The Marginal Notes of the Popish Testament Translated Into English, Book 15
1. TIMOTHIE.
1. Tim. 1. 5.
The text.
But the end of the precept is charitie from a pure heart, & ⸫ a good conscience, a faith not fained.
The note.
Saint Augustine saith, he that list to hauehave the hope of heauen, let him looke that he hauehave a good conscience, let him beleeue and worke well. For that he beléeueth, he hath of faith: that he worketh, he hath of charitie. praefat. in Psalm. 31.
The answer.
As you alledge Saint Augustine, so I would that you caried his syncere mind and louelove to the truth, so should we not onlie agrée in this, but throwing away all minde and desire of contending, enter into a most earnest search for truth with al humilitie.
1. Tim. 1. 19.
The text.
This precept I commend to thee (O Timothie) according to the prophecies going before on thee, that thou warre in them a good warfare, hauing faith and a good conscience, ⸫ which certaine repelling hauehave made shipwracke about the faith.
The note.
Euill life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to heresie, from the faith of the Catholike church. Againe, this plainlie reprooueth the heretikes false doctrine, seeing that no man can fall from the faith that he once trulie had.
The answer.
True and liuelie faith is one thing, and the outward profession of faith is another. You louelove to dallie with equiuocations, knowing that that hindereth the consecution of an argument. The outward profession and not true faith is meant héere. By such arguments as you make, it is easie to prooue that the crowe is white.
1. Tim. 2. 1.
The text.
I desire therefore first of all things, that obsecrations, praiers, postulations, thankesgiuings be made for all men, ⸫ for Kings, and al that are in praeeminence, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all pietie and chastitie.
The note.
Euen for heathen Kings and Emperors, by whom the church suffreth persecution: much more for all faithfull princes, and powers, and people both spirituall and temporall, for whom as members of Christes bodie, and therefore ioining in praier and oblation with the ministers of the Church and priests more properlie and particularlie offer the holie sacrifices. See Saint August. de origine animae. lib. 1. cap. 9.
The answer.
The spirit that guideth and directeth the bishops of Rome now, is full contrarie to the spirit that guided and directed Paul, and the whole primitiue church. For now such princes as punish papists, or fauour not poperie, must be murdered, disinherited, excommunicated, deposed, depriued, giuen to the diuell, and not praied for. They may not looke for the dutie, which was giuen to persecuting princes then. For our holie father of Rome will not allow it. I see not for what purpose you alledge Augustine, and therefore I passe him ouer with silence.
1. Tim. 3. 4.
The text.
Well ruling his owne house, ⸫ hauing his children subiect with all chastitie.
The note.
He saith hauing children, not getting children. Saint Ambrose Epist. 82.
The answer.
I hope saint Ambrose doth not meane, that he should hauehave children of other mens begetting, or that it should be lawfull for a bishop to be a married man, and not lawfull for him to liue according to the lawes of matrimonie, which God himselfe hath set downe. But I sée you are glad to vse the fathers, where you find them a little too much to fauor and fansie your single life.
1. Tim. 3. 6.
The text.
Not a ⸫ neophyte: least puffed vp into pride, he fall into iudgement of the diuell.
The note.
Neophytus is he that was lately christened, or newly planted in the mysticall bodie of Christ.
The answer.
Héerein I confesse the church of England hath béene negligent and faultie, for permitting some of your dissembling papists to exercise the ministerie of the word, afore sufficient triall by length of time was had of their vnfained repentance and conuersion.
2. Tim 4. ….
The text.
For ⸫ eueryevery creature of God is good, and nothing to be reiected that is receiued with thankesgiuing.
The note.
We see plainly by these words such abstinence onelyonly to be disallowed, as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature & creation.
The note.
We sée a double estimation of meats héere, one taken from the nature & creation of things, the other from the person of him that vseth them: as appéereth plainly in these words, which God created for the faithfull, and for them that hauehave knowen the truth. Your church therefore is heere plainly noted: first, for that it maketh it vnlawfull for some to féede of diuers and sundrie of the creatures of God,As the charter house moonks. which God had appointed for the vse of all the faithfull. Secondly, bicause it hath generally caused men to make a superstitious difference betwixt fish, fruit, flesh, egs, and whitemeat, being al alike by nature and creation. For that which God hath made lawfull at all times, with you is somtimes vnlawfull, holines and the seruice of God, or at least a parcell of it, is planted in superstitious abstinence, and mens consciences tied and intangled in the things, in which God hath left them frée. As for your ouer turning this to be meant of other ancient heretiks, can no more excuse you, than it did excuse the Manichées, that this was meant of the Tatians, Cataphriges, Eucratites, and such like, who were long afore them.
1. Tim. 4. 8.
The text.
For ⸫ corporall exercise is profitable to little, but pietie is profitable to all things, hauing promise of the life that now is, and of that to come.
The note.
Some (saith S. Chysostom) expound this of fasting, but they are deceiued: for fasting is a spirituall exercise. See a goodly commentarie of these words in S. August. lib. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33.
The answer.
Corporall or bodily exercise are externall actions for religions sake vsed and exercised, as watching, long abstinence from meate and drinke, the daily reciting of a certaine number of praiers, lieng and lodging on the bare ground, the wearing of haire cloth next the skin, whippings, and whatsoeuer other bodily vexations besides, wherein papists plant merit, and their heremites and others their religious do without al measure or mean vse. These and such like are the things, which saint Paul saith are profitable to little, and yet a great péece of poperie consisteth in them. The maners of the catholike church in saint Augustines time, to which you refer vsus, doth as much differ from the maners of the church of Rome now, as chalke doth differ from chéese.
1. Tim. 5. 5.
The text.
But she that is a widow indeed and desolate, let hir hope in God, and continue in obsecrations and ⸫ praiers night & day.
The note.
Bicause of this continuall praier, which standeth not with coniugall all and carnall acts of matrimonie (as the Apostle signifieth, 1. Cor. 7. 5.) therfore were these widowes to liue in the state of perpetual continencie.
The answer.
All Christian men are commanded to continue in praiers, and to pray without ceasing: Therfore by your reason it is lawfull for no Christian to marry. You care not how vainly you conclude, nor into what briers you bring poore men that hauehave tender consciences, so you seeme to say somwhat for your single life.
1. Tim. 5. 17.
The text.
The priests that rule wellet them be esteemed ⸫ woorthy of double honor: especially they that labour in the worde and doctrine.
The note.
Double honor, and liuelihood due to good priests.
The answer.
But goodnes of priests consisteth not in saieng masse, and sacrificing for the quicke and the dead, but in wel ruling their flock, and in diligent and painefull instructing the people, which pertaine to their charge in Christian religion.
1. Tim. 5. 19.
The text.
⸫ Against a priest receiue not accusation, but vnderunder two or three witnesses.
The note.
Here the Apostle will not hauehave euerie light fellow to be heard against a priest. So Augustine for the like reuerence of priesthood admonisheth Paucarius, that in no wise he admit any testimonies, or accusations of heretikes against a catholike priest. ep. 212.
The answer.
No reason that against ministers of the worde, accusations should lightly be admitted, and your dealing against vsus, in continuall lieng, and false accusations, doth verie well iustifie Augustines counsell to Paucarius. For it is a verie dangerous thing, to admit the accusations of popish heretikes against true Catholikes, séeing they are commonly woont with their aduersaries to kéepe neither faith, nor truth.
1. Tim. 5. 22.
The text.
Impose hands on no man ⸫ lightly, neither do thou communicate with other mens sins.
The note.
Bishops must hauehave great care that they giuegive not order to anie, that is not well tried for his faith, learning, and good behauiour.
The answer.
Herein we fully agrée with you. But this rule hath béene as well kept by you, as all good precepts hauehave besides. But it is no matter: for the pope and his bishops, learned neither of Peter, nor of Paul,1. King. 12. 31. but of Ieroboam to make priests for their own tooth.
1. Tim. 6. 3.
The text.
If any ⸫ teach otherwise, and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to that doctrine which is according to pietie, he is proud, knowing nothing.
The note.
See the annotation before, cap. 1. 34.
The answer.
We agrée with you vponupon this point, that all doctrine which is odde, singuler, new, differing from that which was first planted by the Apostles, and descended from them, to all nations, and ages following, is assuredly erronius. Let vsus therefore setting all other things apart examine the doctrine of your church, and so much as shall be found to descend from the apostles we wil with all our harts embrace. But this triall you flie. And if anie time you make a shew of comming to it, then by and by your church must giuegive credite to your doctrine, your church cannot erre, your pope cannot erre, we must beléeue your doctrine, not bicause you can prooue it, to hauehave come from the Apostles, but bicause your church, and pope hauehave giuen sentence for it, but if you durst abide by your note, we would easily shew your doctrin to be erronious.
1. Tim. 6. 10.
The text.
For the roote of all euill is couetousnes: ⸫ which certaine desiring hauehave erred from the faith, and hauehave intangled themselues in manie sorrowes.
The note.
As in the first chapter the lacke of faith and good conscience, so here couetousnes and the desire of these temporall things, and in the ende of this chapter presumption and boasting of knowledge are causes of falling from the faith: heresie often being the punishment of former sins.
The answer.
It is very true that God punisheth sin by sin, and that there be many causes, for which wicked men are wont to forsake the faith which they do, or did somtimes professe. The causes in your note assigned, lacke of faith, and good conscience, couetousnes, presumption, and boasting, if all the world be sought, from one end to the other, there cannot any be founde, in whom these causes hauehave so euidently concurred, and wrought as in your most holy fathers of Rome, wherein I referre my selfe to the credite of your owne stories.
1. Tim. 6. 19.
The text.
Command the rich of this world not to be high minded, nor to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God, (who giueth al things aboundantly to enioy) to do wel to become rich in good works, to giuegive easelie to communicate, to heape vntounto themselues a good ⸫ foundation for the time to come, that they may apprehend the true life.
The note.
Almes deeds and good works laid for a foundation and ground to attaine euerlasting life. So say the doctors vponupon this place.
The answer.
If you had shewed vsus what doctors had so spoken, we woulde hauehave shewed you their meaning. But we know that neither they nor the apostles ment by the word foundation, to put Christ out of his office, or place: but onlie to oppose against the vncertaintie of riches here, the certaintie of promised blessednes in the time to come. According to the saieng of our Lord, and Sauiour Christ, Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy.