The Marginal Notes of the Popish Testament Translated Into English, Book 8
2. Corinthians.
2. Cor. 2. 10.
The text.
For, my selfe, also that which I ⸫pardoned if I pardoned any thing for you in the person of Christ: That we be not circumuented of satan. For we are not ignorant of his cogitations.
The note.
foreign. Though he did great penance, saith Theodoret, yet he calleth this pardoning, foreign, a grace, bicause his sinne was greater than his penance.
The answer.
It is happie you will confesse one man pardoned of grace, which had not by gretnes of penance deserued it. Theodorets meaning was not to part his pardoning betwixt penance and grace. And the text pr…ueth cléerly, that how great testimonies so euer man giueth of true repentance, yet remission and pardon of sinnes is not merited, but procéedeth méerely of grace and fauor.
2. Cor. 4. 17.
The text.
For that our tribulation, which presently is momentanie and light, worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall waight of glorie in vsus, we not considering the things that are seene, but the things that are not seene.
The note.
The English bible 1577 doth falsely translate Prepareth.
The answer.
This translation although not so proper in word, yet all one in sense with the rest, is alreadie iustified by master D. Fulke against Martinius. The reason which he yéeldeth for your fault finding is to be noted: for it sheweth that you would hauehave that, which is momentanie and light, to deserue that, which is eternal and of great waight, and so make a small matter to deserue eternall life and glorie. So lightly you thinke to come by heauen.
… Cor. 5. 8.
The text.
But we are bold, and hauehave a good will to be pilgrimes rather from the bodie, and to be ⸫ present with our Lord.
The note.
This place prooueth, that the saints departed now since Christ sleepe not, till the day of iudgement, and that they be not holden in any seuerall place of rest from the fruition of God, till the resurrection of their bodies, but that they be present with God in their soules.
The answer.
You would say that this prooueth, that the soules of the saints sléepe not with their bodies till the day of iudgement. I maruell much why the apostle speaketh nothing héere of purgatorie, sith by your churches doctrine, the soules of the greater part of Gods saints, after the earthly house of this habitatiō is dissolued, go for a time to the paines of purgatorie: which is directly against the apostles doctrine in this place deliuered. For he immediately after our dissolution, appointeth vsus an house to dwell in, not for a time, but eternally; nor in pugatorie, but in heauen; not seuered from the fruition of God, but in the presence of our Lord: from which he placeth none absence, but whiles we are héere in the bodie.
1▪ Cor. 5. 2….
The text.
Him that knew no sin, for vsus he made sinne, that we might be made the iustice of God in him.
The note.
That is to say, a sacrifice and an host for sinne. See the last annot. of this chapter.
The answer.
If men should héere without all reason sticke vponupon the letter, as you do in, This is my bodie, what can you say for this exposition, that might not be iustly returned against you in that? Your annotation you send vsus vntounto, is a childish cauill grounded vponupon this, that the scripture calleth him iust that doth iustice. But doth it call none else so.Luk. 18. 14. The publican departed better iustified than the pharisie, I pray you what iustice had he done? God iustifieth the wicked.Rom. 4. 5. He is iust, or blessed to whom God imputeth no sin. The iust man liueth by faith.Psal. 33. 1. So obteined the théefe vponupon the crosse to be iustified and saued. You sée then that the Scripture speaketh of some other kind of iustice, besides that which consisteth in our owne doings. Leaue therefore your foolish cauilling.
2. Cor. 5. 10.
The text.
As sorrowfull, but alwaies reioicing: as needie but enriching manie: as ⸫ hauing nothing, and possessing all things.
The note.
Saint Augustine (in Ps. 113) gathereth hereby, that the Apostles did vowe pouertie.
The answer.
Wilfull pouertie bicause you sée no reason to gather it out of this place, you make Saint Augustine your buckler for it: but I thinke your note booke deceiued you. I take it that there is no such matter in the exposition of that Psalme. But he saith there, that in calling images by the names of those whom God created, men turne the truth of God into a lie, and that their forme, and shape, their honorable placing, and setting a loft in the church hath more force to draw people to idolatrie, then the consideration that they hauehave no life, nor vse of their parts and members hath to induce men to the contrarie. I do not remember that I hauehave reade any thing in Augustine that fauoreth wilfull pouertie. But in his booke of the worke of moonkes, he is verie earnest against such idle bellies, as thought it vnlawfull for them to gaine any thing by worke or labor, but would liue altogither vponupon the offerings and liberality of others, and he both telleth them that they refuse to obey the Apostle Paul, and confuteth their foolish reasons.
2. Cor. 6. 14.
The text.
⸫ Beare not the yoke with infidels.
The note.
It is not lawfull for catholikes to marrie with heretikes, and infidels. See S. Hier. c…ont. Iouian lib. Cocil. Laod. cap. 10. & 31.
The answer.
It is not lawfull for catholikes to marrie with papists, or other heretikes, or infidels. For this there néedeth no authority of men, for the word of God is plaine, and it is not called into question.
…. Cor. 7. 10.
The text.
For ⸫ the sorow that is according to God, worketh penance vntounto saluation that is stable: but the sorow of the world worketh death.
The note.
Contrition, or sorowfull lamenting of our offences, is the cause of saluation. Not onelyonly faith then saueth as the heretikes affirme.
The answer.
You deceiue your selues, and others whiles of euerie consequence you make a cause. It is verie true that faith and repentance must be ioined companions in them that shall be saued, and yet neither of both properly the cause of saluation.
2. Cor. 8. 5.
The text.
And not as we hoped, but their owne selues they gaue first to the Lord, then ⸫ to vsus by the wil of God.
The note.
The principall respect next after God is to be had of our masters in religion, in all temporall and spirituall duties.
The answer.
If there were not iust cause of suspicion of your euil and lewd minde, and meaning, this note might passe without controlement, as an hyperbolicall spéech, tending to the reuerence and credit of Gods ministers. But bicause your whole course of dealing bewrateth manifestly, that you séeke to preferre your pope, and your selues to be regarded and respected aboue princes in temporall duties, therefore the reader is to be admonished, that that meaning procéedeth out of diuellish pride, and hath no ground nor warrant out of this place. For the Apostle héere doth nothing else, but commend the liberalitie of the Macedonians, in contributing to the reléefe of Gods afflicted saints. Whereby they gaue good testimonie, that they had wholy addicted themselues to God, to be ruled, and aduised by the Apostle, and other ministers of Gods word. All which the Apostle doth to that end to stirre vp them of Achaia to the like liberalitie.
2. Cor. 9. 4.
The text.
Least when the Macedonians shall come with me, and find you vnreadie, we (that may not ye) may be ashamed in this substance.
The note.
That is, in this matter of almes. Chrysost. Theophilact.
The answer.
This is well noted, you might hauehave spared your fathers.
2. Cor. 9. 9.
The text.
As it is written, he distributed, he gaue to the poore, his iustice remaineth for euer.
The note.
The fruit of almes is the increase of grace in all iustice and good works to life euerlasting: God giuing these things for reward and recompence of charitable works, which therefore be called the seed or meritorious causes of these spirituall fruits.
The answer.
I pray you tell vsus how you collect this? What necessarie consequence out of this place you can make thereof? Otherwise wée must estéeme it, as we estéeme of the most part of your other notes, as of collections tied to your texts with poynts, that will scant hold the tieng.
2. Cor. 11. 2.
The text.
For I hauehave ⸫ despoused you to one man, to present you a chaste virgin vntounto Christ.
The note.
The Apostles and their successors did despouse the people whom they conuerted, to Christ, in all puritie and chastitie of truth, and wholy vndefiled, and void of error and heresie.
The answer.
The pope and his cleargie do despouse the people whom they seduce, to the purpled whoore of Babylon, in all spirituall impuritie and fornication, and vntruth full of error and lies.
2. Cor. 11. 4.
The text.
For if he that ⸫ commeth, preach another Christ, whom we hauehave not preached, or you receiue another spirit, whom you hauehave not receiued: or another Gospel which you hauehave not receiued: you might well suffer it.
The note.
The note of a false teacher to come, that is without lawfull calling or sending to thrust and intrude him selfe in another mans charge.
The answer.
This note is true, but not well collected out of this text. For I suppose you do not thinke, that false teachers may well be suffered. But howsoeuer you hauehave gathered it, your note doth most liuely describe your wandering Iesuits and seminarie priests, which without all lawfull calling or sending, do secretly thrust themselues into other mens charges, preach a new Christ, and a new Gospell vnheard of in the daies of Paul.
2. Cor. 11. 13.
The text.
For such Apostles are ⸫ craftie workers, transfiguring themselues into Apostles of Christ.
The note.
A proper terme for heretikes, that shape themselues into the habit of true teachers, specially by often allegation and commendation of the scriptures. Read the notable admonition of the ancient writer Vincentius Lirinensis in his golden booke, against the prophane nouelties of all heresies.
The answer.
It is indéed a proper terme, and no heretike euer did beare a more glorious shew than the papist. Uincentius Lirinensis was carefull both to auoid all heresies himselfe, and also to admonish others to take héed thereof. His lessons be good, such as we practise, and you refuse. For first he alloweth the canonical scriptures as perfect and sufficient to determine al controuersies, which you refuse. Secondly, to auoid the wrangling of heretikes about the true interpretation of them, he adioineth tradition: which he doth not take to be vnwritten verities not spoken of in the scriptures (as you do) but for the sense and interpretation of them, which was held and beléeued in the first churches planted by the Apostles, by the Apostles I say, and their coadiutors direction. Thirdly, he thinketh that not only the men of greatest fame and estimation in the church might erre, but also that the whole or greatest part of the visible church might erre (contrarie to your assertion) which hold that the church cannot erre, and that in that case he that will not be caried into error with multitude and companie, must repaire vntounto antiquitie, which is far from suspition of prophane noueltie, euen as we at this day appeale to the scriptures, and primitiue church. Now then if you will be iudged by his rules, it will appéere that papists are craftie workers, and so consequently heretikes, and bringers in of profane nouelties.
2. Cor. 11. 28.
The text.
My daily ⸫ instance, the earefulnes of all churches.
The note.
foreign, S. Chrysostom and Theophilact interpret it of daily conspiracie against him. Others of the multitude of cares instant, and vrgent vponupon him.
The answer.
Your latter exposition whereof you kéepe close the authors, is the better, and to be preferred bicause it is Paules owne, who so interpreteth his owne meaning in the next words following.
2. Cor. 12. 2.
The text.
I know a man in Christ aboue fourteene yeeres ago, whether in bodie I know not, or out of the bodie I know not, God doth know, such a one ⸫ rapt euen into the third heauen.
The note.
By this we may prooue that it is neither impossible, incredible, nor indecent, that is reported by ancient fathers, of some that hauehave beene rauished, or rapt (whether in bodie or out of the bodie God knoweth) and brought to see the state of the next life as well of the saued, as of the damned.
The answer.
Bicause that which hath béene done may be done, and it is neither impossible nor incredible, must we therefore beléeue all fabulous narrations, whereof great number are forged vnderunder the names of fathers, others too readilie receiued and beléeued of men, not espieng at that time the subtiltie of the diuell in working those illusions? If this foundation faile you, your purgatory goeth to the ground. Paul vttereth nothing of that he heard and saw there, bicause they were secrets vnlawful to be vttered. Shal not that condemne the rash boldnesse of others, that take vponupon them to vtter and tell all, and more then all?
2. Cor. 12. 21.
The text.
Least againe when I come God humble me amongst you, and I mourne manie of them that sinned before, and ⸫ hauehave not done penance for the vncleannes, fornication, and incontinencie that they hauehave committed.
The note.
foreign, which Saint Augustine (epist. 108.) is spoken heere of doing great penance for hainous sinnes, as paenitents did in the Primitiue church. So that it is not onlie to repent or amend their liues as protestants translate it.
The answer.
You hauehave béene often inough answered for our translations in this case. If amendment of life & true repentance could be without anie tokens or testimonies of heartie griefe, and sorrow for sinnes passed, then your quarrell might hauehave some probable shew in it, but now it hath vtterly none. Penitents in the primitiue church did but giuegive testimonie vntounto the church of their heartie and vnfained repentance, and not (as you would hauehave 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 vntounto edification, and not vntounto 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.