most stinking and obscure prison hee remained seuen yeeres in the Towne of Valladolid where as all the world knowes hee vnderwent great troubles afflictions and torments because hee vttered in a Sermon a Proposition that was not pleasing to the Pope of Rome though it was but Christian and true whereof peraduenture wee will intreate more at large in another booke Now it remaines we only obserue how the sacred Scriptures are not prohibited the faithfull to containe them within a certaine moderation and gouernement because this impertinent and seuere prohibition as the Papists themselues well knowe is a cause of greater and more pernicious Inconueniences And who can bee so credulous as to beleeue that to make bad men good they must needes depriue them of the holy Bible which is the onely Instrument to make them good when they freely permit dishonest and immodest bookes which are the proper Instruments of sinne and impietie Surely hee cannot but bee a foole that beleeues this But let vs grant that they who tooke from the vulgar the vse and reading of the Scriptures pretended herein to remooue occasion and meanes of breeding errours yet when long experience had taught them that Inci erunt in scillam cupientes vitare Caribdim which is that studying to preuent one preiudice they brought in a thousand seeing through default of the holy Scriptures profane bookes crept in why I say Dato vno absurdo miltae sequuntur did they not labour to suppresse so pernicious a pâ—ague by restoring them and excluding the other seeing naturall reason informes vs that of two necessary euils we should euer imbrace the least how much more in that the holy Scriptures are good of themselues and remote from all euill There is no doubt but if that prohibition simply aymed at the good and benefit of the faithful they would haue beene so but there 's all the matter in that they do not so much seeke the profit and benefit of the faithfull but rather their owne particular ends and interests the which consists mainely inconcealing from the people the knowledge of trueth which they might attayne vnto by meanes of the holy Scriptures and that they should not seeke and affect to vnderstand it they haue alwayes entertained them with the scumme and dregges of idle and profane bookes the reading whereof is not onely frankely permitted them but further it is a cause that opposite to the willes and desires of good men they are perused and read ouer by all of which amongst others the former mentioned Father Ioseph complaines in these wordes Fr. Ioseph ibid. fol. 796. The abusiue and poysonable practise of euill bookes allowed of in Spaine from whence the greatest part of corrupt customes proceedes comes not from the allowance and toleration of the Lawes nor from the King because they haue ordained sufficient remedies against this dammage and preiudice but rather from the negligence and carelesnesse of Iudges both Secular and Ecclesiasticall in executing such iust and good Lawes and they whom this most of all did concerne were the Bishops and Prelats of the Church who being to giue daily notice hereof to Kings and temporal Lords that they might helpe and ioyne together for the banishing out of the Commonwealth these fountains of pollution and vncleannesse they did not only not do it but Kings Princes exhorting them to purge and cleanse the Kingdome of this letiferous poyson they yet liue and perseuere in the same with most pernicious carelesnesse and forgetfulnesse not with out speciall and singular danger to their owne consciences and the soules of their poore subiects A little after the same Authour sayes it is a lamentable pitie that so many sage and wise considerations hauing bene entred into to establish these iust Lawes which was to remooue out of their Studies and Libraries these hurtfull bookes so many Petitions preferred by the Sollicitors of the Kingdome so many meetings and consultations with the Lords of the Counsell with such a number of manifestations written and published touching the Kinggs pleasure in this behalfe it could neuer bee once put in execution the vrgent necessitie of this execution being so materiall and important what shall wee say to this but onely that the Pope Bishops and Fathers of the Faith conniue at this perdition seeing neither the King nor the whole Kingdome can so far preuaile with them as to execute such iust behoofefull and beneficiall Lawes in all other respects they being so sedulous industrious and circumspect in purging as they say the bookes and writings of the holy Doctors of the Church not exempting herein the Scriptures diuine as appeares in a publisht booke called Index expurgatorius All this wee haue produced by reason of that which Father Granada sayes he heard from an Inquisitor and hee himselfe alleadgeth it to shew the great dammage that proceedes from bookes of corrupt doctrine and instruction and the inexplicable emolument profit deriuing from bookes of good and vertuous Argument it now remaines that we should conclude and shut vp this discourse with the very words which the same Granada vseth in the finishing of his discourse Lawes and iust Tribunalls looke not so much vpon particulars as to generalls that is to say not what may happen to particular persons but what generally concerneth the good of all who in no reason ought to perish through the abuse and disorder of some neither in like manner doe they aime at the particular preiudice which things procure if the generall benefits bee greater then the preiudices as we may perceiue in Nauigation at Sea for if the dammages of shipwracke be great and important yet the benefits of Nauigation are farre greater These are the principall reasons which our Aduersaries produce against the publicke vse and reading of the holy Scriptures the rest are so weake and friuolous as they deserue not to haue any more time spent in propounding them for that would bee as much as to refute them and so the time wee should spend in them will be better gain'd in setting downe two reasons which besides the other before alleadged shew plainely to our view and as it were with the pointing of a finger that the Pope depriues not the vulgar of the Bible to doe them good but rather to auoyd and shunne his owne precipice with which wee will close and shut vp this Treatise The first reason is because as Father Luys de Granada sayes all the studie and care of our capitall enemie is Granada en el preambulo de la 2. parte de la introduceion del Symbole to bereaue vs of this light of the word of God and hee confirmes it thus The first thing the Philistines performed when they had Sampson in their power was to plucke out his eyes and when they had done this they found no difficultie in doing whatsoeuer else they meant to lay vpon him euen to the making of him grinde in a Mill. And this Authour addes of the same
which are alleadged by the Spanish Authors cited in the Margin Blessed saith the Psalmograph are they who diligently meditate vpon diuine Scriptures To know God by the testimony of them Reade and search saith Christ our Lord the Scriptures for they testifie of mee Hereunto alludes that of Deuteronomie Aluarado toâ—â— primero del arte de bien viuir fol. 1091. Chap. 22. Aske thy father and hee will declare vnto thee thy Ancestors and they will tell thee For as Father Serpi cloquently teacheth The writings and Scriptures whence wee should knowe and learne are no other then the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles whose Bookes wee all enioy And to these saith S. Paul Serpi en el tratade â—e Purgatorio pag. 1. as Father Serpi obserueth this saying wee must approach to gather learning and profit from them But that of Moyses transcendeth all these testimonies as Father Luys de Granada noteth as the most Illustrious and pregnant one Granada en el preambulo de la 2. P. de la introduâ—â—ion del Symbelo to conuince all vnderstandings who hauing propounded and declared the Law of God saith on this wise These words which I now set before thee shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt teach them to thy children and shult thinke of them when thou art in thy house and when thou iournyest when thou goest to bed and when thou risest vp againe thou shalt fasten them as a signet to thy hand and they shall bee and mooue before thine eyes and thou shalt write them in the galleries and portals of thy house With what other words wee may say with Granada could the consideration and studie of the Law haue been better exemplified and as if all this had been little in the 11. Chapter of the same Booke hee againe recommends it to vs in the selfe same words a thing which seldome happens in the Scripture so great was the care of this heauenly man who spake with God face to face desired wee should haue to be assiduous in the Law of God as who well vnderstood how much wee were bound so to doe and the inestimable fruits and benefits that would follow of it The same God that without making difference of Sexe age or qualitie enioyned all to reade the sacred Scripture did likewise ordaine that it should be diuulged in all languages that all might haue the fruition of it Leon en el prologo de los nombres de Christo So doth the learned Father Luys de Leon confesse it in these words That God compiled the holy Scriptures with very plaine words and in a language which was vulgar and familiar to them to whom hee first gaue them And when froÌ„ them together with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ this treasure was transferred and communicated to the Gentiles hee caused them to bee explicated into diuers tongues and almost into all those which at that time were most generall and common that they might bee obuious and familiar vnto all And to ratifie the trueth hereof wee reade that S. Hierome translated it into his mother tongue Prades en el prologo de la adoration delas imagines which was the Dalmatique And Iohn Chrysostome into the Armenique tongue Vlphilas a Gotish Bishop into the Gotish tongue as Doctor Prades relateth of all the three Iohn Prelate of Seuill translated it into the Arabique as Father Mariana storieth who saith that the said Prelate did it with intendment to promote the increase of all Christians Mariana en la historia de Espanua lib. 7. ca. 3. tomo primero and helpe the Mores for that the Arabique tongue was of ordinary vse among all And hee addeth that there are some copies of this translation which haue been propagated to our times being yet extant in some places of Spaine And the same Mariana saith that the King D. Alonso the tenth Idem ibidem lib. 14. cap. 7. procured the holy Books of the Bible to be translated into Spanish Would to God the most mighty Philip the fourth would command the like worke now Holy Scripture hath been imprinted many other times in the Spanish tongue and sometime in the Valentian tongue as the reader may see in the exhortation which the most learned and religious Cypriano de Valera made inducing to reade it which accompanieth the version which hee with great labour and studie made and caused to bee imprinted which is the last time that I knowe it hath been printed in our tongue I would it might please God that it were turned into all languages as also into our Spanish he in whose hands are the hearts of Kings can mooue the Catholike Kings to permit vnto our Countrey men the Spaniards the fruition of this inualuable treasure for the foresaid pious Gentleman for the good of our Nation imployed twenty whole yeeres labour in the said translation which in the iudgement of all the learned is a very excellent one Also the trueth of the former proposition appeareth to wit that all the faithfull are obliged to reade and ruminate the holy Scripture in that the holy Doctors and ancient Fathers exhortes all thereunto Puente en la guia espiritual fol. 291. Prades en el prologo de la historia de la adâ—racion de las imagines Father Puente doth clearely teach this as you may see in the place quoted in the Margent So likewise Father Prades doeth openly confesse it though hee adde that notwithstanding this the Catholike Church to wit the Romane did prudently and holily in prohibiting the vulgar to reade the Scripture that you may see how the Papists esteemed the authoritie of the holy Doctors when they speake which they oft doe against their errours and tyrannies Granada en el preambulo de la 2. part de la introduecion del Symbolo Luys de Granada approoues our proposition and in proofe of it alleageth that which S. Hierom wrote to a Virgin by name Demetria recommending to her the reading of sacred Scripture Hiero. ad Demet and giues the same aduice to S. Paula and yeelds this reason of it that the true nourishment of the soule is to meditate day and night on the Law of the Lord and S. Bernard writing to his sister perswades her to this study Bernard ad soreremde modo bene viuendi c. 50. declaring vnto her particularly the fruits and effects of this good reading And S. Paul counselleth his disciple Timothie who was full of the holy Ghost that till hee came hee should bee exercised in reading the holy Scripture which Timothie had learned from a childe Father Torres is of the same minde with Granada Torres lib. 25. ca. 2. de la Philosophia de Principes and brings to ratifie his opinion almost the selfe same examples and testimonies which the other did and addes that S. Fulgentius recommends the foresaid study of Diuine Scripture vnto Theodoret the Senator Fulgent epist 6. ad E. Of S. Hierome
people it is written that they were very carefull and vigilant to procure that there might bee no Forges amongst the people of Israel but that hauing neede of any such things they should repaire vnto their Countrey to haue them and to make vse of their Forges because the people of Israel by this meanes remaining vnfurnished and disarmed they might the more easily suppresse and ouercome them With the same Authour therefore wee may demaund what bee the Armes of a Christian warfare but the Word of God and still with the same Authour wee perseuere and say our enemies in many parts haue stript and bereaued vs of these Armes and in stead of them left vnto vs the bookes of their hatred and malice which are obscene and profane bookes instigators vnto vice all which they doe that the people hereby remayning disarmed they might ceaze vpon them and dispose of them and their occasions according to their owne willes and pleasures imitating herein that sacrilegious and abominable King Antiochus who commanded the bookes of Gods Law to be torne in pieces and burnt and to kill any one in whose hands at any time they were found Pacheco 〈◊〉 discursos fol. 732. This he did because as Father Pacheco obserues the wicked man saw that for his wicked dessignes and intentions it was a behoofefull thing to extingush and suppresse the sacred bookes And this and no other is the liuely reason why the Pope and the Inquisitors so expresly prohibit them and take away the liues of such faithfull men that desire to reade them in their owne tongue like another Antiochus This Lye you may reade in Fonseca en la segunda parte del tratado del amor de Dios cap. 2. and in fr. Luys de Granada en el preambulo de la 2. parte de la introduccion doing as hee did which most impudently and falsely they would put vpon and applie vnto Henry the eighth King of England affirming that hee tooke from religious men the holy Bookes knowing that the reading of them was as powerfull and trenchant Armes Vndoubtedly if I shall expresse what I haue by experience found true in this most noble and flourishing Kingdome of England about this particular it will bee wonderfull different and contrary to that which we see dayly practised at this day in all gouernments liuing vnder the obedience of the Romane Church For whereas there vpon grieuous and cruell penalties the common people are prohibited the reading of the sacred Scriptures because the Pope and the rest of the Prelates know well that they would finde matter enough in them wherewith to conuince and condemne their false doctrines here all faithfull and Christian men are exhorted to reade and meditate on them nay they are sharpely rebuked if they doe not so For here neither the Bishops nor other Prelates and Ministers of the Church haue any feare least the people should finde their condemnation whereas in other places this Diuine light of the holy Bookes is banisht as Father Granada complaynes and laments Granada ibid but in this Realme it shines and lightens in the most hidden and sesecret corners thereof There Prelates are destitute of all knowledge yea in so grosse a manner as that some of them neuer so much as sawe the Bible en c. 6. as Father Estella complaines but here there is scant a childe of a dozen yeeres olde who hath not read and read it often In other kingdomes many of the Pastours doe not vnderstand the Diuine writings and which is more they contemne them or at least seeme to make of them but a light and slender esteeme neither doe they retaine any good opinion of those that doe vnderstand them as most learned Doctor Leon affirmes Leon enel prolego de los nombres de Christo Here all Pastors in generall but especially the most reuerend Bishops are verie conuersant in the same studie of Diuine bookes euery one highly esteeming to studie and vnderstand them and hee is reputed but a bad Christian and a worse Pastour that doeth otherwise And finally in those parts like wicked Antiochus they put those Seculars to death that read the holy Scripture but here like religious and zealous Christians they commend and remunerate such as reade them This because it is well knowne to all I doe not here particularly specifie in any large relation because experience hath taught mee the trueth thereof From whence I gather that what the Papists faigne and deuise of Henry the eight is an infernall lye forged by themselues for how can it stand with any reason that to bring in a Religion that approoues nothing more in the faithfull then the reading of the holy Scriptures Henry the eight should prohibite them and therefore what they falsely father vpon Henry the eight rather may bee applied to the Romane Church where the Scriptures are forbidden vpon paine of death for no other ende but the same for which Antiochus the Great supprest and forbade the Booke of God The second reason which sheweth that the Pope forbiddeth the Scriptures not so much for the peoples good as to shunne his owne shame is this ensuing The Pope of Rome knowing that it hath euer beene a commendable custome in the Christian Church that publike Readers should daily impart to all the people the reading of the Prophets and other bookes of the holy Scripture and that in a Tongue which they vnderstood as may be collected out of S. Ambrose vpon the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians and Doctor Sandoual well notes it Sandonal en il tratado deloficio Ecclesiastico pag. 12. as wee shall shew by and by and withall perceiuing on the one part that he could not quite put downe this good custome and without apparent scandall and on the other side considering that if the reading of the Scripture were continued to be permitted in the vulgar tongue his tyrannicall Empire would soone fall to the ground because it is impossible that one should reade or heare read the holy Scripture but he must discerne the falshood of the Popes doctrine hereupon hee craftily deuised a middle way to effect his purpose which was as wee haue said principally to conceale his owne shame more then to effect the good of the people First hee ordained indeed that the Scripture should be read to the people and thus farre hee cunningly cumplied with the ancient Christian Church and by this meanes subtilly cast a vaile and mist ouer his treacherie but secondly hee so ordained reading of the Scripture with such a limitation and checke that in effect though the vulgar cannot discerne it hee vtterly ouerthrowes the practise of the ancient Christian Church while he restraines the reading of it to a tongue not vnderstood vulgarly that is to the Latine onely which what is it else in effect then not to haue it read at all and if so it is then most apparent that the peoples vnderstandings are depriued of an inualuable benefit
Father Gusman recordeth that he wrote to a Father and in another place to a mother Guzman en su libro de los bienes del Innesto trabajo fol 24 that they should enure their daughters to reade and vnderstand the holy Scripture Gregorie Nazianzene saith Father Reynosa aduised out of his great experience Ad laetan de institutione filiae that the Bible should neuer part out of the heart nor out of the mouth Reynosa fol. 87. del maestro Christiano nor out of the vnderstanding nor out of the tongue by reason of the admirable benefits which redounded from the assiduous vse of it S. Chrysostome amongst all the rest of the Fathers is very admirable in this point and particularly in his third Sermon that hee made of Lazarus where he answereth to all the obiections that the Papists at this day make against the free and vulgar vse of the Bible The Reader may please to peruse the Exhortation which most learned and godly Cypriano de Valera made to perswade men to reade continually the holy Scriptures where hee shall find the maine and principall summe collected of whatsoeuer S. Chrysostome deliuers in that place Besides that formerly deliuered we doe prooue the precise necessitie and obligation wherein all the faithfull stand bound to reade the holy Scriptures because in the Primitiue Church and many ages after all sorts of people did so and it was counted a great offence not to reade them and that this reading was very behoouefull and profitable for them the most learned Doctor Leon affirmes most clearely saying Leon en el Prologo de los nombres de Christo In the first ages of the Primitiue Church and many yeeres after it was esteemed a great fault in the faithfull not to be often conuersant in the perusing and reading of the Diuine Bookes and Ecclesiasticall men and those whom we call Secular both learned and vnlearned for this reason treated so much of this exercise and study that the carefulnesse herein of the vulgar sort stirred vp in Bishops and Prelates a greater study and practise in the same who ordinarily in their Churches in a manner euery day expounded the sacred Scriptures to the people because the particular reading of them by euery one in their houses by the light of that publike doctrine being illuminated and gouerned as it were by their Masters and Teachers voice might be free from errour and be a cause of the greater and more important benefit which in very deed was so great as that order and gouernment was religious and zealous and the fruit was answerable to their sowing of the seede And Master Prades confesseth as much in this point as Leon in these words In ancient times the holy Scriptures were propounded to the people in the vulgar tongue that so all sorts of people might reade them the which was very profitable and as such approoued of many holy and very learned men That the said Reading of the holy Scriptures prooued very profitable Prades en el Prologo de la adoracion de las imagines many Spanish writers affirme and confesse but amongst all therest Father Torres auerres the same admirably with wonderfull examples of many who were cur'd and reform'd by the same The which I will heere expresse and set downe with all possible breuitie Torres lib. 25. de la Philosophia de Principes Cap. 2. that the propounded veritie may more euidently appeare The first example produced by Torres is of the Eunuch seruant to Candaces Queene of Ethiopia who by the meanes of reading the Prophet Esaias attain'd to the knowledge of Christian veritie The second is of S. Eugenia who desiring to be assur'd of the infallible knowledge of her saluation the Epistles of S. Paul came to her hands this would not haue happened to her if shee had beene in Spaine vpon the doctrine whereof she considering and meditating she in such sort grew to discouer the falsities and deceits of the Gentiles and the veritie of Christian wisedome that she was not onely conuerted to the faith and beliefe of our Lord but further shee was martyred in defence and for the confession of the same The third example that he propoundeth is of that illustrious Domina who was a Martyr of Iesus Christ who being a Gentile no lesse prudent then honourable and being brought vp in the Palace of the Emperour Maximian by chance she met with a booke of the same Epistles and with the History written by S. Luke of the Acts of the Apostles in whose doctrine she discouered the errors of Infidelitie and so becomming a Christian shee embraced a cruell death to keepe possession of that shee had vndertaken To the former examples he addes this other of that most illuminated S. Augustine who being plunged in a thousand doubts and ambiguities it was said vnto him Tolle lege Take and reade and hee obeying this voice not knowing from whom or whence it came hee tooke the Epistles of the Apostle and opening them the first which presented themselues to him were those wordes written to the Romanes Chap. 13. Not in eating and drunkennesse but put yee on our Lord Iesus Christ c. And these reasons so farre preuailed with him that presently abjuring his heresie hee was conuerted to the Lord. The last example propounded by this Author is incomparably beyond all the rest and sufficient to mooue vs neuer to be without the holy Scriptures in our hands which is the same of the most holy Virgine the Mother of him that is Lord of heauen and earth who at the same time when she felt in her sacred entrailes the most diuine mysterie of the Incarnation by the comming of the Angel S. Ambrose sayes that shee was reading and meditating on the Prophesie of Esaias Chap. 7. Ambros lib. 2. in Luc. cap. 1. Ecce Virgo concipiet pariet filium c. whereunto Torres addes That wee may conceiue how the reading of the holy Scriptures was a singular preparation for the receiuing of such a fauour and grace the which he confirmes and this renowmed S. Augustine obserues in the blessed Virgine amongst whose many excellencies hee specifies one namely that she was very well read and conuersant in the Prophets Many other examples the same Father Torres mentions which heere I omit to auoid prolixitie and because these aboue declared euidently demonstrate that the vse and reading of the holy Scriptures hath euer beene common and commendable in all the faithfull and that the perusing of them hath brought foorth wonderfull effects which is the same we aimed at in the beginning and which for more efficacie we now briefly confirme by the example of S. Gertrudis with whom if wee may beleeue the Papists blasphemous fiction our Lord did marrie and moreouer that our Sauiour Christ sayd Masse on the day of his nuptials that they might be the more solemne and authenticall For this blessed Nunne is wonderfully exalted by Master Granada
temptations of our enemies doe send vs to holy Scripture thence to take weapons wherewith to fortifie vs and withstand them because it is the armour of the Christian warrefare that to it all the faithfull should repaire because all are obnoxious to temptations and that if the Pope dispoile the common people of these diuine weapons it is that he may warre against them and sell them at his pleasure whereof I will elsewhere discourse In confirmation of the precedent Argument I thought good to prooue more at large the sufficiencie of the sacred Scripture in all things necessary to our saluation that it may appeare the better that its worthy to be frequently conuersed in by all seeing it compriseth all that is necessary to all The holy Scripture containeth all things whatsoeuer is necessary for Saluation DOctor Aluarado clearely teacheth this truth Aluarado tomo primero delarie de bien Viuir fol. 454. who when hee affirmed that God had constituted in the Church the necessary and fit meanes to obtaine the same and these meanes are reduced to seuen speciall heads hee sets them downe in order saying The first is true faith and the knowledge of the true God and our Mediatour and Redeemer Iesus Christ The second meanes is his holy Law which comprehends all the commandements of things requisite and necessary to enter into eternall life and all the instructions which may assist vs to attaine vnto it with security and perfection The third is Religion and the sincere worship of God with such externall rites and ceremonies as are belonging to God The fourth meane are the Sacraments The fift are seuen rare and excellent vertues faith hope charity prudence iustice fortitude and temperance together with seuen speciall gifts and endowments of the holy Ghost The fixt is internall doctrine and the light of inspiration and illustration from the holy Ghost and for the exterior it must proceed from learned Masters and Doctors who both by example and doctrine teach whatsoeuer is expedient to bee knowen or vnderstood for to rayse soules vp to heauen The seuenth meane is the diuine and sacred Scriptures wherein are reuealed all things by vs formerly mentioned Whatsoeuer hath beene deliuered comes from this Authour who though he were a blacke Monke by Order and profession yet heerein he hit the white of Christian verity and truth and of the sufficiencie and validity of the holy Scriptures As also Father Torres Teetino which is a lesuite deliuered this trueth I te atino which in Spanish signifies as much as I embrace this trueth when he said that S. Paul referred Timothie to the Scriptures wherein he might learne whatsoeuer was fit and conuenient for him the which if the Pope would preach and teach to his disciples and followers all those traditions which hee sels vnto vs for necessary faith and are not to be found in the Scripture would be superfluous and of no moment at all For if in the Scriptures wee meete with all things necessary there is nothing out of them that can be esteemed necessary As a philosophicall Axiom plainely prooues which sayes qui totum dicit nihil excludit Brauo en la Vigilia magna fol. 78. Doctor Brauo manifestly acknowledgeth the former truth propounded in these words The holy Scripture is a glasse wherein a man may clearly perspicuously discerne whatsoeuer is requisite in an humane life for the true seruice and worship of God But beyond all these Authors Father Puente is admirable vpon this subiect as in other arguments Puente toro 3. de la terfecion fol. 711. so in this more especially against the Church of Rome for not in one but in many places he auers and prooues this veritie with words very significant and most preualent reasons I meane not here to set downe all that I haue read and obserued throughout his bookes about this particular point in that I would not willingly be prolix as also because I conceiue that what I shall hereunder mention will be more then sufficient And in the New Testament he first saith that all the Law Euangelicall was fully declared Whereupon it must needes of necessitie ensue that in the New Testament is comprehended whatsoeuer is necessary for saluation For of this there is no doubt to be made but that the Law of the Gospel is sufficient in it selfe to saluation This Author in another place saies Idem en la guia espiritual fol. 291. The sacred Scripture is the clearest glasse where we may best see and behold those countenances which we haue set downe that is to say the glorious countenance of God that of our Sauiour Iesus Christ then our owne Because in the same are reuealed all those vertues which appertaine to the perfect knowledge of these three things Moreouer it prescribes vs remedies against vices armes against temptations aduice and resolution in doubts consolation in sorrow ease and relaxation from labours and troubles and due Meanes whereby to attaine to the perfection of all vertues For as S. Dionysius saith that is the table which diuine wisedome placed in the Church plentifully furnished with Bread and Wine For on the same is set the bread of life and of vnderstanding which are the solid and firme truthes from whence the vertues take their life and essence and the knowledge of things eternall as also there is the wine of ardent and zealous affections mingled with the water of wholsome knowledge to giue saluation vigor and ioy vnto the heart It is the Pantry of the King of Heauen and the Cellar of his most precious wines whereinto hee brings his elect and there he quencheth the hunger and thirst they haue of Righteousnesse It is an open shoppe full of medicines for all maner of spirituall infirmities and a tower like that of Dauid replenished with all manner of armes against euery kinde of temptation For in that it is a table full of delicates Psal 22. it is placed as Dauid speakes to defend vs against those that vex and persecute vs. For which cause S. Paul said that all Scripture inspired from God 2. Tim. cap. 3. is profitable to instruct to conuince correct and inable to euery good worke that euery man of God may be perfect and well instructed in euery good worke as if hee had said It is very effectually to teach vs necessary trueth for our saluation and to conuince such enemies who with false and colourable reasons pretend and seeke to deceiue vs and to correct our vices and exorbitances and to fortifie vs in the exercise of vertue and good works that so we may attaine to that perfection whereunto wee are called and to the end thereof which is eternall life which is said to bee found in the holy Scriptures which manifest him who is our eternall life and the meanes left vnto vs to purchase him All this aboue mentioned is set downe by Father Puente the which though in it selfe it be much yet is
no lesse which the Lords Inquisitors know well enough and yet notwithstanding all this they permit vnto all and except none the reading of such bookes but to reade the word of God in secular men they repute it for a crime worthy of death and as an offence of that nature they punish it This very Author sayes further That in those bookes there are not onely found many violent instigations to vice but also masters and skilfull pedagogues who teach and instruct how to attempt and prosecute them yea which is more they make a bed for heresies But this last though it be infallibly true he confirmes with a very grosse and explodible lie speaking thus When impious Luther saith hee began to disperse his poyson in Germanie Sathan being desirous to bring into France likewise this heresie when he found so maine a resistance in that most Christian kingdome he laboured with subtill policie to haue the Fables of Amadis of Gaule translated into French that they might infect and taint the minds of Noble people they being best read and most curious in reading and to prepare them for the embracing of heresies and so by the tickling delight of lasciuious loues of fabulous feats of Armes and magicall Incantations the mindes of men in a small time were so poisoned and defiled that no discourse passed among ingenious and curious people but of matters ridiculous and fabulous And that when the deuils ministers perceiued how this Translation was so well receiued and entertained they returne againe to sow abroad other dreames and Fables translating daily more immodest and fabulous bookes which did so obfuscate and darken young wits and so notably polluted and stained their willes that men retir'd themselues from the reading of good books and diuine Histories and euen the Name of Christ came to be lesse called vpon Thus farre extend the words of that Author wherein first matter is ministred to vs of no slender laughter in his imputing to the Protestants of France whom hee calls heretickes that which iustly at this day may be rather imposed on the Papists and those practises currant and in vse amongst them as the same Author himselfe complaines together with many others and dayly proofes and trials would informe vs though they had beene silent For who is ignorant that in the Papacie diuine Histories are exil'd and banisht and prophane and fabulous Romances brought in in their stead No man there mentions the calling on the Name of Christ but vpon some image of stone or wood of his Mother or some other Saint And who knowes not that throughout all the reformed Churches they are conuersant generally in reading freely the holy Scriptures and that onely the sacred Name of Christ is in euery place and of all men called vpon and therefore in this respect the Pope and the Inquisitors prosecute them with fire and sword endeauouring that those Saints by them canoniz'd should bee prayed vnto and Christs holy Name quite and cleane forgotten But leauing this for another place let it be lawfull for vs once more to demand of the Papists What is the reason that they vnderstanding how these fantasticall and idle bookes brought so much detriment and hurt to the faithfull in France that as wise men whose propertie it is as wee say in our Spanish tongue Escarmentar en cabeca agena To bee afraid by other mens harmes they doe not banish out of the Papacie the originall and cause of so many euils yet this they not onely not doe but euery day they bring in and multiply these brutish and sordide bookes For labouring so industriously and studiously to remooue out of Spaine the holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongue the same being reuealed by God neither conteining so much as one letter that iustly demerits either blame or reprehension but being written onely and wholly for our instruction and benefite wherefore I say vsing such rigor and seueritie to this diuine Booke doe they indifferently and generally permit all men to reade an infinite number of base and pernicious bookes replenisht and stufft with blaspheraies and implying many Heresies whereunto they attract and drawe the most godly and zealous as our Aduersaries themselues frankly confesse and acknowledge Till our Aduersaries giue a full answere to this demand it will not bee altogether vnfit here to set downe what learned Doctor Leon saith after hee hath complained that one of the greatest calamities of our times was that men are growen to such an inclination and disposition hee speakes of the Papists and more particularly of the Spaniards that the holy Scriptures which at other times were wont to be a cure and remedy Leon en el prologo de lot nombres de Christo are become an infectious poyson for this preiudice he sayes they haue wrought that by the presumption and pride of the vulgar they haue made the reading of the Scriptures vnprofitable for them and so another discommoditie ensues I cannot tell whether I may iustly say a worser for they betake themselues without any bridle or restraint to the reading of many bookes not onely vaine and friuoulous but importantly obnoxious and hurtfull the which as by the Art of the deuill haue in number encreast more in our age then any other for want of such as were good and vertuous and the same hath happened to vs as many times it doth with the earth which when it cannot bring forth corne it produceth thornes and I affirme that this second dammage doth in some sort surmount the other because in the sacred Scriptures men onely lose a great Instrument and meanes to be good but in these profane Authors they finde the occasions to be euill and wicked for in the first onely the Rudder and Sterne of good gouernment is taken away and in the other fomentation and nourishment is exhibited to vices For as S. Paul alleadgeth euill wordes corrupt good manners and an obscene and vnpure booke which is dayly before the eyes of him that reades it what will it not effect or how is it possible hee should bee cleare from grosse and vnwholsoâ—e blood that is maintained with nothing but corruption and poyson And in trueth if wee doe but intentiuely obserue it and bee iust and vpright iudges wee cannot but giue sentence that the greatest part of our deprau'd and debausht customes which wee dayly see and meete withall proceedes from the continuall reading of these profane and scurrillous bookes with a relish of Gentilisme and Insidelitie which those that are Zealous of Gods seruice finde in them and I knowe not whether in any age amongst Christian people a greater plague hath been prooued In my iudgement the beginning the roote and the absolute originall of these euils consists in these bookes This and much more the same famous Doctor writ vpon this particular and questionlesse would haue spoken much more and farre more significantly had it not been for that same cruell barbarous and inhumane Inquisition of Spaine in which