Hebrews — Chapter 13

But to see how the Protestants in al their translations, to abuse the simple, doe falsifie this sentence of the Apostle, to make it serue for the marriage of Votaries, it is notorious. They restraine the sense to their Heretical fantasie. First, they vse deceit in supplying the verbe substantiue that wanteth, making it the Indicatiue mood thus, Marriage is honourable &c. as though the Apostle affirmed al marriage to be honourable or lawful, where the verbe to be supplied ought rather to be the Imperatiue mode, Let Marriage be honourable, that so the speach may be an exhortation or commandement to them that be or wil be married, to vse themselues in that state in al fidelity, cleanlinesse, & coniugal continencie one toward another: as when S. Peter also & this Apostle exhort married men to giue honour to their wiues as to the weaker vessels, and to possesse their vessel in honour not in the passions of ignominie and vncleanlinesse. This is honourable or chast marriage, to which he here exhorteth. And that it is rather exhortation, then an affirmation, it is euident by the other parts and circumstances of this place both before & after : al which are exhortations in their owne translations. This only being in the middes, & as indifferent to be an exhortation as the rest (by their owne consession) they restraine of purpose. Our text therfore & al Catholike translations leaue the sentence indifferent * as it is in the Greek, and as true translatours ought to doe, not presuming to addict it to one side, left they should restraine the sense of the Holy Ghost to their owne particular fantasie. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Thes. 4. τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσι.

2. Hospitality. ) Hospitalitie. Hospitality, that is receiuing & harbouring of poore pilgrimes, persecuted and desolate persons is so acceptable to God and so honourable, that often-times it hath been mens oood hap to harbour Angels insteed of poore folke vnawares. Angels harboured. Which imift nee.lb be eucr a ereat bcncdiilionto them and their familics^us w c fee by Abraham and Lot Gen. 18. & 19. (and the like fel also to S. Gregorie, as Io. Diaconus writeth, to whose ordinarie table of poore men, not only Angels but Christ also came in pilgrimes weed. in vit. li. 1. c. 10. & li. 2. c. 22. 23.) whereof if we had not example and warrant by S. Paules words in this place, and many other expresse Sctiptures of the old Testament, these scorneful miscreants of this time making so litle account both of good workes and such miraculous entrance of Christ and his Angels into holy mens harbour, would make this also seeme fabulous, as they doe other like things.

Id, Pfal, 10%. 106, IF Se \ conteije to our Lord: 20, this is the gate ot our Lord , the iuft shal enter OF PSALMEDS. 211 . Our Lord is my helper: and I wil looke ouer inine enemies, é. ic isgood to hope in our Lord,rather then to hope in man, g.It is good to hopein our Lo. d stather then to hope in Princes.

7. Remember your Prelates. ) We must haue regard to the faith and doctrine of the Fathers. We be here warned to haue great regard in our life and beleefe, to the Holy Fathers, Doctours and glorious Bishops gone before vs in God's Church, not doubting but they being our lawful Pastours, had and taught the truth: of whom S. Augustin said, That which they found in the Church, they held fast: that which they learned, they taught: that which they receiued of their Fathers, the same they deliuered to their children. Cont. Iulian. li. 2. c. 10. Which respect to our holy forefathers in faith, is now in this wicked contempt of the Heretikes, so much the more to be had. See the said holy Doctours second booke against Iulian the Pelagian throughout, what great account be maketh of them in the confutation of heresies, and how farre he preferreth the aboue the proud Sectmaisters of that time: as we must now doe against our new Doctours. Memories and feasts of Saints. This place also is rightly vsed to proue that the Church of God should keep the memories of Saints departed, by solemne holidaies & other deuout waies of honour.

9. Not with meats. ) Iudaical abstinence from meats. He speaketh not of Christian fasts, but of the legal difference of meats which the Hebrewes were yet prone vnto, not considering that by Christes faith they were made free from al such obseruations of the Law.

10. We haue an altar. ) Material altars for the Sacrifice of Christes body. He putteth them in mind by these words, that in following too much their old Iewish rites, they depriued themselues of another manner and a more excellent Sacrifice and meat :meaning, of the holy altar, and Christes owne blessed body offered and eaten there. Of which, they that continue in the figures of the old Law, could not be partakers. This altar, (saith Isychius } is the altar of Christes body, which the Iewes for their incredulity must not behold. Li 6. c. 21. in leuit. And the Greek word (as also the Hebrew, answering thereunto in the old Testament) signifieth properly an altar to Sacrifice on and not a metaphorical and spiritual altar. Whereby we proue against the Heretikes, that we haue not a common table or profane communion-bord, to eate meer bread vpon, but a very altar in the proper sense, to Sacrifice Christes boby vpon: and so called of the Fathers in respect of the said body sacrificed. Greg. Nazianz. in erat. de sorore. Gorgonia. Chrys. demonst. quod Christus sit Deus, Socrat. li. 1. c. 20. 25. Aug. ep 86. De ciu. Dei li. 8. c. 27. & li. 22. c. 10. Confess. li. 9. c. 11. 13. Cont. Faust. Manich. li. 20. c. 21. Theophyl. in 23. Mat. And when it is called a table, it is in respect of the heauenly food of Christs body and bloud receiued. θυσιαστήϱιον. טזבח

15. The host of praise. ) The Sacrifice of the altar is the principal host of praise and thankes-giuing, therfore called, Eucharistia. Though it may signifie the spiritual Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing of what sort soeuer: yet it specially may be thought to signifie the great Sacrifice the B. body and bloud of Christ: not as vpon the Crosse, which was but once done in bloudy sort, but as in the Church and new Testament, where it is daily done vnbloudily, being the proper host of laud and thankes-giuing and therfore called the Eucharist, and being the fruit and effect of Christ and his Priestes lips or words, that is of consecration. Because this Sacrifice is made by the force of the holy words. And when we read in the psalme and other places of the old Testament, of the host of praife, it may be thought to be a prophecie of the new Sacrifice, and not of euery vulgar thankes-giuing. And so the old Fathers in the primitiue Church to hide the mysteries from the vnworthy or heathen, often speake. What is (faith S.Augustin) a more holy Sacrifice of praise, then that which consisiteth in thankes-giuing, al which the faithful doe know in the sacrifice of the Church. Li. 1. cont. aduers. leg. & proph. c. 18. Againe, c. 20. the Church from the times of the Apostles by the most certaine successi ns of Bihops, offereth to God in the body of Christ the Sacrifice of praise. And a litle afterward: Now Israel according to the spirit, that is, the Church offereth a singular Sacrifice according to the spirit: of whose house he wil not take calues, nor goats, but wil take the Sacrifice of praise, not according to the order of Aaron, but according to the order of Melchisedech. See ep. 120. c. 19. & ep. 57. ad q. 1. in fine. Thus you see, when the holy Fathers handle the Scriptures, they find Masse and Sacrifice in many places, where the ignorant heretikes or the simple might thinke they speake only of a common thankes-giuing.

16. God is promerited. ) The Protestants auoid the word merit. This latin word promeretur, can not be expressed effectually in any one English word. It signifieth, Gods fauour to be procured by the forefaid workes of alme and charitie, as by the deserts and merits of the doers. Which doctrine & word of merits the Aduersaries like fo il, that they flye both here and els-where from the word, translating here for, promeretur Deus, God is pleased, more neere to the Greek, as they pretend. Which indeed maketh no more for them then the latin, which is agreable to most ancient copies, as we see by Primasius S. Augustines scholer. εὐαρεςειται. Good workes meritorious. For if God be pleafed with good workes and shew fauour for them, then are they meritorious, and then only faith is not the cause of Gods fauour to men.

17. Obey your Prelates. ) The Apostle doth inculcate obedience to the Priests and Bishops of Gods Church. There is nothing more inculcated in the holy Scriptures; then obedience of the lay people to the Priests and Prelates of Gods Church, in matters of soule, conscience, and religion. Whereof the Apostle giueth this reason, because they haue the charge of mens soules, and must answer for them: which is an infinit preeminence and superiority, ioyncd with burden, and requireth maruelous submission and most obedient subiection of al that be vnder them and their gouernement. From this obedience there is no exception nor exemption of Kings nor Princes, be they neuer so great. No persons exempted from this obedience, in matters of religion. If they haue soules, and be Christian men, they must be subiect to some Bishop, Priest, or other Prelate. And whatsoeuer he be (though Emperour of al the world) if he take vpon him to prescribe and giue lawes of religion to the Bishops and Priests, whom he ought to obey and be subiect vnto in religion, he shal be damned vndoubtedly, exccpt he repent, because he doth againft the expresse word of God and law of nature. And by this you may see the difference of an heretical and a disordered time, from other Catholike Christian daies. For heresie and the like damnable reuolts from the Church of God, is no more but a rebellion and disobedience to the Priest of Gods Church, when men refuse to be vnder their discipline, to heare their doctrine, and interpretation of Scriptures, to obey their lawes and counsels. This disobedience and rebellion from the Spiritual Gouernour, vnder pretence of obedience to the Temporal, is the bane of our daies, and specially of our Countrie, where these new Sects arc properly mainteincd by this false principle, That the Prince in matters of soule and religion may command the Prelate: which is directly and euidcntly against this Scripture and al other, that command the sheep of Christes fold to obey their spiritual Officers.