downe granted you or else your conclusion carieth not so much as anie shew or likelihood of following That diuers take this Angell to be Christ you your selues confesse and that Christ is many times in scriptures called an Angell I am sure you will not denie That one Angell offereth and not many what can it signifie but that we haue one mediator not many and if we haue but one then why may not Christ be he That of the 24. elders in the fift chapter is a vision of the saints vpon the earth offering their owne praiers For Iohn in that chapter doth not describe the state of the church as it shall be in heauen but as it is héere vpon the earth and therefore setteth it downe magnifieng and praising the lambe by whom the booke was opened that is Gods will in his word reuealed and made knowen But you did well to tell vs that saints héere are taken for holy persons vpon earth for your blind schollers do not imagine that there be any saints but those which are dead and gone and which the pope hath canonized and are to be found in his calendar If the superior saints offer the praiers of the inferior then we néed to learne the orders of saints and Angels in heauen that we go not to them that themselues néed the helpe and intercession of others But who can so tell vs that we may beléeue him You say it is not against the scriptures If it be scripture that telleth vs that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes and that we haue one mediator then multitude of mediators and aduocates is against scripture We dare not beléeue your dreames which are no where warranted in the word And we maruell not that you thinke it no derogation to Christ to take away his mediatorship of intercession when you make him but halfe a redéemer and halfe a sauiour As for that of Raphaell it may serue to deceiue your simple followers withall but not to confirme any matter of controuersie against your learned aduersaries who know it not to be canonicall scriptures Apoc. 9◠1. The text And the fift Angell sounded with the trumpet and I saw ⸫ a star to haue fallen from heauen vpon the earth and there was giuen to him the key of the pit of bottomlesse depth The note Most vnderstand all this of heretikes The fall of an archheretike as Arius Luther and Caluin out of the Church of God which haue the key of hell to open and bring foorth all the old condemned heresies buried before in the depth The answer And we also vnderstand this of archheretikes But as you erre in your iudgement of heresie so you set them downe for archheretikes who were not but principall and woorthie ministers of God in his church Your odious coupling of Luther and Caluin with Arius is ridiculous when neither they had nor held any of Arius heresies It is true and signified by the star that heretikes rise of those that haue béen of great account amongst Christians and therfore haue the more opportunitie to deceiue with and become sectmasters as the bishops of Rome who were sometimes most highly and woorthily estéemed and now are become apostataes These as they rightfully challenge to themselues the keies of hell so haue they let abroad in a maner al condemned heresies Ebions heresie in denieng that faith alone sufficeth for iustification Montanus heresie in making lawes for fasting daies The Manichées heresie in forbidding priests to marrie and so consequently of most heresies one péece or other Apoc. 9. 3. The text And from the smoke of the pit there issued foorth ⸫ locusts into the earth and power was giuen to them as the scorpions of the earth haue power And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree but onely men which haue not the signe of God in their foreheads The note Innumerable petie heretikes following their maisters after the opening and smoke of the bottomlesse pit The answer The innumerable locusts that deuour the wealth of the earth and with their vaine speculatious sting and poison those which loue not the truth are by the pope let out of hell and haue sparsed ouer the christian world in infinite multitudes as both his schoolemen and the sundry and diuers orders of his religious do testifie For what estimate may be made of the whole number when only one order namely the Franciscane friers were able to spare to the pope thirtie thousand able men to beare armour at one time Apoc. 9. 11. The text And they had ouer them a king the angell of the bottomlesse depth whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon The note The cheefe master of heretikes The answer You say that in English his name is destroyer We sée then the diuell who was an homicide and a destroier from the beginning is this king and captaine ouer the archheretike and his locustes and that they vnder him worke the great and mightie destruction of men which here is prophesied And this agréeth with the prediction of the apostle Paule That antichrist should come by the working of sathan with all power and signes and lieng woonders The pope therefore and his cleargie haue both a mightie and a cunning king and captaine to conduct them to destroy and to be destroied Apoc. 9. 20. The text ⸫ And the rest of men which were not slaine with these plagues neither ⸫ haue done penance from the works of their hands not to adore deuils and idols of gold siuer and brasse and stone and wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke and haue not done penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts The note Pagans infidels and sinfull impenitent catholikes must be condemned also This phrase being the like both in Greeke and Latin signifieth such sorrowfull and penall repentance as causeth a man to forsake his former sinnes and to depart from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the same phrase cap. 2. 21. 22. Acts. 8. 22. The answer Your two notes being both out of one sentence which could not well be deuided I haue coupled togither And bicause I am sure that by catholikes you meane none other but papists therefore you do well to couple them with pagans infidels For touching saluation and damnation they stand all in one state case that is in the state of damnation except they repent As for your phrase which you make so much a doo about it hath alreadie béen diuers tunes examined prooued that your imagined satisfactorie penance can not be gathered out of it Otherwise we do think that repentance to be but counterfet which wanteth the testimonies of true repentance doth not cause men to forsake their former sins and to depart from them But I pray you tell me your images of gold siluer
thing or such a thing in the scriptures is also in your church seruice It were too great a disgrace for you to say or sing in plaine English praise yée the Lord. Apoc. 19. 7. The text Let vs be glad and reioice and giue glorie to him bicause ⸫ the marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hir selfe The note At this day shall the whole church of the elect be finally and perfectly ioined vnto Christ in marriage inseparable The answer In the meane space we had néed to take great héed of being seduced by your perswasions and so of forsaking Christ and coupling our selues to another man that is to the pope which is both the popes and yours whole endeuors Apoc. 19 9. The text And he said to me write Blessed be they that are called to the ⸫ supper of the marriage of the Lambe The note That is the feast of eternall life prepared for his spouse the church The answer And not for you which imbrace another head and spouse in his stéede to whom you haue giuen greater preheminence then to Christ himselfe Apoc. 19. 13. The text And he was clothed with a garment sprinckled with blood and his name is called the word of God The note The second person in Trinitie the Sonne or the word of God which was made flesh Io. 1. The answer Who shall confound antichrist and all the power of the earth which taketh his part euen with the sword that procéedeth out of his mouth Apoc. 19. 16. The text And he hath in his garment and in his thigh written king of kings and lord of lords The note Euen according to his humanitie also The answer Our Lord and Sauior Christ God and man after his resurrection is aduanced aboue all principalities and powers and euery name that is named in heauen and in earth Apoc. 20. 1. The text And I sawe an angell descending from heauen hauing the key of the bottomlesse depth and a great chaine in his hand The note See in S. Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit ca. 7. 8. seq the exposition of this chapter The answer Your referring men to the doctors sheweth that your care is not for ignorant men to profite them for they are not the better for this reference and the learned néedeth it not Apoc. 20. ◠The text And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was giuen them and the soules of the beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus and for the word of God and that adored not the beast nor his image nor receiued his character in their foreheads or in their hands and haue liued and reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres The note Quid in millenario numero nisi ad proferendam nouam sobolem perfecta vniuersitas praestitae generationis exprimitur hinc per Iohannem dicitur Et regnabunt cum illo mille annis quia regnum sanctae ecclesiae vniuersitatis perfectione solidatur D. Gregorius libro 9. moral cap. 1. The answer Your poore countrimen are greatlie beholding to you they are much the better for your note they vnderstand it as well and are edified as much by it as by your church seruice And for my part bicause you haue not vouchsafed to turne it into English your selues and bicause it toucheth no matter of controuersie betwixt vs I will also take mine ease and leaue it as I finde it Apoc. 20. 7. The text And when the thousand yeeres shall be consummate Satan shalbe loosed out of his prison and shall go foorth and seduce ⸫ the nations that are vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog and shall gather them into battell the number of whom is as the sand of the sea The note Saint Augustine thinketh that these do not signifie anie certaine nations but all that shall then be ioyned with the diuell and Antichrist against the church lib. 20. de ciuitate cap. 11. See Saint Hierome in Ezechielem lib. 11. The answer We agrée with Augustine that all enemies of the church are signified open as Turkes and such like priuie as the Pope papists and such like who vnder the name and title of Christ persecute the members of Christ which the text it selfe doeth plainlie insinuate which saith that they are the nations which are vpon the foure corners of the earth Apoc. 20. 11. The text And I sawe a great white throne and one sitting vpon it from whose sight ⸫ earth and heauen fled and there was no place found for them The note They shall then be new not the substance but the shape changed 2. Peter 3. See Saint Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit cap. 14. The answer That this is to be expounded of the innouation of heauen and earth we consent but I muse for whome you gathered your notes The learned without you know whither to repaire for resolution in their doubts The vnlearned can not consult with Augustine though they would These references to sée the iudgement of Doctors haue no profit but to make a shew of your reading Apoc. 20. 12. The text And I sawe the dead great and little standing in the sight of the throne and ⸫ bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is of life the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works The note The bookes of mens consciences where it shalbe plainlie read what euerie mans life hath bene The answer Our owne consciences and thoughts at that day shall either accuse or excuse vs. Looke therefore well into your consciences and take héede that you trust not too much and to farre to your Pope of Rome for it is well knowen that he is but a mortall man and not God Apoc. 20. 15. The text And ⸫ he that was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the poole of fire The note Such as do no good workes if they haue age and time to do them are not found in the booke of life The answer Your note is neither gathered out of this place neither warranted by anie other He that liueth to mans state hath age and he that liueth long hath time to do good workes but suppose they haue done none shal we cut frō them hope of mercie afore the last gaspe may not the like grace be shewed them that was graunted to the penitent theefe The time therefore of working must begin at their conuersion and true turning to God whether it be earlie or late otherwise this place sheweth nothing but that onlie the elect shalbe saued Others though in shew they haue led a painfull religious life though they shalbe able to say Lord haue not we done thus and thus in thy name yet shall haue answere depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew you Apoc. 21. 2. The text And I Iohn sawe ⸫ the holie citie Hierusalem new descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for hir husband The note The Church
to shift of the reasons that the Arrians gathered out of this place against the diuinitie of Christ. Mark 14. 7. The text For the poore you haue alwaies with you and when you wil you may do them good But ⸫ me you haue not alwaies The note We haue not Christ here needing our almes as when he conuersed vpon the earth The answer And why haue we héere no doctors Bicause this shift to expound this text so that it should not make against the bodilie presence of Christ in the Sacrament is a late deuise It is true that if he be not here in bodie then it is not possible for him to néede reléefe But let vs see how your faith in this point agréeth with the ancient Christian Catholike faith Augustine willeth Dardanus to hold this Christian confession That Christ rose from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hande of the Father shall come from none other place but from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead and that he shall so come as the angels voice testified euen as he was séene go into heauen that is in the same forme and substance of flesh to the which he truly gaue immortalitie and tooke not away nature According to this forme he is not to be thought diffused euery where Fulgentius affirmeth that Christ according to the humane nature is comprehended in a place absent from heauen when he was vpon the earth and forsaking the earth when he ascended into heauen Uigilius writing against the heretike Eutiches saith that Christ is with vs and not with vs. For those whom he left and from whom he departed in his humanitie he did not leaue nor forsake in his diuinitie By forme of a seruant which he took from vs into heauen he is absent from c. And in another place when he hath prooued him to be euerie where according to his diuinitie and but in one place at once according to his humanitie he concludeth thus This is the faith and confession Catholike which the Apostles deliuered Martyres did confirme and the faithfull hitherto haue held And concerning these very words Me you shal not haue alwaies Augustine expoundeth them simplie to be ment of his bodily absence from the earth Now let our papists tell vs how their faith can be Christian and Catholike being directly against that which in these fathers daies was Christian and Catholike Mark 14. 23. The text And taking the chalice giuing thanks he gaue to them and they ⸫ all dranke of it The note All dranke to wit all the twelue for more were not present Wherebie it is euident that the words in Saint Matthew 26 27 Drinke ye al of this were spoken to all the apostles onely which here are said that they all did drinke And so it is no generall commandement to all men The answer And why haue we not here one doctor to say for you that Drinke yée all is not so general a commandement as Take and eate Can that be a catholike exposition which is contrarie to all expositions of catholike expositors for many hundred yéeres after Christ Take and eate stretcheth to laie men as the practise of your church doth shew And Drinke yée all that must be restreined to priests bicause no more but y e Apostles were present And if that cause be of force why shall it not restraine the other commandement also Take and eate to priests onely But the holy Ghost foreséeing what popish corruptions the diuell would bring into the Church did afore hand the more fully to preuent the diuels fraud héerein direct the pens of the Euangelists in the giuing of the cup to expresse the vniuersall signe all where in deliuerie of the bread he is content with an indefinite spéech take and eate Heere all antiquitie is vtterly against poperie Their doctrine of concomitance was not in the fathers daies hatched neither had they wit ynough to foresée the danger of spilling and hanging in lay mens beards and such other déepe considerations as the pope picked out long after out of his night cap. Mark 14. 25. The text Amen I saie to you that now I will not drinke of the fruits ⸫ of the vine vntill that daie when I shall drinke it new in the kingdome of God The note See annotations vpon Matthew chap. 26. vers 29. The answer Your annotations are not woorth the looking on yet such as they are they shall receiue answer by themselues Mark 14. 64. The text Who all ⸫ condemned him to be guiltie of death The note Here we may see that they were worthily reprobated and forsaken according to our sauiours prediction by the parable Mark. 12. The kingdome of God shall be taken from you c. The answer Their successors in impietie blasphemie and crueltie Annas and Caiphas of Rome and their adherents cannot be in better estate for they with no lesse consent and vnitie haue condemned Christ in his members and his truth for heresie and blasphemie Mark 14. 66. The text And when Peter was in the courte beneath there commeth one of the ⸫ woman seruants of the high priest The note He feareth not afterward Rome the ladie of the worlde that in the house of Caiphas was afraid of the high priests wench Leo in natiuitate Petri Pauli sermone 1. The answer In this weake fearefulnes of Peter we may sée our owne frailtie and in the change that God after made in him when he had indued him and others with vertue from aboue the power by which God can and doeth worke in weake and fraile vessels Rome was the ladie of the worlde therefore not the head of the church a place fearfull to the godlie or els Peters valure in not fearing of it had not béene commendable Marke 1◠29. The text And they that passed by blasphemed him wagging their heades and saying Vah he that destroyeth the temple and in three dayes buildeth it ⸫ saue thy selfe comming downe from the crosse The note So say heretikes of the blessed Sacrament if it be Christ let him saue him selfe from all iniuries The answer We whome it pleaseth you to call heretikes learne not from the scornefull Iewes but from good Ioash the father of Gedeon that your bread is not God bicause it can not plead for it selfe nor reuenge it selfe But you haue a god and a religion alike both of your owne creation Marke 15. 34. The text My God my God why hast thou ⸫ forsaken me The note See Matth. cap. 27. 46. the blasphemous exposition of Caluine and his followers and take heede thereof The answer Sée the exposition reape comfort thereof and learne with hart and minde to detest and abhorre the impudent and shamelesse pennes of lying papistes Marke 16. 7. The text But go tell his disciples ⸫ Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee The note Peter is named in speciall as often els where for prerogatiue The answer A poore prerogatiue it
ought thereby to haue espied their owne error in imagining that Christ was no more but a méere man Such remission as Christ gaue his church power to vse is in daily practise amongst vs and for my part I know no professor of the Gospel that findeth fault with it but your proud presumption beyond any authority giuen to the church of God in binding whom you list and loosing whom please you with your gainfull marchandize made therof that with all our harts we abhorre and detest Luke 8. 10. The text To you it is giuen to know the mysterie of the kingdome of God but to the rest in parables ⸫ that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not vnderstand The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 13. 14. The answer We haue alreadie giuen answer to that annotation Luke 8. 13. The text For they vpon the rocke such as when they heare with ioy receiue the word and these haue no roots bicause ⸫ for a time they beleeue and in the time of tentation they reuolt The note Against the heretikes that say faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had The answer If either you had the feare of God before your eies or els regarded your owne estimation afore men you would not thus without all cause cauill We say that those whom God by his owne wil hath begotten by the word of truth which is an incorruptible séed to beléeue in the name of his sonne and so to become the children of God it is impossible that their faith should bée quite lost and that he which hath not this faith neuer yet had it what is this to the faith here spoken of which is for a time a ioyfull and readie accepting of the doctrine preached and is therefore improperlie called beléeuing because it hath some similitude with true beléeuing But you make of the Scriptures an exercise to whet your wits to wrangle and cauill for such is your reuerence towards them Luke 8. 21. The text Who answering said to them My ⸫ mother my brethren are they that heare the word of God and doe it The note He did not heere speake disdainfullie of his mother but teacheth that our spiritual kinred is to be preferred before carnall cognation Hilar. in 12. Mat. The answer This néedlesse citing of the fathers you vse to deceiue the simple withall and to make them imagine that your aduersaries hold that Christ spake disdainfully of his mother For they do not thinke that you vse this and other authorities but onlie where you néed by that meanes to winne some credit to that which you write which in this matter was altogether néedlesse Luke 8. 24. The text And ⸫ they came and raised him saying Master we perish The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 8 24. The answer We haue for your pleasure lost so much labour as to looke into the place and there finde no such matter Luke 8. 43. The text And there was ⸫ a certaine woman in a fluxe of blood for twelue yeeres past c. The note See the annotations vpon Saint Matthew cap. 9. 19. The answer Your annotation is séene and shall be considered of in the answer to the rest Luke 8. 45. The text And all denying ⸫ Peter said and they that were with him Master the multitudes throng and presse thee and doest thou say Who touched me The note It is an euident signe of prerogatiue that Peter onlie is named so often as chiefe of the companie Marke 1. 36. Actes 5. 29. Luke 9. 32. Marke 16. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 5. The answer It is a very sillie argument Peter onlie is named ergo he is named as chiefe of the companie It is a poore prerogatiue that can be wonne for Peter by such kinde of reasoning The Apostles amongst whom he was conuersant knewe nothing of this his prerogatiue and superioritie as appeareth by their reasoning of the case diuerse times which of them should be greatest or chiefe And therefore it is plaine and euident that you want better helpes when you are faine to staie vp Peters authoritie with such weake proppes Luke 8. 50. The text And Iesus hearing this woord answered the father of the maide Feare not ⸫ beleeue onlie and she shalbe safe The note See the annotations vpon Saint Marke cap. 5. 36. The answer We haue looked and sée there a great péece of learning Forsooth that is an vsual spéech to saie onely do this when we meane chéefely To which we replie that it is most vsuall to saie onely do this when we require onely that which we speake of and no more And againe it is a verie sillie shift for you to flâ—e to chéefely in stéede of onely when in other places you will haue charitie chéefely required and preferre if greatly afore faith Luk. 9. â— The text And calling togither the twelue apostles he gaue them ⸫ vertue and power ouer all diuels and to cure maladies The note To command diuels and diseases either of bodie or soule is by nature proper to God onely but by gods gift men also may haue the same euen so to forgiue sinne The answer And why do you not saie euen so to create heauen and earth men and angels God doth impart to men whatsoeuer pleaseth him to giue and to bestowe and not what it pleaseth proud men to chalenge Shew to vs that God hath giuen any man authoritie to sell remission of sins Otherwise I haue alreadie answered that we vse this authoritie of remitting sins so farre foorth as God hath giuen it Luk. 9. 5. The text And whosoeuer shall not receiue you going foorth out of that citie shake of the dust also of your feete ⸫ for a testimonie vpon them The note A great fault to reiect the true preachers or not to admit them into house for needfull harbour and sustenance The answer But no fault to reiect traiterous and vndermining papists who secretlie stir vp subiects to murther their soueraignes the Lords annointed and to séeke the subuersion and destruction of their owne countrie Luk. 9. 16. The text And taking the fiue loaues and the two fishes he looked vp to heauen and ⸫ blessed them and brake and distributed to his disciples for to set before the multitude The note Here you see that he blessed the things and not onely gaue thanks to God See annot Mark cap. 8. 7. The answer Who can better tell what is ment by blessing then the holie Ghost himselfe who in the fiftéenth of Matthew in the sixt of Iohn expresseth the same by giuing of thanks Neither is there any cause or reason in this place why any farther matter should be thought or imagined to be ment by blessing And as for the seuerall blessing of the bread first and then the fishes afterward is but your dreame without warrant Your annotation shall be considered of with the residue of the same sort Luk. 9.
canons and constitutions are not better beléeued and obserued in your Romish church Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 1. The text The first treatise I made of ⸫ al things O Theophilus which Iesus began to do and teach c. The note Not al particularly for the other Euangelists did write diuers things not touched by him but all the principall and most necessarie things The answer That Luke did not write all things particularly we know but that he vnderstandeth by all all the principall and most necessarie things that we can not grant For the things which the Euangelist Iohn wrote and the other Euangelists omitted were not in any respect of dignitie or necessitie inferior to the other Therefore we vnderstand by all neither euerie particular acte and doctrine neither all the principall and most necessarie things but the whole and complete storie of his life beginning from his birth and ending with his resurrection and ascension Act. ◠5. The text For Iohn indeed baptized with ⸫ water The note Iohns baptisme gaue not the holie Ghost The answer Neither yet the baptisme of any other priest or minister Act. 1. 5. The text But you shall be ⸫ baptized with the holie Ghost after these fewe daies The note The aboundant powring of the holy Ghost vpon them on Whit sunday he calleth baptisme The answer Giue to euerie man his due praise and commendation and confesse that you borrowed this note from Master Beza vpon this place Act. 1. 13. The text And when they were entred in they went vp into an vpper chamber where abode ⸫ Peter and Iohn Iames and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew Matthew Iames of Alphaeus and Simon Zelotes and Iude of Iames. The note This visible companie was the true church of Christ which he left and commanded to keepe togither till the comming of the holie Ghost by him to be further informed and furnished to gaine all nations to the same societie The answer I pray you what companie of men vpon earth were euer inuisible We will easilie confesse that the church vpon earth is alwaies visible as these were visible They were but a few they kept close secret togither for a time the enemies of the church knew not as yet of their assemblies they did not glitter nor shine in the eies of the world by anie worldlie authoritie or pompe finallie here is no visibilitie but such as doeth well agrée to the secret and hidden church of God Actes 1. 14. The text All these were perseuering with one minde in praier with the ⸫ women and Marie the mother of Iesus his brethren The note The heretikes some in the text other in the margent translate wiues to wit of the Apostles most impudentlie knowing in their consciences he meaneth the Maries and other holie women that followed Christ as Luke 8. 2. 24. 10 See Beza and the English Bible 1579. The answer If you had not stirred vp the hatred of your blind followers against vs by the odious names of heretikes and impudent men the rest of your note had not béene woorth a rush First denie if you can that the Gréeke héere doeth not as indifferentlie signifie wiues as women and then let vs consider which translation the circumstances of the place fauour must First you can not denie but that manie of the Apostles and also other beléeuers héere gathered with them were married men that they had special care of auoiding whatsoeuer might bée offensiue or open the mouth of the wicked to speake euill which they had had great occasion of if the Apostles other beléeuers had left their owne wiues and liued in secret with other women And againe who can thinke that the Apostles and a great manie of the other disciples had not beléeuing wiues And if they had what reason shuld mooue vs to thinke that they were not more likelie to kéepe their husbands companies to be at the first assemblies of the church of God then other women If then Gréeke word may be so translated and the circumstances of the text lead vs thereunto why should you so crie out impudent and heretikes Actes 1. 22. The text Therefore of these men that haue assembled with vs all the time that our Lord Iesus went in and out amongst vs beginning from the baptisme of Iohn vntill the day that he was assumpted from vs ⸫ there must one of these be made a witnes with vs of his resurrection The note No small mysterie that the number of twelue Apostles must needs be made vp againe The answer You expresse not your mysterie and therefore we leaue your note as we finde it Actes 2. 14. The text But ⸫ Peter standing with the eleuen lifted vp his voice and spake to them The note Peter the head of the rest and now newlie replenished with all knowledge and fortitude maketh the first sermon The answer If you did not with colour of words go about to beguile the ignorant we would not stumble at your naming Peter the head of the rest but now because vnder that terme you would haue men vnderstand that supremacie and superioritie which you chalenge for the bishop of Rome therefore it is not amisse to shew how vaine your collection is out of this place Peter spake for himselfe the rest Ergo he is head of the rest Master Recorder speaketh for my Lord Maior of London and his brethren Ergo master Recorder is aboue my Lord Maior and the bench And where you say he maketh now his first sermon except you meane the first after he receiued the gift of tongues you are deceiued for he both preached when Christ was vpon the earth and afterward at the election of another into the roome of Iudas Actes 2. 27. The text Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in ⸫ hel nor giue thy holie one to see ⸫ corruption The note Who but an infidell saith Saint Augustine will denie Christ to haue discended into hell Epist. 99. As his soule suffered no paines in hel so neither did his bodie take anie corruption in the graue The answer And we also say the like and teach the people the true meaning and sense of that article as our Catechismes do sufficientlie for vs testifie If anie hath séemed to denie it it hath béene in that grosse and vntrue sense which you papists take it in in which sense Augustine beléeued it not For he disputing the matter to fro and setting downe diuerse opinions resolueth him selfe no way But he flatlie reiecteth your popish opinion that he went to the fathers which were in rest in Abrahams bosome and vrgeth against it the loosing of the sorrowes of hell mentioned in this present chapter Then they that are loath to beléeue they wote not what must learne of Augustine to examine other mens opinions so by what authoritie they confirme their iudgements and rest vpon that which they sée hath good ground and warrant As for hell in that
persecutors he promiseth to his worshippers his manifest intercession and suffrages in homilia S. Stephani And Saint Augustine Si Stephanus non sic orasset ecclesia Paulum non haberet ser 1. de Stephano The answer Euerie one séeth that it is a very foolish collection to gather a promise of intercession to his worshippers out of this praier for his persecuters and therfore it is not the authoritie of Eusebiâ—s Emissenus that can mooue vs except he bring better reason with him But you would haue your ignorant followers to thinke that Saint Augustine helpeth you in this case and therefore you haue set him downe in latine that they might not espie that his words make nothing to your purpose for who euer mooued doubt whether Saint Steuens praier did obteine at the hand of God mercie for some of his persecuters or els the conuersion of the Apâ—stle Paul but what maketh that for the intercession of saints when they are dead and gone Actes 8. 4. The text They therefore that were dispersed passed thorow â—uangelizing the word The note This persecution wrought much good being an occasion that the dispersed preached Christ in diuers countries where they come The answer God turneth all things to good to them that loue him and your persecutions also haue had the like effect of spreading the Gospel which though you sée and can not but confesse yet you furiouslie stil rage against God and stirre vp what princes you can to persecute the Gospell and the professors thereof 〈◊〉 8. 14. The text And when the Apostles who were in Hierusalem had heard that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent to them Peter and Iohn The note Saepè sibi socium petens facit esse Iohannem Ecclesiae quia virgo placet Arator apud Bedam in Act. The answer How chaunce you set not downe your note in English did you meane that no bodie should know it but such as could vnderstand latine If the ministerie of married men had not béene as wel accepted and liked of the church then as the ministerie of others neither would Philips dealing at Samaria béene so well allowed of as it was neither yet had saint Peter béene a méete messenger to haue bene sent about that businesse But Iohn was liked of bicause he was a virgin it well appeareth that neither Philip nor Peter were disliked bicause they were married But I praie you tell me what church now may be so bold as to send the Pope on their errand or about their businesse Either the Church then had greater authoritie then now and Peter lesse then his supposed successors haue now or els the Popes now are prouder and take more vpon them then hée did Actes 8. â—7 The text And behold a man of Aethiopia an eunuche of great authoritie vnder Candace the Queene of the Aethiopians who was ouer all her treasures was come to Hierusalem ⸫ to adore The note Note that this Ethiopian came to Hierusalem to adore that is on pilgrimage Wherebie we may learne that it is an accptable acte of religion to go from home to places of greater deuotion and sanctification The answer All that euer were Iewes borne or Iewes by conuersion were bound by the law of God to offer their sacrifices at IerusaleÌ„ at certaine times in person to appéere there before him Now if yoâ— can shew any of your places of pilgrimage so by God himselfe chosen sanctified for that purpose than we yéeld to you Otherwise your reason holdeth not as being drawen from worship commanded by God to will worship that is worship deuised by men Acts 8. 31. The text And he said Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things which thou readest Who said And ⸫ how can I vnles some man shew me The note The scriptures are so written that they cannot be vnderstood without an interpreter as easie as our protestants make them See S. Hierom Epistola ad Paulinum de omnibus diuinae historiae libris set in the beginning of Latin bibles The answer How easie do protestants make them Do they not take continuall paines to interpret the scriptures to the people They are hard but not all That it was not the custome of the church and people of God to fray men from them bicause of the hardnes of them which is the controuersie betwixt you and vs appéereth in that the eunuch read euen those scriptures which he vnderstood not And that God blesseth such endeuors of humble harted Christians appéereth also in that God sent him an interpreter of that which he vnderstood not And what can you gather out of Ierom to the contrarie of this Acts. 9. 4. The text And falling on the ground he heard a voice saieng to him ⸫ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The note The heretikes that conclude Christ so in heauen that he can be no where else till the day of iudgement shall hardly resolue a man that would know where Christ was when he appeered heere in the way and spake these words to Saul The answer We answer shortly and plainly as difficult a matter as you make of it that his bodie was then in heauen when his maiestie appéered and his voice was heard vpon earth What can you oppose to this Acts. 9. 18. The text And foorthwith there fell from his eies as it were scales and he receiued sight and rising he was ⸫ baptized The note Paul also himselfe though with the diuine and heauenly voice prostrated and instructed yet was sent to a man to receiue the sacraments and to be ioined to the church Augustine in doctrina Christiana in prooemio The answer You néeded much a doctor for this which euery man confesseth and no man denieth But it is euident that you hunt for nothing but vainglorious estimation Acts. 9. 31. The text The ⸫ church truly through all Iewrie and Galile and Samaria had peace and was edified walking in the feare of our Lord and was replenished with the consolation of the holie Ghost The note The church visibly proceedeth still with much comfort and manifold increase euen by persecution The answer God in the midst of persecution sendeth sometimes peace and rest to his as he hath done to his church of England to your great griefe whose rage and furie God hath bridled and to their singular comfort Acts. 9. 36. The text This woman was full of ⸫ good works and almes deedes which she did The note Behold good works and almes deeds and the force thereof reaching to the next life The answer Though this note be but sorâ—ly collected out of this place yet we confesse that the dead resting from their labors their works follow them and yet you neuer the nigher to the proouing of your merits Acts 9. 39. The text And Peter rising vp came with them and when he was come they brought him vp into the vpper chamber and all the widowes stood about him weeping ⸫ and shewing him the cotes and
deuotions The answer Héere is a blind quarrell to vphold blind deuotion of blind papists Why may not that which is deuoutly worshipped be called his deuotion that worshippeth Except you can prooue that the word deuotion ought not to be vsed but in good part which will be hard for you to do But this fond quarrell hath béene afore broched by Martinius and learnedly answered by master doctor Fulke Acts. 17. 24. The text The God that made the world and all things that are in it he being Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth ⸫ not in temples made with hands c. The note God is not concluded in temples nor needeth them for his necessitie of dwelling or other vses of indigence See annot c. 7. Acts. ver 48. The answer If God cannot be concluded in temples much lesse can he be shut vp in pixes or expressed by the art of your painters and caruers Your babish annotation I passe ouer to the general answer of the annotations Act. 19. 3. The text But he said in what then were you baptized Who said ⸫ in Iohns baptisme The note Iohns baptisme not sufficient The answer Conclude this out of the text if you can You thinke that these were baptized againe by Paule And we thinke that Paule onely instructed them in the doctrine that Iohn did teach them whom he did baptise Your error groweth in referring the participle that signifieth they hearing to these to whom Paule speaketh to where as it ought to be referred to them that heard the doctrine of Iohn and were baptized by him Which reference maketh the text plaine and taketh away a number of scruples and doubts which rise vpon the other reference Acts. 19. 4. The text Hearing these things they were baptized in the name of our Lord Iesus The note Christs baptisme necessarie The answer And who doubeth of that Acts. 19. 6. The text And when Paule had imposed ⸫ hands on them the holie Ghost came vpon them and they spake with toongs and prophesied The note Saint Paul ministred the sacrament of confirmation See ann c. 8. 17. The answer Saint Paule laide his hands on them the holie Ghost came vpon them and they were myraculouslie endued with the gift of toongs That this was the ministration of a sacrament we deny and you haue nothing to prooue it with all Your annot we refer as we haue done the rest Acts. 19. 18. The text And manie of them that beleeued came confessing and declaring ⸫ of their deeds The note They made not onely a geuerall confession wherin all men shew themselues alike to be sinners as our protestants do but euerie one confessed his proper deeds and faults The answer There was then no auricular confession or shrift Otherwise you slander the protestants when you make this difference betwéene them and these beléeuers For we hold that confession of sins in particular is also necessarie as appéereth in all enioined penances But the numbring vp of all a mans sins in particular as it is impossible so I holde also vnnecessarie Acts. 19. 21. The text And when these things were ended Paule purposed in the spirit when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Hierusalem saieng After I shall haue beene there I must see ⸫ Rome also The note Of taking awaie the Gospell from Hierusalem the head citie of the Iewes and giuing it to Rome the head citie of the Gentiles The answer This note is printed in a letter by it selfe that it may be noted aboue all the rest Therefore a man would thinke that it should be soundlie and substancially collected and gathered out of this place And yet here is nothing in this text once sounding towards the taking away of the Gospel from one and giuing it to another But we may sée that you can stretch the text on the tenters and make it stretch to what please you Acts. 19. 〈◊〉 The text For one named Demetrius a siluer smith that made siluer ⸫ temples of Diana procured to the artificers no small gaine The note The protestants translate shrines anno 1577. to make the people thinke that it toucheth the holie shrines of saints most corruptly in the Greeke signifieng plainly temples and that of heathen Gods The answer What name soeuer it had by reason of some similitude or portraiture that it was framed vnto yet the circumstances of the place are plaine that temple it was not But as your shrines and such superstitious toyes were gainfull to your workemen so these brought in dailie profit to Demetrius and his companie Acts. 19. 35. The text And when the Scribe had appeased the multitudes he saith Yee men of Ephesus for what man is there that knoweth not the citie of the Ephesians to be a worshipper of great Diana and ⸫ Iupiters childe The note Here heretikes adde to the text this word image more then is in the Greeke to put a scruple into the peoples minde concerning holy images The answer Small quarrels must serue where better want The addition of a substantiue vnderstood to an adiectiue expressed is when you you list an heinous fault I praie you tell me was it not the image or idole of Diana that was there spoken of And may we not now call an image an image We néede not put scruples into the heads of the people against your holie images for they detest and abhorre them And good cause why For sacrifices excepted what madnes did the Gentiles about their images which you did not about yours Acts. 20. 7. The text And in the first of the sabaoth when we were assembled to ⸫ breake bread Paule disputed with them being to depart on the morow and he continued the sermon vntill minight The note Saint Paul did heere breake bread on the sunday as it is broken in the sacrament of the bodie of Christ and had both before and after the celebrating a sermon to the people August ep 86. ad Casulalum Vener Bed in 20. Act. The answer To what purpose do you cite héere Augustine and Bede To prooue that the sacrament was héere ministred by the Apostle Paul We confesse it your proofe is superfluous Or to prooue that the sacrament then and there was ministred vnder one kind and no more That is a matter that neither of them euer thought of Paul brake bread doth it follow thereof that he did not minister the cup also Your maner of breaking bread was in their daies vtterly vnknowen and vnheard of Acts. 20. 17. The text And sending from Miletum to Ephesus he called the ⸫ ancients of the church The note That is priests as Act. 15. 4. See the marginall annot there The answer The word or name of priest being deliuered from your abusiue signification we abhorre not Your marginall annotat hath béene alreadie answered Acts. 20. 21. The text Testifieng to the Iewes and Gentils ⸫ penance toward God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. The note Apostolike preaching commendeth not faith onely
his office that is to offer propitiatorie sacrifice for vs. Hebr. 7. â—5 The text Whereby he is able to saue vs for euer going by himselfe to God ⸫ alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. The note Christ according to his humaine nature praieth for vs and continuallie representeth his former passion and merit to God the father The answer You would make vs beléeue that Christ was our priest onlie in respect of our nature directly against the worde and against this present place For the priests appointed by the lawe were men hauing infirmitie but our priest is the sonne for euer perfect where perfection is opposed to infirmitie and the sonne of God is opposed to men which sheweth the coupling of both natures aswell in exercising of his office as in his person But you of purpose in your translation haue omitted the worde men to obscure and darken the sense of the text Hebr. 8. â—2 The text We haue such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the seate of maiestie in the heauens a ⸫ minister of the holies and of the true tabernacle which our Lord pight and not man The note Christ liuing and reigning in heauen continueth his priestly function still and is minister not of Moyses Sancta and tabernacle but of his owne bodie and blood which be the true holies and tabernacle not formed by man but by Gods owne hand The answer Paule setteth Christ in heauen at the right hand of maiestie you set him in earth in the sacrament of the altar Paule teacheth that he continueth in his priestly function you haue appointed priests to offer propitiatorie sacrifice as if his priesthood were ceased Paule saith that if Christ were vpon the earth againe he were no priest you teach that he is againe vpon earth therefore your doctrine maketh him no priest Hebr. 8. 7. The text For ⸫ if that former had beene voide of fault there should not certes a place for a second been sought The note The promises and effects of the law were temporall but the promises and effects of Christs Sacraments in the church be eternall The answer This is plaine and flat Manicheisme If the high priest were a figure of Christ if Sancta sanctorum were a figure of heauen if the sacrifices of the old law were figures of Christs sacrifice then how can the promises or effects perteining to them be temporal The differences that I haue learned betwéene the sacraments of the law and the Gospell do not consist in diuersitie of promises and effects but in cléerenes number and time Cléerenes bicause that which then was obscurely shadowed is now cléerely reuealed number bicause they had a great multitude of sacramentall figures we as few in number and as effectual in signification as possible may be in time bicause theirs nursed in them the faith of Christ to come and ours confirmeth to vs the faith of Christ which is alreadie come and hath accomplished all things which are necessarie for our redemption Hebr. 9. 8. The text The holie Ghost signifieng this that the way of the holies â—as ⸫ not yet manifested the former tabernacle yet standing The note The way to heauen was not open before Christs passion and therfore the Patriarks and good men of the old testament were in some other place of rest vntill then The answer You dreame of a drie sommer Christ was alwaies the waie but Christ was not alwaies manifested or made openly knowne during the former tabernacle as now he is What maketh this for your dream of shutting the fathors out of heauen and causing them to go séeke another place of rest Was not Christ the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world And was not faith in his blood as auailable to the fathers as to vs Hebr. 9. 9. The text Which is a ⸫ parable of the time present The note All things done in the old testament and priesthood were figures of Christs actions The answer If all things done in the olde Testament and priesthoode haue relation to Christ and that which he perfourmed for vs then how are the promises temporall as before you said Liars had néed of good memories or els with one breath they denie and ouerthrow that which they affirme with another Hebr. 9 19. The text For all the commandement of the lawe being read of Moises to all the people he taking the blood of calues and goates with ⸫ water and skarlet wooll and ysope sprinkled the verie booke also it selfe and all the people saieng This is the blood of the Testament which God hath commanded you The note Heere we may learne that the Scriptures conteine not all necessarie rites or truthes when neither the place to the which the Apostle alludeth nor anie other mentioneth halfe these ceremonies but he had them by tradition The answer The Scriptures you say containe not all necessarie rites and truthes whie do you couple rites and truthes togither You know that we hold that rites and ceremonies may be variable according to diuersitie of times places and maners of people so the generall rules of Scriptures giuen to frame them by be obserued But truth is alwaies one and the same not to be found but in the word of truth and therefore though you could haue prooued that some of these rites were had by tradition yet it would not followe that anie necessarie truth were omitted in scriptures But let vs sée how doughtilie you prooue that forsooth halfe the ceremonies here spoken of are not mentioned in the place of Scripture to the which the Apostle alludeth nor in anie other place and therfore it can not be otherwise but he had them by tradition As you are true in this so I would you might finde credit in all things els first in the place by your selues quoted the reading of the Lawe the sprinkling of the people and the book with the blood of the sacrifices with the words here rehearsed are mentioned Then resteth water skarlet wool and hissope to be shewed els where In Leuiticus we finde that water was mingled with the blood which was to be sprinckled and that the sprinckle it selfe was made of cedar wood of hissope and of a skarlet lace Thus haue you one place for the sprinckling and another for the sprinkle and nothing héere at all by tradition which you so contend for Hebr. 9. 28. The text And as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement so also Christ was offered once to ⸫ exhauste the sinnes of manie The note By this word which signifieth to emptie or draw out euen to the bottome is declared the plentifull perfect redemption of sinnes by Christ. The answer When the holie Ghost by such significant and forcible wordes hath taught vs to ascribe our whole and full remission of sinnes to Christ what impudencie and shamelessenes is in you to ioine to Christ a number of trumperies of your own and as it were
15. The text But if you haue bitter zeale and there be contentions in your harts glorie not and be not liers against the truth for this is not ⸫ wisdome descending from aboue but earthly sensuall diuelish The note The difference betwixt the humane wisedome specially of heretikes and the wisedome of the catholike church and hir children The answer If a man compare the fruits of heauenly wisedome with the fruits of the wisedome of your church he shall find them as contrarie as white is to blacke All stories testifie that your church hath béene the author of most of the wars and contentions in Christendome these thrée hundred yéeres and vpwards Your bookes in praise of Sodomitriâ— your curtesans maintained in the eies and bosome of your most holy father and the beastly life of your priests testifie the chastitie of your church The mercie of your church the massacres of France and the Marian storme in England not yet forgotten do sufficiently shew I might go thorough the rest but peace chastitie and mercie wanting amongst you doth sufficiently shew your wisedome to be earthly sensuall and diuelish Iames. 4. 6. The text And ⸫ giueth greater grace for the which cause it saith God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble The note The boldnes of heretikes adding heere the word scripture to the text thus And the scripture giueth greater grace The answer The blindnes of you papists which thinke it a boldnes to set the nominatiue case before the verbe I pray you tell vs what it is that as saint Iames héere saith giueth greater grace if it be not the scripture But the place is plain the words afore and the words following do inforce that the word scripture must be supplied but there is none other cause of your wrangling in this but that you would haue euery thing left as obscure and darke as might be possible to fray poore men from studieng that which they cannot vnderstand Iames. 4. 8. The text ⸫ Approch to God and he will approch to you The note Free will and mans owne endeuor necessarie in comming to God The answer Why do you not plainly say that we must preuent and go before the grace of God by our will and our endeuor bicause Iames setteth our approching first That we know to be your meaning for that your sophisters commonly contend for But to answer you shortly we are commonly and vsually by the spirit of God exhorted to that which God must worke in vs therefore frée will is not prooued by those exhortations Iames. 4. 11. The text ⸫ Detract not one from another my brethren The note He forbiddeth detraction euill speaking and slandering The answer Uices wherein you set a great péece of your delight as in your annotations most manifestly doth appéere Iames. 4. 15. The text For that you should say ⸫ If our Lord will and if we shal liue we will do this or that The note All promises and purposes of our worldly affaires are to be made vnder condition of Gods good liking and pleasure and it becommeth a Christian man to haue vsually this forme of speech in that case If God will If God otherwise dispose not The answer If this note had come from Rome as it doth from Rhemes from Italie as it doth from France we should haue woondered how they teach others that which they haue not learned themselues It may be you know the common Italian prouerbe In despite of God And this I know that neither this good counsell of Iames was vsed in time of poperie and when in the time of the Gospell men began to leaue former corruptions and reformed their spéeches according to this rule the papists scorned at it and derided it as too much holines Iames. 5. 1. The text Go to now ye rich men weepe ⸫ howling in your miseries which shall come to you The note A fearfull description of the miseries that shall befall in the next life to the vnmercifull couetous men The answer But your religion giueth them hart of grace to contemne all threats for your father the pope will sell them heauen for mony â—ames 5. 7. The text Behold the husbandman expecteth the pretious fruit of the earth patiently bearing till he receiue ⸫ the timely and the lateward The note He meaneth either fruit or raine The answer It is an Hebraisme and therefore better expounded of raine than of fruit bicause the phrase is vsuall in the Hebrew and so vsually signifieth Iames. 5. 10. The text ⸫ Confesse therefore your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that you may be saued The note The heretikes translate Acknowledge your sinne c. So little they can abide the very word of confession The answer Héere is a knot sought in a rush To acknowledge and to confesse in English eares is all one That we cannot abide the word of confession is one of your impudent and shamelesse slanders from the which the vsuall and common vsing of it in our translations do sufficiently cléere vs. Iames. â— 20. The text My brethren if any of you shall erre from the truth and a man conuert him he must know that he that maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the error of his way shall saue his soule from death and ⸫ couereth a multitude of sinnes The note He that hath the zeale of conuerting sinners procureth heerby mercie and remission to himselfe which is a singular grace The answer You dreame still of mans procuring mercie and remission to himselfe by his owne works but S. Iames hath no such thing but onely this that the soule of the conuerted man is saued and his sinnes couered that is to say abolished 1. PETER 1. Peter 1. 13. The text For the which cause hauing the loines of your mind girded sober trust perfectly in that grace which is offered you in the reuelation of Iesus Christ. The note Chastitie not onely of bodie but also of mind is required S. Beda vpon this place The answer Then all chastitie doth not consist in single life for in mind none haue béene more impure than your single men 1. Pet. 1. 17. The text And if you inuocate the father him which without acceptition of persons iudgeth according to euerie ones worke in feare conuerseye the time of your peregrination The note God will iudge men according to euery ones works and not by faith onely The answer Who euer denied that in the iudgement of God that it may appéere as it is indéed iust the godly and vngodly shall be discerned a sunder by their works and yet you neuer the nigher to your merits 1. Pet. 1. 18. The text Knowing this that not with corruptible things gold and siluer you are redeemed from your vaine conuersation of your fathers ⸫ tradition but with the pretious blood as it were of an immaculate and vnspotted lambe Christ. The note He meaneth the erros of gentilitie or if he wrote to the Iewes dispersed he meaneth the
things which must be done quickly after these The note The second vision in which is represented vnto vs the glorie and maiestie of God in heauen and the incessant honor and praises of all angels and saints assisting him Which is resembled in the daily honor done to him by all orders and sorts of holy men in the church militant also The answer If all orders in heauen giue all honor glorie and power to God alone and his Christ how dare you then miserable caitifes part the glorie of mans saluation betwéene God and your selues Is that thinke you a resemblance of the incessant honor and praises of his angels and saints in heauen Apoc. 4. 6. The text And in the sight of the seate as it were a sea of glasse like to Christall and in the midst of the seat round about the seat ⸫ fower beasts full of eies before and behind The note These fower beasts and the like described in the first of Ezechiel by the iudgement of the holy doctors signifie the fower Euangelists and in them all true preachers The man Matthew the lion Marke the calfe Luke the eagle Iohn See the causes heereof in the summe of the fower Euangelists pag. 1. S. Gregorie in Ezechiel The answer The causes alledged why by the fower beasts fower Euangelists should be signified are in my iudgement very slender and friuolous But whether they be signified or els whether as other interpreters affirme they do represent Gods wisedome might diligence spéedinesse or facilitie in bringing all things to passe I will not contend neither with Gregorie nor you Apoc. 5. 1. The text And I sawe in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne ⸫ a booke written within and without sealed with seuen seales The note The third vision Saint Gregorie taketh it to be the booke of holie scriptures libr. 4. dialog 6. 42. The answer Saint Gregories interpretation doeth verie well please vs and I hope bicause you alledge it it can not dislike you we will therefore adde some thing which the text it selfe doth manifestly offer vnto vs to be obserued First in that it is written within and without it manifestlie appéereth that there is no roome left for your additions called traditions Secondlie it is fast and safe sealed that with seuen seales by which so diligent and so close sealing vp it is manifest that it is vtterlie vnlawfull to adde to diminish to alter anie thing for that to do in a sealed euidence is no better then méere forgerie Apoc. 5. 3. The text And no man was able neither in heauen nor in earth nor ⸫ vnder the earth to open the booke nor to looke on it The note He speaketh not of the damned in hell of whom there could be no question but of the faithfull in Abrahams bosome and in purgatorie The answer Surelie you can spie daie at a very little hole that can picke purgatorie out of this place he speaketh of men vnder the earth but he can not meane of hel and therefore he must néedes meane of purgatorie First graues are vnder the earth and therefore it may be he meaneth neither hell nor purgatorie But I pray you tell vs how do you know he meaneth not hell bicause it was out of al doubt and past question that among the damned there could be none found worthie to open the booke And doeth not the same reason prooue that he could meane purgatorie or Limbus patrum or may it be like to finde some worthier there then could be found in earth or in heauen You knowe well inough that your fond followers will not séeke to examine the truth of anie thing you set downe and therefore you dare deale thus looselie that euerie bodie that will not wilfullie be blinde may sée your absurdities But to leaue your follies I sée that you are amongst those to whom this booke is yet shut and not opened and therefore no maruell though you want vnderstanding Apoc. 5. 5. The text And one of the seniors said to me weepe not behold the ⸫ Lion of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid hath wonne to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof The note So did Iacob Genesis 49. call Christ for his kinglie fortitude in subduing the world vnto him The answer That Christ is called héere the Lion of the tribe of Iudah it is apparant but whether by allusion to that place of Genesis which you cite may be doubted but thereof I will not mooue anie contention Apoc. 5. 6. The text And I sawe and behold in the middest of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middest of the seniors ⸫ a lambe standing as it were slaine hauing seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirits of God sent into all the earth The note So Christ is called for that he is the immaculate host or sacrifice for our sinnes The answer By allusion vnto Moises law bicause the lambe appointed for sacrifice must haue neither maime nor spot Apoc. 5. 9. The text Thou art worthie ô Lord to take the booke and to open the seales thereof ⸫ bicause thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy blood out of euery tribe and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs to our God a kingdome and priestes and we shall reigne vpon the earth The note This maketh against the Caluinistes who are not content to say that we merite not but that Christ merited not for him selfe Caluin philip 2. verse 9. The answer Let vs then sée how this prooueth that Christ merited for him selfe Thou art worthie O Lord c. bicause thou wast slaine Ergo his death and passion was the cause of his worthinesse and made him worthie I pray you you I say that thinke this so inuincible a proofe and so necessarie a consequence tell me whether Christ being the eternall sonne of the Father were vnworthie this honor afore his incarnation and consequentlie afore his death and passion I suppose you dare not say that he was vnworthie before especiallie séeing he durst not aske of his Father greater glory then he was afore possessed of with the father If he were worthie before and so continued then could not his merits which came after be the cause of his worthinesse and so consequentlie he him selfe in our nature did not merit for him selfe this worthinesse which he had before But his honor and glorie to the which he hath aduanced our nature was a consequent of his abasing and the coniunctions in those places note rather an order and consequence then a cause Apoc. 5. 13. The text And euerie creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein all did I heare saieng To him that sitteth in the throne ⸫ and to the lambe benediction and honor glorie and power for euer and euer The note All the said creatures are bound to giue honor
not onely to God but also to Christ as man and our redeemer and so they here do The answer That the same honor glory and praise which is giuen to him that sitteth in the throne is also giuen to the lambe and that of all creatures both here and in other places manifestly prooueth that Christ as he was our priest and redéemer was both God and man For otherwise it had not béene lawfull to giue him the same honor and glorie which we giue to God Apoc. 6. 11. The text And white stooles were giuen to euerie one of them ⸫ one and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little time til their fellow seruants be compleate and their brethren that are to be slaine euen as they The note This one stoole signifieth the glorie and blisse of the soules onely but at the day of iudgement they shall haue it doubled by adding the glorie of their bodie also The answer We allow of this note as of our owne But is there nothing to be noted in the opening of the former fower seales and the horses and that this vision of the soules of the martyrs was deferred to the opening of the fift seale Is it not a declaration that persecution for religion for the testimonie of the truth should then haue his full force and swaie when the fourth monarchie grew to or toward an ende But if you would open your eies to espie this you woulde not so please your selues and delight in your persecuting church here shadowed or prophesied of 〈…〉 The text And I saw when he had opened the sixt seale and ⸫ behold there was made a great earthquake and the sunne became blacke as it were sackecloth of haire and the whole moone became as blood The note The tribulation that shall fall in the time of antichrist The answer As there be that enterpret this of the tribulation that hath or shall fall vpon the earth for the contempt of the word so comprehending the calamities that haue befalne since antichrist inuaded the papal seate so there be also that enterpret this of the end of the world and Christs comming to iudgement To whom I assent rather for these two causes One for that the signes here are the same which the Euangelists set downe to be signes of the end of the world The other bicause nothing but the sight of so great and excellent maiestie as our Lord and Sauior shall come withall to iudgement can daunt and in such order terrifie the great potentates and princes of the earth that they know not whether to turne them how to escape or where to hide themselues Apoc. 7. 3. The text Hurt not the earth and the sea nor the trees ⸫ till we signe the seruants of our God in their foreheads The note It is an allusion to the signe of the crosse which the faithfull beare in their foreheads to shew they be not ashamed of Christ. Saint August tract 43. in Io. The answer Christians in the primitiue church when the confession of Christ was ioined with worldly ignominie did to shew how little they were ashamed of Christ crucified signe themselues with the signe of the crosse But since you papists haue brought in so many foule abuses about the crosse that where papists are it is very dangerous to haue any vse of it Howbeit in this place what is meant by the signe or seale of God I thinke it safest to learne of Saint Paule who telleth vs that the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale that the Lord knoweth who are his Which knowledge of God causeth his to be safe at the last day when he executeth vengeance vpon the whole worlde besides Apoc. 7. 4. The text And I heard the number of them which were signed an hundred fortie foure thousand were signed ⸫ of euerie tribe of the children of Israel The note Of all the tribes put togither so many 144000. The answer To this I can say nothing but this your note is true your text is vntrue Apoc. 7. 5. The text Of the tribe of Iuda twelue thousand signed c. vnto the ninth verse The note He signifieth by these thousands and the multitude following all the elect of the Iewes to be in certaine number the elect of the Gentiles to be innumerable The answer Your collection for the number of the elect shall stand for me Apoc. 7. 11. The text And after this I sawe ⸫ a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and tribes and people toongs The note The elect of the Gentiles The answer This note might haue béene syared for they are starke blinde that cannot sée it without your direction Apoc. 7. 9. The text Standing befor the throne and in the sight of the lambe clothed in white robes and ⸫ palmes in their hands The note Boughes of the palme tree be tokens of triumph and victorie The answer These notes may be put amongst your works of supererogation Apoc. 7. 14. The text These are they which are come out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lambe c. to the end of the chapter The note The glory of martyrs The answer Which is more and greater than is possible for man to merit Apoc. 8. 3. The text And another Angell came and stood ⸫ before the altar The note The priest standing at the altar praieng and offering for the people in the time of the high mysteries Christ himselfe also being present vpon the altar is a figure of this thing and thereunto he alludeth The answer Now the masse is a figure of this vision the priest is a figure of the Angell and we must imagine Christ either hanging ouer the altar or lieng vpon the altar and to this saint Iohn alludeth héere And all this must néedes be true our Rhemists who cannot forge faine lie nor erre haue set it downe and we must receiue it on their credit And so their masse came from heauen as sure as they are honest men or as sure as if it were sealed with butter Apoc. 8. 4. The text And the smoke of the incenses ⸫ of the praiers of the saints ascended from the hand of the Angell before God The note If this be saint Michaell or any Angell and not Christ himselfe as some take it Angels offer vp the praiers of the faithfull as the 24. elders did chap. 5. For this word Saints is taken heere for holy persons on earth as often in the scriptures Though it be not against the scriptures that the inferior saint or Angell in heauen should offer their praiers to God by their superiors there but heerby we conclude against the protestants that it derogateth not from Christ that Angels or saints offer vp our praiers to God As also it is plaine of Raphael Tab. 12. 12. The answer Such premisses such conclusion You must haue that which you dare not certainly set
brasse stone and wood can they see heare or walke haue you done penance from the works of your hands or will you wilfully go to the diuell Apoc. 10. ◠The text And I saw an other angell strong descending from heauen clothed with a cloud and a rainbowe on his head and his face was as the sunne and his feet as a pillar of fier The note Christ the valiant angell is heere described The answer I maruell that you followed not your Liranus to expounde this of the bishop of Rome but that flatterie you are ashamed of though in other things you excéede him But the circumstances make it plaine his dignitie power strength his decking from top to toe the greatnes of his voice the brightnes of his countenance his vnused steps comprehending lande and sea togither can not well agrée to any other Apoc. 10. ◠The text And when the seauen thunders had spoken their voices I was about to write And I heard a voice from heauen saieng vnto me Signe the things which the seauen thunders haue spoken and ⸫ write them not The note Manie great mysteries and truths are to be preserued in the church which for causes knowen to Gods prouidence are not to be written in the booke of holie Scripture The answer Farre fetched and déere bought is good for ladies Iohn was forbidden to write Ergo they are kept in the church When you can prooue that your church knoweth those things which Saint Iohn was forbidden to write and those things which Saint Paule heard and sawe in heauen and might not vtter then will I beléeue all your vnwritten verities Apoc. 10. ◠The text And the angell which I saw standing vpon the sea and vpon the land ⸫ lifted vp his hand to heauen and he sware by him that liueth for euer and euer c. The note This was the maner of taking an othe by the true God as Deut. 32. The answer There were diuers and sundrie maners of taking othes by the true God which I do not thinke so necessarie here to be noted as that you haue taught men to forsake God and to sweare by those which are not Gods and as the thing which is héere sworne that is that time shalbe no more which is most necessarie for men to consider that they flatter not them selues with the eternall continuance of the world Apoc. 10. ◠The text And he said to me Take the booke and ⸫ deuoure it The note By earnest studie and meditation The answer You say well adde this I pray you that it is not onlie to be read studied and thought vpon but also in as large measure as we are able to attaine to vnderstood and laied vp in our harts Apoc. 10. 9. The text And it shall make thy bellie to be bitter but in thy mouth it shalbe ⸫ sweete as it were honie The note Sweete in the reading but in the fulfilling somewhat bitter bicause it commandeth works of penance and suffring of tribulations The answer The promises of the most gratious fauour of God and good life to beleeuers are swéete and delectable but that we must passe through manie and bitter tribulations to come to life to flesh and blood can not be but bitter As for your satisfactorie workes of penance which your mind runneth on are not to be found any where in this booke but your hart is alwaies on your half penie Apoc. 11. 2. The text But the court which is without the temple cast foorth and measure not that bicause it is giuen to the Gentiles and they shall tread vnder foot the holie citie ⸫ two fourtie moneths The note Three yeeres and an halfe which is the time of Antichrists raigne and persecution The answer But that these moneths are to be measured here by our ordinarie moneths that resteth to be prooued The onlie thing that we can learne by this is that Antichrists raigne shall not endure alwaies but in comparison of Christes raigne which shalbe eternall if shalbe verie short But how long or how short so euer the time is this is certaine and plaine against the papists that during Antichrists raigne the holie citie that is the church shall be troden vnder foote Apoc. 11. 7. The text And when they shall haue finished their testimonie the ⸫ beast which ascended from the depth shall make warre against them and shall ouercome them and kill them The note The great Antichrist The answer The bishop of Rome who though in the eies of the world séeme to preuaile and to kill the witnesses of Gods truth yet he can not do it till they haue finished their testimonie that is the time that God hath appointed them for the execution of their office Apoc. 11. 8. The text And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the ⸫ great citie which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt where the Lorde also was crucified The note He meaneth Hierusalem named Sodome and Egypt for imitation of them in wickednes so that we see his chiefe raigne shalbe there though his tirannie may extend to all places of the world The answer How faine you would turne mens eies from Rome to looke for the great Antichrist els where Séeing the names and other attributes are spirituall descriptions of this citie and that Rome resembleth Hierusalem in killing Christ in his members is like Sodom in beastlie filthinesse and like Egypt both in ambition and superstition and in indeuor to hold the people of God in seruitude and thraldom I sée not why we should still thinke that to be the great citie here spoken of Apoc. 11. 10. The text And the inhabitants of the earth ⸫ shall be glad vpon them and make merrie The note The wicked reioice when holie men are executed by the tirants of the world bicause their life and doctrine are burdenous vnto them The answer This is verie true and taught by dailie experience vnder the Pope and such tirannous princes as bend their might force and authoritie to aduance his dignitie Apoc. 11. 15. The text And the seuenth Angel sounded with a trumpet and there were made loud voices in heauen saieng ⸫ The kingdome of this world is made our Lordes and his Christes and he shall raigne for euer and euer Amen The note The kingdome of this world vsurped before by Satan and Antichrist shall afterward be Christs for euer The answer This last trumpet summoneth all the dead to rise againe and so to come to iudgement at which time all enemies shalbe destroied and God sole seazed in quiet possession for euer and euer of the whole world Apoc. 11. 18 The text And the Gentiles were angrie and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be iudged and ⸫ to render reward to thy seruants the prophets and saints and to them that feare thy name little and great c. The note To repaie the hire or wages for so both the Greeke word and the Latin signifie due to holie men proueth against
the protestants that they did trulie merite the same in this life The answer Whatsoeuer it pleaseth you to conceiue in your imagination that is by and by sufficientlie prooued The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath beene often examined and yet it could neuer be shewed that it alwaies signifieth hire or wages due and that for worke for that must be prooued afore merit can follow For that which is not otherwise due but by promise may prooue the liberalitie of the giuer but not the merit of the receiuer And thus your proofes prooue nothing but that brag is a good dog and doth diligently serue your turne Apoc. 12. ◠The text And a great signe appeered in heauen The note The dragons incredulous persecuting multitude and Antichrist the chiefe head thereof The answer You haue deliuered a briefe summe of this chapter in my iudgement both bréefly and truly Apoc. 12. 1. The text ⸫ A woman clothed with the sunne and the moone vnder hir feet and on hir head a crowne of twelue stars The note This is properly and principally spoken of the church and by allusion of our blessed Ladie also The answer There be some of your side which least they should be driuen to admit Ecclesiam latentem an hidden church wrangle hard for the contrarie and so your doctors are not agréed on the case Apoc. 12. 3. The text And there was seene another signe in heauen and behold ⸫ a great red dragon hauing seuen heads and ten horns on his head seuen diademes The note The great diuell Lucifer The answer Bicause my purpose is but to answer you where cause is and not to write commentaries therefore I will not meddle with that which might be noted vpon the description of the diuell vnder the forme of a dragon Apoc. 12. 4. The text And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heauen and cast them to the earth The note The spirits that fall from their first state into apostasie with him and by his meanes The answer The taile of the dragon be hypocriticall false prophets As dragons and serpents carie their venim that they sting and poison withall in their tailes so the diuell seduceth and beguileth by his false lieng prophets The stars of heauen cast downe to the earth are the most noble and notable men that séeme far to excell all others brought to be altogither earthly minded and to refuse celestiall things Apoc. 12. 4. The text And the dragon stood before the woman which was readie to be deliuered that when she should be deliuered he might ⸫ deuour hir sonne The note The diuels endeuor against the churches children and specially our blessed Ladies onely sonne the head of the rest The answer It is true that the diuell that is so great an enimie to the children of the church beareth also a speciall malice to Christ the head of the church and would haue deuoured him but could not And bicause he knoweth that he cannot otherwise hurt nor harm Christ therefore he séeketh to swallow and deuour vs Christs brethren by the séed of the word and mightie working of Gods spirit begotten and borne of the church to God Apoc. 12. 1◠The text And ⸫ they ouercame him by the blood of the lambe and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues euen vnto death The note When the Angels or we haue the victorie we must know that it is by the blood of Christ and so all is referred alwaies to him The answer You should haue said if you would haue spoken truly and so as much as please vs is referred to him For for to haue all referred to him is al that we contend and striue for Faith in his blood is the victorie whereby we ouercome the world and all our enimies The strength of nature the abilitie of frée will merits of our works crossing holie water indulgences pardons masses and whatsoeuer trumperie you striue for beside do nothing auaile to this Apoc. 12◠14. The text And there were giuen to the woman two wings of a great eagle that she might flie into the desert vnto hir place where she is nourished ⸫ for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the serpent The note This often insinuation that Antichrists reigne shall be but three yeeres and an halfe Dan. 7. 25. Apocalipse 11. 2. 3. and in this chapter v. 6. c. 13. 5. prooueth that the heretikes be exceedingly blinded with malice that hold the pope to be Antichrist who hath ruled so many ages The answer Master Saunders in his demonstrations hath as doughtily done for you as so darke proofes out of such doubtful places could suffer and hath already receiued answer sufficient at the hands of that learned and reuerend man Master Whitakers You know how doubtfully all expositors expound these descriptions of the time and must we néedes credit you that it must be taken according to our vsuall supputation As for the ages which you suppose your pope hath ruled you may cut off the one halfe of them which I am sure you imagine Apoc. 13. 3. The text And all the earth was ⸫ in admiration after the beast The note They that now follow the simplest and grossest heretikes that euer were without seeing miracles would then much more follow this great seducer working miracles The answer They which learne of them that preach the word truly and sincerely cannot be seduced by miracles Bicause they know and haue learned that whatsoeuer miracles serue not to the confirmation of that doctrine which is taught vs in the word they are but illusions of the diuell and lieng signes of Antichrist which God doth send permit and suffer to shew who they be which constantly cleaue to him and his truth But on the contrarie part it is no maruell though your followers be easily seduced and beguiled First bicause they be ignorant and know nothing secondly bicause they depend vpon men who as they say cannot erre and not vpon the word of truth and therefore beléeue many things wherof they haue no ground but either lies or illusions Apoc. 13. ◠The text And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemies toward God ⸫ to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those that dwell in heauen The note No heretikes euer liker Antichrist than these in our daies specially in blasphemies against Gods church sacraments saints ministers and all sacred things The answer Lay away lieng and speake the woorst you can truly of those whom you call the heretikes of these daies and I am sure you cannot prooue your slanderous spéeches by them But in truth none be so like Antichrist as the pope and you his friends Wherin we will report nothing maliciously by any of contrary religion vnto you deuised but truly testified reported and witnessed by friends and fautors of the Romish power in their stories and writings One poisoned his God another cast his God into the fire
another would eate his peacocke in despite of God another counted the religion of Christ a fable or a tale It were infinite to set downe all their blasphemies But if these blasphemed not then tell me what you call blasphemie Apoc. 13. 11 The text And I saw ⸫ another beast comming vp from the earth and he had two hornes like to a lambe and he spake as a dragon The note Another false prophet inferior to Antichrist shall worke woonders also but all referred to the honor of his master Antichrist So doth Caluin other archheretikes peruert the world to the honor of Antichrist and so do their schollers also for the honor of them The answer How faine you would turne all things from your selues to others The former beast comming out of the sea betokeneth all those kingdoms and potentates that haue opposed themselues to Christ and with force and violence sought to suppresse the kingdome of Christ. The second beast like a lambe betokeneth all orders of the papisticall cleargie who vnder the name of Christ and his church oppugne Christ and his church and reteine some similitudes of the old church to deceiue withall and are maruellous cunning artificers to coine forge feigne and counterfet miracles Apoc. 14. 1. The text And I looked and behold ⸫ a lambe stood vpon mount Sion and with him an hundred fortie and fower thousand hauing his name and the name of his father written in their foreheads The note Christ and the same number of the elect which were signed c. 7. The answer This is set downe for our comfort that we should neither be caried away by the vniuersality of them that are seduced neither terrified with the greatnes of the troubles and miseries wherewith the children of God are afflicted For howsoeuer in the eies of the world the pope and his séeme to preuaile for a time yet Christ and his elect stand vpon mount Sion which is a figure of his true church triumphing Apoc. 14. 4. The text These are they which were not defiled with women for they are ⸫ virgins These follow the lambe whither soeuer he shal go The note One state of life more excellent than another and virgins for their puritie passing the rest and alwaies accompanieng Christ according to the churches himne out of this place Quocunque pergis virgines sequuntur c. The answer You are the most grosse and the most carelesse heretikes that euer set pen to paper Were all the elect votaries and professed single life who can beléeue you Especially séeing the Israelites to whom this number here spoken of was in the seuenth chapter properly applied did desire earnestly and thought it a great blessing of God to haue fruit of their bodies It cannot therefore be otherwise but that virgins be héere called those which are not defiled with spirituall fornication in which sense Paule prepared the Corinthians to present them a pure virgin vnto Christ. Apoc. 14. 4. The text These were bought from among men the first fruits to God and the lambe The note This the church applieth to the holy innocents that died first for Christ. The answer Your church hath verie obedient children of you for if she say the crow is white you will beléeue hir For otherwise if you had eies in your head you might sée that she applieth this scripture at randon as she doth in a maner all that she dealeth withall For the circumstances of this place maketh it very plaine that the whole number afore spoken of are the first fruits to God and the lambe Apoc. 14. ◠The text And an other angell followed saieng fallen fallen is that great ⸫ Babylon which of the wine of the wrath of her fornication made all nations to drinke The note The citie of the diuell which is the vniuersall societie of wicked misbeleeuers and ill liuers in the world The answer If euill liuers be a parcel of this society your church of Rome must néeds haue her part in it I maruel what Saint Augustine meant in his daies to make Rome the vniuersall head of this societie and that Enochia which Cain built was a figure of Rome that being the first citie in time and Rome the first in dignitie the foundations of both being laide in blood the founders of both being murderers murderers I saie of their owne naturall brethren And that Babylon must néedes be here taken for Rome this maketh it manifest that you your selues cannot assigne any other citie that hath made all nations to drinke of the wine of her fornications spirituall Apoc. 14. 10. The text If any man adore the beast and his image and receiue the character in his forehead or in his hand ⸫ he also shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holie angels and the sight of the Lambe The note The great damnation that shall follow them that forsake Christ and the church and worship antichrist or his image The answer Into which stubborne and obstinate papists do headlong run and will not be reclaimed by any meanes Apoc. 14. 12. The text Here is the patience of saints which ⸫ keepe the commandements of God and the faith of Iesus The note Faith is not enough to saluation without keeping the commandements The answer This cauill hath béene often enough answered Obedience alwaies followeth a true liuely iustifieng faith and yet it is not our obedience that iustifieth and saueth vs. Apoc. 15. 1. The text And I sawe an other signe in heauen great and maruellous seauen angels hauing the seauen last plagues Bicause in them the wrath of God is consummate The note The tribulations about the daie of iudgement The answer The tribulations that God hath afflicted the world withall since the first spreading of the Gospell and shall afflict it with at any time betwixt this and the daie of iudgement Apoc. 15. 2. The text And I sawe as it ⸫ were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that ouercame the beast and his image and the number of his name standing vpon the sea of glasse hauing the harpes of God The note Baptisme The answer Least the greatnes and the multitude of the gréeuous plagues should ouermuch dismay the godlie the holy Ghost afore hande setteth downe their happy and blessed estate wherein they shall eternally ioie and reioice with God and his Christ that haue their eies fixed vpon that to the end they may the easilier deuour and swallow vp the great troubles and miseries of this life Apoc. 15. 3. The text And singing the ⸫ song of Moyses the seruant of God and the song of the lambe saieng Great and maruellous are thy works Lord God omnipotent iust and true are thy waies king of the worlds The note The song of Moyses and Christ is the new Testament and the old The answer This song is the ioifull
the bottomlesse depth and go into destruction The note It signifieth the short raigne of Antichrist who is the chiefe horne or head of the beast The answer I would it had pleased God to make it so short as you imagin it it had saued the blood of a great number of saints and bred quietnes in our daies but sith it hath pleased God otherwise God open our eies that we may sée know and take héed in time Apoc. 17. 12. The text And the ten horns which thou sawest are ⸫ ten kings which haue not yet receiued kingdome but shall receiue power as kings one hower after the beast The note Some expound it of ten small kingdoms into which the Roman empire shall be diuided which all shall serue Antichrist both in his life and a little after The answer I consent to them that interpret this of our kingdoms in Europe England France Spaine Scotland Nauar Denmarke Sweueland Beame Poland Hungarie which all haue serued Rome But the continuance of their seruice the beasts whole life and a little after is one of your dreames Apoc. 17. 1◠The text And the ten hornes which thou sawest in the beast these shal hate the harlot and shal make hir desolate and naked and shal eate hir flesh and hir they shal burne with fire For ⸫ God hath giuen into their harts to doo that which pleaseth him that they giue their kingdom to the beast till the words of God be consummate The note Not forcing or moouing any to follow Antichrist but by his iust iudgement and for punishment of their sinne permitting them to beleeue and consent to him The answer Of Gods working in the minds of men and of your foolish friuolous flieng to permission we haue spoken diuers times afore I cannot learne of you to speake otherwise than the holy Ghost hath taught me but héere it is manifest that those kings shall not serue the whoore so long as you dreamed of but that though by the iust iudgement of God they for a time gaue their crowns and dignities vnto Antichrist yet God hath alreadie altered the minds and wils of some of these and will when his good pleasure is alter the rest that they shall hate the harlot and make hir desolate and naked according to the words of this prophesie Apoc. 18. 7. The text As much as she hath glorified hir selfe and hath been in delicacies ⸫ so much giue hir torment and moorning bicause she saith in hir hart I sit a Queene and widow I am not and moorning I shall not see The note The measure of paines and damnation according to the wicked pleasures and vnlawfull delights of this life which is a sore sentence for such people as turne their whole life to lust and riot The answer Though this be properly spoken and meant of the paines and damnation of the whoore of Babylon yet it may be well extended to all those that after hir example excell in pride and ambition and other impieties For as they haue folowed hir in sinning so no doubt they shall follow hir in the punishment of sinne Apoc. 18. 9. The text And ⸫ the kings of the earth that haue fornicated with hir and haue liued in delicacies shall weepe and bewaile themselues vpon hir when they shall see the smoke of hir burning The note Kings and marchants are most encumbred endangered and drowned in the pleasures of this world whose whole life and traffike is if they be not exceeding vertuous to find varietie of earthly pleasures Who seeing once the extreme end of their ioies and of all that made their heauen heere to be turned into paines and damnation eternall then shall howle and weepe too late The answer Kings and marchants and all other that haue had hir in reuerence shal be astonied at the iudgements of God vpon hir and shall moorne especially all maner of shauen marchants bicause by hir decay they lose their corporall commodities For thereby their Romish marchandise wherein consisted their whole traffike becommeth dead ware and hangeth on their hands For that they haue no vent for it Apoc. 18. 20. The text ⸫ Reioice ouer her heauen and ye holie Apostles and prophets bicause God hath iudged your iudgement of her The note The angels and all saints shall reioice and laude God to see the wicked confounded and Gods iustice executed vpon their oppressors and persecutors and this is that which the martyrs praied for chapter 6. The answer All celesticall creatures togither with the saints of God are called to celebrate and shew foorth their spirituall ioie and gladnes for the destruction of the enimies of Gods church and for the notable reuenge that God hath made for the blood of his saints that hath béene spilled Apoc. 18. 21. The text And one strong angell tooke vp as it were a great milstone and threw it into the sea saieng with this violence shall ⸫ Babylon that great citie be throwen and shall now be founde no more The note By this it seemeth cleere that the apostle meaneth not any one citie but the vniuersal companie of the reprobate which shal perish in the day of iudgement the old prophets also naming the whole number of Gods enimies mistically Babylon as Ierem. cap. 52. The answer How cléere can any thing here make it that by Babylon one citie is not ment The whole number of the reprobate shall perish at the day of iudgement What then Doth that hinder that the head and principall citie of the diuels kingdome is not ment here by Babylon Babylon is taken in the scriptures mystically for the whole number of Gods enimies Ieremie 52. Babylon in that chapter is not named and though it be by circumstance desciphered I sée nothing why there also it should not be taken for the citie it selfe But howsoeuer it be taken there it is most manifest that here it must be taken for Rome For what other citie is situate on seauen hils what other citie hath had kingdome ouer the kings of the earth what other city hath made the nations to erre in her inchauntments and in what citie else may a man finde the blood of the prophets and saints that haue béene slaine vpon the earth So that the reasons that lead vs to vnderstand it of Rome are so many and so plaine that except a man would shut his eies against the light he cannot choose but sée it Yet this is farther to be gathered that the head and principall citie of the diuels kingdome can not fall without the ruine and fall of the whole kingdome Apoc. 19. ◠The text And againe they said Allelu-ia The note This often repeating of Allelu-ia in times of reioising the church doth follow in her seruice The answer And where all things in the church ought to be done to edifieng the people who vnderstand neuer a word are neuer the better neither for your Latine Gréeke nor Hebrew And yet you thinke it sufficient to tell vs that such a