Populus positus in tenebris Illyricus Populus qui agebat in tenebris Castalio Populus in tenebris degens c. So that if in ether of our latin testaments be any error one folowing precisely the hebrew of the prophete the other the greeke of the Euangeliste how much greater is their fault which folow nether of both But not to spend time in so vaine a cauâ—l the truth is reader we folovved as I haue said the coÌ„mon best corrected printes vvhich haue this in the text the other in the margent And therfore in this also note thou to vvhat beggerly shiftes this man is driueÌ„ who to make some shevv of talking is glad to snatche at such shadovves to imagine faultes to seyne lyes and the some nothing vvorth if they were graunted And these faultes in number of obiecting tvvo for any color pretence or shevv one in truth veritie none are al those prophane horrible outragious and desperate corruptions committed in our testameÌ„t for which he boldly pronounceth as from his chayer of estate that this 5000 yeres from the first creation of the vvorld he might haue added or 50000 yeres before there was neuer set forth a new testament in any language so ful of outragious faultes so much to the contempt and irrision of Gods vvorde vvherein the desperatnes of the papists so much appeared c. A man might say Medici mediam pertundite venam or minister vnto him some phisicke for surely he seemeth not to be very vvel in his vvittes CHAP. XVI A defence of such faultes as are found in the annotations of the nevv testament FROM the translation which he impugneth by such stroÌ„g arguments as novv hath bene shewed he proceedeth to the annotations which he refelleth vvith like learning and vvisedome And first he beginneth as before vvith a like inuectiue in these vvords Nihil illis annotationibus contaminatius vnquam in lucem prodiit c. Nothing vvas euer published a brode more corrupt then those annotations Truely as heretofore I haue euer hated the Romane religion euen vvith al my hart so sone as I could iudge of it so novv I confesse that I am induced by these mens desperatnes and importunitie to abhorre it much more Hovv much or hovv litle he abhorreth our religion vvere it not for regarde of his ovvne soule it is not much material For except he haue better learning in store then he hath vttered yet I trust his great hatred against it wil not do it any great harme And these are but vvords And as he vpon this pretended occasioÌ„ conceiueth so euil of our faith if he meane as he speketh so I knovv many vvho hauing bene brought vp not in Catholike religion as he vvas in heresie but in heresie vvith him continuing a long time in the same and louing it vvith al their hart comming to better iudgmeÌ„t through the grace of God vpon consideration of such lying writers as he most honoreth M. Iewel M. Horne c. haue bene so altered that they haue detested his gospel euen to hel gates of which number I confesse my self to be one But this kinde of asseueration is common to both sides This rather is worth the examining whether we haue ministred him sufficient occasion to fall in to so deepe hatred of the Catholike faith or they rather haue geueÌ„ vs iust cause in like maner to abhorre their new gospel This in some parte wil appeare by M W. discourse against these Annotations Thus he proceedeth I doubt not but vvhen this beate of the Papistes is somevvhat cooled vvise men vvil daily more and more dislike that religion For vvhen they vnderstand such things as of old vvere alvvaies accompted false or at least suspected the same novv to be set forth of these men as most true articles of the Romane religion vvhen they consider vvith them selues hovv miserably these men abuse the holy scriptures to most absurd interpretations it can not othervvise bee but that they vvil disallovv the vvhole cause of the Papists vvhich they see to be supported vvith such trifles and tales VVhen they heare the vvise men vvhich came from the East to vvorship Christ to be called three kinges vvhose names are Gaspar Melchior Baltasar That Iohn Baptist vvas a monke and father of monkes That vvhen S. Steuin vvas stoned to death a stone rebounded backe from his elbovv vvhich novv is kept at Aâ—cona in Italie That Elias the Thesbite is expected to come before the later day Vnto three heads he reduceth al the faults vvhich he findeth in the Annotations To errors committed in matters historical to faults committed in framing arguments and to certaine blasphemies as he calleth them vttered against S. Paul The first parte is comprised in these vvords which here thou seest The second and third shal folovv in order To ansvvere al that he saith pointe by pointe vvhat he meaneth by aestus poÌ„tificius Heate of the Papists vvhich he hopeth vvil be cooled I knovv not vvel If he meane the zeale of good Priests vvho to reclaime some from damnation venture their liues in England although he vvith his felovv ministers take a readie vvay to coole their heate by their strauÌ„ge maner of disputing I meane by thrusting in euery Syllogisme a conclusion of treason from Sacrament Masse Confession Reconciliation Church inferring â—go you are traitours and so enflaming the ciuil magistrate to ansvvere by hanging them vvhom they cannot ansvvere by learning yet our lord be praised this maner of their dealing though it be bloodie and of them assumed against the preaching of their first apostles and martyrs euen of necessitie because othervvise they see their gospel can not stand yet I say our lord be praised experience sheweth that it cooleth none but enflameth many Ignem veni mittere in terram saith our Sauiour et quid volo nisi vt ardeat howsoeuer our lord shal deale hereafter with our Countrie whether he wil abandoÌ„ it to Apostasie as he hath Asia and Africa or reduce it to the vnitie of his church which he of his infinite mercie graunt thus much assure your self M. W. that this kinde of heate wil neuer be cooled in your daies The plot is laid the charges are cast and the matter is begonne and we see and feele that Christ hath powred his blessing vpon it abundantly If you meane the heate of vvriting bookes vvith vvhich notvvithstaÌ„ding you are not much troubled the vvay to coole that heate is ether to aÌ„svvere them more substantially then hitherto you haue or els not to ansvvere them at al. For so long as you set forth such stuffe as you for your part and your late vvriters of like qualitie allovv vs your selues blovve the coales and make matter to kindle the fier that if men vvould be silent children may find sufficient argument to proue you heretikes If you imagine that our church is so vnconstant
Diuines of the Prince Elector do most filthely and beyonde all measure depraue Luthers vvrytings so as since Luthers death there haue not bene more foule corrupters of Luthers bookes In the same Councel many times they fal into this argumēt and each side in most spitefull termes obiecte to others this faulte as may be seene if you liste to peruse the pages here noted in the margent And in fine there is promise made as a matter of great importance and one of Hercules labours that the Duke of Saxonie will cause Luthers workes to be printed without corruption Illustrissimus Dux Saxoniae curabit tomos Lutheri sine deprauatione typis excudi which notwithstāding is perhaps a harder thing thē the Duke of Saxonie can perfourme though his power were much greater then it is What speake I of the Lutherans with whom Luthers wordes be autenticall and litle inferior to scripture whereas the very Caluinists and that in Geneua where Caluin is all in all yet notwithstanding haue in their prints corrupted Luthers works whereof Ioachim VVestphalus a Lutheran thus wryteth in his Apologie against the slanders of Caluin I Marueil much sayeth he that Caluin keeping such a doe about this one vvord could not see the most filthy mutations and corruptions of the diuine commentarie of D. Luther vpon the epistle to the Galatians and translated into French and printed at Geneua In one place some vvordes are taken avvay in an other many mo some vvhere vvhole paragraphs are lopte of in the exposition of the sixte chapter tvvo pages and an halfe are lefte out vvhere Luther doth reproue the Sacramentaries there especially those falsifiers tooke to them selues libertie to mutilate to take avvay to blotte out and change some vvhere they remoue the name of Sacramentaries at other tymes they haue put in vvordes such as pleased them and that this vvas done at Geneua vvithout Caluins knovvledge it is not very lykely And touching this very place wherof we treate when Coclaeus obiected it to Bullinger as now M. Martin did to M. W. he answered not denyinge that which was so publyke and notorious but Guperem Lutherum sobrié magis modestaus circumspectius c. I vvoulde to God Luther had iudged and geuen his sentence more soberlye discreetelye and circumspectly of Sainte Iames his Epistle and the Apocalips of Sainte Iohn and certayne other Add we herevnto M. W. owne confession set downe in this preface I confesse sayth he that Luther hath vvritten in a certen place that Iames his Epistle is not to be compared vvith the Epistles of Peter and Paule and that in comparison of them it may be iudged an epistle made of stravv Which a man would thinke were sufficiente to cleare M. Martin and M. Campian and to condemne Luther and M. Whitaker For how or in what comparison coulde Luther so speake but onely to disgrace that epistle in respect of other scripture to make it light and contemptible that is not to make it scripture at all For if he thought it to proceede from the holy Ghost as did the bookes of the Prophets the Gospels and Epistles of Sainte Paule how coulde he without intollerable iniurye done to the holy Ghost so debase that wryting which he beleeued to proceede from his diuine inspiration But M. Whitaker replyeth That vvorde albeit I defende not yet iustly may I say that Luther is iniuried vvhen he is accused to haue reiected as made of stravv that epistle and playnely and simply to haue named it so vvhereas he called it so in comparison especially vvhereas these vvordes are not founde in the bookes of later printes and excepte I by chaunce had happened vpon a most auncient edition I might haue sought long inough in the later Confesse you then that there hath bene such choppinge and changinge in Luthers workes that the one differ so far from the other namely in this very point How standeth this now with your former bold asseueration It is certaine there vvas neuer any one vvorde changed therein And what reason haue you better to credit these later printes sett furth by Luthers scholers then the auncient set furth by the maister and author Luther him selfe But to end this matter may it please you to reade Father Duraeus there shall you be informed in what print and edition of Luther these wordes are to be reade to wit not in the later of VVittēberg corrected and corrupted by the ciuill Lutherans but in the more auncient of Iena a Citie in religion lutherish to but yet after a more exacte and precise order then are those other There may you finde that Pomerane a greate Euangelist among the lutherans touchinge S. Iames Epistle wryteth thus Fayth vvas reputed to Abraham for iustice by this place thou mayest note the error of the epistle of Iames vvherein thou feest a vvicked argument besides that he concludeth ridiculously he citeth scripture against scripture vvhich thing the holy Ghost can not abyde vvherefore that epistle may not be numbred amongest other bookes vvhich set foorth the iustice of fayth There may you finde Vitus Theodorus preacher of Norimberg in hye Germanie wryting thus The epistle of Iames and Apocalips of Iohn vve haue of set purpose lefte out because the epistle of Iames is not onely in certayne places reprouable vvhere be to much aduaunceth vvorkes agaynst fayth but also his doctrine through out is patched together of dyuers peeces vvhereof no one agreeth vvith an other Vnto these you may add for your better satisfaction the iudgement of the Centuries noted by F. Campian though not touched by you They say that the epistle of Iames much svvarueth from the analogie of the Apostolicall doctrine vvhereas it ascribeth iustification not to onely fayth but to vvorks and calleth the lavv a lavv of libertie And in the next booke Against Paule and against all scriptures the epistle of Iames attributeth iustice to vvorkes and peruerteth as it vvere of set purpose that vvhich Paule disputeth Rom. 4. out of Genes 15. that Abraham vvas iustified by onely fayth vvithout vvorkes and affirmeth that Abraham obteyned iustice by vvorkes You may add Luther him selfe in his commentarie vpon S. Peter ep 1. ca. 1. fol. 439.440 in the common edition of Wittemberg where after he hath geuen many rules taken from his owne licentious doctrine wherby to discerne the true and canonicall scriptures from false and Apocriphal of them al thus he concludeth pa. 442. Atque inde etiam facile discitur epistolam D. Iacobi nomine inscriptam handquaquam Apostolicam esse epistolam nullum enim prope elementum in ea de his rebus legis Hereby vve easely learne that it is no Apostolical Epistle vvhich goeth in S. Iames his name for there is in it no letter or title of these matters that is of onely fayth confidence resurrection c. whereby we must esteeme of true
diminish the vertue force of his bloud Who euer heard such stuffe now doubtles I thinke ye wrote this in a dreame or if ye wrote it wakinge and aduisedly then are you proceeded from a common Protestant and a Puritane become a Familiane or mere Libertine though I can easely be induced to beleeue that this is the end and so wil proue of your commoÌ„ solifidian iustification that for a man to bewaile his sinnes to watch to fast to pray to geue almes shal be deemed papistical and derogatorie to Christ and therefore in al respectes quite abandoned Yea your self proue this by as sound an argument as any you haue to proue the Pope Antichrist for thus you dispute in your academical oration Anno 1582. Quid Christo integrum relinquunt sâ— est Christus noster sacerdos et sunt huius sacer dotii duae partes altera vt sese pro nobis in vnicum perpetuúmque sacrificium offerat altera vt preces pro nobis faciat quid est quod pontificii Christum quotidie offeruÌ„e c. vvhat leaue the papistes entier to Christ if Christ be our priest and of this priesthode there are tvvo partes one that for vs he offer him self an only and perpetual sacrifice the other that he pray for vs vvhy then do the papistes offer Christ daylie by which profound demonstration as you make vs Antichristes for hearing or saing masse so you make your self if you be a minister and your fellow-ministers as very Antichristes for preaching sermons or saing Communion for in them I thinke you do not always rayle at the Pope and Catholikes but sometimes pray though to smale purpose TheÌ„ whereas there be tvvo partes of Christes priesthode to sacrifice pray they that pray be iniurious to his priesthode and robbe Christ of that which by your diuinitie is proper to his person and office of mediation and so if we be Antichristes for doing the first needes must you and your comministers be Antichristes for doing the second and in deede one is as true as the other To auoid which mischeefe what way is there but ether to allow both and so to returne to the Church which to do our Lord send you grace or with sacrifice to abandon prayer also and all other workes of charitie which without question as I haue said is the meaning and extreame scope of that paradox we are iustified by onlie faith that is by onlie fansie and imagination for that being so what neede or vse is there of fasting prayer and such superfluous vnnecessarie works iniurious to Christ and derogatorie to his priesthode and without which you are most assured of eternal life by the omnipoteÌ„t power of your only faith CHAP. VII Of M. Ievvels challenge renevved by M.VV. and the vanitie and falshode thereof HAVING so wel acquited your selfe against the auncient fathers in the matter of penaÌ„ce in the coÌ„clusion thereof vpon smal occasion you renew M. Iewels old challenge verie fearcely prouoke M. Martin to oppugne it if he dare thus you say Touching the principall partes of religion most true it is that I haue vvritten that the same faith is taught and preached in our Churches that is ZuingliaÌ„ not Lutherane vvhich the most auncient fathers held nether feare I to renevv that challenge of the most learned M. Ievvel vvhich you haue mentioned if you daere take it They are in number 27 articles vvherein consisteth the cheefest force of papistrie of all these articles choose vvhich you vvil I protest my selfe your aduersarie in the cause so long as I liue To perfourme so much as you say though of your abilitie I doubt greatly yet of your good wil I doubte not a whit for I see you sticke at nothing nether care what you say or vnsay deny or affirme be it right be it wronge true of false nothing commeth amisse and many tymes you shew this skill within the compasse of one page And to go about to proue to one who after so long tyme and so many euident and inuincible proofes of a matter historical which of it selfe was amoÌ„g sober men neuer doubted of I meane S. Peters being at Rome and founding the Church there yet now denyeth the same to one that had read in D. SaÌ„ders the same confirmed by al maner testimonies whereby such a matter may be coÌ„firmed by those that theÌ„ liued froÌ„ tyme to tyme ensued by Papias S. Ihon the EuaÌ„gelists scholer by Hegesippus by Caius by Dionisius bishop of Corinth by S. Ireneus by Tertullian by S. Ciprian al these most auncient and liuing not long after for S. Ciprian the yongest is almost of 1400. yeares antiquitie by S. Athanasius S. Hierome S. Optatus S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Epiphanius S. Leo the greate S. Augustine S. Gregorie by Eusebius Lactantius Dorotheus Orosius Maximus Taurinensis Sulpitius Seuerus Prosper Theodoretus Gregorius Turonensis these al sauing S. Gregory the great and Turonensis beinge within the first â—00 yeares some of them also grounding them selues vppon the verie wordes of scripture as Papias Tertullian Eusebius and S. Hierome the question also being a matter of storie and fact which can not possiblie be knoweÌ„ but by the narration of such writers as then liued and receaued it from their elders so that herein M.W. hath not that libertie to cauil by comparinge together phrases expounding literal speaches by mystical Allegories as in the sacrament and other controuersies of religion their maner is the thinge also vntil our age being neuer denied by any writer of credit or estimation and in our age confessed and proued by protestaÌ„tes them selues of greatest learning and knowledg to go aboute I say to proue that Christ is really in the B. Sacrament a matter more hard and intricate to a man who knoweth this of S. Peter a thing most plaine euident and yet after al this and much more saith notwithstanding obstinatlie that Peter vvas at Rome and there vvith Paule laid the foundation of that church no papist could euer yet shevv proue to me it seemeth labour as madly imploied vt si quis asellum in campo doceat parenteÌ„ currerefraenis or if to Anaxagoras affirming stoutlie that the snow is blacke one would with sage reasons labour to perswade that the snow is white and perhaps it is not greater stupiditie how shal I cal it vnsensiblenes in him to auouch the first then it were follye in an other to labour about proofe of the second Wherefore leauing that thing to M. Martin him self as being fitter for a dead man to handle then a liuing especially hauing to deale against you M. W. who in this point seeme as dead and sensles as he I wil for the readers instruction speake a litle of M. Iewels challenge which you so magnifie which albeit it hath bene examined sufficientlie and so as no one thinge in my opinion hath brought ether more shame to
as M.W. can neuer maynteine except withal he maynteine him selfe to be an Anabaptist an Ebionite and a Nestorian And thus much touching your philosophicall reason wherein I haue staied somewhat the loÌ„ger partly because you crake so much of it as though it were verie pregnant partly because it is an argument whereinto both in pulpit and writyng you gladly fall because it standeth wel with sense and reason easely deceaue the simple partly also because it toucheth M. Iewels challenge which here is disproued sufficiently except these great States and Euangelistes so magnified by your selues be so fowly ouerseene as so vehemently to auerre that which hath no one clause of Scripture Father Councel or Doctor to vphold it And if they do so in this where they vse such heate and detestation how may we credite them in any other parte of their doctrine how may we be perswaded but they continually lye and deceaue vs in like sorte But I trowe you wil not iudge so rashly especially of Luther what soeuer you accompt of Barns Frith Westphalus Melanchthon and Illyricus and those auncient fathers alleaged by him and his companions for seing the whole church of England commendeth Luther for a man so excellent sent of God to geue light to the vvhole vvorld I hope that you being but a simple member of thar church wil not by defending the contrary oppose your selfe vnto him And certaine it is you can not come from God if you poore worme resist withstand that excellent man whom God sent to be your Prophete and Euangelist which is as monstrous a case as if some simple sheepe should presume to direct his skilful pastor some ignorant scholer to teach his maister most learned or some Alexander a myserable coppersmith should oppose him self against S. Paule whom Christ had made his gouernor and furnished with sufficient giftes to instruct him and al the world besides But you haue I feare a general salue for such fores that you beleeue nether Luther nether yet the church of England any farther then they agree with Gods worde your owne conceite thereof And so still the supreme rule determition of al shal rest in your owne handes After your reasons against the sacrament you bring in to like purpose a place out of S. Ciril that Christ is ascended in to heauen and is absent from vs in the presence of flesh vvhich if vve did not beleeue vve vvould neuer say the Crede so oft as vve doe nor keepe the day of Christes AscensioÌ„ so honorable and festiual as you I thinke may knovv Mary if you thinke there is more pith in S. Cirils vvorde of absence you myght better haue obiected Christes ovvne vvordes The poore you shal haue alvvaies vvith you me you shal not haue but then for ansvvere I should haue sent you to the note vpon that verse as I do novv also for this the reason being al one For that S. Ciril vvas not a Sacramentarie appeareth most clearely by a large discours vvhich he maketh as it vvere of purpose against that maner of reasoning vvhich you haue geuen out in this place Thus he vvriteth Quomodo potest hic nobis carnem dare c. The Ievves aske hovv can he geue vs his flesh Thus they crye out vpon god not vvithout great impietie nether remember they that vvith god nothing is impossible But let vs making great profit of their sinnes and hauing a firme faith in these mysteries neuer in such diuine thinges vtter or so much as thinke of such doubting for that vvord Quomodo hovv is Iudaical and cause of extreme punishment And after a long and good treatise against such peeuish fantastical toyes as here M.W. obiecteth for profound arguments thus he concludeth Yf notvvithstanding al this thou Ievv crye stil hovv is this done I folovving thy ignoraÌ„ce vvill demaund of thee hovv so many miracles vvere done in the old testament the passinge ouer the red sea Moses rod made a serpeÌ„t etc. vvherefore vve ought rather to beleeue Christ humbly to learne of hym then like drunken sots to cry out hovv can he geue vs his flesh by vvhich questioning thou must needes be driuen to deny the vvhole scripture In vvhich vvords vve see he reckeneth you amongst the Ievves accompteth you nethâ—r verie learned nor much better then an Infidel for these stout reasons vvhich here you so magnifie And Peter M. being pressed vvith the authoritie of this Ciril that Christ by the mystical benediction that is by receauing of the Sacrament dvvelleth corpâ—rally in vs vvhich M. Ievvel after his maner ansvvereth verie learnedly though verie easely by comparing it vvith an other phrase that corporally is as much as truly and truly may signifie spiritually and that is al one vvith tropically saith more rudely yet more sincerely The flesh of Christ so to dvvell in vs corporally that the substance of his body should be coÌ„municated vvith vs that is as this man interpreteth it be mingled vvith our flesh it is not in any case to be graunted no not if a thousand angels much lesse if one Ciril said it For it can not be that Christs flesh should so be diffunded or multiplied in infinite men and places which sheweth that Peter Mart. tooke not S. Ciril to be of your faith touching this article of the sacrament The place vvhich you cite out of S. Damascene because you direct me no vvhere to find it I vvil not bestovv the paines to seeke it being graunted it is not much to the purpose and I marueile vvhy you put it in greke as though there vvere some great terrible bugge in it That vvhich vvas circumscript saith he vvas circumscript vncircumscript vncircumscript and visible visible and inuisible inuisible vvhich I take to be as true as that a spade is a spade and a mattock a mattock fier is fier not vvater and the sunne is the sunne and not the moone And if you meane hereof to infer your heresy that therefore Christ is not in the sacrament frame you the argument perhaps it vvil persvvade much In the meane season that Damasc vvas no more of your religion then S. Ciril I refer you for proufe to his books de Orthodoxa fide vvhere namely in the fourth you finde a verie good and large chapter against your Zuinglian heresie especially against your philosophical fansies he disputeth thus If the vvorde of god be liuely forcible if vvhat soeuer our lord would he did if he said let light be made it vvas made let the firmament be made and it vvas made if by the vvorde of god the heauens vvere established and vvith the spirite of his mouth all the povver of them if heauen and earth and vvater-fier and ayer and al their furniture and man him selfe vvere perfited by his vvorde if vvhen god the vvord so vvould he became man and of the moste pure and immaculat
sanctus in omnibus operibus suis Which verse in hebrew should haue begun with that letter which of al the alphabete only misseth So as most certaine it is that the hebrew is faultie And thus to end this matter of the hebrew fountaines originals I wil gather that which I haue said in to a fevv conclusions vvithal ansvvere M.VV. allegations The first is that this opinion of the Protestants detracting so much from the latin bibles and yelding so much to the hebrevv is Iudaical iniurious to the Church to the holy Ghost and state of the nevv testameÌ„t as vvhereby they professe to thinke more religioÌ„ care of Gods word to haue bene resident in the Iewish synagoge theÌ„ in al the Kingdomes Princes Pastors Prouinces of Christianitie for these thovvsaÌ„d yeres The second that albeit S. Hierom in his tyme so soone after the great persecutions the Church being troubled vvith that most busye terrible and potent heresie of the Arrians against the diuinitie of Christ and the holy Ghost vvhen as yet the Canon it selfe comprehending the sacred bookes of scriptures by general authoritie vvas not confirmed and receaued vvheÌ„ as saith S. Austin there vvas inâ—umerable varietie of latin traÌ„slations Qui ex hebraeâ— lingua scripturas in graecam verterunt numerari possunt latini autem interpretes nullo modo and they infinitely differing among them selues as in the same place he noteth when for these causes there vvas not nor vvel could be any one vniforme translation approued although at this tyme S. Hierom might iustly appeale from them al to the hebrew as in coÌ„parison being most pure incorrupt yet nether then were the hebrew copies simpliciter faultles as hath bene shevved by playne examples and demonstrations by the very ProtestaÌ„te bibles and by confession of the best learnedst among them and S. Hâ—erom though M. W. seeme to ground him self most vpoÌ„ him acknovvledgeth so much For examining tvvo places of Deuteronomie vrged by the Apostle S. Paule in his epistles both differing in that point vvhich he most presseth froÌ„ the hebrew bibles extant in S. Hieroms daies he resolueth in fine that the hebrew vvas corrupted othervvise then the Apostle read it The one place is Scriptum est Maledictus omnis qui pendet in ligno It is vvritten Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree in vvhich short place compared vvith the original in Deuteronomie there is somevvhat to much and somevvhat to litle To much because here is omnis euery one and in ligno on tree which are not now found in the Hebrew though both in the Greeke of the Septuaginta To litle because there is in the hebrew Elohim which wanteth in S. Paule maledictus Deo or Dei cursed of God is euerie one so hanged S. Hierom answereth thus My iudgement herein is this ether that the old bookes of the Hebrevves had othervvise then they haue novv or that the Apostle put the sense of the scripture not the vvordes or vvhich I rather suppose after the passion of Christ both in the Hebrevv and in our bookes the name of God vvas added by some maÌ„ that he might make vs more infamous vvho beleeue in Christ accursed of God The other place is this Scriptum est Maledictus omnis qui noÌ„ permanserit in omnibus quae scripta sunâ— in libro legis vt faciat ea Cursed is euerie one that abideth not in al thinges vvhich are vvritten in the booke of the lavv to do them Where the Apostles argument hanging principally vpon the two wordes omnis and in omnibus euerie one and in al thinges both which are in the Septuaginta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nether in the hebrew he thus answereth the matter I am vncertayne vvhether the Septuaginta added omnis homo and in omnibus or vvhether it vvere so in the old hebrevv and aftervvard put out by the Ievves Thus tâ— suppose I am moued for this reason because the vvordes omnis and in omnibus al and in al as necessary to proue that they be al accuâ—sed vvho are of the vvorkes of the lavv the Apostle skilful in the hebrevv tonge and mâ—st cunning in the lavv vvould neuer haue so sett dovvne had it not bene so in the hebrevv VVherefore I perusing the hebrevv volumes of the Samaritanes found there vvritten the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much to say as omnis siue omnibus al or in al and so that to agree vvith the Septuaginta In vayne therefore haue the Ievves razed that out lest they should seeme to be accursed vvhereas the more auncient examples of an other nation testifie that it vvas vvritten so Thus S. Hierom. Thirdly this I gather that since S. Hieroms time much more haue the hebrew bookes bene corrupted and that not in smale indâ—fferent matters which might better be borne but in very hye pointes touching the diuinitie and humanitie of our Sauiour touching his passion and the redemption of the world And therefore when S. Hierom speaking of the puritie of the bibles before his birth is applied to iustifie the copies written so many ages after his death and so consequently to iustifie al their new English FleÌ„mish and Germane interpretations made according to some hebrew copies as they pretend this is as iust as Germanes lippes according to our english prouerbe whose hartes mindes religions we see to differre infinitely This is to answere of chalke when the question is proposed of cheese Next this we see that the condition of the hebrew tonge is such that errors are very soone coÌ„mitted therein by reasoÌ„ of smale points of distinctioÌ„s of letters so nighly resembling one an other Wherevnto ioyne we the malice of the Rabbines their hatred of the Christians and Christian religion whom Luther confesseth to be as very crucifiers of the word of Christ especially such places as most appertaine to him as they were of Christ him selfe and that they employe their studie herevnto And if we consider withal how in time of the law thorough their default they lost whole bookes volumes of their diuine Prophetes we shal fynde smal reason to moue vs to beleeue that since Christ they should become so holy and deuout watchful circumspect as M.VV. by commending their fountaines and originals would make them Finally al this hath bene declared not only by plaine reasons factes examples demonstrations but also by plaine confession of those whom our aduersaries principally reuerence and honour and in this matter were most skilful by Munster by Pellicane by Sebastianus Castalio by Luther and such others And hereof may the reader easely learne an answer to that questioÌ„ which many frame as a matter of intricate difficultie wheÌ„ these corruptions should come in to the hebrew bibles whether before Christs time or betwene that and S. Hieroms or from S. Hieroms time to vs. Not the first say they because
that she vvil in short time leaue this zeale in preaching the Catholike religion and thereby that your congregatiō shal gather strength and stabilitie and vvise men vvil fal in good liking thereof then your ignorance is great vvho knovv nether the nature of our Catholike Church religiō nor of your ovvne heretical faith and congregation Not of ours because you may learne or remember that from Christs time hitherto nether by persecuting Emperours nor by vndermining heretikes othervvise qualified thē are the Lutherās or Zuinglians of these days it vvas or could euer be subuerted but rather the more it vvas assaulted the better irresisted the more it vvas gainsaid the more it florished vvhē suttle heretikes vpō temporal fauour vvere most insolent then she most excellently did defende her self Examples you haue of the times of S. Augustine against Pelagius the Manichees S. Hierō against Iovinian and Vigilantius Lanfrancus against Berengarius and al the Primitiue church against Constantius Valēs and Arrius Ignorant you are of your ovvne faith and gospel because you may remember that nether had it euer any stay or stabilitie since it vvas first begotten nether can it haue so longe as it endureth the very pillers vvhich vnder proppe it being such rottē matter as of it self quickly corrupteth falleth in to dust For when in king Henries raigne it first set foote in our realme vpon occasions which I am content to passe ouer though M. Fox to the euerlasting shame both of such a gospel and such gospellers haue recorded them and committed them to eternal memorie hovv variable a state it had your elders know he much complaineth Euē as the kinge vvas ruled saith he gaue care sometime to one sometime to an other so one vvhile religion vvent forvvard at an other season as much backvvard againe sometime cleane altered and chaūged for a season as they could preuaile vvhich vvere about the kinge So long as Q. Anne liued the gospel had indifferent good successe And not only Queenes but very meane gētlemen and doctors of phisicke were then able to craze your gospel and set it backward or forward as pleased them For so much also is recorded in M. Foxes storie in the ende of king Henries life Thus writeth he So long as Quene Anne L. Cromvvel B. Cranmer M. Denny D. Buts vvith such like vvere about the King and could preuayle vvith him vvhat organe of Christes glorie did more good in the church thē he Againe vvhen sinister vvicked counsel had gotten once the foote in thrusting truth veritie out of the princes eares hovv much as religion and al good things vvent forvvard before so much on the contrary side al reuolted backvvard againe And this gospel as M. Fox calleth it which King Henrie left established as he thought most assuredly by Acte of Parlament in his sonne King Edwards daies went cleane vpside doune In Q. Maries daies came a new alteration vnder the Q. Maiestie that now is an other cleane contrarie And at this present finde you not a general murmuring euen amongst the Protestants against the Communion booke and state of religion which in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne was brought in If the Catholikes said nothing haue you not the Puritans most eagerly detesting your faith and were it not for the Princes sword like to dispossesse you of chayrs and churches And what stabilitie can that gospel haue which altogether dependeth of the good allovvance of the Prince and her councel in Parlament which we know within these fiftie yeres so often to gaine said one an other And if it should please God to turne the Quenes hart to the catholike faith for which we incessantly pray vvere not the face of your religiō streightvvaies altered turned quite vpside downe must nor the inferiour partes of the body turne and frame them selues according to the head would not the same statutes which now are vniustly executed vpon Catholikes without alteration of any one word be much more iustly executed vpon the Ministers Superintendents if so be they called her Maiesty Scismatike or Heretike Wherefore litle reason haue you to imagine that wisemen wil fall in liking of your new deuised fansie which as it altogether dependeth vpon the Fauour of Court and Courtiers so for this very reason must needes euer remaine as chaungeable as the Court and Courtly beneuolence is And your father Luther who best knew the nature of his children and qualitie of your religion geueth such a sentence of it as I doubt not at this present is allowed of al the wisest of our Realme and much confirmed by your maner of writing The arguments and reasonings of the sacramentaries saith he are such vaine vvordes vvithout witte that I can not maruaile sufficiently hovv learned men can be moued vvith such lyes truly they do their matters vvith so fearful a conscience that they seeme to vvish they had neuer taken them in hand Equidē opinor si eis esset potestas de integro cōsulēdi quòd nūquam inciperent Verily I suppose if they vvere to consulte of the matter a fresh they vvould neuer begin their sacramētarie heresie And I verely suppose if the wise gouernours of our Realme who now may see the issue of your gospel what wickednes and iniquitie in lyfe confusion and Atheisme in faith contempt of God and man it hath brought with it if they were now to consult of the matter a fresh I beleeue verily with your father Martin Luther that amongst al heresies of name at this time currant in the Christiā world they would least of al haue admitted yours as being the most grosse most licentious and most vnprobable of al others But come we to the particular faultes historical committed by vs. Things alvvays accompted false or suspected vve set forth as most true articles of the Romane religiō as that the vvise mē vvhich came from the East vvere 3 kinges and had such names That S. Iohn Baptist vvas father of monkes That a stone vvith vvhich Steuen vvas stoned to death is reserued at Ancona c. Before I come to make āswere I wish the reader to carie in remembrance first the greatnes of his accusation against vs That neuer any thing came forth in print More contaminate then these annotations That vve haue shevved herein great desperatenes and importunitie That things alvvays accōpted false or suspected vve affirme as most true articles of the Romane religion c. Then what we promised in these ānotations Touching which in the preface of the new testament thus we write In these annotations vve shevv the studious reader the Apostolike tradition the expositions of the holy fathers the decrees of the Catholike church and most auncient Councels vvhich meanes vvho so euer trusteth not for the sense of holy scriptures but had rather folovv his priuate iudgment or the arrogant spirit of these Sectaries he shal
vvorthely through his owne vvilfulnes be deceaued Now vvhether part fayleth in perfourmance of that vvhich it vndertaketh vvhether vve geue not The sense of holy scriptures according to the Apostolike tradition the expositions of holy fathers or vvhether he conuince vs of Desperatnes and importunitie and such contamination as he threatneth this is that vvhich the reader concerning ether side hath ro note and consider Of the vvise men thus vve say These three sages being principal men of their countrie represent the vvhole state of Princes Kinges and Emperours that vvere according to the prophecies of Dauid and Esay to beleeue in Christ to humble them selues to his crosse to foster enrich adorne and defend his church vvhere vpon it is also a very conuenient and agreable tradition of antiquitie and a receiued opinion among the faithful not lacking testimonies of auncient vvriters and much for the honor of our Sauiour that these three also vvere Kings to vvit ether according to the state of those countries vvhere the princes vvere Magi Magi the greatest about the prince or as vve reade in the scriptures of Melchisedech King of Salem many other Kings that dvvelt vvithin a smal compasse or as Iobes three frendes are called Kings These are commonly called the three Kings of Colen because their bodies are there translated thither from the East countrie Their names are said to haue bene Gaspar Melchior Baltasar In these wordes thou seest reader vpon what ground and with what moderation we speake of that matter not precisely auouching them to be Kinges in such sort as we commoÌ„ly esteeme of that name but after an other sort and some inferiour degree Albeit if we affirmed them to be as great monarkes as the Kinges of Fraunce or Spaine or the great Sophie of Persia we might so affirme for ought he bringeth to the contrarie But because M. W. maketh his first entrance with this matter as though it were so absurd let vs search out wherein lieth the great absurditie and fault committed in this note Is it trowe you in that we cal them Kinges or in that we saie they were three or in that by our reporte their names are sayd to haue bene such If because of the first let him shew his reason why that can be so harmeful what it maketh against the honor of Christ what against the veritie of the scriptures the faith of the church tradition ecclesiastical the maners of meÌ„ or any title point or dependence of Christianitie and Christian profession The like I affirme of the second the like of the thirde the like of al three ioyned together VVe cal them kinges and why not seyng the scripture wel beareth with that appellation and the auncient fathers haue so called them many hundred yeres before vve vvere borne So Tertullian in his 3. booke against Marcion calleth them so S. Cyprian calleth them in his sermon De baptismo et manifestatione Christi And S. Chrysostom proueth by scripture that they vvere kinges thus he writeth The vvisemen offered giftes to this child Christ according as the holy Ghost had testified before of them saing Esai 60. They shal come from Saba offering gold and frankencense pretious stone VVe acknovvledge that the vvise men euidently fulfilled this prophecy Dauid quoque de his ita testatur psal 71. Reges Thaersis et Insulae munera offerent Reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent Dauid also vvitnesseth of these psal 71. The kinges of Thaersis and the Isles shal offer gifts The kinges of the Arabians and Saba shal bring presents And S. Hierom applieth that text of the psalme to them in like maner And Tertullian against the Ievves vvho seemed vvith M. W. to enuie al this honor of Christ vvriteth thus Dauid also spake of this offring of gold vvhen he sayd ps 71. there shal be geuen to him of the gold of Arabia and againe the kinges of Arabia and Saba shal bring him gifts Nam et magos reges serè habuit Oriens For the East part had commonly such vvise men for their kinges S. Augustin plainely nameth them kinges so doth Claudianus so doth S. Isidorus so doth S. Remigius so doth Theopâ—ilactus so do generally the writers that haue liued in the church this later 500 yeres as we learne by S. Anselme who speaketh De istis tribus regibus Of these three kinges as of a thing most vsual vulgar And Conradus Gesnerus directeth you to certaine writers who haue made treatises De tribus Magis De tribus sanctis regibus Of these three vvise men Of these three holy kinges And among these auncient and Catholike fathers to alleage one new Zuinglius holdeth it as very probable that they were kinges Thus he speaketh of them writing vpon the 2 chapter of S. Matthew Magi saith he sunt sapientes et astrorum et omnium rerum peritissimi huiusmodi homines ferè administrationi rerum publicarum adhibuerunt gentiles Magi are vvisemen skilful in astronomy and al other matters The gentiles made such men commonly gouerners of their common vvelthes After al which for vs to cal them kings how can it in any sort be hurtful or preiudicial to any truth of Christian religioÌ„ Nay on the contrarie side whosoeuer carpeth at this certainely he maligneth the glorie of our Sauiour he secretly detracteth from his honor and malitiously pincheth and snarleth at the auncient and Apostolike church which in this sorte witnessed such prophecies to haue bene fulfilled But perhaps M. W. is offended at the number of three vvhere vpon S. Augustine so sweetely alludeth vnto the mystery of the Blessed Trinitie and that Christe was King God and yet should dye as a mortal man This is that great corruption which so greueth him But who would be greued here at except some detestable Arian Trinitarian Libertine or Anabaptist against whose religion only for ought I know that note maketh And touching the story that they were three S. Austin plainely affirmeth it Tres erant So saith S. Leo the Great and first of that name aboue a dozen times in his sermons vpon the feast of the Epiphanie And whereas the EuaÌ„gelist speaketh of them not in the dual but in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fewer they could not well be and more we neede not to beleeue except we see more reason theÌ„ yet appeareth And touching the last part vz Their names are said to haue bene such how could vve haue spoken more moderatly For who hath heard them called by any other names And I suppose they were not namelesse And if they had names why not Gaspar Melchior Baltazar rather then William Iohn and Thomas or any other that M. W. list to imagine whereas the common opinion of our forefathers maketh for the first no probabilitie or reason can be brought for the second And if M. VV. beleeue that the Ievvish Sinagoge erred not in continuing by
holy Ghost to craue the praiers of sinful flesh which implieth sume feare of falling humane imbecillâ—â—ie then to excuse the maner of the stiâ—e and writing and in that respect Craue pardon of sinful flesh which is a thing of farre lesse preiudice And yet this doth the Spirite of God almost in euery epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Colossians to the Thessalonians c. Thus standeth the note Hereby vve see that though the Holy Ghost ruled the penne of holy vvriters that they might not erre yet did they vse humane meanes to search out and find the truth of the things they vvrote of Euen so doe Councels and the President of them Gods vicar discusse and examine al causes by humane meanes the assistance of the Holy Ghost concurring and directing them into al truth according to Christes promise 10.16.13 as in the very first Councel of the Apostles them selues at HierusaleÌ„ is manifest Act. 15 7. and 28. Againe here vve haue a familiar preface of the Author as to his frende or to euery godly Reader signified by Theophilus concerning the cause and purpose and maner of his vvriting and yet the very same is confessed scripture vvith the vvhole booke folovving Maruel not then if the author of the second booke of the Machabees vse the like humane speaches both at the beginning and in the later end nether do thou therefore reiect the booke for no Scripture as our heretikes doe or not thinke him a sacred vvriter The Angel vvissheth wel to meÌ„ of good vvil that is those vvhom God embraceth vvith his grace and mercy ergo men haue free vvill By this example a man may see what difference is betwene the old Gospel and the new If the wordes were â—easte as in the old time they were read and vnderstoode the consequent of this reason would haue held and so S. Augustine gathered whom we alleage But taking the word and sense as M. W. deliuereth it nether S. Augustine nor any other sober man did or would euer haue inferred such a consequent Our words are The birth of Christ geueth not peace of minde or saluation but to such as be of good vvill because he vvorketh not our good against our vvilles but our vvilles concurring August quaest ad Simplic li. 1. q. 2. tom 4. Christ vvent into Peters shippe ergo the vvhole church is Peters shippe This is of like qualitie with the second before noted It is only an allegory aptly and truly declared the substance whereof is vsual among the auncient fathers who cal many times the Catholike church by the name of Peters shipp And touching this special place S. Gregorie maketh no question but Christ so signified by this fact when he made choyse to enter into that shippe Thus he writeth Iesus a scended into Peters ship c. sitting there he preached to the multitudes Per nauem Petri quid aliud quam commissa Petro ecclesia designatur By Peters shippe vvhat els is signified but the church vvhich vvas commited to Peter To like purpose vpoÌ„ the same place writeth S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Bede The wordes of our annotation are these It is purposely expressed that there vvere tvvo shippes that one of them vvas Peters and that Christ vvent into that one and sate downe in it and that sitting he taught out of that shippe no doubt to signifie the church resembled by Peters ship and that in it is the chayre of Christ and only true preaching Barnabas laid dovvne the price of his land at the Apostles feete ergo vve must kisse the Popes feete If the Apostle S. Peter had not before told vs that heretiks in the later daies especially should be Illusores mockers and the Prophete Dauid named their general profession a Chayre or schoole of scorners CathedraÌ„ irrisorum we might by our owne experience haue learned thus much of the Protestant writers of our time who by this feate among the popular haue brought into contempt the grauest partes of Christian religion and haue much shaken the obedience due both to spiritual and ciuil magistrates By this chiefely the Lutherans refel the article of Christes Ascension and being in heauen as we see in BreÌ„tius By this the Zuinglians refute Christs desceÌ„ding into hel as we see in maister Carlile and disproue the real presence whereof their common preachings and writings are witnes By this as a very plausible meane the Germane ministers stirred the people against their Emperour Charles the fift as vve reade in Sleidan And hovv like M. W. is vnto them for his smale talent by most of these his merie conclusions it appeareth In this present hovv far his vnreasonable collection differeth from our reasonable admonition the discrete reader may easely iudge Our vvordes are Barnabas as the reâ— did not only giue his goods as in vulgar almes but in al humble and reuerent maner as things dedicated to God he layed theÌ„ dovvne at the Apostles holy seete as S. Luke alvvaies expresseth and gaue them not into their hands The Sunamite sel dovvne and embraced Elisaeus feete Many that asked benefites of Christ as the vvoman sick of the bloudy fluxe fel dovvne at his feete and Marie kissed his feete Such are signes of due reuerence done both to Christ and to other sacred persons ether Prophetes Apostles Popes or other representing his person in earth See in S. Hierom of Epipanius Bishop in Cypres hovv the people of Hierusalem of al sortes flocked together vnto him offering their children to take his blessing kissing his feete plucking the hemmâ—s of his garment so that he could not moue for the throng Ep 61 cap. 4. cont error Io. Hierosol The Eunuch of the Quene of AEthiopia came to Hierusalem to vvorship ergo pilgrimages to holy places are acceptable to God why this reason should not be allowable I can not gesse The Eunuch came a long iourney froÌ„ Aethiopia to Hierusalem there to worshippe God and is commended for so doing therefore if we goe in like maner to Rome or HierusaleÌ„ for like cause we are not to be blamed where is the dissâ—militude whence riseth the inequalitie what part is there not answerable that man to vs his fact to ours his intention to ours the beginning continuance and ende proportionable to ours euery part and parcel of his doing fully reseÌ„bled in ours If M.W. haue any hid imagination which we can not reach vnto let him imparte it we wil frame him a reasonable answere The marginal note vpon the wordes of S. Luke is this Note that this Aethiopian came to Hierusalem to adore that is on pilgrimage VVhereby vve may learne that it is an acceptable act of religion to go from home to places of greater deuotion and sanctification To Christ is geuen a name aboue al names that in the name of Iesus al knees should bovv