vvith laude glorifying and praising of God a great reioycing vvithal mirth and exultation of hart in the singers thereof and that is the cause vvhy the holy Church saith Laus tibi Domine Praise be to thee ô Lord in Lent and times of penance and mourning but not Alleluia vvhich as S. Augustine also declareth is a terme of signification and mysterie ioyned vvith that time and then vsed specially in the Church of God vvhen she representeth to vs in her Seruice the ioyes and beatitude of the next life vvhich is done specially at Easter by the ioyful celebrating of Christs glorious Resurrection and Ascension after the penal time of Lent vvhich representeth the miserie of this life See S. Augustine Ser. 1. 5. c. 9 6. c. 9 de Diuersis to 10. and his enaâ—tation vpon the 148 Psalme for in the titles and endes of diuerse holy Psalmes this Alleluia is ful of mysterie sacred signification Vvhere vve must aske the Protestants vvhy they haue left it out altogether being in the Hebrue saying neither Alleluia nor Praise the Lord in the Bible 1577 that nine times in the sixe last Psalmes Moreouer the said holy Doctor li. 2 de doct Christ c. 11 affirmeth that Amen Alleluia be not translated into any other language propter sanctiorem authoritatem for the more sacred authoritie of the vvordes so remaining and ep 178. he saith that it is not lavvful to translate them Nam sciendum est c. for it is to be knovven saith he that al nations do sing Amen and Alleluia in the Hebrue vvordes vvhich neither the Latine man not the Barbarous may translate into his ovvne language See S. Hierom also epist 137. And namely for our Nation S. Gregorie vvil beare vs vvitnes that our countrie receiued the vvord Alleluia vvith their Christianitie saying thus li. 27 Moral c. 6. Lingua Britannia qua nihil aliud nouerat quim barbarum frendere iamdudum in Diuinis laudibus Hebraeum â—â—pit resenare Alleluia that is The Britan tongue vvhich knevv nothing els but to mutter barbarously hath begone of late in Gods diuine laudes and praises to sound the Hebrue Alleluia And for Iurie S. Hierom ep 17. c. 7 vvriteth that the husbandmen at the plough sang Alleluia vvhich vvas not then their vulgar speache Yea he saith that in Monasteries the singing of Alleluia vvas in stâ—ede of a bel to call them together ad Collectam in Epitaph Paulâ—e c. 10. This vvord is a sacred Christian mystical and Angelical song and yet in the nevv seruice booke it is turned into Praise ye the Lord and Alleluia is quite gone because they list neither to agree vvith the Church of God not vvith the vse of holy Scriptures no not vvith their ovvne translations but no maruel that they can not sing the song of our Lord and of Angels in a strange countrie that is out of the
Catholike Church in the captiuitie of schisme heresie Lastly vve might aske them vvhether it be al one to say Mat. 21 Hosanna Saue vs vve beseeche thees vvhereas Hosanna is vvithal aâ—aâ—vvord of exceding congratulation and ioy vvhich they expressed tovvard out Sauiour euen so Alleluia hath an other maner of sense and signification in it then can expressed by Praise ye the Lord. 8. Iustifications of Saincts Here the Heretikes in their translations could not alter the vvord iustifications into ordinances or constitutions as they did falsely in the first of S. Luke vvhereof see the AnnotatioÌ„ there vers 6. but they are forced to say in Latin iustificationes as Beza and in English righteousnes for iustifications they vvil not say in any case for feaâ—e of inconuenience yea and they can not deny but these iustifications be the good vvorkes of saincts but vvhere * they make this glose that they be so called because are the fruites of effect of faith and of the iustice vvhich vve haue by onely faith it is most euidently false against the very text and nature of the word for there is no cause vvhy any thing should be called a mans iustification but for that it maketh him iust so that iustifications be the vertues of faith hope charitie and good deedes iustifying or making a man iust and not effectes of iustification neither faith onely but they al together be the very ornaments and invvard garments beauty and iustice of the soule as here it is euident 10. And I fel. The Protestants abuse this place and the example of the Angels forbidding Iohn to adore him being but his fellow seruant and appointing him to adore God against al honour reuerence and adoration of Angels Saincts or other sanctified creatures teaching that no religious vvorship ought to be done vvto them But in truth it maketh for no such purpose but only vvarneth vs that Diuine honour and the adoration due to God alone may not be giuen to any Angel or other creature S. August de vera relig cap. vltimo And vvhen the Aduersaries replie that so great an Apostle as Iohn vvas could not be ignorant of that point not vvould haue giuen diuine honour vnto an Angel for so he had been an Idolater and therfore that he vvas not reprehended for that but for doing any religious reuerence or other honour vvhatsoeuer to his fellovv-seruant 〈◊〉 ve ansvver that by the like reason S. Iohn being so great an Apostle if this later kinde of reuerence had been vnlavvful and to be reprehended as the Protestants hold it is no lesse then the other could not haue been ignorant thereof not vvould haue done it Therfore they might much better haue learned of S. Augustine q. 61 in Genes hovv this facte of S. Iohn vvas corrected by the Angel and vvherein he errour vvas In effect it is thus That the Angel being so glorious and ful of maiestie presenting Christs person and in his name vsing diuers vvordes proper to God as I am the first and the last and aliue and vvas dead and such like might vvel be taken of S. Iohn by errour of his person to be Christ him self and that the Apostle presuming him to be so in deede adored him vvith Diuine honour vvhich the Angel correcting told him he vvas not God but one of his fellovves and therfore that he should not so adore him but God Thus then vve see Iohn vvas neither so ignorant to thinke that any vndue honour might be giuen to any creature not so il to commit idolatrie by doing vndue vvorship to any Angel in heauen and therfore vvas not culpable at al in his facte but onely erred materially as the Scholemen call it that is by mistaking one for an other thinking that vvhich vvas an Angel to haue been our Lord because he knevve that our Lord him self is also * called an Angel and hath often appeared in the visions of the faithful And the like is to be thought of the Angel appearing in the 22 of the Apocalypse vvhether it vvere the same or an other for that also did so appeare that Iohn not tell vvhether it vvere Christ him self or no til the Angel told him Once this is certaine that Iohn did not formally as they say commit idolatrie not sinne at al herein knovving al dueties of a Christian man no lesse then an Angel of heauen being also in as great honour vvith God yea and in more then many Angels Vvhich perhaps may be the cause and consequently an other explication of this place that the Angel knovving his great greaces and merites before God vvould not accept any vvorship or submission at his handes though Iohn againe of like humilitie did it as also immediatly aftervvard chap. 22. vvhich belike he vvould not haue done if he had been precisely aduised by the Angel but a moment before of errour vnduetifulnes in the facte Hovvsoeuer that be this is euident that this the Angels refusing of adoration taketh not avvay the due reuerence and respect vve ought to haue to Angels or other sanctified persons and creatures and so these vvordes See thou doe it not signifie rather an earnest refusal then any signification of crime to be committed thereby And maruel it is that the Protestants making them selues so sure of the true sense of euery doubtful place by conference of other Scriptures folow not here the conference and comparing of Scriptures that them selues so much of onely require Vve vvil giue them occasion and a methode so to doe thus He that doubteth of this place findeth out three things of question vvhich must be tried by other Scriptures The first vvhether there ought to be or may be any religious reuerence or honour done to any creatures taking the vvord religion or religious vvorship not for that special honour vvhich is properly and onely due to God as S. Augustine sometimes vseth it but for reuerence due to any thing that is holy by sanctification or application to the seruice of God The second thing is vvhether by vse of Scriptures that honour be called adoration in latin or by a vvord equiualent in other languages Hebrue Greeke or English Lastly vvhether vve may by the Scriptures fall downe prostrate before the things or at the feete of the persons that vve so adore â—or of ciuil duetie done to our Superiors by capping kneeling or other courtesie I thinke the Protestants vvil not stand vvith vs though in deede their arguments make as much against the one as the other But for religious vvorship of creatures vvhich vve speake of let them see in the Scriptures both old and nevv first vvhether the Temple the tabernacle the Arke the propitiatorie the Cherubins the altar the bread of proposition the Sabboth and al their holies vvere not reuerenced by al signes of deuotion and religion vvhether the Sacraments of Christ the Priests of
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
The great reuenge that God vvil doe at the later day vpon the persecutors of his Saincts ⸬ The desperate and damned persons shal blaspheme God perpetually vvhich shal be such onely as do not repent in this life c See chap. 9. v. 20 in the margent ⸬ The dragon is the Diuel the beast Antichrist or the societie wherof he is head the false-prophet either Antichrist him self or the companie of Heretikes and seducers that folovv him ` issue forth three Apoc. 3. 2 Cor. 5 3. c The hil of theaues by S. Hieroms interpretation ⸬ The citie or coÌ„monvvealth of the vvicked deuided into three partes into infidels Heretikes and euil Catholikes This citie is here called BabyloÌ„ vvhereof see the Annorat vpon the next chapter v. 5. Ier. 25 15. ⸬ The final damnation of the vvhole companie of the reprobate called here the great vvhoore c These many vvaters are many peoples v. 15. ⸬ It signifieth the short reigne of Antichrist vvho is the cheefe horne or head of the beast ⸬ Some expound it of ten smal kingdoms into which the Romane Empire shal be deuided vvhich shal al serue Antichrist both in his life and a litle after ` doe 1 Tim. 6 15. Apo. 19 16. ⸬ Not forcing or mouing any to folow Antichrist but by his iust iudgement for punishment of their sinnes permitting theÌ„ to beleeue and coÌ„sent to him The ProtestaÌ„ts here vvil needs haue BabyloÌ„ to be Rome but not in S. Peters epistle By Babylon according to al the fathers is signified partly the whole societie of the wicked partly the citie of Rome only in respect of the terrene heathenish state of them that persecuted the Church li. aduers Iudan The Church of Rome is neuer called Babylon Ro. 1. Mysterie This woman signifieth al persecutors of saincts Putting heretikes to death is not to shede the bloud of saincts The Protestants madnes in expounding the 7 hilles of Rome the Angel himself expounding it otherwise Vvhat is the eight beast The double interpretation of Babylon Apo. 14 8. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ The measure of paines damnation according to the wicked pleasures or vnlawful delites of this life which is a fore sentence for such people as turne their whole life to â—â—st and riot Es 47 8 ⸬ Kings and Marchants are most encombered dangered and drovvned in the pleasures of this vvorld vvhose vvhole life traficke is if they be not exceding vertuous to finde varietie of earthly pleasures Vvho seing once the extreme end of their ioyes and of al that made their heauen here to be turned into paines damnation eternal then shal houle vveepe to late c The Angels and al Saincts shal reioyce and laude â—od to see the wicked confounded and Gods iustice executed vpon their oppressors persecutors and this is that vvhich the Martyrs praied for chap. 6. Ier. 51. 63. ⸬ By this it seemeth cleere that the Apostle meaneth not any one citie but the vniuersal companie of the reprobate vvhich shal perish in the day of iudgement the old prophets also naming the vvhole nuÌ„ber of Gods enemies mystically Babylon as Ierem. â— 52. The Epistle for many martyrs ALLELVIA ⸬ This often repeating of Allelu-ia in times of reioycing the Church doth folow in her Seruice ⸬ At this day shal the whole Church of the elect be finally perfectly for euer ioyned vnto Christ in mariage inseparable Mat. 22 Lu. 14 ⸬ That is the feast of eternal life prepared for his spouse the Church Apoc. 22. 9. Es 63 1. c The second person in Trinitie the Sonne of the Vvord of God vvhich vvas made flesh Io. 1. Apoc. 2 27. Apo. 17 14. ⸬ Euen according to his humanitie also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen Alleluia not translated Alleluia often vsed in the Church specially in Easter time Epist ad Ian. c. 17. c. 15. It signifieth more then as the Protestants traÌ„slate it praise ye the lord â—Palse translation Amen and Alleluia should not be translated into vulgar tongues Al nations in the primitiue Church sang Amen and Alleluia The ProtestaÌ„ts profane this vvord by translating it and diminish the signification thereof Psal 136. IustificatioÌ„s are good vvorkes not as the effectes of saith iustifying but because them selues also with faith iustifie a man Beza S. Iohns adoring of the Angel explicated against the protestaÌ„ts abusing the same The ProtestaÌ„ts are reâ—elled by their ovvne reason S. Iohn erred only in the person mistaking the Angel to be Christ him self and so adoring him as God Apoc. c. 1. Esa 9 in Graco Malac. 3. S. Iohn sinned not in this adoration An other explication of this place The ProtestaÌ„ts by conference of Scriptures might finde â—eligious adoratioÌ„ of creatures Aug. de vera relig c. 55. Three points herein examined and proued by Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 5. 137. 1 Religious vvorship of creatures Dan. 6. 3 Reg. 8. Ios 7. Ps 98. 131. 2 The same is called adoration 3 Falling prostrat before the persons or things adored Gen. 18. Exod. 3. Iosue 5. Adoring of Angels Adoring of Prophets and holy persons Dan. 2. * or Iaddus 4 Reg. 4. Iudith 13. See in S. Augustine li. 20. de Ciuit. c. 7. 8. seq the exposition of this chapter ⸬ Quid in millenariâ— numero nisi ad proferandam nouam sobolem perfecta vniuersitas praesâ—ita generationis exprimâ—◠〈◊〉 hinc per 〈◊〉 dicitur It regnabunt cuÌ„ 〈◊〉 â—illâ— aâ—nis 〈◊〉 regnum sancta Ecclesia vniuersitatis perfâ—câ—ione soâ—iidatur D. Gregor li. 9. Moral c. 1. ⸬ S. Augustine thinketh that these do not signifie any certaine natioÌ„s but al that shal then be ioyned vvith the Diuel and Antichrist against the Church li. 20. de Ciuit. c. 11. See S. Hierom in Exech li. 11. Ezec. 38 14. 39 2. See S. Hierom in Exech li. 11. THE 6 VISION ⸬ They shal then be new not the substaÌ„ce but the shape chaÌ„ged 2 Pet. 3. See S. Augustine li. 20. de Ciuit. c. 14. c The bookes of mens conscieÌ„ces where it shal plainely be read vvhat euery mans life hath been Apoc. 3 5. 21 27. ⸬ Such as doe no good workes if they haue age and time to doe them are not found in the booke of life Bishops consistories iudicial power 1. Cor. 5. During a thousand yeres that is the time ofthis militant Church saints reigne vvith Christ in soule only The rest are dead and damned in soule during the same time The first resurrection of the soule only Priests some proprely so called some vnproprely 1. Pet. â— The binding and loosing of Satan explicated by S. Augustine The short reigne of Antichrist Millenarij or Chiliastâ— The Scriptures hard By S. Augustines foresaid explication is eurdently deduâ—ed against the ProtestaÌ„ts that the Churche can not erre and that the Pope can not possibly be Antichrist An inuincible demoÌ„stration Mat. 24. Lu. 18 8. The campâ— of Saincts is the Catho Church through the vvorld As novv Heretikes in particular countries so Antichrist shal persecute the Churches of al nations Vvhat is meanâ— by fire from heauen The booke of euery mans workes opened in the day of iudgement THE 5 PART The final glorificatioÌ„ of the Church Esa 63 17. 66 21. The Epistle vpon the dedication of a Church 2 Pet. 3 13. c The Church triumphant ⸬ This tabernacle is Christ according to his humanitie Es 25. 8. Apoc. 7 17. c This happie day shal make an end of al the miseries of this mortalitie ` because the Esa 43 19. Apoc. 1 8. 22 13. ⸬ He that hath the victorie against sinne in the Church militant shal haue his revvard in the triumphant c Al that commit mortal sinnes and repent not shal be damned THE 7 AND LAST VISION ⸬ The glorie of the Church triumphant c The names of the Patriarches and Apostles honorable and glorious in the triumphant Church ⸬ See S. Hierom ep 17. touching this description of the heauenly Hierusalem vvhich is the Church triuÌ„phaÌ„t teaching that these things must be taken spiritually not carâ—â—ally ⸬ Al external sacrifice which now is necessarieâ—dutie of the faithful shal then cease and therfore there shal neede no material temple Esa 60 19 Es 60 3. Esa 60 11. ⸬ None not perfectly cleaÌ„sed of their suâ—nes can enter into this heauenly Hieruselem Apo. 20 12. The state of glorified bodies ◠′ vvater of life ⸬ Christ is our tree of life in the Church by the B. Sacramé in heauen by his visible presence and influence of life euer lasting both to our bodies and soules of vvâ—oÌ„ Salomon saith The tree of life to al that apprâ—heâ—d him Prou. 3. Apo. 21. Esa 60 THE CONCLVSION Apo. 19 10. ⸬ You see it is al one to adore before the feete of the angel to adore the Angel though to adore him â—e not expressed as in the 19 chap. See the anÌ„otatioÌ„ there v. 10. c Man by Gods grace doing good workes doth increase his iustice ⸬ Heauen is the reward hire repaiment for good workes in al the Scriptures yet the aduersaries wil not see it Ro. 2 6. Apo. 21 6. 1 8. Es 55 1. The curse agaiÌ„st adding or diminishing is against Heretikes not Catholike expositours A breefe petitioÌ„ vnto IESVS Christ to come quickly as S. Iohn here speaketh and to iudge the cause of Catholikes Protestants * The Epistles omitted are taken out of the Old TestameÌ„t ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞
and say to the people He is risen from the dead and the last errour shal be vvorse then the first ✠verse 65 Pilate said to them You haue a gard goe gard it as you knovv ✠verse 66 And they departing made the sepulchre sure sealing vp the stone vvith vvatchmen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXVII 3. Repenting him Note how spedily the plague of God falleth after sinne and specially men must note what torment of conscience and desperation often foloweth the sheading of innocent bloud 5. Hung himself If he had rightly repented notwithstanding his horrible treason he might haue obteyned mercy but by hanging him self he tooke away al meanes of mercy and saluation because he died finally impenitent 24. Innocent of his bloud Though Pilate was much more innocent then the Iewes and would haue been free from the murder of our Sauiour seeking al the meanes that he could without offending the people and the Emperours lawes to dimisse him Yet he is damned for being the minister of the peoples wicked wil against his owne conscience euen as al Officers be and specially the Iudges and Iuries which execute lawes of temporal Princes against Catholike men for al such be guilty of innocent bloud and be nothing excused by that they execute other mens will according to the lawes which be vniust For they should rather suffer death them selues then put an innocent man to death 40. If thou be the Sonne Maruel not when thou hearest our Sauiour in the B. Sacrament mocked at or seest him abused of wicked men that he straight reuengeth not such blasphemies or that he sheweth not him self there visibly and to the senses when faithles Heretikes wil say Let me see him tast him c. for he suffered here the like on the Crosse when he might at his will haue come downe with as much ease as he rose when he was dead 46. Why hast thou forsaken me Beware here of the detestable blasphemie of Caluin and the Caluinists who thinking not the bodily death of Christ sufficient say that he was also here so forsaken and abandoned of his Father that he sustained in soule and conscience the very feares and torments of the damned And to take away the Article of his descending into Hel after his death which was with triumph and not in paine they say that his descending was nothing els but that his soule suffered the very paines of Hel vpon the Crosse Whereas in deede by these wordes out of the Psalme our Sauiour wil signifie no more but that his paines being now so long on the Crosse and ready to die were very great and therfore according to the infirmity of his humane nature for very anguish as before in the garden when he was but toward his Passion he saith he was forsaken for two causes first because it was the wil of God not to deliuer him but that he should die secondly because his diuine nature did so represse it self for the time that he felt no comfort thereof at al but was left to die in extreme paines as a mere man 19. Wrapped This honour and duty done to Christes body being dead was maruelous grateful and meritorious And this wrapping of it in cleane find on may signifie by S. Hierom that the Body of our Lord is to be wrapped not in gold pretious stones and silke but in pure linnen And so in the whole Church it is obserued by S. Siluesters constitution that the Corporal wherevpon our Lordes body lieth on the altar must be pute and plaine linnen CHAP. XXVIII He riseth againe the third day and the blind most obstinate Iewes by bribery working to their owne reprobation he appeareth to his Disciples in Galilee as both before his Passion he foretold them Mat. 26 and now after his Resurrection first the Angel then also him self appointed by the women 〈◊〉 and sendeth them to al Nations to build his Church among the Gentils verse 1 AND in the euening of the Sabboth vvhich davvneth on the first of the Sabboth came Marie Magdalene and the other Marie ″ to see the sepulchre ✠verse 2 And behold there vvas made a great earth-quake For an Angel of our Lord descēded from heauen and comming rolled backe the stone and sate vpon it ✠verse 3 and his countenance vvas as lightening and his garment as snovv ✠verse 4 And for feare of him the vvatchmen vvere frighted and became as dead ✠verse 5 And the Angel ansvvering said to the vvomen Feare not you for I knovv that you seeke IESVS that vvas crucified ✠verse 6 he is not here for he is risen * as he said come and see the place vvhere our Lord vvas laid ✠verse 7 And going quickly tel ye his Disciples that he is risen and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there you shal see him loe I haue fortold you ✠verse 8 And they vvent forth quickly out of the monument vvith feare and great ioy running to tel his Disciples ✠verse 9 And behold IESVS mette them saying Al haile But they came neere and tooke hold of his feete and adored him ✠verse 10 Then IESVS said to them Feare not goe tel my brethren that they goe into Galilee there they shal see me ✠verse 11 Who vvhen they vvere departed behold certaine of the vvatchmen came into the citie and told the cheefe Priestes al things that had been done ✠verse 12 And being assembled together vvith the auncients taking counsel they gaue a greate summe of money to the souldiars ✠verse 13 saying Say you That his Disciples came by night and stole him avvay vvhen vve vvere a sleepe ✠verse 14 And if the President shal heare of this vve vvil persuade him and make you secure ✠verse 15 But they taking the money did as they vvere taught And this vvord vvas bruited abrode among the Ievves euen vnto this day ✠verse 16 And the eleuen Disciples vvent into Galilee vnto the mount vvhere IESVS had appointed them ✠verse 17 And seeing him they adored but some doubted ✠verse 18 And IESVS comming neere spake vnto them saying Al povver is giuen to me in heauen and in earth ✠verse 19 ◠going therfore teach ye al nations BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SONNE AND OF THE HOLY GHOST ✠verse 20 teaching them to obserue al things vvhatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and behold I am vvith you ″ al daies euen to the consummation of the vvorld ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXVIII 1. To see the Sepulcher The deuout women came to visite our Sauiours sepulcher and for their deuotion first deserued to know the Resurrection and to see him risen The honour of the which Sepulcher and the Pilgrimage therevnto in the Primitiue Church S. Hierom declareth in these wordes The Iewes sometime honoured Sancta Sanctorum because there were the Cherubs and the