Christ in so easie and perfect penance and cleansing of sinnes as that first sacrament of generation did yeld vvhich applieth Christes death in such ample maner to the receiuer that it taketh avvay al paines due for sinnes before committed and therfore requireth no further penance aftervvard for the sinnes before committed al being vvashed away by the force of that Sacrament duely taken S. Augustine calleth the remission in Baptisme Magnam indulgentiam a great pardon Enchirid. c. 64. The Apostle therfore warneth them that if they fall from their faith and from Christes grace and lavv vvhich they once receiued in their Baptisme they may not looke to haue any more that first great and large remedie applied vnto them nor no man els that sinneth after Baptisme though the other penance vvhich is called the Second table after shipvvracke vvhich is a more paineful medicine for sinne then Baptisme requiring much fasting praying and other afflictions corporal is open not onely to other sinners but to al once baptized Heretikes or oppugners of the truth malitiously and of purpose or what way so euer during this life See S. Cypriah ep 52. S. Ambrose vpon this place S. Augustine cont ep Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep 50. S. Damascene li. 4. c. 10. 10. God is not vniust It is a vvorld to see vvhat vvringing vvrithing the Protestants make to shift them selues from the euidence of these vvordes vvhich make it most cleere to all not blinded in pride and contention that good vvorkes be moritorious and the very cause of saluation so far that God should be vniust if he rendered not heauen for the same Reuera grandis iniustitia Dei saith S. Hierom Si tantùm peocata puniret bona opera non susciperet That is In deede great vvere Gods iniustice ◠if he vvould onely punish sinnes and vvould not receiue good vvorkes Li. 2. cont Iouin c. 2. CHAP. VII To proue the Priesthod of Christ incomparably to excel the priesthod of Aaron and therfore that Leuitical priesthod novv to cease and that lavv also vvith it he scanneth euery vvord of the verse alleaged out of the Psalme Our Lord hath svvorne thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec verse 1 FOR this ″ Melchisedec the king of Salem Priest of the God most high * vvho mette Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ✠verse 2 to vvhom also Abrahā deuided tithes of al first in deede by interpretation the king of iustice then also king of Salem vvhich is to say king of peace ✠verse 3 ″ vvithout father without mother vvithout genealogie hauing neither beginning of daies nor end of life but likened to the sonne of God continueth a priest for euer ✠verse 4 And ″ behold hovv great this man is to vvhom also Abraham the Patriarke gaue ″ tithes of the principal things ✠verse 5 And certes * they of the sonnes of Leui that take the priesthod haue commaundement to take tithes of the people according to the Lavv that is to say of their brethren albeit them selues also issued out of the loines of Abraham ✠verse 6 but he vvhose generation is not numbered among them tooke tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises ✠verse 7 But vvithout al contradiction that vvhich is lesse ″ is blessed of the better ✠verse 8 And here in deede men that die receiue tithes but there he hath vvitnes that he liueth ✠verse 9 And that it may so be said by Abraham Leui also which receiued tithes vvas tithed ✠verse 10 for as yet he vvas in his fathers loines vvhen Melchisedec mette him ✠verse 11 If then consummation vvas by the Leuitical priesthod for vnder it the people receiued the Lavv ″ vvhat necessitie vvas there yet an other priest to rise according to the order of Melchisedec and not to be called according to the order of Aaron ✠verse 12 For the priesthod being ″ translated it is necessarie that a translation of the Lavv also be made ✠verse 13 For he on vvhom these things be said is of an other tribe of the vvhich none attended on the altar ✠verse 14 For it is manifest that our Lord sprung of Iuda in the which tribe Moyses spake nothing of priestes ' ✠verse 15 And yet it is much more euident if according to the similitude of Melchisedec there arise an other priest ✠verse 16 which vvas not made according to the Lavv of the carnal commaundement but according to the povver of life indissoluble ✠verse 17 For he vvitnesseth That thou art ″ a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec ✠verse 18 Reprobation certes is made ″ of the former cōmaundement because of the vveakenesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof ✠verse 19 For the Lavv brought nothing to perfection but an introduction of a better hope by the vvhich vve approche to God ✠verse 20 And in as much as it is not vvithout an othe the other truely vvithout an othe vvere made priestes ✠verse 21 but this ″ vvith an othe by him that said vnto him Our Lord hath svvorne and it shal not repent him thou art a priest for euer ✠verse 22 by so much is IESVS made a suretie of a better testamēt ✠verse 23 And the other in deede vvere made priestes ″ being many because that by death they vvere prohibited to continue ✠verse 24 but this for that he continueth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthod ✠verse 25 vvhereby he is able to saue also for euer going ' by him self to God alvvaies liuing to make intercession for vs. ✠verse 26 For it vvas seemely that vve should haue such a high priest holy innocent impolluted separated from sinners and made higher then the heauens ✠verse 27 vvhich hath not necessitie daily as the priestes first * for his ovvne sinnes to offer hostes then for the peoples for ″ this he did once in offering him self ⊢ ✠verse 28 For the Lavv appointeth priestes them that haue infirmitie but the vvord of the othe vvhich is after the Lavv the Sonne for euer perfected ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 1. Melchisede◠The excellencie of this person vvas so great that some of the antiquity tooke him to be an Angel and some the holy Ghost Vvhich opinion not onely the Hebrues that auouch him to be Sem the sonne of Noë but also the cheefe fathers of the Christians do condemne not doubting but he vvas a mere man and a Priest and a king vvhosoeuer he vvas for els he could not in office and order and sacrifice haue been so perfect a type and resemblance of our Sauiour as in this Chapter and other is shevved 3. Without father Not that he vvas vvithout father and mother saith S. Hierom ep 126 for Christ him self vvas not vvithout father according to his diuinity not vvithout mother in
many other vvomen that came vp together vvith him to Hierusalem ✠verse 42 And vvhen euening vvas come because it vvas the Parasceue vvhich is the Sabboth-eue ✠verse 43 came Ioseph of Arimathaea a noble Senatour vvho him self also vvas expecting the kingdom of God and he vvent in boldly to Pilate and asked the body of IESVS ✠verse 44 But Pilate marueled if he vvere novv dead And sending for the Centurion asked him if he vvere novv dead ✠verse 45 And vvhen he vnderstoode by the Centurion he gaue the body to Ioseph ✠verse 46 And Ioseph ″ bying sindon and taking him dovvne vvrapped him in the sindon and laid him in a monument that vvas hevved out of a rocke And he rolled a stone to the doore of the monument ✠verse 47 And Marie Magdalene and Marie of Ioseph beheld vvhere he vvas laid ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 11. Cheefe Priests Heretikes abuse the ignorant people with these naughtie Priests of the old Testament to make that name odious and to discredite the Priests of Christ in the new Testament But for these Priests thou maist not maruel that they are so busy against Christ * partly because they were such as were intruded by the secular power of the Roman Emperour and from yere to yere by bribery and frendship not by succession according to the Law of Moyses partly because the time was now come when the old Priesthod of Aaron should cease and the new begin according to the order of Melchife dec and for these causes cod suffered their former priueleges of wisedom and iudgemeÌ„t and discretion to decay in these later vsurpers and that according to the Prophet saying The Law shal perish from the Priest and counsel from the Ancients But the Priesthod of the new Testament is to continew vnto the end of the world and hath as being the principal part of the Church the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost for euer promised to teach it al truth and for Peter the cheefe Priest thereof vnder Christ our Sauiour praied That his faith should not faile and to the rest he said He that heareth you heareth me â—â— To satisfie the people Pilate should haue suffered death rather then by other mens prouocation or commaundement haue executed an innocent as a Christian iudge should rather suffer al extremitie then giue sentence of death against a Catholike man for his faith â—6 Bying sindon This dutie done to Christes body after his departure was exceding meritorious and is therfore by holy write so often commended for an example to faithful men to vse al honour and deuotion towards the bodies of Saincts and holy persons CHAP. XVI The third day to three vvomen at his Sepulcher an Angel telleth that he is risen and vvil as he promised Mar. 14 28. shevv him self in Galileâ— 9 The same day he appeareth to Marie Magdalene aftervvard to tvvo Disciples yet the Eleuen vvil not beleeue it vntil to them also he appeareth 15 To vvhom hauing giuen commission into al nations vvith povver also of Miracles he ascendeth and they plant his Church euery vvhere verse 1 AND vvhen the Sabboth vvas past Marie Magdalene and Marie of Iames and Salôme ″ bought spices that comming they might anoint IESVS ✠verse 2 And very early the first of the Sabboths they come to the monument the sunne being novv risen ✠verse 3 And they said one to an other Vvho shal roll vs backe the stone from the doore of the monument ✠verse 4 And looking they savv the stone rolled backe for it vvas very great ✠verse 5 And entring into the monument they savv a yong man sitting on the right hand couered vvith a vvhite robe and they vvere astonied ✠verse 6 Vvho saith to them Be not dismaied you seeke IESVS of Nazareth that vvas crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place vvhere they laid him ✠verse 7 But goe tel his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shal see him * as he told you ⊢ ✠verse 8 But they going forth fled from the monument for trembling and feare had inuaded them and they said nothing to any body for they vvere afraid ✠verse 9 And he rising early the first of the Sabboth * appeared first to Marie Magdalene * out of vvhom he had cast seuen deuils ✠verse 10 She vvent and told them that had been vvith him that vvere mourning and vveeping ✠verse 11 And they hearing that he vvas aliue and had been seen of her did not beleeue ✠verse 12 And * after he appeared in an ″ other shape to tvvo of them vvalking as they vvere going into the countrie ✠verse 13 and they going told the rest neither them did they beleeue ✠verse 14 Last * he appeared to those eleuen as they sate at the table and he exprobrated their incredulity and hardnes of hart because they did not beleeue them that had seen him risen againe ✠verse 15 And he said to them * Going into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospel to al creatures ✠verse 16 He that ″ beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned ✠verse 17 And them that beleeue ″ these signes shal folow In my name shal they cast out deuils They shal speake vvith nevv tonges ✠verse 18 Serpents shal they take avvay And if they drinke any deadly thing it shal not hurt them They shal impose hands vpon the sicke and they shal be vvhole ✠verse 19 And so our Lord IESVS after he spake vnto them * vvas assumpted into heauen and sate on the right hand of God ✠verse 20 But they going forth preached euery vvhere our Lord working vvithal and confirming the vvord vvith signes that folovved ⊢ ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 1. Bought spices As she did bestow and consume a costly ointment vpon his body being yet aliue c. 14 3 Christ him self defending and highly commending the fact against Iudas and other who accounted it to be superfluous and better to be bestowed otherwise So not without great deuotion and merite she and these other women seeke to anoint his body dead though Heretikes or other simple persons may pretend such things to be better bestowed vpon the poore and therfore * she first before al other * and they next saw him after his Resurrection 12. In an other shape Christ though he haue but one corporal shape natural to his person yet by his omnipotencie he may be in whatsoeuer forme and appears in the likenesse of any other man or creature as he list Therfore let no man thinke it strange that he may be vnder the forme of bread in the B. Sacrament 16. He that beleeueth Note wel that whereas this Euangelist mentioneth only faith and baptisme as though to beleeue and to be baptized were
also ✠verse 12 And vvhen day vvas come certaine of the Ievves gathered them selues together â— vovved them selues saying that they vvould neither eate nor drinke til they killed Paul ✠verse 13 And they vvere more then fourtie men that had made this conspiracie ✠verse 14 vvho came to the cheefe priests and the auncients and said By execration vve haue vovved our selues that vve vvil eate nothing til vve kill Paul ✠verse 15 Novv therfore giue you knovvledge to the Tribune vvith the CouÌ„cel that he bring him forth to you as if you meant to knovv some more certaintie touching him But we before he come neere are ready for to kil him ✠verse 16 Vvhich vvhen Paules sisters sonne had heard of their lying in vvaite he came and entred into the castel and told Paul ✠verse 17 And Paul calling to him one of the Centurions said Bring this yong man to the Tribune for he hath some thing to tel him ✠verse 18 And he taking him brought him to the Tribune and said The prisoner Paul desired me to bring this yong man vnto thee hauing some thing to say to thee ✠verse 19 And the Tribune taking him by the hand vvent aside vvith him apart and asked him Vvhat is it that thou hast to tel me ✠verse 20 And he said The Ievves haue agreed to desire thee that to morovv thou vvilt bring forth Paul into the Councel as though they meant to inquire some more certaintie touching him ✠verse 21 But doe not thou credite them for there lie in vvaite for him more then fourtie men of them vvhich haue vovved neither to eate nor to drinke til they kil him and they are novv ready expecting thy promisse ✠verse 22 The Tribune therfore dimissed the yong man commaunding that he should speake to no man that he had notified these things vnto him ✠verse 23 And calling tvvo Centurions he said to them Make ready tvvo hundred souldiars to goe as farre as Caesaréa and seuentie horsemen and launces tvvo hundred from the third houre of the night ✠verse 24 and prepare beasts that setting Paul on they might bring him safe to Felix the President ✠verse 25 For he feared lest perhaps the Ievves might take him avvay and kil him and him self aftervvard should sustaine reproche as though he vvould haue taken money ✠verse 26 vvriting a letter conteining this much Claudius Lysias to the most excellent President Felix greeting ✠verse 27 This man being apprehended of the Ievves and ready to be killed of them I comming in vvith the band deliuered him vnderstanding that he is a Romane ✠verse 28 and meaning to knovv the cause that they obiected vnto him I brought him downe into their Councel ✠verse 29 Vvhom I found to be accused concerning questions of their lavv but hauing no crime vvorthie of death or of bandes ✠verse 30 And vvhen it vvas told me of embushments that they had prepared against him I sent him to thee signifying also to the accusers to speake before thee Fare vvel ✠verse 31 And the souldiars according as it vvas commaunded them taking Paul brought him by night to Antipatris ✠verse 32 And the next day sending avvay the horsemen to goe vvith him they returned to the castel ✠verse 33 Vvho vvhen they vvere come to Caesaréa and had deliuered the letter to the President they did set Paul also before him ✠verse 34 And vvhen he had read and had asked of vvhat prouince he vvas and vnderstanding that of Cilicia ✠verse 35 I vvil heare the said he vvhen thy accusers are come And he commaunded him to be kept in Herods palace ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXIII â— I knevv not Our Lord saith S. Cyprian in the Gospel when it was said to him Answerest thou the high Priest 〈◊〉 teaching that the honour of Priesthod must be kept said nothiÌ„g to the high Priest but only purging his innocencie said If I haue spoken euil beare witnes of euil but if wel why smitest thou me Also the blessed Apostle vvhen it vvas said to him Doest thou assaile the high Priest so with il wordes spake not any thing coÌ„tumeliously against the Priest whereas he might haue put forth him self stoutly against them which had both crucified our 〈◊〉 and vvhich had novv also lost their God and Christ Temple and Priesthod but though in false and spoiled Priests yet coÌ„sidering the very bare shadovv of the name of Priests he said I knew not brethren that he vvas high Priest By vvhich vvordes of the Apostle either it maâ— be thought he knevv not in deed that he vvas in that function because he had not beene of long time in those partes or els that he so said in respect of the abrogation of the high Priesthod of the Ievves vvhereby he knevv this man not to be truely any Priest as also because at this time they came not orderly to it by succession of Aaron and Lavv of Moyses but by the Roman Emperours fâ—uour * as is said before though as it is lavvful in such a case the Iesse to irritate them he frameth his speach so 〈◊〉 they might not take occasion of further accusation against him 8. The Sadducees This vvas the vvorst Heresie among the Ievves denying that there be any Angels or spirits the ResurrectioÌ„ also of the bodies consequeÌ„tly as it may very vvel be gathered by the booke of the Machabees they denied praier for the dead for to offer or pray for the dead to thinke rightly religiously of the ResurrectioÌ„ are made there sequels one of an other Of this sect of Sadducees vvas as Eusebius vvriteth li. 2. c. 2â— Ec. hist this Ananias the High Priest that caused Paul to be smitten for their Priesthod had novv no more the protection of God to preserue it in truth and right iudgement the Christian Priesthod being then established 12. Vovved them selues Such vovve other or execrations as this binde no man before God yea they must in no vvise be obserued It is a great offence either to vovv voluntarily or to take any such thing vpon a man for feare or by commaundement For example if thou haue rashly by promes vow or othe appointed to be reuenged vpon any man thou bindest not thy self thereby neither must thou keepe thy promes If thou be put to an othe to accuse Catholikes for seruing God as they ought to do or to vtter any innocent man to Gods enemies and his thou oughtest first to refuse such vnlavvful othes but if thou haue not constancie and courage so to do yet know thou that such othes binde not at al in conscience and Lavv of God but may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation For to make or take such vowes or othes is one sinne aâ—d to keepe them is an other far greater as vvhen Herode to keepe his othe killed Iohn Baptist And such vowes and othes to God as these are
vvere circumcised and had receiued the Lavv by Moyses for such carnal respects they trusted in themselues as though God and Christ vvere vnseparably bound vnto them attributing also so much to their ovvne workes vvhich they thought they did of them selues being holpeÌ„ with the knovvledge of their lavv that they vvould not acknovvledge the death of Christ to be necessarie for their saluation but looked for such a Christ as should be like other princes of this vvorld and make them great men temporally Herevpon did S. Paul vvrite his Epistles to shevv both the vocation of the Gentiles and the reprobation of the Ievves Moreouer to admonish both the Christian Gentiles not to receiue Circumcision and other ceremonies of Moyses lavv in no vvise and the Ievves also not to put their trust in the same but rather to vnderstand that novv Christ being come they must cease Againe to shevv the necessitie of Christs comming and of his death that vvithout it neither the Gentiles could be saued no nor the Ievves by no vvorkes that they could doe of them selues although they vvere also holpen by the Lavv telling them what vvas good vvhat vvas bad for so much as al vvere sinners and therfore also impotent or infirme and the Lavv could not take avvay sinne and infirmitie and giue strength to fulfil that vvhich it gaue knovvledge of but this vvas God onely able to doe and for Christs sake onely vvould he doe it Therfore it is necessarie for al to beleeue in Christ and to be made his members being incorporat into his Body vvhich is his Catholike Church For so although they neuer yet did good vvorke but al il they shal haue remission of their sinnes and nevv strength vvithal to make them able to fulfil the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts of Gods lavv yea their vvorkes after this shal be so gracious in Gods sight that for them he vvil giue them lift euerlasting This is the necessitie this is also the fruite of Christian Religion And therfore be exhorteth al both Gentils and Ievves as to receiue it humbly so also to perseuêre in it constantly vnto the end against al seduction of heresie and against al terror of persecution and to vvalke al their time in good vvorkes as novv God hath made them able to doe The same doctrine doth the Catholike Church teach vnto this day most exactly to vvit that no vvorkes of the vnbeleeuing or vnbaptized vvhether they be Ievves or Gentiles can saue them no nor of any Heretike or Schismatike although he be baptized because he is not a member of Christ yea more then that no vvorke of any that is not a liuely member of Christ although othervvise he be baptized and continue vvithin his Church yet because he is not in grace but in mortal sinne no vvorke that he doth is meritorious or able to saue him This very same is S. Paules doctrine he denieth to the vvorkes of such as haue not the Spirit of Christ al vertue to iustifie or to saue neither requireth he a man to haue had knovvledge of the Lavv or to haue kept it afortime as though othervvise he might not be saued by Christ but yet vvhen he is Christened he requireth of necessitie that he keepe Gods commaundements by auoiding of al sinne and doing good vvorkes and to such a mans good vvorkes he attributeth as much vertue as any Catholike of this time Neuerthelesse there vvere certaine at that time as also al the Heretikes of this our time vvhom S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable vvho reading S. Paules Epistles did misconster his meaning as though he required not good vvorkes no more after Baptisme then before Baptisme but held that onely Faith did iustifie and saue a man Therevpon the other Apostles vvrote their Epistles as S. Augustine noteth in these vvordes Therfore because this opinion Ad salutem obtinendam sufficere Solam sidem that onely faith is sufficient to obteine saluation was then risen the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames Iude do against it specially direct theire intention to auouch vehemently fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse that saith vvithout vvorkes profiteth nothing As also Paul him selfe did not define it to be quamlibet fidem qua in Deum creditur whatsoeuer maner of faith vvherevvith vve beleeue in God but that holesome expresse Euangelical faith vvhose vvorkes procede from loue and the faith quoth he that vvorketh by loue vvherevpon that faith vvhich some thinke to be sufficient to saluation he so affirmeth to profite nothing that he saith If I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing He therfore that vvill not erre in this point nor in any other reading either S. Paules Epistles or the rest of the holy Scriptures must sticke fast to the doctrine of the Catholike Church vvhich Church S. Paul termeth the piller and ground of the truth assuring him self that if any thing there found to him as contrarie herevnto he faileth of the right sense and bearing alvvaies in his minde the admonition of S. Peter saying As also our most deere brother Paul according to the vvisedom giuen to him hath vvritten to you as also in al his Epistles speaking in them of these things in the vvhich are certaine things hard to vnderstand vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the Scriptures to theire ovvne perdition You therfore brethren foreknovving take heede lest ye be led amis by the error of the vnvvise and fall avvay from your ovvne stedfastnes THE TIME VVHEN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANES VVAS VVRITTEN and the Argument thereof THE historie of S. Paul vntil be came to Rome S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles vvrote exactly and though vvithout any mention of his Epistles yet certaine it is that some of them he vvrote before he came there to vvit the â—vvo vnto the Corinthians and this to the Romanes * as it seemeth before them al the Epistle to the Galatians Vvherein yet because he maketh mention of the fouretenth yere after his conuersion it appeareth that he preached so long vvithout any vvriting And this order may thus briefely be gathered First he preached to the Galatians Act. 16 and passing through Phrygia and the countrey of Galatia Vvhereof he maketh mention himselfe also Gal. 1 Vve euangelized to you and Gal. 4 I euangelized to you heretofore After vvhich the false Apostles came and persuaded them to receiue Circumcision Vvherevpon he saith Gal. 1 I maruel that thus so soone you are traÌ„sferred from him that called you to the grace of Christ vnto an other Gospel and vvisheth therfore Gal. 4. saying And I vvould I vvere vvith you novv And accordingly he came vnto them aftervvard as vve reade Act. 18 Vvalking in order through the countrie of Galatia and phrygia confirming al the Disciples At vvhich time also it seemeth that he tooke order vvith them about those contributions
to them selues nor novv to be approued or examined in the assemblies but they are such as vvere giuen and vvritten by the Holy Ghost and prescribed by Christ and his Church for the faithful to vse namely the Pater noster the Auâ— Marie and the Creede our Ladies Mattins the Litanies and the like Therfore the Apostle prescribeth nothing here thereof condemneth nothing therein toucheth the same nothing at al. But the deuout people in their auÌ„cient right may and ought stil vse their Latin primars beades and praiers as euer before Vvhich the wisedom of the Church for greate causes hath better liked and allowed of then that they should be in vulgar tonges though she wholy forbiddeth not but sometimes graunteth to haue them translated and vvould gladly haue al faithful people in order and humilitie learne as they may the contents of their praiers and hath commaunded also in some Councels that such as can not learne distinctly in Latin specially the Pater noster the Creede should be taught them in the vulgar toÌ„gue And therfore as vve doubt not but it is acceptable to God auailable in al necessities more agreable to the vse of al Christian people euer since their conuersion to pray in Latin then in the vulgar though euery one in particular vnderstand not vvhat he saith so it is plaine that such pray vvith as great consolation of spirit vvith as litle tediousues vvith as great deuotion and affection and oftentimes more then the other and alvvaies morethen any Schismatike or Heretike in his knovven language Such holy Oraisons be in maner consecrated and sanctified in and by the Holy Ghost that first inspired them and there is a reuerence and Maiestie in the Churches tongue dedicated in our Sauiours Crosse and giueth more force and valure to them said in the Churches obedience then to others The children cried Hosanna to our Sauiour and vvere allovved though they knevv not vvhat they said It is vvel neere a thousand yeres that * our people vvhich could nothing els but barbarum frendere did sing Alleluia and not Praiseye the Lord. and longer agoe since the poore husband men sang the same at the plough in other Countries Hiero. to 1 ep 58. And Sursum corda and Kyrie eleison and the Psalmes of Dauid sung in Latin in the Seruice of the Primitiue Church haue the auncient and flat testimonies of S. Cyptian S. Augustine S. Hierom and other Fathers Grego li. 7 ep 6â— Cypr. exp orat Do. nu 13. August c. 13 de dono perseuer de bono vid. c. 16. and ep 178. Hiero. prafat in Psal ad Sephron Aug. de Catechiz rud c. 9. de Doct. Chr. li. 2 c. 13. See ep 10. August of S. Hieroms latin translation readde in the Churches of Africa Praiers are not made to teache make learned or increase knovvledge though by occasion they sometimes instruct vs. but their special vse is to offer our hartes desires and vvants to God and to shevv that vve hang of him in al things and this euery Catholike doth for his condition vvhether he vnderstand the vvordes of his praier or not The simple sort can not vnderstand al Psalmes nor scarse the learned no though they be translated or read in knovven tonges men must not cease to vse them for al that vvhen they are knovven to containe Gods holy praises The simple people vvhen they desire any thing specially at Gods hand are not bound to knovv neither can they tel to vvhat petition or part of the Paternoster their demaund pertaineth though it be in English neuer so much they can not tel no more vvhat is Thy kingdome come then Adueniat regnum tuum not vvhether their petition for their sicke children or any other necessitie pertaine to this part or to Fiat voluntas tua or Nâ—nos inducas or to vvhat other part els It is ynough that they can tel this holy Oraison to be appointed to vs to call vpon God in al our desires more then this is not necessarie And the translation of such holy things often breedeth manifold danger and irreuerence in the vulgar as to thinke God is author of sinne vvhen they read Leade vs not into tentation and seldom any edification at al. For though vvhen the prayers be turned and read in English the people knovveth the vvordes yet they are not edified to the instruction of their minde and vnderstanding except they knevv the sense of the vvordes also and meaning of the holy Ghost For if any man thinke that S. Paul speaking of edification of mans minde or vnderstanding meaneth the vnderstanding of the vvordes onely he is fouly deceiued for vvhat is a childe of fiue or sixe yeres old edified or increased in knovvledge by his Pater noster in English It is the sense therfore vvhich euery man can not haue neither in English nor Latin the knovvledge vvhereof properly and rightly edifieth to instruction and the knovvledge of the vvordes onely often edifieth neuer a vvhit and some times buildeth to error and destruction as it is plaine in al Heretikes and many curious persons besides finally both the one and the other vvithout charitie and humilitie maketh the Heretikes and Schismatikes vvith al their English and vvhat other tonges and intelligence so euer to be as sonans cymbalum tinniens sounding brasse and a tinkling cymbal To conclude for praying either publikly or priuately in Latin vvhich is the common sacred toÌ„gue of the greatest part of the ChristiaÌ„ world this is thought by the vvisest godliest to be most expedient and is certainely seen to be nothing repugnant to S. Paul If any yet vvil be contentious in the matter vve must ansvver them vvith this same Apostle The Church of God hath no such custome and vvith this notable saying of S. Augustine ep 118. c. 5. Any thing that the vvhole Church doth practise and obserue through out the vvorld to dispute thereof as though it vvere not to be done is most insolent madnesse 14. Let vvomen hold their peace There be or vvere certaine Heretikes in our Countrie for such euer take the Scriptures diuersely for the aduantage of time that denied vvomen to hold lavvfully any kingdom or temporal Souerainty but that is false and against both reason the Scriptures This onely in that sexe is true that it is not capable of holy orders spiritual Regiment or Cure of soules and therfore can not doe any function proper to Priests and Bishopes not speake in the Church and so not preach nor dispute nor haue or giue voice either deliberatiue or definitiue in Councels and publike Assemblies concerning matters of ReligioÌ„ nor make Ecclesiastical lavves concerning the same nor binde nor loose nor excoÌ„municate nor suspend nor degrade nor absolue nor minister SacrameÌ„ts other then Baptisme in the case of mere necessitie when neither Priest nor other man can be had much lesse prescribe any thing to
booke to be Canonical Scripture But Caluin and his companions disagreing vvith their Maisters confesse it to be holy Scripture but their shiftes and fond gloses for ansvver of so plaine places be as impudent as the denying of the Epistle vvas in the other vvho vvould neuer haue denied the booke thereby to shevv them selues Heretikes if they had thought those vulgar euasions that the Zuinglians and Caluinists do vse vvhereof they vvere not ignorant could haue serued In both sortes the Christian Reader may see that al the Heretikes vaunting of expresse Scriptures the vvord of God is no more but to delude the vvorld vvhereas in deede be the Scriptures neuer so plaine against them they must either be vvrested to sound as they say or els they must be no Scriptures at all And to see Luther Caluin Beza their fellovves sitte as it vvere in iudgement of the Scriptures to allovv or disallovv at their pleasures it is the most notorious example of Heretical pride miserie that can be See their prefaces and censures vpon this Canonical Epistle the Apocalypse the Machabees and other 21. Abraham vvas he not iustified by vvorkes It is much to be noted that S. Augustine in his booke de fide operibus c. 14. vvriteth that the heresie of onely faith iustifying or sauing vvas an old Heresie euen in the Apostles time gathered by the false interpretation of some of S. Paules profound disputation in the Epistle to the Romans vvherein he commended so highly the faith in Christ that they thought good vvorkes vvere not auilable adding further that the other three Apostles Iames Iohn and Iude did of purpose vvrite so much of good vvorkes to correct the said errour of onely faith gathered by the misconstruction of S. Paules vvordes Yea vvhen S. Peter Ep. 2 c. 3. vvarneth the faithful that many things be hard in S. Paules vvritings and of light vnlearned men mistaken to their perdition the said S. Augustine affirmeth that he meant of his disputation concerning faith vvhich so many Heretikes did mistake to condemne good vvorkes And in the preface of his commentarie vpon the 31 Psalme he vvarneth al men that this deduction vpon S. Paules speache Abraham vvas iustified by faith therfore vvorkes be not necessarie to saluation is the right vvay to the gulfe of Hel and damnation And lastly vvhich is in it self very plaine that vve may see this Apostle did purposely thus commend vnto vs the necessitie of good vvorkes and the inanity aud insufficiencie of onely faith to correct the errour of such as misconstrued S. Paules vvordes for the same the said holy Doctor noteth that of purpose he tooke the very same example of Abraham vvhom S. Paul said to be iustified by faith and declareth that he vvas iustified by good vvorkes specifying the good vvorke for vvhich he vvas iustified and blessed of God to vvitte his obedience and immolation of his onely sonne But hovv S. Paul saith that Abraham vvas iustified by faith see the Annotations vpon that place Ro. 4. v. 1. 22. Faith did vvorke vvith Some Heretikes hold that good vvorkes are pernicious to saluation and iustification other that though they be not hurtful but required yet they be no causes or vvorkers of saluation much lesse meritorious but are as effectes and fruites issuing necessarily out of faith Both vvhich fictions falshods and flightes from the plaine truth of Gods vvord are refuted by these vvordes vvhen the Apostle saith That faith vvorketh together vvith good vvorkes making faith to be a coadiutor or cooperator vvith vvorkes and so both ioyntly concurring as causes and vvorkers of iustification yea aftervvard he maketh vvorkes the more principal cause vvhen he resembleth faith to the body and vvorkes to the spirit or life of man 23. The frend of God By this also an other false and friuolous euasion of the Heretikes is ouertaken vvhen they feine that the Apostle here vvhen he saith vvorkes do iustifie meaneth that they shew vs iust before men and auaile not to our iustice before God For the Apostle euidently declareth that Abraham by his vvorkes vvas made or truely called the freend of God and therfore vvas not as the Heretikes say by his vvorkes approued iust before man onely 24. Not by faith onely This proposition or speache is directly opposite or contradictorie to that vvhich the Heretikes hold For the Apostle saith Man is iustified by good workes and not by faith only but the Heretikes say Man is not iustified by good vvorkes but by faith only Neither can they pretend that there is the like contradiction or contrarietie betwixt S. Iames speache and S. Paules for though S. Paul say man is iustified by faith yet he neuer saith by faith onely nor euer meaneth by that faith vvhich is alone but alvvaies by that faith vvhich vvorketh by charitie as he expoundeth him self Though concerning vvorkes also there is a difference betwixt the first iustification vvhereof S. Paul specially speaketh and the second iustification vvhereof S. Iames doth more specially treate Of vvhich thing els vvhere there is ynough said The fathers in deede vse sometimes this exclusiue sola onely but in far other sense then the Protestants For some of them thereby exclude only the vvorkes of Moyses law against the Iewes some the vvorkes of nature and moral vertues vvithout the grace or knowledge of Christ against the Gentiles some the necessitie of external good vvorkes vvhere the parties lacke time and meanes to doe them as in the case of the penitent theefe some the false opinions sectes and religions contrarie to the Catholike faith against Heretikes and miscreants some exclude reason sense and arguing in matters of faith and mysterie against such as vvil beleeue nothing but that they see or vnderstand some the merite of vvorkes done in sinne before the first iustification some the arrogant Pharisaical vaunting of mans ovvne proper vvorkes and iustice against such as referre not their actions and good deedes to Gods grace To these purposes the holy Doctors say sometimes that only faith saueth and serueth but neuer as the Protestants vvould haue it to exclude from iustification and saluation the cooperation of mans free vvil dispositions and preparations of our hartes by praiers penance and sacraments the vertues of hope and charitie the purpose of vvel-vvorking and of the obseruation of Gods commaundements much lesse the vvorkes and merites of the children of God proceding of grace and charitie after they be iustified and are now in his fauour vvhich are not only dispositions and preparations to iustice but the meritorious cause of greater iustice and of saluation 25. Rahab This Apostle alleageth the good vvorkes of Rahab by vvhich she vvas iustified and S. Paul 11 Hebr. saith she vvas iustified by faith Vvhich are not contrarie one to the other for both is true that she vvas saued by faith as one faith and that she vvas saued by her vvorkes as the