other Catholike writers haue affirmed of that Epistle and therefore not sufficient to charge him and much lesse others with heresie but being not his simple affirmation yet because it hath bene offensiuely taken he him selfe hath put it out and giuen it ouer O what a sturre would they keepe if they had any weightie matter of truth to burthen him withall MART. 8. To let this passe Tobie Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees are they not most certainly reiected And yet they were allowed and receiued for Canonicall by the same authoritie that S. Iames Epistle was This Epistle the Caluinists are content to admit because so it pleased Caluine those bookes they reiect because so also it pleased him And why did it so please Caluine Vnder pretence forsooth that they were once doubted of and not taken for Canonicall But is that the true cause in deede Howe doe they then receiue S. Iames Epistle as Canonicall hauing before doubted of also yea as they say reiected FVLK 8. You may well let it passe for it is not worth the time you spend in writing of it and if you had bene wise you would vtterly haue omitted it But what say you of Tobie Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees most certainly by vs reiected They were allowed you say for Canonicall by the same authoritie that S. Iames Epistle was And thinke you that S. Iames Epistle was neuer allowed for Canonicall before the third Councell of Carthage For of the other it is certaine they were neuer receiued by the Church of the Israelits before Christ his coÌ„ming nor of the Apostolike and primitiue Church for more than 300. yeres after as both Eusebius out of Origines and the Councell of Laodicea Can. â—9 confirmed afterwarde by the sixt generall Councell of Constantinople sheweth for the Greeke Church and S. Ierome in prologo Galeato for the Latine Church As for the prouinciall Councell of Carthage holden by 44. Bishops of Africa if we were bound to receiue it for these bookes we must also acknowledge fiue bookes of Salomon which in the same Councell are authorised whereas the Church neuer knew but of three And although the booke of wisedom should be ascribed to SalomoÌ„ there could be but foure Againe how they vnderstand the word Canonical it may be gathered both out of the wordes of the same Canon where they giue none other reason of the approbatioÌ„ of all those books of Scripture but that they haue receiued them of their fathers to be read in the Church and also out of S. Augustine who was one present at the same CouÌ„cell which after he hath declared how a man should discerne the Canonicall Scriptures from other writings by following the authoritie of the Catholike Churches especially those that haue deserued to haue Apostolike sees and to receiue their Epistles he addeth further Tenebit igitur hunc modum in scripturis canonicis vt eas quae ab omnibus accipiuntur Ecclesijs Catholicis praeponat eis quas quaedaÌ„ non accipiunt In eis vero quae non accipiuntur ab omnibus praeponat eas quas plures grauiorèsque accipiunt eis quas pauciores minorisque authoritatis Ecclesiae tenent Si autem alias inuenerit à pluribus alias à grauioribus haberi quanquam hoc inuenire non possit aequalis tameÌ„ auctoritatis eas habeÌ„das puto Totus autem canon scripturarum in quo istam considerationem versandam dicimus his libris continetur He shall hold therfore this meane in the canonical Scriptures that he preferre those which are receiued of all catholike churches before those Scriptures which some Churches do not receiue But in those which are not receiued of all let him preferre those Scriptures which the greater number and grauer churches do receiue before those which churches fewer in number of lesse authority do hold But if he shal find some Scriptures to be had of fewer churches other some of grauer churches althogh you can not find this thing yet I thinke they are to be accoÌ„pted of equall authority Now the whole canoÌ„ of scriptures in which we say this consideration must be occupied is contained in these books Fiue books of Moises that is Genesis Exodus c. By this saying of Augustine it is manifest that he calleth canonicall Scriptures not only those bookes that ought of necessity to be receiued of al churches but also such as were receiued of some of some were not in which nuÌ„ber were these bookes of Tobie Ecclesiasticus the Machabees which by his owne rule were not to be receiued as of absolut soueraigne authority because the Apostolike churches of Asia Europa those of grauest authoritie among which was the church of Rome in that time did not receiue theÌ„ as witnesseth not only S. Hierome a Priest of Rome but also Ruffinus of Aquileia in symbolo who both declare what bookes were receiued in their churches as canonical of irrefragable authority to build principles of faith vpon them what books were admitted only to be read for instruction of maners And therfore according to the rule of Augustin testimony of the ancieÌ„t fathers because it coÌ„senteth with the rest of the scriptures not for Caluins pleasure we receiue the Epistle of S. Iames though it hath not bene alwaies and of all Churches receiued Concerning the name of Caluinists as of all other nicke names that it pleaseth you of your charity to bestow vpon vs it shall suffice to protest once for all that we acknowledge none other name of our profession but Christians Catholikes and that we haue neither receiued that Epistle nor reiected the other bicause it pleased Caluin so This may serue for a cleare demonstration that in the first English Bibles that were printed vnder the name of Thomas Mathew before Caluine wrote any word of the reiectioÌ„ of those bookes or of receiuing of the other they are called Apocrypha printed with other of that marke by theÌ„selues the Epistle of S. Iames without any question acknowledged to be one of the canonical Epistles wheras Caluines Institution was first printed An. 1536. his argument vpon S. Iames Epistle 1551. You may see what honest dealing the Papistes vse to bring the truth into discredit the professors thereof into hatred with the simple vnlearned people bearing theÌ„ in hand that we haue no cause to receiue or refuse bookes of Scripture but Caluines pleasure But the God of truth wil one day reward these impudeÌ„t liars shameles slaunderers Well let vs now see vnder what preteÌ„ce it pleased Caluine to reiect these bookes Vnder pretence forsooth sayth Martin that they were once doubted of and not taken for Canonical I pray you sir where doth Caluine pretend that only cause In his Instit. li. 3. c. 5 sect 8. He alleageth diuerse other causes touching the bookes of Machabees as euery maÌ„ that wil may read Shame you nothing to forge such manifest
for except one onely Bristowe who obseruing no good order of replying but gathering here and there at his pleasure whatsoeuer he thought himself best able to reproue hath made a shew of defence of Allens Articles and Purgatorie none other haue as yet set foorth any iust replication to the rest of my writings And as for Bristow he hath my reioynder vnto his reply these two yeares in his hand to consider vpon the other that of late haue set forth Popish treatises haue indeuoured themselues almost cuery one of them to haue a snatch or two at some one od thing or other in my bookes wherin they would seeme to haue aduantage that belike they would haue their simple readers thinke to be a sufficient confuration of al that euer I haue written against them I haue thought good therefore as neere as I can to gather all their cauils together and briefely to shape an answere to euery one of them that the indifferēt reader may see iudge what sound matter they haue brought against me wher with in shewe of wordes they would haue it seeme as though they had confuted me First Master Allen in his late Apologie fol. 63. accusing the Protestants to feigne an appellatiō vnto the iudgement of the most auncient fathers of the primitiue Church and yet not to abide by it not esteeming them better than the present gouernment of the Popish Church but as of men deceiued as of humane traditions c. As in their writings saith he it is most euident where from Peters time downward they make the chiefest fathers the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist For this euidence he quoteth Beza in 2. Thess. 2. Retentiue p. 248. How vniustly Beza is slandered to be a witnesse of this accusation they that vnderstande y ◠Latine tongue may see in the places quoted But touching my selfe the booke which he quoteth hauing scarse halfe so many pages I might intreat him for a new quotation but that I gesse he meaneth a place in my confutation of Sanders booke which he calleth the Rocke of the church which was printed with the Retentiue and continueth the number of pages from it In that booke pag. 248. there is nothing that soundeth toward such a matter except it be these wordes As for Leo and Gregorie bishops of Rome although they were not come to the full pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing wrought in that seat neere fiue or sixe hundred yeres before them and then greatly increased they were so deceiued with the long continuance of error that they thought the dignitie of Peter was much more ouer the rest of his fellow Apostles than the holy scriptures of God against which no continuance of errour can prescribe doth either allowe or beare withall Wherefore although he haue some shew out of the old writers yet hath he nothing directly to prooue that Peter did excell the other Apostles in bishoplike authoritie and out of the worde of God no one iote or title that Peter as a bishop excelled the other Apostles not as Apostles but as bishops First it is manifest euen to the eye that Allens slander is not expressed in these wordes Then let vs see if it may be imployed The mysterie of iniquitie did worke in the see of Rome from the Apostles time taking increase by litle litle vntill sixe hundred yeares and more after Christ when Antichrist began to be openly shewed and manie of the ancient fathers not espying the subtiltie of Sathans secret purpose were deceiued to thinke something more of Peters prerogatiue of the bishops of Romes dignitie than by the worde of God was granted to either of them this is in effect as much as I affirme but here of it followeth not that I make them the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist For those are the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist which willingly lend all their power to maintaine and vphold his kingdom after he hath inuaded the tyrannie The auncient fathers meant nothing lesse by admitting of the bishops of Romes prerogatiue vnder colour of Peters successour than to serue him or aduance him into the throne of Antichrist Not euerie one whome Satan hath seduced that he might prepare a way for the aduauncement of his tyrannie is a minister and furtherer of Satan or his tyrannie for then should all men be counted ministers or furtherers of Satan seeing the kingdome of sinne is increased by the frailtie of all men which by temptation of the diuell fall into sinne Beside that manie of the auncient fathers openly resisted the vsurped power of the bishops of Rome when it began onely to budde vp and was yet farre off from Antichristian tyrannie although it tended somewhat toward the same So did the bishops of the East churches countermaund Victor bishop of Rome contending about the celebration of Easter So did Irenaeus Polycrates and many other godly fathers in publike writings openly reprehend him So did Cyprian in diuerse Epistles expostulate with the bishops of Rome for medling with causes that pertained to his iurisdiction So did all the bishops of Aphrica make decrees against the vsurped authoritie and titles of the bishops of Rome denying all appeales vnto the sea of Rome excōmunicating all them that would appeale to any place beyond the sea discouering also the forged Canon of the Nicen Councel by which the bishops of Rome challenged that prerogatiue So that M. Allen by this his slander hath done iniury to mee and hurt to himselfe while men by this example may iudge of his synceritie in other matters Next commeth in the discouerie of I. Nicols denying that they make the Catholike religion locall or of one prouince as he chargeth mee with some scornefull termes of reproche to affirme in my bad answere to Howlet I said in deede that S. Augustine De vnit Eccles Cap. 4. doth cleare vs of schisme who willingly communicate with all the whole bodie of Christs Church dispersed ouer the world and charge the Popish faction both of schisme heresie of schisme because they maintaine the Church to be onely in a part of Europe as the Donatistes did in Aphrica c. And what iniury haue I done to the Papistes in so saying The Donatists sayd the Church was perished out of all the worlde remained only in Aphrica not assigning any place of Aphrica whereunto the Church must be regardant as the Papistes do the citie of Rome but affirming that true Catholikes remained onely in Aphrica being consumed out of all other partes of the earth And what say the Papistes of all the Oriental churches of Greece of Asia of Aphrike that acknowledge not the Popes authoritie Doe they not accompt them all for heretikes or schismatikes Then it followeth that they acknowledge the Church to remaine only in those partes of Europe that are subiect to the Pope and Church of Rome But perhaps they wil alledge their newly founded Churches
Pighius Eccius the one calling the holy Scripture a nose of waxe and a dumbe iudge the other terming the Gospel written to be a blacke Gospell and an ynkie Diuinitie and that of Hosius acknowleging none other expresse word of God but onely this one worde Ama or dilige loue thou what other thing do they import but a shamelesse deniall of all bookes of the holy Scripture in deede how soeuer in worde they will seeme to admitte them MART. 2. An other way is to call into question at the least and make some doubt of the authoritie of certaine bookes of holy scriptures therby to diminish their credite so did Manicheus affirme of the whole new Testamēt that it was not writtē by the Apostles and peculiarly of S. Matthewes Gospell that it was some other mās vnder his name therfore not of such credit but that it might in some part be refused So did Marcion the Ariās deny the epistle to the Hebrues to be S. Paules Epiph. li. 2. haer 69. Euseb. li. 4. hist. c. 27 Alogiani the Apocalypse to be S. Iohns the Euāgelist Epiph. August in haer Alogianorii FVLK 2. We neither doubt of the authoritie of anie certaine booke of the holy Scriptures neither cal we any of them into question but with due reuerence do acknowledge thē all euery one to be of equall credit authority as being al inspired of god giuē to the church for the building vp thereof in truth and for the auoiding of fables heresies But the Papists arrogating to their Pope authoritie to allowe or refuse any booke of holy Scripture affirming that no Scripture hath authoritie but as it is approued by their church do bring al bookes of the holy Scripture into doubting vncertaintie with such as wil depend vpō their Pope popish churches authoritie which they affirme to be aboue the holy Scriptures saying they might as wel receaue the gospel of Nicodemus as of S. Marke by the same authoritie reiect the Gospell of S. Matthew as they haue done the Gospel of S. Bartholomew These blasphemous assertions although some of them would couler or mitigate with gentle interpretations yet their is no reasonable man but seeth into what discredite and vncertaintie they must needes bring the authoritie of the Canonicall bookes of holy Scripture with the simple and ignorant MART. 3. An other way is to expound the Scriptures after their owne 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 all the bookes of the Prophets and of the Psalmes that they spake not euidently of Christ but that the auncient fathers did voluntarily draw those sayings vnto Christ which were spoken of other matters so did all heretikes that would seeme to ground their heresies vpon Scriptures and to auouch them by Scriptures expounded according to their owne sense and imagination FVLK 3. We expound not the Scriptures after our owne priuate conceite and fantasie but as neere as God giueth vs grace according to the plaine and natural sense of the same agreable vnto the rule or proportiō of faith which bene approued by the auncient fathers and Catholike church of Christ in al matters necessarie to eternall saluation Not bringing a newe and straunge sense which is without the Scriptures to seeke confirmation thereof in the Scriptures as the manner of heretikes is rightly noted by Clemens but out of the Scriptures thēselues seeke we the exposition of such obscure places as we find in them being perswaded with S. Augustine that nothing in a manner is founde out of those obscure and darke places which may not be found to be most plaine ly spoken in other places And as for the approued sense of the holy auncient Fathers and Catholike Church of the eldest and purest times if the Papists durst stand vnto it for the deciding of many of the most waightie controuersies that are betweene vs there is no doubte but they should soone and easily be determined as hath bene shewed in diuerse and many treatises written against them In which if any thing bee brought so plainely expounding the Scripture against their popish heresies as nothing can be more expresse nor cleare then they are driuen to seeke newe and monstrous expositions of those Fathers interpretations or else they answere they are but those Fathers priuate expositions appealing to the Catholike churches interpretation which is nothing else but their owne priuate conceipte and fansie hauing no recorde to proue that Catholike Churches interpretation but the present hereticall opinions of this late degenerated Antichristian congregation And whē they haue discoursed neuer so much of the Catholike churches interpretation they reduce and submitte all mens iudgements to the determinatiō of their Councels the decrees of the Councels to the approbation of their Pope which as he is oftentimes a wicked man of life so is he ignorant and vnlearned in the Scriptures to whose most priuate cēsure the holy Scriptures themselues and al sense and exposition of them is made subiect vnder colour that Christ praying for Peter that his faith should not fayle in temptation gaue all Popes suche a prerogatiue that they could not erre in faith though they were wicked of life voyde of learning ignorant in the Scriptures destitute of the spirite of God as is proued moste inuincibly by example of diuerse Popes that haue bene heretikes and mainteyners of such errours as are not now in controuersie betweene vs least they should say we begge the principle but of the secte of the Arrians Monothelites Eutychians Saduces and such other MART. 4. An other way is to alter the very originall text of the holy Scripture by adding taking away or changing it here and there for their purpose So did the Arians in sundry places and the Nestorians in the first epistle of S. Iohn and especially Marcion who was therefore called Mus Ponticus the mouse of Pontus because he had gnawen as it were certaine places with his corruptions whereof some are sayd to remaine in the Greeke text vntill this day FVLK 4. The originall text of the holie Scripture we alter not either by adding taking away or changing of any letter or syllable for any priuate purpose which were not only a thing most wicked and sacrilegious but also vaine and impossible For seeing not only so many auncient coppies of the original text are extant in diuers places of the worlde which we can not if we woulde corrupt and that the same are multiplied by printing into so many thousande examples wee shoulde bee rather madde than foolishe if we did but once attempt such a matter for maintenaunce of any of our opinions As also it is incredible that Marcion the mouse of Pontus coulde corrupt all the Greeke coppies in the world as Lindanus of whome you borrowed that conceite imagineth in those places in which he
it if in this case they will adde only to the very text is it not most horrible and diuelish corruption So did Luther whom our English ProtestaÌ„ts honor as their father in this heresie of only faith are his owne childreÌ„ See ch 12. FVLK 24. In the question of iustification by faith only where S. Iames saieth no we say no also neyther can it be proued that we adde this word only to the text in any translation of oures If Luther did in his translation adde the worde only to the texte it can not be excused of wrong translation in worde although the sense might well beare it But seing Luther doth him selfe confesse it he may be excused of frawde though not of lacke of iudgement But why should our translation be charged with Luthers corruption Because our English Protestants honour him as their father A very lewde slaunder for we call no man father vpon earth though you do call the Pope your father albeit in another sense Luther was a reuerende father of the Churche for his time But as touching the doctrine of only faith iustifying it hath more patrones of the fathers of the auncient primitiue Church than Martine can beare their bookes though he would breake his backe who in the same plaine wordes do affirme it as Luther doth that only faith doth iustifie And the Apostle which saieth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law speaketh more plainely for iustification by faith only as we do teach it than if he had sayed a man is iustified by faith only Which text of Rom. 3. and many other are as expresse scripture to proue that we teach and beleeue as that S. Iames sayeth against iustification by faith only where he speaketh of an other faith and of an other iustification than S. Paule speaketh of and we vnderstand when we holde that a man is iustified by faith only or without workes of the law which is all one MART. 25. If these that account themselues the great Grecians and Hebricians of the world will so translate for the aduauntage of their cause as though they had no skill in the world and as though they knew neither the significatioÌ„ of words nor proprietie of phrases in the saide languages is it not to be esteemed shamelesse corruption FVLK 25. Yes but if it can not be proued that so they translate then is this an impudent slaunder as al the rest are and so it will proue when it coÌ„meth to be tried MART. 26. I will not speake of the German Heretikes who to mainteine this heresie that all our workes be they neuer so good are sinne translated for Tibi soli peccaui to thee only haue I sinned thus Tibi solùm peccaui that is I haue nothing else but sinned whatsoeuer I do I sinne whereas neither the Greeke nor the Hebrewe will possibly admit that sense Let these passe as Lutherans yet wilfull corrupters and acknowledged of our English Protestants for their good brethren But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were yet of no strength as the Geneua English Bible also doth interprete it whereas euery young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither without strength is not this of purpose to take away mans free will altogither See chap. 10. nu 13. FVLK 26. I knowe not what German heretikes those be which maintaine that heresie that al our works be they neuer so good are sinne except they be the Libertines with whom we haue nothing to do For we neuer say that good workes are sinne for that were al one to say that good were euill But that al our good workes are short of that perfection which the law of God requireth we do humbly confesse against our selues Or else what soeuer seemeth to be a good worke and is done of meÌ„ voyde of true faith is sinne For these assertions we haue the scripture to warraÌ„t vs. And if to proue the later any man hath translated those words of Dauid in the 51. Psalme Lecha Lebadecha Tibi solum or tantuÌ„modo tibi peccaui c. To the only or altogither to thee I haue sinned in respect of his naturall corruption which he doth expresse in the next verse he hath not departed one whitte from the Hebrewe wordes nor from the sense which the wordes may very wel beare which he that denieth rather sheweth him selfe ignorant in the Hebrew tongue than he that so translateth For what doth Lebad signifie but Solum or Tantum and therefore it may as well be translated Solum tibi as Soli â—ibi And the Apostle Rom. 3. prouing by the later end of that verse all men to be vniust that God only may be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou mayest be iustified in thy wordes c. fauoreth that interpretation of Bucer or who soeuer it is beside But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when wee were yet of no strength as the Geneua Englishe Bible doth also interprete it whereas euerye young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither withoute strengthe is not this of purpose to take awaye mannes free wyll altogither Chapter tenth Number 13. Naye it is to shewe as the Apostles purpose is that wee haue no strength to fulfill the lawe of God without the grace of Christ euen as Christ him selfe sayth without me you can do nothing Ioan. 15. v. 5. But euery young Grecian saye you knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither with out strength And is there then any old Grecian that will proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway signifieth him that is weake but not voide of strength Doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes signifie him that hath some streÌ„gth Certaine it is that the Apostle speaketh here of those that were voide of strength for the same he calleth in the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vngodly or voide of religion for whom Christ died Howe say you then had vngodly persons any strength to be saued except Christ had died for them Therefore he that in this place translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake feeble infirme must needes vnderstand men so weake feeble and infirme as they haue no strength For how might it else be truely sayed what hast thou which thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. v. 7. Yes say you we haue some peece of freewil at least some strength to clime to heauen euen without the grace of God without the death redemption of Christ. If you say no why cauill you at Bezaes translation and ours The Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as great a Grecian as you would make your selfe signifieth weake or infirme sometime that which yet hath some strength sometime that which hath no strength at all as I will giue you a plaine example out of S.
confession of any grosse faulte herein cōmitted except you will count it a grosse fault in S. Luke to vse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any scrupulositie for all three as the translator doth the worde congregation and you in two significations the worde assemblye Neither can your heathenish and barbarous burning of the holy Scriptures so translated nor your blasphemie in calling it the deuils worde be excused for any fault in translation which you haue discouered as yet or euer shall be able to descrye That stinking cauill of leauing out of the Bible this worde Church altogither being both foolish and false I haue aunswered more than once alreadye It is not left out altogither that in contents of bookes and chapiters and in notes of explication of this worde congregation is set downe Neither could there be any purpose against the Catholike Churche of Christe in them that translated and taught the Creede in English professing to beleeue the holy Catholike Church As for our hatred of the malignant Antichristian Church of Rome we neuer dissembled the matter so that wee were afrayed openly to professe it what neede had wee then after suche a fantasticall manner as is fondly imagined to insinuate it MART. 5. But my Maisters if you would confesse the former faults and corruptions neuer so plainely is that inough to iustifie your corrupt dealing in the holy Scriptures Is it not an horrible fault so wilfully to falsifie and corrupt the worde of God written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost May you abuse the people for certaine yeares with false translations and afterward say Loe we haue amended it in our later translations Then might the Heretike Beza be excused for translating in steede of Christes soule in hell his carcas in the graue And because some friend told him of that corruption he corrected it in the later editions he shoulde neuerthelesse in your iudgement be counted a right honest man No be ye sure the discrete Reader can not be so abused but he will easily see that there is a great difference in mending some ouersights which may escape the best men in your grosse false translations who at the first falsifie of a prepensed malice and afterwardes alter it for verie shame Howbeit to say the truth in the chiefest principal place that concerneth the Churches perpetuitie stability you haue not yet altered the former translation but it remaineth as before and is at this day red in your Churches thus Vpon this Rocke I will build my congregation Can it be without some hereticall subtiltie that in this place specially and I thinke only you chaunge not the worde congregation into Church Giue vs a reason and discharge your credit FVLK 5. You are very hardly in very deede maliciously bent against vs that you will accept no confession of faults escaped neuer so plainly made As for corrupt dealing in the holy Scriptures and falsifying of the word of god you are not able no not if you would burst your selfe for malice to conuict vs. And therefore looke for no confession of any such wickednes whereof our conscience is cleare before God and doth not accuse vs. As for Bezaes correction of his formen translation Act. 2. v. 27. if your dogged stomach will not accept he shall notwithstanding with all godly learned men be accoūted as he deserueth for one who hath more profited the Church of God with his sincere translation and learned annotations than all the popish Seminaries and Seminarists shall be able to hinder it iangle of grosse false translations as long as you will But the chiefest principall place that concerneth the Churches perpetuitie is not yet reformed to your minde For in the Bible 1577. we reade still Math. 16. vpon this rocke I will build my congregation If Christ haue a perpetuall congregation builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles him selfe being the corner stone his Church is in no daunger euer to decay Yet you aske whether it can be without some hereticall subtiltie that in this place specially and as you thinke onely the word congregation is not chaunged into Church It is an homely but a true prouerbe the good wife would neuer haue sought her daughter in the ouen had she not bene there first her selfe You are so full of hereticall subtilties and traiterous deuises that you dreame of them in other mens doinges whatsoeuer commeth into your handes yea where you your selfe can haue no probable imagination what to suspect And therefore we must giue you a reason in discharge of our credit For my part I knowe not with what speciall reason the translator was moued but I can giue you my probable coniecture that he thought it all one as in deede it is to say my congregation or my Church For what is Christes congregation but his Church or what is Christes Church but his congregation And yet to put you out of all feare the Geneua translation hath the worde Church that you make so great account of as though it were not an indifferent word to the true Church of true Christians and the false Church of malignant Heretikes being vsurped first to signifie the congregation of Christians by a Metonymie of the place containing for the people contained For the etymologie thereof is from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was vsed of Christians for the place of their holy meetings signifying the Lordes house therefore in the northren which is the more auncient English speech is called by contraction Kyrke more neare to the sound of the Greeke word MART. 6. What shal I say of Beza whom the English Bibles also follow translating actiuely that Greeke word which in common vse and by S. Chrysostoms and the Greeke doctors exposition is a plaine passiue to signifie as in his annotations is cleare that Christ may be without his Church that is a head without a body The words be these in the heretical translation He gaue him to be the heade ouer all thinges to the Church which Church is his body the fulnes of him that filleth all in all S. Chrysostom saith Beza he might haue said all the Greeke Latine auncient fathers taketh it passiuely in this sense that Christ is filled all in all because all faithfull men as members the whole Church as the bodie cōcurre to the fulnes accomplishment of Christ the head But this saith he seemeth vnto me a forced interpretation Why so Beza FVLK 6. That Beza translateth the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actiuely it is plaine both in the text of his translation in his annotations But that he doth it to signifie that Christ may be without his Church that is a head without a body it is a shameles slaūder His words vpon which you weaue this cobweb are these Omninò autem hoc addidit Apostolus vt sciamus Christum per se non indigere hoc supplemento vt
hāds least as we haue laughed at in some men the secrete imprecation of the voyce should ordaine Clerkes being ignorant thereof And so proceedeth to inueigh against the abuse of them that would ordaine Clerkes of their basest officers and seruitours yea at the request of foolish women By which it is manifest that his purpose is not to tell what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly doth signifie but that imposition of handes is required in lawfull ordination which many did vnderstand by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although in that place it signified no such matter And therefore you muste seeke further authoritie to proue your Ecclesiasticall etymologie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth putting foorth of the handes to giue orders The places you quote in the margent out of the titles of Nazianzens sermons are to no purpose although they were in the texte of his Homilies For it appeareth not although by Synecdoche the whole order of making Clerkes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that election was excluded where there was ordination by imposition of handes As for that you cite out of Ignatius proueth against you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differeth from imposition of hands because it is made a distinct office from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth to lay on handes and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by your owne author doe differ MART. 8. But they are so profane and secular that they translate the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the new Testament as if it had the old profane signification still were indifferent to signifie the auncients of the Iewes the Senatours of Rome the elders of Lacedemonia and the Christian Clergie In so much that they say Paul sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Act. 20. and yet they were such as had their flockes and cure of soules as foloweth in the same place They make S. Paul speake thus to Timothee Neglect not the gift so they had rather say than grace lest holy orders should be a Sacrament giuen thee with the laying on of the handes of the Eldership or by the authoritie of the Eldership 1. Tim. 4. What is this companie of Eldership Somewhat they woulde say like to the Apostles worde but they will not speake plainly least the worlde might heare out of the Scriptures that Timothee was made Priest or Bishop euen as the vse is in the Catholike Churche at this day Lette the fourth Councell of Carthage speake for bothe partes indifferently and tell vs the Apostles meaning A Prieste when hee taketh his orders the Bishoppe blessing him and holding his hande vppon his head let all the Priestes also that are present holde their handes by the Bishops hand vpon his head So doe our priestes as this daye when a Bishop maketh priests and this is the laying on of the handes of the companie of Priests which S. Paule speaketh of which they translate the companie of the Eldership Onely their former translation of 1562. in this place by what chaunce or consideration we know not let fall out of the penne by the authoritie of Priesthood FVLK 8. We desire not to be more holy in the englishe termes than the holye Ghost was in the Greeke termes Whome if it pleased to vse such a word as is indifferent to signifie the auncients of the Iewes the Senators of Rome the Elders of Lacedemonia and the Christian Cleargie why shoulde we not truely translate it into English But I pray you in good sadnes are we so profane and secular Act. 20. in calling those whome Saint Paule sent for out of Ephesus Elders What shall we saye then of the vulgar Latine text which calleth them Maiores natu as though they obtayned that degree by yeares rather than by any thing else and why doe you so profanely and secularly call them the Auncients of the Church Is there more profanenesse and secularitie in the Englishe worde Elders than in the Latine worde Maiores natu or in your Frenchenglishe terme Auncients Surely you doe nothing but play with the noses of such as be ignorant in the tongues and can perceiue no similitude or difference of these wordes but by the sounde of their eares But nowe for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Saint Paule 1. Tim. 4. which we call the Eldershippe or the companye of Elders I haue shewed before howe it is vsed by Saint Luke in his Gospell cap. 22. and Act. 22. You saye we will not speake playnely lest the worlde shoulde heare that Timothie was made Priest or Bishop euen as the vse is in the Catholike Church at this day And then you tell vs out of the Councell of Carthage 4. cap. 3. that all the Priestes present shoulde laye their handes on the heade of him that is ordayned togither with the Bishoppe We knowe it well and it is vsed in the Church of England at this daye Onely the terme of Eldership displeaseth you when we meane thereby the companye of Elders But whereas the translators of the Bible 1562. call it Priesthood eyther by Priesthood they meant the same that we doe by Eldershippe or if they meant by Priesthood the office of Priestes or Elders they were deceiued For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a companie of Elders as it is twise vsed by S. Luke and oftentimes by the auncient writers of the Church both Greekes and Latines MART. 9. Otherwise in all their English Bibles all the bells ringe one note as The Elders that rule well are worthye of double honour And Against an Elder receiue no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. And If any be diseased among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him and annoynt him with oyle c. Iacob 5. Wheras Saint Chrysostom out of this place proueth the high dignitie of Priestes in remitting sinnes in his booke entituled Of Priesthood vnlesse they will translate that title also Of Eldershippe Againe they make S. Peter saye thus The Elders which are among you I exhort which am also an Elder feedeye Christes flocke as much as lyeth in you c. 1. Pet 5. FVLK 9. In these three textes you triumphe not a litle because your vulgar Latine text hath the Greeke worde Presbyter The high dignitie of Priestes or Elders in remitting sinnes we acknowledge with Chrysostom in his booke entitled of Priesthood which seing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will neuer translate Eldershippe But we may lawfully wishe that both Chrysostom and other auncient writers had kept that distinction of termes which the Apostles and Euangelists did so precisely obserue In the last text 1. Pet. 5. your vulgar Latine sayth Seniores and Consenior your selues in English seniors and fellow senior What trespasse then haue we committed in saying Elders fellow Elder or an Elder also MART. 10.
shame if he had not thought it more shame to graunt it I neede not goe farre for the matter Aske M. Fulke and he will flatly confesse it was so Aske Caluin in arg ep Iacobi Aske Flaccus Illyricus in argum ep Iacobi and you shall perceiue it is very true I will not send you to the Catholike Germans and others both of his owne time and after that wrote against him in the question of iustification among whome not one omitteth this being a thing so famous and infamous to the confusion of that Arch heretike FVLK 7. I know not whether euer Luther denied S. Iames epistle as vnworthy of an Apostolical spirit but I beleue you may take a twelue monethes daye more to proue it as also that he did so contemne it that he called it an epistle of straw But M. Whitaker which denied it so vehemently must aske of me who moste slatly confesse sayth M. Martin that it was so I pray you sir vrge me not to confesse more than I know or euer knew But you haue confessed it already in two printed bookes Retent pag. 32. Disc of the Rock pag 307. In the place first cited ther are these words But to proceed LVTHER DENIETH THE EPISTLE OF S. IAMES BECAVSE IT IS AGAINST HIS HERESIE OF IVSTIFICATION BY FAITH ONELY We allow not Luther neither did he allow him selfe therein for he retracteth it afterward First those wordes of Luthers denyall being printed in a diuerse letter may testifie sufficiently to euery reasonable man that they are the obiection of Bristow and not the confession of Fulke who not simplye admitteth them as true but by concession proueth that if they were true yet Luthers opinion against which he him selfe hath written ought not to preiudice him and much lesse all other men that neuer held that opinion In the later cited place are these wordes And as touching the epistle of S. Iames it is a shamelesse slaunder of him to say that the Protestants reiect it but we must heare his reason First Luther calleth it a strawen epistle So Luther called the Pope supreame head of the Church and the masse a sacrifice propitiatorie If Protestants be charged to holde whatsoeuer Luther sometime helde and after repented c. Who seeth not in these words that I rehearse the obiection of Saunder which is common to him with many other Papistes which not discussing whether it be true or no but supposing it were as Saunder and the rest of the Papistes doe affirme I shewe that it is no good consequence to charge all Protestants with Luthers priuate opinion which perhaps he helde sometime and after retracted more than to charge vs with all opinions of Papistrie which de did hold before God opened his eyes to see the absurditie of them And yet if he had helde that opinion and neuer retracted the same he were not in worse case than Eusebius who in playne wordes affirmeth that the same epistle is a counterfet or bastard epistle lib. 2. cap. 23. Doe you not see nowe how flatly Maister Fulke confesseth that it was so Such confessions as these are nowe than extorted out of the auncient fathers writings which are not liuing to expounde their meanings But I had thought Maister Martin could haue discerned betwene a suppose or concession and an absolute assertion or a flat confession especially of one whose writing is plaine enough and beside is aliue to interprete himselfe if any ambiguitie were therein But be it that Maister Martin either would not or could not see in my writing any thing else but a flat confession of Luthers denying of S. Iames epistle and calling it an epistle of strawe of what forehead proceedeth it that he willeth Maister Whitaker to aske Caluin in argum Epist. Iacobi whether Luther so speake of that epistle in which argument Luther is not once named by Caluin so farre is it that he doth testifie any such thing against Luther Onely he sayth that some there are in these dayes which thinke that epistle not worthy of authoritie which could not be vnderstood of Luther who long before Caluin wrote that argument had forsaken that opinion if euer he helde any such as all those Dutche Bibles and Testaments of Luthers translation in which those wordes so muche bayted at and so much sought for are omitted doe giue sufficient testimonie What Flaccus Illyricus reporteth who perhaps helde that opinion him selfe and woulde father it vppon Luther I haue neither opportunitie to seeke nor care to knowe But howe great a matter it is that all the Popish Germans and other who haue written against Luther doe so spitefully gnawe vpon I haue learned at length by relation of Maister Whitaker whome you send to aske of me who after long search and many editions turned ouer at the length lighted vpon a Dutch Testament by likehood one of the first that Luther did sette forth in the German tongue in which he findeth neither deniall of S. Iames epistle to be Canonicall nor affirmation that it is vnworthy of an Apostolicall spirit no nor that whereof there hath bene so much babling of all the Papistes that he calleth it an epistle of strawe simply and in contempt but onely in comparison of the epistles of Paule and Peter and other bookes of the newe Testament the excellencie of which one aboue an other after he hath shewed in sundry degrees at last he sayth the epistle of Iames in comparison of these is strawye or like straw Which he sayth not in respect of the credit or authority thereof but in regarde of the argument or matter handled therein which all wise and godly men will confesse to bee not so excellent and necessary as the matter of the holye Gospels and Epistles of some other of the Apostles namely of Paule Peter and Iohn Our Sauiour Christ himself Ioh. 3. 12 calleth the doctrine of regeneration in such plaine maner as he vttered it to Nicodemus earthly things in comparison of other greater mysteries which he coulde haue expressed in more heauenly spirituall sort If I haue spoken to you sayth he of earthly things and you haue not beleued how if I shoulde speake to you of heauenly things will you beleue Were not he an honest and a wise man that vpon these words of Christ spoken in comparison would conclude by his authoritie that regeneration were a contemptible matter a thing not spirituall not heauenly but simply and altogither earthly And yet with as good reason for ought I see or can learne of Luthers wordes concerning this matter he might so inferre as the Papists doe inforce the like against Luther Wherefore it is nothing else but a famous and infamous cauillation to the confusion of all the Papistes which write against Luther that no one of them omitteth vpon so false and friuolous a ground to sclaunder him so haynously and to charge all Protestantes with his assertion so enuiously which if it were his should not be so euill as
S. Iames epistle though before doubted of for Canonicall VVill ye say that S. Iames epistle was once not in credit or not worthy of credit for that is his plaine meaning because it was doubted of yea reiected of some yea you saye it must needes be gathered of his wordes that we receiue it but of curtesie and so may refuse it when it pleaseah vs. Demonstrate this in a syllogisme out of his words if you can or all the whole rable of Rhemes if you be able For my part I can but maruaile at your bold assertions and abhorre your impudent enforcements As for other contradictions notorious absurdities dumbe blanks I know not what other monsters you feine vnto him without all proofe or perticular declaration all wise men see howe easie a matter it is to raile slaunder in generals whē you dare come to particulars I doubt not but the world shal see your vanitie so detected by M. Whitaker him selfe that you shal haue litle ioy thus insolently to deface his godly learned writings It had bene more than time that his booke had bene confuted which hath bene abroad a yeare and a halfe almost if you can with such facilitie by onely noting such matters shewe that he confuteth him selfe But somwhat you must say afarre of to saue your credit with your Disciples to keepe them playe for the time while with long studie and great trauaile you are crowding out great trifles MART. 11. For the second point which is not the grosse deniall of bookes but yet calling of them in question mouing scruples about them and diminishing their authoritie and credite I will goe no further than to S. Paules epistle to the Hebrewes which I will not aske why they doubt of or rather thinke it not to be S. Paules for they will tell me because it was once in doubte not considering that it was in like maner doubted whether it were Canonicall yet they will not now denie but it is Canonicall but I must aske them and request them to make a reasonable answere why in their English Bible of the yeare 1579. and 1580. they presume to leaue out S. Paules name out of the very title of the saide epistle which name is in the Greeke and in Bezaes Latine translation both which they professe to folow See the title of the new Test. an 1580. Doth not the title tell them that it is S. Paules why seeke they further or why do they change the title striking out S. Paules name if they meant to deale simply and sincerely and what an hereticall peeuishnes is this because Beza telleth them of one obscure Greeke copie that hath not Paules name and onely one that they will rather folow it than all other copies both Greeke and Latin I report me to all indifferent men of common sense whether they do it not to diminish the credite of the epistle FVLK 11. Nowe concerning the seconde pointe which is calling of some bookes into controuersie or mouing scruples about them to diminish their credite or auctoritie whether you be guiltie of that crime rather than we I haue somewhat noted before But with what euidence you are able to charge vs it cōmeth now to be cōsidered you will go no further than the epistle to the Hebrewes You may be ashamed to haue gone so far For of al bookes of the new Testament their is none that we might worse spare to confounde your blasphemous heresies than that epistle which is the very mall to beate into pouder the abominable Idoll of your Masse and your sacrilegious priesthood seruing to the same Wherefore it is without all colour that you charge vs to seeke to diminish the credite of that epistle But you will not aske why we doubt of or rather thinke it not to be S. Paules because we will tell you that it was once in doubt If you acknowledge that the auctor of this epistle was once in questiō you cleare vs of mouing scruples about it or calling it in question which was your first charge Let Eusebius Hierome and other auncient writers beare that blame if it be blame worthie to tell what other mens opinions haue bene in such a matter Some holding that it was written by S. Luke some by S. Barnabas some by S. Clemens But you must wit if you wil that they which at this day doubt of the writer therof or else thinke it not of S. Paules penning haue other reasons to lead them than onely because it was doubted of For beside those reasons which they had which of old time doubted of the writer therof as the diuersitie of the stile and inscription thereof and manner of reasoning they haue also obserued something out of the epistle it self which seemeth to argue that it was not writtē by S. Paule as that in the beginning of the 2. chapter he saith The doctrine of saluation was confirmed to vs by thē that heard it after it was first spoken by the Lord him self which seemeth to agree with the profession of S. Luke in the beginning of his gospell Wheras S. Paule denieth that he learned his gospel os men but only by reuelation of Iesus Christ. Gal. 1. v. 12. But of all thē that doubt or thinke it not to be S. Paules epistle there is not one that doubteth of the auctoritie thereof but that it is equall with the epistle to the Romanes or the gospell of S. Iohn Although in the Latine church as S. Hierom testifieth it hath bene doubted whether it were Canonicall The cause seemeth to be the heresie of the Nouatians which abused a text out of the 6. chapt against remissiō of sinnes cōmitted after grace receyued which we shew was no sufficiēt cause to refuse so diuine an epistle seing the Apostle speaketh not of particular faults which are cōmon to the faithful oftētimes euery day but of an vtter apostasie falling cleane away frō the truth of the gospel once knowen professed into an horrible contempt persecuting of the same But we must make you a reasonable answere why in the English Bibles printed 1579. 1580. we presume to leaue out S. Paules name out of the very title of the said epistle which name is in the Greeke Bezaes Latine translatiō which we professe to folow I answere without any presumptiō that that which is vncertaine we spare to affirme Exāple we haue not only that ancient Greeke copie whereof Beza speaketh which leaueth out the name of Paulé but also diuerse printed bokes in which that name is left out Beside it is certain that title was not of ancient time vniuersally added For S. Hier. in Catalogo scriptorū ecclesiast after he hath recited al the epistles of S. Paule at lēgth he cōmeth to this epistle Epistola autē quae fertur ad Hebraeos c. But the epistle which is called vnto the Hebrewes is not thought to be his for the differēce of the stile
one Heretike not onely correcting his fellow euery day but one egerly refuting and refelling an other Bucer and the Osiandrians and c 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 controule the grosser Caluinists of our country yea the later translations of the selfe same Heretikes controule the former exceedingly not onely of ouersights but of wilfull falsifications as it is notorious in the later editions of Luther and Beza and in our Englishe Bibles set forth in diuerse yeares from Tindall their first translatour vntill this day yea which is more the Englishe translatours of Bezaes newe Testament controule him and his translation which they protest to followe being afraide sometime and ashamed to expresse in Englishe his false translations in the Latin FVLK 24. By false translations wilfully and of purpose to falsifie the truth of Gods word is as grosse as abhominable treacherie as to corrupt the verie text although I thinke S. Paule speaking of the couertures or cloakes of dishonestie and adultering of the worde of God 2. Cor. 4. meaneth a further cūning than false translations That those whom you call heretikes finde fault with one an others translations they do none otherwise than you Popish heretikes Do not you Gregorie Martin in the 7. chapter and 33. section of this booke finde fault with all the Catholikes as you terme them that translate Sheol Sepulchrum a sepulchre and not alwayes hell If Bucer or Zwinglius do iustly obserue any errour in Luther or Luther in Munster or Beza in Castalio the Anabaptist or Caluine in Seruetus the horrible heretike yea and if froward schismaticall Illyricus can discouer any errour committed by Caluine and Beza the truth leeseth nothing when the errours of men are found out by what meanes soeuer That you speake of the Puritanes controuling the grosser Caluinistes of our countrie I knowe not what you meane neither doe I thinke you can iustifie your words for translation of the Scriptures Where you say the later translations of the selfe same heretikes controule the former exceedingly not only of ouersightes but of wilfull falsifications it is a wilfull and impudent sclaunder yet you blushe not to say it is notorious Howe I pray you You aunswere in the later editions of Luther and Beza and in our Englishe Bibles set forth in diuerse yeares from Tyndall their first translatour That Luther Beza and the later translatours of the Englishe Bibles haue corrected some small faultes that haue escaped in their former editions it may be graunted But doe Luther and Beza therefore accuse them selues or the later Englishe translatours the former of wilfull falsifications I thinke those brute beastes to whome Ambrose ascribeth the arte of making syllogismes if they could speake would not conclude thus brutishly Certaine it is that Balaams asse did reason substantially But muche more you saye the Englishe translatours of Bezaes newe Testament doe controule him and his translation being somtimes afraid and ashamed to expresse his false translations If it be so they are more modest than you which seeme to bee afrayed or ashamed of nothing so much as least you might seeme to faile in vnshamefastnesse But to the purpose If they thinke Beza as all men may erre hath somewhat troden awrye is it a faulte to auoyde his steppe or a prowde controuling or accusing him of falsification Neuerthelesse wherein soeuer Luther Beza or the Englishe translatours haue reformed any of their former ouersightes the matter is not so great that it can make an heresie Yea if you were of Sainct Augustines iudgement you would acknowledge that the multitude and diuersitie of translations is for the benefite of them that be ignoraunt in the tongues yea of them also that be learned in them oftentimes that of diuerse mens translations they may iudge which is the aptest MART. 25. But in this Catalogue of dissentions falsifiers and disagreeing translatours I will not greatly rippe vp old faultes neyther abroad nor at home I leaue Luthers false translations into the Germaine tongue to the credite of Staphylus Apolog. part 2. and Emserus praef Annot. in no. Test. Luth. and other Germaine writers of his owne time that saw them read them and reckoned the number of them in the new Testament only about 1400. hereticall corruptions I leaue Caluines and Bezas french corruptions to so many worthie men as haue noted them in their french bookes against the said heretikes Tindals and his companions corruptions in their first English Bible to our learned countreymen of that age and namely to the right reuerend Father and Confessor Bishop Tonstal who in a sermon openly protested that he had foūd in the new Testament onely no lesse than two thousand If wee know it not or wil not beleeue it strangers in their Latine writings testifie it to the world FVLK 25. We are muche beholding to you that you will not rippe vp olde faultes abroad nor at home and leaue Luthers Dutch translation with a 1400. hereticall corruptions in the new Testament only with Caluins Bezaes French corruptions noted by Vigor and the rest Also Tyndals his companions corruptions in their first English Bible in whose translation of the new Testament Bishop Tonstal professed openly in a sermon that he found no lesse than 2000. corruptions This you know he protested with the same tongue with which he forsware the Pope sware to the kings supremacie and with which he preached a solēne sermō which is in print before the King against the Popes vsurped tirāny pride false doctrine couetousnesse crueltie treason peruerting of Scriptures as in the same Sermon more at large it appeareth and therefor we neede not Lindanus writing to testifie of his credit But thankes be to God that when you haue scraped all that vnto you seemed to haue any shewe of corruption you can not finde 200. faultes in the translation of the whole Bible nor in three seuerall translations of the same which pointes you are faine to dilate with such vaine tautologies and repetitions that all learned men are ashamed of your tedious writing and yet to make your booke to be of some tollerable lēgth you had no better shift than to note a sort of Bezaes corruptions in his Latine Testament Who if you woulde write against him in Latine any thing worth the noting woulde thanke you for your paynes and reforme his errours but if you brought nothing but cauils woulde so shake you vppe as you shoulde haue small ioy of your insolent inuectiue but you prouided well for that by writing against a Frenchman in Englishe And as for the number of errours or coruptions that you woulde haue the ignoraunt beleeue to bee in our Englishe translations you thinke is so greate as must needes make the simple abhorre it But looke homewarde a litle vnto
in Tullie of whom one sayd that he maruailed if when they mette togither one of them did not smile vppon another because they deluded the cittie got themselues much honour with such vaine superstitions So you beyng newly become subtill and partial translaters thinke other men to be like your selfes But euen as the head of your Church once iested with his Cardinall how great wealth honour that fable of Christ so the beast called the Christian religion had brought them euen so you his lewde limmes make sporte among your selfe of the holy worde of God which you haue corrupted somewhat with your blinde translatioÌ„s but much more with your hereticall Annotations So said your great friend Campion in open audience that he could make as good sport vpon the incarnation of Christ. According to your owne affection therefore you iudge of vs and not according to the truth as the day will trie when the secretes of all hartes shall be made manifest MART. 31. Fifthly that the very vse and affectation of certaine termes and auoiding other some though it be no demonstration against them but that they may seeme to defend it for true translation yet was it necessarie to be noted because it is and hath bene alwayes a token of hereticall meaning FVLK 31. When our translation is true I doubt not but we shall defende the vse of some termes and the auoiding of other some by as good reason as you shall defende the like in your translations especially where you affect new termes vnused or not vnderstoode and auoide common and vsuall termes of the same signification as Euangelizing for preaching the Gospel adueÌ„t of Christ for the coÌ„ming of Christ scandalizing for offending scandale for offense c. Which if it be as you say alwayes a token of hereticall meaning first plucke your selfe by the nose and then see if we can not defend our doings MART. 32. Sixtly that in explicating these things we haue endeuoured to auoide as much as was possible the tediousnesse of Greeke and Hebrue wordes which are only for the learned in these tongues and which made some litle doubt whether this matter which of necessity must be examined by them were to be written in Englishe or no. But being perswaded by those who them selues haue no skill in the sayd tongues that euerie reader might reape commoditie thereby to the vnderstanding and detesting of such false Hereticall translations it was thought good to make it vulgar and common to all our deere countrie men as the newe Testament it selfe is common whereof this Discouerie is as it were a handmaide attending therevpon for the larger explication and proofe of corruptions there brieâ—ly touched and for supply of other some not there mentioned FVLK 32. He that seeth your margent painted with Greeke and Hebrewe wordes in so many places may guesse whether it were possible for you to haue auoided the tediousnesse of them when in diuerse places the Greeke and Hebrew wordes are set without all neede of them and sometimes where there is no controuersie about them as in the 5. section of this Preface where you shew the corruptions of the Arrians and Pelagians and in the 19 section where you would shew the difference of the new Testament from the olde in citing of testimonies But the Hebrewe word in the Psalme 21. or 22. which you falsly say signifieth no such thing as pearcing you set not downe lest your falshood by them that haue skill might be conuinced And if you had cared as much to finde out the truth as to shewe your skill in both the tongues you would haue written in Latine especially against Beza which neuer wrote in English And vaine it is that you pretend to make the matter common to your deare countrimen that be vnlearned for the iudgement muste reste in them that haue knowledge in the tongues albeit you had written in Latine It is all one therefore to the vnlearned as if you had onely said there are many faults or corruptions which in a Latine booke shall be discouered to the iudgement of the learned seeing the ignorant can not vnderstand your demoÌ„stratioÌ„s MART. 33. Seuenthly that all the English corruptions here noted and refuted are either in all or some of their English Bibles printed in these yeares 1562. 1577. 1579. And if the corruption be in one Bible not in an other commonly the sayd Bible or Bibles are noted in the margent if not yet sure it is that it is in one of them and so the Reader shall find it if he find it not alwaies in his owne Bible And in this case the Reader must be very wise and circumspect that he thinke not by and by we charge them falsly because they can shew him some later edition that hath it not so as we say For it is their common and knowen fashion not onely in their translations of the Bible but in their other bookes and writings to alter and change adde put out in their later editions according as either them selues are ashamed of the former or their scholers that print them againe dissent and disagree from their Maisters So hath Luthers Caluins and Bezaes writings and translations bene changed both by them selues and their scholers in many places so that Catholike men when they confute that which they find euident faults in this or that edition feare nothing more than that the Reader hath some other edition where they are corrected for very shame and so may conceiue that there is no such thing but that they are accused wrongfully For example Call to minde the late pretended conference in the Tower where that matter was denied and faced out for Luthers credit by some one booke or edition of his which them selues and all the world knoweth was most truly layd to his charge FVLK 33. First this is vntrue for some you haue noted in the new Testament printed 1580. Secondly it is vncertaine for two of these translations might be printed in one yeare and so I thinke they were Therefore I know not well which you meane but I guesse that the Bible 1562. is that which was of Doctor Couerdales translation most vsed in the Church seruice in King Edwards time The Bible 1577. I take to be that which being reuised by diuerse Bishops was first printed in the large volume and authorized for the Churches about tenne or twelue yeares agoe That of 1579. I knowe not what translation it be except it be the same that was first printed at Geneua in the beginning of the Queenes Maiesties Raigne And this coniecture as the fittest I can make I must followe seeing your note of distinction is as good as that fond fellowes that would know his maisters horse by the bridle But it is a common and knowen fashion you say vsed of vs that not onely in translations but in other bookes and writings of ours we alter and change adde and put to in our later editions And who vseth not
haue done if the name of the Church had bene odious vnto them or that they thought the Catholike church stood against theÌ„ Looke Thomas Mathewes Bible in the Canticles of Salomon vpon the 16. of S. Mathewes Gospell the 18. verse the wordes of Christ to Peter Therfore your senseles imaginations shewe no hatred of the Catholike Church in our translators but cancred malice and impudent follie in your selues MART. 53. To conclude as I began concerning their shiftes and iumpes and windings and turnings euery way from one thing to an other till they are driuen to the extreme refuge of palpable corruptions and false translations consider with me in this one case onely of traditions as may be likewise considered in all other controuersies that the auncient fathers councels antiquitie vniuersalitie and custom of the whole Church allowe traditions the Canonicall Scriptures haue them the Latine text hath them the Greeke text hath them onely their translations haue them not Likewise in the olde Testament the approued Latine text hath such and such speeches that make for vs the renowmed Greeke text hath it the Hebrewe text hath it onely their translations haue it not These are the translations which we call heretical and wilful and which shal be examined and discussed in this Booke FVLK 53. By what windings and turnings I pray you are we driuen to that miserable refuge of palpable corruptions and false translations for hitherto you haue shewed none but such as shewe your owne ignoraunce or malice Neither I hope you shal be able to shewe any though you sweat neuer so sore at your work Yes I weene this one case only of traditions for so you seeme to say if it be considered wil discouer no lesse It is meruaile if for your sake al the Greeke Dictionaries in the world must not be corrected taught to say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caÌ„ signifie nothing but a tradition that is not written But yet you rolle in your accustomed rhetorike saying that the antieÌ„t fathers couÌ„cels antiquitie vniuersalitie custome of the whole Church allow traditioÌ„s so do we so many as be good agreeable to the holie scripturs but that there be traditioÌ„s of matter necessarie to saluatioÌ„ not contained in the holie scripturs wheÌ„ you bring your fathers Councels c. you shal receiue an answere to them That the canonical scripture alloweth any traditions contrary to the doctrine therof or to supply any want or imperfection therof as though al things required to make the man of God perfecte prepared to all good workes were not conteyned in the Scriptures you shall neuer be able to proue although for spite against the perfection of the Canonicall Scripture you should braste a sunder as Iudas did which betrayed the auctor of the Scripture Finally what so euer you say out of the old Testament without proofe or shew of proofe it is as easily denied by vs as it is affirmed by you When you bring but only a shadow of reason it shall sone be chased away with the light of truth The Argumentes of euerie chapter with the page where euery chapter beginneth CHAP. 1. THat the ProtestaÌ„ts translate the holie Scripture falsly of purpose in fauor of their heresies throughout al controuersies page 1. 2 Against Apostolical Traditions pag. 73. 3 Against sacred Images pag. 88. 4 The Ecclesiastical vse of words turned into their original and profane significations pag. 131. 5 Against the CHVRCH pag. 139. 6 Against Priest and Priesthoode Wheremuch also is saide of their profaning of Ecclesiastical wordes pag. 157. 7. Against Purgatorie Limbus Patrum and Christes descending into Hell pag. 196. 8. Concerning Iustification and Gods iustice in rewarding good workes pag. 252. 9 Against Merites meritorious workes and the reward for the same pag. 263. 10 Against Free will pag. 300. 11 For Imputatiue iustice against true inherent iustice pag 328. 12 For Speciall faith vaine securitie and onely faith pag. 342. 13 Against Penance and Satisfaction pag. 355. 14 Against the holy Sacraments namely Baptisme and Confession pag. 379. 15 Against the Sacrament of Holy Orders and for the Mariage of Priestes and Votaries pag. 390. 16 Against the Sacrament of Matrimonie pag. 423. 17 Against the B. Sacrament and Sacrifice and altars pa. 429. 18 Against the honour of Saincts namely of our B. LADY pa. 460. 19 Against the distinction of Dulîa and Latrîa pag. 474. 20 Adding to the text pag. 483. 21 Other hereticall treacheries and corruptions worthy of obseruation pag. 493. 22 Other faults Iudaical profane meere vanities follâ—es and nouelties pag. 507. ¶ A Discouerie of the manifolde corruptions of the holie Scriptures by the Heretikes of our dayes specially the English Sectaries of their foule dea ling herein by partiall and false Translations to the advantage of their heresies in their English Bibles vsed and authorized since the time of Schisme CHAP. 1. That the Protestantes translate the holie Scriptures falsly of purpose in fauour of their heresies MARTIN THOVGH this shall euidently appeare thorough out this whole Booke in euery place that shall be obiected vnto them yet because it is an obseruation of greatest importaunce in this case which stigeth theÌ„ sore toucheth their credit exceedingly in so much that one of them setting a good face vpon the matter sayth confidently that al the Papists in the worlde are not able to shew one place of Scripture mistranslated wilfully of purpose therfore I wil giue the reader certein brief obseruations and euident markes to know wilfull corruptions as it were an abridgement and summe of this Treatise FVLKE ALTHOVGH this trifling treatise was in hand two or three yeares ago as by the threatning of Bristow and Howlette it may appeare yet that it might seeme new and a sudden peece of worke compyled with small studie you thought good by carping at my confutation of Howlet last made and of M. Whitakers work set forth later than it as it were by setting on newe eares vpon your olde potte to make it seeme to be a newe vessell And first of all you would seeme to haue taken occasion of my confident speech in my confutation of Howlets nyne Reasons in reâ—earsing wherof you vse such fidelitie as commonly Papistes vse to beare towardes God the Churche your Prince and your Countrie For what face soeuer I set vpon the matter with a whorish forehead and a brasen face you make reporte of my saying which beeing testified by a thousande copies printed as it were by so many witnesses doth crie out vpon your falshode and iniurious dealing For my wordes out of the place by you quoted against Howlet are these That some error may bee in translation although by you it can not be shewed I will not denye but that any shameles translations or wilfull corruptions can be found of purpose to draw the Scriptures to any hereticall opinion all the Papistes in the world shall neuer be able to make demonsiration This
was my saying and I repeat it againe with as great confidence as before yea and with much greater too forasmuch as all the Papistes in the Seminarie hauing now beaten their heades togither to find out shameles translations and wilful corruptions of purpose to maintaine heresies can find nothing but olde friuolous quarrels answered long before or new trifling cauils not worthy in deede of any learned mans answer but for satisfying of the simple and ignoraunt Howe this my saying differeth from your slaunderous reporte I trust euery reasonable Papist that will take paines to conferre them togither will be enforced to acknowledge For where I say shamelesse translations and wilfull corruptions as Howlet chargeth vs you reporte me to saye mistranslated although in playne wordes I did confesse that there might be some errours euen in the best and perfectest of our translations For to translate out of one tongue into an other is a matter of greater difficultie than it is commonly taken I meane exactly to yeeld as much and no more than the originall containeth when the wordes and phrases are so different that fewe are found which in all pointes signifie the same thing neither more nor lesse in diuers tongues Wherefore notwithstanding any translation that can be made the knowledge of the tongues is necessary in the Church for the perfect discussing of the â—ense and meaning of the holy Scriptures Now if some of our translators or they all haue not attained to the best and most proper expressing of the nature of all wordes and phrases of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues in English it is not the matter that I will stande to defende nor the translators them selues I am well assured if they were all liuing But that the Scriptures are not impudently falsified or willfully corrupted by them to mayntayne anie hereticall opinion as the aduersarie chargeth vs that is the thing that I will by Gods grace stande to defende against all the Papistes in the worlde And this ende you haue falsely and fraudulently omitted in reporting my saying wherevppon dependeth the chiefe yea the whole matter of my assertion You plaiâ— manifestly with vs the lewde parte of Procustes the theeuâ—sh hoste whiche woulde make his guestes stature equall with his beddes eyther by stretching them out if they were too short or by cutting off their legges if they were too long So if our sayings be too short for your purpose you straine them to be longer if they be too long you cut of their shankes yea that which is worse the very head as you play with me in this place I my selfe and so did many hundreds beside me heare that reuerend father M. Doctor Couerdale of holy and learned memorie in a sermon at Paules crosse vpon occasion of some slaunderous reportes that then were raysed againste his translation declare his faithfull purpose in doing the same which after it was finished and presented to King Henry the eight of famous memorie and by him committed to diuerse bishops of that time to pervse of which as I remember Steuen Gardiner was one after they had kept it long in their handes and the King was diuerse times sued vnto for the publication thereof at the last being called for by the King him selfe they redeliuered the booke and being demaunded by the King what was their iudgement of the translation they aunswered that there were many faultes therein Well said the King but are there anye heresies maintayned thereby They answered there was no heresies that they could finde maintained thereby If there be no heresies sayd the King then in Gods name let it goe abroad among our people According to this iudgement of the King and the Bishops M. Couerdale defended his translation confessing that he did now him selfe espie some faultes which if he might reuiew it once ouer againe as he had done twise before he doubted not but to amend but for any heresie he was sure there was none maintained by his translation After the same maner I doubt not by Gods helpe so to defende all our translations for all your euident markes to know wilful corruptions that not one shal bee founde of purpose to maintaine any hereticall opinion and not many errours committed through negligence ignorance or humaine frailtie MARTIN 2. The first marke and most generall is If they translate elsewhere not amisse and in places of controuersie betwene them and vs most falsely it is an euident argument that they doe it not of negligence or ignoraunce but of partialitie to the matter in controuersie This is to be seene through the whole Byble where the faultes of their translations are altogither or specially in those Scriptures that concerne the causes inquestion betwene vs. For other small faultes or rather ouersights we will no further note vnto them than to the ende that they may the more easily pardon vs the like if they finde them FVLKE 2. This marke is too generall to knowe any thing thereby when you doe exemplifie it in speciall you shall easily be answered in the meane time it is sufficient to deny generally that wherwith you so generally charge vs that we haue in places of controuersie translated any thing falsely If one worde be otherwise translated in any place of controuersie than it is in other places out of controuersie there may be rendred sufficient reason of that varietie without that it must needes come of parcialitie to the matter in controuersie but rather of loue of the truth which in all matters of question betwene vs is confirmed by plaine text of Scriptures or necessary collection out of the same so that if the translation in those places were the same that yours is of the newe Testament it should neither hinder our truth nor fortifie your errour As for small faultes and ouersightes reason it is as you say they should be pardoned on both sides MART. 3. If as in their opinions and heresies they forsake the auncient fathers so also in their translations they goe from that text and auncient reading of holy Scriptures which all the fathers vsed and expounded is it not plaine that their translation followeth the veine and humor of their heresie And againe if they that so abhorre from the auncient expositions of the fathers yet if it seeme to serue for them sticke not to make the exposition of any one Doctor the very text of holy Scripture what is this but hereticall wilfulnesse See this 1. chap. num 43. chap. 10. num 1. 2. chap. 18. num 10. 11. and chap 19. num 1. FVL. 3. We neuer goe from that text and auncient reading which all the fathers vsed expouÌ„ded but we translate that most vsual text which was first printed out of the most auncient copies that could be found And if any be since found or if any of the auncient fathers did reade otherwise than the vsual copies in any word that is any way material in annotation commeÌ„taries readings sermons we spare not to declare
Beza cry out as lowd as you can there is neither fraude nor corruptioÌ„ malice nor partialitye but a prudent declining of that terme which might giue occasioÌ„ of error the Apostles meaning truly and faithfully deliuered To shewe that one word may be diuersly traÌ„slated especially wheÌ„ it signifieth diuers things to wise meÌ„ is needeles I haue said before you your selues translate or else you should be taken for mad men the Latine worde tradere of which tradition is deriued sometimes to deliuer sometimes to betray and yet the Greeke and Latine worde being all one in all the saide places MART. 4. Yea they doe else where so gladly vse this word tradition when it may tend to the discredit thereof that they put the sayd word in all their English Bibles with the like ful consent as before when it is not in the Greeke at all As when they translate thus If ye be dead with Christ from the rudimeÌ„ts of the world why as though liuing in the world ARE YE LEDDâ— WITH TRADITIONS and as an other English translation of theirs readeth more heretically Why are ye burdened with traditions Tell vs sincerely you that professe to haue skill in the Greeke and to translate according to the Greeke tell vs we beseech you whether this Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie tradition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be lead or burdened with traditions You can not be ignorant that it doth not so signifie but as a litle before in the same chapter and in other places your selues translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinaunces decrees so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be as in the vulgar Latine it is Quid decernitis Why do you ordaine or decree or why are you ledde with decrees FVLK 4. It grieueth you that tradition shoulde be mentioned so often in the ill part as it is And it seemeth you would defend the Colossians against S. Paule who reproueth them because they were led with ordinaunces according to the precepts and doctrines of men But you seeme to make light of suche traditions and therefore you count that the more hereticall translation which sayth why are you burthened with traditions Wherfore I pray you is that more hereticall Doe you not thinke that such traditions as are the commaundements doctrines of men are burthenous to mens consciences But they that haue skill in the Greeke tongue must tell you sincerely whether this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie tradition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be led or burdened with traditions I answere you if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you confesse signifie ordinances and decrees or doctrines and the worde tradition signifieth the same why shoulde not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie to be ledde or burdened with traditions as well as with ordinaunces customes or decrees These wordes differ much in sounde but not greatly in signification Dogmata Pythagoraea that might neuer be put in writing what were they but the traditions of Pythagoras Such were the Philosophicall decrees called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Tullie speaketh in his booke de finibus which were dictata taught by worde of mouth which to set foorth among them was compted an heynous offence might not those rightly be called traditions MART. 5. Iustifie your translation if you can either out of Scriptures fathers or Lexicon And make vs a good reason why you put the worde traditions here where it is not in the Greeke and would not put it in the places before where you know it is most euidently in the Greeke Yea you must tell vs why you translate for tradition ordinance and contrarie for ordinance tradition so turning caâ—te in panne as they say at your pleasure and wresting both the one and the other to one end that you may make the very name of traditions odious among the people be they neuer so authenticall euen from the Apostles which your conscience knoweth and you shal answere for it at the dreadfull day FVLK 5. Firste out of Scripture I iustifie it thus Those dogmata against which the Apostle writeth were according to the precepts doctrines of men but such the Scripture calleth traditions Math. 15. Therfore these were traditions SecoÌ„dly out of the fathers Chrysostome vpon this place saith Traditiones graecorum taxat he reproueth the traditions of the Greekes saying all is but a humane doctrine Secondly S. Ambrose vpon this texte Loue not the world sayth he nor those errours Quos humana adinuenit traditio which the tradition of men hath inueÌ„ted And afterward Sagina enim carnalis sensus humana traditio est For the tradition of man is the pampering of carnal sense by which he saith men are so burthened that they cannot be ioyned to the head which is aboue Yet burthening with traditions is called of you the more heretical translation Say as much to Ambrose that he maketh an hereticall coÌ„mentarie The interpretor of Theodoret printed at Collen 1573. hath translated in the very text for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traditiones hominum traditions of meÌ„ You see nowe this matter is not so voide of testimonie of the fathers as you supposed The reason you require vs to make is made often before Wee thought it not meete to expresse the Greeke worde in both places by the same english word because the english word as it is vsed by you is not so indifferent to signifie the doctrine of God deliuered out of the Scriptures as to signifie doctrines of men deuised beside the Scriptures If we must answere why we call tradition ordinance and ordinance tradition let your vulgar Latine interpreter answere vs or you for him why he calleth tradition precept and vsage or precept traditioÌ„ The one he doth 1. Cor. 11. v. 2. the other Act. 6. v. 14. where the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying there precepts or obseruations commauÌ„ded he translateth traditiones as in the other place the Greeke being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he translateth praecepta If this be lawfull for him why should it be couÌ„ted corruptioÌ„ or false translation in vs seeing we are moued with as good reason as can be yeelded for him As for authentical and apostolicall traditions that are grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles expressed in their writings we shall be ready to receiue them when so euer they shal be brought soorth If they caÌ„not be proued by the Scriptures which are writteÌ„ that we might beleeue and beleeuing haue eternall life which are able to make vs wise vnto saluatioÌ„ we haue nothing to do with them we may wel spare them nay we dare not admit them least we should answer for blasphemie against the holy Scriptures in that dreadfull day if by admitting of such traditioÌ„s we should professe that the doctrine contained in the holy Scriptures is vnperfect or insufficient to saluation MART. 6. Somewhat more excusable it is but yet proceeding of the same hereticall humor and
Presbyter Doeth not Priest come of Presbyter as certainly and as agreeably as Deacon of Diaconus Doth not also the French and Italian word for Priest come directly from the same Will you alwaies followe fansie and not reason doe what you list translate as you list and not as the truth is and that in the holy Scriptures which you boast and vaunt so much of Because your selues haue theÌ„ whom you call Bishops the name Bishops is in your Englishe Bibles which otherwise by your owne rule of translation should be called an Ouerseer or Superintendent likewise Deacon you are content to vse as an Ecclesiasticall word so vsed in antiquitie because you also haue those whom you call Deacons Only Priests must be turned contemptuously out of the text of the holy Scriptures Elders put in their place because you haue no Priestes nor will none of them and because that is in controuersie betwene vs. And as for Elders you haue none permitted in EnglaÌ„d for feare of ouerthrowing your Bishops office and the Queenes supreame gouernment in all spiritual things and causes Is not this to followe the humour of your heresie by Machiauels politike rules without any feare of God FVLK 12. Here I must aunswere you that we haue no degree of Ministers distinct from Deacons but by vulgar and popular vse of speaking which we are not curious to controule Otherwise in truth we account Bishops Elders and Deacons all Ministers of the Church It is no more therefore but the common speache of men which vseth that worde which is common to all Ecclesiasticall persons as peculiar to the Elders or Priestes Why we keepe the name of Deacons in translating Diaconus rather than of Priestes in translating Presbyter I haue tolde you often before The name Priest being by long abuse of speache applied to signifie Sacrificers of the olde Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we could not giue the same name to the Ministers of the new Testament except we had some other name whereby to call the Ministers of the olde Testament wherein we followe reason and not fansie for it is great reason we should retaine that difference in names of the Ministers of both the Testamentes which the holy Ghost doth alwaies obserue But you follow fansie altogither imagining that Priestes onely are put out of the text because we haue no Priestes Whereas we haue Priestes as well as we haue Bishops and Deacons and so are they called in our booke of common prayer indifferently Priestes or Ministers And where you say we haue no Elders permitted in Englande it is false for those that are commonly called Bishoppes Ministers or Priestes among vs be suche Elders as the Scripture commendeth vnto vs. And although we haue not suche a consistorie of Elders of gouernemente as in the Primitiue Churche they had and many Churches at this daye haue yet haue wee also Elders of gouernement to exercise discipline as Archbishoppes and Bishoppes with their Chauncellours Archedeacons Commissaries Officialles in whome if any defecte bee we wishe it may be reformed according to the worde of God MART. 13. Apostles you say for the most parte in your translations not alwayes as we doe and Prophetes and Euangelistes and Angels and such like wheresoeuer there is no matter of controuersie betwene you and vs there you can pleade verie grauely for keeping the auncient Ecclesiasticall wordes as your maister Beza for example beside many other places where he bitterly rebuketh his fellow Castalâ—ons translation in one place writeth thus I can not in this place dissemble the boldnesse of certaine men which would God it rested within the compasse of words only These men therefore concerning the worde Baptizing though vsed of sacred writers in the mystery or Sacrament of the new Testament and for so many yeares after by the secrete consent of all Churches consecrated to this one Sacrament so that it is now growen into the vulgar speaches almost of all nations yet they dare presume rashly to chaunge it and in place thereof to vse the word washing Delicate men forsooth which neither are moued with the perpetual authority of so many ages nor by the daily custom of the vulgar speach can be brought to thinke that lawfull for Diuines which all men graunt to other Maisters and professors of artes that is to retaine and holde that as their owne which by long vse and in good faith they haue truly possessed Neither may they preteÌ„d the authoritie of some auncient writers as that Cyprian sayeth TINGENTES for BAâ—PTIZANTES and Tertullian in a certaine place calleth SEQVESTREM for MEDIATOREM For that which was to those auncientes as it were newe to vs is olde and euen then that the selfe same words which we now vse were familiar to the Church it is euident because it is very seldome that they speake otherwise But these men by this noueltie seeke after vaine glorie c. FVLK 13. If in any place we vse not the name of the Apostles Prophetes Euangelists Angels and such like wee are able to giue as sufficient a reason why we translate those wordes according to their Generall signification as you for translating somtime Baptismata washings and not baptismes Ecclesia the assembly and not the Church with such like Therefore as Castaleo such other Heretikes are iustly reprehended by Beza for leauing without cause the vsuall Ecclesiasticall termes so when good cause or necessitie requireth not to vse them it were superstition yea and almost madnes sometimes in translating to vse them as to call the Pharisees washings Baptismes or the assembly of the EphesiaÌ„ Idolaters the Churche yet both in Greeke and Latine the wordes are Baptismata ecclesia MART. 14. He speaketh against Castaleon who in his newe Latine translation of the Bible changed all Ecclesiasticall wordes into profane and Heathenish as Angelos into genios Prophetas into Fatidicos Templum into fanum and so foorth But that which he did for foolish affectation of finenesse and stile do not our English Caluinistes the very same when they list for furthering their Heresies When the holy Scripture saith idols according as Christians haue alwayes vnderstood it for false goddes they come and tell vs out of Homer and the Lexicons that it may signifie an image and therfore so they translate it Do they not the like in the Greeke worde that by Ecclesiasticall vse signifieth penaunce and doing penaunce when they argue out of Plutarch and by the profane sense therof that it is nothing else but chaunging of the minde or amendment of life Whereas in the Greeke Church Poenitentes that is they that were in the course of penance and excluded from the Church as Catechumeni and Energumeni till they had accomplished their penance the very same are called in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FVLK 14. That Castaleo did for foolish affectatioÌ„ of finenesse you slauÌ„der vs to do for furthering of heresie
heauen c. IstuÌ„ locuÌ„ episcopi presbyteri noÌ„intelligentes c. This place Bishops Priests not vnderstanding take vpon them somewhat of the pride of the Pharizees so that they thinke they may eyther condemne the innocentes or lose the guiltie persons whereas with God not the sentence of the Priests but the life of the persons accused is inquired of Wee read in Leuiticus of the Lepers where they are coÌ„maunded to shewe them selues to the Priestes and if they haue the Leprosie then by the Priest they are made vncleane Not that Priestes make Lepers and vncleane persons but that they may haue knowledge of him that is a Leper and him that is no Leper and may discerne who is cleane or who is vncleane Therefore euen as the Prieste doth there make the Leper cleane or vncleane So here also the Bishop and Prieste doth binde or lose not them that be innocent or guiltie but according to his office when he shall heare the varietie of sinners he knoweth who is to be bound and who is to be loosed But where you saye the people went to diuerse ghostly fathers as before when that extraordinarie penitentiarie Priest was taken away for the adulterie of a Deacoâ— at ConstaÌ„tinople you speake beside the booke to make the ignorant beleeue that the people went to auricular shrift For in Constantinople where this priuie confession was taken away the people were left to their owne consciences At Rome the same time great offenders did open penance neither were there any such diuerse ghostly fathers as you speake of That Chrysostom sayth lib. 3. de sacerdotio we receiue it being so vnderstood as iâ— be not contrary to that I cited euen nowe our of Hie 〈…〉 But what maketh all this against translating Presbyter an Elder MART. 27 Nowe then to conclude this point seeing we haue such a cloud of witnesses as the Apostle speaketh euen from Christes time that testifie not onely for the name but for the very principall functions of externall Priesthood in offering the sucrifice of Christs bodie bloud in remitting sinnes and so forth what a peâ—â—ish malicious and impudent corruption is this for the defacing of the testimonies of the holy scriptures tending therevnto to seeke to scratch aduantage of the â—ord Presbyter and to make it signifie an Elder not a Priest Presbytenum Eldership rather than Priesthoode as if other new fangled companions that would forge an Heresie that there were no Apostles shoulde for that purpose translate it alwaies legates or that there were no Angels should translate it alwaies Messengers that Baptisme were but a Iudaical ceremony should translate it washing which Castalio did much more tolerably in his traÌ„siatioÌ„ than any of these should if he did it only of curiosity folly And if to take away al distinction of clergie laiâ—y the Protestantes should alwayes translate clerum lotte or lotterie as they do translate is for the same purpose parish and heritage might not Beza him selfe controule them saying that the auncient fathers transferred the name clerus to the Colledge of Ecclesiastical Ministers FVLK 27. A cloude of testimonies in deede you haue heaped togither not as the Apostle did to vpholde the certainty of faith but to obscure the light of truth For our traÌ„slation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder is true cleare plaine without ambiguity Insomuch as the vulgar Latin interpreter who as it semeth was a GreciaÌ„ therfore vseth gladly many Greeke termes doeth yet translate this woâ—d almost twise as ofteÌ„ senior or maior natu as he doth Presbyter wheÌ„ he speaketh of the ministers of the gospel How the ancieÌ„t writers applied vnto theÌ„ improperly the name of sacrificer as vnto the sacrameÌ„t the name of oblation or sacrifice I haue spoken already sufficiently Our translation therefore is nothing lyke your vai 〈…〉 supposall of of new fangled companions which to 〈…〉 Apostles Angels and Baptisme would turne the wordes into Legates Messengers washing Whereas we haue no purpose to denie any office or function of the Churche appointed by Christ but to distinguish in name as his spirite in the Scriptures doth alwaies the sacrificers of the old Testament from the Ministers of the new TestameÌ„t The worde Clerus 1. Pet. 5 which we translate parishe or heritage your selues in your notes of that place confesse to comprehende in signification all Christians whiche you are not able to proue that in S Peters time it was transferred vnto the college of ecclesiasticall ministers as Beza saith it was afterwarde wherefore it is one of your accustomed slauÌ„ders to say we traÌ„slate it so of purpose to take away all distinction of Cleargie and Laitie when al men know that wheresoeuer our Churches are established we retaine the distinction and so thinke it necessarie alwayes MART. 28. But alâ—s the effect of this corruption and heresie concerning Priestes hathe it not wrought within these fewe yeares such contempt of al Priestes that nothing is more odious in our countrey than that name which before was so honourable venerable now is among all men If ministery or Eldership were growen to estimation in steede thereof somwhat they had to say but that is yet more contemptible and especially Elders and Eldership for the Queenes Maiestie and her Counsailours wil permit none in gouernement of anie Churche in Englande and so they haue brought all to nothing else but profane laiâ—ie And no maruel of these horrible inconueniences for as the Sacrifice and Priesthoode goe togither and therfore were both honourable togither so when they had according to Daniels prophecie abolished the daily sacrifice out of the churche what remained but the contempt of Priestes and Cleargie and their offices so farre foorth that for the holy Sacrifice sake Priestes are called in great despite Massing Priestes of them that litle consider or lesse care what notable holy learned fathers of all ages since Christes time this their reproch toucheth and concerneth as by the testimonies before alleaged is manifest and whereof the Reader may see a peculiar Chapter in the late Apologie of the English Seminaries FVLK 28. A meruaylous corruption for vs to cal them Elders whom you in your translation call Auncients and the vulgar Latine before vs both called Seniores But what is come to passe I pray you by this wonderfull corruption The name of Popish Priestes is so contemptible that nothing is more odious in England And good cause why both for their blasphemie against God and traiterous practises against the honourable state of the realme and our most gratious Queene But Elders and Eldership you weene is more contemptible because the Queenes Maiestie her Counsailors will permit none in gouernment of any Churches in England and so they haue brought all to nothing else but prophane Laitie This trayterous slaunder of yours is as true as all the rest For although the Queenes Maiestie and the Counsaile do not
coniecturall opinions and peraduentures Also how he taketh Infernum for any lower place in so much that he calleth this worlde Infernum Wherefore much more may Infernum signifie the graue and be so sometimes translated MART. 10. His wordes be these in effect If a man wil say vnto me that Lazarus was seene in Abrahams bosome and a place of refreshing euen before Christs comming true it is but what is that in comparison Quid simile infernus regna caelorum What hath hell and heauen like As if he should say Abraham in deede and Lazarus and consequently many other were in place of rest but yet in hel till Christ came and in such rest as hath no comparison with the ioies of heauen And S. Augustine disputing this matter sometime doubting whether Abrahams bosome be called hel in the Scripture and whether the name of hell be taken at any time in the good parte for of Christes descending into hel and of a third place where the Patriarches remained vntil Christs cōming not heauen but called Abrahams bosome he doubted not but was most assured the same holy doctour in an other place as being better resolued doubted not vpon these wordes of the Psalme Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lower hell to make this one good sense of this place that the lower hel is it wherin the damned are tormented the higher hell is that wherein the soules of the iust rested calling both places by the name of hell FVLK 10. I haue set downe his very words in deed which being well weighed make nothing so clearly for your phātasied Limbus as you wold haue mē weene You say Augustine doubteth whether Abrahams bosome in the Scripture be called hell Ep. 99. de gen ad lit lib. 12. ca. 33. But there he doth vtterly denie it in Ps. 85. as by his wordes cited before appeareth he doubteth So that where he flatly denieth with you he doubteth where he doubteth with you he is better resolued Wherefore this matter of Abrahā the faithful being in hell is no article of faith except you will say that S. Augustine was not resolued in the articles of our faith who touching the thirde place whatsoeuer at diuerse times he speaketh doubtingly in his Hypognosticon he affirmeth resolutely that he findeth in the scriptures that there is none MART. 11. And surely of his maruelous humilitie and wisedome he would haue bene much more resolute herein if he had heard the opinion of S. Hierom whom he often consulted in such questions and of other fathers who in this point speake most plainely that Abrahams bosome or the place where the Patriarkes rested was some part of hell Tertullian Li. 4. aduers Marcion Saith I knowe that the bosome of Abraham was no heauēly place but only the higher hel or the higher part of hell Of which speach of the fathers rose afterwarde that other name Limbus patrum that is the very brimme or vppermost and outmost parte of hell where the fathers of the olde Testament rested Thus we see that the Patriarches themselues were as then in hell though they were there in a place of rest in so much that S. Hierom saith againe Ante Resurrectionem Christi notus in Iudaea Deus ipsi qui nouerant eum tamen ad inferos trahebantur that is Before the Resurrection of Christ God was knowne in Iurie and they themselues that knewe him yet were drawen vnto hell S. Chrysostome vpon that place of Esay I will breake the brasen gates and bruse the yron barres in pieces and will open the treasures darkened c. So he calleth hell saith he for although it were hell yet it helde the holy soules and pretious vessels Abraham Isaac and Iacob Marke that he saith though it were hell yet there were the iust men at that time till our sauiour Christ came to deliuer them from thence FVLK 11. As wise humble as he was he was not readie to yeeld to euery opinion of Hierom as his Epistles writtē to Hierom do declare Neither was Hierome sore solute in this matter whereof he speaketh vnder a cloude and in an Allegorie as it is playne where he saith the bodies that were raised at the resurrection of Christ were seene in the heauenly Ierusalem whereas it is certaine they were seene only in the earthly Ierusalem actually But he meaneth the effect of Christes redemption was acknowledged either in the Catholike Churche which is Ierusalem aboue in one sence or else that they shal be seene in the new Ierusalem blessed felicitie of the godly at the worldes end whereof a testimonie was giuen in that sight of their appearing and particuler resurrection knowen at Ierusalem on earth But you cite an other place out of Tertullian lib. 4. aduersus Marcionē and in the margent you say Loco citato but I wote not where And these be Tertullians wordes if you be an honest man I knowe that the bosome of Abraham was no heauenly place but onely the higher hell or the higher parte of hell I see you will bee as bolde with the auncient doctours workes as you are with my poore writinges whome you make to saye euen what you liste In the last Section before you sayde S. Augustine Epistol 99. de gen ad lit Lib. 12. Cap. 33. Doubted whether Abrahams bosome were called hell Quod si nusquam c. If it bee neuer reade in the holy Scriptures scilicet that hell is taken in the good parte verily that bosome of Abraham that is the habitation of a certaine secrete reste is not to bee beleeued to be any parte of hell And againe by reason of the infinit Chaos Satis vt opinor appareat It may appeare as I thinke sufficiently that the bosome of that so greate felicitie is not a certaine parte and as it were a member of hell In the other place he speaketh to the same effect vpon the same ground that he neuer findeth in the Scriptures hell taken in good parte and cap. 34. where he proueth that paradise is heauen he sayth Quanto magis ergo How much more then may that bosome of Abraham after this life be called paradise This sayth Augustine and much more to this purpose wherein I thought to haue forborne you but that you come vpon vs still with newe forgeries Tertullian in the booke by you quoted pag. 274 of Frob. printed 1550 thus writeth Sed Marcion aliorsum cogit c. But Marcion driueth it another way so forsooth that he determineth both the rewardes of the Creator either of torment or of refreshing to be layd vp for them in hel which haue obeyed the law and the Prophets But of Christ and his God he defineth an heauenly bosome and heauen We will answer and euen by this selfe same Scripture conuincing his blindnesse which against hel discerneth this Abrahams bosom to the poore man For one thing is hell as I thinke and
Publican iustified onely by remission of his sinnes and of the harlot saued by faith which he vseth doth plainely declare And yet sanctification and the fruites of good life are not excluded from the persons iustified and saued but onely merite or desert of workes according to which as the same Chrysostome sayth in ep Col. 1. we must saye we are vnprofitable seruaunts when we haue done all that is commaunded vs. But this is no place to handle controuersies of religion but translations of the Scripture The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except you bring vs better euidence than yet we see any in all places where we reade it we may translate it dignari which is to vouchsafe or account worthy MART. 19. Thus we see howe the holye Scripture vseth equiualent wordes to signifie merite which you suppresse as much as you can So likewise we might tell you of other words and phrases that do plainely import and signifie merite As when it is saide Ecclesiastici 16. Euery man shall finde according to his workes Budee both your Maister and ours in the Greeke tongue telleth vs that the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to finde is proprely to receyue for that which a man hath giuen or laboured And to require you with some profane authoritie because you delight much in that kinde the whole oration of Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will tell you the same Now to receyue for that which a man hath laboured or wrought what doth it else presuppose but merite and desert It is a common phrase of the Scripture that God will iudge and reward or repay according to euery mans workes Doth not this include merite and demerite of workes but I wote not howe nor wherefore in this case you translate sometime deedes for workes saying Who will rewarde euery man according to his deedes And againe You see then howe that of deedes a man is iustified and not of faith onely FVLK 19. We doe not yet see that the holy Scriptures vsed any worde aequiualent to merite whereby it might be gathered that wee are iustified or saued by merite of good workes But you haue other wordes and phrases that doe plainely importe and signifie merite as in Ecclesiasticus 16. euery man shall finde according to his workes Where you put vs in minde what our Maister Budee writeth of the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to deserue bringing example therefore out of Demosthenes oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I pray you doeth our saide Maister affirme this to be the onely signification of that verbe Where he bringeth you the example out of Gregorie of Saule whiche seeking his fathers Asses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founde a kingdome doeth he meane that by seeking his fathers Asses he deserued a kingdome Againe the example he bringeth out of Sainct Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast founde fauour or grace with God doeth he vnderstande that the virgine Marie deserued the grace of God But you obiect that it is a common phrase of the Scripture that God will iudge or rewarde or repay to euerie man according to his workes It is true but not to euerie one according to his merites for then all shoulde bee damned for all haue deserued death and no man shoulde bee saued for no man meriteth saluation But God rendereth to the faithfull according to their workes when he freely giueth for Christes sake eternall life to them that by perseueraunce of good workes as the Apostle sayeth seeke glorie honour and incorruptioÌ„ Their workes therfore are the fruites of his grace not the merites or desertes of his grace by which wee are saued Eph. 2. But here againe you quarrell that for works we saie sometimes deedes as though they were not all one Or if they be not why doe you 1. Cor. 5. translate Qui hoc opus fecit that hath done this deede MART. 20. I know you will tell vs that you vse to say deedes or workes indifferently as also you may say that you put no difference betweene iust and righteous meete and worthie but vse both indifferently To the ignorant this is a faire answere and shall soone persuade them but they that see further must needes suspect you till you giue a good reason of your doing For the controuersie being of faith and workes of iustice and iustification by workes of the worthinesse or valure of workes why do you not precisely keepe these termes pertaining to the controuersie the Greeke wordes beeing alwayes pregnant in that signification Why shoulde you once translate the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deedes rather than workes You know it is properly workes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deedes It were very good in matters of controuersie to be precise Beza maketh it a greate faulte in the olde vulgare Latine translatour that he expresseth one Greeke worde in Latine diuers waies You choppe chaunge significations here and there as you liste and you thinke you satisfie the reader maruellous wel if sometime you say idol not alwayes images sometime iust and not alwayes righteous and if in other places you say workes or if one Bible hathe workes where an other hath deedes you thinke this is very wel and wil answere all the matter sufficiently God and your conscience be iudge herein and let the wise reader consider it depely The least thing that we demaunde the reason of rather than charge you with al is why your Church Bible saith in the places before alleaged The righteous iudgement of God which wil reward euerie man according to his deedes and man is iustified by deedes and not by faith only Whereas you know the Greeke is more pregnant for vs than so the matter of controuersie woulde better appeare on our side if you saide thus The IVST iudgement of God which will rewarde euerie man according to his WORKES and Man is iustified by workes and not by faith only FVLK 20. If you could tell vs what aduauntage our doctrine might haue by translating deedes rather than workes it might bee suspected why some translations vse the one rather than the other but seeing you can not imagine nor any man else what it shoulde aâ—â—ile vs to vse the one rather than the other it may be reasonably thought that the translators meante no subtiltie especially when in places of like apparaÌ„ce for our assertion they vse the worde deedes also As Gal. 2. v. 16. A man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by faith of Iesus Christ where the Greeke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as in S. Iames. But where you say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is proper for deedes you were beste call the seconde booke of S. Luke The deedes of the Apostles The faulte that Beza findeth with the vulgar Latine translation is that in diuerse places hee translateth one worde diuerse wayes and them differing For otherwise to translate for 〈◊〉
are such about which meÌ„ are not agreed as in this place you should rather coÌ„mend our equity that suffer such traÌ„slations to be in the peoples handes in which is some colour of maintaining your errors against vs. But if you be so rigorous that a booke of Scripture may not be red in which there is any fault I charge you call in your translation of the new Testament for therein are shamefull faults and such as you can not defend or excuse except it be by the fault of the Printer whereof yet you haue not admonished the reader I will giue you a tast of some and let all men iudge whether they be not intolerable faultes For they are no lesse than detracting and taking away from the word of God As 1. Cor. 14. v. 38. where both the Greeke and the Latine is If they will learne Your translation is If they learne any thing Likewise Actes 5. v. 4. where bothe the Greeke and Latine is Festus answeared that Paule is kepte at Caesarea you translate Festus answered that Paule is in Caesarea leauing out the worde kepte as before you lefte out the worde will or desire whiche altereth the sense very much But in a place of greater moment and in a matter of some controuersie of Gods particuler preordination and fore appointment you leaue out a whole clause Act. 10. v. 41. For where it is bothe in the Greeke and in the Latine that God made the resurrection of his sonne manifest not to all the people but to the witnesses chosen before of God to vs which did eate and drinke with him c. Your English translation hath no more but thus Not to all the people but to vs who did eate and drinke with him c. Leauing cleane out that which is in your Latine text Testibus praeordinatis à Deo Also in the Epistle to the Hebrues cap. 7. v. 28. where bothe the Greeke and your vulgar Latine hath The law appointeth Priests men that haue infirmitie your translation is the lawe appointeth Priests them that haue infirmitie leauing out Homines a word very material in this place to obserue the oppositioÌ„ betweene the Priesthood of meÌ„ the Priesthood of the sonne of God These faultes in the new Testament being some of them whiche I by no diligent reading haue obserued nowe you be admonished of them we shall see whether you will call in your translation or coÌ„maunde your disciples to burne their bookes If you will not I pray you be good maister to vs and let our Bibles goe abroad stil for any faults we haue our selues amended and admonished all diligent Readers thereof by our later translations And because you cracke so much of the exposition of the Doctors and of the whole Churche of God against vs I muste let the Reader vnderstand that the whole Greeke Churche which for the most parte knewe none other text but the Septuaginta must needes expound the place of Abel as we do because the Greeke text is manifestly in the Masculine gender And so doth Chrysostome in Gen. Hom. 18. expound the place in these words Ne putes inquit licet tuum auersatus sim sacrificium ob prauam meÌ„tem fratrisque oblationem acceptam habuerim ob sanam intentionem quod ideo primatu te destituam primogeniturae dignitatem à te auferam Nam licet honore ego illum prosecutus fuerim acceptaque fuerint illius dona c. Thinke not sayeth he that although I haue refused thy sacrifice for thy naughtie minde and haue receiued thy brothers oblation for his good and sound meaning that therefore I will depriue thee of the primacie and take away from thee the dignitie of the birthright For although I haue vouchsafed him of honour that his gifts haue bene receiued yet vnto thee belongeth his conuersion and thou shalt rule ouer him And this I permit after thy sinne that thou mayest enioy the priuiledges of thy birthright and I commaund him to be vnder thy power and dominion You were best now to rayle vpon Chrysostome and charge him with heresie and schismaticall exposition contrarie to the holy Doctors and the whole Church of God against freewill of man Which because it is your quarrell you haue S. Ambrose also your enemie De Caine Abel lib. 2. cap. 7. Who although as he redde it in Latine did thinke it must be referred to him and not to his brother yet he expoundeth it not of the strength of free wil but chargeth Came to be author of his owne errour Culpae ipsius ad â—e conuersio est The coÌ„uersion of the fault it selfe is vnto thee For his brother is not added to him but errour is ascribed whereof he him selfe is author to him selfe The crime sayth he will returne vpon thee which began of thee Thou hast not whereby to accuse necessitie more than thyne owne minde The wickednesse is retorted backe vpon thee thou art Prince of it He sayth well thou art Prince of it for impietie is the mother of sinnes c You see therefore that if you could obtaine that these relatiues were referred to him yet your free will were not by and by to be builded vpon the place and that all be not heretikes which drawe that text to an other exposition than standeth with your good liking MART. 13. Againe they translate in some of their Bibles agaynst free wil thus Christ when we were yet OF NO STRENGTH died for the vngodly Rom. 5. v. 6. The Apostles word doth not signifie that we had nostrength but that we were weake seeble infirme Man was wounded in free will by the sinne of Adam as he that in the Gospell went downe from Hierusalem to Iericho which is a parable of this thing he was not slayne altogither But I stande not here or in any place to dispute the controuèrsie that is done else where This onely I say because* they falsely holde that free will was altogither loste by Adams sinne therefore they translate accordingly When we had no strength But the Greeke worde is well knowen both in profane authors and Ecclesiasticall and specially in the newe Testament it selfe throughout to signifie nothing else but weake feeble sicke infirme Looke me through the newe Testament wheresoeuer infirmitie feeblenesse languishing and the like are spoken of there is founde this Greeke worde to expresse it What Grecian knoweth not be he but simply acquainted with phrases and nature of wordes what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie When the Apostle sayth Quis infirmatur ego non vror Who is weake and infirme and I am not much grieued shall we translate who is of no strength c. or let them giue vs an instance where it is certaine that this word must needes signifie of no strength Will they pretend the etymologie of the word a ridiculous and absurd euasion we aske them of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worde of the very same
owne saluation Whereas the Greeke fathers expound it of the full and assured faith that euery faithfull man must haue of al such things in heauen as he seeth not namely that Christ is ascended thither c. adding further and prouing out of the Apostles wordes next folowing that the Protestants* only faith is not sufficient be it neuer so speciall or assured FVLK 2. Hauing nothing to impugne this cleare interpretatioÌ„ of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the vnperfect translatioÌ„ of your vulgar Latine interpreter who was both an vnperfect grecian a very barbarous Latinist you are not ashamed to say we force the Greeke to make it signifie assurance whiche all men that are but meanly learned in the Greeke tongue may know that it signifieth assuraÌ„ce or ful certaine persuasioÌ„ Although for the question in controuersie the fulnesse of faith wil proue the certeintie as much in a maÌ„ner as the assuraÌ„ce But that the Greeke signifieth a full and certaine persuasion I report me not only to the best Greeke Dictionaries of this time but also to Budeus who citeth Isocrates out of Trapezuntius for proofe that it is so vsed also interpreteth that of S. Paule Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let euery man be certaine of his owne minde But you haue a doughty argument that it is not onely ioyned with faith but also with hope knowledge and vnderstanding as though there could not be a certaine persuasion and assurance of hope knowledge and vnderstanding yea the assurance of hope dependeth vpon the assuraunce of faith and the assuraunce of faith vpon the certaine persuasion of knowledge and vnderstanding Yea your vulgar interpretor translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. v. 21. Plenissimè sciens knowing most fully may teach you that it signifieth more than fulnesse for else he should haue saide being fulfilled And better doth Beza expresse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 4. than some of our English interpreters whiche say fulfil thy ministry wheras the Apostles meaning is that he should approue the credite and dignitie of his ministerie vnto other men But the Greeke fathers you say find none other interpretation of it and for proofe you cite Ignatius ep ad Smyr which although it be not authenticall yet I see no cause why we may not interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being certainly persuaded in faith loue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the assurance of faith And so is it translated in Bibliotheca sacra Margarini de la Bigne Plenè instructae in fide charitate cognoui vos absolutè perfectos in fule stabili fully instructed in faith and charitie and I haue knowen you absolutely perfect in a stedfaste faith Chrysostome and Theodoret because you vouch at large I know not what you would shew out of them In Theophylact I finde that he speaketh against all hesitation doubtfulnesse of faith but against the certaine persuasion thereof neuer a worde Ne aliquam inducas in animum tuum haesitationem neque pendeas animi dubij quiddam cogitans Bring not into thy minde any staggering neither be incertaine of thy mind thinking any doubtfull thing But for the signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil may bee a sufficient witnesse who commonly vseth it for assured and certaine persuasion â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. Euery worde and deede must be proued byâ—â—â— testimonie of the holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the full and certaine persuasion of the goâ—â—â— to the shame of the wicked Againe desin 80. what is the propertie of a faithfull man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By such assured persuasioÌ„ to be disposed c. EueÌ„ so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the certaine persuasioÌ„ of godlinesse c. and so in other places And you your selfe confesse as much where you say the Greeke fathers expound it of the full assured faith c. which is enough to iustifie our traÌ„slation Now if the fathers vnderstood this full assured faith only of an historicall faith as you say not of trust and confidence in God it is an other controuersie Our translation is not false although we had a false meaning if it be answereable to the words Neither doth Chrysostome speake of an historicall faith only by certaintie whereof we haue accesse vnto God but also of coÌ„fidence which remissioÌ„ of our sinnes doth cause and that we are made coheires with Christ that we enioy so great loue neither doth he proue that the ProtestaÌ„ts only faith is not sufficient to iustisie But the Apostle sheweth saith he that not faith alone but also a vertuous life is required that a man be not guiltie to him self of malitiousnes For these holy places doe not receiue those men with certaine assuraÌ„ce which are not made such This iudgmeÌ„t of Chrysostome the Protestants do allow of better thaÌ„ the Papists for we know that a godly life is necessarie in them that beleeue to iustification without which they can haue no assurance of faith no nor faith in deede but that which is by aequiuocation called faith such saith as the Deuil and the reprobate may haue MART. 3. Yet do these termes please them exceedingly in so much that for the chosen gift of faith Sap. 3. 14. they translate THE SPECIAL gift of faith and Rom. 8. 38. â—â—ni sure that nothing can separate vs from the loue of God 〈◊〉 though the Apostle were certaine and assured not onely of h 〈…〉 wne saluation but of other mens For to this sense they doe 〈◊〉 translate here whereas in other places out of controuersie they translate the same worde as they should doe I am persuaded they are persuaded c. For who knoweth not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth onely a probable persuasion They will say that I am sure and I am perswaded is al one Beeing well meant they may indeede signifie alike as the vulgare Latine interpreter doth commonly translate it but in this place of controuersie whether the Apostle were sure of his saluation or no whiche you saye he was yea without reuelation we say he was not here why woulde you translate I am sure and not as in other places I am perswaded but in fauour of your errour by insinuating the termes of sure and assurance and such like as elsewhere you neglect the termes of iuste and iustification In which your secrete things of dishonesties craftinesse as the Apostle calleth it we caÌ„not alwaies vse demonstratioÌ„s to conuince you but yet euen in these things we talke with your coÌ„science and leaue the consideration thereof to the wise reader FVLK 3. Seeing they accompt the booke of Wisdome to be of no authoritie to establish the certaintie of doctrine it is not like they coulde haue any such respecte as you malitiously surmise And yet the translation good and true For what is the choice gifte of faith but a speciall
euident absurditie thereof FVLK 13. Maister Whitaker is not so inconsiderate to play fast and loose as you are intemperate and vntrue in accusing him Howbeit there is no doubt but he will meete you and handle you according to your vertues But seeing you giue such high commendation to Campions pamphlet as that you call it a learned booke wherein beside a litle ranke Rhetorike more meete for a boye that learneth to practise his figures than for a graue Diuine to vse in so serious a cause there is nothing that any learned man may thinke worthy of any aunswere we may well perceiue what you count learning what be the pillers of your popish religion The bookes are both in print let the worlde iudge of both indifferently MART. 14 But to leaue M. Whitakers who is a simple companion to sit in iudgement vpon all the auncient Doctors and to condemne them of hainous errour in the matter of penance I trust the Reader seeth by the former discourse the vsuall Ecclesiasticall signification and consequently both the true and false translation of the foresayd Greeke wordes Not that they must or may alwayes be translated penance or doing penance For in the scriptures God is sayd Poenitentiam agere who can not be sayd to doe penance no more than he can be said to amend his life as the Protestants commonly translate this word Therefore I conclude that this word being spoken of God in the Scriptures is no more preiudice against our translation of doing penance than it is against theirs of amendment of life Likewise when it is spoken of the reprobate and damned in hell who as they can not doe penance properly so much lesse amende their liues FVLK 14. Maister Whitaker taketh not vpon him to sit in iudgement of all the Doctors although he may note some errour or other in euery one of them whose writings of any substance doe remaine with vs. But after all this brabling about poenitentiaÌ„ agere you come home and confesse that it must not alwayes be translated doing of penance because God him selfe after your vulgar translation is sayd agere poenitentiam which with the Septuaginta is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man could better haue confuted your vaine quarreling than you haue done your selfe for by this it is manifest that the vulgar Interpreter did not meane by agere poenitentiam any more than we doe by repentance And therefore the best and the most simple translation is to vse the wordes repent and repentance And the Greeke word as Tertullian telleth you signifieth changing of mind which may be without acknowledging of errour Although it can not vet be properly said of God that he changeth his mind when he is sayd to repent As likewise it is not necessary that they which be in hel should amend their liues when it is said they repent Neither doe we translate the worde simply amendment of life but shewe that amendement of life must necessarily follow in them that truely repent as the Scripture teacheth vs. MART. 15. Moreouer it is purposely against penance that they translate amisse both in Daniel and Esdras whose voluntary mourning fasting afflicting of them selues for their owne sinnes and the peoples is notoriously set forth in their bookes There they make the Angell say thus to Daniel From the first day that thou didst set thyne hart TO HVMBLE thy selfe What is this humbling him selfe can we gather any penance thereby none at all but if they had sayd according to the Hebrew Greeke and Latine from the first day that thou didst set thine hart TO AFFLICT thy selfe we shoulde easily conceiue workes of penance and it would include Daniels mourning fasting from flesh wine and other meates abstaining from ointments the space of the dayes mentioned in the beginning of the same chapter FVLK 15. The word humbling doth as wel comprehende all those exercises of fasting and mourning which the holy men did vse to testifie their repentance to prouoke them selues to hartie repentance for their sinnes the sinnes of the people as the word afflicting Another translation calleth it chastening the Hebrewe word signifieth to bring lowe or cast downe therefore it is spoken of women that are carnally knowne which is without affliction But when it is vsed of such godly exercises it declareth for what ende they serue namely to humble and bring low our proude rebellious nature and to be signes of humiliation as S. Basil sayth of sackcloth and ashes not to be by punishment satisfaction for our sinnes Your owne vulgar Latine interpretor traÌ„slateth the same word Gen. 16 v. 19. humiliare humble thy selfe or submit thy selfe vnder thy mistres hand and often times in that sense And euen in this sense of humbling by signes of repentance he vseth the word humiliaâ—us speaking of Achab 2. Reg. 21. v. 29. where the Hebrew word is otherwise And Psalme 35. v. 13. the same worde â—innethi he translateth humiliaham And in their sickenes I put on sackcloth and humbled my soule with fasting So doth he often times when such bodily chastisement is signified thereby Wherefore this as all the rest is a false and vnreasonable quarrell against our translation as though by it we meant to denye the vse of afflicting or chastening the body with fasting mourning and other like exercises of repentance MART. 16. Againe in all their Bibles of the yeares 1562. 1577. 1579. they make Esdras c. 9. 5. after his exceeding great penance say onely this About the euening sacrifice I arose vp from my HEAVINESSE neither translating the Hebrew which is the same word that in Daniel nor the Greeke which signifieth affliction and humiliation FVLK 16. First your Greeke text of Esdras confirmeth our translation of Daniel Secondly I say that by this heauines they meane all that humiliation and affliction whereof he spake before which is easie for euery man to vnderstand that is not blinded with malice and what other thing is affliction but heauines griefe and sorow whereof the holy man spake twice before I thinke no wise man can tell MART. 17. Againe in the Prophet Malachie c. 3. 14. they translate thus Ye haue sayde It is but vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commaundements and walked HVMBLY before his face What is this same humbly when we say in English he goeth humbly we imagine or conceiue no more but this that he is an humble man and behaueth him selfe humbly but they know very well the Prophet speaketh of an other thing and if it had pleased them to haue translated the Hebrew word fully and significantly in the sense of the holy Ghost they might haue learned by conference of other places where the same Hebrewe word is vsed that it signifieth such heauines sadnes sorowfulnes and affliction as men expresse by blacke mourning garmeÌ„ts the nature of the word importing blacknesse darknesse lowring and the like Which is
They wil say the first Hebrewe word can not be as Saint Hierome translateth and as it is in the Greeke and as all antiquitie readeth but it muste signifie Let vs destroy They say truely according to the Hebrewe word which now is But is it not euident thereby that the Hebrewe worde nowe is not the same which the Septuaginta translated into Greekeâ— and S. Hierom into Latine and consequently the Hebrue is altered and corrupted from the originall copie which they had perhaps by the Iewes as some other places to obscure this prophecie also of Christes Passion and their crucifying of him vpon the Crosse. Such Iewish Rabbines and new Hebrue words do our newe maisters gladly folow in the translation of the olde Testament whereas they might easily conceyue the old Hebrue worde in this place if they would employ their skill that way and not onely to nouelties For who seeth not that the Greeke Interpreters in number 70. and al Hebrues of best skill in their owne tongue S. Hierom also a great Hebrician did not reade as now wee haue in the Hebrue Nashchîta but Nashitha or Nashlîcha Againe the Hebrue worde that now is doth so litle agree with the wordes folowing that they cannot tell how to translate it as appeareth by the diuersitie and difference of their translations thereof before mentioned and transposing the wordes in English otherwise than in the Hebrue neither of both their translations hauing any commodious sense or vnderstanding FVLK 19. If we shoulde acknowledge the Hebrue word to be altered in so many places as the 70. departe from it we should not only condemne the Hebrue text that now is in many places but your vulgar Latine text also the translator whereof differing oftentimes from the Greeke followeth the truth of the Hebrue or at least commeth nearer vnto it Your argument of the number of the 70. interpreters al Hebrewes is very ridiculous childish Hierom him selfe will laugh you to skorne in it who acknowledged for certaintie no more than the bookes of the lawe translated by them And Lindanus proueth manifestly vnto you that some partes of the old Testament in Greeke which wee now haue are not the same that were counted the 70. translation in the auncient fathers time Whether Hierom in this place did consider the Hebrue text we know not for he doth not as his manner is shew the diuersitie of the Hebrue and the Septuaginta in this chapiter beside he professeth great breuitie intreating vpon so long a Prophete But whether a letter in this word haue bene altered or no or whether it were corrupt in the copie which the Greeke translater and Hierom did reade for the true or simple sense thereof there is no great difference No nor for that sense which Hierom bringes which although it seemeth to be farre from the Prophets meaning yet it may haue as good ground vpon the worde Naschita as vpon the worde Nashlicha MART. 20. But yet they will pretende that for the first worde at the least they are not to be blamed because they folow the Hebrue that now is Not considering that if this were a good excuse then might they as well folowe the Hebrue that now is Psal. 21. v. 18 and so vtterly suppresse and take out of the Scripture this notable prophecie They pearced my hands and my feete Which yet they do not neither can they doe it for shame if they will be counted Christians So that in deede to folow the Hebrue sometime where it is corrupt is no sufficient excuse for them though it may haue a pretence of true translation and we promised in the preface in such cases not to call it hereticall translation FVLK 20. To this cauill against the certaine truth of the Hebrue texte I haue sufficiently answered in my confutation of your preface Sect. 44. shewing that the true reading of this word as Felix PrateÌ„sis Ioannes Isaak Tremelius and other do acknowledge is still remayning and testified by the Mazzorites MART. 21. But concerning the B. Sacrament let vs see once more how truely they folow 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 wine saying Wisedome hath killed her hostes SHE HATH MINGLED HER WINE INTO the cuppe Come ye eate of my bread and drinke the wine that I HAVE MINGLED for you Speaking of WINE MINGLED saith this holy doctor he foresheweth prophetically the cuppe of our Lorde MINGLED WITH WATER AND WINE So doth S. Hierom interprete this mixture or mingling of the wine in the chalice so doth the author of the commentaries vpon this place among S. Hieroms workes so doe the other fathers So that there is great importance in these propheticall wordes of Salomon She hath mingled her wine into the cuppe and the wine which I haue mingled as being a manifest prophecie of Christes mingling water and wine in the Chalice at his last supper which the Catholike Churche obserueth at this day and whereof S. Cyprian writeth the foresaide long epistle FVL. 21. It had bene to be wished that S. Cyprian when he goeth aboute to proue the necessitie of wine in the celebration of the Lordes supper agaynst the Heretikes called Aquarij that contended for onely water had retained the precise institution of Christe in wine onely which the Scripture mencioneth and not allowed them a mixture of water and for that purpose driuen him selfe to suche watrie expositions as this of Prouerbes 9. which without good warrant he draweth to represent the Lordes supper Where if hee had bene vrged by the aduersaries whereto the beastes slayne were referred in this Sacrament hee muste haue bene driuen to some violent comment But whereto tendeth this preparation MART. 22. But the Protestants counting it an idle superstitious ceremonie here also frame their translation accordingly suppressing altogither this mixture or mingling and in steede thereof saying Shee hath drawen her wine and drinke the wine that I haue drawen or as in other of their Bibles Shee hath powred out her wine and the wine which I haue powred out neither translation agreing either with Greeke or Hebrue Not with the Greeke which doth euidently signifie mingling and mixture as it is in the Latine and as al the Greeke Church from the Apostles time hath vsed this word in this very case whereof wee nowe speake of mingling water and wine 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 worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Plutarche wine mingled with water likewise S. Irâ—neus in his fifth booke neere the beginning See the sixth generall Councell most fully treating hereof and deducing it from the Apostles and auncient fathers and interpreting
auncient passe the bounds which our holy forefathers haue set and appointed preferring your owne singularities newe deuises euen there where you can not iustly pretend either the Hebrew or Greeke When the Hebrew Lexicon hath giuen the coÌ„mon interpretation of this place then saith Quidam exponunt Some expound it otherwise why had you rather be of that lesser some that expound otherwise than of the great societie of all auncient interpreters FVLK 2. The Hebrew is as we haue translated how great is the summe of them So doth Kimchi expound it so doth Pagnin and to the same effect Iustinian And the same word â—atsemu missapel the summe of them is greater than can be numbred Psal. 40. Where the Prophet speaketh of the counsailes or thoughts of God as in this place Where you quarrel at vs for following the lesser number when Pagnin saith Quidam c. You may know if you list that Pagnine him selfe is one of those quidam that translateth euen as we doe Howe precious are their thoughts vnto me howe are the summes of them multiplied As for Hierom whom you would haue vs to follow in steede of Princes hath poore men And therefore you doe iniuriously to require vs to follow him whome you followe not your selues You must therefore indite Pagnine of hereticall translation beside all Protestants or els you are very partiall MART. 3. But this new fangled singularitie of teaching and translating otherwise than all antiquitie hath done shall better appeare in their dealing about our B. Ladie whose honour they haue sought so many wayes to diminish and deface that the defense and maintenance thereof against the Heretikes of our time is growen to a great booke learnedly written by the great Clerke and Iesuite father Canisius entituled Mariana FVLK 3. I thinke Canisius in all his great booke called Mariana medleth not with our English translations and therefore very idlely was this matter brought in to tell vs of Canisius booke called Mariana I haue seene a blasphemous booke against I may iustly saye though it were pretended in the honour of the blessed Virgine called Mariale I haue seene that horrible blasphemous Psalter of Bonauentur peruerting all the Psalmes vnto the honour of the Virgine Marie with intollerable blasphemie against God and the holy mother of Christ whose greatest honour is in the kingdome of her sonne and in his infinite glorie MART. 4. Concerning our purpose what was euer more common and is now more generall and vsuall in all Christian Countries than in the Aue Marie to say Gratia plena full of grace insomuch that in the first English Bible it hath continued so still and euery child in our countrie was taught so to say till the Aue Marie was banished altogither and not suffered to be sayd neither in Latine nor English What auncient father of the Latine Church hath not alwaies so redde and expounded What Church in all the West hath not euer so sung and sayd Onely our new Translators haue found a new kind of speeche translating thus Haile thou that art freely beloued and Haile thou that art in high fauour Why this and that or any other thing rather than Haile full of grace S. Iohn Baptist was full of the holy Ghost euen from his birth S. Steuen was ful of grace as the scripture recordeth of them both why may not then our Ladie much more be called full of grace who as S. Ambrose sayth onely obtained the grace which no other women deserued to be replenished with the author of grace FVLK 4. The salutation of the Virgine may be sayd still either in Latine or English as well as any parte of the holye Scripture beside But not to make a popish Orizon of an Angelike salutation That we haue translated Haile Marie freely beloued or that art in high fauour we haue followed the truth of the Greeke worde not so denying there by but that the virgin Marie of Gods special goodnesse without her merites as she confesseth was filled with all gratious giftes of the holy spirite as much as any mortall creature might be except our Sauiour Christe whose onely priuiledge it is to be free from sinne and to haue receyued the giftes of the holy Ghost without measure in his manhood MART. 5. They will say the Greeke worde doth not so signifie Doth it not I make them selues witnesses of the contrarie and their owne translation in other places shall confute them where they translate an other worde of the selfe same nature and forme and in all respectes like to this ful of sores If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be full of sores why is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of grace Let any Grecian of them all make me a difference in the nature and significancie of these two wordes Againe if vlcerosus as Beza translateth be full of sores why is not gratiosa as Erasmus translateth full of grace or why doth Beza maruell that Erasmus translated gratiosa when him selfe translateth the like word vlcerosus All which adiectiues in osus you knowe signifie fulnes as periculosus aerumnosus Yet what a sturre doth Beza keepe here in his annotations to make the Greeke word signifie freely beloued FVLK 5. The signification of the Greeke worde with your foolish cauillation of Vlcerosus I haue discussed sufficiently cap. 1. sect 43. MART. 6. But hath it in deede any such signification tell vs you that professe this great skill of the tongues what syllable is there in this word that soundeth to that signification S. Chrysostom the Greeke Doctors that should best know the nature of this Greeke word say that it signifieth to make gracious acceptable beloued beautiful amiable so to be desired as when the Psalme saith The king shal desire thy beautie Beza him selfe saith that it is word for word gratificata made grateful yet he expoundeth it accepted before God translateth it freely beloued because he wil haue no singular grace or goodnes or vertue resident in our B. Lady but all by imputation acceptation wherof I haue spoken before S. Athanasius a greke doctor saith that she had this title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the holy ghost descended into the Virgin filling hir with al graces and vertues and I beseech the reader to see his words which are many moe concerning this fulnesse of grace and al spiritual gifts S. Hierome that knewe the Greeke word as wel as the Protestants readeth Gratia plena and findeth no fault with this interpretation but saith plainely she was so saluted full of grace because shee conceiued him in whom al fulnesse of the deitie dwelt corporally FVLK 6. Looke in the best Greeke Lexicons and you shal finde it the same signification that we translate and none other Chrisostome is of the same iudgement as I haue shewed in the place aboue mentioned That the Virgine Marie was iustified before God by
faith imputed to hir for righteousnes without workes or iustice as you wil haue it called we doubt no more of hir than of Abraham But that shee was also sanctified with moste excellent graces and indued in hir soule with al christian vertues Beza and all that esteeme Beza in the word wil confesse as muche as is conuenient for hir honour so nothing bee derogated from the honour of God That which Athanasius saith we do likewise admit and that which Hierome writeth also But this is all the controuersie whether the Virgine Marie were freely accepted and beloued of God so by his spirite indued with gratious vertues or whether for her vertues which she had of her selfe she were worthie to be beloued of God and deserued that honour whereof she was vouchsafed to become the mother of God Athanasius saith expresly that all those graces and giftes were freely giuen her by the obumbration or ouershadowing of the holy Ghost which the Angel promised should come vpon her MART. 7. Now let the English Bezites come with their new terme freely beloued and controll these and all other auncient fathers both Greeke and Latine and teach them a new signification of the Greeke worde which the◠knew not before Let Iohn Keltridge one of their great Preachers in London come and tell vs that the Septuaginta and the beste trāslatiōs in Greeke haue no such words as we vse in the Aue Marie but that the word which the Septuaginta vse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Who euer heard such a iest that the preacher of the worde of God in London so he is called in the title of his booke and preacher before the Iesuites and Seminaries in the tower which is next degree to the disputers there whose sermons be solemnely printed dedicated to one of the Queenes Councell who seemeth to be such a Grecian that he confuteth the vulgar Latin translation by the significatiō of the Greeke word and in other places of his booke alleageth the Greeke texte that this man for all this referreth vs to the Septuaginta either as authors of S. Lukes Gospel which is too ridiculous or as trāslators thereof as though S. Luke had written in Hebrue yea as though the whole newe Testament had bene written in Hebrue for so no doubt he presupposed and that the Septuaginta had translated it into Greeke as they did the old who were dead three hundred yeares before S. Lukes Gospell and the new Testament was written FVLK 7. Concerning Iohn Keltridge agaynst whose ignorance and arrogancie you insult I can say nothing because I haue not seene his booke But knowing how impudently you slaunder me M. Whitaker Beza and euery man almost wyth whome you haue any dealing I maye wel suspecte your fidelitie in this case and thinke the matter is not so hard against Iohn Keltridge as you make it seeme to be If he haue ouershot himself as you say he is the more vnwise if you slaunder him as you do others you are moste of al too blame MART. 8. Al this is such a pitiful iest as were incredible if his printed booke didde not giue testimonie Pitiful I say because the simple people count such their preachers iolly fellows and great Clearks because they can talke of the Greeke and of the Hebrewe texte as this man doth also concerning the Hebrue letter Tau whether it had in olde time the forme of a Crosse or no euen as wisely and as skilfully as he did of the Septuaginta and the Greeke worde in S Lukes Gospel Whose incredible follie and ignorance in the tongues perhaps I would neuer haue mentioned because I thinke the reste are sorie and ashamed of him but that he boasteth of that whereof he hath no skill and that the people may take him for a very paterne and example of many other like boasters and braggers among them and that when they heare one talke lustily of the Hebrewe and Greeke and cite the text in the said tongues they may alwaies remember Iohn Keltridge their Preacher and say to themselues what if this fellow also be like Iohn Keltridge FVLK 8. Reseruing Iohn Keltridge to the trial defence of himselfe I say you haue shewed your selfe as ridiculous in this booke diuerse times and so haue many that beare a greater countenance among you tentimes than Iohn Keltridge doth among vs how so euer it pleaseth you to make him the next degree to the disputers But if Iohn Keltridge haue shewed him selfe to be a vaine boaster of that knowledge whereof perhaps he is ignorant what reason is it that other learned men which know the tongues in deede should be drawne into suspition of ignorance for his follie But that you delight by al meanes to discredite their learning and good giftes of God in them to whom if you were comparable your selfe yet it were not tollerable that you should seeke their reproche before their vnskilfulnesse may plainely be reproued MART. 9. But to proceede these great Grecians and Hebricians that controll all antiquitie and the approued auncient Latine translation by scanning the Greeke and Hebrue wordes that thinke it a great corruption Gen. 3. to reade Ipsa conteret caput tuum she shall bruise thy head because it pertaineth to our Ladies honour calling it a corruption of the Popish Church whereas S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregorie S. Bernard and the rest reade so as being the common receiued texte in their time though there hath bene also alwaies the other reading euen in the vulgar Latine translation and therefore it is not any late reformation of these new correctors as though the Hebrue and Greeke texte before had bene vnknowen these controllers I say of the Latine texte by the Hebrue against our Ladies honour are in an other place content to dissemble the Hebrue worde and that also for small deuotion to the B. Virgin namely Hierom 7. and 44. Where the Prophet inueigheth against them that offer sacrifice to the Queene of heauen this they thinke is very well because it may sounde in the peoples eares against the vse of the Catholike Churche which calleth our Lady Queene of heauen But they know very well that the Hebrue worde doth not signifie Queene in any other place of the Scripture and that the Rabbines and later Hebricians whom they gladly folow deduce it otherwise to signifie rather the whole corps and frame of heauen consisting of all the beautiful starres and planets and the Septuaginta call it not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queene but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of heauen c. 7. Hierem and S. Hierom not onely reginā but rather militiam coeli and when he nameth it reginam Queene he saith we must vnderstand it of the moone to which and to the other starres they did sacrifice commit idolatrie But the Protestants against their custome of scanning the Hebrue and the Greeke translate here Queene of heauen for
you to proue Forsooth that his aduersaries do confesse all the olde fathers to be on their side and to haue erred with them as Fulke doth of S. Ambrose Austen Tertullian Origen Chrysostom Gregorie and Bede by name with most reprochefull and contemptuous words against them This is spoken generally as though we confesse all the doctors to bee on their side in euery controuersie which we doe not acknowledge to be true in any one although many of the later sort do in some part fauour one or two errours of theirs among an hundreth But let vs examine his prooues which seeme to be verie plentifull yet of nine quotations I must needes strike out two page 306. and 279. because in them is not one syllable of my writing but all of Allens In the pages 315. 316. is nothing more contained touching this matter than I haue alreadie declared There remaineth nowe page 349. where I say touching a rule of S. Augustine which hee giueth to trie faith and doctrine of the Church onely by the scripture that if he had as diligently followed it in examining the common error of his time of prayer for the dead as he did in beating downe the schisme of the Donatistes or the heresie of the Pelagians hee woulde not so blindly haue defended that which by holy scripture he was not able to maintaine as he doeth in that booke De Cura pro mortuis agenda and else where What most reprochefull or contemptuous wordes are here against S. Augustine Seeing the holie scripture is a light shining in a darke place as S. Peter sayeth who so goeth without it must walke blindly which I say in commendation of the light of the scripture not in contempt of Augustines reason whome as I may not honour with contempt of the trueth so when he is a patrone maintainer of the truth I honour him from my heart Likewise page 78. Saint Ambrose is named but nothing acknowledged to fauour any popish errour Augustine is againe noted speaking of the amending fire whereof he hath no ground but in the common errour of his time and whereof he affirmeth sometimes that it is a matter that may bee doubted of sometimes that there is no third place at all Wherefore this place hath neither reprochful wordes nor confession of any constant opinion of Augustine inclining to your errours Then let vs passe to the next place which is page 435. where concerning this matter I haue written thus I denie that any of the auncient fathers in Christs time or scholers to his Apostles or within one or two hundreth yeares after Christ except one that had it of Montanus the heretike as he had more things beside in any one word maintained your cause for purgatorie or prayers for the dead Secondly of them that maintained prayers for the dead the most confessed they had it not out of the scriptures but of tradition of the Apostles and custome of the church therefore they are not to be compared vnto vs in better vnderstanding of the scriptures for that point which they denyed to be receiued of the scriptures Thirdly those of the auncient fathers that agreed with you in any part of your assertion for none within 400. yeares was wholly of your errour notwithstanding manie excellent gifts that they had yet maintained other errors beside that and about that diffented one from another and sometime the same man from himselfe and that is worst of all from manifest truth of the holy scriptures Therefore neither is their erronious interpretation in this matter to be receiued nor M. Allens wise iudgement of vs to bee regarded Here also I appeale to the iudgement of indifferent readers what confession I haue made of the fathers to be on their side or what reprochefull or contemptuous wordes I haue vsed against them for dissenting from vs. The next place is quoted page 247. where I say against Allen boasting of auncient testimonies for prayer for the dead I will not denie but you haue much drosse and dregges of the later sort of doctors the later the fuller of drosse But bring me any worde out of Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus or any that did write within one hundreth yeares after Christ that aloweth prayer or almes for the dead I will say you are as good as your word Here except he will cauil that I acknowledge much drosse and dregs to be in the later sort of doctors I knowe not what hee findeth that hath any shadowe of his slander But the trueth must be confessed that the pure waters of life are to be founde onely in the worde of God and beside that the best and purest liquors that are to bee seene are not cleare from all dregges and drosse of humane error and frailtie In the next page Origen deliuered from the shamefull mangling of Allens allegation is shewed plainly to be an enimie of purgatorie prayer for the dead in that he affirmeth the day of a Christian mans death to be the ende of all sorrowe and the beginning of all felicitie There remaineth nowe the last place quoted page 194. where I acknowledge that Gregorie Bernard Bede vpon the text Matth. 12. are of opinion that sinnes not remitted in this world may be remitted in the world to come But how happeneth it say I that Chrysostome Ieronyme which both interpreted that place could gather no such matter although they otherwise allowed prayer for the dead The reason must needes be because the errour of purgatorie growing so much the stronger as it was neerer to the full reuelation of Antichrist Gregorie and Bede sought not the true meaning of Christ in this scripture but the confirmation of their plausible error Here is all the confessions most reprochefull contemptuous wordes that are conteined in so manie of those places as he hath quoted in which I will not tarrie to rehearse how manie vntruthes he hath vttered against mee but wish the indifferent reader to consider that if he be so bolde to slander mee concerning a booke printed in English by which he may be conuinced of euerie simple reader what dare he not aduouch of matters done and past at Rome whither none may trauell to trie out his tretcherie but he is in manifest danger neuer to returne the answere of his message From this Popish Parson whatsoeuer his name be I must passe to another gentleman namelesse in deede but not blamelesse yea much more blame worthie than the other who among so manie and so great flanders as it is wonder howe they could bee conueyed into so small a booke against our prince her lawes her councellors her iudges her officers the nobilitie the comminaltie the church the gouernors the pastors the people thereof against all states persons of the land in whome there is religion towardes God ioyned with dutie towarde their prince and countrie hath founde yet some emptie corners where he might place me in particular And