AN ANSWERE TO TEN friuolous and foolish reasons set downe by the Rhemish Iesuits and Papists in their Preface before the new Testament by them lately translated into English which haue mooued them to forsake the originall fountaine of the Greeke wherein the Spirit of God did indite the Gospell and the holie Apostles did write it to follow the streame of the Latin translation translated we know not when nor by whom With a discouerie of many great Corruptions and faults in the said English Translation set out at Rhemes By E. B. 1. Thess 5. Prooue all things hold that which is good abstaine from all apparance of euill Hieronimus lib. 1. aduersus Pelagianos Quaeso vt patienter audias non enim de aduersario victoriam sed contra mendacium quaerimus veritatem that is I pray thee patiently to heare for we seeke not victorie of an aduersarie but truth against a lie LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1588 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sir FRANCIS WALSINGAM Knight Cheefe Secretarie to hir Maiestie and Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lankaster grace mercie and peace from God our Father and from Iesus Christ our Sauior THe word of God being the immortall seed wherby we be conceiued and borne againe to be the children of Gods mercie and heires of his glorie the pure milke that doth nourish vs being infants the bread that doth feed vs being growen greater in Christ Iesus the light and lanterne that leadeth vs to walke in Gods waies the sword of Gods spirit to defend vs against the assaults of Satan And finallie the hammer which beateth downe euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God it is no maruell Right Honorable if Satan the enimie of our saluation haue in all times diligentlie indeuored to suppresse it and to depriue vs as much as he might of the great benefit and sweet comfort which we are to receiue by it Hereupon it hath come to passe that in all ages as the true and syncere worship of God hath beene corrupted and decaied and idolatrie and wicked worshippings haue increased so the Law of God which teacheth and mainteineth the one condemneth ouerthroweth the other hath been suppressed and the cleere light therof smothered When the Israelits in the wildernes fell to Idolatrie and worshipped the golden calfe the tables of Gods commandements which they were vnworthie to inioie were broken When true religion was decaied vnder Rehoboam and Abija kings of Iudah Israel was without the Priest to teach and without the Law When vnder the vngodlie gouernment of Manasse and Amon Idolatrie raigned and raged the booke of God was neglected and lost when Iehoiakim an Idolater ruled the word of God vttered by Ieremie and written by Baruch was cut in peeces and throwne into the fire When cruell Antiochus had taken Ierusalem and sought to ouerthrow the true seruice of God the books of the Law which were found were burnt in the fire and cut in peeces And whosoeuer had a booke of the Testament found by him was put to death When bloudie Diocletian went about to roote out Christian religion he caused the holie Scriptures to be burnt as Eusebius in these words declareth Diuinásque sacras Scripturas in medio foro igni tradi ipsis oculis vidimus i. We haue seene with our eies the diuine and holie Scriptures in the midst of the market place throwne into the fire And euen so in these later ages as superstition and Idolatrie wherwith God in his iust indignation hath punished the wickednesse of the world for not receiuing the loue of the truth vnto saluation haue increased so the word of God hath been greatlie neglected of the Priests suppressed from the people being translated published by faithfull men for the setting forth of Gods truth and saluation of his elect haue beene in open market places as Eusebius saith burnt in the fire How the law hath perished from the Priests who should haue taught Iacob Gods iudgements and Israel his Law experience hath shewed and learned mens writings do witnes That famous man Erasmus in whose daies after the long winter night of ignorance began both the clouds of darknesse to be dispersed and the sunne of Gods word cleerely to shine forth writeth thus Nec pauci sunt Theologi praesertim seniores qui adeo versati non sunt in priscis doctoribus vt nec Petrum Lombardum nec scripturas canonicas vnquam totas euoluerint That is There be not a few diuines especiallie of those that be elder who haue beene so little occupied in the old doctors that they haue neuer read ouer Peter Lombard nor the whole canonicall Scriptures That learned man Andreas Hyperius witnesseth that he had seene sundrie old ecclesiasticall men who after they had receiued some tast of Gods truth confessed and lamented that they had neuer read the holie Scriptures But if these testimonies will not serue to satisfie some for the conuincing of the great and grosse ignorance which as a vaile couered the Priests eies from beholding the bright beames of Gods word let them marke what Pope Pius secundus writeth hereof in these words Pudeat Italiae sacerdotes quos ne semel quidem nouam legem constat legisse Apud Thaboritas vix mulierculam inuenias quae de nouo Testamento veteri respondere nesciat That is The Priests of Italie may be ashamed who are knowne not once to haue read the new Testament seeing with the Thaborits in Bohemia one can hardly find a seelie woman which cannot answere out of the old and new Testament And if those Italian Priests which were vnder that holie fathers nose were so blind in Gods booke what may be thought of them that were further off vnlesse peraduenture the neerer they were to him the more they were infected poysoned and blinded by him And if the sunne went downe vpon those Prophets and darknesse was vnto them for a diuination that should haue beene the light of the world the eies of the bodie how great was the darknesse in the bodie it selfe Especiallie seeing these hypocriticall pharisies tooke away the keie of knowledge and as they entred not in themselues so they forbad them that would in keeping the light of Gods word vnder the bushell of a strange toong and not permitting it to be translated into vulgar and knowne languages and so to be set vpon a candlesticke to shine to the instruction and consolation of them that be in Gods house Wherein they haue shewed themselues to be hereticall Priests who as Chrysostom saith shut vp the gates of the truth for they know that if the truth once appeare they must needs leaue their Church from the dignitie of their priesthood come downe to the state of other people Euen so our Haereticall popish prelats and priests to mainteine their Idolatrie pompe pride and couetousnesse
them 12 1 A liuing host 1. Cor. 3 9 Gods coadiutors 2 10 Yea the profundities of God 4 9 Deputed to death 4 15 Tenne thousand pedagoges 5 7 As ye are azimes for our pasche Christ is immolated 6 3 Secular things 18 He that doth fornicate 7 22 Is the franchised of our Lord. 9 13 Participate with the altar 22 Do we emulate our Lord. 11 24 Commemoration of me 14 12 Be emulators of spirits 15 8 Of an Abortiue 2. Cor. 1.12 Haue conuersed in this world 2 17 Adulterating the word of God 4 4 Illumination of the Gospell 6 13 Be you also dilated 7 1 Inquination of the flesh 11 28 My daily instance Galat. 1 13 Expugned it 3 1 Was proscribed 5 4 Euacuated from Christ 21 Ebrieties commessations 6 1 Praeoccupated in any fault 10 Domesticals of faith Ephes 1 3 In coelestials 14 To the redemption of acquisition 18 Eies of your hart illuminated 2 14 Euacuating the law 3 6 Coheires and concorporate and comparticipant 9 To the prefinition of worlds 4 19 To impudicitie vnto the operation of all vncleannes vnto auarice 30 Contristate not the spirit Philip. 2 7 He exinanited himselfe 17 If I be immolated congratulate with you all 3 6 According to emulation conuersing without blame 9 Configurated to his death 14 Supernall vocation 1. Thess 2 5 In the word of adulation 4 15 In the aduent of our Lord. 5 1 Moments 1. Tim. 1 9 To the wicked and contaminate 3 6 Not a Neophyte 11 Not detracting 6 20 Keepe the depositum 2. Tim. 1 6 That thou resuscitate the grace of God 9 Secular times 10 By the illumination of our Sauiour illuminated life 15 Be auerted from me 4 6 Time of my resolution Hebr. 2 10 To consummate the author of their saluation 17 That he might repropitiate the Sinnes of the people 3 12 Be obdurate with the fallacie of Sinne. 13 That none of you obdurate your harts as in the exacerbation Hebr. 5 11 Inexplicable to vtter 6 17 He interposed an oth 20 Where Iesus the precursor for vs. 7 15 Of life indissoluble 9 2 Proposition of Loaues 17 Whiles he that tested liueth 28 To exhaust the sinnes of many 10 6 Holocausts and for sinne did not please thee 35 Which hath a great remuneration 11 30 By circuiting seuen daies 12 4 Repugning against sinne 13 16 And beneficence and communication do not forget for with such hosts God is promerited Iames. 4 11 Detract not one from an other 1. Pet. 3 16 Which Caluminate your good conuersation 2. Pet. 2 5 Originall world Bringing in the deluge vpon the world of the impious 13 Coinquinations delicacies 3 15 The Longanimitie of our Lord. 1. Iohn 1 5 This is the Annuntiation which Iude ve 14 Impious impietie impiously Apoc. 1 10 Dominicall day 13 Vested in a princely garment 16 15 See his turpitude These be the fine words wherewith our fine Iesuites haue sought to beautifie this there translation of which I may say as S. Hierom sometimes said Rogo quae sunt haec portenta Verborum that is I pray thée what monstrous words be these And as Demosthenes said these be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not words but wonders This is not to obey the wise counsell of Gregorie Nazianzene who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vse natiue and common words Nor to doo the office of a good interpretor whose dutie is as S. Hierom saith Non quo ipse disertus appareat c. Not that he should séeme to be eloquent himselfe but to make him that readeth it so to vnderstand it as he that write it To the Christian Reader WHereas I did not purpose to make a full answeare to the Rhemists whole preface which I hope hereafter will be performed by some other I haue thought good to set downe here a few places out of the holy scriptures and ancient godly fathers partly to oppose for an answeare to the first part of their said preface wherein they goe about to shew that it is neither necessarie nor profitable to haue the holy Scriptures in Vulgar languages to be read and heard of all people and partly to stir vp them that be godly and faithfull to the dayly diligent and reuerent reading of them that they may thereby dayly more and more increase in the true knowledge and feare of God If thou good Christian reader receiue any benefite and comfort by these my poore and simple labors commend me to God in thy faithfull praiers Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Certaine places of Scripture to shew how requisite and profitable it is for all men diligently and reuerently to read and heare the word of GOD. Deut. 6.4 11.19 HEare O Israell the Lord our God is Lord only And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And these words which I command thée this day shall be in thine hart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shal be as frontlets betwéene thine eies Also thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates Deut. 17.18 And when the king shall sit vpon the throne of his kingdome then shall he write him this Law repeated in a booke by the priests of the Leuites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the daies of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and to kéepe all the words of this Law and these ordinances for to do them That his hart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren and that he turne not from the commandement to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong his daies in his kingdome He and his sonnes in the middest of Israell Iosue 1.6 Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doo according to all that is written therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe Psalm 1.1 Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornfull But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he mediate day and night Psalm 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the Simple The statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the hart the commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eies The feare of
man can obtaine saluation although we be continuallie partakers of this diuine medicine But if we be dailie wounded and be destitute of remedie what hope can we haue of life or saluation Doost thou not sée Ironsmithes Goldsmithes and Siluersmithes and all those that occupie anie handie craft how they alwaies haue readie kéepe whole all the instruments of their art although famine pinch them and pouertie afflict them rather desiring to sustaine anie aduersitie than to sell anie of the instruments of their occupation and by the monie thereof to be nourished Yea and many times they will rather take vpon vsurie than put in pawne and pledge the smallest of their tooles and this they doo not without iust cause for they know that if they be sold their art is altogither vnprofitable to them and that the substance of their profit is lost but if they retaine and kéepe them it may be that by exercising continuallie their occupation at the last by progresse of time they may discharge their debt But if they doo sell their instruments to other before their debt be discharged there remaineth no meanes to helpe their hunger and ease their pouertie Euen after the same sort ought we to be minded and affected for as the hammer the puntch and the tongs are instruments to them so the books of the Apostles and Prophets and all the holie Scripture which commeth by diuine inspiration is verie profitable are instruments to vs. And as they by those their instruments doo worke and finish that which they take in hand euen so we also by these our instruments doo forme and frame our soule and when it is depraued we amend it and when it is corrupted we correct and renew it And they herein onelie doo vse their art to adde a forme to things for they cannot alter and change the matter and substance of vessels as to make Gold of Siluer but they doo onlie make the forme and fashion of things But thou maist not onlie doo that but more to for thou maist of a wodden at the last make a golden vessel as Paul witnesseth writing in this manner 2. Tim. 2. In a great house are not onelie vessels of gold and of siluer but also of wood and of earth some for honor and some for dishonor If a man purge him from these he shall be a vessell vnto honor sanctified and made méete for the Lord and prepared vnto all good works Therefore let vs not neglect to prepare and get vs those diuine bookes lest we in things touching our life be wounded Neither let vs hide and dig gold in the ground for vs but let vs hide to our selues the treasures of those spirituall bookes Indéed gold when it most increaseth it most deceiueth them that possesse it but these diuine bookes being reposed and kept doo greatlie profit those that haue them For euen as where the kings armor and munition is reposed and laid although there be none that haue the ouersight of it yet it causeth much safetie defence to them that dwell there whilest neither open théefe nor priuie piker nor anie wicked person dare assault the house euen so wheresoeuer those spirituall bookes be from thence all diuellish power is expelled and to them that dwell there much comfort and consolation is added For euen the verie sight of those bookes maketh vs more slacke and slouthfull to sinne for whether we haue attempted anie thing which is prohibited and forbidden vs and therewith haue polluted our selues whē we returne home behold those holie bookes our conscience dooth more sharplie condemne vs and we are therby warned and admonished from committing the same againe or whether we persist in holines we are made by those books more firme and constant for assoone as one hath touched the Gospell by and by he frameth his minde and withdraweth it from worldly matters and that onely by the sight thereof But if diligent reading be ioined thereto the soule being occupied in those holy and diuine mysteries is purged and purified for as much as God speaketh to it by the Scriptures But what then say they if we vnderstand not the matters which are conteined in the scriptures Yes verily although thou vnderstand not that which is secret and obscure yet euen by the reading thou maist get much godlines and yet it cannot be that thou shouldest equally and alike be ignorant of all For the gracious spirit of God hath so disposed and tempered the Scriptures that euen publicanes fishers tentmakers shepheards apostles and simple and vnlearned men might by them be saued that no simple or vnlearned man should flie to this excuse of difficultie and hardnes séeing that the thing which in those diuine books be vttered are so easie for all men that euen craftsmen seruants women and those that be most void of learning may not a little profit euen by the hearing of them read For they whom God from the beginning vouchsafed to indue with his spirit of grace did not write and compose these books for vaine glory as did the ethnicks but for the saluation of those which should heare them For those prophane Philosophers eloquent Orators and fine Rhetoritians when they did write books did not séeke what was most for the publike profit of the people but onely had a regard héereto and studied for this euen to be in admiration and therefore albeit they vttered any thing that was profitable yet they did couer and hide it in the darknes of their wisdom which they much vsed But the Apostles and Prophets did al things contrary for they vttered things in cleare and manifest maner and opened them to all men being as it were the common teachers of the world that euery man might learne the things that are set foorth by the onely reading thereof And this the prophet foreshewed before saieng They all shall be taught of God euery one shall not say to to his neighbor know God for al shal know me frō the least of them to the greatest of them And S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. And I brethren when I came to you came not in gloriousnes of words or of wisdom shewing to you the mysteries of God And againe My words and preaching were not in the faire inticing spéech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of spirituall power And againe We speake saith he the wisedome not of this world nor of the princes of this world which come to naught To whom are not manifest the things that be written in the Gospell Who hearing blessed be the milde blessed be the mercifull blessed be the cleane in hart and such other saiengs will require therin to be instructed or to haue the same expounded Also to whom be not signes myracles and histories plaine and manifest This is but a vaine pretence excuse and cloke or couer of slothfulnes Thou doest not vnderstand the things that are conteined in the Scriptures How canst thou euer vnderstand them when as
haue shut vp the gates of the truth by suppressing Gods holie word and keeping it from the knowledge of Gods people as Erasmus trulie affirmeth in these words Quis non intelligat istos sacras literas ideo velle paucis esse notas ne quid decedat ipsorum autoritati quaestuÃque That is Who knoweth not that these men meaning popish Priests Moonks would therefore haue the holie Scriptures known but to few least their authoritie and gaine should decaie And euen so it is certaine that if the holie scriptures had beene publikelie in the mother toong and in the hands and harts of the people they could neuer heretofore haue beene with the vsurped power of that pelting and powling Priest of Rome so astonied and amazed with images deceiued with pardons beguiled with fained forged reliques mocked with masses trentals and purgatorie spoiled with the hypocrisie of Moonks and such other locusts bewitched and manie mo waies miserablie abused as they were But they being vtterlie bereft and altogether depriued of this light of Gods word did sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Walked in darknesse and wist not whither they went bicause the darknes had blinded their eies And whereas God of his great mercie beholding our miserie hath deliuered vs from this Aegyptiacall darknesse and caused the day star of his holie word to rise vnto vs to lead vs as did that other the wise men vnto Iesus Christ in him onely to seeke our saluation so that we which haue heeretofore walked in darknesse haue seene a great light to our vnspeakeable comfort these Lucifugae Scripturarum as Tertullian called some and I may truly terme these Popish owles haue howled and exclaimed against this light which by the holy Scriptures translated into our mother toong hath shined vnto vs. They haue written against it affirming that it ought not to be in the vulgar language calling it damnable libertie of so hauing it and saying that it is an occasion of Heresie and haue with all their might and maine gone about to extinguish it These their assertions how false and absurd they be contrarie to the word of God and the writings of the ancient godly fathers I will not lest I be too tedious vnto your Honor at this present further declare Notwithstanding all this their barking against hauing the holie Scriptures in the mother toong yet now our Rhemish and Romish Papists heerin differing from their fellowes playing the Apes in imitating vs as they haue doone also in setting foorth Catechismes which before they could neuer abide haue at the last published the new Testament in our English toong and haue promised the rest which notwithstanding they saie was long ago doone hath beene and I doubt will be long in performing This they haue doone not of a holie zeale and godlie desire to haue the holie Scripture knowne and read of all people but rather to keepe them especiallie their adherents fauorers from reading it translated set foorth by vs. In this their worke so long deferred and now published they haue committed two foule faults The one in falselie and foolishlie translating it by following the corrupt streame of the Latin translation and forsaking the fountaine of the Greeke wherein the holy spirit of God did indite the new Testament and the blessed Apostles of Christ our Sauior did write it The other in corrupting peruerting the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost by guilefull gloses and absurd Annotations Against the former of these faults I did either almost or altogether fiue yeers past write the first part of this little discourse vpon this occasion The right honorable and my verie good Lord the L. Saint Iohns of Blet so shortlie after the comming foorth of the said Testament did let me haue for the space of a month the vse of it The which I did verie egarly read and diligentlie confer And for that the booke was hard to come by I did write much out of it concerning the diuersitie superfluitie and want of the said translation in respect of the Greeke and also their 10. friuolous reasons in their preface which moued them to leaue the Greeke and translate the Latine with diuers other things Vnto the which 10. reasons I did then vpon a particular occasion for a priuat vse write this answere neuer intending as both some men do know and the long suppressing of it may shew to publish the same in print And the rather for that a full answere vnto the whole hath beene long looked for of manie and wished for of me The which I would right gladlie haue seene to the perpetuall suppressing of this as I first intended But when no such answere came foorth neither could I learne when anie would hauing of late a little recognised my answere that had lien long neglected by me and added thereunto a discouerie of sundrie corruptions committed in the said translation I haue beene mooued by some that haue seene it to let it passe in print The which although I was a long time vnwilling to doo yet for that it is thought the said translation and Annotations haue seduced some and confirmed others in error and manie doo not a little glory of them I haue yeelded to the putting foorth of this little treatise that as some haue alreadie in part discouered the absurditie of the Annotations so this I trust may sufficiently shew the weaknesse of those reasons and corruption of that translation This small and simple discourse although I confesse it to be vnworthie your worthinesse yet vpon your great curtesie I haue beene bold to offer it vnto your Honor to testifie thereby my dutifull mind and thankefull hart vnto your H. for your fauor shewed me which I haue found and felt Humblie beseeching your H. to accept this small mite in goodpart not weighing the quantitie or value of the gift but the sincere and hartie affection toward your H. of the giuer God in great mercie blesse your H. increase his graces and good gifts in you and long preserue you to the seruice safetie of hir Maiestie and the benefit of this Church and Commonwealth Amen At Woodhull the 9. of Aprill 1588. Your Honors most humble to command and vse EDWARD BVEKELEY AN ANSWER TO THE FRIVOLOVS and reasonlesse reasons of the Rhemish Iesuits for following and preferring the old Latin translation of the New Testament before the Greeke wherein Gods Spirit indited it and the holy Apostles did write it Which reasons be set downe in their Preface before the New Testament by them lately translated into English by E. B. The first reason of the Iesuits NOw to giue thee also intelligence in particular most gentle Reader of such things as it behoueth thee specially to know concerning our translation we translate the old vulgar Latin text nor the common Greeke text for these causes It is so ancient that it was vsed in the Church of
God aboue 1300. yeeres ago as appeereth by the fathers of those times Answer HEre is an vncertaine assertion and a foolish reason For although I grant the said translation to be ancient yet to be so old as they affirme I suppose it wil be hard for al the Rhemish rout of Iesuits plainly to prooue Tertullian who liued somwhat aboue 200. yeeres after Christ doth not follow it neither hath any steps of it in the places which he alledgeth Cyprian who liued about the yéere of Christ 284. doth not at all vse it Hilarius Hierom and Augustine in their allegations of the Scriptures dissent from it But to omit to speake any more of the antiquitie of it what a foolish reason is this It is 1300. yéeres old therfore true and vncorrupt The Gréeke translations of the Septuaginta interpretors of Symmachus Aquila and Theodotion were ancient yet euen in S. Hieroms time wanted not many and great corruptions The Latin translations which in S. Hieroms and Augustines daies were many were euen then very corrupt as héerafter I wil by Gods grace out of S. Hierom declare Or what a fond reason is this It is 1300. yéeres old therefore to be preferred before the Gréeke which being the originall is aboue 1500. yéeres old So that if this matter be to be measured by antiquitie the Gréeke were to be preferred and this Latin translation not to be followed 2. Reason IT is that by common receiued opinion and by all probabilitie which S. Hierom afterward corrected according to the Greeke by the appointment of Damasus then pope as he maketh mention in his Preface before the iiij Euangelists vnto the said Damasus and in Catalogo in fine Answer THis is but a popish and foolish opinion void of all probabilitie and truth for proofe whereof I will first alledge the saying of that learned man Erasmus Roterodamus which I doubt not but with all wise and learned men will counteruaile our Rhemish Iesuits and all their adherents Who in an Epistle writeth thus Ceu confessum assumit hanc Noui Testamenti translationem qua vulgò vtimur esse Hieronimi cum eam constet nec esse Cypriani nec Hilarij nec Ambrosij nec Augustini nec Hieronimi cùm is diuersa legat multò minùs eam quam emendasse testatur cùm in hac deprehendantur quae ille damnat non solùm quantum ad verba verùm etiam quantum ad sententiam That is He taketh it as granted that this translation of the new Testament which we do commonly vse is Hieroms whereas it is certaine that it is neither Cyprians nor Hilaries nor Ambroses nor Augustines nor Hieroms forasmuch as he dissenteth from it and much lesse to be that which he testifieth that he corrected séeing there be found in this which he condemneth not onely as touching the words but also the sense and meaning Héere Erasmus flatly affirmeth that this common Latin translation was neither made by Hierom nor is that which he at the request of Damasus corrected And to prooue both the truth of Erasmus assertion and the falshood of our Iesuits receiued opinion I will set downe a few places wherein Hierom not onely dissenteth from it but also findeth fault with it In his first booke against Iouinian he writeth thus Ita tamen si ipsos filios erudiret in fide dilectione in sanctificatione pudicitia Non enim vt malè habetur in Latinis codicibus Sobrietas est legenda sed castitas id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Yet so if she instruct hir children in faith and loue and in sanctification and chastitie for it is not to be read Sobrietas sobrietie as it is euill translated in the Latin bookes but Castitas chastitie for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Againe in the same booke Sobrium siue vt melius in Graeco dicitur vigilātem id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pudicum hoc enim significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Sober or as it is better in the Gréek watchfull for that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie chaste for that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie And againe in the same booke Non plus sapere quà m oportet sapere sed sapere ad pudicitiam non ad sobrietatem vt male in Latinis legitur sed sapere inquit ad pudicitiam That is Not to be wise aboue that ye ought to be wise but to be wise vnto chastitie not vnto sobrietie as it is euill translated in the Latin bookes but saith he to be wise to chastitie In all these places Hierom misliketh and condemneth that which is in our Latin common translation And although I confesse that he to helpe his cause doth without sufficient cause find fault in these places with the said translation for that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do more properly and aptly signifie Sobrietie and Sober than chastitie and chaste as also Erasmus in his Scholies in these words doth shew Torquet nonnihil hunc locum Hieronimus ad commoditatem causae suae nam hie certè magis quadrat vertere modestiam vel sobrietatem quà m pudicitiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ad hoc vt sobrij sint modesti non insolentes elati That is Hierom somewhat wresteth this place to the commoditie of his cause for surely it is more fit to translate it modestie or sobrietie than chastitie that they should be sober and modest not insolent and proud yet it is sufficient for me that he misliketh and findeth fault with that which is in our common Latin translation which is a plaine proofe that this was not his for then he would otherwise haue translated it Hierom also findeth fault with the vulgar translation of that place of S. Paule Galat. 5.9 in these words Malè in nostris codicibus habetur Modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit sensumpotiùs interpres suum quà m verba Apostoli transtulit That is It is euill translated in our Latin bookes Modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit and the interpretor hath translated rather his owne meaning than the words of the Apostle And there he doth translate it otherwise Modicum fermentum totam conspersionem fermentat But what néede I to busie my selfe in seeking mo places where S. Hierom findeth fault with that which is in the vulgar Latin translation séeing that Andradius the Spanish Iesuit hath eased me of that labour who hath piked out and produced a number of places in the which Hierom misliketh that which is in the said translation Andradius liking of them that require more diligence and plainnes in the said old translator writeth thus Nà m dum vel Graecorum dicendi rationi nimium adhaerescit c. That is For whilest he either doth too much cleaue to the Gréeke phrase or is not diligent inough in weighing the Latin and Greeke words he becommeth somtime ouer obscure
and doth not sufficiently expresse the force and power of the sentences The which although I could make manifest by many examples yet I will produce some of those which S. Hierom noteth that by reason of the authoritie of that most holy father they may with all men be subiect to lesse enuie In the Epistle to the Galathians saith he it is euill translated in Latin Euacuati estis à Christo where it should be said In Christi opera cessastis the which the force of the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most expresse which signifieth to abolish to make vaine and frustrate In his commentarie also vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians he findeth fault with the old translator for translating the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armaturam id est armor whereas it signifieth all furniture of armor or whole armor And expounding that saying of S. Paule Vt mundaret sibi populum acceptabilem he doth at large accuse the drowsie negligence of the Latin interpretors for translating the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptabilem which signifieth excellent speciall and chiefly peculiar And disputing against Iouinian of chastitie in the first epistle to Timothie saith he it is not to be read as it is euill in the Latin bookes Si permanserint in fide cum sobrietate sed cum castitate id enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although there be learned men which prefer héerein the vulgar translator before Hierom who do thinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the soundnes or preseruation of wisedome as it is in Plato wherevnto is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is madnes And in his first booke against the Pelagians he saith The simplicitie of the Latin translator doth count among the properties and duties of a Bishop that he be docibilis that is docible whereas Paule calleth a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is apt and méete to teach the which word the same interpretor in the first Epistle to Timothie doth translate not very fitly Doctorem that is a teacher whereas many do so vnwoorthily performe the dutie of teaching that they séeme to be apt and fit to execute no dutie But Paul saith he doth not onely thinke that it is the part of a Bishop to performe vnto the Church that great dutie of teaching but also that he ought to be furnished with excellent gifts and helps to teach It were long to handle all the places in which not only Hierom but also other very godly men require diligence in the vulgar translator Hitherto Andradius the Spanish Iesuit By the which it may plainly appéere both that this vulgar Latin translation was not Hieroms for that he doth so much mislike it and find fault with it and also what iarre in iudgement there is in this matter betweene our English Rhemish Iesuits who héere iudge it to be S. Hieroms and this Spanish Iesuit that doth denie it By this I doubt not but it doth most euidently appéere how false this second assertion of the Iesuits is and that this common Latin translation was neither by S. Hierom translated nor that which he corrected Whereunto I will adde further a saying or two of Erasmus who writeth thus Multò rectius haec vertit Hieronimus quà m habet vulgata aeditio That is Hierom doth much better translate this than our vulgar edition hath it meaning that in 2. Thes 2. where S. Paul speaketh of the man of sin and sonne of perdition c. where no doubt if this had béene Hieroms translation as the Iesuits would haue it he would as well haue translated it in the text as he alledged it in his booke Againe Erasmus writeth thus of Hierom Apertè damnat superiorem translationem qua nos tamen maxima ex parte vtimur That is He plainly condemneth the former translation which we yet for the most part vse meaning this old common translation the which he saith Hierom doth condemne But if I should grant our Iesuits that this were either translated or corrected by Hierom which they will neuer be able to prooue and by that which I haue said is apparantly false what haue they then gained Doth it therefore follow bicause it was either truly translated or faithfully corrected by S. Hierom then therefore it is true sincere and void of corruption now S. Hierom himselfe complaineth of the great corruption of the Latin translations in his daies the which yet came not so much by the translators as by the negligent writers out of the bookes and presumptuous correctors or rather corruptors as most plainly appéereth by Hierom himselfe in many places whereof I will set downe some In his preface before Iosue he writeth thus Maximè cùm apud Latinos tot sunt exemplaria quot codices vnusquisque pro arbitrio suo vel adderit vel subtraxerit quod ei visum est That is séeing with the Latins there be as many examples or copies as books and that euery one according to his owne will hath added and taken away as pleased him And againe he writeth thus Vt aliquid de Dominicis verbis aut corrigendum putauerimus aut non diuinitùs inspiratum sed Latinorum codicum vitiositatem quae ex diuersitate librorum omnium comprobatur ad Graecam originem vnde ipsi translata esse non denegant voluisse reuocare Quibus si displicet fontis vnda purissimi coenosos riuulos bibant That is I do not thinke that the Lords words are to be corrected or that they were not inspired of God but I go about to correct the falsenes of the Latin bookes the which is plainly prooued by the diuersity of them and to bring them to the originall of the Gréeke from the which they do not denie that they were translated who if they mislike the water of the most pure fountaine they may drinke their mirie puddles meaning of the Latin Lastly S. Hierom in the same place héere alledged by the Iesuits hath these words Si enim Latinis exemplaribus fides est adhibenda respondeant quibus Tot enim sunt exemplaria penè quot codices Sin autem veritas est quaerenda de pluribus cur non ad Graecam originem reuertentes ea quae vel à vitiosis interpretibus malè reddita vel à praesumptoribus imperitis emendata peruersius vel à librarijs dormitantibus aut addita sunt aut mutata corrigimus That is If we must beléeue the Latin examples let them tell vs which for there be as many diuers copies as bookes But if they thinke that the truth is to be sought out of the greater part why do we not returne to the Gréeke originall and correct these things which either vnskilfull translators haue ill translated or of ignorant presumptuous persons haue béene foolishly amended or of negligent writers haue béene either added or altered By these and many such other
places it doth appéere how corrupt the Latin bookes of the new Testament were in those daies which faults yet were most specially to be attributed to negligent writers And if in those learned times of the primitiue Church in which so many learned and godly fathers liued such manifold grosse and great corruptions crept into the Latin bookes of the Bible what may we thinke of these latter times in which all good learning was lost and blindnes ignorance and barbarousnes haue raigned Is it to be maruelled though infinite great corruptions haue come into the Latin copies of the Testament specially séeing the same were much written and copied out by blinde ignorant Moonks who all in a maner were so vnlearned that it became a prouerbe Monacho indoctior that is More vnlearned than a Moonke By whose meanes such good authors as were most occupied and written out were most corrupt as Ludouicus Viues doth iustly complaine in these words Videmus vt quisque veterum scriptorum hijs quingentis annis in studiosorum manibus versatus est ita ad nos venisse corruptissimos vt Plinium Senecam Hieronimum Augustinum Aristotelem Puriores sunt atque integriores qui in vetustis Bibliothecis situ puluere latuerunt obsessi That is We sée how that as euery one of the old writers were these 500. yéeres most occupied in students hands so they haue come most corrupt vnto vs as Plinie Seneca Hierom Augustine Aristotle And that they haue remained more pure and perfect which haue lien in old libraries in dust and filth By which reason of Viues it may be gathered that the Gréeke text of the Testament hath continued the more sound and sincere bicause by reason of the ignorance of that toong it hath béen lesse occupied and seldomer in the vnwashen hands of those ignorant and filthy Moonks Héereby also it appéereth that if this vulgar translation had béene of S. Hieroms either translation or correction it doth not follow that it is now sound and sincere But forasmuch as there be many faults and corruptions in it as by Gods grace héereafter shall be shewed we ought according to the iudgement of S. Hierom returne to the originall of the Gréeke and thereby correct them The which our Rhemish and Romish Iesuits refusing to do in forsaking the water of the most pure fountaine of the original Gréeke we are content they drinke to vse S. Hieroms words the mirie puddles of the Latin Finally whereas our Iesuits would make their simple readers beléeue that Damasus had such supreme power as is now by the Bishop of Rome claimed by calling him Pope and by shewing that S. Hierom by his appointment did correct the Latin copies I thinke it not vnfit nor impertinent to set downe the opinion of Erasmus in this matter who as he was excellently learned so is he not to be counted as partiall He in the Epistle before alledged speaking of this matter hath these words Quanquam hoc negotij non iniungit Damasus tanquam summus orbis Pontifex quod an fuerit in medio relinquo certè nomen hoc nondum illis temporibus erat auditum quantum ex veterum omnium scriptis licet colligere sed iniungit tanquam Romanus Pontifex Hieronimo hactenus Romano quòd illic baptizatus sit presbyteri consecutus honorem That is Although Damasus do not inioine this busines as the chéefe Bishop of the world the which whether he were or not I will not define surely this name in those daies was not as yet heard of as far as we may gather by the writings of all the ancient fathers but he doth inioine it as Bishop of Rome to Hierom hitherto a Roman bicause both there he was baptized and obtained the degrée and dignitie of priesthood And as for the name Pope in those daies it was a title not peculiar to the Bishop of Rome as now they haue made it but common to euery Bishop Saint Hierom calleth both S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo in Afrike and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus Pope The elders and deacons of Rome called Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Pope Thus I trust I haue sufficiently discouered the insufficiencie of this second reason and plainly prooued that there is no probabilitie in this opinion and that this vulgar Latin translation which our Rhemists haue followed is not that which S. Hierom either translated or corrected Now let vs examine the third reason 3. Reason COnsequently it is that same which S. Augustine so commendeth and alloweth in an Epistle to S. Hierom Answer THere is no consequence in this consequence For the antecedent not being true as I haue before sufficiently prooued the consequence non consequitur Indéede Augustine doth commend Hieroms translation of the Gospell out of the Gréeke but that this which you follow is not that I haue before plainly prooued And if it were yet it might since be corrupted as I haue before shewed And that it hath béene fowly corrupted shall héerafter Christ willing euidently appéere But whereas Augustine commendeth Hieroms translation out of the Gréeke this doth make against you who refuse the Gréeke and translate out of the Latin which neither Hierom would do nor Augustine commend 4. Reason IT is that which for the most part euer since hath beene vsed in the churches seruice expounded in sermons alledged and interpreted in the commentaries and writings of the ancient fathers of the Latin Church Answer THere is small reason in this reason why this Latin translation should be preferred and followed before the Gréeke First for that the Gréeke fathers haue followed the Gréeke originall and not this Latin from the which generally they do dissent as shall héereafter be shewed Secondly the most ancient Latin fathers do not follow it as Tertullian Cyprian Hilarie and Hierom commonly in citations and allegations of places dissenteth from yea and findeth fault with it as hath béene shewed Ambrose and Augustine although they séeme more to incline vnto it yet very oft they leaue it and differ from it Therefore the Gréeke fathers generally dissenting from it and the most ancient Latin fathers hauing no footsteps of it and the other fathers often going from it there is as I said small reason why it should now be counted autentical be preferred and folowed before the original of the Gréeke As for the Church seruice it was in the primitiue Church in that language which of the people was vnderstood And where it was in Latin it was there where the people by reason of the Roman empire vnderstood latin as appéereth by S. Augustines sermons and other authors As touching your popish seruice full of idolatrie superstition and vsed in a strange toong vnknowen to the people contrarie to the expresse word of God as we care not what translation it hath followed so we thinke the most corrupt most méete for it 5. Reason THe holy Councell of Trent for these and many other
it followeth by your owne confession that Master Beza hath not gone wide from the signification of the word howsoeuer he haue gone from the sense of the place and meaning of the matter But if you examine that with an indifferent eie there may as good reason be yéelded for the translating of it Wiues as Women as appéereth by the reasons which Erasmus and Beza do bring Erasmus in his Annotations saith it may be either way translated his words be these Accipi potest cum vxoribus propterea quòd separauit Mariam à mulieribus That is It may be taken and with their wiues bicause he did separate Marie from the women And euen so Master Beza saith in his Annotations that it may be translated either Wiues or Women but he preferred the former bicause the Apostles wiues were to be confirmed who partly should be companions of their trauels and partly should patiently abide their absence at home But whether it be translated Women or Wiues it maketh no matter the Gréeke word will indifferently beare both God be thanked that our Rhemish and Romish Iesuits can alledge no greater disagréement in Bezas and our translations from the Gréeke The which may be a good and sufficient testimonie euen to the simple and vnlearned of the soundnes and sinceritie of them But I am ashamed to persist any longer in confuting these friuolous follies and cauillations 10. Reason IT is not only better than al other translations but than the Greeke text it selfe in those places where they do disagree Answer THe tenth and last reason that hath mooued our Rhemish Runnagates to translate rather out of the olde Latin than the Gréeke is a very strange paradoxe that the vulgar Latin translation is not onely better than al other translations but than the Gréeke it selfe when they differ This I count and call a strange paradoxe bicause it is contrarie not onely to the generall iudgement of the ancient fathers and learned writers as héerafter shall appéere but also to the common course of all learning For whereas in all other authors and writings the originall languages wherein the authors did first write themselues are preferred before all translations as in Plato Aristotle Xenophon Demosthenes Homer Galen Euclyde c. and al translations are examined and reformed by the said originals now by our Iesuits new Diuinitie onely the Testament of Iesus Christ written in Gréeke by his blessed Apostles through the inspiration of Gods holie spirit must come behind the Latin translation translated we know not when nor by whom The Latin must not now be examined by the Gréeke as S. Hierom Erasmus and other learned men haue labored to do but the Gréeke by the Latin for it is they say the better and it is méete that the woorse be reformed by the better Now bicause héere is the principall controuersie in this matter and héereupon depend all the diuersities that be in the English translation of the Iesuits fetched from the Latin and ours deriued from the Gréeke for if the Gréeke wherin they cannot denie but the Apostles did write be generally to be preferred before that old Latin then ours is true and theirs false if otherwise the Latin be more sound and sincere than the Gréeke then is theirs true and ours false let vs therefore somewhat more exactly examine this matter and weigh our Rhemists reasons which mooue them to broach abrode this new doctrine and strange opinion And although that which I haue said may to any reasonable man séeme sufficient that it is contrarie to all reason and all learning yet bicause our Iesuits would séeme greatly to depend vpon the Doctors and to carrie all their annotations and guilefull gloses in this Testament vnder the visor of some father let vs sée what the Latin godly and ancient fathers say in this matter For to them in this point I must specially appeale and not to the Gréeke fathers who followed the fountaine of the Gréeke and medled not with translations as streames flowing from it And after I will come to other learned men and euen such as misliked not the Romish religion S. Hierom who was not onely excellently learned in the thrée learned languages but also greatly occupied in translating the whole Bible out of the Hebrew and Gréeke as before appéereth writeth thus Non necesse est nunc de exemplarium varietate tractare cùm omne veteris nouae Scripturae instrumentum in Latinum sermonem exinde translatum sit multò purior manare credenda sit fontis vnda quà m riui That is I néed not now to intreat of the varietie of the copies or examples meaning the Latin séeing that the whole instrument of the old and new Scripture was from thence translated into the Latin toong and the water of the fountaine is thought to flow more pure than that of the riuer or streame In these words S. Hierom doth not onely affirme the Latin to be translated dut of the Gréeke but also the Gréeke to be more pure than the Latin as the water of the fountaine is more cleane and swéete than that in the streame or riuer according to the old true saying Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae Againe the same Hierom saith Vt enim veterum librorū fides de Hebraeis examinanda est ita nouorū Graeci sermonis normam desiderat That is As the truth of the books of the old Testament is to be examined by the Hebrew so the bookes of the new Testament require the triall of the Gréeke Againe he writeth thus Sicut autem in nouo Testamento si quando apud Latinos quaestio exoritur est inter exemplaria varietas recurrimus ad fontem Graeci sermonis quo nouum scriptum est instrumentum ita in veteri Testamento si quando inter Graecos Latinósque diuersitas est ad Hebraicam recurrimus veritatem vt quicquid de fonte proficiscitur hoc quaeramus in riuulis That is As in the new Testament if there arise any questions among the Latins and there be varietie among the copies we returne vnto the fountaine of the Gréeke toong in the which the new Testament was written so in the old Testament if at any time there be diuersitie among the Greekes and Latins we returne vnto the Hebrew veritie that whatsoeuer floweth from the fountaine we may séeke the same in the streames Infinite such other places there be in S. Hierom both in his Prefaces Epistles and other works and those also which before I haue in the beginning set downe do plainly declare S. Hieroms iudgement héerin and that he thought it most absurd to prefer the Latin before the Gréeke as our Rhemish Iesuits are not ashamed for to do Now let vs heare what S. Augustines opinion was who although he were vtterly ignorant in the Hebrew and as it is thought had no great knowledge in the Gréeke writeth thus Ei linguae potius credatur
vnde est in alia per interpretes facta translatio That is We ought rather to beléeue that toong from the which it is by interpretation deriued into another Againe Sed quia non sunt loquelae neque sermones quorum non audiantur voces eorum exponit sequentem lingua praecedens fit certum in alia quod erat ambiguum in alia That is But bicause there are no languages nor toongs where their words be not heard the former toong expoundeth the later and it is made plaine in one which was doubtfull in another Againe Quis interpretum vera sequutus sit nisi exemplaria linguae praecedentis legantur incertū est That is Which of the interpretors hath folowed the truth vnles the examples of the former toong be read it is vncertaine Againe Libros noui Testamenti si quid in Latinis varietatibus titubat Graecis cedere oportere non est dubiū That is It is not to be doubted but that the bookes of the new Testament if that there be any doubt in the varieties of the Latin ought to giue place vnto the Gréeke The like he affirmeth Sermone Domini in monte lib. 1. And in his Epistles he writeth thus Secundum Graecum eloquium discernenda sunt nam nostri interpretes vix reperiuntur qui ea diligenter scienter transferre curauerint That is These words are to be discerned by the Gréeke toong for we can hardly find of our translators that haue béene carefull to translate this exactly and cunningly He meaneth of the distinguishing those words Praiers Supplications and intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 And how we ought to deale when there be any varieties in the bookes and copies of the Scriptures S. Augustine giueth vs this counsell Ita si de fide exemplarium quaestio verteretur sicut in nonnullis quae paucae sunt sacrarum literarum studiosis notissimae sententiarum varietates vel ex aliarum regionum codicibus vnde ipsa doctrina commeauit nostra dubitatio dijudicaretur vel si ibi quoque codices variarent plures paucioribus vel vetustiores recentioribus praeferrentur Et si adhuc esset incerta varietas praecedens lingua vnde hoc interpretatum est consuleretur Hoc modo quaerunt qui quod eos mouet in Scripturis tanta autoritate firmatis inuenire volunt vt habeant vndè instruantur non vnde rixentur That is So if there be any question touching the truth of the copies or examples of the Scripture as in some there be varieties of sentences which both be few and also well knowen to those that be studious in the holie Scripture then our doubt is to be iudged either by the books of other countries from whence the doctrine came vnto vs or if there also the bookes differ then the mo be to be preferred before the fewer and the more ancient before the later And if as yet there remaine a doubtfull varietie the former toong from whence it was translated should be conferred with In this sort do they séeke which would find in the holy Scriptures confirmed by so great authoritie that which troubleth them that they may haue wherewith they may be edified and instructed and not wherewith to wrangle and raile This is the good counsell of that good father the which our Rhemish Iesuits not following it séemeth and by their writings it plainly appéereth that in this edition of the Testament they séeke rather to wrangle and raile than either to be instructed themselues or to profit Gods people Saint Ambrose also preferreth the Gréeke text in these words Ita enim inuenimus in Graecis codicibus quorum potior autoritas est That is For so we find it in the Gréeke bookes whose autoritie is better Tertullian also preferreth the Gréeke in these words In primis tenendum quod Graeca Scriptura signauit afflatum nominans non spiritum Quidam enim de Graeco interpretantes non recogitata differentia nec curata proprietate verborum pro afflatu spiritum ponunt dant haereticis occasionem Spiritum Dei infussandi id est ipsum Deum That is Especially we must hold that which the Scripture in Gréeke hath set downe naming afflatum that is breath or wind and not spirit For some translating from the Gréeke and not considering the difference nor regarding the propertie of the words haue for breath put spirit and giue occasion to heretikes to attribute sinne to the spirit of God that is to God himselfe By these sayings of these ancient fathers it may sufficiently appéere what was their iudgement concerning the originall text of the holie Scripture and how far they were from this absurd assertion of our Rhemish Iesuits in preferring the troubled streame of their Latin translation before the pure fountaine of the Gréeke Now I will set downe the iudgement of some later writers and such as were no aduersaries but fauorers of the Romish religion Ludouicus Viues in his Commentaries vpon S. Augustine De ciuitate Dei vpon those words of Augustine before alledged Ei linguae potius credatur c. writeth thus Hoc ipsum Hieronimus clamat hoc ipsa docet ratio Et nullus est saniore iudicio qui repugnet Sed frustra consensus bonorum ingeniorum hoc censet Nam rigidus stupor velut moles opponitur Non quia isti inscij sunt earum linguarum nam nec Hebraicè sciebat Augustinus Graecè minus quà m mediocriter Sed non est in hijs ea modestia animi quae in Augustino Hic vndiquaque paratus erat doceri isti nusquam volunt doceri vbique docere quod ignorant That is This Hierom earnestly vz. that more credit and autoritie be giuen to the Hebrew in the old and Gréeke in the new Testament than to any translations this reason it selfe teacheth And there is none of any sound iudgement that will denie the same But in vaine doth the consent of good wits thus thinke For stiffe sturdines as a bulwarke is set against it The which they do not bicause they be ignorant of those toongs For neither S. Augustine did vnderstand the Hebrew any thing and but meanly the Gréeke But there is not in these men that modestie of mind which was in Augustine He was readie and willing any waies to be taught these men will neuer be taught but will alwaies teach that which they do not vnderstand Hitherto Lud Viues Erasmus also who too much continued vnder the obedience of the Romish church writeth thus Testamentum quod vocant Nouum c. That is The new Testament as they call it we haue recognised with as great both diligence as wée might and faithfulnes as we ought and that first according to the truth of the Gréeke whereunto for to flie if any doubt fall out not onely the examples of famous Diuines do counsell vs but also Hierom and Augustine do often bid vs and the very decrées of the Bishops of Rome do
than the Gréeke And this knot he goeth about to lose by manie meanes most triflingly trifling in a matter that he did not vnderstand with his vel dic say so and say so c. Haue these men so great autoritie that when they do not at all vnderstand a matter yet it shall be lawfall for them to vtter and write what they list For Hierom doth bring in this as a thing impossible and absurd to be spoken that he might the more confute that which they would infer c. Hitherto Erasmus Thirdly whereas this barbarous blind Gloser maketh Augustine preferring the Gréeke and Hebrew copies and Hierom the Latin he doth very foolishly and preposterously For Hierom in all his writings and also as appéered by his translations did most earnestly maintaine the contrarie whereas Augustine by reason of his ignorance in the Hebrew did ouermuch attribute to the Septuaginta interpretors in Gréeke and wished that Hierom had translated the old Testament rather out of them than out of the Hebrew as appéereth by his owne words in his Epistle to Hierom himselfe which be these Ego sanè te mallem Graecas potius canonicas nobis interpretari Scripturas quae Septuaginta interpretum autoritate perhibentur That is I had rather that you did translate vnto vs the Gréeke canonicall Scriptures which be confirmed by the autoritie of the Seuentie interpretors This is that woorthy writer vpon the Popes holie Decrées who hath taught our Rhemish Iesuits this lesson and lent them this reason or rather accusation of the holy Scriptures A méete author for them to follow But how false this accusation of the corruption of the Gréeke text is may euidently appéere partly by the writings of Chrysostom Basill Theophylactus and other ancient Gréeke and godly fathers who generally agrée with the Gréeke text and dissent from the Latin when they differ as héerafter shall be shewed and partly by those places of the Latin fathers before alledged For whereas most of the Gréeke heretikes were before the time of Ambrose Hierom and Augustine as by Epiphanius it doth appéere yet in their daies the Gréeke bookes were sound pure and vndefiled Let them therefore shew vs in what age and by what heretikes all the Gréeke bookes in the world were corrupted And if our Rhemish Iesuits may thinke that the Gréeke text hath béene corrupted by old Gréeke heretikes why may it not also be thought that the Latin text hath in like maner béene corrupted by Latin heretikes But they will say There were not so many of them as of the other Besides that it is not greatly materiall for the multitude yet what if it may be prooued that all Papists be heretikes may not they in number be compared with the Gréeke heretikes I will not enter into this discourse at this present and the rather for that it hath béene effectually shewed and pithily prooued by my good and learned brother Master Whitakers of late and also was so largely and learnedly handled in Quéene Maries daies by that reuerend and learned father D. Poynet Bishop of Winchester that it hath hitherto neuer béene answered as far as I know and therefore it shall be lesse néedful for me to prooue it against M. Gregorie Martin the supposed and reported author of these reasons and this translation I will onely refer him and his fellowes vnto it beséeching God that it may likewise effectually worke in them that they may sée their owne errors and ignorance and in time repent their railing against Gods truth and seruants Moreouer I say that all the Iesuits in Rhemes and Rome are not able to shew one such a fowle corruption in al the Gréeke Testament to the ouerthrowing of any article of faith as I can shew a most notable place concerning euen the very Deitie of Iesus Christ corrupted fowly in the Latin which our Corrupt Rhemists in their English haue followed The place is 1. Timoth. 3.16 And in Gréeke thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That is And without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlines God was made manifest in the flesh iustified in the spirit c. The vulgar Latin is thus Et manifestè magnum est pietatis sacramentum Quod manifestatum est in carne c. And is by you englished thus And manifestly it is a great sacrament of pietie Which was manifested in the flesh c. Héer in stead of these words God was reuealed in the flesh which plainly prooue both the Deitie and Humanitie of Iesus Christ agréeably to that other place of S. Paul to the Colossians In him dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodily they haue put these words Which was manifested in the flesh and so séeke to depriue vs of this most excellent testimonie which maketh strongly against the Arrians and other heretikes and corrupted the place which briefly yet very pithily comprehendeth the doctrine of our redemption The which corruption is not onely contrarie to all Gréeke copies and the ancient Syrian translation but also to Chrysostom to Theophylactus to Theodoretus dialog 1. and to the Gréeke scholies which so alledge it and expound it Such a place so like to be corrupted by heretikes I dare say that all our Rhemish rout is not able to shew in al the Gréeke text Lastly I omit to shew what a wide window these popish Rhemists do open to all heretikes by this their absurd assertion and accusation of the Gréeke originall text of the Testament who if they be pressed with any plaine place to the confounding of their heresie why may they not as Heluidius and the Manichées of old time did and our Iebusites do now say the same were corrupted by ancient heretikes But wo be to them that cannot maintaine their doctrine but by such shamelesse shifts But for the further manifestation of this matter and that the Christian reader may sée what consent there is betwéene these Catholike fathers I will set downe a place or two out of Iohn Driedon a Louanian who writeth thus Eisdem argumentis vtentes possumus demonstrare Graecos noui Testamenti codices non esse de industria vniuersaliter falsatos c. That is Vsing the same arguments we may prooue that the Gréeke bookes of the new Testament haue not béen of purpose vniuersally falsified as though any truth had béene rased togither out of all the holy Gréeke bookes being dispersed so far abroad and kept in the Libraries not onely of the Grecians but also of the Latins Again the same Driedon of Louaine writeth thus Quantum verò ad Nouum attinet Testamentum verisimile est si Graeci suos codices noui Testamenti voluissent deprauare c. That is But as touching the new Testament it is likely that if the Grecians would haue corrupted their bookes of the new Testament they would chéefly haue done it in those places in which matters be handled wherein they haue long agone begun to dissent from the Latin Church
is wholy contained in them And surelie they be so tempered that anie man may as it were draw out of them that which may be sufficient for him if so be he come to read them deuoutlie and godlie as true religion requireth The Author of the booke vnder the name of S. Augustine de salutaribus documentis Cap. 38. GReat confusion belongeth to the soules of laie mē which say what dooth it pertaine to me to heare or learne by reading the bookes of Scriptures or to run vnto Priests and Churches of saints When I am a clergie man I will doo those things which clergie men should doo Bernardus ad sororem de modo bene viuendi Cap. 50. MOst déere sister if thou wilt alwaies be with God alwaies praie and alwaies read The reading of the holie Scriptures is verie necessarie for vs. For by reading we learne what we should doo what we should beware of and whither we should go Herevpon it is said Thy word is a light vnto my feete By reading our iudgement and vnderstanding is increased Reading instructeth prepareth vs to praier and to good works Reading frameth vs both to actiue and contemplatiue life Therefore it is said in the Psalme Blessed is the man that shall meditate in the law of the Lord day and night Reading and praier be weapons wherewith the diuell is vanquished and instruments whereby eternall blessednesse is obtained By praier reading vices be forsaken and vertues be norished in our soules Therfore beloued sister in Christ vse much to read and daylie to meditate in the law Reading with-holdeth our life from error draweth a man from the vanitie of the world by reading our vnderstanding iudgement doo increase For Reading teacheth thée what thou shouldest doo admonisheth thée what to auoid and sheweth thée whither thou shouldest go thou doost greatly profit when thou readest if thou doo the things which thou readest Iosephus in his second booke against Appion of the Iewes EVerie wéeke we assemble to heare the Law Euerie one of vs being asked of the Law can answere as easilie and readilie as his owne name For we learning them wholie from our tender yéeres and yoong age haue them as it were imprinted and grauen in our minds Erasmus Roterod. in paraclesi I Could wish that all women did read the Gospell and Paules Epistles and I would that they were translated into all languages of all nations that they might be read and knowne not onelie of Scottish and Irish men but also of Turkes and Saracens That the good Christian Reader may the better prooue and discerne the spirits which be of God and which not I haue thought good to set down a few sayings of Popish writers which let him compare with the former sayings of the holie Scriptures and faithfull fathers and consider how they agrée therewith Doctor Standish in a booke intituled A discourse wherein is debated whether it be expedient that the Scripture should be in English for all men to read that will Printed at London by Robert Ealie 1554. writeth thus WHereby we may easilie learne that all people should not haue the Scriptures in their owne handlings at their pleasure as they haue had these dosen yéeres past to their vtter spirituall destruction Againe THat which yée haue heard saith he in secret places shall be preached on the tops of the houses he said not it shall be written in your Churches as it hath béene Iewishlie vsed on late here in England nor written in Bibles to be read of euerie one in his mother toong and set vp for that purpose in euerie Church Againe I Cannot then but maruell that men to their owne confusion are so desirous to haue the Scripture in their mother toong Againe THrough the damnable libertie of hauing it in the vulgar toong haue not all holy mysteries béene dispised Haue they not thereby vtterly condemned all that hath not béene expressed in the letter of their English Bibles Againe WHerefore away with the English damnable translation and let them learne the mysteries of God reuerently by hart and learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in Scripture knowing that in thrée points the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture one is in fortifieng verities not written to be necessarie to saluation c. Againe THe vniuersall Church of Christ did neuer allow nor approoue the Scripture to be in the vulgar toong weighing the manifold inconueniences that haue issued therof but euer from time to time among other errors did tread that downe and suppresse it Againe IT is the occasion of many heresies to haue the Scripture in the vulgar toong A little after ANd yet then séeing the rude ignorant sort be euer prone peruersly to wrest the Scriptures we must thinke that to haue the Scripture in English is to minister occasion to the common sort to fall into errors Againe LIke as God appointed the old Law to be written in stone tables or books so did he appoint as Ieremie witnesseth the new to be written onely in the hart of man Why should the writing in books then be so highly regarded But this carnall this fleshly regarding by no meanes can be so well extenuate or rather quite taken away as by taking the Scripture foorth of the vulgar toong and foorth of the handling of the lewd ignorant Againe ANd finally séeing that by no meanes so soone as by the Scriptures in English heresies do both spring daily and be also maintained wherin should good men be more diligent than in the extirpation thereof These saiengs out of that beastly book of that doltish doctor I haue the more largely laid down that the Christian Reader may sée what doctrine in Quéene Maries daies was published and allowed for Catholike Wherevnto I will ad a saying of an other papist Alphonsus de Castro the Spanish frier writeth thus Tertia demum haeresium parens origo c. The third parent and beginning of heresies is the translating of the holie Scriptures into the vulgar toong by meanes whereof it commeth to passe that they be read of all men with respect or difference of persons Hitherto the papists Euerie man that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his déeds should be reprooued But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his déeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Tertullianus lib. de Trinitate SEd enim Scriptura diuina haereticorum fraudes furta facilè conuincit detegit that is But the holie Scripture doth easely conuince and discouer the deceits and robberies of heretikes Theophylactus in Luc. cap. 16. NVnc nihil tam vtile est vt Scripturarum diligens scrutatio c. that is Now there is nothing so profitable as the diligent searching of the Scriptures for the