and doth not sufficiently expresse the force and power of the sentences The which although I could make manifest by many examples yet I will produce some of those which S. Hierom noteth that by reason of the authoritie of that most holy father they may with all men be subiect to lesse enuie In the Epistle to the Galathians saith he it is euill translated in Latin Euacuati estis à Christo where it should be said In Christi opera cessastis the which the force of the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most expresse which signifieth to abolish to make vaine and frustrate In his commentarie also vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians he findeth fault with the old translator for translating the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armaturam id est armor whereas it signifieth all furniture of armor or whole armor And expounding that saying of S. Paule Vt mundaret sibi populum acceptabilem he doth at large accuse the drowsie negligence of the Latin interpretors for translating the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptabilem which signifieth excellent speciall and chiefly peculiar And disputing against Iouinian of chastitie in the first epistle to Timothie saith he it is not to be read as it is euill in the Latin bookes Si permanserint in fide cum sobrietate sed cum castitate id enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although there be learned men which prefer héerein the vulgar translator before Hierom who do thinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the soundnes or preseruation of wisedome as it is in Plato wherevnto is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is madnes And in his first booke against the Pelagians he saith The simplicitie of the Latin translator doth count among the properties and duties of a Bishop that he be docibilis that is docible whereas Paule calleth a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is apt and méete to teach the which word the same interpretor in the first Epistle to Timothie doth translate not very fitly Doctorem that is a teacher whereas many do so vnwoorthily performe the dutie of teaching that they séeme to be apt and fit to execute no dutie But Paul saith he doth not onely thinke that it is the part of a Bishop to performe vnto the Church that great dutie of teaching but also that he ought to be furnished with excellent gifts and helps to teach It were long to handle all the places in which not only Hierom but also other very godly men require diligence in the vulgar translator Hitherto Andradius the Spanish Iesuit By the which it may plainly appéere both that this vulgar Latin translation was not Hieroms for that he doth so much mislike it and find fault with it and also what iarre in iudgement there is in this matter betweene our English Rhemish Iesuits who héere iudge it to be S. Hieroms and this Spanish Iesuit that doth denie it By this I doubt not but it doth most euidently appéere how false this second assertion of the Iesuits is and that this common Latin translation was neither by S. Hierom translated nor that which he corrected Whereunto I will adde further a saying or two of Erasmus who writeth thus Multò rectius haec vertit Hieronimus quà m habet vulgata aeditio That is Hierom doth much better translate this than our vulgar edition hath it meaning that in 2. Thes 2. where S. Paul speaketh of the man of sin and sonne of perdition c. where no doubt if this had béene Hieroms translation as the Iesuits would haue it he would as well haue translated it in the text as he alledged it in his booke Againe Erasmus writeth thus of Hierom Apertè damnat superiorem translationem qua nos tamen maxima ex parte vtimur That is He plainly condemneth the former translation which we yet for the most part vse meaning this old common translation the which he saith Hierom doth condemne But if I should grant our Iesuits that this were either translated or corrected by Hierom which they will neuer be able to prooue and by that which I haue said is apparantly false what haue they then gained Doth it therefore follow bicause it was either truly translated or faithfully corrected by S. Hierom then therefore it is true sincere and void of corruption now S. Hierom himselfe complaineth of the great corruption of the Latin translations in his daies the which yet came not so much by the translators as by the negligent writers out of the bookes and presumptuous correctors or rather corruptors as most plainly appéereth by Hierom himselfe in many places whereof I will set downe some In his preface before Iosue he writeth thus Maximè cùm apud Latinos tot sunt exemplaria quot codices vnusquisque pro arbitrio suo vel adderit vel subtraxerit quod ei visum est That is séeing with the Latins there be as many examples or copies as books and that euery one according to his owne will hath added and taken away as pleased him And againe he writeth thus Vt aliquid de Dominicis verbis aut corrigendum putauerimus aut non diuinitùs inspiratum sed Latinorum codicum vitiositatem quae ex diuersitate librorum omnium comprobatur ad Graecam originem vnde ipsi translata esse non denegant voluisse reuocare Quibus si displicet fontis vnda purissimi coenosos riuulos bibant That is I do not thinke that the Lords words are to be corrected or that they were not inspired of God but I go about to correct the falsenes of the Latin bookes the which is plainly prooued by the diuersity of them and to bring them to the originall of the Gréeke from the which they do not denie that they were translated who if they mislike the water of the most pure fountaine they may drinke their mirie puddles meaning of the Latin Lastly S. Hierom in the same place héere alledged by the Iesuits hath these words Si enim Latinis exemplaribus fides est adhibenda respondeant quibus Tot enim sunt exemplaria penè quot codices Sin autem veritas est quaerenda de pluribus cur non ad Graecam originem reuertentes ea quae vel à vitiosis interpretibus malè reddita vel à praesumptoribus imperitis emendata peruersius vel à librarijs dormitantibus aut addita sunt aut mutata corrigimus That is If we must beléeue the Latin examples let them tell vs which for there be as many diuers copies as bookes But if they thinke that the truth is to be sought out of the greater part why do we not returne to the Gréeke originall and correct these things which either vnskilfull translators haue ill translated or of ignorant presumptuous persons haue béene foolishly amended or of negligent writers haue béene either added or altered By these and many such other
places it doth appéere how corrupt the Latin bookes of the new Testament were in those daies which faults yet were most specially to be attributed to negligent writers And if in those learned times of the primitiue Church in which so many learned and godly fathers liued such manifold grosse and great corruptions crept into the Latin bookes of the Bible what may we thinke of these latter times in which all good learning was lost and blindnes ignorance and barbarousnes haue raigned Is it to be maruelled though infinite great corruptions haue come into the Latin copies of the Testament specially séeing the same were much written and copied out by blinde ignorant Moonks who all in a maner were so vnlearned that it became a prouerbe Monacho indoctior that is More vnlearned than a Moonke By whose meanes such good authors as were most occupied and written out were most corrupt as Ludouicus Viues doth iustly complaine in these words Videmus vt quisque veterum scriptorum hijs quingentis annis in studiosorum manibus versatus est ita ad nos venisse corruptissimos vt Plinium Senecam Hieronimum Augustinum Aristotelem Puriores sunt atque integriores qui in vetustis Bibliothecis situ puluere latuerunt obsessi That is We sée how that as euery one of the old writers were these 500. yéeres most occupied in students hands so they haue come most corrupt vnto vs as Plinie Seneca Hierom Augustine Aristotle And that they haue remained more pure and perfect which haue lien in old libraries in dust and filth By which reason of Viues it may be gathered that the Gréeke text of the Testament hath continued the more sound and sincere bicause by reason of the ignorance of that toong it hath béen lesse occupied and seldomer in the vnwashen hands of those ignorant and filthy Moonks Héereby also it appéereth that if this vulgar translation had béene of S. Hieroms either translation or correction it doth not follow that it is now sound and sincere But forasmuch as there be many faults and corruptions in it as by Gods grace héereafter shall be shewed we ought according to the iudgement of S. Hierom returne to the originall of the Gréeke and thereby correct them The which our Rhemish and Romish Iesuits refusing to do in forsaking the water of the most pure fountaine of the original Gréeke we are content they drinke to vse S. Hieroms words the mirie puddles of the Latin Finally whereas our Iesuits would make their simple readers beléeue that Damasus had such supreme power as is now by the Bishop of Rome claimed by calling him Pope and by shewing that S. Hierom by his appointment did correct the Latin copies I thinke it not vnfit nor impertinent to set downe the opinion of Erasmus in this matter who as he was excellently learned so is he not to be counted as partiall He in the Epistle before alledged speaking of this matter hath these words Quanquam hoc negotij non iniungit Damasus tanquam summus orbis Pontifex quod an fuerit in medio relinquo certè nomen hoc nondum illis temporibus erat auditum quantum ex veterum omnium scriptis licet colligere sed iniungit tanquam Romanus Pontifex Hieronimo hactenus Romano quòd illic baptizatus sit presbyteri consecutus honorem That is Although Damasus do not inioine this busines as the chéefe Bishop of the world the which whether he were or not I will not define surely this name in those daies was not as yet heard of as far as we may gather by the writings of all the ancient fathers but he doth inioine it as Bishop of Rome to Hierom hitherto a Roman bicause both there he was baptized and obtained the degrée and dignitie of priesthood And as for the name Pope in those daies it was a title not peculiar to the Bishop of Rome as now they haue made it but common to euery Bishop Saint Hierom calleth both S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo in Afrike and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus Pope The elders and deacons of Rome called Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Pope Thus I trust I haue sufficiently discouered the insufficiencie of this second reason and plainly prooued that there is no probabilitie in this opinion and that this vulgar Latin translation which our Rhemists haue followed is not that which S. Hierom either translated or corrected Now let vs examine the third reason 3. Reason COnsequently it is that same which S. Augustine so commendeth and alloweth in an Epistle to S. Hierom Answer THere is no consequence in this consequence For the antecedent not being true as I haue before sufficiently prooued the consequence non consequitur Indéede Augustine doth commend Hieroms translation of the Gospell out of the Gréeke but that this which you follow is not that I haue before plainly prooued And if it were yet it might since be corrupted as I haue before shewed And that it hath béene fowly corrupted shall héerafter Christ willing euidently appéere But whereas Augustine commendeth Hieroms translation out of the Gréeke this doth make against you who refuse the Gréeke and translate out of the Latin which neither Hierom would do nor Augustine commend 4. Reason IT is that which for the most part euer since hath beene vsed in the churches seruice expounded in sermons alledged and interpreted in the commentaries and writings of the ancient fathers of the Latin Church Answer THere is small reason in this reason why this Latin translation should be preferred and followed before the Gréeke First for that the Gréeke fathers haue followed the Gréeke originall and not this Latin from the which generally they do dissent as shall héereafter be shewed Secondly the most ancient Latin fathers do not follow it as Tertullian Cyprian Hilarie and Hierom commonly in citations and allegations of places dissenteth from yea and findeth fault with it as hath béene shewed Ambrose and Augustine although they séeme more to incline vnto it yet very oft they leaue it and differ from it Therefore the Gréeke fathers generally dissenting from it and the most ancient Latin fathers hauing no footsteps of it and the other fathers often going from it there is as I said small reason why it should now be counted autentical be preferred and folowed before the original of the Gréeke As for the Church seruice it was in the primitiue Church in that language which of the people was vnderstood And where it was in Latin it was there where the people by reason of the Roman empire vnderstood latin as appéereth by S. Augustines sermons and other authors As touching your popish seruice full of idolatrie superstition and vsed in a strange toong vnknowen to the people contrarie to the expresse word of God as we care not what translation it hath followed so we thinke the most corrupt most méete for it 5. Reason THe holy Councell of Trent for these and many other
shewed yet it must néedes be confessed to be but a small fault to expresse this word Lord and to attribute it to Iesus Christ to whom it doth so properly appertaine and of small force to discredit generally the autenticall text of the Gréeke Two hundred greater corruptions may be found in the vulgar Latin Furthermore whereas héere is produced the onely single testimonie of Tertullian I may iustly say that If by the law of God one mans witnes be not sufficient against a man much lesse may it be against the originall copie of the Testament of Iesus Christ Moreouer I may except against the credit of this one witnes as vnsufficient to giue testimonie against the originall text of Christs Testament For whereas Heluidius alledged his autoritie in defence of his opinion S. Hierom answereth him in these words Et de Tertulliano quidem nihil amplius dico quà m ecclesiae hominem non fuisse That is And as touching Tertullian I say no more but that hée was not a man of the Church And so without more ado turneth him ouer If Hierom refuse his credit as vnsufficient in that cause surely we will as well reiect him in this and not credit him in séeming to say that this word Lord came into the text by Marcions meanes Lastly I say that whereas Chrysostom doth charge that great heretike Paulus Samosatenus with corrupting a place Iohn 5.27 yet notwithstanding your vulgar Latin and your owne English do follow and allow that which Chrysostom counted to haue béen corruptly read and distinguished by the said P. Samosatenus The like may be said of Epiphanius who thinketh a place of S. Paul 2. Tim. 4.10 otherwise to be read than either your vulgar Latin or you do whose words be these Cresces inquit in Gallia Non enim in Gallatia velut quidam decepti putant sed in Gallia legendum est That is Cresces saith he is gone into Fraunce not into Gallatia as some being deceiued do thinke but it is to be read In Gallia into Fraunce Now if you will not iudge these places to be corrupted although Chrysostom Epiphanius did so thinke who were fathers far more sound sincere than Tertullian that fel into the heresies of Montanus why shall we be bound to thinke this place of the Corinthians to be corrupted by Marcion bicause Tertullian séemeth so to say Surely if you will not allow the iudgement of Chrysostom and Epiphanius in those places we wil not approoue the opinion of Tertullian in this The which also may be said concerning the two testimonies of Hierom and Socrates following to the former whereof hauing sufficiently spoken of this I will now come Rhemish Iesuits AGaine S. Hierom noteth that the Greeke text 1. Cor. 7.33 which is at this day is not the Apostolicall veritie or true text of the Apostle but that which is in the vulgar Latin Qui cum vxore est solicitus est quae sunt mundi quomodo placeat vxori diuisus est That is He that is with a wife is carefull of worldly things how he may please his wife and is diuided or distracted Answer HEre is brought in the onely testimonie of S. Hierom to discredit the Gréeke text the autoritie whereof he greatly magnified and by which he labored to reform the Latin bookes as hath béene shewed But to this single testimonie of Hierom héere produced I may obiect a saying of Hierom himselfe agréeable to the law of God before alledged Vni testi nè Catoni creditum est That is Men beléeue not one witnes though he were Cato And therefore both by the law of God and saying of S. Hierom himselfe we are not bound to beléeue this single witnes of Hierom especially in so great and weightie a matter as is the discrediting of the originall text of Christs Testament Secondly to this one testimonie of Hierom I oppose not onely the consent of Gréeke copies and those ancient translations of the Syrian and Arabian which both agrée with it but also S. Basil who in his Morals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thrise in another booke doth so alledge it as it is in the Gréeke also Chrysostom Theophylactus the Gréeke Scholies Epiphanius also contra Hiera haeres 67. and Tertullian De virginibus veland And lastly I oppose Hierom to Hierom himselfe who both in his booke against Heluidius and also Ad Eustochium de seruanda virginitate doth alledge this place as it is in the Gréeke referring the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that which followeth and not to that which goeth before The which S. Hierom ought not to haue done if he had thought it not to be the Apostolicall veritie But héereby it doth appéere that Hierom in that booke against Iouinian did deale with this place as he did with many other which he wrested from the simple sense to serue his owne cause For how Hierom in those bookes abused certaine places of Scripture to serue his purpose and how hardly or rather contemptuously he spake of Matrimonie any man of any iudgement reading the bookes may easily perceiue Whereupon it came to passe that euen in those daies those bookes were misliked of them that were learned and godly as appéereth by Hieroms owne Apologies vnto Pammachius and Domnion insomuch that the said Pammachius being a godly man and Hieroms great friend went about to suppresse them But least I should séeme ouer hardly to charge Hierom whom otherwise I confesse to haue béene a godly and learned father I wil set downe for a taste two or thrée places Bonum est inquit homini mulierem non tangere Si bonum est mulierem non tangere malum est ergò tangere That is It is good saith he for a man not to touch a woman then it is euill to touch hir Héere Hierom doth not onely wrest that place for S. Paul doth not there oppose Good to sinne and euill but doth take it for conuenient expedient and commodious as Erasmus sheweth but also doth ouer iniuriously speake of matrimonie in saying it is euill to touch a woman which God hath ordained and sanctified Againe Hierom saith Si prudentia carnis inimicitia est in Deum qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt arbitror eos qui seruiunt officio coniugali quòd prudentiam carnis diligant in carne sint That is If the wisedome of the flesh be enimitie against God and that they which be in the flesh cannot please God I thinke that they which do the dutie of marriage loue the wisedome of the flesh and be in the flesh How iniuriously Hierom héere speaketh of Marriage and how he abuseth these places of S. Paul Rom. 8. it is so plaine that I néed not to shew S. Paul in the same place saith Vos non estis in carne You are not in the flesh but in the spirit speaking generally of the faithfull at
of the next chapter vers 4. These words added interposing the name of our Lord Iesus which are not in the Syrian nor Arabian translations nor in Oecumenius the Gréeke scholiast nor in some Latin copies as Erasmus sheweth All this added for he feared that perhaps the Iewes might take him away and kill him himselfe afterward should susteine reproch as though he would haue taken money which is not in the Syrian nor Arabian translations nor in Chrysostom nor in Oecumenius and Hentenius confesseth not to haue béene in 9. of his Latin copies frier Lyra also auoucheth not to haue béene in the truest Latin books And vowes added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in the Arabian nor in Oecumenius the Gréeke scholiast To him added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Chrysostom in Gréeke printed at Verona nor in the Gréeke scholies nor in two of Hentenius Latin copies All this added according to the purpose of the grace of God which is not in the Syrian translation nor in two of Hentenius Latin copies nor in the Gréeke scholies This added as the stars of heauen and the sand of the sea which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Chrysostom nor in Theophylactus nor in Ambrose nor in the Gréeke scholies nor in 7. of Hentenius Latin copies nor in an old Latin booke which Iohn Colete lent Erasmus out of the librarie of Poules All this added and hir that hath not obteined mercy hauing obteined mercy which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Chrysostom nor in Ambrose nor in Origen nor in Theophylactus nor in the Gréeke scholies nor in Augustine lib. 22. contra Faustum cap. 29. nor Ambrose vpon this place This word added Beleeued which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Chrysostom nor in the Gréeke scholies nor in 2. of Hentenius Latin copies With God added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in the Gréeke scholies nor in one of Hentenius copies These words added as you do walke which be not in the Syrian translation nor in Chrysostom nor in Theophylactus nor in the Gréeke scholies Of the diuell added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Basill alledging it in his Morals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor in the Greeke scholies nor in Ambrose Our Sauior added or rather in the Latin the word Salutaris agréeing with the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was changed into Saluatoris For Hentenius the Doctor of Louaine sheweth that in two of his copies it was Salutaris With the Gréeke agrée the Syrian translation Chrysostom Theophylactus and the Gréeke scholies These words added consenting to the good which be not in the Syrian translation nor in Oecumenius the Gréeke scholiast nor in 4. of Hentenius Latin copies nor in an old Latin copie which Erasmus had And beleeuing added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Oecumenius nor in one of Hentenius Latin copies Al this added Swallowing death that we might be made heires of life euerlasting which is not in the Syrian translation nor in the Gréeke scholies According to God added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Oecumenius the Gréeke scholiast This added That you may reioice which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Oecumenius nor in two of Hentenius Latin copies nor in an old Latin copie of Constance which Erasmus had This added Which is greater which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Oecumenius God added which is not in the Syrian translation nor in Hilarius lib. 6. de Trinitate nor in Augustine lib. 1. de Trinitate cap. 6. nor in Hierom in Esaiae cap. 65. This added In the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ which is not in the Gréeke scholies nor in 3. of Hentenius Latin copies nor in the Latin booke of Constance which Erasmus had This added In Latin hauing the name exterminans which is not in Arethas And it is most manifest to haue béen added by the Latin translator wherewith Laurentius Valla not without cause findeth fault By these places which I haue set downe it may sufficiently appéere that the Latin bookes of the new Testament as they were very diuers and corrupt in S. Hieroms daies as by his complaint before alledged it is euident euen so they be now For the right reformation whereof we ought to returne to the originall fountaine of the Gréeke as S. Hierom before alledged doth exhort vs and as he Erasmus Valla and others haue indeuored to do Strange words and affected phrases which the Iesuits in their Latin translation of the English Testament haue without need vsed as it may seeme for these causes First to shew their fine eloquence and thereby to mooue their simple readers and hearers to admire them who commonly haue in admiration such strange things as they do not vnderstand Secondly to make the Scripture darke and hard to be vnderstood of the vnlearned people and so to depriue them of that profit and comfort which they might receiue by it And lastly for that they would as much dissent and as little agree with vs as they might Matt. 1 19 Dismisse hir for put away 2 2 Adore for worship 16 Deluded 3 1 Desert 5 30 Scandalize 6 11 Supersubstantiall 8 12 Exterior darknes 10 8 Gratis for fréely 12 4 Loaues of proposition 19 13 Impose his hands 24 14 Consummation for end 27 Aduent 26 2 Pasche 17 Day of azymes 27 6 Corbona 59 Syndon 60 Monument 62 Parasceue Mark 4 34 Explicated 7 21 Auarices impudicities 9 19 Incredulous 49 Victime 12 33 Holocausts 14 14 Refertorie 36 Transferre 38 Infirme 16 14 Exprobrated Luke 1 14 Exultation 58 Congratulate 69 Erected 78 The orient from an high 79 To illuminate 3 14 Calumniate 5 33 Make obsecrations 6 48 Inundation 7 34 A gurmander 9 31 Decease 10 1 Designed 35 Supererogate 12 58 Exactor Iohn 8 46 Argue me of sinne 12 40 Indurated their hart 14 16 Paraclete 18 1 The torrent Cedron 28 Contaminated Acts 1 7 Times or moments 9 He was eleuated 25 Hath preuaricated 2 37 Were compunct in hart 7 19 Circumuenting our stocke expose their children 59 Inuocating 8 12 Euangelizing 9 21 Expugned those that inuocated this name Acts 10 10 Excesse of mind 11 26 Conuersed there in the Church 13 8 Auerte the proconsull 45 Contradicted those things Acts. 15 29 Immolated to idols 17 3 Insinuating 21 28 Violated this holy place 22 3 An emulator of the Law 4 Deliuering into custodies 23 1 Haue conuersed before God Rom. 1 27 Working turpitude 31 Detractions odible to God 2 3 Longanimitie benignitie 23 Preuarication of the Law 26 If then the prepuce keepe the Iustices of the Law 4 5 Impious 6 5 Complanted to the Similitude 8 18 Condigne to the glorie 28 All things operiate vnto good 9 18 Indurate 21 Vnto contumelie 11 11 Emulate
man can obtaine saluation although we be continuallie partakers of this diuine medicine But if we be dailie wounded and be destitute of remedie what hope can we haue of life or saluation Doost thou not sée Ironsmithes Goldsmithes and Siluersmithes and all those that occupie anie handie craft how they alwaies haue readie kéepe whole all the instruments of their art although famine pinch them and pouertie afflict them rather desiring to sustaine anie aduersitie than to sell anie of the instruments of their occupation and by the monie thereof to be nourished Yea and many times they will rather take vpon vsurie than put in pawne and pledge the smallest of their tooles and this they doo not without iust cause for they know that if they be sold their art is altogither vnprofitable to them and that the substance of their profit is lost but if they retaine and kéepe them it may be that by exercising continuallie their occupation at the last by progresse of time they may discharge their debt But if they doo sell their instruments to other before their debt be discharged there remaineth no meanes to helpe their hunger and ease their pouertie Euen after the same sort ought we to be minded and affected for as the hammer the puntch and the tongs are instruments to them so the books of the Apostles and Prophets and all the holie Scripture which commeth by diuine inspiration is verie profitable are instruments to vs. And as they by those their instruments doo worke and finish that which they take in hand euen so we also by these our instruments doo forme and frame our soule and when it is depraued we amend it and when it is corrupted we correct and renew it And they herein onelie doo vse their art to adde a forme to things for they cannot alter and change the matter and substance of vessels as to make Gold of Siluer but they doo onlie make the forme and fashion of things But thou maist not onlie doo that but more to for thou maist of a wodden at the last make a golden vessel as Paul witnesseth writing in this manner 2. Tim. 2. In a great house are not onelie vessels of gold and of siluer but also of wood and of earth some for honor and some for dishonor If a man purge him from these he shall be a vessell vnto honor sanctified and made méete for the Lord and prepared vnto all good works Therefore let vs not neglect to prepare and get vs those diuine bookes lest we in things touching our life be wounded Neither let vs hide and dig gold in the ground for vs but let vs hide to our selues the treasures of those spirituall bookes Indéed gold when it most increaseth it most deceiueth them that possesse it but these diuine bookes being reposed and kept doo greatlie profit those that haue them For euen as where the kings armor and munition is reposed and laid although there be none that haue the ouersight of it yet it causeth much safetie defence to them that dwell there whilest neither open théefe nor priuie piker nor anie wicked person dare assault the house euen so wheresoeuer those spirituall bookes be from thence all diuellish power is expelled and to them that dwell there much comfort and consolation is added For euen the verie sight of those bookes maketh vs more slacke and slouthfull to sinne for whether we haue attempted anie thing which is prohibited and forbidden vs and therewith haue polluted our selues whē we returne home behold those holie bookes our conscience dooth more sharplie condemne vs and we are therby warned and admonished from committing the same againe or whether we persist in holines we are made by those books more firme and constant for assoone as one hath touched the Gospell by and by he frameth his minde and withdraweth it from worldly matters and that onely by the sight thereof But if diligent reading be ioined thereto the soule being occupied in those holy and diuine mysteries is purged and purified for as much as God speaketh to it by the Scriptures But what then say they if we vnderstand not the matters which are conteined in the scriptures Yes verily although thou vnderstand not that which is secret and obscure yet euen by the reading thou maist get much godlines and yet it cannot be that thou shouldest equally and alike be ignorant of all For the gracious spirit of God hath so disposed and tempered the Scriptures that euen publicanes fishers tentmakers shepheards apostles and simple and vnlearned men might by them be saued that no simple or vnlearned man should flie to this excuse of difficultie and hardnes séeing that the thing which in those diuine books be vttered are so easie for all men that euen craftsmen seruants women and those that be most void of learning may not a little profit euen by the hearing of them read For they whom God from the beginning vouchsafed to indue with his spirit of grace did not write and compose these books for vaine glory as did the ethnicks but for the saluation of those which should heare them For those prophane Philosophers eloquent Orators and fine Rhetoritians when they did write books did not séeke what was most for the publike profit of the people but onely had a regard héereto and studied for this euen to be in admiration and therefore albeit they vttered any thing that was profitable yet they did couer and hide it in the darknes of their wisdom which they much vsed But the Apostles and Prophets did al things contrary for they vttered things in cleare and manifest maner and opened them to all men being as it were the common teachers of the world that euery man might learne the things that are set foorth by the onely reading thereof And this the prophet foreshewed before saieng They all shall be taught of God euery one shall not say to to his neighbor know God for al shal know me frō the least of them to the greatest of them And S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. And I brethren when I came to you came not in gloriousnes of words or of wisdom shewing to you the mysteries of God And againe My words and preaching were not in the faire inticing spéech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of spirituall power And againe We speake saith he the wisedome not of this world nor of the princes of this world which come to naught To whom are not manifest the things that be written in the Gospell Who hearing blessed be the milde blessed be the mercifull blessed be the cleane in hart and such other saiengs will require therin to be instructed or to haue the same expounded Also to whom be not signes myracles and histories plaine and manifest This is but a vaine pretence excuse and cloke or couer of slothfulnes Thou doest not vnderstand the things that are conteined in the Scriptures How canst thou euer vnderstand them when as
our vnderstanding reuealeth those things which be secret teacheth vs the things which we do not vnderstand if we of our selues will do our owne endeuor For you shall not saith he call any man master vpon earth Therefore when we take that spirituall booke into our hands all worldly care laid aside let vs kéepe our cogitations and restraining our minde that it be not caried away let vs with good deuotion and great attention giue our selues to reading that we may by the holie Ghost be lead vnto the vnderstanding of the things that be written and receiue great profit therby That Barbarian an eunuch to the Quéen of the Ethiopians who was in so great glorie and did ride in his coach yet in that time neglected not reading but hauing the prophet in his hand vsed great diligence and that not knowing what was contained therein yet he did his indeuor and vsed studie willingnes and attentiuenes Consider I pray you how diligent he was in not neglecting to read as he was trauelling in his iourney and especially sitting in his coach Let them heare and marke this example who cannot be perswaded to do this at home in their houses but thinke the reading of these things to be superfluous bicause they either liue in marriage or be appointed to warfare or haue care of children seruants and other affaires and therefore thinke that the reading of the holie Scriptures doth not appertaine vnto them Behold this Eunuch c. A little after WHerupon he did not speake those things which now manie men doo saieng I doo not vnderstand those things that be written and I cannot attaine to the profound déepenesse of the Scriptures Whie should I in vaine take paines and trouble my selfe I read and haue none to direct me That Eunuch did thinke no such thing being in toong a Barbarian but in mind a Philosopher But rather he thought he should not be neglected but helped with grace from aboue if he did his owne indeuour and vsed studie and diligence Therefore our gratious Lord séeing his desire did not forsake him neither did let him want his helpe but straightwaies sent a teacher vnto him A little after YOu sée what great profit the diligent reading of the holy Scriptures bringeth A little after LEt vs not therefore I beséech you neglect the reading of the Scriptures But whether we vnderstand the things therein contained or vnderstand them not neuerthelesse let vs be earnest in reading for continuall meditation doth not a little confirme the memorie neither seldome doth it come to passe that that which we reading could not to day find out to morrow reading the same ouer againe we doo quickly and plentifullie perceiue it God of his mercie secreatly inspiring it into our minds Chrysostom in his preface vpon the Epistle to the Romanes BVt this gréeueth me and euen tormenteth me and maketh me to mourne that all men doo not know this man Paul as they ought to doo but manie be so ignorant of him that they doo not well know the number of his Epistles And this commeth not by the fault of ignorance but bicause it liketh them not continuallie to talke with this blessed man A little after ANd you if you would giue your selues to reading with chéerefulnesse and attentiuenesse you should haue néed of no other teacher For the word of Christ is true when he saith séeke and you shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you A little after HEnce innumerable euils haue sprong in that men be ignorant of the Scriptures Hence hath come that great plague of heresies hence procéedeth dissolutnesse of life and vnprofitable labours For as they that be depriued of this outward light cannot walke rightlie so they that looke not to the beames of the holie Scripture must néeds often and much offend in that they walke in farre woorse darknesse the which that it happen not to vs let vs open our eies to the brightnesse of the Apostles words For his toong in cléerenesse excéeded the sunne and in the deliuerance of doctrine he excelled all others Infinit such other earnest exhortations for all men to read the holie Scriptures might be alledged out of Saint Chrysostom who of all other was most earnest and vehement in this point but these shall suffice both to stirre vp the godlie to this holie and fruitfull exercise and to conuince the vanitie of our Rhemists and their foolish cauillations who saie that he spake these things not as a teacher in schoole making exact and generall rules to be obserued in all places and times but as a pulpit man agréeable to that audience and his peoples default who were delicat dull worldlie much giuen to dice cards stage plaies and theaters c. What vaine cauils these be let the Christian reader indifferentlie iudge And séeing all the children of Adam through the corruption of their sinfull nature be subiect to the like vanities vices and maladies as that people of Constantinople were they stand in néed of the same remedies and preseruatiues of reading and knowing the holie Scriptures which Chrysostom as a good Phisition prescribed And for the further testifieng of this truth and conuincing of the vanitie and follie of our Rhemists I will ad a few moo places out of the other ancient and godlie fathers of Christs Church by the which the Christian reader may discerne who be their true children and faithfull successors we or the Papists The Canons ascribed by the Papists to the Apostles Canon 84. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let all of you both Clerks and lay men haue the reuerend and holie Bible Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 46. SEing all the Scriptures both propheticall and apostolical be plain and without ambiguitie and may alike be heard of all men Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 12. THe ignorance of the Scriptures and of Gods disposition hath brought them into all these errors Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 66. REad diligently the Gospell which is giuen vnto vs by the Apostles and read diligently the Prophets and you shall find all the actions doctrine and passion of our Lord preached in them Tertullianus de baptismo DOmini sermo non debet abscondi ab vllo that is The word of God ought not to be hid from any Tertullianus apolog aduers gentes cap. 39. WE assemble togither to heare the holie Scriptures as the qualitie of the present times inforceth vs either to forewarne or to call to memorie any thing Surely with those holie words we féed our faith we lift vp our hope we confirme our confidence yet neuertheles we confirme the discipline of holie precepts by vrgent exhortations A little after THey talke so as they that know that God doth heare them After washing and candles brought in euerie one is prouoked out of the holie Scriptures as he can to sing foorth vnto God c. Cyprianus de duplici martyrio IN like maner in other temptations obiect vnto the temptor the buckler of the
Scriptures in the which God speaketh vnto thée no lesse faithfully than if he spake vnto thée mouth to mouth A little after SObrietie with earnest praier and continuall meditation of the Scriptures is a most safe defence of the hart For al holy Scripture giuen by diuine inspiration is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and instructed to euerie good worke Out of it therefore we must gather sentences which we may alwaies haue at hand and in readines that by them we may beat downe the serpent lifting vp his head against vs. For there is no disease of the soule wherunto the holie Scripture doth not minister a present remedie Hence we must get examples of godly men especially of Christ wherewith euerie one may either incourage or comfort himselfe Origines in Leuiticum Homil. 9. DOest thou thinke who comest scarcely vpon the holie daies vnto the Church and neither art attentiâ—◠〈◊〉 to heare the word of God nor indeuorest to kéepe his commandements that the lot of the Lord can come vpon thée Yet we wish that by hearing these things you would be diligent not onely in the Church to heare the word of God but also to be exercised therein in your houses and to meditate both day and night in the law of the Lord for there also is Christ yea and he is euerie where to them that séeke him A little after IF the diuine reading be in thine hands the commandements of God before thine eies then thou shalt be found ready to cast away those things that pertain to the diuels lot In the same homily after THe nourishments of the soule are diuine reading continuall praier the word of doctrine with this food it is fed becommeth healthie and getteth victorie Theodoretus de curatione Graecarum affectionum Lib. 5. WE doo manifestly shew you the great power of the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets For the whole face of the earth which is vnder the Sunne is full of such words And the Hebrew books be translated not onely into the Gréeke but also into the Romane Aegyptian Persian Indian Armenian Scithian and Slauoi and in a word into all toongs which the nations vse vnto this day And a little after YOu may euery where sée our doctrines to be vnderstood not onely of them which be the teachers of the Church and instructors of the people but also of Taylers Smithes weauers and all artificers Yea also of all women not them only which be learned but also victuallers puddingmakers hand maids and seruants Neither those men onely which dwell in cities but also husbandmen doo well vnderstand the same One may find ditchers and heardmen and planters of vines disputing of the trinitie and of the creation of all things and hauing better knowledge of the nature of man than Plato and Aristotle had Saint Hierom in his preface vpon Esay to a woman called Eustochium IF according to the Apostle Paul Christ be the power of God and the wisedome of God and he that knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the power and wisedome of God then the ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of Christ Saint Hierom ad Iulianum WE flie vnto the grauitie of the holy Scriptures where is the true medicine of our wounds and the sure remedies of our griefes Saint Hierom vpon the Epist. to Tit. cap. 1. THis place maketh against them who giuing themselues to idlenes and sléepe thinke it a sinne if they read the Scriptures and doo contemne them as pratlers and vnprofitable who meditate day and night in the Law of God Saint Hierom in his Epitaphie of a woman called Fabiola O good Iesus with what feruencie with what earnest study did she giue hir selfe to the diuine books of the Scriptures And as desirous to satisfie an hunger she did run through the Prophets Gospels and Psalmes propounding questions and hiding the same being answered in the chest of hir hart Saint Hierom in his Epitaphie of a woman called Paula PAula could say the Scriptures without Booke and she enforced me that she and hir daughter might read ouer the old and new Testament hearing me expound it Saint Hierom to a woman called Celantia IT is a great helpe vnto righteousnes to fill thy mind with the holy Scriptures and alwaies to meditate in hart that which thou desirest to execute in déed In the same place LEt therefore the holy Scriptures be alwaies in thy hands and continually meditated vpon in thy mind Saint Hierom to Gaudentius touching the education of his yoong daughter called Pacatula WHen the ignorant and toothles girle commeth to be seuen yéeres old and beginneth to be bashfull to know what she ought to kéepe in silence and to doubt what to speake let hir learne without booke the Psalter and vntil she come to ripe age let hir make the books of Solomon the Gospels Apostels and Prophets the treasure of hir hart Saint Hierom to a woman called Laeta concerning the bringing vp of hir daughter LEt hir first learne the Psalter with those holy Psalms let hir withdraw hir selfe from light songes Let hir be instructed in the prouerbs of Solomon for the leading of hir life By the books of the Preacher let hir accustome to tread vnder féete the things of this world In Iob let hir follow examples of vertue and patience Thence let hir goe into the Gospels and neuer lay them out of hir hand Let hir with the whole desire of hir hart as it were drinke in the Actes of the Apostles and the Epistles And when she hath inriched the storehouse of hir hart with these riches let hir commit to memory the Prophets the fiue books of Moses the books of the Kings and the Chronicles with the volumes of Esdras and Hester Saint Hierom in cap. 3. to the Coloss vpon these words of the Apostle Let the words of Christ dwell in you plentifullie HEre is shewed that lay men ought to haue the word of Christ not sparingly but plentifully and to teach and admonish one an other Saint Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christia cap. 1. THe man that feareth God diligently séeketh his will in the holy Scriptures Saint Augustine in Psal 33. conc 2. REad ye the Scriptures Therefore God would haue theÌ„ to be written that we might be comforted by them Saint Augustine in Psal 64. OVr father hath sent from heauen Epistles vnto vs God hath giuen the Scriptures vnto vs by the which Epistles a desire to come vnto him should be wrought in vs. Saint Augustine de verbis domini secundum Iohan. serm 45. YOu séeke me and shall not find me Why Bicause you search not the scriptures which doo beare witnes of me S. Augustine lib. de vtilitate credendi ad Honoratum Cap. 6. WHatsoeuer beléeue me is in those holie Scriptures it is déepe and diuine for truth and discipline most méet both to refresh and reforme our soules
is wholy contained in them And surelie they be so tempered that anie man may as it were draw out of them that which may be sufficient for him if so be he come to read them deuoutlie and godlie as true religion requireth The Author of the booke vnder the name of S. Augustine de salutaribus documentis Cap. 38. GReat confusion belongeth to the soules of laie mē which say what dooth it pertaine to me to heare or learne by reading the bookes of Scriptures or to run vnto Priests and Churches of saints When I am a clergie man I will doo those things which clergie men should doo Bernardus ad sororem de modo bene viuendi Cap. 50. MOst déere sister if thou wilt alwaies be with God alwaies praie and alwaies read The reading of the holie Scriptures is verie necessarie for vs. For by reading we learne what we should doo what we should beware of and whither we should go Herevpon it is said Thy word is a light vnto my feete By reading our iudgement and vnderstanding is increased Reading instructeth prepareth vs to praier and to good works Reading frameth vs both to actiue and contemplatiue life Therefore it is said in the Psalme Blessed is the man that shall meditate in the law of the Lord day and night Reading and praier be weapons wherewith the diuell is vanquished and instruments whereby eternall blessednesse is obtained By praier reading vices be forsaken and vertues be norished in our soules Therfore beloued sister in Christ vse much to read and daylie to meditate in the law Reading with-holdeth our life from error draweth a man from the vanitie of the world by reading our vnderstanding iudgement doo increase For Reading teacheth thée what thou shouldest doo admonisheth thée what to auoid and sheweth thée whither thou shouldest go thou doost greatly profit when thou readest if thou doo the things which thou readest Iosephus in his second booke against Appion of the Iewes EVerie wéeke we assemble to heare the Law Euerie one of vs being asked of the Law can answere as easilie and readilie as his owne name For we learning them wholie from our tender yéeres and yoong age haue them as it were imprinted and grauen in our minds Erasmus Roterod. in paraclesi I Could wish that all women did read the Gospell and Paules Epistles and I would that they were translated into all languages of all nations that they might be read and knowne not onelie of Scottish and Irish men but also of Turkes and Saracens That the good Christian Reader may the better prooue and discerne the spirits which be of God and which not I haue thought good to set down a few sayings of Popish writers which let him compare with the former sayings of the holie Scriptures and faithfull fathers and consider how they agrée therewith Doctor Standish in a booke intituled A discourse wherein is debated whether it be expedient that the Scripture should be in English for all men to read that will Printed at London by Robert Ealie 1554. writeth thus WHereby we may easilie learne that all people should not haue the Scriptures in their owne handlings at their pleasure as they haue had these dosen yéeres past to their vtter spirituall destruction Againe THat which yée haue heard saith he in secret places shall be preached on the tops of the houses he said not it shall be written in your Churches as it hath béene Iewishlie vsed on late here in England nor written in Bibles to be read of euerie one in his mother toong and set vp for that purpose in euerie Church Againe I Cannot then but maruell that men to their owne confusion are so desirous to haue the Scripture in their mother toong Againe THrough the damnable libertie of hauing it in the vulgar toong haue not all holy mysteries béene dispised Haue they not thereby vtterly condemned all that hath not béene expressed in the letter of their English Bibles Againe WHerefore away with the English damnable translation and let them learne the mysteries of God reuerently by hart and learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in Scripture knowing that in thrée points the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture one is in fortifieng verities not written to be necessarie to saluation c. Againe THe vniuersall Church of Christ did neuer allow nor approoue the Scripture to be in the vulgar toong weighing the manifold inconueniences that haue issued therof but euer from time to time among other errors did tread that downe and suppresse it Againe IT is the occasion of many heresies to haue the Scripture in the vulgar toong A little after ANd yet then séeing the rude ignorant sort be euer prone peruersly to wrest the Scriptures we must thinke that to haue the Scripture in English is to minister occasion to the common sort to fall into errors Againe LIke as God appointed the old Law to be written in stone tables or books so did he appoint as Ieremie witnesseth the new to be written onely in the hart of man Why should the writing in books then be so highly regarded But this carnall this fleshly regarding by no meanes can be so well extenuate or rather quite taken away as by taking the Scripture foorth of the vulgar toong and foorth of the handling of the lewd ignorant Againe ANd finally séeing that by no meanes so soone as by the Scriptures in English heresies do both spring daily and be also maintained wherin should good men be more diligent than in the extirpation thereof These saiengs out of that beastly book of that doltish doctor I haue the more largely laid down that the Christian Reader may sée what doctrine in Quéene Maries daies was published and allowed for Catholike Wherevnto I will ad a saying of an other papist Alphonsus de Castro the Spanish frier writeth thus Tertia demum haeresium parens origo c. The third parent and beginning of heresies is the translating of the holie Scriptures into the vulgar toong by meanes whereof it commeth to passe that they be read of all men with respect or difference of persons Hitherto the papists Euerie man that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his déeds should be reprooued But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his déeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Tertullianus lib. de Trinitate SEd enim Scriptura diuina haereticorum fraudes furta facilè conuincit detegit that is But the holie Scripture doth easely conuince and discouer the deceits and robberies of heretikes Theophylactus in Luc. cap. 16. NVnc nihil tam vtile est vt Scripturarum diligens scrutatio c. that is Now there is nothing so profitable as the diligent searching of the Scriptures for the