the vniuersall churche of Christ But therfore it may not be suffered The thirde probation THrough the damnable libertie of hauinge it in the vulgar tongue haue not all holye mysteries been despised Haue they not therby vtterly condemned all that hathe not been expressed in the letter of their Englishe Byble Haue they not made vs worse hereby then the Iewes To take all mysteries from vs excepte they be expressed in their Englishe â–ª The Iewes durst not expresse the highe name of God Iehoua But what mysterie durste not our men medle withal Yea reason turne tosse at their pleasure The Iewes had Cabala their tradition left among them by Moyses without writynge receyued as it were by hande from generation to generation concernynge the mysticall sense included in the wordes of scripture But through this damnable heresye our men haue whollye condemned all that is not expressed in the letter of theyr Englishe And yet S. Iohn sayde I had manye thinges to write vnto you neuerthelesse I woulde not write with paper and ynke but I truste to come and speake with you mouthe to mouth Aug. ad Ianu. yea and S. Augustine sayeth quae non sunt scripta sed tradita custodimus quae toto terrarum orbe obseruantur we kepe and obserue not only such thinges as be written but also traditions not written whiche be obserued in all places of christendome Agayne yf ye wil nothinge to be Gods word but that whiche is expressed in the letter written what say ye then to Moyses Were not the wordes of God spoken to him gods worde tyll they were written Wer not the wordes of God spoken to the Apostles gods word tyl they were written Christ in sayinge to Peter blessed arte thou c Mat. xvi declareth that that high mystery came into S. Peters heart as to the prince of Chap postles onelye by secret inspiration and not by the worde written And so doeth lykewise this that neyther Euangelist nor Apostle did euer by writing sende the faith to anye nation but where they were firste informed by preaching For faith commeth by hearynge sayeth Paule and not by writynge Rom. x. Furthermore Paule bad the Thessalonians as I sayde kepe the traditions whiche he had geuen them by mouth ii Thes ii because the wordes that he spake to the people by mouth our lord and vsed aboute the sacrament of the Altar or about the sacrament of baptisme who can shew the reason fully of all the wordes gestures orders questions and aunsweres there vsed And yet all these wee haue receiued of Christ and his Apostles Thus muche sayth Origene And here marke I beseche you of Origenes woordes whiche was liuiÌ„g wtin lxxxx yeres after saint Iohn the Euangelist that many suche traditions were left by Christ his Apostles which bee not in the Byble expressed and yet to be obserued of all faythful Catholike people Beside this what they wyl saye to manye thinges moe not expressed in Scripture and yet vnder the payne of damnation to be beleued I cannot tel as to the Baptim of infantes the .iii. persons in Trinitie to be of equall power and of one essence that God the Father is ingenitê° not begot the procedinge of the holye gost from the father the Sonne the deity equalitye of the Holy Goste with the father and the Sonne the obseruynge of the Sonday the order of our Crede the continuance of the virginite of our Lady that she is Theorocos mater dei the mother of God the receyuinge the Sacrament of thalter fasting the mixtinge water with wyne in the Chalice the Sonne to be consubstantial with the father that Christes soule descended in to hel the making of the signe of the Crosse the numbre of the Sacramentes that there be .ii. natures in Christe knit together in vnitate diuine supposite that Soules departinge hens streyght wayes haue the fruitioÌ„ of the deitye And that men and women haue power to ministre the Sacrament of Baptym It is not expressed in scripture neyther by commaundement couÌ„sell licence or example what they will say to this gere I wot not but this one thynge I am wel assured of that hauiÌ„g the Scripture in Englishe hath brought tholy mysteries of God into contempte and hatred Where as the wisedome of God as S. Basil despiritu sâ—Ì„cto cap. xxvij Basill testifieth neuer wolde all the misteries of our faith to be put in writing thereby to be a laughinge stocke both to the Iewes and Gentils For if Christe himselfe were counted a sclaunder to the Iewes and folishnes to the Heathens how muche rather shal the high mysteries of our fayth so be counted being most harde to be perceyued †Mysterium noÌ„ est quod ad populares aures effertur patrâ—s ergo in occuâ—to ac silentio misterijs suam seruauere dignitateÌ„ Basi xxvii de spuÌ„ sancto Agayne it is not a mystery sayeth he that is open to euery man or that is blowen in to euery mans eare Tholy Fathers euer kept tholy misteryes in most secrecy reuerencyng the dignitie therof S. Dionise Dioni cap. i. in celes hierarch Iren. lib. 3. ca 4 Epiphan coÌ„tra AeriuÌ„ Tertul de cor mili Orig homil v in num Cypri de Lot peduÌ„ Hila in psal ij Ireneus Epiphanius TertuliaÌ„ Origen Ciprian and Hylari with one consent do firmelye establisshe this agaynste the approuers of thenglisshe translacions Yea and S. Basill dothe affirme that there be so manye mysteries without Scripture whiche must be credited that he can in no small time recite them al Deficier me dies inquit si ecclesiae mystria citra scriptuÌ„ tradita pergam recensere Howe can it then be that the Englisshe Bible can continue many such meÌ„ taking occasion thereby to condemne al holy mysteries receiued by the Catholyke Churche euen from the begynninge S. Iohn testienge that so many moe thinges wer done that the whole world were not hable to conteme all if they were wrytteÌ„ And s Paule bidding the Thessalonians as ye haue hearde obserue all his tradicions receyued by mouthe not by writyng sayeth Theophilact and yet aswel to be beleued as thother Yea and in the time of s Peter Linus Cletus Anacletus Clement Euaristus c. S. Iohns Gospell was not written but these men wyll nothing to be beleued but onlye that whiche is in their Englishe Byble so that all that time the Christians by this their iudgement should not haue ben bouÌ„d to beleue that whiche is now in S. Iohns Gospel bycause then it was not written Howe be it al faythfull people beleue that the Churche of Christe taught aboue .lx. yeres after Christes ascension all that is now in S. Iohns Gospell beinge yet not then written In the time our mother the Churche was a virgin I meane not corrupt nor adulterate with sundry heresies there were almost no scriptures of the new Testament in Paper and Inke All the monitions wordes and workes of Christe
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
A discourse wherin is debated whether it be expedient that the scripture should be in English for al men to reade that wyll ¶ Fyrst reade this booke with an indifferent eye and then approue or condempne as God shall moue your heart Non quis dicat sed quid dicat animaduertas velim ¶ EXCVSVM LONDINI IN aedibus Roberti Caly Typographi Mense Decembris Anno. 1554. Cum priuilegio ¶ A question to be moued to the highe courte of Parliament WHether it be necessary that the scripture shoulde be in the vulgare tonge for al men to reade at their pleasure withoute restraynt Yea or whether it may wel be permitted so to be Considerynge on the one parte the manifold inconueniences which haue sprong therby these yeres paste as obstinacie disobedience fleshely libertie losse of deuotion swarmes of errours and heresies with damnation of thousande soules and on the other parte weyenge discretlye not onelye the great difficultie that is in scripture with the causes thereof but also diuerse and sundrie most manifest probations whiche fully persuade that the scripture by no meanes ought to be suffred to be in euerye mans hande in the vulgare tonge for all men to descant vp on to wraste after their fleshlye appetites which all appeare euidentlye to be moste true by that whiche is here set furth in this processe That is to saye in these sixe chapters folowing The fyrst The scripture is very harde to be vnderstande The seconde God woulde the scripture to be obscure harde the mysteries not to be playne to al men The thyrde Sundrie causes wherof the hardnes in scripture doth come The fourth Howe many wayes the letter doeth kyll The fifth The best meanes to vnderstande scripture by The sixte Fiftie probations that scripture ought not to be in english Neuerthelesse to the entent none shoulde haue occasion to misconstrue the trew meanyng herof it is to be thought that if all men were good and catholike then were it lawfull yea and verye profitable also that the scripture shoulde be in Englishe so that the translation were trewe and faythfull But neyther all the people be good and catholike nor the translations trewe and faythfull As for the common translations whiche haue been vsed in moste mennes handes are so full of faultes that to correcte and amend them wer euen as a man woulde goe aboute to sowe vp euery hole in a nette to make it a whole clothe Yea and yet beside this yf your enemye should geue you bread which ye knew well he hadde poysoned before would ye not be afrayd though it be after scraped neuer so cleane to eate of it At al times heretikes haue laboured to corrupte the scriptures that they might serue for their noughtye purposes to confirme theyr errours therwith as Dionyse bishoppe of Corinth testifieth but speciallye nowe in our tyme O good Lorde howe haue the translatours of the Bible into Englishe purposelye corrupted the textes oft maliciously puttinge in suche wordes as might in the readers eares serue to the profe of suche heresies as they went aboute to sow Whiche be not onely set furth in the translations but also in certain Prologues and gloses added therevnto And these thynges thei haue so handled as in dede it is no greate maistrie to doe with probable reasons verye apparent to the simple and vnlearned that an infinite numbre of innocentes they haue spirituallye poysoned and corrupted within this realme caused them to perishe obstinatlye Nowe for the other parte all the people namelye the feruent readers of scripture in English be not onely not good but the moste parte of them be starke noughte so frowarde so peruerse so leude and so wicked that they be euer readye to peruert that whiche is good and to take a selfe wyllye opinion contrarye to the true sense of scripture and meaninge of tholye ghost as God knoweth experience hath shewed euer since the Bibles were set vp in churches common for all men that woulde to reade But yf all men I saye were good and catholike and the translations trewe and faythfull the Bible in English though it be nowe muche hurtfull then might be muche profitable And that is the cause that the Clergie did agree as it is in a cōstitution prouincial that the Bibles which were translated into Englishe before Wycliffes dayes might be suffred so that only such had them in handling as were allowed by the ordinarie and approued mete readers thereof that their readynge shoulde be onely to the settinge furthe of Goddes glorie For thoughe scripture to good people be a norisher of vertue and to them that bee noughte the meane of amendment and for him that is whole liuely foode and for him that is sicke euen as a medicine yet often tymes we see that one stomacke taketh harme of that meat wherof another taketh profit and that whiche helpeth one sicke man hurteth another Some men mighte be admitted to the readynge of S. Mathewes ghospell whiche yet be not hable well to wey the ghospell of S. Iohn Manye hable to peruse the actes of the Apostles whiche be farre vnmete to medle with Thapocalyps Many might be allowed to handle the Epistle to the Colossians whiche be to weake for the Epistle to the Romaines The father ofte permitteth to one of his childrē a knife to cut his meate withal wheras he taketh from another of hys children foreseyng his wantonnes the knife for feare of cutting his fingers Manye in these our miserable dayes nowe past haue so miserablie abused the scriptures agaynst the meaninge of tholye ghost that vnder the colour of great zeale and good affection they haue peruerted and wrasted all amisse Yea and scantly two of them haue in all poyntes wel agreed together neuerthelesse in this one poynt they all euer agreed That is to say to destroye vtterlye all vnitie and comely order all holye sacramentes all holye prayers and fastinges with all godlye deuotion And yet beside this nothing should sooner cause vs to iudge that scripture ought not to be in English for euery one to read and descant vpō that wyll then to see that the busie readers be euer for the moste parte of the wycked sorte suche be euer busie bodies to dispute and reason but al wtout reason of thinges farre passing their capacities where as S. Gregory Nazianzen rebuketh all those saying that onely Moyses ascended vp into the hyll spake with God Exod. but the people taryed beneth receiued the lawes preceptes that they should kepe and the pointes that thei shuld beleue at him saiyng vnto him as would god our leude gospellers would nowe say to the true preachers heare you God and let vs heare you Saint Hierome also in his tyme greatly complayneth that the comen ignorant people did presume to medle with the misteries of scripture ▪ seing that saint Paule sheweth that tholy ghost so ordeyned his churche that he wold haue some reders and some hearers some
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
nedefull God woulde haue sent it to the Eunuche to Saule and to Cornelius in the viij ix and x. of thactes but there ye reade that god sent them teachers Philip Anany and Peter and not the scripture whiche hadde been but in vayne as appeareth by the Eunuches sayinge howe shall I vnderstaÌ„de scripture by reading except I be taught Whervpon S. Hierom sayth Ego vt de me loquar nec saÌ„ctior suÌ„ hoc eunucho nec studiosior quâ—cuÌ„ librum teneret c. ignorabat tamen eum queÌ„ in libro nesciens venerabatur O howe manye this daye muche more ignoraÌ„t then Theunuche will take in hande onelye with their English boke to open mysteries bothe to theyr owne destruction and others The xxiij probation Our men wyll nothinge but theyr english booke but the holy man Ireneus which dyd see S Iohans disciple or as some affirme whiche was scholer to S. Iohans disciple named Policarpus doeth testifie that we must folowe the order of the traditions whiche the forefathers dyd leaue vnto them vnto whoÌ„ they committed the cure of Christes people vnto whiche ordinaunces the very heathens sayth he comming to Christes stocke did obey hauing their belefe written by the sprit of God in theyr hartes and not writen with ynke in velom or perchement What shal we say then to theym whiche yet bewaile their Iewish scriptures plucked besyde the postes and walles onlye desyre theyr scripture with inke and paper in the booke As for saluation only wryten in the hart by the holy spirit it should seme they passe not of The .xxiiij. probation The heathen Philosopher would not youth to be the medlers with moral philosophy bycause they were vnapte therunto eyther to be Iudges therof or to take any profyt thereby and he ment not only youthe in yeares but also in maners a childe saieth Esaie of an hundâ—eth yeares old shal dye Esay lxv What then shal we saie shal we admit vnto the haÌ„dling of our heaueÌ„ly philosophy whome the heathen thought vnmete vnworthy to handle theyr lerning whiche was but prophane woulde not the Iewes permitte all ages to the reading of all the bokes in the olde testament and shall we christen men doe it wyll we be worse then the Iewes Yea worse theÌ„ the prophane ethnickes and more out of order O Lord be mercifull vnto vs. The .xxv. probation It was neuer admitted though somtymes permitted in any place of christenedome scripture to continew in the vulgar tongue but only in tyme of scisme or heresy shall it nowe then be suffred to continew any longer in this realme so many mischefes yssewyng therout as haue done daily increasing these many yeares and would do styl more and more The .xxvi. probation When it is in the vulgar tonge the comen sorte play with Gods worde as the deuyll did disputing with Christ brought Gods worde but to a wronge purpose Christ said man lyueth not only by breade but by euery worde that procedeth fourth of Gods mouth The deuill spake Gods worde but it was not fourth of Gods mouth so did the olde Prophete of Bethell speake Gods word iii. Reg. xiii but not out of Gods mouthe Likewise did the CCCC iii. Re. xxii Prophetes whiche deceyued Achab. All sorcerers witches and coÌ„iurers vse gods worde but not oute of Gods mouthe so haue all heretikes in tymes past and doe at this day But when is it Gods worde furthe of Gods mouthe Howe shall we know or proue that Euer when it is spoken according to the consent faythe of the catholike churche For very scripture doeth shewe that the trew vnderstandynge of Goddes worde and that is furth of gods mouth spoken is euer to be soughte in the catholike churche for the catholike church alone hath euer the true sense of scripture whiche is for that cause called of S. Paule the pyller and foundation of all trueth i. Timo. iii. wherein also for this cause God ordeyned some apostles some Euangelistes Ephes iiii some Prophetes and teachers styl to coÌ„tinue lest we shoulde be ouerthroweÌ„ with blastes of errour And therfore Ireneus wttnesseth Iren. li. 3. cap. 3. and longe after him S. Augustine that the trewe meaning of scripture is to be hadde by the triall of the succession of the holye bishoppes and fathers since Peters time in the see of Rome which thinge caused S. Augustine to say I would not beleue the ghospell if thautoritie of the churche caused me not so to doe Aug. in epist fund So that we must beleue that hath been receyued of all men at all times and in all places of christendome and we muste leane to thantiquitie to the generalitie and consent of the fathers and the true sense and meanyng of scripture must euer be proued and tried oute herby How be it to none of this our new men wil agre because it whollye maketh agaynst theÌ„ but thei euer do studie to bring al into question to deny al general councels all ordinaunces decrees canons and expositours vpoÌ„ scripture And much of this disorder thenglish Bible doeth cause wherfore me thinke it maye not well be permitted to continue The xxvij probation Can it be chosen but so long as all people haue the Byble in English at their pleasure there shal euer be some amonge them readie ministers of the deuyl to dispute reason and teache the residue to the vtter destruction of all deuotion and good order And yet amonge them selues they shall saye the cause is they can not be taught truelye of the preachers abrode And hereby heresye shal be sowed plentifullye and Gods worde pitifullye abused vnder a colourable defense therof Thei shal say o the Ghospell ought not to be kept from christen men and that is verye trueth it oughte to bee taught them and preached vnto them but not to teache them selues for wrastynge it amisse The xxviij probation It is the occasion of manye heresies to haue the scripture in the vulgar tongue Howe be it heresie dyd neuer spring furth of scripture but only of the peruerse vnderstandynge of scripture sayeth Hilarius Hilar. lib. ij de triuitate And yet then seing the rude ignoraÌ„t sort be euer prone peruersly to wrast the scriptures we muste thinke that to haue scripture in english is to minister occasioÌ„ to the coÌ„mon sorte to fall into errours· that it so shall doe appeareth by that they be not hable to weye nor beare the mysteries nor to vnderstand the tropes and allegories whiche the greate learned men ofte are scant hable well to digeste howe much lesse the cobler carter or coryer The xxix probation Hilarius vpon In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua Sheweth that the high mysteries oughte not to be publyshed abrode amonge all people It is good saieth he to hyde the kynges priuetie and secret And s Paul saith he was aferd to fede the people with any other but with mylke Math. xiii Christ in the gospell telleth of
inestimable treasur foūd and hid in the fylde that was bought Math. vii and of the precious stones not to be cast before swyne nor the holy vnto dogges c. What doeth all thys but plainelye forbydeth thee Byble in Englishe or the mysteries therof to be set abrode The xxx probation Lyke as GOD appointed tholde lawe to bee written in stone tables or boke so did he appoint as Hieremie witnesseth the new to be writen only in the heart of man Hier. xxxi Why should the writing in bookes then be so highlye regardyd But this carnall this fleshly regardyng by no meanes can be so well extenuate or rather quyte taken awaye as by taking the scripture fourth of the vulgar tonge and fourth of thandling of the lewde ignoraunt The xxxi probation God appointed the Gospell onelye to be writen in the hert of man And therfore the Apostels did fulfyll theyr office concerning this matter in that thei only wrote theyr epistles to the people being absent but euer taught by mouthe theym that were present as appeareth to the Corinthians where Paule saith othere thinges i. Cor. xi when I come and am present I wyl order And S. Iohn sayde Epistle .ii. I had mani thiges to write which I wil not write but tel you and teache you mouth to mouth The same teachinges then and many other haue bene receiued in the Church euin as it were by hande and so continued styll and shall doo tholye ghost teaching frome tyme to tyme as Christe promised if the Bible were ones taken forthe of the ignorauntes iudgementes The xxxij probation i. Timoth. i. Paule writeth to Timothe rebukynge many whiche then woulde presume to be doctours and teachers not mete for that office but how many thousādes be in Englād English teachers now yea rather seducers and only sowers of heresies through the englysh translacion muche worse and more ignoraunt then they of whō Paule then spake The xxxiij probacion Yf it be laufull for all to haue the handeling of scripture then made not tholy ghost a iuste diuision of giftes appointing but som doctours and teachers and thother to be taught Yea and Christ cald in vain the Apostles and theyr successours the salt of th earth the light of the world if euery one that wyll shal haue that office as no doubte they haue had this longe tyme and wyll haue styl if it shoulde continue in English which GOD forbyde The .xxxiiij probacion Gregorius Nazianzen saieth Oportet paulatim infirmis fidelibus ea que perfectiora sunt aperire c. Greg. Nazian concione de spiritu sancto We must by lytle and litle open the secretes of scripture to the infirme christians How can it be suffred thenne to be in englysh for euery one too open it to him selfe The xxxv probation Paule would all to be taught the scripture and therfore he wrote his epistles to al but not all to descant vpon them For then he would not haue saide i. cor xiiii if any be thought to be a prophet let him know what I write vnto you c. The .xxxvii. probacion Moises did committe the boke only to the pristes not to the people Deut. xxxi And the priest was euer made iudge in hard causes of the scripture Deut. xvii But our men wil be iudges them selues where lerned they that euen of the deuil the autour of arrogancy God said in Deut. he that will not obey in this to the preiste Deut. xvii shall suffer death But what obedyence woulde the englishe readers geue to the preist yea to the highest Priest of all in earth vnder Christ The xxxvij probation S. Basil biddeth be circumspect that ye blabbe not out the holy mysteries nor suffer them to be defiled with prophane eyes but ye shall rather bee afrayed to handle them yea ye shall reuerence the hydde mysteries of God with spirituall and not corporall beholdynges and kepe them not touched nor to be handled of the rude ignoraunt and common people What can be more playne then this againste the Byble in the vulgar tongue The xxxviij probation O howe manye scrupules and doubtes haue spronge in manye mens heades whiche neither they nor their fathers euer imagined before through the scripture in Englishe How many alterations scismes and deuisions amonge the simple haue rysen yea betwene man and wyfe maister and seruant How manye women heretikes haue taken vpon them thoffice of teachinge hereby in these yeres paste Women heretikes and all contrarye to Paules doctrine The xxxix probation Amonge other one of the greatest inconueniences that hath these wretched yeres sprōg by hauing the Byble in english is this that many yea very manye God best knoweth haue presumptuouslye taken vpon them beinge yet moste vnmete thervnto thoffice of doctours and teachers in corners and conuenticles beinge not sent but arrogantly and presumptuouslye saying God did send them and they woulde seke for none other sending howe be it they did not marke the plague of Osias kyng of Iuda for vsurping thoffice of the priest whervnto he was not called They did not marke howe Christ being very man did chose the xij Math. x Luc. x. Apostles and lxxij disciples and sent thē furth where ye see bothe the outwarde chosynge and outwarde sendyng Actes i. Mathias was outwardlye by men chosen to succede Iudas and so were the seuen deacons outwardlye called Actes vi and thactes the xv it hathe pleased tholye ghost and vs c. Beholde here bothe the inward and outward sending And the holye ghost sayde Actes xiii seperate me Paule and Barnabas they put theyr handes on them and sente them furthe Here ye see outwarde sendynge Yea and Paule sayeth Rom x. howe shall they preache except they be sent Nowe yf we shoulde take onely inwarde sendinge without the outwarde then the Churche coulde neuer bee certayne who were sent and who were not Agayne Christ appoynted certayne Apostles doctours and teachers c. Whiche order saith Paule Ephes iiii shall continue in the church for euer But thē it must nedes be that the churche shal stil appoynt them as they did then c. Moreouer he that shall be called to the office of a priest or byshop must haue a good report of them whiche are without i. Timo. iii. Marke here the outwarde sending And S. Augustine sayth ▪ if because Thappostles were taught of god Aug. in prolo li. de doct Chri. none own ought to bee outwardelye called or taughte then sayeth he lette none reade the gospel nor none heare sermons Paule had tholye ghost and yet he went not to preache tyl Ananias had layde his handes vpon him Actes ix ▪ He was sent sayth he to man to receiue the sacramentes and to be ioyned to the church Neuertheles all might be done and wrought onely inwardlye by thangell or spirite of God but then shoulde neuer be any certayntie
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
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