An apologie for religion, or an answere to an vnlearned and slanderous pamphlet intituled: Certaine articles, or forcible reasons discouering the palpable absurdities, and most notorious errors of the Protestants religion, pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. By Edvvard Bulkley Doctor of Diuinitie

Answere.

I Deny the Minor or second proposition of this Syllogisme, and say that we rely not our faith vp∣on the Ministers credit and fidelitie, but vpon the word of God translated, the which we know to be true and holy, not so much for that it is by publike autho∣ritie, and generall assent of men allowed, as for that it con∣taineth most holy doctrine agreeable to true faith, and godly life, whereby any that readeth or heareth it, may be∣hold the Maiestie of Gods spirit appearing in it. As for ex∣ample, I beleeue these sayings to be true: that Iesus Christ came into this world to saue sinners: that he is the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world: that * 1.1 the grace of God which offereth saluation to all men hath * 1.2 appeared, and teacheth vs, that we deny vngodlinesse and * 1.3 worldly lust, and liue soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, &c. not for that this, or that man hath

translated them, but because the spirit of God doth beare witnes vnto my hart, that most holy, pure, and diuine doctrine is contained in them. And therefore to say that those which vnderstand not the Hebrew, and Greeke tongues, because they vse the word of God translated to them into other languages, doe rely their faith vpon the Ministers credit and fidelitie, and haue no faith, is most foolish and absurd. And let the Christian reader marke and consider how this sottish reason tendeth to the discre∣diting not only of vs, but also of the most part of all godly and faithfull Christians in all ages; yea and to the most of the godly Doctors and Fathers of the Church, who were al∣most all ignorant of the Hebrew tongue, and some of the Greeke also. The holy Scriptures were translated into ma∣ny tongues, in the which the people of God did reade and heare them. As Theodoritus writeth: Hebraici verò libri, non modò in Graecum idioma conuersi sunt, sed in Romanam quo∣que linguam, Aegyptiacam, Persicam, Indicam, Armenicam∣que, * 1.4 & Scythicam, adeoque Sauromaticam, semelque vt dicam, in linguas omnes, quibus ad hanc diem nationes vtantur, that is, The Hebrew bookes be translated not onely into the Greeke tongue, but also into the Romaine, Aegyptian, Persian, Indian, Armenian, and Scythian, and also the Sclauonian tongues, & to say at a word, into all languages which the nations vse vnto this day. Did the ancient faith∣full Christians which read and heard the holy Scriptures in these sundrie languages, rely their faith vpon men that did translate them, or vpon the diuine doctrine, and pre∣cious promises of God contained in them? And let this cauiller shew sufficient reason, why we are not either to be acquited with them: or they condemned with vs. They could no more iudge of the truth of the translations, then our people can: yet they did to their great comfort, and godly instruction and edification reade and heare the holy Scriptures, grounding their faith not vpon the tran∣slators, who might be, and sometimes were euill men; but vpon the sound, holy and heauenly doctrine therein con∣tained. Saint Hierome exhorted ladies, and gentlewomen

not onely to reade the Scriptures themselues, but also to * 1.5 bring vp their young daughters when they were but seuen yeares ould in that holy exercise. They were not able to iudge of the translations otherwayes, then to discerne and perceiue that the doctrine by them deliuered was pure and holy, agreeable to true faith, and godly life. And euen so they that be godly in these dayes, although they, hauing not the knowledge of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues, cannot iudge so exactly of translations, and of the truth of them, as those that vnderstand them can; yet they may discerne whether the translations deliuer sound and holy doctrine consonant to true faith, good man∣ners, and the generall heads and principles of Christiani∣tie or not. I neede not heere aske vpon what or whom your 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Catholikes doe rely their faith, when they reade either the ould vulgar Latine translation, or the Remish English: seeing they can no more, nor better iudge of these translations whether they be true or false then we. I doe not (I say) aske whereon they rely their faith, for it seemeth that they build not their faith so much vp∣on the written word of God in the Scriptures, as vnwrit∣ten * 1.6 traditions of men, customes of fathers, decrees of councels, and especially vpon the will and pleasure of their great God (as his owne friends call him) the Pope of Rome: Whose will is the rule of their faith and life. If he giue a dispensation for a man to mary his owne sister as Pope Martin the fift did, it is lawfull: if he giue a dispensa∣tion * 1.7 for one to many his sisters daughter (which is as vn∣lawfull as the other) as a late Pope gaue to the late King Philip of Spaine, it is lawfull. But yet if any of these coun∣ted Catholikes will pretend to build their faith vpon the Scriptures, and being ignorant of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues, readeth either the vulgar Latine or English Re∣mish translation of the new Testament, I would aske how he doth know whether these translations be true or false, or whether he will say that his faith dependeth vpon the credit and fidelitie of the translator or no? But I know what they will answere, that the Latine vulgar transla∣tion

is allowed by the Church, that is to say, by the coun∣cell * 1.8 of Trident which representeth the Church, which hath decreed the same to be taken for authenticall in readings, disputations, sermons, or expositions, and that no man be bold or presume vpon any pretence to reiect or re∣fuse it: whereunto first I say, that as this decree doth allow the Latine, so it doth not approue the English. Now how shall an English Catholike, that vnderstandeth not the Latine know whether the same be truely translated out of the Latine or no, or shall his faith here rely vpon the credit and fidelitie of the translator? I would know what difference there is betweene such a one reading or hea∣ring that translation, and one of vs reading or hearing ours: And why the faith of the one doth more depend vp∣on the credit and fidelitie of the translator, then the other. Surely this difference there is, that our translations be true, and agreeable to the originall of the Greeke, wherein the holy Ghost indited, and the Apostles did write the new Testament: and their said Remish translation is false differing from the same, in contradictions, additions, and detractions in very many places, as I haue shewed in a discourse thereof added to the confutation of the ten foolish reasons, which the Remish vse in the preface of the Testament by them set forth, which moued them in translating to leaue the originall fountaine of the Greeke, and to follow the corrupt streame of the Latine, which hath been extant in print these twelue yeares, and yet to this day neuer answered. Now as touching the decree of the councell of Trident for the Latine, made by about fourtie blind Bishops or Bussards, I say, it is a shameful de∣cree, and a fit one for such a councel, and such a one as can∣not be shewed in any of all the councels, that haue bin be∣fore in the Church of Christ, to authorize a translation so much differing & dissenting from the Hebrew and Greeke as it doth, to be authenticall, that is, to haue authoritie of it selfe, and not to be refused in any readings, preachings, &c. The which translation is so corrupt and full of faults, that Isodorus Clarius a Spanish Monke professeth that he found

eight thousand faults in it: the which preface of his as they haue since suppressed, so it is written that the Spanish in∣quisitors * 1.9 plagued him for it. But to admit that this Latine translation is authenticall as the Tridentine councell hath decreed: I would aske one of these Catholikes vpon what edition thereof they will rely their faith, whether that which of late yeares was set out at Rome by Pope Sixtus the fift, or another two or three yeares after, by this pre∣sent Pope Clemens the eight. The which editions doe great∣ly differ in alterations, additions, detractions, contradicti∣ons, as Master Thomas Iames hath verie diligently, and largely shewed. The former Pope Sixtus the fift had as he professeth such care to haue the Bible vncorruptly set fourth and printed, that he corrected the faults with his owne hand, and charged that none should afterwards be printed but according to that copie, Ne minima quidem particula mutata, addita vel detracta, as he in his preface saith, that is, not the least particle changed, added or de∣tracted: yet this Pope Clemens the eight hath, as I haue said, made many great alterations, additions, and detractions in the same. Hereof I will alledge an example or two for a tast, Iosue 11. 19. Sixtus edition hath. Non fuit ciuitas quae se non traderet filijs Israel praeter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 .i. There was not a Citie which did not yeeld it selfe to the children of Israel beside the Hiuite. Clemens thus: Non fuit ciuitas quae se traderet filijs, &c. There was not a Citie which did yeeld it selfe to the children of Israel, &c. the one negatiuely, the other affirmatiuely. Lib. 1. Esdrae. cap. 3. Sixtus saith, Sursum autem adportam equorum adisicauerunt: that is, they built vpward to the gate of the horses. Clemens aporta equotum, from the gate of the horses. Lib. Sapienlia, cap. 2. 11. Sixtus hath iustitiae iustice. Clemens hath iniustit••ae, that is, iniu∣stice. 1. Sam. (or as they count. Reg. 4. 7.) Clemens hath taken all these words out of Sixtus exact edition Viu•• do∣minus, quia nisi dominus perousserit eum, aut dies eius vene••ic vt moriatur, aut descendens in praelium perierit, propitius mihi sit dominus, vt non mittam manum meam in Christum domini: that is, as the Lord liueth, that except the Lord si••ite him,

or his dayes come that he dye, or going downe to the battle he perish, the Lord be so mercifull to me, that I will not lay mine hand vpon the Lords annointed. The like detractions you may reade. 2. Samuel. or 2. Reg. 6. 12. & ibid. 21. & cap. 8. 8. & ibid. vers. 13. and many other places, as the reader may see in the said editions, and in Master Iames collections, vpon which of these so greatly differing will the Catholike rely his feith? And here let him con∣sider whether the Pope may erre, or not, for that one of these Popes erred, especially Pope Sixtus, notwithstanding all his great care, and diligence in correcting the Bible with his owne hand, it cannot be denied. Such great va∣rietie, diuersitie, and faithles infidelitie I am sure that the author of this worthie pamphlet and all his companions cannot shew in our translators, which he seeketh so much to discredite. As for Gregorie Martines pregnant proofes in his discouerie, they belong agoe effectually, and learnedly confuted by D. Fulke; & to this day stand vndefended. And therefore vntil you haue answered the same, you may be a∣shamed to brag of his pregnant proofs, which were so weak, and cauils so greate & many, that he rather discouered his owne folly; then discredited our translators, What Master Broughton writeth concerning our translation I doe not know, neither do I greatly care: yet this I say, although that our translations were made in the feare of God; to profit Gods Church and people, according to the measure of the grace of God bestowed vpon the laborers in that holy worke, & be voyd of wilful corruptions either for doctrine or manners: yet I do not thinke them to be voyd of imper∣fections, in respect of proprietie of words, and phrases, wherein they may be some what reformed, and amended. And hard it is to haue a translation so exact and perfit, but that some such imperfectnes may be in it, which yet be not repugnant either to holy doctrine or good life. And for asmuch as this man of malice would faine if he could discredit our translations, and cause the Reader to doubt of the truth of them, I will shew not onely the good Christian, but also the Romish Catholike that hath vn∣derstanding

of the Latine tongue, how he may discerne and know the truth and faithfulnesse of our translations, and so not to rely vpon the credit of our Ministers. There is a Latine translation of the old Testament made from the Hebrew very well and learnedly by Sanctos Pagni∣nus an Italian, and a dominicke Frier, a man excellently learned in the Hebrew tongue (for I will giue him and his worke their due and deserued praise, and commendati∣on, and not doe as this libiller, and his fellowes vse to doe, who of enuie and malice, wherewith their harts be in∣fected and possessed, cannot giue a good word to any thing we doe, though it be neuer so good and godly.) This translation he did dedicate to Pope Clemens the seuenth: Let the Reader compare our translations especially of the latter editions with the said translation, and see whether in any substantiall matter of faith and life, he can finde any corruptions and any great and notorious dissensions from the same. And the like I may say of Erasmus transla∣tion of the new Testament dedicated to Pope Leo the tenth, and allowed by him. Let I say the Reader compare our translations with these, and although he may finde some difference in words and phrases, yet in matters of substance which concerne either the doctrine of faith, or precepts of good life, I am sure he shall finde a goodly and godly harmonie, and agreement to his comfort and contentation. And lastly I wil offer to this challenger (who offereth challenge of disputation with vs) and to al his par∣takers, that for one fault of moment or weight, that they shal finde in our translations, especially, as I said of the lat∣ter editions, wherein they differ from the originall foun∣taines of the Hebrew and Greeke; I will vndertake to finde fixe, yea ten greater and fouler in that vulgar Latine tran∣slation, which the councell of Trident hath most absurdly confirmed and made authentical: And therefore let neither the godly Christian Reader, nor the seduced Catholike, be disswaded from reading of our translations, nor doubt of the truth of them. But this hath been in all ages the drift of the Diuell to secke to discredite and diffame those

godly men that haue labored in Gods vineyard, and haue indeuored to translate his holy word to the comfort and saluation of his elect and chosen people. How Saint Hie∣rome of old and Erasmus of late were vsed, I haue else∣where shewed. So this cauiller dealeth now, with that blessed man of God, and constant Martyr of Iesus Christ Master Tindall, who as he did patiently and constantly beare and abide their furious crueltie, and confirmed the truth of God which he had taught, with the shedding of his bloud in flaming fire, so he needeth not my defence. Who was a man of such mortification and godly life, that I haue knowne some of great credite, and authoritie that knew him, and liued with him at Antwerpe, that would say of him, that if a man could be like God, it was Tindall. I doubt not but he was indued with much more godlines then a hundreth of your Popes, whom their owne friends and fauorers call for their horrible wickednes, Monstra & Portenta, Monsters of mankinde. But he that iustifieth * 1.10 the wicked, and he that condemneth the innocent euen they both are abomination to God. That all men may erre we doe confesse, Omnis homo Mendax: that is, all men be liers: and generall councels which consist of men may erre, and haue erred we doe not doubt. But of this it shall be impertinent to speake at this present. I will onely now retort your argument vpon you: Whosoeuer relyeth his faith vpon man, hath no faith: but all English papists that vnderstand not the Hebrew, Greeke and Latine, and reade the Remish translation, rely their faith vpon man, videl. the translator of that Testament: ergo all such En∣glish papists haue no faith. The like may be said of them that reade the Latine, which rely their faith vpon the councell of Trent who were men. Againe, whosoeuer re∣lyeth his faith vpon man, hath no faith: all papists rely their faith vpon the Pope, who I trow is a man ergo all pa∣pists haue no faith. And this shall suffice for answere to your third article.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Tim. 1.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 1.
• * 1.3

  Tit. 2. 11.
• * 1.4

  Theodor. de cu∣ratione Graeca∣rum affectio∣num lib. 5.
• * 1.5

  Hieron. ad Gaudentium de Pacatule In∣fantulae educat. & ad Letam de institut filiae.
• * 1.6

  Extrauagant. Ioh. 22. cum in∣ter in glossa. & dist. 96. satis euidenter.
• * 1.7

  Antoninus Sum. part. 3. titu. 1. cap. 11. 55. quod papa. & summa An∣gelica, in Papa. fol. 232.
• * 1.8

  Counc. Trident. Sessi. 4. decre∣tum. 2.
• * 1.9

  Amand. Po∣lanus in didas∣calia pag. 49.
• * 1.10

  Platinae in Be∣nedicto 4. & Christophoro 1. & Ioan. 13. prou. 17. 15. Psal. 116. Rom. 3.