Colossians — Chapter 1

Which entercourse of spiritual offices and the recompense of the wants of one part by the store of the other, is the ground of the old libels of Indulgence, wherof is treated before out of S. Cyprian (See the Annotations 2 Cor. 2. v. 10.) and of a indulgences or pardons, which the Church daily dispenseth with great iustice and mercie, by their hands in whom Christ hath put the word of our reconcilement, to whom he hath committed the keies to keep and vse, his sheep to feed, his mysteries and al his goods to dispense, his power to bind and loose, his commission to remit and reteine, and the stewardship of his familie to giue euery one their meat and sustenance in due season.

S. Ambrofecalleth them vvidovves and defolate in deede, that might marie,but to make them (clues better and more vvorthy of God, refuse mariage, vvhich they knovy Luc, c.2, tobe buronce bleffed, imitating * holy Anne, yvboin faiting and praiers {erucd God night and 37- G@ 5,25 day, neuer knovving but one hutband. Such profeffed vvidovves then are to be honoured and {uc- coured, Neither doth he {peake onely of (be Churches vvidovves (of vvhom (pecially aftervvard) buc ofal that by profeilion kept their vvidovvhod, exhorting them to patie theis time in praier and fafting, v. 5. Vvhictyvvas an honorable and holy ttare much vvritten of,and commended in the primitiue Church, namely by $. Ambrote and by S. Auguitine,vvho vvrore bookes intided thereof, and make ic nexr to virginirie, ~imbr. deviduu, dugujt. de bone vidustatus. 8, He hath denied, Not that by this or by any other deadly tiume(except incredulitie or doubr- fulnes in beleefe) they lote their taich: bur thac their faes be noc aafvverable to their faith and wo Chnitian religion, vvhich pretcrbeth al fuch duties.

it feemeth) moft foolifh tray. authorifed. Vvhere for their errour againitthe Images of Chriftand his Saints, andto flation. make image and idol,al one: the tranflacor,for that vvhich the Apoftie faith in Greeke,Co- uctou/nes is idolatrie. maketh him to fay in Englifh, Conesou/nes tsvvorf hipping of images: as alfo Epb.s.¢ hecranilateth thus, The cowerous person ts a vvor) hipper of images: for that vvhich the Apoftle (aith , The couetous man is an idolater , Meaning {piritual idoiatrie,Lecaufe he maketh money his God. ln vvhich (enfe to call this (piritual idolatrie ,vvorf hipping of images, is to ridiculous, and muft needes procede of blinde heretie. ;

be their paterne to wvalke after. Vvhere with- Religious out curiofitie he nameth him (elf firft, and our Lord aftervvard, becaufe he vvas amore Peérfons imi- neere and ready obiect then Chrift, vvhovvas not nor could not be folowved but through tation cf di- the preaching and coauer{ation of the Apoftle, vvho wvas in their fight or hearing, And ers holy men this imitation of fome holy manor other, bath made fo many Religious men of diuers 18 the imicatid orders and rules , al tending tothe better imitation of Chrift our Lord. Seethe like Of Chrift him wordes ofthe Apoftle, 1 Cor, 11, 1. and Philip, 3,17. felf, Cuap. LI, He calleth euen them (elues te vvitnes , that ha preaching unteshenvuvas as he /aid , in moft commendable maner. 13 And againe on the other fide he thanketb God fer- their maner of receiuing it : thas is, vUish al soy, noruvsshfbanding the perfecu~ Sion of their oUUne cstiZens. = O R your (elues knovv,brethren, our en- fewea (ance vnto you, that it vvas not vaine: 3) t buc< hauing fuffered beforeand * been cecmie fer ‘ abufed vvith contumelies {as youknovy) Catholike j) ac Philippi , vve had confidence in our fing conn 4 God, to fpeake vnto you the Gofpel of fortable, whé ==! Godin much carefulnes. t For our exhor- ine acungs ration vvas norof errour,nor of vncleanneffe,nor in deceite: and reproches 4 t+ butas vve vvere approued of Godthatthe Gofpel fhould hey, freaens be committed to vs,to vve {peake : not as pleafing men, bur rleafe God & 5 God,vvho proueth our hartes. + For neither haue we been noe iene at any time inthe vvord of adulation, as you knovv:.norin 6 occafion of auarice,God is vvirnes: + nor fecking, glorie of 7 men,neither of + ou, nor of others. + Vvhereas vve might haue been a burcé to you,as the Apoftles of Chrift: but vve- became ‘children’ in che middes of you,as if anource { hould 8 cherifh her children: t fo hauing adefire to you,vve would gladly deliuer vnro you not onlythe Gofpel of God, but alfo our ovvne foules : becaufe you are become mott deere g vntovs. t Foryouare mindeful, brethren, of * ourlabour and toile.day & nighe vvorking, left vvefhould charge any 10 of you,vve preached among you the Gofpel of God. ¢ You Zzz i are 548 THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S$: PAYL Cara, LI: ate yvitnelles and God,hovv holily and iuftly and yvithout blame, vve haue beento you tliat did beleeue,- tas yout knovv in vvhat maner we defiring and comforting you,haue adiuted every one of you (asa father his children ) that you vvould vvalke vvorthie of God, vvho hath:called you into his kingdom and glorie. oe t Therfore vve alfo giue thankes.to God. vvithout in- 12 termiflion : becaufe that vvhen-you had received of vs the vvord of the heating of God, you receiued ir not as the vvord of men,but (as it is in deede) “the vvord.of God,who vvorkerh in youthar haue, beleeued. + Foryou, brethren, 13 are become folowvers of the churches of God that-bein lew- i 1fehe Apo rie,in Chrift lesys:for you alfo haue fuffered the fame things file withont, Of your ovvne lineage, as they alfo of the levves, t vvho 14 neh te Foe both killed out Lord E-s v s,and the Prophets,and haue per- fenfe call his fecuted vs,and pleafe not God,and are aduetfaries to al. men, Tietitottss, .Prohibicing vs to {peaketo the Gentilesthat they may be 1; his hope, ioy, {aued,to make vp their finnes alvvaies.for the vvrath of God gloric:vvhy is come vpon them cuento theend. ¢ But vve,brethren,‘de- 16 blafpheme the “~~ oe ; ? ; C amas Proteftats the priued of you fora fhorttime, in fight, nor in hart; haue oandive Shey rie haftened the more aboundantly to fee yeur face vvith much ‘hs for terming -defire. t For vve vvould hane-come-to you, 1 Paul cerres, 17 “Gr other Sin, ONCe and againe : but’Satari hath hindered vs. ¢ For vvhat is 18 tes, ther our hope, or ioy,or crovvne of glorie? ** Are nor you before’ rte . . 5 . : fpeciai conf. Out Lord Iesvs Chrift inhis comming? t Foryou are 19 -déce they hane our glorie and ioy. in. their prai- . CKs<.-.

[tis the proper vice both of fudaical and of Heretical falfe teachers,to profeffe knuwledge and great {killinthe Lavv and Scriptures, being in deede ft ignorant ofthe vvord of God , not knowing'the very prin- got boafters,. ciples of diuinitie, euen to the admiration truely of the learned that reade their bookes or put ynlearned. heare them preach.

if any vvil 1k not vvorke, “neither let him eate. + For vve haue heard of cettaine amog you that vvalke vnquietly,vvorking nothing, 12 but curioufly meddling. +t Andto them that be fuch vve denounce, & befeeche them in our Lord] &s vs Chrift, that vvotking vvich (ilence,they cate their ovvne bread, B3 t Buc you brethren * fainte noe vvel-doing. t Andif 14 any” obey not our vvord,’ note him by an epiftle: + and do 1y notcompanie vvith him, that he may be confounded: and do not efteeme him as an enemie, bur admonifh himasa 16 brother. ¢ Andthe Lord of peace him felf giue you euerla- 17 fting peace in every place.Our Lord be vvith youal. t The falutation, vvith mine ovvne hand, Paules: vvhich is a figne 18 ineueryepiftle.folvvrite. t Thegraceof ourLordlesys Chrft be vvith youal. Amen,

Superintendents marie , {pecially after they haue gotten good Ecclefiaftical iuiags-Which 1s to Waxe vvanton in Chrift,or againit Chritt , ncle xgrsev. * The Greeke vvord fignifieth to caft of the raines or bridle, that is, % secclate the bond or promis of continencie Which they had put vpon them. ; T pluie The very vvil 1. They vil, ] Inthe chaftisie of vvidovvhed or Uirginitie ( faith S. Augutftine) the exeellencie to breake the ofa greater gift is fought ‘for, Whieh being once defired, chojen, and offered to God by vou, itis nat onely vovy of cha- damnable to enter aftervvard inte mariage, but though it coma not actually te mariage, onely to Hane the vutl ftitie, is dam. to marie is damnable, Aug. li. de bono viduit. cap. 9. nable. 12. Hawing damnation, } It fignifieth not blame, checke, or reprehenfion of men, as fome to make the fauit feeme leffe, vvould haue it: bue « iudgement or eternal damnatid,which 5 : is a heauy fentence. God graunt al maried Priefts and Religious may confider theirlamen. *8'“# table cafe, VW vhata greuous finne itis, fee S. Ambrote ad virginem lapjam cap. 5 & 8,

Some Heretikes peruerfly interred of this chat the foules dis fleepe til the day of iudgement: vvhere 1t is meant of the bodies onely- Came. Io. 13,34 15,17. Heb.13,2 1.Cor.16, 235 Mt. 24, 31.1. Cor. 13, $s Cua. VY. Mi. 24, 44- 2 Per.3,70 Apoc.3,3 16, If. Efa. 59,

The Proteftancs vvilfully or ignorantly applie al chefe kindes of forbearing meates, to the Chriftian faites : but it is by the circunftance of the text piaine (asS Auguitine alfo Scriptures a-teacherh) thatthe fudaical obf{eruation and diftindion of certaine cleane and vacleane meares is bufed by: the forbidden to the Colotlians,vvbo vvire in danger to be feduced by certaine Ievves,. naer pretence ¢ dypan Tifa Ang. ep.

inuocation or honour of Angels v fed in the Catholike Church , vvhere the Apoftle noteth the vvicked dodtrine of Simon Magus and others (See S. Chryf, be. 7 in hune locem.and Epipl>. ner. 21.) vvho caught Angels to be our mediators and not Chirilt, nom tenens capus, nat balding the head,as the Apoftle here {peaketh,& pretembed (acrifices to be offered vnco them, meaning indifferently as wvel che il Angels as the good. Vvhich doctrine the laid Heretike nad of Plato, vvho taught, thar {pirites (vvhich he calleth demones) vvere to be honoured as mediators next to God. Againit vwhich S. Auguftine difpureth /i. 5.9. d¢10 deciust. as the condemneth alfo Paules pl the fame vndue vvorthip i.10 Confeff. cap. 42. S.Hierom (q. 10 ad Algaiiam) expoundeth this 5 a0 CS place sito of il {pirites or diuels, vvhom he prouecth (out of S. Steuens fermon 24. 7) thatthe levves hi Sen of” A © did vvorfbip , auouching thatthey ferue them ttill, {0 many of them and fo often as they obferue ee ° A B che Lavy. Of which idolatrie alfo to Angels Theodorece ipeaketh vpon this place,declaring that 5° a? and that the levves defended their fuperftition tovvardes Angels by thac,chas the Lavy vvas giuen by chem, qecerrfully Cua. Il. TO THE COLOSSIANS. 54! deceicfully at once inducing the Coloihas, borl to keepe the lavv, & to honouring of the Angelsas the Proteftanse the giuers ofthe (ime. Vvhereby diuers ofthe faithtul vvere {o seduced, thar they fortaoke Chrilt vickedlpabufe and his Church and feruice, and committed idolatrie to the faid Angels, Againit vwvhichabomina- ie againit the tions the Councel of Laodicia Cap. 35 tooke order, accurting all chat fortuoke our Sauiourand due nonour & committed idolatrie to Angels, and contemning Chrift, kept conuenticles in he name of fpirites inuocation of and Idols. of vvhich kinde of vvorfhip of Angels and Diuels tee Clemens Alexand. Scrom. 3, fingels, Teriullia (4. 5. cons. Marcion.) expoundeth this place of che falfe teachers that teined ‘bem felues to haue reuclarié of Angels,that the Lavy thould be kept couching differéce of cleane & vacleane mieates. Vvhich is very agreable to thar + in the Epiftle va Timothce, vvhere 5. Paul callech abftak. ring from meates after the levvith or heretical maner , rhe dadfrina of Diels: vvhereof fee more in the annoration vpon that place. Haimo a godly aticienct vvriter, vpon this place, Gith further, that{ome Philotophers ot the Gentils and fome of the levves alfo taught, chat there vvere foure Angels Prefidents of the foure elements of mans body, and thacin remed hypocrific (vvhichthe Apoitle here callech humilitie) they precended to wvorfhip by (acritice rhe faid Angels, Theopby- latte expoundeth this feined humilitie, of certaine Heretikes,chat pretending the mediatost hip to be a derogation ro Chrilts maieitie,vvorfhipped Angels asthe only mediators, Al which vvefet, dovyne yvith mare diligéce,tbac the Heretikes may be afhamed to abufe this place againft che due reucrence and re{pect or praiers made to the holy Angels. Vvhom the Scripcures record fo often to offer out praiers vp to God, and to haue been Javvtully reuerenced of the Parriarkes,nener as gods, buras Gods minifters and metfiengers, /ofa.5, 14-T0b.12,12. Gen.48,15. Angelus qus eruit me, 1 Tim, gar. And thatthey may be praied vnco, & can helpe & heare vs, (ee S. Hicrom in cap, 10 Danuslis, S. Ambrote in Pfal.118. fer 1. S.Auguitine 4. 10 de cimit, Deic.12. Bede is. 4 in Cancticac. 24,

24. Doe accomplish that wanteth.) There is no want in Christes passions which he suffred in himself as Head: but there is want in those passions of christ which he daily suffereth in his body the Church & the members therfore. As Christ the Head and his body make one person mystical & one ful Christ, the Church being therfore his plenitude, fulnes, or complement Ephes. 1: so the passions of the Head and the afflictions of the body & members make one complete masse of passions. With such difference for al that, between the one sort and the other, as the preeminence of the Head (and specially such a Head) aboue the body, requireth and giueth. And not only those passions which he suffered in himself, which were fully ended in his death, & were in themselues fully sufficient for the redemption of the world & remission of al sinnes, but al those which his body and members suffer, are his also, and of him they receiue the condition, qualitie, and force to be meritorious and satisfactorie. For though there be no insufficiencie in the actions or passions of Christ the Head, yet his wisedom, wil, and iustice requireth and ordaineth, *that his body and members should be fellowes of his passions, as they looke to be fellowes of his glorie: that so suffering with him & by his example, they may applie to themselues and others the general medicine of Christes merits and satisfactions, as it is effectually also applied to vs by Sacraments, Sacrifice, and other waies also: the one sort being no more iniurious to Christes death then the other, notithstanding the vaine clamours of the Protestants, that would vnder pretence of Christes passion, take away the valure of al good deeds. * Ro. 8. 17 Leo ser. 19. de passione. How Christ's merits are applied to vs, without any iniustice to his death. Hereupon it is plaine now, that this accomplishment of the wants of Christes Passions, which the Apostle and other Saints make vp in their flesh, is not meant but of the penal & satisfactorie workes of Christ in his members, euery good man adding continually (and specially Martyrs) som-what to accomplish the ful measure therof: and these be the plenitude of his passions and satisfactions, as the Church is the plenitude of his person: and therfore these also through the communion of Saints & the societie that is not only between the Head & the body, but also between one member & another are not only satisfactorie and many waies profitable for the sufferers themselues, but also for other their fellow-members in Christ. The workes of one may satisfie for another. For though one member can not merit for another properly, yet may one beare the burden and discharge the debt of another, both by the Law of God and nature. And it was a ridiculous Heresie of Wicleffe to deny the same. Yea (as we see here) the passions of Saints are alwaies suffered for the common good of the whole body, and sometimes withal by the sufferers special intention they are applicable to special persons one or many: as here the Apostle ioyeth in his passions for the Colossians, in another place his afflictions be for the saluation of the *Corinthians, sometimes he wisheth to be Anathema, that is according to Origens exposition (in li. Nu. ho. 10. & 24.) a Sacrifice for the Iewes, and he often speaketh of his death as of a libation, host, or offering, as the Fathers doe of al Martyrs passions. Al which dedicated & sanctified in Christes bloud and Sacrifice, make the plenitude of his Passion, and haue a forcible crie, intercession, & satisfaction for the Church & the particular necessities therof. In which, as some doe abound in good **workes & satisfactions (as S. Paul, who rekneth vp his afflictions and glorieth in them 2. Cor. 11. and ***Iob, who auoucheth that his penalties farre surmounted his sinnes; and our Ladie much more, who neuer sinned, and yet suffered so great dolours) so other-some doe want, and are to be holpen by the aboundance of their fellow-members. * 2 Cor. 1,6. Ro. 9,3. Phil. 2. ** 2 Tim. 4 ***Iob 6. The ground of Indulgences or pardons. Which entercourse of spiritual offices and the recompense of the wants of one part by the store of the other, is the ground of the old libels of Indulgence, wherof is treated before out of S. Cyprian (See the Annotations 2 Cor. 2. v. 10.) and of a indulgences or pardons, which the Church daily dispenseth with great iustice and mercie, by their hands in whom Christ hath put the word of our reconcilement, to whom he hath committed the keies to keep and vse, his sheep to feed, his mysteries and al his goods to dispense, his power to bind and loose, his commission to remit and reteine, and the stewardship of his familie to giue euery one their meat and sustenance in due season.

ft and Adam vvas not feduced : bur the 1s vvoman being feduced, vvasin preuarication, t Yetfhe ‘the {hal be faued by generation of children: if ‘they’ continue in faith & lowe and fan@ification vvith fobrietie. 2.73.1, ik