AN ANSWERE TO TEN friuolous and foolish reasons set downe by the Rhemish Iesuits and Papists in their Preface before the new Testament by them lately translated into English which haue mooued them to forsake the originall fountaine of the Greeke wherein the Spirit of God did indite the Gospell and the holie Apostles did write it to follow the streame of the Latin translation translated we know not when nor by whom With a discouerie of many great Corruptions and faults in the said English Translation set out at Rhemes By E. B. 1. Thess 5. Prooue all things hold that which is good abstaine from all apparance of euill Hieronimus lib. 1. aduersus Pelagianos Quaeso vt patienter audias non enim de aduersario victoriam sed contra mendacium quaerimus veritatem that is I pray thee patiently to heare for we seeke not victorie of an aduersarie but truth against a lie LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1588 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sir FRANCIS WALSINGAM Knight Cheefe Secretarie to hir Maiestie and Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lankaster grace mercie and peace from God our Father and from Iesus Christ our Sauior THe word of God being the immortall seed wherby we be conceiued and borne againe to be the children of Gods mercie and heires of his glorie the pure milke that doth nourish vs being infants the bread that doth feed vs being growen greater in Christ Iesus the light and lanterne that leadeth vs to walke in Gods waies the sword of Gods spirit to defend vs against the assaults of Satan And finallie the hammer which beateth downe euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God it is no maruell Right Honorable if Satan the enimie of our saluation haue in all times diligentlie indeuored to suppresse it and to depriue vs as much as he might of the great benefit and sweet comfort which we are to receiue by it Hereupon it hath come to passe that in all ages as the true and syncere worship of God hath beene corrupted and decaied and idolatrie and wicked worshippings haue increased so the Law of God which teacheth and mainteineth the one condemneth ouerthroweth the other hath been suppressed and the cleere light therof smothered When the Israelits in the wildernes fell to Idolatrie and worshipped the golden calfe the tables of Gods commandements which they were vnworthie to inioie were broken When true religion was decaied vnder Rehoboam and Abija kings of Iudah Israel was without the Priest to teach and without the Law When vnder the vngodlie gouernment of Manasse and Amon Idolatrie raigned and raged the booke of God was neglected and lost when Iehoiakim an Idolater ruled the word of God vttered by Ieremie and written by Baruch was cut in peeces and throwne into the fire When cruell Antiochus had taken Ierusalem and sought to ouerthrow the true seruice of God the books of the Law which were found were burnt in the fire and cut in peeces And whosoeuer had a booke of the Testament found by him was put to death When bloudie Diocletian went about to roote out Christian religion he caused the holie Scriptures to be burnt as Eusebius in these words declareth Diuinásque sacras Scripturas in medio foro igni tradi ipsis oculis vidimus i. We haue seene with our eies the diuine and holie Scriptures in the midst of the market place throwne into the fire And euen so in these later ages as superstition and Idolatrie wherwith God in his iust indignation hath punished the wickednesse of the world for not receiuing the loue of the truth vnto saluation haue increased so the word of God hath been greatlie neglected of the Priests suppressed from the people being translated published by faithfull men for the setting forth of Gods truth and saluation of his elect haue beene in open market places as Eusebius saith burnt in the fire How the law hath perished from the Priests who should haue taught Iacob Gods iudgements and Israel his Law experience hath shewed and learned mens writings do witnes That famous man Erasmus in whose daies after the long winter night of ignorance began both the clouds of darknesse to be dispersed and the sunne of Gods word cleerely to shine forth writeth thus Nec pauci sunt Theologi praesertim seniores qui adeo versati non sunt in priscis doctoribus vt nec Petrum Lombardum nec scripturas canonicas vnquam totas euoluerint That is There be not a few diuines especiallie of those that be elder who haue beene so little occupied in the old doctors that they haue neuer read ouer Peter Lombard nor the whole canonicall Scriptures That learned man Andreas Hyperius witnesseth that he had seene sundrie old ecclesiasticall men who after they had receiued some tast of Gods truth confessed and lamented that they had neuer read the holie Scriptures But if these testimonies will not serue to satisfie some for the conuincing of the great and grosse ignorance which as a vaile couered the Priests eies from beholding the bright beames of Gods word let them marke what Pope Pius secundus writeth hereof in these words Pudeat Italiae sacerdotes quos ne semel quidem nouam legem constat legisse Apud Thaboritas vix mulierculam inuenias quae de nouo Testamento veteri respondere nesciat That is The Priests of Italie may be ashamed who are knowne not once to haue read the new Testament seeing with the Thaborits in Bohemia one can hardly find a seelie woman which cannot answere out of the old and new Testament And if those Italian Priests which were vnder that holie fathers nose were so blind in Gods booke what may be thought of them that were further off vnlesse peraduenture the neerer they were to him the more they were infected poysoned and blinded by him And if the sunne went downe vpon those Prophets and darknesse was vnto them for a diuination that should haue beene the light of the world the eies of the bodie how great was the darknesse in the bodie it selfe Especiallie seeing these hypocriticall pharisies tooke away the keie of knowledge and as they entred not in themselues so they forbad them that would in keeping the light of Gods word vnder the bushell of a strange toong and not permitting it to be translated into vulgar and knowne languages and so to be set vpon a candlesticke to shine to the instruction and consolation of them that be in Gods house Wherein they haue shewed themselues to be hereticall Priests who as Chrysostom saith shut vp the gates of the truth for they know that if the truth once appeare they must needs leaue their Church from the dignitie of their priesthood come downe to the state of other people Euen so our Haereticall popish prelats and priests to mainteine their Idolatrie pompe pride and couetousnesse
God aboue 1300. yeeres ago as appeereth by the fathers of those times Answer HEre is an vncertaine assertion and a foolish reason For although I grant the said translation to be ancient yet to be so old as they affirme I suppose it wil be hard for al the Rhemish rout of Iesuits plainly to prooue Tertullian who liued somwhat aboue 200. yeeres after Christ doth not follow it neither hath any steps of it in the places which he alledgeth Cyprian who liued about the yéere of Christ 284. doth not at all vse it Hilarius Hierom and Augustine in their allegations of the Scriptures dissent from it But to omit to speake any more of the antiquitie of it what a foolish reason is this It is 1300. yéeres old therfore true and vncorrupt The Gréeke translations of the Septuaginta interpretors of Symmachus Aquila and Theodotion were ancient yet euen in S. Hieroms time wanted not many and great corruptions The Latin translations which in S. Hieroms and Augustines daies were many were euen then very corrupt as héerafter I wil by Gods grace out of S. Hierom declare Or what a fond reason is this It is 1300. yéeres old therefore to be preferred before the Gréeke which being the originall is aboue 1500. yéeres old So that if this matter be to be measured by antiquitie the Gréeke were to be preferred and this Latin translation not to be followed 2. Reason IT is that by common receiued opinion and by all probabilitie which S. Hierom afterward corrected according to the Greeke by the appointment of Damasus then pope as he maketh mention in his Preface before the iiij Euangelists vnto the said Damasus and in Catalogo in fine Answer THis is but a popish and foolish opinion void of all probabilitie and truth for proofe whereof I will first alledge the saying of that learned man Erasmus Roterodamus which I doubt not but with all wise and learned men will counteruaile our Rhemish Iesuits and all their adherents Who in an Epistle writeth thus Ceu confessum assumit hanc Noui Testamenti translationem qua vulgò vtimur esse Hieronimi cum eam constet nec esse Cypriani nec Hilarij nec Ambrosij nec Augustini nec Hieronimi cùm is diuersa legat multò minùs eam quam emendasse testatur cùm in hac deprehendantur quae ille damnat non solùm quantum ad verba verùm etiam quantum ad sententiam That is He taketh it as granted that this translation of the new Testament which we do commonly vse is Hieroms whereas it is certaine that it is neither Cyprians nor Hilaries nor Ambroses nor Augustines nor Hieroms forasmuch as he dissenteth from it and much lesse to be that which he testifieth that he corrected séeing there be found in this which he condemneth not onely as touching the words but also the sense and meaning Héere Erasmus flatly affirmeth that this common Latin translation was neither made by Hierom nor is that which he at the request of Damasus corrected And to prooue both the truth of Erasmus assertion and the falshood of our Iesuits receiued opinion I will set downe a few places wherein Hierom not onely dissenteth from it but also findeth fault with it In his first booke against Iouinian he writeth thus Ita tamen si ipsos filios erudiret in fide dilectione in sanctificatione pudicitia Non enim vt malè habetur in Latinis codicibus Sobrietas est legenda sed castitas id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Yet so if she instruct hir children in faith and loue and in sanctification and chastitie for it is not to be read Sobrietas sobrietie as it is euill translated in the Latin bookes but Castitas chastitie for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Againe in the same booke Sobrium siue vt melius in Graeco dicitur vigilātem id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pudicum hoc enim significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Sober or as it is better in the Gréek watchfull for that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie chaste for that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie And againe in the same booke Non plus sapere quà m oportet sapere sed sapere ad pudicitiam non ad sobrietatem vt male in Latinis legitur sed sapere inquit ad pudicitiam That is Not to be wise aboue that ye ought to be wise but to be wise vnto chastitie not vnto sobrietie as it is euill translated in the Latin bookes but saith he to be wise to chastitie In all these places Hierom misliketh and condemneth that which is in our Latin common translation And although I confesse that he to helpe his cause doth without sufficient cause find fault in these places with the said translation for that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do more properly and aptly signifie Sobrietie and Sober than chastitie and chaste as also Erasmus in his Scholies in these words doth shew Torquet nonnihil hunc locum Hieronimus ad commoditatem causae suae nam hie certè magis quadrat vertere modestiam vel sobrietatem quà m pudicitiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ad hoc vt sobrij sint modesti non insolentes elati That is Hierom somewhat wresteth this place to the commoditie of his cause for surely it is more fit to translate it modestie or sobrietie than chastitie that they should be sober and modest not insolent and proud yet it is sufficient for me that he misliketh and findeth fault with that which is in our common Latin translation which is a plaine proofe that this was not his for then he would otherwise haue translated it Hierom also findeth fault with the vulgar translation of that place of S. Paule Galat. 5.9 in these words Malè in nostris codicibus habetur Modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit sensumpotiùs interpres suum quà m verba Apostoli transtulit That is It is euill translated in our Latin bookes Modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit and the interpretor hath translated rather his owne meaning than the words of the Apostle And there he doth translate it otherwise Modicum fermentum totam conspersionem fermentat But what néede I to busie my selfe in seeking mo places where S. Hierom findeth fault with that which is in the vulgar Latin translation séeing that Andradius the Spanish Iesuit hath eased me of that labour who hath piked out and produced a number of places in the which Hierom misliketh that which is in the said translation Andradius liking of them that require more diligence and plainnes in the said old translator writeth thus Nà m dum vel Graecorum dicendi rationi nimium adhaerescit c. That is For whilest he either doth too much cleaue to the Gréeke phrase or is not diligent inough in weighing the Latin and Greeke words he becommeth somtime ouer obscure
important considerations hath declared and defined this only of all other Latin translations to be autenticall and so onely to be vsed and taken in publike lessons disputations preachings and expositions and that no man presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refuse the same Answer THe decrée of some more ancient Councell in this matter if any could be had as none would be found might haue stood you in far greater stead For howsoeuer this Tridentine conuenticle as euen Henrie 2. the French king termed it moue you surely it is of small force to persuade vs. We little care what it hath héerin determined being called togither and gouerned by the Pope whom we iustly accuse to be the Archenimie of God whereof you all shall neuer be able to excuse him and consisting of about 40. blind Bishops his sworne seruants This cursed conuenticle or Councell we no more estéeme than the godly fathers estéemed the Councels of Ariminum Tyre Ephesinum 2. and such others And when you and all your adherents shall be able to prooue the canons of that Tridentine Councell to be grounded vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles and agréeable with Gods blessed word then will we acknowledge the truth of this constitution In the meane time we will not maruell if a corrupt Councell maintaine a corrupt translation 6. Reason IT is the grauest sincerest of greatest maiestie least partialitie as being without all respect of controuersies and contentions specially of this our time as appeereth by those which Erasmus and others at this day translate much more to the aduantage of the catholike cause Answer HEre be bare and naked assertions without any proofe which may as well be denied of vs as affirmed by them And therefore this I say that the translations of Erasmus and Beza be as graue of as great maiestie as sincere and as little partiall as is the common Latin And in some part to prooue this my affirmation this I say that that translation which hath many both barbarous phrases and grosse soloecismes is not to be counted so graue maiesticall and sincere but this vulgar translation which they magnifie hath many such ergo it is not so graue c. Some few for example I will shew to alledge all were infinite What grauitie and sinceritie is in these words Principes gentium dominantur eorum where the masculine gender is put for the feminine eorum for earum and the genitiue case for the datiue contrarie to the rules of Grammar and so false Latin committed Or in these words Nònne vos magis plures estis illis Or these Eum qui modico quà m Angeli minoratus est Or these Memorari testamenti sui sancti Or these Vir timoratus secundum legem Or these Opiniones praeliorum Or Populus manicabat ad eum in templo Many such other and woorse might be alledged wherein I suppose no wise and learned man will thinke any grauitie maiestie or sinceritie to be As touching partialitie whatsoeuer you pretend yet if you in your consciences did not iudge it to be more partiall and fauorable for your doctrine you would neuer preferre it before the originall of the Greeke contrarie to the iudgement of the ancient fathers and of the best learned of your owne side lately and as yet liuing And that you do know it to be more partiall for you than the Grooke I will prooue by a few examples which may serue for many Iohn 14. v. 26. The common Latin translation hath it thus Suggeret vobis omnia quaecunque dixero vobis which you thus finely translate Shall suggest vnto you all things whatsoeuer I shall say vnto you Where you know the Gréeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things which I haue said or spoken vnto you Is not this translation of yours more partiall to maintaine the traditions of your church and decrées of Popes and Councels than the originall of the Gréeke In the 10. of Luke vers 35. the vulgar Latin translation hath it thus Et quodcunque supererogaueris ego cùm rediero reddam tibi which you haue translated Whatsoeuer thou shalt supererogate c. doth not this make more for your works of supererogation which I may well call supererrogant works than the Gréeke which is Whatsoeuer thou spendest more c. In the 13. to the Hebrewes vers 16. the Latin translation is thus Talibus enim hostijs promeretur Deus which fond translation you more fondly and foolishly translate thus For with such hosts God is promerited Doth not this make more for your doctrine of Merits than the fountaine of the Gréeke which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is With such sacrifices God is delighted or well pleased And for defence of the same doctrine of Merit doth not the omitting of those words Rom. 11.6 serue to your purpose But if it be of works it is no more grace or els were worke no worke Doth not I say the dashing out of these words in the text well serue your turne The which notwithstanding be found in al Gréeke copies in the ancient Syrian translation in Chrysostom and other fathers And to the maintenance of the same doctrine may not that which is in your vulgar translation Philip. 1.28 be more fitly applied than the Gréeke Will you not thereof better gather that the suffering of afflictions is a cause of saluation than of the Gréeke which saith it is a declaration or token of saluation whereunto the children of God do passe through manifold tribulations Doth not the Latin vulgar translation in the 5. to the Ephesians Sacramentum hoc magnum est This is a great sacrament stand you in better stead to prooue Mariage one of your seuen sacraments than the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is This is a great mysterie or secret which S. Paul speaketh and meaneth of Christ and his Church Sundrie such other examples might be alledged but these at this time shall suffice to shew that whatsoeuer you say in word or pretend in shew it is the partialitie it séemeth to beare to your doctrine that mooueth you to follow it and to prefer it before the fountaine of the Gréeke the which how absurd it is shall héerafter be shewed 7. Reason IT is so exact and precise according to the Greeke both the phrase and the word that delicate heretikes therefore reprehend it of rudenes And that it followeth the Greeke more exactly than the Protestants translations besides infinite other places we appeale to these Tit. 3.14 Curent bonis operibus praeesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Engl. bib 1577. to maintaine good works Hebr. 10.20 Viam nobis initiauit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Engl. bib he prepared So in these words Iustifications Traditions Idola c. In al which they come not neere the Greeke but auoid it of purpose Answer WE do not mislike it for the simplicitie of phrase for such is the Gréeke wherin the Apostles wrote
if héere in this place the Latin word do more aptly expresse the Gréeke than the English that doth not follow But if we examine the etymologie propertie and signification of the words I cannot sée but our English doth as well answer to the Gréek as that Latin For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to renew to make new or fresh And although Initium do signifie a beginning yet Initio doth not properly signifie to begin to make new or fresh for that doth Innouo but to instruct to dedicate to enter into And therefore I sée no cause why the word Prepared may not as well answer the Gréeke as the Latin Initiauit Sure I am it neither goeth far from the signification of the word nor meaning of the matter But this being onely a friuolous cauill I will omit it being glad that you can find no greater disagréeing in our translations from the Gréeke than these And whereas you would commend the Latin for exactly following and kéeping these words Iustifications Traditions Idola c. I answer that as yet you neither haue nor euer will be able to prooue that our translations haue not truly expressed the sense of the Gréeke in all these words so do some of them as much retaine the last translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idols as doth the Latin For whereas you mislike that wée translate the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Image and not Idoll doth not your Latin often translate it Simulacrum which I pray you what doth it else signifie but an image As that place whereof Master How lets friend so much complaineth 1. Iohn 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the vulgar Latin is thus Filioli custodite vos à simulacris which how is it to be translated in English but thus Little children kéepe your selues from images For what is the English of Simulacrum but an Image If you say Idoll I say that that is rather the Gréeke of it than the English And therfore you do nothing but wrangle and cauil when you find fault with translating of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Image as I doubt not but by others hath and will be more largely prooued In like maner Act. 7.41 and Apocal. 9.20 the vulgar interpretor translateth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simulacrum which doth signifie nothing els but an Image And to prooue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gréeke may be translated an Image in English it may appéere by the etimologie which Tertullian maketh of it in these words Ad hoc necessaria est vocabuli interpretatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecè formam sonat ab eo per diminutionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diductam aequè apud nos formulam fecit Igitur omnis forma vel formula idolum se dici exposcit Inde Idololatria omnis circaidolum famulatus seruitus That is Héereunto is necessarie the interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gréeke signifieth a forme or image and thereof by diminution is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriued which in like maner signifieth a little forme or image Therefore euery forme requireth to be called Idolum And thereupon Idolatrie is all that seruice and worship which is done about euerie Idoll Doth it not héerby plainly appéere that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the forme shape or image of any thing and therefore may well so be translated as also my learned brother D. Fulke hath learnedly shewed 8. Reason THe aduersaries themselues namely Beza prefer it before all the rest in Praefatione noui Testamenti Ann. 1556. And againe he saith that the old interpretor translated very religiously Annot in 1. Luc. v. 1. Answer IF Master Beza and others thinke reuerently of the old translator they do as becommeth good and godly men to do in accepting thankfully and in good part the labors of good men in so good a worke as is the translating of the blessed word of God for the instruction and comfort of Gods people and passing by and by charitie couering some faults that haue escaped But it is the propertie of wicked men and enimies to Gods truth rather to cauill and carpe to raile at and reuile good men laboring in this sort in Gods vineyards than either charitably to couer faults or louingly to amend them themselues So S. Hierom when he was raised vp of God and prouoked by Damasus Bishop of Rome to translate the holy Scriptures faithfully out of Hebrew Gréeke into Latin how was he handled of many Forsooth railed vpon very miserably as in infinite places of his Prefaces and Epistles doth appéere For example I will set downe one or two Legite de hijs exemplaribus quae nuper à nobis edita maledicorum quotidie linguis confodiuntur That is Read those copies which I haue lately set foorth and are daily thrust throw with the toongs of railers and euill speakers Againe Sicubi ergò aeditio men à veteribus discreparit interroga quemlibet Hebraeorum liquidò peruidebis me ab aemulis frustra lacerari qui malunt contemnere videri praeclara quà m discere That is If my edition differ from the old aske any Hebrew and Iew and thou shalt plainly perceiue that I am without cause torne in péeces of my aduersaries who would rather séeme to despise good things than to learne any thing Thus was S. Hierom for translating the holy Scriptures vsed And was not that learned man Erasmus Roterodamus for his godly paines in translating the new Testament in like maner intreated Being railed vpon by Lea in England by Natalis Bedda in France by Stunica in Spaine and infinite other vnlearned Moonks and Friers as Erasmus himselfe doth declare in an Epistle to Mosellanus where he sheweth that a Carmelite Frier being a Doctor in a publike sermon charged him there present with sinne against the holie Ghost for altering some things in the new Testament otherwise than was in the old translation And another cried out for the same cause that the comming of Antichrist was at hand And when Erasmus vrged him to shew one place in the Testament that did offend him he said plainly that he had neither read nor séene it And euen so Master Beza and our godly countrimen succéeding those godly learned fathers in their godly labors be in like sort handled by our Rhemish Iesuits in this Testament and by Gregorie Martin in his booke intitled A Discouerie wherin he too much discouereth his owne folly and the melancholie of his stomacke in railing vpon them so rudely or rather despitefully who haue woorthily labored in bringing to light the light of Gods blessed word Thus we sée how Satan by his imps and ministers rageth against those that take pains to translate the holy Scripture which is the sword that doth foyle him the hammer that beateth downe his house the light that driueth away his darknes which also conuerteth the soule lighteneth the eies reioiceth the hart and maketh
the Grecians to the end that the truth of those holy bookes might not be fetched from those fountains Thus you sée how S. Augustine and Ludouicus Viues one otherwise of your owne side dissent froÌ„ you in this your shameles assertion of the corruption of the Gréeke copies But let vs sée what other holy fathers our holy Iesuits haue followed in accusing the Gréeke copies of the Scriptures to be corrupted Those monsters the Manichées were of the same opinion as appéereth by S. Augustine in these words Manichaei plurima diuinarum Scripturarum quibus eorum nefarius error clarissima sententiarum perspicuitate conuincitur quia in alium sensum detorquere non possunt falsa esse contendunt ita tamen vt eandem falsitatem non scribentibus Apostolis tribuant sed nescio quibus codicum corruptoribus Quod tamen quia nec pluribus siue antiquioribus exemplaribus nec praecedentis linguae autoritate vnde Latini libri interpretati sunt probare aliquando potuerunt notissima omnibus veritate superati confusÃque discedunt That is The Manichées bicause they cannot writhe into another sense very many places of the holie Scriptures by the which their wicked error is by most plaine and euident sentences conuinced affirme the same to be false yet so that they attribute the same not to the Apostles which wrote them but I know not to what others who afterward corrupted them The which notwithstanding bicause they cannot prooue neither by the most copies nor by the most ancient nor by the autoritie of the former toong from which the Latin books were translated they are ouercome and confounded by the truth being made most manifest vnto all men These be the fathers whom our Rhemish Iesuits haue followed in accusing the Gréeke text of the Testament to be corrupted As for the godly and learned fathers you may sée both by these places and those which I haue before alledged how far they dissent from them who alwaies appealed to the Gréeke in the new Testament and haue affirmed that the Latin translations are to be examined and reformed by it And whereas you say most of the ancient heretikes were Grecians and therefore the Scriptures in Gréeke more corrupted by them as you say the ancient fathers complaine I say that you haue not receiued this friuolous cauillation and false accusation from the godly ancient fathers but besides those heretikes whom I haue named from the barbarous absurd Gloser vpon Gratians decrées Dist. 9. cap. Vt veterum the summe of whose words you haue alledged which I will more largely lay downe as they be there to be séene Hieronimus in 2. prologo Bibliae contra ait dicens quòd emendatiora sunt exemplaria Latina quà m Graeca Graeca quà m Hebraea Sed Augustinus ad primitiuam Ecclesiam respicit quando exemplaria Graeca Hebraea non erant corrupta Sed procedente tempore cùm populus Christianus mulium esset auctus haereses essent factae inter Graecos in inuidia Christianorum Iudaei Graeci sua exemplaria corruperunt Et sic factum est quòd exemplaria eorum magis corrupta sint quà m Latinorum ad quod tempus respicit Hieronimus That is Hierom in the second prolog of the Bible saith the contrarie vz. to Augustine affirming the Latin copies to be more true than the Gréeke and the Gréeke than the Hebrew But Augustine speaketh in respect of the primitiue Church when the Gréeke and Hebrew copies were not corrupt But in processe of time when the Christian people was much increased and manie heresies sprang among the Grecians the Iewes and Grecians for enuie of the Christians corrupted their copies And so it is come to passe that their copies be more corrupt than the Latins the which time Hierom respecteth Hitherto the Gloser from whom it most plainly appéereth that you haue borrowed this reason or rather accusation of the corruption of the Gréeke copies which is an author fit for you to follow who hath in these words deliuered almost as manie grosse absurdities and lies as there be lines For first he maketh Augustine and Hierom dissenting in iudgement Augustine preferring the Gréeke and Hebrew copies and Hierom the Latin attributing to Augustine a sentence which is not his but Hieroms Ad Lucinium as I haue before alledged whose words againe be these Vt veterum librorum fides c. As the truth of the bookes of the old Testament is to be examined by the Hebrew bookes so the truth of the new requireth the triall of the Gréeke toong And so this blind Gloser attributing to Augustine a saying which indéed is Hieroms maketh Hierom contrarie to himselfe Secondly in alledging S. Hieroms words out of the second prolog of the Bible and making him there to affirme the Latin copies to be more true than the Gréeke he doth cleane peruert S. Hieroms meaning For there in that very place he doth affirme the cleane contrarie in these words Sicubi in translatione tibi videor errare interroga Hebraeos diuersarum vrbium magistros consule Quod illi habent de Christo tui codices non habent Aliud est si contra se poste à ab Apostolis vsurpata testimonia probauerunt emendatiora sunt exemplaria Latina quà m Graeca Graeca quà m Hebraica That is If so be that I séeme to thée to erre in my translation aske the Hebrewes consult with the Masters of diuers cities That which they haue of Christ thy bookes haue not It is another matter if they haue allowed the testimonies afterward vsed by the Apostles against them that the Latin examples be more true than the Gréeke and the Gréeke than the Hebrew Héere S. Hierom doth infer this as absurd that the Latin copies should be more true than the Gréeke and the Gréeke than the Hebrew which the blind Gloser our Iesuits Master thought he simply ment And that the reader may perceiue this more plainly I will set downe some of Erasmus words in his scholies vpon this place of Hierom Hunc locum insulsissime citat glossometarius quisquis is fuit in decretis pontificum dist 9. cap. Vt veterum librorum putans Hieronimum verè sensisse Graecorum exemplaria emendatiora esse quà m Hebraea Latina emendatiora quà m Graeca Et hunc nodum multis modis dissoluit nugacissimè nugans in re non intellecta vel dic vel dic vel dic Tantúmne est istis autoritatis vt cuÌ„ remprorsus noÌ„ intelligant tamen illis ius sit quic quid lubituÌ„ fuerit dicere Nam Hieronimus inducit hoc velut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictu absurduÌ„ quo magis refellat quod isti volebant That is This place the writer of the Glosse vpon the Popes decrées Dist. 9. cap. Vt veterum librorum whosoeuer he was doth most absurdly cite supposing that Hierom did indéed thinke that the Gréeke examples and copies were more true than the Hebrew and the Latin more true
but we sée and perceiue such places to agrée with the most ancient Latin copies Therefore neither any other place ought to be suspected as corrupted by the common schoole of the Grecians Lastly the same Driedon writeth héerof thus Nam Scriptura sacra si sit iam olim in suo fonte suáque origine corrupta deprauata iam non erit vlla in illis canonica autoritas c. That is Now if the holy Scripture haue béene long ago corrupted and depraued in hir fountaine and originall language then there will be no canonicall authoritie in it neither shall it be néedfull for Latin men to returne to the fountaine of the Gréeke toong wherein the new Testament was written or of the Hebrew wherein the old Testament was set foorth Hitherto Driedon Whereby we may sée to what impudencie our Rhemists be growen who by this impudent assertion take all canonicall autoritie from the holy Scriptures I might shew what vnfaithfull kéepers of Gods holy records they haue béene who haue héertofore bragged that they haue kept the holie Scriptures and whence haue we had them but from them And yet now of their owne accord they confesse that they haue suffered the originall and autenticall copies of Christs Testament to be corrupted But omitting these things which might be more amplified I come to their particular proofe of this their strange paradoxe concerning the corruption of the Gréeke text Rhemish Iesuits TErtullian noteth the Greeke text which is at this day 1. Cor. 15.47 to be an old corruption of Marcion the heretike and the truth to be as in our vulgar Latin Secundus homo de coelo coelestis The second man is from heauen heauenlie So read other ancient fathers and Erasmus thinketh it must be so And Caluin himselfe followeth it Instit. lib. 2. cap. 13. par 2. Answer HEre as touching Tertullian vpon whom doth depend the speciall proofe of this pretended corruption to speake in plaine words you make one notorious lie For Tertullian doth not say that the truth of that text is as in the vulgar Latin translation neither he in his booke De resurrectione doth so alledge it as héereafter I will shew Indéed I grant that Marcion did mangle that place and corruptly cite it as Tertullian in these words sheweth Primus inquit homo de humo terrenus secundus Dominus de coelo That is The first man is of earth earthly the second is the Lord from heauen Héere Marcion denying the true manhood of Christ did leaue out this word Homo that is Man and so did mangle that place the which is not omitted but expressed in all Gréeke copies And therefore the Gréeke doth not agrée with Marcions corruption as Gregorie Martin and his fellowes corruptly iudge I grant also that it séemeth Tertullian thought that Marcion in the latter part did alledge this word Dominus that is Lord which ought not for his words after the text before alledged be these Quare secundus si non homo quod primus aut nunquid primus Dominus si secundus That is Why is he called the second if he be not man as the first Or is not the first Lord if the second be Héerby I say it séemeth that Marcions corruption of this place was partly in leauing out this word Homo which is expressed in the Gréeke and partly as it séemeth Tertullian supposed by putting in this word Dominus which our Gréek copies also haue Now whether he did corruptly alledge this word Dominus Lord that is the question First I sée no cause why this is to be accounted a corruption of Marcions for that it doth no more maintaine his blasphemous heresie in denying the true Humanitie of Christ than doth the Latin For how doth this The second man is the Lord from heauen séeme more to fauor Marcions false doctrine than the other The second man is from heauen heauenly Why might not Marcion haue abused this to prooue Christ to haue brought his bodie from heauen and not to haue taken flesh of the virgin Marie as well as the other And therefore if this had béene a corruption of Marcions he would no doubt haue otherwise corrupted it to the further furthering of his heresie Secondly I say that the Gréeke text doth not onelie as well agrée with all true doctrine as the Latin but also is more pregnant in sense and more agréeable to the meaning of the Apostle in that place containing a more excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opposition betwéene Adam and Christ than doth the Latin as Master Beza learnedly sheweth Thirdly whereas Marcion did corrupt the 45. verse going before as most plainly appéereth by Tertullian in the same place and yet the same corruption is not in the Gréeke but it is pure and sincere as it ought to be it is not likely that this corruption should any more remaine than that Fourthly not onely all Gréeke copies both old and new so haue it expressing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Lord but also the Syrian and Arabian translations which are very ancient do agrée with the Gréeke And how likely it is for such a corruption of Marcions to be in all Gréeke copies and in those very ancient Syrian and Arabian translations I leaue it to the iudgement of all men to consider And where you say that other ancient fathers haue read according to the vulgar Latin I grant that some Latin fathers following the old translation so do but Chrysostom Theophylactus the Gréeke Scholies Damascenus De orthodoxa fide lib. 3. cap. 12. who I trow were none of Marcions disciples agrée with the Gréeke And Tertullian your author alledgeth it thus Primus homo de terra choicus id est limaceus id est Adam secundus homo de coelo id est sermo Dei id est Christus differing from the Latin in leauing out this word Coelestis So readeth both Cyprian and Hilarius Primus homo de terrae limo secundus homo de coelo That is The first man of the slime of the earth the second man from heauen So that these thrée Latin fathers as they differ from the Gréeke in leauing out the word Dominus Lord so do they also dissent from the Latin in leauing out the word Coelestis Heauenly And yet whether either of these words or both of them be expressed or omitted it is not repugnant to any article of faith nor to the sense of the Apostle And therefore might Erasmus be of that opinion to thinke it should be as in the Latin especially hauing respect to the sound of the opposition of words betwéene of earth earthly and from heauen heauenly And M. Caluin might so alledge it And yet the Gréeke may be the true reading wherein the Apostle wrote as no doubt it is But if I should grant that this word Lord crept in either by Marcions means or any others which is vtterly vnlike as hath béene