but now it hath vtterly none Penitents in the primitiue church did but giue testimonie vnto the church of their heartie and vnfained repentance and not as you would haue men imagine satisfie for their sinnes and deserue at Gods hand remission and pardon therof Augustine neuer dreamed of any such matter but he wrote against the Nouatians who denied repentance to them that sinned after they were baptized against whom he prooueth by the example of Peter which had denied Christ by the authoritie of this present text that men after baptisme were not to be excluded from repentance and so maintaineth the custome of the church in admitting penitents which had béene afore for their faults excommunicated what is this to that you alledge him for against our translation 2. Cor. 13. 10. The text Therefore these things I write absent that being present I may not deale hardly according to the power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction The note Ecclesiastical ⸫ power to punish offenders by the censures of the church The answer Which power we reuerence and kéepe offenders in awe withall though we contemne and despise the vsurped power of the Romish church and care not for her thunderbolts GALATHIANS Galat. 1. 6. The text I maruell that you are so soone transferred from him that called into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospel which is not another vnlesse there be some that trouble you and will ⸫ inuert the Gospel of Christ. The note New Gospellers that peruert corrupt or alter the one onlie true and first deliuered Gospell are to be auoided See Saint Augustine contra Faust. libro 32. cap. 27. The answer The Gospel of God is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer whosoeuer therefore doeth preach any power of pope of man of fréewill or of anie other creature or thing whatsoeuer to saluation preacheth a newe Gospell and not the Gospell of God and therefore are to be auoided The whole doctrine therefore of the Popes church is to be auoided for it is nothing els but a new coined Gospell Your note booke still deceiueth you there are not so many chapters in that booke Galat. 1. 19. The text But other of the Apostles sawe I none sauing Iames ⸫ the brother of our Lord. The note Saint Iames was called our Lords brother after the Hebrew phrase of the Iewes by which neere kinsemen are called brethren for they were not brethren in deede but rather sisters children The answer If vpon this you should méete with men as froward as your selues are in expounding this is my bodie they might make you worke by not admitting any interpretation and therefore you might sée how fond a thing it is so to sticke to the letter that you will not admit the mind of the speaker Galat. 2. 11. The text And when Cephas was come to Antioch I resisted him ⸫ in face bicause he was reprehensible The note That is in presence before them all as Beza him selfe expoundeth it yet the English Bezites to the more disgracing of saint Peter translate to his face No. Testamen anno 1580. The answer It is somwhat that once in your liues you are content to acknowledge that you haue learned somwhat of master Beza but I thinke he should not haue béene spoken of héere but to take occasion by him to vtter your choller and to ease your stomacke a little vpon those whom you call English Bezites whose intent as you surmise was in their translation to disgrace S. Peter As if it had béene greater disgrace to saint Peter to be told of his fault to his face than to be told of it reprooued for it in the presence of the multitude But howsoeuer it was we sée plainly S. Peter went awry and brought others into the like danger And further we sée that his authoritie was not so great but he might be reprooued Yet though the pope go headlong to hell and lead thousands of souls with him thither no man may say Why dost thou this Gal. 2. 16. The text But knowing that a man is not iustified by the ⸫ works of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ we also beleeue in Iesus Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for the which cause by the works of the law no flesh shall be iustified The note By this and by the discourse of the whole epistle you may perceiue that when iustification is attributed to faith the works of charitie are not excluded but the works of Moises law that is the ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments thereof principally and consequently all works done meerly by nature and free will without the faith grace spirit and aide of Christ. The answer Helpe helpe Paul hath set the popes kitchin on fire Our Rhemists bring water but it runneth out by the way For both by this and the whole course of this epistle we sée that this new Gospell into the which the Galathians were translated was a péece of poperie Namely that they ioined in the cause of iustification saluation their works with Christ the law with the gospel But our Rhemists tel vs first that not the works of charity but the works of the law are excluded by S. Paul As who should say that there were any works of loue that are not commanded in the law And therefore if the works of the law be excluded the works of loue and charitie must be excluded also But to helpe this they adde that ceremonies sacrifices and sacraments are meant principally But against that Paul maketh him accursed that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it If blessednes and iustification be our deliuerie from that curse who séeeth not that the whole law and euery part of it and euery worke of it must be excluded But further they adde that al works done méerely by nature and frée will are excluded wherein the word méerely is to be noted bicause it expresseth that their meaning is if there be a little helpe of faith or grace that then works be not excluded To the which I say this was the case of the Galathians and the very matter against the which the Apostle bendeth his whole force for that they being Christians and so beléeuers did not exclude their works and méerely ascribe their iustification to the grace of Christ for that they parted the matter as the papists do betwixt Christ and their works the whole maner of the Apostles reasoning in the next chapter doth plainely shew And therefore I will conclude with the Apostle By grace we are saued through faith and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God not of works that no man glorie Galat. 3. ◠The text O senselesse Galathians who hath ⸫ bewitched you not to obey the truth before whose eies Iesus Christ was proscribed being crucified among you The note For any people or
good things to them that aske him The note These good things are graces and all spiritual giftes and whatsoeuer pertaineth to the health of the soule The answer If al these things be giuen vs of God and so are of his franke and free liberalitie then with what face teach you that your own merites must get vs heauen and gaine vs the saluation of our soules Matth. 9. 2. The text And Iesus ⸫ seeing their faith said to the sicke of the palsey c. The note We see that the faith of one helpeth to obtaine for another The answer It is very true that there is mutuall helpe giuen by the faithfull whiles they liue one to another both by prayer to obtaine good things at Gods hand and also to comfort and confirme one another mutually in faith and all goodnesse but what maketh this for that which you teach fooles to looke for that is helpe by them which are dead and gone Matth 9. 15. The text But the dayes will come when the bridegrome shall be taken away from them and ⸫ then they shall fast The note Christ signifieth that the Church shall vse fasting dayes after his Ascension Epiphanius in Compend fid Cath. August epist. 80. The answer Christ doeth not prescribe any certaine day or dayes euery wéeke to fast in howsoeuer occasions doe fall out neither doeth he appoint men when they fast to abstaine from one kinde of meate to fill their bellie with another your fathers you might haue spared The fasting dayes there set downe by Epiphanius vnder the name of Apostolicall tradition for verifying and fulfilling this place your church obserueth not As for Augustine he knewe of no such tradition that is of any daies appointed by Christ or his Apostles to fast in Matth. 9. 32. The text But Iesus turning and seeing her said haue a good heart daughter ⸫ thy faith hath made thee safe The note Loe her deuotion to the hemme of his garment was not superstition but a token of greater faith so is the deuout touching of holy relikes The answer It is true that her deuotion was not superstition but a token of faith mixt with many infirmities which infirmities it pleased Christ for such is his mercie toward his not to impute but to forgiue And where you draw from this example an approbation of your superstitious touching holy relikes you doe amisse For her acte is not set downe for a common rule for others to follow and though it were yet it could not serue but where the principall things to be considered of are alike which wil farre disagrée in any relike that you can name vsed in Poperie Matth. 9. 34. The text But the Pharisees said ⸫ in the prince of diuels he casteth out diuels The note In like maner say the heretikes calling all miracles done in the Church the lying signes of Antichrist The answer It is but vaine to quarell with you for giuing vs the odious names of heretikes and vsurping to your synagogue of Satan the glorious name of the Catholique church We doe not call all miracles done in your synagogue lying signes for God diuers times by miracles hath disclosed the impietie and hipocrisie of your Antichristian captaines of Rome as the miraculous discouerie of sixe thousand infants heades afore murdered by adulterous priestes constrained to single life in the dayes of Gregorie the great and the appearing of an owle in a councell holden at Rome by pope Iohn the xxiiii after the masse of the holy Ghost solemnly song at the beginning of the councel and such like But those which either by the illusion of the diuell haue bene done or by your auncestors fained to be done to vphold popish corruptions contrary to the manifest trueth of the word whereof some are babish some ridiculous some so foule and filthie as that they would loathe any honest eare to heare we do and may well call lying signes of Antichrist Of these whosoeuer vouchsafeth to waste some time in your legenda aurea or in promptuario exemplorum or in mille miraculis beat Mart. or such like bookes shall find store to your shame Matth. 10. 5. The text Into the way of the ⸫ Gentiles go ye not and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not The note They haue here commission to preach onely in Israel the time being not yet come to call the Gentiles The answer Whereby we sée the depth of the counsell and wisedome of God to be such as no man can render a reason of and that in his wisedome he sometime withdraweth the light of his Gospel and communicateth it in comparison but to a â—ewe and sometime againe he causeth it to shine foorth brightly and the knowledge of it to spread farre abroad Matth. 10. 16. The text Be ye therefore ⸫ wise as serpents and simple as doues The note Wisedome and simplicitie both necessarie in preachers Bishops and priestes The answer But you ioyne wisedom and double dealing together hold it for a principle that you are not bound to deale simply and truely with your aduersaries as both that conclusion of the councell of Constance that faith giuen to heretikes is not to be kept and also the continuall practise of your church doeth very well testifie And you doe well in reckening bishops and priestes beside preachers because skant the tenth or tithe of your bishops and priests were wont to preach Mat. 10. 28. The text And ⸫ feare yee not them that kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule The note A goodly comfort for christians and catholikes and all good men in the persecutions of Turke of heretikes of all wicked men The answer Which comfort did animate and encourage all those whom you haue burnt and killed for religion to testifie the truth against you with losse of their liues and shedding of their blood Mat. 10. 41. The text And he that receiueth a ⸫ iust man in the name of a iust man shall receiue the reward of a iust man The note The reward for harboring and helping any blessed iust person suffering for his iustice and conscience The answer To this we agrée but your meaning we are far from For your meaning is that wheresoeuer reward is expressed there also merit of worke should be vnderstood As if it were not possible for God to be more bountiful in rewarding than we are meritorious in deseruing Otherwise it were a simple sillie rewarde that a cup of colde water could deserue Mat. 12. 7. The text And if you did know what it is I will mercy and not ⸫ sacrifice you would neuer haue condemned the innocents The note See the annotation chap. 9. vers 13. The answer You are loth your note should passe vnuiewed and therefore you make this reference Well we haue séene it and finde that which any yoong schooler with verie small studie would haue set downe The best commendation it deserueth is that it sauoreth not so
Eremites Luke 2. 1. The text And it came to passe in those daies there came foorth an edict from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be inrolled c. The note In the yeere from the creation of the world 5199. from Noes stood 2957. from the natiuitie of Abraham 2015. and from Moses and the comming foorth of the people of Israel out of Egypt 1510. from Dauid annointed king 1032. from the first Olimpias 800. from the building of Rome 752. hebdomada 63. according to the prophesie of Daniel c. 9. that is in the yeere 440. or thereabouts in the sixt age of the world when there was an vniuersall peace in al the world the eternall God and sonne of the eternall father meaning to consecrate and sanctifie the world with his most blessed comming being conceiued of the holie Ghost nine months after his conception Iesus Christ the sonne of God is borne in Bethlehem of Iudah in the yeere of Caesar Augustus 42. Vsuard in martyrologio Decembris 25. according to the common ancient supputation The answere It is but a follie to endeuour to reduce them to truth that wittinglie wilfully do deceiue and are deceiued for so a man shuld be but sure to loose his labour Those that be desirous to know the true supputation of these times haue alreadie in the English bibles the true summe of these yéeres according to the truth of the Hebrue As for your Chronographie with the authour thereof may haue some commendation for the paines he bestowed about it and not for the truth that is in it But we can not maruaile that those in whome there is no loue of truth be giuen ouer to beléeue lyes Luke 2. 35. The text And ⸫ thine owne soule shall a sword pearce that out of manie heartes cogitations may be reuealed The note Simeon prophecied not onelie of Christ but of our blessed Ladie of all her sorowes wherein she was alwaies partaker with our Sauiour from his flight into Egypt euen to his death The answer God by Simeon forewarned the blessed virgin that notwithstanding the great prerogatiue which God gaue her to be the mother of God and whereof no doubt she was excéeding ioyous yet she should not looke for worldlie happinesse but prepare her selfe to be partaker of the crosse and sorow with her sonne Luke 3. ◠The text And he came into all the countrie of Iordan preaching the baptisme of ⸫ penance vnto remission of sinnes The note Penance prepareth the way to Christ. The answer It is verie true that the knowledge of our sinnes with the sight of Gods wrath and indignation against them ioyned with an wholesome griefe and sorow therefore maketh men earnestly to séeke how to escape the seuere iustice of God and to obtaine remission and pardon of their sinnes which when they can finde no where els they are constrained to embrace the promises of mercie offered them in Christ. But if your imagined satisfaction for sinnes by penance be true the preaching thereof were a way to kéepe a man from Christ and to make men to rest in themselues Luke 3. 8. The text Yeeld therefore ⸫ fruites worthie of penance The note Fruites of penance be workes satisfactorie The answer Men may be satisfied for offences made toward them by the fruites of penance or repentance but that God also may be so satisfied all the papists in the world are neuer able to prooue For if men by their works might satisfie for their sinnes then what néede they séeke for remedie out of them selues and to what purpose is the death and satisfaction of Christ But it is no maruaile though you hold this fast for it is one of the best things that the Pope hath to heate his kitchin with Luke 3. 9. The text ⸫ Euery tree therefore that yeeldeth not good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The note A man without good works is vnfruitfull and shall be cast into euerlasting fire The answer If by good you did not imagine meritorious or satisfactory we should easilie condiscend to you in this note for all faithfull are fruitfullie replenished with euery good worke as time place occasion and other circumstances serue Luke 3. 11. The text ⸫ He that hath two coats let him giue to him that hath not and he that hath meate let him do likewise The note Almes counselled or inioyned for sinnes and to auoid damnation The answer In this note there are almost as many popish corruptions as words For by almes counselled you would haue men to vnderstand that it is matter of greater perfection then the commandements of God By the word inioined you would haue yours to thinke that Iohn inioyned this as a parcel of penance that it might séeme to warrant the penances imposed by your ghostly fathers in your eare shrift For sinnes and to auoid damnation by these you would teach the giuing of almes to be meritorions and satisfactorie for sinne but S. Iohn neuer taught any other means to take away sinnes but the lambe of God but with you whosoeuer teacheth or aduiseth any good thing to be vsed of man teacheth satisfaction and merit Luk. 3. 15. The text And ⸫ the people imagining and all men thinking in their heartes of Iohn least perhaps he were Christ. The note Iohn was so holie that manie might by errour easilie thinke he was Christ. The answer In that manie were readie to haue accepted Iohn for Christ who afterward would not receiue Christ him selfe appeareth the natural corruption of man by which he is prone and readie to erre and to be deceiued and also the negligence of men that did but superficiallie looke ouer that which was foretold of either of them by the Prophets whereby they might easilie haue béene discerned and knowne asunder Luke 3. 16. The text I in deed baptize you with water ⸫ but there shall come a mightier than I whose latchet of his shoes I am not worthie to vnloose he shall baptize you in the holy Ghost and fire The note How say then the heretikes that the baptisme of Christ is of no greater vertue than Iohns The answer You delight by ambiguitie of words to beguile the simple If by Christs Baptisme you meane the baptisme vsed in the church of Christ then we say that the baptisme of Ihon and it is all of one vertue But if you meane by Christs baptisme the inwarde and inuisible operation in baptisme which is Christs proper worke then we say that the baptisme of Christ is greater not onely than Iohns Baptisme but also then the baptisme of any other minister So if in baptizing Iohn be compared with Christ he must as a seruant giue place to his Lord but if his ministerie therin be cōpared with the ministery of others Christs ministers we saie and are ready to prooue that they are of equal force and vertue Luk. 3. 36. The text ⸫ Who was of Cainan The note Beza boldly wipeth out of this
of the small obedience now and the sauing of Noe and his familie in the arke then a figure of sauing vs now by baptisme and so consequently giueth light to that true and cléere interpretation which we now follow and for which we are in part beholding to him as Gods good iâ—strument 1. Pet. 5. 2. The text Feede the flocke of God which is amongst you prouiding not by constraint but willingly according to God ⸫ neither for filthy lucre sake but voluntarilie The note Desire of lucre or to exercise holie functions for gaine is a filthie fault in the cleargie and therefore much to be auoided The answer And what is it not a filthy fault also in the pope You know of whom it was written that he sold all holie things altars keyes and Christ himselfe You know what outcry hath béene made against the popes actions both in this Realme and in others by them which you will not allow to be protestants Besides your whole religion is framed for gaine and to make marchandize of mens soules So that from the highest to the lowest none of you can excuse your selues to bée cléere from the desire of filthie lucre 2. PETER â— Pet. 1. 16. The text For not hauing followed vnlearned fables haue we made the power and presence of our Lord Iesus Christ knowne to you but ⸫ made beholders of his greatnes The note By this it is plaine that either Iohn Iames or Peter must be the author of the Epistle for these three were onlie present at the transfiguration Matth. 17. 1. The answer We do not intend to striue with you for the author of the epistle but you might haue told vs that you borrowed this of master Beza and that Iames being killed by Herode it must be either Iohns or Peters and that the phrase being Peters peculiar phrase doth shew it to be Peters But you can borrow of vs and not giue againe that which is due to vs. â— Pet. 1. 18. The text And this voice we heard brought from heauen when we were with him in the ⸫ holie mount The note You see that places are made holie by Christs presence and that all places be not alike holie See annot Acts. 7. 33. The answer That all places by nature and creation are alike good and of like holines this place hindereth not though by some special occasion or vse that a place for a time is put to it may be more estéemed or regarded then an other â— Pet. 2. 2. The text And many shal follow their riotousnes by whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed The note Heretikes of whom he prophesieth here do gaine scholers by preaching libertie and by their owne licentious life which is specially ioined to the heresie of these daies The answer The first and most speciall note giuen to know those heretikes by whom Saint Peter here speaketh of is that they be lieng masters Which how it is and alwaies hath béene annexed to your religion and the teachers thereof may appéere to the indifferent Reader by the answers to these your notes and by your bookes of beastly fained myracles Your other note of preaching libertie and licentious life cannot in all the worlde be so fitly sought and so surely founde as amongst your selues For by your doctrine our ladie is so good a gentlewoman that so men serue her be they whoores be they théeues be they what they will be it is no matter she will entreat and obtaine pardon for them And her seruice is neither painfull nor costly for it consisteth in sayeng of a few Aue Maries and now and then praieng to our ladie and somtimes offering of a taper As for licentious life who haue béene able to match your most holie fathers of Rome 2. Pet. 2. 3. The text And in auarice shall they with ⸫ feigned words make marchandize of you Vnto whom the iudgement now long since ceaseth not and their perdition slumbereth not The note All the sweete words of heretikes speaking much of the word of the Lord the Gospell Iesus Christ c. are but tearms of art to buy and sell poore mens soules The answer This accusation of those whom you are woont to call heretikes is one of your accustomed slanders But your marchandise is so manifest that your own writers haue cried out of it It was an abbot that acknowledged the church of Rome for his mother that willed her to reioice bicause brookes and riuers of monie flowed to her in woonderful plentie no man came to her with emptie hand The old prouerbe no penie no Pater noster did witnes that the pretended good which you chalenged and vaunted that you could do to soules would not come from you without being déerely bought and well paied for As for your pretensed accusation beareth no shew For if we had sought our owne profite we would neuer haue sought the ouerthrow of your religion For if we had held that still we had béene sure of the first bequest in euerie mans will 2. Pet. 2. 10. The text And especiallie them which walke after the flesh in concupiscence of vncleannes and contemne dominion bold selfe pleasers they feare not to bring in sectes blaspheming The note The speciall properties of heretikes The answer Though your restraint of these properties to heretikes be neither in it selfe true neither agréeable with the truth of the text which speaketh more generallie yet bicause it can not be but that such teachers be heretikes as be so grosselie wicked we will examine the case how you can cléere your most holie fathers and the pillars of your church from being heretikes the properties here mentioned be in nuÌ„ber six The first walking after the flesh in concupiscence of vncleannes what the testimonies of al stories are concerning not the dregs but the highest and holiest amongst you I néede not tell you Pope Iohn the eight otherwise called pope Ioan deliuered of a childe in solemne procession whose picture remaineth in Rome as a monument of the truth of her being pope bewraieth sufficientlie their vncleannes and filthines Pope Iohn the thirtéenth was slaine being taken in the age of adulterie It were too long to rip vp the licentious liues of other popes I know your selues are ashamed of them The second is coÌ„tempt of dominion your popes haue not only vsurped the place seat of their soueraigne lords but haue also troden vpon them deposed Emperors and kings from their roial estate made them his pages to lead his horse and hold his stirrop and to thinke it a great curtesie that they might be admitted to kisse his foot If this be not contempt of dominion then what cal you it For boldnes what dare not they do to meÌ„ that dare cast their god into the fire that dare poison the holie host as they terme it What selfe pleasers they be in this it appeareth that they both flatter them selues and go about to perswade others that
thing or such a thing in the scriptures is also in your church seruice It were too great a disgrace for you to say or sing in plaine English praise yée the Lord. Apoc. 19. 7. The text Let vs be glad and reioice and giue glorie to him bicause ⸫ the marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hir selfe The note At this day shall the whole church of the elect be finally and perfectly ioined vnto Christ in marriage inseparable The answer In the meane space we had néed to take great héed of being seduced by your perswasions and so of forsaking Christ and coupling our selues to another man that is to the pope which is both the popes and yours whole endeuors Apoc. 19 9. The text And he said to me write Blessed be they that are called to the ⸫ supper of the marriage of the Lambe The note That is the feast of eternall life prepared for his spouse the church The answer And not for you which imbrace another head and spouse in his stéede to whom you haue giuen greater preheminence then to Christ himselfe Apoc. 19. 13. The text And he was clothed with a garment sprinckled with blood and his name is called the word of God The note The second person in Trinitie the Sonne or the word of God which was made flesh Io. 1. The answer Who shall confound antichrist and all the power of the earth which taketh his part euen with the sword that procéedeth out of his mouth Apoc. 19. 16. The text And he hath in his garment and in his thigh written king of kings and lord of lords The note Euen according to his humanitie also The answer Our Lord and Sauior Christ God and man after his resurrection is aduanced aboue all principalities and powers and euery name that is named in heauen and in earth Apoc. 20. 1. The text And I sawe an angell descending from heauen hauing the key of the bottomlesse depth and a great chaine in his hand The note See in S. Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit ca. 7. 8. seq the exposition of this chapter The answer Your referring men to the doctors sheweth that your care is not for ignorant men to profite them for they are not the better for this reference and the learned néedeth it not Apoc. 20. ◠The text And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was giuen them and the soules of the beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus and for the word of God and that adored not the beast nor his image nor receiued his character in their foreheads or in their hands and haue liued and reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres The note Quid in millenario numero nisi ad proferendam nouam sobolem perfecta vniuersitas praestitae generationis exprimitur hinc per Iohannem dicitur Et regnabunt cum illo mille annis quia regnum sanctae ecclesiae vniuersitatis perfectione solidatur D. Gregorius libro 9. moral cap. 1. The answer Your poore countrimen are greatlie beholding to you they are much the better for your note they vnderstand it as well and are edified as much by it as by your church seruice And for my part bicause you haue not vouchsafed to turne it into English your selues and bicause it toucheth no matter of controuersie betwixt vs I will also take mine ease and leaue it as I finde it Apoc. 20. 7. The text And when the thousand yeeres shall be consummate Satan shalbe loosed out of his prison and shall go foorth and seduce ⸫ the nations that are vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog and shall gather them into battell the number of whom is as the sand of the sea The note Saint Augustine thinketh that these do not signifie anie certaine nations but all that shall then be ioyned with the diuell and Antichrist against the church lib. 20. de ciuitate cap. 11. See Saint Hierome in Ezechielem lib. 11. The answer We agrée with Augustine that all enemies of the church are signified open as Turkes and such like priuie as the Pope papists and such like who vnder the name and title of Christ persecute the members of Christ which the text it selfe doeth plainlie insinuate which saith that they are the nations which are vpon the foure corners of the earth Apoc. 20. 11. The text And I sawe a great white throne and one sitting vpon it from whose sight ⸫ earth and heauen fled and there was no place found for them The note They shall then be new not the substance but the shape changed 2. Peter 3. See Saint Augustine lib. 20. de ciuit cap. 14. The answer That this is to be expounded of the innouation of heauen and earth we consent but I muse for whome you gathered your notes The learned without you know whither to repaire for resolution in their doubts The vnlearned can not consult with Augustine though they would These references to sée the iudgement of Doctors haue no profit but to make a shew of your reading Apoc. 20. 12. The text And I sawe the dead great and little standing in the sight of the throne and ⸫ bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is of life the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works The note The bookes of mens consciences where it shalbe plainlie read what euerie mans life hath bene The answer Our owne consciences and thoughts at that day shall either accuse or excuse vs. Looke therefore well into your consciences and take héede that you trust not too much and to farre to your Pope of Rome for it is well knowen that he is but a mortall man and not God Apoc. 20. 15. The text And ⸫ he that was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the poole of fire The note Such as do no good workes if they haue age and time to do them are not found in the booke of life The answer Your note is neither gathered out of this place neither warranted by anie other He that liueth to mans state hath age and he that liueth long hath time to do good workes but suppose they haue done none shal we cut frō them hope of mercie afore the last gaspe may not the like grace be shewed them that was graunted to the penitent theefe The time therefore of working must begin at their conuersion and true turning to God whether it be earlie or late otherwise this place sheweth nothing but that onlie the elect shalbe saued Others though in shew they haue led a painfull religious life though they shalbe able to say Lord haue not we done thus and thus in thy name yet shall haue answere depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew you Apoc. 21. 2. The text And I Iohn sawe ⸫ the holie citie Hierusalem new descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for hir husband The note The Church