The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated faithfully into English, out of the authentical Latin, according to the best corrected copies of the same, diligently conferred vvith the Greeke and other editions in diuers languages; vvith arguments of bookes and chapters, annotations, and other necessarie helpes, for the better vnderstanding of the text, and specially for the discouerie of the corruptions of diuers late translations, and for cleering the controversies in religion, of these daies: in the English College of Rhemes

ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI.

14. Salute one an other.] Neuer Sectmaisters made more foule or hard shifts to proue or defend falsehood, then the Protestants: but in tvvo points, about S. Peter specially, they passe euen them selues in impudencie. The first is, that they hold he vvas not preferred before the other Apostles, vvhich is against al Scriptures most euidently. The second is, that he vvas neuer at Rome, vvhich is against al the Ecclesiastical histories, al the Fathers Greeke and Latine, against the very sense and sight of the monuments of his Seate,* 1.1 Sepulcher, doctrine, life, and death there. Greater euidence certes there is thereof and more vveighty testimonie, then of Romulus, Numas, Caesars, or Ciceros being there: yet vvere he a very brutish man that vvould deny this to the discredite of so many vvriters and the vvhole vvorld. Much more monstruous it is, to heare any deny the other. Theo∣dorete saith he vvas there, vvriting vpon this chapter. Prosper also carmine de ingratis in principio, S. Leo de natali Petri, S. Augustine to 6 c. 4. cont. ep. fund. Orosius li. 7 c. 6. S. Chrysostome in ps. 48. S. Ep••phanius haer. 27. Prudentius in hymno 2. S. Laurentij, & hymno 12. Optatus li. 2. contra Donatistas. S. Hierome in Catalogo. Lactantius li. 4. c. 21, de vera sapientia. Eusebius hist. Eccl. li. 2, c. 13, 15. S. Athanasius de fuga sua. S. Cyprian. ep. 55. nu. 6, Tertullian de prascriptionibus nu. 14. and li 4, contra Marcionem nu, 4. Origen in Genes. apud Euseb. li. 3, c. 1. Irenaeus li. 3, c. ••. Hegesippus li. 3. c. 2 de excid. Hierosolym. Caius and Papias the Apostles ovvne scholers,* 1.2 and Dionysius the B. of Corinth, alleaged by Eusebius li. 2, c. 14. & 24. Ignatius ep. ad Romanos: The holy Councel of Chalcedon, and many other affirme it. yea Peter him self (according to the iudgement of the aūcient Fathers) confesseth he vvas at Rome, calling it Babylon 1. ep. c. 5. Euseb. li. 2. c. 14. hist. Ec.* 1.3 Some of these tel the time and cause of his first going thither: some, hovv long he liued there: some, the maner of his death there: some, the place of his burial: and al, that he vvas the first Bishop there. Hovv could so many of such vvisedom and spirit, so neere the Apostles time deceiue or be deceiued? how could Caluin and his, after fiftene hundred yeres knovv that vvhich none of them could see?

Some great argument must they needes haue to controule the credite of the vvhole vvorld. This of truth is here their argument,* 1.4 neither haue they a better in any place, to vvit, If S. Peter bad bene at Rome, S. Paul vvould haue saluted him, as he did others here in the end of his letter to the Romanes. Is not this a high point to disproue al antiquitie by? Any man of discretion may straight see,* 1.5 that S. Peter might be knovven vnto S. Paul to be out of the Citie, either for persecution or busines, vvhen this epistle vvas written, (for he went often out as S. Epiphanius declareth) & so the omitting to salute him, can proue no more, but that then he vvas not in Rome. but it pro∣ueth not so much neither, because the Apostle might for respect of his dignitie and other the Chur∣ches affaires, write vnto him special letters, and so had no cause to salute him in his common Epistle. Or hovv knovv they that this Epistle was not sent inclosed to S. Peters to be deliuered by his meanes to the vvhole Church of the Romanes in some of the assemblies? it is very like it was recommended to some one principal man or other that is not here named: and tvventy causes there may be vnknovven to vs. Why he saluted him not ••but no cause vvhy our Aduersaries vpon such friuolous reasons should reproue an approued truth. For euen as wel might they say that S. Iohn vvas neuer at Ephesus, because S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians doth not salute him. And plaine it is, that it is the Romane seate and faith of Peter, vvhich they (as all Heretikes before

them) do feare and hate,* 1.6 and vvhich wil be their bane: and they knovv that there is no argument vvhich conuinceth in their conscience, that Peter vvas neuer at Rome. Therfore to conclude, vve say to them in S. Augustines vvordes,* 1.7 Why call you the Apostolike chaire, the chaire of pestilence? What hath the Church of Rome done against you, in vvhich S. Peter did sit, and from vvhich by nefarious furie you haue separated your selues?

16. Holy kisse.]* 1.8 Hereof, and by the common vsage of the first Christians, vvho had special regard of vnitie and peace among them selues, and for ••signe and protestation thereof,* 1.9 kissed one an other, came our holy ceremonie of giuing the Pax, or kissing one an other in the Sacrifice of the blessed Masse.

17. To marke them.]* 1.10 He carefully warneth them to take heede of seditions sovvers of Sectes and dissension in religion, and this euer to be their marke, if they should teach or moue them to any thing vvhich vvas not agreable to that vvhich they had learned at their conuersion: not bidding them to examine the case by the Scriptures, but by their first forme of faith and religion deliuered to them before they had or did read any booke of the nevv Testament.

18. But their ovvne belly.]* 1.11 Hovvsoeuer Heretikes pretend in vvordes and external shew of their sheepes cote, in deede they seeke but after their ovvne profite and pleasure, & by the Apostles to ovvne testimonie we be vvarranted so to iudge of them as of men that in deede haue no religion nor conscience.

19. Your obedience.] Against Heretikes and their illusions, there is no better way then in sim∣plicitie to cleaue vnto that vvhich hath bene taught before: for the vvhich the Romane obedience is much commended. See Annot. vpon the first chap. vers. 8.

Notes

• * 1.1

  That S. Peter was at Rome.
• * 1.2

  Chalced. conc. act. 1.
• * 1.3

  See the Anno∣tations 1 Peto c. 5, 18.
• * 1.4

  The Protestants great argument, that Peter was neuer at Rome.
• * 1.5

  Epiph. har. 27.
• * 1.6

  The Here∣tikes hatred of the Ro∣mane see.
• * 1.7

  li. 2. cont. li. Petil. c. 51.
• * 1.8

  Kissing the Pax.
• * 1.9

  Orig. in 1••. ad Ro.
• * 1.10

  Against Sect-maisters hovv to examine our saith.
• * 1.11

  Heretikes giuen to voluptuous∣nes.