of infinite places take occasion of pernicious errors for though the letter or text haue no error yet saith S. Ambrose the Arrian or as vve may novv speake the Caluinian interpretation hath errors lib. 2 ad Gratianum ca. 1. and Tertullian saith The sense adulserated is as perilous as the style corrupted De Praescript S. Hilarie also speaketh thus Heresie riseth about the vnderstanding not about the vvriting the fault is in the sense not in the vvord lib. 2 de Trinit in principio and S. Augustine saith that many hold the scriptures as they doe the Sacraments ad speciem non ad salutem to the outvvard shevv and not to saluation de Baptis cont Donat. lib. 3 ca. 19. Finally all Sect-maisters and rauening vvolues yea * the diuels them selues pretend Scriptures alleage Scriptures and vvholy shroud them selues in Scriptures as in the wooll and fleese of the simple sheepe Vvhereby the vulgar in these daies of generall disputes can not but be in extreme danger of error though their bookes vvere truely translated and vvere truely in them selues Gods ovvne vvord in deede But the case novv is more lamentable for the Protestants and such as S. Paul calleth ambulantes in astutia vvalking in deceitfulnes haue so abused the people and many other in the vvorld not vnvvise that by their false translations they haue in steede of Gods Lavv and Testament for Christes vvritten vvill and vvord giuen them their ovvne vvicked vvriting and phantasies most shamefully in all their versions Latin English and other tonges corrupting both the letter and sense by false translation adding detracting altering transposing pointing and all other guileful meanes specially vvhere it serueth for the aduantage of their priuate opinions for vvhich they are bold also partly to disauthorise quite partly to make doubtful diuers vvhole bookes allovved for Canonical Scripture by the vniuersal Church of God this thousand yeres and vpward to alter al the authentical and Ecclesiastical vvordes vsed sithence our Christianitie into nevv prophane nouelties of speaches agreable to their doctrine to change the titles of vvorkes to put out the names of the authors to charge the very Euangelist vvith follovving vntrue translation to adde whole sentences proper to their sect into their psalmes in meter euen into the very Creede in rime al vvhich the poore deceiued people say and sing as though they vvere Gods ovvne vvord being in deede through such sacrilegious treacherie made the Diuels vvord To say nothing of their intolerable liberty and licence to change the accustomed callings of God Angel men places things vsed by the Apostles and all antiquitie in Greeke Latin and all other languages of Christian Nations into nevv names sometimes falsely and alvvaies ridiculously and for ostentation taken of the Hebrues to frame and fine the phrases of holy Scriptures after the forme of prophane writers sticking not for the same to supply adde alter or diminish as freely as if they translated Liuie Virgil or Terence Hauing no religious respect to keepe either the maiestie or sincere simplicity of that venerable style of Christes spirit as S. Augustine speaketh vvhich kind the holy Ghost did choose of infinite vvisedom to haue the diuine mysteries rather vttered in then any other more delicate much lesse in that meretricious maner of vvriting that sundrie of these new translators doe vse of vvhich sort Caluin him selfe and his pue-fellovves so much complaine that they professe Satan to haue gained more by these nevv interpreters their number leuitie of spirit and audacitie encreasing daily then he did before by keeping the word from the people And for a paterne of this mischeefe they giue Castalion adiuring all their churches and scholars to bevvare of his translation as one that hath made a very sport and mockery of Gods holy vvord so they charge him them selues and the Zuinglians of Zuricke vvhose translations Luther therfore abhorred handling the matter vvith no more fidelitie grauitie or sinceritie then the other but rather vvith much more falsification or to vse the Apostles vvordes cauponation and adulteration of Gods vvord then they besides many vvicked gloses prayers confession of faith conteining both blasphemous errors and plaine contradictions to them selues and among them selues all priuileged and authorised to be ioyned to the Bible and to be said and sung of the poore people and to be beleeued as articles of faith and vvholy consonant to Gods vvord Vve therfore hauing compassion to see our beloued countrie men vvith extreme danger of their soules to vse onely such prophane translations and erroneous mens mere phantasies for the pure and blessed vvord of truth much also moued therevnto by the desires of many deuout persons haue set forth for you benigne readers the nevv Testament to begin vvithal trusting that it may giue occasion to you after diligent perusing thereof to lay avvay at lest such their impure versions as hitherto you haue ben forced to occupie Hovv vvell vve haue done it vve must not be iudges but referre all to Gods Church and our superiors in the same to them vve submit our selues and this and all other our labours to be in part or in the vvhole reformed corrected altered or quite abolished most humbly desiring pardon if through our ignorance temeritie or other humane infirmitie vve haue any vvhere mistaken the sense of the holy Ghost further promising that if hereafter we espie any of our ovvne errors or if any other either frende of good vvil or aduersarie for desire of reprehension shal open vnto vs the same vve vvil not as Protestants doe for defense of our estimation or of pride and contention by vvrangling vvordes vvilfully persist in them but be most glad to heare of them and in the next edition or othervvise to correct them for it is truth that vve seeke for and Gods honour which being had either by good intention or by occasion al is vvel This vve professe onely that vve haue done our endeuour vvith praier much feare and trembling lest vve should dangerously erre in so sacred high and diuine a vvorke that vve haue done it vvith all faith diligence and sinceritie that vve haue vsed no partialitie for the disaduantage of our aduersaries nor no more licence then is sufferable in translating of holy Scriptures continually keeping our selues as neere as is possible to our text to the very vvordes and phrases vvhich by long vse are made venerable though to some propsiane or delicate cares they may seeme more hard to barbarous * as the whole style of Scripture doth lightly to such at the begining acknowledging with S. Hierom that in other writings it is ynough to giue in trāslation sense for sense but that in Scriptures lest vve misse the sense vve must keepe the very vvordes Ad Pammach epistola 101. ca. 2 in princip Vve must saith S. Augustine speake according to a set rule lest licence of
of Galilee savv tvvo brethren Simon vvho is called Peter his brother casting a nette into the sea for they vvere fishers ✠verse 19 he sayth to them Come ye after me and I vvil make you to be fishers of men ✠verse 20 But they incontinent leauing the nettes folovved him ✠verse 21 And going forvvard from thence he savv * other tvvo brethren Iames of Zebedee Iohn his brother in a shippe vvith Zebedee their father repayring their nettes and he called them ✠verse 22 And they furthvvith left their nettes father and folovved him ⊢ ✠verse 23 And IESVS vvent round about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogs preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and ″healing euery maladie and euery infirmitie in the people ✠verse 24 And the bruite of him vvent into al Syria and they presented to him al that vvere il at ease diuersly taken vvith diseases and torments and such as vvere possest and lunatikes and sicke of the palsey and he cured them ✠verse 25 And much people folovved him from Galilee and Decapolis and Hierusalem and from beyond Iordan ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Desert As Iohn the Baptist so our Sauiour by going into the desert and there liuing in contemplation euen among brute beasts and subiect to the assaults of the Diuel for our sinnes geueth a warrant and example to such holy men as haue liued in wildernesse for penance and contemplation called Eremites 2. Fasted fourtis daies Elias and Moyses saith S. Hierom by the fast of 40 daies were filled with the familiaritie of God and our Lord him self in the wildernesse fasted as many to leaue vnto vs the solemne daies of fast that is Lent Hiero. in c. 58 Esa S. Augustine also hath the very like wordes ep 119. And generally al the ancient fathers that by occasion or of purpose speake of the Lent-fast make it not onely an imitation of our Sauiours fast but also an Apostolicall tradition and of necessitie to be kept Contemâ—e not Lent saith S. Ignatius for it conteineth the imitation of our Lordes conuersation And S. Ambrose saith plainely that it was not ordained by men but consecrated by God nor inuented by any earthly cogitation but commaunded by the heauenly Maiestie And againe that it is sinne not to fast al the Lent S. Hieroms wordes also be most plaine We saith he fast fourtie daies or make one Lent in a yere according to the tradition of the Apostles in time conuenient This time most conuenient is as S. Augustine saith ep 119 immediatly before Easter thereby to communicate with our Sauiours Passion and as other writers do adde thereby to come the better prepared and more worthily to the great solemnitie of Christes Resurrection beside many other goodly reasons in the ancient fathers which for breuitie we omitte See good Christian Reader 12 notable sermons of S. Leo the Great de Quadragesiâ—â— of Lent namely Ser. 6 and 9. Where he calleth it the Apostles ordinance by the doctrine of the Holy Ghost See S. Ambrose from the 23 sermon forward in S. Bernard 7 sermons and in many other fathers the like Last of al note well the saying of S. Augustine who affirmeth that by due obseruation thereof the wicked be separated from the good infidels from Christians Heretikes from faithful Catholikes 6. It is written Heretikes alleage scriptures as here the Deuil doeth in the false sense the Churche vseth them as Christ doeth in the true sense and to consute their falsehood Aug. cont lit Petil. li. â— c. 〈◊〉 10. 7. 11. Him only serue It was not sayd sayth S. Augustine The Lord thy God only shalt thou â—dore as it was said Him onely shalt thou serue in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. sup Gen. 9. 61. Wherevpon the Catholike Churche hath alwayes vsed this most true and necessarie distinction that there is an honour dew to God only which to giue vnto any creature were Idolatrie and there is an honour dew to creatures also according to their dignitie as to Saints holy things and holy place See Euseb Hist Ec. li. 4. c. 14. S. Hierom. cont Vigil ep 53. Aug. li. 10. Ciâ—it c. 1. li. 1 Trin. c. 6. Conâ— Nic. 2. Damase li. 1. de Imag. Bed in 4. Luc. 17. Doe penance That penance is necessarie also before baptisme for such as be of age as Iohns so our Sauiours preaching declareth both beginning with penance 23. Healing euery maladie Christ saith S. Augustine by miracles gat authoritie by authoritie found credit by credit drew together a multitude by a multitude obteyned antiquitie by antiquitie fortified a Religion which nor only the most fond new rysing of Heretikes vsing deceitful wiles but neither the drowsie old errour of the very Heathen with violence setting agaynst it might in any part shake and cast downe Aug. de vtil cred c. 14. CHAP. V. First 3 he promiseth rewardes 13 and he layeth before the Apostles their office 17 Secondly he protesteth vnto vs that we must keepe the commaundements and that more exactly then the Scribes and Pharisees whose iustice weas counted most perâ—ite but yet that it was vnsufficient he sheweth in the precepts of 21 Murder â—7 Aduoutrie â—1 Diuorce 〈◊〉 Swearing 38 Reuenge 42 Vsurie 43 Enemies verse 1 AND seeing the multitudes he * vvent vp into a mountaine and vvhen he vvas set his Disciples came vnto him ✠verse 2 and opening his mouth he taught them saying ✠verse 3 Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heauen ✠verse 4 Blessed are the meeke for they shal possesse the land ✠verse 5 Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted ✠verse 6 Blessed are they that hunger thirst after iustice for they shal haue their fil ✠verse 7 Blessed are the merciful for they shal obtayne mercie ✠verse 8 Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shal see God ✠verse 9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shal be called the children of God ✠verse 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution ″ for iustice for theirs is the Kingdom of heauen ✠verse 11 Blessed are ye vvhen they shal reuile you and persecute you speake al that naught is agaynst you vntruely for my sake ✠verse 12 be glad reioyce for your″ revvard is very great in heauen ⊢ For so they persecuted the Prophets that vvere before you ✠verse 13 You are the * salt of the earth ✠verse 14 But if the salt leese his vertue vvherevvith shal it be salted It is good for nothing any more but to be cast forth and to be troden of men ✠verse 15 You are the ″ light of the vvorld A citie cannot be hid situated on a mountaine ✠verse 16 Neither do men light a * candel and put it vnder a bushel but vpon a caÌ„dlesticke that it may shine to al that are in
mans perdition but hath prouided a general medicine redemption to saue al from perishing that vvil accept it or that haue it applied vnto them by his Sacraments and other meanes by him ordained and so vvould haue al saued by his conditional vvil and ordinance that is if men vvil them selues by accepting doing or hauing done vnto them al things requisite by Gods lavv for God vseth not his absolute vvil or povver tovvardes alâ—â—â— this case But he that list see the manifold senses al good and true that these vvordes may beare let him see S. Augustine Ad articul sibi false impos resp â— to 7. Eâ—ch c. 103. Ep. 107. De cor grat c. 15. and S. 〈◊〉 li. 2. de orthod fide â— 29. 5 One mediator The Protestants are to peuish and pitifully blind that charge the Catholike Church Catholikes vvith making moe Mediators then one vvhich is Christ our Sauiour in that they desire the Saincts to pray for them or to be their patrones and intercessors before God Vve tel them therfore that they vnderstand not vvhat it is to be a Mediator in this sense that S. Paul taketh the vvord and in vvhich it is properly and onely attributed to Christ For to be thus a Mediator is by nature to be truely both God and man to be that one eternal Priest and Redeemer vvhich by his sacrifice and death vpon the Crosse hath reconciled vs to God and paied his bloud as a full and sufficient raunsom for al our sinnes him self vvithout neede of any redemption neuer subiect to possibilitie of sinning againe to be the singular Aduocar and Patrone of mankind that by him self alone and by his ovvne merites procureth al grace mercie to mankind in the sight of his â—ather none making any intercession for him nor geuing any grace or force to his praiers but he to al none asking or obtaining either grace in this life or glorie in the next but by him In this sort then as S. Augustine truely saith Cont. ep Parm. li. 2. c. 8. neither Peter nor Paul no nor our B. Lady nor any creature vvhatsoeuer can be our Mediator The aduersaries thinke to basely of Christes mediation if they imagine this to be his onely prerogatiue to pray for vs or that vve make the saincts our Mediators in that sort as Christis vvhen vve desire them to pray for vs. vvhich is so far inferior to the singular mediation of him that no Catholike euer can or dare thinke or speake so basely vnto him as to desire him to pray for vs but vve say Lord haue mercie vpoÌ„ vs Christ haue mercie vpon vs not Christ pray for vs as vve say to our Ladie and the rest Therfore to inuocate Saincts in that sort as the Catholike Church doth can not make them our Mediators as Christ is vvhom vve must not inuocate in that sort And as vvel make vve the faithful yet liuing our Mediators by the Aduersaries arguments vvhen vve desire their praiers as the departed Saincts But novv touching the vvord Mediator though in that singular sense proper to our Sauiour it agreeth to no mere creature in heauen or earth yet taken in more large and common sort by the vse of Scriptures doctors and vulgar speach not onely the Saincts but good men liuing that pray for vs and help vs in the vvay of saluation may and are rightly called Mediators As S. Cyril li. 22 Thesaur c. 10 proueth that Moyses according to the Scriptures and Ieremie and the Apostles and others be Mediators Read his ovvne wordes for they plainely refute al the Aduersaries cauillations in this case And if the name of * fauiour and redeemer be in the Scriptures giuen to men vvithout derogation to him that is in a more excellent and incomparable maner the onely Sauiour of the vvorld vvhat can they say vvhy there may not be many Mediators in an inferior degree to the only and singular Mediator S. Bernard saith Opus est mediatore ad Mediatorem Christum nec alter nobis vtilior quam Maria. that is We haue neede of a mediator to Christ the Mediator and there is none more for our profite then our Ladie Bernard Ser. qui incipit Signum magnum apparuit c. post Ser. 5 de Assumpt S. Basil also in the same sense vvriting to Iulian the Apostata desireth the mediation of our Ladie of the Apostles Prophets and Martyrs for procuring of Gods mercie and remission of his sinnes His vvordes are cited in Conc. Nic. 2. act 4. pag. 110 111. Thus did and thus beleeued al the holy fathers most agreably to the Scriptures and thus must al the children of the Church do be the Aduersaries neuer so importunate and vvilfully blinde in these matters 12. I permit not In times of licentiousnes libertie and heresie vvomen are much giuen to reading disputing chatting and langling of the holy Scriptures yea and to teach also if they might be permitted but S. Paul vtterly forbideeth it and the Greeke Doctors vpon this place note that the vvoman taught but once that vvas vvhen after her reasoning vvith Satan she persuaded her husband to transgression and so she vndid al mankind And in the Ecclesiastical vvriters vve find that vvomen haue been great promoters of euery sort of heresie vvhereof see a notable discourse in S. Hierom ep ad Ctâ—siph cont Pelag. c. 2. vvhich they vvould not haue done if they had according to the Apostles rule folovved pietie and good vvorkes and liued in silence and subiection to their husbands CHAP. III. Of vvhat qualitie they must be vvhom he ordaineth Bishops â— and Deacons 14 and the cause of his vvriting to be the excellencie of the Catholike Church and of Christ vvho is the obiect of our religion verse 1 A Faithful saying If a man desire a Bishops office he desireth ″ a good worke ✠verse 2 * It behoueth therfore ″ a Bishop to be irreprehensible the husband ″ of one vvife sobre vvise comely chast a man of hospitalitie a teacher ✠verse 3 not giuen to vvine no fighter but modest no quareler not couetous ✠verse 4 vvel ruling his ovvne house hauing his children subiect vvith al chastitie ✠verse 5 But if a man knovv not to rule his ovvne house hovv shal he haue care of the Church of God ✠verse 6 ″ Not a neophyte lest puffed into pride he fall into the iudgment of the Deuil ✠verse 7 And he must haue also good testimonie of them that are vvithout that he fall not into reproch and the snare of the Deuil ✠verse 8 Deacons in like maner chast not double tonged not giuen to much vvine not folovvers of filthie lucre ✠verse 9 hauing the mysterie of faith in a pure coÌ„science ✠verse 10 And let these also be proued first so let them minister hauing no crime ✠verse 11 The vvomen in like maner
✠verse 19 And this he said signifying by vvhat death he should glorifie God ⊢ And vvhen he had said this he saith to him Folovv me ✠verse 20 Peter turning savv that disciple vvhom IESVS loued folovving * vvho also leaned at the supper vpon his breast and said Lord vvho is he that shal betray thee ✠verse 21 Him therfore vvhen Peter had seen he saith to IESVS Lord and this man vvhat ✠verse 22 IESVS saith to him So I vvil haue him to remaine til I come vvhat to thee folovv thou me ✠verse 23 This saying therfore vvent abrode among the brethren that that disciple dieth not And IESVS did not say to him he dieth not but So I vvil haue him to remaine til I come vvhat to thee ✠verse 24 This is that disciple vvhich giueth testimonie of these things and hath vvritten these things and vve knovv that his testimonie is true ⊢ ✠verse 25 But there are * many other things also vvhich IESVS did vvhich if they vvere vvritten in particular neither the vvorld it self I thinke vvere able to conteine those bookes that should be vvritten ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXI 17. Feede my sheepe As it was promised him Mat. 16 that the Church should be builded vpoÌ„ him and that the keies of heauen should be giuen to him so here it is performed he is actually made the general Pastor and Gouerner of al Christs sheepe For though the other ten as Matthias and Paul also afterward were Apostles Bishops Priests aud had authoritie to binde and loose to remitte and reteâ—ne to preach baptize and such like as wel as he Yet in these things and al other gouernement Christ would haue him to be their head and they to depend of him as head of their College and consequently of the whole flocke of Christ no Apostle nor no Prince in earth if he acknowledge him self to be a sheepe of Christ exempted from his charge And that Christ maketh a difference betwixt Peter and the rest and giueth him some greater preeminence and regiment then the rest it is plaine by that he is asked whether he loue our Lord more then the other Apostles do where for equal charge no difference of loue had bene required To Peter saith S. Cyprian our Lord after his Resurrection said Feede my sheepe and buildâ—d his Church vpon him alone and to him he giueth the charge of feeding his sheepe For although after his Resurrection he gaue his povver alike to al saying As my Father sent me so I send you take the Holy Ghost if you remitte to any their sinnes they shal be remitted c. Yet to manifest vnitie he coÌ„stituted one Chaire so disposed by his authoritie that vnitie should haue origine of one The rest of the Apostles vvere that Peter vvas in equal fellovvship of honour and povver but the beginning coÌ„meth of vnitie the Primacie is giuen to Peter that the Church of Christ may be shewed to be one one Chaire S. Chrysostome also saith thus Why did our Lord shede his bloud truely to redeeme those sheepe the cure of vvhich he committed both to Peter and also to his Successors And a litle after Christ vvould haue Peter indued vvith such authoritie and to be far aboue al his other Apostles for he saith Peter dost thou loue me more then al these do Wherevpon our Maister might haue inferred If thou loue me Peter vse much fasting sleepe on the hard floure vvatch much be patrone to the oppressed father to the orphans and husband to the vvidovves but omitting al these things he saith Feed my sheepe For al the foresaid vertues certes may be done easily of many subiects not onely men but vvomen but vvhen it commeth to the gouernement of the Church and committing the charge of so many soules al vvoman kind must needes vvholy giue place to the burden and greatnes thereof and a great number of men also So writeth he And because Protestants would make the vnlearned thinke that S. Gregorie deemeÌ„d the Popes Supremacie to be wholy vnlawful and Antichristian for that he condemneth Iohn of Constantinople for vsurping the name of vniuersal Bishop resembling his insolence therein to the pride of Antichrist note wel the wordes of this holy father in the very same place and Epistle against the B. of Constantinople by which you shal easily see that to deny him to be vniuersal Bishop is not to deny Peter or the Pope to be head of the Church or supreme Gouerner of the same as our Aduersaries fraudulently pretend It is plaine to al men saith he that euer read the Gospel that by our Lordes mouth the charge of the vvhole Church vvas committed to S. Peter Prince of the Apostles for to him it vvas said Feed my sheepe for him vvas the prayer made that his faith should not faile to him vvere the keies of heauen giuen and authoritie to binde and loose to him the cure of the Church and principality vvas deliuered and yet he vvas not called the vniuersal Apostle This title in deed vvas offered for the honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles to the Pope of Rome by the holy Councel of Chalcedon but none of that See did euer vse it or consent to take it Thus much S. Gregorie who though he both practised iurisdictioÌ„ through out al Christendom as other of that See haue euer done and also acknowledged the Principality and Soueraintie to be in Peter and his Successors yet would he not for iust causes vse that title subiect to vanitie misconstructioÌ„ But both he al the Popes since haue rather called them selues Seruos seruorum Dei the Seruants of Gods seruants Though the word vniuersal Bishop in that sense wherein the holy Councel of Chalcedon offered it to the See of Rome was true and Lawful For that Councel would not haue giuen any Antichristian or vniust title to any man Onely in the B. of Constantinople and other which in no sense had any right to it and who vsurped it in a very false and tyrannical meaning it was insolent vniust and Antichristian See also the Epistles of S. Leo the Great concerning his practise of vniuersal iurisdiction though he refused the title of vniuersal Bishop And S. Bernard that you may better perceiue that the general charge of Christs sheepe was not onely giuen to Peters person but also to his successors the Popes of Rome as S. Chrysostom also before alleaged doth testifie writeth thus to Eugenius Thou art he to whom the keies of heauen are deliuered to whom the sheepe are coÌ„mitted there be other Porters of heaueÌ„ other Pastors of flockes but thou hast inherited in more glorious differeÌ„t sort For they haue euery one their particular flocke but to thee al vniuersally as one flocke to one maÌ„ are credited being not onely the Pastor of the sheepe but the one Pastor of al the
the resurrection ✠verse 19 And appreheÌ„ding him they led him to Areopagus saying May vve knovv vvhat this new doctrine is that thou speakest of ✠verse 20 for thou bringest in certaine nevv things to our eares Vve vvil knovv therfore vvhat these things may meane ✠verse 21 And al the Athenians and the strangers seiourning there emploied them selues to nothing els but either to speake or to heare some nevves ✠verse 22 But Paul standing in the middes of Areopagus said Ye men of Athens in al things I perceiue you as it vvere superstitious ✠verse 23 For passing by and seeing your Idols I found an altar also vvherevpon vvas vvritten To the vnknovven God That therfore vvhich you vvorshippe not knovving it the same do I preach to you ✠verse 24 The God that made the vvorld and al things that are in it he being Lord of heauen earth dvvelleth not in * temples made vvith hand ✠verse 25 neither is he serued vvith mens hands needing any thing vvhereas him self giueth life vnto al and breathing and al things ✠verse 26 and he made of one al maÌ„kinde to inhabite vpon the vvhole face of the earth assigning set times and the limits of their habitation ✠verse 27 for to seeke God if happily they may feele or finde him although he be not farre from euery one of vs. ✠verse 28 For in him vve liue and moue and be as certaine also of your ovvne poëtes said For of his kinde also vve are ✠verse 29 Being therfore of Gods kinde vve may not suppose the Diuinitie to be like vnto gold or siluer or stone the grauing of art and deuise of man ✠verse 30 And the times truely of this ignorance vvhereas God dispised novv he denounceth vnto men that al euery vvhere doe penance ✠verse 31 for that he hath appointed a day wherein he vvil iudge the world in equitie by a man vvhom he hath appointed giuing al men faith raysing him vp from the dead ✠verse 32 And vvhen they had heard the resurrection of the dead certaine in deede mocked but certaine said Vve vvil heare thee againe concerning this point ✠verse 33 So Paul vvent forth out of the middes of them ✠verse 34 But certaine men ioyning vnto him did beleeue among vvhom vvas also Dionysius Areopagîta and a vvoman named Dámaris and others vvith them ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 11. Searching the Scriptures The Heretikes vse this place to proue that the heaters must trie and iudge by the Scriptures vvhether their teachers and preachers doctrine be true and so reiect that that they find not in the Scriptures as though here the sheepe vvere made iudges of their Pastors the people of the Priests and men and vvomen of al sortes euen of S. Paules doctrine it self which vvere the most folish disorder in the vvorld And they did not therfore read the Scriptures of the old Testament for none of the nevv vvere yet extant commonly to dispute vvith the Apostle or to trie and iudge of his doctrine or vvhether they should beleeue him or no for they vvere bound to beleeue him and obey his vvord vvhether he alleaged Scripture or no and vvhether they could reade or vnderstand the Scriptures or no but it vvas a great comfort and confirmation for the Ievves that had the Scriptures to finde euen as S. Paul said that Christ vvas God crucified risen and ascended to heauen vvhich by his preaching and expounding they vnderstood and neuer before though they read them and heard them read euery Sabboth As it is a great comfort to a Catholike man to heare the Scriptures declared alleaged most euidently for the Churches truth against Heretikes in Sennons or othervvise And it doth the Catholikes good much confirmeth them to vew diligently the places alleaged by the Catholike preachers Yet they must not be iudges for al that ouer their ovvne Pastors vvhom Christ commaundeth them to heare and obey and by vvhom they heare the true sense of Scriptures 22. Superstitious S. Paul calleth not them superstitious for adoring the true and only God vvith much deuotion or many ceremonies or in comely prescribed order or for doing due reuerence to holy Sacraments to Saincts and their memories Images or Monuments or for keeping the prescribed lavves daies and fastes of the Church or for fulfilling vowes made to God or for blessing vvith the signe of the Crosse or for capping and kneeling at the name of IESVS or for religiously vsing creatures sanctified in the same name or any other Christian obseruation for vvhich our nevv Maisters coÌ„demne the Catholike people of Superstition them selues vvholy voide of that vice by al vvise mens iudgement because they haue in maner taken avvay al religion and are become Epicureians and Atheists vvho are neuer troubled vvith superstition because it is a vice consisting in excesse of vvorship or religion vvhereof they are void but the Apostle calleth them superstitious for vvorshipping the Idols and goddes of the Heathen and for the feare that they had lest they should leaue out any God that vvas vnknovven to them for thus their Altar vvas inscribed Dijs Asia Europa Lybia Deo ignoto peregrino that is To the gods of Asia Europe and Lybia to the vnknovven and strange God This superstition saith S. Augustine is vvholy taken avvay from the Church by Christs incarnation and by the Apostles preaching and by Martyrs holy life and death Neither doth the Catholike Church allovv this or any other kinde of superstitious obseruation Only vve must take heede that vve beleeue not her Aduersaries definition of superstition for they vvould imply therein al true religion 29. This Diuinitie to be like Nothing can be made by mans hand of vvhat forme or sort so euer that is like to Gods essence or to the forme or shape of his Godhead or Diuinitie therfore hovvsoeuer the Heathens did paint or graue their Idols they vvere nothing like to God And this also is impertinently alleaged by Heretikes against the Churches images Vvhich are not made either to be adored vvith godly honour or to be any resemblance of the Diuinitie or any of the three persons in Godhead but only of Christ as he vvas in forme of man vvho in that respect may be truely expressed as other men by their purtraites and of the Holy Ghost not as he is in him self but as he appeared in firy tongues or in the similitude of a dooâ—e or such like And so to paint or graue any of the three persons as they appeared visibly and corporally is no more inconuenient or vnlavvful then it vvas vndecent for them to appeare in such formes And therfore to paint or portraite the Father also being the first person as he hath shevved him self in vision to any of the Prophetes of the old or nevv Testament namely to Daniel as an old man or the three Angels
mutual entercourse that is betvvene the members of Christes mystical body and very ansvverable to Gods iustice * vvhich by supply of the one sort that aboundeth standeth entire in respect of the other sort also that wanteth In vvhich kinde the Apostle confesseth that him self by his suffering and tribulations supplieth the vvantes of such passions as Christ hath to suffer not in his ovvne person but in his body vvhich is his Church Vvherevpon vve inferre most assuredly that the satisfactorie and penal vvorkes of holy Sainctes suffered in this life be communicable and applicable to the vse of other faithful men their fellovv-members in our Lord and to be dispensed according to euery ones necessitie and deseruing by them vvhom Christ hath constituted ouer his familie and hath made the dispensers of his treasures 10. In the person of Christ For that many might of ignorance or pride reproue the practise of Gods Church and her Officers or deny the Apostles authoritie to be so great ouer mens soules as to punish and pardon in this sort S. Paul doth purposely and precisely tell them that he doth giue pardon as Christes Vicar or as bearing his person in this case and therfore that no man may maruel of his povver herein except he thinke that Christes povver authoritie and commission is not sufficient to release temporal punishment due to sinners And this to be the proper meaning of these vvordes In the person of Christ and not as the Protestants vvould haue it the better to auoid the former conclusion of the Apostles giuing indulgence In the face or sight of Christ you may easily vnderstand by the Apostles like insinuation of Christes povver vvhen he committed this offender to Satan affirming that he gaue that sentence in the name and vvith the vertue or povver of our Lord IESVS CHRIST In al vvhich cases the Protestants blindnes is exceding great vvho can not see that this is not the vvay to extol Christes povver to deny it to his Priests seing the Apostle chalengeth it by that that Christ hath such povver that him self doth it in his name vertue and person So novv in this and in no other name giue Popes and Bishops their pardons Vvhich pertaining proprely to releasing onely of temporal punishment due after the sinne and the eternal punishment be forgiuen is not so great a matter as the remission of the sinne it self vvhich yet the Priests * by expresse commission do also remitte 11. Circumuented of Satan Vve may see hereby that the dispensation of such discipline and the releasing of the same be put into the povver and handes of Gods ministers to deale more or lesse rigorously to pardon sooner or later punish longer or shorter vvhile as shal be thought best to their vvisedom for the end of al such correction or pardoning must be the saluation of the parties soul as the Apostle noted 1 Cor. 5 5. Vvhich to some and some certaine times may be better procured by rigour of discipline then by indulgence to some others by leuitie and humane dealing so pardoning of penance is called in old Councels rather then by ouermuch chastisemeÌ„â— for consideration vvhereof in some ages of the Church much discipline great penance and satisfaction vvas both enioyned and also vvillingly susteined and then vvas the lesse pardoning and fevver indulgences because in that voluntary vse and acceptation of punishment and great zeale and feruor of spirit euery man fulfilled his penancÌ„e and fevv asked pardon Novv in the fall of deuotion and lothsomnes that men commonly haue to do great penance though the sinnes be far greater then euer before yet our holy mother the Church knovving vvith the Apostle the cogitations of Satan hovv he vvould in this delicate time driue men either to desperation or to forsake Christ and his Church and al hope of saluation rather then they vvould enter into the course of canonicall discipline enioyneth small penance and seldom vseth extremitie vvith offenders as the holy Bishops of the primitiue Church did but condescending to the vveaknes of her children pardoneth exceding often and much not onely al enioyned penance but also al or great partes of vvhat punishment temporal so euer due or deserued either in this vvorld or in the next As for the Heretikes vvhich neither like the Churches lenitie and pardoning in these daies nor the old rigor of the primitiue Church they be like to the Ievves â— that condemned Iohn the Baptist of austeritie and Christ of to much freedom and libertie not knovving nor liking in deede either Christes ordinance and commission in binding or loosing or his prouidence in the gouernement of the Church 17. Adulterating The Greeke vvord signifieth to make commoditie of the vvord of God as vulgar Vinteners do of their vvine Vvhereby is expressed the peculiar trade of al Heretikes and exceding proper to the Protestants that so corrupt Scriptures by mixture of their ovvne phantasies by false traÌ„slations glosses colorable and pleasant commentaries to deceiue the tast of the simple as tauerners and tapsters do to make their vvines salable by manifold artificial deceites The Apostles contrarievvise as all Catholikes deliuer the Scriptures and vtter the vvord of God sincerely and entirely in the same sense and sort as the fathers left them to the Church interpreting them by the same Spirit by vvhich they vvere vvritten or spoken CHAP. III. Lest the Iudaical false Apostles should obiect againe that he praiseth him self he saith that the Corinthians are his commendation and they in their hartes being iustified by his ministerie he thereof inferreth that the ministers of the nevv Testament are farre more glorious them they of the old 12 and our people more lightened then theirs verse 1 BEGIN we againe to commend our selues or do vve neede as certaine epistles of commendation to you or from you ✠verse 2 Our epistle you are vvritten in our hartes vvhich is knovven and read of al men ✠verse 3 being manifested that you are ″ the epistle of Christ ministred by vs vvritten not vvith inke but vvith the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the tables carnall of the hart ✠verse 4 And such confidence vve haue by Christ God ✠verse 5 not that vve be sufficient to thinke any thing ″ of our selues as of our selues but our sufficience is of God ✠verse 6 Vvho also hath made vs meete ministers of the nevv â—estament not in the letter but in the Spirit For ″ the letter killeth but the Spirit quickeneth ✠verse 7 And if the ministration of death with letters figured in stones vvas in glorie so that the children of Israël could not behold the face of Moyses for the glorie of his countenaÌ„ce that is made void ✠verse 8 how shal not the ministration of the Spirit be more in glorie ✠verse 9 For if the ministratioÌ„ of damnation be in glorie
of the Crosse and the bread saith he vvhich they receiue thought it be not the body of Christ yet is holy and more holy then the vsual bread of the table He meaneth a kinde of bread then halovved specially for such as vvere not yet admitted to the B. Sacrament either the same or the like to our holy bread vsed in the Church of England and France on Sundaies And it vvas a common vse in the primitiue Church to blesse loaues and send them for sacred tokens from one Christian man to an other and that not among the simple and superstitious as the Aduersaries may imagine but among the holiest learnedst and vvisest Such halovved breads did S. Paulinus send to S. Augustine and Alipius and they to him againe calling them blessings Read S. Hierom in the life of Hilaâ—ion post medium hovv Princes and learned Bishops other of al sortes came to that holy man for holy bread panem benedictum In the primitiue Church the people commonly brought bread to the Priests to be halovved Author op imp ho. 14 in Mt. The 3 CouÌ„cel of Carthage cap. 24. maketh mention of the blessing of milke honie grapes and corne See the 4 Canon of the Apostles And not onely diuers other creatures vsed at certaine times in holy Churches seruice as vvaxe fire palmes ashes but also the holy oile Chrisme and the vvater of Baptisme that also vvhich is the cheefe of al Priestly blessing of creatures the bread and vvine in the high Sacrifice be sanctified for vvithout sanctification yea as S. Augustine affirmeth tract 118. in Ioan. vvithout the signe of the Crosse none of these things can rightly be done Can any man novv maruel that the Church of God by this vvarraÌ„t of S. Paules vvord expouÌ„ded by so long practise and tradition of the first fathers of our religion doth vse diuers elements and blesse them for mans vse and the seruice of God expelling by the inuocatioÌ„ of Christes name the aduersarie povver from them according to the authoritie giuen by Christ Super omnia dâ—monia ouer al Diuels and by praier vvhich importeth as the Apostle here speaketh desire of help as it vvere by the vertue of Christ to combat vvith the Diuel and so to expel him out of Gods creatures vvhich is done by holy exorcisme and euer beginneth Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini as vve see in the blessing of holy vvater and the like sanctification of elements Vvhich exorcismes namely of children before they come to Baptisme see in S. Augustine li. 6 cont Iulian c. 5. de Eâ— dogmat 6. 31. Denupt concupis li. 1 6. 20. and of holy vvater that hath been vsed these 1400 yeres in the Church by the institution of Alexander the first in al Christian countries and of the force thereof against Diuels see a famous historie in Eusebius li. 5 c. 21. and in Epiphanius her 30 Ebionitarum See S. Gregorie to S. Augustine our Apostle of the vse thereof in halovving the Idolatrous temples to be made the Churches of Christ apud Bedam li 1 c. 30 hist Angl. Remember hovv the Prophet Eliseus applied salt to the healing and purifying of vvaters 4 Reg. 2 hovv the Angel Raphael vsed the liuer of the fish to driue avvay the Diuel Tob. 6. 8 hovv Dauids harp and Psalmodie kept the euil spirit from Saul 1 Reg. 16 hovv a peece of the holy earth saued such a mans chamber from infestatioÌ„ of Diuels August de Ciuit. dei li. 22 c. 8 how Christ him self both in SacrameÌ„ts out of them occupied diuers sanctified elements some for the health of the body some for grace and remission of sinnes and some to vvorke miracles by See in S. Hierom against Vigilantius c. 2. hovv holy Relikes tormeÌ„t them In the historie of Iulianus the Apostata hovv the signe of the Crosse in the Actes cap. 19 hovv the name of IESVS yea and of Paul putteth them to flight Furnish your selues vvith such examples and groundes of Scriptures and antiquitie and you shal contemne the Aduersaries cauillations and blasphemies against the Churches practise in such things and further also finde these sacred actions and creatures not only by increase of faith feruor and deuotion to purge the impuritie of our soules and procure remission of our daily infirmities but that the cheefe Ministers of Christes Church by their soueraine authoritie graunted of our Lord may ioyne vnto the same their blessing and remission of our venial sinnes or spiritual dettes as vve see in S. Iames remission of al sinnes to be annexed to the vnction vvith holy oile vvhich to the Catholikes is a Sacrament but to the Protestants vvas but a temporal ceremonie and to some of them not of Christes institution but of the Apostles onely In their ovvne sense therfore they should not maruel that such spiritual effectes should procede of the vse of sanctified creatures vvhereas venial trespasses be remitted many vvaies though mortal ordinarily by the Sacraments onely S. Gregorie did commonly send his benediction and remission of sinnes in and vvith such holy tokens as vvere sanctified by his blessing and touching of the Apostles bodies and Martyrs Relikes as novv his successors do in the like halovved remembrances of religion See his 7 booke epistle 126 and 9 booke epistle 60. Thus therfore and to the effectes aforesaid the creatures of God be sanctified If any man obiect that this vse of creatures is like coniuration in Necromancie he must knovv the difference is that in the Churches sanctifications and exorcismes the Diuels be commaunded forced and tormented by Christes vvord and by praiers but in the other vvicked practises they be pleased honoured and couenanted vvithal and therfore the first is godly and according to the Scriptures but Necromancie abominable and against the Scriptures 14. The grace S. Augustine declareth this grace to be the gift of the holy Ghost giuen vnto him by receiuing this holy Order vvhereby he vvas made fitte to execute the office to his ovvne saluation and other mens And note vvithal that grace is not onely giuen in or vvith the Sacraments by the receiuers faith or deuotion but by the Sacrament per impositionem by imposition of handes for so he speaketh 2 Tim. 1. which is here said cum impositione vvith imposition 14. With imposition S. Ambrose vpon this place implieth in the vvord Imposition of â—ands al the holy action and sacred vvordes done and spoken ouer him vvhen he vvas made Priest Whereby saith he he vvas designed to the vvorke and receiued authoritie that he durst offer sacrifice in our Lordes steede vnto God So doth the holy Doctor allude vnto the vvordes that are said novv also in the Catholike Church to him that is made Priest Accipe potestatem offerendi pro viuis mortuis in nomine Domini that is Take or receiue thou authoritie to offer for the liuing and
Scripture then the moral partes 1. Tim. 6. 2 Tim. c. 3 2 Pet. 3. They presuppose no difficulties which al the learned fathers felt to be in the Scriptures * Apoc. 5 1. * Act. 8. Confess lib. 12. cap. 14. See ep 3. Aug. Hiero ep 13. c. 4. Ruff. Ec. hist li. 2. c. 9. Maners and life nothing amended but much worse since this licentious tossing of holy Scriptures Scriptures as profanely cited as heathen poëtes Scriptures errâ—neously expounded according to euery vvicked mans priuate fansie 1 Cor. 2 Mat. 4. Al Heretikes pretend Scriptures The Scriptures haue been falsely and heretically translated into the vulgar tongues and sundrie other vvaies sacrilegiously abused and so giuen to the people to reade 2 Cor. 4. * Bezaan not in c. 1. Lu. v. 78. * See the tenth article of their Creede in meter Al this their dealing is noted as occasion serueth in the Annotations vpon this Testiment and more at large in a booke lately made purposely of that matter called A DISCOVERIE c. Caluin coÌ„plaineth of the new delicat traÌ„slators namely Castalion him self Beza being as bad or vvorse Pref. in nouuÌ„ Testa Gal. 1567. Iostâ— Sim lerus in vita Bullingeri 2 Cor. 2. 17. * See the 4 article of their Creede in meter vvhere they professe that Christ desceÌ„ded to deliuer the fathers afterward in their coÌ„fessioÌ„ of their faith they deny Limbus patrum The purpose commoditie of setting forth this Catholike edition The religious care sinceritie obserued in this translatioÌ„ See S. August li. 3. confes c. 5. The auncient fathers kept religiously the very barbarismes of the vulgar Latin text Mat. 22. Mar. 8. Hebr. 7. Mat. 6. 10. 22. Luâ— 13. Of the ANNOTATIONS vvhy they vvere made vvhat matter they coÌ„teine 2 Cor. 2. 2 Cor. 3. De doctâ— Christ lib. 3. cap. 10. Heresies make Catholikes more diligent to search and finde the senses of holy Scripture for refelling of the same In Psal 67. propè finem Many causeâ— vvhy this nevv Testament is traÌ„slated according to the auncient vulgar Latin text It is most auncient Corrected by S. Hierom. Ep. 10. CommeÌ„ded by S. Augustine Vsed and expounded by the fathers Only authentical by the holy Councel of Trent Sess 4. Most graue least partial Precise in folovving the Greeke Preferred by Beza him self Al the rest misliked of the Sectaries them selues eche reprehending an other * Coâ—hla c. 11 de Cano Script authoritâ—â—â— * The nevv Test printed theÌ„ yere 1580. in the title It is 〈◊〉 then the vulgar Greeke text it self The auncient fathers for proofe therof and the Aduersaries them selues Li. 5 cont MarcionoÌ„ * Ambrose Hierom. Li. 1 cont louin c. 7. Li. 12 c. 4. Li. 7. c. 32. The Caluinistes them selues ofteÌ„ forsake the Greeke as corrupt and translate according to the auÌ„cient vulgar latin text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superfluities in the Greeke vvhich Erasmus calleth trifling and rash additions See No. Test Graec. Rob. Stephani in folio and Crisâ—ins The vulgar Latin translation agreeth vvith the best Greeke copies by Bezas ovvne iudgement Beza prafat No. Test 1556 See him also Anno. in 13. Act. v. 20. Vvhen the Fathers say that the Latin text must yeld to the Greeke be corrected by it they meane the true and vncorrupted Greeke text The vulgar Latin TranslatioÌ„ is many waies iustified by most auncient Greeke copies the Fathers Codex veronensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latin fathers See Annot Lenan in No. Test and Annot Luca Brugensis in biblia Praefat. in 4. Euang. ad Damasum Praefat. citata The fevv and final faultes negligently crept into the vulgar Latin translation Sess 4. The Caluinists confessing the Greeke to be most corrupt yet translate that only and hold that only for authentical Scripture In Annot No. Test an 1556. They standing precisely vpon the Hebrue of the old and Greeke text of the nevv Testament must of force denie the one of them * An. Dâ— 1556 and 1565. They say the Greeke is more corrupt then vve vvil graunt them We preferre not the vulgar Latin text as making more for vs. The Greeke text maketh for vs more then the vulgar Latin Luc. 22. 〈◊〉 â—0 For the real presence For fasting For free vvil Against only faith Against only faith Against special assurance of saluation For the sacrifice of Christs body and bloud The ProtaÌ„tats condemning the old vulgar translation as making for vs coÌ„demns them selues * Against D. Sand. Rocke pag. 147. See Kemnis in exam CoÌ„c Trid. 〈◊〉 4. Mat. 3. 11. Eph. 5. Luc. 1. Heb. 13. Mar. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 16. v. 20. It is void of al partialitie * Na. Test 1580. in ep ad Hebr. Ep. 14 18. The Papistrie thereof as they terme it is in the very sentences of the Holy Ghost more then in the translatioÌ„ Mat. 16. 10. 20. Mat. 16. laâ— 2. 1 Tim. 5. 1 Io. 5. Heb. 12. The maner of this translation and vvhat hath been obserued therein * See the last Table aâ— the end of the booke Certaine vvordes not English nor as yet familiar in the English tongue * See annot Amen Io. c. 8. v. 34. Apoc. c. 19. v. 4. Alleluia No Test an 1580. Bib. an 1577. Parasceue * Mar. 14. v. 42. Pasche Bib. 1577. Mat. 26. 17. Azymes Neophyte Phil. 3. Vvhy vve say our Lord not the Lord but in certaine cases see the Annotations 1 Tim. 6. pag. 585. Catholike termes proceding from the very text of Scripture Certaine hard speaches and phrases Io. 2. The ProtestaÌ„ts presumptuous boldnes and Iibettie in translating Mat. 5. Gehennâ— ignis The Greeke added often in the margent for many causes Mat. 4. Act. 15. 2 Thes 2. 1. Cor. 11. The Latin text sometime noted in the margent In the beginning of bookes Matthew Paul c. not S. Matthew S. Paul c. Bib. an 1579. 1580. an 1577 1562. An other reading in the margent The pointing sometime alâ—eâ—ed The margent reading sometime preferred before the text Luther Caluin Luther Zuinglius Caeluin * Their scholers folovvers * Of Caluin of â—uel of the rest * So he calleth the Churches sense and the fathers interpretations of Scriptures * Othervvise Wiclesse Luther Caluin Puritanes Aug. de cat rud cap. 3. 4. Super Exod. q. 73. Mat. 5. * Io. 20 31. Eze. 1. Apoc. 4. THE FIRST part of this Gospel of the Infancie of our Sauiour Christ * Gen. 12. 22. â— Reg. 7. Psal 131. * Luc. 3 31. This Gospel is most solemly sung in holy Church at Mattins vpoÌ„ Christmas day * Gen. 21. 29. 38. As also it is the Gospel of the CoÌ„ception and Natiuitiâ— of our B. Lady because here is declared the pedegree of her also * 1 Par. 2 5. Ruth 4 18. * 2 Re. 12 24. * 1 Par. 3 10. 4 Reg. 24. *