now auouch to be only the sacred Scriptures of the old and new Testament Wherefore we plainly conclude the Scripture is most necessarie The Aduersaries oppose themselues against this assertion as against the former and they denie that the scripture is simply necessarie it is necessary say they that is it is profitable or commodious for the well being of a Church but is not so necessarie for the being nor no such thing as without which the Church can haue no being And for this cause do these men denie the necessitie of the Scripture that they may open the doore to their authoritie and traditions that is to their owne dreames which they say be simply necessary and preferre them before the scripture They are easily answered by the rules before set downe For if by scripture they vnderstand the substance of the scripture it cannot be denied that the scripture is simply necessarie but if they vnderstand not the substance onely but also the verie writing in this respect also we haue shewed it by cleere demonstratiō that the scripture is simply necessarie for that it is vnto vs in place of y e liuely voice of God himselfe Wherfore their assertion is false howsoeuer they take this word Scripture either in this sense or the other But they say the Church wanted the scripture neere two thousand yeares all which time religion was preserued by tradition only Therefore the Scripture is not simply necessarie I answer If you vnderstand by Scripture the verie substance of the couenant then your argument followeth not for the substance of the scripture was in those verie traditions whereby the Church was edified and kept But if by this word ye vnderstand the verie writing then I grant the scripture was not extant so manie yeares and I say that it was not then necessarie for that then the liuely voice of God it selfe was heard If they conclude that because it was not then necessarie therefore it is not now necessarie or that it was not necessarie after that God had commanded it and after that it began to be extant surely the consequence is very euill for as ages and times haue changed so diuers formes of reuelation were necessarie Or we may more briefly set downe this controuersie in this forme THe scripture is necessarie not onely for the well-being as Popish Schoole-men speake but also for the being of the Church Et hactenus est simplex necessitas And this necessitie is in respect of time only for there was not a necessitie of the scripture in all ages I vnderstand The word written not necessary in all ages Heb. 1. 1. 2. by the word Scripture not onely the substance of the written word but also the manner or forme of reuelation but this simple necessitie must bee auouched of the substance and forme of reuelation in diuers respects For the scripture as touching the substance of it was necessarie to the Church in all ages but in respect of the manner of reuealing the same it was necessarie for a certaine time only to wit vntill it seemed good vnto Almightie God to teach his church by the scripture ARG. 1. For the Lord God had not giuen his Church the Scripture if he had not thought it necessarie euū for the being of his Church ARG. 2. The liuely voice of God was necessarie in the time appointed for it ergo the Scripture also is necessary in the time the Lord hath decreed for it for there is but one and the same reason of both ARG. 3. It is necessarie that Gods will be reuealed and communicated to the Church at all times in one forme or other either by Gods own liuely voice or by writing or by both but now the liuely voice of God hath ceased therefore now the word written is necessarie The aduersaries deny this absolute necessitie moued hereunto with these arguments following First from Adam to Moses there was no Scripture Ergo. I answer the Lord God thought it not necessarie for all that time But when as the Lord himselfe began to write and that the 2. Pet. 1. 18. 19. 21. holy men of God were acted and moued by the holie Ghost first Prophets then Apostles then the Scripture began to be necessarie euen simply necessary ARG. 2. From Moses vnto Christ Iob and his friends both beleeued and were saued without the Scripture I answer It is most like these also read the scriptures as may appeare by the Eunuches story Act. 8. Next I answer that so manie as were called without the visible Church God dealt with them in an extraordinary manner ARG. 3. They did more attend the traditions of the Fathers then the written word euen in the second age I answer this is false ARG. 4. In the third age there was no scripture of the new Testament extant for a long season Ergo. I answer the Apostolicall scripture beganne not long after Christ Next all that time I grant it was not necessarie but when the Apostles were dead and when their liuelie voice ceased then began it to be necessary CHAP. XIIII Of the sixt propertie of the Scripture and the eight controuersie THE Scripture is perfect containing in it all things necessarie for faith and manners not onely sufficiently but also abundantly for this is the perfection which heere wee doe auouch The sense then of the Proposition is this This kind of reuelation containes all things c. The proofe is this Argument 1. The liuely voice of God contained all articles or instructions concerning faith and manners Ergo so doth the Scripture The reason of the argument is euident for that nothing in respect of substance was spoken by that liuely voice which is not recorded in the Scripture ARG. 2. If the Scripture contained not all things necessarie perfectly then euill were the condition of our Church and of our time which heareth not the liuely voice of anie man speaking by diuine inspiration nor of any prophet or Apostle ARG. 3. The religious and such as be taught of God haue an holy experience of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and of the fulnesse of it Adde to these arguments these diuine testimonies Deut. 4. Ye shall not ad to the word that I speake c. Reuel 22. If anie shall adde to these things God shall Vers 18. adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke Albeit these sayings are to bee vnderstood properly of particular books yet the same reason serues for all books of the canonicall scripture and surely the reason binds more strongly for if we may not ad to particular books how much lesse is it lawfull to adde to the whole Canon Prou. 30. Thou shalt ad nothing to his words This seemes to be vnderstood of the whole Scripture Matth. 28. Teaching to obserue all things which I commanded you Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you another Gospel or otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you
in all succeeding ages God himself with his owne hand did first write in tables of stone the words of the Decalogue Next after this he gaue it in charge vnto Moses that he should afterwards write and record all things which hee receiued at Gods owne mouth and that the people of God might be assured that the bookes of Moses came not by mans will but were giuen by diuine inspiration the Lord sealed 2. Tim. 3. 16 and testified these writings to be his heauenly oracles by manie great wonders before they were written when they were written and after they were written And Moses wrote the Word of both couenants of both I say Legall and Euangelicall but whereas he gaue but as it were the first lineaments of the Euangelicall couenant he set forth the Legall couenant clearely and in full measure For the legall couenant in the bookes of Moses is cleerely recommended and vrged but the Euangelical more darkly set before vs. For which cause all the doctrine of Moses is said to be legall The Law came by Moses Ioh. 1. After Moses God stirred vp his Prophets whose writings also he confirmed with his great miracles and gaue them great authoritie yet were they not to set forth any thing diuers or contrary to the doctrine of Moses and the Patriarches nor to publish any thing but what was grounded in the bookes of Moses but by diuine reuelation they did ad more cleere interpretations as the morning starre of the new testament did more neerely approch These holy men wrote the summe and chiefe heads of their doctrine euen so much as God himselfe thought meete to be reserued for posterity And these records being written were laid vp with the holie books of Moses which were kept in the side of the Arke Iosh 24. 26. Finally after the incarnation of Christ the Euangelicall doctrine or the Gospell first beganne for certaine yeares to be deliuered by voice and to be preached by Christ himselfe and then after by his Apostles And lastly the same was written by the Apostles The works of Gods law and nature are commanded in the bookes of the new Testament And the verie moral law is expounded by Christ himselfe freed from the leauen and corruption of the Pharisees but the works of the law and nature are not recommended to the end that by them men might be iustified and saued but they be commended either to prepare men to intertaine grace offered or to quicken them to proceed and grow in grace receiued as is before shewed Againe the works of regeneration be commanded not for iustification but as testimonies of that iustification which is by faith and of thankfulnes vnto God for which cause so soone as the Apostle hath taught the doctrine of faith he descends to the works of the lawe teaching men that their life and conuersation must be worthie that high calling whereunto we are called in Christ Iesu See Ephe. 4. 1. 1. Thess 2. 12. But faith in Christ is that which is principally required in all the books of the new Testament And thus farre generally of the written word of the couenant CHAP. VII The number of the controuersies which are concerning the written Word and of the first controuersie whether the Scripture be the word of God THere be two kinds of controuersies concerning the holy Scripture The first kind is of such controuersies as bee more essentiall that is which concerne the very essence if I may so speake or being of the Scripture The second kind is of those controuersies which bee more accidentall and doe not so neerely concerne the essence of the Scripture Of the first kind there are ten controuersies or questions the first is Whether the Scripture Propheticall and Apostolicall bee the word of God The second is How it may appeare that this Scripture is Gods word The third is Of the antiquitie of it The fourth is Of the perspicuity or cleerenes of it The fift is Of the simplicitie or plainnesse of it The sixt is Of the viuacitie quickening power or life of it The seuenth is Of the simple euident necessitie of it The eight is Of the perfection sufficiencie thereof that it is sufficient and perfect in it selfe without all vnwritten verities or traditions whatsoeuer The ninth is Whether the Scripture may bee the iudge to determine all controuersies The tenth is Whether the Scriptures Propheticall and Apostolicall must haue the chiefe place of excellency and be in authoritie aboue the Church As for those eight controuersies which follow the two first they are touching the properties of the holie Scripture and these when we shall haue proued that the Scripture is Gods word will appeare euidently for they are necessary consequents of that Theoreme For grant we this that the Scripture is Gods word then these things must follow necessarily first that it is most ancient secondly most cleere thirdly most simple or pure fourthly most powerfull fiftly most necessarie sixtly most perfect seuenthly the greatest best iudge of all controuersies without exception eightly most excellent But for as much as the aduersaries denie these eight properties therefore as is a foresaid there is of euerie one of them a speciall controuersie We are then to handle these controuersies in order and first of that which by due right naturally is to haue the first place Whether the Scripture be the word of God The Aduersaries graunt generally that the holy Scripture is the word of God but when they are brought from the generall to a speciall they break from vs. To speake more plainely the word of God at this day is twofold in the Church of God 1. immediate 2. mediate I call that the Gods written word immediate word of God which doth proceede immediately out of Gods owne mouth and that I call mediate which the Lord speakes by his preacher or Minister We hold then and auouch that the holie Scripture is that immediate and primarie word of God and to bee vnto vs in steed of that first immediate and liuely voice of God himselfe yea that it serues vs in place not only of that liuely voice of God but also of the secret and insearchable mind of God and of Gods vnspeakeable mysteries Our arguments are these 1. For that this is the verie will of God They haue Moses saith he and the prophets that is the bookes of Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. 29. 2. If we had nothing to supply the defect of the liuely voice of God then doubtlesse our state were worse then that of the old Church of the Iewes which had the oracles of God but it is against all light of reason so to Rom. 3 1. 2. affirme 3. Our third reason is this The first ground of our faith must be either the liuely voice of God or the verie mind and counsell of God or something to supply the want of Gods liuely voyce and of the secret mind of God which must also be
iustification which is by Christ onely by the grace of God only by faith only for al these haue one respect and purpose Obserue then here by the way what the palpable blindnesse of the Papists is in this cleere light of the Gospell Popish blindnes First they see not how nature is plainlie lost as touching sanctitie Secondly they know not the sole grace and mercie of God neither do they vnderstand what the excellency is of Christs merit Thirdly they perceiue not how that couenant of works is abolished to them which are in Christ as touching iustification Fourthly they conceiue not that the only couenant of grace is made with mankinde after the fall speciallie now after the incarnation of Christ in the Gospell and that vnto iustification and life eternall Fiftly they see not that the works of free will as they call them if there were any such to be duties only and testimonies of thankefulnesse according to the first institution of the couenant of works which be done by the strength of nature but ascribe some speciall meritorious vertue vnto them Wherefore we conclude concerning these men that albeit they be not iust of one minde with those old Iewes against whom the Apostle disputed in the Epistle to the Romans yet they hold much on their side striuing to defend that nature is in part good and holy so contending against the pure and only grace of God and to diuide iustification and The popish iustification mans saluation betweene Christ and Gods free grace the vertues and workes of nature whereas notwithstanding these two nature and grace can neuer stand together in the worke of our saluation For whosoeuer shall conioine or make a mixture of grace and nature in this matter shall quite ouerthrow and extinguish grace which either is alone or not at all as Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace it is no more of works for otherwise grace were no more grace And in the Epistle to the Galathians he doth purposelie dispute against those Iewes which did couple together in the matter of iustification the guifts and works of nature with Christ with the grace of God and with the Gospell And these Iewes as I iudge the Papists seeme most to resemble I meane those Iewes against whom he wrote in the Epistle to the Galathians For in that other epistle to the Romans he disputeth against such Iewes as did openly deny Christ and reiect him but to the Galathians his disputation is against such Iewes as were not content with Christ only but would haue Christ and the law ioined together Thus far of the comparison betweene Paul and vs on the one side the old Iewes and the Papists on the other Now because it will be demanded what Paul thought of the works of regeneration and what we and what the aduersaries thinke also therefore I will touch this question in few wordes Here then some one will say did Paul then in that disputation to the Rom. and to the Galathians oppugne the works of grace and regeneration I answer Paules chiefe purpose in that disputation is against the works of nature which the Iewes thought to be holy and iust and also meritorious he did not reiect the works of regeneration as they be duties and testimonies of thankfulnesse vnto God but in that respect commends them Rom. 6. 7. 8. Chapters and in other places But as touching the cause of iustification he would not haue these workes as we call them of regeneration coupled with the grace of God or with Christ or with faith as anie cause or as part of anie meritorious cause of saluation To this purpose he saith Rom. 4. that Abraham himselfe being regenerate was not iustified before God by anie works of his regeneration And Rom. 6. hauing commended the works of sanctification in the end vers 23. where he attributeth death to the merit of sinne hee doth not there notwithstanding ascribe life eternall to the merit of the works or fruits of sanctification but when he had said that the wages of sin is death he doth clearely auouch it that eternall life is the free gift of God in Christ Iesu In which place if the Apostle had beene of this iudgement that the works of regeneration be in anie respect meritorious assuredly he would not so passe ouer the commendation of the works of regeneration specially for that this heere is principally intended Wherefore the Apostle to the Romans so reiecting the works of nature which the couenant of works requireth yet hee vnderstandeth also all kinds of workes morall and naturall going before grace and faith as also all ceremoniall works and the very fruits of regeneration which follow grace and faith that faith onely Christ only grace only may herein be all in all Thus far of S. Paules iudgment We at this day are of one and the same mind with the Apostle concerning works of regeneration Our aduersaries granting there be such works ascribe too much vnto them for they will not haue them to be duties and testimonies onely of thankfulnesse vnto God but also that they be meritorious causes of that iustification which they call the second iustification Again we are to remember that the aduersaries iudgment concerning works of regeneration is that they proceed not onely from infused grace and first iustice as they speake but also from nature and free-will which works together with that iustice in respect whereof also they account good works meritorious as was before The popish opinion of good works shewed so ascribing their good works in part to that their first grace and in part to free-will And thus farre of this comparison wherby it appeares whether we or our aduersaries haue the better or the more sound iudgment concerning both couenants of the grounds of both nature grace and Christ as also of the effect of both which we call mans iustification And lastly for that this is the most fundamentall point of true religion we may hereby discerne also whether we or the aduersaries haue the religion and worship of God the more purely soundly established amongst vs. CHAP. VI. Of the written Word or of the written Couenant of God THe word in both couenants was for a long time in the world euen from Adams time till Moses vnwritten deliuered as from hand to hand and continued by a liuelie voice for I passe ouer such matters as Ioseph recordes to be ingrauen in columnes before the floud as also the Apocryphals of Henoch And whē as in continuance of time corruptions grew by these traditions and the puritie of the doctrine of the couenant could not thus be preserued and y t God would no longer follow the former course onely he beganne in Moses time to ordaine and to publish another forme to wit this to preserue and to continue the puritie of the celestiall doctrine in written books approued and sealed by diuine authoritie and testimonie the more to commend his written word vnto men
and to vs most manifest it followeth according to their iudgement that it yeelds light vnto the Scripture not only in respect of vs but also in respect of the Scripture it selfe yet is it in verity but a certaine secondary Scripture and a certaine secondary voice For as they auouch it the voice of the Church is as Gods owne voice sounding from heauen seruing to confirme the voice of the Scripture which now is but mans voice only and to ratifie and make authenticall the very Scripture as being written but by certaine Scribes and published onely by the hands of men This must bee the consequent of their principles or conclusion of their premisses albeit other men be of another iudgment As for our selues like as we denie the conclusion which they inferre vpon the former principles so we reiect also their very principles For we denie refuse their first ground to wit that the voice of the Church is to be accounted the liuely voice of God himselfe and that the Scripture written in the heart of the Church is to be accounted for that scripture which was written by the very finger of God And we affirme that the only propheticall and apostolical scripture is to be esteemed as the liuely voice of God we auouch it I say that this Propheticall and Apostolicall scripture only serueth vs in steed of that scripture which was written by Gods owne finger We adde also that the sacred Scripture is vnto vs a booke of reuelation of those diuine mysteries which were hidden in Gods owne breast from eternitie for this is the very will of God that we attend on him speaking in the scripture as it were in his owne liuely voice They haue saith he Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. vers 29. that is the bookes of Moses and the prophets And God will not haue this scripture in no lesse account then that scripture which hee wrote in times past with his owne finger in tables of stone The voice of the Church I meane the true Church not the lying papisticall synagogue is but as the voice of the handmaide or as the voice of a crier which is to publish and to proclaime that voice of God full of excellencie speaking in the scripture But the scripture in the heart of the Church that is the Maximes of Gods truth written in the hearts of the faithfull they be nothing els but a certaine secundarie scripture taken out by the holy ghost out of that primarie and most sacred scripture and ingrauen in the minds of men For how much think you of that ful measure of the Propheticall Apostolicall scripture is there taken forth and ingrauen in our minds I say that if all mens hearts were bound together yet all they could not comprehend all those things fully and perfectly which be recorded in the Propheticall and Apostolicall scriptures For the catholicke Church so long as it is conuersant on the earth is not capable of al that light which shineth in the sacred scriptures of y e apostles the prophets Let their first principle be thus beaten downe and their Corolatie or second conclusion to wit that the voice of the Church is most manifest both in it selfe and vnto vs will fall to the ground of it owne accord and so both principles being shaken their conclusion which they inferre is of no strength to stand but must fall away CHAP. IX Of the first proprietie of the sacred Scripture WE are now to proceed and to make it manifest that the holy scripture is of greatest antiquitie and this is the first proprietie The 1. propriety of the scripture most ancient before ascribed to the Scripture Here first we be to find out the diuers acceptations of this word Scripture This word Scripture may be taken either for the matter onely and Acceptation of the word scripture the very substance which is contained in the words and letters or not only for the matter and substance but also for the verie writing it selfe or the forme wherein that substance is expressed and set before vs. Now if by this word Scripture ye vnderstand the verie substance it selfe it is without all controuersie that the Scripture is most ancient because it is the substance of those diuine oracles which not only Patriarches and Prophets haue spoken but also God himselfe vttered which things also were hidden in Gods mind from eternitie But if yee vnderstand by this word not onely the substance but the very writing and in this respect also the scripture may be said to be most ancient For as touching the Propheticall and Apostolicall scriptures in respect also of the writing and manner of reuealing of them as wee said often before it is Gods will that we so esteeme them not onely as the liuely voice of the Prophets and Apostles nor onely as the liuely voice of God himselfe or as a booke written with his owne hand as the Decalogue was set downe with his owne finger in tables of stone but also that we so accept them as the very mysteries and if I may so speake as the verie diuine notions which were ingrauen in Gods owne mind from eternitie To cleare this point a little The veritie kept secret in Gods mind from eternitie was in time manifested manie wayes or in diuers formes for it was reuealed partly by the liuely voice of God himself partly by the voice of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles to passe by Angels in silence and partly also by the scripture which was written by the Prophets and Apostles The liuely and immediate voice of God did cease long since neither haue we that copie which God himselfe wrote the Patriarches How to esteem of the written word of God also the Prophets and y e Apostles haue ceased to speake the writings only of the Prophets and Apostles remaine to this day Wherefore this we hold as necessary vnto faith that we accept these writings or books first in steed of the liuely voice of the Prophets and Apostles 1 Next in place of the liuely voice of God himself 2 Thirdly of the Scripture written with Gods owne finger 3 Fourthly and lastly as that holy veritie and diuine mysteries 4 which are recorded in Gods owne breast which Oracles being simply without comparison of greatest antiquitie it is very manifest that the Propheticall and Apostolicall scripture is after a sort most ancient For what may be auouched of the liuely voice of God himselfe or of the Oracles of his mind the same in some respect may be said of the scripture supplying vnto vs their defect For Substance of the scripture simply most ancient if I may truly say in some sort the scripture is the liuely voice of God himselfe doe I not as truly speake also in like manner the scripture is most ancient for as much as the voice of God is most ancient But it shall suffice vs to commend the antiquitie of scripture to
the Church is one The aduersaries withstand this conclusion and infring it with these arguments First the scripture is not written in mens hearts with the finger of God neither is it the primary voice of God Secondly the scripture is of no antiquity Thirdly it is obscure Fourthly ambiguous c. Bellarmine ads more to these of which ye may read in him They conclude that the voice of the Church is the principall and proper voice of the holy Ghost as he is the Iudge of controuersies Their proofe is this The scripture is written in the heart of the Church with Gods own finger this is the primary voice of God And whatsoeuer excellency wee doe ascribe to the scripture that they attribute to their owne Church which is nothing els but a den of theeues And that the spirit being this great iudge is not bound to one sort of men as those of the Ecclesiasticall function the Pope and Councels as they speak but doth performe this office without all respect of persons in whom and by whom soeuer it seemeth good vnto himselfe this is manifest first for if the holy Ghost be not the Iudge both of the very context of the scripture whether it be Gods word and of the interpretation of scripture if he be not I say in man himselfe assuredly there can be no faith For the spirit only begetteth faith in mans heart Secondly the holy Ghost executeth his other offices freely in by any man therefore so may he this function of iudging What is meant by iudging in the holy Ghost For I demand what els is it to iudge but to inlighten to teach that the scripture is giuen of God by inspiration and that this is the naturall sense of this scripture Thirdly the same we be taught by our experience for we find it true by experience that he doth freely iudge in and by whom it pleaseth him Testimonies of scripture proue also this assertion 1. Cor. 12. 11 And all these things worketh euen the selfe same spirit distributing to euery man seuerallie as he will And Esay 54. All thy children shall be taught of God Ier. 31. I will write my lawes in their harts The aduersaries impugne this truth of God with some argumēts of their owne of which ye may reade in Bellarmine And these men binde the holy Ghost to the Pope and to councels confirmed by him which point our men impugne also refute with many arguments of which this is one that of their conclusion this must be the consequent that the Pope and his councels must be aboue the scriptures which thing is absurd to be graunted See more arguments of this subiect in their disputations CHAP. XVI Of the eight propertie and the tenth controuersie LASTLY we auouch that the sacred scripture is of highest authority excellency and 10. Propertie dignity on the earth Here againe by this word scripture we vnderstand both the substance of it and the writing And here wee meane it hath such excellency as makes it most worthie of credit and whereby also it gaines authority and estimation to the Church For which cause the Church is called the Pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. And it hath many other titles which are giuen to it often in the scriptures This is prooued by the former demonstrations as these The scripture is the word of God it is most perspicuous it is most pure and simple c. Ergo. The aduersaries vary in iudgment touching this authority of Scripture For some of them detract from this soueraigne authority of it affirming that of it selfe it is not authentical but takes authoritie and estimation from the Church Of this minde are these Eckius in Enchiridio Pighius in his booke de Hierarchia and one Hermannus an impudent Papist he with a black mouth auoucheth it that the scripture is of no more validity without the testimony of the Church then AEsops Fables c. Others more late writers and more subtile say that the scripture hath authoritie in and by it selfe and is authentical but not to vs before the church approue it and ascertain it to be so Of this iudgmēt be these Bellarmine Coclaeus Canus Stapleton Canisius c. They which speake thus that the written word of God is not authenticall to vs before the iudgment of the Church be manifested these men I say haue this meaning that we bee not bound to beleeue that the Scriptures bee authenticall before the iudgment of the Church be past of it and that we sinne not at all if wee beleeue them not before the definitiue sentence of the Church But we hold this to be false also to say that the scripture is not to vs authenticall without the authority of the Church For it is the holy Ghost that teacheth euery man to know beleeue that the scripture is authenticall and hath soueraigne authority in it selfe And this he teacheth not by any externall meane How the holy Ghost teacheth vs what authority the scripture hath first but by the very sacred scripture by which alone he properly breeds faith in our hearts to beleeue and apprehend this truth of God And so we resting on this illumination of the holy ghost teaching vs by the scripture that this is the excellencie and authority of the scripture doe beleeue this to be so albeit the whole world did oppose it selfe against vs. And thus farre of the more essentiall questions concerning scripture CHAP. XVII Questions more accidentall concerning the holy Scripture and first of the bookes wherein the same is contained THE first question is concerning the books of holy scripture These bookes are commonly called for the excellency of them The Bible The Bible as it is commonly receiued and caried in hands containes in it two sorts of books the first is of books Canonicall and the second is Apocryphal Regular or Canonicall bookes are such as giue rule and direction touching faith and manners The bookes of Moses are the first Canon or president sent from God First Canon which may not be iudged or tryed by any other externall Canon whatsoeuer For there was no booke extant before the books of Moses The authoritie of the writer so holy and the euidence of the spirit so powerfull and the holinesse of these books to passe by other arguments so great hath gained these books this high estimation and authority in the Church The books of the Prophets make vp the second Canon which bee adiudged canonicall Second Canon by that externall Canon of the Mosaicall books by which they were examined Next they were and are discerned of such as be taught of God inwardly by the holy Ghost by the great euidence of Gods spirit which is manifested in them both in words and matter The third Third Canon Canon are the Apostolical books of the New Testament which are adiudged and approoued as Canonicall partly by the Canonicall books of Moses partly by the
this translation also Caluin approoueth Therefore by Caluins testimony the very Hebrue text is here corrupted I answer the sense shall not de greatly vnfitting if ye read whereby he shal cal him to wit the Lord our righteousnesse The name going before is the name of a people of securitie of a people that dwell safely as Tremelius and Iunius vnderstand and reade the place Thirdly Ieremy leaues it to our free choise Fourthly the Hebrue Doctors Vatable Pagnine Arias Montanus read vocabit he shal cal and yet turne the word vocabunt they shal cal The third place is in the 22. Psalm 17. ver They pierced Caari Iaddai Veraglai my hands and my feete In the Latine edition it is Foderunt they digged or pierced and so read all Christians but the Hebrue is Sicut Leo as a Lion Wherefore in this place the Hebrue text is corrupted I answer y e Masorites testify that they haue read in some Hebrue copies Caru which signifieth to dig into or to pierce They also which haue y e word Caari in their books say it is not to be taken here in Caari the proper and common signification The Chaldee Paraphrast doth knit both particles together As a Lion smites with his teeth so haue these pierced c. But these were before Ierom I meane the Masorites and the Chaldee Paraphraste therefore it is false that this place was corrupted by the Iewes after Ieroms time Ierom in his Psalter keeps this reading Caari and yet he translates the word foderunt they digged or pierced Lastly a certaine Popish writer one Augustine Iustinianus who set forth the book of Psal coliected of many languages doth plainly auouch it this place is not corrupted but that there is a defect of a word which the Chaldee Paraphrast hath supplyed The fourth place is Psal 19. 5. Their line is gone forth Becol haarets iatsa kauuam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through al the earth Here not only the vulgar but the Septuagint also whom the Apostle to the Rom. 10. followeth doe reade their sound is gone c. therefore this place is corrupted Let Genebrard alone answer this in his obseruations on the Psalmes who saith the Septuagint and Paule did rather expresse the sense of the word then the proper and naturall signification thereof The fift place is Exo. 2. after the 22. ver in y e vulgar Latine edition all this place is read of a second son of Moses And she bare a second whose name he called Eliezer saying the God of my Father is my helper and hath deliuerâ—d me from Pharaohs hand But all this place is not to be found in the Hebrue text Ergo. To this I answere the very Louaine editions haue here their marginal note to put vs in mind that this place hath crept into the text and the better sort of the Papists are of this iudgement that this place is not the natural or very text of Gods worde as Caietanus who writes of this place in this manner All this clause of a second sonne is superfluous Wherefore Bellarmine can not conclude by these places that the Hebrue edition is corrupt and therefore is not authenticall I shall conclude contrarily with this one argument that the Hebrue edition is not corrupt If the Iewes corrupted it it was before Christ or after But not before Christ which point to passe by all testimonies of auncients The Iewes before Christ did not corrupt the Hebrue Christ is witnesse and so the apostle Rom. 3. 1. I make euident with this one reasoÌ„ If the Iewes had corrupted the Hebrue text Christ would haue texed them for so horrible an offence But we neuer find that Christ so chargeth them for any such cause but contrarily we reade that hee sends them to that very Hebrue edition which they had in their hands Search the scriptures saith he Io. 5. 39. The Scripture was not corrupted after Christs time which assertion I proue to passe by the authority of auncients with this one argument The Iewes could not corrupt al the Hebrue copies albeit they were neuer so willing to effect it for that they were now for the most part come to the hands of Christians Hence it followeth that if the Hebrue text was not corrupted neither before Christs time nor after his comming then was it not corrupted at all But happily they will say that the Iewes corrupted it after Augustine and Ieromes The Iewes coulde not corrupt the Hebrue after Christs comming time I answere in what places For as touching Bellarmines 5. places we haue already shewed that both in Ieroms time and before these places were thus read as we read them this day Wherefore we conclude the Hebrue edition is most pure and consequently in the old Testament this edition only is authenticall CHAP. XIX Of the Greeke edition of the New Testament WHereas there bee many editions of the new Testament wee say the Greeke only is the authenticall which first I demonstrate on this manner First in Christs time and the Apostles the Greeke tongue among the Gentiles was of greatest excellency Secondly and as it was accounted of best note so was it most famous and most common in the world For albeit as then the Romane Empire was most large great yet the Latine tongue was not so common as is testified by a good * Cicero in oratione pro Archiae poëta writer of that age Thirdly the Idolatrie and superstition of the Gentiles and all the Philosophy of the Greeks was written in the Greek tongue The Lord hauing these and such like respects no doubt at what time it pleased him to carry his Gospell from the narrow bounds of Iewrie into the great and spacious field of all the world It was the Lords will and pleasure I say at that time that the Gospel should be written principally in the Greeke tongue The writers they were some of them Apostles some Euangelists al which first wrote in Greek except Mathew and the author to the Hebrues For first concerning Mathew a In Synopsi Athanasius saith he wrote first in Hebrue the same saith b Lib. 3. Irenaeus c Incarmine Naztanzen and Ierom d In Praefat. in 4. Euang. ad Damas et in Catalog in Math. who saith that Mathew first in Hebrue in his time Mathews Hebrue copie was reserued in the library of Cesaria which Pamphilus the Martyr built Athanasius saith that Saint Mathews Hebrue edition was translated into Greeke by Iames the Apostle others say by Saint Iohn the Apostle others by Mathew himselfe Thus write the Fathers but their assertion hath no strong grounds For when Christ liued with his Apostles all the Iewes spake Syriack that is a language mixt of Hebrue Chaldaiack Therefore if Mathew had purposed to write in any other language but the Greek he would no doubt haue written specially in the Syriack tongue and some Papists of this age are of the
very same iudgment Wherefore it is vncertaine whether Mathew first wrote in Hebrew Syriack or Greeke yet is it more probable that he did first write in Greeke both for that this tongue was not vnknowne to the Iewes and other Apostles first wrote in it not onely to Iewes and Gentiles indifferently but also particularly to the very Iewes * As Saint Iames and Saint Peter 1. Epist Mathew in Hebrue In Catolog in Paul Well howsoeuer it is the Greeke edition which we haue in the Church at this day is authenticall for that it was both written and approoued while the Apostles were yet liuing For as touching the Hebrue edition if there were any I doubt now it can no where be found And as for this Hebrue copie which is in many hands it is not the true copy As concerning the Epistle to the Hebrues Ierom sayth that first it was written in Hebrue next turned into Greek either by Barnabas or Luke or Clement but it is vncertaine and it is more like to be true that this Epistle also was first written in Greeke Howsoeuer it be this Greeke edition of this Epistle which we haue at this day is authenticall Now the New Testament written in Greek by the Apostles and Euangelists hath beene so preserued by the admirable prouidence of God euen in the middest of persecutions and heresies vnto this age and in all former ages so freed and kept by godly and Orthodoxall writers from the corruption of Heretiques the Lord God I say hath so prouided that it is come into our hands most pure and perfect Thus then I reason That edition of the New Testament which was written in the best language and first and originally written in it to wit the Greeke I say the same must be accepted as authenticall of all men But such is the Greeke edition of the New Testament Ergo. The aduersaries except onely against the purity of this edition For albeit some of them the latter and the better learned as Bellarmine doe not say that the Greeke edition of the New Testament is altogether corrupt as some of them haue blasphemed yet they say it is not so pure that they can graunt it to be authenticall because in some places it is corrupt Bellarmine brings forth seuen places whereby he indeuours to prooue this assertion that the Greek edition is corupt and therefore cannot be authenticall The first place is 1. Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heauē But in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latine edition it is the second is from heauen heauenly this reading is approued therfore the Greek edition is corrupt and not authenticall I answer first albeit we read as the Greeke is yet the sense is good and orthodoxall and the same with that which is of the vulgar reading differing in word only and not in matter Secondly the Arabick and Syriack translation so read the place Thirdly the Fathers Chrysostome and Theophylact so reade Fourthly Epiphanius citing * Haereseon 22. 2 all the places which Marcion corrupted yet remembers not this place But saith he Tertullian saith that Marcion * Tert. lib. 5. contra Mar. hath corrupted this place I answer that Tertullian in that booke and place reads these words in the very same manner as we do The Lord from heauen The second place is 1. Cor. 7. 33. He that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wife and the Virgin are distinctly set downe So reads the Greek But the Vulgar thus He that is ioined to a wife careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife and he is diuided but the woman that is vnmaried and the Virgin bethinketh of the things which please the Lord both in body and spirit Wherefore the Greek edition is here corrupted and so can not be authenticall I answere First that the sense which is by the Greek is not only sound but also more fitting in this place then that which is by the Vulgar translation Secondly the Syriack translation so reads these words Thirdly Theophylact the Greek Scholies and Basil so read the words But he sayth that Ierom * Lib. 1. contra Iouinan auoucheth it that this Greek reading is not Apostolicall I answer the same Ierom in another place * Contra Heluidium Eustochium reads these words as we doe wherefore seeing he changeth his mind he is not fit to iudge for this scripture The third place is Ro. 12. 11. seruing the time But the old Latin is seruing the Lord Ergo. I answer First albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye read so the place yet the sense is good and sounde Secondly the reading varies in manie Greeke copies as witnesseth Origens Interpreter who reads the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee noteth it that in many bookes he founde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time the same saith Ambrose who reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruing the time yet saith he in some bookes wee find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord. Thirdly the Syriack Chrysostome Theophylact and Basil read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord which reading wee best like For which cause our Beza translates the word Domino the Lord. The fourth place is Ioh. 8. where in the beginning of that Chap. many Greek copies want the storie of the adulterous woman which the cōmon translation in Latin hath the Church approues it as canonicall I answere First that our Greeke books which we haue and hold for authenticall haue this historie also and our Church receiues it Secondly yet we denie not that this hath beene gainsaid by some and the Syriacke translation hath it not The fift place is Mark. 16. where in many Greeke copies that whole chapter is wanting which notwithstanding the Latine edition retaineth Ergo. I answer first that all our Greeke bookes which we account authenticall haue also this chapter and our churches receiue the same as canonicall Secondly Ierome some-where moues some doubttouching it but to no purpose The sixt place is 1. Ioh. 5. 7. where the seuenth verse which containes a worthie testimonie of the Trinitie in manie Greeke copies is missing but in the vulgar it is retained Ergo. I answer first our Greeke bookes which we hold for authenticall haue this verse and our Church receiues it Secondly we denie not but some haue gainesaid it The seuenth place is Matth. 13. For thine is the kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. power and glorie Amen But this place is not in the vulgar translation Ergo. L. Valla answereth this place is not added to the Greeke but detracted from the Latine and I pray you what hereticall or vnsound matter hath this place Thus we see then the aduersaries cannot proue by these places that the Greeke edition of the new Testament is corrupted and so not
written which was before deliuered by the liuely voice Q. I pray you speak in order vnto me of the subiect or argument in scripture written first by God himself secondly by mē by Moses the Prophets and Apostles A. I will do so Q. What then hath God written A. The sum of the doctrine of the couenant of works of the law euen the very same which he had deliuered first by a liuely voice to the Fathers and to Moses Q. What hath Moses written A. All the celestiall doctrine which he had receiued partly of the fathers by tradition partly of God himselfe Moses books who spake mouth to mouth with him for so the scripture speaketh partly he had learned of the holy Ghost by an inward inspiration to speake in a word whatsoeuer had happened to him and to all the people in his life time for the space of 100. and 20. yeares all these things he committed to writing and gaue to the people Q. Did Moses then write what soeuer true doctrine was deliuered from the beginning of the world to that time A. Moses omitted no point of true doctrine which at any time had bene deliuered concerning either faith or manners for from the beginning vntil that very time one and the same doctrine of truth as touching the substance was taught full and whole in all ages The difference only was in the measure of the reuelation of it that it is accidentall Moses deliuered this doctrine fully and wholy by liuely voice more cleerely and manifestly then euer before then after this it was recorded in writing Q. What did the Prophets write who followed Moses euerie one in their time and order A. The same and all as touching the substance which Moses had written before the difference only was herein that euery one by reuelation did adde a more cleare manifest interpretation as the bright morning starre did approch more neere Q. What haue the Apostles written after the Prophets A. All and the same which from the beginning of the world in al ages before them was both by liuely audible voice deliuered and written they first also by a liuely voice deliuered the same and after committed it to writing Q. Doe you then make no difference betwixt the writings of the Prophets and of the Apostles A. In the matter and substance none in the clearenes and perspicuity thereof very great for the scripture of the Apostles conteineth the same reuelation of the mystery which was declared from the beginning of the world but most fully and most clearely Q. I haue heard you speake concerning both kinds of reuelation considered without comparison now I would haue you to compare together the liuely voice writing that by comparison it may appeare whether is of greater dignity authority A. I will compare them together the liuely voice and scripture are compared either in respect of substance and matter is selfe which is reuealed by these meanes or in respect of the kinds of y e reuelatiō of it If cōparison be made in regard of the matter or substance they must needes be both equall alike seeing that the matter in either is one and the same but if you compare the kinds of reuclation together it cānot truly be denied but that the first better place is due to the liuely voice seeing that the liuely voice is both in respect of time more auncient was before the organs or instruments thereof for the mouth is an instrument more worthy to be preferred before the hand and is a kind of teaching more familiar more fit for the capacity of such as are more rude ignorant Albeit also in some respects writing is to be preferred before the liuely voice For it is a more perfect accurate kind of reuelation fit to instruct those that are more perfect to keepe the truth more firmely In the meane while it cānot be denied but y t in other respects they are both alike for they haue both spoken written the same thing in the same manner to wit as being guided moued by the holy Ghost inspired of God 2. Pet. 1. 21. 2. Tim. 3. 16. To conclude seeing that now the liuely voice by the wil of God hath ceased and in the place of it the scripture hath succeeded so that whole dignity of the liuely voice before mentioned is and ought worthily to be ascribed and referred vnto the scripture or written word of God Q Doe you meane then that the Prophetical Apostolical scripture ought to be now in as great account with vs as the liuelie voice of God himselfe and of extraordinarie men was in times past A. I meane so and in his kinde of reuelation alone I willingly rest as in that which came by inspiratiō from God so long vntill I shall heare at his glorious comming that liuely and most sweete voice of Christ my Sauiour when he shall say to them who shall be at his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To whom be all praise for euer Amen To God only wise be praise through Jesus Christ for euer Amen