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. I.

1. Neither by man.]* 1.1 Though he vvere not first by mans election, nomination, or assignement, but by Gods ovvne special appointmēt, chosen to be an Apostle: yet by the like expresse ordinance of God he tooke orders or imposition of hands of men, as is plaine Act. 18. Let vs bevvare then of such false Apostles, as novv a daies intrude them selues to the office of Ministerie and preaching, neither called of God, nor rightly ordered of men.

••. Or an Angel.]* 1.2 Many vvorthie obseruations are made in the fathers vvritings, of the earnest admonition of the Apostle, and much may vve gather of the text it self, first, that the credit of any man or Angel for vvhat learning, eloquence, shevv of grace or vertue so euer, though he vvrought miracles, should not moue a Christian man from that truth vvhich he hath once receiued in the Catholike Church: of vvhich point Vincentius Li••inensis excellently treateth. li. cont. profan. hares. Nouitates. Vvhereby vve may see that it is great pitie and shame, that so many folovv Luther and Caluin and such other Ieude fellovves, into a nevv Gospel, vvhich are so farre from Apostles and Angels, that they are not any vvhit comparable vvith the old Heretikes in giftes of learning or elo∣quence,* 1.3 much lesse in good life.

Secondly S. Augustine noteth vpon the vvord,* 1.4 Beside, that not al other teaching, or more preaching then the first, is forbidden▪ but such as is contrarie and disagreing to the rule of faith. The Apostle did not say, saith he, If any man euangelize to you more then you haue receiued, but, beside that you receiued. for if he should say that, he should be preiudi••ial to him self, vvho coueted to come to the Thessalonians, that he might supply that vvhich vvas vvanting to their faith. Novv he that supplieth,

addeth that vvhich vvas lacking, taketh not avvay that vvhich vvas, &c. By vvhich vve see hovv fri∣uolously and calumniously the Heretikes charge the Church vvith addition to the Scripture.

Thirdly,* 1.5 as vvel by the vvord euangelizamus (vve euangelize) as the vvord accepistis (you haue receiued) vve may note that the first truth, against vvhich no second Gospelling or doctrine may be admitted, is not that onely vvhich he vvrote to the Galatians, or vvhich is conteined either in his or any other of the Apostles or Euāgelistes vvritings, but that vvhich vvas by vvord of mouth also preached, taught, or deliuered them first, before he wrote to them. Therfore the Aduersaries of the Church that measure the word of God or Gospel by the Scriptures onely, thinking them selues not to incurre S. Paules curse, except they teach directly against the vvritten vvord, are fouly beguiled. As therein also they any shamefully erre, when they charge the Catholikes with addint to the Gospel, when they teach any thing that is not in expresse wordes written by the Apostles or Euangelistes. not marking that the Apostle in this Chapter, and els where, commonly calleth his & his fellovves whole preaching, the Gospel, be it written or vnvvritten.

Fourthly,* 1.6 by the same wordes we see condemned al after-preachings, later doctrines, new sectes and authors of the same: that onely being true, which was first by the Apostles and Apo∣stolike men as the lavvful husbandmen of Christes fild, sovved and planted in the Church: and that false, which was laten and as it vvere ouersovven by the enemie. By which rule not onely Tertul∣lian (de praescript. nu. 6 & 9.) but all other aūcient Doctors, and specially S. Irenaeus (li. 3. c. 2. 3. 4.) tried truth from falsehod, and condemned old Heretikes, prouing Marcion, Valentine, Cerdon, Menander, and such like, false Apostles, because they came in with their nouelties long after the Church was settled in former truth.

Sixthly,* 1.7 This curse or execration pronounced by the Apostle, toucheth not onely the Gala∣tians, or those of the Apostles time, that preached othervvise then they did, but it perteineth to al times, preachers, and teachers, vnto the worldes end, and it concerneth then. (as Vincentius Liri∣nensis saith) that preach a new faith, or change that old faith which they receiued in the vnitie of of the Catholike Church.* 1.8 To preach any thing to Christian Catholike men (saith he) besides that vvhich they haue receiued, neuer vvas it lavvful, neuer is it, nor neuer shal it be lavvful, to say anathema to such. it hath been, and is, and shal be alvvaies behooful. So S. Augustine by this place holdeth al accursed, that draw a Christian man from the societie of the whole Church, to make the seueral part of any one sect: that call to the hidden conuenticles of Heretikes, from the open and knovven Church of Christ: that allure to the priuate, from the common: finally al that draw with chatting curiositie the children of the Catholike Church, by teaching any thing besides that they found in the church. ep. 48. Psal. 103. Con. 2.* 1.9 mentioning also that a Donatist feined an Angel to haue admonished him to call his frende out of the Communion of the Catholike Church into his sect. and he saith, that if it had been an Angel in deede, yet should he not haue heard him. Lastly S. Hierom vseth this place, wherein the Apostle giueth the curse or anáthema to al false teachers not once but tvvise, to proue that the zeale of Catholike men ought to be so great tovvard al Heretikes and their doctri∣nes,* 1.10 that they should giue them the anáthema, though they vvere neuer so deere vnto them. In which case, saith this holy Doctor, I would not spare mine ovvne parents. Ad Pammach. c. 3. cont. Io. Hieros.

18. To see Peter.]* 1.11 In what estimation S. Peter was with this Apostle, it appeareth: seing for respect and honour of his person, and of duety as Tertullian de praescript. saith (notvvithstanding his great affaires Ecclesiasticall) he vvent so farre to see him.* 1.12 not in vulgar maner, but (as S. Chry∣sostom noteth the Greeke word to import) to behold him as men behold a thing or person of name, excellencie, and maiestie. for vvhich cause, and to fill him self with the perfect vew of his behauiour, he abode with him fiftene daies. See S. Hierom ep. 10•• ad Paulinum. to. ••. who maketh also a mysterie of the number of daies that he taried with S. Peter. See S. Ambrose in Comment. huius loci. and S. Chrysostome vpon this place, and ho. 87 in Ioan.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Paul sent to preache by or∣dinarie impo∣sitiō of hādes.
• * 1.2

  No shevv of learning or vertue must moue vs from the faith.
• * 1.3

  Preaching cō∣trarie to the saith, recei∣ued is forbid∣den, not other preaching.
• * 1.4

  Tra••t. 98 in Ioan.
• * 1.5

  The Gospel is not onely in the written word of scrip∣ture, but in vnwritten tra∣dition also.
• * 1.6

  After-prea∣ching & ouer∣sowing of no∣uelties, ••r¦gueth false doctrine.
• * 1.7

  The Apostles curse vpon al that teache nevv doctrine, and dravv men from the Cath. Church.
• * 1.8

  Li. cont. proph. haer. nouit.
• * 1.9

  Aug. ep. 165.
• * 1.10

  Zeale against heretikes.
• * 1.11

  B. Paul doth visite S. Peter of honour and reuerence to∣vvard him.
• * 1.12

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