say A pagan idolater and a Christian idolater by one and the same Greeke woorde in one and the same meaning and they translate A pagan idolater and a Christian worshipper of images by two distinct words and diuerse meanings it must needes be done wilfully to the foresaid purpose See chap. 3. num 8. 9. FVLKE 6. We translate not only pagane Idolaters but also Iewes Idolaters nor Christians only worshippers of Images but Paganes also wherefore this is a foolish obseruation And if we do any where explicate who is an Idolater by translating him a worshipper of images both the word beareth it and it is not contrarie to the sense of the Scriptures in which we find the worshipping of images alwaies forbidden but neuer commaunded or allowed MART. 7. If they translate one and the same Greeke word Tradition whensoeuer the Scripture speaketh of euill traditions and neuer translate it so whensoeuer it speaketh of good and Apostolicall traditions their intention is euident against the authoritie of Traditions See chap. 2 numb 1. 2 3. FVLKE 7. This is aunswered sufficiently in confutation of the Preface Sect. 51. The English word Tradition sounding in the euill parte and taken by the Papistes for matter vnwritten yet as true and as necessarie as that which is contained in the holie Scriptures we haue vpon iust cause auoided in such places as the Greeke worde signifieth good and necessarie doctrine deliuered by the Apostles which is all contained in the Scriptures and yet haue vsed such English wordes as sufficiently expresse the Greeke word vsed in the originall text Doe not you your selues translate Tradere sometimes to betray and sometimes to deliuer MART. 8. Yea if they translate Tradition taken in ill parte where it is not in the Greeke and translate it not so where it is in the Greeke taken in good parte it is more euidence of the foresaid wicked intention See chap. 2. numb 5. 6. FVLK 8. Our intention can be no worse than your vulgar Latine Interpreters was who where the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translateth it Traditions Act. 6. And the right vnderstanding of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Apostles meaning wil yeeld traditions as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place before mentioned MARTINE 9. If they make this a good rule to translate according to the vsuall signification and not the originall deriuation of wordes as Beza and Maister Whitakers doe and if they translate contrarie to this rule what is it but wilfull corruption So they doe in translating Idolum an Image Presbyter an Elder and the like See chap. 4. chap. 6. numb 6. 7. 8. c. numb 13. c. FVLKE 9. Neither Beza nor Maister Whitaker make it a perpetuall rule to translate according to the vsuall signification for sometimes a worde is not taken in the vsuall signification as Foenerator vsed by your vulgar Latine Interpreter Luke 7. vsuallye signifieth an Vserer yet doe you translate it a Creditor Likewise Stabulum vsed Luke 10. vsually signifieth a Stable yet you translate it an Inne So Nauis which vsually signifieth a Shippe you call it a Boate. Marke 8. and Nauicula which vsuallye signifieth a Boate you call a Shippe Luke 5. And yet I thinke you meant no wilfull corruption No more surelye did they whiche translated Idolum an Image and Presbyter an Elder whiche you can not deny But they followe the originall deriuation of the wordes whereas some of yours both goe from the vsuall signification and also from the originall deriuation MARTINE 10. If Presbyter by Ecclesiasticall vse bee appropriated to signifie a Priest no lesse than Episcopus to signifie a Bishoppe or Diaconus a Deacon and if they translate these two later accordingly and the first neuer in all the Newe Testament what can it be but wilfull corruption in fauour of this heresie That there are no Priestes of the Newe Testament See chap. 6. numb 12. FVLKE 10. The worde Priest by Popishe abuse is commonly taken for a Sacrificer the same that Sacerdos in Latine But the Holie Ghost neuer calleth the Ministers of the worde and Sacramentes of the Newe Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacerdotes Therefore the translatours to make a difference betwene the Ministers of the Olde Testament and them of the Newe calleth the one according to the vsuall acception Priestes and the other according to the originall deriuation Elders Which distinction seeing the vulgar Latine texte doth alwaies rightly obserue it is in fauour of your hereticall Sacrificing Priesthoode that you corruptly translate Sacerdos and Presbyter alwayes as though they were all one a Priest as though the Holie Ghost had made that distinction in vayne or that there were no difference betwene the Priesthoode of the Newe Testament and the Olde The name of Priest according to the originall deriuation from Presbyter wee doe not refuse but according to the common acception for a Sacrificer wee can not take it when it is spoken of the Ministerie of the Newe Testament And although many of the auncient Fathers haue abusiuelye confounded the termes of Sacerdos and Presbyter yet that is no warrant for vs to translate the Scripture and to confounde that which we see manifestly the spirit of God hath distinguished For this cause we haue translated the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder euen as your vulgar Latine translater doeth diuerse times as Actes 15. and 20. 1. Pet. 5. and else where calleth them Seniores or Maiores natu Which you commonly call the Auncientes or Seniors because you dare not speake Englishe and say the Elders Neither is Presbyter by Ecclesiasticall vse so approprietated to signifie a Priest that you woulde alwayes translate it so in the Olde Testament where your vulgar translatour vseth it for a name of Office and Gouernment and not for Priests at any time Neither do we alwayes translate the Greeke worde Episcopus and Diaconus for a Bishoppe and a Deacon but sometimes for an ouerseer as Act. 20. and a minister generally oftentimes The word Baptisma by Ecclesiasticall vse signifieth the holy Sacrament of Baptisme yet are you enforced Marke 7. to translate Baptismata washings Euen so doe we to obserue that distinction which the Apostles and Euangelistes alwaies doe keepe when we call Sacerdotes Priestes for difference we call Presbyteros Elders and not least the name of Priestes shoulde enforce the Popishe sacrifice of the Masse For this worde Presbyter will neuer cōprehend a sacrificer or a sacrificing Priesthoode MART. 11. If for Gods altar they translate Temple for Bels idololatrical table they translate altar iudge whether it bee not of purpose against our altars and in fauour of their communion table See chap. 17. numb 15. 16. FVLK 11. If there be any suche mistaking of one word for an other I thinke it was the fault of the Printer rather than of the Translator for the name of altar is more
phrase of Scripture this thirtie yeare but it must needes be verie straunge that this making of Elders hath not all this while bene practised and knowen no not among them selues in any of their Churches within the realme of Englande To Titus they make the Apostle say thus For this cause left I thee in Creta that thou shouldest ordaine ELDERS in euerie citie c. Againe of Paule and Barnabas When they had ordained Elders by Election in euerie congregration Act. 14. If they had sayed plainely as it is in the Greeke and as our forefathers were wont to speake and the truth is Titus was leâ—t in Creta to ordaine Priestes in euerie citie and Paule and Barnabas made Priestes in euerie Church then the people would haue vnderstoode them they know such speaches of old it had bene their ioy comfort to heare it specified in holy Scriptures Now they are tolde an other thing in suche newnesse of speaches and wordes of Elders to be made in euery citie congregation and yet not one citie nor congregation to haue any Elders in all Englande that we know not what is prophane noueltie of wordes which the Apostle willeth to be auoided if this be not an exceeding profane noueltie FVLK 5. When you haue gotteÌ„ a bable you make more of it than of the towre of London for you haue neuer done playing with it It must needes be a clarkely argument that is drawne from the vulgar speaches of making Priests and making Ministers Those Priests or Ministers that are made among vs are the same Elders that the Scripture in Greeke calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Bishops letters of orders testifying of their ordination call them by none other name but by the name of Presbyteri which the Scripture vseth which terme though in English you sounde it Priests Elders Auncients Seniors or Ministers which is the common peoples worde it is the same office which is described by the holy ghost Tit. 1. and in other places of Scripture As for the prophane noueltie wherewith this worde Elder is changed we will consider of it in the next section MART. 6. That it is noueltie to all English Christian eares it is euident And it is also profane because they do so English the Greeke worde of ordaining for of the worde Presbyter we will speake more anone as if they should translate Demosthenes or the lawes of Athens concerning their choosing of Magistrates which was by giuing voices with lifting vp their handes So do they force this worde here to induce the peoples election and yet in their Churches in England the people elect not ministers but their Bishop Whereas the holy Scripture saith they ordained to the people and what soeuer force the word hath it is here spoken of the Apostles and pertaineth not to the people and therefore in the place to Titus it is another worde which cannot be forced further than to ordaine and appoint And they might know if malice and Heresic would suffer them to see and confesse it that the holy Scriptures and fathers and Ecclesiasticall custome hath drawen this and the like words from their profane and common signification to a more peculiar and Ecclesiasticall speach as Episcopus an ouerseer in Tulite is a Bishop in the new Testament FVLK 6. The name Elders vsed in our translation is neither more nouell to English eares nor more prophane to godly eares than the name Auncients which your translation vseth And yet I thinke the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. spake not of noueltie to English eares but of that which was newe to the eares of the Churche of God But the worde Elders I weene muste be prophane because we English the Greeke worde of ordeining as if wee should translate Demosthenes or the Lawes of Athens concerning the choosing of Magistrates Doth not this cauill redounde more against the holy Ghost to accuse his stile of prophanenesse which vseth the same wordes for the ordeining of Priestes that Demosthenes or the lawes of AtheÌ„s might vse for choosing of their Magistrates But this worde we enforce you say to enduce the peoples election and yet the Bishop not the people elect our ministers We meane not to enforce any other election than the worde doth signifie Neyther doth our Bishops if they doe well ordeine any Ministers or Priestes without the Testimonie of the people or at leastwise of such as be of moste credite where they are knowne Where you vrge the pronowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them as though the people gaue no consent nor testimonie it is more than ridiculous and beside that contrarie to the practise of the primitiue Churche for many hundreth yeares after the Apostles as also that you would inforce vpon the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by S. Paule Tit. 1. as though that worde of constitution did exclude election That the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Fathers of the Church since the Apostles hath bene drawne to other signification than it had before it is no reason to teach vs howe it was vsed by the Apostles Election is an indifferent thing the election of Bishops Elders or Priestes is an holy thing the holynesse whereof is not included in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the holy institution of Christ and authoritie by appointment deliuered by imposition of the handes of the Eldership MART. 7. And coÌ„cerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we now speake of S. Hierom telleth them in c. 58. Esai that it signifieth Clericorum ordinationem that is giuing of holy orders whiche is done not onely by praier of the voice but by imposition of the hande according to S. Paul vnto Timothee Manus citò nemini imposueris Impose or put hands quickly on no man That is be not hastie or easie to giue holy orders Where these great etymologistes that so straine the originall nature of this worde to profane stretching forth the hand in elections may learne an other Ecclesiasticall erymologie thereof as proper and as well deduced of the worde as the other to wit putting forth the hand to giue orders and so they shall finde it is all one with that which the Apostle calleth imposition of hands 1. Tim. 4 2. Tim 1 and consequently for ordaining Elders by election they should haue sayd ordaining or making Priests by imposition of handes as else where S. Paule 1. Tim. 5. and the Actes of the Apostles Act. 6. and 13. do speake in the ordaining of the seuen Deacons and of S. Paul and Barnabas FVLK 7. The testimonie of S. Hierome whom you cite you vnderstand not for speaking there of the extension of the finger which the septuaginta translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God requireth to be taken away he saith Many of our interpreters do vnderstande it of the ordination of Clerkes which is performed not onely at the imprecation of voice but also at the imposition of
Presbyter Doeth not Priest come of Presbyter as certainly and as agreeably as Deacon of Diaconus Doth not also the French and Italian word for Priest come directly from the same Will you alwaies followe fansie and not reason doe what you list translate as you list and not as the truth is and that in the holy Scriptures which you boast and vaunt so much of Because your selues haue theÌ„ whom you call Bishops the name Bishops is in your Englishe Bibles which otherwise by your owne rule of translation should be called an Ouerseer or Superintendent likewise Deacon you are content to vse as an Ecclesiasticall word so vsed in antiquitie because you also haue those whom you call Deacons Only Priests must be turned contemptuously out of the text of the holy Scriptures Elders put in their place because you haue no Priestes nor will none of them and because that is in controuersie betwene vs. And as for Elders you haue none permitted in EnglaÌ„d for feare of ouerthrowing your Bishops office and the Queenes supreame gouernment in all spiritual things and causes Is not this to followe the humour of your heresie by Machiauels politike rules without any feare of God FVLK 12. Here I must aunswere you that we haue no degree of Ministers distinct from Deacons but by vulgar and popular vse of speaking which we are not curious to controule Otherwise in truth we account Bishops Elders and Deacons all Ministers of the Church It is no more therefore but the common speache of men which vseth that worde which is common to all Ecclesiasticall persons as peculiar to the Elders or Priestes Why we keepe the name of Deacons in translating Diaconus rather than of Priestes in translating Presbyter I haue tolde you often before The name Priest being by long abuse of speache applied to signifie Sacrificers of the olde Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we could not giue the same name to the Ministers of the new Testament except we had some other name whereby to call the Ministers of the olde Testament wherein we followe reason and not fansie for it is great reason we should retaine that difference in names of the Ministers of both the Testamentes which the holy Ghost doth alwaies obserue But you follow fansie altogither imagining that Priestes onely are put out of the text because we haue no Priestes Whereas we haue Priestes as well as we haue Bishops and Deacons and so are they called in our booke of common prayer indifferently Priestes or Ministers And where you say we haue no Elders permitted in Englande it is false for those that are commonly called Bishoppes Ministers or Priestes among vs be suche Elders as the Scripture commendeth vnto vs. And although we haue not suche a consistorie of Elders of gouernemente as in the Primitiue Churche they had and many Churches at this daye haue yet haue wee also Elders of gouernement to exercise discipline as Archbishoppes and Bishoppes with their Chauncellours Archedeacons Commissaries Officialles in whome if any defecte bee we wishe it may be reformed according to the worde of God MART. 13. Apostles you say for the most parte in your translations not alwayes as we doe and Prophetes and Euangelistes and Angels and such like wheresoeuer there is no matter of controuersie betwene you and vs there you can pleade verie grauely for keeping the auncient Ecclesiasticall wordes as your maister Beza for example beside many other places where he bitterly rebuketh his fellow Castalâ—ons translation in one place writeth thus I can not in this place dissemble the boldnesse of certaine men which would God it rested within the compasse of words only These men therefore concerning the worde Baptizing though vsed of sacred writers in the mystery or Sacrament of the new Testament and for so many yeares after by the secrete consent of all Churches consecrated to this one Sacrament so that it is now growen into the vulgar speaches almost of all nations yet they dare presume rashly to chaunge it and in place thereof to vse the word washing Delicate men forsooth which neither are moued with the perpetual authority of so many ages nor by the daily custom of the vulgar speach can be brought to thinke that lawfull for Diuines which all men graunt to other Maisters and professors of artes that is to retaine and holde that as their owne which by long vse and in good faith they haue truly possessed Neither may they preteÌ„d the authoritie of some auncient writers as that Cyprian sayeth TINGENTES for BAâ—PTIZANTES and Tertullian in a certaine place calleth SEQVESTREM for MEDIATOREM For that which was to those auncientes as it were newe to vs is olde and euen then that the selfe same words which we now vse were familiar to the Church it is euident because it is very seldome that they speake otherwise But these men by this noueltie seeke after vaine glorie c. FVLK 13. If in any place we vse not the name of the Apostles Prophetes Euangelists Angels and such like wee are able to giue as sufficient a reason why we translate those wordes according to their Generall signification as you for translating somtime Baptismata washings and not baptismes Ecclesia the assembly and not the Church with such like Therefore as Castaleo such other Heretikes are iustly reprehended by Beza for leauing without cause the vsuall Ecclesiasticall termes so when good cause or necessitie requireth not to vse them it were superstition yea and almost madnes sometimes in translating to vse them as to call the Pharisees washings Baptismes or the assembly of the EphesiaÌ„ Idolaters the Churche yet both in Greeke and Latine the wordes are Baptismata ecclesia MART. 14. He speaketh against Castaleon who in his newe Latine translation of the Bible changed all Ecclesiasticall wordes into profane and Heathenish as Angelos into genios Prophetas into Fatidicos Templum into fanum and so foorth But that which he did for foolish affectation of finenesse and stile do not our English Caluinistes the very same when they list for furthering their Heresies When the holy Scripture saith idols according as Christians haue alwayes vnderstood it for false goddes they come and tell vs out of Homer and the Lexicons that it may signifie an image and therfore so they translate it Do they not the like in the Greeke worde that by Ecclesiasticall vse signifieth penaunce and doing penaunce when they argue out of Plutarch and by the profane sense therof that it is nothing else but chaunging of the minde or amendment of life Whereas in the Greeke Church Poenitentes that is they that were in the course of penance and excluded from the Church as Catechumeni and Energumeni till they had accomplished their penance the very same are called in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FVLK 14. That Castaleo did for foolish affectatioÌ„ of finenesse you slauÌ„der vs to do for furthering of heresie
Episcopus Presbyter which came in afterward you your selfe confessed as we heard of late that it is not obserued in the Scriptures but the same men are called Episcopi which before were called Presbyteri And according to that distinctioÌ„ you can allow but one Bishop of one citie at once yet the Scripture in diuerse places speaketh of many Bishops of one citie as Act. 20. the Bishops of Ephesus called before Presbyteri Elders also he saluteth the Bishops and Deacons of Philippi Phil. 1. where your note saith that In the Apostles time there were not obserued alwaies distinct names of either function of B. Priest Would you haue vs to translate the Scripture with distinction of names which the holy ghost maketh not nor your vulgar Latin obserueth nor you your selfe for shame can obserue And if we should haue translated for Elders Priests that distinction taken vp after the Apostles times or the writing of the Scripture had bene neuer the more confirmed MART. 20. But of al other places we would desire these gay translatours to translate this one place of S. Augustine speaking of him self a Bishop and S. Hierom a Priest Quanquam enim secunduÌ„ honoruÌ„ vocabula quae iam Ecclesiae vsus obtinuit Episcopatus Presbyterio maior fit tamen in multis rebus Augustinus Hieronymo minor est Is not this the English therof For although according to the titles or names of honour which now by vse of the church haue preuailed the degree of Bishoppe be greater than Priesthood yet in many things Augustine is lesse than Hierom. Or doth it like them to translate it thus The degree of Bishop is greater than Eldership c Againe against Iulian the heretike when he hath brought many testimonies of the holy doctors that were all Bishops as of S. Cyprian Ambrose Basil Nazianzene Chrysostome at length he commeth to S. Hierom who was no Bishop and sayth Nec sanctum Hieronymum quia Presbyter fuit contemnendum arbitreris that is Neither must thou thinke that S. Hierom because he was but a priest therfore is to be contemned whose diuine eloqueÌ„ce hath shined to vs from the East euen to the West like a lampe and so forth to his great commendation Here is a plaine distinction of an inferiour degree to a Bishop for the which the Heretike Iulian did easily contemne him Is â—ot S. Cyprian full of the like places is not all antiquitie so full that whiles I proue this me thinketh I proue nothing els but that snow is white FVLK 20. Of all other importune and vnreasonable iudges you are one of the worst that would enforce vs to translate the Scriptures which you confesse obserueth not the distinction of Bishops and Priestes according to the fathers which doe almost alwayes obserue it If we should translate those sentences of S. Augustine we might vse the word Priest for Presbyter and priesthood for presbyterium and if we vse the words Elder and Eldership what offence I pray you were it when by these names we vnderstand nothing but the same function minister which Augustine doth That Episcopus a Bishop was of very olde time vsed to signifie a degree Ecclesiasticall higher than Presbyter an Elder or Priest we did neuer deny we knowe it right well We knowe what S. Hierom writeth vpon the epistle to Titus cap. 1. idem est â—rgo Presbyter qui Episcopus The same man is Presbyter or an Elder or Priest which is Episcopus a Bishop And before that by the instinct of the deuill factions were made in religion and it was sayd among the people I am of Paule I of Apollo and I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by common councell Presbyterorum of the Elders But afterwarde when euery one thought those whome he had baptised to be his owne and not Christes it was decreed in the whole worlde that one de Presbyteris of the Elders being elected should be set ouer the reste to whome all the care of the Churche should pertaine and the seedes of schismes shoulde be taken away This and much more to this effect writeth Saint Hieronyme of this distinction in that place and in diuerse other places which nothing proueth that we are bounde to translate Presbyter in the Scripture a Priest and least of all that we are bound in termes to keepe that distinction which the Scripture maketh not and the Papistes them selues can not obserue in their most partiall translation MART. 21. In all which places if they will translate Elder and yet make the same a common name to all Ecclesiastical degrees as Beza defineth it let the indifferent Reader consider the absurd confusion or rather the impossibilitie thereof if not but they will graunt in all these places it signifieth Priest and so is meant then we must beate them with Bezaes rodde of reprehension against Castaleon that we can not dissemble the boldnesse of these men which woulde God it rested within the custome of words onely and were not important matter concerning their heresie These men therefore touching the word Priest though vsed of sacred writers in the mysterie of the newe Testament and for so many yeares after by the secret consent of all Churches consecrated to this one Sacrament so that it is now growen to be the proper vulgar speeche almoste of all nations yet they dare presume rashly to change it and in place thereof to vse the word Elder delicate men forsooth yea worse a great deale because these do it for heresie not for delicacy which neither are moued with the perpetuall authoritie of so many ages nor by the daily custome of the vulgar speech can be brought to thinke that lawful for diuines which all men graunt to other maisters professors of artes that is to reteyne hold that as their owne which by long vse in good faith they haue truely possessed Neither may they pretend the authoritie of any auncient writer as that the old Latine translator sayth Senior Seniores for that which was to them as it were newe to vs is olde euen then that the selfe same wordes which we now vse were more familiar to the Church it is euident because it is very seldom that they speake otherwise FVLK 21. I see no impossibilitie but that in all places where we reade Presbyter we may lawfully translate Elder as well as Priest and make it stil in Scripture a common name to all Ecclesiasticall degrees at least to as many as the Scripture maketh it common without any absurditie or confusion And albeit in the fathers we should translate it Priest because they vnderstood by the name Presbyter a distinct degree from Episcopus yet the saying of Beza against Castaleo could not by any wise man be applyed to vs. For Castaleo changed the name of the Sacrament Baptismus by which both the Scriptures and the fathers vniformely did vse to signifie one and the same Sacrament whereas the name of
Presbyter in the Scripture signifieth one thing and in the fathers an other For in the Scripture it is taken indiffereÌ„tly for Episcopus and Episcopus for Presbyter but in the fathers these are two distinct degrees Therfore he is worthy to be beaten in a Grammar schole that can not see manifest difference betwene the vse of the worde Baptismus which being spoken of the Sacrament in the Scriptures and fathers is alwayes one and of Presbyter which in the Scriptures is euery Ecclesiasticall gouernor in the fathers one degree onely that is subiect to the Bishop MART. 22. Thus we haue repeated Bezaes wordes againe onely changing the word Baptisme into Priest because the case is all one and so vnwittingly Beza the successor of Caluin in Geneua hath giuen plaine sentence against our English Translatours in all such cases as they goe from the common receiued and vsuall sense to another profane sense and out of vse as namely in this point of Priest and Priesthood Where we must needes adde a word or two though we be too long because their follie and malice is too too great herein For whereas the very name Priest neuer came into our English tongue but of the Latine Presbyteâ— for therevpon Sacerdos also was so called onely by a consequence they translate Sacerdos Priest and Presbyter not Priest but Elder as wisely and as reasonably as if a man should translate Praetor Londini Maire of London Maior Londini not Maire of London but Greater of London or Academia Oxoniensis the Vniuersitie of Oxford and Vniuersitas Oxoniensis not the Vniuersitie but the Generalitie of Oxford and such like FVLK 22. Bezaes words agree to vs as well as Germans lippes that were nine myle asunder For if this english word Priest by custom of speech did signifie no more than the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we would no lesse vse it in our translations than Bishops and Deacons which offices though they be shamefully abused by the Papistes yet the abuse of the wordes maketh no confusion betwene the ministers of the lawe and of the Gospell as this worde Priest doth by which the Iewish sacrificers are rather vnderstoode than preachers of the Gospell and ministers of the Sacraments But whereas the etymologie of this English worde Priest commeth from Presbyter you charge vs with great follie and malice that for Sacerdos we translate Priest and for Presbyter Elder To this I aunswere we are not Lordes of the common speeche of men for if we were we woulde teache them to vse their termes more properly but seeing we can not chaunge the vse of speeche we followe Aristotels councell which is to speake and vse wordes as the common people vseth but to vnderstande and conceaue of thinges according to the nature and true propertie of them Althoughe for my parte I lyke well of the Frenche translation which for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacerdotes alwaies translateth sacrificateurs sacrificers and for Presbyteri where they signifie the Ministers of the word and Sacramentes Prestres Priests But this diuersitie being only of words and not of matter or meaning reasonable men wil take an aunswere fooles and quarrellers will neuer acknowledge any satisfaction MART. 23. Againe what exceeding folly is it to thinke that by false and profane translation of Presbyter into Elder they might take away the externall Priesthoode of the new Testament whereas their owne word Sacerdos which they do and must needes translate Priest is as common and as vsuall in all antiouitie as Presbyter and so much the more for that it is vsed indifferently to signifie both Bishoppes and Priestes which Presbyter lightly doth not but in the new Testament As when Constantine the Great sayed to the Bishoppes assembled in the Councell of Nice Deus vos constituit sacerdotes c. God hath ordained you Priests and hath giuen you power to iudge of vs also And Sainct Ambrose When diddest thou euer heare most clement Prince that lay men haue iudged Bishoppes Shall we bende by flatterie so farre that forgetting the right of our Priesthoode we should yeld vp to others that which God hath commended to vs And therefore doeth Sainct Chrysostome entitle his sixe bookes De Sacerdotio Of Priesthoode concerning the dignitie and calling not only of mere Priestes but also of Bishoppes and S. Gregorie Nazianzene handling the same argument sayth that they execute Priesthoode togither with CHRIST And S. Ignatius sayth Do nothing without the Bishoppes for they are Priests but thou the Deacon of the Priests And in the Greeke Liturgies or Masses so often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Priest saith this and that signifying also the Bishoppe when he sayth Masse and S. Denys sayeth sometime Archisacerdotem cum sacerdotibus The high Priest or Bishoppe with the Priests whereof come the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the auncient Greeke fathers for the sacred function of Priesthoode and executing of the same MART. 24. If then the Heretikes coulde possibly haue extinguished Priesthoode in the word Presbyter yet you see it would haue remained still in the wordes Sacerdos Sacerdotium which themselues translate Priest and Priesthoode and therefore we must desire them to translate vs a place or two after their owne maner first Sainct Augustine speaking thus Qâ—is vnquam audiuit sacerdotem ad altare stantem etiaÌ„ super reliquias Martyrum dicere offero tibi Petre Paule vel Cypriane Who euer hearde that a PRIEST standing at the altar euen ouer the relikes of the Martyrs said I offer to thee Peter and Paule or Cyprian So we trow they must translate it Againe Nos vni Deo Martyrum nostro sacrificium immolamus ad quod sacrificium sicut homines Dei suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen à sacerdote inuocantur Deo quippe non ipsis sacrificat quamuis in memoria sacrificet eoruÌ„ quia Dei sacerdos est non illoruÌ„ Ipsum verò sacrificium corpus est Christi We thinke they will and must translate it thus We offer sacrifice to the only God both of Martyrs and ours at the which Sacrifice as men of God they Martyrs are named in their place order yet are they not inuocated of the Priest that sacrificeth For he sacrificeth to God and not to them though he sacrifice in the memorie of them because he is Gods Priest and not theirs And the sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ. FVLK 23. 24. Nay what exceeding follie is it to thinke that an externall sacrificing office can be established in the new Testament which neuer calleth the Ministers thereof Sacerdotes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because men of later time haue vnproperly transferred those termes vnto the Elders or Priests of the new TestameÌ„t Certainly among so many names as the Scripture giueth them if sacrificing for the quicke and the deade had bene the principall parte of their function as by you Papistes hath
and great study the remnants monuments tokens steppes and examples of the auncient reading are all conteined and the way how to compare the olde and new reading is shewed of which truely being compared togither a very certaine way is extant to the prescript rule whereof the holy mysteries may be shewed forth examples whereof sometime in this worke in due place and else where also with Gods helpe we will set forth Thus farre Arias Montanus whose iudgement if you say you are not bound to follow yet I suppose you can yeelde no sufficient reason why you should not credit his testimonie concerning the certaintie of the Hebrew veritie remaining to this daye and which shall remaine to the worldes ende although all the smatterers among you would brast for spite against it Concerning the opinion of them which thinke that Moses might leaue out Cainan in the genealogy of Sem by the same spirit that Mathew left out three kings in the genealogie of our Sauiour I answer if it be lawfull so to imagine we may without studie answer all controuersies although the same reason is not of Moses compiling a certaine account of the time from the floud to the calling of Abraham and of Mathew shewing by the legall discent which euery man might take out of the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles that Christ was the sonne of Dauid and therefore he was not bound to the number of successors seeing for memorie it was his purpose to recite but thrise foureteene generations That Beda maruaileth at the doubt which he could not dissolue his modestie is to be commended rather than his knowledge Neuerthelesse the same Beda in his preface vnto his retractation vpon the Acts of the Apostles speaking of such difference as he founde in the Greeke text of the Actes from the Latine he saith Quae vtrum negligentia interpretis omissa c. Which things whether they were omitted through negligence of the Interpreter or otherwise vttered or for lack of regard of the writers depraued or otherwise left as yet we coulde not know For I dare not so much as suspect that the Greeke copie was falsified wherefore I admonish the Reader that wheresoeuer we haue done these things he reade thē for his learning yet that he interlace them not in his booke as places corrected except perhaps he shal find the same in some Latine booke of a peculiar edition to haue bene of olde so interpreted This place sheweth that in Bedes time there were more Latine translatiōs than one that the vulgar Latine was not of such authoritie but that it might be corrected by the Greeke with the consent of other auncient Latine translations Likewise vpon the text in question Lib. 1. in Luc. cap. 3. he confesseth that the name generation of Cainan according to the Hebrew verity is found neither in Genesis nor in the Chronicles saying that S. Luke tooke this generation from the edition of the Septuaginta But whether is the truer or whether both can be true he leaueth it to the knowledge of God Noting that whereas according to the Hebrew verity from the floud to the birth of Abrahā there were but 292. yeares the 70. make 1077. so that the difference is no lesse than of 785. yeares But to fauour this fact of Beza in putting out the name of Cainan there is an auncient copie of the Gospels Actes in Greeke and Latine of as great antiquitie by all likelihood as any copie this day extant in Christendome sent vnto the Vniuersitie of Cambridge this laste yeare by Beza him selfe there to be kept in the cōmon librarie in which copie this generation of Cainan both in the Greeke in the Latine is cleane left out euen as Beza hath done in his translation So that he hath not onely the authoritie of Moses which of it selfe is sufficient but also the testimonie of this most aūcient booke both for the Greeke for the Latine to approue his facte in putting out Qui fuit Cainan What your vulgar latine translation hath left out in the later ende of the Lordes prayer in S. Mathew and in the beginning and middest in S. Luke whereby that heauenly prayer is made vnperfect not comprehending all things that a Christian man ought to pray for beside many other like omissions whether of purpose or of negligence and iniurie of time yet still by you defended I spare to speake of in this place MART. 23. Which also may be proued by all their false translations being the principall point I meane to speake of most euidently For as now they translate falsly to their purpose because they can not alter the text so would they if it were possible haue the text agreeable to their translation For example he that translateth ordinances when it is in the originall Greeke text iustifications and traditions he would rather that it were ordinances also in the Greeke but because he can not bring that about he doth at the least what he can to make the ignorant beleeue it is so by so translating it FVLK 23. You shall neuer be able to proue by any trāslatiō of ours though perhaps in some we may erre that we haue any purpose either to falsifie the truth or to change the text though it were possible for vs. In translating we haue dealt with a good conscience albeit not alwaies peraduenture we haue attained to the full truth which in translating out of one tongue into another is a very hard point throughly to obserue Your example of ordinances translated for that which in the Greeke is iustifications and tradition when you shewe where and by whome it is so translated you shall receiue an answer In the meane time I say a translator that hath regard to interprete for the ignorant peoples instruction may sometimes depart from the etymology or common signification or precise turning of worde for word and that for diuerse causes You your selues translate not Ecclesia alwayes the Church but sometimes the assemblie nor Seniores Elders but Seniors or auncients Neither would you translate Presbyter alwaies a priest if you translated the olde Testament In the storie of Susanna you would not call them Priestes that layd waite for her honestie and life yet in your vulgar Latine they are called Priestes So are they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke in the new Testament which you turne sometimes Priests sometimes auncients and sometimes Seniors MART. 24. And this of all other is the most fine and subtill treacherie against the Scriptures to deceiue the ignorant readers withall which S. Paule calleth the secret thinges of dishonestie and adulterating of the word of God as it were mingling water with wine like false vinteners when they giue them for Gods word vnder the name of Gods word their owne words and not Gods forged and framed altered and changed according to differences of times and varietie of new opinions and diuersitie of humors and spirits diuersly and differently
wilful needlesse or hereticall aâ—oyding For although the mariage of ecclesiasticall ministers generally is proued by that Scripture yet the mariage of votaries specially is nothing confirmed And for the mariage of Bishops Priestes and Deacons your owne translation of 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. both Latine and English will warrant them to be the husbandes of one wife so that euery childe may see that he needed not for that purpose to corrupt the texte 1. Cor. 9. And as for the other texts 2. Pet. 1. although this worde by good workes is not expressed in the moste Greeke copies yet the whole circumstance of the place giueth it necessarily to be vnderstoode and yet it maketh nothing agaynst iustification by fayth only For our election which is most certaine immutable in Gods determinatioÌ„ is made certainly knowen vnto vs by good workes the fruites of iustifying faith euen as the effectes doe necessarily proue the cause gone before And so dothe Thomas Mathewes Bible note likewise the Bishops Bible and the Geneua Bible for so I had rather call them than by the yeares in whiche they were once printed whiche haue bene often printed and perhaps all in some one yeare Couerdales Bible also addeth these wordes by good workes whiche is redde in some Greeke copies So true it is that you say wee leaue it out because wee holde the selfe same heresie As likewise that you slaunder vs to hold that good workes are not necessarie to saluation whereas we beleeue that good workes are as necessarie to saluation as fayth in all them that are iustified by faith onely But because you are not able to withstand the truth which we beleeue you faine odious Monsters as Dragons Centaures Hydraes to fight withall before the people that you might gette the prayse of glorious conquerours like S. George on horsebacke that in a pageant vanquisheth an hideous dragon made of paper or painted clothes MART. 37. So do they in infinite places alter the olde text which pleased them well before they were Heretikes and they do it with brasen faces and playne protestation hauing no shame nor remorse at all in fleeing from that which all antiquitie with one consent allowed and embraced vntill their vnhappie daies Which though it be an euident condemnation of their nouelties in the sight of any reasonable man that hath any grace yet as I began to admonish thee gentle Reader we will not charge them for altering the auncient approued Latin translation because they pretend to folowe the Hebrue and Greeke and our purpose is not here to proue that they should not folowe the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before the auncient approued Latine text which is done briefly already in the preface to the new Testament FVLK 37. You were afrayde belike to be ouermatched in rayling and therefore you thought to beare vs downe at once with a whole floud of reprochfull slaunders and that you vtter euen with the same face with which you affirme that al antiquitie with one consente allowed and embraced your vulgar Latine texte for what else you shoulde meane I cannot coniecture seing you say afterwarde you will not charge vs for altering the auncient approued Latine translation What say you Martin doth all antiquitie with one consent allowe and imbrace your vulgar Latine translation What is the cause then that the most of all antiquitie of the Latine Church vsed not your vulgar Latine text or dare you ioyne issue with me that all the Latine doctors for 400 yeares after Christe vsed none other Latine translation but that or that they all knewe your vulgar Latine translation you are neuer able to proue it The 70. translation in deede was greatly esteemed and almost generally receyued in the Greeke and Latine Churches and out of it were innumerable Latine versions as S. Augustine affirmeth But your vulgar Latine followeth it not in many places as it were easie to shewe if time and occasion serued and I suppose you will not denie As for the reasons you bring in the Preface to the newe Testament to proue that we should not followe the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before that auncient approued text when they come to be considered it shall appeare how vayne and friuolous they are But as for the Hebrue and Greeke that now is may easilie be proued to be the same that alwaies hath bene neither is their any diuersitie in sentence how soeuer some copies eyther through negligence of the writer or by any other occasion do varie from that which is commonly and most generally receyued in some letters syllables or wordes MART. 38. Neither will we burden them for not folowing the vulgar Latine texte when the same agreeth with most auncient Greeke copies which notwithstanding is great partialitie in them must needes be of an heretical wilful humor that among the Greeke copies themselues they reiect that which moste agreeth with the vulgar Latine text in places of controuersies Yet will wee not I say neither in this case lay falsehood and corruption to their charge because they pretend to translate the common Greeke text of the newe Testament that is one certaine copie But here at the least lette them shewe their fidelitie and that they be true and exact translatours For here onely shall they be examined and called to account FVLK 38. In translation we follow the common vsuall and printed coppies as you doe in your translation and yet you know there be as many yea ten times as many diuerse readings in the Latine as are in the Greeke witnesse hereof the Bible printed at Antwerpe by Christopher Plantine 1567. of Hentenius castigation where the margents almost of euerie leafe be full of diuerse readings obeliskes asterisks stigmates signifying the variety that is in many copies by adding detracting chaunging The same is confessed by Arias Montanus Lindanus likewise acknowledgeth as much Of that which you say we reiect that which best agreeth with the vulgar Latine in places of controuersie you bring none example But that among your diuerse readings you reiect that which agreeth best with the Hebrue and with the Greeke in places of controuersie I will giue you an example Gen. 3 v. â—5 where the Hebrue truth teacheth that the seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes heade and the Greeke translateth the pronoune in the masculine gender he meaning Christ and some auncient copies of your vulgar Latine haue ipse you neuerthelesse followe that blasphemous corruption that in these later times hath bene receiued in your vulgar Latine Bibles and reade still in your texte ipsa she which though you would wrest blasphemously to the virgin Marie which is proper to Christ can not by the circumstance of the place be aptly referred to any but to Eue. MART. 39. And if they followe sincerely their Greeke and Hebrue text which they professe to followe and which they esteeme the onely authenticall texte so farre we accuse them not of hereticall
Where if they wil tel vs as also in certaine other places that our Latine translation hath Seniores and maiores natu we tel them as heretofore we haue told them that this is nothing to them who professe to translate the Greeke Againe we say that if they meant no worse than the olde Latine translator did they would be as indifferent as he to haue sayde sometime Priests Priesthood when he hath the words Presbyteros Presbyterium as we are indifferent in our translation saying Seniors and Auncients when we finde it so in our Latine being well assured that by sundry wordes he meant but one thing as in Greeke it is but one as both Erasmus also Beza him selfe alwaies translate it keeping the name Presbyter Presbyteri of whome by reason they should haue learned rather than of our Latine translator whom otherwise they condemne And if they say they doe follow them not him because they translate not Senior maior natu but the word Presbyter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder in all places we tell them and herein we conuent their conscience that they doe it to take away the externall Priesthood of the new Testament and to suppresse the name Priest against the Ecclesiasticall as nowe since Christ very proper vsual signification thereof in the newe Testament councels fathers in all common writing and speaking specially the Latine Presbyter which grew to this signification out of the Greeke in the foresayd places of holy scripture FVLK 10. I haue told you already you could not but know that it should be told you that seeing we translate none otherwise thaÌ„ your vulgar Latine traÌ„slator we are no more to be blamed of falshood corruption profanenesse nouelty thaÌ„ he is who professed to traslate the Greeke as much as we do But if we had meant no worse say you than he we would haue bene as indifferent to haue said somtimes priest priesthood where he hath the word Presbyteros PresbyteriuÌ„ I aunswer PresbyteriuÌ„ he hath but once and for that you haue Priesthood once as you confessed before And if the name Priest were of the same vnderstanding in common English that the worde Presbyter is from whence it is deriued we woulde neuer haue sought more wordes for it than we doe for the wordes Bishoppe Deacon and such like The wordes Presbyter and Presbyterium you confesse that Beza doth alwayes vse and so doe we when we write or speake Latine but we can not vse them in English except we shoulde be as fonde as you in your gratis deposiâ—um and suche fantasies And to tell you plainely as our conscience beareth vs witnesse we will neuer dissemble that we auoyde that worde Priest as it is vsed to signifie a sacrificer because we would shew a perfect distinction betwene the priesthood of the lawe and the ministerye of the Gospell betwene Sacerdos and Presbyter a sacrificer and a gouernor of the Church And I appeale to your owne conscience whether if the Englishe worde Priest were as indifferent as Presbyter and sounded no more towardes a sacrifice than either Presbyter or your owne Englishe wordes Auncient and Senior whether I saye you woulde make so muche a doe about it for to haue it in all places of the Newe Testament where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Greeke But seeing your popishe sacrificing power and blasphemous sactifice of your Masse hath no manner grounde at all in the holye Scriptures eyther in the originall Greeke or in your owne Latine translation you are driuen to seeke a seelye shadowe for it in the abusiue acception and sounding of the Englishe worde Priest and priesthoode And therefore you doe in the seconde section of this chapiter in greate earnest affirme that Priest sacrifice and altar are dependents and consequents one of another so that they can not be separated If you shoulde saye in Latine Sacerdos sacrificium altare or in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be such consequents we will all subscribe vnto you but if you will chaunge the first word and say Presbyter sacrificium altare or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euerie learned mans eares will gloe to heare you say they are dependents and consequentes inseparable Therefore we must needes distinguish of the word Priest in your Corollarie for you meane thereby Sacerdotem we graunt the consequence of sacrifice and altar but if you meane Presbyterium we deny that euer God ioyned those three in an vnseparable bande or that Presbyter in that he is Presbyter hath any thing to doe with sacrifice or altar more than Senior or Maicr natu or Auncient or Elder MART. 11. Insomuch that immediatly in the first Canons and Councels of the Apostles and their successors nothing is more common than this distinction of Ecclesiasticall degrees and names Si Episcopus vel Presbyter vel Diaconus c. If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon doe this or that Which if the Protestantes or Caluinistes will translate after their maner thus If a Bishoppe or Elder or Deacon c. they doe against them selues which make Presbyter or Elder a common name to all Ecclesiastical persons and not a peculiar degree next vnto a Bishop So that either they must condemne all antiquity for placing Presbyter in the 2. degree after a Bishoppe or they must translate it Priest as we doe or they must make Elder to be their seconde degree and so put Minister out of place FVLK 11. The distinction of Episcopus and Presbyter to signifie seuerall offices we graunt to be of great antiquitie albeit we may not admitte the counterfaite Canons of the Apostles nor the Epistles of Ignatius for suche mens writings as they beare the name to be We make Presbyter or Elder a common name to all Ecclesiasticall persons none otherwise than you doe this word Priest For Deacons with vs are not called Presbyteri or Elders As for the distinction of Bishoppes and Elders names which the Scripture taketh for the same doth no more condemne all antiquity in vs than in you Who acknowledge that the Scripture vseth those names without distinctioÌ„ in your note vpon Act. 20. v. 28. where they are called Bishoppes which before ver 17. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you translate Auncients and expound Priests and thus you write Bishops or Priests for those names were sometime vsed indifferently Gouernours of the Churche of God and placed in that roome and high function by the holy Ghost But it seemeth you haue small regard to defende your owne notes so you might find occasion to quarrell at our wordes MART. 12. And here we must aske them how this name Minister came to be a degree distinct from a Deacon whereas by their owne rule of translation Deacon is nothing else but a Minister why keepe they the old and vsuall Ecclesiasticall name of Deacon in translating Diaconus and not the name of Priest in translating
Let a bishop be consecrated or ordained by two or three Bishops Let a Priest be made by one Bishop See in the 4. Councel of Carthage the diuerse maner of coÌ„secrating Bishops Priests Deacons c. Where S. Augustine was present and subscribed Againe Si quis Presbyter conteÌ„nens Episcopum suum c. If any Priest contemning his Bishop make a seueral congregation and erect another altar that is make a Sehisme or Heresie let him be deposed So did Arius being a Priest against his Bishop AlexaÌ„der Againe Priests and Deacons let them attempt to do nothing without the Bishop The first Councell of Nice saith The holy Synode by all meanes forbiddeth that neyther Bishop nor Priest nor Deacon c. haue with them any forren woman but the mother or sister c. in whom there is no suspicion Againe It is told the holy Councel that in certaine places cities Deacons giue the Sacraments to Priests This neither rule nor custome hath deliuered that they which haue not authoritie to offer the sacrifice should giue to them that offer the body of Christ. The 3. Councel of Carthage wherein S. Augustine was and to the which he subscribed decreeth That in the Sacraments of the body bloud of Christ there be no more offered than our Lord him selfe deliuered that is bread and wine mingled with water Whiche the sixth generall Councell of Constantinople repeating and confirming ad doth If therefore any Bishop or Priest doe not according to the order giuen by the Apostles mingling water with wine but offer an vnmingled sacrifice let him be deposed c. But of these speaches all Councelles be full where wee would gladly know of these new Translatours how Presbyter must be translated eyther an Elder or a Priest FVLK 17. I thinke you haue cleane forgotten your promise so lately made that this word Presbyter hath alwaies bin peculiar for a Priest you bring many testimonies some counterfaite some autenticall in which the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Presbyter is found but that in all them it is peculiar for a Priest you shew not at all Some colour it hath of that you say in the 14. Can. of the Nicene Councell Carth. 3. c. 24. repeated Const. 6. where mention is made of sacrifice and offering for so they did vnproperly call the administration of the Lordes supper in respect of the sacrifice of thanks giuing that was offered therein After which phrase also they called the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Sacerdotes sacrificers So they called that which in deede was a table of wood an altar and the inferior ministers Leuites by which it appeareth they did rather allude to the names vsed in the old TestameÌ„t than acknowledged a sacrificing Priesthood that might as properly be so called as the Priesthood after the order of Aaron was Sometime they vsed the name of sacrifice Sacerdos generally for religious seruice the minister of religion as the Gentils did And hereof it is that wee read often of the sacrifices of bread and wine and in the Canon of Carthage by you cited Nec amplius in sacrificijs offeratur quà m de vuis frumentis And let no more be offered in the sacrifices thaÌ„ that which is made of grapes and corne This was bread and wine not the naturall body and bloud of Christe Wherefore these vnpropre speaches proue not a sacrificing priesthood whereby the naturall body and bloud of Christ should be offered in the Masse which is the marke you shoote at MART. 18. Do not all the fathers speake after the same maner making alwaies this distinction of Bishop and Priest as of the first and second degree S. Ignatius the Apostles scholer doth he not place Presbyterium as he calleth it and Presbyteros Priests or the College of Priests next after Bishops and Deacons in the third place repeating it no lesse than thrice in one Epistle and coÌ„mending the dignitie of all three vnto the people doth not S. Hierom the very same saying Let vs honour a Bishop do reuerence to a Priest rise vp to a Deacon And when he saith that as Aaron his sonnes the Leuites were in the Temple so are Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church for place and degree And in an other place speaking of 〈…〉 ages done by the Vandals and such like Bishops were 〈…〉 Priestes slaine and diuerse of other Ecclesiastical oâ—â—ers Churches ouerthrowen the altars of Christe made stables for horses the relikes of Martyrs digged vp c. When he saith of Nepotian fit Clericus per solitos gradus Presbyter ordinatur he becommeth a man of the Clergie and by the accustomed degrees in m 〈…〉 at a Priest or an Elder when he saith Mihi ante Presbyâ—â—â—uÌ„ sedere non licet c. doth he meane he could not sit aboue an Elder or aboue a Priest him self as then being not Priest When he Vincentius as S. Epiphanius writeth of reuerence to the degree were hardly induced to be made Presbyteri did they refuse the Eldership What was the matter that Iohn the B. of Hierusalem seemed to be so much offended with Epiphanius S. Hierom was it not because Epiphanius made Pauliamus S. Hieroms brother Priest within the said Iohns Diocese FVLK 18. Before the blasphemous heresie of the Popish sacrifice of the Masse was established in the world the fathers did with more libertie vse the termes of sacrifice and sacrificing Priestes which improper speaches since they haue giuen occasion in the time of ignorance to maintain that blasphemous heresie there is good reason that we should beware how we vse any such termes especially in translatioÌ„ of the Scriptures Al the rest of the authorities you cite in this section 500. moe such as they are speake of Presbyter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wordes we embrace but of the English word Prieste as it is coÌ„monly taken for a sacrificer or against this word Elder they speake nothing for in all those places we may truly translate for Presbyter an Elder MART. 19. When all antiquitie saith Hieronymus Presbyter Cecilius Presbyter Ruffinus Presbyter Philippus Iâ—â—encus Hesychius Beda Presbyteri and when S. Hierom so often in his Cataloge saith Such a man Presbyter is it not for distinction of a certaine order to signifie that they were Priests and not Bishops namely when he saith of S. Chrysostom Ioannes Presbyter Antiochenus doth he not meane he was as then but a Priest of Antioche Would he haue said so 〈…〉 had written of him after he was Bishop of Constantinopl 〈…〉 FVLK 19. Al this while here is nothing for the English word Priest in that respect we auoid it in traÌ„slatioÌ„ nor against the worde Elder which we vse by which we meane 〈…〉 other thing than the Scripture doth giue vs to vn 〈…〉 d by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the distinction of
why is not this confessioÌ„ a Sacrament where them selues acknowledge forgiuenesse of sinnes by the Minister These contradictions and repugnance of their practise and translation if they can wittily and wisely reconcile they may perhaps in this point satisfie the reader But whether the Apostle speake here of Sacramentall confession or no sincere translators should not haue fledde from the proper and most vsuall word of confession or confessing consonant both to the Greeke and Latine and indifferent to what soeuer the holy Ghost might meane as this word acknowledge is not FVLK 7. Of the word of penance and therevpoÌ„ to wring in satisfaction we haue heard more than enough but that penance is a Sacrament wee haue heard neuer a worde to proue it But what say wee against confession Forsooth Iames 5. wee translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledge your selfes Why sir dothe acknowledging signifie any other thing than confessing you want then nothing else but the sounde of confession which among the ignoraunt woulde helpe you litle whiche terme your Popishe acknowledging rather shrifte than confession It is maruaile then that you blame vs not because wee say not shriue your selues one to an other A miserable Sacrament that hath neede of the sounde of a worde to helpe it to bee gathered But how I pray you should the reader gather your auricular shrifte or Popishe confession if the worde confesse your selues were vsed by vs I weene because the Priests are called in a little before It is more than mough if you might gaine your Sacrament of anealing by their comming in But shrifte commeth to late after extreeme vnction Well admitte the Apostle forgotte the order and placed it after which shoulde come before must wee needes haue Priestly confession proued out of that place doth not S Iames say coÌ„fesse your selues one to an other as he saith pray one for an other Then it followeth that the Lay man muste shriue the Prieste as well as the Prieste muste shriue the Laye man And the Priest muste confesse him selfe to the people as well as the people muste pray for the Prieste But you haue an obiection out of the Communion booke to proue confession to be a Sacrament which appointeth that the sicke person shal make a speciall confession to the minister and he to absolue him c. Will you neuer leaue this shamelesse cogging and forging of matters against vs The Communion booke appointeth a speciall confessioÌ„ only for them that feele their conscience troubled with any waighty matter that they may receiue counsaile and comforte by the minister who hath aucthoritie in the name of God to remitte sinnes not only to them that be sicke but also to them that be whole and dayly dothe pronounce the absolution to them that acknowledge confesse their sinnes humbly before God But hereof it followeth not that this confession is a Sacrament for by preaching the people that beleeue are absolued froÌ„ their sinnes by the ministerie of the Preacher yet is not preaching a Sacrament A Sacrament must haue an outward element or bodily creature to represent the grace of remission of sinnes as in Baptisme and in the Lordes supper But where you conclude that sincere translators should not haue fledde the proper and moste vsuall worde of confession you speake your pleasure for the worde of acknowledging is more proper and vsuall in the English tongue than is the worde of confessing And if you can proue any Sacrament out of that texte beholde you haue the Greeke and Latine vntouched and the English answereable to both make your Syllogisme out of that place to proue Popish shrift when you dare CHAP. XV. Hereticall translation against the Sacrament of HOLY ORDERS and for the MARIAGE OF PRIESTS and VOTARIES Martin AGAINST the Sacrament of Orders what can they doe more in translation than in all their Bibles to take away the name of Priest and Priesthood of the new Testament altogether and for it to say Elder and Eldership Whereof I treated more at large in an other place of this booke Here I adde these fewe obseruations that both for Priestes and Deacons which are two holy orders in the Catholike Church they translate Ministers to commend that newe degree deuised by themselues As when they say in all their Bibles Feare the Lord with all thy soule and honour his ministers In the Greeke it is plaine thus and honour his Priests as the word alwayes signifieth and in the very next sentence themselues so translate Feare the Lorde and honour the Priestes But they would needes borowe one of these places for the honour of Ministers As also in the Epistle to Timothee where S. Paul talketh of Deacons and nameth them twise they in the firste place translate thus Likewise muste the Ministers be honest c. And a litle after Let the Deacons be the husbaÌ„ds of one wife Loe the Greeke worde being one and the Apostle speaking of one Ecclesiasticall order of Deacons and Beza so interpreating it in both places yet our English translators haue allowed the first place to their Ministers and the second to Deacons and so because Bishops also went before they haue found vs out their three orders Bishops Ministers and Deacons Alas poore soules that can haue no place in Scripture for their Ministers but by making the Apostle speake three things for two Fulke FOR the names of Priest and Elder wee haue spoken heretofore sufficiently as also for the name of Minister which is vsed for the same that Elder and Prieste althoughe the word signifie more generally That the worde Ministers is put for Priests I take it rather to bee an ouersight of the firste translatour whome the rest folowed because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth immediatly after than any purpose against the order of Priest or to dignifie the name of Ministers For seeing Syrachs sonne speaketh of the Priests and Ministers of the â—awe his saying can make nothing to or froe for the names of the Ministers Priestes or Elders of the new Testament That some translatioÌ„s in 1. Tim. 3. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reÌ„der Ministers it is because they supposed the Greeke word to be taken there in the generall sense as it is in manye other places not to make three degrees of twoo as you do fondly cauil For the orders of Bishops Elders or as you cal them Priests and as they be commonly called Priests and Ministers is all one in authoritie of ministring the word the Sacraments The degree of Bishoppes as they are taken to be a superiour order vnto Elders or Priestes is for gouernment and discipline specially committed vnto them not in authoritie of handling the worde and the sacraments MART. 2. There are in the Scripture that are called Ministers in infinite places and that by three Greeke wordes commonly but that is a large signification of minister attributed to al that minister waite serue or attend to doe any
vocat propterea sacerdotio fungitur vt homo recipis autem ea quae offeruntur vt Deus offeri verò ecclesia corporis eius sanguinis symbola omne fermentum per primitias sanctificans And Christ is nowe a priest which is sprung of Iuda according to the flesh not offering any thing himselfe but is called the head of them that offer seeing he calleth the church his bodie and therefore he exerciseth the priesthoode as a man and hee receiueth those thinges that are offered as God and the church truely doth offer the tokens of his bodie and bloud sanctifying euerie leauen by the first fruites In these wordes Theodoret speaketh not of the sacrifice that Christ offered himselfe but of the spirituall sacrifice of thankesgiuing which the church offereth to him in celebrating the memorie of his death Not of the priesthoode which Christ did exercise in earth but of the priesthoode that he doth exercise in heauen not now offering anie thing but as God receiuing oblations And where he sayth that nowe he exerciseth the priesthoode as man he denieth not but that he doeth exercise it as mediator God and man Which is more plaine in his exposition of the Epistle to the Heb. cap. 8. where he enquireth how Christ doth both sit at the right hande of maiestie and yet is a minister of the holy thinges Quonam enim munere sacerdotali fungitur qui seipsum semelobtuliâ— non offert amplius sacrificium Quomodo autem fieri potest vt idem sedeaâ— socerdotali officio fungatur Nisi fortè dixerit quispiam esse munus sacerdotale salutem quam vt dominus procurat Tabernaculum autem vocauit coelum cuius est ipse opifex quem vt hominem dixit Apostolus fungi sacerdotio For what priestly office doth he exercise which hath once offered vp himselfe and doth no more offer any sacrifice And howe can it be that the same person shoulde together both sit and exercise the priestly office Except perhaps a man will say that the saluation which he procureth as Lorde is a priestly office Neither hath he any other meaning Dialog prime where his purpose is to prooue that Christ had a body Si est ergo sacerdonum proprium offerre munera Christus autem quod ad humanit atem quidem attinet sacerdos appellatus est non aliam autem hostiam quam suum corpus obtuliâ— Dominus ergo Christus corpus habuiâ— If therefore it be proper for priestes to offer giftes and Christ as concerning his humanitie truely is called a priest and he offered none other sacrifice but his owne bodie therefore our Lorde Christ had a bodie He sayth not that Christ is a priest according to his humanitie onelie whereas the excellencie of his person being both God and man caused â—is sacrifice to be acceptable and auaileable for the redemption of man But to make the matter cleare beside that which the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues ca. 9. these argumentes may plainely be drawen out of the 7. cap. where he speaketh expresly of his priesthood after the order of Melchisedech Christ as he is without father and without mother is â— priest after the order of Melchisedech Christ as he is God and man is without father and without mother therfore Christ as he is God and man is a priest after the order of Melchisedech Againe Christ as he hath no beginning of his dayes nor ende of his life is a priest after the order of Melchisedech Christ according to his diuinitie hath no beginning of his daies nor ende of his life according to his whole person Therefore Christ according to his diuinitie and according to his whole person is a priest after the order of Melchisedech Againe except you vnderstand Christ to haue beene a priest according to his diuinitie he was tythed in the loynes of Abraham as well as Lcui but according to his diuinitie hee was not in the loynes of Abraham and therfore payde no tythe in Abraham as God though as man he was subiect to the law but receiued tythes of Abraham in his priest and figure Melchisedech For the priest receiueth tythes in the name of God as also he blesseth in the name of God Therefore if Christ giue priestly blessing in his owne name he giueth it as he is God and not as man onely Finally to say that that Christ was a priest only in respect of his manhood â—auoreth rankely of Nestorianisme whereas our assertion that Christ is an high priest both according to his deitie in which he is equall with his father and also according to his humanitie in which the father is greter than he is as farre from Arrianisme as the Papistes are from honestie and synceritie to charge vs with such open blasphemie God be praised Imprinted at London by George Bishop and Henrie Binneman 1583. D. Standish D. Heskins Heretikes fiue vvaies specially abuse the Scriptures â— Denying certaine bookes or parts of bookes 2 Doubting of their authoritie and calling theÌ„ into question 2 Voluntarie expositions according to euery ones fansie or heresie 4. Changing some vvordes or sentences of the very originall text Tertul. cont Marae cio li. â— in princ Tertul. lib. 5. False and heretical traÌ„slation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possedi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. ep 89. lib. 1. de pec mer. cap. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Protestants Caluinists vse the foresaid fiue meanes of defacing the Scriptures * Cont. rat Edm. Camp pag. 18. Retent pag. 32. dist of the Rock pag. 307. Luther in noâ—o Test. Germa in Prefat Iacobi Conc. Cart. 3. can 47. * Argu. in epist. Iacob * Whitak p. 10. * Ibid. Lib. 6. cap. 18. De doct Christ. lib. 2. cap. 8. Anno. 1532. Anno. 1537. Ibid. pag. 17. M. VVhitaker by these vvords condemneth their ovvne Seruice booke vvhich appointeth these bookes of Tobie and Ecclesiasticus to be read for holy Scripture as the other Doe they read in their Churches Apocryphall superstitious bookes for holy Scripture or is he a Puritane that thus disgraceth their order of daily Seruice In expositione Symbolâ— pag. 10. M. VVhitakers booke In the argument Bib. an 1579. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. lib. 6. cap. â— Hieronim ad â—aâ—d Tom. 3. â—â—â—â—â—â— lib. 3. cap. 6. in EuaÌ„g Math. â—â— 5. cap. 26. Cyprianus aliâ— in Concilio Aphricano * Whitak pag. 17. 120. Ibid. pag. 101. Praef. ad 6. theses Oxon pag. 25. Lib. Confess 1. cap. 14. lib. 7. c. 20. Cicer. de Senect Beza the mouse of Geneua gnavveth the text of Scripture De ineam dom cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No. Test. an 1556. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza reconcileth the Greeke â—â—â—â— of the nevv TestameÌ„t vvith the Hebrevve text of the old by putting out of the Greeke text so much as pleaseth him Est. 6. 9. 10. Gal. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
ascribing that Reuelation to Sainct Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle Last of all you say it is most certaine and we knowe best by our vsuall doings that it is a principall way to discredit any booke to deny it to be the authors vnder whose name it hath bene receyued Howe certaine it is with you whereof no man else but you can see any light of reason or necessitie of conclusion I knowe not but wee are not so voyde of witte if we lacked honestie that we would discredite Paules Epistle by saying it was Peters or Augustines sermon by saying it was Ambrose or Chrysostomes worke by saying it was Basils But if wee would bring any booke out of credite by denying the auctor whose title it hath borne wee would rather intitle it to some other writer of lesse credite or later tyme or by some other argumentes proue it vnworthie of credite not by onely denying it to be the auctors vnder whose name it hath hene receyued MART. 13. But I come to the thirde point of voluntarie expositions of the Scripture that is when euery man expoundeth according to his errour and Heresie This needeth no proofe for we see it with our eyes Looke vpon the Caluinistes and Puritanes at home the Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abrode reade their bookes written vehemently one secte against an other are not their expositions of one and the same Scripture as diuerse and contrarie as their opinions differ one from an other Let the example at home be their controuersie about the distinction of Ecclesiasticall degrees Arch-bishop Bishop and minister the example abroade their diuerse imaginations and phantasies vpon these most sacred wordes Hoc est corpus meum FVLK 13. That euery one of vs expoūdeth the scripture voluntarily according to his errour or heresie you say it needeth no proofe for you see it with your eyes You haue very cleere sight to see a mote in other mens eies but can not see a beame in your owne You make your demonstration by the Caluinists and Puritans at home the Lutherans Zuinglians Caluinists abroad the one for the distinctiō of Ecclesiastical degrees Archbishop Bishop Minister the other for their diuerse imaginations phantasies of these wordes Hoc est corpus meum But I beseech you sir touching the domestical dissentiō what is the text or what be the texts of Scripture vpon which these voluntarie expositions are made for the distinction or confusion of Ecclesiastical degrees If they had bene as ready as Hoc est corpus meum they should haue bene set downe as well as that But I suppose they are yet to seeke for that controuersie as I take it standeth rather in collections than interpretations and in question whether the political gouernment of the Church be distinctly expressed in the scripture or no. As for the cōtention abroad I confesse to stand a great part in exposition of that text wherin although the one part doth erre is that a sufficient cause to condēne thē both The church of Africa and the Church of Rome and the two principall lights of them both Cyprian and Cornelius dissented about rebaptizing them that were baptized of Heretikes The Aphricans not in one text onely but in the exposition of many differed from the Romanes from the truth yet it were hard to condemne them both for Heretikes least of all them that held the truth S. Augustine and S. Hierom dissented about a text of S. Paule to the Galathians of Peters dissembling as their contrary epistles doe testifie The truth was of S. Augustines side yet was not the other an heretike following a wrōg interpretation And to come nearer home vnto you the Dominicans Franciscans Friers were at daggers drawing as we say yea at most sharpe and bitter contention betwene themselues and all the Popish Church was deuided about their brawling concerning the conception of the virgin Marie whether she were conceaued in sinne or no where many texts of Scripture must needes receiue voluntarie expositions if not of both partes yet at the least of one parte which of those will you say were heretikes If you say neither of both then must you haue stronger reasons to proue vs all heretikes than voluntarie expositions where parties be in diuerse opinions especially in matter not ouerthrowing the foundation of Christian religion And when you haue gathered the most voluntarie expositions you can finde yet shall you finde none so grosse so absurde so impertinent as you Papistes haue coyned for maintenaunce of your errours and heresies of which you your selfe are ashamed though otherwise you haue iron foreheads and brasen faces A few examples among a great many shall suffice God made man according to his owne image that is to say we must haue images in the Church No man lighteth a candell and putteth it vnder a bushell the meaning is that images must be set vpon the altar God made two great lightes the Sunne and the Moone that is the Pope to be aboue the Emperour Beholde here are two swordes that is the Pope hath power of both the swordes Put on the whole armour of God that is the Priest must put on all his vestiments before he saye Masse I am become as sownding brasse or as a tinckling Cymbal that is the bels in the steeple signifie preaching of Gods word I might fill many leaues yea a whole booke of such popish expositions as the Papistes in our dayes dare not for shame abide by MART. 14. And if you will yet haue a further demonstration this one may suffice for all They reiect Councels Fathers and the Catholike Churches interpretation vnlesse it be agreeable to Gods word and whether it be agreeable or no that Luther shall iudge for the Lutherans Caluin for the Caluinists Cartwright for the Puritans and an other for the Brethren of loue briefly them selues will be iudges both of Councels and Fathers whether they expound the Scriptures well or no and euery youth among them vpon confidence of his spirit and knowledge wil saucily controule not onely one but all the fathers consenting togither if it be against that which they imagine to be the truth FVLK 14. We had neede of a better demonstration than the former by which you your selues are proued Heretikes rather than we But let vs see how handsomly you begin They reiect say you Councels and Fathers and the Catholike Churches interpretation vnlesse it be agreeable to Gods word Thus farre you say wel We doe reiect not only those that you name but euen an Angel from heauen except his message be agreeable to Gods word But all the rest that you assume to the ende of this section is a starke staring lye except that you saye of H. N. for the brethren of loue which are more like to you than to vs. For neither Luther nor Caluin nor Cartwright is iudge among vs whether any thing be agreeable to the worde of God but whatsoeuer any of them doe
to the Greeke text by one that fauoured Peters primacie Is it so then you will not stande to this Greeke texte neither Not in this place saith Beza FVLK 49. In graunting Peter to be the firste wee neede not graunt him to be the chiefe and if we graunt him to be the chiefe it followeth not that he is chiefe in auctoritie But if that were graunted it is not necessarie that he was head of the Church And albeit that were also graunted the Bishop of Rome could gaine nothing by it But what saith Beza where the texte saith the firste Peter If wee muste beleeue you hee saith No wee will graunt you no suche thing for these wordes were added to the Greeke texte by one that fauoured Peters primacie I praye you Martin where hath Beza those wordes will you neuer leaue this shamefull forgerie Beza in the tenth of Mathew doth only aske the question Quid si hoc vocabulum c. what if this worde were added by some that would establish the Primacie of Peter for nothing followeth that may agree with it This asketh Beza but as an obiectioÌ„ which immediatly after he answeareth concludeth that it is no addition but a naturall word of the text found in all copies confessed by Theophylact an enimie of the Popes primacie and defendeth it in the third of Marke where it is not in the common Greeke copies nor in the vulgar Latine against Erasmus who finding it in some Greeke copies thought it was vntruely added out of Mathew But Beza saith Ego verò non dubito quin haec sit germana lectio But I doubte not but this is the true and right reading of the texte and therefore hee translateth Primâ—inâ— Simonem the firste Simon out of the fewe copies Erasmus speaketh of Therefore it is an abhominable slaunder to charge him with following the common receyued texte where it seemeth to make against you when hee contendeth for the truth against the common text yea and against your owne vulgar Latine to giue you that which you make so great accompte of that Peter in the Cataloge of the Apostles was firste So greatly hee feareth to acknowledge that Peter was called first And so true it is that you charge him to say No wee will graunt you no such thing for these wordes were added to the Greeke texte by one that fauoured Peters primacie I hope your favourers seeing your forgerie thus manifestly discouered will giue you lesse credite in other your shamelesse slaunders at the leastwise this in equitie I trust all Papistes will graunt not to beeleue your report against any mans writing except they reade it thoÌ„selues Now â—â—at this worde the first argueth no primacie or superioritie beside those places quoted by Beza Act. 26. 20. Rom. 1 8. 3 2. You may read 1. Par. v 23 24. where the posteritie of Leui and Aaron are rehearsed as they were appointed by Dauid in their orders or courses Subuel primus Rohobia primus sors prima Ioiarib c. where least you should thinke of any headship or principalitie because the Hebrue is somtime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may see that Subuel is called primus of the sonnes of Gerson when there is no more mentioned more expresly Rohobia is called primus of the sonnes of Eleazer of whome it is sayd that he had no more sonnes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth here the first in order it appeareth by those generations where the second third or fourth is named as in the sonnes of Hebron and of Oziel Also in the sonnes of Semei where Iehoth is counted the first Ziza the second Iaus and Beria becaused they increase not in sonnes were accounted for one familie In all which there is no other primacy than in the first lot of Ioiarib where the Hebrew worde is harishuon and so follow the restâ—n order vnto foure and twenty courses Therefore there is no cause why we should not stand to the Greeke text in that place neither did Beza euer deny to stande to it MART. 50. Let vs see an other place You must graunt vs saywe by this Greeke text that Christes very bloud which was shed for vs is really in the chalice because S. Luke sayth so in the Greeke text No sayth Beza those Greeke wordes came out of the margem into the text and therefore I translate not according to them but according to that which I thinke the truer Greeke text although I finde it in no copies in the world and this his doing is maintained iustified by our English Protestants in their writings of late FVLK 50. Still Beza speaketh as you inspire into him while he speaketh through your throte or quil The truth is Beza sayth that either there is a manifest Soloecophanes that is an appearance of incongruitie or els those wordes which is shed for you seeme to be added out of S. Mathew or els it is an errour of the writers placing that in the nominatiue case which should be in the datiue For in the datiue case did Basil read them in his morals 21. definition Neuertheles all our olde bookes sayth Beza had it so written as it is commonly printed in the nominatiue case Here are three seuerall disiunctions yet can you finde none but one proposition that you set downe as though it were purely and absolutely affirmed by Beza Likewise where you speake of no copies in the world you say more than Beza who speaketh but of such copies as he had who if he were of no better conscience than you would haue him seeme to be might faine some copie in his owne handes to salue the matter But the truth is that since he wrote this he found one more auncient copie both in Greeke and Latine which nowe is at Cambridge where this whole verse is wanting But of this matter which somewhat concerneth my selfe particularly I shall haue better occasion to write in the places by you quoted cap. 1. num 37. and cap. 17. num 11. where I will so iustifie that which I haue written before touching this place as I trust all learned and indifferent Readers shall see how vainely you insult against me where you bewray grosser ignorance in Greeke phrases than euer I woulde haue suspected in you being accounted the principall Linguist of the Seminarie at Rhemes MART. 51. Well yet sayewe there are places in the same Greeke text as plaine for vs as these now cited where you can not say it came out of the margent or it was added falsely to the text Aâ— Stand and hold fast the traditions c. by this text we require that you graunt vs traditions deliuered by word of mouth as wel as the written word that is the Scriptures No say they we know the Greeke word signifieth tradition as plaine as possibly but here and in the like places we rather translate it ordinances instructions and what els soeuer Nay Sirs
image of their idolls For they worshippe not an idoll but for varietie of their doctrine they adore diuerse Gods And he put in very well which you made to your selues for they receiued them not of God but forged them of their owne minde And of the idoll of Samaria he sayth we alwayes vnderstand Samaria and the idoll of Samaria in the person of Heretikes the same Prophet saying WOE BE TO THEM THAT DESPISE SION AND TRVST IN THE MOVNT OF SAMARIA For Heretikes despise the Churche of God and trust in the falshood of their opinions erecting them selues against the knowledge of God and saying when they haue diuided the people by schisme we haue no part in Dauid nor inheritance in the sonne of Isay. FVLK 29. Not these onely but the idols of the Simonists Valentinians Gnostici Carpocratits Collyridians and such like made with handes of Christ and his mother of Paule and Simon and Selene and Pythagoras c. and such other were idolls of false Christians since the idolatrie of the Gentiles gaue place by the iudgement of Irenaeus Epiphanius and other auncient doctors And whatsoeuer you cite or can cite out of Saint Hierom against the idolls of heresies agreeth most aptly to your selues the Papistes who worship not onely idols made with handes but also the idols of your braines which are abhominable heresies MART. 30. Thus the Reader may see that the holye Scriptures which the aduersaries falsly translate against the holy images of our Sauiour Christ and his Saincts to make vs Idolaters doe in deede concerne their idolls and condemne them as idolaters which forge newe opinions to them selues such as the auncient fathers knewe not and adore them and their owne sense and interpretation of Scriptures so farre and so vehemently that they preferre it before the approued iudgement of all the generall councels and holy doctors and for maintenance of the same corrupt the holy scriptures at their pleasure and make them speake according to their fansies as we haue partly shewed and now are to declare further FVLK 30. Thus the Reader may see that when you haue cauilled quarrelled falsified and slaundered as much as you can to charge vs with false translation of the Scripture concerning images you can finde nothing worth the nothing but if some small ouersight through negligence or perhaps the Printers fault hath escaped you make a great matter of it although it be corrected by our selues in other translations and when all other matter faileth you returne to your accustomed veine of rayling and reuiling which in no wise mans iudgement deserueth any aunswer because it is so generall CHAP. IIII. The ECCLESIASTICALL vse of wordes turned into their ORIGINAL and PROFANE signification Martin WE spake a litle before of the double signification of wordes the one according to the originall propertie the other according to the vsuall taking thereof in all vulgar speech and writing These wordes as by the way we shewed before vpon occasion of the Aduersaries graunt are to be translated in their vulgar and vsuall signification not as they signifie by their originall propertie As for example Maior in the originall signification is greater But when we say The Maior of London now it is taken and soundeth in euery mans eare for such an Officer and no man will say The greater of London according to the originall propertie of it Likewise Episcopus a Greeke word in the originall sense is euery ouerseer as Tullie vseth it and other profane writers but among Christians in Ecclesiasticall speech it is a Bishop And no man will say My Lord ouerseer of London for my Lord Bishop Likewise we say Seuen Deacons S. Steuen a Deacon No man will say Seuen Ministers S. Steuen a Minister Although that be the originall signification of the word Deacon But by Ecclesiasticall vse and appropriation being taken for a certaine degree of the Clergie so it foundeth in euery mans eare and so it must be translated As we say Nero made many Martyrs not Nero made many witnesses and yet Martyr by the first originall propertie of the word is nothing else but a witnesse We say Baptisme is a sacrament not washing is a sacrament Yet Baptisme and washing by the first originall propertie of the word is all one Fulke WE haue also aunswered before that words must not be alwaies translated according to their originall and generall signification but according to such signification as by vse they are appropried to be taken We agree also that words taken by custome of speech into an Ecclesiasticall meaning are not to be altered into a straunge or profane signification For such vanities and nouelties of wordes the Apostle prohibiteth wherof the popish translatiō of the new Testament is fraught full Notwithstanding our meaning is not that if any Greeke termes or words of any other language haue of long time bene vsurped in our English language the true vnderstanding of which is vnknowen at this day to the common people but that the same termes may be either in translation or exposition set out plainly to enforme the simplicitie of the ignorant by such wordes as of them are better vnderstoode Also when those termes are abused by custome of speech to signifie some other thing than they were first appointed for or else be taken ambiguously for diuers things we ought not to be superstitious in these cases but to auoide misvnderstanding we may vse words according to their originall signification as they were taken in such time as they were written by the instruments of the holy Ghost As for example if a Bishop be mistaken by the people either for such an idoll as the Papistes vsed to make of their S. Nicolas bishops or else for a great Lord onely that rideth about in a white rochet they may be told that the name of a Bishop describeth his office that is to be an ouerseer of the flocke of Christ committed to his charge Likewise if the word Deacon be taken for such an one as at a popish masse standeth in a disguised tunicle holding a patten or some other Idolatrous bable vsed of them the people must be taught that this name signifieth a minister which was ordeined not to serue the Popish altar but the poore mens tables that is to prouide for the poore and to see the Churches almes bestowed vpon them Also if the name of Martyrs be not vnderstood but taken onely for them that are tormented and rent in bodie as the common speach is to say of men beasts that they are martyred whē their bodies are woūded and mangled here it is needefull to shewe that the Saincts that suffered for Christe had their name of their witnesse or testimonie not of their paines torments The name of Baptisme is so common to Christians that it neede not to be changed into washing but yet it may and ought to be explicated vnto the vnlearned what this worde doth signifie which is no prophane
signification but a true and general vnderstanding of the word which is vsed of the Euangelist for other washings than the Sacrament of Baptisme and so you are inforced to translate it Marc. 7. MART. 2. Now then to come to our purpose such are the absurde translations of the English Bibles and altogither like vnto these Namely when they translate congregation for Churche Elder for Priest Image for Idol dissension for schisme Generall for Catholike secrete for Sacrament ouer-seer for Bishop messenger for Angel embassadour for Apostle minister for Deacon and such like to what other end be these deceitfull translations but to conceale and obscure the name of the Church and dignities thereof mentioned in the holy Scriptures to dissemble the worde schisme as they do also Heresie and Heretike for feare of disgracing their schismes and Heresies to say of Matrimonie neither Sacrament which is the Latin nor mysterie which is the Greeke but to goe as farre as they can possibly from the common vsuall and Ecclesiastical wordes saying This is a great secrete in fauour of their heresie that Matrimonie is no Sacrament FVLK 2. Absurde traÌ„slations of the English Bibles you say are congregation for Churche Elder for Priest Image for Idoll and such like The word Church being ambiguously taken of the people for the place of assembly the assembly it selfe it was as lawful for vs to cal congregation as for you to call it assembly Actes 7. This worde Priest commonly taken for a sacrificer and the same that Sacerdos and so by you translated there was good occasion to vse the worde Elder for which you vse Senior or auncient in your translation which is a name of auctoritie as ouerseer is of diligeÌ„ce minister of seruice pastor of feeding all which names set foorth a true Bishop Pastor and Elder and if you will needes haue it of a true Prieste Of Image for Idoll is sayde inough in the nexte Chapiter before Schisme I knowe not how English men should vnderstand except it were englished by dissension diuision rending or some such like Of general for Catholike we shal speake anon Secrete for Sacrament we vse because wee would retaine the ecclesiasticall vse of this worde Sacrament which is to signifie the seales of Gods promises and not confounde it with euery holy or vnholy secrete thing The Greeke worde mysterie which you would enioyne vs to vse was in the time of the firste translation more vnknowen than that wee could well haue vsed it except wee would haue followed your veine in vanitie and noueltie of termes Praepuâ—e neophyte gratis depositum c. or else made generall and common the proper vse of this Ecclesiasticall terme Sacrament to euery mysterie and called the Sacrament of preaching of publishing the Gospel to the Gentils of the seuen starres as you do and yet in the Sacrament of the whore of Babylon you leaue it and call it mysterie Apoc. 17. v. 7. as you shoulde be enforced to doe if you would translate the old Testament out of Latine Dan. 2. diuerse times except you would call Nabuchadonosors dreame a Sacrament and Dan 4. where the king sayth that to Daniell no secrete is impossible meaning vnknowen or not vnderstood you would say no Sacrament Tob. 12. you would translate Sacramentum regis abscondere bonum est It is a good thing to hide the kings Sacrament where you should say secrete and where the English phrase would hardly beare you to say the kings mysterie Of the other termes in the places by you quoted it shal be sufficient to speake But I haue rendred reasonable causes of these termes hitherto so that no maÌ„ but madde with malice would thinke we conceale the name of Church dignities therof in hatred of them or do dissemble the names of schisme heresie in fauour of those abhominations which are as wel set forth to their detestatioÌ„ in the terms of dissention and sectes as for the name Sacrament we find not in the Greeke but mysterium we traÌ„slate a secrete or a mysterie as the worde signifieth which nothing fauoureth the pretended Sacrament of Matrimonie MART. 3. S. Paul saith as plaine as he can speake I beseech you brethren that you all say one thing and that there be no schismes among you They translate for schismes dissentions which may be in profane and worldly things as well as in matters of religion But schismes are those that diuide the vnitie of the Church whereof they know them selues guilty S. Paule saith as plainely as is possible A man that is an Heretike auoide after the first and second admonition They translated in their Bible of the yeare 1562 A man that is an author of Sectes And where the Greeke is Heresie reckened among damnable sinnes they say Sectes fauouring that name for their owne sakes and dissembling it as though the holy Scriptures spake not against Heresie or Heretikes Schisme or Schismatikes FVLK 3. S. Paule in deede speaketh plainely in Greeke but if you speake English say schismes fortie thousand of the people in England will sweare they vnderstande you not But schismes you say are those that deuide the vnitie of the Churche dissentions may be in prophane and worldly things Verily all schismes deuide not the Church for they were not al the Church of whom it is sayde in S. Iohn 9. There was a schisme among them for I thinke the best of the Pharisees were scarse good members of the Churche Againe where S. Paule doth say least there should bee a schisme in the bodie 1. Cor. 12. He speaketh of the natural bodie whervnto he compareth the Churche S. Paule also sayth as plainely as he canne speake in Greeke 1. Cor. 11. v. 18. I heare that there be schismes among you yet your vulgar Latine translatour is bolde to saye Scissuras cuttings or rendings where you are bold to goe from your Latine texte and call them schismes And for explicating the Greeke name of heresie by sectes why should wee be more blamed than the vulgar Latine translator who commonly translateth it Sectas and namely Gal. 5. 2. Pet. 2. Actes 24. diuerse times 26. and 28 in all which places you your selues translate sectes Is it because he or you fauour heresies and heretikes will you neuer leaue this foolish wrangling which alwaies turneth you to the greater discredite MART. 4. As also they suppresse the very name Catholike when it is expresly in the Greeke for malice towarde Catholikes and Catholike religion because they know them selues neuer shall be called or knowen by that name And therefore their two English Bibles accustomed to be reade in their Churche therefore by like moste authenticall leaue it cleane out in the title of all those Epistles which haue bene knowen by the name of Catholicae Epistolae euer since the Apostles time and their later English Bible dealing somewhat more honestly hath turned the worde Catholike into General saying The Generall
thought she is one of those last mentioned But if you say as the Geneua Bible doth but my doue is alone and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother Nowe the church is excepted from all the rest of the Queenes concubines and damsels And where you say the Hebrue hath not that signification I pray you goe no further but euen to the same verse and tell me whether the sense be that she is one of her mothers daughters or the only daughter of her mother Here therefore as almost euery where you doe nothing but seeke a knot in a rush MART. 11. But we beseeche euerie indifferent Reader euen for his soules health to consider that one point specially before mentioned of their abandoning the name of Church for so many yeares out of their Englishe Bibles thereby to defeate the strongest argument that might and may possibly be brought against them and all other Heretikes to wit the authoritie of the Church which is so many wayes and so greatly recommended vnto all Christians in ho'y Scriptures Consider I pray you what a malitious intention they had herein First that the name Church shoulde neuer sound in the common peoples eares out of the Scriptures secondly that as in other things so in this also it might seeme to the ignoraunt a good argument against the authoritie of the Church to say We finde not this worde Church in all the holy Scriptures For as in other articles they say so because they finde not the expresse word in the holy Scripture so did they well prouide that the worde Church in the holy Scriptures should not stay or hinder their schismaticall and hereticall proceedings as long as that was the only English translation that was read and liked among the people that is so long till they had by preaching taken away the Catholike Churches credit and authorite altogither among the ignorant by opposing the Scriptures thereunto which them selues had thus falsely translated FVLK 11. We trust euerie indifferent Reader wil consider that they which translated the Greeke worde Ecclesia the congregation and admonished in the notes that they did by that worde meane the church and they which in the creede might haue translated Ecclesiam Catholicam the vniuersall congregation taught all children to say I beleue the Catholike churche coulde haue no such deuilish meaning as this malicious sclaunderer of his owne heade doeth imagine For who euer hearde any man reason thus This worde church is not found in the Scripture therefore the church must be despised c. Rather it is like beside other reasons before alleaged that those first translatours hauing in the olde Testament out of the Hebrue translated the wordes Cahal Hadath and such other for the congregation where the Papistes will not translate the church although their Latine text be Ecclesia as appeareth Act. 7. where they call it assembly thought good to retaine the word congregation throughout the newe Testament also least it might be thought of the ignoraunt that God had no church in the time of the olde Testament Howsoeuer it was they departed neither from the word nor meaning of the holy Ghost nor from the vsage of that word Ecclesia which in the Scripture signifieth as generally any assembly as the worde Congregation doeth in Englishe CHAP. VI. Hereticall translation against PRIEST and PRIESTHOODE Martin BVt because it may be they will stande here vpon their later translations which haue the name Church because by that time they sawe the absurditie of chaunging the name now their number was increased and them selues beganne to challenge to be the true Church though not the Catholike and for former times when they were not they deuised an inuisible Church If then they will stande vpon their later translations and refuse to iustifie the former let vs demaund of them concerning all their Englishe translation why and to what ende they suppresse the name Priest trāslating it Elder in all places where the holy Scripture would signifie by Presbyter and Presbyterium the Priestes and Priesthoode of the new Testament Fulke IF any errour haue escaped the former translations that hath bene reformed in the later all reasonable men ought to be satisfied with our owne corrections But because we are not charged with ouersights and small faults committed either of ignorāce or of negligence but with shamelesse trāslations wilful heretical corruptions we may not acknowledge any such crimes whereof our conscience is cleare That we deuised an inuisible church because we were few in number whē our translations were first printed it is a lewde sclaunder For being multiplied as we are God be thanked we holde still that the Catholike church which is the mother of vs all is inuisible and that the church on earth may at sometimes be driuen into suche streights as of the wicked it shall not be knowen And this we helde alwayes and not otherwise Nowe touching the worde Presbyter and Presbyterium why we translate them not Priest and Priesthoode of the new Testament we haue giuen sufficient reason before but because we are here vrged a freshe we must aunswere as occasion shall bee offered MART. 2. Vnderstand gentle Reader their wily pollicie therein is this To take away the holy sacrifice of the Masse they take away both altar and Priest because they know right well that these three Priest sacrifice and altar are dependentes and consequentes one of an other so that they can not be separated If there be an externall sacrifice there must be an external Priesthoode to offer it an altar to offer the same vpon So had the Gentiles their sacrifices Priestes and altars so had the Iewes so Christ him selfe being a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec had a sacrifice his bodie and an altar his Crosse vpon the which he offered it And because he instituted this sacrifice to continue in his Church for euer in commemoration and representation of his death therefore did he withall ordaine his Apostles Priests at his last supper there then instituted the holy order of Priesthoode and Priestes saying hoc faecite Do this to offer the selfe same sacrifice in a mysticall and vnblouddie maner vntill the worldes end FVLK 2. In denying the blasphemous sacrifice of the popish masse with the altar priesthood that therto belongeth we vse no wily policie but with open mouth at all times and in all places we cry out vpon it The sacrifices priestes and altars of the Gentiles were abhominable The sacrifices of the Iewes their priestes and altars are all accomplished and finished in the onely sacrifice of Christ our high Priest offered once for all vpon the altar of the crosse which Christ our Sauiour seeing he is a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech hath an eternall priesthood and such as passeth not by succession Heb. 7. Therefore did not Christ at his last supper institute any externall propitiatory sacrifice of his bodie and bloud but
a sacrament ioyned with the spirituall sacrifice of praise and thankes giuing Which sacrament being administred by the ministers thereto appoynted the sacrifice is common to the whole Church of the faithfull who are all spirituall priestes to offer vp spirituall sacrifices as much as the minister of the worde and sacraments MART. 3. To defeate all this and to take away all externall priesthood and sacrifice they by corrupt translation of the holy Scriptures make them cleane dumme as though they had not a word of any such Priestes or Priesthood as we speake of Their Bibles we graunt haue the name of Priestes very often but that is when mention is made eyther of the Priests of the Iewes or of the Priests of the Gentiles specially when they are reprehended blamed in the holy Scriptures and in such places our Aduersaries haue the name Priests in there translations to make the very name of Priest odious among the common ignorant people Againe they haue also the name Priests when they are taken for all maner of men women or children that offer internall and spirituall sacrifices whereby our Aduersaries would falsely signifie that there are no other Priestes as one of them of late freshly auoucheth directly against S. Augustine who in one briefe sentence distinguisheth Priests properly so called in the Church and Priests as it is a cōmon name to all Christians Lib. 20. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 10. This name then of Priest and Priesthood properly so called as S. Augustine saith which is an order distinct from the Laitie and vulgar people ordained to offer Christ in an vnbloudy maner in sacrifice to his heauenly father for vs to preach minister the Sacraments and to be the Pastors of the people they wholy suppresse in their translations in all places where the holy scripture calleth them Presbyteros there they neuer translate Priestes but Elders And that they doe obserue so duely and so warily and with so full and generall consent in all their English Bibles as the Puritans doe plainly confesse and M. Whit. gift denieth it not that a man would wonder to see how carefull they are that the people may not once heare the name of any such Priest in all the holy scriptures FVLK 3. Nowe you haue gotten a fine nette to daunce naked in that no ignorant blinde bussarde can see you The maskes of your nette be the ambiguous and abusiue significations of this worde Priest which in deede according to the originall deriuation from Presbyter should signifie nothing else but an Elder as we translate it that is one appoynted to gouerne the Church of God according to his word but not to offer sacrifice for the quicke and the deade But by vsurpation it is commonly taken to signifie a sacrificer such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Greeke and sacerdos in Latine by which names the ministers of the Gospell are neuer called by the holy Ghost After this common acception and vse of this word Priest we call the sacrificers of the olde Testament and of the Gentiles also because the Scripture calleth them by one name Cohanin or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because the Scripture calleth the ministers of the newe Testament by diuerse other names and neuer by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we thought it necessary to obserue that distinction which we see the holye Ghost so precisely hath obserued Therefore where the Scripture calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we call them according to the etymologie Elders and not Priestes which worde is taken vp by common vsurpation to signifie sacrificers of Iewes Gentiles or Papistes or else all Christians in respect of spirituall sacrifices And although Augustine and other of the auncient fathers call the ministers of the newe Testament by the name of sacerdotes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie the ministers of the olde Testament yet the authoritie of the holy Ghost making a perfect distinction betweene these two appellations and functiōs ought to be of more estimation with vs. The Fathers were content to speake in Latin Greeke as the termes were taken vp by the common people newly conuerted from gentilitie but yet they retained the difference of the sacrificing priesthood of the one and the ministeriall office of the other This may suffice therefore to render a reason why we vse not the worde Priest for Ministers of the new Testament not that we refuse it in respect of the etymologie but in respect of the vse common signification thereof MART. 4. As for example in their translations When there fell a question about circumcision They determined that Paule and Barnabas should goe vp to Hierusalem vnto the Apostles and ELDERS about this question Act. 15. And againe They were receyued of the congregation and of the Apostles and ELDERS Againe The Apostles and Elders came togither to reason of this matter Againe Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregation to sende c. Againe The Apostles and Elders and brethren sende greeting c. Againe They deliuered them the decrees for to keepe that were ordained of the Apostles and ELDERS If in all these places they had translated Priests as in deede they should haue done according to the Greke word it had then disaduantaged them this much that men would haue thought both the dignitie of Priestes to be great and also their authoritie in Councels as being here ioyned with the Apostles to be greatly reuerenced and obeyed To keepe the people from all suche holy and reuerent cogitations of Priestes they put Elders a name wherewith our holy Christian forefathers eares were neuer acquainted in that sense FVLK 4. In al those places by you rehearsed Act. 15. and 16. your owne vulgar Latine text hath seniores which you had rather call auncients as the French Protestants call the Gouernours of their Churches than Elders as we doe That Popish Priestes should haue any dignitie or authoritie in Councels wee doe flatly denie but that the Seniors Auncients Elders or Priests if you wil of the new Testament should haue as much dignitie and auctoritie as Gods worde doth afford them we desire with all our hartes That our Christian Forefathers eares were not acquainted with the name of Elders it was because the name of Priest in their time soūded according to the etymologie and not according to the corruption of the Papistes otherwise I thinke their eares were as much acquainted with the name of Elders which we vse as with the name of Auncientes and Seniors that you haue newly taken vp not for that they differ in signification from Elders but because you woulde differ from vs. MART. 5. But let vs goe forward We haue heard often and of old time of making of Priestes and of late yeares also of making Ministers but did ye euer here in all England of making Elders Yet by these mens translations it hath bene in England a
hāds least as we haue laughed at in some men the secrete imprecation of the voyce should ordaine Clerkes being ignorant thereof And so proceedeth to inueigh against the abuse of them that would ordaine Clerkes of their basest officers and seruitours yea at the request of foolish women By which it is manifest that his purpose is not to tell what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly doth signifie but that imposition of handes is required in lawfull ordination which many did vnderstand by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although in that place it signified no such matter And therefore you muste seeke further authoritie to proue your Ecclesiasticall etymologie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth putting foorth of the handes to giue orders The places you quote in the margent out of the titles of Nazianzens sermons are to no purpose although they were in the texte of his Homilies For it appeareth not although by Synecdoche the whole order of making Clerkes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that election was excluded where there was ordination by imposition of handes As for that you cite out of Ignatius proueth against you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differeth from imposition of hands because it is made a distinct office from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth to lay on handes and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by your owne author doe differ MART. 8. But they are so profane and secular that they translate the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the new Testament as if it had the old profane signification still were indifferent to signifie the auncients of the Iewes the Senatours of Rome the elders of Lacedemonia and the Christian Clergie In so much that they say Paul sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Act. 20. and yet they were such as had their flockes and cure of soules as foloweth in the same place They make S. Paul speake thus to Timothee Neglect not the gift so they had rather say than grace lest holy orders should be a Sacrament giuen thee with the laying on of the handes of the Eldership or by the authoritie of the Eldership 1. Tim. 4. What is this companie of Eldership Somewhat they woulde say like to the Apostles worde but they will not speake plainly least the worlde might heare out of the Scriptures that Timothee was made Priest or Bishop euen as the vse is in the Catholike Churche at this day Lette the fourth Councell of Carthage speake for bothe partes indifferently and tell vs the Apostles meaning A Prieste when hee taketh his orders the Bishoppe blessing him and holding his hande vppon his head let all the Priestes also that are present holde their handes by the Bishops hand vpon his head So doe our priestes as this daye when a Bishop maketh priests and this is the laying on of the handes of the companie of Priests which S. Paule speaketh of which they translate the companie of the Eldership Onely their former translation of 1562. in this place by what chaunce or consideration we know not let fall out of the penne by the authoritie of Priesthood FVLK 8. We desire not to be more holy in the englishe termes than the holye Ghost was in the Greeke termes Whome if it pleased to vse such a word as is indifferent to signifie the auncients of the Iewes the Senators of Rome the Elders of Lacedemonia and the Christian Cleargie why shoulde we not truely translate it into English But I pray you in good sadnes are we so profane and secular Act. 20. in calling those whome Saint Paule sent for out of Ephesus Elders What shall we saye then of the vulgar Latine text which calleth them Maiores natu as though they obtayned that degree by yeares rather than by any thing else and why doe you so profanely and secularly call them the Auncients of the Church Is there more profanenesse and secularitie in the Englishe worde Elders than in the Latine worde Maiores natu or in your Frenchenglishe terme Auncients Surely you doe nothing but play with the noses of such as be ignorant in the tongues and can perceiue no similitude or difference of these wordes but by the sounde of their eares But nowe for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Saint Paule 1. Tim. 4. which we call the Eldershippe or the companye of Elders I haue shewed before howe it is vsed by Saint Luke in his Gospell cap. 22. and Act. 22. You saye we will not speake playnely lest the worlde shoulde heare that Timothie was made Priest or Bishop euen as the vse is in the Catholike Church at this day And then you tell vs out of the Councell of Carthage 4. cap. 3. that all the Priestes present shoulde laye their handes on the heade of him that is ordayned togither with the Bishoppe We knowe it well and it is vsed in the Church of England at this daye Onely the terme of Eldership displeaseth you when we meane thereby the companye of Elders But whereas the translators of the Bible 1562. call it Priesthood eyther by Priesthood they meant the same that we doe by Eldershippe or if they meant by Priesthood the office of Priestes or Elders they were deceiued For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a companie of Elders as it is twise vsed by S. Luke and oftentimes by the auncient writers of the Church both Greekes and Latines MART. 9. Otherwise in all their English Bibles all the bells ringe one note as The Elders that rule well are worthye of double honour And Against an Elder receiue no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. And If any be diseased among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him and annoynt him with oyle c. Iacob 5. Wheras Saint Chrysostom out of this place proueth the high dignitie of Priestes in remitting sinnes in his booke entituled Of Priesthood vnlesse they will translate that title also Of Eldershippe Againe they make S. Peter saye thus The Elders which are among you I exhort which am also an Elder feedeye Christes flocke as much as lyeth in you c. 1. Pet 5. FVLK 9. In these three textes you triumphe not a litle because your vulgar Latine text hath the Greeke worde Presbyter The high dignitie of Priestes or Elders in remitting sinnes we acknowledge with Chrysostom in his booke entitled of Priesthood which seing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will neuer translate Eldershippe But we may lawfully wishe that both Chrysostom and other auncient writers had kept that distinction of termes which the Apostles and Euangelists did so precisely obserue In the last text 1. Pet. 5. your vulgar Latine sayth Seniores and Consenior your selues in English seniors and fellow senior What trespasse then haue we committed in saying Elders fellow Elder or an Elder also MART. 10.
and repentance were al one But you saye repentance Also Act. 11. God then to the Gentiles hath giuen repentance to life where the word is poenitentia in both places As also 2. Tim. 2. where you say least sometyme God giue them repentance to knowe the truth Of thys repentance which God giueth vnto life and remission of sinnes withal satisfaction is no parte of publike repentance so called when indeede it was a publike testification that God had giuen inward repentance we acknowledge satisfaction to the Church and to the iudgement of the gouernoures thereof to bee a parte MART. 5. Or I would also aske them whether in these places they will translate repentaunce and amendement of life where there is mentioned a prescript time of satisfaction for their fault by suche and suche penal meanes whether there be any prescript times of repentaunce or amendment of life to continue so long and no longer if not then muste it needes bee translated penaunce and dooing penaunce which is longer or shorter according to the faulte and the maner of dooing the same I maye repent in a moment and amende my life at one instant and this repentaunce and amendement oughte to continue for euer but the holie Councels and Fathers speake of a thing to be done for certaine yeares or dayes and to be released at the Bishoppes discreation this therefore is penaunce and not repentance only or amendment of life and is expressed by the foresaid Greeke wordes as also by * an other equiualent there vnto FVLK 5. I haue aunswered before we may in all these places vse the worde of repentaunce as well as this worde repent the noune as well as the verbe And if we woulde vse the same figure whych they doe that cal suche externall testimonies of repentaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee might vse the worde of amendment of life also The prescripte time of satisfaction I haue said was to the church which was offended and slaundered by their open offences and to the iudgement of the Byshoppe and Elders whyche hadde the appointing or releasing of suche time of repentance The other Greeke word which you say is aequiualent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to fal downe vnder or knele before one as Tertullian expresseth the phrase praesbyteris aduolui aris dei adgeniculari for one to be caste downe in humble manner before the Elders to kneele before the altars of God Herof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed for that submission whiche publique penitents did shewe to testifie their inward humilitie and by a metonymie of the signe is taken for that which it doth signifie namely humble and hartie repentaunce whiche is approued before men by such outward gestures and tokens of inwarde griefe and humilitie of minde So is publique fasting in token of repentaunce by Tertullian called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a signe token of humiliation and submission of minde whiche must of necessitie accompany true repentance Wherefore it is vntruly said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equiualent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to change the minde frrm euil to good wheras the other expresseth but an outwarde gesture to signifie inward repentaunce and that in open repentaunce onely MART. 6. I omit that this very phrase to do penance is word for word expressed thus in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Ausonius the christian Poet whom I may as wel alleadge once vse it not as they do Virgil Terence the like very often vseth this Greeke worde so euidently in this sense that Beza saith he did it for his verse sake because another worde would not stande so well in the verse But the reader I trust seeth the vse and signification of these Greeke wordes by the testimonie of the Greeke fathers them selues moste auncient and approued FVLK 6. You may well omit that which beareth no credite of antiquitie The Liturgie is not so auncient as he whose name it beareth the Rubrike muche lesse That Beza saith of Ausonius vsing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sense you meane it seemeth you doe not vnderstande him For he saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is neuer vsed but in good parte So that in my iudgement Ausonius would haue said rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that his knowen Epigram if the measure of his Pentametre verse would haue borne it MART. 7. Thirdly that the auncient Latine Interpreter doth commonly so translate these wordes through out the newe Testament that needeth no proofe neyther will I stande vpon it though it be greater authoritie than they haue any to the contrary because the Aduersaries know it and mislike it and for that and other like pointes it is belike that one of them saith it is the worst translation of all whereas Beza his Maister saith it is the best of all So well they agree in iudgement the Maister and the man FVLK 7. The Latine interpretor as it appeareth in many places had no perfect vnderstanding of the Greeke tongue but in the Latine it is manifest that hee was very rude in so much that Lindanus thinketh hee was a Grecian rather than a Latinist Yea hee hath a whole chapter thus intituled That the Autors of the vulgar translation of the Psalter and the newe Testament were Grecians Nec latine satis eruditos and not sufficiently learned in the Latine tongue By whiche testimonie it may bee gathered what credite is to bee giuen to the Latine termes that he vseth differing from the Latine phrase vsed by them that are learned in that tongue I could bring example of many termes and phrases that you your self are ashamed to follow which pretende so precise a translation out of the vulgar Latine What my mislike is of that translation and howe contrarie to that which Beza saith thereof I haue opened else where to your shame Onely here I muste tell you that albeit in respect of learning I disdaine not to acknowledge my selfe Bezaes scholler of whom neuerthelesse I haue learned very litle yet I would you should know I am no strangers man though you and such traitors as you are had rather be the Popes men than true seruants to the Queene of England MART. 8. I come to the fourth proofe which is that all the Latine Churche and the glorious Doctors thereof haue alwaies reade as the vulgar Latine interpreter translateth these wordes and expound the same of penance and doing penance To name one or twoo for an example S. Augustines place is very notable which therefore I set downe and may be translated thus Men doe penance before Baptisme of their former sinnes yet so that they be also baptized Peter saying thus DOE YE PENANCE AND LET EVERY ONE BE BAPTISED Men also doe penance if after Baptisme they do so sinne that they deserue to be excommunicated and reconciled
seruice ecclesiastical or temporal sacred or prophane If the world bee restrained to any one peculiar seruice or function as one of the Greeke wordes is then doth it signifie Deacons onely Whiche if they know not or wil not beleeue me let them see Beza himselfe in his Annotations vpon Saint Mathew who protesteth that in his translation he vseth alwaies the word Minister in the generall signification and Diaconus in the speciall and peculiar Ecclesiasticall function of Deacons So that yet wee can not vnderstande neither can they tell vs whence their peculiar calling and function of Minister commeth which is their second degree vnder a Bishop and is placed in steede of Priestes FVLK 2. What the general worde of Minister signifieth howe it is taken both generally and specally we are not so ignorant that wee neede bee taught of you And yet al learned men are not agreed when the greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is restrained to the Minister of the poore and when it signifieth generally all the officers in the Churche As for the name of Minister by which Elders or Priestes are commonly called among vs I haue euen nowe and diuers times before shewed vppon what occasion it was taken vp so to be applied which yet generally signifieth all that serue in the Church and common wealth also MART. 3. Againe what can bee more against the dignitie of sacred orders and Ecclesiastical degrees than to make them profane and secular by their termes and translations For this purpose as they translate Elders and Eldershippe for Priests and Priesthode so do they most impudently terme S. Peter and S. Iohn lay men they say for Apostle Embassador and Messenger Ioh 13. v. 16. and for Apostles of the Churches Messengers of the same 2. Cor. 8. for Bishoppes ouerseers Act. 20. Why my maisters doth idiota signifie a lay man Suppose a lay man be as wise and learned as any other is he idiota or that one of your Ministers be as vnlerned ignorant as any shepheard is he not idiota so then idiota is neither Clearke nor lay man but euerie simple and ignoraunt man They that spake with miraculous tongs in the primitiue church were they not lay men many of them yet the Apostle plainely distinguisheth them from idiota So that this is more ignorantly or wilfully translated than Neophytus a young scholler in al your bibles FVLK 3. There can be no greater wrangling nor more vnprofitable than about wordes and tearmes But why I pray you shoulde the tearmes of Elder and Eldershippe be more prophane and secular in English than they bee in Greeke yea than the names of ancients and seniors which you your selues in your translation vse for the same office wil you neuer be ashamed of these vanities which turne alwaies to your owne reproche yet do they say you most impudently terme S. Peter and Iohn lay men And do not you dishonour them as much to say in your translation they were of the vulgare sorte what signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lay man but one of the vulgare sorte or common people Againe were they of that Cleargie whereof Annas and Caiphas were highe Priestes or were they not as perfectely distincte from that sacrificing Priesthode as any lay man at this day is from the christian cleargie yet you goe on whether the furie of your malice doth carry you and say that Idiota is neither Cleark nor lay man but euerie simple and ignorant maÌ„ If it be so then reforme your translation as wel in thys place of the Act. 4. as in 1. Cor. 14. where you cal idiota of the vulgar sorte or the vulgar and plucke your selfe first by the nose for false translating beefore you finde fault with vs. Againe if the high Priests did take the Apostles for vnlearned and lay men what impudencie is it to say that wee tearme them so And touching your signification of idiota although the Priests knew that they had not bin brought vp in studie of learning as they themselues were yet hearing their bold wise answere they coulde not take them for simple and ignoraunt menne therefore it followeth that they meant they were none of their cleargie rather than that they were ignoraunt and foolishe for simple in the good parte they woulde not acknowledge them to be As for the terme Embassadour and Messenger for the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Io 13 v. 16. may wel be vsed in that place seeing it is like he speaketh as generally of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he doeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a seruaunt The seruant is not greater than his Lord nor the embassadour than he that sent him And for the messengers of the Churches wheÌ„ those are vnderstoode by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche are sent on message from the Churches and not those that are sent by Christe to preach vnto the Churches no wise manne can blame the translation Acts. 20. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of vs translated ouerseers of you Bishoppes yet in your note you say or Priests as though the worde maye signifie Priestes whyche all menne of skill doe knowe to signifie ouerseers although the terme bee giuen to them whiche beefore are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders or Priestes But it proceedeth of greate ignoraunce that Neophytus is translated in all our Bibles a young Scholler O what knowledge haue wee learned of you to translate Neophytus a Neophyte For before we did take Neophytus to signify one that is newly planted or lately â—ngraffed and by a Metaphor one that is a young and newe scholler in the mysteries of Christian religion But because your Pope vseth to make boyes and vnlearned young men Bishoppes and greate Prelates in your Churche you can not abide that a young scholler shoulde by Saint Paules rule be excluded from a Bishopricke and therefore you mocke the reader with a Neophyte Wee knowe that in the auntient Churche they were called Neophyti whyche were lately baptised but yet in the same sense because they were young schollers and therefore looke in the Homilies that are intituled ad Neophytos and you shal see they are directed and spente almost or altogither in teaching the principles of Christian religion plainely wherein they were but younge schollers not yet perfectly instructed MART. 4. Nowe for changing the name Apostle into Messenger though Beza doe so also in the foresayd places yet in deede he controuleth both him selfe and you in other places saying of the same word Apostles A man may say in Latine Legates but we haue gladly kept the Greeke word Apostle as many other wordes familiar to the Church of Christ. And not onely of the principall Apostles but also of the other Disciples he both translateth and interpreteth in his commentarie that they are notable Apostles and he proueth that all Ministers of the worde as he termeth them are and may be so
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do the alwaies import the grace or fauour of God none eyther wise or learned wil affirme neither doth your vulgar interpretor expresse the word of grace in those places that you bring for example Phi. 1. v. 29. he saith plainly donatum est it is giuen and so your selues translate it Why I pray you do you suppres the word grace or why do you thus trifle againste vs When Saint Paule appealed to Caesar Acts. 25. affyrming that no manne coulde gyue him into the handes of his aduersaries he vseth the same worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So when Festus telleth Agrippa that he aunswered the Iewes that it was not the custome of the Romaines to giue any man to destruction c Saint Luke vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were not he a mad translator or interpretor either that woulde expounde this worde of the grace of God which is spoken of the fauor of menne So when the Apostle 1. Cor. 16. calleth the almes of the Corinthians their grace is it not better englishe to say their liberalitie for althoughe their liberalitie proceeded of Gods gift yet the Apostle adding the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth the free gifte of the Corinthians not the grace of God MART. 10. But concerning the sacrament of orders as in the firste to Timothee so in the seconde also they suppresse the worde Grace and call it barely and coldely Gift saying I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my handes Where if they had sayd the grace of God which is in thee by the putting on of my handes then were it plaine that S. Paule by the ceremonie of imposing hands vpon Timothee in making him Priest or Bishop gaue him grace and so it should be a very Sacrament of holy Orders for auoiding whereof they translate otherwise or els let them giue vs an other reason therof specially the Greeke word much more signifying grace than a bare gift as is declared FVLK 10. These colewoorts were sodden enough once before that they neede not be set on againe The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you finde it an hundreth times signifieth no more but a free gift or a gift that is freely giueÌ„ euen as the English word gift doth wherof the Prouerbe is what is so free as gift Wherfore if we had said the grace of God we had translated amisse otherwise than the Greeke word doth signifie But where you trifle in your termes of a bare gifte and we call it barely and coldly a gifte you doe nothing but bewray your owne shame Can the gift of God be called a bare gift or doth he speake barely and coldly that saith the gift of God Doth the Apostle Ephes. 2. speaking of our saluation and your vulgar interpretor and you your selues speake of a bare gifte and call it barely and coldly the gifte of God When you say you are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God not of workes c. See you not that while you seeke to rase our skinne you strike your selfe to the harte Be wiser therefore and spare your owne credite find no fault with that which you caÌ„not amend which if it were a fault you your selues commit as much as we MART. 11. The more to prosane this sacred order wherevnto continencie single life hath bene alwaies annexed in the newe Testament for the honour and reuerence of the functions therevnto belonging to profanâ— the same I say and to make it mere laicall and popular they will haue all to be maried men yea those that haue vowed the contrarie and it is a great credite among them for our Priests Apostataes to take wiues This they would deduce from the Apostles custome but by most false and impudent translation making S. Paul say thus as of his owne wife and the other Apostles wiues Haue not we power to lead about a wife being a sister as well as the rest of the Apostles Whereas the Apostle saith nothing else but a woman a sister that is a Christian woman meaning such holy women as folowed Christ and the Apostles to find and mainteine them of their substance So doth S. Hierom interprete it S. Augustine both directly prouing that it cannot be translated wife but womaÌ„ and the Greeke fathers most expresly And as for the Greeke word if they say it is ambiguous S. Augustine telleth them that as the Apostle hath put it downe with al the circuÌ„stances there is no ambiguitiâ— at al that might deceiue any man Yea let vs set a part the circumstances and consider the Greeke word alone in it selfe and Beza will tell vs in other places that it signifieth a woman rather than a wife reprehending Erasmus for translating it wife because there is no circumstance annexed why it shoulde so signifie thereby declaring that of it selfe it signifieth woman and therfore much more when the circumstance also as S. Augustine saith maketh it certaine that so it doth signifie FVLK 11. If matrimonie be a holy Sacrament as you say an holy ordinance of God as we both coÌ„fesse how should the sacred order of Priesthood be prophaned thereby That coÌ„tinence and single life hath alwaies bene annexed to the Ecclesiasticall functions in the new Testament it is so manifest an vntruth that I wil not staÌ„d to confute it As where you say that we make the order meere laycal popular that we will haue all men to be maried yea those that haue vowed the contrarie these be most impudent assertions Though it be free for all men to marrie yet no man is willed otherwise than he shall finde cause in him selfe And for Priests that come from you it is more credite to marrie than out of mariage to liue incontinently otherwise they are of as great credit that be vnmaried as they that be maried What the custome of the Apostles was for hauing wiues keeping coÌ„panie with theÌ„ not only the Scripture of the Apostles but also Clemens Alexandrinus a most auncient writer is witnesse for vs against your impudent assertion alledging euen this texte of 1. Cor. 9. To proue that they did lead their wiues about with them Pâ—r quas etiam in Gynecaum c. By meanes of whom the doctrine of our Lord might enter into the closet of womeÌ„ without any reprehension or euill suspition By which our translation is proued to be good true as I haue more at large declared before Cap. 1. Sect. 18. Nether is there here any new matter which is not there sufficiently answered MART. 12. Wherefore great must the impudencie of Beza be and of the English Bâ—zites that knowing this and protesting it else where in his Annotations yet here translateth soroâ—em vxorem a sister a wife and saying after his lordly manner I doubted not so to translate it disputing
chast which haue made them selues chast for the kingdome of heauens sake for a man might saye all doe so that liue chastly in matrimonie but our Sauiour speaketh of them that are impotent and vnable to generation called* Eunuches or gelded men and that in three diuers kindes some that haue that infirmitie or maime from their birth othersome that are gelded afterward by men and other that geld themselues for the kingdom of heauen not by cutting of those partes which were an horrible mortall sinne but hauing those partes as other men haue yet geld themselues for so is the Greeke and make them selues vnable to generation Which how it can be but by voluntarie profession promise and vâ—w of perpetuall continencie which they may neuer breake let the Protestants tell vs. Christ then as it is most euident speaketh of gelded men either câ—rporally or spiritually which are al such as professe perpetuall continencie and they tell vs of some that were borne chast and some that were made chast by men and some that make them selues chast â— most foolish and false translation of the Greeke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FVLK 16. Concerning the former part of this matter Math. 19. v. 11. we haue aunswered sufficiently in the chapter of free will but here is a new cauill Because chastitie is also in mariage as in single life our translators doe not well to expresse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by chast and haue made chaste I confesse they should more properly haue sayd gelded men or gelded them selues or els continent and made continent Although they meane none other by the worde chaste which they vse And touching your question howe men may lawfully geld them selues but by voluntary purpose of continencie which they may not breake I aunswer that we deny not but that such as be assured they haue the gift of continencie may professe to keepe it and after such profession or promise made to God they sinne if they breake it But if any haue rashly vowed that which they are not able to keepe they haue sinned in vowing and can not keepe their vowe by abstinence from mariage except they abstaine also from all filthines out of mariage for such we holde with Epiphanius and Saint Hierome that immoderate aduauncer of virginitie that it is better to marye than out of mariage to liue incontinently MART. 17. The Bezites here are blamelesse who translate it word for word Eunuches but they are more to blame in an other place where in derogation of the priuiledge and dignitie of Priestes they translate thus The Priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth where in the Hebrew and Greeke it is as plaine as possibly can be spoken The Priestes lippes shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Lawe at his mouth Which is a maruelous priuiledge giuen to the Priestes of the olde Law for true determination of matters in controuersie right expounding of the Law as we reade more fully Deutero 17. Where they are commaunded vnder paine of death to stand to the Priestes iudgement which in this place God by the Prophet Malachie calleth his couenant with Leui and that he will haue it to stand to wit in the newe Testament where Peter hath such priuiledge for him and his successors that his faith shall not faile where the holy Ghost is President in the Church of Bishops and Priestes All which these Heretikes would deface and defeate by translating the wordes otherwise than the holye Ghost hath spoken them FVLK 17. The verbe in deede which the Prophet Malachie vseth is of the future temps But who knoweth not that the Hebrewes lacke the potentiall mode and therefore they doe very often expresse it by the future temps of the indicatiue mode Which if you shoulde alwaies traÌ„slate by the future indicatiue you should make many faire promises to them that are sharpely rebuked But the circuÌ„stance of the place doth plainly declare that the Priestes of that time had broken the couenant made with Leui concerning keeping of the lawe Yea the very wordes following expresse the same But you haue departed out of the way and haue caused many to fall against the lawe You haue made voyde the couenant of Leui sayth the Lord of Hostes. By which words it is manifest that the Prophet before spake of that knowledge of the law which the Priest ought to haue not which the Priestes alwaies had for certaine it is that many of them were ignorant yea sometimes all the high Priest was ofteÌ„ an Idolater And who condemned Christ his Gospell but the high Priestes The authoritie that was giuen to the Priestes in case of controuersie was limited within the bounds of Gods law from which if they declined no man was bound to obey them For who was bound to obey Vrias the high Priest preferring the idolatrous altar of Damasco before the true altar of the Lorde or those deuilish tyrants Menclaus Alcimus and such other as occupied the Priests roomes in the time of the Maccabees or Annas and Caiphas in the â—yme of Christ. Peter then hauing none other priuiledge for him and his successors than Aaron had he and his successors might fall and be deceiued although Christ praied that his faith should not faile as he prayed for all the Apostles and for all their successors yea for all beleuers that they might be sanctified in the truth yet it were madnes to say that none of them could erre But whensoeuer you wil go about to proue this priuiledge out of those wordes of our Sauiour Christ make your Syllogisme and let vs haue no more brabling Our translation in that place of Malachie is more true than you are able to impugne for those wordes are rather a commaundement what the Priestes lippes should doe not a promise or assurance that they alway did so MART. 18. And when the Prophet addeth immediatly the cause of this singular prerogatiue of the Priest quia angelus Domini exercituum est because he is the Angell of the Lord of hostes which is also a wonderfull dignitie so to be called they after their cold maner of profane translation say because he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes So doe they in the next chapter call S. Iohn the Baptist messenger where the Scripture no doubt speaketh more honourably of him as being Christes precursor than of a messenger which is a terme for postes also and lackies The Scripture I saye speaketh thus of S. Iohn Behold I send mine Angel before thee and our Sauiour in the Gospell Mat. 11. Luc. 7. telling the people the wonderful dignisies of S. Iohn that he was more than a Prophet citeth this place giueth this reason For this is he of whom it is written Behold I send mine Angel before thee Which Saint Hierom
shal rule in a rod of yron and from him Peter and the rest by his coÌ„mission giuen in the same word feede rule my sheepe Io. 21. yea and that in a rod of yron as when he stroke Ananias and Sapphîra to corporal death as his successors do the like offenders to spiritual destruction vnlesse they repent by the terrible rod of excoÌ„munication This is imported in the double significatioÌ„ of the Greeke word which they to diminish Ecclesiasticall authoritie they translate feede rather than rule or gouerne FVLK 21. That wee shoulde not meane any thing against the gouernement of Christe whome we wishe desire from our hearts that he alone mighte raigne and his seruants vnder him he himselfe is iudge to whome in this case we do boldely appeale But let vs see how we may be charged with false translation The Hebrewe and greek say you do signifie only a ruler or gouernor Mich. 5. And do not we translate a gouernor or captain which may answere there the Hebrew of the Prophet or the Greeke of the Septuaginta or of the Euangelist The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we translate sometime to gouerne sometime to feede is not in the Prophete but in the Euangelist and signifieth properly to feede as a sheepeheard and metaphorically to gouerne What cause haue you here to crie out false translation and to oppose the Hebrewe worde of the Prophet which is fully satisfied in the worde gouernour And the Greeke word which the Euangelist vseth hath his proper signification in some translations in other that which is figuratiue neither doth the one exclude the other But feeding doth import gouerning But it seemeth you would haue rule without feeding that you are so zealous for gouernement The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. in some translations is rendred to rule in other to feede The more proper is to feede yet the greek word wil beare the other also But feeding as a sheephearde doeth his sheepe comprehendeth both The same word Ioan. 21. our Sauiour Christ limiteth rather to feeding as y e Euangelist reporteth his words vsing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once For by lording ruling Peter shuld not so wel testifie his loue towards Christ as by painefull feeding And there your owne vulgar interpreter translateth Pasce and your selues feede though in the margent you woulde faine pray aide of the Greeke to establish your popes tyrannicall rule Yea you will giue him a rodde of yron which is the scepter of Christ yea an armie of souldiers to subdue Irelande and to wrest it out of the Queene of Englandes dominion that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed and rule my sheepe in your secret meaning and for that purpose you bring in the miraculous striking of Ananias and Sapheira for their hypocrisie pretending that you meane but spirituall destruction by the rodde of excommunication which howe terrible it is when it is duely exercised by theÌ„ that haue authoritie we neede not learne of you The other text Psalme the 2. Apoc. 2. v. 27. we translate alwaies rule And your vulgar interpretor Pet. 5. translateth the same worde pascite feede you the church of God c. and else where diuerse times Doth he so diminish ecclesiasticall authoritie c. MART. 22. To the diminishing of this Ecclesiasticall authoritie in the later ende of the reigne of king Henrie the â—ight and during the reigne of king Edwarde the sixt the onely translation of their English Bibles was submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man whether it be VNTO THE KING AS TO THE CHIEFE HEAD 1. Pet. 2. Where in this Queenes time the later translatours can not finde those wordes nowe in the Greeke but doe translate thus To the king as hauing preeminence or to the king as the Superiour Why so because then the King had first taken vpon him this name of Supreme heade of the Church and therefore they flattered both him and his sonne till their heresie was planted making the holie Scripture to say that the king was the chiefe head which is all one with supreme head but now being better aduised in that point by Caluine I suppose and the Lutherans of Magdeburge who doâ— ioyntly inueigh against such title and Caluine against that by name which was first giuen to king Henry the eight because they may be bolder with a Queene than with a king and because now they thinke their kingdome is well established therfore they suppresse this title in their later traÌ„slations would take it froÌ„ her altogether if they could to aduance their owne Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction whithout any dependence of the Queenes supreme gouernement of their church which in their conscience if they be true Caluinistes or Lutherans or mixâ— of both they doe and must mislike FVLK 22. Touching this text 1. Pet. 2. I haue answered before y t the word signifieth him that excelleth and therfore it is no corruption to translate it y e chiefe For the name of supreme heade in y e sense which Caluine other abroade did mislike it it was neuer allowed nor by authoritie graunted to the kings Henrie and Edward but in the same sense it is now graunted to Queene Elizabeth whom we acknowledge to haue the same authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall which her father and brother kinges before her had exercised to Gods glorie But as Steâ—en Gardiner vnderstoode y e title in conference with Bucer at Ratisbone we doe vtterly abhorre it and so did all godly men alwaies that a king should haue absolute power to do in religion what he will In what sense the popish clergie of England being cast in the premunire did first of all ascribe it to the king in their submission looke you vnto it we thinke it was rather of flatterie than of dutie wisedome or religion As for the ecclesiasticall gouernement which the scripture prescribeth may well stande which craueth the aide of a christian Prince which is y e Queenes authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall MART. 23. But howsoeuer that he let them iustifie their translation or confesse their fault And as for the kinges supremacie ouer the Church if they make any doubt let theÌ„ read S. Ignatius wordes who was in the Apostles time â—uen when S. Peter gaue the foresaide admonition of subiection to the king and knewe very wel how farre his preeminence extended and therefore saith plainely in notorious wordes that we must first honour God then the Bishop and then the king Because in all thinges nothing is comparable to God in the Chuch nothing greater then y e Bishop who is consecrated to God for the saluation of the whole worlde and among magistrates tempâ—rall rulers none is like the king See his other wordes immediatly folowing where he preferreth the Bishops office before the kings al other thinges of price among men FVLK 23. Howsoeuer those Epistles bee truely or vntruely
are not so in the Greeke but which you haue heard which hath bene preached Which is as much to say as that they should continue constant in the faith and Gospell which them selues had receiued and which was then preached and receiued in the whole word So say we to our deere countriemen Stande fast in the faith and be vnmoueable from the hope of the Gospell which you heard of your first Apostles which was and is preached in all the world If the Protestants like not this exhortation they do◠according to their translation FVLK 9. The Lorde is witnesse there is nothing liketh the Protestants better than that all nations should continue grounded and stable in that faith and Gospell which they had heard receaued of their first Apostles but in this place our translators vnderstande not onely that continuance in the Gospell but also they comprehend the mysterie of the preaching of the Gospell to the Gentiles whereof the Apostle in this text beginneth to speake that the Collossians might know that they haue bene enstructed in that Gospel which at such time as the Apostle did write vnto them had bene spread by preaching according to our Sauiour Christes commaundement ouer all the world As for your brutish collection as though he spake not of the Gospell preached to them but of a Gospel which they had onely heard of that was preached in the world What ground can it haue of our translation according to the sense I shewe that the translators followed Is it possible they should continue in a Gospel that was not preached vnto them but whereof they had heard onely a fame that it was preached to others The whole context before inforceth as much as you say is the sense of the place And the vulgar translator seemeth to fauour this sense that our translators follow rather than that bare translation of yours because he sayth not à spe Euangelij quod audistis praedicati in vniuersa creatura c. but à spe Euangelij quod audistis quod praedicatum est in vniuersa creatura The words of the exhortation you make to your countrymen are wel to be liked if your meaning were as good But when by the Gospell you meane popish traditions by your first Apostles not the Apostles of Christ but of the Bishop of Rome by which was preached in all the worlde the doctrine of Antichristian apostasie we are so to consider that vnder so good and holy wordes so diuilish and detestable a meaning is craftily couered and cloked with hypocrisie CHAP. XXI Certaine other hereticall TREACHERIES and CORRVPTIONS worthy of obseruation Martin THey holde this position that the Scriptures are not hard to be vnderstood that so euery one of them may presume to interprete and expound them And because S. Peter sayth plainly that S. Paules Epistles are harde and other Scriptures also which the vnlearned sayth he peruert to their owne destruction therefore they labour tooth and naile to make this subtill difference that S. Peter sayth not Paules Epistles are hard but some things in S. Paules epistles are hard as though that were not all one therefore they translate so that it must needes be vnderstoode of the things not of the Epistles pretending the Greeke which yet they knowe in some copies can not be referred to the thinges but must needes be vnderstood of the Epistles Wherefore the Greeke copies being indifferent to both the thing also in very deede being all one whether the hardnes be in the Epistles or in the matter for when we say the Scripture is harde we meane specially the matter it is not onely an hereticall but a foolish and peeuish spirite that maketh them so curious and precise in their translations as here to limite and abridge the sense to the things onely Beza translating inter quae sunt multa difficilia and not in quibus as it is in the olde vulgar translation most sincere and indifferent both to Epistles and things Fulke WE holde of the Scriptures as S. Augustine teacheth de doct chr lib. 2. cap. 6. that the holy Ghost hath so magnifically and wholsomly attempered the holy Scriptures that with open and cleare places he hath prouided against famine and in darke and hard places he hath wiped away lothsomnes And that nothing almost is gathered out of those darke places which is not found els where to be vttered most plainly specially if it conteine matter necessarye vnto saluation But that euery one may presume to interprete and expound the Scriptures it is one lye of an hundred that Martine hath made in this booke and hath fayned of vs neuer held or maintained by vs. But S. Peter you say plainly sayth that Saint Paules epistles are hard and other Scriptures also Howbeit Saint Peter sayth neither the one nor the other especially not the latter For albeit in the most approued Greeke copies the relatiue be of the neuter gender limiting that which S. Peter speaketh not to any matter at large in S. Paules Epistles but to those things which S. Paule hath written concerning the second comming of Christ yet of the other Scriptures he saith not that they are harde although he might say there is harde thinges in thē but that the vnstable vnlearned peruert thē to their owne destruction which they do oftentimes when they be most plaine and easie and not only where they be difficult and harde That you can vnderstand no difference betweene the sense which is made of the neuter gender and that which the faeminine gender doth yeelde I know not whether it be to be imputed to the dulnesse of your wit but rather I thinke it proceedeth of the craftie malice of your minde As also that you charge vs with an hereticall foolish and peeuish spirite when we translate according to the most vsuall Greeke copies and according to that which is most agreeable to the place For to accuse all S. Paules epistles of difficultie and hardnesse had not bene agreeable to that excellent commendation which S. Peter before did giue him For euery man that desireth to teach as S. Paule did by his Epistles ought to frame his speach to be as plaine and easie to be vnderstood as the matter whereof he speaketh will admitte But that some thinges about that high mysterie of the second comming of Christ are harde to be vnderstood dischargeth Paule of affectation of difficultie or not regarde of perspicuitie shewing the cause of the hardnesse to be in the height of the matter not in the handling of the writer And that some did misunderstand the Apostle S. Paule writing of that matter it is apparant by the second epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 2. MART. 2. An other fashion they haue whiche can not proceede of good meaning that is when the Greeke texte is indifferent to twoo senses and one is receiued read and expounded of the greater parte of the auncient fathers and of all the
daughter of Hierusalem hath shakeÌ„ her head at thee All are the foeminine gender and spoken of Sion literally and of the Church spiritually triumphing ouer Assur and all her enemies you translate all as of the masculine gender and apply it to Assur insulting against Hierusalem c. I can not coÌ„ceiue what this translation meaneth and I would gladly know the reason and I would haue thought it some grosse ouersight but that I find it so in all your English Bibles and not onely in this place of Esay but also in the bookes of the kings 4. Reg. 19. where the same words are repeated And it is no lesse maruell vnto vs that know not the reason of your doings why you haue left out Alleluia nine times in the sixe last Psalmes being in the Hebrew nine times more than in your translation specially when you knowe that it is the auncient and ioyfull song of the Primitiue Church See the new English Testament Annot. Apoc. 19. FVLK 13. It seemeth that our translators followed too much the iudgement of the Tigurine translator who what reason moued him so to translate I know not it seemeth they weyed not well the Hebrew in that place but such is mans frailtie that he is apt and easie tâ—â—b deceaued if he be not very vigilant and attentiue in those cases And the example of one mans errour that is of credite soone draweth other men into the same by countenance of his authoritie Neuerthelesse two of our translations the Bishops Bible and Couerdales Bible translate the very same words according to the Hebrew 2. Reg. 19. referring the saying against Senacherib despised and laughed to scorne by Ierusalem And therefore you say vntruly that is is in all our English Bibles 4. Reg. 19. Where you maruaile why we haue left out Alleluia nine times in the sixe last Psalmes I maruaile as much why you should so saye for in the Bishops Bible which I haue and which you call Bib. 1577. It is tenne times in the fiue last Psalmes and tenne times there is in the translation Praise ye the Lord. In the 145. it is not in the Hebrew But in the other fiue Psalmes it is both in the beginning and in the ende of euery one of them MART. 14. Againe you translate thus Many which had seene the first house when the foundation of this house was layd before their eyes wept c. Looke well to your Hebrew and you shall find it according both to the Greeke and the Latine thus Many which had seene the first house in the foundation thereof that is yet standing vpon the foundation not destroyed and this temple before their eyes wept You imagined that it should be meant they saw Salomons temple when it was first founded which because it was vnpossible therefore you translated otherwise than is in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine But yet in some of your Bibles you should haue considered the matter better and translated accordingly FVLK 14. The Hebrew is indifferent Ezra 3. to either of both translations and the sense is all one whether beiasedho be referred to the first house named before or to this house before their eyes which followeth And therefore your coniecture of our imagination as in other places is no more bold than vaine MART. 15. And surely why you shoulde translate 4. Reg. 23. v. 13. On the right hand of mount Oliuete rather than as it is in the vulgar Latine and why Ye abiect of the Gentiles Esa. 45. v. 20. rather than ye that are saued of the Gentiles you belike know some reason we doe not neither by the Hebrew nor the Greeke FVLK 15. The Geneua Bible hath according to the Hebrew the mount of corruption which was in deed the Mount Oliuet as is proued by 1. Reg. 11. v. 7. and 2. Sam. 15. v. 30. and of the fruitfulnes of oyle was called Mischethith but in this place in detestation of the idolatrie is called Maschith signifying corruption as Bethel was called Bethauen Osec 4. v. 15. In Esai 45. two of our translations haue according to the vsuall signification of the Hebrewe worde pelitei you that escaped of the people but that the worde also signifieth an abiect you might haue learned by Pagnine and so ceased to haue maruailed why the Geneua Bible translateth you abiects of the Gentiles As your owne vulgar translation Ier. 44. traÌ„slateth it of them that fled or fugitiues MART. 16. Howbeit in these lesser things though nothing in the Scripture is to be counted litle you might perhaps more freely haue taken your pleasure in following neither Hebrew nor Greeke but when it concerneth a matter no lesse than vsurie there by your false translation to giue occasion vnto the Reader to be an vsurer is no small fault either against true religion or against good maners This you doe most euidently in your most authenticall translations saying thus Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie of money nor by vsurie of corne nor by vsurie of any thing that he may be hurt withall What is this to say but that vsurie is not here forbidden vnles it hurt the partie that boroweth which is so rooted in most mens hartes that they thinke such vsurie very lawfull and daily offend mortally that waye Where Almightye God in this place of holy Scripture hath not a word of hurting or not hurting as may be seene by the Geneua Bibles but sayth simply thus Thou shalt not lend to thy brother to vsurie vsurie of money vsurie of meate vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie MART. 17. Marke the Hebrew and the Greeke and see and be ashamed that you straine and peruert it to say for Non foenerabis fratri tuo which is worde for worde in the Greeke and Hebrew Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie If the Hebrew word in the vse of holy Scripture doe signifie to hurt by vsurie why doe you in the very next words following in the selfe same Bibles translate it thus vnto a straunger thou mayst lend vpon vsurie but not vnto thy brother Why sayd you not A straunger thou mayst hurt with vsurie but not thy brother Is it not all one word phrase here and before And if you had so translated it here also the Ieâ—es woulde haue thanked you who by forcing the Hebrewe word as you doe thinke it very good to hurt any straunger that is any Christian by any vsurie be it neuer so great FVLK 16. 17. You saye well that in the Scripture nothing is to be counted litle and therefore euen in these litle thinges we haue endeuoured to follow the Hebrew and haue so well followed it that though you say much yet you can proue litle against vs. But concerning this text of vsurie whereof you would make vs great patrones it is maruell that you can not finde in your Dictionaries that the verbe nashach signifieth to
bite at least wise you should haue regarded that your vulgar Latine Interpretor Num. 21. trāslateth it to strike or hurt as they were that were hurt or bitten by the fierie serpents The consent of all Hebritians also is that neshech the name of vsurie is deriued of biting and hurting wherefore the Bishops Bible meaning to expresse that all vsurie is hurtfull according to the etymologie of the word rather than to defend that any vsurie is lawful other than such as God him selfe alloweth And therfore it had bene well to haue translated also in the next verse a straunger mayst thou bite or hurt with vsurie howsoeuer the Iewes would take it whose abhominable vsurie vnder pretence of that place sure I am our translators purpose was not to defend MART. 18. What shall I tell you of other faults which I would gladly account ouersights or ignorances such as we also desire pardon of bus all are not such though some be As Two thousand written at length to them that keepe the fruite thereof In the Hebrew and Greeke two hundred Againe in the same booke c. 1. v. 4. As the fruites of Cedar in the Hebrew and Greeke Tabernacles And Aske a signe either in the depth or in the height aboue for in the depth of Hell And Great workes are wrought by him for doe worke in him as S. Paule vseth the same word 2. Cor. 4. v. 12. And To make ready an horse Act. 23. v. 24. in the Greeke beastes And. If a man on the Sabboth day receiue circumcision without breaking of the law of Moyses Io. 7. v. 23. For to the end that the lawe of Moyses be not broken And The sonne of man must suffer many things and be reproued of the elders Mar. 8. v. 31. For be reiected As in the Psalme The stone which the builders reiected we say not reprouing of the said stone which is Christ. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a yong scholer in all your translations falsely And Simon of Chanaan or Simon the Cananite who is called otherwise Zelotes that is Zelous as an interpretation of the Hebrue word Cananaeus which I maruell you considered not specially considering that the Hebrue worde for Zelous and the other for a Cananite beginne with diuers letters And least at any time we should let them slippe For least wee slippe or runne by and so be lost FVLK 18. The first in Can. 8. is doubtlesse the printers faulte who did reade in the written copie one Cypher to much That the second Can. 1. v. 5. was the printers fault which did reade fruites for tentes it is plaine by the note vpon the worde Kedar which is this Kedar was Ischmaels sonne of whom came the Arabians that dwelt in tentes In the thirde place Esai 7. there lacketh this worde beneath or towarde the pit downeward for Shealah is here opposite to Lemayelah aboue or vpward which omission I know not whether it is to be imputed to the negligence of the Printer or of the translators but not withstanding the sense is all one In the fourth texte also there is no difference for the meaning and some are of opinion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken passiuely as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in Marc. 6. v. 14. other translations turne it actiuely In the fifte text Act. 23. if for an horse they had saide horses it had bene no faulte for it is not lyke they rodde vpon Asses or Camels The worde signifieth beasts that are possessed and of possession they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here it is certaine beastes meete for cariage of men are signified In the sixte Ioan. 7. v. 23. I thinke the translators were deceiued supposing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be translated so that the lawe of Moses be not broken as perhaps it may but hereof I will not determine commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to the ende yet is there no vngodly sense conteyned in this translation The seuenth Mar. 8. v. 31. Is but a knot in a rushe for reproued in that place signifieth nothing but refused or reiected Your vulgar Latine sayth Reprobari which is plainely to be reproued and 1. Pet. 2. The stone which the builders reproued Reprobauerunt refused By reproued they do not meane reprehended or rebuked but vtterly refused and not accepted The eight Neophytus a young scholler as I haue shewed before is better Englished than a Neophyte which is neither Greeke Latine nor English The ninth is corrected in two translations and the Geneua Bible telleth you that for Cananite you may reade Zealous so that wee are not beholding to you for this correction as it seemeth you would haue vs. Touching the tenth texte Heb. 2. both those translations that say least at any time wee should let them slippe haue this note in the margent by which they declare they meane euen as you would haue them say least like vessels ful of chappes we leake and runne out on euery parte for vessels that do runne out do let goe or let slippe that licour that is put into them MART. 19. And as for the first Bible which was done in hast and not yet corrected but is printed still a freshe that saith With Herods seruants as though that were the onely sense that calleth idiotas lay men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wondering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are gone out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his substance and To know the excellent loue of the knowledge of Christ. For the loue of Christ that excelleth knowledge And of men that turne away the truth For that shunne the truth and turne away from it And Mount Sina is Agar in Arabia For Agar is mount Sina c. FVLK 19. The first Bible was not that you meane but not much differing from it neither was it done in hast but with as good cōsideratiō as god gaue for that time neither was it printed these 22. yeares for ought I know which you say is printed still a fresh In that Bible Herods seruaunts put for the Herodians was lacke of knowledge of what sect the Herodiās should be Idiotas Lay mē is no more faulte than of the vulgar sort which you say The shippe for the Arke is a smal fault seing that arke into which Noe entred was a ship or in steede of a shippe The wōdring for the tumult is a populer terme for so they call a great noyse made by a multitude The lampes are gone out or are quenched I know not what great difference may be in it His substaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not where you meane except it bee Marke 13. where Erasmus noteth that he hath redde in some copie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substaunce which seemeth to agree aptly with the place In the texte Eph. 3. the true translation is as wee haue corrected it in the later
for except one onely Bristowe who obseruing no good order of replying but gathering here and there at his pleasure whatsoeuer he thought himself best able to reproue hath made a shew of defence of Allens Articles and Purgatorie none other haue as yet set foorth any iust replication to the rest of my writings And as for Bristow he hath my reioynder vnto his reply these two yeares in his hand to consider vpon the other that of late haue set forth Popish treatises haue indeuoured themselues almost cuery one of them to haue a snatch or two at some one od thing or other in my bookes wherin they would seeme to haue aduantage that belike they would haue their simple readers thinke to be a sufficient confuration of al that euer I haue written against them I haue thought good therefore as neere as I can to gather all their cauils together and briefely to shape an answere to euery one of them that the indifferēt reader may see iudge what sound matter they haue brought against me wher with in shewe of wordes they would haue it seeme as though they had confuted me First Master Allen in his late Apologie fol. 63. accusing the Protestants to feigne an appellatiō vnto the iudgement of the most auncient fathers of the primitiue Church and yet not to abide by it not esteeming them better than the present gouernment of the Popish Church but as of men deceiued as of humane traditions c. As in their writings saith he it is most euident where from Peters time downward they make the chiefest fathers the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist For this euidence he quoteth Beza in 2. Thess. 2. Retentiue p. 248. How vniustly Beza is slandered to be a witnesse of this accusation they that vnderstande y ◠Latine tongue may see in the places quoted But touching my selfe the booke which he quoteth hauing scarse halfe so many pages I might intreat him for a new quotation but that I gesse he meaneth a place in my confutation of Sanders booke which he calleth the Rocke of the church which was printed with the Retentiue and continueth the number of pages from it In that booke pag. 248. there is nothing that soundeth toward such a matter except it be these wordes As for Leo and Gregorie bishops of Rome although they were not come to the full pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing wrought in that seat neere fiue or sixe hundred yeres before them and then greatly increased they were so deceiued with the long continuance of error that they thought the dignitie of Peter was much more ouer the rest of his fellow Apostles than the holy scriptures of God against which no continuance of errour can prescribe doth either allowe or beare withall Wherefore although he haue some shew out of the old writers yet hath he nothing directly to prooue that Peter did excell the other Apostles in bishoplike authoritie and out of the worde of God no one iote or title that Peter as a bishop excelled the other Apostles not as Apostles but as bishops First it is manifest euen to the eye that Allens slander is not expressed in these wordes Then let vs see if it may be imployed The mysterie of iniquitie did worke in the see of Rome from the Apostles time taking increase by litle litle vntill sixe hundred yeares and more after Christ when Antichrist began to be openly shewed and manie of the ancient fathers not espying the subtiltie of Sathans secret purpose were deceiued to thinke something more of Peters prerogatiue of the bishops of Romes dignitie than by the worde of God was granted to either of them this is in effect as much as I affirme but here of it followeth not that I make them the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist For those are the ministers and furtherers of Antichrist which willingly lend all their power to maintaine and vphold his kingdom after he hath inuaded the tyrannie The auncient fathers meant nothing lesse by admitting of the bishops of Romes prerogatiue vnder colour of Peters successour than to serue him or aduance him into the throne of Antichrist Not euerie one whome Satan hath seduced that he might prepare a way for the aduauncement of his tyrannie is a minister and furtherer of Satan or his tyrannie for then should all men be counted ministers or furtherers of Satan seeing the kingdome of sinne is increased by the frailtie of all men which by temptation of the diuell fall into sinne Beside that manie of the auncient fathers openly resisted the vsurped power of the bishops of Rome when it began onely to budde vp and was yet farre off from Antichristian tyrannie although it tended somewhat toward the same So did the bishops of the East churches countermaund Victor bishop of Rome contending about the celebration of Easter So did Irenaeus Polycrates and many other godly fathers in publike writings openly reprehend him So did Cyprian in diuerse Epistles expostulate with the bishops of Rome for medling with causes that pertained to his iurisdiction So did all the bishops of Aphrica make decrees against the vsurped authoritie and titles of the bishops of Rome denying all appeales vnto the sea of Rome excōmunicating all them that would appeale to any place beyond the sea discouering also the forged Canon of the Nicen Councel by which the bishops of Rome challenged that prerogatiue So that M. Allen by this his slander hath done iniury to mee and hurt to himselfe while men by this example may iudge of his synceritie in other matters Next commeth in the discouerie of I. Nicols denying that they make the Catholike religion locall or of one prouince as he chargeth mee with some scornefull termes of reproche to affirme in my bad answere to Howlet I said in deede that S. Augustine De vnit Eccles Cap. 4. doth cleare vs of schisme who willingly communicate with all the whole bodie of Christs Church dispersed ouer the world and charge the Popish faction both of schisme heresie of schisme because they maintaine the Church to be onely in a part of Europe as the Donatistes did in Aphrica c. And what iniury haue I done to the Papistes in so saying The Donatists sayd the Church was perished out of all the worlde remained only in Aphrica not assigning any place of Aphrica whereunto the Church must be regardant as the Papistes do the citie of Rome but affirming that true Catholikes remained onely in Aphrica being consumed out of all other partes of the earth And what say the Papistes of all the Oriental churches of Greece of Asia of Aphrike that acknowledge not the Popes authoritie Doe they not accompt them all for heretikes or schismatikes Then it followeth that they acknowledge the Church to remaine only in those partes of Europe that are subiect to the Pope and Church of Rome But perhaps they wil alledge their newly founded Churches
the difference betweene a storie at large and an abridgement c. If you be able to defende that booke to be Canonicall answere my reasons prepare your selfe to answere as many â—â—re as may bee alledged to conuince the vanitie and falshod of that stories and so I leaue you to a better minde if it be Gods will to giue it you I finde also that in the Popish annotations vpon the new Testament printed at Rhemes my writings are carped at in two places the former vpoÌ„ 2. Thes. 2. where my wordes against Saunders Rocke page 248. page 278. are rehearsed In which I say that Leo Gregorie bishops of Rome although they were not come to the full pride of Antichrist yet the mysterie of iniquitie hauing wrought in that seate neere fiue or sixe hundred yeares before them and then greatly increased they were so deceiued with the long continuance of errour that they thought the dignitie of Peter was much more ouer the rest of his fellowe Apostles than the holy scriptures of God against which no continuance of errour can prescribe doeth either allowe or bearâ— withall Againe the testimonies of Leo Gregorie bishops of Rome as alwayes so nowe I deeme to bee vnmeete to be heard in their owne cause though otherwise they were not the worst men yet great furtherers of the authoritie of Antichrist which soone after their dayes tooke possession of the chayre which they had helped to prepare for him For this I am called a malepeart scholer of Bezaes impudent schoole But by what reason For placing the mysterie of Antichrist as woorking in the see of Rome euen in S. Peters time That the mysterie of Antichrist did worke in S. Peters time the text of S. Paul is plaine That it did worke in Rome where Antichrist should be openly shewed S. Iohn is plaine in the Reuelation Ca. 17. ver 9. 18. yea the Papists confessing that S. Peter called Rome Babylon must needes grant as much this onely then remaineth in controuersie whether in the sea or church of Rome the mysterie of iniquitie did worke from the Apostles time vntill Antichrist was openly shewed Seeing it wrought at Rome it wrought either in the church or altogether out of the church but it wrought not altogether out of the church therefore it wrought in the church That the mysterie of iniquitie preparing for that Antichrist wrought not altogether out of the church it is manifest because the seat of Antichrist is prophesied to bee in the Temple and Church of God Without the Church was not the mysterie of iniquitie against Christ but open wickednesse and persecution of Christes Church Therefore within the Church that mysterie did worke By what meanes first it is not certaine because it was a secrete not reuealed by the Apostle Some coniecture that it was by preferring one bishop before all the clergie of elders or priests which at the first were equall Some thinke that such factions began at Rome as afterwarde were at Corinth one holding of Cephas that is Peter another of some other How euer it was the challenge made to Peters chayre and from the dayes of Victor diuerse bishops of Rome creeping vp by litle and litle pretending authoritie ouer other Churches other churches reuerencing that see for many good respects were abused by Satan to set forwarde his purpose in aduauncing the throne of Antichrist And where I saide that Leo Gregorie were great furtherers of the authoritie of Antichrist my meaning was not that they did wittingly willingly prepare a seat for Antichrist but that the dâ—uel by Gods permission because he was to send the efficacie of error into the world tooke hold in the time appointed of that authoritie which the bishops for the dignitie of their see and as they thought for the benefite of the church did labour so greatly to maintaine encrease Neither write I any thing contrarie to the challenge of that reuerend father the bishop of Sarum as they charge mee who saide at Paules crosse O Gregorie O Leo if we be deceiued you haue deceiued vs For his meaning was not thereby to allow whatsoeuer they had done or written but that in some such matters as are in controuersie betweene the Papistes and vs euen Gregorie and Leo are witnesses against them A great accusation is in the note vpon Heb. 5. ver 6. in these wordes You must beware of the wicked heresie of the Arrians and Caluines except in these latter it be rather an error proceding of ignorance that stick not to say that Christ was a priest or did sacrifice according to his godhead which is to make Christ God the fathers priest and not his sonne and to do sacrifice and homage to him as his lorde and not as his equall in dignitie and nature Therefore S. Augustine sayeth in Psal. 109. That as he was man he was priest as God he was not priest And Theodoret in Psal. 109. As man he did offer sacrifice but as God he receiued sacrifice And againe Christ touching his humanitie was called a priest and hee offered none other host but his owne bodie c. Dâ—m 1. circa med Some of our newe masters not knowing so much did let fall out of their pennes the contrarie and being admonished of the error and that it was verie Arrianisme yet they persist in it of meere ignorance in the grounds of diuinitie First note the intollerable pride of these Popish interpreters that challenge to themselues all learning and knowledge in diuinitie condemning all other men of ignorance meere ignorance in the groundes of diuinitie So playeth Bristowe with the bishop of Sarum whome in the place by them quoted I reproued in these words The like impudent cauil he bringeth against M. Iewel whoÌ„ no man I thinke without laughter can read to be charged with ignorance by blundering Bristowe for affirming Christ to be a priest according to his deitie whom the Apostle expressely sayeth by his eternall spirite to haue offered himselfe Heb. 9. ver 14. But that you may the better vnderstand this controuersie betweene vs we denie not that Christ was a priest according to his humanitie but wee affirme that whole Christ is a priest as he is both God and man For in the office of priesthood two things must be considered a ministerie and an authoritie In respect of the ministeriall part our Sauiour Christ perfourmed that office as man but in respect of authoritie of entring into the holiest place reconciling vs to God presenting vs vnto God which was the principall part of his priesthood hee did perfourme it as the sonne of God as Lorde and maker of the house and not as a seruant but as God which hath created all things Heb. 3. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Against this sound doctrine let vs examine what the heretikes alledge First they charge it most odiously with Arrianisme but without all â—parke of reason seeing wee distinguish plainly
TeÌ„ple did vvell agree vvith images but not vvith idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brasen serpent first an image and lavvfull aftervvard an idol and vnlavvfull Numb 21. Lib. 10. de Ciuit. c. 8. 4. Reg. 18. Exod. 32. The molteÌ„ calf an idol 1. Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 165. In c. 25. Ezech. The ProtestaÌ„ts are like to the Ammonits and Moabits In Ezech. cap. 25 The holy Scripture speaketh against the idols of the Gentiles not against all maner of images Rom. 1. VVhat vvere the idols of the Pagans 1. Cor. 5. Bib. 1562. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VV. Fulke CoÌ„futat of Iohn Hovvlet fol. 35. Bib. 1577. Col. 3. v. 5. Bib. 1562. Ioh. 19. v. 26. Col. 3. v. â— VV. Fulke Confut. fol. 35. Fol. 36. Bib. 1579. 1. Iohn 5. Irenaus libr. 1. eâ— 20 23. 24. Epiphanius lib. 1. Tom. 2 H. 27. V V. Fulke Fol. 35. Gen 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. Imagini 1. Cor. 15. Imaginem 2. Cor. 3. Hebr. 10. Col. 1. 2. Cor. 4. Ab idolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Ioh. 5. Loco citato fol. 35 Eph. 5. A couetous man is a vvorshipper of images and Col. 3. Couetousnes is vvorshipping of images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subaud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. c. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of the 1. CommauÌ„dement concerning false Gods grauen idols The Crosse in the Q. Chappel Images in the Lutheran Churches â— Reg. 11. Psalm 105. v. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. Teraphim Matsebah Temunah Mâ—schith Pesel Tselamim Tabnith Hamanim Samel Massecah Nesachim Gillulim Miphletseth Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al image and iages in their traÌ„slations * Matsebah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Gen. 28. v. 22. Esa. 19. v. 19. Of the yeare 1570. Pesilim Massechoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the yeare 1579. Sculptile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abic ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 8. Act. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abac. 2. Ierem. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 14. v. 4. Bib. 1562. 1577. Comment in Abac 2. Zach 13. Loco citato Osee. 11. Osee. 12. In 5. Amos. In 8. Amos. c. 6. 1. Chap. 3. num 17. 18. See also M. V Vhitaker pag. 200. and the 6. chap. of this booke num 6. 7. 8. num 13. c. much more of this matter 1. * See chap. 15. nu 18. 3. 4. chap. 21. nu * Gal. 5. Tit. 3. 1. Cor. 11. Bib. 1562. Eph. 5. v. 32. 1. Cor. â— v. 10. Tit. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. An. 1562 1577. Euseb. li. 2. Eccl. bisâ— c. 22. in fine 1579. Lind. in Dubitantio Catholica 1 Bib. 1562. 1. Mat. 16. Mat. 18. Eph. 5. 1. Tim. 3. Ep. 1. Heb. 12. v. 23. In ps 81. in initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consut of M. Hovvlet sol 35. See his nevve Test. in Latine of the yere 1556 printed by Robert Steuen in fol. Act. 2. v. 27. Mat. 16. v. 18. Bib. 1577. Eph. 1. v. 2â— 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Recipere Animam â—raescientiam Poenitentiam Eph. 1. Bib 1579. Cant. 6. v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 1. Luc. c. 22. v. 19. VVhitakers pag. 199. See the Puritans reply pag. 159. and VVhitgifts defence against the Puritans pag. 722. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyteros * The later Bibles read Churche Act 16. Tit. 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyteros Bib. an 1562. â— Tim. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. Greg. Nazian in titul Ser. 1. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ep 10. saith of Bishoppes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Esa. cap. 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bib. 1579. 1577. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyterij Ca. 3. in the yeare 436. VVhere S. Augustine vvas present and subscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. de Sacerdotio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Hierom readeth Presbyteros ego compresbyter Ep. 85. ad Euag. in 1. ad Gal. prouing the dignitie of Priests and yet in 4. Gal. he readeth according to the vulgar Latine text Seniores in vobis rogo consenior ipse VVhereby it is euident that Senior here and in the Actes is a Priest and not contrary Presbyter an Elder See can Apost Conc. 1. Nic. Epist Ignat. CoÌ„c Carth. 4. Beza in 1. Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diaconus S. Tim. 3. Bib. 1577. 1579. Prebstre Prete Beza in cap. 5. Mat. nu 25. c. 10. nu 2. In 3. cap. Mat. nu 1â— Baptizo Baptisme Baptizo Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confut. of the Reas. fol. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys. Ec. Hier. c. 3. Latrîa Dulîa Beza in 4. Mat. nu 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures almost alvvaies vsed for the seruice honour proper to God August de Ciuit. Dei li. 10. c. 1. Bib. an 1562. That Presbyter hath signified a Priest from the Apostles time not an Elder Can. 23. 4. Can. Apost 32. Can. 40. Can. 3. Can. 14. Can. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. 2. ad Trallianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comment in c. 7. Michea Ep. 85. ad Euagrium Epitaph Nepotiani c. 9. Ep. 60. apud Hieâ—â—â— ca. 1. Ep. 1. ad Heliod Inter Epistolas Hiero. Ep. 97. in â—ine Lib. 1. ca. 2. in fine Annot. in 1. Pet. 5. Bezaes vvords in the place a boue alledged Prete Prebstre Priest * Presbyter for a Priest Baptismus for the Sacrament of Baptisme See M. VVhitgifts defence against the Puritans reply pag. 721. vvhere he affiâ—meth that this vvorde Priest commeth of the vvord Presbyter and not of the vvord Sacerdos Ruffin lib. 1. ca. 2. Epist. 32. ad ValeÌ„tinianum Imp. Iuris Sacerdotalis In Apolog. pro sua fâ—g orat 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. 1. ad Hieronem Sacerdotes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ec. Hiera c. 3. Lib. 8 cap. 27. De Ciu. Dei Lib. 22. Ciuit. c. 10. * So as he said before I offer to â—â—ee Peter c. Epist. 23. â—onifac De coÌ„sec dissinct 2. cap. hoc est Glossa ibidem calestis Lib. de Sacram. c. 4. Sacerdos Hom 2. in 2. Timoth Sacerdos Sacerdote Sacerdotis Presbyteri Sacerdotibus a Sacerdote Sozom. lib. 7. c. 16 Socrat. lib. 5. c. 19. Lib. 3. de Sacerd. Heb 12 Clerus * In â— Pet. 5. See S Hierome ad Nepot de vit Clericorum ep 2. c. 5. Chap. 6. 1 Caluins Institutions li. 2. c. 16. Sect. 10. and in his Catechisme