the Sermons of the Scribes and Pharises malitiouslye blinde in that mysterie there remained onely that with inuocation of the name of God they should read the scripturs to th' end that by conference of them with the Sermons of our Sauiour Christ they might finde and feele the trueth of them And as this place proueth that the peoples reading of the scripture is a good help to those that beleeue not after they haue hard the preaching so th' example of the Act. 17. 11. men of Baerea declareth that it is also necessary for those that beleeue that they shoulde be able by conference of the scripture to confirme themselues in the faith whereinto they are entered whereof let the reader further looke what is both objected answered in that place And if it were a safe and a sure thing for the Iewes not yet beleeuing in our Sauiour Christ to search and reade the scriptures how can it bee dangerous for Christians that haue already beleeued him to read the scriptures which beare testimonie of him And if it be commendable that those that were novices in Christianitie plantes of a day olde should search read the scripture how much more ought the reading of the scriptures be committed vnto their trust which through the covenant of grace were froÌ„ their mothers wombe borne Christians Gal. 2. 15 Secondly it is absolutely necessary for all men to vse all those aides whereby they shoulde the more perfectly know what is the will of God Deut. 6. thereby to frame themselues to th' obedience of the same Heereof the law commandeth that euery one should not onely haue the law sounding like a trumpet in his eares but also that it shoulde be as a ring vpon his finger as a bracelet vppon his hande as a frontlet before his eies that is to say alwayes in sight For which cause he commanded further Deut. 6. 7. 8. 9 that the law should be written vpon the frontiers of the land vpon the gates of the Citie and Towne and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house Nowe if it were then thought good to the wisdome of God that the people should in passing by reade the lawe grauen or painted vpon pillers gates dores wher they could not consider of it so grauely stayedly how much more was it his good pleasure they should read the same sitting in their houses where hauing the book before them they might more ripelie and deliberatelie conceaue the sense and receaue the fruit thereof Further th' Apostle Coloss 3. 16. commanding that the worde of Christ should dwell plentifullie or richly amongst those that are of the Church doth thereby giue commandement that they shoulde vse all lawfull meanes of familiar acquaintance with it Vnlesse therefore it be denyed which cannot bee of them that grant it sometymes expedient that the reading of the Scriptures is a lawful exercise in the word of god for the obtayning of greater wealth in the same it is manifest that it is commanded of th' Apostle If commanded then also absolutely necessary Moreouer it is commanded to trye 1. Ioh. 4. â— the Spirits whether they be of God or no But that can not bee without some further knowledge of the word then we receaue of the spirites them selues that is to saye the ministers speaking either in the spirite of error or trueth wherefore it followeth that the whole knowledge that a faithfull man ought to haue hangeth not of the mouth of the minister but ought to haue a supplie of priuate reading and meditation of the law at home Againe the King who of all other for the multitude Deut 17. 19. Iosu 1. and weight of his busines in the affayres of the common wealth might seeme to be freed from this exercise of priuate reading and to content himselfe with the sermons in the temple is commanded to reade the booke of the lawe diligently where other men that are neither so full of businesse nor haue so many whose welfare dependeth of them can not bee exempted from this exercise of pietie And if it be necessary for the King to reade in the worde that hee may rule well it is necessary that the subjects should doe the same that they may obey well And if it bee needfull for him to read that hee command not through the pride of his harte thinges that are vnlawfull there is the same necessity for them least in too greate basenes of minde they shall obeye man rather then God Last of all reading of the scriptures Iosu 8. 34 Nehe. 8. 2. Reg. 23 2. Act. 13. 15 15. 21. Col. 4. 16 publikely in the Church being not onely a laudable and approued custome of the Church vnder the lawe but commanded also in the gospell doth declare that that which was continually profitable vnto the whole Church together can not but aedifie euery one a part in his house As for their reason to proue it not necessarie for that through mans malice or infirmitie the scriptures are pernitious much hurtful to many It is very childish For by the same boult they may shut out preaching as well as reading considering that through eyther infirmitie or malice many the most part oftentimes of those that heare get a greater condemnation vnto themselues So also the Sacraments shall be banished which by many are receiued to iudgement Finally so it 1. Cor. 11 should be dangerous for the people to meddle with Christ himselfe as Luke 1. one that is set for the rysing and fall of manie And to this manifest sounding voice in the Scriptures doth th' echo of th' elder Churches answere which teache that the people should learne Orig in Levit hom 4. Chrysost iâ— Gen. homil 29. the Scriptures without booke that they should not onelie hearken vnto the reading of the Scriptures at the Church but also take the Bible when they come home and that reading of the Scriptures performeth that to the soule that meate doth to the strength of the bodie that all men ought by daylie reading the Scripture Hieron iâ— câ—p 10. Ecclesiast August in Psal 33. câ—nâ— 2. get wisdome that they should read the Scriptures for that they were written to th' end we should be comforted Wherefore it is not the Churches diuine wisdome but the Popishe Synagogues deuilishe craft to forbidde that at any time which both the Scriptures and purer Churches haue not onely permitted th' vse of to the people but streightly charged them therewith And it is not vnlike the subtile practise of the Philistimes the most deadly enemies vnto the Lords people who to keepe them alwayes in slauerie permitted no vse of weapon vnto them a fewe excepted whome they forsooth would shew grace vnto So 1. Sam. 13 the diuine wisdome of your Church is to hinder the seruantes that they should not know their maisters will to holde from the betrothed maide that she should not know her
faith duetie to her spouse Where also it is to be noted that as th' authoritie of Gods worde is in no account with them So neither the Councill of Trent otherwhere matched with th' authoritie Vpon Act 15. of th' evangelistes nor the supreame authoritie of the Pope is so sacred amongst them but that for lucre they are boulde with both of them For in steed that they praeciselie command that none maye reade any translation whatsoeuer without the Curates testimonie of his abilitie thereunto they haue without repeale of Councill or Popes decree put their translation in mens hands with no note of discretion which we vnderstand but who will giue most You may not thinke much therefore if wee for Truths sake make light of your Trent councill when you for gaine infringe it To the three next sections pag. 3. and 4. If as hath bene shewed all ought to reade the Scriptures then all ages all sexes al degrees and callings all high and lowe rich poore wise and foolishe haue a necessarie duetie heerein of which particularities neither doe the Scriptures nor auncient writers keep silence For the Scripture declareth that wemen and children that from their infancie that Iosua â— 2. Tim. â— Psal 49 Prov. noble and ignoble riche and poore wise and foolish exercised themselues in the holy Scriptures And Theodoret Theodoret. de corrig Grae. affect lib. 5 lyketh well that the points of religion which the Church taught were not onelie knowne of Doctors and maisters but of Taylers Smythes Weauers and other artificers not of men onelie but of wemen and the same not onely learned but labouring wemen sewsters seruants and handmaides not of Citizens alone but of Countrie-folke Ditchers deluers neat-heards and gardiners disputing euen of the holie Trinitie c. And being commanded to be talked of both within the house without Deut. 6 both lying sitting and walking a man woulde thinke that therein is commanded th' exercise of it in al places both table and bench both boate barge And it is too great ignorance to make that difference of place in this matter which was not made vnder the Lawe when in all manner of places it is not onelie lawfull but commanded to talke of the Law And seing to the cleane al things are cleane the boat and boat-man the rudder Titâ—â— 1 and the rower it is too palpable a darknesse to thinke that the Worde 1. Tim. â— should bee profaned by those things which by faith prayer it sanctifieth Wherefore it is most false that the Bibles were then onelie in Monasteries Colledges Churches Bishops Priests and some deuout principal lay-mens hands For Chrysostome exhorteth al the people Epist ad Coloss hom 9 Hieron in Psal 133 In Matth. homil â— concione 3 dâ— Lâ—zarâ— secular men to get them Bibles at the least the new Testament Ierom also saieth 〈◊〉 married men Monkes sillie wemen were wont to conteÌ„d who should learn moe scriptures without booke But Chrysostome is bold and affirmeth it more fit and profitable for the lay people to read Gods worde then for Monkes Priests or any other And if priuate reading of the Bible were vrged so sore when through the trauaile of wryting it must needes cost much how much more then is it now to be pressed when through the benefite of printing it is so easilie and lightlie obtained It is false also that either they sung in an vnknowne language or without knowledge of the sense in some profitable measure which had bene liker vnto the prating pratling and parating of birdes tickling th' eares of fond men then to any Christian melodie pleasant in the eares of the wise God After like men fighting in the dark they stryke themselues instead of the enemie For they are forced to bring forth Ierome exhorting men and wemen to the reading and meditation of the Scripture tâ—â—reby to walke comelie in their seuerall callings Themselues therefore which dryue men from reading of the Scriptures are causes why neither â—irgines can meditate of chastitie nor wyues of faithfulnesse Prince how to rule nor subiect how to obey seeing these dueties are euidentlie to th' vnderstanding of the simplest laide forth in holy Scripture And if then th' inferiors taught not their superiors it was because that as they excelled their vnderlings in age dignitie so they went before them in knowledge and vnderstanding of the word But because Poperie is such a time wherein as Salomon saith the Eccl. 10. 4. seruants ryde and the maisters goe on foot that is to say wherein commonlie the Bishop can byte but not bark the Pastor can milke but not feede the Priest can mum but cannot speak it is needfull that in such a case the waters should go against the streame the scholler should teache his maister the sheepe controule his Pastor c. Yea in the learnedst and lightsomest times that euer were and in personages of notable marke it hath sometymes come to passe that not onelie wemen Luke 2. 38 Luk. 24. 10 act 18. 26. 2. Reg 5 13 Chrysost in Coloss hom 9 August dâ— tempor serm 56. haue instructed men but euen the sheepe the shepheards the schollers their maister the seruant their Lord. And Chrysostome and Augustine will haue euery one to learne as they may teach one another Against which as also against the peoples reading of Scriptures neither Ierome nor August haue a word For Ierome in the same epistle exhorteth to the reading of the scripture onelie he reproueth them which trusting vnto the strength of their wits and to their owne studie seeke not the necessarie helpe of a teacher the principall meanes which God hath ordained to bring men to sound knowledg of the trueth And how far Ierome was from the Iesuites iudgement it appeareth otherwhere when he saith that the Scripture is tearmed the Scripture of the people because it is red vnto Hieron in psal 86 all people that all may vnderstand Lykewise he sharply reproueth such as coÌ„temned those that red the Scripture and mused of them day and night as chatters vnprofitable which is the very popishe spirit that reigneth in these daies The same answere serueth for Augustine who reprooueth not men for reading of the Scripture but onelie for that in reading them and finding difficulties which they cannot auoide they forthwith condemne the worde in steade that they should repaire to such as are able to vndoe their knots Which thing is not onelie cleare vppon the place but confirmed by other sayings Where declaring it not to be enough to heare the word in the Church only he exhorteth al in their priuate houses either August de tempor serm 55 to read or to get some to reade for them And againe that nothing abideth but that which a man hath lay de vp in the treasure of his conscience for health of his soule by reading praying or doing good workes and that we must alwayes pray and
his heate of disputation to set downe what was more aggreable to the truth then what serued best against his aduersarie so readeth as we reade Beside all this some Beza annotat in hunc locum Greeke copies read as th' old translator doth And therfore it is false which they say that it is not in the Greeke The third pretended corruption standeth only vpon Socrates testimonie who affirmeth that in the Greeke copies to be an haereticall corruption Howe so What one word is there in the Greek copies that leaneth to the Nestorian haeresie What light footing thereof can you shew If you can shew none there is no likelie-hoode of haereticall corruption considering that Nestorius voice differing far more from Saint Iohns then Iacobs did from Esaus might euen of a blinde man haue beene discerned Secondlie the Greeke reading falleth in farre better with the phrase and circumstance then that which Socrates commendeth For in the verse before Saint Iohn hath thus Euerie Spirite that confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the fleshe is of God Wherupon hee inferreth the wordes in question that euery spirite that confesseth not Iesus Christ to be come in the fleshe is not of God Where it is euident not only that this doth aptly answere in opposition vnto the verse before but that it keepeth the frame and phrase of speach which is to amplifie and deeplier to imprint one thing in the memorie of the hearer by denyall of one proposition directly opposite vnto another As in the 6. verse of the same chap. He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth not vs. Againe in the 7. verse Whosoeuer loueth is of God knoweth God he that loueth not knoweth not god Likewise 1. Epist chap. 5. verse 10 verse 12 c. Thirdly it is plaine that he which saith that Christ came in the fleshe condemneth him that dissolueth Christ so that it was to no purpose to change it so Laste of all if we would examine your alone witnes in this cace by the same lawe that your companion examineth the double Copus dialog 1. pag. 154. witnesse of Socrates and Sozomene in the case of Paphnutius commendation of the ministers marriage wee might vtterlie dis-able him and throwe him from the bar Who to discredite the trueth of this storie saieth thus The thing dependeth of Socrates and Sozomene whereof th' one was a Nouatian th' other greatlie extolled Theodorus whome the fifth Synod condemned And a litle before affirmeth it to haue ben a tale of th'Arrians or of some vnchaste persons Nowe if Socrates were not as your man saieth to beare witnes in the matter of Paphnutius howe commeth it that you lift vp his credite so high as not alone to counteruaile but to praeuaile against so full a consent of the Greek copies To the next section The Iesuites in knocking their heades against the originall copies haue loste euen the common sense vnderstanding of a man For to proue that we in many places haue left the Greeke to followe the vulgare translation they haue not brought so much as one place wherein Maister Beza hath not shewed that hee followed better â—ight then that which he had of th' old translator In some places manye Greeke copies in euery place some one or other Greeke copie and that of singular note beside the Syrian paraphrast auncienter then th' old translator And if Maister Beza being but one man was able by the prouision he had made of copies to warrant his interpretation by one Greeke booke at the least it is euident that if it had beene possible for him to haue gotten all the Greeke copies in his studie he shuld haue bene able to haue performed it more plentifully Touching the first place Heb. 9. 1. It is false that eyther M. Beza or we haue followed the vulgare who traÌ„slateth that place doubtfullie For his word former may aswell aggree with the copies which reade the first Tabernacle as with the firste couenant And Maister Beza sheweth that both Photius the Greek interpreter and the Syrian Paraphrast as also the Greek copie of Cleremont reade as the copie which the vulgar followed And because both the discourse of the former chapter and the direction of the verse next going before argueth that this word former is referred to the couenant Therefore for more plainnesse we put couenant in smal letter Which was so much more needefull to be done as certaine readings ioine this word with Tabernacle And yet because wee are entred into question of this place wee will not feare to set downe what wee thinke in this case Which is that sauing ryper iudgement the consent of the Greeke copies in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well and ought to bee retained not in proper signification but in a Trope of the part for the whole outward and ceremoniall worship of God euen as the writer of the Hebrewes doeth afterwarde vse it where he saieth that we Heb. 13. 10 haue an aultar whereof they haue no authority to eate which serue the Tabernacle that is to say which retaine the ceremoniall worship Rom. 12. 11. they say that the Greeke hath seruing the â—â—me for seruing the Lord. Wherein they doe nothing but dallie with the truth For manie Greeke and auncient copies haue seruing the Lord. So hath the Greeke Scholiast Chrysostome Theophilact Basil defi nit 6 9 and Basile And the cause of this diuersity Maister Beza noteth to haue the shorte writing by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was taken of some for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they shoulde haue taken it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 11. 2. they affirm that the greek hath the Court within the Temple the Laâ—â—â—e hauing and truely the Court without the Temple We answere that that reading is found in Greek both scholiast and copie Wherfore herein we had more certaine guides then is the olde translator 2. Timoth. 2. 14. we read but as th' old interpreter But th' olde translator and we both read so without any word of that signification in the Greek onely to lay open to the reader that which the short speach of the holy Ghost might haue made harder to be vnderstood in our language And therefore this is meere dotage to bring this example to proue that we haue forsaken the Greek to follow th' olde translator And as for vs we haue put our but in a small letter to note it an addition aboue the wordes which are in Greek yet needfull to cleare the sense vnto the reader and to make plain th' Eclipse that is in the Greeke wheras the vulgar hath not deâ—t so sincerely who hath put it in the same letter with the text And besid that some of your copies make no supplye of the Eclipse which is in Greek in those copies of yours where there is in any supply it is fondly made by nisi which is not an aduersitiue answering to our but which
the Hebrevv and Syriack vvords vsed the vvord that vvas proper vnto the tongue he vvrote in And therefore you impudently face dovvne the trueth vvhen you say that Parasceue is as solemne a word for the sabaoth euen as Sabaoth is for the Iewes seuenth day Neither is there more cause to leaue it vn-translated when we are not able vvith like shortnes of our speach to attaine the full signification then to leaue it vnturned when the shortnes of our speach affordeth a sentence in a smaller compasse of wordes then doth th' originall And if this be a sufficient reason to hold the translators hand because there are three wordes in Mat. 1. 19. the translation of Parasceue aboue that which is in the Greeke why haue you translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to open shame Naye howe commeth it to passe that without all warrant of the Greeke or circumstance of the place beyond the mark of the vulgar translation which you propounde vnto your selues and that in text Act. 8. letters you translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they took order for buriall We knowe therefore that your Dirigie groates and Trentall money will make you lauish and rauill in your translation as much as your seruile minde maketh you dumb mute in other places where you might better speake In the rest also your comparisons are foolish For if we haue retained certē words in their originall because our speach fitteth them not so well it followeth not therefore that you might doe that where it is at hand and readie to serue the Greeke or Hebrew word Or if we haue sometimes not vsed the benefite and wealth of our tongue doth it follow therefore that you may so doe And if we seeking to translate all the Greek wordes haue left some vntranslated because the English phrase either did not afford it vnto vs or els stood at that time far from vs doth it followe that you should retain those words in a strange tongue which our tongue doth afford you the translation of which we haue found out vnto your hand and which hath confirmation by the common vse and practise of our nation for manie yeares together Breifly whereas our people by the grace of God in knowledge of the worde through the meanes of a lightsome plaine translation haue bene deliuered out of Egypt in steed that you should haue added light where it is wanting and plained that which is rough you haue endeuoured by your clouddy and hacked speaches to bring in againe all confusion and ignorance of God and of his trueth And if your daintie stomack could not brooke the feast of the sweete bread yet was there no cause for you to accuse it of falshood seing sweete bread vnleauened bread with vs are all one The translation also printed at Geneua hath vnleauened bread But nothing tasteth you but Azymes and that because the people cannot chaw these crusts of yours or bones rather which of purpose you set before them that they may departe hungrie from your table Your interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is false without all manner of proofes framed out of your cruell and vnmercifull iudgement of throwing all into hell which die without baptisme as if they were not planted in the house of God before they be baptized where the true vse of baptisme is towards those which we vnderstand either by their own confession or by the couenant to be already planted in the house of God As for the meaning of th' Apostle it is euident that he would haue none drawne to the ministery of the worde which is lately come to the profession of the Gospell therefore your fantasie of a neophyte that hath bene an olde scholler in the schoole of Christ for so you must meane implieth a manifest contradiction and is all one as if you should say he is a new olde plant or a new olde scholler For in those that were not gathered from heathenish religion to the fellowship of the Gospell before the yeares of discretion the same daie that they became true schollers they became true plants and contrariwise Wherefore to be a young scholler is the same thing in effect as to be a yong plant where Neophyte to a bare Englishman is nothing at all no more then depositum exinanited exhaust the foolerie and beastlines whereof is euident to all men seing our speach is able to yeeld the iust valuation of them And if our shewing the glad tidings be not significatiue to our nation much lesse is your Euangelizing which scarce one amongst a hundreth doth vnderstand And if you had learned that the doctrine of Christ vnder the Gospell is not set forth sufficientlye by the Greeke word without a Trope of synecdoche or as they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you might easilie haue knowen that the same Trope being vnderstood in our glade tidings would haue reached the Greek word and whatsoeuer is signified by it sufficientlye For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a Greeke worde before the Gospell came into the world and is vsed of Greek authors to signifie all manner of good newes and nothing els And therefore the word can properly signify no more now then it did then But th' Euangelist chose that word especially to note that where men are desirous to knowe good tidings they should bestowe both their eares to vnderstand this doctrine which is only worthie of that name And if our translation liked you not as you haue translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospell so you might haue translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Gospell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospelling with more vnderstanding of our people and with as full attainment of the signification of the words vnlesse you will confesse that you haue fayled in turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospell Lastly if so much of the signification is lost vnlesse it be turned Euangelize how commeth it that you Math. 11. 5. haue translated it the Gospell is preached Heere therefore your drudgerie to th' old interpreter is againe manifest for notwithstanding you hold it ill turned vnlesse the Greek word be retayned yet because th' old translator turneth it otherwise you stick not contrarie to your iudgment to turn it as he doth so haue you no iudgement of your own and th' old translators iudgement who by turning it nowe one way and nowe another signifieth an indifferency of translation you vtterly ouerthrowe But that vvhich follovveth is more absurde that the people must be depriued of the naturall translation of the vvords through your sottish desire of keeping of Latin vvords which the vulgar vsed vvhich these lying spirits calling first the Latine text of the Scripture after by and by call it the verie words of the Scripture as if the Scripture translated into the English tongue vvere not as much the Scripture as that vvhich is translated into the Latine For your poenance you must do poenance