obiect it And bicause we denie that Christ after his death went into Limbus Patrum as they without al warrant of the word imagine therefore they maliciouslie giue out that Caluin and his followers denie an article of the Faith and therfore conclude them to be infidels In all their notes touching iustification by faith they deale with vs as though we ascribed iustification to an idle faith which worketh not by loue and vpon that false ground they gather many things against vs as shall appeere in mine answere to their notes But all that are wise and haue eies to see do perceiue that in this maner of dealing they do but vtter their owne shame in making no conscience of cogging lieng and slaundering in steede of battailing with their enimies they make themselues sport with their owne shadowes Now to their amphibologies and aequiuocations which are also to long to pursue The Rhemists vpon the fift to the Galathians confesse that Paule when he ascribeth iustification to faith speaketh of such a faith as worketh by charitie and yet in all their notes against iustification by faith they dallie and play and dazel the eies of the simple with the ambiguitie of the word being diuerslie in diuerse places taken The like dealing they vse about the words of iustice and iustification which when they know them to be diuersly taken and in sundry senses yet they delude with the sound of the words those who for simplicitie are not able to discerne the diuersitie of the sense I wil not heap vp here more of these examples a number will offer themselues in reading of mine answers The alledging of the Fathers thicke and threefolde is for two fraudulent respects One is that those which are doubtfull to what religion they may encline and to which side to cleaue may continue doubtfull and without resolution still whiles both our aduersaries and we alledge Fathers and accuse one another of corrupt dealing in them and they poore soules not able to repaire to the Fathers to see whether side dealeth truely The second is to continue the false perswasion of their credulous followers in thinking that all antiquitie maketh for poperie To these two ends it is that their allegations are so many First therefore to auoid this their fraud it is to be noted and obserued that a maruellous number of their allegations touch no point nor matter in controuersie betwixt vs. As for example they alledge Origen to prooue that the innocent children murthred by the commandement of Herode haue beene honored for martyres Augustine to prooue that not to do good is damnable Hierome to prooue that fasting praier and almes are fruits of repentance or as they terme it penance Cyprian to prooue that they are false martyrs that suffer not for iustice Chrysostome to prooue that by the church the gouernors thereof be vnderstoode Ambrose to prooue that God hath left to his church authoritie aswel to loose as to binde Which kinde of proofes for matter not denied if they had beene omitted and left out the great glorious shew of Fathers had beene blemished and their campe verie nigh halfe dissolued Next is to be marked that if they catch any thing that maketh for them in any Father they neuer looke how rightly the Father collecteth it and by what good reason he warranteth it it is with them sufficient that he saith it But Augustine teacheth vs to giue that reuerence onely to the canonical Scriptures to beleeue whatsoeuer they say And for others of what learning or holines soeuer not to beleeue bicause they speake but bicause they prooue that which they speake either by the word it selfe or by good reason grounded vpon the same word And here also bicause they are woont to triumph that we make this a colour to reiect the Fathers when they make against vs it is to be remembred that they themselues do not without exception admit the Fathers But they appoint an other rule to trie them and their saiengs by that is the decrees and determinations of their owne church Thirdly it is to be noted that they alledge those bookes very often wherin they know that the Father which wrote them was far ouercarried with heate of contencion that they themselues will not nor dare not defend many things that passed them as Hieroms bookes against Iouiuian and Vigilantius Fourthly it is not to be passed ouer how they abuse Augustine in leauing those bookes which he wrote against the heretike Pelagius concerning the question of Freewill and alledging testimonies out of other books wherein he himselfe did confesse that he did erre of ignorance Fiftly they force diuers and sundrie to serue their turnes whether they will or no. Sixtly to make the greater shew they furnish out their number with such as they know to haue beene burnt on the face for forgerie and cite them vnder the reuerend names of Clemens and Dionisius Areopagita and such like Finally it is not to be passed ouer that they for the corroborating and proouing of the vsurped primacie of the bishop of Rome they hunt for speeches of the Fathers spoken in extolling Peter or in commending the faith then professed at Rome or els the excellent learning and vertue of some notable bishops there which then gouerned that church and them they racke and set on the tenters to prooue that which they neuer thought of that is the vniuersall power and authority which the bishop of Rome now claimeth The practise of the primitiue church doth best declare both what the Fathers ment and also what power and authoritie he had In that it is manifest that he was a bishop as other bishops afterward by consent of men a patriarch limited as other patriarches a subiect to the Emperour in commission vnder him as a delegate that men might appeale from him and that the Emperour might and did appoint in such cases of appeale delegates to affirme or reuerse the bishop of Romes former sentence and iudgement So far was he from that vniuersalitie of power which he hath heertofore vsurped and yet challengeth But why should I dwel so long in these matters exceede the length of an Epistle seeing they haue brought nothing of anie weight in anie matter of controuersie but it hath beene and that they know well enough often and fullie answered by diuers and sundrie alreadie But bicause being fugitiues and hauing no honest ordinarie vocation to occupie themselues about they neuer make an end of writing wherein they do nothing but set new colours on old matters to make their sencelesse followers beleeue that they bring in new allegations neuer before answered Therefore vnder your Graces correction be it vttered I would wish that our controuersies being drawen into a sum might by your authoritie be deuided to so many learned men as your Grace shall thinke conuenient and competent for that purpose to examine and to reduce and bring into
and graces offered And further wée learne that as the authoritie and credit of this woman by whom the Samaritans were first conuerted was not greater therefore then the credit and authoritie of our Sauiour Christ by whome the Samaritans were now confirmed so the authoritie of the church first drawing men to beleeue is not greater then the authoritie of the scriptures by which men be after confirmed in the truth of their beléefe As for your addition of other instructions if you meane thereby your vnwritten verities or some such like stuffe you might haue kept it for your owne stoore Iohn 5. 6. The text And there is at Hierusalem vpon ⸫ probatica a pond which in Hebrew is surnamed Bethsaida hauing fiue porches The note By our Latine text and the Greeke this miraculous pond was in or vpon probatica that is a place where sheepe to be sacrificed were kept but by other Latin copies Saint Hierome and some Greeke fathers probatica is the very pond it selfe so called bicause the sheepe of sacrifice were there washed The answer Whether the pond were probatica or in or vpon probatica whether shéepe were sold there washed there or kept there it is not materiall nor woorth the contending for Iohn 5. 29. The text Maruaile not at this bicause the houre commeth wherein all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they that haue ⸫ done good things shal come forth into the resurrection of life The note Not faith onlie but good and ill deeds shalbe counted and accordinglie rewarded at the day of iudgement The answer And who denieth this and yet then the onlie instrument of vniting vs to Christ our righteousnesse shalbe faith onlie alone Iohn 5. 39. The text Search the ⸫ scriptures for you thinke in them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimonie of me The note Catholikes search the scriptures and finde there Peters and his successors primacie the reall presence the priests power to forgiue sinnes iustification by faith and good workes virginitie preferred before matrimonie breach of the vow of continencie damnable voluntarie pouertie penance almes and good deeds meritorious diuers rewards in heauen according to diuerse merits and such like The answer Whom haue we héere Thraso or Gnato For this can not procéed but either from a vainglorious vaunter or from a filthie flatterer You catholikes may as eâ—silie wring water out of a flint as find in the scriptures that which is not in them as in the particulars which you haue reckoned in their particular places are or shalbe shewed And to the end your credulous followers may be the lesse able to espie your fraud herein you haue hitherto kept them safe from searching the scriptures and now when by Gods good benefit you can no longer kéep them from the scriptures you haue sent them the scriptures in their mother tongue not to the end they should search but corrupted and of purpose obscured and darkened to the end to terrifie and feare men from searching for if with humilitie and hartie desire of truth they would diligently search the scriptures the testimonies of them would driue them to leaue you and to flie to Christ for life Iohn 5. 43. The text I am come in the name of my father and you receiue me not if ⸫ another shall come in his owne name him will you receiue The note He meaneth specially Antichrist then how can the pope be he seeing the Iewes receiue him not The answer He meaneth anie false and forged Christ and not Antichrist of which sort it is well knowen there were diuers both before and after Christ whom the Iewes were very readie to embrace And it is manifest that they were not onlie readie to receiue such impostors seducers as vaunted them selues to be Christ but also by a solemne embassage the prouoked and procured as much as in them lay Iohn Baptist to haue and take that honor vpon him Further you forget that which some of you haue much contended for namely the force of the Gréeke article by addition whereof in other places you will inforce Antichrist to be meant of some particular man but héere that must be meant of Antichrist which neither hath article added nor yet can possibly with anie probabilitie bée restrained to any one particular person Thus may your holie father be Antichrist still for any let that is in this place Ioh. 6. 23. The text But other boates came in from Tyberias beside the place where they had eaten the bread our Lord ⸫ giuing thanks The note These words do plainly import that the giuing thanks was an effectuall blessing of the bread and working the multiplication thereof The answer These words do plainly import that the blessing which the other Euangelists speake of was nothing else but praier and thankesgiuing by the which the creatures of God are sanctified to the vse and behoofe of men Ioh. 6. 32. The text ⸫ Amen Amen I say to you Moyses gaue you not the bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen The note Why we keepe the Hebrewâ—word Amen and translate it not See the annot cap. 8. vers 34. The answer This is a cloake for the raine if you had only abstained from translating such words as vse hath vpon occasion made common to other toongs we would not greatly blame you but your hunting and séeking vnder that and the like pretences to leaue things as darke as you can is that which men do iustlie condemne in you Ioh. 7. â— The text And the festiual day of the Iewes ⸫ Scenopegia was at hand The note Scenopegia Leuit. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the feast of Tabernacles which the Iewes kept from the seauenth of October for eight daies togither by Gods commandement for a memorie that their fathers dwelt by Gods protection fortie yeeres in tabernacles or tents and not in houses comming out of Egypt See Leuit. 23. 34. The answer You might haue kept your margent vnblotted if it had stoode with your pleasure to haue translated Scenopegia The place in Leuiticus would sufficiently haue shewed the cause of the institution Ioh. 7. 17 The text If any man ⸫ will do the will of him he shall vnderstand of the doctrine whether it be of God or I speake of my selfe The note The way to come to know the truth is to liue well The answer The way to come to know and vnderstand the truth is wholie to renounce resigne our owne will and to giue our selues ouer wholie to the obedience of God For the Lord himselfe wil teach the humble and méeke euen them that feare him Ioh. 7. 18. The text ⸫ He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie The note It is spoken of Antichrist specially and it is true in all heretikes Augustin tract 29. in Euangelium Io. The answer If euer it was verified of any it is most true of the bishop of
and one pastor The note He meaneth the Church of the Gentils The answer It is true that Christ made of Iewes and Gentils one folde and of both he and not the pope is the one only pastor and head Iohn 10. 29. The text My father ⸫ that which he hath giuen me is greater then al. The note Another reading is my father that hath giuen me c. The answer In diuers readings you choose that which is most obscure and can not carie any true sense if it be weied with the circumstances of the place and leaue that which is plaine and carieth an inestimable comfort to all that loue God and best agréeth the Gréeke originall Iohn 11. 44. The text Iesus said to them ⸫ Loose him and let him go The note S. Cyril lib. 7. cap. vlt. in Ioh. and Augustine tract 49. in Ioh. applie this to the Apostles and priests authority of absoluing sinners affirming that Christ doth reuiue none from sinne but in the church and by the priests ministerie The answer Wée beléeue that the promise of life eternall pertaineth to none but to such as are or shalbe of the Church of God and that the ordinarie meanes whereby God effectuallie calleth men to be of his church is the ministerie of his woord But we dare not tie God to his ordinarie meanes sith he extraordinarilie called Paul and others But how well this place is applied to the ordinarie authoritie of ministers or priestes in absoluing I will spare to speake for reuerence of them whom you alledge It is well that the church hath plaine euidence of scriptures for the authoritie of binding and loosing for if it staid it selfe vpon the authoritie of men wresting such places as this to that purpose it were but a poore sillie comfort that the conscience of a poore penitent sinner could reape by the churches absolution Iohn 11. 48. The text If we let him alone so all will beleeue in him and the Romans will come and ⸫ take away our place and nation The note All men but speciall nations must take heed that whiles to saue their temporall state they forsake God they loose not both as the Iewes did August tract 49. in Io. The answer Therefore we vndergo all the perils and dangers which by your stirring vp the force and might of all the popish princes in the world can bring vpon vs rather than to displease God by giuing ouer his truth wherwith he hath blessed vs least we should prouoke his heauie indignation against vs and so perish as the Iewes haue done before vs. Iohn 12. 3. The text ⸫ Marie therfore tooke a pound of ointment of right spikenard precious and annointed the feete of Iesus and wiped his feete with hir haire and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment The note Of this womans extraordinarie offices of deuotion and how acceptable they were to Christ See the annot Mat. 26. The answer Bicause those annotations are to receiue answer by themselues therefore I thought not good to touch them here Iohn 12. 7. The text Iesus therefore said Let hir alone that she may keepe it for the day of my ⸫ buriall The note The deuout offices of balming and annointing the dead bodies of the faithfull are here also allowed The answer And we do not disallow whatsoeuer in buriall serueth either for comfort of them that be aliue and for the honest and comely bringing the dead to the graue being the last duties that men can do to their faithfull friends Iohn 12. 8. The text For the poore you haue alwaies with you but me you shall not haue alwaies The note Not in visible and mortal condition to receiue almes of you and such like offices for supply of my necessitie The answer And why do you not say not in bodie nor in humanitie Bicause you would faine with some color shift of Christs bodily absence from the earth for the better safetie and defence of your reall preseâ—ce in the sacrament You are full of fathers in matters nâ—edlesse why do you not in this place so often repeated bring vs at the least one plaine place of some father affirming that he is not simply absent in bodie from vs but onely in such sort as you do imagine Is it not a secret confession that all antiquitie is against you I maruell that you are so impudent still to glory and to cry that your faith hath continued almost xvj hundred yéeres when you know that in a number of things you are not able to bring foorth any true authoritie of halfe the age Iohn 12. 20. The text And there were certaine Gentils of them that came vp to adore in the festiuall day The note We may see there a great difference where a man pray or adore at home or in the church and holy places When the Gentils also came of deuotion a pilgrimage to the temple in Hierusalem The answer Now pilgrimages are prooued and that full pithily For the Gentiles came to adore at Hierusalem When you can find such expresse commandement of God for running to saint Iames of Compostella or our Ladie of Walsingham or visiting the holie sepulchre as was for al both Iewes and conuerts then to appéere before the Lord at Hierusalem then your reason will hold Otherwise it is as much as if I should say The Iewes and conuerts of the Gentils obeied the commandement of God in going to Hierusalem at the feast daies to worship Ergo it is lawful for me to go a roging to what place of pilgrimage in the world séemeth best in mine owne eies without further warrant As for the difference of publike and priuate praier and of seruing God at home and in the common assemblies are both knowen and practised amongst vs. Iohn 12. 40. The text Therfore they ⸫ could not beleeue bicause Esay said againe he hath blinded their eies and indurated their harts c. The note If any man aske saith saint Augustine why they could not beleeue I answer roundly bicause they would not Tract 33. in Io. See annotations Matth. 13. 15. Mark 4. 12. The answer It is true that the corruption of mans will is the cause of all euill and wickednes in man But héere either your printer made a fault or your note booke deceiued you for it is in 53. treatise And I muze why you should so much couet so force Augustine to speake for you séeing that you know that of all other he is most earnest in this cause of frée will against you For in the same place he acknowledgeth the iust iudgement of God vpon them in leauing them in blindnes and not helping them to sée And teacheth vs in inquiring why God would so leaue them to crie out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. Which exclamation sheweth that Augustine had an eie to somwhat more than their will yea and to such a somwhat as was not
is contrarie to the report of your stories And he hied him maruellous fast that was so quickly at Ierusalem againe But to let passe that fable which carieth no shew of truth Peter did not set men a worke to kill and murder Herod for the iniurie offered him but committed vengeance to him to whom it belonged Of whom then learned the pope and his adherents to set men a work to murder the Lords annointed and to giue the murderers absolution afore hand Acts. 12. 23. The text And foorthwith an Angel of the Lord ⸫ strooke him bicause he had not giuen the honor to God and being consumed of woorms he gaue vp the ghost The note Princes that take delight in the flatterie and praises of the people so much that they forget themselues to be men and to giue the honor to God may be warned by this example The answer The example is terrible and hath preuailed with many princes and great estates who héerby haue béen admonished to learne to know themselues But the man of sinne the child of perdition the bishop of Rome I meane whom you his flatterers and clawbacks aduance aboue all that is called god and who most proudly taketh vpon him that which was neuer granted to mortall man nothing can make him afraid Acts. 13. 46. The text To you it behoueth vs first to speake the word of God but bicause ⸫ you repell it and iudge your selues vnwoorthie of eternall life behold we turne vnto the Gentils The note The Iewes of their owne free will repelling the truth are vnwoorthie of Christ and woorthily forsaken And the Gentils though they beleeued specially by Gods grace and preordination yet they beleeue also by their owne free will which standeth well with Gods prouidence The answer That the Iewes repelled the grace of God offered them and would none of it we manifestly sée That the Gentils beléeued also by Gods grace and preordination that is also euident by the text it selfe For there beléeued as many as were preordinate to life euerlasting But that they beléeue by their frée will also is your addition without any warrant bicause you cannot abide that faith should be the méere gift and liberalitie of God Acts. 14. 16. The text Howbeit he left not himselfe without ⸫ testimonie being beneficiall from heauen giuing raines and fruitful seasons filling our harts with food and gladnes The note The heathen might by the daily benefits of God haue knowen him at the least to be their creator and onely Lord though the mysterie of our redemption were not opened to them The answer All nations haue so much knowledge offered them in the creatures and things which they sée and are subiect to sense as to make their damnation iust and themselues void of excuse for ignorance Acts. 14. 22. The text And when ⸫ they had ordained to them priests in euerie church and had praied with fastings they commended them to our Lord in whom they beleeued The note We see by this first that S. Paul and Barnabas were bishops hauing heere authoritie to giue holie orders secondly that there was euen then a difference betwixt bishops and priests though the name in the primitiue church was often vsed indifferently lastly that alwaies fasting and praieng were preparatimes to the giuing of holy orders The answer We cannot sée by this that Paul and Barnabas were bishops but that the Apostles at the first planting of the churches had authoritie to order them and to appoint bishops and pastors to them Neither do we find héere any mention at all of sacrificing priests much lesse any difference betwéene bishops and elders that labour in the word whom we also call priests Your last obseruation that in this example fasting and praier is commended to vs in the election choise and appointing of pastors to particular congregations is true Acts. 15. 4. The text And when they were come to Hierusalem they were receiued of the church and of the Apostles and ⸫ Ancients declaring whatsoeuer God had done with them The note Ancients heere and often in this chapter are the same that priests vers 2. as Saint Hierom taketh it also 1. Peter 5. and the Greeke approoueth being alwaies one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priests Hierom in 1. ad Tit. 4. ad Galatas The answer For the name of priests so your sacrificers thereby be not vnderstood we stand indifferent But what reason can you shew why in English you flie the word Elders and translate it Ancients Acts. 15. 7. The text And when there was made a ⸫ great disputation Peter rising vp said to them The note See the annotation verse 28. towards the end The answer Your annotation shall be answered with the rest Act. 15. 9. The text And God which knoweth the harts gaue testimonie giuing vnto them the holie Ghost as well as to vs and hath put no difference betweene vs them ⸫ by faith purifieng their harts The note By that faith that worketh by charitie for a dead faith can not purifie the hart of man See chap. 16. 31. The answer Who doubteth of this But here is a secret confession by force of truth of your manifold cauilling in these notes in separating those things from a true liuely iustifieng faith which can not be sundered from it For if here you vnderstande that faith which worketh by charitie why do you not so to when we speak of iustification by faith Act. 15. 23. The text Then it pleased the apostles and ancients with the whole church to choose men out of them and to send to Antioch with Paule Barnabas Iudas who was surnamed Barnabas and Silas cheefe men amongst the brethren ⸫ writing by their hands The note Other latin copies and the Greeke read thus writing by their hand an epistle conteining these things The answer Whether it be expresly added or no the sence is one séeing their epistle followeth verbatim But yet this is to be marked that you make your choise in varietie of copies to follow those which furthest dissent from the Gréeke Act. 15. 36. The text And after certaine daies Paule said to Barnabas Let vs returne and ⸫ visite our brethren in all cities wherein we haue preached the worde of our Lord how they do The note Hereof our catholike bishops tooke vp the necessarie vse of often visiting their flocks and cures committed to their charge for confirmation in faith and vertue and reformation of maners both of cleargie and laitie The answer The apostolicall office being vniuersallie to spread the truth 〈◊〉 to laie the first foundation of Christian Religion necessity of doing their dutie compelled Paule and Barnabas to be absent from the churches which they had planted The knowledge of Sathans subtilties and of humaine infirmitie caused this care to visite the churches againe which they had planted and to confirme them Your bishops I doubt not would faine be Apostels in seeking euerie one to himselfe a little world to gouerne
praier in heauen The answer You should say Whereby S. Ierom goeth about or indeuoreth to prooue For euery word he speaketh is not by and by a proofe What the saints of God do in heauen for men that are aliue is a secret which God hath kept to himselfe and not reuealed to men Therefore the reasons from their dealings héere to their doings there are blinde hauing no ground to frame them on but mans wisedome There we do not beléeue S. Ieroms conclusions but where he hath better ground for his reasons Acts. 28. 1. The text And when we had escaped then we knew that the ⸫ Iland was called Mitilene The note This iland now Malta is the seate of the knights of the Rhodes The inhabitants wherof haue a speciall deuotion to saint Paul to whom both the cheefe church being the bishops seate is dedicated and the whole iland as they count it is consecrated Where the people shew yet to strangers his prison and other memories of his miracles The answer To leaue the manifest grosse error of your old interpretor in the name vntouched and to leaue your selues which will amend no errors nor vntruthes be they neuer so manifest To your note we say that we easily beléeue the inhabitants of Malta to be papists full of blind and ignorant deuotion 〈…〉 The text For the hart of this people is waxen grosse and with their eares haue they heauily heard and their eies ⸫ they haue shut least perhaps they may see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hart and be conuerted and I heale them The note Heere also as Matth. 13. it is plaine that they would not see nor heare and that their excaecation is to be attributed to themselues and not to God See annot Iohn 12 40. The answer Their excecation as their fault is to be attributed to themselues and none other and to God as a iust iudgement and punishment for their former sinnes ROMANS Roman 1. 5. The text By whom we haue receiued grace and apostleship ⸫ for obedience to the faith The note Faith must not be subiect to sense reason arguing or vnderstanding but must command and be obeied in humilitie and simplicitie The answer It is true that euery word of the Lord is with reuerence to be receiued beléeued and obeied in humility and simplicity though it be neuer so far beyond our capacitie and the reach of our reason or the compasse of our sense or vnderstanding But yet so as that we beléeue not white to be blacke sower to be swéet neither yet that the whole bodie of man may be contained within the compasse of two or thrée inches For in things subiect to sense we are no where commanded not to beléeue and trust our senses Rom. 1. 5. The text ⸫ In all nations for the name of him among whom are you also the called of Iesus Christ. The note Saint Augustine vseth this place and the like against heretikes which would draw the common catholike faith of all nations to some certaine countries and corners of the world August ep 161. The answer Whosoeuer hold any faith that was not vniuersally planted by the Apostles in all nations and which hath not béene since generally imbraced of all true Christians the same hold not the true catholike faith And therefore the faith which the church of Rome at this day holdeth is not the true catholike faith For what Apostle taught or what church in their time beleeued that Christ after his ascension was bodily héere vpon the earth and that his bodie might be in many places at once in one place hauing the quantitie of a bodie in another place void of all quantitie I would our controuersies about the church and the bishop of Romes authoritie might be decided by this epistle For he is plaine in both cases Rom. 1. 9. The text For God is my witnes whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospell of his sonne that without ⸫ intermission I make a memorie of you alwaies in my praiers c. The note He praieth without intermission that omitteth no day certaine times of praier Aust. The answer He praieth for men without intermission that being diligent in praier is therein alwaies mindefull of them But your citing now of Augustine to what end is it but to make a shew of your reading Rom. 1. 11. The text For I desire to see you that I may impart to you some spirituall grace to ⸫ confirme you The note The Romaines were conuerted and taught by Saint Peter before Therefore he vseth that speech to confirme them in their faith Author Commen apud Hieronimum Theodoret. in 16. Rom. Chryst. The answer That the Romaines to whom Paule wrote were conuerted afore it is manifest but by whose ministerie that doth not certainely appéere We know that diuers fathers are of opinion that Peter tooke paines at Rome afore Paule wrote thither But bicause the time they assigne of his comming thither and of his continuance there can neither stande with the scriptures neither with other things which they report of him there is iust cause why in this point we should not beléeue them But bicause it is not material by whom they were conuerted I let this passe But one thing I muse of and I would faine be resolued in Why the holie Ghost so diligently setting out Paules writing to the Romaines afore he went thither Paules iourney thither his paines and diligence there doth not once signifie any thing to vs of Peters being there séeing there could be nothing more necessarie for a christian to know then that If poperie be good Christianitie and if by Peters being there such woonderfull priuiledges be left vnto the bishops there as they at this day chalenge Rom. 1. 17. The text For the iustice of God is reuealed therin by faith into faith As it is written And the iust man liueth by faith The note He meaneth not Gods owne iustice in himselfe but that iustice wherwith God endueth man when he iustifieth him Aug. de spir lit cap. 9. Whereby you may gather the vanitie of hereticall imputatiue iustice The answer Whereby you may gather the impudencie of the papists in applieng fathers to that they ment not The whole scope and circumstances of the place are against inherent iustice and for the righteousnes of Christ imputed to vs. But God endueth man with righteousnes when he doth iustifie him It is true But that righteousnes whereby he maketh men iust is the righteousnes of Christ. The other wherewith he indueth vs which we call sanctification being gods gift is not sufficient to make vs iust before God but to declare vs iust before men Rom. 1. 23. The text And they changed the glorie of the incorruptible God into a ⸫ similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of fowles and foure footed beasts and of them that creepe The note Lo these and the like are the images or idols so often
of the word against which no credit of men can stand For his being bishop there the consent is not so great as you Thrasonically brag of For some hold that neither he was bishop there nor made the first bishop there Some make Paul as much bishop there as Peter That Peter might then be out of the citie either for persecution or busines or else that being there Paule might write other letters wherin this might be inclosed are but your surmises wanting both testimonie of antiquitie and al probabilitie Rom. 16. 17. The text And I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissentions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine which you haue learned ⸫ and auoid them The note Of the prince of the Apostles saith Theodoret vpon this place The answer Why we should thinke they learned of Peter I sée no reason But for that which you would haue the simple beléeue that by the word which it pleaseth you to translate prince Peters supremacie aboue the other Apostles is meant they are to be admonished that the fathers giue the same name to Paule as well as to Peter whereby it appéereth that they thought not of any such supreme power or authoritie which also is not onely manifest by the continual practise of the first church but also by plaine spéeches of the fathers Eusebius saith that neither Peter nor Iohn tooke vpon them to be chéefe ouer the Apostles but gaue the primacie to Iames whom they made bishop of the Apostles Cyprian saith that all the Apostles were equal in authoritie Ambrose cannot tell of Peter and Paul whether of them he may preferre By this it is euident that the fathers meant not by reuerend titles they gaue Peter to exalt him in authoritie aboue the rest Rom. 16. 18. The text For such do not serue Christ our Lord but their owne bellie and by ⸫ sweete speeches and benedictions seduce the harts of the innocents The note The speciall way that heretikes haue euer had to beguile was and is by sweete words gaie speeches which their sheeps coate see before described particularly in the annotation vpon Saint Matthew cap. 7. vers 15. The answer Is there any way of beguiling that papists want Did euer any in the worlde prouide better for their bellies Did you not make of Saint Peters keies picklockes to rob euerie mans coffers with them Extraordinarie tokens of fained holines where shall a man looke for them if he finde them not in your Iesuites and friers filed and fine spéeches are your studie And that they may be more admired and better able to deceiue you kéepe from the people the key of knowledge you nuzell them in ignorance to the ende they should not be able to discerne words from matter 1. Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 1◠The text And I meane this for that euerie one of you saith ⸫ I certes am Paules and I Apollos but I Cephas and I Christs The note The beginning of schismes is ouer much admiring and addicting mens selues to their owne particular masters The answer We haue one master that is to saie Christ him we professe to follow and of him to learne others of what godlines or estimation so euer we follow but so far foorth as they followed Christ. If admiring of men and addicting mens selues to particular masters be the beginning and cause of schismes Then what can you say for your Austen friers your Dominicans your Franciscans your Iesuites your schoolemen your Thomists your Scotists why they should not go for schismatikes Haue they not the authors of their their sects in admiration Haue they not addicted themselues to their particular masters Haue they not deuised a number of vntruthes to bring their masters into admiration and estimation What though there be some kinde of consent amonst them yet that excuseth them not from being schismatikes no more then the consent of Pharisies Sadduces other sectaries of the Iewes against Christ and his truth did excuse them 1. Cor. 3. 2. The text As it were to litle ones in Christ I gaue you ⸫ milke to drink not meate for you could not as yet But neither can you now verily for yet you are carnall The note The church onely hath truth both in her milke and in her bread that is whether she instruct the perfect or imperfect who are called carnall Aug. lib. 15. cap. 3. contra Faustum The answer If you went not about with the name of the church to beguile the simple as though thereby your church were vnderstood wée néeded not to giue this any answer But now to auoide your deceite we as we learne of Augustine admonish all men by the scriptures to iudge of the church least therin being deceiued they in stéed of milke and bread receiue strong poison 1. Cor. 3. 9. The text For we are Gods coadiutors ⸫ you are Gods husbandrie you are Gods building The note A maruellous dignitie of spirituall pastors that they be not the onely instruments or ministers of Christ but also Gods coadiutors in the worke of our saluation The answer I haue not hitherto neither carped at your old translator neither yet at your translation neither will I begin here though I might Onlie this I would haue all men to obserue diligently that in this dignitie which God hath bestowed vpon men to vse their labor and paines in his worke men do vse strength not naturall but conferred by grace that they may be apt and fit instruments to aduance forward Gods worke so that they haue nothing of themselues in themselues to glorie of And further that all that which is chéefe in this worke as all encrease of goodnes saluation and life do so procéede from God as that therein he vseth no mans helpe but his owne 1. Cor. 4. 6. The text But these things ⸫ brethren I haue transfigured into my selfe and Apollo for you that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against another aboue that is written The note Lo when he named himselfe and Apollo and Cephas he ment other seditious and factious preachers whose names he spared The answer We sée rather that those which are seditious and factious doo for their better winning of credit shroud them selues vnder the names of those which be famous for godlines and learning And so it is like that they did at Corinth that the Apostle correcting the fault was content to spare their names that by that milde dealing he might the better winne them if it were possible 1. Cor. 4. 15. The text For ⸫ if you haue ten thousand paedagogues in Christ yet not manie fathers The note So may Saint Augustine our Apostle say to vs English men The answer The reader is here to vnderstand that our papists meane Augustine the monke not Augustine the famous doctor and that this Augustine was no Apostle for that he was not sent vs immediatlie from God but from a méere man This
A VIEW OF THE MARGINAL NOTES OF THE Popish Testament translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at RHEMES in France By George Wither Psalm 19. vers 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple Augustine in epistolam Iohan. tract primo Iohannes maluit se ponere in numero peccatorum vt Christum haberet aduocatum quam ponere se pro Christo aduocatum inueniri inter damnandos superbos Iohn had rather place himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ to be his aduocate than to let himselfe in steed of Christ to be an aduocate and so to be found amongst damnable proud men Printed at London by Edm. Bollifant for Thomas Woodcocke TO THE MOST-REVEREND FAther in God IOHN Archbishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitane of England GEORGE WITHER wisheth abundant increase of all heauenly and spirituall blessings IT is the manner vse and custome of all that set foorth any thing to be seene and read of others to set downe some reasons that mooued them to take such pains and to publish their labors In the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred eightie two a testament traÌ„slated into English at Rhemes in France was published in print by the English fugitiue Papists resiant there The censure view and examination whereof hath euer since been hartily looked or rather longed for of all both rich and poore high and low that feare God and loue his truth But by what occasion I cannot tell it hath been hitherto delaied Whereupon I thought it would not be amisse neither misliked if some thing in the meane space might be done toward the satisfaction of the well affected and the repressing of the triumphes of the contrarie Therefore at my returne from London from Michaelmasse terme last past I tooke in hand to discouer the loose corrupt vniust and vntrue dealing of our Rhemists in their marginall notes Which if I could effect and bring to passe afore an answer to their whole worke came foorth I did suppose that it would somwhat diminish the griefe of manie good men and make them the more patiently to expect and wait for the censure of the whole work And againe if it should happen that by reason I tooke it in hand so late that I â—ould not compasse it or bring it to passe afore the censure of the whole worke were in presse yet I did thinke that bicause that worke could not be but verie great and therfore chargeable that it would not be thought amisse of if some part were answered by it selfe which the poorer and those which either were vnable or vnwilling to be at charges with the other might attaine and haue with small cost Now hauing by the fauor of God gone through it I thought that I could not choose a better patron for it than your Grace whom God hath aduanced to the highest Ecclesiasticall place and dignitie in our Church of England For some make the dedication of their works testimonies of old friendship and familiaritie and as it were monuments of their old long continued loue Which cause if there were no more were sufficient considering the loue wherewith you haue imbraced me these thirtie yeeres and vpwards Others do it to witnes their mindfulnes of their dutie to them that be in honorable place and calling And why should not I heerin also imitate them sith it hath pleased God leauing me in a meane place so highly to aduance you Others to get the fauâ—â—able patronage and defence of their works by high dignitie and authoritie against all maleuolous cauillers and backbiters whereof this wicked world is alwaies full And heer of both I stand in great need hauing the whole band of Popish sophisters in this against me and also none can better protect and defend me than you either for learning and iudgement or for power and authoritie wherewith God hath indued you Their whole worke consisteth altogither of lieng fraud and deceit which I thought not vnmeete in some part to touch disclose and make manifest in this mine Epistle First in their Preface then in their Translation after in their collected and concluded Annotations lastly in their thicke and threefold allegations of the fathers In which I will vse all possible breuitie and shortnes for that my purpose is but to giue a little small taste of their foule and shamelesse dealings whereby the sinceritie of their dealing in the rest may be the easilier and better gessed at The first part of their Preface maintaineth against the whole course of the Scriptures and against all authoritie of the ancient primitiue Church that it is not necessarie for al Christians to haue and read the Scriptures in a knowen vulgar toong Which if it were true why are all men commanded continually to talke of them and to write them vpon the doores wals and posts of their houses and how should they meditate in them day and night How should fathers teach them to their children and they againe to their children The Scriptures giue wisedome to the simple why then shall not the simplest seeke in them to waxe wise If life be to be found in the Scriptures why shall not all search them that looke for life If they be written for our learning why should it not be as lawful to learne by reading as by hearing The CoÌ„stitutions which they sundry times alledge as ordeined by the Apostles do appoint Laie men to read the Law the books of the Kings the Psalmes and the Gospell Saint Hierome commendeth poore plough men bicause at the plough taile in their worke and labor they could sing the Psalmes Our Rhemists adde of their owne beleeue them if you list to salue the matter withall that they sang in a language they vnderstood not and wherein they could not read those Scriptures Saint Chrysostome exhorted the common people to get them Bibles and Testaments and refuted the same obiections which the Papists at this day make to the contrary But our Papists tel vs that he dealt like a pulpit man and therfore his rules must not be generall but serue for his owne people which he preached vnto As who should say the pulpit were not as meet a place to deliuer the rules of religion and a generall truth in as the schooles They adde that euery artificer dealeth in the hardest and deepest matters of religion omitting the more easie that they presuppose no difficulties that they aske for no expositor that they feele no depth of Gods science in Scripture that maners and life are nothing amended that priuate fantasies and not the sense of the Church and doctors thereof in interpreting the Scriptures is followed And whosoeuer knoweth the state and condition of the Church of England knoweth all this to be an beape and dunghill of lies packed togither If their commendation of their Churches
ought thereby to haue espied their owne error in imagining that Christ was no more but a méere man Such remission as Christ gaue his church power to vse is in daily practise amongst vs and for my part I know no professor of the Gospel that findeth fault with it but your proud presumption beyond any authority giuen to the church of God in binding whom you list and loosing whom please you with your gainfull marchandize made therof that with all our harts we abhorre and detest Luke 8. 10. The text To you it is giuen to know the mysterie of the kingdome of God but to the rest in parables ⸫ that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not vnderstand The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 13. 14. The answer We haue alreadie giuen answer to that annotation Luke 8. 13. The text For they vpon the rocke such as when they heare with ioy receiue the word and these haue no roots bicause ⸫ for a time they beleeue and in the time of tentation they reuolt The note Against the heretikes that say faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had The answer If either you had the feare of God before your eies or els regarded your owne estimation afore men you would not thus without all cause cauill We say that those whom God by his owne wil hath begotten by the word of truth which is an incorruptible séed to beléeue in the name of his sonne and so to become the children of God it is impossible that their faith should bée quite lost and that he which hath not this faith neuer yet had it what is this to the faith here spoken of which is for a time a ioyfull and readie accepting of the doctrine preached and is therefore improperlie called beléeuing because it hath some similitude with true beléeuing But you make of the Scriptures an exercise to whet your wits to wrangle and cauill for such is your reuerence towards them Luke 8. 21. The text Who answering said to them My ⸫ mother my brethren are they that heare the word of God and doe it The note He did not heere speake disdainfullie of his mother but teacheth that our spiritual kinred is to be preferred before carnall cognation Hilar. in 12. Mat. The answer This néedlesse citing of the fathers you vse to deceiue the simple withall and to make them imagine that your aduersaries hold that Christ spake disdainfully of his mother For they do not thinke that you vse this and other authorities but onlie where you néed by that meanes to winne some credit to that which you write which in this matter was altogether néedlesse Luke 8. 24. The text And ⸫ they came and raised him saying Master we perish The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 8 24. The answer We haue for your pleasure lost so much labour as to looke into the place and there finde no such matter Luke 8. 43. The text And there was ⸫ a certaine woman in a fluxe of blood for twelue yeeres past c. The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 9. 19. The answer Your annotation is séene and shall be considered of in the answer to the rest Luke 8. 45. The text And all denying ⸫ Peter said and they that were with him Master the multitudes throng and presse thee and doest thou say Who touched me The note It is an euident signe of prerogatiue that Peter onlie is named so often as chiefe of the companie Marke 1. 36. Actes 5. 29. Luke 9. 32. Marke 16. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 5. The answer It is a very sillie argument Peter onlie is named ergo he is named as chiefe of the companie It is a poore prerogatiue that can be wonne for Peter by such kinde of reasoning The Apostles amongst whom he was conuersant knewe nothing of this his prerogatiue and superioritie as appeareth by their reasoning of the case diuerse times which of them should be greatest or chiefe And therefore it is plaine and euident that you want better helpes when you are faine to staie vp Peters authoritie with such weake proppes Luke 8. 50. The text And Iesus hearing this woord answered the father of the maide Feare not ⸫ beleeue onlie and she shalbe safe The note See the annotations vpon Saint Marke cap. 5. 36. The answer We haue looked and sée there a great péece of learning Forsooth that is an vsual spéech to saie onely do this when we meane chéefely To which we replie that it is most vsuall to saie onely do this when we require onely that which we speake of and no more And againe it is a verie sillie shift for you to flâ—e to chéefely in stéede of onely when in other places you will haue charitie chéefely required and preferre if greatly afore faith Luk. 9. â— The text And calling togither the twelue apostles he gaue them ⸫ vertue and power ouer all diuels and to cure maladies The note To command diuels and diseases either of bodie or soule is by nature proper to God onely but by gods gift men also may haue the same euen so to forgiue sinne The answer And why do you not saie euen so to create heauen and earth men and angels God doth impart to men whatsoeuer pleaseth him to giue and to bestowe and not what it pleaseth proud men to chalenge Shew to vs that God hath giuen any man authoritie to sell remission of sins Otherwise I haue alreadie answered that we vse this authoritie of remitting sins so farre foorth as God hath giuen it Luk. 9. 5. The text And whosoeuer shall not receiue you going foorth out of that citie shake of the dust also of your feete ⸫ for a testimonie vpon them The note A great fault to reiect the true preachers or not to admit them into house for needfull harbour and sustenance The answer But no fault to reiect traiterous and vndermining papists who secretlie stir vp subiects to murther their soueraignes the Lords annointed and to séeke the subuersion and destruction of their owne countrie Luk. 9. 16. The text And taking the fiue loaues and the two fishes he looked vp to heauen and ⸫ blessed them and brake and distributed to his disciples for to set before the multitude The note Here you see that he blessed the things and not onely gaue thanks to God See annot Mark cap. 8. 7. The answer Who can better tell what is ment by blessing then the holie Ghost himselfe who in the fiftéenth of Matthew in the sixt of Iohn expresseth the same by giuing of thanks Neither is there any cause or reason in this place why any farther matter should be thought or imagined to be ment by blessing And as for the seuerall blessing of the bread first and then the fishes afterward is but your dreame without warrant Your annotation shall be considered of with the residue of the same sort Luk. 9.
monument tremble and roare as if they stood before the iudgement seat of Christ. The answer We will not striue with you for your author For though women beare the name of that epistle yet I thinke Hierome was their pen man But we are not bound to beléeue what S. Hierome speaketh further then he prooueth his speeches by the word And we easilie beléeue that the diuell might worke there strong illusions to deceiue and to draw people into an admiration of such things as God hath no where commended to them in his word Iohn 20. 21. The text He said therefore to them againe ⸫ peace be to you The note Though he gaue them his peace hard before yet now entering into a new diuine action to prepare their harts to grace and attention he blesseth them againe The answer Christ by repetition of his vsual blessing or salutation séeketh to make his Apostles being astonished at his sodaine and maruellous comming amongst them to know vnderstand and be assured who he is Iohn 20. 26. The text Iesus commeth ⸫ the doores being shut and stood in the midst and said peace be to you The note See the annotations on the 19. verse of this chapter The answer We haue séene stale stuffe of it and refer the answer to him that answereth your other annotations Iohn 20. 29. The text Bicause thou hast seene me Thomas thou hast beleeued ⸫ blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued The note They are more happie that beleeue without sensible argument or sight then such as be induced by sense or reason to beleeue The answer Bicause that sensible experience which Thomas had of Christ and by which he was induced to beleeue the resurrection was granted but to a few therefore generally the happines of Christians doth consist in beléeuing the testimonie of the word preached without any farther sensible experiments Yet not withstanding in matters subiect to sense we are no where commanded to beléeue that to be cheese which is chalke neither that to be flesh which our eies tell vs to be bread Iohn 21. 7. The text ⸫ Simon Peter when he heard that it is our Lord girded his coat vnto him for he was naked cast himselfe into the sea The note See in Saint Augustine tract 122. In Io. the great mysterie hereof concerning the church and in Saint Gregorie hom 24. in Euang. and Saint Barnard lib. 2. cap. 8. de consi Peters primacie here mystically signified The answer Hungrie dogs are glad of dirtie puddings Our papists haue béene these 27. yéeres séeking a néedle in a bundle of haie that is they haue béene seeking the fathers to finde the bishop of Rome to be called the vniuersall bishop or head of the vniuersal church and cannot finde it Therefore they hunt for other things in stéed thereof to bleare the eies of the simple withall and there is nothing so sillie and simple that they finde but it must serue their turne It hath béen told them that their reasons hold not which they deduce from Peter to the bishops of Rome It hath béene tolde them also that primacie is one thing and the supremacie which they chalenge for the bishop of Rome is an other being things verie far vnlike And yet bicause they cannot finde better stuffe for their purpose they are still faine to finde themselues plaie with these But let vs sée your authorities The mysteries which Saint Augustine gathereth out of this place are taken out of the net throwen out of the right side Christs being on land the number of the fish taken and such like which he applieth to the church at the resurrection and neither to the name nor authoritie of Peter Gregorie toucheth the same mysteries and addeth onely this concerning Peter that he drâ—w the net to lande bicause the church was committed to him And that he drew the elect to the stability of the shore by preaching writing and myracles And then I pray what did Peter here that the other apostles did not Iohn 21. 14. The text This now the ⸫ third time Iesus was manifested to his disciples after he was risen from the dead The note Not the third apparition but the third day of his apparition for he appeared in the verie daie of his resurrection often againe vpon Lowe Sunday then this third time and Saint Marke saieng Last he appeared cap. 16. 14. meaneth his last apparition the first daie The answer A note so true and so necessarilie collected vpon the place so plaine for the capacitie of the simple reader as this afore will hardly be found and with you is a verie rare birde Iohn 21. 22. The text So will I haue him to remaine til I come what to thee Follow thou me The note So readeth Saint Ambrose in Ps. 45 serm 20. in Ps. 118. Saint August tract 124. in Io. and most ancient copies and seruice bookes extant in Latin ⸫ other read if I will other if so I will c. The answer Against the consent of all copies of the Gréeke against the greatest number of ancient copies of your old translator against the generall consent of the enterpretors both Grecians and Latinists and especially against the manifest truth appearing in the circumstances of the text it selfe you follow those copies which you know to be corrupt and al to vpholde a lie and a fable You enforce Augustine to giue you credit against his wil knowing that that which you alledge is but the fault of the printer or writer not his minde For his long doubtful disputation whether Iohn were dead or no doth plainly declare that he read not as you haue set it downe For then he would neuer haue made doubt of that which Christ so plainelie spake And againe how can your reading stand with that which Iohn saith after Christ said not that he should not die Iohn 21. 25. The text But there are manie ⸫ other things also which Iesus did which if they were written in particular neither the world it selfe I thinke were able to conteine those books that should be written The note How few things are written of Christs actes and doctrine in comparison of that which he did and spake And yet the heretikes will needes haue all in Scripture trusting not the Apostles owne preaching or report of any thing that our master did or said if it be not written The answer Now for vnwritten verities I pray you for my learning shew me one of those heretikes that hold that all that Christ said and did are written in the Scriptures If you cannot do that then you abuse your reader with a lie We saie that enough is written in the Scriptures to bring beleeuers to life eternall and so hath Iohn written before vs. But it greeueth you that we giue not credit to a number of lies which you obtrude to vs vnder the name of the apostles If all that vnder their names you haue set out be true how chance their
euident successe make as much for Turkish religion as for poperie for their continuance haue béene much alike But we know that whatsoeuer is of God that men can not dissolue Hell gates cannot preuaile against the church of God Experience hath taught and the attempts of enimies of all sorts frustrated sheweth that it is a vaine thing to assaile the people of God Of all other heretikes the papists haue béene and are the most dangerous enimies of the church which notwithstanding hath at all times béene miraculouâ—lie vpholden by the almightie power of God euen then when the might power princes and authoritie of the world were against it And we do not doubt but as popery by the truth of God hath alreadie receiued a great wound so it shall when his good wil and pleasure is be killed destroied and take an end Leaue therefore your kicking against the pricke Act. 6. 3. The text Consider therfore brethren seauen men of you of good testimonie ful of the holie Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint ouer this busines The note The election of the seauen first deacons The answer With whom and your deacons there is almost nothing common but the bare name Act. 6 7. The text And the word of God increased and the number of the disciples was multiplied in Hierusalem exceedingly a great multitude also of the ⸫ priests obeied the faith The note Now also the priests and they of greater knowledge and estimation began to beleeue The answer That the priests beléeued we sée if it necessarily follow that they were of great knowledge and estimation then they were vnlike your ignorant sir Iohns of which sort ten for one of the priests of your church were But I thinke the time and common condition of the leuiticall priests then considered that it is likely enough that most of these were men of small knowledge and estimation And this the rather confirmeth me in that opinion that we do not read of any one of these priests here mentioned to be coÌ„uerted that prooued a famous teacher in that first church which could not haue béene if many of them had béene of great knowledge and estimation Act. 6. 15. The text And all that sat in the councell beholding him saw his face as it were ⸫ the face of an angell The note Such is the face of all constant and cheerefull Martyrs to their persecutors and iudges The answer Then burne your Martyrolog for in the traitors that haue béene executed in England there hath not appéered any chéereful face as I haue béene credibly aduertised by them that haue béene present at their deaths Act. 7. 16. The text And they were ⸫ translated into Sichem and were laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a price of siluer of the sonnes of Haemor the sonne of Sichem The note Translation of saints bodies agreeable to nature and scripture And the desire to be buried in one place more then in another which the holie patriarches also had Gen. 49 29. 50 24. Hebr. 11. 22. hath somtime great causes Augustine de cura pro mortuis cap. 1. vlt. The answer The translation of the bodies of the 〈◊〉 being in them commanding it and in others executing 〈…〉 and euident testimonie of their faith in the 〈…〉 for the inheritance of the lande of Canaan is no 〈◊〉 for you to â—ake the 〈◊〉 children and saints of God out of their graues and for lucre and couetousnes to abuse the world with their bones whereas to rest in their sepulchres is more agréeable to nature and Scriptures Saint Augustine speaketh not of translation of bodies but of the desire that men had for themselues or their friends to be buried by this or that martyr and holie man which he thinketh a very good motion But the reasons wherby he séeketh to prooue it to be good are friuolous and the obiection which Paulinus brought out of Paul to the contrarie standeth firme and vntaken away 〈…〉 The text This Moyses whom they denied saieng who hath appointed thee prince and captaine him God sent prince and ⸫ redeemer with the hand of the angell that appeered to him in the bush The note Christ is our redeemer and yet Moyses is here called a redeemer so Christ is our mediator and aduocate and yet we may haue saints our inferiour mediators and aduocates also See Annot. 1. Io. 2. 1. The answer You would faine finde some what to excuse and hide your intolerable sacriledge and robbing Christ of his honor Moyses is called a redéemer in two respects One in that he was a figure of Christ and bare therefore the name of him whom he figured Secondly bicause he was Gods minister and instrument raised to redéeme and deliuer the people of Israell from the seruitude of Pharao and thraldome of Egypt What is this to those that neither are figures of Christ neither yet haue deliuered vs from any temporall bondage But if you could you would leaue Christ nothing proper or peculiar to himselfe Your annotation shall elsewhere be considered of Act. 7. â—2 The text And God turned and ⸫ deliuered them vp to serue the host of heauen c. The note For a iust punishment of their former offences God gaue them vp to worke what wickednes they would themselues as it is said of the Gentiles Rom. 1. The answer If neither Iew nor Gentile in abhominable filthines haue surpassed or excéeded your holie fathers of Rome especially in those things against nature which euerie honest eare can not abide to heare once named then it is manifest that God also hath giuen them ouer also into reprobate minds You know who hath set out a booke in praise and commendation of Sodomitrie is it not an argument that where that is suffered they are past all shame Act. 7. 45. The text Which our fathers with ⸫ Iesus receiuing brought it also into the possession of Gentils which God expelled from the face of our fathers till in the daies of Dauid The note This is Iosue so called in Greeke in type of our Sauiour The answer And was Iosue a tipe and Moises none You might as well by this example communicate the name of a sauiour to Saints as afore the name of a redéemer sith in respect of sauing and redéeming from sinnes they are both proper peculiar to Christ. Actes 7. 55. The text But he being full of the holie Ghost looking stedfastlie into heauen saw the ⸫ glorie of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God The note The comfort of all martyrs The answer And of all other true faithful men Wherefore we pray to God most hartilie to graunt vs that casting of all things that hang heauilie on vs wée may haue our eies onlie fixed on the glorie that is set before vs. Actes 7. 60. The text And falling on his knees he cryed with a loud voice saying ⸫ Lord laie not this sinne vnto them The note Eusebius Emissenus saith when he praieth for his
persecutors he promiseth to his worshippers his manifest intercession and suffrages in homilia S. Stephani And Saint Augustine Si Stephanus non sic orasset ecclesia Paulum non haberet ser 1. de Stephano The answer Euerie one séeth that it is a very foolish collection to gather a promise of intercession to his worshippers out of this praier for his persecuters and therfore it is not the authoritie of Eusebiâ—s Emissenus that can mooue vs except he bring better reason with him But you would haue your ignorant followers to thinke that Saint Augustine helpeth you in this case and therefore you haue set him downe in latine that they might not espie that his words make nothing to your purpose for who euer mooued doubt whether Saint Steuens praier did obteine at the hand of God mercie for some of his persecuters or els the conuersion of the Apâ—stle Paul but what maketh that for the intercession of saints when they are dead and gone Actes 8. 4. The text They therefore that were dispersed passed thorow â—uangelizing the word The note This persecution wrought much good being an occasion that the dispersed preached Christ in diuers countries where they come The answer God turneth all things to good to them that loue him and your persecutions also haue had the like effect of spreading the Gospel which though you sée and can not but confesse yet you furiouslie stil rage against God and stirre vp what princes you can to persecute the Gospell and the professors thereof 〈◊〉 8. 14. The text And when the Apostles who were in Hierusalem had heard that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent to them Peter and Iohn The note Saepè sibi socium petens facit esse Iohannem Ecclesiae quia virgo placet Arator apud Bedam in Act. The answer How chaunce you set not downe your note in English did you meane that no bodie should know it but such as could vnderstand latine If the ministerie of married men had not béene as wel accepted and liked of the church then as the ministerie of others neither would Philips dealing at Samaria béene so well allowed of as it was neither yet had saint Peter béene a méete messenger to haue bene sent about that businesse But Iohn was liked of bicause he was a virgin it well appeareth that neither Philip nor Peter were disliked bicause they were married But I praie you tell me what church now may be so bold as to send the Pope on their errand or about their businesse Either the Church then had greater authoritie then now and Peter lesse then his supposed successors haue now or els the Popes now are prouder and take more vpon them then hée did Actes 8. â—7 The text And behold a man of Aethiopia an eunuche of great authoritie vnder Candace the Queene of the Aethiopians who was ouer all her treasures was come to Hierusalem ⸫ to adore The note Note that this Ethiopian came to Hierusalem to adore that is on pilgrimage Wherebie we may learne that it is an accptable acte of religion to go from home to places of greater deuotion and sanctification The answer All that euer were Iewes borne or Iewes by conuersion were bound by the law of God to offer their sacrifices at IerusaleÌ„ at certaine times in person to appéere there before him Now if yoâ— can shew any of your places of pilgrimage so by God himselfe chosen sanctified for that purpose than we yéeld to you Otherwise your reason holdeth not as being drawen from worship commanded by God to will worship that is worship deuised by men Acts 8. 31. The text And he said Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things which thou readest Who said And ⸫ how can I vnles some man shew me The note The scriptures are so written that they cannot be vnderstood without an interpreter as easie as our protestants make them See S. Hierom Epistola ad Paulinum de omnibus diuinae historiae libris set in the beginning of Latin bibles The answer How easie do protestants make them Do they not take continuall paines to interpret the scriptures to the people They are hard but not all That it was not the custome of the church and people of God to fray men from them bicause of the hardnes of them which is the controuersie betwixt you and vs appéereth in that the eunuch read euen those scriptures which he vnderstood not And that God blesseth such endeuors of humble harted Christians appéereth also in that God sent him an interpreter of that which he vnderstood not And what can you gather out of Ierom to the contrarie of this Acts. 9. 4. The text And falling on the ground he heard a voice saieng to him ⸫ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The note The heretikes that conclude Christ so in heauen that he can be no where else till the day of iudgement shall hardly resolue a man that would know where Christ was when he appeered heere in the way and spake these words to Saul The answer We answer shortly and plainly as difficult a matter as you make of it that his bodie was then in heauen when his maiestie appéered and his voice was heard vpon earth What can you oppose to this Acts. 9. 18. The text And foorthwith there fell from his eies as it were scales and he receiued sight and rising he was ⸫ baptized The note Paul also himselfe though with the diuine and heauenly voice prostrated and instructed yet was sent to a man to receiue the sacraments and to be ioined to the church Augustine in doctrina Christiana in prooemio The answer You néeded much a doctor for this which euery man confesseth and no man denieth But it is euident that you hunt for nothing but vainglorious estimation Acts. 9. 31. The text The ⸫ church truly through all Iewrie and Galile and Samaria had peace and was edified walking in the feare of our Lord and was replenished with the consolation of the holie Ghost The note The church visibly proceedeth still with much comfort and manifold increase euen by persecution The answer God in the midst of persecution sendeth sometimes peace and rest to his as he hath done to his church of England to your great griefe whose rage and furie God hath bridled and to their singular comfort Acts. 9. 36. The text This woman was full of ⸫ good works and almes deedes which she did The note Behold good works and almes deeds and the force thereof reaching to the next life The answer Though this note be but sorâ—ly collected out of this place yet we confesse that the dead resting from their labors their works follow them and yet you neuer the nigher to the proouing of your merits Acts 9. 39. The text And Peter rising vp came with them and when he was come they brought him vp into the vpper chamber and all the widowes stood about him weeping ⸫ and shewing him the cotes and
but now it hath vtterly none Penitents in the primitiue church did but giue testimonie vnto the church of their heartie and vnfained repentance and not as you would haue men imagine satisfie for their sinnes and deserue at Gods hand remission and pardon therof Augustine neuer dreamed of any such matter but he wrote against the Nouatians who denied repentance to them that sinned after they were baptized against whom he prooueth by the example of Peter which had denied Christ by the authoritie of this present text that men after baptisme were not to be excluded from repentance and so maintaineth the custome of the church in admitting penitents which had béene afore for their faults excommunicated what is this to that you alledge him for against our translation 2. Cor. 13. 10. The text Therefore these things I write absent that being present I may not deale hardly according to the power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction The note Ecclesiastical ⸫ power to punish offenders by the censures of the church The answer Which power we reuerence and kéepe offenders in awe withall though we contemne and despise the vsurped power of the Romish church and care not for her thunderbolts GALATHIANS Galat. 1. 6. The text I maruell that you are so soone transferred from him that called into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospel which is not another vnlesse there be some that trouble you and will ⸫ inuert the Gospel of Christ. The note New Gospellers that peruert corrupt or alter the one onlie true and first deliuered Gospell are to be auoided See Saint Augustine contra Faust. libro 32. cap. 27. The answer The Gospel of God is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer whosoeuer therefore doeth preach any power of pope of man of fréewill or of anie other creature or thing whatsoeuer to saluation preacheth a newe Gospell and not the Gospell of God and therefore are to be auoided The whole doctrine therefore of the Popes church is to be auoided for it is nothing els but a new coined Gospell Your note booke still deceiueth you there are not so many chapters in that booke Galat. 1. 19. The text But other of the Apostles sawe I none sauing Iames ⸫ the brother of our Lord. The note Saint Iames was called our Lords brother after the Hebrew phrase of the Iewes by which neere kinsemen are called brethren for they were not brethren in deede but rather sisters children The answer If vpon this you should méete with men as froward as your selues are in expounding this is my bodie they might make you worke by not admitting any interpretation and therefore you might sée how fond a thing it is so to sticke to the letter that you will not admit the mind of the speaker Galat. 2. 11. The text And when Cephas was come to Antioch I resisted him ⸫ in face bicause he was reprehensible The note That is in presence before them all as Beza him selfe expoundeth it yet the English Bezites to the more disgracing of saint Peter translate to his face No. Testamen anno 1580. The answer It is somwhat that once in your liues you are content to acknowledge that you haue learned somwhat of master Beza but I thinke he should not haue béene spoken of héere but to take occasion by him to vtter your choller and to ease your stomacke a little vpon those whom you call English Bezites whose intent as you surmise was in their translation to disgrace S. Peter As if it had béene greater disgrace to saint Peter to be told of his fault to his face than to be told of it reprooued for it in the presence of the multitude But howsoeuer it was we sée plainly S. Peter went awry and brought others into the like danger And further we sée that his authoritie was not so great but he might be reprooued Yet though the pope go headlong to hell and lead thousands of souls with him thither no man may say Why dost thou this Gal. 2. 16. The text But knowing that a man is not iustified by the ⸫ works of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ we also beleeue in Iesus Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for the which cause by the works of the law no flesh shall be iustified The note By this and by the discourse of the whole epistle you may perceiue that when iustification is attributed to faith the works of charitie are not excluded but the works of Moises law that is the ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments thereof principally and consequently all works done meerly by nature and free will without the faith grace spirit and aide of Christ. The answer Helpe helpe Paul hath set the popes kitchin on fire Our Rhemists bring water but it runneth out by the way For both by this and the whole course of this epistle we sée that this new Gospell into the which the Galathians were translated was a péece of poperie Namely that they ioined in the cause of iustification saluation their works with Christ the law with the gospel But our Rhemists tel vs first that not the works of charity but the works of the law are excluded by S. Paul As who should say that there were any works of loue that are not commanded in the law And therefore if the works of the law be excluded the works of loue and charitie must be excluded also But to helpe this they adde that ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments are meant principally But against that Paul maketh him accursed that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it If blessednes and iustification be our deliuerie from that curse who séeeth not that the whole law and euery part of it and euery worke of it must be excluded But further they adde that al works done méerely by nature and frée will are excluded wherein the word méerely is to be noted bicause it expresseth that their meaning is if there be a little helpe of faith or grace that then works be not excluded To the which I say this was the case of the Galathians and the very matter against the which the Apostle bendeth his whole force for that they being Christians and so beléeuers did not exclude their works and méerely ascribe their iustification to the grace of Christ for that they parted the matter as the papists do betwixt Christ and their works the whole maner of the Apostles reasoning in the next chapter doth plainely shew And therefore I will conclude with the Apostle By grace we are saued through faith and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God not of works that no man glorie Galat. 3. ◠The text O senselesse Galathians who hath ⸫ bewitched you not to obey the truth before whose eies Iesus Christ was proscribed being crucified among you The note For any people or
for persecution or for businesse séeing that both the actes of the Apostles the Epistle to the Romains euery epistle that Paul wrote from Rome minister good reasons against Peters being there so that if he were bishop so long as your stories testifie of him he was a notable non Resident but I had rather imagine that he came thither but a litle afore his death Philip. 3. â— The text See the dogges see the euill workers see the ⸫ concision for we are the circumcision which in spirit serue God c. The note By allusion of words he calleth the carnall Christian Iewes that yet boasted in the circumcision of the flesh concision and himselfe and the rest that circumcised their hart and senses spirituallie the true circumcision Saint Chrisostome Theoph. The answer Either you should set downe nothing without authorities alledged or els if you would spare your paines in anie place you should do it in those whereof the sense is not in controuersie but confessed on both parts Philip. 3. 1â—â— The text And may be found in him not hauing my iustice which is of the Lawe but that which is of the faith of Christ which is of God iustice in faith to know him and the vertue of his resurrection the societie of his passions configured to his death ⸫ if by anie meanes I may come to the resurrection which is from the dead The note If Saint Paul ceased not to labour still as though he were not sure to come to the marke without continuall indeuour what securitie may we poore sinners haue of heretikes perswasions and promises of securitie and saluation by onlie faith The answer We are verie sure that they which after they are called to knowledge do not continuallie indeuour to walke in those good workes which God hath prepared for men to walke in shall not come to the marke of life euerlasting which is set before all chrians And we know none but papists that teach such securitie to make men trust to that faith which is idle and doeth not worke by loue a diligent indeuour of obedience to Gods holy lawes And yet this continuance of our indeuour is no argument of doubtfulnesse of our saluation neither yet of trust in our deserts but that Christ liueth in vs and by his spirit leadeth and guideth vs effectuallie And it is not to be passed ouer though you be not disposed to sée it that the Apostle for all his indeuour yet flieth from his owne righteousnesse to the righteousnesse of Christ which God hath made his by faith so that it is euident that the Apostles confidence rested vpon the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to him Philip. 3. 17. The text Be followers ⸫ of me brethren and obserue them that walke so as you haue our forme The note It is a goodlie thing when a pastor may say so to his flocke Neither is it anie derogation to Christ that the people should imitate their Apostles life and doctrine and other holie men Saint Augustine Saint Benedict Saint Dominicke Saint Frauncis The answer It is a verie good thing when the Pastors are examples to their flocke in life and doctrine but yet the best men are to be followed with exception namelie no further then they follow Christ. As for your frierlie fathers whom you recken and whom you follow in wilworship are vnméete to be matched with Paul and others partners of Christian obedience to them among whom they liued Philip. 4. 3. The text Yea and I beseech thee my sincere companion helpe those women that haue laboured with me in the Gospel with ⸫ Clement the rest my coadiutors whose names are in the booke of life The note This Clement was afterward fourth Pope of Rome from Saint Peter as Saint Hierome writeth according to the common supputation The answer This is to be marked that the reckoning and supputation of Popes succéeding one another is a matter not agréed on though it be the maine foundation and principall pillar whereupon the Romish church will séeme to staie her selfe For as it is a matter verie vncertaine whether Peter was euer Bishop of Rome so is it also vncertaine who was first second third or fourth If we may beléeue the constitutions ascribed to the Apostles the testimonie whereof you can not refuse citing the authoritie of them in other matters verie often then Peter was neuer Bishop there but Linus was the first ordeined by Paul and not by Peter Clemens the second Eusebius reckoneth Clemens third and Euaristus fourth after both Peter and Paul For I do not perceiue that he reckoned one of them more for bishop there then the other Nicephorus maketh Peter the first Linus the second and Anacletus third and Clemens fourth Hierome reckoned in the same order sauing that he addeth that manie of the Latines did count Clemens next after Peter Sabellicus writeth that Peter Linus Cletus and Clemens were all Bishops of Rome at once and striketh quite out Anacletus out of the number Ireneus reckoneth next after Linus Anacletus And Optatus Mileuitanus setteth him that is Anacletus next after Clemens And thus your famous succession whereof you so greatly glorie resteth vpon a rotten vncertaine foundation the progresse thereof if it were examined is more diuerse and vncertaine and that manie waies and therefore no maruell though so vncertaine a succession must serue to vphold so vile a congregation as the church of Rome is at this day which bicause you know you referre the matter to the common supputation which must be that which you commonlie at this day follow Philip. 4. 10. The text And I also reioiced in our Lord exceedingly that once at the length you haue ⸫ reflorished to care for me as you did also care but you were occupied The note This reflorishing is the reuiuing of their old liberalitie which for a time had beene slacke and dead S. Chrysostom The answer This was Paules thankfulnes as well for the care they presently had of him as for their liberalitie afore time bestowed on him Philip. 4. 1â— The text And you know also O Philippians that in the beginning of the Gospell when I departed from Macedonia no church coÌ„municated vnto me in the account of gift and ⸫ receipt but you onely for vnto Thessalonica also once and twise you sent to my vse The note He counteth it not meere almes or a free gift that people bestoweth on their pastors or preachers but a certaine mutuall traffike as it were and interchange the one giuing spirituall the other rendering temporall things for the same The answer Your note is true though the pastors of your church giue stones for bread for fish scorpions and in stead of milke strong and ranke poison COLOSSIANS Colos. 1. 6. The text That is come vnto you as also ⸫ in the whole world it is and fructifieth and groweth euen as in you since that day that you heard and knew the grace of
God in truth The note He sheweth that the Church and Christs gospell should daily growe and be spred at length through the whole world which cannot stand with the heretikes opinion of the decay thereof so quickly after Christs time nor agree by any meanes to their obscure conuenticles See S. Augustine epist. 80. in fine The answer It is true that Christs faith did grow and spread in the whole world yet you your selues will confesse that it doth not alwaies spread alike For I know you will except our times And we wil except the times wherein the Arrians florished who as you report continued longer and was better defended by princes and worldly power than we are now Then it cannot be a question how quickly some corruptions grew but whether any great diminution or lessening of the number of true Catholikes may be But the ancient testimonies of stories do also put that out of doubt This repugnance you speake of we sée not Neither haue our conuenticles as it pleaseth you to terme them béene at any time more obscure than the assemblies of Christians in the primitiue church as you your selues cannot choose but confesse S. Augustine whose authoritie you alledge in his latter daies saw a greater decay of the Christian faith by the cruel inuasion of many barbarous nations that did ouerrun both Europe and Affrike than he did thinke when he wrote that Epistle possible to haue béene in so short a space And further if we consider the stories of the times since we shal find that that the bounds of Christendom haue béene greatly lessened and diminished since saint Augustines time Flat contrarie to his opinion in that Epistle Colos. 1. 10. The text That you may walke ⸫ worthie of God in al things pleasing The note See S. Ambrose and the Gr. doctors Or thus woorthily pleasing God The answer What néed you haue of Ambrose or any other great doctors for this I cannot imagine Colos. 1. 10. The text Fructifieng in ⸫ al good works and increasing in the knowledge of God The note Many things requisite and diuers things acceptable to God besides faith The answer This is your accustomed dealing to make ignorant men beléeue that your aduersaries allow of nothing but faith When as we confesse many things requisite for Christians and acceptable to God besides faith but nothing without faith Colos. 1. â—â— The text Giuing thanks to God and the father who hath made ⸫ vs woorthie vnto the part of the lot of the saints in the light The note We are not onely by acceptation or imputation partakers of Christs benefits but are by his grace made woorthie thereof and deserue our saluation condignly The answer You prate much of your owne woorthines and prooue nothing The benefits of iustification and saluation we haue by imputation onely other benefits as newnes of life sanctification and whatsoeuer pertaineth to that change alteration which God by the gracious working and guiding of his holy spirit maketh in those which be his be really and actually in vs. We are made woorthie indéede in respect of Christs righteousnes wherewith we are adorned and in respect of our selues none otherwise than the hungrie are said to be woorthie of meate and the thirsty woorthie of drinke not bicause they deserue it but bicause they earnestly desire it The deseruing therfore of our saluation condignly as you haue learned of your schoolemen to terme it might haue béene kept in your purse for héere is no place to vent it in our market serueth not for the sale thereof Colos. 2. 4. The text But this I say ⸫ that no man deceiue you in loftinesse of words The note Heretikes do most commonly deceiue the people with eloquence namely such as haue it by the gift of nature as the heretikes of all ages had and lightly all seditious persons which draw the vulgar sort to sedition by the allurement of their toong Nothing saith saint Hierom ep 2â— ad Nepotian is so easie as with volubilitie of toong to deceiue the vnlearned multitude which whatsoeuer it vnderstandeth not doth the more admire and woonder at the same The Apostle heer calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persuasible speech The answer Héere is long labour about washing of a tile Who knoweth not that papists and such heretikes as they are by fine retoricall persuasible spéeches do carrie poore ignorant men after them and to the intent they may as saint Ierom saith be the more admired and woondered at of the people that vnderstand not they not onely endeuor to kéepe the people without knowledge but also hunt after strange and vnwoonted words such as the eares of the people haue not béene acquainted withall and their intelligence reacheth not vnto whereof this your translation is a good euidence Turne therefore this note against your selues examine well your owne consciences and repent whiles you haue time Colos. 2. 18. The text Let no man seduce you ⸫ willing in the humilitie and religion of Angels walking in the things which he hath not seen in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh The note That is wilfull or selfe willed in voluntarie religion For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof commeth the word following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superstition v. 23. See annotations v. 21. The answer If voluntarie religion and will worship were quite and cléere banished from amongst all those that call themselues Christians then where should poperie become For you your selues cannot for the greatest part of it shew any other ground but the will and deuise of men Colos. 2. 19. The text And not holding the head whereof the whole bodie by ioints and bands ⸫ being serued and compacted groweth to the increase of God The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is taking subministration of spirituall life and nourishment by grace from Christ the head The answer The Gréeke word signifieth our strait coniunction in Christs mysticall bodie as our bodies are ioined and knit togither by ioints and sinewes and so your note declareth the consequence of that ioining being drawen from the truth of the signification of the word Colos. 3. 15. The text And let the peace of God exult in your harts wherein you are also called in one bodie and be thankfull The note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triumph and haue the victorie The answer By a metaphor drawen from the games of the Ethnikes wherein some had pricke and praise for actiuitie and strength Colos. 3. 24. The text Knowing that you shall receiue of our Lord the retribution of inheritance The note Retribution or reward for good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth rendering one for another The answer Out of Gods rendering or rewarding meriting cannot be collected and in this place the word of inheritance cléereth all For if it be our inheritance we haue it not by our deseruing Colos. 4. 3. The text Be instant in praier watching in it with thansgiuing praieng withall ⸫ for
prooued thus the wisedome of God hath taught vs to praie to our father in heauen and not to anie other what is it then to teach men to praie to others but to controll that wisedome of God that it hath not taught the wisest way to pray and thus in that wherein you thought to shew his humilitie you set foorth his intollerable pride ◠Thess. 2. 11. The text Therefore ⸫ God will send them the operation of error to beleeue lieng c. The note Deus mittet saith Saint Augustine libro 20. de Ciu. cap. 19. quia Deus diabolum facere ista permittet God will send bicause God will permit the diuell to do these things whereby we may take a general rule that Gods action or working in such things is his permission See annot Rom. 1. 24. The answer Now Augustine must helpe you with a generall rule that expresselie both against the whole course of scripture and also against his owne minde if you meane by permission onlie permission for he saith who doeth not tremble at these horrible iudgements of God by which he doth in the hearts of the wicked what he will rendring to euerie man according to his merits And againe he saith it is out of doubt that God doeth worke in the mindes of men to encline their willes either to good according to his mercie or els to euill according to their deserts by his iudgement sometimes open and sometimes secret but alwaies iust This I trowe is somewhat more then only permission therefore you must racke some other for that generall rule for Augustine will not yéeld it you and it groweth out of a foolish nicenes for men to be afraid to speake as the holie Ghost hath spoken afore them 2. Thess. 2. 17. The text And our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe and God our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen eternall consolation and good hope in grace ⸫ exhort your hearts and confirme you in euerie good worke and word The note This word of exhorting implieth in it comfort and consolation 2. Corinthes 1. verse 4. and 6. The answer Trueth doeth well but neuer when it is intermedled with vntruthes If this note were not defiled with the former these that follow but had passed alone then we would haue ioined with you 2. Thess. 3. 6. The text And we denounce vnto you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the ⸫ tradition which they haue receiued of vs. The note Here also as is noted before 1. Thessalonians 2. 15. the aduersaries in their translations auoid the word tradition being plaine in the Greeke least them selues might seeme to be noted as men walking inordinatelie and not according to Apostolicall tradition as all Schismatikes heretikes and rebels to Gods church do The answer If corrupt vse had not in your times made tradition to bée commonlie taken of the people for a doctrine deliuered by word of mouth onlie and neuer published in the holie Scriptures by writing contrarie to the sense and meaning of the Apostle then had there not béene anie iust cause of auoiding the word But you can not iustlie blame vs though we flie a word corrupted by you and therefore dangerous to deceiue withall and set downe for it some other worde no lesse aptlie agréeing to the signification of the Gréeke word and better with more plainnesse expressing vnto the vnlearned the minde and meaning of the Apostle in that place But bicause you charge other men with inordinate walking contrarie to the traditions Apostolicall answer for your selues and yeeld vs reason if you can whie you breake those which you call the Apostles constitutions why do you not commonlie and ordinarilie choose married men to be Bishops why haue you kept the common people from reading the scriptures why suffer you women to baptize why fast you not continuallie on Wednesdaies whie doo ye exclude the people both from election and approbation of Bishops and priests If these bée not the ordinances of the Apostles why do ye abuse the world with alledging the authoritie of that booke for you if they bée with what face can you obiect to others wherein you are most manifestlie faultie your selues 1. TIMOTHIE 1. Tim. 1. 5. The text But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart ⸫ a good conscience a faith not fained The note Saint Augustine saith he that list to haue the hope of heauen let him looke that he haue a good conscience let him beleeue and worke well For that he beléeueth he hath of faith that he worketh he hath of charitie praefat in Psalm 31. The answer As you alledge Saint Augustine so I would that you caried his syncere mind and loue to the truth so should we not onlie agrée in this but throwing away all minde and desire of contending enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie 1. Tim. 1. 19. The text This precept I commend to thee O Timothie according to the prophecies going before on thee that thou warre in them a good warfare hauing faith and a good conscience ⸫ which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the faith The note Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie from the faith of the Catholike church Againe this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had The answer True and liuelie faith is one thing and the outward profession of faith is another You loue to dallie with equiuocations knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere By such arguments as you make it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white 1. Tim. 2. 1. The text I desire therefore first of all things that obsecrations praiers postulations thankesgiuings be made for all men ⸫ for Kings and al that are in praeeminence that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie The note Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors by whom the church suffreth persecution much more for all faithfull princes and powers and people both spirituall and temporall for whom as members of Christes bodie and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices See Saint August de origine animae lib. 1. cap. 9. The answer The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul and the whole primitiue church For now such princes as punish papists or fauour not poperie must be murdered disinherited excommunicated deposed depriued giuen to the diuell and not praied for They may not looke for the dutie which was giuen to persecuting princes then For our holie father of Rome will not
triall you flie And if anie time you make a shew of comming to it then by and by your church must giue credite to your doctrine your church cannot erre your pope cannot erre we must beléeue your doctrine not bicause you can prooue it to haue come from the Apostles but bicause your church and pope haue giuen sentence for it but if you durst abide by your note we would easily shew your doctrin to be erronious 1. Tim. 6. 10. The text For the roote of all euill is couetousnes ⸫ which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith and haue intangled themselues in manie sorrowes The note As in the first chapter the lacke of faith and good conscience so here couetousnes and the desire of these temporall things and in the ende of this chapter presumption and boasting of knowledge are causes of falling from the faith heresie often being the punishment of former sins The answer It is very true that God punisheth sin by sin and that there be many causes for which wicked men are wont to forsake the faith which they do or did somtimes professe The causes in your note assigned lacke of faith and good conscience couetousnes presumption and boasting if all the world be sought from one end to the other there cannot any be founde in whom these causes haue so euidently concurred and wrought as in your most holy fathers of Rome wherein I referre my selfe to the credite of your owne stories 1. Tim. 6. 19. The text Command the rich of this world not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God who giueth al things aboundantly to enioy to do wel to become rich in good works to giue easelie to communicate to heape vnto themselues a good ⸫ foundation for the time to come that they may apprehend the true life The note Almes deeds and good works laid for a foundation and ground to attaine euerlasting life So say the doctors vpon this place The answer If you had shewed vs what doctors had so spoken we woulde haue shewed you their meaning But we know that neither they nor the apostles ment by the word foundation to put Christ out of his office or place but onlie to oppose against the vncertaintie of riches here the certaintie of promised blessednes in the time to come According to the saieng of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 2. TIMOTHIE ◠Tim. 1. 6. The text For the which cause I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of my hands The note Heere againe it is plaine that holy orders giue grace and that euen by and in the externall ceremonie of imposing the bishops hands And it is a maner of speech specially vsed in this Apostle and S. Luke that orders giue grace to the ordered and that to take orders or authoritie to minister sacrament or preach is to be giuen or deliuered to Gods grace Acts. 14. 25. The answer Héere you say that that is plaine which no wise man can sée namely that holy orders giue grace in and by the externall ceremonie of imposing of the bishops hands For if that were so what néeded there be any choise of men furnished with gifts and graces for that purpose sith in the very ordering they should be sufficiently indued with gifts and graces necessarie and néedfull And how fel it out that there were so great a number of popish priests void and destitute of al gifts graces after their ordering when the bishop had conferred and bestowed vpon them all that he could It is euident by the manifold commendations that the Apostle giueth to Timothie as well for his owne studie in the scriptures as also for his bringing vp vnder his mother and grandmother that he was a man furnished with gifts afore Paul and the elders ordered him But bicause the praiers of the church in that his consecrating to the worke of God were not in vaine that blessing and increase of aptnesse and fitnesse which God at their petitions gaue him at that time is called the gift or grace by imposition of hands In the like order it is true that all those which be rightly ordered are deliuered to the grace of God bicause the same God who of his mercifull goodnes afore indued them with gifts made them fit and méete for the worke of his ministerie and mooued his church to call them thereunto afterward by and in the imploieng of their talents to his glorie and the benefit of his church and people increaseth and augmenteth their gifts 2. Tim. 1. 13. The text Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and in ⸫ the loue in Christ Iesus The note Faith and loue coupled commonly togither in this Apostles writing The answer Paul so speaketh of them bicause faith and loue be companions inseparable But such mates as you are bend themselues to vncouple these to the end they might haue some probable shew of matter to prate withall against iustification by onely faith 2. Tim. 1. 16. The text Our Lord giue mercie to the house of Onesiphorus bicause he hath often refreshed me and hath ⸫ not beene ashamed of my chaine The note What an happie and meritorious thing it is to releeue the afflicted for religion and not to be ashamed of their disgrace yrons or what miserie so euer The answer Put meritorious into your purse and vnderstand true religion and then we agrée to your note 2. Tim. 2. 10. The text Therefore ⸫ I sustaine all things for the elect that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glorie The note Marke heere that the elect though sure of their saluation yet are saued by the means of their preachers and teachers as also by their owne endeuor The answer Marke héere the force and might of truth which hath héere wrested this confession of truth from you that the elect are sure of their saluation to which the whole course of your doctrine is opposite The ministerie of the word and mens owne endeuors to attaine the knowledge of the truth we acknowledge to be meanes appointed of God to saue those which be his 1. Tim. 2. 16. The text But profane and vaine speeches auoid The note See the annotation before 1. Timoth. 6. verse 20. The answer We haue séene your note and do sée that both your reasons and authorities there stand very well against your selues But I refer the answer of it to the answer of all your annotations 1. Tim. 2. 25. The text But the seruant of our Lord must not wrangle but be mild towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the truth least sometime ⸫ God giue them repentance to know the truth The note Conuersion from sinne and heresie is the gift of God and of his speciall grace yet
heere we see good exhortations and praier and such other helps of man be profitable thereunto which could not be if we had not freewill The answer That conuersion from sin is the gift of God and that all helps by man which God hath thereto appointed are néedfull and necessarie it is manifest but it is impossible that the industrie of man should do good where God createth not a new hart and reneweth not a right will For the will and wisedome of man is enimitie to God And so appéereth the vanitie of your conclusion for frée will 2. Tim. 3. 8. The text But as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moises so these also resist the truth men corrupted in minde reprobate concerning the faith The note That those Magicians which resisted Moises were thus called it is not written in all the old Testament therefore it came to the Apostles knowledge by tradition as the church now hath the names of the three Kings of the penitent theefe of the souldier that pearced Christs side on the crosse The answer Howsoeuer Paul had the names of those magicians to vs it is not materiall We are sure the spirit of God hath now to vs made them knowen by him and therefore it followeth not that we must beléeue your fabulous narrations of the names number dignitie and such like of the wise men wherein you make of East West and of West East contrarie to the manifest truth so that the wiser sort of your selues do not beléeue those toies but your Romish church hath deliuered it to her children let them that will willinglie be deceiued be deceiued by her 2 Tim. 3. 14. The text But thou ⸫ continue in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned The note In all danger and diuersitie of false sectes Saint Pauls admonition is euer to abide in that was first taught and deliuered neuer to giue ouer our old faith for a new fansie This is it which before he calleth depositum 1. Timothie 6. and 2. Timothie 1. The answer And why did not Paul admonish men to hold fast that which the Pope and the church of Rome should prescribe bicause that should not or could not erre or stray from the first faith Or why do not you setting all other things apart enter into that triall with vs whether our doctrine or yours were the former Your whole doctrine swarueth farre from the first faith which the Apostles planted and the greatest part thereof is quite destitute of all testimonie of antiquitie 2. Tim. 4. 6. The text For I am euen now ⸫ to be sacrificed and the time of my resolution is at hand The note The martyrdome of Saints is so acceptable to God that it is counted as it were a sacrifice in his sight and therefore hath manie effectes both in the partie that suffereth it and in others that are partakers of the merit as of a sacrifice which name it hath by a Metaphore The answer The voluntarie suffrings of most bitter and cruel death for Gods cause of Gods saints are accepted of God as a most swéete sacrifice The effectes in the partie that suffereth bicause you haue not vttered what they be I can not imagine your meaning therefore know not what to say to it The effects it hath in others if you had dealt plainlie you should haue said to be the confirmation and strengthening of other christians by their suffrings But you come couertlie in with the partaking or partnership of their merits to make a way for the maintenance of your holie fathers gainfull marchandize for he hath the bestowing of all the merits of Peter and Paul and other saintes and they are admitted to be partakers of them that will paie most for them 2. Tim. 4. 21. The text Eubulus and pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren salute thee The note This Linus was coadiutor with and vnder Saint Peter and so counted second in the number of the popes The answer It is strange to sée how boldly our papists can set downe that which by no meanes they can be sure of first therefore good reader thou art to vnderstand that by the testimonie of all stories Peter and Paul suffered death at Rome both in one day If euer Linus therefore were bishop of Rome by the Apostles life time he was at this present when they were so néere their end that they dailie looked to be sacrificed But it is not likelie that he was as then aduaunced to that dignitie when neither Paul mentioneth him as bishop or as his or Peters coadiutor or fellow labourer and also setteth diuers other Christians afore him in his salutation which had béene a verie vnmannerlie part and a great forgetfulnesse of dutie in the Apostles if Linus had then béene Bishop there and so Christs vicar generall But bicause you terme him Saint Peters coadiutor there I pray you tel me was Saint Peter there now or no I will not vse the reason that Paul not onlie héere but alwaies forgetteth him amongst those whom he nameth in his salutations whereof groweth great likelihood that he was neuer there whiles Paul wrote thence But if he were now and before there Paul maketh a verie great and pitifull complaint of him that he amongst the rest forsook him But I had rather say he was not yet come to Rome and that Paul made Linus the first Bishop there as your Clemens also affirmeth then to admit so great an absurditie against Peter The succession of the bishops of Rome which you so much glory of and vpon the authoritie whereof your church resteth is vncertaine vaine obscure and such as your selues can make no certaine report of TITVS Tit. 1. 15. The text All things are ⸫ cleane to the cleane but to the polluted and infidels nothing is cleane but polluted are both their minds and consciences The note He speaketh not of the church absteining from meats sometimes which is not for anie vncleannes in the creatures but for chastening their bodies but he meaneth the Iewish superstition who now being christians would not cease to put difference of cleane and vncleane according to their old law See Aug. cont Faust. lib. 31. cap. 4. The answer I easily beléeue that he ment not of that which was not for your churches superstition in that matter was not yet growne But you haue brought about by your lawes of abstinencie that your simple followers in the extremitie of sicknes when there cannot be any pretence of chastening their bodies thereby are so snarled in conscience that they dare not touch or tast that which is necessary to preserue life and to restore health withal Besides chastening of your bodies in your ordinarie abstinence in poperie hath no probable shew For your richer sort neuer fare more delicately nor fill their bellies more gluttonouslie then when they abstaine from ordinarie meats and hunt after extraordinarie delicates So that no mans bodies are