triall you flie And if anie time you make a shew of comming to it then by and by your church must giue credite to your doctrine your church cannot erre your pope cannot erre we must beléeue your doctrine not bicause you can prooue it to haue come from the Apostles but bicause your church and pope haue giuen sentence for it but if you durst abide by your note we would easily shew your doctrin to be erronious 1. Tim. 6. 10. The text For the roote of all euill is couetousnes ⸫ which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled themselues in manie sorrowes The note As in the first chapter the lacke of faith and good conscience so here couetousnes and the desire of these temporall things and in the ende of this chapter presumption and boasting of knowledge are causes of falling from the faith heresie often being the punishment of former sins The answer It is very true that God punisheth sin by sin and that there be many causes for which wicked men are wont to forsake the faith which they do or did somtimes professe The causes in your note assigned lacke of faith and good conscience couetousnes presumption and boasting if all the world be sought from one end to the other there cannot any be founde in whom these causes haue so euidently concurred and wrought as in your most holy fathers of Rome wherein I referre my selfe to the credite of your owne stories 1. Tim. 6. 19. The text Command the rich of this world not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God who giueth al things aboundantly to enioy to do wel to become rich in good works to giue easelie to communicate to heape vnto themselues a good ⸫ foundation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life The note Almes deeds and good works laid for a foundation and ground to attaine euerlasting life So say the doctors vpon this place The answer If you had shewed vs what doctors had so spoken we woulde haue shewed you their meaning But we know that neither they nor the apostles ment by the word foundation to put Christ out of his office or place but onlie to oppose against the vncertaintie of riches here the certaintie of promised blessednes in the time to come According to the saieng of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 2. TIMOTHIE ◠Tim. 1. 6. The text For the which cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of my hands The note Heere againe it is plaine that holy orders giue grace and that euen by and in the externall ceremonie of imposing the bishops hands And it is a maner of speech specially vsed in this Apostle and S. Luke that orders giue grace to the ordered and that to take orders or authoritie to minister sacrament or preach is to be giuen or deliuered to Gods grace Acts. 14. 25. The answer Héere you say that that is plaine which no wise man can sée namely that holy orders giue grace in and by the externall ceremonie of imposing of the bishops hands For if that were so what néeded there be any choise of men furnished with gifts and graces for that purpose sith in the very ordering they should be sufficiently indued with gifts and graces necessarie and néedfull And how fel it out that there were so great a number of popish priests void and destitute of al gifts graces after their ordering when the bishop had conferred and bestowed vpon them all that he could It is euident by the manifold commendations that the Apostle giueth to Timothie as well for his owne studie in the scriptures as also for his bringing vp vnder his mother and grandmother that he was a man furnished with gifts afore Paul and the elders ordered him But bicause the praiers of the church in that his consecrating to the worke of God were not in vaine that blessing and increase of aptnesse and fitnesse which God at their petitions gaue him at that time is called the gift or grace by imposition of hands In the like order it is true that all those which be rightly ordered are deliuered to the grace of God bicause the same God who of his mercifull goodnes afore indued them with gifts made them fit and méete for the worke of his ministerie and mooued his church to call them thereunto afterward by and in the imploieng of their talents to his glorie and the benefit of his church and people increaseth and augmenteth their gifts 2. Tim. 1. 13. The text Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and in ⸫ the loue in Christ Iesus The note Faith and loue coupled commonly togither in this Apostles writing The answer Paul so speaketh of them bicause faith and loue be companions inseparable But such mates as you are bend themselues to vncouple these to the end they might haue some probable shew of matter to prate withall against iustification by onely faith 2. Tim. 1. 16. The text Our Lord giue mercie to the house of Onesiphorus bicause he hath often refreshed me and hath ⸫ not beene ashamed of my chaine The note What an happie and meritorious thing it is to releeue the afflicted for religion and not to be ashamed of their disgrace yrons or what miserie so euer The answer Put meritorious into your purse and vnderstand true religion and then we agrée to your note 2. Tim. 2. 10. The text Therefore ⸫ I sustaine all things for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glorie The note Marke heere that the elect though sure of their saluation yet are saued by the means of their preachers and teachers as also by their owne endeuor The answer Marke héere the force and might of truth which hath héere wrested this confession of truth from you that the elect are sure of their saluation to which the whole course of your doctrine is opposite The ministerie of the word and mens owne endeuors to attaine the knowledge of the truth we acknowledge to be meanes appointed of God to saue those which be his 1. Tim. 2. 16. The text But profane and vaine speeches auoid The note See the annotation before 1. Timoth. 6. verse 20. The answer We haue séene your note and do sée that both your reasons and authorities there stand very well against your selues But I refer the answer of it to the answer of all your annotations 1. Tim. 2. 25. The text But the seruant of our Lord must not wrangle but be mild towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the truth least sometime ⸫ God giue them repentance to know the truth The note Conuersion from sinne and heresie is the gift of God and of his speciall grace yet
warrant your merits you delight to draw and straine parables perforce to your purpose For the meaning of that parable is nothing els but that they which during life and the time which God granteth them héere neglect the ordinarie meanes which God hath appointed for their saluation shal wish for it then when it is too late and when they cannot haue it Matt. 23. 20. The text Lord fiue talents thou didst deliuer me behold ⸫ I haue gained other fiue besides The note Freewill with Gods grace doth merit The answer It pleaseth God in mercie to reward liberally his seruants which vse the gifts which God hath bestowed on them to the honor of God and benefit of his Church What maketh this either for frée will or for merits Matt. 25. 26. The text And his Lord answering said to him ⸫ Naughtie and slothfull seruant thou didst know that I reape where I sow not c. The note A terrible example for all such as do not imploy the verie lest gift of God to his glorie The answer If this were as well weighed of you as it is written you would not waste your gifts vpon aduancing the man of sinne and child of perdition the proud Antichrist of Rome who vaunteth himselfe aboue all that is called God Matt. 25. 34. The text Come ye blessed of my father possesse you the kingdome ⸫ prepared for you from the foundation of the world The note This kingdome then is prepared for those only that do goodworks as Christ also signifieth els where saieng that it is not in his power to giue it otherwise See the annotations chap. 20. verse 23. The answer This note might be passed ouer if the corrupt meaning of them which giue it were not manifest Therefore this we say that whosoeuer by beléeuing in the name of Christ haue power to become the sonnes of God they also are fruitfully replenished with all maner of good works as time place occasion and other circumstances do serue which serueth not in all alike For the théefe vpon the crosse being now readie to die and hauing spent lewdly his former life and therefore not hauing meanes to shew foorth his faith otherwise than by confession is promised to be partaker of the kingdome of Christ. And at what time soeuer a sinner truly repenteth him of his sinnes God putteth all his sins out of remembrance how then can he be accursed or excluded out of the kingdome of heauen But our papists must either merit al at Gods hand or els they must haue nothing Your note to which you refer vs shall be considered of amongst your other larger annotations Matt. 26. 33. The text Amen I say vnto you whersoeuer this Gospell shal be preached in the whole world that also which she hath done ⸫ shall be reported for a memorie of hir The note Heerby we learne that the good works of saints are to be recorded and set foorth to their honor in the church after their death whereof rise their holidaies and commemorations The answer Héereby we learne that through Gods great goodnes the memorie of the iust shall be blessed and eternall Their holidaies afterward grew especially in such sort as they were in time of poperie solemnized wheÌ„ the diuell by his false Apostles entised men to giue to saints that honor which might not be lawfully giuen to men Matth. 26. 27. The text Drinke ye all of this The note See the margent note Marke 14. verse 23. The answer It shall be séene and answered as it commeth in course Matth. 26. 31. The text Then Iesus said to them All you shalbe scandalized in me in this night The note The nocturne of mattens in the Churches seruice answereth to this night part of our Sauiours passion and so consequently the other canonicall howers to the rest The answer This is a clearkly note you are well skilled belike in your Church seruice What your nocturne of mattens meaneth whether morning praier at night or any other mistery I can not tell For I haue not taken paines neither in your pia nor in your portuise But amongest other mockeries in your Church seruice vsed I remember that on maundy thursday at night we went froÌ„ your sacred ceremonies in the Chappell to the Colledge hall where our maundy was prouided and there whilest a boy read on the Bible to these words rise and go hence we eat and drinke so fast that he sang to deafeâ—men but when he came to those words with our mouthes full to the Chappelâ—we hied againe to make an end of your fooleries which at that time were very many God forgiue it vs. Matth. 26. 74. The text Then he began to curse and sweare that he knew not the man The note To this time the laudes doo answere in the Church seruice The answer This is such profound geare that I know not what to say to it For I am not skilfull in their Church seruice and I can spend my time better then now to séeke skill therein Matth. 27. 6. The text And the chiefe priest hauing taken the siluer peeces said It is not lawful to cast them into the ⸫ Corbanah bicause it is the price of blood The note This Corbanah was a place about the temple which receiued the peoples gifts or offerings Marke 12. vers 42. The answer If you would haue vouchsafed to haue translated in this place Corbanah into English neither your note nor your reference should haue néeded Neither doo I thinke that you can giue any good reason why you doo not translate it treasurie As for your reference it shall be considered of in your larger annotations MARKE Mar. 1. 4. The text Iohn was in the desert baptizing and preaching the baptisme of penance ⸫ vnto remission of sins The note Iohns baptisme put them in hope onely of remission of sins as a preparatiue to Christs sacrament by which sins were in deed to be remitted Augustine lib. 5. de baptismo cap. 10. The answer In the Scriptures we learne that Iohns baptisme was from heauen the counsell and ordinance of God that Iohn was a minister thereof for that purpose sent of God that the hope of remission of sins was grounded on the promises of God which deceiueth not that Iohn was the minister of the outward element and Christ the giuer of the inward grace Finally the element is the same the doctrine is the same which the Church of God now vseth How then ran your braines on a difference For sooth Augustine maketh this difference You may be a shamed to alledge Augustine for that wherof he was not resolued The Donatistes did rebaptise such Christians as they wan to their congregation from Christs Church in defence of which dotage they alledged for them selues the example of Paul who as they supposed did rebaptise those that were once afore baptised of Iohn Which obiection did trouble saint Augustine not a little so that he wist not well
heretikes for they taught in corners Mark 5. 12. The text And the spirits besought him saieng Send vs ⸫ into the swine that we may enter into them The note It is not without mysterie that the diuels desired and Christ suffered them to enter into the sâ—ine signifieng that filthie liuers be meete dwelling places for diuels August tracta 6. in epist. Iohannis The answer This mysterie opened by Augustine we well accept of and ad that if your owne stories say true then in al the world where is there a more fit place for the diuels dwelling than at Rome and with whom there rather than with the Popes good grace and his carnall colledge of Cardinals Such is the beastly filthines reported of them by al stories and not denied by your selues Mark 5. 32. The text Why make you this ado and weepe the wench is not dead but ⸫ sleepeth The note To Christ that can more easily raise a dead man than we can do one that is but asleepe death is but a sleepe Aug. de verb. Dom. ser. 44. The answer But that otherwise we should not haue vnderstood nor your ignorant followers haue maruelled at your great reading you néeded not to haue quoted your Doctor for this Mark 6. 13. The text And going foorth they preached that they should do penance and they cast out many diuels and annointed with ⸫ oile many sicke and healed them The note A preparatiue to the sacrament of extreme vnction Iam. 5. The answer Of whom learned you this Your Pope hath coined that sacrament and others mo of his owne authoritie And you his flatterers would wring it out of the miraculous dealing of Christs Apostles others in the primitiue church afore miracles ceased Mark 6. 17. The text For the said Herod sent and apprehended Iohn and bound him in prison for Herodias the wife of ⸫ Phillip his brother bicause he had maried hir The note He might and should by Moises law haue maried his brothers wife if he had beene dead without issue but this Phillip was yet aliue and had also this daughter that danced The answer The case was manifest And so was that of Henrie the eight who maried his brothers wife when he was dead but not to stir vp issue to his brother Which mariage was condemned for vnlawful by the greatest number of Diuines and Lawyers of your owne Church But for all that Pope Clement could salue the matter and make that which was naught good such is the presumptuous power that Antichrist taketh vpon him Mark 7. 6. The text This people honoreth me ⸫ with their lips but their hart is far from me c. The note They that say well or teach and preach well and haue Christ and his word and liue naughtily be touched in this place The answer This place doth most properly touch our hypocritical papists whatsoeuer shew of life they make bicause a great part of their doctrine is deuised by men is in truth nothing els but precepts of men Mark 7. 15. The text But the things that proceed from a man those are they which make a man ⸫ common The note See the first annotation vpon this chapter The answer Your first annotation is that common and vncleane is al one a profound note and therefore néeded such reference Mark 8. 2. The text I haue compassion vpon the multitude bicause loe ⸫ three daies they now endure with me neither haue what to eate The note Great feruor and deuotion in the good people and exceeding force in our masters preaching that made them abide fasting so long to heare his diuine sermons The answer But for entering into vnnecessarie contentions it might be easily shewed that a great number of this people followed not of deuotion but for other considerations Though their paines and long tarieng with Christ to heare him be commendable Mark 8. 2â— The text And they come to Bethsaida and they bring to him one blind and desired him that he would ⸫ touch him The note Our Sauiour Christ vsed to worke much by touching that we may learne not to contemne the corporall and externe application of holie things nor to challenge by the spirit and faith onely as heretikes do The answer Our Sauiour Christ many times to declare his méere omnipotencie healed by his word without any externe application of anything Other times applieng himselfe to the infirmitie and weaknes of them with whom he had to do vsed some externall application not to bring into estimation or reuerence spittle clay oile or such like much lesse your rotten relikes as you imagine but to teach vs wherein we may to beare with the infirmities one of another We challenge nothing by spirit and faith onely but that that which we haue good warrant for And we do most reuerently estéeme and vse all outward helps props and staies of our faith appointed of God and warranted in his word as publike and priuate reading and hearing of his word the frequenting of the Church assemblies publike and priuate praiers administration of the sacraments and such like Mark 9. â— The text ⸫ And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn and bringeth them alone into a high mountaine apart was transfigured before them The note See the annotations vpon the 17. of Saint Matthewe The answer Your annotations shalbe answered by some other I am lothe to be drawne from your marginall notes Marke 9. 4. The text And there appeared to them ⸫ Elias with Moises and they were talking with Iesus The note The Lawe and the Prophets ioyne with Christ and his Gospel the one signified by Moyses the other by Elias by whose apparitions also we may learne that sometime there may be personall intercourse betwixt the liuing and the dead though not ordinarily The answer That the testimonie which the Lawe and Prophets do beare to Christ is signified by the appearing of Moyses and Elias I easilie consent The possibilitie of entercourse personall betwixt the liuing and dead bicause all things are possible to God I will not contend with you about it but that which you note it for to giue credit to the fables and tales forged for purgatorie is neuer the more likelie But it is possible for all that that they may bée lyes Marke 9. 29. The text And he said to them This kind can go out by nothing but ⸫ by prayer and fasting The note Note the great force of prayer and fasting The answer The force thereof God be praised we haue had great experience of aswell for that the prayers and teares of the poore afflicted in Quéene Maries time being heard of God threw out so manie popish diuels out of England as that also by the same weapons the diuels vicar of Rome is kept from working his will and satsfying his malice amongest vs. Marke 9. 41. The text For whosoeuer shall giue you to drinke a cuppe of water in my name bicause you are Christes Amen I say to
is that can be picked out of his speciall naming But to graunt that he had some petit prerogatiue what is that to those which you chalenge to his pretended successors LVKE Luke 1. 10. The text And all the multitude of the people were ⸫ praying without at the houre of the incense The note We see here that the Priest did his dutie within the people in the meane time praying without and that the priestes functions did profit them though they neither heard nor sawe his doings The answer You would faine finde warrant for your chauncels and as gladlie would you prooue that your masses mumbled in a corner were profitable not onelie to them which being present vnderstand not but to those also which neither heare nor sée them but you must séeke better proofe than the abolished figures of the old lawe For by this diuision of priest and people in sundrie places of the same temple is nothing els taught vs but that heauen is shut to vs by reason of our sinnes and that we can not enter into the presence of God there but in the person of our Priest our Mediatour and that in him and by him our prayers are accepted as at large the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth teach vs. But if you would prooue any thing for your selues shew vs that either priest or people praied in a toung they vnderstood not or that either in the temple or in the synagogues the scriptures were read in a strange language Or that they which read were shut vp in some odde corner of the synagogue where that which they read could not be heard of the people If you could finde warrant for any of these then you had some defence for your ordinarie church seruice but because you want this therefore you flie to the figures of the old law to wring out of them that which neuer was to be learned by them But in this dealing you do but bewray your penurie Luke 1. 15. The text For he shalbe great before our Lord ⸫ and wine and sicer he shall not drinke The note This abstinence foretold and prescribed by the angel sheweth that it is a worthie thing and an acte of religion in Saint Iohn as it was in the Nazarites The answer The abstinence foretold and prescribed shewed that sanctimonie should not be wanting in him neither in déed nor in outward shew but that he should liue as a man wholie dedicate to God The prescription and appointment of God maketh the acte good bicause it was a testimonie of holy obedience But what maketh this for your will worships whereof you haue no warrant but your owne wisedome Luke 1. 20. The text And behold ⸫ thou shalt be dumme and shalt not be able to speake vntill the day wherein these things shall be done For bicause thou hast not beleeued my wordes which shall be fulfilled in their time The note Zacharie punished for doubting of the Angels word The answer And thinke you papistes to escape the punishment of God for teaching men to doubt of the trueth of Gods promises Luke 1. 28. The text Haile full of grace our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou amongst women The note The beginning of the Aue Marie See the rest verse 42. The answer A profound note Mary tooke it for a salutation but the church of Rome haue vsed it as a praier Luke 1. 34. The text And Marie said to the Angell ⸫ How shal this be done Bicause I know not man The note She doubted not of the thing as Zacharie but inquired of the means The answere If you would haue giuen to euerie man his due praise I do not doubt but you might haue quoted Master Beza for you borrowed this out of his annotations Luke 1. 38. The text And Marie said ⸫ Behold the handmaid of our Lord be it done to me according to thy word The note At this very moment when the blessed virgin gaue consent she conceiued him perfect God and perfect man The answer That she conceiued him perfect God and perfect man is by many places well warranted But concerning the very moment of the time when she conceiued I take it to be one of Gods secrets which he hath kept to himselfe and which the holie Ghost hath not reuealed bicause it is not necessarie for vs to know Luke 1. 41. The text And it came to passe as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Marie the ⸫ infant did leape in hir wombe The note Iohn Baptist being yet in his mothers wombe reioiced and acknowledged the presence of Christ and his mother The answer What sense the child had in his mothers wombe of the presence of Christ I know not and yet I doubt not but it was the secret force of Gods holy spirit that caused that motion in the child But if your note be true then grace was conferred vpon this child afore he was partaker of any sacrament except you will say that the ioyfull acknowledging of the presence of Christ may be without grace Luke 1. 46. The text My soule doth magnifie our Lord. The note Magnificat at Euensong The answer I thinke your meaning is that Magnificat is vsed at Euensong and not that our Ladie sang Euensong or that it was héere appointed to be song at Euensong Luke 1. 48. The text Bicause he hath regarded the humilitie of his handmaid For behold from hencefoorth ⸫ all generations shall call mee blessed The note Haue the Protestants alwaies had generations to fulfill this prophesie or do they call hir blessed that derogate what they can from hir graces blessings and all hir honor The answer The Protestants had their generations afore any papists were in the world And as they giue to the blessed virgin all honor that is due to hir so neither she nor they can abide that you should rob God of his honor to giue it hir Luke 1. 80. The text And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit and was ⸫ in the deserts vntill the day of his manifestation to Israel The note Marke that he was a voluntarie Eremite and chose to be solitarie from a child till he was to preach to the people insomuch that antiquitie counted him the first Eremite The answer You do but bleare the eies of the ignorant with the likenes of the name Antiquitie neuer knew what the profession of your Eremites meant And if you vouchsafed to giue vs a definition of Eremites then we should easily exclude from it either Iohn or your superstitious hipocriticall Eremites For it is one thing to liue in a desert as Iohn did it is another thing to liue without societie and companie as yours do and Iohn did not And further you must prooue that he shut vp himselfe to satisfie for his sins and that he was a paterne or example for others so to do without further warrant or vocation Which bicause you cannot do Iohn will not serue for a shield or defence for your
making cleane but you will neuer leaue your lieng We do not so speake of preaching onely that we exclude any helpe which God hath giuen vs besides But you exclude the word when you tie grace to the outward worke of your vnpreaching priests And you adde a number of helps of your owne as salt spittle oile creame and such like trumperie which God neuer appointed to his church but the proud presumption of man hath brought in Iohn 15. 7. The text If you ⸫ abide in me and my words abide in you you shall aske what thing soeuer you will and it shall be done to you The note If a scismatike pray neuer so much he is not heard bicause he remaineth not in the bodie of Christ. The answer I conclude therefore that the praiers of papists are vnprofitable bicause they haue cut themselues from the ancient catholike church of Christ and therefore remaine not in his bodie Iohn 15. 20. The text If they haue persecuted me you also will they persecute if they haue kept my word ⸫ yours also will they keepe The note He foresheweth that many will not obey the churches wâ—rds and no maruell bicause they contemned Christs owne precepts The answer As the Iewes cried the temple of the Lord when they had conuerted it into a den of théeues euen so crie you The church The church But as then the prophets shewed to them by their manifold contempts of Gods coÌ„mandements that their words were lieng and counterfet words euen so we shew that your church is the synagog of sathan and prooue it bicause she will be credited both aboue the word of Christ and contrary to the word of Christ. Iohn 16. 2. The text Out of the synagogues they will ⸫ cast you The note The heretikes translate Excommunicate you See what corruption this is and the reason thereof Annot. ca. 9. 22. The answer If to excommunicate be to put men from their coÌ„munion and fellowship in seruice praier and sacraments then this casting out is excommunication and so rightly translated The cause that you in your annotations imagine that is to bring the churches excommunication into contempt is friuolous and beareth no shew of truth sith excommunication amongst vs is vsed as a principall censure of our church And you your selues cannot denie but when hypocrites haue crept into authoritie this censure is abused as your confesse saieng the excommunication of heretikes is ridiculous And I pray you what made the rulers of the Iewes afraid of this casting out Was it not bicause in common estimation they should be estéemed as none of Gods people and what else is excommunication but to make the excommunicate to be estéemed as ethnikes and publicans Iohn 16. 13. The text But when he the spirit of truth commeth ⸫ he shall teach you all truth The note If he shall teach all truth and that for euer as before 14. 16. how is it possible that the church can erre or hath erred at anie time or in any point The answer Whosoeuer followeth that truth which the spirit taught the Apostles and swarueth not there from doth not erre But with you the pope can not erre the councels cannot erre the multitude of those whom you account the pastors of your church cannot erre As though Christ by this promise had tied his spirit to theÌ„ which we denie and you are not able to prooue Their errors are as manifest as the light so grosse and palpable that they may be groped You know that some of the greatest learned of your side are driuen to distinguish betwéene the pope and a man bicause as a man he may erre as a pope he cannot Iohn 16. 23. The text Amen Amen I saie to you if you aske the father any thing in my name he will giue it you The note Vpon this the church concludeth all hir praiers per Christum Dominum nostrum euen those that be made to saints The answer Is Christ bound to you must he needes be at your commandement whither he will or no He promiseth indéed that if they aske the father any thing in his name he will giue it And can you constreine him to giue it if we aske others Can your fansie be an assured warrant for it or from whence else can you fetch any good ground for it The commandement of Christ the example of Christ the doctrine of Christ and the guiding and direction of the holie Ghost do leade vs to praie to none but to God And what are you Or what is your church that we should beléeue you against all these Iohn 17. 1. The text These things spake Iesus and lifting vp his eies into heauen he said Father the houre is come ⸫ glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may glorifie thee The note The father glorifieth the sonne by raising him from death exalting him vp to his right hand making all creatures to bowe downe at his name and giuing him all power and iudgement The sonne againe glorifieth his father by making his honor which onely in a maner was in Ieâ—rie before now knowen to all nations The answer You papists spoile the sonne of all glorie first in taking awaie from his glorified bodie the nature of a bodie and so making it no bodie or nothing Secondly in giuing that to others for which he is aduanced to the right hand of his father Thirdlie in setting the pope a mortall man aboue him in power and iudgement You spoile the Father also of his glorie by taking the key of knowledge from the multitude and so as much as in you lieth reducing the knowledge of God againe to a verie fewe Iohn 17. 11. The text Holie father ⸫ keepe them in thy name whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we The note His petition is specially to keepe the apostles and his church in vnitie and from schisâ—â—es The answer It is verie true that Christ doth commend vnto his fathers protection and defence the vnitie of his church and children Iohn 17. 19. The text And for them do I ⸫ sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth The note To sanctifie himselfe is to sacrifice himselfe by dedicating his holie bodie and blood to his father both vpon the crosse and in his holy Sacrament The answer To sanctifie himselfe is to separate and seuer himselfe wholy to the vses of God his father which dedication of himselfe was plainly and euidently to be séene in his whole life and in euerie action thereof Which in some sort may also be called a sacrifice as also our reasonable seruice of God is termed a sacrificing of our selues But bicause the chéefe part of his priestly 〈◊〉 in this life was put in execution in his death in his sacrifice vpon his crosse therfore by way of excellencie the chéefe point of our sanctifieng by him is attributed to the then dedicating of himselfe to God for vs. But what is this toward the
canons and constitutions are not better beléeued and obserued in your Romish church Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 1. The text The first treatise I made of ⸫ al things O Theophilus which Iesus began to do and teach c. The note Not al particularly for the other Euangelists did write diuers things not touched by him but all the principall and most necessarie things The answer That Luke did not write all things particularly we know but that he vnderstandeth by all all the principall and most necessarie things that we can not grant For the things which the Euangelist Iohn wrote and the other Euangelists omitted were not in any respect of dignitie or necessitie inferior to the other Therefore we vnderstand by all neither euerie particular acte and doctrine neither all the principall and most necessarie things but the whole and complete storie of his life beginning from his birth and ending with his resurrection and ascension Act. ◠5. The text For Iohn indeed baptized with ⸫ water The note Iohns baptisme gaue not the holie Ghost The answer Neither yet the baptisme of any other priest or minister Act. 1. 5. The text But you shall be ⸫ baptized with the holie Ghost after these fewe daies The note The aboundant powring of the holy Ghost vpon them on Whit sunday he calleth baptisme The answer Giue to euerie man his due praise and commendation and confesse that you borrowed this note from Master Beza vpon this place Act. 1. 13. The text And when they were entred in they went vp into an vpper chamber where abode ⸫ Peter and Iohn Iames and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew Matthew Iames of Alphaeus and Simon Zelotes and Iude of Iames. The note This visible companie was the true church of Christ which he left and commanded to keepe togither till the comming of the holie Ghost by him to be further informed and furnished to gaine all nations to the same societie The answer I pray you what companie of men vpon earth were euer inuisible We will easilie confesse that the church vpon earth is alwaies visible as these were visible They were but a few they kept close secret togither for a time the enemies of the church knew not as yet of their assemblies they did not glitter nor shine in the eies of the world by anie worldlie authoritie or pompe finallie here is no visibilitie but such as doeth well agrée to the secret and hidden church of God Actes 1. 14. The text All these were perseuering with one minde in praier with the ⸫ women and Marie the mother of Iesus his brethren The note The heretikes some in the text other in the margent translate wiues to wit of the Apostles most impudentlie knowing in their consciences he meaneth the Maries and other holie women that followed Christ as Luke 8. 2. 24. 10 See Beza and the English Bible 1579. The answer If you had not stirred vp the hatred of your blind followers against vs by the odious names of heretikes and impudent men the rest of your note had not béene woorth a rush First denie if you can that the Gréeke héere doeth not as indifferentlie signifie wiues as women and then let vs consider which translation the circumstances of the place fauour must First you can not denie but that manie of the Apostles and also other beléeuers héere gathered with them were married men that they had special care of auoiding whatsoeuer might bée offensiue or open the mouth of the wicked to speake euill which they had had great occasion of if the Apostles other beléeuers had left their owne wiues and liued in secret with other women And againe who can thinke that the Apostles and a great manie of the other disciples had not beléeuing wiues And if they had what reason shuld mooue vs to thinke that they were not more likelie to kéepe their husbands companies to be at the first assemblies of the church of God then other women If then Gréeke word may be so translated and the circumstances of the text lead vs thereunto why should you so crie out impudent and heretikes Actes 1. 22. The text Therefore of these men that haue assembled with vs all the time that our Lord Iesus went in and out amongst vs beginning from the baptisme of Iohn vntill the day that he was assumpted from vs ⸫ there must one of these be made a witnes with vs of his resurrection The note No small mysterie that the number of twelue Apostles must needs be made vp againe The answer You expresse not your mysterie and therefore we leaue your note as we finde it Actes 2. 14. The text But ⸫ Peter standing with the eleuen lifted vp his voice and spake to them The note Peter the head of the rest and now newlie replenished with all knowledge and fortitude maketh the first sermon The answer If you did not with colour of words go about to beguile the ignorant we would not stumble at your naming Peter the head of the rest but now because vnder that terme you would haue men vnderstand that supremacie and superioritie which you chalenge for the bishop of Rome therefore it is not amisse to shew how vaine your collection is out of this place Peter spake for himselfe the rest Ergo he is head of the rest Master Recorder speaketh for my Lord Maior of London and his brethren Ergo master Recorder is aboue my Lord Maior and the bench And where you say he maketh now his first sermon except you meane the first after he receiued the gift of tongues you are deceiued for he both preached when Christ was vpon the earth and afterward at the election of another into the roome of Iudas Actes 2. 27. The text Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in ⸫ hel nor giue thy holie one to see ⸫ corruption The note Who but an infidell saith Saint Augustine will denie Christ to haue discended into hell Epist. 99. As his soule suffered no paines in hel so neither did his bodie take anie corruption in the graue The answer And we also say the like and teach the people the true meaning and sense of that article as our Catechismes do sufficientlie for vs testifie If anie hath séemed to denie it it hath béene in that grosse and vntrue sense which you papists take it in in which sense Augustine beléeued it not For he disputing the matter to fro and setting downe diuerse opinions resolueth him selfe no way But he flatlie reiecteth your popish opinion that he went to the fathers which were in rest in Abrahams bosome and vrgeth against it the loosing of the sorrowes of hell mentioned in this present chapter Then they that are loath to beléeue they wote not what must learne of Augustine to examine other mens opinions so by what authoritie they confirme their iudgements and rest vpon that which they sée hath good ground and warrant As for hell in that
vs also that God may open to vs also the doore of speech to speake the mysterie of Christ for the which also I am bound that I may manifest it so as I ought to speak The note Saint Paul euer much desireth the praiers of the faithfull whereby we learne the great efficacie of them The answer The praiers of the faithfull preuaile much with God for his eares be euer open to them and therefore as they are very néedfull so are they excéedingly desired of all Gods saints But I pray you tell me one thing why Paul neuer willed them to take héed of being ouer bold or saucy with God but to make some dead saint or other their meanes to offer their praiers to God For in so often repetition of this exhortation I thinke he would not alwaies haue forgotten this point if it had béene necessarie or expedient Col. ◠13. The text For I giue him testimonie that he hath much ⸫ labour for you and for them that be at Laodicea and that are at Hierapolis The note He did not onely praie but tooke other great paines to procure Gods grace for the Colossians perhaps by watchings fasting and doing other penance of body that God would not suffer them to fall from their receiued faith to the sect of Simon Magus or the Iudaizing christians The answer No doubt Epaphras omitted nothing that became a painfull and a carefull minister of the worde to vse for the procuring of Gods graces and the aduancement and setting forwarde the knowledge of Christ and his holie Gospell amongst those congregations or churches héere named What your meaning is by penance of bodie whether to satisfie for other mens sins as well as for his owne I know not And for such imaginations of yours Epaphras had nought to do with them 1. Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1. 9. The text For they themselues report of vs what maner of entering we had to you and how you are turned to God ⸫ from idols to serue the liuing and true God The note In this and the like places the heretikes maliciously and most falsely translate construe and apply all things ment of the heathen idols to the memories and images of Christ and his saints namely the English Bibles of the yeeres 1562. 1577. See the annot 1. Io. 5. 21. The answer We translate truely when in stéede of idols we say images Our construction and application also is true bicause both your hauing of images in churches and also all maner worship you vsed about them procéeded and came from Gentilisme so that the spéeches and reasons which the apostles prophets vsed against them are aptly applied against your images and the follies you commit about them Your annotation you referre vs to is like your selues matter whereof you might be ashamed if you had any shame in you For it hath béene often answered and it is enough for you barely to repeate it againe Your councel of Nice were impudent shamelesse asses beasts giuing that to images which you your selues dare not defend Eusebius in the place you cite though he aloweth of that image yet sheweth that that the like grew out of the corrupt customes of the Gentils wherof he saith that is no maruell that some did sticke in new conuerted Christians And you can not shewe for fower hundred yéeres after Christ the hauing of images in the churches for laie mens books But I refer your annotation to farther answer wherein it will be better displaied 1. Thes. 2. 1. The text For you your selues know brethren our entrance vnto you that it was not in vaine but ⸫ hauing suffered before and been abused with contumuelies as you know at Philippi we had confidence in our God to speak vnto you the Gospel of God in much carefulnes The note Anotable example for catholike preachers and passing comfortable when in the midst of persecutions and reproches they preach sincerely to please God and not men The answer Your note is good And God grant that you at length may cast away your desire of contending and man pleasing and séeke the truth in sinceritie so should we cease from offending God and troubling the worlde and our controuersies and contentions should quickly be at an end 1. Thes. 2. 18. The text For what is our hope or ioy or crowne of glorie ⸫ Are not you before our Lord Iesus in his comming The note If the Apostle without iniurie to God in right good sence called his schoolers the Thessalonians his hope ioy and glorie why blaspheme the protestants the catholike church and her children for terming our blessed ladie and other saints their hope for the speciall confidence they haue in their praiers The answer The prosperous successe that God gaue to his Apostle Paule amongst the Thessalonians did much comfort and encourage the said Apostle in his hope and expectation not onlie of their saluation but also of the crowne of righteousnes laid vp for himselfe in which respect as he might well bicause it was grounded vpon the promises of God he calleth the Thessalonians his hope How can this excuse you when the ground of your dealing is voide of all warrant of the worde For what warrant can you shew for your confidence in the praiers of saints But let vs go a little farther with you what haue you left to God his Christ that you haue not giuen our ladie and other saints what said I to saints nay to knaues and traitors who taught men to séeke to come to heauen by the blood of Thomas you can tell well enough It is not the catholike church and her children whom we charge with this it is the Romish Babylon and her vpholders the sinke of sinne and the mother of all abominations that séeketh to rob and spoile God of his honor and glory and to giue it to creatures But our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him he will not giue his glorie to an other 1. Thes. 3. 10. The text Night and day more abundantly praieng that we may ⸫ see your face and may accomplish those things which want of your faith The note Though letters and epistles in absence giue great comfort and confirmation in faith yet it is preaching in presence by which the faith of Christ and true religion is alwaies both begun and accomplished The answer Why did you then both take quite away from the people the cōfort which they might haue reaped by the Epistles of Paul being absent if you would haue suffered them in a toong which the people vnderstoode and also in the daies wherein your heresie raigned amongst vs both slenderly and corruptly giue the other But thanks be to God who hath remooued you and giuen great encrease to his truth and religion by the industrie and diligence of true and sincere preachers amongst his people of England 1. Thes. 4. 9. The text As for the charitie of the ⸫ fraternitie we haue no neede to write
prooued thus the wisedome of God hath taught vs to praie to our father in heauen and not to anie other what is it then to teach men to praie to others but to controll that wisedome of God that it hath not taught the wisest way to pray and thus in that wherein you thought to shew his humilitie you set foorth his intollerable pride ◠Thess. 2. 11. The text Therefore ⸫ God will send them the operation of error to beleeue lieng c. The note Deus mittet saith Saint Augustine libro 20. de Ciu. cap. 19. quia Deus diabolum facere ista permittet God will send bicause God will permit the diuell to do these things whereby we may take a general rule that Gods action or working in such things is his permission See annot Rom. 1. 24. The answer Now Augustine must helpe you with a generall rule that expresselie both against the whole course of scripture and also against his owne minde if you meane by permission onlie permission for he saith who doeth not tremble at these horrible iudgements of God by which he doth in the hearts of the wicked what he will rendring to euerie man according to his merits And againe he saith it is out of doubt that God doeth worke in the mindes of men to encline their willes either to good according to his mercie or els to euill according to their deserts by his iudgement sometimes open and sometimes secret but alwaies iust This I trowe is somewhat more then only permission therefore you must racke some other for that generall rule for Augustine will not yéeld it you and it groweth out of a foolish nicenes for men to be afraid to speake as the holie Ghost hath spoken afore them 2. Thess. 2. 17. The text And our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe and God our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen eternall consolation and good hope in grace ⸫ exhort your hearts and confirme you in euerie good worke and word The note This word of exhorting implieth in it comfort and consolation 2. Corinthes 1. verse 4. and 6. The answer Trueth doeth well but neuer when it is intermedled with vntruthes If this note were not defiled with the former these that follow but had passed alone then we would haue ioined with you 2. Thess. 3. 6. The text And we denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the ⸫ tradition which they haue receiued of vs. The note Here also as is noted before 1. Thessalonians 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translations auoid the word tradition being plaine in the Greeke least them selues might seeme to be noted as men walking inordinatelie and not according to Apostolicall tradition as all Schismatikes heretikes and rebels to Gods church do The answer If corrupt vse had not in your times made tradition to bée commonlie taken of the people for a doctrine deliuered by word of mouth onlie and neuer published in the holie Scriptures by writing contrarie to the sense and meaning of the Apostle then had there not béene anie iust cause of auoiding the word But you can not iustlie blame vs though we flie a word corrupted by you and therefore dangerous to deceiue withall and set downe for it some other worde no lesse aptlie agréeing to the signification of the Gréeke word and better with more plainnesse expressing vnto the vnlearned the minde and meaning of the Apostle in that place But bicause you charge other men with inordinate walking contrarie to the traditions Apostolicall answer for your selues and yeeld vs reason if you can whie you breake those which you call the Apostles constitutions why do you not commonlie and ordinarilie choose married men to be Bishops why haue you kept the common people from reading the scriptures why suffer you women to baptize why fast you not continuallie on Wednesdaies whie doo ye exclude the people both from election and approbation of Bishops and priests If these bée not the ordinances of the Apostles why do ye abuse the world with alledging the authoritie of that booke for you if they bée with what face can you obiect to others wherein you are most manifestlie faultie your selues 1. TIMOTHIE 1. Tim. 1. 5. The text But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart ⸫ a good conscience a faith not fained The note Saint Augustine saith he that list to haue the hope of heauen let him looke that he haue a good conscience let him beleeue and worke well For that he beléeueth he hath of faith that he worketh he hath of charitie praefat in Psalm 31. The answer As you alledge Saint Augustine so I would that you caried his syncere mind and loue to the truth so should we not onlie agrée in this but throwing away all minde and desire of contending enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie 1. Tim. 1. 19. The text This precept I commend to thee O Timothie according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good warfare hauing faith and a good conscience ⸫ which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the faith The note Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie from the faith of the Catholike church Againe this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had The answer True and liuelie faith is one thing and the outward profession of faith is another You loue to dallie with equiuocations knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere By such arguments as you make it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white 1. Tim. 2. 1. The text I desire therefore first of all things that obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgiuings be made for all men ⸫ for Kings and al that are in praeeminence that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie The note Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors by whom the church suffreth persecution much more for all faithfull princes and powers and people both spirituall and temporall for whom as members of Christes bodie and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices See Saint August de origine animae lib. 1. cap. 9. The answer The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul and the whole primitiue church For now such princes as punish papists or fauour not poperie must be murdered disinherited excommunicated deposed depriued giuen to the diuell and not praied for They may not looke for the dutie which was giuen to persecuting princes then For our holie father of Rome will not
allow it I see not for what purpose you alledge Augustine and therefore I passe him ouer with silence 1. Tim. 3. 4. The text Well ruling his owne house ⸫ hauing his children subiect with all chastitie The note He saith hauing children not getting children Saint Ambrose Epist 82. The answer I hope saint Ambrose doth not meane that he should haue children of other mens begetting or that it should be lawfull for a bishop to be a married man and not lawfull for him to liue according to the lawes of matrimonie which God himselfe hath set downe But I sée you are glad to vse the fathers where you find them a little too much to fauor and fansie your single life 1. Tim. 3. 6. The text Not a ⸫ neophyte least puffed vp into pride he fall into iudgement of the diuell The note Neophytus is he that was lately christened or newly planted in the mysticall bodie of Christ. The answer Héerein I confesse the church of England hath béene negligent and faultie for permitting some of your dissembling papists to exercise the ministerie of the word afore sufficient triall by length of time was had of their vnfained repentance and conuersion 2. Tim 4. ◠The text For ⸫ euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued with thankesgiuing The note We see plainly by these words such abstinence onely to be disallowed as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature creation The note We sée a double estimation of meats héere one taken from the nature creation of things the other from the person of him that vseth them as appéereth plainly in these words which God created for the faithfull and for them that haue knowen the truth Your church therefore is heere plainly noted first for that it maketh it vnlawfull for some to féede of diuers and sundrie of the creatures of God which God had appointed for the vse of all the faithfull Secondly bicause it hath generally caused men to make a superstitious difference betwixt fish fruit flesh egs and whitemeat being al alike by nature and creation For that which God hath made lawfull at all times with you is somtimes vnlawfull holines and the seruice of God or at least a parcell of it is planted in superstitious abstinence and mens consciences tied and intangled in the things in which God hath left them frée As for your ouer turning this to be meant of other ancient heretiks can no more excuse you than it did excuse the Manichées that this was meant of the Tatians Cataphriges Eucratites and such like who were long afore them 1. Tim. 4. 8. The text For ⸫ corporall exercise is profitable to little but pietie is profitable to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come The note Some saith S. Chysostom expound this of fasting but they are deceiued for fasting is a spirituall exercise See a goodly commentarie of these words in S. August lib. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33. The answer Corporall or bodily exercise are externall actions for religions sake vsed and exercised as watching long abstinence from meate and drinke the daily reciting of a certaine number of praiers lieng and lodging on the bare ground the wearing of haire cloth next the skin whippings and whatsoeuer other bodily vexations besides wherein papists plant merit and their heremites and others their religious do without al measure or mean vse These and such like are the things which saint Paul saith are profitable to little and yet a great péece of poperie consisteth in them The maners of the catholike church in saint Augustines time to which you refer vs doth as much differ from the maners of the church of Rome now as chalke doth differ from chéese 1. Tim. 5. 5. The text But she that is a widow indeed and desolate let hir hope in God and continue in obsecrations and ⸫ praiers night day The note Bicause of this continuall praier which standeth not with coniugall all and carnall acts of matrimonie as the Apostle signifieth 1. Cor. 7. 5. therfore were these widowes to liue in the state of perpetual continencie The answer All Christian men are commanded to continue in praiers and to pray without ceasing Therfore by your reason it is lawfull for no Christian to marry You care not how vainly you conclude nor into what briers you bring poore men that haue tender consciences so you seeme to say somwhat for your single life 1. Tim. 5. 17. The text The priests that rule wellet them be esteemed ⸫ woorthy of double honor especially they that labour in the worde and doctrine The note Double honor and liuelihood due to good priests The answer But goodnes of priests consisteth not in saieng masse and sacrificing for the quicke and the dead but in wel ruling their flock and in diligent and painefull instructing the people which pertaine to their charge in Christian religion 1. Tim. 5. 19. The text ⸫ Against a priest receiue not accusation but vnder two or three witnesses The note Here the Apostle will not haue euerie light fellow to be heard against a priest So Augustine for the like reuerence of priesthood admonisheth Paucarius that in no wise he admit any testimonies or accusations of heretikes against a catholike priest ep 212. The answer No reason that against ministers of the worde accusations should lightly be admitted and your dealing against vs in continuall lieng and false accusations doth verie well iustifie Augustines counsell to Paucarius For it is a verie dangerous thing to admit the accusations of popish heretikes against true Catholikes séeing they are commonly woont with their aduersaries to kéepe neither faith nor truth 1. Tim. 5. 22. The text Impose hands on no man ⸫ lightly neither do thou communicate with other mens sins The note Bishops must haue great care that they giue not order to anie that is not well tried for his faith learning and good behauiour The answer Herein we fully agrée with you But this rule hath béene as well kept by you as all good precepts haue besides But it is no matter for the pope and his bishops learned neither of Peter nor of Paul but of Ieroboam to make priests for their own tooth 1. Tim. 6. 3. The text If any ⸫ teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to pietie he is proud knowing nothing The note See the annotation before cap. 1. 34. The answer We agrée with you vpon this point that all doctrine which is odde singuler new differing from that which was first planted by the Apostles and descended from them to all nations and ages following is assuredly erronius Let vs therefore setting all other things apart examine the doctrine of your church and so much as shall be found to descend from the apostles we wil with all our harts embrace But this
chastened by your fasting daies but their whom néede or nigerdlines doth continuallie compell to borrow of their bellies Tit. 2. 15. The text These things speake and exhort and rebuke ⸫ with all authoritie The note Bishops must be stout and commande in Gods cause and the people must in no wise disobey or contemne them The answer So must also euerie minister of the word and their flockes do owe vnto them honor and obedience and you must remember that your popes cause is not gods cause Tit. 3. 5. The text But when the benignitie and kindnes towarde man of our sauiour God appeered not by the works of iustice which we did but according to his mercy he hath saued vs ⸫ by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie ghost The note As before in the Sacrament of holie orders 1. Timoth. 4. and 2. Timoth. 1. so heere it is plaine that baptisme giueth grace and that by it as by an instrumentall cause we be saued The answer Concerning your Sacraments of orders of your own institution and grace by them giuen you haue receiued answer before That baptisme is amongst the instrumentall causes of our saluation no man denieth And likewise we grant vnto you that by it grace is giuen to the woorthy receiuers so that you vnderstand by baptisme the whole sacrament and not the outward acte and worke of the minister onely as you commonly do Tit. 3. 10. The text A man that is an heretike after the first and second ⸫ admonition auoide Knowing that he that is such an on is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement The note These admonitions and corruptions must be giuen to such as erre by our spirituall Gouernors and pastors to whom if they yeeld not Christian men must auoide them The answer If we were agréed of the church and gouernors thereof then we would not contende with you about your note But nowe so long as you wil not suffer the church to be discerned by the scriptures nor cleaue to that church which receiueth the doctrine in them deliuered the admonitions and correptions of your gouernors are to be contemned despised and disobeied PHILEMON Phile. 1. 5. The text I giue thanks to my God alwaies making a memory of thee in my praiers Hearing thy ⸫ charitie and faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and toward all the saints The note Faith and charitie commended alwaies togither both necessarie to make a compleate Christian man and to iustification and saluation The answer Faith and charitie alwaies togither but not alwaies commended togither both necessarie to make a compleat Christian faith for iustification and charitie for sanctification But you the better to blinde men confounde that which you should distinguish Phile. 1. 7. The text For I haue had great ioy and consolation in thy charitie bicause the bowels of the saints ⸫ haue rested by thee brother The note The duties of charitie and mercie done to Christs prisoners are exceeding acceptable to God and all good men The answer This is verie true and yet you the popes prisoners and not Christs Phile. 1. 1◠The text And ⸫ do thou receiue him as mine owne bowels The note All spirituall men ought to be exceeding propense and readie to procure mens pardon and reconciliation to all penitent The answer It is to be maruelled at that men shewing so little mercie as you are woont and so voide of all pitie as your tragicall doings haue shewed you to be should now become teachers of mercie and pitie to other men Phile. 1. 1◠The text I Paule haue written with mine owne hand I will repay it not to say to thee ⸫ that thou owest me thine own selfe also The note The great det and dutie that we owe to such as be our spirituall parents in Christ. The answer As to our parents we can make no sufficient recompense so much lesse are we able to requite those which are Gods good instruments of our regeneration HEBREWES Hebr. 1. 4. The text Being made so much more excellent than Angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them The note The excellencie of Christ aboue Angels The answer And therefore consequently his excellencie aboue Moyses the prophets and all creatures whatsoeuer Hebr. 1. 14. The text Are they not al ⸫ ministring spirits sent to minister for them which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation The note The holy angels saith S. Augustine to the societie of whom we aspire in this our peregrination as they haue eternitie to continue so also facilitie to know and felicitie to rest For they do helpe vs without all difficultie bicause with their spirituall motions pure and free they labor and trauell not De ciuitate lib. 11. cap. 31. The answer I would your doctrine of Angels were alwaies as this which here you learne of Augustine then some of your vnprofitable controuersies which now trouble the world would soone be cut of and throwen to the dunghill amongst other filth and mire of poperie But these and such other good things are defiled with the rest that you couple them with And more I haue not to say to you for this note Hebr. ◠1. The text Therefore more abundantly ought we to obserue those things which we haue heard ⸫ least perhaps we run out The note As that which runneth out of a broken vessel or that runneth by is lost The answer He is said to run out which doth not hold and kéepe the word which he heareth of whom we say in English In at the one eare and out at the other Hebr. 2. 9. The text But him that was a little lessened vnder the Angels we see Iesus ⸫ bicause of the passion of death crowned with glory and honor that through the grace of God he might tast of death for all The note This prooueth against the Caluinists that Christ by his passion merited his own glorification which they would not for shame denie of Christ but that they are at a point to denie all meritorious works yea euen Christs also And therefore they translate also this heretically by transposing the words In the bible printed 1579. The answer The force of this proofe resteth vpon the signification of the Gréeke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which héere as often else where doth signifie the finall cause or end and is to be referred to his lessening which goeth before and not to his crowning which commeth after As if he should say we sée him that is Iesus bicause of his suffering or that he might suffer a little lessened vnder the Angels that is made man And thus your proofe faileth and commeth to naught Otherwise for Christs merits we do more highly estéeme of them than you But the holie Ghost hath taught vs that he tooke our nature vpon him not for himselfe but for our good so that whatsoeuer he did in our nature was not to gaine to him selfe but to vs not to his
bicause you reason from Peter and also bicause you grant that any particular bishop may erre Now if your consequence be true then tel me how Christ vphold your pope Iohn against the councel of Constance who deposed him And if he were not afore that Councell the chéefe gouernor of your Church tell me who was And if Christ did not vphold him and by him your church tell me when you gat againe restitution of your supposed priuilege once broken This example therefore serueth more aptly to encourage men to follow Christ to do whatsoeuer he commandeth with whatsoeuer dangers it be accompanied bicause Christ will not â—aile them that walke in holy obedience to his will how weake fraile and full of infirmities soeuer they be but as at the pinch he aided Peter so will he them Matth. 14. 36. The text And they besought him that they might touch but the ⸫ hemme of his garment whosoeuer did touch it were made whole The note See before cap. 9. v. 20. The answer You trouble vs with your references your note hath béene already considered of and receiued answer in his due place Matth. 15. 28 The text Then Iesus answering said to hir o woman ⸫ great is thy faith be it done to thee as thou wilt and hir daughter was made whole from that hower The note It were a strange case that Christ should commend in this woman a sole faith without good works that is to say a dead faith such as could not worke by loue and which Saint Iames doubted not to call the faith not of Christians but of diuels August de fide operibus cap. 16. The answer It were a very strange case if papists should leaue lying fraud and deceit For who séeth not that the end and purpose of your note is to make men thinke that your aduersaries attribute much to a dead faith that cannot worke by loue And if there be any that doth so name him And if in truth you cannot name any then what are ye Bicause we say that faith onely iustifieth must it néedes therefore be a dead faith Bicause the eie onelie séeth must it néedes be pulled out of the head and be without all other organs and instruments of the bodie Who séeth not the folly of this We with Augustine affirme that Christ sawe in this woman whose faith he praised a woonderfull worke of loue Matth. 15. 36. The text And taking the seauen loaues and the fishes and giuing thanks he brake and gaue to his disciples and the ⸫ disciples gaue to the people The note Heere we see againe that the people must not be their owne caruers nor receiue the sacraments or other spirituall sustenance immediately of Christ or at their owne hands but of their spirituall gouernors The answer This collection is very loosely gathered The disciples gaue bread and fish to the peole ergo it is not lawfull for the people to receiue any spirituall sustenance immediately from Christ but onely from them that are their gouernors vnder Christ. I thinke if we make a consequence from bodily sustenance to the sustenance of our soules that then it followeth better thus That as this people when they were at home prouided themselues for their bodily sustenance and héere being abrode they receiue it prouided for them at the hands of the Apostles so also it is lawfull for men at home to receiue spirituall sustenance by their diligent reading and abroad to receiue it at the hands of their ordinarie pastors and teachers in their open méetings by hearing the word preached and taught Matth. 16. 18. The text And I say vnto thee that thou art ⸫ Peter c. The note That is a rocke The answer Your reasons drawen from this place to stablish the tyrannie of Antichrist haue often béene answered And bicause héere no reason is framed we say with the holy Apostle Paul that we know none other rocke or foundation to build Christs Church vpon but Christ himselfe Matth. 16. 23. The text Who turning said to Peter goe after me ⸫ Satan thou art a scandall vnto me The note This word in Hebrew signifieth an aduersary as 3. Regum 5. v. 4. and so it is taken heere The answer We will not impugne your qualification of the word and lessen Saint Peters rebuke as much as you can yet this we may sée euidently that men are but vnstaied and vnstable rockes to build the Church vpon and except the Pope be better priuiledged than Peter was sometime he may be an aduersarie and a 〈◊〉 I will not â—ay a deuill Matth. 17. 24. The text And when they were come to Capernaum there came they that receiued the Didrachmes vnto Peter and said vnto him your master doth he not pay the ⸫ Didrachmes The note These didrachmes were peeces of mony which they paied for tribute Matth. 1â— 27. The text And that fish which shall first come vp take and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a ⸫ stater take that and giue it for me and thee The note This stater was a double didrachme and therefore was paied for two The answer To these two notes I giue but one answer for they reserued these strange words in the text bicause English eares are not acquainted with them and other matter there is not in these notes worth the obseruing Matth. 18. 4. The text Whosoeuer therfore shal humble him selfe as this litle ⸫ child he is the greater in the kingdome of heauen The note Humilitie innocencie simplicitie commended to vs in the state and person of a child The answer But none of them embraced by you as appeareth Your Pope can abide no péere he must be aboue all you puffe vp your selues with the proud pharisie in confidence of mens merits what innocents you are a number of you executed for confessed treason doo declare simplicitie cannot stand with the continual practise of your Church which of long time hath loued nothing lesse then plaine dealing as both our eies haue séene and all stories doo testifie Matth. 18. 17. The text And if he will not heare them ⸫ tell the Church The note That is as Saint Chrysostome heere expoundeth it tell the prelats and chiefe pastors of the Church for they haue iurisdiction to bind and loose such offenders by the words folowing vers 18. The answer We agrée with Chrysostome bicause the circumstances of the place and matter doo require it so to be expounded that héere by the Church the gouernors thereof are meant and that they haue power to bind and loose and therefore is a good warrant for our Church discipline against Papists and all other scornefull contemners and despisers of the same Matth. 18. 19 The text Againe I say to you that if two of you ⸫ consent vpon earth concerning euery thing whatsoeuer they shall aske it shalbe done to them of my father which is in heauen The note All ioyning togither in the vnitie of Christs Church in Councels
and Sinods or publike praiers is of more force than of any particular man The answer It is true that the vnitie and agréement of Gods Saints ioyned in praier and the consent of many gouernors of the Church in executing discipline is of more force than if the same be done of a very few And yet your proud prelate of Rome will haue his doings being but one stand and be of force against all consent whatsoeuer Matth. 19. 11. The text Not all ⸫ take this word but they to whom it is giuen The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capiunt The answer This most plainly sheweth that the vertue of continencie is not in euery mans will but a rare gift of God and that therefore they not onely deale rashly but also directly against Gods will and pleasure that vowe perpetuall single life And I doo not doubte but that your other annotations shall shortly be answered Matth. 19. 17. The text But ⸫ if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements The note I see not saith Saint Augustine why Christ should say if thou wilt haue life euerlasting keepe the commandements if without obseruing of them by onely faith one might be saued Augustine de fide operi cap. 1â— The answer Augustine in that place speaketh not against those that ascribe iustification to a true and a liuely faith but against the papistical opinion of them which vnderstood by them that build vpon Christ hay and stubble such Christians as liue wickedly whom they affirmed that they should passe through purgatorie fier and so be partakers of saluation through the merite of their foundation Against these Augustine replieth that he séeth not to what purpose Christ should exact the kéeping of the commandements if such a faith that is a bare profession of Christianitie might saue What is this against that faith which worketh obedience in beléeuers as it is written By faith Abraham obeyed God who then séeth not your vanitie in applying against vs that which was spoken against the patrones of purgatorie Matt. 19. 24. The text And againe I say to you it is easier for a camel to passe thorow the eie of a needle ⸫ than for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen The note Saint Marke expoundeth it thus rich men trusting in their riches cap. 10. verse 24. The answer This as farre as I now remember is the first note saue one giuen vs by conference of places of Scripture And if this kind of gathering were more in vse with you we should haue a great many fewer controuersies betwixt vs. Matt. 19 29. The text And euery one that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or ⸫ wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receiue an hundred folde and shall possesse life euerlasting The note Hereof is gathered that the Apostles amongst other things left their wiues also to followe Christ. Hierom. lib. 1. aduer Iouinianum The Answer The Apostles were neuer taught by Christ to leaue those dueties vnperfourmed which God had imposed vpon men therfore not their dueties towardes their wiues Further to leaue these things was not absolutelie to leaue either possession or vse of them but onelie so to bridle them selues as that the hauing of these things were no withdrawing of them from cleauing to Christ folowing their calling For Matthew had stil his house in which he feasted Christ. Lazarus and his sisters dwelt in their owne at Bethania Ioseph was ritch and yet a disciple and if Peters wiues mother were cared for and healed of her feuer it is not likelie that her daughter was cast off Further what say you to the canons which you say are the Apostles which forbid priestes to leaue their wiues vnder pretence of religion But you tell vs that Hierome gathereth it what then must we therefore of necessitie beléeue it He telleth vs in the same booke that the end of marriage is death and the ende of single life is life and I am sure you therein beléeue him not But this is your practise such absurd collections as you are ashamed to set downe as your owne gathering ye gladlie shroud vnder the name of some Father to abuse your followers with Matth. 20. 11. The text And receiuing it they ⸫ murmured against the good man of the house saying The note The Iewes are noted for enuying the vocation of the Gentiles and their rewarde equall with them selues The answer It is true that the Iewes enuied the calling of the Gentiles as the papistes at this day can not abide that reformed Christians take the name of Catholike christians and Church of God but that by this murmuring that enuying of equalitie of reward is meant is your bare surmise which you can not proue For the purpose of the parable is nothing els but to shew that it is frée for God to reward whom he will though they deserue it not Matth. 20. 25. The text And Iesus called them vnto him and said you knowe that the princes of the Gentiles ouer rule them and they that are the greater exercise power against them The note Superioritie is not here forbidden amongest Christians neither ecclesiasticall nor temporall but heathenish tirannie is forbidden and humilitie commended The answer Christ here distinguisheth the regiment of his church from ciuill gouernment and denieth that any of the Apostles shalbe aduaunced ouer his fellow apostles in dignitie as kings ouer their subiectes which â—latlie striketh downe your supposed primacie of Peter As for heathenish tirannie the popes of Rome haue excéeded all that euer went before them for they haue not onelie put their Cardinals into sackes and throwne them into the sea but also they haue not suffered one another to rest in their graues Matth. 21. 12. The text And Iesus entred into the temple of God and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple The note How much the abuse of the churches by marchandizing walking or other prophane occupying of them displeaseth God here we may see The answer Prophane occupying of the church displeaseth God but héere is a further thing meant namelie buying and selling vnder pretence of religion and seruice of God as héere the selling of such things as perteined to the seruice of the temple and with you the selling of masses diriges trentals and pardons such like stuffe Where couetousnesse of sacrificing priests is the expresse cause of prophaning the temple which you sâ—ilie passe ouer bicause it toucheth your selues very nighlie Matth. 21. 19. The text And seeing a certaine ⸫ figge tree by the way side he came to it and found nothing oâ— it but leaues onelie The note The Iewes hauing the word of the lawe and not the deedes were the figge tree full of leaues and voide of fruit Aug. de verb. dom serm 44. The answer In the fig trée he did set out what end and issue remaineth for hypocrites which make a