God miraculously our Sacrament more it vvas to be eaten for the time of their peregrination our Sacrament more it vvas to euery man vvhat he liked best our Sacrament more a litle thereof serued and sufficed as vvel as much our Sacrament more it vvas reserued for such daies as it could not be gathered and our Sacramēt much more it vvas kept for a memorial in the arke of the Testament our Sacrament much more the discontented and incredulous murmured and gainsaid it at our Sacrament much more it sustained their bodies in the desert our Sacrament both body and soule much more 52. Hovv can this man It came not to their minde that nothing vvas impossible to God that vvickedly said Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh but vve may make great profite of their sinne beleeuing the Mysteries and taking a lesson neuer to say or once thinke Hovv for it is a Ievvish vvord and vvorthy al punishment so saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 11 in Io. Neuertheles if one asked onely for desire to learne in humility as our Lady did touching her hauing a childe in her virginitie then he must take the Angels answer to her That it is of the Holy Ghost so saith S. Damascene li. 4. c. 14. 53. vnles you eate Christ cōmending the Sacrament of the faithful vnto vs said Except you eate c. you can not haue life in you So the life saith of life and to him that thinketh the life to be a lier this meate shal be death not life to him August Ser. 2 de verb. Ap. c. 1. And S. Leo thus Because our Lord saith Except you eate c. let vs so communicate that vve nothing doubt of the truth of Christes body and bloud for that 〈◊〉 receiued vvith mouth vvhich is beleiued in hart and they ansvver Amen in vaine that dispute against that vvhich they receiue 53. And drinke This the Protestants alleage for the necessitie of receiuing in both kindes but in respect of them selues who lightly hold al this chapter to pertaine nothing to the Sacramental receiuing but to spiritual feeding on Christ by faith onely it can make nothing for one kinde or other And in respect of vs Catholikes who beleeue Christs whole person both humanitie and Diuinitie both flesh and bloud to be in either forme and to be vvholy receiued no lesse in the first then in the second or in both this place commaundeth nothing for both the kindes 53. You shal not haue life Though the Catholikes teach these wordes to be spoken of the Sacrament yet they meane not no more then our Sauiour here doth to exclude al from saluation that receiue not actually and Sacramentally vnder one or both kindes For then children that die after they be baptized and neuer receiued Sacramentally should perish which to hold were heretical Neither did S. Augustine meane applying these wordes to infants also that they could not be saued without receiuing sacramentally as not onely the Heretikes but Erasmus did vnlearnedly mistake him but his sense is that they were by the right of their Baptisme ioyned to Christs body Mystical and thereby spiritually partakers of the other Sacrament also of Christs body and bloud As al Catholike men that be in prison ioyning with the Church of God in hart and desire to receiue and be partakers with the Church of this Sacrament and those specially that deuoutly heare Masse and adore in presence the body and bloud of Christ ioyning in hart with the Priest al these receiue life and fruite of the Sacrament though at euery time they receiue not sacramentally in one or both kindes And although in the Primitiue Church the holy Sacrament in the second kind were often giuen euen to infants to sanctifie them yet as the holy Councel hath declared it was neuer ministred vnto them with opinion that they could not be saued without it and therfore the Heretikes do vntruely charge the Church and the Fathers with that errour 54. I vvil raise him As the Sonne liueth by the Father euen so do vve liue by his flesh saith S. Hilarie li. 8. de Trin. And S. Cyril againe thus Though by nature of our flesh vve be corruptible yet by participation of life vve are reformed is the propertie of life For not onely our soules vvere to be lifted vp by the holy Ghost to life euerlasting but this rude grosse terrestrial body of ours is to be reduced to immoralitie by touching tasting and eating this agreable food of Christes body And vvhen Christ saith I vvil raise him vp he meaneth that this body vvhich he eateth shal raise him Our flesh saith Tertullian eateth the body and bloud of Christ that the soule may also be fatted therfore they shal both haue one revvard at the Resurrection And S. Irenaeus Hovv do they affirme that our bodies be not capable of life euerlasting vvhich is nourished by the body and bloud of our Lord Either let them change their opinion or els cease to offer the Eucharist S. Gregorie Nyssene also saith That liuely body entering into our body changeth it and maketh it like and immortal 55. Meate in deede Manna was not the true meate nor the water of the rocke the drinke in deede for they did but driue avvay death or famine for a time and for this life But the holy Body of Christ is the true food nourishing to life euerlasting and his bloud the true drinke that driueth death avvay vtterly for they be not the body and bloud of a mere man but of him that being ioyned to life is made life and therfore are vve the body and members of Christ because by this benediction of the mysterie vve receiue the sonne of God him self So saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 16 in Io. 58. He that eateth this bread By this place the holy Councel proueth that for the grace and effect of the Sacrament which is the life of the soule there is no difference whether a man receiue both kindes or one because our Sauiour vvho before attributed life to the eating and drinking of his body and bloud doth here also affirme the same effect vvhich is life euerlasting to come of eating onely vnder one forme Therfore the Heretikes be seditious calumniators that would make the people beleeue the Catholike Church and Priests to haue defrauded them of the grace and benefite of one of the kindes in the Sacrament Nay it is they that haue defrauded the world by taking away both the real substance of Christ and the grace from one kinde and both kindes and from al other Sacraments The Church doth onely by the wisedom of Gods Spirit and by instruction of Christ and his Apostles according to time and place for Gods most honour the reuerence of the Sacrament and the peoples most profite thereby dispose of the maner and order how the Priest how the people shal receiue
to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchisedec See ep 120. c. 19. ep 57. ad q. 1. in fine Thus you see vvhen the holy fathers handle the Scriptures they finde Masse and Sacrifice in many places vvhere the ignorant heretikes or the simple might thinke they speake onely of a common thankes giuing 16. God is promerited This latin vvord promeretur cannot be expressed effectually in any one English vvord It signifieth Gods fauour to be procured by the foresaid vvorkes of almes and charitie as by the deserts and merites of the doers Which doctrine and vvord of merites the Aduersaries like so il that they flee both here and els vvhere from the vvord translating here for promeretur Deus God is pleased more neere to the Greeke as they pretend Which in deede maketh no more for them then the latin vvhich is agreable to most auncient copies as vve see by Primasius S. Augustines scholer For if God be pleased vvith good vvorkes and shew fauour for them then are they meritorious and then only faith is not the cause of Gods fauour to men 17. Obey your Prelates There is nothing more inculcated in the holy Scriptures then obedience of the lay people to the Priests and Prelates of Gods Church in matters of soule conscience and religion Vvhereof the Apostle giueth this reason because they haue the charge of mens soules and must ansvver for them vvhich is an infinite preeminence and superiority ioyned vvith burden and requireth maruelous submission and most obedient subiection of al that be vnder them and their gouernement From this obedience there is no exception nor exemption of kings nor Princes be they neuer so great If they haue soules and be Christian men they must be subiect to some Bishop Priest or other Prelate And vvhatsoeuer he be though Emperour of all the vvorld if he take vpon him to prescribe and giue lawes of religion to the Bishops and Priests vvhom he ought to obey and be subiect vnto in religion he shal he damned vndoubtedly except he repent because he doth against the expresse vvord of God and law of nature And by this you may see the difference of an heretical and a disordered time from other Catholike Christian daies For heresie and the like damnable reuoltes from the Church of God is no more but a rebellion and disobedience to the Priests of Gods Church vvhen men refuse to be vnder their discipline to heare their doctrine and interpretation of Scriptures to obey their lawes and counsels This disobedience and rebellion from the Spiritual Gouernour vnder pretence of obedience to the Temporal is the bane of our daies and specially of our Countrie vvhere these new Sectes are properly mainteined by this false principle That the Prince in matters of soule and religion may commaund the Prelate vvhich is directly and euidently against this Scripture and all other that commaund the sheepe of Christes fold to obey their spiritual Officers THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. IAMES THIS Epistle as the rest folovving is directed specially as S. Augustine saith against the errour of only faith vvhich some held at that time also by misconstruing S. Paules vvordes Yea not only that but many other errours vvhich then also vvere annexed vnto it as they are novv doth this Apostle here touche expresly He saith therfore that not only faith but also good vvorkes are necessarie that not only faith but also good vvorkes do iustifie that they are actes of Religion or seruice and vvorship of God that to keepe al the commaundements of God and so to abstaine from al mortal sinne is not impossible but necessarie that God is not author of sinne no not so much as of tentation to sinne that vve must stay our selues from sinning vvith feare of our death of the Iudgement of hel and stirre our selues to doing of good vvith our revvard that vve shall haue for it in heauen These pointes of the Catholike faith he commendeth earnestly vnto vs inueighing vehemently against them that teach the coÌ„trarie errors Hovvbeit he doth vvithal admonish not to neglect such but to seeke their conuersion shevving them hovv meritorious a thing that is Thus then he exhorteth generally to all good vvorkes dehorteth from al sinne but yet also namely to certaine from certaine as from acception of persons from detraction and rash iudging from concupisceÌ„ce and loue of this vvorld from svvearing and to praier to almes to humilitie confession and penance but most copiously to patience in persecution Novv vvho this Iames vvas It is not be vvhose feast the Church keepeth the 25 of Iulie vvhich vvas S. Iohns brother and vvhose martyrdom vve haue Act. 12. but he vvhom the Church vvorshippeth the first of Maie vvho is called Frater Domini our lordes brother and brother to Iude and vvhich vvas the first Bishop of Hierusalem of vvhom vve reade Act. 15 21. and also Gal. 2. of vvhose vvonderful austeritie and puritie of life the Ecclesiasticall stories do report Euseb li. 2. c. â—2 Hiero. in Catalogo Therfore as the old High-priest had povver and charge ouer the Ievves not only in Hierusalem and Iurie but also dispersed in other Countries as vve vnderstand Act. 9. v. 1 2. so S. Iames likevvise being Bishop of Hierusalem and hauing care not only of those Ievves vvith vvhom he vvas resident there in Iurie but of al the rest also vvriteth this Epistle To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion and in them to al Christians vniuersally dispersed through the vvorld THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IAMES THE APOSTLE Catholike Epistle The vvord Catholike though in the title of this Epistle the rest folovving called The Catholike Epistles it be not vvholy in the same sense as it is in the Creede yet the Protestants so feare and abhorre the vvord altogether that in some of their Bibles they leaue it cleane out although it be in the Greeke and in some they had rather translate ridiculously thus The general Epistle c. vvhereas these are famously knovven and * specified in antiquitie by the name of Catholike Epistles for that they are vvritten to the vvhole Church not to any peculiar people or person as S. Paules are CHAP. I. Vve haue to reioyce in persecution but if vve be patient and vvithal absteine from al mortal sinne 9 considering hovv vve shal be exalted and crovvned for it vvhen the persecutor vvho enricheth him self vvith our spoiles shal fade avvay 13 But if any be tempted to fall or to any other euil let him not say God it the author of it vvho is the author of al good onely 19 Such points of the Caâ—â—-faith vve must be content to learne vvithout contradiction and anger and to doe accordingly 26 Because othervvise vve may talke of Religion but in deede it is no Religion verse 1 IAMES the seruant of God and of our Lord IESVS Christ to the tvvelue tribes
prouision vvas made that no heretical version set forth by Vvicleffe or his adherentes should be suffered nor any other in or after his time be published or permitted to be readde being not approued and allovved by the Diócesan before alleaging S. Hierom for the difficultie and danger of interpreting the holy Scripture out of one tonge into an other though by learned and Catholike men So also it is there insinuated that neither the Translations set forth before that Heretikes time nor other aftervvard being approued by the lavvful Ordinaries were euer in our countrie wholy forbidden though they were not to say the truth in quiet and better times much lesse when the people vvere prone to alteratioÌ„ heresie or noueltie either hastily admitted or ordinarily readde of the vulgar but vsed onely or specially of some deuout religious and contemplatiues persons in reuerence secrecie and silence for their spiritual comforte Now since Luthers reuolt also diuers learned Catholikes for the more speedy abolishing of a number of false and impious translations put forth by sundry sectes and for the better preseruation or reclaime of many good soules endangered thereby haue published the Bible in the seueral languages of almost all the principal prouinces of the Latin Church no other bookes in the world being so pernicious as hereticall translations of the Scriptures poisoning the people vnder colour of diuine authoritie not many other remedies being more soueraine against the same if it be vsed in order discretion and humilitie then the true faithful and sincere interpretation opposed therevnto Vvhich causeth the holy Church not to forbid vtterly any Catholike translation though she allow not the publishing or reading of any absolutely and without exception or limitation knowing by her diuine and most sincere wisedom how where when and to whom these her Maisters and Spouses giftes are to be bestowed to the most good of the faithful and therfore neither generally permitteth that which must needes doe hurt to the vnworthy nor absolutely condemneth that which may doe much good to the worthie Vvherevpon the order which many a wise man wished for before was taken by the Deputies of the late famous Councel of Trent in this behalfe and confirmed by supreme authoritie that the holy Scriptures though truely and Catholikely translated into vulgar tonges yet may not be indiffereÌ„tly readde of all men nor of any other then such as haue expresse licence therevnto of their lawful Ordinaries with good testimonie from their Curates or Confessors that they be humble discrete and deuout persons and like to take much good and no harme thereby Vvhich prescript though in these daies of ours it can not be so precisely obserued as in other times places where there is more due respecte of the Churches authoritie rule and discipline yet we trust all wise and godly persons will vse the matter in the meane while with such moderation meekenes and subiection of hart as the handling of so sacred a booke the sincere senses of Gods truth therein the holy Canons Councels reason and religion do require Vvherein though for due preseruation of this diuine worke from abuse and prophanation and for the better bridling of the intolerable insolencie of proude curious contentious wittes the gouernours of the Church guided by Gods Spirit as euer before so also vpon more experience of the maladie of this time theâ— before haue taken more exacte order both for the readers and translatours in these later ages then of old yet we must not imagin that in the primitiue Church either euery one that vnderstoode the learned tonges wherein the Scriptures were written or other languages into which they were translated might without reprehension reade reason dispute turne and tosse the Scriptures or that our forefathers suffered euery schole-maister scholer or Grammarian that had a litle Greeke or Latin straight to take in hand the holy Testament or that the translated Bibles into the vulgar tonges were in the handes of euery husbandman artificer prentice boies girles mistresse maide man that they were sung plaies alleaged of euery tinker tauerner rimer minstrel that they were for table talke for alebenches for boates and barges and for euery prophane person and companie No in those better times men were neither so ill nor so curious of them selues so to abuse the blessed booke of Christ neither was there any such easy meanes before printing was inuented to disperse the copies into the handes of euery man as now there is They were then in Libraries Monasteries Colleges Churches in Bishops Priests and some other deuout principal Lâ—y mens houses and handes who vsed them with seare and reuerence and specially such partes as perteined to good life and maners not medling but in pulpit and schooles and that moderately to with the hard and high mysteries and places of greater difficultie The poore ploughman could then in labouring the ground sing the hymnes and psalmes either in knowen or vnknowen languages as they heard them in the holy Church though they could neither reade nor know the sense meaning and mysteries of the same Such holy persons of both sexes to whom S. Hierom in diuers Epistles to them commendeth the reading and meditation of holy Scriptures were diligent to searche all the godly histories imitable examples of chastitie humilitie obedience clemencie pouertie penance renouÌ„cing the world they noted specially the places that did breede the hatred of sinne feare of Gods iudgement delight in spiritual cogitations they referred them selues in all hard places to the iudgement of the auncient fathers and their maisters in religion neuer presuming to contend controule teach or talke of their owne sense and phantasie in deepe questions of diuinitie Then the Virgins did meditate vpon the places and examples of chastitie modestie and demurenesse the maried on coniugal faith and continencie the parents how to bring vp their children in faith and seare of God the Prince how to rule the subiect how to obey the Priest how to teach the people how to learne Then the scholer taught not his maister the sheepe controuled not the Pastor the yong student set not the Doctor to schoole not reproued their fathers of error ignorance Or if any were in those better daies as in al times of heresie such must needes be that had itching eares tikling tonges and wittes curious and contentious disputers hearers and talkers rather then doers of Gods word such the Fathers did euer sharply reprehend counting them vnworthy and vnprofitable readers of the holy Scriptures S. Hierom in his Epistle to Paulinus after declaration that no handy craft is so base nor liberall science so easy that can be had without a maister which S. Augustine also affirmeth De vtilitate cred cap. 7. nor that men presume in any occupation to teach that they neuer learned Only saith he the art of Scripture is that vvhich euery man chalengeth this the chatting old vvife this
case to be assured that Christs faith shal be preached and the Church spred through out al Nations the Holy Ghost concurring continually with the Apostles and their Successors for the same 11. Assumpted from you By this visible Ascending of Christ to heauen and like returne from thence to iudgement the Heretikes do incredulously argue him not to be in the Sacrament But let the faithful rather giue eare to S. Chrysostome saying thus O miracle he that sitteth vvith the Father in heauen aboue at the very same time is handled of men beneath Christ ascending to heauen both hath his flesh vvith him and left it vvith vs beneath Eliaeâ— being taken vp left to his Disciple his cloke only but the Sonne of man ascending left his ovvne flesh to vs. Li. â— de Sacerd. Ho. 2 ad po Ant. in fine Ho. de diuit paup in fine 14. MARIE the mother of IESVS This is the last mention that is made in holy Scripture of our B Lady for though she were ful of al diuine wisedom and opened no doubt vnto the Euangelistes and other writers of holy Scriptures diuerse of Christs actions speaches and mysteries whereof she had both experimental and reuealed knowledge Yet for that she was a woman and the humblest creature liuing and the paterne of al order and obedience it pleased not God that there should be any further note of her life doings or death in the Scriptures She liued the rest of her time with the Christians as here she is peculiarly named and noted among them and specially with S. Iohn the Apostle * to whom our Lord recommended her Who prouided for her al necessaries her spouse Ioseph as it may be thought being deceased before The common opinion is that she liued 63 yeres in al. At the time of her death as S. Denys first after him S. Damascene de dormit Deiparae writeth al the Apostles then dispersed into diuers nations to preache the Gospel were miraculously brought together sauing S. Thomas who came the third day after to Hierusalem to honour her diuine departure and funeral as the said S. Denys witnesseth Who saith that him self S. Timothee and S. Hierotheus were present testifying also of his owne hearing that both before here death and after for three daies not onely the Apostles and other holy men present but the Angels also and Powers of heauen did sing most melodious Hymnes They buried her sacred body in Gethsémaui but for S. Thomas sake who desired to see and to reuerence it they opened the sepulcher the third day and finding it void of the holy body but excedingly fragrant they returned assuredly deeming that her body was assumpted into heauen as the Church of God holdeth being most agreable to the singular priuilege of the mother of God and therfore celebrateth most solemnely the day of her Assumption And that is consonant not onely to the said S. Denys and S. Damascene but to holy Athanasius also who auoucheth the same Serm. in Euang. de Deipara of which Assumption of her body S. Bernard also wrote fiue notable sermons extant in his workes But neither these holy fathers nor the Churches tradition and testimonie do beare any sway now a daies with the Protestants that haue abolished this her greatest feast of her Assumption who of reason should at the least celebrate it as the day of her death as they doe of other Saincts For though they beleeue not that her body is assumpted yet they wil not we trow deny that she is dead and her soule in glorie neither can they aske scriptures for that no more then they require for the deathes of Peter Paul Iohn and other vvhich be not mentioned in scriptures yet are still celebrated by the Protestants But concerning the B. Virgin MARIE they haue blotted out also both her Natiuitie and her Conception so as it may be thought the Diuel beareth a special malice to this woman whose seede brake his head For as for the other two daies of her Purification Aununciation they be not proper to our Lady but the one to Christs Conception the other to his Presentation so that she by this meanes shal haue no festiuitie at al. But contrariwise to consider how the auncient Church and fathers esteemed spake and wrote of this excellent vessel of grace may make vs detest these mens impietie that can not abide the praises of her whom al generations should call blessed and that esteeme her honours a derogatioÌ„ to her sonne Some of their speaches we wil set downe that al men may see that we neither praise her nor pray to her more amply then they did S. Athanâ—sius in the place alleaged after he had declared how al the Angelical spirits and euery order of them honoured and praised her with the AVE wherewith S. Gabriel saluted her We also saith he of al degrees vpon the earth â—xtol thee with loude voice saying Auâ— gratia plena c. Haile ful of grace our Lord is vvith thee pray for vs 〈◊〉 Maistresse and Lady and Queens and mother of God Most holy and auncient Ephrem also in a special oration made in praise of our Lady saith thus in diuerse places thereof Intemerata Deâ—pâ—â—â— c. Mother of God vndifiled Queene of al the hope of them that despaire my lady most glorious higher them the heauenly spiritâ— more honorable then the Cherubins holier then the Seraphins and vvithout comparison more glorious theÌ„ the supernal hostes the hope of the fathers the glorie of the Prophets the praise of the Apostles And a litle after Virgo ante partum in partu post partum by thee vve are reconciled to Christ my God thy sonne thou art the helper of sinners thou the hauen for them that are tossed vvith stormes the solam of the vvorld the deliuerer of the emprisoned the helpe of orphans the redemption of captiues And afterward Vouchsafe me thy seruant to praise thee Haile lady MARIE ful of grace haile Virgin most blesed among vvomen And much more in that sense which were to long to repeate S. Cyril hath the like wonderful speaches of her honour hom 6. contra Naestorium Praise and glorie be to thee â— holy Trinitieito thee also be praise holy mother of God for thou art the pretious pearle of the vvorld thou the candel of vnquencheable light the crovvne of Virginitis the scepter of the Catholike faith By thee the Trinitie is glorified and adored in al the vvorld by thee heauen reioyceth Angels and Archangels are glad diuels are put to flight and man is called againe to heauen and euery creature that vvas held vvith the errour of Idols is turned to the knowledge of the truth by thee Churches are fouÌ„ded through the world thee being their helper the Gentiles come to penance and much more which we omit Likewise the Greeke Liturgies or Masses of S. Iames S. Basil and
their coastes ✠verse 51 But they * shaking of the dust of their fecte against them came to Icónium ✠verse 52 The disciples also vvere replenished vvith ioy and vvith the holy Ghost ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 2. As they vvere ministring If vve should as our Aduersaries do boldly turne vvhat text vve list and flee from one language to an other for the aduantage of our cause vve might haue translated for ministring sacrificing for so * the Greeke doth signifie and so Erasmus translated yea vve might haue translated Saying Masse for so they did and the Greeke Fathers here of had their name Liturgie vvhich Erasmus translateth Masse saying Missa Chrysostomi But vve keepe our text as the translators of the Scriptures should do most religiously 2. Separate me Though Paul vvere taught by God him self and specially designed by Christ to be an Apostle and here chosen by the Holy Ghost together vvith Barnabas yet they vvere to be ordered consecrated and admitted by men Vvhich vvholy condemneth al these nevv rebellious disordered spirites that chalenge and vsurpe the office of preaching and other sacred actions from heauen vvithout the Churches admission 3. Fasting Hereof the Church of God vseth and prescribeth publike fastes at the foure soléue times of giuing holy Orders vvhich are our Imber daies as a necessarie preparatiue to so great a vvorke as S. Leo declareth by this place naming it also an Apostolical tradition See S. Leo Ser. 9 de ieiuniâ— 7 mensis Calixtus ep 1. to 1. Conc. Conc. Magunt c. 34. 35. to 3. And this fasting vvas not fasting from sinne nor moral or Christian temperance as the Protestants ridiculously affirme for such fasting they vvere bound euer to keepe but it vvas abstinence for a time from al meates or from some certaine kindes of meates vvhich vvas ioyned vvith praier and sacrifice and done specially at such seasons as the Church prescribed of al together as in Lent the Imber daies Friday Saturday and not vvhen euery man list as Aërius and such Heretikes did hold S. August har 53. 3. Imposing hands Because al blessings and consecrations vvere done in the Apostles time by the external ceremonie of imposition of hands diuers Sacraments vvere named of the same specially Confirmation as is noted before and holy Ordering or consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons and Subdeacons as vve see here and els vvhere In vvhich though there vvere many holy vvordes and ceremonies and a very solemne action yet vvhatsoeuer is done in those Sacraments is altogether called Imposition of hands as vvhatsoeuer vvas done in the vvhole diuine mysterie of the B. Sacrament is named fraction of bread for the Apostles as S. Denys Eccl. bier c. 1 in fine vvriteth purposely kept close in their open speaches and vvritings vvhich might come to the hands or eares of Infidels the sacred vvordes and actions of the Sacraments And S. Ambrose saith in 1 Tim. c. 4. The imposition of the hand is mystical vvordes vvherevvith the elected is conformed and made apt to his function receiuing authoritie his conscience bearing vvitnes that he may be bold in our Lordes steed to offer sacrifice to God And S. Hierom The imposition of hand is the Ordering of Clerkes Which is done by praier of the voice and imposition of the hand And this is in some inferior orders also but Paul and Barnabas vvere ordered to a higher function then inferior Priests euen to be Bishops through out al Nations 4. Sent of the Holy Ghost Vvhosoeuer be sent by the Church are sent of the Holy Ghost though in such an extraordinarie sort it be not done Vvhereby vve see hovv far the Officers of our soules in the Church do passe the temporal Magistrates vvho though they be of Gods ordinance yet not of the Holy Ghosts special calling CHAP. XIIII Naxt in Iconiâ—â— they preach vvhere many being conuerted of both sortes the obstinate Ievves raise persecution 6 Then in the tovvnes of Lycaâ—niÌ„a vvhere the Heathen first seing that Paul had healed one borne lame are hardly persuaded but they are Gods 18 but aftervvard by the instigation of the malitious Ievves they stone Paul leauing him for dead 20 And so hauing done their circuite they returne the same vvay confirming the Christians and making Priests for euery Church 2â— And being come home to Antioche in Syria they report al to the Church there verse 1 AND it came to passe at Iconium that they entred together into the synagogue of the Ievves and so spake that a very great multitude of Ievves and of the Greekes did beleeue ✠verse 2 But the Ievves that vvere incredulous stirred vp and incensed the hartes of the Gentils to anger against the brethren ✠verse 3 A long time therfore they abode dealing confidently in our Lord vvho gaue testimonie to the vvord of his grace graunting signes and vvonders to be done by their handes ✠verse 4 And the multitude of the citie vvas deuided and certaine of them in deede vvere vvith the Ievves but certaine vvith the Apostles ✠verse 5 And vvhen the Gentils and the Ievves vvith their princes had made an assault to vse them contumeliously and to stone them ✠verse 6 vnderstanding it they fled to the cities of Lycaónia Lystra and Derbé and the vvhole countrie about and there they vvere euangelizing ✠verse 7 And a certaine man at Lystra impotent of his feete sate there lame from his mothers vvombe that neuer had vvalked ✠verse 8 This same heard Paul speaking Vvho looking vpon him and seeing that he had faith for to be saued ✠verse 9 he said vvith a loud voice Stand vp right on thy feete And he leaped vvalked ✠verse 10 And the multitudes vvhen they had seen vvhat Paul had done lifted vp their voice in the lycaónian tongue saying Gods made like to men are descended to vs. ✠verse 11 And they called Barnabas Iupiter but Paul Mercurie because he vvas the cheefe speaker ✠verse 12 The Priest also of Iupiter that vvas before the citie bringing oxen garlands before the gates vvould vvith the people ″ sacrifice ✠verse 13 Vvhich thing vvhen the Apostles Barnabas Paul heard renting their coates they leaped forth into the multitudes crying ✠verse 14 and saying Ye men vvhy doe you these things Vve also are mortal men like vnto you preaching to you for to conuert from these vaine things to the liuing God that made the heauen and the earth and the sea and al things that are in them ✠verse 15 vvho in the generations past suffred al the Gentils to goe their ovvne vvaies ✠verse 16 Hovvbeit he left not him self vvithout testimonie being beneficial from heauen giuing raines and fruiteful seasons filling our hartes vvith foode gladnes ✠verse 17 And speaking these things they scarse appeased the multitudes from sacrificing to them ✠verse 18 But there came in certaine Ievves from Antioche
″ much more the ministerie of iustice aboundeth in glorie ⊢ ✠verse 10 For neither vvas it glorified vvhich in this part vvas glorious by reasō of the excelling glorie ✠verse 11 For if that which is made void is by glorie much more that vvhich abideth is in glorie ✠verse 12 Hauing therfore such hope vve vse much confidence ✠verse 13 and not * as Moyses put a vele vpon his face that the children of Israël might not behold his face vvhich is made voide ✠verse 14 but their senses vvere dulled For vntil this present day ″ the self same vele in the lecture of the old testament remaineth vnreuealed because in Christ it is made voide ✠verse 15 but vntil this present day vvhen Moyses is read a vele is put vpō their hart ✠verse 16 But vvhen he shal be conuerted to our Lord the vele shal be taken avvay ✠verse 17 And * our Lord is a Spirit And vvhere the Spirit of our Lord is there is ″ libertie ✠verse 18 But vve al beholding the glorie of our Lord vvith face reuealed are transformed into the same image from glorie vnto glorie as of our Lordes Spirit ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. The Epistle of Christ S. Paul and other holy vvriters of Scriptures did set dovvne many thinges in vvriting by penne inke and paper al vvhich be of the Holy Ghost but the special and proper booke of Christes truth and Gospel is not the external vvriting in those dead creatures but in the hartes of the faithful being the proper subiecte of these truthes and graces preached in the nevv Testament and the habitacle of the Holy Ghost In the vvhich booke of faithful mens hartes S. Paul vvrote diuers thinges not vttered in any Epistle as sundrie of the Apostles vvrote the Christian religion in the hartes of their hearers onely and in other material bookes not at all Vvhereof S. Irenaeus li. 3. ◠4. saith What and if the Apostles also had left no Scriptures ought vve not to folovv the order of the tradition vvhich they deliuered vnto them to vvhom they committed the Churches◠to the vvhich ordinance many nations of those barbarous people that haue beleeued in Christ do consent vvithout letter or inke hauing saluation vvritten in their hartes and keeping diligently the tradition of the elders And S. Hierom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiero◠c. 9. ad Pa◠In the Greede of our faith and hope vvhich being deliuered by tradition from the Apostles is not vvritten in paper and inke but in the tables camal of the hart And this is the Churches booke also vvhereby and vvherein she keepeth faithfully al truth vvritten in the hartes of those to vvhom the Apostles did preach vvith the like diligence as she keepeth and preserueth the other booke vvhich is of holy Scriptures from al corruption of Heretikes and other iniuries 5. Of our selues This maketh first against the Heretikes called Pelagians that hold our meritorious actions or cogitations to be of free vvil onely and not of Gods special grace Secondly against the Protestantes vvho on the contrarie side referre al to God and take avvay mans freedom and proper motion in his thoughtes and doings the Apostle confessing our good cogitations to be our ovvne but not as comming of our selues but of God 6. The letter killeth As the letter of the old Lavv not truely vnderstood nor referred the Christ commaunding and not giuing grace and spirit to fulfil that vvhich vvas commaunded did by occasiō kill the carnal Iew so the letter of the nevv Testamēt not truely taken nor expounded by the Spirit of Christ vvhich is onely in his Church killeth the Heretike vvho also being carnal and void of spirit gaineth nothing by the external precepts or good lessons of the Scriptures but rather taketh hurt by the same See S. Augustine to 〈◊〉 Ser. 70 1000 de tempore li. de Sp. lit c. 5. 6. seq 9. Much more The preeminence of the new Testament and of the priesthod or Ministerie thereof before the old is that the nevv by al her Sacraments and Priests as ministers immediate of grace and remission of sinnes doth so ex opere operato giue the spirit of life and charitie into the hartes of the faithful as the old did giue the letter or external act of the Lavv. 14. The self same vele As the Ievves reading the old Testament by reason of their blindnes vvhich God for the punishment of their incredulitie suffereth to remaine as a couer vpon their eies and hartes can not see Christ in the Scriptures vvhich they daily heare read in their Synagogs but shal vvhen they beleeue in him and haue the couer remoued perceiue al to be most plainely done and spoken of him in their law Scriptures euen so Heretikes hauing as S. Augustine noteth a farre greater couer of blindnes and incredulitie ouer their hartes in respect of the Catholike Church vvhich they impugne then the Iewes haue concerning Christ can not see though they read or heare the Scriptures read neuer so much the maruelous euidence of the Catholike Church and truth in al pointes but vvhen they shal returne againe to the obedience of the same Church they shal finde the Scriptures most cleere for her and her doctrine and shal vvonder at their former blindnes 17. Libertie The Spirit and grace of God in the nevv Testament dischargeth vs of the bondage of the Lavv and sinne but is not a vvarrant to vs of fleshly licence as S. Peter vvriteth nor dischargeth Christians of their obedience to order lavv and power of Magistrates spiritual or temporal as some Heretikes of these daies do seditiously teach CHAP. IIII. That according as so glorious a ministerie requireth he liueth and preacheth sincerely 〈◊〉 the vvhich glorie his Aduersaries can not count vaine considering his persecutions because persecution is to Gods glorie and to our humilitie and hope and meritorious of increase of grace in this life and of most glorious bodies and soules aftervvard verse 1 THERFORE hauing this ministration according as vve haue obteined mercie vve faile not ✠verse 2 but vve renounce the secrete things of dishonestie not walking in crastines nor ″ adulterating the vvord of God but in manifestation of the truth commending our selues to euery conscience of men before God ✠verse 3 And if our Gospel be also hidde in them that perish it is hidde ✠verse 4 in vvhom the God of this vvorld hath blinded the mindes of the infidels that the illumination of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ vvho is the image of God might not shine to them ✠verse 5 For vve preache nor our selues but IESVS Christ our Lord and vs your seruants by IESVS ✠verse 6 because God that commaunded light to shine of darkenes he hath shined in our hartes to the illumination of the knovvledge of the glorie of God in the face of Christ IESVS ✠verse 7
according to the purpose of him that vvorketh al things according to the counsel of his vvil ✠verse 12 that vve may be vnto the praise of his glorie vvhich before haue hoped in Christ ✠verse 13 in vvhom you also vvhen you had heard the vvord of truth the Gospel of your saluation in vvhich also beleeuing you vvere signed vvith the holy Spirit of promis ✠verse 14 vvhich is the pledge of our inheritance to the redemption of acquisition vnto the praise of his glorie ✠verse 15 Therfore I also hearing your faith that is in our Lord IESVS and loue tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 16 cease not to giue thankes for your making a memorie of you in my praiers ✠verse 17 that God of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of glorie giue you the spirit of vvisedom and of reuelation in the knovvledge of him ✠verse 18 the eies of your hart illuminated that you may knovv vvhat the hope is of his vocation and vvhat are the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the sainctes ✠verse 19 and vvhat is the passing greatnes of his povver tovvard vs that beleeue according to the operation of the might of his povver ✠verse 20 vvhich he vvrought in Christ raising him vp from the dead and setting him on his right hand in celestials ✠verse 21 aboue ″ al Principalitie Potestate Power and Domination and euery name that is named not only in this vvorld but also in that to come ✠verse 22 And he hath * subdued al things vnder his feete and hath made him ″ head ouer al the CHVRCH ✠verse 23 vvhich is his body the fulnes of him vvhich is filled al in al. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 21. Al Principalitie The Fathers vpon this and other places of the old and new Testament vvhere they finde the orders of holy Angels or spirites named agree that there be nine orders of them Of vvhich some be here counted and called as vve see in the Epistle to the Colossians the order of Thrones is specified vvhich maketh fiue to vvhich if vve adde these foure Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels vvhich are commonly named in holy vvrite in al there be nine S. Denys coel Hier. c. 7. 8. 9. Ec. Hier. c. 1. S. Athanas li de Communi essent in fine Gregor Moral li. 32. c. 18. Therfore good Reader make no accoumpt of * Caluins and others infidelitie vvhich blasphemously blame and condemne the holy doctors diligence in this point of curiousitie and impietie The vvhole endeuour of these heretikes is to bring al into doubt and to corrupt euery Article of our Religion 22. Head It maketh a high proofe among the Protestants that no man can be head of the Church because it is a calling and dignitie proper to Christ But in truth by as good reason there should be no king nor lord because He is king and lord neither should there be Bishop or Pastor because he is the Bishop and Pastor of our soules nor Pontifex nor Apostle for by those titles S. Paul termeth him Hebr. 3 none should be piller foundation rocke light or maister of the Church or truth because Christ is properly al these And yet our nevv doctors though they be exceding seditious and vvould for the aduantage of their sect be gladly ridde of kings and al other Superiors temporal if they feared not the sword more then God and vvould finde as good Scriptures to be deliuered of them as they now finde to discharge them selues of obedience to Popes yet I say they vvil not deny al the former titles and dignities notvvithstanding Christes soueraine right in the same to be giuen and communicated to the Princes and Magistrates of the earth both spiritual and temporal though Christ in a more diuine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort haue al these things attributed or appropriated to him self So then though he be the head of the Church and the onely head in such soueraine and principal maner as no earthly man or mere creature euer is or can be and it ioyned to the Church in a more excellent sort of coniunction then any king is to his subiects or Countrie or any Pope or Prelate to the Church vvhereof he is gouernour euen so farre that it is called his body Mystical life motion spirit grace issuing dovvne from him to it and the members of the same as from the head of the natural body though in this sort we say no man can be head but Christ nor the Church be body to any but to Christ yet the Pope may be the ministerial head that is to say the cheefe Gouernour Pastor and Prelate of the same and may be his Vicar or Vicegerent in the regiment of that part vvhich is in earth as S. Hierom calleth Damasus the Pope Summum Sacerdotem the cheefe and highest Priest and the Apostle saith of this ministerial head The head can not say to the feete you are not necessarie for me For therein also is a great difference betvvene Christ and euery mortal I relate that as the Apostle here saith he is head of the vvhole Church meaning of the triumphaÌ„t of al Angels also though in an other sort no lesse theÌ„ of the Church militaÌ„t So Peter vvas not nor any Pope nor any man can be Where you must obserue that for this soueraine preeminence of Christ in this case the Church is not called the body mystical of any Gouernour Peter Paul or vvhat Prelate or Pope so euer CHAP. II. He putteth them in minde of their vnvvorthines before they vvere Christians that al the praise may be giuen to the grace of God 11 and of the enmitie that vvas thâ—â— betvvene the Ievv and the Gentil 〈◊〉 vntil nevv that Christ by his Crosse hath made both one taking avvay the ceremâ—nies of the Lavv and making one body and building one holy Temple of al in his Catholike Church verse 1 AND you vvhen you vvere dead by your offenses sinnes ✠verse 2 vvherein sometime you vvalked according to the course of this vvorld according to the * prince of the povver of this aire of the spirit that novv vvorketh on the childreÌ„ of diffidence ✠verse 3 in vvhom also vve al conuersed sometime in the desires of our flesh doing the vvil of the flesh and of thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as also the rest ✠verse 4 but God vvhich is riche in mercie for his exceding charitie vvhervvith he loued vs ✠verse 5 euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace you are saued ✠verse 6 and raised vs vp vvith him and hath made vs sit vvith him in the celestials in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 that he might shevv in the vvorldes succeding the aboundant riches of his grace in bountie vpon vs in Christ IESVS ✠verse 8 For by ″ grace you are saued
iust but that vvhich is in men from God and by his gift li. 3 cont â— ep Pelag. c. 7. de Sp. lit c. 9. 12. Not that novv No man in this life can attaine the absolute perfectnes either of iustice or of that knovvledge vvhich shal be in heauen but yet there is also an other perfectnes such as according to this state a man may reach vnto vvhich in respect of the perfection in glorie is small but in respect of other lesser degrees of mans iustice and knovvledge in this life may be called perfectnes And in this sense the Apostle in the next sentence calleth him self and others perfect though in respect of the absolute perfectnes in heauen he saith here he is not yet perfect nor hath yet attained therevnto 15. Othervvise minded Vvhen Catholike men novv a daies charge Heretikes vvith their horrible diuisions dissensions combattes contentions and diuersities among them selues as the Catholikes of al other ages did chalenge their Aduersaries most truely and iustly for the same both because vvhere the Spirit of God is not nor any order or obedience to Superiors there can be no peace nor vnitie and specially for that it is as S. Augustine saith li. de agenâ— Christ c. 29 the iust iudgement of God that they vvhich seeke nothing els but to diuide the Church of Christ should them selues be miserably diuided among them selues therfore I say vvhen men charge the Protestants vvith these things they flee for their defence to this that the old Fathers vvere not al of one iudgement in euery point of religion that S. Cyprian stood against others that S. Augustine and S. Hierom vvrote earnestly in a certaine matter one against an other that our Dominicans and Franciscans our Thomists and Scotists be not al of one opinion in diuers matters and therfore diuisions and contentions should not be so preiudicial to the Zuinglians and Lutherans as men make it Thus they defend them selues but ridiculously and against the rule of S. Paul here acknovvledging that in this imperfection of mens science in this life euery one can not be free from al error or thinke the same that an other thinketh vvherevpon may rise differences of vnderstanding opinion and iudgement in certaine hard matters vvhich God hath not reuealed or the Church determined and therfore that such diuersitie is tolerable and agreable to our humane condition and the state of the vvay that vve be in alvvaies prouided that the controuersie be such and in such things as be not against the set knovven rule of faith as he here speaketh and such as breake not mutual societie fellovvship and communion in praier seruice Sacraments and other offices of life and religion for such diuisions and differences come neuer but of Schisme or Heresie and such are among the Heretikes not onely in respect of vs Catholikes but among them selues at they knovv that be acquainted vvith the vvritings of Luther against Zuinglius or Vvestphalus against Caluin or the Puritans against the Protestants not onely charging one an other vvith Heresie Idolatrie Superstition and Atheisme but also condemning ech others ceremonies or maner of administrations til it come to excommunication and banishment yea sometimes burning one of an other Thus did not S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierom the Dominicans Franciscans Thomists Scotists vvho al agree in one rule of faith al of one communion al most deere one to an other in the same al thankes be to God come to one holy Masse and receiue the same Sacraments and obey one head through out al the vvorld S. Augustine li. 2 de bapt c. 5. shal make vp this matter vvith this notable sentence We are men saith he and therfore to thinke somevvhat othervvise them the thing it is an humane tentation but by louing our ovvne sentence to much or by enuying our betters to procede vnto the sacrilege of deuiding the mutual societie and of making schisme or heresie it diuelish prosumption in nothing to haue other opinion then the truth is that is Angelical perfection And a litle after If you be any other vvise minded this God vvil reueale but to them only saith he that vvalke in the vvay of peace and that stroy a side into no diuision or separation Vvhich saying vvould God al our deere countrie men vvould marke and come into the Church vvhere onely God reuealeth truth CHAP. IIII. He exhorteth them to perseuâ—rantâ— 2 and certaine by name to vnitie â— to modestie â— to peace vvithout solicitude or careful anxietie 8 to al that good is 9 to such things as they see in him self 10 that be reioyced in their contribution not for his ovvne neede but for their merite verse 1 THERFORE my deerest brethren and most desired my ″ ioy and my crovvne so stand in our Lord my deerest ✠verse 2 ' Euchodia ' I desire Syntyché I beseeche to be of one minde in our Lord. ✠verse 3 Yea and I beseeche thee my ″ sincere companion helpe those vvomen that haue laboured vvith me in the Gospel vvith Clement and the rest my coadiutors vvhose names are in the booke of life ⊢ ✠verse 4 Reioyce in our Lord alvvaies againe I say reioyce ✠verse 5 Let your modestie be knovven to al men Our Lord is nigh ✠verse 6 Be nothing careful but in euery thing by praier supplicatioÌ„ vvith thaÌ„kesgiuing let your petitions be knovven vvith God ✠verse 7 And the peace of God vvhich passeth al vnderstanding keepe your hartes and intelligences in Christ IESVS ⊢ ✠verse 8 For the rest brethren vvhat things so euer be true vvhatsoeuer honest whatsoeuer iust vvhatsoeuer holy whatsoeuer amiable vvhatsoeuer of good fame if there be any vertue if any praise of discipline these things thinke vpon ✠verse 9 Vvhich you haue both learned and receiued and heard seen in me these things doe ye and the God of peace shall be vvith you ✠verse 10 And I reioyced in our Lord excedingly that once at the length you haue reflorished to care for me as you did also care but you vvere occupied ✠verse 11 I speake not as it vvere for penurie for I haue learned to be coÌ„tent vvith the things that I haue ✠verse 12 I knovv both to be brought lovv I knovv also to abound euery vvhere and in al things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungrie both to abound and to suffer penurie ✠verse 13 I can al things in him that strengtheneth me ✠verse 14 Neuerthelesse you haue done vvel communicating to my tribulation ✠verse 15 And you also knovv ô Philippians that in the beginning of the Gospel vvhen I departed from Macedonia no church communicated vnto me in the account of gift and receite but your only ✠verse 16 for vnto Thessalonica also once and tvvise you sent to my vse ✠verse 17 Not that I seeke the gift but I seeke the fruite abounding
be absent in body yet in spirit I am vvith you reioycing seeing your order the constancie of that your faith which is in Christ ✠verse 6 Therfore as you haue receiued IESVS Christ our Lord vvalke in him ✠verse 7 rooted and built in him and confirmed in the faith as also you haue learned abounding in him ' in thankesgiuing ✠verse 8 Bevvare lest any man deceiue you â— by philosophie and vaine fallacie according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the vvorld and not according to Christ ✠verse 9 For in him dvvelleth al the fulnesse of the Godhead corporally ✠verse 10 and you are in him replenished vvho is the head in al Principalitie and Povver ✠verse 11 in vvhom al you are circumcised vvith circumcision not made by hand in spoiling of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ ✠verse 12 buried vvith him in Baptisme in vvhoÌ„ also you are risen againe by the faith of the operation of God vvho raised him vp from the dead ✠verse 13 And you * vvhen you vvere dead in the offenses and the prepuce of your flesh did he quicken together vvith him pardoning you al offenses ✠verse 14 vvyping out the hand vvriting of decree ' that vvas against vs vvhich vvas contrarie to vs and the same he hath taken out of the vvay fastening it to the crosse ✠verse 15 and spoiling the Principalities and Potestats hath ledde them confidently in open shevv triumphing them in him self ✠verse 16 Let no man therfore iudge you ″ in meate or in drinke or in part of a festiual day or of the Nevv-moone or of Sabboths ✠verse 17 vvhich are a shadovv of things to come but the body Christs ✠verse 18 Let no man seduce you vvilling in the humilitie and â— religion of Angels vvalking in the things vvhich he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh ✠verse 19 and â— not holding the head vvhereof the vvhole body by ioyntes and bandes being serued compacted grovveth to the increase of God ✠verse 20 If then you be dead vvith Christ from the elements of this vvorld â— vvhy do you yet decree as liuing in the vvorld ✠verse 21 Touch not tast not 〈◊〉 not ✠verse 22 which things are al vnto destruction by the very vse according to the precepts and doctrines of men ✠verse 23 vvhich are in deede â— hauing a shevv of vvisedom in superstition and humilitie and not to spare the body not in any honour to the filling of the flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 8. By Philosophie Philosophie and al humane science so long as they be subiect and obedient to Christ as they be in the Schooles of Christian Catholike men be not forbidden but are greatly commended and be very profitable in the Church of God Othervvise vvhere secular learning is made the rule of religion and commaundeth â—aith there it is pernicious and the cause of al heresiâ— and infidelitie for the vvhich S. Hierom and before him Tertullan call Philosophers the Patriarkes of Heretikes and declare that al the old heresies rose onely by to much admiring of prophane Philosophie Hierâ— ad Câ—esiph cont 〈◊〉 c. 1. Tertul. de praser cont Hermeg. cont Marcio li. 5. And so do these nevv sectes no doubt in many things for other arguments haue they none against the presence of Christ in the B. Sacrament but such as they borovv of Aristotle and his like concerning quantitie accidents place position dimensions senses sight tast and other straites of reason to vvhich they bring Christes mysteries Al Philosophical arguments therfore against any article of our faith be here condemned as deceitful and are called also here the tradition of men and the elements of the vvorld The better to resist vvhich fallacies and traditions of Heathen men the School learning is necessarie vvhich keepeth Philosophie in avve and order of faith and vseth the same to vvithstand the Philosophical and sophistical deceites of the Heretikes and Heathen So the great Philosophers S. Denys S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus Iustine Lactantius and the rest vsed the same to the great honour of God and benefite of the Church So came S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom and the Greeke fathers furnished vvith al secular learning vnto the studie of Diuinitie vvherof see S. Hierom ep 84 ad Magnum Oraetorem 16. In meate The Protestants vvilfully or ignorantly applie al these kindes of forbearing meates to the Christian fastes but it is by the circunstance of the text plaine at S Augustine also teacheth that the Iudaical obseruation and distinction of certaine cleane and vncleane meates is forbidden to the Colossians vvho vvere in danger to be seduced by certaine Ievves vnder pretence of holines to keepe the Lavv touching meates and festiuities and other like vvhich the Apostle shevveth vvere onely shadovves of things to come vvhich things are come and therfore the said shadovves to cease Vvhere he nameth the Sabboths and feastes of the nevv moone that no man neede to doubt but that he speaketh onely of the Ievvish daies and kindes of fastes and feastes and not of Christian holidaies or fasting daies at all 18. Religion of Angels By the like false application of this text as of the other before the Heretikes abuse it against the inuncation or honour of Angels vsed in the Catholike Church vvhere the Apostle noteth the vvicked doctrine of Simon Magus and others See S. Chrys ho. 7 in hunâ— locum and Epiph. har 21. vvho taught Angels to be our mediators and not Christ non tenens caput not holding the head as the Apostle here speaketh prescribed sacrifices to be offered vnto them meaning indifferently as vvel the il Angels as the good Vvhich doctrine the said Heretike had of Plato vvho taught that spirites vvhich he calleth damones vvere to be honoured as mediators next to God Against vvhich S. Augustine disputeth li. 8. 9. 10 de ciuit as the condemneth also the same vndue vvorship li. 10 Confess cap. 42. S. Hierom q. 10 ad Algasiam expoundeth this also of il spirites or diuels vvhom he proueth out of S. Steuens sermon Act. 7 that the Ievves did vvorship auouching that they serue them still so many of them and so often as they obserue the Lavv. Of vvhich idolatrie also to Angels Theodorete speaketh vpon this place declaring that the Ievves defended their superstition tovvardes Angels by that that the Lavv vvas giuen by them deceitfully at once inducing the ColossiaÌ„s both to keepe the lavv to honouring of the Angels as the giuers of the same Vvhereby diuers of the faithful vvere so seduced that they forsooke Christ and his Church and seruice and committed idolatrie to the said Angels Against vvhich abominations the Councel of Laodicia Cap. 35 tooke order accursing all that forsooke our Sauiour and committed idolatrie to Angels and contemning
to abuse the simple do falsifie this sentence of the Apostle to make it serue for the mariage of Votaries it is notorious First they vse deceit in supplying the verbe substantiue that vvanteth making it the Indicatiue moode thus Mariage is honorable c. as though the Apostle affirmed al mariage to be honorable or lavvful vvhere the verbe to be supplied ought rather to be the Imperatiue moode Let mariage be honorable that so the speache may be an exhortation or commaundement to them that be or vvil be maried to vse them selues in that state in al fidelity cleanlinesse and coniugal continencie one tovvard an other as vvhen S. Peter also and this Apostle exhorte maried men to giue honour to their vviues as to the vveaker vessels and to possesse their vessel in honour not in the passions of ignominie and vncleanlinesse this is honorable or chast mariage to vvhich he here exhorteth And that it is rather an exhortation then an affirmation it is euident by the other partes and circumstances of this place both before after al vvhich are exhortations in their owne translations this only being in the middes and as indifferent to be an exhortation as the rest by their owne confession they restraine of purpose Our text therfore and al Catholike translatioÌ„s leaue the sentence indifferent as it is in the Greeke and as true translatours ought to do not presuming to addict it to one side lest they should restraine the sense of the holy Ghost to their owne particular fantasie Againe our new Translatours corrupt the text in that they translate in omnibus among al men because so they thinke it vvould sound better to the ignorant that Priests Religious and al vvhosoeuer may marie vvhere they can not tell either by the Greeke or Latin that in omnibus should be the masculine gendre rather then the neutre as not only Erasmus but the Greeke doctors also take it to signifie that mariage should be honorably kept betweene man and vvife in al pointes and in al respectes See S. Chrys and Theophyl in hunc locum For there may be many filthy abuses in vvedlocke vvhich the Apostle vvarneth them to take heede of and to keepe their mariage-bed vndefiled But the third corruption for their purpose aforesiad and most impudent is that some of the Caluinistes for in omnibus translate inter quosuis vvith a marginal interpretation to signifie al orders conditions states and qualities of men So boldly they take away al indifferencie of senses and make Gods vvord to speake iust that vvhich them selues vvould and their heresie requireth in vvhich king they passe al impudencie and al heretikes that euer vvere 7. Remember your Prelates Vve be here vvarned to haue great regard in our life and beleefe to the holy fathers Doctors glorious Bishops gone before vs in Gods Church not doubting but they being our lawful Pastors had and taught the truth of vvhom S. Augustine said That vvhich they found in the Church they held fast that vvhich they learned they taught that vvhich they receiued of their fathers the same they deliuered to their children Cont. Iulian. li. 2 c. 10. Vvhich respect to our holy forefathers in faith is now in this vvicked contempt of the Heretikes so much the more to be had See the said holy doctors second booke against Iulian the Pelagian throughout vvhat great account he maketh of them in the confutation of heresies and hovv far he preferreth them aboue the proud Sectmaisters of that time as vve must now doe against our new doctors This place also is rightly vsed to proue that the Church of God should keepe the memories of Saincts departed by solemne holidaies and other deuout vvaies of honour 9. Not vvith meates He speaketh not of Christian fastes but of the legal difference of meates vvhich the Hebrues vvere yet proâ—e vnto not considering that by Christes faith they vvere made free from al such obseruations of the Law 10. We haue an altar He putteth them in minde by these vvordes that in folowing to much their old Iewish rites they depriued them selues of an other maner and a more excellent sacrifice and meate meaning of the holy altar and Christes ovvne blessed body offered and eaten there of vvhich they that continue in the figures of the old Law could not be partakers This altar saith I sychius is the altar of Christes body vvhich the Ievves for their incredulity must not behold Li. 6 c. 21 in Leuit. And the Greeke vvord as also the Hebrue ansvvering therevnto in the old testament signifieth properly an altar to sacrifice on and not a metaphorical and spiritual altar Vvhereby vve proue against the Heretikes that vve haue not a common table or profane communion borde to eate mere bread vpon but a very altar in the proper sense to sacrifice Christes body vpon and so called of the fathers in respect of the said body sacrificed Greg. Nazianz. in orat de sorore Gorgonia Chrys demonst quòd Christus sit Deus Socrat. li. 1. c. 20. 25. Aug. ep 86. De ciu Dei li. 8. c. 27. li. 22. c. 10. Confess li. 9 c. 11. 13. Cont. Faust Manich. li. 20. c 21. Theophyl in 23. Mat. And vvhen it is called a table it is in respect of the heauenly foode of Christs body and bloud receiued 15. The hoste or praise Though it may signifie the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing of vvhat sort soeuer ye it specially may be thought to signifie the great Sacrifice of the B. body and bloud of Christ not as vpon the Crosse vvhich vvas but once done in bloudy sort but as in the Church and new Testament vvhere it is daily done vnblouddily being the proper host of laude and thankes giuing and therfore called the Eucharist and being the fruite and effecte of Christ and his Priests lippes or vvordes that is of consecration because this sacrifice is made by the force of the holy vvordes And vvhen vve reade in the psalme and other places of the olde Testament of the host of praise it may be thought to be a prophecie of the nevv Sacrifice not of euery vulgar thankes giuing And so the old fathers in the primitiue Church to hide the mysteries from the vnvvorthy or heathen often speake What is saith S. Augustine a more holy sacrifice of praise then that vvhich consisteth in thankes giuing all vvhich the faithful do knovv in the sacrifice of the Church Li. 1. cont aduers leg preph c. 18. Againe c. 20. The Church from the times of the Apostles by the most certaine successions of Bishops offereth to God in the body of Christ the Sacrifice of praise And a 〈◊〉 aftervvard Novv Israel according to the spirit that is the Church offereth a singular Sacrifice according to the spirit of vvhose house be vvil not take calues nor goates but vvil take the Sacrifice of praise not according
and they adored the beast saying Vvho is like to the beast and vvho shal be able to fight vvith it ✠verse 5 And there was giuen to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and povver vvas giuen to it to vvorke tvvo and fourtie monethes ✠verse 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemies tovvard God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those that dvvel in heauen ✠verse 7 And it vvas giuē vnto him ″ to make battail vvith the sainctes to ouercome them And povver vvas giuen him vpon euery tribe and people and tongue and nation ✠verse 8 and al that inhabite the earth adored it * vvhose names be not written in the booke of life of the Lambe vvhich vvas slaine from the beginning of the vvorld ✠verse 9 If any man haue an eare let him heare ✠verse 10 He that shal leade into captiuitie goeth into captiuitie * he that shal kil in the svvord he must be killed vvith the svvord here is the patience and the faith of sainctes ✠verse 11 And I savv an other beast cōming vp from the earth and he had tvvo hornes like to a lambe he spake as a dragon ✠verse 12 And al the povver of the former beast he did in his sight and he made the earth and the inhabitants therein to adore the first beast vvhose vvound of death vvas cured ✠verse 13 And he did many signes so that he made also fire to come dovvne from heauen vnto the earth in the sight of men ✠verse 14 And he seduceth the inhabitants on the earth through the signes vvhich vvere giuē him to doe in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwel on the earth that they should make ″ the image of the beast vvhich hath the stroke of the sword and liued ✠verse 15 And it vvas giuen him to giue spirit to the image of the beast and that the image of the beast should speake and should make that vvhosoeuer shal not adore the image of the beast be slaine ✠verse 16 And he shal make al litle great and rich and poore and free-men and bond-men to haue a character in their right hand or in their foreheads ✠verse 17 and that no man may bie or sel but he that hath ″ the character or the name of the beast or the number of his name ✠verse 18 Here is vvisdom He that hath vnderstanding ″ let him count the number of the beast For ″ it is the number of a man ″ the number of him is sixe hundred sixtie sixe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 8. A beast comming vp This beast is the vniuersal companie of the vvicked vvhose head is Antichrist the same is called Apoc. 17 the vvhoore of Babylon The 7 heades be expounded Apoc. 17 seuen kings fiue before Christ one present and one to come The 10 hornes be also there expounded to be to kings that shal reigne a short vvhile after Antichrist This dragon is the Diuel by vvhose povver the vvhoore or beast or Antichrist vvorketh for in the vvordes folovving v. 3 4 Antichrist is called the beast to vvhom the dragon that is the Deuil giueth that povver of feined miracles and as vve adore God for giuing povver to Christ and his folovvers so they shal adore the Deuil for assisting Antichrist and giuing him povver 7. To make battel vvith the saincts He shal kil the saincts then liuing Elias and Enoch and infinite moe that professe Christ vvhereby vve must learne not to maruel vvhen vve see the vvicked persecute and preuaile against the iust in this life Then shal his great persecution and crueltie trie the saincts patience as his vvonderful meanes to seduce shal trie the stedfastnes of their faith vvhich is signified by these vvordes folovving Here is the patience and the faith of saincts And vvhen it is said They adored the beast vvhose names are not vvritten in the booke of life of the Lambe it giueth great solace and hope to al them that shal not yeld to such persecutions that they are of Gods elect and their names vvritten in the booke of life 14. The image of the beast They that novv refuse to vvorship Christs image vvould then vvorship Antichrists And vve may note here that as the making or honouring of this image vvas not against the honour of Antichrist but vvholy for it as also the image erected of Nabuchodo nosor and the vvorship thereof vvas altogether for the honour of him so is the vvorship of Christs image the honour of Christ him self and not against him as Protestants madly imagin 17. The character or the name As belike for the peruerse imitation of Christ vvhose image specially as on the Roode or crucifixe he seeth honoured and exalted in euery Church he vvil haue his image adored for that is Antichrist in emulation of like honour aduersarie to Christ so for that he seeth al true Christian men to beare the badge of his Crosse in their foreheads he likevvise vvil force al his to haue an other marke to abolish the signe of Christ By the like emulation also and vvicked opposition he vvil haue his name and the letters thereof to be sacred and to be vvorne in mens cappes or vvritten in solemne places and to be vvorshipped as the name of IESVS is and ought to be among Christian men And as the ineffable name of God vvas among the Ievves expressed by a certaine number of 4 characters therfore called Tetragrāmmaton so it seemeth the Apostle alludeth here to the number of Antichrists name And here it is much to be noted that the Protestants plucking dovvne the image of Christ out of al Churches his signe of the crosse from mens foreheads and taking avvay the honour and reuerence of the name IESVS doe make roome for Antichrists image marke and name And vvhen Christs images and ensignes or armes shal be abolished and the Idol of Antichrist set vp in steede thereof as it is already begonne then is the abomination of desolation vvhich vvas foretold by Daniel and our Sauiour 18. Let him count Though God vvould not haue it manifest before hand to the vvorld vvho in particular this Antichrist should be yet it pleased him to giue such tokens of him that vvhen he commeth the faithful may easily take notice of him according as it is vvritten of the euent of other prophecies concerning our Sauiour That vvhen it is come to passe you may beleeue In the meane time vve must take heede that vve iudge not ouer rashly of Gods secretes the holy vvrite here signifying that it is a point of high vnderstanding illuminated extraordinarily by Gods spirit to recken right and discipher truely before hand Antichrists name and person 18. It is the number of a man A man he must be and not a Diuel or spirit as here it is cleere and by S. Paul 2 Thessal 2.
vvhere he is called the man of sinne Againe he must be one particular person not a nūber a succession or vvhole order of any degree of men because his proper name and the particular number and the characters thereof be though obscurely insinuated Vvhich reproueth the vvicked vanitie of Heretikes that vvould haue Christs ovvne Vicars the successors of his cheese Apostle yea the vvhole order of them for many ages together to be this Antichrist Vvho by his description here and in the said Epistle to the Thessalonians must be one special man and of a particular proper name as our Lord IESVS is And vvhosoeuer he be these Protestants vndoubtedly are his precursors for as they make his vvay by ridding avvay Christs images crosse and name so they excedingly promote the matter by taking avvay Christs cheefe minister that al may be plaine for Antichrist If the Pope had been Antichrist and had been reuealed novv a good many yeres sithence as these fellovves say he is to them then the number of this name vvould agree to him and the prophecie being novv fulfilled it vvould euidently appeare that he bare the name and number here noted for no doubt vvhen lie commeth this count of the letters or number of his name vvhich before is so hard to knovv wil be easie for he will set vp his name in euery place euē as we faithful men do novv aduance IESVS And vvhat name proper or appellatiue of al or any of the Popes do they finde to agree vvith this number notvvithstanding they boast that they haue found the vvhole order and euery of them these thousand yeres to be Antichrist and the rest before euen from S. Peter forevvorkers tovvard his kingdom 1◠The number 666. Forasmuch as the auncient expositors and other do thinke for certaine knowledge thereof no mortal mā can haue vvithout an expresse reuelatiō that his name cōsisteth of so many such letters in Greeke as according to their maner of numbering by the Alphabete make 666 and forasmuch as the letters making that number may be found in diuers names both proper common as S. Irenaeus findeth them in Latinos and Teitan Hippolytus in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aretas in Lampetis some of this age in Ludérus vvhich vvas Luthers name in the Alman tōgue therfore vve see there can be no certaintie and euery one frameth and applieth the letters to his ovvne purpose and most absurd folly it is of the Heretikes to applie the vvord Latinos to the Pope neither the vvhole order in common nor euer any particular Pope being so called and S. Irenaeus the first that obserued it in that vvord applied it to the Empire and state of the Romane Emperour vvhich then vvas Heathen and not to the Pope of his daies or after him and yet preferred the vvord Teitan as more agreable vvith this admonition that it vvere a very perilous and presumptuous thing to define any certaintie before hand of that number and name And truely vvhatsoeuer the Protestants presume herein of the Pope vve may boldly discharge Luther of that dignitie He is vndoubtedly one of Antichrists precursors but not Antichrist him self CHAP. XIIII 2 Virgins follovv the Lambe vvhithersoeuer singing a nevv canticle 6. One Angel Euangelizeth the Gospel 8 an other Angel telleth the fall of Babylon 9 the third declareth their tormants that haue adored the beast Moreouer tvvo hauing sickles 15 one of them is commaunded to reape dovvne the corne 18 the other to gather the grapes as in vintage vvhich are troden in the lake of Gods vvrath verse 1 AND I looked behold a Lābe stoode vpon mount Sion and vvith him an hundred fourtie foure thousand hauing his name and the name of his Father vvritten in their foreheads ✠verse 2 And I heard a voice from heauen as the voice of many vvaters and as the voice of great thunder and the voice vvhich I heard as of harpers harping on their harpes ✠verse 3 And they sang as it vvere a nevv song before the seate and before the foure beastes and the seniors and no man could say ' the song but those hundred fourtie foure thousand that vvere bought from the earth ✠verse 4 These are they vvhich were not defiled vvith vvomen For they are virgins These folovv the Lambe vvhithersoeuer he shal goe These vvere bought from among men the first fruites to God and the Lambe ✠verse 5 and in their mouth there vvas found no lie for they are vvithout spot before the throne of God ⊢ ✠verse 6 And I savv an other Angel flying through the middes of heauen hauing the eternal Gospel to euāgelize vnto them that sit vpon the earth and vpon euery nation and tribe tōge people ✠verse 7 saying vvith a loud voice Feare our Lord and giue him honour because the houre of his iudgement is come and adore ye him * that made heauen and earth the sea and al things that are in them and the fountaines of vvaters ✠verse 8 And an other Angel folovved saying * Fallen fallen is that great Babylon vvhich of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication made al nations to drinke ✠verse 9 And the third Angel folovved them saying vvith a loud voice If any man adore the beast and his image and receiue the character in his forehead or in his hand ✠verse 10 he also shal drinke of the vvine of the vvrath of God vvhich is mingled vvith pure vvine in the cuppe of his vvrath and shal be tormented vvith fire brimstone in the sight of the holy Angels and before the sight of the Lambe ✠verse 11 and the smoke of their tormentes shal ascend for euer euer neither haue they rest day and night vvhich haue adored the beast and his image and if any man take the character of his name ✠verse 12 Here is the patience of sainctes vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and the faith of IESVS ✠verse 13 And I heard a voice from heauen saying to me Vvrite Blessed are the dead which die in our Lord. ″ from hence forth novv saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours for their vvorkes folow them ✠verse 14 And I savv and behold a vvhite cloude and vpon the cloude one sitting like to the Sonne of man hauing on his head a crovvne of gold and in his hand a sharpe sickle ✠verse 15 And an other Angel came forth from the temple crying vvith a loud voice to him that sate vpon the cloude * Thrust in thy sickle and reape because the houre is come to reape for the haruest of the earth is drie ✠verse 16 And he that sate vpon the cloude thrust his sickle into the earth and the earth vvas reaped ✠verse 17 And an other Angel came forth from the temple vvhich is in heauē him self also hauing a sharpe sickle