If Spiridion iustlye reprehended Triphillius but onelye for chaunginge of one worde in scripture cubile for lectuÌ„ what reprofe are our men worthye Lib. i. Tripere capit x. whiche chaunge many hundred wordes yea sentences and all If holy Basilius wold not suffer one syllable of scripture to be corrupted or altered lib. vii tripert cap. xxxvi but rather would haue suffered many deathes what shall we then say to the great and damnable corruption and alteration that hath been among our men If holy Basilius bad the Emperors coke medle with his cokerye let scripture alone tuuÌ„ est inquit de pulmeÌ„tarijs cogitare noÌ„ dog mata diuina de coquere lib. vij â—rip ca. xxxvi what woulde he haue sayde to oure men these yeres past The .l. probation Hauinge the scripture in Englishe causeth manye braynles bodies to dispute and reason they know not whervpon and euer to lay scripture for the wickedlye as al heretikes euer did where as in dede in reasoninge with suche scripture wyll not serue Tertull. de praescrip haerettcoruÌ„ et lib. iiij coÌ„tra Mâ—rtionem For as Tertullian saieth in disputing with an heretike we muste not flee to scriptures nor pitche our battel there for ther eyther neuer or els very hardly the victory shal be gotten Heretikes wylbe ouercome sayeth Sisinius vnto Nectarius in the storie of Socrates li. 9. trip ca. 19 neither with scriptures nor with disputations †Approbata ab â—cclesia noÌ„ oportet rursus rationibus fulcire etc. Nam queÌ„admoduÌ„ par est spiritui faÌ„cto et Cbristo diuinitas ita in suis institutis est aequa authoritas potestas Nec minus ratuÌ„ est quod eeclesia dictaÌ„te spiritu sancto tradidit quaÌ„ quod ipse tradidit Haec Cypri de Lot ped but only by the authoritie of the churche and by the traditions of the fathers elders So that beside the scripture written we muste receyue manye traditions not written many generall councels in whoÌ„ the holye ghost did speake and sundrie interpretations vpon scriptures made by the holy fathers beinge replenished wyth Gods spirite ¶ The conclusion of this simple discourse SEing now these probations which be euident against the scripture in Englishe seing also the great hardnes that is in scripture with the causes therof and how many waies the letter doth kyl And seing againe that the vniuersall churche of Christ hath vtterly forbid the scripture to be in the vulgare tongue consideryng the manyfolde inconueniences that ryse therof as great numbres of heresies disobedience and contempt of powers with fleshely libertie c. And finally seing that by no meanes so soone as by the scripture in english heresies do both spryng daily and be also mainteined wherin should good men be more diligent than in thexter patioÌ„ hereof wherfore it shal be euery faithful christians duetie being in authoritie to lay to his healping hande to the taking away quite that with al spede the Englishe translations with all hereticall Englishe bookes whiche no doubt haue been the greatest occasion of all the mischeifes we haue hadde in this realme of late dayes Through these our newe founde religion hath euer strongly been mainteined and vpholden Our new found religion I say which ye must nedes confesse to haue ben starke nought and damnable because the beginnyng was aduoutry the continuaunce extortion the ende plaine treason Yea euen from the beginning their procedinges for so they termed them beyng rather worthy the name of retrocedinges were styll from synne to synne Fyrst PeccatuÌ„ quod per paeniteÌ„tiaÌ„ noÌ„ deletur suo pondere ad aliud peccatuÌ„ grauius trabit Et hoc suppliciuÌ„ domini longe omniuÌ„ est grauissimuÌ„ quaÌ„dâ— vnuÌ„ peccatuÌ„ per aliud pâ—nitur quod peccatur quum in profundu â—enerit conteÌ„nit forsaking the head of the churche falling from the vnitie therof then despising all generall counselles all ordinaunces froÌ„ the beginning kept through out christendome After this spoyling pollyng pylling robbing and stealing all landes ornamentes goodes of the churche being more fearse then euer was Iulian thappostata without mercy or pitie And finally spytefully contemninge all the holy sacramentes with all censures and iudgementes of the churche and fathers vpon scripture only sticking to their own what pleased them to phansie O lorde was not this a tyme most miserable Iesu be mercyfull vnto vs and graunt vs neuer to fall againe into the lyke palpable darkenes ¶ Of Masse all other diuine seruice in the churche to be in Latine and not in the vulgare tongue ANd here note further I beseche you that like as it is nowe spoken of scripture not to be in English euen so is it ment that as vnlawful it is yea and more too if more may be that the high mysteries in the sacrifice of Masse or other diuine seruice should be in English where as the preist is a comon person and offereth vp for al the people beyng the meane betwene God and them so that his communication is to God and not to the people What cause is there then why diuine seruice should be in Englishe except ye thynke that God vnderstandeth no Latine Neither the Italians nor GreciaÌ„s haue diuine seruice in their vulgare tongue Moreouer at that tyme of diuine seruice all the comen people then present shuld onely put their whole affiauÌ„ce in fide maâ—ris ecclesiae in the fayth of oure mother the catholyke churche like as our beleif is in the baptisme of infantes Yea note further that it was not without great mystery the writyng of Christes tytle at his passion in Hebrewe Greke and Latine Also it was not without great mysterye that many wordes were neuer translated as Alleluya Osanna Amen Sabaoth Kirieleison c. And that Christ praied in secret silence alone the head for the whole bodie to signifie vnto vs thereby that the priestes office is likewise to doe the same the coÌ„mon minister for al the people being meane betwene God them As for that of Paule to the Corinthians i. Cor. xiiii which might appeare to the simple to make for theyr purpose to haue all in the vulgar tonge yf ye marke it well it is onely spoken for them whiche doe preache expounde or interprete scriptures in the church that is to saye that their sermons their expouÌ„dinges or interpretatioÌ„s of scriptures they beinge authorised therevnto must euer be made in that toÌ„ge whiche the hearers doe vnderstande and perceyue And this ye know well bothe is and euer hath ben vsed And therfore here now further A man might demaunde a questioÌ„ wherfore ye com to the Churche I suppose ye wyll saye as ye muste no doubte yf ye tell the treuthe that the chiefe intente of your comming is or ought to be to pray though sermoÌ„s and diuine seruice and the ministration of the holy sacramentes be causes also seing that Christe called the Church the house of prayer
were then writen in the hertes of the faythfull but sone after when through synne it begāne to wax colde then was writing for the simples sake to preserue theyr faith and yet that not withstanding the authorite of the church the fundacion of all treuth of as greate strenght as it was before the new testament was all writen For were there not heretikes I pray you which denyed diuerse bokes of scripture as Martion and other wherewith were they subdued euyn with verities not written Marke wel that Moyses saith Origene greatly passed not for the letter writen when he dyd breake the tables nor Christe when he sayd to the Iewes the scripture shal be takē from you spake of the letter whiche they kepe styl but of the sense Wherfore awaye with the englishe damnable translation and lette them lerne the mysteries of god reuerently by hert and lerne to geue as muche credit to that whiche is not expressed as to that which is expressed in scripture Knowing that in .iij. pointes thautoritie of the churche is aboue the aucthoritie of scripture One is in fortifieng verities not writen to be necessary to saluation as plainly appeareth by manye verities in this probation another is for that the church receyued the gospels of Luke and Marke whiche Marke neuer saw Christ and did reiecte the Gospels made by his high Apostels Thomas and Bartilmew as for the gospell of Nicodeme which yet was familiar with Christe I speake not of The thyrde is bycause the church in all doubtfull causes and matters of controuersie must euer be iudge of the trew sense of scripture For she alone hath euer the true sēse of scripture So that by her authoritie onely Ireneus did conuince Valētin Tertulian Mertion Origen Celsum Ciprian Nouatum Nicen councell the Arians Hierom Iouinian and Augustine the Donatistes with many other And no meruell for so muche Christ him selfe made his Churche the Iudge ouer scripture when he sent the Apostels disciples to preache sayeng He that heareth you heareth me And also when he sayd Who so would not heare the Churche should be reputed and taken as an Ethnycke or Publican Seyng then that God thus appointed who wyll refuse to seke the trew vnderstandynge of scripture at that iudge whome Christ appointed hymselfe Surely none but selfe willie heretykes And here nowe to speake a worde or two of the Saboth and of mixtinge water wyth wine in the chalice whereof I should haue spoken before when I recited manye verities not written and firste concernynge the Saboth Albeit the matter of the precept be morall and the daye legal so that it myght be chaunged yet the church would neuer haue done that without speciall ordinaunce of God beinge made iudge in the cause And likewise it is to be sayde of mixtinge water wyth wyne in the chalice The Ghospel speaketh of wine onely tourned into Christes precious bloude who durste then mixte water therewith But the church is so assured of Goddes pleasure therein without any scripture that they dare not only put in water but also dare not leaue it oute And wherby knewe the church these thinges but by Christe and hys holy Apostles whiche taught in their time And so in these thinges and manye other moe went it furth from age to age continuinge in the churche tyll thys daye begonne by Christ in the beginninge withoute mention made in scripture written The .iiij. probation Some desire to haue it in the englyshe tongue only for knowledge and this is but curiositie some only for vain praise this is but vain glory to be sene learned Some only to taunt poore priestes and other therewith and this is but deuelishnes so that for none of these it ought to be in english Nowe where some would desyre it in english only to be edified thereby for this desyre only is to be embrased treuth is they may be sufficiently edified by sermons and holsom doctrine of the scriptures expounded vnto theym by such as haue the key of knoweledge as ofte as they shall well requyre and herewith a godly minde wyl be content knowing that the contrary is against the catholyke church So that euin the good and catholyke people which would doe good and noo hurt with the Bible in english yet may not be permitted to kepe it in the english tōge partly lest the infirme and weake thereby should be offended eyther in misiudging or in taking example yf occasion serue to get the same libertie to theyr destruction and partly that no occasion be geuen therby to obstinate heretikes to murmur that they haue it not in english them selues as wel as thother And this answer I geue vnto theym which seme of a godlye zeale to say scripture ought to be in english for the vse and commoditie of such people as with an earnest zeale and deuoute study doo hunger and thurste the simple and plaine knowlege of Gods worde not for contentious bablyng but for innocent lyuyng not to be curious searchers of the high mysteries but to be faithfull doers of Gods byddyngs not to be troublous talkers of the Bible but sincere folowers of Gods preceptes therin conteyned not to be vnreuerent reasoners in holy scripture for vain settīg out of their painted sheathe but to be hūble and louly workers of Gods glory not to be curious disputers in the Gospell for the mayntenaūce of theyr inordinate lustes and carnall libertye but to be vpryghte walkers in holye conuersation of lyfe in the rule of the gospell prescribed The fyfte probation Hauyng the scripture in englysh they presume to know all the scriptures perfitly and that to theyr condemnation contrary to s Hieroms rule which is this Si non succedat idoneus interpres potius nescire oportet quam cum periculo discere c. Yf there be not one present that is mete to expounde the scriptures it is better not to know the mysteries then with ieoperdie and peryll to searche theim c. The syxte probacion The most parte of the people be euyll but Christe wolde none such should haue the handlyng of his secrettes as appereth by that he willeth precious stones not to be caste amongest swine nor holye breade to dogges Therfore scripture ought not so to be lefte that all without anye discretion or difference may hādle it at their pleasures whiche muste nedes be if it be sette at libertie in the vulgar tongue in euerye churche The seuenth probation The moste part of the people be ignoraunt not hable to discerne betwene the letter and the mystery but none suche be mete iudges in suche high matters yet none wylbe more bolde then blynde bayarde therefore the scripture must be kepte furth of the handling of all suche which cānot be if it cōtinue in English as it doth for all men to dispute of it that wyll The eight probation Is not the scripture ful of figures and tropes Shal it then be so lefte that euery one shal be iudge therof The
this one thing were sufficient to consider the great difficulty the great obscurity and hardnes that all the aunciente writers with one consente affirme to be in Scripture yea Scripture it self graunteth the same Scrutamini Scripturas searche the scriptures sayth Christ but if they haue nede of a scruteney Ioan. viii theÌ„ they be not easy christ wold not so haue bid if thei had bene light Nor Peter wolde haue sayde manye thinges be harde to be vnderstand in Paules epistles which then the people did peruerte saythe he as they did other Scriptures to their condemnacion And what dyd Paule meane of the mysteries of Scripture wheÌ„ he cried O Altitudo diuitiarum c. O the depnes Rom. xi O the heigth of the secretes of God Herken now the testimonies of of auncient writers concerninge this matter GReg. Nazian sayeth Non cuiusuis christiani est de dei mysterijs disserere Greg. Naz. li. primo theol suae non adeo res hec est vilis c. It is not for erye Christian to dispute of the misteries of god the matter is not so vile c. Agayne he sayth Greg. Naz. in appollogia et Hier. in proaemio in Ezech. Non oim librorum sacrae scripturae tractatio omnibus aetatibus permittitur apud hebraeos the Iewes did not admitte all men to the readinge of Scripture coÌ„sideringe the great difficultye and highe mysteryes therin The testimony of S. Ambrose Scriptura diuina magnum mare est habens in se abissuÌ„ sensuuÌ„ profundorum c Ambr. lib. vii Epist xliiii The holi Scripture sayeth he is a great Sea hauing depnes without botom of many profound senses Two testimonies of Chrisost Nihil est in scriptura quod non multas sensuuÌ„ habet diuitias Chrisost hom xxi in Gen. neque enim vel syllaba vel apiculus est in sacris litteris in cuius profuÌ„do non sit nobis quispiam magnus thesaurus There is nothing in Scripture sayeth he but it coÌ„teyneth great spirituall tresure through the manifolde senses there is neither syllable nor letter wherin some great riches is not hid O what difficultie is then in it Can it then be turmoyled of al as it must nedes be being stil in thenglishe translation More ouer he sayth In Sacris literis nihil est quod non ingenteÌ„ thesaurum contineat modo scrutatorem habeat Hom xxi et xxiiii in Gen. At noÌ„ cuiuis contingit adire Corynthum There is nothinge in scripture but it coÌ„teineth greate treasure so that there be a diligeÌ„t searcher Howbeit it is not for euery one to searche furthe the secretes or difficulties Diuers testimonies of S. Hiero. Scriptura taÌ„tis obscuritatibê° et futuroruÌ„ typis obuolutaeÌ„ Hier. ad Algas tom iii. vt ols interpretatione egeat Est porta orieÌ„talis de qua verum lumeÌ„ exoritur quae clausa est communi populo et soli illi patet qui habet clauem Dauid et ce Scripture is wrapped saieth he in so great darknes and figures of thinges to come that it hath all nede of interpretation It is the east gate that Ezechiell speaketh of whereout the true light dothe spring which is euer shut to the comen people and is onely open to him that hathe the keye of Dauid c. An other testimonie of S. Hiero. Hie. de canonicis epistolis Iacobus Ioannes Petrus Iudas vii Epistolas scripserunt succinctas breues in uerbis sed longas in seÌ„tentijs ut rarus sit qui in earum lectione non caecutiat Apoca. Ioannis tot habet sacramenta quot uerba â–ª Iames Iohan Peter Iude saieth he wrote .vii. Epistels quicke breffe in wordes but long in sense that fewe there be whiche doe not erre in readinge of them Thapocalyps of saint Iohn is as full of mysteries as of wordes An other testimonie of S. Hiero. Fateor me nunque in diuinis uoluminibus proprijs uiribus credidisse et ce Hie. in prologo in Parali I confesse saieth he that I durst neuer credit myne owne wytte in triyng the sense of scripture but euer searched of other c. But what place of scripture durst not our men in these daies take in hande And all throughe thenglishe translations awaye with theÌ„ therfore Yet an other testimonie of S. Hierom. Totum quod legimus in scriptura â—â—et quidem fulget in corrice sed dulcius in medulla est Hier. ad paulinum qui edere vuâ—t nucleum frangat nuceÌ„ Reuela inquit Dauid oculos meos et considerabo mirabilia de lege tua Al that we rede in scripture saieth he dothe florish shine in the letter but it is much sweter in the spirituall sense He theÌ„ that will eate the curnel let him breake the shelle And Dauid saied Open thou mine eyes O lorde geue thou me knowledge I shall vnderstande the wonderfull mysteries of thy lawe Marke then hereby the hardnes of it The testimonie of Cyrill Cyrill lib. v. in leuit Ex hostiis quae offeruntur et conceduntur sacerdotibus pars igni traditur et sic deo offertur vt sciamus ê™ nobis aliqua ex scriptura apprehendere et cognoscere conceditur aliqua tameÌ„ suÌ„t quae deo reseruantur ce Of the sacrifices of tholde lawe sayeth he parte was geuen to the priestes but part was committed to the fire and so reserued to God Wherby we maye vnderstande that parte of scripture is geuen to vs to apprehende and vnderstande part is reserued onely to the knowledge of God as appeareth more playnlye in the laste sentence but one of this chapter The testimonie of Damascene Quaedam in sacris literis quae de deo traduntur sunt effabilia Damas lib. i. Capi. ii quaedam ineffabilia quaedam cognoscibilia et quaedam incognoscibilia Some thinges in scripture saieth he concernynge God maye be spoken as that God did create the worlde some maye not be spoken as thunitie of substaunce with trinitie of persons and the eternall generation of the sonne whiche none can expresse sayeth Esay some maye be knowen as that God is eternall God is incorporeal but some can not be knowen as of the iudgementes of God O what great depenesse without botome The testimonie of Erasmus Eras in ecclesiast lib. iii. Sunt qui fortiter negant in canonicis libris vllam inesse obscuritateÌ„ modo assit peritia sermonis et sanuÌ„ iudiciuÌ„ QuoruÌ„ opinioni hactenus certe fauco vt optarim esse verissimam sed vna voce reclamant omnes ecclesiae doctores et in his ij quoque qui nec linguarum peritia nec sano iudicio carueruÌ„t There be whiche denye anye hardnesse to be in scripture so that right iudgement and learninge in the tongues be not lackinge And surelye hitherto I haue so euer fauoured this opinion that I haue wished it to be moste true but all the doctours of the church crie
attribute to God doe boldelye saye that the Godhead is corporall Readynge also that he sayde Gene. v. Paenitet me fecisse hominem It repenteth me that I made man ascribed to hym mans affections and readyng that he sayde Descendam et videbo Gene. viii c. I wyll go downe and see c. Did impute ignoraunce vnto him Likewise it kylleth the secte of Euchitas which continuallye vse to praye wyth mouthe i. Thei v. Luke xiiii because Christe and Paule bad praye styll And it killeth thus another sorte that cutte and mangle them selues readinge in the ghospell Mat. xviii Coll. iii. Math. xix plucke out thine eye cut of thine hand mortifie your membres vpon the earth c. Blessed is he that geldeth him selfe c. Luc. xiiii Rom. xii Math. iii. And another sort the letter here doeth kyl he that hateth not father mother c. Caste hote coles on your enemies head c. He shall baptise you with the holy ghost and fyre Yea and thus it kylleth the Pharisees which supersticiously doe wryte the commaundementes in the heÌ„mes of their garmentes Deut. vi in scrolles on postes c. bycause God bad kepe them in theyr heartes and talke of theym euenynge and mornyng c they dyd not marke that God ment nothyng els by that phrase of speaking but only a vehement studie and desire to obserue the law Haue not our Englyshe men namely in the citie of London had now of late lyke Iewish affection in settynge vp wrytynges on the Churche walles and pyllers euer falsely wrasting theÌ„ awrie and applyeng theym to an euyll purpose And thus they painted vp the textes of the new testament vpon theyr walles which onely doo serue agaynste the Iewyshe fastes to blynde and deceiue the symple sorte therewith as though they had ben spoken against our holy Vigils and fastinges These textes I meane such like Mat. xv That which entreth in to the mouthe doeth not defile c Bie al that coÌ„meth i. Corin. x. into the shaÌ„bles c. Tit. i. All thinges be cleane vnto theym that be cleane c. Ye that doe not eate misiudge not them which eate Rom. xiiii with many moe And likewise they sette vp theyr textes wickedlie applied both against the blessed SacrameÌ„t of the Altar and other holye sacramentes and also against oure holy father the Pope Of suche damnable applications of scriptures many churches were full But I would haue wished that in stede of these they wold haue set vp that of s Peter my derely beloued brother Paul ii Pet. iii. wrote many thinges heard which c. The letter doeth kyll beyng red and not trewly vnderstand xj or trewelye vnderstande and not obserued The letter is counted to kyl for that it forbyddeth synne xij and by occasion therof augmenteth the desyre or els for that it is a witnes against vs. The letter doeth kylle xiii for that it discloseth oure synne Concupiscentiam nescirem esse peccatum c Rom. vii I had not knoweÌ„ that concupiscence or lust had ben synne if the lawe had not saide thou shalt not couet or luste c. xiiii The letter doeth kyll as ofte as ye take or applie any texte contrary to the trew meaning of the holy ghost xv Finally the letter doth kyll all theym that searche aboue theyr reache in Gods mysteries as I feare many haue done in these yeares past Luc. ix one desyred to folowe Christe and was not permitted Math. viii Another commaunded to folowe and yet not desyryng Actes ix Yea and Paule greatlye resisting was drawen in maner by compulsion Consilia dei occulta gods counsels are vnsearchable But in these miserable yeares now past what mystery is so harde that the ignoraunte with the Bible in englysh durst not set vppon yea and say they vnderstod it all was but lyght They desyred no declaratioÌ„ but theyr owne euyn in the hyghest mysteries wher as the prophet teacheth that the declaryng or expoundynge of Gods worde doeth gyue lyghte and vnderstanding to the yonglynges and ignoraunt Declaratio sermonuÌ„ tuorum illuminat et intellectuÌ„ dat paruulis And God thretneth that Pâ—ou xxv Scrutator maiesta tis opprimetur a gloria these archer to hyghe in his mysteries shal be thrust frome his glorie whiche thinge causeth the Prophet to say Psal cxxx Neque ambulaui in magnis neque in mirabilibus super me I haue not walked to hygh in great mysteries nor woÌ„ders aboue my reache But alas experience doeth showe that oure men through hauyng the Bible in englisshe haue walked farre aboue theyr reache beyng sondry wayes kyld vtterly poisoned with the letter of thenglysh Bible Therfor for Iesus sake away with it let it kyll no moo The. v â–ª Chaptre The best meanes to vnderstand the Scriptures by BYcause there is such great difficulty and hardnes in Scripture and bycause the letter doeth kill many wayes I thinke nothing can be told more nedefull then to shewe playnlye howe we maye best come to the trew knowledge of the Scripture And therfore here note wel that sundry and diuerse thinges be required to obteyne the trew vnderstanding and meaninge of Scripture by One is by discrete and godly conferrynge place to place j. and Scripture to Scripture And this affirmeth S. Aug. sayinge Aug. lib. iii. de doct cap. xxvi the beste interpretation is to expounde one place of Scripture by an other more manifest An other is by consideringe the time the men ij with other circumstances as how where and when they were written An other is by searchinge diligently the processe both before and after iij. iiij An other is by dayly exercise searching and askinge the counsell and iudgement of other learned men v. An other is by feruent prayour and pure deuotion with an humble heart and simple spirite knowinge that GOD withstaÌ„deth the proude Iohn iiii and also that conninge makethe to swell in arrogancy i. Cor. viii yf grace be wanting Wherefore Origen sayeth that bothe great studye and feruente Praiour be requyred to obteyne the trew intellection of Scripture by Homil. xii in xxxiiii Exod. Qu. lxxxxv â—oui et Vet. â—esta And S. Aug. witnesseth that the holy spyrite openeth the meaninge of Scripture onlye to the studious diligent deuoute prius amemus sacras literas quaÌ„discamus Iaque certo per suâ—sum habeamus in illis nil esse neque falsum nâ—que leue aut humana mente scriptum sed omnia plena caelestis Philosophiae dignaque sancto spirituquacuÌ„que specie sese offerant si vt oportet tutelligantur haec Aug. de vtili cred capi vi deuoute and to suche as haue a firme belefe in the articles of the Catholike faythe receyued vj. And an other is by ouerseing the olde and aunciente wryters Iudgementes vpon Scripture and by conferring theyr
Therfore God hathe ordeined that like as in temporal gouernauÌ„ce none is made ruler but beynge outwardly sent and appointed by men euen so in the spirituall functiones Wherfore nowe to conclude seing the only remedy to redresse this damnable errour of theym whiche teache secretly and doâ— much hurt in corners through the english translation is to take it awaye for by other meanes it wil not be stopped it can not be permitted that the Bible shoulde continue in english Here in this I might haue had iust occasion to speake against preachers which hadde authoritie wickedly geuen to preache and did comenly preach vnderstandinge not the latine tonge as it was saide but were called some from one occupation and some from another and some frome plaieng the vices parte in enterludes but I wil not medle with this matter The xl probation Hierom. in Ezech. 44. S. Hierom saith Alta profunda dei mysteria non sunt monstranda vulgo nec proferenda ad populum ne si maiora se audierint maiestatem scientiae ferre non possint quasisolido suffocentur cibo qui adhuc lacte infantiae nutriendisunt The depe and profounde mysteries of God are not to be shewed to the common people nor to be vttred to theÌ„ lest they hearinge greater thinges then they can beare be not hable to atteyne to the knowledge therof and be as it were choked with harde meate whiche yet oughte to haue been fed but with milke of infancie The .xli probation It helpeth well and is a good probation against the english Bibles that Christe euer vsed paraboles to the rude vnlearned sorte yea and that the wordes of the gospell do testifie that ofte when he spake they vnderstode hym not Nihil inquit horum intellexerunt but yet he saide to his disciples and theyr successours Vobis datum est nosse mysteria It belongeth to you to knowe the mysteries Yea and whan he would teache theym high secretes he ascended into the mount from the comen people wherof Esai hadde spoken Esay vi Ye shall heare with youre eares and not vnderstand c. In expounding which place S. Hierom doeth vtterly dryue awaye the comen people from medling or handlyng the mysteries of scripture Agayne doeth not Christe showe in the Gospell Luc. xii that he is a good stewarde which geueth in measure to the seruauntes they re meate in dewe season what a wicked stewarde were he then whiche withoute all measure or discretion obseruing no order regarding no mans person or bloode wold set on the table before all men indifferently were he Lord or lorell master or seruaunt all kyndes of disshes at ones bothe grosse and fyne The .xlij probation Chrisosostom vpon Chrisost lib. iiij de sacerdotio Intende lectioni i. Ti. iiij sheweth thoffice of Bisshops to be to studye the scripture thoffice of the laitie to know the scripture by they re teaching and preaching sufficient for theyr saluation The .xliij probation S. Augustin sheweth certen places of scripture to be for pregnaunt August episâ— Volusiam wittes and certen for the rude dolardes But how then can the scripture be in thenglish tongue for all indifferentlye to reade The xliiij probation O how many Englyshe readers doe take hurte of the Prophetes and canticles not knowwing the mysteries nor when it is a trope not knowyng when it is to be taken to the lettere and when the letter doth kylle The .xlv. probation Gregorius Nazianzen saieth I is conuenit de rebus diuinis disserere lib. i. suae theol â–ª qui contemplandi acumine coeteris antecellunt c. It is mete for theym too intrete of Gods mysteries whiche doe excede and passe other in excellencie of gyfte c But then it shall not be lawfull for euery one to haue it in the vulgare tonge The xlvi probation S. Hierom saith that the Iewes dydde not permitte any to reade the beginning of Genesis In proaemiâ— Eâ—echielis nor the canticles neyther the beginning nor the ende of Ezechiell before .xxx. yeares And the Romayns suffered none to rede the bokes of Sibylla but onlye the tenne commissioners named decemviri Fenestella lib i. capi xiii and before theym the .ij. commissioners named duumviri So muche reuereÌ„ce they gaue to theyr boke And shall we christians suffer the hyghe mysteries to be miserably tormoyled of all handes But ye wyl say S. Hierom and Chrisostom also in certein places seme to allow the laitie vnto reading of scriptures And. S. Hierom did translate scripture vnto the Dalmatians Truth is many thiÌ„ges for a time haue ben permitted of deuotion but after seing the successe nought they haue been taken awaye After the beginninge maydes wiues boyes and men kept vigils together aboute martyrs tumbes and Vigilantius for reprouing it was sharply taunted of S. Hierom yet afterward for inconuenieÌ„ces it was taken away Euseb lib vi cap. xxxiij And at the beginninge the bodie of Christ was geuen to the laytie in their handes to carye home c. But thorough witchecraftes and other abuses coÌ„mitted that custome was taken awaye Likewyse the laytie receyued once vnder bothe kindes whiche custome throughe offenses and perils that chaunced and that might chaunce still is iustly prohibited and taken awaye vtterlye And likewise answere is to be geuen to all them that make these forsayde obiectioÌ„s to haue the scriptures in englishe The .xlvii. probation If that which Eusebius doth testifie in his time to be trewe had been nowe verified in these our daies we neded not then to be so ferd of hauinge scripture in euery mans hand Libro eccl cap. xvi His wordes be these Imperiti obseruant ne disputare audeant de ijs quae ignorant et de illis testimoniuÌ„ perhibere quae nesciunt The vnlearned euer obserue this that they dare not once dispute or reason of those thinges that thei be ignoraunt of nor beare testimonie of those thinges whiche they know not But alas nowe the more ignoraunt the more obstinate in madde boldnesse so that by no meanes thenglish translation maye be suffered The .xlviij. probation â–ª Scripturarum intelligentiam non ex propria praesumptione sed ex maioruÌ„ scriptis autoritate sequebaÌ„tur quos et ipsos ex apostolica successioÌ„e intelligendi regulaÌ„ suscepisse constabat Haec Eusebi lib. xi Eccl. cap. ix The example of Grego Nazian and Basil be to faythfull christians a sufficient rule to folow which if we do we wyl say awaye with thenglishe Bibles away they can not be abiden For the readers therof passe of no expositions of the fathers but onlye stycke to theyr owne bare taking of scripture as thei phancye it and as they please where as these .ii. holy doctours studied scripture together not presumptuously folowing their owne imaginatioÌ„ but folowing the doctrine and authoritie of the elders whom they knew to haue receyued the vnderstaÌ„ding of scripture euyn by succession from the Apostels The xlix probation