A refutation of sundry reprehensions, cauils, and false sleightes, by which M. Whitaker laboureth to deface the late English translation, and Catholike annotations of the new Testament, and the booke of Discouery of heretical corruptions. By William Rainolds, student of diuinitie in the English Colledge at Rhemes

CHAP. XIIII. That to leaue the ordinarie translation of the Bible appointed by the Church, & to appeale to the hebrevv, greeke, and such nevv diuers translations as the protestants haue made, is the very vvay to Atheisme & Infidelitie.

IN this later parte this haue I to shew, that whosoeuer ta∣keth to him self that libertie which the heretiks geue, & here M.W. most busily striueth for, that is, to refuse the latin, and appeale to the greeke and hebrew, and these new translations, which (as they beare vs in hand) are framed according to the greeke and hebrew, he taketh the high way to denial of al faith, to Apostasie from Christ, and plaine Atheisme. This to do, the fittest way were historically to declare, how certaine knowen Sects of the Protestants, principally vpon this very reason of pretending the greeke and hebrew veritie, and therefore running to infinite varietie of diuers translations, and resting in no one, haue fallen to despise al Bibles, & Scriptures, and concluded as a most assured Euangelical veritie, that no∣thing is certaine, but euerie man is to be left to his owne fansie, to beleeue as he list. Such is the sect of the

Swinkfeldians, Anabaptists, and Aca∣demikes, and it is the very drifte of Castalio (so much commended of ma∣ny) in the preface of his Bible to King Edvvarde the sixte: although he beate pretily vpon an other point much of like effect, vz, that the Messias promi∣sed in the law, is not yet come, but vvil come hereafter according to the Iewes expectation. Thus vvriteth he. Pro∣fecto si verum fateri volumus, est adhuc nostrum soeculum in profundis ignorantiae tenebris demersum: cuius rei certissimū testi∣monium sunt, tam graues, tam pertinaces, tā perniciosae dissensiones, tam multi et irriti cōuentus de hisce controuersiis &c. Truely if vve vvil confesse the truth, this our age is as yet drowned in extreme darknes & ignorāce: a most assured proofe vvhereof, are these so greuous, so obstinate and so pernicious dissen∣sions, so many, and the same so vnprofitable meetinges about these controuersies, so great number of bookes euery day sett out, and the same differing one from an other so far, as heauen differeth from earth. And prosecu∣ting this his plaine and irrefutable ar∣gument, vvhereby he proueth the Protestants notvvithstanding al their latin, greeke, and hebrevv, to be most ignorant in true diuinitie and matters spiritual, thus he addeth. For if the spirit

of God be one, & truth one, it must of necessitie folovv, in vvhō that one spirite & one truth is, that they also be one amōg thē selues, & of one iudgment in matters spiritual. And if the day of the most cleare truth (of the gospel) shined vnto vs, vve vvould neuer lighten so many darkesome & obscure candles of bookes and vvritinges. The vvhich reason con∣cluding this euangelical state and age to be ful of ignorance, grosse & grosse againe, Crassa, crassa (inquā) saecu••um tenet ignorantia, and that there is no certaine vvay to find out the truth and come to an end of these controuersies, hereof he inferreth, that euery man is to be leaft to his ovvne iudgement, & suffe∣red to beleeue as he list. Thus he spea∣keth, addressing his wordes to the king. Cum haec it a sint, o rex, et cum aetas nostra in tanta adhuc ignorantiae caligine caecutiat &c. VVhereas these things are so, O king, & vvhereas our age as yet is blinded in so great darkenes of ignorance, I thinke vve ought to vse maruelous diligence, lest by error vve offend. And if there be any controuersies in the case of religion, (as there are verie many) in these I thinke it good that vve folovv the exāple of Iudas Machabeus & his felovves, vvho vvhen they knevv not vvhat to deter∣mine touching the altar of the perfite sacri∣fice,

they layed the stones thereof in the mount of the temple in a conuenient place, vntil there came some Prophete, vvho should de∣clare Gods oracle, vvhat vvas to be done vvith them: or rather the example of Moyses, vnto vvhom notvvithstanding God had in precise vvords geuen commaundement, that if any mā of purpose brake the lavv, he should suffer death therefore, yet the man vvho gathered vvood vpon the sabboth day, he vvould not put to death, vntil he had particularly re∣ceaued ansvvere from God so to do. And af∣ter many other places of scripture brought for this purpose, as Act. 5. v. 38. et 39. Rom. 14. v. 1. et 4. Mat. 7. v. 1.2. thus he concludeth. Expectemus iusti iu∣dicis sententiam &c. Let vs attend the sen∣tence of the iust iudge, and employ our dili∣gence not to condeme other men, but to prouidē that our selues do nothing vvhy vve should be condemned. Let vs obey the iust iudge, and suffer the cockle vntil the time of haruest, lest vvhyle vve vvil seeme to be vviser then our maister, perhaps vve plucke vp the good corne. For the later end of the vvorld is not come as yet, nether are vve angels, vnto vvhom that office is committed. Vnto this Atheisme & indifferent approbation of al maner faiths & religions very many learned & smooth Prootestants are alredy grow¦en.

and whether those Atheists where∣of M. D. Whitgift saith the english congregation is ful, appertaine to this order, yea or no, thē selues best know. But it not possible that this dayly and infinite multiplcation of contentions, sectes and schismes, new and diuers translations of testaments and bibles, should haue any other end. For (to speake the truth, and passe ouer al the rest) what certainetie of faith or religion can a man haue, when as he is taught to neglect at his pleasure, al antiquitie, al ages past, al Synodes and Councels of fathers and doctors old and new, and suspend his religion vpon the only testamēt translated after the new guyse, (& interpreted after euerie mans par∣ticular new fansie) where he findeth far more varietie, then there are colours in the raynebovv. And if M. VVhita∣ker speaking so much of his pure greeke and hebrevv originals, or latin or english translations, should be re∣quired to ansvvere directly, vvhich greeke, which hebrew he vnderstādeth, especially vvhich translation latin, en∣glish, Scottish, French, or Dutch, he meaneth, vvhen he so magnifieth them against our vulgar testamēt, I weene it

would put him to more trouble then he is aware of.

But to disaduantage my self of this maner of discourse, and keepe my self more precisely to the argument which I haue begone, I say, that to geue liberty of appealing frō one certaine latin text appointed by the general Coūcel, to di∣uerse greeke, hebrew, latin, & vulgar, as the heretikes do, is the very intro∣ductiō to apostasie for this reason: be∣cause puttinge the case of religion to stand in those termes, to vvhich novv the heretiks haue brought it, it cut∣teth avvay al persvvasion, al grounde, al proofe of Christian faith. For how can you deale vvith any heretike to bringe him to the vvay of saluation? To be so short as I may, and in one ex∣ample to geue the reader occasion to recal to memorie hundreds, vvhich he may easily do, suppose I had to deale vvith one of the sect famous and vvel knovven in Germanie, by the name of Antinomi, Enemies of the lavv. I rather name them of Germanie then of En∣gland, although England hath store of them, because M.W. shal consider of it more quietly. They being in other things commō Protestants, beleeuing

that man in matters of life eternal hath not free vvil, that he vvorketh not his ovvne saluation, and that good workes are of no value in that respect, ioyne vnto that common opinion this one consequent. Ipsi statuunt (sayth Sleydan of them) quaecunque tandem fit hominis vita, & quantumuis impura, iusti∣ficari tamen eum, si modo promissionibus euā∣gelii credit. This they put as a sure principle, that hovvsoeuer a man liue, liue he neuer so filthely, yet he is iustified, if he beleeue the promises of the gospel. And this is the very conclusion of the Protestants cō∣mon and general doctrine of iustifica∣tion by only faithe. Suppose novv I haue to draw suche a one from his wic∣ked opinion, and vvould moue him to be ether syncere in faith, or honest in life, vvhat vvay could I take vvith him.

[ 1] First, I should perhaps require him to regard the most graue authoritie of Christes Catholike Church, vttered to him in S. Bernard, S. Gregorie, S. Aus∣tin, S. Hierom, and auncient synods of learned bishops: the summe of whose teaching is comprised briefely in these wordes of the late Councel of Trent. If any say that the vvicked man is

iustified by only faith, vnderstanding it so, that no other thing is required that should cooperate for obtaining the grace of iustifica∣tion &c. Anathema be he. But this is no∣thing, for against a thousand Austins, & a thousand Cyprians, and as many ge∣nerall Councels consisting of men, such a Protestant is many waies armed by M. W. and his brethren. And there∣fore this wil not serue.

[ 2] Wel, mount we then at one steppe, ouer the heads of al fathers, Councels, and Churches, euen to the Aposto∣lical age, and scriptures them selues. there wee proue that men must coope∣rate and do good workes by the autho∣ritie of S. Iames. But S. Iames is flat a∣gainst S. Paule, he abuseth scripture, he disputeth ridiculously, he sauoreth no∣thing of an Apostolical spirit, he quite ouerthroweth that which S. Pau. had wel built & therefore he is no more worth then S. Austin, & so not to be obiected.

[ 3] At least S. Paule him self is of good authoritie, who in many places, espe∣cially of his epistle to the hebrews, is as vehement in this, as is S. Iames, & v∣seth much like arguments. That is true, and therefore without question that epistle was neuer writen by S. Paule. so

say Beza and Caluin, touching the denial of the author, and touching the whole epistle thus say others. Sed quū his rationibus quibus vtitur author epistolae Iacobi, et epistolae ad Hebraeos, neque vtatur Christus, neque caeteri apostoli, et hae epistolae apocryphae sunt, vt suo loco dictum est, pro sti∣pulis iure ista habētur. But vvhere as nether Christ, nor any of his apostles, vse suche rea∣sons, as doth the author of Iames his epistle, & the author of the epistle to the hebrevves, & againe, vvhereas these epistles be forged & apocryphal as hath bene sayd in place conue∣nient, these reasons are not to be esteemed vvorth a stravv, sayth Illyricus (with his colleages) one of the best learned men of this age, by M. Iewels verdicte.

[ 4] Proceede we on, let vs find out some text without this exception, and vvhat better then that of S. Peter. VVherefor•• brethren labour the more, that by good vvork you may make sure your vocation and electi•• But this is more easily auoyded the any of the rest. For first it standet•• vpō courtesie vvhether this epistle sha•• be autorized or no. for being doubted of in the primitiue Church by some, vve may doubt of it novv. This is a case ruled in the Towre disputatiōs. Againe, admitting the epistle for canonical, the

place auaileth nothing. For notvvith∣standinge it be in al latin copies that euer vvere, & manie greeke, and there∣fore put in the first translation of the Protestants, as namely, that vvhich vvas appointed to be read in the en∣glish church the yere 1561, and Luther otherwise an immortal enemie to good vvorkes, in his commentarie saith ex∣pressely, Petrus hortatur, vt vocationem et electionem nostram bonis operibus certam et stabilem reddamus, Peter exhorteth, that vve make our vocation and election stable, firme, and assured, by good vvorks, yet be∣cause those vvords vvant in the later greeke prints, and therefore are not put in Beza his translation, and therefore are left out in the later english versi∣ons, this text is not scripture, and so the argument taken thence is nothing vvorth. This ansvvere geueth Verge∣rius in his dialoges against that great learned man Cardinal Hosius. Hosius ob∣iecteth vnto me that Peter saith &c. Possum respondere illa tria verba, nempe (per bona opera) non reperiri in fonte graeco: I may an∣svvere him, that those three vvords (by good vvorks) are not found in the greeke foūtaine.

[ 5] Therefore leauing this, search vvee farther. And to this purpose, very

pregnant is the place in the first epistle of the same Apostle S. Peter, vvhere he exhorteth Christians to liue as be com∣meth men of so excellent a vocation, Castificantes animas suas in obedientia chari∣tatis, Purifying their soules by obedience of charitie, remembring alvvaies that God vvithout acception of persons iudgeth euery man according to his vvorkes. And this place at lest conuinceth the aduersarie, first, that vve haue free vvil vvorking vvith the grace of God: then that we purifie & cleanse our selues frō sinne: thirdly, that good vvorkes are necessa∣rily required of Christian men. For by many diuine arguments S. Peter vr∣geth this cōclusion, Vt animas nostras cas∣tificemus, That vve purifie our ovvne soules. And against this epistle there is no ex∣ception, as being neuer doubted of, and therefore by the Protestants is not refu∣sed. And al greeke copies haue this text most clearely, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & so translateth that man of god Luther. Castificantes animas vestras per obedientiam charitatis. & Illyricus, Qui animas vestras purificastis, and the Tigurine translator hath the same vvords, and according to this vvas translated the testament in King Edvvard his time. For as much as

you haue purified your soules. and the first of the Quenes raigne. That ye might haue faith and hope tovvards God, euē ye vvhich haue purified your soules. So as this place standeth strong for proofe of our faith and those seueral points which now I noted. But (saith my Pro∣testant) howsoeuer Luther or the Di∣uines in king Edwardes time or in other times and places read, it should appeare that ether some greeke copies haue otherwise, or at least our maisters deliuer otherwise vnto vs. For Theo∣dorus Beza translateth it in this maner. Animabusvestris purificatis obediendo veri∣tati per spiritum. which the later bible printed by C. Barker, printer to the Q. ma∣iestie, and translated according to the he∣brevv & greeke, rēdereth in these words, Seing your soules are purified in obeying the truth thorough the spirit, and so transla∣teth the english bible printed at Gene∣ua, and so doth the Scottish printed at Edēborough: so that these words make nothing at al ether for free wil, or coo∣peration, or value of good works. Nay rather they make much for the contra∣ry side against free wil and our wor∣king with Gods grace, and proue that in our iustification we worke not, but actiue

are wrought, we cleanse not our sel∣ues, but are cleansed, we are not ac∣tiue and doers, but passiue and suffe∣rers: which is the very opinion of Lu∣ther and the Protestants, and for such condemned in the Tridentine Coūcel.

Wherefore leauing this, and wishing the reader to remember by this exam∣ple amongst many, how madly and furi∣ously our aduersaries are bent to coyne vs a new testament of their owne, who trāslate thus, hauing no greeke or latin copie in the world fauouring them, but euen in the very same place, when they geue vs this latin, yet there leaue they the greeke as they finde it agreable to our latin, [ 6] & therefore controling them of desperate falsificatiō, proceede wee to some other text cōcerning the same ve∣ritie: & that shal be out of S. Paule, who handling the fame argument and ma∣king the like exhortation, willeth the Christians not to be afraid of the aduer∣saries of Christ, though they persecute neuer so terribly, VVhich to them is cause of perdition, but to you of saluatiō. where he maketh good workes necessary, and so the causes of saluation, as sinnes are the cause of damnation. But Beza replieth, that the old interpreter was ouer∣seene translating so, Quū nusquam fideliū

afflictio dicatur salutis eorum causa, sed tes∣timonium, Because the afflictiō of the faith∣ful is neuer called the cause of their saluatiō, but the testimonie, and therefore he trans∣lateth it, Inditium, and the english trans∣lators his scholers, a token: although the first testament before noted, translate it as we do, a cause, & so doth Erasmus, & so doth the Tigurine trāslator. And the Apostle matching sinnes with good workes, these leading to heauen, as the other do to hel, conuinceth the sense to be so. & Theodoretus a greeke father gathereth so much of that word. Id enim illis exitium, vob is autem salutem conciliat, saith he, That procureth to thē destructiō, but to you saluation. And to passe ouer S. Pri∣masius, S. Hier. S. Aust. & the other latin fathers, how false the reason of Beza is which moued him to alter the text, hath bene shewed els where sufficiently.

And our Sauiour sheweth best of al o∣ther, when he thus speaketh of Marie Magdalen, Remittuntur ei peccata multa, quoniam dilexit multum. Many sinnes are for∣geuen her, because she hathe loued much. Against which no man liuing can cauil by greeke, hebrew, or latin, but that workes of charitie are a cause why sinnes are forgeuen, and so a cause of our iustification and saluation, for so

saith and meaneth our Sauiour most e∣uidently, & the latin and greeke, word for word agreeth with this english, and in hebrew the Euangelist neuer wrote. [ 7] But Beza hath a shift for this also, thus he translateth. Remissa sunt peccata eius multa. Nam dilexit multum. That is accor∣ding to our english translation, Many sinnes are forgeuen her▪ for she loued much. And what difference is there betwene these two translations? howsoeuer it seeme to thee (Christian reader) the difference is as great, as is betwene our doctrine & theirs. And first they make a wilful fault and corrupt the text, by making a fuller pointe, then ether the greeke or latin beareth. And Beza doth somewhat more desperately, who maketh a downe & ful point, thereby more diuiding and distracting the later parcel from the former, as though it contained not a reason of that which went before, as it doth, but were some new matter: wherein he is controled of fowle dealing, by his owne translati∣on set out the yere 1556, and by the ve∣ry greeke prints of a Geneua, b Zurick, c Basile & other Germane cities, who point it as doth our latin and english. But the reason of his and their turning

Quoniā, in to, Nam, Because, in to For, des∣crieth yet more their obdurate harts a∣gainst Christ and his worde. For where as Christ by S. Lukes reporte saith in effect thus, because she loued much therefore manie sinnes are forgeuē her, they by this peruersion and mispoin∣ting make a cleane different and almost contrarie sense thus: because she had many sinnes forgeuen her, therefore she loueth much, & this loue folowing was a token of the remission which she by only faith had obtained before: so turning the cause in to the effect, the antecedent into the consequent, and hereby vtterly spilling the doctrine which Christ by his words and reason geueth, and the Church of his words & reason gathereth. That this is the true groūd & reasō, why they so Luciferlike alter the speech of Christ, Beza plainly cōfesseth. Thus he writeth. Nam dilexit. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For she loued. The vulgar translation and Erasmus turne it, Because she loued, but I had rather interprete it as I do, that men may best vnderstand in these vvords to be shevved not the cause of remission of sinnes, but rather that vvhich ensued after such re∣mission, & that by the consequent is gathered the antecedent. And therefore they vvhich

abuse this place to ouerthrovv free Iustifica∣tion by only fayth, are very impudent and childish. wherein he speaketh very tru∣ly, the words and sense being so as he hath framed them. But if he had not plaid the part rather of a diuel then of an heretike, to alter in pointing, worde and sense, the speach of our Sauiour, and so taught him his lesson what he should say, it had not bene impudencie for vs thus to argue, but it had bene more then brutish ignorance in him to haue denied that charitie is required as wel for obtaining remission of sinnes as is faith: which both in this place our Sauiour most diuinely conioyneth, say∣ing of charitie, Many sinnes are forgeuen her, because she hath loued much, and ad∣ding straight way, Thy faith hath made thee safe, goe in peace.

And so of this text gathered al the auncient fathers, who were for al that nether impudent nor childish. So S. Chrysostom. As first by vvater and the spirit, so aftervvard by teares and con∣fession vve are made cleane. And he pro∣ueth it by this place. So S. Gregorie expounding the same place. Many sin∣nes are forgeuen her, because she loued much. as if it had bene said expresly, He bur∣neth

out perfectly the rust of sinne, vvhosoeuer burneth vehemently vvith the fier of loue. For so much more is the rust of sinne scoured a∣vvay, by how much more the harte of a sinner is inflammed vvith the great fier of charitie. And S. Ambrose vpon the same words. Good are teares vvhich are able to vvash a∣vvay our sinnes. Good are teares, In quibus nō solū redemptio peccatorum, sed etiam refectio est iustorum, vvherein is not only the redemp∣tion of sinners, but also the refreshing of iust men. And S. Austin debating this storie in a longe homelie saith. This sinful vvo∣man the more she ovved the more she loued, the forgeuer of her debtes our lord him selfe affirming so, Many sinnes are forgeuen her, be∣cause she loued much. And vvhy loued she much, but because she ovved much? Quare fecit illa omnia, nisi vt dimitterentur sibi pec∣cata? VVhy did she al those offices (of vveping vvashing &c.) but to obtaine remission of her sinnes? I omitte other fathers, al agreing in the selfe same veritie, al ma∣king her loue to be a cause going be∣fore, nor only an effect or sequele com∣ming after the remission of sinnes. And this was the gathering of the auncient fathers, S. Chrysostom, S. Gregorie, S. Ambrose, & S. Austin &c. who were euer reuerenced for holy and learned

fathers by the children of Christs Ca∣tholike Church, vntil this Chams broode and prophane generation inua∣ded their roomes, who now condemne them for impudent and childish.

But let me with thy leaue and pati∣ence (Christian reader) prosecute in one worde more, their wonderful tos∣sing and turning and inuerting this shorte sentence of our Sauiour. And in this one allegation which I wil now produce, thou shalt see the very image of Atheisme, of contempt of God and man, of impossibilitie to do any good by scriptures, so longe as this licence of framing new translations is allowed. Thou seest what sturre Beza hath kept, and to serue his turne, what fowle and detestable corruption he hath vsed. But to make vp the matter, and reconcile Christs words a litle better to this new solifidian gospel, commeth in Wolfgan∣gus Musculus, with a deeper fetch after this maner. First because S. Lukes words be very plaine, and he can not so probably wrangle vpon thē in greeke, he in his owne fansie imagineth what Christ ether did or should haue spoken in hebrew. Next, that fansie he putteth to be true. and forthwith according to

the same he correcteth S. Luke, and so concludeth that al matcheth right with their Lucianical only faith. For nowe by this time, with his good helpe not one worde in effect stādeth as Christ spake it, at least by S. Lukes reporte. Thus he discourseth. Ecce (inquiunt) ma∣nifestò datur dilectioni remissio peccatorum. Ergo non sola fides iustificat &c. Behold (say the Papists) remission of sinnes is attributed to loue. ergo faith alone iustifieth not. but vve ansvvere, that loue in this vvoman, vvas not the cause of remission of sinnes, but a token & declaration thereof. Remissiō of her sinnes she obtained by faith in Christ. Therefore vvhereas Christ saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The vvorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as vvitnesseth Suidas) is a Dorical vvorde, & signifieth not in the imperatiue, Remittantur, Remitted be they, but in the preterperfect tense, Remissa sūt, Haue bene remitted. Next the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth here, not the cause, but the probatiō of that vvhich is put before. Thirdly, the vvord 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath loued, is an hebrew phrase by vvhich the preterperfecttense is put for the present. For the hebrevves speake thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, because she hath loued much, in steede of, because she doth loue much. And plaine it is, that Christ spake not greeke or latin, but hebrevv. Therefore vvhereas

Christ said, Many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her, he proueth it by that which folovveth, be∣cause she loueth much. as if he had said, That she loueth me much it is no maruel, she hath good occasion so to do. For many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her. So vve say that he hath ob∣tained that vvhich he desired, because he is mery & laugheth: he is verie hūgrie, because he eateth much &c. I wil not bestow time in examining this answere▪ who told him that Christ vsed the preterperfect∣tense for the present, whereas S. Luke so flatly affirmeth the contrarie, or that S. Luke in this phrase, so strāgely affected the Dorical lāguage, with the rest of his bold assertion, but wanting al reason of reasonable coniecture to support them. this only I wish thee to consider, whether thou didst euer see a litle sentence so racked, and torne, as this is.

For cōparing this sentēce as it is novv fashioned by them, with the same sen∣tence, as it was first pronounced by our Sauiour, not one word of any momēt remaineth in such sort as Christ vttered them. Christ said, Many sinnes are forgeuen her, because she hath loued much: now with their correction thus it is. Many sinnes haue bene forgeuen her. For she loueth

much. [ 1] Where first they rent in sonder & make that two, which Christ ioyned and spake as one. [ 2] Then they wrest one of Christs words, & bringe it to a Do∣rical phrase of speach. [ 3] And by and by, backe againe, they make the next which signifieth a thing past in greeke, to sig∣nifie a thing present by the hebrewe maner of speach, which hath no present tenses, the cleane contrarie whereof is auouched in the other Dorical word going immediatly before. [ 4] Afterwards they enforce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not to signifie a cause antecedent, but a signe or effect conse∣quent. [ 5] And finally in al and euery of these tricks, S. Lukes authoritie is vn∣der foote, and lieth dead. For nether Beza nor Musculus in this tossing and turning, euer consider what S. Luke wrote, what sense the Apostolical Church gaue, and the holy Ghost in the same hath alwaies continued, what the very letter of the greeke requireth as now it standeth: but how it may pos∣sibly be wrested, if a man wil folow the spirit of contention, if he will fetch the pointing of the sentence from Ge∣neua, the meaning of one word from Dorica in one corner of the world, of an other frō Hierusalem, of a third from

Swytzerlād, & the entier summe of al, from the deepe pit of hell. For excepte the deuil him self stoode by thē, & sug∣gested to them such construction, I thinke the nature of man hauing some regarde of honestie, of learning, of mo∣destie, of Christ & his Euāgelists, could neuer breake forth into so much mon∣struous absurditie.

Of al which this I conclude, that allowing men this libertie vnto which now by this libertine-gospel they are driuen, I say, there is no possibilitie, to conteine men in faith, or to reduce men to faith, or to proue any parcel of Christiā faith. [ 1] For setting aside church, Doctors, Custome, Councels, and res∣ting in the only Scriptures & priuate exposition of the same, this one ex∣ample geueth vs a paterne to care no∣thing for al scriptures. [ 2] For it is a mar∣uelous flat text which a man of meane learning by one of these shiftes may not auoide, ether by refusing it as not Canonical because it is reiected novv of Protestants in these daies: [ 3] or hath bene doubted of by Catholikes in old time, vvhich cutteth of a number of bookes: [ 4] or by obiecting some one or other greeke example in vvhich the

vvords vvant, vvhich is easie to finde, heretiks of diuers sects hauing novv the printing of most greeke testamēts, and euery one being content to fauour his proper gospel and heresie: [ 5] or by producing some false translation and sticking to that, vvith store of vvhich euerie prouince is pestered: [ 6] or by hun∣ting out diuers significations of the greeke vvord, and taking that vvhich maketh most for his aduantage: [ 7] or if that serue not, then by corrupting one word, by conferring an other with the greeke of this or that dialect, a third with the Iewes, or Chaldees, or Suit∣zers maner of speaking, and so pat∣ching vp a sense, partly Christian, part∣ly Germane, partly Ethnical, and part∣ly Iudaicall, [ 8] and finally, (which is al in al) reseruing euer to him selfe supreme iudgement of al senses, interpretations, scriptures, and languages.

As in this verie place whereof I speake, Zuinglius folowing nether the words of the Euāgelist, nor sense of the Church, nor Cōmentarie of the auncient fathers, nor inuention of Beza, nor any of those manyfold shiftes of Musculus, wil∣leth vs rather for dilexit, to put, credidit, for charitie, faith, and then geueth vs the

meaning of Christs words thus. Quoniā dilexit multum. Ego puto dilectionem hic pro fide accipi, quòd tantum mihi fidit, tantum peccatorū ei remittitur. Nam poste a dicit, sides tua te saluam sec it. Because she loued much. I suppose that loue is here put for faith. be∣cause she hath so great affiāce in me, so many sinnes are forgeuē her. for he saith afterwards, thy faith hath saued thee, that is, hath deliue∣red and absolued the from thy sinnes. which one distinction answereth al the places that in this controuersie vve bring out of the scriptures to refel their only faith.

By these fevv heretical sleights (& M. Whitaker knovveth his brethren haue many other as bad as these) vsed in one particular controuersie, any man may gesse hovv likely it is to tye an he∣retike hauing some vvitt and learning, and sight in tonges, vvith any text that gainsaith his opinion. Hovv true vve finde by experience that vvhich Tertul∣lian so many ages agoe spake of the he∣retikes of his time, and prophecied as it may seeme, of the heretikes of our time. Ista haeresis non recipit quasdam scrip∣turas &c. These (Zuinglian, Lutheran, Pu∣ritan, Anabaptist, Trinitarian &c.) here∣tikes admitt not some bookes of scriptures. and

those vvhich they doe admit, by adding to, & taking from, they peruerte to serue their pur∣pose. And if they receaue some bookes, yet they receaue thē not intierly: or if they receaue thē entierly after some sort, neuerthelesse they marre them by deuising diuers interpretatiōs. In this case vvhat vvil you do that thinke your selfe most skilful in the scriptures, vvhē as that which you defend, the aduersarie deni∣eth, that vvhich you deny the aduersarie de∣fendeth. Et tu quidem nihil perdes nisi vocem de contentione, nihil consequeris nisi bilem de blasphematione. And thou truely shalt leese nothing but thy vvordes in so contentious a brauling, thou shalt gaine nothinge but greefe and anger in seinge an heretike so to blasphene.

And novv if I should shevv the like in the hebrevv, and by examples mani∣fest the same, I should trouble my selfe much, and the reader much more. Be∣cause I must be driuen to talke of titles, and pointes, and rules of the Rabbines, and readings of the Massoreth and such other obscure matter, troublesome for me to laie together and vvrite out, and not intelligible for a common reader. I vvil therefore put dovvne only cer∣taine propositions, exemplifying thē in one or tvvo vvordes, vvhereby the lear∣ned

shal vnderstand how true that is which I affirme, and the vnlearned shal be able to conceaue somwhat. I say therefore, that of the hebrew far lesse hold can be taken in binding a conten∣tious heretike then of any other lan∣guage.

[ 1] The reason is, first because their tonge hauing in it no great store of words, euery word almost is vsed in verie diuers significations, farre more then is found in latin or greeke or ma∣ny vulgar languages. and therefore if you presse him with one translation or sense, he forthwith hath sundry and di∣uers senses to flee vnto. Hence cōmeth that diuersitie in the Psal. 54. Extendit deus manum suam in retribuendo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, according to the 70. God hath stret∣ched forth his hand to revvard or recompence, as the church readeth, which place the catholikes both of late and aunci∣ent times vse to proue the reward and recompence of good workes. The en∣glish bibles turne it thus. He hath laide his hands vpon such as be at peace vvith him, the more common Protestant transla∣tion, as it appeareth by Marlorate, Misit manus suas in paces suas, He hath laid his hāds vpon his peaces. This diuersitie riseth of

the same hebrew word, but hauing di∣uers senses.

[ 2] An other reason is, because their sub∣stantiues being in maner al deriued of verbes, often times one substantiue may haue diuers deriuations from diuers verbes, which bringeth as great varie∣tie as is possible. So the church readeth ps. 59. Dedisti metuentibus te, significationē vt fugiant a facie arcus. Thou hast geuen to those that feare thee, a signe that they flee from the face of the bovve, according to the 70. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so vvas the hebrew in S. Hieroms time, as vve see by his translation. The Protestants, Luther, Bucer, Caluin, as vve see by Marlorate, vvil haue it, Dedisti metuentibus te vexil∣lum, ad vexillādum propter veritatem. Thou hast geuen to them that feare thee a flagge, to flagge for truth. the english of one yere, thou hast geuen a token for such as feare thee that they may triūphe because of thy truth, of an other, Thou hast geuē a bāner to them that feare thee that it may be displaied, because of thy truth. This differēce in one part cō∣meth of the 2. radical hebrew verbes, the old church, the 70. & S. Hierō folowing one, the new congregation of the Pro∣testāts rather liking the other. The dif∣ference

in the other part bovv and truth no doubt came thence, that the old he∣brew bookes had that vvorde vvritten vvith one kinde of T, the later vvith an other.

[ 3] Againe touching the literal sēse of the hebrew words what masters shal we follow? The old Rabbines, Dauid Kim∣hi, Aben Ezra, and such other. Thus to say, Beza, Munster, Caluin, Castalio & the Protestants commonly induce vs. But Master D. Humfrey holdeth the contrary, and not without reason, if we had a good pilote to rule the sterne and containe vs in mediocritie. VVe ought not to credit (saith he) in my iudgment the Rabbines touching the very exposition & deriuation of the hebrevv vvords. Christ pro∣noūceth of them that they are blinde, & gui∣des of the blinde. Therefore this is not the vvay to interprete rightly, nether may vve folovv them, except vve vvil preferre dark∣nes before light, errors before truth, doubtful things before assured, daungerous before safe, and vvicked and blasphemous before Godly and Catholike. By which rule al your new hebrew translations are cal∣led in to question, yea are pronounced to be darkesome, erroneous, doubtful, daungerous, wicked, & blasphemous.

For your best and greatest translators, whom did they folow in the sense of the hebrew wordes but their common dictionaries? And out of whō are they drawen? looke vpon the title of Mun∣sters. Dictionarium Hebraeum vltimò ab autore Sebastiano Munstero recognitum, et ex Rabbinis, praesertim ex radicibus Dauid Kimhi auctū et locuplet a tum. This hebrevv dictionarie is novv last renevved by Sebastiā Munster, and encreased and enriched out of the Rabbines, especially out of Dauid Kim∣hi. And Munster in his translations (which is accompted most exact to the hebrew) protesteth that he regarded therein no Christian fathers but only the Iudaical Rabbines. Nobis (saith he) in animo fuit talem parare aeditionem scrip∣turae, quae per omnia hebraismo esset cōformis, ideo solos hebraeos cōsuluimus scriptores. And here perhaps I might propose vnto you an Insoluble, an argument that you wil neuer aunswere, sauing the honour of your maisters & doctors. Your mai∣ster Beza correcteth the new testamēt generally, and draweth the greeke ci∣tations in the same, and al doubtful wordes to the sense of the hebrew and the Rabbines. Doctor Humfrey on the cōtrary side wil haue the hebrew words

of the old testament drawen to signifie as the Apostles cite them according to the 70. in the new testament, and con∣demneth your translators for doing otherwise: and namely whereas in the 2. of the Actes your English bibles, after Beza translate Sh••ol, Graue, he acknow∣ledging that in hebrevv and according to the Rabbines, It may so signifie, & ma∣ny things besides, as pitt, the state of the dead and damned, death, a ditch, the east or birth, and hell: this last, saith he, must vve folovv by authoritie of the holy Ghost, Act 2. inter∣preting a place of the psalme 15. Where you see one wil haue the hebrew word in the psalme translated, Hel, because so it is in the greeke, Act. 2. the other will haue the greeke, Act. 2. trāslated Graue, because so may be the signification of the hebrevv, ps. 15. et sic in caeteris. vvhere, by the way you may note that your pure and vndefiled bibles, are not altogether so iudged by this vvriter, a man of such credit and name in your cōgregation, yea that he iudgeth them corrupt in so great a matter as a prin∣cipal article of our faith commeth vnto.

[ 4] And yet al this vvhich hetherto I haue spoken, is nothing touching the

true controuersie vvhich is about the hebrevv originals, that is, whether vve must take them as novv vve haue them geuen vs vvith the ordinarie pointes and vovvels put to by the Ievves and Rabbines: or vvhether vve must take the consonantes only, and put to the points or vowels by our owne discreti∣on. If the first, then al those horrible ab∣surdities must stande, which before I haue noted against Christs Diuinitie, Humanitie, Passion▪ & Incarnation. If the second, then must the Protestants fal to translate a freshe: for al their bi∣bles hitherto are litle worth, because they generally (though not in euery place) haue folowed the cōmon points and vowels, according to which they frame vs their common Gloses, Com∣mentaries, and Dictionaries.

[ 5] But this very pointe is a sea of dispu∣tation and writing, and therefore for a final conclusion to shew that the Pro∣testants appealing to the hebrew vvil shortly fal to very plaine Atheisme, I demaund of M. Whit. this question, whether he thinke it flat Atheisme and Turkerie to denie that Christ vvas borne of a virgin? I trust he wil cōfesse vvith vs, that this denial is the denial

and abnegation of al Christianitie. For though they care not greatly vvhether mē thinke our Lady to haue remained a virgin in Christs birth, or after Christs birth, yet they seeme to beleeue most assuredly that she vvas a virgin vvhen she conceaued him. That being graunted, that this denial is plaine apos∣tasie, I require of him vvhat scripture he hath to proue that veritie? for church, Traditiō, Fathers, & such other, I know he contemneth, and vve are bound to beleue nothing say they, but that which is in plaine scripture. The only place that may serue the turne, is the first of S. Matth. (for the allegories of Ezechi∣el conuince not) vvhere it is said, Ecce virgo concipiet &c. Behold a virgin shal cō∣ceaue & bring forth a sonne. But this place proueth nothing by M. W. ovvne rule, by Bezaes common kinde of scanning such citations, and by the Protestants interpretation of this place: ether be∣cause the translation is framed accor∣ding to the 70. not the hebrevv, and so it is no scripture by M. W. or if it be, then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 virgin, accordinge to the hebrew must signifie a yonge vvenche, ado∣lescētula, siue virgo siue maritata by Beza his rules (and so saith Munster) as vvel vir∣gin

as not virgin: or because the most precise Iudaical Protestants translate it so, to put the matter out of doubt. So for example translateth Oecolampadi∣us in the bibles of Basile, which Bullin∣ger in the preface so much commēdeth, Ecce adolesentula illa praegnans, et partens filium, Beholde that yonge vvenche great vvith childe, and Munster precisely ac∣cording to the hebrevv as he sayth, Ecce virgo illa impraegnata, Beholde that virgin gotten vvith childe. And hovvsoeuer M. W. may cauil vpon the later, the first is mere Iudaical, no wayes Christian, and the peruersion rather of a monster then of a man, as Luther pronounceth against Erasmus for the like cause. and yet I ac∣knovvledge according to the heretical maner of examining citations, the he∣brevv vvord may beare that sense vvhich Oecolāp. yeldeth, & so did those old renegates and enemies of our reli∣gion, Aquila Ponticus, and Theodotion translate that vvord, vpon which trans∣lation aftervvards the beggerly Ebio∣nites founded their beastly opinion touching the maner of Christs incar∣nation.

And here (Christian reader) I haue to request thee, not so to interpreete

me in any thing which I haue spoken, as though I coueted to disgrace the stu¦dy of greeke and hebrew (as this man would haue thee to conceaue of vs) & condēned those languages, which I cō∣fesse to be great helpes to the attaining of the true sense in sūdrie places of scri¦pture, & condemne my selfe for know∣ing so litle as I do in ether of them both. And manifest it is, what paine the Catholiks haue taken in setting forth the bible most perfitly and diligently in the Hebrew, Chaldee, Greeke, and Arabike languages. what labour they haue taken about the Greeke transla∣tion of the Septuaginta. How conti∣nually, and at this present, most hono∣rable Prelates, and Cardinals, & other men of great name, employ them sel∣ues in the same kinde of study, to the end they may procure al helpes so far as is possible, for the perfite vnderstā∣dinge of the sacred scriptures. How in most Catholike Vniuersities, mē excel¦lent for skil in these languages, florish and are maintained, to the great ad∣uauncemēt of the faith & Church Ca∣tholike: with the liste or cataloge of whose names I thinke it needeles to trouble the reade••, because otherwise

they are wel knowen to the Christian world. But this I say, & thou shalt finde it true when soeuer thou commest to examine these matters with that adui∣sednes and maturitie of iudgement as the thing it selfe requireth, that who so wil goe about to picke his faith out of the greeke and hebrew testaments without a setled and constant forme of faith before, and from which he must not be drawen by any pre∣tense of greeke & hebrew, his greeke & hebrew wil neuer make him a Chri∣stian, wil neuer establish him in any true faith. Aquila Ponticus, first a Christian, after a Iewe, was very per∣fect in the hebrew, and translated the bible so, as S. Hierom calleth him to his praise, Diligentissimum verborum he∣braicorum interpretem, A most diligent in∣terpreter of the hebrevv vvords, and yet howe good a Christiā he was, is noted before. The Arrians, Trinitarians, Ana∣baptistes and Lutherans of our time, want they greeke or hebrew? No dout their arrogancie and pride which for their greeke & hebrevv they cōceaue, is a great cause of their continual alte∣ration from one heresie to an other, as vve see in the stories of Melancthon,

Blandrata, Bernardinus Ochinus &c.

Before vve vvere Grecians, or He∣britians, or in deede Englishmen, or vnderstoode any letter of any lāguage, first of al vve were Christiās, we were graffed into the Catholike Church the mystical body of Christ, and made members of the same, and by solemne vowe we bound our selues to honor, loue, reuerence, and cleaue to her as athe piller & firmament of truth, b the spouse of Christ, c our diuine mother, d the arke of Noe e and kingedome of God, f without which there is no way but death and damnation. Let vs hold this fast, and then our greeke and he∣brevv may doe vs some good. Let vs depart from her, talke vve so longe as vve list of our greeke and hebrevv, as S. Peter sayd of Simon Magus money, so that vvil be to vs, In perditi∣onem, To our euerlastinge destruction, it vvil neuer doe vs good. And as S. Aus∣tin sayth, in the meane season vvhile the vnlearned rise & get possession of heauē, Nos cū doctrinis nostris ecce vbi volu¦tamur in carne et sanguine, We vvith our greeke & hebrevv & vvhat other lear∣ning so euer, shal alwaies be tumbling in flesh & bloud, in continual braules

and contentions, vvhich vvil set vs the right vvay to hell.

Notes

• Castalio in praefat. ad Edouardum sextum An∣gliae regem.
• A true con∣fession of a principal protestant.
• The prote∣state church drowned in grosse igno∣rance.

  A sure proofe thereof.
• The prote∣stāts voyde of the spi∣rite of God and al truth
• Their light of the gos∣pel, is the night of the gospel.
• The end of their reli∣gion is A∣theisme, e∣euery mā to beleeue what he li∣steth.
• Vbi supra
• Marke this plaine con∣fession ap∣proued by so manifest reason, against their common vaunting of the cleare light of the gospel.

  Scripture applied to proue Atheisme.
• 1. Mach. 4.
• Num. 15.
• Act. 5. Rom. 14. Mat. 7.
• D. Whitg. defen. tract. 3. c. 6. pa. 178
• The protes∣tants maner of prea∣ching, the right way to Atheisme
• See the pre∣face.
• Impossible to do good with any kind of he∣retike, so long as he may haue libertie to flee to di∣uers transla¦tions and interpreta∣tions.
• Antinomi a sect of protestants.
• Sleid. li. 12. anno. 1538. fol. 199.
• The true cō¦clusion of only faith iustifying.
• The prote∣stāts maner of āswering the Catholi¦kes.
• Al fathers & Councels contemned
• Concil. Tri∣dent. sess. 6. cap. 9.
• See before chap. 3. & in the praeface
• S. Iames re∣fused.
• Before c. 1.
• Caluin & Beza in cō∣mentar. ad Hebr. in ar∣gumento, & ca. 2. v. 3.
• Cent. 1. li. 2. c. 4. col. 328.
• S. Paules e∣pistle to the hebrewes reiected.
• Iew. defēce of the Apo∣log. par. 4. c. 19.20. ¶ 1.
• 2. Pet. 1. v. 10
• S. Peters se∣cond epistle may be de∣nyed.
• The fourth dayes con∣ference, see before cha. 2.
• A place of S. Peter re∣fused, ••••cau¦se it wāteth in many greeke pri••¦••es.
• Luth tom. 5. in 2 Pet. ca. 1. fol. 487.
• Testament•• of the yeres 1577.1570.1580. & the Scottish bible.
• Vergerius dialog. 1. de Ofio. ••0.27.
• 1. Pet. ca. 1. v. 22.
• Ibid. v. 17.
• Luther tom. 5. in 1. Petri ca. 1. fo. 451. Illyricus. T••gurine translation.
• Yere 1561.
• S. Peter no∣tably corru¦pted in the later prote∣stants trans∣lations against free∣wil & good workes.
• Testament of the yere 1556, & 1565
• yere 1579.
• yere 1561. yere 1579.
• S. Peters words cleane in∣uerted.
• Cone. Trid. sess. 6. ca. 4.
• ••hisi. 1. v. 28
• Sophistical quarelling.
• Beza annot in illum lo∣cum. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Testament of the yeres. 1577. 1579. 1580.
• 1561. ••ood works the cause of our saluatiō
• Theod. in Philip. ca. 1.
• Before ca. 5. pa. 98 & in sequentib.
• Luc. 7. v. 47.
• Beza transl. anno 1565. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quoniā. because. The yeres 1579. 1580.
• a

  1553.
• b

  1547.
• c

  1536. 1540 1543.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Christs words clean inuerted.
• Beza in Luc. 7. vers. 47.
• Intolerable pride & ma∣lice in abu∣sing the scri¦pture, to helpe only only fayth.
• The sense of Christs words ac∣cording to the aunciēt fathers.
• Chrys. hom. 6. in Mat. Sinnes pur∣ged by workes of penance & claritie,
• Greg. hom. 33. in Euāg.
• Ambros. in Luc. lib. 6. c. 7. de mulic∣re pecca∣trice.
• Aug. hom. 23. inter 50.
• An example of singular & notorious wrangling.
• Good groū∣des to ex∣pound and correct scri∣pture vpon.
• Musculus in locis cō∣munibus ca. de Iustificat. num. 5.
• Luc. 7. v. 47.
• Yet S. Luke tooke it otherwise. dilexit.
• Note the wonderful tearing and renting of this short sen∣tence.
• No spirite but the spi∣rite of Satā could teach the prote∣stants this desperate maner of interpre∣tation.
• Protestant shiftes to auoide scri∣pture when it is plaine against thē.
• Zuing. to 4. in Luc. 7.
• Propre ex∣positions. dilexit, id est credidit. works, that is, faith. the sunne, that is, the moone.
• vertul. de praescripti. num. 5.
• The agree∣ment be∣twene the protestants of our time and aunciēt heretikes touching their beha∣uiour about scriptures.
• Not possi∣ble to do good with an heretike hauing this liberty to discourse.
• The hebrew tonge open to infinite cauillinge, and so vnfie to bind a cōtentious heretike.
• Hebrew words haue great diuer∣sitie of sig∣nifications
• Psal. 54. v. 21.
• Marlorate.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whence cō∣meth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Psal. 59. v. 6.
• The yere 1577.
• 1579.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• A hard dif∣ficulty, what masters we must folow touching the true si∣gnification of the he∣brew words
• Humf. lib. 2. de rat. int pa. 219.320.
• The prote∣stāts folow∣ing the Ie∣wish Rab∣bines: trans∣late wic∣kedly.
• Dictionari•• Munsteri printed at Basile the yere 1564.
• Munster. in praef. bibli. tom. 1.
• Humf. vbi sup. pa. 225.
• Before chap. 12.
• Bez. in praef. Test. noui ann. 1565. principi Cond. dica∣••i. & Molinae. in a. Luc.
• Christs in∣carnation of the vir∣gin can not be proued by scripture according to the pro∣testantes maner of expounding it.

  Mat. 1. v. 23.
• Before pag. 286.287. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 See Munst. in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Oecolamp. in Esa. ca. 7.
• Translation Iudaical & Antichri∣stian.
• Luth. tom. 2: ad Amsdorf. de Eras. fol. 485.
• Iren. lib. 3. cap. 24. vide Euseb. li. 5. ca. 8 Epiph. haer. 30. Iustin. in dialog. eum Tripho••e.
• The hebrew and greeke knowledge, much ad∣uaunced by Catholikes.
• A man must haue a set∣led faith be¦fore he come to cō∣ferre greeke and hebrew els shal he neuer haue any faith. Vide Aug. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 1. ca. 21. & tract. 18. in Ioan.
• Hier. ep. 138 Marcellae. & 1••5 Dama∣so. quaest. 2.
• Many grea∣te Grecians and Hebrai∣ciās are wic∣ked and de∣testable Christians.
• First we must be sure of our fayth
• a

  Timoth. 3. vers. 15.
• b

  Ephes. 5. vers. 25.
• c

  Gal. 4. v. 26.
• d

  1. Pet. 3. vers. 20.21.
• e

  Mat. 13. saepe.
• f

  See be∣fore chap. 6. pag. 117.
• Act. 8. v. 20.
• Aug, confes. lib. 8. ca. 8.