The Marginal Notes of the Popish Testament Translated Into English, Book 21
1. PETER.
1. Peter. 1. 13.
The text.
For the which cause hauing the loines of your mind girded, sober, trust perfectly in that grace which is offered you in the reuelation of Iesus Christ.
The note.
Chastitie not onelyonly of bodie, but also of mind is required. S. Beda vponupon this place.
The answer.
Then all chastitie doth not consist in single life: for in mind none hauehave béene more impure than your single men.
1. Pet. 1. 17.
The text.
And if you inuocate the father, him which without acceptition of persons iudgeth according to euerie ones worke, in feare conuerseye the time of your peregrination.
The note.
God will iudge men according to eueryevery ones works, and not by faith onelyonly.
The answer.
Who euer denied that in the iudgement of God, that it may appéere (as it is indéed) iust: the godly and vngodly shall be discerned a sunder by their works, and yet you neuer the nigher to your merits.
1. Pet. 1. 18.
The text.
Knowing this that not with corruptible things, gold and siluer you are redeemed from your vaine conuersation of your fathers ⸫ tradition: but with the pretious blood as it were of an immaculate and vnspotted lambe Christ.
The note.
He meaneth the erros of gentilitie, or if he wrote to the Iewes dispersed he meaneth the yoke of the law, with the fond and heauie additions of their late masters called Deuteroses. The heretikes to make it sound to the simple against the traditions of the church, corrupt the text thus: Which you hauehave receiued by tradition of the father.
The answer.
Two things we sée in your note. First, an exposition what is héere meant by traditions: secondly, a fond quarell to our translations. First you affirme boldly without blushing, that héere by tradition the errors of gentilitie are meant. But bicause that carieth not so much as any probable shew, therefore presently you flie from it, saieng, if he wrote to the Iewes, then he, &c. As if any man could doubt to whom he wrote, when both he was the Apostle of circumcision, and also he nameth them to whom he wrote, strangers of the dispersion of Pontus,Galat. 2. In the beginning of this chapter. Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithinia. It is manifest, that the Iewes at that time dwelt in eueryevery part of these countries, as strangers dispersed héere and there: which cannot with any shew for proofe be imagined of any nation besides. Your yoking of Gods law with those traditions, or additions called Deuteroses, sheweth your vile and base estimation of Gods word. But as whatsoeuer the Iewes had frō their fathers added to Gods lawe, was cause of vaine conuersation, so also your additions to the Gospell of Christ called traditions, are causes of like vanitie, and vnprofitable trauell and labor in them that vse them. Your quarrell to our translations is but méere wrangling, sith your translation hath the same in effect: for how could the fathers deliuer, except the sonnes receiued? or how were they deliuered by Christ from their vaine cōuersation, if they had not receiued it first? But wranglers will neuer leaue cauilling.
1. Pet. 2. 9.
The text.
But you are an elect generatiō, a ⸫ kingly priesthood, an holie nation, a people of purchase: that you may declare his vertues, which from darknes hath called you into his maruelous light.
The note.
The protestants can no more gather of this, that all Christians be priests, than that al be kings, as is most plaine, Apocalypse 1. 6. and 5. 10 Thou hast made vsus a kingdome (or kings) and priests.
The answer.
We gather both the one and the other, and we know of none other sacrifices now to be offered to God, but those which euerie Christian man and woman are bound to offer, and therefore we néed not your sacrificing priests with their paltrie.
1. Pet. 2. 13.
The text.
Be subiect therefore to euerie ⸫ humane creature for God, whether it be to the king as excelling, &c.
The note.
So is the Greeke: but the protestants in fauor of temporal lawes made against the catholike religion, translate it very falsely thus: To all maner ordinance of man, themselues boldly reiecting ecclesiasticall decrees as mens ordinances.
The answer.
The Gréeke scholiast, whom I hope you will neither accuse of corrupt meaning, nor denie that he vnderstood the Gréeke, interpreteth it as we translate. By ordinances of man, we vnderstand not (as you slander vsus) lawes of men, but princes and magistrates elected, appointed, and created by men. The decrées of your church we reiect, as well bicause that they being but the ordinances of men, are obtruded in the place and stead of Gods law, as also bicause we acknowledge no dutie of subiection to the makers and ordeiners of them, being to vsus English men méere stangers, to whom we owe no more dutie than to any other forrem potentates.
1. Pet. 2. 17.
The text.
⸫ LoueLove the fraternitie.
The note.
In this speech is often commended the vnitie of al Christians amongst themselues.
The answer.
Which vnitie you hauehave broken many waies. First, in cutting your selues from the churches of the east parts of the world. Secondly, in falling from the ancient faith, which the church of Rome it selfe first of all in old time professed. Thirdly, in your obstinate opposing your selues now to those that retaine, kéepe, and hold fast the ancient holie catholike faith deliuered by Christ and his Apostles to the church.
1. Pet. 3. 1.
The text.
In the like maner let the women be subiect to their husbands, that if any beleeue not the word, by the conuersation of the women, without the word they may be woon, considering your chaste conuersation in feare.
The note.
How women should behaue themselues towards their husbands.
The answer.
Which counsell and prescription all godly matrones imbrace.
1. Pet. 3. 3.
The text.
Whose trimming, let it not be outwardly the plaiting of haire, or laieng on of gold round about, or putting on vestures, &c.
The note.
Against the proud, curious, and costly attire of women, wherein this ill time of ours exceedeth.
The answer.
Iniquitie decreaseth not towards the latter end.
1. Pet. 3. 7.
The text.
Husbands likewise dwelling with them according to knowledge, as vntounto the weaker feminine vessell imparting honor, as it were to the coheires also of grace of life: that your praiers be not hindered.
The note.
How husbands should behaue themselues towards their wiues.
The answer.
Which good lesson God grant all married men may kéepe and obserue. In which lesson one thing is to be obserued, that married men may so dwell with their wiues, that their praieng be not thereby hindered, contrary to that which in your notes you hauehave diuers times affirmed.
1. Pet. 4. 6.
The text.
For, for this cause also was ⸫ it euangelized to the dead, that they may be iudged indeed according to men in the flesh: but may liue according to God in the spirit.
The note.
It hath the same difficultie and sense, that the other word hauehave before, 1. Chap. 3. See the annotation there, v. 19. and S. August. epist. 69. and Oecumenius vponupon this place.
The answer.
Time is the daughter of truth, and therefore things that somtimes seemed obscure, are in time reuealed, made open and plain, and so is this. The sense is plaine: The Gospell was preached in former ages to them that are now dead. Christ by his spirit preached to the rebellious and disobedient people, which liued in the daies of Noe. Your annotation which you refer vsus vntounto, is friuolous, grounded vponupon a malicious slander, that we denie Christs descending into hell, wheras we onelyonly denie the popish sense and interpretation of that article. And concerning Augustine, your note booke once againe deceiued you. For in the place which you quote, there is nothing touching this matter: but in his 99. epistle he handleth this place, and especially the former in the thirde chapter at large concerning Christs preaching to disobedient persons in the daies of Noe. Where after that by many reasons he had prooued that your opinion whereby you apply this place to Christs descending into hell, can by no meanes stand: he enclineth (though not fully and certainly) that it is not ment at all of Christs descending into hell, and rather thinketh that Peter meaneth that those times of Noe, were a figure of our times, and the generall disobedience then, a figure of the small obedience now, and the sauing of Noe, and his familie in the arke then, a figure of sauing vsus 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 i…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,Pope Alexander. 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.