he soweth and to that end applieth the borrowed spéech of sowing and reaping To racke those spéeches beyond this his meaning is most plainely to abuse him and bewraieth the wickednes of your doctrine which cannot carrie any probable shew without racking and wresting the scriptures Galat. 6. 14. The text But ⸫ God forbid that I should glorie sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world The note Christ saith Saint Augustine chose a kind of death to hang on the crosse and to fixe or fasten the same crosse in the foreheads of the faithfull that the Christian may say God forbid that I should glorie sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Expos. in Euang. Io. tract 43. The answer Bicause your superstitious abusing the signe of the crosse can not be warranted by Paule therefore Augustine must helpe wil he nill he But he meaneth none other thing then the coÌ„mon vse of the first christians who to shew how litle they were ashamed of Christ crucified did vse to crosse themselues on the forehead This will prooue but a poore proofe of your manifolde abuses of the crosse EPHESIANS Ephes. 1. 4. The text As he chose vs in him before the constitution of the world that we should be holie immaculate ⸫ in his sight in charity The note We learne here that by Gods grace men be holie and immaculate not onely in the sight of men nor by imputation but truely and before God contrarie to the doctrine of the Caluinists The answer What father hath affirmed this before you This is not onely contrarie to Caluins doctrine but also to the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Euangelist Saint Iohn For our Lord and Sauiour Christ teacheth the children of God to praie alwaies for forgiuenes of their trespasses And saint Iohn saith if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Then I pray you tel vs if trespasses sins be spots how are we truely and in Gods sight immaculate otherwise then by the not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs and the imputing vnto vs of Christs righteousnes But herein you deceiue your selues and others that you estéeme not this imputed righteousnes for true righteousnes when and whereas it is the onely righteousnes in confidence wherof we may boldly appéere without spot in the presence of our God Ephes. 1. 13. The text In whom also when you had heard the word of truth the Gospell of your saluation in which also beleeuing you were ⸫ signed with the holie spirit of promise c. The note Some referre this to the grace of baptisme but to manie learned it seemeth that the Apostle alludeth to the giuing of the holie Ghost in the sacrament of confirmation by signing the baptized with the signe of the crosse and holie chrisme For that was the vse in the apostles time as else where we haue prooued annot Acts. 8. The answer The many learned that you speake of are but such as haue sold themselues and bent al their wits to defend the fornications of the whoore of Babylon And so you endeuor your selues do your best to prooue that which you speake of But lies and vntruths are not so easie to be prooued as you imagine but onlie to such as do beléeue euerie word you speake to be an oracle Your chrisme and your sacrament of confirmation were vnknown to to the apostles and not vsed by them to any such ende or purpose as you haue vsurped them vnto Ephes. 1. 23. The text And he hath subdued all things vnder his feete and hath made him head ouer all the church which is his bodie the ⸫ fulnes of him which is filled all in all The note Christ is not full whole and perfect without the church no more then the head without the bodie The answer This note is good true and comfortable if it be vnderstoode of his perfection in his mysticall bodie and not otherwise Ephes. 2. 8. The text For by grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God ⸫ not of works that no man glorie The note It is said not of works as thine of thy selfe being vnto thee but as those in which God hath made formed and created thee August de gratia lib. arbit cap. 8. seq The answer Bicause your owne credit will not stretch to qualifie the plain spéeches of the Apostle you craue aide at Augustines hand But he is your sworne enimie and therefore meaneth to giue you verie slender helpe For in the same place he telleth vs that our good life is the grace of God fréely giuen vs that life eternal is also the grace of God fréely giuen to vs. And that God in Paule and others his déere children and saints crowned his own gifts and not their merits be you not then ashamed to enforce his spéeches against his minde â—phes 3. â—7 The text Christ ⸫ to dwell by faith in your harts The note Christ dwelleth in vs by his gifts and we be iust by those his gifts remaining and resident in vs and not by Christs proper iustice onlie as heretikes affirme The answer You wrangle for inherent iustice without all reason Christ you saie dwelleth in vs by his gifts and we are iust by those his gifts The gift that Christ dwelleth in vs by is faith as S. Paul here telleth and you assume that thereby we are iust therfore we conclude that we are iust by faith Therefore you must either confesse your manifold wrangling heretofore in reiecting iustification by faith alone bicause it is against your imagined inherent iustice or else you must confesse that you do but cauill héere when you go about to prooue inherent iustice bicause Christ dwelleth in vs by faith Ephes. 3. 17. The text Rooted and founded in ⸫ charitie The note Not faith onely must be in vs but charitie which accomplisheth all vertues The answer Who euer taught that no more vertues must be in Christians then faith onely you can not shew one And yet you are not ashamed to make your ignorant followers beléeue that wée spoile Christians of all other vertues Ephes. 4. 10. The text And that he ascended what is it but bicaâ—se he descended first into the ⸫ inferior parts of the earth The note He meaneth specially of his descending to hell The answer He meaneth by his descending into the inferiâ—â— parts of the earth his incarnation or abasing of himselfe to take vpon him our nature in the wombe of the virgin which by an Hebraisme is called the lower parts of the earth And Dauid so termeth his mothers wombe in the 139. Psalm vers 15. Ephes. 4. 2â— The text And be ⸫ renued in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which according to God is created in iustice and holines of the truth The note The Apostle teacheth
the Iewes ignorantlie vnderstood not the place in Deuteronomie of Christ and therefore they aske also whether he be the prophet there spoken of See also cap. 7. 40. The answer Whether the Iewes had in this their question reference to that place of Deuteronomie or no it is vncertaine neither can anie proofe be made of it but coniecturall The like I say to your other place cap. 7. 40. and yet we do not doubt of their blindnes and ignorance in not vnderstanding the Scriptures which appeareth manifestly in their reply to Iohn after he had told them I am the voice of one crying c. Iohn 1. 26. The text Iohn answered them saying ⸫ I baptize in water but there hath stood in the middest of you whom you know not c. The note He doth often heere signifie the great difference of his baptisme and of Christs as of his person and Christs See annot Matth. 3. The answer We haue often answered that you doo but bleare the eies of the simple with the name of Christs baptisme which they take for the baptisme of euerie minister in the church and being so taken there is no difference betwéene Iohns baptisme and it Otherwise in this place and in the like Iohn considereth of him selfe as of a seruant or minister and of Christ as of his master and Lord and attributeth to him selfe the outward worke and washing in baptisme and to Christ the inward grace and workemanship In which comparison we learne the general difference betwéene all ministers and Christ their worke and his Your annotations are séene and they are like your selues slaunderous lying vntrue and shall bée answered in the generall answer to your annotations Iohn 1. 41. The text He findeth his brother Simon and saith to him we haue found ⸫ Messiah which is being interpreted Christ. The note Messias in Hebrue in Greeke Christ in English anointed to wit with the spirituall oile of grace aboue his brethren Psalme 44. The answer You must néedes exempt the pope from amongst the brethren of Christ for he is not Christs inferior in grace if that which is attributed to him by popish parasites be true Iohn 1. 42. The text And Iesus looking vpon him said Thou art Simon the son of Iona thou shall be called ⸫ Cephas which is interpreted Peter The note Cephas in Siriacke and Peter in Greeke in English Rocke See Matthew 16. 18. The answer I maruell that Paul knew not this mysterie for he taught to build vpon Christ and not vpon Peter And Peter though he make all beléeuers liuely stones yet teacheth none other chéefe stone but our Lord and Sauiour Christ. Iohn 2. 9. The text And after the cheefe steward tasted the ⸫ water made wine and knew not whence it was but the ministers knew that had drawen the water c. The note He that seeth water turned into wine needeth not to dispute or doubt how Christ changed bread into his bodie The answer He that séeth and knoweth the perpetuall phrase and maner of speaking of the holy Ghost touching sacraments will woonder that men should be so blind or else so wilfull as to dispute and contend for such a change of bread into the bodie of Christ as neither can stand with that phrase of spéech nor with the nature of a sacrament neither yet with the articles of our beléefe Iohn 3. 8. The text The spirit breatheth where ⸫ he will and thou hearest his voice but thou knowest not when he commeth and whither he goeth The note We follow rather saint Augustine and those ancient fathers which most commonly vnderstand this place of the holy Ghost and not of wind although both be good The answer And we do follow saint Augustine and those fathers which do interpret this to be meant of the wind bicause both the hearing of the sound of it and the force of the comparison which must néedes be betwixt things diuers doth inforce it to be the truer Iohn 4. 1. The text When Iesus therefore vnderstood that the pharisies heard that Iesus maketh mo disciples and baptizeth than Iohn howbeit ⸫ Iesus did not baptize but his disciples he left Iewrie and went againe into Galile The note He did not baptize ordinarily yet that he did baptize his Apostles saint Augustine thinketh it very probably Epist. 108. The answer Augustine doubteth not but that the Apostles of Christ were baptized either by Christ or by Iohn afore they tooke vpon them to baptize but by whether he is not resolute neither is it materiall But that some of them were by Iohn baptized it is manifest bicause they were Iohns disciples afore they were Christs Apostles Iohn 4. 7. The text There commeth ⸫ a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus said to hir Giue me to drinke The note This woman is a figure of the church not yet iustified but now to be iustified August tract 15. in Iohannem The answer You willingly follow allegories bicause many times they are far fetched and serue you to dally withall howbeit I do not sée to what vse this may serue you I do not thinke that you your selues do thinke that this womans fiue husbands were either the fiue bookes of Moses or hir fiue senses which notwithstanding Augustine affirmeth in the same treatise The lessons which the plaine letter do giue do both more edifie and are more safe Iohn 4. 9. The text How doest thou being a Iew aske of me to drink which am a Samaritane woman For the Iewes ⸫ do not communicate with the Samaritans The note There were many other causes why the faithfull Iewes could not abide the Samaritans but their precise abstaining from their companie and conuersation was their scismaticall temple and seruice in mount Garizim The answer It is very true that those which make a scisme and continue therein are not to be communicated with of faithful Christians and yet I thinke in that corrupt state of the Iewish church the other causes were rather stronger than that Iohn 4. 10. The text If thou didst know the gift of God and who is he that said to thee Giue me to drinke thou perhaps wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue giuen thee ⸫ liuing water The note He speaketh of his baptizing in the holy Ghost See Iohn 7. 39. The answer He speaketh of giuing his holy spirit to them that in faith aske and require it Iohn 4. 39. The text And of that citie many beleeued in him of the Samaritans for the words of the ⸫ woman giuing testimonie that he told me all things whatsoeuer I haue done The note This woman mysticallie being the church it is heere signified that they which at the first beleeue bicause the church teacheth so afterward be much confirmed finding it in the Scriptures also and by other instructions The answer It is here signified by what weake and vnlikelie instruments God can worke in drawing men to the knowledge of him selfe and embracing his mercies
wils but that they be sweetely drawen mooued and induced to do good August Euchiridion cap. 64. de verb. domini ser. 43. ca. 7. de verb. Apost ser. 13. cap. 11. 12. The answer Here you bring authorities thicke where néede none Who euer expounded this leading of the spirit of forcible constreining men against their wils Bicause your fréewill is denied you would haue your followers to beléeue that we make men blocks and stocks As for you you are so far from being led by the spirit that you haue no sence nor féeling of it and therfore dare not say that you haue the spirit of God And good reason why you should not bicause the holy Ghost hath not wrought in you any change or alteration from your superstitions follies Rom. 9. 11. The text For when they were not yet borne nor had done any good or euill that the purpose of God according to election might stande not of works but of the caller it was said to her That the elder shall serue the yoonger The note S. Hierom q. 10. ad Hedibiam All the Epistle surely to the Romaines needeth interpretation and is enwrapped with so great obscurities to vnderstand it we neede the helpe of the holie Ghost who by the Apostle did dictate these same things but especially this place Howbeit nothing pleaseth vs but that which is Ecclesiasticall that is the sense of the Church The answer Saint Hierome did not vse this spéech to fraie any from reading anie part of the scriptures and inquiring the sense of them For he himselfe séeketh to satisfie the questions propounded and that to a woman whom he scarcely knew That this epistle néedeth interpretation and especially the illumination of that spirit which caused it to be written it hath common with the rest of the Scriptures For the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the spirit of God which are spiritually discerned We would be loath to please our selues with any priuate interpretation not receiued nor allowed of the true church of God But you would gladly haue this whole Epistle out of the way and especially this chapter bicause it setteth out plainely Gods frée election and choise without respect or regard had to works either aforegoing or following Which sense though contrarie to the sense of your church Saint Hierome holdeth as the sense of the church then And therefore he concludeth that question that Hedibia should for euer hold her peace from inquiring anie causes of Gods will why he is mercifull to one seuere to another Rom. 9. 22. The text And if God willing to shew wrath and to make his might knowne ⸫ susteined in much patience the vessels wrath apt to destruction c. The note That God is not the cause of any mans reprobation or damnation otherwise then for punishment of his sins he sheweth by that he expecteth all mens amendment with great patience and consequently that they haue also freewill The answer The cause and matter of mans damnation is in himselfe And yet God did prepare the wicked or damned to be vessels of ignominie or dishonor It is wel that you rake so diligently amongst the vngodly and reprobate for your fréewill For they sin frankly and fréely And if you finde it not amongst the slaues of sinne you shall finde it no where But I haue told you and do tell you againe that this fréedome to do euill is the seruitude of sinne and that therefore this fréewill cannot do any thing but sinne Rom. 10. 4. The text For the end of the law is Christ vnto ⸫ iustice to euery one that beleeueth The note The law was not giuen to make a man iust or perfect by it selfe but to bring vs to Christ to be iustified by him The answer If the law were not giuen to make a man iust then how can a man be iustified by his owne works and obedience Againe how then do you holde it possible to be fulfilled by men for no doubt it maketh iust the fulfillers thereof Though you bring all your suttle shifts and euasions togither yet if you holde fast this note your inherent iustice to make a man iust withall shall be iust woorth two strawes Rom. 10. 5. The text For Moyses wrote ⸫ that the iustice which is of the law the man that hath done it shall liue in it The note The iustice of the law of Moyses went no further of it selfe but to saue a man from temporall death and punishment prescribed to the transgressors of the same The answer Were not the ten commandements part of the law of Moses And doth not Christ answer the yoong man that would know by what doing he should haue life euerlasting Kéepe the commandements Did the curse of the law from which Christ deliuered vs extend no further than to temporall punishment Perfect righteousnes bringeth perfect life The law is a perfect rule of righteousnes therefore if it could be fulfilled of vs it should bring vs to perfect eternall life What meaneth Paul by his opposition of those two sentences The iust shall liue by faith And he that doth these things shall liue in them if one and the same life eternall be not promised in both in the one to beléeuers in the other to doers Againe if this your note were true the law of it selfe and in it selfe had béene too weake to iustifie or sanctifie but saint Paul saith not it was too weake in it selfe but it was weakened by the flesh and therefore could not iustifie But as all poperie is patched togither of old and new heresies so this patch was borrowed of the Manicheans Rom. 10. 13. The text For euerie one ⸫ whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued The note To beleeue in him and to inuocate him is to serue him with all loue and sincere affection All that so do shall doubtlesse be saued and shall neuer be confounded The answer If to inuocate him be to serue him then why teach you men to inuocate others and so consequently to serue others which are but men And thus whilest you are loth to attribute saluation to faith alone but would make it common to works also you cut your owne throtes and shew your selues to all the world to be manifest impostors and deceiuers Rom. 10. 16. The text But all ⸫ do not obey the Gospell The note We see then that it is in a mans freewill to beleeue or not to beleeue to obey or disobey the Gospell or truth preached The answer Your sight is sharpe you can sée far into a mill stone no reasonable man can sée how your consequence followeth All do not obey ergo they haue frée will to obey or not to obey It is like this All papists go not whither they list ergo no papists are in prison or restrained of libertie Rom. 11. 4. The text I haue left me seuen thousand men that haue not bowed their knees to ⸫ Baal The note The heretikes adde
and raigne ouer actuall transgressors but also ouer infants and babes skant borne Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 The text For ⸫ we are buried together with him by baptisme into death that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glorie of the father so we also may walke in newnesse of life The note Remission of sinne new life sanctification and iustification are giuen by baptisme bicause it resembleth in vs and applieth to vs Christs death and resurrection and ingraffeth vs into him The answer And whie doo you not say that these are giuen vs by baptisme ex opere operato for that I know is your meaning And otherwise we do know that God doeth trulie exhibite his promised graces to beléeuing receiuers Rom. 6. 17. The text But thankes be to God that you were the seruants of sinne but ⸫ haue obeied from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine into the which you haue bene deliuered The note Heere againe is signified that our discharge from the bondage of sinne is by the Christian faith and by obedience to the whole doctrine of Christes religion in that the Apostle attributeth this their deliuerance from sinne to their humble receiuing of the Catholike faith The answer Here is signified that sanctification and hartie obedience to the catholike doctrine 〈◊〉 consequents of iustification by faith and so of our fréedome from sinne But that their humble receiuing and obeieng that doctrine is the cause of their deliuerance from sin is your dreame and neither the apostles spéech nor meaning Rom. 6. 19. The text For as you haue exhibited your members to serue vncleannes and iniquitie vnto iniquitie so now exhibite your members to serue ⸫ iustice vnto sanctification The note He signifieth that as when they were subiect to sinne by continual and often working wickednes they encreased in iniquitie that so also nowe being iustified they may and should by externall works of iustice encrease their iustice and sanctification The answer Under the ambiguous name of iustice you séeke to confounde iustification and sanctification to the end you may giue the better colour to your inherent righteousnes Therefore to auoide your fraude I distinctly answere that as iniquitie is increased by continuance in euill works so sanctitie begun in the children of God is augmented and encreased by all maner of holie exercises Rom. ◠2. The text For the woman that is vnder a husband ⸫ her husband liuing is bounde to the law but if her husband be dead she is loosed from the law of hir husband The note Nothing but death dissolueth the band betwixt man and wife though for fornication one may depart from an others companie Therefore to marrie againe is adulterie during the life of the partie separated The answer That death dissolueth the bande of matrimonie is in this place manifest but that nothing but death dissolueth it that is your addition and hath no iust or good ground If you woulde vouchsafe to giue vs a definition of the band of matrimonie the matter would quickly be made manifest and plaine In the meane space your conclusion which is that it is adultery to marrie againe during the life of the parfie separated followeth after your woonted maner that is like a stragler Rom. 7. 4. The text Therefore my brethren ⸫ you also are made dead to the law by the bodie of Christ that you may be an other mans who is risen again from the dead that we may fructify to god The note Being now baptized and dead to sinne and engraffed in Christs mystical body you are discharged of the law of Moyses are free in Christ. The answer If you vnderstand this our death to the law and so consequentlie our discharge from it not absolutely but as it is the strength of sinne then I allow and like of your note Rom. 7. 6. The text But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were deteined in so much we serue in ⸫ newnes of spirit and not in oldnes of the letter The note By baptisme we haue not Christs iustice imputed to vs but an inward newnes of spirit giuen vs and resident in vs. The answer How prooue you your negatiue Why haue we not both Do not they which are baptized put on Christ If they put on Christ are they not adorned and beautified with his righteousnes imputed to them Or doth God giue Christ to them and not the benefits of Christ togither with him Nay this newnes of spirit giuen vs and resident in vs is a necessarie consequent of the former imputed to vs by faith But you would faine exclude the former to leaue place alone for your inherent iustice Rom. 7. 8. The text But ⸫ occasion being taken sinne by the commandement wrought in me all concupiscence For without the law sinne was dead The note Sinne or concupiscence which was a sleepe before was wakened by prohibition the law not being the cause thereof nor giuing occasion therunto but occasion being taken by our corrupt nature to resist that which was commanded The answer The corrupt nature of man is prone to doo that which is forbidden no maruel then though occasion of sinning be taken from whence it is not giuen But your blindnes is maruellous that you can not sée this corruption of nature to be aswell sin as the cause of sinne in all men Rom. 8. 4. The text For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weakened by the flesh God sending his sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the ⸫ iustification of the law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit The note This conuinceth against the churches aduersaries that the law that is Gods commandements may be kept and that the keeping thereof is iustice and that in Christian men that is fulfilled by Christs grace which by the force of the law could neuer be fulfilled The answer Who are so blinde as they which will not sée The text and circumstances thereof are plaine that whereas it is impossible for any to be iustified by obseruing or kéeping the law for that it was of no strength or as you translate it to weake for that by reason of the flesh God hath prouided a remedie for that in his Christ who being sent in our nature hath fulfilled the law for vs which benefite of his is made ours by grace of imputation and so the iustification of the law fulfilled in vs. This conuinceth that the law may be kept not by others but by Christ and that the kéeping thereof is iustice and our iustice but inherent in Christ and ours by imputation and grace and therefore is not saide to be fulfilled of vs but in vs. Rom. 8. 14. The text For whosoeuer ⸫ are by the spirit of God they are the sons of God The note He meaneth not that the children of God be violently compelled against their
spirit c. The note All these gifts be those which the learned call gratias gratis daâ—as which be bestowed often vpon euill liuers which haue not the other graces of God whereby their persons should be gratefull iust and holie in his sight The answer That these graces which are here recited are fréely giuen many times to the wicked is manifest and confessed of all But that which you would secretly insinuate that the other graces wherby men are made gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight are not fréely giuen but to those that procure them by works preparatorie or to them that deserue them by inherent iustice is manifestlie and directly opposite to the Scriptures Romaines 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. 1. Cor. 12. 1â— The text For as the bodie is one and hath manie members and all the members of the bodie wheras they be manie yet are ⸫ one bodie so also Christ. The note A maruellous vnion betwixt Christ and his church and a great comfort to all catholikes being members thereof that the church and he the head and the bodie make and be called one Christ. Aug. de vnita Eccl. The answer A maruellous good note wherin onely this héed is to be taken that men be not deceiued by ioining themselues to those that are catholikes in name and not in déede Which it is impossible otherwise to auoide then by holding fast the societie of them that imbrace and keepe that forme of doctrine which was deliuered to the church by the apostles whom all parts confesse to be true catholikes 1. Cor. 12. 28. The text Are all apostles are all prophets are all doctors ⸫ are all myracles haue all the grace of doing cures c. The note Saint Augustine ep 137. giueth the same reason why myracles and cures be done at the memories or bodies of some saints more then at others and by the same saints in one place of their memories rather then at other places The answer Augustine was a man sometimes as well as others deceiued by illusions For why should not the same saints memories bée honored with myracles in Affrica as well as in Italie For it was not to places but to persons that the gift of doing myracles was granted How much trulier wrote Augustine that myracles were not suffered to endure to his time least men should alwaies séeke visible confirmations and least men should waxe cold by the commonnes of those things by the strangenes wherof they were first enflamed 1. Cor. 13. 2. The text And if I should haue prophecie and knew all mysteries and all knowledge and if I should ⸫ haue all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing The note This prooueth that faith is nothing woorth to saluation without works and that there may be true faith without charitie The answer It is strange that when in the former chapter you haue set faith among the gifts that are giuen often vnto the wicked now the same faith being spoken of you would haue it to be taken for the faith we speake of in the cause of iustification and so consequently that it might be without charitie Whereas there is as much difference betwéene that faith and this as is betwixt the beléefe of the omnipotent power of God and affiance in his goodnes But admit that that were granted you which you so much desire that a true faith were here ment how followeth your reason Is euerie supposition a proofe Saint Paule saith if an angell from heauen teach an other gospell c. doth it follow that an angell from heauen may teach an other Gospell do you not sée the vanitie of your proofe 1. Cor. 13. 10. The text But ⸫ when that shall come that is perfect that shal be made voide that is in part The note By this text Saint Augustine lib. 22. Ciu. cap. 29. prooueth that the saints in heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here then they had whiles they liued here The answer Saint Augustine there entreateth of the knowledge and sight of God which the godly shall haue after the resurrection of their bodies And he speaketh in that place no word of the knowledge that dead men haue touching the affaires of men liuing here whiles this world endureth But touching that matter his mind is as he expresseth it else where that the saints in heauen know no more what we do here then we know what they do there But you care not how you lie so you may turne men from God to put confidence in creatures 1. Cor. 13. 13. The text And now there remaine faith hope and charitie these three But the ⸫ greater of these is charitie The note Charitie is of all three the greatest How then doth onely faith being inferior to it saue and iustifie and not charitie The answer I will not at all touch that charitie is not simply the greatest but in some certaine respects But I will come to your reason If faith iustified by the vertue and merite of it self then your reason were somewhat for then charitie being the greater vertue should rather iustifie But now when it is but an instrument to lay hold vpon Christ our righteousnes your reason holdeth not Our hands are inferior to some other parts of man yet our hands are the onely instruments whereby we lay holde on and vse such weapons as serue for our defence And therefore men are called men of their hands 1. Cor. 4. 14. The text But if thou blesse in the spirit he that supplieth the place of the ⸫ vulgar how shall he say Amen vpon thy blessing bicause he knoweth not what thou saiest The note By this word are ment all rude vnlearned men but specially the simple which were yet vnchristened as the Catechumens which came into those spirituall exercises as also infidels did at their pleasures The answer By this word are ment all priuate men for it is euident that except they vnderstoode the publike praier and thankesgiuing they could not shew foorth their assent by saieng Amen 1. Cor. 15. 3. The text For ⸫ I deliuered vnto you first of all which I also receiued That Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures The note This deliuerie in the Latine and Greeke importeth tradition and so by tradition did the Apostles plant the church in all truth before they wrote any thing The answer The controuersie is not whether tradition or writing was first but whether the apostles did not write as much as is necessarie for vs to know and kéepe and whether traditions which vnder their name you obtrude be to be iudged by their writings or not As for that tradition he speaketh of here he specifieth most plainly in writing and therefore this can not make for your vnwritten verities to the which you would faine impropriate the name of traditions 1. Cor. 15. 10. The text But by the grace of God I am that which I am and his grace in
chastened by your fasting daies but their whom néede or nigerdlines doth continuallie compell to borrow of their bellies Tit. 2. 15. The text These things speake and exhort and rebuke ⸫ with all authoritie The note Bishops must be stout and commande in Gods cause and the people must in no wise disobey or contemne them The answer So must also euerie minister of the word and their flockes do owe vnto them honor and obedience and you must remember that your popes cause is not gods cause Tit. 3. 5. The text But when the benignitie and kindnes towarde man of our sauiour God appeered not by the works of iustice which we did but according to his mercy he hath saued vs ⸫ by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie ghost The note As before in the Sacrament of holie orders 1. Timoth. 4. and 2. Timoth. 1. so heere it is plaine that baptisme giueth grace and that by it as by an instrumentall cause we be saued The answer Concerning your Sacraments of orders of your own institution and grace by them giuen you haue receiued answer before That baptisme is amongst the instrumentall causes of our saluation no man denieth And likewise we grant vnto you that by it grace is giuen to the woorthy receiuers so that you vnderstand by baptisme the whole sacrament and not the outward acte and worke of the minister onely as you commonly do Tit. 3. 10. The text A man that is an heretike after the first and second ⸫ admonition auoide Knowing that he that is such an on is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement The note These admonitions and corruptions must be giuen to such as erre by our spirituall Gouernors and pastors to whom if they yeeld not Christian men must auoide them The answer If we were agréed of the church and gouernors thereof then we would not contende with you about your note But nowe so long as you wil not suffer the church to be discerned by the scriptures nor cleaue to that church which receiueth the doctrine in them deliuered the admonitions and correptions of your gouernors are to be contemned despised and disobeied PHILEMON Phile. 1. 5. The text I giue thanks to my God alwaies making a memory of thee in my praiers Hearing thy ⸫ charitie and faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and toward all the saints The note Faith and charitie commended alwaies togither both necessarie to make a compleate Christian man and to iustification and saluation The answer Faith and charitie alwaies togither but not alwaies commended togither both necessarie to make a compleat Christian faith for iustification and charitie for sanctification But you the better to blinde men confounde that which you should distinguish Phile. 1. 7. The text For I haue had great ioy and consolation in thy charitie bicause the bowels of the saints ⸫ haue rested by thee brother The note The duties of charitie and mercie done to Christs prisoners are exceeding acceptable to God and all good men The answer This is verie true and yet you the popes prisoners and not Christs Phile. 1. 1◠The text And ⸫ do thou receiue him as mine owne bowels The note All spirituall men ought to be exceeding propense and readie to procure mens pardon and reconciliation to all penitent The answer It is to be maruelled at that men shewing so little mercie as you are woont and so voide of all pitie as your tragicall doings haue shewed you to be should now become teachers of mercie and pitie to other men Phile. 1. 1◠The text I Paule haue written with mine owne hand I will repay it not to say to thee ⸫ that thou owest me thine own selfe also The note The great det and dutie that we owe to such as be our spirituall parents in Christ. The answer As to our parents we can make no sufficient recompense so much lesse are we able to requite those which are Gods good instruments of our regeneration HEBREWES Hebr. 1. 4. The text Being made so much more excellent than Angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them The note The excellencie of Christ aboue Angels The answer And therefore consequently his excellencie aboue Moyses the prophets and all creatures whatsoeuer Hebr. 1. 14. The text Are they not al ⸫ ministring spirits sent to minister for them which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation The note The holy angels saith S. Augustine to the societie of whom we aspire in this our peregrination as they haue eternitie to continue so also facilitie to know and felicitie to rest For they do helpe vs without all difficultie bicause with their spirituall motions pure and free they labor and trauell not De ciuitate lib. 11. cap. 31. The answer I would your doctrine of Angels were alwaies as this which here you learne of Augustine then some of your vnprofitable controuersies which now trouble the world would soone be cut of and throwen to the dunghill amongst other filth and mire of poperie But these and such other good things are defiled with the rest that you couple them with And more I haue not to say to you for this note Hebr. ◠1. The text Therefore more abundantly ought we to obserue those things which we haue heard ⸫ least perhaps we run out The note As that which runneth out of a broken vessel or that runneth by is lost The answer He is said to run out which doth not hold and kéepe the word which he heareth of whom we say in English In at the one eare and out at the other Hebr. 2. 9. The text But him that was a little lessened vnder the Angels we see Iesus ⸫ bicause of the passion of death crowned with glory and honor that through the grace of God he might tast of death for all The note This prooueth against the Caluinists that Christ by his passion merited his own glorification which they would not for shame denie of Christ but that they are at a point to denie all meritorious works yea euen Christs also And therefore they translate also this heretically by transposing the words In the bible printed 1579. The answer The force of this proofe resteth vpon the signification of the Gréeke preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which héere as often else where doth signifie the finall cause or end and is to be referred to his lessening which goeth before and not to his crowning which commeth after As if he should say we sée him that is Iesus bicause of his suffering or that he might suffer a little lessened vnder the Angels that is made man And thus your proofe faileth and commeth to naught Otherwise for Christs merits we do more highly estéeme of them than you But the holie Ghost hath taught vs that he tooke our nature vpon him not for himselfe but for our good so that whatsoeuer he did in our nature was not to gaine to him selfe but to vs not to his
but to our benefit but preposterous desire to stablish the merits of men carieth you you wot not whither For it maketh you to suppose that the maiestie of God which is proper to himselfe for that was the glorie wherewith Christ is crowned may be the deserued reward of mans works which is horrible once to thinke Hebr. 2. 16. The text For no where doth he take Angels but ⸫ the seed of Abraham he doth take The note The dignitie of man in that Christ tooke our nature vnto his person in deitie and not the nature of Angels The answer Nay rather the great and maruellous goodnes of God that was better to men than to Angels and that vouchsafed rather to vnite our miserable vile nature to his Godhead rather than the eternall excelling nature of Angels Hebr. 3. 3. The text For this man is esteemed woorthie of more ample glorie aboue Moises by so much as more ample glory than the house hath he that framed it The note The excellencie of Christ aboue Moises The answer Christ far excelled Moises but you make him far inferior For from Moises doctrine no man might swarue to the right hand or to the left no man might ad or take away but to Christs doctrine vnder the name of traditions you may make as manie additions as you list Hebr. 3. 14. The text For we be made partakers of Christ yet so if we keepe the ⸫ beginning of his substance firme vnto the end The note Faith is the groundworke of our creation in Christ which if we holde not fast all the building is lost The answer Such a faith as a man in some measure is able to render a reason of out of the word and not a blinde perswasion to beléeue as other men beléeue neither knowing what we beléeue and whie as the greatest number of your blinde followers do Hebr. 4. 1. The text For he said in a certaine place of the ⸫ seuenth day thus And God rested the seuenth day from all his workes The note If the Apostle had not euidentlie shewed that the Saboaths rest was a figure of the eternall repose in heauen who durst to haue applied that Scripture of Gods rest the seuenth day to that purpose Or how can our aduersaries now reprehend the like application manifoldlie vsed in all holie ancient writers to that end The answer What conscience is in you for applieng Scriptures without example warrant or anie other necessarie collection I know not but this I know that in your handling of the scriptures there appeareth none All things that happened to the fathers in the old Testament were figures as the Apostle teacheth of things happening in the new testament to vs. As therfore the diligence of the fathers was commendable in séeking and searching what was prefigured in the old law so the immoderate desire and delight of some to draw all things in both testaments into perpetuall allegories and to make figures where none are to wrest their fansies out of what place they list is iustlie by your aduersaries found fault withall Hebr. 4. 12. The text For the ⸫ word of God is liuely and forcible and more piersing then anie two edged sword and reaching vnto the diuision of the soule and the spirit of the ioints also and of the marowes and a discerner of the cogitations and intents of the hart The note Whatsoeuer God threatneth by his word concerning the punishment of sinne and incredulitie shalbe executed be the offence neuer so secret deepe or hidden in our harts bicause Gods speech passeth easilie searcheth throughlie euerie part power and facultie of mans soule The answer This note is true though but in a litle part expressing the meaning of the text and verie hardlie agréeable with other parts of your doctrine For if secret and hidden sinnes which by no meanes breake foorth and discouer them selues by acte can not escape the threatned vengeance of God then what sinnes can you can veniall Hebr. 6. 9. The text But ⸫ we confidentlie trust of you my best beloued better things and neerer to saluation although we speake thus The note It is euident by these words against the Nouatians and the Caluinists that Saint Paul meant not preciselie that they had done or could do anie such sinne where they should be put out of all hope of saluation and be sure of damnation during their life The answer It is euident by your words that you flatter your selues with mercie more then there is cause whie whiles you thinke that you can not commit anie such sinne as for which you should be sure during your life to be damned For herein you do not contend with the Nouatians and Caluinists as it pleaseth you to terme them onlie but with Saint Iohn and with our Lord and Sauior Christ. For what will ye say of those sinners which S. Iohn forbiddeth vs to pray for or of that sin which our Sauior Christ hath told vs shall neuer be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to come The same sinne the Apostle in this Chapter describeth not bicause the Hebrewes to whom he wrote had committed it but because it was possible for some of them to fall into it therefore he forewarneth them of the great and wonderfull danger of it Hebr. 7. 2. The text To whom also Abraham diuided tithes of all first in deede by interpretation ⸫ the king of iustice and then also King of Salem which is to say King of peace The note When the fathers and catholike expositers picke out allegories and mysteries out of the names of men the protestants not indued with the Spirit whereby the Scriptures were giuen deride their holie labours in search of the same but the Apostle findeth high mysteries in the names of persons and places as you see The answer That we deride the Fathers or anie other Catholike expositors is one of your woonted slanders but we saie that measure in all things is a merrie meane For though in the names of such speciall persons as were figures of Christ and in the names of other persons places and things as had their names giuen for some speciall causes and considerations the mysteries shadowed in the signification of those names are wel and profitably sought yet to do or endeuour the like in all names or in many other names is labor néedlesse causelesse and curious Hebr. 7. 8. The text And heere indeede ⸫ men that die receiue tithes but there he hath witnes that he liueth The note The tithes giuen to Melchisedech were not giuen as to a meere mortall man as all of the tribe of Leui and Aarons order were but as to one representing the sonne of God who now liueth reigneth and holdeth his priesthood and the function thereof for euer The answer Your note is true and bicause he holdeth his priesthood and the functions thereof for euer therefore you offer him great iniurie to appoint other priests to do
triumphant The answer The ioy and comfort of all the saints of God to thinke of Now euerie gift which we receiue in this life is a pledge and token of that loue wherewith Christ hath imbraced his church as his spouse but then she shall be perfectlie adorned and beautified and put into actuall possession of al the good things which are Christs her husbands Apoc. 21. 3. The text And I heard a loud voice from the throne saieng behold ⸫ the tabernacle of God with men and he wil dwel with them The note This Tabernacle is Christ according to his humanitie The answer Though it be true that by the incarnation of our Lord and sauiour Christ and his taking vpon him our nature God dwelleth with vs yet héere it is spoken of Gods receiuing vs into the participation of the glorie of his Christ. For then when we shall be receiued into eternall and euerlasting felicitie this societie coniunction and dwelling of God and man togither shall most cléerly and perfectly appéere Apoc. 21. 4. The text And God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and death shall be no more nor moorning nor crieng neither shall there be sorrow any more which ⸫ first things are gone The note This happie day shal make an end of all the miseries of this mortality The answer God is likened to a mother which wipeth away the teares from the infants eies and chéekes whereby is signified that not onely there shall be an end of the miseries of this mortalitie but also that there shall remaine no token step nor print of our former calamities Apoc. 21. 7. The text He that shall ouercome ⸫ shall possesse these things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne The note He that hath the victorie in the church militant shall haue his reward in the triumphant The answer If hope of praie and spoile and liberall intertainment make men to aduenture them selues and their liues for victorie howe much more we whose liues are a continuall warfare who are most certaine and assured of victorie should manfullie and valiantlie fight against all spirituall enemies sith the liberalitie of God is so great to victors and conquerors Apoc. 21. 8. The text But ⸫ to the fearfull and incredulous and execrable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liers their part shalbe in the poole burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death The note All that commit mortall sinnes and repent not shall be damned The answer The wages of euerie sinne is death All impenitent sinners therefore how smal soeuer their sinne séeme to be shalbe damned which is also plainly here insinuated in that not onelie vnbeléeuers other grosse and foule sinners in the common iudgement of men are reckoned but also and that first of all those which are fearfull and cowards in Gods cause are set which is a fault that most men little regard and make a small account of and therefore all sins without repentance draw men to damnation Apoc. 〈◊〉 11. The text And he tooke me vp in spirit into a mountaine great and high and he shewed me the holie citie Hierusalem descending out of heauen from God ⸫ hauing the glorie of God And the light thereof like to a pretious stone as it were to the Iasper stone euen as Christall The note The glorie of the triumphant church The answer Which though it be héere excellently swéetly and delectably shadowed yet it doth excéed far the capacitie and reach of our dull braines and weake vnderstanding in this vale of miserie Howbeit the holy Ghost doth thus describe it to the end that we considering the excellencie of this description and waieng that that the holy Ghost hath but shadowed these things by the most excellent earthly things that are we should be wholy rapt and inflamed with the loue of these things and haue our eies continually vpon them and long and earnestly desire to haue the actuall fruition of them Apoc. 21. 12. The text And it had a wall great and high hauing twelue gates and in the gates twelue Angels and names written thereon which are ⸫ the names of the twelue tribes of the children of Israel The note The names of the patriarks and apostles honorable and glorious in the triumphant church The answer In respect of the promises made to the fathers and in respect of the doctrine of truth and sauing health deliuered to the whole church by the holy apostles and in whatsoeuer respect beside that you can reckon neither derogating from the glorie of God nor dissonant from the truth of his word Apoc. 21. 16. The text And ⸫ the citie is situated quadrangle wise and the length thereof is as great as also the bredth and he measured the citie with the reed for twelue thousand furlongs the length and height and bredth thereof be equall The note See S. Hierom ep 17. touching this description of the heauenly Hierusalem which is the church triumphant teaching that thes◠things must be taken spiritually not carnally The answer This admonition is very necessarie for your poore blind followers who know nothing and are vtterly destitute of all vnderstanding But alack how is it possible for them to take these things spiritually who are altogither carnall led by masters and teachers which are themselues void of the spirit of God But out of poperie in this light of the Gospell it is hard to find any so ignorant that thinketh not that these things ought to be spiritually vnderstood Apoc. 21. 22. The text And ⸫ temple I saw not therein For our Lord God omnipotent is the temple thereof and the lambe The note All externall sacrifices which now is the necessarie duetie of the faithfull shall then cease and therefore shall neede no materiall temple The answer The sacrifice which your minde runneth of is now no dutie of a christian And though we haue now places to méete in to heare and learne the word to praie and to praise God in to celebrate the misteries which he hath left to his church and to vse all spirituall exercises yet temples we haue none for God him selfe is our temple for we dwell in him and we are his temple for his spirit dwelleth in vs. As for your propitiatorie sacrifices you may take paines to returne them to Rome from whence they came Apoc. 21. 27. The text There shall ⸫ not enter into it anie polluted thing nor that doeth abomination and maketh lie but they are written in the booke of life of the lambe The note None not perfectlie clensed of their sinnes can enter into this heauenlie Hierusalem The answer You know that in this life we know but in part we loue but in part and therefore no worke perfectlie good can procéede from vs. Those therefore that put confidence in the meritoriousnesse of mens workes can not enter into this Ierusalem And I muse that you tremble not and quake not when you
that haue not the gift of continencie Uirginitie is a vertue rare onely to be kept of those to whom God hath giuen speciall gifts for that purpose 1. Cor. 7. 40. The text But ⸫ more blessed shall she be if she so remaine according to my counsell And I thinke that I also haue the spirit of God The note The state of widowhood more blessed than the state of matrimonie The answer This also is not absolute but in respect of many encumbrances that commonly accompanie the married 1. Cor. 8. â— The text ⸫ Knowledge puffeth vp but charitie edifieth The note Knowledge without charitie puffeth vp in pride and profiteth nothing at all when it is ioined with charitie then it edifieth Aug. lib. 9. ciuit Dei cap. 20. The answer Héere againe saint Augustine might haue béen spared for you haue giuen testimonie sufficient of your reading 1. Cor. 9. 5. The note Haue not we power to lead about a woman a sister as also the rest of the Apostles and our Lords brethren and ⸫ Cephas The note He nameth Cephas that is Peter to prooue his purpose by the example of the chiefe and prince of the Apostles Saint Ambrose Saint Chrysost. Oecum vpon this place The answer You plaie altogether the sophisters to racke a word or two beyond the meaning of the writers I haue told you before that it was no péece of their meaning to giue to Peter anie soueraignty ouer the rest of the Apostles aswell bicause they giue those additions to others as to Peter as also for that in expresse words they make all the Apostles equall in authoritie of Paul and Peter they know not whether of them to preferre But what néede we fathers are not the scriptures in this case plaine did not Iames Peter and Iohn giue to Paul and Barnabas the right handes not of soueraigntie but of societie and Paul estéemed not him selfe inferior to the best and chiefest of the Apostles And if your desire for Peter were graunted yet for the Bishop of Rome you were neuer the nigher your purpose 1. Cor. 9. 9. The text For it is written in the Law of Moises Thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the oxe that ⸫ treadeth out the corne The note In that countrie they did tread out their corne with oxen as we do thresh it out The answer A néedlesse note for what could anie man els imagine of it 1. Cor. 9. 13. The text Know you not that they which worke in the holie place eate the things that are of the holie place and they that serue ⸫ the altar participate with the altar The note The English Bible 1562 here and in the next chapter saith thrise for altar temple most falselie and hereticallie against holie altars which about the time of that translation were digged downe in England The answer An ouersight we graunt but false or hereticall meaning we denie For if these places make nothing for your altars howe could the leauing out of the word altar be of purpose against your altars Besides the translator sufficientlie cleareth him selfe of anie such purpose in that in diuers and sundrie places he translateth altars as he findeth it For it had béene to verie small purpose in a place or two to shunne the name of altars and to reteine them in infinite other places 1. Cor. 9. 2â— The text To all men ⸫ I became all things that I might saue all The note Not by fiction or simulation but by compassion of the infirmities of all sortes August epist. 9. The answer A verie good and necessarie example for those which labour in the word to beare so farre as they lawfullie may or can with the infirmities of manie to the end to winne and gaine them to God 1. Cor. 10. 1â— The text Therefore he that thinketh him selfe to stand let him take heed ⸫ least he fall The note It is profitable to all or in a maner to all for to keepe them in humilitie not to know what they shalbe saith Saint Augustine which maketh against the vaine securitie of the protestants The answer You alledge Saint Augustine at randon without telling vs where we might finde this place which maketh me to doubt that it is but some patch of a place which being violentlie pulled from that which goeth before and from that which followeth may séeme to make for that which he meant not In which coniecture whether in this place true or false yet I do you none iniurie First because Augustine giueth me occasion so to coniecture whom I suppose in this point not to be against him selfe who alwaies teacheth christians not to doubt of that which God hath promised them Secondlie your selues haue often giuen occasion of this coniecture who manie times make the fathers seeme to speake that which they neuer meant as both alreadie hath bene shewed and héerafter shall be shewed in these answers to your marginall notes 1. Cor. 11. 2. The text And I praise you brethren that in all things you be mindefull of me and as I haue deliuered vnto you you keepe my ⸫ precepts The note In the Greeke traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer Could not your vulgar translator abide traditions or hath the Gréeke worde some other signification Against vs Martinius maketh manie and mightie outcries if we do not alwaies translate it tradition He cannot abide that we should learne any more significations of the word And all the stur is to giue some colour to your vnwritten verities â— Cor. 11. â—5 The text For I receiued of our Lord that which also I haue deliuered vnto you ⸫ that our Lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied tooke bread c. The note The Apostles drift in all that he saith here is against vnwoorthy receiuing as S. Augustine also noteth ep 118. cap. 3. and not to set out the whole order of ministration as the heretikes do ignorantly imagine The answer Saint Augustine doth not saie that the whole order of the administration of the Lords supper is not to be gathered hence For if the whole institution of Christ be not a direction to vs for that whence shall we haue it But it is best for you to stand vpon deniall of this bicause you break the whole institution of Christ. How did Paule deliuer that which he receiued of the Lord if he deliuered not the order of the administration of the sacrament did not Christ leaue vnto his church an order for it Though the Apostles drift here be agianst vnreuerent and vnwoorthy receiuing yet that could not be better reformed then by teaching the reuerende and orderly vse of it But bicause you haue in your larger annotations bestowed great labor about this point therefore I refer it ouer to the answer of them 1. Cor. 12. 8. The text To one certes by the spirit is giuen ⸫ the word of wisdome and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit to another faith in the same