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
his humanity but for that his petigree is not set out in the Genesis as the genealogie of other Patriarches is but is sodenly induced in the holy historie no mention made of his stocke tribe beginning or ending and therfore in that case also resembling in a sort the sonne of God vvhose generation vvas extraordinarie miraculous and ineffable according to both his natures lacking a father in the one and a mother in the other his person hauing neither beginning nor ending and his kingdom and Priesthod specially in him self and in the Church being eternall both in respect of the time past and the time to come as the said Doctor in the same epistle vvriteth 4. Behold To proue that Christes Priesthod far passeth the Priesthod of Aaron and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament the Priesthod of the old lavv and consequently that the sacrifice of our Sauiour and the sacrifice of the Church doth much excel the sacrifices of Moyses lavv he disputeth proâ—oundly of the preeminences of Melchisedec aboue the great Patriarch Abraham vvho vvas father of the Leuites 4. Tithes The first preeminence that Abraham paied tithes and that of the best and most cheefe things that he had vnto Melchisedec as a duety and homage not for him self onely in person but for Leui vvho yet vvas not borne and so for the vvhole Priesthod of Leuies stocke acknovvledging thereby Melchisedec not onely to be a Priest but his Priest and Superior and so of al the Leuitical order And it is here to be obserued that vvhereas in the 14 of Genesis vvhence this holy narration is taken both in the Hebrue and in the 70 it standeth indifferent or doubtfull vvhether Melchisedec paied tithes to Abraham or tooke tithes of him the Apostle here putteth al out of controuersie plainely declaring that Abraham paid tithes to the other at the inferiour to his Priest and Superior And touching paiment of tithes it is a natural duety that men ovve to God in al lavves and to be giuen to his Priests in his behalfe for their honour and liuelihod Iacob promised or vovved to pay them Gen. 28. Moyses appointed them Leuit. 27. Num. 18. Deut. 12. 14. 26. Christ confirmeth that duety Mat. 23 and Abraham specially here giueth them to Melchisedec plainely thereby approuing them or their equiualent to be due to Christ and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament much more then either in the lavv of Moyses or in the lavv of Nature Of vvhich tithes due to the Clergie of Chrises Church see S. Cyprian ep 66. S. Hierom ep 1 c. 7. and ep 2 c. 5. to Hellodorus and Nepolianus S. Augustine ser 119 de tempore 7. Is blessed of the better The second preeminence is that Melchisedec did blesse Abraham vvhich vve see here S. Paul maketh a great and soueraine holy thing grounding our Sauiours prerogatiue aboue the vvhole order of Aaron therein and vve see that in this sort it is the proper act of Prieshod â— and that vvithout al controuersie as the Apostle saith he is greater in dignitie that hath authority to blesse then the person that hath not and therfore the Priests vocation to be in this behalfe far aboue any earthly king vvho hath not povver to giue benediction in this sacred maner neither to man nor other creature As here Melchisedec so Christ blessed much more and so haue the Bishops of his Church done and do Vvhich no man can maruel that our forefathers haue so highly esteemed and sought for if he marke the vvonderful mysterie and grace thereof here expressed 〈…〉 also vvhich here taketh blossing of Melchisedec him self though in an inferior sort blessed his sonnes as the other Patriarches did and fathers do their children by that example 11. If consummation The principal proposition of the vvhole epistle and al the Apostle discourse is inserted grounded vpon the former prerogatiues of Melchisedec aboue Abraham and Leul that is that the end perfection accomplishment and consummation of al mans dueties and debtes to God by the general redemption satisfaction full price and perfect ransom of al mankind vvas not atchieued by any or al the Priests of Aarons order not by any sacrifice or act of that Priesthod or of al the lavv of Moyses vvhich vvas grounded vpon the Leuitical Priesthod but by Christ and his Priesthod vvhich is of the order and rite of Melchisedec 11. What necessitie This disputation of the preeminence of Christes Priesthod aboue the Leuitical order is against the erroneous persuasion of the Ievves that thought their lavv Priesthod and sacrifices to be euerlasting and to be sufficient in them selues vvithout any other Priest then Aaron and his successors and vvithout al relation to Christes Passion or any other redemption or remission then that vvhich their Leuitical offices did procure not knovving that they vvere all figures of Christes death and to be ended and accomplished in the same Vvhich point vvell vnderstood and kept in mind vvill cleere the vvhole controuersie betvvixt the Catholikes and Protestants concerning the sacrifice of the Church for the scope of the Apostles disputation being to auouch the dignity preeminence necessitie and eternal fruite and effect of Christes Passion he had not to treate at all of the other vvhich is a sacrifice depending of his Passion specially vvriting to the Hebrues that vvere to be instructed and reformed first touching the sacrifice of the Crosse before they could fruitfully heare any thing of the other though in couert and by most euident sequele of disputation the learned and faithfull may easily perceiue vvherevpon the said Sacrifice of the Church vvhich is the Masse is grounded And therfore S. Hierom saith ep 126 that al these commendations of Melchisedec are in the type of Christ euius profectus Ecclesiae sacramenta sunt 12. Translated Note vvel this place and you shal perceiue thereby that euery lavvful forme and manner of lavv state or gouernement of Gods people dependeth on Priesthod riseth standeth falleth or altereth vvith the Priesthod In the lavv of Nature the state of the people hanged on one kind of Priesthod in the lavv of Moyses of an other in the state of Christianity of an other and therfore in the former sentence the Apostle said that the Ievvish people or Commonvvealth had their lavv vnder the Leuitical Priesthod and the Greeke more properly expresseth the matter that they vvere legitimated that is to say made a lavvful people or communitie vnder God by the Priesthod for there is no iust nor lavvful Commonvvealth in the vvorld that is not made legal and Gods peculiar and distinguished from vnlavvful Commonvveales that hold of false goddes or of none at al by Priesthod Vvherevpon it is cleere that the nevv lavv and al Christian peoples holding of the same is made lavvful by the Priesthod of the nevv Testament and that the Protestants shamefully are deceiued and deceiue others that vvould haue Christian Commonvveales to lacke
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
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
the dead othervvise it is yet of no value vvhiles he that tested liueth ✠verse 18 Vvherevpon neither vvas the first certes dedicated vvithout bloud ✠verse 19 For al the commaundement of the Lavv being read of Moyses to al the people he taking the bloud of calues and goates vvith vvater and scarlet vvool and hyssope sprinkled the very booke also it self and al the people ✠verse 20 saying * ″ This is the bloud of the Testament vvhich God hath commaunded vnto you ✠verse 21 The tabernacle also al the vessel of the ministerie he in like maner sprinkled with bloud ✠verse 22 And al things almost according to the lavv are cleansed with bloud and vvithout sheading of bloud there is not remission ✠verse 23 It is necessarie therfore that ″ the examplers of the coelestials be cleansed vvith these but the celestials them selues vvith better hostes then these ✠verse 24 For IESVS is not entred into Holies made vvith hand examplers of the true but into heauen it self that he may appeare novv to the countenance of God for vs. ✠verse 25 Nor that he should ″ offer him self often as the high priest entereth into the Holies euery yere in the bloud of others ✠verse 26 othervvise he ought to haue suffered often from the beginning of the vvorld but novv once in the cōsummation of the vvorldes to the destructiō of sinne he hath appeared by his ovvne host ✠verse 27 And as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement ✠verse 28 so also Christ vvas offered once to exhaust the sinnes of many the second time he shal appeare vvithout sinne to them that expect him vnto saluation ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 4. A golden potte The Protestants count it superstitious to keepe vvith honour and reuerence the holy memories or monuments of Gods benefites and miracles or the tokens of Christes Passion as his Crosse garments or other things appertaining to him or his Saincts and thinke it impossible that such things should dure so long vvhen they may here see the reuerent and long reseruation of Manna vvhich of it self vvas most apt to putrifie and of Aarons rodde onely for that it sodenly florished by miracle the tables of the Testament c. See a notable place in S. Cyril li. 6 cont Iulian. vvhere he defendeth against Iulian the Apostataes blasphemie he keeping and honouring of that Crosse or vvood vvhich Christ died on See also S. Paulinus ep 11. and vvhat reuerence S. Hierom and the faithful of his time did to the sepulchres of Christ and his Martyrs and to their relikes We reuerence and vvorship saith he euery vvhere Martyrs sepulchres and putting the holy ashes to our eies if vve may vve touch it vvith our mouth also and do some thinke that the monument vvherein our Lord vvas buried it to be neglected But our Protestant can not skill of this they had rather folovv Vigilantius Iulianus the Apostata and such Maisters then the holy Doctors and euident practise of the Church is al ages 5. Cherubins You see it is a fond thing to conclude vpon the first or second commaundement that there should be no sacred images in the Church vvhen euen among these people that vvere most prone to idolatrie and grosse in imagination of spiritual things such as Angels are and to vvhom the precept vvas specially giuen the same God that forbade them grauen idols did commaund these images of Angels to be made and set in the soueraine holiest place of al the Tabernacle or Temple By vvhich it is plaine that much more the images of Christ and his B. mother and Saincts that may be more truely pourtered then mere spiritual substances can be are not contrarie to Gods cōmaundement nor against his honour or repugnant to any other Scripture at all vvhich condemne onely the Idols or pourtraitures of the Heathen made for adoration of false Gods 10. Vntil the time of correction Al those grosse and carnal sacrifices ceremonies and obseruations instituted to cleanse and purifie the flesh from legal irregularities and impurities onely and not reaching to the purging of the soules consciences of men being commaunded not for euer but till Christes comming ceased then and better more forcible and more spiritual Sacraments vvere instituted in their place For vve may not imagine Christ to haue taken avvay the old and put none in their places or to alter the sacraments onely into other sacraments external and not also to translate the sacrifices to some other more excellent for it is called tempus correctionis non abolitionis sacrificij aut legis the time of correction not of abolishing sacrifice or lavv Neither haue they more reason to affirme Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse to haue rather taken avvay al kind of sacrifice then al manner of Sacraments The time and state of the nevv Testament is not made lavvlesse hostlesse or vvithout sacrifice but it is the time of correction or reformation and abettering al the foresaid things 12. Eternal redemption No one of the sacrifices nor al the sacrifices of the old lavv could make that one general price ransom and redemption of all mankind and of al sinnes sauing this one highest Priest Christ and the one sacrifice of his bloud once offered vpon the Crosse Vvhich sacrifice of redemption can not be often done because Christ could not die but once though the figures also thereof in the lavv of nature and of Moyses vvere truely called sacrifices as specially this high and maruelous commemoration of the same in the holy Sacrament of the altar according to the rite of the nevv Testament is most truely and sigularly as S. Augustine calleth it a sacrifice But neither this sort nor the other of the old lavv being often repeated and done by many Priests al vvhich vvere and are sinners them selues could be the general redeeming and consummating sacrifice nor any one of those Priests nor al the Priests together either of the lavv of Nature or of Aarons or Melchisedecks order except Christ alone coulde be the general redeemers of the vvorld And this is the Apostles meaning in al this comparison and opposition of Christes death to the old sacrifices and of Christ to their Priests and not that Christes death or sacrifice of the Crosse should take avvay al sacrifices or proue that those Aaronical offices vvere no true sacrifices at al nor those Priests verily Priests They vvere true Priests true sacrifices though none of those sacrifices vvere the high capital and general sacrifice of our price and redemption nor none of them or of those Priests could vvithout respect to this one sacrifice of Christes death vvorke any thing to Gods honour or remission of sinnes as the Ievves did falsely imagine not referring them at al to this general redemption and remission by Christ but thinking them to be absolute sacrifices in them selues
And that to haue been the errour of the Hebrues you may read in S. Augustine li. 3. doct Christ c. 6. And this vve tel the Protestants is the onely purpose of the Apostle But they be so grosse or ignorant in the Scriptures and so malitiously set against Gods and the Churches truth that they peruersely and folishly turne the vvhole disputation against the sacrifice of the B. Masse and the Priests of the new Testament as though vve held that the sacrifice of the altar vvere the general redemption or redeeming sacrifice or that it had no relation to Christes death or that it vvere not the representation and most liuely resemblance of the same or vvere not instituted and done to apply in particular to the vse of the partakers that other general benefite of Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse Against the Ievves then onely S. Paul disputeth and against the false opinion they had of their Priests and sacrifices to vvhich they attributed al remission and redemption vvithout respect of Christes death 15. Of those preuarications The Protestants do vnlearnedly imagine that because al sinnes be remitted by the force of Christes passion that therfore there should be no other sacrifice after his death Vvhereas in deede they might as vvell say there ought neuer to haue been sacrifice appointed by God either in the lavv of Nature or of Moyses as al their argumeÌ„ts made against the Sacrifice of the Church vpon the Apostles discourse proue as vvel or rather onely that there vvere no sacrifices of Aarons order or Leuitical lavv at all For against the Ievves false opinion concerning them doth he dispute and not a vvord touching the sacrifice of the Church vnto vvhich â—n al this discourse he neuer opposeth Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse al Christian men vvel knovving that the host oblation of those tvvo though they differ in maner and external forme yet is in deede al one The Apostle then shevveth here plainely that al the sinnes that euer vvere remitted since the beginning of the vvorld vvere no othervvise forgiuen but by the force and in respect of Christes Passion Yet it folovveth not therevpon that the oblations of Abel Abraham Aaron c vvere no sacrifices as by the Heretikes foolish deduction it should do S. Paul not opposing Christes Passion to them for the intent to proue them to haue been no sacrifices but to proue that they vvere not absolute sacrifices nor the redeeming or consummating Sacrifice vvhich could not be many nor done by many Priests but by one and at one time by a more excellent Priest theÌ„ any of them or any other mere mortal man And that you may see the blasphemous pride and ignorance of Caluin and in him of al his fellovves read so many as may read Heretical bookes his commentarie vpon this place and there you shal see him gather vpon this that Christes death had force from the beginning vvas the remedie for al sinnes since the creation of the vvorld therfore there must be no moâ— but that one sacrifice of Christes death Vvhich must needes by his deduction hold as it doth in deede no lesse against the old sacrifices then the nevv sacrifice of the Church and so take avvay al vvhich is against the Apostles meaning and al religion 20. This is the bloud Christes death vvas necessarie for the full confirmation ratification and accomplishement of the nevv Testament though it vvas begonne to be dedicated in the sacrifice of his last supper being also vvithin the compasse of his Passion Vvhich is euident by the vvordes prouounced by Christ ouer the holy chalice vvhich be correspondent to the vvordes that vvere spoken as the Apostle here declareth in the first sacrifice of the dedication of the old lavv hauing also expresse mention of remission of sinnes thereby as by the bloud of the nevv Testament Vvhereby it is plaine that the B. Chalice of the altar hath the very sacrificall bloud in it that vvas shed vpon the Crosse in by vvhich the nevv Testament vvhich is the lavv of spirit grace and remission vvas dedicated and doth consist And therfore it is also cleere that many diuine things vvhich to the Heretikes or ignorant may seeme to be spoken onely of Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse be in deede verified fulfilled also in the sacrifice of the altar Vvhereof S. Paul for the causes aforesaid vvould not treate in plaine termes See Isychius li. 1 in Leuit. c. 4 paulo post initium applying al these things to the immolation of Christ also in the Sacrament 23. The examplers Al the offices places vessels and instruments of the old lavv vvere but figures and resemblances of the state and sacraments of the nevv Testament vvhich are here called celestials for that they are the liuely image of the heauenly state next ensuing vvhich be therfore specially dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud sacrificed on the altar and sprinkled vpon the faithful as the old figures and people vvere cleansed by the bloud of beasts And therfore by a transition vsual in the holy Scriptures the Apostle sodenly passeth in the senteÌ„ce immediatly folovving and turneth his talke to Christes entrance into heauen the state vvhereof both by the Sacraments of the old lavv and also more specially by them of the nevv is prefigured 25. Offer him self often As Christ neuer died but once not neuer shal die againe so in that violent painful and blouddy sort he can neuer be offered againe neither needeth he so to be offered any more hauing by that one action of sacrifice vpon the Crosse made the full ransom redemption and remedie for the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Neuerthelesse as Christ died and vvas offered after a sort in all the sacrifices of the Lavv and Nature since the beginning of the vvorld al vvhich vvere figures of this one oblation vpon the Crosse so is he much rather offered in the sacrifice of the altar of the nevv Testament incomparably more neerely diuinely and truely expressing his death his body broken his bloud shed then did any figure of the old lavv or other sacrifice that euer vvas as being in deede though in hidden sacramental and mysticall and vnblouddy maner the very self same B. body and bloud the self same host oblation and sacrifice that vvas doue vpon the Crosse And this truth is most euident by the very forme of vvordes vsed by our Sauiour in the institution and consecration of the holy Sacrament and by the profession of all the holy Doctors Our sacrifice saith S. Cyprian is correspondent to the Passion of Christ And The sacrifice that vve offer is the Passion of Christ ep 63. nu 4. nu 7. S. Augustine de fâ—d ad Pet. c. 19. In those carnal sacrifices vvas the prosiguring of the flesh of Christ vvhich he vvas to offer for sinnes and of the bloud vvhich he vvas to sheads but in this Sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ vvhich
to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchisedec See ep 120. c. 19. ep 57. ad q. 1. in fine Thus you see vvhen the holy fathers handle the Scriptures they finde Masse and Sacrifice in many places vvhere the ignorant heretikes or the simple might thinke they speake onely of a common thankes giuing 16. God is promerited This latin vvord promeretur cannot be expressed effectually in any one English vvord It signifieth Gods fauour to be procured by the foresaid vvorkes of almes and charitie as by the deserts and merites of the doers Which doctrine and vvord of merites the Aduersaries like so il that they flee both here and els vvhere from the vvord translating here for promeretur Deus God is pleased more neere to the Greeke as they pretend Which in deede maketh no more for them then the latin vvhich is agreable to most auncient copies as vve see by Primasius S. Augustines scholer For if God be pleased vvith good vvorkes and shew fauour for them then are they meritorious and then only faith is not the cause of Gods fauour to men 17. Obey your Prelates There is nothing more inculcated in the holy Scriptures then obedience of the lay people to the Priests and Prelates of Gods Church in matters of soule conscience and religion Vvhereof the Apostle giueth this reason because they haue the charge of mens soules and must ansvver for them vvhich is an infinite preeminence and superiority ioyned vvith burden and requireth maruelous submission and most obedient subiection of al that be vnder them and their gouernement From this obedience there is no exception nor exemption of kings nor Princes be they neuer so great If they haue soules and be Christian men they must be subiect to some Bishop Priest or other Prelate And vvhatsoeuer he be though Emperour of all the vvorld if he take vpon him to prescribe and giue lawes of religion to the Bishops and Priests vvhom he ought to obey and be subiect vnto in religion he shal he damned vndoubtedly except he repent because he doth against the expresse vvord of God and law of nature And by this you may see the difference of an heretical and a disordered time from other Catholike Christian daies For heresie and the like damnable reuoltes from the Church of God is no more but a rebellion and disobedience to the Priests of Gods Church vvhen men refuse to be vnder their discipline to heare their doctrine and interpretation of Scriptures to obey their lawes and counsels This disobedience and rebellion from the Spiritual Gouernour vnder pretence of obedience to the Temporal is the bane of our daies and specially of our Countrie vvhere these new Sectes are properly mainteined by this false principle That the Prince in matters of soule and religion may commaund the Prelate vvhich is directly and euidently against this Scripture and all other that commaund the sheepe of Christes fold to obey their spiritual Officers THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. IAMES THIS Epistle as the rest folovving is directed specially as S. Augustine saith against the errour of only faith vvhich some held at that time also by misconstruing S. Paules vvordes Yea not only that but many other errours vvhich then also vvere annexed vnto it as they are novv doth this Apostle here touche expresly He saith therfore that not only faith but also good vvorkes are necessarie that not only faith but also good vvorkes do iustifie that they are actes of Religion or seruice and vvorship of God that to keepe al the commaundements of God and so to abstaine from al mortal sinne is not impossible but necessarie that God is not author of sinne no not so much as of tentation to sinne that vve must stay our selues from sinning vvith feare of our death of the Iudgement of hel and stirre our selues to doing of good vvith our revvard that vve shall haue for it in heauen These pointes of the Catholike faith he commendeth earnestly vnto vs inueighing vehemently against them that teach the coÌ„trarie errors Hovvbeit he doth vvithal admonish not to neglect such but to seeke their conuersion shevving them hovv meritorious a thing that is Thus then he exhorteth generally to all good vvorkes dehorteth from al sinne but yet also namely to certaine from certaine as from acception of persons from detraction and rash iudging from concupisceÌ„ce and loue of this vvorld from svvearing and to praier to almes to humilitie confession and penance but most copiously to patience in persecution Novv vvho this Iames vvas It is not be vvhose feast the Church keepeth the 25 of Iulie vvhich vvas S. Iohns brother and vvhose martyrdom vve haue Act. 12. but he vvhom the Church vvorshippeth the first of Maie vvho is called Frater Domini our lordes brother and brother to Iude and vvhich vvas the first Bishop of Hierusalem of vvhom vve reade Act. 15 21. and also Gal. 2. of vvhose vvonderful austeritie and puritie of life the Ecclesiasticall stories do report Euseb li. 2. c. â—2 Hiero. in Catalogo Therfore as the old High-priest had povver and charge ouer the Ievves not only in Hierusalem and Iurie but also dispersed in other Countries as vve vnderstand Act. 9. v. 1 2. so S. Iames likevvise being Bishop of Hierusalem and hauing care not only of those Ievves vvith vvhom he vvas resident there in Iurie but of al the rest also vvriteth this Epistle To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion and in them to al Christians vniuersally dispersed through the vvorld THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IAMES THE APOSTLE Catholike Epistle The vvord Catholike though in the title of this Epistle the rest folovving called The Catholike Epistles it be not vvholy in the same sense as it is in the Creede yet the Protestants so feare and abhorre the vvord altogether that in some of their Bibles they leaue it cleane out although it be in the Greeke and in some they had rather translate ridiculously thus The general Epistle c. vvhereas these are famously knovven and * specified in antiquitie by the name of Catholike Epistles for that they are vvritten to the vvhole Church not to any peculiar people or person as S. Paules are CHAP. I. Vve haue to reioyce in persecution but if vve be patient and vvithal absteine from al mortal sinne 9 considering hovv vve shal be exalted and crovvned for it vvhen the persecutor vvho enricheth him self vvith our spoiles shal fade avvay 13 But if any be tempted to fall or to any other euil let him not say God it the author of it vvho is the author of al good onely 19 Such points of the Caâ—â—-faith vve must be content to learne vvithout contradiction and anger and to doe accordingly 26 Because othervvise vve may talke of Religion but in deede it is no Religion verse 1 IAMES the seruant of God and of our Lord IESVS Christ to the tvvelue tribes
trāslatiō to mainteine Caluins horrible blasphemie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flac. Illyr vpon this place Caluins blasphemie that Christ suffered hel paines vpō the crosse and that his death othervvise were insufficient Christ yelding vp the Ghost accomplished our redemption Io. 19. 30 Christs Passiō sufficient for al but profitable to them only vvhich obey not by faith only but by doing as he and his Church commaund The Apostle omitteth to speake of the B. Sacrament as a mysterie then to deepe for the Ievves capacitie Heb. 10 26. ⸬ It is euident by these vvordes against the Nouatians and the Caluinists that S. Paul meant not precisely that they had done or could do any such sinne vvhereby they should be put out of all hope of saluation and be sure of damnation◠during their life Gen. 22 16. The Apostles forme of Catechisme and the poīts therof The Nouatians as al Heretikes made Scripture the groūd of their heresie * Ambr. de poenit li. 2. c. 2. Other places make no more for the Protestants then this doth for Nouatus Caluins heresie vpon this place vvorse then the Nouatians Ambr. loco cit in ep ad Heb. Chry. ho. 9 in c. 6 ad Hebr. The fathers exposition of this place The Sacramēt of penance is ready for al sinners vvhatsoeuer Hiero. ep 8 ad Demetriad c. 6. Gods iustice in revvarding meritorious vvorkes Gen. 14 18. ⸬ When the fathers catholike expositours pike out allegories and mysteries out of the names of mē the Protestāts not endued vvith the Spirit vvherby the scriptures vvere giuē deride their holy labours in the search of the same but the Apostle findeth high mysterie in the very names of persons and places as you see Nu. 18 21. Deu. 18 1. Ios 14 4. ⸬ The tithes giuen to Melchisedech were not giuē as to a mere mortal mā as al of the tribe of Leui Aarons order were but as to one representing the Sonne of God vvho now liueth and reigneth and holdeth his priesthod the functions therof for euer ` Priesthod Ps 109 4. Ps 10◠4. The Epistle for a Cōfessor that is a Bishop ` them that goe ⸬ Christ according to his humane nature praieth for vs continually representeth his former passion and merites to God the Father Leu. 9 7. 16 6. The resemblāce of Melchisedec to Christ in many points By the sundrie excellencies of Melchisedeck◠Priesthod is proued the excellēcie of the Priesthod sacrifice of the nevv Testament He receiued tithes of Abrahā consequently of Leui Aarō Tithes He blessed Abraham Blessing a great preeminēce specially in Priests The ful accomplishment of mans redēption vvas not by Aarons but by Melchisedecks Priesthod The Apostle to consute the Ievves false persuasion of Aarons Priesthod and sacrifices speaketh altogether of the sacrifice of the Crosse No lavvful state of people vvith out an external Priesthod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 External Priesthod necessarie for the nevv Testament External sacrifice also necessarie for the same The translation of the old Priesthod sacrifices must needes be into the said Priesthod and sacrifice of the Church Hovv Christ is a Priest for eues Christs eternal Priesthod consisteth in the perpetual sacrifice of his body bloud in the Church The Protestāts cauilling vpon particles agaīst Melchisedecks sacrifice Priesthod directly against the Apostle Christs eternal Priesthod and sacrifice in the Church is proued out of the fathers Ep. 126. * That is from Adā to the end of the vvorld represented by sacrifice The old commaundement and the new Maundy thursday vvhy so called The introduction of a new Priesthod The eternitie of the new Priesthod confirmed by the fathers othe Christs passion By the comparison of many priests one is not meant that there is but one Priest of the new Testament Esa c. 61. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is that the absolute sacrifice of eternal redēption could not be done by those many Aaronical priests but by one onely Christ Iesus vvho liueth a Priest for euer hath no successor and as cheefe priest worketh and concurreth vvith al Priests in their priestly functions ⸬ Christ liuing and reigning in heauē continueth his priestly functiō stil and is minister not of Moyses Sancta tabernacle but of his ovvne body bloud vvhich be the true holies and tabernacle not formed by mā but by Gods ovvne hand c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo 25 9. 40. ⸬ The promises and effectes of the Law were temporal but the promises and effectes of Christes Sacraments in the Church be eternal Hier. 31 31. Christs priesthod sacrifice is external not spiritual only * Beza in schol Test Gracolat in c. 7 Heb. num 8. How Christes body is made fit to be sacrificed and eaten perpetually Kingdom of heauen and heauēly things spokē of the Church Grace the effect of the new Testament The new Testamēt or couenant betwene God man Luc. 〈◊〉 Scriptures abused for phātastical inspirations Act. 2. Io. 14. ◠12. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo. 25. 26 1. 36. The Epistle vpon Imber saturday in Septemb. 3 Reg. 8. 2 Par. 5. Exo. 25 22. Exo 30 10. Leu. 16 2. 30. ⸬ The vvay to heauē vvas not open before Christs passion therfore the Patriarches and good men of the old Testament vvere in some other place of rest vntil then c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Al things done in the old Testament and priesthod were figures of Christes actions b The Epistle vpon Passion Sunday Leu. 9 8 16 6. 14 Nu. 19. ` shal ` cleanse Gal. 3 15 ⸬ Here we may learne that the Scriptures conteine not al necessarie tites or truthes whē neither the place to which the Apostle alludeth nor any other mentioneth half these ceremonies but he had them by tradition Exo. 24. 8. c By this word vvhich signifieth to emptie or draw out euen to the botom is declared the plentiful and perfect redēption of sinne by Christ c ad exhaurienda peccata Relikes They cōtinue vvithout putrefaction The holy CROSSE The sepulchres of Christ and his Saincts ep 17. c. 5. Images in Salomons temple commaunded by God Sacrifice not taken avvay by the nevv Testament but changed into a better One only sacrifice on the Crosse the redēption of the vvorld and one onely Priest Christ the redeemes thereof Li. de Sp. lit c. 11. The Apostles disputatiō being only against the errour of the Iewes cōcerning their sacrifices and priests the Protestants applying it against the sacrifice of the Masse priestes of the new Testament Caluins argumēt against the sacrifice of the altar maketh no lesse against the sacrifices of the old Lavv. The correspondēce of vvordes in dedicating both Testamēts proueth the real presence of bloud in the Chalice In the old Testament vvere figures of the novv in the nevv is resemblance of the heauenly state Christ once offered in blouddy sort but vnblouddily