A DISCOVERIE OF THE MANIFOLD CORRVPTIONS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTVRES BY THE Heretikes of our daies specially the English Sectaries and of their foule dealing herein by partial false translations to the aduantage of their heâ—â—sies in their English Bibles vsed and authorised since the time of Schisme By GREGORY MARTIN one of the readers of Diuinitie in the ENGLISH COLLEGE OF RHEMES 2 Cor. 2. Non sumus sicut plurimi adulterantes verbum Dei sed ex sinceritate sed sicut ex Deo coram Deo in Christo loquimur That is VVe are not as very many adulterating the word of God but of sinceritie as of God before God in Christ vve speake Printed at RHEMES By Iohn Fogny 1582. THE PREFACE CONTEINING FIVE SVNDRIE ABVSES OR CORRVPTIONS OF HOLY Scriptures common to al Heretikes agreing specially to these of our time vvith many other necessarie aduertisements to the reader Heretikes fiue vvaies specially abuse the Scriptures AS it hath been alvvaies the fashioÌ„ of Heretikes to preteÌ„d Scriptures for shevv of their cause so hath it been also their custom and propertie to abuse the said Scriptures many vvaies in fauour of their errours 1 Denying certaine bookes or partes of bookes 1 One vvay is to deny vvhole bookes thereof or partes of bookes vvhen they are euidently against them So did for example Ebion al S. Paules epistles Manicheus the Actes of the Apostles Alogiani S. Iohns Gospel Marcion many peeces of S. Lukes Gospel and so did both these and other heretikes in other bookes denying and allovving vvhat they list as is euident by S. Ireneus S. Epiphanius S. Augustine and al antiquitie 2 Doubting of their authoritie and calling them into questioÌ„ 2 An other vvay is to call into question at the least and make some doubt of the authoritie of certaine bookes of holy Scriptures thereby to diminish their credite so did Manicheus affirme of the vvhole nevv Testament that it vvas not vvritten by the Apostles peculiarly of S. Matthevves Gospel that it was some other maÌ„s vnder his name and therfore not of such credite but that it might in some part be refused so did MarcioÌ„ the AriaÌ„s deny the epistle to the Hebrues to be S. Paules Epiphan li. 2. haer 69 Euseb li. 4. hist c. 27. Alogiani the Apocalypse to be S. Iohns the EuaÌ„gelist Epiph. August in haer Alogianorum 3 Voluntarie expositions according to euery ones fansie or heresie 3 An other way is to expound the Scriptures after their ovvne priuate conceite and phantasie not according to the approued sense of the holy auncient fathers and Catholike Church so did Theodorus Mopsuestites Act. Synod 5. affirme of al the bookes of the Prophets and of the Psalmes that they spake not euidently of Christ but that the auncient fathers did voluntarily dravv those sayings vnto Christ vvhich vvere spoken of other matters so did al heretikes that vvould seeme to grouÌ„d their heresies vpon Scriptures to auouch them by Scriptures expounded according to their ovvne sense and imagination 4 Changing some vvordes or senteÌ„ces of the very original text Tertul. cont Marcio li. 1. in princ 4 An other vvay is to alter the very original text of the holy Scripture by adding taking away or changing it here and there for their purpose so did the Arians in sundrie places and the NestoriaÌ„s in the first epistle of S. Iohn and especially Marcion vvho was therfore called Mus Ponticus the mouse of Pontus because he had gnavven as it vvere certaine places vvith his corruptions whereof some are said to remaine in the Greeke text vntil this day Tertull. li. 5. 5 False and heretical translation 5 An other way is to make false translations of the Scriptures for the maintenance of errour and heresie so did the Arians as S. Hierom noteth in 26. Esa read and translate Prouerb 8. Dominus creauit me in initio viarum suarum that is The Lord created me in the beginning of his vvaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possedit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to make Christ the vvisedom of God a more creature S. Augustin also li. 5. Cont. Iulian. c. 2. noteth it as the interpretation of some Pelagian Gen. 3. Fecerunt sibi vesti menta for perizómata or campestria that is They made them selues garments whereas the vvord of the Scripture is breeches or aprons proper peculiar to couer the secrete partes Againe the self same Heretikes did reade falsely Ro. 5. Aug. ep 89. lib. 1. de pec mer. ca 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regnauit mors ab Adam vsque ad Moysen etiaÌ„ in eos qui peccaueruÌ„t in similitudineÌ„ praeuaricationis Adae that is Death reigned from Adam to Moyses euen on them that sinned after the similitude of the preuarication of Adam to maintaine their heresie against original sinne that none vvere infected therewith or subiect to death damnatioÌ„ but by sinning actually as Adam did Thus did the old Heretikes 6 what these of our daies is it credible that being so vvel vvarned by the condemnation and detestation of them they also vvould be as mad and as impious as those Heretikes gentle Reader be alvvaies like Heretikes and hovvsoeuer they differ in opinions or names yet in this point they agree to abuse the Scriptures for their purpose by al meanes possibly I vvil but touche foure points of the fiue before mentioned because my purpose is to stay vpon the last only and to discipher their corrupt translations That the Protestants and Caluinistes vse the foresaid fiue meanes of defacing the Scriptures But if I vvould stand vpon the other also vvere it not easy to shevv the maner of their proceding against the Scriptures to haue been thus to deny some vvhole bookes and parts of bookes to call other some into question to expound the rest at their pleasure to picke quarels to the very original and Canonical text to fester and infect the vvhole body of the Bible vvith cankred translations 7 Did not Luther deny S. Iames epistle and so contemne it that he called it an epistle of stravv not vvorthie of an Apostolical spirit must I proue this to M. Vvhitakers vvho vvould neuer haue * Cont. rat Edm. Camp pag. 11. denied it so vehemently in the superlatiue degree for shame if he had not thought it more shame to graunt it I neede not goe far for the matter Aske M. Fulke Retent pag. 32. dist of the Rocke p. 307. Luther in nouo Test Germa in Pref. Iacob and he vvil flatly confesse it vvas so Aske Caluin in arg ep Iacobi aske Flaccus Illyricus in argum ep Iacobi and you shal perceiue it is very true I vvil not send you to the Catholike Germans and others both of his ovvne time and after that vvrote against him in the question of iustification among vvhom not one omitteth this being a thing so famous and infamous to the confusion of
he began to reade and translate the former Scriptures accordingly thus Haue not vve povver to leade about a SISTER A WIFE as the rest of the Apostles and Labour that you may make sure your vocation and election leauing out the other vvordes by good vvorkes And so doe both the Caluinists abrode and our English Protestants at home reade and translate at this day because they hold the self same heresies 37 So doe they in infinite places alter the old text vvhich pleased them vvell before they vvere Heretickes and they doe it vvith brasen faces and plaine protestation hauing no shame nor remorse at al in fleeing from that which all antiquitie with one consent allovved and embraced vntil their vnhappie daies Vvhich though it be an euident cōdemnation of their nouelties in the sight of any reasonable man that hath any grace yet as I began to admonish thee gentle Reader vve vvil not charge them for altering the auncient approued Latin translation because they pretend to folovv the Hebrue and Greeke and our purpose is not here to proue that they should not folovv the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before the auncient approued Latin text which is done breifely already in the preface to the nevv Testament Vve charge them not vvith forsaking the Greeke copies that agree vvith the aunciēt approued Latin text though this be a signe of their incredible partialitie 38 Neither vvil vve burden them for not folovving the vulgar Latin text vvhen the same agreeth with most auncient Greeke copies vvhich notvvithstāding is great partialitie in them must needes be of an heretical vvilful humor that amōg the Greeke copies them selues they reiect that vvhich most agreeth vvith the vulgar Latin text in places of controuersies Yet vvil vve not I say neither in this case lay falshod and corruption to their charge because they pretend to translate the common Greeke text of the nevv Testament that is one certaine copie but here at the least let them shevv their fidelitie that they be true and exacte translatours for here onely shal they be examined and called to account Vve charge them for forsaking false translating their ovvne Hebrue and Greeke text 39 And if they folovv sincerely their Greeke and Hebrue text vvhich they professe to folovv and which they esteeme the only authentical text so far vve accuse them not of heretical corruption but if it shal be euidētly proued that they shrinke from the same also and translate an other thing and that vvilfully and of ful intention to countenance their false religion and wicked opinions making the Scriptures to speake as they list then vve trust the indifferēt reader for his ovvne soules sake vvil easily see and conclude that they haue no feare of God no reuerence of the Scriptures no conscience to deceiue their readers He vvil perceiue that the Scriptures make against them vvhich they so peruert and corrupt for their purpose that neither the Hebrue nor Greeke text is for them vvhich they dare not translate truely and sincerely that their cause is naught which needeth such foul shiftes that they must needes knovv al this and therfore doe vvilfully against their conscience consequently are obstinate Heretikes 40 And the more to vnderstand their miserie vvretchednes before vve enter to examine their trāslations marke gather of al that vvhich I haue said in this preface their manifold flightes iumpes from one shift to an other hovv Catholike writers haue pursued and chased them folovved them and driuen them euen to this extreme refuge and seely couert of false translation vvhere also they must of necessitie yeld or deuise some nevv euasion which vve can not yet imagin The diuers shiftes and flightes that the Protestants are driuen vnto by the Catholikes as it vvere the iumpes and turnings of an hare before the boundes 41 First we are vvont to make this offer as we thinke most reasonable and indifferent that forasmuch as the Scriptures are diuersely expounded of vs and of them they neither be tied to our interpretation nor vve to theirs but to put it to the arbitrement and iudgement of the auncient fathers of general Councels of vniuersal custom of times and places in the Catholike Church No say they vve wil be our ovvne iudges and interpreters or folow Luther if we be Lutherans Caluin if we be Caluinistes and so forth 42 This being of it self a shameles shift vnles it be better coloured the next is to say that the Scriptures are easie and plaine sufficient of them selues to determine euery matter and therfore they wil be tried by the Scriptures only we are cōtent because they wil needes haue it so and vve alleage vnto them the bookes of Toble Ecclesiasticus Machabees No say they we admit none of these for Scripture Vvhy so are they not approued Canonical by the same authoritie of the Church of auncient Councels and fathers that the other bookes are No matter say they Luther admitteth them not Caluin doth not allovv them 43 Vvel let vs goe forvvard in their ovvne daunce You allow at the least the Ievves Canonical bookes of the old Testament that is al that are extant in the Hebrue Bible and al of the new Testament vvithout exception Yea that we doe In these bookes then wil you be tried by the vulgar auncient Latin Bible only vsed in al the vvest Church aboue a thousand yeres No. Vvil you be tried by the Greeke Bible of the Septuaginta interpreters so renovvmed and authorised in our Sauiours ovvne speaches in the Euangelistes and Apostles writings in the whole Greeke Church euermore No. How then wil you be tried They ansvver Only by the Hebrue Bible that now is and as novv it is pointed with vovvels Vvil you so and do you thinke that only the true authentical Hebrue which the holy Ghost did first put into the pennes of those sacred writers Vve do thinke it say they and esteeme it the only authentical and true Scripture of the old Testament 44 Vve aske them againe what say you then to that place of the psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where in the Hebrue it is thus As a lion my handes and my feete for that which in truth should be thus They digged or pearced my handes and my feete being an euident prophecie of Christs nailing to the Crosse There in deede say they we folow not the Hebrue but the Greeke text Sometime then you folow the Greeke and not the Hebrue only And what if the same Greeke text make for the Catholikes as in these places for example I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy iustifications for revvard and Redeeme thy sinnes vvith almes might we not obtaine here the like fauour at your hands for the Greeke text specially when the Hebrue doth not disagree No say they nor in no other place vvhere the Greeke is neuer so plaine if the Hebrue word at the least may be any otherwise
that Arch heretike 8 To let this passe Tobie Ecclesiasticus the Machabees are they not most certainely reiected and yet they vvere allovved and receiued for Canonical by the same authoritie that S. Iames epistle vvas This epistle the Caluinists are content to admit because * CoÌ„c Carth. 3 can 47. so it pleased Caluin those bookes they reiect because so also it pleased him And vvhy did it so please Caluin vnder pretence forsooth that they vvereonce doubted of and not taken for Canonical but is that the true cause in deede Hovv do they then * Argum. in ep Iac. receiue S. Iames epistle as Canonical hauing been before doubted of also yea as * Vvhitak p. 10. ibid. they say reiected 9 Marke gentle Reader for thy soules sake and thou shalt finde that heresie and only heresie is the cause of their denying these bookes so far that against the orders and Hierarchies and particular patronages of Angels one of them vvriteth thus in the name of the rest ibid. p. 17. M Whitak by these vvordes coÌ„demneth their ovvne Seruice booke which appointeâ—h these bookes of Tobie Ecclesiasticus to be readde for holy Scripture as the other Do they readde in their Churches Apocryphal and superstitious bookes for holy Scripture or is he a Puritane that thus disgraceth their order of daily Seruice Vve passe not for that Raphael of Tobie neither do vve acknovvledge those seuen Angels vvhich he speaketh of al this is far from Canonical Scriptures that the same Raphael recordeth and sauoureth I vvot not vvhat superstition Against free vvil thus I litle care for the place of Ecclesiasticus neither vvil I beleeue free vvil though he affirme an hundred times That before men is life and death And against praier for the dead and intercession of Saincts thus As for the booke of the Machabees I do care lesse for it then for the other Iudas dreame coÌ„cerning Onias I let passe as a dreame This is their reuerence of the Scriptures vvhich haue vniuersally been reuerenced for Canonical in the Church of God aboue 1100 yeres Conc. Carth. 3. and particularly of many fathers long before August de doct Christ lib. 2 ca. 8. 10 As for partes of bookes do they not reiect certaine peeces of Daniel and of Hester because they are not in the Hebrue vvhich reason S. Augustine reiecteth or because they vvere once doubted of by certaine of the fathers by vvhich reason some part of S. Marke and S. Lukes Gospel might novv also be called in controuersie specially if it be true vvhich M. Vvhitakers by a figuratiue speache more then insinuateth That he can not see by vvhat right that vvhich once vvas not in credite pag. 10. should by time vvinne authoritie Forgetting him self by by and in the very next lines admitting S. Iames epistle though before doubted of for Canonical Scriptures M. Vvhitak booke vnles they receiue it but of their courtesie and so may refuse it vvhen it shal please them vvhich must needes be gathered of his vvordes as also many other notorious absurdities contradictions and dumme blaÌ„ckes Vvhich only to note were to confute M. whitakers by him self being the Ansvverer for both Vniuersities 11 For the second point vvhich is not the grosse denial of bookes but yet calling of them in question mouing scruples about them diminishing their authoritie and credite I vvil goe no further then to S. Paules epistle to the Hebrues In the argument Bib. an 1579. vvhich I vvil not aske vvhy they doubt of or rather thinke it not to be S. Paules for they vvil tel me because it vvas once in doubt not considering that it vvas in like maner doubted vvhether it vvere Canonical yet they vvil not novv deny but it is Canonical but I must aske them and request them to make a reasonable ansvver vvhy in their English Bible of the yere 1579 and 1580 they presume to leaue out S. Paules name out of the very title of the said epistle vvhich name is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and in Bezas Latin translation both vvhich they professe to folovv See the title of the new Test an 1580. Doth not the title tel them that it is S. Paules vvhy seeke they further or vvhy do they change the title striking out S. Paules name if they meant to deale simply and sincerely and vvhat an heretical peeuishnes is this because Beza telleth them of one obscure Greeke copie that hath not Paules name and onely one that they vvil rather folovv it then al other copies both Greeke and Latin I report me to al indifferent men of common sense vvhether they do it not to diminish the credite of the epistle 12 I knovv very vvel that the authoritie of Canonical Scripture standeth not vpon the certaintie of the author but yet to be Paules or not Paules Apostolical or not Apostolical maketh great difference of credite and estimation For vvhat made S. Iames epistle doubted of sometime or the secoÌ„d of S. Peter and the rest but that they vvere not thought to be the epistles of those Apostles This Luther savv very vvel vvhen he denied S. Iames epistle to be same 's the Apostles vvriting If titles of bookes be of no importaÌ„ce then leaue out Matthevv Marke Luke and Iohn leaue out Paul in his other epistles also and you shal much pleasure the Manichees and other old Heretikes and if the titles make no difference vrge no more the title of the Apocalypse S. Iohn the Diuines as though it vvere not S. Iohns the Euangelistes and you shal much displeasure some Heretikes novv a daies breefely most certaine it is and they knovv it best by their ovvne vsual doings that it is a principal vvay to the discredite of any booke to deny it to be that authors vnder vvhose name it hath been receiued 13 But I come to the third point of voluÌ„tarie expositions of the Scripture that is vvhen euery man expouÌ„deth according to his errour Heresie This needeth no proofe for vve see it vvith our eies Looke vpon the Caluinists and Puritanes at home the Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abrode read their bookes vvritten vehemently one sect against an other are not their expositions of one and the same Scripture as diuerse and contrarie as their opinions differ one from an other Let the example at home be their controuersie about the distinction of Ecclesiastical degrees Arch-bishop Bishop and minister the example abrode their diuers imaginations phantasies vpon these most sacred vvordes Hoc est corpus meum 14 And if you vvil yet haue a further demonstration this one may suffice for al. They reiect Councels and Fathers and the Catholike Churches interpretation vnles it be agreable to Gods vvord and vvhether it be agreable or no that Luther shal iudge for the Lutherans Caluin for the Caluinists Cartvvright for the Puritanes and an other for the Brethren of loue breefely * Vvhitak pa. 17. 120.
the Septuaginta as false because it differeth froÌ„ the Hebrue Their perplexitie in defending both the hebrue text of the old Testament and Greeke text of the new Vvhich being reiected therevpon it folovveth againe that wheresoeuer those places so disagreing from the Hebrue are cited by Christ or the Euangelistes Apostles there also they must be reiected because they disagree from the Hebrue and so yet againe it folovveth that the Greeke text of the nevv Testament is not true because it is not according to the Hebrue verÃtie and consequently the wordes of our Sauiour and vvritings of hÃs Apostles must be reformed to say the lest because they speake according to the Septuaginta and not according to the Hebrue 21 Al which must needes folow if this be a good consequeÌ„ce I finde it not in Moyses nor in the Hebrue therfore I strooke it out as Beza doth and saith concerning the foresaid vvordes Qui fuit Cainan This consequence therfore let vs see hovv they vvil iustifie and vvithal let them tel vs vvhether they vvil discredite the nevv Testament because of the Septuaginta or credite the Septuaginta because of the nevv TestameÌ„t or hovv they caÌ„ credite one discredite the other vvhere both agree consent together or vvhether they vvil discredite both for credite of the Hebrue or rather whether there be not some other way to reconcile both Hebrue and Greeke better then Bezas impudent presumption Vvhich if they vvil not mainteine let them flatly confesse that he did vvickedly and not as they doe defend euery vvord and deede of their Maisters be it neuer so heinous or salue it at the least Hovv the fathers reconcile the said Hebrue and Greeke 22 Alas hovv far are these men from the modestie of the auncient fathers vvho seeke al other meanes to resolue difficulties rather then to doe violence to the sacred Scripture and vvhen they finde no vvay Li. 18. de Ciuit c. 43. 2 Lib. de Doct. Chr. c. 15. they leaue it to God S. Augustine concerning the difference of the Hebrue and the Greeke saith often to this effect that it pleased the holy Ghost to vtter by the one that vvhich he vvould not vtter by the other And S. Ambrose thus Hexam li. 3. cap. 6. Vve haue found many things not idly added of the 70 Greeke interpreters S. Hierom though an earnest patrone of the Hebrue not vvithout cause In Prooem li. Paralip being at that time perhaps the Hebrue veritie in deede yet giueth many reasons for the differences of the Septuaginta and concerning the foresaid places of S. Luke he doth giue a reason thereof CoÌ„ment in 28. Esa and in quaestion Hebrai both for the 70 and for the Euangelist that folovved them neither doubting of the truth thereof nor controuling them by the authoritie of Moyses as Beza speaketh that is by the Hebrue Others say concerning Cainan that Moyses might leaue him out in the Genealogie of Sem by the instinct of the same Spirit Mat. c. 1. that S. Matthevv left out three kings in the genealogie of our Sauiour Vvhere if a man vvould controule the Euangelist by the Hebrue of the old Testament that is read in the bookes of the kings he should be as vvise and as honest a man as Beza Praef. in Act. Apost Lastly Venerable Bede thinketh it sufficient in this very difficultie of Cainan to maruel at it reuerently rather then to searche it dangerously And thus far of picking quarels to the original text and their good vvil to alter and change it as they list if they might be suffered The 5. abuse of Scriptures Corrupt translation vvhich is the argumeÌ„t and purpose of this booke 23 Vvhich also may be proued by al their false translatÃons being the principal point I meane to speake of most euidently For as novv they translate falsely to their purpose because they can not alter the text so vvould they if it vvere possible haue the text agreable to their translation For example he that translateth ordinances vvhen it is in the original Greeke text iustifications and traditions he vvould rather that it vvere ordinances also in the Greeke but because he cannot bring that about he doth at the least vvhat he can to make the ignorant beleeue it is so by so translating it 24 And this of al other is the most fine and subtil treacherie against the Scriptures to deceiue the ignorant readers vvithal 2 Cor. 4. vvhich S. Paul calleth the secrete things of dishonestie and adulterating of the vvord of God as it vvere mingling vvater vvith vvine like false vinteners vvhen they giue them for Gods vvord vnder the name of Gods word their ovvne vvordes and not Gods forged and framed altered and changed according to differences of times and varietie of nevv opinions and diuersitie of humors and spirits diuersely and differently one Heretike not only correcting his fellovv euery day The Heretikes dissension about their translations but one egrely refuting and resolâ—ing an other * Dial. cont Melancth Lind. dubit pag. 84 96.98 Bucer and the Osiandrians and c See Zuingl resp 1. and Confess Tigurinorum Sacramentaries against Luther for false translations Luther against Munster Beza against Castaleo Castaleo against Beza Caluin against Seruetus Illyricus both against Caluin and Beza The Puritanes coÌ„troule the grosser Caluinistes of our Countrie yea the later translations of the self same Heretikes controule the former excedingly not only of ouersights but of vvilful falsifications as it is notorious in the * ibid. pag. 83.97 later editions of Luther and Beza and in our English Bibles set forth in diuers yeres from Tindal their first translatour vntil this day The nevv Test of the yere 1580. yea vvhich is more the English traÌ„slatours of Bezas nevv Testament controule him and his translation vvhich they protest to folovv * Luc. 3 36. being afraid sometime and ashamed to expresse in English his false translations in the Latin 25 But in this Catalogue of dissentions falsifiers and disagreing translatours Act. 1 14 2 23. Act. 3 21. I vvil not greatly rippe vp old faultes neither abrode nor at home I leaue Luthers false translations into the German tongue The GermaÌ„ Frenche and English corruptions of the nevv Testament to the credite of Staphylus Apolog. part 2. and Emserus praef Annot. in no. Test Luth. and other German vvriters of his ovvne time that savv them and readde them and reckened the nuÌ„ber of them in the nevv TestameÌ„t only about * See Lind. Dubit p. 84 85 c. 1400 heretical corruptions I leaue Caluins and Bezas frenche corruptions to so many vvorthie men as * Vigor and the rest haue noted them in their freÌ„che bookes against the said heretikes Tindals and his companions corruptioÌ„s in their first English bible to our learned couÌ„triemen of that age namely to the right Reuerend Father and Confessor Bishop Tonstal
Greeke vvord so euidētly in this sense Annot. in 3 Mat. v. 2. that Beza saith he did it for his verse sake because an other vvord vvould not stand so vvel in the verse But the reader I trust seeth the vse and signification of these Greeke vvordes by the testimonie of the Greeke fathers them selues most auncient and approued 7 Thirdly that the auncient Latin Interpreter doth commonly so translate these vvordes through out the nevv Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poenitētiam agere that needeth no proofe neither vvil I stand vpon it though it be greater authoritie then they haue any to the cōtrarie because the Aduersaries knovv it and mislike it and for that and other like pointes it is belike that one of them saith it is the vvorst translation of al Discou of Sand. Rocke pag. 147. Prae fat in No. Test an 1556. vvhereas Beza his Maister saith it is the best of al. so vvel they agree in iudgement the Maister and the man 8 I come to the fourth proofe vvhich is that al the Latin Church and the glorious Doctors thereof haue alvvaies read as the vulgar Latin interpreter translateth these vvordes and expound the same of penance and doing penance To name one or tvvo for an example Ep. 108. S. Augustines place is very notable vvhich therfore I set dovvne and may be translated thus Agunt homines poenitentiam Act. 2. Men doe penance before Baptisme of their former sinnes yet so that they be also baptized Peter saying thus DOE YE PENANCE AND LET EVERY ONE BE BAPTIZED Men also doe penance if after Baptisme they do so sinne that they deserue to be excommunicated and reconciled againe as in al Churches they doe vvhich be called Sicut agunt qui Poenitētes appellantur POENITENTES For of such penance spakes S Paul 2 Cor. 12 21. saying THAT I LAMENT NOT MANY OF THEM WHICH BEFORE HAVE SINNED AND HAVE NOT DONE PENANCE FOR THEIR VNCLEANNESSE Vve haue also in the Actes Act. 8 18. that Simon Magus being baptized vvas admonished by Peter TO DOE PENANCE for his greuous sinne Vt agerat poenitentiā There is also in maner a daily Penance of the good and humble beleeuers in vvhich vve knocke our breastes saying FORGIVE VS OVR DETTES For these venial and daily offenses fastes and almes and praiers are vvatchfully vsed Quotidianā agere poenitontiam and humbling our soules vve cease not after asort to doe daily penance 9 In these vvordes of S. Augustine it is plaine that he speaketh of painful or penitential vvorkes for satisfaction of sinnes that is penance againe that there are three kindes of the same one before Baptisme an other after Baptisme for great offenses greater and longer the other daily for common and litle venial faultes vvhich the best men also cōmit in this fraile nature againe that the tvvo former are signified spoken of in the three places of Scripture by him alleaged Where vve see that he readeth altogether as the vulgar interpreter translateth and expoundeth al three places of penance for sinne so approueth that signification of the Greeke vvord Yea in saying that for venial sinnes vve knocke our breast fast giue almes and pray and so cease not Quotidianam agere poenitentiam vvhat doth he meane but daily penance and satisfaction Reade also S. Cyprian beside other places epist 52. num 6. Vvhere his citatiōs of Scripture are according to the old Latin interpreter and his exposition according of doing penance and making satisfaction for sinnes committed But I neede not procede further in alleaging either S. Cyprian or other auncient fathers for this purpose because the Aduersaries graūt it Hovvbeit in vvhat termes they graunt it and hovv malapertly they accuse al the auncient fathers at once for the same it shal not be amis here to put dovvne their vvordes 10 Vvhereas the reuerend godly and learned Father Edmund Campion had obiected in his booke the Protestants accusation of S. Cyprian for the matter of penance the good man that ansvvereth for both vniuersities saith thus to that point Vvhitak pa. 97. cont ration Edm. Camp But vvhereas Magdeburgenses Lutheran vvriters of that citie complaine that he depraued the doctrine of repentance they do not feine or forge this crime against him but vtter or disclose it Doctrinam poenitentiae For al men vnderstand that it vvas to true Neither vvas this Cyprians fault alone De poenitentia Imprudēter that he vvrote of repentance many things incommodiously and vnvvisely but al the most holy fathers almost at that time vvere in the same errour For vvhiles thy desired to restraine mens manners by seuere lavves Poenitentiae they made the greatest part of repentance to consist in certaine external discipline of life vvhich them selues prescribed In that they punished vice seuerely they were to be borne withal but that by this meanes they thought to pay the paines due for sinnes and to satisfie Gods iustice and to procure to them selues assured impunitie remission and iustice therin they derogated not a litle from Christs death attributed to much to their ovvne inuentions finally depraued repentance Thus far the Ansvverer 11 Marke hovv he accuseth the fathers in general of no lesse crime then taking avvay from Christ the merites of his Passion attributing it to their ovvne penance and discipline Vvhich if they did I maruel he should call them in this very place vvhere he beginneth to charge them vvith such a crime sanctissimos patres most holy fathers The truth is he might as vvel charge S. Paul vvith the same vvhen he saith Rom. 2. vve shal Be the heires of God and coheires vvith Christ yet so if vve suffer vvith him that vve may also be glorified vvith him S. Paul saith our suffering also vvith Christ is necessarie to saluation Maister vvhitakers saith it is a derogatiō to Christs suffering Christ fasted for vs therfore our fasting maketh nothing to saluation He praied for vs vvas scourged and died for vs therfore our praier scourging and emprisonment yea death it self for his sake make nothing to life euerlasting and if vve should thinke it doth vve derogate from Christs Passion Alas is this the diuinitie of England novv a daies to make the simple beleeue that the auncient fathers and holy men of the primitiue Church by their seuere life and voluntarie penance for their sinnes and for the loue of Christ did therin derogate from Christes merites and Passions 12 I may not stand vpon this point neither neede I. the principal matter is proued by the Aduersaries cōfession that the holy Doctors spake vvrote and thought of penance and doing penance as vve doe in the same termes both Greeke and Latin and vvith Catholikes it is alvvaies a good argument and vve desire no better proofe then this The Protestants graunt al the aūcient fathers vvere of our opinion and they say it vvas their errour For the first
also a great Hebrician did not reade as novv vve haue in the Hebrue Destruamus ponamus mittamus Nashchîtha but Nashitha or Nashlîcha Againe the Hebrue vvord that novv is doth so litle agree vvith the vvordes folovving that they cannot tel hovv to translate it as appeareth by the diuersitie and difference of their translations thereof before mentioned and transposing the vvordes in English othervvise then in the Hebrue neither of both their translations hauing any commodious sense or vnderstanding 20 But yet they vvil pretend that for the first vvord at the least they are not to be blamed because they folovv the Hebrue that novv is not considering that if this vvere a good excuse then might they as vvel folovv the Hebrue that novv is Psal 21. v. 18 and so vtterly suppresse and take out of the Scripture this notable prophecie They pearced my handes and my feete Vvhich yet they doe not neither can they doe it for shame if they vvil be counted Christians So that in deede to folovv the Hebrue sometime vvhere it is corrupt is no sufficient excuse for them though it may haue a pretence of true translation and vve promised in the preface in such cases not to call it heretical translation That vvater and vvine ought to be mingled in the chalice Pro. 9. 21 But concerning the B. Sacrament let vs see once more hovv truely they folovv the Hebrue The holy Ghost saith S. Cyprian ep 63 nu 2. by Salomon foresheweth a type of our Lordes sacrifice of the immolated host of bread and vvine saying Vvisedome hath killed her hostes SHE HATH MINGLED HER VVINE INTO the cuppe Come ye eate of my bread and drinke the vvine that I HAVE MINGLED for you Speaking of VVINE MINGLED saith this holy doctor he foreshevveth prophetically the cuppe of our Lord MINGLED VVITH VVATER AND VVINE So doth S. Hierom interprete this mixture or mingling of the vvine in the chalice so doth the author of the commentaries vpon this place among S. Hieroms vvorkes See S. Augustine de Ciuit Dei li. 17 c. 20. so doe the other fathers So that there is great importance in these prophetical vvordes of Salomon She hath mingled her vvine into the cuppe and the vvine vvhich I haue mingled as being a manifest prophecie of Christs mingling vvater and vvine in the Chalice at his last supper vvhich the Catholike Church obserueth at this day and vvhereof S. Cyprian vvriteth the foresaid long epistle 22 But the Protestants counting it an idle superstitious ceremonie here also frame their translation accordingly suppressing altogether this mixture or mingling and in steede thereof saying She hath dravven her vvine Bibl. 1579. and drinke the vvine that I haue dravven or as in other of their bibles She hath povvred out her vvine an 1577. and the vvine vvhich I haue povvred out neither trāslation agreing either vvith Greeke or Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miscuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miscui not vvith the Greeke vvhich doth euidently signifie mingling and mixture as it is in the Latin as al the Greeke Church from the Apostles time hath vsed this vvord in this very case vvhereof vve novv speake of mingling vvater vvine in the chalice S. Iames and S. Basil in their Liturgies expresly testifying that Christ did so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also S. Cyprian in the place alleaged S. Iustine in the end of his second apologie calling it of the same Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Plutarche vvine mingled vvith vvater mixtus calix likevvise S. Ireneus in his fifth booke neere the beginning Conc. Constantinop 6. can 32. See the 6 general Councel most fully treating hereof and deducing it from the Apostles auncient fathers CHAP. 18. and interpreting this Greeke vvord by an other equiualent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more plaine to signifie this mixture 23 Thus thē the Greeke is neither drawing of vvine nor povvring out thereof as they trāslate but mingling but the Hebrue perhaps signifieth both or at the least one of the tvvo either to dravv or to povver out Gentle reader if thou haue skill looke the Hebrue Lexicon of Pagnine esteemed the best if thou haue not skil aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou shalt vnderstand that there is no such signification of this vvord in al the bible but that it signifieth only mixture mingling A strange case that to auoide this mingling of the cuppe being a most certaine tradition of the Apostles they haue inuented tvvo other significations of this Hebrue vvord vvhich it neuer had before CHAP. XVIII Heretical translation against the honour of SAINCTS namely of our B. LADIE 1 LET vs passe from Gods holy Sacraments to his honorable Saincts in heauen and vve shal finde that these translations plucke from them also as much honour as they may In the Psalme 138 vvhere the Catholike Church al antiquitie readeth thus Psal 138. Nimis honorati sunt amici tui Deus c. Thy frendes ô God are become exceding honorable their princedom is excedingly strengthened vvhich verse is sung and said in the honour of the holy Apostles agreably to that in an other Psalme Ps 44. Constitues eos principes super omnem terram Thou shalt appoint them Princes ouer al the earth vvhat meane they in al their English Bibles to alter it thus Hovv deere are thy counsels or thoughtes to me ô God ô hovv great is the summe of them Doth not the Hebrue make more for the old receiued Latin translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then for theirs because the Hebrue vvord is vsed more cōmonly for to signifie frendes then cogitations doth not S. Hierom so translate in his translation of the Psalmes according to the Hebrue doth not the great Rabbine R. Salomon Doth not the Greeke put it out of doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich is altogether according to the said auncient Latin translation 2 And you my Maisters that translate othervvise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beseeche you is it in Hebrue Hovv great is the summe of them not rather word for vvord most plainely hovv are the heads of them strengthened or their princedoms as in the Greeke also it is most manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhy do you then hunt after nouelties and forsake the troden pathe of the auncient and passe the boundes vvhich our holy forefathers haue set and appointed preferring your ovvne singularities and nevv deuises euen there vvhere you can not iustly pretend either the Hebrue or Greeke Epito Thesau Pagn an 1570. in radice Vvhen the Hebrue Lexicon hath giuen the common interpretation of this place and then saith Quidam exponunt Some expound it otherwise vvhy had you rather be of that lesser some that expound othervvise then of the great societie of al auncient interpreters 3 But this nevv fangled singulatitie of teaching and translating
othervvise then al antiquitie hath done shal better appeare in their dealing about our B. Lady vvhose honour they haue sought so many vvaies to diminish deface that the defense and maintenance thereof against the Heretikes of our time is grovven to a great booke learnedly vvritten by the great Clerke and Iesuite father Canisius entitled Mariana 4 Concerning our purpose vvhat vvas euer more common and is novv more general and vsual in al Christian Countries then in the Aue Marie to say Gratia plena ful of grace in so much that in the first English Bible it hath continued so still and euery childe in our Countrie vvas taught so to say till the Aue Marie vvas banished altogether and not suffered to be said neither in Latin nor English Vvhat auncient father of the Latin Church hath not alvvaies so read and expounded Vvhat Church in al the vvest hath not euer so sung and said Onely our nevv Translators haue found a nevv kinde of speache translating thus Haile thou that art freely beloued Bib. 1579. and 1577. and Haile thou that art in high fauour Vvhy this and that or any other thing rather then Haile ful of grace S. Iohn Baptist vvas ful of the holy Ghost euen from his birth Luc. 1. v. 15. S. Steuen vvas ful of grace Act. 7. v. 8. as the Scripture recordeth of them both vvhy may not then our Lady much more be called ful of grace Ambr. li. 2 in 1 Luc. vvho as S. Ambrose saith onely obteined the grace vvhich no other vvomen deserued to be replenished vvith the author of grace 5 They vvil say the Greeke vvord doth not so signifie doth it not I make them selues vvitnesses of the contrarie and their owne translation in other places shal confute them vvhere they translate an other vvord of the self same nature and forme and in al respectes like to this Luc. 16. v. 20 ful of sores If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ful of sores vvhy is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ful of grace Let any Grecian of them al make me a difference in the nature and significancie of these tvvo vvordes Againe if vlcerosus as Beza translateth be ful of sores vvhy is not gratiosa as Erasmus translateth ful of grace or vvhy doth Beza maruel that Erasmus translated gratiosa vvhen him self trāslateth the like vvord vlcerosus Al vvhich adiectiues in osus you knovv signifie fulnes as periculosus aerumnosus Yet vvhat a sturre doth Beza keepe here in his Annotatiōs to make the Greeke vvord signifie freely beloued 6 But hath it in deede any such signification tell vs you that professe this great skill of the tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhat syllable is there in this vvord that soundeth to that signification Comment in Eph. 1. S. Chrysostom and the Greeke Doctors that should best knovv the nature of this Greeke word say that it signifieth to make gratious acceptable and beloued and beautiful and amiable and so to be desired as vvhen the Psalme saith Psal 44. The king shal desire thy beautie Beza him self saith that it is vvord for vvord gratificata made grateful and yet he expoundeth it accepted before God and translateth it freely beloued because he vvill haue no singular grace or goodnes or vertue resident in our B. Lady but al by imputation acceptation vvhereof I haue spoken before S. Athan. de S. Deip. S. Athanasius a Greeke Doctor saith that she had this title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Holy Ghost descended into the Virgin filling her vvith al graces and vertues and I beseeche the reader to see his vvordes vvhich are many moe concerning this fulnes of grace and al spiritual giftes S. Hierom that knevv the Greeke vvord as vvel as the Protestants Ep. 140 in expos Psal 44. readeth Gratia plena and findeth no fault vvith this interpretation but saith plainely she vvas so saluted ful of grace because she conceiued him in vvhom al fulnes of the deitie dvvelt corporally 7 Novv let the English Bezites come vvith their nevv terme freely beloued and controule these and al other auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin and teache them a nevv signification of the Greeke vvord vvhich they knevv not before Iohn Keltridge preacher of the vvord in London in his sermons vvithin the toure printed fo 14. Let Iohn Keltridge one of their great preachers in London come and tel vs that the Septuaginta and the best translations in Greeke haue no such vvordes as vve vse in the Aue Marie but that the vvord vvhich the Septuaginta vse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Grosse ignorance singular pride in many of the nevv cleargie Vvho euer heard such a ieast that the preacher of the vvord of God in London so he is called in the title of his booke and preacher before the Iesuites and Seminaries in the tovver So he called the Priests of the Seminarie as if one vvold cal a monke a Monasterie or a nonne a nonry vvhich is next degree to the disputers there vvhose sermons be solemnely printed and dedicated to one of the Queenes Councel vvho seemeth to be such a Grecian that he confuteth the vulgar Latin translation by the signification of the Greeke vvorde and in other places of his booke alleageth the Greeke text Pag. 37. of the 2 part that this man for al this referreth vs to the Septuaginta either as authors of S. Lukes Gospel vvhich is to ridiculous or as translators thereof as though S. Luke had vvritten in Hebrue yea as though the vvhole nevv Testament had been vvritten in Hebrue for so no doubt he presupposed and that the Septuaginta had translated it into Greeke as they did the old vvho vvere dead three hundred yeres before S. Lukes Gospel and the nevv Testament vvas vvritten 8 Al this is such a pitiful ieast as vvere incredible if his printed booke did not giue testimonie Pitiful I say because the simple people count such their preachers ioly fellowes great Clerkes because they can talke of the Greeke of the Hebrue text as this man doth also concerning the Hebrue letter Tau Fol. 11. parte 2. vvhether it had in old time the forme of a crosse or no euen as vvisely and as skilfully as he did before of the Septuaginta and the Greeke vvord in S. Lukes Gospel Vvhose incredible follie and ignorance in the tongues perhaps I vvould neuer haue mentioned because I thinke the rest are sorie and ashamed of him but that he boasteth of that vvhereof he hath no skil and that the people may take him for a very paterne and example of many other like boasters and braggers among them and that vvhen they heare one talke lustely of the Hebrue and Greeke and cite the text in the said tongues they may alvvaies remember Iohn keltridge their preacher and say to them selues vvhat if this fellovv also be like Iohn keltridge 9 But to procede these