me meate thirstie and you gaue me drinke c. Therfore doeth Christ say here It is not mine to giue because he is lust and wil not giue it to euery man without respect of their deserts yea nor alike to euery one but diuersly according to greater or lesser merits as here S. Chryso maketh it plaine when our Sauiour telleth them that although they suffer martyrdom for his sake yet he hath not to giue them the two cheefe places See S. Hiero. Vpon this place and li. 2 adu Iouin c. 15. This also is a lesson for them that haue to bestow Ecclesiastical benefices that they haue no carnal respect to kinred c. but to the worthines of the persons 〈◊〉 As the sonne of man Christ him self as he was the Sonne of man was their and our Superiour and * Lord and Maister notwithstanding his humility and therfore it is pride and haultinesse which is forbidden and not Superiority or Lordship as some Heretikes would haue it CHAP. XXI Being now come to the place of his Passion he entereth with humility and triumph together 12 Sheweth his zeale for the house of God ioyned with great maruels 15 And to the Rulers he boldly defendeth the acclamations of the children 〈◊〉 He â—urseth also that fruitles leaâ—â—e tree 23 auoucheth his power by the witnes of Iohn 28 and foretelleth his in two parables their reprobation with the Gentils vocation for their wicked deserts 42 and consequently their irreparable damnation that shal ensue therof verse 1 AND vvhen they drevv nigh to Hierusalem and vvere come to Beth-phagee vnto Mount-oliuet then IESVS sent tvvo disciples ✠verse 2 saying to them Goe ye into the tovvne that is against you and immediatly ″ you shal finde an asse tied and a colt vvith her loose them bring them to me ✠verse 3 and if any man shal say ought vnto you say ye that our Lord hath neede of them and forthvvith he vvil let them goe ✠verse 4 And this vvas done that it might be fulfilled vvhich vvas spoken by the Prophet saying ✠verse 5 Say ye to the daughter of Sion Behold thy king commeth to thee meeke sitting vpon an asse and a colt the fole of her that is vsed to the yoke ✠verse 6 And the disciples going did as IESVS commaunded them ✠verse 7 And they brought ″ the asse and the colt and laide their garments vpon them and made him to sit thereon ✠verse 8 And a very great multitude spred their * garments in the vvay and others did cut boughes from the trees and stravved them in the vvay ✠verse 9 and the multitudes that vvent before and that folovved cried saying ″ Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. ⊢ Hosanna in the highest ✠verse 10 And vvhen he vvas entred Hierusalem the vvhole citie vvas moued saying who is this ✠verse 11 And the people said This is IESVS the Prophet of Nazareth in Galilee ✠verse 12 And * IESVS entred into the temple of God and cast out al that sold and bought in the temple and the tables of the bankers and the chaires of them that sold pigeons he ouerthrevve ✠verse 13 and he saith to them It is vvritten My house shal be called the ″ house of prayer but you haue made it a denne of theeues ✠And there came to him the blinde and the lame in the temple and he healed them ✠verse 15 And the cheefe priestes Scribes seeing the maruelous things that he did and the children crying in the temple saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid they had indignatioÌ„ ✠verse 16 and said to him Hearest thou vvhat these say And IESVS said to them Very vvel haue you neuer read That out of the ″ mouth of infants and sucklings thou hast perfited praise ✠verse 17 And leauing them he vvent forth out of the citie into Bethania and remained there ⊢ ✠verse 18 And in the morning returning into the citie he vvas an hungred ✠verse 19 * And seeing a certaine figtree by the vvay side he came to it and found nothing on it but leaues only and he saith to it Neuer grovv there fruite of thee for euer And incontinent the figtree vvas vvithered ✠verse 20 And the disciples seeing it marueled saying Hovv is it vvithered incontinent ✠verse 21 And IESVS ansvvering said to them Amen I say to you * if you shal haue faith and stagger not not only that of the figtree shal you doe but and if you shal say to this mountaine Take vp and throvv thy self into the sea it shal be done ✠verse 22 And al things vvhatsoeuer you shal aske in prayer ″ beleeuing you shal receiue ✠verse 23 And vvhen he vvas come into the temple there came to him as he vvas teaching the cheefe Priests and auncients of the people saying * ″ In vvhat povver doest thou these things and vvho hath giuen thee this povver ✠verse 24 IESVS ansvvering said to them I also vvil aske you one vvord vvhich if you shal tell me I also vvil tel you in vvhat povver I doe these things ✠verse 25 The Baptisme of Iohn vvhence vvas it from heauen or from men But they thought vvithin them selues saying ✠verse 26 If vve shal say from heauen he vvil say to vs vvhy then did you not beleeue him but if vve shal say from men vve feare the multitude for al hold Iohn as a Prophet ✠verse 27 And ansvvering to IESVS they said We knovv not He also said to them Neither do I tel you in vvhat povver I doe these things ✠verse 28 But vvhat is your opinion A certaine man had tvvo sonnes and comming to â— the first he said Sonne goe vvorke to day in my vineyard ✠verse 29 And he ansvvering said I vvil not But aftervvard moued vvith repentance he vvent ✠verse 30 And comming to the other he said likevvise And he ansvvering said I goe Lord and he vvent not ✠verse 31 Which of the tvvo did the fathers vvil They say to him The first IESVS saith to them AmeÌ„ I say to you that the Publicans and vvhoores goe before you into the kingdom of God ✠verse 32 For Iohn came to you in the vvay of iustice and you did not beleeue him but the publicans and vvhoores did beleeue him but you seeing it neither haue ye had repentance aftervvard to beleeue him ✠verse 33 An other parable heare ye A man there vvas an housholder vvho * planted a vineyard and made a hedge round about it and digged in it a presse and builded a tovvre and let it out to husbandmen and vvent forth into a strange countrie ✠verse 34 And vvhen the time of fruites drevve nigh he sent his seruants to the husbandmen to receiue the fruites
of you vpon the Sabboth loose his oxe or his asse from the manger and leadeth them to vvater ✠verse 16 But ″ this daughter of Abraham vvhom Satan hath bound loe these eightene yeres ought not she to be loosed from this bond on the Sabboth day ✠verse 17 And vvhen he said these things al his aduersaries vvere ashamed and al the people reioyced in al things that vvere gloriously done of him ⊢ ✠verse 18 He said therfore * Vvherevnto is the kingdom of God like and vvherevnto shal I esteeme it like ✠verse 19 It is like to a mustard seede vvhich a man tooke and cast into his garden and it grevv and became a great tree and the foules of the aire rested in the boughes thereof ✠verse 20 And againe he said * Like to vvhat shal I esteeme the kingdom of God ✠verse 21 It is like to leauen vvhich a vvoman tooke and hid in three measures of meale til the vvhole vvas leauened ✠verse 22 And he vvent by cities and tovvnes teaching and making his iourney vnto Hierusalem ✠verse 23 And a certaine man said to him Lord be they fevv that are saued * But he said to them ✠verse 24 Striue to enter ″ by the narrovv gate because many I say to you ″ shal seeke to enter and shal not be able ✠verse 25 But vvhen the good man of the house shal enter in and shut the doore and you shal begin to stand vvithout and knocke at the doore saying Lord open to vs and he ansvvering shal say to you I knovv you not vvhence you are ✠verse 26 then you shal begin to say Vve did ″ eate before thee and drinke and in our streates didst thou teach ✠verse 27 And he shal say to you I knovv you not vvhence you are depart from me al ye vvorkers of iniquite ✠verse 28 There shal be vveeping and gnashing of teeth vvhen you shal see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and al the Prophets in the kingdom of God and you to be thrust out ✠verse 29 And there shal come from the East and the Vvest and the North and the South and shal sit dovvne in the kingdom of God ✠verse 30 And behold they are last that shal be first and they be first that shal be last ✠verse 31 The same day there came certaine of the Pharisees saying to him Depart and get the hence because Herod vvil kil thee ✠verse 32 And he said to them Goe and tel that foxe Behold I cast out deuils and perfite cures this day and to morovv and the third day I am consummate ✠verse 33 But yet I must vvalke this day and to morovv and the day folovving because it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Hierusalem ✠verse 34 * Hierusalem Hierusalem vvhich killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee hovv often vvould I gather thy childrē as the bird doth her brood vnder her vvings and thou vvouldest not ✠verse 35 Behold your house shal be left desert to you And I say to you that you shal not see me til it come vvhen you shal say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 2. These Galilaans It is Gods mercie that he straight punisheth not al offenders but some fevv for a vvarning to all as that for Schisme he striketh nor al such as haue forsaken the Church and the lavvful Priests as he did Coré and his complices that for spoile of Churches he reuengeth not al as he did Heliodorus and al that vow and reuoke their gifts to God as Ananias and Sapphîra Some few therfore for their iust deserts be so handled for example to prouoke al others guilty of the same crimes to doe penance Which if they doe not in this life they shal all assuredly perish in the next world Optatus li. 1 cont Parmen sub finem 16. This daughter we may see that many diseases which seeme natural doe procede of the Diuel by Gods permission either for sinne or for probation and both those kindes Christ specially cured for that no natural medicines could cure them and specially because he came to dissolue the workes of Satan both in body and soul 24. By the narrovv Our Lord is not contrarie to him self in that he ansvvereth the gate to be straite and fevv to be saued whereas els vvhere he said that many should come from the East and Vvest c. and ioy with Abraham in the kingdom of heauen Mat. 8. 11. For though they be few in respect of the vvicked of al sortes yet they be many in them selues and in the societie of Angels the vvheate cornes are scarse seen at the threshing vvhen they are medled with the chaffe but vvhen the il are remoued the vvhole barne of heauen shal be filled So saith S. Aug. Ser. 32 de verb. Do. 24. Shal seeke Many vvould be saued and looke to be saued but can not because they vvil not take paines to enter in at so straite a passage that is to say to fast much pray often doe great penance for their sinnes liue in holy Churches discipline abstaine from the pleasures of this world and suffer persecution and losse of their goods and liues for Christes sake 26. Eate before thee It is not ynough to feede vvith Christ in his Sacraments or to heare his vvord the Church to chalēge heauen thereby vnlesse vve liue in vnitie of the Catholike Church So S. Augustine applieth this against the Donatistes that had the very same seruice and Sacraments which the Catholike Church had but yet seuered them selues from other Christian countries by Schisme CHAP. XIIII By occasion of dining with a Pharisee 2 after that he hath againe confounded them for maligning him for his miraculous good doing on the Sabboth 7 he teacheth them humilitie seing their ambition 1◠and in their workes to seeke retribution not of men in this worlde but of God in the world to come 16 foretelling also that the Iewes for their worldly excuses shal not tast of the Supper but the Gentils in their place 〈◊〉 Yea that so far must men be from al worldlines that they must earnestly bethinke them before they enter into his Church and be ready to forgot all 34 specially considering they must be the salt of others also verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen IESVS entred into the house of a certaine Prince of the Pharisees vpon the Sabboth to eate bread and they vvatched him ✠verse 2 And behold there vvas a certaine man before him that had the dropsie ✠verse 3 And IESVS ansvvering spake to the Lavvyers and Pharisees saying Is it Lavvful to cure on the Sabboth ✠verse 4 But they held their peace but he taking him healed him and sent him avvay ✠verse 5 And ansvvering them he said Vvhich of you shal haue
one grote doth she not light a candle and svveepe the house and seeke diligently vntil she finde ✠verse 9 And vvhen she hath found calleth together her frendes and neighbours saying Reioyce vvith me because I haue found the grote vvhich I had lost ✠verse 10 So I say to you there shal be ioy ″ before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that doth penance ⊢ ✠verse 11 And he said A certaine man had tvvo sonnes ✠verse 12 and the yonger of them said to his father Father giue me the portion of substance that belongeth to me And he deuided vnto them the substance ✠verse 13 And not many daies after the yonger sonne gathering al his things together vvent from home into a farre countrie and there he vvasted his substance liuing riotously ✠verse 14 And after he had spent al there fel a sore famine in that countrie and he began to be in neede ✠verse 15 And he vvent and cleaued to one of the citizens of that countrie And he sent him into his farme to feede svvine ✠verse 16 And he vvould faine haue filled his bellie of the huskes that the svvine did eate and no bodie gaue vnto him ✠verse 17 And returning to him self he said Hovv many of my fathers hirelings haue aboundance of bread and I here perish for famine ✠verse 18 I vvil arise and vvil goe to my father and say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee ✠verse 19 I am not novv vvorthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hirelings ✠verse 20 And rising vp he came to his father And vvhen he vvas yet farre of his father savv him and vvas moued vvith mercie and running to him fel vpon his necke and kissed him ✠verse 21 And his sonne said to him Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee I am not novv vvorthie to be called thy sonne ✠verse 22 And the father said to his seruants Quickely bring forth the first stole and doe it on him and put a ring vpō his hand and shoes vpon his feete ✠verse 23 and bring ″ the fatted calfe and kil it and let vs eate and make merie ✠verse 24 because this my sonne vvas dead and is reuiued vvas lost and is found And they began to make merie ✠verse 25 But his elder sonne vvas in the field and vvhen he came and drevv nigh to the house he heard musicke and dauncing ✠verse 26 and he called one of the seruants and asked vvhat these thinges should be ✠verse 27 And he said to him Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calfe because he hath receiued him safe ✠verse 28 But he had indignation and vvould not goe in His father therfore going forth began to desire him ✠verse 29 But he ansvvering said to his father Behold so many yeres doe I serue thee and I neuer transgressed thy commaundement and thou didst neuer giue me a kidde to make merie vvith my frendes ✠verse 30 but after that thy sonne this that hath deuoured his substance vvith whoores is come thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe ✠verse 31 But he said to him Sonne thou art alvvaies vvith me and al my things are thine ✠verse 32 But it behoued vs to make merie and be glad because this thy brother vvas dead and is reuiued vvas lost and is found ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 7. Then vpon ninety nine iust Neither God nor the Saincts in heauen nor men in earth do for al that esteeme more of penitent sinners then they do of them that continevv iust and godly though by the soden motion and present affection of ioy that man taketh and expresseth in such alteration and nevv fallen good it be here signified that the conuersion of euery sinner is exceding acceptable to God and giueth his Saincts nevv cause of ioy and thankes giuing to God in an other kinde then for the continuance of the iust 10. Before the Angels The Angels and other celestial spirits in heauen do reioyce at euery sinners conuersion they know then and haue care of vs yea our hartes and inward repentance be open to them how then can they not heare our prayers And betwixt Angels and the blessed soules of Saincts there is no difference in this case the one being as highly exalted as the other and as neere God in whom and by whom onely they see and know our affaires as the other 23. The fatted calfe This feasting and festiuitie saith S. Augustine li. 2 qu. Euang. c. 33. to 4. are novv celebrated throughout the vvhole vvorld the Church being dilated and spred for that calfe in the body and bloud of our Lord is both offered to the Father and also feedeth the vvhole house And as the calfe signifieth the B. Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ so the first stole may signifie our innocencie restored in baptisme and the rest other graces and giftes giuen vs in the other Sacraments CHAP. XVI He teacheth the riche to procure heauen vvith their riches 14 And being therfore derided of the couetous Pharisees vvho savv temporal riches promised in the letter of the Lavv he shevveth that novv is come the preaching of the kingdom of God howbeit the Lavv for al that in no iote shal be frustrat 19 foretelling them also that the couetous Ievvis shal be denied of their father Abraham when poore Laxarus the penitent Gentily shal rest in his bosome verse 1 AND he said also to his Disciples There vvas a cartaine riche man that had a bailife he vvas il reported of vnto him as he that had vvasted his goods ✠verse 2 And he called him and said to him Vvhat heare I this of thee render account of thy bailiship for novv thou canst no more be bailife ✠verse 3 And the bailife said vvithin him self Vvhat shal I doe because my lord taketh avvay from me the bailiship digge I am not able to begge I am ashamed ✠verse 4 I knovv vvhat I vvil doe that vvhen I shal be remoued from the bailiship they may receiue me into their houses ✠verse 5 Therfore calling together euery one of his lords detters he said to the first Hovv much doest thou ovve my lord ✠verse 6 But he saith An hundred pipes of oile And he said to him Take thy bil and sit dovvne quickly vvrite fiftie ✠verse 7 After that he said to an other But thou hovv much doest thou ovve Vvho said An hundreth quarters of vvheat He said to him Take thy bil and vvrite eightie ✠verse 8 And ″ the lord praised the bailife of iniquitie because he had done vvisely for the children of this vvorld are vviser then the children of light in their generation ✠verse 9 And I say to you Make vnto you frendes of the mammon of iniquitie that vvhen you faile ″ they may
he cried vvith a loude voice Lazarus come forth ✠verse 44 And forthvvith he came forth that had been dead bound feete and handes vvith vvinding bandes and his face vvas tied vvith a napkin IESVS said to them Loose him and let him goe ✠verse 45 Many therfore of the Ievves that vvere come to Marie and Martha and had seen the things that IESVS did beleeued in him ⊢ ✠verse 46 And certaine of them vvent to the Pharisees and told them the things that IESVS did ✠verse 47 The cheefe priests therfore and the pharisees gathered a councel and said Vvhat doe vve for this man doeth many signes ✠verse 48 If vve let him alone so al vvil beleeue in him and the Romanes vvil come and take avvay our place and nation ✠verse 49 But one of them named Caiphas being the high priest of that yere said to them You knovv nothing ✠verse 50 neither doe you cōsider that it is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and the vvhole natiō perish not ✠verse 51 And this he said not of him self but ″ being the high priest of that yere he prophecied that IESVS should die for the nation ✠verse 52 and not only for the nation but to gather into one the children of God that vvere dispersed ✠verse 53 From that day therfore they deuised to kil him ✠verse 54 IESVS therfore vvalked no more openly among the Ievves but he vvent into the countrie beside the desert vnto a citie that is called Ephrem and there he abode vvith his Disciples ⊢ ✠verse 55 And the Pasche of the Ievves vvas at hand and many of the countrie vvent vp to Hierusalem before the Pasche to sanctifie them selues ✠verse 56 They sought IESVS therfore and they communed one vvith an other standing in the temple Vvhat thinke you in that he is not come to the festiual day And the cheefe Priests Pharisees had giuen cōmaundemēt that if any man should knovv vvhere he vvas he should tel that they might apprehend him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 31. Being the high Priest Maruel not that Christ preserueth his truth in the Church as wel by the vnworthy as the worthy Prelates thereof the giftes of the Holy Ghost folowing their Order and office as we see here in Caiphas and not their merites or person And if this man being many waies wicked and in part an vsurper and the Law and Priesthod being to decline and to giue place to Christs new ordinance had yet some assistance of God for vtterance of truth which him self meant not nor knew not how much more may we be assured that Christ wil not leaue Peters Seate * whose faith he promised should neuer falle though the persons which occupie the same were as il as the blasphemous and malitious mouthes of Heretikes do affirme CHAP. XII The Rulers dealing as if he hid him self 1 he cōmeth to Bethania ◠Where by occasion of Iudas the theefe murmuring at Marie Magdalens costly deuotion he foretelleth his death 12 From thence though they did novv intend to kil Lazarus also he rideth openly into Hierusalem the people because he had raised Lazarus confessing with their acclamations that he is Christ 20 Where certaine Gentils desiring to see him 22 he foretelleth the conuersion of the vvhole vvorld from the Diuel to him to be novv instant as the effect of his death vpon the Crosse 28 The Father also ansvvering from heauen to his prayer made to that purpose 37 yet after al this the Ievves continevv incredulous as Esay prophecied of them 42 though many beleeued but vvere ashamed to confesse him 44 Wherevpon he shevveth that it is glorious before God and saluation to them selues to beleeue in him and confesse him and damnable to despise him verse 1 IESVS therfore sixe daies before the Pasche came to Bethánia vvhere Lazarus vvas that had been dead vvhom IESVS raised ✠verse 2 And they made him a supper there and Martha ministred but Lazarus vvas one of them that sate at the table vvith him ✠verse 3 Marie therfore tooke a povvnd of ointement of right spikenard pretious and anointed the feete of IESVS and vviped his feete vvith her heare and the house vvas filled of the odour of the ointmēt ✠verse 4 One therfore of his disciples Iudas Iscariote he that vvas to betray him said ✠verse 5 ″ Vvhy vvas not this ointment sold for three-hundred pence and giuen to the poore ✠verse 6 And he said this not because he cared for the poore but because he vvas ″ a theefe and hauing the purse caried the things that vvere put in ✠verse 7 IESVS therfore said Let her alone that she may keepe it for the day of my burial ✠verse 8 For the poore you haue alvvaies vvith you but me you shal not haue alvvaies ✠verse 9 A great multitude therfore of the Ievves knevv that he vvas there and they came not for IESVS only but that they might see Lazarus vvhom he raised from the dead ⊢ ✠verse 10 But the cheefe Priests deuised for to kil Lazarus also ✠verse 11 because many for him of the Ievves vvent avvay and beleeued in IESVS ✠verse 12 And on the morovv a great multitude that vvas come to the festiual day vvhen they had heard that IESVS commeth to Hierusalem ✠verse 13 they tooke the boughes of palmes and vvent forth to meete him and cried Hosanna blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord the king of Israel ✠verse 14 And IESVS foūd a yong asse and sate vpon it as it is vvritten ✠verse 15 Feare not daughter of Sion behold thy king commeth sitting vpon an asses colt ✠verse 16 These things his disciples did not knovv at the first but vvhen IESVS vvas glorified then they remembred that these things had been vvritten of him and these things they did to him ✠verse 17 The multitude therfore gaue testimonie vvhich vvas vvith him vvhē he called Lazarus out of the graue and raised him from the dead ✠verse 18 For therfore also the multitude came to meete him because they heard that he had done this signe ✠verse 19 The Pharisees therfore said among them selues Doe you see that vve preuaile nothing behold the vvhole vvorld is gone after him ✠verse 20 And there vvere certaine Gentiles of them that came vp to adore in the festiual day ✠verse 21 These therfore came to Philippe vvho vvas of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir vve are desirous to see IESVS ✠verse 22 Philippe commeth and telleth Andrevv Againe Andrevv Philippe told IESVS ✠verse 23 But IESVS ansvvered them saying The houre is come that the Sonne of man shal be glorified ✠verse 24 Amen amen I say to you vnles the graine of vvheate falling into the ground die it self remaineth alone but if it die it
shal be bound in heauen and vvhatsoeuer you shal loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen The earthly Princes in deede haue also povver to binde but the bodies onely but that bond of Priests vvhich I speake of toucheth the very soule is self and reacheth euen to the heauens in so much that vvhatsouer the Priests shal doe beneath the self same God doth ratifie aboue and the sentence of the seruants the Lord doth confirme for in deede vvhat els is this then that the povver of al heauenly things is graunted them of God Whose sinnes so euer saith he you shal reteine they are reteined What povver I beseche you can be greater then this one The Father gaue al povver to the Sonne but I see the same povver altogether deliuered by the Sonne vnto them And as this concerneth the Priests high authoritie to absolue so therevpon concerning confession also to be made vnto them the ancient Fathers speake in this sort S. Cyprian de Lapsis nu 11. They saith he that haue greater faith and feare of God though they did not fall in persecution yet because they did onely thinke it in their minde this very cogitation they confesse to Gods Priests sorovvfully and plainely opening their conscience vttering and discharging the burden of their minde and seeking holesome medicine for their vvoundes though but smal and litle And a litle after Let euery one my brethren I beseeche you confesse his sinne vvhiles he is yet aliue vvhiles his confession may be admitted vvhiles satisfaction and remission made by the Priests is acceptable before God S. Cyril or as some thinke Origen li. 2 in Leuit. calleth it a great part of penance when a man is ashamed and yet openeth his sinnes to our Lords Priest See also Tertul. li. de Poenit. S. Hiero. in c. 10 Ecclesiastae S. Basil in Regulis brâ—u quaest 229. Who compare sinners that refuse to confesse to them that haue some disease in their secrete partes and are ashamed to shew it to the Physicion or Surgeon that might cure it Where they must needes meane secrete confession to be made to them that may absolue And S. Leo ep 80 most plainely as before S. Cyril expresly nameth Priests That confession is sufficient vvhich is made first to God then to the Priest also And againe It is sufficient that guiltines of mens consciences be vttered to the Priests onely by the secrecie of confession S. Hierome in 16 Mat. saith that Priests loose or binde audita peccatorum varietate hauing heard the varietie and differences of sinnes S. Paulinus writeth of S. Ambrose that as often as any confessed his sinne vnto him for too receiue penance he so vvept for compassion that thereby he caused the penitenâ— to weepe also He addeth moreouer that this holy Doctor was so secrete in this case that no man knew the sinnes confessed but God and him self And S. Augustine ho. 49 de 50 homilijs to 10. saith thus Doe penance such as is done in the Church Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it to God in vaine then vvas it said Whatsoeuer you shal loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen See S. Ambrose de poenitentia through out S. Cyprian de Lapsis the booke de vera falsa panit in S. Augustine beside al antiquitie which is ful of these speaches concerning absolution and confession CHAP. XXI Appearing againe in Galilee where Peter was fishing with his fellowes and causing them after they had al night taken none to catch a great multitude which Peter draweth to land where he also dineth them 15 He expressing what this fishing signified maketh Peter his Vicar committing vnto him the feeding of his lambes and sheepe 18 and reuealeth vnto him that he also shal be crucified to the glorie of God 20 admonishing him to minde that rather then to be curious about Iohns death verse 1 AFTER IESVS manifested him self againe at the sea of Tibérias And he manifested thus ✠verse 2 There vvere together Simon Peter and Thomas vvho is called Didymus and Nathanael vvhich vvas of Cana in Galilee and the sonnes of Zebedee and tvvo others of his disciples ✠verse 3 Simon Peter saith to them I goe to fish They say to him Vve also come vvith thee And they vvent forth and got vp into the boate and that night they tooke nothing ✠verse 4 But vvhen morning vvas novv come IESVS stoode on the shore yet the disciples knevv not that it vvas IESVS ✠verse 5 IESVS therfore saith to them ChildreÌ„ haue you any meate They ansvvered him No. ✠verse 6 He saith to them Cast the nette on the right side of the boate and you shal finde They therfore did cast it and novv they vvere not able to dravv it for the multitude of fishes ✠verse 7 That disciple therfore vvhom IESVS loued saith to Peter It is our Lord. Simon Peter vvheÌ„ he had heard that it is our Lord girded his coate vnto him for he vvas naked and cast him self into the sea ✠verse 8 But the other disciples came in the boate for they vvere not farre from the land but as it vvere tvvo hundred cubits dravving the nette of fishes ✠verse 9 Therefore after they came dovvne to land they savv hote coles lying and fish laid thereon and bread ✠verse 10 IESVS saith to them Bring hither of the fishes that you tooke novv ✠verse 11 SimoÌ„ Peter vvent vp and drevv the nette to the land ful of great fishes an hundred fiftie three And although they vvere so many the nette vvas not broken ✠verse 12 IESVS saith to them Come dine And none of them that sate at meate ' durst aske him Vvho art thou knovving that it is our Lord. ✠verse 13 And IESVS commeth and taketh the bread and giueth them and the fish in like maner ✠verse 14 This novv the third time IESVS vvas manifested to his disciples after he vvas risen from the dead ⊢ ✠verse 15 Therfore vvhen they had dined IESVS saith to Simon Peter Simon of Iohn louest thou me more then these He saith to him Yea Lord thou knovvest that I loue thee he saith to him FEEDE MY LAMBES ✠verse 16 He saith to him againe Simon of Iohn louest thou me he saith to him Yea Lord thou knovvest that I loue thee He saith to him FEEDE MY LAMBES ✠verse 17 He saith to him the third time SimoÌ„ of Iohn louest thou me Peter vvas stroken sad because he said vnto him the third time Louest thou me And he said to him Lord thou knovvest al things thou knovvest that I loue thee He saith to him ″ FEEDE MY SHEEPE ✠verse 18 AmeÌ„ amen I say to thee vvhen thou vvast yonger thou didst girde thy self and didst vvalke vvhere thou vvouldest but vvhen thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy handes and ″ an other shal girde thee and leade thee vvhither thou vvilt not
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
in Asia For he hastened if it vvere possible for him to keepe the day of â— Pentecost at Hierusalem ✠verse 17 And sending from Milétum to Ephesus he called the Auncients of the Church ✠verse 18 Vvho being come to him and assembled together he said to them You knovv * from the first day that I entred into Asia in vvhat maner I haue been vvith you al the time ✠verse 19 seruing our Lord vvith al humilitie and teares and tentations that did chaunce to me by the conspiracies of the Ievves ✠verse 20 Hovv I haue vvithdravven nothing that vvas profitable but that I preached it to you taught you openly and from house to house ✠verse 21 testifying to Ievves and Gentils penance tovvard God and faith in our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 22 And novv behold being bound by the spirit I goe to Hierusalem not knovving vvhat things shal befall me in it ✠verse 23 but that the Holy Ghost through out al cities doth protest to me saying that bands and tribulations abide me at Hierusalem ✠verse 24 But I feare none of these things neither doe I make my life more pretious theÌ„ my self so that I may coÌ„suÌ„mat my course ministerie vvhich I receiued of our Lord IESVS to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God ✠verse 25 And novv behold I doe knovv that you shal no more see my face al you through vvhom I haue passed preaching the kingdom of God ✠verse 26 Vvherefore I take you to witnesse this present day that I am cleere from the bloud of al. ✠verse 27 For I haue not spared to declare vnto you al the counsel of God ✠verse 28 Take heede to your selues and to the vvhole flocke vvherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops to rule the Church of God vvhich he hath purchased with his ovvne bloud ✠verse 29 I knovv that after my departure there vvil â— rauening vvolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke ✠verse 30 and out of your ovvne selues shal arise men speaking peruerse things to dravv avvay disciples after them selues ✠verse 31 For the vvhich cause be vigilant keeping in memorie that for three yeres night and day I ceased not vvith teares to admonish euery one of you ✠verse 32 And novv I commend you to God and to the vvord of his grace vvho is able to edifie and to giue inheritance in al the sanctified ✠verse 33 No mans siluer and gold or garment haue I coueted ✠verse 34 Your selues knovv that for such things as vvere needful for me and them that are vvith me these hands haue ministred ✠verse 35 I haue shevved you al things that so labouring you must receiue the vveake and remember the vvord of our Lord IESVS because he said â— It is a more blessed thing to giue rather then to take ✠verse 36 And vvhen he had said these things falling on his knees he praied vvith al them ✠verse 37 And there vvas great vveeping made of al and falling vpon the necke of Paul they kissed him ✠verse 38 being sorie most of al for the vvord vvhich he had said that they should see his face no more And they brought him going vnto the shippe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XX. 16. Pentecost Though the Apostles might desire to come to the Ievves Festiuities by reason of the general concourse of people to the same the better to deale for their saluation and â—o spred the Gospel of Christ yet it is like that they novv kept solemly the Christian Pentecost or vvhitsontide for memorie of the Holy Ghost and that S. Paul vvent to that Feast of the Christians rather then the other of the Ievves And Ven. Bede saith here The Apostle maketh hast to keepe the fifteth day that is of remission and of the Holy Ghost For that the Christians already kept the eight day that is the Sunday or our Lordes day and had altered already the ordinarie Sabboth into the same it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 16 2. Apoc. 1 10. and by antiquitie Iustin Mart. Apolog. 2 ad Anton. Pium in fine And it is as like that they changed the Ievves Pasche and Pentecost as that specially vvhen it is euident that * these Festiuities be kept by Apostolike tradition and approued by the vse of al auncient Churches and Councels â—9 Rauening vvolues The gouernours of the Church are foretold of the great danger that should fall to the people by vvolues that is to say by Heretikes vvhose cruelty tovvard the Catholikes is noted by this terme They be knovveÌ„ by the forsaking the vnitie of the Church vvhereof they vvere before by going out and dravving many disciples after them and by their peruerse doctrine Such vvolues came aftervvard in deede in diuers ages Arius Mâ—cedonius Nestorius Eutyches Luther Caluin great bloudsucking vvolues and vvasters of the flocke of Christ 35. More blessed to giue Among many other infinite goodly things and speaches vvhich Christ spake and be not vvritten in the Gospels this sentence is one vvhich S. Paul heard of some of the Apostles daily conuersant vvith him or els learned of Christ him self or of the Holy Ghost And it signifieth that vvhereas the vvorld commonly counteth him happie that receiueth any benefite as almes either temporal or spiritual yet in deede he that giueth or bestovveth is more happie Vvhich if the vvorld did vvel consider men vvould giue almes faster then they do if it vvere but for their ovvne benefite CHAP. XXI From MileÌ„tum going on his iourney 4 he can not be dissuaded neither as Tyre 8 nor at Caesarea in both vvhich places the Holy Ghost reueled hovv he should be handled in Hierusalem 10 the Prophet Agabuâ— expresly foretelling that the Ievves there should deliuer him to the Gentils 15 but to Hierusalem he coÌ„meth vvhere being vvelcome to the Christians and namely to Iames the Bishop and to the Priests vvhile he goeth about to satisfie the Christian Ievves there vvho had been misinformed of him as if he had taught it to be vnlawful for the Iewes to keepe Moyses Lavv 27 he is inuaded by the infidel Ievves and ready to be murdered by them vntil the Romane souldiars do rescue him verse 1 AND vvhen it came to passe that vve sailed being caried from them vvith a straight course vve came to Cóos and the day folovving to Rhodes and from thence to Pátara ✠verse 2 And when vve had found a ship that passed ouer to Phoenîce going vp into it vve sailed ✠verse 3 And vvhen vve vverâ— in the sight of Cypres leauing it on the left hand vve sailed into Syria and came to Tyre for there the ship vvas to discharge her lode ✠verse 4 And finding disciples vve taried there seuen daies vvho said to Paul by the Spirit that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem ✠verse 5 And the daies being expired departing vve vvent forvvard al bringing vs on
father of many nations haue I appointed thee before God vvhom thou didst beleeue ' vvho quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that are not as those things that are ✠verse 18 Vvho contrarie to hope beleeued in hope that he might be made the father of many nations according to that vvhich vvas * said to him So shal thy seede be as the starres of heauen and the sand of the sea ✠verse 19 And he vvas not vveakened in faith neither did he coÌ„sider his ovvne body novv quite dead vvhereas he vvas almost an hundred yeres old and the dead matrice of Sara ✠verse 20 In the promisse also of God he staggered not by distrust but vvas strengthened in faith giuing glorie to God ✠verse 21 most fully knovving that vvhatsoeuer he promised he is able also to doe ✠verse 22 Therfore vvas it also reputed him to iustice ✠verse 23 And it is not vvritten only for him that it vvas reputed him to iustice ✠verse 24 but also ″ for vs to vvhom it shal be reputed beleeuing in him that raised vp IESVS CHRIST our Lord from the dead ✠verse 25 vvho vvas deliuered vp for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Abraham The Apostle disputing in this chapter as before against them that thought they might be iustified by their vvorkes done vvithout the grace of Christ and faith in him proposeth Abraham for an example and proueth that he had no iustice nor estimation of iustice before God by any vvorkes done before he had faith or that proceded not of faith and Gods grace 2. By vvorkers If Abraham did any commendable vvorkes before he beleeued Christ as many Philosophers did men might count him iust therfore but in Gods sign vvho accepteth nothing vvithout faith in him or that procedeth not from his grace he should neuer haue had the estimation of a iust man Therfore God in the Scriptures reputing him as a iust man giueth the cause therof saying Abraham beleeued God and it vvas reputed to him for iustice 4 To him that vvorketh That is to say He that presumeth of his ovvne vvorkes as done of him self vvithout faith Gods helpe and grace and saying that grace or iustification vvere giuen to him for his vvorkes this man doth chalenge his iustification as dette and not as of fauour and grace 5. To him that vvorketh not He vvorketh not in this place that hath no vvorkes or alleageth not his vvorkes done in his infidelitie as cause of his iustification but faith in Christ and that proceding of mere grace Vvherevpon S. Augustine saith Knovv thou that faith found thee vniust And if faith giuen to thee made the iust it found thee a vvicked one vvhom it might make iust If it found thee vvicked and of such an one made thee iust vvhat vvorkes hadst thou being then vvicked None couldest thou haue nor canst haue before thou beleeudst Beleeue then in him that iustifieth the impious that thy good vvorkes may be good vvorkes in deede August in Psal 31. 6. As Dauid termeth The Protestants for termeth translato describeth for that they vvould haue the ignorant beleeue the vvhole nature definition of Iustification to be nothing els but remission of sinnes and no grace or inherent iustice giuen from God at al. Vvhen the Apostle vvould say nothing els but that in the first justificatioÌ„ God findeth no good vvorkes or merites to revvard but only sinnes to forgiue vnto such as haue faith in him 7. Couered 8. not imputed You may not gather as the Heretikes doe of these termes couered and not imputed that the sinnes of men be neuer truely forgiuen but hidden only for that derogateth much to the force of Christes bloud and to the grace of God by vvhich our offences be truly remitted He is the Lambe that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld that vvasheth and blotteth out our sinnes therfore to couer them or not to impute them is not to charge vs vvith our sinnes because by remission they be cleane taken avvay othervvise it vvere but a â—eined forgiuenesse See S. Augustine in psal 3â— enarrat â— 11. A seale The Heretikes vvould proue hereby that the Sacraments of the Church giue not grace or iustice of faith but that they be notes markes and badges only of our remission of sinnes had by faith before because Abraham vvas iust before and tooke this Sacrament for a seale thereof only To vvhich must be ansvvered that it folovveth not that it is so in al because it vvas so in the Patriarch vvho vvas iust before and vvas therfore as it vvere the founde of Circumcision or he in vvhom God vvould first establish the same no more then it folovveth that because the Holy Sacrament of the Altar remitted not sinnes to Christ nor iustified him therefore it hath that effect in none Looke S. Augustine de baptismo contra Donatistas li. 4. c. 24. Vvhere you shal see that though not in Abraham yet in Isaac his sonne and so consequently in the rest the Sacrament vvent before and iustice folovved 24. For vs to vvhom it shal be reputed By this it is most plaine against our Aduersaries that the saith vvhich vvas reputed for iustice to Abraham vvas his beleefe of an Article reuealed to him by God that is to say his assent and credit giuen to Gods speaches as in vs his posteritie according to the spirit it is here plainely said that iustice shal be reputed to vs by beleeuing the Articles of Christes death and Resurrection and not by any fond special faith fiducia or confidence of eche mans ovvne saluation to establish the vvhich fiction they make no account of the faith Catholike that is vvherevvith vve beleeue the Articles of the faith vvhich only iustifieth but call it by contempt an historical faith so as they may terme Abrahams faith and our Ladies faith of vvhich it vvas * said Beata quae credidisti Blessed art thou that hast beleeued And so in truth they deny as vvel the iustification by faith as by vvorkes CHAP. V. Hauing therfore through faith in Christ obteined the beginning he shevveth vvhat great cause vve haue to hope for the accomplishment 12 And then he procedeth in his arguing and shevveth that as by one â—l vvere made sinners so by one al must he made iust verse 1 BEING iustified therfore by faith ″ let vs haue peace tovvard God by our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 2 by vvhoÌ„ also vve haue ″ accesse through faith into this grace vvherein vve stand and glorie in the hope of the glorie of the sonnes of God ✠verse 3 And not only this but also vve glorie in tribulations knovving that tribulation vvorketh patience ✠verse 4 and patience probation and ″ probation hope ✠verse 5 and hope confoundeth not because ″ the charitie of God is povvred forth in our hartes by the holy Ghost
flesh God sending his sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh ✠verse 4 that the iustification of the lavv might be fulfilled in vs vvho vvalke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit ✠verse 5 For they that are according to the flesh are affected to the things that are of the flesh but they that are according to the spirit are affected to the things that are of the spirit ✠verse 6 For the vvisedom of the flesh is death but the vvisedom of the spirit life and peace ✠verse 7 Because the vvisedom of the flesh is an enemie ' to God for to the law of God it is not subiect neither can it be ✠verse 8 And they that are in the flesh can not please God ✠verse 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit yet if the Spirit of God dvvel in you But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his ✠verse 10 But if Christ be in you the body in deede is dead because of sinne but the spirit liueth because of iustification ✠verse 11 And if the Spirit of him that raised vp IESVS from the dead dvvel in you he that raised vp IESVS CHRIST from the dead shal quicken also your mortal bodies because of his Spirit dvvelling in you ✠verse 12 Therfore brethren vve are deiters not to the flesh to liue according to the flesh ✠verse 13 For if you liue according to the flesh you shal die but if by the spirit you mortifie the deedes of the flesh you shal liue ✠verse 14 For vvhosoeuer are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God ✠verse 15 For * you haue not receiued the spirit of seruitude againe in feare but * you haue receiued the spirit of adoption of sonnes vvherein vve crie Abba father ✠verse 16 For ″ the Spirit him self giueth testimonie to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God ✠verse 17 And if sonnes heires also heires truly of God and coheires of Christ ⊢ ″ yet if vve suffer vvith him that vve may be also glorified vvith him ✠verse 18 For I thinke that the passions of this time are not ″ condigne to the glorie to come that shal be reuealed in vs. ✠verse 19 For the expectation of the creature expecteth the reuelation of the sonnes of God ✠verse 20 For the creature is made subject to vanitie not vvilling but for him that made it subiect in hope ✠verse 21 because creature also it self shal be deliuered from the seruitude of corruption into the libertie of the glorie of the children of God ✠verse 22 For vve knovv that euery creature groneth and trauaileth euen til novv ✠verse 23 And not only it but vve al 's our selues hauing the first fruites of the spirit vve also grone vvithin our selues expecting the adoption of the sonnes of God the redemption of our body ⊢ ✠verse 24 For ″ by hope vve are saued But hope that is seen is not hope for that vvhich a man seeth vvherfore doth he hope it ✠verse 25 But if vve hope for that vvhich vve see not vve expect by patience ✠verse 26 And in like maner also the Spirit helpeth our infirmitie For vvhat vve should pray as vve ought vve knovv not but the Spirit him self requesteth for vs vvith gronings vnspeakable ✠verse 27 And he that searcheth the hartes knovveth vvhat ″ the Spirit desireth because according to God he requesteth for the sainctes ✠verse 28 And vve knovv that to them that loue God al things cooperate vnto good to such as according to purpose are called to be sainctes ✠verse 29 For vvhom he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his sonne that he might be the first-borne in many brethren ✠verse 30 And ″ vvhom he hath predestinated them also he hath called and vvhom he hath called them also he hath iustified and vvhom he hath iustified them also hath he glorified ✠verse 31 What shal vve then say to these things If God before vs vvho is against vs ✠verse 32 He that spared not also his ovvne sonne but for vs al deliuered him hovv hath he not also vvith him giuen vs al things ✠verse 33 Who shal accuse against the elect of God God that iustifieth ✠verse 34 Who is he that shal condemne Christ IESVS that died yea that is risen also againe vvho is on the right hand of God vvho also maketh intercession for vs. ✠verse 35 Who then shal separate vs from the charitie of Christ tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the svvord ✠verse 36 as it is vvritten For vve are killed for thy sake al the day vve are esteemed as sheep of slaughter ✠verse 37 But in al these things we ouer come because of him that hath loued vs. ✠verse 38 For ″ I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Povvers neither things present nor things to come neither might ✠verse 39 not height nor depth nor other creature shal be able to separate vs from the charitie of God vvhich is in Christ IESVS our Lord. ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 16. The spirit giueth testimonie This place maketh not for the Heretikes special faith or their presumptuous certainty that euery one of them is in grace the testimonie of the Spirit being nothing els but the invvard good motions comfort and contentment vvhich the children of God do daily feele more and more in their hartes by seruing him by vvhich they haue as it vvere an attestation of his fauour tovvardes them vvhereby the hope of their iustification and saluation is much corroborated and strengthened 17. Yet if they suffer Christes paines or passions haue not so satisfied for al that Christian men be discharged of their particular suffering or satisfying for eche mans ovvne part neither be our paines nothing vvorth to the attainement of heauen because Christ hath done ynough but quite contrarie he vvas by his passion exalted to the glorie of heauen therfore vve by compassion or partaking vvith him in the like passions shal attaine to be fellovves vvith him in his kingdom 18. Condigâ—â— Our Aduersaries ground hereon that the vvorkes or sufferances of this life be not meritorious or vvorthy of life euerlasting vvhere the Apostle saith no such thing no more then he saith that Christs Passions be not meritorious of his glorie vvhich I thinke they dare not much auouch in our Sauiours actions He expresseth onely that the very afflictions of their ovvne nature vvhich vve suffer vvith or for him be but short momeÌ„tanie of no account in comparison of the recompense vvhich vve shal haue in heauen no more in deede vvere Christes paines of their ovvne nature compared to his
and read as him self telleth li. 8 Confesâ—e 12. CHAP. XIIII Like a moderator and peacemaker betvvene the firme Christians vvho vvere the Gentils and the infirme vvho vvere the Christian Ievves hauing yet a scruple to cease from keeping the ceremonial meâ—tes and daies of Moyses Lavv be exhorteth the Ievv 〈◊〉 to condemne the Gentil vsing his libertie and the Gentil againe 〈◊〉 to condemne the â—â—rupulous â—ew but rather to abstaine from vsing his libertie and them offending the Ievv 〈◊〉 be an occasions vnto him of aposting verse 1 AND him that is vveake in faith take vnto you not in disputations of cogitatioÌ„s ✠verse 2 For one beleeueth that he may ″ eate al things but he that is vveake let him eate ' herbes ✠verse 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and he that eateth not let him not iudge him that eateth for God hath taken him to him ✠verse 4 Vvho art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant To his ovvne Lord he standeth or falleth and he shal stand for God is able to make him stand ✠verse 5 For one iudgeth ″ betvveene day and day and an other iudgeth euery day let euery one abound ″ in his ovvne sense ✠verse 6 He that respecteth the day respecteth to our Lord. And he that eateth eateth to our Lord for he giueth thankes to God And he that eateth not to our Lord he eateth not and giueth thankes to God ✠verse 7 For none of vs liueth to him self no man dieth to him self ✠verse 8 For whether vve liue we liue to our Lord or vvhether we die we die to our Lord. Therfore vvhether vve liue or vvhether vve die vve are our Lords ✠verse 9 For to this end Christ died and rose againe that he may haue dominion both of the dead and of the liuing ✠verse 10 But thou vvhy iudgest thou thy brother or thou vvhy doest thou despise thy brother For * vve shal al stand before the iudgement seate of Christ ✠verse 11 For it is vvritten Liue I saith our Lord that euery knee shal bovve to me and euery tongue shal confesse to God ✠verse 12 Therfore euery one of vs for him self shal render account to God ✠verse 13 Let vs therfore no more iudge one an other but this iudge ye rather that you put not a stumbling blocke or a scandal to your brother ✠verse 14 I knovv and am persuaded in our Lord IESVS Christ that nothing is coÌ„mon of it self but to him that supposeth any thing to be coÌ„mon to him it is common ✠verse 15 For if because of meate thy brother be greeued novv thou vvalkest not according to charitie * Do not vvith thy meate destroy him for vvhom Christ died ✠verse 16 Let not then our good be blasphemed ✠verse 17 For the kingdom of God is ″ not meate and drinke but iustice and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost ✠verse 18 for he that in this serueth Christ pleaseth God and is acceptable to men ✠verse 19 Therfore the things that are of peace let vs pursue and the things that are of edifying one tovvard an other let vs keepe ✠verse 20 Destroy not the vvorke of God for meate * Al things in deede are cleane but it is il for the man that eateth by giuing offence ✠verse 21 It is good not to eate flesh and not to drinke vvine nor that vvherein thy brother is offended or scandalized or vveakened ✠verse 22 Hast thou faith ″ haue it vvith thy self before God Blessed is he that iudgeth not him self in that vvhich he approueth ✠verse 23 But ″ he that discerneth if he eate is damned because not of faith for ″ al that is not of faith is sinne ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 2. Eate al things By similitude of vvordes the simple are soone deceiued and Heretikes make their vauntage of any thing to seduce the vnlearned There vvere diuers meates forbidden in the Lavv of Moyses and for signification made and counted vncleane vvhereof the Ievves might not eate aâ— al as porke hare conny and such like both of fishes foules and beasts a great number Christ discharged al them that became Christians after his Passion of that obseruance and al other ceremonies of the old Lavv Notvvithstanding because diuers that vvere brought vp in the Lavv had a religion and conscience sodenly to foresake their former maner the Apostle here admonisheth such as bestronger and 〈◊〉 instructed in the case to heare vvith the vveaker sort that being Christians could not yee finde in their hartes to eate and vse the meates forbidden by God in the Lavv as on the other side he vvarneth the vveake that vvould not eate not to take offence or scandal at them that did eate vvithout scruple any of the irregular or forbidden meates in the Lavv nor in any vvise to iudge or condemne the eater but to commit that to God and finally that neither nother should condemne the other for eating or not eating Now the Protestants foÌ„ndly apply al this to the fastes of the Church and differences of meates in the same as though the Church did forbid any meate vvholy neuer to be eaten or touched or made any creatures vncleane or othervvise prescribed any abstinence then for chastising of mens bodies and seruice of God It is a great blindnesse that they can put no difference betvvixt Christes fast of fourtie daies Mat. 4. Iohns abstaining from al delicate meates and drinkes Mat. 11. the vvidovv Annes Luc. â— 1â— the Nazareites Num. 6. the Recabites Ierem. 15 14. the Niniuities Ion. 3. S. Paules 2 Cor. 11 27. S. Timothees 1 Tim. 5 23. Iohns Disciples and Christs Disciples fast Mat. 9 14. 15. which he said they should keepe after his departure from them and the ceremonial distinction of creatures and meates cleane and vncleane in the old Lavv. of vvhich it is euident the Apostle treateth in al this chapter of none other at al. Therfore vvhen the Protestants by the vvordes of this place vvould proue that vve be either made free from fasting and from obeying the Churches commaundement or folovving Christes example in that matter or that the obseruers of Christian fastes be vveake in faith ought not in any vvise coÌ„demne of sinne the breakers of the prescribed fastes of the holy Church they doe abuse ignorantly or vvilfully the Apostles vvordes and discourse 5. Betvvene day and day By the like deceite they abuse this place against the Holy-daies of Christ and his B. mother and Saincts vvhich concerneth onely the Ievves festiuities and obseruation of times vvhereof in the Epistle to the Galatians c 4. 10. 6. Euery one in his ovvne sense The Apostle doth not giue freedom as the Churches enemies vvould haue it that euery man may doe or thinke vvhat he list but in this matter of Iudaical obseruation of daies and meates that for a time onely til the
vvel in respect of revvard at Gods hand the Apostle confessing expresly that al this that he doth either of duety or of Supererogation aboue duety as to preach of freecost and to vvorke vvith his ovvne hands to get his ovvne meate and his fellovves and to abstaine from many lavvful things al is the rather to attaine the revvard of heauen 24. So runne If such as runne for a price to make them selues more svvift and to vvinne the game abstaine from many meates and pleasures vvhat should not vve doe or suffer to vvinne the crovvne of glorie proposed and promised to none but such as runne trauel and endeuour for it 27. I chastise The goale of euerlasting glorie is not promised nor set forth for onely-faith men for such runne at randon but it is the price of them that chastise and subdue their bodies and fleshly desires by fasting vvatching voluntary pouertie and other afflictions Lord hovv farre is the carnal doctrine of the Sectaries and the mauers of these daies from the Apostles spirit Vvherein euen vve that be Catholikes though vve do not condemne vvith the Protestants these voluntarie afflictions as superfluous much lesse as superstitious or iniurious to Christs death but much cōmend them yet vve vse nothing the zeale and diligence of our first Christian aunceters herein and therfore are like to be more subiect to Gods temporal chastisments at the least in the next life then they vvere 72. Lest perhaps Here may vve lambes tremble saith a holy father vvhen the ramme the guide of the flocke must so labour and punish him self besides al his other miseries adioyned to the preaching of the Gospel lest perhaps he misse the marke A man might thinke S. Paul should be as sure and as confident of Gods grace saluation as vve poore vvretched caitiues but the Heretikes vnhappy securitie presumption and faithles persuasion of their saluation is not fides Apostolorum but fides daemoniorum not the faith of the Apostles but the faith of Diuels CHA. X. See the argument of the 9 Chapter vvhich comprehendeth the contents of this also verse 1 FOR I vvil not haue you ignorant brethren that our fathers vvere al * vnder the cloude al * passed through the sea ✠verse 2 and al in Moyses vvere baptized in the cloude and in the sea ✠verse 3 and * al did eate ″ the same spiritual foode ✠verse 4 and al * drunke the same spiritual drinke and they * drunke of the spiritual rocke that folovved them and the rocke vvas Christ ✠verse 5 but in the more part of them God vvas not vvel pleased ⊢ for they * vvere ouerthrovven in the desert ✠verse 6 And these things vvere done in a figure of vs that vve be not couering euil things as * they also coueted ✠verse 7 Neither become ye Idolaters as certaine of them as is vvritten The people sate dovvne to eate and drinke and rose vp to play ✠verse 8 Neither let vs fornicate * as certaine of them fornicate and there fel in one day three and tvventie thousand ✠verse 9 Neither let vs tempt Christ as certaine of them tempted and * perished by the serpents ✠verse 10 Neither doe you murmure as * certaine of them murmured and perished by the destroyer ✠verse 11 And al these things chaunced to them in figure but they are vvritten to our correption vpon vvhom the endes of the vvorld are come ✠verse 12 Therfore he that thinketh him self to stand let him take heede lest he fall ✠verse 13 Let not tentation apprehend ' you but humane and God is faithful vvho vvil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that vvhich you are able but vvil make also vvith tentation issue that you may be able to susteine ⊢ ✠verse 14 For the vvhich cause my deerest flee from the seruing of Idols ✠verse 15 I speake ″ as to vvise men your selues iudge vvhat I say ✠verse 16 The chalice of benediction ″ vvhich vve do blesse is it not the cōmunication of the bloud of Christ and the bread vvhich vve breake is it not ″ the participation of the body of our Lord ✠verse 17 For being many vve are ″ one bread one body al that participate of one bread ✠verse 18 Behold Israël according to the flesh ″ they that eate the hostes are they not partakers of the altar ✠verse 19 Vvhat then do I say that that vvhich is immolated to Idols is any thing or that the Idol is any thing ✠verse 20 But the things that the heathen do immolate to deuils they do immolate and not to God And ″ I vvil not haue you become fellovves of deuils ✠verse 21 ″ You can not drinke the chalice of our Lord and the chalice of deuils you can not be ″ partakers of the table of our Lord and of the table of deuils ✠verse 22 Or do vve emulate our Lord Vvhy are we stronger then he ″ Al things are lavvful for me but al things are not expedient ✠verse 23 Al things are lavvful for me but al things do not edifie ✠verse 24 Let no man seeke his ovvne but an other mans ✠verse 25 Al that is sold in the shambles eate asking no question for conscience ✠verse 26 The earth is our Lordes and the fulnes thereof ✠verse 27 If any inuite you of the infidels and you vvil goe eate of al that is set before you asking no question for conscience ✠verse 28 But if any man say This is immolated to Idols do not eate for his sake that shevved it and for conscience ✠verse 29 conscience I say not thine but the others For vvhy is my libertie iudged of an other mans conscience ✠verse 30 If I participate vvith thankes vvhy am I blasphemed for that vvhich I giue thankes for ✠verse 31 Therfore vvhether you eate or drinke or do any other thing doe al things vnto the glorie of God ✠verse 32 Be vvithout offense to the Ievves and to the Gentiles and to the Church of God ✠verse 33 as I also in al things doe please al men not seeking that vvhich is profitable to my self but vvhich is to many that they may be saued ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 1. The same The red sea and the cloud ◠figure of our Baptisme the Manna from heauen and vvater miraculously dravven out of the rocke a figure of the holy Sacrament of Christes body and bloud our Sacraments containing the things and graces in truth vvhich theirs only signified And it is an impudent forgerie of the Caluinists to vvrite vpon this place that the Ievves receiued no lesse the truth and substance of Christ and his benefites in their figures or Sacraments then vve do in ours and that they and vve al eate and drinke of the self same meate and drinke the Apostle saying
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 ″
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
B Ladie the perpetual virgin MARIE Hovvbeit some good authors say that their mother Marie vvas the natural sister of our Ladie and that therfore they are called Fratres Domini the brethren of our Lord. Hovvsoeuer that be three of them are reckened amoÌ„g the 12. Apostles Iames and Simon Cananaeus and Iude. Yea and that they vvere somevvhat more then Apostles though lesse then Peter S. Paul signifieth vvhere he saith speaking of him self and Barnabas As also the other Apostles and the brethren of our Lord and Cephas 1. Cor. 9. And as S. Luke calleth this Iude Iude of Iames so he calleth him self in this Epistle of his Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ and the brother of Iames. S. Matthevv and S. 〈…〉 as Lebbaeus also in the Greeke His feast and his 〈…〉 Church keepeth Octob. 28. called Simon and Iudes day His Epistle is an 〈◊〉 against aâ— heretikes as it vvere a Commentarie of 2 Pet. 2. and namely as * â— Aug. hath told vs against those vvhich misconstred S. Paules Epistles and held Only faith vvhom he calleth therfore Men that transferre or 〈…〉 grace of God into rioâ—ousnes v. 4. exhorting Catholikes to be constant and 〈◊〉 from their old faith and to contend for the keeping thereof v. 3. 〈…〉 heretikes â— saith he segregate them selues from the Church and from 〈…〉 v. 19. THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IVDE THE APOSTLE He exhorteth them to stand to their old faith shâ—vving them by examples that it is damnable not to continue and be constant 8 inueighing against the lecherie blasphemie apostasie banketing of the heretikes 14 and that their damnation vvas long foretold 17 Catholikes therfore to be vnmoueable to reproue the obstinate to recouer al not desperate to confirme the vveake and to liue them selues vertuously and vvithout mortal sinne vvhich by Gods grace they may doe verse 1 IVDE the seruant of IESVS Christ and brother of Iames to them that are in God the Father beloued and in IESVS Christ preserued and called ✠verse 2 Marcie to you and peace and charitie be accomplished ✠verse 3 My deerest taking al care to vvrite vnto you of your common saluation I thought it necessarie to vvrite vnto you beseeching you to contend for the faith once deliuered to the sainctes ✠verse 4 For there are certaine men secretely entred in vvhich vvere long ago prescribed vnto this iudgement impious transferring the grace of our God into riotousnes and denying the onely Dominator and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 5 * But I vvil admonish you that once knovv al things that IESVS sauing the people out of the land of Aegipt * secondly destroied them vvhich beleeued not ✠verse 6 But the Angels vvhich kept not their principalitie but forsooke their owne habitation he hath reserued vnder darkenesse in eternal bondes vnto the iudgment of the great day ✠verse 7 As * Sodom and Gomorrhe and the citie adioyning in like maner hauing fornicated and going after other flesh vvere made an example sustaining the paine of eternal fire ✠verse 8 In like maner these also defile the flesh and despise dominion blaspheme maiestie ✠Vvhen Michael the Archangel disputing vvith the Diuel made altercation ″ for the body of Moyses he durst not inferre iudgment of blasphemie but said Our Lord commaund ' thee ✠verse 10 But these vvhat things so euer certes they are ignorant of ″ they blaspheme and vvhat things so euer naturally as dumme beastes they knovv in those they are corrupted ✠verse 11 Vvo vnto them vvhich ' haue gone in the vvay of * ″ Caâ—n and vvith the errour of * Balaam haue for revvard povvred out them selues and haue perished in the contradiction of Corè ✠verse 12 These are in their bankets spottes feasting together vvithout feare feeding them selues cloudes vvithout vvater vvhich are caried about of vvindes trees of autumne vnfruiteful tvvise dead plucked vp by the rootes ✠verse 13 raging vvaues of the sea foming out their ovvne confusions vvandering starres to vvhom the storme of darkenesse is reserued for euer ✠verse 14 And of these prophecied Enoch the seuenth from Adam saying Behold our Lord is come in his holy thousandes ✠verse 15 to doe iudgement against al and to reproue al the impious of al the vvorkes of their impietie vvherby they haue done impiously and of al the hard thinges vvhich impious sinners haue spoken against him ✠verse 16 These are murmurers ful of complaintes vvalking according to their ovvne desires and their mouth speaketh pride admiring persons for gaine sake ✠verse 17 But you may deerest be mindeful of the vvordes vvhich haue been spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 18 vvho told you * that in the last time shal come mockers according to their ovvne desires vvalking in impieties ✠verse 19 ″ These are they vvhich segregate them selues sensual hauing not the Spirit ⊢ ✠verse 20 But you my deerest building your selues vpon our ' most holy faith in the holy Ghost praying ✠verse 21 keepe your selues in the loue of God expecting the mercie of our Lord IESVS Christ vnto life euerlasting ✠verse 22 And these certes reproue being iudged ✠verse 23 but them saue pulling out of the fire And on other haue mercie in feare hating also that vvhich is carnal the spotted cote ✠verse 24 And to him that is able to preserue you vvithout sinne and to sette you immaculate before the sight of his glorie in exultation in the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 25 to the onely God our Sauiour by IESVS Christ our Lord be glorie and magnificeÌ„ce empire and power before al worldes and novv and for al vvorldes euermore Amen ANNOT. 9. For the body of Moyses Vvhen why or hovv this altercation or combat was betwene S. Michael and the Diuel about Moyses body no man can declare only this vve see that many truthes and stories vvere kept in the mouthes and hartes of the faithful that vvere not written in Scriptures canonical as this vvas among the Ievves 10. They blaspheme He speaketh of Heretikes who being ignorant in Gods mysteries and the diuine doctrine of his Church vvhen they can not reproue the things then they fall to execrations irrisions and blasphemies against the Priests Church and Sacraments and vvhatsoeuer is godly 11. Cain Balaaâ— Corè The Apostle vvould haue Heretikes specially to be knowen by the resemblance they haue first to Cain in that for enuy that his brothers seruice and sacrifice was accepted and his reiected sâ—ewe his said brother and was a fugitiue from the face and citie of God vvhich is the Church Secondly by their resemblance to Balaam who for money was induced to curse Gods people as couetousnes is commonly the cause that first maketh Heretikes and false Prophets wherevpon S. Augustine saith He is an Heretike that for