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A11015 A treatise of Gods effectual calling: written first in the Latine tongue, by the reuerend and faithfull seruant of Christ, Maister Robert Rollock, preacher of Gods word in Edenburgh. And now faithfully translated for the benefite of the vnlearned, into the English tongue, by Henry Holland, preacher in London; Tractatus de vocatione efficaci, quae inter locos theologiæ communissimos recensetur, deque locis specialioribus, qui sub vocatione comprehenduntur. English Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605. 1603 (1603) STC 21286; ESTC S116145 189,138 276

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bookes of the Prophets partly by the spiritual euidence they carry in themselues which the Sons of God instructed by his holy spirit can easily discerne The Canonicall bookes of the Bible are either of the Old or of the New Testament The Canonicall books of the Old Testament are these 1. The 5. bookes of Moses 2. Ioshua 1. booke 3. The booke of iudges 1. 4. Ruth 1. booke 5. The bookes of Samuel 2. 6. The bookes of Kings 2. 7. The bookes of Chronicles 2. 8. Ezra 1. booke 9. Nehemias 1. booke 10. Hester 1. booke 11. Iob. 1. booke 12. Psalmes 13. Prouerbs 14. Ecclesiastes 15. The book of Canticles 16. Esaiah 17. Ieremiah 18. Ezechiel 19. Daniel 20. The twelue small Prophets The Canonicall books of the New Testament are these which are commonlie receiued 1. The Gospel according to S. Matthew 2. The Gospel according to S. Marke 3. The Gospel according to S. Luke 4. The Gospel according to S. Iohn 5. The Acts of the Apost 6. S. Pauls Epistle to the Romans 7. S. Pauls Epistles to the Cormthians 2. 8. The Epistle to the Gal. 9. The Epistle to the Ephesians 10 The Epistle to the Philippians 11. The Epistle to the Colossians 12. The Epistles to the Thessalonians 2. 13. The Epistles to Timothie 2. 14. The Epistle to Titus 15. The Epistle to Philemon 16. The Epistle to the Hebrues 17. The Epistle of Saint Iames. 18. The Epistles of Saint Peter 2. 19. The Epistles of Saint Iohn 3. 20. The Epistle of Saint Iude. 21. The booke of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn And whereas some haue doubted for a time of some of these bookes as of the Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Saint Iames the last of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Apocalypse yet they were neuer vtterly reiected but for a time onely doubted of whether they might be accepted as Canonical These Canonical books of the Old and New Testament were written by holy men as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. And of these some are called the Prophets which wrote the bookes of the Old Testament so called because they were gouerned by the spirit of prophecy Some be called Apostles so called because of their function these wrote the books of the New Testament The books of the old new Testament some haue their writers names expressely set downe or noted by speciall characters or signes some haue no names at all annexed whereby the holy Ghost would signify vnto vs that these men were but instruments onely and not the very authors of such books wherefore we be not so much to respect their names nor so busily to inquire after them if they be not expressed Thus farre of the Canonicall bookes Now as concerning the Apocryphall bookes they be so called because the Church would haue them kept hid and not to be read or taught publickly in the Churches the priuate reading of them was onely permitted The Apocryphall bookes are such as were found onely annexed to the old Testament and they bee eleuen in number 1 Iudith 2 Tobit 3 Esdras third fourth booke 4 The Wisedome of * falsly so called Salomon 5 Ecclesiasticus 6 Baruch 7 The Epistle of Ieremiah Apocryphall bookes 8 Additions to Daniel 9 The Prayer of Manasses 10 The two bookes of Machabees 11 The supplement of Hester from the third ver of the tenth chap. Among these some there are which the verie aduersaries account to be Apocryphall First the prayer of Manasses Secondly the third and fourth booke of Esdras Thirdly the third and fourth booke of Machabees wherof Athanasius maketh mention in his Synopsis But we are to proue that all these before named bee Apocryphall The first Argument is from the Writers All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament were written by the Prophets But these were not written by the Prophets Therfore they be not Canonical but Apocryphal I proue the Proposition Luk. 16. They haue Moses and the Prophets that is the bookes of Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 27. of Christ it is written that he began at Moses and at all the prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Therefore Moses and the Prophets were the writers of the old Testament To the Rom. 16. He cals the scriptures of the old Testament the Propheticall Scriptures And 2. Pet. 1. 19. The most sure word of the Prophets And for the assumption But these were not written by the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I proue it Malachie was the last of the prophets and betweene Malachie and Iohn the Baptist there arose no prophet But these bookes were written after Malachies time and this cannot be denied of some as of Ecclesiasticus the books of y e Machabees Ergo. 2. ARG. This is from the language wherin all the canonical Scriptures were written They were written I say in the language of Canaan in the Hebrue tongue which was the speech of the Prophets wherein they wrote their prophecies But these bookes be not written in the Hebrue tongue but all for the most part in Greeke therfore our proposition or assertion is manifest The Assumption is euident that I shall not neede to cite either the testimonie of the Fathers or the aduersaries owne confession ARG. 3. is from the testimonie of the old Church of the Iewes If these books were Canonicall the old Hebrues had heard some thing of them But they neuer heard of them Therefore they be not Canonicall The Proposition is cleere I proue the Assumption In Ezraes time all the canonicall bookes were gathered into one volume and the Iewes care was such of them that they nūbred all the letters which were found in the Prophets set down the sum of thē how much more would they haue had care of these whole bookes if they had heard of them The 4. ARG. is from the testimonie of the late Church of the Iewes which was in Christs time If these books were canonicall then the latter Rabbins or Iewish Writers would haue accepted them but they did not receiue them but reiect them Therefore they bee not canonicall I proue the Proposition For out of all question if they had not receiued the Canonicall bookes Christ would haue taxed them for it for that he so reprehends them for their sinister and false interpretations of the Canonicall Scriptures The Aduersaries grant the Assumption The 5. ARG. is from the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles If these before named books were canonicall then Christ and his Apostles would haue cited them somewhere for confirmation of their doctrines but that can neuer bee found they did no not in all the new Testament therefore they be not Canonicall The proposition is manifest The matter it selfe will make sure the Assumption The 6. ARG. These Apocryphall bookes containe some things differing from the canonical scriptures some things contrarie some
readest thou saith hee and haue ye not read Haue ye neuer read How is it written Againe the Apostles of Christ for all their assertions bring proofe and testimonies out of the old Testament Apollos was a man mighty in Scriptures He strongly confuted publiquely the Iewes with great vehemency shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was that Christ Act. 18. 24. 28. The men of Beraea receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. Thus the primitiue Church and the fathers refuted heresies by the Scriptures To conclude this point most memorable is that worthy fact of Constantinus the Great who propounding the Bible to the Fathers assembled in the Nicene councell spake on this manner Here I set before you the writings Euangelicall of the Apostles and the sanctions of the auncient Prophets which can informe vs concerning the sacred law of God To beat back therefore the dint of the sword of the aduersarie let vs learne how to answer all obiections of the aduersarie out of the words which are giuen vs of God by diuine inspiration Lastly this I haue said that the Scripture is in it selfe liuely and vocall for as concerning deafe and dead men that is the naturall neuer taught of God vnto such I say it is but as deade mute Here the aduersaries blaspheme and reply saying that y e sacred scripture is but as a dead letter mute and not able togiue answere to any man not able to decide questions and controuersies in religion And contrarily they glory that the voice of the Church which proceeds from the Scripture as they speake which is in grauen by Gods own Spirit in the hearts of men they boast I say that this is vocall and able to answer the demaunders of all questions appertaining to saluation that this cannot be wrested nor peruerted but euer abides the same in al respects The answer to this calumniation and blasphemy is cleere of that which is before shewed for we made it cleere and manifest that the sacred Scripture is most liuely and vocall in it selfe And whereas controuersies are not so soone decided by the Scriptures the cause is not in Gods word but in men which be either so naturally blind and dull that they cannot heare vnderstand the Scripture speaking answering yea crying in their eares or they be so malitious and obstinate that they will not heare and vnderstand yea that they will full often against their owne conscience wrest the voice of the Scripture into another sense and that to their owne perdition Wherefore we conclude this point that the scripture is in it selfe 2. Pet. 3. and by it selfe most liuely and vocall And further we be to remember that to the end it may speake as a liuely voice vnto vs and to the end we may vnderstand it concerning all controuersies in religion we must vse the meanes before mentioned our very Grāmar Meanes to be vsed for the vnderstanding of the scripture is one speciall instrument for this purpose For our eies eares are opened by such meanes to vnderstand the Scripture and to attend vnto Gods voice speaking in the scripture if it shall seeme good to the holy Ghost to worke effectually by them in our hearts and minds If so be that the spirit worke effectually by the aforesaide meanes then the Scripture shall answer to all controuersies concerning faith and religion with a more cleere liuely intelligible and distinct voice then all the men in the whole Church shall answer who can auouch nothing sound and certaine vnlesse first they haue receiued it from the mouth of the Scripture and answer in the verie words of the scripture For whereas these men say the voice of the Church is liuely and vocall heard of all men and cannot bee peruerted and wrested To this I answer first that the voice of the Church as is aforesaid doth depend on the voice of the scripture Next that the voice of the Church is subiect to errours and change so that they may this day answer one thing and to morrow another and this serues no better in a manner then a Lesbian rule to decide controuersies concerning faith religion As for the church of Rome they haue so long and so corruptly answered concerning faith and religion that they haue caried the world from the truth to lies and errours and infinite heresies that there is now no cause wherefore these men may so put forth to sale the voice and sound of their Church which is become so corrupt and adulterous CHAP. XIII Of the fift property of the Church and of the seuenth controuersie NOw it resteth that we proue that the sacred Scripture is simply most necessarie Here then I say that if by Scripture yee vnderstand the substance and the verie matter contained in the words written it cannot be denied that the scripture is so necessarie that without it there can be no Church in earth for the church is borne and bred not Fift propertie Scripture is most necessarie of mortall but of immortall seede which is the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. But if ye vnderstand by the scripture the verie writing and forme of reuelation I say that in this respect also it is so necessarie that without this there cannot be a Church For the liuely voice of God is simply necessarie The scripture after a sort is the liuely voice of God therefore simply necessarie I graunt it that when as the liuely voice of God did sound and was heard in the Church this writing and this forme of reuelation was not then so necessarie but when as God did cease to speake and that the scripture came in place of Gods own voice then the scripture was no lesse necessary then the liuely voice of God For the voice of God must euer be in the Church that the church may haue her being and may continue on the earth yea this voice must be heard by the Church either by it selfe or by that which may best supply the want of the liuely voice of God Before Moses time this voice it selfe was heard after his time this voice sounded and spake in and by the voice and writings of Moses and the Prophets When Christ was come his owne liuely voice was heard After Christs ascension for a time the 2. Cor. 5. 19. 1. Pet. 2. 19. preaching of the Apostles and the bookes of the old Testament were receiued for the liuely voice of God himselfe and of his sonne Iesus Christ Then followed the Apostolicall Scripture which together with the holy scripture of the old Testament continue in the Church to supply not only the liuely voice of the Apostles but also of God and of Christ himselfe By the premisses it is euident y t it is simply necessary at all times that the liuely voice of God sound euer in the Church of God either by it selfe or by this supply which wee
the Church is one The aduersaries withstand this conclusion and infring it with these arguments First the scripture is not written in mens hearts with the finger of God neither is it the primary voice of God Secondly the scripture is of no antiquity Thirdly it is obscure Fourthly ambiguous c. Bellarmine ads more to these of which ye may read in him They conclude that the voice of the Church is the principall and proper voice of the holy Ghost as he is the Iudge of controuersies Their proofe is this The scripture is written in the heart of the Church with Gods own finger this is the primary voice of God And whatsoeuer excellency wee doe ascribe to the scripture that they attribute to their owne Church which is nothing els but a den of theeues And that the spirit being this great iudge is not bound to one sort of men as those of the Ecclesiasticall function the Pope and Councels as they speak but doth performe this office without all respect of persons in whom and by whom soeuer it seemeth good vnto himselfe this is manifest first for if the holy Ghost be not the Iudge both of the very context of the scripture whether it be Gods word and of the interpretation of scripture if he be not I say in man himselfe assuredly there can be no faith For the spirit only begetteth faith in mans heart Secondly the holy Ghost executeth his other offices freely in by any man therefore so may he this function of iudging What is meant by iudging in the holy Ghost For I demand what els is it to iudge but to inlighten to teach that the scripture is giuen of God by inspiration and that this is the naturall sense of this scripture Thirdly the same we be taught by our experience for we find it true by experience that he doth freely iudge in and by whom it pleaseth him Testimonies of scripture proue also this assertion 1. Cor. 12. 11 And all these things worketh euen the selfe same spirit distributing to euery man seuerallie as he will And Esay 54. All thy children shall be taught of God Ier. 31. I will write my lawes in their harts The aduersaries impugne this truth of God with some argumēts of their owne of which ye may reade in Bellarmine And these men binde the holy Ghost to the Pope and to councels confirmed by him which point our men impugne also refute with many arguments of which this is one that of their conclusion this must be the consequent that the Pope and his councels must be aboue the scriptures which thing is absurd to be graunted See more arguments of this subiect in their disputations CHAP. XVI Of the eight propertie and the tenth controuersie LASTLY we auouch that the sacred scripture is of highest authority excellency and 10. Propertie dignity on the earth Here againe by this word scripture we vnderstand both the substance of it and the writing And here wee meane it hath such excellency as makes it most worthie of credit and whereby also it gaines authority and estimation to the Church For which cause the Church is called the Pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. And it hath many other titles which are giuen to it often in the scriptures This is prooued by the former demonstrations as these The scripture is the word of God it is most perspicuous it is most pure and simple c. Ergo. The aduersaries vary in iudgment touching this authority of Scripture For some of them detract from this soueraigne authority of it affirming that of it selfe it is not authentical but takes authoritie and estimation from the Church Of this minde are these Eckius in Enchiridio Pighius in his booke de Hierarchia and one Hermannus an impudent Papist he with a black mouth auoucheth it that the scripture is of no more validity without the testimony of the Church then AEsops Fables c. Others more late writers and more subtile say that the scripture hath authoritie in and by it selfe and is authentical but not to vs before the church approue it and ascertain it to be so Of this iudgmēt be these Bellarmine Coclaeus Canus Stapleton Canisius c. They which speake thus that the written word of God is not authenticall to vs before the iudgment of the Church be manifested these men I say haue this meaning that we bee not bound to beleeue that the Scriptures bee authenticall before the iudgment of the Church be past of it and that we sinne not at all if wee beleeue them not before the definitiue sentence of the Church But we hold this to be false also to say that the scripture is not to vs authenticall without the authority of the Church For it is the holy Ghost that teacheth euery man to know beleeue that the scripture is authenticall and hath soueraigne authority in it selfe And this he teacheth not by any externall meane How the holy Ghost teacheth vs what authority the scripture hath first but by the very sacred scripture by which alone he properly breeds faith in our hearts to beleeue and apprehend this truth of God And so we resting on this illumination of the holy ghost teaching vs by the scripture that this is the excellencie and authority of the scripture doe beleeue this to be so albeit the whole world did oppose it selfe against vs. And thus farre of the more essentiall questions concerning scripture CHAP. XVII Questions more accidentall concerning the holy Scripture and first of the bookes wherein the same is contained THE first question is concerning the books of holy scripture These bookes are commonly called for the excellency of them The Bible The Bible as it is commonly receiued and caried in hands containes in it two sorts of books the first is of books Canonicall and the second is Apocryphal Regular or Canonicall bookes are such as giue rule and direction touching faith and manners The bookes of Moses are the first Canon or president sent from God First Canon which may not be iudged or tryed by any other externall Canon whatsoeuer For there was no booke extant before the books of Moses The authoritie of the writer so holy and the euidence of the spirit so powerfull and the holinesse of these books to passe by other arguments so great hath gained these books this high estimation and authority in the Church The books of the Prophets make vp the second Canon which bee adiudged canonicall Second Canon by that externall Canon of the Mosaicall books by which they were examined Next they were and are discerned of such as be taught of God inwardly by the holy Ghost by the great euidence of Gods spirit which is manifested in them both in words and matter The third Third Canon Canon are the Apostolical books of the New Testament which are adiudged and approoued as Canonicall partly by the Canonicall books of Moses partly by the
very same iudgment Wherefore it is vncertaine whether Mathew first wrote in Hebrew Syriack or Greeke yet is it more probable that he did first write in Greeke both for that this tongue was not vnknowne to the Iewes and other Apostles first wrote in it not onely to Iewes and Gentiles indifferently but also particularly to the very Iewes * As Saint Iames and Saint Peter 1. Epist Mathew in Hebrue In Catolog in Paul Well howsoeuer it is the Greeke edition which we haue in the Church at this day is authenticall for that it was both written and approoued while the Apostles were yet liuing For as touching the Hebrue edition if there were any I doubt now it can no where be found And as for this Hebrue copie which is in many hands it is not the true copy As concerning the Epistle to the Hebrues Ierom sayth that first it was written in Hebrue next turned into Greek either by Barnabas or Luke or Clement but it is vncertaine and it is more like to be true that this Epistle also was first written in Greeke Howsoeuer it be this Greeke edition of this Epistle which we haue at this day is authenticall Now the New Testament written in Greek by the Apostles and Euangelists hath beene so preserued by the admirable prouidence of God euen in the middest of persecutions and heresies vnto this age and in all former ages so freed and kept by godly and Orthodoxall writers from the corruption of Heretiques the Lord God I say hath so prouided that it is come into our hands most pure and perfect Thus then I reason That edition of the New Testament which was written in the best language and first and originally written in it to wit the Greeke I say the same must be accepted as authenticall of all men But such is the Greeke edition of the New Testament Ergo. The aduersaries except onely against the purity of this edition For albeit some of them the latter and the better learned as Bellarmine doe not say that the Greeke edition of the New Testament is altogether corrupt as some of them haue blasphemed yet they say it is not so pure that they can graunt it to be authenticall because in some places it is corrupt Bellarmine brings forth seuen places whereby he indeuours to prooue this assertion that the Greek edition is corupt and therefore cannot be authenticall The first place is 1. Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heauē But in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latine edition it is the second is from heauen heauenly this reading is approued therfore the Greek edition is corrupt and not authenticall I answer first albeit we read as the Greeke is yet the sense is good and orthodoxall and the same with that which is of the vulgar reading differing in word only and not in matter Secondly the Arabick and Syriack translation so read the place Thirdly the Fathers Chrysostome and Theophylact so reade Fourthly Epiphanius citing * Haereseon 22. 2 all the places which Marcion corrupted yet remembers not this place But saith he Tertullian saith that Marcion * Tert. lib. 5. contra Mar. hath corrupted this place I answer that Tertullian in that booke and place reads these words in the very same manner as we do The Lord from heauen The second place is 1. Cor. 7. 33. He that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wife and the Virgin are distinctly set downe So reads the Greek But the Vulgar thus He that is ioined to a wife careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife and he is diuided but the woman that is vnmaried and the Virgin bethinketh of the things which please the Lord both in body and spirit Wherefore the Greek edition is here corrupted and so can not be authenticall I answere First that the sense which is by the Greek is not only sound but also more fitting in this place then that which is by the Vulgar translation Secondly the Syriack translation so reads these words Thirdly Theophylact the Greek Scholies and Basil so read the words But he sayth that Ierom * Lib. 1. contra Iouinan auoucheth it that this Greek reading is not Apostolicall I answer the same Ierom in another place * Contra Heluidium Eustochium reads these words as we doe wherefore seeing he changeth his mind he is not fit to iudge for this scripture The third place is Ro. 12. 11. seruing the time But the old Latin is seruing the Lord Ergo. I answer First albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye read so the place yet the sense is good and sounde Secondly the reading varies in manie Greeke copies as witnesseth Origens Interpreter who reads the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee noteth it that in many bookes he founde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time the same saith Ambrose who reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruing the time yet saith he in some bookes wee find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord. Thirdly the Syriack Chrysostome Theophylact and Basil read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord which reading wee best like For which cause our Beza translates the word Domino the Lord. The fourth place is Ioh. 8. where in the beginning of that Chap. many Greek copies want the storie of the adulterous woman which the cōmon translation in Latin hath the Church approues it as canonicall I answere First that our Greeke books which we haue and hold for authenticall haue this historie also and our Church receiues it Secondly yet we denie not that this hath beene gainsaid by some and the Syriacke translation hath it not The fift place is Mark. 16. where in many Greeke copies that whole chapter is wanting which notwithstanding the Latine edition retaineth Ergo. I answer first that all our Greeke bookes which we account authenticall haue also this chapter and our churches receiue the same as canonicall Secondly Ierome some-where moues some doubttouching it but to no purpose The sixt place is 1. Ioh. 5. 7. where the seuenth verse which containes a worthie testimonie of the Trinitie in manie Greeke copies is missing but in the vulgar it is retained Ergo. I answer first our Greeke bookes which we hold for authenticall haue this verse and our Church receiues it Secondly we denie not but some haue gainesaid it The seuenth place is Matth. 13. For thine is the kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. power and glorie Amen But this place is not in the vulgar translation Ergo. L. Valla answereth this place is not added to the Greeke but detracted from the Latine and I pray you what hereticall or vnsound matter hath this place Thus we see then the aduersaries cannot proue by these places that the Greeke edition of the new Testament is corrupted and so not
now auouch to be only the sacred Scriptures of the old and new Testament Wherefore we plainly conclude the Scripture is most necessarie The Aduersaries oppose themselues against this assertion as against the former and they denie that the scripture is simply necessarie it is necessary say they that is it is profitable or commodious for the well being of a Church but is not so necessarie for the being nor no such thing as without which the Church can haue no being And for this cause do these men denie the necessitie of the Scripture that they may open the doore to their authoritie and traditions that is to their owne dreames which they say be simply necessary and preferre them before the scripture They are easily answered by the rules before set downe For if by scripture they vnderstand the substance of the scripture it cannot be denied that the scripture is simply necessarie but if they vnderstand not the substance onely but also the verie writing in this respect also we haue shewed it by cleere demonstratiō that the scripture is simply necessarie for that it is vnto vs in place of y e liuely voice of God himselfe Wherfore their assertion is false howsoeuer they take this word Scripture either in this sense or the other But they say the Church wanted the scripture neere two thousand yeares all which time religion was preserued by tradition only Therefore the Scripture is not simply necessarie I answer If you vnderstand by Scripture the verie substance of the couenant then your argument followeth not for the substance of the scripture was in those verie traditions whereby the Church was edified and kept But if by this word ye vnderstand the verie writing then I grant the scripture was not extant so manie yeares and I say that it was not then necessarie for that then the liuely voice of God it selfe was heard If they conclude that because it was not then necessarie therefore it is not now necessarie or that it was not necessarie after that God had commanded it and after that it began to be extant surely the consequence is very euill for as ages and times haue changed so diuers formes of reuelation were necessarie Or we may more briefly set downe this controuersie in this forme THe scripture is necessarie not onely for the well-being as Popish Schoole-men speake but also for the being of the Church Et hactenus est simplex necessitas And this necessitie is in respect of time only for there was not a necessitie of the scripture in all ages I vnderstand The word written not necessary in all ages Heb. 1. 1. 2. by the word Scripture not onely the substance of the written word but also the manner or forme of reuelation but this simple necessitie must bee auouched of the substance and forme of reuelation in diuers respects For the scripture as touching the substance of it was necessarie to the Church in all ages but in respect of the manner of reuealing the same it was necessarie for a certaine time only to wit vntill it seemed good vnto Almightie God to teach his church by the scripture ARG. 1. For the Lord God had not giuen his Church the Scripture if he had not thought it necessarie euū for the being of his Church ARG. 2. The liuely voice of God was necessarie in the time appointed for it ergo the Scripture also is necessary in the time the Lord hath decreed for it for there is but one and the same reason of both ARG. 3. It is necessarie that Gods will be reuealed and communicated to the Church at all times in one forme or other either by Gods own liuely voice or by writing or by both but now the liuely voice of God hath ceased therefore now the word written is necessarie The aduersaries deny this absolute necessitie moued hereunto with these arguments following First from Adam to Moses there was no Scripture Ergo. I answer the Lord God thought it not necessarie for all that time But when as the Lord himselfe began to write and that the 2. Pet. 1. 18. 19. 21. holy men of God were acted and moued by the holie Ghost first Prophets then Apostles then the Scripture began to be necessarie euen simply necessary ARG. 2. From Moses vnto Christ Iob and his friends both beleeued and were saued without the Scripture I answer It is most like these also read the scriptures as may appeare by the Eunuches story Act. 8. Next I answer that so manie as were called without the visible Church God dealt with them in an extraordinary manner ARG. 3. They did more attend the traditions of the Fathers then the written word euen in the second age I answer this is false ARG. 4. In the third age there was no scripture of the new Testament extant for a long season Ergo. I answer the Apostolicall scripture beganne not long after Christ Next all that time I grant it was not necessarie but when the Apostles were dead and when their liuelie voice ceased then began it to be necessary CHAP. XIIII Of the sixt propertie of the Scripture and the eight controuersie THE Scripture is perfect containing in it all things necessarie for faith and manners not onely sufficiently but also abundantly for this is the perfection which heere wee doe auouch The sense then of the Proposition is this This kind of reuelation containes all things c. The proofe is this Argument 1. The liuely voice of God contained all articles or instructions concerning faith and manners Ergo so doth the Scripture The reason of the argument is euident for that nothing in respect of substance was spoken by that liuely voice which is not recorded in the Scripture ARG. 2. If the Scripture contained not all things necessarie perfectly then euill were the condition of our Church and of our time which heareth not the liuely voice of anie man speaking by diuine inspiration nor of any prophet or Apostle ARG. 3. The religious and such as be taught of God haue an holy experience of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and of the fulnesse of it Adde to these arguments these diuine testimonies Deut. 4. Ye shall not ad to the word that I speake c. Reuel 22. If anie shall adde to these things God shall Vers 18. adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke Albeit these sayings are to bee vnderstood properly of particular books yet the same reason serues for all books of the canonicall scripture and surely the reason binds more strongly for if we may not ad to particular books how much lesse is it lawfull to adde to the whole Canon Prou. 30. Thou shalt ad nothing to his words This seemes to be vnderstood of the whole Scripture Matth. 28. Teaching to obserue all things which I commanded you Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you another Gospel or otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you
things false some things fabulous and some things impious Therefore these bookes be not canonicall I proue the Antecedent Tobit 3. 8. and 3. 25. 5. 15. and 11. 12. Iudith 8. 6. and 9. 2. and 9. 13. and 16. 8. Baruch 6. 2. the Additions of Daniel 13. 1. and 14. 32. the Additions to Hester 15. 1. 2 Mach. 2. 1. 7. 8. 27. and 12. 43. and 14. 37. and 15. 39. The 7. ARG. These bookes containe contrarieties and points repugning one another Conferre 1. Mach. 6. 8. with 2. Mach. 1. 16. and 2. Mach. 9. 5. Conferre 1. Mach. 9. 3. and 2. Machab. 10. 1. Conferre 1. Machab. 4. 36. and 2. Mach. 10. 1. Conferre 1. Mach. 6. 17. and 2. Mach. 10. 11. The 8. ARG. is taken from an humane testimonie first of Councels secondly of Fathers the ancient first next the latter writers The Councels which giue canons touching the canonicall bookes and the Apocryphal are these for the most part The Laodicen Councel which was held in the yeere after Christs incarnatiō 300. The 3. Councel of Carthage in the yeere 400. The Trullan in the yeere 600. The Florentine in the yeere 1150. The Tridentine in our age Of these we may reason thus The Laodicen Councell the most ancient here numbred reiects these bookes as Apocryphall See the 59. Canon of that Councell Ergo. But the aduersaries obiect heere that at this time before the third Councell of Carthage the canonicall bookes were not distinctly known I answer first that this councell was not held till foure hundred yeeres after Christ but it is absurd to say that there was no Canon knowne or that the canonicall books were not discerned till this time Ergo. Secondly I answer that Councell was not general but prouinciall But a prouinciall Councell may not prescribe any canon for the Catholike Church Ergo. But they say this Councell was confirmed by that of Trullan I answer that the Laodicen Councell also was approued by this and that the Trullan Councel is reiected by the Papists themselues in manie things Thus far of Councels now for the ancient Fathers they also did reiect these bookes as Apocryphall Ergo. I proue this by an induction 1. Athanasius in his Synopsis 2. Cyril of Ierusalem 3. Hilary Bishop of Pictauia 4. Melito bishop of Sardinia 5. Nazianzen in his poem 6. Hierom in his prologo Galeato which is prefixed before the books of Kings 7. Gregorie the Great 8. Ioseph against Appian 9. Ruffin in the exposition of the Symbole Apostolicall 10. Augustine The aduersaries here except saying But these men haue spoken of the canon of the old Testament of the Hebrues say they not of Christians I answer first as if the Hebrues had one canon the Christians another Secondly they did approue that very canon of the Hebrues But it may be say they that then peraduēture there was no Canon known or determined of by the Church I answer and I demand then when was this decreed and in what Councell was this done in the Councell of Trent but this is too late for this Councell was euen in our age Was it decreed in the Florentine Councell that is but little elder Was this Canon agreed vpon in the third Councell of Carthage But that Councell 1. was but prouinciall 2. and this is reiected of the very Papists themselues in some things as in the canon of the high Priest which in number is the 26. They will say this Councell was confirmed by the Trullan Councell I answer 1. So was the Laodicen 2. So the canon was concluded or established later to wit in the yeare of Christ 400. 3. The Trullan Councell is reiected in many things of the verie Papists 4. After the Trullan Councell there were Fathers which would not receiue the Apocryphall bookes And so now let vs come to the second classe of Fathers that is to the latter Writers Heere then I reason thus The late Writers doe not reckon these bookes among the Canonicall Ergo. This I proue by an induction * Lib. de Officiis Isidore Iohn Damascen Nicephorus Leontius Rabanus Maurus Radulphus Lyranus Carthusianus Abulensis Antoninus Hugo Cardinalis Erasmus in some of his writings Cardinall Caietanus All these were after the Trullan Councell yea some of them were reputed for sonnes by the Church of Rome after the Florentine Councell By these testimonies first of Councels next of Fathers it is euident that none of these bookes was accepted for Canonicall in anie lawfull iudgment for if there had beene anie such matter so manie ancient and late Writers would no doubt haue so acknowledged Wherefore these bookes are Apocryphall and so to be accounted The aduersaries for their defence alleage also humane testimonies and this in a manner is all they can say They cite the Councels before named as the third of Carthage the Trullan Florentine and the Councell of Trent But we reiect the two latter as tyrannicall and congregate purposely to oppresse the truth and light of God And touching the Trullan and the third Councel of Carthage we haue set downe our iudgment And as for Fathers they bring forth for this matter principally the Popes themselues as Pope Innocentius and Gelasius and Augustine in some place But I answer that they cannot bring so many as we can nor so ancient for themselues Secondly when these Fathers which they name call these bookes canonicall which we reiect as Apocryphall they take the name of Canonicall bookes more largely then we to wit for bookes which haue some such sanctity as in prophane Writers cannot be found and they call them so not for that they meane that they are of like authoritie with the Canonicall bookes of Scripture And we denie not but that in many of these such holinesse may appeare as cannot be found in the bookes of prophane authours And thus farre of the Apocryphall bookes CHAP. XVIII Of the authenticall Edition of the Bible WHereas there be extant many Editions of the Bible in diuers languages as the Hebrue Greek and Latine other proper tongues it is a question which of these must be reputed for authenticall I answer the Hebrue edition of the old and the Greek of the new Testament is authenticall so must be accounted so that all things are to be determined by these all other editions must be approoued so far as they agree with these Wee will therefore first speake of the Hebrue edition of the old Testament we auouch then that the Hebrue edition of the old testament is authenticall This proposition shall haue his confirmation after we haue giuen a short preface touching the Hebrue tongue and the writing of the old testament in that language and the preseruation of these bookes of the old testament written in the Hebrue tongue to this day The Hebrue tongue was the first and the * The Hebrue tongue onely before the floud Gen. 11. 1. only language on earth to the floud and to the building of the tower