and is no doubt much more novv in al Haeretikes al being precursors of that great Antichrist vvhich shal come tovvards the later end 3. That dissolueth To dissolue loose or separate IESVS a sunder vvas proper to al those old Heretikes that taught either against his Diuinitie or Humanitie or the Vnitie of his person being of two natures as Cerinthus Ebion Nestorius Eutyches Manes or Manichaeus Cerdon Apelles Apollinaris and the like And this is one place by vvhich vve may see that the common Greeke copies be not euer authentical and that our old approued translation may not alvvaies be examined by the Greeke that novv is vvhich the Protestants onely folow but that it is to be presupposed vvhen our old Latin text differeth plainely from the Greeke that in old time either al or the more approued Greeke reading was othervvise and that often the said Greeke was corrupted then or since by Heretikes or otherwise For of the Greekes S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 18 among the Latin fathers S. Augustine tract 6. in fine S. Leo ep 10. c. 5 and Venerable Bede did reade as we doe and this reading maketh more against the said Heretikes then that vvhich the common Greeke novv hath to vvit Euery spirit that confesseth not Christ to haue come in flesh is not of God vvhich is also in effect said before vers 2. And that therfore it vvas corrupted and altered by Heretikes see the vvordes of Socrates also a Greeke vvriter very agreable to this purpose Nestorius saith he being eloquent by nature vvhich is often in Heretikes accounted him self therfore learned disdained to study the old interpreters counting him self better then them all being ignorant that in S. Iohns Catholike epistle old Greeke copies had EVERY ONE THAT DISSOLVETH IESVS IS NOT OF GOD. So saith he adding moreouer that such as vvould separate the diuinitie from the dispensation of Christs humanitie tooke out of the old copies this sense for vvhich the old expositours noted that these which would loose IESVS had corrupted this Epistle See also the Tripartite li. 12. c. 4. 6. In this vve knovv This is the most sure general marke to knovv the true spirites and prophets from the false that those vvhich be of God wil heare and obey their Apostles and lavvful pastors succeding the Apostles and submit them selues to the Church of God the other that be not of God wil not heare either Apostle pastor or Church but be their ovvne iudges 17. That vve may haue confidence Confidence called in Latin Fiducia is neither alone with faith nor a persuasion infallible that maketh a man no lesse secure and certaine of his saluation then of the things that vve are bound to beleeue as the Protestants falsely teach but it is onely a hope wel corroborated confirmed and strengthened vpon the promises and grace of God and the parties merites And the vvordes both folowing going before proue also euidently against the Protestants that our confidence and hope in the day of iudgement dependeth not onely vpon our apprehension of Christs merites by faith or vpon his grace and mercie but also vpon our conformitie to Christ in this life in charitie and good vvorkes And that is the doctrine of S. Peter vvhen he said Labour that by good vvorkes you may make sure your vocation and election and S. Paules meaning vvhen he said I haue fought a good fight there is laid vp for me a crovvne of iustice vvhich our Lord vvil render to me in that day a iust iudge 18. Feare is not in charitie The Heretikes very falsly vnderstand this place so that Christian godly men ought to haue no doubt mistrust or feare of hel and damnation Vvhich is most euidently against the Scriptures commending euery where vnto vs the awe and feare of God and his iudgements Feare him saith our Sauiour Mat. 10 that can cast body and soul into hel And Psal 118. Pearse my flesh vvith thy feare Vvhich feare of Gods iudgements caused S. Paul al good men to chastise their bodies lest they should be reprobate and damned And the vvise man for this cause affirmeth him to be happie that is euer fearful And holy Iob faith I feared al my vvorkes And the Apostle Vvith feare and trembling vvorke your saluation Vvhich kinde of feare is euen in the iustest men and most ful of charitie consisting wel with the same vertue and is called Filialis is timer because it is such as the good childe ought to haue toward his father But there is a kinde of feare vvhich standeth not with charitie and is cleane against hope also that vvhich bringeth such perplexitie and auxietie of conscience that it induceth a man to mistrust or despaire of Gods mercies That seruile feare also vvhich maketh a man often to leaue sinning and to doe the external vvorkes of iustice not for any loue or delight he hath in God or his lawes but onely for feare of damnation though it be not il in it self but very profitable as that vvhich helpeth toward the loue of God yet it standeth not with charitie neither but is daily more and more lessened and at length quite driuen out by charitie Of these kinde of feares then the Apostle speaketh and as some expound of the feare of men also of vvhich our Sauiour saith Feare not them that kil the body CHAP. V. They that loue God must loue his natural sonne IESVS and his sonnes by adoption and keepe his commaundements vvhich to the regenerate are light 4 But not vnles they continue in the Catholike faith namely of this article that IESVS is the sonne of God and therfore able to giue vs life euerlasting 14 and al our petitions 16 and our praiers for al our brethren that sinne not vnto death dying in their mortal sinnes by impenitence Last of al he vvarneth them not to communicate vvith idols verse 1 WHOSOEVER beleeueth that IESVS is Christ is borne of God And euery one that loueth him vvhich begat loueth him also vvhich vvas borne of him ✠verse 2 In this vve knovv that vve loue the children of God vvhen as vve loue God and keepe his commaundementes ✠verse 3 For this is the charitie of God that vve keepe his commaundements * and ″ his commaundementes are not heauy ✠verse 4 Because al that is borne of God ouercommeth the vvorld and this is the victorie vvhich ouercommeth the vvorld our faith ✠verse 5 Vvho is he * that ouercōmeth the vvorld but he that beleeueth that IESVS is the sonne of God ✠verse 6 This is he that came by vvater and bloud IESVS Christ not in vvater only but in vvater and bloud And it is the Spirit vvhich testifieth that Christ is the truth ✠verse 7 For there be ″ three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the Father the Vvord and the Holy Ghost and these three be one ✠verse 8 And
end ceasing of their sacrifice adoration in both the Temples should shortly be and euen then vvas begone to be fulfilled instructing her in three things concerning that point first that the true Sacrifice should be tied no more to that one place or nation but that true adoration should be through out al Nations according to the Prophecie of Malachie Secondly that the grosse and carnal adoration by the flesh and bloud of beastes and other external terrene creatures nor hauing in them grace spirit and life should be taken avvay an other sacrifice succeede which should be in it self inuisible celestial diuine ful of life Spirit and grace and thirdly that this adoration and sacrifice should be the veritie it self vvhereof al the former sacrifices and hostes were but shadovves and figures and he calleth that here spirit and truth vvhich in the first Chapter is called grace and truth Al vvhich is no more but a prophecie and description of the Sacrifice of the faithful Gentils in the body and bloud of Christ not that it is not by external meanes giuen to vs for othervvise vve being men consisting of flesh and bloud could not be capable thereof but that it is spirit and life in it self being the flesh of the VVORD of God And if a man enlarge the vvord of AdoratioÌ„ vvhich here as is said signifieth properly the worship of God by sacrifice to al the Sacraments of the new Law they al likewise be spirit and grace the Holy Ghost working inuisibly and internally vpon our soules by euery one of them WherevpoÌ„ our Baptisme is water the Holy Ghost our Penance the word of absolution and the Holy Ghost our ConfirmatioÌ„ oile the Holy Ghost by imposition of handes finally al the adoration of the Catholike Church is properly spiritual though certaine external creatures for our natures state and necessitie be ioyned therevnto Take heede therfore thou gather not of Christs wordes that Christian men should haue no vse of external office towards God for that would take away al sacrifice Sacraments praiers Churches and societie of men in his Seruice CHAP. V. Curing a bedâ—ed man at the pond of miracle because he doth it on the Sabboth the blind Ievves do persecute him 7 and againe because he saith that God is his natural father 19 He therevpon continueth saying the Fathers operation and his to be in euery thing alone and that he shal do greater things then these miraculous cures to vvit 21 quicken the dead in soule by sinne as being appointed Iudge of al 21 yea and quicken the dead in bodies also incoÌ„tinent iudging al vprightly 31 And that these are not bragges of his ovvne but his vvitnesses to be 33 Iohn Baptist 36 his ovvne miraculous vvorkes 37 his fathers voice at his baptisme 39 the Scriptures also namely of Moyses verse 1 AFTER these things there vvas a festiual day of the Ievves and IESVS vvent vp to Hierusalem ✠verse 2 And there is at Hierusalem `vpon ' Probatica a ″ pond vvhich in hebrevv is surnamed Bethsaida ' hauing fiue porches ✠verse 3 In these lay a great multitude of sicke persons of blinde lame vvithered expecting the stirring of the vvater ✠verse 4 And an Angel of our Lord descended at a certaine time into the pond and the vvater vvas stirred And he that had gone dovvne first into the pond after the stirring of the vvater vvas made vvhole of vvhatsoeuer infirmitie he vvas holden ✠verse 5 And there vvas a certaine man there that had been eight and thirtie yeres in his infirmitie ✠verse 6 Him vvhen IESVS had seen lying knevv that he had novv a long time he saith to him Vvilt thou be made vvhole ✠verse 7 The sicke man ansvvered him Lord I haue no man vvhen the vvater is troubled to put me into the pond For vvhiles I come an other goeth dovvne before me ✠verse 8 IESVS saith to him Arise take vp thy bed and vvalke ✠verse 9 And forthvvith he vvas made vvhole and he tooke vp his bed and vvalked And it vvas the Sabboth that day ✠verse 10 The Ievves therfore said to him that vvas healed It is the Sabboth thou maist not take vp thy bed ✠verse 11 He ansvvered them He that made me vvhole he said to me Take vp thy bed and vvalke ✠verse 12 They asked him therfore Vvhat is that man that said to thee Take vp thy bed and vvalke ✠verse 13 But he that vvas made vvhole knevv not vvho it vvas For IESVS shronke aside from the multitude standing in the place ✠verse 14 Aftervvard IESVS findeth him in the temple and said to him Behold thou art made vvhole ″ sinne no more lest some vvorse thing chaunce to thee ✠verse 15 That man vvent his vvay and told the Ievves that it vvas IESVS that made him vvhole ⊢ ✠verse 16 Therevpon the Ievves persecuted IESVS because he did these things on the Sabboth ✠verse 17 But IESVS ansvvered them My father vvorketh vntil novv and I doe vvorke ✠verse 18 TherevpoÌ„ therefore the Ievves sought the more to kil him because he did not only breake the Sabboth but also he said God was his father making him self aequal to God ✠verse 19 IESVS therfore ansvvered and said to them Amen amen I say to you The Sonne can not doe any thing of him self but that vvhich he seeth the Father doing For vvhat things soeuer he doeth these the Sonne also doeth in like maner ✠verse 20 For the Father loueth the Sonne and shevveth him al things that him self doeth and greater vvorkes then these vvil he shevv him that you may marueil ✠verse 21 For as the Father doth raise the dead and quickeneth so the Sonne also quickeneth vvhom he vvil ✠verse 22 For neither doth the Father iudge any man but al iudgement he hath giuen to the Sonne ✠verse 23 that al may honour the Sonne as they doe honour the Father He that honoureth not the Sonne doth not honour the Father vvho sent him ✠verse 24 Amen amen I say to you that he vvhich heareth my vvord and beleeueth him that sent me hath life euerlasting and he commeth not into iudgement but shal passe ' from death into life ✠verse 25 Amen amen I say to you that the houre commeth and novv it is vvhen the dead shal heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that haue heard shal liue ✠verse 26 For as the Father hath life in him self so he hath giuen to the Sonne also to haue life in him self ✠verse 27 and he hath giueÌ„ him povver to doe iudgement also because he is the Sonne of man ✠verse 28 Marueil not at this because the houre commeth vvherein al that are in the graues shal heare his voice ✠verse 29 and they that haue done good things shal come forth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done
and al other particular pointes Which him self saith S. Augustine did not take order for that he might cōmit that to the Apostles by vvhom he vvas to dispose his Churches affaires though both he and the Apostles and the Fathers of the primitiue Church left vs example of receiuing vnder one kind Christ * at Emmaüs The Apostles Act. 2 42. The primitiue Church in giuing the bloud onely to children Cypr. li. de lapsis nu 10. in reseruing most commonly the body onely Tertul. li. 2 ad vxo nu 4. Cypr. li. de lapsis nu 10. in houseling the sicke therewith Euseb Ec. hist li. 6 c. 36. in the holy Eremites also that receiued and reserued it commonly and not the bloud in the wildernes Basil ep ad Caesariam Patritiam and in diuers other cases which were to long to rehearse Whereby the Church being warranted and in the ruling of such things fully taught by Gods spirit as wel for the reprouing of certaine heresies that Christ God and man vvas not vvhole and al in euery part of the Sacrament as specially for that the Christian people being novv enlarged and the communicants often so many at once that neither so much vvine could be conueniently consecrated nor vvithout manifold accidents of sheading or abusing be receiued vvhereof the Protestants haue no regard because it is but common vvine vvhich they occupie but the Church knovving it to be Christs ovvne bloud must haue al dreadful regard therfore I say she hath decreed and for some hundreth yeres put in vse that the Priest saying Masse should alvvaies both consecrate and also receiue both kindes because he must expresse liuely the Passion of Christ and the separation of his bloud from his body in the same and for to imitate the vvhole action and institution as vvel in sacrificing as receiuing as to vvhom properly it vvas said Do this for that vvas spoken onely to such as haue povver thereby to offer and consecrate But the Lay men and the Clergie also vvhen they do not execute or say Masse them selues should receiue in one kinde being thereby no lesse partakers of Christs vvhole person and grace then if they receiued both For as S. Paul saith He that eateth the hostes is partaker of the altar He that eateth saith he for though there vvere drink-offerings or libaments ioyned lightly to euery sacrifice yet it vvas ynough to eate onely of one kinde for to be partaker of the vvhole 62. If you shal see Our Sauiour seemeth to insinuate that such as beleeue not his wordes touching the holy Sacrament and thinke it impossible for him to giue his Body to be eaten in so many places at once being yet in earth should be much more scandalized and tempted after they saw or knew him to be ascended into heauen Vvhich is proued true in the Capharnaites of this time whose principal reason against Christs presence in the Sacrament is that he is ascended into heauen yea who are so bold as to expound this same sentence for them selues thus It is not this body or flesh which I wil giue you for that I wil carie with me to heauen Whereby if they meant onely that the condition and qualities of his body in heauen should be other then in the Sacrament it were tolerable for S. Augustine speaketh sometime in that sense but to deny the substance of the body to be the same that is wicked 63. The flesh profiteth nothing If this speach were spoken in the sense of the Sacramentaries it would take away Christs incarnation manhod and death no lesse then his corporal presence in the Sacrament for if his flesh were not profitable al these things were vaine Therfore CHRIST denieth not his owne flesh to be profitable but that their grosse and carnal conceiuing of his wordes of his flesh and of the maner of eating the same was vnprofitable Which is plaine by the sentence folowing where he warneth them that his wordes be spirit and life of high Mystical meaning and not vulgarly and grosly to be taken as they tooke them And it is the vse of the Scripture to call mans natural sense reason and carnal resisting or not reaching supernatural truthes flesh or bloud as Flesh and bloud reuealed not this to thee c Mat. 16. This carnalitie then of theirs stood in two points specially first that they imagined that he would kill him self and cut māgel his flesh into partes so giue it them raw or rost to be eaten among them Which could not be meant saith S. Augustine for that had conteined an heinous and barbarous facte and therfore they might and should haue bene assured that he would commaund no such thing but some other sweete sense to be of his hard mystical or figuratiue wordes and to be fulfilled in a Sacrament mysterie and a maruelous diuine sort otherwise then they could comprehend Secondly they did erre touching his flesh in that they tooke it to be the flesh of a mere man and of a dead man also when it should come to be eaten of which kind of flesh Christ here pronoūceth that it profiteth nothing Wherevpon S. Cyrist saith This body is not of Peter or Paul or any other like but of Christ IESVS who is the life it self and therfore this Body giueth life the very fulnes of the Diuinitie dvvelling in it And the holy Councel of Ephesus in the 11 Anathematisme expounded also by the said S. Cyril The Eucharist is not the body of any common person for the flesh of a common man could not quicken but of the VVORD it self But the Heretike Nestorius dissolueth the vertue of this Mysterie holding mans flesh onely to be in the Eucharist Thus there And S. Ignatius cited of Theodorete and many other Fathers haue the like Whereby we may see that it commeth of the Diuinitie and Spirit without which Christs flesh can not be that this Sacrament giueth life 64. That beleeue not It is lacke of faith you seee here that causeth men to spurne against this high truth of the Sacrament as also it may be learned here that it is the great and merciful gift of God that Catholike men do against their senses and carnal reasons beleeue and submit them selues to the humble acknowledging of this Mysterie lastly that it may wel by Christs insinuation of Iudas be gathered that he specially spurned against our Maisters speaches of the holy Sacrament 66. Went backe It can be no maruel to vs now that so many reuolt from the Church by offense or scandal vniustly taken at Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament seeing many of his Disciples that savv his vvonderful life doctrine and miracles forsooke Christ him self vpon the speach promes of the same Sacramēt for the mysterie of it is so supernatural and diuine in it self and withal so low base for our sakes by the shew of the formes of these terrene
onely that they among them selues did al feede of one bread drinke of one rocke vvhich vvas a figure of Christ therein especially that out of Christes side pearced vpon the Crosse gushed out bloud and vvater for the matter of our Sacraments 13. As to vvisemen To cause them to leaue the sacrifices and meates or drinkes offered to Idols he putteth them in minde of the onely true Sacrifice and meate and drinke of Christes body and bloud of vvhich and the sacrifice of Idols also they might not be in any case partakers Vsing this terme vt prudentibus loquor in the same sense as it is thought as the Fathers of the primitiue Church did giue a vvatch vvord of keeping secrete from the Infidels and vnbaptized the mysterie of this diuine Sacrifice by these vvordes Norunt fidels norunt qui initiati sunt August in Ps â—9 33. Conc. 1. 2. Ps 109. Ho. 42. c. 4. in lib. 50 hom Orig. in Leuit. ho. 9. Chrys ho. 2â— in Gen. in fine ho. 51 ad po Antioch ho. 5. in 1 Tim. S. Paul saith I speake to you boldly of this mysterie as to the vviser and better instructed in the same 16. Which vve blesse That is to say the Chalice of Consecration vvhich vve Apostles and Priests by Christes commission do consecrate by vvhich speach as vvel the Caluinists that vse no consecration of the cuppe at al blasphemously calling it magical murmuration and peruersely referring the benediction to thankes giuing to God as also the Lutherans be refuted vvho affirme Christes body and bloud to be made present by receiuing in the receiuing onely for the Apostle expresly referreth the benediction to the chalice and not to God making the holy bloud and the communicating thereof the effect of the benediction 16. The participation of the body The holy Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christs body and bloud being receiued of vs ioyneth vs in soul and body and engraffeth vs into Christ him self making vs partakers and at a peece of his body and bloud For not by loue or spirit onely saith S. Chrysostom but in very deede vve are vnited in his flesh made one body vvith him memebers of his flesh and boones Chrys ho. 45 in Io. sub finem And S. Cyril Such is the force of mystical benediction that it maketh Christ corporally by communicating of his flesh to dvvel in vs. Cyril li. 10. in Io. c. 13. 17. One bread one body As vve be first made one vvith Christ by eating his body and drinking his bloud so secondly are vve conioyned by this one bread vvhich is his body and cuppe vvhich is his bloud in the perfect vnion and felovvship of al Catholike men in one Church vvhich is his body Mystical Vvhich name of Body mystical is specially attributed and appropriated to this one commonvvealth and Societie of faithful men by reason that al the true persons and true members of the same be maruelously knit together by Christes ovvne one body and by the self same bloud in this diuine Sacrament See S. August li. 21 c. 25 de ciu Dei Hilar. li. 8 de Trin. circamed 18. They that eate the hostes It is plaine also by the example of the Ievves in their Sacrifices that he that eateth any of the host immolated is partaker of the Sacrifice and ioyned by office and obligation to God of vvhose sacrifice he eateth 20. I vvil not haue you I conclude then saith the Apostle thus that as the Christian vvhich eateth and drinketh of the sacrifice or Sacrament of the altar by his eating is participant of Christes body and is ioyned in felovvship to al Christian people that eate and drinke of the same being the host of the nevv Lavv and as al that did eate of the hostes of the Sacrifices of Moyses Lavv vvere belonging and associated to that state and to God to vvhom the Sacrifice vvas done euen so vvhosoeuer eateth of the meates offered to Idols he shevveth and profesteth him self to be of the Communion and Societie of the same Idols 21. You can not drinke Vpon the premisses he vvarneth them plainely that they must either forsake the sacrifice and fellovvship of the Idols and Idolaters or els refuse the Sacrifice of Christs body and bloud in the Church In al vvhich discourse vve may obserue that our bread and chalice our table and altar the participation of our host and oblation be compared or resembled point by point in al effects conditions and proprieties to the altars hostes sacrifices and immolations of the Ievves and Gentils Vvhich the Apostle vvould not nor could not haue done in this Sacrament of the Altar rather then in other Sacraments or seruice of our religion if it onely had not bene a Sacrifice and the proper vvorship of God among the Christians as the other vvere among the Ievves and Heathen And so do al the Fathers acknovvledge calling it onely continually almost by such termes as they do no other Sacrament or ceremonie of Christes religion The lambe of God laid vpon the table Conc. Nic. the vnblouddy seruice of the Sacrifice In Conc. Ephes ep ad Nestor pag. 605. the Sacrifice of sacrifices Dionys Ec. Hier. c. 3. the quickening holy sacrifice the vnblouddy host and victime Cyril Alex. in Conc. Ephes Anath 11. the propitiatorie sacrifice both for the liuing and the dead Tertul. de cor Milit. Chrys ho. 41 in 1 Cor. Ho. 3. ad Philip. Ho. 66 ad po Antioch Cypr. ep 66. de coen Do. nu 1. August Ench. 109. Quaest 2. ad Dulcit to 4. Ser. 34. de verb. Apost the Sacrifice of our Mediator the sacrifice of our price the Sacrifice of the nevv Testament the sacrifice of the Church August li. 9. c. 13. li. 3 de bapt c. 19. the one onely inconsumptible victime vvithout vvhich there is no religion Cyprian de coen Do. nu 2. Chrys ho. 17 ad Hebr. The pure oblation the nevv offering of the nevv Lavv the vital and impolluted host the honorable and dreadful Sacrifice the Sacrifice of thankes giuing or Eucharistical and the Sacrifice of Melchisedec Vvhich Melchisedec by his oblation in bread and vvine did properly and most singularly prefigurate this office of Christes eternal Priesthod and sacrificing him self vnder the formes of bread and vvine vvhich shal continevv in the Church through out al Christian Nations in steed of al the offerings of Aarons Priesthod as the Prophete Malachie did foretel as S. Cyprian S. Iustine S. Irenaeus and others the most auncient Doctors and Martyrs do testifie Cypr. ep 63. nu 2. Iustin Dial. cum Trypho post med Irenae li. 4. c. 12. And S. Augustine li. 17 c. 20 de ciu Dei li. 1 cont adu leg proph c. 18. li. â— de bapt c. 19 S. Leo ser 8 de Passione and others do expresly auouch that this one Sacrifice hath succeded al other and fulfilled al other differences of
And that to haue been the errour of the Hebrues you may read in S. Augustine li. 3. doct Christ c. 6. And this vve tel the Protestants is the onely purpose of the Apostle But they be so grosse or ignorant in the Scriptures and so malitiously set against Gods and the Churches truth that they peruersely and folishly turne the vvhole disputation against the sacrifice of the B. Masse and the Priests of the new Testament as though vve held that the sacrifice of the altar vvere the general redemption or redeeming sacrifice or that it had no relation to Christes death or that it vvere not the representation and most liuely resemblance of the same or vvere not instituted and done to apply in particular to the vse of the partakers that other general benefite of Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse Against the Ievves then onely S. Paul disputeth and against the false opinion they had of their Priests and sacrifices to vvhich they attributed al remission and redemption vvithout respect of Christes death 15. Of those preuarications The Protestants do vnlearnedly imagine that because al sinnes be remitted by the force of Christes passion that therfore there should be no other sacrifice after his death Vvhereas in deede they might as vvell say there ought neuer to haue been sacrifice appointed by God either in the lavv of Nature or of Moyses as al their argumeÌ„ts made against the Sacrifice of the Church vpon the Apostles discourse proue as vvel or rather onely that there vvere no sacrifices of Aarons order or Leuitical lavv at all For against the Ievves false opinion concerning them doth he dispute and not a vvord touching the sacrifice of the Church vnto vvhich â—n al this discourse he neuer opposeth Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse al Christian men vvel knovving that the host oblation of those tvvo though they differ in maner and external forme yet is in deede al one The Apostle then shevveth here plainely that al the sinnes that euer vvere remitted since the beginning of the vvorld vvere no othervvise forgiuen but by the force and in respect of Christes Passion Yet it folovveth not therevpon that the oblations of Abel Abraham Aaron c vvere no sacrifices as by the Heretikes foolish deduction it should do S. Paul not opposing Christes Passion to them for the intent to proue them to haue been no sacrifices but to proue that they vvere not absolute sacrifices nor the redeeming or consummating Sacrifice vvhich could not be many nor done by many Priests but by one and at one time by a more excellent Priest theÌ„ any of them or any other mere mortal man And that you may see the blasphemous pride and ignorance of Caluin and in him of al his fellovves read so many as may read Heretical bookes his commentarie vpon this place and there you shal see him gather vpon this that Christes death had force from the beginning vvas the remedie for al sinnes since the creation of the vvorld therfore there must be no moâ— but that one sacrifice of Christes death Vvhich must needes by his deduction hold as it doth in deede no lesse against the old sacrifices then the nevv sacrifice of the Church and so take avvay al vvhich is against the Apostles meaning and al religion 20. This is the bloud Christes death vvas necessarie for the full confirmation ratification and accomplishement of the nevv Testament though it vvas begonne to be dedicated in the sacrifice of his last supper being also vvithin the compasse of his Passion Vvhich is euident by the vvordes prouounced by Christ ouer the holy chalice vvhich be correspondent to the vvordes that vvere spoken as the Apostle here declareth in the first sacrifice of the dedication of the old lavv hauing also expresse mention of remission of sinnes thereby as by the bloud of the nevv Testament Vvhereby it is plaine that the B. Chalice of the altar hath the very sacrificall bloud in it that vvas shed vpon the Crosse in by vvhich the nevv Testament vvhich is the lavv of spirit grace and remission vvas dedicated and doth consist And therfore it is also cleere that many diuine things vvhich to the Heretikes or ignorant may seeme to be spoken onely of Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse be in deede verified fulfilled also in the sacrifice of the altar Vvhereof S. Paul for the causes aforesaid vvould not treate in plaine termes See Isychius li. 1 in Leuit. c. 4 paulo post initium applying al these things to the immolation of Christ also in the Sacrament 23. The examplers Al the offices places vessels and instruments of the old lavv vvere but figures and resemblances of the state and sacraments of the nevv Testament vvhich are here called celestials for that they are the liuely image of the heauenly state next ensuing vvhich be therfore specially dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud sacrificed on the altar and sprinkled vpon the faithful as the old figures and people vvere cleansed by the bloud of beasts And therfore by a transition vsual in the holy Scriptures the Apostle sodenly passeth in the senteÌ„ce immediatly folovving and turneth his talke to Christes entrance into heauen the state vvhereof both by the Sacraments of the old lavv and also more specially by them of the nevv is prefigured 25. Offer him self often As Christ neuer died but once not neuer shal die againe so in that violent painful and blouddy sort he can neuer be offered againe neither needeth he so to be offered any more hauing by that one action of sacrifice vpon the Crosse made the full ransom redemption and remedie for the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Neuerthelesse as Christ died and vvas offered after a sort in all the sacrifices of the Lavv and Nature since the beginning of the vvorld al vvhich vvere figures of this one oblation vpon the Crosse so is he much rather offered in the sacrifice of the altar of the nevv Testament incomparably more neerely diuinely and truely expressing his death his body broken his bloud shed then did any figure of the old lavv or other sacrifice that euer vvas as being in deede though in hidden sacramental and mysticall and vnblouddy maner the very self same B. body and bloud the self same host oblation and sacrifice that vvas doue vpon the Crosse And this truth is most euident by the very forme of vvordes vsed by our Sauiour in the institution and consecration of the holy Sacrament and by the profession of all the holy Doctors Our sacrifice saith S. Cyprian is correspondent to the Passion of Christ And The sacrifice that vve offer is the Passion of Christ ep 63. nu 4. nu 7. S. Augustine de fâ—d ad Pet. c. 19. In those carnal sacrifices vvas the prosiguring of the flesh of Christ vvhich he vvas to offer for sinnes and of the bloud vvhich he vvas to sheads but in this Sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ vvhich
he hath novv giuen and of the bloud vvhich he hath shed in illis praenuntiabarut occidendus in hoc annuntiatur occisus In them he vvas forshevved as to be killed in these he is shevved as killed And S. Gregorie Naziaâ—â—â—â— saith oral in morbum that the Priest in this sacrifice immiscet se magnis Chrisi Passionibus S. Ambrose li. 1. Offic. c. 48. Offertur Christus in imagine quasi recipiens passionem Alexander the first ep 〈◊〉 Orthodox nu 4. 〈◊〉 1. Conc. Cuius corpus sanguis conficitur passio etiam celebratur S. Gregorie ho. 37 in Euang. So often as vve offer the host of his Passion so often vve removve his Passion And He suffeteth for vs againe in mysterie And Isychius li. 26. â— in Leuit. post mâ—d By the sacrifice of the onely-begotten many thinges are giuen vnto vs to vvitte the remission or pardoning of al mankinde and the singular introduction or bringing in of the mysteries of the nevv Testament And the said fathers and others by reason of the difference in the maner of Christes presence and oblation in respect of that on the Crosse called this the vnblouddy sacrifice as * Caluin him self confesseth but ansvvereth them in the pride of hereticall spirit vvith these vvordes Nihil moror quòd siâ— loquantur vttusti scriptores that is I passe not for it that the auncient vvriters do so speake calling the distinction of blouddy and vnblouddy sacrifice scholasticall and friuolous and diabolicum commentâ—â—m a diuelish deuise Vvith such ignorant and blasphemous men vve haue to do that thinke they vnderstand the Scriptures better then all the fathers CHAP. X. Because in the yerely feast of Expiation vvas only a commoration of sinnes therfore in place of al those old sacrifices the Psalme telleth vs of the oblation of Christes body 10 vvhich he offered blouddily but once the Leuitical Priests offering so euery day because that once vvas sufficient for euer 15 in that it purchased as the prophet also vvitnesseth remission of sinnes 19 After al this he prosecuteth and exhorteth them vnto perseuirance partly vvith the opening of Heauen by our high-priest 26 partly vvith the terrour of damnation if they fall againe 32 bidding them remember hovv much they had suffered already and not lose their revvard verse 1 FOR the lavv hauing ″ a shadovv of good things to come not the very image of the things euery yere vvith the self same hostes which they offer incessantly can neuer make the commers thereto perfect ✠verse 2 othervvise ″ they should haue ceased to be offered because the vvorshippers once cleansed should haue no conscience of sinne any longer ✠verse 3 but in them there is made a coÌ„memotation of sinne euery yere ✠verse 4 for it is ″ impossible that vvith the bloud of oxen and goates sinnes should be taken avvay ✠verse 5 Therfore comming into the vvorld he saith ″ Host and oblation thou vvouldest not ″ but a body thou hast fitted to me ✠verse 6 Holocaustes and for sinne did not please thee ✠verse 7 Then said I Behold I come in the head of the booke it is vvritten of me That I may doe thy vvil ô God ✠verse 8 Saying before Because hostes and oblations holocaustes for sinne thou vvouldest not ″ neither did they please thee vvhich are offered according to the lavv ✠verse 9 then said I Behold I come that I may doe thy vvil ô God he taketh avvay the first that he may establish that that folovveth ✠verse 10 In the vvhich vvil vve are sanctified by the oblation of the body of IESVS Christ once ✠verse 11 And euery priest in deede is ready daily ministring and ″ often offering the same hostes vvhich can neuer take avvay sinnes ✠verse 12 but this man offering one host for sinnes for euer * sitteth on the right hand of God ✠verse 13 hence forth expecting vntil his enemies be put the footestoole of his feete ✠verse 14 For by one oblation hath he consummated for euer them that are sanctified ✠verse 15 And the holy Ghost also doth testifie to vs. For after that he said ✠verse 16 And this is the Testament vvhich I vvil make to them after those daies saith our Lord giuing lavves in their hartes in their mindes vvil I superscribe them ✠verse 17 and their sinnes and iniquities I vvil novv remeÌ„ber no more ✠verse 18 But vvhere there is remission of these ″ novv there is not an oblation for sinnes ✠verse 19 Hauing therfore brethren confidence in the entring of he holies in the bloud of Christ ✠verse 20 vvhich he hath dedicated to vs a nevv and liuing vvay by the vele that is his flesh ✠verse 21 and a high priest ouer the house of God ✠verse 22 let vs approche vvith a true hart in fulnesse of faith hauing our hartes sprinkled from euil consciencel and our body vvashed vvith cleane vvater ✠verse 23 let vs hold the confession of our hope vndeclining for he is faithful that hath promised ✠verse 24 and let vs consider one an other vnto the prouocation of charitie and of good vvorkes ✠verse 25 not forsaking our assemblie as some are accustomed but comforting and so much the more as you see the day approching ✠verse 26 * For ″ if vve sinne vvillingly after the knovvledge of the truth receiued novv there is not left an host for sinnes ✠verse 27 but a certaine terrible expectation of iudgement and rage of fire vvhich shal consume the aduersaries ✠verse 28 A man making the lavv of Moyses frustrate vvithout any mercie * dieth vnder tvvo or three vvitnesses ✠verse 29 hovv much more thinke you doth he deserue vvorse punishements vvhich hath troden the sonne of God vnder foote and estemed ″ the bloud of the testament polluted vvherein he is sanctified and hath done contumelie to the spirit of grace ✠verse 30 For vve knovv him that said Reuenge to me I vvil repay And againe That our Lord vvil iudge his people ✠verse 31 ″ It is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God ✠verse 32 But call to minde the old daies vvherein being illuminated you sustained a great fight of passions ✠verse 33 and on the one part certes by reproches and tribulations made a spectacle and on the other part made companions of them that conuersed in such sort ✠verse 34 For ″ you both had compassion on them that vvere in bondes and the spoile of your ovvne goodes you tooke ″ vvith ioy knovving that you haue a better and a permanent substaÌ„ce ✠verse 35 Do not therfore leese your confidence vvhich hath a great remuneration ✠verse 36 For patience is necessarie for you that doing the vvil of God you may receiue the promise ✠verse 37 For * yet a litle and a very litle
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
shal goe out no more and I vvil vvrite vpon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God nevv Hierusalem vvhich descendeth out of heauen from my God and my nevv name ✠verse 13 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ✠verse 14 And to the Angel of the Church of Laodicia vvrite Thus saith Amen the faithful and true vvitnesse * vvhich is the beginning of the creature of God ✠verse 15 I knovv thy vvorkes that thou art neither colde nor hote I vvould thou vvere colde or hote ✠verse 16 But because thou art ″ lukevvarme and neither cold nor hote I vvil begin to vomite thee out of my mouth ✠verse 17 Because thou saiest That I am riche and enriched and lacke nothing and knovvest not that thou art a miser and miserable and poore and blinde and naked ✠verse 18 I counsel thee to bye of me gold fire-tried that thou maiest be made riche and maiest be clothed in vvhite garmentes that the confusion of thy nakednes appeare not and vvith eie salue anoint thine eies that thou maiest see ✠verse 19 I * vvhom I loue do rebuke and chastise Be zelous therfore and doe penance ✠verse 20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man shal heare my voice and open the gate I vvil enter in to him and vvil suppe vvith him and he vvith me ✠verse 21 He that shal ouercome I vvil giue vnto him to sitte vvith me in my throne as I also haue ouercome and haue sitten vvith my father in his throne ✠verse 22 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III 5. He that shal ouercome In al these speaches to diuers Bishops and their Churches he continually encourageth them to constancie in faith and good life by setting before their eies the revvard of the next life And yet the Caluinists vvould haue no man do good in respect of such revvard 9. Adore before thy feete You see this vvord of adoration is in Scriptures vsed for vvorship of creatures also and that to fall before the feete of holy men or Angels for duety and reuerence is not idolatrie except the proper honour due to God be giuen vnto them See the Annotations vpō the 19 22 Chapter concerning the Apostles prostration before the Angel And the Aduersaries euasion saying that the adoration vvas of God onely and that before the feete of the partie signifieth nothing els but in his presence is false and against the phrase of Scriptures as 4 Reg. 4. vvhere the Sunamite adored Elisaeus falling dovvne before his feete and 4 Reg. 2. the sonnes of the Prophets adored him in the same sort and here this adoration can not be meant but of the Bishop or Angel of Philadelphia because he promiseth this honour as a revvard and as an effecte of his loue tovvardes him saying And they shal knovv that I haue loued thee And that vvhich he saith in the 22 Chapter I fel dovvne to adore before the feete of the Angel the very same he expresseth thus in the 19 Chapters I fel before his feete to adore him making it al one to adore before his feete and to adore him 11. That no man take thy crovvn◠That is his crovvne of euerlasting life and glorie if he perseuêre not to the end in faith good vvorkes othervvise an other shal enter into his place as Mathias did both to the dignitie of the Apostleship to the heauenly crovvne due for the vvel vsing and executing of the same function vvhich Iudas might and should haue had if he had perseuêred to the end and as the Gentiles came into the grace and place of the Ievves Other difficulties concerning this kinde of speache are resolued in Schoolemen and are not here to be stoode vpon 16. Lukevvarms Zeale and feruour is commendable specially in Gods cause and the Neuters that be neither hote nor cold are to Christ and his Church burdenous and lothsome as luke-vvarme vvater is to a mans stomake prouoking him to vomite and therfore he threateneth to void vp such Neuters out of his mouth CHAP. IIII. 1. A doore being open in heauen he savv one sitting in a throne 4 and round about him foure and tvventie seniors sitting 6 and the foure beastes here described 9 vvhich vvith the 24 seniors continually glorified him that sate in the throne verse 1 AFTER these thinges I looked and behold a doore open in heauen and the first voice which I heard vvas as it vvere of a trompet speaking vvith me saying Come vp hither and I vvil shevv thee the thinges vvhich must be done quickly after these ✠verse 2 Immediatly I vvas in spirit and behold there vvas a seate sette in heauen and vpon the seate one sitting ✠verse 3 And he that sate vvas like in sight to the Iasper stone and the Sardine and there vvas a raine-bovv round about the seate like to the sight of an Emeraud ✠verse 4 And round about the seate foure and tvventie seates and vpon the thrones foure and twentie seniors sitting clothed about in vvhite garmentes and on their heades crovvnes of gold ✠verse 5 And from the throne proceeded lightenings and voices and thunders and seuen lampes burning before the throne vvhich are the seuen Spirites of God ✠verse 6 And in the sight of the seate as it vvere a sea of glasse like to crystall and in the middes of the seate and round about the seate foure beastes ful of eies before and behind ✠verse 7 And the first beast like to a lion and the second beast like to a calfe and the third beast hauing the face as it vvere of a man and the fourth beast like to an egle flying ✠verse 8 And the foure beastes euery one of them had sixe vvinges round about and vvithin they are ful of eies and they had no rest day and night saying ″ Holy Holy Holy Lord God omnipotent vvhich vvas and vvhich is and vvhich shal come ✠verse 9 And vvhen those beastes gaue glorie and honour and benediction to him that sitteth vpon the throne that liueth for euer and euer ✠verse 10 the foure and tvventie seniors fel dovvne before him that sitteth in the throne and adored him that liueth for euer and euer and cast their crownes before the throne saying ✠verse 11 Thou art vvorthie O Lord our God to receiue glorie and honour and povver because thou hast created al thinges and for thy vvil they vvere and haue been created ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 8. Holy holy holy This vvord is thrise repeated here and Esa 6 and to the imitation therof in the seruice of the holy Church at Te Deum and at Masse specially in the Preface next before the great mysteries for the honour of the three persons in the B. Trinitie and that