The Marginal Notes of the Popish Testament Translated Into English, Book 12
COLOSSIANS.
Colos. 1. 6.
The text.
That is come vntounto you, as also ⸫ in the whole world it is, and fructifieth and groweth, euen as in you, since that day that you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.
The note.
He sheweth that the Church and Christs gospell should daily growe, and be spred at length through the whole world, which cannot stand with the heretikes opinion of the decay thereof so quickly after Christs time, nor agree by any meanes to their obscure conuenticles. See S. Augustine epist. 80. in fine.
The answer.
It is true that Christs faith did grow and spread in the whole world: yet you your selues will confesse, that it doth not alwaies spread alike. For I know you will except our times. And we wil except the times, wherein the Arrians florished, who (as you report) continued longer, and was better defended by princes and worldly power than we are now. Then it cannot be a question how quickly some corruptions grew, but whether any great diminution, or lessening of the number of true Catholikes may be. But the ancient testimonies of stories do also put that out of doubt. This repugnance you speake of we sée not. Neither hauehave our conuenticles (as it pleaseth you to terme them) béene at any time more obscure than the assemblies of Christians in the primitiue church, as you your selues cannot choose but confesse. S. Augustine whose authoritie you alledge, in his latter daies saw a greater decay of the Christian faith, by the cruel inuasion of many barbarous nations that did ouerrun both Europe and Affrike, than he did thinke, when he wrote that Epistle, possible to hauehave béene in so short a space. And further, if we consider the stories of the times since, we shal find that, that the bounds of Christendom hauehave béene greatly lessened, and diminished since saint Augustines time: Flat contrarie to his opinion in that Epistle.
Colos. 1. 10.
The text.
That you may walke ⸫ worthie of God, in al things pleasing.
The note.
See S. Ambrose, and the Gr. doctors. Or thus woorthily pleasing God.
The answer.
What néed you hauehave of Ambrose, or any other great doctors for this I cannot imagine.
Colos. 1. 10.
The text.
Fructifieng in ⸫ al good works, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
The note.
Many things requisite, and diuers things acceptable to God besides faith.
The answer.
This is your accustomed dealing, to make ignorant men beléeue that your aduersaries allow of nothing, but faith. When as we confesse many things requisite for Christians, and acceptable to God, besides faith, but nothing without faith.
Colos. 1. ….
The text.
Giuing thanks to God, and the father who hath made ⸫ vsus woorthie vntounto the part of the lot, of the saints in the light.
The note.
We are not onelyonly by acceptation or imputation partakers of Christs benefits, but are by his grace made woorthie thereof, and deserue our saluation condignly.
The answer.
You prate much of your owne woorthines, and prooue nothing▪ The benefits of iustification and saluation we hauehave by imputation onelyonly: other benefits, as newnes of life, sanctification, and whatsoeuer pertaineth to that change & alteration, which God by the gracious working and guiding of his holy spirit, maketh in those which be his, be really and actually in vsus. We are made woorthie indéede in respect of Christs righteousnes, wherewith we are adorned, and in respect of our selues, none otherwise than the hungrie are said to be woorthie of meate, and the thirsty woorthie of drinke, not bicause they deserue it, but bicause they earnestly desire it. The deseruing therfore of our saluation condignly (as you hauehave learned of your schoolemen to terme it) might hauehave béene kept in your purse, for héere is no place to vent it in, our market serueth not for the sale thereof.
Colos. 2. 4.
The text.
But this I say ⸫ that no man deceiue you in loftinesse of words.
The note.
Heretikes do most commonly deceiue the people with eloquence, namely, such as hauehave it by the gift of nature, as the heretikes of all ages had, and lightly all seditious persons, which draw the vulgar sort to sedition by the allurement of their toong. Nothing (saith saint Hierom ep. 2… ad Nepotian) is so easie as with volubilitie of toong to deceiue the vnlearned multitude, which whatsoeuer it vnderstandeth not, doth the more admire and woonder at the same. The Apostle heer calleth it foreign persuasible speech.
The answer.
Héere is long labour about washing of a tile. Who knoweth not that papists and such heretikes as they are, by fine, retoricall, persuasible spéeches do carrie poore ignorant men after them, and to the intent they may (as saint Ierom saith) be the more admired, and woondered at of the people that vnderstand not: they not onelyonly endeuor to kéepe the people without knowledge, but also hunt after strange and vnwoonted words, such as the eares of the people hauehave not béene acquainted withall, and their intelligence reacheth not vntounto, whereof this your translation is a good euidence. Turne therefore this note against your selues, & examine well your owne consciences, and repent whiles you hauehave time.
Colos. 2. 18.
The text.
Let no man seduce you, ⸫ willing in the humilitie and religion of Angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh.
The note.
That is wilfull or selfe willed in voluntarie religion. For that is, foreign, whereof commeth the word following foreign, Superstition, v. 23. See annotations, v. 21.
The answer.
If voluntarie religion and will worship were quite and cléere banished from amongst all those that call themselues Christians, then where should poperie become? For you your selues cannot for the greatest part of it, shew any other ground, but the will and deuise of men.
Colos. 2. 19.
The text.
And not holding the head, whereof the whole bodie by ioints and bands ⸫ being serued and compacted, groweth to the increase of God.
The note.
foreign, That is, taking subministration of spirituall life, and nourishment by grace from Christ the head.
The answer.
The Gréeke word signifieth our strait coniunction in Christs mysticall bodie, as our bodies are ioined and knit togither by ioints and sinewes, and so your note declareth the consequence of that ioining, being drawen from the truth of the signification of the word.
Colos. 3. 15.
The text.
And let the peace of God exult in your harts, wherein you are also called in one bodie: and be thankfull.
The note.
foreign, triumph and hauehave the victorie.
The answer.
By a metaphor drawen from the games of the Ethnikes, wherein some had pricke and praise for actiuitie and strength.
Colos. 3. 24.
The text.
Knowing that you shall receiue of our Lord the retribution of inheritance.
The note.
Retribution or reward for good works, foreign, which signifieth rendering one for another.
The answer.
Out of Gods rendering or rewarding, meriting cannot be collected, and in this place the word of inheritance cléereth all. For if it be our inheritance, we hauehave it not by our deseruing.
Colos. 4. 3.
The text.
Be instant in praier: watching in it with thansgiuing: praieng withall ⸫ for vsus also, that God may open to vsus also the doore of speech to speake the mysterie of Christ (for the which also I am bound) that I may manifest it, so as I ought to speak.
The note.
Saint Paul euer much desireth the praiers of the faithfull, whereby we learne the great efficacie of them.
The answer.
The praiers of the faithfull preuaile much with God:… for his eares be euer open to them, and therefore as they are very néedfull, so are they excéedingly desired of all Gods saints. But I pray you tell me one thing, why Paul neuer willed them to take héed of being ouer bold, or saucy with God, but to make some dead saint or other their meanes to offer their praiers to God? For in so often repetition of this exhortation, I thinke he would not alwaies hauehave forgotten this point, if it had béene necessarie or expedient.
Col. …. 13.
The text.
For I giuegive him testimonie, that he hath much ⸫ labour for you, and for them that be at Laodicea, and that are at Hierapolis.
The note.
He did not onelyonly praie, but tooke other great paines, to procure Gods grace for the Colossians, perhaps by watchings, fasting, and doing other penance of body, that God would not suffer them to fall from their receiued faith, to the sect of Simon Magus, or the Iudaizing christians.
The answer.
No doubt Epaphras omitted nothing, that became a painfull and a carefull minister of the worde to vse, for the procuring of Gods graces, and the aduancement and setting forwarde the knowledge of Christ, and his holie Gospell amongst those congregations, or churches héere named. What your meaning is by penance of bodie, whether to satisfie for other mens sins, as well as for his owne, I know not. And for such imaginations of yours, Epaphras had nought to do with them.