to the vvhich he subscribed decreeth Can. 24. That in the Sacraments of the body and bloud of Christ there be no more offered then our Lord him self deliuered that is bread and vvine mingled vvith vvater Vvhich the sixth general Councel of Constantinople repeating and confirming addeth If therfore any Bishop or Priest doe not according to the order giuen by the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingling vvater vvith vvine but offer an vnmingled sacrifice let him be deposed c. But of these speaches al Councels be full vvhere vve vvould gladly knovv of these nevv Translatours hovv Presbyter must be translated either an Elder or a Priest 18 Do not al the fathers speake after the same maner making alvvaies this distinction of Bishop and Priest as of the first and second degree Ep. 2. ad Trallianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ignatius the Apostles scholer doth he not place Presbyterium as he calleth it and Presbyteros Priests or the College of Priests next after Bishops and Deacons in the third place repeating it no lesse then thrise in one Epistle commending the dignitie of all three vnto the people Comment in c. 7. Micheae doth not S. Hierom the very same saying Let vs honour a Bishop do reuerence to a Priest rise vp to a Deacon Ep. 85. ad Euagrium And vvhen he saith that as Aaron and his sonnes and the Leuites vvere in the Temple so are Bishops Priests Deacons in the Church for place and degree And in an other place speaking of the outrages done by the Vandals and such like Epitaph Nepotiani c. 9. Bishops vvere taken Priests slaine and diuers of other Ecclesiastical orders Churches ouerthrovven the altars of Christ made stables for horses the relikes of Martyrs digged vp c. Vvhen he saith of Nepotian fit Clericus per solitos gradus Presbyter ordinatur he becōmeth a man of the Clergie and by the accustomed degrees is made vvhat a Priest or an Elder vvhen he saith Mihi ante Presbyterum sedere non licet c. doth he meane he could not sit aboue an Elder or aboue a Priest him self as then being not Priest Vvhen he and Vincentius as S. Epiphanius vvriteth of reuerence to the degree Ep. 60 apud Hiero. ca. 1. vvere hardly induced to be made Presbyteri did they refuse the Eldership Vvhat vvas the matter that Iohn the B. of Hierusalem seemed to be so much offended vvith Epiphanius and S. Hierom Ep. 1 ad Heliod vvas it not because Epiphanius made Paulianus S. Hieroms brother Priest vvithin the said Iohns Diocese 19 Vvhen al antiquitie saith Hieronymus Presbyter Cecilius Presbyter Ruffinus Presbyter Philippus Iuuencus Hesychius Beda Presbyteri and vvhen S. Hierom so often in his Cataloge saith Such a man Presbyter is it not for distinction of a certaine order to signifie that they vvere Priests and not Bishops namely vvhen he saith of S. Chrysostom Ioannes Presbyter Antiochenus doth he not meane he vvas as then but a Priest of Antioche Vvould he haue said so if he had vvritten of him after he vvas Bishop of Constantinople 20 But of al other places vve vvould desire these gay trāslatours to trāslate this one place of S. Augustine speaking of him self a Bishop and S. Hierom a Priest Inter Epistolas Hiero. Ep. 97 in fine Quanquā enim secundum honorum vocabula quaeiam Ecclesia vsus obtinuit Episcopatus Presbyterio maior sit tamen in multis rebus Augustinus Hieronymo minor est Is not this the English thereof For although according to the titles or names of honour which now by vse of the Church haue preuailed the degree of Bishop be greater thē Priesthod yet in many things Augustine is lesse thē Hierom. or doth it like thē to trāslate it thus The degree of Bishop is greater then Eldership c Againe against Iulian the Heretike vvhen he hath brought many testimonies of the holy Doctors that vvere all Bishops as of SS Cyprian Ambrose Basil Nazianzene Chrysostom at length he cōmeth to S. Hierom vvho vvas no Bishop Lib. 1. ca. 2. in fine and saith Nec sanctum Hieronymum quia Presbyter fuit contemnendum arbitreris that is Neither must thou thinke that S. Hierom because he vvas but a Priest therfore is to be contemned vvhose diuine eloquence hath shined to vs from the East euen to the vvest like a lampe and so forth to his great cōmendation Here is a plaine distinction of an inferiour degree to a Bishop for the which the Heretike Iuliān did easily contemne him Is not S. Cyprian full of the like places is not al antiquitie so full that vvhiles I proue this me thinketh I proue nothing els but that snovv is vvhite 21 In al vvhich places if they vvil translate Elder and yet make the same a common name to all Ecclesiastical degrees Annot. in 1 Pet. 5. as Beza defineth it let the indifferent Reader consider the absurde cōfusion or rather the impossibilitie thereof if not but they vvill graunt in al these places it signifieth Priest and so is meant then vve must beate them vvith Bezaes rod of reprehension against Castaleon Bezaes vvordes in the place aboue alleaged that vve can not dissemble the boldnes of these mē vvhich vvould God it rested vvithin the custom of wordes onely and vvere not important matter concerning their Heresie These men therfore touching the vvord Priest though vsed of sacred vvriters in the mysterie of the nevv Testamēt and for so many yeres after by the secrete consent of al Churches consecrated to this one Sacrāment so that it is novv grovven to be the proper vulgar speach almost of al Nations Prete Prebstre Priest yet they dare presume rashly to change it and in place thereof to vse the vvord Elder delicate men forsooth yea vvorse a great deale because these do it for heresie not for delicacie vvhich neither are moued vvith the perpetual authoritie of so many ages nor by the daily custom of the vulgar speach can be brought to thinke that lavvful for Diuines vvhich all men graunt to other Maisters and Professors of artes that is to reteine and hold that as their ovvne vvhich by long vse and in good faith they haue truely possessed Neither may they pretend the authoritie of any auncient vvriter as that the old Latin Translatour saith Senior and Seniores for * Presbyter for a Priest Baptismus for the Sacrament of Baptisme that vvhich vvas to them as it vvere nevv to vs is old and euen then that the self same vvordes vvhich vve novv vse were more familiar to the Church it is euident because it is very seldom that they speake othervvise 22 Thus vve haue repeated Bezaes vvordes againe onely changing the vvord Baptisme into Priest because the case is all one so vn vvittingly Beza the successor of Caluin in Geneua hath giuen plaine sentence against our English Translatours in al such cases as they go from
is fulfilled Vvhat meane Graecian vvould not say as S. Chrysostom here expoūdeth this vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsing it passiuely 8 Yet saith Beza this is a forced interpretation because Xenophon forsooth Plato once perhaps in al their vvhole vvorkes vse it othervvise O heretical blindnes or rather stubburnenes that calleth that forced vvhich is most common and vsual and seeth not that his ovvne translatiō is forced because it is against the common vse of the vvord but no maruel For he that in other places thinketh it no forced interpretation Recipere to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be conteined Vvhich neither Xenophon nor Plato nor any Greeke author vvill allovv him to doe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carcas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animam Prescientiā Poenitentiā pouidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that amend their liues may much more in this place dissemble his forced interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But vvhy he should call S. Chrysostoms interpretation forced vvhich is the common vsual interpretation that hath no more reason then if a very theefe should say to an honest man Thou art a theefe and not I. 9 Is it forced Beza that Christ is filled al in al by the Church doth not S. Paul in the very next vvordes before call the Church the fulnes of Christ saying Eph. 1. Vvhich is the fulnes of him that is filled al in al If the Church be the fulnes of him then is he filled or hath his fulnes of the Church so that he is not a maimed head vvithout a body This would S. Paul say if you vvould giue him leaue and this he doth say vvhether you vvill or no. But vvhat is the cause that they vvil not suffer the Apostle to say so because saith Beza Christ needeth no such complement And if he neede it not then may he be vvithout a Church and consequently it is no absurditie if the Church hath been for many yeres not only inuisible but also not at all Vvould a man easily at the first imagine or conceiue that there vvere such secrete poison in their translation 10 Againe it commeth from the same puddle of Geneua Bib. 1579. that in their bibles so called the English Bezites translate against the vnitie of the Catholike Church For vvhereas them selues are ful of sectes and dissensions and the true Church is knovven by vnitie and hath this marke giuen her by Christ him self Cant. 6. v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vvhose person Salomon speaking saith Vnaest columba mea that is One is my doue or My doue is one therfore in steede hereof the foresaid bible saith My doue is alone Neither Hebrue not Greeke vvord hauing that signification but being as proper to signifie one as Vnus in latin 11 But vve beseeche euery indifferent Reader euen for his soules health to consider that one point specially before mentioned of their abandoning the name of Church for so many yeres out of their English Bibles thereby to defeate the strongest argument that might and may possibly be brought against them and all other Heretikes to vvit the authoritie of the Church vvhich is so many vvaies and so greatly recommended vnto all Christians in holy Scriptures consider I pray you vvhat a malitious intētion they had herein First that the name Church should neuer found in the common peoples eares out of the Scriptures secondly that as in other things so in this also it might seeme to the ignorant a good argument against the authoritie of the Church to say Vve sinde not this vvord Church in al the holy Scriptures For as in other articles they say so because they finde not the expresse word in the holy scripture so did they vvell prouide that the vvord Church in the holy Scriptures should not stay or hinder their schismaticall and hereticall procedings as long as that vvas the onely English translation that vvas read and liked among the people that is so long till they had by preaching taken avvay the Catholike Churches credite and authoritie altogether among the ignorant by opposing the Scriptures therevnto vvhich them selues had thus falsely translated CHAP. VI. Heretical translation against PRIEST and PRIESTHOD 1 BVT because it may be they vvill stand here vpon their later translations vvhich haue the name Church because by that time they savv the absurditie of changing the name now their number vvas increased thēselues began to chalēge to be the true Church though not the Catholike and for former times vvhen they vvere not they deuised an inuisible Church If then they vvill stand vpon their later trāslations and refuse to iustifie the former let vs demaund of them concerning al their English translations vvhy and to vvhat end they suppresse the name Priest translating it Elder in al places vvhere the holy Scripture vvould signifie by Presbyter and Presbyterium the Priests and Priesthod of the nevv Testament 2 Vnderstand gentle Reader their vvylie pollicie therein is this To take avvay the holy sacrifice of the Masse they take avvay both altar and Priest because they knovv right vvell that these three Priest sacrifice and altar are dependents and consequents one of an other so that they can not be separated If there be an external sacrifice there must be an external Priesthod to offer it an altar to offer the same vpon so had the Gentiles their sacrifices Priests and altars so had the Ievves so Christ him self being a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec had a sacrifice his body and an altar his Crosse vpon the vvhich he offered it And because he instituted this sacrifice to continue in his Church for euer in commemoration and representation of his death therfore did he vvithal ordaine his Apostles Priests at his last supper there then instituted the holy order of Priesthod and Priests saying hocfacite Doe this Luc. c. 22. v. 19. to offer the self same sacrifice in a mystical and vnblouddy maner vntil the vvorldes end 3 To defeate al this and to take avvay all external Priesthod and sacrifice they by corrupt translation of the holy Scriptures make them cleane dumme as though they had not a word of any such Priests or Priesthod as vve speake of Their Bibles vve graunt haue the name of Priests very often but that is vvhen mention is made either of the Priests of the Ievves or of the Priests of the Gentiles specially vvhen they are reprehended and blamed in the holy Scriptures and in such places our Aduersaries haue the name Priests in there translations to make the very name of Priest odious amonge the common ignorant people Againe they haue also the name Priests vvhen they are taken for all maner of men vvomen or children that offer internal and spiritual sacrifices vvhereby our Aduersaries vvould falsely signifie that there are no other Priests Vvhitakers p. 199. as one of them of late freshly auoucheth directly against S.
that Arch heretike 8 To let this passe Tobie Ecclesiasticus the Machabees are they not most certainely reiected and yet they vvere allovved and receiued for Canonical by the same authoritie that S. Iames epistle vvas This epistle the Caluinists are content to admit because * CoÌ„c Carth. 3 can 47. so it pleased Caluin those bookes they reiect because so also it pleased him And vvhy did it so please Caluin vnder pretence forsooth that they vvereonce doubted of and not taken for Canonical but is that the true cause in deede Hovv do they then * Argum. in ep Iac. receiue S. Iames epistle as Canonical hauing been before doubted of also yea as * Vvhitak p. 10. ibid. they say reiected 9 Marke gentle Reader for thy soules sake and thou shalt finde that heresie and only heresie is the cause of their denying these bookes so far that against the orders and Hierarchies and particular patronages of Angels one of them vvriteth thus in the name of the rest ibid. p. 17. M Whitak by these vvordes coÌ„demneth their ovvne Seruice booke which appointeâ—h these bookes of Tobie Ecclesiasticus to be readde for holy Scripture as the other Do they readde in their Churches Apocryphal and superstitious bookes for holy Scripture or is he a Puritane that thus disgraceth their order of daily Seruice Vve passe not for that Raphael of Tobie neither do vve acknovvledge those seuen Angels vvhich he speaketh of al this is far from Canonical Scriptures that the same Raphael recordeth and sauoureth I vvot not vvhat superstition Against free vvil thus I litle care for the place of Ecclesiasticus neither vvil I beleeue free vvil though he affirme an hundred times That before men is life and death And against praier for the dead and intercession of Saincts thus As for the booke of the Machabees I do care lesse for it then for the other Iudas dreame coÌ„cerning Onias I let passe as a dreame This is their reuerence of the Scriptures vvhich haue vniuersally been reuerenced for Canonical in the Church of God aboue 1100 yeres Conc. Carth. 3. and particularly of many fathers long before August de doct Christ lib. 2 ca. 8. 10 As for partes of bookes do they not reiect certaine peeces of Daniel and of Hester because they are not in the Hebrue vvhich reason S. Augustine reiecteth or because they vvere once doubted of by certaine of the fathers by vvhich reason some part of S. Marke and S. Lukes Gospel might novv also be called in controuersie specially if it be true vvhich M. Vvhitakers by a figuratiue speache more then insinuateth That he can not see by vvhat right that vvhich once vvas not in credite pag. 10. should by time vvinne authoritie Forgetting him self by by and in the very next lines admitting S. Iames epistle though before doubted of for Canonical Scriptures M. Vvhitak booke vnles they receiue it but of their courtesie and so may refuse it vvhen it shal please them vvhich must needes be gathered of his vvordes as also many other notorious absurdities contradictions and dumme blaÌ„ckes Vvhich only to note were to confute M. whitakers by him self being the Ansvverer for both Vniuersities 11 For the second point vvhich is not the grosse denial of bookes but yet calling of them in question mouing scruples about them diminishing their authoritie and credite I vvil goe no further then to S. Paules epistle to the Hebrues In the argument Bib. an 1579. vvhich I vvil not aske vvhy they doubt of or rather thinke it not to be S. Paules for they vvil tel me because it vvas once in doubt not considering that it vvas in like maner doubted vvhether it vvere Canonical yet they vvil not novv deny but it is Canonical but I must aske them and request them to make a reasonable ansvver vvhy in their English Bible of the yere 1579 and 1580 they presume to leaue out S. Paules name out of the very title of the said epistle vvhich name is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and in Bezas Latin translation both vvhich they professe to folovv See the title of the new Test an 1580. Doth not the title tel them that it is S. Paules vvhy seeke they further or vvhy do they change the title striking out S. Paules name if they meant to deale simply and sincerely and vvhat an heretical peeuishnes is this because Beza telleth them of one obscure Greeke copie that hath not Paules name and onely one that they vvil rather folovv it then al other copies both Greeke and Latin I report me to al indifferent men of common sense vvhether they do it not to diminish the credite of the epistle 12 I knovv very vvel that the authoritie of Canonical Scripture standeth not vpon the certaintie of the author but yet to be Paules or not Paules Apostolical or not Apostolical maketh great difference of credite and estimation For vvhat made S. Iames epistle doubted of sometime or the secoÌ„d of S. Peter and the rest but that they vvere not thought to be the epistles of those Apostles This Luther savv very vvel vvhen he denied S. Iames epistle to be same 's the Apostles vvriting If titles of bookes be of no importaÌ„ce then leaue out Matthevv Marke Luke and Iohn leaue out Paul in his other epistles also and you shal much pleasure the Manichees and other old Heretikes and if the titles make no difference vrge no more the title of the Apocalypse S. Iohn the Diuines as though it vvere not S. Iohns the Euangelistes and you shal much displeasure some Heretikes novv a daies breefely most certaine it is and they knovv it best by their ovvne vsual doings that it is a principal vvay to the discredite of any booke to deny it to be that authors vnder vvhose name it hath been receiued 13 But I come to the third point of voluÌ„tarie expositions of the Scripture that is vvhen euery man expouÌ„deth according to his errour Heresie This needeth no proofe for vve see it vvith our eies Looke vpon the Caluinists and Puritanes at home the Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abrode read their bookes vvritten vehemently one sect against an other are not their expositions of one and the same Scripture as diuerse and contrarie as their opinions differ one from an other Let the example at home be their controuersie about the distinction of Ecclesiastical degrees Arch-bishop Bishop and minister the example abrode their diuers imaginations phantasies vpon these most sacred vvordes Hoc est corpus meum 14 And if you vvil yet haue a further demonstration this one may suffice for al. They reiect Councels and Fathers and the Catholike Churches interpretation vnles it be agreable to Gods vvord and vvhether it be agreable or no that Luther shal iudge for the Lutherans Caluin for the Caluinists Cartvvright for the Puritanes and an other for the Brethren of loue breefely * Vvhitak pa. 17. 120.
London according to the original propertie of it likevvise Episcopus a Greeke vvord in the original sense is euery ouerseer as Tullie vseth it and other profane vvriters but among Christians in Ecclesiastical speache it is a Bishop and no man vvil say My Lord ouerseer of London for my L. Bishop Likevvise vve say Seuen Deacons S. Steuen a Deacon no man vvill say Seuen Ministers S. Steuen a Minister although that be the original signification of the vvord Deacon but by Ecclesiastical vse appropriation being taken for a certaine degree of the Clergie so it soundeth in euery mans eare and so it must be translated As vve say Nero made many Martyrs not Nero made many vvitnesses and yet Martyr by the first originall propertie of the vvord is nothing els but a vvitnes Vve say Baptisme is a Sacrament not Vvashing is a Sacrament Yet Baptisme and vvashing by the first originall propertie of the vvord is all one 2 Novv then to come to our purpose such are the absurde translations of the English Bibles and altogether like vnto these Namely vvhen they translate congregation for Church Elder for Priest image for idol dissension for schisme General for Catholike secrete for Sacrament ouer-seer for Bishop c See chap. 15. nu 18. 3.4 chap. 21. nu messenger for Angel embassadour for Apostle minister for Deacon and such like to vvhat other end be these deceitfull translations but to conceale obscure the name of the Church and dignities thereof mentioned in the holy Scriptures to dissemble the vvord schisme as they do also * Gal. 5. Tit. 3. 1 Cor. 11. Bib. 1562. Heresie and Heretike for feare of disgracing their schismes and Heresies to say of Matrimonie neither Sacrament vvhich is the Latin nor mysterie which is the Greeke but to goe as far as they can possibly from the common vsual and Ecclesiastical vvordes Eph. 5. v. 32. saying This is a great secrete in fauour of their heresie that Matrimonie is no Sacrament 3 S. Paul saith as plaine as he can speake 1 Cor. 1. v. 10 I beseeche you brethren that you all say one thing and that there be no schismes among you They translate for schismes dissentions vvhich may be in profane and vvorldly things as vvell as in matters of religion but schismes are those that diuide the vnitie of the Church vvherof they knovv them selues guilty S. Paul saith as plainely as is possible Tit. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. A man that is an Heretike auoid after the first and second admonition they translated in their Bible of the yere 1562 A man that is an authour of Sectes and vvhere the Greeke is Heresie reckened among damnable sinnes they say Sectes fauouring that name for their owne sakes and dissembling it as though the holy Scriptures spake not against Heresie or Heretikes Schisme or Schismatikes 4 As also they suppresse the very name Catholike vvhen it is expresly in the Greeke for malice tovvard Catholikes and Catholike religion because they knovv them selues neuer shal be called or knowē by that name An. 1562. 1577. And therfore theire tvvo English Bibles accustomed to be reade in theire church therfore by like most authenticall leaue it cleane out in the title of al those Epistles Euseb li. 2. Ec. hist c. 22 in fine 1579. which haue been knovven by the name of Catholicae Epistolae euer since the Apostles time and their later English Bible dealing somevvhat more honestly hath turned the word Catholike into General saying The General Epistle of Iames of Peter c. As if a man should say in his Creede I beleeue the general Church because he vvould not say the Catholike Church as the Lutheran Catechismes say for that purpose I beleeue the Christian Church Lind. in Dubitautio So that by this rule vvhen S. Augustine telleth that the maner vvas in cities vvhere there vvas libertie of religion to aske Qua itur ad Catholicam Vve must translate it Vvhich is the vvay to the General And vvhen S. Hierom saith If vve agree in faith vvith the B. of Rome ergo Catholicisumus vve must traslate it Then vve are Generals Is not this good stuff Are they not ashamed thus to inuert and peruert al vvordes against common sense and vse and reason Catholike and General or Vniuersal vve knovv is by the original propertie of the vvord al one but according to the vse of both as it is ridiculous to say A Catholike Councel for a general Councel so is it ridiculous and impious to say General for Catholike in derogation thereof and for to hide it vnder a bushel 5 Is it because they vvould folovv the Greeke Catholica that they turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 general euen as iust as vvhen they turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secrete and such like vvhere they goe as far from the Greeke as they can vvill be glad to pretend for ansvver of their vvord secte that they folovv our Latin translation Alas poore shift for them that othervvise pretend nothing but the Greeke to be tried by that Latin vvhich them selues cōdemne But vve honour the said text and translate it sectes also as vve there finde it and as vve do in other places folovv the Latin text and take not our aduantage of the Greeke text because vve knovv the Latin translation is good also and sincere and approued in the Church by long antiquitie and it is in sense al one to vs vvith the Greeke but not so to them vvho in these daies of controuersie about the Greeke and Latin text by not folovving the Greeke vvhich they professe sincerely to follovv bevvray them selues that they do it for a malitious purpose CHAP. V. Heretical translation against the CHVRCH 1 AS they suppresse the name Catholike euen so did they in their first English bible the name of Church it self because at their first reuolt apostasie from that that vvas vniuersally knovven to be the onely true Catholike Church it vvas a great obiection against their schismatical procedings and it stucke much in the peoples consciences that they forsooke the Church and that the Church cōdemned them Vvherevpon very vvilely they suppressed the name Church in their English translation so Bib. 1562. that in al that Bible so lōg read in their cōgregatiōs we can not once finde the name thereof Ludge by these places vvhich seeme of most importance for the dignitie preeminence authoritie of the Church 2 Our Sauiour saith Mat. 16. Vpon this Rocke I vvil build my Church and the gates of Hel shal not preuaile against it They make him to say Vpon this rocke I wil build my cōgregation Againe Mat. 18. If he heare not them tel the Church and if he heare not the Church let him be to
flockes cure of soules as follovveth in the same place They make S. Paul speake thus to Timothee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neglect not the gift so they had rather say then grace Bib. 1579.1577 lest holy orders should be a Sacrament giuen thee vvith the laying on of the hands of the Eldership or by the authoritie of the Eldership 1 Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyterij Vvhat is this companie of Eldership Somevvhat they vvould say like to the Apostles word but they vvil not speake plainely lest the vvorld might heare out of the Scriptures that Timothee vvas made Priest or Bishop euen as the vse is in the Catholike Church at this day ca. 3 in the yere 436. Vvhere S. Augustine vvas present and subscribed let the 4 Councel of Carthage speake for both partes indifferently and tell vs the Apostles meaning A Priest vvhen he taketh his orders the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand vpon his head let all the Priests also that are present hold their hands by the Bishops hand vpon his head So doe our Priests at this day vvhen a bishop maketh priests this is the laying on of the hands of the companie of Priests vvhich S. Paul speaketh of and vvhich they translate the companie of the Eldership Onely their former translation of 1562 in this place by vvhat chance or consideration vve knovve not let fall out of the penne by the authoritie of Priesthod 9 Othervvise in all their English Bibles all the belles ring one note as The Elders that rule vvell are vvorthie of double honour And Against an Elder receiue no accusation but vnder tvvo or three vvitnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 3. de Sacerdotio 1 Tim. 5. And If any be diseased among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him and anoynt him vvith oile c. Iacob 5. Vvhereas S. Chrisostom out of this place proueth the high dignitie of Priests in remitting sinnes in his booke entitled Of Priesthod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnles they vvill translate that title also Of Eldership Againe they make S. Peter say thus The Elders vvhich are among you I exhort vvhich am also an Elder feede ye Christes flocke as much as lyeth in you c. 1 Pet. 5. S. Hierom readeth Presbyteros ego compresbyter Ep. 85. ad Euagr. in 1 ad Gal prouing the dignitie of Priests and yet in 4 Gal. he readeth according to the vulgar Latin text Seniores in vobis rogo consenior ipse Vvhereby it is euidēt that Senior here in the Actes is a Priest not cōtrarie Presbyter an elder 10 Vvhere if they vvill tell vs as also in certaine other places that our Latin translation hath Seniores and maiores natu vve tel them as heretofore vve haue told them that this is nothing to them vvho professe to translate the Greeke Againe vve say that if they meant no vvorse then the old Latin translatour did they vvould be as indifferēt as he to haue said sometime Priests and Priesthod vvhen he hath the vvordes Presbyteros and Presbyterium as vve are indifferent in our translation saying Seniors and Auncients vvhen vve finde it so in our Latin being vvell assured that by sundrie vvordes he meant but one thing as in Greeke it is but one and as both Erasmus and also Beza him self alvvaies translate it keeping the name Presbyter and Presbyteri of vvhō by reason they should haue learned rather then of our Latin trāslatour vvhom othervvise they cōdemne And if they say they do folovv them and not him because they trāslate not Senior and maior natu but the vvord Presbyter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder in al places vve tell them and herein vve conuent their cōscience that they do it to take avvay the external Priesthod of the nevv Testament to suppresse the name Priest against the Ecclesiastical and as novv since Christ very proper and vsual signification thereof in the nevv Testament councels fathers in al common vvriting and speaking specially the Latin Presbyter vvhich grevve to this signification out of the Greeke in the foresaid places of holy Scripture 11 In so much that immediatly in the first Canons and Councels of the Apostles and their successors nothing is more common then this distinction of Ecclesiastical degrees and names Si Episcopus vel Presbyter See can Apost Conc. 1 Nic. Epistol Ignat. Conc. Carth. 4. vel Diaconus c. If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon do this or that Vvhich if the Protestants or Caluinists vvil translate after their maner thus If a Bishop or Elder or Deacon c Beza in 1 Pet. 5. they do against them selues vvhich make Presbyter or Elder a common name to all Ecclesiastical persons not a peculiar degree next vnto a Bishop So that either they must condemne al antiquitie for placing Presbyter in the second degree after a Bishop or they must translate it Priest as vve doe or they must make Elder to be their second degree and so put Minister out of place 12 And here vve must aske them hovv this name Minister came to be a degree distinct from Deacon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diaconus vvhereas by their ovvne rule of trāslation Deacon is nothing els but a minister and vvhy keepe they the old vsual Ecclesiastical name of Deacon in translating Diaconus 1 Tim. 3. Bib. 1577.1579 and not the name of Priest in translating Presbyter doth not Priest come of Presbyter as certainely and as agreably as Deacon of Diaconus Prebstre Prete doth not also the french and Italian vvord for Priest come directly from the same vvill you alvvaies folovv fansie and not reason do vvhat you list translate as you list and not as the truth is and that in the holy Scriptures vvhich you boast and vaunt so much of Because your selues haue them vvhom you call Bishops the name Bishop is in your English Bibles vvhich othervvise by your ovvne rule of trāslation should be called an Ouerseer or Superintendent likevvise Deacon you are content to vse as an Ecclesiastical vvord so vsed in antiquitie because you also haue those vvhom you call Deacons Onely Priests must be turned contemptuously out of the text of the holy Scriptures and Elders put in their place because you haue no Priests not vvil none of them and because that is in cōtrouersie betvvene vs. as for Elders you haue none permitted in England for feare of ouerthrovving your Bishops office the Queenes supreme gouernemēt in all spiritual things causes Is not this to folovv the humour of your heresie by Machiauels politike rules vvithout any feare of God 13 Apostles you say for the most part in your translations not alvvaies as vve do and Prophetes and Euangelistes Angels and such like and vvheresoeuer there is no matter of controuersie betvvene you and vs there you can pleade
gouerne 22 To the diminishing of this Ecclesiastical authoritie in the later end of the reigne of king Henrie the eight during the reigne of king Edvvard the sixt the only translation of their English Bibles vvas Submit your selues vnto al maner ordināce of man vvhether it be VNTO THE KING 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AS TO THE CHEEFE HEAD 1 Pet. 2. Vvhere in this Queenes time the later translatours can not finde those wordes novv in the Greeke but do trāslate thus Bibl. 1577. 1579. To the king as hauing preeminence or to the king as the Superior Vvhy so because then the King had first taken vpon him this name of Supreme head of the Church and therfore they flattered both him and his sonne til their heresie vvas planted making the holy Scripture to say that the king vvas the Cheefe head vvhich is al one vvith supreme head but novv being better aduised in that point by Caluin I suppose and the Lutherans of Magdeburge Calu. in c. 7. Amos. Magdeb. in praef Cent. 7. fo 9.10.11 vvho doe ioyntly inueigh against such title and Caluin against that by name vvhich vvas first giuen to king Henrie the eight and because they may be bolder vvith a Queene then vvith a king and because novv they thinke their kingdom is vvel established therfore they suppresse this title in their later translations vvould take it from her altogether if they could to aduance their ovvne Ecclesiastical iurisdiction vvithout any dependence of the Queenes supreme gouernement of their church vvhich in their conscience if they be true Caluinists or Lutherans or mixt of both they do and must mislike 23 But hovvsoeuer that be let them iustifie their translation or confesse their fault and as for the kings supremacie ouer the Church if they make any doubt let them read S. Ignatius vvordes Epist 7. ad Smyrnenses who vvas in the Apostles time euen vvhen S. Peter gaue the foresaid admonition of subiection to the king and knevv very vvel hovv far his preeminence extended and therfore saith plainely in notorious vvordes that vve must first honour God then the Bishop thē the king because in al thinges nothing is comparable to God in the Church nothing greater then the Bishop vvho is consecrated to God for the saluation of the vvhole vvorld and c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among magistrates temporal rulers none is like the king See his b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other vvordes immediatly folovving vvhere he preferreth the Bishops office before the kings and al other thinges of price among men 24 But in the former sentence of S. Peter though they haue altered their translation about the kings headship yet there is one corruption remaining still in these vvordes Submit your selues VNTO AL MANER ORDINANCE OF MAN Vvhereas in the Greeke it is vvord for vvord as in the old vulgar Latin translation omni humanae creaturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as vve haue translated to euery humane creature meaning temporal Princes and Magistrates 1 Pet. 2. v. 13.14 as is plaine by the exemplification immediatly folovving of king and dukes and other sent or appointed by him But they in fauour of their temporal statutes actes of Parliament Proclamations Iniunctions made against the Catholike religion do translate all vvith one consent Submit your selues to al maner ordinance of man Doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie ordinance or is it al one to be obedient to euery one of our Princes and to al maner ordinance of the said Princes 25 A strange case and much to be considered hovv they vvring and vvrest the holy Scriptures this vvay and that vvay and euery vvay to serue their heretical procedings For vvhen the question is of due obedience to Ecclesiastical canons and decrees of the Church and general Councels vvhere the holy Ghost by Christs promis is assistant and vvhereof it is said Mat. 18. If he heare not the Church let him be vnto thee as an hethen Publicant and He that heareth you heareth me Luc. 10. he that despiseth you despiseth me there they crie out aloud and odiously terme al such ordinances Mens traditions and commaundements of men most despitefully contemne and condemne them but here for obedience vnto tēporal edictes Patliament-statutes daily enacted in fauour of their schisme and heresies they once malitiously forged and still vvickedly reteine vvithout alteration a text of their ovvne making the Apostle to commaund submission vnto al maner ordināce of man vvhereof hath ensued the false crime of treason and cruel death for the same vpon those innocent men and glorious martyrs that chose to obey God and his Churches holy ordinances rather then mans statutes and lavves directly against the same CHAP. XVI Heretical translation against the Sacrament of MATRIMONIE 1 BVT as they are iniurious translatours to the sacred Order of Priesthod so a mā vvould thinke they should be very frendly to the Sacrament of Matrimonie for they would seeme to make more of Matrimonie then vve doe making it equal at the least vvith virginitie Yet the truth is vve make it or rather the Church of God esteemeth it as a holy Sacrament they doe not as giuing grace to the maried persons to liue together in loue concord and fidelitie they acknovvledge no such thing So that Matrimonie vvith them is highly esteemed in respect of the flesh or to say the best only for a ciuil cōtract as it is among Iewes Pagans but as it is peculiar to Christians and as S. Augustine saith in the sanctification also and holines of a Sacrament they make no account of it but flatly deny it 2 And to this purpose they translate in the epistle to the Ephesians 5. vvhere the Apostle speaketh of Matrimonie This is a great secrete Sacramentū hoc magnū est Vvhereas the Latin Church and al the Doctors thereof haue euer read This is a great Sacrament the Greeke Church and al the fathers thereof This is a great mysterie because that vvhich is in Greeke mysterie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Latin Sacrament contrarievvise the vvordes in both tongues being equiualent so that if one be taken in the large signification the other also as Apoc. 17. I vvil shevv thee the sacramet of the vvoman Sacramentū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I vvil shevv thee the mysterie of the vvoman and so in sundrie places againe if one be restrained from the larger signification and peculiarly applied signifie the Sacraments of the Church the other also As the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ or the Mysterie of the body and bloud of Christ Duo Sacramenta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Caluinists in their Latin and Greeke Catechisme say tvvo Sacraments or tvvo Mysteries 3 This being so vvhat is the fault of their translation in the place aforesaid this that they translate neither Sacrament nor Mysterie As for the vvord