Ecclesiast Hier. c. 1 part â— in princip and before the receiuing the vvhole Church of God crieth vpon it Domine non sum digniâ—s Deus propitius este mihi peccators Lambe of God that takest avvay the sinnes of the vvorld haue mercie on vs. And for better discerning of this diuine meate vve are called from common profane houses to Gods Churchs for this vve are forbidden to make it in vulge apparel and are appointed sacred solemne vestiments Hiero. in Epitaph Nâ—pot li. 2 adu Pelag. c. 9. Paulinus ep 12 ad Seuer Io. Diaco in vit D. Greg. li. 3 c. 59. For this is the halovving of Corporals and Chalices Ambr. 2 Off. c. 28. Nazianz Orat. ad Arianos Optatuâ— li. 6 in initio for this profane tables are remoued and altars consecrated August Ser de temp 255. for this the very Priests them selues are honorable chast sacred Hiero. ep 1 ad Heliodorum c. â— Liâ— adu Iouin c. 19 Ambros in 1 Tim. 3. for this the people is forbidden to touch it vvith coÌ„mon hands Nazianz. orat ad Aâ—â—anoâ— in initio for this great care and solicitude is taken that no part of either kinde fall to the ground Cyril Hieros mystag 5 in fine Orig. ho. 13 in c. 25 Exod. for this sacred prouision is made that if any hosts or parts of the Sacrament do remaine vnreceiued they be most religiously reserued vvith al honour and diligence possible and for this examination of consciences confession continencie as S. Augustine saith receiuing it fasting Thus dovve Catholikes and the Church of God discerne the holy Body and bloud by S. Paules rule not onely from your profane bread and vâ—ine vvhich not by any secrete abuse of your Curats or Clerkes but by the very order of your booke the Minister if any remaine after your Communion may take home vvith him to his ovvne vse and therfore is no more holy by your ovvne iudgement then the rest of his meates but from al other either vulgar or sanctified meates as the Catechumens bread and our vsual holy bread If al this be plaine and true and you haue nothing agreable to the Apostles nor Christes institution but al cleanâ— contrarie then imporet vobis Deus and confound you for not discerning his holy Body and for conculcating the bloud of the nevv Testament â—0 Many sleepe Vve see here by this it is a fearful case and crime to defile by sinne as much as in vs lieth the body of Christin the Sacrament seeing God strooke many to death for it in the Primitiue Church and punished others by greuous sicknes No maruel that so many strange diseases and deaths fall vpon vs novv in the vvorld 31. Iudge your selues Vve may note here that it is not ynough onely to sinne no more or to repent lightly of that vvhich is past but that vve should punish our selues according to the vveight of the faults past and forgiuen and also that God vvil punish vs by temporal scourges in this life or the next if vve do not make our selues very cleane before vve come to receiue his holy Sacrament vvhose heaâ—y hands vve may escape by punishing our selues by fasting and other penance 33. Expect one an other Returning novv to their former fault and disorder for the vvhich he tooke this occasion to talke of the holy Sacrament and hovv great a fault it is to come vnvvorthely to it he exhorteth them to keepe their said suppers or feastes in vnitie peace and sobrietie the riche expecting the poore c. 34. I vvil dispose Man particular orders decrees moe then be here or in any other booke of the nevv Testament expresly vvritten did the Apostles as we see here and namely S. Paul to the Corinthians set dovvne by tradition vvhich our vvhole ministration of the MASSE is agreable vnto as the substance of the Sacrifice and Sacrament is by the premisses proued to be most consonant Caluins supper and Communion in al points vvholy repugnant to the same And that it agreeth not to these other not vvritteÌ„ traditions they easely confesse The * Apostles deliuered vnto the Church to take it onely fasting they care not for it The Apostles taught the Church to consecrate by the vvordes and the signe of the Crosse vvithout vvhich saith S. Augustine tract in Io. 118. Ser. â—5 in append Chrys ho. 〈◊〉 in 16 Mat. no Sacrament is rightly perfited the Protestants haue takeÌ„ it avvay The Apostles taught the Church to keepe * a Memorie or inuocatioÌ„ of Saincts in this Sacrifice the Caluinists haue none The Apostles decreed that in this Sacrifice there should be special praiers for the dead Chrys ho. in ep ad Philip. Aug. de cur pro mort c. 1 they haue none Likewise that water should be mixed with the winâ— and so forth See Annot. in c. 11 〈◊〉 23. Bread Therfore if Caluin had made his new administration according to all the Apostles written wordes yet not knovving how many things beside the Apostle had to prescribe in these wordes Catera cum venerâ— disponam the rest I wil dispose when I come he could not haue satisfied any wise man in his new chaunge But now seeing they are fallen to so palpable blindnes that their doing is directly opposite to the very Scripture also which they pretend to folow onely and haue quite destroied both the name substance and al good accidents of Christes principal Sacrament we trust al the world wil see their folly and impudencie CHAP. XII They must not make their diuersitle of Giftes an occasion of Schisme considering that al are of one Holy Ghost and for the profit of the one body of Christ vvhich in the Church 12 Vvhich also could not be a body vvithout such varietie of members 12 Therfore neither they that haue the inferiour giftes must be discontent seing it is Gods distribution nor they that haue the greater contemne the other considering they are no lesse necessarie 25 but al in al ioyne together 2â— and euery one knovv his ovvne place verse 1 ANd concerning spiritual things I vvil not haue you ignoraÌ„t brethren ✠verse 2 You know that vvhen you vvere heathen you vvent to dumme Idols according as you vvere ledde ✠verse 3 Therfore I doe you to vnderstand that no maÌ„ speaking in the Spirit of God saith anáthema to IESVS And no man can say Our Lord IESVS but in the holy Ghost ✠verse 4 And there are diuisions of graces but one Spirit ✠verse 5 Andthere are diuisions of ministrations but one Lord. ✠verse 6 And there are diuisions of operations but one God vvhich vvorketh al in al. ✠verse 7 And the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen vnto euery one to profit ✠verse 8 To one certes by the Spirit is giuen the vvord of vvisedom and to an other the vvord of knovvledge according to the same Spirit ✠verse 9 to an other
euery one of them one and it vvas said to them that they should rest yet a litle time ″ til their fellovv-seruaÌ„tes be complete and their brethren that are to be slaine euen as they ✠verse 12 And I savv vvhen he had opened the sixt seale and behold there vvas made a great earth-quake and the sunne became blacke as it vvere sacke cloth of heare and the vvhole moone became as bloud ✠verse 13 and the starres from heauen fel vpoÌ„ the earth as the figge tree casteth her greene figges when it is shaken of a great vvinde ✠verse 14 and heauen departed as a booke folded together and euery hil and ilandes vvere moued out of their places ✠verse 15 And the kinges of the earth princes and tribunes and the riche and the strong and euery bond-man and free-man * hid them selues in the dennes and the rockes of mountaines ✠verse 16 And they say to the mountaines and the rockes * Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe ✠verse 17 because the great day of their wrath is come and vvho shal be able to stand ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 9. Vnder the altar Christ as man no doubt is this altar vnder vvhich the soules of al Martyrs liue in heauen expecting their bodies as Christ their head hath his body there already And for correspondence to their place of state in heauen the Church saieth commonly their bodies also or relikes neere or vnder the altars vvhere our Sauiour body is offered in the holy Masse and hath a special prouiso that no altars be erected or consecrated vvithout some part of a Saincts body or relikes Conâ— Asrican can 50. Carthag 5. can 14. See S. Hierom cont vigilant c. 3. S. Augustine de ciuit li. 8. c. 27. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 50. li. 1. ep 52. li. 2 ep 58. Vvher vnto the Prophet seemeth here to allude making their soules also to haue their being in heauen as it vvere vnder the altar But for this purpose note vvel the vvordes of S. Augustine or vvhat other auncient writer soeuer vvas the author thereof Ser. 11 de Sanctis Vnder the altar saith he of God I savv the soules of the slaine What is more reuerent or honorable then to rest vnder that altar on vvhich sacrifice is done to God and in vvhich our Lord is the Priest as it is vvritten Thou art a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec Rightly do the soules of the iust rest vnder the altar because vpon the altar our Lordes body is offered neither vvithout cause do the iust there call for reuenge of their bloud vvhere also the bloud of Christ is shed for sinners and many other goodly vvordes to that purpose This place also the vvicked heretike Vigilantius as S. Hierom vvriting against him vvitnesseth c. 2 abused to proue that the soules of Martyrs and other Saincts vvere included in some certaine place that they could not be present at their bodies and monuments vvhere Christian people vsed in the primitiue Church to pray vnto them as Catholike men doe yet nor be vvhere they list or vvhere men pray vnto them To vvhich the holy doctor ansvvereth at large that they be vvheresoeuer Christ is according to his humanitie for vnder that altar they be Part of his vvordes be these that you may see hovv this blessed father refuted in that Heretike the Caluinistes so long before they vvere borne Dcst thou saith he presâ—â—ribe savves to God Doest thou feâ—ter the Apostles that they may be kept in prison til the day of iudgement and be kept from their Lord of vvhom it is vvritten They folovv the Lambe vvhither soeuer he goeth If the Lambe be in euery place then they that he vvith the Lambe must be euery vvhere And if the diuel and vvicked spirites gadding abrode in the vvorld vvith passing celeritie be present euery vvhere shal holy Martyrs after the sheading of their bloud be kept close vnder an altar that they can not sturre out from thence So ansvvereth this learned doctor Vvhich misliketh our Caluinistes so much that they charge him of great errour in that he saith Christ according to his humanitie is euery vvhere as though he vvere an Vbiquetarie Protestant Vvhere if they had any iudgement they might perceiue that he meaneth not that Christ or his Saincts should be personally present at once in euery place alike as God is but that their motion speede and agilitie to be vvhere they list is incomparable and that their povver and operation is accordingly vvhich they may learne to be the holy doctors meaning by the vvordes that folovv of the Diuel and his ministers vvhoÌ„ he affirmeth to be euery vvhere no othervvise but by their exceding celeritie of being and vvorking mischeefe novv in one place novv in an other and that in a moment For though they be spirites yet are they not euery vvhere at once according to their essence And for our nevv Diuines it vvere a hard thing to determine hovv long Satan that told our Lord he had circuited the earth vvas in his iourney and in the particular consideration and tentation of Iob and hovv many men he assaulted in that his one circuite No no. such curious companions knovv nothing nor beleeue nothing but that they see vvith corporal eies and teach nothing but the vvay to infidelitie 10. And they cried S. Hierom also against the said Vigilantius reporteth that he vsed an argument against the praiers of Saincts out of this place for that these Martyrs cried for reuenge and could not obtaine But vve vvil report his vvordes that you may see how like one heretike is to an other these of our daies to those of old Thou saiest in thy booke saith S. Hierom c. 3. that vvhiles vve be aliue one of vs may pray for an other but after vve be dead no mans praier shal be heard for an other specially seing the Martyrs asking reuenge of their bloud could not obtaine So said the Heretike Against vvhich the holy Doctor maketh a long refuâ—ation prouing that they pray much more after they be in heauen then they did here in earth and that they shal be much sooner heard of God then vvhen they vvere in the vvorld But for the Heretikes argument framed out of these vvordes of the Apocalypse thus These Martyrs did not obtaine 〈◊〉 Saincts do not pray for vs it vvas so friuolous and the antecedent so manifestly false that he vouchsaued not to stand about it For it is plaine that the Martyrs here vvere heard and that their petition should be fulfilled in time appointed by God vvherevnto they did and do alvvaies conforme them selues for it vvas said vnto them That they should rest yet a litle time til c. And that Martyrs praiers be heard in this case our Sauiour testifieth Luc 18 saying And vvil not God reuenge
to deceiue the reader Sometime also vve doe it for an other cause as vvhen vve say The aduent of our Lord and Imposing of handes because one is a solemne time the other a solemne action in the Catholike Church to signifie to the people that these and such like names come out of the very Latin text of the Scripture So did Penance doing penance Chalice Priest Deacon Traditions aultar host and the like vvhich vve exactly keepe as Catholike termes procede euen from the very vvordes of Scripture Moreouer we presume not in hard places to mollifie the speaches or phrases but religiously keepe them vvord for vvord and point for point for feare of missing or restraining the sense of the holy Ghost to our phantasie as Eph. 6. Against the spirituals of vvickednes in the celestials and Vvhat to me and thee vvoman whereof see the Annotation vpon this place and 1 Pet. 2. As infants euen novv borne reasonable milke vvithout guile desire ye Vve do so place reasonable of purpose that it may be indiffēt both to infants going before as in our Latin text or to milke that folovveth after as in other Latin copies and in the Greeke Io. 3 vve translate The spirit breatheth vvhere he vvil c. leauing it indifferent to signifie either the holy Ghost or vvinde vvhich the Protestants translating vvinde take avvay the other sense more common and vsual in the auncient fathers Vve translate Luc. 8 23. They vvere filled not adding of our ovvne vvith vvater to mollifie the sentence as the Protestants doe and c. 22. This is the chalice the nevv Testament c. not This chalice is the nevv Testament likevvise Mar. 13. Those daies shal be such tribulation c. not as the Aduersaries In those daies both our text and theirs being othervvise Iac. 4 6. And giueth greater grace leauing it indifferent to the Scripture or to the holy Ghost both going before Vvhereas the Aduersaries to to boldly presumptuously adde saying The Scripture giueth taking avvay the other sense which is far more probable likevvise Hebr. 12 21 vve translate So terrible vvas it vvhich vvas seen Moyses said c. neither doth Greeke or Latin permit vs to adde that Moyses said as the Protestants presume to doe So vve say Men brethren Avvidovv vvoman A vvoman a sister Iames of Alphaus and the like Sometime also we folow of purpose the Scriptures phrase as The hel of fire according to Greeke and Latin vvhich we might say perhaps the firy hel by the Hebrue phrase in such speaches but not hel fire as commonly it is translated Likevvise Luc. 4 36. Vvhat vvord is this that in povver and authoritie he cōmaundeth the vncleane spirits as also Luc 2. Let vs passe ouer and see the vvord that is done Vvhere we might say thing by the Hebrue phrase but there is a certaine maiestie and more signification in these speaches and therfore both Greeke Latin keepe them although it is no more the Greeke or Latin phrase then it is English And vvhy should vve be squamish at nevv vvordes or phrases in the Scripture vvhich are necessarie vvhen vve do easily admit and folovv nevv vvordes coyned in court and in courtly or other secular vvritings Vve adde the Greeke in the margent for diuers cause◠Sometime vvhen the sense is hard that the learned reader may consider of it and see if he can helpe him self better then by our translation as Luc 11. Nolite extolli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and againe Quod superest date eleemosynam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometime to take away the ambiguitie of the Latin or English as Luc. 11. Et domus supradomum cadet Vvhich we must needes English and house vpon house shal fall by the Greeke the sense is not one house shal fal vpon an other but if one house rise vpon it self that is against it self it shal perish according as he speaketh of a kingdom deuided against it self in the wordes before And Act. 14. Sacerdos Iouis qui erat in the Greeke qui is referred to Iupiter Sometime to satisfie the reader that might otherwise conceiue the translation to be false as Philip. 4. v. 6. But in euery thing by praier c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in al praier as in the Latin it may seeme Sometime when the Latin neither doth nor can reache to the signification of the Greeke word we added the Greeke also as more significant Illi foli seruies him only shalt thou serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Act. 6. Nicolas a stranger of Antioche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ro. 9. The seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eph. 1. to perfite instaurare omnia in Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Vvherein he hath gratified vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6. Put on the armour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a number the like Sometime when the Greeke hath two senses and the Latin but one we adde the Greeke 2. Cor. 1. By the exhortaion vvherevvith vve also are exhorted the Greeke signifieth also consolation c. and 2 Cor. 10. But hauing hope of your faith increasing to be c. vvhere the Greeke may also signifie as or vvhen your faith increaseth Sometime for aduantage of the Catholike cause when the Greeke maketh for vs more then the Latin as Seniores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt digni habeamini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui effundetur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Io. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasce rege And sometime to shew the false translation of the Heretike as when Beza saith Hoc poculum in meo sanguine qui. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 22. Quē oportet coelo cōtineri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 3. Thus we vse the Greeke diuers waies esteeme of it as it is worthie taken al cōmodities thereof for the better vnderstāding of the Latin which being a translation can not alwaies attaine to the ful sense of the principal tonge as vve see in al translations Item vve adde the Latin vvord sometime in the margent vvhen either vve can not fully expresse it as Act. 8. They tooke order for Steuens funeral Curauerunt Stephanum and Al take not this vvord Non omnes capiunt or vvhen the reader might thinke it can not be as vve translate as Luc. 8. A storme of winde descended into the lake and they vvere filled complebantur and Io. 5. vvhen Iesus knevv that he had novv a long time quiaiam multum tempus haberet meaning in his infirmitie This precise folovving of our Latin text in neither adding nor diminishing is the cause why we say not in the title of bookes in the first page S. Matthevv S. Paul◠because it is so neither in Greeke nor Latin though in the toppes of the leaues folovving where vve may be bolder we adde S. Matthew c. to satisfie the reader Much
lame vvalke the lepers are made cleane the deafe heare the dead rise againe to the poore the Gospel is preached ✠verse 6 and blessed is he that shal not be scandalized in me ✠verse 7 And vvhen they vvent their vvay IESVS began to say to the multitudes of Iohn ″ What vvent you out ″ into the desert to see a reede shaken vvith the vvinde ✠verse 8 But vvhat vvent you out to see a man clothed in soft garments Behold they that are clothed in soft garments are in Kinges houses ✠verse 9 But vvhat vvent you out to see a Prophet yea I tel you and more then a Prophet ✠verse 10 For this is he of vvhom it is vvritten Behold I send mine angel before thy face vvhich shal prepare thy vvay before thee ⊢ ✠verse 11 Amen I say to you there hath not risen among the borne of vvomen a greater then Iohn the Baptist yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heauen is greater then he ✠verse 12 And * from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntil novv the kingdom of heauen suffereth violence and the violent beare it avvay ✠verse 13 For al the Prophets and the Lavv prophecied vnto Iohn ✠verse 14 and if you vvil receiue it he is * ″ Elias that is for to come ✠verse 15 He that hath eares to heare let him heare ✠verse 16 And * vvherevnto shal I esteeme this generation to be like It is like to children sitting in the market-place vvhich crying to their companions ✠verse 17 say we haue piped to you and you haue not daunced vve haue lamented and you haue not mourned ✠verse 18 For * Iohn came neither ″ eating not drinking and they say He hath a diuel ✠verse 19 The Sonne of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man that is a glotton and a vvinedrinker a frende of Publicans and sinners And vvisedom is iustified of her children ✠verse 20 Then * began he to vpbraide the cities vvherein vvere done the most of his miracles for that they had not done penance ✠verse 21 Wo be to thee Corozain vvo be to thee Beth-saida for if in Tyre Sidon had been vvrought the miracles that haue been vvrought in you they had done″ penance in hearecloth and ashes long agoe ✠verse 22 But neuerthelesse I say to you it shal be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement then for you ✠verse 23 And thou Capharnaum shalt thou be exalted vp to heauen thou shalt come dovvne euen vnto hel for if in Sodom had been vvrought the miracles that haue been wrought in thee perhaps it had remained vnto this day ✠verse 24 But notvvithstanding I say to you that it shal be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee ✠verse 25 At that time IESVS ansvvered and said * I confesse to thee O Father lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the vvise and prudent and hast reuealed thē to ″ litle ones ✠verse 26 Yea Father for so hath it vvel pleased thee ✠verse 27 Al things are deliuered me of my Father And no man knovveth the Sonne but the Father neither doth any knovv the Father but the Sonne and to vvhom it shal please the Sonne to reueale ✠verse 28 Come ye to me al that labour and are burdened and I vvil refresh you ✠verse 29 Take vp my yoke vpon you and learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart and you shal finde rest to your soules ✠verse 30 For my″ yoke is svveete and my burden light ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 3. Art thou he Iohn him self doubted not for he baptized him and gaue great testimonie of him before Io. 1. But because his disciples knewe him not nor esteemed of him so much as of Iohn their owne Maister therfore did he send them vnto Christ that by occasion of Christes answer he might the better instruct them what he was and so make them Christes disciples proferring them to a better Maister 7. What went you out High commendation of Iohns holinesse as wel for his fasting rough attire solitary life and constancie as for the dignitie of his function 7. Into the desert The faythful people in al ages resorted of deuotion into wildernes to see men of special and rare holynes Prophets Eremites Anchorites c. to haue their prayers or ghostly counsel See S. Hierom de vitae Hilarionis 14. Elias As Elias shal be the messenger of Christes later coming so was Iohn his messenger and Praecursor at his former coming and therfore is he called Elias because of his like office and like spirit Luc. 1. Grego ho. 7. in Euang. 18. Eating and drinking The wicked quarrellers of the world misconstre easely al the actes and life of good men If they be great fasters and austere liuers they are blasphemed and counted hypocrites if they conuerse with other men in ordinary maner then they be counted dissolute 21. Penance in sackcloth By this sackcloth and ashes added here and in other places wee see euidently that Penance is not only leauing of former sinnes and chaunge or amendement of life past no nor bare sorowfulnes or recounting of our offenses already committed but requiteth punishement and chastisemēt of our persons by these and such other meanes as the Scriptures do els where set forth and therfore concerning the worde also it is rather to be called Penance as in our translation then as the Aduersaries of purpose auoyding the word Repentance or Amendement of life and that according to the very vsual signification of the * Greeke word in the most ancient Ecclesiastical Greeke writers who for Poenitentès which in the Primitiue Churche did publike penance say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Men that are doing penance And concerning that part of penance which is Cōfession the Ecclesiastical historie calleth it by the same Greeke word and the penitents comming to confession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. li. 7 c. 16. Socrat. li. 5 c. 19. 25. Litle ones These litle ones doe not signifie here only the vnlearned as though Coblers and weauers and wemen and girles had this reuelation and therfore do vnderstand al Scriptures and are able to expound them but here are signified the humble whether they be learned or vnlearned as when he sayth Vnles you become as litle ones you shal not enter into the Kingdom of heauen And so also the greatest Doctors who as they were most learned so most humbled them selues to the iudgement of the Catholike Churche are these litle ones and Heretikes who although vnlearned yet vaunt their knowledge and their spirit of vnderstanding aboue al ancient fathers and the whole Churche can not be of these litle and humble ones 30. Yoke sweete What is this light burden and sweete yoke
through dry places seeking rest and findeth not ✠verse 44 Then he saith I vvil returne into my house vvhence I came out And coming he findeth it vacant svvept vvith besoms and trimmed ✠verse 45 Then goeth he and taketh vvith him seuen other spirites more vvicked then him self and they enter in and dvvel there and * the last of that man be made vvorse then the first So shal it be also to this vvicked generation ✠verse 46 As he vvas yet speaking to the multitudes * behold his mother and his brethren stoode vvithout seeking to speake to him ✠verse 47 And one said vnto him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without seeking thee ✠verse 48 But he ansvvering him that told him said ″ Who is my mother and vvho are my brethren ✠verse 49 And stretching forth his hand vpon his Disciples he said Behold my mother and my brethren ✠verse 50 For vvhosoeuer shal doe the vvil of my father that is in heauen he is my brother and sister and mother ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 24. In Beelzebub The like blasphemie agaynst the Holy Ghost is to attribute the miracles done by Saincts either dead or aliue to the Diuel 30. Not with me They that are indifferent to al religions commonly and fitly called Neuters â—oyning them selues to neither part let them marke these wordes wel and they shal see that Christ accoumpted al them to be agaynst him and his Church that are not plainely and flatly with him and it 30. Gathereth not with me He speaketh not only of his owne person but of al to whom he hath committed the gouernement of his Church and specially of the cheefe Pastours succeeding Peter in the gouernement of the whole As S. Hierom writing to Damasus Pope of Rome applieth these words vnto him saying of al Heretikes He that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is to say He that is not with Christ is with Antichrist 31. The blasphemie of the Spirit He meaneth not that there is any sinne so great which God wil not forgiue or whereof a man may not repeÌ„t in this life as some Heretikes at this day affirme but that some heinous sinnes as namely this blasphemie of the Iewes against the euâ—dent workes of the Holy Ghost and likewise Archeheretikes who wilfully resist the knoweÌ„ truth and workes of the Holy Ghost in Gods Church are hardly forgeuen and seldom haue such men grace to repent Otherwise among al the sinnes agaynst the Holy Ghost which are commonly reckened sixe one only shal neuer be forgiuen that is dying without repentance wilfully called Final impenitence Which sinne he committeth that dieth with contempt of the Sacrament of Penance obstinatly refusing absolution by the Churches ministerie as S. Augustine plainely declareth in these wordes Whosoeuer he be that beleueth not mans sinnes to be remitted in Gods Church and therfore despiseth the bountifulnes of God in so mighty a worke if he in that obstinat minde continue tll his liues end he is guilty of sinne against the Holy Ghost in which Holy Ghost Christ remitteth sinnes Enchir. 83. Ep. 50 in fine 32. Sonne of man The Iewes in their wordes sinned against the sonne of man when they reprehended those things which he did as a man to witte calling him therfore a glutton a great drinker of wine a freend of the Publicans and taking offense because he kept company with sinnes brake the Sabboth and such like and this sinne might more easely be forgiuen them because they iudged of him as they would haue done of any other man but they sinned and blasphemed against the Holy Ghost called here the finger of God whereby he wrought miracles when of malice they attributed the euident workes of God in casting our diuels to the diuel him self and this sinne shal not be remitted because it shal hardly be remitted as we see by the plague of their posteritie vntil this day 3â— Nor in the world to come S. Augustine and other Holy Doctors gather herevpon that some sinnes may be remitted in the next life and consequently prooue Purgatorie thereby De Ciuit. Dei li. 21 c. 18. D. Gregor Dial. li. 4 c. 39. 36. Idle word If of euery idle word we must make accoumpt before God in iudgement and yet shal not for euery such word be damned euerlastingly then there must needes be some temporal punishment in the next life 4â— Who is my mother The dutiful affection toward our parents and kinsfolke is not blamed but the inordinate loue of them to the hinderance of our seruice and duty toward God Vpon this place some old Heretikes denied Christ to haue any mother Aug. li. de Fid. Symb. c. 4. Neither euer was there any heresie so absurd but it would seeme to haue Scripture for it CHAP. XIII Speaking in parables as the Scripture foretold of him and as meete vvas for the reprobate Ievves he shevveth by the parable of the Sovver that in the labours of his Church three partes of foure do perishe through the fault of the hearers 24 and yet by the parable of good seede and cockle as also of the Nettâ— that his seruantâ— must not for al that neuer vvhile the vvorld lasteth make any Schisme or Separation 31 And by parables of the litle mustard seede and leauen that notvvithstanding the three parts perishing and ouersovving of cockles yet that fourth part of the good seede shal spreade ouer al the vvorld 44 And vvithal vvhat a treasure and pearle it is 53 After al vvhich yet his ovvne countrie vvil not honour him verse 1 THE same day IESVS going out of the house sate by the sea side ✠verse 2 And * great multitudes vvere gathered together vnto him in so much that he vvent vp into a boate sate and al the multitude stoode in the shore ✠verse 3 and he spake to them many things in parablesh saying Behold the sovver vvent forth to sovv ✠verse 4 And vvhiles he sovveth some fell by the vvay side and the foules of the aire did come and eate it ✠verse 5 Othersome also fell vpon rockie places where they had not much earth and they shot vp in continent because they had not deepenes of earth ✠verse 6 and after the sunne vvas vp they parched and because they had not roote they vvithered ✠verse 7 And other fell among thornes and the thornes grevve and choked them ✠verse 8 And othersome fell vpon good ground and they yelded fruite the ″ one an hundred-fold the other threescore and an other thirtie ✠verse 9 He that hath eares to heare let him heare ✠verse 10 And his Disciples came and said to him Why speakest thou to them in parables ✠verse 11 Who ansvvered and said vnto them Because ″ to you it is giuen to knovv the mysteries of the kingdom of heauen but to them it is not giuen ✠verse 12 For he that hath to him
✠verse 9 And in vaine do they vvorshippe me teaching doctrines and ″ commaundements of men ✠verse 10 And hauing called together the multitudes vnto him he said to them Heare ye and vnderstand ✠verse 11 ″ Not that vvhich entreth into the mouth defileth a man but that vvhich procedeth out of the mouth that defileth a man ✠verse 12 Then came his Disciples and said to him Doest thou knovv that the Pharisees vvhen they heard this vvord vvere scandalized ✠verse 13 But he ansvvering sayd All planting vvhich my heauenly father hath not planted shal be rooted vp ✠verse 14 Let them alone blinde they are guides of the blinde And if the blinde be guide to the blinde both fall into the ditch ✠verse 15 And Peter ansvvering sayd to him Expound vs this parable ✠verse 16 But he sayd Are you also as yet vvithout vnderstanding ✠verse 17 Do you not vnderstand that al that entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast forth into the priuy ✠verse 18 But the things that proceede out of the mouth come forth from the hart and those things ″ defile a man ✠verse 19 For from the hart come forth euil cogitations murders aduoutries fornications thefts false testimonies blasphemies ✠verse 20 These are the things that defile a man but to eate vvith vnvvashen hands doeth not defile a man ⊢ ✠verse 21 And IESVS vvent forth from thence and retired into the quarters of Tyre and Sidon ✠verse 22 And behold * a vvoman of Chanaan came forth out of those coastes and crying out sayd to him Haue mercie vpon me O lord the Sonne of Dauid my daughter is sore vexed of a Deuil ✠verse 23 Who ansvvered her not a vvord And his Disciples came and besought him saying Dimisse her because she crieth out after vs ✠verse 24 And he ansvvering said I vvas not sent but to the sheepe that are lost of the house of Israel ✠verse 25 But she came and adored him saying Lord help me ✠verse 26 Who ansvvering said It is not good to take the bread of the Children and to cast it to the dogges ✠verse 27 But she said Yea lord for the vvhelpes also eate of the crummes that fal from the table of their maisters ✠verse 28 Then IESVS ansvvering said to her O vvoman great is thy faith be it done to thee as thou vvilt and her daughter vvas made hole from that houre ⊢ ✠verse 29 And vvhen IESVS vvas passed from thence he came beside the sea of Galilee and ascending into the mountaine sare there ✠verse 30 And there came to him great multitudes hauing vvith them dumme persons blinde lame feeble and many others and they cast them dovvne at his feete and he cured them ✠verse 31 so that the multitudes marueled seeing the dumme speake the lame vvalke the blinde see and they magnified the God of Israel ✠verse 32 And * IESVS called together his Disciples and said I pitie the multitude because three dayes novv they continue vvith me and haue not vvhat to eate and dimisse them fasting I vvil not lest they fainte in the vvay ✠verse 33 And the disciples say vnto him vvhence then may vve gette so many loaues in the desert as to fil so great a multitude ✠verse 34 And IESVS sayd to them Hovv many loaues haue you but they sayd Seuen a fevv litle fishes ✠verse 35 And he commaunded the multitude to sit dovvne vpon the ground ✠verse 36 And taking the seuen loaues the fishes and geuing thankes he brake gaue to his disciples and the disciples gaue to the people ✠verse 37 And they did al eate and had their fill And that vvhich vvas left of the fragments they tooke vp seuen baskets ful ✠verse 38 And there vvere that did eate foure thousand men beside children vvomen ✠verse 39 And hauing dimissed the multitude he vvent vp into a boate and came into the coastes of Magedan ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 8. With their lippes This is to be vnderstood properly of such as haue euer God in their mouth the word of our Lord the Scriptures the Gospel but in their hart and al their life be in deede Godles It may be applied also to such as say their prayers without attention or eleuation of mind to God whether he vnderstand the prayers or no that saith them For many a poore Christian man that vnderstandeth not the wordes he speaketh hath his hart neerer heauen more seruor and deuotion more edification to him self more profite in spirit as the Apostle speaketh and lesse distractions then not only al Heretikes Which haue no true feeling of such things but then many learned Catholikes And therefore it is not to be vnderstood of praying in vnknowen tongues as Heretikes sometime expound it farre wide from the circumstance of the place and Christes intention speaking of the hypocritical Iewes 9. Commaundements of men Such only are here called traditions doctrines or commaundements of men which be either repugnant to Gods lawes as this of defrauding their parents vnder pretense of religion or which at the lest be friuolous vnprofitable and impertinent to pietle or true worshipe as that other sort of so often Washing hands and vessels without regard of inward puritie of hart and mind Let no man therefore be abused with the Protestants peruerse application of this place against the holy lawes canons and precepts of the Church and our spiritual Gouernours concerning fastes festiuities and other rules of discipline and due order in life and in the seruice of God For such are not repugnant but consonant to Gods word and al pietie and our Lord is truely honoured worshiped and serued both by the making and also by the obseruing of them * S. Paul gaue commaundements both by his epistles and by word of mouth euen in such matters wherein Christ had prescribed nothing at al and he chargeth the faithful to obserue the same The Apostles and Priests at Hierusalem made lawes and the Christians were bound to obey them The keeping of Sunday in steede of the Sabboth is the tradition of the Apostles and dare the Heretikes deny the due obsentation therof to be an acceptable worshipe of God They prescribed the Festes of Easter and whitsontide and other Solemnities of Christ and his Saincts which the Protestants them selues obserue They appointed the Lent and Imber fastes and other as wel to chastise the concupiscence of man as to serue and please God thereby as is plaine in the fasting of * Anna Tobie Iudith Esther who serued and pleased God thereby Therefore neither these nor other such Apostolike Ordinances nor any precepts of the holy Church or of our lawful Pastors are implied in these Pharisaical traditions here reprehended nor to be compted or called the doctrines and commaundements of men because they are not made by mere humane power
preach the acceptable yere of the Lord and the day of retribution ✠verse 20 And vvhen he had folded the booke he rendred it to the minister and sate dovvne And the eies of al in the synagogue vvere bent vpon him ✠verse 21 And he began to say vnto them That this day is fulfilled this scripture in your eares ✠verse 22 And al gaue testimomonie to him and they marueled in the vvordes of grace that proceded from his mouth and they said Is not this Iosephs sonne ✠verse 23 And he said to them Certes you vvil say to me this similitude Physicion cure they self as great things as vve haue heard ″ done in Capharnaum doe also here in thy countrie ✠verse 24 And he said Amen I say to you that no Prophet is accepted in his ovvne countrie ✠verse 25 In truth I say to you * there vvere many vvidovves in the daies of Elias in Israel vvhen the heauen vvas shut three yeres and six moneths vvhen there vvas a great famine made in the vvhole earth ✠verse 26 and to none of them vvas Elias sent but into Sarepta of Sidon to a vvidovv vvoman ✠verse 27 * And there vvere many lepers in Israel vnder Elisaeus the Prophet and none of them vvas made cleane but Naamā the Syrian ✠verse 28 And al in the synagogue vvere filled vvith anger hearing these things ✠verse 29 And they rose and cast him out of the citie and they brought him to the edge of the hil vvherevpon their citie vvas built that they might throvv him dovvne headlong ✠verse 30 But he ″ passing through the middes of them vvent his vvay ⊢ ✠verse 31 * And he vvent dovvne into Capharnaum a citie of Galilee and there he taught them on the Sabboths ✠verse 32 And they vvere astonied at his doctrine because his talke vvas in povver ✠verse 33 And in the synagogue there vvas a man hauing an vncleane Diuel and he cried out vvith a loud voice ✠verse 34 saying Let be vvhat to vs and thee IESVS of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know thee vvho thou art the SAINCT of God ✠verse 35 And IESVS rebuked him saying Hold thy peace goe out of him And vvhen the Deuil had throvven him into the middes he vvent out of him and hurted him nothing ✠verse 36 And there came feare vpon al and they talked together one vvith an other saying Vvhat vvord is this that in povver and vertue he commaundeth the vncleane spirits and they goe out ✠verse 37 And the fame of him vvas published into euery place of the countrie ✠verse 38 And IESVS rising vp out of the synagogue entred into Simons house * And ″ Simons vviues mother vvas holden vvith a great feuer and they besought him for her ✠verse 39 And standing ouer her he commaunded the feuer and it left her And incontinent rising she ministred to them ✠verse 40 And vvhen the sunne vvas dovvne al that had diseased of sundrie maladies brought them to him But he imposing hands vpon euery one cured them ✠verse 41 And Deuils vvent out from many crying and saying That thou art the sonne of God And rebuking them he suffred them not to speake that they knevv he vvas Christ ✠verse 42 And vvhen it vvas day going forth he vvent into a desert place and the multitudes sought him and came euen vnto him and they held him that he should not depart from them ✠verse 43 To vvhom he said That to other cities also must I euangelize the kingdom of God because therfore I vvas sent ✠verse 44 And he vvas preaching in the synagogs of Galilee ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 13. Departed vntil a time No maruel if the diuel be often or alvvaies busie vvith Christian men seeing after he was plainely ouercome by Christ yet did he not giue him ouer altogether but for a time 23. Done in Capharnaum God maketh choise of persons and places where he worketh miracles or doeth benefites though he might doe the same els where if it liked his wisedom So doth he in doing miracles by Saincts not in al places nor towards al persons but as it pleaseth him Aug. ep 〈◊〉 30. Passing through the middes of them Either by making him self inuisible or also more wonderfully penetrating the multitude and passing through them as he did through the doore his body either being without space of place or with other bodies in one place By al which and the like his doings mentioned in the Gospel it is euident that he can alter and order his body as he list aboue the natural conditions of a body 38. Simons wiues mother It is euident that Peter had a wife but after his calling to be an Apostle he leaft her as S. Hierom writeth in many places ep 14 c. 2 ad Iulianum Li. 1 adu Ionin See the Annot. Matth. 9 29. CHAP. V. Hauing taught the people out of Peters ship 4 he shevveth in a miraculous taking of fishes hovv he vvil make him the fisher of men 12 He cureth a leper by touching him and sendeth him to the Priest in vvitnesse that he is not against Moyses 15 The people flocking vnto him he retireth into the vvildernesse 17 To the Pharisees in a solemne assembly he proueth by a miracle his povver to remit sinnes in earth 27 He defendeth his eating vvith sinners as being the Physicion of soules 〈◊〉 and his not prescribing as yet of any fastes to his Disciples verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen the multitudes pressed vpon him to heare the vvord of God and him self stoode beside the lake of Genesareth ✠verse 2 * And he savv tvvo shippes standing by the lake and the fishers vvere gone dovvne and vvashed their nettes ✠verse 3 And he going vp into ″ one ship that vvas Simons desired him to bring it backe a litle from the land And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship ✠verse 4 And as he ceased to speake he said to Simon Launche forth into the deepe and let loose your nettes to make a draught ✠verse 5 And Simon ansvvering said to him Maister labouring al the night vve haue taken nothing but in thy vvord I vvil let loose the nette ✠verse 6 And vvhen they had done this they inclosed ″ a very great multitude of fishes and their nette vvas broken ✠verse 7 And they ″ beckened to their fellovves that vvere in the other ship that they should come and help them And they came and filled both shippes so that they did sinke ✠verse 8 Vvhich vvhen Simon Peter did see he fel dovvne at IESVS knees saying Goe forth from me because I am a sinful man O Lord. ✠verse 9 For he vvas vvholy astonished and al that vvere vvith him at the draught of fishes vvhich they had taken ✠verse 10 In like maner also Iames
of the bridegrome This my ioy therfore is filled ✠verse 30 He must increase and I diminishe ✠verse 31 ″ He that coÌ„meth from aboue is aboue al. He that is of the earth of the earth he is and of the earth he speaketh He that commeth from heauen is aboue al. ✠verse 32 And vvhat he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and his testimonie no man receiueth ✠verse 33 He that hath receiued his testimonie hath signed that God is true ✠verse 34 For he vvhom God hath sent speaketh the vvordes of God for God doth not giue the spirit by measure ✠verse 35 The Father loueth the Sonne he hath giuen al things in his hand ✠verse 36 He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting but he that is incredulous to the Sonne shal not see life but the vvrath of God remaineth vpon him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 5. Bornâ— againe of water As no man can enter into this world not haue his life an I being in the same except he be borne of his carnal parents no more can a maÌ„ enter into the life state of grace which is in Christ or attaine to life euerlasting vnles he be borne and baptized of water and the Holy Ghost whereby we see first this Sacrament to be called our regeneration or second birth in respect of our natural and carnal which was before Secondly that this Sacrament consisteth of an external element of water and internal vertue of the Holy Spirit wherein it excelleth Iohns Baptisme which had the external element but nor the spiritual grace thirdly that no man can enter into the kingdom of God not into the fellowship of Holy Church without it Whereby the * Pelagians and Caluinists be condemned that promisse life euerlasting to yong children that die without Baptisme and al other that thinke onely faith to serue or the external element of water superfluous or not necessarie our Sauiours wordes being plaine and general Though in this cafe God which hath not bound his grace in respect of his owne freedom to any Sacrament may and doth accept them as baptized which either are martyred before they could be baptized or els depart this life with vow and desire to haue that Sacrament but by some remedilesse necessirie could not obtaine it Lastly it is proued that this Sacrament giueth grace ex opere operato that is of the worke itself which al Protestants denie because it so breedeth our spiritual life in God as our carnal birth giueth the life of the world 18. It iudged already He that beleeueth in Christ with faith which worketh by charitie as the Apostle speaketh shal not be condemned at the later day nor at the houre of his death but the infidel be he Iew Pagan or Heretike is already if he die in his incredulitie by his owne profession and sentence condemned and shal not come to iudgement either particular or general to be discussed according to his workes of mercie done or omitted In which sense S. Paul faith that the obstinate Heretike is condemned by his owne iudgement preuenting in him self of his owne free wil the sentence both of Christ and of the Church 31. He that commeth from aboue As though he should say No maruel that men resort to Christ so fast and make lesse account of me for his baptisme and his preaching and his person are al from heauen immediatly He bringeth al from the very bosome mouth and substance of God his Father Whatsoeuer is in me is but a litle drop of his grace His spirit and graces are aboue al measures or mens gifts euen according to his Manhod and al power temporal and spiritual the kingdom and the Priesthod and al soueraintie in heauen and earth are bestowed vpon him as he is man also CHAP. IIII. Leauing Ievvrie because of the Pharisees in the vvay to Galilee he talketh vvith a Samaritane vvoman telling her that he vvil giue vvater of euerlasting life 16 shevving him self to knovv mens secretes 19 preferring the Ievves religion before the Samaritanes but ours the Christian Catholike religion before them both 25 and vttering vnto her that he is Christ 28 vvhich by her testimonie and his preaching very many Samaritanes do beleeue he in the meane time fore telling his Disciples of the haruest he vvil send them in to 45 The Galilaans also receiue him vvhere againe he vvorketh his second miracle verse 1 WHEN IESVS therfore vnderstoode that the Pharisees heard that IESVS maketh mo Disciples and baptizeth theÌ„ Iohn ✠verse 2 hovvbeit IESVS did not baptize but his Disciples ✠verse 3 he left Ievvrie and vvent againe into Galilee ✠verse 4 and he had of necessitie to passe through Samaria ✠verse 5 He commeth therfore into a citie of Samaria vvhich is called Sichar * beside the maner that Iacob gaue to Ioseph his sonne ✠verse 6 And there vvas there the fountaine of Iacob IESVS therfore vvearied of his iourney saâ—e so vpon the fountaine It vvas about the sixt houre ✠verse 7 There commeth a vvoman of Samaria to dravv vvater IESVS saith to her Giue me to drinke ✠verse 8 For his Disciples vvere gone into the citie to bie meates ✠verse 9 Therfore that Samaritane vvoman saith to him Hovv doest thou being a Ievve aske of me to drinke vvhich am a Samaritane vvomaÌ„ For the Ievves do not communicate vvith the Samaritanes ✠verse 10 IESVS ansvvered and said to her If thou didst knovv the gift of God and vvho he is that saith vnto thee Giue me to drinke thou perhaps vvouldest haue asked of him and he vvould haue giuen thee liuing vvater ✠verse 11 The vvoman saith to him Sir neither hast thou vvherein to dravv and the vvel is deepe vvhence hast thou the liuing vvater ✠verse 12 art thou greater then our father Iacob vvho gaue vs the vvel and him self dranke of it and his children and his cattel ✠verse 13 IESVS ansvvered and said to her Euery one that drinketh of this vvater shal thirst againe but he that shal drinke of the vvater that I vvil giue him shal not thirst for euer ✠verse 14 but the vvater that I vvil giue him shal become in him a fountaine of vvater springing vp vnto life euerlasting ✠verse 15 The vvoman saith to him Lord giue me this vvater that I may not thirst nor come hither to dravv ✠verse 16 IESVS saith to her Goe call thy husband and come hither ✠verse 17 The vvoman ansvvered and said I haue no husband IESVS saith to her Thou hast said vvel that I haue no husband ✠verse 18 For thou hast had fiue husbands and he vvhom thou novv hast is not thy husband this thou hast said truely ✠verse 19 The vvoman saith to him Lord I perceiue that thou art a Prophet ✠verse 20 ″ Our father 's adored in this mountaine and you say * that at Hierusalem is
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
but raise it in the last day ✠verse 40 And this is the vvil of my father that sent me that euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him haue life euerlasting and I vvil raise him in the last day ⊢ ✠verse 41 The Ievves therfore murmured at him because he had said I am the bread vvhich descended from heauen ✠verse 42 and they said is not this IESVS the sonne of Ioseph vvhose father and mother vve knovv Hovv then faith he That I descended from heauen ✠verse 43 IESVS therfore ansvvered and said to them Murmure not one to an other ✠verse 44 no man can come to me vnles the Father that sent me ″ dravv him and I vvil raise him vp in the last day ✠verse 45 It is vvritten in the Prophers And al shal be docible of God Euery one that hath heard of the Father and hath learned commeth to me ✠verse 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father but he vvhich is of God this hath seen the Father ✠verse 47 Amen amen I say to you he that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting ✠verse 48 I am the bread of life ✠verse 49 Your fathers did eate ″ Manna in the desert and they died ✠verse 50 This is the bread that descendeth from heauen that if any man eate of it he die not ✠verse 51 I am the liuing bread that came dovvne from heauen If any man eate of this bread he shal liue for euer and * the bread vvhich I vvil giue is my flesh for the life of the vvorld ⊢ ✠verse 52 The Ievves therfore stroue among them selues saying ″ Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh to eate ✠verse 53 IESVS therfore said to them Amen amen I say to you ″ Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man ″ and drinke his bloud ″ you shal not haue life in you ✠verse 54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and ″ I vvil raise him vp in the last day ⊢ ✠verse 55 For my flesh is ″ meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede ✠verse 56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him ✠verse 57 As the liuing father hath sent me and I liue by the father and he that eateth me the same also shal liue by me ✠verse 58 This is the bread that came dovvne from heauen Not as your fathers did eate Manna and died ″ He that eateth this bread shal liue for euer ⊢ ✠verse 59 These things he said teaching in the Synagogue in Capharnáum ✠verse 60 Many therfore of his Disciples hearing it said This saying is hard and vvho can heare it ✠verse 61 But IESVS knovving vvith him self that his Disciples murmured at this he said to them Doth this scandalize you ✠verse 62 ″ If then you shal see * the Sonne of man ascend vvhere he vvas before ✠verse 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth ″ the flesh profiteth nothing The vvordes that I haue spoken to you be spirit and life ✠verse 64 But there be certaine of you ″ that beleeue not For IESVS knevv from the beginning vvho they vvere that did not beleeue and vvho he vvas that vvould betray him ✠verse 65 And he said Therfore did I say to you that no man can come to me vnles it be giuen him of my Father ✠verse 66 After this many of his Disciples ″ vvent backe and novv they vvalked not vvith him ✠verse 67 IESVS therfore said to the Tvvelue Vvhat vvil you also depart ✠verse 68 Simon ″ Peter therfore ansvvered him Lord to vvhom shal vve goe thou hast the vvordes of eternal life ✠verse 69 And vve beleeue and haue knovven that thou art Christ the sonne of God ✠verse 70 IESVS ansvvered them Haue not I chosen you the Tvvelue of you one is a deuil ✠verse 71 And he meant Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne for this same vvas to betray him vvhereas he vvas one of the Tvvelue ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 27. Worke not the meate By their greedy seeking after him for meate of the body he taketh occasion to dravv them to the desire of a more excellent foode which he had to giue them and so by litle to open vnto them the great meate and mysterie of the B. Sacrament which as he proueth doth not onely far passe their ordinarie bread or his maruelous multiplied loaues but Manna it self which they thought came from heauen and so much wondered at it 32. The true bread Though the person of Christ incarnate euen out of the Sacrament also be meant vnder the Metaphores of bread and drinke from heauen and our beleefe in him be signified by eating and feeding yet the causes why they should be recommended vnto vs in such termes were that he was to be eaten and drunken in deed in the formes of bread and wine for the which cause his body on the crosse is called his bread his bloud shed on the crosse * the bloud of the grape no doubt because the same body and bloud were in Holy Sacrament to be eaten and drunken In vvhich speaches either of Christs person generally or peculiarly of the same as in the B. Sacrament the true bread is not taken proprely and specially for that substance which is of corne and called vvith vs bread but generally for food or meate and therfore it hath ioyned vvith it lightly a terme signifying a more excellent sort of sustenance as the true bread the bread of heauen the bread of life Supersubstantial bread in which sort the holy Sacrament which is Christs body is both here and in S. Luke and S. Paul also often called bread euen after consecration not onely for that it was made of bread but because it is bread more truely and by more excellent property and calling then that vvhich ordinarily is named bread 44. Dravv him The Father dravveth vs and teacheth vs to come to his Sonne and to beleeue these high and hard mysteries of his incarnation and of feeding vs vvith his ovvne substance in the Sacrament not cōpelling or violenty forcing any against their will or without any respect of their consent as Heretikes pretend but by the svveete internal motions and persuasions of his grace and spirit he wholy maketh vs of our owne vvill and liking to consent to the same 49. Manna and died The Heretikes holding the fathers of the old Testament to haue eaten of the same meate and to haue had as good Sacraments as vve be here refuted Christ putting a plaine difference in the very substance thereof and in the graces and effects much more at large Manna vvas onely a figure of the B. Sacrament though a very excellent figure thereof for many causes It came in a sort from heauen out Sacrament more it vvas made by
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
he accounteth of them by this that he dieth for them 15 and reuealeth vnto them the secretes of heauen 17 and appointeth their fruite to be perpetual 1◠confirming them also against the persecutions and hatred of the obstinate Ievves verse 1 I AM the true vine and my father is the husband-man ✠verse 2 Euery branche in me not bearing fruite he vvil take it avvay and euery one that beareth fruite he vvil purge it that it may bring more fruite ✠verse 3 Novv you are cleane for the word vvhich I haue spoken to you ✠verse 4 Abide in me and I in you As the branche can not beare fruite of it self vnles it abide in the vine so you neither vnles you abide in me ✠verse 5 I am the vine you the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same beareth much fruite for vvithout me you can doe nothing ✠verse 6 If any abide not in me he shal be cast forth as the branche and shal vvither and they shal gather him vp and cast him into the fire and he burneth ✠verse 7 If you abide in me and my vvordes abide in you you shal aske vvhat thing soeuer you vvil and it shal be done to you ⊢ ✠verse 8 In this my father is glorified that you bring very much fruite and become my Disciples ✠verse 9 As my father hath loued me I also haue loued you Abide in my loue ✠verse 10 If you keepe my precepts you shal abide in my loue as I also haue kept my fathers precepts and doe abide in his loue ✠verse 11 These things I haue spoken to you that my ioy may be in you and your ioy may be filled ✠verse 12 * This is my precept that you loue one an other as I haue loued you ✠verse 13 Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yeld his life for his frendes ✠verse 14 You are my frendes if you doe the things that I commaund you ✠verse 15 Novv I cal you not seruants for the seruant knovveth not vvhat his lord doeth But you I haue called frendes because al things vvhatsoeuer I heard of my father I haue notified vnto you ✠verse 16 You chose not me but I chose you and haue appointed you that you goe bring fruite and your fruite abide that vvhatsoeuer you aske the father in my name he may giue it you ⊢ ✠verse 17 These things I commaund you that you loue one an other ✠verse 18 If the vvorld hate you knovv ye that it hath hated me before you ✠verse 19 If you had been of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you ✠verse 20 Remembre my vvord that I said to you * The seruant is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted me you also vvil they persecute if they haue kept my vvord yours also vvil they keepe ✠verse 21 But al these things they vvil doe to you for my name sake because they knovv not him that sent me ✠verse 22 If I had not come and spoken to them they should not haue sinne but novv they haue no excuse of their sinne ✠verse 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also ✠verse 24 If I had not done amōg them vvorkes that no other man hath done they should not haue sinne but novv both they haue seen and they doe hate both me and my Father ✠verse 25 But that the vvord may be fulfilled vvhich is vvritten in their lavv That they hated me gratis ⊢ ✠verse 26 But vvhen the Paraclete commeth vvhom I * vvil send you from the Father the Spirit of truth vvhich procedeth from the Father he shal giue testimonie of me ✠verse 27 and you shal giue testimonie because you are vvith me from the beginning ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 4. Vnles you abide These conditional speaches If you remaine in the vine If you keepe my commaundements and such like giue vs to wit that we be not sure to persist or perseuêre nor to be saued but vnder conditions to be fulfilled by vs. Aug. de corrept gra c. 13. 4. Vnles it abide Whosoeuer by Heresie or Schisme or for any other cause is cut of or separated from the Church he can do no meritorious worke to Saluation 10. Keepe my praecepts This careful and often admonition of keeping his commaundements proueth that a Christian mans life is not onely or principally in faith but in good workes 24. If I had If the Iewes had not sinned by refusing Christ in case he had not done greater miracles then any other then were it a great folly of Catholikes to beleeue Luthers or Caluins new opinions without any miracles at all 26. Whom I vvil send The Holy Ghost is sent by the Sonne therfore he procedeth from him also as from the Father though the late Schismatical Greekes thinke otherwise 27. You shal giue He vouchsafeth to ioyne together the testimonie of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles that we may see the testimonie of truth ioyntly to consist in the Holy Ghost and in the Prelats of the Church CHAP. XVI The cause vvhy be foretelleth them their persecution by the Ievves is that they be not aftervvard scandalized thereat 4 Though they thinke this heauie nevves it is for their vantage that he departeth because of the great benefites that they shal receiue by the comming them of the Holy Ghost vvho shal also be his vvitnes against his enemies 16 Although in this vvorld they shal so be persecuted yet to his heauenly Father they and their praiers made in his name shal be most acceptable and at length the childe that is Christ in al his members being borne their ioy shal be such as no persecutor can take from them 31 Hovvbeit at this instant of his apprehension they vvil al forsake him verse 1 THESE things haue I spoken to you that you be not scandalized ✠verse 2 Out of the synagogs they vvil cast you but the houre commeth that euery one vvhich killeth you shal thinke that he doeth seruice to God ✠verse 3 and these things they vvil doe to you because they haue not knovven the Father nor me ✠verse 4 But these things I haue spoken to you that vvhen the houre shal come you may remember them that I told you ⊢ ✠verse 5 But I told you not these things from the beginning because I vvas vvith you And novv I goe to him that sent me and none of you asketh me Vvhither goest thou ✠verse 6 But because I haue spoken these things to you sorovv hath filled your hart ✠verse 7 But I tel you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe For if I goe not the Paraclete shal not come to
and ought to vse al possible humane diligence to knovv and learne out the histories and truth of matters as is plaine in the beginning of S. Lukes Gospel els the Holy Ghost vvould not haue assisted them Euen so in this Councel of the Apostles though they had the holy Ghost assistant yet the text saith cum magna conquisitio fieret Vvhen there vvas great disputation search and examination of the case then Peter spake c. If againe it be demaunded vvhat neede is there to expect the Councels determination if the Popes or See Apostolikes iudgement be infallible and haue the assistance of God also as the Catholikes affirme Vve ansvver that for the Catholike and peaceable obedient children of the Church it is a comfort to haue such various meanes of determination trial and declaration of the truth and that it is necessarie for the recouery of Heretikes and for the contentation of the vveake vvho not alvvaies giuing ouer to one mans determination yet vvil either yeld to the iudgement of al the learned men and Bishops of al Nations or els remaine desperate and condemned before God and man for euer And as I said before this assistance of the Holy Ghost promised to Peters See presupposeth humane meanes of searching out the truth vvhich the Pope alvvaies hath vsed vvil must vse in matters of great importance by calling Councels euen as here you see SS Peter and Paul them selues and al the Apostles though indued vvith the Holy Ghost yet thought it notvvithstanding necessarie for further trial cleering of truth and maintenance of vnitie to keepe a Councel Lastly it is to be noted that as Christ and the Holy Ghost be present by his promes to al such assemblies as gather in the obedience vnitie of the Church vvith ful minde to obey vvhatsoeuer shal be determined vvhereby the assembled though of diuers iudgements before do most peaceably yeld to truth and agree in one vniforme determination of the same so al such as gather out of the Church vvithout humilitie or intention to yeld one to an other or to any Superior man or Councel or vvhat els so euer but chalenge to them selues learning spirit and vve can not tel vvhat such hovv many meetings so euer they make being destitute of the Holy Ghost the author of truth and concord are further of and further out then euer before as God hath shevved by the successe of al Heretical Colloquies Synodes and Assemblies in Germanie France Poole and other places in our daies Read a notable place in S. Cyprian that the promes of Christ that he vvould be in the middes of tvvo or three gathered in his name pertaineth not to them that assemble out of the Church 3â— Reioyced vpon the consolation Straight vpon the intelligence of the Councels determination not only the Gentils but euen the Maisters of the former troubles and dissension vvere at rest al tooke great comfort that the controuersie vvas so ended And so should al Christian men do vvhen they see the sectes of our time condemned by the like authoritie and most graue iudgement of the holy Councel of Trent Against vvhich the Heretikes of our time make the like friuolous exceptions and false cauillations as did the old Heretikes heretofore against those Councels that specially condemned their errors The Pope and Bishopes say they are a partie and they ought not to be our iudges they are partial and come vvith preiudicate mindes to condemne vs and vve accuse them al of Idolatrie and other crimes and vve vvil be tried by Gods vvord only and vve vvil expound it according to an other rule that is to say as vve list So say they against this Councel and the like said the Arians against the first Nicene Councel and al such like against those Councels namely that condemned their heresies And so say al theeues against their correctors and punishers and vvould both say and do more against temporal tribunals Iudges Iustices and Iuries if they had as much licence and libertie in those matters as men haue novv in religion 37. Dissension Such occasions of differences fall out euen among the perfect men often vvithout any great offence And this their departing fell out to the great increase of Christians And therfore it is very ridiculously applied to excuse the disagreing of the Heretikes among them selues in the principal pointes of religion namely the Sacrament CHAP. XVI Paul hauing for his part visited the Churches of Syria Cilicia and Lycaonia deliuering vnto them vvithal to keepe the Decrees of the Councel 6 beginneth a nevv iourney ouer Phrygia Galatia Mysia 8 Yea into Europe also he passeth admonished by a vision and commeth into Macedonia 12 and there he beginneth the Church of the Philippians vvorking miracles and suffering persecution verse 1 AND he came to Derbé and Lystra And behold there vvas a certaine disciple there named Timothee the sonne of a â—vvidovv ' vvoman that beleeued of a father a Gentile ✠verse 2 To this man the brethren that vvere in Lystra and Iconium gaue a good testimonie ✠verse 3 Him Paul vvould haue to goe forth vvith him and taking him he circumcised him because of the Ievves that vvere in those places For they al knevv that his father vvas a Gentile ✠verse 4 And vvhen they passed through the cities they deliuered vnto them to keepe the decrees that vvere decreed of the Apostles and Auncients which were at Hierusalem ✠verse 5 And the Churches vvere confirmed in faith and did abound in number daily ✠verse 6 And passing through Phrygia and the countrie of Galatia they vvere forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the vvord in Asia ✠verse 7 And vvhen they vvere come into Mysia they attempted to goe into Bithynia and the Spirit of IESVS permitted them not ✠verse 8 And vvhen they had passed through Mysia they vvent dovvne to Troas ✠verse 9 and a vision by night vvas shevved to Paul There vvas a certaine man of Macedónia standing and beseeching him and saying passe into Macedónia and helpe vs. ✠verse 10 And as soone as he had seen the vision forthvvith vve sought to goe into Macedónia being assured that God had called vs to euaÌ„gelize to them ✠verse 11 And sailing from Troas vve came vvith a straight course to Samothrácia and the day folovving to Neapolis ✠verse 12 and from thence to Philippi vvhich is the first citie of the part of Macedonia a colónia And vve were in this citie certaine daies abiding ✠verse 13 And vpon the day of the Sabboths vve vvent forth vvithout the gate beside a riuer vvhere it seemed that there vvas praier sitting vve spake to the vvomen that vvere assembled ✠verse 14 And a certaine vvoman named Lydia a seller of purple of the citie of the Thyatirians one that vvorshipped God did heare vvhose hart our Lord opened to attend to those things vvhich vvere
receiue him Vvho vvhen he vvas come profited them much that had beleeued ✠verse 28 For he vvith vehemencie conuinced the Ievves openly shevving by the scriptures that IESVS is CHRIST CHAP. XIX Hovv Paul began the Church of Ephesus first in 1â— that vvere baptized vvith Iohns baptisme â— then preaching three moneths in the Synagogue of the Ievves vntil for their obstinacie and blaspheming he forsooke them disputing aftervvard in a certaine schoole for tvvo yeres space to the maruelous increase of the Church specially through his great miracles also in healing diseases vvith the touche of his clothes and expelling diâ—els 13 vvho yet contemned the Exorcists of the Ievves 18 Hovv the Christians there confesse their actes and burne their vnlavvful bookes 21 and hovv he foretold that after he had been at Hierusalem he must see Rome 23 and vvhat a great sedition vvas raised against him at Ephesus by them that got their liuing of vvorking to the idolatrous Temple of Diana verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen Apollo vvas at Corinth that Paul hauing gone through the higher partes came to Ephesus and found certaine disciples ✠verse 2 and he said to them Haue you receiued the holy Ghost beleeuing But they said to him Nay neither haue vve heard whether there be a holy Ghost ✠verse 3 But he said In vvhat then vvere you baptized Vvho said In Iohns baptisme ✠verse 4 And Paul said * Iohn baptized the people vvith the baptisme of penance saying That they should beleeue in him that vvas to come after him that is to say in IESVS ✠verse 5 Hearing these things they vvere baptized in the name of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 6 And vvhen Paul had imposed hands on them the holy Ghost came vpon them and they spake vvith tongues and prophecied ✠verse 7 And all the men vvere about tvvelue ✠verse 8 And entring in to the synagogue he spake confidently for three moneths disputing and exhorting of the kingdom of God ⊢ ✠verse 9 But vvhen certaine vvere indûrate and beleeued not il-speaking the vvay of our Lord before the multitude departing from them he separated the disciples daily disputing in the schole of one Tyrannus ✠verse 10 An this vvas done for the space of tvvo yeres so that al vvhich dvvelt in Asia heard the vvord of our Lord Ievves and Gentils ✠verse 11 And God vvrought by the hand of Paul miracles not common ✠verse 12 so that there vvere also brought from his body â— napkins or handkerchefs vpon the sicke and the diseases departed from them and the vvicked spirits vvent out ✠verse 13 And certaine also of the Iudaical exorcists that vvent about assaied to inuocate vpon them that had euil spirits the name of our Lord IESVS saying I adiure you by IESVS vvhom Paul preacheth ✠verse 14 And there vvere certaine sonnes of Sceua a Ievve cheefe priest seuen that did this ✠verse 15 But the vvicked spirit ansvvering said to them IESVS I knovv and â— Paul I knovv but you vvhat are ye ✠verse 16 And the man in vvhom the vvicked spirit vvas leaping vpon them and mastring both ' preuailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and vvounded ✠verse 17 And this vvas made notorious to al the Ievves and the Gentiles that dvvelt at Ephesus and feare fel vpon al them and the name of our Lord IESVS vvas magnified ✠verse 18 And many of them that beleeued came confessing and declaring their deedes ✠verse 19 And many of them that had folovved â— curious things brought together their â— bookes and burnt them before al and counting the prices of them they found the money to be fiftie thousand pence ✠verse 20 So mightely increased the vvord of God and vvas confirmed ✠verse 21 And vvhen these things vvere ended Paul purposed in the Spirit vvhen he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to goe to Hierusalem saying After I shall haue been there I must see Rome also ✠verse 22 And sending into Macedonia tvvo of them that ministred vnto him Timothee and Erastus himself remained for a time in Asia ✠verse 23 And at that time there vvas made no litle trouble about the vvay of our Lord. ✠verse 24 For one named Demetrius a siluer-smith that made siluer temples of Diána procured to the artificers no smal gaine ✠verse 25 vvhom calling together and them that vvere the same kinde of vvorkemen he said Sirs you knovv that our gaine is of this occupation ✠verse 26 and you see and heare that this same Paul by persuasion hath auerted a great multitude not only of Ephesus but almost of al Asia saying That they are not gods vvhich be made by handes ✠verse 27 And not only vnto vs is this part in danger to be reproued but also the temple of great Diana shal be reputed for nothing yea her maiestie shal begin to be destroied vvhom al Asia the vvorld vvorshippeth ✠verse 28 Hearing these things they vvere replenished vvith anger and cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians ✠verse 29 And the vvhole citie vvas filled vvith confusion they ranne violently vvith one accord in to the theátre catching Gaius and Aristarchus Macedonians Paules companions ✠verse 30 And vvhen Paul vvould haue entred into the people the disciples did not permit him ✠verse 31 And certaine also of the Princes of Asia that vvere his frendes sent vnto him desying that he vvould not adueÌ„ture him selfe into the theátre ✠verse 32 and others cried an other thing For the assemblie vvas confuse the more part knevv not for vvhat cause they vvere assembled ✠verse 33 And of the multitude they drevv forth Alexander the Ievves thrusting him forvvard But Alexander vvith his hand desiring silence vvould haue giuen the people satisfaction ✠verse 34 Vvhom as soone as they perceiued to be a Ievve there vvas made one voice of al almost for the space of tvvo houres crying out Great is Diana of the Ephesians ✠verse 35 And vvhen the Scribe had appeased the multitudes he saith Ye men of Ephesus for vvhat man is there that knovveth not the citie of the Ephesians to be a vvorshipper of great Diana Iupiters childe ✠verse 36 Forasmuch therfore as these things can not be gainsaid you must be quieted and doe nothing rashly ✠verse 37 For you haue brought these men being neither sacrilegious nor blaspheming your Goddesse ✠verse 38 But if Demetrius and the artificers that are vvith him haue matter to say against any man there are Courtes kept in the common place there are Proconsuls let them accuse one an other ✠verse 39 And if you aske any other matter it may be resolued in a lavvful assemblie ✠verse 40 For vve are in danger also to be accused for this daies sedition vvhereas there is no man guilty by vvhom vve may
verse 12 that is to say to be comforted together in you by that vvhich is coÌ„mon to vs both your faith and mine ✠verse 13 And I vvil not haue you ignorant brethren that I haue often purposed to come vnto you and haue been staied hitherto that I may haue some fruite in you as also in the other Gentiles ✠verse 14 To the Greekes and the Barbarous to the vvise and the vnvvise I am detter ✠verse 15 so as much as is in me I am ready ″ to euangelize to you also that are at Rome ✠verse 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel For it is the povver of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Ievve first and to the Greeke ✠verse 17 For the iustice of God is reuealed therein by faith into faith as it is vvritten And the iust ″ liueth by faith ✠verse 18 For the vvrath of God from heauen ″ is reuealed vpon al impietie and iniustice of those men that deteine the vertitie of God in iniustice ✠verse 19 because that of God vvhich is knovveÌ„ is manifest in them For God hath manifested it vnto them ✠verse 20 For his inuisible things from the creation of the vvorld are seen being vnderstoode by those things that are made his eternal povver also Diuinitie so that they are inexcusable ✠verse 21 Because vvhereas they knevve God they haue not glorified him as God or giueÌ„ thankes but are become vaine in their cogitations and their folish hart hath been darkened ✠verse 22 for saying them selues to be vvise they became fooles ✠verse 23 And they changed the glorie of the incorruptible God into a similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of foules and foure-footed beastes and of them that creepe ✠verse 24 For the vvhich cause God hath deliuered them vp vnto the desires of their hart into vncleannesse for to abuse their owne bodies among them selues ignominiously ✠verse 25 vvho haue changed the veritie of God into lying and haue vvorshipped serued the creature rather then the creator vvho is blessed for euer Amen ✠verse 26 Therfore ″ God hath deliuered them into passions of ignominie For their vvomen haue changed the natural vse into that vse that is contrarie to nature ✠verse 27 And in like maner the men also leauing the natural vse of the vvoman haue burned in their desires one tovvard an other men vpon men vvorking turpitude the revvard of their errour vvhich they should receauing in themselues ✠verse 28 And as they liked not to haue God in knovvledge God deliuered them vp into a reprobate sense to doe those things that are not conuenient ✠verse 29 replenished vvith al iniquitie malice fornication auarice vvickednes ful of enuie murder contention guile malignitie vvhisperers ✠verse 30 detractours odible to God contumelious proude hautie inuentours of euil things disobedient to parents ✠verse 31 folish dissolute vvithout affection vvithout fidelitie vvithout mercie ✠verse 32 Who vvhereas they knevv the iustice of God did not vnderstand that they vvhich doe such things are ″ vvorthie of death not only they that doe them but they also that consent to the doers ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 7. Grace to you and peace It is a kind of blessing rather then a prophane salutation proper to the Apostles of greater vertue then the benedictions of the fathers in the old Testament The holy fathers of the Church seemed to absteine from it for their reuerence to the Apostles * The Manichees August cont ep fundâ— c. 5. â— and other Heretikes as also these of our time because they vvould be counted Apostles often vse it â— Your faith venoumed The holy Doctors vpon these vvordes of the Apostle and specially by our Maisters promis * made to Peter that his faith should not faile giue great testimonie for the prouidence of God in the preseruation of the Romane faith S. Cyprian thus ep 55. nu 6. They are so bold to cary letters from prophanâ— Schismatikes to the chaire of Peter and the principal Church vvhence Priestly vnitie rose not considering the Romanes to be them vvhose faith the Apostle being the commender vvas praised to vvhom misbelâ—â—â—â— can not haue accesse So. S. Hierom Apolog. adu Ruâ—â— li. 3 c. 4. to 2. Knovv you that the Romane faith commended by the Apostles mouth vvil receiue no such decâ—ites nor can be possibly changed though an Angel taught othervvise being fensed by S. Paules authoritie Againe ep 63 ad Parâ—mach Oceanâ—m c. 4. to 2. Whatsoeuer thou be that auouchest nevv sectes I pray 〈◊〉 haue respect to the Romans â—â—res spare the faith which was praised by the Apostles voice And in an other place Wilye knovv ô Paula and Eustoâ—hium hovv the Apostle hath noted euery prouince vvith their proprieties the faith of the people of Roâ—â— is prâ—ised Where is there so gâ—eaâ—concourse to Churches and Martyrs sâ—pulâ—hres Where soundeth Amen like thunder from heauen or vvhere are the temples void of Idols so shaken as there Not that the Romanes haue an other faith then the rest of the Christian Churches but that there is in them more deuotion and simplicitie of faith In an other place the same holy Doctor signifieth that it is al one to say the Romane faith and the Catholike Apolog. 1 adu Ruff. c. 1. So doth S. Cyprian ep 〈◊〉 num 1. ad Antonianum and S. Ambrose de â—bitu fratris in med Vvherevpon this vvord Romane is added to Catholike in many countries vvhere Sectes do abound for the better distinction of true beleeuers from Heretikes vvhich in al ages did hate and abhorre the Romane faith and Church as al malefactors do their Iudges and correctors 9. Serue in spirit Diuerse Heretikes vvhen they heare that God is a spirit and must be serued and adoâ—ed in spirit imagine that he must be honoured only invvardly vvithout ceremonies and external vvorkes vvhich you see is othervvise for that the Apostle serued God in spirit by preaching the Gospel To serue God then in spirit is to serue him vvith faith hope and charitie and vvith al vvorkes proceding of them as to serue him carnally is vvith vvorkes external vvithout the said internal vertues 9. A memorie of you A great example of charitie for al men specially for Prelates and Pastors not only to preach but to pray continually for the conuersion of people to Christes faith Vvhich the Apostle did for them vvhom he neuer knevv in respect of Gods honour only and the zeale of soules 15. To euangâ—liza The Gospel is not only the life of our Sauiour vvritten by the foure Euangelistes nor only that vvhich is vvritten in the nevv TestameÌ„t but theis vvhole course of preaching and teaching the faith Vvhich faith commeth ordinarily of preaching and hearing and not of vvriting or reading And therfore S. Paul thought not him self discharged by
9 to many other good actions 17 and specially to louing of their enemies verse 1 I BESECH you therfore brethren by the mercie of God * that you exhibite your bodies ″ a liuing host holy pleasing God your reasonable seruice ✠verse 2 And be not conformed to this vvorld but be reformed in the newnes of your minde * that you may proue vvhat the good and acceptable and perfect vvil of God is ✠verse 3 for I say by the grace that is giuen me to al that are among you not to be more vvise then behoueth to be vvise but to be vvise vnto sobrietie * to euery one as God hath deuided the measure of faith ✠verse 4 For as in one body vve haue many members but al the members haue not one action ✠verse 5 so vve being many are one body in Christ eche one an others members ⊢ ✠verse 6 And hauing giftes according to the grace that is giuen vs differēt either prophecie ″ according to the rule of faith ✠verse 7 or ministerie in ministring or he that teacheth in doctrine ✠verse 8 he that exhorteth in exhorting he that giueth in simplicitie he that ruleth in carefulnes he that shevveth mercie in cheerefulnes ✠verse 9 Loue vvithout simulation Hating euil cleauing to good ✠verse 10 Louing the charitie of the brotherhod one toward an other Vvith honour preuenting one an other ✠verse 11 In carefulnes not slouthful In spirit feruent Seruing our Lord. ✠verse 12 Reioycing in hope Patient in tribulation Instant in praier ✠verse 13 Communicating to the necessities ' of the sainctes Pursuing hospitalitie ✠verse 14 Blesse them that persecute you blesse and curse not ✠verse 15 To reioyce vvith them that reioyce to vveepe vvith them that vveepe ✠verse 16 Being of one minde one tovvard an other Not minding high things but cōsenting to the humble ⊢ Be not vvise in your ovvne conceite ✠verse 17 To no man rendring euil for euil Prouiding good things not only before God but also before al men ✠verse 18 If it may be as much as is in you hauing peace vvith al men ✠verse 19 Not reuenging your selues my deerest but giue place vnto vvrath for it is vvritten Reuenge to me I vvil revvard saith our Lord. ✠verse 20 but if thine enemie hunger giue him meate if he thirst giue him drinke for doing this thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head ✠verse 21 Be not ouercome of euil but ouercome in good the euil ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 1. A liuing host Lest men should thinke by the former discourse of Gods eternal predestination that no reward were to be had of good life and workes the Apostle now earnestly recommendeth to them holinesse of life 1. A liuing host Man maketh his body a sacrifice to God by giuing it to suffer for him by chastising it vvith fasting vvatching and such like and by occupying it in workes of charitie and vertue to Gods honour whereby appeareth how acceptable these workes are to God and grateful in his sight being compared to a sacrifice which is an high seruice done to him 6. According to the rule of faith By this and many places of holy write we may gather that the Apostles by the holy Ghost before they were sundered into diuers Nations set downe among them selues a certaine Rule and forme of faith and doctrine conteining not onely the Articles of the Crede but al other principles groundes and the whole platforme of al the Christian religion Which Rule was before any of the bookes of the new Testment were written before the faith was preached among the Gentiles by vvhich not onely euery other inseriout teachers doctrine was tried but al the Apostles and Euangelistes preaching vvriting interpreting which is here called prophecying were of gods Church appointed and admitted or disproued and reiected This forme by mouth and not by Scripture euery Apostle deliuered to the countrie by them conuerted For keeping of this forme the Apostle before praised the Romanes and afterward earnestly warneth them by no man 〈◊〉 speache to be drawen from the same This he commendeth to Timothee calling it his 〈◊〉 For not holding this fast and sure he blameth the Galatians further also denouncing to him self or an Angel that should write teach or expound against that which they first receiued 〈…〉 and commanding alwaies to bevvare of them that taught otherwise For feare of missing this line of truth him self notwithstanding he had the Holy Ghost yet lest he might haue preached in vaine and lost his labour he went to conferre with Peter and the rest for tho fast keeping of this Rule of truth the Apostles held Councels and their successors by their example For the holding of this Rule and by the measure thereof were al the holy Scriptures written for and by the same al the glorious doctors haue made their sermons commendries and interpretations Gods vvork al vvritings and interpretatiōs no otherwise admitted nor deemed to be of God but as they be agreable to this Rule And this is the sure Analogies 〈◊〉 measure of faith set downe and commended to vs euery where for the Apostles tradition and not the phantastical rule or square that euery Sectmaister pretendeth to gather out of the Scriptures falsely vnderstood and wrested to his purpose by which they iudge of doctor Scripture Church and al. Arîus had by that meanes a rule of his owne Luther had his false weightes and Caluin his owne also According to which seueral measure of euery Sect they haue their expositions of Gods word and in England as in other infected Countries they kept of lare an apish imitation of this prophecying which S. Paul here and in other places speaketh of and which was an exercise in the primitiue Church measured not by euery mans peculiar spirit but by the former Rule of faith first set downe by the Apostles And therfore al this new phantastical Prophecying al other preaching in Caluins schoole is iustly by this note of the Apostle condemned for that it is not according to but quite against the Rule of faith CHAP. XIII To yeld obedience and al other duties vnto Potestats 8 to loue their neighbour vvhich is the fulfilling of the Lavv 11 and specially to consider that novv being the time of grace vve must doe nothing that may not beseeme day light verse 1 LET ″ euery soul be subiect to higher powers for there is ″ no povver but of God And those that are of God are ordeined ✠verse 2 Therfore he that resisteth the povver resisteth the ordinance of God And ″ they that resist purchase to them selues damnatiō ✠verse 3 for princes are no feare to the good worke but to the euil But wilt thou not feare the povver Doe good and thou shalt haue praise of the same ✠verse 4
that perish is folishnes but to them that are saued that is to vs it is the povver of God ✠verse 19 For it is vvritten I vvil destroy the vvisedom of the vvise and the prudence of the prudent I vvil reiecte ✠verse 20 Vvhere is the vvise vvhere is the Scribe vvhere is the disputer of this vvorld Hath not God made the vvisedom of this vvorld folish ✠verse 21 For because in the vvisedom of God the vvorld did not by vvisedom knovv God it pleased God by the folishnes of the preaching to saue them that beleeue ✠verse 22 For both the Ievves aske signes and the Greekes seeke vvisedom ✠verse 23 but vve preach Christ crucified to the Ievves certes a scandal and to the Gentiles folishnes ✠verse 24 but to the called Ievves Greekes Christ the povver of God and the vvisedom of God ✠verse 25 For that vvhich is the folish of God is vviser then men and that vvhich is the infirme of God is stronger then men ✠verse 26 For see your vocation brethren that not many vvise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble ✠verse 27 but the folish things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the vvise and the vveake things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the strong ✠verse 28 and the base things of the vvorld and the contemptible hath God chosen and those things vvhich are not that he might destroy those things vvhich are ✠verse 29 that no flesh may glorie in his sight ✠verse 30 And of him you are in Christ IESVS â— vvho is made vnto vs vvisedom from God iustice sanctificatioÌ„ and redemption ✠verse 31 that as it is vvritten He that doth glorie may glorie in our Lord. ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. In al knovvledge Obserue that the Apostles neuer vvrote their letters but to such as vvere conuerted to Christes faith before for men can not lightly learne the Christian religion by reading Scriptures but by hearing and by the presence of their teachers which may instruct them at large and particularly of euery Article as clerely breefely by letters they could not doe Neither doth novv any man learne his faith first but by hearing of his parents and Maisters for if vve should vvhen vve come to yeres of discretion â—e set to picke our faith out of the Scriptures there vvould be a madde vvorke and many faithes among vs. 30. Who is made He meaneth not as our Aduersaries captiously take it that vve haue no iustice sapience nor sanctity of our ovvne other then Christes imputed to vs but the sense is that he is made the author giuer and meritorious cause of al these vertues in vs for so the Apostle interpreteth him self plainely in the 6 Chapter folovving vvhen he vvriteth thus You be vvashed you be iustified you be sanctified in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and in the Spirit of our God CHAP. II. That his ovvne preaching among them vvas in humble maner in the sight of man 3 Hovvbeit it is most profound vvisedom as they should and vvould perceiue if they vvere not carnal vvhich is taught in the Church of Christ verse 1 AND I brethren vvhen I came to you I came not in loftinesse of speache or of vvisedom preaching to you the testimonie of Christ ✠verse 2 For I iudged not my self to knovv any thing among you but IESVS Christ and him crucified ✠verse 3 And * I vvas vvith you in infirmitie and feare and much trembling ✠verse 4 and my speache and my preaching vvas not in the persuasible vvordes of humane vvisedom but in shevving of spirit and povver ✠verse 5 that your faith might not be in the vvisedom of men but in the povver of God But vve speake vvisedom among the perfect ✠verse 6 but the vvisedom not of this vvorld neither of the princes of this vvorld that come to naught ✠verse 7 but vve speake the vvisedom of God in a mysterie which is hid vvhich God did predestinate before the worlds vnto our glorie ✠verse 8 which none of the princes of this vvoâ—ld did knovv for if they had knovven they vvould neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie ✠verse 9 But as it is vvritten That vvhich eie hath not seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the hart of maÌ„ vvhat things God hath prepared for them that loue him ✠verse 10 but to vs God hath reuealed by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth al things yea the profoundities of God ✠verse 11 For vvhat man knovveth the things of a man but â— the spiâ—it of a man that is in him so the things also that are of God no man knovveth but the spirit of God ✠verse 12 And vve haue receiued not the spirit of this vvorld but the spirit that is of God â— that vve may knovv the things that of God are giuen to vs. ✠verse 13 vvhich also vve speake not in learned vvordes of humane vvisedom but in the doctrine of the Spirit comparing spiritual things to the spiritual ✠verse 14 But â— the sensual man perceiueth not those things that are of the spirit of God for it is folishnes to him and he can not vnderstand because he is spiritually examined ✠verse 15 But the spiritual man iudgeth al things and him self is iudged of no man ✠verse 16 For * vvho hath knovven the sense of our Lord that may instructe him But vve haue the sense of Christ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 11. But the spirit of man One man can not knovv an others cogitations naturally but God giueth to Prophets and other euen in this vvorld oftentimes by extraordinary grace to knovv mens secretes As he did to S. Peter to knovv the fraude of Ananias and Sapphira and to Eliseus his seruants bribery in his absence and vvhat vvas done in the king of Syria his chamber and as he giueth to al Angels and Saincts so far as is conuenient to our necessities and their heauenly glorie to vnderstand not onely our vocal praiers but our invvard repentance and desires 12. That vve may knovv The Protestants that chalenge a particular spirit reuealing to eche one his ovvne predestination iustification and saluation vvould dravv this text to that purpose Vvhich importeth nothing els as is plaine by the Apostles discourse but that the holy Ghost hath giuen to the Apostles by them to other Christian men to knovv Gods ineffable gifts bestovved vpon the beleeuers in this time of grace that is Christes Incarnation Passion presence in the Sacrament the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen vvhich Pagans Ievves and Heretikes deride 14. The sensual man The sensual man is he specially that measureth these heauenly mysteries by natural reason humane prudence external sense and vvorldly affection as the Ievv Pagane and Heretike doe and sometime both here and els vvhere the
authors of al these schismes verse 1 SO let a man esteeme vs as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God ✠verse 2 Here novv is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful ✠verse 3 But to me it is a thing of lest account to be iudged of you or of mans day but I iudge not my self neither ✠verse 4 For I am not guilty in conscience of any thing◠″ but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord. ✠verse 5 Therfore iudge not before the time vntil our Lord do come vvho also wil lighten the hiddeÌ„ things of darkenes and vvil manifest the counsels of the hartes then the praise shal be to euery man of God ⊢ ✠verse 6 But these things brethren I haue transfigured into my self and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against an other aboue that is vvritten ✠verse 7 For vvho discerneth thee Or vvhat hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued what doest thou glorie as though thou hast nor receiued ✠verse 8 Now you are filled now are you become riche without vs you reigne I would to God you did reigne that vve also might reigne vvith you ✠verse 9 For I thinke that God hath shevved vs Apostles the last as it vvere deputed to death because vve are made a spectacle to the vvorld and to Angels and men ✠verse 10 Vve are fooles for Christ but you vvise in Christ vve vveake but you strong you noble but vve base ✠verse 11 Vntil this houre we doe both hunger and thirst and are naked and are beaten vvith buffets and are vvanderers ✠verse 12 and labour vvorking vvith our ovvne handes vve are cursed and do blesse vve are persecuted and susteine it ✠verse 13 vve are blasphemed and vve beseeche vve are made the refuse of this vvorld the drosse of al euen vntil novv ✠verse 14 Not to confound you do I vvrite these things but as my deerest children I admonish you ⊢ ✠verse 15 For if you haue ten thousand paedagoges in Christ yet not many fathers For in Christ IESVS by the Gospel I begat you ⊢ ✠verse 16 I beseeche you therfore be folovvers of me ✠verse 17 Therfore haue I sent to you Timothee vvho is my deerest sonne and faithful in our Lord vvho vvil put you in minde of my vvaies that are in Christ IESVS as euery vvhere in euery Church I teach ✠verse 18 As though I vvould not come to you so certaine are puffed vp ✠verse 19 But I vvil come to you quickly if our Lord vvil and vvil knovv not the vvordes of them that be puffed vp but the povver ✠verse 20 For the kingdom of God is not in vvordes but in povver ✠verse 21 Vvhat vvil you â— in rodde that I come to you or in charitie and the spirit of mildnes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 4. But not iustified The Heretikes are certaine that they be in Gods grace but S. Paul though guiltie of no crime in his conscience durst not assure him self that he vvas iustified neither could take vpon him to be iudge of his ovvne hart and cogitations vvhether they vvere pure or no but the trial thereof he left onely to Gods iudging day 21. In rodde The Apostles haue povver of discipline and censures against offenders and povver of gentlenes meekenes and indulgence also to vse either punishing or pardoning according to their wisedom and according to the occasions of time and place CHAP. V. Sharply rebuking their Clergies negligence 3 him self absent excommunicateth that publike incestuous person 6 commaunding that hereafter no Christian be so tolerated in any open crime but excommunicated verse 1 THERE is plainely heard fornication among you and such fornication as the like is not among the heathen so that one hath his * fathers vvife ✠verse 2 And you are puffed vp and haue not mourned rather that he might be taken avvay from amoÌ„g you that hath done this deede ✠verse 3 â— I in deede absent in body but present in spirit haue already iudged as present him that hath so done ✠verse 4 in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ â— you being gathered together and my spirit â— vvith the vertue of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 5 to deliuer such an one â— to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 6 Your glorying is not good Knovv you not that a litle leauen corrupteth the vvhole paste ✠verse 7 Purge the old leauen that you may be a nevv paste as you are azymes For our Pasche Christ is immolated ✠verse 8 Therfore â— let vs feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice and vvickednes but in the azymes of sinceritie and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 9 I vvrote to you in an epistle Not to keepe companie vvith fornicatours ✠verse 10 I meane not the fornicatours of this vvorld or the couetous or the extorsioners or seruers of Idols othervvise you should haue gone out of this vvorld ✠verse 11 But novv I vvrote to you not to keepe companie if he that is named a brother be a fornicatour or a couetous person or a seruer of Idols or a railer or a drunkarde or an extorsioner vvith such an one ″ not so much as to take meate ✠verse 12 For vvhat is it to me to iudge of them that are vvithout Do not you iudge of them that are vvithin ✠verse 13 for them that are vvithout God vvil iudge Take away ″ the euil-one from among your selues ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 2. I absent S. Paul here vseth his Apostolike povver of binding this incestuous person excommunicating him by his letters and Mandaâ—â—â— though absent 4. You being gathered Though he commaunded the acte should be done in the face of the Church as such sentences and censures be at this day executed also yet the iudgement and authoritie of giuing sentence vvaâ— in him self and not in the vvhole multitude as the Protestants and the popular Sectaries affirme for the povver of binding and loosing vvas not giuen to the vvhole Church but as in the persons of the Prelats to them for the benefite of the vvhole Vvherevpon S. Chrysostome vpon those vvordes Dic Ecclesia Tel the Church Mat. 18 Complaine to the Church that is saith he to the Prelats and Presidents thereof 4. With the vertue Al such great povver ouer sinners is holden and exercised in the name and vertue of CHRIST IESVS And vvhosoeuer setteth light by it despiseth our Lordes name and povver 5. To Satan To assure vs that al excommunicate persons be in the povver and possession of the Diuel and quite out of Christes protection as soone as they be separated by the Churches
″ faith in the same Spirit to an other the grace of doing cures in one Spirit ✠verse 10 to an other the vvorking of miracles to an other prophecie to an other discerning of spirites to an other kindes of tonges to an other interpretation of languages ✠verse 11 And al these things vvorketh one and the same Spirit diuiding to euery one according as he vvil ⊢ ✠verse 12 For * as the body is one and hath many members and al the members of the body vvhereas they be many yet are one body so also Christ ✠verse 13 For in one Spirit vvere vve al baptized into one ' vvhether Ievves or Gentiles or bondmen or free and in one Spirit vve vvere al made to drinke ✠verse 14 For the body also is not one member but many ✠verse 15 ″ If the foote should say because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therfore not of the body ✠verse 16 And if the eare should say because I am not the the eie I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body ✠verse 17 If the vvhole body vvere the eie vvhere is the hearing If the vvhole vvere the hearing vvhere is the smelling ✠verse 18 But novv God hath set the members euery one of them in the body as he vvould ✠verse 19 And if al vvere one member vvhere vvere the body ✠verse 20 But novv there are many members in deede yet one body ✠verse 21 And the eie can not say to the hand I neede not thy helpe or againe the head to the feete You are not necessarie for me ✠verse 22 But much more those that seeme to be the more vveake members of the body are more necessarie ✠verse 23 and such as vve thinke to be the baser members of the body vpon them vve put more aboundant honour and those that are our vnhonest partes haue more aboundant honestie ✠verse 24 And our honest partes neede nothing but God hath tempered the body giuing to it that vvanted the more aboundant honour ✠verse 25 that there might be no ″ schisme in the body but the members together might be careful one for an other ✠verse 26 And if one member suffer any thing al the members suffer vvith it or if one member do glorie al the members reioyce vvith it ✠verse 27 And you are the body of Christ and members of member ✠verse 28 And * some verily God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondly prophets thirdly doctors next miracles thē the graces of doing cures helpes gouernements kindes of tonges ✠verse 29 Are al Apostles are al prophets are al doctors are al miracles ✠verse 30 haue al the grace of doing cures do al speake vvith tonges do al interpret ✠verse 31 But pursue the better giftes And yet I shevv you a more excellent vvay ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 9. Faith in the same This faith is not an other in substance then the common faith in Christ but is of an other accidental qualitie onely that is of more seruor deuotiō zeale and confident trust specially for doing of miracles 13. If the foote The Church is of exceding great distinctiō of members giftes orders and offices yet of great concord concurrence mutual communion and participation in al actions of her members among them selues and vvith Christ the head of the Body 25. Schisme in the body As Charitie and vnitie of spirit is the proper bond and vveale of the common Body so is diuision or Schisme vvhich is the interruption of peace and mutual Societie-betvvene the partes of the same the special plague of the Church and as odious to God as rebellion to the temporal Soueraine CHAP. XIII That aboue al other Giftes they should seeke after Charitie as that vvithout vvhich nothing profiteth 4 and vvhich doth al as 〈◊〉 to be done and remaineth also in heauen verse 1 IF I speake vvith the tonges of men and of Angels and haue ″ not charitie I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal ✠verse 2 And if I should haue prophecie and knevv al mysteries and al knovvledge and if I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing ✠verse 3 And if I should distribute al my goods to be meate for the poore and if I should ″ deliuer my body so that I burne and haue not charitie it doth profit me nothing ✠verse 4 Charitie is patient is benigne Charitie enuieth not dealeth not peruersly is not puffed vp ✠verse 5 is not ambitious seeketh not her ovvne is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euil ✠verse 6 reioyceth not vpon iniquitie but reioyceth vvith the truth ✠verse 7 suffereth al things beleeueth al things hopeth al things beareth al things ✠verse 8 Charitie neuer falleth avvay vvhether prophecies shal be made voide or tonges shal cease or knovvledge shal be destroied ✠verse 9 For in part vve knovv and in part vve prophecie ✠verse 10 But vvhen that shal come that is perfect that shal be made voide that is in part ✠verse 11 Vvhen I vvas a litle one I spake as a litle one I vnderstood as a litle one I thought as a litle one But vvhen I vvas made a man I did avvay things that belōged to a litle one ✠verse 12 Vve see novv by a glasse in a darke sort but then face to face Novv I knovv in part but then I shal knovv as also I am knovven ✠verse 13 And novv there remaine faith hope charitie ″ these three but the greater of these is charitie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 1. Not Charitie Vvithout Charitie both tovvard euery particular person and specially tovvard the common body of the Church none of al the giftes and graces of God he profitable 1. Deliuer my body Beleeue saith S. Augustine assuredly and hold for certaine that no Heretike and Schismatike that vniteth not him self to the Catholike Church againe hovv great almes so euer he giue yea or shede his bloud for Christes name can possibly be saued For many Heretikes by the cloke of Christes cause deceiuing the simple suffer much But vvhere true faith is not there is no iustice because the iust liueth by faith So it is also of Schismatikes because vvhere charitie is not iustice can there be none vvhich if they had they vvould neuer plucke in peetes the body of Christ vvhich is the Church Aug. seu Pulg de sid ad Pet. c. 39. So saith S. Augustine in diuers places not onely of Heretikes that died directly for defense of their heresie as the Anabaptistes and Caluinists novv a daies do for that is more damnable but of some Heretikes and Schismatikes that may die among the Heathen or Turkes for defense of truth or some Article of Christes religion Aug. de verb. D◠ser 50 c. 2. in
mutual entercourse that is betvvene the members of Christes mystical body and very ansvverable to Gods iustice * vvhich by supply of the one sort that aboundeth standeth entire in respect of the other sort also that wanteth In vvhich kinde the Apostle confesseth that him self by his suffering and tribulations supplieth the vvantes of such passions as Christ hath to suffer not in his ovvne person but in his body vvhich is his Church Vvherevpon vve inferre most assuredly that the satisfactorie and penal vvorkes of holy Sainctes suffered in this life be communicable and applicable to the vse of other faithful men their fellovv-members in our Lord and to be dispensed according to euery ones necessitie and deseruing by them vvhom Christ hath constituted ouer his familie and hath made the dispensers of his treasures 10. In the person of Christ For that many might of ignorance or pride reproue the practise of Gods Church and her Officers or deny the Apostles authoritie to be so great ouer mens soules as to punish and pardon in this sort S. Paul doth purposely and precisely tell them that he doth giue pardon as Christes Vicar or as bearing his person in this case and therfore that no man may maruel of his povver herein except he thinke that Christes povver authoritie and commission is not sufficient to release temporal punishment due to sinners And this to be the proper meaning of these vvordes In the person of Christ and not as the Protestants vvould haue it the better to auoid the former conclusion of the Apostles giuing indulgence In the face or sight of Christ you may easily vnderstand by the Apostles like insinuation of Christes povver vvhen he committed this offender to Satan affirming that he gaue that sentence in the name and vvith the vertue or povver of our Lord IESVS CHRIST In al vvhich cases the Protestants blindnes is exceding great vvho can not see that this is not the vvay to extol Christes povver to deny it to his Priests seing the Apostle chalengeth it by that that Christ hath such povver that him self doth it in his name vertue and person So novv in this and in no other name giue Popes and Bishops their pardons Vvhich pertaining proprely to releasing onely of temporal punishment due after the sinne and the eternal punishment be forgiuen is not so great a matter as the remission of the sinne it self vvhich yet the Priests * by expresse commission do also remitte 11. Circumuented of Satan Vve may see hereby that the dispensation of such discipline and the releasing of the same be put into the povver and handes of Gods ministers to deale more or lesse rigorously to pardon sooner or later punish longer or shorter vvhile as shal be thought best to their vvisedom for the end of al such correction or pardoning must be the saluation of the parties soul as the Apostle noted 1 Cor. 5 5. Vvhich to some and some certaine times may be better procured by rigour of discipline then by indulgence to some others by leuitie and humane dealing so pardoning of penance is called in old Councels rather then by ouermuch chastisemeÌ„â— for consideration vvhereof in some ages of the Church much discipline great penance and satisfaction vvas both enioyned and also vvillingly susteined and then vvas the lesse pardoning and fevver indulgences because in that voluntary vse and acceptation of punishment and great zeale and feruor of spirit euery man fulfilled his penancÌ„e and fevv asked pardon Novv in the fall of deuotion and lothsomnes that men commonly haue to do great penance though the sinnes be far greater then euer before yet our holy mother the Church knovving vvith the Apostle the cogitations of Satan hovv he vvould in this delicate time driue men either to desperation or to forsake Christ and his Church and al hope of saluation rather then they vvould enter into the course of canonicall discipline enioyneth small penance and seldom vseth extremitie vvith offenders as the holy Bishops of the primitiue Church did but condescending to the vveaknes of her children pardoneth exceding often and much not onely al enioyned penance but also al or great partes of vvhat punishment temporal so euer due or deserued either in this vvorld or in the next As for the Heretikes vvhich neither like the Churches lenitie and pardoning in these daies nor the old rigor of the primitiue Church they be like to the Ievves â— that condemned Iohn the Baptist of austeritie and Christ of to much freedom and libertie not knovving nor liking in deede either Christes ordinance and commission in binding or loosing or his prouidence in the gouernement of the Church 17. Adulterating The Greeke vvord signifieth to make commoditie of the vvord of God as vulgar Vinteners do of their vvine Vvhereby is expressed the peculiar trade of al Heretikes and exceding proper to the Protestants that so corrupt Scriptures by mixture of their ovvne phantasies by false traÌ„slations glosses colorable and pleasant commentaries to deceiue the tast of the simple as tauerners and tapsters do to make their vvines salable by manifold artificial deceites The Apostles contrarievvise as all Catholikes deliuer the Scriptures and vtter the vvord of God sincerely and entirely in the same sense and sort as the fathers left them to the Church interpreting them by the same Spirit by vvhich they vvere vvritten or spoken CHAP. III. Lest the Iudaical false Apostles should obiect againe that he praiseth him self he saith that the Corinthians are his commendation and they in their hartes being iustified by his ministerie he thereof inferreth that the ministers of the nevv Testament are farre more glorious them they of the old 12 and our people more lightened then theirs verse 1 BEGIN we againe to commend our selues or do vve neede as certaine epistles of commendation to you or from you ✠verse 2 Our epistle you are vvritten in our hartes vvhich is knovven and read of al men ✠verse 3 being manifested that you are ″ the epistle of Christ ministred by vs vvritten not vvith inke but vvith the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the tables carnall of the hart ✠verse 4 And such confidence vve haue by Christ God ✠verse 5 not that vve be sufficient to thinke any thing ″ of our selues as of our selues but our sufficience is of God ✠verse 6 Vvho also hath made vs meete ministers of the nevv â—estament not in the letter but in the Spirit For ″ the letter killeth but the Spirit quickeneth ✠verse 7 And if the ministration of death with letters figured in stones vvas in glorie so that the children of Israël could not behold the face of Moyses for the glorie of his countenaÌ„ce that is made void ✠verse 8 how shal not the ministration of the Spirit be more in glorie ✠verse 9 For if the ministratioÌ„ of damnation be in glorie
same dales they be novv solemnely kept his B. mothers and other Saincts as the Aduersaries them selues confesse aboue 1300 yeres as appeareth in the barbarous combattes betvvene Vvestphalus the Lutheran Caluin and by the vvritings betvvixt the Puritans and Protestants For vvhich purpose see also hovv old the holiday of S. Polycarpe is in Eusebius li. 4. c. 14 of the AssumptioÌ„ of our Ladie or her dormition in S. Athanasius S. Augustine S. Hierom. S. Damase both of that feast and of her Natiuitie in S. Bernard vvho professeth he receiued them of the Church that they ought to be most solemnel kept ep 174. Vvherein vve can not but vvonder at the nevv Church of England that though against the pure Caluinistes vvil and doctrine keepe other Saincts and Apostles daies of their death and yet haue abolished this special feast of our Ladies departure vvhich they might keepe though they beleeued not her Assumption in body vvhereof yet S. Denys giueth so great testimonie being assured she is departed at the least except they either â—are her or thinke her vvorthy of lesse remembrance then any other Sainct her self prophecying the contrarie of al Catholike generations that they should blesse her And in deede the Assumption is her proper day as also the feast of her Natiuitle the other of the Purification and the Annuneâ—ation vvhich they keepe in England being not so peculiar to her but belonging rather to Christes Presentation in the Temple and his Conception To conclude vve may see in S. Cyprian ep 34. Origen ho. 3. in diuers Tertulliau de cor â—il S. Gregorie Nazianzene de amore pauperum the Councel of Gangres yea and in the councel of Nice it self giuing order for Easter and the certaine celebrating thereof that Christian Festiuities be holy auÌ„cient and to be obserued on prescript daies and times and that this is not Iudaical obseruation of daies as Aërius taught for vvhich he vvas condemned of Heresie as S. EpiÌ„phanius witnesseth But of holidaies S. Augustine sheweth both the reason and his liking in these memorable vvordes 〈◊〉 for the feastes belonging to our Lord thus We dedicate and consecrate the memorie of Gods benefites vvith solemnities feastes and certaine appointed daies left by tract of times there might creept in ingrateful and vnkinde obliuion Of the festiuities of Martyrs thus Christian people celebrate the memories of Martyrs vvith religious solemnitie both to moue them selues to imitation of them and that they may be partakers of their merites and be holpen vvith their praiers Cont. Faust li. 20. c. 21. And of al Saincts daies thus Keepe ye and celibrate vvith sobrietie the Natiuities of Saincts that vve may imitate them vvhich haue gone before Vs and they may reioyce of vs vvhich pray for vs. In ps 88. Conc. 2. in fine And as is said of prescript daies of feastes so the like is to be said of fastes vvhich els vvhere vve haue shewed to be of the Apostles ordinance And so also of the Ecclesiastical diuision of the yere into Aduent Septuagesme c. the vveeke into so many I eries the day into Houres of praiers as the Prime the Third the Sixth the None c. Vvhereof see S. Cyprian vvho deriueth these things by the Scriptures from the Apostles also and counteth these things vvhich the vvicked Heretikes reproue to be ful of mysterie Like vnto this also is it that the holy Scriptures were so disposed of and deuided that certaine peeces as is alvvaies obserued and practised vntil this day should be read at one time and others at other times and seasons through out the yere according to the diuersitie of our Lordes actions and benefites or the Saincts stories then recorded Vvhich the Puritane Caluinists also condemne of superstition desiring to bring in hellish horrour and al disorder See conc Carthag 3. c. 47. pag. 288 of this booke 24. By an allegorie Here vve learne that the holy Scriptures haue beside the litteral sense a deeper spiritual and more principal meaning which is not only to be taken of the holy vvordes but of the very factes and persons reported both the speaches and the actions being significatiue ouer and aboue the letter Vvhich pregnancie of manifold senses if S. Paul had not signified him self in certaine places the Heretikes had bene lesse vvicked and presumptuous in condemning the holy fathers allegorical expositions almost vvholy who now shew them selues to be mere brutish and carnal men hauing no sense nor feeling of the profunditie of the Scriptures vvhich our holy fathers the Doctors of Gods Church savv â—1 Freedom He meaneth the libertie and discharge from the old ceremonies sacraments and the vvhole bondage of the Lavv and from the seruitude of sinne and the Diuel to such as obey him but not libertie to do vvhat euery man list or to be vnder no obedience of spiritual or temporal lavves and gonerners not a licence neuer to pray fast keepe holyday or vvorkday but vvhen and hovv it seemeth best to euery mans phantasie Such a dissolute licentious state is farre from the true libertie vvhich Christ purchased for vs. CHAP. V. Against the lie of the false Apostles he protesteth his mind of Circumcision 13 and testifieth that they are called to libertie But yet left any misconster Christian libertie he telleth them that they shal not inherite the kingdom vnles they abstaine from the vvorkes of the flesh vvhich are al mortal sinnes and do the fruitful vvorkes of the Spirit fulfilling al the commaundements of the Lavv by Charitie verse 1 STAND and be not holden in againe vvith the yoke of seruitude ✠verse 2 Behold I Paul tel you that if you be circumcised Christ shal profite you nothing ✠verse 3 And I testifie againe to euery man circumciding him self that he is a detter to doe the vvhole Lavv. ✠verse 4 You are euacuated from Christ that are iustified in the Lavv you are falleÌ„ from grace ✠verse 5 For vve in spirit by faith expect the hope of iustice ✠verse 6 For in Christ IESVS * neither circumcision auaileth ought nor prepuce but ″ faith that vvorketh by charitie ✠verse 7 You ranne vvel vvho hath hindered you not to obey the truth ✠verse 8 The persuasion is not of him that calleth you * ✠verse 9 A litle leauen corrupteth the vvhole paste ✠verse 10 I haue confidence in you in our Lord that you vvil be of no other minde but he that troubleth you shal beare the iudgement vvhosoeuer he be ✠verse 11 And as for me brethren if as yet I preach circumcision vvhy doe I yet suffer persecution then is the scandal of the crosse euacuated ✠verse 12 I would they vvere also cut of that trouble you ✠verse 13 For you brethreÌ„ are called into libertie only make not this ″ libertie an occasion to the flesh but by charitie serue
one an other ✠verse 14 For al the Lavv is fulfilled in one vvord Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self ✠verse 15 But if you bite and eate one an other take heede you be not consumed one of an other ✠verse 16 And I say vvalke in the spirit and the Iustes of the flesh you shal not accomplish ✠verse 17 For the flesh Iusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these are aduersaries one to an other that not vvhat things soeuer ″ you vvil these you doe ✠verse 18 But if you be ledde by the spirit you are not vnder the Lavv. ✠verse 19 And the vvorkes of the flesh be manifest vvhich are fornication vncleannes impudicitie lecherie ✠verse 20 seruing of Idols vvitch-craftes enmities coÌ„tentions emulations angers bravvles dissensions sectes ✠verse 21 enuies murders ebrieties commessations and such like vvhich I foretel you as I haue foretold you that they vvhich doe such things shal not obteine the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 But the fruite of the Spirit is Charitie ioy peace patience benignitie goodnes longanimitie ✠verse 23 mildnes faith modestie coÌ„tinencie chastitie Against such there is no lavv ✠verse 24 And they that be Christs haue crucified their flesh vvith the vices and concupiscences ⊢ ✠verse 25 If vve liue in the spirit in the spirit also let vs vvalke ✠verse 26 Let vs not be made desirous of vaine glorie prouoking one an other enuying one an other ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 6. Faith This is the faith vvorking by charitie vvhich S. Paul meaneth els vvhere vvhen he faith that faith doth iustifie And note vvel that by these termes circumcision prepuce not auailable to iustification it is plaine that in the other places he meaneth the vvorkes of Circumcision and Prepuce that is of the Ievves and the Gentils vvithout faith vvhich auaile not but faith vvorking by charitie as vvho should say faith and good vvorkes not vvorkes vvithout faith Againe note here that if the Protestants vvho pretend conference of places to be the best or only vvay to explicate hard speaches of the holy Scriptures had folovved but their ovvne rule this one text vvould haue interpreted cleated vnto them al other vvhereby iustice and saluation might seeme to be attributed to faith alone the Apostle here so expresly setting dovvne the faith vvhich he commendeth so much before not to be alone but vvith charitie not to be idle but to be vvorking by Charitie as S. Augustine noteth defid ep c. 14. Further the good Reader must obserue that vvhereas the Protestants some of them confesse that Charitie and good vvorkes be ioyned and requisite also and that they exclude them not but commend them highly yet so that the said Charitie or good vvorkes are no part of our iustice or any cause of iustification but as fruites and effectes of faith onely vvhich they say doth all yea though the other be present this false glose also is reproued euidently by this place vvhich teacheth vs cleane contrarie to vvitte that faith hath her vvhole actiuitie and operation tovvard iustice and saluation of charitie and not contrarievvise vvithout vvhich it can not haue any act meritorious or agreable to God for our saluation for vvhich cause S. Augustine saith li. 〈◊〉 de Trin. c. 18. Fidem non facit vtilem nisi charitas nothing maketh faith profitable but charitie But the Heretikes ansvver that vvhere the Apostle saith faith vvorketh by charitie he maketh charitie to be the instrument only of faith in vvel vvorking and therfore the inferior cause at the least but this also is easily refuted by the Apostles plaine testimonie affirming that charitie is * the greater vertue that if a man had al faith and lacked charitie he vvere vvorth nothing And againe * that Charitie is the perfection and accoÌ„plishment of of the Iavv as faith iâ— not vvhich can not agree to the instrumental or inferior cause And therfore vvhen it is said that faith vvorketh by charitie it is not as by an instrument but as the body vvorketh by the soul the matter by the forme vvithout vvhich they haue no actiuitie Vvherevpon the the Schooles call Charitie the forme or life of faith that is to say the force actiuitie operatiue qualitie thereof in respect of merite and iustice Vvhich S. Iames doth plainely insinuate vvhen he maketh faith vvithout Charitie to be as a dead corps vvithout soul or life and therefore vvithout profitable operation c. 2. v. 26. â—â— Libertie an occasion They abuse the libertie of the Gospel to the aduantage of their flesh that vnder pretense therof shake of their obedience to the lavves of man to the decrees of the Church and Councels that vvil liue and beleeue as they list and not be taught by their Superiors but fornicate vvith euery Sect maister that teacheth pleasant licentious things and al this vnder pretence of spirit libertie and freedom of the Gospel Such must learne that al heresies schismes and rebellions against the Church and their lavvful Prelates be counted here among the vvorkes of the flesh Sâ—â— S. Augustine de fid op c. 24. 25. If any do sinne therest that do the vvorkes of the Holy Ghost must not therfore take pride in them selues but rather make humilitie of it partly by fearing their ovvne fall partly by looking straitly to their ovvne vvorkes 6 He exhorteth earnestly to good vvorkes assuring them that they shal reaps none other then here they sovv 11 With his ovvne hand he vvriteth telling them the true cause vvhy those false Apostles preach circumcision to be only to please the Ievves 17 and a plaine argument that he preacheth it not to be this that he is persecuted of the Ievves verse 1 BRETHREN and if a man be preoccupared in any fault you that are spiritual instruct such an one in the spirit of lenitie considering thine ovvne self lest thou also be tempted ✠verse 2 Beare ye one an others burdens so you shal fulfil the lavv of Christ ✠verse 3 For if any man esteeme him self to be something vvhereas he is nothing he seduceth him self ✠verse 4 But let euery one proue his ovvne vvorke so in him self only shal he haue the glorie and not in an other ✠verse 5 For euery one shal beare his ovvne burden ✠verse 6 And let * him that is catechized in the vvord communicate to him that catechizeth him in al his goods ✠verse 7 Be not deceiued God is not mocked ✠verse 8 For what things a maÌ„ shal sow those also shal he reape For he that sovveth in his flesh of the flesh also shal reape corruptioÌ„ but he that soweth in the spirit of the spirit shal reape life euerlasting ✠verse 9 And * doing good let vs not faile For in due time vve shal reape not failing ✠verse 10 Therfore vvhiles
according to the purpose of him that vvorketh al things according to the counsel of his vvil ✠verse 12 that vve may be vnto the praise of his glorie vvhich before haue hoped in Christ ✠verse 13 in vvhom you also vvhen you had heard the vvord of truth the Gospel of your saluation in vvhich also beleeuing you vvere signed vvith the holy Spirit of promis ✠verse 14 vvhich is the pledge of our inheritance to the redemption of acquisition vnto the praise of his glorie ✠verse 15 Therfore I also hearing your faith that is in our Lord IESVS and loue tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 16 cease not to giue thankes for your making a memorie of you in my praiers ✠verse 17 that God of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of glorie giue you the spirit of vvisedom and of reuelation in the knovvledge of him ✠verse 18 the eies of your hart illuminated that you may knovv vvhat the hope is of his vocation and vvhat are the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the sainctes ✠verse 19 and vvhat is the passing greatnes of his povver tovvard vs that beleeue according to the operation of the might of his povver ✠verse 20 vvhich he vvrought in Christ raising him vp from the dead and setting him on his right hand in celestials ✠verse 21 aboue ″ al Principalitie Potestate Power and Domination and euery name that is named not only in this vvorld but also in that to come ✠verse 22 And he hath * subdued al things vnder his feete and hath made him ″ head ouer al the CHVRCH ✠verse 23 vvhich is his body the fulnes of him vvhich is filled al in al. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 21. Al Principalitie The Fathers vpon this and other places of the old and new Testament vvhere they finde the orders of holy Angels or spirites named agree that there be nine orders of them Of vvhich some be here counted and called as vve see in the Epistle to the Colossians the order of Thrones is specified vvhich maketh fiue to vvhich if vve adde these foure Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels vvhich are commonly named in holy vvrite in al there be nine S. Denys coel Hier. c. 7. 8. 9. Ec. Hier. c. 1. S. Athanas li de Communi essent in fine Gregor Moral li. 32. c. 18. Therfore good Reader make no accoumpt of * Caluins and others infidelitie vvhich blasphemously blame and condemne the holy doctors diligence in this point of curiousitie and impietie The vvhole endeuour of these heretikes is to bring al into doubt and to corrupt euery Article of our Religion 22. Head It maketh a high proofe among the Protestants that no man can be head of the Church because it is a calling and dignitie proper to Christ But in truth by as good reason there should be no king nor lord because He is king and lord neither should there be Bishop or Pastor because he is the Bishop and Pastor of our soules nor Pontifex nor Apostle for by those titles S. Paul termeth him Hebr. 3 none should be piller foundation rocke light or maister of the Church or truth because Christ is properly al these And yet our nevv doctors though they be exceding seditious and vvould for the aduantage of their sect be gladly ridde of kings and al other Superiors temporal if they feared not the sword more then God and vvould finde as good Scriptures to be deliuered of them as they now finde to discharge them selues of obedience to Popes yet I say they vvil not deny al the former titles and dignities notvvithstanding Christes soueraine right in the same to be giuen and communicated to the Princes and Magistrates of the earth both spiritual and temporal though Christ in a more diuine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort haue al these things attributed or appropriated to him self So then though he be the head of the Church and the onely head in such soueraine and principal maner as no earthly man or mere creature euer is or can be and it ioyned to the Church in a more excellent sort of coniunction then any king is to his subiects or Countrie or any Pope or Prelate to the Church vvhereof he is gouernour euen so farre that it is called his body Mystical life motion spirit grace issuing dovvne from him to it and the members of the same as from the head of the natural body though in this sort we say no man can be head but Christ nor the Church be body to any but to Christ yet the Pope may be the ministerial head that is to say the cheefe Gouernour Pastor and Prelate of the same and may be his Vicar or Vicegerent in the regiment of that part vvhich is in earth as S. Hierom calleth Damasus the Pope Summum Sacerdotem the cheefe and highest Priest and the Apostle saith of this ministerial head The head can not say to the feete you are not necessarie for me For therein also is a great difference betvvene Christ and euery mortal I relate that as the Apostle here saith he is head of the vvhole Church meaning of the triumphaÌ„t of al Angels also though in an other sort no lesse theÌ„ of the Church militaÌ„t So Peter vvas not nor any Pope nor any man can be Where you must obserue that for this soueraine preeminence of Christ in this case the Church is not called the body mystical of any Gouernour Peter Paul or vvhat Prelate or Pope so euer CHAP. II. He putteth them in minde of their vnvvorthines before they vvere Christians that al the praise may be giuen to the grace of God 11 and of the enmitie that vvas thâ—â— betvvene the Ievv and the Gentil 〈◊〉 vntil nevv that Christ by his Crosse hath made both one taking avvay the ceremâ—nies of the Lavv and making one body and building one holy Temple of al in his Catholike Church verse 1 AND you vvhen you vvere dead by your offenses sinnes ✠verse 2 vvherein sometime you vvalked according to the course of this vvorld according to the * prince of the povver of this aire of the spirit that novv vvorketh on the childreÌ„ of diffidence ✠verse 3 in vvhom also vve al conuersed sometime in the desires of our flesh doing the vvil of the flesh and of thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as also the rest ✠verse 4 but God vvhich is riche in mercie for his exceding charitie vvhervvith he loued vs ✠verse 5 euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace you are saued ✠verse 6 and raised vs vp vvith him and hath made vs sit vvith him in the celestials in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 that he might shevv in the vvorldes succeding the aboundant riches of his grace in bountie vpon vs in Christ IESVS ✠verse 8 For by ″ grace you are saued
Catholike Church that is to say that visible companie of Christians vvhich hath euer had and by good records can proue they haue had a continual ordinarie succession of Bishops Pastors and Doctors to be the onely true Church and these other good fellovves that for many vvorldes or ages together can not shevv that they had any one Bishop or ordinarie yea or extraordinaâ—â—e officer for them and their sect to be an adulterous Heretical generation And this place of the Apostle assuring to the true Church a perpetual visible continuance of Pastors and Apostles or their successors vvarranted the holy fathers to trie al Heretikes by the most famous succession of the Popes of Rome So did S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 3. Tertullian in prascript Optatus li. 2 cont Parm. S. Augustine in ps cont part Donat. et cont ep Manich. c. 4. et ep 165. Epiph. har 27. and others 14. With euery vvinde The special vse of the spiritual Gouernours is to keepe vs in vnitie and constancie of the Catholike faith that vve be not carried avvay vvith the blast or vvind of euery heresie Vvhich is a very proper note of sectes and nevv doctrines that trouble the infirme vveaklings of the Church by certaine seasons of diuerse ages as sometime the Arians then the Manichees an other time the Nestorians then the Lutherans Caluinists and such like vvho at diuers times in diuers places haue blovven diuers blastes of flase doctrine CHAP. V. He continueth his exhortation to good life 5 assuring them against al deceiuers that no committer of mortal sinne shal be saued considering that for such sinnes it is that the Heathen shal be damned â— that Christians must rather be the light of al others 22 Them he commeth in particular and exhorteth husbands and vviues to do their duety one tovvardes the other by the example of Christ and his obedient and beloued spouse the Church verse 1 BE ye therfore folovvers of God as most deere children ✠verse 2 and * walke in loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered him self for vs an oblation and host to God in an odour of svvetenes ✠verse 3 But * fornication and al vncleannes or auarice let it not so much as be named among you as it becommeth sainctes ✠verse 4 or filthines or foolish talke or scurrilitie being to no purpose but rather giuing of thankes ✠verse 5 For vnderstanding knovv you this that no fornicatour or vncleane or couetous person vvhich is the seruice of Idols hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God ✠verse 6 Let no man seduce you vvith vaine vvordes For for these things commeth the anger of God vpoÌ„ the children of diffidence ✠verse 7 Become not therfore partakers vvith them ✠verse 8 For you vvere sometime darkenes but novv light in our Lord. Vvalke as children of the light ✠verse 9 for the fruite of the light is in al goodnes and iustice and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 10 prouing vvhat is vvel pleasing to God ✠verse 11 and communicate not vvith the vnfruitful vvorkes of darkenes but rather reproue them ✠verse 12 For the things that are done of them in secrete it is shame euen to speake ✠verse 13 But al things that are reproued are manifested by the light for al that is manifested is light ✠verse 14 for the vvhich cause he saith Rise thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvil illuminate thee ✠verse 15 See therfore brethren how you vvalke vvarily not as vnvvise but * as vvise ✠verse 16 redeeming the time because the daies are euil ✠verse 17 Therfore become not vnvvise but * vnderstanding vvhat is the vvil of God ✠verse 18 And be not drunke vvith vvine vvherein is rioteousnes but be filled vvith the Spirit ✠verse 19 speaking to your selues in psalmes hymnes and spiritual canticles chauÌ„ting and singing in your hartes to our Lord ✠verse 20 giuing thankes alvvaies for al things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ to God the Father ✠verse 21 Subiect one to an other in the feare of Christ ✠verse 22 Let * vvomen be subiect to their husbandes as to our Lord ✠verse 23 because * the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the CHVRCH Him self ″ the sauiour of his body ✠verse 24 But as the CHVRCH is subiect to Christ so also the vvomen to their husbands in al things ✠verse 25 Husbands loue your vviues as Christ also ″ loued the CHVRCH and deliuered him self for it ✠verse 26 that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of vvater in the vvord ✠verse 27 that he might present to him self a glorious CHVRCH not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it may be holy and vnspotted ✠verse 28 So also men ought to loue their vviues as their ovvne bodies He that loueth his vvife loueth him self ✠verse 29 For no man euer hated his ovvne flesh but he nourisheth cherisheth it ″ as also Christ the CHVRCH ✠verse 30 because vve be the members of his body of his flesh of his bones ✠verse 31 For this cause shal maÌ„ leaue his father mother and shal cleane to his vvife and they shal be tvvo in one flesh ✠verse 32 ″ This is a great sacrameÌ„t but I speake in Christ and in the CHVRCH ✠verse 33 Neuertheles you also euery one let eche loue his vvife as him self and let the vvife feare her husband ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 21. Sauiour of his body None hath saluation or benefite by Christ that is not of his body the Church And vvhat Church that is S. Augustine expresseth in these vvordes The Catholike Church onely is the body of Christ vvhereto she is â—ead out of this body the Holy Ghost quickeneth no man And a litle after He that vvil haue the Spirit let him bevvare he remains not out of the CHVRCH let him bevvare he enter not into it fâ—inedly August ep 50 ad Bonifacium comitem in fine 24. Subiect to Christ The CHVRCH is alvvaies subiect to Christ that is not onely vnder him but euer obedient to his vvordes and commaundement Vvhich an euident and inuincible demonstration that she neuer rebelleth against Christ neuer falleth from him by error Idolatrie or false vvorship as the Heretikes novv and the Donatistes of old did teach 25. Loued the Church Loe Christes singular loue of the CHVRCH for vvhich onely the members thereof he effectually suffered his Passion and for vvhose continual cleansing and purifying in this life he instituted holy Baptisme and other Sacraments that at length in the next life it may become vvithout al spot vvrinkle or blemish for in this vvorld by reason of the manifold infirmities of diuers her members she can not be vvholy vvithout sinne but must
vvith him ✠verse 10 Hence forth brethren be strengthened in our Lord in the might of his povver ✠verse 11 Put you on the armour of God that you may stand against the deceites of the Deuil ✠verse 12 For our vvrestling is not against flesh and bloud but against Princes and Porestats against the * rectors of the vvorld of this darkenes against the spirituals of vvickednes in the celestials ✠verse 13 Therfore take the armour of God that you may resist in the euil day and stand in al things perfect ✠verse 14 Stand therfore hauing your loines girded in truth and clothed with the breast-plate of iustice ✠verse 15 hauing your feete shod to the preparation of the Gospel of peace ✠verse 16 in al things taking the shield of faith vvherevvith you may extinguish al the firie dartes of the most vvicked one ✠verse 17 and take vnto you the * helmet of saluation and the svvord of the spirit vvhich is the vvord of God ⊢ ✠verse 18 in al praier and supplication praying at al time in spirit and in the same vvatching in al instance and supplication for al the saincts ✠verse 19 and for me that speache may be giuen me in the opening of my mouth vvith cōfidence to make knowen the mysterie of the Gospel ✠verse 20 for the vvhich I am a legate in this chaine so that in it I may be bold according as I ought to speake ✠verse 21 And that you also may knovv the things about me vvhat I doe Tychicus my deerest brother and faithful minister in our Lord vvil make you vnderstād al things ✠verse 22 vvhom I haue sent to you for this same purpose that you may know the things about vs and he may comfort your hartes ✠verse 23 Peace to the brethren and charitie vvith faith from God the Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 24 Grace with al that loue our Lord IESVS Christ in incorruption Amen †THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE PHILIPPIANS HOVV S. Paul vvas called by a vision into Macedonia vve reade Act. 16. and hovv he came to Philippi being the first citie thereof and of his preaching miracles and suffering there And againe Act. 19. Paul purposed in the Spirit vvhen he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to goe to Hierusalem saying After I haue been there I must see Rome also Vvhich purpose he executed Act. 20. taking his leaue at Ephesus And being aftervvard come into Achaia he had counsel to returne through Macedonia and so at length from Philippi he began his nauigation tovvard Hierusalem and from Hierusalem being caried prisoner to Rome Act. 28. he vvrote from thence this Epistle to the Philippians or rather in his second apprehension about 10 yeres after the first In it he confirmeth them as he did * the Ephesians also about the same time against the tentatiō that they might haue in hearing that he vvere executed therfore he first saith And I vvil haue you knovv brethren that the things about me are come to the more furtherance of the Gospel so that my bandes vvere made manifest in Christ in al the Court c. Secondly he signifieth that his desire is to he dissolued and to be vvith Christ but yet lest they should be discomforted that he hopeth to come againe to them Vvhereof notvvithstanding that he hath yet no certaintie he signifieth in saying I hope to send Timothee vnto you immediatly as I shal see the things that concerne me Thirdly therefore he prepareth them against the vvorst saying I hope to come againe to you but and if I be immolated vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I reioyce and congratulate vvith you al and the self same thing do you also reioyce and congratulate vvith me Moreouer he partly vvarneth them as he had done before of those Iudaical False-apostles vvho preached circumcision Moyses lavv to the Christian Gentils partly he exhorteth them to suffer persecution to liue vvel and specially to humble them selues one to an other rather then by any pride to breake the peace vnitie of the Church THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE PHILIPPIANS CHAP. I. Hauing signified that he vseth to thanke God for their vertue 9 and also to pray for their encrease 12 he certifieth them for their confirmatiō comfort vvhat good was come through his trouble at Rome 24 that he doubteth not though he rather desire martyrdom but to come againe vnto them 27 exhorting them to liue as they ought to do 28 and namely not to shrinke for persecution verse 1 PAVL and Timothee the seruants of IESVS Christ to al the sainctes in Christ IESVS that are at Philippi vvith the ″ Bishops and Deacons ✠verse 2 Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 3 I giue thankes to my God in al memorie of you ✠verse 4 alvvaies in al my praiers for al you vvith ioy making petition ✠verse 5 for your communicating in the Gospel of Christ from the first day vntil novv ✠verse 6 trusting this same thing that he which hath begōne in you a good worke vvil perfit it vnto the day of Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 as it is reason for me this to thinke for al you for that I haue you in hart in my bandes and in the defense and the confirmation of the Gospel al you to be partakers of my ioy ✠verse 8 For God is my vvitnes hovv I couet you al in the bowels of IESVS Christ ✠verse 9 And this I pray that your charitie may more and more abound in knovvledge and in al vnderstanding ✠verse 10 that you may approue the better things that you may be sincere and vvithout offence vnto the day of Christ ✠verse 11 replenished vvith the fruite of iustice by IESVS Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God ⊢ ✠verse 12 And I vvil haue you knovv brethren that the things about me are come to the more furtherance of the Gospel ✠verse 13 so that my bandes vvere made manifest in Christ in al the court and in al the rest ✠verse 14 that many of our brethren in our Lord hauing confidence in my bandes vvere bold more aboundantly vvithout feare to speake the vvord of God ✠verse 15 Some in deede euen for enuie and contention but some also for good vvil preache Christ ✠verse 16 Some of charitie knovving that I am set vnto the defense of the Gospel ✠verse 17 And some of contention preache Christ not sincerely supposing that they raise affliction to my bandes ✠verse 18 But vvhat So that by al meanes vvhether by occasion or by truth Christ be preached in this also I reioyce yea vvil reioyce ✠verse 19 For I knovv that this shal fall out to me vnto saluatiō by your praier and the subministration of the
He prophecieth that certaine should depart from the Catholike faith vvilling Timothee therfore to inculcate to the people those articles of the said faith 7 Item to exercise him self in spiritual exercise 12 to gette authoritie by example of good life 13 to studie to teach to increase in the grace giuen him by holy orders verse 1 AND the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times certain â— shal depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour and doctrines of diuels ✠verse 2 speaking lies in hypocrisie and hauing their conscience seared ✠verse 3 â— forbidding to marie to abstaine from meates vvhich God created to receaue vvith thankes-giuing for the faithful and them that haue knovven the truth ✠verse 4 For euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued â— vvith thankes-giuing ✠verse 5 For it is â— sanctified by the vvord of God and praier ✠verse 6 These things proposing to the brethren thou shalt be a good minister of Christ IESVS nourished in the vvordes of the faith and the good doctrine vvhich thou hast attained vnto ✠verse 7 But folish and old vviues fables auoid and exercise thy self to pietie ✠verse 8 For corporal exercise is profitable to litle but pietie is profitable to al things hauing promisse of the life that novv is and of that to come ✠verse 9 A faithful saying and vvorthie of al acceptation ✠verse 10 For to this purpose vve labour and are reuiled because vve hope in the liuing God vvhich is the Sauiour of al men especially of the faithful ✠verse 11 Commaund these things and teach ✠verse 12 Let no man contemne thy youth but be an example of the faithful in vvord in conuersation in charitie in faith in chastitie ✠verse 13 Til I come attend vnto reading exhortation doctrine ✠verse 14 Neglect not ″ the grace that is in thee vvhich is giuen thee by prophecie vvith imposition of the handes ″ of priesthod ✠verse 15 These things doe thou meditate be in these things that thy profiting may be manifest to al. ✠verse 16 Attend to thy self and to doctrine be earnest in them For this doing thou shalt ″ saue both thy self and them that heare thee ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Shal depart It is the proper description of Heretikes to forsake their former faith and to be Apostataes as the Greeke vvord importeth to giue care to particular spirites of error deception rather then to the Spirit of Christ in his Church to folovv in hypocrisie and shevv of vertue the pernicious doctrine of Diuels vvho are the suggesters and prompters of al Sectes and are lying spirites in the mouthes of al Heretikes and false preachers men that haue put their conscience to silence and made it senses to the holy hurches admonition the Apostle noting * once before also in this same Epistle that Heretikes haue no conscience vvhich is the cause both of their fall and of their obduration in heresie â— Forbidding to marrie He speaketh saith S. Chrysostom of the Manichees Encratites and Marcionistes hâ— 12 in 1 Tim. S. Ambrose vpon this place addeth to these the Patritians also S. Irenaeus li. 1 c. 30. S. Epiphanius har 45. 26. 61. 30. S. Hierom 1 cont louin c. 1. ep 50 c. 1 3. S. Augustine har 25. 40. and generally al antiquitie affirme the same both of them and also of the Heretikes called Apostolici Ebionitae and the like Their heresie about mariage vvas that to marrie or to vse the act of matrimonie is of Satan as S. Irenaeus vvitnesseth li. 1 c. 22 and that the distinction of male and femal and the creation of man and vvoman for generation came of an il God They taught their hearers saith S. Augustine that if they did vse vvomen they should in any vvise prouide that they might not conceiue or beare children Clemens Alexandrinus li. 3. Strom in principie vvriteth that such admit no mariage nor procreation of children lest they should bring into the vvorld creatures to suffer miserie and mortalitie And this is the damnable opinion concerning mariage noted here by the Apostle For the second point consisting in the prohibition of meates or vse of certaine creatures made to be eaten the said Heretikes or diuers of them for they vvere not al of one sect touching these points taught that men might not eate certaine sortes of meates specially of beastes and liuing creatures for that they vvere not made say they of the good God but of the euil And vvine they called the gall of the Prince of darkenes and not to be drunke at al and the Vine vvhereof it came to be of the Diuels creation And diuers other creatures they coÌ„demned as things by nature and creation polluted and abominable August har Manich. 46. har 25 Tatian toto libro de mâ—r Manich. to 1. Lo these vvere the Heretikes and their heresies vvhich S. Paul here prophecieth of that forbid mariage and meates as you haue heard for vvhich they and their folovvers vvere condemned in diuers Councels Is it not novv an intolerable impudencie of the Protestants vvho for a smal similitude of vvordes in the eares of the simple apply this text to the fastes of the Church and the chastitie of Priests and Religious As though either by appointing or vsing some daies of abstinence from certaine meates the Church or any Catholike man condemned the said meates vnles the Rechabites Hierom. 35. or the Nazarites Num. 6. or the Niniuites Ion. 3. or Moyses Exod. 34. or Elias 3 Reg. 19. or holy Anna the vvidow Luc. 2 or Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 9. or Christ him self Mâ— 4. commending vsing and folovving a prescript number of fasting daies or God him self that in the very beginning in Paradise prescribed abstinence from the fruite of one certaine tree and after appointed so many fastes in the Lavv vnles he therfore condeÌ„ned his ovvne creatures the rest those creatures from vvhich they abstained No there be many good and lavvful causes to forbid some or to abstaine froÌ„ some meates as for obedience as in Paradise for significatioÌ„ as the Ievves for that they haue been offered to Idols as in the Epistle to the Corinthians for chastening the bodie and penance for health also and onely those causes are vnlavvful for vvhich the Manichees and other Heretikes abstained Concerning mariage likewise they may as vvel charge God or the Church for forbidding the father to marrie the daughter or the brother the sister or other prohibited persons in the Lavv as vvel might they charge Christ and the Apostle for prohibiting the man to marrie during his vviues life and appointing vvidowes that serue the Church to liue vnmaried and not admitting a maried woman as vvel as vvidovv nor her that hath had moe husbands as vvel as her that hath beeÌ„ maried but once as they
consider the Apostle high priest of our confession IESVS ✠verse 2 vvho is faithful to him that made him as also * Moyses in al his house ✠verse 3 For this man is esteemed vvorthie of more ample glorie aboue Moyses by so much as more ample glorie then the house hath he that framed it ✠verse 4 For euery house is framed of some man but he that created al things is God ✠verse 5 And Moyses in deede vvas faithful in al his house as a seruant for a testimonie of those things vvhich vvere to be said ✠verse 6 but Christ as the Sonne in his ovvne house which house are vve if vve keepe firme the confidence and glorie of hope vnto the end ✠verse 7 Vvherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if you shal heare his voice ✠verse 8 harden not your hartes as in the exacerbation according to the day of tentation in the desert ✠verse 9 vvhere your fathers tempted me proued savv my vvorkes ✠verse 10 fourtie yeres For the vvhich cause I vvas offended vvith this generation and said They doe alvvaies erre in hart And they haue not knovven my vvaies ✠verse 11 to vvhom I svvare in my vvrath If they shal enter into my rest ✠verse 12 Bevvare brethren lest perhaps there be in some of you an euil hart of incredulitie to depart from the liuing God ✠verse 13 but exhort your selues euery day vvhiles to day is named that none of you be obdurate vvith the fallacie of sinne ✠verse 14 For vve be made partakers of Christ yet so if vve keepe the beginning of his substance firme vnto the end ✠verse 15 Vvhile it is said To day if you shal heare his voice do not obdurate your hartes as in that exacerbation ✠verse 16 For some hearing did exasperate but not al they that vvent out of Aegypt by Moyses ✠verse 17 And vvith vvhom vvas he offended fourtie yeres vvas it not with them that sinned * vvhose carcasses vvere ouerthrovven in the desert ✠verse 18 And to vvhom did he svveare that they should not enter into his rest but to them that were incredulous ✠verse 19 And vve see that they could not enter in because of incredulitie CHAP. IIII. That they must feare to be excluded out of the foresaid rest vvhich he proueth out of the psalme 12 considering that Christ seeth their most invvard secretes 14 And that he as their Priest vvho also him self suffered is able and ready to strengthen them in confession of their faith verse 1 LET vs feare therfore lest perhaps forsaking the promis of entring into his rest some of you be thought to be vvanting ✠verse 2 For to vs also it hath been denounced as also to them but the vvord of hearing did not profit them not mixt vvith faith of those things vvhich they heard ✠verse 3 For vve that haue beleeued shal enter into the rest as he said As I svvare in my vvrath if they shal enter into my rest and truely the vvorkes from the foundation of the vvorld being perfited ✠verse 4 For he said in a certaine place of the seuenth day thus And God rested the seuenth day from al his vvorkes ✠verse 5 And againe in this If they shal enter into my rest ✠verse 6 Because then it remaineth that certaine enter into it and they to vvhom first it vvas preached did not enter because of incredulitie ✠verse 7 againe he limiteth a certaine day To day in Dauid saying after so long time as is aboue said To day if you shal heare his voice doe not obdurate your hartes ✠verse 8 For if Iesus had giuen them rest he vvould neuer speake of an other day aftervvard ✠verse 9 Therfore there is left a sabbatisme for the people of God ✠verse 10 For he that is entred into his rest the same also hath rested frō his vvorkes as God from his ✠verse 11 Let vs hasten therfore to enter into that rest that no man fal into the same example of incredulitie ✠verse 12 For the vvord of God is liuely and forcible and more persing then any tvvo edged svvord and reaching vnto the diuision of the soule and the spirit of the ioyntes also and the marowes and a discerner of the cogitations and intentes of the hart ✠verse 13 And there is no creature inuisible in his sight but al things are naked and open to his eies to vvhom our speache is ✠verse 14 Hauing therfore a great high Priest that hath entred the heauens IESVS the sonne of God let vs hold the confession ✠verse 15 For vve haue not a high priest that can not haue compassion on our infirmities but tempted in al things by similitude except sinne ✠verse 16 ″ Let vs goe therfore vvith confidence to the throne of grace that vve may obteine mercie and finde grace in seasonable aide ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 16. Let vs go vvith confidence The Aduersaries go about to proue by these vvordes that vve neede no helpe of Saincts to obtaine any thing Christ him self being so readie and vve being admonished to come to him vvith confidence as to a most merciful Mediator and Bishop But by that argument they may as vvel take avvay the helpes and praiers of the liuing one for an other And vve do not require the helpe either of the Saincts in heauen or of our brethren in earth for any mistrust of Gods mercie but for our ovvne vnvvorthines being assured that the praier of a iust man auaileth more vvith him then the desire of a greuous sinner and of a number making intercession together rather then of a man alone vvhich the Heretikes can not deny except they reproue the plaine Scriptures Neither do vve come lesse to him or vvith lesse confidence vvhen vve come accompanied vvith the praiers of Angels Saincts Priests or iust men ioyning vvith vs as they fondly imagine and pretend but vvith much more affiance in his grace mercie and merites then if vve praied our selues alone CHAP. V. That Christ being a man and infirms vvas therein but as al Priests and that he also vvas called of God to this office offering as the others 8 and suffered obediently for our example 11 Of vvhose Priesthod he hath much to say but that the Hebrues haue neede rather to heare their Catechisme againe verse 1 FOR ″ euery high Priest taken from amōg men is appointed for mē in those things that pertaine to God that he may offer giftes and sacrifices for sinnes ✠verse 2 that cā haue compassion on them that be ignorant and do erre because him self also is cōpassed vvith infirmitie ✠verse 3 therfore he ought as for the people so also for him self to offer for sinnes ✠verse 4 * Neither doth any man ″ take the honour to him self but he that is called of God * as Aaron ⊢
rather then men Act. 5. 29. CHAP. III. The dutie of vviues and husbands to ech other 9 None to doe or speake euil by their persecutors 15 but to ansvver them alvvaies vvith modestie and specially vvith innocenciâ— after the example of Christ most innoceÌ„t vvhose body though they killed yet his soule liued and preached aftervvard to the soules in Hel namely to those in the time of Noës floud being a figure of our Baptisme rose againe and ascended verse 1 IN like maner also * let the vvomen be subiect to their â—usbandes that if any beleeue not the vvord by the conuersation of the vvomen vvithout the vvord they may be vvonne ✠verse 2 considering your chast conuersation in feare ✠verse 3 Vvhose trimming let iâ— not be outvvardly the plaiting of heare or laying on gold round about or of putting on vestures ✠verse 4 but the man of the hart that is hidden in the incorruptibilitie of a quiet and a modest spirit vvhich is riche in the sight of God ✠verse 5 For so sometime the holy vvomen also that trusted in God adorned them selues subiect to their ovvne husbandes ✠verse 6 As * Sara obeied Abraham calling him lord vvhose daughters you are doing vvel and not fearing any perturbation ✠verse 7 Husbandes likevvise dvvelling vvith them according to knovvledge as vnto the vveaker feminine vessel imparting honour as it vvere to the coheires also of the grace of life that your praiers be not hindered ✠verse 8 And in fine ' al of one minde hauing compassion louers of the fraternitie merciful modest humble ✠verse 9 * not rendering euil for euil nor curse for curse but contrariewise blessing for vnto this are you called that you may by inheritaÌ„ce possesse a benediction ✠verse 10 For he that vvil loue life and see good daies let him refraine his tong from euil and his lippes that they speake not guile ✠verse 11 Let him decline from euil and doe good let him enquire peace and folovv it ✠verse 12 because the eies of our Lord are vpon the iust and his eares vnto their praiers but the countenance of our Lord vpon them that doe euil things ✠verse 13 And vvho is he that can hurt you if you be emulators of good ✠verse 14 But * if you suffer ought for iustice blessed are ye And the feare of them feare ye not be not troubled ✠verse 15 But sanctifie our Lord Christ in your hartes ready alwaies to satiffie euery one that asketh you a reason of that hope vvhich is in you ✠verse 16 but vvith modestie and feare hauing a good conscience that in that vvhich they speake il of you they may be confounded vvhich calumniate your good conuersation in Christ ✠verse 17 For it is better to suffer as doing vvel if the vvil of God vvil haue it so then doing il ✠verse 18 Because Christ also died once for our sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might offer vs to God mortified certes in flesh but quickened in spirit ✠verse 19 In the vvhich spirit comming he preached ″ to them ' also that vvere in prison ✠verse 20 vvhich had been ″ incredulous sometime * vvhen they expected the patience of God in the daies of Noë vvhen the arke vvas a building in the vvhich fevv that is * eight soules vvere saued by vvater ✠verse 21 Vvherevnto Baptisme being ″ of the like forme novv saueth you ' also not the laying avvay of the filth of the flesh but ″ the examination of a good conscience tovvard God by the resurrection of IESVS Christ ✠verse 22 vvho is on the right hand of God ⊢ svvallovving death that vve might be made heires of life euerlasting being gone into heauen Angels and Potentates and Povvers subiected to him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 19. To them that vvere in prison S. Augustine in his 99 Epistle in principio conâ—eâ—â—eth this place to be exceding hard to vnderstand to haue many difficulties vvhich he could neuer explicate to his ovvne satisfaction Yet vnto Heretikes this and al other textes be easie not doubting but that is that sense vvhich them selues imagin vvhatsoeuer other men deeme thereof S. Augustine onely sindeth him self sure of this that Christs descending into Hel in soule after his death is plainely proued hereby Vvhich thing he declareth there to be conformable to diuers other expresse vvordes of holy Vvrite and namely to this same Apostles sermon Act. 2. And at length he concludeth thus Quis ergo nisi infidelis negauerit â—uisse apud inferâ—s Christum that is Therfore vvho but an infidel vvil deny that Christ vvas in Hel Caluin theÌ„ you see vvith al his solovvers are infidels vvho in steede of this descending of Christ in soule after his death haue inuented an other desperate kinde of Christs being in Hel vvheÌ„ he vvas yet aliue on the Crosse S. Athanasius also in his epistle cited by S. Epiphanius 〈◊〉 77 in principio and in his booke de Incarnatione Verbi propius initie S. Cyril de reâ—t fide ad Theodosium Oecumenius and diuers others vpon this place proue Christs descending to Hel. As they likevvise declare vpon the vvordes folovving that he preached to the spirites or soules of meÌ„ detâ—ined in Hel or in Prison But vvhether this vvord Prison or Hel be meant of the inferiour place of the damned or of Limbâ—â— patrum called Abrahams bosome or some other place of temporal chastisement and to vvhom he preached there and vvho by his preaching or presence there vvere deliuered and vvho they vvere that are called Incredulous in the daies of Noe al these things S. Augustine calleth great profundities confessing him self to be vnable to reache vnto it onely holding last and assured this article of our faith that he deliuered none deputed to damnation in the 〈◊〉 and yet not doubting but that he released diuers out of places of paines there vvhich can not be out of any other place then Purgatorie See the said Epistle vvhere also he insinuateth other expositions for explication of the manifold difficulties of this hard text vvhich vvere to long to reherse our special purpose being onely to note briefely the things that touche the controuersies of this time 20. Incredulous sometime They that take the former vvordes of Christs descending to Hel and deliuering certaine there deteined do expound this not of such as died in their infidelitie or vvithout al faith in God for such vvere not deliuered but either of some that once vvere incredulous and aftervvard repented before their death or rather and specially of such as othervvise vvere faithful but yet trusted not Noës preaching by his vvorke and vvord that God vvould destroy the vvorld by vvater Vvho yet being othervvise good men vvhen the matter came to passe vvere sorie for their errour and died by the floud corporally but yet
righteousnes consisteth in doing or vvorking iustice and that so he is iust and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretikes in this point 8. Sinneth from the beginning The Diuel vvas created holy and in grace and not in sinne but he fel of his ovvne free vvil from God Therfore these vvordes from the beginning may be interpreted thus from the beginning of sinne and so the Apostle vvil say The Diuel committed the first sinne Augustine li. 11 de eiu Dei c. 15 expoundeth it The most simple meaning seemeth to be that he sinned from the beginning of the vvorld not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation but straight vpon the beginning as it must needes also be taken in S. Iohns Gospel c. 8. 44. 22. VVe shal receiue because Let the Protestants be ashamed to say that vve obtaine al of God by onely faith the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of Gods commaundements Note here also that Gods commaundements are not impossible to be kept but vvere then and are novv obserued of good men CHAP. IIII. VVe may not beleeue al that boast of the spirit but trie them vvhether they teach Catholike articles of the faith namely the incarnation of Christ vvhether their doctrine be not vvordly and them selues disobedient hearers of the Apostles 7 Vee must loue one an other considering the exceding loue of God in sending his sonne to saue vs. 17 An argument of perfect charitie is if vve haue nothing in our conscience to feare in the day of Iudgement 19 And an argument that vve loue God is if vve loue brethren verse 1 MY deerest ″ beleeue not euery spirit but ″ proue the spirites if they be of God because many false prophetes are goue out into the vvorld ✠verse 2 In this is the spirit of God knovven ″ euery spirit that confesseth IESVS Christ to haue come in flesh is of God ✠verse 3 and euery spirit ″ that dissolueth IESVS is not of God and this is antichrist of vvhom you haue heard that he commeth and novv he is in the vvorld ✠verse 4 You are of God litle children and haue ouercome him because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the vvorld ✠verse 5 They are of the vvorld therfore of the vvorld they speake and the vvorld heareth them ✠verse 6 Vve are of God * He that knovveth God heareth vs. he that is not of God heareth vs not ″ in this vve knovv the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour ✠verse 7 My deerest let vs loue one an other because charitie is of God And euery one that loueth is borne of God knovveth God ✠verse 8 He that loueth not knovveth not God because God is charitie ✠verse 9 * In this hath the charitie of God appeared in vs because God hath sent his only begotten sonne into the vvorld that vve may liue by him ✠verse 10 In this is charitie not as though vve haue loued him but because he hath loued vs and sent his sonne a propitiation for our sinnes ✠verse 11 My deerest if God hath so loued vs vve also ought to loue one an other ✠verse 12 * God no man hath seen at any time If vve loue one an other God abideth in vs and his charitie in vs is persired ✠verse 13 In this vve knovv that vve abide in him and he in vs because he of his Spirit hath giuen to vs. ✠verse 14 And vve haue seen and doe testifie that the Father hath sent his Sonne the Sauiour of the vvorld ✠verse 15 Vvhosoeuer shal confesse that IESVS is the Sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God ✠verse 16 And vve haue knovven and haue beleeued the charitie vvhich God hath in vs. God is charitie and he that abideth in charitie abideth in God and God in him ✠verse 17 In this is charitie perfited vvith vs ″ that vve may haue confidence in the day of iudgement because as he is vve also are in the vvorld ✠verse 18 ″ Feare is not in charitie but perfect charitie casteth out feare because feare hath painefulnes and he that feareth is not perfect in charitie ✠verse 19 Let vs therfore loue God because God first hath loued vs. ✠verse 20 If any man shal say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lier For he that loueth not his brother vvhom he seeth God vvhom he seeth not hovv can he loue ✠verse 21 * And this commaundement vve haue from God that he vvhich loueth God loue also his brother ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Beleeue not euery spirit That is Receiue not euery doctrine of such as boast them selues to haue the spirit For there be many false prophets that is to say Haeretikes which shal goe out of the Church and chalenge the spirit and vaunt of Gods word Scripture and Gospel vvhich in deede be seducers 1. Proue the spirites It is not meant by this place as the Protestants vvould haue it that euery particular person should of him self examine trie or iudge who is a true or false doctor and which is true or false doctrine But the Apostle here would euery one to discerne these diuersities of spirites by taking knovvledge of them to vvhom God hath giuen the gift of discerning spirites and doctrines vvhich S. Paul expresly saith is giuen but to some and not to euery one 1 Cor. 12. and by obeying the Church of God to whom Christ hath giuen * the Spirit of truth And this is onely the sure way to proue the spirites and doctrines of these daies And al they that would bring vs from our Pastors and the Churches iudgement to our owne priuate trial seeke nothing els but to driue vs to miserable vncertainty in al our beleefe as Caluin doth who vpon this place saith that priuate men may examine the general Councels doctrines 2. Euery spirit that confesseth The Apostle speaketh according to that time and for that part of Christian doctrine which then vvas specially to be confessed taught mainteined against certaine vvicked Haeretikes Cerinthus Ebion and the like that taught wickedly against the person and both natures of Christ IESVS The Apostle therfore giueth the faithful people this token to knovv the true teachers of those daies from the false Not that this marke vvould serue for al times or in case of al'other false doctrines but that it vvas then a necessarie note As if a good Catholike vvriter Pastor or parents would vvarne al theirs now in these daies to giue care onely to such teachers as acknowledge Christ our Sauiour to be really present and sacrificed in the B. Masse that al such are true preachers and of God the rest to be of the Diuel or to be counted the spirit of Antichrist Vvhich spirit of Antichrist he saith was come euen then
thus the damnation of the vvhole adulterous blouddy societie he doth also expresly report of their three graÌ„d Captaines damnation vvhich are these Antichrist and his False prophet and the Deuil him self the author of al this mischiefe Finally on the other side in the fifth part he reporteth the vnspeakeable and euerlasting glorie that the Church after al this suffering shal by Christ her glorious Spouse be assumpted vnto And so he concludeth the booke THE APOCALYPSE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. 9. S. Iohn being banished in the ile Patmos is commaunded to vvrite to the seum Churches of Asia signified by the seuen candlestickes that vvhich he savv vpon a Sunday round about the Sonne of man 13 vvhose maner of apparâ—tion is described verse 1 THE ″ Apocalypse of IESVS Christ vvhich God gaue him to make manifest to his seruants the thinges vvhich must be done quickly and signified sending by his Angel to his seruant Iohn ✠verse 2 vvho hath giuen testimonie to the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS Christ vvhat things soeuer he hath seen ✠verse 3 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the wordes of this prophecie and keepeth those thinges Which be vvritten in it for the time is nigh ✠verse 4 Iohn ″ to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia Grace to you and peace from * him that is and that vvas and that shal come and ″ from the seuen spirites vvhich are in the sight of his throne ✠verse 5 and from IESVS Christ vvho is the faithful vvitnes the * first borne of the dead the prince of the kings of the earth vvho hath loued vs and * vvashed vs from our sinnes in his bloud ⊢ ✠verse 6 and hath made vs * ″ a kingdom and priestes to God and his father to him be glorie and empire for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 7 Behold he commeth vvith the cloudes and euery eie shal see him and * they that pricked him And al the tribes of the earth shal bevvaile them selues vpon him yea Amen ✠verse 8 * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and end saith our Lord God vvhich is and vvhich vvas and vvhich shal come the omnipotent ✠verse 9 I Iohn your brother and partaker in tribulation and the kingdom and patience in Christ IESVS vvas in the Iland vvhich is called Patmos for the vvord of God and the testimonie of IESVS ✠verse 10 I vvas in spirit ″ on the Dominical day and heard behind me a great voice as it vvere of a trompet ✠verse 11 saying That vvhich thou feest vvrite in a booke and send to the seuen churches vvhich are in Asia to Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamus and Thiatîra and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicia ✠verse 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake vvith me And being turned I savv seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 13 in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold one like to the Sonne of man ″ vested in a priestly garment to the foote and girded about neere to the pappes vvith a girdle of gold ✠verse 14 and his head and heares vvere vvhite as vvhite vvoole as snovv and his eies as the flame of fire ✠verse 15 and his feete like to latten as in a burning fornace and his voice as the voice of many vvaters ✠verse 16 and he had in his right hand seuen starres and from his mouth proceded a sharpe tvvo edged svvord and his face as the sunne shineth în his vertue ✠verse 17 And vvhen I had seene him I fel at his feete as dead And he put his right hand vpon me saying Feare not * I am the first and the last ✠verse 18 and aliue and vvas dead and behold I am liuing for euer and euer and haue the keies of death and of hel ✠verse 19 Vvrite therefore the thinges vvhich thou hast seene and that are and that must be done after these ✠verse 20 The sacrament of the seuen starres vvhich thou hast seene in my right hand and the seuen candlestickes of Gold ″ the seuen starres are ″ the angels of the seuen churches and the seuen candlestickes are the seuen churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. APOCALYPSE Of the Apocalypse thus vvriteth the auncient father Denys Bishop of Corinth as Eusebius alleageth him li. 7 c. 20 hist Eccl. Of this booke saith he this is my opinion that the matter thereof is far more profound then my vvit can reache vnto and I doubt not but almost in euery sentence of it there lieth hidden a certaine sense exceding mystical and maruelous vvhich though I vnderstand not yet I conceiue that vnder the vvordes there is a deepe meaning and I measure not the matter by reason but attribute al to faith taking it to be more high and diuine then I can by cogitation comprise not reprouing that vvhich I vnderstand not but therfore I admire vvith reuereÌ„ce because my vvit can not attaine to it Againe S. Augustine saith that in the Apocalypse many things are obscurely spoken to exercise the minde of the reader and yet some fevv things left euident that through them a man may vvith labour searche out the rest specially for that the author so repeateth the same things in diuers sortes that seeming to speake of sundry matters in deede is found bus to vtter the same things diuers vvaies li. 20 de Ciuit. Del c. 17. Vvhich vve set dovvne here in the beginning to vvarne the good Christian reader to be humble and vvise in the reading both of al other holy Scriptures and namely of this diuine and deepe prophecie giuing him further to vnderstand that vve vvil in our Annotations according to our former trade and purpose onely or cheefely note vnto the studious such places as may be vsed by Catholikes or abused by Heretikes in the controuersies of this time and some other also that haue special matter of edification and that as breefely as may be for that the volume grovveth great 4. To the 7 Churches That certaine numbers may be obserued as significatiue and mystical it is plaine by many places of holy Scripture and by the auncient Doctors special noting of the same to many purposes Vvhereby vve see the rashnes of our Aduersaries in condemning generally al religious respect of certaine numbers in our praiers fastes or actions Namely the number of Seuen is mystical and prophetical perfect and vvhich as S. Augustine saith the Church knovveth by the Scriptures to be specially dedicated to the Holy Ghost and to appertaine to spiritual mundation as in the Prophets appointing of Naam in to vvash seuen times in lordan and the sprinkling of the bloud seuen times against the tabernacle li. 4 quâ—st in numer q. 33 See li. 5. c. 5 de Gen. ad lit li. 5 quest in Deuter. q. 42. Al these visions stand
called to the supper of the mariage of the Lambe ⊢ And he said to me These vvordes of God be true ✠verse 10 â— And * I fel before his feete to adore him And he saith to me See thou doe not I am thy fellovv-seruant and of thy brethren that haue the testimonie of IESVS Adore God For the testimonie of IESVS is the spirit of prophecie ✠verse 11 And I savv heauen opened and behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him vvas called Faithful and True and vvith iustice he iudgeth fighteth ✠verse 12 And his eies as a flame of fire and on his head many diademes hauing a name written vvhich no man knovveth but him self ✠verse 13 * And he vvas clothed vvith a garment sprinkled vvith bloud his name is called THE VVORD OF GOD. ✠verse 14 And the hostes that are in heauen folovved him on vvhite horses clothed in vvhite and pure silke ✠verse 15 And out of his mouth procedeth a sharpe svvord that in it he may strike the Gentiles And * he shal rule them in a rod of yron and he treadeth the vvine presse of the furie of the vvrath of God omnipotent ✠verse 16 And he hath in his garment and in his thigh vvritten * KING OF KINGES AND LORD OF LORDES ✠verse 17 And I savv one Angel standing in the sunne he cried vvith a loud voice saying to al the birdes that did flie by the middes of heauen Come and assemble together to the great supper of God ✠verse 18 that you may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of tribunes and the flesh of valiants and the flesh of horses of them that sit on them the flesh of al freemen and bondmen and of litle and great ✠verse 19 And I savv the beast and the kings of the earth their armies gathered to make vvarre vvith him that sate vpon the horse and vvith his armie ✠verse 20 And the beast vvas appreheÌ„ded and vvith him the false â—prophet vvhich vvrought signes before him vvherevvith he seduced them that tooke the character of the beast and that adored his image These tvvo were cast aliue into the poole of fire burning also with brimstone ✠verse 21 And the rest vvere slaine by the svvord of him that sitteth vpon the horse vvhich procedeth out of his mouth and al the birdes vvere filled vvith their flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIX 4. Amen Alleluia These tvvo Hebrâ—e vvordes as other els vvhere both in the Greeke Latin text are kept religiously not translated vnles it be once or tvvise in the Psalmes Yea and the Protestants them selues keepe them in the text of their English Testaments in many places and maruel it is vvhy they vse them not in al places but sometimes turne Amen into verely vvhere of see the Annotation Ioan. 8. v. 34. and in their Seruice booke they translate Alleluia into Praise ye the Lord as though Alleluia had not as good a grace in the acte of seruing God vvhere it is in deede properly vsed as it hath in the text of the Scripture The Church Catholike doth often and specially vse this sacred vvord to ioyne vvith the Church triumphant consisting of Angels and Saincts vvho here are said to laude and praise God vvith treat reioycing by this vvord Alleluia and by often repetition thereof as the Catholike Church also vseth namely in Easter time euen til Vvhiâ—-sontide for the ioy of Christs resurrection vvhich as S. Augustine declareth ep ad Ianuarium vvas the general vse of the Primitiue Church making a greater mysterie and matter of it then our Protestants novv do At other times of the yere also he saith it vvas sung in some Churches but not in al and S. Hierom numbereth it among the heresies of Vigilantius That Alleluia could not be sung but at Easter Aduers Vigilant c. 1. The truth is by the vse of the Scriptures it hath more in it then Praise ye the Lord signifying vvith laude glorifying and praising of God a great reioycing vvithal mirth and exultation of hart in the singers thereof and that is the cause vvhy the holy Church saith Laus tibi Domine Praise be to thee ô Lord in Lent and times of penance and mourning but not Alleluia vvhich as S. Augustine also declareth is a terme of signification and mysterie ioyned vvith that time and then vsed specially in the Church of God vvhen she representeth to vs in her Seruice the ioyes and beatitude of the next life vvhich is done specially at Easter by the ioyful celebrating of Christs glorious Resurrection and Ascension after the penal time of Lent vvhich representeth the miserie of this life See S. Augustine Ser. 1. 5. c. 9 6. c. 9 de Diuersis to 10. and his enaâ—tation vpon the 148 Psalme for in the titles and endes of diuerse holy Psalmes this Alleluia is ful of mysterie sacred signification Vvhere vve must aske the Protestants vvhy they haue left it out altogether being in the Hebrue saying neither Alleluia nor Praise the Lord in the Bible 1577 that nine times in the sixe last Psalmes Moreouer the said holy Doctor li. 2 de doct Christ c. 11 affirmeth that Amen Alleluia be not translated into any other language propter sanctiorem authoritatem for the more sacred authoritie of the vvordes so remaining and ep 178. he saith that it is not lavvful to translate them Nam sciendum est c. for it is to be knovven saith he that al nations do sing Amen and Alleluia in the Hebrue vvordes vvhich neither the Latine man not the Barbarous may translate into his ovvne language See S. Hierom also epist 137. And namely for our Nation S. Gregorie vvil beare vs vvitnes that our countrie receiued the vvord Alleluia vvith their Christianitie saying thus li. 27 Moral c. 6. Lingua Britannia qua nihil aliud nouerat quim barbarum frendere iamdudum in Diuinis laudibus Hebraeum â—â—pit resenare Alleluia that is The Britan tongue vvhich knevv nothing els but to mutter barbarously hath begone of late in Gods diuine laudes and praises to sound the Hebrue Alleluia And for Iurie S. Hierom ep 17. c. 7 vvriteth that the husbandmen at the plough sang Alleluia vvhich vvas not then their vulgar speache Yea he saith that in Monasteries the singing of Alleluia vvas in stâ—ede of a bel to call them together ad Collectam in Epitaph Paulâ—e c. 10. This vvord is a sacred Christian mystical and Angelical song and yet in the nevv seruice booke it is turned into Praise ye the Lord and Alleluia is quite gone because they list neither to agree vvith the Church of God not vvith the vse of holy Scriptures no not vvith their ovvne translations but no maruel that they can not sing the song of our Lord and of Angels in a strange countrie that is out of the
the citie vvere adorned vvith al pretious stone The first foundation the iasper the second the saphire the third the calcedonius the fourth the emerauld ✠verse 20 the fifth the sardonix the sixt the sardius the seuenth the chrysolithus the eight the beryllus the ninthe the topazius the tenth the chrysoprasus the eleuenth the hyacinthe the tvvelfth the amethysâ—e ✠verse 21 And the twelue gates there are twelue pearles one to euery one euery gate vvas of one seueral pearle the streate of the citie pure gold as it vvere traÌ„spárent glasse ✠verse 22 And temple I savv not therein for our Lord the God omnipotent is the temple thereof and the Lambe ✠verse 23 And * the citie needeth not sunne nor moone to shine in it for the glorie of God hath illuminated it and the Lambe is the lampe thereof ✠verse 24 And * the Gentiles shal vvalke in the light of it and the kinges of the earth shal bring their glorie and honour into it ✠verse 25 And * the gates thereof shal not be shut by day for there shal be no night there ✠verse 26 And they shal bring the glorie and honour of nations into it ✠verse 27 There shal not enter into it any polluted thing nor that doeth abomination and maketh lie but * they that are vvritten in the booke of life of the Lambe ANNOTATION CHAP. XXI 18. Pure gold S. Gregorie li. 18. Moral 6 28 saith the heauenly state is resembled to gold pretious stone crystal glasse and the like for the puritie claritie glittering of the glorious bodies vvhere one mans body conscience and cogitations are represented to an other as corporal things in this life are seen through crystal or glasse CHAP. XXII The tree of life being vvatered vvith liuing vvater yeldeth fruictes euery moneth 3 There is neither curse nor night in the citie 6 The Angel that shevved Iohn al these things refuseth to be adored of him 14 He telleth him that the iust shal enter into the citie but the rest shal be cast forth 18 Lastly â—e protesteth and threateneth against them that shal presume to adde to this prophecie or take avvay from the same verse 1 AND he shevved me a riuer of â— liuing water ' cleere as crystal proceding from the seate of God and of the Lambe ✠verse 2 In the middes of the streate thereof and on both sides of the riuer the tree of life yelding tvvelue fruites rendring his fruite euery moneth and the leaues of the tree for the curing of the Gentiles ✠verse 3 And no curse shal be any more and the seate of God and of the Lambe shal be in it and his seruantes shal serue him ✠verse 4 And they shal see his face and his name in their foreheads ✠verse 5 And * night shal be no moâ—e and they shal not neede the light of lampe nor the light of the sunne because our Lord God doth illuminate them and they shal reigne for euer and euer ✠verse 6 And he said to me These vvordes are most faithful and true And our Lord the God of the spirites of the prophetes sent his Angel to shevv his seruantes those thinges vvhich must be done quickly ✠verse 7 And behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke ✠verse 8 And I Iohn vvhich haue heard and seen these thinges And * after I had heard and seen I fel dovvne to adore before the feete of the Angel vvhich shevved me these thinges ✠verse 9 and he said to me See thou doe not for I am thy fellow-seruant and of thy brethren the prophetes and of them that keepe the vvordes of this booke Adore God ✠verse 10 And he saith to me Seale not the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke for the time is neere ✠verse 11 He that hurâ—eth let him hurt yet and he that is in filth let him be filthie yet and he that is iust let him be iustified yet and let the holy be sanctified yet ✠verse 12 Behold I come quickly and my revvard is vvith me * to render to euery man according to his vvorkes ✠verse 13 I am * Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end ✠verse 14 Blessed are they that vvash their stoles that their povver may be in the tree of life and they may enter by the gates into the citie ✠verse 15 Vvithout are dogges and sorcerers and the vnchast and murderers and seruers of Idols euery one that loueth and maketh a lie ✠verse 16 I IESVS haue sent mine Angel to testifie to you these thinges in the Churches I am the roote and stocke of Dauid the bright and morning starre ✠verse 17 And the Spirit the bride say Come And he that heareth let him say Come And * he that thirsteth let him come and he that vvil let him take the vvater of life gratis ✠verse 18 For I testifie to euery one hearing the vvordes of the prophecie of this booke â— If any maÌ„ shal adde to these things God shal adde vpon him the plagues vvritten in this booke ✠verse 19 And if any man shal diminish of the wordes of the booke of this prophecie God shal take avvay his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and of these thinges that be vvritten in this booke ✠verse 20 saith he that giueth testimonie of these things Yea I come quickely Amen â— Come Lord IESVS ✠verse 21 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 11. He that hurteth It is not an exhortation but a commination or threatening that hovv far soeuer the vvicked increase in naughtines God hath prouided ansvverable punishment for them 18. If any man shal adde The author of the commentaries vpon this booke bearing the name of S. Ambrose saith thus of this point He maketh not this protestation against the expositours of his prophecie but against Heretikes for the expositour doth addâ— or diminish nothing but openeth the obscuritie of the narration or shevveth the moral or spiritual sense He curseth therfore Heretikes that vsed to adde somevvhat of their ovvne that vvas false and to take avvay other things that vvere contrarie to their heresies So saith this auncient vvriter And this vvas the propertie of them in al ages and so is it of ours novv as vve haue noted through the vvhole Bible and as vve haue in sundrie places set forth to the sight of al indifferent readers in the nevv Testament that al the vvorld may see that the Apostles curse is fallen vpon them and may bevvare of them 20. Come Lord Iesus And novv ô Lord Christ most iust and merciful vve they poore creatures that are so afflicted for confession and defense of the holy Catholike and Apostolike
12 and other confirming his sentence vvith miracles 13 and vvith Scriptures 22 and the Apostles and Priests do vvrite and coÌ„maâ—nd in the name of the Holy Ghost vvhat is to be done 30 And the faithful thereby are straightvvaies quieted in minde 36 After vvhich Paul and Barnabas thinking to goe againe their aboue said circuite together are by occasion of Marke parted to the greater increase of the Church verse 1 AND certaine comming dovvne from Ievvrie taught the brethren That * vnles you be circumcised according to the maner of Moyses you can not be saued ✠verse 2 No litle sedition therfore being risen to Paul and Barnabas against them they ″ appointed that Paul and Barnabas should goe vp certaine others of the rest ' to the Apostles and priests vnto Hierusalem vpon this question ✠verse 3 They therfore being brought on their vvay by the Church passed through Phoenîce and Samaria reporting the conuersion of the Gentiles and they made great ioy to al the brethren ✠verse 4 And vvhen they vvere come to Hierusalem they vvere receiued of the Church and of the Apostles and Auncients declaring vvhatsoeuer God had done vvith them ✠verse 5 And there arose certaine of the heresie of the Pharisees that beleeued saying That they must be circumcised commaunded also to keepe the lavv of Moyses ✠verse 6 And the ″ Apostles and Auncients ″ assembled to consider of this vvord ✠verse 7 And vvhen there vvas made a great disputation ″ Peter rising vp said to them Men brethren you knovv that * of old daies God among vs ″ chose that by my mouth the Gentiles should heare the vvord of the Gospel and beleeue ✠verse 8 And God vvhich knovveth the hartes gaue testimonie * giuing vnto them the holy Ghost as vvel as to vs ✠verse 9 and hath put no difference betvvene vs and them by faith purifying their hartes ✠verse 10 Novv therfore vvhy tempt you God to put a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples vvhich neither our fathers nor vve haue been able to beare ✠verse 11 but by the grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST vve beleeue to be saued in like maner as they also ✠verse 12 And al the multitude held their peace and they heard Barnabas and Paul telling vvhat great signes and vvonders God had done among the Gentiles by them ✠verse 13 And after they held their peace ″ Iames ansvvered saying Men brethren heare me ✠verse 14 Simon hath told hovv God first visited to take of the Gentiles a people to his name ✠verse 15 And to this accord the vvordes of the prophets as it is vvritten ✠verse 16 After these things I vvil returne and vvil reedifie the tabernacle of Dauid vvhich vvas fallen and the ruines thereof I vvil reedifie and set it vp ✠verse 17 that the residue of men may seeke after the Lord and al nations vpon vvhom my name is inuocated saith the Lord that doeth these things ✠verse 18 To our Lord vvas his ovvne vvorke knovven from the beginning of the vvorld ✠verse 19 For the vvhich cause ″ I iudge that they vvhich of the Gentiles are conuerted to God are not to be disquieted ✠verse 20 but to vvrite vnto them that they refraine them selues from the contaminations of Idols and ″ fornication and strangled things and bloud ✠verse 21 For Moyses of old times hath in euery citie them that preach him in the synagogs vvhere he is read euery Sabboth ✠verse 22 Then it pleased the Apostles and Auncients vvith the vvhole Church to chose men out of them to send to Antioche vvith Paul and Barnabas Iudas vvho vvas surnamed Barsabas Silas cheefe men among the brethren ✠verse 23 vvriting by their handes The Apostles and Auncients the brethren to the brethren of the Gentiles that are at Antioche and in Syria and Cilicia greeting ✠verse 24 Because vve haue heard that certaine ″ going forth from vs haue troubled you vvith vvordes subuerting your soules to vvhom vve gaue no commaundement ✠verse 25 It hath pleased vs being gathered in one to chose out men and to send them vnto you vvith our deerest Barnabas and Paul ✠verse 26 men that haue giuen their liues for the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 27 Vve haue sent therfore Iudas Silas vvho them selues also vvil in vvordes report vnto you the same things ✠verse 28 For it hath seemed good ″ to the holy Ghost to vs to lay no further burden vpon you then these necessarie things ✠verse 29 that you absteine from the things immolated to Idols and bloud and that vvhich is strangled and fornication from the vvhich things keeping your selues you shal doe vvell Fare ye vvel ✠verse 30 They therfore being dimissed vvent dovvne to Antioche and gathering the multitude deliuered the epistle ✠verse 31 Vvhich vvhen they had read they ″ reioyced vpon the consolation ✠verse 32 but Iudas and Silas them Selues also being prophets vvith many vvordes comforted the brethren and confirmed them ✠verse 33 And hauing spent some time there they vvere vvith peace dimissed of the brethren vnto them that had sent them ✠verse 34 But it seemed good vnto Silas to remaine there and Iudas departed alone ✠verse 35 and Paul and Barnabas taried at Antioche teaching and euangelizing vvith many others the vvord of our Lord. ✠verse 36 And after certaine daies Paul said to Barnabas Let vs returne and visite our brethren in al cities vvherein vve * haue preached the vvord of our Lord hovv they doe ✠verse 37 And Barnabas vvould haue taken vvith them Iohn also that vvas surnamed Marke ✠verse 38 But Paul desired that he as vvho * had departed from them out of Pamphylia and had not gone vvith them to the vvorke might not be receiued ✠verse 39 And there rose a ″ dissention so that they departed one from an other that Barnabas in deede taking Marke sailed to Cypres ✠verse 40 But Paul chosing Silas departed being deliuered of the brethren to the grace of God ✠verse 41 And he vvalked through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches Commaunding them to keepe the praecepts of the Apostles and the Auncients ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 1. Appointed Vve learne by this example vvhat is to be done vvhen any controuersie ariseth in religion betvvene the teachers or other Christian people Vve see it is not ynough to contend by allegations of Scriptures or other proofes seeming to make for either part for so of contentious part taking there should be no end but the more vvriting vvrestling striuing there vvere euery one for his ovvne fansie cloking it vvith the title of Gods vvord and Scripture the more Schismes Sectes and diuisions vvould fall as vve see specially in the restles Heresies of our time Vvhose faâ—tors admitting no iudges stand to no trial of mortal men to no
tribunal of Pope Councels Bishops Synodes but eche man to his ovvne phantastical spirit his ovvne sense of Scriptures and his ovvne vvilful obdurate rebellion against Gods Church and his Superiors in the same But here vve see S. Paul and Barnabas men that vvere Apostles and ful of the Spirit of God and the other parties though neuer so much partial to the ceremonies of their Lavv by their former long vse and education therein yet not to stand stifly to their ovvne opinion on either side but to condescend to referre the vvhole controuersie and the determination thereof to the Apostles Priests or Auncients of Hierusalem that is to say to commit the matter to be tried by the heads and Bishops and their determination in Councel This is Gods holy and vvise prouidence among other iudgements in his Church to keepe the Christian people in truth and vnitie and to condemne sectes and false teachers and troublers of the Church By vvhich iudgements and order vvhosoeuer vvil not or dare not be tried in al their doctrine and doings they shevv them selues to mistrust their ovvne cause and to flee from the light and ordinance of God Vvithout vvhich order of appeasing al differences in faith and constructions of the Scriptures the Church had beene more defectual and insufficient then any Commonvvealth or Societie of men in the vvorld none of vvhich euer vvanteth good meanes to decide al discordes and dissension arising among the subiects citizens of the same 6. Apostles and Auncients The Heresies of our Protestants vvhich vvould haue al men to giue voice or to be present in Councels and of others that vvould haue none but the holy or elect to be admitted are refuted by this example vvhere vve see none but Apostles Priests or Ancients assembled to dispute of the matter though many deuout people vvere in the citie the same time Neither did euer any other in the Auncient Councels of the Church assemble to debate and define the matter but such though many other for other causes be euer present Secular men or vvomen be their gifts neuer so great can not be iudges in causes of faith and religion If any thing saith God â—e hard and doubtful thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuitical stocke and thou shalt folovv their sentence Againe The lippes of the Priest shal keepe knovvledge and the Lavv thou shalt require of his mouth Againe Aske the Lavv of the Priest Much more must vve referre al to our Bishops and Pastors vvhom God hath placed in the regiment of the Church vvith much larger priuilege then euer he did the old Priests ouer the Synagogue to vvhom it is said He that despiseth you despiseth me And it is to be noted that the Bishops so gathered in Councel represent the vvhole Church haue the authoritie of the vvhole Church and the Spirit of God to protect them from error as the vvhole Church SS Paul and Barnabas come hither for the definition of the vvhole Church The sentence of a plenarie or general Councel saith S. Augustine is the consent of the vvhole Church And so it must needes be in the Church because the Magistrates Senate Councel or deputies of al commonvvealthes represent the vvhole body and to haue it othervvise as the Churches Rebels vvish vvere to bring al to hel and horrour and them selues to be perpetually by the seditious and popular persons vpholden against Lavv reason and religion in their vvickednes â— Assembled A Councel vvas called to discusse the matter vvhich Councel vvas the more easily gathered because the Christian Bishops and countries vvere not yet so many but that the principal Gouernours of the Church being not far dispersed and as many learned men as vvere necessarie might be in Hierusalem or easily called thither And it vvas not a Prouincial Councel or Synode only but a general Councel consisting of the cheefe Apostles and Bishops that then vvere though the number vvas nothing so great as aftervvard vsed to assemble vvhen the Church vvas spred into al nations 7. Peter rising vp S. Peter as the head of the Church speaketh first as his Successors haue euer had not only in their personal presence but in their absence by their legates and substitutes the cheefe voice in al Councels general none euer receiued into authoritie and credite in the Church vvithout their Confirmation And therefore the Councels of the Arians and of other Heretikes vvere they neuer so great vvanting the Popes assent assistance or Confirmation did shamfully erre as Ariminense for the Arians and Ephesinum secundum for the Nestorians and such like condemned Assemblies 7. Chose that by my mouth Though Paul vvere called and appointed specially to be the Apostle of the Gentils yet that vvas S. Peters special priuilege by Gods ovvne choise that the first Gentils should be called by his mouth and that he first should vtter to the Church that truth of the admission of the Gentils him self for that he vvas Christes Vicar being notvvithstanding as his Maister vvas Minister Circuncisionis that is Apostle of the Ievves Christ deferring al preeminence vnto him in that point also 1â— Iames. S. Iames because he vvas an Apostle and also Bishop of Hierusalem gaue his sentence next for the speache interposed of SS Paul and Barnabas vvas but for their better information in the decision of the matter and for confirmation of S. Peters sentence though they being Apostles and Bishops had voices in the Councel also as many mâ— had though their sentences be not heare reported And vvhere S. Iames in his speach saith I iudge it is not meant that he gaue the principal definitiue sentence for he as al the rest folovved and allovved the senteÌ„ce of S. Peter as it is plaine in the text the vvhole assembly for reuerence of his person and approbation of his sentence holding their peace Al the multitude saith S. Hierom held their peace and into his sentence Iames the Apostle al the Priests did passe together For though S. Iames did particularise certaine points incident to the question debated as of eating strangled meates c. yet the proper controuersie for vvhich the Councel assembled vvas Vvhether the Gentils conuerted vvere bound to obserue the Lavv of Moyses and it vvas concluded that they vvere not bound nor ought not to be charged vvith Moyses Lavv or the Sacraments and ceremonies of the same this is the substance and principal purpose of this Councels decree vvhich doth binde for euer and Peter saith S. Hierom in the same place vvas Prince or author of this decree the matter of fornication and Idolothytes being but incident to the question or resolution and the forbidding of eating strangled and bloud but a temporal prohibition vvhich by the consent of the Church or othervvise aftervvard vvas abrogated the Church of God hauing the true sense of difference of times place persons vvhen and
the dead that he may be in al things holding the primacie ✠verse 19 because in him it hath vvel pleased al fulnes to inhabite ✠verse 20 and by him to reconcile al things vnto him self pacifying by the bloud of his crosse vvhether the things in earth or the things that are in heauen ✠verse 21 And you vvhereas you vvere sometime alienated and enemies in sense in euil vvorkes ✠verse 22 yet novv he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh by death to present you holy immaculate and blameles before him ✠verse 23 if yet ye coÌ„tinue in the faith grounded and stable and vnmoueable from the hope of the Gospel vvhich you haue heard vvhich is preached among al creatures that are vnder heauen vvhereof I Paul am made a minister ✠verse 24 Vvho novv reioyce in suffering for you and â— do accomplish those things that vvant of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his body vvhich is the CHVRCH ✠verse 25 vvhereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of Gods vvhich is giuen me tovvard you that I may fulfil the vvord of God ✠verse 26 the mysterie that hath been hidden from vvorldes and generations but novv is manifested to his sainctes ✠verse 27 to vvhoÌ„ God vvould make knowen the riches of the glorie of this sacrament in the Gentiles vvhich is Christ in you the hope of glorie ✠verse 28 vvhom vve preache admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in al vvisedom that vve may present euery man perfect in Christ IESVS ✠verse 29 Vvherein also I labour striuing according to his operation vvhich he vvorketh in me in povver ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 24. Dâ—â—â—â—â—plish that â—â—â—â—teth As Christ the head and his body make one person mystical and one full Christ the Church being therfore his plenitude fulâ—es or complement Ephes 1 so the passions of his head and the afflictions of the body and members make one complete masse of passions Vvith such difference for al that betvvene the one sort and the other as the preeminence of the head and specialâ—y such a head aboue the body requireth and giueth And not only these passions vvhich he suffered in him self vvhich vvere fully ended in his death and vverein them selues fully sufficient for the redemption of the vvorld remission of al sinnes but al those vvhich his body and members suffer are his also and of him they receiue the condition qualitie and force to be meritorious and satisfactorie For though there be no insufficiencie in the actions or passions of Christ the head yet his vvisedom vvil and iustice requireth and ordaineth * that his body and members should be fâ—llovves of his passions as they looke to be fellovves of his glorie that so suffering vvith him and by his example they may applâ—e to them selues and others the general medicine of Christes merites and satisfactions as it is effectually and applied to vs by Sacraments sacrifice and other vvaies also 〈…〉 sor being no more iniurious to Christeâ— death then the other notvvithstanding the vaine clamours of the Protestants that vvould vnder pretence of Christes Passion take avvay the valure of al good deedes Herevpon it is plaine novv that this accomplishment of the vvants of Christes Passions vvhich the Apostle and other Saincts make vp in their flesh is not meanâ— but of the penal and satisfactorie vvorkes of Christ in his members euery good man adding continually and specially Martyrs somevvhat to accomplish the full measure thereof and these be the plenitude of his passions and satisfactions as the Church is the plenitude of his person therfore these also through the communion of Saincts and the societie that is not onely betvvene the head and the body but also betvvene one members and an other are not only satisfactorie and many vvaies profitable for the sufferers them selues but also for other their fellovv-members in Christ for though one member can not merite for an other properly yet may one beare the burden and discharge the debt of an other both by the lavv of God and nature and it vvas ridiculous Heresie of Vvicleffe to deny the same Yea as vve see here the passions of Saincts are alvvaies suffered for the common good of the vvhole body and sometimes vvithal by the sufferers special intention they are applicable to special persons one or many as here the Apostle ioyeth in his passions for the Collossians in an other place his afflictions be for the saluation of the Corinthians sometimes he vvisheth to be Anatheâ—â—a that is according to Origens exposition iâ— li. 〈◊〉 ho. 10. 24. a sacrifice for the Ievves and he often speaketh of his death as of a libation host or offering as the fathers do of al Martyrs passions Al vvhich dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud and sacrifice make the plenitude of his Passion and haue a forcible crie intercession and satisfaction for the Church and the particular necessities thereof In vvhich as some do abound in good vvorkes and satisfactions as S. Paul vvho reckeneth vp his afflictions and glorieth in them 2 Cor. 11 and Iob vvho auoucheth that his penalties farre surmounted his sinnes and our Ladie much more vvho neuer sinned and yet suffered so great dolours so others some do vvant and are to be holpen by the aboundance of their fellovv-members Vvhich entercourse of spiritual offices and the recompense of the vvants of one part by the store of the other is the ground of the old libels of Indulgence vvhereof is treated before our of S. Cyprian See the Annotations 2 Cor. 2. v. 10 and of al indulgences or pardons vvhich the Church daily dispenseth vvith great iustice and mercie by their hands in vvhom Christ hath put the vvord of our reconcilement to vvhom he hath committed the keies to keepe and vse his sheepâ— to seede his mysteries and al his goods to dispense his povver to binde and loose his commission to remine and reteine and the stevvardship of his familie to giue euery one their meate and sustâ—nance in due season CHAP. II. He is careful for them though he vvere neuer vvith them that they rest in the vvonderful vvisedom vvhich is in Christian religion and be not caried avvay either vvith Philosophie to 〈◊〉 Christ and to sacrifice to Angelâ—â— or vvith Iudaisme to receive any 〈…〉 of Moyses lavv verse 1 FOR I vvil haue you knovv brethren vvhat maner of care I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia and vvhosoeuer haue not seen my face in the flesh ✠verse 2 that their hartes may be comforted instructed in charitie vnto al the riches of the fulnes of vnderstaÌ„ding vnto the knovvledge of the mysterie of God the Father of Christ IESVS ✠verse 3 in vvhom be al the treasures of vvisedom and knovvledge hidde ✠verse 4 But this I say that no man deceiue you in loftines of vvordes ✠verse 5 For although I
be absent in body yet in spirit I am vvith you reioycing seeing your order the constancie of that your faith which is in Christ ✠verse 6 Therfore as you haue receiued IESVS Christ our Lord vvalke in him ✠verse 7 rooted and built in him and confirmed in the faith as also you haue learned abounding in him ' in thankesgiuing ✠verse 8 Bevvare lest any man deceiue you â— by philosophie and vaine fallacie according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the vvorld and not according to Christ ✠verse 9 For in him dvvelleth al the fulnesse of the Godhead corporally ✠verse 10 and you are in him replenished vvho is the head in al Principalitie and Povver ✠verse 11 in vvhom al you are circumcised vvith circumcision not made by hand in spoiling of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ ✠verse 12 buried vvith him in Baptisme in vvhoÌ„ also you are risen againe by the faith of the operation of God vvho raised him vp from the dead ✠verse 13 And you * vvhen you vvere dead in the offenses and the prepuce of your flesh did he quicken together vvith him pardoning you al offenses ✠verse 14 vvyping out the hand vvriting of decree ' that vvas against vs vvhich vvas contrarie to vs and the same he hath taken out of the vvay fastening it to the crosse ✠verse 15 and spoiling the Principalities and Potestats hath ledde them confidently in open shevv triumphing them in him self ✠verse 16 Let no man therfore iudge you ″ in meate or in drinke or in part of a festiual day or of the Nevv-moone or of Sabboths ✠verse 17 vvhich are a shadovv of things to come but the body Christs ✠verse 18 Let no man seduce you vvilling in the humilitie and â— religion of Angels vvalking in the things vvhich he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh ✠verse 19 and â— not holding the head vvhereof the vvhole body by ioyntes and bandes being serued compacted grovveth to the increase of God ✠verse 20 If then you be dead vvith Christ from the elements of this vvorld â— vvhy do you yet decree as liuing in the vvorld ✠verse 21 Touch not tast not 〈◊〉 not ✠verse 22 which things are al vnto destruction by the very vse according to the precepts and doctrines of men ✠verse 23 vvhich are in deede â— hauing a shevv of vvisedom in superstition and humilitie and not to spare the body not in any honour to the filling of the flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 8. By Philosophie Philosophie and al humane science so long as they be subiect and obedient to Christ as they be in the Schooles of Christian Catholike men be not forbidden but are greatly commended and be very profitable in the Church of God Othervvise vvhere secular learning is made the rule of religion and commaundeth â—aith there it is pernicious and the cause of al heresiâ— and infidelitie for the vvhich S. Hierom and before him Tertullan call Philosophers the Patriarkes of Heretikes and declare that al the old heresies rose onely by to much admiring of prophane Philosophie Hierâ— ad Câ—esiph cont 〈◊〉 c. 1. Tertul. de praser cont Hermeg. cont Marcio li. 5. And so do these nevv sectes no doubt in many things for other arguments haue they none against the presence of Christ in the B. Sacrament but such as they borovv of Aristotle and his like concerning quantitie accidents place position dimensions senses sight tast and other straites of reason to vvhich they bring Christes mysteries Al Philosophical arguments therfore against any article of our faith be here condemned as deceitful and are called also here the tradition of men and the elements of the vvorld The better to resist vvhich fallacies and traditions of Heathen men the School learning is necessarie vvhich keepeth Philosophie in avve and order of faith and vseth the same to vvithstand the Philosophical and sophistical deceites of the Heretikes and Heathen So the great Philosophers S. Denys S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus Iustine Lactantius and the rest vsed the same to the great honour of God and benefite of the Church So came S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom and the Greeke fathers furnished vvith al secular learning vnto the studie of Diuinitie vvherof see S. Hierom ep 84 ad Magnum Oraetorem 16. In meate The Protestants vvilfully or ignorantly applie al these kindes of forbearing meates to the Christian fastes but it is by the circunstance of the text plaine at S Augustine also teacheth that the Iudaical obseruation and distinction of certaine cleane and vncleane meates is forbidden to the Colossians vvho vvere in danger to be seduced by certaine Ievves vnder pretence of holines to keepe the Lavv touching meates and festiuities and other like vvhich the Apostle shevveth vvere onely shadovves of things to come vvhich things are come and therfore the said shadovves to cease Vvhere he nameth the Sabboths and feastes of the nevv moone that no man neede to doubt but that he speaketh onely of the Ievvish daies and kindes of fastes and feastes and not of Christian holidaies or fasting daies at all 18. Religion of Angels By the like false application of this text as of the other before the Heretikes abuse it against the inuncation or honour of Angels vsed in the Catholike Church vvhere the Apostle noteth the vvicked doctrine of Simon Magus and others See S. Chrys ho. 7 in hunâ— locum and Epiph. har 21. vvho taught Angels to be our mediators and not Christ non tenens caput not holding the head as the Apostle here speaketh prescribed sacrifices to be offered vnto them meaning indifferently as vvel the il Angels as the good Vvhich doctrine the said Heretike had of Plato vvho taught that spirites vvhich he calleth damones vvere to be honoured as mediators next to God Against vvhich S. Augustine disputeth li. 8. 9. 10 de ciuit as the condemneth also the same vndue vvorship li. 10 Confess cap. 42. S. Hierom q. 10 ad Algasiam expoundeth this also of il spirites or diuels vvhom he proueth out of S. Steuens sermon Act. 7 that the Ievves did vvorship auouching that they serue them still so many of them and so often as they obserue the Lavv. Of vvhich idolatrie also to Angels Theodorete speaketh vpon this place declaring that the Ievves defended their superstition tovvardes Angels by that that the Lavv vvas giuen by them deceitfully at once inducing the ColossiaÌ„s both to keepe the lavv to honouring of the Angels as the giuers of the same Vvhereby diuers of the faithful vvere so seduced that they forsooke Christ and his Church and seruice and committed idolatrie to the said Angels Against vvhich abominations the Councel of Laodicia Cap. 35 tooke order accursing all that forsooke our Sauiour and committed idolatrie to Angels and contemning
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
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