shal be bound in heauen and vvhatsoeuer you shal loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen The earthly Princes in deede haue also povver to binde but the bodies onely but that bond of Priests vvhich I speake of toucheth the very soule is self and reacheth euen to the heauens in so much that vvhatsouer the Priests shal doe beneath the self same God doth ratifie aboue and the sentence of the seruants the Lord doth confirme for in deede vvhat els is this then that the povver of al heauenly things is graunted them of God Whose sinnes so euer saith he you shal reteine they are reteined What povver I beseche you can be greater then this one The Father gaue al povver to the Sonne but I see the same povver altogether deliuered by the Sonne vnto them And as this concerneth the Priests high authoritie to absolue so therevpon concerning confession also to be made vnto them the ancient Fathers speake in this sort S. Cyprian de Lapsis nu 11. They saith he that haue greater faith and feare of God though they did not fall in persecution yet because they did onely thinke it in their minde this very cogitation they confesse to Gods Priests sorovvfully and plainely opening their conscience vttering and discharging the burden of their minde and seeking holesome medicine for their vvoundes though but smal and litle And a litle after Let euery one my brethren I beseeche you confesse his sinne vvhiles he is yet aliue vvhiles his confession may be admitted vvhiles satisfaction and remission made by the Priests is acceptable before God S. Cyril or as some thinke Origen li. 2 in Leuit. calleth it a great part of penance when a man is ashamed and yet openeth his sinnes to our Lords Priest See also Tertul. li. de Poenit. S. Hiero. in c. 10 Ecclesiastae S. Basil in Regulis brâ—u quaest 229. Who compare sinners that refuse to confesse to them that haue some disease in their secrete partes and are ashamed to shew it to the Physicion or Surgeon that might cure it Where they must needes meane secrete confession to be made to them that may absolue And S. Leo ep 80 most plainely as before S. Cyril expresly nameth Priests That confession is sufficient vvhich is made first to God then to the Priest also And againe It is sufficient that guiltines of mens consciences be vttered to the Priests onely by the secrecie of confession S. Hierome in 16 Mat. saith that Priests loose or binde audita peccatorum varietate hauing heard the varietie and differences of sinnes S. Paulinus writeth of S. Ambrose that as often as any confessed his sinne vnto him for too receiue penance he so vvept for compassion that thereby he caused the penitenâ— to weepe also He addeth moreouer that this holy Doctor was so secrete in this case that no man knew the sinnes confessed but God and him self And S. Augustine ho. 49 de 50 homilijs to 10. saith thus Doe penance such as is done in the Church Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it to God in vaine then vvas it said Whatsoeuer you shal loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen See S. Ambrose de poenitentia through out S. Cyprian de Lapsis the booke de vera falsa panit in S. Augustine beside al antiquitie which is ful of these speaches concerning absolution and confession CHAP. XXI Appearing againe in Galilee where Peter was fishing with his fellowes and causing them after they had al night taken none to catch a great multitude which Peter draweth to land where he also dineth them 15 He expressing what this fishing signified maketh Peter his Vicar committing vnto him the feeding of his lambes and sheepe 18 and reuealeth vnto him that he also shal be crucified to the glorie of God 20 admonishing him to minde that rather then to be curious about Iohns death verse 1 AFTER IESVS manifested him self againe at the sea of Tibérias And he manifested thus ✠verse 2 There vvere together Simon Peter and Thomas vvho is called Didymus and Nathanael vvhich vvas of Cana in Galilee and the sonnes of Zebedee and tvvo others of his disciples ✠verse 3 Simon Peter saith to them I goe to fish They say to him Vve also come vvith thee And they vvent forth and got vp into the boate and that night they tooke nothing ✠verse 4 But vvhen morning vvas novv come IESVS stoode on the shore yet the disciples knevv not that it vvas IESVS ✠verse 5 IESVS therfore saith to them ChildreÌ„ haue you any meate They ansvvered him No. ✠verse 6 He saith to them Cast the nette on the right side of the boate and you shal finde They therfore did cast it and novv they vvere not able to dravv it for the multitude of fishes ✠verse 7 That disciple therfore vvhom IESVS loued saith to Peter It is our Lord. Simon Peter vvheÌ„ he had heard that it is our Lord girded his coate vnto him for he vvas naked and cast him self into the sea ✠verse 8 But the other disciples came in the boate for they vvere not farre from the land but as it vvere tvvo hundred cubits dravving the nette of fishes ✠verse 9 Therefore after they came dovvne to land they savv hote coles lying and fish laid thereon and bread ✠verse 10 IESVS saith to them Bring hither of the fishes that you tooke novv ✠verse 11 SimoÌ„ Peter vvent vp and drevv the nette to the land ful of great fishes an hundred fiftie three And although they vvere so many the nette vvas not broken ✠verse 12 IESVS saith to them Come dine And none of them that sate at meate ' durst aske him Vvho art thou knovving that it is our Lord. ✠verse 13 And IESVS commeth and taketh the bread and giueth them and the fish in like maner ✠verse 14 This novv the third time IESVS vvas manifested to his disciples after he vvas risen from the dead ⊢ ✠verse 15 Therfore vvhen they had dined IESVS saith to Simon Peter Simon of Iohn louest thou me more then these He saith to him Yea Lord thou knovvest that I loue thee he saith to him FEEDE MY LAMBES ✠verse 16 He saith to him againe Simon of Iohn louest thou me he saith to him Yea Lord thou knovvest that I loue thee He saith to him FEEDE MY LAMBES ✠verse 17 He saith to him the third time SimoÌ„ of Iohn louest thou me Peter vvas stroken sad because he said vnto him the third time Louest thou me And he said to him Lord thou knovvest al things thou knovvest that I loue thee He saith to him ″ FEEDE MY SHEEPE ✠verse 18 AmeÌ„ amen I say to thee vvhen thou vvast yonger thou didst girde thy self and didst vvalke vvhere thou vvouldest but vvhen thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy handes and ″ an other shal girde thee and leade thee vvhither thou vvilt not
verse 16 * And passing by the sea of Galilee he savv Simon and Andrevv his brother casting nettes into the sea for they vvere fishers ✠verse 17 and IESVS said to them Come after me and I vvil make you to become fishers of men ✠verse 18 And immediatly leauing their nettes they folovved him ✠verse 19 And being gone thence a litle further he savv Iames of Zebedee and Iohn his brother and them repairing their nettes in the sippe ✠verse 20 and forthvvith he called them And leauing their father Zebedee in the shippe vvith his hired men they folovved him ✠verse 21 And * they enter into Capharnaum and he forthvvith vpon the Sabboths going into the Synagogue taught them ✠verse 22 And they vvere astonied at his doctrine for he vvas teaching them as hauing povver and not as the Scribes ✠verse 23 And * there vvas in their Synagogue a man in an vncleane spirit and he cried out ✠verse 24 saying what to vs and to thee IESVS of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I knovv vvho thou art the Sainct of God ✠verse 25 And IESVS threatened him saying Hold thy peace and goe out of the man ✠verse 26 And the vncleane spirit tearing him and crying out vvith a great voice vvent out of him ✠verse 27 And they marueled al in so much that they questioned among them selues saying what thing is this vvhat is this nevv doctrine for vvith povver he commaundeth the vncleane spirits also and they obey him ✠verse 28 And the bruite of him vvent forth in continent into al the countrie of Galilee ✠verse 29 And immediatly * going forth out of the Synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrevv vvith Iames and Iohn ✠verse 30 And Simons vviues mother lay in a fit of a feuer and forthvvith they tel him of her ✠verse 31 And comming neere he lifted her vp taking her by the hand and incoÌ„tinent the ague left her and she ministred vnto them ✠verse 32 And vvhen it vvas euening after sunne set they brought to him al that vvere il at ease and that had deuils ✠verse 33 And al the citie vvas gathered together at the doore ✠verse 34 And he cured many that vvere vexed vvith diuerse diseases and he cast out many deuils and he suffered not them to speake that they knevv him ✠verse 35 And rising very early and going forth he vvent into a desert place and there he prayed ✠verse 36 And Simon sought after him and they that vvere vvith him ✠verse 37 And vvhen they had found him they said to him That al seeke for thee ✠verse 38 And he saith to them Let vs goe into the next tovvnes and cities that I may preach there also for to this purpose am I come ✠verse 39 And he vvas preaching in their Synagogs and in al Galilee and casting out deuils ✠verse 40 And a * leper commeth to him beseeching him and kneeling dovvne saith to him If thou vvilt thou canst make me cleane ✠verse 41 And IESVS hauing compassion on him stretched forth his hand and touching him he saith vnto him I vvil be thou made cleane ✠verse 42 And vvhen he had spoken immediatly the leprosie departed from him and he vvas made cleane ✠verse 43 And he threatened him and forthvvith cast him forth ✠verse 44 and he saith to him See thou tel no body but goe shevv thy self to the high priest and offer for thy cleansing the things that * Moyses commaunded for a testimonie to them ✠verse 45 But he being gone forth began to publish and to blase abrode the vvord so that novv he could not openly goe into the citie but vvas abrode in desert places and they came together vnto him from al sides ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 5. Confessing their sinnes A certaine confession of sinnes there was euen in that penance which Iohn preached and which was made before men were baptized Whereby it is cleere that Iohn made a preparation to the Sacrament of Penance which afterward was instituted by Christ as wel as he did by baptizing prepare the way to Christs baptisme 5. Their sinnes He doth not say that they confessed them selues to be sinners which may be done by a general confession but that they confessed their sinnes which is a particular confession 6. Clothed The Holy Ghost thought it worthy of speciall reporting how straitly this Prophete liâ—ed and how he abstained from delicate meates and apparel See Mâ—t. c. 3. 8. With water Iohn with water only Christ with the Holy Ghost not only as the Heretikes hold that say water is not necessary but with water and the Holy Ghost as it is plaine Io. 3. vnles a man be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost he shal not enter into the kingdom of heauen 9. Baptized of Iohn The humility of Christ not disdaining his seruants baptisme Which is an example for al faithful not to disdaine Christs Sacraments of any Priest be he neuer so simple being by the Catholike Church lawfully called Aug. li. 5 de bapt c. 9. 10. The Spirit Expresse mention of the B. Trinitie the Father speaketh from heauen the Holy Ghost appeareth in the likenesse of a doue the Sonne also is recommended vnto vs. Ambros li. 1 de Sacram. c. 5. 12. Desert Christ doing penance by long fasting solitarinesse and conuersing with wilde beastes gaue example and instruction to the Church for Lent fast and to holy Eremites of retiring them selues to the wildernesse and prayer 35. Desert place Christ vsed very often to retire into solitary places no doubt for our example to teach vs that such places are best for prayer and contemplation and that we should often retire our selues from worldly matters to solitary meditation of heauenly things CHAP. II. Against the Scribes and Pharisees he defendeth first his povver to remitte sinnes in earth 〈◊〉 and his eating vvith sinners as being the Physiciâ—n of soules signified in those his miraculous cures vpon bodies 〈◊〉 then also he defendeth his Disciples not hauing as yet any fastes by him prescribed vnto them and plucking â—ares of corne vpon the Sabboth signifying vvithal that he vvil change their ceremonies verse 1 AND againe he entred into Capharnaum after some daies and it vvas heard that he vvas in the house ✠verse 2 and many came together so that there vvas no place no not at the doore and he spake to them the vvord ✠verse 3 And they came to him bringing one sicke of the palsey vvho vvas caried of foure ✠verse 4 And vvhen they could not offer him vnto him for the multitude they â— vncouered the roofe vvhere he vvas and opening it they did let dovvne the couche vvherein the sicke of the palsey lay ✠verse 5 And vvhen IESVS had seen their faith he saith to the â— sicke
preach the acceptable yere of the Lord and the day of retribution ✠verse 20 And vvhen he had folded the booke he rendred it to the minister and sate dovvne And the eies of al in the synagogue vvere bent vpon him ✠verse 21 And he began to say vnto them That this day is fulfilled this scripture in your eares ✠verse 22 And al gaue testimomonie to him and they marueled in the vvordes of grace that proceded from his mouth and they said Is not this Iosephs sonne ✠verse 23 And he said to them Certes you vvil say to me this similitude Physicion cure they self as great things as vve haue heard ″ done in Capharnaum doe also here in thy countrie ✠verse 24 And he said Amen I say to you that no Prophet is accepted in his ovvne countrie ✠verse 25 In truth I say to you * there vvere many vvidovves in the daies of Elias in Israel vvhen the heauen vvas shut three yeres and six moneths vvhen there vvas a great famine made in the vvhole earth ✠verse 26 and to none of them vvas Elias sent but into Sarepta of Sidon to a vvidovv vvoman ✠verse 27 * And there vvere many lepers in Israel vnder Elisaeus the Prophet and none of them vvas made cleane but Naamā the Syrian ✠verse 28 And al in the synagogue vvere filled vvith anger hearing these things ✠verse 29 And they rose and cast him out of the citie and they brought him to the edge of the hil vvherevpon their citie vvas built that they might throvv him dovvne headlong ✠verse 30 But he ″ passing through the middes of them vvent his vvay ⊢ ✠verse 31 * And he vvent dovvne into Capharnaum a citie of Galilee and there he taught them on the Sabboths ✠verse 32 And they vvere astonied at his doctrine because his talke vvas in povver ✠verse 33 And in the synagogue there vvas a man hauing an vncleane Diuel and he cried out vvith a loud voice ✠verse 34 saying Let be vvhat to vs and thee IESVS of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know thee vvho thou art the SAINCT of God ✠verse 35 And IESVS rebuked him saying Hold thy peace goe out of him And vvhen the Deuil had throvven him into the middes he vvent out of him and hurted him nothing ✠verse 36 And there came feare vpon al and they talked together one vvith an other saying Vvhat vvord is this that in povver and vertue he commaundeth the vncleane spirits and they goe out ✠verse 37 And the fame of him vvas published into euery place of the countrie ✠verse 38 And IESVS rising vp out of the synagogue entred into Simons house * And ″ Simons vviues mother vvas holden vvith a great feuer and they besought him for her ✠verse 39 And standing ouer her he commaunded the feuer and it left her And incontinent rising she ministred to them ✠verse 40 And vvhen the sunne vvas dovvne al that had diseased of sundrie maladies brought them to him But he imposing hands vpon euery one cured them ✠verse 41 And Deuils vvent out from many crying and saying That thou art the sonne of God And rebuking them he suffred them not to speake that they knevv he vvas Christ ✠verse 42 And vvhen it vvas day going forth he vvent into a desert place and the multitudes sought him and came euen vnto him and they held him that he should not depart from them ✠verse 43 To vvhom he said That to other cities also must I euangelize the kingdom of God because therfore I vvas sent ✠verse 44 And he vvas preaching in the synagogs of Galilee ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 13. Departed vntil a time No maruel if the diuel be often or alvvaies busie vvith Christian men seeing after he was plainely ouercome by Christ yet did he not giue him ouer altogether but for a time 23. Done in Capharnaum God maketh choise of persons and places where he worketh miracles or doeth benefites though he might doe the same els where if it liked his wisedom So doth he in doing miracles by Saincts not in al places nor towards al persons but as it pleaseth him Aug. ep 〈◊〉 30. Passing through the middes of them Either by making him self inuisible or also more wonderfully penetrating the multitude and passing through them as he did through the doore his body either being without space of place or with other bodies in one place By al which and the like his doings mentioned in the Gospel it is euident that he can alter and order his body as he list aboue the natural conditions of a body 38. Simons wiues mother It is euident that Peter had a wife but after his calling to be an Apostle he leaft her as S. Hierom writeth in many places ep 14 c. 2 ad Iulianum Li. 1 adu Ionin See the Annot. Matth. 9 29. CHAP. V. Hauing taught the people out of Peters ship 4 he shevveth in a miraculous taking of fishes hovv he vvil make him the fisher of men 12 He cureth a leper by touching him and sendeth him to the Priest in vvitnesse that he is not against Moyses 15 The people flocking vnto him he retireth into the vvildernesse 17 To the Pharisees in a solemne assembly he proueth by a miracle his povver to remit sinnes in earth 27 He defendeth his eating vvith sinners as being the Physicion of soules 〈◊〉 and his not prescribing as yet of any fastes to his Disciples verse 1 AND it came to passe vvhen the multitudes pressed vpon him to heare the vvord of God and him self stoode beside the lake of Genesareth ✠verse 2 * And he savv tvvo shippes standing by the lake and the fishers vvere gone dovvne and vvashed their nettes ✠verse 3 And he going vp into ″ one ship that vvas Simons desired him to bring it backe a litle from the land And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship ✠verse 4 And as he ceased to speake he said to Simon Launche forth into the deepe and let loose your nettes to make a draught ✠verse 5 And Simon ansvvering said to him Maister labouring al the night vve haue taken nothing but in thy vvord I vvil let loose the nette ✠verse 6 And vvhen they had done this they inclosed ″ a very great multitude of fishes and their nette vvas broken ✠verse 7 And they ″ beckened to their fellovves that vvere in the other ship that they should come and help them And they came and filled both shippes so that they did sinke ✠verse 8 Vvhich vvhen Simon Peter did see he fel dovvne at IESVS knees saying Goe forth from me because I am a sinful man O Lord. ✠verse 9 For he vvas vvholy astonished and al that vvere vvith him at the draught of fishes vvhich they had taken ✠verse 10 In like maner also Iames
vvisedom of Salomon and behold more then Salomon here ✠verse 32 The men of Niniuee shal rise in the iudgement vvith this generation and shal condemne it * because they did penance at the preaching of Ionas and behold more then Ionas here ✠verse 33 * No man lighteth a candel and putteth it in secrete neither vnder a bushel but vpon a candlesticke that they that goe in may see the light ✠verse 34 * The candel of thy body is thine eie If thine eie be simple thy vvhole body shal be lightsome but if it be naught thy body also shal be darkesome ✠verse 35 See therfore that the light vvhich is in thee be not darkenesse ✠verse 36 If then thy vvhole body be lightsome hauing no part of darkenesse it shal be lightsome vvholy and as a bright candel it shal lighten thee ⊢ ✠verse 37 And vvhen he vvas speaking a certaine Pharisee desired him that he vvould dine vvith him and he going in sate dovvne to eate ✠verse 38 And the Pharisee began to thinke vvithin him self and to say Vvhy he vvas not vvashed before dinner ✠verse 39 And our Lord said to him * Novv you Pharisees doe make cleane that on the out side of the cuppe and of the platter but that of yours vvhich is vvithin is ful of rapine and iniquitie ✠verse 40 Fooles did not he that made that on the outside make that also that is on the inside ✠verse 41 But yet that that remaineth ″ giue almes behold al things are cleane vnto you ✠verse 42 But vvo to you Pharisees because you tithe minte and revve and euery herbe and passe ouer iudgement and the charitie of God but these things you ought to haue done and not to omit those ✠verse 43 Vvo to you Pharisees because you loue the first chaires in the synagogs and salutations in the market-place ✠verse 44 Vvo to you because you are as monuments that appeare not and men vvalking ouer are not vvare ✠verse 45 And one of the Lavvyers ansvvering saith to him Maister in saying these things thou speakest to our reproche also ✠verse 46 But he said ″ Vvo to you Lavvyers also because you lode men vvith burdens which they can not beare and your selues touch not the packes vvith one of your fingers ✠verse 47 Wo to you that build the monumēts of the Prophets and your fathers did kil them ✠verse 48 Surely you doe testifie that you consent to the vvorkes of your fathers because they in deede did kil them and you build their sepulchres ✠verse 49 For this cause the vvisedō also of God said I vvil send to them Prophets and Apostles and of them they vvil kil and persecute ✠verse 50 that the bloud of al the Prophets that vvas shed from the making of the vvorld may be required of this generation ✠verse 51 * from the bloud of Abel vnto the * bloud of Zacharie that vvas slaine betvvene the altar and the temple Yea I say to you it shal be required of this generation ⊢ ✠verse 52 Vho to you Lavvyers because you haue taken avvay the key of knovvledge your selues haue not entred and those that did enter you haue prohibited ✠verse 53 And vvhen he said these things to them the Pharisees and the Lavvyers began vehemently to vrge him and to stoppe his mouth about many things ✠verse 54 lying in waite for him seeking to catch some thing of his mouth that they might accuse him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 27. Blessed is the vvombe Let vs also saith Venerable Bede lift vp our voice vvith the Catholike Church of vvhich this vvoman vvas a figure let vs lift vp our hartes among the people and say to our Sauiour Blessed be the vvombe that bare thee and the pappes vvhich thou didst sucke for blessed in deede is the mother vvhich bare the King that ruleth heauen and earth for euer 29. The signe of Ionas Of al miracles his Resurrection after he had been according to his body in the graue according to his soule in Hel three daies vvas the greatest and most conuinceth the incredulous Ievves and therfore a greater or more euident then that he saith he vvil not giue them 41. Giue almes The great force of almes is here and in diuers places of holy vvrite signified In one place they extinguish sinne in an other they redeeme sinnes in an other they deliuer from death in an other to them giuen or omitted our iudgement to heauen or hel is attributed and here they make cleane and satisfie for the Ievves former offenses for as S. Augustine saith c. 70 Enchiridij almes deedes profite not a man that hath a vvill to continevv in his sinnes but they are to be done for a propitiation to God of former offenses Novv hovv vvel the Protestants like this doctrine so euidently set forth in Scripture let the indifferent iudge and hovv vvel it agreeth vvith their onely faith 46. Wo to you Lavvyers These vvere Doctors of Moyses Lavv othervvise called Scribes Shal we therfore crie out against al Lavvyers novv or ought the name of Lavvyer be odious vvith vs because of these naughty Lavvyers among the Ievves much lesse ought the name of Priests to be odious as Heretikes would haue it because of the Ievves Priests that vvere so busy against our Sauiour CHAP. XII He prepareth his Disciples against persecutions to come vpon them at their publishing of his doctrine 13 With deuiding the brethrens inheritance he wil not medle but exhorteth them against auarice 22 and his Disciples by this occasion against solicitude so much as of necessaries 32 yea counseling them to geue al in almes 35 and to be ready at a knocke 41 namely admonishing Peter and other Prelats to see to their charge 49 and al not to looke but for persecution 54 The Iewes he reprehendeth for that they wil not see this time of grace 58 whereas it is so horrible to die without reconciliation verse 1 AND when great multitudes stoode about him so that they trode one an other he began to say to his Disciples Take good heede of the leauen of the Pharisees vvhich is hypocrisie ✠verse 2 * For nothing is hid that shal not be reuealed nor secrete that shal not be knovven ✠verse 3 For the things that you haue said in darknesse shal be said in the light and that vvhich you haue spoken into the eare in the chambers shal be preached in the house-toppes ✠verse 4 And I say to you my frendes Be not afraid of them that kil the body and after this haue no more to doe ✠verse 5 But I vvil shevv you vvhom ye shal feare feare him vvho after he hath killed hath povver to cast into hel yea I say to you feare him ✠verse 6 Are not fiue sparovves sold for tvvo farthings
receiue you into the eternal tabernacles ⊢ ✠verse 10 He that is faithful in the lest is faithful in the greater also and he that is vniust in litle is vniust in the greater also ✠verse 11 If then you haue not been faithful in the vniust mammon vvith that vvhich is the true vvho may credit you ✠verse 12 And if you haue not been faithful in other mens that vvhich is yours vvho vvil giue you ✠verse 13 * No seruant can serue tvvo maisters for either he shal hate the one and loue the other or cleaue to one and contemne the other You can not serue God and mammon ✠verse 14 And the Pharisees vvhich vvere couetous heard al these things and they derided him ✠verse 15 And he said to them You are they that iustifie your selues before men but god knovveth your hartes because that vvhich is high to men is abomination before God ✠verse 16 * The lavv and the prophets vnto Iohn from that time the kingdom of God is euangelized and euery one doth force tovvard it ✠verse 17 * And it is easier for heauen and earth to passe then one tittle of the lavv to fall ✠verse 18 * Euery one that dimisseth his vvife ″ and marieth an other committeth aduoutrie and he that marieth her that is dimissed from her husband committeth aduourrie ✠verse 19 There vvas a certaine riche man he vvas clothed vvith purple and silke and he fared euery day magnifically ✠verse 20 And there vvas a certaine begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate ful of sores ✠verse 21 desiring to be filled of the crommes that fel from the riche mans table but the dogges also came and licked his sores ✠verse 22 And it came to passe that the begger died and vvas caried ″ of the Angels into ″ Abrahams bosome And the riche man also died and he vvas buried in hel ✠verse 23 And lifting vp his eies vvhen he vvas in torments he savv Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome ✠verse 24 and he crying said Father Abraham haue mercie on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into vvater for to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame ✠verse 25 And Abraham said to him Sonne remember that thou didst receiue good things in thy life time and Lazarus likevvise euil but novv he is comforted and thou art tormented ✠verse 26 And beside al these things betvvene vs and you there is fixed ″ a great chaos that they vvhich vvil passe from hence to you may not neither goe from thence hither ✠verse 27 And he said Then father I beseeche thee that thou vvouldest send him vnto my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren ✠verse 28 for to testifie vnto them ″ lest they also come into this place of torments ✠verse 29 And Abraham said to him They haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them ✠verse 30 But he said No father Abraham but if some man shal goe from the dead to them they vvil doe penance ✠verse 31 And he said to him If they heare not Moyses and the Prophets neither if one shal rise againe from the dead vvil they beleeue ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 2. The lord praised This mans deceiuing his maister is not praised nor vve vvarrāted by his fact to gaine vniustly for to haue vvherevvith to giue almes but his prudence in that he prouided so substancially for him selfe vvhilest his maisters goods vvere in his handes is commended not for a vertue but for avvorldly pollicie and proposed as an example of the careful prouision that rich men who are Gods stewards in earth should make for their soules against they be put out of their bailiship and be called to account vvhich is the day of their death and for a condemnation of faithful mens folly and negligence that being assured they shal out of their offices and vvell knovving they might gaine salutation by their money haue so litle regard thereof 9. They 〈◊〉 receiue A great comfort to al great almes-men and a vvonderful force and vertue in almes vvhith beside the merite of the worke of mercie vvhich as in other places of Scripture is said purgeth sinne and gaineth heauen pocureth also not onely the praiers of their beadsmen in earth but their patronage in heauen also whereby also the praiers of Saincts for the liuing and namely for them to whom they vvere beholding in their life are proued Yea and that they be in such fauour with God that they may and doe receiue their frendes vvhich vvere once their benefactors into their mansions in heauen no lesse then the farmers vvhom the il stevvard pleasured might receiue their freend into their earthly houses Which also insinuateth to vs that almes bestovved specially vpon holy men vvho by their merites and praiers are great in Gods grace may much more helpe vs then our charitable deedes done vpon vulgar men in necessitie though that be of exceding great merite also See al this in these Doctors folovving Hiero. qu. 6. ad Algas to 3. Ambros in Luc. August ser 35 de verb. Do. c. 1. Gregor moral li. 〈◊〉 c. 14. Augu. li. 2 q. Euang. qu. 34. Chrys ho. 3◠ad po Antioch to 5. 18. And marrieth The good of Mariage through out al nations and men is in issue and fidelitie of chastitie but among the people of God it consisteth also in holines of Sacrament Whereby it commeth to passe that is a heinous crime to marry againe though there be a diuorce made so long as the parties liue Aug. de bono coniug c. 24 to 6. See the Annotations vpon Marke 10 11. 22. Of the Angels Angels carie good mens soules to heauen novv as they did then his to Abrahams bosome See the revvard of pouerty affliction and patience and on the contrarie the end and revvard of vvealth ioyned with vnmercifulnes Note also here that at the day of euery mans death there is a particular iudgement and therfore the soule sleepeth not nor hangeth in suspense til the general iudgement 22. Abrahams Bosome The Bosome of Abraham is the resting place of al them that died in perfect state of grace before Christes time heauē before being shut from men It is called in Zacharie a lake vvithout vvater and sometimes a prison but most commonly of the Diuines Limbus patrum for that it is thought to haue been the higher part or brimme of Hel the places of punishment being far Iovver then the same vvhich therfore be called Infernum inferius the lovver hel where this mansion of the fathers stood or whether it be any part of Hel S. Augustine doubteth but that there was such a place he nor no Catholike man euer doubted as al the fathers make it most certaine that our Sauiour descending to
Hel went thither specially and deliuered the said fathers out of that mansion Iren. li. 4 c. â—9 Euseb Demonst Euang. li. 10. c. 8 sub fineÌ„ Nazian orat 2 de Pasch Chrysost to 5 in demonst Quod Christus sit Deus paulo post initium Epipha in heres 46 Tatiani Ambro. de myst Pasch c. 4. Hiero. in 9 Zacharia August ep 99 li. 20 de Ciuit. c. 15. Paulinus in Panegyrico Celst Cyrillus in lo. li. 12 c. 36 ad illud Inclinato capite Gregor li. 6 ep 179. vvhich truth and place though of al the ancient vvriters confessed and proued by this and other Scriptures yet the Aduersaries deny it as they do Purgatorie most impudently 26 A great chaos A great distance betvvixt Abrahams bosome and the inferiour hel Some iudge Purgatorie to be placed there from vvhence no doubt Christ also deliuered some at his descending to hel for these in Abrahams bosome vvere not in paines and S. Augustine saith the Scriptures be plaine that he tooke some out of the places of punishment and yet none out of the hel of the damned What other place then can that be but Purgatorie 28. Lest they also If the damned had care of their frendes aliue how for what cause soeuer much more haue the Saincts and saued persons And if those in hel haue meanes to expresse their cogitations and desires and to be vnderstood of Abraham so far distant both by place and condition much rather may the liuing pray to the Saincts and be heard of them betvvixt earth that is to say the Church militant and heauen being continual passage of soules and * Angels ascending and descending by Iacobs ladder Mâ—n must not for al that be curious to searche how the soules of the deceased expresse their mindes and be heard one of an other and so fall to blasphemie as Caluin doth asking whether their eares be so long to heare so far of and wickedly measuring al things by mortal mens corporal grosse maner of vttering conceits one to an other Which was not here done by this damned nor by Abraham with corporal instruments of tongue teeth and eares though for the better expressing of the damneds case Christ vouchsaued to vtter it in termes agreeing to our capacitie CHAP. XVII So damnable it is to be author of a Schisme 3 that we must rather forgiue be it neuer so often 5 We must he feruent in faith 7 and humble withal knowing that we are bound to God and not he to vs. ″ The nine Iewes are vngrateful after that he hath cured their leprosie but the one Samaritane the one Catholike Church of the Gentils far otherwise 20 The Pharisees asking when coÌ„meth this kingdom of God of whose approching they had now heard so much he teacheth that God must reigne within vs 22 and warneth vs after his Passion neuer to goe out of his Catholike Church for any new secrete coÌ„ming of Christ that Heretikes shal pretend but onely to expect his second coÌ„ming in glorie 26 preparing our selues vnto it because it shal come vpon many vnprouided 31 specially through the persecution of Antichrist a litle before it verse 1 AND he said to his Disciples It is impossible that scandale should not come but vvo to him by vvhom they come ✠verse 2 It is more profitable for him if a mil-stone be put about his necke and he be cast into the sea then that he scaÌ„dalize one of these litle ones ✠verse 3 Looke vvel to your selues * If thy brother sinne against thee rebuke him and if he doe penance forgiue him ✠verse 4 And if he sinne against thee seuen times in a day and seuen times in a day be conuerted vnto thee saying It repenteth me forgiue him ✠verse 5 And the Apostles said to our Lord Increase faith in vs. ✠verse 6 And our lord said * If you had faith like to a mustard seede you might say to this mulberie tree be thou rooted vp and be transplanted into the sea and it vvould obey you ✠verse 7 And vvhich of you hauing a seruant plovving or keeping cattle that vvil say to him returning out of the field Passe quickly sit dovvne ✠verse 8 and saith not to him Make ready supper and gird thy self and serue me vvhiles I eate and drinke and aftervvard thou shalt eate and drinke ✠verse 9 Doth he giue that seruant thankes for doing the things vvhich he commaunded him ✠verse 10 I trovv not So you also vvhen you shal haue done al things that are commaunded you say Vve are ″ vnprofitable seruants vve haue done that vvhich vve ought to doe ✠verse 11 And it came to passe as he vvent vnto Hierusalem he passed through the middes of Samaria and Galilee ✠verse 12 And vvhen he entred into a certaine tovvne there mette him ten men that vvere lepers vvho stoode a farre of ✠verse 13 and they lifted vp their voice saying IESVS maister haue mercie on vs. ✠verse 14 Vvhom as he savv he said Goe * shevv your selues ″ to the Priests And it came to passe ″ as they vvent they vvere made cleane ✠verse 15 And one of them as he savv that he vvas made cleane vvent backe vvith a loud voice magnifying God ✠verse 16 and he fel on his face before his feete giuing thankes and this vvas a Samaritane ✠verse 17 And IESVS ansvvering said Vvere not ten made cleane and vvhere are the nine ✠verse 18 There vvas not found that returned and gaue glorie to God but this stranger ✠verse 19 And he said to him Arise goe thy vvaies because thy faith hathmade thee safe ⊢ ✠verse 20 And being asked of the Pharisees Vvhen commeth the kingdom of God he ansvvered them and said The kingdom of God commeth not vvith obseruation ✠verse 21 neither shal they say Loe here or loe there for loe the kingdom of God is vvithin you ✠verse 22 And he said to his Disciples The daies vvil come vvhen you shal desire to see one day of the Sonne of man and you shal not see ✠verse 23 * And they vvil say to you Loe here and loe there Goe not neither doe ye folovv after ✠verse 24 For euen as the lightening that lighteneth from vnder heauen vnto those partes that are vnder heauen shineth so shal the Sonne of man be in his day ✠verse 25 But first he must suffer many things and be reiected of this generation ✠verse 26 And as it came to passe in the daies of Noé so shal it be also in the daies of the Sonne of man ✠verse 27 They did eate and drinke they did marie vviues and vvere giuen to mariage euen vntil the day that Noé entred into the arke and the floud came and destroyed them al. ✠verse 28 Likevvise as it came to passe in the * daies of Lot They did eate
and al other particular pointes Which him self saith S. Augustine did not take order for that he might cōmit that to the Apostles by vvhom he vvas to dispose his Churches affaires though both he and the Apostles and the Fathers of the primitiue Church left vs example of receiuing vnder one kind Christ * at Emmaüs The Apostles Act. 2 42. The primitiue Church in giuing the bloud onely to children Cypr. li. de lapsis nu 10. in reseruing most commonly the body onely Tertul. li. 2 ad vxo nu 4. Cypr. li. de lapsis nu 10. in houseling the sicke therewith Euseb Ec. hist li. 6 c. 36. in the holy Eremites also that receiued and reserued it commonly and not the bloud in the wildernes Basil ep ad Caesariam Patritiam and in diuers other cases which were to long to rehearse Whereby the Church being warranted and in the ruling of such things fully taught by Gods spirit as wel for the reprouing of certaine heresies that Christ God and man vvas not vvhole and al in euery part of the Sacrament as specially for that the Christian people being novv enlarged and the communicants often so many at once that neither so much vvine could be conueniently consecrated nor vvithout manifold accidents of sheading or abusing be receiued vvhereof the Protestants haue no regard because it is but common vvine vvhich they occupie but the Church knovving it to be Christs ovvne bloud must haue al dreadful regard therfore I say she hath decreed and for some hundreth yeres put in vse that the Priest saying Masse should alvvaies both consecrate and also receiue both kindes because he must expresse liuely the Passion of Christ and the separation of his bloud from his body in the same and for to imitate the vvhole action and institution as vvel in sacrificing as receiuing as to vvhom properly it vvas said Do this for that vvas spoken onely to such as haue povver thereby to offer and consecrate But the Lay men and the Clergie also vvhen they do not execute or say Masse them selues should receiue in one kinde being thereby no lesse partakers of Christs vvhole person and grace then if they receiued both For as S. Paul saith He that eateth the hostes is partaker of the altar He that eateth saith he for though there vvere drink-offerings or libaments ioyned lightly to euery sacrifice yet it vvas ynough to eate onely of one kinde for to be partaker of the vvhole 62. If you shal see Our Sauiour seemeth to insinuate that such as beleeue not his wordes touching the holy Sacrament and thinke it impossible for him to giue his Body to be eaten in so many places at once being yet in earth should be much more scandalized and tempted after they saw or knew him to be ascended into heauen Vvhich is proued true in the Capharnaites of this time whose principal reason against Christs presence in the Sacrament is that he is ascended into heauen yea who are so bold as to expound this same sentence for them selues thus It is not this body or flesh which I wil giue you for that I wil carie with me to heauen Whereby if they meant onely that the condition and qualities of his body in heauen should be other then in the Sacrament it were tolerable for S. Augustine speaketh sometime in that sense but to deny the substance of the body to be the same that is wicked 63. The flesh profiteth nothing If this speach were spoken in the sense of the Sacramentaries it would take away Christs incarnation manhod and death no lesse then his corporal presence in the Sacrament for if his flesh were not profitable al these things were vaine Therfore CHRIST denieth not his owne flesh to be profitable but that their grosse and carnal conceiuing of his wordes of his flesh and of the maner of eating the same was vnprofitable Which is plaine by the sentence folowing where he warneth them that his wordes be spirit and life of high Mystical meaning and not vulgarly and grosly to be taken as they tooke them And it is the vse of the Scripture to call mans natural sense reason and carnal resisting or not reaching supernatural truthes flesh or bloud as Flesh and bloud reuealed not this to thee c Mat. 16. This carnalitie then of theirs stood in two points specially first that they imagined that he would kill him self and cut māgel his flesh into partes so giue it them raw or rost to be eaten among them Which could not be meant saith S. Augustine for that had conteined an heinous and barbarous facte and therfore they might and should haue bene assured that he would commaund no such thing but some other sweete sense to be of his hard mystical or figuratiue wordes and to be fulfilled in a Sacrament mysterie and a maruelous diuine sort otherwise then they could comprehend Secondly they did erre touching his flesh in that they tooke it to be the flesh of a mere man and of a dead man also when it should come to be eaten of which kind of flesh Christ here pronoūceth that it profiteth nothing Wherevpon S. Cyrist saith This body is not of Peter or Paul or any other like but of Christ IESVS who is the life it self and therfore this Body giueth life the very fulnes of the Diuinitie dvvelling in it And the holy Councel of Ephesus in the 11 Anathematisme expounded also by the said S. Cyril The Eucharist is not the body of any common person for the flesh of a common man could not quicken but of the VVORD it self But the Heretike Nestorius dissolueth the vertue of this Mysterie holding mans flesh onely to be in the Eucharist Thus there And S. Ignatius cited of Theodorete and many other Fathers haue the like Whereby we may see that it commeth of the Diuinitie and Spirit without which Christs flesh can not be that this Sacrament giueth life 64. That beleeue not It is lacke of faith you seee here that causeth men to spurne against this high truth of the Sacrament as also it may be learned here that it is the great and merciful gift of God that Catholike men do against their senses and carnal reasons beleeue and submit them selues to the humble acknowledging of this Mysterie lastly that it may wel by Christs insinuation of Iudas be gathered that he specially spurned against our Maisters speaches of the holy Sacrament 66. Went backe It can be no maruel to vs now that so many reuolt from the Church by offense or scandal vniustly taken at Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament seeing many of his Disciples that savv his vvonderful life doctrine and miracles forsooke Christ him self vpon the speach promes of the same Sacramēt for the mysterie of it is so supernatural and diuine in it self and withal so low base for our sakes by the shew of the formes of these terrene
and Icónium and persvvading the multitudes and * stoning Paul they drevv him out of the citie thinking him to be dead ✠verse 19 But the disciples compassing him round about he rising vp entred into the citie and the next day he vvent forth vvith Barnabas vnto Derbè ✠verse 20 And vvhen they had euangelized to that citie and had taught many they returned to Lystra and Icónium and to Antioche ✠verse 21 confirming the hartes of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that by many tribulations vve must enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 And vvhen they ″ had ordained to them ″ Priests in euery Church and had praied vvith fastings they commended them to our Lord in vvhom they beleeued ✠verse 23 And passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia ✠verse 24 and speaking the vvord of our Lord in Pergé they vvent dovvne into Attalia ✠verse 25 and from theÌ„ce they sailed to Antioche * vvhence they had been deliuered to the grace of God vnto the vvorke vvhich they accomplished ✠verse 26 And vvhen they vvere come and â—ad assembled the Church they reported vvhat great things God had done vvith them that he had opened a doore of faith to the Gentils ✠verse 27 And they abode no litle time vvith the disciples ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. They vvould sacrifice This loe is the diuine vvorship consisting in external sacrifice and in acknovvledging the parties vvorshipped to be gods vvhich * may be done to no man nor creature and therfore the Apostles refuse it vvith al possible diligence and al the Angels and Saincts in heauen refuse that adoration by sacrifice The Catholike Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to vvorship any Sainct in heauen or earth She hath but one external Sacrifice vvhich is in the holy Masse of Christs body and bloud that she offereth to God alone and neither to Peter nor to Paul saith S. Augustine though the Priest that sacrificeth standeth ouer their bodies and offereth in their memories But other kindes of honours and dueties inferior vvithout al comparison hovv great so euer they be to this vve do as the Scriptures and Nature teache vs to al Superiors in heauen and earth according to the degrees of grace honour and blessednes that God hath called them vnto from our B. Ladie Christs ovvne mother to the lest seruant he hath in the vvorld for vvhich the Heretikes vvould neuer accuse Christian people of Idolatrie if they had either grace learning faith or natural affection â—â— Had ordained The Heretikes to make the vvorld beleeue that al Priests ought to be chosen by the voices of the people and that they neede no other Ordering or Consecration by Bishops pressing the proâ—ane vse of the * Greeke vvord more then the very natural signification requireth and Ecclesiastical vse beareth translate thus Ordained by election Vvhereas in deede this vvord in Scripture signifieth Ordering by imposition of hands as is plaine by other vvordes equiualent Act. 6 13. 1 Tim. 4. â— 2 Tim. 1. Vvhere the Ordering of Deacons Priests and others is called * Imposition of hands not of the people but of the Apostles And this to be the Ecclesiastical vse of the vvord appeareth by S. Hierom saying as is before alleaged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— the Ordering of Clerkes or Clergie men by praier of voice and imposition of hand â—â— Priests Euen so here also as before fleing from the proper apt knovven vvord vvhich is most precisely correspondent to the very Greeke in our tongue and al nations they translate for Priest Elder that is for a calling of Office a vvord of age for a terme of art and by consent of al the Church and Apostolike authoritie and Fathers appropriated to holy Order a vulgar common and profane terme Vvith as litle grace as if they should translate Pontificem a bridgemaker the Maior of London the Bigger of London And thus you see vvithin three vvordes compasse they flee guilefully from the Latin to the Greeke and againe guilefully from the Greeke to the vulgar English Such corruption of Scriptures their hatred of Priesthod driueth them vnto If they had translated it so vvhen the Scriptures vvere first vvritten at vvhich time the vvord vvas but nevvly receiued into the special and Ecclesiastical signification and vvhen it vvas yet taken sometimes in common profane sort as 1 Tim. 5. or there only vvhere our auÌ„cient Latin version turneth Presbyter into Senior because the vvord vvas not yet vvholy and only appropriated to holy Orders as aftervvard by vse of many hundred yeres it vvas and is their dealing might haue had some colour of honestâ—e and plainesse vvhich novv can not be but of plaine falshod and corruption and that of further purpose then the simple can see Vvhich is to take avvay the office of Sacrificing and other functions of Priests proper in the nevv TestameÌ„t to such as the Apostles often and the posteritle in maner altogether call Priests Presbyteros Vvhich vvord doth so certainely imply the authoritie of sacrificing that it is by vse made also the onely English of Sacerdos the Aduersaries them selues as vvel as vve so translating it in al the old and nevv Testament though they can not be ignorant that Priest commeth of Presbyter and not of Sacerdos and that antiquitie for no other cause applied the signification of Presbyter to Sacerdos but to shevv that Presbyter is in the nevv Lavv that vvhich Sacerdos vvas in the old the Apostles abstaining from this and other like old names at the first and rather vsing the vvordes Bishops Pastors and Priests because they might be distinguished from the Gouernours and sacrificers of Aarons order vvho as yet in the Apostles time did their old functions still in the Temple And this to be true and that to be a Priest is to be a man appointed to sacrifice the Heretikes them selues calling Sacerdos alvvaies a Priest must needes be driuen to confesse Although their folly is therein notorious to apply vvillngly the vvord Priest to Sacerdos and to take it from Presbyter vvhereof it is properly deriued not only in English but in other languages both french and Italian Vvhich is to take avvay the name that the Apostles and fathers gaue to the Priests of the Church to giue it vvholy onely to the order of Aaron vvhich neuer had it before our Priesthod began Neuer did there Heretikes stand so much vpon doubtful deriuations and descant of vvordes as these Protestants do and yet neuer men behaued them selues more fondly in the same as vvhosoeuer marketh the distinction of their Elders Ministers Deacons and such like shal perceiue CHAP. XV. Some of those Ievves also that vvere Christians do fall and are authors of the Heresie of Iudaizing 2 They referre the matter to Councel 7 Wherein after great disputation Peter striking the stroke
according to the purpose of him that vvorketh al things according to the counsel of his vvil ✠verse 12 that vve may be vnto the praise of his glorie vvhich before haue hoped in Christ ✠verse 13 in vvhom you also vvhen you had heard the vvord of truth the Gospel of your saluation in vvhich also beleeuing you vvere signed vvith the holy Spirit of promis ✠verse 14 vvhich is the pledge of our inheritance to the redemption of acquisition vnto the praise of his glorie ✠verse 15 Therfore I also hearing your faith that is in our Lord IESVS and loue tovvard al the sainctes ✠verse 16 cease not to giue thankes for your making a memorie of you in my praiers ✠verse 17 that God of our Lord IESVS Christ the father of glorie giue you the spirit of vvisedom and of reuelation in the knovvledge of him ✠verse 18 the eies of your hart illuminated that you may knovv vvhat the hope is of his vocation and vvhat are the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the sainctes ✠verse 19 and vvhat is the passing greatnes of his povver tovvard vs that beleeue according to the operation of the might of his povver ✠verse 20 vvhich he vvrought in Christ raising him vp from the dead and setting him on his right hand in celestials ✠verse 21 aboue ″ al Principalitie Potestate Power and Domination and euery name that is named not only in this vvorld but also in that to come ✠verse 22 And he hath * subdued al things vnder his feete and hath made him ″ head ouer al the CHVRCH ✠verse 23 vvhich is his body the fulnes of him vvhich is filled al in al. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 21. Al Principalitie The Fathers vpon this and other places of the old and new Testament vvhere they finde the orders of holy Angels or spirites named agree that there be nine orders of them Of vvhich some be here counted and called as vve see in the Epistle to the Colossians the order of Thrones is specified vvhich maketh fiue to vvhich if vve adde these foure Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels vvhich are commonly named in holy vvrite in al there be nine S. Denys coel Hier. c. 7. 8. 9. Ec. Hier. c. 1. S. Athanas li de Communi essent in fine Gregor Moral li. 32. c. 18. Therfore good Reader make no accoumpt of * Caluins and others infidelitie vvhich blasphemously blame and condemne the holy doctors diligence in this point of curiousitie and impietie The vvhole endeuour of these heretikes is to bring al into doubt and to corrupt euery Article of our Religion 22. Head It maketh a high proofe among the Protestants that no man can be head of the Church because it is a calling and dignitie proper to Christ But in truth by as good reason there should be no king nor lord because He is king and lord neither should there be Bishop or Pastor because he is the Bishop and Pastor of our soules nor Pontifex nor Apostle for by those titles S. Paul termeth him Hebr. 3 none should be piller foundation rocke light or maister of the Church or truth because Christ is properly al these And yet our nevv doctors though they be exceding seditious and vvould for the aduantage of their sect be gladly ridde of kings and al other Superiors temporal if they feared not the sword more then God and vvould finde as good Scriptures to be deliuered of them as they now finde to discharge them selues of obedience to Popes yet I say they vvil not deny al the former titles and dignities notvvithstanding Christes soueraine right in the same to be giuen and communicated to the Princes and Magistrates of the earth both spiritual and temporal though Christ in a more diuine ample absolute excellent and transcendent sort haue al these things attributed or appropriated to him self So then though he be the head of the Church and the onely head in such soueraine and principal maner as no earthly man or mere creature euer is or can be and it ioyned to the Church in a more excellent sort of coniunction then any king is to his subiects or Countrie or any Pope or Prelate to the Church vvhereof he is gouernour euen so farre that it is called his body Mystical life motion spirit grace issuing dovvne from him to it and the members of the same as from the head of the natural body though in this sort we say no man can be head but Christ nor the Church be body to any but to Christ yet the Pope may be the ministerial head that is to say the cheefe Gouernour Pastor and Prelate of the same and may be his Vicar or Vicegerent in the regiment of that part vvhich is in earth as S. Hierom calleth Damasus the Pope Summum Sacerdotem the cheefe and highest Priest and the Apostle saith of this ministerial head The head can not say to the feete you are not necessarie for me For therein also is a great difference betvvene Christ and euery mortal I relate that as the Apostle here saith he is head of the vvhole Church meaning of the triumphaÌ„t of al Angels also though in an other sort no lesse theÌ„ of the Church militaÌ„t So Peter vvas not nor any Pope nor any man can be Where you must obserue that for this soueraine preeminence of Christ in this case the Church is not called the body mystical of any Gouernour Peter Paul or vvhat Prelate or Pope so euer CHAP. II. He putteth them in minde of their vnvvorthines before they vvere Christians that al the praise may be giuen to the grace of God 11 and of the enmitie that vvas thâ—â— betvvene the Ievv and the Gentil 〈◊〉 vntil nevv that Christ by his Crosse hath made both one taking avvay the ceremâ—nies of the Lavv and making one body and building one holy Temple of al in his Catholike Church verse 1 AND you vvhen you vvere dead by your offenses sinnes ✠verse 2 vvherein sometime you vvalked according to the course of this vvorld according to the * prince of the povver of this aire of the spirit that novv vvorketh on the childreÌ„ of diffidence ✠verse 3 in vvhom also vve al conuersed sometime in the desires of our flesh doing the vvil of the flesh and of thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as also the rest ✠verse 4 but God vvhich is riche in mercie for his exceding charitie vvhervvith he loued vs ✠verse 5 euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace you are saued ✠verse 6 and raised vs vp vvith him and hath made vs sit vvith him in the celestials in Christ IESVS ✠verse 7 that he might shevv in the vvorldes succeding the aboundant riches of his grace in bountie vpon vs in Christ IESVS ✠verse 8 For by ″ grace you are saued
vvas vvholy spiritual For then Christs death vvas not a corporal external visible and truely named sacrifice neither could Christ or Melchisedec be any otherwise a Priest then euery faithful man is vvhich to hold as the Caluinists folowing their owne doctrine must needes do is directly against the Scriptures and no lesse against Christes one oblation of his body vpon the Crosse then it is against the daily sacrifice of his body vpon the altar Therfore he hath a certaine host in external and proper maner to make perpetual oblation thereby in the Church for visible and external act of sacrificing in heauen he doth not exercise 4. If vpon the earth It is by his death and resurrection to life againe that his body is become apt and fitte in such diuine sort to be sacrificed perpetually For if he had liued in mortal sort still that vvay of mystical representation of breaking his body and separating the bloud from the same could not haue been agreable and so the Church and Christian people should haue lacked a priesthod and sacrifice Christ him self should not haue been a Priest of a peculiar order but either must haue offered in the things that Aarons Priests did or els haue been no Priest at all For to haue offered onely spiritually as all faithful men do that could not be ynough for his vocation and our redemption and state of the new Testament How his flesh vvas made fit to be offered and eaten in the B. Sacrament by his death see Isychius li. 1 in leuit cap. 2. 5. Heauenly things As the Church or state of the new Testament is commonly called Regnum coelorum Dei in the Scriptures so these heauenly things be probably taken by learned men for the mysteries of the new Testament And it seemeth that the paterne giuen to Moyses to frame his tabernacle by vvas the Church rather then the heauens them selues al S. Paules discourse tending to shew the difference betwixt the new Testament and the old and not to make comparison betwene the state of heauen and the old law Though incidently because the condition of the new Testament more neerely resembleth the same then the old state doth he sometime may speake somewhat therof also 10. Into their minde This also and the rest folowing is fulfilled in the Church and is the proper effect of the new Testament vvhich is the grace and spirit of loue graffed in the hartes of the faithful by the holy Ghost vvorking in the Sacraments and sacrifice of the new law to that effecte 10. Their God This mutual couenant made betwixt God and the faithful is that vvhich vvas dedicated and established first in the chalice of his bloud called therfore the nevv Testament in his bloud and vvhich vvas straight after ratified by the death of the â—â—stator vpon the Crosse 11. Shal not teach So it vvas in the primitiue Church in such specially as vvere the first founders of our new state in Christ And that vvhich vvas verified in the Apostles and other principal men the Apostle speaketh generally as though it vvere so in the vvhole as S. Peter applieth the like out of Ioël and our Sauiour so speaketh vvhen he saith that such as beleeue in him shal vvorke miracles of diuers sortes Christian men then must not abuse this place to make chalenge of new inspirations and so great knowledge that they neede no Scriptures or teaching in this life as some Heretikes doe vvith much like reason and shew of Scriptures as the Protestants haue to refuse external sacrifice And it is no lesse phantastical madnesse to deny external sacrifice sacraments or Priesthod then it is to abolish teaching and preaching CHAP. IX In the old Testament that secular Sanctuarie had tvvo partes the one signifying that time vvith the ceremonies therof for the emundation of the flesh the other signifying heauen vvhich then vvas shut vntil our High priest Christ entered into it and that vvith his ovvne bloud shed for the emundation of our consciences Wherevpon he concludeth the excellencie of his tabernacle and host aboue the old 25 Noting also the differences that he entered but once so effectual vvas that one blouddy offering of himself for euer vvheras the Leuitical High priest entered euery yere once verse 1 THE former also in deede had iustificatioÌ„s of seruice and a secular sanctuarie ✠verse 2 For the tabernacle vvas made the first vvherin vvere the candlestickes and the table and the proposition of Ioaues vvhich is called Holy ✠verse 3 But after the second vele the tabernacle vvhich is called Sancta Sanctorum ✠verse 4 hauing a golden censar and the arke of the testameÌ„t couered about on euery part vvith gold in the vvhich vvas ″ a golden potte hauing Manna and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed * the tables of the testament ✠verse 5 and ouer it vvere * the ″ Cherubins of glorie ouers had ovving the propitiatorie of vvhich things it is not needeful to speake novv particularly ✠verse 6 But these things being so ordered in the first tabernacle in deede the priests alvvaies entered accoÌ„plishing offices of the sacrifices ✠verse 7 But in the second * once a yere the high priest only not vvithout bloud vvhich he offereth for his ovvne and the peoples ignorance ✠verse 8 the holy Ghost signifying this that the vvay of the holies was not yet manifested the former tabernacle as yet standing ✠verse 9 vvhich is a parable of the time present according to vvhich are offered giftes and hostes vvhich can not concerning the conscience make perfect him that serueth ✠verse 10 onely in meates and in drinkes and diuerse baptismes and iustices of the flesh laid on them ″ vntil the time of correction ✠verse 11 But Christ assisting an high Priest of the good things to come by a more ample and more perfect tabernacle not made vvith hand that is not of this creation ✠verse 12 neither by the bloud of goates or of calues but by his ovvne bloud entered in once into the Holies ″ eternal redemption being found ⊢ ✠verse 13 For * if the bloud of goates and of oxen the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanctifieth the polluted to the cleansing of the flesh ✠verse 14 hovv much more hath ' the bloud of Christ vvho by the holy Ghost offered himself vnspotted vnto God cleansed ' our conscience from dead vvorkes to serue the liuing God ✠verse 15 And therfore he is the mediatour of the nevv Testament that death being a meane vnto the redemption ″ of these preuarications vvhich vvere vnder the former testament they that are called may receiue the promise of eternal inheritance ⊢ ✠verse 16 For * vvhere there is a testament the death of the testatour must of necessitie come betvvene ✠verse 17 For a testament is confirmed in
Law But if thou iudge the Lavv thou art not a doer of the Lavv but a iudge ✠verse 12 For there is one lavv-maker and iudge that can destroy and deliuer ✠verse 13 But thou * vvhat art thou that iudgest thy neighbour Behold novv you that say To day or to morovv vve vvil goe into that citie and there certes vvil spend a yere and vvil traficke and make our gaine ✠verse 14 vvho are ignorāt vvhat shal be on the morovv For vvhat is your life It is a vapour appearing for a litle vvhile and aftervvard it shal vanish avvay ✠verse 15 for that you should say If our Lord vvil and If vve shal liue vve vvil doe this or that ✠verse 16 But novv you reioyce in your arrogancies Al such reioycing is vvicked ✠verse 17 To one therfore knovving to doe good and not doing it to him it is sinne ANNOTATION CHAP. IIII. 8. Purifie your hartes Man vve see here maketh him self cleane and purgeth his owne hart Vvhich derogateth nothing to the grace of God being the principal cause of the same Yet Protestants thinke vve derogate from Christs Passion vvhen vve attribute such effects to our owne vvorkes or to other secundarie helpes and causes CHAP. V. By the damnatiō to come vpon the vnmerciful riche he exhorteth the persecuted to patience and by their ovvne revvard and by examples 12 Not to svveare at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talke talke ◠In affliction to pray in prosperitie to sing in sicknes to call for the Priests and that they pray ouer them and anoile them vvith oile and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sicke persons confesse their sinnes 19 Finally hovv meritorious it is to conuert the erring vnto the Catholike faith or the sinner to amendment of life verse 1 GOE to novv ye riche men vveepe hovvling in your miseries vvhich shal come to you ✠verse 2 Your riches are corrupt and your garmentes are eaten of mothes ✠verse 3 Your gold and siluer is rusted and their iust shal be for a testimonie to you and shal eate your flesh as fire You haue stored to your selues vvrath in the last daies ✠verse 4 Behold ″ the hire of the vvorkemen that haue reaped your fields vvhich is defrauded of you crieth and their crie hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabboth ✠verse 5 You haue made merie vpon the earth and in riotousnes you haue nourished your hartes in the day of slaughter ✠verse 6 You haue presented and slaine the iust one and he resisted you not ✠verse 7 Be patient therfore brethren vntil the comming of our Lord. Behold the husband man expecteth the pretious fruite of the earth patiently bearing til he receiue the timely and the latevvard ✠verse 8 Be you also patient and confirme your hartes because the comming of our Lord vvil approche ' ✠verse 9 Grudge not brethren one against an other that you be not iudged Behold the iudge standeth before the gate ✠verse 10 Take an example brethren of labour and patience the prophetes vvhich spake in the name of our Lord. ✠verse 11 Behold vve accoūt them blessed that haue suffered The sufferance of Iob you haue heard and the end of our Lord you haue seen because our Lord is merciful and pitieful ✠verse 12 But before al things my brethren * ″ svveare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor other othe whatsoeuer But let your talke be yea yea no no that you fall not vnder iudgement ✠verse 13 Is any of you in heauinesse let him pray Is he of a cheereful hart let him sing ✠verse 14 Is any man sicke amōg you ″ let him bring in the priestes of the Churche and let them pray ouer him * ″ anoiling him vvith oile in the name of our Lord. ✠verse 15 and ″ the praier of faith ″ shal saue the sicke and our Lord ″ shal lift him vp and if he be in sinnes ″ they shal be remitted him ✠verse 16 ″ Confesse therfore your sinnes one to an other pray one for an other that you may be saued ⊢ for the continual praier of a iust man auaileth much ✠verse 17 * Elias vvas a man like vnto vs passible and vvith praier ″ he praied that it might not raine vpon the earth and it rained not for three yeres and sixe monethes ✠verse 18 And * he praied againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth yelded her fruite ✠verse 19 My brethren if any of you shal erre from the truth a man conuert him ✠verse 20 he must know that he vvhich maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his vvay ″ shal saue his soule from death and couereth a multitude of sinnes ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 4. The hire To vvithhold from the poore or labourer the hire or vvages that is due or promised to him for his seruice or vvorke done is a great iniquitie and one of those fiue sinnes vvhich in holy Vvrite be said to call for vengeance at Gods hand as vve see here They be called in the Catechisme Sinnes crying to heauen The other foure be Murder Gen. 18 v. 20. Vsurie Exod. 22. v. 27. The sinne against nature Gen. 18. v. 20. The oppression and vexation of vvidovves pupilles strangers and such like Ib. Exod. 3. v. 9. 12. Svveare not He forbiddeth not al othes as the Anabaptists falsely say for in iustice and iudgement vve may be by our lavvful Magistrate put to svveare and may lavvfully take an othe as also for the aduantaging of any necessarie truth vvhen time and place require but the custom of svvearing and al vaine light and vnnecessarie othes in our daily speache do displease God highly and are here forbidden by the Apostle as also by our Sauiour Mat. 5. 14. Let him bring in the Priests The Protestants for their special hatred of the holy order of Priesthod as els vvhere often so here they corrupt the text euidently translating Presbyteros elders As though the Apostle had meant men of age and not such as vvere by holy office Priests S. Chrysostom vvho knevv the sense and signification of the Greeke vvord according to the Ecclesiastical vse and the vvhole Churches iudgement better then any Protestant aliue taketh it plainely for Sacerdotes that is Priests li. 3 de Sacerdotio prope initium And if they confesse that it is a vvord of office vvith them also though they call them Elders and not Priests then vve demaund vvhether the Apostle meane here men of that function vvhich they in their nevv Churches call Elders If they say no as they must needes for Elders vvith their are not deputed specially to publike praying or administration of the Sacraments such as the Apostle here requireth to be sent for then they must needes graunt that their Elders ansvver not to the function of those vvhich in
the Church militant may ioyne vvith the triumphant and vvith al the orders of Angels vvho also are present at the consecration and doe seruice there to our common Lord and Maister as S. Chrysostom vvriteth li. 6 de Sacerdotie and hâ— 1. de verb. Esa to 1. The Greekes call it the hymne Trisagies that is Thrise holy CHAP. V. 4. S. Iohn vveeping because no man could open the booke sealed vvith seuen seales â— the Lambe that vvas slaine opened it vvhich being done 8 the foure beastes and foure and tvventie seniors vvith an innumerable multitude of Angels al creatures did glorifie him excedingly verse 1 AND I savv in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne a booke vvritten vvithin and vvithout sealed vvith seuen seales ✠verse 2 And I savv a strong Angel preaching vvith a loude voice Vvho is vvorthie to opeÌ„ the booke to loose the seales thereof ✠verse 3 And no man vvas able neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke nor looke on it ✠verse 4 And I vvept much because no man vvas found vvorthie to open the booke nor to see it ✠verse 5 And one of the seniors said to me Vveepe not behold the * lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath vvonne to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof ✠verse 6 And I savv and behold in the middes of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the seniors a Lambe standing as it were slaine hauing seuen hornes seuen eies vvhich are the seuen spirites of God sent into al the earth ✠verse 7 And he came and receiued the booke out of the right hand of him that sate in the throne ✠verse 8 And vvhen he had opened the booke the foure beastes and the foure and tvventie seniors fel before the Lambe hauing euery one harpes and golden vials ful of odours which are ″ the praiers of sainctes ✠verse 9 and they sang a nevv canticle saying Thou art vvorthie o Lord to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou vvast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud out of euery tribe and tonge and people and nation ✠verse 10 and * hast made vs to our God ″ a kingdom ' and priestes and vve shal reigne vpon the earth ✠verse 11 And I looked and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and of the beastes of the seniors and the number of them vvas * thousandes of thousandes ✠verse 12 saying vvith a loud voice The Lambe that vvas slaine is vvorthie to receiue povver and diuinitie ' and vvisedom strength and honour and glorie and benediction ⊢ ✠verse 13 And ″ euery creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein al did I heare saying * To him that sitteth in the throne to the Lambe benediction and honour and glorie and povver for euer and euer ✠verse 14 And the foure beastes said Amen And the foure and tvventie seniors fel on their faces and adored him that liueth for euer and euer ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 8. The praiers of Saincts Hereby it is plaine that the Saincts in heauen offer vp the praiers of faithful and holy persons in earth called here saincts and in Scripture often vnto Christ And among so many diuine vnsearcheable mysteries set dovvne vvithout exposition it pleased God yet that the Apostle him self should open this one point vnto vs that these odours be the laudes and praiers of the faithful ascending and offered vp to God as incense by the Saincts in heauen that so the Protestants may haue no excuse of their errour That the Saincts haue no knovvledge of our affaires or desires 10. A kingdom and priests To serue God and subdue vices and sinnes is to reigne or to be a king spiritually likevvise to offer vnto him the sacrifices of good vvorkes is to be a priest after a sort though neither the one nor the other in proper speache See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v. 6. 13. Euery creature He meaneth the creatures in heauen as Angels and Saincts the holy persons in earth and those that vvere in Limbo or be in Purgatorie for of the damned in hel he can not speake in this case lastly of the peoples in Ilands here called the sea vvhich the Prophets vse often to name seuerally vvhen they foretel the spreading of Christs glorie through the vvorld as Esa c. 49. Heare ye â—â—andes and you people a far of c. CHAP. VI. 1 Foure seales of the seuen being opened there folovv diuerse effectes against the earth 9 vvhen the fifth seale vvas opened the soules of martyrs desire that the iudgement may be hastened 12 and at the opening of the sixt there are signes shovved of the iudgement to come verse 1 AND I savv that the Lambe had opened one of the seuen seales and I heard one of the foure beastes saying as it vvere the voice of thunder Come and see ✠verse 2 And I savv And behold a vvhite horse and he that sate vpon him had a bovv and there vvas a crovvne giuen him and he vvent forth conquering that he might conquer ✠verse 3 And vvhen he had opened the second seale I heard the second beast saying Come see ✠verse 4 And there vvent forth an other horse redde and he that sate thereon to him it vvas giuen that he should take peace from the earth and that they should kil one an other and a great svvord vvas giuen to him ✠verse 5 And vvhen he had opened the third seale I heard the third beast saying Come and see And behold a blacke horse and he that sate vpon him had a balance in his hand ✠verse 6 And I heard as it vvere a voice in the middes of the foure beastes saying Tvvo poundes of vvheate for a penie and thrise tvvo poundes of barley for a penie and vvine and oile hurt thou not ✠verse 7 And vvhen he had opened the fourth seale I heard a voice of the fourth beast saying Come see ✠verse 8 And behold a pale horse and he that sate vpon him his name vvas death and hel folovved him and povver vvas giuen to him ouer the foure partes of the earth to kil vvith svvord vvith famine and vvith death and vvith beastes of the earth ✠verse 9 And vvhen he had opened the fifth seale I savv ″ vnder the altar the soules of them that vvere slaine for the vvord of God and for the testimonie vvhich they had ✠verse 10 ″ and they cried vvith a loude voice saying Hovv long Lord holy true iudgest thou not and ″ reuengest thou not our bloud of them that dvvel on the earth ✠verse 11 And vvhite stoles vvere giuen to
those things vvhich are in it That there shal be time no more ✠verse 7 but in the daies of the voice of the seuenth Angel vvhen the trompet shal beginne to sound the mysterie of God shal be consummate as he hath euangelized by his seruantes the Prophetes ✠verse 8 And I heard a voice from heauen againe speaking with me and saying Goe and take the booke that is opened of the hand of the Angel standing vpon the sea and vpon the land ✠verse 9 And I vvent to the Angel saying vnto him that he should giue me the booke And he said to me * Take the booke and deuoure it and it shal make thy belly to be bitter but in thy mouth it shal be svveete as it vvere honie ✠verse 10 And I tooke the booke of the hand of the Angel and denoured it it vvas in my mouth as it vvere honie svveete and vvhen I had deuoured it my bellie vvas made bitter ✠verse 11 and he said to me Thou must againe prophecie to Nations and peoples and tonges and many kinges CHAP. XI S. Iohn measuring the Temple 3 heareth of tvvo vvitnesses that shal preache 7 vvhom the beast cōming vp from the sea shal kil 12 but they rising againe ascend into heauen 13 and seuen thousand persons are slaine vvith an earthquake 15 and as the sound of the seuenth Angel the soure and tvventie seniors giue praise and thankes to God verse 1 AND there vvas giuen me a reede like vnto a rodde and it vvas said to me Arise and measure the temple of God and the altar and them that adore in it ✠verse 2 but the court vvhich is vvithout the temple cast forth measure not that because it is giuen to the Gentiles they shal treade vnder foote the holy citie two and fourtie monethes ✠verse 3 and I vvil giue to ″ my tvvo vvitnesses and they shal prophecie a thousand tvvo hundred sixtie daies clothed vvith facke-clothes ✠verse 4 These are the two oliue trees and the tvvo candlestickes that stand in the sight of the Lord of the earth ✠verse 5 And if any man vvil hurt them fire shal come forth out of their mouthes and shal deuoure their enemies and if any man vvil hurt them so must he be slaine ✠verse 6 These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophecie and they haue povver ouer the vvaters to turne them into bloud and to strike the earth vvith al plague as often as they vvil ✠verse 7 And vvhen they shal haue finished their testimonie the beast vvhich ascended from the depth shal make vvarre against them and shal ouercome them and kil them ✠verse 8 And their bodies shal lie in the streates of the great citie vvhich is called spiritually Sodom and Aegypt vvhere their Lord also vvas crucified ✠verse 9 And there shal of tribes and peoples and tonges and Gentiles see their bodies for three daies and a halfe and they shal not suffer their bodies to be laid in monuments ✠verse 10 and the inhabitants of the earth shal be glad vpon them and make merie and shal send giftes one to an other because these tvvo prophets tormented them that dvvelt vpon the earth ✠verse 11 And after three daies and a halfe the spirit of life from God entred into them And they stoode vpon their seete and great feare fel vpon them that savv them ✠verse 12 And they heard a loud voice from heauen saying to them Come vp hither And they vvent vp into heauen in a cloude and their enemies savv them ✠verse 13 And in that houre there vvas made a great earthquake and the tenth part of the citie fel and there vvere slaine in the earthquake names of men seuen thousand and the rest vvere cast into a feare and gaue glorie to the God of heauen ✠verse 14 The second vvoe is gone and behold the third vvoe vvil come quickly ✠verse 15 And the seuenth Angel sounded with a trompet and there vvere made loude voices in heauen saying The kingdom of this vvorld is made our Lords his Christs and he shal reigne for euer and euer Amen ✠verse 16 And the foure and tvventie seniours vvhich sitte on their seates in the sight of God fel on their faces and adored God ✠verse 17 saying Vve thanke thee Lord God omnipotent vvhich art and vvhich vvast and vvhich shalt come because thou hast receiued thy great povver and hast reigned ✠verse 18 And the Gentiles vvere angrie and thy vvrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and to tender revvard to thy seruants the prophets and sainctes and to them that feare thy name ″ litle and great and to destroy them that haue corrupted the earth ✠verse 19 And the temple of God vvas opened in heauen and the arke of his testament vvas seen in his temple and there vvere made lightenings and voices and an earthquake and greate haile ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XI 3. My tvvo vvitnesses Enoch and Elias as it is commonly expounded for that Elias shal come againe before the later day it is a most notorious knovven thing to vse S. Augustines vvordes in the mouthes and hartes of faithful men See li. 20 de Ciuit. Dei c. 29. Tract 4 in Ioan. and both of Enoch and Elias Lib. 1 de pec merit c. 3. So the rest of the Latin Doctors as S. Hierom ad Pāmach ep 61 c. 11. in Psal 20. S. Ambrose in Psal 45. S. Hilarie 20 can in Mat. Prospet li. vltim◠de Promissionibus c. 13. S Gregorie li. 14. Moral c. 11. he 12 in Ezech. Beda in 9 Marci The Greeke fathers also as S. Chrysostom he 58 in Mat. ho. 4 in 2 Thessal ho. 21 in Genes ho. 22 in ep ad Hebr. Theophylacte and Occumenius in 17 Matthai S. Damascene li. 4 de Orthodoxa fide c. 27. Furthermore that they liue also in Paradise it is partly gathered out of the Scripture Ecclici 44. 16. vvhere it is plainely said of Enoch that he is translated into Paradise as al our Latin exemplars do reade and of Elias that he vvas taken vp aliue it is euident 4 Reg. 2. And S. Irenaeus saith it is the tradition of the Apostles that they be both there li. 5 in initio Dicunt Presbyteri saith he qui sunt Apostolorum Discipuli So say the Priests or Auncients that are the scholers of the Apostles See S. Iustine q. 85 ad orthodoxos Finally that they shal returne into the companie of men in the end of the vvorld to preache against Antichrist and to inutie both Ievves and Gentiles to penance and so be martyred as this place of the Apocalypse seemeth plaine so vve haue in part other testimonies hereof Malac. 4. Ecclci 44 16. 48 10. Mat. 17 11. See also Hyppolytus booke of Antichrist and the end of the vvorld
of the last iudgement but of the Sees or Consistories of Bishops and Prelates and of the Prelates them selues by vvhom the Church is novv gouerned As the iudgement here giuen can be taken no othervvise better then of that vvhich vvas said by our Sauior Mat. 18. Whatsoeuer you binde in earth shal be bound in heauen and therfore the Apostle saith What haue I to doe to iudge of them that are vvith out 4. And the soules He meaneth saith S. Augustine in the place alleaged the soules of Martyrs that they shal in the meane time during those thousand yeres vvhich is the time of the Church militant be in heauen vvithout their bodies and reigne vvith Christ for the soules saith he of the godly departed are not separated from the Church vvhich is euen novv the kingdom of Christ for els there should be kept no memorie of them as the altar of God in the communicating of the body of Christ neither should it auaile to hasten to Baptisme in the perils of death for feare of ending our life vvithout it nor to hasten to be reconciled if vve fortune for penence or of il conscience to be separated from the same body And vvhy are al these things done but for that the faithful departed also be members of the Church And though for an example the Martyrs be onely named here yet it is meanâ— of others also that die in the state of grace 5. The rest liued not The rest vvhich are not of the happie number aforesaid but liued and died in sinne reigne not vvith Christ in their soules during this time of the nevv Testament but are dead in soule spiritually and in body naturally til the day of iudgement S. August ibidem 3. This is the first resurrection As there be tvvo regenerations one by faith vvhich is novv in Baptisme and an other according to the flesh vvhen at the later day the body shal be made immortal and incorruptible so there are tvvo resurrections the one novv of the soules to saluation vvhen they die in grace vvhich is called the first the other of the bodies at the later day S. August liâ— 20 de Ciuiâ— c. 6. 6. They shal be Priests It is not spoken saith S. Augustine li. 20 de Ciuit. c. 10 of Bishops and Priestâ— onely vvhich are properly novv in the Church called Priests but as vve call al Christians for the mystical Chrisme or ointment so al Priests because they are the members of one Priest of vvhom the Apostle Peter saith A holy people a kingly Priesthod Vvhich vvordes be notable for their learning that thinke there be none properly called Priests novv in the nevv Testament no othervvise then al Christian men and vvomen and a confusion to them that therfore haue turned the name Priests into Ministers 7. Satan shal be loosed In the vvhole 8 chapter of the said 20 booke de Ciuitate Dei in S. Augustine is a notable commentarie of these vvordes Vvhere first he declareth that neither this binding nor loosing of Satan is in respect of seducing or not seducing the Church of God prouing that vvhether he be bound or loose he can neuer seduce the same The same saith he shal be the state of the Church at that time vvhen the Diuel is to be loosed euen as since it vvas instituted the same hath it been shal be at al time in her children that succede eche other by birth death And a litle after This I thought vvas therfore to be mentioned left any man should thinke that during the litle time wherein the Diuel shal be loosed the Church shal not be vpon the earth he either not finding it here vvhen he shal be leâ— loose or consuming it vvhen be shal by al meanes persecute the same Secondly he declareth that the Diuel to be bound is nothing els but not to be permitted by God to exercise al his force or fraude in tentations as to be loosed is to be suffered by God for a small time that is for three yeres and a halfe to practise and proue al his povver and artes of tentations against the Church and her children and yet not to preuaile against them Thirdly this Doctor shevveth by vvhat great mercie our Lord hath tied Satan and abridged his povver during the vvhole millenarie or thousand yeres vvhich is al the time of the nevv Testament vntil then vvith vvhat vvisedom he permitteth him to breake loose that litle time of three yeres and sixe moneths tovvard the later day vvhich shal be the reigne of Antichrist Lastly he shevveth vvhat kinde of men shal be most subiect to the Diuels seductioÌ„ euen such as novv by tentation of Heretikes goe out of the Church and vvho shal auoid it By al vvhich vve may confute diuers false expositioÌ„s of old late Heretikes first the auÌ„cient sect of the Millenaries that grounded vpon these thousand yeres named by the Prophet this heresie that there should be so many yeres after the resurrectioÌ„ of our bodies in vvhich vve should reigne vvith Christ in this vvorld in our bodies in al delites and pleasures corporal of meates drinkes and such like vvhich they called the first resurrection of vvhich heresie Cerinthus vvas the author Epiph. haer 77. in fine Hiero. Câ—mment in c. 19 Mat. August har 8 ad Quodvulâ— Deum Eusâ—bius also li. 3 historia c. 33 shevveth that some principal men vvere in part though after a more honest maner coÌ„cerning those corporal delicacies of the same opinion by misconstruction of these vvordes of S. Iohn Vvhereby vve learne and al the vvorld may perceiue the holy Scriptures to be hard vvhen so great clerkes did erre and that there is no securitie but in that sense vvhich the Church allovveth of The late Heretikes also by the said S. Augustines vvordes are fully refuted affirming not only that the Church may be seduced in that great persecution of the Diuels loosing but that it hath been seduced euen a great peece of this time vvhen the Diuel is bound holding that the very true Church may erre or fall from truth to errour and idolatrie yea vvhich is more blasphemie that the cheefe gouernour of the Church is Antichrist him self and the very Church vnder him the vvhooâ—e of Babylon and that this Antichrist vvhich the Scriptures in so many places and here plainely by S. Augustines exposition testifie shal reigne but a small time and that tovvard the last iudgement hath been reuealed long sithence to be the Pope him self Christs ovvne Vicar and that he hath persecuted the Saincts of their secte for these thousand yeres at the least Vvhich is no more but to make the Diuel to be loose and Antichrist to reigne the vvhole thousand yeres or the most part thereof that is almost the vvhole time of the Churches state in the new TestameÌ„t vvhich is against this and other Scriptures euidently appointing that to be the time of
much vnfaithfulnes by rules of place to embarte Christ of his wil or wisedom to be in the Sacrament how him self list and on as many altars or places as he liketh We detest for al that the wicked heresie of certaine Protestants holding quite contrarie to the Zuinglians that Christ according to his Humanitie is in euery place where the Diuinitie is which is both against faith and the common rules of nature and diuinitie 21. As my Father As when he gaue them commission to preach and baptize through the world he made mention to his owne power therein so here before he institute the Sacrament of Penance and giue them authoritie to remitte sinnes lest the wicked should aske afterward by what right they do such great functions he sheweth his Fathers commission giuen to him self and then in plaine termes most amply imparteth the same to his Apostle that whosoeuer deny the Apostles their successors the Priests of Gods Church to haue right to remitte sinnes should deny consequently Christ as man to haue authoritie to doe the same 22. He breathed He giueth the Holy Ghost in and by an external signe to his Apostles not visibly and to al such purposes as afterward at whitsuntide but for the grace of the Sacrament of Orders as S. Augustine saith and that none make doubt of the Priests right in remission of sinnes seing the Holy Ghost is purposly giuen them to doe this same In which case if any be yet coÌ„tentious he must deny the Holy Ghost to be God and not to haue power to remitte sinnes It is not absurd saith S. Cyril that they forgiue sinnes vvhich haue the Holy Ghost For vvhen they remitte or reteine the Holy Ghost remitteth reteineth in them and that they doe tvvo vvaies first in Baptisme and then in Penance As S. Ambrose also li. 1 c. 7â— de poenitentia restlling the Nouatians a Sect of old Heretikes which pretending Gods glorie as our new Sectaries do denied that Priests could remitte sinnes in the Sacrament of Penance asketh vvhy it should be more dishonour to God or more impossible or inconuenient for men to forgiue sinnes by Penance then by Baptisme seing it is the Holy Ghost that doeth it by the Priests office and ministerie in both 23. Whose sinnes Power to offer Sacrifice which is the principal function and acte of Priesthod was giuen them at the institution of the B. Sacrament the second and next special facultie of Priesthod consisting in remitting sinnes is here bestowed on them And withal the holy Sacrament of Penance implying Contrition Confession and Satisfaction in the Penitent and absolution on the Priests part is instituted for in that that expresse power and commission is giuen to Priests to remitte or reteine al sinnes and in that that Christ promiseth whose sinnes soeuer they forgiue they be of God forgiuen also and vvhose sinne they reteine they be reteined before God it folovveth necessarily that vve be bound to submit our selues to their iudgment for release of our sinnes For this vvonderful povver vvere giuen them in vaine if none vvere bound to seeke for absolution at their handes Neither can any rightly seeke for absolution of them vnles they confesse particularly at least al their mortal offences vvhether they be coÌ„mitted in minde hart vvil and congitation onely or in vvord and vvorke for Gods priests being in this Sacrament of Penauce coÌ„stituted in Christs steede as iudges in causes of our conscience can not rightly rule our cases vvithout ful and exacte cognition and knovvledge of al our sinnes and the necessarie circumstances and differences of the same which can not othervvise be had of them being mortal men then by our simple sincere and distincte vtterance to them of our sinnes vvith humble contrite hart ready to take and to doe penance according to theire iniunction For that authoritie to reteine sinnes consisteth specially in enioyning satisfaction and penitential vvorkes of praying fasting almes and such like Al vvhich Gods ordinance whosoeuer condemneth or contemneth as Heretikes doe or neglecteth as some carelesse Catholikes may perhaps doe let them be assured they can not be saued Neither must any such Christian man pretend or looke to haue his sinnes after Baptisme remitted by God onely without this Sacrament which was the old Heresie of the Nouatians Ambr. li. 1. de poâ—nit c. 2. Socrat. li. 7 Ec. hist c. 25. more then any may hope to be saued or haue his original or other sinnes before Baptisme forgiuen by God without the same SacrameÌ„t Let no man deceiue himself this is the second table or borde after shipvvrackâ— as S. Hierom calleth it Whosoeuer take not hold of it shal perish without al doubt because they contemne Gods counsel and order for their saluation And therfore S. Augustine ep 180 ioyning both together saith it is a pitiful case when by the absence of Gods Priests men depart this life aut non regenerati aut ligati that is either not regenerated by Baptisme or fast bound and not absolued by the Sacrament of penance and reconciliation ⸬ because they shal be excluded from eternal life and destruction folovveth them And S. Victor li. 2 de persecut Vandalica telleth the miserable lameÌ„tation of the people when their Priests were banished by the Arian Heretikes Who say they shal baptize these infants Who shal minister penaÌ„ce vnto vs loose vs from the bandes of sinnes c And therfore S. Cyprian very often namely ep 54 calleth it great cruelty such as Priests shal answer for at the later day to suffer any man that is poenitent of his sinnes to depart this life without this reconciliation and absolution because saith he the Lavvmaker him self Christ hath graunted that things bound in earth should also be bound in heauen and that those things might there be loosed vvhich vvere loosed before here in the Church And it is a world to see how the Heretikes wrastle with this so plaine a commission of remitting sinnes referring it to preaching to denouncing Gods threates vpon sinners and to we can not tel what els though to our English Protestants this authoritie seemeth so cleere that in their order of visiting the sicke their Ministers acknowledge chalenge the same vsing a formal absolution according to the Churches order after the special coÌ„fession of the partie But to conclude the matter let euery one that list to see the true meaning of Christs wordes and the Priests great power and dignitie giuen them by the same wordes and other marke wel these wordes of S. Chrysostome For saith he they that dvvel on the earth and conucrsein it to them is commission giuen to dispense those things that are in heauen to them is it giuen to haue the povver vvhich God vvould not to be giuen neither to Angels nor Archangels for neither to them vvas it said whatsoeuer you shal binde in earth