A view of the marginal notes of the popish Testament, translated into English by the English fugitiue papists resiant at Rhemes in France. By George Wither

TITVS.

Tit. 1. 15.

The text.

All things are ∴ cleane to the cleane: but to the polluted,

and infidels nothing is cleane, but polluted are both their minds and consciences.

The note.

He speaketh not of the church absteining from meats sometimes which is not for anie vncleannes, in the creatures, but for chastening their bodies: but he meaneth the Iewish superstition, who now being chri∣stians, would not cease to put difference of cleane and vncleane accor∣ding to their old law. See Aug. cont. Faust. lib. 31. cap. 4.

The answer.

I easily beléeue that he ment not of that which was not, for your churches superstition in that matter was not yet growne. But you haue brought about by your lawes of abstinencie, that your simple followers, in the extremitie of sicknes when there cannot be any pretence of chastening their bodies thereby, are so snarled in conscience, that they dare not touch, or tast, that which is necessary to preserue life, and to restore health withal. Besides chastening of your bodies, in your ordinarie abstinence in pope∣rie, hath no probable shew. For your richer sort neuer fare more delicately, nor fill their bellies more gluttonouslie, then when they abstaine from ordinarie meats, and hunt after extraordina∣rie delicates. So that no mans bodies are chastened by your fa∣sting daies, but their, whom néede, or nigerdlines doth continual∣lie compell to borrow of their bellies.

Tit. 2. 15.

The text.

These things speake, and exhort, and rebuke ∴ with all au∣thoritie.

The note.

Bishops must be stout and commande in Gods cause, and the people must in no wise disobey or contemne them.

The answer.

So must also euerie minister of the word, and their flockes do owe vnto them honor, and obedience, and you must remember that your popes cause, is not gods cause.

Tit. 3. 5.

The text.

But when the benignitie and kindnes towarde man of our sauiour God appeered, not by the works of iustice which we did, but according to his mercy he hath saued vs ∴ by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie ghost.

The note.

As before in the Sacrament of holie orders (1. Timoth. 4. and 2.

Timoth. 1.) so heere it is plaine that baptisme giueth grace, and that by it as by an instrumentall cause we be saued.

The answer.

Concerning your Sacraments of orders, of your own insti∣tution, and grace by them giuen, you haue receiued answer before. That baptisme is amongst the instrumentall causes of our saluation no man denieth. And likewise we grant vnto you, that by it grace is giuen to the woorthy receiuers, so that you vn∣derstand by baptisme the whole sacrament, and not the outward acte, and worke of the minister onely as you commonly do.

Tit. 3. 10.

The text.

A man that is an heretike, after the first and second ∴ admo∣nition auoide. Knowing that he that is such an on, is subuer∣ted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement.

The note.

These admonitions and corruptions must be giuen to such as erre, by our spirituall Gouernors, and pastors: to whom if they yeeld not, Christi∣an men must auoide them.

The answer.

If we were agréed of the church, and gouernors thereof, then we would not contende with you about your note. But nowe so long as you wil not suffer the church to be discerned by the scrip∣tures, nor cleaue to that church which receiueth the doctrine in them deliuered, the admonitions, and correptions of your gouer∣nors, are to be contemned, despised, and disobeied.