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
wordes breede some vvicked opinion concerning the thinges conteined vnder the vvordes De ciuitate lib. 10. cap 12. Vvhereof our holy forefathers and auncient Doctors had such a religious care that they vvould not change the very barbarismes of incongruities of speach vvhich by long vse had preuailed in the old readings or recitings of scriptures as Neque uubent neque nubentur in Tertullian li. 4. in Marcion in S. Hilarie in c. 22 Mat. and in al the fathers Qui me confusus fuerit confundar ego eum in S. Cyprian ep 63 nu 7. Talis enim nobis decebat sacerdos vvhich vvas an elder translation then the vulgar Latin that novv is in S. Ambrose c. 3 de fugaseculi and S. Hierom him self vvho othervvise corrected the Latin translation that vvas vsed before his time yet keepeth religiously as him self professeth Praefat. in 4 Euang. ad Damasum these and the like speaches Nonne vos magis pluris estis illis and filius hominis non venit ministrari sed ministrare and Neque nubent neque nubentur in his commentaries vpon these places and Non capit Prophetam perire extra Hierusalem in his commentaries in c. 2. Ioël sub finem And S. Augustine vvho is most religious in al these phrases counteth it a special pride and infirmitie in those that haue a litle learning in tonges none in thinges that they easily take offense of the simple speaches or solecismes in the scriptures de doctrina Christ li. 2. cap 13. See also the same holy father li. 3 de doct Christ c. 3. and tract 2 in Euang. Ioan. But of the maner of our translation more anon Now though the text thus truely translated might sufficiently in the sight of the learned and al indifferent men both controule the aduersaries corruptions and proue that the holy Scripture vvhereof they haue made so great vauntes make nothing for their nevv opinions but vvholy for the Catholike Churches beleefe and doctrine in all the pointes of difference betvvixt vs yet knovving that the good and simple may easily be seduced by some fevv obstinate persons of perdition vvhom vve see giuen ouer into a reprobat sense to whom the Gospel vvhich in it self is the odour of life to saluation is made the odour of death to damnation ouer vvhose eies for sinne disobedience God suffereth a veile or couer to lie whiles they read the nevv Testamēt euen as the Apostle saite the Ievves haue til this day in reading of the old that as the one sort can not finde Christ in the Scriptures reade they neuer so much so the other can not finde the Catholike Church nor her doctrine there neither and finding by experience this saying of S. Augustine to be most true If the preiudice of any erreneous persuasion preoccupate the mind vvhatsoeuer the Scripture hath to the contrarie men take it for a figuratiue speach for these causes and somevvhat to help the faithful reader in the difficulties of diuers places vve haue also set forth reasonable large ANNOTATIONS thereby to shevv the studious reader in most places perteining to the controuersies of this time both the heretical corruptions and false deductions also the Apostolike tradition the expositions of the holy fathers the decrees of the Catholike Church and most auncient Coūcels which meanes vvhosoeuer trusteth not for the sense of holy Scriptures but had rather folow his priuate iudgemēt or the arrogat spirit of these Sectaries he shal vvorthily through his owne wilfulnes be deceiued beseeching all men to looke vvith diligence sinceritie and indifferencie into the case that concerneth no lesse then euery ones eternal saluation or damnation Vvhich if he doe vve doubt not but he shal to his great contentment find the holy Scriptures most clerely and inuincibly to proue the articles of Catholike doctrine against our aduersaries vvhich perhaps he had thought before this diligent search either not to be consonant to Gods vvord or at least not conteined in the same and finally he shal proue this saying of S. Augustine to be most true Multi sensus c. Many senses of holy Scriptures lie hidden and are knowen to some fevv of greater vnderstanding neither are they at any time auouched more commodiously and acceptably then at such times vvhen the care to ansvver heretikes doth force men there vnto For then euen they that be negligent in matters of studie and learning shaking of sluggishnes are stirred vp to diligent hearing that the Aduersaries may be refelled Againe hovv many senses of holy Scriptures cōcerning Christes Godhead haue been auouched against Photinus hovv many of his Manhod against Manichaeus hovv many of the Trinitie against Sabellius hovv many of the vnitie in Trinitie against the Arrians Eunomias Macedonians hovv many of the Catholike Church dispersed through out the vvhole vvorld and of the mixture of good and bad in the same vntil the end of the vvorld against the Donatistes and Luciferians and other of the like errour hovv many against al other heretikes vvhich it vvere to long to rehearse Of vvhich senses and expositions of holy Scripture the approued authors and auouchers should othervvise either not be knovven as al or not so vvel knovven as the contradictions of proud heretikes haue made them Thus he saith of such thinges as not seeming to be in holy Scriptures to the ignorant or heretikes yet in deede be there But in other pointes doubted of that in deede are not decîded by Scripture he giueth vs this goodly rule to be folovved in all as he exemplifieth in one Then doe vve hold saith he the veritie of the Scriptures vvhen vve doe that vvhich novv hath seemed good to the Vniuersal Church vvhich the authoritie of the Scriptures them selues doth cōmend so that forasmuch as the holy Scripture can not deceiue vvhosoeuer is afraid to be deceiued vvith the obscuritie of questions let him therein aske counsel of the same CHVRCH vvhich the holy Scripture most certainely and euidently shevveth and pointeth vnto Aug. li. 1. Cont. Crescon c. 13. NOVV TO GIVE thee also intelligence in particular most gentle Reader of such thinges as it behoueth thee specially to knovv concerning our Translation Vve translate the old vulgar Latin text not the common Greeke text for these causes 1. It is so auncient that it vvas vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300 yeres agoe as appeareth by the fathers of those times 2. It is that by the common receiued opinion and by al probabilitie vvhich S. Hierom aftervvard corrected according to the Greeke by the appointment of Damasus then Pope as he maketh mention in his preface before the foure Euangelistes vnto the said Damasus and in Catalogo in fine and ep 102. 3. Consequently it is the same vvhich S. Augustine so commendeth and allovveth in an Epistle to S. Hierom. 4. It is that vvhich for the most part euer since hath been vsed
al these things shal be giuen you besides ✠verse 34 Be not careful therfore for the morovv For the morovv day shal be careful for it self sufficient for the day is the euil thereof ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 1. Iustice Hereby it is playne that good werkes be iustice and that man doing them doeth iustice and is thereby iust and Iustified and not by fayth only Al which iustice of a Christian man our Sauiour here compriseth in these three workes in Almes fasting and prayers Aug. li. perf iust â— â— So that to giue almes is to doe iustice and the workes of mercie are iustice Aug. in Ps 49. v. 5. 4. Repay This repaying and rewarding of good workes in heauen often mentioned here by our Sauiour declareth that the sayd workes are meritorious and that we may doe them in respect of that reward 5. Hypocrites Hypocrisie is forbidden in al these three workes of iustice and not the doing of them openly to the glorie of God and the profite of our neighbour and our owne saluatioÌ„ for Christ before c. 5. biddeth saying Let your light so shine before men c. And in al such workes S. Gregotles rule is to be folowed The worke so to be in publike that the intention remayne in secrete Ho. 11. in Euang. c. 10. 7. Much speaking Long prayer is not forbid for Christ * him self spent whole nights in prayer and he sayth * we must pray alwayes and * the Apostle exhorteth to pray without intermission and the holy Church * from the beginning hath had her Canonical houres of prayer but idle and voluntary babling either of the heathens to their goddes or of Heretikes that by long Rhetorical prayers thinke to persuade God wheras the Collects of the Churche are most breese and most effectual See S. Augustine ep 121 c. 8 9. 10. 11. Superstantial bread By this bread so called here according to the Latin word and the Greeke we aske not only al necessarie sustenance for the body but much more al spiritual foode namely the blessed Sacrament it self which is Christ the true bread that came from heauen and the bread of life to vs that eate his bodie Cypr. de orat Do. Aug. ep 121 c. 6. 11. And therfore it is called here Supersubstantial that is the bread that passeth and excelleth al creatures Hiero. in 2. Tit. in 6. Mat. Amb. li. 5. de Sacr. 6. 4. Aug. ser 22. de verb. Do. sec Mat. S. Germanus in Theoria 12. Dettes These dettes doe signifie not only mortal sinnes but also venial as S. Augustine often teacheth and therfore euery man be he neuer so iust yet because he can not liue without venial sinnes may very truly and ought to say this prayer Aug. cont duâ—s ep Pelag. li. 1. â— 14. li. 21 de Ciuit. 6. 27. 13. Leade vs not S. Cypr. readeth Ne patiaris nos induci Suffer vs not to be led as S. Augustine noteth li. de ho. perseu c. 6. and so the holy Churche vnderstandeth it because God as S. Iames sayth tempteth no man though for our sinnes or for our probation and crowne he permitte vs to be tempted Beware then of Bezaes exposition vpon this place who according to the Caluinists opinion saith that God leadeth them into tentation into whom him self bringeth in Satan for to fill their harts so making God the author of sinne 14. If you forgeue This poynt of forgeuing our brother when we aske forgiuenesse of God our Sauiour repeateth agayne as a thing much to be considered and therfore commended in the parable also of the seruant that would not forgiue his felow seruant Mat. 18. 16. Fast He forbiddeth not open and publike fasts which in the * Scriptures were commaunded and proclamed to the people of God and the Niniuires by such fasting appeased Gods Wrath but to fast for vaine glorie and praise of men and to be desirous by the very face and looke to be taken for a faster that is forbidden and that is hypocrisie 20. Treasures in heauen Treasures layd vp in heauen must needes signifie not fayth only but plentiful almes and deedes of mercie and other good workes which God keeping as in a booke wil reward them accordingly as of the contrarie the Apostle sayth He that soweth sparingly shal reape sparingly 2. Cor. 9. 24. Two Masters Two religions God and Baal Christ and Caluin Masse and Communion the Catholike Churche and Heretical Conuenticles Let them marke this lesson of our Sauiour that thinke they may serue masters al times al religions Agayne these two masters doe signifie God and the world the sles he and the spirit iustice and sinne 25. Careful Prudent prouision is not prohibited but to much doubtfulnes and feare of Gods prouision for vs to whom we ought with patience to committe the rest when we haue done sufficiently for our part CHAP. VII In this third and last Chapter of his Sermon because we know not mens endes he biddeth vs beware of iudging 6 and neuerthelesse to take open dogges so he calleth them as they be 7 If these workes of iustice seeme to hard we must pray instantly to him that giueth them 12 In the conclusion he giueth one short rule of al iustice 13 and then he exhorteth with al vehemencie to the straite way both of the Catholike fayth 21 and also of good life because only fayth wil not suffise verse 1 IVDGE ″ not that you be not iudged ✠verse 2 For * in what iudgment you iudge you shal be iudged and in what measure you mete it shal be measured to you agayne ✠verse 3 And why seest thou the more that is in thy brothers eye and the beame that is in thine ovvne eye thou seest not ✠verse 4 Or how sayest thou to thy brother Let me cast out the more of thine eye and behold a beame is in thine owne eye ✠verse 5 Hypocrite cast out first the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see to cast out the more out of thy brothers eye ✠verse 6 Giue not that which is ″ holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearles before swine lest perhaps they treade them with their feete and turning al to teare you ✠verse 7 * Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and you shal finde knocke and it shal be opened to you ✠verse 8 For ″ euery one that asketh receiueth and that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened ✠verse 9 Or vvhat man is there of you vvhom if his childe shal aske bread vvil he reach him a stone ✠verse 10 Or if he shal aske him fish vvil he reach him a serpent ✠verse 11 If you then being naught knovv hovv to giue good giftes to your children hovv much more vvil your father vvhich is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him ✠verse 12 Al
Propitiatorie and the Arke of the Testament Manna Aarons rodde and the golden altar Doth not the Sepulcher of our Lord seeme vnto thee more honorable Which as often as we enter into so often doe we see our Sauiour lie in the sindon and staying there a while we see the Angel againe sitte at his feete and at his head the napkin wrapped together The glorie of whose Sepulcher we know was long prophetied before Ioseph hewed it out by Esay saying And his rest shal be honour to witte because the place of our Lordes burial should be honoured of al men And at this present notwithstanding the Turkes dominion yet doe the Religious Christian Catholike men by Gods mighty prouidence keepe the holy Sepulcher which is within a goodly Church and Christians come out of al the world in Pilgrimage to it 19. Going then Commission to baptize and preache to al Nations geuen to the Apostles and grounded vpon Christes soueraine authority to whom was geuen al power in heauen and in earth 20. With you al daies Here Christ doth promise his concurrence with his Apostles and their successors as wel in preaching as ministring the Sacraments and his protection of the Church neuer to cease til the worlds end contrary to our Aduersaries saying that the Church hath failed many hundred yeres til Luther and Caluin ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF S. MARKES GOSPEL S Markes Gospel may be vvel diuided into foure partes The first part of the preparation that was made to the manifestation of Christ chap. 1. in the beginning The Second of his manifesting himselfe by Preaching and Miracles and that in Galilee the residue of the 1. chap. vnto the 10. chap. The third of his comming into Iurie tovvards his Passion chap. 10. The fourth of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem chap. 11. to the end of the booke Of S. Marke and his conuersation with the tvvo Apostles S. Paul and S. Barnabee vve haue at large Act. 12 and 15. somevvhat also Col. 4. and 2. Tim. 4. and to Philémon Moreouer of his familiaritie vvith the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter vve haue 1 Pet. 5. For so it pleased our Lord that onely tvvo of the Euangelistes should be of his tvvelue Apostles to vvit S. Matthew and S. Iohn The other tvvo S. Marke and S. Luke he gaue vnto vs of the Disciples of his two most principal and most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Whose Gospels therefore were of Antiquitie counted as the Gospels of S. Peter and S. Paul them selues Marke the disciple and interpreter of Peter saith S. Hierom according to that which he heard of Peters mouth wrote at Rome a briefe Gospel at the request of the Brethren about 10 or 12 yeres after our Lordes Ascension Which when Peter had heard he approued it and with his authoritie did publish it to the Church to be read as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth li. 6. hypotypos In the same place S. Hierom addeth hovv he vvent into Aegypt to preach and vvas the first Bishop of the cheefe Citie there named Alexandria and hovv Philo Iudaeus at the same time seeing and admiring the life and conuersation of the Christians there vnder S. Marke vvho vvere Monkes vvrote a booke thereof vvhich is extant to this day And not onely S. Hierom in Marco in Philone but also Eusebius Hist li. 2. ca. 15. 16. 17. Epiphanius Secta 29 Nazaraeorum li. 1. to 2. Cassianus de Instit Caenobiorum li. 2. c. 5. Sozomenus li. 1. c. 12. Nicephorus li. 2 c. 15. and diuerse others do make mention of the said Monkes out of the same Author Finally He died saith S. Hierom the 8 yere of Nero and was buried at Alexandria Anianus succeding in his place But from Alexandria he vvas translated to Venice Anno Dom. 830. It is also to be noted that in respect of S. Peter vvho sent S. Marke his scholer to Alexandria and made him the first Bishop there this See vvas esteemed next in dignitie to the See of Rome and the Bishop thereof vvas accounted the cheefe Metropolitane or Patriarch of the East and that by the first Councel of Nice Whereof see S. Leo ep 53. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 60. li. 6. ep 37. THE HOLY GOSPEL OF IESVS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MARKE CHAP. I. Iohn the Eremite of vvhom the Prophets preaching penance and liuing him self accordingly baptizeth the people to prepare them to Christ 7 telling them that it is not his but Christs Baptisme in vvhich they shal receiue the Holy Ghost 9 IESVS there is manifested from heauen 12 and by and by he also goeth into the vvildernesse 14 Beginning in Galilee 16 after that he hath called foure Disciples 21 he preacheth first in Capharnaum confirming his doctrine vvith beneficial Miracles to the great admiration of al 35 then also but first retiring into the vvildernes in al the rest of Galilee vvith like miracles verse 1 THE beginning of the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God ✠verse 2 As it is vvritten in â— Esay the Prophet ' Behold I send mine Angel before thy face vvho shal prepare thy vvay before thee ✠verse 3 A voice of one crying in the desert Prepare ye the vvay of our Lord make straight his pathes ✠verse 4 * Iohn vvas in the desert baptizing and preaching the baptisme of penance vnto remission of sinnes ✠verse 5 And there vvent forth to him al the countrie of Ievvrie and al they of Hierusalem and vvere baptized of him in the riuer of Iordan â— confessing â— their sinnes ✠verse 6 And Iohn vvas â— clothed vvith camels heare and a girdle of a skinne about his loines and he did eate locustes and vvild honie ✠verse 7 And he preached saying There commeth a stronger then I after me vvhose latchet of his shoes I am not vvorthie stouping dovvne to vnloose ✠verse 8 I haue baptized you â— vvith vvater but he shal baptize you vvith the holy Ghost ✠verse 9 And it came to passe in those daies came IESVS from Nazareth of Galilee and vvas ″ baptized of Iohn in Iordan ✠verse 10 And forth vvith comming vp out of the vvater he savv the heauens opened and â— the Spirit as a doue descending and remaining on him ✠verse 11 And a voice vvas made from heauen Thou art my beloued sonne in thee I am vvel pleased ✠verse 12 And forth vvith * the Spirit droue him out into â— the desert ✠verse 13 And he vvas in the desert fourtie daies and fourtie nightes and vvas tempted of Satan and he vvas vvith beastes and the Angels ministred to him ✠verse 14 And * after that Iohn vvas deliuered vp IESVS came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God ✠verse 15 and saying That the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand be penitent and beleeue the Gospel âœ
one grote doth she not light a candle and svveepe the house and seeke diligently vntil she finde ✠verse 9 And vvhen she hath found calleth together her frendes and neighbours saying Reioyce vvith me because I haue found the grote vvhich I had lost ✠verse 10 So I say to you there shal be ioy ″ before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that doth penance ⊢ ✠verse 11 And he said A certaine man had tvvo sonnes ✠verse 12 and the yonger of them said to his father Father giue me the portion of substance that belongeth to me And he deuided vnto them the substance ✠verse 13 And not many daies after the yonger sonne gathering al his things together vvent from home into a farre countrie and there he vvasted his substance liuing riotously ✠verse 14 And after he had spent al there fel a sore famine in that countrie and he began to be in neede ✠verse 15 And he vvent and cleaued to one of the citizens of that countrie And he sent him into his farme to feede svvine ✠verse 16 And he vvould faine haue filled his bellie of the huskes that the svvine did eate and no bodie gaue vnto him ✠verse 17 And returning to him self he said Hovv many of my fathers hirelings haue aboundance of bread and I here perish for famine ✠verse 18 I vvil arise and vvil goe to my father and say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee ✠verse 19 I am not novv vvorthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hirelings ✠verse 20 And rising vp he came to his father And vvhen he vvas yet farre of his father savv him and vvas moued vvith mercie and running to him fel vpon his necke and kissed him ✠verse 21 And his sonne said to him Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee I am not novv vvorthie to be called thy sonne ✠verse 22 And the father said to his seruants Quickely bring forth the first stole and doe it on him and put a ring vpō his hand and shoes vpon his feete ✠verse 23 and bring ″ the fatted calfe and kil it and let vs eate and make merie ✠verse 24 because this my sonne vvas dead and is reuiued vvas lost and is found And they began to make merie ✠verse 25 But his elder sonne vvas in the field and vvhen he came and drevv nigh to the house he heard musicke and dauncing ✠verse 26 and he called one of the seruants and asked vvhat these thinges should be ✠verse 27 And he said to him Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calfe because he hath receiued him safe ✠verse 28 But he had indignation and vvould not goe in His father therfore going forth began to desire him ✠verse 29 But he ansvvering said to his father Behold so many yeres doe I serue thee and I neuer transgressed thy commaundement and thou didst neuer giue me a kidde to make merie vvith my frendes ✠verse 30 but after that thy sonne this that hath deuoured his substance vvith whoores is come thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe ✠verse 31 But he said to him Sonne thou art alvvaies vvith me and al my things are thine ✠verse 32 But it behoued vs to make merie and be glad because this thy brother vvas dead and is reuiued vvas lost and is found ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 7. Then vpon ninety nine iust Neither God nor the Saincts in heauen nor men in earth do for al that esteeme more of penitent sinners then they do of them that continevv iust and godly though by the soden motion and present affection of ioy that man taketh and expresseth in such alteration and nevv fallen good it be here signified that the conuersion of euery sinner is exceding acceptable to God and giueth his Saincts nevv cause of ioy and thankes giuing to God in an other kinde then for the continuance of the iust 10. Before the Angels The Angels and other celestial spirits in heauen do reioyce at euery sinners conuersion they know then and haue care of vs yea our hartes and inward repentance be open to them how then can they not heare our prayers And betwixt Angels and the blessed soules of Saincts there is no difference in this case the one being as highly exalted as the other and as neere God in whom and by whom onely they see and know our affaires as the other 23. The fatted calfe This feasting and festiuitie saith S. Augustine li. 2 qu. Euang. c. 33. to 4. are novv celebrated throughout the vvhole vvorld the Church being dilated and spred for that calfe in the body and bloud of our Lord is both offered to the Father and also feedeth the vvhole house And as the calfe signifieth the B. Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ so the first stole may signifie our innocencie restored in baptisme and the rest other graces and giftes giuen vs in the other Sacraments CHAP. XVI He teacheth the riche to procure heauen vvith their riches 14 And being therfore derided of the couetous Pharisees vvho savv temporal riches promised in the letter of the Lavv he shevveth that novv is come the preaching of the kingdom of God howbeit the Lavv for al that in no iote shal be frustrat 19 foretelling them also that the couetous Ievvis shal be denied of their father Abraham when poore Laxarus the penitent Gentily shal rest in his bosome verse 1 AND he said also to his Disciples There vvas a cartaine riche man that had a bailife he vvas il reported of vnto him as he that had vvasted his goods ✠verse 2 And he called him and said to him Vvhat heare I this of thee render account of thy bailiship for novv thou canst no more be bailife ✠verse 3 And the bailife said vvithin him self Vvhat shal I doe because my lord taketh avvay from me the bailiship digge I am not able to begge I am ashamed ✠verse 4 I knovv vvhat I vvil doe that vvhen I shal be remoued from the bailiship they may receiue me into their houses ✠verse 5 Therfore calling together euery one of his lords detters he said to the first Hovv much doest thou ovve my lord ✠verse 6 But he saith An hundred pipes of oile And he said to him Take thy bil and sit dovvne quickly vvrite fiftie ✠verse 7 After that he said to an other But thou hovv much doest thou ovve Vvho said An hundreth quarters of vvheat He said to him Take thy bil and vvrite eightie ✠verse 8 And ″ the lord praised the bailife of iniquitie because he had done vvisely for the children of this vvorld are vviser then the children of light in their generation ✠verse 9 And I say to you Make vnto you frendes of the mammon of iniquitie that vvhen you faile ″ they may
God miraculously our Sacrament more it vvas to be eaten for the time of their peregrination our Sacrament more it vvas to euery man vvhat he liked best our Sacrament more a litle thereof serued and sufficed as vvel as much our Sacrament more it vvas reserued for such daies as it could not be gathered and our Sacramēt much more it vvas kept for a memorial in the arke of the Testament our Sacrament much more the discontented and incredulous murmured and gainsaid it at our Sacrament much more it sustained their bodies in the desert our Sacrament both body and soule much more 52. Hovv can this man It came not to their minde that nothing vvas impossible to God that vvickedly said Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh but vve may make great profite of their sinne beleeuing the Mysteries and taking a lesson neuer to say or once thinke Hovv for it is a Ievvish vvord and vvorthy al punishment so saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 11 in Io. Neuertheles if one asked onely for desire to learne in humility as our Lady did touching her hauing a childe in her virginitie then he must take the Angels answer to her That it is of the Holy Ghost so saith S. Damascene li. 4. c. 14. 53. vnles you eate Christ cōmending the Sacrament of the faithful vnto vs said Except you eate c. you can not haue life in you So the life saith of life and to him that thinketh the life to be a lier this meate shal be death not life to him August Ser. 2 de verb. Ap. c. 1. And S. Leo thus Because our Lord saith Except you eate c. let vs so communicate that vve nothing doubt of the truth of Christes body and bloud for that 〈◊〉 receiued vvith mouth vvhich is beleiued in hart and they ansvver Amen in vaine that dispute against that vvhich they receiue 53. And drinke This the Protestants alleage for the necessitie of receiuing in both kindes but in respect of them selues who lightly hold al this chapter to pertaine nothing to the Sacramental receiuing but to spiritual feeding on Christ by faith onely it can make nothing for one kinde or other And in respect of vs Catholikes who beleeue Christs whole person both humanitie and Diuinitie both flesh and bloud to be in either forme and to be vvholy receiued no lesse in the first then in the second or in both this place commaundeth nothing for both the kindes 53. You shal not haue life Though the Catholikes teach these wordes to be spoken of the Sacrament yet they meane not no more then our Sauiour here doth to exclude al from saluation that receiue not actually and Sacramentally vnder one or both kindes For then children that die after they be baptized and neuer receiued Sacramentally should perish which to hold were heretical Neither did S. Augustine meane applying these wordes to infants also that they could not be saued without receiuing sacramentally as not onely the Heretikes but Erasmus did vnlearnedly mistake him but his sense is that they were by the right of their Baptisme ioyned to Christs body Mystical and thereby spiritually partakers of the other Sacrament also of Christs body and bloud As al Catholike men that be in prison ioyning with the Church of God in hart and desire to receiue and be partakers with the Church of this Sacrament and those specially that deuoutly heare Masse and adore in presence the body and bloud of Christ ioyning in hart with the Priest al these receiue life and fruite of the Sacrament though at euery time they receiue not sacramentally in one or both kindes And although in the Primitiue Church the holy Sacrament in the second kind were often giuen euen to infants to sanctifie them yet as the holy Councel hath declared it was neuer ministred vnto them with opinion that they could not be saued without it and therfore the Heretikes do vntruely charge the Church and the Fathers with that errour 54. I vvil raise him As the Sonne liueth by the Father euen so do vve liue by his flesh saith S. Hilarie li. 8. de Trin. And S. Cyril againe thus Though by nature of our flesh vve be corruptible yet by participation of life vve are reformed is the propertie of life For not onely our soules vvere to be lifted vp by the holy Ghost to life euerlasting but this rude grosse terrestrial body of ours is to be reduced to immoralitie by touching tasting and eating this agreable food of Christes body And vvhen Christ saith I vvil raise him vp he meaneth that this body vvhich he eateth shal raise him Our flesh saith Tertullian eateth the body and bloud of Christ that the soule may also be fatted therfore they shal both haue one revvard at the Resurrection And S. Irenaeus Hovv do they affirme that our bodies be not capable of life euerlasting vvhich is nourished by the body and bloud of our Lord Either let them change their opinion or els cease to offer the Eucharist S. Gregorie Nyssene also saith That liuely body entering into our body changeth it and maketh it like and immortal 55. Meate in deede Manna was not the true meate nor the water of the rocke the drinke in deede for they did but driue avvay death or famine for a time and for this life But the holy Body of Christ is the true food nourishing to life euerlasting and his bloud the true drinke that driueth death avvay vtterly for they be not the body and bloud of a mere man but of him that being ioyned to life is made life and therfore are vve the body and members of Christ because by this benediction of the mysterie vve receiue the sonne of God him self So saith S. Cyril li. 4 c. 16 in Io. 58. He that eateth this bread By this place the holy Councel proueth that for the grace and effect of the Sacrament which is the life of the soule there is no difference whether a man receiue both kindes or one because our Sauiour vvho before attributed life to the eating and drinking of his body and bloud doth here also affirme the same effect vvhich is life euerlasting to come of eating onely vnder one forme Therfore the Heretikes be seditious calumniators that would make the people beleeue the Catholike Church and Priests to haue defrauded them of the grace and benefite of one of the kindes in the Sacrament Nay it is they that haue defrauded the world by taking away both the real substance of Christ and the grace from one kinde and both kindes and from al other Sacraments The Church doth onely by the wisedom of Gods Spirit and by instruction of Christ and his Apostles according to time and place for Gods most honour the reuerence of the Sacrament and the peoples most profite thereby dispose of the maner and order how the Priest how the people shal receiue
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
is taken Act. 21 and from the Tribune Lysias deliuered to Felix the Gouernour Act. 23 and by him left to Festus Act. 24. he appealeth to Caesar Act. 25 and so is SENT TO ROME Act. 27 vvhere he arriueth Act. 28. Neronis Natiuit Ascen  2 58 25 At Rome he remaineth in free prison tvvo yere Act. 28. and then is deliuered 2 Tim. 4.    After his deliuerie he preached in sundrie countries of the vvest namely in Spaine Hiero. in Cataloge Epiph. Hares 27. Him self vvriteth that he purposed so to doe Ro. 15.    In his Epistle to the Philippians c. â— he minded to visâ—e the Churches of Asia vvhich also he did Genebrard in Chron.    He vvriteth last of al his second Epistle to Timothee a litle before his death 2 Tim. 4. being novv the second time apprehended and in bandes at Rome Theodoret. 14 70 37 He vvas beheaded at Rome the same day that Peter vvas crucified S. Ambros ser 〈◊〉 68. S Maximus OF THE OTHER APOSTLES THE Actes of the rest of the tvvelue Apostles be not much vvritten of in this booke but as * other Ecclesâ—â—stical writers do teâ—tifie they preached specially in these nations as folovveth Andrevv in Aâ—haia Iohn in Asia Philip in Pbrygia Iames in Ievvrie Bartholomevv in Scythia Thomas in India Matthevv in Aethiopia Simon in Persia Thaddâ—us in Mesopotamia the other Iames in Spaine Matthias in Palestine So distributing them selues through out the vvorld to gather one Catholike Church of al Nations according as Christ gaue them commission Mat. 28 19 and as it vvas prophecied of them before Psal 18. Their sound is gone forth into euery countrie and their wordes into the endes of the whole world But before they departed one from an other the time vvhereof is not certainely knovven * al Tvvelue assembling together ful of the Holy Ghost eche laying dovvne his sentence agreed vpon tvvelue principal articles of the Christian faith and appointed them for a rule to al beleeuers Vvhich is therfore called and is THE APOSTLES CREDE Not vvritten in paper as the Scripture but from the Apostles deliuered by tradition Ruff. Hiero. locis citatis Vvhich as of old Hiero. cont Lucifer so at this day al solemnely professe in their Baptisme either by them selues or by others and al that be of age and capacitie are bound to know and beleeue euery article of the â—ame Vvhich are these that folovv THE APOSTLES CREDE or SYMBOLVM APOSTOLORVM 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie creator of heauen and earth 2 And in IESVS CHRIST his only Sonne our Lord. 3 Vvho vvas conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin MARIE 4 Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Descended into Hel. 5 The third day be rose againe from death 6 Ascended into heauen Sitteth at the right haÌ„d of God the Father almightie 7 From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holy Ghost 9 The holy Catholike Church the communion of saincts 10 Forgiuenesse of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen ⧠THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLES IN GENERAL AFTER the Gospels vvhich is a storie of Christ himselfe and after the Actes of the Apostles Vvhich is a storie of Christes Church novv folovv the Epistles of the Apostles vvhich they vvrote of such matters as they had then occasion to vvrite of For being the founders and the Doctors of the Church they did in their time as the Doctors that succeeded them did after them vvho from the beginning vnto this day haue vvritten Epistles Bookes against heresies euer as they arose and of al other Ecclesiastical matters as they had occasion ministred vnto them Of vvhich their doing the Apostles first gaue here the ensample as also S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles led the vvay to al the writers of the Ecclesiastical Historie after him For al though there be no comparison betvvene them for authoritie for asmuch as these are Cannonical Scripture and so are not any vvritings of their successors yet the occasions and matters as I haue said are like Most of these Epistles are S. Paules Epistles the rest are called * Catholicae Epistolae the Epistles Catholike For S. Paul vvriteth not any Epistle to al hovvbeit euery one of them is for al the Church but some to particular Churches of the Gentils as to the Romanes to the Corinthians to the Galatians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians to the Thessalonians some to particular persons as to Timothee to Tite vvho vvere Bishops among the Gentiles to vvit of Ephesus and of Crete and to Philémon and then one to the Hebrevves vvho vvere the Ievves of Hierusalem and Iurie But the Epistles of the other Apostles that is of S. Iames S. Peter S. Iohn and S. Iude are not so intituled to any one Church or person except S. Iohns tvvo later short Epistles vvhich yet might not be separated from his first because they vvere al of one Author and therefore they are termed Catholike that is vniuersal For so vvriteth S. Iames To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion greeting and S. Peter in his first Epistle thus To the elect straÌ„gers of the dispersion of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia in his second thus To them that haue obteined equal faith vvith vs. likevvise S. Iude To them that are in God the father beloued and in Iesus Christ preserued and called S. Iohns first is vvithout title Novv for the occasions of their vvriting vvhereby vve shal perceiue the matters or arguments that they handle it must be remembred as the Storie of that time in the Actes of the Apostles doth at large declare that the Church then beginning vvas planted by the Apostles not onely in the Ievves but also in the Gentiles yea and specially in the Gentiles Vvhich thing offended the Ievves many waies For they could not abide to see so much as their owne Countrie to receiue him for CHRIST vvhom they had reiected and crucified much lesse to see them preach him to the Gentiles also that offended euen those Ievves also that beleeued him to be Christ Hovvbeit such of them as vvere Catholikes and therefore not obstinat vvere satisfied vvhen they vnderstood by the Apostles that it vvas Gods pleasure as Act. 11. vve reade But others of the became heretikes preached to the Christian Gentiles that it vvas necessary for them to receiue also the Ievves religion Of such vve reade Act. 15. Vnles you be circumcised you can not be saued And as these did so preach against the truth so did the vnchristened Ievves not onely them selues persecute but also stirre vp the Idolatrous Gentiles euery vvhere to persecute the Christians by such obstinacie prouoking God to reprobate theire Nation vvhich yet they thought vnpossible to be done because they vvere the seede of Abraham and
that Christ is our Sauiour that he is risen againe Vvhich point as al other must both be beleeued in hart and also be confessed by mouth for though a man be iustified invvardly vvhen he hath the vertues of faith hope and charitie from God yet if occasion be giuen he is also bound to confesse vvith his mouth and by al his external actions vvithout shame or feare of the vvorld that vvhich he invvardly beleeueth or els he can not be saued Vvhich is against certaine * old Heretikes that taught a man might say or doe vvhat he vvould for feare or danger so that he kept his faith in hart 14. Hovv shal they inuocat This maketh not as Heretikes pretend against inuocatiō of Saincts the Apostle saying nothing els but that they can not inuocate Christ as their Lord and Maister in vvhom they do not beleeue and vvhom they neuer heard of For he speaketh of Gentils or Pagans vvho could not inuocate him vnlesse they did first beleeue in him To the due inuocation of Christ vve must knovv him and our duties to him And so is it true also that vve can not pray to our B. Ladie nor any Sainct in heauen til vve beleeue and knovv their persons dignitie and grace and trust that they can help vs. But if our aduersaries thinke that vve can not inuocate them because vve can not beleeue in them let them vnderstand that the Scripture vseth also this speach to beleeue in men and it is the very Hebrew phrase vvhich they should not be ignorant of that bragge thereof so much Exod. 14 31. They beleeued in God and in Moyses and ◠Paral. 20 20. in the Hebrevv Ep. ad Thilem v. 5. And the ancient fathers ' did read in the Crede indifferently I beleeue in the Catholike Church and I beleeue the Catholike Church Conc. Nicen. apud Epiphan in fine Ancorat Hieron contr Lucif Cyril Hieros Cathec 〈◊〉 15. vnlesse they be sent This place of the Apostle inuincibly condemneth al the preachings vvritings ordinances innouations and vsurpations of Church pulpit vvhatsoeuer our nevv Euangelists haue intruded them selues and entered into by the vvindovv shevving that they be euery one from the highest to the lovvest false prophets running and vsurping being neuer lavvfully called Vvhich is so euident in the Heretikes of our daies that the Caluinists confesse it in them selues and say that there is an exception to be made in them because they found the state of the Church interrupted 20. That asked not That Christ vvas found of those that neuer asked after him it proueth that the first grace and our first iustification is vvithout merites That God called so continually and earnestly by his Prophets and by other his signes and vvonders vpon the Ievves and they vvithstood it free vvil is proued and that God vvould haue men saued and that they be the cause of their ovvne damnation them selues CHAP. XI Not al the Ievves vvere reprobate but some electe and they by grace obtained iustice the rest according to the Prophets being excecated 11. Against vvhom not vvithstanding the Christian Gentils to vvhom by that occasion Christ is come must not insult but rather feare euery man him self to be likevvise cut of the tree vvhich is the Catholike Church 25 and knovv that vvhen al the Gentils are brought into the Church then about the end of the vvorld shal the multitude of the Ievves also come in 33 according to the disposition of the vvonderful vvisedom of God verse 1 I Say then Hath god reiected his people God forbid for I also am an Israëlite of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Ben-iamin ✠verse 2 God hath not reiected his people vvhich he foreknevve Or knovv you not in Elias vvhat the Scripture saith hovv he requesteth God against Israël ✠verse 3 Lord they haue slaine thy Prophets they haue digged dovvne thine altares and I am left alone and they seeke my life ✠verse 4 But vvhat saith the diuine ansvver vnto him I haue left me seuen ″ thousand men that haue not borred their knees to Baal ✠verse 5 So therfore at this time also there are remaines saued according to the election of grace ✠verse 6 And if by grace ″ not novv of vvorkes othervvise grace novv is not grace ✠verse 7 Vvhat then that vvhich Israel sought the same he hath not obtained but the election hath obtained and the rest vvere blinded ✠verse 8 as it is vvritten ″ God hath giuen them the spirit of compunction eies that they may not see and eares that they may not heare vntil this present day ✠verse 9 And Dauid saith Be their table made for a snare and for a trappe and for a scandal and for a retribution vnto them ✠verse 10 Be their eies darkened that they may not see and their backe make thou alvvaies crooked ✠verse 11 I say them haue they so stombled that they should fall God forbid but by their offence saluation is to the Gentils that they may emulate them ✠verse 12 And if the offence of them be the riches of the vvorld and the diminution of them the riches of the Gentils hovv much more the fulnesse of them ✠verse 13 For to you Gentils I say as long verely as I am the Apostle of the Gentils I vvil honour my ministerie ✠verse 14 if by any meanes I may prouoke my flesh to emulation and may saue some of them ✠verse 15 For if the losse of them be the reconciliation of the vvorld vvhat shal the receiuing be but life from the dead ✠verse 16 And if the first fruite be holy the masse also and if the roote be holy the boughes also ✠verse 17 And if some of the boughes be broken and thou vvhereas thou vvast a vvilde oliue art graffed in them and art made partaker of the roote and of the fatnesse of the oliue ✠verse 18 glorie not against the boughes And if thou glorie not thou bearest the roote but the roote thee ✠verse 19 Thou saiest then The boughes vvere broken that I might be graffed in ✠verse 20 Vvel ″ because of incredulitie they vvere broken but thou by faith doest stand be not to highly vvise but feare ✠verse 21 For if God hath not spared the natural boughes lest perhaps he vvil not spare thee neither ✠verse 22 See then the goodnes and the seueritie of God vpō them surely that are fallen the seueritie but vpon thee the goodnes of God if thou abide in his goodnesse othervvise thou also shalt be cut of ✠verse 23 But they also if they do not abide in incredulitie shal be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in againe ✠verse 24 For if thou vvast cut out of the natural vvild oliue and contrarie to nature vvast graffed into the good oliue hovv much more they that are according to nature shal be
expressed here in the text And as S. Ambrose in hunc locum and most good authors novv thinke this vvhich he calleth Dominicam coenam is not meant of the B. Sacrament as the circunstances also of the text do giue namely the reiecting of the poore the rich mens priuate deuouring of al not expecting one an other glottony and drunkennesse in the same vvhich can not agree to the holy Sacrament And therfore the Heretikes haue smal reason vpon this place to name the said holy SacrameÌ„t rather the Supper of the Lord then after the maner of the primitiue Church the Eucharist MASSE or Liturgie But by like they vvould bring it to the supper againe or Euening seruice vvhen men be not fasting the rather to take avvay the old estimation of the holines thereof 23. I haue deliuered As al other partes of religion vvere first deliuered by preaching and vvord of mouth to euery Nation conuerted so this holy order and vse of the B. Sacrament vvas by S. Paul first giuen vnto the Corinthians by tradition Vnto vvhich as receiued of our Lord he reuoketh them by this Epistle not putting in vvriting particularly al things pertaining to the order vse and institution as he aftervvard saith but repeating the summe and substance thereof and leauing the residue to his returne But his vvordes and narration here vvritten vve vvil particularly prosecute because the Heretikes make profession to folovv the same in their pretended reformation of the MASSE 23. Ia the night First the Aduersaries may be here conuinced that al the circumstaÌ„ces of time person place vvhich in Christes action are noted neede not to be imitated As that the SacrameÌ„t should be ministred at night to men onely to onely tvvelue after or at supper such like because as S. Cyprian ep â—3 nu â— S. Augustine ep 118. c. 6. note there vvere causes of those accidents in Christ that are not novv to be alleaged for vs. He instituted then this holy act vve do not he made his Apostles Priests that is to say gaue them commission to do and minister the same vve do not he vvould haue this the last act of his life vvithin the bounds of his Passion it is not so vvith vs. he vvould eate and make an end of the Paschal to accomplish the old Lavv that can not be in our action therfore he must needes doe it after supper and at night vve may not do so he excluded al vvomen al the rest of his Disciples al lay men vve inuite al faithful men vvomen In many circunstances then neither vve may imitate Christes first action nor the Heretikes as yet do though they seeme to encline by abandoning other names sauing this calling it Supper to haue it at night and after meate though as is before noted they haue no iust cause to call it so vpon Christ fact seeing the Euangelists do plainely shevv * that the Sacrament vvas instituted after Supper as the Apostle him self here recordeth of the later part in expressâ— speach And most men thinke a long sermon and the vvashing of the Apostles feete came betvvene yea and that the supper vvas quite finished grace said But in al these and such like things the Catholike Church onely by Christes Spirit can tel vvhich things are imitable vvhich not in al his actions â—1 Tooke Christ tooke bread into his hands applying this ceremonie action and benediction to it and did blesse the very element vsed povver and actiue vvord vpon it * as he did ouer the bread and fishes vvhich he multiplied and so doth the Church of God and so do not the Protestants if they folovv their ovvne booke and doctrine but they let the bread cuppe stand a loofe and occupie Christes vvordes by vvay of report and narration applying them not at al to the matter proposed to be occupied and therfore hovvsoeuer the simple people be deluded by the rehersal of the same vvordes vvhich Christ vsed yet consecration benediction or sanctification of bread and vvine they professe they make none at al. At the first alteration of religion there vvas a figure of the Crosse at this vvord He blessed and at the vvorde He tooke there vvas a glosse or rubrike that appointed the Minister to imitate Christs action and to take the bread into his hands aftervvard that vvas reformed and Christes action abolished and his blessing of bread turned to thankes giuing to God 23. Bread Christ made the holy Sacrament of vnleauened bread and al the Latin Church imitateth him in the same as a thing much more agreable to the signification both in it self and in our liues then the leauen Yet our Aduersaries neither folovv Christ S. Paul nor the vvest Church in the same but rather purposely make choise of that kind that is in it self more vnseemely and to the first institution lesse agreable In the other part of the Sacrament they contemne Christ and his Church much more impudently and damnably For Christ and al the Apostles and al Catholike Churches in the vvorld haue euer mixed their wine vvith water for great mysterie and signification specially for that water gushed together vvith bloud out of our Lordes side This our Lord did saith S. Cyprian Ep. 63 ad Cecilium nu 4 7. and none rightly offereth that folovveth not him therein Thus Irenaeus li. 5. c. 1. Iustine Apolog. 2. in fine and al the Fathers testifie the Primitiue Church did and in this sort it is done in al the MASSES of the Greekes S. Iames S. Basils S. Chrisostoms and yet our Protestant pretending to reduce al to Christ vvil not doe as he did and al the Apostles and Churches that euer vvere 24. This is These vvordes being set dovvne not in the person of the Euangelistes or Apostles but expressed as in Christes ovvne person to be said ouer the bread and the like ouer the vvine are the formes of the Sacrament and vvordes of consecration neither is it a Sacrament but as S. Augustine saith vvhen the vvordes come that is to say actiuely and presently be applied to the elements of the same Therfore the Protestants neuer applying these vvordes more then the vvhole narration of the institution nor reciting the vvhole as is said othervvise then in historical maner as if one vvould minister Baptisme neuer apply the wordes of the SacrameÌ„t to the childe but onely read Christes speaches of the same make no Sacrament at al. And that these proper vvordes be the onely forme of this Sacrament and so to be spoken ouer or vpon the bread and vvine S. Ambrose plainly and precisely vvriteth recording hovv far the Euangelists narratiue vvordes do goe and vvhere Christes ovvne peculiar mystical vvordes of consecration begin and so the rest of the fathers Ambro. li. 4. de Sacr. e. 4. c. 9. de init Myster Iusti Apolog. 2. in fine Cypr. de Can. Do. nu 1. 2. Aug. Ser. 28. de
according to the purpose of him that vvorketh al things according to the counsel of his vvil ✠verse 12 that vve may be vnto the praise of his glorie vvhich before haue hoped in Christ ✠verse 13 in vvhom you also vvhen you had heard the vvord of truth the Gospel of your saluation in vvhich also beleeuing you vvere signed vvith the holy Spirit of promis ✠verse 14 vvhich is the pledge of our inheritance to the redemption of acquisition vnto the praise of his glorie ✠verse 15 Therfore I also hearing your faith that is in our Lord IESVS and loue tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 16 cease not to giue thankes for your making a memorie of you in my praiers ✠verse 17 that God of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of glorie giue you the spirit of vvisedom and of reuelation in the knovvledge of him ✠verse 18 the eies of your hart illuminated that you may knovv vvhat the hope is of his vocation and vvhat are the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the sainctes ✠verse 19 and vvhat is the passing greatnes of his povver tovvard vs that beleeue according to the operation of the might of his povver ✠verse 20 vvhich he vvrought in Christ raising him vp from the dead and setting him on his right hand in celestials ✠verse 21 aboue ″ al Principalitie Potestate Power and Domination and euery name that is named not only in this vvorld but also in that to come ✠verse 22 And he hath * subdued al things vnder his feete and hath made him ″ head ouer al the CHVRCH ✠verse 23 vvhich is his body the fulnes of him vvhich is filled al in al. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 21. Al Principalitie The Fathers vpon this and other places of the old and new Testament vvhere they finde the orders of holy Angels or spirites named agree that there be nine orders of them Of vvhich some be here counted and called as vve see in the Epistle to the Colossians the order of Thrones is specified vvhich maketh fiue to vvhich if vve adde these foure Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels vvhich are commonly named in holy vvrite in al there be nine S. Denys coel Hier. c. 7. 8. 9. Ec. Hier. c. 1. S. Athanas li de Communi essent in fine Gregor Moral li. 32. c. 18. Therfore good Reader make no accoumpt of * Caluins and others infidelitie vvhich blasphemously blame and condemne the holy doctors diligence in this point of curiousitie and impietie The vvhole endeuour of these heretikes is to bring al into doubt and to corrupt euery Article of our Religion 22. Head It maketh a high proofe among the Protestants that no man can be head of the Church because it is a calling and dignitie proper to Christ But in truth by as good reason there should be no king nor lord because He is king and lord neither should there be Bishop or Pastor because he is the Bishop and Pastor of our soules nor Pontifex nor Apostle for by those titles S. Paul termeth him Hebr. 3 none should be piller foundation rocke light or maister of the Church or truth because Christ is properly al these And yet our nevv doctors though they be exceding seditious and vvould for the aduantage of their sect be gladly ridde of kings and al other Superiors temporal if they feared not the sword more then God and vvould finde as good Scriptures to be deliuered of them as they now finde to discharge them selues of obedience to Popes yet I say they vvil not deny al the former titles and dignities notvvithstanding Christes soueraine right in the same to be giuen and communicated to the Princes and Magistrates of the earth both spiritual and temporal though Christ in a more diuine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort haue al these things attributed or appropriated to him self So then though he be the head of the Church and the onely head in such soueraine and principal maner as no earthly man or mere creature euer is or can be and it ioyned to the Church in a more excellent sort of coniunction then any king is to his subiects or Countrie or any Pope or Prelate to the Church vvhereof he is gouernour euen so farre that it is called his body Mystical life motion spirit grace issuing dovvne from him to it and the members of the same as from the head of the natural body though in this sort we say no man can be head but Christ nor the Church be body to any but to Christ yet the Pope may be the ministerial head that is to say the cheefe Gouernour Pastor and Prelate of the same and may be his Vicar or Vicegerent in the regiment of that part vvhich is in earth as S. Hierom calleth Damasus the Pope Summum Sacerdotem the cheefe and highest Priest and the Apostle saith of this ministerial head The head can not say to the feete you are not necessarie for me For therein also is a great difference betvvene Christ and euery mortal I relate that as the Apostle here saith he is head of the vvhole Church meaning of the triumphaÌ„t of al Angels also though in an other sort no lesse theÌ„ of the Church militaÌ„t So Peter vvas not nor any Pope nor any man can be Where you must obserue that for this soueraine preeminence of Christ in this case the Church is not called the body mystical of any Gouernour Peter Paul or vvhat Prelate or Pope so euer CHAP. II. He putteth them in minde of their vnvvorthines before they vvere Christians that al the praise may be giuen to the grace of God 11 and of the enmitie that vvas thâ—â— betvvene the Ievv and the Gentil 〈◊〉 vntil nevv that Christ by his Crosse hath made both one taking avvay the ceremâ—nies of the Lavv and making one body and building one holy Temple of al in his Catholike Church verse 1 AND you vvhen you vvere dead by your offenses sinnes ✠verse 2 vvherein sometime you vvalked according to the course of this vvorld according to the * prince of the povver of this aire of the spirit that novv vvorketh on the childreÌ„ of diffidence ✠verse 3 in vvhom also vve al conuersed sometime in the desires of our flesh doing the vvil of the flesh and of thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as also the rest ✠verse 4 but God vvhich is riche in mercie for his exceding charitie vvhervvith he loued vs ✠verse 5 euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace you are saued ✠verse 6 and raised vs vp vvith him and hath made vs sit vvith him in the celestials in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 that he might shevv in the vvorldes succeding the aboundant riches of his grace in bountie vpon vs in Christ IESVS ✠verse 8 For by ″ grace you are saued
Catholike Church that is to say that visible companie of Christians vvhich hath euer had and by good records can proue they haue had a continual ordinarie succession of Bishops Pastors and Doctors to be the onely true Church and these other good fellovves that for many vvorldes or ages together can not shevv that they had any one Bishop or ordinarie yea or extraordinaâ—â—e officer for them and their sect to be an adulterous Heretical generation And this place of the Apostle assuring to the true Church a perpetual visible continuance of Pastors and Apostles or their successors vvarranted the holy fathers to trie al Heretikes by the most famous succession of the Popes of Rome So did S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 3. Tertullian in prascript Optatus li. 2 cont Parm. S. Augustine in ps cont part Donat. et cont ep Manich. c. 4. et ep 165. Epiph. har 27. and others 14. With euery vvinde The special vse of the spiritual Gouernours is to keepe vs in vnitie and constancie of the Catholike faith that vve be not carried avvay vvith the blast or vvind of euery heresie Vvhich is a very proper note of sectes and nevv doctrines that trouble the infirme vveaklings of the Church by certaine seasons of diuerse ages as sometime the Arians then the Manichees an other time the Nestorians then the Lutherans Caluinists and such like vvho at diuers times in diuers places haue blovven diuers blastes of flase doctrine CHAP. V. He continueth his exhortation to good life 5 assuring them against al deceiuers that no committer of mortal sinne shal be saued considering that for such sinnes it is that the Heathen shal be damned â— that Christians must rather be the light of al others 22 Them he commeth in particular and exhorteth husbands and vviues to do their duety one tovvardes the other by the example of Christ and his obedient and beloued spouse the Church verse 1 BE ye therfore folovvers of God as most deere children ✠verse 2 and * walke in loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered him self for vs an oblation and host to God in an odour of svvetenes ✠verse 3 But * fornication and al vncleannes or auarice let it not so much as be named among you as it becommeth sainctes ✠verse 4 or filthines or foolish talke or scurrilitie being to no purpose but rather giuing of thankes ✠verse 5 For vnderstanding knovv you this that no fornicatour or vncleane or couetous person vvhich is the seruice of Idols hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God ✠verse 6 Let no man seduce you vvith vaine vvordes For for these things commeth the anger of God vpoÌ„ the children of diffidence ✠verse 7 Become not therfore partakers vvith them ✠verse 8 For you vvere sometime darkenes but novv light in our Lord. Vvalke as children of the light ✠verse 9 for the fruite of the light is in al goodnes and iustice and veritie ⊢ ✠verse 10 prouing vvhat is vvel pleasing to God ✠verse 11 and communicate not vvith the vnfruitful vvorkes of darkenes but rather reproue them ✠verse 12 For the things that are done of them in secrete it is shame euen to speake ✠verse 13 But al things that are reproued are manifested by the light for al that is manifested is light ✠verse 14 for the vvhich cause he saith Rise thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvil illuminate thee ✠verse 15 See therfore brethren how you vvalke vvarily not as vnvvise but * as vvise ✠verse 16 redeeming the time because the daies are euil ✠verse 17 Therfore become not vnvvise but * vnderstanding vvhat is the vvil of God ✠verse 18 And be not drunke vvith vvine vvherein is rioteousnes but be filled vvith the Spirit ✠verse 19 speaking to your selues in psalmes hymnes and spiritual canticles chauÌ„ting and singing in your hartes to our Lord ✠verse 20 giuing thankes alvvaies for al things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ to God the Father ✠verse 21 Subiect one to an other in the feare of Christ ✠verse 22 Let * vvomen be subiect to their husbandes as to our Lord ✠verse 23 because * the man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the CHVRCH Him self ″ the sauiour of his body ✠verse 24 But as the CHVRCH is subiect to Christ so also the vvomen to their husbands in al things ✠verse 25 Husbands loue your vviues as Christ also ″ loued the CHVRCH and deliuered him self for it ✠verse 26 that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of vvater in the vvord ✠verse 27 that he might present to him self a glorious CHVRCH not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it may be holy and vnspotted ✠verse 28 So also men ought to loue their vviues as their ovvne bodies He that loueth his vvife loueth him self ✠verse 29 For no man euer hated his ovvne flesh but he nourisheth cherisheth it ″ as also Christ the CHVRCH ✠verse 30 because vve be the members of his body of his flesh of his bones ✠verse 31 For this cause shal maÌ„ leaue his father mother and shal cleane to his vvife and they shal be tvvo in one flesh ✠verse 32 ″ This is a great sacrameÌ„t but I speake in Christ and in the CHVRCH ✠verse 33 Neuertheles you also euery one let eche loue his vvife as him self and let the vvife feare her husband ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 21. Sauiour of his body None hath saluation or benefite by Christ that is not of his body the Church And vvhat Church that is S. Augustine expresseth in these vvordes The Catholike Church onely is the body of Christ vvhereto she is â—ead out of this body the Holy Ghost quickeneth no man And a litle after He that vvil haue the Spirit let him bevvare he remains not out of the CHVRCH let him bevvare he enter not into it fâ—inedly August ep 50 ad Bonifacium comitem in fine 24. Subiect to Christ The CHVRCH is alvvaies subiect to Christ that is not onely vnder him but euer obedient to his vvordes and commaundement Vvhich an euident and inuincible demonstration that she neuer rebelleth against Christ neuer falleth from him by error Idolatrie or false vvorship as the Heretikes novv and the Donatistes of old did teach 25. Loued the Church Loe Christes singular loue of the CHVRCH for vvhich onely the members thereof he effectually suffered his Passion and for vvhose continual cleansing and purifying in this life he instituted holy Baptisme and other Sacraments that at length in the next life it may become vvithout al spot vvrinkle or blemish for in this vvorld by reason of the manifold infirmities of diuers her members she can not be vvholy vvithout sinne but must
plant Therfore if the rest be Antichrist let Beza boldly say that S. Peter vvas so also and that diuers of the auÌ„cient Catholike fathers did serue and vvorke though vnvvares tovvardes the setting vp of the great Antichrist for so doth that blasphemous penne boldly vvrite in his Annotations vpon this place and an English printed booke of late comming forth out of the same schoole hath these vvordes As for Leo and Gregorie Bishops of Rome although they vvere not come to the ful pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing vvrought in that Seate neere fiue or sixe hundred yeres before them and then greatly increased they vvere deceiued vvith the long continuance of errour Thus vvriteth a malapert scholer of that impudent schole placing the mysterie of Antichrist as vvorking in the See of Rome euen in S. Peters time and making these tvvo holy fathers great vvorkers and furtherers of the same vvhereas an other English Rabbine doubted not at Paules crosse to speake of the self same fathers as great Doctors and Patrones of their nevv Gospel thus O Gregorie ô Leo if vve be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Vvhereof vve giue the good Christian Reader vvarning more diligently to bevvare of such damnable bookes and Maisters carying many vnaduised people to perdition 4. Extolled The great Antichrist vvhich must come neere the vvorldes end shal abolish the publike exercise of al other religions true and false and pull dovvne both the B. Sacrament of the altar vvherein coÌ„sisteth specially the vvorship of the true God and also al Idols of the Gentils and sacrifices of the Ievves generally al kinde of religious vvorship sauing that vvhich must be done to him self alone vvhich vvas partly prefigured in such kings as published that no God nor man but them selues should be praied vnto for certaine daies as * Darîus and such like Hovv can the Protestants then for shame and vvithout euident coÌ„tradiction auouch the Pope to be Antichrist vvho as vve say honoureth Christ the true God vvithal his povver or as they say honoureth Idols and chalengeth no diuine honour to him self much lesse to him self onely as Antichrist shal do He huÌ„bly praieth to God lovvly kneeâ—eth dovvne in euery Church at diuers altars erected to God in the memories of his Saincts and praieth to them He saieth or heareth Masse daily vvith al deuotion he confesseth his sinnes to a Priest as other poore men do he adoreth the holy Eucharist vvhich Christ affirmed to be his ovvne body the Heretikes call it an Idol no maruel if they make the Pope his Vicar Antichrist vvhen they make Christ him self an Idol These religious dueties doth the Pope vvhereas Antichrist shal vvorship none nor pray to any at the least openly 4. In the temple Most auncient vvriters expound this of the Temple in Hierusalem vvhich they thinke Antichrist shal build vp againe as being of the Ievves stocke and to be acknovvledged of that obstinate people according to our Sauiours prophecie Io. 5 for their expected and promised Messias Iren. li. 5 in fine Hyppolyt de consum mundi Cyril Hieros Cacech 15. Author op imp ho. 49. in Mat. See S. Hierom in 11 Dan. Grego li. 31. Moral c. 11. Not that he shal suffer them to vvorship God by their old maner of sacrifices al vvhich he vvil either abolish or conuert to the onely adoration of him self though at the first to apply him self to the Ievves he may perhaps be circumcised and keepe some part of the law for it is here said that he shal sitte in the Temple as God that is he shal be adored there by sacrifice and diuine honour the name and vvorship of the true God wholy defaced And this they thinke to be the abominatioÌ„ of desolation foretold by Daniel mentioned by our Sauiour prefigured and resembled by Antiochus and others that defaced the worship of the true God by prophanation of that Temple specially by abrogating the daily sacrifice which was a figure of the only sacrifice and continual oblation of Christes holy body and bloud in the Church as the abolishing of that vvas a figure of the abolishing of this vvhich shal be done principally most vniuersally by Antichrist him self as novv in part by his forerunners through out al Nations and Churches of the vvorld though then also Masse may be had in secret as it is novv in nations vvhere the secular force of some Princes prohibiteth it to be said openly For although he may haue his principal seate and honour in the Temple and citie of Hierusalem yet he shal rule ouer the vvhole vvorld and specially prohibite that principal vvorship instituted by Christ in his Sacraments as being the proper Aduersarie of Christes person name lavv and Church the prophanation and desolation of vvhich Church by taking avvay the sacrifice of the altar is the proper abomination of desolation and the vvorke of Antichrist onely S. Augustine therfore li. 20 de ciuit c. 19. and S. Hierom q. 11 ad Algasiam do thinke that this sitting of Antichrist in the temple doth signifie his sitting in the Church of Christ rather then in Salomons temple Not as though he should be a cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a special part of his body mystical and be Antichrist and yet vvithal continuing vvithin the Church of Christ as the Heretikes feine to make the Pope Antichrist vvhereby they plainely confesse and agnise that the Pope is a member of the Church c. in ipso sinu Ecclesiae and in the very bosome of the Church say they for that is ridiculous that al Heretikes vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes as his precursors should go out of the Church and the great Antichrist him self should be of the Church in the Church coÌ„tinevv in the same and yet to them that make the vvhole Church to reuolt from God this is no absurditie But the truth is that this Antichristian reuolt here spoken of is from the Catholike Church and Antichrist if he euer vvere of or in the Church shal be an Apostata and a renegate out of the Church and shal vsurpe vpon it by tyrannie and by chalenging vvorship religion gouernement thereof so that him self shal be adored in al the Churches of the vvorld vvhich he list to leaue standing for his honour And this is to sitte in the temple oâ— against the Temple of God as some interprete If any Pope did euer this or shal do then let the Aduersaries call him Antichrist And let the good Reader obserue that there be tvvo special causes vvhy this great man of sinne is called Antichrist The one is for impugning Christes kingdom in earth that is to say his spiritual regiment vvhich he constituted and appointed in his Church and the forme of gouernement ordained therein applying al to him self by singular tyrannie and vsurpation in vvhich kinde S. Athanasius ep at Solit. vit
chast not detracting sober faithful in al things ✠verse 12 Let deacons be the husbandes of one vvife vvhich rule vvel their children their houses ✠verse 13 For they that haue ministred vvel shal purchase to them selues a good degree and much confidence in the faith vvhich is in Christ IESVS ✠verse 14 These things I vvrite to thee hoping that I shal come to thee quickly ✠verse 15 but if I tary long that thou maiest knovv how thou oughtest to conuerse ″ in the house of God which is the CHVRCH of the liuing God ″ the piller and ground of truth ✠verse 16 And manifestly it is a great sacrament of pietie vvhich vvas manifested in flesh vvas iustified in spirit appeared to Angels hath beene preached to gentils is beleeued in the vvorld is assumpted in glorie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 1. A good vvorke Nothing saith S. Augustine in this life and specially in this time is easier pleasanter or more acceptable to man then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon if the thing be done onely for fashion sake and â—â—â—â—â—ringly but nothing before God more miserable more lamentable more damnable Againe There is nothing in this life and specially at this time harder more laborious or more dangerous then the office of a Bishop Priest or Deacon but before God nothing more blessed if they vvarre in such sort as our Captaine commaundeth August ep 148. 2. A Bishop That vvhich is here spoken of a Bishop because the vvordes Bishop Priest in the nevv Testament be often taken indifferently for both or either of the tvvaine as is noted in an other place the same is meant of euery Priest also though the qualities here required ought to be more singular in the Bishop then in the Priest according to the difference of their degrees dignities and callings â— Of one vvife Certaine Bishops of Vigilantius sect vvhether vpon false construction of this text or through the filthines of their fleshly lust vvould take none to the Cleargie except they vvould be maried first not beleeuing saith S. Hierom aduers Vigilant c. 1. that any single man liueth chastly shevving hovv holily they liue them selues that suspect il of euery man and vvil not giue the Sacrament of Order to the Cleargie vnlâ—s they see their vviues haue great bellies and children vvalling at their mothers breastes Our Protestants though they be of Vigilantius sect yet they are scarse come so farre to commaund euery Priest to be maried Neuertheles they mislike them that vvill not marrie so much the vvorse and they suspect il of euery single person in the Church thinking the gift of chastitle to be very rare among them they do not onely make the state of mariage equal to chast single life vvith the Heretike Iouinian but they are bold to say sometimes that the Bishop or Priest may do his duety and charge better maried then single expresly against S. Paul vvho affirmeth that the vnmaried thinke of the things that belong to God and that the maried be diuersely distracted and intangled vvith the vvorld The Apostle then by this place vve novv treate of neither commauÌ„deth nor counseleth nor vvisheth nor vvould haue Bishops or Priests to marrie or such onely to be receiued as haue been maried but that such an one as hath been married so it vvere but once and that to a virgin may be made Bishop or Priest Which is no more then an inhibition that none hauing been tvvise maried or being bigamus should be admitted to that holy Order And this exposition onely is agreable to the practise of the vvhole Church the definition of auÌ„cient Councels the doctrine of al the fathers vvithout exception and the Apostles tradition Vvhich sense S. Chrysostom vvholy folovveth vpon the Epistle to Titus though here he folovv not vvholy the same sense Ho. 2 in ep ad Tit. S. Ambrose also vpon this place and most plainely and largely in his 82 Epistle post med giuing the cause why bigamus can not be made Bishop or Priest in fine affirmeth not onely the Apostle but the holy Councel of Nice to haue taken order that none should be receiued into the Cleargie that vvere tvvise maried S. Hierom Ep. 83. ad Oceanum c. 2. ep â— c. 18. ep 11. â— 2 expresly vvriteth that the Cleargie is made of such as haue had but one vvife at least after Baptisme for he thought that if one vvere often maried vvhen he vvas yet no Christian he might notvvithstanding be ordered Bishop or Priest But S. Ambrose ep 82. S. Augustine de bono Coniug c. 18. S. Innocentius the first ep 2. c. 5. â— to 1. Concil S. Leo ep 87â— S. Gregorie after them the vvhole Church exclude those also vvhich haue been tvvise maried vvhen so euer vvhereof S. Augustine giueth goodly reason and example in the place alleaged S. Leo ep 87 addeth further proueth that the maÌ„ is couÌ„ted bigamus not the husband of one vvife in respect of holy Orders not onely if he hath had tvvo vviues but if his one vvife vvere not a virgin vvhich being obserued in the high Priests of the old lavv must needes be much rather kept novv See also the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus c. 72 in S. Augustines vvorkes And by these fevv you may see hovv shamefully the state of the new heretical Cleargie of our time is fallen from the Apostolike and al the fathers practise and doctrine herein Vvho do not onely take men once or twise maried before but vvhich vvas neuer heard of before in any person or part of the Catholike Church they marie after they be Bishops or Priests once tvvise and as often as their lustes require Whereas it vvas neuer lawful in Gods Church to marrie after Holy Orders Neither is there one authentical example thereof in the world For those of vvhom Nice Councel speaketh vvere maried before were but tolerated onely to vse their wiues the fathers in the same Councel prouiding expresly at the same time that none from thence forth should marrie after they came to holy Orders and that according to the auÌ„cient tradition of the Church as Socrates and Sozomenus declare in most plaine vvordes See Suidas in the vvord Paphnutius And in vvhat countrie so euer they haue been permitted to haue carnal dealing euen vvith their vviues whom they had before it was not according to the exact rule of the Apostles Churches tradition by vvhich al that be in holy Orders should wholy abstaine not onely from marying but euen from their wiues before maried Vvhereof thus vvriteth S. Epiphanius hares 59 câ—nt Cathares The holy preaching of God receiueth not after Christ them that marrie againe after their vviues departure by reason of the great dignitie and honour of Priesthod And this the holy Church of God obserueth vvith al sinceritie Yea she doth not receiue the once maried person that yet
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
he is our onely aduocate because he is our onely redeemer and herevpon he alone immediatly by and through him self and vvithout the aide or assistance of any other man or Angel in his ovvne name right and merites confidently dealeth in our causes before God our iudge so procureth our pardon vvhich is the highest degree of aduocation that can be Al vvhich notvvithstanding yet the Angels and Saincts and our fellovves aliue may and do pray for vs and in that they deale vvith God by intercession to procure mercie for vs may iustly be called our aduocates not so as Christ is vvho demaundeth al things immediatly by his ovvne merites but as secondary intercessors vvho neuer aske nor obtaine any thing for vs but per Christum Dominum nostrum by and through Christ our common Lord Aduocate and Redeemer of mankinde And behold hovv S. Augustine tract 1 in ep Io. vpon these very vvordes preuented the Heretikes cauillations Sed dicit aliquis c. But some man vvil say Do not the Saincts them pray for vs do not Bishops then or Prelates and Pastors pray for the people Yetâ— saith he Marke the Scriptures and you shal finde that the Apostles praied for the people and againe desired the people to pray for them and so the head praieth for al and the members one for an other And likevvise lest the Heretikes should say there is a difference betvvixt the liuing and the dead in this case thus the same holy father vvriteth vpon the 85 Psalme in fine Our Lord Iesus Christ doth yet make intercession for vs al the Martyrs that be vvith him pray for vs neither vvil their intercession cease til vve cease our gronings In this sense therfore vvhosoeuer praieth for vs either aliue or dead is our aduocate as S Augustine ep 59 to Paulinus circa med calleth Bishops the peoples aduocates vvhen they giue them their benediction or blessing So doth the holy Church call our B. Lady our aduocate by the very vvordes of S. Irenaeus that you may see such speaches be no nevv inuentions of the later ages but Apostolical The obedient Virgin MARIE saith he is made the aduocate of the disobedient virgin Eue. And to confound the ProtestaÌ„ts plainely in that they thinke or pretend that the aduocation or patronage of Saincts should be iniurious to Christ remeÌ„ber that * our Sauiour acknovvledgeth Angels to be deputed for the protection vvhich is nothing els but aduocation of infants before the face of God besides the plaine examples in the old Testament Gen. 48. v. 16. Tob. 5. v. 27. c. 12. v. 12. Dan. 10. And this not onely the Catholike Church but the very English Protestants them selues in their seruice booke and in the Collect of Michelmas day professe and pray for the same protection or aduocation of Angels and defend the same against their yonger brethren the Puritanes 2. For the vvhole vvorlds S. Augustine gathereth hereof against the Donatistes and al other Heretikes that vvould driue the Church into corners or some certaine countries from the vniuersalitie of al Nations vvhereof it vvas named by the Apostles Catholike that the true religion and Church and consequently the effect of Christs propitiation death and aduocation pertaineth not to one age nation or people but to the vvhole vvorld S. Augustine vpon this place to 9. tract 1 in ep Io. 4. He that saith he knovveth To knovv God here signifieth as it doth often in the Scriptures to loue that is as in the last chapter to be in societie vvith him and to haue familiar and experimental knovvledge of his graces If any vaunt them selues thus to knovv God and yet keepe not his commaundements he is a lier as al Caluinistes and Lutherans that professe them selues to be in the fauour of God by onely faith affirming that they neither keepeâ— not possibly can keepe his commaundements 18. Many antichrists The holy Apostle S Iohn saith S. Cyprian did not put a difference betvvixt one heresie or schisme and an other not meant any sort that specially separated them selues but generally called al vvithout exception antichristes that vvere aduersaries to the Church or vvere gone out from the same And a litle after It is euident that al be here called antichristes that haue seuered them selues from the charitie and vnitie of the Catholike Church So vvriteth he ep 76. nu 1 ad Magnum Vvhereby vve may learne that al Heretikes or rather Arch-heretikes be properly the precursors of that one and special Antichrist vvhich is to come at the last end of the vvorld vvhich is called here immediatly before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that peculiar and singular Antichrist 19. They vvent cut from vs. An euident note and marke vvhereby to conuince al Heretikes and false teachers to vvit that being once of the common Catholike Christian fellovvship they forsooke it and vvent out from the same Simon Magus Nicolas the Deacon Hymenaeus Alexander Philétus Arîus Macedonius Pelagius Nestorius Eutyches Luther Caluin and the like vvere of the common societie of al vs that be Christian Catholikes they vvent out from vs vvhom they savv to liue in vnitie of faith and religion together and made them selues nevv conuenticles therfore they vvere as the Apostle here shevveth antichristes and vve and al that abide in the auncient fellovvship of Christian religion that vvent not out of their fellovvship in vvhich vve neuer vvere nor out of any other societie of knovven Christians can not be Schismatikes or Heretikes but must needes be true Christian Catholike men Let our aduersaries tel vs out of vvhat Church vve euer departed vvhen and vvhere and vnder vvhat persons it vvas that vve reuolted as vve can tel them the yere the places the Ringleaders of their reuolt 19. They vvere not of vs. He meaneth not that Heretikes vvere not or could not be in or of the Church before they vvent out or fel into their heresie or schisme but partly that many of them vvhich aftervvard fall out though they vvere before vvith the rest and partakers of al the Sacraments vvith other their fellovves yet in deede vvere of naughtie life and conscience vvhen they vvere vvithin and so being rather as if humors and superfluous excrements then true and liuely partes of the body after a sort may be said not to haue been of the body at al. So S. Augustine expoundeth these vvordes in his commentarie vpon this place tract 3. but els vvhere more agreably as it seemeth that the Apostle meaneth that such as vvil not tarie in the Church but finally forsake it to the end in the prescience of God and in respect of the small benefite they shal haue by their temporal smal abode there be not of or in the Church though according to this present state they are truely members thereof Li. de corrept gr c. 9 de dono perseuâ—â— c. 8. 19. That they may be manifest God permitteth
heresie to be that such as be permanent constant and chosen members and children of the Catholike Church onely knovven to God before may novv also be made manifest to the vvorld by their constant remaining in the CHVRCH vvhen the vvinde and blast of euery heresie or tentation driueth out the other light and vnstable persons 20. Knovv al things They that abide in the vnitie of Christes Church haue the vnction that is the Holy Ghost vvho teacheth al truth not that euery member or man thereof hath al knovvledge in him self personally but that euery one vvhich is of that happie societie to vvhich Christ promised and gaue the Holy Ghost is partaker of al other mens giftes and graces in the same holy Spirit to his saluation Neither neede any to seeke truth at Heretikes handes or others that be gone out vvhen it is vvithin them selues and onely vvithin them selues in Gods Church If thou loue vnitie saith S. Augustine for thee also hath he vvhosoeuer hath any thing in it take avvay enuie it is thine vvhich I haue it is mine vvhich thou hast c. Tract 32 in Euang. Ioan. CHAP. III. It is not for the sonnes of God to sinne mortally but for the sonnes of the Diuel vvherby they are knovven one from an other not by onely faith 11 True faith is that vve also loue our brethren giuing both our life and substance for them 19 Such vnfeined loue may haue great confidence before God 23 because the keeping of his cōmaundements doth much please him vvhich consist in faith and charitie verse 1 See vvhat maner of charitie the Father hath giuē vs that vve should be named and be the sonnes of God For this cause the world doth not knovv vs because it hath not knovven him ✠verse 2 My deerest novv vve are the sonnes of God it hath not yet appeared vvhat we shal be Vve know that whē he shal appeare we shal be like to him because vve shal see him as he is ✠verse 3 And euery one that hath this hope in him sanctifieth him self as he also is holy ✠verse 4 Euery one that committeth sinne committeth also iniquitie and ◠sinne is iniquitie ✠verse 5 And * you knovv that he appeared to take away our sinnes * and sinne in him there is none ✠verse 6 Euery one that abideth in him ◠sinneth not and euery one that sinneth hath not seen him nor knovven him ✠verse 7 Litle children let no mā seduce you ◠He that doeth iustice is iust euen as he also is iust ✠verse 8 * He that committeth sinne is of the deuil because the deuil ◠sinneth from the beginning For this appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the vvorkes of the deuil ✠verse 9 Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne because his seede abideth in him and he can not sinne because he is borne of God ✠verse 10 In this are the children of God manifest and the children of the deuil Euery one that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother ✠verse 11 because this is the annuntiation vvhich you haue heard from the beginning * That you loue one an other ✠verse 12 Not as * Cain vvho vvas of the vvicked and killed his brother And for vvhat cause killed he him Because his vvorkes vvere vvicked but his brothers iust ✠verse 13 Maruel not brethren if the vvorld hate you ✠verse 14 Vve knovv that vve are translated from death to life because vve loue the brethren He that loueth not abideth in death ✠verse 15 Vvhosoeuer hateth his brother is a murderer And you knovv that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in him self ✠verse 16 * In this vve haue knovven the charitie of God because he hath yelded his life for vs and vve ought to yeld our liues for the brethren ⊢ ✠verse 17 * He that shal haue the substance of the vvorld and shal see his brother haue neede and shal shut his bovvels from him hovv doth the charitie of God abide in him ✠verse 18 My litle children let vs not loue in word nor in tongue but in deede and truth ⊢ ✠verse 19 in this vve knovv that vve are of the truth and in his sight vve shal persuade our hartes ✠verse 20 For if our hart do reprehend vs God is greater then our hart and knovveth al thinges ✠verse 21 My deerest if our hart do not reprehend vs vve haue confidence tovvard God ✠verse 22 and * vvhatsoeuer vve shal aske ◠vve shal receiue of him because vve keepe his commaundementes and doe those thinges vvhich are pleasing before him ✠verse 23 And * this is his commaundement that vve beleeue in the name of his sonne IESVS Christ and loue one an other as he hath giuen cōmaundement vnto vs. ✠verse 24 And * he that keepeth his commaundementes abideth in him and he in him And in this vve knovv that he abideth in vs by the Spirit vvhich he hath giuen vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 4. Sinne is iniquitie Iniquitie is not taken here for vvickednes as it is commonly vsed both in Latin and in our language as is plaine by the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying nothing els but a svvaruing or declining from the straight line of the lavv of God or nature So that the Apostle meaneth that euery sinne is an obliquitie or defect from the rule of the lavv but not contrarie that euery such svvaruing from the lavv should be properly a sinne as the Heretikes do vntruely gather to proue that concupiscence remaining after Baptisme is a very sinne though vve neuer giue our consent vnto it And though in the 5 chapter folovving vers 17. the Apostle turne the speache affirming euery iniquitie to be a sinne yet there the Greeke vvord is not the same as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vvhich it is plaine that there he meaneth by iniquitie mans actual and proper transgression vvhich must needes be a sinne See S. Augustine cont Iulian. li. 5 c. 3. S. Ambr. li. d◠Apologia Dauid c. 13. 6. Sinneth not Iouinian Pelagius falsely as Heretikes vse to doe argued vpon these vvordes and those that folovv vers 9 the one that the baptized could sinne no more the other that no man being or remaining iust could sinne But among many good senses giuen of this place this seemeth most agreable that the Apostle should say that mortal sinne doth not consist together vvith the grace of God therfore can not be committed by a man continuing the sonne of God and so is the like speache in the 9 verse folovving to be taken See S. Hierom li. 2 cont louinianum c. 1. 7. He that doeth iustice He doth inculcate this often that mans true iustice or
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
through dry places seeking rest and findeth not ✠verse 44 Then he saith I vvil returne into my house vvhence I came out And coming he findeth it vacant svvept vvith besoms and trimmed ✠verse 45 Then goeth he and taketh vvith him seuen other spirites more vvicked then him self and they enter in and dvvel there and * the last of that man be made vvorse then the first So shal it be also to this vvicked generation ✠verse 46 As he vvas yet speaking to the multitudes * behold his mother and his brethren stoode vvithout seeking to speake to him ✠verse 47 And one said vnto him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without seeking thee ✠verse 48 But he ansvvering him that told him said ″ Who is my mother and vvho are my brethren ✠verse 49 And stretching forth his hand vpon his Disciples he said Behold my mother and my brethren ✠verse 50 For vvhosoeuer shal doe the vvil of my father that is in heauen he is my brother and sister and mother ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 24. In Beelzebub The like blasphemie agaynst the Holy Ghost is to attribute the miracles done by Saincts either dead or aliue to the Diuel 30. Not with me They that are indifferent to al religions commonly and fitly called Neuters â—oyning them selues to neither part let them marke these wordes wel and they shal see that Christ accoumpted al them to be agaynst him and his Church that are not plainely and flatly with him and it 30. Gathereth not with me He speaketh not only of his owne person but of al to whom he hath committed the gouernement of his Church and specially of the cheefe Pastours succeeding Peter in the gouernement of the whole As S. Hierom writing to Damasus Pope of Rome applieth these words vnto him saying of al Heretikes He that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is to say He that is not with Christ is with Antichrist 31. The blasphemie of the Spirit He meaneth not that there is any sinne so great which God wil not forgiue or whereof a man may not repeÌ„t in this life as some Heretikes at this day affirme but that some heinous sinnes as namely this blasphemie of the Iewes against the euâ—dent workes of the Holy Ghost and likewise Archeheretikes who wilfully resist the knoweÌ„ truth and workes of the Holy Ghost in Gods Church are hardly forgeuen and seldom haue such men grace to repent Otherwise among al the sinnes agaynst the Holy Ghost which are commonly reckened sixe one only shal neuer be forgiuen that is dying without repentance wilfully called Final impenitence Which sinne he committeth that dieth with contempt of the Sacrament of Penance obstinatly refusing absolution by the Churches ministerie as S. Augustine plainely declareth in these wordes Whosoeuer he be that beleueth not mans sinnes to be remitted in Gods Church and therfore despiseth the bountifulnes of God in so mighty a worke if he in that obstinat minde continue tll his liues end he is guilty of sinne against the Holy Ghost in which Holy Ghost Christ remitteth sinnes Enchir. 83. Ep. 50 in fine 32. Sonne of man The Iewes in their wordes sinned against the sonne of man when they reprehended those things which he did as a man to witte calling him therfore a glutton a great drinker of wine a freend of the Publicans and taking offense because he kept company with sinnes brake the Sabboth and such like and this sinne might more easely be forgiuen them because they iudged of him as they would haue done of any other man but they sinned and blasphemed against the Holy Ghost called here the finger of God whereby he wrought miracles when of malice they attributed the euident workes of God in casting our diuels to the diuel him self and this sinne shal not be remitted because it shal hardly be remitted as we see by the plague of their posteritie vntil this day 3â— Nor in the world to come S. Augustine and other Holy Doctors gather herevpon that some sinnes may be remitted in the next life and consequently prooue Purgatorie thereby De Ciuit. Dei li. 21 c. 18. D. Gregor Dial. li. 4 c. 39. 36. Idle word If of euery idle word we must make accoumpt before God in iudgement and yet shal not for euery such word be damned euerlastingly then there must needes be some temporal punishment in the next life 4â— Who is my mother The dutiful affection toward our parents and kinsfolke is not blamed but the inordinate loue of them to the hinderance of our seruice and duty toward God Vpon this place some old Heretikes denied Christ to haue any mother Aug. li. de Fid. Symb. c. 4. Neither euer was there any heresie so absurd but it would seeme to haue Scripture for it CHAP. XIII Speaking in parables as the Scripture foretold of him and as meete vvas for the reprobate Ievves he shevveth by the parable of the Sovver that in the labours of his Church three partes of foure do perishe through the fault of the hearers 24 and yet by the parable of good seede and cockle as also of the Nettâ— that his seruantâ— must not for al that neuer vvhile the vvorld lasteth make any Schisme or Separation 31 And by parables of the litle mustard seede and leauen that notvvithstanding the three parts perishing and ouersovving of cockles yet that fourth part of the good seede shal spreade ouer al the vvorld 44 And vvithal vvhat a treasure and pearle it is 53 After al vvhich yet his ovvne countrie vvil not honour him verse 1 THE same day IESVS going out of the house sate by the sea side ✠verse 2 And * great multitudes vvere gathered together vnto him in so much that he vvent vp into a boate sate and al the multitude stoode in the shore ✠verse 3 and he spake to them many things in parablesh saying Behold the sovver vvent forth to sovv ✠verse 4 And vvhiles he sovveth some fell by the vvay side and the foules of the aire did come and eate it ✠verse 5 Othersome also fell vpon rockie places where they had not much earth and they shot vp in continent because they had not deepenes of earth ✠verse 6 and after the sunne vvas vp they parched and because they had not roote they vvithered ✠verse 7 And other fell among thornes and the thornes grevve and choked them ✠verse 8 And othersome fell vpon good ground and they yelded fruite the ″ one an hundred-fold the other threescore and an other thirtie ✠verse 9 He that hath eares to heare let him heare ✠verse 10 And his Disciples came and said to him Why speakest thou to them in parables ✠verse 11 Who ansvvered and said vnto them Because ″ to you it is giuen to knovv the mysteries of the kingdom of heauen but to them it is not giuen ✠verse 12 For he that hath to him
And he spake the vvord openly And Peter taking him began to rebuke him ✠verse 33 Who turning and seeing his Disciples threatened Peter saying Goe behind me Satan because thou sauourest not the things that are of God but that are of men ✠verse 34 And calling the multitude together vvith his Disciples he said to them If any man vvil folovv me let him deny him self and take vp his crosse and folovv me ✠verse 35 For he that vvil saue his life shal lose it and he that shal lose his life ″ for me and the Gospel shal saue it ✠verse 36 For vvhat shal it profit a man if he ″ gaine the vvhole vvorld and suffer damage of his soule ✠verse 37 Or vvhat permutation shal a man giue for his soule ✠verse 38 For he that shal be ashamed of me and of my vvordes in this aduouterous and sinful generation the Sonne of man also vvil be ashamed of him vvhen he shal come in the glorie of his father vvith the holy Angels ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 6. Gaue to his disciples He serueth the people not immediatly him self but by the Apostles ministerie to teach vs that we must receiue Christes Sacraments and doctrine not at our owne hand but of his Priests and our Pastours 7. Blessed them So is it in some ancient Greeke copies agreable to our Latin and in S. Luke expresly in the common Greeke text that he blessed the fiue loaues and the two fishes which must be alwaies marked against the Heretikes which denie this blessing to pertaine to the creatures but â—eine it alwaies to be referred to God for thanks giuing For if it were so he would haue said grace but once for that whole refection but he did seuerally blesse both the bread first and afterward the fishes also multiplying them by his said blessing as * he did mankind and other creatures in the beginning by blessing them and so working effectually some change or alteration in the very creatures them selues 35. For me and the Gospel By the Gospel is signified not only the foure Euangelistes but al Scriptures and whatsoeuer Christ said that is not in Scripture for he saith in this very place He that shal be ashamed of my wordes the Sonne of man wil be ashamed of him c. Neither his owne wordes only but whatsoeuer the Apostles taught in word or writing for our Sauiour saith He that despiseth you despiseth me For defence of any of al these and of euery Article of the Catholike faith we ought to die and this is to lose our life for Christ and his Gospel 36. Gaine the whole world Let such note this that for feare or flattery of the world coÌ„descend to obey the vniust lawes of men touching religion against their owne consciences and be content for the rest of a few daies of this life and for sauing their temporal goods to lose their soule and the ioyes of heauen CHAP. IX The more to confirme them he giueth them in his Transfiguration a sight of his glorie wherevnto Suffering doth bring 9 and then againe doth inculcate his Passion 14 A Diuel also he casteth out which his Disciples vpon whom therfore the peruerse Scribes triumphed in his absence could not for lacke of fasting and praying 30 Being yet in Galilee he reuealeth more about his Passion 33 And because in the way to Capharnaum they contended for the Primacie he teacheth them that humility is the way to Primacie before God 38 bidding them also not to prohibit such as be not against them nor to giue scandal to any one of the faithful and on the other side the faithful to auoid them by whom they may be scandalized and fall be they neuer so neere vnto them verse 1 AND he said to them Amen I say to you that there be some of them that stand here vvhich shal not tast of death vntil they see the kingdom of God comming in povver ✠verse 2 And after six daies IESVS â—aketh Peter and Iames and Iohn and bringeth them alone into a high mountaine apart and vvas transfigured before them ✠verse 3 And his garments vvere made glistering and vvhite excedingly as snovv the like vvhereof a fuller cannot make vvhite vpon the earth ✠verse 4 And there appeared to them Elias vvith Moyses and they vvere talking vvith IESVS ✠verse 5 And Peter ansvvering said to IESVS Rabbi it is good for vs to be here and let vs make three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Elias ✠verse 6 For he knevv not vvhat he said for they vvere frighted vvith feare ✠verse 7 and there vvas a cloude ouershadovving them and a voice came out of the cloude saying This is my Sonne most deere heare ye him ✠verse 8 And immediatly looking about they savv no man any more but IESVS only vvith them ✠verse 9 And as they desceÌ„ded from the mountaine he commaunded them that they should not tel any man vvhat things they had seen but vvhen the Sonne of man shal be risen againe from the dead ✠verse 10 And they kept in the vvord vvith them selues questioning together vvhat that should be when he shal be risen from the dead ✠verse 11 And they asked him saying What say the Pharisees then and the Scribes that * Elias must come first ✠verse 12 Who ansvvering said to them Elias vvhen he commeth first shal restore al things and hovv ' it is vvritten of the Sonne of man that he shal suffer many things and be contemned ✠verse 13 But I say to you that ″ Elias also is come and they haue done to him vvhatsoeuer they vvould as it is vvritten of him ✠verse 14 And * coÌ„ming to his Disciples he savv a great multitude about them and the Scribes questioning vvith them ✠verse 15 And forth vvith al the people seeing IESVS vvas astonied and much afraid and running to him saluted him ✠verse 16 And he asked them What do you question of among you ✠verse 17 And one of the multitude ansvvering said Maister I haue brought my sonne to thee hauing a dumme spirit ✠verse 18 who vvheresoeuer he taketh him dasheth him and he fometh and gnasheth vvith the teeth and vvithereth and I spake to thy Disciples to cast him out and they could not ✠verse 19 Who ansvvering them said O incredulous generation hovv long shal I be vvith you hovv long shal I suffer you bring him vnto me ✠verse 20 And they brought him And vvhen he had seen him immediatly the spirit troubled him and being throvven vpon the ground he tumbled foming ✠verse 21 And he asked his father Hovv long time is it since this hath chaunced vnto him But he said From his infancie ✠verse 22 and often times hath he cast him into fire and into vvaters to destroy him but if thou canst any thing helpe vs hauing compassion
39 And he said to them a similitude also Can the blinde leade the blinde doe not both fal into the ditch ✠verse 40 The disciple is not aboue his maister but euery one shal be perfect if he be as his maister ✠verse 41 And vvhy seest thou the mote in thy brothers eie but the beame that is in thine ovvne eie thou considerest not ✠verse 42 Or hovv canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me cast out the more out of thine eie thy self not seeing the beame in thine ovvne eie Hypocrite cast first the beame out of thine ovvne eie and then shalt thou see clerely to take forth the more out of thy brothers eie ⊢ ✠verse 43 For there is no good tree that yeldeth euil fruites nor euil tree that yeldeth good fruite ✠verse 44 For euery tree is knovven by his fruite For neither doe they gather figges of thornes neither of a bush doe they gather the grape ✠verse 45 The good man of the good treasure of his hart bringeth forth good and the euil man of the il treasure bringeth forth euil for of the aboūdance of the hart the mouth speaketh ✠verse 46 And vvhy cal you me Lord Lord and doe not the things vvhich I say ✠verse 47 Euery one that commeth to me and heareth my vvords and doeth them I vvil shevv you to vvhom he is like ✠verse 48 He is like to a man building a house that digged deepe and laid the foundation vpon a rocke And vvhen an inundation rose the riuer bette against that house and it could not moue it for it vvas founded vpon a rocke ✠verse 49 But he that heareth and doeth not is like to a man building his house vpon the earth vvithout a foundation against the vvhich the riuer did beate and incontinent it fell and the ruine of that house vvas great ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 1. Neither this haue you read The Scribes and pharisees boasted most of their knovvledge of the Scriptures but our Sauiour often shevveth their great ignorance Euen so the Heretikes that novv a daies vaunt most of the Scriptures and of their vnderstanding of them may soone be proued to vnderstand litle or nothing 9. Saue a soule Hereby it seemeth that Christ as at other times lightly alvvaies did not only heale this man in body but of some correspondent disease in his soule 12. The vvholenight Our Sauiour instantly prayed alone in the mount vvithout doore al night long as a preparation to the designement of his Apostles the day after to giue example to the Church of praying instantly vvhen priests are to be ordered and a lesson to vs al vvhat vve should doe for our ovvne necessities vvhen Christ did so for other mens 13. Vvhom he named Apostles Here it is to be noted against our Aduersaries that deceitfully measure to the simple the vvhole nature and qualitie of certaine sacred functions by the primitiue signification and compasse of the names or vvordes vvhereby they be called vvith vvhom as a Priest is but an elder and a Bishop a vvatchman or Superintendent so an Apostle is nothing but a Legate or Messenger and therfore as they argue * can make no Lawes nor prescribe or teach any thing not expressed in his mandatum Know therfore against such deceiuers that such things are not to be ruled by the vulgar signification of the word or calling but by vse and application of the holy writers and in this point by Christs ovvne expresse imposition And so this vvord Apostle is a calling of Office gouernement authoritie and most high dignitie giuen by our Maister specially to the College of the Tvvelue whom he endued aboue that vvhich the vulgar etymologie of their name requireth vvith povver to bind and loose to punish and pardō to teach and rule his Church Out of vvhich roome and dignitie vvhich is called in the Psalme and in the actes a Bishoprike vvhen Iudas sel Mathias vvas chosen to supply it and vvas numbered among the rest vvho vvere as founders or foundations of our religion as the Apostle termeth them Therfore to that college this name agreeth by special imposition and prerogatiue though aftervvard it vvas by vse of the Scriptures extended to S. Paul and S. Barnabas and sometimes to the Apostles successors as also by the like vse of Scriptures to the first conuerters of countreis to the saith or their coadiutors in that function In vvhich sense S. Paul chalengeth to be the Corinthians Apostle and nameth Epaphroditus the Philippians Apostle as vve call S. Gregorie his Disciple S. Augustin our Apostles of England In al vvhich taking it euer signifieth dignitie regiment Paternitie Principalitie and Primacie in the Church of God according to S. Paul 1. Cor. 12 He hath placed in his Church first in deede Apostles c. whereby vve may see that S. Peters dignitie vvas a vvonderful eminent Prerogatiue and Soueraintie when he vvas the head not only of other Christian men but the head of al Apostles yea euen of the College of the Tvvelue And if our Aduersaties list to haue learned any profitable lesson by the vvord Apostle more profitably and truely they might haue gathered that Christ called these his principal officers Apostles or Sent him self also specially and aboue al other being Missus that is Sent and called also Apostle in the Scriptures to vvarne vs by the nature of the vvord that none are true Apostles Pastors or Preachers that are not specially sent and called or that can not shevv by vvhom they be sent and that al Heretikes therfore be rather Apostates then Apostles for that they be not sent nor duely called nor chosen to preach 14. Simon Peter in the numbering of the Apostles alvvaies first named and preferred before Andrevv his elder brother and senior by calling See Annotat. Mt. 10 2. 23. Be glad The common miseries that fall to the true preachers and other Catholike men for Christs sake as pouertie famin mourning and persecutions be in deede the greatest blessings that can be and are meritorious of the revvard of heauen Contrarievvise al the felicities of this vvorld vvithout Christ are in deede nothing but vvo and the enterance to euerlasting miserie 26. Shal blesse you This vvo pertaineth to the Heretikes of our daies that delight to haue the peoples praises and blessings and shoutes preaching pleasant things of purpose to their itching eares as did the False-Prophets vvhen they vvere magnified and commended therfore of the carnal Ievves 35 Land hoping nothing In that vve may here seeme to be moued to lend to those vvhom vve thinke not able nor like euer to repay againe it must be holder for a counsel rather then a commaundement except the case of necessitie but it may be taken rather for a precept vvherein vsurie that is to say the expectation not of the money lent but of vantage
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
the man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition ✠verse 4 vvhich is an aduersarie is ″ extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth ″ in the temple of God shevving him self as though he were God ✠verse 5 Remember you not that vvhen I vvas yet vvith you I told you these things ✠verse 6 And now ″ vvhat letteth you knovv that he may be reuealed in his time ✠verse 7 For novv the mysterie of iniquitie vvorketh only that he vvhich novv holdeth doe hold vntil he be taken out of the vvay ✠verse 8 And then that vvicked one shal be reuealed * vvhom our Lord IESVS shal kil vvith the spirit of his mouth shal destroy vvith the manifestation of his aduent him ✠verse 9 vvhose comming is according to the operatioÌ„ of Satan ″ in al povver and lying signes and vvonders ✠verse 10 and in al seducing of iniquitie to them that perish for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued ✠verse 11 Therfore God vvil send them the operation of errour to beleeue lying ✠verse 12 that al may be iudged vvhich haue not beleeued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie ✠verse 13 But vve ought to giue thaÌ„kes to God alvvaies for you brethreÌ„ beloued of God that he hath chosen you first-fruites vnto saluation in sanctification of spirit and faith of the truth ✠verse 14 into the vvhich also he hath called you by our Gospel vnto the purchasing of the glorie of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 15 Therfore brethren stand and hold the ″ traditioÌ„s vvhich you haue learned vvhether it be by vvord or by our epistle ✠verse 16 And our Lord IESVS Christ him self and God our father vvhich hath loued vs and hath giuen eternal consolation and good hope in grace ✠verse 17 exhort your hartes and confirme you in euery good vvorke and vvorde ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. â— Aâ— though the day The curiositie of man fed by Satans deceites hath sought to knovv and to giue out to the vvorld such things as God vvil not impart to him nor be necessarie or profitable for him to knovv so farre that both in the Apostles daies and often aftervvard some haue feined reuelations some falsely gathered out of the Scriptures some presumed to calculate and coniecte by the starres and giuen furth to the vvorld a certaine time of Christes coming to iudgement Al vvhich seducers be here noted in the person of some that vvere about to deceiue the Thessalonians therein And S. Augustine in his 80 Epistle ad Hesychium proueth that no man can be assured by the Scriptures of the day yere or age that the end of the vvorld or the second Aduent shal be â— Vnles there come a reuolt first Though vve can not be assured of the moment houre or any certaine time of our Lordes coÌ„ming yet he vvarranteth vs that it vvil not be before certaine things be fulfilled vvhich must come to passe by the course of Gods prouidence and permission before vvhich are diuers vvhereof in other places of Scriptures vve be forevvarned Here he vvarneth vs of tvvo specially of a reuolt defection or an apostasie and of the comming or reuelation of Antichrist Vvhich tvvo pertaine in effect both to one either depending of the other and shal fall as it may be thought neere together and therfore S Augustine maketh them but one thing This apostasie or reuolt by the iudgement in maner of al auncient vvriters is the general forsaking fall of the Romane empire So Tertullian li. de resur carnis S. Hierom q 11 ad Algasiam S. Chrysostom ho. 4. and S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 20 c. 19. Al vvhich fathers and the rest * Caluin presumpâ—kously condemneth of errour and follie herein for that their exposition agreeth not vvith his and his fellovves blasphemous fiction that the Pope should be Antichrist To establish vvhich false impietie they interprete this reuolt or apostasie to be a general reuolt of the visible Church from God vvhose house or building they say vvas sodenly destroied and lay many yeres ruined and ruled onely by Satan and Antichrist So faith the foresaid Arch-heretike here though for the aduantage of his defence and as the matter els vvhere requireth he seemeth as al their fashion is to speake in other places quite contrarie but vvith such colour and collusion of vvordes that neither other men nor him self can tell vvhat he vvould haue or say And his fathers Vvicleffe and Luther his fellovves and folovvers Illyricus Beza and the rest are for the time of the Churches falling from Christ so various among them selues and so contrarie to him that it is horrible to see their confusion and a pitieful case that any reasonable man vvil folovv such companions to euident perdition But concerning â—his errour and falshod of the Churches defection or reuolt it is refuted suffiâ—iently by S. Augustine against the Donatistes in many places Vvhere he proueth that the Church shal not faile to the vvorldes end no not in the time of Antichrist affirming them to deny Christ and to robbe him of his glorie inheritance bought vvith his bloud vvhich teach that the Church may faile or perish Li. de vnit Ec. c. 12. 13. De Ciuit. li. 20. c. 8. In Psal 85 ad illud Tu soâ—u Deus magnus ps 70 Conc. 2. Psal 60. De vtil cred c. 8. S. Hierom refuteth the same vvicked Heresie in the Luciferians prouing against them that they make God subiect to the Diuel and a poore miserable Christ that imagine the Church his body may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the vvorld both of them ansvver to the Heretikes arguments grounded on Scriptures falsely vnderstood vvhich vvere to long here to rehearse It is ynough for the Christian reader to knovv that it is an old deceite and excuse of al Heretikes and Schismatikes for defence of their forsaking Gods Church that the Church is perished or remaineth hidden or in them selues onely and in those places vvhere they and their folovvers dvvel to knovv also that this is reproued by the holy Doctors of the primitiue Church and that it is against Christes honour povver prouidence and promis If the Aduersaries had said that this reuolt vvhich the Apostle foretelleth shal come before the vvorldes end is meant of great numbers of Heretikes Apostataes reuolting from the Church they had said truth of them selues and such others vvhom S. Iohn calleth Antichristes And it is very like be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and al learned Catholikes that this great defection or reuolt shal not be onely from the Romane empire but specially from the Romane Church and vvithal from most points of Christian religion not that the Catholike Christians either in the time of
of the Pagan gods Then vvas it Babylon vvhen S. Iohn vvrote this and then vvas Nero and the rest figures of Antichrist and that citie the resemblance of the principal place vvheresoeuer it be that Antichrist shal reigne in about the later end of the vvorld Novv to apply that to the Romane Church and Apostolike See either novv or then vvhich vvas spoken onely of the terrene state of that citie as it vvas the seate of Peter vvhen it did slea aboue 30 Popes Christs Vicars one after an other endeuoured to destroy the vvhole Church that is most blasphemous and foolish The Church in Rome vvas one thing Babylon in Rome an other thing Peter sate in Rome and Nero sate in Rome but Peter as in the Church of Rome Nero as in the Babylon of Rome Vvhich distinction the Heretikes might haue learned by S. Peter him self ep 1. chap. 5. vvriting thus The Church saluteth you that is in Babylon coëlect So that the Church and the very chosen Church vvas in Rome vvhen Rome vvas Babylon vvhereby it is plaine that vvhether Babylon or the great vvhoore do here signifie Rome or no yet it can not signifie the Church of Rome vvhich is novv and euer vvas differing from the terrene Empire of the same And if as in the beginning of the Church Nero and the rest of the persecuting Emperours vvhich vvere figures of Antichrist did principally sit in Rome so also the great Antichrist shal haue his seate there as it may vvel be though others thinke that Hierusalem rather shal be his principal citie yet euen then shal neither the Church of Rome nor the Pope of Rome be Antichrist but shal be persecuted by Antichrist and driuen out of Rome if it be possible for to Christs Vicar and the Romane Church he vvil beare as much good vvil as the Protestants novv doe and he shal haue more povver to persecute him and the Church then they haue S. Hierom epist 17. c. 7. to Marcella to dravv her out of the citie of Rome to the holy land vvarning her of the manifold allurements to sinne and il life that be in so great and populous a citie alludeth at length to these vvordes of the Apocalypse and maketh it to be Babylon and the purple vvhoore but straight vvay lest some naughtie person might thinke he meant that of the Church of Rome vvhich he spake of the societie of the vvicked only he addeth There is there in deeds the holy Church there are the triumphans monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs there is the true confession of Christ there is the faith praised * of the Apostle and Gentilitie troden vnder foote the name of Christian daily aduancing it self on high Vvhereby you see that vvhatsoeuer may be spoken or interpreted of Rome out of this vvord Babylō it is not meant of the Church of Rome but of the terrene state in so much that the said holy Doctor li. 2. aduers Iouinian c. 19. signifieth that the holines of the Church there hath vviped avvay the blasphemie vvritten in the forehead of her former iniquitie But of the difference of the old state and dominion of the Heathen there for vvhich it is resembled to Antichrist and the Priestly state vvhich novv it hath reade a notable place in S. Leo serm 1 in natali Petri Pauli 5. Mysterie S. Paul calleth this secrete and close vvorking of abomination the mysterie of iniquitie 2. Thessal 2. and it is called a litle after in this chapter vers 7. the Sacrament or mysterie of the vvoman and it is also the marke of reprobation and damnation 6. Drunken of the bloud It is plaine that this vvoman signifieth the vvhole corps of al the persecutors that haue and shal shede so much bloud of the iust of the Prophets Apostles and other Martyrs from the beginning of the vvorld to the end The Protestants folishly expound it of Rome for that there they put Heretikes to death and allovv of their punishment in other countries but their bloud is not called the bloud of saincts no more then the bloud of theeues mankillers and other malefactors for the sheding of vvhich by order of iustice no Commonvvealth shal ansvver 9. Seuen hilles The Angel him self here expoundeth these 7 hilles to be al one vvith the 7 heads and the 7 kings yet the Heretikes blinded excedingly vvith malice against the Church of Rome are so madde to take them for the seuen hilles literally vpon vvhich in old time Rome did stand that so they might make the vnlearned beleeue that Rome is the seate of Antichrist But if they had any consideration they might marke that the Prophets visions here are most of them by Seuens vvhether he talke of heads hornes candlestickes Churches kings hilles or other thinges and that he alluded not to the hilles because they vvere iust seuen but that Seuen is a mystical number as sometimes Ten is signifying vniuersally al of that sort whereof he speaketh as that the seuen heads hilles or kingdoms which are here al one should be al the kingdoms of the world that persecute the Christians being heads and mountaines for their height in dignitie aboue others And some take it that there were seuen special Empires kingdoms or States that vvere or shal be the greatest persecutors of Gods people as of Aegypt hanaan Babylon the Persians and Greekes which be fiue-sixtly of the Romane Empire which once persecuted most of al other and which as the Apostle here saith yet is or standeth but the seuenth then vvhen S. Iohn vvrote this vvas not come neither is yet come in our daies vvhich is Antichrists state vvhich shal not come so long as the Empire of Rome standeth as S. Paul did Prophecie 2 Thessa◠2. 13. The same is the eight The beast it self being the congregation of al these vvicked persecutors though it consist of the foresaid seuen yet for that the malice of al is complete in it may be called the eight Or Antichrist him self though he be one of the seuen yet for his extraordinarie vvickednes shal be counted the odde persecutor or the accomplishment of al other therfore is named the eight Some take this beast called the eight to be the Diuel 18. The great citie If it be meant of any one citie and not of the vniuersal societie of the reprobate vvhich is the citie of the Diuel as the Church the vniuersal fellovvship of the faithful is called the citie of God it is most like to be old Rome as some of the Greekes expound it from the time of the first Emperours til Constantines daies vvho made an end of the persecution for by the authoritie of the old Romane Empire Christ vvas put to death first and aftervvard the tvvo cheefe Apostles the Popes their successors and infinite Catholike men through out the vvorld by lesser kings vvhich then vvere subiect to Rome Al vvhich Antichristian persecution◠ceased vvhen
71. 124. nu 14. pag. 558. Mediator See Sainctes Hovv Christ is the onely mediator 568. Merite and Meritorious 72 marg It hath correspondeÌ„ce and relation to merces hire or revvard 13. 16. 112 marg 430. 719 mar 744 marg 543 marg Both the meaning and word are in the scriptures 197 m. 198. 430. 639 m. 537 m. 705 m. 553 m. VvheÌ„ce the merite of workes riseth 72 marg 402. 411. 430. 594. 470. Difference of merites 58. 37. 486. 430. 193 m. Vve merite not our first iustification See Iustification To be worthie to merite is al one 198. 197 m. 705. marg 537 marg 553 mar The time of meriting is in this life only 245 m. See vvorkes The Protestants auoid the word merite 639. The Caluinists deny Christs owne merites 529. 708 m. Miracles necessarie to cofirme new doctrine 27. nu 1. p. 263. nu 24. p. 298. nu 82. p. 492. nu 12. True miracles only in the Cath. Church 50. nu 19. 20. p. 124. nu 22. Vvhen Heretikes may worke true miracles p. 112. nu 38. Forged or lying miracles 7â— nu 84. p. 559. nu 9. p. 722 marg Miracles vvrought by application of creatures by the name of IESVS of the Apostles other holy men by Saincts and their relikes S. Peters shadovv S. Paules napkin 112. 104. nu 13 231. 261 298. 304. 312. 326. 350. 372. By touching Christ and vvhatsoeuer belonged to him 93 marg 106. 108. Miracles in one place and at one time more then in other 147. 231. 456 marg Peculiar to certaine countries 370 m. 372. The Protestants as faithles to beleeue such miracles as the old Pagans 261. They attribute them to the Diuel as the heathen did p. 24 in marg They pretend Pharisaically Gods honour in derogating from the miracles of Saincts 246 marg The gift of miracles in the Church for edification 132. Christs miracles significatiue 247 m. Monkes Monastical life Vvhether they should worke with their handes 561. 562. They were shauen în the primitiue Church and Nunnes clipped of their heare 562. See Exemites Religious N NAmes of CHRISTIANS 323. of the authors of sectes ibid. of the first instituters of seueral religious orders ibidem Neuters 33. 706. Nouelties of wordes phrases 584. not al new that are not in Scriptures ibid. How they are to be tried nouelties of vvordes ibid. Numbers mystical 94. 700. The Protestants rashnes in condemning numbers of praiers fastes Masses c. 700. O ORiginal sinne See Sinne. Orders The three holy orders bouÌ„d to chastitie 571. Bigami excluded from holy orders 570. 579. 596. Al seuen orders haue been from the Apostles time 572. The institution and office of Deacons 305. Holy orders is a Sacrament 577. instituted by Christ at his last supper 204. 452. giuen by imposition of handes 330. 332. 577. 586 marg by a Bishop not by the peoples voices 332. It giueth grace 586 marg none to be admitted vvithout good examination 579 marg Praier and fasting at the time of giuing holy Orders 154. 332. marg See Imber daies Othes that are vnlavvful must not be kept pag. 38 marg 361. P PArdons or indulgences grounded vpon Christs ovvne vvordes 474. vpon his example 210. 474. vpon his merites and the mutual satisfaction of one for an other pag. 538. practised by S. Paul 473. 474. by the holy Bishops of the primitiue Church 474. A pardon is only a remission of temporal punishment due for sinne 473. 474. 475. Vvhy pardons more common now then in old time ibid. to whom this auctoritie of pardoning pertaineth 47. nu 19. pag. 473. 474. 475. 538. Al pardons are giuen in the vertue and name of Christ 474. Parents The duety tovvard them 142. 106. Carnal parents frendes in what cases lesse esteemed 159 marg 176 mar 181 marg duty tovvard our spiritual parents 600 marg See Priests Penance is perfect repentance that is not only amendemeÌ„t of life but implying also confession sorowful contrition and paineful satisfaction pag. 8. 30. 167 marg That the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie this penaÌ„ce p. â— 30. 171 marg 177 marg 716 marg 492 m. S Iohn Baptist first then Christ and his Apostles preached penance 7. 8. 88 marg 143 marg 295 marg 352 marg 366 marg S. Iohn Baptists penance 8. 156 marg Marie Magdalens penance 157 marg The great penance in the primitiue Church 475. 492 marg The old Canonical discipline ib. S. Paules chastening of his body by penance 444. Temporal paine remaineth due vvhen the sinne is remitted 635. Satisfaction or workes of Penance pag. 8. nu 8. 143 marg 195. 314. 454. 473. 482. 630. 645. nu â—3 717 marg They derogat nothing from Christs satisfaction but are requisite because of the same 402. 473. 538. 611. The body chastised by penance is a grateful sacrifice to God 413. The Sacrament of Penance handled at large 276. The necessitie thereof as of Baptisme pag. 277. it is secunda tabula post naufragium 277. The contempt thereof a sinne against the holy Ghost 33. nu 31. The partes thereof Contrition Confession Satisfaction 276. Vvhat is Contrition 483. 294 marg Luthers heresie of Contrition 483. It worketh saluation ibidem Vve are bound to confesse 276. See Confession Al sinnes may be remitted by this Sacrament 613. 629. It is the old heresie of the Nouatians to deny that Confession to a Priest is necessarie and his Absolution 276. 277. See Absolution Priests Gods woÌ„derful mercy toward penitent sinners 183 marg Penance before Baptisme 295 marg Perfection double one in this life an other in the life to come 532. The state of perfection See Monastical life Religious Permission of some things that are not allowed or approued 116. Toleration of the euil 256. Persecution Catholike mens comfort in persecution 26 marg 154. 163 m. 202 m. 663. nu 17. pag. 702 m. 723. nu 7. Their secret assembling in persecutioÌ„ 71. Their praise in vvhose houses such Assemblies are kept 325 marg 342 marg 421 marg There shal be great persecution of Catholike men tovvard the end of the vvorld 122. and 199. marg 727 marg Constancie in persecution necessarie ibidem marg 706. highly commended 702. marg 723. To looke backe vpon their losses is dangerous 166. To forsake al rather then the Cathol faith is necessarie 181 and 182 m. The better men most afflicted in this life 663. The Church persecuted by Heretikes and coÌ„trariewise 505 m. Fleeing in time of persecution 325 marg wise euasions to escape daÌ„gers by S. Paules example 358. nu 25. 359 mar 341. nu 37. pag. 364 marg Not to forsake our Pastors emprisoned 529 marg Happie Gailers that shew mercie to their Catho prisoners 341 marg The courtesie of heathen officers in this case 359 m. To consent by any meanes to the persecution of such is a great offence 357 marg PersecutioÌ„ an occasion of much good 310 marg The Church
9. ⸬ By this we see that this miracle was not onely maruelous and beneficial to the blinde but also significatiue of taking away spiritual blindnesse External ceremonies Heretical traÌ„slation Casting out of the Synagogue The Churches ExcoÌ„municatioÌ„ See in the Annot Mat. 18 17. The Heretikes ridiculous ExcommunicatioÌ„ Num. 16. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Tuesday in whitson weeke ⸬ The theefe is the Heretike specially any other that vnlawfully breake in vpoÌ„ the sheepe to kil destroy them by false doctrine and otherwise ⸬ That is the fashion of Iewrie other countries signifying that the shepheard or Pastor must teach the sheepe and not they him The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 2 Sunday after Easter and for S. Thomas of Canterburie Decemb. 29. Esa 40 11. Ezec. 34 23. ⸬ Christes death was so necessarie for the flocke that when he might haue escaped he voluntarily offered him self to death for his flocke c He meaneth the Church of the Gentils Ezec. 37 24. Esa 53 7. 1 Mach. 4 56. 59 The Gospel vpoÌ„ Wenesday in Passion weeke An other reading is My father that hath giuen me c. c vnum Ps 81 6. Arch-heretikes specially are the theeues that clime in an other way not by the doore WheÌ„ the Pastor must tarie or may flee Iudas Machabaeus Dedication of Churches * 2 Macha 12. Christs essence diuine nature of the Father Caluins autotheisme The Gospel vpoÌ„ Friday in the 4 weeke of Lent Lu. 7 37 Mat 26 7. Mar. 14 3. Io. 12 3. c de dormitione somni The Gospel in a Masse for the dead vpon the day of the burial or deposition Io. 9 6. ⸬ S. Cyril li. 76. vlt. in Io. and S. August Tract 49 in Io. apply this to the Apostles and Priests authoritie of absoluing sinners affirming Christ to reuiue none froÌ„ sinne but in the Church and by the Priests ministerie The Gospel vpoÌ„ friday in Passion vveeke ⸬ All men but specially NatioÌ„s must take hee-de that vvhiles to saue their temporal state they forsake God they lose not both as the Iewes did Aug. tract 49 in Io. The priuilege of the office order though in a wicked person Lu. 22 23. The 4 part THE 4 Pasche holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem Mt. 26 6. Mar. 14 3. The Gospel vpâ—Ì„ Munday in Holy weeke PALME SVNDAY eue ⸬ Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion how acceptable they were to Christ see the Annot. Mt. 26. ⸬ The deuout offices of balming and anointing the dead bodies of the faithful are here also allowed ⸬ Not in visible and mortal coÌ„dition to receiue almes of you or such like offices for supply of my necessities The Gospel vpoÌ„ Saturday in Passion weeke PALME SVNDAY * Mt. 21 7. Mr. 11 7. Lu. 19 35. Ps 117 26. Zach. 9 9. ⸬ We may see there is a great differeÌ„ce where a man pray or adore at home or iÌ„ the Church holy places when the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the Temple in Hierusalem b The Gospel for S. Ignatius Febr. 1. And for a martyr that is no Bishop as namely S. Laurence Aug. 10. The Gospel vpoÌ„ Holy roode day Septemb. 14. in latin Exaltatio S. Cruciâ— Io. 3 14. Es 53 1. ⸬ If any man aske saith S. Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer rouÌ„dly because they would not Tract 13. in Io. See the meaniÌ„g of this speach Annot. Mat. 18. 15. Mar. 4 12. Esa 6 9. Mt. 13 14. Mr. 4 12. Lu 8 〈◊〉 Act. 28 27. ⸬ This is the case of many principal men in such countries where heresie hath the vpperhand who know and beleeue the Catholike faith but making cholse rather to keepe mans fauour theÌ„ Gods they dare not confesse the same Such may pray that God and the world agree together for els it is seen whose part they wil take Church ornaments Toleration of the euill The Gospel vpoÌ„ MauÌ„dy thursday at Masse and at the washing of feete Mt. 26 1 Mr. 14 1. Luc. 22 1. ⸬ By supper he meaneth the eating of the Paschal lambe for the institution of the B. Sacrament was after this MAVNDY THVRSDAY Ps 40 10. Mat. 26 18. Mar. 14 16. Luc. 22 21. ⸬ Christ had some prouision before hand giuen him by the Collections of the faithful which was vsed both in his owne necessities bestowed vpon the poore Io. 7 34. 1 Io. 3 23. Mt. 26 35. Mr. 14 29. Lu. 22 33. Puritie required to the receiuing of the B. Sacrament Venial sinnes taken avvay by sacred ceremonies Ambr. Bern. locis citaâ—is The Church defineth which are Sacraments and which not c. The Gospel vpoÌ„ SS Philip and Iacobs day Maij. 1. ⸬ These mansioÌ„s signifie differences of glorie in heauen Hiero. li. â— adu Iouin ` doe knovv The Gospel in a votiue Masse for the election of the Pope vpon whitsun eue ⸬ It is then possible both to loue Christ and to keepe his coÌ„maundements c Paraclete by interpretation is either a comforter or an aduocate and therfore to traÌ„slate it by any one of them only is ê‘haps to abridge the sense of this place ` shal knovv The Gospel vpoÌ„ whitsunday And in a Votiue Masse of the holy Ghost ⸬ See the Annot vpoÌ„ the 16 Chap. vs 12 13. li. de Babyla mart â—o 5. We may and must easely beleeue the miracles of Saincts of their relikes wheÌ„ Christ him self foretelleth they shal doe such wonderful things * Act. 5 15 19 1â— * See Annot Mat. 1â— â—0 The Heretikes as faithles iÌ„ this point as the old Pagans The HOLY GHOST is promised to the CHVRCH for euer The Spirit of truth shal assist the CHVRCH alvvaies The Arians alleage as plaine Scriptures as the ProtestaÌ„ts The Gospel for one Martyr ⸬ Christ hath some branches in his body mystical that be fruitles therfore il liuers also may be members of Christ the Church ⸬ Man may coÌ„tinually increase in iustice and sanctification so long as he liueth ⸬ S. Augustine expoundeth it of the SacrameÌ„tal word of Baptisme and not as Heretikes do of preaching onely Tract 80. in Io. ⸬ If a Schismatike pray neuer so much he is not heard because he remayneth not in the body of Christ Io. 13 34 The Gospel vpoÌ„ S. Barnabees day and on the eue of an Apostle The Gospel vpoÌ„ SS Simon and Iudes day Io. 13 16 Mt. 10 24. Lu. 6 40. ⸬ He foresheweth that many wil not obey the Churches wordes no maruel because they coÌ„temned Christes owne precepts The Gospel vpoÌ„ Sunday after the Ascension and in a Votiue of the B. Trinitie Ps 24 19. Act. 2 1. No man sure of perseuêrance Not onely faith ⸬ The Heretikes translate Excommunicate you See what corruption this is and the reason thereof Annot. c. 9 22. The Gospel vpoÌ„ the 4 Sunday after Easter ⸬ If he shal teach al truth that for euer as before c. 14. 16 how is it possible that the Church
in Christmas vnto Septuagesme The Epistle vpoÌ„ Christmas eue Act. 13. 2. â— Faith must not be subiect to sense reason arguing or vnderstaÌ„ding but must coÌ„maund be obeied in humilitie and simplicitie c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ S. Augustine vseth this place and the like agaiÌ„st Heretikes vvhich vvould dravv the common Catholike faith of al natioÌ„s to some certaine countries or corners of the world Aug. ep 161. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸬ He praieth without intermission that omitteth no day certaine times of praier Aug. here 's 57. ⸬ The Romanes vvere conuerted and taught by S. Peter before therefore he vseth that speach to confirme them in their saith Author Com. apud Hierony Theodoret in 16. Rom. Chrys ⸬ He meaneth not Gods owne iustice in him self but that iustice vvhervvith God endueth man vvhen he iustifieth him Aug. de Sp. lit c. 9. Whereby you may gather the vanitie of the Heretical imputatilue iustice Abac. 2 4. c Lo these and the like are the Images or Idolâ— so often condeÌ„ned in the scriptures and not the holy Images of Christ and his Saincts ⸬ Eph. 4 19. he saith They haue deliuered or giuen vp them selues to al vncleannesse By vvhich coÌ„fereÌ„ce of scripturâ— vve learne that them selues are the cause of their ovvne sinne and damnation God of his iustice permitting leauing them to their ovvne vvil and so giuing them vp into passions c. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostolical salutation or blessing Epiph. hâ—res 6â— The same vsed of Heretikes The Romane faith highly coÌ„mended Luc. 22. It can not false not be corrupted Proâ—â— li. 2. Com. in ep ad Gal. The Romane statioÌ„s a token of greater faith and deuotion The Catholike and Romane faith al one Hovv God is serued in spirit Praies for conuersion of soules The Gospel is not only the written word Mat. 28. The Apostles vvriting and preaching vvhether more necessarie and hovv The Catholike or Christian â—aith with good vvorkes iustifieth vvithout this faith no vvorkes whatsoeuer Not only faith God is not the author of sinne God punisheth sinne by permitting men to fall further and further Sinnes mortal and venial Good men also according to the merits of their good vvil shal haue their reward Aug. â—p 4â— Ps 61 13 c That is the Gentile Deu. 10 17. Act. 10. 34. Mt. 7 21 Ia. 1 22 ⸬ It is a shameful and damnable thing for preachers teachers or other guides of mens life to commit the same things them selues which they reproue in other Es 52 5. Ez. 36 20. c It is a great sinne that by the iâ— life of the faithful our Lordes name should be il spoken of amoÌ„g the misbeleuers many vvithdravven from the true religioÌ„ thereby ⸬ Prepuce is the foreskinne not circumcised therfore signifieth the Gentiles or the state and conditioÌ„ of the Gentiles as circumcisioÌ„ the Ievves and their state Iudging other men Gods long suffering is for our repentance Good vvorkes meritoriouâ— Li. de grat lib. arb c. 8. Aug. de Sp. lit c. 16. to 3. The first iustification vvithout vvorkes the second by vvorkes S. Paul speaketh of the first specially S. Iames of the second Against imputatiue iustice True inherent iustice more for Gods glorie for the commendation of Christs merites True iustice both in Ievv and Gentile is by keeping the Lavv. The letter and the spirit The carnal and spiritual Ievve de sp lit to 3. Io. 3 33. ⸬ â—od only by nature is true al mere men by nature may lie deceiue and be deceiued yet God by his grace spirit may and doth preserue the Apostles and principal Gouerners of his people the Church and Councels in al truth though they vvere and are mere men Ps 115 11. Ps 50 6. Ps 13 1. 52 3. Ps 5 11. Ps 139 4 c Aspidum A kinde of litle serpents Ps 9 7. Es 19 7. Pro. 1 16 Ps 35 2. Gal. 2 16. c To beleeue in him here compriseth not only the act of faith but of hope charitie as the Apostle explicateth him self Galat. 5 6. ⸬ No man atteineth his first iustification by the merites either of his faith or workes but merely by Christes grace and mercie though his faith workes procedâ—g of grace be dispositioÌ„s preparations therevnto ` propitiatour 2. â—et 3. S. Paules speaches mistaken of the vvicked Ro. 5 2â— Ro. 3 4. The sense of the places that sound as if God caused sinne Iob. 1. Hovv it is said none iust * Luc. 1â— No vvorkes auaile vvithout faith and grace The Heretikes phantastical or imputatiue iustice De pâ—â—mer li. 1 â— 9. 10. True inhaerent iustice Vvhat vvorkes are excluded from iustification de grat lib. arb c. 7. Gal. 1. Gen. 5 6. Gal. 3 6. Ia. 2 23. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 31 1. ⸬ The vvord Reputed doth not diminish the truth of the iustice as though it vvere reputed for iustice being not iustice in deede but signifieth that as it vvas in it self so God esteemed reputed it as the same greeke vvord must needes be taken v. 4. next going before 1 Cor. 4 â— and els where c Our Sacraments of the nevv Lavv giue ex opere operato that grace and iustice of faith vvhich here is commended vvhereas circuÌ„cisioÌ„ vvas but a signe or marke of the same Gen. 17 10. Gen. 17 4. ` he beleeued Gen. 15 5. Abrahams Workes before faith Iustice before men and iustice before God Not vvorkes but mere grace is cause of our first iustificatioÌ„ c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretical translation Vvhat is Sinnes couered or not imputed Io. 1 29 2 Cor. 6 11. Apoc. 1 5. The SacrameÌ„ts are not mere markes but causes of iustification By vvhat faith vve are iustified Luc. 1 45. The Epistle on Imber Saturday in vvhitsonweeke And for many Martyrs ⸬ Christian meÌ„ do not vaunt theÌ„ selues of the certaiÌ„tie of their saluatioÌ„ but glorie in the hope thereof onely vvhich hope is here insinuated to be giuen in our iustificatioÌ„ is aftervvard to be coÌ„firmed by probation in tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Heretikes falsely translate of no strength to take avvay al free vvil No. Test. 15â—0 ` sinner ⸬ Here vve may see against the Heretikes that they vvhich be borne of Christ and iustified by him be made constituted iust in deede not by imputation only as al that be borne of Adam be vniust and sinners in truth not by imputation Against the Heretikes special faith and securitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IustificatioÌ„ attributed much to faith as to the fâ—ndation Our hope is strengthened by vvel doing Charitie is a qualitie in vs. Conc. Tri. sess sâ— decr de peâ— orig Al by Adam borne in original sinne Christ only not conceiued in sinne and as it is thought our B. Lady The Lavv did not cause more sinne though that vvere the sequele
such grace and mercy as also on the other side to shevv hovv readily the Gentiles in so many Nations vvere conuerted by one Apostle onely vvho From Hierusalem euen to Illyâ—icum replenished the Gospel of Christ And this parting of the vvorke so made by S. Peter vvith the rest doth S. Paul him selfe touche That vve vnto the Gentiles and they vnto the Circuncision Neuerthelesse before his coÌ„ming to Rome not onely vvas the Church come to Rome as it is euident Act. the last chap. there plaÌ„ted by S. Peter and others as likevvise by S. Peter it vvas planted in the first Gentils before that S. Paul began the taking of it avvay from the multitude of the Ievves and the translating of it to the multitude of the Gentils but also so not able vvas the same Church of Rome that S. Paul vvriting his Epistle to the Romanes before he came thither saith Your faith is renovvmed in the vvhole vvorld and therefore they vvith the rest of the Gentiles be that Nation vvhereof Christ told the Ievves saying The Kingdom of God shal be taken avvay from you shal be giueÌ„ to a Nation yelding the fruites thereof As before vve noted the Gospels as they are read both at Mattins and Masse through out the yere in their conuenient time and place so the bookes folovving as also the bookes of the old Testament are read in the said Seruice of the Church for Epistles and Lessons in their time place as hereafter shal be noted in euery of them See the very same order and custome of the primitiue Church in S. Ambrose ep 33. S. Augustine Serm. de Tempore 139 140 141 144. S. Leo Ser. 2 4 de Quadrag Ser. 13 19 de Pass Domini S. Gregorie in his 40 homilies vpon the Gospels THE ACTES OF THE APOSTLES CHAP. I. Christ novv ready to ascend biddeth the Apostles to expect the Holy Ghost vvhich he had promised foretelling vvhere being strengthened by him they should begin his Church and hovv far they should cary it 9 After his Ascension they are vvarned by tvvo Angels to set their mindes vpon his second comming 14 In the daies of their expectation 15 Peter beginneth to execute his vicarship giuing instruction and order by vvhich Mathias is elected Apostle in the place of Iudas verse 1 THE * first treatise I made of al things O Theophilus vvhich IESVS began to doe and to teache ✠verse 2 vntil the day vvherein ″ giuing commaundement by the holy Ghost to the Apostles vvhom he chose he vvas assumpted ✠verse 3 to vvhoÌ„ he shevved also him self aliue after his passion in many arguments for fourtie daies appearing to them speaking of the kingdom of God ✠verse 4 And eating vvith them * he commaunded them that they should not depart from Hierusalem but should expect the promisse of the Father vvhich you * haue heard saith he by my mouth ✠verse 5 for Iohn in deede baptized vvith vvater but * you shal be baptized vvith the holy Ghost after these fevv daies ◠✠verse 6 They therfore that vvere assembled asked him saying Lord whether at this time vvilt thou restore the kingdom to Israel ✠verse 7 but he said to them ″ It is not for you to knovv times or moments vvhich the Father hath put in his ovvne povver ✠verse 8 but you shal receiue the * vertue of the holy Ghost comming vpon you and you shal be vvitnesses vnto me in Hierusalem and in al Ievvrie and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth ✠verse 9 And * vvhen he had said these things in their sight he vvas eleuated and a cloud receiued him out of their sight ✠verse 10 And vvhen they beheld him going into heauen behold tvvo men stoode beside them in vvhite garments ✠verse 11 vvho also said Ye men of Galilee vvhy stand you looking into heauen This IESVS vvhich is ″ assumpted from you into heauen shal so come as you haue seen him going into heauen ⊢ ✠verse 12 Then they returned to Hierusalem from the mount that is called Oliuet vvhich is by Hierusalem distant a Sabboths iourney ✠verse 13 And vvhen they vvere entred in they vvent vp into an vpper chamber vvhere abode Peter Iohn Iames and Andrevv Philippe and Thomas Bartholomevv and Mathevv Iames of Alphaeus and Simon Zelótes and Iude of Iames. ✠verse 14 Al these vvere perseuéring vvith one minde in praier vvith the vvomen and ″ MARIE the mother of IESVS and his brethren ✠verse 15 In those daies ″ Peter rising vp in the middes of the brethren said and the multitude of persons together vvas almost an hundred and tvventie ✠verse 16 You men brethren * the scripture must be fulfilled vvhich the holy Ghost spake before by the mouth of Dauid concerning Iudas vvho vvas the * captaine of them that apprehended IESVS ✠verse 17 vvho vvas numbred among vs and obteined the lot of this ministerie ✠verse 18 And he in deede hath possessed a * field of the revvard of iniquitie and being hanged he burst in the middes and al his bovvels gushed out ✠verse 19 And it vvas made notorious to al the inhabitants of Hierusalem so that the same field vvas called in their tonge Hacel-dema that is to say the field of bloud ✠verse 20 For it is vvritten in the booke of Psalmes Be their habitation made desert and be there none to dvvel in it And his Bishoprike let another take ✠verse 21 Therfore of these men that haue assembled vvith vs al the time that our Lord IESVS vvent in and vvent out among vs ✠verse 22 beginning from the baptisme of Iohn vntil the day vvherein he vvas assumpted from vs there must one of these be made a vvitnes vvith vs of his resurrection ✠verse 23 And they appointed tvvo Ioseph vvho vvas called Barsabas vvho vvas surnamed Iustus and Mathias ✠verse 24 And praying they said Thou Lord that knovvest the harts of al men shevv of these tvvo one vvhom thou hast chosen ✠verse 25 to take the place of this ministerie and Apostleship from the vvhich Iudas hath preuaricated that he might goe to his ovvne place ✠verse 26 And they gaue them ″ lottes and the lot fel vpon Mathias and he vvas numbered vvith the eleuen Apostles ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 2. Giuing commaundement He meaneth the power giuen them to preach to baptize to remit sinnes and generally the whole commission and charge of gouernement of the Church after him and in his name steede and right the which Regiment was giuen them together with the Holy Ghost to assist them therein for euer 7. It is not for you It is not for vs nor needful for the Church to know the times moment of the world the comming of Antichrist and such other Gods secretes This is ynough in that
Antichrist or before shal refuse to obey the same but for that neere to the time of Antichrist and the consummation of the vvorld there is like to be a great reuolt of kingdoms peoples and Prouinces from the open external obedience and communion thereof Vvhich reuolt hauing been begunne and continued by Heretikes of diuers ages resisting hating the Seate of Peter vvhich they called cathedram pestilentia the chaire of pestilence * in S. Augustines daies because it is Christes fort erected against Hel gates and al Heretikes and being novv vvonderfully increased by these of our daies the next precursors of Antichrist as it may seeme shal be fully atchieued a litle before the end of the vvorld by Antichrist him self though euen then also vvhen for the fevv daies of Antichristes reigne the external state of the Romane Church and publike entercourse of the faithful vvith the same may cease yet the due honour and obedience of the Christians tovvard it and communion in hart vvith it and practise thereof in secrete and open confessing thereof if occasion require shal not cease no more then it doth novv in the Christians of Cypres and other places vvhere open entercourse is forbidden This is certaine and vvonderful in al vvise mens eies and must needes be of Gods prouidence a singular prerogatiue that this Seate of Peter standeth vvhen al other Apostolike Sees be gone that it stood there for certaine ages together vvith the secular seate of the Empire that the Popes stood vvithout vvealth povver or humane defense the Emperours knovving vvitting and seeking to destroy them and putting to the svvord aboue thirtie of them one after an other yea and being as much afraid of them as if they had been amuli imperij Competitors of their Empire as S. Cyprian noteth epist 52 ad Antonianum num 3 of S. Cornelius Pope in his daies and Decius then Emperour againe that the Emperours aftervvard yelded vp the citie vnto them continuing for al that in the Emperial dignitie still that the successors of those that persecuted them laid dovvne their crovvnes before their Seate and sepulcres honouring the very memories and Relikes of the poore men vvhom their predecessors killed that novv vvel neere these 1600 yeres this Seat standeth as at the beginning in continual miserie so novv of long time for the most part in prosperitie vvithout al mutation in effect as no other kingdom or State in the vvorld hath done euery one of them in the said space being manifoldly altered It standeth vve say al this vvhile to vse S. Augustines vvordes de vtil cred c. 17. Frustra circumlatrantibus haereticis the Heretikes in vaine barking about it not the first Heathen Emperours not the Gothes and Vandals not the Turke not any sackes or massakers by Alaricus Gensericus Attila Borbon and others not the emulation of secular Princes vvere they kings or Emperours not the Popes ovvne diuisions among them selues and manifold difficulties and dangers in their elections not the great vices vvhich haue been noted in some of their persons no◠al these nor any other endeuour or scādal could yet preuaile against the See of Rome nor is euer like to preuaile til the end of the vvorld dravv neere at vvhich time this reuolt here spoken of by the Apostle may be in such sort as is said before and more shal be said in the Annotations next folovving ◠The man of sinne There vvere many euen in the Apostles time as vve see by the 4 Chapter of S. Iohns first epistle and in the vvritings of the aūcient fathers that vvere forerunners of Antichrist and for impugning Christes truth and Church vvere called antichristes vvhether they did it by force and open persecution as Nero and others either Heathen or Heretical Emperours did or by false teaching and other deceites as the Heretikes of al ages in vvhich common and vulgar acception S. Hierom saith al belonged to Antichrist that vvere not of the communion of Damasus then Pope of Rome Hiero. ep 57 ad Damas and in an other place al that haue nevv names after the peculiar calling of Heretikes as Arians Donatistes and as vve say novv Caluinistes Zuinglians c. al such saith he be Antichristes Dial. cont Lucifer c. 9. Yea these later of our time much more then any of the former for diuers causes vvhich shal aftervvard be set dovvne Neuerthelesse they nor none of them are that great Aduersarie enemie and impugner of Christ vvhich is by a peculiar distinction and special signification named the Antichrist 1 Io. 2. and the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the Aduersarie described here els vvhere to oppose him self directly against God our Lord IESVS CHRIST The Heathen Emperours vvere many Turkes be many Heretikes haue been and novv are many therfore they can not be that one great Antichrist vvhich here is spoken of and vvhich by the article alvvaies added in the Greeke is signified to be one special and singular man as his peculiar direct opposition to Christs person in the 5 chapter of S. Iohns Gospel v. 43 the insinuation of the particular stocke and tribe vvhereof he should be borne to wit of the Ievves for of them he shal be receiued as their Massias Io. 5. v. 43. and of the tribe of Dan. Ire◠li. 5. Hieron com in c. 11 Dan. August q. in Ios q. 22 the note of his proper name Apoc. 13 the time of his appearing so neere the vvorldes end his short reigne his singular vvast and destruction of Gods honour and al religion his feined miracles the figures of him in the Prophets and Scriptures of the nevv old Testament al these many other arguments proue him to be but one special notorious Aduersarie in the highest degree vnto vvhom al other persecutors Heretikes Atheistes and vvicked enemies of Christ and his Church are but members and seruants And this is the most common sentence also of al aūcient fathers Onely Heretikes make no doubt but Antichrist is a vvhole order or succession of men vvhich they hold against the former euident Scriptures and reasons onely to establish their folish and vvicked paradoxe that Christes cheefe Minister is Antichrist yea the vvhole order Vvherein Beza specially pricketh so high that he maketh Antichrist euen this great Antichrist to haue been in S. Paules daies though he vvas not open to the vvorld Vvho it should be except he meane S. Peter because he vvas the first of the order of Popes God knovveth And sure it is except he vvere Antichrist neither the vvhole order nor any of the order can be Antichrist being al his lavvful successors both in dignitie and also in truth of Christes religion Neither can al the Heretikes aliue proue that they or any of them vsed any other regiment or iurisdiction Ecclesiastical in the Church or forced the people to any other faith or vvorship of God then Peter him self did preach and