Gen. 1. 9. Noe and his children saying Increase and multiplie vvhen he blessed the children of Israël and they multiplied excedingly vvhen he blessed the later things of Iob more then the first Iob. 42. Vvas this also a giuing of thankes and not an effectual blessing vpon these creatures Vvhat vvil they say or vvhat difference vvil they make As God blessed here so he vvas God and man that blessed the loaues and fishes there If they vvil say he did it as man and therfore it was a giuing of thankes to God his father to omit that he blessed them as he multiplied them that is rather according to his diuine nature then humane vve aske them vvhen he blessed as man vvas it alvvaies giuing of thankes he blessed the litle children he blessed his disciples Luc. 24. vvhen he ascended vvas this giuing thākes for them as Beza expoundeth his blessing of the loaues fishes Vvhen * Beza loco citato vve blesse the table or the meate vpon the table vvhen S. Paul saith 1 Timoth. 4. al meate is lavvful that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word cā neuer signifie giuing thankes is sanctified by the vvord by praier is al this nothing but giuing thankes So saith Beza in expresse vvordes 3 Vve goe forvvard and proue the contrarie yet more manifestly in the very matter of the B. Sacrament for the vvhich they multiplie al the foresaid absurdities Vve tell them that S. Paul saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chalice of blessing vvhich vve blesse is it not c. hovv could he speake more plainely that the chalice or cuppe meaning that in the cuppe is blessed Vvhich S. Cyprian de Corn. Do. explicateth thus Calix solenni benedictione sacratus The Chalice consecrated by solemne blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumenius thus The Chalice vvhich blessing vve prepare that is which vve blesse so prepare for so it must signifie not as Beza vvould haue it Annot. in 1 Cor. 10. v. 16. vvhich vvith thankes giuing vve prepare and that I proue by his ovvne vvordes immediatly before vvhere he saith that the Greeke vvord being vsed of the Apostle transitiuely that is vvith a case folovving can not signifie giuing thankes Hovv then can it so signifie in Oecumenius vvordes vvho doth interprete the Apostles meaning by the Apostles ovvne vvordes and phrase yea that you may note a notorious contradiction hovv doth Beza then in the place of Luke before alleaged vvhere the same Greeke vvord is a plaine transitiue as in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place expound it of giuing thankes for the bread and fishes A lyer they say must be mindeful to make his tale agree in euery point He that before forced the vvord in euery sentēce to be nothing els but thankes giuing euen vvhen it vvas a plaine transitiue novv confesseth that he neuer read it in that signification vvhen it is a transitiue and so vve haue that the blessing of the cuppe or of the bread is not giuing thankes as they either translate or interprete it 4 And surely in the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is most euident that it signifieth in this case the blessing consecration of the creature or element in so much that S. Basil and S. Chrysostom in their Liturgies or Masses say thus by the same Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blesse ô Lord the sacred bread and Blesse ô Lord the sacred cuppe and vvhy or to vvhat effect It folovveth changing it by the holy Spirit Vvhere is signified the transmutation and cōsecration thereof into the body and bloud But in the other vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there may be some questiō because it signifieth properly to giue thankes and therfore may seeme to be referred to God only and not to the element and creature But this also vve finde contrarie in the Greeke fathers vvho vse this vvord also transitiuely saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panem calicem eucharistisatos or panem in quo gratiae act ae sunt that is the bread and the cuppe made the Eucharist the bread ouer vvhich thankes are giuen that is vvhich by the vvord of praier and thankes-giuing is made a consecrated meate the flesh and bloud of Christ as S. Iustine in fine 2 Apolgo and S. Irenaeus li. 4.34 in the same places expound it Vvhereas it may also signifie that for vvhich thankes are giuen in that most solemne sacrifice of the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Denys in one place seemeth to take it Eccl. Hier. c. 3 in fine Vvho in the self same chapter speaketh of the consecration thereof most euidently 5 Vvhereby vve haue to note that the Heretikes in vrging the vvord Eucharist as mere thankes-giuing thereby to take away blessing and consecration of the elements of bread and vvine do vnlearnedly and deceitfully because al the fathers make mention of both S. Paul also calleth it blessing of the chalice which the Euāgelists call giuing of thankes Vvhose vvordes Theophylacte explicateth thus THE CHALICE OF BLESSING that is of the Eucharist For holding it in our handes vve blesse it giue thankes to him that shed his bloud for vs. See here both blessing Eucharist blessing the chalice and thankes-giuing to Christ Liturg. S. Iac. Basil Chrys S. Iames and the Greeke fathers in their Liturgies put both vvordes in the consecration of eche element saying thus giuing thankes sanctifying breaking and giuing thankes blessing sanctifying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taking the cuppe giuing thankes sanctifying blessing filling it vvith the boly Ghost he gaue it to vs his Disciples S. Chrysostom vvho in many places of his vvorkes speaketh much of thankes-giuing in these holy mysteries Hom. 2. in Tim. 2. Hom. 83. in Mat. Ho. de Iuda proditore doth he not as often speake of the blessing consecration yea and the transmutation thereof that vvith vvhat vvordes and by vvhat povver it is done Doth not S. Augustine say of the same Aug. ep 59. benedicitur sanctificatur it is blessed and sanctified vvho often speaketh of the solemne giuing of thankes in the sacrifice of the Church De bone viduit c. 16. Doth not the Church at this day vse the very same termes as in S. Augustines time Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro Let vs giue thankes to the Lord our God and Verè dignum iustum est semper vbique tibigratias agere c. It is very meete and right alvvaies and in al places to giue thee thankes Vvhich the Greeke Church also in their Liturgies expresse most aboundantly yet doth there folovv blessing consecration and vvhatsoeuer S. Ambrose describeth to be done in this holy sacrifice touching this point vvriting thereof most excellently in his booke de ijs qui initiantur mysterijs c. 9. 6 Of al vvhich this is the conclusion that the Eucharist is a solemne name taken of the vvord 〈◊〉
interpreted and draw on to an other signification 45 Vve replie againe and say vnto them vvhy Is not the credite of those Septuaginta interpreters vvho them selues vvere Ievves and best learned in their owne tongue and as S. Augustine often and other auncient fathers say vvere inspired vvith the holy Ghost in translating the Hebrue bible into Greeke Is not their credite I say in determining and defining the signification of the Hebrue vvord far greater then yours No. Is not the authoritie of al the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin that folovved them equiualent in this case to your iudgement No say they but because vve finde some ambiguitie in the Hebrue we wil take the aduantage and we wil determine and limite it to our purpose 46 A gaine vve condescend to their vvilfulnes and say vvhat if the Hebrue be not ambiguous but so plaine certaine to signifie onething Psal 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it can not be plainer As Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hel vvhich proueth for vs that Christ in soule descended into Hel. Is not the one Hebrue vvord as proper for soule as anima in Latin the other as proper and vsual for Hel as Infeunus in Latin Here then at the least vvil you yeld No say they not here neither for Beza telleth vs that the Hebrue vvord vvhich commonly and vsually signifieth soule yet for a purpose of a man vvil straine it may signifie not only body but also carcas and so he translate that But Beza say vve being admonished by his frendes corrected it in his later edition Yea say they he was content to change his translation but not his opinion concerning the Hebrue word as himself protesteth 47 Vvel then doth it like you to reade thus according to Bezas translation Thou shalt not leaue my carcas in the graue No we are content to alter the word carcas which is not a seemely word for our Sauiours body and yet we are loth to say soule but if we might we vvould say rather life person as appeareth in the margent of our Bibles but as for the Hebrue word that signifieth Hel though the Greeke and Latin Bible through out the Greeke and Latin fathers in al their writinges as occasion serueth do so reade it and vnderstand it yet wil we neuer so translate it but for Hel we vvil say graue in al such places of Scripture as might inferre Limbus patrum if we should translate Hel. These are their shiftes and turninges and windinges in the old Testament 48 In the new Testament we aske them wil you be tried by the auncient Latin translation which is the text of the fathers and the whole Church No but we appeale to the Greeke Vvhat Greeke say we for there be sundrie copies and the best of them as Beza confesseth agree with the said auncient Latin for example in S. Peters wordes 2 Pet. ca. 1. Labour that by good vvorkes you may make sure your vocation and election doth this Greeke copie please you No say they we appeale to that Greeke copie which hath not those wordes by good workes for othervvise we should graunt the merite and efficacie of good workes tovvard saluation and generally to tel you at once by what Greeke we wil be tried we like best the vulgar Greeke text of the new Testament which is most common and in euery mans handes 49 Vvel say we if you wil needes haue it so take your pleasure in choosing your text and if you wil stand to it graunt vs that Peter was cheefe among the Apostles because your ovvne Greeke text saith The first Peter No saith Beza Mat. 10. we vvil graunt you no such thing for these wordes were added to the Greeke text by one that fauoured Peters primacie Is it so then you wil not stand to this Greeke text neither Not in this place saith Beza 50 Let vs see an other place You must graunt vs say we by this Greeke text that Christs very bloud which was shed for vs is really in the chalice because S. Luke saith so in the Greeke text No saith Beza those Greeke wordes came out of the margent into the text therfore I trāslate 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 * See chap. 1. nu 37. chap. 17. nu 11. is mainteined iustified by our English Protestants in their writinges of late 51 Vvel yet say we there are places in the same Greeke text as plaine for vs as these novv cited where you can not say it came out of the margent or 2 Thess 2. it was added falsely to the text As 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 vvritten word that is the Scriptures No say they we knovv 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 say vve you can not so ansvver the matter for in other places you translate it duely and truely tradition and vvhy more in one place then in an other They are ashamed to tel vvhy but they must tel and shame both them selues and the Diuel if euer they thinke it good to ansvver this treatise as also why they changed congregation which vvas alvvaies in their first translation into Church in their later translations did not change likevvise ordinances into traditions Elders into Priests 52 The cause is that the name of Church was at the first odious vnto them because of the Catholike Church which stoode against them but afterward this name grevve into more fauour vvith them because of their English Church so at length called and termed but their hatred of Priests and traditions continueth still as it first began and therfore their translation also remaineth as before suppressing the names both of the one and of the other But of al these their dealings they shal be told in their seueral chapters and places 53 To conclude as I began concerning their shiftes and iumpes and vvindinges and turninges euery way from one thing to an other til they are driuen to the extreme refuge of palpable corruptions and false translations consider vvith me in this one case only of traditions as may be likevvise considered in al other controuersies that the auncient fathers councels antiquitie vniuersalitie custom of the vvhole Church allovv traditions the canonical Scriptures haue them the Latin text hath them the Greeke text hath them only their translations haue them not Likevvise in the old Testament the approued latin text hath such and such speaches that make for vs the renovvmed Greeke text hath it the Hebrue text hath it only their translations haue it not These are the translations vvhich vve cal heretical and vvilful and vvhich
signifying I dols if you also did repeate images so often although the translation vvere not precise yet it vvere in some part tolerable because the sense vvere so but vvhen you do it to bring al holy images into contempt euen the image of our Sauiour Christ crucified you may iustly be controuled for false and heretical translators 25 As in this very place vvhich is an other fals hod like to the other conflatile you translate image Abac. 2. as you did sculptile and so here againe in Abacucke as before in Esay is noted for tvvo distinct vvordes eche signifying an other diuers thing from image you translate images images Thirdly for imaginem falsam a false image you translate an other thing vvithout any necessarie pretense either of Hebrue or Greeke auoiding here the name of image because this place telleth you that the holy Scripture speaketh against false images or as the Greeke hath false phantasies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as you translate the Hebrue such images as teach lies representing false Gods vvhich are not as the Apostle saith Idolum nihil est 1 Cor. 8. Act. 19. And Non sunt Dij qui manibus fiunt Vvhich distinction of false and true images you vvil not haue because you condemne al images euen holy and sacred also and therfore you make the holy Scriptures to speake herein according to your ovvne fansie 26 Vvherein you procede so far that vvhen Daniel said to the king Dan. 14. v. 4. I vvorship not idols made vvith handes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you make him say thus I vvorship not things that be made vvith handes Bib. 1562.1577 leauing out the vvord idols altogether as though he had said nothing made vvith hand vvere to be adored not the Arke the propitiatorie no nor the holy Crosse it self that our Sauiour shed his bloud vpon As before you added to the text so here you diminish take from it at your pleasure 27 But concerning the vvord image vvhich you make to be the English of al the Latin Hebrue and Greeke vvordes be they neuer so many and so distinct I beseeche you vvhat reason had you to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 images Sap. 15. v. 13 doth the Greeke vvord so signifie doth not the sentence folovving tel you that it should haue been translated grauen idols for thus it saith They iudged al the idols of the nations to be Gods loe your images or rather loe the true names of the Pagans goddes vvhich it pleaseth you to call images images 28 But to conclude this point you might and it vvould haue vvel becommed you in translating or expounding the foresaid vvordes to haue folovved S. Hierom the great famous translator and interpreter of the holy Scriptures Comment in Abac. 2. vvho telleth you tvvo senses of the foresaid vvordes the one literal of the idols of the Gentiles the other mystical of Heresies and errours Sculptile saith he conflatile I take to be peruerse opinions vvhich are adored of the authors that made them See Arius that graued to him self this idol that Christ vvas onely a creature adored that vvhich he had grauen behold Eunomius hovv he molted and cast a false image and bovved to that vvhich he had molten Suppose he had exemplified of the tvvo condemned heretikes Iouinian and Vigilātius also had he not touched your idols that is the old condemned heresies vvhich you at this day adore 29 These onely I mean heresies heretikes are the idols and idolaters by the auncient Doctors iudgement vvhich haue been among Christians since the idolatrie of the Gentiles ceased according to the prophets Zach. 13. Therfore S. Hierom saith againe If thou see a man that vvill not yeld to the truth Loco citato but vvhen the falshod of his opinions is once shevved perseuereth still in that he began thou maist aptly say Sperat in figmento suo Osee 11. and he maketh dumme or deafe idols And againe Al Heretikes haue their gods vvhatsoeuer they haue forged they adore the same as sculptile and conflatile Osee 12. that is as a grauen and molten idol And againe He saith vvel I haue found vnto my self an idol For al the forgeries of heretikes are as the idols of the Gentils neither do they much differ in impietie though in name they seeme to differ In 5. Amos. And againe Vvhatsoeuer according to the letter is spoken against the idolatrie of the Ievves do thou referre al this vnto them vvhich vnder the name of Christ vvorship idols and forging to them selues peruerse opinions carie the tabernacle of their king the Deuil and the image of their idols For they vvorship not an idol but for varietie of their doctrine they adore diuerse Gods And he put in very vvell vvhich you made to your selues for they receiued them not of God but forged them of their ovvne minde And of the idol of Samaria he saith In 8. Amos. we alvvaies vnderstand Samaria the idol of Samaria in the person of Heretikes the same Prophet saying VVO BE TO THEM THAT DESPISE SION c. 6. AND TRVST IN THE MOVNT OF SAMARIA For Heretikes despise the Church of God and trust in the falshod of their opinions erecting them selues against the knovvledge of God and saying vvhen they haue diuided the people by schisme vve haue no part in Dauid nor inheritance in the sonne of Isay 30 Thus the Reader may see that the holy Scriptures vvhich the Aduersaries falsely translate against the holy images of our Sauiour Christ and his sainctes to make vs idolaters do in deede concerne their idols and condemne them as idolaters vvhich forge nevv opinions to them selues such as the auncient fathers knevv not and adore them and their ovvne sense and interpretation of Scriptures so far 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 there fansies as we haue partly shevved and novv are to declare further CHAP. IIII. The ECCLESIASTICAL vse of vvordes turned into their ORIGINAL and PROFANE signification 1 WE spake a litle before of the double signification of wordes the one according to the original propertie the other according to the vsual taking thereof in all vulgar speache and vvriting These vvordes as by the vvay vve shevved before vpon occasion of the Aduersaries graunt are to be translated in their vulgar and vsual signification Chap. 3. nu 17.18 See also M. Vvhitaker pag. 209. the 6 chap. of this booke nu 6.7.8 nu 13. c. much more of this matter not as they signifie by their original propertie As for example Maior in the original signification is greater But vvhen vve say The Maior of London novv it is taken and soundeth in euery mans eare for such an Officer and no man vvill say The Greater of
the cōmon receiued and vsual sense to another profane sense out of vse as namely in this point of Priest and Priesthod Vvhere vve must needes adde a vvord or tvvo though vve be to long because their folly malice is to to great herein For vvhereas the very name Priest neuer came into our English tonge but of the Latin Presbyter for there vpon sacerdos also vvas so called onely by a consequence they translate sacerdos See M. Whitgifts defēce against the Puritans replie pag. 721 vvhere he affirmeth that this vvord Priest commeth of the vvord Presbyter not of the vvord Sacerdos Priest and Presbyter not Priest but Elder as vvisely and as reasonably as if a man should translate Praetor Londini Maire of London and 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 23 Againe vvhat exceding folly is it to thinke that by false and profane translation of Presbyter into Elder they might take away the external Priesthod of the new restamēr vvhereas their ovvne vvord Sacerdos vvhich they do and must needes translate Priest is as common and as vsual in all antiquitie as Presbyter and so much the more for that it is vsed in differētly to signifie both Bishops and Priests which Presbyter lightly doth not but in the nevv Testament as vvhen Constantine the Great said to the Bishops assembled in the Coūcel of Nice Ruffin li. 1. ca. 2. Deus vos constituit sacerdotes c. God hath ordained you priests and hath giuen you povver to iudge of vs also Epist 32. ad Valentinianum Imp. And S. Ambrose Vvhen didst thou euer heare most Clement Prince that lay men haue iudged Bishops Shal vve bend by flatterie so farre that forgetting the right of our Priesthod vve should yeld vp to others Iuris Sacerdotalis that vvhich God hath commended to vs And therfore doth S Chrisostō entitle his sixe bookes De Sacerdotio Of Priesthod concerning the dignitie and calling not onely of mere Priests in Apolog. pro sua fug orat 1. but also of Bishops S. Gregorie Nazianzene handling the same argumēt saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 10. ad Hieronem Sacerdotes that they execute Priesthod together vvith CHRIST and S. Ignatius saith Do nothing vvithout the Bishops 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 Bishop vvhen he saith Masse and * Ec. Hiera c. 3. S. Denys saith sometime Archisacerdotem cum sacerdotibus the high Priest or Bishop vvith the Priests vvhereof come the vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the auncient Greeke fathers for the sacred function of Priesthod and executing of the same 24 If then the Heretikes could possibly haue extinguished priesthod in the vvord presbyter yet you see it vvould haue remained still in the vvordes Sacerdos and Sacerdotiū vvhich them selues translate Priest Priesthod and therfore vve must desire them to translate vs a place or tvvo after their ovvne maner first S. Augustine speaking thus Quis vnquam audiuit sacerdotem ad altare stantē etiam super reliquias Martyrum Li. 8. cap 27. De Ciu. Dei dicere offero tibi Petre Paule vel Cypriane Vvho euer heard that a PRIEST stāding at the altar euen ouer the relikes of the Martyrs said I offer to thee Peter Paul or Cyprian So vve trow they must trāslate it Li. 22 Ciuit. c. 10. Againe Nos vni Deo Martyrū nostro sacrificiū immolamus ad quod sacrificium sicut homines Dei suoloco ordine nominātur non tamen à sacerdote inuocantur Deo quippe non ipsis sacrificat quamuis in memoria sacrificet corum quia Dei sacerdos est non illorum Ipsum verò sacrificium corpus est Christi Vve thinke they vvill and must translate it thus Vve offer sacrifice to the one onely God both of Martyrs and ours at the vvhich Sacrifice as men of God they Martyrs are named in their place and order yet are they * So as he said before I offer to thee Pener c. not inuocated of the priest that sacrificeth For he sacrificeth to God not to them though 〈◊〉 sacrifice in the memorie of them because he is Gods Priest and not theirs And the sacrifice it self is the body of Christ 25 Likevvise vvhen S. Ambrose saith Li. 4. de Saceam c. 4. The consecration of the body of Christ vvith vvhat vvordes is it and by vvhose speache of our Lord Iesus For in the rest that is said there is praise giuen to God praier made for the people for kings and others but vvhen it commeth that the venerable sacrament must be consecrated novv the Priest vseth not his ovvne vvordes Sacerdos but he vseth the vvordes of Christ Ho. 2 in 2 Timotin And S. Chrisostom in very many places saith The sacred oblation it self vvhether Peter or Paul or any meaner Priest vvhatsoeuer offer it Sacerdos is the very same that Christ gaue to his disciples Sacerdotu and vvhich novv the priests do make or cosecrate vvhy so I pray thee because not men do sanctifie this but Christ him self vvhich before consecrated the same And againe It is not man that maketh the body and bloud of Christ but he that vvas crucified for vs Christ the vvordes are vttered by the Priests mouth Sacerdotis and by Gods povver and grace are the things proposed consecrated For this saith he is my body Vvith this vvord are the things proposed consecrated 26 And so by these places vvhere them selues translate Sacerdos a Priest they may learne also hovv to translate Presbyteros in S. Hierom saying the very same thing Presbyteri that at their praiers the body and bloud of our Lord is made and in an other place that vvith their sacred mouth they make our Lordes body Likevvise vvhen they read S. Ambrose against the Nouatians that God hath graunted licence to his Priests to release and forgiue as vvel great sinnes as litle vvithout exception Sacerdotibas and in the Ecclesiastical historie hovv the Nouatian Heretikes taught that such as vvere fallen into great sinnes should not aske for remission of the Priest but of God onely à Sacordote they may learne hovv to translate Presbyteros in S. Hierom in the Ecclesiastical historie vvhere the one saith thus Episcopus Presbyter cum peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui soluendus and the other speaketh de Presbytero Poenitentiario Sozom. li. 7 c. 16. of an extraordinarie Priest that heard confessions and enioyned penance Socrat. li. 5 c. 19. vvho aftervvard vvas taken avvay and the people vvent to diuers
ghostly fathers as before And especially S. Chrysostom vvill make them vnderstand what these Presbyteri vvere and hovv they are to be called in English vvho telleth them in their ovvne vvord that Sacerdotes the Priests of the nevv lavv haue povver not onely to knovv Li. 3. de Sacerd but to purge the filth of the soule therfore vvhosoeuer despiseth them is more vvorthie to be punished then the rebel Dathan and his complices 27 Novv then to conclude this point seeing vve haue such a cloude of vvitnesses as the Apostle speaketh euen from Christs time Hebr. 12. that testifie not onely for the name but for the very principal functions of external Priesthod in offering the sacrifice of Christs body bloud in remitting sinnes and so forth vvhat a peeuish malicious impudent corruption is this for the defacing of the testimonies of the holy Scriptures tending there vnto to seeke to scrarch aduantage of the vvord Presbyter to make it signifie an Elder not a Priest Presbyterium Eldership rather then Priesthod as if other nevvfangled cōpanions that vvould forge an Heresie that there vvere no Apostles should for that purpose translate it alwaies legates or that there vvere no Angels and should translate it alwaies Messengers that Baptisme vvere but a Iudaical ceremonie and should translate it vvashing vvhich Castalio did much more to lerably in his translation then any of these should if he did it onely of curiositie and folly And if to take avvay al distinction of clergie laitie the Protestants should alvvaies translate clerum Clerics lotte or lotterie as they do translate it for the same purpose parish and heritage might not * In 1 Pet ◠See S. Hierom ad Nepot de vit Clericorum ep 2. c. 5. Beza him self controull them saing that the auncient fathers transferred the name clerus to the College of Ecclesiastical Ministers 28 But alas the effect of this corruption heresie concerning Priests hath it not vvrought vvithin these fevv yeres such cōtempt of al Priests that nothing is more odious in our countrie then that name vvhich before vvas so honorable and Venerable and novv is among all good men If ministerie or Eldership vvere grovven to estimation in steede thereof somevvhat they had to say but that is yet more contemprible and especially Elders and Eldership for the Queenes Maiestie her Coūsellors vvill permit none in gouernement of any Church in England and so they haue brought al to nothing els but profane laitie And no maruel of these horrible inconueniences for as the Sacrifice Priesthod goe together and therfore vvere both honorable together so vvhen they had according to Daniels Prophecie abolis hed the daily sacrifice out of the Church vvhat remained but the contempt of Priests and Cleargie and their offices so far forth that for the holy Sacrifice sake Priests are called in great despite Massing Priests of them that litle consider or lesse care vvhat notable holy learned fathers of al ages since Christs time this their reproche toucheth and concerneth as by the testimonies before alleaged is manifest and vvhereof the Reader may see a peculiar Chapter in the late Apologie of the English Seminaries Chap. 6. CHAP. VII Heretical translation against PVRGATORIS LIMBVS PATRVM CHRISTS DESCENDING INTO HEL 1 HAVING now discouered their corrupt translations for defacing of the Churches name and abolishing of Priest and Priesthod let vs come to another point of verie great importance also and vvhich by the wonted cōsequence or sequele of error includeth in it many erroneous branches Their principal malice then being bent against Purgatorie that is against a place vvhere Christian soules be purged by suffering of temporal paines after this life for surer maintenance of their erroneous denial hereof they take avvay and denie al third places saying that there vvas neuer from the beginning of the vvorld any other place for soules after this life but only tvvo to vvit heauen for the blessed hel for the damned And so it folovveth by their heretical doctrine that the Patriarches Prophets and other good holy men of the old Testament vvent not after their deathes to the place called Abrahams bosome or limbus patrum but immediatly to heauen and so againe by their erroneous doctrine it folovveth that the fathers of the old Testamēt vvere in heauen before our sauiour Christ had suffered death for their redemption and also by their erroneous doctrine it folovveth that our sauiout Christ vvas not the first man that ascended and entred into heauen and moreouer by their heretical doctrine it folovveth that our sauiour Christ descended not into any such third place to deliuer the fathers of the old Testament out of their prison and to bring them triumphātly vvith him into heauen because by their erroneous doctrine they vvere neuer there so that article of the Apostles Creede concerning our sauiour Christ his descending into hel must either be put out by the Caluinists as Beza did in his Confession of his faith printed an 1564 or it hath some other meaning to vvit either the lying of his body in the graue or as Caluine and the purer Caluinists his schollers vvill haue it the suffering of hel paines and distresses vpon the Crosse Caluins Institutions li. 2. c. 16. Sect. 10. in his Catechisme Loe the consequence and coherence of these errours and heresies 2 These novv being the heretical doctrines vvhich they meane to auouch and defend vvhatsoeuer come of it first they are at a point not to care a rush for all the auncient holy Doctors Beza in 1 Pet. 3 19. that vvrite vvith ful consent to the contrarie as them selues confesse Caluins Institut li. 2. c. 16. Sect. 9. calling it their common errour secondly they translate the holy scriptures in fauour thereof most corruptly vvilfully as in Bezaes false translation vvho is Caluins successor in Geneua it is notorious for he in his nevv Testament of the yere 1556. printed by Robertus Stephanus in folio vvith Annotations maketh our sauiour Christ say thus to his father Non derelinques cadauer meum in sepulchro thou shalt not leaue my carcasse in the graue Act. 2. for that which the Hebrue the Greeke and the Latine Hiero. in Ps verso ex Hebraeo and S. Hierom according to the Hebrue say Nō derelinques animā meam in inferno as plainely as vve say in English Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hel Thus the Prophet Dauid spake it in Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 15. thus the Septuaginta vttered it in Greeke thus the Apostle S. Peter alleageth it thus the holy Euangelist S. Luke in the Act. of the Apostles cap. 2. recordeth it and for this S. Augustine calleth him an infidel that denieth it yet al this vvould not suffise to make Beza translate it so because of certaine errours * See his Annot in 2. Act. as he heretically tearmeth them vvhich he
are extant in the vvorld and by trāslating thus cleane othervvise then the Greeke vvil beare This cuppe is the nevv Testamēt in my bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich bloud is shed for you 11 But what pertaineth this to the English Heretikes Who translate Vvhich is shed so indifferētly that it may signifie Vvhich cuppe or vvhich bloud is shed Thus far it pertaineth Ad rat Cāp pag. 34. because they do not only defend this translatiō by al meanes but they tel vs plainely namely Fulke that they referre vvhich to the vvord bloud and not to the vvord cuppe Against D. Sand. Rocke pag. 309. euen as Beza doth asking vs vvhat Grammarian vvould referre it othervvise in vvhich questiō he sheweth him self a very simple Grāmariā in the Greeke or a madde heretike that either knovveth not or vvil not knovv that in the Greeke it can not be so referred and consequently neither in latin nor English vvhich in true translation must folovv the Greeke but of these and other their foule and manifold shiftes to auoid this place * Chap. 1. nu 37.38 c. I haue spokē in an other place of this booke 12 Only M. Whitakers to say truely hath brought somevvhat to the purpose Pag. 35. to vvit that S. Basil readeth the Greeke as they translate But he doth vvel to make light of it because it is euident that S. Basil cited not the text of the Euangelist but the sense vvhich Beza noteth to be the custom of the auncient fathers Praef. in no. Test an 1556. telling vs vvithal that therfore the reading of the fathers is no certaine rule to reforme or alter the wordes of Scripture according to the same and it is very like that if Beza or Fulke his aduocate had thought S. Basils reading of any importance they vvould haue vsed it long since rather then so many other shiftes and so absurd as they doe vnles vve may thinke they knevv it not and therfore could not vse it But for S Basil according to the sense he citeth it very truely for vvhether vve say the Cuppe that is shed or the bloud that is shed both signifieth the bloud of Christ shed for vs as S. Basil citeth it the differēce is that referring it to the cuppe as S. Luke hath it it signifieth the bloud both present in the cuppe and also then shed in a Sacrament at the last supper but referring it to the vvord bloud as S. Basil doth as they translate it may signifie the bloud shed on the crosse also yea as these translatours meane and vvould haue it only that on the Crosse not considering that the Greeke vvord is the present tense and therfore rather signifieth the present sheding of his bloud then in mystical sacrifice then the other visible sheding thereof vvhich vvas to come in the future tense Lastly they translate S. Lukes Gospel and not S. Basil and therfore not folovving S. Luke they are false translators hovvsoeuer S. Basil readeth 13 As this falshod is both against Sacrament and Sacrifice so against the Sacrifice also of the altar it is that they controule S. Hieroms translation in the old Testament concerning the sacrifice of Melchisedec The sacrifice of Melchisedec Vvho brought forth bread and vvine Gen. 14. v. 18. that is offered or sacrificed bread vvine vvhich vve proue to be the true sense and interpretation that this bringing forth of bread vvine vvas sacrificing thereof not only by al the fathers expositions that vvrite of Melchisedeks priesthod Cypr. epist 63. Epiph. har 55. 79. Hiero. in Mat. 26. in epist ad Euagrium by the Hebrue vvord vvhich is a vvord of sacrifice Iud. 6. v. 18 and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Pet. Galat li. 10 c. 4. et 5. et Chro. Genebrardi pag. 13. by the greatest Rabbines and Hebricians that vvrite thereof but vve proue it also by these vvordes of the very text it self He brought forth bread and vvine for he vvas the Priest of God most high Vvhich reason immediatly folovving Because he vvas Gods Priest proueth euidētly that he brought it not forth in cōmon maner as any other man might haue done but as Gods Priest vvhose office is to offer sacrifice This cōsequence is so plaine that for auoiding thereof the Aduersaries vvil not haue it translated in any vvise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he vvas the Priest as though the Scripture gaue a reason vvhy he brought forth bread and vvine but and he vvas a Priest c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvrangling about the signification of the Hebrue coniunction 14 Vvherein the reader may see their exceding partiality wilfulnes For besides infinite like places of Scripture whereby vve do easily shevv that this Hebrue particle is vsed to giue a reason or cause of a thing them selues also in an other place proue it for vs Beza annot in 1 Luc. v. 42. and that by the authoritie of Theophylacte allegation of examples out of the Scripture no. Test an 1580. and translate accordingly thus Blessed art thou among vvomen because the fruite of thy vvombe is blessed Benedicta tu c. benedictus c. Let them giue vs a reason vvhy the said Coniunction is here by their translation quia or enim vvhere it vvas neuer so translated before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it must not be in any case in the other place of Genesis vvhere it hath been so translated and generally receiued euē in the primitiue Church In other places of Scripture also vvhich Theophylacte alleageth and many moe may be alleaged they cōfesse and like very vvell it should so signifie only in the place of Genesis Gen. 14. v. 18. they can not abide any such sense or translation thereof but He brought forth bread and vvine and he vvas the Priest c. not because he vvas the Priest Vvhat is the cause of this their dealing None other vndoubtedly and in al these cases I knocke at their consciences but that here they vvould auoid the necessarie sequele of Melchisedecks sacrifice vpon such translation vvhich typical sacrifice of bread and vvine if it should be graūted then vvould folow also a sacrifice of the nevv Testamēt made of bread and vvine ansvvering to the same and so vve should haue the sacrifice of the altar and their bare communion should be excluded 15 For vvhich purpose also their partial translation about altar and table is notorious For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of altar as they knovv very vvel both in the Hebrue and Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the custome of al peoples both Ievves and Pagans implying and importing sacrifice therfore vve in respect of the sacrifice of Christs body bloud say altar rather then table as al the auncient fathers Chrys ho. 53 ad po Antioch and ho. 20 in 2 Cor. and in Demōst que Christus sit Deus to