proouing of the Sacrament to be a sacrifice propitiatorie which for that purpose you do craftilie and closely couple with the sacrifice on the cresse Iohn 18. 1. The text When Iesus had said these things he went foorth with his disciples beyond the Torrent Cedron where was a garden into the which he entred and his disciples c. The note The passion according to Saint Iohn is the Gospell at masse on good Fridaie So the passion is read in holie weeke foure times according to the foure Euangelists as Saint Augustine also appointed in his church at Hippo. Ser. 144. de tempore The answer To what purpose is your reading of the Gospels which verie fewe or none vnderstand Is it not as good for a man to hold his peace as to speake that which the hearers vnderstand not Did Saint Augustine appoint at Hippo the Gospels to be read in a language which the people vnderstood not We may in truth much better alledge Saint Augustine for the custome of our church which at the same time readeth the same Scriptures in the natiue naturall language of the common people and also teacheth and instructeth the people out of the said Scriptures as Saint Augustine did and you commonly do not Iohn 18. 17. The text The wench therefore that was portresse said to Peter Art not thou also of this mans disciples He saith to her ⸫ I am not The note It is all one for a man to denie Christ and that he is a disciple of Christ or a Catholike or a christian man when he is demanded Augustine tract 113. in hom Ioan. for so Peter heere denieth Christ in denieng him selfe to be his disciple The answer We graunt and we pray to God to giue vs strength boldnes and courage to confesse him before men whatsoeuer danger ensue of it But héere you vse a péece of your accustomed fraud in putting in the word Catholike which Augustine hath not which you did but to deceiue them withal whom you haue vntruly persuaded that there are none other Catholikes in the world but your selues Iohn 18. 35. The text Pilate answered why am I a Iew ⸫ Thy nation and the chiefe priests haue deliuered thee vp to me what hast thou done The note It pleased God that Christ who was to die both for the Iewes and the Gentiles should be betraied by the one and put to death by the other The answer Why doe yée not say that God did but permit and suffer it If it were Gods good pleasure that it should be so how was not God the authour of it Do you not sée then by your owne confession that God may be the authour of their fact though not of the fault thereunto adioyned Iohn 19. 14. The text And it was the parasceue of the Pasche about ⸫ the sixt houre and he said to the Iewes loe your king The note He meaneth midday counting from sunne rising for so doeth the Scripture count of the houres of the dâ—ie Matth. 20. Marke 15. Luk. 23. Iohn 4. Actes 3. 〈◊〉 10. The answer Your accompt of the houres as it is a matter of small moment so is it easie but we had rather haue heard some good reason why you durst not giue vs the english héer of Parasceue and Pasche but if anie had béene readie I am persuaded wée should haue had it aswell for this as afore for Amen amen But till such time as you better discharge your selfe thereof we shall still thinke that you would haue the scriptures so obscure and darke that poore men might be fraied from studieng of them Iohn 19. 20. The text This title therefore manie of the Iewes did read bicause the place was nigh to the citie it was written in ⸫ Hebrue in Greeke and in Latine The note These three tongues being for other causes most famous before in all the world are now also dedicated to God in the triumphant title of the crosse of Christ and in them the holie Scriptures are more conueniently written taught and preserued The answer I pray you shew vs by what reason you can collect this dedication out of this place or that it is not as conuenient also to haue the scriptures in other tongues it is strange you go about what you can to discredit the scriptures written in those toÌ„gues You would if you could abolish knowledge out of the world and bicause you can not doo that you labour to make the groundes of knowledge vncertaine to the end that the onlie oracles accompted of in the world may be the decrées of your holie father of Rome Iohn 19. 23. The text And his ⸫ coat was without seame wrought from the top throughout The note This coate without seame is a figure of the vnitie of the church Cyprian de vnit c. and Euthiâ—ius other write that our ladie made it The answer It is easie for men to deuise figures but when theâ— are deuised without ground or warrant they are but mens fansies Who made that coat iâ— no more materiall then who made his other garments Iohn 19. 25. The text And there stood beside the crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Marie of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene The note The great loue faith courage and compassion and sorrowes that our Ladie had who forsooke not the crosse and her sonne when so manie were fled from him and his chiefe Apostles denied him The answer So long as you doo but attribute a truth to our ladie and not adorne hir with that which appertaineth not to hir you can not heape vp too manie praises vpon her Iohn 20. 1. The text And the ⸫ first day of the Sabaoth Marie Magdalene commeth earlie when it was yet darke vnto the monument she saw the stone taken away from the monument The note That is the first day of the weeke as some interprete it taking saboath as somtime it is for a weeke This is our Sunday called dies dominica bicause of the Lords resurrection See the marginall annot Luk. 24 1. The answer If you had not héere brought a new interpretation we should not haue séene that you excell also in varietie if you had vouchsafed to haue told vs in plaine English that Sonday had bene called the Lords day bicause of the Lords resurrection we should haue thought you somewhat willing that the people shuld learne somewhat but now that you tell vs but in Latine wée thinke that you can be content that they be blind be blind still Iohn 20. 11. The text But Marie stood at the ⸫ monument without weeping The note The Sepulchers of martyrs saith Saint Hierome epist. 17. we do honor euerie where and putting their holie ashes to our eies if we may we touch it also with our mouth and be there some that thinke the monument wherein our Lord was laide is to be neglected where the diuell and his angels as often as they are cast out of the possessed before the said
garments which Dorcas made them The note The praiers of our almes folke and beades men may do vs great good euen after our departure For if they procured hir temporall life how much more may they helpe vs to Gods mercie and to release of punishment in purgatorie The answer You delight your selues with fond and foolish kinds of reasoning I pray you shew me some rule for the consequence of your reason Praiers of the liuing haue somtimes obtained restitution to life of some newly dead ergo they may procure release of punishment after death Your antecedent is confirmed by manifest examples the consequent is grounded and resteth onely vpon your méer imagination and hath not so much as a color of truth Acts. 10. 15. The text And a ⸫ voice came to him againe the second time That which God hath purified do not thou call common The note Heere God first vttered to Peter that the time was come to preach also to the Gentils and to conuerse with them for their saluation no lesse than with the Iewes with full freedome to eate all meats without respect of the prohibition of certaine made in the old law The answer Héere we sée that we know but in part and that euerie man hath but his measure in gifts therefore it is but a vaine brag of papists that all knowledge resteth in the popes brest except they can prooue the pope now to haue more knowledge than Peter then had Acts. 10. 30. The text And Cornelius said Foure daies since vntill this houre I was ⸫ praying the ninth houre in my house The note At the time of praier speciallie God sendeth comfortable visitations The answer So that God be praied to and not others so mens petitions be grounded vpon Gods promises and so made in faith so mens mindes in praier be not wandering and caried away with by-thoughtes and so they be earnest and importunate and giue not ouer foorthwith God doeth not onlie graunt them the comforts they pray for but also often pitieth their ignorance in asking and graunteth that which they could not aske as héere to Cornelius the knowledge or our Saâ—iour by the ministerie of Peter Acts 10. 31. The text And behold a ⸫ man stood before me in white apparel and said Cornelius thy praier is heard and thy almes deeds are in memorie in the sight of God The note Note these apparitions and visions to Saint Peter Cornelius and others in the Scriptures verie often against the incredulitie of our heretiks that will beleeue neither vision nor miracle not expressed in scripture these being beleeued of Christian men euen before they were written The answer Miracles crediblie reported at anie time so they tend to the glorie of God and confirmation of his truth deliuered to vs in his word we easilie admit But others that bring with them no profit or vphold and giue credit to falsehood and vntruth of which sort all or in a maner all the miracles of the popish church are we holde either for lies deuised by your selues or for illusions of Sathan Acts. 10. 35. The text But in euerie nation he that feareth him and ⸫ worketh iustice is acceptable to him The note Not such as beleeue onlie but such as feare God and worke iustice are acceptable to him The answer Bée there I pray you anie infidels that worke righteousnes if there be then what is become of that without faith it is impossible to please God If none can haue good works that hath not faith than whie also on the contrarie part doo ye not graunt that none can haue a true and a liuelie faith but as time and occasion serueth he must shew it foorth by the fruits and effects thereof Your reason from doing to being alone followeth not except you will say that the tongue speaketh not alone because it is not alone in the head but I am wearie with oft answering this fond cauill Acts. 11. 18. The text Hauing heard these things they ⸫ held their peace and glorified God saying God then to the Gentiles also hath giuen repentance vnto life The note Good Christians heare and obey gladlie such truthes as be opened vnto them from God by their chiefe pastors by vision reuelation or otherwise The answer Héere are verie manie things to be noted which you are very loath to sée bicause they shake diuerse and principall pillars of your religion First the church might and did call Peter to an accompt of his doings and doctrine How then hath the Pope that prerogatiue that he may not be called in question for any thing Secondly the multitude of the visible church do notwithstanding the promise of the holie Ghost erre in a matter of so great importance as concerneth the saluation of the Gentiles what prerogatiue hath the church gotten since that the multitude thereof may not somtime in some matters erre Thirdly the whole church espieth their fault and yéeldeth to the truth at the teaching and instruction of one But with you consent of multitude must preuaile howsoeuer truth stand Acts. 12. 4. The text Whom when he had apprehended he cast into prison deliuering him ⸫ to fower quaternions of soldiers to be kept The note As Peters person was more notorious than others and therfore better garded than other for feare he should escape so Gods prouidence in preseruing and deliuering him for the longer gouernment of his church is very maruellous The answer We will not reason the matter how notorious the person of Peter was It is manifest that as yet he had not béene at Rome neither was possessed of a triple crowne But this comfort we reape out of this place that bicause the arme of God is not shortened nor his power lessened he watcheth ouer his still he sléepeth not by day nor slumbereth by night therefore he will deliuer his as maruellously still from the crueltie of the pope and his adherents Acts. 12. 12. The text And considering he came to the ⸫ house of Marie the mother of Iohn who was surnamed Marke where many were gathered and praieng The note It is much for the praise of these good Christians that the assemblie to Gods seruice and praier was kept in their houses in the time of persecution and that the Apostle came thither straight out of prison as his first refuge As now Christian people do much to their commendation in places where heresie doth raigne The answer God increase the number of such Christians and grant them comfort and defence against all crueltie and rage of vnmercifull papists Acts. 12. 17. The text And going foorth he went ⸫ into another place The note Though God had so miraculously deliuered him yet he would not tempt God by tarieng among his persecutors but according to Christs commandement fled for a time The answer Why do you not tell vs whether he fled If he went to Rome and became bishop there then belike he was bishop there afore he was bishop of Antioch which
then by and by in a maner with the same breath you ouerthrow it again finding in our selues dispositions and preparations thereunto which if it be true then how is it fréelie and méerlie by his grace when that grace is by our selues preuented But this faith and works preparatorie procéed out of grace also I maruell what grace you meane is it not the same that Pelagius deceiued the Bishops withall in his subscription If it be not that I know not what to make of it For to shunne pelagianisme and yet to maintaine your heresie of merits you make your doctrine an hoch poch and a mingle mangle and by no means will yéeld your selues in such order guiltie before God as that he may haue the whole glorie of your instification Rom. 4. 5. The text But to him that worketh not yet beleeueth in him that iustifieth the impious his faith is ⸫ reputed to iustice according to the purpose of the grace of God The note The word reputed doeth not diminish the truth of the iustice as though it were reputed for iustice being not iustice indeed but signifieth that as it was in it selfe so God esteemed and reputed it as the same Greeke word must needs be taken verse 4. next going before and 1. Corinth 4. 1. and els where The answer If the faith of Abraham were iustice in déede and in it selfe and could abide the rigour of Gods examination then this imputation or reputation were to it as to a due dette How then holdeth the Apostles opposition of faith to works of dette to grace Or how commeth it imputed or reputed of grace It is no fauour to repute that to man which is trulie and reallie in him It is one thing simplie to repute it is another thing of fauour to repute so that your labour about the signification of the word is but méere wrangling and cauilling Besides if Abraham had iustice reallie and trulie in him selfe whether it were by faith or works how can he be excluded from glorieng when he may chalenge of God his iustification as his due dette Lastlie this iustice of Abraham being the same that Dauid describeth in an happie blessed or iustified man how is it inherent in the man when it consisteth in pardon remission and couering of sinne But you doo nothing els but whet your wits to obscure and darken the glorie of the grace of God Rom. ◠〈◊〉 The text And he receiued the ⸫ signe of circumcision a seale of the iustice of faith that is in prepuce that he might be the father of all that beleeue by the prepuce that vnto them also it may be reputed to iustice The note Our Sacraments of the new law giue ex opere operato that grace and iustice of faith which here is commended whereas circumcision was but a signe and marke of the same The answer Liars are not to be beléeued though they sweare much lesse you when you bring but your bare word for other proofe héere is none Circumcision is a seale of the iustice of faith Ergo our Sacraments of the new law giue grace ex opere operato or els circumcision was but a signe or marke of grace These are strange maners of concluding and farre fetched Rom. 5. â— The text By whom also we haue accesse through faith in this grace wherein we stand and glorie ⸫ in the hope of the glorie of the sonnes of God The note Christian men do not vaunt them selues of the certaintie of their saluation but glorie in the hope thereof onlie which hope is here insinuated to be giuen in our iustification and is afterward to be confirmed by probation in tribulation The answer It is wonderfull that you are not ashamed to cut off all assured comforts from christian men It were a vaine glorious vaunting in déede if this certaintie staied vpon anie matter in vs but when it resteth vpon the goodnesse of God and his gracious promises it were a péece of infidelitie not to glorie and reioice in it We will consider therefore the effects and fruits of faith in beléeuers as the Apostle setteth them downe in this place First iustification then the sweete and inward féeling of our reconciliation and attonement with God which he calleth peace toward God Thirdlie our constant standing and perseuering in this grace and fauour into the which we are receiued Fourthlie the ioy and reioicing that this bréedeth through the assured hope and expectation that we shalbe partakers of the glorie of the children of God which ioy through hope assured is so great in them that haue a continuall eie to the glory set before them that no trouble nor tribulation can abridge or breake it off but that our hope and expectation is still more and more confirmed and assured But you to ouerthrow all this make hope a doubtfull and vncertaine expectation of the things which God hath promised and so call the truth of God into doubt Rom. 5. 6. The text For whie did Christ when we as yet were ⸫ weake according to the time die for the impious The note The heretikes falselie translate of no strength to take away all free will No. Testam 1580. The answer Rather then you will loose fréewill you will contend for sinners wicked men and enemies of God and in them there must be a greater force of frée will then in Paul for Paul was not able of himselfe to thinke a good thought yet these are not so weake but that there is some strength and abilitie left in them For the Gréeke word here signifieth weaknesse and doeth it not so in the 1. Corinths 15. verse 43. It is sowen in weakenesse being spoken of the dead bodie of a man And I pray you tell me did anie strength remaine in dead carcasses and is not the case alike with the wicked and vngodlie are not they dead in sinne or by sinne Rom. 5. 19. The text For as by the disobedience of one man manie were made sinners so also by the obedience of one manie ⸫ shall be made iust The note Here we maie see against the heretikes that they which be borne of Christ and iustified by him be made and constâ—â—â—ted iust indeed and not by imputation onlie as all that be horne of Adam be vniust and sinners in truth and not by imputation The answer By the obedience of one manie shall be made iust Is this obedience in vs or imputed vnto vs If it be in vs then it is the obedience of many but the text is manifest that this obedience resteth in the person of one that is of Christ and by grace it is imputed vnto vs and made ours You do but beguile the simple and such as are not able to espie your fraud with the contrarie part of the Antithesis For Adams onlie transgression was sufficient to make al his posteritie sinners subiect to the iust sentence of condemnation And therefore death the reward of sinne did not only rage
spirit c. The note All these gifts be those which the learned call gratias gratis daâ—as which be bestowed often vpon euill liuers which haue not the other graces of God whereby their persons should be gratefull iust and holie in his sight The answer That these graces which are here recited are fréely giuen many times to the wicked is manifest and confessed of all But that which you would secretly insinuate that the other graces wherby men are made gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight are not fréely giuen but to those that procure them by works preparatorie or to them that deserue them by inherent iustice is manifestlie and directly opposite to the Scriptures Romaines 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. 1. Cor. 12. 1â— The text For as the bodie is one and hath manie members and all the members of the bodie wheras they be manie yet are ⸫ one bodie so also Christ. The note A maruellous vnion betwixt Christ and his church and a great comfort to all catholikes being members thereof that the church and he the head and the bodie make and be called one Christ. Aug. de vnita Eccl. The answer A maruellous good note wherin onely this héed is to be taken that men be not deceiued by ioining themselues to those that are catholikes in name and not in déede Which it is impossible otherwise to auoide then by holding fast the societie of them that imbrace and keepe that forme of doctrine which was deliuered to the church by the apostles whom all parts confesse to be true catholikes 1. Cor. 12. 28. The text Are all apostles are all prophets are all doctors ⸫ are all myracles haue all the grace of doing cures c. The note Saint Augustine ep 137. giueth the same reason why myracles and cures be done at the memories or bodies of some saints more then at others and by the same saints in one place of their memories rather then at other places The answer Augustine was a man sometimes as well as others deceiued by illusions For why should not the same saints memories bée honored with myracles in Affrica as well as in Italie For it was not to places but to persons that the gift of doing myracles was granted How much trulier wrote Augustine that myracles were not suffered to endure to his time least men should alwaies séeke visible confirmations and least men should waxe cold by the commonnes of those things by the strangenes wherof they were first enflamed 1. Cor. 13. 2. The text And if I should haue prophecie and knew all mysteries and all knowledge and if I should ⸫ haue all faith so that I could remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing The note This prooueth that faith is nothing woorth to saluation without works and that there may be true faith without charitie The answer It is strange that when in the former chapter you haue set faith among the gifts that are giuen often vnto the wicked now the same faith being spoken of you would haue it to be taken for the faith we speake of in the cause of iustification and so consequently that it might be without charitie Whereas there is as much difference betwéene that faith and this as is betwixt the beléefe of the omnipotent power of God and affiance in his goodnes But admit that that were granted you which you so much desire that a true faith were here ment how followeth your reason Is euerie supposition a proofe Saint Paule saith if an angell from heauen teach an other gospell c. doth it follow that an angell from heauen may teach an other Gospell do you not sée the vanitie of your proofe 1. Cor. 13. 10. The text But ⸫ when that shall come that is perfect that shal be made voide that is in part The note By this text Saint Augustine lib. 22. Ciu. cap. 29. prooueth that the saints in heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here then they had whiles they liued here The answer Saint Augustine there entreateth of the knowledge and sight of God which the godly shall haue after the resurrection of their bodies And he speaketh in that place no word of the knowledge that dead men haue touching the affaires of men liuing here whiles this world endureth But touching that matter his mind is as he expresseth it else where that the saints in heauen know no more what we do here then we know what they do there But you care not how you lie so you may turne men from God to put confidence in creatures 1. Cor. 13. 13. The text And now there remaine faith hope and charitie these three But the ⸫ greater of these is charitie The note Charitie is of all three the greatest How then doth onely faith being inferior to it saue and iustifie and not charitie The answer I will not at all touch that charitie is not simply the greatest but in some certaine respects But I will come to your reason If faith iustified by the vertue and merite of it self then your reason were somewhat for then charitie being the greater vertue should rather iustifie But now when it is but an instrument to lay hold vpon Christ our righteousnes your reason holdeth not Our hands are inferior to some other parts of man yet our hands are the onely instruments whereby we lay holde on and vse such weapons as serue for our defence And therefore men are called men of their hands 1. Cor. 4. 14. The text But if thou blesse in the spirit he that supplieth the place of the ⸫ vulgar how shall he say Amen vpon thy blessing bicause he knoweth not what thou saiest The note By this word are ment all rude vnlearned men but specially the simple which were yet vnchristened as the Catechumens which came into those spirituall exercises as also infidels did at their pleasures The answer By this word are ment all priuate men for it is euident that except they vnderstoode the publike praier and thankesgiuing they could not shew foorth their assent by saieng Amen 1. Cor. 15. 3. The text For ⸫ I deliuered vnto you first of all which I also receiued That Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures The note This deliuerie in the Latine and Greeke importeth tradition and so by tradition did the Apostles plant the church in all truth before they wrote any thing The answer The controuersie is not whether tradition or writing was first but whether the apostles did not write as much as is necessarie for vs to know and kéepe and whether traditions which vnder their name you obtrude be to be iudged by their writings or not As for that tradition he speaketh of here he specifieth most plainly in writing and therefore this can not make for your vnwritten verities to the which you would faine impropriate the name of traditions 1. Cor. 15. 10. The text But by the grace of God I am that which I am and his grace in
his office that is to offer propitiatorie sacrifice for vs. Hebr. 7. â—5 The text Whereby he is able to saue vs for euer going by himselfe to God ⸫ alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. The note Christ according to his humaine nature praieth for vs and continuallie representeth his former passion and merit to God the father The answer You would make vs beléeue that Christ was our priest onlie in respect of our nature directly against the worde and against this present place For the priests appointed by the lawe were men hauing infirmitie but our priest is the sonne for euer perfect where perfection is opposed to infirmitie and the sonne of God is opposed to men which sheweth the coupling of both natures aswell in exercising of his office as in his person But you of purpose in your translation haue omitted the worde men to obscure and darken the sense of the text Hebr. 8. â—2 The text We haue such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the seate of maiestie in the heauens a ⸫ minister of the holies and of the true tabernacle which our Lord pight and not man The note Christ liuing and reigning in heauen continueth his priestly function still and is minister not of Moyses Sancta and tabernacle but of his owne bodie and blood which be the true holies and tabernacle not formed by man but by Gods owne hand The answer Paule setteth Christ in heauen at the right hand of maiestie you set him in earth in the sacrament of the altar Paule teacheth that he continueth in his priestly function you haue appointed priests to offer propitiatorie sacrifice as if his priesthood were ceased Paule saith that if Christ were vpon the earth againe he were no priest you teach that he is againe vpon earth therefore your doctrine maketh him no priest Hebr. 8. 7. The text For ⸫ if that former had beene voide of fault there should not certes a place for a second been sought The note The promises and effects of the law were temporall but the promises and effects of Christs Sacraments in the church be eternall The answer This is plaine and flat Manicheisme If the high priest were a figure of Christ if Sancta sanctorum were a figure of heauen if the sacrifices of the old law were figures of Christs sacrifice then how can the promises or effects perteining to them be temporal The differences that I haue learned betwéene the sacraments of the law and the Gospell do not consist in diuersitie of promises and effects but in cléerenes number and time Cléerenes bicause that which then was obscurely shadowed is now cléerely reuealed number bicause they had a great multitude of sacramentall figures we as few in number and as effectual in signification as possible may be in time bicause theirs nursed in them the faith of Christ to come and ours confirmeth to vs the faith of Christ which is alreadie come and hath accomplished all things which are necessarie for our redemption Hebr. 9. 8. The text The holie Ghost signifieng this that the way of the holies â—as ⸫ not yet manifested the former tabernacle yet standing The note The way to heauen was not open before Christs passion and therfore the Patriarks and good men of the old testament were in some other place of rest vntill then The answer You dreame of a drie sommer Christ was alwaies the waie but Christ was not alwaies manifested or made openly knowne during the former tabernacle as now he is What maketh this for your dream of shutting the fathors out of heauen and causing them to go séeke another place of rest Was not Christ the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world And was not faith in his blood as auailable to the fathers as to vs Hebr. 9. 9. The text Which is a ⸫ parable of the time present The note All things done in the old testament and priesthood were figures of Christs actions The answer If all things done in the olde Testament and priesthoode haue relation to Christ and that which he perfourmed for vs then how are the promises temporall as before you said Liars had néed of good memories or els with one breath they denie and ouerthrow that which they affirme with another Hebr. 9 19. The text For all the commandement of the lawe being read of Moises to all the people he taking the blood of calues and goates with ⸫ water and skarlet wooll and ysope sprinkled the verie booke also it selfe and all the people saieng This is the blood of the Testament which God hath commanded you The note Heere we may learne that the Scriptures conteine not all necessarie rites or truthes when neither the place to the which the Apostle alludeth nor anie other mentioneth halfe these ceremonies but he had them by tradition The answer The Scriptures you say containe not all necessarie rites and truthes whie do you couple rites and truthes togither You know that we hold that rites and ceremonies may be variable according to diuersitie of times places and maners of people so the generall rules of Scriptures giuen to frame them by be obserued But truth is alwaies one and the same not to be found but in the word of truth and therefore though you could haue prooued that some of these rites were had by tradition yet it would not followe that anie necessarie truth were omitted in scriptures But let vs sée how doughtilie you prooue that forsooth halfe the ceremonies here spoken of are not mentioned in the place of Scripture to the which the Apostle alludeth nor in anie other place and therfore it can not be otherwise but he had them by tradition As you are true in this so I would you might finde credit in all things els first in the place by your selues quoted the reading of the Lawe the sprinkling of the people and the book with the blood of the sacrifices with the words here rehearsed are mentioned Then resteth water skarlet wool and hissope to be shewed els where In Leuiticus we finde that water was mingled with the blood which was to be sprinckled and that the sprinckle it selfe was made of cedar wood of hissope and of a skarlet lace Thus haue you one place for the sprinckling and another for the sprinkle and nothing héere at all by tradition which you so contend for Hebr. 9. 28. The text And as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement so also Christ was offered once to ⸫ exhauste the sinnes of manie The note By this word which signifieth to emptie or draw out euen to the bottome is declared the plentifull perfect redemption of sinnes by Christ. The answer When the holie Ghost by such significant and forcible wordes hath taught vs to ascribe our whole and full remission of sinnes to Christ what impudencie and shamelessenes is in you to ioine to Christ a number of trumperies of your own and as it were
triumphant The answer The ioy and comfort of all the saints of God to thinke of Now euerie gift which we receiue in this life is a pledge and token of that loue wherewith Christ hath imbraced his church as his spouse but then she shall be perfectlie adorned and beautified and put into actuall possession of al the good things which are Christs her husbands Apoc. 21. 3. The text And I heard a loud voice from the throne saieng behold ⸫ the tabernacle of God with men and he wil dwel with them The note This Tabernacle is Christ according to his humanitie The answer Though it be true that by the incarnation of our Lord and sauiour Christ and his taking vpon him our nature God dwelleth with vs yet héere it is spoken of Gods receiuing vs into the participation of the glorie of his Christ. For then when we shall be receiued into eternall and euerlasting felicitie this societie coniunction and dwelling of God and man togither shall most cléerly and perfectly appéere Apoc. 21. 4. The text And God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and death shall be no more nor moorning nor crieng neither shall there be sorrow any more which ⸫ first things are gone The note This happie day shal make an end of all the miseries of this mortality The answer God is likened to a mother which wipeth away the teares from the infants eies and chéekes whereby is signified that not onely there shall be an end of the miseries of this mortalitie but also that there shall remaine no token step nor print of our former calamities Apoc. 21. 7. The text He that shall ouercome ⸫ shall possesse these things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne The note He that hath the victorie in the church militant shall haue his reward in the triumphant The answer If hope of praie and spoile and liberall intertainment make men to aduenture them selues and their liues for victorie howe much more we whose liues are a continuall warfare who are most certaine and assured of victorie should manfullie and valiantlie fight against all spirituall enemies sith the liberalitie of God is so great to victors and conquerors Apoc. 21. 8. The text But ⸫ to the fearfull and incredulous and execrable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liers their part shalbe in the poole burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death The note All that commit mortall sinnes and repent not shall be damned The answer The wages of euerie sinne is death All impenitent sinners therefore how smal soeuer their sinne séeme to be shalbe damned which is also plainly here insinuated in that not onelie vnbeléeuers other grosse and foule sinners in the common iudgement of men are reckoned but also and that first of all those which are fearfull and cowards in Gods cause are set which is a fault that most men little regard and make a small account of and therefore all sins without repentance draw men to damnation Apoc. 〈◊〉 11. The text And he tooke me vp in spirit into a mountaine great and high and he shewed me the holie citie Hierusalem descending out of heauen from God ⸫ hauing the glorie of God And the light thereof like to a pretious stone as it were to the Iasper stone euen as Christall The note The glorie of the triumphant church The answer Which though it be héere excellently swéetly and delectably shadowed yet it doth excéed far the capacitie and reach of our dull braines and weake vnderstanding in this vale of miserie Howbeit the holy Ghost doth thus describe it to the end that we considering the excellencie of this description and waieng that that the holy Ghost hath but shadowed these things by the most excellent earthly things that are we should be wholy rapt and inflamed with the loue of these things and haue our eies continually vpon them and long and earnestly desire to haue the actuall fruition of them Apoc. 21. 12. The text And it had a wall great and high hauing twelue gates and in the gates twelue Angels and names written thereon which are ⸫ the names of the twelue tribes of the children of Israel The note The names of the patriarks and apostles honorable and glorious in the triumphant church The answer In respect of the promises made to the fathers and in respect of the doctrine of truth and sauing health deliuered to the whole church by the holy apostles and in whatsoeuer respect beside that you can reckon neither derogating from the glorie of God nor dissonant from the truth of his word Apoc. 21. 16. The text And ⸫ the citie is situated quadrangle wise and the length thereof is as great as also the bredth and he measured the citie with the reed for twelue thousand furlongs the length and height and bredth thereof be equall The note See S. Hierom ep 17. touching this description of the heauenly Hierusalem which is the church triumphant teaching that thes◠things must be taken spiritually not carnally The answer This admonition is very necessarie for your poore blind followers who know nothing and are vtterly destitute of all vnderstanding But alack how is it possible for them to take these things spiritually who are altogither carnall led by masters and teachers which are themselues void of the spirit of God But out of poperie in this light of the Gospell it is hard to find any so ignorant that thinketh not that these things ought to be spiritually vnderstood Apoc. 21. 22. The text And ⸫ temple I saw not therein For our Lord God omnipotent is the temple thereof and the lambe The note All externall sacrifices which now is the necessarie duetie of the faithfull shall then cease and therefore shall neede no materiall temple The answer The sacrifice which your minde runneth of is now no dutie of a christian And though we haue now places to méete in to heare and learne the word to praie and to praise God in to celebrate the misteries which he hath left to his church and to vse all spirituall exercises yet temples we haue none for God him selfe is our temple for we dwell in him and we are his temple for his spirit dwelleth in vs. As for your propitiatorie sacrifices you may take paines to returne them to Rome from whence they came Apoc. 21. 27. The text There shall ⸫ not enter into it anie polluted thing nor that doeth abomination and maketh lie but they are written in the booke of life of the lambe The note None not perfectlie clensed of their sinnes can enter into this heauenlie Hierusalem The answer You know that in this life we know but in part we loue but in part and therefore no worke perfectlie good can procéede from vs. Those therefore that put confidence in the meritoriousnesse of mens workes can not enter into this Ierusalem And I muse that you tremble not and quake not when you
the best frame and forme they can all the arguments of the aduersaries and to ech seuerall argument the answere as plainely and briefly as it can be comprised which being done and compiled into one or two volumes whatsoeuer they write hereafter except they bring which I thinke impossible some newe thing heretofore vnheard of to be referred to those volumes for answer and so to cease troubling the world with more bookes Touching mine answers to their marginall notes I hope it will appeere that I haue studied with as much breuitie and plainnes as I could possibly to discipher their vanitie and trifling wherewith they haue blotted and blurred their margents of their Testament Their translation and larger annotations though many times great occasions are offered to carpe at them yet as neere as I could possiblie I haue left them vntouched to him or them whosoeuer he or they be that of purpose shall deale with that matter To the end that my truth and simplicitie of dealing may the better appeere to the Reader of what sort soeuer he be I haue set downe the text wherevpon their notes are gathered according to their owne translation and their notes word forword and then mine answers By which doing I hope it will well appeere that when out of their most partiall translation which they of purpose haue framed for their best aduantage the things which they gather will not follow nor be confirmed that they are vtterlie destitute of all helpe of the scriptures how soeuer they labor to wring them to their purpose But concerning mine owne doing this shall suffice If this which I haue done shall by you most reuerend father be iudged to be profitable for the church and people of God I haue that which I desire The Lord God blesse keepe and preserue you At Dunburie the xij of Aprill 1588. A view of the marginall notes of the Popish Testament translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at Rhemes in Fraunce Matt. 1. ver 2â— The text ANd she shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name ⸫ Iesus The note Iesus an Hebrew word in English Sauiour The answer If you would assigne vs none other Sauiour neither in part nor in whole our controuersies were at an end we should not neede to fill the worlde with our pamphlets Matt. 2. 16. The text Then Herode perceiuing that he was deluded by the Sages was exceeding angrie and sending murdered all the ⸫ men children that were in Bethlehem and in all the borders thereof from two yeeres olde and vnder The note The martyrdome of holy Innocents whose Holy-day is kept the 28. of December The answer You studyed no doubt harde for this note or els so learned a matter coulde not haue passed your penne That these children were murdered for Christes cause I well perceiue and yet because their death was not a voluntarie testimonie to the trueth I see not any iust reason to accompt them Martyrs Howbeit it is not a matter woorth the contending about Matt. 3. 10. The text Euery tree therefore that doth ⸫ not yeeld good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The note It is not onely damnable to doe euill but also not to doe good Aug. Sermone 6â— de temp The answer You doe well to cite Augustine for this and we beléeue it not bicause he sayeth it but bicause this text doeth enforce it And you must either tell vs what euill doing is smaller then not doing good or els your veniall sinnes must be quite banished the countrey Matth. 5. 26. The text Be at agreement with thine aduersary betimes whiles thou art in the way with him least perhaps the aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the officer and thou be cast into ⸫ prison The note This prison is taken of very auncient Fathers for Purgatorie namely Saint Cyprian epist. 52. ad Anton. nu 6. The answer And what néede Fathers for this Is it not ynough that your holy father of Rome taketh it so The fathers might erre he can not erre If this prison be purgatorie then no man can passe out of it without paying the last farthing And if that be so the sale of pardons and such pelte is marred For howe can pardon take place where payment is so peremptorily required But Cyprian taketh it for purgatorie I haue looked into the place by you quoted and find it not so onely he toucheth there this present place but neither his wordes nor the circumstances of the place afore nor after doe enforce any meaning of your purgatorie that I can sée Therefore it argueth either great negligence in you in not searching or great penurie of fathers so applying this place if you searching could find none more plaine for your turne than this Augustine expoundeth this place of hell plainly and flatly As for your purgatorie Plato the Ethnicke philosopher of great fame was the first founder thereof that I haue read of Matth. 5. 43. The text Thou shalt loue thine neighbour and ⸫ hate thine enemie The note So taught the Pharisees not the lawe The answer So say we to them that turne precepts to counsels so teach the papistes and not the Gospel Matth. 5. â—5 The text Who maketh his sunne to rise vpon good bad and raineth vpon iust and ⸫ vniust The note We see that the temporall prosperitie of persons and countries is no signe of better men or truer religion The answer Therefore the Popes long continued rolle of succession is no good argument to approoue his religion nor his present prosperitie his goodnesse and holinesse Matth. 6. 11. The text Giue vs to day our ⸫ supersubstantiall bread The note In Saint Luke the Latine is panem quotidianum daily bread the Greeke being indifferent to both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The answer You do in this according to your common custome that which is most obscure farthest from the peoples vnderstanding and may best serue you to dally withall that you make choise of Matth. 6. 31. The text Be not carefull therefore saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be couered For all these things the ⸫ heathen doe seeke after The note They seeke temporall things onely and that not of the true God but of their idols or by their owne industrie The answer To contend with you about the heathen it were but a follie It is manifest that many of them looked for immortalitie of the soule and felicitie after this life as their Elisij campi doe testifie But for séeking either by your owne industrie or by them which are no gods you and they may be coupled together For you be right cousin germaines and therein you giue them not place an inch Matth. 7. 11. The text If you then being naught know how to giue good giftes to your children how much more will your Father which is in heauen giue ⸫
good things to them that aske him The note These good things are graces and all spiritual giftes and whatsoeuer pertaineth to the health of the soule The answer If al these things be giuen vs of God and so are of his franke and free liberalitie then with what face teach you that your own merites must get vs heauen and gaine vs the saluation of our soules Matth. 9. 2. The text And Iesus ⸫ seeing their faith said to the sicke of the palsey c. The note We see that the faith of one helpeth to obtaine for another The answer It is very true that there is mutuall helpe giuen by the faithfull whiles they liue one to another both by prayer to obtaine good things at Gods hand and also to comfort and confirme one another mutually in faith and all goodnesse but what maketh this for that which you teach fooles to looke for that is helpe by them which are dead and gone Matth 9. 15. The text But the dayes will come when the bridegrome shall be taken away from them and ⸫ then they shall fast The note Christ signifieth that the Church shall vse fasting dayes after his Ascension Epiphanius in Compend fid Cath. August epist. 80. The answer Christ doeth not prescribe any certaine day or dayes euery wéeke to fast in howsoeuer occasions doe fall out neither doeth he appoint men when they fast to abstaine from one kinde of meate to fill their bellie with another your fathers you might haue spared The fasting dayes there set downe by Epiphanius vnder the name of Apostolicall tradition for verifying and fulfilling this place your church obserueth not As for Augustine he knewe of no such tradition that is of any daies appointed by Christ or his Apostles to fast in Matth. 9. 32. The text But Iesus turning and seeing her said haue a good heart daughter ⸫ thy faith hath made thee safe The note Loe her deuotion to the hemme of his garment was not superstition but a token of greater faith so is the deuout touching of holy relikes The answer It is true that her deuotion was not superstition but a token of faith mixt with many infirmities which infirmities it pleased Christ for such is his mercie toward his not to impute but to forgiue And where you draw from this example an approbation of your superstitious touching holy relikes you doe amisse For her acte is not set downe for a common rule for others to follow and though it were yet it could not serue but where the principall things to be considered of are alike which wil farre disagrée in any relike that you can name vsed in Poperie Matth. 9. 34. The text But the Pharisees said ⸫ in the prince of diuels he casteth out diuels The note In like maner say the heretikes calling all miracles done in the Church the lying signes of Antichrist The answer It is but vaine to quarell with you for giuing vs the odious names of heretikes and vsurping to your synagogue of Satan the glorious name of the Catholique church We doe not call all miracles done in your synagogue lying signes for God diuers times by miracles hath disclosed the impietie and hipocrisie of your Antichristian captaines of Rome as the miraculous discouerie of sixe thousand infants heades afore murdered by adulterous priestes constrained to single life in the dayes of Gregorie the great and the appearing of an owle in a councell holden at Rome by pope Iohn the xxiiii after the masse of the holy Ghost solemnly song at the beginning of the councel and such like But those which either by the illusion of the diuell haue bene done or by your auncestors fained to be done to vphold popish corruptions contrary to the manifest trueth of the word whereof some are babish some ridiculous some so foule and filthie as that they would loathe any honest eare to heare we do and may well call lying signes of Antichrist Of these whosoeuer vouchsafeth to waste some time in your legenda aurea or in promptuario exemplorum or in mille miraculis beat Mart. or such like bookes shall find store to your shame Matth. 10. 5. The text Into the way of the ⸫ Gentiles go ye not and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not The note They haue here commission to preach onely in Israel the time being not yet come to call the Gentiles The answer Whereby we sée the depth of the counsell and wisedome of God to be such as no man can render a reason of and that in his wisedome he sometime withdraweth the light of his Gospel and communicateth it in comparison but to a â—ewe and sometime againe he causeth it to shine foorth brightly and the knowledge of it to spread farre abroad Matth. 10. 16. The text Be ye therefore ⸫ wise as serpents and simple as doues The note Wisedome and simplicitie both necessarie in preachers Bishops and priestes The answer But you ioyne wisedom and double dealing together hold it for a principle that you are not bound to deale simply and truely with your aduersaries as both that conclusion of the councell of Constance that faith giuen to heretikes is not to be kept and also the continuall practise of your church doeth very well testifie And you doe well in reckening bishops and priestes beside preachers because skant the tenth or tithe of your bishops and priests were wont to preach Mat. 10. 28. The text And ⸫ feare yee not them that kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule The note A goodly comfort for christians and catholikes and all good men in the persecutions of Turke of heretikes of all wicked men The answer Which comfort did animate and encourage all those whom you haue burnt and killed for religion to testifie the truth against you with losse of their liues and shedding of their blood Mat. 10. 41. The text And he that receiueth a ⸫ iust man in the name of a iust man shall receiue the reward of a iust man The note The reward for harboring and helping any blessed iust person suffering for his iustice and conscience The answer To this we agrée but your meaning we are far from For your meaning is that wheresoeuer reward is expressed there also merit of worke should be vnderstood As if it were not possible for God to be more bountiful in rewarding than we are meritorious in deseruing Otherwise it were a simple sillie rewarde that a cup of colde water could deserue Mat. 12. 7. The text And if you did know what it is I will mercy and not ⸫ sacrifice you would neuer haue condemned the innocents The note See the annotation chap. 9. vers 13. The answer You are loth your note should passe vnuiewed and therefore you make this reference Well we haue séene it and finde that which any yoong schooler with verie small studie would haue set downe The best commendation it deserueth is that it sauoreth not so
Eremites Luke 2. 1. The text And it came to passe in those daies there came foorth an edict from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be inrolled c. The note In the yeere from the creation of the world 5199. from Noes stood 2957. from the natiuitie of Abraham 2015. and from Moses and the comming foorth of the people of Israel out of Egypt 1510. from Dauid annointed king 1032. from the first Olimpias 800. from the building of Rome 752. hebdomada 63. according to the prophesie of Daniel c. 9. that is in the yeere 440. or thereabouts in the sixt age of the world when there was an vniuersall peace in al the world the eternall God and sonne of the eternall father meaning to consecrate and sanctifie the world with his most blessed comming being conceiued of the holie Ghost nine months after his conception Iesus Christ the sonne of God is borne in Bethlehem of Iudah in the yeere of Caesar Augustus 42. Vsuard in martyrologio Decembris 25. according to the common ancient supputation The answere It is but a follie to endeuour to reduce them to truth that wittinglie wilfully do deceiue and are deceiued for so a man shuld be but sure to loose his labour Those that be desirous to know the true supputation of these times haue alreadie in the English bibles the true summe of these yéeres according to the truth of the Hebrue As for your Chronographie with the authour thereof may haue some commendation for the paines he bestowed about it and not for the truth that is in it But we can not maruaile that those in whome there is no loue of truth be giuen ouer to beléeue lyes Luke 2. 35. The text And ⸫ thine owne soule shall a sword pearce that out of manie heartes cogitations may be reuealed The note Simeon prophecied not onelie of Christ but of our blessed Ladie of all her sorowes wherein she was alwaies partaker with our Sauiour from his flight into Egypt euen to his death The answer God by Simeon forewarned the blessed virgin that notwithstanding the great prerogatiue which God gaue her to be the mother of God and whereof no doubt she was excéeding ioyous yet she should not looke for worldlie happinesse but prepare her selfe to be partaker of the crosse and sorow with her sonne Luke 3. ◠The text And he came into all the countrie of Iordan preaching the baptisme of ⸫ penance vnto remission of sinnes The note Penance prepareth the way to Christ. The answer It is verie true that the knowledge of our sinnes with the sight of Gods wrath and indignation against them ioyned with an wholesome griefe and sorow therefore maketh men earnestly to séeke how to escape the seuere iustice of God and to obtaine remission and pardon of their sinnes which when they can finde no where els they are constrained to embrace the promises of mercie offered them in Christ. But if your imagined satisfaction for sinnes by penance be true the preaching thereof were a way to kéepe a man from Christ and to make men to rest in themselues Luke 3. 8. The text Yeeld therefore ⸫ fruites worthie of penance The note Fruites of penance be workes satisfactorie The answer Men may be satisfied for offences made toward them by the fruites of penance or repentance but that God also may be so satisfied all the papists in the world are neuer able to prooue For if men by their works might satisfie for their sinnes then what néede they séeke for remedie out of them selues and to what purpose is the death and satisfaction of Christ But it is no maruaile though you hold this fast for it is one of the best things that the Pope hath to heate his kitchin with Luke 3. 9. The text ⸫ Euery tree therefore that yeeldeth not good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The note A man without good works is vnfruitfull and shall be cast into euerlasting fire The answer If by good you did not imagine meritorious or satisfactory we should easilie condiscend to you in this note for all faithfull are fruitfullie replenished with euery good worke as time place occasion and other circumstances serue Luke 3. 11. The text ⸫ He that hath two coats let him giue to him that hath not and he that hath meate let him do likewise The note Almes counselled or inioyned for sinnes and to auoid damnation The answer In this note there are almost as many popish corruptions as words For by almes counselled you would haue men to vnderstand that it is matter of greater perfection then the commandements of God By the word inioined you would haue yours to thinke that Iohn inioyned this as a parcel of penance that it might séeme to warrant the penances imposed by your ghostly fathers in your eare shrift For sinnes and to auoid damnation by these you would teach the giuing of almes to be meritorions and satisfactorie for sinne but S. Iohn neuer taught any other means to take away sinnes but the lambe of God but with you whosoeuer teacheth or aduiseth any good thing to be vsed of man teacheth satisfaction and merit Luk. 3. 15. The text And ⸫ the people imagining and all men thinking in their heartes of Iohn least perhaps he were Christ. The note Iohn was so holie that manie might by errour easilie thinke he was Christ. The answer In that manie were readie to haue accepted Iohn for Christ who afterward would not receiue Christ him selfe appeareth the natural corruption of man by which he is prone and readie to erre and to be deceiued and also the negligence of men that did but superficiallie looke ouer that which was foretold of either of them by the Prophets whereby they might easilie haue béene discerned and knowne asunder Luke 3. 16. The text I in deed baptize you with water ⸫ but there shall come a mightier than I whose latchet of his shoes I am not worthie to vnloose he shall baptize you in the holy Ghost and fire The note How say then the heretikes that the baptisme of Christ is of no greater vertue than Iohns The answer You delight by ambiguitie of words to beguile the simple If by Christs Baptisme you meane the baptisme vsed in the church of Christ then we say that the baptisme of Ihon and it is all of one vertue But if you meane by Christs baptisme the inwarde and inuisible operation in baptisme which is Christs proper worke then we say that the baptisme of Christ is greater not onely than Iohns Baptisme but also then the baptisme of any other minister So if in baptizing Iohn be compared with Christ he must as a seruant giue place to his Lord but if his ministerie therin be cōpared with the ministery of others Christs ministers we saie and are ready to prooue that they are of equal force and vertue Luk. 3. 36. The text ⸫ Who was of Cainan The note Beza boldly wipeth out of this
he soweth and to that end applieth the borrowed spéech of sowing and reaping To racke those spéeches beyond this his meaning is most plainely to abuse him and bewraieth the wickednes of your doctrine which cannot carrie any probable shew without racking and wresting the scriptures Galat. 6. 14. The text But ⸫ God forbid that I should glorie sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world The note Christ saith Saint Augustine chose a kind of death to hang on the crosse and to fixe or fasten the same crosse in the foreheads of the faithfull that the Christian may say God forbid that I should glorie sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Expos. in Euang. Io. tract 43. The answer Bicause your superstitious abusing the signe of the crosse can not be warranted by Paule therefore Augustine must helpe wil he nill he But he meaneth none other thing then the coÌ„mon vse of the first christians who to shew how litle they were ashamed of Christ crucified did vse to crosse themselues on the forehead This will prooue but a poore proofe of your manifolde abuses of the crosse EPHESIANS Ephes. 1. 4. The text As he chose vs in him before the constitution of the world that we should be holie immaculate ⸫ in his sight in charity The note We learne here that by Gods grace men be holie and immaculate not onely in the sight of men nor by imputation but truely and before God contrarie to the doctrine of the Caluinists The answer What father hath affirmed this before you This is not onely contrarie to Caluins doctrine but also to the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Euangelist Saint Iohn For our Lord and Sauiour Christ teacheth the children of God to praie alwaies for forgiuenes of their trespasses And saint Iohn saith if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Then I pray you tel vs if trespasses sins be spots how are we truely and in Gods sight immaculate otherwise then by the not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs and the imputing vnto vs of Christs righteousnes But herein you deceiue your selues and others that you estéeme not this imputed righteousnes for true righteousnes when and whereas it is the onely righteousnes in confidence wherof we may boldly appéere without spot in the presence of our God Ephes. 1. 13. The text In whom also when you had heard the word of truth the Gospell of your saluation in which also beleeuing you were ⸫ signed with the holie spirit of promise c. The note Some referre this to the grace of baptisme but to manie learned it seemeth that the Apostle alludeth to the giuing of the holie Ghost in the sacrament of confirmation by signing the baptized with the signe of the crosse and holie chrisme For that was the vse in the apostles time as else where we haue prooued annot Acts. 8. The answer The many learned that you speake of are but such as haue sold themselues and bent al their wits to defend the fornications of the whoore of Babylon And so you endeuor your selues do your best to prooue that which you speake of But lies and vntruths are not so easie to be prooued as you imagine but onlie to such as do beléeue euerie word you speake to be an oracle Your chrisme and your sacrament of confirmation were vnknown to to the apostles and not vsed by them to any such ende or purpose as you haue vsurped them vnto Ephes. 1. 23. The text And he hath subdued all things vnder his feete and hath made him head ouer all the church which is his bodie the ⸫ fulnes of him which is filled all in all The note Christ is not full whole and perfect without the church no more then the head without the bodie The answer This note is good true and comfortable if it be vnderstoode of his perfection in his mysticall bodie and not otherwise Ephes. 2. 8. The text For by grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God ⸫ not of works that no man glorie The note It is said not of works as thine of thy selfe being vnto thee but as those in which God hath made formed and created thee August de gratia lib. arbit cap. 8. seq The answer Bicause your owne credit will not stretch to qualifie the plain spéeches of the Apostle you craue aide at Augustines hand But he is your sworne enimie and therefore meaneth to giue you verie slender helpe For in the same place he telleth vs that our good life is the grace of God fréely giuen vs that life eternal is also the grace of God fréely giuen to vs. And that God in Paule and others his déere children and saints crowned his own gifts and not their merits be you not then ashamed to enforce his spéeches against his minde â—phes 3. â—7 The text Christ ⸫ to dwell by faith in your harts The note Christ dwelleth in vs by his gifts and we be iust by those his gifts remaining and resident in vs and not by Christs proper iustice onlie as heretikes affirme The answer You wrangle for inherent iustice without all reason Christ you saie dwelleth in vs by his gifts and we are iust by those his gifts The gift that Christ dwelleth in vs by is faith as S. Paul here telleth and you assume that thereby we are iust therfore we conclude that we are iust by faith Therefore you must either confesse your manifold wrangling heretofore in reiecting iustification by faith alone bicause it is against your imagined inherent iustice or else you must confesse that you do but cauill héere when you go about to prooue inherent iustice bicause Christ dwelleth in vs by faith Ephes. 3. 17. The text Rooted and founded in ⸫ charitie The note Not faith onely must be in vs but charitie which accomplisheth all vertues The answer Who euer taught that no more vertues must be in Christians then faith onely you can not shew one And yet you are not ashamed to make your ignorant followers beléeue that wée spoile Christians of all other vertues Ephes. 4. 10. The text And that he ascended what is it but bicaâ—se he descended first into the ⸫ inferior parts of the earth The note He meaneth specially of his descending to hell The answer He meaneth by his descending into the inferiâ—â— parts of the earth his incarnation or abasing of himselfe to take vpon him our nature in the wombe of the virgin which by an Hebraisme is called the lower parts of the earth And Dauid so termeth his mothers wombe in the 139. Psalm vers 15. Ephes. 4. 2â— The text And be ⸫ renued in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which according to God is created in iustice and holines of the truth The note The Apostle teacheth
God in truth The note He sheweth that the Church and Christs gospell should daily growe and be spred at length through the whole world which cannot stand with the heretikes opinion of the decay thereof so quickly after Christs time nor agree by any meanes to their obscure conuenticles See S. Augustine epist. 80. in fine The answer It is true that Christs faith did grow and spread in the whole world yet you your selues will confesse that it doth not alwaies spread alike For I know you will except our times And we wil except the times wherein the Arrians florished who as you report continued longer and was better defended by princes and worldly power than we are now Then it cannot be a question how quickly some corruptions grew but whether any great diminution or lessening of the number of true Catholikes may be But the ancient testimonies of stories do also put that out of doubt This repugnance you speake of we sée not Neither haue our conuenticles as it pleaseth you to terme them béene at any time more obscure than the assemblies of Christians in the primitiue church as you your selues cannot choose but confesse S. Augustine whose authoritie you alledge in his latter daies saw a greater decay of the Christian faith by the cruel inuasion of many barbarous nations that did ouerrun both Europe and Affrike than he did thinke when he wrote that Epistle possible to haue béene in so short a space And further if we consider the stories of the times since we shal find that that the bounds of Christendom haue béene greatly lessened and diminished since saint Augustines time Flat contrarie to his opinion in that Epistle Colos. 1. 10. The text That you may walke ⸫ worthie of God in al things pleasing The note See S. Ambrose and the Gr. doctors Or thus woorthily pleasing God The answer What néed you haue of Ambrose or any other great doctors for this I cannot imagine Colos. 1. 10. The text Fructifieng in ⸫ al good works and increasing in the knowledge of God The note Many things requisite and diuers things acceptable to God besides faith The answer This is your accustomed dealing to make ignorant men beléeue that your aduersaries allow of nothing but faith When as we confesse many things requisite for Christians and acceptable to God besides faith but nothing without faith Colos. 1. â—â— The text Giuing thanks to God and the father who hath made ⸫ vs woorthie vnto the part of the lot of the saints in the light The note We are not onely by acceptation or imputation partakers of Christs benefits but are by his grace made woorthie thereof and deserue our saluation condignly The answer You prate much of your owne woorthines and prooue nothing The benefits of iustification and saluation we haue by imputation onely other benefits as newnes of life sanctification and whatsoeuer pertaineth to that change alteration which God by the gracious working and guiding of his holy spirit maketh in those which be his be really and actually in vs. We are made woorthie indéede in respect of Christs righteousnes wherewith we are adorned and in respect of our selues none otherwise than the hungrie are said to be woorthie of meate and the thirsty woorthie of drinke not bicause they deserue it but bicause they earnestly desire it The deseruing therfore of our saluation condignly as you haue learned of your schoolemen to terme it might haue béene kept in your purse for héere is no place to vent it in our market serueth not for the sale thereof Colos. 2. 4. The text But this I say ⸫ that no man deceiue you in loftinesse of words The note Heretikes do most commonly deceiue the people with eloquence namely such as haue it by the gift of nature as the heretikes of all ages had and lightly all seditious persons which draw the vulgar sort to sedition by the allurement of their toong Nothing saith saint Hierom ep 2â— ad Nepotian is so easie as with volubilitie of toong to deceiue the vnlearned multitude which whatsoeuer it vnderstandeth not doth the more admire and woonder at the same The Apostle heer calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persuasible speech The answer Héere is long labour about washing of a tile Who knoweth not that papists and such heretikes as they are by fine retoricall persuasible spéeches do carrie poore ignorant men after them and to the intent they may as saint Ierom saith be the more admired and woondered at of the people that vnderstand not they not onely endeuor to kéepe the people without knowledge but also hunt after strange and vnwoonted words such as the eares of the people haue not béene acquainted withall and their intelligence reacheth not vnto whereof this your translation is a good euidence Turne therefore this note against your selues examine well your owne consciences and repent whiles you haue time Colos. 2. 18. The text Let no man seduce you ⸫ willing in the humilitie and religion of Angels walking in the things which he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh The note That is wilfull or selfe willed in voluntarie religion For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof commeth the word following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superstition v. 23. See annotations v. 21. The answer If voluntarie religion and will worship were quite and cléere banished from amongst all those that call themselues Christians then where should poperie become For you your selues cannot for the greatest part of it shew any other ground but the will and deuise of men Colos. 2. 19. The text And not holding the head whereof the whole bodie by ioints and bands ⸫ being serued and compacted groweth to the increase of God The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is taking subministration of spirituall life and nourishment by grace from Christ the head The answer The Gréeke word signifieth our strait coniunction in Christs mysticall bodie as our bodies are ioined and knit togither by ioints and sinewes and so your note declareth the consequence of that ioining being drawen from the truth of the signification of the word Colos. 3. 15. The text And let the peace of God exult in your harts wherein you are also called in one bodie and be thankfull The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triumph and haue the victorie The answer By a metaphor drawen from the games of the Ethnikes wherein some had pricke and praise for actiuitie and strength Colos. 3. 24. The text Knowing that you shall receiue of our Lord the retribution of inheritance The note Retribution or reward for good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth rendering one for another The answer Out of Gods rendering or rewarding meriting cannot be collected and in this place the word of inheritance cléereth all For if it be our inheritance we haue it not by our deseruing Colos. 4. 3. The text Be instant in praier watching in it with thansgiuing praieng withall ⸫ for
triall you flie And if anie time you make a shew of comming to it then by and by your church must giue credite to your doctrine your church cannot erre your pope cannot erre we must beléeue your doctrine not bicause you can prooue it to haue come from the Apostles but bicause your church and pope haue giuen sentence for it but if you durst abide by your note we would easily shew your doctrin to be erronious 1. Tim. 6. 10. The text For the roote of all euill is couetousnes ⸫ which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled themselues in manie sorrowes The note As in the first chapter the lacke of faith and good conscience so here couetousnes and the desire of these temporall things and in the ende of this chapter presumption and boasting of knowledge are causes of falling from the faith heresie often being the punishment of former sins The answer It is very true that God punisheth sin by sin and that there be many causes for which wicked men are wont to forsake the faith which they do or did somtimes professe The causes in your note assigned lacke of faith and good conscience couetousnes presumption and boasting if all the world be sought from one end to the other there cannot any be founde in whom these causes haue so euidently concurred and wrought as in your most holy fathers of Rome wherein I referre my selfe to the credite of your owne stories 1. Tim. 6. 19. The text Command the rich of this world not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God who giueth al things aboundantly to enioy to do wel to become rich in good works to giue easelie to communicate to heape vnto themselues a good ⸫ foundation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life The note Almes deeds and good works laid for a foundation and ground to attaine euerlasting life So say the doctors vpon this place The answer If you had shewed vs what doctors had so spoken we woulde haue shewed you their meaning But we know that neither they nor the apostles ment by the word foundation to put Christ out of his office or place but onlie to oppose against the vncertaintie of riches here the certaintie of promised blessednes in the time to come According to the saieng of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 2. TIMOTHIE ◠Tim. 1. 6. The text For the which cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of my hands The note Heere againe it is plaine that holy orders giue grace and that euen by and in the externall ceremonie of imposing the bishops hands And it is a maner of speech specially vsed in this Apostle and S. Luke that orders giue grace to the ordered and that to take orders or authoritie to minister sacrament or preach is to be giuen or deliuered to Gods grace Acts. 14. 25. The answer Héere you say that that is plaine which no wise man can sée namely that holy orders giue grace in and by the externall ceremonie of imposing of the bishops hands For if that were so what néeded there be any choise of men furnished with gifts and graces for that purpose sith in the very ordering they should be sufficiently indued with gifts and graces necessarie and néedfull And how fel it out that there were so great a number of popish priests void and destitute of al gifts graces after their ordering when the bishop had conferred and bestowed vpon them all that he could It is euident by the manifold commendations that the Apostle giueth to Timothie as well for his owne studie in the scriptures as also for his bringing vp vnder his mother and grandmother that he was a man furnished with gifts afore Paul and the elders ordered him But bicause the praiers of the church in that his consecrating to the worke of God were not in vaine that blessing and increase of aptnesse and fitnesse which God at their petitions gaue him at that time is called the gift or grace by imposition of hands In the like order it is true that all those which be rightly ordered are deliuered to the grace of God bicause the same God who of his mercifull goodnes afore indued them with gifts made them fit and méete for the worke of his ministerie and mooued his church to call them thereunto afterward by and in the imploieng of their talents to his glorie and the benefit of his church and people increaseth and augmenteth their gifts 2. Tim. 1. 13. The text Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and in ⸫ the loue in Christ Iesus The note Faith and loue coupled commonly togither in this Apostles writing The answer Paul so speaketh of them bicause faith and loue be companions inseparable But such mates as you are bend themselues to vncouple these to the end they might haue some probable shew of matter to prate withall against iustification by onely faith 2. Tim. 1. 16. The text Our Lord giue mercie to the house of Onesiphorus bicause he hath often refreshed me and hath ⸫ not beene ashamed of my chaine The note What an happie and meritorious thing it is to releeue the afflicted for religion and not to be ashamed of their disgrace yrons or what miserie so euer The answer Put meritorious into your purse and vnderstand true religion and then we agrée to your note 2. Tim. 2. 10. The text Therefore ⸫ I sustaine all things for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glorie The note Marke heere that the elect though sure of their saluation yet are saued by the means of their preachers and teachers as also by their owne endeuor The answer Marke héere the force and might of truth which hath héere wrested this confession of truth from you that the elect are sure of their saluation to which the whole course of your doctrine is opposite The ministerie of the word and mens owne endeuors to attaine the knowledge of the truth we acknowledge to be meanes appointed of God to saue those which be his 1. Tim. 2. 16. The text But profane and vaine speeches auoid The note See the annotation before 1. Timoth. 6. verse 20. The answer We haue séene your note and do sée that both your reasons and authorities there stand very well against your selues But I refer the answer of it to the answer of all your annotations 1. Tim. 2. 25. The text But the seruant of our Lord must not wrangle but be mild towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the truth least sometime ⸫ God giue them repentance to know the truth The note Conuersion from sinne and heresie is the gift of God and of his speciall grace yet
in this matter to part stakes with him by chalēging if not one half yet a verie great part by your works satisfactorie meritorious Hebr. 10. 6. The text Holocausts and for ⸫ sinne did not please thee The note For sinne is the proper name of a certaine sacrifice called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as holocaust is another kinde See the annotations 2. Corinths 5. verse 21. The answer To trouble peoples heads with the diuersitie of the sacrifices of the Iewes and their diuers appellations I iudge it not necessarie and therefore I leaue your note as I finde it Hebr. 10. 16. The text And this is the testament which I will make to them after those daies saith our Lord giuing my lawes ⸫ in their hartes and in their mindes will I superscribe them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more The note This is partlie fulfilled by the grace of the new Testament but it shal be perfectlie accomplished in heauen The answer This note I will not impugne but it commeth as a rose among nettles which a man can hardlie cul out without stinging of his handes Hebr. 10. 20. The text Hauing therefore brethren confidence in the entring of the holies in the blood of Christ which ⸫ he hath dedicated to vs a new and liuing way by the vaile that is his flesh c. The note To dedicate is to be the author and beginner of a thing The protestants translate he hath prepared for their heresie that Christ was not the first man that entered into heauen The answer Wée shunne not the word dedicate which you your selues haue borrowed of a protestant for it is as good and fit as the other And you charge vs wrongfullie with that which we holde not for we all affirme that Christ was the first man that euer caried the whole humane nature substance of man consisting of an humane bodie and of a reasonable soule into heauen Hebr. 10. 29. The text A man making the Lawe of Moises frustrate without anie mercie dieth vnder two or three witnesses ⸫ how much more thinke doth he deserue worse punishment which hath troden the sonne of God vnder foote and esteemed the blood of the Testament polluted wherein he is sanctified and done contumelie to the spirit of grace The note Heresie and Apostasie from the Catholike faith punishable by death The answer This doth plainly and manifestly reprooue the ouermuch clemencie vsed in this Realme and Church of England towarde froward and obstinate papists who by your owne conclusion are by Gods lawes punishable by death Hebr. 10. 35. The text Do not therfore loose your ⸫ confidence which hath a great remuneration The note Good works make great confidence of saluation and haue great rewarde The answer Good works being testimonies of our election fruits of our faith witnesses that we be led and guided by the spirit of God do nourish and increase our confidence in God whom we knowe to haue adopted vs in Christ for his children It is true also that God doth most liberally reward all good things which he worketh in his children Hebr. 11. 1. The text And faith is ⸫ the substance of things to be hoped for the argument of things not appearing The note By this word substance is ment that faith is the ground of our hope The answer Or rather that faith is the very substance and being of things which yet appéere not nor are not séene and therefore are hoped for Hebr. 11. 5. The text By faith ⸫ Henoch was translated that he should not see death and he was not found bicause God translated him The note Heere it appeereth that Henoch yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinists See the Annot. chap. 11. Apoc. The answer Why do you not couple Saint Paule with the Caluinists doth not he saie that death reigned ouer all from Adam to Moyses Was not Henoch one of these all or did he not liue within the time there limited yet it is true that Enoch and Elias did not die after the common and ordinarie maner of other men but were translated and haue in extraordinarie maner and sort deposed the corruptible flesh that with Christ they may enioy blessed rest and quietnes Hebr. 11. ◠The text But without faith it is impossible to please God for he that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and is a ⸫ rewarder to them that seeke him The note We must beleeue that God will reward all our good works for he is a rewarder of true iustice not an accepter or imputer of that that is not The answer It is true that God of his goodnes and bountie will rewarde euery good worke and it is true that God rewardeth true iustice that is the good that they do that in sinceritie and truth séeke him though it deserue none But that which you adde sheweth that you care not how directly you oppose your selues to the truth of Gods word so that you may bleare the eies of the simple with somewhat Is not the iustice of Christ our iustice is it in vs reallie or by imputation Héeretofore you haue séemed to haue bent your force to prooue some iustice besides imputatiue iustice and now you would haue imputatiue iustice quite strooken out of the booke least God should be an imputer of that which is not Our sinnes were not in Christ and yet they were imputed to Christ and Christ was punished for them why shall it not then stand as well with Gods iustice that though Christs iustice be not actually and really in vs yet it be both imputed to vs and we crowned and rewarded for it Hebr. 11. 19. The text Wherevpon he receiued him also ⸫ for a parable The note That is in figure and mysterie of Christ dead and aliue againe The answer The truth of this note we acknowledge Hebr. 11. 22. The text By faith Ioseph dieng made mention of the going foorth of the children of Israell and gaue commandement ⸫ concerning his bones The note The translation of relikes or saints bodies and the due regard and honor we ought to haue to the same are prooued hereby The answer Ioseph in this commandement touching his bones shewed his assured faith and constant beléefe that God in his good time would kéepe and performe his promise touching the inheritance of the land of Canaan The children of Israell in translating his bones shewed their care of truth in kéeping the promise which they made vnto him The honor yea all the honor they did to him or his bones when they came into the lande of promise and were possessed of it was to sée him or them honestly laide in the graue What maketh all this for your superstitions The saints of God neither gaue you nor your fathers charge to translate their bones The cause of your translating them was not any due regard to them but profit to your selues by making marchandise of their carkasses and by abusing
3. The text Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecie and ⸫ keepeth those things which be written in it for the time is nigh The note There be manie speciallie now a daies that be great readers hearers talkers of Scriptures but that is not inough to make them good or blessed except they keepe the things prescribed and taught therein according to our Sauiours saieng Luke 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it The answer It is verie true that except men kéepe the word all their other indeuors about the word are little worth but men can not kéepe that which they know not Reading and hearing as here appeareth is the ordinarie meanes that men should vse to come by knowledge but you to the end you might maintaine blindnesse and ignorance haue kept the people from reading and hearing therfore you haue made â—ure worke that they should not attaine blessednes by kéeping Apocal. 1. 9. The text I Iohn your brother and partaker in tribulation and the kingdome and patience in Christ Iesus was in ⸫ the Iland which is called Patmos for the word of God and the testimonie of Iesus The note Banished thither for religion by Nero or rather by Domitian almost 60. yeeres after Christs ascension The answer By whom he was banished it is not materiall as long as wée coÌ„sent that these things were reuealed to him in his banishment Apocal. 1. 10. The text I was ⸫ in the spirit on the dominicall daie and heard behind me a great voice as it were of a trumpet saieng that which thou seest write in a booke c. The note I had a vision not with my corporall eies but in spirit I beheld the similitude of the things following The answer As Peter and Paul so Iohn in spirit also had reuelations and yet neuer none of them saw or knew of saint Patriks purgatory Apocal. 1. 12. The text ⸫ And I turned to see the voice that spake with me The note The first generall vision of the seuen according to Saint Ambrose The answer You delight your selues with fathers when and where you néede them not Your blind followers when and where they see any father cited suppose that it is for some matter of controuersie and thinke that all antiquitie make for you but in truth where you most néede them there you haue none at all Apoc. 1. 1â— The text And being turned I sawe seuen candlestickes of gold and in the middest of the seuen candlesticks one like to the Sonne of man vested in a priestlie garment to the foote and girded about neere to the pappes with a girdle of gold The note It seemeth not to be Christ him selfe but an angell bearing Christes person and vsing diuers speeches proper to Christ. The answer I sée no cause why it should not be Christ him selfe Apoc. 1. 20. The text And ⸫ the seuen candlestickes are the seuen churches The note Saint Irenaeus alluding to this saith The church euery where preacheth the truth and this is the seuenfolde candlesticke bearing the light of Christ. libro 5. aduersus haere The answer We are to obserue héere first that the signes here beare the names of the things which they signifie for the seuen starres are the angels of the seuen churches and the seuen candlestickes are the seuen churches euen none otherwise then bread is the bodie of Christ. Secondlie the cause whie the church is compared to a candlesticke is bicause it carieth that light whereof all godlie men are partakers And bicause in it as candles or shining lights the Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and doctors do shine by the most wholsome doctrine of Christ. Apoc. 2. 1. The text And ⸫ to the Angell of the church of Ephesus write thus saith he c. The note That which before he willed him to write to the church he now willeth to be written to the Angels or bishops of the same onlie where we see that it is all one to the church and the head or gouernour thereof The answer It is euident that Iohn was commanded afore to send that which he wrote to the churches and it is also plaine that he is commanded to write the same to the Angels that is to the pastors and gouernors of the church But that which thence you collect that it is all one to sende to the church and to the heads and gouernors thereof is true but sometimes and not alwaies As when some faithfull are saluted by the apostle and the church that is in their house it is manifest that by the church gouernors are not ment And againe bicause you set head and gouernor in the singular number wherein we suppose that you haue a secret relation to the onely soueraigne of your church therfore we are to admonish the Reader that when by the church the gouernors thereof be vnderstood there is neuer anie one gouernor of the whole church ment Apoc. 2. 4. The text But I haue against thee a few things bicause ⸫ thou hast left thy first charitie The note By this we see is plainly refuted that which some heretikes hold that a man once in grace or charitie can neuer fall from it The answer First we do not hold that a man cannot fal but that he whom God looueth cannot finally fall the contrarie whereof doth not héere appéere Secondly that by the angell of the church any one particular man is ment cannot be prooued but rather a societie or succession of men whereof the later may be vnlike the former Whereof S. Paul speaketh to the ministers of the same church that of themselues shoulde arise gréeuous woolues and whereof we haue had great experience in the church of Rome in the later bishops who are as vnlike the former as lions are vnlike to lambes or drosse vnlike to golde And therefore this cannot be iustly applied to any mutation in one and the same particular man Apoc. 2. 9. The text I know thy tribulation and thy ⸫ pouertie but thou art rich and thou art blasphemed of them that saie themselues to be Iewes and are not but are the synagogue of sathan The note This church representeth the state of them that are spoiled of their goods emprisoned and manifoldly afflicted for the catholike faith The answer And it is to be noted withall who afflicted them spoiled them blasphemed them that is spake and did al maner of euil of them and to them For the afflictors and persecutors here spoken of are such as saie themselues to be Iewes and are not that is such as take vpon them wrongfully the name title of Gods church and people being in déed and truth the synagogue of sathan How néere this toucheth you that violently vsurpe the name of catholikes consider with your selues well for the afflictions you haue brought vpon others are manifest Apoc. 2. 10. The text Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee ⸫ a crowne of life The note
the protestants that they did trulie merite the same in this life The answer Whatsoeuer it pleaseth you to conceiue in your imagination that is by and by sufficientlie prooued The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath beene often examined and yet it could neuer be shewed that it alwaies signifieth hire or wages due and that for worke for that must be prooued afore merit can follow For that which is not otherwise due but by promise may prooue the liberalitie of the giuer but not the merit of the receiuer And thus your proofes prooue nothing but that brag is a good dog and doth diligently serue your turne Apoc. 12. ◠The text And a great signe appeered in heauen The note The dragons incredulous persecuting multitude and Antichrist the chiefe head thereof The answer You haue deliuered a briefe summe of this chapter in my iudgement both bréefly and truly Apoc. 12. 1. The text ⸫ A woman clothed with the sunne and the moone vnder hir feet and on hir head a crowne of twelue stars The note This is properly and principally spoken of the church and by allusion of our blessed Ladie also The answer There be some of your side which least they should be driuen to admit Ecclesiam latentem an hidden church wrangle hard for the contrarie and so your doctors are not agréed on the case Apoc. 12. 3. The text And there was seene another signe in heauen and behold ⸫ a great red dragon hauing seuen heads and ten horns on his head seuen diademes The note The great diuell Lucifer The answer Bicause my purpose is but to answer you where cause is and not to write commentaries therefore I will not meddle with that which might be noted vpon the description of the diuell vnder the forme of a dragon Apoc. 12. 4. The text And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heauen and cast them to the earth The note The spirits that fall from their first state into apostasie with him and by his meanes The answer The taile of the dragon be hypocriticall false prophets As dragons and serpents carie their venim that they sting and poison withall in their tailes so the diuell seduceth and beguileth by his false lieng prophets The stars of heauen cast downe to the earth are the most noble and notable men that séeme far to excell all others brought to be altogither earthly minded and to refuse celestiall things Apoc. 12. 4. The text And the dragon stood before the woman which was readie to be deliuered that when she should be deliuered he might ⸫ deuour hir sonne The note The diuels endeuor against the churches children and specially our blessed Ladies onely sonne the head of the rest The answer It is true that the diuell that is so great an enimie to the children of the church beareth also a speciall malice to Christ the head of the church and would haue deuoured him but could not And bicause he knoweth that he cannot otherwise hurt nor harm Christ therefore he séeketh to swallow and deuour vs Christs brethren by the séed of the word and mightie working of Gods spirit begotten and borne of the church to God Apoc. 12. 1◠The text And ⸫ they ouercame him by the blood of the lambe and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto death The note When the Angels or we haue the victorie we must know that it is by the blood of Christ and so all is referred alwaies to him The answer You should haue said if you would haue spoken truly and so as much as please vs is referred to him For for to haue all referred to him is al that we contend and striue for Faith in his blood is the victorie whereby we ouercome the world and all our enimies The strength of nature the abilitie of frée will merits of our works crossing holie water indulgences pardons masses and whatsoeuer trumperie you striue for beside do nothing auaile to this Apoc. 12◠14. The text And there were giuen to the woman two wings of a great eagle that she might flie into the desert vnto hir place where she is nourished ⸫ for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the serpent The note This often insinuation that Antichrists reigne shall be but three yeeres and an halfe Dan. 7. 25. Apocalipse 11. 2. 3. and in this chapter v. 6. c. 13. 5. prooueth that the heretikes be exceedingly blinded with malice that hold the pope to be Antichrist who hath ruled so many ages The answer Master Saunders in his demonstrations hath as doughtily done for you as so darke proofes out of such doubtful places could suffer and hath already receiued answer sufficient at the hands of that learned and reuerend man Master Whitakers You know how doubtfully all expositors expound these descriptions of the time and must we néedes credit you that it must be taken according to our vsuall supputation As for the ages which you suppose your pope hath ruled you may cut off the one halfe of them which I am sure you imagine Apoc. 13. 3. The text And all the earth was ⸫ in admiration after the beast The note They that now follow the simplest and grossest heretikes that euer were without seeing miracles would then much more follow this great seducer working miracles The answer They which learne of them that preach the word truly and sincerely cannot be seduced by miracles Bicause they know and haue learned that whatsoeuer miracles serue not to the confirmation of that doctrine which is taught vs in the word they are but illusions of the diuell and lieng signes of Antichrist which God doth send permit and suffer to shew who they be which constantly cleaue to him and his truth But on the contrarie part it is no maruell though your followers be easily seduced and beguiled First bicause they be ignorant and know nothing secondly bicause they depend vpon men who as they say cannot erre and not vpon the word of truth and therefore beléeue many things wherof they haue no ground but either lies or illusions Apoc. 13. ◠The text And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemies toward God ⸫ to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those that dwell in heauen The note No heretikes euer liker Antichrist than these in our daies specially in blasphemies against Gods church sacraments saints ministers and all sacred things The answer Lay away lieng and speake the woorst you can truly of those whom you call the heretikes of these daies and I am sure you cannot prooue your slanderous spéeches by them But in truth none be so like Antichrist as the pope and you his friends Wherin we will report nothing maliciously by any of contrary religion vnto you deuised but truly testified reported and witnessed by friends and fautors of the Romish power in their stories and writings One poisoned his God another cast his God into the fire
commonlie of vncircumcised nations were vncleane as also they estéemed of the vncircumcised persons them selues Rom. 14. 14. The text But to him that supposeth anie thing to be common to him it is common The note Though he wish the weake to be borne withall yet he vttereth his minde plainlie that in deed all the meates forbidden and vncleane in the law are now through Christ clensed and lawfull for euery man to vse The answer As Paul was plaine in deliuering his doctrine concerning daies and meats so the papists doctrine thereof is obscure darke and doubtfull so that the greatest number of their simple followers haue their consciences snarled and intangled in daies and meates and know not the indifferencie of them Rom. 15. 4. The text For ⸫ what things soeuer haue bene written to our learning they are written that by patience and consolation of the scriptures we may haue hope The note He meaneth all that is written in the old Testament much more all things written in the new Testament are for our learning and comfort The answer If both the Scriptures of the old new Testament be written for our learning what meaneth the church of Rome neither to prouide teachers in number sufficient nor yet to suffer the people to reade them in a language that they may vnderstand is it not bicause you are content to haue men nusseled in ignorance and so spoiled of the comfort which God hath prouided for them I thinke pope Paul and you be of one iudgement Rom. 15. ◠The text And the God of patience and of comfort giue you to be of one mind one toward another according to Iesus Christ that of ⸫ one minde with one mouth you may glorifie God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Vnitie in religion commended The answer Popish vnitie consisteth in this that seruice bée in one language through Christendome whether people vnderstand it or no Otherwise what vntie is and hath bene in your religion they that are acquainted with your writers and stories can tell As for example your great professor Martinius whilest he is caried with an enuious stomacke to carpe at our English translations doeth condemne yours in more then an hundred places But I confesse howsoeuer you haue dissented in other things you haue held and do hold a marueilous vnitie against al verity and that is the cause that not one of you maketh anie conscience of lieng And though there are amongst vs also some contentions yet they are not about waightie points of doctrine for therein is a verie great consent but such as hath happened amongst the Apostles them selues and are all about bearing with or rooting out some leauings of yours Rom. 15. 8. The text For I say Christ Iesus to haue bene ⸫ minister of the circumcision for the veritie of God to confirme the promises of the fathers The note Christ did execute his office and ministerie onlie towards the people of circumcision that is the Iewes The answer This note is true but yet so as that in diuerse Christ afore shewed the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 25. The text Now therefore I will go to Hierusalem to minister to the ⸫ Saints The note He meaneth the holie persons that hauing forsaken all their goods for Christ were wholie conuerted to serue the Lord with all their mind Saint Hierome against Vigilantius the heretike reprehending the almes giuen to such as do the heretikes also of our time The answer What heretikes of our time finde fault with reléeuing the néedie saints of God but you meane them that iustlie finde fault that a great number of roging Friers being lustie and able to get their liuing by the sweat of their browes should be reléeued and so deuoure and consume that which is due to the poore néedie sicke and impotent people contrarie to the precept of Paul He that laboureth not let him not eat But at Hierusalem there were then none of those that professed witfull pouertie Rom. 15. 30. The text I beseech you therefore brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the charitie of the holie Ghost that you ⸫ helpe me in your praiers for me to God The note In that the Apostle desireth to be praied for we may be mooued to seeke the same as a great benefit The answer The praiers of the faithfull are very forcible helps to aduance forward the good desires and endeuors of Gods ministers Rom. 16. 3. The text Salute Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Iesus The note The onely salutation of so woorthie a man is sufficient to fill him with great grace that is saluted Chrysost. in 2. Timoth. 4. The answer I maruell you are not ashamed to alledge the doctors for that which you your selues beléeue not Can any man by saluting bestow Gods graces where it pleaseth him to salute The fathers prooue the holie Ghost to be God bicause the gifts and graces of God are distributed as he will And I pray you how much inferior do you make Paul to the spirit of God if his salutation be sufficient to fill with graces whom it pleaseth him to salute Wel let your note haue that credit that Chrysostoms bare word without further matter may giue it Rom. 16. ◠The text Who for my life haue laid downe their necks to whom not onely I giue thanks but also the churches of the Gentils and their domesticall church The note This domesticall church was either that faithfull and Christian houshold or rather the Christians meeting togither there and in such good houses to heare diuine seruice and the Apostles preaching in those times of persecution The answer Why do you not in stead of diuine seruice say mattens and masse For we now vnderstand by diuine seruice that they praied togither in a toong they vnderstood and that likewise some parcel of scripture was read which was by their Apostles or pastors interpreted to them Which how far it disagreeth with the maner and custome of your church he that hath halfe an eie may sée Rom. 16. 15. The text Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olympias and all the saints that are with them The note The protestants heere reason thus Peter is not heere saluted Therfore he was neuer at Rome See the annotation The answer You slander the protestants Their maner of reasoning is not so loose They reason thus Paul who so carefully reckoned and saluted the chéefe and principall Christians at Rome by name would not haue forgotten Peter as the principall and chéefe if he had then béene there Therefore it is very likely that he was not then there bicause he was not then saluted We know that it is not materiall whether Peter were at Rome or no or whether he were bishop there or no. And therfore they are not points that we greatly sticke on But those that tell the time of his comming thither and how long he liued they are manifestly confuted by the truth
of the word against which no credit of men can stand For his being bishop there the consent is not so great as you Thrasonically brag of For some hold that neither he was bishop there nor made the first bishop there Some make Paul as much bishop there as Peter That Peter might then be out of the citie either for persecution or busines or else that being there Paule might write other letters wherin this might be inclosed are but your surmises wanting both testimonie of antiquitie and al probabilitie Rom. 16. 17. The text And I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissentions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine which you haue learned ⸫ and auoid them The note Of the prince of the Apostles saith Theodoret vpon this place The answer Why we should thinke they learned of Peter I sée no reason But for that which you would haue the simple beléeue that by the word which it pleaseth you to translate prince Peters supremacie aboue the other Apostles is meant they are to be admonished that the fathers giue the same name to Paule as well as to Peter whereby it appéereth that they thought not of any such supreme power or authoritie which also is not onely manifest by the continual practise of the first church but also by plaine spéeches of the fathers Eusebius saith that neither Peter nor Iohn tooke vpon them to be chéefe ouer the Apostles but gaue the primacie to Iames whom they made bishop of the Apostles Cyprian saith that all the Apostles were equal in authoritie Ambrose cannot tell of Peter and Paul whether of them he may preferre By this it is euident that the fathers meant not by reuerend titles they gaue Peter to exalt him in authoritie aboue the rest Rom. 16. 18. The text For such do not serue Christ our Lord but their owne bellie and by ⸫ sweete speeches and benedictions seduce the harts of the innocents The note The speciall way that heretikes haue euer had to beguile was and is by sweete words gaie speeches which their sheeps coate see before described particularly in the annotation vpon Saint Matthew cap. 7. vers 15. The answer Is there any way of beguiling that papists want Did euer any in the worlde prouide better for their bellies Did you not make of Saint Peters keies picklockes to rob euerie mans coffers with them Extraordinarie tokens of fained holines where shall a man looke for them if he finde them not in your Iesuites and friers filed and fine spéeches are your studie And that they may be more admired and better able to deceiue you kéepe from the people the key of knowledge you nuzell them in ignorance to the ende they should not be able to discerne words from matter 1. Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 1◠The text And I meane this for that euerie one of you saith ⸫ I certes am Paules and I Apollos but I Cephas and I Christs The note The beginning of schismes is ouer much admiring and addicting mens selues to their owne particular masters The answer We haue one master that is to saie Christ him we professe to follow and of him to learne others of what godlines or estimation so euer we follow but so far foorth as they followed Christ. If admiring of men and addicting mens selues to particular masters be the beginning and cause of schismes Then what can you say for your Austen friers your Dominicans your Franciscans your Iesuites your schoolemen your Thomists your Scotists why they should not go for schismatikes Haue they not the authors of their their sects in admiration Haue they not addicted themselues to their particular masters Haue they not deuised a number of vntruthes to bring their masters into admiration and estimation What though there be some kinde of consent amonst them yet that excuseth them not from being schismatikes no more then the consent of Pharisies Sadduces other sectaries of the Iewes against Christ and his truth did excuse them 1. Cor. 3. 2. The text As it were to litle ones in Christ I gaue you ⸫ milke to drink not meate for you could not as yet But neither can you now verily for yet you are carnall The note The church onely hath truth both in her milke and in her bread that is whether she instruct the perfect or imperfect who are called carnall Aug. lib. 15. cap. 3. contra Faustum The answer If you went not about with the name of the church to beguile the simple as though thereby your church were vnderstood wée néeded not to giue this any answer But now to auoide your deceite we as we learne of Augustine admonish all men by the scriptures to iudge of the church least therin being deceiued they in stéed of milke and bread receiue strong poison 1. Cor. 3. 9. The text For we are Gods coadiutors ⸫ you are Gods husbandrie you are Gods building The note A maruellous dignitie of spirituall pastors that they be not the onely instruments or ministers of Christ but also Gods coadiutors in the worke of our saluation The answer I haue not hitherto neither carped at your old translator neither yet at your translation neither will I begin here though I might Onlie this I would haue all men to obserue diligently that in this dignitie which God hath bestowed vpon men to vse their labor and paines in his worke men do vse strength not naturall but conferred by grace that they may be apt and fit instruments to aduance forward Gods worke so that they haue nothing of themselues in themselues to glorie of And further that all that which is chéefe in this worke as all encrease of goodnes saluation and life do so procéede from God as that therein he vseth no mans helpe but his owne 1. Cor. 4. 6. The text But these things ⸫ brethren I haue transfigured into my selfe and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against another aboue that is written The note Lo when he named himselfe and Apollo and Cephas he ment other seditious and factious preachers whose names he spared The answer We sée rather that those which are seditious and factious doo for their better winning of credit shroud them selues vnder the names of those which be famous for godlines and learning And so it is like that they did at Corinth that the Apostle correcting the fault was content to spare their names that by that milde dealing he might the better winne them if it were possible 1. Cor. 4. 15. The text For ⸫ if you haue ten thousand paedagogues in Christ yet not manie fathers The note So may Saint Augustine our Apostle say to vs English men The answer The reader is here to vnderstand that our papists meane Augustine the monke not Augustine the famous doctor and that this Augustine was no Apostle for that he was not sent vs immediatlie from God but from a méere man This