1. cal 4. v. 27. see before pag. 59 The end of M.W. doctrine touching Antichrist If the Pope of Rome be Antichrist there be many worse Antichristâ— in the world M. Iewels maner of answering D. Harding He leaueth out the best part of D. Hardings booke An vnconscionable way of answering Apud Sander pa. 764. Sander pa. 767. Ibid. pag. 770.771 â—â—g 774. Vnreasonable mangling corrupting and falsifying Apud Sander pa. 785. Apud Sand. pag. 789. Illyr Luther Luther To. 7. Defensio c. contra fanaticos sacramentariorum spiritus fo 381. The Protestants forbid the reading of scripture See after pa. 459. The heretikes alter their workes continually Of the name Protestants and Sacramentaries Ful. in the Answere to M. Martins preface pa. 17. Pag. 653. 1717. Those that professe the English religion are not Catholikes Brentius et Lutherani passim See before pa. 39. Nor Protestants Sleidan li. 6 fol. 102.101.109 Ibid. lib. 7. fol. 110. et 114. et lib. 8. fol. 128.131 Those of the English fayth are most properly called Zuinglians or Sacramentaries Apol. Ecclesiae Anglicanae d. â— Protestants Hussites Gospellers See before pa. 16. Actes and monumentes pa. 901.902 Ibid pa. 993. aeditionis postremae Sacramentaries Lutherans Zuinglians These names them selues vse besides a more general name vsed and confirmed by Act of Parlament see before pag 21. Sleid. lib. 8. fol. 128.131.133 et lib. 9. fol. 150. Ibid. lib. 7. fol. 107. et lib. 20. fol. 368. lib. 21. fol. 382.390 ibid. lib. 5. fol. 75.78 The proceding of the new gospel In prefat pag. 2. In respons ad episto Campiani prefa pag. 2. The Heretikes corrupt their ovvne vvryters Anno 1568. Colloq Alt. in respo ad excusa cor fol. 227. 2. RespoÌ„ ad Hipothe a fol. 284. ad fo 290. fo 353.355.441 442.443.526 Ibi. Saxoni ad respons de difcess fo 539.540 Vvestphalus in apologia contra caluÌ„ Cal. ca. 46. pag. 458. The vvorks of Luther corrupted by the Caluinistes in Geneua Detruncaeti Bull resp ad Cocle. ca. 3. Pag. 4. Ibid. Manifest contradiction Duraeus fol. 8. S. Iames epistle denyed by the ProtestaÌ„ts Pomeran ad Rom. ca. 8. In Annot. in â—o Test pag. vâ—i S. Iames epistle the Apocalips lefte out of the Protestants bibles Câ—â— 1. li. 2. c. 4. colum 54. Cent. 2. ca. 4. colum 71. Luther 10.5 in 1. Pc. ca. 1. Muscu in locis coÌ„mu ca. de lusti num 5. pag. 271. pag. 4. M.VV. notable vvranglinge pag. 3. Illirieus in praefa Iac. Had it not bene a goodly matter vvorthy the labour of such greate men in the Tovver disputations to discusse vvhether Luther called S. Iâ—mes Epistle stramineâ— made of stravve simply or oÌ„ly in comparison * Cont. Campi pag. 198. Pag. 4. Whit. cont Camp pag. 17 1â—.19 Cal. in argument ep Ia. The Heretikes sit in iudgemente vpon the scriptures allovv disallovve as they find moste fit for their sectes Whit. pag. 5. The reason why the english cleargie admitte some books of scripture and refuse others Aug. de doct chri li. 2. c. 8. A ca. 2. vers 4. vsque ad finem 7. ca. Pag. 5. Contr. CaÌ„p pag. 9. vide ibi pa. 10.12 M. VV. reasons make most against him selfe pag. 5. The summe of the Tower disputation touching the scriptures The fourth dayes conference Whit. pref pag. 4. 5. con Camp Pa. â—0 Ibi. A. 2. â— Ibi. 3. b. 8. The firste dayes conference in the Tower D. 1.2 Sundrye bookes of the scripture denied by the protestantes S. Lukes gospel doubted of Contr CaÌ„p pag. 9 exagitat The open way to deny al scripture pag. 24. Aug. de heresiâ— heresi 53. Epiph. here 75. Hiero. cont Vigilanti Ioâ—iniat The protestantes as in suÌ„dry other partes of their doctrine so in denying certaine books of scripture imitate the auncieÌ„t heretikes The 4. daies conference Epiph. here 42. Epiph. her 51. W. contra Cam. p. 28. Insti li. 1. ca. 7. ¶ 4 The protestants refusing the authoritie of the church can neuer geue reason how they know some bookes and not other to be canonical scripture Cont. Campian pag. 9. I. Tim. 3. v. 15. The protestats refusing the churche beleeue not the scriptures See after chap. 16. Rom. 10. ver 17. 1. Cor. 15. ver 11. Somewhat is the word of god besides scripture Aug. de doc Chris l. 2. ca. 8. Con. Cart. 4. ca. 47. Con. Laod. can 59. The epistle of S. Paule to the hebrewes as much doubted of in the primitiue Churche as that of S. Iames. and bâ—â—n as much as those books of the olde testament which the protestants reiect Hier. in Esai cap. 6. et 8. Latina coâ—suetudo IdeÌ„ in Hier. cap. 31. Hiero. in Catalogo Caius CoÌ„ei Laod. can 59. Pap. 24. M.VV. brag of coÌ„futing the catholike doctrine vayne and impossible Mat. 13. v. 14 Mat. 7. v. 6. Mat. 16. Luc. 22. Luther tom 2. contr Regem Angl. fol. 342. The coÌ„mon vaine spirit of euerie Secte of protestants Henricianae ecclesiae Pag. 6. Luthers extreme hatred against the Sacramentaries Zuinglians Cleâ—â—â—ius a Zuinglian made a booke intituled victoria venitatis â—utiâ—a papaâ—us Saxonici an 1561 Confess orthodox Eccles Tigâ—r tractat 3. â—o 108. Immaniter contra nos expuit Ibid. in prefat fol. 3. â— Lauatieâ— in historia Sacram. fol. 32. Luther reiâ—cteth the bible translated by the Zuinglians how much more ought catholiks to auoyded the same In coÌ„fessio Tigur vers supra fo 30. Confes Tigur tract 3. fol. 108. The Zuinglians condemne them selues in defending Luther M.W. distinctioÌ„ wheÌ„ Luthers iudgemeÌ„t is to be preferred before al the Church The folie of M.W. distinction Cone Chal. actio 1. Lirine cont haeres ca. 43. Mat. c. 4. v. 6. Ioan. c. 14. et 16. Ephes cap. 4. b. c. Esa ca. 59. v. 21. In this case the authoritie of the deuel as wel as of Luther is better theÌ„ all Fathers or al the angels of heauen Gal. 1. Ierem. 31. g. 33. d. Luthers iudgement with scripture against the Sacrametaries Luther to 7. A defence of the literal sense of our Sauiours wordes etc. against the fanatical sprites of the SacrameÌ„taries Ibi. fol. 383. The Sacramentaries enemies of the gospell by Luthers iudgmeÌ„t coÌ„firmed with scripture Euerie protestant soueraine iudge of scripture CouÌ„cels doctors old new See the 5. chap. in the beginning pa. 7 Mat. 10. v. 24. pa. 6. Who are truly priests Melchisedec did sacrifice The sacrifice of Melchisedec denied generally by the protestants though confessed by M. W. Gen. 14. Heb. c. 7. v. 6 Mus in loc com cap. de Miss papist pa. 492. Bib. printed anno 1579. Corruption of the scriptures Cal. in com in episto ad Heb. c. 7. v. 9 Ibid. Caluin reiecteth the auÌ„cieÌ„t fathers touchinge the sacrifice of Melchisedec Cal. in psal 110. Heb. 5. v. 11. 1. Cor. ca. 2. ver 5. ca. 3. ver 2. Hier. ep 126 ad Euagri Greg. Nazi Christ did sacrifice at his
that she vvil in short time leaue this zeale in preaching the Catholike religion and thereby that your congregatiō shal gather strength and stabilitie and vvise men vvil fal in good liking thereof then your ignorance is great vvho knovv nether the nature of our Catholike Church religiō nor of your ovvne heretical faith and congregation Not of ours because you may learne or remember that from Christs time hitherto nether by persecuting Emperours nor by vndermining heretikes othervvise qualified thē are the Lutherās or Zuinglians of these days it vvas or could euer be subuerted but rather the more it vvas assaulted the better irresisted the more it vvas gainsaid the more it florished vvhē suttle heretikes vpō temporal fauour vvere most insolent then she most excellently did defende her self Examples you haue of the times of S. Augustine against Pelagius the Manichees S. Hierō against Iovinian and Vigilantius Lanfrancus against Berengarius and al the Primitiue church against Constantius Valēs and Arrius Ignorant you are of your ovvne faith and gospel because you may remember that nether had it euer any stay or stabilitie since it vvas first begotten nether can it haue so longe as it endureth the very pillers vvhich vnder proppe it being such rottē matter as of it self quickly corrupteth falleth in to dust For when in king Henries raigne it first set foote in our realme vpon occasions which I am content to passe ouer though M. Fox to the euerlasting shame both of such a gospel and such gospellers haue recorded them and committed them to eternal memorie hovv variable a state it had your elders know he much complaineth Euē as the kinge vvas ruled saith he gaue care sometime to one sometime to an other so one vvhile religion vvent forvvard at an other season as much backvvard againe sometime cleane altered and chaūged for a season as they could preuaile vvhich vvere about the kinge So long as Q. Anne liued the gospel had indifferent good successe And not only Queenes but very meane gētlemen and doctors of phisicke were then able to craze your gospel and set it backward or forward as pleased them For so much also is recorded in M. Foxes storie in the ende of king Henries life Thus writeth he So long as Quene Anne L. Cromvvel B. Cranmer M. Denny D. Buts vvith such like vvere about the King and could preuayle vvith him vvhat organe of Christes glorie did more good in the church thē he Againe vvhen sinister vvicked counsel had gotten once the foote in thrusting truth veritie out of the princes eares hovv much as religion and al good things vvent forvvard before so much on the contrary side al reuolted backvvard againe And this gospel as M. Fox calleth it which King Henrie left established as he thought most assuredly by Acte of Parlament in his sonne King Edwards daies went cleane vpside doune In Q. Maries daies came a new alteration vnder the Q. Maiestie that now is an other cleane contrarie And at this present finde you not a general murmuring euen amongst the Protestants against the Communion booke and state of religion which in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne was brought in If the Catholikes said nothing haue you not the Puritans most eagerly detesting your faith and were it not for the Princes sword like to dispossesse you of chayrs and churches And what stabilitie can that gospel haue which altogether dependeth of the good allovvance of the Prince and her councel in Parlament which we know within these fiftie yeres so often to gaine said one an other And if it should please God to turne the Quenes hart to the catholike faith for which we incessantly pray vvere not the face of your religiō streightvvaies altered turned quite vpside downe must nor the inferiour partes of the body turne and frame them selues according to the head would not the same statutes which now are vniustly executed vpon Catholikes without alteration of any one word be much more iustly executed vpon the Ministers Superintendents if so be they called her Maiesty Scismatike or Heretike Wherefore litle reason haue you to imagine that wisemen wil fall in liking of your new deuised fansie which as it altogether dependeth vpon the Fauour of Court and Courtiers so for this very reason must needes euer remaine as chaungeable as the Court and Courtly beneuolence is And your father Luther who best knew the nature of his children and qualitie of your religion geueth such a sentence of it as I doubt not at this present is allowed of al the wisest of our Realme and much confirmed by your maner of writing The arguments and reasonings of the sacramentaries saith he are such vaine vvordes vvithout witte that I can not maruaile sufficiently hovv learned men can be moued vvith such lyes truly they do their matters vvith so fearful a conscience that they seeme to vvish they had neuer taken them in hand Equidē opinor si eis esset potestas de integro cōsulēdi quòd nūquam inciperent Verily I suppose if they vvere to consulte of the matter a fresh they vvould neuer begin their sacramētarie heresie And I verely suppose if the wise gouernours of our Realme who now may see the issue of your gospel what wickednes and iniquitie in lyfe confusion and Atheisme in faith contempt of God and man it hath brought with it if they were now to consult of the matter a fresh I beleeue verily with your father Martin Luther that amongst al heresies of name at this time currant in the Christiā world they would least of al haue admitted yours as being the most grosse most licentious and most vnprobable of al others But come we to the particular faultes historical committed by vs. Things alvvays accompted false or suspected vve set forth as most true articles of the Romane religiō as that the vvise mē vvhich came from the East vvere 3 kinges and had such names That S. Iohn Baptist vvas father of monkes That a stone vvith vvhich Steuen vvas stoned to death is reserued at Ancona c. Before I come to make āswere I wish the reader to carie in remembrance first the greatnes of his accusation against vs That neuer any thing came forth in print More contaminate then these annotations That vve haue shevved herein great desperatenes and importunitie That things alvvays accōpted false or suspected vve affirme as most true articles of the Romane religion c. Then what we promised in these ānotations Touching which in the preface of the new testament thus we write In these annotations vve shevv the studious reader the Apostolike tradition the expositions of the holy fathers the decrees of the Catholike church and most auncient Councels vvhich meanes vvho so euer trusteth not for the sense of holy scriptures but had rather folovv his priuate iudgment or the arrogant spirit of these Sectaries he shal
no man geue any credit to the fair speaches and crakings of the Zuinglians For most certaine it is that they lye and lye agayne VVherefore Christian reader to leaue M.VV. and returne to thee and so make an ende if thou be in iudgement Catholike I know thou findest not nor euer shalt finde reason to make thee a Protestant of any sect and least of al after the English fashion And if thou feele in thy self any such temptation consider aduisedly but this only why thou shouldest encline to be of that side more then to be Lutheran a Puritan an Anabaptist a Trinitarian and so furth and thou shal neuer finde any probable cause why thou shouldest not as wel become any of these as a Caluinist or Zuinglian And vniuersally to make thee detest all Sectes if thou haue some feare of God and regard of the iudgement to come waygh only that which the very nature of our religion this treatise offereth to thy consideration and thou shalt easely find abundant reason why to reiect forsake them al. Consider the infinite difference betwene the Catholike pleading reasoning and disputing and their perpetual wrangling brawling and rayling VVe geue thee to stay thy selfe in our time vnitie of faith in al Christiā prouinces Churches wel gouerned and in due obedience florishing commō welthes quietly maintayning the doctrine which of their fathers they receaued They geue thee infinite varietie and difference of religions disordered cōgregations the sheepe controling their pastors and scholers presuming to teach their maisters And in the ciuil common-welth disobedience against the magistrate contempt of princely authoritie spoile ruine of churches of palaces of al things sacred and profane In the former ages we shewe thee consent and agreement in the religion which we professe Bishops Churches Princes Prouinces Peoples al realmes Christened ioyning in the same They tel thee of inuisible churches imagined congregations Mathematical deuises in the ayre as it were Minotautes and Hippocentaures sometimes chalenging to them selues the company of Berēgarius VVicleff Hus the like sometimes refusing them as heretikes and running per saltum vnto the Apostolical age or the first 3.4 or 5. hundred yeres after Christ condemning al the church folowing of superstition and Papistrie and sometimes yea commonly condemning those former ages no lesse then the later VVhen we treate of scriptures vve geue them vnto thee syncerely and perfitely vvithout any cutting or paring avvay of this or that booke or this and that peece of such a booke al expounded vniformely by excellent Saintes by most learned Doctors by general Councels by the most approued practise of the Catholike church in al antiquitie They geue thee scriptures so peecemele and patchedly that they cut of at the least the third part of them sometimes sentences sometimes peeces of chapters sometimes chapters commonly entier bookes And as for the exposition of them contemning al Saintes Doctors Councels of antiquitie al Doctors Fathers and Martyrs of their owne Congregations they reduce the final scope and determination of al to This is my opinion this is my iudgment and the Doctors may not take avvay from vs our liberty to iudge of them c. Consider this intolerable wilfulnes wherevnto they are now growen and the more they shew them selues to abhorre from al reason stay or moderation the more oughtest thou to obhorre from them Consider with thy selfe that neuer the founder of any common welth as Solon of Athenes or Minos of Creta was so brutish or voyd of common sense as to leaue his common welth so disordered that there should be no iudges to end controuersies no gouernours to keepe the people in peace and tranquillitie but that euery man should liue according to his lust and liking Then how much more abominable is it for vs to imagine that Christ Iesus the eternal wisedom of God should frame a larger common welth then euer was vnder the Sunne dispersed thorough al quarters corners of the world and yet for order quietnes should leaue the same worse policed then was euer the least citie or borough towne whereof we reade in any story For so much as he bound euery one of his subiectes not only to liue wel and in charitie one with an other but also vnder payne of eternal damnation he bound them al to beleeue a like and to haue the selfe same faith vnchangeably in al places times and ages touching a number of articles and yet leaft no order whereby to procure any such vnitie nay rather tooke order to driue thē into diuers innumerable faithes appointing so many supreme heads of churches as there vvere soueraine kinges princes dukes rulers in seueral kingdomes countryes prouinces and cities appointing a booke of the gospels vvhereby they should be gouerned but leauing the exposition of the same at randon in the discretion or rather fansie of euery preacher and minister Recal to memorie that which their owne principall writers and maisters teach thee who deny not but that they leade thee an other way then any of thy forefathers wēt for these thousand yeres Againe they deny not but they geue thee a faith far differing from the faith which the more auncient fathers folowed in the first fiue hūdred yeres Then whereas they praise vnto thee for most diuine and Apostolical men of later memorie those who within these 80 yeres haue restored as they cal it the gospel by those mē also thou art earnestly dehorted from the Sacramentarie faith as a faith wicked blasphemous and damnable Furthermore remember that a long time they vsed to reteyne at least the name and countenance of the written word of the Gospel of the scriptures that those were altogether for them whatsoeuer became of the Fathers Councels and Doctors But now that hold also haue they geuen ouer cōfessing thereby the scriptures to be as plainly against thē as the rest And with what conscience or reason can any man folow such blind guydes as these are who professe them selfes to folow none but to be at plaine defiance with all Fathers and Churches of this later thousand yeres with al Fathers and Churches of the other fiue hundred yeres and with the sacred scriptures and Gospel of Christ it self whom for these other reasons their owne doctors maisters and brethren condemne as heretikes most wicked and sacrilegious God indue thee with his spirite and send thee of his grace that thou maist take the right way and folow it that thou maist renounce al sectes heresies and become a true member of Christes Catholike Church without which there is no sanctification of the holy Ghost no remission of sinnes and consequently no hope of the fauour of God no hope of life eternal LAVS DEO A GENERAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL THINGES conteyned in this booke A ACADEMIKES a sect of Protestants page 279. their beleefe pa. 280. Antinomi a secte
into the right way as is the dutie of Christians but only to keepe mens heads in musing expectation of new bookes to make them mispend their time to keepe the printers occupied and as it were to walke and talke on a stage for no other purpose but to passe away the time This is truly to be Carnifex papiri A murderer of paper as Illyricus cōmonly calleth the Zuinglians this is in deede to be Miserabilis librifex A miserable bookevvright as Luther malapertly nameth king Henry a learned prince and of famous memory This is thoroughly to approue and iustifie that which Luther in the beginning sentenced against Zuinglius and Oecolampadius the fathers of the Sacramentarie Gospel vvhich frō thē as it may seeme hath descended to their posteritie Isti boni spiritus saith he si parū admodū rethoricantur c. These good sacramētarie sprites if they can a litle play the Rhetocians though they touch not any one argument yet thinke they of them selues that they haue ansvvered the matter passing vvel sayd much to the purpose et putant causam suam consistere in scriptione multorum librorū et in cōmaculatione pap ri and they suppose that their cause stādeth in vvriting of many bookes blotting of much paper And no doubt it proceeded of some like crafte that M.W. against vs our English translation of the Testament wrote his reprehension in latin to the end pardy that nether our common countrimen vnderstanding only the English should know those faultes which he reproueth in latin nor straūgers vnderstāding only his latin know how iustly he refelleth that which was written in English Whereby notwithstanding he might obtayne thus much that both sortes should heare tel of some errors noted and refuted but what they were and how wel how truly and substantially the refutation was made nether the one nor the other should be able to examine much lesse to iudge the rest that vnderstand both tonges vvho only may espie his vniust accusations defaultes and ignorances being not so many nor alwaies so diligent nor at any time so free as to compare his latin pretensed reprofe vvith the truth set dovvne in English For so much as the aduersaries novv against their old pretense of honoring and allovving holy scriptures cruelly punish the readers and keepers of them spoile men of the nevv Testament it self the translation and notes vvhereof they shal neuer be able to reproue as vve inuincibly to the eternal shame of heresie haue reproued theirs And yet these men that vvil not suffer our translation to be read of such as vnderstand it with fayned hypocrisie protest that it nothing harmeth their cause and wish that straungers could reade it also These Christian reader are the false fleightes of lying of dissembling of bragging of remouing groundes of disputation of denying sundry principal partes of faith of continual altering their faith of preferring thē selues before al men of taking to them selues in particular the supreme iudgement both of al scriptures the true sense thereof these be the difficulties which may dissuade and withdraw any man from writing or disputing against such sophistical wranglers yet because we may not vpō any loth somnes in our owne behalfe or lost labour in respect of thē omit to do good to others whō we may any waye profite here thou hast so much as appertaineth to the defence of the Discouerie of the Translation and Annotations of the new testament The rest shal folow hereafter if those who haue the regiment of my life studies shal thinke the tyme not euil spent in refelling so vnseemely so vnprobable and vnchristian an argument AN ADVERTISMENT TO THE READER WHEREAS of late in the Tower disputations we haue seene that learned and holy man F. Campian so much disgraced both in priuate speach and publike writing because in citing a place of Luther touching S. Iames epistle he missed the print wherin the place was to be founde the later editions of his workes differing notably from the former which chopping chaunging is cōmon to the most heretical writers of our time for feare of like inconuenience I haue thought it good amongst many to note the print of certaine bookes which in this treatise are oftē times alleaged Know thou therefore Christiā reader that in citing Luther I alwaies meane the print of Wittēberg set forth by Melanch in diuers yeres the second Tome the yere 1551. the fift 1554. the seuenth 1557. In citing Zuinglius I meane his workes as they were set forth after his death by his sonne in law Rodolphus without name of place or printer M. Foxes Actes and Monumentes I vnderstād as they were printed the yere 1563 by Iohn Day Bezaes notes vpon the new testament I meane as they were printed at Geneua the yere 1556. Sleidan I cite after the printe of Strasburg the yere 1566. Castalios bible after the printe of Basile the yere 1556. Caluins Institutions as he last of al digested them into bookes and chapters and printed them at Geneua Thus generally except I note otherwise in the margent Other bookes which haue not so much varietie although some be in more prints then one be they latin or english I commonly note not only according to the chapter but also according to the page or leafe as I do also the forenamed that thou maist with so much the more facilitie finde out the places quoted and so better iudge of the matter rreated Next whereas some are offended with vs for that in writing or speaking of them we vse the names of Sacramentaries Zuinglians or Caluinistes Puritanes and Parlament Protestantes which they say are odious nicknames found out of vs and therefore one of their writers of late chargeth vs in speaking of them to vse no other names then Christians and Catholikes for our discharge herein thus much I must signifie vnto thee that if ether truth learning would beare vs vsing such termes as they require or any reader ether Catholike or Protestant vnderstand vs we would most gladly for loue of the truth and their contentation so speake and write But now consider thou how intolerably such speaches would soūd in the eares of any indifferent reader I haue occasion sometimes to produce Luther writing Contra fanaticos Sacramētariorū spiritus against the fanatical spirites of the Sacramentaries sometimes Contra Zuinglium et discipulos eius against Zuinglius his disciples sometime D. Whitgift against the Puritanes for so he calleth them sometimes the Puritanes against him and such as maintaine the Cōmunion booke and religion of England in such sort and so far forth as is approued by Acte of parlament Now citing these writers how can we cite them without a lie if we cited them in other wordes then themselues vse If I said Luther in his booke against the fanatical spirites of the Christians Catholikes or D. VVhitg in his Defense against the
see and yovv shall not see and wel may they treade it vnder theire feete as our Sauiour parabolically forespake that heretikes wold doe when he said Nolite proiicere margaritas ante porcos ne forte conculceÌ„t eas pedibus suis but to refel confute suppresse it that is no more possible then that Christ should be false of his worde and promisse that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And whereas it hath coÌ„tinued by the protestaÌ„ts coÌ„mon grauÌ„t aboue a thousand yeares in truth euer since Christ his passion against other maner of tempests then these are heretikes of excelleÌ„t learning heresies of maruelous subtilitie most mightie Emperours rulers of the worlde now to imagine that it maie be vanquished of these grosse and contrarie heresies fortified with no maner of learning wherof manie are so base that men eueÌ„ by the light of nature abhorre theÌ„ hauing nothing to mainteine theÌ„ selues but onlie a vaine challeÌ„ginge of the Spirite and bold crakinge of the vvord of the Lord which a parrat caÌ„ doe with a litle instruction as well as they thus I saie to talke were more fit for Pasquillus Estaticus or a sicke man wheÌ„ he raueth than a sober Diuine that wayeth what he speaketh CHAP. III. Hovv M. VV. defendeth Luther preferring his priuate iudgment before all auncient fathers and Doctors NEXT commeth in againe frier Luther whoÌ„ M. Martin accused for saynge that he esteemed not a thousande Augustines CipriaÌ„s Churches wheÌ„ they are against him That the reader may better carie awaie the matter I wil first put downe Luthers wordes where vpon this controuersie standeth after it shal be easier to iudge how aptlie M. VV. defence is framed The wordes of Luther are in his booke written against King Henrie the eight her Maiesties father and are these But I saith he against the saynges of fathers of men of Angels of deuels set not old custome not multitude of men but the vvord of the onlie eternall maiestie the Gospel here I stand here I sit here I glorie here I triumphe here I insult ouer Papists Thomists Henricists Sophists and all the gates of hell much more ouer the saynges of men be they neuer so holie Gods vvorde is aboue al the diuine maiesty maketh for me so as I passe not if a thousaÌ„d Austines a thousand Ciprians a thousand Kinge-Harrie Churches stoode against me God can not erre or deceaue Austine Ciprian and likevvise all other elect might erre they haue erred here ansvvere maister Harrie here plaie the maÌ„ I coÌ„tene thy lies I feare not thy threates here thovv staÌ„dest astonished like a stock c. These are the wordes with which M. Martin findeth faulte M.VV. defendeth them thus If Luther had preferred him self before all fathers Churches he vvere not to be borne vvithal but this Luther neuer challenged to himself But in some causes Luther might esteeme more his ovvne iudgement then the authoritie of Austine or Ciprian or a thousand Churches For if that vvhich Luther taught vvere agreable to Gods vvord Luthers iudgment vvas to be preferred before all the contrary iudgments of all men liuinge Before I enter into the examination of this answere let me demaunde this one thinge in courtesie of you M.W. what the reason is whie you so busilie and eagerlie defende Luther be his wordes neuer so strange or fanatical or whie is the Pope Antichrist for resisting your Gospel whereas Luther you aduaunce if not into the place of Christ yet at least amonge the number of his Apostles Did the Pope of Rome euer persequute your zuinglian gospel with more deadly hatred then did that pope of Saxonie Did he not from the verie beginning to his later breath holde you and your brethren for most damnable wretches and professed enemies of the eternall testament of Christ Are you ignorant how for this cause he wrote whole volumes agaynst your first Apostle Zuinglius Read you neuer the Confession of your brethreÌ„ of the Tigurine church where thus they complaine Lutherus statim ab initio mâ—rdere furere conuitiari bacchari coepit c. Luther presently at the beginning began to byte to play the mad man to raile and rage and besides this he filled his bookes vvith the horrible names of Deuils Sectaries Sprites mad men and vvhatsoeuer slaunders came to his minde he cast them out agaynst vs outragiously Complaine they not in the preface of that Confession that he inueigheth against them as against obstinate heretikes and such as are guiltye to themselues of all impietie as prophaners of the Sacraments and the most vyle and pestilent men that goe on the ground He proscribeth and condemneth first of al the faithful doctors and ministers of God Oecolampadius Zuinglius and their disciples vvheresoeuer they be all frindship and communion vvith vs he compteth vvicked abominable and vvhat soeuer commeth froÌ„ vs be it letters be it bookes be it salutations be it benedictions he vvill not only not reade but he vvill not so much as vouchsafe to looke vppon them or heare them spoken of so farre forth that when Eroschouerus the zuinglian printer of zuricke sent him a bible traÌ„slated by the diuines there Luther sent it him backe againe with this greetinge that he should not send him anie thinge that proceeded from the ministers of the Tigurine church for he vvould haue no dealinge vvith them nether vvoulde he receaue or reade their bookes for the churches of God could not communicate vvith theÌ„ Yea he protesteth that he had rather susteine a hundred seueral deathes then to become of your opinion or shew any couÌ„tenance of bearing fauour to it The Lord defend sayth he that I vvittingly and vvillingly by the authority of my name should couer or confirme the verie least error of the fanatical SacrameÌ„taries Nam vel centies laniari aut igne comburi malleÌ„ c. For I had rather be torne in peeces or burnt vvith fier a huÌ„dred times theÌ„ to folovv the opinion and agree in doctrine vvith zvvinglius Oecolampadius the rest of those miserable vnfortunate fanatical men Finally know you not M. W. that thus he began thus he went foreward thus he continued thus he ended his daies dyinge such a mortal enemye to you that he seemed to make his hâ—tred and detestation of your church and gospel a peece of his iustificatioÌ„ before Christe as in his last Confession made a litle before his death and recorded in the foresaid Confession of Zurake it appeareth Ego qui iam sepulchro vicitus obambulo hoc testimoniam et hanc gloriam ad Christi saluatoris tribunal perferam c. I saith he that novv vvalke nye to my graue vvill carie this testimonie and this glorie to the tribunal seate of Christ my Sauiour that I haue vvith all earnestnes condemned and auoyded those fanaticall men and enemies of the Sacrament Zuinglius OEcolampadius
Stinckfâ—ldius and their scholer vvhether they be at Zuruke or in vvhat place else soeuer vnder the sâ—nne Thus Luther If you know this Maister Whitaker as you wil seeme to be ignorant of nothing what maketh you so busily to defend Luthers barbarous and proude vauntes as though he were such a piller without whom your church could not stande But belyke it is sufficient that he was an Apostata frier as were the founders of your gospel that he with you agreed in rayling at the Pope and Sea of Rome and so for his agreeing with you in these smaler toyes you care not for his disagreeing from you in those weightie matters Wel be it as you liste and perhaps you haue more reason then I perceaue otherwise you shall neuer be able to iustifie this demeanure in the sight of any man endued with common sence Let vs heare how conningly you cure this stinking sore for nothing stinketh more before the face of God and man then a poore contemptible wretch so Lucifer-lyke to prefer him selfe before inumerable excellent learned and glorious Saintes of God What distinction haue you to saue Luthers honestie Forsooth this In certaine cases Luther might more esteeme of his ovvne iudgement then of Austine Ciprian or a thousand Churches For if that vvhich Luther taught vvere agreable to Gods vvord then Luthers iudgment vvas to be preferred before the contrarie iudgment of al men and Churches Here M. VV. thinketh he hath spoken much to the purpose and therefore aduaunceth him selfe alofte Scripturam Lutherus protulit cuinullus mortalis resistit quaeque tandem Pontificiis decretis pesteÌ„ atque exitium afferet Luther brought vvith him scripture vvhich no mortall man can vvithstand and vvhich at length shall be the bane and distruction of the Popish decrees That I may the better conceaue this distinction and ether yelde to it if it stand with reason or discouer the vanitie of it if it fal out to be but a peeuish battologie of wordes as I trowe it will proue let me require a playner explication of that parte Luther might vvell prefer his iudgment before a thousand Austines Ciprianes and Churches if he spake vvith scripture Is this the meaning that in case and controuersie of religion if a thousand Ciprians that is all the Fathers teach vs one thing and bringe scriptures for them and one father Luther teach vs the contrarie and bringe scriptures for him may Luther in this case preferre his owne iudgement before al those Fathers if so as the speach it selfe is so monstrous execrable as the deuil him selfe can not open his mouth into more horrible pride so what heresie what Apostasie what Atheisme in the church can euer be coÌ„trouled if this rule be made currante why shoud Arrius yelde to the Councel of Nice Nestorius to the Councel of Ephesus Macedonius to the CouÌ„cel of Constantinople seinge they brought scriptures for them and by this rule ought to haue preferred their priuate iudgment before those byshops as Luther his offpringe doe theirs before the Councel of Trente or will he say that if perhaps a thousand Austines and Churches teache some doctrine without the writteÌ„ worde of God that is citing no text for it Luther against the same bring the written worde that is some texte of the scripture after his seÌ„se in this case he may better esteeme of himselfe then of al the rest But first he can neuer geue instance that ether the auncient fathers did so in their tymes or that we do so now for howsoeuer in the Councels of Nice of Ephesus of Chalcedon the byshops stoode much vppoÌ„ the traditioÌ„ of their elders ea que sunt patrum teneantur say they sic credere à sanctis patribus edocti sumus let vs hold fast the fayth and decrees of our fathers thus to beleeue vve haue bene taught by our holye fathers yet they waÌ„ted not scriptures as nether did the fathers in the Councel of Trent nor we at this day in our controuersies with the protestantes And if those auncient fathers had alleaged no direct euident place against Arrius Nestorius Eutyches yet notwithstanding the Christian people were bound to beleeue them grounding them selues only vpoÌ„ the Catholike vniuersal fayth of the churches which were before them as they did in the question of our B. Ladies perpetual virginitie And albeit the heretike brought some clauses of scripture for the coÌ„trary part yet ought al faithful men to yeld no more credit thereto theÌ„ to the deuil when he alleaged scripture against our sauiour because as the deuil so al heretikes may vse scripture against the true sense and meaning thereof the vniuersal church caÌ„ neuer teach or beleeue so as by Christ him self we are assured And this case in effect coÌ„meth to one issue with the former for geue this scope to an heretike that all the Bishops Churches Fathers may erre he alone if he can alleage a text may therefore rightly contemne al other in respecte of him selfe as euery Sectmaister doth and hath done where is the Churches quietnes what order is there for coÌ„tinuance of fayth to what ende was the comminge of Christ to what vse the sendinge of the holy Ghost Or perhaps M. W. wil say posito per impossibile that all the Churches fathers teach against scripture Luther alone teache with scripture then lo Luther maye thinke him selfe a better man then they all and this is true this I graunte as in like maner I confesse that if the heauen shoulde falle we knowe what woulde folow And yet of these two suppositions the Spirit of God putteth the later to be more possible that the course of heauen shal soner alter then the Catholike Churche of the new TestameÌ„te fal frome Christe to Apostasie But it may be M.VV. wil say I scanne his wordes to narrowlie his meaning is plaine that whereas Luther bringeth scriptures against vs that is against all the Austines and Ciprianes of the Catholike Church all the Byshops now liuinge he maye well truste his owne iudgmente if this be the meaning yet stil al commeth to one ende and whie may Luther so do more then Caluine whie Caluine more then Muncerus whie a ZwingliaÌ„ more then a Puritane Anabaptiste or Trinitarian Or what assurance hath he more then those other But if Luthers iudgment bringinge scriptures with him be so forcible against vs may not we trow you Lutherize a litle after your example and say the same against you As for example Luther hath made a booke entituled defensio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verborum coenae accipite comedite hoc est corpus meum contra fanaticos SacramentarioruÌ„ spiritus In that booke not very longe or large yet contayninge more substaÌ„ce then some whole volumes of his do his principal conclusion risinge vpon this texte of scripture and grounded vpon many texts of scripture beside is that he and his vvill
as M.W. can neuer maynteine except withal he maynteine him selfe to be an Anabaptist an Ebionite and a Nestorian And thus much touching your philosophicall reason wherein I haue staied somewhat the loÌ„ger partly because you crake so much of it as though it were verie pregnant partly because it is an argument whereinto both in pulpit and writyng you gladly fall because it standeth wel with sense and reason easely deceaue the simple partly also because it toucheth M. Iewels challenge which here is disproued sufficiently except these great States and Euangelistes so magnified by your selues be so fowly ouerseene as so vehemently to auerre that which hath no one clause of Scripture Father Councel or Doctor to vphold it And if they do so in this where they vse such heate and detestation how may we credite them in any other parte of their doctrine how may we be perswaded but they continually lye and deceaue vs in like sorte But I trowe you wil not iudge so rashly especially of Luther what soeuer you accompt of Barns Frith Westphalus Melanchthon and Illyricus and those auncient fathers alleaged by him and his companions for seing the whole church of England commendeth Luther for a man so excellent sent of God to geue light to the vvhole vvorld I hope that you being but a simple member of thar church wil not by defending the contrary oppose your selfe vnto him And certaine it is you can not come from God if you poore worme resist withstand that excellent man whom God sent to be your Prophete and Euangelist which is as monstrous a case as if some simple sheepe should presume to direct his skilful pastor some ignorant scholer to teach his maister most learned or some Alexander a myserable coppersmith should oppose him self against S. Paule whom Christ had made his gouernor and furnished with sufficient giftes to instruct him and al the world besides But you haue I feare a general salue for such fores that you beleeue nether Luther nether yet the church of England any farther then they agree with Gods worde your owne conceite thereof And so still the supreme rule determition of al shal rest in your owne handes After your reasons against the sacrament you bring in to like purpose a place out of S. Ciril that Christ is ascended in to heauen and is absent from vs in the presence of flesh vvhich if vve did not beleeue vve vvould neuer say the Crede so oft as vve doe nor keepe the day of Christes AscensioÌ„ so honorable and festiual as you I thinke may knovv Mary if you thinke there is more pith in S. Cirils vvorde of absence you myght better haue obiected Christes ovvne vvordes The poore you shal haue alvvaies vvith you me you shal not haue but then for ansvvere I should haue sent you to the note vpon that verse as I do novv also for this the reason being al one For that S. Ciril vvas not a Sacramentarie appeareth most clearely by a large discours vvhich he maketh as it vvere of purpose against that maner of reasoning vvhich you haue geuen out in this place Thus he vvriteth Quomodo potest hic nobis carnem dare c. The Ievves aske hovv can he geue vs his flesh Thus they crye out vpon god not vvithout great impietie nether remember they that vvith god nothing is impossible But let vs making great profit of their sinnes and hauing a firme faith in these mysteries neuer in such diuine thinges vtter or so much as thinke of such doubting for that vvord Quomodo hovv is Iudaical and cause of extreme punishment And after a long and good treatise against such peeuish fantastical toyes as here M.W. obiecteth for profound arguments thus he concludeth Yf notvvithstanding al this thou Ievv crye stil hovv is this done I folovving thy ignoraÌ„ce vvill demaund of thee hovv so many miracles vvere done in the old testament the passinge ouer the red sea Moses rod made a serpeÌ„t etc. vvherefore vve ought rather to beleeue Christ humbly to learne of hym then like drunken sots to cry out hovv can he geue vs his flesh by vvhich questioning thou must needes be driuen to deny the vvhole scripture In vvhich vvords vve see he reckeneth you amongst the Ievves accompteth you nethâ—r verie learned nor much better then an Infidel for these stout reasons vvhich here you so magnifie And Peter M. being pressed vvith the authoritie of this Ciril that Christ by the mystical benediction that is by receauing of the Sacrament dvvelleth corpâ—rally in vs vvhich M. Ievvel after his maner ansvvereth verie learnedly though verie easely by comparing it vvith an other phrase that corporally is as much as truly and truly may signifie spiritually and that is al one vvith tropically saith more rudely yet more sincerely The flesh of Christ so to dvvell in vs corporally that the substance of his body should be coÌ„municated vvith vs that is as this man interpreteth it be mingled vvith our flesh it is not in any case to be graunted no not if a thousand angels much lesse if one Ciril said it For it can not be that Christs flesh should so be diffunded or multiplied in infinite men and places which sheweth that Peter Mart. tooke not S. Ciril to be of your faith touching this article of the sacrament The place vvhich you cite out of S. Damascene because you direct me no vvhere to find it I vvil not bestovv the paines to seeke it being graunted it is not much to the purpose and I marueile vvhy you put it in greke as though there vvere some great terrible bugge in it That vvhich vvas circumscript saith he vvas circumscript vncircumscript vncircumscript and visible visible and inuisible inuisible vvhich I take to be as true as that a spade is a spade and a mattock a mattock fier is fier not vvater and the sunne is the sunne and not the moone And if you meane hereof to infer your heresy that therefore Christ is not in the sacrament frame you the argument perhaps it vvil persvvade much In the meane season that Damasc vvas no more of your religion then S. Ciril I refer you for proufe to his books de Orthodoxa fide vvhere namely in the fourth you finde a verie good and large chapter against your Zuinglian heresie especially against your philosophical fansies he disputeth thus If the vvorde of god be liuely forcible if vvhat soeuer our lord would he did if he said let light be made it vvas made let the firmament be made and it vvas made if by the vvorde of god the heauens vvere established and vvith the spirite of his mouth all the povver of them if heauen and earth and vvater-fier and ayer and al their furniture and man him selfe vvere perfited by his vvorde if vvhen god the vvord so vvould he became man and of the moste pure and immaculat
he can not for the contrarie part that the greeke is more cōmodious and fauorable to vs then to them see thou Christian reader the preface of the new testament and thou shalt find it iustified by sundrie manifest examples and touching the hebrue somewhat shal be spoken hereafter Thirdly wherein is the state of this questiō he telleth vs that the foūtaines are most pure and holesome the latin edition most corrupt and infected By the fountaines he meaneth the vulgar hebrue and greeke as they are now commonly printed which they pretend to folow By the latin edition that which is vsed in the Church of Rome and hath bene these thousand yeres and is approued by the general Councel of Trent To the end thou mayst the better iudge of that which shal be spokē thus much must I warne thee of before touching the historical knowledge of this cōtrouersie that whereas in S. Aug. S. Hieroms tyme there was maruelous varietie of new Testamentes in latin whereof rose some confusion and trouble in the Church that godly and learned man Damasus then Pope of Rome and ruler of the Church tooke order with S. Hierom that he should correct one before vsed which otherwise was least faultie which afterwardes should be commended to the Church by that supreme authoritie Thus much S. Hierom signifieth in diuers places especiallie in his preface before the new Testament dedicated to the same Pope Nouum opus saith he me facere cogis ex veteri c. You cōstraine me to make a nevv vvorke of an old that I after so many copies of the scriptures dispersed thorough the vvorld should sit as a certaine iudge and determine vvhich of them agree vvith the true greeke And afterwardes shewing the difficultie of such a worke how daungerous it was and subiect to the reprehensions of many he comforteth him self principally with this That thou speaking to Damasus vvhich art the high priest doest commaūd it so to be done Tu qui summus es sacerdos fieri iubes This vvorke vvhen S. Hierom had accomplished and deliuered vp yet nether vvas his iudgment so absolutely and vniuersally in euery part folovved that vvithout farther search and trial it was by by approued But at length after due examination and some alteration of lesser pointes as we find by S. Hierom him self being approued by the Pope allowed by the Church it grew to a more general vsage and to be most frequented in publike writinges commentaries scholes and al places of Christian excercise This is that which we cal the common latin edition which albeit it haue some places translated obscurely some vnaptly some copies corrupted by false writing or printing c. yet comparing it with the greeke now extant we say it is far more pure and vncorrupt and nothing so subiect to cauilling wrangling by great diuersitie of different copies The like we say of the old testament a great part where of was translated by S. Hierom by order of the same Pope most of al corrected and brought in to ecclesiastical vse sauing the psalmes which could not be done so easely because thoroughout Christēdom the principal part of the Seruice in al churches consisted of them and therefore could not wel be altered without much trouble and scandal as we gather by S. Austin and which therefore we retaine stil as they were vsed in the primitiue church long before S. Hieroms time according to the version of the 70. Touching both these Testaments translated and corrected thus we say First that against them M. W. in his long discourse of allegations speaketh neuer a word and so speaketh neuer a word to the purpose Secondarely that they are purer thē are the fountaines which we now haue whereof this man speaketh so much and for ought may appeare vnderstandeth but litle Next that how so-euer some smale faultes may be found in them absolutely they haue no error touching ether doctrine or maners Last of al that to refuse them and appeale from them to the greeke and hebrue as the heretikes do is the high way to denial of all faith to Apostasie from Christ his religion and so to plaine Atheisme These foure pointes I wil brieflie touch in order The first is that M. VV. in al his long talke about the fountaines speaketh neuer a word to the purpose against vs but rather much al against him self For if the fountaines were so pure in the times of S. Hierom and S. Ambrose and the church then troubled vvith the great diuersitie of their latin bibles reformed one to the puritie of the fountaines and originals and vve novv find those fountaines and originals differing frō that reformed bible vvhy shal vve not conclude that the fountaines haue in the meane season bene corrupted not so saith M. W. but contraryvvise rather the latin bibles haue bene corrupted VVhat reason leadeth him thus to speake vvhat probabilitie moueth him to imagine that so many hundred yeres hebrue bookes could continue vvithout error being vvritten out by a fevv and they for the most part Iewes ignorant enemies of Christ and his Church destitute of the spirite of God men geuen ouer in to a reprobate sense rather then the latin publikely read expounded by thowsandes in euerie prouince of the Christian vvorld garded by infinite good men by Sainctes for life and full of the holy Ghost liuing in that church vvherein properly vvas fulfilled the prophecie of Esaie made by God to Christ his sonne to his Catholike Church in him This is my couenant vvith them saith our lord my spirit vvhich is in thee and the vvordes vvhich I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy seede from the mouth of thy seedes seede saith our Lord from this tyme forth for euermore Wherein God promiseth the Church that she shal be a faithful and perpetual obseruer of his vvord and testament Which vvarrant you neuer find made in like sorte to the synagoge But this notwithstanding you perhaps prefer this synagoge before the Church and Iewes before the Christians that is in effect Moyses before Christ and therefore are content to speake and thinke more honorably of them vvith vvhom you ioyne more nylie and to vvhom you beare a better affection yet hovv soeuer your minde be therein S. Hierom cōmending the hebrue fountaines in his time maketh nothing in the world for you in these daies except he say that in al ages to come the hebrue should remaine stil pure and incontaminate and the latin should againe be corrupted and the Church though warned by the trouble which she susteined in his time about that matter yet afterwardes should cōtemne so pretious a thing as the written word of God is and runne in to a far greater inconuenience then before through extreme negligence nether haue the latin bible true which once was reformed and made agreable to the
by good vvork you may make sure your vocation and electi◠But this is more easily auoyded the any of the rest For first it standet◠vpō courtesie vvhether this epistle sha◠be autorized or no. for being doubted of in the primitiue Church by some vve may doubt of it novv This is a case ruled in the Towre disputatiōs Againe admitting the epistle for canonical the place auaileth nothing For notvvithstandinge it be in al latin copies that euer vvere manie greeke and therefore put in the first translation of the Protestants as namely that vvhich vvas appointed to be read in the english church the yere 1561 and Luther otherwise an immortal enemie to good vvorkes in his commentarie saith expressely Petrus hortatur vt vocationem et electionem nostram bonis operibus certam et stabilem reddamus Peter exhorteth that vve make our vocation and election stable firme and assured by good vvorks yet because those vvords vvant in the later greeke prints and therefore are not put in Beza his translation and therefore are left out in the later english versions this text is not scripture and so the argument taken thence is nothing vvorth This ansvvere geueth Vergerius in his dialoges against that great learned man Cardinal Hosius Hosius obiecteth vnto me that Peter saith c. Possum respondere illa tria verba nempe per bona opera non reperiri in fonte graeco I may ansvvere him that those three vvords by good vvorks are not found in the greeke foūtaine Therefore leauing this search vvee farther And to this purpose very pregnant is the place in the first epistle of the same Apostle S. Peter vvhere he exhorteth Christians to liue as be commeth men of so excellent a vocation Castificantes animas suas in obedientia charitatis Purifying their soules by obedience of charitie remembring alvvaies that God vvithout acception of persons iudgeth euery man according to his vvorkes And this place at lest conuinceth the aduersarie first that vve haue free vvil vvorking vvith the grace of God then that we purifie cleanse our selues frō sinne thirdly that good vvorkes are necessarily required of Christian men For by many diuine arguments S. Peter vrgeth this cōclusion Vt animas nostras castificemus That vve purifie our ovvne soules And against this epistle there is no exception as being neuer doubted of and therefore by the Protestants is not refused And al greeke copies haue this text most clearely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so translateth that man of god Luther Castificantes animas vestras per obedientiam charitatis Illyricus Qui animas vestras purificastis and the Tigurine translator hath the same vvords and according to this vvas translated the testament in King Edvvard his time For as much as you haue purified your soules and the first of the Quenes raigne That ye might haue faith and hope tovvards God euē ye vvhich haue purified your soules So as this place standeth strong for proofe of our faith and those seueral points which now I noted But saith my Protestant howsoeuer Luther or the Diuines in king Edwardes time or in other times and places read it should appeare that ether some greeke copies haue otherwise or at least our maisters deliuer otherwise vnto vs. For Theodorus Beza translateth it in this maner Animabusvestris purificatis obediendo veritati per spiritum which the later bible printed by C. Barker printer to the Q. maiestie and translated according to the hebrevv greeke rēdereth in these words Seing your soules are purified in obeying the truth thorough the spirit and so translateth the english bible printed at Geneua and so doth the Scottish printed at Edēborough so that these words make nothing at al ether for free wil or cooperation or value of good works Nay rather they make much for the contrary side against free wil and our working with Gods grace and proue that in our iustification we worke not but actiue are wrought we cleanse not our selues but are cleansed we are not actiue and doers but passiue and sufferers which is the very opinion of Luther and the Protestants and for such condemned in the Tridentine Coūcel Wherefore leauing this and wishing the reader to remember by this example amongst many how madly and furiously our aduersaries are bent to coyne vs a new testament of their owne who trāslate thus hauing no greeke or latin copie in the world fauouring them but euen in the very same place when they geue vs this latin yet there leaue they the greeke as they finde it agreable to our latin therefore controling them of desperate falsificatiō proceede wee to some other text cōcerning the same veritie that shal be out of S. Paule who handling the fame argument and making the like exhortation willeth the Christians not to be afraid of the aduersaries of Christ though they persecute neuer so terribly VVhich to them is cause of perdition but to you of saluatiō where he maketh good workes necessary and so the causes of saluation as sinnes are the cause of damnation But Beza replieth that the old interpreter was ouerseene translating so Quū nusquam fideliū afflictio dicatur salutis eorum causa sed testimonium Because the afflictiō of the faithful is neuer called the cause of their saluatiō but the testimonie and therefore he translateth it Inditium and the english translators his scholers a token although the first testament before noted translate it as we do a cause so doth Erasmus so doth the Tigurine trāslator And the Apostle matching sinnes with good workes these leading to heauen as the other do to hel conuinceth the sense to be so Theodoretus a greeke father gathereth so much of that word Id enim illis exitium vob is autem salutem conciliat saith he That procureth to thē destructiō but to you saluation And to passe ouer S. Primasius S. Hier. S. Aust the other latin fathers how false the reason of Beza is which moued him to alter the text hath bene shewed els where sufficiently And our Sauiour sheweth best of al other when he thus speaketh of Marie Magdalen Remittuntur ei peccata multa quoniam dilexit multum Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hathe loued much Against which no man liuing can cauil by greeke hebrew or latin but that workes of charitie are a cause why sinnes are forgeuen and so a cause of our iustification and saluation for so saith and meaneth our Sauiour most euidently the latin and greeke word for word agreeth with this english and in hebrew the Euangelist neuer wrote But Beza hath a shift for this also thus he translateth Remissa sunt peccata eius multa Nam dilexit multum That is according to our english translation Many sinnes are forgeuen her for she loued much And what difference is there betwene
these two translations howsoeuer it seeme to thee Christian reader the difference is as great as is betwene our doctrine theirs And first they make a wilful fault and corrupt the text by making a fuller pointe then ether the greeke or latin beareth And Beza doth somewhat more desperately who maketh a downe ful point thereby more diuiding and distracting the later parcel from the former as though it contained not a reason of that which went before as it doth but were some new matter wherein he is controled of fowle dealing by his owne translation set out the yere 1556 and by the very greeke prints of Geneua Zurick Basile other Germane cities who point it as doth our latin and english But the reason of his and their turning Quoniā in to Nam Because in to For descrieth yet more their obdurate harts against Christ and his worde For where as Christ by S. Lukes reporte saith in effect thus because she loued much therefore manie sinnes are forgeuē her they by this peruersion and mispointing make a cleane different and almost contrarie sense thus because she had many sinnes forgeuen her therefore she loueth much this loue folowing was a token of the remission which she by only faith had obtained before so turning the cause in to the effect the antecedent into the consequent and hereby vtterly spilling the doctrine which Christ by his words and reason geueth and the Church of his words reason gathereth That this is the true groūd reasō why they so Luciferlike alter the speech of Christ Beza plainly cōfesseth Thus he writeth Nam dilexit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For she loued The vulgar translation and Erasmus turne it Because she loued but I had rather interprete it as I do that men may best vnderstand in these vvords to be shevved not the cause of remission of sinnes but rather that vvhich ensued after such remission that by the consequent is gathered the antecedent And therefore they vvhich abuse this place to ouerthrovv free Iustification by only fayth are very impudent and childish wherein he speaketh very truly the words and sense being so as he hath framed them But if he had not plaid the part rather of a diuel then of an heretike to alter in pointing worde and sense the speach of our Sauiour and so taught him his lesson what he should say it had not bene impudencie for vs thus to argue but it had bene more then brutish ignorance in him to haue denied that charitie is required as wel for obtaining remission of sinnes as is faith which both in this place our Sauiour most diuinely conioyneth saying of charitie Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much and adding straight way Thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace And so of this text gathered al the auncient fathers who were for al that nether impudent nor childish So S. Chrysostom As first by vvater and the spirit so aftervvard by teares and confession vve are made cleane And he proueth it by this place So S. Gregorie expounding the same place Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she loued much as if it had bene said expresly He burneth out perfectly the rust of sinne vvhosoeuer burneth vehemently vvith the fier of loue For so much more is the rust of sinne scoured avvay by how much more the harte of a sinner is inflammed vvith the great fier of charitie And S. Ambrose vpon the same words Good are teares vvhich are able to vvash avvay our sinnes Good are teares In quibus nō solū redemptio peccatorum sed etiam refectio est iustorum vvherein is not only the redemption of sinners but also the refreshing of iust men And S. Austin debating this storie in a longe homelie saith This sinful vvoman the more she ovved the more she loued the forgeuer of her debtes our lord him selfe affirming so Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she loued much And vvhy loued she much but because she ovved much Quare fecit illa omnia nisi vt dimitterentur sibi peccata VVhy did she al those offices of vveping vvashing c. but to obtaine remission of her sinnes I omitte other fathers al agreing in the selfe same veritie al making her loue to be a cause going before nor only an effect or sequele comming after the remission of sinnes And this was the gathering of the auncient fathers S. Chrysostom S. Gregorie S. Ambrose S. Austin c. who were euer reuerenced for holy and learned fathers by the children of Christs Catholike Church vntil this Chams broode and prophane generation inuaded their roomes who now condemne them for impudent and childish But let me with thy leaue and patience Christian reader prosecute in one worde more their wonderful tossing and turning and inuerting this shorte sentence of our Sauiour And in this one allegation which I wil now produce thou shalt see the very image of Atheisme of contempt of God and man of impossibilitie to do any good by scriptures so longe as this licence of framing new translations is allowed Thou seest what sturre Beza hath kept and to serue his turne what fowle and detestable corruption he hath vsed But to make vp the matter and reconcile Christs words a litle better to this new solifidian gospel commeth in Wolfgangus Musculus with a deeper fetch after this maner First because S. Lukes words be very plaine and he can not so probably wrangle vpon thē in greeke he in his owne fansie imagineth what Christ ether did or should haue spoken in hebrew Next that fansie he putteth to be true and forthwith according to the same he correcteth S. Luke and so concludeth that al matcheth right with their Lucianical only faith For nowe by this time with his good helpe not one worde in effect stādeth as Christ spake it at least by S. Lukes reporte Thus he discourseth Ecce inquiunt manifestò datur dilectioni remissio peccatorum Ergo non sola fides iustificat c. Behold say the Papists remission of sinnes is attributed to loue ergo faith alone iustifieth not but vve ansvvere that loue in this vvoman vvas not the cause of remission of sinnes but a token declaration thereof Remissiō of her sinnes she obtained by faith in Christ Therefore vvhereas Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vvorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as vvitnesseth Suidas is a Dorical vvorde signifieth not in the imperatiue Remittantur Remitted be they but in the preterperfect tense Remissa sūt Haue bene remitted Next the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth here not the cause but the probatiō of that vvhich is put before Thirdly the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath loued is an hebrew phrase by vvhich the preterperfecttense is put for the present For the hebrevves speake thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is because she hath loued much in
steede of because she doth loue much And plaine it is that Christ spake not greeke or latin but hebrevv Therefore vvhereas Christ said Many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her he proueth it by that which folovveth because she loueth much as if he had said That she loueth me much it is no maruel she hath good occasion so to do For many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her So vve say that he hath obtained that vvhich he desired because he is mery laugheth he is verie hūgrie because he eateth much c. I wil not bestow time in examining this answere who told him that Christ vsed the preterperfect-tense for the present whereas S. Luke so flatly affirmeth the contrarie or that S. Luke in this phrase so strāgely affected the Dorical lāguage with the rest of his bold assertion but wanting al reason of reasonable coniecture to support them this only I wish thee to consider whether thou didst euer see a litle sentence so racked and torne as this is For cōparing this sentēce as it is novv fashioned by them with the same sentence as it was first pronounced by our Sauiour not one word of any momēt remaineth in such sort as Christ vttered them Christ said Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much now with their correction thus it is Many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her For she loueth much Where first they rent in sonder make that two which Christ ioyned and spake as one Then they wrest one of Christs words bringe it to a Dorical phrase of speach And by and by backe againe they make the next which signifieth a thing past in greeke to signifie a thing present by the hebrewe maner of speach which hath no present tenses the cleane contrarie whereof is auouched in the other Dorical word going immediatly before Afterwards they enforce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to signifie a cause antecedent but a signe or effect consequent And finally in al and euery of these tricks S. Lukes authoritie is vnder foote and lieth dead For nether Beza nor Musculus in this tossing and turning euer consider what S. Luke wrote what sense the Apostolical Church gaue and the holy Ghost in the same hath alwaies continued what the very letter of the greeke requireth as now it standeth but how it may possibly be wrested if a man wil folow the spirit of contention if he will fetch the pointing of the sentence from Geneua the meaning of one word from Dorica in one corner of the world of an other frō Hierusalem of a third from Swytzerlād the entier summe of al from the deepe pit of hell For excepte the deuil him self stoode by thē suggested to them such construction I thinke the nature of man hauing some regarde of honestie of learning of modestie of Christ his Euāgelists could neuer breake forth into so much monstruous absurditie Of al which this I conclude that allowing men this libertie vnto which now by this libertine-gospel they are driuen I say there is no possibilitie to conteine men in faith or to reduce men to faith or to proue any parcel of Christiā faith For setting aside church Doctors Custome Councels and resting in the only Scriptures priuate exposition of the same this one example geueth vs a paterne to care nothing for al scriptures For it is a maruelous flat text which a man of meane learning by one of these shiftes may not auoide ether by refusing it as not Canonical because it is reiected novv of Protestants in these daies or hath bene doubted of by Catholikes in old time vvhich cutteth of a number of bookes or by obiecting some one or other greeke example in vvhich the vvords vvant vvhich is easie to finde heretiks of diuers sects hauing novv the printing of most greeke testamēts and euery one being content to fauour his proper gospel and heresie or by producing some false translation and sticking to that vvith store of vvhich euerie prouince is pestered or by hunting out diuers significations of the greeke vvord and taking that vvhich maketh most for his aduantage or if that serue not then by corrupting one word by conferring an other with the greeke of this or that dialect a third with the Iewes or Chaldees or Suitzers maner of speaking and so patching vp a sense partly Christian partly Germane partly Ethnical and partly Iudaicall and finally which is al in al reseruing euer to him selfe supreme iudgement of al senses interpretations scriptures and languages As in this verie place whereof I speake Zuinglius folowing nether the words of the Euāgelist nor sense of the Church nor Cōmentarie of the auncient fathers nor inuention of Beza nor any of those manyfold shiftes of Musculus willeth vs rather for dilexit to put credidit for charitie faith and then geueth vs the meaning of Christs words thus Quoniā dilexit multum Ego puto dilectionem hic pro fide accipi quòd tantum mihi fidit tantum peccatorū ei remittitur Nam poste a dicit sides tua te saluam sec it Because she loued much I suppose that loue is here put for faith because she hath so great affiāce in me so many sinnes are forgeuē her for he saith afterwards thy faith hath saued thee that is hath deliuered and absolued the from thy sinnes which one distinction answereth al the places that in this controuersie vve bring out of the scriptures to refel their only faith By these fevv heretical sleights M. Whitaker knovveth his brethren haue many other as bad as these vsed in one particular controuersie any man may gesse hovv likely it is to tye an heretike hauing some vvitt and learning and sight in tonges vvith any text that gainsaith his opinion Hovv true vve finde by experience that vvhich Tertullian so many ages agoe spake of the heretikes of his time and prophecied as it may seeme of the heretikes of our time Ista haeresis non recipit quasdam scripturas c. These Zuinglian Lutheran Puritan Anabaptist Trinitarian c. heretikes admitt not some bookes of scriptures and those vvhich they doe admit by adding to taking from they peruerte to serue their purpose And if they receaue some bookes yet they receaue thē not intierly or if they receaue thē entierly after some sort neuerthelesse they marre them by deuising diuers interpretatiōs In this case vvhat vvil you do that thinke your selfe most skilful in the scriptures vvhē as that which you defend the aduersarie denieth that vvhich you deny the aduersarie defendeth Et tu quidem nihil perdes nisi vocem de contentione nihil consequeris nisi bilem de blasphematione And thou truely shalt leese nothing but thy vvordes in so contentious a brauling thou shalt gaine nothinge but greefe and anger in seinge an heretike so to blasphene And novv if I should shevv the like in the hebrevv and by examples manifest the same I should trouble my selfe
yet to make all sure here againe he repeateth his former accusatioÌ„ and in particular chargeth vs vvith certaine faultes committed both in the testament it self and in the annotatioÌ„s made vpoÌ„ the same His vvordes albeit they shevv farre more stomake then vvit more malice then reason and therefore are the more lothsome to reade yet because they may be an example of an heretical spirit then most vaunting and triumphing and svvelling a high in loftines of vvordes vvhen in deede he is vnder foote and standeth vpon no grouÌ„d at al I vvil put them dovvne as they are Thus he speaketh There is novv abrode a certaine english translation of the nevv testameÌ„t set forth laboured by that nevv colledge at Rhemes to vvhich I am right gladde that our translatioÌ„ is nothing like For 1 since the first creation of the vvorlde there vvas neuer found any translation like to that vvhich you haue of late published by common iudgment commeÌ„ded to your countrymen For vvhether vve consider the 2 vnaccustomed and monstrous noueltie of vvordes or 3 the prophane corruptions and outragious boldnes to peruert euery thing neuer any heretikes at any time haue done more violence and iniurie to the sacred testament of Christ Iesus our lord They that thus translate the scriptures into any language as you haue done in to ours may rightly be thought 4 not to haue intended that the people should vnderstand the vvil of God declared in the vvord but that they should mocke and coÌ„temne it And truly 5 so farre is it that I thinke this your translatioÌ„ vvil any waies harme our cause that I vvish it might be read also of straungers that vvhen they consider this your nevv kinde of transâ—ation hetherto vnheard of they might acknovvledge the madnes desperatnes of the Papistes 6 It is altogether framed according to the forme of the old latin edition This is his accusation of vs good reader vttered as thou seest in such terrible vvordes as if some counterfaite Aiax Mastigophorus or Hercules Furens or some tragical Tereus or Thyestes after the eating of their ovvne children vvere raging vpon a scaffold Here thou hast The creation of the vvorld Vnaccustomed and monstrous noueltie Prophane corruptions and outragius boldnes Neuer heretikes at any time did the like violence and iniurie to the sacred testament of Christ Iesus The vvord of God mocked and contemned Madnes and desperatnes of the Papistes and so forth as if we were giltie of or himself as bold-faced as he is durst obiect vnto vs any one of those wicked Prophane Heretical Turkish corruptioÌ„s of which we haue proued him his brethreÌ„ to haue coÌ„mitted many Which seing he doth not nether caÌ„ do thou maist vndoubtedly take this for BrutuÌ„ fulmeÌ„ a pange of vile hipocrisie such as when they are disposed now and then they vse in their pulpits to make the people imagine they haue in theÌ„ some dramme of religioÌ„ whereof they are quite destitute And if thou wilt know where these thundering termes may be truly verified recal to memorie not wordes but factes experimeÌ„ts chauÌ„ge of wordes alterations of sentences oppositions against Christ him self and the Euangelistes errors Ethnical Iudaical Diabolical confessed to swarme euery vvhere in these mens nevv bibles in those very same vvhich this vehement orator praiseth as vndefiled and most pure Record this Reader thou shalt find vvhere these oratorial termes so vnaptly applied may be sincerely and truely bestovved And that vve are altogether guiltlesse of any such fault and vvithal that he practiseth not only manifest lying but in deed very grosse hipocrisie in this accusation our ovvne conscience before Christ his Tribunal-seate and the vvorke it self perused by any indifferent man acquiteth vs in the first and his ovvne vvordes and vvriting in this place conuinceth him of the seconde I haue shevved before hovv vvel the learneder protestants esteeme of our latin translator that Molineus and Castalio commonly defend him against Beza that D. Humfrey much commendeth his sincere sidelitie that Beza acknovvledgeth him to haue vsed great conscience and religion and preferreth him before al other translators Caeteris omnibus antepono that this eager Arâ—starchus vvith al his studie malice and conference findeth one only fault in him and of vvhat qualitie that is hath bene declared sufficieÌ„tly This being so hovv can our english translatioÌ„ possibly be so monstruous so horrible so heretical so outragious c. as this man fayneth here of vvhich him self saith that it is Expressa tota ad veteris latinae aditionis formam vvholy framed fasshioned to the forme of the old latin edition which is by the verdicte of his maisters so pure so sincere so religious and Caeteris omnibus anteponenda Better then al other Is it possible I say that this translation should be so horrible and absurde being vvholy formed after the old edition vvhich in comparison of al other is so perfite absolute Seest thou not here the very image of old Caiphas crying out Blasphemy and renting his garments when Christ spake of the iudgement that They should see the sonne of man sitting at the right hande of God comming to iudge in the cloudes of heauen by vvhich kind of straunge behauiour he moued the people to thinke that he did so vpon great zeale of religion vvhereas he being a Sadducee beleeuing the soule to die vvith the body to vvhich opinion Maister W. pure bibles leade meÌ„ the ready vvay and therefore conteÌ„ning as trifles heauen and hel and iudgment to come only by that histrionical dissimulation sought to abuse the simple people vvhen in the meane season him self cared nothing but for his owne belly commoditie Ne forte venirent Romani least perhaps the Romanes their lordes should put him his besides their good feeding which vnder the title and pretence of religioÌ„ they enioyed And he that iudgeth othervvise of these carnal gospellers and the final scope of their gospel he much deceaueth him self and knovveth not vvhat they by their gospel meane And let vs vevv vvhether the seueral partes of this inuectiue be not agreable to this general intention You haue geuen vs saith he a translation of the nevv testament such a one as there vvas neuer founde the like since the vvorld vvas first created What kinde of amplificatioÌ„ is this what figure but of most grosse and ridiculous hypocrisie form substance thus he speaketh It is now 5000. yeres and more since the world was created in which time many translations of the new testament haue bene made yet these 5000 yeres and vpward no man euer translated the new testament so prophanely and wickedly as you haue done And is this true and hath he examined al the translations made these 5000 yeres belike he hath or els he could neuer geue his sentence so peremptorily Of the first 1000 yeres or second vnder the Patriarches and vntil Moyses how
tradition vvithout scripture the names of Pharaos vvicked sorcerers Iannes and Mambres vvhy thinketh he not this much more likely that the Church vvould keepe in remembrance the names of these such excellent men vvho vvith so great daunger came so farre to adore our Sauiour in his infancie and are called Primitiae gentium in vvhom the Church of the gētiles first begāne But hovvso euer the exacte truth be in this case it is a very smale point of desperatnes for vs to vvrite that their names are said to haue bene such most false it is that we set this forth as a most certaine article of the Romane religion and whatsoeuer ether in general or in special shal be obiected hereafter in the meane season the annotation grounded vpon good reason gathered out of the scriptures the psalmes of Dauid Esai Esther Tobias besides other authoritie sacred and prophane S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome Theophilact Cicero and Plinie in any iudgment I trow is able to coūteruaile the bare worde of so seely a man as M. VV. shevveth him self Touching S. Iohn thus we say Mat. 3. v. 1. Desert Of this vvord desert in greeke Eremus commeth the name Eremitages Eremites that liue a religious austere life in deserts and solitarie places by the example of S. Iohn Baptist vvhom the holy doctors therefore cal the prince and as it vvere the author of such profession S. Chrysost hom 1. in Marcum et hom de Io. Baptista Hierō ad Eustach de eustod virg Isid l. 2. c. 15. de diui off Bernardus de excel Io. Baptistae vvherevvith the protestāts are so offended that they say S. Chrysost spake rashly vntruly And no marueil for vvhereas the Euangelist himselfe in this place maketh him a perfecte paterne of penance and Eremitical life for desert or vvildernes for his rough and rude apparel for abstaining from al delicate meates according to our Sauiours testimonie also of him Mat. 11.8 Luc. 7.33 they are not ashamed to peruert al vvith this straunge commentarie that it vvas a desert ful of townes villages his garment vvas chālet his meate such as the countrie gaue and the people there vsed to make him thereby but a common man lyke to the rest in his maner of lyfe cleane against scriptures fathers and reason Here Christian reader to proue that S. Iohn was a monke thou hast as before reason plainly deduced out of the scriptures thou hast the auncient fathers deducing the same with vs S. Hierom S. Chrysostom S. Isidorus S. Bernard Against these scriptures and aūcient Doctors thou hearest the bare word of this new Doctor who had he euer bene a good scholer would neuer so boldly without face or forehead haue abused thy patience as to oppose his only word against these reasons Doctors and scriptures Touching the stone which is reserued at Ancona and the comming of Elias before the day of iudgment thus we say Of the first Reade a maruelous narratiō in S. Augustine of one stone that hitting the Martyr on the elbovv reboūded backe to a faithful mā that stood neere vvho keeping carying it vvith him vvas by reuelatiō vvarned to leaue it at Ancona in Italie vvherevpō a Church or Memorie of S. Steuen vvas there erected and many miracles done after the said martyrs body vvas found out and not before Aug. tomo 10. Ser. 38. de diuersis in aedit Paris Now of al these miracles Church built in memory of Martyrs Reuelations Stone reserued M. W. digesteth wel the rest only he seemeth to wonder that a stone could be kept so long As though that were so wonderful a case or there were not both in scripture as Aarons rod and the Manna and out of the scripture as al Churches through Christendome are witnes many things preserued as long time far more vnlike to continue then stones which may wel endure fifteene hundred yeres fiue times told if they be kept as wel as that at Ancona And whatsoeuer fault he find in the storie let him scoffe at S. Austin who so seriously rehearseth it not at vs who refer only the reader to S. Austin and speake neuer a worde of our selues And the like I answere for the second of which these are our wordes Christ distinguisheth here plainly betvvene Elias in person vvho is yet to come before the iudgement and betvvene Elias in name to vvit Iohn the Baptist vvho is come already in the spirit and vertue of Elias So that it is not Iohn Baptist only nor principally of vvhō Malachie prophecieth as our Aduersaries say but Elias also him self in person which annotatiō conteineth nothing els touching this point but the very wordes of our Sauiour and the prophete Malachie That Elias shal come which wordes when our Sauiour spake S. Iohn Baptiste who was Elias by some resēblāce figure and office was past and dead This truth els where we approue by the authoritie of S. Aust Tract 4. in Ioan. li. 1. de pec mer. ca. 3. and the rest of the latin Doctors as S. Hierom ad Pammach epist 61. ca. 11. et in psal 20. S. Ambr. in psal 45. S. Hilar. can 20. in Matth. Prosper lib. vlt. de promiss ca. 13. S. Greg. lib. 14. Moral ca. 11. et homil 12. in Ezech. Beda in 9. Marci The Greeke fathers also as S. Chrysost hom 58. in Matt. et hom 4. in 2. Thess et hom 21. in Genes et hom 22. in epist ad Hebr. Theophilact and Oecumen in 17. Matth. S. Daemas lib. 4. de Orthodoxa fide ca. 27. Finally by the vniuersal consent of al Christians where of S. Austin is witnes in these wordes Heliam Thesbitem vltimo tēpore venturum ante iudicium celeberrimū est in sermonibus cordibusque fidelium That Elias the Thesbite shal come before the day of iudgement it is a most notorious thing in the mouthe and hartes of faithful men And now the Prophet foretelling so our Sauiour affirming so the auncient fathers both Greeke Latin teaching so faithful and christian men alwaies beleeuing so this is the questiō which I wil not dispute but leaue it at large and M. W. may do wel to put it to his thesis of Antichrist for they are both iust of like probabilitie and handle it at the next comencemēt vz whether we must rather credite him vpon his bare word telling vs one thing or the vniuersal consent of Christendome the primitiue Church rising vpon the expresse wordes of the prophete and our Sauiour him self teaching vs the contrarie And these touching matters historical be the horrible faultes of our Annotations for which he accuseth vs of Desperatnes and them of such absurditie that neuer any thing more contaminate and corrupt vvas set abrode in the sight of the vvorld Our errors in making arguments are far more at least in number and shew how soeuer they proue in substance and truth I wil folow the
vvorthely through his owne vvilfulnes be deceaued Now vvhether part fayleth in perfourmance of that vvhich it vndertaketh vvhether vve geue not The sense of holy scriptures according to the Apostolike tradition the expositions of holy fathers or vvhether he conuince vs of Desperatnes and importunitie and such contamination as he threatneth this is that vvhich the reader concerning ether side hath ro note and consider Of the vvise men thus vve say These three sages being principal men of their countrie represent the vvhole state of Princes Kinges and Emperours that vvere according to the prophecies of Dauid and Esay to beleeue in Christ to humble them selues to his crosse to foster enrich adorne and defend his church vvhere vpon it is also a very conuenient and agreable tradition of antiquitie and a receiued opinion among the faithful not lacking testimonies of auncient vvriters and much for the honor of our Sauiour that these three also vvere Kings to vvit ether according to the state of those countries vvhere the princes vvere Magi Magi the greatest about the prince or as vve reade in the scriptures of Melchisedech King of Salem many other Kings that dvvelt vvithin a smal compasse or as Iobes three frendes are called Kings These are commonly called the three Kings of Colen because their bodies are there translated thither from the East countrie Their names are said to haue bene Gaspar Melchior Baltasar In these wordes thou seest reader vpon what ground and with what moderation we speake of that matter not precisely auouching them to be Kinges in such sort as we commoÌ„ly esteeme of that name but after an other sort and some inferiour degree Albeit if we affirmed them to be as great monarkes as the Kinges of Fraunce or Spaine or the great Sophie of Persia we might so affirme for ought he bringeth to the contrarie But because M. W. maketh his first entrance with this matter as though it were so absurd let vs search out wherein lieth the great absurditie and fault committed in this note Is it trowe you in that we cal them Kinges or in that we saie they were three or in that by our reporte their names are sayd to haue bene such If because of the first let him shew his reason why that can be so harmeful what it maketh against the honor of Christ what against the veritie of the scriptures the faith of the church tradition ecclesiastical the maners of meÌ„ or any title point or dependence of Christianitie and Christian profession The like I affirme of the second the like of the thirde the like of al three ioyned together VVe cal them kinges and why not seyng the scripture wel beareth with that appellation and the auncient fathers haue so called them many hundred yeres before vve vvere borne So Tertullian in his 3. booke against Marcion calleth them so S. Cyprian calleth them in his sermon De baptismo et manifestatione Christi And S. Chrysostom proueth by scripture that they vvere kinges thus he writeth The vvisemen offered giftes to this child Christ according as the holy Ghost had testified before of them saing Esai 60. They shal come from Saba offering gold and frankencense pretious stone VVe acknovvledge that the vvise men euidently fulfilled this prophecy Dauid quoque de his ita testatur psal 71. Reges Thaersis et Insulae munera offerent Reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent Dauid also vvitnesseth of these psal 71. The kinges of Thaersis and the Isles shal offer gifts The kinges of the Arabians and Saba shal bring presents And S. Hierom applieth that text of the psalme to them in like maner And Tertullian against the Ievves vvho seemed vvith M. W. to enuie al this honor of Christ vvriteth thus Dauid also spake of this offring of gold vvhen he sayd ps 71. there shal be geuen to him of the gold of Arabia and againe the kinges of Arabia and Saba shal bring him gifts Nam et magos reges serè habuit Oriens For the East part had commonly such vvise men for their kinges S. Augustin plainely nameth them kinges so doth Claudianus so doth S. Isidorus so doth S. Remigius so doth Theopâ—ilactus so do generally the writers that haue liued in the church this later 500 yeres as we learne by S. Anselme who speaketh De istis tribus regibus Of these three kinges as of a thing most vsual vulgar And Conradus Gesnerus directeth you to certaine writers who haue made treatises De tribus Magis De tribus sanctis regibus Of these three vvise men Of these three holy kinges And among these auncient and Catholike fathers to alleage one new Zuinglius holdeth it as very probable that they were kinges Thus he speaketh of them writing vpon the 2 chapter of S. Matthew Magi saith he sunt sapientes et astrorum et omnium rerum peritissimi huiusmodi homines ferè administrationi rerum publicarum adhibuerunt gentiles Magi are vvisemen skilful in astronomy and al other matters The gentiles made such men commonly gouerners of their common vvelthes After al which for vs to cal them kings how can it in any sort be hurtful or preiudicial to any truth of Christian religioÌ„ Nay on the contrarie side whosoeuer carpeth at this certainely he maligneth the glorie of our Sauiour he secretly detracteth from his honor and malitiously pincheth and snarleth at the auncient and Apostolike church which in this sorte witnessed such prophecies to haue bene fulfilled But perhaps M. W. is offended at the number of three vvhere vpon S. Augustine so sweetely alludeth vnto the mystery of the Blessed Trinitie and that Christe was King God and yet should dye as a mortal man This is that great corruption which so greueth him But who would be greued here at except some detestable Arian Trinitarian Libertine or Anabaptist against whose religion only for ought I know that note maketh And touching the story that they were three S. Austin plainely affirmeth it Tres erant So saith S. Leo the Great and first of that name aboue a dozen times in his sermons vpon the feast of the Epiphanie And whereas the EuaÌ„gelist speaketh of them not in the dual but in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fewer they could not well be and more we neede not to beleeue except we see more reason theÌ„ yet appeareth And touching the last part vz Their names are said to haue bene such how could vve haue spoken more moderatly For who hath heard them called by any other names And I suppose they were not namelesse And if they had names why not Gaspar Melchior Baltazar rather then William Iohn and Thomas or any other that M. W. list to imagine whereas the common opinion of our forefathers maketh for the first no probabilitie or reason can be brought for the second And if M. VV. beleeue that the Ievvish Sinagoge erred not in continuing by