flesh God sending his sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh ✠verse 4 that the iustification of the lavv might be fulfilled in vs vvho vvalke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit ✠verse 5 For they that are according to the flesh are affected to the things that are of the flesh but they that are according to the spirit are affected to the things that are of the spirit ✠verse 6 For the vvisedom of the flesh is death but the vvisedom of the spirit life and peace ✠verse 7 Because the vvisedom of the flesh is an enemie ' to God for to the law of God it is not subiect neither can it be ✠verse 8 And they that are in the flesh can not please God ✠verse 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit yet if the Spirit of God dvvel in you But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his ✠verse 10 But if Christ be in you the body in deede is dead because of sinne but the spirit liueth because of iustification ✠verse 11 And if the Spirit of him that raised vp IESVS from the dead dvvel in you he that raised vp IESVS CHRIST from the dead shal quicken also your mortal bodies because of his Spirit dvvelling in you ✠verse 12 Therfore brethren vve are deiters not to the flesh to liue according to the flesh ✠verse 13 For if you liue according to the flesh you shal die but if by the spirit you mortifie the deedes of the flesh you shal liue ✠verse 14 For vvhosoeuer are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God ✠verse 15 For * you haue not receiued the spirit of seruitude againe in feare but * you haue receiued the spirit of adoption of sonnes vvherein vve crie Abba father ✠verse 16 For ″ the Spirit him self giueth testimonie to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God ✠verse 17 And if sonnes heires also heires truly of God and coheires of Christ ⊢ ″ yet if vve suffer vvith him that vve may be also glorified vvith him ✠verse 18 For I thinke that the passions of this time are not ″ condigne to the glorie to come that shal be reuealed in vs. ✠verse 19 For the expectation of the creature expecteth the reuelation of the sonnes of God ✠verse 20 For the creature is made subject to vanitie not vvilling but for him that made it subiect in hope ✠verse 21 because creature also it self shal be deliuered from the seruitude of corruption into the libertie of the glorie of the children of God ✠verse 22 For vve knovv that euery creature groneth and trauaileth euen til novv ✠verse 23 And not only it but vve al 's our selues hauing the first fruites of the spirit vve also grone vvithin our selues expecting the adoption of the sonnes of God the redemption of our body ⊢ ✠verse 24 For ″ by hope vve are saued But hope that is seen is not hope for that vvhich a man seeth vvherfore doth he hope it ✠verse 25 But if vve hope for that vvhich vve see not vve expect by patience ✠verse 26 And in like maner also the Spirit helpeth our infirmitie For vvhat vve should pray as vve ought vve knovv not but the Spirit him self requesteth for vs vvith gronings vnspeakable ✠verse 27 And he that searcheth the hartes knovveth vvhat ″ the Spirit desireth because according to God he requesteth for the sainctes ✠verse 28 And vve knovv that to them that loue God al things cooperate vnto good to such as according to purpose are called to be sainctes ✠verse 29 For vvhom he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his sonne that he might be the first-borne in many brethren ✠verse 30 And ″ vvhom he hath predestinated them also he hath called and vvhom he hath called them also he hath iustified and vvhom he hath iustified them also hath he glorified ✠verse 31 What shal vve then say to these things If God before vs vvho is against vs ✠verse 32 He that spared not also his ovvne sonne but for vs al deliuered him hovv hath he not also vvith him giuen vs al things ✠verse 33 Who shal accuse against the elect of God God that iustifieth ✠verse 34 Who is he that shal condemne Christ IESVS that died yea that is risen also againe vvho is on the right hand of God vvho also maketh intercession for vs. ✠verse 35 Who then shal separate vs from the charitie of Christ tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the svvord ✠verse 36 as it is vvritten For vve are killed for thy sake al the day vve are esteemed as sheep of slaughter ✠verse 37 But in al these things we ouer come because of him that hath loued vs. ✠verse 38 For ″ I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Povvers neither things present nor things to come neither might ✠verse 39 not height nor depth nor other creature shal be able to separate vs from the charitie of God vvhich is in Christ IESVS our Lord. ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 16. The spirit giueth testimonie This place maketh not for the Heretikes special faith or their presumptuous certainty that euery one of them is in grace the testimonie of the Spirit being nothing els but the invvard good motions comfort and contentment vvhich the children of God do daily feele more and more in their hartes by seruing him by vvhich they haue as it vvere an attestation of his fauour tovvardes them vvhereby the hope of their iustification and saluation is much corroborated and strengthened 17. Yet if they suffer Christes paines or passions haue not so satisfied for al that Christian men be discharged of their particular suffering or satisfying for eche mans ovvne part neither be our paines nothing vvorth to the attainement of heauen because Christ hath done ynough but quite contrarie he vvas by his passion exalted to the glorie of heauen therfore vve by compassion or partaking vvith him in the like passions shal attaine to be fellovves vvith him in his kingdom 18. Condigâ—â— Our Aduersaries ground hereon that the vvorkes or sufferances of this life be not meritorious or vvorthy of life euerlasting vvhere the Apostle saith no such thing no more then he saith that Christs Passions be not meritorious of his glorie vvhich I thinke they dare not much auouch in our Sauiours actions He expresseth onely that the very afflictions of their ovvne nature vvhich vve suffer vvith or for him be but short momeÌ„tanie of no account in comparison of the recompense vvhich vve shal haue in heauen no more in deede vvere Christes paines of their ovvne nature compared to his
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
✠verse 33 IESVS therfore said to them Yet a litle time I am vvith you and I goe to him that sent me ✠verse 34 * You seeke me and shal not finde and vvhere I am you can not come ✠verse 35 The Ievves therfore said among them selues Vvhither vvil this man goe that vve shal not finde him Vvil he goe into the dispersion of the Gētiles and teach the Gentiles ✠verse 36 Vvhat is this saying that he hath said You shal seeke me and shal not finde And vvhere I am you can not come ✠verse 37 And in the last the * great day of the festiuitie IESVS stoode and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke ✠verse 38 He that beleeueth in me as the scripture saith Out of his belly shal flovv riuers of liuing vvater ✠verse 39 And this he said of the Spirit that they should receiue vvhich beleeued in him ⊢ for as yet the Spirit vvas not giuen because IESVS vvas not yet glorified ✠verse 40 Of that multitude therfore vvhen they had heard these wordes of his some said This is the Prophet in deede ✠verse 41 others said This is CHRIST But certaine said Vvhy doth CHRIST come from Galilee ✠verse 42 Doth not the * scripture say that of the seede of Dauid and from Bethlehem the tovvne vvhere Dauid vvas CHRIST doth come ✠verse 43 Therfore there arose dissension in the multitude for him ✠verse 44 And certaine of them vvould haue apprehēded him but no man laid handes vpon him ✠verse 45 The ministers therfore came to the cheefe priests and the Pharisees And they said to them Vvhy haue you not brought him ✠verse 46 The ministers ansvvered Neuer did there man so speake as this man ✠verse 47 The Pharisees therfore ansvvered them Vvhy are you also seduced ✠verse 48 Hath any of the Princes beleeued in him or of the Pharisees ✠verse 49 but this multitude that knovveth not the lavv are accursed ✠verse 50 Nicodemus said to them he * that came to him by night vvho vvas one of them ✠verse 51 Doth our lavv iudge a man vnles it first heare him and knovv vvhat he doeth ✠verse 52 They ansvvered and said to him Vvhy art thou also a Galilaean Search and see that from Galilee a Prophet riseth not ✠verse 53 And euery man returned to his house CHAP. VIII Againe in the Temple absoluing an aduoutresse after his merciful maner and yet vvithal declaring against his enemies that he is not a fauourer of sinne no more then Moyses 12 he teacheth openly and is not for al that apprehended telling them both of his Godhead 21 and of their reprobation 28 of his exaltation also by their Crucifying of him 31 exhorting the beleeuers to perseuére 33 and shevving them that seeke his death that they are neither free 39 nor of Abraham 41 nor of God 44 but of the Diuel 45 but that him selfe is of God 52 and greater and auncienter then Abraham 59 For the vvhich they goe about to stone him but in vaine verse 1 AND IESVS vvent into the Mount-oliuet ✠verse 2 and early in the morning againe he came into the temple and the people came to him and sitting he taught them ✠verse 3 And the Scribes and Pharisees bring a vvoman taken in aduoutrie and they did set her in the middes ✠verse 4 and said to him Maister this vvoman vvas euen novv taken in aduoutrie ✠verse 5 And * in the lavv Moyses commaunded vs to stone such What saiest thou therfore ✠verse 6 And this they said tempting him that they might accuse him But IESVS bovving him self dovvne vvith his finger vvrote in the earth ✠verse 7 Vvhen they therfore continued asking him he lifted vp him self and said to them He that is vvithout sinne of you let him first throvv the stone at her ✠verse 8 And againe bovving him self he vvrote in the earth ✠verse 9 And they hearing vvent out one by one beginning at the seniours and IESVS alone remained and the vvoman standing in the middes ✠verse 10 And IESVS lifting vp him self said to her Vvoman vvhere are they that accused thee hath no man condemned thee ✠verse 11 Vvho said No man Lord. And IESVS said Neither vvil I condemne thee Goe and novv sinne no more ⊢ ✠verse 12 Againe therfore IESVS spake to them saying I am the light of the vvorld he that folovveth me vvalketh not in darkenesse but shal haue the light of life ✠verse 13 The Pharisees therfore said to him Thou giuest testimonie of thy self thy testimonie is not true ✠verse 14 IESVS ansvvered and said to them Although I doe giue testimonie of my self my testimonie is true because I knovv vvhence I came vvhither I goe but you knovv not vvhēce I come or whither I goe ✠verse 15 You iudge according to the flesh I doe not iudge any man ✠verse 16 And if I doe iudge my iudgement is true because I am not alone but I and he that sent me the Father ✠verse 17 And in your lavv it is vvritten that * the testimonie of tvvo men is true ✠verse 18 I am he that giue testimonie of my self and he that sent me the Father giueth testimonie of me ✠verse 19 They said therfore to him Vvhere is thy father IESVS ansvvered Neither me doe you knovv nor my Father If you did knovv me perhaps you might knovv my Father also ✠verse 20 These vvordes IESVS spake in the Treasurie teaching in the temple and no man apprehended him because his houre vvas not yet come ⊢ ✠verse 21 Againe therfore IESVS said to them I goe and you shal seeke me and shal die in your sinne Vvhither I goe you can not come ✠verse 22 The Ievves therfore said Vvhy vvil he kil him self because he saith Vvhither I goe you can not come ✠verse 23 And he said to them You are from beneath I am from aboue you are of this vvorld I am not of this vvorld ✠verse 24 Therfore I said to you that you shal die in your sinnes for if you beleeue not that I am he you shal die in your sinne ✠verse 25 They said therfore to him Vvho art thou IESVS said to them The beginning vvho also speake to you ✠verse 26 Many things I haue to speake and iudge of you but he that sent me is true and vvhat I haue heard of him these things I speake in the vvorld ✠verse 27 And they knevv not that he said to them that his father vvas God ✠verse 28 IESVS therfore said to them Vvhen you shal haue exalted the sonne of man then you shal knovv that I am he and of my self I doe nothing but as the Father hath taught me these things I speake ✠verse 29 and he that sent me is vvith me and he
Father in me The vvordes that I speake to you of my self I speake not But my father that abideth in me he doeth the vvorkes ✠verse 11 Beleeue you not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Othervvise for the vvorkes them selues beleeue ✠verse 12 Amen amen I say to you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he also shal doe and greater then these shal he doe ✠verse 13 because I goe to the Father and vvhatsoeuer you shal aske in my name that wil I doe ⊢ that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne ✠verse 14 If you aske me any thing in my name that vvil I doe ✠verse 15 If you loue me keepe my commaundements ✠verse 16 And I vvil aske the father and he vvil giue you an other Paraclete that he may abide vvith you for euer ✠verse 17 the Spirit of truth vvhom the vvorld can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knovveth him but you knovv ' him because he shal abide vvith you and shal be in you ✠verse 18 I vvil not leaue you orphanes I vvil come to you ✠verse 19 Yet a litle vvhile and the vvorld seeth me no more But you see me because I liue and you shal liue ⊢ ✠verse 20 In that day you shal knovv that I am in my father and you in me and I in you ✠verse 21 He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them he it is that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I vvil loue him and vvil manifest my self to him ⊢ ✠verse 22 Iudas saith to him not that Iscariote Lord vvhat is done that thou vvilt manifest thy self to vs and not to the vvorld ✠verse 23 IESVS ansvvered and said to him If any loue me he vvil keepe my vvord and my father vvil loue him and vve vvil come to him and vvil make abode vvith him ✠verse 24 He that loueth me not keepeth not my vvordes And the vvord vvhich you haue heard is not mine but his that sent me the Fathers ✠verse 25 These things haue I spoken to you abiding vvith you ✠verse 26 But the Paraclete the holy Ghost vvhom the Father vvil send in my name he shal teach you al things suggest vnto you al things vvhatsoeuer I shal say to you ✠verse 27 Peace I leaue to you my peace I giue to you not as the vvorld giueth doe I giue to you Let not your hart be troubled nor feare ✠verse 28 You haue heard that I said to you I goe and I come to you If you loued me you vvould be glad verily that I goe to the Father because the Father is greater then I. ✠verse 29 And novv I haue told you before it come to passe that vvhen it shal come to passe you may beleeue ✠verse 30 Novv I vvil not speake many things vvith you for the prince of this vvorld commeth and in me he hath not any thing ✠verse 31 But that the vvorld may knovv that I loue the Father and as the Father hath giuen me commaundement so doe I ⊢ Arise let vs goe hence ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. Greater then these S. Chrysostom in a whole booke against the Pagans proueth that this was fulfilled not onely in Peters shadow and Paules garments which as we read in the Actes healed infirmities but also by the Relikes and monuments of Saincts namely of S. Babylas of whom he there treateth thereby inferring that Christ is God who could and did performe these wonderful wordes by the very ashes of his seruants The Protestants cleane contrarie as patrones of the Pagans infidelitie as though our Sauiour had promised these the like miraculous workes in vaine either not meaning or not able to fulfil thē so do they discredite al the approued histories of the Church concerning miracles wrought by Saincts namely that S. Gregorie Thaumaturgus remoued a mountaine the miracles of S. Paul the eremite and S. Hilarion written by S. Hierom the miracles of S. Martin written by Seuerus Sulpitius the miracles testified by S. Augustine de Ciuit Dei the miracles approued by S. Gregorie in his Dialoges the miracles reported by S. Bede in his Ecclesiastical storie and liues of Saincts and al other miracles neuer so faithfully recorded in Ecclesiastical writers In al which things aboue their reach of reason and nature they are as litle persuaded and haue no more faith then had the Pagans against whom S. Chrysostom in the foresaid booke and S. Augustine de Ciu. Dei li. 22 c. 8 and other Fathers heretofore haue written No man therfore needeth to maruel that the very Image of our Lady the like doe miracles euen as Peters shadow did nor wonder if such things seeme stranger and greater then those which Christ him self did whereas our Sauiour to put vs out of doubt saith expresly that his Saincts shal doe greater things then him self did 16. For euer If the Holy Ghost had been promised onely to the Apostles their successors and the Church after them could not haue chalenged it but it vvas promised them for euer Whereby we may learne both that the priuileges and promisses made to the Apostles were not personal but pertaining to their offices perpetually and also that the Church and Pastors in al ages had and haue the same Holy Ghost to gouerne them that the Apostles and primitiue Church had 17. The spirit of truth They had many particular giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost before and many vertues by the same as al holy men haue at al times but the Holy Ghost here promised to the Apostles and their successors for euer is to this vse specially promised to direct them in al truth and veritie and is contrarie to the spirit of errour heresie and falshod And therefore the Church can not fall to Apostasie or Heresie or to nothing as the Aduersaries say 28. Father greater then I. There is no place of Scripture that seemeth any thing so much to make for the Sacramentaries as this and other in outward shew of wordes seemed to make for the Arians who denied the equalitie of the Sonne with the Father Which wordes yet in deede rightly vnderstood after the Churches sense make nothing for their false secte but only signifie that Christ according to his Manhod wa◠inferior in deede and that according to his Diuinitie he came of the Father And if the Heresie or disease of this time were Arianisme we should stand vpon these places and the like against the Arians as we now do vpon others against the Protestants whose secte is the disease and bane of this time CHAP. XV. He exhorteth them to abide in him that is his Church being the true vine and not the Synagogue of the Ievves any more 9 and in his loue louing one an other and keeping his commaundements 13 shevving hovv much
you but if I goe I vvil send him to you ✠verse 8 And vvhen he is come he shal argue the vvorld of sinne and of iustice and of iudgement ✠verse 9 of sinne because they beleeue not in me ✠verse 10 but of iustice because I goe to the Father and novv you shal not see me ✠verse 11 and of iudgement because the prince of this vvorld is novv iudged ✠verse 12 Yet many things I haue to say to you but you can not beare them novv ✠verse 13 But vvhen he the Spirit of truth commeth he shal teach you al truth for he shal not speake of him self but vvhat things soeuer he shal heare he shal speake and the things that are to come he shal shevv you ✠verse 14 He shal glorifie me because he shal receiue of mine and shal shevv to you ⊢ ✠verse 15 Al things vvhatsoeuer the Father hath be mine Therfore I said that he shal receiue of mine and shal shevv to you ✠verse 16 A litle vvhile and novv you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me because I goe to the Father ✠verse 17 Some therfore of his disciples said one to an other Vvhat is this that he saith to vs A litle vvhile and you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me and because I goe to the Father ✠verse 18 They said therfore Vvhat is this that he saith A litle vvhile vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh ✠verse 19 And IESVS knevv that they vvould aske him and he said to them Of this you doe question among your selues because I said to you A litle vvhile and you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me ✠verse 20 Amen amen I say to you that you shal vveepe and lament but the vvorld shal reioyce and you shal be made sorovvful but your sorovv shal be turned into ioy ✠verse 21 A vvoman vvhen she trauaileth hath sorovv because her houre is come but vvhen she hath brought forth the childe novv she remembreth not the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the vvorld ✠verse 22 And you therfore novv in deede you haue sorow but I vvil see you againe and your hart shal reioyce and your ioy no man shal take from you ⊢ ✠verse 23 And in that day me you shal not aske any thing Amen amen I say to you if you aske the Father any thing in my name he vvil giue it you ✠verse 24 Vntil novv you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and you shal receiue that your ioy may be ful ✠verse 25 These things in prouerbes I haue spoken to you The houre commeth vvhen in prouerbes I vvil no more speake to you but plainely of the Father I vvil shew you ✠verse 26 In that day you shal aske in my name and I say not to you that I vvil aske the Father for you ✠verse 27 For the Father him self loueth you because you haue loued me and haue beleeued that I came forth from God ✠verse 28 I came forth from the Father and came into the vvorld againe I leaue the vvorld and I goe to the Father ✠verse 29 His disciples say to him Behold novv thou speakest plainely and saiest no prouerbe ✠verse 30 novv vve knovv that thou knovvest al things and thou needest not that any man aske thee in this vve beleeue that thou camest forth from God ⊢ ✠verse 31 IESVS ansvvered them Novv do you beleeue ✠verse 32 * Behold the houre commeth and it is novv come that you shal be scattered euery man into his ovvne and me you shal leaue alone and I am not alone because the Father is vvith me ✠verse 33 These things I haue spoken to you that in me you may haue peace In the vvorld you shal haue distresse but haue confidence I haue ouercome the vvorld ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 12. Yet many things This place conuinceth that the Apostles and the faithful be taught many things which Christ omitted to teach them for their weaknes and that it was the prouidence of God that Christ in presence should not teach and order al things that we might be no lesse assured of the things that the Church teacheth by the Holy Ghost then of the things that him self deliuered 13 The spirit of truth Euer note that the Holy Ghost in that he is promised to the Church is called the Spirit of truth Which Holy Spirit for many other causes is giuen to diuers priuate men and to al good men to sanctification but to teach al truth and preserue in truth and from error he is promised and performed onely to the Church and the cheefe Gouerner and general Councels thereof CHAP. XVII After his Sermon of farevvel he prayeth to his Father that seing he hath novv finished his vvorke he vvil giue him his appointed glorie for the conuersion of al nations 6 and preserue his Apostles and his Church after them in vnitie and veritie that is from Schisme and Heresie 24 finally also glorifie them vvith him in heauen verse 1 THESE things spake IESVS and lifting vp his eies into heauen he said Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may glorifie thee ✠verse 2 As thou hast giueÌ„ him povver ouer al flesh that al vvhich thou hast giuen him to them he may giue life euerlasting ✠verse 3 And this is ″ life euerlasting that they knovv thee the only true God and vvhom thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST ⊢ ✠verse 4 I haue glorified thee vpon the earth I haue consummated the vvorke vvhich thou gauest me to doe ✠verse 5 and novv glofie thou me O Father vvith thy self vvith the glorie vvhich I had before the vvorld vvas vvith thee ✠verse 6 I haue manifested thy name to the men vvhom thou gauest me out of the vvorld Thine they vvere and â—o me thou gauest them and they haue kept thy vvord ✠verse 7 Novv they haue knovven that al things vvhich thou gauest me are from thee ✠verse 8 because the vvordes vvhich thou gauest me I haue giuen them and they haue receiued and knovven in very deede that I came forth from thee and haue beleeued that thou didst send me ✠verse 9 For them doe I pray Not for the vvorld doe I pray but for them vvhom thou hast giuen me ✠verse 10 because they be thine and al my things be thine and thine be mine and I am glorified in them And novv I am not in the vvorld and these are in the vvorld and I come to thee ⊢ ✠verse 11 Holy father keepe them in thy name vvhom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also vve ✠verse 12 Vvhen I vvas vvith them I kept them in thy name Those * vvhom thou gauest me haue I kept and none
to helpe the neede of the Christians in Hierusalem vvhereof he speaketh 1. Cor. 16 And concerning the collections that are made for the saincts as I haue ordeined to the Churches of Galatia so doe you also By vvhich vvordes also it is euident that the Corinthians had not at then made their gathering But vvhen he vvrote the Second to them vvhere in the 11 Chapter he maketh mention of 14 yeres not onely after his Conuersion as to the Galatians but also after his Rapte vvhich seemeth to haue bene vvhen he vvas at Hierusalem Act. 9. foure yeres after his Conuersion in a traunce as he calleth it Act. 22 17 then vvere they readie For so he saith 2. Cor. 8 You haue begone from the yere past and 2. Cor. 9 For the vvhich I doe glorie of you to the Macedonians that also Achaia is ready from the yere past hovvbeit it folovveth theire But I haue sent the brethren that as I haue said you may be ready lest vvhen the Macedonians come vvith me and find you vnready vve be ashamed But vvhen he vvrote to the Romanes then vvas he novv come to Corinth for the purpose and had receiued theire contribution and vvas readie to goe vvith it vnto Hierusalem For so he saith Rom. 15. Novv therfore I vvil goe vnto Hierusalem to minister to the saincts For Macedonia and Achaia haue liked vvel to make some coÌ„tribution vpoÌ„ the poore saincts that are in Hierusalem So then the Epistle to the Romanes vvas not the first that he vvrote But yet it is and alvvaies vvas set first because of the primacie of that Church for vvhich cause also he handleth in it such matters as perteined not to them alone but to the vniuersal Church and specially to al the Gentiles to vvit the very frame as it vvere of the Church of Christ Tanquam enim pro ipso Domino legatione fungens hoc est pro lapide angulari vtrumque populum tam ex Iudais quà m ex Gentibus connectis in Christo per vinculum gratiae so saith S. Augustine giuing vs briefly the arguments in english thus As being a legate for our Lord him self that is for the corner stone he knitteth together in Christ by the baÌ„d of Grace both peoples as vvel of the Ievves as of the Gentils Shevving that neither of them had in their Gentilitie or Iudaisme any vvorkes to bragge of or to chalenge to them selues iustificatioÌ„ or saluation thereby but rather sinnes they had to be sorie for and to humble themselues to the faith of Christ that so they might haue remission of them and strength to doe meritorius vvorkes aftervvard In vvhich sort because the Gentils did humble them selues therefore had they found mercy though they neuer vvist of the Lavv of Moyses But the Ievves because they stoode vpon their ovvne vvorkes vvhich they did by their ovvne strength vvith the knovvledge of the Lavv being therefore also called the vvorkes of the Lavv so would not humble themselues to beleeue in Christ crucified they missed of mercy and became reprobate excepting a few Reliquiae that God of his goodnes had reserued to himself Hovvbeit in the end vvhen the fulnes of the Gentils is come into the Church then shal the fulnes of the Ievves also open their eies acknowledge their errour and submit themselues to Christ and his Church in like maner In the meane time those that haue found the grace to be Christians he exhorteth to perseueraÌ„ce as it vvas specially needeful in those times of persecutions and to leade their whole life now after Baptisme in good workes and to be careful of vnitie bearing therefore one with an other both Iew and Gentil al that they may and geuing no offence to them that are weake Thus he disputeth and thus be exhorteth through the whole Epistle though if we wil diuide it by that which is principal in ech parte vve may say that vnto the 12 chapter is his disputation and from thence to the end his exhortation Novv in those points of faith and in al others as also in example of life the commendation that he giueth to the Church of Rome is much to be noted Your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld and your obedieÌ„ce is published into euery place I reioyce therfore in you And againe you haue obeied from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine vvhich hath been deliuered to you And therevpon againe I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissensions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine vvhich you haue learned and auoide them For such doe not serue Christ our Lord but theire ovvne belly and by svveete speaches ad benedictions seduce the harts of innocents Therfore to shunne Luther and Caluin and al their crewes vve haue iust reason and good vvarrant They make dissensions and scandals against the doctrine of the Romane Church Let no man therefore be seduced by their sugred vvordes THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAP. I. The foundation of his Apostleship being laid 〈◊〉 he highly commendeth the Romanes and protesteth his affection tovvardes them and so coÌ„ming to the matter saith our Christian Catholike doctrine that teacheth al to beleeue to be the vvay to saluation 118 because the Gentiles first of al could not be saued by their Philosophie vvhereby they knevv God for so much as they did not serue him but Idolâ—â— he therfore iustly permitting them to fall into al kind of most damnable sinne verse 1 PAVL the seruant of IESVS CHRIST called to be an Apostle * separated into the Gospel of God ✠verse 2 vvhich before he had promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures ✠verse 3 of his sonne vvho vvas made to him of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh ✠verse 4 vvho vvas predestinate the sonne of God in povver according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrectioÌ„ of our Lord IESVS CHRIST from the dead ✠verse 5 by vvhom vve haue receiued grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith in al Nations for the name of him ✠verse 6 among vvhom are you also the called of IESVS CHRIST ⊢ ✠verse 7 to al that are at Rome the beloued of God called to be saincts Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 8 First I giue thankes to my God through IESVS CHRIST for al you because ″ your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld ✠verse 9 For God is my vvitnes vvhom I serue ″ in my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that vvithout intermission I make ″ a memorie of you ✠verse 10 alvvaies in my praiers beseeching if by any meanes I may sometime at the length haue a prosperous iourney by the vvil of God to come vnto you ✠verse 11 For I desire to see you that I may imparte vnto you some spiritual grace to confirme you âœ
that perish is folishnes but to them that are saued that is to vs it is the povver of God ✠verse 19 For it is vvritten I vvil destroy the vvisedom of the vvise and the prudence of the prudent I vvil reiecte ✠verse 20 Vvhere is the vvise vvhere is the Scribe vvhere is the disputer of this vvorld Hath not God made the vvisedom of this vvorld folish ✠verse 21 For because in the vvisedom of God the vvorld did not by vvisedom knovv God it pleased God by the folishnes of the preaching to saue them that beleeue ✠verse 22 For both the Ievves aske signes and the Greekes seeke vvisedom ✠verse 23 but vve preach Christ crucified to the Ievves certes a scandal and to the Gentiles folishnes ✠verse 24 but to the called Ievves Greekes Christ the povver of God and the vvisedom of God ✠verse 25 For that vvhich is the folish of God is vviser then men and that vvhich is the infirme of God is stronger then men ✠verse 26 For see your vocation brethren that not many vvise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble ✠verse 27 but the folish things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the vvise and the vveake things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the strong ✠verse 28 and the base things of the vvorld and the contemptible hath God chosen and those things vvhich are not that he might destroy those things vvhich are ✠verse 29 that no flesh may glorie in his sight ✠verse 30 And of him you are in Christ IESVS â— vvho is made vnto vs vvisedom from God iustice sanctificatioÌ„ and redemption ✠verse 31 that as it is vvritten He that doth glorie may glorie in our Lord. ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. In al knovvledge Obserue that the Apostles neuer vvrote their letters but to such as vvere conuerted to Christes faith before for men can not lightly learne the Christian religion by reading Scriptures but by hearing and by the presence of their teachers which may instruct them at large and particularly of euery Article as clerely breefely by letters they could not doe Neither doth novv any man learne his faith first but by hearing of his parents and Maisters for if vve should vvhen vve come to yeres of discretion â—e set to picke our faith out of the Scriptures there vvould be a madde vvorke and many faithes among vs. 30. Who is made He meaneth not as our Aduersaries captiously take it that vve haue no iustice sapience nor sanctity of our ovvne other then Christes imputed to vs but the sense is that he is made the author giuer and meritorious cause of al these vertues in vs for so the Apostle interpreteth him self plainely in the 6 Chapter folovving vvhen he vvriteth thus You be vvashed you be iustified you be sanctified in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and in the Spirit of our God CHAP. II. That his ovvne preaching among them vvas in humble maner in the sight of man 3 Hovvbeit it is most profound vvisedom as they should and vvould perceiue if they vvere not carnal vvhich is taught in the Church of Christ verse 1 AND I brethren vvhen I came to you I came not in loftinesse of speache or of vvisedom preaching to you the testimonie of Christ ✠verse 2 For I iudged not my self to knovv any thing among you but IESVS Christ and him crucified ✠verse 3 And * I vvas vvith you in infirmitie and feare and much trembling ✠verse 4 and my speache and my preaching vvas not in the persuasible vvordes of humane vvisedom but in shevving of spirit and povver ✠verse 5 that your faith might not be in the vvisedom of men but in the povver of God But vve speake vvisedom among the perfect ✠verse 6 but the vvisedom not of this vvorld neither of the princes of this vvorld that come to naught ✠verse 7 but vve speake the vvisedom of God in a mysterie which is hid vvhich God did predestinate before the worlds vnto our glorie ✠verse 8 which none of the princes of this vvoâ—ld did knovv for if they had knovven they vvould neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie ✠verse 9 But as it is vvritten That vvhich eie hath not seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the hart of maÌ„ vvhat things God hath prepared for them that loue him ✠verse 10 but to vs God hath reuealed by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth al things yea the profoundities of God ✠verse 11 For vvhat man knovveth the things of a man but â— the spiâ—it of a man that is in him so the things also that are of God no man knovveth but the spirit of God ✠verse 12 And vve haue receiued not the spirit of this vvorld but the spirit that is of God â— that vve may knovv the things that of God are giuen to vs. ✠verse 13 vvhich also vve speake not in learned vvordes of humane vvisedom but in the doctrine of the Spirit comparing spiritual things to the spiritual ✠verse 14 But â— the sensual man perceiueth not those things that are of the spirit of God for it is folishnes to him and he can not vnderstand because he is spiritually examined ✠verse 15 But the spiritual man iudgeth al things and him self is iudged of no man ✠verse 16 For * vvho hath knovven the sense of our Lord that may instructe him But vve haue the sense of Christ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 11. But the spirit of man One man can not knovv an others cogitations naturally but God giueth to Prophets and other euen in this vvorld oftentimes by extraordinary grace to knovv mens secretes As he did to S. Peter to knovv the fraude of Ananias and Sapphira and to Eliseus his seruants bribery in his absence and vvhat vvas done in the king of Syria his chamber and as he giueth to al Angels and Saincts so far as is conuenient to our necessities and their heauenly glorie to vnderstand not onely our vocal praiers but our invvard repentance and desires 12. That vve may knovv The Protestants that chalenge a particular spirit reuealing to eche one his ovvne predestination iustification and saluation vvould dravv this text to that purpose Vvhich importeth nothing els as is plaine by the Apostles discourse but that the holy Ghost hath giuen to the Apostles by them to other Christian men to knovv Gods ineffable gifts bestovved vpon the beleeuers in this time of grace that is Christes Incarnation Passion presence in the Sacrament the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen vvhich Pagans Ievves and Heretikes deride 14. The sensual man The sensual man is he specially that measureth these heauenly mysteries by natural reason humane prudence external sense and vvorldly affection as the Ievv Pagane and Heretike doe and sometime both here and els vvhere the
according as the children of Israel vvere commaunded by God to separate them selues from the Schismatikes Corè Dathan and Abiron and their tabernacles by these vvordes Depart from the tabernacles of the impious men and touch ye not those things vvhich pertaine to them lest you be envvrapped in their sinnes CHAP. VII He procedeth to exhorte them to puritie and to receiue him into their charitie 3 Which lest they should thinke he speaketh to accuse them he commendeth them highly both for their behauiour tovvard Titus and for their penance vvhich they had done vpon his other epistle verse 1 HAVING therfore these promisses my deerest let vs cleanse our selues from al inquinatiō of the flesh and spirit persiting sanctification in the feare of God ✠verse 2 Receiue vs. Vve haue hurt no man vve haue corrupted no man vve haue circumuented no man ✠verse 3 I speake not to your cōdemnation for I said before that you are in our hartes to die together and to liue together ✠verse 4 Much is my confidence vvith you much is my glorying for you I am replenished vvith consolation I do excedingly abound in ioy in al our tribulation ✠verse 5 For also vvhen vve vvere come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but vve suffered al tribulatiō vvithout combats vvithin feares ✠verse 6 But God that comforteth the humble did comforte vs in the comming of Titus ✠verse 7 And not only in his comming but also in the consolation vvhervvith he vvas comforted among you reporting to vs your desire your vveeping your emulation for me so that I reioyced the more ✠verse 8 For although I made you sorie in an epistle it repenteth me not albeit it repented me seing that the same epistle although but for a time did make you sorie ✠verse 9 Novv I am glad not because you vvere made sorie but because you vvere made ″ sorie to penance For you vvere made sorie according to God that in nothing you should suffer detriment by vs. ✠verse 10 For the sorovv that is according to God vvorketh penance vnto saluation that is stable but the sorovv of the vvorld vvorketh death ✠verse 11 For behold this very thing that you vvere made sorie according to God hovv great carefulnes it vvorketh in you yea defense yea indignation yea feare yea desire yea emulation yea reuenge in al things you haue shevved your selues to be vndefiled in the matter ✠verse 12 Therfore although I vvrote to you not for him that did the iniurie nor for him that suffered but to manifest our carefulnes that vve haue for you before God ✠verse 13 therfore vve are comforted But in our consolation vve did the more aboundantly reioyce vpon the ioy of Titus because his spirit vvas refreshed of al you ✠verse 14 And if to him I gloried any thing of you I am not cōfounded but as vve spake al things to you in truth so also our glorying that vvas to Titus is made a truth ✠verse 15 and his bovvels are more aboundantly toward you remembring the obedience of you al hovv vvith feare and trembling you receiued him ✠verse 16 I reioyce that in al things I haue confidence in you ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 9. Sorie to penance The sorovv vvhich a man taketh for vvorldly losses or any temporal aduersitie is not here commended but that vvhich is and ought to be in al men for their sinnes past vvhich is called here Sorovv tovvardes God and for penance othervvise called Contrition and is a thing excedingly requisite and much praised the fruites vvhereof are these that the Apostle reckeneth vvorking saluation Vvhich doctrine is farre distant from Luthers and Caluins and such vvicked Libertines that teach contrition to be al together a meanes to make sinnes either hypocrites or to put them in despaire CHAP. VIII By the example of the poore Macedonians he exhorteth them to contribute largely vnto the Church of Hierusalem 7 and by praising of them 9 and by the example of Christ 14 and by their ovvne spiritual profite in being partakers of that Churches merites 16 and by commending the collectors that he sendeth verse 1 AND vve doe you to vnderstand brethren the grace of God that is giuen in the churches of Macedonia ✠verse 2 that in much experience of tribulation they had aboundance of ioy their very deepe pouertie abounded vnto the riches of their simplicitie ✠verse 3 for according to their povver I giue them testimonie and aboue their povver they vvere willing ✠verse 4 vvith much exhortation requesting vs the grace and communication of the ministerie that is done tovvard the saincts ✠verse 5 And not as vve hoped but their ovvne selues they gaue first to our Lord then to vs by the vvil of God ✠verse 6 in so much that vve desired Titus that as he began so also he vvould perfit in you this grace also ✠verse 7 But as in al things you abound in faith and vvord and knovvledge al carefulnes moreouer also in your charitie tovvard vs that in this grace also you may abounde ✠verse 8 I speake not as commaunding but by the carefulnes of others approuing also the good disposition of your charitie ✠verse 9 For you knovv the grace of our Lord IESVS Christ that for you he vvas made poore wheras he vvas riche that by his pouertie you might be riche ✠verse 10 And in this point I giue counsel for this is profitable for you vvhich haue begōne not only to doe but also to be willing from the yere past ✠verse 11 but novv perfourme ye it also in deede that as your minde is prompt to be vvilling so it may be also to perfourme of that vvhich you haue ✠verse 12 For if the vvil be prompt it is accepted according to that vvhich it hath not according to that vvhich it hath not ✠verse 13 For not that other should haue ease and you tribulation but by an equalitie ✠verse 14 Let in this present time your ″ aboundance supplie their vvant that their aboundance also may supplie your vvant that there be an equalitie ✠verse 15 as it is vvritten He that had much abounded not and he that had litle vvanted not ⊢ ✠verse 16 And thankes be to God that hath giuen the self same carefulnes for you in the hart of Titus ✠verse 17 for that he admitted in deede exhortation but being more careful of his ovvne vvil he vvent vnto you ✠verse 18 Vve haue sent also vvith him the brother vvhose praise is in the Gospel through al the churches ✠verse 19 not only that but also he vvas ordeined of the churches fellovv of our peregrination for this grace vvhich is ministred of vs to the glorie of our Lord and our determined vvil ✠verse 20 auoiding this lest any man might reprehend vs in this fulnes that is ministred of vs. ✠verse 21 For
giuen vs ″ vnto edification and not to your destruction I shal not be ashamed ✠verse 9 But that I may not be thought as it vvere to terrifie you by epistles ✠verse 10 for his epistles in deede say they are sore and vehement but his bodily presence vveake and his speache contemptible ✠verse 11 let him this thinke that is such a one that such as vve are in vvord by epistles absent such also vve are in deede present ✠verse 12 For vve dare not matche or compare our selues vvith certaine that commend them selues but vve measure our selues in our selues and compare our selues to our selues ✠verse 13 But vve vvil not glorie aboue our measure but according to the measure of the rule vvhich God hath measured to vs a measure to reache euen vnto you ✠verse 14 For not as though vve reached not vnto you doe vve extend our selues beyond For vve are come as farre as to you in the Gospel of Christ ✠verse 15 not glorying aboue measure in other mens labours but hauing hope of your faith increasing to be magnified in you according to our rule abouÌ„dantly ✠verse 16 yea vnto those places that are beyond you to euangelize not in an other mans rule to glorie in those things that are prepared before ✠verse 17 But he that glorieth let him glorie in our Lord. ✠verse 18 For not he that commendeth him self the same is approued but vvhom God commendeth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 4. Vveapons He meaneth the ample spiritual and Apostolical povver giuen by Christ for the punishment of false Apostles Heretikes and rebelles to Gods Church vvho are here noted specially by pride and insolence vvhich is the proper marke of such fellovves to extoll themselues aboue the measure of the science of God vvhich consisteth in humble obedience to the faith and the preachers of the same 6. To reuenge You may see hereby that the spiritual povver of Bishops is not onely in preaching the Gospel and so by persuasion and exhortation onely as some Heretikes hold to remitte or retaine sinnes but that it hath authoritie to punish iudge and condemne Heretikes and other like rebelles vvhich povver * one of the principal rebelles of this time being conuinced by the euidence of the place acknovvledgeth to be grounded vpon Christes vvord Vvhatsoeuer you binde in earth shal be bound in heauen Mat. 18 1â— applying also the vvordes spoken to Hieremie c. 1 10. Behold I appoint thee ouer Nations and kingdoms that thou plant plucke vp build and destroy to confirme and explicate the povver Apostolike here alleaged by S. Paul Mary they vvould gladly dravv this povver from the lavvful successors of the Apostles to them selues their ministers and consistories vvhich are nothing els but the shoppes and Councels of sedition and al the conspiracies of this time against the lavvful Princes of the vvorld 8. Vnto edification This great povver of the Churches censures specially of Excommunication as it vvas giuen for the good and saluation of the people so it must not be vsed against the innocent no nor yet vpon Heretikes or other offenders but vvhere and vvhen it may by likelihod benefite either the parties or the people or may be executed vvithout the hurt or perturbation of the vvhole Church as often times it can not be by reason of the multitude of offenders Vvhich caused the Apostle here to signifie that he vvould not vse his vttermost authoritie against the false Apostles vvhich disturbed them till them selues vvere in perfect obedience vnto him lest by punishing the principal offenders a greater disturbance and reuolt might fall among the people if they vvere not before in perfect obedience CHAP. XI He reasoneth the matter vvith the Corinthians vvhy they should preferre the false Apostles before him 16 And because they giue them leaue to bragge and commend themselues and to abuse them so miserably he trusteth they vvil also giue him the hearing 21 and so he beginneth and first shâ—vving himself in al Iudaical respectes vvherein onely stood al their boasting to be as they are he addeth aftervvard such a long roll of his sufferings for Christ as is incomparable verse 1 VVould God you could beare some litle of my folly but do ye also support me ✠verse 2 for I emulate you vvith the emulation of God For I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chaste virgin vnto Christ ✠verse 3 But I feare lest as the serpent seduced Eue by his subteltie so your senses may be corrupted fall ″ from the simplicitie that is in Christ ✠verse 4 For if he that commeth preache an other Christ vvhoÌ„ we haue not preached or you receiue an other-other-spirit vvhom you haue not receiued or an other Gospel vvhich you haue not receiued you might vvel suffer it ✠verse 5 For I suppose that I haue done nothing lesse then the great Apostles ✠verse 6 For although ″ rude in speache yet not in knovvledge but in al things we are made manifest to you ✠verse 7 Or did I commit a sinne humbling my self that you might be exalted because I euaÌ„gelized vnto you the Gospel of God gratis ✠verse 8 Other churches I spoiled taking a stipend for your ministerie ✠verse 9 And vvhen I vvas vvith you and had neede I vvas burdenous to none for that vvhich I vvanted the brethren supplied that came from Macedonia in al things I haue kept my self vvithout burden to you and vvil keepe ✠verse 10 The truth of Christ is in me that this glorying shal not be infringed tovvard me in the countrires of Achaia ✠verse 11 Vvherfore because I loue you not God doth knovv ✠verse 12 But that vvhich I doe I vvil also doe that I may cut avvay the occasion of them that desire occasion that in that vvhich they glorie they may be found euen like vs. ✠verse 13 For such false apostles are craftie vvorkes traÌ„sfiguring them selues into Apostles of Christ ✠verse 14 And no maruel for Satan him self transfigureth him self into an Angel of light ✠verse 15 It is no great matter therfore if his ministers be traÌ„sfigured as the ministers of iustice vvhose ende shal be according to their vvorkes ✠verse 16 Againe I say let no man thinke me to be foolish othervvise take me as foolish that I also may glorie a litle ✠verse 17 that vvhich I speake I speake not according to God but as it vvere in foolishnes in this substance of glorying ✠verse 18 Because many glorie according to the flesh I also vvil glorie ✠verse 19 For you do gladly suffer the foolish vvhereas your selues are vvise ✠verse 20 For you suffer if a man bring you into seruitude if a man deuoure if a man take if a man be extolled if a man strike you on the face ✠verse 21 I speake according to dishonour as though vve had been
as it is plaine by the place of Deuteronomie vvhence he reciteth this text but onely such as commit great and damnable crimes and so by greuous and mortal transgressions vvholy breake Gods precepts and thereby incurre the curse of the Lavv from vvhich the said Lavv could not deliuer them of it self nor by any other meanes but by the faith and grace of CHRIST IESVS 11. Liueth by faith It is neither the Heretikes special presumption and confidence nor the faith of Diuels nor faith vvithout vvorkes vvhich is dead in it self as S. Iames saith that can giue life to the iust for that vvhich is dead can not be the cause of life but it is the Catholike faith as S. Augustine vvriteth vvhich vvorketh by charitie according to the Apostles ovvne explication of this vvhole passage by vvhich the iust liueth Li. 3 c. 5. cont duas ep Pelag. See the Annotation vpon the same vvordes Rom. 1. 27. Haue put on Christ Here the Aduersaries might haue seen if they vvere not blinded by contentious striuing against Gods Church that vvhen Iustification is attributed to faith vvithout mention of good vvorkes or other Christian vertues Sacraments it is not meant to exclude any of the same from the vvorking of iustice or saluation for here vve learne that by the Sacrament of Baptisme also vve put on Christ vvhich is to put on faith hope charitie and al Christian iustice By the same vve proue also that the Sacraments of the nevv iavv giue grace for that the receiuers thereof put on Christ And the Aduersaries euasion that it is faith vvhich vvorketh in the Sacrament and not the Sacrament it self is plainely false Baptisme giuing grace and faith it self to the infant that had none before CHAP. IIII. That the Lavv vvas fit for the time of nonnage but being novv come to ful age to desire such seruitude is absurd specially for Gentils 12 And that he vvriteth this not of any displeasure but to tel them the truth remembring hovv passingly they honoured him vvhom he vvas present and exhorting them therfore not to harken to the false Apostles in his absence 21 By the allegorie also of Abrahams tvvo sonnes shevving that the children of the Ievves Synagogue shal not inherite but vve vvho are the children of the free vvoman that is of the Cath. Church of Christ verse 1 AND I say as long as the heire is a litle one he differeth nothing from a seruant although he be lord of al ✠verse 2 but is vnder tutors and gouernours vntil the time limited of the father ✠verse 3 so vve also vvhen vve vvere litle ones vvere ″ seruing vnder the elemētes of the vvorld ✠verse 4 But vvhen the fulnes of time came God sent his sonne made of a vvoman made vnder the Lavv ✠verse 5 that he might redeeme them that vvere vnder the Lavv that vve might receiue the adoption of sonnes ✠verse 6 And because you are sonnes * God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into your hartes crying Abba Father ✠verse 7 Therfore novv he is not a seruant but a sonne And if a sonne an heire also by God ⊢ ✠verse 8 But then in deede not knowing God you serued them that by nature are not Gods ✠verse 9 But novv vvhen you haue knovven God or rather are knovven of God hovv turne you againe to the ″ vveake poore elements vvhich you vvil serue againe ✠verse 10 ″ You obserue daies and moneths and times and yeres ✠verse 11 I feare you lest perhaps I haue laboured in vaine among you ✠verse 12 Be ye as I because I also am as you brethren I beseeche you you haue hurt me nothing ✠verse 13 And you knovv that by infirmitie of the flesh I euangelized to you heretofore ✠verse 14 and your tentation in my flesh you despised not neither reiected but as an Angel of God you receiued me as Christ IESVS ✠verse 15 Vvhere is then your blessednes for I giue you testimonie that if it could be done you vvould haue plucked out your eies and haue giuen them to me ✠verse 16 Am I then become your enemie telling you the truth ✠verse 17 They emulate you not vvel but they vvould exclude you that you might emulate them ✠verse 18 But do you emulate the good in good alvvaies and not only vvhen I am present vvith you ✠verse 19 My litle children vvhom I trauail vvithal againe vntil Christ be formed in you ✠verse 20 And I vvould be vvith you now and chaunge my voice because I am confounded in you ✠verse 21 Tel me you that vvil be vnder the Lavv haue you not read the Lavv ✠verse 22 For it is vvritten that * Abraham had tvvo sonnes one of the bond-vvoman and one of the free-vvoman ✠verse 23 But he that of the bond-vvoman vvas borne according to the flesh and he that of the free-vvoman by the promisse ✠verse 24 vvhich things are said ″ by an allegorie For these are the tvvo testaments The one from mount Sina gendring vnto bondage vvhich is Agar ✠verse 25 for Sina is a mountaine in Arabia vvhich hath affinitie to that vvhich novv is Hierusalem and serueth vvith her children ✠verse 26 But that Hierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is our mother ✠verse 27 For it is vvritten Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breake forth and crie that trauailest not because many are the children of the desolate more then of her that hath a husband ✠verse 28 But * we brethren according to Isaac are the children of promis ✠verse 29 But as then he that vvas borne according to the flesh persecuted him that vvas after the spirit so novv also ✠verse 30 But vvhat saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-vvoman and her sonne for the sonne of the bond-vvoman shal not be heire vvith the sonne of the free-vvoman ✠verse 31 Therfore brethren vve are not the children of the bond-vvoman but of the free by the ″ freedom vvhere vvith Christ hath made vs free ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. ◠Seruing. There can be no external vvorship of God nor association of men in religion either true or false vvithout the vse of corporal things or elements The Heathen so vsed the creatures of elements that they serued them as their goddes The Ievves of vvhom the Apostle here speaketh serued not the creatures them selues vvhich they occupied in their ceremonies but they serued the only true God vnder the elements that is to say being serullely clogged yoked kept occupied and in avve vvith innumerable fleshly grosse and combersom offices about creatures The Christians neither serue elements as the one nor be kep◠in seruile thraldom thereby as the other but occupie only a fevv exceding easie svvete seemely and significant for an agreable exercise both of body and minde Vvhereof S. Augustine saith thus li. 3. c. 9
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
He prophecieth that certaine should depart from the Catholike faith vvilling Timothee therfore to inculcate to the people those articles of the said faith 7 Item to exercise him self in spiritual exercise 12 to gette authoritie by example of good life 13 to studie to teach to increase in the grace giuen him by holy orders verse 1 AND the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times certain â— shal depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour and doctrines of diuels ✠verse 2 speaking lies in hypocrisie and hauing their conscience seared ✠verse 3 â— forbidding to marie to abstaine from meates vvhich God created to receaue vvith thankes-giuing for the faithful and them that haue knovven the truth ✠verse 4 For euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued â— vvith thankes-giuing ✠verse 5 For it is â— sanctified by the vvord of God and praier ✠verse 6 These things proposing to the brethren thou shalt be a good minister of Christ IESVS nourished in the vvordes of the faith and the good doctrine vvhich thou hast attained vnto ✠verse 7 But folish and old vviues fables auoid and exercise thy self to pietie ✠verse 8 For corporal exercise is profitable to litle but pietie is profitable to al things hauing promisse of the life that novv is and of that to come ✠verse 9 A faithful saying and vvorthie of al acceptation ✠verse 10 For to this purpose vve labour and are reuiled because vve hope in the liuing God vvhich is the Sauiour of al men especially of the faithful ✠verse 11 Commaund these things and teach ✠verse 12 Let no man contemne thy youth but be an example of the faithful in vvord in conuersation in charitie in faith in chastitie ✠verse 13 Til I come attend vnto reading exhortation doctrine ✠verse 14 Neglect not ″ the grace that is in thee vvhich is giuen thee by prophecie vvith imposition of the handes ″ of priesthod ✠verse 15 These things doe thou meditate be in these things that thy profiting may be manifest to al. ✠verse 16 Attend to thy self and to doctrine be earnest in them For this doing thou shalt ″ saue both thy self and them that heare thee ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Shal depart It is the proper description of Heretikes to forsake their former faith and to be Apostataes as the Greeke vvord importeth to giue care to particular spirites of error deception rather then to the Spirit of Christ in his Church to folovv in hypocrisie and shevv of vertue the pernicious doctrine of Diuels vvho are the suggesters and prompters of al Sectes and are lying spirites in the mouthes of al Heretikes and false preachers men that haue put their conscience to silence and made it senses to the holy hurches admonition the Apostle noting * once before also in this same Epistle that Heretikes haue no conscience vvhich is the cause both of their fall and of their obduration in heresie â— Forbidding to marrie He speaketh saith S. Chrysostom of the Manichees Encratites and Marcionistes hâ— 12 in 1 Tim. S. Ambrose vpon this place addeth to these the Patritians also S. Irenaeus li. 1 c. 30. S. Epiphanius har 45. 26. 61. 30. S. Hierom 1 cont louin c. 1. ep 50 c. 1 3. S. Augustine har 25. 40. and generally al antiquitie affirme the same both of them and also of the Heretikes called Apostolici Ebionitae and the like Their heresie about mariage vvas that to marrie or to vse the act of matrimonie is of Satan as S. Irenaeus vvitnesseth li. 1 c. 22 and that the distinction of male and femal and the creation of man and vvoman for generation came of an il God They taught their hearers saith S. Augustine that if they did vse vvomen they should in any vvise prouide that they might not conceiue or beare children Clemens Alexandrinus li. 3. Strom in principie vvriteth that such admit no mariage nor procreation of children lest they should bring into the vvorld creatures to suffer miserie and mortalitie And this is the damnable opinion concerning mariage noted here by the Apostle For the second point consisting in the prohibition of meates or vse of certaine creatures made to be eaten the said Heretikes or diuers of them for they vvere not al of one sect touching these points taught that men might not eate certaine sortes of meates specially of beastes and liuing creatures for that they vvere not made say they of the good God but of the euil And vvine they called the gall of the Prince of darkenes and not to be drunke at al and the Vine vvhereof it came to be of the Diuels creation And diuers other creatures they coÌ„demned as things by nature and creation polluted and abominable August har Manich. 46. har 25 Tatian toto libro de mâ—r Manich. to 1. Lo these vvere the Heretikes and their heresies vvhich S. Paul here prophecieth of that forbid mariage and meates as you haue heard for vvhich they and their folovvers vvere condemned in diuers Councels Is it not novv an intolerable impudencie of the Protestants vvho for a smal similitude of vvordes in the eares of the simple apply this text to the fastes of the Church and the chastitie of Priests and Religious As though either by appointing or vsing some daies of abstinence from certaine meates the Church or any Catholike man condemned the said meates vnles the Rechabites Hierom. 35. or the Nazarites Num. 6. or the Niniuites Ion. 3. or Moyses Exod. 34. or Elias 3 Reg. 19. or holy Anna the vvidow Luc. 2 or Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 9. or Christ him self Mâ— 4. commending vsing and folovving a prescript number of fasting daies or God him self that in the very beginning in Paradise prescribed abstinence from the fruite of one certaine tree and after appointed so many fastes in the Lavv vnles he therfore condeÌ„ned his ovvne creatures the rest those creatures from vvhich they abstained No there be many good and lavvful causes to forbid some or to abstaine froÌ„ some meates as for obedience as in Paradise for significatioÌ„ as the Ievves for that they haue been offered to Idols as in the Epistle to the Corinthians for chastening the bodie and penance for health also and onely those causes are vnlavvful for vvhich the Manichees and other Heretikes abstained Concerning mariage likewise they may as vvel charge God or the Church for forbidding the father to marrie the daughter or the brother the sister or other prohibited persons in the Lavv as vvel might they charge Christ and the Apostle for prohibiting the man to marrie during his vviues life and appointing vvidowes that serue the Church to liue vnmaried and not admitting a maried woman as vvel as vvidovv nor her that hath had moe husbands as vvel as her that hath beeÌ„ maried but once as they
fathers in the prophets ✠verse 2 last of al in these daies hath spoken to vs in his Sonne vvhom he hath appointed heire of al by vvhom he made also the vvorldes ✠verse 3 * Vvho being the brightnesse of his glorie and ″ the figure of his substance carying al things by the vvord of his povver making purgation of sinnes sitteth on the right hand of the Maiestie in the high places ✠verse 4 being made so much better then Angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them ✠verse 5 For to vvhich of the Angels hath he said at any time Thou art my sonne to day haue I begotten thee and againe I vvil be to him a father and he shal be to me a sonne ✠verse 6 And vvhen againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the vvorld he saith And â— let al the Angels of God adore him ✠verse 7 And to the Angels truely he saith He that maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire ✠verse 8 But to the Sonne Thy throne ô God for euer euer a rod of equitie the rod of thy kingdom ✠verse 9 Thou hast loued iustice and hated iniquitie therfore thee God thy God hath anointed vvith the oile of exultation aboue thy fellovves ✠verse 10 And Thou in the beginning ô Lord didst found the earth and the vvorkes of thy handes are the heauens ✠verse 11 They shal perish but thou shalt continue and they shal al vvaxe old as a garment ✠verse 12 And as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them they shal be changed but thou art the self same and thy yeres shal not faile ⊢ ✠verse 13 But to vvhich of the Angels said he at any time Sit on my right hand vntil I make thine enemies the footestoole of thy feete ✠verse 14 Are they not al ministring spirits sent to minister for them vvhich shal receiue the inheritance of saluation ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 3. The figures To be the figure of his substance signifieth nothing els but that vvhich S. Paul speaketh in other vvordes to the Phillippians c. 2. v 6. that he is the forme and most expresse resemblance of his fathers substance So S. Ambrose and others expound it and the Greeke vvord Character is very significant to that purpose Note also by this place that the Sonne though he be a figure of his â—athers substance is notvvithstanding of the same substance So Christes body in the Sacrament and his mystical death and sacrifice in the same though called a figure image or representation of Christes visible body and sacrifice vpon the Crosse yet may be and is the self same in substance 6. Let al the Angels adore The Heretikes maruel that vve adore Christ in the B. Sacrament vvhen they might learne by this place that vvheresoeuer his person is there it ought to be adored both of men and Angels And vvhere they say it vvas not made present in the Sacrament nor instituted to be adored vve ansvver that no more vvas he incarnate purposely to be adored but yet straight vpon his descending from heauen it vvas the duety both of Angels and al other creatures to adore him CHAP. II. He inferreth of the foresaid that it shal be incomparably more damnable for them to neglect the nevv Testament then the old 3 considering the irrefragable authoritie of the Apostles also 5 Then he prosecuteth the excellencie of Christ aboue the Angels 9 vvho neuertheles vvas made lesser then Angels to suffer and die for men to destroy the dominion of the Diuel 15 to deliuer men from feare of death 17 and to be a fitte Priest for men verse 1 THERFORE more aboundantly ought vve to obserue those things vvhich vve haue heard lest perhaps vve runne out ✠verse 2 For if the vvord that vvas spoken by Angels became sure and al preuarication and disobedience hath receiued a iust retribution of revvard ✠verse 3 hovv shal vve escape if vve neglect so great saluation vvhich vvhen it vvas begonne to be declared by our Lord of them that heard vvas confirmed on vs ✠verse 4 * God vvithal testifying by signes vvonders and diuers miracles distributions of the holy Ghost according to his vvil ✠verse 5 For not to Angels hath God made subiect the world to come whereof vve speake ✠verse 6 But one hath testified in a certaine place saying Vvhat is man that thou art mindeful of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him ✠verse 7 Thou didst minish him litle lesse then Angels with glorie and honour thou hast crovvned him and constituted him ouer the vvorkes of thy handes ✠verse 8 Al things hast thou made subiect vnder his feete For in that he subiected al things to him he left nothing not subiect to him But novv vve see not as yet al things subiected to him ✠verse 9 But * him that vvas a litle lessened vnder the Angels vve see IESVS because of the passion of death crovvned vvith glorie and honour that through the grace of God he might tast death for al. ✠verse 10 For it became him for vvhom al things and by vvhom al things that had brought many children into glorie to consummate the author of their saluation by his passion ✠verse 11 For he that sanctifieth and they that be sanctified al of one For the which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethreÌ„ ✠verse 12 saying I vvil declare thy name to my brethren in the middes of the Church vvil I verse 13 praise thee And againe Ivvil haue affiance in him And againe Behold here am I and my children vvhom God hath giuen me ✠verse 14 Therfore because the children haue communicated vvith flesh bloud him self also in like maner hath been partaker of the same that * by death he might destroy him that had the empire of death that is to say the Deuil ✠verse 15 and might deliuer them that by the feare of death through al their life vvere subiect to seruitude ✠verse 16 For no vvhere doth he take Angels but the seede of Abraham he taketh ✠verse 17 Vvherevpon he ought in al things to be like vnto his brethren that he might become a merciful and faithful high Priest before God that he might repropitiate the sinnes of the people ✠verse 18 For in that vvherein him self suffered and vvas tempted he is able to helpe them also that are tempted CHAP. III. By example of Christ vvho is incomparably more excellent then Moyses also he exhorteth them to be faithful vnto God 7 Their revvard shal be to enter into euerlasting rest if they perseuere as contrarievvise to be excluded as vvas shadowed in their forefathers in the vvildernes if they sinne and become incredulous verse 1 WHEREFORE holy brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation
tvvo vvordes more then is in the Greeke which though it might be the sense of the place and S. Augustine so expoundeth it yet they should not make his exposition the text of holy Scripture specially vvhereas he only of al the auncient fathers as Beza confesseth so expoundeth it 33. Wrought iustice Men are not iust by beleefe onely as the Protestants affirme but by vvorking iustice And vve may note that in all this long commendation of faith in the fathers and holy persons their good vvorkes are also specially recounted as Rahabs harbouring the spies Abrahams offering his sonne vvhich their vvorkes S. Iames doth inculcate Noâ—s making the Arke Gen. 6. Abels better oblation then Cains Gen. 4. Hebr. 11. v. 4. and so forth therfore S. Clement Alexandrinus saith that the said persons and others vvere lust by saith and obedience by faith and hospitality by faith and patience by faith and humility The Apostles purpose then is nothing els but to proue to the Hebrues vvho made so great account of their Patriarches and forefathers and their famous actes that all these glorious personages and their vvorkes vvere commendable and acceptable onely through the faith they had of Christ vvithout vvhich faith none of all their liues and vvorkes should haue profited them any vvhit the Gentiles doing many noble actes as Heretikes may also doe vvhich are of no estimatioÌ„ before God because they lacke faith And that is the scope of S. Paules Epistle to the Romanes and of al other passages vvhere he commendeth faith further prouing specially in this Epistle to the Hebrues that all their sacrifices vvere nothing els but figures and attestations of the Christian faith in Christ and his death Al vvhich high resolution conclusion against the Ievves and Gentiles that the Christian faith is the true faith religion the Heretikes of our time ignorantly and brutishly abuse against Christian vvorkes sacrifice and Sacraments vvhich the Apostle meant specially to commend and establish by his high commendation of the faith in Christ 40. Without vs should not The fathers before Christ could not be accomplished that is not admitted to the heauenly ioyes vision and fruition of God till the Apostles and other of the nevv lavv vvere associate to them and the vvay to euerlasting glorie opened by our Lordes death and Ascension Neither shal either they or vve be fully perfected in glorie both of body and soul till the general resurrection Gods prouidence being so that vve should not one be consummated vvithout an other all being of one faith and redeemed by one Lord Christ CHAP. XII By the foresaid examples he exhorteth them to patience 2 and by example of Christ him self crucified 5 and because this discipline it an argument that they be Gods children 9 vvith vvhâ—se rodde they should be much more content then vvish that of their carnal fathers and because it bringeth iustification 12 Exhorting them therfore to plucke vp their hartes and to take faster footing 18 considering that all bring novv so svveete and not terrible as in the old Testament their damnation if they refuse to heare vvil be so much the greater verse 1 AND therfore vve also hauing so great a cloud of vvitnesses put vpon vs * laying avvay al vveight and sinne that compasseth vs by patience let vs runne to the fight proposed vnto vs ✠verse 2 looking on the author of faith and the consummator IESVS vvho ioy being proposed vnto him sustained the crosse contemning confusion and sitteth on the right hand of the seate of God ✠verse 3 For thinke diligently vpon him vvhich sustained of sinners such contradiction against him self that you be not vvearied fainting in your mindes ✠verse 4 For you haue not yet resisted vnto bloud repugning against sinne ✠verse 5 and you haue forgotten the consolatioÌ„ vvhich speaketh to you as it vvere to children saying My sonne neglect not the discipline of our Lord neither â—e thou vvearied vvhiles thou art rebuked of him ✠verse 6 For vvhom our Lord loueth he chasteneth and â— he scourgeth euery childe that he receiueth ✠verse 7 Perseuêre ye in discipline As vnto children doth God offer him self to you for vvhat sonne is there vvhom the father doth not correct ✠verse 8 But if you be vvithout discipline vvhereof al be made partakers then are you bastards not children ✠verse 9 Moreouer the fathers in deede of our flesh vve had for instructors and vve did reuerence them shal vve not much more obey the Father of spirites liue ✠verse 10 And they in deede for a time of fevv daies according to their vvil instructed vs but he to that vvhich is profitable in receiuing of his sanctification ✠verse 11 And al discipline for the present certes seemeth not to be of ioy but of sorovv but aftervvard it vvil render to them that are exercised by it most peaceable fruite of iustice ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause stretch vp the slacked handes and the loose knees ✠verse 13 and make straight steppes to your feete that no man halting erre but rather be healed ✠verse 14 * Folovv peace vvith al men and holinesse vvithout vvhich no man shal see God ✠verse 15 looking diligently lest any man be vvanting to the grace of God lest any roote of bitternes springing vp do hinder and by it many be polluted ✠verse 16 Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau * vvho for one dish of meate sold his first-birth-rightes ✠verse 17 For knovv ye that aftervvard also desiring to inherite the benediction he vvas reprobated * for â— he found not place of repeÌ„tance although vvith teares he had sought it ✠verse 18 For you are not come to * a palpable mount and an accessible'fire and vvhirlevvinde and darkenes and storme ✠verse 19 and the souÌ„d of trompet voice of vvordes vvhich they that heard excused them selues that the vvord might not be spokeÌ„ to them ✠verse 20 for they did not heare that which was said And if a beast shal touche the mount it shal be stoned ✠verse 21 And so terrible vvas it vvhich vvas seen Moyses said I am frighted and tremble ✠verse 22 But you are come to mount Sion and the citie of the liuing God heauenly Hierusalem and the assemblie of many thousand Angels ✠verse 23 the Church of the first-borne vvhich are vvritten in the heauens and the iudge of all God and the spirites of the iust made perfect ✠verse 24 and the mediator of the nevv Testament IESVS and the sprinkling of bloud speaking better then * Abel ✠verse 25 See that you refuse him not speaking for if they escaped not refusing him that spake vpon the earth much more vve that turne avvay from him speaking to vs from heauen ✠verse 26 Vvhose voice moued the earth then but novv he promiseth
righteousnes consisteth in doing or vvorking iustice and that so he is iust and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretikes in this point 8. Sinneth from the beginning The Diuel vvas created holy and in grace and not in sinne but he fel of his ovvne free vvil from God Therfore these vvordes from the beginning may be interpreted thus from the beginning of sinne and so the Apostle vvil say The Diuel committed the first sinne Augustine li. 11 de eiu Dei c. 15 expoundeth it The most simple meaning seemeth to be that he sinned from the beginning of the vvorld not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation but straight vpon the beginning as it must needes also be taken in S. Iohns Gospel c. 8. 44. 22. VVe shal receiue because Let the Protestants be ashamed to say that vve obtaine al of God by onely faith the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of Gods commaundements Note here also that Gods commaundements are not impossible to be kept but vvere then and are novv obserued of good men CHAP. IIII. VVe may not beleeue al that boast of the spirit but trie them vvhether they teach Catholike articles of the faith namely the incarnation of Christ vvhether their doctrine be not vvordly and them selues disobedient hearers of the Apostles 7 Vee must loue one an other considering the exceding loue of God in sending his sonne to saue vs. 17 An argument of perfect charitie is if vve haue nothing in our conscience to feare in the day of Iudgement 19 And an argument that vve loue God is if vve loue brethren verse 1 MY deerest ″ beleeue not euery spirit but ″ proue the spirites if they be of God because many false prophetes are goue out into the vvorld ✠verse 2 In this is the spirit of God knovven ″ euery spirit that confesseth IESVS Christ to haue come in flesh is of God ✠verse 3 and euery spirit ″ that dissolueth IESVS is not of God and this is antichrist of vvhom you haue heard that he commeth and novv he is in the vvorld ✠verse 4 You are of God litle children and haue ouercome him because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the vvorld ✠verse 5 They are of the vvorld therfore of the vvorld they speake and the vvorld heareth them ✠verse 6 Vve are of God * He that knovveth God heareth vs. he that is not of God heareth vs not ″ in this vve knovv the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour ✠verse 7 My deerest let vs loue one an other because charitie is of God And euery one that loueth is borne of God knovveth God ✠verse 8 He that loueth not knovveth not God because God is charitie ✠verse 9 * In this hath the charitie of God appeared in vs because God hath sent his only begotten sonne into the vvorld that vve may liue by him ✠verse 10 In this is charitie not as though vve haue loued him but because he hath loued vs and sent his sonne a propitiation for our sinnes ✠verse 11 My deerest if God hath so loued vs vve also ought to loue one an other ✠verse 12 * God no man hath seen at any time If vve loue one an other God abideth in vs and his charitie in vs is persired ✠verse 13 In this vve knovv that vve abide in him and he in vs because he of his Spirit hath giuen to vs. ✠verse 14 And vve haue seen and doe testifie that the Father hath sent his Sonne the Sauiour of the vvorld ✠verse 15 Vvhosoeuer shal confesse that IESVS is the Sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God ✠verse 16 And vve haue knovven and haue beleeued the charitie vvhich God hath in vs. God is charitie and he that abideth in charitie abideth in God and God in him ✠verse 17 In this is charitie perfited vvith vs ″ that vve may haue confidence in the day of iudgement because as he is vve also are in the vvorld ✠verse 18 ″ Feare is not in charitie but perfect charitie casteth out feare because feare hath painefulnes and he that feareth is not perfect in charitie ✠verse 19 Let vs therfore loue God because God first hath loued vs. ✠verse 20 If any man shal say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lier For he that loueth not his brother vvhom he seeth God vvhom he seeth not hovv can he loue ✠verse 21 * And this commaundement vve haue from God that he vvhich loueth God loue also his brother ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Beleeue not euery spirit That is Receiue not euery doctrine of such as boast them selues to haue the spirit For there be many false prophets that is to say Haeretikes which shal goe out of the Church and chalenge the spirit and vaunt of Gods word Scripture and Gospel vvhich in deede be seducers 1. Proue the spirites It is not meant by this place as the Protestants vvould haue it that euery particular person should of him self examine trie or iudge who is a true or false doctor and which is true or false doctrine But the Apostle here would euery one to discerne these diuersities of spirites by taking knovvledge of them to vvhom God hath giuen the gift of discerning spirites and doctrines vvhich S. Paul expresly saith is giuen but to some and not to euery one 1 Cor. 12. and by obeying the Church of God to whom Christ hath giuen * the Spirit of truth And this is onely the sure way to proue the spirites and doctrines of these daies And al they that would bring vs from our Pastors and the Churches iudgement to our owne priuate trial seeke nothing els but to driue vs to miserable vncertainty in al our beleefe as Caluin doth who vpon this place saith that priuate men may examine the general Councels doctrines 2. Euery spirit that confesseth The Apostle speaketh according to that time and for that part of Christian doctrine which then vvas specially to be confessed taught mainteined against certaine vvicked Haeretikes Cerinthus Ebion and the like that taught wickedly against the person and both natures of Christ IESVS The Apostle therfore giueth the faithful people this token to knovv the true teachers of those daies from the false Not that this marke vvould serue for al times or in case of al'other false doctrines but that it vvas then a necessarie note As if a good Catholike vvriter Pastor or parents would vvarne al theirs now in these daies to giue care onely to such teachers as acknowledge Christ our Sauiour to be really present and sacrificed in the B. Masse that al such are true preachers and of God the rest to be of the Diuel or to be counted the spirit of Antichrist Vvhich spirit of Antichrist he saith was come euen then
there be three vvhich giue testimonie in earth the spirit vvater and bloud and these three be one ' ✠verse 9 If vve receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God is greater because this is the testimonie of God vvhich is greater that he hath testified of his sonne ✠verse 10 * He that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath the testimonie of God in him self ⊢ He that beleeueth not the Sōne maketh him a lier because he beleeueth not in the testimonie vvhich God hath testified of his sonne ✠verse 11 And this is the testimonie that God hath giuen vs life euerlasting And this life is in his sonne ✠verse 12 He that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life ✠verse 13 These thinges I vvrite to you that you may knovv that you haue eternal life which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God ✠verse 14 And this is the confidence which vve haue toward him that * vvhat soeuer vve shal aske according to his vvill he heareth vs. ✠verse 15 And vve knovv that he heareth vs vvhatsoeuer vve shal aske vve knovv that vve haue the petitions vvhich vve request of him ✠verse 16 He that knoweth his brother to sinne a sinne not to death let him aske and life shal be giuen him sinning not to death There is ″ a sinne to death ″ for that I say not that any man aske ✠verse 17 Al iniquitie is sinne And there is a sinne to death ' ✠verse 18 Vve know that euery one vvhich is borne of God sinneth not but the generation of God preserueth him and the vvicked one toucheth him not ✠verse 19 Vve knovv that vve are of God and the vvhole vvorld is set in vvickednesse ✠verse 20 And vve knovve that the sonne of God commeth and he * hath giuen vs vnderstanding that vve may knovv the true God may be in his true sonne This is the true God life euerlasting ✠verse 21 My litle children keepe your selues ″ from Idols Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 5. His commaundements are not heauie Hovv can the Protestants say that Gods commaundements can not possibly be fulfilled or kept in this life seing the Apostle saith they be not heauie and Christ saith his yoke is svveete and his burden light See for the ful vnderstanding of this place S. Augustine de perfectione iustitia c. 10. The Heretikes in fauour of their foresaid errour rather translate His commaundements are not greuous then are not heauie 7. Three vvhich giue testimonie An expresse place for the distinction of three persons the vnitie of nature and essence in the B. Trinitie against the Arians and other like Heretikes vvho haue in diuers ages found them selues so pressed vvith these plaine Scriptures that they haue as it is thought altered and corrupted the text both in Greeke and Latin many vvaies euen as the Protestants handle those textes that make against them But because vve are not novv troubled vvith Arianisme so much as vvith Caluinisme vve neede not stand vpon the varietie of readings or expositions of this passage See S. Hierom in his epistle put before the 7 Canonical or Catholike Epistles 16. A sinne to death A sinne to death is an other thing then a mortal sinne for it is that mortal sinne onely vvhereof a man is neuer penitent before his death or in vvhich he continueth til death and dieth in it I affirme saith S. Augustine de correp grat c. 12 that a sinne to death is to leaue faith vvorking by charitie euen til death So likevvise in the vvordes before a sinne not to death is not that vvhich vve call a venial sinne but any that a man committeth and continueth not therin til death 16. For that I say not If the sinne to death vvhere of he speaketh be the sinne vvherein a man dieth vvithout repentance according to S. Augustines vvordes before rehearsed then the praier vvhich he speaketh of must needes be praier for the dead because he speaketh of praying or not praying for them that died in deadly sinne exhorting vs to pray and encouraging vs to doe it vvith confidence to be heard if vve pray for them that departed this life not in deadly sinne and contrarivvise in maner dissuading discouraging vs from praying for such as continued in vvickednes euen til their liues end And S. Augustine setteth dovvne the Churches practise agreable to the Apostles meaning li. 21 c. 24. de Ciuit. Dei if there be any saith he that persist til death in impenitence of hart doth the Church novv pray for them that is for the soules of them that so are departed So saith he And this is the cause that Concilium Bracharense primum sap 34 forbiddeth to pray for such as die in desperation or kil them selues and the reason vvhy the Church forbeareth to pray for Heretikes that die in their heresie or mainteine heresie vnto death and by their death And that the place is most properly or onely meant of praying for the departed this conuinceth that neither the Church nor any man is dehorted here from praying for any sinner yet liuing not for he remission of any sinne in this life al sinnes of vvhat sort soeuer being pardonable so long as the committers of them be in case and state to repent as they be so long as they be in this vvorld And vve see that the Church praieth and is often heard for Heretikes Ievves Turkes Apostataes and vvhat other infidels or il men soeuer during their liues And it is great blasphemie that the Caluinistes vtter vpon this place to vvit that Apostasie and certaine other sinnes of the reprobate can not be forgiuen at al in this life Vvhich they hold onely to auoid the sequele of praying for the dead vpon these vvordes of S. Iohn besides that they must take vpon them presumptuously to knovv and discerne of Gods secretes vvho be reprobate and vvho be not and according to that pray for some and not for othersome al vvhich is most vvicked and absurd presumption As for their allegation that S. Ieremie the Prophet vvas forbidden to pray for the Ievves and vvarned that he should not be heard Chap. 7. 11. 14 there is great difference first he had a reuelation by the vvordes of God that they vvould continue in their vvickednes as vve haue not of any certaine person vvhereof S. Iohn here speaketh secondly Ieremie vvas not forbidden to pray for the remission of their sinnes nor had denial to be heard therein for any mans particular case vvhereof the Apostle here speaketh but he vvas told that they should not escape the temporal punishment and affliction vvhich he had designed for them and that he vvould not heard him therein 21. From idols It is so knovven a treacherie of Heretikes to trāslate idola images as here and in a
candlestickes of the vvorld no doubt to signfie that Christ preserueth the truth onely in and by the lavvful Bishops and Catholike Church and that Christs truth is not to be sought for in corners or conuenticles of Heretikes but at the Bishops handes and * vpon the candlesticke vvhich shineth to al in the house 20. The Angels of the Churches The vvhole Church of Christ hath S. Michael for her keeper and Protector and therfore keepeth his holy day onely by name among al Angels And as earthly kingdoms haue their special Angels Protectors as vve see in the 10 Chapter of Daniel so much more the particular Churches of ChristeÌ„dom See S. Hierom in 34 Ezech. But of those Angels it is not here meant as is manifest And therfore Angels here must needes signifie the Priests or Bishops specially of the Churches here and in them al the gouernours of the vvhole of euery particular Church of Christendom They are called Angels for that they are Gods messengers to vs interpreters of his vvil our keepers and directors in religion our intercessors the cariers and offerers of our praiers to him and mediators vnto him vnder Christ and for these causes and for their great digniâ—ie they are here and in * other places of Scripture called Angels CHAP. II. He is commaunded to vvrite diuers things to the churches of Ephesiu Sâ—yrna Pergamus and Thyatira praising them that had not admitted the doctrine of the Heretikes called Nicolaâ—ta 22 and calling others by threates vnto penance 26 and promising revvard to him that manfully ouercommeth verse 1 AND to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus vvrite Thus saith he vvhich ″ holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand vvhich vvalketh in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 2 I knovv ″ thy vvorkes and labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare euil men and hast tried them which say them selues to be Apostles and are not and hast found them liars ✠verse 3 and thou hast patience and hast borne for my name and hast not fainted ✠verse 4 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges bicause thou hast left thy first charitie ✠verse 5 Be mindeful therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and doe penance and doe the first vvorkes But if not I come to thee and ″ vvil moue thy candlesticke out of his place vnlesse thou doe penance ✠verse 6 but this thou hast ″ because thou hatest the factes ″ of the Nicolaïtes vvhich I also hate ✠verse 7 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercommeth I vvil giue to eate of the tree of life vvhich is in the Paradise of my God ✠verse 8 And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna vvrite Thus saith * the first and the last vvho vvas dead and liueth ✠verse 9 I knovv thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche and thou art blasphemed of them that say them selues to be Ievves and are not but are the synagogue of Satan ✠verse 10 Feare none of these thinges vvhich thou shalt suffer Behold the Deuil vvil send some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shal haue tribulation ten daies Be thou faithful vntil death and I vvil giue thee the crovvne of life ✠verse 11 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt of the second death ✠verse 12 And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus vvrite Thus saith he that hath the sharpe tvvo edged svvord ✠verse 13 I knovv vvhere thou dvvellest vvhere the seate of Satan is and thou holdest my name and hast not denied my faith And in those daies Antipas my faithful vvitnesse vvho vvas slaine among you vvhere Satan dvvelleth ✠verse 14 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam vvho taught Balac ″ to cast a scandal before the children of Israel to eate and commit fornication ✠verse 15 so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaïtes ✠verse 16 In like maner doe penance if not I vvil come to thee quickly and vvil fight against them vvith the svvord of my mouth ✠verse 17 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercoÌ„meth I vvil giue the hidden manna and vvil giue him a vvhite counter and in the counter a nevv name Written vvhich no man knovveth but he that receiueth it ✠verse 18 And to the Angel of the Church of ThyatÃra vvrite Thus saith the Sonne of God vvhich hath eies as a flame of fire and his feete like to latten ✠verse 19 I knovv thy vvorkes and faith and thy charitie and ministerie and thy patience and thy last vvorkes moe then the former ✠verse 20 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou permittest ″ the vvoman * Iezabel vvho calleth her self a prophetesse to teache and to seduce my seruantes to fornicate and to eate of thinges sacrificed to idols ✠verse 21 And I gaue her a time that she might do penance and ″ she vvil not repent from her fornication ✠verse 22 Behold I vvil cast her into a bedde and ″ they that commit aduoutrie vvith her shal be in very great tribulation vnlesse they do penance from their vvorkes ✠verse 23 and her children I vvil kil vnto death and al the Churches shal knovv * that I am he that searcheth the reines and hartes and I vvil giue to euery one of you according to his vvorkes ✠verse 24 But I say to you the rest vvhich are at Thyatira vvhosoeuer haue not this doctrine vvhich haue not knowen the depth ' of Satan as they say I vvil not cast vpon you an other vveight ✠verse 25 Yet that vvhich you haue hold til I come ✠verse 26 And he that shal ouercome and keepe my vvorkes vnto the end ″ I vvil giue him povver ouer the nations ✠verse 27 and * he shal rule them vvith a rod of yron and as the vessel of a potter shal they be broken ✠verse 28 as I also haue receiued of my father and I vvil giue him the morning starre ✠verse 29 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Holdeth the seuen Much to be obserued that Christ hath such care ouer the Church and the Bishops thereof that he is said here to beare them vp in his right hand and to vvalke in the middes of them no doubt to vphold and preserue them and to guide them in al truth 2. Thy vvorkes labour patience c. Things required in a Bishop first good vvorkes and great patience in tribulation next zeale and sharpe discipline tovvard offenders
the Church militant may ioyne vvith the triumphant and vvith al the orders of Angels vvho also are present at the consecration and doe seruice there to our common Lord and Maister as S. Chrysostom vvriteth li. 6 de Sacerdotie and hâ— 1. de verb. Esa to 1. The Greekes call it the hymne Trisagies that is Thrise holy CHAP. V. 4. S. Iohn vveeping because no man could open the booke sealed vvith seuen seales â— the Lambe that vvas slaine opened it vvhich being done 8 the foure beastes and foure and tvventie seniors vvith an innumerable multitude of Angels al creatures did glorifie him excedingly verse 1 AND I savv in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne a booke vvritten vvithin and vvithout sealed vvith seuen seales ✠verse 2 And I savv a strong Angel preaching vvith a loude voice Vvho is vvorthie to opeÌ„ the booke to loose the seales thereof ✠verse 3 And no man vvas able neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke nor looke on it ✠verse 4 And I vvept much because no man vvas found vvorthie to open the booke nor to see it ✠verse 5 And one of the seniors said to me Vveepe not behold the * lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath vvonne to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof ✠verse 6 And I savv and behold in the middes of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the seniors a Lambe standing as it were slaine hauing seuen hornes seuen eies vvhich are the seuen spirites of God sent into al the earth ✠verse 7 And he came and receiued the booke out of the right hand of him that sate in the throne ✠verse 8 And vvhen he had opened the booke the foure beastes and the foure and tvventie seniors fel before the Lambe hauing euery one harpes and golden vials ful of odours which are ″ the praiers of sainctes ✠verse 9 and they sang a nevv canticle saying Thou art vvorthie o Lord to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou vvast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud out of euery tribe and tonge and people and nation ✠verse 10 and * hast made vs to our God ″ a kingdom ' and priestes and vve shal reigne vpon the earth ✠verse 11 And I looked and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and of the beastes of the seniors and the number of them vvas * thousandes of thousandes ✠verse 12 saying vvith a loud voice The Lambe that vvas slaine is vvorthie to receiue povver and diuinitie ' and vvisedom strength and honour and glorie and benediction ⊢ ✠verse 13 And ″ euery creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein al did I heare saying * To him that sitteth in the throne to the Lambe benediction and honour and glorie and povver for euer and euer ✠verse 14 And the foure beastes said Amen And the foure and tvventie seniors fel on their faces and adored him that liueth for euer and euer ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 8. The praiers of Saincts Hereby it is plaine that the Saincts in heauen offer vp the praiers of faithful and holy persons in earth called here saincts and in Scripture often vnto Christ And among so many diuine vnsearcheable mysteries set dovvne vvithout exposition it pleased God yet that the Apostle him self should open this one point vnto vs that these odours be the laudes and praiers of the faithful ascending and offered vp to God as incense by the Saincts in heauen that so the Protestants may haue no excuse of their errour That the Saincts haue no knovvledge of our affaires or desires 10. A kingdom and priests To serue God and subdue vices and sinnes is to reigne or to be a king spiritually likevvise to offer vnto him the sacrifices of good vvorkes is to be a priest after a sort though neither the one nor the other in proper speache See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v. 6. 13. Euery creature He meaneth the creatures in heauen as Angels and Saincts the holy persons in earth and those that vvere in Limbo or be in Purgatorie for of the damned in hel he can not speake in this case lastly of the peoples in Ilands here called the sea vvhich the Prophets vse often to name seuerally vvhen they foretel the spreading of Christs glorie through the vvorld as Esa c. 49. Heare ye â—â—andes and you people a far of c. CHAP. VI. 1 Foure seales of the seuen being opened there folovv diuerse effectes against the earth 9 vvhen the fifth seale vvas opened the soules of martyrs desire that the iudgement may be hastened 12 and at the opening of the sixt there are signes shovved of the iudgement to come verse 1 AND I savv that the Lambe had opened one of the seuen seales and I heard one of the foure beastes saying as it vvere the voice of thunder Come and see ✠verse 2 And I savv And behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him had a bovv and there vvas a crovvne giuen him and he vvent forth conquering that he might conquer ✠verse 3 And vvhen he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast saying Come see ✠verse 4 And there vvent forth an other horse redde and he that sate thereon to him it vvas giuen that he should take peace from the earth and that they should kil one an other and a great svvord vvas giuen to him ✠verse 5 And vvhen he had opened the third seale I heard the third beast saying Come and see And behold a blacke horse and he that sate vpon him had a balance in his hand ✠verse 6 And I heard as it vvere a voice in the middes of the foure beastes saying Tvvo poundes of vvheate for a penie and thrise tvvo poundes of barley for a penie and vvine and oile hurt thou not ✠verse 7 And vvhen he had opened the fourth seale I heard a voice of the fourth beast saying Come see ✠verse 8 And behold a pale horse and he that sate vpon him his name vvas death and hel folovved him and povver vvas giuen to him ouer the foure partes of the earth to kil vvith svvord vvith famine and vvith death and vvith beastes of the earth ✠verse 9 And vvhen he had opened the fifth seale I savv ″ vnder the altar the soules of them that vvere slaine for the vvord of God and for the testimonie vvhich they had ✠verse 10 ″ and they cried vvith a loude voice saying Hovv long Lord holy true iudgest thou not and ″ reuengest thou not our bloud of them that dvvel on the earth ✠verse 11 And vvhite stoles vvere giuen to