is charged by Tertullian For Marcions heresie was not so generally receiued by the Greeke Churche that all men would yeeld vnto him neither was Tertullian so souÌ„d of iudgement in the Latine Church that whatsoeuer he iudged to be a corruption in Marcion must of necessity be so taken But if adding and detracting from the Scripture be proper notes of heretikes who can purge Stephen Gardiner Gregorie Martine The one for adding vnto a the verse of the Psalme this pronowne se him selfe to proue the carnall presens citing it thus Escam se dedit timentibus eum He gaue himselfe to be meate to them that feare him whereas the words of the Prophet according to the Hebrue Greeke and Latine are no more but Escam dedit He hath giuen meat c. The other in his fond booke of schisme citing this text out of 1. Cor. 10. as many Papistes doe against the certaintie of Faith Qui stat videat ne cadat He that standeth let him take heede he fall not Whereas not only the truth of the Greeke but euen the vulgar Latin translation hath Qui se existimat stare He that thinketh or supposeth that he standeth let him take heede that he fall not But of such additions and detractions vsed by the Romishe rattes farre worse than the myse of Pontus we shall haue more occasion to speake hereafter MART. 5. Another way is to make false translations of the Scriptures for the maintenaunce of errour and heresie so did the Arians as S. Hierome noteth in 26. Esa. reade and translate Prouerb 8. Dominus creauit me in intio viarum suarum that is The Lord created mein the beginning of his waies so to make Christ the wisedom of God a mere creature S. Augustin also lib 5. cont Iulian. c. 2. noteth it as the interpretation of some Pelagian Gen. 3. Fecerunt sibi vestimenta for perizómata or campestria that is They made them selues garments Whereas the word of the Scripture is bâ—eeches or aprons proper and peculiar to couer the secretparts Againe the selfe same heretikes did read falsely Rom. 5. Regnauit mors ab Adam vsque ad Moysen etiam in eos qui peccauerunt in similitudinem praeuaricationis Adae that is Death reigned from Adam to Moyses euen on them that sinned after the similitude of the preuaricatioÌ„ of Adam to maintaine their heresie against originall sinne that none were infected therewith or subiect to death damnation but by sinning actually as Adam did Thus did the old heretiks FVLK 5. As touching false and hereticall translations which is the chiefe argument of this booke I doubt not but by the grace of god to cleare our english translators from any wilfull corruptions for the maintenance of any errour or heresie such as were those of the Arrians Pelagians which Gregorie Martin as though he vttered some great peece of skill doth so diligently expresse I shall haue occasion also to shew that the Papistes them selues of our times maintaining their corrupt vulgar translation against the truth of the originall textes of Greeke and Hebrew are most guiltie of such corruption and falsification whereof although they be not the first authors yet by obstinate defending of such errors they may proue worse than they which did first commit them For the authors of that vulgar translation might be deceiued either for lacke of exact knowledge of the tongues or by some corrupt and vntrue copies which they followed or else perhaps that which they had rightly translated by fault of the writers negligence of the times might be peruerted but these men frowardly iustifying all errours of that translation howsoeuer they haue bene brought in do giue plaine testimony that they are not led with any coÌ„scieÌ„ce of Gods truth but wilfully carried with purpose of maintaining their owne errours least if they did acknowledge the errour of the Romish church in that one point they should not bee able to defende any one iote of their heresie whose chiefe colour is the credit and authoritie of that particular and false church rather than any reason or argument out of the holy Scriptures or testimonie of the most auncient Christian and Catholike church MART. 6. What these of our daies is it credible that being so wel warned by the condeÌ„nation detestation of theÌ„ they also would be as mad and as impious as those Heretikes gentle Reader be alwayes like Heretikes and howsoeuer they differ in opinions or names yet in this point they agree to abuse the Scriptures for their purpose by all meanes possibly I will but touch foure points of the fiue before mentioned because my purpose is to stay vpon the last onely and to discipher their corrupt translations But if I would stand vpon the other also were it not easie to shew the maner of their proceeding against the Scriptures to haue bene thus to deny some whole bookes and partes of bookes to call other some into question to expound the rest at their pleasure to picke quarrels to the very originall and Canonicall text â—o fester and infect the whole bodie of the Bible with cancred translations FVLK 6. It is very true that so many Heretikes as pretend the authoritie of the holy Scriptures abuse the same to their owne destruction and no Heretikes worse than the Antichristians or Papistes As partly hath bene seene already in euery one of your fiue markes more may appeare in those foure pointes which you will handle in the Preface because the argument of your whole booke is the fift so that in the ende you shal be proued no wiser with your fiue pointes than he that came forth with his fiue egges neuer a good of them all But you aske if it were not easie for you to shew if you would stand vpon them that the Protestants vse all the said siue meanes of defacing the Scripture I answer no and that shal you see when demonstratioÌ„ is made how vainly you haue laboured in the last point which howsoeuer you would haue it appeare to be a sudden writing of small trauail by interlacing a few lines here there against M. Whitaker against me some other yet it is euident both by Bristowes threatning and Campions promise that it hath bene a work of some yeares vnto you wherin beside that you are beholding much to Lindanus for diuers quarrels against Caluin and to sir Thomas More for many cauillations against W. Tyndals translation there is litle worthy of so long study and large promises as haue gone before this diligent discouerie so that if you will make the like triall in the rest you shall finde them as hard to proue as this last MART. 7. Did not Luther deny S. Iames epistle so contemne it that he called it an epistle of strawe and not worthy of an Apostolicall spirit must I proue this to M. Whitakers who would neuer haue denied it so vehemently in the superlatiue degree for
an hare beefore the houndes suche mightie hunters you are and wee suche fearefull hares before you I am not skilful in the termes of hunting but in plaine Englishe I wil speake it that if al the traiterous wolues and foxes that bee in the kennell at Rhemes woulde doe their beste to saue your credit in this section nay in this whole preface they shall neuer be able to maintaine their owne with anye indifferent reader MART. 47. Wel then doth it like you to reade thus according to Bezaes translation Thou shalt not leaue my carcasse in the graue No we are content to alter the word carcas which is not a seemely word for our sauiors bodie and yet wee are loath to say soule but if we might we would say rather life person as appeareth in the margent of our Bibles but as for the Hebrue word that signifieth Hel though the Greke Latin Bible throughout the Greke and Latin fathers in al theyr writings as occasion serueth doe so reade it and vnderstande it yet wil we neuer so translate it but for Hel we wil say graue in al such places of scripture as might infer Limbus patrum if we shoulde translate Hel. These are their shifies and turnings and windings in the olde Testament FVLK 47. I haue shewed you before that in the newe Testament we like better to translate according to the proper and vsual signification of the Greke word But the Hebrewe worde in the olde Testament may bee translated according to the circumstaunce of the place life person selfe yea or dead bodie and in some place perhaps carcase You folow vs very neare to seeke aduantage of the English worde carcase which commonly is taken in contempt therfore we would not vse it speaking of the bodie of our Sauiour Christe when it was dead But you hunt your selfe out of breath when you woulde bring the same contempt to the Latine worde Cadauer which Beza vsed For Cadauer signifieth generally a dead bodie of man or beast and by your vulgar Latine translator is vsed for the dead bodies of sacrifices of Saincts and holy men as indifferently as for carion of beastes or carcases of euill men Namely in Iob. 39. v 33. wheresoeuer the dead body is thether will the Eagle resort which similitude our Sauiour Christe applieth to him selfe Math. 24. v. 28. wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thether wil the Eagles be gathered where he compareth him selfe to the dead body and the faithfull to the Egles Now concerning the other Hebrue worde which you say signifieth hell because the Greeke and vulgar Latine interpretor do so translate it When iust occasion shal be giuen afterwarde Cap. 7. I will shew that it properly signifieth a graue pit or place for dead bodies and that in this place of the 16. Psalme it muste needes so signifie not onely the later part of the verse expressing in other wordes that which was saide in the former but also the Apostles prouing out of it the resurrection of Christe doe sufficiently declare If you haue no place therefore in the Scriptures to proue your Limbus patrum but where the holy Ghost speaketh of the death and buriall of the fathers no maruaile though you must straine the Hebrue worde which properly signifieth graue and the Greeke worde which properly signifieth a darke place and especially the Latine whiche signifieth generally a lowe place none of all the three wordes signifying hel as wee commonly vnderstande the worde hell properly and onely but by a figure where mention is made of the death of the vngodly whose rewarde is in hell These be the poore shiftes turninges and windings that you haue to wreath in those fables of Limbus patrum Purgatorie which the Church of God from the beginning of the worlde vnto the comming of Christ neuer heard of nor many hundreth yeares after Christe vntill the MoÌ„tanists or such like hethenish heretikes brought in those fantasies MART. 48. In the newe Testament wee aske them will you be tried by the auncient Latine translation which is the texte of the fathers and the whole Churche No but wee appeale to the Greeke What Greeke say wee for there bee sundrie copies and the beste of them as Beza confesseth agree with the saide auncient Latine For example in Saint Peters wordes Labour that by good workes you may make sure your vocation and election Duth this Greeke copie please you No say they wee appeale to thaâ— Greeke copie which hath not those wordes by good workes for otherwise wee shoulde graunt the merite and efficacie of good workes towarde saluation And generally to tell you at once by what Greeke we will be â—ried we like best the vulgar Greeke texte of the new Testament which is most common and in euery mans handes FVLK 48. Wee neede not appeale to the Greeke for any thing you bring out of the vulgar Latine against vs. As for that text 2. Pet. 1. Labour that by good works c. I haue answeared before in the 36. Section Wee like well the Latine or that Greeke copie which hath those wordes by good workes for we must needes vnderstand them where they are not expressed and therefore you do impudeÌ„tly beelie vs to say they do not please vs. Caluin vpon that text saith Nonnulli codices habent bonis operibus sed hoc de sensu nihil mutat quia subaudiendum est etiaÌ„ si non exprimatur Some bookes haue By good works but this chaungeth nothing of the sense for that must be vnderstoode although it be not expressed The same thing in effect saith Beza that our election and vocation must be confirmed by the effects of faith that is by the fruites of iustice c. therefore in some copies wee finde it added by good workes So farre of is it that Beza misliketh those wordes that hee citeth them to proue the perpetuall connection of Election Vocation Iustification and Sanctification This is therefore as wicked a slaunder of vs as it is an vntrue affirmation of the vulgar Latine that it is the texte of the fathers and the whole Churche whereby you shewe your selfe to be a Donatiste to acknowledge no Churche but where the Latine texte is occupied So that in Greece Syria Armenia Aethiopia and other partes of the worlde where the Latine texte is not knowen or vnderstood there Christ hath no Churche by your vnaduised assertion That we like best the most common Greeke text I am sure that we doe it by as good reason if not by better than you in so great diuersities of the Latine texte who like best of that which is most common and in euery mans handes MART. 49. Well say we if you will needes haue it so take your pleasure in choosing your text And if you will stande to it graunt vs that Peter was chiefe among the Apostles because your owne Greeke text saith The first Peter No saith Beza we will graunt you no such thing for these wordes were added
thought she is one of those last mentioned But if you say as the Geneua Bible doth but my doue is alone and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother Nowe the church is excepted from all the rest of the Queenes concubines and damsels And where you say the Hebrue hath not that signification I pray you goe no further but euen to the same verse and tell me whether the sense be that she is one of her mothers daughters or the only daughter of her mother Here therefore as almost euery where you doe nothing but seeke a knot in a rush MART. 11. But we beseeche euerie 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 yeares out of their Englishe Bibles thereby to defeate the strongest argument that might and may possibly be brought against them and all other Heretikes to wit the authoritie of the Church which is so many wayes and so greatly recommended vnto all Christians in ho'y Scriptures Consider I pray you what a malitious intention they had herein First that the name Church shoulde neuer sound in the common peoples eares out of the Scriptures secondly that as in other things so in this also it might seeme to the ignoraunt a good argument against the authoritie of the Church to say We finde not this worde Church in all 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 well prouide that the worde Church in the holy Scriptures should not stay or hinder their schismaticall and hereticall proceedings as long as that was the only English translation that was read and liked among the people that is so long till they had by preaching taken away the Catholike Churches credit and authorite altogither among the ignorant by opposing the Scriptures thereunto which them selues had thus falsely translated FVLK 11. We trust euerie indifferent Reader wil consider that they which translated the Greeke worde Ecclesia the congregation and admonished in the notes that they did by that worde meane the church and they which in the creede might haue translated Ecclesiam Catholicam the vniuersall congregation taught all children to say I beleue the Catholike churche coulde haue no such deuilish meaning as this malicious sclaunderer of his owne heade doeth imagine For who euer hearde any man reason thus This worde church is not found in the Scripture therefore the church must be despised c. Rather it is like beside other reasons before alleaged that those first translatours hauing in the olde Testament out of the Hebrue translated the wordes Cahal Hadath and such other for the congregation where the Papistes will not translate the church although their Latine text be Ecclesia as appeareth Act. 7. where they call it assembly thought good to retaine the word congregation throughout the newe Testament also least it might be thought of the ignoraunt that God had no church in the time of the olde Testament Howsoeuer it was they departed neither from the word nor meaning of the holy Ghost nor from the vsage of that word Ecclesia which in the Scripture signifieth as generally any assembly as the worde Congregation doeth in Englishe CHAP. VI. Hereticall translation against PRIEST and PRIESTHOODE Martin BVt because it may be they will stande here vpon their later translations which haue the name Church because by that time they sawe the absurditie of chaunging the name now their number was increased and them selues beganne to challenge to be the true Church though not the Catholike and for former times when they were not they deuised an inuisible Church If then they will stande vpon their later translations and refuse to iustifie the former let vs demaund of them concerning all their Englishe translation why and to what ende they suppresse the name Priest trāslating it Elder in all places where the holy Scripture would signifie by Presbyter and Presbyterium the Priestes and Priesthoode of the new Testament Fulke IF any errour haue escaped the former translations that hath bene reformed in the later all reasonable men ought to be satisfied with our owne corrections But because we are not charged with ouersights and small faults committed either of ignorāce or of negligence but with shamelesse trāslations wilful heretical corruptions we may not acknowledge any such crimes whereof our conscience is cleare That we deuised an inuisible church because we were few in number whē our translations were first printed it is a lewde sclaunder For being multiplied as we are God be thanked we holde still that the Catholike church which is the mother of vs all is inuisible and that the church on earth may at sometimes be driuen into suche streights as of the wicked it shall not be knowen And this we helde alwayes and not otherwise Nowe touching the worde Presbyter and Presbyterium why we translate them not Priest and Priesthoode of the new Testament we haue giuen sufficient reason before but because we are here vrged a freshe we must aunswere as occasion shall bee offered MART. 2. Vnderstand gentle Reader their wily pollicie therein is this To take away the holy sacrifice of the Masse they take away both altar and Priest because they know right well that these three Priest sacrifice and altar are dependentes and consequentes one of an other so that they can not be separated If there be an externall sacrifice there must be an external Priesthoode to offer it an altar to offer the same vpon So had the Gentiles their sacrifices Priestes and altars so had the Iewes so Christ him selfe being a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec had a sacrifice his bodie and an altar his Crosse vpon the which he offered it And because he instituted this sacrifice to continue in his Church for euer in commemoration and representation of his death therefore did he withall ordaine his Apostles Priests at his last supper there then instituted the holy order of Priesthoode and Priestes saying hoc faecite Do this to offer the selfe same sacrifice in a mysticall and vnblouddie maner vntill the worldes end FVLK 2. In denying the blasphemous sacrifice of the popish masse with the altar priesthood that therto belongeth we vse no wily policie but with open mouth at all times and in all places we cry out vpon it The sacrifices priestes and altars of the Gentiles were abhominable The sacrifices of the Iewes their priestes and altars are all accomplished and finished in the onely sacrifice of Christ our high Priest offered once for all vpon the altar of the crosse which Christ our Sauiour seeing he is a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech hath an eternall priesthood and such as passeth not by succession Heb. 7. Therefore did not Christ at his last supper institute any externall propitiatory sacrifice of his bodie and bloud but
permitte such consistories of Elders for onely discipline and gouernment as be in some other Churches yet doe they not only permit but also mainteyne and reuerence such Elders being signified by the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as are necessarie for the gouernment of the Church in doctrine Sacraments and discipline to the saluation of Gods people The dayly sacrifice mentioned in Daniell was the Morning and Euening sacrifice of the old Lawe wherevnto your blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse hath no resemblaunce You may not therefore looke to recouer the credite of Massing Priestes by that sacrifice which being once instituted by God was at length taken away by the onely sacrifice of Christes death Against which all the Apologies in the worlde shall neuer be able to defende your Massing Priesthood As for the chapter of Allens Apologie wherevnto you refer vs conteyneth certaine quotations a few sentences of the auncient writers which haue bene answered an huÌ„dreth times to iustifie massing Priests but all in vaine for neuer shall he proue that any one from the Eldest which he nameth vnto Beda which is the yongest was such a Massing Prieste in all pointes as those traytours are which by the Queenes lawes and edict are proscribed and prohibited I meane not for their manners but for their Masse and all opinions incident therevnto CHAP. VII Hereticall translation against PVRGATORIE LIMBVS PATRVM CHRISTS DESCENDING INTO HEL Martin HAVING now discouered their corrupt translations for defacing of the Churches name and abolishing of Priest and Priesthood let vs come to another point of very great importance also and which by the wonted consequence or sequele of errour includeth in it many erroneous branches Their principall malice then being bent against Purgatorie that is against a place were Christian soules be purged by suffering of temporall paines after this life for surer maintenaunce of their erroncous deniall hereof they take away and denie all third places saying that there was neuer from the beginning of the worlde any other place for soules after this life but onely two to witte heauen for the blessed and hell for the damned And so it foloweth by their hereticall doctrine that the Patriarches Prophetes and other good holy men of the old Testament went not after their deaths to the place called Abrahams bosome or Limbus patrum But immediatly to heauen so againe by their erroneous doctrinâ— it foloweth that the fathers of the old Testament were in heauen before our sauiour Christe had suffered death for their redemption and also by their erroneous doctrine it foloweth that our sauiour Christ was not the first man that ascended and entred into heauen and moreouer by their hereticall doctrine it foloweth that our sauiour Christe desâ—ended not into any such third place to deliuer the fathers of the olde Testament out of their prison and to bring them triumphantly with him into heauen because by their erroneous doctrine they were neuer there â— and so that article of the Apostles Creede concerning our sauiour Christ his descending into hell must either be put out by the Caluinists as Beza did in his Confession of his faith printed An. 1564. or it hath some other meaning to wit either the lying of his bodie in the graue or as Caluine and the purer Caluinists his schollers will haue it the suffering of hell paines distresses vpon the Crosse. Loe the consequence and coherence of these errours and heresies Fulke WE may be bolde to say with S. Augustine We beleeue according to the auctoritie of God that the kingdome of heauen is the first place appointed for Gods elect and that hell is the seconde place where all the reprobrate such is be not of the faith of Christe shall suffer eternall punishment Tertium penitus ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus The thirde place we are vtterly ignorant of yea and that it is not wee finde in the holy Scriptures But hereof it followeth say you that the godly of the olde Testament went not after their deathes to Abrahams bosome or Limbus patrum but immediately to heauen Of Limbus patrum which is a border of the Popes hel I grauÌ„t it followeth but of Abrahams bosome it followeth none otherwise than if I should say Gregorie Martin went into Chepeside Ergo he went not to London That the fathers of the old Testament were in Heauen before our Sauiour Christ had suffered death for their redemption it is no incoÌ„uenience for his death was as effectuall to redeeme them that liued before he suffered actually as them that liue since because in Gods sight hee is the Lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world And the fathers that were iustified by faith in his bloud receyued the same crowne and rewarde of rightuousnesse that we do beyng iustified by the same meanes And yet our Sauiour Christe was the first man that in his whole manhood ascended and entred into heauen into the fulnesse and perfection of glory which is prepared for all Gods elect to be enioyed after the generall resurrection That our Sauiour Christe descended into no prison after his death we verily beleeue and yet we do also constantly beleeue the article of our Creede that he descended into hel by suffering in soule the paynes due to Gods iustice for the sinnes of all whome hee redeemed and by vanquishing the Deuill and all the power of hel in working the redemption of all the children of God If Beza in his confession had cleane left out that article whiche is vntrue hee had bene no more to bee blamed than the auctors of the Nicene Creede and many other Creedes in which it is not expressed because it is partly conteyned vnder the article of his sufferings partly it is in parte of the effect and vertue of his death and redemption MART. 2. These nowe being the hereticall doctrines which they meane to auouch and defende what soèuer come of it first they are at a point not to care a rushe for all the auncient holy Doctours that write with full consent to the contrarie as themselues confesse calling it their common errour secondly they translate the holy Scriptures in fauour thereof most corruptly and wilfully as in Bezaes false translation who is Caluines successor in Geneua it is notorious for he in his newe Testament of the yeare 1556. printed by Robertus Stephanus in folio with Annotations maketh our Sauiour Christ say thus to his father Non derelinques cadauer meuÌ„ in sepulchro Thou shalt not leaue my carcasse in the graue Act. 2. For that which the Hebrue and the Greeke and the Latine and S. Hierome according to the Hebrue say Non derelinques animam meam in inferno as plainly as we say in English Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell Thus the Prophet Dauid spake it in the Hebrue Psal. 15. Thus the Septuaginta vttered it in Greeke thus the Apostle S. Peter
prepared for vs. But all this is to be vnderstoode of the cleare reuelation of the mercie of God in Christ which was obscurely set forth vnto the fathers of the olde Testament and not of the effect fruite of his passion which was the same for their saluation that it is for ours Neither haue the soules of the faithfull since the coÌ„ming of Christ any other place of rest than the fathers had before his incarnation God prouiding most wisely that they without all the rest of their brethren that shall be vnto the worldes ende shall not be made perfect And whereas you saye that all the soules of good and badde then went downeward you are controlled by the wise man Eccles. 3. Where he speaketh in the person of the carnall man doubting of that which is not comprehended by reason but beleened by faith who knoweth whether the spirite of man ascende vpwarde And more plainely in the last chapter of that booke where he exhorteth to repentaunce shewing in the ende that though dust returne to the earth from whence it was yet the spirite returneth to God that gaue it It returneth to God therefore it goeth not downe For who woulde abide to heare this speache the soules of the faithfull went downewarde to God yea went into hell to God Nay returned downeward into hel to God that gaue them That common receptacle therefore of the dead was the receptacle of their bodies which all first or last returned to the earth from whence they were taken And where you say that place was called in all tongues by such a word as signifieth a lower place beneath it is true of the common receptacle of their bodies but not of their soules For the soule of Lazarus was not carried by the Angells into hell but into Abrahams bosome which was not onely a place of rest but also of ioy and comfort contrarie to tormentes betwene which and hell was an infinite distaunce Who woulde call that a common receptacle when there was an infinite distance vnpassable from one to the other MART. 9. So wee say in our Creede that our sauiour Christ him selfe descended into hel according to his soule So S. Hierom speaking of the state of the old Testament saith Si Abraham Isaac Iacob in inferno quis in caelorum regno that is If Abraham Isaac and Iacob were in hell who was in the kingdome of heauen And againe Ante Christum Abraham apud inferos post Christum latro in Paradiso that is before the comming of Christ Abraham was in hell after his comming the theefe was in Paradise And least a man might obiect that Lazarus being in Abrahams bosome saw the riche glottâ—n a farre of in hel and therefore bothe Abraham and Lazarus seeme to haue bene in heauen the saide holy doctour resolueth it that Abraham and Lazarus also were in hell but in a place of great rest and refreshing and therefore verie farre off from the miserable wretched glutton that lay in tormentes FVLK 9. We say in our Creede that Christ descended into hell which being an article of our faith must haue relation to suche benefite as we receiue by his descending namely that thereby we are deliuered from the paines of hell But that he should descend into Limbus patrum to fetche out the fathers which before you sayd were in prison nowe you say in rest we neither say it in our Creede neither doth it pertaine vnto vs. But Hierome is cited as a fauourer of your opinion who I confesse in some parte held as you doe but not altogither For thus he writeth in Epitaph Nepos After he hath giuen thanks to Christ for our redemption by his death Quid ante miserius homine qui aeternae mortis terrore prostratus viuendi sensum ad hoc tantum acceperat vt periret c. What was more miserable than man before which being cast downe with terrour of eternall death receiued sense of liuing for this ende only that he might perishe For death raigned from Adam vnto Moises yea vpon those which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam If Abraham Isaak and Iacob in hell who in the kingdome of heauen If thy friendes were vnder the punishment If Adam and they which sinned not were held guiltie by other mens sinnes what is to be thought of them which said in their harte there is no God c. And if Lazarus be seene in the bosome of Abraham and in a place of rest what like hath hell and the kingdome of Heauen Before Christe Abraham in hell after Christ the theese in Paradise In these wordes Hierome after his Rhetoricall manner amplifying the benefite of our redemption by Christ doth rather touch this errour than plainely expresse it For first hee maketh all men miserable before Christe and cast downe with terror of eternall death which is true if yee consider them without Christ in which state are all men since Christe but of all men that liued before the time of Christes death and yet embraced their redemption by him it is not true As also that there are some which haue not sinned But that al this is to be vnderstood specially of the death of their bodies and allegorically of their soules he addeth immediately Et idâ—â—rco in resurrectione eius multa dorâ—â—ntium corpora c. And therefore at his resurrection many bodies of them that slept arose were seene in the heauenly Ierusalem See you not how he turneth all into an Allegorie to set foorth the vertue of Christes redemption who brought all his elect by his death from hell and the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of heauen Furthermore you bidde vs see Augustine in Ps 85. v 13. Where in the beginning he professeth his ignoraunce in discussing the question of the nethermost hell First supposing this world in which we liue to be Infernum superius and the place whether the dead goe Infernum inferius from which God hath deliuered vs sending thether his sonne who to this Infernum or lower place came by his birth to that by his death he addeth an other opinion Fortassis enim apud ipsos inferos est aliqua pars inferior c. Peraduenture euen in hell it selfe there is some parte lower in which the vngodly which haue much sinned are deliuered For whether Abraham had bene now in certaine places in hell we can not sufficiently define And afterward wheÌ„ he hath spokeÌ„ of the diuerse places of Lazarus and the rich glutton he concludeth as vncertainly as he began Ergo inter ista fortasse duo inferna quorum in vno c. Therefore peraduenture betweene these two hels in one of which the soules of the righteous rested the soules of the wicked are tormented one attending prayeth in the person of Christ c. Here you may see what an article of beliefe this was with S. Augustine when he hath nothing to define but onely bringeth his
should not haue bene so straunge a matter vnto you to heare that our Sauiour Christ with great astonishment and terrour of mind was afraid of death where he vseth the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not for bodilye paine or bodily death which not onely thousands of holy Martyrs haue ioyfully embraced but infinite wicked persons haue contemned but for the feeling of Gods wrath which was infinitely more heauy vpon his soule than any torments were vpon his bodie MART. 42. Yea Beza sayth further to this purpose much more against his skill in the Greeke tongue if he had any at all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preposition can not beare this sense For which or in respect whereof and therefore he translateth the Greeke into Latine thus Exauditus est ex metu he was heard from feare not for feare or for his reuerence And because from feare is a hard speech and darke that seemeth to be the cause why our English translators say In that which he feared farre from Beza in word but agreeably in sense FVLK 42. When Beza hath shewed his skill in the Greeke tongue not onely in his translation and annotations but also in diuers Greeke Epigrams which he hath set forth who but one starke mad with malice blind with conceit of his owne slender skil would doubt whether Beza had any skill at all in the Greeke tongue As for that he sayth of the signification of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he speaketh in respect of the propertie of the Greeke tongue for yet you bring no examples but Hebraisms out of the Scripture for that signification of the preposition MART. 43. But for this matter we send them to Flaccus Illyricus a Captaine Lutherane who disputeth this very point against the Caluinistes and teacheth them that no thing is more common than that signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For proofe whereof we also referre them to these places of the holye scripture Mat. 13. Luc. 22. and 24. Act. 12. Psal. 87. And Machab. 5. 21. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a genitiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an accusatiue signifie all one which Beza denieth Gentle Reader beare with these tedious grammatications fitter to be handled in Latine but necessary in this case also good for them that vnderstand for the rest an occasion to aske of them that haue skill in the Greeke tongue whether we accuse our aduersaries iustly or no of false translating the holy Scriptures FVLK 43. And we by the same authoritie sende you to Bezaes answer in his last edition of his annotations And yet the Reader must know that Beza did not simply deny that the preposition might haue such sense But he sayde Non facile mihi persuaserim I can not easily perswade my selfe that any example can be brought wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so vsed And in all these examples that you haue brought it signifieth rather prae which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your vulgar translator obserueth the difference 2. Mac. 5. verse 27. translating prae superbia and propter elationem mentis But Beza requireth an example of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may aunswer to the vulgar Latine pro reuerentia For who would translate in Saint Mathew 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro gaudio propter gaudium or secundum gaudium or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro dolore and so of the rest but of these let Beza him selfe giue account As for these tedious grammatications which you confesse to haue bene fitter to be handled in Latine it seemeth you vttered in English for that of many ignorant you might be thought to bringe some great learning out of the Hebrewe and Greeke tongues against vs whereas the learned if you had written in Latine of other nations as well as ours might haue bene witnesses of your fonde trifling and quarrelling against our translations As for the necessarye cause you pretende that the vnlearned may aske them that haue skyll in Greeke is very ridiculous For neyther can they haue at hande alwayes such as be able to resolue them neither if they be of your faction wil they aske any indifferent mans iugement but onely such as will auouch before the ignorant that all which you write is good and perfect MART. 44. And we beseech them to giue vs a good reason why they professing to followe precisely the Greeke doe not obserue truely the Greeke points in such place as concerneth this present controuersie For the place in the Apocalypse which they alledge of our Sauiour Christes suffering from the beginning thereby to inferre that the iust men of the olde Testament might enter heauen then as well as after his reall and actuall death according to the Greeke points sayth thus All that dwell vpon the earth shall worship him the beast whose names haue not bene written in the booke of life of the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the worlde Where it is euident that the Greeke text sayth not the Lambe slaine from the beginning but that the names of those Antichristian Idolaters were not written in Gods eternall booke of predestination from the beginning as it is also most plaine without all ambiguitie in the 17. chapter v. 8. If in a place of no controuersie they had not bene curious in pointes of the Greeke they might haue great reason sometime to alter the same FVLK 44. How faine would you obscure the light of that excellent testimonie euen contrarye to your owne vulgar Latine translation that you might not haue such a faithfull witnesse against your Limbus patrum You require a reason whye wee keepe not the Greeke pointes Apoc. 13. I aunswer we keepe those pointes which the most auncient written copies haue which the Complutensis Ediâ—iâ— hath and which the beste Greeke printes nowe haue If you would knowe a reason why we followe not them that point otherwise I aunswer you the composition of the wordes is against that pointing For except Saint Iohn had meant that the Lambe was slayne from the beginning of the world he would not haue placed those wordes from the beginning of the worlde next to those wordes the Lambe which is slayne but next the worde written And therefore Aretus that could not vnderstande howe the lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world is forced to imagine Hyperbaton in this text where none needeth the sense being good and plaine without it as the wordes doe lye Whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe that hath bene slaine since the beginning of the worlde And although it be true that the names of the Antichristian Idolaters were not written in Gods eternall booke of predestination from the beginning as it is said Apoc. 17. v. 8. Yet is that no reason why this also shoulde
you to proue Forsooth that his aduersaries do confesse all the olde fathers to be on their side and to haue erred with them as Fulke doth of S. Ambrose Austen Tertullian Origen Chrysostom Gregorie and Bede by name with most reprochefull and contemptuous words against them This is spoken generally as though we confesse all the doctors to bee on their side in euery controuersie which we doe not acknowledge to be true in any one although many of the later sort do in some part fauour one or two errours of theirs among an hundreth But let vs examine his prooues which seeme to be verie plentifull yet of nine quotations I must needes strike out two page 306. and 279. because in them is not one syllable of my writing but all of Allens In the pages 315. 316. is nothing more contained touching this matter than I haue alreadie declared There remaineth nowe page 349. where I say touching a rule of S. Augustine which hee giueth to trie faith and doctrine of the Church onely by the scripture that if he had as diligently followed it in examining the common error of his time of prayer for the dead as he did in beating downe the schisme of the Donatistes or the heresie of the Pelagians hee woulde not so blindly haue defended that which by holy scripture he was not able to maintaine as he doeth in that booke De Cura pro mortuis agenda and else where What most reprochefull or contemptuous wordes are here against S. Augustine Seeing the holie scripture is a light shining in a darke place as S. Peter sayeth who so goeth without it must walke blindly which I say in commendation of the light of the scripture not in contempt of Augustines reason whome as I may not honour with contempt of the trueth so when he is a patrone maintainer of the truth I honour him from my heart Likewise page 78. Saint Ambrose is named but nothing acknowledged to fauour any popish errour Augustine is againe noted speaking of the amending fire whereof he hath no ground but in the common errour of his time and whereof he affirmeth sometimes that it is a matter that may bee doubted of sometimes that there is no third place at all Wherefore this place hath neither reprochful wordes nor confession of any constant opinion of Augustine inclining to your errours Then let vs passe to the next place which is page 435. where concerning this matter I haue written thus I denie that any of the auncient fathers in Christs time or scholers to his Apostles or within one or two hundreth yeares after Christ except one that had it of Montanus the heretike as he had more things beside in any one word maintained your cause for purgatorie or prayers for the dead Secondly of them that maintained prayers for the dead the most confessed they had it not out of the scriptures but of tradition of the Apostles and custome of the church therefore they are not to be compared vnto vs in better vnderstanding of the scriptures for that point which they denyed to be receiued of the scriptures Thirdly those of the auncient fathers that agreed with you in any part of your assertion for none within 400. yeares was wholly of your errour notwithstanding manie excellent gifts that they had yet maintained other errors beside that and about that diffented one from another and sometime the same man from himselfe and that is worst of all from manifest truth of the holy scriptures Therefore neither is their erronious interpretation in this matter to be receiued nor M. Allens wise iudgement of vs to bee regarded Here also I appeale to the iudgement of indifferent readers what confession I haue made of the fathers to be on their side or what reprochefull or contemptuous wordes I haue vsed against them for dissenting from vs. The next place is quoted page 247. where I say against Allen boasting of auncient testimonies for prayer for the dead I will not denie but you haue much drosse and dregges of the later sort of doctors the later the fuller of drosse But bring me any worde out of Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus or any that did write within one hundreth yeares after Christ that aloweth prayer or almes for the dead I will say you are as good as your word Here except he will cauil that I acknowledge much drosse and dregs to be in the later sort of doctors I knowe not what hee findeth that hath any shadowe of his slander But the trueth must be confessed that the pure waters of life are to be founde onely in the worde of God and beside that the best and purest liquors that are to bee seene are not cleare from all dregges and drosse of humane error and frailtie In the next page Origen deliuered from the shamefull mangling of Allens allegation is shewed plainly to be an enimie of purgatorie prayer for the dead in that he affirmeth the day of a Christian mans death to be the ende of all sorrowe and the beginning of all felicitie There remaineth nowe the last place quoted page 194. where I acknowledge that Gregorie Bernard Bede vpon the text Matth. 12. are of opinion that sinnes not remitted in this world may be remitted in the world to come But how happeneth it say I that Chrysostome Ieronyme which both interpreted that place could gather no such matter although they otherwise allowed prayer for the dead The reason must needes be because the errour of purgatorie growing so much the stronger as it was neerer to the full reuelation of Antichrist Gregorie and Bede sought not the true meaning of Christ in this scripture but the confirmation of their plausible error Here is all the confessions most reprochefull contemptuous wordes that are conteined in so manie of those places as he hath quoted in which I will not tarrie to rehearse how manie vntruthes he hath vttered against mee but wish the indifferent reader to consider that if he be so bolde to slander mee concerning a booke printed in English by which he may be conuinced of euerie simple reader what dare he not aduouch of matters done and past at Rome whither none may trauell to trie out his tretcherie but he is in manifest danger neuer to returne the answere of his message From this Popish Parson whatsoeuer his name be I must passe to another gentleman namelesse in deede but not blamelesse yea much more blame worthie than the other who among so manie and so great flanders as it is wonder howe they could bee conueyed into so small a booke against our prince her lawes her councellors her iudges her officers the nobilitie the comminaltie the church the gouernors the pastors the people thereof against all states persons of the land in whome there is religion towardes God ioyned with dutie towarde their prince and countrie hath founde yet some emptie corners where he might place me in particular And
the authoritie of God the sonne which is equall with his father from the ministerie of y e man Iesu Christ inferior to his father as touching his manhood Secondly they charge vs that we sticke not to say Christ was a priest or did sacrifice according to his Godhead Wee say he was a priest and did offer sacrifice both according to his godhead according to his manhood And the same saâ—eth the Apostle in effect when he saith The bloud of Christ which by his eternal spirit offered himself vnreprouable to God shal purge your conscience c. Heb. 9. 14. For not y e bloud of beastes nor of any man though he had beene innocent but the bloud of that man which was God was the price of our redemption in which respect the Apostle Act. 20. ver 28. sayeth that God purchased his Church vnto him selfe by his owne bloud For by the eternall spirite is vnderstood that infinite power of the diuinitie vnited to the humanitie by which the sacrifice of Christ was consecrated that by the same liuely or quickening vertue by which he created vs he might also restore vs. Whereunto our Sauiour Christ had regard when he saide Ioh. 6. It is the spirite that giueth life the flesh profiteth nothing But this say the Papistes is to make Christ God the fathers priest not his sonne Nay rather this is to acknowledge Christ to be both his fathers sonne and his priest euen as the Apostle sayeth The law appointeth priestes men that haue infirmitie but the worde of the othe which is after the lawe the Sonne for euer perfected Heb. 7. v. 28. Where by the oppositioÌ„ of men hauing infirmitie with the Sonne perfected for euer it is most cleare that the worde of the othe maketh Christ as he is the Sonne of God a priest after the order of Melchisedech Where I cannot omitte the shamefull corruption of this text in the popish translation which to hide this opposition betweene men and God the sonne of God hath altogither left out this worde men although it be in the Latine expressed manifestly Lex enim homines constituit sacerdotes infirmitatem habentes which they translate thus For the law appointeth priestes them that haue infirmitie But to proceede Our accusers adde further that our assertion is to make Christ to doe sacrifice and homage to God his father as his Lorde and not as his equall in dignitie and nature I aunswere no more than when S. Paul sayeth that Christ when hee was in the forme of God and thought it no robberie to bee equall with God he made himselfe of no reputation tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant became obedient to the death euen the death of the crosse I haue sufficiently before distinguished that all partes of his priesthood that required obedience seruice homage ministerie subiection he perfourmed as man but the authoritie of reconciling men vnto God he wrought as God and man euen as the Apostle writeth God was in Christ reconciling the world to him selfe 2. Cor. 5. ver 19. That he might be a priest therefore able and worthie to make attonement with God he was God that his reconciliation and satisfaction might extende to men he was man and so beeing God and man he is â— perfect mediator betweene God and man and an high priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech All this notwithstanding they oppose against vs the authoritie of the fathers who doubtlesse had no other meaning than we to keepe this distinction First Augustine in Psal. 109. is produced to say that as hee was man he was priest as God he has not priest But Augustines wordes are somewhat otherwise vppon the text Iurauit Dominus c. Ad hoc enim natus ex vtero ante luciferum vt esses sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordineÌ„ Melchisedech Si natuÌ„ ex vtero de virgine intelligimus ante LuciferuÌ„ noctu sicut â—uangelia contestantur procul dubio inde ex vtero ante luciferuÌ„ vt esset Sacerdos in aeternuÌ„ secunduÌ„ ordinem Melchisedech Nam secundum id quod natus est de patre Deus apud Deum coaeternus gignenti non Sacerdos sed sacerdos propter carnem assumptam propter victimam quam pro nobis offerre◠á nobis acceptam The Lorde hath sworne c. For to this ende thou wast borne out of the wombe before the day starre that thou mightest be a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech For according to that he is borne of God the father God with God toeternall with him that begetteth he is not a priest but a priest for his flesh assumpted for the sacrifice which being taken of vs he might offer for vs. In these words Augustines meaning is plaine ynough that Christ according to his diuine and eternall generation could not haue beene a priest for vs except hee had taken our flesh and beene borne a man which wee doe alwaies confesse But that our redemption by his sacrifice was the meere worke of his manhoode onely he sayth not but the contrarie if he be marked For he sayth that the sonne of God was a priest for the fleshe which he tooke of vs that he might offer for vs that sacrifice which he tooke of vs. Heere it is plaine that Christ as God offereth sacrifice but he offereth as a priest for to offer sacrifice pertayneth to a priest therefore Christ as God is a priest yet not as God only but as God and man Whereupon the same Augustine saith afterwarde O domine qui iâ—rasti c. O Lorde which hast sworne and sayde Thou arâ— a priest for euer after the order of Mâ—lchisâ—dech the same priest for euer is the Lorde on thy right hande the very same I say priest for euer of whom thou hast sworne is the Lorde on thy right hande because thou hast sayde to the same my Lorde Sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enemies thy footestoole Heere he affirmeth that the eternall God Dauids Lorde as he was God Dauids sonne as he was man is that eternall priest And to what ende but to perfourme those partes of a priest which were proper to God that is to reconcile vs vnto God to haue authoritie of himselfe and of his owne nature and worthynesse to come before God and to remaine in the fauour of God alwayes which no creature hath but through his worthinesse and gracious gift The next authoritie brought against vs is Theodoret in Psal. 109. who is cited thus As man he did offer sacrifice but as God he did receiue sacrifices verily we say as much and more also that he offered sacrifice as God also reconciling the world to himselfe But in truth the wordes of Theodoret are otherwise and to an other ende Sacerdos autem non est Christus qui ex Iuda secundum carnem ortus est non ipse aliquid offerens sed vocatur caput eorum qui offerunâ— quandoquidem eius corpus ecclesiam