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
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
is contrarie to the report of your stories And he hied him maruellous fast that was so quickly at Ierusalem againe But to let passe that fable which carieth no shew of truth Peter did not set men a worke to kill and murder Herod for the iniurie offered him but committed vengeance to him to whom it belonged Of whom then learned the pope and his adherents to set men a work to murder the Lords annointed and to giue the murderers absolution afore hand Acts. 12. 23. The text And foorthwith an Angel of the Lord ⸫ strooke him bicause he had not giuen the honor to God and being consumed of woorms he gaue vp the ghost The note Princes that take delight in the flatterie and praises of the people so much that they forget themselues to be men and to giue the honor to God may be warned by this example The answer The example is terrible and hath preuailed with many princes and great estates who héerby haue béen admonished to learne to know themselues But the man of sinne the child of perdition the bishop of Rome I meane whom you his flatterers and clawbacks aduance aboue all that is called god and who most proudly taketh vpon him that which was neuer granted to mortall man nothing can make him afraid Acts. 13. 46. The text To you it behoueth vs first to speake the word of God but bicause ⸫ you repell it and iudge your selues vnwoorthie of eternall life behold we turne vnto the Gentils The note The Iewes of their owne free will repelling the truth are vnwoorthie of Christ and woorthily forsaken And the Gentils though they beleeued specially by Gods grace and preordination yet they beleeue also by their owne free will which standeth well with Gods prouidence The answer That the Iewes repelled the grace of God offered them and would none of it we manifestly sée That the Gentils beléeued also by Gods grace and preordination that is also euident by the text it selfe For there beléeued as many as were preordinate to life euerlasting But that they beléeue by their frée will also is your addition without any warrant bicause you cannot abide that faith should be the méere gift and liberalitie of God Acts. 14. 16. The text Howbeit he left not himselfe without ⸫ testimonie being beneficiall from heauen giuing raines and fruitful seasons filling our harts with food and gladnes The note The heathen might by the daily benefits of God haue knowen him at the least to be their creator and onely Lord though the mysterie of our redemption were not opened to them The answer All nations haue so much knowledge offered them in the creatures and things which they sée and are subiect to sense as to make their damnation iust and themselues void of excuse for ignorance Acts. 14. 22. The text And when ⸫ they had ordained to them priests in euerie church and had praied with fastings they commended them to our Lord in whom they beleeued The note We see by this first that S. Paul and Barnabas were bishops hauing heere authoritie to giue holie orders secondly that there was euen then a difference betwixt bishops and priests though the name in the primitiue church was often vsed indifferently lastly that alwaies fasting and praieng were preparatimes to the giuing of holy orders The answer We cannot sée by this that Paul and Barnabas were bishops but that the Apostles at the first planting of the churches had authoritie to order them and to appoint bishops and pastors to them Neither do we find héere any mention at all of sacrificing priests much lesse any difference betwéene bishops and elders that labour in the word whom we also call priests Your last obseruation that in this example fasting and praier is commended to vs in the election choise and appointing of pastors to particular congregations is true Acts. 15. 4. The text And when they were come to Hierusalem they were receiued of the church and of the Apostles and ⸫ Ancients declaring whatsoeuer God had done with them The note Ancients heere and often in this chapter are the same that priests vers 2. as Saint Hierom taketh it also 1. Peter 5. and the Greeke approoueth being alwaies one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priests Hierom in 1. ad Tit. 4. ad Galatas The answer For the name of priests so your sacrificers thereby be not vnderstood we stand indifferent But what reason can you shew why in English you flie the word Elders and translate it Ancients Acts. 15. 7. The text And when there was made a ⸫ great disputation Peter rising vp said to them The note See the annotation verse 28. towards the end The answer Your annotation shall be answered with the rest Act. 15. 9. The text And God which knoweth the harts gaue testimonie giuing vnto them the holie Ghost as well as to vs and hath put no difference betweene vs them ⸫ by faith purifieng their harts The note By that faith that worketh by charitie for a dead faith can not purifie the hart of man See chap. 16. 31. The answer Who doubteth of this But here is a secret confession by force of truth of your manifold cauilling in these notes in separating those things from a true liuely iustifieng faith which can not be sundered from it For if here you vnderstande that faith which worketh by charitie why do you not so to when we speak of iustification by faith Act. 15. 23. The text Then it pleased the apostles and ancients with the whole church to choose men out of them and to send to Antioch with Paule Barnabas Iudas who was surnamed Barnabas and Silas cheefe men amongst the brethren ⸫ writing by their hands The note Other latin copies and the Greeke read thus writing by their hand an epistle conteining these things The answer Whether it be expresly added or no the sence is one séeing their epistle followeth verbatim But yet this is to be marked that you make your choise in varietie of copies to follow those which furthest dissent from the Gréeke Act. 15. 36. The text And after certaine daies Paule said to Barnabas Let vs returne and ⸫ visite our brethren in all cities wherein we haue preached the worde of our Lord how they do The note Hereof our catholike bishops tooke vp the necessarie vse of often visiting their flocks and cures committed to their charge for confirmation in faith and vertue and reformation of maners both of cleargie and laitie The answer The apostolicall office being vniuersallie to spread the truth 〈◊〉 to laie the first foundation of Christian Religion necessity of doing their dutie compelled Paule and Barnabas to be absent from the churches which they had planted The knowledge of Sathans subtilties and of humaine infirmitie caused this care to visite the churches againe which they had planted and to confirme them Your bishops I doubt not would faine be Apostels in seeking euerie one to himselfe a little world to gouerne
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
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
vs also that God may open to vs also the doore of speech to speake the mysterie of Christ for the which also I am bound that I may manifest it so as I ought to speak The note Saint Paul euer much desireth the praiers of the faithfull whereby we learne the great efficacie of them The answer The praiers of the faithfull preuaile much with God for his eares be euer open to them and therefore as they are very néedfull so are they excéedingly desired of all Gods saints But I pray you tell me one thing why Paul neuer willed them to take héed of being ouer bold or saucy with God but to make some dead saint or other their meanes to offer their praiers to God For in so often repetition of this exhortation I thinke he would not alwaies haue forgotten this point if it had béene necessarie or expedient Col. ◠13. The text For I giue him testimonie that he hath much ⸫ labour for you and for them that be at Laodicea and that are at Hierapolis The note He did not onely praie but tooke other great paines to procure Gods grace for the Colossians perhaps by watchings fasting and doing other penance of body that God would not suffer them to fall from their receiued faith to the sect of Simon Magus or the Iudaizing christians The answer No doubt Epaphras omitted nothing that became a painfull and a carefull minister of the worde to vse for the procuring of Gods graces and the aduancement and setting forwarde the knowledge of Christ and his holie Gospell amongst those congregations or churches héere named What your meaning is by penance of bodie whether to satisfie for other mens sins as well as for his owne I know not And for such imaginations of yours Epaphras had nought to do with them 1. Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1. 9. The text For they themselues report of vs what maner of entering we had to you and how you are turned to God ⸫ from idols to serue the liuing and true God The note In this and the like places the heretikes maliciously and most falsely translate construe and apply all things ment of the heathen idols to the memories and images of Christ and his saints namely the English Bibles of the yeeres 1562. 1577. See the annot 1. Io. 5. 21. The answer We translate truely when in stéede of idols we say images Our construction and application also is true bicause both your hauing of images in churches and also all maner worship you vsed about them procéeded and came from Gentilisme so that the spéeches and reasons which the apostles prophets vsed against them are aptly applied against your images and the follies you commit about them Your annotation you referre vs to is like your selues matter whereof you might be ashamed if you had any shame in you For it hath béene often answered and it is enough for you barely to repeate it againe Your councel of Nice were impudent shamelesse asses beasts giuing that to images which you your selues dare not defend Eusebius in the place you cite though he aloweth of that image yet sheweth that that the like grew out of the corrupt customes of the Gentils wherof he saith that is no maruell that some did sticke in new conuerted Christians And you can not shewe for fower hundred yéeres after Christ the hauing of images in the churches for laie mens books But I refer your annotation to farther answer wherein it will be better displaied 1. Thes. 2. 1. The text For you your selues know brethren our entrance vnto you that it was not in vaine but ⸫ hauing suffered before and been abused with contumuelies as you know at Philippi we had confidence in our God to speak vnto you the Gospel of God in much carefulnes The note Anotable example for catholike preachers and passing comfortable when in the midst of persecutions and reproches they preach sincerely to please God and not men The answer Your note is good And God grant that you at length may cast away your desire of contending and man pleasing and séeke the truth in sinceritie so should we cease from offending God and troubling the worlde and our controuersies and contentions should quickly be at an end 1. Thes. 2. 18. The text For what is our hope or ioy or crowne of glorie ⸫ Are not you before our Lord Iesus in his comming The note If the Apostle without iniurie to God in right good sence called his schoolers the Thessalonians his hope ioy and glorie why blaspheme the protestants the catholike church and her children for terming our blessed ladie and other saints their hope for the speciall confidence they haue in their praiers The answer The prosperous successe that God gaue to his Apostle Paule amongst the Thessalonians did much comfort and encourage the said Apostle in his hope and expectation not onlie of their saluation but also of the crowne of righteousnes laid vp for himselfe in which respect as he might well bicause it was grounded vpon the promises of God he calleth the Thessalonians his hope How can this excuse you when the ground of your dealing is voide of all warrant of the worde For what warrant can you shew for your confidence in the praiers of saints But let vs go a little farther with you what haue you left to God his Christ that you haue not giuen our ladie and other saints what said I to saints nay to knaues and traitors who taught men to séeke to come to heauen by the blood of Thomas you can tell well enough It is not the catholike church and her children whom we charge with this it is the Romish Babylon and her vpholders the sinke of sinne and the mother of all abominations that séeketh to rob and spoile God of his honor and glory and to giue it to creatures But our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him he will not giue his glorie to an other 1. Thes. 3. 10. The text Night and day more abundantly praieng that we may ⸫ see your face and may accomplish those things which want of your faith The note Though letters and epistles in absence giue great comfort and confirmation in faith yet it is preaching in presence by which the faith of Christ and true religion is alwaies both begun and accomplished The answer Why did you then both take quite away from the people the cōfort which they might haue reaped by the Epistles of Paul being absent if you would haue suffered them in a toong which the people vnderstoode and also in the daies wherein your heresie raigned amongst vs both slenderly and corruptly giue the other But thanks be to God who hath remooued you and giuen great encrease to his truth and religion by the industrie and diligence of true and sincere preachers amongst his people of England 1. Thes. 4. 9. The text As for the charitie of the ⸫ fraternitie we haue no neede to write
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