heere we see good exhortations and praier and such other helps of man be profitable thereunto which could not be if we had not freewill The answer That conuersion from sin is the gift of God and that all helps by man which God hath thereto appointed are néedfull and necessarie it is manifest but it is impossible that the industrie of man should do good where God createth not a new hart and reneweth not a right will For the will and wisedome of man is enimitie to God And so appéereth the vanitie of your conclusion for frée will 2. Tim. 3. 8. The text But as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moises so these also resist the truth men corrupted in minde reprobate concerning the faith The note That those Magicians which resisted Moises were thus called it is not written in all the old Testament therefore it came to the Apostles knowledge by tradition as the church now hath the names of the three Kings of the penitent theefe of the souldier that pearced Christs side on the crosse The answer Howsoeuer Paul had the names of those magicians to vs it is not materiall We are sure the spirit of God hath now to vs made them knowen by him and therefore it followeth not that we must beléeue your fabulous narrations of the names number dignitie and such like of the wise men wherein you make of East West and of West East contrarie to the manifest truth so that the wiser sort of your selues do not beléeue those toies but your Romish church hath deliuered it to her children let them that will willinglie be deceiued be deceiued by her 2 Tim. 3. 14. The text But thou ⸫ continue in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned The note In all danger and diuersitie of false sectes Saint Pauls admonition is euer to abide in that was first taught and deliuered neuer to giue ouer our old faith for a new fansie This is it which before he calleth depositum 1. Timothie 6. and 2. Timothie 1. The answer And why did not Paul admonish men to hold fast that which the Pope and the church of Rome should prescribe bicause that should not or could not erre or stray from the first faith Or why do not you setting all other things apart enter into that triall with vs whether our doctrine or yours were the former Your whole doctrine swarueth farre from the first faith which the Apostles planted and the greatest part thereof is quite destitute of all testimonie of antiquitie 2. Tim. 4. 6. The text For I am euen now ⸫ to be sacrificed and the time of my resolution is at hand The note The martyrdome of Saints is so acceptable to God that it is counted as it were a sacrifice in his sight and therefore hath manie effectes both in the partie that suffereth it and in others that are partakers of the merit as of a sacrifice which name it hath by a Metaphore The answer The voluntarie suffrings of most bitter and cruel death for Gods cause of Gods saints are accepted of God as a most swéete sacrifice The effectes in the partie that suffereth bicause you haue not vttered what they be I can not imagine your meaning therefore know not what to say to it The effects it hath in others if you had dealt plainlie you should haue said to be the confirmation and strengthening of other christians by their suffrings But you come couertlie in with the partaking or partnership of their merits to make a way for the maintenance of your holie fathers gainfull marchandize for he hath the bestowing of all the merits of Peter and Paul and other saintes and they are admitted to be partakers of them that will paie most for them 2. Tim. 4. 21. The text Eubulus and pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren salute thee The note This Linus was coadiutor with and vnder Saint Peter and so counted second in the number of the popes The answer It is strange to sée how boldly our papists can set downe that which by no meanes they can be sure of first therefore good reader thou art to vnderstand that by the testimonie of all stories Peter and Paul suffered death at Rome both in one day If euer Linus therefore were bishop of Rome by the Apostles life time he was at this present when they were so néere their end that they dailie looked to be sacrificed But it is not likelie that he was as then aduaunced to that dignitie when neither Paul mentioneth him as bishop or as his or Peters coadiutor or fellow labourer and also setteth diuers other Christians afore him in his salutation which had béene a verie vnmannerlie part and a great forgetfulnesse of dutie in the Apostles if Linus had then béene Bishop there and so Christs vicar generall But bicause you terme him Saint Peters coadiutor there I pray you tel me was Saint Peter there now or no I will not vse the reason that Paul not onlie héere but alwaies forgetteth him amongst those whom he nameth in his salutations whereof groweth great likelihood that he was neuer there whiles Paul wrote thence But if he were now and before there Paul maketh a verie great and pitifull complaint of him that he amongst the rest forsook him But I had rather say he was not yet come to Rome and that Paul made Linus the first Bishop there as your Clemens also affirmeth then to admit so great an absurditie against Peter The succession of the bishops of Rome which you so much glory of and vpon the authoritie whereof your church resteth is vncertaine vaine obscure and such as your selues can make no certaine report of TITVS Tit. 1. 15. The text All things are ⸫ cleane to the cleane but to the polluted and infidels nothing is cleane but polluted are both their minds and consciences The note He speaketh not of the church absteining from meats sometimes which is not for anie vncleannes in the creatures but for chastening their bodies but he meaneth the Iewish superstition who now being christians would not cease to put difference of cleane and vncleane according to their old law See Aug. cont Faust. lib. 31. cap. 4. The answer I easily beléeue that he ment not of that which was not for your churches superstition in that matter was not yet growne But you haue brought about by your lawes of abstinencie that your simple followers in the extremitie of sicknes when there cannot be any pretence of chastening their bodies thereby are so snarled in conscience that they dare not touch or tast that which is necessary to preserue life and to restore health withal Besides chastening of your bodies in your ordinarie abstinence in poperie hath no probable shew For your richer sort neuer fare more delicately nor fill their bellies more gluttonouslie then when they abstaine from ordinarie meats and hunt after extraordinarie delicates So that no mans bodies are
bicause you reason from Peter and also bicause you grant that any particular bishop may erre Now if your consequence be true then tel me how Christ vphold your pope Iohn against the councel of Constance who deposed him And if he were not afore that Councell the chéefe gouernor of your Church tell me who was And if Christ did not vphold him and by him your church tell me when you gat againe restitution of your supposed priuilege once broken This example therefore serueth more aptly to encourage men to follow Christ to do whatsoeuer he commandeth with whatsoeuer dangers it be accompanied bicause Christ will not â—aile them that walke in holy obedience to his will how weake fraile and full of infirmities soeuer they be but as at the pinch he aided Peter so will he them Matth. 14. 36. The text And they besought him that they might touch but the ⸫ hemme of his garment whosoeuer did touch it were made whole The note See before cap. 9. v. 20. The answer You trouble vs with your references your note hath béene already considered of and receiued answer in his due place Matth. 15. 28 The text Then Iesus answering said to hir o woman ⸫ great is thy faith be it done to thee as thou wilt and hir daughter was made whole from that hower The note It were a strange case that Christ should commend in this woman a sole faith without good works that is to say a dead faith such as could not worke by loue and which Saint Iames doubted not to call the faith not of Christians but of diuels August de fide operibus cap. 16. The answer It were a very strange case if papists should leaue lying fraud and deceit For who séeth not that the end and purpose of your note is to make men thinke that your aduersaries attribute much to a dead faith that cannot worke by loue And if there be any that doth so name him And if in truth you cannot name any then what are ye Bicause we say that faith onely iustifieth must it néedes therefore be a dead faith Bicause the eie onelie séeth must it néedes be pulled out of the head and be without all other organs and instruments of the bodie Who séeth not the folly of this We with Augustine affirme that Christ sawe in this woman whose faith he praised a woonderfull worke of loue Matth. 15. 36. The text And taking the seauen loaues and the fishes and giuing thanks he brake and gaue to his disciples and the ⸫ disciples gaue to the people The note Heere we see againe that the people must not be their owne caruers nor receiue the sacraments or other spirituall sustenance immediately of Christ or at their owne hands but of their spirituall gouernors The answer This collection is very loosely gathered The disciples gaue bread and fish to the peole ergo it is not lawfull for the people to receiue any spirituall sustenance immediately from Christ but onely from them that are their gouernors vnder Christ. I thinke if we make a consequence from bodily sustenance to the sustenance of our soules that then it followeth better thus That as this people when they were at home prouided themselues for their bodily sustenance and héere being abrode they receiue it prouided for them at the hands of the Apostles so also it is lawfull for men at home to receiue spirituall sustenance by their diligent reading and abroad to receiue it at the hands of their ordinarie pastors and teachers in their open méetings by hearing the word preached and taught Matth. 16. 18. The text And I say vnto thee that thou art ⸫ Peter c. The note That is a rocke The answer Your reasons drawen from this place to stablish the tyrannie of Antichrist haue often béene answered And bicause héere no reason is framed we say with the holy Apostle Paul that we know none other rocke or foundation to build Christs Church vpon but Christ himselfe Matth. 16. 23. The text Who turning said to Peter goe after me ⸫ Satan thou art a scandall vnto me The note This word in Hebrew signifieth an aduersary as 3. Regum 5. v. 4. and so it is taken heere The answer We will not impugne your qualification of the word and lessen Saint Peters rebuke as much as you can yet this we may sée euidently that men are but vnstaied and vnstable rockes to build the Church vpon and except the Pope be better priuiledged than Peter was sometime he may be an aduersarie and a 〈◊〉 I will not â—ay a deuill Matth. 17. 24. The text And when they were come to Capernaum there came they that receiued the Didrachmes vnto Peter and said vnto him your master doth he not pay the ⸫ Didrachmes The note These didrachmes were peeces of mony which they paied for tribute Matth. 1â— 27. The text And that fish which shall first come vp take and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a ⸫ stater take that and giue it for me and thee The note This stater was a double didrachme and therefore was paied for two The answer To these two notes I giue but one answer for they reserued these strange words in the text bicause English eares are not acquainted with them and other matter there is not in these notes worth the obseruing Matth. 18. 4. The text Whosoeuer therfore shal humble him selfe as this litle ⸫ child he is the greater in the kingdome of heauen The note Humilitie innocencie simplicitie commended to vs in the state and person of a child The answer But none of them embraced by you as appeareth Your Pope can abide no péere he must be aboue all you puffe vp your selues with the proud pharisie in confidence of mens merits what innocents you are a number of you executed for confessed treason doo declare simplicitie cannot stand with the continual practise of your Church which of long time hath loued nothing lesse then plaine dealing as both our eies haue séene and all stories doo testifie Matth. 18. 17. The text And if he will not heare them ⸫ tell the Church The note That is as Saint Chrysostome heere expoundeth it tell the prelats and chiefe pastors of the Church for they haue iurisdiction to bind and loose such offenders by the words folowing vers 18. The answer We agrée with Chrysostome bicause the circumstances of the place and matter doo require it so to be expounded that héere by the Church the gouernors thereof are meant and that they haue power to bind and loose and therefore is a good warrant for our Church discipline against Papists and all other scornefull contemners and despisers of the same Matth. 18. 19 The text Againe I say to you that if two of you ⸫ consent vpon earth concerning euery thing whatsoeuer they shall aske it shalbe done to them of my father which is in heauen The note All ioyning togither in the vnitie of Christs Church in Councels
how to shift it For somtimes he doubteth whether they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn or no or whether they did but faine that they were so baptized somtimes he saith that those which Iohn baptized had not their sins forgiuen them yet he addeth that he will not contend with them that thinke they were indéed remitted Which argueth Augustine in this matter not to be resolute Mark 1. 15. The text The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of heauen is at hand ⸫ be penitent and beleeue the Gospell The note He doth not preach beleefe or faith onely but penance also The answer And I pray you who euer preached faith without repentance If we be taught to beléeue the promise of remission of sinnes we be taught also that that promise is not made but to the penitent And so you seuer things inseparable The word penance you do but blear the eies of the simple withall to make them imagine of a satisfaction But that your dealing hath béene already learnedly laid out by Master Doctor Fulke against Martinius to whom I refer you Mark 1. 44. The text And he saith to him see thou tell no bodie but go shew thy selfe ⸫ to the high priest and offer for thy cleansing the things that Moises commanded for a testimonie to them The note Our Sauiour euen when he healed the leaper by extraordinarie miraculous power would not yet breake order but sent the partie to the priest The answer The orders which God hath appointed to his Church are with all reuerence and diligence to be obserued and our care is to kéepe them You cannot iustly accuse our Church of any wilfull or willing breach of them Mark 2. 5. The text When Iesus had seene ⸫ their faith he saith to the sicke of the palsie sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The note Our Lord is mooued to be mercifull to sinners by other mens faith and desires and not onelie by the parties owne meanes alway The answer This note is once answered alreadie Matthew 9. And nowe againe we say that amongst the manifold meanes which God vseth in preuenting vs with grace fauour this is not the least that he maketh amongest men liuing one an instrument of an others saluation euen then often times when they that haue their saluation procured least thinke of it What is this to confidence in dead mens prayers and helpe which you draw yours to as much as in you lieth Mark 2. 20. The text The dayes will come when the bridegrome shall be taken from them and then shall they ⸫ fast in those dayes The note He foretelleth that fasting shalbe vsed in the church no lesse then in the old law or in the time of Iohn the Baptist. See Matt. c. 9. verse 15. The answer This note also hath alreadie bene answered in the place to which you referre vs. And for further answer we say that Christ doeth not prescribe that men vnder colour of fasting shall abstaine from one kinde of meate as prophane and fill their bellies with another sorte as more holy neither doeth he preferre fish and fruite before flesh egges and whit meate in abstinence from which the common fast of papistes doth consist and stand Otherwise fastes commaunded by Christ to his church both publique and priuate are in vse with vs as place time occasion serueth Mark 2. 28. The text Therefore the sonne of man is ⸫ Lord of the Sabaoth also The note The maker of the Lawe may abrogate or dispence when and where for iust cause it seemeth good to him The answer This note is true though it come out of season but the pope is not the maker of Gods lawe therefore he can not abrogate it or dispence with it as he taketh vpon him most presumptuously Mark 3. 10. The text For he healed many so that there preased in vpon him for ⸫ to touch him as many as had hurtes The note The onely touching of Christes holy person or any part of his clothes or whatsoeuer belonged to him did heale all diseases The answer This note néeded no replie if there were no secret serpent lurking vnder the grasse but bicause it is well knowen that by this and such like places the papistes séeke to maintaine their relikes and the gainfull marchandize that thereupon doth follow therefore we answer that these miracles were so many confirmations of the doctrine of Christ at the first spreading of it which after the doctrine sufficiently confirmed ceased and therefore none is not to be looked after Besides it is apparant that then the vertue and power whereby those miracles were perfourmed were neither in any other person or thing but onelie in the person of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Mark 3. 21. The text And when they had heard of it they went forth to lay hands on him for they said that he was become ⸫ madde The note See here the conceit of worldly friendes who thinke the zeale of religion madnesse and therefore count them mad that are zealous in Gods cause and for the Catholike faith and the more zealous the more mad The answer Alwayes worldly wise men thought the profession of Christian truth madnesse or follie and godlie wise men do thinke the like of them that are zealous they wote not for what and can giue none other reason of their faith but they beléeue as the church beléeueth which implicate faith you count Catholike and allow verie well in your blind followers Mark 4. 11. The text And he said vnto them To you it is giuen to know the mysterie of the kingdome of God but to ⸫ them that are without all things are done in parables that seeing they may see and not see The note Such as be out of the Church though they heare and read neuer so much they can not vnderstand Bede in 4. Marci The answer This note of Bede is manifestly collected out of this place and therefore we accept of it And we maruaile the lesse at your grosse ignorance and blindnesse though you count your selues great clarks bicause you haue seuered your selues from the true church of God Marke 4. 21. The text And he said to them Commeth a candle to be put ⸫ vnder a bushell or vnder a bed and not to be put vpon the candlesticke The note Christ came not to teach his doctrine in corners and hucker mucker as heretikes doe but to lighten the whole world therewith The answer It is true that the same doctrine which Christ taught in priuate houses and places he taught also in the Temple and synagogues And what heretikes they bée that teach not openlie where they may be suffered and séeke not to make their heresie as common as they can I know not And if teaching in corners and hucker mucker that doctrine which can not be openlie suffered to be taught be alwayes a necessary note of heresie then how excuse you Campion and your other champions héere in England from being
you he shall not loose his ⸫ reward The note Reward for almes deedes whereby it is euident that they be meritorious The answer If the reward be measured by the merite the reward for giuing a cup of water should skant be woorth the receiuing But make much of this euidence for though it be bad it is as good as the best ye haue Marke 9. 42. The text And whosoeuer shall ⸫ scandalize one of these litle ones beleeuing in me it is good for him rather if a milstone were put about his necke and he were cast into the sea The note To giue scandal by our life to the weake in faith is a great sinne specially in priestes preachers and princes The answer Your séeking for tearmes to the multitude vnknowen and out of vse is as you tearme it a great scandal or offence to obscure and darken of purpose the scriptures of God and therefore in you a great sinne Marke 10. 9. The text That therefore which God hath ioyned together ⸫ let not man separate The note The obligation betwixt man and wife is so great that during life it can not be broken The answer The text doeth not teach that it can not be broken but that it ought to be inuiolable That it is broken by them which after marriage haue carnall copulation with an harlot it is manifest for they make themselues one flesh with an harlot And how there can be more than two in one flesh I know not Marke 10. 16. The text And imbracing them and imposing handes vpon them he ⸫ blessed them The note Our Sauiour gaue the children his blessing The answer Whereby wée sée he accepteth of poore infants and declareth his loue and fauour which he beareth to them But magicall vertue and force which you commonlie imagine in the word of blessing I sée none Marke 10. 18. The text Good master what shall I do that I may receiue life euerlasting And Iesus said to him why callest thou me good none is good but one God Thou knowest the ⸫ commandements The note Note that the keeping of Gods commandements procureth life euerlasting The Answer Note that this young man had béene instructed by the scribes and pharisées as you also now teach your followers namelie to procure life by his déedes as appeareth by the question which he propounded to Christ. Note also that Christs answer is fit for the question for there is none other meanes by our déedes to attaine life then the perfect exact obedience of Gods commandements Note further in his answer to Christ howe foolishlie he was besotted with the opinion of his obedience and note lastlie howe Christ laid open his hypocrisie to him whereby it did manifestly appeare that he neither loued God nor his neighbour so well as him selfe Therefore our owne righteousnes and obedience failing vs God hath prouided a remedie for vs the righteousnesse of faith that is to say the righteousnes and obedience of our Christ imputed to beléeuers Marke 10. 21. The text And Iesus beholding him loued him and said to him One thing is wanting vnto thee ⸫ go sell whatsoeuer thou hast and giue to the poore The note This is a counsell of perfection not a precept which the religious professing and keeping voluntarie pouertie do follow The answer Be Gods commandements now become imperfect that perfection wanting in the commandements must be sought for in counsels Then how was the Law of the Lord a perfect Law This was a commandement giuen him to bewraie how far he was from that he vaunted of and to bring him to sée that he had not kept the commandements in such perfection as before he imagined Your voluntarie pouertie hath neither warrant by this nor any other place of scripture Mark 10. 29. The text ⸫ Amen I say to you there is no man which hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for me and for the Gospel that shall not receiue an hundred times so much now at this time c. The note Exceeding happie be they that can forsake their temporall things for religion The answer Bicause God hath promised to recompence them both héere and in the life to come Mark 11. 8. The text And ⸫ many spread their garments in the way and others did cut downe boughes from the trees and strawed them in the way The note All these voluntarie duties â—â—ere gratefull to our Sauiour and so be the like done to him in the blessed Sacrament The answer You haue gotten a good warrant for setting the Sacrament on horse backe as they say your holy father doth at Rome but for prisoning him in a pâ—â—e and trussing him vpon euery altar in a string you must fetch your president from Annas Caiphas and Pilate and not from this people But I pray you were you in good earnest when you made this note or do you thinke that those duties ought or might be done to him in the Sacrament that ought and might be done to him when he was in body here conuersant amongst vs. If you affirme it we shal finde you deny it againe with an other breath And if you dare not affirme it then what is become of your note But you care not what you speake so as you may stir vp men to idolatrous blind deuotion towards your breaden God Mar. 11. 22. 23 The text And Iesus answering said to them haue ⸫ faith of God Amen I saie to you that whosoeuer shall say to this mountaine be taken vp and be cast into the sea and shall not stagger in his hart but beleeue that whatsoeuer he saith shall be done it shall be done to him The note Faith of God is to beleeue that he is able and that he will do it if it be expedient and no impediment on our part The answer The impediment on our part here set downe is staggering which you vnder pretence of humilitie do teach your followers and so consequentlie you teach them to be doubtfull of the truth of Gods promises which how it can stand with the faith of God no wise man can sée Mark 11. 26. The text ⸫ If so be that you will not forgiue neither will your father that is in heauen forgiue you your sinnes The note God neuer forgiueth sins to him that pardoneth not his enimies from his hart Whereby it is euident that more is required than faith onlie The answer Who euer denied all vertues to be requisite for Christians If you did not know your owne scholers to be so blind and ignorant as that they vnderstand not the state of the question of iustification by faith you would neuer thus slightly deale and put vs to vnnecessarie labor and paines Faith alone embraceth the promise of remission of sins This faith worketh in vs amongst other things a readines to forgiue So though more is requisite yet faith alone embraceth Christ our righteousnes and the promises in him and with him offered
his disciples did plucke the eares and did eat rubbing them with their hands The note Saint Hierom Epist. 2. ad Nepotianum writeth of himselfe that being at Constantinople he asked his master Gregorie the Nazianzene the famous Doctor then bishop there what sabaoth this was Who by his answer declared that it was very hard to tell Neither is it yet knowen to the best learned Yet the Protestants are woont to say All is very easie The answer If Papists made any conscience of lieng and standering a great many of our controuersies would quickly be at an end Who euer said or wrote that all is easie But we do not vnder pretence of hardnes and difficulty fray poore men from searching after and séeking Christ in the Scriptures as you do but exhort men so vse more care and diligence to studie them with humilitie and to vse all helps which God hath lent them And that this was Saint Ieroms mind may appéere that in his Epistles he vouchsafeth the answering and opening of many a question and that to women whom he doth not dissuade or discourage from reading Luke 6. â—0 The text And ⸫ to euery one that asketh thee giue The note That is to euery one iustly asking For that which is vniustly asked may iustly be denied Augustine libro 1. cap. 40. de sermone Dom. in monte The answer He iustly asketh whom néede driueth to aske And we cannot iustly denie if God haue so blessed vs that we may spare that which is asked But the contributions of papists to maintaine traitors abroad are neither iustly required nor iustly giuen Luke 6. 48. The text Euery one that commeth to me and heareth my words and doth them I will shew you to whom he is like He is like a man ⸫ building an house that digged deepe and laid the foundation vpon a rocke The note He buildeth rightly and surely that hath both faith and good works he buildeth on sand that trusteth to his faith or reading or knowledge of the scriptures and doth not worke or liue accordingly The answer Against vaine boasters and flatterers of themselues no doubt Christ speaketh and not against true beléeuers For true faith worketh by loue and therefore endeuor of obedience is his inseparable companion Luke 7. 6. The text Lord trouble not thy selfe For ⸫ I am not woorthie that thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe The note See the annotations vpon S. Matthew cap. 8. 8. The answer Yée do but cumber vs with these references which when we sée them are to small purpose and shall be answered with your other annotations Luke 7. â—3 The text The ⸫ poore are euangelized The note Pauperes euangelizantur that is to the poore the Gospell is preached and they receiue it The answer It had béene no more shame for you to haue learned of vs to translate plainly then for to learne of vs to note aptly and truly according to the sense and meaning of the words For it is true that the poore receiue the glad tâ—â—ings of the Gospell But the proud pope his rich cardinals his fat greasie shauelings wallowing in the wealth of this world and puffed vp in a proud conceit of themselues as they are not poore so are they not apt to receiue the Gospell Luke 7. 25. The text But what went ye forth to see a man clothed ⸫ in soft garments Behold they that are in costly apparell and delicacies are in the house of kings The note Marke this well concerning Iohns apparell and diet See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 3. 4. The answer Concerning Iohns apparell we sée nothing héere but that it was not courtly Concerning his diet héere is nothing at all We haue looked for the annotations to which you refer vs and haue lost our labour for we can find none vpon that verse Luke 7. 30. The text But the pharisies and the lawyers ⸫ despised the counsell of God against themselues being not baptized of him The note As they that contemned Iohns baptisme despised Gods counsell and wisedome so much more they which make no account of the sacraments of the church despise Gods counsell and ordinance touching their saluation to their owne damnation The answer Your note is true But you vnder the color and name of sacraments do obtrude to the people that whereof God was neuer author but which resteth and is founded vpon your owne counsell and wisedome which we despise bicause we know it to be enimitie against God Luke 7. 37. The text And behold a woman that was in the citie a sinner as she knew that he was set downe in the pharisies house she brought an alabaster boxe of ointment and standing behind besides his feete she began to ⸫ water his feete with teares and wiped them with the haires of hir head and kissed his feete and annointed them with the ointment The note A perfect paterne of true penance in this woman who sought of Christ with open teares and other strange works of satisfaction and deuotion remission of hir sinnes The answer This sheweth your want of due and sound proofe for mens satisfieng for their sinnes when you scrape héere for satisfaction I pray you which call you a satisfactorie worke hir teares hir wiping his féet with hir haire or hir cost in annointing of Christ. As repentance is fained wherof no fruits can appéere so it is a grosse forgerie to imagine the outward testimonies of true repentance to be so many satisfactions for sinnes Draffe is good ynough for swine and any thing you offer is truth amongst your followers Luke 7. 47. The text For the which I say to thee Many sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she hath loued much But to whom lesse is forgiuen he loueth lesse The note Not onely faith as you may perceiue but loue or charitie obtaineth remission of sinnes The answer And how may we perceiue it Forsooth loue is the cause that she hath many sinnes forgiuen hir This collection is but grating vpon a word contrarie to the plaine sense of the place For if they loue more that haue more forgiuen and they lesse to whom lesse is forgiuen then it is manifest that loue is a consequent of forgiuenes and not a cause And therefore you do but abuse men with the Coniunction causall which is héere as diuers times elsewhere a note of consequence as it is plaine by the words immediately following But to whom lesse is forgiuen he loueth lesse So according to the proportion of forgiuenes the proportion of loue followeth Luke 7. 49. The text And they ⸫ that sate together at the table began to say within them selues ⸫ who is this that also forgiueth sinnes The note As the Pharisies did alwaies caâ—pe Christ for remission of sinnes vpon earth so the heretikes reprehend his church that remitteth sinnes by his authoritie The answer It appeareth by the Pharisies busâ—e carping that it was a receiued truth that onlie God could pardon offences committed against God And they
ought thereby to haue espied their owne error in imagining that Christ was no more but a méere man Such remission as Christ gaue his church power to vse is in daily practise amongst vs and for my part I know no professor of the Gospel that findeth fault with it but your proud presumption beyond any authority giuen to the church of God in binding whom you list and loosing whom please you with your gainfull marchandize made therof that with all our harts we abhorre and detest Luke 8. 10. The text To you it is giuen to know the mysterie of the kingdome of God but to the rest in parables ⸫ that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not vnderstand The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 13. 14. The answer We haue alreadie giuen answer to that annotation Luke 8. 13. The text For they vpon the rocke such as when they heare with ioy receiue the word and these haue no roots bicause ⸫ for a time they beleeue and in the time of tentation they reuolt The note Against the heretikes that say faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had The answer If either you had the feare of God before your eies or els regarded your owne estimation afore men you would not thus without all cause cauill We say that those whom God by his owne wil hath begotten by the word of truth which is an incorruptible séed to beléeue in the name of his sonne and so to become the children of God it is impossible that their faith should bée quite lost and that he which hath not this faith neuer yet had it what is this to the faith here spoken of which is for a time a ioyfull and readie accepting of the doctrine preached and is therefore improperlie called beléeuing because it hath some similitude with true beléeuing But you make of the Scriptures an exercise to whet your wits to wrangle and cauill for such is your reuerence towards them Luke 8. 21. The text Who answering said to them My ⸫ mother my brethren are they that heare the word of God and doe it The note He did not heere speake disdainfullie of his mother but teacheth that our spiritual kinred is to be preferred before carnall cognation Hilar. in 12. Mat. The answer This néedlesse citing of the fathers you vse to deceiue the simple withall and to make them imagine that your aduersaries hold that Christ spake disdainfully of his mother For they do not thinke that you vse this and other authorities but onlie where you néed by that meanes to winne some credit to that which you write which in this matter was altogether néedlesse Luke 8. 24. The text And ⸫ they came and raised him saying Master we perish The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 8 24. The answer We haue for your pleasure lost so much labour as to looke into the place and there finde no such matter Luke 8. 43. The text And there was ⸫ a certaine woman in a fluxe of blood for twelue yeeres past c. The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 9. 19. The answer Your annotation is séene and shall be considered of in the answer to the rest Luke 8. 45. The text And all denying ⸫ Peter said and they that were with him Master the multitudes throng and presse thee and doest thou say Who touched me The note It is an euident signe of prerogatiue that Peter onlie is named so often as chiefe of the companie Marke 1. 36. Actes 5. 29. Luke 9. 32. Marke 16. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 5. The answer It is a very sillie argument Peter onlie is named ergo he is named as chiefe of the companie It is a poore prerogatiue that can be wonne for Peter by such kinde of reasoning The Apostles amongst whom he was conuersant knewe nothing of this his prerogatiue and superioritie as appeareth by their reasoning of the case diuerse times which of them should be greatest or chiefe And therefore it is plaine and euident that you want better helpes when you are faine to staie vp Peters authoritie with such weake proppes Luke 8. 50. The text And Iesus hearing this woord answered the father of the maide Feare not ⸫ beleeue onlie and she shalbe safe The note See the annotations vpon Saint Marke cap. 5. 36. The answer We haue looked and sée there a great péece of learning Forsooth that is an vsual spéech to saie onely do this when we meane chéefely To which we replie that it is most vsuall to saie onely do this when we require onely that which we speake of and no more And againe it is a verie sillie shift for you to flâ—e to chéefely in stéede of onely when in other places you will haue charitie chéefely required and preferre if greatly afore faith Luk. 9. â— The text And calling togither the twelue apostles he gaue them ⸫ vertue and power ouer all diuels and to cure maladies The note To command diuels and diseases either of bodie or soule is by nature proper to God onely but by gods gift men also may haue the same euen so to forgiue sinne The answer And why do you not saie euen so to create heauen and earth men and angels God doth impart to men whatsoeuer pleaseth him to giue and to bestowe and not what it pleaseth proud men to chalenge Shew to vs that God hath giuen any man authoritie to sell remission of sins Otherwise I haue alreadie answered that we vse this authoritie of remitting sins so farre foorth as God hath giuen it Luk. 9. 5. The text And whosoeuer shall not receiue you going foorth out of that citie shake of the dust also of your feete ⸫ for a testimonie vpon them The note A great fault to reiect the true preachers or not to admit them into house for needfull harbour and sustenance The answer But no fault to reiect traiterous and vndermining papists who secretlie stir vp subiects to murther their soueraignes the Lords annointed and to séeke the subuersion and destruction of their owne countrie Luk. 9. 16. The text And taking the fiue loaues and the two fishes he looked vp to heauen and ⸫ blessed them and brake and distributed to his disciples for to set before the multitude The note Here you see that he blessed the things and not onely gaue thanks to God See annot Mark cap. 8. 7. The answer Who can better tell what is ment by blessing then the holie Ghost himselfe who in the fiftéenth of Matthew in the sixt of Iohn expresseth the same by giuing of thanks Neither is there any cause or reason in this place why any farther matter should be thought or imagined to be ment by blessing And as for the seuerall blessing of the bread first and then the fishes afterward is but your dreame without warrant Your annotation shall be considered of with the residue of the same sort Luk. 9.
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
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
But their care is far vnlike for they are seldome in their charge they visit once in thrée yéere most commonly by their deputes neither to reforme life nor maners but either to shewe themselues abroad like lords or else to fill their purses This I am sure they neither learned of Paule nor Barnabas Act. 15. 41. The text And he walked thorough Siria and Cilicia confirming the churches ⸫ commanding them to keepe the precepts of the apostles and ancients The note Not onely the things commanded by Christs expresse word or written in the Scriptures as our heretikes hold but whatsoeuer the apostles and rulers of the church command is to be kept and obeied So these words repeated againe cap. 16. 4. and that in the Greeke least any man cauill bicause here the Greeke hath them not The answer You do well to ioine apostles with rulers else no man would beléeue you But I pray you where may we â—inde those things which the apostles haue commanded and are not expressed in the scriptures If you obtrude those things which you falsely call the canons and constitutions of the apostles then we bid you first reforme your church by them For though there be some corruptions in them vnknowen in the apostles time yet your church if it had no more should want at least thrée quarters of her corruptions It were woonderfull if other men should credite your forgerie which you your selues haue small regard to If you alledge this present text it is manifest that the precepts which the apostles commanded to be kept were sent in writing by the hands of Paule and Barnabas which writing is set downe by Luke word for word How then can you gather from hence anie defence of your vnwritten verities or any credite to your deuises not warranted by the Scriptures Act. 16. 4. The text And when they passed through the cities they deliuered vnto them to keepe the ⸫ decrees that were decreed of the Apostels and ancients at Hierusalem The note Here againe they take order that the decrees and articles of faith agreed vpon in the councell of Hierusalem should be executed and obserued whereby we see both the great authoritie of councels and the diligence that all prelates ought to haue to see the decrees and canons of the councels put in execution The answer In the former note these decrées you did insinuate to be matters vnwritten and now in this note they are articles of our faith and so consequently some articles of our faith are not written O miserable men What state are they in whom you lead When you pull from them the foundation and groundworke of their faith The authoritie of lawfull councels we reuerence as much as is lawfull to reuerence men But by this councel we gather that a councell may be lawfully called though the bishop of Rome call it not and that it is not néedful that he or his legate à latere should be president in councels and that it is not of necessity requisite that he should confirme and ratifie councels For it is manifest that no bishop of Rome bare stroke in this councel Acts. 16. 6. The text And passing through Phrigia and the countrie of Galatia they were ⸫ forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia The note This people had not the Gospell denied vnto them altogither but for a time bicause as venerable Bede thinketh God foresaw they would not beleeue and so should haue beeâ— more grieuously damned The answer Modestie requireth that you leaue the Lords secrets to himselfe The holie Ghost hath not reuealed the cause why he forbad them to preach in Asia and permitted them not to go into Bithinia and therefore we are to leaue it as a thing which God hath not thought necessary for vs to know But this is manifest that the good desires of Gods saints are not in their owne power to bring to passe when they will Acts. 16. 12. The text And from thence to Philippie which is the first citie of Macedonia a ⸫ Colonia The note Colonia is such a citie where the most inhabitants are strangers sent thither from other great cities and states namely from the Romans The answer Your interpretation of Colonia we receiue as a thing wherof our Grammar boies are not ignorant Acts. 16. 17. The text The same following Paul and vs cried saieng These men are the seruants of the high God which preach vnto you the waie of saluation The note Either the diuell was compelled by vertue of Paules presence to saie truth or else as such do often times he spake truth now that they might the more trust him and he better beguile them at other times The answer Your later coniecture I receiue as a thing that you can speake in by great experience as hauing learned that péece of cunning of the diuell neuer to vse truth but to the end to giue color and credit to lies withall Acts. 16. 3â— The text Masters what must I do to be saued But they said ⸫ Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy house The note It is none other faith that saueth but that which worketh by charity August Enchirid. cap. 67. The answer Grant vs that that faith is the onely hand whereby we take hold of Christ our saluation and then a great part of our controuersie is at an end Acts. 16. 33. The text And he taking them in the same hower of the night ⸫ washed their wounds and himselfe was baptized and all his house incontinent The note Happie gailers that do mercie toward their godly prisoners and receiue againe by them such spirituall benefits The answer It was the greatest happines that could fall vpon him and his house to receiue such vnder his â—oofe by whom God so blessed him and his On the contrarie side it is a dangerous matter for gailers and keepers to be cumbred with wicked seditious and traiterous Iesuits and seminarie priests Acts. 17. 5. The text But the Iewes ⸫ enuieng and taking to them of the rascall sort certaine naughtie men and making a tumult stirred the citie and besetting Iasons house sought to bring them foorth vnto the people The note Zelantes This is the zeale of heretikes and a liuely paterne of their dealing at this day against the catholike priests and preachers and the good Iasons that receiue them The answer Looke vpon the late storie of France and there you shall sée that it is the practise of you papists to stir vp the rascall sort to misuse nay to kill and cut the throtes of Gods déere saints Acts. 17. 23. The text For passing by and seeing your idols I found an altar also whereupon was written To the vnknowen God The note The aduersaries in the new Testament 1580. translate your deuotions most corruptly against the nature of the Greeke word 2. Thes. 2. 4. and most wickedly against the laudable deuotion of good Christians calling the pagans idolatrie and superstition their
but penance also to the people The answer And we preach repentance and faith therefore our doctrine is apostolike But it is a woonder to sée how you dally with faith onely to make the preaching of iustification by faith to be odious amongst the ignorant And nothing more plainly bewraieth that you impugne the truth against your own consciences and knowledge than your foule dealing in this point For you know that we preach somwhat besides faith Acts. 20. 28. The text Take heed to your selues and to the whole slocke wherein the ⸫ holie Ghost hath placed you bishops to rule the church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood The note Bishops or priests for then these names were somtime vsed indifferently gouernors of the church of God and placed in that high roome and function by the holie Ghost The answer Then those names were alwaies vsed indifferently for the distinction grew after when one was set aboue the rest for auoiding of scismes as saint Ierom telleth but I pray you tell me what priuilege Peter had more than Paul or Rome more than Ephesus that rauening woolues might not rise amongst them that succéeded Peter at Rome as well as amongst those that succéeded Paul at Ephesus Acts. 21. 9. The text And entring into the house of Phillip the Euangelist which was one of the seuen we taried with him And he had ⸫ fower daughters virgins that did prophesie The note As saint Peter had a wife but vsed hir not after his calling as it is noted else where out of S. Ierom Luke 4. 38. so it may be said of Saint Phillip being deacon The answer It is easie to make a great shew of fathers when one for one and the same thing is alledged so often and to no purpose The Apostles left all therefore they left also their wiues saith Saint Ierom. And we say they left their houses also or else they did not leaue all And if they might so leaue their houses that it was notwithstanding lawfull for them both to retaine the possession of them and also to haue the vse of them for themselues and their friends as this place doth plainly declare then much rather might they both kéepe and vse their wiues As therefore afore you dreamed of Peter so héere you dreame of Phillip that being married meâ— they liued not vnder the rules and lawes that the holie Ghost hath giuen to married men which is as great an iniurie as you can do them Acts. 22. 17. The text And now what tariest thou Rise vp and be baptized and ⸫ wash away thy sinnes inuocating his name The note The sacrament of baptisme doth it selfe wash away sinnes as heere is plaine therefore doth not onely signifie as the heretikes affirme that our sins be forgiuen before or by faith only remitted Wherby the churches doctrine is prooued to be fully agreeable to the scriptures that the sacraments giue grace ex opere operato that is by the force and vertue of the worke and worde done and said in the sacrament The answer That we affirme that sacraments onely signifie is a slander deuised by your selues as is also the odious name terme of heretikes which you giue vs. We know that our God kéepeth iust promise and therefore doth giue the things which he promiseth to woorthie méet receiuers of his sacraments Your plaine proofe of your churches doctrine that the sacraments giue grace ex opere operato prooueth no such thing to them which vnderstand the vsuall forme and maner of sacramentall spéeches most commonly vsed in the scriptures And therefore it can deceiue but onely those who haue made ignorance the mother of their deuotion 〈…〉 The text And when the blood of Steeuen thy witnes was shed ⸫ I stood by and consented and kept the garments of them that killed him The note Not onely principals but all that consent to the death or vexation of Christian men for the catholike faith do highly offend which the Apostle confesseth here that Gods mercy may be more notoriously glorified in him hereby The answer Though it hath pleased God to abridge your power here in England that your crueltie could not so shew it selfe as other times it hath done yet no doubt your good will and consent hath béene in those most horrible murders of Gods witnesses in those countries where you haue soiourned Therefore I would that all you counterfet catholikes would earnestly marke this and while time serueth earnestly repent with Paule that the greatnes of Gods mercy in your and by your conuersions might be glorified This is all the hurt I wish you Acts. 23. 3. The text Then Paule said to him ⸫ God shall strike thee thou whited wall The note He said not this through perturbation of minde or of a passion but way of prophesie that this figuratiue high priesthood then â—rimmed like a whited wall was to be destroied whereas now the true priesthood of Christ was come Beda in hunc locum The answer Although there be both learned and godly of an other minde yet for my part I like Bedaes exposition hereof Acts. 23. 16. The text And Paule knowing that the one part was of Sadduces and the other of pharisies ⸫ he cried out in the councell men and brethren I am a pharisee the sonne of a pharisee of the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am iudged The note Such prudent euasions from danger are lawfull which Saint Chrysostome calleth specially in this apostle the wisedome of the serpent as otherwise in his teaching preaching and patience he vsed the simplicitie of a doue The answer Wise and prudent escaping of danger is verie lawfull and for that purpose the wisedome of serpents is verie necessary for the church of God especially against the extréeme crueltie of papists Acts. 23. 1â— The text And the night following our Lord standing by him said be constant for as thou hast testified of me in Hierusalem so ⸫ must thou testifie at Rome also The note Though God who could not lie had promised that he should go to Rome yet the apostle omitteth not humane meanes to defend himselfe from his enimies and otherwise Neither said he as the heretikes called predestinates Let them do what they wil they can not hurt me for I am predestinate to go to Rome See his doings and saiengs to saue himselfe in the chapter following The answer You are good fellowes you can make your selfe sport in confuting your shadowes He that were not acquainted with your cogging and lieng would thinke by this spéech of yours that som newe heretikes neuer afore heard of were lately risen that held this that you confute But I praie you where doth these predestinates dwell What bookes haue they written By what euidence may it appéere that you truely charge them For till you shew vs some that vnder pretence of predestination do refuse the ordinarie meanes which God hath appointed for their safegard we can not
condemned in the Scriptures and not the holie images of Christ and his saints The answer Lo here be popish images manifestlie condemned for you can not denie for all the world knoweth it that you change the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of a corruptible man There were at that time no images of Christ and his saints to speake against But the reasons by which the prophets and apostles condemned the former images of the Gentiles do beate downe also the images and idolatrie of the papists Rom. 1. 24. The text For the which cause God ⸫ hath deliuered them vp vnto the desires of their hart into vncleannes for to abuse their owne bodies among themselues ignominiouslie The note Ephes. 4. 19. he saith they haue deliuered or giuen vp themselues to all vncleannes By which conference of Scriptures we learne that themselues are the cause of their owne sinne and damnation God of his iustice permitting and leauing them to their owne will and so giuing them vp into passions c. The answer By conference of Scriptures we learne that the matter and cause of sinne and so consequently of damnation resteth in the wicked themselues and that God also in iustice punisheth sinne by sinne As in this chapter God punisheth the idolatrous with a most filthy sinfull life Peruse ouer your stories of Rome and sée whether euer this iudgement of God vpon men for idolatris were more manifestly laid vpon any people then it hath béene and is vpon Rome And tell vs what other people haue set out the praises of Sodomitrie in print most impudently to the face of all the world Rom. 2. 7. The text To them truly that according to patience in good works seeke glorie and honor and incorruption life eternall The note Good men also according to the merits of their good will shall haue their reward August ep 47. The answer And why do you not adde that their good will is the gift of the grace of God séeing Augustine addeth it Further merits with Augustine are taken simply for works and not as it commonly soundeth with the papist for a desert equiualent and correspondent to the reward Lastly he acknowledgeth that God rewardeth and crowneth his owne gifts in vs. How this can make for your doctrine of merits I pray you tell vs. Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 The text Thou therefore ⸫ that teachest another teachest not thy selfe that preachest men ought not to steale thou stealest c. The note It is a shamefull and a damnable thing for preachers teachers or other guides of mens life to commit the same things themselues which they reprooue in other The answer And can the pope and his cardinals be damned or must we secretly except them I pray you tell vs whether For in the whole world it is impossible to find any mans sinnes more plain or more monstrous Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 The text For ⸫ the name of God is blasphemed through you among the Gentils The note It is a great sinne that by the ill life of the faithfull our Lords name should be ill spoken of among the misbeleeuers and manie withdrawen from the true religion thereby The answer I do not take it that you meane that murdering of princes treason periurie sedition rebellion to set vp popish religion to be any sinne at all and yet it maketh your profession euill spoken of and alienateth therefrom all that carrie not bloodie minds and harts Rom. 2. 25. The text Circumcision indeed profiteth if thou obserue the law but if thou be a preuaricator of the law thy circumcision is become ⸫ prepuce The note Prepuce is the foreskin not circumcised and therefore signifieth the Gentils or the state or condition of the Gentils as circumcision the Iewes and their state The answer You can find in your hart to borrow of master Beza but not to be thankfull for that he lendeth you Rom. 3. 4. The text God forbid but God is true and euery man a lier as it is written That thou maist be iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged The note God onely by nature is true all men by nature may lie deceiue and be deceiued yet God by his grace and spirit may and doth preserue the Apostles and principall gouernors of his people and the church and councels in all truth though they were and are meere men The answer If you meane by these principall gouernors the pope and his cardinals as I do not doubt but you do then we answer That as they are méere men so they shew themselues for they both haue erred and do erre I would faine see one plaine place in all the ancient fathers that no bishop of Rome can err in saith That position is a late heresie vnknowen for a whole thousand yéeres after Christ. And the generall consent of the diuines of Christendome against it till within these two hundred yéeres as may appéere in the councell of Basill where pope Eugenius was condemned for an obstinate heretike and therefore deposed Rom. 3. 14. The text The venim of aspes vnder their lips The note Aspidum a little kind of serpents The answer We acknowledge it Rom. 3. 22. The text And the iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that ⸫ beleeue in him The note To beleeue in him heere compriseth not onely the act of faith but of hope and charitie as the Apostle explicateth himselfe Gilat 5. 6. The answer I neuer saw so loose dealing of any but of such as both willingly deceiue themselues and labour to beguile others The Apostle telleth that faith worketh by charitie and you thereupon conclude that to beléeue compriseth the acts of faith hope and charitie How this conclusion followeth neither I sée neither can you make it euident But let it he granted you then how can you excuse your selues of intollerable lieng and slandering when almost euery where you speake of the doctrine of iustification by faith and beléeuing as though hope and charitie were from faith exiled and banished But your shifts are foule and manifest slanders where you may and when by plaine euidence of the text you are beaten from them then it is not ynough for hope and charitie to accompanie faith but they must be also comprised of faith Rom. 3. 24. The text Iustified ⸫ gratis by his grace by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus The note No man attaineth his first iustification by the merits either of his faith or workes but meerelie by Christs grace and mercie though his faith and works proceeding of grace be dispositions and preparations thereunto The answer Is Pelagius aliue againe or why do ye not cite him that your followers may know your doctrine to be ancient and also whom you follow therein In all that Augustine wrote against Pelagius and his adherents let vs sée somewhat to iustifie your note First you acknowledge Christs méere grace and mercie in our first iustification and
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
that meaning procéedeth out of diuellish pride and hath no ground nor warrant out of this place For the Apostle héere doth nothing else but commend the liberalitie of the Macedonians in contributing to the reléefe of Gods afflicted saints Whereby they gaue good testimonie that they had wholy addicted themselues to God to be ruled and aduised by the Apostle and other ministers of Gods word All which the Apostle doth to that end to stirre vp them of Achaia to the like liberalitie 2. Cor. 9. 4. The text Least when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you vnreadie we that may not ye may be ashamed in this substance The note That is in this matter of almes Chrysost. Theophilact The answer This is well noted you might haue spared your fathers 2. Cor. 9. 9. The text As it is written he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth for euer The note The fruit of almes is the increase of grace in all iustice and good works to life euerlasting God giuing these things for reward and recompence of charitable works which therefore be called the seed or meritorious causes of these spirituall fruits The answer I pray you tell vs how you collect this What necessarie consequence out of this place you can make thereof Otherwise wée must estéeme it as we estéeme of the most part of your other notes as of collections tied to your texts with poynts that will scant hold the tieng 2. Cor. 11. 2. The text For I haue ⸫ despoused you to one man to present you a chaste virgin vnto Christ. The note The Apostles and their successors did despouse the people whom they conuerted to Christ in all puritie and chastitie of truth and wholy vndefiled and void of error and heresie The answer The pope and his cleargie do despouse the people whom they seduce to the purpled whoore of Babylon in all spirituall impuritie and fornication and vntruth full of error and lies 2. Cor. 11. 4. The text For if he that ⸫ commeth preach another Christ whom we haue not preached or you receiue another spirit whom you haue not receiued or another Gospel which you haue not receiued you might well suffer it The note The note of a false teacher to come that is without lawfull calling or sending to thrust and intrude him selfe in another mans charge The answer This note is true but not well collected out of this text For I suppose you do not thinke that false teachers may well be suffered But howsoeuer you haue gathered it your note doth most liuely describe your wandering Iesuits and seminarie priests which without all lawfull calling or sending do secretly thrust themselues into other mens charges preach a new Christ and a new Gospell vnheard of in the daies of Paul 2. Cor. 11. 13. The text For such Apostles are ⸫ craftie workers transfiguring themselues into Apostles of Christ. The note A proper terme for heretikes that shape themselues into the habit of true teachers specially by often allegation and commendation of the scriptures Read the notable admonition of the ancient writer Vincentius Lirinensis in his golden booke against the prophane nouelties of all heresies The answer It is indéed a proper terme and no heretike euer did beare a more glorious shew than the papist Uincentius Lirinensis was carefull both to auoid all heresies himselfe and also to admonish others to take héed thereof His lessons be good such as we practise and you refuse For first he alloweth the canonical scriptures as perfect and sufficient to determine al controuersies which you refuse Secondly to auoid the wrangling of heretikes about the true interpretation of them he adioineth tradition which he doth not take to be vnwritten verities not spoken of in the scriptures as you do but for the sense and interpretation of them which was held and beléeued in the first churches planted by the Apostles by the Apostles I say and their coadiutors direction Thirdly he thinketh that not only the men of greatest fame and estimation in the church might erre but also that the whole or greatest part of the visible church might erre contrarie to your assertion which hold that the church cannot erre and that in that case he that will not be caried into error with multitude and companie must repaire vnto antiquitie which is far from suspition of prophane noueltie euen as we at this day appeale to the scriptures and primitiue church Now then if you will be iudged by his rules it will appéere that papists are craftie workers and so consequently heretikes and bringers in of profane nouelties 2. Cor. 11. 28. The text My daily ⸫ instance the earefulnes of all churches The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysostom and Theophilact interpret it of daily conspiracie against him Others of the multitude of cares instant and vrgent vpon him The answer Your latter exposition whereof you kéepe close the authors is the better and to be preferred bicause it is Paules owne who so interpreteth his owne meaning in the next words following 2. Cor. 12. 2. The text I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres ago whether in bodie I know not or out of the bodie I know not God doth know such a one ⸫ rapt euen into the third heauen The note By this we may prooue that it is neither impossible incredible nor indecent that is reported by ancient fathers of some that haue beene rauished or rapt whether in bodie or out of the bodie God knoweth and brought to see the state of the next life as well of the saued as of the damned The answer Bicause that which hath béene done may be done and it is neither impossible nor incredible must we therefore beléeue all fabulous narrations whereof great number are forged vnder the names of fathers others too readilie receiued and beléeued of men not espieng at that time the subtiltie of the diuell in working those illusions If this foundation faile you your purgatory goeth to the ground Paul vttereth nothing of that he heard and saw there bicause they were secrets vnlawful to be vttered Shal not that condemne the rash boldnesse of others that take vpon them to vtter and tell all and more then all 2. Cor. 12. 21. The text Least againe when I come God humble me amongst you and I mourne manie of them that sinned before and ⸫ haue not done penance for the vncleannes fornication and incontinencie that they haue committed The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Saint Augustine epist. 108. is spoken heere of doing great penance for hainous sinnes as paenitents did in the Primitiue church So that it is not onlie to repent or amend their liues as protestants translate it The answer You haue béene often inough answered for our translations in this case If amendment of life true repentance could be without anie tokens or testimonies of heartie griefe and sorrow for sinnes passed then your quarrell might haue some probable shew in it
but now it hath vtterly none Penitents in the primitiue church did but giue testimonie vnto the church of their heartie and vnfained repentance and not as you would haue men imagine satisfie for their sinnes and deserue at Gods hand remission and pardon therof Augustine neuer dreamed of any such matter but he wrote against the Nouatians who denied repentance to them that sinned after they were baptized against whom he prooueth by the example of Peter which had denied Christ by the authoritie of this present text that men after baptisme were not to be excluded from repentance and so maintaineth the custome of the church in admitting penitents which had béene afore for their faults excommunicated what is this to that you alledge him for against our translation 2. Cor. 13. 10. The text Therefore these things I write absent that being present I may not deale hardly according to the power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction The note Ecclesiastical ⸫ power to punish offenders by the censures of the church The answer Which power we reuerence and kéepe offenders in awe withall though we contemne and despise the vsurped power of the Romish church and care not for her thunderbolts GALATHIANS Galat. 1. 6. The text I maruell that you are so soone transferred from him that called into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospel which is not another vnlesse there be some that trouble you and will ⸫ inuert the Gospel of Christ. The note New Gospellers that peruert corrupt or alter the one onlie true and first deliuered Gospell are to be auoided See Saint Augustine contra Faust. libro 32. cap. 27. The answer The Gospel of God is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer whosoeuer therefore doeth preach any power of pope of man of fréewill or of anie other creature or thing whatsoeuer to saluation preacheth a newe Gospell and not the Gospell of God and therefore are to be auoided The whole doctrine therefore of the Popes church is to be auoided for it is nothing els but a new coined Gospell Your note booke still deceiueth you there are not so many chapters in that booke Galat. 1. 19. The text But other of the Apostles sawe I none sauing Iames ⸫ the brother of our Lord. The note Saint Iames was called our Lords brother after the Hebrew phrase of the Iewes by which neere kinsemen are called brethren for they were not brethren in deede but rather sisters children The answer If vpon this you should méete with men as froward as your selues are in expounding this is my bodie they might make you worke by not admitting any interpretation and therefore you might sée how fond a thing it is so to sticke to the letter that you will not admit the mind of the speaker Galat. 2. 11. The text And when Cephas was come to Antioch I resisted him ⸫ in face bicause he was reprehensible The note That is in presence before them all as Beza him selfe expoundeth it yet the English Bezites to the more disgracing of saint Peter translate to his face No. Testamen anno 1580. The answer It is somwhat that once in your liues you are content to acknowledge that you haue learned somwhat of master Beza but I thinke he should not haue béene spoken of héere but to take occasion by him to vtter your choller and to ease your stomacke a little vpon those whom you call English Bezites whose intent as you surmise was in their translation to disgrace S. Peter As if it had béene greater disgrace to saint Peter to be told of his fault to his face than to be told of it reprooued for it in the presence of the multitude But howsoeuer it was we sée plainly S. Peter went awry and brought others into the like danger And further we sée that his authoritie was not so great but he might be reprooued Yet though the pope go headlong to hell and lead thousands of souls with him thither no man may say Why dost thou this Gal. 2. 16. The text But knowing that a man is not iustified by the ⸫ works of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ we also beleeue in Iesus Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for the which cause by the works of the law no flesh shall be iustified The note By this and by the discourse of the whole epistle you may perceiue that when iustification is attributed to faith the works of charitie are not excluded but the works of Moises law that is the ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments thereof principally and consequently all works done meerly by nature and free will without the faith grace spirit and aide of Christ. The answer Helpe helpe Paul hath set the popes kitchin on fire Our Rhemists bring water but it runneth out by the way For both by this and the whole course of this epistle we sée that this new Gospell into the which the Galathians were translated was a péece of poperie Namely that they ioined in the cause of iustification saluation their works with Christ the law with the gospel But our Rhemists tel vs first that not the works of charity but the works of the law are excluded by S. Paul As who should say that there were any works of loue that are not commanded in the law And therefore if the works of the law be excluded the works of loue and charitie must be excluded also But to helpe this they adde that ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments are meant principally But against that Paul maketh him accursed that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it If blessednes and iustification be our deliuerie from that curse who séeeth not that the whole law and euery part of it and euery worke of it must be excluded But further they adde that al works done méerely by nature and frée will are excluded wherein the word méerely is to be noted bicause it expresseth that their meaning is if there be a little helpe of faith or grace that then works be not excluded To the which I say this was the case of the Galathians and the very matter against the which the Apostle bendeth his whole force for that they being Christians and so beléeuers did not exclude their works and méerely ascribe their iustification to the grace of Christ for that they parted the matter as the papists do betwixt Christ and their works the whole maner of the Apostles reasoning in the next chapter doth plainely shew And therefore I will conclude with the Apostle By grace we are saued through faith and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God not of works that no man glorie Galat. 3. ◠The text O senselesse Galathians who hath ⸫ bewitched you not to obey the truth before whose eies Iesus Christ was proscribed being crucified among you The note For any people or
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 not to apprehend Christs iustice by faith onlie but to be renued in our selues truly and to put on vs the new man formed and created in iustice and holines of truth By which freewil also is prooued to be in vs to worke with God and to consent vnto him in our sanctification The answer Who doth so teach iustification by faith onely that he doth not also teach sanctification as the ioined companion thereof But lieng and slaundering is your delight which I do not saie bicause you haue expresly vttered your minde but bicause you do couertly insinuate so much to your blinde followers Your proofe for fréewill is woorth thrée skips of a louse You may conclude it out of euerie exhortation as well as out of this it will follow all alike Ephes. 5. â— The text For vnderstanding know you this that no fornicator or vncleane or couetous person which is ⸫ the seruice of idols hath inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God The note See the hereticall corruption of this in the annot Col. 3. 5. The answer We haue séene your annotation and finde your quarrel stale as being mooued afore by master Martinius and answered by master Doctor Fulke And farther we sée that idolaters are beholding to you for you take as great paines as men may do to vpholde them in their idolatrie which in plaine English signifieth worshipping of images Ephes. 5. 23. The text Let women be subiect to their husbands as to our Lord bicause the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the ⸫ church The note It is much to be noted that in the first English Bibles there is not once the name of Church in all the Bible but in steede thereof Congregation which is so notorious a corruption that themselues in their later Bibles correct it for shame and yet suffer the other to be read and vsed still See the Bible printed 1562. The answer Surelie Martinius was to blame that left you no quarel vnmooued to our translation it hath béene answered that our first translators translated aptlie and trulie when they translated congregation and that they therein committed no fault whereof they or others ought to be ashamed That the word Church was not shunned in anie sinister respect or meaning the translating of the same word church in the créede the vsing of the worde church in the notes of those first Bibles in our Catechismes alwaies in our latter translations as you confesse do manifestlie shew The cause whiâ— the translators did vse the word congregation rather then the word church was bicause in those times ignorance raigning the word congregation was more plaine and lesse ambiguous and doubtfull and therefore lesse danger in it of misconstruing or mistaking then in the other thus is your notorious corruption come to nothing Ephes. 6. 8. The text Knowing that euerie one what good soeuer he shall do that shall he ⸫ receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free The note God leaueth no good worke vnrewarded The answer It is verie true and yet you neuer the nigher your merit Ephes. 6. 14. The text Stand therefore hauing your loines girded in truth and ⸫ clothed with the brestplate of iustice c. The note If man could not be trulie iust or hâ—â—e iustice in him selfe how could he be clothed with iustice The answer Men after this life are clothed with their habitation in heauen their habitation in heauen is not in them selues In like maner may they be clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ which though it make them trulie iust yet is in Christ and not in them selues The whole armour is Gods and by him giuen vs to defend our selues withall I maruell that you finde neither holiwater nor crosse nor anie such deuise of poperie among all this armour I thinke therefore that it followeth manifestlie that those péeces of armour neuer came out of Gods store-house Ephes. 6. 23. The text Peace to the brethren and ⸫ charitie with faith from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Saint Augustine noteth in sundrie places vpon this same text that faith without charitie serueth not to saluation Lib. 50. hom 7. The answer As for that faith which is without charitie we as we haue often told you estéeme it not woorth two strawes otherwise that a true faith onlie and alone iustifieth Saint Augustine will tell you if you will vouchsafe to sée it It is necessarie for a man that not onlie when he is wicked he should be iustified that is of a wicked man made iust when good things are rendered to him for euill but also when he is now iustified by faith that grace should walke with him and he rest thereupon least he fall And againe that Paul should be called from heauen and be conuerted by so great and effectuall a calling the grace of God alone was the cause thereof for his merits were great but euill PHILIPPIANS Philip. 1. â—7 The text And in nothing be ye terrified of the aduersaries which to them is ⸫ cause of perdition The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifest proofe and euidence The answer We thinke you can interpret a Gréeke word right if you list as you haue done this Philip. 2. 16. The text Conteining the word of life ⸫ to my glorie in the day of Christ bicause I haue not runne in vaine nor in vaine labored The note Such as haue by their preachings gained anie to Christ shall ioy and glorie therein exceedinglie at the day of our Lord. The answer And what shall they do that gaine from Christ to Antichrist Philip 2. â—7 The text But and if I be ⸫ immolated vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I reioice and congratulate with you all The note Pastors ought to be so zealous of the saluation of their flocke that with Saint Paul they should offer themselues to the death for the same The answer Such example gaue the prince of pastors such strength hath God giuen to a number of faithfull ministers as our eies haue séene and infinite multitudes are able to testifie and the booke or monument of martyrs hath recorded to all posteritie Philip. 2. 21. The text For ⸫ all seeke the things that are their owne and not the things that are Iesus Christs The note Manie forsake their teachers when they see them in bonds and prison for their faith bicause most men preferre the world before Christes glorie The answer This is verie true and yet the text rather speaketh of them that should be carefull ouer the flocke that a number of them shranke away after the world and prouided rather for them selues then for the flocke And consider you well vpon this spéech whether Peters being at Rome then when Paul wrote this were likelie or no when Paul had there none like minded to him selfe And it is a very simple shift to say that Peter might then be absent from Rome
prooued thus the wisedome of God hath taught vs to praie to our father in heauen and not to anie other what is it then to teach men to praie to others but to controll that wisedome of God that it hath not taught the wisest way to pray and thus in that wherein you thought to shew his humilitie you set foorth his intollerable pride ◠Thess. 2. 11. The text Therefore ⸫ God will send them the operation of error to beleeue lieng c. The note Deus mittet saith Saint Augustine libro 20. de Ciu. cap. 19. quia Deus diabolum facere ista permittet God will send bicause God will permit the diuell to do these things whereby we may take a general rule that Gods action or working in such things is his permission See annot Rom. 1. 24. The answer Now Augustine must helpe you with a generall rule that expresselie both against the whole course of scripture and also against his owne minde if you meane by permission onlie permission for he saith who doeth not tremble at these horrible iudgements of God by which he doth in the hearts of the wicked what he will rendring to euerie man according to his merits And againe he saith it is out of doubt that God doeth worke in the mindes of men to encline their willes either to good according to his mercie or els to euill according to their deserts by his iudgement sometimes open and sometimes secret but alwaies iust This I trowe is somewhat more then only permission therefore you must racke some other for that generall rule for Augustine will not yéeld it you and it groweth out of a foolish nicenes for men to be afraid to speake as the holie Ghost hath spoken afore them 2. Thess. 2. 17. The text And our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe and God our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen eternall consolation and good hope in grace ⸫ exhort your hearts and confirme you in euerie good worke and word The note This word of exhorting implieth in it comfort and consolation 2. Corinthes 1. verse 4. and 6. The answer Trueth doeth well but neuer when it is intermedled with vntruthes If this note were not defiled with the former these that follow but had passed alone then we would haue ioined with you 2. Thess. 3. 6. The text And we denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the ⸫ tradition which they haue receiued of vs. The note Here also as is noted before 1. Thessalonians 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translations auoid the word tradition being plaine in the Greeke least them selues might seeme to be noted as men walking inordinatelie and not according to Apostolicall tradition as all Schismatikes heretikes and rebels to Gods church do The answer If corrupt vse had not in your times made tradition to bée commonlie taken of the people for a doctrine deliuered by word of mouth onlie and neuer published in the holie Scriptures by writing contrarie to the sense and meaning of the Apostle then had there not béene anie iust cause of auoiding the word But you can not iustlie blame vs though we flie a word corrupted by you and therefore dangerous to deceiue withall and set downe for it some other worde no lesse aptlie agréeing to the signification of the Gréeke word and better with more plainnesse expressing vnto the vnlearned the minde and meaning of the Apostle in that place But bicause you charge other men with inordinate walking contrarie to the traditions Apostolicall answer for your selues and yeeld vs reason if you can whie you breake those which you call the Apostles constitutions why do you not commonlie and ordinarilie choose married men to be Bishops why haue you kept the common people from reading the scriptures why suffer you women to baptize why fast you not continuallie on Wednesdaies whie doo ye exclude the people both from election and approbation of Bishops and priests If these bée not the ordinances of the Apostles why do ye abuse the world with alledging the authoritie of that booke for you if they bée with what face can you obiect to others wherein you are most manifestlie faultie your selues 1. TIMOTHIE 1. Tim. 1. 5. The text But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart ⸫ a good conscience a faith not fained The note Saint Augustine saith he that list to haue the hope of heauen let him looke that he haue a good conscience let him beleeue and worke well For that he beléeueth he hath of faith that he worketh he hath of charitie praefat in Psalm 31. The answer As you alledge Saint Augustine so I would that you caried his syncere mind and loue to the truth so should we not onlie agrée in this but throwing away all minde and desire of contending enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie 1. Tim. 1. 19. The text This precept I commend to thee O Timothie according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good warfare hauing faith and a good conscience ⸫ which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the faith The note Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie from the faith of the Catholike church Againe this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had The answer True and liuelie faith is one thing and the outward profession of faith is another You loue to dallie with equiuocations knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere By such arguments as you make it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white 1. Tim. 2. 1. The text I desire therefore first of all things that obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgiuings be made for all men ⸫ for Kings and al that are in praeeminence that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie The note Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors by whom the church suffreth persecution much more for all faithfull princes and powers and people both spirituall and temporall for whom as members of Christes bodie and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices See Saint August de origine animae lib. 1. cap. 9. The answer The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul and the whole primitiue church For now such princes as punish papists or fauour not poperie must be murdered disinherited excommunicated deposed depriued giuen to the diuell and not praied for They may not looke for the dutie which was giuen to persecuting princes then For our holie father of Rome will not
allow it I see not for what purpose you alledge Augustine and therefore I passe him ouer with silence 1. Tim. 3. 4. The text Well ruling his owne house ⸫ hauing his children subiect with all chastitie The note He saith hauing children not getting children Saint Ambrose Epist 82. The answer I hope saint Ambrose doth not meane that he should haue children of other mens begetting or that it should be lawfull for a bishop to be a married man and not lawfull for him to liue according to the lawes of matrimonie which God himselfe hath set downe But I sée you are glad to vse the fathers where you find them a little too much to fauor and fansie your single life 1. Tim. 3. 6. The text Not a ⸫ neophyte least puffed vp into pride he fall into iudgement of the diuell The note Neophytus is he that was lately christened or newly planted in the mysticall bodie of Christ. The answer Héerein I confesse the church of England hath béene negligent and faultie for permitting some of your dissembling papists to exercise the ministerie of the word afore sufficient triall by length of time was had of their vnfained repentance and conuersion 2. Tim 4. ◠The text For ⸫ euery creature of God is good and nothing to be reiected that is receiued with thankesgiuing The note We see plainly by these words such abstinence onely to be disallowed as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature creation The note We sée a double estimation of meats héere one taken from the nature creation of things the other from the person of him that vseth them as appéereth plainly in these words which God created for the faithfull and for them that haue knowen the truth Your church therefore is heere plainly noted first for that it maketh it vnlawfull for some to féede of diuers and sundrie of the creatures of God which God had appointed for the vse of all the faithfull Secondly bicause it hath generally caused men to make a superstitious difference betwixt fish fruit flesh egs and whitemeat being al alike by nature and creation For that which God hath made lawfull at all times with you is somtimes vnlawfull holines and the seruice of God or at least a parcell of it is planted in superstitious abstinence and mens consciences tied and intangled in the things in which God hath left them frée As for your ouer turning this to be meant of other ancient heretiks can no more excuse you than it did excuse the Manichées that this was meant of the Tatians Cataphriges Eucratites and such like who were long afore them 1. Tim. 4. 8. The text For ⸫ corporall exercise is profitable to little but pietie is profitable to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come The note Some saith S. Chysostom expound this of fasting but they are deceiued for fasting is a spirituall exercise See a goodly commentarie of these words in S. August lib. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33. The answer Corporall or bodily exercise are externall actions for religions sake vsed and exercised as watching long abstinence from meate and drinke the daily reciting of a certaine number of praiers lieng and lodging on the bare ground the wearing of haire cloth next the skin whippings and whatsoeuer other bodily vexations besides wherein papists plant merit and their heremites and others their religious do without al measure or mean vse These and such like are the things which saint Paul saith are profitable to little and yet a great péece of poperie consisteth in them The maners of the catholike church in saint Augustines time to which you refer vs doth as much differ from the maners of the church of Rome now as chalke doth differ from chéese 1. Tim. 5. 5. The text But she that is a widow indeed and desolate let hir hope in God and continue in obsecrations and ⸫ praiers night day The note Bicause of this continuall praier which standeth not with coniugall all and carnall acts of matrimonie as the Apostle signifieth 1. Cor. 7. 5. therfore were these widowes to liue in the state of perpetual continencie The answer All Christian men are commanded to continue in praiers and to pray without ceasing Therfore by your reason it is lawfull for no Christian to marry You care not how vainly you conclude nor into what briers you bring poore men that haue tender consciences so you seeme to say somwhat for your single life 1. Tim. 5. 17. The text The priests that rule wellet them be esteemed ⸫ woorthy of double honor especially they that labour in the worde and doctrine The note Double honor and liuelihood due to good priests The answer But goodnes of priests consisteth not in saieng masse and sacrificing for the quicke and the dead but in wel ruling their flock and in diligent and painefull instructing the people which pertaine to their charge in Christian religion 1. Tim. 5. 19. The text ⸫ Against a priest receiue not accusation but vnder two or three witnesses The note Here the Apostle will not haue euerie light fellow to be heard against a priest So Augustine for the like reuerence of priesthood admonisheth Paucarius that in no wise he admit any testimonies or accusations of heretikes against a catholike priest ep 212. The answer No reason that against ministers of the worde accusations should lightly be admitted and your dealing against vs in continuall lieng and false accusations doth verie well iustifie Augustines counsell to Paucarius For it is a verie dangerous thing to admit the accusations of popish heretikes against true Catholikes séeing they are commonly woont with their aduersaries to kéepe neither faith nor truth 1. Tim. 5. 22. The text Impose hands on no man ⸫ lightly neither do thou communicate with other mens sins The note Bishops must haue great care that they giue not order to anie that is not well tried for his faith learning and good behauiour The answer Herein we fully agrée with you But this rule hath béene as well kept by you as all good precepts haue besides But it is no matter for the pope and his bishops learned neither of Peter nor of Paul but of Ieroboam to make priests for their own tooth 1. Tim. 6. 3. The text If any ⸫ teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to pietie he is proud knowing nothing The note See the annotation before cap. 1. 34. The answer We agrée with you vpon this point that all doctrine which is odde singuler new differing from that which was first planted by the Apostles and descended from them to all nations and ages following is assuredly erronius Let vs therefore setting all other things apart examine the doctrine of your church and so much as shall be found to descend from the apostles we wil with all our harts embrace But this
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
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
most shamefully the simplicitie of the ignorant to offer largely to you vnder colour of honoring them And therefore if you should not maintaine this note that butter would not cleaue to your bread Hebr. 11. 26. The text Esteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches then the treasure of the Egyptians For ⸫ he looked vnto the remuneration The note The protestants that denie we may or ought to do good in respect or for reward in heauen are hereby confuted The answer You haue confuted your own shadow and not the protestants for it is your slander and not our assertion that is hereby confuted For we confesse that in well doing men may respect and haue an eie to such rewardes as God hath promised But this we say withall that it is not the reward onlie or chiefelie that the saints of God haue respect or regard to for that were either hipocriticall or seruile but the reuerence that sonnes owe vnto their father who the more assured they are of his fatherlie fauor the gladder they are to please him and the loather to displease Hebr. 12. 15. The text Looking diligentlie least anie man ⸫ be wanting to the grace of God lest anie roore of bitternesse springing vp do hinder and by it manie be polluted The note That we be not good there is no lacke on Gods part who offereth his grace to vs but the defect is in our selues that are not answerable to Gods calling of vs and grace towards vs. The answer This note is verie true and therefore we ought carefullie to call vpon God to reforme vs and to renue vs that we be not also amongst them that stubburnly refuse the grace of God calling them Hebr. 12. 16. The text Least there be anie fornicator or prophane person as ⸫ Esau who for one dish of meat sold his first birth rightes The note Such as forsake their saluation and religion to saue their lands and goods are like Esau. The answer This note must haue a fauorable interpretation and some cautions exceptions except you will leaue no place of repentance to them that haue once preferred goods afore religion but either hipocriticall or too late as Esaus was Hebr. 12. 22. The text But ⸫ you are come to mount Sion and the citie of the liuing God heauenlie Ierusalem and the assemblies of manie thousands of Angels and the Church of the first borne which are written in the heauens and the iudge of all God and the spirits of the iust made perfect and the mediatour of the newe Testament c. The note The faithfull are made fellowes of Angels and of all the perfect soules departed since the beginning of the world and of Christ him selfe The answer Bicause the church is the fellowship of all the saints which haue béene are or shall be whereof Christ and not the pope is head and chiefe and which with Christ make one bodie Hebr. 13. 9. The text With ⸫ various and strange doctrines be not led away The note New diuers changeable and strange doctrines to be auoided for such be hereticall against which the best remedie or preseruatiue is alwaies to looke backe to our first Apostles and the holie fathers doctrine The answer I would to God you would once kéepe promise to looke backe in truth to our first Apostles doctrine so should our controuersies be soone at an end but you commonlie by your first apostle meane your corrupt monke Augustine And if by him you would examine your doctrine you must cast away a number of your chiefe corruptions which he neuer knew of Hebr. 13. 21. The text And the God of peace which brought out from the dead the great pastor of the sheepe in the blood of the eternall testament our Lord Iesus Christ ⸫ fit you in all goodnesse that you may doe his will c. The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is make you perfect and absolute in all goodnesse The answer This you learned either of master Beza or of Erasmus or of both giue them thankes for it IAMES Iam. 1. 14. The text For ⸫ euerie one is tempted of his owne concupiscence abstracted and allured The note The ground of temptation to sinne is our concupiscence not God The answer Tentations are either outward or inward Tentations outward are afflictions wherebie God is woont to trie and prooue men as gold and siluer is tried in the fire Tentations inward whereof Iames speaketh in this place are inordinate desires prouoking soliciting vs to sinne but bicause men who receiue corruption from Adam are prone and readie to do as Adam did that is to lay their faults frō them selues to God therfore Iames earnestlie admonisheth them to looke into them selues and there to espie and sée the roote and matter of all corruption Iam. 1. 25. The text But he that hath looked into the law of perfect libertie and hath remained in it not made a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke this man shalbe ⸫ blessed in his deede The note Beatitude or saluation consisteth in well working The answer Weldoers or workers are blessed and saued and yet notwithstanding beatitude saluation doth not consist in our weldoing but in the mercie goodnes of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ. Therefore it is to be obserued that in this place Iames maketh a comparison betwéene hearers of the word whereof one sort are negligent forgetfull therefore neuer the better for the things they heare The other sort are diligent and commit to memorie and put in practise in life the thing they learned by hearing these latter so doing and not the former shew them selues to be blessed and saued For Christ preached is their saluation their workes do testifie their faith whereby they haue laied hold on Christ their righteousnes as fruits do witnes the goodnes of a trée Iames. ◠20. The text But wilt thou know ⸫ ô vaine man that faith without works is idle The note Ile speaketh to all heretikes that say Faith onely without works doth iustifie calling them vaine men The answer You shew your delight you séeke to deceiue your selues and others by equiuocations For you know well ynough that faith is not taken héere for a true and a liuely faith which worketh by loue as Paul and we take it when we speake of iustifieng by faith Secondly you know also that we make no account of anie such faith as is idle or separated from loue Thirdly you know that saint Iames taketh not héere iustifieng for being made iust but for being declared and shewed to be iust as appéereth by the example of Abraham which he bringeth For God first made him iust and afterward he was declared and shewed so to be by that most excellent example of obedience in offering his sonne Isaac There is therfore no contrarietie betwixt vs and Iames though you go about to prooue that by sound of words which by sound or iust meaning you cannot effect and bring to passe 〈◊〉 3.
The singular reward of martyrdome The answer But that rewarde of martyrdome magnifieth mightilie the marueilous munificence of our good and gratious God and not the merit of the martyr Apoc. 2. 11. The text He that shall ouercome shall not be hurt of the ⸫ seconde death The note The death of the body is the first death the death of the soule the second Which martyrs are surest to escape of all men The answer That true martyrs are sure to escape the second death is granted but not surer then other that be the sonnes of the same God who are assured of his fatherly fauor both by his promise and by the testimonie and witnes of the spirit of adoption Apoc. 2. 13. The text And in those daies Antipas my faithfull witnes who was slaine amongst you ⸫ where sathan dwelleth The note The speciall residence of sathan is where the faithfull are persecuted for Christs truth where not to denie the catholike faith for feare is much here commended The answer The speciall residence therefore of sathan is wheresoeuer the bishop of Rome beareth swaie for in all those places the blood of infinite martyrs haue béene shed to the great praise and commendation of those that haue constantly suffered for the testimonie of Gods truth Apoc. 2. 19. The text I know thy ⸫ works thy faith and thy charitie and ministerie and thy patience and thy last works mo then the former The note None of these are any thing woorth without the other The answer These things do so mutually follow one an other that though they may be distinguished yet separated they cannot be Your spéech therefore is like this the sunne is naught woorth without light The fire is naught woorth without heate For loue doth necessarily follow faith and after faith and loue our ministerie and diligent seruice to God in the vocation wherin it hath pleased him to plant vs with patience and all plentie of good works do necessarily follow so that one of these cannot be alone as you imagine Apoc. 2. 23. The text And all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reines and harts and I will giue to euery one of you ⸫ according to his works The note Who seeth not heere that good works deserue saluation as ill works deserue damnation and that it is not faith alone which God rewardeth but that faith which worketh by charitie The answer He had néede of a woonderfull sharpe sight that should sée here that which is not here You know well enough for it hath béene often told you that it followeth not that works deserue bicause God rewardeth But still bicause you are not able to make better proofe you make your selues sport with this Likewise you haue béene often told that we set lesse store by that faith which is alone then you do For if it be without charity it is improperly called faith being common both to wicked men and diuels Apoc. 2. 28. The text And he that shall ouercome and keepe my works vnto the end I will giue him power ouer the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and as a vessel of a potter shall they be broken ⸫ as I also haue receiued of my father and I will giue him the morning star The note This great priuilege of saints riseth of the power and preheminence of Christ which his father gaue him according to his humanitie and therefore to denie it to saints is to denie it to Christ himselfe The answer You should haue told vs what this priuilege is and to whom it is giuen dead or liuing saints so should you not colorably haue nuzeled your blind and ignorant followers in the superstitions that they haue learned of you Therefore that which you subtilly haue omitted we will performe to the end your craft may be of all men espied The rod of iron or scepter of Christs kingdome is his word whereby he ruleth and gouerneth al that are his This word he hath committed into the hands of his ministers to rule and gouerne his church thereby also to destroy breake downe and ouerthrow euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against it to withstand it which shall be by it broken and shiuered to péeces as a potters vessell is broken with a rod of iron This is the power that is giuen to them ouer nations How then can you fetch out of this that which you couet that is defence for your robbing of God and his Christ of his honor and giuing it to dead saints Apoc. 3. 4. The text But thou hast a few names in Sardis ⸫ which haue not defiled their garments The note Such as haue not committed deadly sinne after baptisme The answer All sinne of it selfe and according to the nature thereof whether it be originall or actuall whether it séeme small or great is deadly for the reward and wages of it is death And therefore your distinction of deadly and veniall sinnes in that sense that you set it downe is false friuolous and foolish Apoc. 3. 4. The text And they shall walke with me in whites bicause they ⸫ are woorthie The note Note that there is in man a woorthines of the ioies of heauen by holy life and this is a common speech in holy scripture that man is woorthie of God of heauen of saluation The answer Note that no where in scripture our meriting or deseruing the ioies of heauen is found and note also that woorthines by our good and holie life is a popish tradition and one of their vnwritten verities for it is Christ in whom we are made woorthie And thirdly note that therefore héere as commonly else where our Rhemists play but the boyish sophisters to abuse the poore ignorant vnlearned people which depend vpon them with ambiguitie of words Apoc. 3. 20. The text Behold I stand at the doore and ⸫ knocke if any man shall heare my voice and open the gate I will enter in to him and will sup with him and he with me The note God first calleth vpon man and knocketh at the doore of his hart that is to say offereth his grace And it lieth in man to giue consent by free will holpen also by his grace The answer That God offereth his grace we consent but that the reformation of mans will is by you parted betwixt God and man that we cannot like of by any meanes For that you cannot gather neither of this place or of any other For where by nature our will is altogither corrupt God yea euen God alone must haue the whole glorie of the reformation thereof And therefore Dauid calleth that reformation by the name of creation as if it were by God to be brought foorth againe anew of nothing Apoc. 4. 1. The text After these things I looked and behold a doore open in heauen and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet speaking saieng Come vp hither and I will shew thee
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
person to forsake the faith of their first Apostles and conuersion at the voice of a few nouellaries seemeth to wise men a very bewitching and senselesse brutishnes Such is the case of our poore countrie Germanie and others The answer That Rome hath forsaken the faith and doctrine taught by their first Apostles Paul and Peter as this Epistle doth most euidently testifie at the voice of their most proud prelats and that other countries haue from thence tasted of the same cup séemeth not to wise worldlings but to the spirit of God and to those that are thereby led and guided a very bewitching and yet withall the iust iudgement of God vpon those that had not or haue not any loue to the truth Thus haue you most manifestly your note returned vpon your selues For Paule and Peter were out of all doubt the Apostles of God and the doctrine deliuered by them voide of all filth and corruptions Galat. 3. 7. The text Know yee therefore that they that are of ⸫ faith the same are the children of Abraham The text This faith wherby Abraham was iustified and his children the Gentiles beleeuing in Christ implieth all Christian vertues of the which the first is faith the ground and foundation of all the rest and therfore here and else where often named of the Apostle The answer Sée your foule shifts when we say faith iustifieth then you vrge against vs a dead faith voide of all Christian vertues yea you go farther for you affirme that all faith and so consequently a true liuely faith may be without charitie Againe on the contrarie side when the force and plainnes of the text driueth you to confesse iustification by faith then faith implieth all Christian vertues So when it may serue your turne things inseparable as true faith hope and charitie must be separated and againe for the like aduantage things distinct must be confounded and one must imply and comprehende an other But for answer we confesse that faith is accompanied with all Christian vertues but neither they nor faith do iustifie by their owne vertue or merit as qualities inherent or resiant in vs. But faith is said to iustifie bicause by it we apprehend and lay hold vpon Christ and his righteousnes which is thereby made ours by Gods imputation And this office is proper to faith and not to any other vertue Galat. 4. 3. The text So we also when we were litle ones were seruing vnder the elements of the world The note That is the rudiments of religion wherein the carnall Iewes were trained vp or the corporall creatures wherin their manifold sacrifices sacraments and rites did consist The answer If the corporall creatures vsed in the multitude of their sacrifices sacraments and rites were an argument of their seruile estate vnder the law then consider the great heape of rites and ceremonies in your church and sée whether they doo not serue to bring Christians into seruitude and bondage againe by making them to serue vnder the elements of the world againe Naie the state of the Iewes was lesse seruile and more tolerable both in respect of number and multitude of ceremonies and in respect of the commander For the greater the dignitie of the commander is the more tolerable and better is the condition and state of the seruant Galat. 4. 14. The text And your tentation in my flesh you despised not neither reiected but as an ⸫ Angell of God you receiued me as Christ Iesus The note So ought all catholike people receiue their teachers in religion with all dutie loue and reuerence The answer The name of catholike being to true catholikes applied wée imbrace your note Galat. 4. 29. The text But ⸫ as then he that was borne according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit so now also The note This mutuall persecution is a figure also of the church iustly persecuting heretikes and contrariwise of the heretikes which be the children of the bond woman vniustly persecuting the catholike church Augustine epist. 48. The answer The text is plaine that he that is after the flesh persecuted him which is after the spirit a plaine figure of your persecuting church The casting out of the bondwoman and her sonne done by Abraham may be drawne by Augustin or some other father to that purpose that you alledge it Galat. 5. 17. The text For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these are aduersaries one to another ⸫ that not whatsoeuer things you will these you do The note Heere men thinke saith Saint Augustine the apostle denieth that we haue free libertie of will not vnderstanding that it is said to them if they will not hold fast the grace of faith conceiued by which onely they can walke in the spirit and not accomplish the concupiscences of the flesh in cap. 5. Gal. The answer The text is plaine against both libertie and abilitie of will And Saint Augustine as you know confesseth that when he wrote this he did not vnderstand that the words were verified of them which were vnder grace and not vnder the law Bicause that though such do not consent to the concupiscence of the flesh against the which in spirit they long yet they would not haue any of those corruptions of the flesh if they might and they do not whatsoeuer they would bicause they would want them and can not But then they shall not haue them when they haue not corruptible flesh Do yée not sée what a patron you haue of S. Augustine and are you not ashamed to alledge that as his which you know he himselfe hath reuoked Galat. 5. 21. The text Which I foretel you as I haue foretold you that they which ⸫ do such things shall not obtaine the kingdome of heauen The note Saint Augustine sheweth hereby that not onely infidelitie is a damnable sinne The answer Wherein we not onely agrée with Saint Augustine but also say farther that willing ignorance the mother of popish deuotion in the which you were woont to nussell your followers is a great and damnable sinne Galat. 6. 9. The text And doing good let vs not faile For in due time we shall ⸫ reape not failing The note The works of mercy be the seede of life euerlasting and the proper cause thereof and not faith onely The answer This is plaine blasphemie to place the proper cause of eternal life and saluation not in Christ but in our selues and in our owne works of mercie which you here most plainely do Your reason is taken out of the metaphor of séede and sowing The vanitie of it is in this that you racke the metaphor beyond the scope and meaning of the apostle For the apostle exhorteth them to liberalitie especially towards their teachers and instructers in the faith To incourage men therunto he telleth them that they shall be as sure or more sure of the rewardes promised of God then the sower shall be to reape that which