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
person to forsake the faith of their first Apostles and conuersion at the voice of a few nouellaries seemeth to wise men a very bewitching and senselesse brutishnes Such is the case of our poore countrie Germanie and others The answer That Rome hath forsaken the faith and doctrine taught by their first Apostles Paul and Peter as this Epistle doth most euidently testifie at the voice of their most proud prelats and that other countries haue from thence tasted of the same cup séemeth not to wise worldlings but to the spirit of God and to those that are thereby led and guided a very bewitching and yet withall the iust iudgement of God vpon those that had not or haue not any loue to the truth Thus haue you most manifestly your note returned vpon your selues For Paule and Peter were out of all doubt the Apostles of God and the doctrine deliuered by them voide of all filth and corruptions Galat. 3. 7. The text Know yee therefore that they that are of ⸫ faith the same are the children of Abraham The text This faith wherby Abraham was iustified and his children the Gentiles beleeuing in Christ implieth all Christian vertues of the which the first is faith the ground and foundation of all the rest and therfore here and else where often named of the Apostle The answer Sée your foule shifts when we say faith iustifieth then you vrge against vs a dead faith voide of all Christian vertues yea you go farther for you affirme that all faith and so consequently a true liuely faith may be without charitie Againe on the contrarie side when the force and plainnes of the text driueth you to confesse iustification by faith then faith implieth all Christian vertues So when it may serue your turne things inseparable as true faith hope and charitie must be separated and againe for the like aduantage things distinct must be confounded and one must imply and comprehende an other But for answer we confesse that faith is accompanied with all Christian vertues but neither they nor faith do iustifie by their owne vertue or merit as qualities inherent or resiant in vs. But faith is said to iustifie bicause by it we apprehend and lay hold vpon Christ and his righteousnes which is thereby made ours by Gods imputation And this office is proper to faith and not to any other vertue Galat. 4. 3. The text So we also when we were litle ones were seruing vnder the elements of the world The note That is the rudiments of religion wherein the carnall Iewes were trained vp or the corporall creatures wherin their manifold sacrifices sacraments and rites did consist The answer If the corporall creatures vsed in the multitude of their sacrifices sacraments and rites were an argument of their seruile estate vnder the law then consider the great heape of rites and ceremonies in your church and sée whether they doo not serue to bring Christians into seruitude and bondage againe by making them to serue vnder the elements of the world againe Naie the state of the Iewes was lesse seruile and more tolerable both in respect of number and multitude of ceremonies and in respect of the commander For the greater the dignitie of the commander is the more tolerable and better is the condition and state of the seruant Galat. 4. 14. The text And your tentation in my flesh you despised not neither reiected but as an ⸫ Angell of God you receiued me as Christ Iesus The note So ought all catholike people receiue their teachers in religion with all dutie loue and reuerence The answer The name of catholike being to true catholikes applied wée imbrace your note Galat. 4. 29. The text But ⸫ as then he that was borne according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit so now also The note This mutuall persecution is a figure also of the church iustly persecuting heretikes and contrariwise of the heretikes which be the children of the bond woman vniustly persecuting the catholike church Augustine epist. 48. The answer The text is plaine that he that is after the flesh persecuted him which is after the spirit a plaine figure of your persecuting church The casting out of the bondwoman and her sonne done by Abraham may be drawne by Augustin or some other father to that purpose that you alledge it Galat. 5. 17. The text For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these are aduersaries one to another ⸫ that not whatsoeuer things you will these you do The note Heere men thinke saith Saint Augustine the apostle denieth that we haue free libertie of will not vnderstanding that it is said to them if they will not hold fast the grace of faith conceiued by which onely they can walke in the spirit and not accomplish the concupiscences of the flesh in cap. 5. Gal. The answer The text is plaine against both libertie and abilitie of will And Saint Augustine as you know confesseth that when he wrote this he did not vnderstand that the words were verified of them which were vnder grace and not vnder the law Bicause that though such do not consent to the concupiscence of the flesh against the which in spirit they long yet they would not haue any of those corruptions of the flesh if they might and they do not whatsoeuer they would bicause they would want them and can not But then they shall not haue them when they haue not corruptible flesh Do yée not sée what a patron you haue of S. Augustine and are you not ashamed to alledge that as his which you know he himselfe hath reuoked Galat. 5. 21. The text Which I foretel you as I haue foretold you that they which ⸫ do such things shall not obtaine the kingdome of heauen The note Saint Augustine sheweth hereby that not onely infidelitie is a damnable sinne The answer Wherein we not onely agrée with Saint Augustine but also say farther that willing ignorance the mother of popish deuotion in the which you were woont to nussell your followers is a great and damnable sinne Galat. 6. 9. The text And doing good let vs not faile For in due time we shall ⸫ reape not failing The note The works of mercy be the seede of life euerlasting and the proper cause thereof and not faith onely The answer This is plaine blasphemie to place the proper cause of eternal life and saluation not in Christ but in our selues and in our owne works of mercie which you here most plainely do Your reason is taken out of the metaphor of séede and sowing The vanitie of it is in this that you racke the metaphor beyond the scope and meaning of the apostle For the apostle exhorteth them to liberalitie especially towards their teachers and instructers in the faith To incourage men therunto he telleth them that they shall be as sure or more sure of the rewardes promised of God then the sower shall be to reape that which
in this matter to part stakes with him by chalēging if not one half yet a verie great part by your works satisfactorie meritorious Hebr. 10. 6. The text Holocausts and for ⸫ sinne did not please thee The note For sinne is the proper name of a certaine sacrifice called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as holocaust is another kinde See the annotations 2. Corinths 5. verse 21. The answer To trouble peoples heads with the diuersitie of the sacrifices of the Iewes and their diuers appellations I iudge it not necessarie and therefore I leaue your note as I finde it Hebr. 10. 16. The text And this is the testament which I will make to them after those daies saith our Lord giuing my lawes ⸫ in their hartes and in their mindes will I superscribe them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more The note This is partlie fulfilled by the grace of the new Testament but it shal be perfectlie accomplished in heauen The answer This note I will not impugne but it commeth as a rose among nettles which a man can hardlie cul out without stinging of his handes Hebr. 10. 20. The text Hauing therefore brethren confidence in the entring of the holies in the blood of Christ which ⸫ he hath dedicated to vs a new and liuing way by the vaile that is his flesh c. The note To dedicate is to be the author and beginner of a thing The protestants translate he hath prepared for their heresie that Christ was not the first man that entered into heauen The answer Wée shunne not the word dedicate which you your selues haue borrowed of a protestant for it is as good and fit as the other And you charge vs wrongfullie with that which we holde not for we all affirme that Christ was the first man that euer caried the whole humane nature substance of man consisting of an humane bodie and of a reasonable soule into heauen Hebr. 10. 29. The text A man making the Lawe of Moises frustrate without anie mercie dieth vnder two or three witnesses ⸫ how much more thinke doth he deserue worse punishment which hath troden the sonne of God vnder foote and esteemed the blood of the Testament polluted wherein he is sanctified and done contumelie to the spirit of grace The note Heresie and Apostasie from the Catholike faith punishable by death The answer This doth plainly and manifestly reprooue the ouermuch clemencie vsed in this Realme and Church of England towarde froward and obstinate papists who by your owne conclusion are by Gods lawes punishable by death Hebr. 10. 35. The text Do not therfore loose your ⸫ confidence which hath a great remuneration The note Good works make great confidence of saluation and haue great rewarde The answer Good works being testimonies of our election fruits of our faith witnesses that we be led and guided by the spirit of God do nourish and increase our confidence in God whom we knowe to haue adopted vs in Christ for his children It is true also that God doth most liberally reward all good things which he worketh in his children Hebr. 11. 1. The text And faith is ⸫ the substance of things to be hoped for the argument of things not appearing The note By this word substance is ment that faith is the ground of our hope The answer Or rather that faith is the very substance and being of things which yet appéere not nor are not séene and therefore are hoped for Hebr. 11. 5. The text By faith ⸫ Henoch was translated that he should not see death and he was not found bicause God translated him The note Heere it appeereth that Henoch yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinists See the Annot. chap. 11. Apoc. The answer Why do you not couple Saint Paule with the Caluinists doth not he saie that death reigned ouer all from Adam to Moyses Was not Henoch one of these all or did he not liue within the time there limited yet it is true that Enoch and Elias did not die after the common and ordinarie maner of other men but were translated and haue in extraordinarie maner and sort deposed the corruptible flesh that with Christ they may enioy blessed rest and quietnes Hebr. 11. ◠The text But without faith it is impossible to please God for he that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and is a ⸫ rewarder to them that seeke him The note We must beleeue that God will reward all our good works for he is a rewarder of true iustice not an accepter or imputer of that that is not The answer It is true that God of his goodnes and bountie will rewarde euery good worke and it is true that God rewardeth true iustice that is the good that they do that in sinceritie and truth séeke him though it deserue none But that which you adde sheweth that you care not how directly you oppose your selues to the truth of Gods word so that you may bleare the eies of the simple with somewhat Is not the iustice of Christ our iustice is it in vs reallie or by imputation Héeretofore you haue séemed to haue bent your force to prooue some iustice besides imputatiue iustice and now you would haue imputatiue iustice quite strooken out of the booke least God should be an imputer of that which is not Our sinnes were not in Christ and yet they were imputed to Christ and Christ was punished for them why shall it not then stand as well with Gods iustice that though Christs iustice be not actually and really in vs yet it be both imputed to vs and we crowned and rewarded for it Hebr. 11. 19. The text Wherevpon he receiued him also ⸫ for a parable The note That is in figure and mysterie of Christ dead and aliue againe The answer The truth of this note we acknowledge Hebr. 11. 22. The text By faith Ioseph dieng made mention of the going foorth of the children of Israell and gaue commandement ⸫ concerning his bones The note The translation of relikes or saints bodies and the due regard and honor we ought to haue to the same are prooued hereby The answer Ioseph in this commandement touching his bones shewed his assured faith and constant beléefe that God in his good time would kéepe and performe his promise touching the inheritance of the land of Canaan The children of Israell in translating his bones shewed their care of truth in kéeping the promise which they made vnto him The honor yea all the honor they did to him or his bones when they came into the lande of promise and were possessed of it was to sée him or them honestly laide in the graue What maketh all this for your superstitions The saints of God neither gaue you nor your fathers charge to translate their bones The cause of your translating them was not any due regard to them but profit to your selues by making marchandise of their carkasses and by abusing
yoke of the law with the fond and heauie additions of their late masters called Deuteroses The heretikes to make it sound to the simple against the traditions of the church corrupt the text thus Which you haue receiued by tradition of the father The answer Two things we sée in your note First an exposition what is héere meant by traditions secondly a fond quarell to our translations First you affirme boldly without blushing that héere by tradition the errors of gentilitie are meant But bicause that carieth not so much as any probable shew therefore presently you flie from it saieng if he wrote to the Iewes then he c. As if any man could doubt to whom he wrote when both he was the Apostle of circumcision and also he nameth them to whom he wrote strangers of the dispersion of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia It is manifest that the Iewes at that time dwelt in euery part of these countries as strangers dispersed héere and there which cannot with any shew for proofe be imagined of any nation besides Your yoking of Gods law with those traditions or additions called Deuteroses sheweth your vile and base estimation of Gods word But as whatsoeuer the Iewes had frō their fathers added to Gods lawe was cause of vaine conuersation so also your additions to the Gospell of Christ called traditions are causes of like vanitie and vnprofitable trauell and labor in them that vse them Your quarrell to our translations is but méere wrangling sith your translation hath the same in effect for how could the fathers deliuer except the sonnes receiued or how were they deliuered by Christ from their vaine cōuersation if they had not receiued it first But wranglers will neuer leaue cauilling 1. Pet. 2. 9. The text But you are an elect generatiō a ⸫ kingly priesthood an holie nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues which from darknes hath called you into his maruelous light The note The protestants can no more gather of this that all Christians be priests than that al be kings as is most plaine Apocalypse 1. 6. and 5. 10 Thou hast made vs a kingdome or kings and priests The answer We gather both the one and the other and we know of none other sacrifices now to be offered to God but those which euerie Christian man and woman are bound to offer and therefore we néed not your sacrificing priests with their paltrie 1. Pet. 2. 13. The text Be subiect therefore to euerie ⸫ humane creature for God whether it be to the king as excelling c. The note So is the Greeke but the protestants in fauor of temporal lawes made against the catholike religion translate it very falsely thus To all maner ordinance of man themselues boldly reiecting ecclesiasticall decrees as mens ordinances The answer The Gréeke scholiast whom I hope you will neither accuse of corrupt meaning nor denie that he vnderstood the Gréeke interpreteth it as we translate By ordinances of man we vnderstand not as you slander vs lawes of men but princes and magistrates elected appointed and created by men The decrées of your church we reiect as well bicause that they being but the ordinances of men are obtruded in the place and stead of Gods law as also bicause we acknowledge no dutie of subiection to the makers and ordeiners of them being to vs English men méere stangers to whom we owe no more dutie than to any other forrem potentates 1. Pet. 2. 17. The text ⸫ Loue the fraternitie The note In this speech is often commended the vnitie of al Christians amongst themselues The answer Which vnitie you haue broken many waies First in cutting your selues from the churches of the east parts of the world Secondly in falling from the ancient faith which the church of Rome it selfe first of all in old time professed Thirdly in your obstinate opposing your selues now to those that retaine kéepe and hold fast the ancient holie catholike faith deliuered by Christ and his Apostles to the church 1. Pet. 3. 1. The text In the like maner let the women be subiect to their husbands that if any beleeue not the word by the conuersation of the women without the word they may be woon considering your chaste conuersation in feare The note How women should behaue themselues towards their husbands The answer Which counsell and prescription all godly matrones imbrace 1. Pet. 3. 3. The text Whose trimming let it not be outwardly the plaiting of haire or laieng on of gold round about or putting on vestures c. The note Against the proud curious and costly attire of women wherein this ill time of ours exceedeth The answer Iniquitie decreaseth not towards the latter end 1. Pet. 3. 7. The text Husbands likewise dwelling with them according to knowledge as vnto the weaker feminine vessell imparting honor as it were to the coheires also of grace of life that your praiers be not hindered The note How husbands should behaue themselues towards their wiues The answer Which good lesson God grant all married men may kéepe and obserue In which lesson one thing is to be obserued that married men may so dwell with their wiues that their praieng be not thereby hindered contrary to that which in your notes you haue diuers times affirmed 1. Pet. 4. 6. The text For for this cause also was ⸫ it euangelized to the dead that they may be iudged indeed according to men in the flesh but may liue according to God in the spirit The note It hath the same difficultie and sense that the other word haue before 1. Chap. 3. See the annotation there v. 19. and S. August epist. 69. and Oecumenius vpon this place The answer Time is the daughter of truth and therefore things that somtimes seemed obscure are in time reuealed made open and plain and so is this The sense is plaine The Gospell was preached in former ages to them that are now dead Christ by his spirit preached to the rebellious and disobedient people which liued in the daies of Noe. Your annotation which you refer vs vnto is friuolous grounded vpon a malicious slander that we denie Christs descending into hell wheras we onely denie the popish sense and interpretation of that article And concerning Augustine your note booke once againe deceiued you For in the place which you quote there is nothing touching this matter but in his 99. epistle he handleth this place and especially the former in the thirde chapter at large concerning Christs preaching to disobedient persons in the daies of Noe. Where after that by many reasons he had prooued that your opinion whereby you apply this place to Christs descending into hell can by no meanes stand he enclineth though not fully and certainly that it is not ment at all of Christs descending into hell and rather thinketh that Peter meaneth that those times of Noe were a figure of our times and the generall disobedience then a figure
things which must be done quickly after these The note The second vision in which is represented vnto vs the glorie and maiestie of God in heauen and the incessant honor and praises of all angels and saints assisting him Which is resembled in the daily honor done to him by all orders and sorts of holy men in the church militant also The answer If all orders in heauen giue all honor glorie and power to God alone and his Christ how dare you then miserable caitifes part the glorie of mans saluation betwéene God and your selues Is that thinke you a resemblance of the incessant honor and praises of his angels and saints in heauen Apoc. 4. 6. The text And in the sight of the seate as it were a sea of glasse like to Christall and in the midst of the seat round about the seat ⸫ fower beasts full of eies before and behind The note These fower beasts and the like described in the first of Ezechiel by the iudgement of the holy doctors signifie the fower Euangelists and in them all true preachers The man Matthew the lion Marke the calfe Luke the eagle Iohn See the causes heereof in the summe of the fower Euangelists pag. 1. S. Gregorie in Ezechiel The answer The causes alledged why by the fower beasts fower Euangelists should be signified are in my iudgement very slender and friuolous But whether they be signified or els whether as other interpreters affirme they do represent Gods wisedome might diligence spéedinesse or facilitie in bringing all things to passe I will not contend neither with Gregorie nor you Apoc. 5. 1. The text And I sawe in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne ⸫ a booke written within and without sealed with seuen seales The note The third vision Saint Gregorie taketh it to be the booke of holie scriptures libr. 4. dialog 6. 42. The answer Saint Gregories interpretation doeth verie well please vs and I hope bicause you alledge it it can not dislike you we will therefore adde some thing which the text it selfe doth manifestly offer vnto vs to be obserued First in that it is written within and without it manifestlie appéereth that there is no roome left for your additions called traditions Secondlie it is fast and safe sealed that with seuen seales by which so diligent and so close sealing vp it is manifest that it is vtterlie vnlawfull to adde to diminish to alter anie thing for that to do in a sealed euidence is no better then méere forgerie Apoc. 5. 3. The text And no man was able neither in heauen nor in earth nor ⸫ vnder the earth to open the booke nor to looke on it The note He speaketh not of the damned in hell of whom there could be no question but of the faithfull in Abrahams bosome and in purgatorie The answer Surelie you can spie daie at a very little hole that can picke purgatorie out of this place he speaketh of men vnder the earth but he can not meane of hel and therefore he must néedes meane of purgatorie First graues are vnder the earth and therefore it may be he meaneth neither hell nor purgatorie But I pray you tell vs how do you know he meaneth not hell bicause it was out of al doubt and past question that among the damned there could be none found worthie to open the booke And doeth not the same reason prooue that he could meane purgatorie or Limbus patrum or may it be like to finde some worthier there then could be found in earth or in heauen You knowe well inough that your fond followers will not séeke to examine the truth of anie thing you set downe and therefore you dare deale thus looselie that euerie bodie that will not wilfullie be blinde may sée your absurdities But to leaue your follies I sée that you are amongst those to whom this booke is yet shut and not opened and therefore no maruell though you want vnderstanding Apoc. 5. 5. The text And one of the seniors said to me weepe not behold the ⸫ Lion of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid hath wonne to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof The note So did Iacob Genesis 49. call Christ for his kinglie fortitude in subduing the world vnto him The answer That Christ is called héere the Lion of the tribe of Iudah it is apparant but whether by allusion to that place of Genesis which you cite may be doubted but thereof I will not mooue anie contention Apoc. 5. 6. The text And I sawe and behold in the middest of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middest of the seniors ⸫ a lambe standing as it were slaine hauing seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirits of God sent into all the earth The note So Christ is called for that he is the immaculate host or sacrifice for our sinnes The answer By allusion vnto Moises law bicause the lambe appointed for sacrifice must haue neither maime nor spot Apoc. 5. 9. The text Thou art worthie ô Lord to take the booke and to open the seales thereof ⸫ bicause thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy blood out of euery tribe and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs to our God a kingdome and priestes and we shall reigne vpon the earth The note This maketh against the Caluinistes who are not content to say that we merite not but that Christ merited not for him selfe Caluin philip 2. verse 9. The answer Let vs then sée how this prooueth that Christ merited for him selfe Thou art worthie O Lord c. bicause thou wast slaine Ergo his death and passion was the cause of his worthinesse and made him worthie I pray you you I say that thinke this so inuincible a proofe and so necessarie a consequence tell me whether Christ being the eternall sonne of the Father were vnworthie this honor afore his incarnation and consequentlie afore his death and passion I suppose you dare not say that he was vnworthie before especiallie séeing he durst not aske of his Father greater glory then he was afore possessed of with the father If he were worthie before and so continued then could not his merits which came after be the cause of his worthinesse and so consequentlie he him selfe in our nature did not merit for him selfe this worthinesse which he had before But his honor and glorie to the which he hath aduanced our nature was a consequent of his abasing and the coniunctions in those places note rather an order and consequence then a cause Apoc. 5. 13. The text And euerie creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein all did I heare saieng To him that sitteth in the throne ⸫ and to the lambe benediction and honor glorie and power for euer and euer The note All the said creatures are bound to giue honor