To the six first sections page 1. 2. & 3.

THE true religion be­ing like the heauenlie bodies which neuer change: the Popish re­ligion resembleth the earth, which as the potters claye is readie to receaue any forme, accor­ding as the wind and weather, times and seasons of the [...]eare, winter or sommer, spring or fall wil set vpon it. Hereof it is that they which some­tyme did so deadly hate the instruc­tion of the youth, in the groundes & principles of religion; that they [Page 4] coulde not heare the worde of Cate­chisme with patient eares: nowe in feare of a generall falling from them through opinion either of their blockish ignoraunce or sluggishe ne­gligence; are constrayned both to write and teach their Catechismes. Out of the same feare it riseth, that they which hitherto coulde not in­dure the holie scriptures to be red of the people, in their mother tongue: nowe leaste they shoulde vtterlie fall from the hope of their gaine, throgh a vehement suspition of jugling and playing vnder the boarde with the people: and constrayned to pro­fesse a printe of that, which they sometimes burned, and praetend al­lowance of that, which in times past they condemned. Howbeit th'eui­dence of the trueth hauing these Church robbers vpon the rack: see notwith-standing how hardlie they are gotten to confesse the trueth, & how they lysp it, rather then speake it out. For heere they confesse that th' Armenians, Gotthes, Italians, French [Page 5] and English men, had either some part or the whole of the scriptures trāsla­ted into their own tongues. But they will not grant it of the Slauoies; which notwithstanding is most euident, not onely by the words of Ierome, who af­firmeth that he gaue to his own nation a translation most diligently amēded: but by certaine of their own Doctors, from whom th'euidence of Ieromes wordes Hosius d [...] Saecro verbo Vernac, le­gendo. Alfonsus d [...] Haeres. lib. 1. c. 13 doth wring foorth the confession of the trueth in this behalfe. But what needeth all this nicenesse; when it is euident that in the elder and purer times, the scriptures were translated into innumerable, yea to all tongues vsual amongst men. In the latter times of po­perie, Chrysost. in Ioh. homil. 1 Theodoret. de corrig. Graecorum affect. lib. 5. it is not shewed, that there were such translations especially in England: where the Iesuites doe foo­lishly cōclude, that there was a trans­lation in our tongue alowed, because the counsell prouideth that none should be permitted, but that which was allowed by the Diocesane. And if ther were any; yet it being kept close prisoner, that it coulde neither come [Page 6] to the people, nor the people to it: it is all one in this question, whether there were none, or no vse of them. And if they both were, and were v­sed: yet for so much as, by their owne confession, they were permitted to wring out of the peoples handes the translation whereby the Popish Church was besieged: it is euident, that you permit it not either in reue­rence to the holy scriptures, or loue to the people; but rather as desperat enemies, which had rather kill with it, then that the head of your gaine­full errors should bee striken of by it. And it fareth altogether with you in this poynt, as with men which ha­uing a naturall hatred of cheese, or some such foode, in such sorte as the verie sight or touch of it doth offend them: yet being effamished, are con­tent for the safetie of their liues euen to eate it. For abhorring from the scriptures in time of your peace: when it commeth that you and your state is plunged by such as you call baeretickes; you are glade to bite or [Page 7] nibble vpon the scriptures, if happe­lie you can get any thing to serue the praesent neede. But tell vs (go [...]d sirs) is the reading of the scriptures by the people, like vnto Strawberies, that ar good onelye in some season of the yeare? is it physick whē men are sick and not meate when they be whole? is it triacle to driue out poyson, and not praeseruatiue to keepe from it? hath it strength to put the enemie to flight, and hath it none to hinder his approch? finally is it good to weede, & not to plant? The contrary where­of is rather true. For if it be able to heale a sicke man, it is much more a­ble to keepe him whole which is al­readie in health: & if it be meete to giue light to the simple, when the heauens are ouercast with the mist and cloud of haeresie; it is much more forcible to shew the way, when they are not so clouded. It is therefore a sottish distinction which the Iesuites vse, in making the peoples reading of the Scripture dangerous in tyme of peace, and profitable when th'ene­mie [Page 8] (by haeresie) hath made a broyle. How beit admitting that the peoples haruest of reading the Scripture, is onely in foule weather: how cōmeth it to passe, that you haue not wel­nigh fortie yeares long, wherein the gospell after a dead winter hath beene greene and florished againe in our country, and wherein the Haereti­call translations (as you call them) haue filled the land: procured that this sickle of your translation, might be in the hands of the people; therby to get them so much grain, as might haue fed them in this dearth of Mas­ses, and other such swill and swaddes as you were wont to fill them with? Wherefore the people maye well see Tranquillus. that as vnto Vitellius, the dead citi­sen was alwayes of good sauour; so vnto you, the dead & carcased soules are of pleasant smell. But let vs come vnto the groundes of this difference of the peoples reading of scriptures, which they haue set in the forefront of the praeface. The first is, that it is not absolutely necessary for al maner of [Page 9] men to read them. It is absolutely necessary that all men shoulde vse all good meanes and helpes, whereby to know Christ more perfectly: but reading of the scripturs (which al do testifie of him) is a good meane and help therevnto: wherefore it is abso­lutely necessary. And to this stayre of clyming vp to the knowledge of Christ by reading, doth our S. Christ lift vp his hearers; when hee willeth them to search the scriptures. For he Ioh. 5. 39. doeth not will them onely to heare the worde preached, but to vse all maner of instruments, whereby they might digge out the hid treasure of the knowledge of himselfe. And the circumstance of that place, doth ar­gue, that hee had in that particular exhortation, a more speciall regarde to the reading of them, then to th'o­ther more excellēt exercise of hauing them preached. For when of th'one side, they beleeued not the Sermons of our Sauiour Christ, and of th'other side, it was dangerous to refer them ouer to the Sermons of the Scribes [Page 10] and Pharises malitiouslye blinde in that mysterie: there remained onely that with inuocation of the name of God, they should read the scripturs; to th'end that by conference of them with the Sermons of our Sauiour Christ, they might finde and feele the trueth of them. And as this place proueth that the peoples reading of the scripture, is a good help to those that beleeue not after they haue hard the preaching: so th'example of the Act. 17. 11. men of Baerea, declareth that it is also necessary for those that beleeue; that they shoulde be able by conference of the scripture, to confirme them­selues in the faith whereinto they are entered: whereof let the reader fur­ther looke, what is both objected & answered in that place. And if it were a safe and a sure thing for the Iewes, not yet beleeuing in our Sauiour Christ, to search and reade the scrip­tures: how can it bee dangerous for Christians, that haue already belee­ued him to read the scriptures, which beare testimonie of him? And if it be [Page 11] commendable, that those that were novices in Christianitie & plantes of a day olde, should search & read the scripture: how much more ought the reading of the scriptures be committed vnto their trust, which (through the covenant of grace) were frō their mothers wombe borne Christians. Gal. 2. 15

Secondly it is absolutely necessary for all men, to vse all those aides whereby they shoulde the more per­fectly know what is the will of God; Deut. 6. thereby to frame themselues to th'o­bedience of the same. Heereof the law commandeth, that euery one should not onely haue the law sound­ing like a trumpet in his eares: but also that it shoulde be as a ring vpon his finger, as a bracelet vppon his hande, as a frontlet before his eies: that is to say, alwayes in sight. For which cause he commanded further, Deut. 6. 7. 8. 9▪ that the law should be written vpon the frontiers of the land, vpon the gates of the Citie and Towne, and vpon the postes of euery mans pri­uate house. Nowe if it were then [Page 12] thought good to the wisdome of God, that the people should in pas­sing by, reade the lawe grauen, or painted vpon pillers, gates & dores, wher they could not consider of it so grauely & stayedly: how much more was it his good pleasure, they should read the same sitting in their houses: where hauing the book before them they might more ripelie and delibe­ratelie conceaue the sense, and re­ceaue the fruit thereof. Further th' A­postle Coloss. 3. 16. commanding that the worde of Christ, should dwell plentifullie or richly amongst those that are of the Church; doth thereby giue comman­dement, that they shoulde vse all lawfull meanes of familiar acquain­tance with it. Vnlesse therefore it be denyed (which cannot bee of them that grant it sometymes expedient) that the reading of the Scriptures, is a lawful exercise in the word of god, for the obtayning of greater wealth in the same: it is manifest, that it is commanded of th' Apostle. If com­manded, then also absolutely necessary. [Page 13] Moreouer it is commanded to trye 1. Ioh. 4. [...]. the Spirits, whether they be of God or no: But that can not bee without some further knowledge of the word then we receaue of the spirites them selues, that is to saye, the ministers speaking either in the spirite of error or trueth: wherefore it followeth, that the whole knowledge that a faithfull man ought to haue, hang­eth not of the mouth of the mini­ster, but ought to haue a supplie of priuate reading, and meditation of the law at home. Againe the King, who of all other for the multitude Deut 17. 19. Iosu. 1. and weight of his busines, in the af­fayres of the common wealth, might seeme to be freed from this exercise of priuate reading, and to content himselfe with the sermons in the temple: is commanded to reade the booke of the lawe diligently: where other men that are neither so full of businesse, nor haue so many whose welfare dependeth of them, can not bee exempted from this exercise of pietie. And if it be necessary for the [Page 14] King to reade in the worde, that hee may rule well; it is necessary that the subjects should doe the same, that they may obey well. And if it bee needfull for him to read, that hee command not through the pride of his harte thinges that are vnlawfull: there is the same necessity for them, least in too greate basenes of minde, they shall obeye man rather then God. Last of all, reading of the scrip­tures Iosu. 8. 34 Nehe. 8. 2. Reg. 23 2. Act. 13. 15 & 15. 21. Col. 4. 16 publikely in the Church, being not onely a laudable and approued custome of the Church vnder the lawe, but commanded also in the gospell: doth declare that that which was continually profitable vnto the whole Church together, can not but aedifie euery one a part in his house. As for their reason to proue it not necessarie, for that through mans malice or infirmitie, the scriptures are pernitious & much hurtful to many: It is very chil­dish. For by the same boult they may shut out preaching as well as reading considering that through eyther in­firmitie or malice, many & the most [Page 15] part oftentimes of those that heare, get a greater condemnation vnto themselues. So also the Sacraments shall be banished, which by many are receiued to iudgement. Finally, so it 1. Cor. 11 should be dangerous for the people to meddle with Christ himselfe: as Luke. 1. one that is set for the rysing and fall of manie.

And to this manifest & sounding voice in the Scriptures, doth th' echo of th' elder Churches answere: which teache that the people should learne Orig in Le­vit. hom. 4. Chrysost i [...] Gen. homil. 29. the Scriptures without booke: that they should not onelie hearken vnto the rea­ding of the Scriptures at the Church, but also take the Bible when they come home, and that reading of the Scriptures performeth that to the soule, that meate doth to the strength of the bodie: that all men ought, by daylie reading the Scripture Hieron i [...] c [...]p 10. Eccle­siast. August. in Psal. 33. c [...]n [...]. 2. get wisdome: that they should read the Scriptures, for that they were written to th' end we should be comforted. Where­fore it is not the Churches diuine wis­dome, but the Popishe Synagogues deuilishe craft, to forbidde that at [Page 16] any time, which both the Scriptures, and purer Churches haue not onely permitted th' vse of to the people, but streightly charged them therewith. And it is not vnlike the subtile prac­tise of the Philistimes, the most deadly enemies vnto the Lords people: who to keepe them alwayes in slauerie, permitted no vse of weapon vnto them, a fewe excepted, whome they (forsooth) would shew grace vnto. So 1. Sam. 13 the diuine wisdome of your Church, is to hinder the seruantes, that they should not know their maisters will: to holde from the betrothed maide, that she should not know her faith & duetie to her spouse. Where also it is to be noted, that as th' authoritie of Gods worde is in no account with them: So neither the Councill of Trent (otherwhere matched with th' au­thoritie Vpon Act 15. of th' evangelistes) nor the su­preame authoritie of the Pope is so sa­cred amongst them, but that for lu­cre they are boulde with both of them. For in steed that they praecise­lie command, that none maye reade [Page 17] any translation whatsoeuer, without the Curates testimonie of his abilitie thereunto: they haue without repeale of Councill, or Popes decree, put their translation in mens hands with no note of discretion which we vnder­stand; but who will giue most. You may not thinke much therefore if wee for Truths sake make light of your Trent councill, when you for gaine infringe it.

To the three next sections, pag. 3. and 4.

If (as hath bene shewed) all ought to reade the Scriptures, then all a­ges, all sexes, al degrees and callings, all high and lowe, rich & poore, wise and foolishe haue a necessarie duetie heerein: of which particularities, nei­ther doe the Scriptures nor auncient writers keep silence. For the Scrip­ture declareth that wemen and chil­dren, & that from their infancie, that Iosua [...] 2. Tim. [...]. Psal. 49 Prov. noble and ignoble, riche and poore, wise and foolish exercised themselues [Page 18] in the holy Scriptures. And Theodoret Theodoret. de corrig. Grae. affect lib. 5 lyketh well that the points of religion which the Church taught▪ were not onelie knowne of Doctors and maisters, but of Taylers, Smythes, Weauers and o­ther artificers: not of men onelie but of wemen, and the same not onely learned, but labouring wemen, sewsters, seruants and handmaides; not of Citizens alone, but of Countrie-folke, Ditchers, deluers, neat­heards and gardiners, disputing euen of the holie Trinitie, &c.

And being commanded to be tal­ked of both within the house & with­out, Deut. 6 both lying sitting and walking: a man woulde thinke that therein is commanded th' exercise of it in al pla­ces, both table and bench, both boate & barge. And it is too great ignorance to make that difference of place in this matter, which was not made vnder the Lawe: when in all manner of pla­ces it is not onelie lawfull, but com­manded to talke of the Law. And se­ing to the cleane, al things are cleane, the boat and boat-man, the rudder Tit [...] 1 and the rower: it is too palpable a [Page 19] darknesse, to thinke that the Worde 1. Tim. [...] should bee profaned by those things, which by faith & prayer it sanctifieth. Wherefore it is most false, that the Bibles were then onelie in Monasteries, Colledges, Churches, Bishops, Priests, and some deuout principal lay-mens hands. For Chrysostome exhorteth al the people & Epist. ad Coloss. hom 9 Hieron. in Psal. 133 In Matth. homil. [...]. & concio­ne 3 d [...] L [...] zar [...] secular men to get them Bibles, at the least▪ the new Testament. Ierom also saieth [...] married men, Monkes, sillie wemen were wont to contēd, who should learn moe scrip­tures without booke. But Chrysostome is bold, and affirmeth it more fit and profi­table for the lay people to read Gods worde, then for Monkes, Priests, or any other. And if priuate reading of the Bible were vrged so sore, when (through the tra­uaile of wryting,) it must needes cost much: how much more then is it now to be pressed, when (through the be­nefite of printing) it is so easilie and lightlie obtained. It is false also, that either they sung in an vnknowne lan­guage, or without knowledge of the sense in some profitable measure: which had bene liker vnto the prating, prat­ling [Page 20] and parating of birdes tickling th' eares of fond men; then to any Christian melodie, pleasant in the eares of the wise God.

After, like men fighting in the dark, they stryke themselues instead of the enemie. For they are forced to bring forth Ierome, exhorting men and wemen to the reading and meditation of the Scripture, t [...]reby to walke comelie in their se­uerall callings. Themselues therefore which dryue men from reading of the Scriptures, are causes why neither [...]irgines can meditate of chastitie, nor wy­ues of faithfulnesse, Prince how to rule, nor subiect how to obey: seeing these dueties are euidentlie to th' vnderstanding of the simplest, laide forth in holy Scrip­ture: And if then th' inferiors taught not their superiors: it was because that as they excelled their vnderlings in age & dignitie; so they went before them in knowledge and vnderstanding of the word. But because Poperie is such a time, wherein (as Salomon saith) the Eccl. 10. 4. seruants ryde and the maisters goe on foot: that is to say, wherein common­lie [Page 21] the Bishop can byte, but not bark: the Pastor can milke but not feede: the Priest can mum, but cannot speak it is needfull that in such a case, the waters should go against the streame & the scholler should teache his maister, the sheepe controule his Pastor, &c. Yea in the learnedst and lightsomest times that euer were, and in personages of notable marke, it hath sometymes come to passe, that not onelie wemen Luke 2. 38 Luk. 24. 10 act. 18. 26. 2. Reg 5 13 Chrysost. in Coloss. hom. 9 August. d [...] tempor. serm. 56. haue instructed men: but euen the sheepe the shepheards, the schollers their maister, the seruant their Lord. And Chrysostome and Augustine will haue e­uery one to learne, as they may teach one another. Against which as also a­gainst the peoples reading of Scrip­tures, neither Ierome nor August. haue a word. For Ierome in the same epistle exhorteth to the reading of the scrip­ture, onelie he reproueth them which trusting vnto the strength of their wits, and to their owne studie, seeke not the necessarie helpe of a teacher, the principall meanes which God hath ordained to bring men to sound [Page 22] knowledg of the trueth. And how far Ierome was from the Iesuites iudge­ment, it appeareth otherwhere: when he saith, that the Scripture is tearmed the Scripture of the people, because it is red vnto Hieron. in psal. 86 all people that all may vnderstand. Lyke­wise he sharply reproueth such as cō ­temned those that red the Scripture and mused of them day and night, as chatters & vnprofitable: which is the very popishe spirit that reigneth in these daies. The same answere serueth for Augustine, who reprooueth not men for reading of the Scripture, but onelie for that in reading them, and finding difficulties which they cannot auoide: they forth­with condemne the worde, in steade that they should repaire to such as are able to vndoe their knots. Which thing is not onelie cleare vppon the place, but confirmed by other sayings Where declaring it not to be enough to heare the word in the Church only, he exhorteth al in their priuate houses ei­ther August. de tempor. serm. 55 to read, or to get some to reade for them. And againe, that nothing abideth, but that which a man hath lay de vp in [Page 23] the treasure of his conscience, for health of his soule by reading, pray­ing or doing good workes, and that we must alwayes pray and read. And if they wrote this, when the malady of ar­rogancie in diuine matters was not so great as now it is: howe much more would 2. Reg. 22. 11. 18. 19 Rom. 7. 7 9. 10 they haue wrote it in these dayes; cō ­sidering that the vse of the Scripture, is to beat downe the pride and arro­gancie of the minde: whereas the Ie­suites conclude cleane contrarie, that because men are more proud nowe then heretofore, the Scriptures shuld be withdrawne more now then then; esteeming that pride gayneth by rea­ding of the Scripture: therein like to those whome Augustine sharply repro­ueth, August. in Psal. 130 which hearing that they must be hū ­ble, will learne nothing: thinking that if they learne any thing, they shalbe proud.

To the 4. next sections, pag. 4. 5. and 6.

The moderation of Nazianzene is ne­cessarie, but helpeth you nothing at all. For it maketh a distinction, first [Page 24] generally betweene Doctor & Scho­ler, and then of the Doctors office, varying his teaching according to the difference of one Scholler from another: which we confesse; and not betweene Scholler and Scholler, as you praetend. And therefore follow­ing your sense of Nazianzene, which is that the people should not meddle with the Scriptures, but the Minister alone: your selues are guiltie of the conspiracie of Korah, which permit to some of the people the reading of the Scriptures, which (out of Nazianzene) you pretend to bee the seuerall of Bi­shops and Ministers. We grant it is often profitable for the common people not to be curious: and so is it also for the Pa­stor, in matters that breed quaestions rather then aedifying to God which is through faith in Christ. Howbeit com­mending his sister for her cunning in I [...]funeb. orat. de Gergoniae the Scriptures both olde and new: it is manifest, that by curiositie, he mea­neth not to draw them to carelesnesse of reading & meditating of the Scrip­tures. Augustines words, as they make [Page 25] not for you, considering that the sim­plicitie of faith, reacheth it selfe to the beleeuing, (and consequently vnder­standing) of the whole Scripture, and euery part thereof: so to fit them for your purpose, haue you shamefullie gelded thē. For you haue left out the pronoune this, which marreth al your market. Augustine hauing before, out of the scriptures confuted certain which held that there should be no resurrection of the flesh, concludeth with this exhortation: that they should be nourished with this simpli­citie of faith, which hee had proued out of th' Apostles & Christs words: with which simplicitie, both himselfe and all other was, and ought to bee contēted. After he sheweth the cause of their error, for that beeing little ones in knowledge, they had negle­cted the first principles and grounds of their religion, as it were the milke whereby they shoulde haue growne to the strength of partaking of sounder & harder meat [...]. Al which doth nothing bar them from the rea­ding [Page 26] of the Scriptures; in euery book chapter and almoste verse, whereof, there is aswell milke for babes, as strong meates for those which are grown. And as in the most champion and plaine grounds of the bookes of Scripture, there are some mysteries (as hillocks) higher then the rest of their fellowes: so in the greatest and steepest hill thereof, there is sooting whereby with labour and trauaile, with much reading and often prayer, wee may come to that height of it, wherein wee may see and discouer so far of the land of Canaan, & the king­dome of heauen, as our places & cal­lings, sexes and ages do require. And as there is no booke in the Scripture so mysticall and deepe, whereout a good teacher wil not deliuer doctrine fit aswell for the vnlearned, as for the learned: so is there no good scholer in the schoole of Christ, which out of the hardest bookes, cannot draw some thing, aswel for his cōfirmation of that which he hath learned, as for his en­trance into the knowledge of that, [Page 27] which he is yet to learne. And as whē a man hath learned Arithmetick, the way is open and easie to Geometrie, both which make easy staires to clime vp to Astronomie: euen so the people hauing laide the grounds of Religion wel, and red diligently the easier and plainer bookes of the Scripture; shall haue also a plaine and a paved way, euen in the deepest mysteries, and profoundest bookes of the Scripture. Heereof Salomon saith, that al the words Prov. 8. [...] of wisdome are open and easie to euery one of vnderstāding. Where because by a man of vnderstanding, he meaneth euerie one that is godlie; as by the foole, the wicked: it is manifest, that he decla­reth that all the words of God are ea­sie, & open to al Gods people. Wher­of Genes. 18 also commeth that it is saide, that Psal. 25 God reueleth his secrets & hid coun­sels, to all that feare him. Seeing ther­fore the people may aswell come to the reading of the Scriptures with the feare of God, as the Ministers them­selues: it followeth that there can be no hardnes or difficultie of any place [Page 28] of Scripture, which shall more with­hold the sight of that which is needful for them in their place and calling, then which is necessarie for the Mini­sters in theirs. Christ saith that who­soeuer Iohn. 7, 17 will doe the will of God, the same shall know his doctrine. Seing therefore the people and vnlearned, may haue as setled a purpose to doe the will of God, aswell as the Pastor or learned: it is euident, that their la­bour and trauaile in reading of the Scripture, shall be more frustrate for their estate, then the Ministers for theirs. Likewise there being a certain promise, that those which abyde in the word which they haue beleeued, shall knowe Ioh. 8. 31 32 the truth: it cānot be, but that the peo­ple doing that aswell as the Minister, shall for their proportion, be parta­kers of the promise aswell as he. Hi­therto belongeth the plaine and most vsuall words, the phrase and manner of speach most frequented, the com­parisons and similitudes most famili­are, taken out of the shops, and out of the fieldes, from husbandry and hous­wiferie, [Page 29] from the flock, and from the heard, from the plowe, and the mowe. For notwithstanding that it had bene easy for the Lord by his learned Pro­phetes and Apostles, and our Sauiour Christ especially, to haue flien vp into the heauens, and to haue gone downe to hell, for comparisons to set forth his doctrine with: yet we see how he cree peth as it were vpon the ground, in taking that which is before mens feet to clear his doctrine with. Wherfore? but that thereby he would notifie vn­to the sonnes of men, that hee wrote the Scriptures for the capacitie & vn­derstanding of th'vnlearned. Last of al when the whole body of the Scrip­ture, from the head to the foote ther­of, is tearmed a light & lantern, they Psal. 119 Prouerb. 6 2 Pet. 1 2. Cor. [...] must needes be the children of dark­nesse, which breath and bluster dark­nesse & obscuritie continually against them. And therefore if it be hidden to any, it is hiddē to those whose vnder­standings the God of this worlde hath blinded, that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine vn­to [Page 30] them. This iudgement of th'easines and facilitie of the Scripture, haue the auncient fathers. Origen saith that they In Exo [...]ū hom. 9 are shut against the negligent, and open to those which knock & seeke. Another, that Chrysost. in 2. Thessal. 2 hom, 5 all is cleare and plaine in holie Scriptures: whatsoeuer is necessary for vs is manifest. Another, that the Lord hath spoken by his Hieron. in Psal. 86 Gospell, not that a few, but that all shoulde vnderstand it: that Plato wrote his wry­tings, but not to the people, but to a fewe, scarce three vnderstanding him. Last of al, Cyrill saith, that the Scriptures are profita­bly Contra Iu­lian. lib. 7 medium circiter lib recommended vnto vs in an easie speach that they should not goe beyond the capacity of anie. Wherefore it is no Catholick, but the Pelagian iudgement, that the August. cō tra Iul. lib. 5. cap. 1 Scripture is hard and fit for a fewe learned men. Your owne Pope saith, that they are lyke a flood wherin the lame may wade Gr [...]gor. mag. Epist ad Leand. in expositi­one Iobi and th'elephant may swimme. And if all the Scripture carrie this light with it, it is cleare that euerie booke doth the same. Wherefore also the book of the Canticles of Salomon, intreating of our spirituall coniunction with our Saui­our Christ, and that in most chast, and [Page 31] yet familiar speeches: it is meete for all ages. We aggree that there may be a profitable discretion, of reading one book before another, and of rea­ding one twise before another once. But forsomuch as the whole scripture is a letter sent frō the almightie to his crea­ture: there is no iust cause why the Greg. epist 84 booke of the Canticles, &c. should be plastered vp, that young men & chil­dren should not read that part of the letter, as well as the rest. And howso­euer Ierom in that place seem to allow the Iewes deuise which they saw, what time the vaile was before their eyes: yet the same Ierome in another place, where he speaketh of th'education of a young maide of seauen yeares olde, sayeth, let her learne without booke, the Epist. ad Gaudent. Psalter: and vntill she come to be mariage­able, let her make the treasure of her heart, the bookes of Salomon, the Gospels, Apostles, and Prophetes. Vnlesse therefore you will denie, that the Cantîcles are a­mongst the bookes of Salomon; you shall be constrained to confesse, that Ierome would not haue the tēder ages [Page 32] shut out from the reading of them. Ioseph. 2. lib. contra Apion Heere the testimonie of Iosephus is no­table, who affirmeth that if any asked any of the Iewes concerning the law: they were aswell able to tell him, as their own names. And as for your ar­gument, that the people should be no more loath to be ordered by their Pastors, in the reading of the Scriptures, then in th' vse of the holy Sacramēts: it is absurd. For the Lorde commanded the father of the householde, to teach his children at Deut. 6 home, and by some opening to shar­pen and set an edge of the doctrine of the lawe, that it might cut the dee­per into their hearts: yet did not he suffer, that the householder shoulde minister the Sacrament in his house. And your selues, which graunt vnto certaine laye persons, leaue to haue th' vse of the Bible: doe you thinke it lawfull also, that you may credite thē with the administration of the Sacra­ment? Howbeit (indeede) you deale with the people much a-like, both in holding them from the reading of the Scriptures, and in excluding them [Page 33] from the Sacrament of the Supper: not onelie in that they receiue but once a yeare, but that euen then they receiue no Sacrament of Christ, but an Idole of your owne braine. When therefore you haue answered the trust you professe in the Sacraments; men may commit somewhat the more vn­to you, in the stewardship & dealing out of the scriptures. There is no such place of Ambrose in that booke: If there were, yet th' answere is easie: that the Bible is called the Priests book, as they are called the pillers of the 1. Tim. 3 trueth: for that they were more con­tinuallie to occupie themselues in the reading of them. But that he meant not therby to shut out the people frō reading thereof: it appeareth in that he saieth, That he careth not much for his Ambrose serm. 35 Look Am­brose vpon the psal. 118. serm. 7. in vers. [...] bellie, which is earnest in the food of reading: That that is the refection that maketh a fat soule. Also that the reading of the Scripture, is lyfe. We doe not think, that you doe so much enuie the people the reading of the Scriptures, as that thereby you seeke your vantage: that your vile filthie [Page 34] marchandise of Masses, and Diriges, Pardons and Indulgences, hauing no light to shew them by, might be ven­ted abroad: which would lye rotting at home vpō your hand, if men might be suffred to bring any light with thē into your pack-houses. But seing you obiect enuie against your selues, let vs heare how you answere it. You com­pare your accusers heerein to the Di­uell, surmysing an euill and an enui­ous eie in God, that forbad our pa­rents the fruit of one tree. You do wel, if you be able to shew that God hath forbidden the people to reade the Scriptures. Which because you can­not, th' accusation returneth vppon your selues: it being as Satanicall to forbid that which God hath bidden, as to bid that which he hath forbiddē. And because it pleaseth you, to com­pare the restraint of the Scriptures, with th' inhibition of eating of the for­bidden tree: hearken of how contra­rie a iudgement Irenaeus is vnto you in this point: who alluding to this place of Genesis, exhorteth all men to eate of [Page 35] euerie diuine Scripture. You take a sure Irenaeus lib 5. ad medi­um circi­ter libri [...] way, to keep the Church frō knowledge falsly so named, whilest you wil let them know, neither good nor bad: not vn­like to those parents, which to be sure that their children shall not surfet, keepe them altogether from meate. You woulde haue them wise to sobrietie. Therefore (belike) you bannish them from th' acquaintance of the scripture the mistresse of all wisedome and so­brietie. Where reade you that the Scriptures, are compared to knyues in the hands of little children? They are in­deede compared with a sworde, in the Ephes. 6 hand of a souldier: whereby it is easie for them to knowe, that your mea­ning is to betray them, into their spi­rituall enemies hands, which haue ta­ken their weapons from them. And if some mad men or quarrellers in the campe abuse them to their owne and others destruction: yet the law of not bearing sword in fielde, will neuer be iust. In stead therefore that you shuld haue generallie commanded that all souldiers should weare swordes, but [Page 36] such as (in respect of franzie or quar­relling with their fellowes) are speci­allie restrained: you make your pro­clamation, that no souldier shal we are weapon, but with special licence ther­unto. Is this your skill and discretion in warfare? But thus at least you pro­uyde, that dogges & hogges shoulde not come vnto them: so doe you also, that neither sheepe nor lambe shoulde touch them. Thus th' vsurpers are kept from them, but the true owners also enioy them not. Heerein you be­wray a contrarie spirit, to that where­with our Sauiour Christ was condu­cted. For he oftentimes preached in the hearing of known dogs and hogs, that is the Scribes and Pharisies, ob­stinatlie set against him: least for their sakes the children should be defrau­ded of their bread. And you of the cō ­trarie side, defraude the children of their appointed portiō, least the dogs should happely snatch at it. Besides this, do you think, that the discretion of dogs and hogs from sheep & lamb is so easie vnto you, as it was vnto our [Page 37] Sauiour Christ, and his Apostles? Can you tell who deuide the hoofe and chaw the cud, who are cleane, & who are vncleane, who read in the simpli­citie of heart, and who with pretence? Heere therefore you mutter that, which Harding your companion spea­keth plainelie: that the common peo­ple are dogs and hogs: and indeede your argument is none at all in this place, vnlesse by hogs and dogs, you meane all those, frō whom you steale away the reading of the Scriptures. As for your description of dogs & hogs out of Chrysostome, to be hereticks and carnall men: it maketh not so much to take the Scriptures away from the common people, as frō the learneder and richer sorte. For heresie maketh her nest oftner in the breast of the learned, and of those that reade the Scriptures in the learned tongues, then in the common peoples heades. And the riche are more often loaden with carnall lustes, then the poorer sort: so that if Chrysostome or Tertullian proue a­ny restraint of reading of Scriptures, [Page 38] they prooue it directly against your practise, which lay the scriptures wide open to all the learned, and as it was in Queene Maries dayes (if we will re­member) to those that might dispend by yeare a certaine land: that is, to those from whome either you durste not holde it▪ or of whome you hoped to haue gaine through speciall licence accorded vnto them. You say trulie, that no man can vnderstand the Scriptures but by the Spirite of Christ. Whereof if you would haue concluded any thing for your purpose: you ought to haue shewed, that the Spirit of Christ is ap­propriated to the learned, or at the least oftner accompanieth them, then it doth th' vnlearned. The contrarie whereof being true, that God reuea­leth his secrets (for the most) vnto the simple and vnlearned ones, and that Matth. 11 1. Cor. 1. not manie wise men, nor many noble men are taught by this Spirit: it is e­uident, that if any should be shut from the reading, and other exercises of the Scriptures, the same are especially the learned, and not the ruder, the nobler [Page 39] and not the baser, the richer and not the poorer sorte.

To the three next sections, pag. 6. and 7.

Marke (good reader) the blasphe­mie of these wretched caitiues, that esteeme so vilelie of the holy Scrip­tures, as if there were no better nor more honorable vse of them amongst the people, then to make choise of the reading of them, rather then to be much occupyed about stage-playes, cardes, and dice. These men (no doubt) could be wel content, that the people shoulde rather sit downe and pill strawes, then they should take anie booke of holy Scripture into their hand. Pharaos prophanesse from hence forth shall not be spoken of, in respect of th' vncircūcised lips of these beast­ly Iesuites. For he which held the peo­ple from exercises of godlinesse, in re­spect of doing some profitable work, tending to the fortificatiō of the land: but these are content, that sports and [Page 40] plaies, and that of the basest sort, and of worst reporte, as cardes, dice, & stage­playes, shall keep the people from rea­ding of the Scriptures; so that they be not much giuen vnto them. And yet not­withstanding if (as you praetend) they engender heresies, amongst the peo­ple: it should appeare that they shuld be aswel occupied in th'one as in th'o­ther: both of them being readie and beaten wayes to euerlasting damna­tion. But a lyar (they say) hath need of memory. For, if (as you haue alled­ged) Chrysostome cals carnal men dogs and hogs: these delicate ones, giuen so much t [...] cardes, dice, and stage-playes beeing car­nall: it followeth by your discourse, that Chrysostome was of this iudge­ment, that the most seasonable tyme for the people to reade the Scriptures in, was when they were dogs & hogs: then which what can be more vnwor­thelie spoken of the good Bishop. But marke also (good reader) the brasen impudencie of the Iesuites, whereby it will not be hard for thee to see, how all conscience in them is euen seared [Page 41] away, as it were with a hot-iron. For Chrysostome disputeth of a necessary & continuall vse of reading the Scrip­ture, by the people: & therefore doth not so much speak against the lets of certaine times, as when they were gi­uen to stage-playes, &c. but meeteth with the ordinarie and continual im­pediment, as the care for house, wife, and children. For which purpose he alled­geth th'Apostle, that the Scripture was written for our correction. Which if the Iesuites will restraine to the correctiō of excesse in dicing and carding, &c. their cogging and iugling cannot bee hid from anie. In the third homilie of La­zarus, he doth not obiect th'excuse of pastime: but declareth that for to de­liuer themselues from the duetie of reading the Scripture, one woulde say, that he hath matters to plead, another that he hath publike affaires, a third that he hath his handie-craft to awaite vpon, another that he hath his wife, his chil­dren and familie to maintaine and take care for, and generallie euerie one could say, I am a man of the worlde, it belongeth [Page 42] not to me to reade the Scripture, but to those which hauing taken their farewell of the worlde, dwell in the mountaines and liue a continent life. To whome when he had answered, that they had therefore more neede to reade the Scriptures: he concludeth, that both they and he that liued amongst men, as it were in the midst of the seas, haue alwaies need of the perpetuall and continuall solace of the Scriptures. And yet reckoning vp the manifolde vses of reading of the scrip­tures by the people, hee concludeth thus. Wherefore it is necessary, that wee shoulde incessantly, fetche our armour at the Scripture. Againe, he compareth in the same places which are heere quoted, the books of Scriptures, to th'artificers instrument, wherewith he getteth his li­uing, which he wil not gage: and as he ma­keth his works with his tooles, so we by the Scriptures must correct our depraued minds. And a little after, The reading of the Scripture is a great munition against sinne, but th'ignorance thereof is a downe-fall, & a deepe hell: this begetteth heresies. Againe, It cannot now be (I say) it cannot be, that [Page 43] any can obtain saluation, vnlesse he be con­tinually occupyed in reading of the Scrip­ture. There would be no end of wry­ting, if wee shoulde laye open all that Chrysostome hath in this behalfe, to proue that he herein praescribed phy­sicke for the generall disease of all Christian people, and not for a special maladie (as it might be the sweating sicknesse) that haunted that people, whereof he had the gouernment. Al­so for all times both in prosperitie and aduersitie, euen vncessantlie; And not Homil. 3 de Laz. onelie in those wherein (through a­bundance) they waxing wanton, gaue themselues to dicing and carding, &c Wherfore your distinction of a teacher in the Schoole, and Pulpit-man, hath no place heere: as indeede it is foolishe, and hath no place otherwhere. For the doctrine in schoole, is and ought to be the same, that is in pulpite, and that in pulpite as exact, absolute, and necessarie, as that in the schoole. The difference is, that in the schoole hath not annexed the goade and prick of exhortation, as th'other hath. For you [Page 44] may not imagine Chrysostomes pulpet, so loose and so prophane as yours is, to speake at all randome, without any girdle of truth about your loines. Our wemen (God be praised) although they are wel able, to set such Doctors as you are to schoole: know their places, and keepe silence, content to teach their children at home: which if you can­not brooke in them: or euer it can light of them, your condemnation must first passe vppon the head of S. Paule, who commandeth to be tea­chers Titus. [...]. 3. of good things vnto their daughters, and of Bathsheba who taught Prov. 31 the wisest child that euer was among the sonnes of Adam, Christ excepted. The example also of Eunice who taught Timothe from his verie infancie 2. Tim. 1. 5 & 3. 15 in the Scriptures, is notable to teach that neither wemen muste forbeare teaching, nor verye babes to learne. And if alwayes learning, they are al­wayes ignorant: in what degree of ig­norance, shall yours be found, that neuer learne any thing at all. They reade the whole Bible, seeing all is in­spired [Page 45] of God, and all profitable, and 2. Tim. 3 therefore the morall partes. But yet praefer those that be doctrinall, or as you speake dogmaticall; as both the foundation of all good manners, and the rule whereby they maye iudge of the example of life, whether it bee good or bad, worthie of praise or dispraise. And it pittieth them, to see the blind­nesse that is yet in your eye: which deemeth that to be so crooked, which to all sounde iudgement is straight: that is to say, that the causes shoulde goe before th' effects, and the rule before that which is ruled by it. And as Saint Paull in the duetie of teach­ing, Act. 26▪ coulde not acquite the faith and trust put in him, but by teaching the people the whole counsell of God: so they thinke not themselues discharged in the duetie of learning, vnlesse to the vttermost of that they maye, they en­deuoure to learne what is the good pleasure and perfite will of God to­wards them. Neither doubt they, but Rom. 12▪ that they vse more reuerence & true humilitie in comming to the high my­steries [Page 46] you speake of, then you doe in turning your backes vnto them. And they are well assured, that they are fitter to wonder at, and to advaunce th' incomprehensible breadth, length, height, and depth of them, which haue waded so farre in them as the Bowies and markes of holye Scriptures doe teach them: then you, which neuer wet your neb in them. And if they read the harder bookes of Scripture, oftner & more diligently, then they doe th' easier: a wise Schoolemaister which taketh pleasure in his Scholer, would commend them. Neither hath it bene heard of, that the Scholer was euer reproched, for his greater dili­gence in his harder lesson, but of such three halfpennie vshers, as you bee: which are loath your scholers shoulde learne too fast; but heere one word, and there another: heere a line, and there a line; least in their dexteritie & forwardnesse of learning, your in­abilitie and vntowardnesse of teach­ing should appeare. The clasped and sealed booke, to vs which come not in [Page 47] the strength of our owne wits or me­rites, Apoc. 5 but in the victory of our Sauiour christ, who hath vnsealed them for vs, lye so far forth open, as therein we are well assured to read so much, as will serue for our certaine direction vnto the kingdome of heauen. But in you, which bring of your naturall powers, and vaunt your selues of your me­rites; It is true that the Prophet saith, Esai. [...] that neither can your learned reade, because all is vnto thē as a sealed let­ter; & your vnlearned being offered the reading, they refuse to read it, & think themselues discharged because they haue no learning. And wherfore (I pray you) should th' Epistle to the Romanes not be reade of artificers & wemen: to both which sorts (amongst others) it was first written, and why should that be baulked more, then o­thers, by the simpler sort: which hath a speciall testimonie, that both it, and all other the preachings and writings of th' Apostle, are tempered aswell to Rom. 1. 14 the capacitie of the foolish & vnlear­ned, as of the wise and vnderstanding [Page 48] men. If there be nothing in that Epi­stle, for th' ign oranter sort to learne: then hath Saint Paule made a despe­rate debt, which now being dead, he is neuer able to pay. As for Saint Pe­ters wordes, they make no more a­gainst the peoples reading of his E­pistles, then against any other part of the Scripture: the whole whereof, he affirmeth to be peruerted of vnlear­ned and vnstable men. In which kind if you iudge all th' vnlearneder sort of your people to be: you fome out your owne shame, and manifestlie verefie the prouerbe, such Doctor, such Scholer. For our people we cannot hold them for vnlearned, which haue learned Christ; nor vnstable which by faith are founded and rooted so stedfastlie, that al the winde and weather, waues and floods that can beat against thē, are not able to remoue them from the trueth, which they haue learned in the Scripture. We acknowledge with Augustine, their wonderfull depth: which would afray no man from rea­ding of them, if you had faithfullie re­ported [Page 49] Augustines wordes. Who affir­meth Confess. li. 12. c. 14. that the ouermost of them, smyleth vpon the little ones, and a little after ad­deth, let vs come therefore together, to the words of thy booke, meaning Gods. In th' other place quoted by you, hee sheweth that if a man of the sharpest wit and greatest diligence, from his childe­hood should giue himself to the study of them, continuing in them vntill crooked age, as if he should liue the yeares of Methusa­lah: yet he might alwayes profite further in them. Which is manifestlie against you, for being bottomlesse, he shew­eth August. epist. 3. that notwithstanding no man can sound them, yet that his endeuour to search, is not in vaine, but is ioyned with dailie profite, especiallie in things necessary to saluation: which he affirmeth not to be so hardlie come vnto. Yea him­self confesseth, that euen in his verie first entrance to the christian faith, hered August. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 12. et 7. cap. 9. Chrysost. in proaem. in epist. ad Rom. th' Epistle to the Romanes (which you woulde wrest out of the peoples hands) with great frute. And Chryso­stome vpon this Epistle, teacheth that the people did not vnderstand Saint [Page 50] Paules wrytings, not because they wer vnlearned, but because they woulde not haue his writings continually. Ie­rom Epist. 13. 4. speaketh of the hard shell of the Scripture, as Augustine did of the depth: to whet the diligence and industrie of men, to greater and more continuall trauell to be taken in the studie of them: euen also as doeth the Scripture it selfe, which doth not will Matth. 24. 15. the disciples vppon the hardnesse of a place to giue ouer the reading there­of, but to ad further diligence & care to vnderstand it. Where the Iesuites do it cleane contrarily, to terrifie men from them. And therefore Ierome saith they shine and are verie bright euen in the Ibid. very shell of them, although the marrowe be sweeter. Likewise he exhorteth all to crack the shell, to th' end to eate the kernell. And in the very next Epistle wryting to a Matrone, he saith, There­fore let the diuine Scriptures be alwayes in Hieron. ad Celantiam thy hands, and let them vncessantly be tur­ned or rowled in thy mynde. Beside that if al the Scripture were so shelly as you (out of Ierome) praetend: where is the [Page 51] milke and honie for children, that are Heb. 5. Psal. 19 called (as hath bene shevved) to the reading of them. They haue no teeth to crack the shell, yet they depart not emptie, nor returne not hungry from them. Wherefore Augustine saith, that God hath so tempered the Scriptures, that by August. d [...] doct [...]ri. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 6. manifest places he might prouyde against fa­mine, and by those which are obscurer, he might cleanse the loathsomnes of our stomak in exercising our selues about them: noting thereby, that men would grow to disdainfulnesse of the Scripture, if with th' easier Scriptures, they should not ioyne the studie of the harder. Finallie, if before the lawfull exposition of the Scriptures, whole thirteene yeares are required, onlie to runne the course of reading the Scripture: we suppose ve­relie, that such an expositor will ne­uer be found in Poperie; although he bee sought with a candle: where the chief garland and crowne of diuinity, is not giuen to him that hath beene most conuersant in th' olde and newe Testament, but to him, that can quite himself best in Duns and Dorbel, in [Page 52] Lombard and Gratian, and such other vnwholsome Nourses as these be, at whose breasts, the popish diuines doe sucke their first milke in Theologie. And to what end should they bestow thirteene yeares, before their entrance to the Ministrie, and the most of their time after they are entred in the stu­dy of the Scripture: if they may bring no other interpretation of any place, then that which they haue receiued of their fore-fathers. As for th' interpre­tation of euery part of the Scripture, by th' Apostolicke tradition; further then by tradition (as appeareth afterwarde) is vnderstood the written worde of th' Apostles: there is no manner of mention in any writing, that carrieth credite with it. But of interpretation, the discourse will followe after more at large.

To the three next sections, pag. 7. and 8.

We are well content that our Re­ligion should be condemned of them, [Page 53] that condemne the reading of the Scriptures: and as if they had to doe with a hand or foot ball, delyte in the taunting tearmes of tossing and tumb­ling of them. And we waite patientlie Iudas e­pist. vntill the Lorde come to giue iudge­ment of all these blasphemous spee­ches, which wicked sinners speake a­gainst him, in his worde. The triall of the cause by th' outward fruites, recei­ueth manie exceptions. First, of foure sorts of grounds sowne by the seed of the Gospell, there is but one fruitfull; the reste beeing not bettered by the preaching therof, are worse then whē they remained in their Popish igno­rance, or other fallings from the truth Wherfore to praeiudice the fruit that the good ground yeldeth, by the bar­rennesse & vnprofitablenesse of th' o­ther three sortes which haue receiued the seede aswel as it: is not aequal, nor vpright iudgement. Secondly, this of­fensiue and apparant wickednesse, e­uen in the hypocriticall profession of the Gospell, proceedeth of the negli­gence of the gouernors of the Church [Page 54] and common-wealth, which loosing the coarde of both Church and com­mon-wealth discipline, suffer wicked men to spit out the poison of their hearts, which the wholesome seuerity of commanded correction, woulde keepe sealed vp in them. And there­fore our Sauiour Christ, is not afraied Matth. 24. 12. to confesse franckly that for th' abun­dance of iniquitie appearing in them that made profession of the Gospell: the loue or zeall of manie, euen of those which sometimes were forward in the same, should waxe cold. Nowe, to lay that faulte vpon the Religion, which cleaueth vnto the gouernours: is likewise an vn-aequall and vn-euen iudgement. When in the common­wealth and Church of Israel, euerie man did what he lusted: who know­eth Iudg. 17. [...]. not, that there were heathen com­mon-wealths, wherein many vnlaw­full things, by law and lawfull punish­ments were restrained. Yet we sup­pose the Iesuites are not so forsaken, that they will thereof conclude, that the heathnishe people were better [Page 57] then the people of Israel: and that the religion of those Gentiles, was better then the religion amongst the Iewes. Thirdlie, it ought to be remembred that although sinne reigned in Pope­rie: yet it appeared not; there beeing no light of the law of God to shewe it by: for that the candle-light of know­ledge, was cleane put out. Where in the preaching of the Gospell, by the beames of trueth shyning so bright, that which in Poperie was holden for no sinne, is now knowne to be sinne: and that which seemed vnder it, a lit­tle sinne, the Gospell sheweth it to be very great. To iudge therefore our mote, and gnat (which the light of our doctrine sheweth) bigger then their beame and Camell, which the night of their ignorance woulde not suffer to bee seene: is not to holde an euen hand, and to goe with a streight foote to the iudgement which is required. Further, it hath bene an olde practise of the Diuell, against the professors of the Gospell, to charge them with dis­ordered manners: and therefore it [Page 56] ought to offend no man, if it be now renewed, by th' aduersaries of y ^• truth. And although our witnes in heauen, and witnes in heart might well con­tent vs; whilest by your slanderous speeches, you doe (as it were blowing in the duste) raise it into your owne eies, to make you blinder: yet wee dare bee bolde with all the faultes of the professors of the Gospel, (mo ma­nifoldlie then ought or woulde haue bene, if we had walked according to the light that we haue seene) to com­pare with such black Mores as you be which beside teeth and tongue, that is to say, vaunts and brags, haue no white about you. For what either ver­tue in men, chastitie in wemen, or obedience in children, &c. can there be amongst you: which hauing learned no such thing in the schole of the word, where they are onely taught, knowe them not. Your men may haue the vertues that Turks and Iewes haue, your we­men and children the chastitie and o­bedience that is found amongst thē: they may fight manfullie for their [Page 57] countrie, they may keep their bodies from outward pollution, they may do the things that their parents cōmand them, &c: yet is there heere neither true vertue; nor vndefiled chastitie, nor humble obedience: as those which are not done for Gods cause, but either in seruile feare, vain-glorie, filthie lucre, or some such by-respect. Whereupon wee reade that Seres a heathen and i­dolatrous Euseb. d [...] praeparat. Euang. ex Bardisan [...] Chalde [...]. people, had through seueri­ty of discipline neither fornicator nor adulterer amongest them. In which point with some others, howe Angel­like we are in respect of you; there is occasion to speak afterwarde. It is a disorder, if wemen do teach their husbāds, children their parents, &c, which you say­ing, and saying againe to be amongst vs, neither doe nor can proue it. But it is a greater confusion, when ney­ther husband can teach his wife, nor parent his childrē, nor old the young, nor Priest the people. When the seer is blinde, and th' Embassadour dumb, & finallie when the guide of the way knoweth not the way himself: which [Page 58] how true it is in your kingdome; wee leaue it to be esteemed of all indiffe­rentlie. Singing of Psalmes, hymnes, & 1. Cor. 14. 26. Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Beda Histor▪ Ang [...]. lib. 5 cap. 12. spirituall songs, the Scripture recom­mendeth vnto vs. Bede witnesseth al­so, that diuerse bookes of Scripture were translated into English meetre. If any man abuse this sacred and holy exercise to wantonnesse; the same shall beare his condemnation. But to meet with such an euill, by taking away the good altogether: is like vnto those vnskilfull physicians, that ridde their pacients of no disease, vnles they take their liues from them.

In the laste of these 3. sections, are Scriptures and Doctors, idely & foo­lishlie alledged, to prove that which no man denieth; that Haeretickes abuse the Scriptures, now thrise in this praeface repeated: by the conclusiō, that ther­fore either the Scriptures should not bee translated, or beeing translated should not bee imparted to the com­mon people; is naked and desolate of all proofe: vnlesse it be proofe, that because hereticks shroud themselues in the [Page 59] woll of the Scriptures, therefore Catho­licks may not warm themselues with their fleece: or that because they drawe poison from them, therefore we may not suck honie at them: or finally for that they climbe into the Lordes ar­morie, to arme themselues against vs; therefore we should not enter by the dore to prepare & appoint our selues against them. And if haeretickes im­pugning the trueth out of the Scrip­tures, haue such force to banish them from the common people: why should not the confutation of haereticks by the Scriptures, bring them home a­gaine to the peoples handes. If euer therefore there were doting disputers these are their brethren.

To the two next sections, pag. 8. and 9.

It is an olde practise of Satan, to bestir himself, and to open the mouth of all his helhoundes against the god­lie and learned trauels of those, which haue laboured in this worke of tran­slating [Page 60] the holy Bible, or any part thereof. Hereof Ierome complayneth, Hieron. ad Dom. & R [...]g. in Esd. & Nehem. & in paralip. Erasm. E­pist. ad Mossella­ [...]um. in many places of his prefaces and E­pistles: that he was tong-rent & raild vpon miserablie. The same complaint is renewed of Erasmus, who was bay­ted by Ley in England, Natalis Bede in Fraunce, Stunica in Spaine, and infinite other vnlearned Monks and Fryers. And therefore it ought not to seeme strange, if the worthie labours of Master Beza & other learned men of ours, and other Countreys haue also their currs, to bark at them. As for vs, albeit we are not of that sorte of men which loue our owne, & (as the Dol­phins doe their young ones) haue in admiration our workes and writings: And further also confesse, that our translations are not so exact in all points of perfection, but that time & study may better them: yet how falsly they are charged, by the slanderous pennes of these wrangling Iesuites, appeareth at large by the learned and substantiall defence made for our English translation, vnto th' unlear­ned [Page 61] and trifling quarrels against the same. And if it appeare to th' indifferēt reader, that our translation which (no dout) for pure loue they beare to their cuntry & countrymen, they iudge the worst of all others: is free from those corruptions wherewith the Iesuites haue slādered it: the good reader may easily know, what to iudge of our translations in other Languages, Latine, French, Italian, &c. And herein let all men marke their equitie, and by their fidelitie in their iudgment of Maister Caluins and Bezas translations, affirmed by them to be as new and delicate, as Ca­stalions, or worse then it: esteeme what trust they deserue in other their accu­sations, for either they haue neuer red them, or els partly their ignorance, & partlye their furious malice against them, hath so bewitched thē, that they can put no difference betwene a swelling and swaged speach, betweene an honest homelye stile, & that which is pricked and pranked vp by choise & exquisite words, sought rather to tic­kle th' ears of daintie fooles, then for [Page 62] the fit deliuerie of the sense the holye Ghost intēdeth. Finally betwene that which goeth vpon a plaine sandall, fit to goe far for the publishing of the gospell: then that which is mounted vpon moyles and pantofles, meet to keepe it at home, amongste a-fewe, whom that courtlynes and curiositie of speach dooth delite. And if they will purge themselues from a mani­fest and impudent slander herein? let them note the places, wherin Caluin & Beza departing from Castalion, haue either rioted as he doeth, or in licen­ciousnes of speach haue gone beyond him. Now where they charge vs to disauthorize, or to make doubtfull diuers whole bookes of Canonicall Scriptures, allowed by th' uniuersall Church of God, a thousand yeres & vpwardes: their limita­tion Cyprian de Symb. A­post. Euseb. hist. eccles. lib. 6 cap. 25. Hieron. in prolog. Ga­leat. cap. 7. & in prae­fat. in lib. leuing vnto vs, the most ancient fathers and Councels which liued the best and first fiue hundred years after Christ, reiecting the same bookes which we doe; argueth a giltie con­science, constreyned to confesse the truth which they condemn. A strange [Page 63] impudencie therfore, vvhich neither Salomon: & prafat. in Iarem. & praefat. in Dan. & ad Domni. & Rogat. in Esram, & Nehe­miam. & ad Lae­tam. Epi­phan. lib. d [...] mens. & ponder. Concil. La­odic. can. 59. able to answere our manifest reasons, nor to bring any of theirs, nor yet to match in any sort our authorities: not withstanding blare out their tongues, crying and barking still, that we dis­authorize the Canonicall Scripture. Their quarrell againste Master Beza is an­swered in the proper place: That a­gainst the tenth article of the Creede in mee­ter, is vtterly vnworthy of any answer. for the meeter alwayes requiring a paraphrasis, or som compas of words: the poet could not more fitly haue ex­pounded the forgiuenes of sinnes then by noting our saluation by faith alone: according as th' Apostle, of the re­mission of sinnes out of the Psalme, concludeth the iustification by faith without workes. Th' other corruption of Christs soule descending into hell, after his death argueth no contradic­tion amongest our selues, but a smal remnant of th' infection of Poperie in that author: which is so malitious and stubborne a leprosie, as for the appro­ued tryall of their clensing frō it, they [Page 64] haue commonly neede to be shut vp from pulpit and pen, some resonable time: and as they say in the French prouerb: The monks Cowle is not easely put of in many yeares, what consent of iudg­ment there is amongst vs in that be­half, the later editions which haue left that Creede cleane out, may som­what declare.

To the foure next sections, pag. 9. 10. 11.

What compassion haue you had of your country men, which haue kept back the wheat of Gods word from them so many yeares and ages, vvherevvith they should haue bene fed to aeternall life. And your compassions novv, vvhat are they but (as Salomon saieth of the Prov. 12. 10. compassions of the wicked) moste cruell. Wherefore it is certaine, that as the curses of Gods people haue hitherto pearsed your soules, and runne them thorovv for engrossing into your hands the graine of life: so novv they vvill be as sore and sharp against you, [Page 81] for selling them such mustie, mildred, blasted, and by all meanes corrupted graine. Neither is your impietie lesse now in poysoning them, then it was before in staruing them. Wherefore you partly perswade vs, that you haue done this worke in feare and trembling: seeing in so open corruptions, and so manifolde and manifest wrestings, it was harde for you not to see eft-sones hell opened before your eyes. As for your childish translation of number­ing word for word, and as it were sylla­ble for syllable, rather then to giue sense for sense, and to translate rather by weight of sense, then by tale of words; although also, it shal appeare that you haue kept your selfe to neither; yet haue you no defence in Ierome for it. For although by the wordes you al­leadge, maye well be gathered out of him a straighter Iawe in turning the Scriptures, then in turning other writters: yet hauing shewed in the same Epistle, that his vse in translat­ing Hieron. ad Pammach de optima gener. inter pr [...]t [...]ndi. was not to nūber but to weigh wordes, that he followed the wordes so farre as they [Page 82] were not strange from the custome of speach, that he translated not wordes, but sentences; he addeth, that it is no maruell, if this were done in translating prophane and eccle­siasticall writers, seing that the seuenty inter­preters, th'Euangelistes and Apostles had done the same, not yeelding worde for worde. And after in the same Epistle he saith, that the care of th'Evangelists, was not to hunt after wordes and syllables, but to set downe the minde or sense of the doc­trines. And therefore sheweth by di­uers examples, where they in wordes neither aggree with the 70. interpre­ters, nor yet with the Hebrew. A­mongst other, th'example that he ci­teth out of Saint Marke is notable: where our Sauiour Christs words be­ing onely Tabitha Cumi. i. Rise mayde: th'Euangeliste translating it, to make the sense more full, interlaceth I say to thee. And if the Iesuites tarie to heare, where Ierome himself vseth this libertie in translating the Scriptures: we send Ad Pam­mach. & Marcelli­num. them to another Epistle of his, where they shall find him defēding himselfe in his liberty of trāslating Naschqu Bar [Page 83] which being worde for worde, kisse the sonne, he translated adore the sonne: least Nolens trā sferre puti­dè, sensum magis, se­quutus sū. (as hee saith) if hee had turned other­wise, he should haue turned it euill fauo­redlie. Which we write, rather to shew how farre Ieromes iudgement in tran­slating, differed from these apish Iesu­ites, then that wee esteeme that th'o­ther translation which hee shunned, was so hard orrough, as hee iudged it. And therefore it was elegantly saide of the Emperour, I hate alike as depart­ing aequally from the meane, both Antiqui­taries Suetonius in Octauio Augusto. and affectors of nouelties. The firste place recited out of Augustine, maketh nothing to the purpose. For as the stile of the Scripture, as it were the gar­ments and habite thereof, is neither new fangled, nor exquisitly laboured by perswasible wordes of mans wise­dome: so is it not foule & sluttish; but it is arrayed from top to toe as an honest and chaste matrone, avoyding aswell barbarousnes and rusticalnes of th'one side, as curiositie and affectati­on of th'other. In th'other place there is no such thing founde as they talke [Page 84] of, albeit that also should make as lit­tle to the purpose as th' other. And if the olde writters speaking and writ­ing vnto their people, did speake and write barbarouslie, that they might bee the better vnderstoode of them: what is that, to make it a rule in tran­slating. If Ierome in correcting th' olde tran­slation, so tempered his penne that a­mending it, where it changed the sense of the text, he left the rest to remaine as they were: It followeth not because hee suffered them to stand, that therefore he alow­ed of them throughout: considering that a man vvill not vse that boldnesse in correcting another mans vvorke, vvhich he vvould doe in his ovvn, nor put out euery phrase, and euery ma­ner of speach, vvhich he himself could better. Besides that it is a harder mat­ter then you ar euer able to performe, to shevve that this olde translation vvherein these venerable barbarismes & solecismes are found, is the same that Ie­rome corrected. In none of th' other places alleadged out of Augustine, is there any thing to maintaine this ba­bishnes [Page 85] of translation: but rather con­trariwise, when he affirmeth that some bind themselues too much vnto the wordes, vvhich translations hee holdeth for in­sufficient. Also that vvhen the phrases are not translated, according to the custome of the auncient Latinists: although nothing be ta­ken away from the vnderstanding; yet they offend those which are delighted with the things, when a certaine purenes is kept in the signes of the thinges, meaning the words. And vvhat his iudgement is in August. lib de vera re­lig. cap. 5 [...]. this cause, he doth other where plain­ly and clearely set dovvne: vvhen hee saith that the Scripture is to be declared according to the proprietie of euery tongue. Indeede he saith that sometime the vul­gar speach is more profitable: but his rea­son is farre different from yours. For it appeareth vvhen hee praeferreth August. de doctr. Chr. lib. 2. c. 11. those Barbarismes it is for the better cōmodity & capacity of the people to whome he spake or wrote praferring rudenes of speach; onely to that pure­nes, which either bringeth new words to offend th' eares of the reader: or else maketh the sense doubtfull or obscure. [Page 86] In vvhich respect he affirmeth, that to August. in Psal. 138. let his speach fall th' easilyer to th' vn­derstanding of his people, hee had ra­ther say, ossum, which is no true speach then os, which is the proper and true lāguage. Beside that it is more euidēt by their barbarismes in other speaches then in the texts of Scripture: that they so speak sometime, because they met with no better, nor more choise wordes. Seing therefore a good pure Latine speach, is now better vnder­stood, then th' ould rotten and rustie wordes: there is no cause, why they should not now be abolished, if euer they had any vse heretofore. And if it please the Iesuites, to confer the stile of these dayes, sithence the Gospell (after a long winter of ignorance) be­gan to flowre againe, with the stile of those which wrote 200. yeares hence: we suppose that they will accord vs, that there is as greate difference, as was sometime betweene the Dorickes and th' Attickes in Greece, or is now betweene the courte and countrey with vs, yet we think that the Iesuites [Page 87] will not therefore, rather chuse to stamber & stut with their fore-goers, then to speake clearly & purely with the present age: sure we are, that they haue done their best to the contrary. Wherefore it is euident, that you can bring nothing to defend your sottish speach of hell of fire, for hell fire: for a­gainst the spirituals of wickednes in the ce­lestials, for docible of God, &c. nor yet for your doubtful and dangerous speach, of the sinne of the spirit, for the sinne a­gainst the spirit, with a number moe of the same late. And yet haue you not kept the law your selues haue made, for you haue translated eighteene years, Luke 13. 4 where both the Greeke and olde Interpreter, which you propound to follow so superstitiously, haue ten and eight years. If here seing your folly, you amended it, why haue you not cor­rected it in places of greater impor­tance, and hauing corrected th' olde traslatour in another place of some moment, Rom. 13. 9. where for resto­red you haue turned comprised, why haue you not performed the same in [Page 88] other of greater weight. Not to speake of Lindanus your brother in this im­pietie, who speaking of the truth of the matter retained by th' ould inter­preter, more then the truth: yet not­withstanding, confesseth the often slips of improprietie in speache, and other babishnes of him in translating. Now as by your vnlearned translati­on, you haue greatly embased the pure mettle of the holy word; so by your corrupt annotations wresting and writhing, haling & pulling the tran­slation, either to a diuers or contrarie sense of that which the wordes giue, you haue made it no better then fil­thie drosse: So that it may be verified of your work which Ierom sayth: you make of the Gospell of Christ, the gospell of Hieron. in Epist. ad. Gal. cap. 1. man, or that which is worse the gospel of the Diuell. If you had giuen your people your translation alone: we dout not, but they should notwithstanding all your declinings frō the natiue pure­nes of the word, haue found releefe in it against extream famine, which your vnfaithfulnesse hath thrust them into. [Page 89] Which thing you wel perceiuing durst not vpon the peril of quenching your kitchin-fire: put forth your single few of translatiō, without y ^• Cooloquintida of your annotatiōs; therby to bring certain death to all those that shoulde taste of them. Wherein let th' indifferent reader compare our confidence, we haue in the goodnes of our cause, in either nakedly deliuering the Scrip­turs without any annotations at al, or els with few & short directiōs. Rather to open the file and course of the Scriptures, then to praeiudice the rea­der, either with recommending ours, or condemning th' aduersaries iudg­ment. Let him (I say) compare it with the fearfull dout, that the Iesuits haue of theirs: which durst not commend their single translation, vnto the con­science of the reader, vnlesse (beside the load and charge of their margent notes) they had added almoste at the end of euery chapter a iag of annotati­ons, wherein they recommend their owne, and condemne our doctrine: therby (at vnawares) testifiing against [Page 90] themselues, that the wordes of the ho­ly Ghost speak nothing for them, vn­les they be twitched aside, with the wrinch & wrest of their annotatiōs. We hauing found Christ in the Scripturs, can­not be to seek in the true Church: you that hold not the head, it is no maruel, if you haue not layd hold of a filthy & deade caryon, in steade of the liuely body of Christ, which is his Church. We which follow the light of the scripture in all questions that can be mo­ued of religion, and not in those onely which you idely & rouingly alledge out of August. haue promise of resolu­tion 2. Tim. 3 [...]. Petr. 1 in all our doubts. But you which blasphemously make the Scripturs to giue no more light, to the decision of diuers poyntes in religion, thē a hair­cloth: do miserably run your selues & others, to the condemnation where­vnto you are ordained. In which way, although you vvould drag Augustine vvith all your might and maine; yet vvill not he keepe you company, not onely for that he hath nothing for you in the place vvhich you alledge, but [Page 91] that he hath the cleane contrary vnto you: vvho affirmeth that in the Scrip­tures we are to seeke the Church, by them to August d [...] vnit. eccles. cap. 3. discusse our controuersies; & after he saith, that all should be remoued whatsoeuer is al­ledged of either side against other, sauing that which commeth out of the canonicall Ibi. cap. 16. Scriptures. And againe, we desire not to be beleeued, because wee are in the Church of Christ, or that Optatus or Ambrose or in­numerable Bishops of our profession haue cōmended it vnto vs. Howbeit as through the vvhole booke it shall appeare, hovv small consent of the auncient Church, you haue in the principal de­mandes hanging betvveene you and vs: so it shal appeare a little after, that there is a more certaine rule of th' un­derstanding of the Scriptures then you assigne: and that although the former iudgement of the Church of Christ▪ sithence th' Apostles time, is a­ble to keepe vs from falling danger­ouslie in the principal and fundamen­tall poyntes of our religion; yet that they cannot free vs from error in e­very question, that may bee mooued [Page 92] of it: not to speake of the faint proofes that sometime they vsed euen in great mysteries of our religion, vvherein notvvithstanding (touching the mat­ter it selfe) their iudgement is sounde and Catholicke.

To the next section page 11.

After that by hiding & burning the Scriptures, by threatning and mur­dering of men for reading of them, they cannot attaine to the causing of such a night of ignorance, wherin they might doe all thinges without con­troulment: there remayned one onely engine, which Satan (with all his An­gels) hauing framed and hammered vpon his lying forge, hath furnished them of. This engine is the defacing, & dis-authorizing of the Scriptures, as it were the taking from them, their girdle or garter of honour, by a false surmise of corruption of them, in the languages wherein they were firste written. Which abominable practise being attempted in th'old testament [Page 93] by Lindanus, (whom some term Blind­asinus) is nowe assayed in the new by the Iesuites, who of others (for their deadly hatred of the trueth) are not called vnfitly Iebusites. First therfore, or euer we come to their particular arguments, whereby they would (as it were) couer the head and maiestie of th'authentical copies in the Greek to bring them to subiection vnto th'olde translation: we think it not amisse, to set downe the generall doctrine, that no one oracle or sentence of God can fall away. Whereby it will be euident that the holy Scriptures, both in the old & new testament written in their original tongues, cannot either by ad­ditiō, detraction or exchange be cor­rupted. Wherevnto the cōsideration of th'autor of them, ministreth a sub­stantiall proofe. For seing they are of Psal. 111. [...] God, all whose workes remaine for e­uer: it followeth that al the holy scrip­tures, being not only his handiework, but as it were the chiefe and master worke of all other, must haue a conti­nuall endurance. And if there be not [Page 94] the least and vilest creature in the world, which eyther hath not hereto­fore, or shall not hereafter (by the mightie hand of God vpholding all thinges) be continued: how much lesse is it to be estemed, that any sentence of God, wherin a greater glory com­meth to him, and greater fruite to his people then of many of those creaturs, which (for these two ends) he doth so carefully continue, should perish and fall away. Secondly they all are writ­ten generally for our instruction, & more particularlie for admonition and warning, for comfort and conso­lation, &c: vnles we will say that God may be deceiued, in his purpose and end wherefore he ordeyned them: it must needes be, that it must continue whatsoeuer hath bene written in that respect. For if it or any part thereof fal awaye, the same cannot according to th'ordinance of god either informe vs against ignorance, or warne vs a­gainst danger, or comfort vs against afflictions, or finallye doe any other dutie vnto vs, which we haue need of, [Page 95] & they were prepared for. Thirdly, if th'authority of th'authētical copies in Hebrew, Chalde, & Greek fal: there is no high court of appeale, where cō ­trouersie (rising vpon the diuersitie of translations or otherwise) may be en­ded: so that the exhortation of ha­uing re course vnto the law & to the pro­phets, Esai. [...] and of our Sauiour Christ ask­ing Luke 10 Hieron. e­pist ad Ma [...] cel. & epist ad Suniam & Fretel. & ad Da­masum, & praef [...]in 4. Euang & praef. in pae­nitent. Ambros. de Spirit. sanct, lib. [...] cap. 6 August. de doctr. chri­stiana 2. lib. cap, 11 & lib. 11. con­tra Faust, Manich. & opist. 59 how it is written, and how readest thou: are now either of none effect, or not sufficient: whilest these disgra­cers and disgraders of the Scripture haue taught men to say, that the cop­pies are corrupted, and the sense changed. Nay, not onely our estate is worse then theirs vnder the law, and in our sauiour Christs time: but worse thē theirs which liued some hundred yeres after Christ, when th'ancient fa­thers exhorted in such cases, that men should make sute vnto th'origi­nall Scriptures, to haue an end of their controuersies. Yea their owne Gratian out of Augustine (falsly al­ledged for Ierome) sendeth vs in de­ciding of differences, not to th'olde [Page 96] translator, but to th'originals of the Hebrew in th'olde and of the Greek in the new testament. They vse quar­relously to surmise against vs, that we abbridge the priuiledges of the Chur­ches of our dayes; because vve ac­cord them not to be so ample in eue­ry point, as they vvere vvhen the A­postles liued. But vvo vnto the Chur­ches of our dayes, if the Scriptures be (as the Papistes would beare vs in hand) corrupted, if the Charters and recordes, whereby we hold the inhe­ritance of the kingdom of heauen, are rased or otherwise falsifyed, if we haue not wherewith to conuey our selues to be children vnto the heauenly fa­ther, and Priests vnto God in Iesus Christ; further then from the hand of such a Scribe and Notarie as both might erre and hath erred diuersly. Hieron. in 6. c. Es. August. de ciuit dei. lib. 15. c. 13 These euidences were safely & sure­ly kept, when one onely nation of the Iewes, and the same sometymes (a few excepted) vnfaithfull, bare the keyes of the Lords librarie: now when there be many nations, that haue keyes vn­to [Page 97] th'ark or counter wherein they are kept; it is altogether vncredible, that there should be such packing, or such defect, as th'aduersarie doth wicked­ly suppose. Againe, if the Lord haue kept vnto vs the booke of Leuiticus, & (in it) the ceremonies (which ar aboli­shed, & wherof there is now no pract­ise) for that they haue a necessary and profitable vse in the Church of God: how much more is it to be esteemed, that his prouidēce hath watched ouer other bookes of the Scripture, which more properly belong vnto our times. Laste of all, (passing by other reasons which might further be alledged) let vs heare the Scripture it selfe, witnes­sing of it own authority & durablenes to al ages. Thus therfore Moses writeth of it; the secret & hidden things remaine Deu. 29. 29 to the Lord our God: but the things that are reueiled are to vs and our children for euer: Psa. 119. 152 Dauid also professeth, that he knew long before, that the Lord had founded his testimonies for euermore. But our Sauiour Mat 24. 35 Mar. 13. 32 Math. 5. 18 Christs testimony is of all other most euident; that heauen and earth shall passe, [Page 98] but that his word can not passe; and yet more vehemently, that not one iote or small letter prick or stop of his law can passe vntill all be fulfilled. Now as for the common obiection of diuerse bookes mētioned in th'old Testament, where of we find none so intituled in the ca­non thereof: it is easily answered. That either they were ciuill and common­welth stories, whether the reader is referred, if it like him to read the sto­ries more at large, which the Prophets (to a sufficiency of that they wrote thē for) touched shortly: or els they are conteyned in the bookes of the kings; which are manifestly proued, to haue bene written by diuers Prophets in their seuerall ages wherein they pro­phecied. In the former kind whereof, if we reape not that fruite, which they did which liued in the dayes, wherein the reader was set ouer vnto them: yet we reape a more excellent fruit, which is a certain knowledg of a more speci­al prouidence & care of the Lord, for the preseruing of the Scriptures ap­pering euidently, in that all those fal­ling [Page 99] away, the books of the canonical Scripture doe stil remaine. Hereof we haue a notable example in the books of Solomon; whereof those falling away, that he wrote of naturall phi­losophie, and other by knowledge, the profitablest bookes that euer were (the Canon only excepted) those a­lone which perteined to godlynes, haue bene safely kept for the posteri­tie. Which is so much more to be ob­serued, as there being infinitely moe in the world, that effect the knowledg of naturall thinges, then doe godly­nes: haue not yet with all the care of keeping them, bene able to deliuer them from this whole and perpetuall forgetfulnes, wherevnto they are fal­len, as if they had neuer bene written. Where of th'other side his holy writ­tings hated, of the most parte, & care­lesly regarded of a number: haue not­withstanding as whole and full a re­mēbrance as they had the first day the Lord gaue them vnto the church. And seing there are now more then 1500. yeares, wherein there is not onely [Page 100] no booke, but no sentence of any booke of Canonicall Scripture fallen away: what cause is there why wee should think that in the tyme which was vnder the law, whole bookes fell away so thick and threefolde. For as for bookes of the nevv Testament i­magined of some to haue ben lost, their reasons wherevpon their imagination leaneth, are so faint that they are not worthie the naming▪ Of all which matter, it is euident, that not onely the matter of the Scripture, but also the wordes, not onely the sense and meaning of them, but the manner and frame of speach in them, doe remaine. 2. Tim. 3 For seing the Scripture remayneth, vvhich wholy both for matter and words is inspired of god: it must follow that the same words wherein th' old & new testament were vvritten and in­dited by the hand of God, do remaine. For how great difference, there is be­tvveen the thinges both vvordes and matter, that haue passed through the Act. 9 Act. 17 1. Cor. 15 Tit. 1. 12 mouth or pen of God, and those vvhich come from a mortal man: may [Page 101] appeare by the sayings of the Poets, taken vp of the holye Ghost. For not vvithstanding the Poets vse the same vvordes and sense, vvhich the Scrip­ture vseth: yet vvere they neither the vvordes nor the sense of God, but of the Poets, vntill they had passed by the golden pype of the Lords mouth. Whereby it came to passe, that those sayings which were before prophane, are now most holy: euen as the stones and timber which in the quarrey and forrest were common, were after holy when they were laide in the building of the Temple. If therefore words, the same in letters & sillables with those the holy Ghost vseth, are not wordes inspired of God, because they were neither written nor spoken of him; his Embassadors and publike notaries: how much lesse are the wordes of the olde translator, diuers from them of the holy Ghost, inspired of him, seing they neuer passed either by pen or mouth of his. And albeit th' olde tran­slator (which he is far from) should al­wayes giue sense for sense, & waight [Page 102] for waight: yet shuld not his translati­on (which so should be y ^• truth of god) be therfore the worde of God: consi­dering that the title aggreeth only to that truth of God, which hath also the frame of his words. And therefore the Apostle maketh a manifest difference betweene the wholsome wordes of our Sa­uiour 1. Tim. 6. 3 Christ, and the doctrine that is accor­ding to godlines. And our Sauiour Christ in saying that thy worde is the trueth, Ioh. 17. 17 doth manifestly establish a difference betweene gods worde and his trueth; otherwise he should say, thy trueth is the trueth, or thy word is the word: which were no declaratiō of his mea­ning, but onely an vnnecessarie repe­tition. Wherefore it is truly verefied of these men, which the Prophet sai­eth: that they haue forsaken the fountains, Ierem. 2. and digged cisterns. But let vs examine the pith of their reasones, which haue moued them rather to draw from the riuen and leaking cask of th' old tran­slator, by the which manye thinges haue entred, to th' emparing the sweet wine of the Scripture: then from the [Page 103] staunch & whole vessels of the Greek copies, which preserue it from all cor­ruption.

To the first reason.

These men are worthie to goe al­wayes in their olde cloathes, that make th' age of the trāslation, the first and principall commendation therof. Wherby it shuld appear, if they could haue come by the translation that Ierom amended, they would haue tun­ned their drink out of that, rather thē out of this: as that whose head was hoarer. And if this be a good reason, why should not the translation of Symmachus, Aquila and Theodotion bee preferred, which are auncienter then he. Yea why should not the 70. before them all, be much more preferred; as those that were vsed oftentymes of th' Apostles, and commended highly of th' auncient fathers. But as gray heares are then onely honorable, when they are founde in the waye of righteousnesse: so th' age of th' old translator, is there only to be respect­ed and reuerenced, where both for [Page 104] propernesse of wordes, and truth of sense, he hath wisely and faithfully translated. And so far we holde him worthie to be preferred, before other interpreters. But if antiquitie com­mended th' olde translation vnto you for that it was aboue 1300. yeares olde: the Greek coppies being more ancient then it: & hauing bene vsed aboue 1500 yeares, should (ye wisse) haue had the right hand of th' olde translator.

To the second reason.

It is false. For it is not the receiued o­pinion, Looke Ie­rome vpon these places and com­pare them with th' old translator. Genes. 1. 2 Esai. 1 12 30. & 5. 2 Gal. 1. 16 & 2. 5. & 5 8. Eph. 1 14 & 4. 19. &c neither is there any probabili­tie of it, considering that Ierome in the old and nevv Testament, both tran­slateth otherwise then th' olde inter­preter, and often controwleth him. Hereof the testimony of Erasmus, (a man that had as quick a nose in Ie­romes doings, as whosoeuer:) is nota­ble, who flatly affirmeth that this tran­slation is neither Cyprians, nor Hilaries, nor Ambrose, nor Augustins, nor Ieromes; seing [Page 105] his reading is diuers from it, and that it is Looke also afterward, for other examples. Eras. epist. N. amico ex ani [...]o dilecto Erasm [...]i [...] Scholijs [...] epist. Hie­ron. ad P [...]mmach. libro 1. ad­uersus louinian. much lesse, that which he corrected; seing there be found in this which he condemneth, not onlye as touching the wordes, but also as touching the meaning. And in another place he saith, that Ierome manifestly con­demneth the former translation, vvhich wee yet (for the most part) doe vse. Ierome (al­though without cause) scurgeth the old interpreter, for translating [...], Sobrietie: which (sayth he) should haue bene translated chastitie. And this hee doeth in tvvo or three places. Now a man would not think, that Ie­rome was so vn-aduised, as to haue gi­uen his aduersarie this aduātage: that he might reply against him, that it was his own translation, or that which he corrected, and therfore that he was driuen to a hard shift, which could not defend his cause but by denyal of him self. But that this translation is not Ie­romes, Pr [...]fat ad co [...]er. [...] ­ter. [...]esta [...]ē [...]. let the reader looke the dis­course that Munster hath made here­of. Howbeit if this were granted them which they were neuer able to proue: what haue they gained thereby? for it [Page 106] followeth not, that if either it were truly translated, or faithfully correct­ed by Ierome: that therefore it is now true, and voyd of corruption. The fountaine of the Scriptures is so wal­led by the prouidence of God, so close sealed and couered; that by no, either negligence or malice of men, there can any such thing fall into it, to tro­ble the cleare & sweete water there­of: but as for the writinges of men, they haue no such priuiledge, neither are they laid vp in any arke of the du­rable wood of Cittim, but that they may be, and are corrupted, as the dai­ly experience doth declare. Where­of it is good to heare Ieromes own tes­timony. I doe not think, that the Lordes wordes are to be corrected; but I goe about Hieron. ad Marcellā tom. 2. epist vlt. to correct the falsenes of the Latin bookes: which is plainly proued by the diuersitie of them, and to bring them to th' originall of the Greek (from the which they do not denye but that they were translated) who if they mis­like the water of the most pure fountaine, they may drink of the myrie puddles. And in the same place where they haue alledged, [Page 107] if we must beleeue the Latin copies, let them Hieron. ad Damasum in [...]raf. in quatuor Evangel. tom. 3 tell vs, which. For there be (in a manner) as many diuers coppies as bookes. But if they think, that the truth is to be sought out of the greater parte; why doe we not returne to the originall in Greek, and correct those thinges which either haue bene vnskilfully transla­ted, or of ignorant presumptuous persons foo­lishly amended, or of negligēt wryters added or changed. Now if the Latin translati­ons before Ieromes time, were in 300. yeares so manifoldly corrupted; how much more, may we think that Ieromes translation, hath in 1300. yeares bene impared and imbased; especially whē as in diuers of these hundreth yeares, there hath raigned such blindnes and barbarousnes as neuer the like: and when as it was coppied out (for the Monach [...] indocti [...]r▪ more vn­learned thē a Monke. Hieron▪ in prafat. in 4. Euang. Ludouicus Viues lib. [...] de caus. corrupt. [...]rtiū. moste parte) by vnclarkly Monkes, whose vnlearnednes is come into pro­uerb. Of this corruption of books, the reader may further see both in Ierom, & others of later times. Wherefore it is euidēt, that either this trāslation is not Ieromes, or els it is corrupted and changed, and that more materially, [Page 108] then themselues are able to alledg of the Greek coppies. Wherfore if you flie from the Greeke, for that there is some alteratiō from th' original: there is no cause why you should runne to this translation, so diuers and repug­nant to Ieromes: vnles it be for that which Ierome sayeth, that you had ra­ther drink of the myrie puddels of the Latine translations, then of the pure fountaine of the Greeke coppies.

To the thirde reason.

Th' antecedent being vn-true, the consequence of Augustines commendation of it, can haue no truth. And if it were the same translation, that Augustine commendeth: yet Augustines praise is such of it, as doeth not free it from faults, nor lifteth it vp (as you doe) in­to the place of Canonicall Scripture. For speaking of his translation of the Gospels only, he affirmeth that it was August. epist. 10 August. E­pist. 8. & 10 almost faultles. And in another place, speaking of Ieromes translation of the olde Testament: he sayth, that if there [Page 109] were any dark places Ierome was like to be deceyued in them, as other before him. Be­side that it is knowne, that Augustine doth not alwayes follow this transla­tion: yea that hauing sene Ieromes, he August. lib 18. cap. 43 de ciuitaete Dei. still preferred th' elder translation to Ieromes that was newer: and affirmeth that the same was not his alone, but the Churches iudgement of those tymes wherein Ieromes translation came abroade.

To the fourth reason.

Although your speach being vsed of the most part, being faint and short to proue that it alone should now be v­sed: yet euen this is verie false: first you are constrayned to confesse, that the Greeke fathers vsed it not: which argueth plainly that they had it not in that estimatiō, which you haue it. For then they would haue caused it to be trāslated for th' use of their own chur­ches; if they had esteemed it trewer then the Greeke coppies. Secondly the most ancient Latin fathers do not [Page 110] follow it, as Tertullian, Cyprian, Hilary, who haue scarce a footstep of it: albeit it was (likely) in the church in their times, before Ierome corrected certain places in it, Ierom often dissenteth frō it, often also confuteth it. There re­maine Ambrose & Augustine, who al­though they vse it more then the rest: yet doe they often forsake it, and vsed it not (as you doe) seruily. This is yet Hierome. Ambrose Augustine Looke the places be­fore noted. Gregor. magn▪ epist ad leandrū in exposit. Iob: cap. 5 Exposit. Io­bi 20. c. 24 more euident, in that th' ancient fa­thers, and euen those that vsed them most, send men (when there is contro­versie of Latine bookes) to th' origi­nals of Hebrew & Greeke. Yea in the very diocese of Rome, long after the time of these fathers: the Pope himself doth witnes, that not only he, but the Apostolike seat vsed both the new and olde translation in Latin. Now if th' Aposto­licke seate in Gregories time (who made too great account of this translation) vsed both, and (in the booke of the Psal.) refusing Ierome followed the old translation: there is no liklihood that th' authority which this had before his tyme, buried th' authority of th' other [Page 111] translation. And as the elder exposi­tors haue not vsed nor expounded it, without controulment: So the later writers wherof some haue ben pillers in your sinagogue, haue bene bould manifoldly to crosse this trāslation of yours. For besides Bede, Burgensis, and Armacan: of late dayes Lyra, Iansenius and others, haue left the ferular in the olde translators hand. As for the Church seruice, it was so (in the primi­tiue Church) in the Latin tongue, as the people by reason of the Romaine Empire vnderstood it. As touching your Popish service, full of Idola­trye and superstition, as we care not what translation it followeth; so we iudge moste corrupt the most com­modious.

To the fift reason.

It might aswell haue commanded, to eate accornes, after corne was found out. And as for this Trent conuenticle being assembled by the Pope th' arch­enemy vnto our Sauiour Christ, and [Page 112] holden of a sorte of blinde Bishops, sworne to speak no truth but that he (th'enemy of truth) should allowe of: we esteeme it no more, then the godly fathers did the councill of Ariminum & Ephesinum the second: especially se­ing that many councils before it, bet­ter, wiser, learneder, and more trou­bled with hereticks difficulties of trā ­slations, neuer so concluded. Secondly being here ashamed of the Trent con­clusion, they mollify it, as though they In Martins praeface be­fore his discouery, nomber 35. held it for a good translation: where both the councill concludeth, and the Iesuites holde it for th'authenticall Scripture, which they doe neither of the Greek, nor of the Hebrew. Third­ly, let them tell vs how they will re­concile the Trent cōclusion with Pope Leo the 10. his authoritye. Who appro­ued Apolog. E­rasmi ad­uersus Stunicam Platina in Damas [...]. Erasmus translation, as Damasus had Ieroms. Last of al, admitting it were the best translation: yet that is no cause why th'originall should not be rather translated.

To the sixt reason:

Further then it hath bene corrupt by popishe Monkes, which were (for some yeares) th'ordinary Iaylers to keepe it within the prison of their cloisters: we accuse it not of partiality to popery, wherevnto it could hardly be partiall, when popery was not, But sure we are, that the Greek is lesse partiall. Secondly they might translate with purpose not to hurt the truth, and yet fail of the purpose: as appeareth manifestly in th'example of promeri­ting of God, not only barbarously, but falsly translated. As touching the sin­ceritie, grauitie, and maiestie of it, com­pared with other translations of later yeares: the matter is before the Iudg, where our no, is as good as your yea. but if it were, as you say: yet your trā ­slating it, in passing by th'originall of the Greek, can by no meanes bee ex­cused: but only by this, that not able to clime vp into the Scriptures in the Greeke and Hebrevv tongues; you vvere compelled to seaze vppon the [Page 114] Latine, vvhich is the honestest excuse that you can make.

To the seuenth reason page. 12.

Praecisenes in translation is vvorthy to be commended, but superstition is vvorthy no praise. And if the Latine phrase serue the Greeke, & ansvvere vnto it better sometime then th'Eng­lish doth: that argueth no more the goodnes of the translation, then it proueth th'English to be better then the Latine translation, because the English phrase frameth often better vvith the Greeke, then doth the La­tine. Of this praecisenes they bring two examples, vvherein commending the old translation they condemne ours. The first is for that vve translate Tit. 3. [...]. 14. to maintaine to good workes. Your Greek stomackes be very quasie, that cannot brook this translation. Tell vs (I pray you) how vvill you translate y ^t Demosthe­nes contra Timoc. Bu [...]us in commenta. in Demosthenes, [...], but to maintain your right. Hou­soeuer you translate it vve care not, [Page 115] seing Budaeus a man of singular skill in rijs, tueri & defensi­tare [...] that tongue, doth so translate it, as we haue done. In th'other places Heb. 10. 20. we are charged for turning he pre­pared. Wherein, whether th'old tran­slator haue svvarued further from the Greek, it vvill not be so easie to dis­cern. For the Greek vvord doth pro­perly signifie, to make newe; vvhich the Latine vvorde, that th'olde tran­slator vseth, doeth not expresse. for in­itio doth not signify, to make new, (for that doth innouo) but to enter into. And this defect of th'olde translator in this vvorde, the Iesuites them selues do bevvraye, vvhich forsaking a proper English vvord, more expressing the old translators initiabit, haue follow­ed M. Bezas translation, who tran­slateth dedicabit, which they turne dedi­cated, without acknowledgment of him by vvhome they haue (in that place) bettered their translator. The other cauill of Traditions, Iustifications & Idoll, is plentifully ansvvered, and fur­ther shal be, as they fall out in the dis­course of this booke. But from this prae­cise [Page 116] and exact following of the Greeke, how far th'olde translator is, by differing from it, by being contrary to it, by putting to that which is not in the Greek, and taking avvay that which is in it: shall soone after appeare. Al­though if it vvere so precise, yet that is nothing to yours; which goeth so far from it, both in vvordes and sense.

To the eight reason.

If Maister Beza commend it, who knew so many faultes by it: hee hath thereby testifyed the softnesse and mildnes of his spirite, and his louing and charitable affection, couering (so far as th'edifiing of the Church might beare) th' olde translators vvants and defects: and thereby laieth naked the proud, disdainfull and quareling spirit of the trifling and caueling Iesuites, childishly snatching & carping where there is no cause, & discouering their owne shame, in steade of disgracing others. Howbeit it is vntrue, vvhich they here alledge out of M. Beza. For [Page 117] he doth not prefer th' olde translator vnto Erasmus, but defendeth him in certain places, where Erasmus (without cause) doth challenge him. And in th' other place vpon Saint Luke, his praise of him, is not so full, as they pretend. For he sayeth, that although he may seeme, very religiously to haue turned these holy [...] bookes: yet it appeareth, that he knew not the signification of these wordes, much lesse the force and power of them. But if Master Bezas iudgement be one of the pillers, that must vpholde this olde transla­tor, this it is in plaine wordes. It goeth [...]ften from the Greeke, oft it is absurde, oft Beza in E­pist. ad no­ui Testam. annot. quae inscribitur Serenissi­mae Domi­nae Eliza­bethae Re­ginae. [...]tdoth add, the learned it neuer satisfied, the [...]gnorant is brought into many errours. Which notwithstanding he speaketh not altogether, in respect of th' olde translator; as in regarde of either the negligence, rashnes or malice of those whose handes it hath passed through. But if it were the best translation, by M. Bezas iudgment: yet it followeth not thereof, that it hath no fault, or ought to be translated, before the Greek. It would vndoutedly be more [Page 118] credit for your cause, to giue better weight of reason, although the num­ber were lesse.

To the ninth reason.

It were to be laboured for, that there were in euerie seuerall country, for th' use of the Church in it, one Bible translated into the language thereof, and one Latine Bible gene­rally for all the Churches, in whose Schooles the Latine tongue is the common interpreter: which (for their euidence and manifest preheminence aboue all other translations) might haue at the least the most voyces of them which are skilful in that matter, to recommend them to the publike vse of euery country, seuerally in their proper language, or iointly of all the Schooles in the Latine tongue, as is before mentioned. But that any such trāslations should be seated, with th' originall of the Greek or Hebrew, (whereby they should not haue the principall or royall Chariot, where­into [Page 119] the translations (howe honora­ble so euer) shoulde as subiectes not once dare to clime:) is in no sorte to be suffered. And although these translations, were (for the publike vse) to be onely holden, and without waighty cause & great consent not to be chāged, or without great modesty not to be checked: yet other inferi­or translations, might (for conference sake) haue in priuate houses and stu­dies, their fruit not to be repented of. Which if it cannot yet be obtained, men are therefore (for the measure of grace they haue receiued) no more to be discouraged, from their worthy la­bours of dayly clensing the corrupti­on of translations: then Saint Luke was beaten back from writing the moste holy story, wherein he was preuented Luke 1. of many, which vndertooke that which he only atchieued. Neither is there any more danger of dissentions, and endles reprehending by the diuersi­tie of translations now, then was in the primitiue Church. Wherein Au­gustine affirmeth that the number of La­tine [Page 120] interpreters, could not be numbered: yet August. lib. de doctrina Christ. c. 11 was he so far from deeming that they bred diuersitie of doctrine, thar he deemed them profitable, especially for those which wanted th' originall tongues: for asmuch as that which was obscure in one, might be manifest in another. Whereunto may be added, that diuersitie of translations was al­so profitable for the learned, whose diligence of seeking for the Greeke copies was thus whetted on. It were a pittifull thing, if th' unitie of Christi­ans Ephes. 4 (which the Lord hath bound with so many bonds) should be broken by a diuersitie of translation. And if there may be a diuersitie of expositions vp­on one place of Scripture, without vnloosing the knot of vnitie of faith and doctrine: it is not to be feared, that the diuersitie of translations, shall be able to cut in sunder the stringes wherewith Christian vnitie and concorde are tied. And if any will abuse, this diuersitie of translation to contention: yet are the translations no more in fault therfore, then many [Page 121] other good thinges, which being or­deyned for the nurcery of vnitie, are (through corruption of men) abused to the contrary of that which they were ordeined for. As for Cochlau [...] words of Luther, whose enemy he was: they wil not be taken of any indifferēt men. We gladly receiue this testimo­ny of our enemies the Iesuites, that we are sworne to no mans iudgment, howe learned and loued so euer he be vnto vs. Howbeit we make it no rule, either to condemne Maister Beza where we depart from him, or to ius­tifie th' olde translator, where we cleaue vnto him: but shew our iudgment on­ly, which we held at that time; which vpon more light of knowledg in th' o­riginall, we are readie to reforme. For with Augustine we professe our selues of that number, which write in profiting and Augustine Epist. 7 profit in wryting. For the particular ac­cusation of Cainan Luke 3. 36. looke for answer in the proper place. As for that Act. 1. 14. who be furthest from the sense of the holy Ghost, may be consid­ered Vpon Act▪ 2. verse 4 of the reasones alledged there. [Page 122] But that neither we translating with th' olde translator, wemen, nor Maister Beza translaitng wiues, are far from the Greeke: it would easily haue bene vn­derstood of all those which being not Greek borne, had gotten any maner of denization in Greece. For it is wel known, that the Greeke word which th' Euangelist vseth, signifieth both a Hieron. lib 1. aduersus Iouinianū. woman and a wife. And if they had not learned th' use of this worde, to be indifferent to both in the Greek wri­ters: yet they might haue learned it in Ierome a Latine author, who telleth them expresly, that the Greeke word signifieth both wemen and wiues. Therfore whethersoeuer of these two translations departeth from the sense, yet is it euident, that neither departeth from the Greeke.

To the tenth reason, and first to the proofe in the first section.

Th' originall copies of the newe Testament, are (by this paradoxe of the Iesuites) least beholden to Gods [Page 123] watchful prouidence, of all other wri­tinges. For in all other learning the good liquor is best preserued in the first tongue, as it were the first caske wherein it was put; and the water is alwaies sweeter and holsommer in the fountaine, then in the streames that streame from it. Wherevpon it is hol­den by all learned consent, that it is better to reade Plato, Aristotle, Xeno­phon, Euclide, and Galen, in Greek then in any language whereinto they haue bene turned, be th' interpreter neuer so wise and faithfull. And therefore (in their workes) the doubts which rise of their meaning are voyded by their Greeke Copies, as by their highest court which taketh knowledg therof. Only in th' art of all artes, & learning of all learninges, which concerneth men so deeply, as al other knowledge (in cōparison) is scarce as one haire to the whole head: the prouidēce of God hath so slept, that therein th' originall as the gold is become siluer, and the olde translator which would hardly goe for good siluer, is become the fi­nest [Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 124] and purest golde. The prophane writers some hundreth yeares before the new Testament, haue bene main­tained in that purenes, that their translations, haue alwaies remained in subiection and obedience of their first copies, from whence they were drawn: only in th'original of the new Testament, the watchman of Israell hath so not slumbered only, but slept also: that that which was somtime the Ladie & Dame of all, is now become tributarie to th'olde translator. These are the golden cōsequēces of the lea­den Iesuites, which hovv brutish they be, let the reader iudge, of that vvhich hath bene spoken in th'entrance to this question. They might (vvith as­much truth) haue led the Lord himselfe into captiuitie, and thraldome of th'olde translator, as to put doun his scepter vvhich is the new Testament in the Greeke tongue; by not suffer­ing it to be born vp, in the presence of th'olde translator. But th'olde transla­tor himselfe, from vvhence hath he re­ceiued, the great welth & riches sup­posed [Page 125] to be in his translation? from th'originall: for vvhat can they els an­svver? And hath they of Gods careful prouidence, bene more vpon th'olde translation, then vpon th'originall: more vpon a mans worde, then vpon his owne. If therfore th'original, haue bene sithence that time corrupted: hovv much more the translation, that hath bene more the translation, that hath bene dravven from it. It vvould require a booke by it selfe, to set forth the iudgment of th' fathers, directly fighting against the horrible blasphemy of the Iesuites: vvhich olde fathers send men for resolution of all doubtes, vnto th'originall of the Greek for the new, & the Hebrew for th'olde Testament. Ierome speaking hereof concludeth that the water of the fountaine, is to be beleued to flow more Hieron. ad­uersus Hel­uidium Hieron. ad Li [...]tum pure, then that of the riuer or streame. And againe as the truth of the bookes of the old testmēt, are to be examined by the Hebrew: so the bookes of the new Testament, require the triall of the Greeke: vvhich sentence Gratian citeth as it were out of Augus­tine. Distinct. 9 ad veter. Ambrose speaketh in a certaine [Page 126] place of the new testament, affirmeth Lib. 2. cap. 6 de spirit. sanct. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 15 cap. 13 August. in Psal. 38 that th' authoritie of the Greek bookes, is to be preferred. Augustine saith, that we ought rather to beleue that tongue, from which it is (by interpreters) deriued into another. And againe, the former tongue expoundeth the later, & it is made certain and plain in one, that was doubtful in another. And if it be saide, that th' originall vvas then a vir­gin, vvhich is sithence defiled and de­flovvred: vvhat reasons can the Iesu­ites alledge, vvhy the Hebrevv & the Greeke, vvhich kept their integritie 400. years together after Christ, amid­dest as bitter enemies, as euer they had, as troublesome and tempesteous times as euer vvere sithence: should after, in time of lesse danger, & grea­ter quiet, loose not their beautie only but their chastitie also. And vve mar­uell that the Iesuites are not afraide, to suffer this blot to fall vpon their popish gouernment, vvhich braggeth it selfe to be the piller of trueth, & yet hath had no better care to preserue the truth. But th' abominable stinch of this blasphemous opinion, vvill bet­ter [Page 127] appeare by the Iesuites reasones: vvhereby they haue raked, & stirred vp this dung of theirs. The first reason vvhereby they bring vp an euill re­port of th' undefiled virginity, of the Greeke originall: is that through mul­titude of hereticks rising out of Grece it hath (as it vvere) loste her maiden­head. But they remember not, that as many cloudes of haeresie rose from thence, by occasion of vvorldly vvis­dome, & humane sciences, vvherinto they (excelling) leaned rather then to the simplicity of the vvord: so there rose from that same corner of the vvorld, great lights of Catholick do­ctrine, vvhereby those mistie cloudes vvere scattered. Neither was the dili­gence of the heretickes greater to de­face them, then vvas the care of the Catholicks, to keepe them vndefa­ced. And seing they conuinced their heresies out of the Scriptures, forso­much as error is not confuted but by truth: it follovveth that if the falsify­ing of Copies by heretikes were pro­ued; yet the same could be but in part, [Page 128] not so much as in the narrow compas of Grece, much lesse in the vvide cir­cuite of the vvorld, vvhere the Greek copies vvere spred, asvvell as in Greece. And notvvithstanding that there haue bene, for many 100. years, vveightie controuersies betvveen the Greeke Church and the true, diuers also betvvene you and it: yet neither doe vve accuse them, nor you are a­ble to shevv one place of the new tes­tament, vvhich they haue attempted to corrupt for their aduantage, either in the proceeding of the holy Ghost, or in your sole primate and vniuersal Bishop or othervvise. This securitie from incorruption of the Greeke Co­pies, is greatly strenghtned by com­parison of the Lords safe conduct, gi­uen to th' originall Hebrevv for the space of about a 1000. yeares, before the firste comming of our Sauiour Christ. For hovvsoeuer that is also charged to be empaired and embased eyther throgh malice or negligence of those that were put in trust vvith the keeping thereof: yet the contrarie [Page 129] thereof is manifest. For men must con­sider, who put them in trust, not man which looketh only vpon the present estate and face of men; but God him­selfe, which looketh into the secretest Rom. 3 kidneyes of the heart, to discerne, not onely such as they were at the time wherein he committed his oracles vn­to them, but also what they should be a thousand yeares after. Whereupon it will be easie to vnderstand, that if the Lord had espied any such vnfaith­fulnesse in them of keeping those eui­dences, whereupon the happy & good estate, not of them onely, but of the great posteritie of the Church depen­ded, and whereby they should haue both certaine & vndoubted entrance and season of their inheritance; and fi­nally, whereby they might confer the promises made vnto the Fathers vn­der the Lawe, with the full and exact accomplishment of them in the Gos­pel, he would haue made other choise of the Wardens of his bookes, then they were. And seeing the Law went Esai 2 Iohn 4 out of Sion into all the world: it went [Page 130] forth pure & vndefiled, which other­wise had not beene the Lawe of God, but either of man, or man & God to­gether. But what trust the Iewes dis­charged herein, may appeare manife­stlie in our Sauiour Christs time, of all other the most corrupt, yet was there no such corruption of the text broght Math. 5. 23 in, by either Pharisies, Sadduces, or a­ny other the sworne enemies of the trueth. For seeing our Sauiour taking them vp hotelie and sharpely for cor­rupt interpretations which was peti­larimie in regard of their famous rob­beries that should change the text of the scripture: it is euident that if there had bene any such church-robberie of raising the recordes, hee would haue made a scourge of Scorpions to haue laide vpon their skinnes, for such in­sufferable treacherie. Yea when of the contrarie part he exhorteth the peo­ple to searche the Scriptures, such as they were then: he alloweth them for the Iohn 5. same, which the Prophetes had by di­uine inspiration left vnto the Church. And this latter reason Origen vseth to Hicron. in cap. 6. Esa. [Page 131] maintaine the perpetuall virginity of the Hebrew Text. As for their trifling In the pre­face nom­ber 44. reasons brought against in their disco­uerie of want and surplusage, they are scarse worth the naming. They alledg Psalme 22. which they suppose to differ from the Euangelists words in Greek: whereas the Massorites doe witnes, that the moste corrected copies haue, They pearsed my hands & feete, word for word with the Greeke. And your owne Ge­nebrard Genebrard in Psal. 21. will not haue the Iewes char­ged with any falsification in this place They further alledge, Psal. 68. where there is no manner of difference of sense, for the Hebrewe hauing Christ receaued gifts for men: doth in those words declare manifestly that he gaue them vnto men. For otherwise they could not haue bene to the vse of men vnlesse Christ had giuen. Howbeit in the very next vers there is added that God doth load vs with gifts. So that the Hebrewe doeth not onely tell vs, that Christ gaue gifts, but that he gaue them as Mediatour, hauing receiued them. Beside that it is knowne that [Page 132] the Apostles in alledging testimonies, doe not nomber the wordes but giue the waight of the sentence, to which nombring of words, when not so much as translators are alwaies (as it is said) bound to; much lesse were th'Apostles tyed vnto it, which were no transla­ters but expounders of the Scripturs. And all reasonable men will iudge it good payment if for foure single pence, he receaue a whole groate: or if th'opportunity so serue, eight single half-pence. They proceed with the 40 Psalme, where in stead of the Hebrew, Thou hast pearced my eare, th'Apostle hath, Thou hast prepared me a bodie. But they ought to haue vnderstoode, that there is first a Trope of the part for the whole, which th'Apostle doth elegant­ly expres, when for the eare he setteth down the body. Secondly, they should knowe that there is a manifest Meta­phore in the worde pearcing vsed of the Prophet, which being drawn from the law, prouyding that the seruant which would willingly giue himself ouer to a perpetuall and whole seruice of his [Page 133] maister, should so be serued: signifieth an inabling of the Prophet, for a wil­ling obedience to be giuen vnto the Lord. And therefore this Metaphore is elegantly expounded by th'Apostle when he saith, Thou hast prepared and fit­ted me a body, without the which our sa­uiour Christ could not haue beene the seruant of God, to any such purpose as he was ordayned. So that if as Dauid by Christ, so Christ for Dauid, muste bring not a legall sacrifice, but his ears bored through, that is, a bodie obedi­ent vnto the death: men may easilie see, that th'Apostle did expound and make plaine that, vvhich vvas some­what obscure in the Prophete, whose sense (and not whose words) he alled­ged. Further they alledge, 2. Chron. 28. 19. Achas King of Israel, for King of Iu­da. As if they ought to be ignorant, that the place where Achas was buri­ed, was first the place where the kings of Israel, that is, of the twelue tribes were buried, or euer it was the place of the kings of Iuda only. And if they had marked it, they shuld easily haue [Page 134] knowne both the Prophet Ieremie and Lamé. 2. 2 Rom. 9. 4. 17. & 10. 21. & 11. 7. 16. & 29. 10. & 3. 1. & 29. th'Apostle to containe Iuda vnder Is­rael, and contrariwise Israel vnder Iu­da. And the vulgare according vnto the Hebrew in the last verse, readeth, in the sepulchres of the Kings of Israel. And as ignorance of the story of the Scrip­ture, deceiued you here: so in the next the ignorance of the tongue abuseth you. For 1. Chron. 2. 18. that which you turne out of the Hebrewe, hee begat Azubah his wife and Ierioth: is falslie and ignorantlie translated. For ETH the particle, there is not a note of the accusatiue case: but is a praeposition, and signifieth that he begate of Azu­bah his wife, &c. as is confirmed by o­ther places, vvhere it is so taken. As Gen. 44. 4 Ezech. 6. 9 for that out of 2. Reg. 24. 19. of putting brother for vncle, it argueth you vtter­lie vnacquainted with the Scriptures in any tongue, seing the word brother is generall for all kinsmen both in the olde and new Testament. Wherupon Genes. 13 Matth. 12. 16. 47 Abraham is called Lots brother, as your vulgar printed by Plantine 1576. himselfe readeth; and so our Sauiour [Page 135] Christ is saide to haue brethren. Whereupon it is euident, howe free the Hebrew is from corruption: when th'obiections against it are so friuo­lous as nothing can be more. And as this is easy to conceiue of al that know the Church (which vnto that tyme was alvvaies sealed amongst them) to be the piller of truth: so it shall much 1. Tim. 3 more be setled firmely in their breast, if the Iewes carefull minde and inde­uour of keeping the Hebrewe text fi­thence the time of their falling away, be considered. Which appeareth not onelie in that the greatest testimonies vvritten by th'Apost. & Euangelistes (for the proof of Iesus to be the Christ doe remaine as they vvere alledged: but also by the testimony of th'aunci­ent Fathers 400. yeares after Christ, Hieron. in 6. cap. Es. August. de ciuita. Dei lib. 15, c. 13 Hier. epist. 74. ad Mar cel. Look in his epistle of diuers rea­dings. vvhich beare vvitnesse to their inno­cencie heerein. Your owne men are nowe as much ashamed of you in this charge of th'Ebrewe Text, as Ierome vvas of some in his time, charging the Hebrew as you doe. Look Arias Mon­tanus vvhich defendeth the Ievves in­nocencie [Page 136] in this behalfe. Looke Lucas Francis. lu eae Burg. an not at in sa era Biblia. Looke also his epist. ad Cardinal. Sirlet. Burgensis, hovv he defendeth the He­brew against the vulgar Latin, where he cannot reconcile them. Read Iohn Isaak a Popishe Ievve, against Lindan. Now let them ansvvere vvhether the Lordes care be not as great to keepe the newe Testament, as to keepe the olde: vvhether it be not as great to keep those vvords vvhich he spake by his sonne, as it vvas to keepe those Hebr. 1. vvhich he spake by his seruants. Final­lie, whether he keepeth not his wry­tings, as safelie by the Church, which is his friend, as hee keepeth it by the synagogue vvhich is his enemie. Last of al, let the good reader vnderstand, that this Popish allegation, is a verie haereticall practise, and shamelesse shift of the deceauers of Gods people. Hieron. ad­uersus Hel. bidium Hieron. For thus Ierome chargeth Helbidius, that he quarrelled with the truth of the copies, & did most foolishly perswade himselfe, that the Greeke bookes were falsified. The like pra­ctise vsed the monstrous heresie of the August. ad Hieron. epist. 19 Manichees, of vvhome Augustine vvry­teth thus. The Manichees not able to wrest [Page 137] many places of the holie Scripture, whereby they are moste euidentlie conuinced; affirme the same to be false: yet so, that they attri­bute the same not to the Apostles which wrot them, but I knowe not to what other, which afterward corrupted them. Which because they cannot proue, neither by the most copies, nor by the most auncient, nor by th'authority of the former tongue (from which the Latine bookes were translated) they are confoun­ded, &c. We may be bolde therefore to range you vnder the banner of he­retickes, vvhich beare their proper marke and recognisance.

But let vs come to the particular places, supposed to be corrupted. Wherein let the reader obserue, first that to discredite nombers of the Greek Copies, reading as we do, they bring but th'authoritie of one only Doctor. For although in the third place they alledge the corruption, from the Tripartite storie and Socrates: yet it being known, that the tripartite story gathereth that which he writ­eth out of Socrates: vnder two authors there is but one authoritie. Which [Page 138] may also be said of the second places, where th' authors alledged ar not eye witnesses, but hang al of the report of th' olde translator. And if in Gods law, the witnes of one man is not suf­ficient to take away a mans life: much lesse may one mans witnes take away the life and authoritie of Gods word, which (without that witnes) should vndoutedly be so taken. And if we should weigh th' olde translator with such weightes; we might with far more right, dash out a great part of your translator, in th' olde Testament: Euen so much as he differeth and dis­senteth Ire. lib. 3 cap. 25 Tertul. apolog. c. 18. 19 H [...]l. psal. 2 August de [...]iuit. Dei lib. 15. c. [...] in from the 70. interpreters. For there is a great consent of th' old fathers, that the interpretation of the 70. interpreters in greek was written by the same spirit wherewith the Pro­phets wrote in Hebrew. Secondly it is to be obserued that in proouing the Greeke copies in three places to be corrupted, by the Greeke heretikes: they alledg for two of those places Latine writers and Latine translators, such as were vsed in the Latin [Page 139] Church: so that if the testimonies proue any thing of the corruption of th' originall; it proueth it more against the Latine, then against the Greeke Church. For notwithstanding that Marcion were Greek born: yet was not his heresie begoten in Greece, but in Rome, after that his father (being a Bishop) had for his lewd behauiour cast him out of the Church, in his na­tiue countrie. And seeing Rome tak­eth vpon her, to be the piller of truth, and the Lords librarie: whatsoeuer can be proued of the corruption of th' originall, shall by their owne doc­trine returne to the further discredite of the Latine, then of the Greeke Church. Now touching the first exam­ple of Marcions corruption: you doe belie Tertullian, and that in two sortes. For first Tertullian saieth not, that the truth is as it is in y ^e vulgar. For Tertul­lian himselfe readeth otherwise then the vulgar, after this sort. The first man Tertu [...] a [...] resurrection [...] carn [...]s. of th' earth earthy, that is slimie, which is Adam. The second man is from heauen, that is the word of God, which is Christ, leauing [Page 140] out heauenly, which the vulgare hath Cyprian de zelo & li­ [...]or & ad­uersus lu­daeos & a. libi. and you striue for. And so his scholler Cyprian readeth. Secondly you falsifye him, for that he doth not say (as you suppose of him) that the Greek text which is now, is Marcions corruption. For so should he haue accused himselfe, aswell as Marcion: considering that himself also departeth from that which is in the vulgar. Indeed Marcion had corrupted the place, by leauing out ( man) in the second place; therby to help his haeresie of th' untruth of Christs manhood. It may also be ga­thered, that Tertullian liked not the word Lord; but esteemed it, a corrupti­on of Marcion. This is therefore novv the question, vvhether Lord in that place, be the true or heretical reading First therefore let them shevv vs, hovv this reading doth maintayn (in any sort) the heresie of Marcion: consi­dering that the Greek hath (vvith full consent) the second man, which Mar­cion left out, vvherby the humanity of Christ is plainly established. And it appeareth that the vulgar trāslation, [Page 141] hath more coulour of that heresie, thē the Greek reading. For he might haue easier abused the vulgare, to proue that Christ broght his flesh from hea­uē; then he can do the Greek. And as the Greek reading is further from the heresie of Marcion, then the vulgar: so it is (in diuers respects) more proper; both for the generall analogie of the true doctrine of the person of Christ, and for the circumstance of that par­ticular place. For first the Greek rea­ding, containeth a notable testimony of the two natures of our Sauiour Christ, in th' unitie of one person; which the vulgar doth not so manife­stly expresse. Secondly th' opposition of Adam from th' earth, and of Christ the Lord from heauen: is much fuller and liuelier: considering that he might haue bene both from heauen and heauenly, and yet haue bene but a naked creature as th' Angels. Third­ly the Greeke copies did not shunne the word heauenly, which Marcion is supposed to haue of purpose avoy­ded: considering that they call Christ [Page 142] heauenly. For in the next two verses the Greek copies (with full consent) apply the word heauenly vnto Christ. Therfore the Greeke copies shunned not this worde heauenly in speaking of Christ: but reserued it vnto a fitter place. For hauing in the former verse called Christ the Lord from heauen: in the verses following, he might (without danger) call him hea­uenly: whereas if he had not sent that title of the Lord from heauen before, he might haue bene thought to haue bene called heauenly, in respect of the place, he came from, as the first man is called earthly in regard of the earth from whence he was taken. A­gain seing that Marcion did corruptly alledg verse 45, as plainly appeareth by Tertullian, which corruption is not in the Greeke: there is no liklie-hood that one of the corruptions of Marcion should continew in the Greeke, more thē th' other. Moreouer the Syrian & Arabian paraphrasis, auncienter then was Marcions reading as the Greek copies doe: it is euident that either Mar­cion [Page 143] brought not in this reading ( of the Lord) or els he brought it in long be­fore he was borne. Last of all seing the Greeke Fathers so reade, Lib. de orthod. fide cap. 3 Damascene In [...] locu [...] Chrysostome, Theophilact, Oecumenius, al which detested the haeresy of Marcion: either this is no corruption, or else these learned mens noses were stuf­fed, which coulde neuer smell the sa­uour of any Marcionisine. And althogh diuerse ancient and other writers, ac­customing themselues to the reading of the vulgare translation, followed it in this point, because there is no ma­nifest repugnance in it, to any article of faith: yet that is no let, but that this may bee (as indeede it is) the trueth, which is found in Greek copies, and not that which is in th' old translator.

In the second place Ierome alone is brought to discredite so many Greek copies. Against whome (beside the great consent of the Greeke copies) Basil. lib. [...] we oppose the Syrian & Arabian Pa­raphrasis, Chrysostom, Theophilact, Oecu­menius, & Basile, who thrise in one book doth so alledge it, as the copies suppo­sed [Page 144] to be falsified. And last of al, wee oppose Ierome himselfe: who for once alledging it thus for his benefite a­gainst Hieron. aduersus Helbidium▪ & ad Eustoch de seruand. virginitate. his aduersarie in that booke, where the Papists themselues cannot denie, but he abused diuerse testimo­nies of th' Apostle shamefullie, alled­geth it twise as it is in the Greek copi­es, which they condemne. Let al men therefore iudge what a worthie proof this is, broght from Ierome to discredit these copies, which is contraried of so manie, and of himselfe: who after he was departed from his heate of dispu­tation, to set downe what was more aggreable to the truth, then what ser­ued best against his aduersarie, so rea­deth as we reade. Beside all this, some Beza annotat. in hunc locum. Greeke copies read as th' old transla­tor doth. And therfore it is false which they say, that it is not in the Greeke. The third pretended corruption, standeth only vpon Socrates testimonie; who affir­meth that in the Greeke copies to be an haereticall corruption. Howe so? What one word is there in the Greek copies, that leaneth to the Nestorian [Page 145] haeresie? What light footing thereof can you shew? If you can shew none, there is no likelie-hoode of haereticall corruption: considering that Nestorius voice, differing far more from Saint Iohns, then Iacobs did from Esaus, might euen of a blinde man haue beene di­scerned. Secondlie, the Greeke rea­ding, falleth in farre better with the phrase and circumstance, then that which Socrates commendeth. For in the verse before Saint Iohn hath thus, Euerie Spirite that confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the fleshe, is of God. Wherupon hee inferreth the wordes in question, that euery spirite that confesseth not Iesus Christ to be come in the fleshe, is not of God. Where it is euident not only that this doth aptly answere in opposition▪ vn­to the verse before: but that it keep­eth the frame and phrase of speach, which is to amplifie, and deeplier to imprint one thing in the memorie of the hearer, by denyall of one propo­sition directly opposite vnto another. As in the 6. verse of the same chap. He that knoweth God, heareth vs, he that is not [Page 146] of God heareth not vs. Againe in the 7. verse, Whosoeuer loueth is of God & know­eth God; he that loueth not, knoweth not god. Likewise 1. Epist. chap. 5. verse 10, & verse 12, &c. Thirdly, it is plaine that he which saith that Christ came in the fleshe, condemneth him that dissol­ueth Christ: so that it was to no pur­pose to change it so. Laste of all, if we would examine your alone witnes in this cace, by the same lawe that your companion examineth the double Copus dia­log. 1. pag. 154. witnesse of Socrates and Sozomene, in the case of Paphnutius commendation of the ministers marriage: wee might vtterlie dis-able him, and throwe him from the bar. Who (to discredite the trueth of this storie) saieth thus. The thing dependeth of Socrates and Sozomene, whereof th'one was a Nouatian, th'other greatlie extolled Theodorus whome the fifth Synod condemned. And a litle before, af­firmeth it to haue ben a tale of th'Ar­rians, or of some vnchaste persons. Nowe if Socrates were not (as your man saieth) to beare witnes in the matter of Paph­nutius: howe commeth it that you lift [Page 147] vp his credite so high, as not alone to counteruaile, but to praeuaile against so full a consent of the Greek copies.

To the next section.

The Iesuites in knocking their heades against the originall copies, haue loste euen the common sense & vnderstanding of a man. For to proue that we (in many places) haue left the Greeke to followe the vulgare translation: they haue not brought so much as one place, wherein Maister Beza hath not shewed that hee followed better [...]ight, then that which he had of th'old translator. In some places manye Greeke copies, in euery place some one or other Greeke copie, and that of singular note: beside the Syrian pa­raphrast auncienter then th'old tran­slator. And if Maister Beza being but one man, was able (by the prouision he had made of copies) to warrant his interpretation by one Greeke booke at the least: it is euident, that if it had beene possible for him to haue gotten [Page 148] all the Greeke copies in his studie; he shuld haue bene able to haue perfor­med it more plentifully. Touching the first place Heb. 9. 1. It is false, that ey­ther M. Beza, or we haue followed the vul­gare, who trāslateth that place doubt­fullie. For his word former may aswell aggree with the copies, which reade the first Tabernacle, as with the firste couenant. And Maister Beza sheweth that both Photius the Greek interpre­ter, and the Syrian Paraphrast, as also the Greek copie of Cleremont reade as the copie which the vulgar followed. And because both the discourse of the former chapter, and the direction of the verse next going before, argueth that this word former is referred to the couenant. Therefore (for more plain­nesse) we put couenant in smal letter▪ Which was so much more needefull to be done, as certaine readings ioine this word with Tabernacle. And yet because wee are entred into question of this place, wee will not feare to set downe what wee thinke in this case. Which is that (sauing ryper iudge­ment) [Page 149] the consent of the Greeke co­pies in the word [...] may well and ought to bee retained: not in proper signification, but in a Trope of the part for the whole outward and cere­moniall worship of God: euen as the writer of the Hebrewes doeth after­warde vse it, where he saieth, that we Heb. 13. 10 haue an aultar, whereof they haue no authority to eate, which serue the Ta­bernacle: that is to say, which retaine the ceremoniall worship. Rom. 12. 11. they say, that the Greeke hath seruing the [...]me, for seruing the Lord. Wherein they doe nothing but dallie with the truth. For manie Greeke and auncient co­pies, haue seruing the Lord. So hath the Greeke Scholiast, Chrysostome, Theophi­lact, Basil defi. nit. 6 9 and Basile. And the cause of this diuersity Maister Beza noteth to haue the shorte writing by [...] which was taken of some for [...] where they shoulde haue taken it for [...]. Apoc. 11. 2. they affirm that the greek hath, the Court within the Temple, the La­ [...]e hauing (and truely) the Court without the Temple. We answere, that that rea­ding [Page 150] is found in Greek both scholiast and copie. Wherfore herein we had more certaine guides, then is the olde translator.

2. Timoth. 2. 14. we read (but) as th' old interpreter. But th' olde translator and we both, read so without any word of that signification in the Greek: onely to lay open to the reader, that which the short speach of the holy Ghost, might haue made harder to be vnder­stood in our language. And therefore this is meere dotage to bring this ex­ample, to proue that we haue forsa­ken the Greek to follow th' olde tran­slator. And as for vs; we haue put our (but) in a small letter, to note it an addition aboue the wordes which are in Greek, yet needfull to cleare the sense vnto the reader, and to make plain th' Eclipse that is in the Greeke: wheras the vulgar hath not de [...]t so sin­cerely, who hath put it in the same letter with the text. And besid that some of your copies make no supplye of the Eclipse which is in Greek in those co­pies of yours, where there is in any [Page 151] supply, it is fondly made by nisi; which is not an aduersitiue answering to our but, which you allow of, but a note of exception. And therefore wee haue bettered your translator here­in.

They say that in Iames 5. 12. we haue left the Greek and followed the La­tine: which is most false. For there is shewed forth, for warrant of that rea­ding, a most excellent Greek copie, beside the Syrian paraphrast transla­ting the Greek before the Latine did. Hereby the reader may easily vnder­stand, that where our translations ag­greed with th' olde translator: it is [...]ot in following him but through warrant of the Greek copies, which are extant at this day. And that the Thrasonicall Iesuites of th' infinite examples, wherein they would make the world beleeue, that we [...]aue forsaken the Greeke to followe the vulgar: are not able to shew, so much as one poore ex­ample.

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Least there should want anie thing, wherein these enemies of God and of his word, should not play their parts against th' originall Greek: they haue thought good to set vpon it with a new accusation of superfluitie: whereof notwithstanding they cannot bring a worde of reason, beside the bare au­thoritie of Erasmus, whose naked te­stimonie (without proofe) against the Greeke they are content to admitt: which notwithstanding they vtterlye reiect, when (with good and substan­tiall reason) it commeth against th' old trāslator. But let vs see into th' autho­ritie. First it is confessed of the Iesu­ites, that the Greeke copies read the supposed superfluities, with full con­sent. And doe they thinke that such a consent of Greek copies shall not be able to weigh downe th' authoritie of the vulgar translation, and [...]rasmus allowance of it in this place: where neither vntruth of doctrine nor anie vnsutablenes to that which either go­eth before or commeth after, is able to bee shewed. If you your selues [Page 153] should lay in ballance together, Eras­mus which here maketh for your vul­gare, and Valla that maketh against him: we suppose that vnlesse your ex­treame pouertie in this case drawe you to doe otherwise, you would giue the better weight to that skale, where­in you lay Valla: as one that dealt not so roughly with Monckery and other your pedlary as did Erasmus. And as for the preheminence and authoritie, that all the Greek copies haue before th' old translator (those Papists ex­cepted only which haue made them­selues driuels & drudges vnto him:) we refuse no mans weights, nor no mans iudgment. Beside that to dis­burden the Greeke of this false sur­mise of superfluitie: we haue the Syrian paraphrast, which in this poynt is not superfluous in that being long before the vulgar, he beareth witnes in all these pretended superfluities vnto our Greeke copies; as vnto those that are most auncient. Now as for the place Math. 6. for thine is the kingdome &c. If Erasmus had vnderstood that it is ta­ken [Page 154] out of the booke of Chronicles, written by the pen of the holy Ghost: he would (no doubt) haue taken heed howe he had called this conclusion of the Lords praier, trisles. For it appea­reth manifestly, that this sentence was borrowed from the Prophete Dauid, [...]. Chro. 29 11. with some abridgement of the Pro­phetes words: which being then fit to set forth the zeale and present touche of the loue wherewith hee loued the Lorde, was not so fit (without an ab­stract) for that prayer wherein our sa­uiour sought all shortnesse possible. Secondlie, that cannot be superfluous without the which we shuld not haue had a perfect form of Praier. For whē prayer standeth, as well in praising of God and thanksgiuing, as in petitions and requests to be made vnto him: it is euident that if this conclusion had bene wanting, there had wanted a forme of that prayer, which standeth in praise and thanksgiuing. Last of all, if to giue a reason of that which goeth before be superfluous, then this con­clusion may be so. But we suppose that [Page 155] it wil be a strange voice in th'eares of all the learned; to affirme that a sub­stantiall reason giuen of any thing, should be iudged reasonlesse, and the coupling vp of the cause with the ef­fect in their surmised superfluitie of this place. Rom. 11. 6. is charged likewise. Where it is no maruel although they iudge the latter proposition superflu­ous: seeing they are not able to beare th'enimity of the former, as that which hangeth their blasphemous opinion of merit; so that it can draw no breth vvhen it appeareth. Which because the Apost. would be sure to hang tho­rowlie, he doubled his coard by a ma­nifest opposition, frequented often­times of the holy scriptures. And ther­fore vvith the same knife they cut off this branche, that they may lop as su­perfluous boughs a nomber of senten­ces in the Scriptur, especially in S. Iohn And these men that account Logicall reasoning superfluous in th'Apostle: how wil they bear the holy ghosts rhe­thorick, in repeating one thing in one place, by variety of words alone with­out [Page 158] any variety of sentence: which is so custome-able a thing in the Proph. as y ^e Rabbins (for auoyding of tediousnes) note y ^e whole rule [...] therof in fiue let­ters. And if they wil not giue th'Apost. leaue to vse his Logicke, vvithout reproach of super­fluity: they may (vvith better reason) denie the Prophets that figure of Re­thorick, vvhich of all other they most delighted in. Last of al, Erasmus testi­monie heere (vpon vvhome they only leane) is not so full. For he doth not condemne the place of superfluity but suspecteth it. There follovveth Mar. 10. 29. where (with other things) wiues being spoken of in one verse, is not vvith them repeated in the next. Whereupon is concluded, that in the former verse it is a superfluitie. And if it vvere not, for reuerence of Erasmus learning, vve might vvell say it vvere a fond conclusion. For vvhy may ther not be asvvell a defect in the latter verse, as a superfluitie in the former: and rather a defect heere, then super­fluitie [Page 159] there; considering that in Luke, Luk. 18. 29 there is a full agreement of all Greek copies, reading as Saint Mark doth in the former verse. But that this reason is neither proofe of superfluitie nor de­fect: it is manifestly shevved by a like place. For th'Apostle hauing nom­bred and marked out diuerse giftes & offices in the Church: in the two next 1. Cor. 12. 28. [...] verses making rehearsall of them a­gaine, leaueth out two: of which not­withstanding he might as trulie affirm that which he ascribeth to th'other as of anie of them whatsoeuer. If there­fore in a rehearsall the leauing out of some thinges sent before, be an argu­ment of superfluitie: let them thrust out these two ordinarie offices out of the Church; and together with the whole honourable traine of the greeke co­pies, which they will be easilie intrea­ted vnto: let them also condemn their vulgare translation. Nay more then that, let them condemne (with the greeke) their owne vulgar in this ve­rie place of Saint Marke: vvhich ha­uing made mention of fathers in the [Page 158] former verse, maketh no more men­tion of them, in the verse following then of wiues. And vvhere they would proue, that by these two pricks" in Ro­bert Stephanus edition of the new Testament in Greeke, is noted a superfluitie in the greeke: vve know not vvhether vvee should ascribe it vnto their blockishe ignorance, or to their hatefull mallice against the truth. For doe they think that Robert Steuen and Crispine, men of great iudgement and learning, both so senseles, as to haue put that for the text of the Scripture, vvhich by their note, they vvould discredite with the reproach of superfluitie: vvhose pur­pose vvas to shevve by those notes, some diuersity of reading in those pla­ces, which they so marked: as it is ma­nifest by th'examples heere alledged. In all vvhich Maister Beza declareth, that there is difference amongst the greeke copies. But yet the difference is not such, but both by the greater number of the greeke copies, and by their antiquitie, manifestly confirmed by the Syrian Paraphrast, and lastlie [Page 159] by the good cohaerence & sute of one sentence with another: it may easilie appear that there is defect in the vul­gare, and no superfluitie in our editi­ons. As in Mar. 6. 29. hovve aptlie is that threatning added against the re­fusers of the Gospell, that it shall be ea­sier &c. So in Matth. 20. 22. the simili­tude of Baptisme vvith the death and afflictions of our Sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, is not only elegant to declare, how they shoulde be ouer­whelmed with them, as the bodye is plunged in the waters: but also com­fortable exceedinglie, to shew that as the person baptised, lifteth vp his head, after that he hath bine sowced in the waters: so both he and his Apo­stles should haue a certaine and most assured good issue, out of all their tro­bles, and death it self. Of which com­fort, liuelie set forth in this similitude, which was not in the similitude of drinking the cup: the Church had bene depriued of, if there had not bene ei­ther wiser heades or diligenter hands then your vulgar had. Which being [Page 162] repeated in the 23. verse should not haue bene iudged a superfluitie, seing be­side th'use of repetition, to imprint it deeplier in memory, there is a noble increase whereby it is declared, that they shall assuredlie suffer with him: that so calling them home from their ambitious preasing after superiori­tie ouer their fellowes, they might think to prepare themselues to trov­bles.

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The Iesuites taking pleasure to proue the Lord an euill husband in suffering thornes and thistles to ouer­grow his most sacred and holy field, of th'originall in the new Testament: alledg Maister Beza, which preferreth the reading of th'old translator in some places vnto the Greeke copies which hee had. Wherein first mark, that one sen­tence of Maister Beza is snatched at contrarie to his continuall practise, through euerie page in a manner: where he conuinceth th'old transla­tor, [Page 161] of slipps and falles in translating. Secondly, obserue how fondlie they would conclude that Maister Beza iustifieth the vulgar translation, be­cause he sayeth: that in some places his reading is sounder then the rea­ding which he found in his Greeke copies. Thirdly, it ought not to be pas­sed by, how sottishly, they would con­clude: that therefore th'old translator is in some places purer then the Greek copies, for that he is in some places purer then those copies which Maister Beza had. For they might well haue knowne, that as Maister Beza had Greeke copies which Eras­mus had not, whereby he was able to relieue the olde interpreter against Erasmus, that charged him to haue for­saken the Greek: so diuers others may haue other copies, which neither Ma­ster Beza nor Erasmus haue come vn­to. And therefore if th'old translator shoulde haue anie thing better then the Greek copies, which Maister Beza had: yet thereof should it not follow, that it should be purer then all the [Page 162] Greeke copies. But this is the pro­phane minde of the Iesuites, which would rather put fault in the Greeke copies, then either in the negligence, or inabilitie of translators, to get such a number of copies, as might be able to furnishe that worke of tran­slation throughly. Now of all the ex­amples in the new Testament that they could chuse to iustifie th'olde translator against the Greeke copies: it seemeth good vnto them to send vs to Act. 13. 20. wher we nothing doubt but th'olde translator vsed the same Greek copie that we haue in full con­sent. But because there are not 450. yeares vnder the gouernment of the Iudges: he changed the place of the praeposition [...] and set it so, as th'account of the 450. yeares should be referred vnto the time which was from the birth of Isaac, vnto the time of the Iudges. Wherein as we take his iudgment to be good and sound: so his meanes to shew it, needed not to haue bene so violent, by carying the praeposition so far from his home: if [Page 163] (according to the manner of all tongues) he had vnderstood a com­modious participle. For (sauing bet­ter and riper iudgement) we would thinke that it may well be thus read. After these thinges done in 450. yeares or there-about, he gaue &c. The like e­clipse of speach, we read in another place of the Acts, where it is said, that Ioseph sent for his father Iacob and all his kindred, standing of 75. persons. And again to you the promise was made. And Act. 7. 14. Act. 2. 39. so th'account of the yeares is verie certaine. For adding to the 400. yeares expired at their departure from Egypt, 40. yeares, wherein they were vnder Moses in the desert, and 7. yeares, wherein they hauing made a great conquest of the land, receiued their inheritance by Lot: there riseth the number of 447. whereto make a round number, as the Scripture doth in diuers other places: the Apostle added three yeares. For which cause, he saith not praecisely 450. yeares, but about 450. thereby marking out either the defect of the same number [Page 164] of 50. if (seuen only yeares of Iosue be­ing taken to his account) the rest of his yeares be gathered to the raigne and gouernment of the Iudges, or the surplus of the same nūber of 50, if the whole gouernment of Iosue (cōpassed in 17. yeares) be numbered. Such al­so is the forehead of these Iesuits, that they dare cite Augustine in this case, as if there grew any thing in his gar­den that can giue th'olde translator such an incorruptible nature, as they pretend: whose iudgement against these scourgers of the holy Scriptures, hath bene before shewed. Who affir­meth also in the very chapter by them alledged, that all Latine bookes whatsoe­uer August. de doctr. chr. lib. [...], ca. 15 ought to be reformed by the Greeke c [...] ­pies, if therefore th'old translation, was so highly commended of him, as they say; yet it is euident, that he woulde not haue him priuiledged against the Greeke in such sort as he should not (as a subiect) appeare before the Greeke copies, as before his lawfull and competent Iudge.

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In all these sections the Iesuites poynts of their swordes are set against themselues. For if to iustifie the vul­gar translation they iudge it expedi­ent to shewe the aggreement of it, with some Greek readings either co­pies or fathers that followed their co­pies: then followeth it that the Greek is of more authority then the Latine; as that whose credite dependeth of the good report, which the Greeke will giue of it. Whereof also it is brought to passe, that in translating the vulgar rather then the Greek; you are like to those silly poore men, that hauing not wherwith to buy new out of the marchants shop, goe to the huck-stars that haue things at the se­cond hand. Maister Bezas reuerence of the Greek copies, which you haue vtterly cast from you, doth herein ap­peare: that euen where his iudgment leadeth him otherwise, he notwith­standing leaueth the Greek reading, according to the vniforme consent of [Page 166] the Greeke copies: as Iam. 4. 2. where also we mislike not the vulgar for his translation, considering that th' Apo­stle (to make th' enuious emulation which followeth more detestable) Matth 5. doth as our Sauiour Christ did, in the cace of cruell and vnaduised wrath, call it murder: wherein also th' Apost. doth verie excellentlie expound the commandement of murdering. But in the other place of 1. Peter. 3. 21. you falsely report Maister Beza, who cor­recteth th' old interpreter, by a Greek copie of great authoritie; and there­fore correcteth not the Greek. How ridi­culous they make themselues and their Gagneye in iustifying th' olde in­terpreter, which maketh it a wonder, that a great deale of fire, should con­sume a great deale of wood: all men (that haue but their common sense) may easily vnderstand. Howbeit what good choise your vulgar hath made of Greek copies, where it hath any that are now extant: it alreadie appeareth manifestly by your deepe silence; against their reasons which [Page 567] haue conuinced the frailtie of his iudgment that wayes: and more shall in the censure of your translation which pretendeth to follow him.

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Looke for the answere in the laste sectiō of pag. 13. beside that they deal vnfaithfully heere with M. Beza. For although he affirme that th' old inter­preter might (in some places) haue a better copie, then himself could come vnto: yet heere he praeferreth the con­sent of the Greeke readings. And in­deede it is most fit, for the circumstāce of the place. For telling afterward, how often they wash, namely as often as they had come from any place of cōmon and ciuill meetings: it agreeth better both with the shortnesse of speach which S. Mark (aboue al other) followeth, and with the doting su­perstition of the Pharises: to expound this by a diligent and exact washing, thereby declaring that they did not only wash often, but washed with great endeuour of rubbing one hand [Page 168] against another: least (happily) anie vncleannesse should stick vnto them: which sense also is confirmed of the Syriack paraphrast.

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If your Latine interpreter be so neare driuen, as to borrow his iustifi­cation of the Latine fathers, which seeke themselues throughout to be iustified by the Greeke copies; it is euident, that th' accusations against him, must needes cleaue still vnto him; vntill such time as his proctours can get some Greeke copies, to cleare him by.

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And if the multitude of Latine co­pies, hurt th' authoritie of your vulgar amongest the Latine fathers, because (after it was set forth) there were ma­ny other translations abrode in their hands. Why did they hurt it, vnles it were because the fathers esteemed o­ther translations (in diuers poynts) better then it? for they were neither so [Page 169] proud, nor so negligent, as to haue left th' old interpreter in those places, wherein they esteemed him to haue approached nearer vnto the truth: e­specially seing your vulgar is said to haue had Damasus the Popes com­mendation, to whose voyce you woulde beare the world in hand that the fathers gaue no lesse reuerence, then to an oracle from heauen. If therefore the Latine fathers, forsooke th' old interpreter, when he was fresh and new, and therefore furthest from corruption. How much more would they if they were now aliue, in many places let him goe peaking alone af­ter he hath bene so corrupted, as hath bene before declared, and is further euident, by the multitude of Latine copies differing one from another, by Looke the King of Spaines great Bi­ble. far greater diuersities, then the Greek copies doe: so that if it were an impos­sible thing to make choise of the trueth of Greek copies, because of their diuersitie: it is much more im­possible, to pick out the trueth of the old translation, encombred with so [Page 570] many and great varieties.

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Thus then we may see, that all the sope, niter and scouridge, that the Ie­suites are able eyther to beg, to bor­row, to steale, or otherwise to come by: are not able to cleanse the vulgar translation, from the filth of blood, eyther wherein it was first conceiued, or which it hath gathered, from some hundred yeares by passing through so manie filthie handes of vnlearned Monkes; from the which the Greeke copies, haue had great freedome and rest: because vntill a few yeares ago, wherein the Popish shauelings haue bene somewhat wakened, by the pro­fessors of the Gospell: their vnskilful­nes in the Greek tongue, was so no­torious, that they caused it to come into prouerb: It is Greek, it cannot be red. yea we doubt not, but it is apparant vnto all indifferency: that it is not only cleansed from the filth thereof, but that the more they haue laboured to rub and skoure it, the fouler it ap­peareth, [Page 171] to all that haue not willing­ly closed their eyes against the trueth, which, that it may more euidentlie and without contradiction be vnder­stood; goe to you Iesuites, and after a vomit of your dogged stomack dis­charged against the Greek copies, al­most in a continuall vntrueth. Heare the most trew and modest charge, that shall be obiected against the in­sufficiencies of your vulgar translati­on, in one kinde alone. Where, far be it from vs, that we should take a vantage of that which may (proba­bly) be deemed, to haue crept in, by the slip either of pen or print. For it were not only a poynt of vnfaithful­nes, but of m [...]re folly, in such an infi­nit nomber of foul corruptions, wher­of the mower may (in a manner) fill his arme, labouring in this feild: once so much as to stoupe after these slipps, before th'other were cut downe. Al­though (euen in them also) the loue that popery is in with error, may eui­dentlye appeare: which counting them slippes of pen, haue not yet in [Page 172] so many yeares, & after so many im­pressions, caused them to be amen­ded: Wherby they bewray how they dote after lies, which will not farme out that, which (in their vulgar trāsla­tion) they are constrained to confesse, to be sowtage or kitchin-stuf: so much more intollerable, as some of these corruptions are blasphemous: as in stead that the greek hath, that Christ committed himselfe vnto him (mea­ning God) that iudgeth iustly: it hath, that he committed himselfe to him, that iudgeth vniustlie. For we had ra­ther lay this fault being so grosse, vp­on the writer then vpon the transla­tor. And albeit the Iesuites retaine it dreaming of a sense to make this interpretation stand: yet it is manifoldlie confuted and cannot be admitted without foule and grosse error. Yet Rom. 12, they haue left th'old transla­tor: which saieth not defending your selues, and followed the Greek with vs, which is not reuenging your selues. In these corruptions of the vulgar, which shall be layd forth: let the rea­der [Page 173] vnderstand that they are all con­uinced by the general cōsent of al the Greeke copies which are knowne at this day, by the Syrian Paraphrast, by their own interlineal, and by circum­stance of the place in diuers places most euident, in other some pregnant and apparant ynough, to such as haue any singlenesse of eie to looke vpon them. Amongst the corruptions that stand in addition, let that be for ex­ample, which is Luk. 2. 18. And con­cerning those thinges spoken by the shep­heards. Where beside the superfluitie, there is no good sense. Secondly, Iohn 2. 15. he made as it were a whipp: where is added as it were: which beside the falsifying the storie, can hardly haue any tollerable vnderstāding. Againe Iohn 8. 19. if you knowe mee perhaps you might know my father. Where perhaps is dāgerously added, fauoring the heresy of Arrius: considering that our Sauiour Christ other-where also doth praeciselie affirm, that he that se­eth Iohn 14. him, seeth the father. Hebrew. 3. 14. if ye keepe the beginning of his sub­stance [Page 174] firme vnto th'end: where he hath added his, not only to th'obscu­ring of th'argument of th'Apostle, but to insinuate thereby an aduantage to th' Arrians, that christ had a beginning of his substance. And these may suffice for a tast of addition. The detractions follow. Math. 6. the conclusion of the Lords prayer is wholy left out. Mark 9. 38. because he followed not vs, left cleane out. Mark. 13. 14. where is left out which was spoken by the prophet Dani­el. Also in the same chapter, neyther doe you meditate left out. 1. Cor. 4. 4. to my self left out. Diuers also of detracti­ons, detract from the trueth which is in controuersie. Math. 17. where it is said Elias shall come, there is left out, first, for the maintenance of theirs & the Iewes idle fable of Elias, comming a fewe yeares before the worldes end. Rom. 11. But if it be of workes now it is not of grace: otherwise, &c. Heb. 1. 3. by him­self left out: which is verie effectual to exclude all mans merites with other meanes whatsoeuer in the matter of our saluation, and therefore went to [Page 175] the heart of their sinfull sacrifice: and is prooued that it ought not to be left out, by th'other member of the verse. Th'alterations are infinite almoste, & those often of waight. Math. 1. 20. born in her, for begotten in her. And in the same verse and other-where, in sleepe, for in dreame. Mark, 3. 29. Gyltie of ae­ternall sinne, for aeternall iudgement. Matth. 26. 30. when they had saide an hymn, for whē they had sung an hymn. Iohn 6. 45. shalbe teach-able of God, for shalbe taught of God. Rom. 1. 13. hatefull vnto God, for haters of God. Rom. 14. 5. Let him abound in his owne sense, for let him be perswaded fullie in his owne minde. 1. Cor. 15. 51. we shall all indeede rise againe, but we shall not all be changed; for we shall not all sleepe, but we shall all be changed. Of Hieron. Minerio. & Alexan. which reading of the vulgar Ierome de­nieth, that there is any warrant in the greeke copies. Gal, 3. 1. th'olde hath that that Christ was proscribed, which is a law worde, signifying a man whose substance (for debt or some crime) is set to publicke seale: where th'Apost. setteth forth, that Christ was (by Saint [Page 176] Pauls preaching and administring the Sacraments) so pourtraied and pain­ted before their eies, as if he had bene crucified amongst them. Gal. 4. 7. heir by God, for heir by Christ: as both the phrase of the Scripture, & the circum­stance of the place conuinceth. And often in aduantage of their Popishe doctrine, as Iohn 14. for this the holye Ghost shal bring to your remembrance, whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you, to further the Churches vn-written verities, it hath he shall suggest whatsoeuer I shal say to you. For the merite of workes. In stead of Ephesians the 2. God hath created vs vnto good workes, it hath in good workes. And Hebr. 13. in stead of, with such sacrifices God is delighted. It hath is promerited. Luk. 10. For what­soeuer thou spēdest more: it hath, what­soeuer thou shalt supererogate. Luk. 1. for looked on the lowe estate of his handmaide: it hath the humilitie of his handmaide. And in the same place, for had freely graced, it hath full of grace. Collos. 2. 23. In superstition for in will wor­ship, therby to make way to th'inuen­tions [Page 177] of their own braine. Ephes. 5. (For multiplication of sacraments) in stead of a great mystery it hath sacrament. And Luk. 22. 20. For this cup is the new Testa­ment, it hath this is the cup: thereby to auoyd th'euidence of the figuratiue speach. Heb. 5. 11. Which cannot be ex­pounded, for which is hard to be ex­pounded; therby to defend the popish opinion of the sinne against the holy Ghost. Heb. 7. 25. To saue for euer, for to saue wholy or throughout. Heb. 9. 14. By the holy spirit, for by th'eternall spirit, in fa­uour of their wicked opinion that our Sauiour Christ is high Priest only in regard of his humanity, and not in re­gard of his diuinitie, with numbers of others the iust treatise whereof would require a whole booke.

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Notwithstanding these swynish Ie­suites, tread the pearles of the Greek copies vnder their filthie feete, and that either without anie manner of reason at all, or els with so small rea­son, as will hardly iustifie them to be [Page 178] resonable creatures: yet can they not beare that Maister Beza should (with great probabilitie and likelyhood of trueth) somuch as suspect the Greeke copies. For they are not able to shew one only place that he hath correct­ed, contrarie to a whole consent of the Greeke copies. They may con­demn without reason, he may not sus­pect, with great probabilitie thereof. They may set in the text what plea­seth them, contrary to th'authority of all the Greek copies: he may not vt­ter his opinion in his scholies and an­notations vpon the text. They cannot beare to be charged, with their prae­sent errour. But he must beare the blame of slippes & errors, which haue past and now are reformed. Where­fore either their hatred is so great a­gainst the Greeke copies, that they cannot abide Maister Bezas modest and shamefast reprehensions of them, vnles he would flatly condemn them, as they doe: or els their equitie is so little, that they can see a mote in his eie: whē they perceaue not the beame [Page 179] that is in their own. And if the places were so manie, wherein M. Beza pro­nounceth the Greek to be corrupted, that they would make the reader to wonder: you haue done verie foolishly, which (in the great store you pretend) haue re­peated the most places twise, and that of Cainan, thrise at the least in this book: bewraying thereby, how (in great want of abilitie of accusing him iustly) the will and desire to accuse, was out of all measure. Yet speake we not this, as taking vpon vs Maister Bezas defence, without all exception. For we haue shewed Acts. 13. how the Greeke copies doe well aggree with the trueth: so we hope that the same might be performed in other appea­rances Look vers. 14. how Ierome reconcileth these places which the Iesuites think irr [...] ­conciliable in his quae­sri [...]ns vpon Genesis. of contradiction, euen in the two most difficultest places of all o­ther, which are in the 7. of th'Acts. And touching that of the 75. soules beside Iacob, it accordeth well with the nomber which Moyses particular­ly reckoneth vp Genes. 46. where (be­side Iacob) are mentioned 75. persons. Neither doth S. Steuen affirme that 75. [Page 180] persons came into Egypt: but decla­reth Looke Tre­malius and Iunius in their anno. tat. vppon Genes. 46 in that number the whole family of Iacob was, before he came to Egypt: that when men knew, that it came in so manie yeares to no greater a summe then to 75. persons, reckoning also the 4. wiues of Iacob, and two sonns of Iehuda that were dead: they might the more clearlie see the won­drous and miraculous blessing which followed before their departure from Egypt. Th'other place which seemeth likwise irrecōciliable, concerning A­brahams vers. 16. buying of a peece of groūd at Sichem of the sonns of Emor: is as cleare as the sun at noone dayes: If this place of th'acts be compared with the places of Genesis 12. 3. 4. and 33. 19. 20. for in the former of these places it is eui­dent that Abram had built an altar vnto the Lord in the verie selfe same place, which Iacob (in y ^e latter of these chapters) is said to haue bought, for 100. peeces of money. Now if Abra­ham would not bury his wife in that land, wherein he was a stranger, but in ground bought with his own mo­ney: [Page 181] much lesse would he build an al­tar to serue the Lord with, but vpon a purchase thereof made. It appeareth therefore, that S. Steuen might (with as good right) call it the place which Abram bought, as that which Iacob bought; both of them hauing bought the place. Neyther can it seeme strange vnto anie, that Iacob purcha­sed the same againe, that his grand-fa­ther had bought before: if they re­member that the fathers were often iniured and depriued of welles and Genes. 26 other things that they had gotten, e­specially amongst a people, who (in all kinde of impietie and in-iustice) were now come almost to the top. And that it was Saint Steuens meaning, to note out Abrahams purchase, rather then Iacobs; it may partly appear in that he maketh no mentiō of a certain price paid for the ground; which notwith­standing is twise praecisely made mention of in the purchase of Iacob. And Gen. 33. 19 Ios. 24. 32. if the places were of that difficultie, that we were not able to cleare them: yet (for our parts) we had rather con­fesse [Page 182] our own ignorāce; thē to charge a full cōsent of Greek copies, with an vntrueth. And although it should be trew, which Maister Beza suspecteth some-where of the Greeke copies: It followeth not, that the trueth or anie part of the trueth, is fallen from the Greek copies: considering that the corruptions suspected of him, are not such; but by eyther circumstance of the place, or conference of other pla­ces of Scripture, the repaire may be made.

Last of all, where they assigne such contrarietie, betwene the testimonies cited according to the 70. interpre­teres in the new Testament, and the Hebrew text in th'old; that either we must be driuen in cleauing to the He­brew of th'olde, to forsake the Greeke of the new; or in cleauing to the Greeke in the new forsake the Hebrew in th'old: they declare themselues to be verie trifelers, and to abuse their reader impudently. For they know, that we are able to iustify euery place cited out of the 70. by the Apostles and Euangelists, to be a­greeable [Page 183] with the Hebrew, and (in some diuersitie of words) to haue the same sense; at the least to haue no sense repugnant, to that in the Hebrewe: which is manifest by this, that where the 70. differed in sense, there they leauing the 70. whome they so desi­rouslie followed (for support of the Gentiles acquainted therewith) fol­low the Hebrew text. And as this is manifest by experience, so is it obser­ued Hieron. pro log. 15. lib. in Esai. expresly of Ierome.

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Doubt not (good reader) but the Iesuites are like to bruste for anger, to vnderstand that we are so well praepared, to proue both that the princely garments are not worn vpon the Greek originals, for the space of aboue 1500. yeares, wherein they haue passed from hand to hand in the horrible deserte of this wicked world: and that both the bread and apparel of th'olde translator, setting out some hundreth yeares after it, if euer it were clad and vitailed, in a­nie [Page 184] passable measure of a translation: yet that nowe it is so patched and so peeced, so hoary and so mouldy, that any man (that asketh counsell of the Lord) may easily see, that neyther it commeth so far as the Iesuites doe praetend, neither hath foode and ray­ment, able to feed or cloth the chil­dren & heires of so great a King. And where hauing no more shamefastnes in their forehead, then they haue haire on their bald pates: they haue taken this boldnes to say, that the Greek is not so corrupt as we say, although th'olde tran­slator be lesse corrupted then the Greek: vn­to whom what may we answer better, then that which our Sauiour Christ answered vnto the Deuill confessing him to be ȳson of God: hold your peace. Mark. 1. For beside that the truth cānot beare anie praise of such foule mouthed e­nemies as these be: their praise (inferi­or to the Deuils in-trueth) is alwaies to the same end that his, that is wholy tending to the destruction of the trueth. The Greeke is not so corrupt as we say. O impudency: as if there were a­nie, [Page 185] that hath cald downe the royall value of th'originall Greeke, as you haue done. Though (in comparison) we knowe it lesse sincere and corrupt, then the vulgar Latine. O noble commenders of the Greek copies. Could you haue set them lower then in placing them vn­der the vulgar? You might aswel haue set the heauens vnder the earth: con­sidering that the Greek originall be­ing borne in heauen, your vulgar sprung out of the dust. How doth also this aggree, with your owne saying: which affirme that you haue forsaken the poynting of the Latine to follow The last page of their pre­face. the poynting of the Greeke. And if the Greeke hath kept the trew poynting, why should it not keepe the trueth of words. And if your Latine haue lost the trew pointing (without the which he that readeth the Scripture is like him that rideth without a bridle) why should it not rather be said, to haue lost the trueth of the words and sense, then the Greeke which keepeth the trueth in poynting.

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The principall cause that hath made you, take armes against the Iohn. 8. 47 Greeke copies: is that you are not of God, and therefore cannot abide the wordes of God. Thereupon it com­meth, that th'olde translation as it is further from the worde of God, smacketh you better then the Greek copies doe. And althogh you may soo­ner get water out of a flint, then anie reliefe of your cause from the Greek copies: yet if it were possible, for trueth to helpe to maintaine a lye, it were yet vnpossible for you to like of it: & therfore althogh we are assured that you had great aduantage out of the vulgar, which is a great cause, that maketh you stand so close vnto it, and no aduantage at all out of the Greeke (as partly hath and further shall appeare) yet we know that you haue a further fetch in preferring the handmaide vnto her mistres: which is thereby to vndermine all authoritie of the holy Scripture, that (it being [Page 187] ouer-throwen) the Popes decrees might ride on horseback; which can­not take breath, as long as th'autho­ritie of the holy Scripture remaineth. And if it be as you say, that the Greek serueth your turne better then the vulgar: you beare vs witnes (at vna­wares) that the small estimation which we haue your vulgar in, proce­deth not of anie feare, that we stand in, lest he should hurt our cause.

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It were (doubtles) vnworthie the name of a translation, that should be inferiour to the vulgar. Howbeit we charge not th'old translator of Popery, and impute not all the corruptions in the vulgar to the translator: but ra­ther to th'enemie, which sowe tares in his field: albeit as (hath bine said) he might some-where preiudice the trueth, not thinking of it. As for the testimonies both here and in the for­mer section, they are discussed in their proper places.

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We grant they are word for word at in the Greek. And therefore vnlesse we shewe that Poperie leaning vpon them, falleth to the ground, and that it is not only staied by them, but de­stroyed of them. We will willingly confesse, our selues most vnworthie eyther of the defence of so good a cause, or of the places which we ocupy in the Church of God. In the meane season your beggery is too impu­dent which take that for graunted, wherin you haue bene alwaies (in the face) resisted. And if we would trifle out the time, as you doe; we could for fiue or six sentences which you bring, as seming to smyle vpon you, alledge fiue or six hundreth, which doe so ap­parantly frowne vpon your Poperie, as at the verie sight of them it falleth downe dead. If you had any generall councils or anie other auncient fa­thers of the west part, beside Cyprian and Primasius to warrant your phrases by: we dout not, but you would haue made them speake: which handle the [Page 189] matter so cunninglie, that the dumbe in your cause, and sometime those which are eloquent against it, are notwithstanding (for want of others) compelled to speake for it. As for the two fathers alledged: let the reader looke the answer in the proper place.

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As the Philosopher saide of his work, that being set forth, it should [...] for the hardnes and darknes thereof (as it were) be vn-set forth: so may it be verified in a good part of the Iesu­ites translation; that being translated, it remaineth, partly for the sottish su­perstition of keeping of words rather then sense, and partly for th'unneces­sarie newe fanglednesse of forraine speach, as it were vn-translated. So is your translation as litle Catholik, as may be: as that which is so proud, so scorn­full & disdainful, that none of the ru­der sort, can haue any acquaintance with it: wheras a good translator will endeuour to deliuer to his reader, the [Page 190] meaning of his author which he trāsla­teth, with al light & plainnes of speach possible. What are the sacred words & speaches, for retaining whereof you are fallen into this seruitude? If you had translated the Greek you might bet­ter haue pretended this. For we ac­knowledge the pens of th'Apostles and Euangelists to haue bene sacred: which we cannot acknowledge, not you cannot shew in th'old translator. Vnlesse your Councell of Trent com­ming so manie yeares after th'olde translator, was able then to make that sacred, which had not beene so before.

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But let vs heare their examples. The first kinde whereof is, of Hebrew wordes retained in the Greeke text, and by the same reason to be contay­ned in all translations. But this argu­ment turneth not all together so round as you thinke. For it may well be, that these wordes of Amen, and Alleluia &c. were well knowne by [Page 191] th'Apostles preaching to the Chur­ches in that time. Wherfore th'use of them then, when they were well and generallie knowne, was more iustifi­able then now, when they are not so. 2. Cor. 1. 20 And for the word Amen, first we haue th'Apostle, which giueth the iust weight thereof in a Greeke worde, Matt. 5. 18 whereunto our yea answereth. Se­condly th'old translator vseth it as an indifferent thing, eyther to trāslate it into Latine, or to let it remaine, as he found it in the Greeke text. Heere therfore the drudgerie of the Iesuites is manifest. For notwithstanding they esteeme it not meete, that Amen should be translated: yet because the vulgar hath translated it, they haue also thoght good to follow him therin Thereby tying themselues faster vn­to the vulgar, then the vulgar did tye himself vnto th'originall. Hovvbeit in retayning of the Hebrevv vvords, vvhich the originall doth vse, they should (for vs) haue passed vvithout blame if by contrarie practise of that which they professe, they had not dif­fered [Page 192] as much from themselues, as from vs: yet deceiue themselues in that they think they may keepe Cor­bana aswell as we keepe Hosanna, Raca, Beliall. For Saint Luke hath translated Corbana, Gazophylacium: vvhich is in our tongue a treasurie, and tearmeth Luk. 21. 4 it also the place of the giftes of God. Which interpretation when none of th'Apostles or Euangelists giue, in the vvords vvhich we haue retained: it is euident, that they haue not that vvar­rant of reteyning this vvhich we haue of those: much lesse to keep Parasceue, which they ought aswel to haue tran­slated into English the tongue which they write in, as Saint Luke (forsaking the Hebrevv and Syriack vvords) v­sed the vvord that vvas proper vnto the tongue he vvrote in. And there­fore you impudently face dovvne the trueth, vvhen you say that Parasceue is as solemne a word for the sabaoth euen, as Sabaoth is for the Iewes seuenth day. Nei­ther is there more cause, to leaue it vn-translated, when we are not able, vvith like shortnes of our speach, to [Page 193] attaine the full signification: then to leaue it vnturned, when the shortnes of our speach, affordeth a sentence in a smaller compasse of wordes then doth th'originall. And if this be a suf­ficient reason, to hold the translators hand, because there are three wordes in Mat. 1. 19. the translation of Parasceue, aboue that which is in the Greeke: why haue you translated [...] put to open shame. Naye, howe commeth it to passe, that without all warrant of the Greeke, or circumstance of the place, beyond the mark of the vulgar translation, which you propounde vnto your selues, and that in text Act. 8. letters, you translate [...], they took order for buriall. We knowe therefore that your Dirigie groates, and Trentall money, will make you lauish and rauill in your translation, as much as your seruile minde ma­keth you dumb & mute in other pla­ces, where you might better speake. In the rest also, your comparisons are foolish. For if we haue retained certē words in their originall, because our [Page 194] speach fitteth them not so well: it fol­loweth not therefore that you might doe that, where it is at hand and rea­die to serue the Greeke, or Hebrew word. Or if we haue sometimes not vsed the benefite and wealth of our tongue: doth it follow therefore, that you may so doe? And if we seeking to translate all the Greek wordes, haue left some vntranslated, because the English phrase either did not afford it vnto vs, or els stood at that time far from vs: doth it followe, that you should retain those words in a strange tongue, which our tongue doth afford you, the translation of which, we haue found out vnto your hand, and which hath confirmation, by the common vse and practise of our nation for ma­nie yeares together. Breifly, whereas our people by the grace of God, in knowledge of the worde, through the meanes of a lightsome & plaine tran­slation, haue bene deliuered out of Egypt: in steed that you should haue added light where it is wanting, and plained that which is rough: you haue [Page 195] endeuoured, by your clouddy and hacked speaches to bring in againe all confusion and ignorance of God, and of his trueth. And if your daintie sto­mack could not brooke the feast of the sweete bread; yet was there no cause for you, to accuse it of falshood seing sweete bread, & vnleauened bread (with vs) are all one. The translation also prin­ted at Geneua, hath vnleauened bread. But nothing tasteth you but Azymes, and that because the people cannot chaw these crusts of yours, or bones rather, which of purpose you set be­fore them, that they may departe hungrie from your table. Your in­terpretation of [...]; is false, without all manner of proofes, fram­ed out of your cruell and vnmercifull iudgement, of throwing all into hell which die without baptisme: as if they were not planted in the house of God, before they be baptized: where y ^e true vse of baptisme is towards those, which we vnderstand either by their own confession, or by the couenant, to be already planted in the house of God. [Page 196] As for the meaning of th' Apostle, it is euident: that he would haue none drawne to the ministery of the worde which is lately come to the profession of the Gospell: & therefore your fan­tasie of a neophyte that hath bene an olde scholler in the schoole of Christ (for so you must meane) implieth a manifest contradiction, and is all one, as if you should say, he is a new olde plant, or a new olde scholler. For in those that were not gathered from heathenish religion to the fellowship of the Gos­pell, before the yeares of discretion: the same daie that they became true schollers, they became true plants, and contrariwise. Wherefore to be a young scholler, is the same thing in ef­fect, as to be a yong plant: where Ne­ophyte, to a bare Englishman is no­thing at all, no more then depositum, exinanited, exhaust: the foolerie and beastlines whereof, is euident to all men, seing our speach is able to yeeld the iust valuation of them. And if our shewing the glad tidings, be not significa­tiue to our nation, much lesse is your [Page 197] Euangelizing: which scarce one a­mongst a hundreth doth vnderstand. And if you had learned that the do­ctrine of Christ vnder the Gospell, is not set forth sufficientlye by the Greeke word, without a Trope of sy­necdoche, or as they call it [...] or & [...] you might easilie haue knowen, that the same Trope being vnderstood in our glade tidings, would haue reached the Greek word, and whatsoeuer is signified by it, sufficientlye. For [...] was a Greeke worde before the Gos­pell came into the world: and is vsed of Greek authors, to signifie all man­ner of good newes, and nothing els. And therefore the word can properly signify no more now, then it did then. But th' Euangelist chose that word e­specially to note, that where men are desirous to knowe good tidings they should bestowe both their eares to vnderstand this doctrine, which is on­ly worthie of that name. And if our translation liked you not, as you haue translated [...] Gospell: [Page 198] so you might haue translated [...] to Gospell, and [...] Gospelling, with more vnderstanding of our people, and with as full attain­ment of the signification of the words vnlesse you will confesse, that you haue fayled in turning [...] the Gospell. Lastly, if so much of the signification is lost, vnlesse it be turned E­uangelize: how commeth it, that you, Math. 11. 5. haue translated it, the Gos­pell is preached. Heere therefore your drudgerie to th'old interpreter, is a­gaine manifest, for notwithstanding you hold it ill turned vnlesse the Greek word be retayned: yet because th'old translator turneth it otherwise; you stick not, contrarie to your iudg­ment, to turn it as he doth: so haue you no iudgement of your own, and th'old translators iudgement (who by turning it nowe one way, and nowe another, signifieth an indifferency of translation) you vtterly ouerthrowe. But that vvhich follovveth, is more absurde: that the people must be de­priued of the naturall translation of [Page 199] the vvords, through your sottish de­sire of keeping of Latin vvords, which the vulgar vsed: vvhich these lying spirits calling first the Latine text of the Scripture, after by and by call it, the ve­rie words of the Scripture: as if the Scrip­ture translated into the English tongue, vvere not as much the Scrip­ture, as that vvhich is translated into the Latine. For your poenance, you must do poenance: considering that Luk. 17. 4. you turne the same vvord vvhich you translate doe poenance, be poenitent. The same vvhip commeth to you, for your aduent: which in one and Mat. 24. 27 the same chapter and sense, turne it comming & aduent both. We are con­tent you keepe your Priest, and your Chalice to your selues. Albeit you greatlye forget your selues, vvhich maks your Priest here, to come of the Latine vvord; vvhom othervvhere, Vpon Act. 14. 22. you vvoulde faine driue from the Greek.

To the next section, page 20.

We need not trauaile much to lay forth the shame of these men, vvho themselues shevv their ovvn naked­nes. Let their first example heere be considered: and so let all men iudge, vvhether a most plain sentence of the holy Ghost, be shamefully obscured: and not obscured onely, but made senselesse. For the Hebrevve phrase being rendred, it is plaine, that that vvhich they turn spirituals of wickednes, ought to be turned spirituall vvick­ednes. And if they had any care, that the people should haue bene made vvarie, against this spirituall crafti­nes: they would haue said, in the hea­uenly places or things, as the text considered in the circumstance would best beare, rather then to say, celestials. But it shuld appeare that beside their peevish affecting of obscuritie, th'ig­norance of the Hebrevv phrase in the former part of this sentence, and th'ignorance of the sense in the latter part: droue them vpon this vvitlesse [Page 201] translatiō. The same ignorance of the Hebrevv tongue, caused them to vse some like dotage in the next exāple. For if they had knovvne, that it is ordinarie and vsuall for the Hebrewes to vnderstand the verbe substantiue: & had further learned, that the verbe simple, hath (as the place and circum­stance requireth) the signification of the compound: they should easilie haue vnderstood, that this translati­on, what is betwene me and thee, had not passed the measure of a simple and plaine translation. The next example doth likevvise bevvray, their igno­rance in all good lavv of translation. For it is vvell knovven to children, that euerie tongue hath a proper composition: in such sort, that he that vvill make the composition of one tongue, aggree vvith the composition of another, vtterly corrupteth the tongue, vvhich he vvill conform. And is all one as in a body, vvhich is dis­figured and deformed by displacing of the seuerall members thereof. In Hebrevv he that saith, MARA MALE, [Page 202] and not MALE MARA, is easily knovvne, not to speake the tongue of Canaan. Bread white in our speach woulde offend patient cares, white bread in the French language would be as offensiue. And if so small a change, & as it were the remoouing of a worde to the next house, be so foule: how much more, is it not to be abidden, that the word, whose natu­rall place is in the beginning, should be set in th' end: as if it were remoued from one end of the streete to th' o­ther. And if there could be any profite in this dotage: yet haue not you ob­serued it. For where the Greeke hath Mat. 12. 20 in one verse, a reed brused, & flax smoa­king: you haue in the former followed th' order of the Greek, and say a reed brused; but in the latter you haue left th' order of the Greek, and kept the naturall order of our speach, saying smoaking flax, not flax smoaking. And although it be no answer heere, to say that they followed their olde transla­tor, seing rather they ought to haue followed the ful consent of the Greek [Page 203] copies, if such an imitation had bene needfull: yet they are easily stripped of that answere. For sometimes they leaue the order of th' old interpreter, and follow the Greeke: as Math. 4. 4. they say as the Greek bread alone, and not as the vulgar alone bread. Which also they doe not in phrase only, but in whole sentences: as Math. 4. they forsake the vulgar, which sayeth, wal­ked in darkenes, and take the Greeke which sayeth, sate in darkenes. And in Rom. 12. in stead of that the vulgar hath, not defending our selues, they haue cleaued to the Greeke, which is not reuenging your selues. Neyther can they say, that this was the slip of a pen of the writer, for beside that there is no resemblance of the wordes, they are shut from that, in that that Ierome so readeth. And other sometime they forsake the order of the Greeke and Math. 4. 6. vulgar both. For where both the Greek and vulgar haue, to his Angels shal he giue charge of thee: they haue tur­ned Ibid. ver▪ [...] it, he will giue his Angels charge of thee. And againe, where both Greeke [Page 204] and Latine haue into an hill high verie: they (as it should seeme) ashamed of this their apish and sottish imitation, haue translated it, as we doe, into a very high mountaine. So it appeareth, that as they are vtterly ignorant of all good order of translation: so they keepe not themselues to their owne crooked rule, but when and where it pleaseth them. And as they make themselues ridiculous in the professiō of a superstitious obseruation of th' or­der of words: so are they not only of­ten ridiculous, but sometime impious in the sense, which their seruile obser­uation of like number of words, draw­eth them vnto. Take for example one of the most comfortable places in al the scripture, which by their sot­tish translation (in sparing a worde) Rom. 8. 33 34. they haue turned into deadly poy­son, and bitter wormwood. For vnto this question, who shall accuse against the elect of God? They haue added for an­swer, God which iustifieth: as if god shuld accuse his elect. And to another question, who is he that shall condemn? [Page 205] They ad for answer, Christ Iesus that di­ed, &c. Cleane contrarie to the mea­ning and phrase of th' Apostle: also contrarie to their meaning; but yet their words can beare no other sense, where th' Apostle keeping the He­brew phrase, left out the verbe sub­stantiue; which being alwaies in that phrase vnderstood of it selfe, is not so in our tongue; vnlesse it be expressed. Now y ^t we se their peruerse imitation of wordes, is not religious, but super­stitious, and sometime impious, some­time obserued, and sometime not, at their pleasure: it wilbe also easie, to see in diuers examples, that they riot and play the wantons in their tran­slation. Albeit it hath alreadie bene performed, and that in three or foure of those examples, which they haue alledged, to testifie their great fruga­litie in translating: yet there are o­thers whereby the same is conuinced. [...] prohibebat. As Math. 3. 14. where the Greek hath he vtterly forbade him, and the vulgar forbad him they leauing both the Greek and the vulgar, translate staied [Page 206] him, and in the same chapter verse they translate praesented, and yet 8. chap. 16. offered: th' olde translator ha­uing obtulerunt, in both places. Mark. Rom. 12. 9. 49. they translate victimae. Hebr. 5. 1. they translate sacrifices, and Hebr. 13. 16. they turn hostes: the word with full consent of the Greeke copies, being one, and the same in all. Ordinarilie they translate prepuce and prepuced: yet Act. 7. 51. they say vncircumci­sed. Mark. 10. 42. they translate ouer­rule Domin [...]n­tur. them, contrarie to the meaning of our Sauiour, contrarie to Saint Luke which vseth the verb simple, as of the same value as the compound, and contrarie to their own vulgar, who vseth an indifferent word, which hath not so great excesse of rule adioyned with it: thereby to help the Lordship of their clergy. To stand vpon the rest of their examples, whereby they glo­ry in their owne shame, would be so small profite of the reader: especially cōsidering that the places of anie im­portance, are other-where debated, some of them being ridiculous as a [Page 207] word done, hell of fire &c. yet can we not passe ouer, one open impudent, will­full and sausie corruption, which they haue vsed throughout their whole translation: which alwaies in stead of the Lord haue set (and that text-wise) our Lord, contrarie to the faith both of all the Greeke examples and the vulgar translation: hauing therefore taken from, and put to: you haue all the curses standing at your doores, which are threatned, against falsifyers of the publick recordes of the church: whether they be considered as they are in deed, or as they are in your o­pinion. For notwithstanding you haue laide vp the vulgar translation, in the holy ark of the Lord, hurling out from thence th' originall, as it were the two tables, written by the finger of God; when such dealing may serue your turne: yet bear you so little reuerence vnto it, as that in a matter of small importance, which can nei­ther hinder vs, nor help you, you haue put out, and put in at your pleasure. And although the former fault, may [Page 208] happily be imputed to your ouersight yet the latter of adding, vvherein you fall so often and continually, can ar­gue nothing els, but a challenge of maistership and Rabbinisme in the Church of Christ, and of a chaire ad­uanced so high, as that the chaire of our Sauiour, may scarce seeme to be a foot-stoole vnto it. And if you could shew but one such boldnes of ours, through-out the translation of the vvhole body of the Bible: vve vvould couer our faces, and our an­svver should be in silence. We see ea­sily vvhat a small gale of vvind, hath driuen you vpon these sands. Only for that vve according to the most accustomable phrase of the Scripture, do so speake: you haue chosen to Heb. 7. 14. speake othervvise then the Scripture, rather then you vvould speak as vve doe. Ywisse you see it othervvise in vs; vvhich bank not your phrase of speaking, vvheresoeuer the texte of Scripture doth offer it vs. You haue made the vvall of your separation from vs, high othervvise: and you [Page 209] might haue made it higher, with much lesse apparance of your contempt of the worde. Sauing that the Lorde would thus discouer you: to a hatefull abhomination of your malapertnes, in handling his worde. Beside that, as you haue deuided your tongues, from the tongue of the holy Ghost; so you haue deuided it, from your owne harts. For neyther in deed, nor by your own doctrine, can you say our God, or our Lord: which stand in a continuall mammering, whether he be louingly affected towards you or no. You haue presumed further here­in, then durst your good maisters and betters. For the whole vniuersitie of Louaene, translating the Bible into French, as you doe the new Testa­ment into English: kept themselues Le Seig­neur. herein praecisely to the old translator, turning the Lord, and not our Lord. Where if the weight of authoritie be asked after: the vniuersitie of Louane, is of better mark then the vniuersitie of Rhemes: the Doctors and Diuines of Louane, then the Nouices and Que­stionists [Page 210] of Rhemes: the whole vniuer­sitie of Louane of greater credite, then one small Colledge of the vniuersitie of Rhemes. And if to all these we had (for answer) only returned; in such and such places, we translate thus and thus, not as the Iesuites doe; as they say that they translate not as the Protestants doe: we feare not, but al indifferent iudgment wil be constrained to giue the praehe­minence of a true and plaine transla­tion vnto vs, especially in respect of theirs. As euen in the next example, where the Greeke word is different, eyther to the holy Ghost, or to the wind; forasmuch as it is most euident by vndoubted arguments, that the wind is to be vnderstood: we holde it for a grace of our translation, which hath appropriated the speach to the meaning of the Scripture. And ther­fore we may iustly condemne their translation; which, where one thing is intended and marked out of the Scripture, vseth that worde, which is common to both significations. Al­beit we know neither generall speach [Page 211] of the whole land, nor particular lan­guage of any seuerall shire: where the word spirit, doth signifie wind. So that if it were a vertue for your translati­on, so to hault of both sides, that the certaine meaning coulde not bee knowne: yet haue you not here, at­tayned vnto it.

To the next section, page 21.

That the Greeke neuer fauoreth you, it shall euidently appeare, that there is no corruption vsed of Maister Beza in either of these verses: let the reader looke in their seuerall places. To the rest we answer nothing: as we doe not vnto the next section, nor the next to it. For first, it is knowne to all the world, that in both th' Epistles to the Hebrewes, & Saint Iames: we acknow­ledg the holyest and highest authori­tie that can be. Secondly, it shall ap­peare in the place, that we keepe the boundes of modestie, in abstaining to name the writter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, whose name the holie [Page 212] Ghost hath concealed. Thirdly, not sticking to name Saint Iames Epistle in our best translations, Generall: it is well knowen, that both that title, is not giuen of the holy Ghost, but of the scholiast, which tooke it of Eusebi­us, and is not giuen, for a mark of fur­ther degree of holynes aboue other Epistles, but only to note the diffe­rence of th' other Epistles, writtē with greater restraint of person or place. Where these latter Epistles of Saint Iames, Peter, Iohn, and Iude, were direct­ed to the Iewes, scattered in diuers countries & prouinces, whither they had bene carried captiue: and there­fore are called generall. Beside that it were good for you, not to be bould with Eusebius in the title of Catholike: Euseb. lib. 4. histor. ec­cles. c. 22. 23. vnlesse you will matche Saint Iames most holy Epistle, with the Epistles of Denys Bishop of Corinth, which Eusebius calleth Catholike, as he doth Sainte Iameses. Eusebius therfore was not a fit Euseb. 2. lib. hist. ec­cles. [...]. 23. author for this: especially, if you had remembred, his rash iudgement of [Page 213] Saint Iameses Epistle. To the three next sections, vve ansvvere no­thing.

In the last, let (hardly) the reader iudge how they help his vnderstanding euerie way, which make plaine places rough, darken that which is lightsom, by disorder of sentences, by vnwon­ted phrase, by wordes fetched from far countries, which their owne coun­trie doeth affoard them off. And finallie, by doubtfull speache, incly­ning as well to that, which is not the meaning of the Scripture, as to that which is. And the way which is so plaine and lightsome, that they can neuer make rough nor dark by their translation: they doe by their annota­tions vtterly peruert. And therefore we comfort our selues with this saying of th' Apostle, that you shal proceede no fur­ther, 2. Tim. 5. 9. for asmuch as your madnes shall be knowne to all men.