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
much vnfaithfulnes by rules of place to embarte Christ of his wil or wisedom to be in the Sacrament how him self list and on as many altars or places as he liketh We detest for al that the wicked heresie of certaine Protestants holding quite contrarie to the Zuinglians that Christ according to his Humanitie is in euery place where the Diuinitie is which is both against faith and the common rules of nature and diuinitie 21. As my Father As when he gaue them commission to preach and baptize through the world he made mention to his owne power therein so here before he institute the Sacrament of Penance and giue them authoritie to remitte sinnes lest the wicked should aske afterward by what right they do such great functions he sheweth his Fathers commission giuen to him self and then in plaine termes most amply imparteth the same to his Apostle that whosoeuer deny the Apostles their successors the Priests of Gods Church to haue right to remitte sinnes should deny consequently Christ as man to haue authoritie to doe the same 22. He breathed He giueth the Holy Ghost in and by an external signe to his Apostles not visibly and to al such purposes as afterward at whitsuntide but for the grace of the Sacrament of Orders as S. Augustine saith and that none make doubt of the Priests right in remission of sinnes seing the Holy Ghost is purposly giuen them to doe this same In which case if any be yet coÌ„tentious he must deny the Holy Ghost to be God and not to haue power to remitte sinnes It is not absurd saith S. Cyril that they forgiue sinnes vvhich haue the Holy Ghost For vvhen they remitte or reteine the Holy Ghost remitteth reteineth in them and that they doe tvvo vvaies first in Baptisme and then in Penance As S. Ambrose also li. 1 c. 7â— de poenitentia restlling the Nouatians a Sect of old Heretikes which pretending Gods glorie as our new Sectaries do denied that Priests could remitte sinnes in the Sacrament of Penance asketh vvhy it should be more dishonour to God or more impossible or inconuenient for men to forgiue sinnes by Penance then by Baptisme seing it is the Holy Ghost that doeth it by the Priests office and ministerie in both 23. Whose sinnes Power to offer Sacrifice which is the principal function and acte of Priesthod was giuen them at the institution of the B. Sacrament the second and next special facultie of Priesthod consisting in remitting sinnes is here bestowed on them And withal the holy Sacrament of Penance implying Contrition Confession and Satisfaction in the Penitent and absolution on the Priests part is instituted for in that that expresse power and commission is giuen to Priests to remitte or reteine al sinnes and in that that Christ promiseth whose sinnes soeuer they forgiue they be of God forgiuen also and vvhose sinne they reteine they be reteined before God it folovveth necessarily that vve be bound to submit our selues to their iudgment for release of our sinnes For this vvonderful povver vvere giuen them in vaine if none vvere bound to seeke for absolution at their handes Neither can any rightly seeke for absolution of them vnles they confesse particularly at least al their mortal offences vvhether they be coÌ„mitted in minde hart vvil and congitation onely or in vvord and vvorke for Gods priests being in this Sacrament of Penauce coÌ„stituted in Christs steede as iudges in causes of our conscience can not rightly rule our cases vvithout ful and exacte cognition and knovvledge of al our sinnes and the necessarie circumstances and differences of the same which can not othervvise be had of them being mortal men then by our simple sincere and distincte vtterance to them of our sinnes vvith humble contrite hart ready to take and to doe penance according to theire iniunction For that authoritie to reteine sinnes consisteth specially in enioyning satisfaction and penitential vvorkes of praying fasting almes and such like Al vvhich Gods ordinance whosoeuer condemneth or contemneth as Heretikes doe or neglecteth as some carelesse Catholikes may perhaps doe let them be assured they can not be saued Neither must any such Christian man pretend or looke to haue his sinnes after Baptisme remitted by God onely without this Sacrament which was the old Heresie of the Nouatians Ambr. li. 1. de poâ—nit c. 2. Socrat. li. 7 Ec. hist c. 25. more then any may hope to be saued or haue his original or other sinnes before Baptisme forgiuen by God without the same SacrameÌ„t Let no man deceiue himself this is the second table or borde after shipvvrackâ— as S. Hierom calleth it Whosoeuer take not hold of it shal perish without al doubt because they contemne Gods counsel and order for their saluation And therfore S. Augustine ep 180 ioyning both together saith it is a pitiful case when by the absence of Gods Priests men depart this life aut non regenerati aut ligati that is either not regenerated by Baptisme or fast bound and not absolued by the Sacrament of penance and reconciliation ⸬ because they shal be excluded from eternal life and destruction folovveth them And S. Victor li. 2 de persecut Vandalica telleth the miserable lameÌ„tation of the people when their Priests were banished by the Arian Heretikes Who say they shal baptize these infants Who shal minister penaÌ„ce vnto vs loose vs from the bandes of sinnes c And therfore S. Cyprian very often namely ep 54 calleth it great cruelty such as Priests shal answer for at the later day to suffer any man that is poenitent of his sinnes to depart this life without this reconciliation and absolution because saith he the Lavvmaker him self Christ hath graunted that things bound in earth should also be bound in heauen and that those things might there be loosed vvhich vvere loosed before here in the Church And it is a world to see how the Heretikes wrastle with this so plaine a commission of remitting sinnes referring it to preaching to denouncing Gods threates vpon sinners and to we can not tel what els though to our English Protestants this authoritie seemeth so cleere that in their order of visiting the sicke their Ministers acknowledge chalenge the same vsing a formal absolution according to the Churches order after the special coÌ„fession of the partie But to conclude the matter let euery one that list to see the true meaning of Christs wordes and the Priests great power and dignitie giuen them by the same wordes and other marke wel these wordes of S. Chrysostome For saith he they that dvvel on the earth and conucrsein it to them is commission giuen to dispense those things that are in heauen to them is it giuen to haue the povver vvhich God vvould not to be giuen neither to Angels nor Archangels for neither to them vvas it said whatsoeuer you shal binde in earth
and Icónium and persvvading the multitudes and * stoning Paul they drevv him out of the citie thinking him to be dead ✠verse 19 But the disciples compassing him round about he rising vp entred into the citie and the next day he vvent forth vvith Barnabas vnto Derbè ✠verse 20 And vvhen they had euangelized to that citie and had taught many they returned to Lystra and Icónium and to Antioche ✠verse 21 confirming the hartes of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that by many tribulations vve must enter into the kingdom of God ✠verse 22 And vvhen they ″ had ordained to them ″ Priests in euery Church and had praied vvith fastings they commended them to our Lord in vvhom they beleeued ✠verse 23 And passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia ✠verse 24 and speaking the vvord of our Lord in Pergé they vvent dovvne into Attalia ✠verse 25 and from theÌ„ce they sailed to Antioche * vvhence they had been deliuered to the grace of God vnto the vvorke vvhich they accomplished ✠verse 26 And vvhen they vvere come and â—ad assembled the Church they reported vvhat great things God had done vvith them that he had opened a doore of faith to the Gentils ✠verse 27 And they abode no litle time vvith the disciples ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 12. They vvould sacrifice This loe is the diuine vvorship consisting in external sacrifice and in acknovvledging the parties vvorshipped to be gods vvhich * may be done to no man nor creature and therfore the Apostles refuse it vvith al possible diligence and al the Angels and Saincts in heauen refuse that adoration by sacrifice The Catholike Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to vvorship any Sainct in heauen or earth She hath but one external Sacrifice vvhich is in the holy Masse of Christs body and bloud that she offereth to God alone and neither to Peter nor to Paul saith S. Augustine though the Priest that sacrificeth standeth ouer their bodies and offereth in their memories But other kindes of honours and dueties inferior vvithout al comparison hovv great so euer they be to this vve do as the Scriptures and Nature teache vs to al Superiors in heauen and earth according to the degrees of grace honour and blessednes that God hath called them vnto from our B. Ladie Christs ovvne mother to the lest seruant he hath in the vvorld for vvhich the Heretikes vvould neuer accuse Christian people of Idolatrie if they had either grace learning faith or natural affection â—â— Had ordained The Heretikes to make the vvorld beleeue that al Priests ought to be chosen by the voices of the people and that they neede no other Ordering or Consecration by Bishops pressing the proâ—ane vse of the * Greeke vvord more then the very natural signification requireth and Ecclesiastical vse beareth translate thus Ordained by election Vvhereas in deede this vvord in Scripture signifieth Ordering by imposition of hands as is plaine by other vvordes equiualent Act. 6 13. 1 Tim. 4. â— 2 Tim. 1. Vvhere the Ordering of Deacons Priests and others is called * Imposition of hands not of the people but of the Apostles And this to be the Ecclesiastical vse of the vvord appeareth by S. Hierom saying as is before alleaged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— the Ordering of Clerkes or Clergie men by praier of voice and imposition of hand â—â— Priests Euen so here also as before fleing from the proper apt knovven vvord vvhich is most precisely correspondent to the very Greeke in our tongue and al nations they translate for Priest Elder that is for a calling of Office a vvord of age for a terme of art and by consent of al the Church and Apostolike authoritie and Fathers appropriated to holy Order a vulgar common and profane terme Vvith as litle grace as if they should translate Pontificem a bridgemaker the Maior of London the Bigger of London And thus you see vvithin three vvordes compasse they flee guilefully from the Latin to the Greeke and againe guilefully from the Greeke to the vulgar English Such corruption of Scriptures their hatred of Priesthod driueth them vnto If they had translated it so vvhen the Scriptures vvere first vvritten at vvhich time the vvord vvas but nevvly receiued into the special and Ecclesiastical signification and vvhen it vvas yet taken sometimes in common profane sort as 1 Tim. 5. or there only vvhere our auÌ„cient Latin version turneth Presbyter into Senior because the vvord vvas not yet vvholy and only appropriated to holy Orders as aftervvard by vse of many hundred yeres it vvas and is their dealing might haue had some colour of honestâ—e and plainesse vvhich novv can not be but of plaine falshod and corruption and that of further purpose then the simple can see Vvhich is to take avvay the office of Sacrificing and other functions of Priests proper in the nevv TestameÌ„t to such as the Apostles often and the posteritle in maner altogether call Priests Presbyteros Vvhich vvord doth so certainely imply the authoritie of sacrificing that it is by vse made also the onely English of Sacerdos the Aduersaries them selues as vvel as vve so translating it in al the old and nevv Testament though they can not be ignorant that Priest commeth of Presbyter and not of Sacerdos and that antiquitie for no other cause applied the signification of Presbyter to Sacerdos but to shevv that Presbyter is in the nevv Lavv that vvhich Sacerdos vvas in the old the Apostles abstaining from this and other like old names at the first and rather vsing the vvordes Bishops Pastors and Priests because they might be distinguished from the Gouernours and sacrificers of Aarons order vvho as yet in the Apostles time did their old functions still in the Temple And this to be true and that to be a Priest is to be a man appointed to sacrifice the Heretikes them selues calling Sacerdos alvvaies a Priest must needes be driuen to confesse Although their folly is therein notorious to apply vvillngly the vvord Priest to Sacerdos and to take it from Presbyter vvhereof it is properly deriued not only in English but in other languages both french and Italian Vvhich is to take avvay the name that the Apostles and fathers gaue to the Priests of the Church to giue it vvholy onely to the order of Aaron vvhich neuer had it before our Priesthod began Neuer did there Heretikes stand so much vpon doubtful deriuations and descant of vvordes as these Protestants do and yet neuer men behaued them selues more fondly in the same as vvhosoeuer marketh the distinction of their Elders Ministers Deacons and such like shal perceiue CHAP. XV. Some of those Ievves also that vvere Christians do fall and are authors of the Heresie of Iudaizing 2 They referre the matter to Councel 7 Wherein after great disputation Peter striking the stroke
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
to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchisedec See ep 120. c. 19. ep 57. ad q. 1. in fine Thus you see vvhen the holy fathers handle the Scriptures they finde Masse and Sacrifice in many places vvhere the ignorant heretikes or the simple might thinke they speake onely of a common thankes giuing 16. God is promerited This latin vvord promeretur cannot be expressed effectually in any one English vvord It signifieth Gods fauour to be procured by the foresaid vvorkes of almes and charitie as by the deserts and merites of the doers Which doctrine and vvord of merites the Aduersaries like so il that they flee both here and els vvhere from the vvord translating here for promeretur Deus God is pleased more neere to the Greeke as they pretend Which in deede maketh no more for them then the latin vvhich is agreable to most auncient copies as vve see by Primasius S. Augustines scholer For if God be pleased vvith good vvorkes and shew fauour for them then are they meritorious and then only faith is not the cause of Gods fauour to men 17. Obey your Prelates There is nothing more inculcated in the holy Scriptures then obedience of the lay people to the Priests and Prelates of Gods Church in matters of soule conscience and religion Vvhereof the Apostle giueth this reason because they haue the charge of mens soules and must ansvver for them vvhich is an infinite preeminence and superiority ioyned vvith burden and requireth maruelous submission and most obedient subiection of al that be vnder them and their gouernement From this obedience there is no exception nor exemption of kings nor Princes be they neuer so great If they haue soules and be Christian men they must be subiect to some Bishop Priest or other Prelate And vvhatsoeuer he be though Emperour of all the vvorld if he take vpon him to prescribe and giue lawes of religion to the Bishops and Priests vvhom he ought to obey and be subiect vnto in religion he shal he damned vndoubtedly except he repent because he doth against the expresse vvord of God and law of nature And by this you may see the difference of an heretical and a disordered time from other Catholike Christian daies For heresie and the like damnable reuoltes from the Church of God is no more but a rebellion and disobedience to the Priests of Gods Church vvhen men refuse to be vnder their discipline to heare their doctrine and interpretation of Scriptures to obey their lawes and counsels This disobedience and rebellion from the Spiritual Gouernour vnder pretence of obedience to the Temporal is the bane of our daies and specially of our Countrie vvhere these new Sectes are properly mainteined by this false principle That the Prince in matters of soule and religion may commaund the Prelate vvhich is directly and euidently against this Scripture and all other that commaund the sheepe of Christes fold to obey their spiritual Officers THE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. IAMES THIS Epistle as the rest folovving is directed specially as S. Augustine saith against the errour of only faith vvhich some held at that time also by misconstruing S. Paules vvordes Yea not only that but many other errours vvhich then also vvere annexed vnto it as they are novv doth this Apostle here touche expresly He saith therfore that not only faith but also good vvorkes are necessarie that not only faith but also good vvorkes do iustifie that they are actes of Religion or seruice and vvorship of God that to keepe al the commaundements of God and so to abstaine from al mortal sinne is not impossible but necessarie that God is not author of sinne no not so much as of tentation to sinne that vve must stay our selues from sinning vvith feare of our death of the Iudgement of hel and stirre our selues to doing of good vvith our revvard that vve shall haue for it in heauen These pointes of the Catholike faith he commendeth earnestly vnto vs inueighing vehemently against them that teach the coÌ„trarie errors Hovvbeit he doth vvithal admonish not to neglect such but to seeke their conuersion shevving them hovv meritorious a thing that is Thus then he exhorteth generally to all good vvorkes dehorteth from al sinne but yet also namely to certaine from certaine as from acception of persons from detraction and rash iudging from concupisceÌ„ce and loue of this vvorld from svvearing and to praier to almes to humilitie confession and penance but most copiously to patience in persecution Novv vvho this Iames vvas It is not be vvhose feast the Church keepeth the 25 of Iulie vvhich vvas S. Iohns brother and vvhose martyrdom vve haue Act. 12. but he vvhom the Church vvorshippeth the first of Maie vvho is called Frater Domini our lordes brother and brother to Iude and vvhich vvas the first Bishop of Hierusalem of vvhom vve reade Act. 15 21. and also Gal. 2. of vvhose vvonderful austeritie and puritie of life the Ecclesiasticall stories do report Euseb li. 2. c. â—2 Hiero. in Catalogo Therfore as the old High-priest had povver and charge ouer the Ievves not only in Hierusalem and Iurie but also dispersed in other Countries as vve vnderstand Act. 9. v. 1 2. so S. Iames likevvise being Bishop of Hierusalem and hauing care not only of those Ievves vvith vvhom he vvas resident there in Iurie but of al the rest also vvriteth this Epistle To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion and in them to al Christians vniuersally dispersed through the vvorld THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IAMES THE APOSTLE Catholike Epistle The vvord Catholike though in the title of this Epistle the rest folovving called The Catholike Epistles it be not vvholy in the same sense as it is in the Creede yet the Protestants so feare and abhorre the vvord altogether that in some of their Bibles they leaue it cleane out although it be in the Greeke and in some they had rather translate ridiculously thus The general Epistle c. vvhereas these are famously knovven and * specified in antiquitie by the name of Catholike Epistles for that they are vvritten to the vvhole Church not to any peculiar people or person as S. Paules are CHAP. I. Vve haue to reioyce in persecution but if vve be patient and vvithal absteine from al mortal sinne 9 considering hovv vve shal be exalted and crovvned for it vvhen the persecutor vvho enricheth him self vvith our spoiles shal fade avvay 13 But if any be tempted to fall or to any other euil let him not say God it the author of it vvho is the author of al good onely 19 Such points of the Caâ—â—-faith vve must be content to learne vvithout contradiction and anger and to doe accordingly 26 Because othervvise vve may talke of Religion but in deede it is no Religion verse 1 IAMES the seruant of God and of our Lord IESVS Christ to the tvvelue tribes
verb. Do. sec Mat. Tertul. li. 4. cont Marc. Chrys ho. 2. in 2. ad Tim. in fine ho. de prodit Iuda to 3. Grego Nyss in orat Catech. Damase li. 4. c. 14. 24. My body Vvhen the vvordes of Consecration be by tho said impietie of the Protestants thus remoued from the elements no maruel if Christes holy body and bloud be not there or that it is novv no more a Sacrament but common bread and vvine So they that vniustly charge the Cath. Church vvith defrauding the people of one peece of the Sacramēt haue in very deede left no part nor spice of Sacrament neither folovving Christ as they pretend nor S. Paul nor any Euangelist but their owne detestable Secte hauing boldly defaced the vvhole institution not in any accidental indifferent circunstances but in the very substance and al. The right name is gone the due elements both gone no blessing or consecration or other action ouer them the formes be gone and consequently the body and bloud the Sacrament and the Sacrifice 24. This doe By these vvordes authoritie and povver is giuen to the Apostles and by the like in the Sacrament of Orders to al lavvful Priests onely No maruel then that the nevv heretical Ministers being lay men giue the people nothing but bare bread and vvine profane naked and natural elements void of Sacrament and al grace See the Annotation vpon S. Luke chap. 22 19. 24. Take and eate This pertaineth to the receiuing of those things vvhich by consecration are present and sacrificed before as vvhen the people or Priests in the old Lavv did eate the hostes offered or part thereof they vvere made partakers of the sacrifice done to God before And this is not the substance or being or making of the Sacrament or Sacrifice of Christes body and bloud but it is the vse and application to the receiuer of the things vvhich vvere made and offered to God before There is a difference betvvixt the making of a medecine or the substance and ingredience of it and the taking of it Novv the receiuing being but a consequence or one of the endes vvhy the Sacrament vvas made the meane to apply it vnto vs the Aduersaries vnlearnedly make it al and some ad therfore improperly name the vvhole Sacrament and ministration therof by calling it the Communion Vvhich name they giue also rather then any other to make the ignorant beleeue that many must communicate together as though it vvere so called for that it is common to many By which collusion they take avvay the receiuing of the Priest alone of the sicke alone of reseruing the consecrated Host and the vvhole Sacrament Against vvhich deceite knovv that this part of the MASSE is not called Communiō for that many should concurre together alwaies in the external Sacrament but for that vve do communicate or ioyne in vnitie and perfect felovvship of one body vvith al Christian men in the vvorld vvith al vve say that eate it through the vvhole Church and not vvith them onely vvhich eate vvith vs at one time And this fellovvship riseth of that that vve be euery time we receiue either alone or vvith companie partakers of that one body vvhich is receiued through out al the vvorld It is called cōmunion saith S. Damascent so in deede it is for that by it vve comunicate vvith Christ be partakers of his flesh diuinitie by it doe cōcommunicate and are vnited one vvith an other onely let vs take heeds that vve do not participat vvith heretikes And vvhen the Apostle saith that al be one bread and one body that are partakers of one Bread he meaneth not of them onely that communicate at one time and place but that al be so that communicate in vnitie through the whole Church Thē the name Communion is as ignorantly vsed of them as the name of Supper 26. You shal shevv Vpon this vvord the Heretikes fondly ground their false supposition that this Sacrament can not rightly be ministred or made vvithout a sermon of the death of Christ and that this and other Sacraments in the Church be not profitable when they be ministred in a strange language As though the grace force operation actiuitie together vvith the iustruction and representation of the things which they signifie vvere not in the very substance matter forme vse and vvorke it self of euery of the Sacraments and as though preaching vvere not one vvay to shevv Christes Passion and the Sacraments an other vvay namely this Sacrament conteining in the very kindes of the elements and the action a most liuely representation of Christes death As vvisely might they say that neither Abels sacrifice nor the Paschal lambe could signifie Christes death vvithout a Sermon 27. Guilty of the body First herevpon marke vvel that il men receiue the body and bloud of Christ be they infidels or il liuers For in this case they could not be guilty of that vvhich they receiue not Secondly that it could not be so heinous an offense for any man to receiue a peece of bread or a cuppe of vvine though they vvere a true Sacrament For it is a deadly sinne to receiue any Sacramēt with vvil intentiō to cōtinevv in sinne or vvithout repentance of former sinnes but yet by the vnvvorthy receiuing of no other Sacrament is man guilty of Christes body and bloud but here vvhere the vnvvorthy as S. Chrysostom saith doth vilany to Christes ovvne person as the Ievves or Gentiles did that crucified it Chrys ho. de non contemn Ec. c. Ho. 60 61 ad po Antioch Vvhich inuincibly proueth against the Heretikes that Christ is really present 28. Let him proue A man must examine his life diligently vvhether he be in any mortal sinne and must confesse him self of euery offense vvhich he knovveth or feareth to be deadly before he presume to come to the holy Sacrament For so the Apostles doctrine here vvith the continual custom of the Cath. Church and the Fathers example binde him to doe Cypr. de laps nu 7. Aug. Eccl. dog c. 53. 29. Not diseruing the body That is because he putteth no difference nor distinction betvvixt this high meate and others and therfore S. Augustine saith ep 118. c. 3. that it is he that the Apostle saith shal be damned that doth not by singular veneration or adoration make a difference betvvene this meate and al others And againe in Psal 98. No man eateth it before he adore it And S. Ambrose li. 3 c. 12 de Sp. San. We adore the flesh of Christ in the Mysteries S. Chrysostome ho. 24 in 1 Cor. We adore him on the altar as the Sages did in the manger S. Nazianzene in Epitaph Gorgoniae My sister called on him vvhich is vvorshipped vpon the altar Theodorete Dial. 2 Inconf The Mystical tokens be adored S. Denys this Apostles scholer made solemne inuocation of the Sacrament after Consecration
Ecclesiast Hier. c. 1 part â— in princip and before the receiuing the vvhole Church of God crieth vpon it Domine non sum digniâ—s Deus propitius este mihi peccators Lambe of God that takest avvay the sinnes of the vvorld haue mercie on vs. And for better discerning of this diuine meate vve are called from common profane houses to Gods Churchs for this vve are forbidden to make it in vulge apparel and are appointed sacred solemne vestiments Hiero. in Epitaph Nâ—pot li. 2 adu Pelag. c. 9. Paulinus ep 12 ad Seuer Io. Diaco in vit D. Greg. li. 3 c. 59. For this is the halovving of Corporals and Chalices Ambr. 2 Off. c. 28. Nazianz Orat. ad Arianos Optatuâ— li. 6 in initio for this profane tables are remoued and altars consecrated August Ser de temp 255. for this the very Priests them selues are honorable chast sacred Hiero. ep 1 ad Heliodorum c. â— Liâ— adu Iouin c. 19 Ambros in 1 Tim. 3. for this the people is forbidden to touch it vvith coÌ„mon hands Nazianz. orat ad Aâ—â—anoâ— in initio for this great care and solicitude is taken that no part of either kinde fall to the ground Cyril Hieros mystag 5 in fine Orig. ho. 13 in c. 25 Exod. for this sacred prouision is made that if any hosts or parts of the Sacrament do remaine vnreceiued they be most religiously reserued vvith al honour and diligence possible and for this examination of consciences confession continencie as S. Augustine saith receiuing it fasting Thus dovve Catholikes and the Church of God discerne the holy Body and bloud by S. Paules rule not onely from your profane bread and vâ—ine vvhich not by any secrete abuse of your Curats or Clerkes but by the very order of your booke the Minister if any remaine after your Communion may take home vvith him to his ovvne vse and therfore is no more holy by your ovvne iudgement then the rest of his meates but from al other either vulgar or sanctified meates as the Catechumens bread and our vsual holy bread If al this be plaine and true and you haue nothing agreable to the Apostles nor Christes institution but al cleanâ— contrarie then imporet vobis Deus and confound you for not discerning his holy Body and for conculcating the bloud of the nevv Testament â—0 Many sleepe Vve see here by this it is a fearful case and crime to defile by sinne as much as in vs lieth the body of Christin the Sacrament seeing God strooke many to death for it in the Primitiue Church and punished others by greuous sicknes No maruel that so many strange diseases and deaths fall vpon vs novv in the vvorld 31. Iudge your selues Vve may note here that it is not ynough onely to sinne no more or to repent lightly of that vvhich is past but that vve should punish our selues according to the vveight of the faults past and forgiuen and also that God vvil punish vs by temporal scourges in this life or the next if vve do not make our selues very cleane before vve come to receiue his holy Sacrament vvhose heaâ—y hands vve may escape by punishing our selues by fasting and other penance 33. Expect one an other Returning novv to their former fault and disorder for the vvhich he tooke this occasion to talke of the holy Sacrament and hovv great a fault it is to come vnvvorthely to it he exhorteth them to keepe their said suppers or feastes in vnitie peace and sobrietie the riche expecting the poore c. 34. I vvil dispose Man particular orders decrees moe then be here or in any other booke of the nevv Testament expresly vvritten did the Apostles as we see here and namely S. Paul to the Corinthians set dovvne by tradition vvhich our vvhole ministration of the MASSE is agreable vnto as the substance of the Sacrifice and Sacrament is by the premisses proued to be most consonant Caluins supper and Communion in al points vvholy repugnant to the same And that it agreeth not to these other not vvritteÌ„ traditions they easely confesse The * Apostles deliuered vnto the Church to take it onely fasting they care not for it The Apostles taught the Church to consecrate by the vvordes and the signe of the Crosse vvithout vvhich saith S. Augustine tract in Io. 118. Ser. â—5 in append Chrys ho. 〈◊〉 in 16 Mat. no Sacrament is rightly perfited the Protestants haue takeÌ„ it avvay The Apostles taught the Church to keepe * a Memorie or inuocatioÌ„ of Saincts in this Sacrifice the Caluinists haue none The Apostles decreed that in this Sacrifice there should be special praiers for the dead Chrys ho. in ep ad Philip. Aug. de cur pro mort c. 1 they haue none Likewise that water should be mixed with the winâ— and so forth See Annot. in c. 11 〈◊〉 23. Bread Therfore if Caluin had made his new administration according to all the Apostles written wordes yet not knovving how many things beside the Apostle had to prescribe in these wordes Catera cum venerâ— disponam the rest I wil dispose when I come he could not haue satisfied any wise man in his new chaunge But now seeing they are fallen to so palpable blindnes that their doing is directly opposite to the very Scripture also which they pretend to folow onely and haue quite destroied both the name substance and al good accidents of Christes principal Sacrament we trust al the world wil see their folly and impudencie CHAP. XII They must not make their diuersitle of Giftes an occasion of Schisme considering that al are of one Holy Ghost and for the profit of the one body of Christ vvhich in the Church 12 Vvhich also could not be a body vvithout such varietie of members 12 Therfore neither they that haue the inferiour giftes must be discontent seing it is Gods distribution nor they that haue the greater contemne the other considering they are no lesse necessarie 25 but al in al ioyne together 2â— and euery one knovv his ovvne place verse 1 ANd concerning spiritual things I vvil not haue you ignoraÌ„t brethren ✠verse 2 You know that vvhen you vvere heathen you vvent to dumme Idols according as you vvere ledde ✠verse 3 Therfore I doe you to vnderstand that no maÌ„ speaking in the Spirit of God saith anáthema to IESVS And no man can say Our Lord IESVS but in the holy Ghost ✠verse 4 And there are diuisions of graces but one Spirit ✠verse 5 Andthere are diuisions of ministrations but one Lord. ✠verse 6 And there are diuisions of operations but one God vvhich vvorketh al in al. ✠verse 7 And the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen vnto euery one to profit ✠verse 8 To one certes by the Spirit is giuen the vvord of vvisedom and to an other the vvord of knovvledge according to the same Spirit ✠verse 9 to an other
Antichrist or before shal refuse to obey the same but for that neere to the time of Antichrist and the consummation of the vvorld there is like to be a great reuolt of kingdoms peoples and Prouinces from the open external obedience and communion thereof Vvhich reuolt hauing been begunne and continued by Heretikes of diuers ages resisting hating the Seate of Peter vvhich they called cathedram pestilentia the chaire of pestilence * in S. Augustines daies because it is Christes fort erected against Hel gates and al Heretikes and being novv vvonderfully increased by these of our daies the next precursors of Antichrist as it may seeme shal be fully atchieued a litle before the end of the vvorld by Antichrist him self though euen then also vvhen for the fevv daies of Antichristes reigne the external state of the Romane Church and publike entercourse of the faithful vvith the same may cease yet the due honour and obedience of the Christians tovvard it and communion in hart vvith it and practise thereof in secrete and open confessing thereof if occasion require shal not cease no more then it doth novv in the Christians of Cypres and other places vvhere open entercourse is forbidden This is certaine and vvonderful in al vvise mens eies and must needes be of Gods prouidence a singular prerogatiue that this Seate of Peter standeth vvhen al other Apostolike Sees be gone that it stood there for certaine ages together vvith the secular seate of the Empire that the Popes stood vvithout vvealth povver or humane defense the Emperours knovving vvitting and seeking to destroy them and putting to the svvord aboue thirtie of them one after an other yea and being as much afraid of them as if they had been amuli imperij Competitors of their Empire as S. Cyprian noteth epist 52 ad Antonianum num 3 of S. Cornelius Pope in his daies and Decius then Emperour againe that the Emperours aftervvard yelded vp the citie vnto them continuing for al that in the Emperial dignitie still that the successors of those that persecuted them laid dovvne their crovvnes before their Seate and sepulcres honouring the very memories and Relikes of the poore men vvhom their predecessors killed that novv vvel neere these 1600 yeres this Seat standeth as at the beginning in continual miserie so novv of long time for the most part in prosperitie vvithout al mutation in effect as no other kingdom or State in the vvorld hath done euery one of them in the said space being manifoldly altered It standeth vve say al this vvhile to vse S. Augustines vvordes de vtil cred c. 17. Frustra circumlatrantibus haereticis the Heretikes in vaine barking about it not the first Heathen Emperours not the Gothes and Vandals not the Turke not any sackes or massakers by Alaricus Gensericus Attila Borbon and others not the emulation of secular Princes vvere they kings or Emperours not the Popes ovvne diuisions among them selues and manifold difficulties and dangers in their elections not the great vices vvhich haue been noted in some of their persons no◠al these nor any other endeuour or scādal could yet preuaile against the See of Rome nor is euer like to preuaile til the end of the vvorld dravv neere at vvhich time this reuolt here spoken of by the Apostle may be in such sort as is said before and more shal be said in the Annotations next folovving ◠The man of sinne There vvere many euen in the Apostles time as vve see by the 4 Chapter of S. Iohns first epistle and in the vvritings of the aūcient fathers that vvere forerunners of Antichrist and for impugning Christes truth and Church vvere called antichristes vvhether they did it by force and open persecution as Nero and others either Heathen or Heretical Emperours did or by false teaching and other deceites as the Heretikes of al ages in vvhich common and vulgar acception S. Hierom saith al belonged to Antichrist that vvere not of the communion of Damasus then Pope of Rome Hiero. ep 57 ad Damas and in an other place al that haue nevv names after the peculiar calling of Heretikes as Arians Donatistes and as vve say novv Caluinistes Zuinglians c. al such saith he be Antichristes Dial. cont Lucifer c. 9. Yea these later of our time much more then any of the former for diuers causes vvhich shal aftervvard be set dovvne Neuerthelesse they nor none of them are that great Aduersarie enemie and impugner of Christ vvhich is by a peculiar distinction and special signification named the Antichrist 1 Io. 2. and the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the Aduersarie described here els vvhere to oppose him self directly against God our Lord IESVS CHRIST The Heathen Emperours vvere many Turkes be many Heretikes haue been and novv are many therfore they can not be that one great Antichrist vvhich here is spoken of and vvhich by the article alvvaies added in the Greeke is signified to be one special and singular man as his peculiar direct opposition to Christs person in the 5 chapter of S. Iohns Gospel v. 43 the insinuation of the particular stocke and tribe vvhereof he should be borne to wit of the Ievves for of them he shal be receiued as their Massias Io. 5. v. 43. and of the tribe of Dan. Ire◠li. 5. Hieron com in c. 11 Dan. August q. in Ios q. 22 the note of his proper name Apoc. 13 the time of his appearing so neere the vvorldes end his short reigne his singular vvast and destruction of Gods honour and al religion his feined miracles the figures of him in the Prophets and Scriptures of the nevv old Testament al these many other arguments proue him to be but one special notorious Aduersarie in the highest degree vnto vvhom al other persecutors Heretikes Atheistes and vvicked enemies of Christ and his Church are but members and seruants And this is the most common sentence also of al aūcient fathers Onely Heretikes make no doubt but Antichrist is a vvhole order or succession of men vvhich they hold against the former euident Scriptures and reasons onely to establish their folish and vvicked paradoxe that Christes cheefe Minister is Antichrist yea the vvhole order Vvherein Beza specially pricketh so high that he maketh Antichrist euen this great Antichrist to haue been in S. Paules daies though he vvas not open to the vvorld Vvho it should be except he meane S. Peter because he vvas the first of the order of Popes God knovveth And sure it is except he vvere Antichrist neither the vvhole order nor any of the order can be Antichrist being al his lavvful successors both in dignitie and also in truth of Christes religion Neither can al the Heretikes aliue proue that they or any of them vsed any other regiment or iurisdiction Ecclesiastical in the Church or forced the people to any other faith or vvorship of God then Peter him self did preach and
his humanity but for that his petigree is not set out in the Genesis as the genealogie of other Patriarches is but is sodenly induced in the holy historie no mention made of his stocke tribe beginning or ending and therfore in that case also resembling in a sort the sonne of God vvhose generation vvas extraordinarie miraculous and ineffable according to both his natures lacking a father in the one and a mother in the other his person hauing neither beginning nor ending and his kingdom and Priesthod specially in him self and in the Church being eternall both in respect of the time past and the time to come as the said Doctor in the same epistle vvriteth 4. Behold To proue that Christes Priesthod far passeth the Priesthod of Aaron and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament the Priesthod of the old lavv and consequently that the sacrifice of our Sauiour and the sacrifice of the Church doth much excel the sacrifices of Moyses lavv he disputeth proâ—oundly of the preeminences of Melchisedec aboue the great Patriarch Abraham vvho vvas father of the Leuites 4. Tithes The first preeminence that Abraham paied tithes and that of the best and most cheefe things that he had vnto Melchisedec as a duety and homage not for him self onely in person but for Leui vvho yet vvas not borne and so for the vvhole Priesthod of Leuies stocke acknovvledging thereby Melchisedec not onely to be a Priest but his Priest and Superior and so of al the Leuitical order And it is here to be obserued that vvhereas in the 14 of Genesis vvhence this holy narration is taken both in the Hebrue and in the 70 it standeth indifferent or doubtfull vvhether Melchisedec paied tithes to Abraham or tooke tithes of him the Apostle here putteth al out of controuersie plainely declaring that Abraham paid tithes to the other at the inferiour to his Priest and Superior And touching paiment of tithes it is a natural duety that men ovve to God in al lavves and to be giuen to his Priests in his behalfe for their honour and liuelihod Iacob promised or vovved to pay them Gen. 28. Moyses appointed them Leuit. 27. Num. 18. Deut. 12. 14. 26. Christ confirmeth that duety Mat. 23 and Abraham specially here giueth them to Melchisedec plainely thereby approuing them or their equiualent to be due to Christ and the Priesthod of the nevv Testament much more then either in the lavv of Moyses or in the lavv of Nature Of vvhich tithes due to the Clergie of Chrises Church see S. Cyprian ep 66. S. Hierom ep 1 c. 7. and ep 2 c. 5. to Hellodorus and Nepolianus S. Augustine ser 119 de tempore 7. Is blessed of the better The second preeminence is that Melchisedec did blesse Abraham vvhich vve see here S. Paul maketh a great and soueraine holy thing grounding our Sauiours prerogatiue aboue the vvhole order of Aaron therein and vve see that in this sort it is the proper act of Prieshod â— and that vvithout al controuersie as the Apostle saith he is greater in dignitie that hath authority to blesse then the person that hath not and therfore the Priests vocation to be in this behalfe far aboue any earthly king vvho hath not povver to giue benediction in this sacred maner neither to man nor other creature As here Melchisedec so Christ blessed much more and so haue the Bishops of his Church done and do Vvhich no man can maruel that our forefathers haue so highly esteemed and sought for if he marke the vvonderful mysterie and grace thereof here expressed 〈…〉 also vvhich here taketh blossing of Melchisedec him self though in an inferior sort blessed his sonnes as the other Patriarches did and fathers do their children by that example 11. If consummation The principal proposition of the vvhole epistle and al the Apostle discourse is inserted grounded vpon the former prerogatiues of Melchisedec aboue Abraham and Leul that is that the end perfection accomplishment and consummation of al mans dueties and debtes to God by the general redemption satisfaction full price and perfect ransom of al mankind vvas not atchieued by any or al the Priests of Aarons order not by any sacrifice or act of that Priesthod or of al the lavv of Moyses vvhich vvas grounded vpon the Leuitical Priesthod but by Christ and his Priesthod vvhich is of the order and rite of Melchisedec 11. What necessitie This disputation of the preeminence of Christes Priesthod aboue the Leuitical order is against the erroneous persuasion of the Ievves that thought their lavv Priesthod and sacrifices to be euerlasting and to be sufficient in them selues vvithout any other Priest then Aaron and his successors and vvithout al relation to Christes Passion or any other redemption or remission then that vvhich their Leuitical offices did procure not knovving that they vvere all figures of Christes death and to be ended and accomplished in the same Vvhich point vvell vnderstood and kept in mind vvill cleere the vvhole controuersie betvvixt the Catholikes and Protestants concerning the sacrifice of the Church for the scope of the Apostles disputation being to auouch the dignity preeminence necessitie and eternal fruite and effect of Christes Passion he had not to treate at all of the other vvhich is a sacrifice depending of his Passion specially vvriting to the Hebrues that vvere to be instructed and reformed first touching the sacrifice of the Crosse before they could fruitfully heare any thing of the other though in couert and by most euident sequele of disputation the learned and faithfull may easily perceiue vvherevpon the said Sacrifice of the Church vvhich is the Masse is grounded And therfore S. Hierom saith ep 126 that al these commendations of Melchisedec are in the type of Christ euius profectus Ecclesiae sacramenta sunt 12. Translated Note vvel this place and you shal perceiue thereby that euery lavvful forme and manner of lavv state or gouernement of Gods people dependeth on Priesthod riseth standeth falleth or altereth vvith the Priesthod In the lavv of Nature the state of the people hanged on one kind of Priesthod in the lavv of Moyses of an other in the state of Christianity of an other and therfore in the former sentence the Apostle said that the Ievvish people or Commonvvealth had their lavv vnder the Leuitical Priesthod and the Greeke more properly expresseth the matter that they vvere legitimated that is to say made a lavvful people or communitie vnder God by the Priesthod for there is no iust nor lavvful Commonvvealth in the vvorld that is not made legal and Gods peculiar and distinguished from vnlavvful Commonvveales that hold of false goddes or of none at al by Priesthod Vvherevpon it is cleere that the nevv lavv and al Christian peoples holding of the same is made lavvful by the Priesthod of the nevv Testament and that the Protestants shamefully are deceiued and deceiue others that vvould haue Christian Commonvveales to lacke
the dead othervvise it is yet of no value vvhiles he that tested liueth ✠verse 18 Vvherevpon neither vvas the first certes dedicated vvithout bloud ✠verse 19 For al the commaundement of the Lavv being read of Moyses to al the people he taking the bloud of calues and goates vvith vvater and scarlet vvool and hyssope sprinkled the very booke also it self and al the people ✠verse 20 saying * ″ This is the bloud of the Testament vvhich God hath commaunded vnto you ✠verse 21 The tabernacle also al the vessel of the ministerie he in like maner sprinkled with bloud ✠verse 22 And al things almost according to the lavv are cleansed with bloud and vvithout sheading of bloud there is not remission ✠verse 23 It is necessarie therfore that ″ the examplers of the coelestials be cleansed vvith these but the celestials them selues vvith better hostes then these ✠verse 24 For IESVS is not entred into Holies made vvith hand examplers of the true but into heauen it self that he may appeare novv to the countenance of God for vs. ✠verse 25 Nor that he should ″ offer him self often as the high priest entereth into the Holies euery yere in the bloud of others ✠verse 26 othervvise he ought to haue suffered often from the beginning of the vvorld but novv once in the cōsummation of the vvorldes to the destructiō of sinne he hath appeared by his ovvne host ✠verse 27 And as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement ✠verse 28 so also Christ vvas offered once to exhaust the sinnes of many the second time he shal appeare vvithout sinne to them that expect him vnto saluation ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 4. A golden potte The Protestants count it superstitious to keepe vvith honour and reuerence the holy memories or monuments of Gods benefites and miracles or the tokens of Christes Passion as his Crosse garments or other things appertaining to him or his Saincts and thinke it impossible that such things should dure so long vvhen they may here see the reuerent and long reseruation of Manna vvhich of it self vvas most apt to putrifie and of Aarons rodde onely for that it sodenly florished by miracle the tables of the Testament c. See a notable place in S. Cyril li. 6 cont Iulian. vvhere he defendeth against Iulian the Apostataes blasphemie he keeping and honouring of that Crosse or vvood vvhich Christ died on See also S. Paulinus ep 11. and vvhat reuerence S. Hierom and the faithful of his time did to the sepulchres of Christ and his Martyrs and to their relikes We reuerence and vvorship saith he euery vvhere Martyrs sepulchres and putting the holy ashes to our eies if vve may vve touch it vvith our mouth also and do some thinke that the monument vvherein our Lord vvas buried it to be neglected But our Protestant can not skill of this they had rather folovv Vigilantius Iulianus the Apostata and such Maisters then the holy Doctors and euident practise of the Church is al ages 5. Cherubins You see it is a fond thing to conclude vpon the first or second commaundement that there should be no sacred images in the Church vvhen euen among these people that vvere most prone to idolatrie and grosse in imagination of spiritual things such as Angels are and to vvhom the precept vvas specially giuen the same God that forbade them grauen idols did commaund these images of Angels to be made and set in the soueraine holiest place of al the Tabernacle or Temple By vvhich it is plaine that much more the images of Christ and his B. mother and Saincts that may be more truely pourtered then mere spiritual substances can be are not contrarie to Gods cōmaundement nor against his honour or repugnant to any other Scripture at all vvhich condemne onely the Idols or pourtraitures of the Heathen made for adoration of false Gods 10. Vntil the time of correction Al those grosse and carnal sacrifices ceremonies and obseruations instituted to cleanse and purifie the flesh from legal irregularities and impurities onely and not reaching to the purging of the soules consciences of men being commaunded not for euer but till Christes comming ceased then and better more forcible and more spiritual Sacraments vvere instituted in their place For vve may not imagine Christ to haue taken avvay the old and put none in their places or to alter the sacraments onely into other sacraments external and not also to translate the sacrifices to some other more excellent for it is called tempus correctionis non abolitionis sacrificij aut legis the time of correction not of abolishing sacrifice or lavv Neither haue they more reason to affirme Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse to haue rather taken avvay al kind of sacrifice then al manner of Sacraments The time and state of the nevv Testament is not made lavvlesse hostlesse or vvithout sacrifice but it is the time of correction or reformation and abettering al the foresaid things 12. Eternal redemption No one of the sacrifices nor al the sacrifices of the old lavv could make that one general price ransom and redemption of all mankind and of al sinnes sauing this one highest Priest Christ and the one sacrifice of his bloud once offered vpon the Crosse Vvhich sacrifice of redemption can not be often done because Christ could not die but once though the figures also thereof in the lavv of nature and of Moyses vvere truely called sacrifices as specially this high and maruelous commemoration of the same in the holy Sacrament of the altar according to the rite of the nevv Testament is most truely and sigularly as S. Augustine calleth it a sacrifice But neither this sort nor the other of the old lavv being often repeated and done by many Priests al vvhich vvere and are sinners them selues could be the general redeeming and consummating sacrifice nor any one of those Priests nor al the Priests together either of the lavv of Nature or of Aarons or Melchisedecks order except Christ alone coulde be the general redeemers of the vvorld And this is the Apostles meaning in al this comparison and opposition of Christes death to the old sacrifices and of Christ to their Priests and not that Christes death or sacrifice of the Crosse should take avvay al sacrifices or proue that those Aaronical offices vvere no true sacrifices at al nor those Priests verily Priests They vvere true Priests true sacrifices though none of those sacrifices vvere the high capital and general sacrifice of our price and redemption nor none of them or of those Priests could vvithout respect to this one sacrifice of Christes death vvorke any thing to Gods honour or remission of sinnes as the Ievves did falsely imagine not referring them at al to this general redemption and remission by Christ but thinking them to be absolute sacrifices in them selues
And that to haue been the errour of the Hebrues you may read in S. Augustine li. 3. doct Christ c. 6. And this vve tel the Protestants is the onely purpose of the Apostle But they be so grosse or ignorant in the Scriptures and so malitiously set against Gods and the Churches truth that they peruersely and folishly turne the vvhole disputation against the sacrifice of the B. Masse and the Priests of the new Testament as though vve held that the sacrifice of the altar vvere the general redemption or redeeming sacrifice or that it had no relation to Christes death or that it vvere not the representation and most liuely resemblance of the same or vvere not instituted and done to apply in particular to the vse of the partakers that other general benefite of Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse Against the Ievves then onely S. Paul disputeth and against the false opinion they had of their Priests and sacrifices to vvhich they attributed al remission and redemption vvithout respect of Christes death 15. Of those preuarications The Protestants do vnlearnedly imagine that because al sinnes be remitted by the force of Christes passion that therfore there should be no other sacrifice after his death Vvhereas in deede they might as vvell say there ought neuer to haue been sacrifice appointed by God either in the lavv of Nature or of Moyses as al their argumeÌ„ts made against the Sacrifice of the Church vpon the Apostles discourse proue as vvel or rather onely that there vvere no sacrifices of Aarons order or Leuitical lavv at all For against the Ievves false opinion concerning them doth he dispute and not a vvord touching the sacrifice of the Church vnto vvhich â—n al this discourse he neuer opposeth Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse al Christian men vvel knovving that the host oblation of those tvvo though they differ in maner and external forme yet is in deede al one The Apostle then shevveth here plainely that al the sinnes that euer vvere remitted since the beginning of the vvorld vvere no othervvise forgiuen but by the force and in respect of Christes Passion Yet it folovveth not therevpon that the oblations of Abel Abraham Aaron c vvere no sacrifices as by the Heretikes foolish deduction it should do S. Paul not opposing Christes Passion to them for the intent to proue them to haue been no sacrifices but to proue that they vvere not absolute sacrifices nor the redeeming or consummating Sacrifice vvhich could not be many nor done by many Priests but by one and at one time by a more excellent Priest theÌ„ any of them or any other mere mortal man And that you may see the blasphemous pride and ignorance of Caluin and in him of al his fellovves read so many as may read Heretical bookes his commentarie vpon this place and there you shal see him gather vpon this that Christes death had force from the beginning vvas the remedie for al sinnes since the creation of the vvorld therfore there must be no moâ— but that one sacrifice of Christes death Vvhich must needes by his deduction hold as it doth in deede no lesse against the old sacrifices then the nevv sacrifice of the Church and so take avvay al vvhich is against the Apostles meaning and al religion 20. This is the bloud Christes death vvas necessarie for the full confirmation ratification and accomplishement of the nevv Testament though it vvas begonne to be dedicated in the sacrifice of his last supper being also vvithin the compasse of his Passion Vvhich is euident by the vvordes prouounced by Christ ouer the holy chalice vvhich be correspondent to the vvordes that vvere spoken as the Apostle here declareth in the first sacrifice of the dedication of the old lavv hauing also expresse mention of remission of sinnes thereby as by the bloud of the nevv Testament Vvhereby it is plaine that the B. Chalice of the altar hath the very sacrificall bloud in it that vvas shed vpon the Crosse in by vvhich the nevv Testament vvhich is the lavv of spirit grace and remission vvas dedicated and doth consist And therfore it is also cleere that many diuine things vvhich to the Heretikes or ignorant may seeme to be spoken onely of Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse be in deede verified fulfilled also in the sacrifice of the altar Vvhereof S. Paul for the causes aforesaid vvould not treate in plaine termes See Isychius li. 1 in Leuit. c. 4 paulo post initium applying al these things to the immolation of Christ also in the Sacrament 23. The examplers Al the offices places vessels and instruments of the old lavv vvere but figures and resemblances of the state and sacraments of the nevv Testament vvhich are here called celestials for that they are the liuely image of the heauenly state next ensuing vvhich be therfore specially dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud sacrificed on the altar and sprinkled vpon the faithful as the old figures and people vvere cleansed by the bloud of beasts And therfore by a transition vsual in the holy Scriptures the Apostle sodenly passeth in the senteÌ„ce immediatly folovving and turneth his talke to Christes entrance into heauen the state vvhereof both by the Sacraments of the old lavv and also more specially by them of the nevv is prefigured 25. Offer him self often As Christ neuer died but once not neuer shal die againe so in that violent painful and blouddy sort he can neuer be offered againe neither needeth he so to be offered any more hauing by that one action of sacrifice vpon the Crosse made the full ransom redemption and remedie for the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Neuerthelesse as Christ died and vvas offered after a sort in all the sacrifices of the Lavv and Nature since the beginning of the vvorld al vvhich vvere figures of this one oblation vpon the Crosse so is he much rather offered in the sacrifice of the altar of the nevv Testament incomparably more neerely diuinely and truely expressing his death his body broken his bloud shed then did any figure of the old lavv or other sacrifice that euer vvas as being in deede though in hidden sacramental and mysticall and vnblouddy maner the very self same B. body and bloud the self same host oblation and sacrifice that vvas doue vpon the Crosse And this truth is most euident by the very forme of vvordes vsed by our Sauiour in the institution and consecration of the holy Sacrament and by the profession of all the holy Doctors Our sacrifice saith S. Cyprian is correspondent to the Passion of Christ And The sacrifice that vve offer is the Passion of Christ ep 63. nu 4. nu 7. S. Augustine de fâ—d ad Pet. c. 19. In those carnal sacrifices vvas the prosiguring of the flesh of Christ vvhich he vvas to offer for sinnes and of the bloud vvhich he vvas to sheads but in this Sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ vvhich
the nevv Testament are called Presbyteri in Greeke and Latin and therfore both their translation to be false and fraudulent and also their naming of their nevv degrees or orders to be fond and incongruous If they say their Ministers be correspondent to such as vvere called Presbyteri in holy vvrite and in the Primitiue Church and that they are the men vvhom the Apostle vviâ—â—eth to be called for to anoile the sicke to pray for him vvhy do they not then translate Presbyterâ—s Ministers â—hich they might doe vvith as good reason as call such as they haue taken in steede of our Catholike Priests Ministers Vvhich vvord being in large acception common to all that haue to doe about the celebration of diuine things vvas neuer appropriated by the vse either of Scripture or of the holy Church to that higher function of publike administration of the Sacraments and Seruice vvhich is Priesthod but to the order next vnder it vvhich is Deaconship And therfore if any should be called Ministers their Deacons properly should be so termed And the Protestants haue no more reason to keepe the ancient Greeke vvord of Deacon appropriated to that office by the vse of antiquity then to keepe the vvord Priest being made no lesse peculiar to the state of such onely as minister the holy Sacraments offer the Sacrifice of the Altar But these fellovves folovv neither Gods vvord nor Ecclesiastical vse nor any reason but meâ—e phantasie noueltie and hatred of Gods Church And hovv litle they folovv any good rule or reason in these things may appeare by this that here they auoid to translate Priests and yet in their CoÌ„munion booke in their order of visiting the sicke they commonly name the Minister Priest 14. Anoiling vvith oils Here is the Sacrament of extreme Vnction so plainely promulgated for it vvas instituted as al other Sacraments of the nevv Testament by our Sauiour Christ him self and as Venerable Bede thinketh and other auncient vvriters the anoiling of the sicke vvith oile Marc. 6. pertaineth therevnto that some Heretikes for the euidence of this place also as of the other for good vvorkes deny the Epistle Other as the Caluinists through their confidence of cunning shiftes and gloses confessing that S. Iames is the author yet condemne the Church of God for vsing and taking it for a Sacrament But vvhat dishonour to God is it vve pray them that a Sacrament should be instituted in the matter of oile more then in the element of vvater Vvhy may not grace remission of sinnes be annexed to the one as vvel as to the other vvithout derogation to God But they say Sacraments endure for euer in the Church this but for a season in the Primitiue Church Vvhat Scripture telleth them that this general and absolute prescription of the Apostle in this case should endure but for a season vvhen vvas it taken avvay abrogated or altered They see the Church of God hath alvvaies vsed it vpon this vvarrant of the Apostle vvho knevve Christs meaning and institution of it better then these deceiued men vvho make more of their ovvne fond ghesses and coÌ„iectures grounded neither on Scripture nor vpon any circumstance of the text noâ— any one authentical author that euer vvrote then of the expresse vvord of God It vvas say they a miraculous practise of healing the sicke during onely in the Apostles time and not long after Vve aske them vvhether Christ appointed any certaine creature or external element vnto the Apostles generally to vvorke miracles by Him self vsed sometimes clay and spittle sometimes he sent them that vvere diseased to vvash them selues in vvaters but that he appointed any of those or the like things for a general medicine or miraculous healing onely that vve reade not for in the beginning for the better inducing of the people to faith and deuotion Christ vvould haue miracles to be vvrought by sundry of the Sacraments also Vvhich miraculous vvorkes ceasing yet the Sacraments remaine still vnto the vvorldes end Againe vve demaund vvhether euer they read or heard that men vvere generally commaunded to seeke for their health by miraculous meaâ—es Thirdly vvhether al Priests or as they call them Elders had the gift of miracles in the primitiue Church No it can not be for though some had yet al these indifferently of vvhom the Apostle speaketh had not the gift and many that vvere no Priests had it both men and vvomen vvhich yet could not be called for as Priests vvere in this case And though the Apostle and others could both cure men and reuiue them againe yet there vvas no such general precept for sicke or dead men as this to call for the Apostles to heale or restore them to life againe Lastly had any external element or miraculous practise vnles it vvere a Sacrament the promisse of remission of al kinde of actual sinnes ioyned vnto it or could S. Iames institute such a ceremonie him self that could saue both body and soule by giuing health to the one and grace and remission to the other At other times these contentious vvranglers raile at Gods Church for annexing only the remission of venial sinnes to the element of vvater made holy by the Priests blessing thereof in the name of Christ and his vvord and loe here they are driuen to hold that S. Iames prescribed a miraculous oile or creature vvhich had much more povver and efficacie Into these straites are such miscreants brought that vvil not beleeue the expresse vvord of God interpreted by the practise of Gods vniuersal Church Venerable Bede in 9 Luc. saith thus It is cleere that this custome was deliuered to the holy Church by the Apostles them selues that the sicke should be anointed vvith oile consecrated by the Bishops blessing See for this and for the assertion vse of this Sacrament S. Innocentius ep 1 ad Decentium Eugubinum cap. 8. to 1. Conc Lib. 2. de visitatione infirmorum in S. Augustine cap. 4. Concil Cabilonense 2. cap. 48. Conc. Wormatiâ—nse cap. 72. to 3. Conc. Aquisgra c. 8. Flcrentinum and other later Councelâ— S. Bernard in the life of Malachie in fine This holy oile because the faithful savv to haue such vertue in the primitiue Church diuers caried it home and occupied it in their infirmities not vsing it in the Sacramental sort vvhich the Apostle prescribeth as the Aduersaries vnlearnedly obiect vnto vs but as Christians novv do and then also did concerning the vvater of Baptisme vvhich they vsed to take home vvith them after it vvas hallovved and to giue it their diseased to drinke 15. The praier of faith He meaneth the forme of the Sacrament that is the vvordes spoken at the same time vvhen the partie is anoiled vvhich no doubt are most auncient and Apostolike Not that the vvord or praier alone should haue that great effect here mentioned but ioyned vvith the foresaid vnction as is plaine 15. Shal saue The
trāslatiō to mainteine Caluins horrible blasphemie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flac. Illyr vpon this place Caluins blasphemie that Christ suffered hel paines vpō the crosse and that his death othervvise were insufficient Christ yelding vp the Ghost accomplished our redemption Io. 19. 30 Christs Passiō sufficient for al but profitable to them only vvhich obey not by faith only but by doing as he and his Church commaund The Apostle omitteth to speake of the B. Sacrament as a mysterie then to deepe for the Ievves capacitie Heb. 10 26. ⸬ It is euident by these vvordes against the Nouatians and the Caluinists that S. Paul meant not precisely that they had done or could do any such sinne vvhereby they should be put out of all hope of saluation and be sure of damnation◠during their life Gen. 22 16. The Apostles forme of Catechisme and the poīts therof The Nouatians as al Heretikes made Scripture the groūd of their heresie * Ambr. de poenit li. 2. c. 2. Other places make no more for the Protestants then this doth for Nouatus Caluins heresie vpon this place vvorse then the Nouatians Ambr. loco cit in ep ad Heb. Chry. ho. 9 in c. 6 ad Hebr. The fathers exposition of this place The Sacramēt of penance is ready for al sinners vvhatsoeuer Hiero. ep 8 ad Demetriad c. 6. Gods iustice in revvarding meritorious vvorkes Gen. 14 18. ⸬ When the fathers catholike expositours pike out allegories and mysteries out of the names of mē the Protestāts not endued vvith the Spirit vvherby the scriptures vvere giuē deride their holy labours in the search of the same but the Apostle findeth high mysterie in the very names of persons and places as you see Nu. 18 21. Deu. 18 1. Ios 14 4. ⸬ The tithes giuen to Melchisedech were not giuē as to a mere mortal mā as al of the tribe of Leui Aarons order were but as to one representing the Sonne of God vvho now liueth and reigneth and holdeth his priesthod the functions therof for euer ` Priesthod Ps 109 4. Ps 10◠4. The Epistle for a Cōfessor that is a Bishop ` them that goe ⸬ Christ according to his humane nature praieth for vs continually representeth his former passion and merites to God the Father Leu. 9 7. 16 6. The resemblāce of Melchisedec to Christ in many points By the sundrie excellencies of Melchisedeck◠Priesthod is proued the excellēcie of the Priesthod sacrifice of the nevv Testament He receiued tithes of Abrahā consequently of Leui Aarō Tithes He blessed Abraham Blessing a great preeminēce specially in Priests The ful accomplishment of mans redēption vvas not by Aarons but by Melchisedecks Priesthod The Apostle to consute the Ievves false persuasion of Aarons Priesthod and sacrifices speaketh altogether of the sacrifice of the Crosse No lavvful state of people vvith out an external Priesthod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 External Priesthod necessarie for the nevv Testament External sacrifice also necessarie for the same The translation of the old Priesthod sacrifices must needes be into the said Priesthod and sacrifice of the Church Hovv Christ is a Priest for eues Christs eternal Priesthod consisteth in the perpetual sacrifice of his body bloud in the Church The Protestāts cauilling vpon particles agaīst Melchisedecks sacrifice Priesthod directly against the Apostle Christs eternal Priesthod and sacrifice in the Church is proued out of the fathers Ep. 126. * That is from Adā to the end of the vvorld represented by sacrifice The old commaundement and the new Maundy thursday vvhy so called The introduction of a new Priesthod The eternitie of the new Priesthod confirmed by the fathers othe Christs passion By the comparison of many priests one is not meant that there is but one Priest of the new Testament Esa c. 61. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is that the absolute sacrifice of eternal redēption could not be done by those many Aaronical priests but by one onely Christ Iesus vvho liueth a Priest for euer hath no successor and as cheefe priest worketh and concurreth vvith al Priests in their priestly functions ⸬ Christ liuing and reigning in heauē continueth his priestly functiō stil and is minister not of Moyses Sancta tabernacle but of his ovvne body bloud vvhich be the true holies and tabernacle not formed by mā but by Gods ovvne hand c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo 25 9. 40. ⸬ The promises and effectes of the Law were temporal but the promises and effectes of Christes Sacraments in the Church be eternal Hier. 31 31. Christs priesthod sacrifice is external not spiritual only * Beza in schol Test Gracolat in c. 7 Heb. num 8. How Christes body is made fit to be sacrificed and eaten perpetually Kingdom of heauen and heauēly things spokē of the Church Grace the effect of the new Testament The new Testamēt or couenant betwene God man Luc. 〈◊〉 Scriptures abused for phātastical inspirations Act. 2. Io. 14. ◠12. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo. 25. 26 1. 36. The Epistle vpon Imber saturday in Septemb. 3 Reg. 8. 2 Par. 5. Exo. 25 22. Exo 30 10. Leu. 16 2. 30. ⸬ The vvay to heauē vvas not open before Christs passion therfore the Patriarches and good men of the old Testament vvere in some other place of rest vntil then c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Al things done in the old Testament and priesthod were figures of Christes actions b The Epistle vpon Passion Sunday Leu. 9 8 16 6. 14 Nu. 19. ` shal ` cleanse Gal. 3 15 ⸬ Here we may learne that the Scriptures conteine not al necessarie tites or truthes whē neither the place to which the Apostle alludeth nor any other mentioneth half these ceremonies but he had them by tradition Exo. 24. 8. c By this word vvhich signifieth to emptie or draw out euen to the botom is declared the plentiful and perfect redēption of sinne by Christ c ad exhaurienda peccata Relikes They cōtinue vvithout putrefaction The holy CROSSE The sepulchres of Christ and his Saincts ep 17. c. 5. Images in Salomons temple commaunded by God Sacrifice not taken avvay by the nevv Testament but changed into a better One only sacrifice on the Crosse the redēption of the vvorld and one onely Priest Christ the redeemes thereof Li. de Sp. lit c. 11. The Apostles disputatiō being only against the errour of the Iewes cōcerning their sacrifices and priests the Protestants applying it against the sacrifice of the Masse priestes of the new Testament Caluins argumēt against the sacrifice of the altar maketh no lesse against the sacrifices of the old Lavv. The correspondēce of vvordes in dedicating both Testamēts proueth the real presence of bloud in the Chalice In the old Testament vvere figures of the novv in the nevv is resemblance of the heauenly state Christ once offered in blouddy sort but vnblouddily
to abuse the simple do falsifie this sentence of the Apostle to make it serue for the mariage of Votaries it is notorious First they vse deceit in supplying the verbe substantiue that vvanteth making it the Indicatiue moode thus Mariage is honorable c. as though the Apostle affirmed al mariage to be honorable or lavvful vvhere the verbe to be supplied ought rather to be the Imperatiue moode Let mariage be honorable that so the speache may be an exhortation or commaundement to them that be or vvil be maried to vse them selues in that state in al fidelity cleanlinesse and coniugal continencie one tovvard an other as vvhen S. Peter also and this Apostle exhorte maried men to giue honour to their vviues as to the vveaker vessels and to possesse their vessel in honour not in the passions of ignominie and vncleanlinesse this is honorable or chast mariage to vvhich he here exhorteth And that it is rather an exhortation then an affirmation it is euident by the other partes and circumstances of this place both before after al vvhich are exhortations in their owne translations this only being in the middes and as indifferent to be an exhortation as the rest by their owne confession they restraine of purpose Our text therfore and al Catholike translatioÌ„s leaue the sentence indifferent as it is in the Greeke and as true translatours ought to do not presuming to addict it to one side lest they should restraine the sense of the holy Ghost to their owne particular fantasie Againe our new Translatours corrupt the text in that they translate in omnibus among al men because so they thinke it vvould sound better to the ignorant that Priests Religious and al vvhosoeuer may marie vvhere they can not tell either by the Greeke or Latin that in omnibus should be the masculine gendre rather then the neutre as not only Erasmus but the Greeke doctors also take it to signifie that mariage should be honorably kept betweene man and vvife in al pointes and in al respectes See S. Chrys and Theophyl in hunc locum For there may be many filthy abuses in vvedlocke vvhich the Apostle vvarneth them to take heede of and to keepe their mariage-bed vndefiled But the third corruption for their purpose aforesiad and most impudent is that some of the Caluinistes for in omnibus translate inter quosuis vvith a marginal interpretation to signifie al orders conditions states and qualities of men So boldly they take away al indifferencie of senses and make Gods vvord to speake iust that vvhich them selues vvould and their heresie requireth in vvhich king they passe al impudencie and al heretikes that euer vvere 7. Remember your Prelates Vve be here vvarned to haue great regard in our life and beleefe to the holy fathers Doctors glorious Bishops gone before vs in Gods Church not doubting but they being our lawful Pastors had and taught the truth of vvhom S. Augustine said That vvhich they found in the Church they held fast that vvhich they learned they taught that vvhich they receiued of their fathers the same they deliuered to their children Cont. Iulian. li. 2 c. 10. Vvhich respect to our holy forefathers in faith is now in this vvicked contempt of the Heretikes so much the more to be had See the said holy doctors second booke against Iulian the Pelagian throughout vvhat great account he maketh of them in the confutation of heresies and hovv far he preferreth them aboue the proud Sectmaisters of that time as vve must now doe against our new doctors This place also is rightly vsed to proue that the Church of God should keepe the memories of Saincts departed by solemne holidaies and other deuout vvaies of honour 9. Not vvith meates He speaketh not of Christian fastes but of the legal difference of meates vvhich the Hebrues vvere yet proâ—e vnto not considering that by Christes faith they vvere made free from al such obseruations of the Law 10. We haue an altar He putteth them in minde by these vvordes that in folowing to much their old Iewish rites they depriued them selues of an other maner and a more excellent sacrifice and meate meaning of the holy altar and Christes ovvne blessed body offered and eaten there of vvhich they that continue in the figures of the old Law could not be partakers This altar saith I sychius is the altar of Christes body vvhich the Ievves for their incredulity must not behold Li. 6 c. 21 in Leuit. And the Greeke vvord as also the Hebrue ansvvering therevnto in the old testament signifieth properly an altar to sacrifice on and not a metaphorical and spiritual altar Vvhereby vve proue against the Heretikes that vve haue not a common table or profane communion borde to eate mere bread vpon but a very altar in the proper sense to sacrifice Christes body vpon and so called of the fathers in respect of the said body sacrificed Greg. Nazianz. in orat de sorore Gorgonia Chrys demonst quòd Christus sit Deus Socrat. li. 1. c. 20. 25. Aug. ep 86. De ciu Dei li. 8. c. 27. li. 22. c. 10. Confess li. 9 c. 11. 13. Cont. Faust Manich. li. 20. c 21. Theophyl in 23. Mat. And vvhen it is called a table it is in respect of the heauenly foode of Christs body and bloud receiued 15. The hoste or praise Though it may signifie the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing of vvhat sort soeuer ye it specially may be thought to signifie the great Sacrifice of the B. body and bloud of Christ not as vpon the Crosse vvhich vvas but once done in bloudy sort but as in the Church and new Testament vvhere it is daily done vnblouddily being the proper host of laude and thankes giuing and therfore called the Eucharist and being the fruite and effecte of Christ and his Priests lippes or vvordes that is of consecration because this sacrifice is made by the force of the holy vvordes And vvhen vve reade in the psalme and other places of the olde Testament of the host of praise it may be thought to be a prophecie of the nevv Sacrifice not of euery vulgar thankes giuing And so the old fathers in the primitiue Church to hide the mysteries from the vnvvorthy or heathen often speake What is saith S. Augustine a more holy sacrifice of praise then that vvhich consisteth in thankes giuing all vvhich the faithful do knovv in the sacrifice of the Church Li. 1. cont aduers leg preph c. 18. Againe c. 20. The Church from the times of the Apostles by the most certaine successions of Bishops offereth to God in the body of Christ the Sacrifice of praise And a 〈◊〉 aftervvard Novv Israel according to the spirit that is the Church offereth a singular Sacrifice according to the spirit of vvhose house be vvil not take calues nor goates but vvil take the Sacrifice of praise not according