that perish is folishnes but to them that are saued that is to vs it is the povver of God ✠verse 19 For it is vvritten I vvil destroy the vvisedom of the vvise and the prudence of the prudent I vvil reiecte ✠verse 20 Vvhere is the vvise vvhere is the Scribe vvhere is the disputer of this vvorld Hath not God made the vvisedom of this vvorld folish ✠verse 21 For because in the vvisedom of God the vvorld did not by vvisedom knovv God it pleased God by the folishnes of the preaching to saue them that beleeue ✠verse 22 For both the Ievves aske signes and the Greekes seeke vvisedom ✠verse 23 but vve preach Christ crucified to the Ievves certes a scandal and to the Gentiles folishnes ✠verse 24 but to the called Ievves Greekes Christ the povver of God and the vvisedom of God ✠verse 25 For that vvhich is the folish of God is vviser then men and that vvhich is the infirme of God is stronger then men ✠verse 26 For see your vocation brethren that not many vvise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble ✠verse 27 but the folish things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the vvise and the vveake things of the vvorld hath God chosen that he may confound the strong ✠verse 28 and the base things of the vvorld and the contemptible hath God chosen and those things vvhich are not that he might destroy those things vvhich are ✠verse 29 that no flesh may glorie in his sight ✠verse 30 And of him you are in Christ IESVS â— vvho is made vnto vs vvisedom from God iustice sanctificatioÌ„ and redemption ✠verse 31 that as it is vvritten He that doth glorie may glorie in our Lord. ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. In al knovvledge Obserue that the Apostles neuer vvrote their letters but to such as vvere conuerted to Christes faith before for men can not lightly learne the Christian religion by reading Scriptures but by hearing and by the presence of their teachers which may instruct them at large and particularly of euery Article as clerely breefely by letters they could not doe Neither doth novv any man learne his faith first but by hearing of his parents and Maisters for if vve should vvhen vve come to yeres of discretion â—e set to picke our faith out of the Scriptures there vvould be a madde vvorke and many faithes among vs. 30. Who is made He meaneth not as our Aduersaries captiously take it that vve haue no iustice sapience nor sanctity of our ovvne other then Christes imputed to vs but the sense is that he is made the author giuer and meritorious cause of al these vertues in vs for so the Apostle interpreteth him self plainely in the 6 Chapter folovving vvhen he vvriteth thus You be vvashed you be iustified you be sanctified in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and in the Spirit of our God CHAP. II. That his ovvne preaching among them vvas in humble maner in the sight of man 3 Hovvbeit it is most profound vvisedom as they should and vvould perceiue if they vvere not carnal vvhich is taught in the Church of Christ verse 1 AND I brethren vvhen I came to you I came not in loftinesse of speache or of vvisedom preaching to you the testimonie of Christ ✠verse 2 For I iudged not my self to knovv any thing among you but IESVS Christ and him crucified ✠verse 3 And * I vvas vvith you in infirmitie and feare and much trembling ✠verse 4 and my speache and my preaching vvas not in the persuasible vvordes of humane vvisedom but in shevving of spirit and povver ✠verse 5 that your faith might not be in the vvisedom of men but in the povver of God But vve speake vvisedom among the perfect ✠verse 6 but the vvisedom not of this vvorld neither of the princes of this vvorld that come to naught ✠verse 7 but vve speake the vvisedom of God in a mysterie which is hid vvhich God did predestinate before the worlds vnto our glorie ✠verse 8 which none of the princes of this vvoâ—ld did knovv for if they had knovven they vvould neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie ✠verse 9 But as it is vvritten That vvhich eie hath not seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the hart of maÌ„ vvhat things God hath prepared for them that loue him ✠verse 10 but to vs God hath reuealed by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth al things yea the profoundities of God ✠verse 11 For vvhat man knovveth the things of a man but â— the spiâ—it of a man that is in him so the things also that are of God no man knovveth but the spirit of God ✠verse 12 And vve haue receiued not the spirit of this vvorld but the spirit that is of God â— that vve may knovv the things that of God are giuen to vs. ✠verse 13 vvhich also vve speake not in learned vvordes of humane vvisedom but in the doctrine of the Spirit comparing spiritual things to the spiritual ✠verse 14 But â— the sensual man perceiueth not those things that are of the spirit of God for it is folishnes to him and he can not vnderstand because he is spiritually examined ✠verse 15 But the spiritual man iudgeth al things and him self is iudged of no man ✠verse 16 For * vvho hath knovven the sense of our Lord that may instructe him But vve haue the sense of Christ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 11. But the spirit of man One man can not knovv an others cogitations naturally but God giueth to Prophets and other euen in this vvorld oftentimes by extraordinary grace to knovv mens secretes As he did to S. Peter to knovv the fraude of Ananias and Sapphira and to Eliseus his seruants bribery in his absence and vvhat vvas done in the king of Syria his chamber and as he giueth to al Angels and Saincts so far as is conuenient to our necessities and their heauenly glorie to vnderstand not onely our vocal praiers but our invvard repentance and desires 12. That vve may knovv The Protestants that chalenge a particular spirit reuealing to eche one his ovvne predestination iustification and saluation vvould dravv this text to that purpose Vvhich importeth nothing els as is plaine by the Apostles discourse but that the holy Ghost hath giuen to the Apostles by them to other Christian men to knovv Gods ineffable gifts bestovved vpon the beleeuers in this time of grace that is Christes Incarnation Passion presence in the Sacrament the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen vvhich Pagans Ievves and Heretikes deride 14. The sensual man The sensual man is he specially that measureth these heauenly mysteries by natural reason humane prudence external sense and vvorldly affection as the Ievv Pagane and Heretike doe and sometime both here and els vvhere the
of infinite places take occasion of pernicious errors for though the letter or text haue no error yet saith S. Ambrose the Arrian or as vve may novv speake the Caluinian interpretation hath errors lib. 2 ad Gratianum ca. 1. and Tertullian saith The sense adulserated is as perilous as the style corrupted De Praescript S. Hilarie also speaketh thus Heresie riseth about the vnderstanding not about the vvriting the fault is in the sense not in the vvord lib. 2 de Trinit in principio and S. Augustine saith that many hold the scriptures as they doe the Sacraments ad speciem non ad salutem to the outvvard shevv and not to saluation de Baptis cont Donat. lib. 3 ca. 19. Finally all Sect-maisters and rauening vvolues yea * the diuels them selues pretend Scriptures alleage Scriptures and vvholy shroud them selues in Scriptures as in the wooll and fleese of the simple sheepe Vvhereby the vulgar in these daies of generall disputes can not but be in extreme danger of error though their bookes vvere truely translated and vvere truely in them selues Gods ovvne vvord in deede But the case novv is more lamentable for the Protestants and such as S. Paul calleth ambulantes in astutia vvalking in deceitfulnes haue so abused the people and many other in the vvorld not vnvvise that by their false translations they haue in steede of Gods Lavv and Testament for Christes vvritten vvill and vvord giuen them their ovvne vvicked vvriting and phantasies most shamefully in all their versions Latin English and other tonges corrupting both the letter and sense by false translation adding detracting altering transposing pointing and all other guileful meanes specially vvhere it serueth for the aduantage of their priuate opinions for vvhich they are bold also partly to disauthorise quite partly to make doubtful diuers vvhole bookes allovved for Canonical Scripture by the vniuersal Church of God this thousand yeres and vpward to alter al the authentical and Ecclesiastical vvordes vsed sithence our Christianitie into nevv prophane nouelties of speaches agreable to their doctrine to change the titles of vvorkes to put out the names of the authors to charge the very Euangelist vvith follovving vntrue translation to adde whole sentences proper to their sect into their psalmes in meter euen into the very Creede in rime al vvhich the poore deceiued people say and sing as though they vvere Gods ovvne vvord being in deede through such sacrilegious treacherie made the Diuels vvord To say nothing of their intolerable liberty and licence to change the accustomed callings of God Angel men places things vsed by the Apostles and all antiquitie in Greeke Latin and all other languages of Christian Nations into nevv names sometimes falsely and alvvaies ridiculously and for ostentation taken of the Hebrues to frame and fine the phrases of holy Scriptures after the forme of prophane writers sticking not for the same to supply adde alter or diminish as freely as if they translated Liuie Virgil or Terence Hauing no religious respect to keepe either the maiestie or sincere simplicity of that venerable style of Christes spirit as S. Augustine speaketh vvhich kind the holy Ghost did choose of infinite vvisedom to haue the diuine mysteries rather vttered in then any other more delicate much lesse in that meretricious maner of vvriting that sundrie of these new translators doe vse of vvhich sort Caluin him selfe and his pue-fellovves so much complaine that they professe Satan to haue gained more by these nevv interpreters their number leuitie of spirit and audacitie encreasing daily then he did before by keeping the word from the people And for a paterne of this mischeefe they giue Castalion adiuring all their churches and scholars to bevvare of his translation as one that hath made a very sport and mockery of Gods holy vvord so they charge him them selues and the Zuinglians of Zuricke vvhose translations Luther therfore abhorred handling the matter vvith no more fidelitie grauitie or sinceritie then the other but rather vvith much more falsification or to vse the Apostles vvordes cauponation and adulteration of Gods vvord then they besides many vvicked gloses prayers confession of faith conteining both blasphemous errors and plaine contradictions to them selues and among them selues all priuileged and authorised to be ioyned to the Bible and to be said and sung of the poore people and to be beleeued as articles of faith and vvholy consonant to Gods vvord Vve therfore hauing compassion to see our beloued countrie men vvith extreme danger of their soules to vse onely such prophane translations and erroneous mens mere phantasies for the pure and blessed vvord of truth much also moued therevnto by the desires of many deuout persons haue set forth for you benigne readers the nevv Testament to begin vvithal trusting that it may giue occasion to you after diligent perusing thereof to lay avvay at lest such their impure versions as hitherto you haue ben forced to occupie Hovv vvell vve haue done it vve must not be iudges but referre all to Gods Church and our superiors in the same to them vve submit our selues and this and all other our labours to be in part or in the vvhole reformed corrected altered or quite abolished most humbly desiring pardon if through our ignorance temeritie or other humane infirmitie vve haue any vvhere mistaken the sense of the holy Ghost further promising that if hereafter we espie any of our ovvne errors or if any other either frende of good vvil or aduersarie for desire of reprehension shal open vnto vs the same vve vvil not as Protestants doe for defense of our estimation or of pride and contention by vvrangling vvordes vvilfully persist in them but be most glad to heare of them and in the next edition or othervvise to correct them for it is truth that vve seeke for and Gods honour which being had either by good intention or by occasion al is vvel This vve professe onely that vve haue done our endeuour vvith praier much feare and trembling lest vve should dangerously erre in so sacred high and diuine a vvorke that vve haue done it vvith all faith diligence and sinceritie that vve haue vsed no partialitie for the disaduantage of our aduersaries nor no more licence then is sufferable in translating of holy Scriptures continually keeping our selues as neere as is possible to our text to the very vvordes and phrases vvhich by long vse are made venerable though to some propsiane or delicate cares they may seeme more hard to barbarous * as the whole style of Scripture doth lightly to such at the begining acknowledging with S. Hierom that in other writings it is ynough to giue in trāslation sense for sense but that in Scriptures lest vve misse the sense vve must keepe the very vvordes Ad Pammach epistola 101. ca. 2 in princip Vve must saith S. Augustine speake according to a set rule lest licence of
lame vvalke the lepers are made cleane the deafe heare the dead rise againe to the poore the Gospel is preached ✠verse 6 and blessed is he that shal not be scandalized in me ✠verse 7 And vvhen they vvent their vvay IESVS began to say to the multitudes of Iohn ″ What vvent you out ″ into the desert to see a reede shaken vvith the vvinde ✠verse 8 But vvhat vvent you out to see a man clothed in soft garments Behold they that are clothed in soft garments are in Kinges houses ✠verse 9 But vvhat vvent you out to see a Prophet yea I tel you and more then a Prophet ✠verse 10 For this is he of vvhom it is vvritten Behold I send mine angel before thy face vvhich shal prepare thy vvay before thee ⊢ ✠verse 11 Amen I say to you there hath not risen among the borne of vvomen a greater then Iohn the Baptist yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heauen is greater then he ✠verse 12 And * from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntil novv the kingdom of heauen suffereth violence and the violent beare it avvay ✠verse 13 For al the Prophets and the Lavv prophecied vnto Iohn ✠verse 14 and if you vvil receiue it he is * ″ Elias that is for to come ✠verse 15 He that hath eares to heare let him heare ✠verse 16 And * vvherevnto shal I esteeme this generation to be like It is like to children sitting in the market-place vvhich crying to their companions ✠verse 17 say we haue piped to you and you haue not daunced vve haue lamented and you haue not mourned ✠verse 18 For * Iohn came neither ″ eating not drinking and they say He hath a diuel ✠verse 19 The Sonne of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man that is a glotton and a vvinedrinker a frende of Publicans and sinners And vvisedom is iustified of her children ✠verse 20 Then * began he to vpbraide the cities vvherein vvere done the most of his miracles for that they had not done penance ✠verse 21 Wo be to thee Corozain vvo be to thee Beth-saida for if in Tyre Sidon had been vvrought the miracles that haue been vvrought in you they had done″ penance in hearecloth and ashes long agoe ✠verse 22 But neuerthelesse I say to you it shal be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement then for you ✠verse 23 And thou Capharnaum shalt thou be exalted vp to heauen thou shalt come dovvne euen vnto hel for if in Sodom had been vvrought the miracles that haue been wrought in thee perhaps it had remained vnto this day ✠verse 24 But notvvithstanding I say to you that it shal be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee ✠verse 25 At that time IESVS ansvvered and said * I confesse to thee O Father lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the vvise and prudent and hast reuealed thē to ″ litle ones ✠verse 26 Yea Father for so hath it vvel pleased thee ✠verse 27 Al things are deliuered me of my Father And no man knovveth the Sonne but the Father neither doth any knovv the Father but the Sonne and to vvhom it shal please the Sonne to reueale ✠verse 28 Come ye to me al that labour and are burdened and I vvil refresh you ✠verse 29 Take vp my yoke vpon you and learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart and you shal finde rest to your soules ✠verse 30 For my″ yoke is svveete and my burden light ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 3. Art thou he Iohn him self doubted not for he baptized him and gaue great testimonie of him before Io. 1. But because his disciples knewe him not nor esteemed of him so much as of Iohn their owne Maister therfore did he send them vnto Christ that by occasion of Christes answer he might the better instruct them what he was and so make them Christes disciples proferring them to a better Maister 7. What went you out High commendation of Iohns holinesse as wel for his fasting rough attire solitary life and constancie as for the dignitie of his function 7. Into the desert The faythful people in al ages resorted of deuotion into wildernes to see men of special and rare holynes Prophets Eremites Anchorites c. to haue their prayers or ghostly counsel See S. Hierom de vitae Hilarionis 14. Elias As Elias shal be the messenger of Christes later coming so was Iohn his messenger and Praecursor at his former coming and therfore is he called Elias because of his like office and like spirit Luc. 1. Grego ho. 7. in Euang. 18. Eating and drinking The wicked quarrellers of the world misconstre easely al the actes and life of good men If they be great fasters and austere liuers they are blasphemed and counted hypocrites if they conuerse with other men in ordinary maner then they be counted dissolute 21. Penance in sackcloth By this sackcloth and ashes added here and in other places wee see euidently that Penance is not only leauing of former sinnes and chaunge or amendement of life past no nor bare sorowfulnes or recounting of our offenses already committed but requiteth punishement and chastisemēt of our persons by these and such other meanes as the Scriptures do els where set forth and therfore concerning the worde also it is rather to be called Penance as in our translation then as the Aduersaries of purpose auoyding the word Repentance or Amendement of life and that according to the very vsual signification of the * Greeke word in the most ancient Ecclesiastical Greeke writers who for Poenitentès which in the Primitiue Churche did publike penance say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Men that are doing penance And concerning that part of penance which is Cōfession the Ecclesiastical historie calleth it by the same Greeke word and the penitents comming to confession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. li. 7 c. 16. Socrat. li. 5 c. 19. 25. Litle ones These litle ones doe not signifie here only the vnlearned as though Coblers and weauers and wemen and girles had this reuelation and therfore do vnderstand al Scriptures and are able to expound them but here are signified the humble whether they be learned or vnlearned as when he sayth Vnles you become as litle ones you shal not enter into the Kingdom of heauen And so also the greatest Doctors who as they were most learned so most humbled them selues to the iudgement of the Catholike Churche are these litle ones and Heretikes who although vnlearned yet vaunt their knowledge and their spirit of vnderstanding aboue al ancient fathers and the whole Churche can not be of these litle and humble ones 30. Yoke sweete What is this light burden and sweete yoke
Saints shal iudge and yet that doeth nothing derogate to his prerogatiue by whom and vnder whom they hold this and al other dignities in this life and the next CHAP. XX. To shevv hovv through Gods grace the Iewes shal be ouerrunne of the Gentils although they beginne after he bringeth a parable of men working soner and later in the vineyard but the later revvarded in the end euen as the first 17 He reuealeth more to his Disciples touching his passion 20 Bidding the ambitious tvvo suiters to thinke rather of suffering with him 24 And teaching vs in the rest of his Disciples not to be greeued at our Ecclesiastical Superiors considering they are as he was him self is toile for our Saluation 29 Then going out of Iericho he geueth sight vnto tvvo blind verse 1 THE kingdom of heauen is like to a man that is an housholder vvhich vveÌ„t forth early ″ in the morning to hire vvorkemen into his vineyard ✠verse 2 And hauing made couenaÌ„t vvith the workemen for a penie a day he sent them into his vineyard ✠verse 3 And going forth about the third houre he savv other standing in the market place idle ✠verse 4 and he said to them Goe you also into the vineyard and that vvhich shal be iust I vvil giue you ✠verse 5 And they vvent their vvay And againe he vvent forth about the sixt the ninth houre and did likevvise ✠verse 6 But about the eleuenth houre he vvent forth and found other standing he saith to them what stand you here al the day idle ✠verse 7 They say to him Because no man hath hired vs. He saith to them Goe you also into the vineyard ✠verse 8 And vvhen euening vvas come the lord of the vineyard saith to his bailife Call the vvorkemen and pay them their hire beginning from the last euen to the first ✠verse 9 Therfore vvhen they vvere come that came about the eleuenth houre they receiued euery one ″ a penie ✠verse 10 But vvhen the first also came they thought that they should receiue more and they also receiued euery one a penie ✠verse 11 And receiuing it they murmured against the good man of the house ✠verse 12 saying These last haue continued one houre and thou hast made them equal to vs that haue borne the burden of the day and the heates ✠verse 13 But he ansvvering said to one of them Frende I doe the no vvrong didst thou not couenant vvith me for a penie ✠verse 14 Take that is thine and goe I vvil also giue to this last euen as to thee also ✠verse 15 Or is it not lavvful for me to do that I vvil is thine eye naught because I am good ✠verse 16 So shal the last be first and the first last For many be called but ″ fevv elect ⊢ ✠verse 17 * And IESVS going vp to Hierusalem tooke the tvvelue disciples secretly and said to them ✠verse 18 Behold vve goe vp to Hierusalem and the Sonne of man shal be deliuered to the cheefe priestes and to the Scribes and they shal condemne him to death ✠verse 19 and shal deliuer him to the Gentiles to be mocked scourged crucified and the third day he shal rise againe ⊢ ✠verse 20 * Then came to him the mother of the sonnes of Zebedee vvith her sonnes adoring and desiring some thing of him ✠verse 21 Who said to her what vvilt thou She saith to him Say that these my tvvo sonnes may sitte one at thy right haÌ„d and one at thy left hand in thy kingdom ✠verse 22 And IESVS ansvvering said You knovv not vvhat you desire Can you drinke of the cuppe that I shal drinke of They say to him we can ✠verse 23 He saith to them My cuppe in deede you shal drinke of but to sitte at my right hand and left is not mine to giue to you but ″ to vvhom it is prepared of my father ⊢ ✠verse 24 And the ten hearing it vvere displeased at the tvvo brethren ✠verse 25 And IESVS called them vnto him and said * You knovv that the princes of the gentiles ouerrule them and they that are the greater exercise povver against them ✠verse 26 It shal not be so among you but vvhosoeuer vvil be the greater among you let him be your minister ✠verse 27 and he that vvil be first among you shal be your seruant ✠verse 28 Euen as the ″ Sonne of man is not come to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his life a redemption for many ⊢ ✠verse 29 And * vvhen they vvent out from Iericho a great multitude folovved him ✠verse 30 And behold tvvo blinde men sitting by the vvay side heard that IESVS passed by and they cried out saying Lord haue mercie vpon vs sonne of Dauid ✠verse 31 And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace But they cried out the more saying Lord haue mercie vpon vs sonne of Dauid ✠verse 32 And IESVS stoode and called them and said Vvhat vvil ye that I doe to you ✠verse 33 They say to him Lord that our eies may be opened ✠verse 34 And IESVS hauing compassion on them touched their eies And immediatly they savv and folovved him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XX. 1. In the morning God called some in the morning that is in the beginning of the world as Abel Enoch Noë and other the iust and faithful of the first age at the third houre Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest of their age at the 6 houre of the day Moyses Aaron and the rest at the 9 houre the Prophets at the eleuenth that is at the later end of the world the Christian Nations Aug. de verb. Doniniser 59. breifly this calling at diuerse houres signifieth the calling of the Iewes from time to time in the first ages of the world and of the Gentils in the later age thereof It signifieth also that God calleth couÌ„tries to the saith some souer some later and particular men to be his seruants some yonger sme elder of diuerse ages 9. Peny The peny promised to al was life euerlasting which is common to al that shal be saued but in the â—â—me life there be degrees of glorie as * betwixt starre and starre in the element Aug. li. de virgiâ—t c. 26. 16. Fewaâ—ct Those are elect which despised not their caller but folowed and beleued him for men 〈◊〉 not but of their owne free will Aug. li. 1 ad Simplic q. 1. 23. To whom it is prepared The kingdom of heauen is prepared for them that are worthy of it and deserue it by their wel doing as in holy Scripture it is very often That God wil repay euery man according to his workes and Come ye blessed possesse the kingdom prepared for you Why because I was hungrie and you gaue
24 But in those daies after that tribulation * the sunne shal be darkened and the moone shal not giue her light ✠verse 25 and the starres of heauen shal be falling dovvne and the povvers that are in heauen shal be moued ✠verse 26 And then they shal see the * Sonne of man comming in the cloudes vvith much povver and glorie ✠verse 27 And then shal he send his Angels and shal gather together his elect from the foure vvindes from the vttermost part of the earth to the vttermost part of heauen ✠verse 28 And of the figtree learne ye a parable Vvhen novv the bought thereof is tender and the leaues come forth you knovv that sommer is very nigh ✠verse 29 so you also vvhen you shal see these things come to passe knovv ye that it is very nigh at the doores ✠verse 30 Amen I say to you that this generation shal not passe vntil al these things be done ✠verse 31 Heauen and earth shal passe but my vvordes shal not passe ✠verse 32 But of that day or houre no man knovveth neither the Angels in heauen nor the Sonne but the Father ✠verse 33 Take heede vvatch and pray for you knovv not vvhen the time is ✠verse 34 Euen as a man vvho being gone into a strange countrie left his house and gaue his seruants authoritie * ouer ech vvorke and commaunded the porter to vvatch ✠verse 35 Vvatch ye therfore for you knovv not vvhen the lord of the house commeth at euen or at midnight or at the cocke crovving or in the morning ✠verse 36 lest comming vpon a soden he finde you sleeping ✠verse 37 And that vvhich I say to you I say to al Vvatch ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 4. When shal these things be The miseries which did fall before the destruction of the Temple and citie of Hierusalem were a resemblance of the extreme calamitie that shal befall before the later day at the time of Antichrist wherevpon Christs speaketh indifferently of both 6. I am he As before destruction of Hierusalem diuerse Seducers arose and called them selues Christes promising the people deliuerance from the feares and dangers they were in of forraine souldiars so shal there come many towards the end of the world and make them selues Christes and Authors of Sectes and shal gaiue many Disciples as in plaine wordes foloweth in this chapter v. 22. There shal rise vp False-Christs and False-Prophets c. 14. The abomination of desolation No heresie doth so properly and purposely tend to this abomination of desolation * which by Antichrist shal be atchieued as this Caluinisme which taketh away with other Sacraments and external worship of God the very sacrifice of Christes Body and bloud Which being taken away as S. Cyprian saith no religion can remaine 22. Signes and Wonders Fasle-Christes and False-Prophets be seducers who in the later day by the power of the diuel shal seeme to worke wonders and yet men must not beleeue them Much lesse these which for their false faith can not shew so much as one false miracle CHAP. XIIII Iudas by occasion of Marie Magdalens ointment doth sel him to the Councel of the Ievves 12 After the Paschal lambe he giueth them the bread of life Io. 6. in a mystical sacrifice or separation of his bodie and bloud 27 and that night is after his prayer 43 taken of thee levves men Iudas being their Captaine is forsaken of the other eleuen for feare 53 is falsly accused and impiously condemned of the Ievves Councel 65 and shamefully abused of them 66 and thrise denied of Peter Al euen as the Scriptures and him self had often foretold verse 1 AND the Pasche vvas and the Azymes after tvvo daies and the cheefe Priests and the Scribes sought hovv they might by some vvile lay hands on him and kil him ✠verse 2 For they said Not on the festiual day lest there might be a tumult of the people ✠verse 3 And * vvhen he vvas at Bethania in the house of Simon the Leper and sate at meate there came a vvoman hauing an alabaster boxe of ointment of pretious spike-narde and breaking the alabaster-boxe she povvred it out vpon his head ✠verse 4 But there vvere certaine that had indignation vvithin them selues and said Vvhereto is ″ this vvast of the ointment made ✠verse 5 For this ointment might haue been sold for more then three hundred pence and giuen to the poore And they murmured against her ✠verse 6 But IESVS said ″ Let her alone vvhy do you molest her she hath vvrought a good vvorke vpon me ✠verse 7 for the poore you haue alvvaies vvith you and vvhen you vvil you may doe them good but me you haue not alvvaies ✠verse 8 That vvhich she had she hath done she hath preuented to anoint my body to the burial ✠verse 9 Amen I say to you Vvheresoeuer this Gospel shal be preached in the vvhole vvorld that also vvhich she hath done shal be told for a memorie for her ✠verse 10 And * Iudas Iscariote one of the Tvvelue vvent his vvay to the cheefe Priests for to betray him to them ✠verse 11 Vvho hearing it vvere glad and they promised him that they vvould giue him money And he sought hovv he might betray him conueniently ✠verse 12 And * the first day of the Azymes vvhen they sacrificed the Pasche the Disciples say to him Vvither vvilt thou that vve goe and prepare for thee to eate the Pasche ✠verse 13 And he sendeth tvvo of his Disciples and saith to them Goe ye into the citie and there shal meete you a man carying a pitcher of vvater folovv him ✠verse 14 and vvhithersoeuer he entreth say to the maister of the house that the Maister saith Vvhere is my refectorie vvhere I may eate the Pasche vvith my Disciples ✠verse 15 And he vvil shevv you a great chamber adorned and there prepare for vs. ✠verse 16 And his Disciples vvent their vvaies and came into the citie and they found as he had told them and they prepared the Pasche ✠verse 17 And * vvhen euen vvas come he commeth vvith the Tvvelue ✠verse 18 And vvhen they vvere sitting at the table and eating IESVS said Amen I say to you that one of you shal betray me he that eateth vvith me ✠verse 19 But they began to be sad and to say to him seuerally Is it I ✠verse 20 Vvho said to them One of the Tvvelue he that dippeth vvith me his hand in the dish ✠verse 21 and the Sonne of man in deede goeth * as it is vvritten of him but vvo to that man by vvhom the Sonne of man shal be betrayed it vvere good for him if that man had not been borne ✠verse 22 And * vvhiles they vvere eating IESVS tooke ″ bread and
Holy Ghost ruled the penne of holy vvriters that they might not erre yet did they vse humane meanes to search out and find the truth of the things they wrote of Euen so doe Councels and the President of them Gods vicar discusse and examine al causes by humane meanes the assistance of the Holy Ghost concurring and directing them into al truth according to Christes promise Io. 16 13 as in the very first Councel of the Apostles them selues at Hierusalem is manifest Act. 15 7 and 28. Againe here vve haue a familiar preface of the Author as to his frende or to euery godly Reader signified by Theophilus cōcerning the cause and purpose and maner of his vvriting and yet the very same is confessed Scripture vvith the vvhole booke folovving Maruel not then if the Author of the second booke of the Machabees * vse the like humane speaches both at the beginning and in the later end neither do thou therfore reiect the booke for no Scripture as our Heretikes doe or not thinke him a sacred vvriter 6. Iust before God Against the Heretikes of this time here it is euident that holy men be iust not only by the estimation of men but in deede and before God 6. In al the commaundements Three things to be noted directly against the Heretikes of our time first that good men doe keepe al Gods commaundements which they say are impossible to be kept Againe that men be iustified not by only imputation of Christes iustice nor by saith alone but by walking in the commaundements Againe that the keeping and doing of the commaundements is properly our iustification 6. Iustifications This word is so vsual in the Scriptures namely in the Psal 118 to signifie the commaundements of God because the keeping of them is iustification and the Greeke is alwaies so fully correspōdent to the same that the Heretikes in this place otherwise pretending to esteeme much of the Greeke blush not to say that they auoid this word of purpose against the iustification of the Papists And therfore one vseth Tullies word forsooth in Latin constituta and his scholers in their English Bibles say Ordinances 14. Ioy and exultation This was fulfilled not only when he was borne but now also through the whole Church for euer in ioyful celebrating of his Natiuitie 2◠He departed In the old Law saith S. Hierom they that offered hostes for the people were not only not in their houses but were purified for the time being separated from their wiues and they dranke neither wine nor any strong drinke which are wont to prouoke concupiscence Much more the Priests of the new Law that must alwaies offer sacrifices must alwaies be free from matrimonie Li. 1 c. 19. adu louin and ep 50 c. 3. See S. Ambrose in 1 Tim. 3. And therfore if there were any religion in Caluins Communion they would at the least giue as much reuerence in this point as they in the old Law did to their sacrifices and to the loaues of proposition 1 Reg. 21. 28. Haileful of grace Holy Church and al true Christian men doe much and often vse these wordes brought from heauen by the Archangel as wel to the honour of Christ and our B. Ladie as also for that they were the wordes of the first glad tidings of Christs Incarnation and our Saluation by the same and be the very abridgement and summe of the whole Gospel In so much that the Greeke Church vsed it daily in the Masse 28. Ful of grace Note the excellent prerogatiues of our B. Lady and abhorre those Heretikes which make her no better then other vulgar women and therfore to take from her fulnes of grace they say here Haile freely beloued contrarie to al significations of the Greeke word which is at the lest endued with grace as S. Paul vseth it Ephes 1. by S. Chrysostoms interpretation or rather ful of grace as both * Greeke and Latin fathers haue alwaies here vnderstood it and the Latines also read it namely S. Ambrose thus wel 〈◊〉 she only called ful of grace vvho only obteined the grace vvhich no other vvoman deserued to be replenished with the author of grace And if they did as wel know the nature of these kind of Greeke wordes as they would seeme very skilful they might easily obserue that they signifie fulnes as when them selues translate the like word Luc. 1◠20 ful of sores Beza vlcerosus 14. I know not man These wordes declare saith S. Augustine that she had now vowed virginitie to God For otherwise neither would she say How shal this be done nor haue added because I know not man Yea if she had said only the first wordes How shal this be done It is euident that she would not haue asked such a question hovv a vvoman should beare a sonne promised her if she had married meaning to haue carnal copulation c. 4 de virgin As if he should say If she might haue knovven a man and so haue had a childe she vvould neuer haue asked How shal this be done but because that ordinarie way vvas excluded by her vow of virginitie therfor she asketh How And in asking How The plainly declareth that she might not haue a childe by knowing man because of her vow See S. Grego Nyssene de sancta Christi Natiuitate 36. Elisabeth thy Cosin By this that Elisabeth and our Lady were cosins the one of the tribe of Leui the other of Iuda is gathered that Christ came of both tribes Iuda and Leui of the kings and the priests him self both a king and a priest and the Anointed to vvit by grace spiritually as they vvere vvith oile materially and corporally August 2 de Consens Euang. c. 1. 42. Blessed art thou At the very hearing of our Ladies voice the infant and she vvere replenished vvith the Holy Ghost and she sang praises not only to Christ but for his sake to our B. Lady calling her blessed and her fruite blessed as the Church doeth also by her vvordes and example in the AVE MARIE 43. Mother of my Lord. Elizabeth being an exceding iust and blessed vvoman yet the vvorthines of Gods mother doth so far excel her and al other vvomen as the great light the litle starres Hiero. Praef. in Sophon 48. Shal call me blessed This Prophecie is fulfilled when the Church keepeth her Festiual daies and when the faithful in al generations say the AVE MARIE and other holy Antems of our Lady And therfore the Caluinistes are not among those generations which call our Lady blessed 63. Iohn is his name wee see that names are of signification and importance God him self changing or giuing names in both Testaments as Abraham Israel Peter and the principal of al others IESVS and here IOHN vvhich signifieth Gods grace or mercie or God vvil haue mercie For he vvas the Precursor and Prophet of the mercie
said also to the multitudes When you see a cloude rising from the vvest by and by you say A shoure commeth and so it commeth to passe ✠verse 55 and vvhen the south vvinde blovving you say That there vvil be heate and it commeth to passe ✠verse 56 Hypocrites the face of the heauen and of the earth you haue skil to discerne but this time hovv doe you not discerne ✠verse 57 And vvhy of your selues also iudge you not that vvhich is iust ✠verse 58 * And vvhen thou goest vvith thy aduersarie to the Prince in the vvay endeuour to be deliuered from him lest perhaps he dravv thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the exactour and the exactour cast thee into prison ✠verse 59 I say to thee thou shalt not goe out thence vntil thou pay the very last mite ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII ◠Euery one that confesseth A Catholike man is bound to confesse his faith being called to accoumpt or examined by Iew Heathen or Heretike concerning the same Neither is it ynough to keepe Christ in his hart but he must also acknowledge him in his wordes and deedes And to deny Christ or any article of the Catholike faith for shame or feare of any worldly creature hath no lesse punishment then to be denied refused and forsaken by Christ at the houre of his death before al his Angels Which is an other maner of presence and Consistorie then any Court or Session that men can be called to for their faith in this world 11. Be not careful That the poore vnclearned Catholike should not be discouraged or make his excuse that he is a simple man not able to ansvver cunning Heretikes nor to giue a reason of his beleefe and therfore must suffer or say any thing rather then come before them our Maister giueth them comfort promising that the Holy Ghost shal euer put into their hartes at time of their appearance that vvhich shal be sufficient for the purpose not that euery one vvhich is conuented before the Aduersaries of faith should alvvaies be endeed vvith extraordinary knovvledge to dispute and confute as the Apostles and others in the primitiue Church vvere but that God vvil euer giue to the simple that trusteth in him sufficient courage and vvordes to confesse his beleefe For such an one called before the Commissioners saith ynough and defendeth him self sufficiently vvhen he ansvvereth that he is a Catholike man that he wil liue and die in that faith which the Catholike Church throughout al Christian countries hath and doth teach and that this Church can giue them a reason of al the things vvhich they demaund of him c. 14. Who hath appointed Christ refused to medle in this temporal matter partly because the demaund proceded of couetousnes and il intention partly to giue an example to Clergie men that they should not be vvithdravven by secular affaires and controuersies from their principal function of praying preaching and spiritual regiment but not vvholy to forbid them al actions pertaining to vvorldly busines specially vvhere and vvhen the honour of God the increase of religion the peace of the people and the spiritual benefite of the parties doe require In vvhich cases S. Augustin as Possidonius vvriteth vvas occupied often vvhole daies in ending vvorldly controuersies and so he vvriteth of him self also not doubting but to haue revvard therfore in heauen 21. Riche to God vvard He is riche tovvards God that by his goods bestovved vpon the poore hath store of merits and many almesmens praiers procuring mercie for him at the day of his death and iudgement vvhich is here therfore called treasure laid vp in heauen vvhere the barnes be large ynough The necessitie of vvhich almes is by Christ him self here shevved to be so great and so acceptable to God that rather then they should lacke the fruite thereof they should sel al they haue and giue to the poore 34. Where your treasure is If the riche man vvithdravven by his vvorldly treasure can not set his hart vpon heauen let him send his mony thither before him by giuing it in almes vpon such as vvil pray for him and his hart vvil solovv his purse thither CHAP. XIII He threateneth the Iewes to be forsaken vnles they doe penance 10 and confoundeth them for maligning him for his miraculous good doing on the Sabboths 18 but his kingdom the Church as contemptible as it seemeth to them now in the beginning shal spread ouer al the world 20 and conuert al 23 and what an hartsore it shal be to them at the last day to see them selues excluded from the glorie of this kingdom and the Gentils admitted in their place 31 foretelling that it is not Galilee that he feareth but that obstinate and reprobate Hierusalem vvil nedes murder him as also his messengers afore and after him verse 1 AND there vvere certaine present at that very time telling him of the Galilaeans vvhose bloud Pilate mingled vvith their sacrifices ✠verse 2 And he ansvvering said to them Thinke you that ″ these Galileans vvere sinners more then al the Galilaeans that they suffred such things ✠verse 3 No I say to you but vnles you haue penance you shal al likevvise perish ✠verse 4 As those eightene vpō vvhom the toure fel in Silóe and slevv them thinke you that they also vvere detters aboue al the men that dvvel in Hierusalem ✠verse 5 No I say to you but if you haue not penance you shal al likevvise perish ✠verse 6 And he said this similitude A certaine man had a figtree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking for fruite on it and found not ✠verse 7 And he said to the dresser of the vineyard Loe it is three yeres since I come seeking for fruite vpon this figtree and I finde not Cut it dovvne therfore vvhereto doth it also occupie the ground ✠verse 8 But he ansvvering saith to him Lord let it alone this yere also vntil I digge about it and dung it ✠verse 9 and if happily it yeld fruite but if not hereafter thou shalt cut it dovvne ✠verse 10 And he vvas teaching in their synagogue on the Sabboths ✠verse 11 And behold a vvoman that had a spirit of infirmitie eightene yeres and she vvas crooked neither could she looke vpvvard at al. ✠verse 12 Whom vvhen IESVS savv he called her vnto him and said to her Woman thou art deliuered from thy infirmitie ✠verse 13 And he imposed hands vpon her and forthvvith she vvas made straight and glorified God ✠verse 14 And the Archsynagogue ansvvering because he had indignation that IESVS had cured on the Sabboth said to the multitude Sixe daies there are vvherein you ought to vvorke in them therfore come and be cured and not in the Sabboth day ✠verse 15 And our Lord ansvvering to him said Hypocrite doth not euery one
hath not left me alone because the things that please him I doe alvvaies ⊢ ✠verse 30 Vvhen he spake these things many beleeued in him ✠verse 31 IESVS therfore said to them that beleeued him the Ievves If you abide in my vvorde you shal be my disciples in deede ✠verse 32 And you shal knovv the truth and the truth shal make you free ✠verse 33 They ansvvered him Vve are the seed of Abraham and vve neuer serued any man hovv saiest thou You shal be free ✠verse 34 IESVS ansvvered them Amen amen I say to you that * euery one vvhich coÌ„mitteth sinne is the seruant of sinne ✠verse 35 and the seruant abideth not in the house for euer the sonne abideth for euer ✠verse 36 If therfore the sonne make you free you shal be free in deede ✠verse 37 I knovv that you are the children of Abraham but you seeke to kil me because my vvorde taketh not in you ✠verse 38 I speake that vvhich I haue seen vvith my father and you doe the things that you haue seen vvith your father ✠verse 39 They ansvvered and said to him Our father is Abraham IESVS saith to them If you be the children of Abraham doe the vvorkes of Abraham ✠verse 40 But novv you seeke to kil me a man that haue spoken the truth to you vvhich I haue heard of God this did not Abraham ✠verse 41 You doe the vvorkes of your father They said therfore to him Vve vvere not borne of fornication vve haue one father God ✠verse 42 IESVS therfore said to them If God vvere your father verely you vvould loue me for from God I proceded and came for I came not of my self but he sent me ✠verse 43 Vvhy doe you not knovv my speach Because you can not heare my vvord ✠verse 44 You are of your father the Diuel and the desires of your father you vvil doe he vvas a mankiller from the beginning and he stoode not in the veritie because veritie is not in him vvhen he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father thereof ✠verse 45 But because I say the veritie you beleeue me not ✠verse 46 Vvhich of you ″ shal argue me of sinne If I say the veritie vvhy doe you not beleeue me ✠verse 47 He that is of God heareth the vvordes of God Therfore you heare not because you are not of God ✠verse 48 The Ievves therfore ansvvered and said to him Doe not we say vvel that thou art a Samaritane and hast a diuil ✠verse 49 IESVS ansvvered I haue no deuil but I doe honour my Father and you haue dishonoured me ✠verse 50 but I seeke not mine ovvne glorie there is that seeketh and iudgeth ✠verse 51 Amen amen I say to you If any man keepe my vvord he shal not see death for euer ✠verse 52 The Ievves therfore said Novv vve haue knovven that thou hast a deuil Abraham is dead and the Prophets and thou saiest If any man keepe my vvord he shal not tast death for euer ✠verse 53 Vvhy art thou greater then our father Abraham vvho is dead and the Prophets are dead Vvhom doest thou make thy self ✠verse 54 IESVS ansvvered If I doe glorifie my self my glorie is nothing it is my father that glorifieth me vvhom you say that he is your God ✠verse 55 And you haue not knovven him but I knovv him And if I shal say that I knovv him not I shal be like to you a lyer But I doe knovv him and doe keepe his vvord ✠verse 56 Abraham your father reioyced that he might see my day and he savv and vvas glad ✠verse 57 The Ievves therfore said to him Thou hast not yet fiftie yeres and hast thou seen Abraham ✠verse 58 IESVS said to them Amen amen I say to you before that Abraham vvas made I am ✠verse 59 They tooke stones therfore to cast at him but IESVS hid him self and vvent out of the temple ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 34. Amen amen What is it saith S. Augustine vpon this place vvhen our Lord saith Amen amen He doth much coÌ„mend and vrge the thing that he so vttereth doubling it It is a certaine othe of his if a man may so say for AmeÌ„ in Hebrue signifieth verum a truth Yet is it not translated whereas it might haue been said verum veruÌ„ diâ—o vobis but neither the Greeke interpreter durst doe it nor the Latin the Hebrue word hath remained stil that so it might be the more esteemed Tract 41 in Ioan. By vvhich vvordes and the like recorded in other places of this nevv Testament the Reader may see great reason vvhy vve also say Amen amen and durst not translate it and such like vvordes into our English tongue CHAP. IX To show that by his Baptisme being the Sacrament of illumination or faith he vvil take avvay the blindnes of the vvorld he giueth vvith strange ceremonies sight to one borne blinde 8 By vvhich vvonderful miracle the attestation of the partie him self and of his parents concurring first the neighbours then also the Pharisees them selues are plainely confounded Yet so obstinate they are that because it was the Sabboth vvhen he vvrought it they inferre that he is not of God yea and throvv out of their Synagogue the partie for confessing him 35 But our Lord receiueth him 39 and foretelleth by this occasion the excecation of the Ievveâ— because of their vvilful obstinacie and illumination of the Gentils vvho confesse their ovvne blindnes verse 1 AND IESVS passing by savv a man blinde from his natiuitie ✠verse 2 and his disciples asked him Rabbi vvho hath sinned this man or his parents that he should be borne blinde ✠verse 3 IESVS ansvvered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the vvorkes of God may be manifested in him ✠verse 4 I must vvorke the vvorkes of him that sent me vvhiles it is day The night commeth vvhen no man can vvorke ✠verse 5 As long as I am in the vvorld I am the light of the vvorld ✠verse 6 Vvhen he had said these things he spit on the ground and ″ made clay of the spettle and spred the clay vpoÌ„ his eies ✠verse 7 and said to him Goe vvash in the poole of Siloé vvhich is interpreted Sent. He vvent therfore and vvashed and he came seeing ✠verse 8 Therfore the neighbours and they vvhich had seen him before that he vvas a begger said Is not this he that sate and begged verse 9 Others said That this is he ✠But others No not so but he is like him But he said That I am he ✠verse 10 They said therfore to him Hovv vvere thine eies opened ✠verse 11 He ansvvered That man that is called IESVS made clay and anointed mine eies and said to me Goe to
him foretelling also his Resurrection and vocation of the Gentils 22 Againe an other time he telleth these Iewes openly that they are not of his sheepe and that no might of theirs shal take from him his true sheepe because he is God euen as his Father is God 31 Which by his miracles and by Scripture he sheweth to be no blasphemie and they in vaine seeking to stone and to apprehend him 40 he goeth out to the place where Iohn Baptist had giuen open witnes of him verse 1 AMEN amen I say to you he that entreth not by the doore into the folde of the sheepe but climeth vp an other vvay he is a theefe and a robber ✠verse 2 But he that entreth by the doore is the Pastor of the sheepe ✠verse 3 To this maÌ„ the porter openeth the sheepe heare his voice and he calleth his ovvne sheepe by name and leadeth them forth ✠verse 4 And vvhen he hath let forth his ovvne sheepe he goeth before them and the sheepe folovv him because they knovv his voice ✠verse 5 But a stranger they folovv not but flee from him because they knovv not the voice of strangers ✠verse 6 This prouerbe IESVS said to them But they knevv not vvhat he spake to them ✠verse 7 IESVS therfore said to them againe Amen amen I say to you that I am the doore of the sheepe ✠verse 8 And hovv many soeuer haue come are theeues and robbers but the sheepe heard them not ✠verse 9 I am the doore By me if any enter he shal be saued and he shal goe in and shal goe out and shal finde pastures ✠verse 10 The theefe commeth not but to steale and kil and destroy I came that they may haue life and may haue more aboundantly ⊢ ✠verse 11 I am the good Pastor * The ″ good Pastor giueth his life for his sheepe ✠verse 12 But the hireling and he that is not the Pastor vvhose ovvne the sheepe are not seeth the vvoulfe comming and leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the vvoulfe reueneth and disperseth the sheepe ✠verse 13 And the hireling ″ fleeth because he is a hireling and he hath no care of the sheepe ✠verse 14 I am the good Pastor and I knovv mine and mine knovv me ✠verse 15 As the Father knovveth me and I knovv the Father and I yeld my life for my sheepe ✠verse 16 And other sheepe I haue that are not of this folde them also I must bring and they shal heare my voice and there shal be made * one folde and one Pastor ⊢ ✠verse 17 Therfore the Father loueth me because I yeld my life that I may take it againe ✠verse 18 No man taketh it avvay from me but * I yeld it of my self and I haue povver to yeld it and I haue povver to take it againe This commaundement I receiued of my father ✠verse 19 A dissension rose againe among the Ievves for these vvordes ✠verse 20 And many of them said He hath a deuil and is mad vvhy heare you him ✠verse 21 Others said These are not the vvordes of one that hath a deuil can a deuil open the eies of blinde men ✠verse 22 * And ″ the Dedication vvas in Hierusalem and it vvas vvinter ✠verse 23 And IESVS vvalked in the temple in Salomons porche ✠verse 24 The Ievves therfore compassed him round about and said to him Hovv long doest thou hold our soule in suspeÌ„se if thou be CHRIST tel vs openly ✠verse 25 IESVS answered them I speake to you and you beleeue not the vvorkes that I doe in the name of my Father they giue testimonie of me ✠verse 26 but you doe not beleeue because you are not of my sheepe ✠verse 27 My sheepe heare my voice and I knovv them and they folovv me ✠verse 28 And I giue them life euerlasting and they shal not perish for euer and no man shal plucke them out of my hand ✠verse 29 My father ″ that vvhich he hath giuen me is greater then al and no man can plucke them out of the hand of my father ✠verse 30 I and the Father are one ✠verse 31 The Ievves tooke vp stones to stone him ✠verse 32 IESVS ansvvered them Many good vvorkes I haue shevved you from my father for vvhich of those vvorkes doe you stone me ✠verse 33 The Ievves ansvvered him For a good vvorke vve stone the not but for blasphemie and because thou being a man makest thy self God ✠verse 34 IESVS ansvvered them Is it not vvritten in your lavv that I said you are goddes ✠verse 35 If he called them goddes to vvhom the vvord of God vvas made and the scripture can not be broken ✠verse 36 vvhom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the vvorld say you That thou blasphemest because I said I am the sonne of God ✠verse 37 If I doe not the vvorkes of my father beleeue me not ✠verse 38 But if I doe and if you vvil not beleeue me beleeue the vvorkes that you may knovv and beleeue that the Father is in me and I in the Father ⊢ ✠verse 39 They sought therfore to apprehend him and he vvent forth out of their handes ✠verse 40 and he vvent againe beyond Iordan into that place vvhere Iohn vvas baptizing first and he taried there ✠verse 41 and many came to him and they said That Iohn in deede did no signe But al things vvhatsoeuer Iohn said of this man vvere true ✠verse 42 And many beleeued in him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 1. Climeth an other vvay whosoeuer taketh vpon him to preach without lawful sending to minister Sacraments and is not Canonically ordered of a true Catholike Bishop to be a Curate of soules Person Bishop or what other spiritual Pastor so euer and commeth not in by lawful election and holy Churches ordinance to that dignity but breaketh in against order by force or fauour of men and by humane lawes he is a theefe and a murderer So came in Arius Caluin Luther and al Heretikes and al that suceede them in roome and doctrine And generally euery one that descendeth not by Lawful succession in the knowen ordinarie line of Catholike Bishops and Pastors that haue been in al Countries since their conuersion And according to this rule S. 〈◊〉 li. â— c. 3 useth the true shepheards from the theeues and Heretikes So doe Tertul. de Praeser nu 11. S. Cypr. de vnit 〈◊〉 nu 1. S. August ep 165. cont ep Manich. c. 4. and Lirinensit 11. Good Pastor The good Pastor is he whose special care is not of his owne aduantage but of the safty of the flocke The hireling is he that respecteth not the profite and good of the flocke but his owne lucre The Woulâ— is the Heretike or any persecutor of the Church which is Christs flocke â—â—
he cried vvith a loude voice Lazarus come forth ✠verse 44 And forthvvith he came forth that had been dead bound feete and handes vvith vvinding bandes and his face vvas tied vvith a napkin IESVS said to them Loose him and let him goe ✠verse 45 Many therfore of the Ievves that vvere come to Marie and Martha and had seen the things that IESVS did beleeued in him ⊢ ✠verse 46 And certaine of them vvent to the Pharisees and told them the things that IESVS did ✠verse 47 The cheefe priests therfore and the pharisees gathered a councel and said Vvhat doe vve for this man doeth many signes ✠verse 48 If vve let him alone so al vvil beleeue in him and the Romanes vvil come and take avvay our place and nation ✠verse 49 But one of them named Caiphas being the high priest of that yere said to them You knovv nothing ✠verse 50 neither doe you cōsider that it is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and the vvhole natiō perish not ✠verse 51 And this he said not of him self but ″ being the high priest of that yere he prophecied that IESVS should die for the nation ✠verse 52 and not only for the nation but to gather into one the children of God that vvere dispersed ✠verse 53 From that day therfore they deuised to kil him ✠verse 54 IESVS therfore vvalked no more openly among the Ievves but he vvent into the countrie beside the desert vnto a citie that is called Ephrem and there he abode vvith his Disciples ⊢ ✠verse 55 And the Pasche of the Ievves vvas at hand and many of the countrie vvent vp to Hierusalem before the Pasche to sanctifie them selues ✠verse 56 They sought IESVS therfore and they communed one vvith an other standing in the temple Vvhat thinke you in that he is not come to the festiual day And the cheefe Priests Pharisees had giuen cōmaundemēt that if any man should knovv vvhere he vvas he should tel that they might apprehend him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 31. Being the high Priest Maruel not that Christ preserueth his truth in the Church as wel by the vnworthy as the worthy Prelates thereof the giftes of the Holy Ghost folowing their Order and office as we see here in Caiphas and not their merites or person And if this man being many waies wicked and in part an vsurper and the Law and Priesthod being to decline and to giue place to Christs new ordinance had yet some assistance of God for vtterance of truth which him self meant not nor knew not how much more may we be assured that Christ wil not leaue Peters Seate * whose faith he promised should neuer falle though the persons which occupie the same were as il as the blasphemous and malitious mouthes of Heretikes do affirme CHAP. XII The Rulers dealing as if he hid him self 1 he cōmeth to Bethania ◠Where by occasion of Iudas the theefe murmuring at Marie Magdalens costly deuotion he foretelleth his death 12 From thence though they did novv intend to kil Lazarus also he rideth openly into Hierusalem the people because he had raised Lazarus confessing with their acclamations that he is Christ 20 Where certaine Gentils desiring to see him 22 he foretelleth the conuersion of the vvhole vvorld from the Diuel to him to be novv instant as the effect of his death vpon the Crosse 28 The Father also ansvvering from heauen to his prayer made to that purpose 37 yet after al this the Ievves continevv incredulous as Esay prophecied of them 42 though many beleeued but vvere ashamed to confesse him 44 Wherevpon he shevveth that it is glorious before God and saluation to them selues to beleeue in him and confesse him and damnable to despise him verse 1 IESVS therfore sixe daies before the Pasche came to Bethánia vvhere Lazarus vvas that had been dead vvhom IESVS raised ✠verse 2 And they made him a supper there and Martha ministred but Lazarus vvas one of them that sate at the table vvith him ✠verse 3 Marie therfore tooke a povvnd of ointement of right spikenard pretious and anointed the feete of IESVS and vviped his feete vvith her heare and the house vvas filled of the odour of the ointmēt ✠verse 4 One therfore of his disciples Iudas Iscariote he that vvas to betray him said ✠verse 5 ″ Vvhy vvas not this ointment sold for three-hundred pence and giuen to the poore ✠verse 6 And he said this not because he cared for the poore but because he vvas ″ a theefe and hauing the purse caried the things that vvere put in ✠verse 7 IESVS therfore said Let her alone that she may keepe it for the day of my burial ✠verse 8 For the poore you haue alvvaies vvith you but me you shal not haue alvvaies ✠verse 9 A great multitude therfore of the Ievves knevv that he vvas there and they came not for IESVS only but that they might see Lazarus vvhom he raised from the dead ⊢ ✠verse 10 But the cheefe Priests deuised for to kil Lazarus also ✠verse 11 because many for him of the Ievves vvent avvay and beleeued in IESVS ✠verse 12 And on the morovv a great multitude that vvas come to the festiual day vvhen they had heard that IESVS commeth to Hierusalem ✠verse 13 they tooke the boughes of palmes and vvent forth to meete him and cried Hosanna blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord the king of Israel ✠verse 14 And IESVS foūd a yong asse and sate vpon it as it is vvritten ✠verse 15 Feare not daughter of Sion behold thy king commeth sitting vpon an asses colt ✠verse 16 These things his disciples did not knovv at the first but vvhen IESVS vvas glorified then they remembred that these things had been vvritten of him and these things they did to him ✠verse 17 The multitude therfore gaue testimonie vvhich vvas vvith him vvhē he called Lazarus out of the graue and raised him from the dead ✠verse 18 For therfore also the multitude came to meete him because they heard that he had done this signe ✠verse 19 The Pharisees therfore said among them selues Doe you see that vve preuaile nothing behold the vvhole vvorld is gone after him ✠verse 20 And there vvere certaine Gentiles of them that came vp to adore in the festiual day ✠verse 21 These therfore came to Philippe vvho vvas of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir vve are desirous to see IESVS ✠verse 22 Philippe commeth and telleth Andrevv Againe Andrevv Philippe told IESVS ✠verse 23 But IESVS ansvvered them saying The houre is come that the Sonne of man shal be glorified ✠verse 24 Amen amen I say to you vnles the graine of vvheate falling into the ground die it self remaineth alone but if it die it
case to be assured that Christs faith shal be preached and the Church spred through out al Nations the Holy Ghost concurring continually with the Apostles and their Successors for the same 11. Assumpted from you By this visible Ascending of Christ to heauen and like returne from thence to iudgement the Heretikes do incredulously argue him not to be in the Sacrament But let the faithful rather giue eare to S. Chrysostome saying thus O miracle he that sitteth vvith the Father in heauen aboue at the very same time is handled of men beneath Christ ascending to heauen both hath his flesh vvith him and left it vvith vs beneath Eliaeâ— being taken vp left to his Disciple his cloke only but the Sonne of man ascending left his ovvne flesh to vs. Li. â— de Sacerd. Ho. 2 ad po Ant. in fine Ho. de diuit paup in fine 14. MARIE the mother of IESVS This is the last mention that is made in holy Scripture of our B Lady for though she were ful of al diuine wisedom and opened no doubt vnto the Euangelistes and other writers of holy Scriptures diuerse of Christs actions speaches and mysteries whereof she had both experimental and reuealed knowledge Yet for that she was a woman and the humblest creature liuing and the paterne of al order and obedience it pleased not God that there should be any further note of her life doings or death in the Scriptures She liued the rest of her time with the Christians as here she is peculiarly named and noted among them and specially with S. Iohn the Apostle * to whom our Lord recommended her Who prouided for her al necessaries her spouse Ioseph as it may be thought being deceased before The common opinion is that she liued 63 yeres in al. At the time of her death as S. Denys first after him S. Damascene de dormit Deiparae writeth al the Apostles then dispersed into diuers nations to preache the Gospel were miraculously brought together sauing S. Thomas who came the third day after to Hierusalem to honour her diuine departure and funeral as the said S. Denys witnesseth Who saith that him self S. Timothee and S. Hierotheus were present testifying also of his owne hearing that both before here death and after for three daies not onely the Apostles and other holy men present but the Angels also and Powers of heauen did sing most melodious Hymnes They buried her sacred body in Gethsémaui but for S. Thomas sake who desired to see and to reuerence it they opened the sepulcher the third day and finding it void of the holy body but excedingly fragrant they returned assuredly deeming that her body was assumpted into heauen as the Church of God holdeth being most agreable to the singular priuilege of the mother of God and therfore celebrateth most solemnely the day of her Assumption And that is consonant not onely to the said S. Denys and S. Damascene but to holy Athanasius also who auoucheth the same Serm. in Euang. de Deipara of which Assumption of her body S. Bernard also wrote fiue notable sermons extant in his workes But neither these holy fathers nor the Churches tradition and testimonie do beare any sway now a daies with the Protestants that haue abolished this her greatest feast of her Assumption who of reason should at the least celebrate it as the day of her death as they doe of other Saincts For though they beleeue not that her body is assumpted yet they wil not we trow deny that she is dead and her soule in glorie neither can they aske scriptures for that no more then they require for the deathes of Peter Paul Iohn and other vvhich be not mentioned in scriptures yet are still celebrated by the Protestants But concerning the B. Virgin MARIE they haue blotted out also both her Natiuitie and her Conception so as it may be thought the Diuel beareth a special malice to this woman whose seede brake his head For as for the other two daies of her Purification Aununciation they be not proper to our Lady but the one to Christs Conception the other to his Presentation so that she by this meanes shal haue no festiuitie at al. But contrariwise to consider how the auncient Church and fathers esteemed spake and wrote of this excellent vessel of grace may make vs detest these mens impietie that can not abide the praises of her whom al generations should call blessed and that esteeme her honours a derogatioÌ„ to her sonne Some of their speaches we wil set downe that al men may see that we neither praise her nor pray to her more amply then they did S. Athanâ—sius in the place alleaged after he had declared how al the Angelical spirits and euery order of them honoured and praised her with the AVE wherewith S. Gabriel saluted her We also saith he of al degrees vpon the earth â—xtol thee with loude voice saying Auâ— gratia plena c. Haile ful of grace our Lord is vvith thee pray for vs 〈◊〉 Maistresse and Lady and Queens and mother of God Most holy and auncient Ephrem also in a special oration made in praise of our Lady saith thus in diuerse places thereof Intemerata Deâ—pâ—â—â— c. Mother of God vndifiled Queene of al the hope of them that despaire my lady most glorious higher them the heauenly spiritâ— more honorable then the Cherubins holier then the Seraphins and vvithout comparison more glorious theÌ„ the supernal hostes the hope of the fathers the glorie of the Prophets the praise of the Apostles And a litle after Virgo ante partum in partu post partum by thee vve are reconciled to Christ my God thy sonne thou art the helper of sinners thou the hauen for them that are tossed vvith stormes the solam of the vvorld the deliuerer of the emprisoned the helpe of orphans the redemption of captiues And afterward Vouchsafe me thy seruant to praise thee Haile lady MARIE ful of grace haile Virgin most blesed among vvomen And much more in that sense which were to long to repeate S. Cyril hath the like wonderful speaches of her honour hom 6. contra Naestorium Praise and glorie be to thee â— holy Trinitieito thee also be praise holy mother of God for thou art the pretious pearle of the vvorld thou the candel of vnquencheable light the crovvne of Virginitis the scepter of the Catholike faith By thee the Trinitie is glorified and adored in al the vvorld by thee heauen reioyceth Angels and Archangels are glad diuels are put to flight and man is called againe to heauen and euery creature that vvas held vvith the errour of Idols is turned to the knowledge of the truth by thee Churches are fouÌ„ded through the world thee being their helper the Gentiles come to penance and much more which we omit Likewise the Greeke Liturgies or Masses of S. Iames S. Basil and
after persecutions visible their Gouernours in prison visible the Church praieth for them visibly their Councels visible their gifts and graces visible their name Christians knovven to al the vvorld of the Protestants inuisible Church vve heare not one vvord 26. Christians This name Christian ought to be common to al the Faithful and other nevv names of Schismatikes and Sectaries must be abhorred If thou heare saith S. Hierom any vvhere such as be said to be of Christ not to haue their names of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but to be called after some other certaine name as Marcionites Valentinians as novv also the Lutherans Caluinists Protestants knovv thou that they belong not to the Church of Christ but to the Synagogue of Antichrist Lactantius also li. 7 Diuin instit c. 30 saith thus when Phrygians or Nouatians or Valentinians or Marcionites or Anthropomorphites or Arrians or any other be named they cease to be Christians vvho hauing lost the name of Christ haue done on the names of men Neither can our nevv Sectaries discharge them selues for that they take not to them selues these names but are forced to beare them as giuen by their Aduersaries For so vvere the names of Arians and the rest of old imposed by others and not chosen commonly of them selues Vvhich notvvithstanding vvere callings that proued them to be Heretikes And as for the name of Protestants our men hold them vvel content therevvith But concerning the Heretikes turning of the argument against the peculiar callings of our Religious as DominicaÌ„s Franciscans Iesuites Thomists or such like it is nothing except they could proue that the orders persons so named were of diuers faithes Sectes or differed in any necessarie point of religion or vvere not al of one Christian name and Communion and it is as ridiculous as if it vvere obiected that some be Ciceronians some Plinians some good Augustine men some Hieronymians some Oxford meÌ„ some Cambrige men vvhich is most like some * Rechabites * Nazareiteâ— Neither doth their obiection that vve be called Papistes helpe or excuse them in their nevv names for besides that it is by them scornfully inuented as the name Homousians vvas of the Arians this name is not of any one man B. of Rome or els vvhere knovven to be the author of any schisme or sect as their callings be but it is of a vvhole state and order of gouernours and that of the cheefe Gouernours to vvhom vve are bound to cleaue in religion and to obey in al things So to be a Papist is to be a Christian man a childe of the Church and subiect to Christs Vicar And therfore against such impudent Sectaries as compare the faithful for folovving the Pope to the diuersitie of Heretikes bearing the names of nevv Maisters let vs euer haue in readines this saying of S. Hierom to Pope Damasus Vitalis I knovv not Meletius I refuse I knovv not Paulinus whosoeuer gathereth not vvith thee scattereth that is to say whosoeuer is not Christs is Antichrists And againe If any man ioyne vvith Peters Chaire he is mine Vve must here further obserue that this name Christian giuen to al beleeuers and to the whole Church vvas specially taken to distinguish them from the Ievves and Heathens vvhich beleeued not at al in Christ and the same novv seuereth and maketh knovven al Christian men from Turkes and others that hold not of Christ at al. But vvhen Heretikes began to rise from among the Christians vvho professed Christs name and sundry Articles of faith as true beleeuers doe the name Christian vvas to common to seuer the Heretikes from true faithful men and therevpon the Apostles by the holy Ghost imposed this name Catholike vpon the Beleeuers vvhich in al points vvere obedient to the Churches doctrine When heresies vvere risen saith S. Pacianus ep ad Symphorianum endeuoured by diuers names to tears the doue of God and Queene and to rent her in peeces the Apostolical people required their surname vvhereby the incorrupt people might be distinguished c. and so those that before vvere called Christians are novv surnamed also Catholikes Christian is my name saith he Catholike my surname And this vvord Catholike is the proper note vvhereby the holy Apostles in their Crede taught vs to discerne the true Church from the false heretical congregation of vvhat sort soeuer And not only the meaning of the vvord vvhich signifieth vniuersalitie of times places and persons but the very name and vvord it self by Gods prouidence alvvaies and only appropriated to the true beleuers and though sometimes at the beginning of Sectes chalenged yet neuer obtained by Heretikes giueth so plaine a marke and euidence that S. Augustine said In the lappe of the Church the very name of Catholike keepeth me cont ep fund c. 4. And againe tract 32 in Io. vve receiue the Holy Ghost if vve loue the Church if vve be ioyned together by charitie if vve reioyce in the Catholike name and faith And againe de ver rel c. 7. to 1. We must hold the communion of that Church vvhich is named Catholike not only of her ovvne but also of al her enemies for vvil they nil they the Heretikes also and Schismatikes them selues vvhen they speake not vvith their ovvne fellovves but vvith strangers call the Catholike Church nothing els but the Catholike Church for they could not be vnderstood vnles they discerne it by this name vvherevvith she is called of al the vvorld The Heretikes vvhen they see them selues preuented of this name Catholike then they plainely reiect it and deride the name as the Donatistes did calling it an humane forgeris or fiction vvhich S. Augustine calleth vvordes of blasphemie li. 1. c. 3â— cont Gaudrat and some Heretikes of this time call them scornefully cartholikes and cacolikes An other calleth it the most vaine terme Catholike Beza in praf no. Test an 1565. An other calleth the Catholike religion a Catholike Apostasie or defection Humfrey in vit Iuel pag. â—13 Yea and some haue taken the vvord out of the Crede putting Christian for it But against these good fellovves let vs folovv that vvhich S. Augustine de vtil cred c. 8. to 6. giueth as a rule to direct a maÌ„ the right and sure vvay from the diuersitie doubtfulnes of al error saying If after these trouble of minde thou seeme to thy self sufficiently tossed and vexed vvilt haue an end of these molestations folovv the vvay of Catholike discipline vvhich from Christ him self by the Apostles hath proceded euen vnto vs and shal procede from hence to the posteritie See the Annotation 1 Tim. 3 c. 15. CHAP. XII Herod the first king that persecuted the Church hauing at Hierusalem vvhen Barnabas and Saul vvere there vvith the collation of the Antiochians killed Iames the Apostle 3 and to please the levves imprisoned Peter vvith the minde to kil him also but frustrate by an Angel
and Icónium and persvvading the multitudes and * stoning Paul they drevv him out of the citie thinking him to be dead ✠verse 19 But the disciples compassing him round about he rising vp entred into the citie and the next day he vvent forth vvith Barnabas vnto Derbè ✠verse 20 And vvhen they had euangelized to that citie and had taught many they returned to Lystra and Icónium and to Antioche ✠verse 21 confirming the hartes of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that by many tribulations vve must enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 And vvhen they ″ had ordained to them ″ Priests in euery Church and had praied vvith fastings they commended them to our Lord in vvhom they beleeued ✠verse 23 And passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia ✠verse 24 and speaking the vvord of our Lord in Pergé they vvent dovvne into Attalia ✠verse 25 and from theÌ„ce they sailed to Antioche * vvhence they had been deliuered to the grace of God vnto the vvorke vvhich they accomplished ✠verse 26 And vvhen they vvere come and â—ad assembled the Church they reported vvhat great things God had done vvith them that he had opened a doore of faith to the Gentils ✠verse 27 And they abode no litle time vvith the disciples ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. They vvould sacrifice This loe is the diuine vvorship consisting in external sacrifice and in acknovvledging the parties vvorshipped to be gods vvhich * may be done to no man nor creature and therfore the Apostles refuse it vvith al possible diligence and al the Angels and Saincts in heauen refuse that adoration by sacrifice The Catholike Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to vvorship any Sainct in heauen or earth She hath but one external Sacrifice vvhich is in the holy Masse of Christs body and bloud that she offereth to God alone and neither to Peter nor to Paul saith S. Augustine though the Priest that sacrificeth standeth ouer their bodies and offereth in their memories But other kindes of honours and dueties inferior vvithout al comparison hovv great so euer they be to this vve do as the Scriptures and Nature teache vs to al Superiors in heauen and earth according to the degrees of grace honour and blessednes that God hath called them vnto from our B. Ladie Christs ovvne mother to the lest seruant he hath in the vvorld for vvhich the Heretikes vvould neuer accuse Christian people of Idolatrie if they had either grace learning faith or natural affection â—â— Had ordained The Heretikes to make the vvorld beleeue that al Priests ought to be chosen by the voices of the people and that they neede no other Ordering or Consecration by Bishops pressing the proâ—ane vse of the * Greeke vvord more then the very natural signification requireth and Ecclesiastical vse beareth translate thus Ordained by election Vvhereas in deede this vvord in Scripture signifieth Ordering by imposition of hands as is plaine by other vvordes equiualent Act. 6 13. 1 Tim. 4. â— 2 Tim. 1. Vvhere the Ordering of Deacons Priests and others is called * Imposition of hands not of the people but of the Apostles And this to be the Ecclesiastical vse of the vvord appeareth by S. Hierom saying as is before alleaged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— the Ordering of Clerkes or Clergie men by praier of voice and imposition of hand â—â— Priests Euen so here also as before fleing from the proper apt knovven vvord vvhich is most precisely correspondent to the very Greeke in our tongue and al nations they translate for Priest Elder that is for a calling of Office a vvord of age for a terme of art and by consent of al the Church and Apostolike authoritie and Fathers appropriated to holy Order a vulgar common and profane terme Vvith as litle grace as if they should translate Pontificem a bridgemaker the Maior of London the Bigger of London And thus you see vvithin three vvordes compasse they flee guilefully from the Latin to the Greeke and againe guilefully from the Greeke to the vulgar English Such corruption of Scriptures their hatred of Priesthod driueth them vnto If they had translated it so vvhen the Scriptures vvere first vvritten at vvhich time the vvord vvas but nevvly receiued into the special and Ecclesiastical signification and vvhen it vvas yet taken sometimes in common profane sort as 1 Tim. 5. or there only vvhere our auÌ„cient Latin version turneth Presbyter into Senior because the vvord vvas not yet vvholy and only appropriated to holy Orders as aftervvard by vse of many hundred yeres it vvas and is their dealing might haue had some colour of honestâ—e and plainesse vvhich novv can not be but of plaine falshod and corruption and that of further purpose then the simple can see Vvhich is to take avvay the office of Sacrificing and other functions of Priests proper in the nevv TestameÌ„t to such as the Apostles often and the posteritle in maner altogether call Priests Presbyteros Vvhich vvord doth so certainely imply the authoritie of sacrificing that it is by vse made also the onely English of Sacerdos the Aduersaries them selues as vvel as vve so translating it in al the old and nevv Testament though they can not be ignorant that Priest commeth of Presbyter and not of Sacerdos and that antiquitie for no other cause applied the signification of Presbyter to Sacerdos but to shevv that Presbyter is in the nevv Lavv that vvhich Sacerdos vvas in the old the Apostles abstaining from this and other like old names at the first and rather vsing the vvordes Bishops Pastors and Priests because they might be distinguished from the Gouernours and sacrificers of Aarons order vvho as yet in the Apostles time did their old functions still in the Temple And this to be true and that to be a Priest is to be a man appointed to sacrifice the Heretikes them selues calling Sacerdos alvvaies a Priest must needes be driuen to confesse Although their folly is therein notorious to apply vvillngly the vvord Priest to Sacerdos and to take it from Presbyter vvhereof it is properly deriued not only in English but in other languages both french and Italian Vvhich is to take avvay the name that the Apostles and fathers gaue to the Priests of the Church to giue it vvholy onely to the order of Aaron vvhich neuer had it before our Priesthod began Neuer did there Heretikes stand so much vpon doubtful deriuations and descant of vvordes as these Protestants do and yet neuer men behaued them selues more fondly in the same as vvhosoeuer marketh the distinction of their Elders Ministers Deacons and such like shal perceiue CHAP. XV. Some of those Ievves also that vvere Christians do fall and are authors of the Heresie of Iudaizing 2 They referre the matter to Councel 7 Wherein after great disputation Peter striking the stroke
to helpe the neede of the Christians in Hierusalem vvhereof he speaketh 1. Cor. 16 And concerning the collections that are made for the saincts as I haue ordeined to the Churches of Galatia so doe you also By vvhich vvordes also it is euident that the Corinthians had not at then made their gathering But vvhen he vvrote the Second to them vvhere in the 11 Chapter he maketh mention of 14 yeres not onely after his Conuersion as to the Galatians but also after his Rapte vvhich seemeth to haue bene vvhen he vvas at Hierusalem Act. 9. foure yeres after his Conuersion in a traunce as he calleth it Act. 22 17 then vvere they readie For so he saith 2. Cor. 8 You haue begone from the yere past and 2. Cor. 9 For the vvhich I doe glorie of you to the Macedonians that also Achaia is ready from the yere past hovvbeit it folovveth theire But I haue sent the brethren that as I haue said you may be ready lest vvhen the Macedonians come vvith me and find you vnready vve be ashamed But vvhen he vvrote to the Romanes then vvas he novv come to Corinth for the purpose and had receiued theire contribution and vvas readie to goe vvith it vnto Hierusalem For so he saith Rom. 15. Novv therfore I vvil goe vnto Hierusalem to minister to the saincts For Macedonia and Achaia haue liked vvel to make some coÌ„tribution vpoÌ„ the poore saincts that are in Hierusalem So then the Epistle to the Romanes vvas not the first that he vvrote But yet it is and alvvaies vvas set first because of the primacie of that Church for vvhich cause also he handleth in it such matters as perteined not to them alone but to the vniuersal Church and specially to al the Gentiles to vvit the very frame as it vvere of the Church of Christ Tanquam enim pro ipso Domino legatione fungens hoc est pro lapide angulari vtrumque populum tam ex Iudais quà m ex Gentibus connectis in Christo per vinculum gratiae so saith S. Augustine giuing vs briefly the arguments in english thus As being a legate for our Lord him self that is for the corner stone he knitteth together in Christ by the baÌ„d of Grace both peoples as vvel of the Ievves as of the Gentils Shevving that neither of them had in their Gentilitie or Iudaisme any vvorkes to bragge of or to chalenge to them selues iustificatioÌ„ or saluation thereby but rather sinnes they had to be sorie for and to humble themselues to the faith of Christ that so they might haue remission of them and strength to doe meritorius vvorkes aftervvard In vvhich sort because the Gentils did humble them selues therefore had they found mercy though they neuer vvist of the Lavv of Moyses But the Ievves because they stoode vpon their ovvne vvorkes vvhich they did by their ovvne strength vvith the knovvledge of the Lavv being therefore also called the vvorkes of the Lavv so would not humble themselues to beleeue in Christ crucified they missed of mercy and became reprobate excepting a few Reliquiae that God of his goodnes had reserued to himself Hovvbeit in the end vvhen the fulnes of the Gentils is come into the Church then shal the fulnes of the Ievves also open their eies acknowledge their errour and submit themselues to Christ and his Church in like maner In the meane time those that haue found the grace to be Christians he exhorteth to perseueraÌ„ce as it vvas specially needeful in those times of persecutions and to leade their whole life now after Baptisme in good workes and to be careful of vnitie bearing therefore one with an other both Iew and Gentil al that they may and geuing no offence to them that are weake Thus he disputeth and thus be exhorteth through the whole Epistle though if we wil diuide it by that which is principal in ech parte vve may say that vnto the 12 chapter is his disputation and from thence to the end his exhortation Novv in those points of faith and in al others as also in example of life the commendation that he giueth to the Church of Rome is much to be noted Your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld and your obedieÌ„ce is published into euery place I reioyce therfore in you And againe you haue obeied from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine vvhich hath been deliuered to you And therevpon againe I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissensions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine vvhich you haue learned and auoide them For such doe not serue Christ our Lord but theire ovvne belly and by svveete speaches ad benedictions seduce the harts of innocents Therfore to shunne Luther and Caluin and al their crewes vve haue iust reason and good vvarrant They make dissensions and scandals against the doctrine of the Romane Church Let no man therefore be seduced by their sugred vvordes THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAP. I. The foundation of his Apostleship being laid 〈◊〉 he highly commendeth the Romanes and protesteth his affection tovvardes them and so coÌ„ming to the matter saith our Christian Catholike doctrine that teacheth al to beleeue to be the vvay to saluation 118 because the Gentiles first of al could not be saued by their Philosophie vvhereby they knevv God for so much as they did not serue him but Idolâ—â— he therfore iustly permitting them to fall into al kind of most damnable sinne verse 1 PAVL the seruant of IESVS CHRIST called to be an Apostle * separated into the Gospel of God ✠verse 2 vvhich before he had promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures ✠verse 3 of his sonne vvho vvas made to him of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh ✠verse 4 vvho vvas predestinate the sonne of God in povver according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrectioÌ„ of our Lord IESVS CHRIST from the dead ✠verse 5 by vvhom vve haue receiued grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith in al Nations for the name of him ✠verse 6 among vvhom are you also the called of IESVS CHRIST ⊢ ✠verse 7 to al that are at Rome the beloued of God called to be saincts Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 8 First I giue thankes to my God through IESVS CHRIST for al you because ″ your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld ✠verse 9 For God is my vvitnes vvhom I serue ″ in my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that vvithout intermission I make ″ a memorie of you ✠verse 10 alvvaies in my praiers beseeching if by any meanes I may sometime at the length haue a prosperous iourney by the vvil of God to come vnto you ✠verse 11 For I desire to see you that I may imparte vnto you some spiritual grace to confirme you âœ
authors of al these schismes verse 1 SO let a man esteeme vs as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God ✠verse 2 Here novv is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful ✠verse 3 But to me it is a thing of lest account to be iudged of you or of mans day but I iudge not my self neither ✠verse 4 For I am not guilty in conscience of any thing◠″ but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord. ✠verse 5 Therfore iudge not before the time vntil our Lord do come vvho also wil lighten the hiddeÌ„ things of darkenes and vvil manifest the counsels of the hartes then the praise shal be to euery man of God ⊢ ✠verse 6 But these things brethren I haue transfigured into my self and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against an other aboue that is vvritten ✠verse 7 For vvho discerneth thee Or vvhat hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued what doest thou glorie as though thou hast nor receiued ✠verse 8 Now you are filled now are you become riche without vs you reigne I would to God you did reigne that vve also might reigne vvith you ✠verse 9 For I thinke that God hath shevved vs Apostles the last as it vvere deputed to death because vve are made a spectacle to the vvorld and to Angels and men ✠verse 10 Vve are fooles for Christ but you vvise in Christ vve vveake but you strong you noble but vve base ✠verse 11 Vntil this houre we doe both hunger and thirst and are naked and are beaten vvith buffets and are vvanderers ✠verse 12 and labour vvorking vvith our ovvne handes vve are cursed and do blesse vve are persecuted and susteine it ✠verse 13 vve are blasphemed and vve beseeche vve are made the refuse of this vvorld the drosse of al euen vntil novv ✠verse 14 Not to confound you do I vvrite these things but as my deerest children I admonish you ⊢ ✠verse 15 For if you haue ten thousand paedagoges in Christ yet not many fathers For in Christ IESVS by the Gospel I begat you ⊢ ✠verse 16 I beseeche you therfore be folovvers of me ✠verse 17 Therfore haue I sent to you Timothee vvho is my deerest sonne and faithful in our Lord vvho vvil put you in minde of my vvaies that are in Christ IESVS as euery vvhere in euery Church I teach ✠verse 18 As though I vvould not come to you so certaine are puffed vp ✠verse 19 But I vvil come to you quickly if our Lord vvil and vvil knovv not the vvordes of them that be puffed vp but the povver ✠verse 20 For the kingdom of God is not in vvordes but in povver ✠verse 21 Vvhat vvil you â— in rodde that I come to you or in charitie and the spirit of mildnes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 4. But not iustified The Heretikes are certaine that they be in Gods grace but S. Paul though guiltie of no crime in his conscience durst not assure him self that he vvas iustified neither could take vpon him to be iudge of his ovvne hart and cogitations vvhether they vvere pure or no but the trial thereof he left onely to Gods iudging day 21. In rodde The Apostles haue povver of discipline and censures against offenders and povver of gentlenes meekenes and indulgence also to vse either punishing or pardoning according to their wisedom and according to the occasions of time and place CHAP. V. Sharply rebuking their Clergies negligence 3 him self absent excommunicateth that publike incestuous person 6 commaunding that hereafter no Christian be so tolerated in any open crime but excommunicated verse 1 THERE is plainely heard fornication among you and such fornication as the like is not among the heathen so that one hath his * fathers vvife ✠verse 2 And you are puffed vp and haue not mourned rather that he might be taken avvay from amoÌ„g you that hath done this deede ✠verse 3 â— I in deede absent in body but present in spirit haue already iudged as present him that hath so done ✠verse 4 in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ â— you being gathered together and my spirit â— vvith the vertue of our Lord IESVS ✠verse 5 to deliuer such an one â— to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 6 Your glorying is not good Knovv you not that a litle leauen corrupteth the vvhole paste ✠verse 7 Purge the old leauen that you may be a nevv paste as you are azymes For our Pasche Christ is immolated ✠verse 8 Therfore â— let vs feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice and vvickednes but in the azymes of sinceritie and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 9 I vvrote to you in an epistle Not to keepe companie vvith fornicatours ✠verse 10 I meane not the fornicatours of this vvorld or the couetous or the extorsioners or seruers of Idols othervvise you should haue gone out of this vvorld ✠verse 11 But novv I vvrote to you not to keepe companie if he that is named a brother be a fornicatour or a couetous person or a seruer of Idols or a railer or a drunkarde or an extorsioner vvith such an one ″ not so much as to take meate ✠verse 12 For vvhat is it to me to iudge of them that are vvithout Do not you iudge of them that are vvithin ✠verse 13 for them that are vvithout God vvil iudge Take away ″ the euil-one from among your selues ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 2. I absent S. Paul here vseth his Apostolike povver of binding this incestuous person excommunicating him by his letters and Mandaâ—â—â— though absent 4. You being gathered Though he commaunded the acte should be done in the face of the Church as such sentences and censures be at this day executed also yet the iudgement and authoritie of giuing sentence vvaâ— in him self and not in the vvhole multitude as the Protestants and the popular Sectaries affirme for the povver of binding and loosing vvas not giuen to the vvhole Church but as in the persons of the Prelats to them for the benefite of the vvhole Vvherevpon S. Chrysostome vpon those vvordes Dic Ecclesia Tel the Church Mat. 18 Complaine to the Church that is saith he to the Prelats and Presidents thereof 4. With the vertue Al such great povver ouer sinners is holden and exercised in the name and vertue of CHRIST IESVS And vvhosoeuer setteth light by it despiseth our Lordes name and povver 5. To Satan To assure vs that al excommunicate persons be in the povver and possession of the Diuel and quite out of Christes protection as soone as they be separated by the Churches
verb. Do. sec Mat. Tertul. li. 4. cont Marc. Chrys ho. 2. in 2. ad Tim. in fine ho. de prodit Iuda to 3. Grego Nyss in orat Catech. Damase li. 4. c. 14. 24. My body Vvhen the vvordes of Consecration be by tho said impietie of the Protestants thus remoued from the elements no maruel if Christes holy body and bloud be not there or that it is novv no more a Sacrament but common bread and vvine So they that vniustly charge the Cath. Church vvith defrauding the people of one peece of the Sacramēt haue in very deede left no part nor spice of Sacrament neither folovving Christ as they pretend nor S. Paul nor any Euangelist but their owne detestable Secte hauing boldly defaced the vvhole institution not in any accidental indifferent circunstances but in the very substance and al. The right name is gone the due elements both gone no blessing or consecration or other action ouer them the formes be gone and consequently the body and bloud the Sacrament and the Sacrifice 24. This doe By these vvordes authoritie and povver is giuen to the Apostles and by the like in the Sacrament of Orders to al lavvful Priests onely No maruel then that the nevv heretical Ministers being lay men giue the people nothing but bare bread and vvine profane naked and natural elements void of Sacrament and al grace See the Annotation vpon S. Luke chap. 22 19. 24. Take and eate This pertaineth to the receiuing of those things vvhich by consecration are present and sacrificed before as vvhen the people or Priests in the old Lavv did eate the hostes offered or part thereof they vvere made partakers of the sacrifice done to God before And this is not the substance or being or making of the Sacrament or Sacrifice of Christes body and bloud but it is the vse and application to the receiuer of the things vvhich vvere made and offered to God before There is a difference betvvixt the making of a medecine or the substance and ingredience of it and the taking of it Novv the receiuing being but a consequence or one of the endes vvhy the Sacrament vvas made the meane to apply it vnto vs the Aduersaries vnlearnedly make it al and some ad therfore improperly name the vvhole Sacrament and ministration therof by calling it the Communion Vvhich name they giue also rather then any other to make the ignorant beleeue that many must communicate together as though it vvere so called for that it is common to many By which collusion they take avvay the receiuing of the Priest alone of the sicke alone of reseruing the consecrated Host and the vvhole Sacrament Against vvhich deceite knovv that this part of the MASSE is not called Communiō for that many should concurre together alwaies in the external Sacrament but for that vve do communicate or ioyne in vnitie and perfect felovvship of one body vvith al Christian men in the vvorld vvith al vve say that eate it through the vvhole Church and not vvith them onely vvhich eate vvith vs at one time And this fellovvship riseth of that that vve be euery time we receiue either alone or vvith companie partakers of that one body vvhich is receiued through out al the vvorld It is called cōmunion saith S. Damascent so in deede it is for that by it vve comunicate vvith Christ be partakers of his flesh diuinitie by it doe cōcommunicate and are vnited one vvith an other onely let vs take heeds that vve do not participat vvith heretikes And vvhen the Apostle saith that al be one bread and one body that are partakers of one Bread he meaneth not of them onely that communicate at one time and place but that al be so that communicate in vnitie through the whole Church Thē the name Communion is as ignorantly vsed of them as the name of Supper 26. You shal shevv Vpon this vvord the Heretikes fondly ground their false supposition that this Sacrament can not rightly be ministred or made vvithout a sermon of the death of Christ and that this and other Sacraments in the Church be not profitable when they be ministred in a strange language As though the grace force operation actiuitie together vvith the iustruction and representation of the things which they signifie vvere not in the very substance matter forme vse and vvorke it self of euery of the Sacraments and as though preaching vvere not one vvay to shevv Christes Passion and the Sacraments an other vvay namely this Sacrament conteining in the very kindes of the elements and the action a most liuely representation of Christes death As vvisely might they say that neither Abels sacrifice nor the Paschal lambe could signifie Christes death vvithout a Sermon 27. Guilty of the body First herevpon marke vvel that il men receiue the body and bloud of Christ be they infidels or il liuers For in this case they could not be guilty of that vvhich they receiue not Secondly that it could not be so heinous an offense for any man to receiue a peece of bread or a cuppe of vvine though they vvere a true Sacrament For it is a deadly sinne to receiue any Sacramēt with vvil intentiō to cōtinevv in sinne or vvithout repentance of former sinnes but yet by the vnvvorthy receiuing of no other Sacrament is man guilty of Christes body and bloud but here vvhere the vnvvorthy as S. Chrysostom saith doth vilany to Christes ovvne person as the Ievves or Gentiles did that crucified it Chrys ho. de non contemn Ec. c. Ho. 60 61 ad po Antioch Vvhich inuincibly proueth against the Heretikes that Christ is really present 28. Let him proue A man must examine his life diligently vvhether he be in any mortal sinne and must confesse him self of euery offense vvhich he knovveth or feareth to be deadly before he presume to come to the holy Sacrament For so the Apostles doctrine here vvith the continual custom of the Cath. Church and the Fathers example binde him to doe Cypr. de laps nu 7. Aug. Eccl. dog c. 53. 29. Not diseruing the body That is because he putteth no difference nor distinction betvvixt this high meate and others and therfore S. Augustine saith ep 118. c. 3. that it is he that the Apostle saith shal be damned that doth not by singular veneration or adoration make a difference betvvene this meate and al others And againe in Psal 98. No man eateth it before he adore it And S. Ambrose li. 3 c. 12 de Sp. San. We adore the flesh of Christ in the Mysteries S. Chrysostome ho. 24 in 1 Cor. We adore him on the altar as the Sages did in the manger S. Nazianzene in Epitaph Gorgoniae My sister called on him vvhich is vvorshipped vpon the altar Theodorete Dial. 2 Inconf The Mystical tokens be adored S. Denys this Apostles scholer made solemne inuocation of the Sacrament after Consecration
through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God ✠verse 9 not of vvorkes that no man glorie ✠verse 10 For vve are his vvorke created in Christ IESVS in good vvorkes vvhich God hath prepared that vve should vvalke in them ✠verse 11 For the vvhich cause be mindeful that sometime you vvere Gentils in the flesh vvho vvere * called prepuce of that vvhich is called circumcision in the flesh made vvith hand ✠verse 12 vvho vvere at that time vvithout Christ alienated from the conuersation of Israël and * strangers of the testaments hauing no hope of the promis and vvithout God in this vvorld ✠verse 13 But novv in Christ IESVS you that sometime vvere farre of are made nigh in the bloud of Christ ✠verse 14 For he is our peace vvho hath made both one and dissoluing the middle vvall of the partition the enmities in his flesh ✠verse 15 euacuating the lavv of cōmaundements in decrees that he may create the tvvo in him self into one new man making peace ✠verse 16 and may reconcile both in one body to God by the crosse killing the enmities in him self ✠verse 17 And comming he euangelized peace to you that vvere farre of and peace to them that vvere nigh ✠verse 18 For * by him vve haue accesse both in one Spirit to the Father ✠verse 19 Novv then you are not strangers and forreiners but you are citizens of the sainctes and the domesticals of God ✠verse 20 ″ built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets IESVS Christ him self being the highest corner stone ✠verse 21 in vvhom al building framed together grovveth into an holy temple in our Lord ✠verse 22 in vvhom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. ◠By grace you are saued through faith Our first iustification is of Gods grace and not of our deseruings because none of al our actions that vvere before our iustification could merite or iustly procure the grace of iustification Againe he saith through faith for that faith is the beginning foundation and roote of al iustification and the first of al other vertues vvithout which it is impossible to please God 20. Built vpon the foundation Note against the Heretikes that thinke it dishonorable to Christ to attribute his titles or callings to mortal men that the faithful though builded first principally and properly vpon Christ yet are said here to be built also vpon the Apostles and Prophets Vvhy may not the Church then be builded vpon Peter CHAP. III. For vvitnessing the vocation of the Gentils as being the Apostle of the Gentils he is 〈◊〉 prison 1◠Wherein the Gentils therfore haue cause to reioyce rather then to shrinke So he saith 14 and also praieth to God vvho is almightie to confirmed their invvard man though the outvvard be infirmed by persecutions verse 1 FOR this cause I Paul the prisoner of IESVS Christ for you Gentiles ✠verse 2 if yet you haue heard the dispensation of the grace of God vvhich is giuen me tovvard you ✠verse 3 because according to reuelation the sacrament vvas made knovven to me as I haue vvrittē before in breife ✠verse 4 according as you reading may vnderstand my vvisedom in the mysterie of Christ ✠verse 5 vvhich vnto other generations vvas not knovven to the sonnes of men as novv it is reuealed to his holy Apostles Prophets in the Spirit ✠verse 6 The Gentils to be coheires concorporat and comparticipant of his promis in Christ IESVS by the Gospel ✠verse 7 vvhereof I am made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God which is giuen me according to the operation of his povver ✠verse 8 To me * the least of al the sainctes is giuen this grace among the Gentils to euangelize the vnsearcheable riches of Christ ✠verse 9 and to illuminate al men vvhat is the dispensatiō of the sacrament hidden from vvorldes in God vvho created al things ✠verse 10 that the manifold vvisedom of God may be notified to the Princes and Potestats in the celestials by the Church ✠verse 11 according to the prefinitiō of worldes vvhich he made in Christ IESVS our Lord. ✠verse 12 In vvhom vve haue affiance and accesse in confidence by the faith of him ✠verse 13 For the vvhich cause I desire that you faint not in my tribulations for you vvhich is your glorie ✠verse 14 For this cause I bovve my knees to the Father of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 of vvhom al paternitie in the heauens and in earth is named ✠verse 16 that he giue you according to the riches of his glorie povver to be fortified by his Spirit in the inner man ✠verse 17 Christ to dvvel by faith in your hartes rooted and founded in charitie ✠verse 18 that you may be able to comprehend vvith al the sainctes vvhat is the bredth and length and height and depth ✠verse 19 to knovv also the charitie of Christ surpassing knovvledge that you may be filled vnto al the fulnes of God ✠verse 20 And * to him that is able to doe al things more aboundantly then vve desire or vnderstand according to the povver that vvorketh in vs ✠verse 21 to him be glorie in the CHVRCH and in Christ IESVS vnto al generations vvorld vvithout end Amen CHAP. IIII. He exhorteth them to keepe the vnitie of the Church most 〈…〉 vvith al humilities bringing them many motiues therevnto 7 and 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 the diuersitie it self of offices is not for diuision as being the gift of Christ him self 〈◊〉 to build vp the Church and to held al in the vnitie therof against the 〈…〉 of Heretikes that vnder Christ the head in the Church being the body euery member may prosper 17 Neither as touching life most vve 〈◊〉 like the Heathen but as it becommeth Christians laying of al our old corrupt maners and increasing daily in al goodnes verse 1 I Therfore prisoner in our Lord beseeche you that you vvalke vvorthy of the vocation in vvhich you are called ✠verse 2 vvith al humilitie mildenes vvith patience supporting one an other in charitie ✠verse 3 careful to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace ✠verse 4 One body and one spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation ✠verse 5 One Lord ″ one faith one baptisme ✠verse 6 * One God and Father of al vvhich is euer al and by al and in al vs. ⊢ ✠verse 7 But * to euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the donation of Christ ✠verse 8 For the vvhich he saith Ascēding on high he ledde captiuitie captiue he gaue giftes to men ✠verse 9 And that he ascended
be absent in body yet in spirit I am vvith you reioycing seeing your order the constancie of that your faith which is in Christ ✠verse 6 Therfore as you haue receiued IESVS Christ our Lord vvalke in him ✠verse 7 rooted and built in him and confirmed in the faith as also you haue learned abounding in him ' in thankesgiuing ✠verse 8 Bevvare lest any man deceiue you â— by philosophie and vaine fallacie according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the vvorld and not according to Christ ✠verse 9 For in him dvvelleth al the fulnesse of the Godhead corporally ✠verse 10 and you are in him replenished vvho is the head in al Principalitie and Povver ✠verse 11 in vvhom al you are circumcised vvith circumcision not made by hand in spoiling of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ ✠verse 12 buried vvith him in Baptisme in vvhoÌ„ also you are risen againe by the faith of the operation of God vvho raised him vp from the dead ✠verse 13 And you * vvhen you vvere dead in the offenses and the prepuce of your flesh did he quicken together vvith him pardoning you al offenses ✠verse 14 vvyping out the hand vvriting of decree ' that vvas against vs vvhich vvas contrarie to vs and the same he hath taken out of the vvay fastening it to the crosse ✠verse 15 and spoiling the Principalities and Potestats hath ledde them confidently in open shevv triumphing them in him self ✠verse 16 Let no man therfore iudge you ″ in meate or in drinke or in part of a festiual day or of the Nevv-moone or of Sabboths ✠verse 17 vvhich are a shadovv of things to come but the body Christs ✠verse 18 Let no man seduce you vvilling in the humilitie and â— religion of Angels vvalking in the things vvhich he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh ✠verse 19 and â— not holding the head vvhereof the vvhole body by ioyntes and bandes being serued compacted grovveth to the increase of God ✠verse 20 If then you be dead vvith Christ from the elements of this vvorld â— vvhy do you yet decree as liuing in the vvorld ✠verse 21 Touch not tast not 〈◊〉 not ✠verse 22 which things are al vnto destruction by the very vse according to the precepts and doctrines of men ✠verse 23 vvhich are in deede â— hauing a shevv of vvisedom in superstition and humilitie and not to spare the body not in any honour to the filling of the flesh ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 8. By Philosophie Philosophie and al humane science so long as they be subiect and obedient to Christ as they be in the Schooles of Christian Catholike men be not forbidden but are greatly commended and be very profitable in the Church of God Othervvise vvhere secular learning is made the rule of religion and commaundeth â—aith there it is pernicious and the cause of al heresiâ— and infidelitie for the vvhich S. Hierom and before him Tertullan call Philosophers the Patriarkes of Heretikes and declare that al the old heresies rose onely by to much admiring of prophane Philosophie Hierâ— ad Câ—esiph cont 〈◊〉 c. 1. Tertul. de praser cont Hermeg. cont Marcio li. 5. And so do these nevv sectes no doubt in many things for other arguments haue they none against the presence of Christ in the B. Sacrament but such as they borovv of Aristotle and his like concerning quantitie accidents place position dimensions senses sight tast and other straites of reason to vvhich they bring Christes mysteries Al Philosophical arguments therfore against any article of our faith be here condemned as deceitful and are called also here the tradition of men and the elements of the vvorld The better to resist vvhich fallacies and traditions of Heathen men the School learning is necessarie vvhich keepeth Philosophie in avve and order of faith and vseth the same to vvithstand the Philosophical and sophistical deceites of the Heretikes and Heathen So the great Philosophers S. Denys S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus Iustine Lactantius and the rest vsed the same to the great honour of God and benefite of the Church So came S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom and the Greeke fathers furnished vvith al secular learning vnto the studie of Diuinitie vvherof see S. Hierom ep 84 ad Magnum Oraetorem 16. In meate The Protestants vvilfully or ignorantly applie al these kindes of forbearing meates to the Christian fastes but it is by the circunstance of the text plaine at S Augustine also teacheth that the Iudaical obseruation and distinction of certaine cleane and vncleane meates is forbidden to the Colossians vvho vvere in danger to be seduced by certaine Ievves vnder pretence of holines to keepe the Lavv touching meates and festiuities and other like vvhich the Apostle shevveth vvere onely shadovves of things to come vvhich things are come and therfore the said shadovves to cease Vvhere he nameth the Sabboths and feastes of the nevv moone that no man neede to doubt but that he speaketh onely of the Ievvish daies and kindes of fastes and feastes and not of Christian holidaies or fasting daies at all 18. Religion of Angels By the like false application of this text as of the other before the Heretikes abuse it against the inuncation or honour of Angels vsed in the Catholike Church vvhere the Apostle noteth the vvicked doctrine of Simon Magus and others See S. Chrys ho. 7 in hunâ— locum and Epiph. har 21. vvho taught Angels to be our mediators and not Christ non tenens caput not holding the head as the Apostle here speaketh prescribed sacrifices to be offered vnto them meaning indifferently as vvel the il Angels as the good Vvhich doctrine the said Heretike had of Plato vvho taught that spirites vvhich he calleth damones vvere to be honoured as mediators next to God Against vvhich S. Augustine disputeth li. 8. 9. 10 de ciuit as the condemneth also the same vndue vvorship li. 10 Confess cap. 42. S. Hierom q. 10 ad Algasiam expoundeth this also of il spirites or diuels vvhom he proueth out of S. Steuens sermon Act. 7 that the Ievves did vvorship auouching that they serue them still so many of them and so often as they obserue the Lavv. Of vvhich idolatrie also to Angels Theodorete speaketh vpon this place declaring that the Ievves defended their superstition tovvardes Angels by that that the Lavv vvas giuen by them deceitfully at once inducing the ColossiaÌ„s both to keepe the lavv to honouring of the Angels as the giuers of the same Vvhereby diuers of the faithful vvere so seduced that they forsooke Christ and his Church and seruice and committed idolatrie to the said Angels Against vvhich abominations the Councel of Laodicia Cap. 35 tooke order accursing all that forsooke our Sauiour and committed idolatrie to Angels and contemning
✠verse 5 So Christ also ″ did not glorifie him self that he might be made a high priest but he that spake to him My Sonne art thou I this day haue begotteÌ„ thee ✠verse 6 As also in an other place he saith Thou art ″ a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ⊢ ✠verse 7 Vvho in the daies of his flesh ″ vvith a strong crie and teares offering praiers and supplications to him that could faâ—e him from death vvas heard ″ for his reuerence ⊢ ✠verse 8 And truely vvhereas he was the Sonne he learned by those things vvhich he suffered obedience ✠verse 9 and being consummate ″ vvas made to al that obey him cause of eternal saluation ✠verse 10 called of God a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec ✠verse 11 Of vvhome vve haue great speache and ″ inexplicable to vtter because you are become vveake to heare ✠verse 12 For vvhereas you ought to be maisters for your time you neede to be taught againe your selues vvhat be the elements of the beginning of the vvordes of God and you are become such as haue neede of milke not of strong meate ✠verse 13 For euery one that is partaker of milke is vnskilful of the vvord of iustice for he is a childe ✠verse 14 But strong meate is for the perfect them that by custome haue their senses exercised to the discerning of good euil ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 1. Euery high Priest By the description of a Priest or high Priest for to this purpose al is one matter he proueth Christ to be one in most excellent sort First then a Priest must not be an Angel or of any other nature but mans Secondly euery man is not a Priest but such an one as is specially chosen out of the rest and preferred before other of the community seuered assumpted and exalted into a higher state and dignitie then the vulgar Thirdly the cause and purpose vvhy he is so sequestred and piked out from the residue is to take charge of Diuine things to deale as a mediator betvvixt God and the people to be the Deputie of men in such things as they haue to craue or to receiue of God and to present or giue to him againe Fourthly the most proper and principal part of a Priests office is to offer oblations giftes and sacrifices to God for the sinnes of the people vvithout vvhich kind of most soueraine dueties no person people or Commonvvealth can appertaine to God and vvhich can be done by none of vvhat other dignitie or calling soeuer he be in the vvorld that is not a Priest diuers Princes as vve read in the Scriptures punished by God and king Saul deposed from his kingdom specially for attempting the same And generally vve may learne here that in ijs qua sunt ad Deum in an matters touching God his seruice and religion the Priest hath onely charge and authority as the Prince temporal is the peoples gouernour guider and so retaine in the things touching their vvorldly affaires Vvhich must for al that by him be directed and manneged no othervvise but as is agreable to the due vvorship and seruice of God against vvhich if the terrene Povvers commit any thing the Priests ought to admonish them from God Vve learne also hereby that euery one is not a Priest and that the people must alvvaies haue certaine persons chosen out from among them to deale in their sutes and causes vvith God to pray to minister Sacraments and to sacrifice for them And vvhereas the Protestants vvil haue no Priest Priesthod nor sacrifice but Christ and his death pretending these vvordes of the Apostle to be verified onely in the Priesthod and Seruice of the old lavv and Christes person alone and after him of no moe therein they shevv them selues to be ignorant of the Scriptures and of the state of the nevv Testament and induce a plaine Atheisme and Godlesnesse into the vvorld for so long as man hath to doe vvith God there must needes be some deputed and chosen out from among the rest to deale according to this declaration of the Apostle in things pertaining to God and those must be Priests for els if men neede to deale no more but immediatly vvith Christ vvhat doe they vvith their Ministers Vvhy let they not euery man pray and minister for him self and to him self Vvhat doe they vvith Sacraments seing Christes death is as vvel sufficient vvithout them as vvithout sacrifice Vvhy standeth not his death as vvel vvith Sacrifice as vvith Sacraments as vvel vvith Priesthod as vvith other Ecclesiastical functioÌ„ There is no other cause in the vvorld but that Sacrifice being the most principal act of religion that man ovveth to God both by his Lavv and by the lavv of nature the Diuel by these his ministers vnder pretence of deferring or artributing the more to Christes death vvould abolish it This definition of a Priest and his function vvith al the properties thereto belonging holdeth not onely in the lavv of Moyses and order of Aarons Priesthod but it vvas true before in the lavv of nature in the Patriarches in Melchisedec and novv in Christ and all his Apostles and Priests of the nevv Testament sauing that it is a peculiar excellencie in Christ that he onely offered for other mens sinnes and not at all for his ovvne as all other doe 4. Taketh to him self A special prouiso for all Priests preachers and such as haue to deale for the people in things pertaining to God that they take not that honour or office at their ovvne hands but by lavvful calling and consecration euen as Aaron did By vvhich clause if you examine Luther Caluin Beza and the like or if al such as novv a daies intrude them selues into sacred functions looke into their consciences great and foul matter of damnation vvil appeare 5. Did not glorifie him self The dignity of Priesthod must needes be passing high and soueraine vvhen it vvas a promotion and pereferment in the sonne of God him self according to his manhod and vvhen he vvould not vsurpe nor take vpon him the same vvithout his fathers expresse commission and calling therevnto An eternal example of humility and an argument of condemnation to al mortal men that arrogate vniustly any function or povver spiritual that is not giuen them from aboue and by lavvful calling and commission of their superiors 6. A Priest for euer In the 109 Psalme from vvhence this testimonie is taken both Christes kingdom and Priesthod are set fourth but the Apostle vrgeth specially his Priesthod as the more excellent and preeminent state in him our Redemption being vrought atchieued by sacrifice vvhich vvas an act of his Priesthod and not of his kingly povver though he vvas properly a king also as Melchisedec vvas both Priest and king being a resemblance of Christ in both but much more in his
during al eternitie 31. That is in Babylon The Protestants shevv them selues here as in al places vvhere any controuersie is or that maketh against them to be most vnhonest and partial handlers of Gods vvord The auÌ„cient fathers namely S. Hierom in Catalogo de scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis verbo Marcus Eusebius li. 2 c. 14 hist Oecumenius vpon this place and many moe agree that Rome is meant by the vvord Babylon here also as in the 16 and 17 of the Apocalypse saying plainely that S. Peter vvrote this Epistle at Rome vvhich is called Babylon for the resemblance it had to Babylon that great citie in Chaldaea vvhere the Ievves vvere captiues for magnificence Monarchie resort and confusion of al peoples and tongues and for that it vvas before Christ and long after the seate of al Ethnike superstition idolatrie the slaughter house of the Apostles other Christian men the Heathen Emperours theÌ„ keeping their cheefe resideÌ„ce there See S. Leo Ser. 1. in Nati Petri Pauli This being most plaine and coÌ„sonant to that vvhich folovveth of S. Marke vvhom al the Ecclesiastical histories agree to haue been Peters scholer at Rome and that he there vvrote his Gospel yet our Aduersaries fearing hereby the sequele of Peters or the Popes supremacie at Rome deny that euer he vvas there or that this Epistle vvas vvritten there or that Babylon doth here signifie Rome but they say that Peter vvrote this Epistle at Babylon in haldaea though they neuer reade either in Scriptures or other holy or profane historie that this Apostle vvas euer in that tovvne but see their shameles partiality here Babylon say they is not taken for Rome because it vvould folovv that Peter vvas at Rome c. but in the Apocalypse vvhere al euil is spoken of Babylon there they vvill haue it signifie nothing els but Rome and the Romane Church also not as the fathers interprete it the temporal state of the Heathen Empire there So do they folovv in euery vvord no other thing but the aduantage of their ovvne heresie See the Annotation vpon the last of the Romans v. 16. and vpon the 17 of the Apocalypse v. 5. And as for their vvrangling vpon the supputation of the time of his going thither and the number of yeres that he vvas there the diuersitie that seemeth to be in the Ecclesiastical vvriters concerning the same read B. Fisher and other that substantially ansvver al such cauils And if such contentious reasoning might take place vve should hardly beleeue the principal things recorded either in Ecclesiastical histories or in the Scriptures them selues Concerning the time of Christs fleing into Aegypt of the comming of the Sages to adore him yea of the yeres of his age time of his death al auÌ„cient vvriters do not agree and concerning the day of his last supper and institution of the holy Sacrament there is diuersitie of opinions Shal vve therfore inferre that he neuer died and that the other things neuer vvere Can the Heretikes accord al the histories that seeme euen in holy Scripture to haue contradiction Can they tel vs certainely vvhen Dauid first came to Saul and the like doubt they vvhether the vvorld vvas euer created because the count of the yeres is diuers Do they not beleeue that Paradise euer vvas because no man knovveth vvhere it is and such other like things infinite to rehearse Vvhich vvhen they vvere done vvere plaine and knovven things in the vvorld and novv for vs to call them to an account after so many yeres ages and vvorldes is but sophistication and plaine infidelitie And this sect of the Protestants standing onely vpon destruction and negatiues dealing vvith our religion euen as Iulian Porphyrie and Lucian did it is an easie thing for them to bestovv their time in picking of quarels THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER THE APOSTLE CHAP. I. Hovv much God hath done for them making them Christians 5 and that they againe must doe their part not hauing onely faith but al other vertues also and good vvorkes that so they may haue the mâ—re assurance to enter into the kingdom of heauen 13 And that he is so careful to admonish them knovving that his death is as hand knovving also most certainely the â—â—â—ming of Christ by the vvitnes of the Father him self as also by the Prophets Concerning vvhom he vvarneth them that they folovv not priuate spirites but the holy Ghost speaking nevv in the Church verse 1 SIMON PETER seruant and Apostle of IESVS Christ to them that haue obtained equal faith vvith vs in the iustice of our God and Sauiour IESVS Christ ✠verse 2 Grace to you and peace be accomplished in the knovvledge of God and Christ IESVS our Lord ✠verse 3 as al things of his diuine povver vvhich pertaine to life and godlines are giuen vs by the knovvledge of him vvhich hath called vs by his ovvne propre glorie and vertue by vvhom he hath giuen vs most great and pretious promises that by these you may be made partakers of the diuine nature fleeing the corruption of that concupiscence vvhich is in the vvorld ✠verse 5 And you employing al care minister ye in your faith vertue and in vertue knovvledge ✠verse 6 and in knovvledge abstinence and in abstinence patience and in patience pietie ✠verse 7 and in pietie loue of the fraternitie and in the loue of the fraternitie charitie ✠verse 8 For if these things be present vvith you abound they shal make you not vacant nor vvithout fruite in the knovvledge of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 9 For he that hath not these things ready is blinde and groping vvith his haÌ„d hauing forgotten the purging of his old sinnes ✠verse 10 Vvherfore brethren labour the more that â— by good vvorkes you may make sure your vocation and election for doing these things you shal not sinne at any time ✠verse 11 For so there shal be ministred to you aboundantly an entrance into the euerlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause I wil begin to admonish you alvvaies of these things and you in deede knovving being confirmed in the present truth ✠verse 13 But I thinke it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by admonition ✠verse 14 being certaine that the laying avvay of my tabernacle is at hand according as our Lord IESVS Christ also signified to me ✠verse 15 And I vvil doe my diligence you to haue often â— after my decease also that you may keepe a memorie of these things ✠verse 16 For not hauing folovved vnlearned fables haue vve made the povver and â—presence ' of our Lord IESVS Christ knovven to you but made beholders of his greatenesse ✠verse 17 For * he receiuing from God his father honour and glorie this maner of voice comming dovvne to him from the magnifical glorie This is
my beloued sonne in vvhom I haue pleased my self heare him ✠verse 18 And this voice vve heard brought from heauen vvhen vve vvere vvith him in the holy mounte ✠verse 19 And we haue the prophetical vvord more sure vvhich you doe vvel attending vnto as to a candel shining in a darke place vntil the day davvne and the day starre arise in your hartes ⊢ ✠verse 20 vnderstanding this first that no prophecie of scripture is made by ◠priuate interpretation ✠verse 21 For * not by mans vvil vvas prophecie brought at any time but the holy men of God spake inspired vvith the holy Ghost ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 10. By good vvorkes Here vve see that Gods eternal predestination and election consisteth vvith good vvorkes yea that the certainty and effect thereof is procured by mans free vvill and good vvorkes and that our vvel doing is a meane for vs to attaine to the effect of Gods predestination that is to life euerlasting and therfore it is a desperate folly and a great signe of reprobate persons to say If I be predestinate doe vvhat I vvil I shal be saued Nay the Apostle saith If thou hope to be one of the predestinate for knovv it thou canst not do vvel that thou maist be the more assured to attaine to that thou hopest or make it sure by good vvorkes The Protestāts in such cases not much liking these vvordes by good vvorkes though the latin haue it vniuersally and some Greeke copies also as Beza confesseth leaue them out in their translations by their vvonted pollicie 15. After my decease also These vvordes though they may be easily altered by cōstruction into diuers senses not vntrue yet the correspondēce of the partes of the sentēce going before and folovving giue most plaine this meaning that as during his life he vvould not omit to put them in memorie of the things he taught them so after his death vvhich he knew should be shortly he vvould not faile to endeuour that they might be mindeful of the same Signifying that his care ouer them should not cease by death that by his intercession before God after his departure he vvould doe the same thing for them that he did before in his life by teaching and preaching This is the sense that the * Greeke Scholies speake of and this is most proper to the text and consonant to the old vse of this Apostle and other Apostolike Saincts and fathers of the primitiue Church S. Clement in his Epistle to S. Iames our Lordes brother vvitnesseth that S. Peter encouraging him to take after his decease the charge of the Apostolike Romane See promised that after his departure he vvould not cease to pray for him his flocke thereby to ease him of his Pastoral burden To. 1 Concil ep 1. S. Clem. in initio And S. Leo the Great one of his successors in the said See often attributeth the good administration and gouernement thereof to S. Peters praiers and assistance namely in these goodly vvorkes Ser 3 in anniuers 〈◊〉 assumpt ad Pontif. We are much bound saith he to giue thankes to our Lord and Redeemer Iesus Christ that hath giuen so great povver to him vvhom he made the Prince of the vvhole Church that if in our time also any thing be done vvel be rightly ordered by vs it is to be imputed to his vvorkes and his geuernement to vvhom it vvas said And thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren and to vvhom our Lord after his resurrection said thrise leede my sheepe Which novv also vvithout doubt the godly Pastor doth execute confirming vs vvith his exhortations and not ceasing to pray for vs that vve be euercome vvith no tentation c. Yea it vvas a common thing in the primitiue Church among the auncient Christians and alvvaies since among the faithful to make couenant in their life time that vvhether of them vvent to heauen before the other he should pray for his frende and fellovv yet aliue See the Ecclesiastical historie of the holy virgin and Martyr Potamiaena promising at the houre of her Martyrdom that after her death she vvould procure mercie of God to Basilides one of the souldiars that ledde her to execution and so she did Euseb li. 6. c. 4. Also S. Cyprian ep 57 in fine Let vs saith he pray mutually one for an other and vvhether of vs tvvo shal by Gods elemencie be first called for let his loue continue and his praier not cease for his brethren and sisters in the vvorld So said this holy Martyr at that time vvhen Christiās vvere so far from Caluinisme vvhich abhorreth the praiers of Saincts praying to them that to be sure they bargained before hād to haue the martyrs other Saincts to pray for them The same S. Cyprian also in his booke De disciplina habitu virginum in fine after a godly exhortation made to the holy Virgins or Nonnes in his time speaketh thus vnto them Tantum tunc mementote nostri cùm incipiet in vobis virginitas honorari that is Onely then haue vs in remembrance vvhen your virginitie shal begin to be honoured that is after their departure Vvhere he insinuateth the vse of the Catholike Church in keeping the festiual daies and other dueties tovvard the holy Virgins in heauen S. Hierom also in the same manner speaketh to Heliodorus saying that vvhen he is once in heauen then he vvil pray for him that exhorted and incited him to the blessed state of the Monastical life Ep. 1. c. 2. And so doth he speake to the vertuous matrone Paula after her death desiring her to pray for him in his old age affirming that she shal the more easily obtaine the neeres she is novv ioyned to Christ in heauen in Epitaph Paule in fine It vvere to long to report hovv S. Augustine desireth to be holpen by S. Cyprians praiers then and long before a Sainct in heauen to the vnderstanding of the truth concerning the peace and regiment of the Church li. 5 de Bapt. cont Donatistas c. 17. And in an other place the same holy Doctor alleageth the said S. Cyprian saying that great numbers of our parents brethren children frendes and other expect vs in great solicitude and carefulnes of our saluation being sure of their ovvne li. 1 de praedest Sanctorum c. 14. S. Gregorie Nazianzene in his orations of the praise of S. Cyprian in fine and of S. Basil also in fine declareth hovv they pray for the people vvhich tvvo Saincts he there inuocateth as al the auncient fathers did both generally al Saincts and as occasion serued particularly their special Patrones Among the rest see hovv holy Ephrem in orat de laud. S. Deipara praied to our B. Ladie vvith the same termes of Aduocatt Hope Reconciliatrix that the faithful yet vse and the Protestants can not abide S. Basil ho. de 40 Martyribus in fine S. Athanasius Ser. in Euang. de
number of places specially of the English Bible printed the yere 1562 that vve neede not much to stand vpon it As this also is seen to al the vvorld that they doe it of purpose to seduce the poore ignorant people and to make them thinke that vvhatsoeuer in the Scriptures is spoken against the idols of the Gentiles vvhich the Prophet calleth Simulachra Gentium is meant of pictures sacred images holy memories of Christ and his Saincts Against such seducers the second sacred Councel of Nice called the seuenth Synode decreeth thus Act. 4. pag. 122. Quicunque sententias sacrae scriptura de Idolis contra venerendas imagines adduâ—unt anathema Qui venerandas imagines idola appellant anaÌ„thema Qui dicuntâ— Christiani adorant imagines vt Deos anathema that is AnaÌ„thema to al them that bring the sentences of holy Scripture touching Idols against the venerable images Anáthema to them that call the venerable images idols Anáthema to them that say Christiam adore images as gods Novv in their later translations the Heretikes perceiuing that the vvorld seeth their vnhonest dealing corrected them selues in some places and in this place haue put idols in the text but to giue the people a vvatchvvord that the Churches images are to be comprised in the vvord idols they haue put images in the margent But concerning this matter it is most euident that neither euery idol is an image nor euery image an idol and that hovvsoeuer the origine or etymologie of the vvord idol may be taken in the Greeke yet both the vvordes and the things be in truth and by the vse of al tonges far differing The great dragon that the Babylonians adored Dan. 14 vvas an idol but not an image the Cherubins in Salomons temple vvere images but not idols and the face of the Queene in her coine or elsvvhere as Caesars face vpon the coine that Christ called for is an image but not an idol and the Heretikes dare not translate that text of Scripture thus Vvhose idol is this superscription nor call the Queenes image the idol of the Queene nor Christ the idol of his father nor vvoman the idol of the man nor man the idol of God al vvhich in Scripture be named images for al that and be so in deede and not idols vvhich conuinceth that the Heretikes be false corrupt translatours in this place and other the like confounding these tvvo vvordes as if they vvere al one But as for the hauing of images or purtraites of holy things not onely in priuate houses but also in Churches God him self doth vvarrant vs vvho * coÌ„maunded euen the Ievves them selues a people most prone to idolatrie and that after he had giuen them a special precept of not hauing making or vvorshipping of idols to make the images of Angels the Cherubins and that in the soueraine holiest place of adoration that vvas in the Temple about the Arke yea and in respect of vvhich sacred images partly they did as S. Hierom saith ep 17 c. 3 so great reuerence to the holy place called Sancta sanctorum If they then vvere vvarranted and commaunded to make and haue in so great reuereÌ„ce the images of mere spirites or Angels vvhose natural shape could not be expressed hovv much more may vve Christians haue and reuerence the images of Christ his B. mother the Apostles and other Saincts being men vvhose shape may be expressed So doth the said Nicene Councel argue against the Heretikes vvhich at that time vvere the Aduersaries of images And note here that eight hundred yeres agoe they vvere straight counted Heretikes that began to speake against images and that Councel vvas called purposely for them and condemned them for Heretikes confirmed the former auncient reuerence and vse of sacred images vvhich began euen in our Sauiours time or litle after vvhen good religious folke for loue and reuerence made his image namely the vvoman that he healed of the blouddy fluxe vvhich image vvas also approued by miracles as the Ecclesiastical historie telleth and namely Eusebius Eccl. hist li. 7 c. 14. vvho also vvitnesseth that the images of Peter and Paul vvere in his daies as you may see also in S. Augustine li. d. consens Euangelist c. 10 that their pictures commonly stoode together in Rome euen as at this day Of our Ladies image see S. Gregorie li. 7. ep 5. indict 2 ad Ianuar. ep 53. In vvhom also li. 7. ep 109 you may see the true vse of images that they are the bookes of the vnlearned and that the people ought to be instructed and taught the right vse of them euen as at this day good Catholike folke doe vse them to helpe increase their deuotion in al Catholike Churches yea the Lutherans them selues reteine them still S. Damascene vvrote three bookes in defense of sacred images against the foresaid Heretikes THE SECOND EPISTLE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE He commendeth the lady and her sonnes for continuing in the old saith bidding them so to doe hereafter also lest they lose the revvard of their vvorkes in the day of iudgement and to Ioue the true beleeuers but vvith Heretikes to haue no societie exprâ—ssing also the points then in controuersie verse 1 THE Senior to the lady Elect and her children vvhom I loue in truth and not I onely but also al that haue knowen the truth ✠verse 2 for the truth vvhich abideth in vs and shal be vvith vs for euer ✠verse 3 Grace be vvith you mercie peace from God the Father and from Christ IESVS the sonne of the Father in truth and charitie ✠verse 4 I vvas exceding glad because I haue found of thy children vvalking in truth as vve haue receiued commaundement of the Father ✠verse 5 And novv I beseeche thee Lady not as vvriting a nevv commaundement to thee but that vvhich vve haue had ″ from the beginning * that vve loue one an other ✠verse 6 And this is charitie that vve vvalke according to his commaundements For this is the commaundement that as you haue heard from the beginning you walke in the same ✠verse 7 because many seducers are gone out into the vvorld which do not confesse IESVS Christ to haue come into flesh this is a seducer and an antichrist ✠verse 8 Looke to your selues that you lose not the thinges vvhich you haue vvrought but that you may receiue a ful revvard ✠verse 9 Euery one that reuolteth and persisteth not in in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that persiteth in the doctrine the same hath both the Father and the Sonne ✠verse 10 If * any man come to you and bring not ″ this doctrine ″ receiue him not into the house ″ nor say God saue you vnto him ✠verse 11 For he that saith vnto him God saue you communicateth vvith his vvicked vvorkes ✠verse 12 Hauing moe thinges to vvrite vnto you I
temporal commodities sake either coiâ—ath or folovveth nevv opinions S. August li. de Vtil â—red cap. 1. And lastly by the resemblance they haue vvith the auncient and notorious Schismatike Corè and his companions vvho forsooke the ordinarie Priesthod appointed by God and would needes doe sacrifice them selues without lavvful calling Such in deede be al Heretikes and such be al their sacraments seruice and offices in their Church as Cores vvere in his schismatical tabernacles And as pride vvas the cause of his reuolting from the obedience of Moyses and Aaron his Priests and true Gouernours so is intolerable pride the cause of al Heretikes forsaking their lavvful Pastors and Rulers and namely of forsaking Christes owne Vicar in earth our true Aaron as S. Bernard calleth him De consid li. 2. cap. 8. To al such forsakers the Apostle here giueth the curse and Va due to the said three Cain Balaam and Corè and telleth them that the storme of darkenes and eternal damnation is prouided for them most liuely describing al Heretikes as in some vve to our woe haue experience by their maners in our daies in al this passage euen to the end of the epistle 19. These are they vvhich segregate them selues The conditions in the later daies that is euer since Christs time not of these onely of our age For there were many that forsooke Gods Church and segregated them selues from the fellowship of the faithful euen in the primitiue Church that vve may the lesse maruel at these mens segregating them selues and going out from the rest into seueral sectes which S. Augustine therfore calleth Segregations THE ARGVMENT OF THE APOCALYPSE OF S. IOHN THAT vvhich the old Testament foretold of Christ him self the Apostles could report the fulfilling thereof in the nevv Testament by vvay of an historie euen from his Conception to his Glorification But of his Church they could not doe the like because in their time it did but beginne being to continue long after them euen to the end of the vvorld and then at length to be glorified as Christ her Spouse alreadie is Herevpon God vvould haue S. Luke to report in the Actes of the Apostles the storie of the Churches beginning and for the rest of it to the end that vve might receiue this benefite also by the Apostles handes he vvould S. Iohn to tell vs of it in this booke by vvay of a prophecie Of vvhich booke S. Hierome saith The Apocalypse of S. Iohn hath as many sacrament or mysteries as vvordes Yea more then that In euery vvord there are hid manifold and sundrie senses Therfore it is very litle that can here be noted in respect Yet to giue the good Catholike vvhose comfort is here some litle helpe the booke may be deuided into fiue partes The first after the Proâ—â—me conteineth seuen Epistles from Christ novv in glorie to seuen Churches of Asia or for these he maketh al one to the seuen Bishops of those Churches meaning no to those only but to al his Churches Bishops throughout the vvorld saying therefore in euery one of them to al in general He that hath an eare let him heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the Churches As also in euery one he exhorteth vs to fight manfully in this spiritual vvarfare of ours against sinne for the victorie and in euery one accordingly promiseth vs a revvard in heauen But before this in the beginning of euery one be partly commendeth partly reprehendeth and exhorteth to penance Vvhere this is much to be noted and feared that among so many he reproueth somevvhat in al saue only in tvvo vvhich are the second the sixt In the beginning also of euery one he taketh some peece out of the apparition going before to frame thereof his slyle agreably to the matter of eche Epistle After this admonition to Pastors and their flockes the second part folovveth vvherein the Church and vvhole course thereof from the beginning to the end is expressed in the opening of a booke in Gods hand and the seuen seales thereof by Christ for the vvhich he seeth praise sung novv in heauen and earth not only to the Godhead as before but also after a nevv manner to Christ according to his Manhod And here vvhen he is come to the opening of the last seale signifying Domesday he letteth that matter alone for a vvhile and to speake more fully yet of the said course of the Church he bringeth in an other pagent as it vvere of seuen Angels vvith seuen Trumpets The effect of both the Seales Trumpets in this That the Church beginning and proceding there should be raised against it cruel persecutions and pestilent heresies and at length after al heresies a certaine most blasphemous Apostasie being the next preparatiue to the comming of Antichrist After al vvhich Antichrist him self in person shal appeare in the time of the sixt seale and sixt trumpet persecuting and seducing for the short time of his reigne more then al before him The Church notvvithstanding shal still continue and vvade through al because Christ her Spouse is stronger then al these aduersaries vvho also straight after the said sixt time shal in the seuenth come in maiestie and iudge al. Of the vvhich iudgement differring yet a vvhile to speake at large he doth first in the third part intreate more fully of the Deuils vvorking by Antichrist and his companie against the Church that the iustice of Christ aftervvard in iudging may be more manifest At length therefore in the fourth part he commeth to the seuen last plagues the seuenth of them conteining the final damnation of the vvhole multitude societie or corps of the vvicked from the beginning of the vvorld to the end Vvhich multitude in the Gospel and first Epistle of this same S. Iohn as also in the other Scriptures commonly is often called Mundus the vvorld and here he calleth it partly Meretricem a vvhore or harlot because vvith her concupiscence she entiseth the carnal and earthly men avvay from God partly Ciuitatem Babylon the Citie of Babylon because it maketh vvarre against Hierusalem the Citie of God and laboureth to hold Gods people captiue in sinne as it vvas shadovved in Nabuchodonosor his Babylonias leading and holding the Ievves vvith their Hierusalem in captiuitie vntil Cyrus in figure of Christ deliuered them But vvhether al these seuen plagues should be vnderstood as the seuenth of Domesday it self it is hard to define More like it is that the first sixe are to goe before Domesday but vvhether corporally and literally so as Moyses plagued Egypt or rather spiritually it is more hard to define Yet it seemeth more easie to vnderstand them corporally as also the plagues vvherevvith Elias and his fellovv shal in the time of Antichrist plague the vvicked vvhich peraduenture shal be the same last plagues vvhere of vve reade in this booke c. 11. v. 6. But not content to haue described
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
the Church militant may ioyne vvith the triumphant and vvith al the orders of Angels vvho also are present at the consecration and doe seruice there to our common Lord and Maister as S. Chrysostom vvriteth li. 6 de Sacerdotie and hâ— 1. de verb. Esa to 1. The Greekes call it the hymne Trisagies that is Thrise holy CHAP. V. 4. S. Iohn vveeping because no man could open the booke sealed vvith seuen seales â— the Lambe that vvas slaine opened it vvhich being done 8 the foure beastes and foure and tvventie seniors vvith an innumerable multitude of Angels al creatures did glorifie him excedingly verse 1 AND I savv in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne a booke vvritten vvithin and vvithout sealed vvith seuen seales ✠verse 2 And I savv a strong Angel preaching vvith a loude voice Vvho is vvorthie to opeÌ„ the booke to loose the seales thereof ✠verse 3 And no man vvas able neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke nor looke on it ✠verse 4 And I vvept much because no man vvas found vvorthie to open the booke nor to see it ✠verse 5 And one of the seniors said to me Vveepe not behold the * lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath vvonne to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof ✠verse 6 And I savv and behold in the middes of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the seniors a Lambe standing as it were slaine hauing seuen hornes seuen eies vvhich are the seuen spirites of God sent into al the earth ✠verse 7 And he came and receiued the booke out of the right hand of him that sate in the throne ✠verse 8 And vvhen he had opened the booke the foure beastes and the foure and tvventie seniors fel before the Lambe hauing euery one harpes and golden vials ful of odours which are ″ the praiers of sainctes ✠verse 9 and they sang a nevv canticle saying Thou art vvorthie o Lord to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou vvast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud out of euery tribe and tonge and people and nation ✠verse 10 and * hast made vs to our God ″ a kingdom ' and priestes and vve shal reigne vpon the earth ✠verse 11 And I looked and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and of the beastes of the seniors and the number of them vvas * thousandes of thousandes ✠verse 12 saying vvith a loud voice The Lambe that vvas slaine is vvorthie to receiue povver and diuinitie ' and vvisedom strength and honour and glorie and benediction ⊢ ✠verse 13 And ″ euery creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein al did I heare saying * To him that sitteth in the throne to the Lambe benediction and honour and glorie and povver for euer and euer ✠verse 14 And the foure beastes said Amen And the foure and tvventie seniors fel on their faces and adored him that liueth for euer and euer ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 8. The praiers of Saincts Hereby it is plaine that the Saincts in heauen offer vp the praiers of faithful and holy persons in earth called here saincts and in Scripture often vnto Christ And among so many diuine vnsearcheable mysteries set dovvne vvithout exposition it pleased God yet that the Apostle him self should open this one point vnto vs that these odours be the laudes and praiers of the faithful ascending and offered vp to God as incense by the Saincts in heauen that so the Protestants may haue no excuse of their errour That the Saincts haue no knovvledge of our affaires or desires 10. A kingdom and priests To serue God and subdue vices and sinnes is to reigne or to be a king spiritually likevvise to offer vnto him the sacrifices of good vvorkes is to be a priest after a sort though neither the one nor the other in proper speache See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v. 6. 13. Euery creature He meaneth the creatures in heauen as Angels and Saincts the holy persons in earth and those that vvere in Limbo or be in Purgatorie for of the damned in hel he can not speake in this case lastly of the peoples in Ilands here called the sea vvhich the Prophets vse often to name seuerally vvhen they foretel the spreading of Christs glorie through the vvorld as Esa c. 49. Heare ye â—â—andes and you people a far of c. CHAP. VI. 1 Foure seales of the seuen being opened there folovv diuerse effectes against the earth 9 vvhen the fifth seale vvas opened the soules of martyrs desire that the iudgement may be hastened 12 and at the opening of the sixt there are signes shovved of the iudgement to come verse 1 AND I savv that the Lambe had opened one of the seuen seales and I heard one of the foure beastes saying as it vvere the voice of thunder Come and see ✠verse 2 And I savv And behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him had a bovv and there vvas a crovvne giuen him and he vvent forth conquering that he might conquer ✠verse 3 And vvhen he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast saying Come see ✠verse 4 And there vvent forth an other horse redde and he that sate thereon to him it vvas giuen that he should take peace from the earth and that they should kil one an other and a great svvord vvas giuen to him ✠verse 5 And vvhen he had opened the third seale I heard the third beast saying Come and see And behold a blacke horse and he that sate vpon him had a balance in his hand ✠verse 6 And I heard as it vvere a voice in the middes of the foure beastes saying Tvvo poundes of vvheate for a penie and thrise tvvo poundes of barley for a penie and vvine and oile hurt thou not ✠verse 7 And vvhen he had opened the fourth seale I heard a voice of the fourth beast saying Come see ✠verse 8 And behold a pale horse and he that sate vpon him his name vvas death and hel folovved him and povver vvas giuen to him ouer the foure partes of the earth to kil vvith svvord vvith famine and vvith death and vvith beastes of the earth ✠verse 9 And vvhen he had opened the fifth seale I savv ″ vnder the altar the soules of them that vvere slaine for the vvord of God and for the testimonie vvhich they had ✠verse 10 ″ and they cried vvith a loude voice saying Hovv long Lord holy true iudgest thou not and ″ reuengest thou not our bloud of them that dvvel on the earth ✠verse 11 And vvhite stoles vvere giuen to
Al vvhich being vvel considered the Heretikes are to contentious and incredulous to discredite the same as they commonly doe CHAP. XII 4 The great dragen the Diuel vvatching the vvoman that brought forth a man childe to deuoure it God tooke avvay the childe to him self and fed the vvoman in the desert 7 Michael fighting vvith the dragon ouercoÌ„meth him 13 vvho being throvven dovvne to the earth persenâ—teth the vvomaÌ„ her seede verse 1 AND a great signe appeared in heauen a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne and the moone vnder her feete on her head a crovvne of tvvelue starres ✠verse 2 being with childe she cried also traueling and is in anguish to be deliuered ✠verse 3 And there vvas seen an other signe in heauen and behold a great red dragon hauing seueÌ„ heades ten hornes and on his heades seuen diademes ✠verse 4 his taile drevv the third part of the starres of heauen and cast them to the earth and the dragon stoode before the vvoman vvhich vvas ready to be deliuered that vvhen she should be deliuered he might deuoure her sonne ✠verse 5 And she brought forth a man childe vvho vvas * to gouerne al nations in an yron rodde her sonne vvas taken vp to God and to his throne ✠verse 6 ″ the vvoman fled into the vvildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that there they might feede her a thousand tvvo hundred sixtie daies ✠verse 7 And there vvas made ″ a great battel in heauen Michael and his Angels fought vvith the dragon and the dragon fought and his Angels ✠verse 8 and they preuailed not neither vvas their place found any more in heauen ✠verse 9 And that great dragon vvas cast forth the old serpent vvhich is called the Deuil and Satan vvhich seduceth the vvhole vvorld and he vvas cast into the earth his Angels vvere throvven downe vvith him ✠verse 10 And I heard a great voice in heauen saying Novv is there made saluation and force and the kingdom of our God and the povver of his Christ because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth vvho accused them before the sight of our God day and night ✠verse 11 And they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the vvord of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto death ✠verse 12 Therfore reioyce ô heauens and you that dvvel therein Vvo to the earth and to the sea because the Diuel is desceÌ„ded to you hauing great vvrath knovving that he hath a litle time ✠verse 13 And after the dragon savv that he vvas throvven into the earth he persecuted the vvomaÌ„ vvhich brought forth the man-childe ✠verse 14 and there vvere giuen to the vvoman tvvo vvinges of a great egle that shee might flie into the desert vnto her place vvhere she is nourished for a time times halfe a time from the face of the serpent ✠verse 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the vvoman vvater as it vvere a floud that he might make her ″ to be caried avvay vvith the floud ✠verse 16 And the earth holpe the vvoman and the earth opened her mouth and svvallovved vp the floud vvhich the dragon cast out of his mouth ✠verse 17 And the dragon vvas angrie against the vvoman and vvent to make battel vvith the rest of her seede vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of IESVS Christ ✠verse 18 And he stood vpon the sand of the sea ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 6. The vvoman fled This great persecution that the Church shal flee from is in the time of Antichrist and shal endure but three yeres and a halfe as is noted v. 14 in the margent In vvhich time for al that she shal not vvant our Lordes protection nor true Pastors nor be so secrete but al faithful men shal knovv and folovv her much lesse shal she decay erre in faith or degenerate and folovv Antichrist as Heretikes do vvickedly feine As the Church Catholike novv in England in this time of persecution because it hath no publike state of regiment nor open free exercise of holy functions may be said to be fled into the desert yet it is neither vnknovven to the faithful that folovv it nor the enemies that persecute it as the hidde company that the protestants talke of vvas for some vvorldes together neither knovven to their frendes nor foes because there vvas in deede none such for many ages together And this is true if vve take this flight for a very corporal retiring into vvildernes Vvhere in deede it may be and is of most expounded to be a spiritual flight by forsaking the ioyes and solaces of the vvorld and giuing her self to contemplation and penance during the time of persecution vnder Antichrist And by enlarging the sense it may also very vvel signifie the desolation and affliction that the Church suffereth and hath suffered from time to time in this vvildernes of the vvorld by al the forerunners and ministers of Antichrist Tyrants and Heretikes 7. A great battel In the Church there is a perpetual combat betvvixt S. Michael protector of the Church militant as he vvas sometime of the Ievves Synagogue Dan. 10 21 and his Angels and the Deuil and his ministers the perfect victorie ouer vvhom shal be at the iudgement Marke here also the cause vvhy S. Michael is commonly painted fighting vvith a dragon 15. To be caried avvay By great persecution he vvould dravv her that is her children from the true faith but euery one of the faithful elect gladly bearing their part thereof ouercome his tyranoie At vvhose constancie he being the more offended vvorketh malicious attempts in assaulting the frailer sort vvho are here signified by the rest of her seede that keepe the commaundemants but are not so perfect as the former CHAP. XIII 1 A beast rising vp out of the sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes ten diademes 5 blasphemeth God 7 and vvarreth against the Saincts destroieth them 11 And an other beast rising out of the earth vvith tvvo hornes vvas altogether for the foresaid beast constraining men to make and adore the image thereof and to haue the character of his name verse 1 AND I savv ″ a beast comming vp from the sea hauing seuen heades and ten hornes vpon his hornes ten diademes and vpon his heades names of blasphemie ✠verse 2 And the beast vvhich I savv vvas like to a libarde and his feete as of a beare and his mouth as the mouth of a lion And the dragon gaue him his ovvne force and great povver ✠verse 3 And I savv one of his heades as it vvere slaine to death and the vvound of his death vvas cured And al the earth vvas in admiration after the beast ✠verse 4 And they adored the dragon vvhich gaue povver to the beast
the vvater thereof that a vvay might be prepared to the kings from the rising of the sunne ✠verse 13 And I savv from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false-prophet three ' vncleane spirites in maner of frogges ✠verse 14 For they are the spirites of Deuils vvorking signes and they goe forth to the kings of the vvhole earth to gather them into battel at the great day of the omnipotent God ✠verse 15 Behold * I come as a theefe Blessed is he that vvatcheth keepeth his garments that he * vvalke not naked and they see his turpitude ✠verse 16 And he shal gather them into a place vvhich in Hebrevv is called Armagedon ✠verse 17 And the seuenth Angel poured out his vial vpon the aire and there came forth a loud voice out of the temple from the throne saying It is done ✠verse 18 And there vvere made lighteninges and voices and thunders and a great earthquake vvas made such an one as neuer hath been since men vvere vpon the earth such an earthquake so great ✠verse 19 And the great citie vvas made into three partes and the cities of the Gentiles fel. And Babylon the great came into memorie before God * to giue her the cuppe of vvine of the indignation of his vvrath ✠verse 20 And euery Iland fled and mountaines vvere not found ✠verse 21 And great haile like a talent came downe from heauen vpon men and men blasphemed God for the plague of the haile because it vvas made exceding great CHAP. XVII The harlot Babylon clothed vvith diuers ornaments 6 and drunken of the blood of Martyrs sitteth vpon a beast that hath seuen heades and ten hornes 7 al which things the Angel expoundeth verse 1 AND there came one of the seuen Angels vvhich had the seuen vials spake vvith me saying Come I vvil shevv thee the damnation of the great harlot vvhich sitteth vpon many vvaters ✠verse 2 vvith vvhom the kings of the earth haue fornicated and they vvhich inhabite the earth haue been drunke of the vvine of her vvhoredom ✠verse 3 And he tooke me avvay in spirit in to the desert And I savv a womaÌ„ sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast ful of names of blasphemie hauing seuen heades and ten hornes ✠verse 4 And the vvoman vvas clothed round about vvith purple and scarlet and gilted vvith gold and pretious stone and pearles hauing a golden cup in her hand ful of the abomination filthines of her fornication ✠verse 5 And in her forehead a name vvritten ″ Mysterie ″ Babylon the great mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth ✠verse 6 And I savv the vvoman ″ drunken of the bloud of the Sainctes and of the bloud of the martyrs of IESVS And I marueled vvhen I had seen her vvith great admiration ✠verse 7 I And the Angel said to me Vvhy doest thou maruel I vvil tel thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast that carieth her which hath the seuen heades and the ten hornes ✠verse 8 The beast vvhich thou savvest vvas and is not and shal come vp out of the bottomeles depth and goe into destruction and the inhabitants on the earth vvhose names are not vvritten in the booke of life from the making of the vvorld shal maruel seeing the beast that vvas and is not ✠verse 9 And here is vnderstanding that hath vvisedom The seuen heades are ″ seuen hilles vpon vvhich the vvoman sitteth and they are seuen kings ✠verse 10 Fiue are fallen one is and an other is not yet come vvhen he shal come he must tarie a short time ✠verse 11 And the beast vvhich vvas is not ″ the same also is the eight and is of the seuen goeth into destruction ✠verse 12 And the ten hornes vvhich thou sawest are ten kings vvhich haue not yet receiued kingdom but shal ' receiue povver as kings one houre after the beast ✠verse 13 These haue one counsel and force and their povver they shal deliuer to the beast ✠verse 14 These shal fight vvith the Lambe and the Lambe shal ouercome them because * he is Lord of lordes and King of kinges they that are vvith him called and elect and faithful ✠verse 15 And he said to me The vvaters vvhich thou savvest vvhere the harlot sitteth are peoples and nations and tonges ✠verse 16 And the ten hornes vvhich thou savvest in the beast these shal hate the harlot and shal make her desolate and naked and shal eare her flesh and her they shal burne vvith fire ✠verse 17 for God hath giuen into their hartes to doe that vvhich pleaseth him that they giue their kingdom to the beast til the vvordes of God be coÌ„summate ✠verse 18 And the vvoman vvhich thou savvest is ″ the great citie vvhich hath kingdom ouer the kinges of the earth ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 5. Babylon In the end of S. Peters first Epistle vvhere the Apostle dateth it at Babylon vvhich the auncient vvriters as vve there noted affirme to be meant of Rome the Protestants vvil not in any vvise haue it so because they vvould not be driuen to confesse that Peter euer vvas at Rome but here for that they thinke it maketh for their opinion that the Pope is Antichrist and Rome the seate and citie of Antichrist they vvil needes haue Rome to be this Babylon this great vvhore and this purple harlot for such fellovves in the exposition of holy Scripture be ledde onely by their preiudicate opinions and heresies to vvhich they dravv al things vvithout al indifferencie and sinceritie But S. Augustine Aretas and other vvriters most commonly expound it neither of Babylon itself a citie of Chaldaea or Aegypt not of Rome or any one citie vvhich may be so called spiritually as Hierusalem before chap. 11 is named spiritual Sodom and Aegypt but of the general socitie of the impious of those that preferre the terrene kingdoÌ„ and coÌ„moditie of the vvorld before God eternal felicitie The author of the Commentaries vpon the Apocalypse set forth in S. Ambrose name vvriteth thus This great vvhoore sometime signifieth Rome specially vvhich at that time vvhen the Apostle vvrote this did persecute the Church of God but othervvise it signifieth the vvhole citie of the Diuâ—l that is the vniuersal corps of the reprobate Tertullian also taketh it for Rome thus Babylon saith he in S. Iohn is a figure of the citie of Rome being so great so proud of the Empire and the destroier of the saincts Vvhich is plainely spoken of that citie vvhen it vvas heathen the head of the terrene dominion of the vvorld the persecutor of the Apostles and their successors the seate of Nero Bomitian and the like Christs special enemies the sinke of idolatrie sinne and false vvorship
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
ASSVMPTION of our Lady Gosp 168. S. Bartholomew Ep. 456. vers 26 to the 30. Gosp 152. S. Levvis king of France Gosp 193. The Decoll of S. Iohn Bapt. Gosp 101. The NATIVITIS of our Lady Gosp 3. HOLY ROODE day in September or the Exaltation of the holy CROSSE Ep. 528. Gosp 255. S. Matthevves eue Gosp 149. S. Matthevves day Gosp 22. Michelmas day Ep. 698. Gosp 50. S. Francis Ep. 511 Gosp 29. S. Dionysius Areopagita Ep. 343. Gosp 152. as vpon Alhalovves eue S. Luke Ep. 484. Gosp 166. SS Simon and Iude Ep. 518. Gosp 262. Alhalovves eue Ep. 708. Gosp 152. ALHALOVVES day Ep. 712. Gosp 11. Al-â—oules day Ep. 466. Gosp 230. S. Martin Gosp 171. verse 33 to the 37. S. Clement Ep. 531. Gosp 70. S. Catharine Gosp 71. verse 1 to the 14. vvhich is the Gospel for holy virgins For Saincts generally and in common Apostles eue gosp 262. For a Martyr that is a Bishop Ep. 469. 642. gosp 181. and 45. For a Martyr that is no Bishop Epistle as vpon S. Georges day gosp 62. For one Martyr Ep. 641. 662. gosp 254. and 262. For many Martyrs Ep. 393. 400. 481. 626. 632. 655. 713. 734. Gosp 11. 29. 68. 152. 172. 199. 265. For a CoÌ„fessor that is a Bishop Ep. 608. 615. 636. Gosp 70. 72. 123. 171. For a Confessor that is no Bishop Ep. 432 and 531. Gosp 175. 193. 254. For holy Abbots Gosp 54. For holy Virgins Martyrs Gosp 36. 71. For holy Virgins not Martyrs Ep. 438. 488. vers 17 to the 3 of the chapter following Gosp as for holy Virgins Martyrs For other holy vvomen not Virgins Gosp 36. For holy Vvidovves Ep. 578. Gosp as for holy vvomen not virgins The DEDICATION of a Church or CHVRCH HOLYDAY Ep. 741. Gosp 195. IN votiue Masses that is such as are said according to mens deuotion for diuers peculiar causes Of the B. Trinitie Ep. 493. Gosp 263. Of the holy Ghost Ep. 311. Gosp 260. Of the Passion of our Lord Gosp 272. Of the holy Crosse Ep. 528. Gosp 56. Of our B. Ladie Ep. 598. Gosp 135. 140. 171. 272. Of the holy Angels Ep. 708. Gosp 218. Of the blessed Apostles Peter Paule Ep. 301. Gosp 54. For any necessitie Gosp 117. For remission of sinnes Ep. 398. Gosp 170. For choosing of the Pope Epist 607. Gosp 260. Vpon the Popes creation coronation day Ep. 655. Gosp 44. Against schisme or for any necessitie of the Church Ep. 518. Gosp 266. Against the Paganes Gosp 170. In time of warre Gosp 68. For peace Gosp 275. vers 19 to the 24. Against the plague Gosp 147. as vpon Saturday in whitsun weeke For the sicke Ep. 651. Gosp 20. For Mariage Ep. 521. Gosp 53. In Masses of Requiem Epist 466. 550. 725. Gosp 230. 234. 235. 251. AN AMPLE AND PARTICVLAR TABLE DIRECTING THE READER TO AL CATHOLIKE truthes deduced out of the holy Scriptures and impugned by the Aduersaries A ABSOLVTION of a Priest The excellencie of this power aboue the power of Angels Princes 47. 277. Vvhat is to loose and binde 47. Abstinence See Fasting Adoration of God Latrîa and adoration of creatures Dulia pag. 11. nu 11. pa. 321. nu 25. pa. 332. nu 12. p. 633. nu 21. AdoratioÌ„ of the Arke Crucifixe Images Relikes and the like pag. 633. nu 21. of Angels Saincts and holy persons pag. 706. 737 at large 744 marg S. Iohns adoring of the Angel explicated 736. 737. Vvhat is to adore in spirit truth 218. Reuerence to holy persons euen to the kissing of their feete 300. Alleluia 735 and 736 at large Not to be translated ibid. The song both of the Chruch militant and triuÌ„phant ibid. 734 marg A word of maruelous ioy and so vsed in the Churches seruice euen in the primitiue Church 736. Sung in our countrie at our first conuersioÌ„ ib. Sung in al Christian NatioÌ„s ib. The Protestants had rather say Praise ye the Lord. ib. In translating sixe Psalmes they haue lest it out nine times ibidem Almes redeeme sinnes c. pa. 143. marg 173. nu 41. They procure vs patrones in heauen pag. 186. nu 9. release of paines after our death 317 marg increase grace 486 marg Great Almes-men happie pag. 353. nu 35. pa. 486. nu 6. 174 marg 317 marg Almes and hospitalitie to Preists and other holy men 28. 163. marg 186. 485. 486. 487. 511. 534. 588. 637. to Catholike prisoners 341 marg 600 m. See Vvorkes The more able the greater must our almes be 121 marg Vvhen a man is bound to giue almes 681 marg Altars pag. 638. nu 10. Altars sanctified by the sacrifice of Christs body pag. 67. Altar vvhy called table sometime pa. 638. Dedication or consecration of altars vvith Saincts Relikes 711. Amen amen doubled vvhat it signifieth pa. 244. nu 34. Amen not to be translated ib. 234 marg 735. 736. Angels Protectors of men pag. 52. nu 10. pag. 326. nu 15. 679. of countries 701. of Chruches ibidem The Protestants also hold this against the Puritanes 679. They helpe vs. pag. 604. marg 541. S. Paules place of the religioÌ„ of Angels explicated pag. 14. nu 18. Praying to Angels ibid. Peace from God and the holy Angels 700. Nine orders of Angels pag. 514. nu 21. S. Michael patrone of the Church 721. fighting vvith the dragon ibid. Anoiling See E. Entremâ— Vâ—ctiâ— Antichrist pag. 556. 557. 558. 718. 723 at large vvhy so called pa. 558. He shal be one singular man 556. nu 3. p. 724. He shal come neere the vvorldes end 557. nu 4. His reigne three yeres and a halfe p. 71. nu 22. 29. 123 marg 718 marg 711 marg 740. He shal abolish the Masse p. 558. suffer no worship but of him self only p. 557. nu 4. Al framing letters to expnesse his name vncertaine 724. Heretikes his forerunners specially these of our daies pa. 556. 558. 722 marg 723. 741. The apostasie of him his from the Cath. Church p. 556. His persecution of the same 720 marg 721. 723. 741. His attempts to dravv from the true faith 721. Many Antichristes 556. The Pope can not be Antichrist p. 554 marg pa. 557. p. 231 marg 721 marg 724. 740. The Protestants make S. Leo and S. Gregorie furtherers of Antichrist pa. 557. They place Antichrist in the See of Rome in S. Paules daies p. 557. 240 marg Not to be vvith the See of Rome is to be with Antichrist p. 323. 556. nu 3. Apostles their name dignitie authoritie pag. 154. nu 13. p. 37. nu 11. p. 53. nu 18. p. 488. Their number of Tvvelue mystical p. 94. nu 14. p. 290 marg Some of them more principal Apostles p. 492. The actes of SS Peter and Paul in two seueral tables 374. 375. They left their vviues p. 21. nu 14. p. 55 marg 191 marg p. 148. nu 38. So did S. Philip the Deacon 354 marg See Priests They vovved pouertie 55. nu 27.
Auoiding of scaÌ„dal in things not vnlavvful Act. 21 39. Act. 8 3 Act. 9 2 ⸬ The Sacramc of Baptisme doth it self vvash avvay sinnes as here is plaine therfore doth not only signifie as the Heretikes affirme that out sinnes be forgiuen before or othervvise by faith only remitted Vvhereby the Churches doctrine is proued to be fully agreable to the Scriptures that the Sacraments giue grace ex opere operato that is by the force vertue of the vvorke and vvord done said in the Sacrament c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Not only the Principals but al that consent to the death or vexation of Christian men for the Catholike saith do highly offend vvhich the Apostle confesseth here that Gods mercie may be more notoriously glorified in him hereby Act. 7 38. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ He said not this through perturbation of minde or of a passion but by way of prophecie that this figuratiue high priesthod then trimmed lâ—ke a vvhited vvall was to be destroied vvhereas now the true priesthod of Christ was coÌ„t Beda in hunâ— Io. Exo. 22 28. ⸬ Such prudent euasions from danger are lawful vvhich S. ChrysostoÌ„e calleth specially in this Apostle the wisdom of the serpeÌ„t as otherwise in his teaching and preaching patieÌ„co he vsed the simplicitie of dooue Phil. 3 5. Mt. 22 23. ⸬ Though God who could not lie had promised Paul that he should goe to Rome yet the Apostle omitted not humane meanes to defend him self from his enemies and otherwise neither said he as the Heretikes called Predestinates Let them do what they wil they caÌ„ not hurt me for I am prâ—destinate to goâ— to Rome See his doings and sayings to saue him self in the chap. folowing c See the courtesie equitiâ— of Heathen Officers tovvard their prisoners to saue them from al iniurie and villanie The honour of Priesthod Cypr. ep 65. 69. 〈◊〉 2. See Annot. Io. c. 11 51. The Sadducees as it seemeth denied praier for the dead Mac. li. 2. c. 12 43. Vnlawful otheâ— vovves must noâ— to kept Mat. 14. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Because Tertullê° the Iewes orator called Christian religion the sect or as it is there vers â— in the Greeke the heresie of the Nazarens S. Paul ansvvereth and shevveth that it is no heresie And as for the word Sect. in this place it is in the Greeke According to the vvay vvhich they call heresie as also Act. 9 2. 24 22. And therfore the vvord sect here is so taken See Annot. c. â—â— â—2 c the God of my fathers Ro. 15 28 Act. 21 26. Act. 23 6. ⸬ The Apostolike teaching was not of only or special faith but of iustice chastitie iudgement that is to say of the terrour of Hel and other Gods iudgements in the next life ansvverable to our deedes in this vvorld by vvhich the hearers vvere first terrified and so induced to penance Hovv say Heretikes then that such things make men hypocritâ—s c crimes as â— 27. ⸬ If S. Paul both to saue him self from vvhipping and from death sought by the Ievves doubted not to crie for succour of the Romane lawes and to appeale to Caesar the Prince of the Romans not yet Christened hovv much more may vve call for aide of Christian Princes and their lavves for the punishment of Heretikes and for the Churches defense against them S. Augustine ep 50. ⸬ This vvhom he termeth by contempt one IESVS hath novv made al the Romane Emperours and Princes of the world to know him and hath giuen the seate of the Caesars to his poore seruants Peter his successors c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b inquaÌ„ c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8 3. c detuli sententiâ—â— Act. 9 3. Act. 9 20. ⸬ PenaÌ„ce often inculcated and vvorkes agreable to the same Act. 21 30. Myra ' ⸬ It may signifie the Ievves fast of the seuenth moneth SepteÌ„ber after vvhich the nauigation vvas perilous vvinter approching c names of vvindés c Graec. Clauda c a place of quicke sandes c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ Paul saith S. Hierom had so many soules in the ship giuen him that is so many men saued for his sake and after he is vvith Christ shal he shut his mouth and not be able once to speake for them that haue beleeued in his Gospel Hiero. adu vigil Vvhereby he proueth that if â—od do much for the merits of Saincts in this life much more at their intercession prâ—â—r in heauen Gods prouideÌ„ce to the See of ROME Gods predestination and appointment taketh not away mans free vvil and endeuours 1 Cor. 9 2â— Philip. â— 18. ⸬ This iland novv Malta is the seate of the knightes of the Rhodes the inhabitaÌ„ts vvherof haue a special deuotion to S. Paul to whoÌ„ both the cheefe Church being the Bishops Seate is dedicated and the vvhole Iland as they count it consecrated Where the people shevv yet to straÌ„gers his prison and other memories of his miracles Melita c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa 6 9. Mat. 13 14. Mr. 4 12. Lu. 8 10 ⸬ Here also as Maâ— 1â— it is plaine that they would not see northeare that their excecatioÌ„ is to be attributed to theÌ„ selues not to God See annota Io. 12 40. Io. 12 40 Ro. 11 8 Malta hath S. Paules blessing and grace vntil this day The. Fazellus de rebus Siculis decad â— li. 〈◊〉 1. Gods miraculous vertue in certaine countries and creatures by his Saincts 4 Reg. 2 19 S. Pauls chaines hâ—onoured The name of Sect is vvel giuen to al Heresies though the Christian religion at the first vvas falsely so called See the annot Rom. 16 15. Gal. 1. Tiberij 18 Nat. 〈◊〉 34 Asceâ— 1 Tiberij 19 Nat. 〈◊〉 35 Asceâ— 2 Tiberij 20 Nat. 〈◊〉 36 Asceâ— 3 Tiberij 29 Nat. 〈◊〉 39 Asceâ— 6 Claudij 2 Nat. 〈◊〉 44 Asceâ— 11 Claudij 9 Nat. 〈◊〉 52 Asceâ— 18 Neronis 〈◊〉 Nat. 〈◊〉 70 Asceâ— 37 Tiberij 18 Natiuit 34 Ascen 1 Tiberij 19 Natiuit 35 Ascen 2 Tiberij 22 Natiuit 38 Ascen 5 Claudij 9 Natiuit 52 Ascen 18 Neronis 2 Natiuit 58 Ascen 25 Neronis 14 Natiuit 70 Ascen 37 Genebr out of diuers authors Ruffi in expos Symb. Apost Ambr. â—er 38. Hiero. ep 61 c. 9. aduers erro Io. Hieros Euseb li 2. Eccl. hist c. 22. The doctrine of the Cath. Church concerning good vvorkes S. Paules doctrine concerning faith and good vvorkes 2. Pet. 3. Aug. de fide oper ca. 14. Et praef psal 31. Gal. 5. 1. Cor. 1â— 1. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 3. Gal. 2. The argument of the Epistle to the Romanes * Epih. Haer. 42 Marcionis Aug. in Expos incho Ep. ad Rom. a 2. Cor. 5. b Ephes 2. The vvorkes of the Lavv. Rom. 1. Rom. 16. Rom. 6. Rom. 16. The church readeth S. Pauls epistles at Martins froÌ„ Sunday
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
c. 11. that I should be an vnhappie and miserable man if I should lacke the companie of a vvoman and the medicine of thy mercie to heale the same infirmitie I thought not vpon because I had not tried it and I imagined that continencie vvas in a mans ovvne povver and libertie vvhich in my self I did not feele being so foolish not to vnderstand that no man can be continent vnles thou giue it Verely thou vvouldest giue it if vvith invvard mourning I vvould knocke at thy 〈◊〉 and vvith sound faith vvould â—ast my care vpon thee By al vvhich you may easily proue that chastitie is a thing that may lavvfully be vowed that it is not impossible to be fulfilled by praier fasting and chastisement of mens concupiscence that it is a thing more grateful to God then the condition of maried persons for els it should not be required either in the Cleargie or in the Religious finally that it is most abominable to persuade the poore virgins or other professed to such sacarilegious vvedlocke which S. Augustine auoucheth to be vvorse then aduoutrie de bâ—n vidâ— â— 4. 11. Iouinian vvas the first that euer made mariage equal vvith virginitie or chast life for vvhich he vvas condemned of heresie Aug. in argumento li. de bonâ— Coniugali de pec merit li. 3. c. 7. Li. de hares har 82. He vvas the first that persuaded professed virgins to marie which S. Augustine saith vvas so clerely and vvithout question vvicked that it could neuer infect any Priest but certaine miserable Nunnes Yea for this strange persuasion he calleth Iouinian a monster saying of him thus Li. 2. Râ—tract cap. 22. The holy Church that is there at Rome most faithfully and stoutly resisted this monster S. Hierom calleth the said Heretike and his complices Christian epicures li 2 cont Iouin c. 19. See S. Ambrose ep 82 ad vâ—â—câ—llensem epiâ—â—opum in initiâ— But vvhat vvould these holy doctors haue said if they had liued in our doleful time vvhen the Protestants go quite avvay vvith this vvickednes and call it Gods vvord 17. In vvord and doctrine Such Priests specially and Prelates are vvorthy of double that is of the more ample honour that are able to preach and teach and do take paines therein Vvhere vve may note that al good Bishops or Priests in those daies vvere not so vvel able to teach as some others and yet for the ministerie of the Sacraments and for vvisedom and gouernement vvere not vnmeete to be Bishops and Pastors for though it be one high commendation in a Prelate to be able to teach as the Apostle before noted yet al can not haue the like grace therein and it is often recompensed by other singular giftes not lesse necessarie S. Augustine laboured in vvorde and doctrine Alipius and Valerius vvere good Bishops and yet had not that gift Possid in vit Aug. c. 5. And some times and countries require preachers more then other Al vvhich vve note to discouer the pride of Heretikes that contemne some of the Catholike Priests or Bishops pretending that they can not preach as they do vvith meretricious and painted eloquence â—3 Waâ—er You see hovv lavvful and hovv a holy a thing it is to fast from some meates or drinkes either certaine daies or alvvaies as this B. Bishop Timothee did vvho vvas hardly induced by the Apostle to drinke a litle vvine vvith his vvater in respect of his infirmities And marke vvithal vvhat a calumnious and stale cauillation it is that to abstaine from certaine meates and drinkes for punishment of the body or deuotion is to condemne Gods creatures See an homilie of S. Chrysostom vpon these vvordes to 5. CHAP. VI. Vvhat to teach seruants 3 If any teach against the doctrine of the Church obstinately he doth it of pride and for lucre 11 But the Catholike Bishop must folovv vertuâ— hauing his eie alvvaies to life euerlasting and to the coÌ„ming of Christ 17 Vvhat to commaund the riche 20 Finally to keepe most carefully the Catholike Churches doctrine vvithout mutation verse 1 WHOSOEVER are seruantes vnder yoke let them counte their maisters vvorthie of al honour lest the name of our Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed ✠verse 2 But they that haue faithful maisters let them not contemne them because they are brethren but serue the rather because they be faithful and beloued vvhich are partakers of the benefite These things teache and exhort ✠verse 3 If any man teach othervvise and consent not to the sound vvordes of our Lord IESVS Christ and to that doctrine vvhich is according to pietie ✠verse 4 he is proude knowing nothing but ″ languishing about questions and strife of vvordes of vvhich rise enuies contentions blasphemies euil suspicions ✠verse 5 conflictes of men corrupted in their minde and that are depriued of the truth that esteeme gaine to be pietie ✠verse 6 But pietie vvith sufficiencie is great gaine ✠verse 7 For vve * brought nothing into this vvorld doubtlesse verse 8 neither can vve take avvay any thing But * hauing foode and vvhervvith to be couered vvith these vve are content ✠verse 9 For they that vvil be made riche fall into tentation the snare of the deuil many desires vnprofitable and hurteful vvhich drovvne men into destruction and perdition ✠verse 10 For the roote of al euils is couetousenes vvhich certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled them selues in many sorovves ✠verse 11 But thou ô man of God flee these things and pursue iustice pietie faith charitie patience mildenes ✠verse 12 Fight the good fight of faith apprehend eternal life ⊢ vvherein thou art called and hast confessed a good confession before many vvitnesses ✠verse 13 I commaund thee before God vvho quickeneth al things and Christ IESVS vvho * gaue testimonie vnder Pontius Pilate a good confession ✠verse 14 that thou keepe the commaundement vvithout spotte blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 vvhich in due times the Blessed onely Mightie vvil shevv the * King of kings and Lord of lordes ✠verse 16 vvho only hath immortalitie and inhabiteth light not accessible * vvhom no man hath seen yea neither can see to vvhom be honour and empire euerlasting Amen ⊢ ✠verse 17 Commaund the riche of this vvorld not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertaintie of riches but in the liuing God vvho giueth vs al things aboundantly to enioy ✠verse 18 to doe wel to become riche in good workes to giue easily to communicate ✠verse 19 to heape vnto them selues a good fouÌ„dation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life ✠verse 20 O Timothee keepe the ″ depositum auoiding the ″ profane nouelties of voices oppositions of ″ falsely called knovvledge ✠verse 21 Vvhich certaine promising haue erred about the faith Grace be vvith
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
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