vvere circumcised and had receiued the Lavv by Moyses for such carnal respects they trusted in themselues as though God and Christ vvere vnseparably bound vnto them attributing also so much to their ovvne workes vvhich they thought they did of them selues being holpeÌ„ with the knovvledge of their lavv that they vvould not acknovvledge the death of Christ to be necessarie for their saluation but looked for such a Christ as should be like other princes of this vvorld and make them great men temporally Herevpon did S. Paul vvrite his Epistles to shevv both the vocation of the Gentiles and the reprobation of the Ievves Moreouer to admonish both the Christian Gentiles not to receiue Circumcision and other ceremonies of Moyses lavv in no vvise and the Ievves also not to put their trust in the same but rather to vnderstand that novv Christ being come they must cease Againe to shevv the necessitie of Christs comming and of his death that vvithout it neither the Gentiles could be saued no nor the Ievves by no vvorkes that they could doe of them selues although they vvere also holpen by the Lavv telling them what vvas good vvhat vvas bad for so much as al vvere sinners and therfore also impotent or infirme and the Lavv could not take avvay sinne and infirmitie and giue strength to fulfil that vvhich it gaue knovvledge of but this vvas God onely able to doe and for Christs sake onely vvould he doe it Therfore it is necessarie for al to beleeue in Christ and to be made his members being incorporat into his Body vvhich is his Catholike Church For so although they neuer yet did good vvorke but al il they shal haue remission of their sinnes and nevv strength vvithal to make them able to fulfil the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts of Gods lavv yea their vvorkes after this shal be so gracious in Gods sight that for them he vvil giue them lift euerlasting This is the necessitie this is also the fruite of Christian Religion And therfore be exhorteth al both Gentils and Ievves as to receiue it humbly so also to perseuêre in it constantly vnto the end against al seduction of heresie and against al terror of persecution and to vvalke al their time in good vvorkes as novv God hath made them able to doe The same doctrine doth the Catholike Church teach vnto this day most exactly to vvit that no vvorkes of the vnbeleeuing or vnbaptized vvhether they be Ievves or Gentiles can saue them no nor of any Heretike or Schismatike although he be baptized because he is not a member of Christ yea more then that no vvorke of any that is not a liuely member of Christ although othervvise he be baptized and continue vvithin his Church yet because he is not in grace but in mortal sinne no vvorke that he doth is meritorious or able to saue him This very same is S. Paules doctrine he denieth to the vvorkes of such as haue not the Spirit of Christ al vertue to iustifie or to saue neither requireth he a man to haue had knovvledge of the Lavv or to haue kept it afortime as though othervvise he might not be saued by Christ but yet vvhen he is Christened he requireth of necessitie that he keepe Gods commaundements by auoiding of al sinne and doing good vvorkes and to such a mans good vvorkes he attributeth as much vertue as any Catholike of this time Neuerthelesse there vvere certaine at that time as also al the Heretikes of this our time vvhom S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable vvho reading S. Paules Epistles did misconster his meaning as though he required not good vvorkes no more after Baptisme then before Baptisme but held that onely Faith did iustifie and saue a man Therevpon the other Apostles vvrote their Epistles as S. Augustine noteth in these vvordes Therfore because this opinion Ad salutem obtinendam sufficere Solam sidem that onely faith is sufficient to obteine saluation was then risen the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames Iude do against it specially direct theire intention to auouch vehemently fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse that saith vvithout vvorkes profiteth nothing As also Paul him selfe did not define it to be quamlibet fidem qua in Deum creditur whatsoeuer maner of faith vvherevvith vve beleeue in God but that holesome expresse Euangelical faith vvhose vvorkes procede from loue and the faith quoth he that vvorketh by loue vvherevpon that faith vvhich some thinke to be sufficient to saluation he so affirmeth to profite nothing that he saith If I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing He therfore that vvill not erre in this point nor in any other reading either S. Paules Epistles or the rest of the holy Scriptures must sticke fast to the doctrine of the Catholike Church vvhich Church S. Paul termeth the piller and ground of the truth assuring him self that if any thing there found to him as contrarie herevnto he faileth of the right sense and bearing alvvaies in his minde the admonition of S. Peter saying As also our most deere brother Paul according to the vvisedom giuen to him hath vvritten to you as also in al his Epistles speaking in them of these things in the vvhich are certaine things hard to vnderstand vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the Scriptures to theire ovvne perdition You therfore brethren foreknovving take heede lest ye be led amis by the error of the vnvvise and fall avvay from your ovvne stedfastnes THE TIME VVHEN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANES VVAS VVRITTEN and the Argument thereof THE historie of S. Paul vntil be came to Rome S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles vvrote exactly and though vvithout any mention of his Epistles yet certaine it is that some of them he vvrote before he came there to vvit the â—vvo vnto the Corinthians and this to the Romanes * as it seemeth before them al the Epistle to the Galatians Vvherein yet because he maketh mention of the fouretenth yere after his conuersion it appeareth that he preached so long vvithout any vvriting And this order may thus briefely be gathered First he preached to the Galatians Act. 16 and passing through Phrygia and the countrey of Galatia Vvhereof he maketh mention himselfe also Gal. 1 Vve euangelized to you and Gal. 4 I euangelized to you heretofore After vvhich the false Apostles came and persuaded them to receiue Circumcision Vvherevpon he saith Gal. 1 I maruel that thus so soone you are traÌ„sferred from him that called you to the grace of Christ vnto an other Gospel and vvisheth therfore Gal. 4. saying And I vvould I vvere vvith you novv And accordingly he came vnto them aftervvard as vve reade Act. 18 Vvalking in order through the countrie of Galatia and phrygia confirming al the Disciples At vvhich time also it seemeth that he tooke order vvith them about those contributions
Cornelius epistle to Fabius concerning Nouatus Likewise S. Cyprian in many places namely ep 55. nu 1. where see the notes vpon the same S. Hiero. ep 2. c. 6. Of Subdeacon there is mention in S. Augustine ep 74 and ep 20 de epistolis 22 in edit Paris S. Epiph. harâ— 59. S. Cyprian ep 24. S. Ignatius ep 9 ad Antiochâ—nos and in the 43 canon of the Apostles Conc. Tolet. 2. can 1 3. Conc. Laodicen can 21. Epist Epiph. apud Hiero. 60. c. 1. 1â— In the house of God Al the vvorld being Gods yet the Church onely is his house the Rector or Ruler vvhereof at this day saith S. Ambrose vpon this place is damasus where let our louing brethren note vvel how cleere a case it vvas then that the Pope of Rome vvas not the Gouernour onely of one particular See but of Christes vvhole house vvhich is the Vniuersal Church vvhose Rector this day is Gregorie the thirtenth 15. The piller of truth This place pincheth al Heretikes vvonderfully and so it euer did and therfore they oppose them selues directly against the very letter and confessed sense of the same that is cleane contrarie to the Apostle some saying the Church to be lost or hidden some to be fallen avvay from Christ these many ages some to be driuen to a corner onely of the vvorld some that it is become a stewes and the seate of Antichrist lastly the Protestants most plainely and directly that it may and doth erre and hath shamefully erred for many hundred yeres together And they say herein like them selues and for the credit of their ovvne doctrine vvhich can not be true in very deede except the Church erre euen the Church of Christ vvhich is here called the house of the liuing God But the Church vvhich is the house of God whose Rector saith S. Ambrose in his time was Damasus and novv Gregorie the thirtenth and in the Apostles time S. Peter is the piller of truth the establishement of al veritie therfore it can not erre It hath the Spirit of God to lead it into al truth till the vvorldes end therfore it can not erre It is builded vpon a rocke hel gates shal not preuaile against it therfore it can not erre Christ is in it til the end of the vvorld he hath placed in it Apostles Doctors Pastors and Rulers to the consummation and ful perfection of the whole body that in the meane time we be not caried about vvith euery blast of doctrine therfore it can not erre He hath praied for it that it be sanctified in veritie that the faith of the cheefe Gouernour therof faile not it is his house his spouse his body his lotte kingdom and inheritance giuen him in this vvorld he loueth it as his ovvne flesh and it can not be diuorced or separated from him therfore it can not erre the nevv Testament Scriptures Sacraments and sacrifice can not be changed being the euerlasting dourie of the Church continued and neuer rightly occupied in any other Church but in this our Catholike Church therfore it can not erre And therfore al those pointes of doctrine faith and vvorship vvhich the Arians Manichees Protestants Anabaptistes other old or new Heretikes vntruely thinke to be errors in the Church be no errors in deede but them selues most shamfully are deceiued and so shal be still til they enter againe into this house of God vvhich is the piller and ground of al truth that is to say not onely it self free from al error in faith and religion but the piller and stay to leane vnto in al doubtes of doctrine and to stand vpon against al heresies and errors that il times yeld without vvhich there can be no certaintie nor securitie And therfore the holy Apostles and Councels of Nice and Constantinople made it an article of our Creeds to beleeue the CATHOLIKE and APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH Vvhich is not onely to acknowledge that there is such a Church as heretikes falsely say but that that which is called the Catholike Church knovven so to be and coÌ„municateth vvith the See Apostolike is the Church and that vve must beleeue heare and obey the same as the touch stone piller and firmament of truth For al this is comprised in that principle I beleeue the Catholike Church And therfore the CouÌ„cel of Nice said I beleeue in the Church that is I beleeue and trust the same in al things Neither can the Heretikes escape by fleing from the knovven visible Church to the hid congregation or companie of the Predestinate For that is but a false phantastical apprehension of Vvicleffe and his folowers The companie of the Predestinate maketh not any one Societie among them selues many of them being yet vnborne and many yet Infidels and heretikes and therfore be not of the one house of God vvhich is here called the piller of truth And those of the Predestinate that be already of the Church make not a seueral companie from the knovven Catholike Church but are baptized houseled taught they liue and die in the common Catholike visible Church or els they can neither receiue Sacraments nor saluation S. Paul instructeth not Timothee hovv to teach preach correct and conuerse in the inuisible societie of the Predestinate but in the visible house of God So that it must needes be the visible Church which can not erre If any make further question how it can be that any companie or societie of men as the Church is can be void of error in faith seing al men may erre he must knovv that it is not by nature but by priuilege of Christes presence of the Holy Ghosts assistance of our Lordes promis and praier See S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the 118 Psalme Cone 13. Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis vsqucquaque Vvhere he hath goodly speaches of this matter For the same purpose also these vvordes of Lactantius are very notable It is the Catholike Church onely that keepeth the true vvorship of God this is the fountaine of truth this the house of faith this the Temple of God vvhither if any man enter not or from vvhich if any man go out he is an aliene and stranger from the hope of euerlasting life and saluation No man must by obstinate contention flatter him self for it standeth vpon life and saluation c. S. Cyprian saith The Church neuer departeth frâ—m that vvhich she once hath knovven Ep. 55 ad Cornel. nu 3. S. Ireneus saith That the Apostles haue laid vp in the Church as in a rich treasurie al truth And that she keepeth wish most sincere diligence the Apostles faith and preaching li. 3 c. 4. 40. li. 1. c. 3. It vvere an infinite thing to recite al that the fathers say of this matter al counting it a most pernicious absurditie to affirme that the Church of Christ may erre in religion CHAP. IIII.
estimation examples of some peculiar traditions out of the fathers S. Chrysostom S. Basil S. Hierom. S. Augustine S. Epiphanius S. Irenaeus Tertullian S. Cyprian Origen The Scriptures giuen vs by tradition and the sense thereof The Creede an Apostolical tradition An inuincible argument for the credite of Traditions â— Here also 〈◊〉 as is noted before 2 Thess 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translatioÌ„s auoid the vvord Tradition being plaine in the Greeke lest them selues might seeme to be noted as men vvalking inordinately and not according to Apostolical Tradition as al Schismatikes Heretikes and rebels to Gods Church doe Ep. 6 18. Col. 4 3. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Th. 2. 1. Cor. 9 6. Gal. 6 9. The heretikes cauillation against Religious meÌ„ that vvorke not ansvvered 1 Cor. 9. The spiritual trauailes of the Clergie * See S. Cypr. ep 66. Religious meÌ„ working with their handes Monkes were shauen in the primitiue Church and Nonnes clipped of their heare S. Augustines opinion concerning Religious mens working or not working li. de â—p Monach. c. 21. Ecclesiastical censures against the disobedient Not to communicate with excoÌ„municate persons but in certaine cases 1 Timoth. 3. 1 Timoth. 3. * 1 Tim. 1. Act. 20. v. 25. 38. Col. 2. v. 1. ⸬ S. Augustine saith He that list to haue the hope of heaueÌ„ let him looke that he haue a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce to haue a good conscience let him beleeue vvorke vvel for that he beleueth she hath of faith that he vvorketh he hath of charitie Praefat. in Psa 31. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 7 13 Mt. 9 13. Mr. 2 17. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Euil life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to Heresie from the faith of the Catholike Church Againe this plainely reproueth the heretikes false doctrine saying that no man can fall from the faith that he once truely had Teaching othervvise then the doctrine receiued is a special marke of Heretikes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luthers teaching othervvise Al heretical doctrine is fables Curious questioning in religion Charitie the very formal cause of our iustification Heretikes great boasters but vnlearned Libertines alleage scripture Excommunication of Heretikes and the effect thereof The Priests high authoritie of Excommunication The terrible effect thereof ⸬ Euen for heathen kings Emperours by vvhom the Church suffereth persecution much more for al faithful Princes powers and people both spiritual and temporal for vvhom as members of Christes body and therfore ioyning in praier oblation vvith the ministers of the Church the Priestes more properly and particularly offer the holy Sacrifice See S. Augustine de orig anima li. 1. c. p. 2. Tim. 1 11. 1. Pet. 3 3. 1. Cor. 14 34. Gen. 1 27. 3 6. ` she The praiers petitions in the Masse deduced out of the Apostles vvordes by S. Augustine other fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PATER NOSTER in the Masse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Theoph. in hunc loc Praier in the Masse for kings and other God vvil no mans perditioÌ„ but the saluation of al. Hovv there is but one Mediator Christ and vvhat it is to be such a Mediator * Aug. li. 9. de Ciu. cap. 15. De fid ad Pet. c. 2. The different maner of praying to Christ and to Saincts Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Hovv there be many mediators as there be many sauiours and redeemers eueÌ„ in the Scriptures Iud. 3 9. 2 Esd 9 27. Act. 7 35. Women great talkers of Scripture and promoters of heresie * S. Chrys Ho. 9. in 1. Tim. Tit. 1 6. c He saith hauing children not getting children S. Ambr. Ep. 82. b Neophytus is he that vvas lately christened or nevvely planted in the mystical body of Christ b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great charge great merite of Ecclesiastical functions The Apostle vnder the name of Bishop instructeth Priestes also The heretikes opinion coÌ„cerning Priests mariage 1 Cor. 7. S. Paules place of one vvife excludeth bigamos from holy Orders * li. 2 ep 25. Vvho are counted bigami Leuit. 21. The Heretical clergie nothing regardeth the Apostles prescription of one vvife None euer maried after holy Orders Socrat. li. 1 c. 8. They that vvere made Priests of maried men absteined from their vviues Sozom. li. 1 c. â—2 S. Epiphanius Mariage of Priests is contrarie to the auÌ„cient canoÌ„s Eusebius S. Hierom. S. Augustine See S. Leo ep 92. c. â— S. Ambrose Tertullian S. Cyprian Councels None rashly to be admitted to the Clergie Heretikes admit al sortes vvithout exception The three holy orders only bound to chastitie Leo ep 92. c. 3. Greg. li. 1 ep 42. The 4 inferiour orders not bound to chastitie Al the seuen orders auncient eueÌ„ from Christ and the Apostles time S. Ambrose calleth the B. of Rome Rector of the vvhole Church The heretikes say directly coÌ„trarie to the Apostle that the Church is not the piller of truth That the Church is the piller of truth and can not erre is proued by many reasons Io. 14 16. Mat. 16. Mat. 28. Eph. 4. Io. 17. Luc. 22. Psal 2. Eph. 5. The meaning of this article I beleeue the Cath. Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the visible Church that is the piller or truth and can not erre Vvhence the Church hath this priuilege neuer to erre S. Augustine Lactantius S. Cyprian S. Irenaeus 2 Tim. 3 3 Pet. 3. Iude v. 18. ⸬ We see plainely by these vvordes such abstinence only to be disalovved as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature creation 1. Tim. 1 4. Tit. 3 9. ⸬ Some saith S. Chrysost expound this of fasting but they are deceiued-for fasting is a spiritual exercise See a goodly commentarie of these vvordes in S. August li. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33. Al Heretikes are apostataes from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 1. 19. The old Heresies against matrimonie * Aug. har 46. The old Heresies about abstinâ—â—e from meates The Catholikes impudently charged vvith the said old heresies Abstinence from certaine meates is no condemnation of the meates Diuers good causes of abstinence Forbidding certaine persons to marrie is no condemnation of matrimonie Catholikes esteeme matrimonie more then the Protestants doe The Protestants obiectoÌ„s answered long ago by S. Hierom and S. Augustine * Aug. li. 2 c. 5 de nupt câ—ncupise Blessing of the table or of meates specially by a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To blesse is a preeminence of the better person Hebr. 7. No creature il by nature yea one more sanctified then an other Holy times and places euery thing deputed to the seruice of God holy Mat. 23. 2 Pet. 1. Creatures hallovved by the signe of the Crosse The blessing of our meate vvhat a vertue it hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
many other vvomen that came vp together vvith him to Hierusalem ✠verse 42 And vvhen euening vvas come because it vvas the Parasceue vvhich is the Sabboth-eue ✠verse 43 came Ioseph of Arimathaea a noble Senatour vvho him self also vvas expecting the kingdom of God and he vvent in boldly to Pilate and asked the body of IESVS ✠verse 44 But Pilate marueled if he vvere novv dead And sending for the Centurion asked him if he vvere novv dead ✠verse 45 And vvhen he vnderstoode by the Centurion he gaue the body to Ioseph ✠verse 46 And Ioseph ″ bying sindon and taking him dovvne vvrapped him in the sindon and laid him in a monument that vvas hevved out of a rocke And he rolled a stone to the doore of the monument ✠verse 47 And Marie Magdalene and Marie of Ioseph beheld vvhere he vvas laid ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 11. Cheefe Priests Heretikes abuse the ignorant people with these naughtie Priests of the old Testament to make that name odious and to discredite the Priests of Christ in the new Testament But for these Priests thou maist not maruel that they are so busy against Christ * partly because they were such as were intruded by the secular power of the Roman Emperour and from yere to yere by bribery and frendship not by succession according to the Law of Moyses partly because the time was now come when the old Priesthod of Aaron should cease and the new begin according to the order of Melchife dec and for these causes cod suffered their former priueleges of wisedom and iudgemeÌ„t and discretion to decay in these later vsurpers and that according to the Prophet saying The Law shal perish from the Priest and counsel from the Ancients But the Priesthod of the new Testament is to continew vnto the end of the world and hath as being the principal part of the Church the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost for euer promised to teach it al truth and for Peter the cheefe Priest thereof vnder Christ our Sauiour praied That his faith should not faile and to the rest he said He that heareth you heareth me â—â— To satisfie the people Pilate should haue suffered death rather then by other mens prouocation or commaundement haue executed an innocent as a Christian iudge should rather suffer al extremitie then giue sentence of death against a Catholike man for his faith â—6 Bying sindon This dutie done to Christes body after his departure was exceding meritorious and is therfore by holy write so often commended for an example to faithful men to vse al honour and deuotion towards the bodies of Saincts and holy persons CHAP. XVI The third day to three vvomen at his Sepulcher an Angel telleth that he is risen and vvil as he promised Mar. 14 28. shevv him self in Galileâ— 9 The same day he appeareth to Marie Magdalene aftervvard to tvvo Disciples yet the Eleuen vvil not beleeue it vntil to them also he appeareth 15 To vvhom hauing giuen commission into al nations vvith povver also of Miracles he ascendeth and they plant his Church euery vvhere verse 1 AND vvhen the Sabboth vvas past Marie Magdalene and Marie of Iames and Salôme ″ bought spices that comming they might anoint IESVS ✠verse 2 And very early the first of the Sabboths they come to the monument the sunne being novv risen ✠verse 3 And they said one to an other Vvho shal roll vs backe the stone from the doore of the monument ✠verse 4 And looking they savv the stone rolled backe for it vvas very great ✠verse 5 And entring into the monument they savv a yong man sitting on the right hand couered vvith a vvhite robe and they vvere astonied ✠verse 6 Vvho saith to them Be not dismaied you seeke IESVS of Nazareth that vvas crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place vvhere they laid him ✠verse 7 But goe tel his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shal see him * as he told you ⊢ ✠verse 8 But they going forth fled from the monument for trembling and feare had inuaded them and they said nothing to any body for they vvere afraid ✠verse 9 And he rising early the first of the Sabboth * appeared first to Marie Magdalene * out of vvhom he had cast seuen deuils ✠verse 10 She vvent and told them that had been vvith him that vvere mourning and vveeping ✠verse 11 And they hearing that he vvas aliue and had been seen of her did not beleeue ✠verse 12 And * after he appeared in an ″ other shape to tvvo of them vvalking as they vvere going into the countrie ✠verse 13 and they going told the rest neither them did they beleeue ✠verse 14 Last * he appeared to those eleuen as they sate at the table and he exprobrated their incredulity and hardnes of hart because they did not beleeue them that had seen him risen againe ✠verse 15 And he said to them * Going into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospel to al creatures ✠verse 16 He that ″ beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned ✠verse 17 And them that beleeue ″ these signes shal folow In my name shal they cast out deuils They shal speake vvith nevv tonges ✠verse 18 Serpents shal they take avvay And if they drinke any deadly thing it shal not hurt them They shal impose hands vpon the sicke and they shal be vvhole ✠verse 19 And so our Lord IESVS after he spake vnto them * vvas assumpted into heauen and sate on the right hand of God ✠verse 20 But they going forth preached euery vvhere our Lord working vvithal and confirming the vvord vvith signes that folovved ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 1. Bought spices As she did bestow and consume a costly ointment vpon his body being yet aliue c. 14 3 Christ him self defending and highly commending the fact against Iudas and other who accounted it to be superfluous and better to be bestowed otherwise So not without great deuotion and merite she and these other women seeke to anoint his body dead though Heretikes or other simple persons may pretend such things to be better bestowed vpon the poore and therfore * she first before al other * and they next saw him after his Resurrection 12. In an other shape Christ though he haue but one corporal shape natural to his person yet by his omnipotencie he may be in whatsoeuer forme and appears in the likenesse of any other man or creature as he list Therfore let no man thinke it strange that he may be vnder the forme of bread in the B. Sacrament 16. He that beleeueth Note wel that whereas this Euangelist mentioneth only faith and baptisme as though to beleeue and to be baptized were
Father in me The vvordes that I speake to you of my self I speake not But my father that abideth in me he doeth the vvorkes ✠verse 11 Beleeue you not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Othervvise for the vvorkes them selues beleeue ✠verse 12 Amen amen I say to you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he also shal doe and greater then these shal he doe ✠verse 13 because I goe to the Father and vvhatsoeuer you shal aske in my name that wil I doe ⊢ that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne ✠verse 14 If you aske me any thing in my name that vvil I doe ✠verse 15 If you loue me keepe my commaundements ✠verse 16 And I vvil aske the father and he vvil giue you an other Paraclete that he may abide vvith you for euer ✠verse 17 the Spirit of truth vvhom the vvorld can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knovveth him but you knovv ' him because he shal abide vvith you and shal be in you ✠verse 18 I vvil not leaue you orphanes I vvil come to you ✠verse 19 Yet a litle vvhile and the vvorld seeth me no more But you see me because I liue and you shal liue ⊢ ✠verse 20 In that day you shal knovv that I am in my father and you in me and I in you ✠verse 21 He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them he it is that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I vvil loue him and vvil manifest my self to him ⊢ ✠verse 22 Iudas saith to him not that Iscariote Lord vvhat is done that thou vvilt manifest thy self to vs and not to the vvorld ✠verse 23 IESVS ansvvered and said to him If any loue me he vvil keepe my vvord and my father vvil loue him and vve vvil come to him and vvil make abode vvith him ✠verse 24 He that loueth me not keepeth not my vvordes And the vvord vvhich you haue heard is not mine but his that sent me the Fathers ✠verse 25 These things haue I spoken to you abiding vvith you ✠verse 26 But the Paraclete the holy Ghost vvhom the Father vvil send in my name he shal teach you al things suggest vnto you al things vvhatsoeuer I shal say to you ✠verse 27 Peace I leaue to you my peace I giue to you not as the vvorld giueth doe I giue to you Let not your hart be troubled nor feare ✠verse 28 You haue heard that I said to you I goe and I come to you If you loued me you vvould be glad verily that I goe to the Father because the Father is greater then I. ✠verse 29 And novv I haue told you before it come to passe that vvhen it shal come to passe you may beleeue ✠verse 30 Novv I vvil not speake many things vvith you for the prince of this vvorld commeth and in me he hath not any thing ✠verse 31 But that the vvorld may knovv that I loue the Father and as the Father hath giuen me commaundement so doe I ⊢ Arise let vs goe hence ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. Greater then these S. Chrysostom in a whole booke against the Pagans proueth that this was fulfilled not onely in Peters shadow and Paules garments which as we read in the Actes healed infirmities but also by the Relikes and monuments of Saincts namely of S. Babylas of whom he there treateth thereby inferring that Christ is God who could and did performe these wonderful wordes by the very ashes of his seruants The Protestants cleane contrarie as patrones of the Pagans infidelitie as though our Sauiour had promised these the like miraculous workes in vaine either not meaning or not able to fulfil thē so do they discredite al the approued histories of the Church concerning miracles wrought by Saincts namely that S. Gregorie Thaumaturgus remoued a mountaine the miracles of S. Paul the eremite and S. Hilarion written by S. Hierom the miracles of S. Martin written by Seuerus Sulpitius the miracles testified by S. Augustine de Ciuit Dei the miracles approued by S. Gregorie in his Dialoges the miracles reported by S. Bede in his Ecclesiastical storie and liues of Saincts and al other miracles neuer so faithfully recorded in Ecclesiastical writers In al which things aboue their reach of reason and nature they are as litle persuaded and haue no more faith then had the Pagans against whom S. Chrysostom in the foresaid booke and S. Augustine de Ciu. Dei li. 22 c. 8 and other Fathers heretofore haue written No man therfore needeth to maruel that the very Image of our Lady the like doe miracles euen as Peters shadow did nor wonder if such things seeme stranger and greater then those which Christ him self did whereas our Sauiour to put vs out of doubt saith expresly that his Saincts shal doe greater things then him self did 16. For euer If the Holy Ghost had been promised onely to the Apostles their successors and the Church after them could not haue chalenged it but it vvas promised them for euer Whereby we may learne both that the priuileges and promisses made to the Apostles were not personal but pertaining to their offices perpetually and also that the Church and Pastors in al ages had and haue the same Holy Ghost to gouerne them that the Apostles and primitiue Church had 17. The spirit of truth They had many particular giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost before and many vertues by the same as al holy men haue at al times but the Holy Ghost here promised to the Apostles and their successors for euer is to this vse specially promised to direct them in al truth and veritie and is contrarie to the spirit of errour heresie and falshod And therefore the Church can not fall to Apostasie or Heresie or to nothing as the Aduersaries say 28. Father greater then I. There is no place of Scripture that seemeth any thing so much to make for the Sacramentaries as this and other in outward shew of wordes seemed to make for the Arians who denied the equalitie of the Sonne with the Father Which wordes yet in deede rightly vnderstood after the Churches sense make nothing for their false secte but only signifie that Christ according to his Manhod wa◠inferior in deede and that according to his Diuinitie he came of the Father And if the Heresie or disease of this time were Arianisme we should stand vpon these places and the like against the Arians as we now do vpon others against the Protestants whose secte is the disease and bane of this time CHAP. XV. He exhorteth them to abide in him that is his Church being the true vine and not the Synagogue of the Ievves any more 9 and in his loue louing one an other and keeping his commaundements 13 shevving hovv much
you but if I goe I vvil send him to you ✠verse 8 And vvhen he is come he shal argue the vvorld of sinne and of iustice and of iudgement ✠verse 9 of sinne because they beleeue not in me ✠verse 10 but of iustice because I goe to the Father and novv you shal not see me ✠verse 11 and of iudgement because the prince of this vvorld is novv iudged ✠verse 12 Yet many things I haue to say to you but you can not beare them novv ✠verse 13 But vvhen he the Spirit of truth commeth he shal teach you al truth for he shal not speake of him self but vvhat things soeuer he shal heare he shal speake and the things that are to come he shal shevv you ✠verse 14 He shal glorifie me because he shal receiue of mine and shal shevv to you ⊢ ✠verse 15 Al things vvhatsoeuer the Father hath be mine Therfore I said that he shal receiue of mine and shal shevv to you ✠verse 16 A litle vvhile and novv you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me because I goe to the Father ✠verse 17 Some therfore of his disciples said one to an other Vvhat is this that he saith to vs A litle vvhile and you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me and because I goe to the Father ✠verse 18 They said therfore Vvhat is this that he saith A litle vvhile vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh ✠verse 19 And IESVS knevv that they vvould aske him and he said to them Of this you doe question among your selues because I said to you A litle vvhile and you shal not see me and againe a litle vvhile and you shal see me ✠verse 20 Amen amen I say to you that you shal vveepe and lament but the vvorld shal reioyce and you shal be made sorovvful but your sorovv shal be turned into ioy ✠verse 21 A vvoman vvhen she trauaileth hath sorovv because her houre is come but vvhen she hath brought forth the childe novv she remembreth not the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the vvorld ✠verse 22 And you therfore novv in deede you haue sorow but I vvil see you againe and your hart shal reioyce and your ioy no man shal take from you ⊢ ✠verse 23 And in that day me you shal not aske any thing Amen amen I say to you if you aske the Father any thing in my name he vvil giue it you ✠verse 24 Vntil novv you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and you shal receiue that your ioy may be ful ✠verse 25 These things in prouerbes I haue spoken to you The houre commeth vvhen in prouerbes I vvil no more speake to you but plainely of the Father I vvil shew you ✠verse 26 In that day you shal aske in my name and I say not to you that I vvil aske the Father for you ✠verse 27 For the Father him self loueth you because you haue loued me and haue beleeued that I came forth from God ✠verse 28 I came forth from the Father and came into the vvorld againe I leaue the vvorld and I goe to the Father ✠verse 29 His disciples say to him Behold novv thou speakest plainely and saiest no prouerbe ✠verse 30 novv vve knovv that thou knovvest al things and thou needest not that any man aske thee in this vve beleeue that thou camest forth from God ⊢ ✠verse 31 IESVS ansvvered them Novv do you beleeue ✠verse 32 * Behold the houre commeth and it is novv come that you shal be scattered euery man into his ovvne and me you shal leaue alone and I am not alone because the Father is vvith me ✠verse 33 These things I haue spoken to you that in me you may haue peace In the vvorld you shal haue distresse but haue confidence I haue ouercome the vvorld ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 12. Yet many things This place conuinceth that the Apostles and the faithful be taught many things which Christ omitted to teach them for their weaknes and that it was the prouidence of God that Christ in presence should not teach and order al things that we might be no lesse assured of the things that the Church teacheth by the Holy Ghost then of the things that him self deliuered 13 The spirit of truth Euer note that the Holy Ghost in that he is promised to the Church is called the Spirit of truth Which Holy Spirit for many other causes is giuen to diuers priuate men and to al good men to sanctification but to teach al truth and preserue in truth and from error he is promised and performed onely to the Church and the cheefe Gouerner and general Councels thereof CHAP. XVII After his Sermon of farevvel he prayeth to his Father that seing he hath novv finished his vvorke he vvil giue him his appointed glorie for the conuersion of al nations 6 and preserue his Apostles and his Church after them in vnitie and veritie that is from Schisme and Heresie 24 finally also glorifie them vvith him in heauen verse 1 THESE things spake IESVS and lifting vp his eies into heauen he said Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may glorifie thee ✠verse 2 As thou hast giueÌ„ him povver ouer al flesh that al vvhich thou hast giuen him to them he may giue life euerlasting ✠verse 3 And this is ″ life euerlasting that they knovv thee the only true God and vvhom thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST ⊢ ✠verse 4 I haue glorified thee vpon the earth I haue consummated the vvorke vvhich thou gauest me to doe ✠verse 5 and novv glofie thou me O Father vvith thy self vvith the glorie vvhich I had before the vvorld vvas vvith thee ✠verse 6 I haue manifested thy name to the men vvhom thou gauest me out of the vvorld Thine they vvere and â—o me thou gauest them and they haue kept thy vvord ✠verse 7 Novv they haue knovven that al things vvhich thou gauest me are from thee ✠verse 8 because the vvordes vvhich thou gauest me I haue giuen them and they haue receiued and knovven in very deede that I came forth from thee and haue beleeued that thou didst send me ✠verse 9 For them doe I pray Not for the vvorld doe I pray but for them vvhom thou hast giuen me ✠verse 10 because they be thine and al my things be thine and thine be mine and I am glorified in them And novv I am not in the vvorld and these are in the vvorld and I come to thee ⊢ ✠verse 11 Holy father keepe them in thy name vvhom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also vve ✠verse 12 Vvhen I vvas vvith them I kept them in thy name Those * vvhom thou gauest me haue I kept and none
tribunal of Pope Councels Bishops Synodes but eche man to his ovvne phantastical spirit his ovvne sense of Scriptures and his ovvne vvilful obdurate rebellion against Gods Church and his Superiors in the same But here vve see S. Paul and Barnabas men that vvere Apostles and ful of the Spirit of God and the other parties though neuer so much partial to the ceremonies of their Lavv by their former long vse and education therein yet not to stand stifly to their ovvne opinion on either side but to condescend to referre the vvhole controuersie and the determination thereof to the Apostles Priests or Auncients of Hierusalem that is to say to commit the matter to be tried by the heads and Bishops and their determination in Councel This is Gods holy and vvise prouidence among other iudgements in his Church to keepe the Christian people in truth and vnitie and to condemne sectes and false teachers and troublers of the Church By vvhich iudgements and order vvhosoeuer vvil not or dare not be tried in al their doctrine and doings they shevv them selues to mistrust their ovvne cause and to flee from the light and ordinance of God Vvithout vvhich order of appeasing al differences in faith and constructions of the Scriptures the Church had beene more defectual and insufficient then any Commonvvealth or Societie of men in the vvorld none of vvhich euer vvanteth good meanes to decide al discordes and dissension arising among the subiects citizens of the same 6. Apostles and Auncients The Heresies of our Protestants vvhich vvould haue al men to giue voice or to be present in Councels and of others that vvould haue none but the holy or elect to be admitted are refuted by this example vvhere vve see none but Apostles Priests or Ancients assembled to dispute of the matter though many deuout people vvere in the citie the same time Neither did euer any other in the Auncient Councels of the Church assemble to debate and define the matter but such though many other for other causes be euer present Secular men or vvomen be their gifts neuer so great can not be iudges in causes of faith and religion If any thing saith God â—e hard and doubtful thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuitical stocke and thou shalt folovv their sentence Againe The lippes of the Priest shal keepe knovvledge and the Lavv thou shalt require of his mouth Againe Aske the Lavv of the Priest Much more must vve referre al to our Bishops and Pastors vvhom God hath placed in the regiment of the Church vvith much larger priuilege then euer he did the old Priests ouer the Synagogue to vvhom it is said He that despiseth you despiseth me And it is to be noted that the Bishops so gathered in Councel represent the vvhole Church haue the authoritie of the vvhole Church and the Spirit of God to protect them from error as the vvhole Church SS Paul and Barnabas come hither for the definition of the vvhole Church The sentence of a plenarie or general Councel saith S. Augustine is the consent of the vvhole Church And so it must needes be in the Church because the Magistrates Senate Councel or deputies of al commonvvealthes represent the vvhole body and to haue it othervvise as the Churches Rebels vvish vvere to bring al to hel and horrour and them selues to be perpetually by the seditious and popular persons vpholden against Lavv reason and religion in their vvickednes â— Assembled A Councel vvas called to discusse the matter vvhich Councel vvas the more easily gathered because the Christian Bishops and countries vvere not yet so many but that the principal Gouernours of the Church being not far dispersed and as many learned men as vvere necessarie might be in Hierusalem or easily called thither And it vvas not a Prouincial Councel or Synode only but a general Councel consisting of the cheefe Apostles and Bishops that then vvere though the number vvas nothing so great as aftervvard vsed to assemble vvhen the Church vvas spred into al nations 7. Peter rising vp S. Peter as the head of the Church speaketh first as his Successors haue euer had not only in their personal presence but in their absence by their legates and substitutes the cheefe voice in al Councels general none euer receiued into authoritie and credite in the Church vvithout their Confirmation And therefore the Councels of the Arians and of other Heretikes vvere they neuer so great vvanting the Popes assent assistance or Confirmation did shamfully erre as Ariminense for the Arians and Ephesinum secundum for the Nestorians and such like condemned Assemblies 7. Chose that by my mouth Though Paul vvere called and appointed specially to be the Apostle of the Gentils yet that vvas S. Peters special priuilege by Gods ovvne choise that the first Gentils should be called by his mouth and that he first should vtter to the Church that truth of the admission of the Gentils him self for that he vvas Christes Vicar being notvvithstanding as his Maister vvas Minister Circuncisionis that is Apostle of the Ievves Christ deferring al preeminence vnto him in that point also 1â— Iames. S. Iames because he vvas an Apostle and also Bishop of Hierusalem gaue his sentence next for the speache interposed of SS Paul and Barnabas vvas but for their better information in the decision of the matter and for confirmation of S. Peters sentence though they being Apostles and Bishops had voices in the Councel also as many mâ— had though their sentences be not heare reported And vvhere S. Iames in his speach saith I iudge it is not meant that he gaue the principal definitiue sentence for he as al the rest folovved and allovved the senteÌ„ce of S. Peter as it is plaine in the text the vvhole assembly for reuerence of his person and approbation of his sentence holding their peace Al the multitude saith S. Hierom held their peace and into his sentence Iames the Apostle al the Priests did passe together For though S. Iames did particularise certaine points incident to the question debated as of eating strangled meates c. yet the proper controuersie for vvhich the Councel assembled vvas Vvhether the Gentils conuerted vvere bound to obserue the Lavv of Moyses and it vvas concluded that they vvere not bound nor ought not to be charged vvith Moyses Lavv or the Sacraments and ceremonies of the same this is the substance and principal purpose of this Councels decree vvhich doth binde for euer and Peter saith S. Hierom in the same place vvas Prince or author of this decree the matter of fornication and Idolothytes being but incident to the question or resolution and the forbidding of eating strangled and bloud but a temporal prohibition vvhich by the consent of the Church or othervvise aftervvard vvas abrogated the Church of God hauing the true sense of difference of times place persons vvhen and
hovv far such things are to be obserued and vvhen not And in such things as these and in other like vvhich according to circunstances require alteration it is that S. Augustine saith li. 2 de bapt c. 3. to 7. The former general or plenarie Councels may be amended by the later â—â— Fornication Fornication and contamination vvith Idols are of them selues mortal sinnes and therfore can neuer be lavvful yet because the Gentiles by custome vvere prone to both and of fornication made very smal account it pleased the Holy Ghost to forbid both specially Concerning the other points of absteining from bloud and stiffled meates they vvere things of their ovvne nature indifferent in vvhich for a time the Ievves vvere to be borne vvithal and the Gentils to bâ— a litle exercised to obedience By vvhich vve may see the great authoritie of Gods Church and Councels vvhich may commaund for euer or for a time such things as be fitte for the state of times and nations vvithout any expresse Scriptures at al and so by commaundement make things necessarie that vvere before indifferent 24. Going forth from vs. A proper discription or note of Heretikes Schismatikes and seditious teachers to go out from their spiritual Pastors and Gouernours and to teach vvithout their commission and approbation to disquiet the Catholike people vvith multitude of vvordes and svveete speaches and finally to ouerthrovv their soules 28. To the Holy Ghost and to vs. By this first vve note that it is not such a fault as the Heretikes vvould make it in the sight of the simple or any incongruitie at al to ioyne God and his creatures as the principal cause and the secondarie in one speache and to attribute that to both vvhich though diuersely yet procedeth of both God and you say good people commonly God and our Ladie Christ and S. Iohn We confesse to God and to Peter and Paul as God and his Angel To our Lord and Gedeon The svvord of our Lord and of Gedeon Our Lord and Moyses Christ and his Angels Our Lord and al Saincts ep ad Philem. S. Paul and our Lord 1 Thes 1 6. Al these speaches being partly Scriptures partly like vnto the Scriptures speaches are vvarraÌ„ted also by this Councel vvhich saith boldly hath giuen the forme thereof to al other Councels lavvfully called and confirmed to say the like It hath pleased the Holy Ghost and vs. S Cyprian ep 54. nu 2. reporting the like of a Synode holden in Afrike saith It hath pleased vs by the suggestion of the Holy Ghost Secondly vve note that the holy Councels lavvfully kept for determination or cleering of doubtes or condemning of errors and Heresies or appeasing of Schismes and troubles or reformation of life and such like important matters haue euer the assistance of Gods Spirit and therfore can not erre in their sentences and determinations concerning the same because the Holy Ghost can not erre from vvhom as you see here ioyntly vvith the Councel the resolution procedeth Thirdly vve learne that in the holy Councels specially though othervvise and in other Tribunals of the Church it be also verified Christes promes is fulfilled * that the Holy Ghost should suggest them and teach them al truth and that not in the Apostles time only but to the vvorldes end for so long shal Councels the Church and her Pastors haue this priuilege of Gods assistance as there be either doubtes to resolue or Heretikes to condemne or truthes to be opened or euil men to be reformed or Schismes to be appeased for vvhich cause S. Gregorie li. 1 ep 24 sub fin reuerenceth the foure general Councels Nicen Constantinop Ephes Chalced. as the foure bookes of the holy Gospel alluding to the number and of the fifth also he saith that he doth reuerence it alike and so vvould he haue done moe if they had beene before his time vvho saith of them thus Whiles they are concluded and made by vniuersal consent him self doth he destroy and not them vvhosoeuer presumeth either to loose whom they binde or to binde vvhom they loose S. Gregorie therfore reuerencing al fiue alike it may be marueled vvhence the Heretikes haue their fond difference betvvixt those foure first and other later attributing much to them and nothing to the rest Vvhereas in deede the later can erre no more then the first foure being holden and approued as they vvere and hauing the Holy Ghost as they had But in those first also vvhen a man findeth any thing against their Heresies as there be diuers things then they say plainely that they also may erre and that the Holy Ghost is not tied to mens voices nor to the number of sentences Vvhich is directly to reproue this first Councel also of the Apostles and Christes promes of the Holy Ghosts assistance to teach al truth Yea that you may knovv and abhorre these Heretikes throughly heare ye vvhat a principal Sect-Maister vvith his blasphemous mouth or penne vttereth saying that In the very best times such vvas partly the ambition of Bishops partly their folishnes and ignorance that the very blind may easily perceiue Satan verily to haue beene president of their assemblies Good Lord deliuer the people and the vvorld from such blasphemous tongues and bookes and giue men grace to attend to the holy Scriptures and Doctors that they may see hovv much not only S. Augustine and other fathers attribute to al general Councels specially to vvhich they referre them selues in al doubtes among them selues and in al their controuersies vvith Heretikes but to vvhich euen S. Paul him self so specially taught by God and others also yelded them selues Notorious is the saying of S. Augustine concerning S. Cyprian Vvho being a blessed Catholike Bishop and Martyr yet erred about the rebaptizing of such as vvere Christened by Heretikes If he had liued saith S. Augustine li. 2 de bapt c. 4 to haue seen the determination of a plenarie Councel vvhich he savv not in his life time he vvould for his great humilitie and charitie straight vvay haue yelded and preferred the general Councel before his ovvne iudgement and his fellovv Bishops in a Prouincial Councel only Vvhereby also vve learne that Prouincial Councels may erre though many times they do not and being conformable to the general Councels or confirmed and allovved by them or the See Apostolike their resolutions be infallible as the others are If any here aske vvhat neede so much disputing study and trauail in Councels to find out and determine the truth if the Holy Ghost infallibly guide them Vve ansvver that such is the ordinarie prouidence of God in this case to assist them vvhen they doe their endeuour and vse all humane meanes of industrie and not els And so though somvvhat othervvise God assisted the Euangelistes and other vvriters of the holy Scriptures that they could not erre in penning the same but yet they did
and ought to vse al possible humane diligence to knovv and learne out the histories and truth of matters as is plaine in the beginning of S. Lukes Gospel els the Holy Ghost vvould not haue assisted them Euen so in this Councel of the Apostles though they had the holy Ghost assistant yet the text saith cum magna conquisitio fieret Vvhen there vvas great disputation search and examination of the case then Peter spake c. If againe it be demaunded vvhat neede is there to expect the Councels determination if the Popes or See Apostolikes iudgement be infallible and haue the assistance of God also as the Catholikes affirme Vve ansvver that for the Catholike and peaceable obedient children of the Church it is a comfort to haue such various meanes of determination trial and declaration of the truth and that it is necessarie for the recouery of Heretikes and for the contentation of the vveake vvho not alvvaies giuing ouer to one mans determination yet vvil either yeld to the iudgement of al the learned men and Bishops of al Nations or els remaine desperate and condemned before God and man for euer And as I said before this assistance of the Holy Ghost promised to Peters See presupposeth humane meanes of searching out the truth vvhich the Pope alvvaies hath vsed vvil must vse in matters of great importance by calling Councels euen as here you see SS Peter and Paul them selues and al the Apostles though indued vvith the Holy Ghost yet thought it notvvithstanding necessarie for further trial cleering of truth and maintenance of vnitie to keepe a Councel Lastly it is to be noted that as Christ and the Holy Ghost be present by his promes to al such assemblies as gather in the obedience vnitie of the Church vvith ful minde to obey vvhatsoeuer shal be determined vvhereby the assembled though of diuers iudgements before do most peaceably yeld to truth and agree in one vniforme determination of the same so al such as gather out of the Church vvithout humilitie or intention to yeld one to an other or to any Superior man or Councel or vvhat els so euer but chalenge to them selues learning spirit and vve can not tel vvhat such hovv many meetings so euer they make being destitute of the Holy Ghost the author of truth and concord are further of and further out then euer before as God hath shevved by the successe of al Heretical Colloquies Synodes and Assemblies in Germanie France Poole and other places in our daies Read a notable place in S. Cyprian that the promes of Christ that he vvould be in the middes of tvvo or three gathered in his name pertaineth not to them that assemble out of the Church 3â— Reioyced vpon the consolation Straight vpon the intelligence of the Councels determination not only the Gentils but euen the Maisters of the former troubles and dissension vvere at rest al tooke great comfort that the controuersie vvas so ended And so should al Christian men do vvhen they see the sectes of our time condemned by the like authoritie and most graue iudgement of the holy Councel of Trent Against vvhich the Heretikes of our time make the like friuolous exceptions and false cauillations as did the old Heretikes heretofore against those Councels that specially condemned their errors The Pope and Bishopes say they are a partie and they ought not to be our iudges they are partial and come vvith preiudicate mindes to condemne vs and vve accuse them al of Idolatrie and other crimes and vve vvil be tried by Gods vvord only and vve vvil expound it according to an other rule that is to say as vve list So say they against this Councel and the like said the Arians against the first Nicene Councel and al such like against those Councels namely that condemned their heresies And so say al theeues against their correctors and punishers and vvould both say and do more against temporal tribunals Iudges Iustices and Iuries if they had as much licence and libertie in those matters as men haue novv in religion 37. Dissension Such occasions of differences fall out euen among the perfect men often vvithout any great offence And this their departing fell out to the great increase of Christians And therfore it is very ridiculously applied to excuse the disagreing of the Heretikes among them selues in the principal pointes of religion namely the Sacrament CHAP. XVI Paul hauing for his part visited the Churches of Syria Cilicia and Lycaonia deliuering vnto them vvithal to keepe the Decrees of the Councel 6 beginneth a nevv iourney ouer Phrygia Galatia Mysia 8 Yea into Europe also he passeth admonished by a vision and commeth into Macedonia 12 and there he beginneth the Church of the Philippians vvorking miracles and suffering persecution verse 1 AND he came to Derbé and Lystra And behold there vvas a certaine disciple there named Timothee the sonne of a â—vvidovv ' vvoman that beleeued of a father a Gentile ✠verse 2 To this man the brethren that vvere in Lystra and Iconium gaue a good testimonie ✠verse 3 Him Paul vvould haue to goe forth vvith him and taking him he circumcised him because of the Ievves that vvere in those places For they al knevv that his father vvas a Gentile ✠verse 4 And vvhen they passed through the cities they deliuered vnto them to keepe the decrees that vvere decreed of the Apostles and Auncients which were at Hierusalem ✠verse 5 And the Churches vvere confirmed in faith and did abound in number daily ✠verse 6 And passing through Phrygia and the countrie of Galatia they vvere forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the vvord in Asia ✠verse 7 And vvhen they vvere come into Mysia they attempted to goe into Bithynia and the Spirit of IESVS permitted them not ✠verse 8 And vvhen they had passed through Mysia they vvent dovvne to Troas ✠verse 9 and a vision by night vvas shevved to Paul There vvas a certaine man of Macedónia standing and beseeching him and saying passe into Macedónia and helpe vs. ✠verse 10 And as soone as he had seen the vision forthvvith vve sought to goe into Macedónia being assured that God had called vs to euaÌ„gelize to them ✠verse 11 And sailing from Troas vve came vvith a straight course to Samothrácia and the day folovving to Neapolis ✠verse 12 and from thence to Philippi vvhich is the first citie of the part of Macedonia a colónia And vve were in this citie certaine daies abiding ✠verse 13 And vpon the day of the Sabboths vve vvent forth vvithout the gate beside a riuer vvhere it seemed that there vvas praier sitting vve spake to the vvomen that vvere assembled ✠verse 14 And a certaine vvoman named Lydia a seller of purple of the citie of the Thyatirians one that vvorshipped God did heare vvhose hart our Lord opened to attend to those things vvhich vvere
more infirme and ignorant sort of Christian men be called sensual or carnal also vvho being occupied in secular affaires and giuen to sensual ioy and vvorldlines haue no such sense nor feeling of these great gifts of God as the perfecter sort of the faithful haue Vvho trying these high pointes of religion not by reason and sense but by grace faith and Spirit be therfore called spiritual The spiritual then is he that iudgeth and discerneth the truth of such things as the carnal can not attaine vnto that doth by the spirit of the Church vvhereof he is partaker in the vnitie of the same not onely see the errours of the carnal but condemneth them and iudgeth euery povver resisting Gods spirit and vvord the carnal Ievv Heathen or Heretike hauing no meanes nor right to iudge of the said spiritual man For vvhen the spiritual is said to be iudged of none the meaning is not that he should not be subiect or obedient to his Pastors and spiritual Povvers and to the vvhole Church specially for the trial or examination of al his life doctrine and faith but that a Catholike man and namely a teacher of Catholike doctrine in the Church should not be any vvhit subiect to the iudgement of the Heathen or the Heretike nor care vvhat of ignorance or infidelitie they say against him for such carnal men haue no iudgement in such things nor can attaine to the Churches vvisedom in any ceremonie mysterie or matter vvhich they condemne Therfore S. Irenaeus excellently declaring that the Church and query spiritual childe thereof iudgeth and condemneth al false Prophets and Heretikes of vvhat sort so euer at length he concludeth vvith these notable vvordes The spiritual shal iudge also all that make schismes vvhich be cruel not hauing the loue of God and respecting their ovvne priuate more then the vnitie of the Church mangle deuide and as much as in them lieth kill for smal causes the great and glorious body of Christ speaking peace and seeking battaile He shal iudge also them that be out of the truth that is to say out of the Church vvhich Church shal be vnder no mans iudgement for to the Church are al things knovven in vvhich is perfect faith of the Father and of al the dispensation of Christ and firme knovvledge of the Holy Ghost that teacheth all truth CHA. III. If they vvil not be carnal stil they must boast in God only not in their preachers which are but his ministers 10 and neede to looke vvel hovv they preach 12 because not al preaching though it be Catholike is meritorious but rather it buildeth matter to be purged by fire vvhen it is vaine and vnfruitful as also any other like vvorkes of other Catholikes marie if it be heretical destroying the temple of God then it vvorketh damnation 18 The remedie is to humble them selues and referre al to God verse 1 AND I brethren could not speake to you as to spiritual but as to carnal As it vvere to litle ones in Christ ✠verse 2 I gaue you milke to drinke not meate for you could not as yet but neither can you novv verely for yet you are carnal ✠verse 3 For vvhereas there is among you emulation and contention are you not carnal and vvalke according to man ✠verse 4 For vvhen one saith I certes am Paules an other I Apollos are you not â—men ' Vvhat is Apollo then and vvhat is Paul ✠verse 5 The ministers of him vvhom you haue beleeued to euery one as our Lord hath giuen ✠verse 6 I planted Apollo vvatered but God gaue the increase ✠verse 7 Therfore neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that vvatereth but he that giueth the increase God ✠verse 8 And he that planteth and he that vvatereth are one And â— euery one shal receiue his owne reward according to his ovvne labour ✠verse 9 For vve are Gods coadiutors you are Gods husbandrie you are Gods building ✠verse 10 According to the grace that is giuen me as a vvise vvorkemaster haue I laid the foundation and an other buildeth therevpon but let euery one looke hovv he buildeth thereon ✠verse 11 For other foundation no man can lay beside that vvhich is laid vvhich is Christ IESVS ✠verse 12 And if any man build â— vpon this foundation gold siluer pretious stones vvood hay stubble ✠verse 13 the vvorke of euery one â— shal be manifest for â— the day of our Lord vvil declare because it shal be reuealed in fire and the vvorke of euery one of vvhat kinde it is the fire shal trie ✠verse 14 If any mans vvorke abide vvhich he built therevpon he shal receiue revvard ✠verse 15 If any mans vvorke burne he shal suffer detriment but him self shal be saued yet so â— as by fire ✠verse 16 Knovv you not that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dvvelleth in you ✠verse 17 But if any violate the temple of God God vvil destroy him For the temple of God is holy vvhich you are ✠verse 18 Let no man seduce him self if any man seeme to be vvise among you in this world let him become a foole that he may be vvise ✠verse 19 For the vvisedom of this vvorld is folishnes vvith God For it is vvritten I vvil compasse the vvise in their subteltie ✠verse 20 And againe Our Lord knovveth the cogitations of the vvise that they be â—aine ✠verse 21 Let no man therfore glorie in men For al things are yours ✠verse 22 vvhether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the vvorld or life or death or things present or things to come for al are yours ✠verse 23 and you are Christs and Christ is Gods ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 8. Euery man shal receiue according A most plaine text for proofe that men by their labours and by the diuersities thereof shal be diuersly revvarded in heauen and therfore that by their vvorkes proceding of grace they do deserue or merite heauen and the more or lesse ioy in the same for though the holy Scripture coÌ„monly vse not this vvord merite yet in places innumerable of the old and nevv Testament the very true sense of merite is conteined and so often as the vvord merces and the like be vsed they be euer vnderstood as correlatiues or correspondent vnto it for if the ioy of heauen be â—erribution repaiment hire vvages for vvorkes as in infinite places of holy Scripture then the vvorkes can be none other but the valure deseit price vvorth and merite of the same And in deede this vvord revvard vvhich in our English tonge may signifie a volutary or bountiful gift doth not so vvel expresse the nature of the * Latin vvord or the Greeke vvhich are rather the very stipend that the hired vvorkeman or iournieman couenanteth to haue of him vvhose vvorke he doth and is a thing equally
for her because heare is giuen her for a veile ✠verse 16 But if any man seeme to be contentious vve haue no such ″ custome nor the ` CHVRCH ' of God ✠verse 17 And this I commaund not praising it that you come together not to better but to vvorse ✠verse 18 First in deede vvhen you come together into the Church I heare that there are schismes among you and in part I beleeue it ✠verse 19 For ″ there must be heresies also that they also vvhich are approued may be made manifest among you ✠verse 20 Vvhen you come therfore together in one is it not novv to eate ″ our Lordes supper ✠verse 21 For euery one taketh his ovvne supper before to eate And one certes is an hungred and an other is drunke ✠verse 22 Vvhy haue you not houses to eate and drinke in or contemne ye the Church of God and confound them that haue not Vvhat shal I say to you praise I you in this I do not praise you ✠verse 23 For I receiued of our Lord that vvhich also ″ I haue deliuered vnto you that our Lord IESVS ″ in the night that he vvas betraied ″ tooke ″ bread ✠verse 24 and giuing thankes brake and said ″ Take ye eate ″ THIS IS ″ MY BODY VVHICH SHAL BE DELIVERED FOR YOV ″ this doe ye for the commemoration of me ✠verse 25 In like maner also the chalice after he had supped saying THIS CHALICE IS THE NEVV TESTAMENT IN MY BLOVD this doe ye as often as you shal drinke for the coÌ„memoration of me ✠verse 26 For as often as you shal eate this bread and drinke the chalice ″ you shal shevv the death of our Lord vntil he come ✠verse 27 Therfore vvhosoeuer shal eate this bread or drinke the chalice of our Lord vnvvorthily he shal be ″ guilty of the body and of the bloud of our Lord. ✠verse 28 But let a man proue him self and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of the chalice ✠verse 29 For he that eateth and drinketh vnvvorthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to him self ″ not discerning the body of our Lord. ⊢ ✠verse 30 Therfore are there among you many weake and feble and ″ many sleepe ✠verse 31 But if vve did ″ iudge our selues vve should not be iudged ✠verse 32 But vvhiles vve are iudged of our Lord vve are chastised that vvith this world vve be not damned ⊢ ✠verse 33 Therfore my brethren vvhen you come together to eate ″ expect one an other ✠verse 34 If any man be an hungred let him eate at home that you come not together vnto iudgement And the rest ″ I vvil dispose vvhen I come ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 2. My precepts Our Pastors and Prelates haue authoritie to commaund and vve are bound to obey And the Gouerners of the Church may take order and prescribe that vvhich is comely in euery state as time and place require though the things be not of the substance of our religion 5. Euery vvoman Vvhat gifts of God so euer vvomen haue though supernatural as some had in the Primitiue Church yet they may not forget their vvomanly shamefastnes but shevv them selues subiect and modest and couer their heads vvith a veile 16. Custome If vvomen or other to defend their disorder malipertnes dispute or alleage Scriptures and reasons or require causes of their preachers vvhy by vvhat authoritie they should be thus restrained in things indifferent make them no other ansvver but this This is the custome of the Church this is our custome Vvhich is a goodly rule to represse the saucinesse of contentious â—anglers vvhich being out of al modestie and reason neuer vvant vvordes and replies against the Church Vvhich Church if it could then by prescription of tvventy or thirty yeres and by the authority of one or tvvo of their first preachers stoppe the mouthes of the seditious vvhat should not the custome of fiftene hundred yeres the decrees of many hundred Pastors gaine of reasonable modest and humble men 19. There must be heresies Vvhen the Apostle saith Heresies must be He shevveth the euent and not that God hath directly so appointed it as necessarie for that they be it commeth of mans malice and free vvil but that they be conuerted to the manifestation of the good and constant in faith the Churches vnitie that is Gods special vvorke of prouidence that vvorketh good of euil And for that there should fall Heresies and Schismes specially concerning the Article and vse of the B Sacrament of the Altar vvhereof he novv beginneth to treate it may make vs maruel the lesse to see so great dissensions Heresies and Schismes of the vvicked and vveake in faith concerning the same Such things then vvil be but vvo to him by vvhom scandals or Sectes do come Let vs vse Heretikes saith S. Augustine not to that end to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholike doctrine against their deceices vve may be more vvatchful and vvary because it is most truely vvritten There must be heresies that the tried and approued may be manifested or discoured from the holovv hartes among you Let vs vse this benefite of Gods prouidence for Heretikes be made of such as vvould erre or be naught though they vvere in the Church but being out they profite vs excedingly not by teaching the truth vvhich they knovv not but by stirring vp the carnal in the Church to seeke truth and the spiritual Catholikes to deere the truth for there be innumerable holy approued men in the Church but they be not discerned from other among vs nor manifest so long as vve had rather sleepe in darknes of ignorance then behold the light of truth therfore many are raised out of their sleepe by Heretikes to see the day of God and are glad thereof August c. 8. de vera relig 20. Our Lordes supper The Christians at or about the time of the Churches onely Sacrifice and their communicating thereof kept great feastes vvhich continued long for that the reliefe of the poore vpon the common charges of the richer sort and the charitie and vnitie of al sortes vvere much preserued thereby for vvhich cause they vvere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Charities of the auncient Fathers and vvere kept commonly in Church houses or porches adioyning or in the body of the Church vvhereof see Tertullian Apolog. c. 19. Clemens Alexand. S. Iustine S. Augustine cont Faiest li. 20 c. 20. after the Sacrifice and Communion vvas ended as S. Chrysostom ho. 27. in 1 Cor. in initio iudgeth Those feastes S. Paul here calleth Coenas Dominicas because they vvere made in the Churches vvhich then vvere called Dominica that is Our Lordes houses The disorder therfore kept among the Corinthians in these Church-feastes of Charitie the Apostle seeketh here to redresse from the foule abuses
his vocation and doctrine to their trial and approbation and to ioyne in office teaching and societie or communion vvith them For there is no extraordinarie or miraculous vocation that can seuer or separate the person so called in doctrine or fellovvship of Christian life and religion from the ordinarie knowen societie of Gods people and Priestes Therfore vvhosoeuer he be vpon vvhat pretence so euer that vvil not haue his calling and doctrine tried by the ordinarie Gouerners of Gods Church or disdaineth to go vp to the principal place of our religion to conferre vvith Peter and other pillers of the Church it is euident that he is a false teacher a Schismatike and an Heretike By vvhich rule you may trie al your nevv teachers of Luthers or Caluins schoole vvho neuer did nor euer durst put their preaching to such conference or trial of holy Councel or Bishops as they ought to do and vvould do if it vvere of God as S. Paules vvas 2. In vaine Though S. Paul doubted not of the truth of the Gospel vvhich he preached knovving it to be of the holy Ghost yet because other men could not nor vvould not acknovvledge so much til it vvere allovved by such as vvere vvithout al exception knovven to be Apostles to haue the spirit of truth to discerne vvhether the vocation spirit Gospel of Paul vvere of God he knevv he should othervvise vvithout conferēce vvith them haue lost his labour both for the time past and to come He had not had saith S. Hierom securitie of preaching the Gospel if it had not been approued by Peters sentence and the rest that vvere vvith him Hiero. ep 29. c. 2. See Tertul. li. 4 Cont. Marc. nu 3. Therfore by reuelation he vvent to conferre with the Apostles at Hierusalem that by them hauing his Apostleship and Gospel liked and approued he might preach vvith more fruite Vvherein vve see this holy Apostle did not as the seditious proud Heretikes do novv a daies vvhich refusing al mans attestation or approbation vvil be tried by Scriptures onely As also vve may learne that it is not such absurditie as the Aduersaries vvould make it to haue the Scriptures approued by the Churches testimonie Seing the Gospel vvhich S. Paul preached being of as much certaintie and of the same Holy Ghost that the Scriptures be vvas to be put in conference and examination of the Apostles vvithout al derogation to the truth dignitie or certaintie of the same And the cauilling of Heretikes that we make subiect Gods Oracles to mans censure and the Scriptures to haue no more force then the Church is content to graunt vnto them is vaine and false I or to beare vvitnes or to giue euidence or attestation that the preaching or vvriting of such is true and of the Holy Ghost is not to make it true no more then the Goldsmith or touch-stone that trie and discerne vvhich is true gold make it good gold but they giue euidence to man that so it is And therfore that disputation also vvhether the Scripture or the Church be of greater authoritie is superfluous either giuing testimonie to the other and both assured by the Holy Ghost from al error the Church yet being before the Scriptures the spouse of Christ and proper dwelling temple or subiect of God and his graces for the vvhich Church the Scriptures vvere and not the Church for the Scriptures In vvhich Church there is iudicial authoritie by office and iurisdiction to determine of doubtful questions touching the sense of the Scriptures and other controuersies in religion to punish disobedient persons Of which iudicial power the Scriptures be not capable as neither the truthes determinations of the same can be so euident to men ' nor so agreable and fit for euery particular resolution as diuersitie of times and persons requireth Certaine is the truth and great is the authoritie of both but in such diuers kindes as they can not be vvell compared together The controuersie is much like as if a man touching the ruling a case in lavv or giuing sentence in a matter of question should aske vvhether the iudge or the euidēce of the parties be of more authoritie or credit vvhich vvere as friuolous a dispute as it were a disordered part for any man to say he vvould be tried by no other iudge but by his owne vvritings or euidences Vvith such tristers and seditious persons haue vve to do now a daies in diuinitie as vvere intolerable in any prophane science or facultie in the vvorld 6. Added nothing The Gospel and preaching of S. Paul vvas wholy of God therfore though it vvere put to the Churches probation as gold is to the touch stone yet being found in al pointes pure nothing could be altered or amended therein by the Apostles Euen so the Scriptures vvhich are in deede vvholy of the Holy Ghosts enditing being put to the Churches trial are found proued and testified vnto the vvorld to be such and not made true altered or amended by the same Vvithout vvhich attestation of the Church the holy Scriptures in them selues vvere alvvaies true before but not so knowen to be to al Christians nor they so bound to take them And that is the meaning of the famous sentence of S. Augustine Cont. ep fund c. 5. vvhich troubleth the Heretikes so much I vvould not beleeue the Gospel saith he vnles the authoritie of the Church moued me 7. To Peter of the circumcision Vve may not thinke as the Heretikes deceitfuly teach that the charge of the Apostles vvas so distincted that none could preach or exercise iurisdiction but in those seueral places or towardes those peoples or prouinces onely vvherevnto by Gods appointment or their ovvne lot or election they vvere specially designed For euery Apostle might by Christes commission Mat. 28. Goe and teach al nations vse al spiritual functiō through the vvhole vvorld yet for the more particualr regard care of prouinces for peace order sake some were appointed to one countrie some to an other as of the other Apostles we see in the Ecclesiastical histories and for S. Peter S. Paul it is plaine by this place other that to them as to the tvvo cheefe and most renovvmed Apostles the Church of al Nations vvas giuen as deuided into two partes that is Ievves and Gentiles the first and principal being S. Peters lot that herein also he might resemble our Sauiour vvho vvas sent namely * to the lost sheepe of Israel and vvas properly * the Minister of the Circumcision the second being S. Paules vvhom Christ chose specially to preach to the Gentiles Not so for al that that either he vvas limited to the Gentils onely vvhō the Actes of the Apostles report in euery place first to haue entered into the Synagogs preached Christ to the Ievves as he vvrote also to the Hebrues euer had special regard honour to thē
the man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition ✠verse 4 vvhich is an aduersarie is ″ extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth ″ in the temple of God shevving him self as though he were God ✠verse 5 Remember you not that vvhen I vvas yet vvith you I told you these things ✠verse 6 And now ″ vvhat letteth you knovv that he may be reuealed in his time ✠verse 7 For novv the mysterie of iniquitie vvorketh only that he vvhich novv holdeth doe hold vntil he be taken out of the vvay ✠verse 8 And then that vvicked one shal be reuealed * vvhom our Lord IESVS shal kil vvith the spirit of his mouth shal destroy vvith the manifestation of his aduent him ✠verse 9 vvhose comming is according to the operatioÌ„ of Satan ″ in al povver and lying signes and vvonders ✠verse 10 and in al seducing of iniquitie to them that perish for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued ✠verse 11 Therfore God vvil send them the operation of errour to beleeue lying ✠verse 12 that al may be iudged vvhich haue not beleeued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie ✠verse 13 But vve ought to giue thaÌ„kes to God alvvaies for you brethreÌ„ beloued of God that he hath chosen you first-fruites vnto saluation in sanctification of spirit and faith of the truth ✠verse 14 into the vvhich also he hath called you by our Gospel vnto the purchasing of the glorie of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 Therfore brethren stand and hold the ″ traditioÌ„s vvhich you haue learned vvhether it be by vvord or by our epistle ✠verse 16 And our Lord IESVS Christ him self and God our father vvhich hath loued vs and hath giuen eternal consolation and good hope in grace ✠verse 17 exhort your hartes and confirme you in euery good vvorke and vvorde ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. â— Aâ— though the day The curiositie of man fed by Satans deceites hath sought to knovv and to giue out to the vvorld such things as God vvil not impart to him nor be necessarie or profitable for him to knovv so farre that both in the Apostles daies and often aftervvard some haue feined reuelations some falsely gathered out of the Scriptures some presumed to calculate and coniecte by the starres and giuen furth to the vvorld a certaine time of Christes coming to iudgement Al vvhich seducers be here noted in the person of some that vvere about to deceiue the Thessalonians therein And S. Augustine in his 80 Epistle ad Hesychium proueth that no man can be assured by the Scriptures of the day yere or age that the end of the vvorld or the second Aduent shal be â— Vnles there come a reuolt first Though vve can not be assured of the moment houre or any certaine time of our Lordes coÌ„ming yet he vvarranteth vs that it vvil not be before certaine things be fulfilled vvhich must come to passe by the course of Gods prouidence and permission before vvhich are diuers vvhereof in other places of Scriptures vve be forevvarned Here he vvarneth vs of tvvo specially of a reuolt defection or an apostasie and of the comming or reuelation of Antichrist Vvhich tvvo pertaine in effect both to one either depending of the other and shal fall as it may be thought neere together and therfore S Augustine maketh them but one thing This apostasie or reuolt by the iudgement in maner of al auncient vvriters is the general forsaking fall of the Romane empire So Tertullian li. de resur carnis S. Hierom q 11 ad Algasiam S. Chrysostom ho. 4. and S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 20 c. 19. Al vvhich fathers and the rest * Caluin presumpâ—kously condemneth of errour and follie herein for that their exposition agreeth not vvith his and his fellovves blasphemous fiction that the Pope should be Antichrist To establish vvhich false impietie they interprete this reuolt or apostasie to be a general reuolt of the visible Church from God vvhose house or building they say vvas sodenly destroied and lay many yeres ruined and ruled onely by Satan and Antichrist So faith the foresaid Arch-heretike here though for the aduantage of his defence and as the matter els vvhere requireth he seemeth as al their fashion is to speake in other places quite contrarie but vvith such colour and collusion of vvordes that neither other men nor him self can tell vvhat he vvould haue or say And his fathers Vvicleffe and Luther his fellovves and folovvers Illyricus Beza and the rest are for the time of the Churches falling from Christ so various among them selues and so contrarie to him that it is horrible to see their confusion and a pitieful case that any reasonable man vvil folovv such companions to euident perdition But concerning â—his errour and falshod of the Churches defection or reuolt it is refuted suffiâ—iently by S. Augustine against the Donatistes in many places Vvhere he proueth that the Church shal not faile to the vvorldes end no not in the time of Antichrist affirming them to deny Christ and to robbe him of his glorie inheritance bought vvith his bloud vvhich teach that the Church may faile or perish Li. de vnit Ec. c. 12. 13. De Ciuit. li. 20. c. 8. In Psal 85 ad illud Tu soâ—u Deus magnus ps 70 Conc. 2. Psal 60. De vtil cred c. 8. S. Hierom refuteth the same vvicked Heresie in the Luciferians prouing against them that they make God subiect to the Diuel and a poore miserable Christ that imagine the Church his body may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the vvorld both of them ansvver to the Heretikes arguments grounded on Scriptures falsely vnderstood vvhich vvere to long here to rehearse It is ynough for the Christian reader to knovv that it is an old deceite and excuse of al Heretikes and Schismatikes for defence of their forsaking Gods Church that the Church is perished or remaineth hidden or in them selues onely and in those places vvhere they and their folovvers dvvel to knovv also that this is reproued by the holy Doctors of the primitiue Church and that it is against Christes honour povver prouidence and promis If the Aduersaries had said that this reuolt vvhich the Apostle foretelleth shal come before the vvorldes end is meant of great numbers of Heretikes Apostataes reuolting from the Church they had said truth of them selues and such others vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes And it is very like be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and al learned Catholikes that this great defection or reuolt shal not be onely from the Romane empire but specially from the Romane Church and vvithal from most points of Christian religion not that the Catholike Christians either in the time of
degentes is bold to call the Emperour Constantius being an Arian Heretike Antichrist for making him self Principem Episcoporum Prince ouer the Bishops and President of Ecclesiastical iudgements c. The other cause is for impugning Christes Priesthod vvhich is only or most properly exercised in earth by the sacrifice of the holy Masse instituted for the commemoration of his death for the external exhibition of godly honour to the B. Trinitie vvhich kinde of external vvorship by sacrifice no lavvful people of God euer lacked And by these tvvo things you may easily perceiue that the Heretikes of these daies do more properly and neerely prepare the vvay to Antichrist and to extreme desolation then euer any before their special heresie being against the spiritual Primacie of Popes and Bishops and against the sacrifice of the altar in vvhich tvvo the soueraintie of Christ in earth consisteth 6. What letteth S. Augustine li. 20 c. 19 de ciuit del professeth plainely that he vnderstandeth not these vvordes not that that folovveth of the mysterie of iniquitie and least of al that vvhich the Apostle addeth Only that he vvhich holdeth novv do hold c. Vvhich may humble vs al and stay the confident rashnes of this time namely of Heretikes that boldly feine hereof vvhatsoeuer is agreable to their heresie and phantasie The Apostle had told the Thessalonians before by vvord of mouth a secret point vvhich he vvould not vtter in vvritting and therfore referreth them to his former talke The mysterie of iniquitie is coÌ„monly referred to Heretikes vvho vvorke to the same and do that that Antichrist shal do but yet not openly but in couert and vnder the cloke of Christes name the Scriptures the vvord of the Lord shevv of holines c. Vvhereas Antichrist him self shal openly attempt and atchieue the foresaid desolation and Satan novv seruing his turne by Heretikes vnderhand shal tovvard the last end vtter reueale bring him forth openly and that is here to be reuealed that is to appeare in his ovvne person These other vvordes Only that he vvhich novv holdeth hold Some expound of the Emperour during vvhose continuance in his state God shal not permit Antichrist to come meaning that the very Empire shal be vvholy desolate destroied and taken avvay before or by his comming vvhich is more then a defection from the same vvhereof vvas spoken before for there shal be a reuolt from the Church also but it shal not be vtterly destroied Others say that it is an admonition to al faithful to hold fast their faith and not to be beguiled by such as vnder the name of Christ or Scriptures seeke to deceiue them til they that novv pretend religion and the Gospel end in a plaine breach reuolt and open apostasie by the appearance of Antichrist vvhom al Heretikes serue in mysterie that is couertly and in the Diuels meaning though the vvorld seeth it not nor them selues at the beginning thought it as novv euery day more more al men perceiue they tend to plaine Atheisme and Antichristianisme 9. In al povver Satan vvhose povver to him is abridged by Christ shal then â—e let loose and shal assist Antichrist in al maner of signes vvonders and false miracles vvhereby many shal be seduced not only Ievves But al such as be deceiued and caried avvay by vulgar speache only of Heretikes that can vvorke no miracles much more shal folovv this man of sinne doing so great vvonders And such both novv do solovv Heretikes and then shal receiue Antichrist that deserue so to be forsaken of God by their forsaking of the vnitie and happie fellovvship of Saincts in the Catholike Church vvhere onely is the Charitie of truth as the Apostle here speaketh 15. Traditions Not onely the things vvritten and set dovvne in the holy Scriptures but al other truthes and pointes of religion vttered by vvord of mouth and deliuered or giuen by the Apostles to their scholers by tradition be so here approued and els vvhere in the Scripture it self that the Heretikes purposely guilfully and of il coÌ„science that belike reprehendeth them refraine in their translations from the Ecclesiastical and most vsual vvord Tradition euer-more vvhen it is taken in good part though it expresse most exactly the signification of the Greeke vvord but vvhen it soundeth in their fond phantasie against the traditions of the Church as in deede in true sense it neuer doth there they vse it most gladly Here therfore and in the like places that the reader might not so easily like of Traditions vnvvritten here commended by the Apostle they translate it Instructions Constitutions Ordinances and vvhat they can inuent els to hide the truth from the simple or vnvvarie Reader vvhose translations haue no other end but to beguile such by art and conueiance But S. Chrysostom ho. 4 in 1 Thes 2. and the other greeke scholies or commentaries say herevpon both vvritten and vnvvritten precepts the Apostles gaue by tradition and both be vvorthy of obseruation S. Basil De Sp. Sancto c. 29 in principio thus I account it Apostolike to continevv famely euen in vnvvritten traditions and to proue this he alleageth this place of S. Paul In the same booke c. 17 he saieth If vve once go about to reiect vnvvritten customs as things of no importance vve shal are vve be avvare doe damage to the principal partes of the faith and bring the preaching of the Gospel to a naked name And for example of these necessarie traditions he nameth the signe of the Crosse praying tovvards the east the vvords spoken at the eleuatioÌ„ of sheavving of the holy Eucharist vvith diuerse cerimonies vsed before after the consecration the halovving of the sont the blessing of the oile the anointing of the baptized vvith the same the three immersions into the font the vvordes of abrenuntiatioÌ„ and exorcismes of the partie that is to be baptised c. Vvhat scripture saith he taught these and such like none truly al comming of secret and silent tradition vvherevvith our fathers thought it meete to couer such mysteries S. Hierom Dialog cont Lucif c. 4. et ep 28 ad Liâ—iniuÌ„ reckeneth vp diuers the like traditioÌ„s vvilling men to attribute to the Apostles such customs as the Church hath receiued in diuers christian countries S. Augustine esteemeth the Apostolike traditions so much that he plainely affirmeth in sundrie places not onely the obseruation of certaine festiuities fastes ceremonies whatsoeuer other solemnities vsed in the Catholike Church to be holy profitable and Apostolike though they be notvvritten at al in the scriptures but he often also vvriteth that many of the articles of our religion and pointes of highest importance are not so much to be proued by scriptures as by tradition namely auouching that in no vvise vve could beleeue that children in their infancie should be baptized if it vvere not an Apostolical tradition De Gen. ad lit li.
proper vice both of Iudaical and of Heretical false teachers to professe knowledge and great skill in the Lavv and Scriptures being in deede in the sight of the learned most ignorant of the vvord of God not knowing the very principles of diuinitie euen to the admiration truely of the learned that reade their bookes or heare them preach 9. The lavv not made to the iust By this place and the like the Libertines of our daies vvould discharge them selues vvhom they count iust from the obedience of lawes But the Apostles meaning is that the iust man doth vvel not as compelled by lavv or for feare of punishment due to the transgressors thereof but of grace mere loue tovvard God al goodnes most vvillingly though there were no law to commaund him 21. Deliuered to Satan Hymenaeus and Alexander are here excoÌ„municated for falling from their faith teaching heresie an example vnto Bishops to vse their spiritual power vpon such In the primitiue Church corporal affliction through the ministerie of Satan vvas ioyned to excommunication Vvhere we see also the diuels readines to inuade them that are cast out by excommunication from the fellowship of the faithful and the supereminent povver of Bishops in that case Vvhereof S. Hierom ep 1. ad Heliod c. 7 hath these memorable vvordes God forbid saith he I should speake sinistreusly of them vvho succeding the Apostles in degree make Christes body vvith their holy mouth by vvhom vve are made Christians vvho hauing the kâ—â—is of heauen do after a sort iudge before the day of iudgement vvho in sâ—brietie and Chastitie haue the keeping of the spouse of Christ And a litle after They may deliuer me vp to Satan to the destruction of my flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord Iesus And in the old Lavv vvhosoeuer vvas disobedient to the Priests was either cast out of the campe and so stoned of the people or laying dovvne his necke to the svvord expiated his offense by his bloud but novv the disobedient is cut of vvith the spiritual svvord or being cast out of the Church is torne by the furious mouth of Diuels So saith he Vvhich vvordes vvould God euery ChristiaÌ„ man vvould vveigh CHAP. II. By his Apostolike authoritie he appointeth publike praiers to be made for al meÌ„ vvithout exception 8 also men to pray in at places 9 and vvomen also in semely attire 11 to learne of men and not to be teachers in any vvise but to seeke saluation by that vvhich to them belongeth verse 1 I Desire therfore first of al things that ″ obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgeuings be made for al men ✠verse 2 for kings and al that are in preeminence that vve may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al pietie and chastitie ✠verse 3 For this is good and acceptable before our Sauiour God ✠verse 4 ″ vvho vvill al men to be saued and to come to the knovvledge of the truth ✠verse 5 For there is one God ″ one also mediatour of God and men man Christ IESVS ✠verse 6 vvho gaue him self a redemption for al vvhose testimonie in due times is coÌ„firmed ✠verse 7 * vvherein I am appointed a preacher an Apostle I say the truth I lie not doctor of the Gentiles in faith and truth ✠verse 8 I vvil therfore that men pray in euery place lifting vp pure handes vvithout anger and altercation ✠verse 9 In like maner * vvomen also in comely attire vvith demurenesse and sobrietie adorning them selues not in plaited heare or gold or pretious stones or gorgeous apparel ✠verse 10 but that vvhich becoÌ„meth vvomen professing pietie by good vvorkes ✠verse 11 Let a vvoman learne in silence vvith al subiection ✠verse 12 But * to teach ″ I permit not vnto a vvoman not to haue dominion ouer the man but to be in sileÌ„ce ✠verse 13 For * Adam vvas formed first then Eue. ✠verse 14 and Adam vvas not seduced but the vvoman being seduced vvas in preuarication ✠verse 15 Yet she shal be saued by generation of children if they ' continue in faith loue and sanctification vvith sobrietie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Obsecrations This order of the Apostle S. Augustine ep 59 findeth to be fulfilled specially in the holy celebration of the Masse vvhich hath al these kindes expressed here in foure diuers vvordes pertaining to foure sortes of praiers the difference vvhereof he exactly seeketh out of the proper signification and difference of the Greeke vvordes And he teacheth vs that the first kind of praiers vvhich here be called obsecrations are those that the Priest saith before the consecration that the second called Praiers be al those vvhich are said in and after the Consecration about the Receiuing including specially the Pater noster vvherewith the vvhole Church saith he in maner endeth that part as S. Hierom also affirmeth that Christ taught his Apostles to vse the Pater noster in the Masse Sic docuit c. So taught he hit Apostles that daily in the Sacrifice of his body the faithful should be bold to say Pater noster c. Li. 3 cont Pelag. cap. 5. where he alludeth to the very vvordes novv vsed in the preface to the said Pater noster in the said Sacrifice audemus dicere Pater noster The third sort called here in the text PostulatioÌ„s be those vvhich are vsed after the CoÌ„munion as it vver for dimissing of the people vvith benediction that is vvith the Bishops or Priests blessing Finally the last kinde vvhich is Thankes-giuings concludeth al vvhen the Priest and people giue thankes to God for so greate a mysterie then offered and receiued Thus the said holy father handleth this text ep 59 to Paulinus S. Epiphanius also insinuateth these vvordes of the Apostle to pertaine to the Liturgie or Masse vvhen he thus vvriteth to Iohn Bishop of Hierusalem Vvhen vve accomplish our praiers after the rite of the holy Mysteries vve pray both for al others and for thee also â—p 60 c. 2 ad Io. Hierosolym apud Hieronymum And most of the other fathers expouÌ„d the foresaid vvordes of publike praiers made by the Priest vvhich are said in al Liturgies or Masses both Greeke and Latin for the good estate of al that be in high degnitie as kings and others See S. Chrys ho. 6. in 1 Tim. S. Ambr. in hunc loâ— Prosper de vocat li. 1. c. 4. So exactly doth the practise of the Church agree vvith the Precepts of the Apostle and the Scriptures and so profouÌ„dly do the holy fathers seeke out the proper sense of the Scriptures vvhich our Protestants do so prophanely popularely and lightly skimme ouer that they can neither see nor endure the truth 4 Vvho vvil al men The perishing or damnation of men must not be imputed to God vvho delighteth not in any
thee Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 4. Languishing Euen these be the good disputes of our nevv Sect-maisters and the vvorld hath to long proued these inconueniences here named to be the fruites of such endles altercations in religion as these vnhappie sectes haue brought forth 20. Depositum The vvhole doctrine of our Christianitie being taught by the Apostles and deliuered to their successors and comming dovvne from one Bishop to an other is called the Depositum as it vvere a thing laid into their hands and committed vnto them to keepe Vvhich because it passeth from hand to hand from age to age from Bishop to Bishop vvithout corruption change or alteration is al one vvith Tradition and is the truth giuen vnto the holy Bishops to keepe and not to lay men See the notable discourse of Vincentius Lirinensis vpon this text li. cont profan har Nouationes And it is for this great old and knovven treasure committed to the Bishops custodie that S. Irenaeus calleth the Catholike Church Depositorium diues the rich treasurie of truth li. 3. c. 4. And as Clemens Alexandrinus vvriteth li. 2 Strom this place maketh so much against al Heretikes vvho do al change this Depositum that 〈◊〉 onely such men in his daies denied this Epistle The Heretikes of our daies chalenge also the truth and say it is the old truth but they leape 14 or 15 hundreth yeres for it ouer mens heads to the Apostles But vve call for the Depositum and aske them in vvhose hands that truth vvhich they pretend vvas laid vp and hovv it came dovvne to them for it can not be Apostolical vnles it vvere Depositum in some Timothees hand so to continevv from one Bishop to an other vntil our time and to the end 20. Profane nouelties Non dixit antiquitates saith Vincentius Lirinensis non dixit vetustates sed prophanas nouitates Nam si vitanda est nouitas tenenda est antiquitas si prophana est nouitas sacratae est vetustas that is He said not ANTIQVITIES he said not AVNCIENTNES but PROFANE NOVELTIES For if noueltie is to be auoided antiquitie is to be kept if noueltie be profane auncientnes is holy and sacred See his vvhole booke against the profane nouelties of heresies Vve may not measure the nevvnes or oldnes of wordes and termes of speaking in religion by holy Scriptures only as though all those or only those were new and to be reiected that are not expresly found in holy vvrite but vve must esteeme them by the agreablenes or disagreablenes they haue to the true sense of Scriptures to the forme of Catholike faith and doctrine to the phrase of the old Christians to the Apostolike vse of speache come vnto vs by tradition of all ages and Churches and to the prescription of holy Councels and Schooles of the Christian world vvhich haue giuen out according to the time and questions raised by heretikes and contentious persons very fit artificiall and significant vvordes to discerne and defend the truth by against falshod These termes Catholike Trinitie Person Sacrament Incarnation Masse and many moe are not in that sense vvherein the Church vseth them in the Scriptures at all and diuers of them were spoken by the Apostles before any part of the nevv Testament vvas vvritten some of them taken vp straight after the Apostles daies in the vvrittings and preachings of holy Doctors and in the speach of all faithfull people and therfore can not be counted Nouelties of vvordes Others beside these as Consubstantial Deipara Transsubstantiation and the like vvhich are neither in expresse termes found in Scriptures not yet in sense if vve should folovv the iudgement of the speciall sectes against vvhich the said vvordes were first inuented the Arians crying out against Nicene Councel for the first the Nestorians against the Ephesiue Coūcel for the second the Lutherans Caluinists against the Laterā and the later Councels for the third these vvordes also notwithstanding by the iudgemēt of holy Church and Councels approued to be consonant to Gods vvord and made authenticall among the faithfull are sound and true vvordes and not of those kinde vvhich the Apostle calleth Nouelties The vvordes then here forbidden are the new prophane termes and speaches inuented or specially vsed by heretikes such as S. Irenee recordeth the Valentinians had a number most monstruous as the Manichees had also diuers as may be seene in S. Augustine The Arians had their Similis substantia and Christ to be ex non existentibus the other heretikes after those daies had their Christiparam and such like agreable to their sectes But the Protestants passe in this kinde as they excede most heretikes in the number of new opinions as their Seruum arbitrium ' their sole faith their fiduce their apprehension of Christes iustice their imputatiue righteousnes their horrible termes of terrors anguishes distresses distrust feares and feeling of hell paines in the soule of our Sauiour to expresse their blasphemous fiction of his temporall damnation vvhich they call his descending to hell Their markes tokens and badges Sacramentall their Companation Impanation Circumpanation to auoid the true conuersion in the Eucharist their presence in figure in faith signe spirit pleadge effect to auoid the reall presence of Christes body These and such like innumerable vvhich they occupie in euery part of their false doctrine are in the sense that they vse them all false captious and deceitfull vvordes and are nouitates vocum here forbidden And though some of the said termes haue been by some occasion obiter vvithout il meaning spokē by Catholikes before these Heretikes arose yet now knovving thē to be the propre speaches of Heretikes Christiāmen are boūd to auoid them Wherein the Church of God hath euer been as diligent to resist Nouelties of vvordes as her Aduersaries are busy to inuent them for vvhich cause she vvil not haue vs cōmunicate vvith them nor folow their fashion and phrase nevvly inuented though in the nature of the vvordes sometime there be no harme In S. Augustines daies vvhen Christiā men had any good befallē them or entered into any mans house or met any frind by the vvay they vsed alvvaies to say Deo gratias The Donatistes and Circumcellions of that time being nevvsangled forsooke the old phrase and vvould alvvaies say Laus Deo from vvhich the Catholike men did so abhorre as the said Doctor vvriteth that they had as leefe mette a theefe as one that said to them Laus Deo in steede of Deo gratias As novv vve Catholikes must not say The Lord but Our Lord as vve say Our Lady for his mother not The Lady Let vs keepe our forefathers vvordes and vve shal easily keepe our old and true saith that vve had of the first Christians Let them say Amendement abstinence the Lordes Supper the Communion table Elders Ministers Superintendent Congregation so be it praise ye the Lord Morning-Praier Euening-praier and the rest as they vvill
Let vs auoid those Nouelties of vvordes according to the Apostles prescript and keepe the old termes Penance Fasting Priest Church Bishop Masse Mattins Euensong the B. Sacrament Altar Oblation Host Sacrifice Alleluia Amen Lent Palme-Sunday Chrisimas the very vvordes vvil bring vs to the faith of our first Apostles and condemne these nevv apostates nevv faith and phrases 20. Falsely called knovvledge It is the propertie of al Heretikes to arrogate to them selues great knovvledge and to condemne the simplicitie of their fathers the holy Doctors and the Church but the Apostle calleth their pretended skill a knovvledge falsely so called being in truth high and deepe blindnes Such saith S. Irenaeus li. 5 c. 17. as forsake the preaching of the Church argue the holy Priests of vnskilfulnes not considering hovv far more vvorth a religious idiote is them a blasphemous and impudent sophister such as al Heretikes be And againe Vincentius Lirinensis speaking in the person of Heretikes saith Come ô ye folish and miserable men that are commonly called Catholikes and learne the true faith vvhich hath been hid many ages heretofore but is reuealed and shevved of late c. See his vvhole booke concerning these matters THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO TIMOTHEE THE cheefe scope of this second to Timothee is to open vnto him that his martyrdom is at hand Vvhich yet he doth not plainely before the end preparing first his minde vvith much circumstance because he knevv it vvould grieue him sore and also might be a tentation vnto him Therfore he talketh of the cause of his trouble of the revvard that the one is honorable and the other most glorious and exhorteth him to be constant in the faith to be ready alvvaies to suffer for it to fulfil his ministerie to the end as him self novv had done his Vvhereby it is certaine that it vvas vvritten at Rome in his last apprehension and emprisonment there as he signifieth by these vvordes Cap. 1 Onesiphorus vvas not ashamed of my chaine but when he was come to Rome carefully sought me c. And of his martyrdom thus For I am novv ready to be offered and the time of my resolution or death is at hand cap. 4. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO TIMOTHEE CHAP. I. Vvith his praises he couertly exhorteth him not to be dismaied for his trouble 6 hauing grace giuen in Orders to helpe him 8 and knovving for vvhat cause he is persecuted and namely vvith the example of Onesiphorus verse 1 PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ by the vvil of God according to the promisse of the life which is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 2 to Timothee my deerest sonne grace mercie peace from God the father and Christ IESVS our Lord. ✠verse 3 I giue thankes to God vvhom I serue from my progenitours in a pure conscience that vvithout intermission I haue a memorie of thee in my praiers night and day ✠verse 4 desiring to see thee mindeful of thy teares that I may be filled vvith ioy ✠verse 5 calling to minde that faith vvhich is in thee not feined vvhich also dvvelt first ″ in thy grandmother Loïs and thy mother Eunîce and I am sure that in thee also ✠verse 6 For the vvhich cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God vvhich is in thee by the imposition of my handes ✠verse 7 For God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of povver and loue and sobrietie ✠verse 8 Be not therfore ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but trauail vvith the Gospel according to the povver of God ✠verse 9 vvho hath deliuered and called vs by his holy calling * not according to our vvorkes but according to his purpose and grace vvhich vvas giuen to vs in Christ IESVS * before the secular times ✠verse 10 But it is manifested novv by the illumination of our Sauiour IESVS Christ vvho hath destroied death illuminated life and incorruption by the Gospel ✠verse 11 vvherein * I am appointed a preacher and Apostle and Maister of the Gentiles ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause also I suffer these things but I am not cōfounded For I know whom I haue beleeued I am sure that he is able to keepe my ″ depositum vnto that day ✠verse 13 Haue thou ″ a forme of sound vvordes vvhich thou hast heard of me in faith in the loue in Christ IESVS ✠verse 14 Keepe the good depositum by the holy Ghost vvhich dvvelleth in vs. ✠verse 15 Thou knovvest this that al vvhich are in Asia be auerted from me of vvhom is Phigelus and Hermogenes ✠verse 16 Our Lord giue mercie to * the house of Onesiphorus because he hath often refreshed me and hath not been ashamed of my chaine ✠verse 17 but vvhen he vvas come to Rome he sought me carefully and found me ✠verse 18 ″ Our Lord graunt him to finde mercie of our Lord in that day And how many things he ministred to me at Ephesus thou knovvest better ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. In thy grandmother Though God shevv mercie to many that be of incredulous heretical or il parents yet it is a goodly benediction of God to haue good education and to haue good faithful progenitors and Catholike parents And it is a great sinne to forsake the faith of our fathers that be Catholikes or contrarie to our education in the Church to folovv strange doctrines abandoning not onely our next natural parents faith but the aūcient faith and beleefe of al our progenitors for many hundred yeres together And if to folovv the faith of mother and grandmother onely the Christian religion being then but nevvly planted vvas so commendable euen in a Bishop hovv much more is it novv laudable to cleaue fast to the faith of so many our progenitors and ages that continued in the same Christian religion vvhich they first receiued Our Protestants in their great vvisedom laugh at good simple men vvhen they talke of their fathers faith But S. Hierom I am a Christian saith he and borne of Christian parents and carie the signe of the crosse in my forehead And againe ep 65. c. 3. Vntil this day the Christian vvorld hath been vvithout this doctrine that faith vvil I hold fast being an old man vvherein I vvas borne a child And the holy Scriptures set vs often to schole to our fathers Aske thy fathers and they vvil shevv thee thy auncetours and they vvil tel thee And againe Our fathers haue shevved vnto vs. And cōmonly the true God is called the God of the faithful and of their forefathers Dan. 2. 3. And false Gods and nevv doctrines or opinions be named Nevv and fresh such as their fathers vvorshipped not Deut. 32. Finally S. Paul both here and often els alleageth for his defense and commendation that he vvas of faithful progenitors
to abuse the simple do falsifie this sentence of the Apostle to make it serue for the mariage of Votaries it is notorious First they vse deceit in supplying the verbe substantiue that vvanteth making it the Indicatiue moode thus Mariage is honorable c. as though the Apostle affirmed al mariage to be honorable or lavvful vvhere the verbe to be supplied ought rather to be the Imperatiue moode Let mariage be honorable that so the speache may be an exhortation or commaundement to them that be or vvil be maried to vse them selues in that state in al fidelity cleanlinesse and coniugal continencie one tovvard an other as vvhen S. Peter also and this Apostle exhorte maried men to giue honour to their vviues as to the vveaker vessels and to possesse their vessel in honour not in the passions of ignominie and vncleanlinesse this is honorable or chast mariage to vvhich he here exhorteth And that it is rather an exhortation then an affirmation it is euident by the other partes and circumstances of this place both before after al vvhich are exhortations in their owne translations this only being in the middes and as indifferent to be an exhortation as the rest by their owne confession they restraine of purpose Our text therfore and al Catholike translatioÌ„s leaue the sentence indifferent as it is in the Greeke and as true translatours ought to do not presuming to addict it to one side lest they should restraine the sense of the holy Ghost to their owne particular fantasie Againe our new Translatours corrupt the text in that they translate in omnibus among al men because so they thinke it vvould sound better to the ignorant that Priests Religious and al vvhosoeuer may marie vvhere they can not tell either by the Greeke or Latin that in omnibus should be the masculine gendre rather then the neutre as not only Erasmus but the Greeke doctors also take it to signifie that mariage should be honorably kept betweene man and vvife in al pointes and in al respectes See S. Chrys and Theophyl in hunc locum For there may be many filthy abuses in vvedlocke vvhich the Apostle vvarneth them to take heede of and to keepe their mariage-bed vndefiled But the third corruption for their purpose aforesiad and most impudent is that some of the Caluinistes for in omnibus translate inter quosuis vvith a marginal interpretation to signifie al orders conditions states and qualities of men So boldly they take away al indifferencie of senses and make Gods vvord to speake iust that vvhich them selues vvould and their heresie requireth in vvhich king they passe al impudencie and al heretikes that euer vvere 7. Remember your Prelates Vve be here vvarned to haue great regard in our life and beleefe to the holy fathers Doctors glorious Bishops gone before vs in Gods Church not doubting but they being our lawful Pastors had and taught the truth of vvhom S. Augustine said That vvhich they found in the Church they held fast that vvhich they learned they taught that vvhich they receiued of their fathers the same they deliuered to their children Cont. Iulian. li. 2 c. 10. Vvhich respect to our holy forefathers in faith is now in this vvicked contempt of the Heretikes so much the more to be had See the said holy doctors second booke against Iulian the Pelagian throughout vvhat great account he maketh of them in the confutation of heresies and hovv far he preferreth them aboue the proud Sectmaisters of that time as vve must now doe against our new doctors This place also is rightly vsed to proue that the Church of God should keepe the memories of Saincts departed by solemne holidaies and other deuout vvaies of honour 9. Not vvith meates He speaketh not of Christian fastes but of the legal difference of meates vvhich the Hebrues vvere yet proâ—e vnto not considering that by Christes faith they vvere made free from al such obseruations of the Law 10. We haue an altar He putteth them in minde by these vvordes that in folowing to much their old Iewish rites they depriued them selues of an other maner and a more excellent sacrifice and meate meaning of the holy altar and Christes ovvne blessed body offered and eaten there of vvhich they that continue in the figures of the old Law could not be partakers This altar saith I sychius is the altar of Christes body vvhich the Ievves for their incredulity must not behold Li. 6 c. 21 in Leuit. And the Greeke vvord as also the Hebrue ansvvering therevnto in the old testament signifieth properly an altar to sacrifice on and not a metaphorical and spiritual altar Vvhereby vve proue against the Heretikes that vve haue not a common table or profane communion borde to eate mere bread vpon but a very altar in the proper sense to sacrifice Christes body vpon and so called of the fathers in respect of the said body sacrificed Greg. Nazianz. in orat de sorore Gorgonia Chrys demonst quòd Christus sit Deus Socrat. li. 1. c. 20. 25. Aug. ep 86. De ciu Dei li. 8. c. 27. li. 22. c. 10. Confess li. 9 c. 11. 13. Cont. Faust Manich. li. 20. c 21. Theophyl in 23. Mat. And vvhen it is called a table it is in respect of the heauenly foode of Christs body and bloud receiued 15. The hoste or praise Though it may signifie the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing of vvhat sort soeuer ye it specially may be thought to signifie the great Sacrifice of the B. body and bloud of Christ not as vpon the Crosse vvhich vvas but once done in bloudy sort but as in the Church and new Testament vvhere it is daily done vnblouddily being the proper host of laude and thankes giuing and therfore called the Eucharist and being the fruite and effecte of Christ and his Priests lippes or vvordes that is of consecration because this sacrifice is made by the force of the holy vvordes And vvhen vve reade in the psalme and other places of the olde Testament of the host of praise it may be thought to be a prophecie of the nevv Sacrifice not of euery vulgar thankes giuing And so the old fathers in the primitiue Church to hide the mysteries from the vnvvorthy or heathen often speake What is saith S. Augustine a more holy sacrifice of praise then that vvhich consisteth in thankes giuing all vvhich the faithful do knovv in the sacrifice of the Church Li. 1. cont aduers leg preph c. 18. Againe c. 20. The Church from the times of the Apostles by the most certaine successions of Bishops offereth to God in the body of Christ the Sacrifice of praise And a 〈◊〉 aftervvard Novv Israel according to the spirit that is the Church offereth a singular Sacrifice according to the spirit of vvhose house be vvil not take calues nor goates but vvil take the Sacrifice of praise not according
nor Schismatikes but rather to auoid al such as the forerunners of Antichrist and to remember that Catholikes neede not to goe to schole to any such Masters hauing at home in the Catholike Church the doctrine of the holy Ghost him self vvho vvas giuen to the Church visibly in the beginning to leade her into al truth and to continue vvith her for euer Therfore he saith That vvhich you haue heard from the beginning let it abide in you Likevvise a litle after v. 27. and ep 2. v. 6. This is the commaundement that as you haue heard from the beginning you vvalke in the same because many seducers are gone out into the vvorld and v. 8. 9. And not only thus in general but also in particular he expresseth the pointes vvhich the heretikes did then call in question Some vvere about Christ him self for they denied that IESVS is Christ that he is the very sonne of God that he is incarnate Ep. 1. c. 2. v. 22. and Ep. 2. v. 7. And against such it vvas that he vvrote his Gospel also as he there signifieth Ioh. 20. v. 31. Other pointes are about our iustification against onely faith and for good vvorkes as also S. Aug. noted vvhose vvordes vvere cited before Herevpon he saith If vve say vve haue societie vvith God and vvalke in darkenes vve lie Ep. 1. c. 1. Againe He that saith he knovveth God and keepeth not his commaundements is a lier Againe This is the charitie of God that vve keepe his cōmaundements and his commaundements are not heauie Finally Children let no man seduce you he that doth iustice is iust euen as he is iust Ep. 1. c. 3. v. 7. 8. 9. likevvise c. 2. v. 29. and in deede in all the three Epistles through out he doth inculcate good vvorkes and keeping the commaundements against the heresie of only faith THE FIRST EPISTLE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. Good cause there is to beleeue the Apostles preaching 5 And this is one point of their preaching that to haue participation vvith God vve must not onely beleeue but also abstaine from al mortal sinne 8 though vve al sinne venially verse 1 THAT vvhich vvas from the beginning vvhich vve haue heard vvhich vve haue seen vvith our eies vvhich vve haue looked vpon and our handes haue handled of the vvord of life ✠verse 2 and the life vvas manifested and vve haue seen and do testifie and declare vnto you the life eternal vvhich vvas vvith the Father and hath appeared to vs ✠verse 3 that vvhich vve haue seen and haue heard vve declare vnto you that ◠you also may haue societie vvith vs and our societie may be vvith the Father and vvith his Sonne IESVS Christ ✠verse 4 And these things vve vvrite to you that you may reioyce and your ioy may be ful ✠verse 5 And this is the annuntiation vvhich vve haue heard of him and declare vnto you That * God is light and in him there is no darkenesse ✠verse 6 If vve shal say that we haue societie vvith him and vvalke in darkenesse vve lie and do not the truth ✠verse 7 But if we vvalke in the light as he also is in the light vve haue societie one tovvard an other and * ◠the bloud of IESVS Christ his sonne cleanseth vs ◠from al sinne ✠verse 8 * If vve shal say ◠that vve haue no sinne vve seduce our selues and the truth is not in vs. ✠verse 9 If vve confesse our sinnes he is faithful iust for to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from al iniquitie ✠verse 10 If vve shal say that vve haue not sinned vve make him a lier and his vvord is not in vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 3. You may haue societie S. Iohn shevveth manifestly that vvhosoeuer desire to be partakers vvith God must first be vnited to the Churches societie learne that faith and receiue those Sacraments vvhich the Disciples receiued of the Truth it self conuersant vvith them in flesh So saith Venerable Bede vpon this place Vvhereby vve see there is no societie vvith God in sectes or schismes nor any vvhere but in the vnitie fellovvship and communion of that Church vvhich can proue it self to descend from the Apostles 7. The bloud of Iesus Vvhether sinnes he remitted by praiers by fasting by almes by faith by charitie by sacrifice by Sacraments by the Priests as the holy Scriptures do plainely attribute remissiō to euery of these yet none of al these do othervvise remit but in the force by the merite vertue of Christs bloud these being but the appointed meanes instruments by vvhich Christ vvil haue his holy bloud to vvorke effectually in vs. vvhich meanes vvhosoeuer contemneth depriueth him self of the cōmoditie of Christs ovvne bloud continueth still in sinne and vncleannesse vaunt he him self neuer so much of Christs death Vvhich point let the Protestants marke vvel and cease to beguile their poore deceiued folovvers persuading them that the Catholikes derogate from Christs bloud or seeke remission othervvise then by it for that they vse humbly the meanes appointed by Christ to apply the benefite of his holy bloud vnto them 7. From al sinne From original and actual venial and mortal a culpa poena that is from the fault and the paine due for the same V. Bede saith that Christs Passion doth not onely remit in Baptisme the sinnes before committed but al other aftervvard also done by frailtie yet so if vve vse for the remission of them such meanes as be requisite and as Christ hath appointed vvhereof he reckeneth some Bede vpon this place See S. Augustine also vpon this place to 9. and S. Hierome li. 2 con Pelag. c. 3. 8. That vve haue no sinne Vve gather by these vvordes and the former that there be tvvo sortes of sinnes one mortal excluding vs from light and the societie of God an other venial vvhich is found euen in those that vvalke in the light and are in the societie of God Also vve note against the Pelagians that vve be truely called the sonnes of God and so iust in deede though vve be not vvithout al sinnes euery one of vs as vvel iust as vniust being taught and bound to confesse our offenses and to aske pardon daily of God by this petition of the Pater noster Forgiue vs our debtes Therfore S. Augustine li. de natura grat c. 36. reckeneth vp al the holy Patriarches Prophets and renovvmed iust persons to haue been sinners euen vvhen they vvere in grace and Iustice excepting alvvaies our B. Ladie de qua propter honorem Domini nullam prorsus cùm de peccatis agitur habere volo quaestionem of vvhom saith he for the honour of our Lord. vvhen vve talke of sinnes I vvil haue no question And Pelagius asking vvhat sinnes Abel such iust men did commit S. Augustine āsvvereth that they might laugh
heresie to be that such as be permanent constant and chosen members and children of the Catholike Church onely knovven to God before may novv also be made manifest to the vvorld by their constant remaining in the CHVRCH vvhen the vvinde and blast of euery heresie or tentation driueth out the other light and vnstable persons 20. Knovv al things They that abide in the vnitie of Christes Church haue the vnction that is the Holy Ghost vvho teacheth al truth not that euery member or man thereof hath al knovvledge in him self personally but that euery one vvhich is of that happie societie to vvhich Christ promised and gaue the Holy Ghost is partaker of al other mens giftes and graces in the same holy Spirit to his saluation Neither neede any to seeke truth at Heretikes handes or others that be gone out vvhen it is vvithin them selues and onely vvithin them selues in Gods Church If thou loue vnitie saith S. Augustine for thee also hath he vvhosoeuer hath any thing in it take avvay enuie it is thine vvhich I haue it is mine vvhich thou hast c. Tract 32 in Euang. Ioan. CHAP. III. It is not for the sonnes of God to sinne mortally but for the sonnes of the Diuel vvherby they are knovven one from an other not by onely faith 11 True faith is that vve also loue our brethren giuing both our life and substance for them 19 Such vnfeined loue may haue great confidence before God 23 because the keeping of his cōmaundements doth much please him vvhich consist in faith and charitie verse 1 See vvhat maner of charitie the Father hath giuē vs that vve should be named and be the sonnes of God For this cause the world doth not knovv vs because it hath not knovven him ✠verse 2 My deerest novv vve are the sonnes of God it hath not yet appeared vvhat we shal be Vve know that whē he shal appeare we shal be like to him because vve shal see him as he is ✠verse 3 And euery one that hath this hope in him sanctifieth him self as he also is holy ✠verse 4 Euery one that committeth sinne committeth also iniquitie and ◠sinne is iniquitie ✠verse 5 And * you knovv that he appeared to take away our sinnes * and sinne in him there is none ✠verse 6 Euery one that abideth in him ◠sinneth not and euery one that sinneth hath not seen him nor knovven him ✠verse 7 Litle children let no mā seduce you ◠He that doeth iustice is iust euen as he also is iust ✠verse 8 * He that committeth sinne is of the deuil because the deuil ◠sinneth from the beginning For this appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the vvorkes of the deuil ✠verse 9 Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne because his seede abideth in him and he can not sinne because he is borne of God ✠verse 10 In this are the children of God manifest and the children of the deuil Euery one that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother ✠verse 11 because this is the annuntiation vvhich you haue heard from the beginning * That you loue one an other ✠verse 12 Not as * Cain vvho vvas of the vvicked and killed his brother And for vvhat cause killed he him Because his vvorkes vvere vvicked but his brothers iust ✠verse 13 Maruel not brethren if the vvorld hate you ✠verse 14 Vve knovv that vve are translated from death to life because vve loue the brethren He that loueth not abideth in death ✠verse 15 Vvhosoeuer hateth his brother is a murderer And you knovv that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in him self ✠verse 16 * In this vve haue knovven the charitie of God because he hath yelded his life for vs and vve ought to yeld our liues for the brethren ⊢ ✠verse 17 * He that shal haue the substance of the vvorld and shal see his brother haue neede and shal shut his bovvels from him hovv doth the charitie of God abide in him ✠verse 18 My litle children let vs not loue in word nor in tongue but in deede and truth ⊢ ✠verse 19 in this vve knovv that vve are of the truth and in his sight vve shal persuade our hartes ✠verse 20 For if our hart do reprehend vs God is greater then our hart and knovveth al thinges ✠verse 21 My deerest if our hart do not reprehend vs vve haue confidence tovvard God ✠verse 22 and * vvhatsoeuer vve shal aske ◠vve shal receiue of him because vve keepe his commaundementes and doe those thinges vvhich are pleasing before him ✠verse 23 And * this is his commaundement that vve beleeue in the name of his sonne IESVS Christ and loue one an other as he hath giuen cōmaundement vnto vs. ✠verse 24 And * he that keepeth his commaundementes abideth in him and he in him And in this vve knovv that he abideth in vs by the Spirit vvhich he hath giuen vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 4. Sinne is iniquitie Iniquitie is not taken here for vvickednes as it is commonly vsed both in Latin and in our language as is plaine by the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying nothing els but a svvaruing or declining from the straight line of the lavv of God or nature So that the Apostle meaneth that euery sinne is an obliquitie or defect from the rule of the lavv but not contrarie that euery such svvaruing from the lavv should be properly a sinne as the Heretikes do vntruely gather to proue that concupiscence remaining after Baptisme is a very sinne though vve neuer giue our consent vnto it And though in the 5 chapter folovving vers 17. the Apostle turne the speache affirming euery iniquitie to be a sinne yet there the Greeke vvord is not the same as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vvhich it is plaine that there he meaneth by iniquitie mans actual and proper transgression vvhich must needes be a sinne See S. Augustine cont Iulian. li. 5 c. 3. S. Ambr. li. d◠Apologia Dauid c. 13. 6. Sinneth not Iouinian Pelagius falsely as Heretikes vse to doe argued vpon these vvordes and those that folovv vers 9 the one that the baptized could sinne no more the other that no man being or remaining iust could sinne But among many good senses giuen of this place this seemeth most agreable that the Apostle should say that mortal sinne doth not consist together vvith the grace of God therfore can not be committed by a man continuing the sonne of God and so is the like speache in the 9 verse folovving to be taken See S. Hierom li. 2 cont louinianum c. 1. 7. He that doeth iustice He doth inculcate this often that mans true iustice or
vpon Seuens seuen Churches seuen Angels seuen starres seuen spirites seuen candlestickes seuen lampes seuen trumpets seuen vialâ— seuen horneâ— of the Lambe seuen hilles seuen thunders seuen heades of the Dragon signifying the Diâ—el seuen of the beast that is Antichrist seuen of the beast that the harlot rid vpon finally the number also of the visions is specially marked to be seuen in this booke and euery time that this number is vsed in this prophecie it hath a mysterie a more large meaning then the nature of that number is precisely and vulgarly taken for As vvhen he vvriteth to seuen Churches it is to be vnderstood of al the Churches in the vvorld as the seuen Angels for al the Angels or gouernours of the vvhole Catholike Church and so forth in the rest because the number of Seuen hath the perfection of vniuersalitie in it as S. Augustine saith li. 5 quâ—st in Deuter. q. 42. 4. From the 7 spirites The Holy Ghost may be here meant and so called for his seuen fold giftes and graces as some expositours thinke but it seemeth more probable that he speaketh of the holy Augels by comparing this to the like in the 5 Chapter folovving vvhere he seemeth to call these the seuen spirites sent into al the vvorld as S. Paul to the Hebrues c. 1. 14 speaketh of Angels and so the Protestants take it in their coÌ„mentaries vvhich vve note because therevpon they must needes confesse that the Apostle here giueth or vvisheth grace and peace not from God onely but also from his Angels though that benediction commeth one vvay of God and an other vvay of his Angels or Sainctes being but his creatures And so they may learne that the faithful often loyning in one speache God and our Lady our Lord and any of his Saincts to helpe vs or blesse vs is not superstitious but an Apostolical speache and so the Patriarch said Gen. 48. v. 16. The Angel that deliuereth me from al euils blesse these children See the Annot. Act. 25 28. 6. A kingdom and Priests As al that truely serue God and haue the dominion and superioritie ouer their concupiscences and vvhatsoeuer vvould induce them to sinne be kings so al that employ their vvorkes and them selues to serue God offer al their actions as an acceptable sacrifice to him be priests Neuerthelesse as if any man vvould therevpon affirme that there ought to be no other earthly povvers or kings to gouerne in vvorldly affaires ouer Christians be vvere a seditious Heretike euen so are they that vpon this or the like places vvhere al Christians be called priests in a spiritual sort vvould therfore inferre that euery one is in proper signification a Priest or that al be Priests alike or that there ought to be none but such spiritual priests for it is the seditious voice of Corè saying to Moyses and Aaron Let it suffiâ—â— you that al the multitude is of holy ones and the Lord is in theâ—â— Vvhy are you extolled ouer the people of the Lord Num. 16. 10. On the Dominical day Many notable pointes may be marked here first that euen in the Apostles time there vvere daies deputed to the seruice of God and so made holy and different though not by nature yet by vse and benediction from other profane or as vve call them vvorke-daies Secondly that the Apostles and faithful abrogated the Sabboth vvhich vvas the seuenth day and made holy day for it the next day folovving being the eight day in count from the creation and that vvithout al Scriptures or coÌ„maundement of Christ that vve reade of yea vvhich is more not onely othervvise then vvas by the Lavv obserued but plainely othervvise then vvas prescribed by God him self in the second commaundement yea and othervvise then he ordained in the first creatioÌ„ vvhen he sanctified precisely the Sabboth day not the day folovving Such great povver did Christ leaue to his Church and for such causes gaue he the holy Ghost to be resident in it to guide it into al truthes euen such as in the Scriptures are not expressed And if the Church had authoritie inspiration from God to make Sunday being a vvorke-day before an euerlasting holy day and the Saturday that before vvas holy day novv a common vvorkeday vvhy may not the same Church prescribe appoint the other holy feasts of Easter Vvhitsuntide Christmas and the rest for the same vvarrant she hath for the one that she hath for the other Thirdly it is to be noted that the cause of this change vvas for that novv vve Christians esteeming more our redemption then our first creation haue the holy day vvhich vvas before for the remembrance of Gods accomplishment of the creation of things novv for the memorie of the accomplishment of our redemption Vvhich therfore is kept vpon that day on vvhich our Lord rose from life to death vvhich vvas the day after the Sabboth being called by the Ievves vna or prima Sabbathi the first of or after the Sabboth Mat 28. Act. 10. 1 Cor. 16. Fourthly it is to be marked that this holy day by the Apostles tradition also vvas named Dominiâ—â—â— dieâ— our Lordes day or the Dominike vvhich is also an old Ecclesiastical vvord in our language for the name Sunday is a heathenish calling as al other of the vveeke daies be in our laÌ„guage some imposed after the names of planets as in the Romans time some by the name of certaine Idols that the Saxons did vvorship to vvhich they dedicated their daies before they vvere Christians Vvhich names the Church vseth not but hath appointed to call the first day the Dominike after the Apostle here the other by the name of Feries vntil the last of the vveeke vvhich she calleth by the old name Sabboth because that vvas of God and not by imposition of the heathen See the marginal Annotation Luc. 24 1. Lastly obserue that God reuealeth such great things to Prophets rather vpon holy daies and in times of contemplation sacrifice and praier then on other profaue daies and therfore as S. Peter Act. 10 had a reuelation at the six houre of praier and Zacharie Luc. 1 at the houre of incense and Cornelius Act. 10 vvhen he vvas at his praiers the ninthe houre so here S. Iohn noteth that he had al these maruelous visions vpon a Sunday 13. Vested in a Priestly garment He appeared in a long garment or vestment proper vnto Priests for so the vvord poderes doth signifie as Sap. 18 24 and that vvas most agreable for him that represented the person of Christ the high Priest and appeared to Iohn being a most holy Priest and vvho is specially noted in the Ecclesiastical historie for his Priestly garment called péâ—alon or lamina Euseb li. 3 hist Eccl. c. 25. li. 5 c. 23. 20. The seuen starres The Bishops are the starres of the Church as the Churches them selues are the golden
9. ⸬ By this we see that this miracle was not onely maruelous and beneficial to the blinde but also significatiue of taking away spiritual blindnesse External ceremonies Heretical traÌ„slation Casting out of the Synagogue The Churches ExcoÌ„municatioÌ„ See in the Annot Mat. 18 17. The Heretikes ridiculous ExcommunicatioÌ„ Num. 16. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Tuesday in whitson weeke ⸬ The theefe is the Heretike specially any other that vnlawfully breake in vpoÌ„ the sheepe to kil destroy them by false doctrine and otherwise ⸬ That is the fashion of Iewrie other countries signifying that the shepheard or Pastor must teach the sheepe and not they him The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 2 Sunday after Easter and for S. Thomas of Canterburie Decemb. 29. Esa 40 11. Ezec. 34 23. ⸬ Christes death was so necessarie for the flocke that when he might haue escaped he voluntarily offered him self to death for his flocke c He meaneth the Church of the Gentils Ezec. 37 24. Esa 53 7. 1 Mach. 4 56. 59 The Gospel vpoÌ„ Wenesday in Passion weeke An other reading is My father that hath giuen me c. c vnum Ps 81 6. Arch-heretikes specially are the theeues that clime in an other way not by the doore WheÌ„ the Pastor must tarie or may flee Iudas Machabaeus Dedication of Churches * 2 Macha 12. Christs essence diuine nature of the Father Caluins autotheisme The Gospel vpoÌ„ Friday in the 4 weeke of Lent Lu. 7 37 Mat 26 7. Mar. 14 3. Io. 12 3. c de dormitione somni The Gospel in a Masse for the dead vpon the day of the burial or deposition Io. 9 6. ⸬ S. Cyril li. 76. vlt. in Io. and S. August Tract 49 in Io. apply this to the Apostles and Priests authoritie of absoluing sinners affirming Christ to reuiue none froÌ„ sinne but in the Church and by the Priests ministerie The Gospel vpoÌ„ friday in Passion vveeke ⸬ All men but specially NatioÌ„s must take hee-de that vvhiles to saue their temporal state they forsake God they lose not both as the Iewes did Aug. tract 49 in Io. The priuilege of the office order though in a wicked person Lu. 22 23. The 4 part THE 4 Pasche holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem Mt. 26 6. Mar. 14 3. The Gospel vpâ—Ì„ Munday in Holy weeke PALME SVNDAY eue ⸬ Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion how acceptable they were to Christ see the Annot. Mt. 26. ⸬ The deuout offices of balming and anointing the dead bodies of the faithful are here also allowed ⸬ Not in visible and mortal coÌ„dition to receiue almes of you or such like offices for supply of my necessities The Gospel vpoÌ„ Saturday in Passion weeke PALME SVNDAY * Mt. 21 7. Mr. 11 7. Lu. 19 35. Ps 117 26. Zach. 9 9. ⸬ We may see there is a great differeÌ„ce where a man pray or adore at home or iÌ„ the Church holy places when the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the Temple in Hierusalem b The Gospel for S. Ignatius Febr. 1. And for a martyr that is no Bishop as namely S. Laurence Aug. 10. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Holy roode day Septemb. 14. in latin Exaltatio S. Cruciâ— Io. 3 14. Es 53 1. ⸬ If any man aske saith S. Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer rouÌ„dly because they would not Tract 13. in Io. See the meaniÌ„g of this speach Annot. Mat. 18. 15. Mar. 4 12. Esa 6 9. Mt. 13 14. Mr. 4 12. Lu 8 〈◊〉 Act. 28 27. ⸬ This is the case of many principal men in such countries where heresie hath the vpperhand who know and beleeue the Catholike faith but making cholse rather to keepe mans fauour theÌ„ Gods they dare not confesse the same Such may pray that God and the world agree together for els it is seen whose part they wil take Church ornaments Toleration of the euill The Gospel vpoÌ„ MauÌ„dy thursday at Masse and at the washing of feete Mt. 26 1 Mr. 14 1. Luc. 22 1. ⸬ By supper he meaneth the eating of the Paschal lambe for the institution of the B. Sacrament was after this MAVNDY THVRSDAY Ps 40 10. Mat. 26 18. Mar. 14 16. Luc. 22 21. ⸬ Christ had some prouision before hand giuen him by the Collections of the faithful which was vsed both in his owne necessities bestowed vpon the poore Io. 7 34. 1 Io. 3 23. Mt. 26 35. Mr. 14 29. Lu. 22 33. Puritie required to the receiuing of the B. Sacrament Venial sinnes taken avvay by sacred ceremonies Ambr. Bern. locis citaâ—is The Church defineth which are Sacraments and which not c. The Gospel vpoÌ„ SS Philip and Iacobs day Maij. 1. ⸬ These mansioÌ„s signifie differences of glorie in heauen Hiero. li. â— adu Iouin ` doe knovv The Gospel in a votiue Masse for the election of the Pope vpon whitsun eue ⸬ It is then possible both to loue Christ and to keepe his coÌ„maundements c Paraclete by interpretation is either a comforter or an aduocate and therfore to traÌ„slate it by any one of them only is ê‘haps to abridge the sense of this place ` shal knovv The Gospel vpoÌ„ whitsunday And in a Votiue Masse of the holy Ghost ⸬ See the Annot vpoÌ„ the 16 Chap. vs 12 13. li. de Babyla mart â—o 5. We may and must easely beleeue the miracles of Saincts of their relikes wheÌ„ Christ him self foretelleth they shal doe such wonderful things * Act. 5 15 19 1â— * See Annot Mat. 1â— â—0 The Heretikes as faithles iÌ„ this point as the old Pagans The HOLY GHOST is promised to the CHVRCH for euer The Spirit of truth shal assist the CHVRCH alvvaies The Arians alleage as plaine Scriptures as the ProtestaÌ„ts The Gospel for one Martyr ⸬ Christ hath some branches in his body mystical that be fruitles therfore il liuers also may be members of Christ the Church ⸬ Man may coÌ„tinually increase in iustice and sanctification so long as he liueth ⸬ S. Augustine expoundeth it of the SacrameÌ„tal word of Baptisme and not as Heretikes do of preaching onely Tract 80. in Io. ⸬ If a Schismatike pray neuer so much he is not heard because he remayneth not in the body of Christ Io. 13 34 The Gospel vpoÌ„ S. Barnabees day and on the eue of an Apostle The Gospel vpoÌ„ SS Simon and Iudes day Io. 13 16 Mt. 10 24. Lu. 6 40. ⸬ He foresheweth that many wil not obey the Churches wordes no maruel because they coÌ„temned Christes owne precepts The Gospel vpoÌ„ Sunday after the Ascension and in a Votiue of the B. Trinitie Ps 24 19. Act. 2 1. No man sure of perseuêrance Not onely faith ⸬ The Heretikes translate Excommunicate you See what corruption this is and the reason thereof Annot. c. 9 22. The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 4 Sunday after Easter ⸬ If he shal teach al truth that for euer as before c. 14. 16 how is it possible that the Church
prouision vvas made that no heretical version set forth by Vvicleffe or his adherentes should be suffered nor any other in or after his time be published or permitted to be readde being not approued and allovved by the Diócesan before alleaging S. Hierom for the difficultie and danger of interpreting the holy Scripture out of one tonge into an other though by learned and Catholike men So also it is there insinuated that neither the Translations set forth before that Heretikes time nor other aftervvard being approued by the lavvful Ordinaries were euer in our countrie wholy forbidden though they were not to say the truth in quiet and better times much lesse when the people vvere prone to alteratioÌ„ heresie or noueltie either hastily admitted or ordinarily readde of the vulgar but vsed onely or specially of some deuout religious and contemplatiues persons in reuerence secrecie and silence for their spiritual comforte Now since Luthers reuolt also diuers learned Catholikes for the more speedy abolishing of a number of false and impious translations put forth by sundry sectes and for the better preseruation or reclaime of many good soules endangered thereby haue published the Bible in the seueral languages of almost all the principal prouinces of the Latin Church no other bookes in the world being so pernicious as hereticall translations of the Scriptures poisoning the people vnder colour of diuine authoritie not many other remedies being more soueraine against the same if it be vsed in order discretion and humilitie then the true faithful and sincere interpretation opposed therevnto Vvhich causeth the holy Church not to forbid vtterly any Catholike translation though she allow not the publishing or reading of any absolutely and without exception or limitation knowing by her diuine and most sincere wisedom how where when and to whom these her Maisters and Spouses giftes are to be bestowed to the most good of the faithful and therfore neither generally permitteth that which must needes doe hurt to the vnworthy nor absolutely condemneth that which may doe much good to the worthie Vvherevpon the order which many a wise man wished for before was taken by the Deputies of the late famous Councel of Trent in this behalfe and confirmed by supreme authoritie that the holy Scriptures though truely and Catholikely translated into vulgar tonges yet may not be indiffereÌ„tly readde of all men nor of any other then such as haue expresse licence therevnto of their lawful Ordinaries with good testimonie from their Curates or Confessors that they be humble discrete and deuout persons and like to take much good and no harme thereby Vvhich prescript though in these daies of ours it can not be so precisely obserued as in other times places where there is more due respecte of the Churches authoritie rule and discipline yet we trust all wise and godly persons will vse the matter in the meane while with such moderation meekenes and subiection of hart as the handling of so sacred a booke the sincere senses of Gods truth therein the holy Canons Councels reason and religion do require Vvherein though for due preseruation of this diuine worke from abuse and prophanation and for the better bridling of the intolerable insolencie of proude curious contentious wittes the gouernours of the Church guided by Gods Spirit as euer before so also vpon more experience of the maladie of this time theâ— before haue taken more exacte order both for the readers and translatours in these later ages then of old yet we must not imagin that in the primitiue Church either euery one that vnderstoode the learned tonges wherein the Scriptures were written or other languages into which they were translated might without reprehension reade reason dispute turne and tosse the Scriptures or that our forefathers suffered euery schole-maister scholer or Grammarian that had a litle Greeke or Latin straight to take in hand the holy Testament or that the translated Bibles into the vulgar tonges were in the handes of euery husbandman artificer prentice boies girles mistresse maide man that they were sung plaies alleaged of euery tinker tauerner rimer minstrel that they were for table talke for alebenches for boates and barges and for euery prophane person and companie No in those better times men were neither so ill nor so curious of them selues so to abuse the blessed booke of Christ neither was there any such easy meanes before printing was inuented to disperse the copies into the handes of euery man as now there is They were then in Libraries Monasteries Colleges Churches in Bishops Priests and some other deuout principal Lâ—y mens houses and handes who vsed them with seare and reuerence and specially such partes as perteined to good life and maners not medling but in pulpit and schooles and that moderately to with the hard and high mysteries and places of greater difficultie The poore ploughman could then in labouring the ground sing the hymnes and psalmes either in knowen or vnknowen languages as they heard them in the holy Church though they could neither reade nor know the sense meaning and mysteries of the same Such holy persons of both sexes to whom S. Hierom in diuers Epistles to them commendeth the reading and meditation of holy Scriptures were diligent to searche all the godly histories imitable examples of chastitie humilitie obedience clemencie pouertie penance renouÌ„cing the world they noted specially the places that did breede the hatred of sinne feare of Gods iudgement delight in spiritual cogitations they referred them selues in all hard places to the iudgement of the auncient fathers and their maisters in religion neuer presuming to contend controule teach or talke of their owne sense and phantasie in deepe questions of diuinitie Then the Virgins did meditate vpon the places and examples of chastitie modestie and demurenesse the maried on coniugal faith and continencie the parents how to bring vp their children in faith and seare of God the Prince how to rule the subiect how to obey the Priest how to teach the people how to learne Then the scholer taught not his maister the sheepe controuled not the Pastor the yong student set not the Doctor to schoole not reproued their fathers of error ignorance Or if any were in those better daies as in al times of heresie such must needes be that had itching eares tikling tonges and wittes curious and contentious disputers hearers and talkers rather then doers of Gods word such the Fathers did euer sharply reprehend counting them vnworthy and vnprofitable readers of the holy Scriptures S. Hierom in his Epistle to Paulinus after declaration that no handy craft is so base nor liberall science so easy that can be had without a maister which S. Augustine also affirmeth De vtilitate cred cap. 7. nor that men presume in any occupation to teach that they neuer learned Only saith he the art of Scripture is that vvhich euery man chalengeth this the chatting old vvife this
vnlike to the Protestants our Aduersaries vvhich make no scruple to leaue out the name of Paul in the title of the Epistle to the Hebrues though it be in euery Greeke booke vvhich they translate And their most authorised English Bibles leaue our Catholike in the title of S. Iames Epistle and the rest vvhich vvere famously knovven in the primitiue Church by the name of Catholicae Epistolae Euseb hist Eccl. li. 2 c. 22. Item vve giue the Reader in places of some importance an other reading in the margent specially vvhen the Greeke is agreable to the same as Io. 4. transiet de morte ad vitam Other Latin copies haue transiit and so it is in the Greeke Vve binde not our selues to the pointes of any one copie print or edition of the vulgar Latin in places of no controuersie but folovv the pointing most agreable to the Greeke and to the fathers commentaries As Col. 1 10. Ambulantes dignè Deo per omnia placentes Vvalking vvorthy of God in al things pleasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1 17. Vve point thus Deus Domini nostri Iesu Christi pater gloriae as in the Greeke and S. Chrysostom S. Hierom both in text and commentaries Vvhich the Catholike reader specially must marke lest he finde fault vvhen he seeth our translation disagree in such places from the pointing of his Latin Testament Vve translate sometime the word that is in the Latin margent and not that in the text when by the Greeke or the fathers we see it is a manifest fault of the writers heretofore that mistooke one word for an other As In fine not in side 1. Pet. 3. v. 8. praesentiam not praescientiam 2 Pet. 1. v. 16. Heb. 13. latuerunt not placueâ—unt Thus we haue endeuoured by al meanes to satisfie the indifferent reader and to helpe his vnderstanding euery way both in the text and by Annotations and withal to deale most sincerely before God and man in translating and expounding the most sacred text of the holy Testament Fare wel good Reader and if we profit the any whit by our poore paines let vs for Gods sake be partakers of thy deuout praiers together with humble and contrite hart call vpoÌ„ our Sauiour Christ to cease these troubles stormes of his derest spouse in the meane time comforting our selues with this saying of S. Augustine That Heretikes vvhen they receiue povver corporally to afflict the Church doe exercise her patience but vvhen they oppugne her onely by their euil doctrine or opinions then they exercise her vvisedom De ciuit Dei li. 18. ca. 51. THE SIGNIFICATION OR MEANING OF THE NVMBERS AND MARKES vsed in this Nevv Testament THe numbers in the inner margent of the text shevv the number of verses in euery Chapter The numbers in the Arguments before euery Chapter point to the same numbers of verses in the text treating of the same matter The numbers in the beginning of the AnnotatioÌ„s signifie that the Annotation is vpon such a verse of the text The numbers in the inner margent or els vvhere ioyned to the citations of Scripture if they be vvritten thus Gen. 4 16. the first is the chapter the second is the verse If thus Gen. 4. 16. both are the Chapters If thus Gen. 4 16. 17. 18. the first is the chapter al the rest the verses If thus Gen. 4 16. 5 7. it signifieth chap. 4. vers 16. and chap. 5. vers 7. ✠This crosse signifieth the beginning of euery verse ″ This marke in the text signifieth that there is an Annotation vpon that vvord or vvordes vvhich folovv the said marke * This starre in the text or in the Annotations signifieth the allegations cited ouer against the same in the margent or some other thing ansvvering therevnto ` ’ This marke shevveth an other reading in the margent And if there be nothing in the margent it signifieth that those vvordes are not in some copies a b These notes in the text referre the reader to the self same in the margent Mt. for Matthevv Mr. for Marke ⊢ This marke signifieth the ending of Gospels and Epistles Their beginning is knovven by the margent vvhere directly at the beginning of them is set The Gospel or The Epistle vpon such a day And if it could not be so set directly because of other marginal notes then b is the marke of their beginning And if some fevv by ouersight be not noted in the margent it is supplied in the table of Epistles and Gospels at the end of this booke ⧠THE BOOKES OF THE NEVV Testament according to the counte of the Catholike Churche 4 GOSPELS The Gospel of S. Matthevv The Gospel of S. Marke The Gospel of S. Luke The Gospel of S. Iohn The ACTES of the Apostles S. PAVLES EPIST. 14. The Epistle to the Romanes The 1 Epistle to the Corinthians The 2 Epistle to the Corinthians The Epistle to the Galatians The Epistle to the Ephesians The Epistle to the Phillppians The Epistle to the Colossians The 1 Epist to the Thessalonians The 2 Epistle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s The 1 Epistle to Timothee The 2 Epistle to Timothee The Epistle to Titus The Epistle to Philemon The Epistle to the Hebrevves THE 7 CATHOL EPISTLES The Epistle of S. Iames. The 1 Epistle of S. Peter The 2 Epistle of S. Peter The 1 Epistle of S. Iohn The 2 Epistle of S. Iohn The 3 Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Iude. The APOCALYPSE of S. Iohn 1 The infallible authoritie and excellencie of them aboue al other writings S. Augustine li. II. cont Faustum cap. 5. THe excellencie of the Canonical authoritie of the old and new Testament is distincted from the bookes of later writers which being confirmed in the Apostles times by the succession of Bishops and propagations of Churches is placed as it were in a certaine throne on high wherevnto euery faithful godly vnderstanding must be subiect and obedient There if any thing moue or trouble thee as absurd thou maiest not say The author of this booke held not the truth but either the copie is faultie or the Translatour erred or thou vnderstandest not But in the workes of them that wrote afterward which are conteined in infinite bookes but are in no case equal to that most sacred authoritie of CANONICAL SCRIPTVRES in which soeuer of them is found euen the same truth yet the authoritie is far vnequal 2 The discerning of Canonical from not Canonical and of their infallible truth and sense commeth vnto vs only by the credite vve giue vnto the CATHOLIKE CHVRCHE through vvhose coÌ„mendation vve beleeue both the Gospel and Christ him self Vvhereas the Sectaries measure the matter by their fantasies and opinion S. Augustine cont Epist fundamenti cap. 5. I for my part vvould not beleeue the Gospel vnles the authoritie of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH moued me They therfore whom I obied saying Beleeue the Gospel vvhy should I not beleeue them saying Beleeue
very place in S. Matthew and in the Actes where our Sauiour and S. Paul speake thus They haue heard heauily and haue shut their eies left perhaps they may see and vnderstand and be conuerted and I heale them Whereby it is euident that the speaking in parables was not the cause for many beside the Apostles heard and vnderstood but them selues would not heare and vnderstand and be conuerted and so were the cause of their owne wilful and obstinate infidelity And therfore also he spake in parables because they were not worthy to vnderstand as the other to whom he expounded them 27. And sleepe The Church and Christs doctrine sleepe we wake we increaseth by the great prouidence of God only the preachers must sow and plant and water and * God wil giue the increase nourishing the seede in mens harts And therfore we may not giue ouer or be impatient and solicitous if we haue not alwaies good successe but doing our duty commit the rest to God 31. Mustard seed If the Church and Truth had more and more decaied and been obscured after the Apostles time vnto ours as the Heretikes hold then had it been great in the beginning and smal afterward where this Parable saith contrary that it was a mustard seed first and afterward a great tree vide Chrys to 5 contra Gentiles in vita S. Babylae Mart. 32. The birdes Of al sectes or doctrine Christs religion at the beginning was the smallest and most contemptible but the successe thereof farre passed al mans doctrine in so much that afterward al the wisest and greatest of the world made their residence and rest therein CHAP. V. To the Gerasens and in them to al men Christ manifesteth how the Diuel of his malice would vse them if he would permitte 17 and yet they like not their Sauiours presence 21 A woman Gentil that began her sicknesse when the Iewes daughter began her life signifying Abrahams time he cureth by the way as he was comming to heale the Iewes And euen then the Iewes do die but yet them also he wil reuiue as here the Iewes daughter verse 1 AND they came beyond the straite of the sea into the countrie of the Gerasens ✠verse 2 And as he vvent out of the boate immediatly there mette him out of the sepulchres a man in an vncleane spirit ✠verse 3 that had his dvvelling in the sepulchres and neither vvith chaines ″ could any man novv binde him ✠verse 4 for being often bound vvith fetters and chaines he had burst the chaines and broken the fetters and no body could tame him ✠verse 5 and he vvas alvvaies day and night in the sepulchres and in the mountaines crying and cutting him self vvith stones ✠verse 6 And seeing IESVS a farre of he ranne and adored him ✠verse 7 and crying vvith a great voice said What to me and thee IESVS the sonne of God most high I adiure thee by God that thou torment me not ✠verse 8 For he said vnto him Goe out of the man thou vncleane spirit ✠verse 9 And he asked him What is thy name And he saith to him My name is Legion because vve are many ✠verse 10 And he besought him much that he vvould not expel him out of the countrie ✠verse 11 And there vvas there about the mountaine a great heard of svvine feeding ✠verse 12 And the spirits besought him saying Send vs into the svvine that vve may enter into them ✠verse 13 And IESVS immediatly graunted vnto them And the vncleane spirits going out entred into the svvine and the heard vvith great violence vvas caried headlong into the sea about tvvo thousand and vvere stifled in the sea ✠verse 14 And they that fed them fled and caried nevves into the citie and into the fields And they vvent forth to see vvhat vvas done ✠verse 15 and they come to IESVS and they see him that vvas vexed of the deuil sitting clothed and vvel in his vvittes and they vvere afraid ✠verse 16 And they that had seen it told them in vvhat maner he had been dealt vvithal that had the diuel and of the swine ✠verse 17 And they began to desire him that he vvould depart from their coastes ✠verse 18 And vvhen he vvent vp into the boate he that had been vexed of the diuel began to beseeche him that he might be vvith him ✠verse 19 and he admitted him not but saith to him Goe into thy house to thine and tel them hovv great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had mercie vpon thee ✠verse 20 And he vvent his vvay and began to publish in Decapolis hovv great things IESVS had done to him and al marueled ✠verse 21 * And vvhen IESVS had passed in boate againe ouer the straite a great multitude assembled together vnto him and he vvas about the sea ✠verse 22 And there commeth one of the Archsynagogs named Iaîrus and seeing him he falleth dovvne at his feete ✠verse 23 and besought him much saying That my daughter is at the point of death come impose thy hands vpon her that she may be safe and liue ✠verse 24 And he vvent vvith him and a great multitude folovved him and they thronged him ✠verse 25 And a vvoman vvhich vvas in an issue of bloud tvvelue yeres ✠verse 26 and had suffred many things of many Physicions and had bestovved al that she had neither vvas any thing the better but vvas rather vvorse ✠verse 27 vvhen she had heard of IESVS she came in the preasse behind him and touched his garment ✠verse 28 for she said That ″ if I shal touche but his garment I shal be safe ✠verse 29 And forthvvith the fountaine of her bloud vvas dried and she felt in her body that she vvas healed of the maladie ✠verse 30 And immediatly IESVS knovving in him self ″ the vertue that had proceeded from him turning to the multitude said Who hath touched my garments ✠verse 31 And his Disciples said to him Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and sayest thou who hath touched me ✠verse 32 And he looked about to see her that had done this ✠verse 33 But the vvoman fearing and trembling knovving vvhat vvas done in her came and fel dovvne before him and told him al the truth ✠verse 34 And he said to her Daughter thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace and be vvhole of thy maladie ✠verse 35 As he vvas yet speaking they come to ' the Archsynagogue saying That thy daughter is dead vvhy doest thou trouble the Maister any further ✠verse 36 But IESVS hauing heard the vvord that vvas spoken saith to the Archsynagogue Feare not ″ only beleeue ✠verse 37 And he admitted not any man to folovv him but Peter and Iames and Iohn the brother of Iames. ✠verse 38 And they come to the Archsynagogs house
oile and vvine his Sacraments the host the priests his ministers Vvhereby is signified that the Lavv could not recouer the spiritual life of mankind from the death of sinne that is iustifie man but Christ onely vvho by his passion and the grace and vertue thereof ministred in and by his Sacraments iustifieth and increaseth the iustice of man healing and abling free-vvil to doe al good vvorkes 42. Marie the best part Tvvo notable exaÌ„ples one of the life Actiue in Martha the other of the life ConteÌ„platiue in Marieâ— representing vnto vs that in holy Church there should be alvvaies some to serue God in both these seueral sorts The life conteÌ„platiue is here preferred before the actiue the Religious of both sexes are of that more excellent state and therfore our Protestants haue wholy abandoned them out of their common wealth which the true Church neuer wanted But to say truth they haue neither Martha nor Marie our Lord geue them grace to see their miserie If ours were not answerable to their profession or were degenerated why haue they no new ones if our Churches Votaries vowed vnlawful things Chastitie Pouertie Obedience Pilgrimage what other Votaries or lawful vowes haue they For to offer voluntarily by vow besides the keeping of Gods commaundements wherevnto we are bound by precept and promise in our Baptisme our soules bodies goods or any other acceptable thing to God is an acte of soueraine worship belonging to God onely and there was neuer true religion without such vowes and Votaries If there be none in their whole Church that professe contemplation or that vow any thing at al to God voluntarily neither in their bodies nor in their goods God and the world knovv they haue no Church nor religion at al. CHAP. XI He teacheth a forme of prayer â— and exhorteth to pray instantly 11 assuring that so God wil giue vs good things 14 The Iewes blaspheming his casting out of Diuels and asking for a miracle from heauen 17 he defendeth his doing 〈◊〉 foretelling also the Diuels expulsion by him out of the world that is the vocation of the Gentils 24 and his reentrie into their nation 27 with their reprobation though he be of their flesh 29 and also their final most worthy damnation 37 Againe to the Pharisees and Scribes he crieth wo as authors of the said â—â—probation now at hand verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen he vvas in a certaine place praying as he ceased one of his Disciples said to him Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples ✠verse 2 And he said them * Vvhen you pray say FATHER sanctified be thy name Thy kingdom come ✠verse 3 Our daily bread giue vs this day ✠verse 4 and forgiue vs our sinnes for because our selues also doe forgiue euery one that is in debt to vs And lead vs not into temptation ✠verse 5 And he said to them Vvhich of you shal haue a frende and shal goe to him at midnight and shal say to him Frende lend me three loaues ✠verse 6 because a frende of mine is come out of his way to me and I haue not what to set before him ✠verse 7 he from vvithin ansvvering saith Trouble me not novv the doore is shut and my children are vvith me in bed I can not rise and giue thee ✠verse 8 And if he shal perseuêre knocking I say to you although he vvil not rise and giue him because he is his frende yet for his importunitie he vvil rise and giue him as many as he needeth ✠verse 9 * And I say to you Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and you shal finde knocke and it shal be opened to you ✠verse 10 For euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened ✠verse 11 And vvhich of you if he aske his father bread vvil he giue him a stone or a fish vvil he for a fish giue him a serpent ✠verse 12 Or if he aske an egge vvil he reach him a scorpion ✠verse 13 If you then being naught knovv hovv to giue good giftes to your children hovv much more vvil your father from heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him ⊢ ✠verse 14 * And he vvas casting out a deuil and that vvas dumme And vvhen he had cast out the deuil the dumme spake and the multitudes marueiled ✠verse 15 * And certaine of them said In Beel-zebub the prince of Deuils he casteth out Deuils ✠verse 16 And other tempting asked of him a signe from heauen ✠verse 17 But he seeing their cogitations said to them Euery kingdom deuided against it self shal be made desolate and house vpon house shal fall ✠verse 18 And if Satan also be deuided against him self hovv shal his kingdom stand because you say that in Beel-zebub I doe cast out Deuils ✠verse 19 And if I in Beel-zebub cast out Deuils your children in vvhom doe they cast out therfore they shal be your iudges ✠verse 20 But if I in the finger of God doe cast out Deuils surely the kingdom of God is come vpon you ✠verse 21 Vvhen the strong armed keepeth his court those things are in peace that he possesseth ✠verse 22 But if a stronger then he come vpon him and ouercome him he vvil take avvay his vvhole armour vvherein he trusted and vvil distribute his spoiles ✠verse 23 He that is not vvith me is against me and he that gathereth not vvith me scattereth ✠verse 24 Vvhen the vncleane spirit shal depart out of a man he vvandereth through places vvithout vvater seeking rest And not finding he saith I vvil returne into my house vvhence I departed ✠verse 25 And vvhen he is come he findeth it svvept vvith a besome and trimmed ✠verse 26 Then he goeth and taketh seuen other spirits vvorse then him self and entring in they dvvel there And the last of that man be made vvorse then the first ✠verse 27 And came to passe vvhen he said these things a certaine vvoman lifting vp her voice out of the multitude said to him ″ Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the pappes that thou didst sucke ✠verse 28 But he said Yea rather blessed are they that heare the vvord of God and keepe it ⊢ ✠verse 29 And the multitudes running together he began to say * This generation is a vvicked generation it asketh a signe and a signe shal not be giuen it but ″ the signe of Ionas the Prophet ✠verse 30 * For as Ionas vvas a signe to the Niniuites so shal the Sonne of man also be to this generation ✠verse 31 * The Queene of the South shal rise in the iudgement vvith the men of this generation and shal condemne them because she came from the endes of the earth to heare the
the poole of Siloé and wash And I vvent and vvashed and savv ✠verse 12 And they said to him Vvhere is he He saith I knovv not ✠verse 13 They bring him that had been blinde to the Pharisees ✠verse 14 And it vvas the Sabboth vvhen IESVS made the clay and opened his eies ✠verse 15 Againe therfore the Pharisees asked him hovv he savv But he said to them He put clay vpō mine eies I vvashed and I see ✠verse 16 Certaine therfore of the Pharisees said This man is not of God that keepeth not the Sabboth But others said Hovv can a man that is a sinner doe these signes And there vvas a schisme among them ✠verse 17 They say therfore to the blinde againe Thou vvhat saiest thou of him that opened thine eies And he said That he is a Prophet ✠verse 18 The levves therfore did not beleeue of him that he had been blinde and savv vntil they called the parents of him that savv ✠verse 19 and asked them saying Is this your sonne vvhom you say that he vvas borne blinde hovv then doeth he novv see ✠verse 20 His parents ansvvered them and said Vve knovv that this is our sonne and that he vvas borne blinde ✠verse 21 but hovv he novv seeth vve knovv not or vvho hath opened his eies vve knovv not aske him self he is of age let him self speake of him self ✠verse 22 These things his parents said because they feared the levves for the Ievves had novv conspired that if any mā should cōfesse him to be CHRIST he should be ″ put out of the Synagogue ✠verse 23 Therfore did his parents say That he is of age aske him self ✠verse 24 They therfore againe called the man that had been blinde and said to him Giue glorie to God vve knovv that this man is a sinner ✠verse 25 He therfore said to them Whether he be a sinner I know not one thing I know that vvhereas I vvas blinde novv I see ✠verse 26 They said therfore to him Vvhat did he to thee hovv did he open thine eies ✠verse 27 He ansvvered them I haue novv told you and you haue heard vvhy vvil you heare it againe vvil you also become his disciples ✠verse 28 They reuiled him therfore said Be thou his disciple but we are the disciples of Moyses ✠verse 29 We know that to Moyses God did speake but this man vve knovv not vvhence he is ✠verse 30 The man ansvvered and said to them For in this it is marueilous that you knovv not vvhence he is and he hath opened mine eies ✠verse 31 and vve knovv that sinners God doth not heare but if a man be a seruer of God and doe the vvil of him him he heareth ✠verse 32 From the beginning of the vvorld it hath not been heard that any man hath opened the eies of one borne blinde ✠verse 33 Vnles this man vvere of God he could not doe any thing ✠verse 34 They ansvvered and said to him Thou vvast vvholy borne in sinnes and doest thou teach vs And they did cast him forth ✠verse 35 IESVS heard that they cast him forth and vvhen he had found him he said to him Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God ✠verse 36 He ansvvered and said Vvho is he Lord that I may beleeue in him ✠verse 37 And IESVS said to him Both thou hast seen him and he that talketh vvith thee he it is ✠verse 38 But he said I beleeue Lord. And falling dovvne he adored him ⊢ ✠verse 39 And IESVS said to him For iudgement came I into this vvorld that they that see not may see and they that see may become blinde ✠verse 40 And certaine of the Pharisees that vvere vvith him heard and they said to him Vvhy are vve also blinde ✠verse 41 IESVS said to them If you vvere blinde you should not haue sinne but novv you say That vve see Your sinne remaineth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 6. Made clay Christ that could haue cured this man by his onely wil or word yet vsed certaine creatures as his instruments in working and diuers circumstances and ceremonies clay water anoynting washing c. No maruel then that he and his Church vse such diuersities of Sacraments and ceremonies external in curing our soules 22. Put out of the Synagogue The Heretikes vntruely translate here v. 35. Excommunicate to make the simple conceaue the Churches Excōmunication to be no other or no better or no more rightly vsed against them then this casting our of the Synagogue of such as confesssed our Sauiour They might as wel haue translated for Synagogue Church for the Old Testament the new for Law grace for flesh spirit for Moyses Christ For no lesse difference is there betwene casting out of the Synagogue and Excommunication Besides that not euery one which was not of the Iewes Synagogue was therfore out of the communion of the Faithful many true beleeuers being in other partes of the world not subiect to the Iewes Synagogue Law nor Sacraments And therfore it was not al one to be out of the Synagogue and to be excommunicated as now whosoeuer is out of the Churches communion either by his owne wil or for his iust deserts thrust out of it by the spiritual Magistrate he is quite abandoned out of al the societie of Saincts in heauen and earth so long as he so continueth As for the cause of thrusting this poore man and such other out of the Synagogue and excommunicating Heretikes there is as great oddes as betwixt heauen and hel he being vsed so for folowing Christ and his Church these for forsaking Christ and his Church Some more agreement there is betwene that corrupt sentence of the Iewes against the folowers of Christ and the pretended excommunication executed against Catholike men by our Heretikes although in truth there is no great resemblance For the Iewes though they abused their power sometimes yet had they authoritie in deed by Gods law so to punish contemners of their Law therfore it was feared and respected euen of good men But the excommunication vsed by heretikes against Catholikes or any offenders is not to be respected at al being no more but a ridiculous vsurpation of the Churches right and fashion of the same for out of their Synagogues al faithful men ought to flee and not tarie to be thrust out according to the warning giuen against Coré and Dathan Be ye separated from their tabernacles lest you be vvrapped in their sinnes CHAP. X. He continueth his talke to the Pharisees shevving that they and al other that wil not enter in by him are wolues and that they which heare them are not the true sheepe 11 But that him self is the good Pastor and therfore to saue the sheepe from these wolues he wil yeld his life which othervvise no might of theirs could take from
of them perished but the sonne of perdition that the * scripture may be fulfilled ✠verse 13 And novv I come to thee and these things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in them selues ✠verse 14 I haue giuen them thy vvord and the vvorld hath hated them because they are not of the vvorld as I also am not of the vvorld ✠verse 15 I pray not that thou take them avvay out of the vvorld but that thou preserue them from euil ✠verse 16 Of the vvorld they are not as I also am not of the vvorld ✠verse 17 ″ Sanctifie them in truth Thy vvord is truth ✠verse 18 As thou didst send me into the vvorld I also haue sent them into the vvorld ✠verse 19 And for thē I doe sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified in truth ✠verse 20 And not for them only doe I pray ″ but for thē also that by their vvord shal beleeue in me ✠verse 21 that they al may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one that the vvorld may beleeue that thou hast sent me ✠verse 22 And the glorie that thou hast giuen me haue I giuen to them that they may be one as vve also are one ✠verse 23 I in them and thou in me that they may be consummate in one ⊢ and the vvorld may knovv that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued ✠verse 24 Father vvhom thou hast giuen me I vvil that vvhere I am they also may be vvith me that they maye see my glorie vvhich thou hast giuen me because thou hast loued me before the creation of the vvorld ✠verse 25 Iust Father the vvorld hath not knovven thee but I haue knovven thee and these haue knovven that thou didst send me ✠verse 26 And I haue notified thy name to them and vvil notifie it that the loue vvhervvith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them ANNOTATIONS CHAP XVII 3. Life euerlasting Both the life of glorie in heauen and of grace here in the Church consisteth in the knowledge of God that in perfect vision this in faith working by charitie for knowledge of God without keeping his commaundements is not true knowledge that is to say it is an vnprofitable knowledge 1 Io. 2. 17. Sanctifie them Christ prayeth that the Apostles their successors al that shal be of their beleefe may be sanctified in truth Which is as much to say as to desire that the Church may euer haue the Spirit of truth and be free from errour Which praier of Christ had not been heard if the Church might erre 20. But for them He expresseth and it is a great comfort that he praieth not onely for the Apostles but for the whole Church after them that is for al beleeuers And al this profound and diuine praier is resembled in the holy Canon of the Masse before the consecration as here it was made before his visible Sacrifice on the crosse CHAP. XVIII Being gone to the place that Iudas the Traitor did knovv 4 he offereth him self to the hand of his enemies shovveth his Diuine might in ouerthrovving them al vvith a vvord and in sauing his Apostles from them also vvith a vvord 10 rebuketh Peter that vvould defend him from them 1◠and so being apprehended is brought bound to Annas and Caipha◠vvhere he is striken by a seruant and thrise denied of Peter 28 Againe in the morning he is by them brought to Pilate 29 Who demaunding their accusation vvhereas they vvould oppresse him vvith their authoritie 〈◊〉 and examining the point of his kingdom pronounceth him innocent yet they cri◠rather to haue a theeues life saued verse 1 WHEN IESVS had said these things he vvent forth vvith his disciples beyond the Torrent-Cedron vvhere vvas a garden into the vvhich he entred and his Disciples ✠verse 2 And Iudas also that betraied him knevv the place because IESVS had often resorted thither together vvith his Disciples ✠verse 3 * Iudas therfore hauing receiued the band of men and of the cheefe Priests and the Pharisees ministers commeth thither vvith lanternes and torches and vveapons ✠verse 4 IESVS therfore knovving al things that should come vpon him vvent forth and said to them Vvhom seeke ye ✠verse 5 they ansvvered him IESVS of Nazareth IESVS saith to them I am he And Iudas also that betraied him stoode vvith them ✠verse 6 As sone therfore as he said to them I am he they vvent backvvard and fel to the ground ✠verse 7 Againe therfore he asked them Vvhom seeke ye And they said IESVS of Nazareth ✠verse 18 IESVS ansvvered haue told you that I am he if therfore you seeke me let these goe their vvaies ✠verse 9 That the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich he said * That of them vvhom thou hast giuen me I haue not lost any ✠verse 10 Simon Peter therfore hauing a svvord drevve it out and smote the seruant of the high priest cut of his right eare And the name of the seruant vvas Malchus ✠verse 11 IESVS therfore said to Peter Put vp thy svvord into the scabbard The chalice vvhich my father hath giuen me shal not I drinke it ✠verse 12 The band therfore and the Tribune the ministers of the Ievves apprehended IESVS and bound him ✠verse 13 and they brought him to Annas first for he vvas father in lavv to Caiphas vvho vvas the high priest of that yere ✠verse 14 And * Caiphas vvas he that had giuen the cousel to the Ievves That it is expedient that one man die for the people ✠verse 15 * And Simon Peter folovved IESVS and an other disciple And that Disciple vvas knovven to the high priest and vvent in vvith IESVS into the court of the high priest ✠verse 16 but Peter stoode at the doore vvithout The other disciple therfore that vvas knovven to the high Priest vvent forth and spake to the portresse and brought in Peter ✠verse 17 The vvench therfore that vvas portresse saith to Peter Art not thou also of this mans disciples He saith to her I am not ✠verse 18 And the seruants and ministers stoode at a fire of coles because it vvas cold and vvarmed them selues And vvith them vvas Peter also standing and vvarming him self ✠verse 19 The high priest therfore asked IESVS of his disciples and of his doctrine ✠verse 20 IESVS ansvvered him I haue openly spokē to the vvorld I haue alvvaies taught in the synagogue and in the temple vvhither al the Ievves resort together and in secrete I haue spoken nothing ✠verse 21 Vvhy askest thou me aske them that haue heard vvhat I haue spoken vnto them behold they knovv vvhat things I haue said ✠verse 22 Vvhen he had said these
the resurrection ✠verse 19 And appreheÌ„ding him they led him to Areopagus saying May vve knovv vvhat this new doctrine is that thou speakest of ✠verse 20 for thou bringest in certaine nevv things to our eares Vve vvil knovv therfore vvhat these things may meane ✠verse 21 And al the Athenians and the strangers seiourning there emploied them selues to nothing els but either to speake or to heare some nevves ✠verse 22 But Paul standing in the middes of Areopagus said Ye men of Athens in al things I perceiue you as it vvere superstitious ✠verse 23 For passing by and seeing your Idols I found an altar also vvherevpon vvas vvritten To the vnknovven God That therfore vvhich you vvorshippe not knovving it the same do I preach to you ✠verse 24 The God that made the vvorld and al things that are in it he being Lord of heauen earth dvvelleth not in * temples made vvith hand ✠verse 25 neither is he serued vvith mens hands needing any thing vvhereas him self giueth life vnto al and breathing and al things ✠verse 26 and he made of one al maÌ„kinde to inhabite vpon the vvhole face of the earth assigning set times and the limits of their habitation ✠verse 27 for to seeke God if happily they may feele or finde him although he be not farre from euery one of vs. ✠verse 28 For in him vve liue and moue and be as certaine also of your ovvne poëtes said For of his kinde also vve are ✠verse 29 Being therfore of Gods kinde vve may not suppose the Diuinitie to be like vnto gold or siluer or stone the grauing of art and deuise of man ✠verse 30 And the times truely of this ignorance vvhereas God dispised novv he denounceth vnto men that al euery vvhere doe penance ✠verse 31 for that he hath appointed a day wherein he vvil iudge the world in equitie by a man vvhom he hath appointed giuing al men faith raysing him vp from the dead ✠verse 32 And vvhen they had heard the resurrection of the dead certaine in deede mocked but certaine said Vve vvil heare thee againe concerning this point ✠verse 33 So Paul vvent forth out of the middes of them ✠verse 34 But certaine men ioyning vnto him did beleeue among vvhom vvas also Dionysius Areopagîta and a vvoman named Dámaris and others vvith them ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 11. Searching the Scriptures The Heretikes vse this place to proue that the heaters must trie and iudge by the Scriptures vvhether their teachers and preachers doctrine be true and so reiect that that they find not in the Scriptures as though here the sheepe vvere made iudges of their Pastors the people of the Priests and men and vvomen of al sortes euen of S. Paules doctrine it self which vvere the most folish disorder in the vvorld And they did not therfore read the Scriptures of the old Testament for none of the nevv vvere yet extant commonly to dispute vvith the Apostle or to trie and iudge of his doctrine or vvhether they should beleeue him or no for they vvere bound to beleeue him and obey his vvord vvhether he alleaged Scripture or no and vvhether they could reade or vnderstand the Scriptures or no but it vvas a great comfort and confirmation for the Ievves that had the Scriptures to finde euen as S. Paul said that Christ vvas God crucified risen and ascended to heauen vvhich by his preaching and expounding they vnderstood and neuer before though they read them and heard them read euery Sabboth As it is a great comfort to a Catholike man to heare the Scriptures declared alleaged most euidently for the Churches truth against Heretikes in Sennons or othervvise And it doth the Catholikes good much confirmeth them to vew diligently the places alleaged by the Catholike preachers Yet they must not be iudges for al that ouer their ovvne Pastors vvhom Christ commaundeth them to heare and obey and by vvhom they heare the true sense of Scriptures 22. Superstitious S. Paul calleth not them superstitious for adoring the true and only God vvith much deuotion or many ceremonies or in comely prescribed order or for doing due reuerence to holy Sacraments to Saincts and their memories Images or Monuments or for keeping the prescribed lavves daies and fastes of the Church or for fulfilling vowes made to God or for blessing vvith the signe of the Crosse or for capping and kneeling at the name of IESVS or for religiously vsing creatures sanctified in the same name or any other Christian obseruation for vvhich our nevv Maisters coÌ„demne the Catholike people of Superstition them selues vvholy voide of that vice by al vvise mens iudgement because they haue in maner taken avvay al religion and are become Epicureians and Atheists vvho are neuer troubled vvith superstition because it is a vice consisting in excesse of vvorship or religion vvhereof they are void but the Apostle calleth them superstitious for vvorshipping the Idols and goddes of the Heathen and for the feare that they had lest they should leaue out any God that vvas vnknovven to them for thus their Altar vvas inscribed Dijs Asia Europa Lybia Deo ignoto peregrino that is To the gods of Asia Europe and Lybia to the vnknovven and strange God This superstition saith S. Augustine is vvholy taken avvay from the Church by Christs incarnation and by the Apostles preaching and by Martyrs holy life and death Neither doth the Catholike Church allovv this or any other kinde of superstitious obseruation Only vve must take heede that vve beleeue not her Aduersaries definition of superstition for they vvould imply therein al true religion 29. This Diuinitie to be like Nothing can be made by mans hand of vvhat forme or sort so euer that is like to Gods essence or to the forme or shape of his Godhead or Diuinitie therfore hovvsoeuer the Heathens did paint or graue their Idols they vvere nothing like to God And this also is impertinently alleaged by Heretikes against the Churches images Vvhich are not made either to be adored vvith godly honour or to be any resemblance of the Diuinitie or any of the three persons in Godhead but only of Christ as he vvas in forme of man vvho in that respect may be truely expressed as other men by their purtraites and of the Holy Ghost not as he is in him self but as he appeared in firy tongues or in the similitude of a dooâ—e or such like And so to paint or graue any of the three persons as they appeared visibly and corporally is no more inconuenient or vnlavvful then it vvas vndecent for them to appeare in such formes And therfore to paint or portraite the Father also being the first person as he hath shevved him self in vision to any of the Prophetes of the old or nevv Testament namely to Daniel as an old man or the three Angels
or from him self to change euery yere or in euery epistle to forme of his former teaching to come daily vvith nevv deuises repugnant to his ovvne rules vvere not agreable to an Apostle and true teacher of Christ but proper to false prophets and Heretikes Vvhereof vve haue notorious examples in the Protestants vvho being destitute of the spirit of peace concord constancie vnitie and veritie as they varie from their ovvne vvritings vvhich they retract reforme or deforme continually so both in their preachings forme of Seruice they are so restles changeable and repugnant to them selues that if they vvere not kept in avve vvith much a do by temporal lavves or by the shame and rebuke of the vvorld they vvould coine vs euery yere or euery Parliament nevv Communions nevv faithes and nevv Christes as you see by the manifold endeuours of the Puritans And this to be the proper note of false Apostles and Heretikes see in S. Irenâ—us li. â— c. 18. and Tertul. de praescript S. Basil ep 82. 22. Hath sealed The learned Diuines proue by this place and by the like in the fourth to the Ephesians that the Sacrament of Baptisme doth not onely giue grace but imprinteth and sealeth the soule of the baptized vvith a spiritual signe marke badge or token vvhich can neuer be blotted out neither by sinne heresie apostasie nor other vvaies but remaineth for euer in man for the cognisance of his Christendom and for distinction from others vvhich vvere neuer of Christes fold by vvhich also he is as it were consecrated and deputed to God made capable and partaker of the rightes of the Church and subiect to her lavves and discipline See S. Hierom in 4. Ephes S. Ambrose li. 1 de Sp. sancto cap. 6. S. Cyril Hierosol Catechesi â—7 at the end and S. Dionysius Areopag c. 2. Eccl. Hierarch The which fathers expresse that spiritual signe by diuers agreable names vvhich the Church and most Diuines after S. Augustine call the character of Baptisme by the truth and force of vvhich spiritual note or marke of the soul he specially conuinceth the Donatistes that the said Sacrament though giuen and ministred by Heretikes or Schismatikes or vvho els so euer can neuer be reiterated See ep â—7 li. 6 cont Donatist cap. 1. li. 2 cont Parmenianum 6. 1â— As the like indeleble characters giuen also by the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders do make those also irreiterable and neuer to be receiued but once Vvhereas al other Sacraments sauing these three may be often receiued of the self same person And that holy Orders can not be iterated see S. Augustine li. 2 cont Parmen c. 13. li. de bono coniug c. 24. and S. Gregorie li. 2 Rggist ep 32. The like of Confirmation is decreed in the most auÌ„cient Councel Tarracon cap. 6. Finally that this character is giuen onely by these said three Sacraments and is the cause that none of them can be in any man repeated or reiterated see the decrees of the Councels Florentine and Trent Vvhich yet is no nevv deuise of them as the Heretikes falsely affirme but agreable as you see both to the Scriptures and also to the auncient fathers and Councels â—4 Not because vve ouerrule Caluin and his seditious Sectaries vvith other like vvhich despise dominion as S. Iude describeth such vvould by this place deliuer them selues from al yoke of spiritual Magistrates and Rulers namely that they be subiect to no man touching their faith or for the examination and trial of their doctrine but to God and his vvord onely And no maruel that the male factors and rebelles of the Church vvould come to no tribunal but Gods that so they may remaine vnpunished at least during this life for though the Scriptures plainely condemne their heresies yet they could vvrithe them selues out by false gloses constructions corruptions and denials of the bookes to be Canonical if there vvere no lavves or iudicial sentence of men to rule and represse them Notvvithstanding then these vvordes of S. Paul vvhereby onely tyrannical insolent and proud behauiour and indiscrete rigor of Prelates or Apostles tovvards their flockes is noted as also in the first of S. Peter cap. 5. the Greeke vvord in these places and in the Gospel Mt. 20 25. Mr. 10 42. signifying lordly and insolent dominion yet he had and exercised iust ruâ—e preeminence and prelacie ouer them not onely for their life but also and principally touching their faith for he might did call them to account for the same and excoÌ„municated heretikes for foresaking their faith 1 Cor. 4 5. 2 Cor. 10 4. 13 10. 1 Tim. 1 20. Tit. â— 11. And al Christian men are bound to obey their lavvful Prelates in matters of faith and doctrine specially and must not vnder that ridiculous pretence of obeying Gods vvord onely vvhich is the shifte of al other Heretikes as Anabaptistes Arians and the like as vvel as the Protestants disobey Gods Church Councels and their ovvne Pastors and Bishops vvho by the Scriptures haue the regiment of their soules and may examine and punish as vvel Iohn Caluin as Simon Magus for falling from the Catholike faith for though God alone be the Lord author and giuer of faith yet they are his * cooperators and coadiutors by vvhom the faithful do beleeue and be preserued in the true faith and be defended from vvolues vvhich be Heretikes seeking to corrupt them in the same And this same Apostle * chalengeth to be their father as he that begat and formed them by his preaching in Christ CHAP. II. Prosecuting the true cause vvhich in the last chapter he gaue of his not comming 6 he pardoneth novv after some part of penance him that for incest he excommunicated in the last epistle requiring them obediently to consent therevnto 12 Then of his going from Troâ—â— into Macedonia God euery vvhere giuing him the triumph verse 1 AND I haue determined vvith my self this same thing not to come to you againe in sorovv ✠verse 2 For if I make you sorie and who is it that can make me glad but he that is made sorie by me ✠verse 3 And this same I vvrote to you that I may not vvhen I come haue sorovv vpon sorovv of the vvhich I ought to reioyce trusting in you al that my ioy is the ioy of you al. ✠verse 4 For of much tribulation and anguish of hart I vvrote to you by many teares not that you should be made sorie but that you may knovv vvhat charitie I haue more aboundantly tovvard you ✠verse 5 And if any man hath made sorovvful not me hath he made sorovvful but in part that I burden not al you ✠verse 6 To him that is such a one ″ this rebuke sufficeth that is giuen of many ✠verse 7 so that coÌ„trariewise you should rather pardon and comfort him lest perhaps such an one be svvallovved vp vvith ouer great sorovv âœ
″ much more the ministerie of iustice aboundeth in glorie ⊢ ✠verse 10 For neither vvas it glorified vvhich in this part vvas glorious by reasō of the excelling glorie ✠verse 11 For if that which is made void is by glorie much more that vvhich abideth is in glorie ✠verse 12 Hauing therfore such hope vve vse much confidence ✠verse 13 and not * as Moyses put a vele vpon his face that the children of Israël might not behold his face vvhich is made voide ✠verse 14 but their senses vvere dulled For vntil this present day ″ the self same vele in the lecture of the old testament remaineth vnreuealed because in Christ it is made voide ✠verse 15 but vntil this present day vvhen Moyses is read a vele is put vpō their hart ✠verse 16 But vvhen he shal be conuerted to our Lord the vele shal be taken avvay ✠verse 17 And * our Lord is a Spirit And vvhere the Spirit of our Lord is there is ″ libertie ✠verse 18 But vve al beholding the glorie of our Lord vvith face reuealed are transformed into the same image from glorie vnto glorie as of our Lordes Spirit ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. The Epistle of Christ S. Paul and other holy vvriters of Scriptures did set dovvne many thinges in vvriting by penne inke and paper al vvhich be of the Holy Ghost but the special and proper booke of Christes truth and Gospel is not the external vvriting in those dead creatures but in the hartes of the faithful being the proper subiecte of these truthes and graces preached in the nevv Testament and the habitacle of the Holy Ghost In the vvhich booke of faithful mens hartes S. Paul vvrote diuers thinges not vttered in any Epistle as sundrie of the Apostles vvrote the Christian religion in the hartes of their hearers onely and in other material bookes not at all Vvhereof S. Irenaeus li. 3. ◠4. saith What and if the Apostles also had left no Scriptures ought vve not to folovv the order of the tradition vvhich they deliuered vnto them to vvhom they committed the Churches◠to the vvhich ordinance many nations of those barbarous people that haue beleeued in Christ do consent vvithout letter or inke hauing saluation vvritten in their hartes and keeping diligently the tradition of the elders And S. Hierom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiero◠c. 9. ad Pa◠In the Greede of our faith and hope vvhich being deliuered by tradition from the Apostles is not vvritten in paper and inke but in the tables camal of the hart And this is the Churches booke also vvhereby and vvherein she keepeth faithfully al truth vvritten in the hartes of those to vvhom the Apostles did preach vvith the like diligence as she keepeth and preserueth the other booke vvhich is of holy Scriptures from al corruption of Heretikes and other iniuries 5. Of our selues This maketh first against the Heretikes called Pelagians that hold our meritorious actions or cogitations to be of free vvil onely and not of Gods special grace Secondly against the Protestantes vvho on the contrarie side referre al to God and take avvay mans freedom and proper motion in his thoughtes and doings the Apostle confessing our good cogitations to be our ovvne but not as comming of our selues but of God 6. The letter killeth As the letter of the old Lavv not truely vnderstood nor referred the Christ commaunding and not giuing grace and spirit to fulfil that vvhich vvas commaunded did by occasiō kill the carnal Iew so the letter of the nevv Testamēt not truely taken nor expounded by the Spirit of Christ vvhich is onely in his Church killeth the Heretike vvho also being carnal and void of spirit gaineth nothing by the external precepts or good lessons of the Scriptures but rather taketh hurt by the same See S. Augustine to 〈◊〉 Ser. 70 1000 de tempore li. de Sp. lit c. 5. 6. seq 9. Much more The preeminence of the new Testament and of the priesthod or Ministerie thereof before the old is that the nevv by al her Sacraments and Priests as ministers immediate of grace and remission of sinnes doth so ex opere operato giue the spirit of life and charitie into the hartes of the faithful as the old did giue the letter or external act of the Lavv. 14. The self same vele As the Ievves reading the old Testament by reason of their blindnes vvhich God for the punishment of their incredulitie suffereth to remaine as a couer vpon their eies and hartes can not see Christ in the Scriptures vvhich they daily heare read in their Synagogs but shal vvhen they beleeue in him and haue the couer remoued perceiue al to be most plainely done and spoken of him in their law Scriptures euen so Heretikes hauing as S. Augustine noteth a farre greater couer of blindnes and incredulitie ouer their hartes in respect of the Catholike Church vvhich they impugne then the Iewes haue concerning Christ can not see though they read or heare the Scriptures read neuer so much the maruelous euidence of the Catholike Church and truth in al pointes but vvhen they shal returne againe to the obedience of the same Church they shal finde the Scriptures most cleere for her and her doctrine and shal vvonder at their former blindnes 17. Libertie The Spirit and grace of God in the nevv Testament dischargeth vs of the bondage of the Lavv and sinne but is not a vvarrant to vs of fleshly licence as S. Peter vvriteth nor dischargeth Christians of their obedience to order lavv and power of Magistrates spiritual or temporal as some Heretikes of these daies do seditiously teach CHAP. IIII. That according as so glorious a ministerie requireth he liueth and preacheth sincerely 〈◊〉 the vvhich glorie his Aduersaries can not count vaine considering his persecutions because persecution is to Gods glorie and to our humilitie and hope and meritorious of increase of grace in this life and of most glorious bodies and soules aftervvard verse 1 THERFORE hauing this ministration according as vve haue obteined mercie vve faile not ✠verse 2 but vve renounce the secrete things of dishonestie not walking in crastines nor ″ adulterating the vvord of God but in manifestation of the truth commending our selues to euery conscience of men before God ✠verse 3 And if our Gospel be also hidde in them that perish it is hidde ✠verse 4 in vvhom the God of this vvorld hath blinded the mindes of the infidels that the illumination of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ vvho is the image of God might not shine to them ✠verse 5 For vve preache nor our selues but IESVS Christ our Lord and vs your seruants by IESVS ✠verse 6 because God that commaunded light to shine of darkenes he hath shined in our hartes to the illumination of the knovvledge of the glorie of God in the face of Christ IESVS ✠verse 7
the Epistle to the Romanes but here lesse exactly and more briefly because the Galatians vvere very rude and the Romanes contrarivvise repleti omni scientia Rom. 15. replenished vvith al knovvledge THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE GALATIANS CHAP. I. After the foundation laide in the salutation â— 6 he exclaimeth against the Galatians and their false apostles 1â— considering that the Gospel vvhich he preached to theÌ„ he had it immediatly of Christ him self 13 Vvhich to shevv he beginneth to tel the storie of his conuersion and preaching since then that as he learned nothing of the other Apostles so yet he had their approbation verse 1 PAVL an Apostle not of men ″ neither by man but by IESVS Christ and God the Father that raised him from the dead ✠verse 2 and al the brethren that are vvith me to the churches of Galatia ✠verse 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 4 vvho gaue him self for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present vvicked vvorld according to the vvil of our God and father ✠verse 5 to vvhom is glorie for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 6 I maruel that thus so soone you are transferred from him that called you into the grace of Christ vnto an other Gospel ✠verse 7 vvhich is not an other vnles there be some that trouble you and vvil inuert the Gospel of Christ ✠verse 8 But although we ″ or an Angel from heauen euaÌ„gelize to you beside that vvhich vve haue euangelized to you be he anáthema ✠verse 9 As vve haue said before so novv I say againe If any euangelize to you beside that vvhich you haue receiued be he anáthema ✠verse 10 For do I novv vse persuasion to men or to God Or do I seeke to please men If I yet did please men I should not be the seruant of Christ ✠verse 11 For I doe you to vnderstand brethren the Gospel that vvas euangelized of me that it is not according to man ✠verse 12 For neither did I receiue it of man noâ— learne 〈◊〉 but by the reuelation of IESVS Christ ✠verse 13 For you haue heard my coÌ„uersation sometime in Iudaisme that aboue measure I persecuted the Church of God and expugned it ✠verse 14 and profited in Iudaisme aboue many of mine equales in my nation being more aboundantly an emulator of the traditions of my fathers ✠verse 15 But vvhen it pleased him that separated me from my mothers vvombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne in me ✠verse 16 that I should euangelize him among the Gentils incontinent I condescended not to flesh and bloud ✠verse 17 neither came I to Hierusalem to the Apostles my antecessors but I vvent into Arabia and againe I returned to Damascus ✠verse 18 Then after three yeres I came to Hierusalem ″ to see Peter and taried with him fiftene daies ✠verse 19 But other of the Apostles savv I none sauing Iames the brother of our Lord. ✠verse 20 And the things that I vvrite to you behold before God that I lie not ⊢ ✠verse 21 After that I came into the partes of Syria and Cilicia ✠verse 22 And I vvas vnknowen by sight to the churches of Ievvrie that vvere in Christ ✠verse 23 but they had heard only That he vvhich persecuted vs sometimes doth novv euangelize the faith vvhich sometime he expugned ✠verse 24 and in me they glorified God ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. Neither by man Though he vvere not first by mans election nomination or assignement but by Gods ovvne special appointmeÌ„t chosen to be an Apostle yet by the like expresse ordinance of God he tooke orders or imposition of hands of men as is plaine Act. 18. Let vs bevvare then of such false Apostles as novv a daies intrude them selues to the office of Ministerie and preaching neither called of God nor rightly ordered of men â— Or an Angel Many vvorthie obseruations are made in the fathers vvritings of the earnest admonition of the Apostle and much may vve gather of the text it self first that the credit of any man or Angel for vvhat learning eloquence shevv of grace or vertue so euer though he vvrought miracles should not moue a Christian man from that truth vvhich he hath once receiued in the Catholike Church of vvhich point Vincentius Liâ—inensis excellently treateth li. cont profan hares Nouitates Vvhereby vve may see that it is great pitie and shame that so many folovv Luther and Caluin and such other Ieude fellovves into a nevv Gospel vvhich are so farre from Apostles and Angels that they are not any vvhit comparable vvith the old Heretikes in giftes of learning or eloquence much lesse in good life Secondly S. Augustine noteth vpon the vvord Beside that not al other teaching or more preaching then the first is forbidden but such as is contrarie and disagreing to the rule of faith The Apostle did not say saith he If any man euangelize to you more then you haue receiued but beside that you receiued for if he should say that he should be preiudiâ—ial to him self vvho coueted to come to the Thessalonians that he might supply that vvhich vvas vvanting to their faith Novv he that supplieth addeth that vvhich vvas lacking taketh not avvay that vvhich vvas c. By vvhich vve see hovv friuolously and calumniously the Heretikes charge the Church vvith addition to the Scripture Thirdly as vvel by the vvord euangelizamus vve euangelize as the vvord accepistis you haue receiued vve may note that the first truth against vvhich no second Gospelling or doctrine may be admitted is not that onely vvhich he vvrote to the Galatians or vvhich is conteined either in his or any other of the Apostles or EuaÌ„gelistes vvritings but that vvhich vvas by vvord of mouth also preached taught or deliuered them first before he wrote to them Therfore the Aduersaries of the Church that measure the word of God or Gospel by the Scriptures onely thinking them selues not to incurre S. Paules curse except they teach directly against the vvritten vvord are fouly beguiled As therein also they any shamefully erre when they charge the Catholikes with addint to the Gospel when they teach any thing that is not in expresse wordes written by the Apostles or Euangelistes not marking that the Apostle in this Chapter and els where commonly calleth his his fellovves whole preaching the Gospel be it written or vnvvritten Fourthly by the same wordes we see condemned al after-preachings later doctrines new sectes and authors of the same that onely being true which was first by the Apostles and Apostolike men as the lavvful husbandmen of Christes fild sovved and planted in the Church and that false which was laten and as it vvere ouersovven by the enemie By which rule not onely Tertullian de praescript nu 6 9. but all other auÌ„cient Doctors and specially S.
Irenaeus li. 3. c. 2. 3. 4. tried truth from falsehod and condemned old Heretikes prouing Marcion Valentine Cerdon Menander and such like false Apostles because they came in with their nouelties long after the Church was settled in former truth Sixthly This curse or execration pronounced by the Apostle toucheth not onely the Galatians or those of the Apostles time that preached othervvise then they did but it perteineth to al times preachers and teachers vnto the worldes end and it concerneth then as Vincentius Lirinensis saith that preach a new faith or change that old faith which they receiued in the vnitie of of the Catholike Church To preach any thing to Christian Catholike men saith he besides that vvhich they haue receiued neuer vvas it lavvful neuer is it nor neuer shal it be lavvful to say anathema to such it hath been and is and shal be alvvaies behooful So S. Augustine by this place holdeth al accursed that draw a Christian man from the societie of the whole Church to make the seueral part of any one sect that call to the hidden conuenticles of Heretikes from the open and knovven Church of Christ that allure to the priuate from the common finally al that draw with chatting curiositie the children of the Catholike Church by teaching any thing besides that they found in the church ep 48. Psal 103. Con. 2. mentioning also that a Donatist feined an Angel to haue admonished him to call his frende out of the Communion of the Catholike Church into his sect and he saith that if it had been an Angel in deede yet should he not haue heard him Lastly S. Hierom vseth this place wherein the Apostle giueth the curse or anáthema to al false teachers not once but tvvise to proue that the zeale of Catholike men ought to be so great tovvard al Heretikes and their doctrines that they should giue them the anáthema though they vvere neuer so deere vnto them In which case saith this holy Doctor I would not spare mine ovvne parents Ad Pammach c. 3. cont Io. Hieros 18. To see Peter In what estimation S. Peter was with this Apostle it appeareth seing for respect and honour of his person and of duety as Tertullian de praescript saith notvvithstanding his great affaires Ecclesiasticall he vvent so farre to see him not in vulgar maner but as S. Chrysostom noteth the Greeke word to import to behold him as men behold a thing or person of name excellencie and maiestie for vvhich cause and to fill him self with the perfect vew of his behauiour he abode with him fiftene daies See S. Hierom ep 10◠ad Paulinum to ◠who maketh also a mysterie of the number of daies that he taried with S. Peter See S. Ambrose in Comment huius loci and S. Chrysostome vpon this place and ho. 87 in Ioan. CHAP. II. He telleth furth the storie begonne in the last chapter and hovv he reprehended Peter 15 and then specially vrgeth the ensample of the Christian Ievves vvho sought vnto Christ for iustification and that by vvarrant also of their Lavv it self as also because othervvise Christs death had been needles verse 1 THEN after fourtene yeres I vvent vp againe to Hierusalem vvith Barnabas taking Titus also vvith me ✠verse 2 And I vvent vp according to reuelation and ″ cōferred with them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but apart with thē that seemed to be something lest perhaps ″ in vaine I should runne or had runne ✠verse 3 But neither Titus which vvas with me vvhereas he vvas a Gentil vvas compelled to be circumcised ✠verse 4 but because of the false brethren craftely brought in vvhich craftely came in to espie our libertie that vve haue in Christ IESVS that they might bring vs into seruitude ✠verse 5 To vvhom vve yelded not subiection no not for an houre that the truth of the Gospel may remaine vvith you ✠verse 6 But of them that seemed to be something vvhat they vvere sometime it is nothing to me * God accepteth not the person of man for to me they that seemed to be something ″ added nothing ✠verse 7 But contrarievvise vvhen they had seen that to me vvas committed the Gospel of the prepuce as ″ to Peter of the circumcision ✠verse 8 for he that vvrought in Peter to the Apostleship of the circumcision vvrought in me also among the Gentils ✠verse 9 and vvhen they had knovven the grace that vvas giuen me Iames and Cephas and Iohn vvhich seemed to be pillers ″ gaue to me and Barnabas the right handes of societie that vve vnto the Gentiles they vnto the circumcision ✠verse 10 only that vve should be mindeful of the poore the vvhich same thing also I vvas careful to doe ✠verse 11 And vvhen Cephas vvas come to Antioche ″ I resisted him in face because he vvas ″ reprehensible ✠verse 12 For before that certaine came from Iames he did eate vvith the Gentiles but vvhen they vvere come he vvithdrevv and separated him self fearing them that vvere of the circumcision ✠verse 13 And to his simulation cōsented the rest of the Ievves so that Barnabas also vvas ledde of them into that simulation ✠verse 14 But vvhen I savv that they vvalked not rightly to the veritie of the Gospel I said to Cephas before them al If thou being a Ievve liuest Gentile-like not Iudaically hovv doest thou compel the Gentils to Iudaize ✠verse 15 Vve are by nature Ievves and not of the Gentils sinners ✠verse 16 But knovving that * man is not iustified by the vvorkes of the Lavv but by the faith of IESVS Christ we also beleeue in Christ IESVS that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the vvorkes of the Lavv for the vvhich cause by the workes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified ✠verse 17 But if seeking to be iustified in Christ our selues also be found sinners is Christ then a minister of sinne God forbid ✠verse 18 For if I build the same things againe vvhich I haue destroied I make my self a preuaricatour ✠verse 19 For I by the Lavv am dead to the Law that I may liue to God vvith Christ I am nailed to the crosse ✠verse 20 And I liue novv not I but Christ liueth in me And that that I liue novv in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God who loued me deliuered him self for me ✠verse 21 I cast not avvay the grace of God For if iustice be by the Lavv then Christ died in vaine ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. ◠Conferred vvith them Though S. Paul vvere taught his Gospel of God and not of man and had an extraordinarie calling by Christ him self yet by reuelation he vvas sent to Hierusalem to conferre the said Gospel which he preached vvith his elders the ordinarie Apostles and Rulers of the Church to put both
according to the purpose of him that vvorketh al things according to the counsel of his vvil ✠verse 12 that vve may be vnto the praise of his glorie vvhich before haue hoped in Christ ✠verse 13 in vvhom you also vvhen you had heard the vvord of truth the Gospel of your saluation in vvhich also beleeuing you vvere signed vvith the holy Spirit of promis ✠verse 14 vvhich is the pledge of our inheritance to the redemption of acquisition vnto the praise of his glorie ✠verse 15 Therfore I also hearing your faith that is in our Lord IESVS and loue tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 16 cease not to giue thankes for your making a memorie of you in my praiers ✠verse 17 that God of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of glorie giue you the spirit of vvisedom and of reuelation in the knovvledge of him ✠verse 18 the eies of your hart illuminated that you may knovv vvhat the hope is of his vocation and vvhat are the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the sainctes ✠verse 19 and vvhat is the passing greatnes of his povver tovvard vs that beleeue according to the operation of the might of his povver ✠verse 20 vvhich he vvrought in Christ raising him vp from the dead and setting him on his right hand in celestials ✠verse 21 aboue ″ al Principalitie Potestate Power and Domination and euery name that is named not only in this vvorld but also in that to come ✠verse 22 And he hath * subdued al things vnder his feete and hath made him ″ head ouer al the CHVRCH ✠verse 23 vvhich is his body the fulnes of him vvhich is filled al in al. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 21. Al Principalitie The Fathers vpon this and other places of the old and new Testament vvhere they finde the orders of holy Angels or spirites named agree that there be nine orders of them Of vvhich some be here counted and called as vve see in the Epistle to the Colossians the order of Thrones is specified vvhich maketh fiue to vvhich if vve adde these foure Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels vvhich are commonly named in holy vvrite in al there be nine S. Denys coel Hier. c. 7. 8. 9. Ec. Hier. c. 1. S. Athanas li de Communi essent in fine Gregor Moral li. 32. c. 18. Therfore good Reader make no accoumpt of * Caluins and others infidelitie vvhich blasphemously blame and condemne the holy doctors diligence in this point of curiousitie and impietie The vvhole endeuour of these heretikes is to bring al into doubt and to corrupt euery Article of our Religion 22. Head It maketh a high proofe among the Protestants that no man can be head of the Church because it is a calling and dignitie proper to Christ But in truth by as good reason there should be no king nor lord because He is king and lord neither should there be Bishop or Pastor because he is the Bishop and Pastor of our soules nor Pontifex nor Apostle for by those titles S. Paul termeth him Hebr. 3 none should be piller foundation rocke light or maister of the Church or truth because Christ is properly al these And yet our nevv doctors though they be exceding seditious and vvould for the aduantage of their sect be gladly ridde of kings and al other Superiors temporal if they feared not the sword more then God and vvould finde as good Scriptures to be deliuered of them as they now finde to discharge them selues of obedience to Popes yet I say they vvil not deny al the former titles and dignities notvvithstanding Christes soueraine right in the same to be giuen and communicated to the Princes and Magistrates of the earth both spiritual and temporal though Christ in a more diuine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort haue al these things attributed or appropriated to him self So then though he be the head of the Church and the onely head in such soueraine and principal maner as no earthly man or mere creature euer is or can be and it ioyned to the Church in a more excellent sort of coniunction then any king is to his subiects or Countrie or any Pope or Prelate to the Church vvhereof he is gouernour euen so farre that it is called his body Mystical life motion spirit grace issuing dovvne from him to it and the members of the same as from the head of the natural body though in this sort we say no man can be head but Christ nor the Church be body to any but to Christ yet the Pope may be the ministerial head that is to say the cheefe Gouernour Pastor and Prelate of the same and may be his Vicar or Vicegerent in the regiment of that part vvhich is in earth as S. Hierom calleth Damasus the Pope Summum Sacerdotem the cheefe and highest Priest and the Apostle saith of this ministerial head The head can not say to the feete you are not necessarie for me For therein also is a great difference betvvene Christ and euery mortal I relate that as the Apostle here saith he is head of the vvhole Church meaning of the triumphaÌ„t of al Angels also though in an other sort no lesse theÌ„ of the Church militaÌ„t So Peter vvas not nor any Pope nor any man can be Where you must obserue that for this soueraine preeminence of Christ in this case the Church is not called the body mystical of any Gouernour Peter Paul or vvhat Prelate or Pope so euer CHAP. II. He putteth them in minde of their vnvvorthines before they vvere Christians that al the praise may be giuen to the grace of God 11 and of the enmitie that vvas thâ—â— betvvene the Ievv and the Gentil 〈◊〉 vntil nevv that Christ by his Crosse hath made both one taking avvay the ceremâ—nies of the Lavv and making one body and building one holy Temple of al in his Catholike Church verse 1 AND you vvhen you vvere dead by your offenses sinnes ✠verse 2 vvherein sometime you vvalked according to the course of this vvorld according to the * prince of the povver of this aire of the spirit that novv vvorketh on the childreÌ„ of diffidence ✠verse 3 in vvhom also vve al conuersed sometime in the desires of our flesh doing the vvil of the flesh and of thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as also the rest ✠verse 4 but God vvhich is riche in mercie for his exceding charitie vvhervvith he loued vs ✠verse 5 euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace you are saued ✠verse 6 and raised vs vp vvith him and hath made vs sit vvith him in the celestials in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 that he might shevv in the vvorldes succeding the aboundant riches of his grace in bountie vpon vs in Christ IESVS ✠verse 8 For by ″ grace you are saued
say alvvaies Dimitte noâ—is debita nostra Forgiue vs our detes August li. 2. Retract c. 18. 29. At Christ the Church It is an vnspeakable dignitie of the CHVRCH vvhich the Apostle expresseth often els vvhere but specially in this vvhole passage to be that creature onely for vvhich Christ effectually suffered to be vvashed and embrued vvith vvater and bloud issuing out of his holy side to be nourished vvith his ovvne body for so doth S. Irenaeus expound li 5. in principio to be his members to be so ioyned vnto him as the body and members of the same flesh bone and substance to the head to be loued and cherished of him as vvife of husband yea to be his vvife and most deere spouse taken and formed as S. Augustine often saith out of his ovvne side vpon the Crosse as Eue our first father Adams spouse vvas made of his tibbe In Psal 126. in Psal 127. tract 9 in Ioan. tract 120. In respect of vvhich great dignitie and excellencie the same holy father affirmeth the CHVRCH to be the principal creature and therfore named in the Creede next after the Holy Ghost and he proueth against the Macedonians the Holy Ghost to be God because he is named before the Church in the confession of our faith Of vvhich Incomparable excellencie of the Church so beloued of Christ and so inseparatly ioyned in mariage vvith him if the Heretikes of our time had any sense or consideration they vvould neither thinke their coÌ„temptible companie or coÌ„gregation to be the glorious spouse of our Lord nor teach that the Church may erre that is to say may be diuorced from her spouse for Idolatrie superstition Heresie or other abominations Vvherevpon one of these absurdities vvould ensue that either Christ may sometimes be vvithout a Church spouse in earth as he vvas al the vvhile there vvere no Caluinists if their Church be the spouse of Christ or els if the Catholike Church onely is and hath been his vvife and the same haue such errors as the Heretikes falsely pretend that his vvife so deere and so praised here is notvvithstanding a very vvhoore Vvhich horrible absurdities proue and conuince to any man of common sense both that the Catholike Church alvvaies is and that it teacheth truth alvvaies and to honour God truely and sincerely alvvaies vvhatsoeuer the adulterous generation of Heretikes thinke or blaspheme â—â— This is a great Sacrament Mariage a great SacrameÌ„t of Christ and his Church prefigured in the first pareÌ„ts Adam saith S. Augustine tract 15 in Io. vvho vvas a forme or figure of him that vvas to come yea rather God in him gaue vs a great token of a Sacrament For both he deserued sleeping to take a vvise and of his ribbs his vvife vvas made vnto him because of Christ sleeping on the Crosse the Church vvas to be made out of his side In an other place he maketh Matrimonie a SacrameÌ„t of Christ and his Church in that that as the maried maÌ„ must forsake father mother and cleaue vnto his vvife so Christ as it vvere left his father exiâ—anâ—â—ing him self by his incarnatioÌ„ left the Synagogue his mother ioyned him self to the Church Li. 12 c. 8. cont Faustum In diuers other places he maketh it also a Sacrament specially in that it is an inseparable bond betvvixt tvvo and that can neuer be dissolued but by death signifying Christs perpetual and indissoluble coniunction vvith the Church his one onely spouse de Gen. ad lit li. 9 c. 7. Cont Pelag. de pec orig li. 2. c. 34. De fid et ep c. 7. De bono coniug c. 7. 18. And in an other place The good of Mariage saith he among the people of God is in the holines of a Sacrament De bono coÌ„iugali c. 24. Vvho vvould haue thought such mysteries and SacrameÌ„ts to be in Mariage that the ioyning of man vvife together should represent so great a myserie if the Apostle him self after him this holy father and others had not noted it or vvho can maruel that the holy Church taketh this to be a Sacrament and to giue grace of sanctification to the parties maried that they may liue together in mutual fidelitie bring vp their children in faith aud feare of God and possesse their vessel as the Apostle speaketh in sanctification and honour and not in passion of lust and ignominie as the Heathen do vvhich knovv not God and as our brutish nevv Maisters seeme to do that commend mariage aboue al things so farre as it feedeth their concupiscences but for grace Sacrament mysterie or sanctification thereby they care no more then the Heathen or brute beastes do And thus vve gather that matrimonie is a Sacrament and not of the Greeke vvord Mysterie onely as Caluin falsely saith not of the Latin vvord Sacrament both vvhich vve knovv haue of their nature a more general signification and that in the Scriptures also but vvhereas these names are here giuen to Matrimonie by the Apostle are not giuen in the Scriptures to Baptisme and the Eucharist let them tel vs vvhy they also apply these vvordes from their general signification to signifie specially and peculiarly those tvvo SacrameÌ„ts neuer so named expresly in Scripture and do not likevvise folovv the Catholike Church in calling matrimonie by the same name vvhich is here so called of the Apostle specially vvhereas the signification in it is as great as in any other of the Sacraments and rather greater CHAP. VI. Likevvise children and parents he exhorteth â— item seruants and maisters 〈◊〉 Then that al take courage in the might of God but so that vvithal they armâ— them selue considering vvhat mightie enemies they haue vvith al peeces of spiritual armour◠〈◊〉 praying alvvaies feruently and for him also verse 1 CHILDREN obey your parents in our Lord. for this is iust ✠verse 2 Honour thy father and thy mother vvhich is the first commaundement in the promis ✠verse 3 that it may be vvel vvith thee and thou maiest be long-liued vpon the earth ✠verse 4 And you fathers prouoke not your children to anger but bring them vp in the discipline and correption of our Lord. ✠verse 5 * Seruants be obedient to your lordes according to the flesh with feare and trembling in the simplicitie of your hart as to Christ ✠verse 6 not seruing to the eie as it vvere pleasing men but as the seruants of Christ doing the vvil of God froÌ„ the hart ✠verse 7 vvith a good vvil seruing as to our Lord and not to men ✠verse 8 Knovving that euery one vvhat good soeuer he shal doe that shal he receiue of our Lord vvhether he be bond or free ✠verse 9 And you maisters doe the same things to them remitting threatenings knovving that both their Lord and yours is in heauen and * acception of persons is not
iust but that vvhich is in men from God and by his gift li. 3 cont â— ep Pelag. c. 7. de Sp. lit c. 9. 12. Not that novv No man in this life can attaine the absolute perfectnes either of iustice or of that knovvledge vvhich shal be in heauen but yet there is also an other perfectnes such as according to this state a man may reach vnto vvhich in respect of the perfection in glorie is small but in respect of other lesser degrees of mans iustice and knovvledge in this life may be called perfectnes And in this sense the Apostle in the next sentence calleth him self and others perfect though in respect of the absolute perfectnes in heauen he saith here he is not yet perfect nor hath yet attained therevnto 15. Othervvise minded Vvhen Catholike men novv a daies charge Heretikes vvith their horrible diuisions dissensions combattes contentions and diuersities among them selues as the Catholikes of al other ages did chalenge their Aduersaries most truely and iustly for the same both because vvhere the Spirit of God is not nor any order or obedience to Superiors there can be no peace nor vnitie and specially for that it is as S. Augustine saith li. de agenâ— Christ c. 29 the iust iudgement of God that they vvhich seeke nothing els but to diuide the Church of Christ should them selues be miserably diuided among them selues therfore I say vvhen men charge the Protestants vvith these things they flee for their defence to this that the old Fathers vvere not al of one iudgement in euery point of religion that S. Cyprian stood against others that S. Augustine and S. Hierom vvrote earnestly in a certaine matter one against an other that our Dominicans and Franciscans our Thomists and Scotists be not al of one opinion in diuers matters and therfore diuisions and contentions should not be so preiudicial to the Zuinglians and Lutherans as men make it Thus they defend them selues but ridiculously and against the rule of S. Paul here acknovvledging that in this imperfection of mens science in this life euery one can not be free from al error or thinke the same that an other thinketh vvherevpon may rise differences of vnderstanding opinion and iudgement in certaine hard matters vvhich God hath not reuealed or the Church determined and therfore that such diuersitie is tolerable and agreable to our humane condition and the state of the vvay that vve be in alvvaies prouided that the controuersie be such and in such things as be not against the set knovven rule of faith as he here speaketh and such as breake not mutual societie fellovvship and communion in praier seruice Sacraments and other offices of life and religion for such diuisions and differences come neuer but of Schisme or Heresie and such are among the Heretikes not onely in respect of vs Catholikes but among them selues at they knovv that be acquainted vvith the vvritings of Luther against Zuinglius or Vvestphalus against Caluin or the Puritans against the Protestants not onely charging one an other vvith Heresie Idolatrie Superstition and Atheisme but also condemning ech others ceremonies or maner of administrations til it come to excommunication and banishment yea sometimes burning one of an other Thus did not S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierom the Dominicans Franciscans Thomists Scotists vvho al agree in one rule of faith al of one communion al most deere one to an other in the same al thankes be to God come to one holy Masse and receiue the same Sacraments and obey one head through out al the vvorld S. Augustine li. 2 de bapt c. 5. shal make vp this matter vvith this notable sentence We are men saith he and therfore to thinke somevvhat othervvise them the thing it is an humane tentation but by louing our ovvne sentence to much or by enuying our betters to procede vnto the sacrilege of deuiding the mutual societie and of making schisme or heresie it diuelish prosumption in nothing to haue other opinion then the truth is that is Angelical perfection And a litle after If you be any other vvise minded this God vvil reueale but to them only saith he that vvalke in the vvay of peace and that stroy a side into no diuision or separation Vvhich saying vvould God al our deere countrie men vvould marke and come into the Church vvhere onely God reuealeth truth CHAP. IIII. He exhorteth them to perseuâ—rantâ— 2 and certaine by name to vnitie â— to modestie â— to peace vvithout solicitude or careful anxietie 8 to al that good is 9 to such things as they see in him self 10 that be reioyced in their contribution not for his ovvne neede but for their merite verse 1 THERFORE my deerest brethren and most desired my ″ ioy and my crovvne so stand in our Lord my deerest ✠verse 2 ' Euchodia ' I desire Syntyché I beseeche to be of one minde in our Lord. ✠verse 3 Yea and I beseeche thee my ″ sincere companion helpe those vvomen that haue laboured vvith me in the Gospel vvith Clement and the rest my coadiutors vvhose names are in the booke of life ⊢ ✠verse 4 Reioyce in our Lord alvvaies againe I say reioyce ✠verse 5 Let your modestie be knovven to al men Our Lord is nigh ✠verse 6 Be nothing careful but in euery thing by praier supplicatioÌ„ vvith thaÌ„kesgiuing let your petitions be knovven vvith God ✠verse 7 And the peace of God vvhich passeth al vnderstanding keepe your hartes and intelligences in Christ IESVS ⊢ ✠verse 8 For the rest brethren vvhat things so euer be true vvhatsoeuer honest whatsoeuer iust vvhatsoeuer holy whatsoeuer amiable vvhatsoeuer of good fame if there be any vertue if any praise of discipline these things thinke vpon ✠verse 9 Vvhich you haue both learned and receiued and heard seen in me these things doe ye and the God of peace shall be vvith you ✠verse 10 And I reioyced in our Lord excedingly that once at the length you haue reflorished to care for me as you did also care but you vvere occupied ✠verse 11 I speake not as it vvere for penurie for I haue learned to be coÌ„tent vvith the things that I haue ✠verse 12 I knovv both to be brought lovv I knovv also to abound euery vvhere and in al things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungrie both to abound and to suffer penurie ✠verse 13 I can al things in him that strengtheneth me ✠verse 14 Neuerthelesse you haue done vvel communicating to my tribulation ✠verse 15 And you also knovv ô Philippians that in the beginning of the Gospel vvhen I departed from Macedonia no church communicated vnto me in the account of gift and receite but your only ✠verse 16 for vnto Thessalonica also once and tvvise you sent to my vse ✠verse 17 Not that I seeke the gift but I seeke the fruite abounding
plant Therfore if the rest be Antichrist let Beza boldly say that S. Peter vvas so also and that diuers of the auÌ„cient Catholike fathers did serue and vvorke though vnvvares tovvardes the setting vp of the great Antichrist for so doth that blasphemous penne boldly vvrite in his Annotations vpon this place and an English printed booke of late comming forth out of the same schoole hath these vvordes As for Leo and Gregorie Bishops of Rome although they vvere not come to the ful pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing vvrought in that Seate neere fiue or sixe hundred yeres before them and then greatly increased they vvere deceiued vvith the long continuance of errour Thus vvriteth a malapert scholer of that impudent schole placing the mysterie of Antichrist as vvorking in the See of Rome euen in S. Peters time and making these tvvo holy fathers great vvorkers and furtherers of the same vvhereas an other English Rabbine doubted not at Paules crosse to speake of the self same fathers as great Doctors and Patrones of their nevv Gospel thus O Gregorie ô Leo if vve be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Vvhereof vve giue the good Christian Reader vvarning more diligently to bevvare of such damnable bookes and Maisters carying many vnaduised people to perdition 4. Extolled The great Antichrist vvhich must come neere the vvorldes end shal abolish the publike exercise of al other religions true and false and pull dovvne both the B. Sacrament of the altar vvherein coÌ„sisteth specially the vvorship of the true God and also al Idols of the Gentils and sacrifices of the Ievves generally al kinde of religious vvorship sauing that vvhich must be done to him self alone vvhich vvas partly prefigured in such kings as published that no God nor man but them selues should be praied vnto for certaine daies as * Darîus and such like Hovv can the Protestants then for shame and vvithout euident coÌ„tradiction auouch the Pope to be Antichrist vvho as vve say honoureth Christ the true God vvithal his povver or as they say honoureth Idols and chalengeth no diuine honour to him self much lesse to him self onely as Antichrist shal do He huÌ„bly praieth to God lovvly kneeâ—eth dovvne in euery Church at diuers altars erected to God in the memories of his Saincts and praieth to them He saieth or heareth Masse daily vvith al deuotion he confesseth his sinnes to a Priest as other poore men do he adoreth the holy Eucharist vvhich Christ affirmed to be his ovvne body the Heretikes call it an Idol no maruel if they make the Pope his Vicar Antichrist vvhen they make Christ him self an Idol These religious dueties doth the Pope vvhereas Antichrist shal vvorship none nor pray to any at the least openly 4. In the temple Most auncient vvriters expound this of the Temple in Hierusalem vvhich they thinke Antichrist shal build vp againe as being of the Ievves stocke and to be acknovvledged of that obstinate people according to our Sauiours prophecie Io. 5 for their expected and promised Messias Iren. li. 5 in fine Hyppolyt de consum mundi Cyril Hieros Cacech 15. Author op imp ho. 49. in Mat. See S. Hierom in 11 Dan. Grego li. 31. Moral c. 11. Not that he shal suffer them to vvorship God by their old maner of sacrifices al vvhich he vvil either abolish or conuert to the onely adoration of him self though at the first to apply him self to the Ievves he may perhaps be circumcised and keepe some part of the law for it is here said that he shal sitte in the Temple as God that is he shal be adored there by sacrifice and diuine honour the name and vvorship of the true God wholy defaced And this they thinke to be the abominatioÌ„ of desolation foretold by Daniel mentioned by our Sauiour prefigured and resembled by Antiochus and others that defaced the worship of the true God by prophanation of that Temple specially by abrogating the daily sacrifice which was a figure of the only sacrifice and continual oblation of Christes holy body and bloud in the Church as the abolishing of that vvas a figure of the abolishing of this vvhich shal be done principally most vniuersally by Antichrist him self as novv in part by his forerunners through out al Nations and Churches of the vvorld though then also Masse may be had in secret as it is novv in nations vvhere the secular force of some Princes prohibiteth it to be said openly For although he may haue his principal seate and honour in the Temple and citie of Hierusalem yet he shal rule ouer the vvhole vvorld and specially prohibite that principal vvorship instituted by Christ in his Sacraments as being the proper Aduersarie of Christes person name lavv and Church the prophanation and desolation of vvhich Church by taking avvay the sacrifice of the altar is the proper abomination of desolation and the vvorke of Antichrist onely S. Augustine therfore li. 20 de ciuit c. 19. and S. Hierom q. 11 ad Algasiam do thinke that this sitting of Antichrist in the temple doth signifie his sitting in the Church of Christ rather then in Salomons temple Not as though he should be a cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a special part of his body mystical and be Antichrist and yet vvithal continuing vvithin the Church of Christ as the Heretikes feine to make the Pope Antichrist vvhereby they plainely confesse and agnise that the Pope is a member of the Church c. in ipso sinu Ecclesiae and in the very bosome of the Church say they for that is ridiculous that al Heretikes vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes as his precursors should go out of the Church and the great Antichrist him self should be of the Church in the Church coÌ„tinevv in the same and yet to them that make the vvhole Church to reuolt from God this is no absurditie But the truth is that this Antichristian reuolt here spoken of is from the Catholike Church and Antichrist if he euer vvere of or in the Church shal be an Apostata and a renegate out of the Church and shal vsurpe vpon it by tyrannie and by chalenging vvorship religion gouernement thereof so that him self shal be adored in al the Churches of the vvorld vvhich he list to leaue standing for his honour And this is to sitte in the temple oâ— against the Temple of God as some interprete If any Pope did euer this or shal do then let the Aduersaries call him Antichrist And let the good Reader obserue that there be tvvo special causes vvhy this great man of sinne is called Antichrist The one is for impugning Christes kingdom in earth that is to say his spiritual regiment vvhich he constituted and appointed in his Church and the forme of gouernement ordained therein applying al to him self by singular tyrannie and vsurpation in vvhich kinde S. Athanasius ep at Solit. vit
10 c. 23. Tradition caused him to beleeue that the baptized of heretikes should not be rebaptized notvvithstanding S. Cyprians authoritie and the manifold scriptures alleaged by him though they seemed neuer so pregnant De bap li. 2. c. 7. By tradition onely he and others condemned Heluidius the heretike for denying the perpetual virginitie of our Lady And vvithout this be the Scriptures neuer so plaine no Arian no Macedonian no Eutychian no Pelagian no Zuinglian vvil yeld We must vse tradition saith S. Epiphanius â—har 61 Apostolicorum For the Scripture hath not al things and therfore the Apostles deliuered certaine things in vvriting certaine by tradition and for that he alleageth this place also of S. Paul And againe haer 55. Melchised There be boundes set dovvne for the foundation and building vp of our faith the tradition of the Apostles and holy Scriptures and succession of doctrine so that truth is euery vvay â—insed S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 4. hath one notable chapter that in al questions vve must haue recourse to the traditions of the Apostles teaching vs vvithal that the vvay to trie an Apostolical tradition and to bring it to the fountaine is by the Apostolike succession of Bishops but specially of the Apostolike See of Rome declaring in the same place that there be many barbarous people simple for learning but for constancie in their faith most vvise vvhich neuer had Scriptures but learned onely by tradition Tertullian li. de corona militis nu â— reckeneth vp a great number of Christian obseruations or customs as S. Cyprian in many places doth in maner the same vvhereof in fine he concludeth Of such and such if thou require the rule of Scriptures thou shalt finde none Tradition shal be alleaged the author custom the confirmer and faith the obseruer Origen also of this matter vvriteth in plaine termes that there be many thinges done in the Church vvhich he there nameth vvhereof there is no easier reason to be giuen then tradition from Christ and the Apostles ho. 5. in Numer S. Dionysius Areopagita referreth the praying and oblation for the dead in the Liturgie or Masse to an Apostolical tradition in fine Eâ— Hierarch c. 7. parte 3. So doth Tertullian De coron militit S. Augustine De â—ura pro mortuis c. 1. S. Chrysostom ho. 3. in ep ad Philip. in Moral S. Damascene Sâ—r. de defunctis in initio Vve might adde to al this that the Scriptures them selues euen al the bookes and partes of the holy Bible be giuen vs by tradition els vve should not nor could not take them as they be in deede for the infallible vvord of God no more then the vvorkes of S. Ignatius S. Clement S. Denys and the like The true sense also of the Scriptures vvhich Catholikes haue heretikes haue not remaineth stil in the Church by tradition The Crede is an Apostolike traditioÌ„ Ruffin in expo Symb. in principio Hiero. ep 61. c. 9. Ambros Ser. 38. Aug. de Symb. ad Catechum li. 3. c. 1. And vvhat Scriptures haue they to proue that vve must accept nothing not expresly vvritten in Scriptures Vve haue to the contrarie plaine Scriptures al the fathers most euident reasons that vve must either beleeue traditions or nothing at al. And they must be asked vvhether if they vvere assured that such and such things vvhich be not expressed in Scriptures vvere taught and deliuered by vvord of mouth from the Apostles they vvould beleeue them or no If they say no then they be impious that vvil not trust the Apostles preaching if they say they vvould if they vvere assured that the Apostles taught it then to proue vnto them this point vve bring them such as liued in the Apostles daies and the testimonies of so many fathers before named neere to those daies and the vvhole Churches practise and asseueratioÌ„ descending dovvne from man to man to our time vvhich is a sufficient proofe at least for a matter of fact in al reasonable mens iudgement specially vvhen it is knovven that S. Ignatius the Apostles equal in time vvrote a booke of the Apostles traditions as Eusebius vvitnesseth li. 3. Ec. hist c. 30. And Tertullians booke of prescriptioÌ„ against Heretikes is to no other effect but to proue that the Church hath this vantage aboue Heretikes that she can proue her truth by plaine Apostolike tradition as none of them can euer do CHAP. III. He desireth their praiers 4 and inculcateth his precepts and traditions namely of vvorking quietly for their ovvne liuing commaunding to excommunicate the disobedient verse 1 FOR the rest brethren pray for vs that the vvord of God may haue course and be glorified as also vvith you ✠verse 2 and that vve may be deliuered from importunate and naughtie men for al men haue not faith ✠verse 3 But our Lord is faithful vvho vvil confirme and keepe you from euil ✠verse 4 And vve haue confidence of you in our Lord that the things vvhich vve commaund both you doe and vvil doe ✠verse 5 And our Lord direct your hartes in the charitie of God and patience of Christ ✠verse 6 And vve denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ that you vvithdravv your selues froÌ„ euery brother vvalking inordinarly and not according to the traditioÌ„ vvhich they haue receiued of vs. ✠verse 7 For your selues knovv hovv you ought to imitate vs for vve haue not been vnquiet among you ✠verse 8 * neither haue vve eaten bread of any man gratis but in labour in toile night and day vvorking lest vve should burden any of you ✠verse 9 * Not as though vve had not authoritie but that vve might giue our selues a paterne vnto you for to imitate vs. ✠verse 10 For also vvhen vve vvere vvith you this vve denounced to you that if any vvil not vvorke â— neither let him eate ✠verse 11 For vve haue heard of certaine amoÌ„g you that vvalke vnquietly vvorking nothing but curiously meddling ✠verse 12 And to them that be such vve denounce beseeche them in our Lord IESVS Christ that vvorking vvith silence they eate their ovvne bread ✠verse 13 But you brethren * fainte not vvel-doing ✠verse 14 And if any â— obey not our vvord â— note him by an epistle ✠verse 15 and do not companie vvith him that he may be confounded and do not esteeme him as an enemie but admonish him as a brother ✠verse 16 And the Lord of peace him self giue you euerlasting peace in euery place Our Lord be vvith you al. ✠verse 17 The saluation vvith mine ovvne hand Paules vvhich is a signe in euery epistle so I vvrite ✠verse 18 The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 10. Neither let them eate It is not a general precept or rule that euery man should liue by this handvvorke
chast not detracting sober faithful in al things ✠verse 12 Let deacons be the husbandes of one vvife vvhich rule vvel their children their houses ✠verse 13 For they that haue ministred vvel shal purchase to them selues a good degree and much confidence in the faith vvhich is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 14 These things I vvrite to thee hoping that I shal come to thee quickly ✠verse 15 but if I tary long that thou maiest knovv how thou oughtest to conuerse ″ in the house of God which is the CHVRCH of the liuing God ″ the piller and ground of truth ✠verse 16 And manifestly it is a great sacrament of pietie vvhich vvas manifested in flesh vvas iustified in spirit appeared to Angels hath beene preached to gentils is beleeued in the vvorld is assumpted in glorie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. A good vvorke Nothing saith S. Augustine in this life and specially in this time is easier pleasanter or more acceptable to man then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon if the thing be done onely for fashion sake and â—â—â—â—â—ringly but nothing before God more miserable more lamentable more damnable Againe There is nothing in this life and specially at this time harder more laborious or more dangerous then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon but before God nothing more blessed if they vvarre in such sort as our Captaine commaundeth August ep 148. 2. A Bishop That vvhich is here spoken of a Bishop because the vvordes Bishop Priest in the nevv Testament be often taken indifferently for both or either of the tvvaine as is noted in an other place the same is meant of euery Priest also though the qualities here required ought to be more singular in the Bishop then in the Priest according to the difference of their degrees dignities and callings â— Of one vvife Certaine Bishops of Vigilantius sect vvhether vpon false construction of this text or through the filthines of their fleshly lust vvould take none to the Cleargie except they vvould be maried first not beleeuing saith S. Hierom aduers Vigilant c. 1. that any single man liueth chastly shevving hovv holily they liue them selues that suspect il of euery man and vvil not giue the Sacrament of Order to the Cleargie vnlâ—s they see their vviues haue great bellies and children vvalling at their mothers breastes Our Protestants though they be of Vigilantius sect yet they are scarse come so farre to commaund euery Priest to be maried Neuertheles they mislike them that vvill not marrie so much the vvorse and they suspect il of euery single person in the Church thinking the gift of chastitle to be very rare among them they do not onely make the state of mariage equal to chast single life vvith the Heretike Iouinian but they are bold to say sometimes that the Bishop or Priest may do his duety and charge better maried then single expresly against S. Paul vvho affirmeth that the vnmaried thinke of the things that belong to God and that the maried be diuersely distracted and intangled vvith the vvorld The Apostle then by this place vve novv treate of neither commauÌ„deth nor counseleth nor vvisheth nor vvould haue Bishops or Priests to marrie or such onely to be receiued as haue been maried but that such an one as hath been married so it vvere but once and that to a virgin may be made Bishop or Priest Which is no more then an inhibition that none hauing been tvvise maried or being bigamus should be admitted to that holy Order And this exposition onely is agreable to the practise of the vvhole Church the definition of auÌ„cient Councels the doctrine of al the fathers vvithout exception and the Apostles tradition Vvhich sense S. Chrysostom vvholy folovveth vpon the Epistle to Titus though here he folovv not vvholy the same sense Ho. 2 in ep ad Tit. S. Ambrose also vpon this place and most plainely and largely in his 82 Epistle post med giuing the cause why bigamus can not be made Bishop or Priest in fine affirmeth not onely the Apostle but the holy Councel of Nice to haue taken order that none should be receiued into the Cleargie that vvere tvvise maried S. Hierom Ep. 83. ad Oceanum c. 2. ep â— c. 18. ep 11. â— 2 expresly vvriteth that the Cleargie is made of such as haue had but one vvife at least after Baptisme for he thought that if one vvere often maried vvhen he vvas yet no Christian he might notvvithstanding be ordered Bishop or Priest But S. Ambrose ep 82. S. Augustine de bono Coniug c. 18. S. Innocentius the first ep 2. c. 5. â— to 1. Concil S. Leo ep 87â— S. Gregorie after them the vvhole Church exclude those also vvhich haue been tvvise maried vvhen so euer vvhereof S. Augustine giueth goodly reason and example in the place alleaged S. Leo ep 87 addeth further proueth that the maÌ„ is couÌ„ted bigamus not the husband of one vvife in respect of holy Orders not onely if he hath had tvvo vviues but if his one vvife vvere not a virgin vvhich being obserued in the high Priests of the old lavv must needes be much rather kept novv See also the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus c. 72 in S. Augustines vvorkes And by these fevv you may see hovv shamefully the state of the new heretical Cleargie of our time is fallen from the Apostolike and al the fathers practise and doctrine herein Vvho do not onely take men once or twise maried before but vvhich vvas neuer heard of before in any person or part of the Catholike Church they marie after they be Bishops or Priests once tvvise and as often as their lustes require Whereas it vvas neuer lawful in Gods Church to marrie after Holy Orders Neither is there one authentical example thereof in the world For those of vvhom Nice Councel speaketh vvere maried before were but tolerated onely to vse their wiues the fathers in the same Councel prouiding expresly at the same time that none from thence forth should marrie after they came to holy Orders and that according to the auÌ„cient tradition of the Church as Socrates and Sozomenus declare in most plaine vvordes See Suidas in the vvord Paphnutius And in vvhat countrie so euer they haue been permitted to haue carnal dealing euen vvith their vviues whom they had before it was not according to the exact rule of the Apostles Churches tradition by vvhich al that be in holy Orders should wholy abstaine not onely from marying but euen from their wiues before maried Vvhereof thus vvriteth S. Epiphanius hares 59 câ—nt Cathares The holy preaching of God receiueth not after Christ them that marrie againe after their vviues departure by reason of the great dignitie and honour of Priesthod And this the holy Church of God obserueth vvith al sinceritie Yea she doth not receiue the once maried person that yet
holy Ghost ✠verse 6 vvhom he hath povvred vpon vs aboundantly by IESVS Christ our Sauiour ✠verse 7 that being iustified by his grace vve may be heires according to hope of life euerlasting ⊢ ✠verse 8 * It is a faithful saying and of these things I vvil haue thee auouch earnestly that they vvhich beleeue in God be careful to excell in good vvorkes These things be good and profitable for men ✠verse 9 But * foolish questions and genealogies and coÌ„tentions and controuersies of the Lavv auoid For they are vnprofitable and vaine ✠verse 10 A man that is ″ an heretike after the first and second admonition auoid ✠verse 11 knovving that he that is such an one is ″ subuerted and sinneth being condemned ″ by his ovvne iudgement ✠verse 12 Vvhen I shal send to thee Artemas or Tychicus hasten to come vnto me to Nicopolis for there I haue determined to vvinter ✠verse 13 Set forvvard Zenas the lavvyer and Apollos carefully that nothing be vvanting to them ✠verse 14 And let our men also learne to excel in good vvorkes to necessarie vses that they be not vnfruiteful ✠verse 15 Al that are vvith me salute thee salute them that loue vs in the faith The grace of God be vvith you al. Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 10. A man that it an Heretike Not euery one that erreth in religion is an Heretike but he onely that after the Churches determination vvilfully and stubburnely standeth in his false opinion not yelding to decree of Councel or the cheefe Pastors of the Church therein They saith S. Augustine ep 162. that defend their sentence though false and peruerse vvith no stubburne stomake or obstinate hart specially if it be such as them selues by bold presumption broched not but receiued it of their deceiued parents and do seeke the truth vvarily and carefully being ready to be reformed if they finde it such are not to be reputed among Heretikes And againe li. 18. de Ciuit. c. 55. They that in the Church of Christ haue any crâ—â—ed or perâ—â—rse opinion if being admonished to be of a sound and right opinion they resist obstinatly and vvil not amend their pestiferous opinions but persist in defense of them are thereby become Heretikes and going forth out of the Church are counted for enimies that exercise vs. Again li. 4 de Bapt. cont Donat. c. 16. He is an Heretike that vvhen the doctrine of the Catholike faith is made plaine and manifest vnto him had rather resist it and choose that vvhich him self held c. And in diuers places he declareth that S. Cyprian though he held an errour yet vvas no Heretike because he vvould not haue defended it after a general Councel had declared it to be an errour li. 2 de bapt c. 4. So Possidonius in the life of S. Augustine reporteth hovv after the determination of the See Apostolike that Pelaglus opinion vvas heretical al men esteemed Pelagius an Heretike and the Emperour made lavves against him as against an Heretike Againe S. Augustine saith He is an Heretike in my opinion that for some temporal commoditie and specially for his glorie and principalitie coineth or els folovveth false or nevv opinion de vtillit credendi cap. 1. Let our Protestants behold them selues in this glasse and vvithal let them marke al other propretles that old Heretikes euer had and they shal finde al definitions and markes of an Heretike to fall vpon them selues And therfore they must not maruel if vve vvarne al Catholike men by the vvordes of the Apostle in this place to take heede of them and to shunne their preachings bookes conuenticles and companies Neither neede the people be curious to knovv vvhat they say much lesse to confure them but they must trust Gods Church vvhich doth refute and condemne them And it is ynough for them to knovv that they be condemned as S. Augustine noteth in the later end of his booke de heresibus And S. Cyprian saith notably to Antonianus demaunding curiously vvhat heresies Nouatianus did teach No matter ê™ he What heresies he hath or teacheth vvhen he teacheth vvithout that is to say out of the Church 11. Subueried Heretikes be often in corrigible yet the Church of God ceaseth not by al meanes possible to reuoke them therefore S. Augustine saith ep 162. The Heretike him self though svvelling vvith odious and detestable pride and madde vvith the frovvardnes of vvicked contention as we admonish that he be aucided lest he decriue the vveaklings and litle ones so vve refuse not by al meanes possible to seeke his amendment and reformation 11. By his ovvne iudgement Other greuous offenders be separated by excommunication from the coÌ„munion of Saincts and the fellovvship of Gods Church by the sentence of their Superiors in the same Church but Heretikes more miserable and infortunate then they runne out of the Church of their ovvne accord and so giue sentence against their ovvne soules to damnation THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO PHILEMON THE ARGVMENT Hearing of Philémons vertue vvho vvas a Colossian he vvriteth a familiar letter from Rome being prisoner there about his fugitiue seruant Onesimus not doubting but that he might commaund him yet rather requesting that he vvil forgiue him yea and receiue him as he vvould Paul him self vvho also hopeth to come vnto him verse 1 PAVL the prisoner of Christ IESVS and brother Timothee to Philémon the beloued and our coadiutor ✠verse 2 to Appia our deerest sister to Archippus our felovv-souldiar and to the church vvhich is in thy house ✠verse 3 Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 4 I giue thankes to my God alvvaies making a memorie of thee in my praiers ✠verse 5 hearing thy charitie and faith vvhich thou hast in our Lord IESVS and ″ tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 6 that the communication of thy faith may be made euident in the agnition of al good that is in you in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 For I haue had great ioy and consolation in thy charitie because the bovvels of the sainctes haue rested by thee brother ✠verse 8 For the vvhich thing hauing great coÌ„fidence in Christ IESVS to commaund thee that vvhich pertaineth to the purpose ✠verse 9 for charitie rather I beseeche vvhereas thou art such an one as Paul being old and novv prisoner also of IESVS Christ ✠verse 10 I beseeche thee for my sonne vvhom I haue begotten in handes * Onesimus ✠verse 11 vvho hath been sometime vnprofitable to thee but novv profitable both to me thee ✠verse 12 vvhom I haue sent backe to thee And do thou receiue him as mine ovvne bovvels ✠verse 13 vvhom I would haue reteined vvith me that for thee he might minister to me in the bandes of the Gospel ✠verse 14 but vvithout thy counsel I vvould doe nothing that thy
passion It hath in deede in it self to profite al but if it be not drunken it healeth not 11. Inexplicable Intending to treate more largely and particularly of Christes or Melchisedekâ— Priesthod he forvvarneth them that the mysterie thereof is far passing their capacitie and that through their feeblenes in faith and vveakenes of vnderstanding he is forced to omit diuers deepe points concerning the Priesthod of the nevv lavv Among vvhich no doubt the mysterie of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the altar called MASSE vvas a principal pertinent matter vvhich the Apostles the Fathers of the primitiue Church vsed not to treate of so largely and particularly in their vvritings vvhich might come to the hands of the vnfaithful vvho of al things tooke soonest scandal of the B. Sacrament as vve see Io. 6. He spake to the Hebruâ—s saith S. Hierom ep 126 that is to the Ievves and not to faithful men to vvhom he might haue been hold to vtter the Sacrament And in deede it vvas not reasonable to talke much to them of that sacrifice vvhich vvas the resemblance of Christes death vvhen they thought not right of Christes death it self Vvhich the Apostles vvisedom and silence our Aduersaries vvickedly abuse against the holy Masse CHAP. VI. He exhorteth them to be perfect scholers and not to neede to be Catechumenâ— againe 4 considering they can not be baptized againe 9 and remembring their former good vvorkes for the vvhich God vvil not faile to performe them his promis if they faile not to imitate Abraham by perseuerance in the faith vvith patience 20 And so endeth his digression and returneth to the matter of Christes Priesthod verse 1 VVHERFORE intermitting the vvord of the beginning of Christ let vs proceede to perfection not againe laying ″ the foundatioÌ„ of penance from dead vvorkes and of faith tovvard God ✠verse 2 of the doctrine of baptismes and of imposition of handes and of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal iudgement ✠verse 3 And this shal vve doe if God vvill permit ✠verse 4 For * it is ″ impossible for them that were once illuminated haue tasted also the heauenly gift and vvere made partakers of the holy Ghost ✠verse 5 haue moreouer tasted the good vvord of God and the povvers of the world to come ✠verse 6 and are fallen to be renevved againe to penaÌ„ce crucifying againe to them selues the sonne of God and making him a mockerie ✠verse 7 For the earth drinking the raine often coÌ„ming vpon it bringing forth grasse commodious for them by vvhom it is tilled receiueth blessing of God ✠verse 8 but bringing forth thornes and bryers it is reprobate and very neere a curse vvhose end is to be burnt ✠verse 9 But vve confidently trust of you my best beloued better things and neerer to saluation although vve speake thus ✠verse 10 For ″ God is not vniust that he should forget your vvorke loue which you haue shevved in his name vvhich haue ministred to the sainctes and do minister ✠verse 11 And our desire is that euery one of you shevv forth the same carefulnesse to the accomplishing of hope vnto the end ✠verse 12 that you become not slouthful but imitatours of them vvhich by faith and patience shal inherite the promisses ✠verse 13 For God promising to Abraham because he had none greater by vvhoÌ„ he might sweare he sware by him self ✠verse 14 saying * Vnles blessing I shal blesse thee and multiplying shal multiplie thee ✠verse 15 And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise ✠verse 16 For meÌ„ svveare by a greater then them selues and the end of al their controuersie for the confirmation is an othe ✠verse 17 Vvherein God meaning more aboundantly to shevv to the heires of the promise the stabilitie of his couÌ„sel he interposed an othe ✠verse 18 that by tvvo things vnmoueable vvhereby it is impossible for God to lie vve may haue a most strong comfort vvho haue fled to hold fast the hope proposed ✠verse 19 vvhich vve haue as an anker of the soule sure and firme and going in into the inner partes of the vele ✠verse 20 vvhere IESVS the precursor for vs is entered made a high priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 1. The foundation of penance Vve see hereby vvhat the first groundes of Christian institution or Catechisme were in the primitiue Church and that there vvas euer a necessarie instruction and beleefe of certaine points had by vvord of mouth and tradition before men came to the Scriptures vvhich could not treate of things so particularly as vvas requisite for the teaching of al necessarie groundes Among these points were the 12 Articles conteined in the Apostles Creede the doctrine of penance before Baptisme the maner and necessitie of Baptisme the Sacrament of Imposition of hands after Baptisme called Confirmation the articles of the Resurrection Iudgement and such like Vvithout vvhich things first laid if one should be sent to picke his faith out of the Scripture there vvould be madde rule quickly See S. Augustine in exposit inchoat ep ad Ro. versut finem 4. Impossible How hard the holy Scriptures be and how dangerously they be read of the vnlearned or of the proud be they neuer so vvel learned this one place might teach vs. Vvhereat the Nouatians of old did so stumble that they thought and heretically taught that none falling into any mortal sinne after Baptisme could be receiued to mercie or penance in the Church and so to a contentious man that vvould folow his owne sense or the bare vvordes vvithout regard of the Churches sense and rule of faith after vvhich euery Scripture must be expounded the Apostles speach doth here sound Euen as to the simple and to the Heretike that submitteth not his sense to the Churches iudgement certaine places of this same Epistle seeme at the first sight to stand against the daily oblation or sacrifice of the Masse vvhich yet in truth make no more for that purpose then this text we now stand on serueth the Nouatians as vvhen we come to the places it shal be declared And let the good Readers beware here also of the Protestants exposition for they are herein vvorse then Nouatians specially such as precisely folovv Caluin holding impiously that it is impossible for one that forsaketh entirely his faith that is becommeth an Apostata or an Heretike to be receiued to penance or to Gods mercie To establish vvhich false and damnable sense these fellowes make nothing of S. Ambroses S. Chrysostoms and the other fathers exposition vvhich is the holy Churches sense That the Apostle meaneth of that penance vvhich is done before and in Baptisme vvhich is no more to say but that it is impossible to be baptized againe and thereby to be renouated and illuminated to die be buried and rise againe the second time in
And that to haue been the errour of the Hebrues you may read in S. Augustine li. 3. doct Christ c. 6. And this vve tel the Protestants is the onely purpose of the Apostle But they be so grosse or ignorant in the Scriptures and so malitiously set against Gods and the Churches truth that they peruersely and folishly turne the vvhole disputation against the sacrifice of the B. Masse and the Priests of the new Testament as though vve held that the sacrifice of the altar vvere the general redemption or redeeming sacrifice or that it had no relation to Christes death or that it vvere not the representation and most liuely resemblance of the same or vvere not instituted and done to apply in particular to the vse of the partakers that other general benefite of Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse Against the Ievves then onely S. Paul disputeth and against the false opinion they had of their Priests and sacrifices to vvhich they attributed al remission and redemption vvithout respect of Christes death 15. Of those preuarications The Protestants do vnlearnedly imagine that because al sinnes be remitted by the force of Christes passion that therfore there should be no other sacrifice after his death Vvhereas in deede they might as vvell say there ought neuer to haue been sacrifice appointed by God either in the lavv of Nature or of Moyses as al their argumeÌ„ts made against the Sacrifice of the Church vpon the Apostles discourse proue as vvel or rather onely that there vvere no sacrifices of Aarons order or Leuitical lavv at all For against the Ievves false opinion concerning them doth he dispute and not a vvord touching the sacrifice of the Church vnto vvhich â—n al this discourse he neuer opposeth Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse al Christian men vvel knovving that the host oblation of those tvvo though they differ in maner and external forme yet is in deede al one The Apostle then shevveth here plainely that al the sinnes that euer vvere remitted since the beginning of the vvorld vvere no othervvise forgiuen but by the force and in respect of Christes Passion Yet it folovveth not therevpon that the oblations of Abel Abraham Aaron c vvere no sacrifices as by the Heretikes foolish deduction it should do S. Paul not opposing Christes Passion to them for the intent to proue them to haue been no sacrifices but to proue that they vvere not absolute sacrifices nor the redeeming or consummating Sacrifice vvhich could not be many nor done by many Priests but by one and at one time by a more excellent Priest theÌ„ any of them or any other mere mortal man And that you may see the blasphemous pride and ignorance of Caluin and in him of al his fellovves read so many as may read Heretical bookes his commentarie vpon this place and there you shal see him gather vpon this that Christes death had force from the beginning vvas the remedie for al sinnes since the creation of the vvorld therfore there must be no moâ— but that one sacrifice of Christes death Vvhich must needes by his deduction hold as it doth in deede no lesse against the old sacrifices then the nevv sacrifice of the Church and so take avvay al vvhich is against the Apostles meaning and al religion 20. This is the bloud Christes death vvas necessarie for the full confirmation ratification and accomplishement of the nevv Testament though it vvas begonne to be dedicated in the sacrifice of his last supper being also vvithin the compasse of his Passion Vvhich is euident by the vvordes prouounced by Christ ouer the holy chalice vvhich be correspondent to the vvordes that vvere spoken as the Apostle here declareth in the first sacrifice of the dedication of the old lavv hauing also expresse mention of remission of sinnes thereby as by the bloud of the nevv Testament Vvhereby it is plaine that the B. Chalice of the altar hath the very sacrificall bloud in it that vvas shed vpon the Crosse in by vvhich the nevv Testament vvhich is the lavv of spirit grace and remission vvas dedicated and doth consist And therfore it is also cleere that many diuine things vvhich to the Heretikes or ignorant may seeme to be spoken onely of Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse be in deede verified fulfilled also in the sacrifice of the altar Vvhereof S. Paul for the causes aforesaid vvould not treate in plaine termes See Isychius li. 1 in Leuit. c. 4 paulo post initium applying al these things to the immolation of Christ also in the Sacrament 23. The examplers Al the offices places vessels and instruments of the old lavv vvere but figures and resemblances of the state and sacraments of the nevv Testament vvhich are here called celestials for that they are the liuely image of the heauenly state next ensuing vvhich be therfore specially dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud sacrificed on the altar and sprinkled vpon the faithful as the old figures and people vvere cleansed by the bloud of beasts And therfore by a transition vsual in the holy Scriptures the Apostle sodenly passeth in the senteÌ„ce immediatly folovving and turneth his talke to Christes entrance into heauen the state vvhereof both by the Sacraments of the old lavv and also more specially by them of the nevv is prefigured 25. Offer him self often As Christ neuer died but once not neuer shal die againe so in that violent painful and blouddy sort he can neuer be offered againe neither needeth he so to be offered any more hauing by that one action of sacrifice vpon the Crosse made the full ransom redemption and remedie for the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Neuerthelesse as Christ died and vvas offered after a sort in all the sacrifices of the Lavv and Nature since the beginning of the vvorld al vvhich vvere figures of this one oblation vpon the Crosse so is he much rather offered in the sacrifice of the altar of the nevv Testament incomparably more neerely diuinely and truely expressing his death his body broken his bloud shed then did any figure of the old lavv or other sacrifice that euer vvas as being in deede though in hidden sacramental and mysticall and vnblouddy maner the very self same B. body and bloud the self same host oblation and sacrifice that vvas doue vpon the Crosse And this truth is most euident by the very forme of vvordes vsed by our Sauiour in the institution and consecration of the holy Sacrament and by the profession of all the holy Doctors Our sacrifice saith S. Cyprian is correspondent to the Passion of Christ And The sacrifice that vve offer is the Passion of Christ ep 63. nu 4. nu 7. S. Augustine de fâ—d ad Pet. c. 19. In those carnal sacrifices vvas the prosiguring of the flesh of Christ vvhich he vvas to offer for sinnes and of the bloud vvhich he vvas to sheads but in this Sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ vvhich
righteousnes consisteth in doing or vvorking iustice and that so he is iust and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretikes in this point 8. Sinneth from the beginning The Diuel vvas created holy and in grace and not in sinne but he fel of his ovvne free vvil from God Therfore these vvordes from the beginning may be interpreted thus from the beginning of sinne and so the Apostle vvil say The Diuel committed the first sinne Augustine li. 11 de eiu Dei c. 15 expoundeth it The most simple meaning seemeth to be that he sinned from the beginning of the vvorld not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation but straight vpon the beginning as it must needes also be taken in S. Iohns Gospel c. 8. 44. 22. VVe shal receiue because Let the Protestants be ashamed to say that vve obtaine al of God by onely faith the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of Gods commaundements Note here also that Gods commaundements are not impossible to be kept but vvere then and are novv obserued of good men CHAP. IIII. VVe may not beleeue al that boast of the spirit but trie them vvhether they teach Catholike articles of the faith namely the incarnation of Christ vvhether their doctrine be not vvordly and them selues disobedient hearers of the Apostles 7 Vee must loue one an other considering the exceding loue of God in sending his sonne to saue vs. 17 An argument of perfect charitie is if vve haue nothing in our conscience to feare in the day of Iudgement 19 And an argument that vve loue God is if vve loue brethren verse 1 MY deerest ″ beleeue not euery spirit but ″ proue the spirites if they be of God because many false prophetes are goue out into the vvorld ✠verse 2 In this is the spirit of God knovven ″ euery spirit that confesseth IESVS Christ to haue come in flesh is of God ✠verse 3 and euery spirit ″ that dissolueth IESVS is not of God and this is antichrist of vvhom you haue heard that he commeth and novv he is in the vvorld ✠verse 4 You are of God litle children and haue ouercome him because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the vvorld ✠verse 5 They are of the vvorld therfore of the vvorld they speake and the vvorld heareth them ✠verse 6 Vve are of God * He that knovveth God heareth vs. he that is not of God heareth vs not ″ in this vve knovv the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour ✠verse 7 My deerest let vs loue one an other because charitie is of God And euery one that loueth is borne of God knovveth God ✠verse 8 He that loueth not knovveth not God because God is charitie ✠verse 9 * In this hath the charitie of God appeared in vs because God hath sent his only begotten sonne into the vvorld that vve may liue by him ✠verse 10 In this is charitie not as though vve haue loued him but because he hath loued vs and sent his sonne a propitiation for our sinnes ✠verse 11 My deerest if God hath so loued vs vve also ought to loue one an other ✠verse 12 * God no man hath seen at any time If vve loue one an other God abideth in vs and his charitie in vs is persired ✠verse 13 In this vve knovv that vve abide in him and he in vs because he of his Spirit hath giuen to vs. ✠verse 14 And vve haue seen and doe testifie that the Father hath sent his Sonne the Sauiour of the vvorld ✠verse 15 Vvhosoeuer shal confesse that IESVS is the Sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God ✠verse 16 And vve haue knovven and haue beleeued the charitie vvhich God hath in vs. God is charitie and he that abideth in charitie abideth in God and God in him ✠verse 17 In this is charitie perfited vvith vs ″ that vve may haue confidence in the day of iudgement because as he is vve also are in the vvorld ✠verse 18 ″ Feare is not in charitie but perfect charitie casteth out feare because feare hath painefulnes and he that feareth is not perfect in charitie ✠verse 19 Let vs therfore loue God because God first hath loued vs. ✠verse 20 If any man shal say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lier For he that loueth not his brother vvhom he seeth God vvhom he seeth not hovv can he loue ✠verse 21 * And this commaundement vve haue from God that he vvhich loueth God loue also his brother ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 1. Beleeue not euery spirit That is Receiue not euery doctrine of such as boast them selues to haue the spirit For there be many false prophets that is to say Haeretikes which shal goe out of the Church and chalenge the spirit and vaunt of Gods word Scripture and Gospel vvhich in deede be seducers 1. Proue the spirites It is not meant by this place as the Protestants vvould haue it that euery particular person should of him self examine trie or iudge who is a true or false doctor and which is true or false doctrine But the Apostle here would euery one to discerne these diuersities of spirites by taking knovvledge of them to vvhom God hath giuen the gift of discerning spirites and doctrines vvhich S. Paul expresly saith is giuen but to some and not to euery one 1 Cor. 12. and by obeying the Church of God to whom Christ hath giuen * the Spirit of truth And this is onely the sure way to proue the spirites and doctrines of these daies And al they that would bring vs from our Pastors and the Churches iudgement to our owne priuate trial seeke nothing els but to driue vs to miserable vncertainty in al our beleefe as Caluin doth who vpon this place saith that priuate men may examine the general Councels doctrines 2. Euery spirit that confesseth The Apostle speaketh according to that time and for that part of Christian doctrine which then vvas specially to be confessed taught mainteined against certaine vvicked Haeretikes Cerinthus Ebion and the like that taught wickedly against the person and both natures of Christ IESVS The Apostle therfore giueth the faithful people this token to knovv the true teachers of those daies from the false Not that this marke vvould serue for al times or in case of al'other false doctrines but that it vvas then a necessarie note As if a good Catholike vvriter Pastor or parents would vvarne al theirs now in these daies to giue care onely to such teachers as acknowledge Christ our Sauiour to be really present and sacrificed in the B. Masse that al such are true preachers and of God the rest to be of the Diuel or to be counted the spirit of Antichrist Vvhich spirit of Antichrist he saith was come euen then
vvould not by paper and inke for I hope that I shal be vvith you and speake mouth to mouth that your ioy may be ful ✠verse 13 The children of thy sister electe salute thee ANNOT. 6. From the beginning This is the rule of a Christian Catholike man to vvalke in that faith and vvorship of God vvhich he hath receiued from the beginning Vvhich is that vvhich vve novv call according to the Scriptures the tradition of the Apostles that vvhich is come to vs from man to man from Bishop to Bishop and so from the Apostles So shal a faithful man auoid seducers that rise vp in euery age teaching nevv doctrine 10. This doctrine The Apostles and true Pastors their lavvful successors and the Church of God in holy Councel vse to set dovvne the true doctrine in those pointes vvhich Heretikes call into controuersie Vvhich being once done and declared to the faithful they neede no other marke or description to knovv an Heretike or false teacher by but that he commeth vvith an other doctrine then that vvhich is set dovvne to them Neither can the Heretikes shift them selues as novv a daies they vvould doe saying ô let vs first be proueds Heretikes by the Scriptures let them define an Heretike No this is not the Apostles rule Many a good honest shepheard knovveth a vvoolfe that can nor define him but the Apostle saith If he bring not this set doctrine he is a seducer So holy Church saith novv Christ is really in the B. Sacrament vnder forme of bread and vvine c. If therfore he bring not this doctrine he is a seducer and an Heretike and vve must auoide him vvhether in his ovvne definitions and censures he seeme to him self an Heretike or no. 10. Receiue him not Though in such times and places vvhere the communitie or most part be infected necessitie often forceth the faithful to conuerse vvith such in vvorldly affaires to salute them to eate and speake vvith them and the Church by decree of Councel for the more quietnes of timorous consciences prouideth that they incurre not excommunication or other censures for communicating in vvorldly affaires vvith any in this kinde except they be by name excommunicated or declared to be Heretikes yet euen in vvordly coonuersatioÌ„ and secular actes of our life vve must auoid them as much as vve may because their familiaritie is many vvaies contagious and nolsome to good men namely to the simple but in matter of religion in praying reading their bookes hearing their sermons presence at their seruice partaking of their Sacraments and al other communicating vvith them in spiritual things It is a great damnable sinne to deale vvith them 10. Nor say God saue you S. Iohn 〈…〉 anotable storie of this holy Apostle touching to is point out of S. Polycarpus vvhich is this There be some saith he that haue heard Polycarpe say that vvhen Iohn the disciple of our Lord vvas going to Ephesus into a bath to vvash him self and savv Corinthus the Heretikes vvithin the same he so denly skipt out saying that he feared lest the bath should fall because Corinthus the enemie of truth vvas vvithin So saith he of S. Iohn and addeth also a like vvorthie example of S. Polycarpe him self vvho on a time meeting Marcion the Heretike and the said Marcion calling vpon him and asking him vvhether he knew him not Yes quoth Polycarpe I knovv thee for Satans sound and heire So great feare saith S. Irernaeus had the Apostles and their disciples to communicate in vvord onely vvith such as vvere adulterers or corrupters of the truth as S. Paul also uvarned vvhen he said A man that is an Heretike after the first and second admonition auoid So far Irenaeus If then to speake vvith them or salute them is so earnestly to be auoided according to this Apostles example doctrines vvhat a sinne is it to flatter them to serue them to marie vvith them and so forth THE THIRD EPISTLE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE He commendeth Gaiues for continuing in the truth and for susteining or succouring true preachers 9 noting Diotrepes for the contrarie and praising Demétrius verse 1 THE Seniour to Gaius the deerest whom I loue in truth ✠verse 2 My deerest concerning al thinges I make my praier that thou proceede prosperously and fare vvel as thy soule doth prosperously ✠verse 3 I vvas exceding glad vvhen the brethren came and gaue testimonie to thy truth euen as thou vvalkest in truth ✠verse 4 Greater thanke ' haue I not of them then that I may heare my children do vvalke in truth ✠verse 5 My deerest thou doest faithfully vvhatsoeuer thou vvorkest on the brethren and that vpon strangers ✠verse 6 they haue rendred testimonie to thy charitie in the sight of the Church vvhoÌ„ thou shalt doe vvel bringing on their vvay in maner vvorthie of God ✠verse 7 For for his name did they depart taking nothing of the Gentiles ✠verse 8 Vve therfore ought to receiue such that vve may be coadiutors of the truth ✠verse 9 I had vvritten perhaps to the Church but he that loueth to beare primacie among them Diótrepes doth not receiue vs. ✠verse 10 For this cause if I come I vvil aduertise his vvorkes vvhich he doeth vvith malicious vvordes chatting against vs. and as though these thinges suffise him not neither him self doth receiue the brethren and them that do receiue he prohibiteth and casteth out of the Church ✠verse 11 My deerest do not imitate euil but that vvhich is good He that doeth vvel is of God he that doeth il hath not seen God ✠verse 12 To Demetrius testimonie is giuen of al and of the truth it self yea and vve giue testimonie and thou knovvest that our testimonie is true ✠verse 13 I had many thinges to vvrite vnto thee but I vvould not by inke and penne vvrite to thee ✠verse 14 But I hope forthvvith to see thee and vve vvil speake mouth to mouth Peace be to thee The freendes salute thee Salute the freendes by name THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. IVDE IN the Gospel these are called Fratres Iesu the brethren of Iesus Iames and Ioseph and Simon and Iude. Their father is called Alphaâ—us vvhere Iames is termed Iames of Alphaeus aâ—d their mother Maria Iacobi minoris Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Ioseph Vvhich Marie in an other place being called Maria Cleophae vve perceiue their father vvas named both Alphaeus and also Cleophas And that this Cleophas vvas brother to Ioseph our Ladies husband Hegesippus telleth vs. Therfore because Ioseph vvas called the father of Christ his brothers children vvere called the brethren that is according to the custom of the scripture also the kinsmen of our Lord and not because they vvere the children of Ioseph him self by an other vvife much lesse as Heluidius the heretike did blaspheme by our
candlestickes of the vvorld no doubt to signfie that Christ preserueth the truth onely in and by the lavvful Bishops and Catholike Church and that Christs truth is not to be sought for in corners or conuenticles of Heretikes but at the Bishops handes and * vpon the candlesticke vvhich shineth to al in the house 20. The Angels of the Churches The vvhole Church of Christ hath S. Michael for her keeper and Protector and therfore keepeth his holy day onely by name among al Angels And as earthly kingdoms haue their special Angels Protectors as vve see in the 10 Chapter of Daniel so much more the particular Churches of ChristeÌ„dom See S. Hierom in 34 Ezech. But of those Angels it is not here meant as is manifest And therfore Angels here must needes signifie the Priests or Bishops specially of the Churches here and in them al the gouernours of the vvhole of euery particular Church of Christendom They are called Angels for that they are Gods messengers to vs interpreters of his vvil our keepers and directors in religion our intercessors the cariers and offerers of our praiers to him and mediators vnto him vnder Christ and for these causes and for their great digniâ—ie they are here and in * other places of Scripture called Angels CHAP. II. He is commaunded to vvrite diuers things to the churches of Ephesiu Sâ—yrna Pergamus and Thyatira praising them that had not admitted the doctrine of the Heretikes called Nicolaâ—ta 22 and calling others by threates vnto penance 26 and promising revvard to him that manfully ouercommeth verse 1 AND to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus vvrite Thus saith he vvhich ″ holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand vvhich vvalketh in the middes of the seuen candlestickes of gold ✠verse 2 I knovv ″ thy vvorkes and labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare euil men and hast tried them which say them selues to be Apostles and are not and hast found them liars ✠verse 3 and thou hast patience and hast borne for my name and hast not fainted ✠verse 4 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges bicause thou hast left thy first charitie ✠verse 5 Be mindeful therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and doe penance and doe the first vvorkes But if not I come to thee and ″ vvil moue thy candlesticke out of his place vnlesse thou doe penance ✠verse 6 but this thou hast ″ because thou hatest the factes ″ of the Nicolaïtes vvhich I also hate ✠verse 7 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercommeth I vvil giue to eate of the tree of life vvhich is in the Paradise of my God ✠verse 8 And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna vvrite Thus saith * the first and the last vvho vvas dead and liueth ✠verse 9 I knovv thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche and thou art blasphemed of them that say them selues to be Ievves and are not but are the synagogue of Satan ✠verse 10 Feare none of these thinges vvhich thou shalt suffer Behold the Deuil vvil send some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shal haue tribulation ten daies Be thou faithful vntil death and I vvil giue thee the crovvne of life ✠verse 11 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt of the second death ✠verse 12 And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus vvrite Thus saith he that hath the sharpe tvvo edged svvord ✠verse 13 I knovv vvhere thou dvvellest vvhere the seate of Satan is and thou holdest my name and hast not denied my faith And in those daies Antipas my faithful vvitnesse vvho vvas slaine among you vvhere Satan dvvelleth ✠verse 14 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam vvho taught Balac ″ to cast a scandal before the children of Israel to eate and commit fornication ✠verse 15 so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaïtes ✠verse 16 In like maner doe penance if not I vvil come to thee quickly and vvil fight against them vvith the svvord of my mouth ✠verse 17 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercoÌ„meth I vvil giue the hidden manna and vvil giue him a vvhite counter and in the counter a nevv name Written vvhich no man knovveth but he that receiueth it ✠verse 18 And to the Angel of the Church of ThyatÃra vvrite Thus saith the Sonne of God vvhich hath eies as a flame of fire and his feete like to latten ✠verse 19 I knovv thy vvorkes and faith and thy charitie and ministerie and thy patience and thy last vvorkes moe then the former ✠verse 20 But I haue against thee a fevv thinges because thou permittest ″ the vvoman * Iezabel vvho calleth her self a prophetesse to teache and to seduce my seruantes to fornicate and to eate of thinges sacrificed to idols ✠verse 21 And I gaue her a time that she might do penance and ″ she vvil not repent from her fornication ✠verse 22 Behold I vvil cast her into a bedde and ″ they that commit aduoutrie vvith her shal be in very great tribulation vnlesse they do penance from their vvorkes ✠verse 23 and her children I vvil kil vnto death and al the Churches shal knovv * that I am he that searcheth the reines and hartes and I vvil giue to euery one of you according to his vvorkes ✠verse 24 But I say to you the rest vvhich are at Thyatira vvhosoeuer haue not this doctrine vvhich haue not knowen the depth ' of Satan as they say I vvil not cast vpon you an other vveight ✠verse 25 Yet that vvhich you haue hold til I come ✠verse 26 And he that shal ouercome and keepe my vvorkes vnto the end ″ I vvil giue him povver ouer the nations ✠verse 27 and * he shal rule them vvith a rod of yron and as the vessel of a potter shal they be broken ✠verse 28 as I also haue receiued of my father and I vvil giue him the morning starre ✠verse 29 He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Holdeth the seuen Much to be obserued that Christ hath such care ouer the Church and the Bishops thereof that he is said here to beare them vp in his right hand and to vvalke in the middes of them no doubt to vphold and preserue them and to guide them in al truth 2. Thy vvorkes labour patience c. Things required in a Bishop first good vvorkes and great patience in tribulation next zeale and sharpe discipline tovvard offenders
called to the supper of the mariage of the Lambe ⊢ And he said to me These vvordes of God be true ✠verse 10 â— And * I fel before his feete to adore him And he saith to me See thou doe not I am thy fellovv-seruant and of thy brethren that haue the testimonie of IESVS Adore God For the testimonie of IESVS is the spirit of prophecie ✠verse 11 And I savv heauen opened and behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him vvas called Faithful and True and vvith iustice he iudgeth fighteth ✠verse 12 And his eies as a flame of fire and on his head many diademes hauing a name written vvhich no man knovveth but him self ✠verse 13 * And he vvas clothed vvith a garment sprinkled vvith bloud his name is called THE VVORD OF GOD. ✠verse 14 And the hostes that are in heauen folovved him on vvhite horses clothed in vvhite and pure silke ✠verse 15 And out of his mouth procedeth a sharpe svvord that in it he may strike the Gentiles And * he shal rule them in a rod of yron and he treadeth the vvine presse of the furie of the vvrath of God omnipotent ✠verse 16 And he hath in his garment and in his thigh vvritten * KING OF KINGES AND LORD OF LORDES ✠verse 17 And I savv one Angel standing in the sunne he cried vvith a loud voice saying to al the birdes that did flie by the middes of heauen Come and assemble together to the great supper of God ✠verse 18 that you may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of tribunes and the flesh of valiants and the flesh of horses of them that sit on them the flesh of al freemen and bondmen and of litle and great ✠verse 19 And I savv the beast and the kings of the earth their armies gathered to make vvarre vvith him that sate vpon the horse and vvith his armie ✠verse 20 And the beast vvas appreheÌ„ded and vvith him the false â—prophet vvhich vvrought signes before him vvherevvith he seduced them that tooke the character of the beast and that adored his image These tvvo were cast aliue into the poole of fire burning also with brimstone ✠verse 21 And the rest vvere slaine by the svvord of him that sitteth vpon the horse vvhich procedeth out of his mouth and al the birdes vvere filled vvith their flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIX 4. Amen Alleluia These tvvo Hebrâ—e vvordes as other els vvhere both in the Greeke Latin text are kept religiously not translated vnles it be once or tvvise in the Psalmes Yea and the Protestants them selues keepe them in the text of their English Testaments in many places and maruel it is vvhy they vse them not in al places but sometimes turne Amen into verely vvhere of see the Annotation Ioan. 8. v. 34. and in their Seruice booke they translate Alleluia into Praise ye the Lord as though Alleluia had not as good a grace in the acte of seruing God vvhere it is in deede properly vsed as it hath in the text of the Scripture The Church Catholike doth often and specially vse this sacred vvord to ioyne vvith the Church triumphant consisting of Angels and Saincts vvho here are said to laude and praise God vvith treat reioycing by this vvord Alleluia and by often repetition thereof as the Catholike Church also vseth namely in Easter time euen til Vvhiâ—-sontide for the ioy of Christs resurrection vvhich as S. Augustine declareth ep ad Ianuarium vvas the general vse of the Primitiue Church making a greater mysterie and matter of it then our Protestants novv do At other times of the yere also he saith it vvas sung in some Churches but not in al and S. Hierom numbereth it among the heresies of Vigilantius That Alleluia could not be sung but at Easter Aduers Vigilant c. 1. The truth is by the vse of the Scriptures it hath more in it then Praise ye the Lord signifying vvith laude glorifying and praising of God a great reioycing vvithal mirth and exultation of hart in the singers thereof and that is the cause vvhy the holy Church saith Laus tibi Domine Praise be to thee ô Lord in Lent and times of penance and mourning but not Alleluia vvhich as S. Augustine also declareth is a terme of signification and mysterie ioyned vvith that time and then vsed specially in the Church of God vvhen she representeth to vs in her Seruice the ioyes and beatitude of the next life vvhich is done specially at Easter by the ioyful celebrating of Christs glorious Resurrection and Ascension after the penal time of Lent vvhich representeth the miserie of this life See S. Augustine Ser. 1. 5. c. 9 6. c. 9 de Diuersis to 10. and his enaâ—tation vpon the 148 Psalme for in the titles and endes of diuerse holy Psalmes this Alleluia is ful of mysterie sacred signification Vvhere vve must aske the Protestants vvhy they haue left it out altogether being in the Hebrue saying neither Alleluia nor Praise the Lord in the Bible 1577 that nine times in the sixe last Psalmes Moreouer the said holy Doctor li. 2 de doct Christ c. 11 affirmeth that Amen Alleluia be not translated into any other language propter sanctiorem authoritatem for the more sacred authoritie of the vvordes so remaining and ep 178. he saith that it is not lavvful to translate them Nam sciendum est c. for it is to be knovven saith he that al nations do sing Amen and Alleluia in the Hebrue vvordes vvhich neither the Latine man not the Barbarous may translate into his ovvne language See S. Hierom also epist 137. And namely for our Nation S. Gregorie vvil beare vs vvitnes that our countrie receiued the vvord Alleluia vvith their Christianitie saying thus li. 27 Moral c. 6. Lingua Britannia qua nihil aliud nouerat quim barbarum frendere iamdudum in Diuinis laudibus Hebraeum â—â—pit resenare Alleluia that is The Britan tongue vvhich knevv nothing els but to mutter barbarously hath begone of late in Gods diuine laudes and praises to sound the Hebrue Alleluia And for Iurie S. Hierom ep 17. c. 7 vvriteth that the husbandmen at the plough sang Alleluia vvhich vvas not then their vulgar speache Yea he saith that in Monasteries the singing of Alleluia vvas in stâ—ede of a bel to call them together ad Collectam in Epitaph Paulâ—e c. 10. This vvord is a sacred Christian mystical and Angelical song and yet in the nevv seruice booke it is turned into Praise ye the Lord and Alleluia is quite gone because they list neither to agree vvith the Church of God not vvith the vse of holy Scriptures no not vvith their ovvne translations but no maruel that they can not sing the song of our Lord and of Angels in a strange countrie that is out of the
of the last iudgement but of the Sees or Consistories of Bishops and Prelates and of the Prelates them selues by vvhom the Church is novv gouerned As the iudgement here giuen can be taken no othervvise better then of that vvhich vvas said by our Sauior Mat. 18. Whatsoeuer you binde in earth shal be bound in heauen and therfore the Apostle saith What haue I to doe to iudge of them that are vvith out 4. And the soules He meaneth saith S. Augustine in the place alleaged the soules of Martyrs that they shal in the meane time during those thousand yeres vvhich is the time of the Church militant be in heauen vvithout their bodies and reigne vvith Christ for the soules saith he of the godly departed are not separated from the Church vvhich is euen novv the kingdom of Christ for els there should be kept no memorie of them as the altar of God in the communicating of the body of Christ neither should it auaile to hasten to Baptisme in the perils of death for feare of ending our life vvithout it nor to hasten to be reconciled if vve fortune for penence or of il conscience to be separated from the same body And vvhy are al these things done but for that the faithful departed also be members of the Church And though for an example the Martyrs be onely named here yet it is meanâ— of others also that die in the state of grace 5. The rest liued not The rest vvhich are not of the happie number aforesaid but liued and died in sinne reigne not vvith Christ in their soules during this time of the nevv Testament but are dead in soule spiritually and in body naturally til the day of iudgement S. August ibidem 3. This is the first resurrection As there be tvvo regenerations one by faith vvhich is novv in Baptisme and an other according to the flesh vvhen at the later day the body shal be made immortal and incorruptible so there are tvvo resurrections the one novv of the soules to saluation vvhen they die in grace vvhich is called the first the other of the bodies at the later day S. August liâ— 20 de Ciuiâ— c. 6. 6. They shal be Priests It is not spoken saith S. Augustine li. 20 de Ciuit. c. 10 of Bishops and Priestâ— onely vvhich are properly novv in the Church called Priests but as vve call al Christians for the mystical Chrisme or ointment so al Priests because they are the members of one Priest of vvhom the Apostle Peter saith A holy people a kingly Priesthod Vvhich vvordes be notable for their learning that thinke there be none properly called Priests novv in the nevv Testament no othervvise then al Christian men and vvomen and a confusion to them that therfore haue turned the name Priests into Ministers 7. Satan shal be loosed In the vvhole 8 chapter of the said 20 booke de Ciuitate Dei in S. Augustine is a notable commentarie of these vvordes Vvhere first he declareth that neither this binding nor loosing of Satan is in respect of seducing or not seducing the Church of God prouing that vvhether he be bound or loose he can neuer seduce the same The same saith he shal be the state of the Church at that time vvhen the Diuel is to be loosed euen as since it vvas instituted the same hath it been shal be at al time in her children that succede eche other by birth death And a litle after This I thought vvas therfore to be mentioned left any man should thinke that during the litle time wherein the Diuel shal be loosed the Church shal not be vpon the earth he either not finding it here vvhen he shal be leâ— loose or consuming it vvhen be shal by al meanes persecute the same Secondly he declareth that the Diuel to be bound is nothing els but not to be permitted by God to exercise al his force or fraude in tentations as to be loosed is to be suffered by God for a small time that is for three yeres and a halfe to practise and proue al his povver and artes of tentations against the Church and her children and yet not to preuaile against them Thirdly this Doctor shevveth by vvhat great mercie our Lord hath tied Satan and abridged his povver during the vvhole millenarie or thousand yeres vvhich is al the time of the nevv Testament vntil then vvith vvhat vvisedom he permitteth him to breake loose that litle time of three yeres and sixe moneths tovvard the later day vvhich shal be the reigne of Antichrist Lastly he shevveth vvhat kinde of men shal be most subiect to the Diuels seductioÌ„ euen such as novv by tentation of Heretikes goe out of the Church and vvho shal auoid it By al vvhich vve may confute diuers false expositioÌ„s of old late Heretikes first the auÌ„cient sect of the Millenaries that grounded vpon these thousand yeres named by the Prophet this heresie that there should be so many yeres after the resurrectioÌ„ of our bodies in vvhich vve should reigne vvith Christ in this vvorld in our bodies in al delites and pleasures corporal of meates drinkes and such like vvhich they called the first resurrection of vvhich heresie Cerinthus vvas the author Epiph. haer 77. in fine Hiero. Câ—mment in c. 19 Mat. August har 8 ad Quodvulâ— Deum Eusâ—bius also li. 3 historia c. 33 shevveth that some principal men vvere in part though after a more honest maner coÌ„cerning those corporal delicacies of the same opinion by misconstruction of these vvordes of S. Iohn Vvhereby vve learne and al the vvorld may perceiue the holy Scriptures to be hard vvhen so great clerkes did erre and that there is no securitie but in that sense vvhich the Church allovveth of The late Heretikes also by the said S. Augustines vvordes are fully refuted affirming not only that the Church may be seduced in that great persecution of the Diuels loosing but that it hath been seduced euen a great peece of this time vvhen the Diuel is bound holding that the very true Church may erre or fall from truth to errour and idolatrie yea vvhich is more blasphemie that the cheefe gouernour of the Church is Antichrist him self and the very Church vnder him the vvhooâ—e of Babylon and that this Antichrist vvhich the Scriptures in so many places and here plainely by S. Augustines exposition testifie shal reigne but a small time and that tovvard the last iudgement hath been reuealed long sithence to be the Pope him self Christs ovvne Vicar and that he hath persecuted the Saincts of their secte for these thousand yeres at the least Vvhich is no more but to make the Diuel to be loose and Antichrist to reigne the vvhole thousand yeres or the most part thereof that is almost the vvhole time of the Churches state in the new TestameÌ„t vvhich is against this and other Scriptures euidently appointing that to be the time of
can erre or hath erred at any time or in any point The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 3 Sunday after Easter The Gospel for many Martyrs The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 5 Sunday after Easter ⸬ Vpon this the Church coÌ„cludeth al her praiers Per ChristuÌ„ Dominum nostruÌ„ euen those also that be made to Saâ—cts Mt. 27 31. Mr. 14 27. Christ left many things to be taught by the Church The Spirit of truth The Gospel vpoÌ„ Ascension eue ⸬ The Father glorifieth the Sonne by raising him from death exalting him vp to his right hand making al creatures to bow downe at his Name and geuing him al power and iudgement The Sonne againe glorifieth the Father by making his honour which onely in a maner was in Iewrie before now knowen to al Nations The Gospel in a Votiue Masse against Schisme ⸬ His petition is specially to keepe the Apostles and his Church in vnitâ—e and from Schismes Io. 18 9. Ps 40 10. 108 8. ⸬ To sanctifie him self is to sacrifice him self by dedicating his holy body and bloud to his Father both vpon the Crosse and in the holy SacrameÌ„t True knovvledge of God The Church can not erre The Canon of the Masse THVRSDAY night Mt. 26 36. Mr. 14. 32. The PASSION according to S. Iohn in these two Chapters is the Gospel at Masse vpon Good friday Lu. 22 39. So the PASSION is read in holy weeke foure times according to the foure Euangelistes as S. Augustine appointed also in his Church at Hippo. Ser. 144. de tempore Mt. 26 47. Mr. 14 43. Luc. 22 47. Io. 17 12 Io. 11 49. Mt. 26 58. Mr 14 54. Lu. 22 54. ⸬ It is al one for a man to deny Christ and that he is a disciple of Christ or a Catholike or a Christian man vvhen he is demaunded Aug. tract 11â— in Io. for so Peter here denieth Christ in denying him self to be his Disciple Mt. 27 1 Mr. 15 1 Lu. 23 1 GOOD FRIDAY Io. 12 33 Mt. 20 19. Mt. 27 11. Mr. 15 2. Lu. 23 4. ⸬ It pleased God that Christ who was to dy both for the Iewes the GeÌ„tiles should be betraied of the one and put to death by the other Mt. 27 15. Mr. 15 6. Lu 23 17. Mt. 27 27. Mr. 15 16. ⸬ He meaneth midday counting from sunne rising for so doth the Scripture count the houres of the day Mat. 20. Mar. 15. Luc. 21. Io. 4. Act. â— â—o Mt. 27 33. Mr. 15 20. Lu. 23 33. ⸬ These three tongues being for other causes most famous before in al the world are now also dedicated to God in the triumphaÌ„s title of the Crosse of Christ and in them the holy Scriptures are more conueniently Written taught preseruâ—d * Mt. 27. 35. Mr. 15 24. Luc. 23 34. ⸬ This coate without seame is a figure of the vnitie of the Church Cypr. de vnit Ec. And Euthymius and other write that our Lady made it Ps â—1 19 The Gospel in a votiue Masse of our B. Lady betweene Easter Whitsuntide ⸬ The great loue faith courage compassion and sorovves that our Lady had who forsooke not the Crosse and her sonne when so many were fled from him and his cheefe Apostles denied him b The Gospel in a votiue Masse of the Passion Psa 68 22. Exo. 12 46. Zac. 12 10. * Mt. 27 57. Mr. 15 42. Lu. 23 50. Io. 3 1. 7 50. The HOLY CROSSE By this you see why in Catholike Churches MARIE and Iohn stand by the Roode li. 2. adu Iouinian The Sacraments issued out of Christs side and thence haue their vertue Exo. 18. Num. 30. Tract 9 in Ioan. Hom. 14 in Ioan. The CHVRCH builded of Christs side as Eue of Adams Gen. 2 21. ⸬ That is the first day of the weeke as some interprete it taking Sabboth as sometime it is for a weeke This is our Sunday called Dies Dominiâ—â— because of our Lords resurrection See the marg annot Luâ— 24 1. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Saturday 〈◊〉 Easter weeke EASTER DAY Mt. 28 1 Mr. 16 1 Lu 24 1 Luc. 24. 12. b The Gospel vpoÌ„ Thursday â— Easter weeke ⸬ The Sepulchres of Martyrs saith S. Hierom ep 17 we do honour euery where putting their holy ashes to our eles if we may we touch it also with our mouth and be there some that thinke the monumeÌ„t wherein our Lord was laid is to be neglected where the Diuel and his Angels as often as they are cast out of the possessed before the said monument tremble and roare as if they stoode before the iudgement seate of Christ Mt. 28 1 Mr. 16 5 Luc. 24 4. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Dominica in albis or Lovv Sunday Mr. 16 14. Lu. 24 36. 1. Cor. 15 5. ⸬ Though he gaue them his peace hard before yet novv entering to a nevv diuine action to prepare their hartes to grace and attention he blesseth them againe The Gospel vpoÌ„ S. Thomas the Apostles day Decemb. 21. LOVV SVNDAY ⸬ See the annotation on the 19 verse of this Chapter ⸬ They are more happy that beleeue without sensible argumeÌ„t or sight then such as be induced by sense or reason to beleeue Io. 21 25 The being of Christs body in the B BacrameÌ„t without space or quaÌ„titie correspondeÌ„t there vnto is proued by other examples I Scripture Heretical shifts to auoid plaine Scripture August ep 37. Christ can dispose of his owne body others aboue nature Mat. 19. Aug. li. 2â— c. 8. de ciu Dei Vbiquetaries of Brentiani Christ sheweth his commission so giueth the Apostles power to remit sinnes Augu. q. no. Test q. 93 CoÌ„t ep Parmen li. 2 c. 11. The holy Ghost is here purposely giuen to the Apostle to remit sinnes Cyril li. 12 â— 56 in Io. The Sacrament of PENANCE instituted Men are bound to confesse al their mortal sinnes and that in particular * Cypr. de laps nu 11. * Hiero. in 16 Mat. To reteine sinnes The necessitie of this Sacâ—â—ment Hiero. ad Demetriadem c. â— to 1. Mat. 18. The Heretikes wrastling against plaine Scripture See the coÌ„munion booke The English Ministers heare confessions and absolue Li. 3 de Sacerd. Priests power to forgiue sinnes is aboue the power of Angels or worldly Princes Confession to Priests Secrete or auricular Confession In vita D. Ambr. prope fineÌ„ Mt. 18. The Gospel on wenseday in Easter weeke ⸬ See in S. Augustine tract 122 〈◊〉 Io. the great mysterie hereof concerning the CHVRCH and in S. Gregorie hom 24 in Euang. and S. Bernard li. 2 c. 8 de consid Peters PRIMACIE here mistically signified ` the disciples ⸬ Not the third apparition but the third day of his apparitions for he appeared in the very day of his ResurrectioÌ„ ofteÌ„ againe vpon Low Sunday then this third time And S. Marke saying last he appeared c. 16 14 meaneth his last apparition the first day The Gospel on the one of SS Peter and Paul c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feede rule b The Gospel
in Christmas vnto Septuagesme The Epistle vpoÌ„ Christmas eue Act. 13. 2. â— Faith must not be subiect to sense reason arguing or vnderstaÌ„ding but must coÌ„maund be obeied in humilitie and simplicitie c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ S. Augustine vseth this place and the like agaiÌ„st Heretikes vvhich vvould dravv the common Catholike faith of al natioÌ„s to some certaine countries or corners of the world Aug. ep 161. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ He praieth without intermission that omitteth no day certaine times of praier Aug. here 's 57. ⸬ The Romanes vvere conuerted and taught by S. Peter before therefore he vseth that speach to confirme them in their saith Author Com. apud Hierony Theodoret in 16. Rom. Chrys ⸬ He meaneth not Gods owne iustice in him self but that iustice vvhervvith God endueth man vvhen he iustifieth him Aug. de Sp. lit c. 9. Whereby you may gather the vanitie of the Heretical imputatilue iustice Abac. 2 4. c Lo these and the like are the Images or Idolâ— so often condeÌ„ned in the scriptures and not the holy Images of Christ and his Saincts ⸬ Eph. 4 19. he saith They haue deliuered or giuen vp them selues to al vncleannesse By vvhich coÌ„fereÌ„ce of scripturâ— vve learne that them selues are the cause of their ovvne sinne and damnation God of his iustice permitting leauing them to their ovvne vvil and so giuing them vp into passions c. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostolical salutation or blessing Epiph. hâ—res 6â— The same vsed of Heretikes The Romane faith highly coÌ„mended Luc. 22. It can not false not be corrupted Proâ—â— li. 2. Com. in ep ad Gal. The Romane statioÌ„s a token of greater faith and deuotion The Catholike and Romane faith al one Hovv God is serued in spirit Praies for conuersion of soules The Gospel is not only the written word Mat. 28. The Apostles vvriting and preaching vvhether more necessarie and hovv The Catholike or Christian â—aith with good vvorkes iustifieth vvithout this faith no vvorkes whatsoeuer Not only faith God is not the author of sinne God punisheth sinne by permitting men to fall further and further Sinnes mortal and venial Good men also according to the merits of their good vvil shal haue their reward Aug. â—p 4â— Ps 61 13 c That is the Gentile Deu. 10 17. Act. 10. 34. Mt. 7 21 Ia. 1 22 ⸬ It is a shameful and damnable thing for preachers teachers or other guides of mens life to commit the same things them selues which they reproue in other Es 52 5. Ez. 36 20. c It is a great sinne that by the iâ— life of the faithful our Lordes name should be il spoken of amoÌ„g the misbeleuers many vvithdravven from the true religioÌ„ thereby ⸬ Prepuce is the foreskinne not circumcised therfore signifieth the Gentiles or the state and conditioÌ„ of the Gentiles as circumcisioÌ„ the Ievves and their state Iudging other men Gods long suffering is for our repentance Good vvorkes meritoriouâ— Li. de grat lib. arb c. 8. Aug. de Sp. lit c. 16. to 3. The first iustification vvithout vvorkes the second by vvorkes S. Paul speaketh of the first specially S. Iames of the second Against imputatiue iustice True inherent iustice more for Gods glorie for the commendation of Christs merites True iustice both in Ievv and Gentile is by keeping the Lavv. The letter and the spirit The carnal and spiritual Ievve de sp lit to 3. Io. 3 33. ⸬ â—od only by nature is true al mere men by nature may lie deceiue and be deceiued yet God by his grace spirit may and doth preserue the Apostles and principal Gouerners of his people the Church and Councels in al truth though they vvere and are mere men Ps 115 11. Ps 50 6. Ps 13 1. 52 3. Ps 5 11. Ps 139 4 c Aspidum A kinde of litle serpents Ps 9 7. Es 19 7. Pro. 1 16 Ps 35 2. Gal. 2 16. c To beleeue in him here compriseth not only the act of faith but of hope charitie as the Apostle explicateth him self Galat. 5 6. ⸬ No man atteineth his first iustification by the merites either of his faith or workes but merely by Christes grace and mercie though his faith workes procedâ—g of grace be dispositioÌ„s preparations therevnto ` propitiatour 2. â—et 3. S. Paules speaches mistaken of the vvicked Ro. 5 2â— Ro. 3 4. The sense of the places that sound as if God caused sinne Iob. 1. Hovv it is said none iust * Luc. 1â— No vvorkes auaile vvithout faith and grace The Heretikes phantastical or imputatiue iustice De pâ—â—mer li. 1 â— 9. 10. True inhaerent iustice Vvhat vvorkes are excluded from iustification de grat lib. arb c. 7. Gal. 1. Gen. 5 6. Gal. 3 6. Ia. 2 23. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 31 1. ⸬ The vvord Reputed doth not diminish the truth of the iustice as though it vvere reputed for iustice being not iustice in deede but signifieth that as it vvas in it self so God esteemed reputed it as the same greeke vvord must needes be taken v. 4. next going before 1 Cor. 4 â— and els where c Our Sacraments of the nevv Lavv giue ex opere operato that grace and iustice of faith vvhich here is commended vvhereas circuÌ„cisioÌ„ vvas but a signe or marke of the same Gen. 17 10. Gen. 17 4. ` he beleeued Gen. 15 5. Abrahams Workes before faith Iustice before men and iustice before God Not vvorkes but mere grace is cause of our first iustificatioÌ„ c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretical translation Vvhat is Sinnes couered or not imputed Io. 1 29 2 Cor. 6 11. Apoc. 1 5. The SacrameÌ„ts are not mere markes but causes of iustification By vvhat faith vve are iustified Luc. 1 45. The Epistle on Imber Saturday in vvhitsonweeke And for many Martyrs ⸬ Christian meÌ„ do not vaunt theÌ„ selues of the certaiÌ„tie of their saluatioÌ„ but glorie in the hope thereof onely vvhich hope is here insinuated to be giuen in our iustificatioÌ„ is aftervvard to be coÌ„firmed by probation in tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Heretikes falsely translate of no strength to take avvay al free vvil No. Test. 15â—0 ` sinner ⸬ Here vve may see against the Heretikes that they vvhich be borne of Christ and iustified by him be made constituted iust in deede not by imputation only as al that be borne of Adam be vniust and sinners in truth not by imputation Against the Heretikes special faith and securitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IustificatioÌ„ attributed much to faith as to the fâ—ndation Our hope is strengthened by vvel doing Charitie is a qualitie in vs. Conc. Tri. sess sâ— decr de peâ— orig Al by Adam borne in original sinne Christ only not conceiued in sinne and as it is thought our B. Lady The Lavv did not cause more sinne though that vvere the sequele
Gentils general good ⸬ If God could and did turne their fall and sinne into the good of the Gentils much more vvil he vvorke good of their general conuersion vvhich shal be at length the accomplishmeÌ„t of the Church consisting of both the Nations ⸬ We see that he vvhich standeth by faith may fall from it and therfore must liue in feare and not in the vaine presumption and securitie of the Heretikes Esa 59 20. The Epistle vpoÌ„ Trinitie Sunday Esa 40 13. Gods answer to Elias of 7000 maketh nothiÌ„g for the Protestants Inuisible Church 2 Par. 17. What workes are not what are the cause of saluation God is not anthor of sinne Aug. Ep. 105. ad Sixtum A paraphrastical explication of the text conceruing the Iewes and Gentils their standing falling rising againe c. How far to deale and to know in the doctrine of predestination The Heretikes writings of predestination The second part of this Epistle moral The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 1 Sunday after the Epiphanie Phil. 4 18. Eph. 5 17. 1. Th. 4 3. ⸬ None must presume to medle aboue the measure of Godsgift or out of the compasse of his state and vocation 2 Cor. 12 11. Eph. 4 7. The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 2 Sunday after the Epiphanie ⸬ Prophecie is interpretatioÌ„ of the Scriptures which is according to the rule of faith when it is not against the right faith or when it is profitable to edifie charitie as S. Augustine speaketh li. 5. Doct. Chr. c. 27 and li. 1. c. 3â— and in effect he saith the same li. 12. Confess c. 18 vnto c. 32. c dilectio ` memories ⸬ Cursing is a vice wherevnto the common people is much giuen who often curse theÌ„ on whom they can not otherwise be reuenged they may see here that it is a great fault b The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 3 SuÌ„day after the Epiphanie Deu. 32 35. Pro. 25 21. The body chastifed by penaÌ„ce is a grateful sacrifice The Apostolical rule or analogie of faith c. 6 17. c. 16 17. 1. Tim. 6 20. Gal. 1 6. Gal. 2 1. Act. â—5 6. The Heretikes phaÌ„tastical rule or rather rules of faith many and diuers one from an other Tit. 3 7. 1. Pet. 2 13. Mt. 22 21. The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 4 Sunday after the Epiphanie Exo. 20 13. ⸬ Here vve learne that the Law may be is fulfilled by loue in this life against the Aduersaries saying it is impossible to keepe the commaundements Leu. 19 18. The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 1 Sunday in Aduent Obedience to teÌ„poral rulers in what cases Act. 4 19 3 29. In what sense al power or superioritie is of God Chrys in ep Ro. ho. 〈◊〉 In things lawfully coÌ„maunded it is mortal sinne not to obey our Superiors The Apostle speaketh of teÌ„poral powers Heresies against rule and Superioritie The obedience of Catholikes both to Spiritual and temporal Superiors Hiero. in Mat. 17. The Clergie exempted from tribute S. Augustines conuersion ` eateth 2. Cor. 5 10. Es 45 23. ⸬ Common that is vncleane See Annot. Marc. 7 2. Though he vvish the vveake to be borne vvithal yet he vttereth his minde plainly that in deede al the meates forbidden and vncleane in the Lavv are novv throught Christ cleansed lawful for euery maÌ„ to vse 1. Cor. 8. Tit. 1 15 The Apostles meaning about eating or not eating certaine meates The Heretikes fondly abuse this place against the fastes of the Church Folish Heretikes see not the differeÌ„ces of things Distinction of daies The text explicated concerning euery mans coÌ„science in Iudaical meates and drinkes Not eating but disobedience damnable To doe against our conscience is sinne Chrys hâ— 26. in ep Râ— Vvhat actions of infidels are sinne and what are not Luther Psa 68 10. The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 2. Sunday in Aduent ⸬ He meaneth al that it vvitten in the old TestameÌ„t much more al things vvritten in the nevv TestameÌ„t are for our learning and comfort c Vnitie in religion commended ⸬ Christ did execute his office and ministerie onely tovvards the people of Circumcision that is the Iewes Psa 17. 50. Deu. 32. 43. Psa 116 1. Esa 11 10. Es 52. 13 ⸬ He 〈◊〉 the holy persons that hauing forsaken al their goods for Christ vvere vvholy 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 our Lord vvith al their minde â— Hiero. against Vigilantius the Heretike reprehending the almes giuen to 〈◊〉 as do the Heretikes also of our time ⸬ In that the Apostle desired to be praied for vve may be moued to seeke the same as a great benefite c The onely salutation of so vvorthy a man is sufficient to fil him vvith greate grace that is so saluted Chrys in 2. Tim. 4. ⸬ This domestical Church vvas either that faith ful and ChristiaÌ„ houshold or rather the Christians meeting together there in such good houses to heare diuine seruice and the Apostles preaching in those times of persecution ` Iunia c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Protestants here teasoÌ„ thus Peter is not here saluted therfore he vvas neuâ—r at Rome See the Annotation c Of the Prince of the Apostle saith Theodorete vpon this place ⸬ The special vvay that Heretikes haue euer had to beguile vvas and is by svveete vvordes gay speaches which their sheepes cote see before described particularly in the Aunotations vpon S. Matthevv c. 7 15. That S. Peter was at Rome Chalced. conc act 1. See the Annotations 1 Peto c. 5 18. The Protestants great argument that Peter was neuer at Rome Epiph. har 27. The Heretikes hatred of the Romane see li. 2. cont li. Petil. c. 51. Kissing the Pax. Orig. in 1â— ad Ro. Against Sect-maisters hovv to examine our saith Heretikes giuen to voluptuousnes Act. 19 21. 1 Cor. 16 5. The 1. part Of Schismes that vvere about their baptizers preachers ⸬ The beginning of al Schismes is ouer much admiring addicting mens selues to their owne particular Maisters Act. 18 8. Es 38 18 The Epistle for S. Agatha Febr. 5. Ier. 9 23 Faith coÌ„meth by hearing rather then reading Christ is made our iustice because he is the author of the iustice in vs. Act. 18 1. Es 6 4 4. Esa 40 13. Hovv Angels and Saincts mortal men knovv our cogitations Act. 5. 4. reg â— 6. * Luc. 15 7. The Heretikes allegatioÌ„ for their vaine securitie ansvvered The sensual man The spiritual man Hovv the spiritual man â—udgeth al is iudged of none Iren. li. 4. â— 6â— The Church is vnder no mans iudgement ⸬ The Church onely hath truth both in her milke and in her bread that is vvhether she instruct the perfect or the imperfect who are called carnal Aug. li. 15. c. â— cont Faust ` carnal c A maruelous dignitie of spiritual pastors that they be not onely the instruments or ministers of Christ but also Gods coadiutors in the vvorke of our Saluation c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 5 13. Ps 93 11 Good vvorkes meritorious and the
part Of his Traditions c In the greeke Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2 21. ` churches The Epistle vpon Maundy Thursday a The Epistle vpon CORPVS Christi day Mat. 26 26. ⸬ The Apostles drift in al that he saith here of the SacrameÌ„t is against vnvvorthy receiuing as S. Augustine also noteth Ep. 11â— c. 3. and not to set out the vvhole order of ministratioÌ„ as the heretikes do ignoraÌ„tly imagine Mr. 14 22. Luc. 22 19. The Custome of the Church is a good answer against al vvranglers That heresies shal come and vvherfore Vvhat coÌ„moditie vve may make of heresies Agapae or suppers of charitie CoÌ„c Gang. can 11. Conc Loadic can 27. 28. Vvhether the Apostle meane by our Lords supper the B. Sacrament TraditioÌ„ vvithout vvriting Whether the catholikes or Protestants doe more imitate Christs institution of the B. Sacrament Al circunstaÌ„ces in our Sauiours action about the B. SacrameÌ„t neede not be imitated Io. 13 2. Luc. 9 16. The Protestants imitate not Christ in blessing the bread and vvine They imitate him not in vnleauened bread and mingling water with wine The vvordes of consecration to be said ouer the bread and vvine the vvhich the Protestants do not tract â—0 in Io. The Protestants haue taken away the B. Sacrament altogether The povver to consecrate giuen to Priests onely The SacrameÌ„t consisteth not in the receiuing Vvhy the Protestants call it the Communion Communion vvhich is a part of the MASSES what it signifieth li. 4. c. 14. de orthod fide Hovv Christs death is shewed by the B. Sacrament it self vvithout sermon or othervvise The vvicked receiue the body bloud The real presence is proued by the heinous offeÌ„se of vnvvorthy receiuing ConfessioÌ„ before receiuing the B. Sacrament Adoration of the B. Sacrament * See the Annot. The manifold honour and discerning of Christes body in the Cath. Church Mat. â— â— ep 118 c. 6. The Profane bread of the Protestants * Aug. de pec merit li. 2. c. 24. Ep. Iuda Holy bread Vnvvorthie receiuing Penance and satisfaction The Masse is agreable to the Apostles vse and tradition the Communion is not Aug. ep 118 c. 6. Aug. tract 84 in Io. Chrys ho. 〈◊〉 in Act. The 6. part As couching the Giftes of the Holy Ghost The Epistle vpon the 10 Sunday after Rentecost ⸬ Al these Giftes be those vvhich the lear nâ—ecall Gratias gratis datas vvhich be bestovved often euen vpon il liuers vvhich haue not the other graces of God whereby their persons should be grateful iust holy in his sight Ro. 12 4 Eph. 4 7. ⸬ A maruelous vnioÌ„ betwixt christ his Church a great coÌ„fort to al Catholikes being members therof that the church and he the head the body make be called one Christ Aug. de vnit Ec. ` one body Eph. 4 11. ⸬ S. Augustine ep 137 giueth the same reason vvhy miracles cures be done at the memories or bodies of some Saincts more then at others by the same Saincts in one place of their memories rather then at other places Zealous faith Vnitie Schisme The Epistle vpon the Sunday of Quinquagesme called Shrouesunday ⸬ This proueth that faith is nothing vvorth to saluatioÌ„ without vvorkes and that there may be true faith vvithout Charitie ⸬ By this text S. Augustine li. â—2 Ciu. c. 29 proueth that the Saints in heauen haue more perfect knovvledge of our affaires here then they had vvhen they liued here ⸬ Charitie is of al the three the greatest Hovv then doth onely saith being inferior to it saue iustifie and not Charitie Charitie False Mattyrs The 3 vertues theological Charitie is lost by mortâ—l sinne not faith ″ Much like to some fond Linguists of our time who thinke them selues better then a doctor of Diuinitie that is not a Linguist c By this word are meant al rude vnlearned men but specially the simple which vvere yet vncharistened as the Catechumens vvhich came in to those spiritual exercises as also infidels did at their pleasures c idiotae ` vvith tongues more theÌ„ you all Es 28 11 2. Tim. 2 12. Gen. 3 16. A paraphrastical exposition of this Chapter concerning vnknovven tongues Of vvhat spiritual exercise the Apostle speaketh The disorders in the same That S. Pauls place maketh nothing against the seruice in the saith toÌ„ge By strange tonges the Apostle meaneth not the latin Greeke or Hebrue S. Augustine our Apostle brought in the Seruice in the latin tongue The latin seruice one and the same in al countries and strange to none The seruice in vulgar toÌ„ge strange and barbarous to euery straÌ„ger Vvhether the seruice in vulgar tonges do more edifie See Annot 1. Cor. 10. 13. The vertue of the SacrameÌ„ts and Seruice consisteth not in the peoples vnderstaÌ„ding The people is to be taught the meaning of Sacraments ceremonies and are taught in al Catholike couÌ„tries Catholike people in euery countrie vnderstandeth euery ceremonie and can behaue them selues accordingly Aug. doct Chr. li. 2. c. 13. That he speaketh not of the Churches seruice is proued by inuincible in arguments The Apostle speaketh not of the peoples priuate praiers in latin as vpon primmars beades or othervvise Latin praiers translated or the people taught the coÌ„tents thereof The peoples deuotion nothing the lesse for praying in Latin Mat. 24. * Greg. li. 27. Moral c. 6. The seruice alvvaies in Latin through out the vvest Church It is not necessarie to vnderstand our praiers Hovv far is sufficient for the people to vnderstand Hovv the mind or vnderstaÌ„ding is edified 1 Cor. 13. 1 Cor. 11 16. A notable rule of S. Augustine Vvomen may haue any temporal Soueraintie but no Ecclesiastical function The 7 part Of the resurrection of the dead The Epistle vpoÌ„ the 11 SuÌ„day after Pentecost c This deliuerie in the latin greeke importeth tradition so by Tradition did the Apostles plant the Church in al truth before they vvrote any thing Es 53 8. Dan. 9 26. Ps 15 10 Ion. 2 2. Lu. 24. Act. 9 3 Conâ— borne out of time c tradidi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ In him Gods grace is not void that worketh by his free vvil according to the motion and direction of the â—â—me grace ⸬ So may we say If the Cath. faith in al pointes be not true then our first Apostles vvere false vvitnesses then hath our Countrie beleeued in vaine al this while then are al our forefathers dead in their sinnes and perished Which presupposing Christ to be God vvere the greatest absurditie in the vvorld Col. 1 18 Ap. 1 5. Ro. 5 12. 1. Thes 4 15. Ps 109. 1. Ps 8 8. Esa 22 13. Menander ⸬ The glorie of the bodies of Saincts shal not be al alike but differeÌ„t in heauen according to mens merits ⸬ As to become spiritual doth not take away the substance of the body glorified no more vvhen Christes body is said to be in spiritual sort in the Sacrament doth
but in spirit I beheld the similitudes of the thinges folovving b The I GENERAL VISION of the 7 according to S. Ambrose ⸬ It seemeth not to be Christ him self but an Angel bearing Christes person vsing diuers speaches proper to Christ c podére Sap. 18 24. Esa 41 4. 44 6. ⸬ S. Irenaeus alluding to this saith The Church euery vvhere preacheth the truth and this is the seuenfold candlesticke bearing the light of Christ c. Li. 5. aduersâ—haer An admonition to the reader concerning the difficultie of this booke Numbers mystical The number of Seuen mystical specially in this booke Grace peace from God the holy Angels God and our Ladie saue vs and the like Hovv al Christians be both kings Priests Difference of holy daies and vvorkedaies Sunday made holiday by the Apostles the Churches authoritie Other feastes ordained by the Church As Saturday was in memorie of the creation so Sunday of Christs resurrection The Church vseth not the Heathenish names of daies but Dies Dominicus feriae Sabbatum God giueth greater grace at holy times of praier fasting Priestly garments The true religioÌ„ manifest as the light on a candlesticke Mat. 5. 15 Angels Protectors Bishops Priests are called Angels Malach. 2 7. ⸬ That vvhich before he vvilled him to vvrite to the church he now vvilleth to be vvritten to the Angels or Bishops of the same onely vvhere vve see it is al one to the Church and to the head or gouernour therof ⸬ By this vve see is plainely refuted that vvhich some Heretikes hold that a man once in grace or charitie can neuer fall from it Apoc. 1 17. ⸬ This Church representeth the state of them that are spoiled of their goodes emprisoned manifoldly afflicted for the catholike faith ⸬ The singular revvard of Martyrdom ⸬ The death of the body is the first death the death of the soule the secoÌ„d vvhich Martyrs are surest to escape of al men ⸬ The special residence of Satan is vvhere the faithful are persecuted for Christes truth vvhere not to deny the Cath. faith for feare is much here commended Nu. 24 14. 25 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calculâ—Ì„ ⸬ None of these are any thing vvorth vvithout the other 3 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 16. ⸬ Vvho 〈◊〉 nor here that good vvorkes deserue al utioÌ„ as il workes damnation and that it is not faith alone that God revvardeth but that faith vvhich vvorketh by charitie Ps 7 10 Ier. 11 20. ` depthes Ps 2 9. ⸬ This great priuilege of Saâ—cts riseth of the povver and preeminence of Christ vvhich his father gaue him according to his humanitie and therfore to deny it to Saincts is to deny it to Christ him self Christs care of his Church Special vertues required in a Bishop Sinne is the cause that God taketh the Cath. faith from couÌ„tries Zeale against Heretikes Nicolaites the first Heretikes so called as a paterne of Arians Lutherans and the like peculiar callings Balaam ouercomming Gods people by persuasion of lecherie and bellicheere vvas a type of Heretikes li. 4. Antiq c. 6. 2. Pet. 2 15. Iuda v. 11. Zeale against Heretikes 3 Reg. 18. Achab and Iezabel Free vvil God is not author of euil They that communicate vvith Heretikes shal be daÌ„ned vvith them 3 Reg. 19. v. 18. Ro. 11. Saincts also are Patrones not only Angels 1 Thes 5 2. 2 Pet. 3 10. Apo. 16 15. c Such as haue not coÌ„mitted deadly sinne after baptisme ⸬ Note that there is in maÌ„ a vvorthinesse of the ioyes of heauen by holy life this is a coÌ„moÌ„ speache in holy Scripture that man is worthy of God of heaueÌ„ of saluatioÌ„ Esa 22 22. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastici 24 9. 14. Col. 1 15. Prou. 3 12. Heb. 12 6. ⸬ God first calleth vpoÌ„ man and knocketh at the doore of his hart that is to say offereth his grace and it lieth in man to giue coÌ„sent by free wil holpen also by his grace Doing vvel in respect of revvard Adoration of creatures called Dulia Perseuêrance in good continuing to the end Neuters of indifferents in religion The 2 part first the booke with 7 seales secoÌ„dly 7 Angels with trumpets THE 2 VISION In which is represented vnto vs the glorie and maiestie of God in heauen and the incessant honour praises of al Angels and Saincts assisting him Vvhich is resembled in the daily honour done to him by al orders and sortes of holy men in the Church militant also ⸬ These foure beastes and the like described Ezaech 1 by the iudgement of the holy Doctors signifie the 4 Euangelistes and in them al true preachers the man Mathevv the lioÌ„ Marke the calle Luke the egle Iohn See the causes hereof in the Summe of the 4 Euangelist pag. 1. S. Gregoin 1. Ezech. Es 6 3. The Sanctus thrise repeated THE 3 VISION ⸬ S. Gregorie taketh it to be the booke of holy Scripture li. 4. Dialog c. 42. ⸬ He speaketh not of the damned in Hel of vvhom there could be no question but of the faithful in Abrahams bosome in Purgatorie c So did Iacob Gen. 49. call Christ for his kingly fortitude in subduing the vvorld vnto him Gen. 49 9. b The Epistle vpon al-Hallovves eue ⸬ So Christ is called for that he is the immaculate host or sacrifice for our sinnes ⸬ This maketh against the Caluinistes vvho are not coÌ„tent to say that vve merite not but that Christ merited not for him self Calu. Philip 2. v. 9. 1 Pet. 2. ` kinges The Epistle in a votiue Masse of the holy Angels Dan. 7. 10. ` riches ⸬ Al the said creatures are bound to giue honour not onely to God but to Christ as man and our redeemer so they here doe Apoc. 4 11. The Saincts in heauen offer our praiers to God Spiritual kings and Priests Limbus Patrum and Purgatorie ⸬ This one stole signifieth the glorie or blisse of the soule onely but at the day of iudgement they shal haue it doubled by adding the glorie of their body also c The tribulation that shal fall in the time of Antichrist Osâ—e 10. Lu. 23 50. Consecration of altars vvith Sainctâ— relikes Saincts be present at their tombes and relikes The Caluinistes heresie concerning the Saincts consuted by S. Hierom long agoe Apoc. 14. They vnlearnedly accuse S. Hierom aâ— an Vbiquiste Hovv S. HieroÌ„ saith Christ his Saincts are euery vvhere Iob. 1. That Saincts pray for vs S. Hierom proueth against the Heretike Vigilantius Hovv Martyrs crie for reuenge b The Epistle vpon Al hallovves day ⸬ It is an allusion to the signe of the Crosse vvhich the faithful beare in their foreheads to shevv they be not ashamed of Christ S. August tract 43. in Io. c Of al the tribes put together so many 144000. He signifieth by these thousands and the multitude folowing al the elect but the elect of the Ievves to be in a certaine number the elect of
the Diuels binding Yea it is to make Antichrist and the Diuel vveaker tovvard the day of iudgement then before and the truth better to be knovven and the faith more common the neerer vve come to the same iudgement vvhich is expresly * against the Gospel and this prophecie of S. Iohn Vve see that the sectes of Luther Caluin and other be more spred through the vvorld then they vvere euer before and consequently the Pope and his religion lessened and his povver of punishing or as they call it persecuting the said Sectaries through the multitude of his aduersaries diminished How then is the Pope Antichrist Whose force shal be greater at the later end of the vvorld then before or how can it be othervvise but these Sectâ—Maisters should be Antichrists neere precursors that make Christs cheefe Ministers the Churches cheefe gouelnours that haue been these thousand yeres and more to be Antichristes â— and them selues and their sectes to be true that come so neere the time of the Diuels loosing and seduction of the personal reigne of Antichrist 8. The campe of the Saincts S. Augustine in the said 20 booke de Cluiâ— Dei cap. 11. It is not saith he to be taken that the persecutors shal gather to any place as though the campe of the saincts or the beloued citie should be but in one place vvhich in deede are no other thing but the Church of Christ spred through the vvhole vvorld And therfore vvheresoeuer the Church shal then be vvhich shal be in al Nations euen them for so much is insinuated by this latitude of the earth here specified there shal the tents of saincts be and the beloued citie of God and there shal she be besieged by al her enemies vvhich shal be in euery countrie vvhere she is in most cruel and forcible sort So vvriteth this profound holy Doctor Vvhereby vve see that as novv the particular Churches of England Scotland Flanders and such like be persecuted by their enemies in those countries so in the time of Antichrist the Churches of al Nations as of Italie Spaine France and al other vvhich novv be quiet shal be assaulted as novv the foresaid are and much more for that the general persecution of the vvhole shal be greater then the particular persecution of any Churches in the vvorld 9. There came dovvne a fire It is not meant of the fire of Hel saith S. Augustine ib. c. 12 into which the vvicked shal be cast after the resurrection of their bodies but of an extraordinarie helpe that God vvil send from heauen to giue succourse to the Saincts of the Church that then shal fight against the vvicked or the very feruent and burning zeale of religion and Gods honour vvhich God vvil kindle in the hartes of the faithful to be constant against al the forces of that great persecution 12. An other booke This is the booke of Gods knovvledge or predestination vvherein that vvhich before vvas hid to the vvorld shal be opened and vvherein the true record of euery mans vvorkes shal be conteined and they haue their iudgemeÌ„t diuersly according to their vvorkes and not according to faith only or lacke of faith only for al infidels as Turkes obstinate â—evves and Heretikes shal neuer come to that examination being othervvise condemned CHAP. XXI Heauen and earth being made nevv S. Iohn seeth the nevv citie Hierusalem prepared and adorned for the spouse of the Lambe 6 The iust are glorified 7 and the vvicked thrust into the poole of fire 12 The vvall and gates and foundations of the citie are described and measured 18 al vvhich are gold and crystal pretious stones and pearles verse 1 AND I savv a nevv heauen and a nevv earth for * the first heauen and the first earth vvas gone the sea novv is not ✠verse 2 And I Iohn savv the holy citie Hierusalem nevv descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for her husband ✠verse 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold the tabernacle of God vvith men and the vvil dvvel vvith them And they shal be his people and he God vvith them shal be their God ✠verse 4 and * God shal vvipe avvay al teares from their eies and death shal be no more not mourning nor crying neither shal there be sorovv any more vvhich ' first thinges are gone ✠verse 5 And he that sate in the throne said * Behold I make al thinges nevv ⊢ And he said to me Vvrite because these vvordes be most faithful and true ✠verse 6 And he said to me It is done * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end To him that thirsteth I vvil giue of the fountaine of the water of life gratis ✠verse 7 He that shal ouercome shal possesse these thinges and I vvil be his God and he shal be my sonne ✠verse 8 But to the feareful and incredulous and execrable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and Idolaters and al liers their part shal be in the poole burning vvith fire and brimstone vvhich is the second death ✠verse 9 And there came one of the seuen Angels that had the vials ful of the seuen last plagues and spake vvith me saying Come I vvil shevv thee the bride the vvife of the Lambe ✠verse 10 And he tooke me vp in spirit vnto a mountaine great and high and he shevved me the holy citie Hierusalem descending out of heauen from God ✠verse 11 hauing the glorie of God and the light thereof like to a prerious stone as it vvere to the iaspetr stone euen as crystal ✠verse 12 And it had a vvall great and high hauing tvvelue gates and in the gates tvvelue Angels names written thereon vvhich are the names of the tvvelue tribes of the children of Israël ✠verse 13 On the East three gates and on the North three gates and on the South three gates and on the Vvest three gates ✠verse 14 And the vvall of the citie hauing tvvelue foundations and in them tvvelue names of the tvvelue Apostles of the Lambe ✠verse 15 And he that spake vvith me had a measure of a reede of gold to measure the citie and the gates thereof and the vvall ✠verse 16 And the citie is situated quadrangle-vvise and the length thereof is as great as also the bredth and he measured the citie vvith the reede for tvvelue thousand furlonges the length and height and bredth thereof be equal ✠verse 17 And he measured the vvall thereof of an hundred fourtie foure cubites the measure of a man vvhich is of an Angel ✠verse 18 And the building of the vvall therof vvas of iasper stone but the citie it self â— pure gold like to pure glasse ✠verse 19 And the foundations of the vvall of