ALL the Controuersies of this time may be reduced to two heades, for eyther they are certayne generall principles & foundations of our faith and religion, or they are particuler questions appertay­ning to the same. Amongst other gene­rall principles there are two, about which there is greatest contention at this day: the one is the Word of God, the o­ther the Church: we will first speake of the word of God, and afterwardes of the Church, and lastly we will examine e­uery particuler Controuersy, if God shall [...]raunt vs life and health. Two thinges [Page 4] there are which now adayes hold many in error. The one is a [...] opinion that many haue, who thinke it a matter of little importance, whether they giue credit or no to many things taught by the Roman Church, which daungerous per­swasion may be taken out of the mind [...]s of all faithfull people, by that which we shall deliuer cōcerning the Word of God, and the Church, for thereby it shall eui­dently appeare, that al thinges are firme­ly to be belieued, which the Roman Church belieueth, and that without this faith no man can hope to be saued. The other is, that such as de [...]ire to find out the true faith in euery particuler Cō ­trouersy, are oftentimes so hindred by the sleights and falshoods of our aduersa­ryes, as it willbe very hard for them to discerne that which is true from that which is false. Wherfore we will endea­uour in euery particuler Controuersy, to set downe the true state of the question. Afterward we will lay open the founda­tion of the Catholike doctrine. And la­stly we will plainly and briefly answere the chiefe obiections of our Aduersaries whether they be drawne out of the Scrip­tures, or taken from the Fathers.

2. And because our Aduersaries e­uermore [Page 5] boast and brag of the written Word of God, pretending out of it only to proue their doctrine & impugne ours: our chiefe care shalbe to shew, that the Catholike and Roman faith is both eui­dently and strongly to be confirmed out of the written Word of God, and the do­ctrine of our Aduersaries hath no foun­dation at all in the holy Scriptures, but is manifestly opposite & repugnant ther­unto, yet so, as we will set downe the vniforme consēt of the auncient Church to be agreeing with vs in euery Contro­uersy, leauing the more ample search of antiquity, vnto others, to whome we will referre the Reader, setting downe their particuler names; so loath we are that this booke of ours should grow too great: and for the same reason we haue thought good to omit many arguments which might be drawne out of the holy Scriptures for confirmation of the Ca­tholike faith, contenting our selues to set downe only the more solide and eui­dent proofes, because we are resolued to be as briefe as we may.

THE word of God, if we speake of it in generall, may be conside­red two wayes, either for that One, Eternall and Infinite Word which contayneth perfectly in it selfe whatsoeuer is in the mind of Almighty God, which is the same with the Sonne of God, and Word of the Father, of whome S. Iohn speaketh in his Ghospell saying: In the beginning was the VVord, but of this Word we are to say nothing heere▪ but the Word of God may be other wise cō ­sidered and taken for that Word which was not alwayes, nor contayneth all thinges which are in the mind of God but a small part only of them, to wit, such thinges as God would haue vs know and belieue: and of the Word of God in this sense we speake now. For this Word is the proper and complete obiect of our faith.

2. Moreouer this Word hath two conditions or properties, the one is, that the same be reuealed vnto vs, for there are [Page 7] innumerable verities in the mind of God the which because they are not reuealed to vs, do not appertayne to this Word. The other is, that it be immediatly reuea­led by God, for such thinges as God ma­nifesteth vnto vs by naturall reason apper­tayne not to this word of God,Rom. [...]. v. 19. & 20. called therfore by the Deuines the reuealed Word of God.Hebr. 11. vers. 1.

3. Of this Word of God so vnder­stood there is no Controuersy betwene vs and our Aduersaries, but only in wordes: for wheras our Aduersaries say that Catholikes affirme, that we must with diuine fayth belieue the words of men, or which is worse, rather belieue the words of men then the Word of God, it is a meere slaunder, for there is no Ca­tholike so ignorant but he knoweth that the Theologicall vertue Faith relieth as­togeather vpon the pure, sincere, and cer­tayne Word of God alone, according to that of S. Paul, 1. Thessal. [...]. vers. 13. when you had receiued of vs the word of the heating of God you receaued it not as the word of men, but as the VVord of God, as indeed it is. Neyther can any man doubt but that the reuealed word of God is partly the written Word contayned in the Ca­nonicall bookes of the old and new Te­stament, partly vnwritten and deliuered [Page 8] by tradition and preaching, of which vn­written word the Scripture maketh men­tion in many places,Thes. c. 2. [...]. 14 & 1. ad Cor. 15. v. [...]. ad Gal. 1. v. 8. 1. Petr. 1. v. vltimo. but we will first treat of the written Word.

THE written Word of God con­sisteth of two parts, of the Letter which euery▪ man may read in the books themselues, and in the true sēse of the Letter, which is as it were the very soule and life thereof, without which the Letter alone rather killeth thē quickneth or giueth life: as we see eui­dently by experience in the Iewes, Arians, &c all other heretikes, as well new as old: for the Iewes hold thēselues stiffely to the Letter of the old Testamēt, & the Arians, as also in a manner all other heretikes, re­ceiue eyther altogeather, or for the grea­test part the Letter of the new; but be­cause they will not acknowledge the true sense of the Letter, Iewes they are Here­tikes they are, Catholikes they are not. And surely the Letter alone without the true sense cannot truly and properly be [Page 9] called the Word of God, no more then a body without a soule can truly and pro­perly be called a man: wherefore they which spoile the Letter of the true sense may be compared to them who bereaue a man of his soule and life.

2. But whosoeuer do substitute an­other contrary sense and meaning in place of the true, do no otherwise, then they, who not only kill a man, but by Art Magick bring into the body of the man killed, some other diabolicall spi­rit, by which the dead body is so moued, and stirred, as it seemeth to many to bea­liue: all this is so manifest a truth, as our Aduersaries themselues are not able to deny it.

3. This to haue byn the doctrine of the auncient Church sufficiently ap­peareth by the words of S. Augustine.August. serm. 78. de temp. The vnhappy Iewes, sayth he, & more vnhappy Here­tikes, whilst they attend only to the sound of the [...]et­ter, as a body without a soule, so they remay [...] dead, and voyd of the spirit which quickneth. And els where: August' [...] Epist. 222 [...] All Heretickes which receiue the Scriptures and their authority will seeme to fol­low them▪ whereas indeed they follow rather their owne errors, and are therefore Heretikes, not because they co [...]ntem [...]e them, but because they do not vnderstand them. And before him S. Hilary [Page 10] that honour of the French Nation. Re­mēber (saith he) that there is not one of the here­tikes which doth not say that he preacheth now ac­cording to the Scriptures, [...] l. ad Const. [...]. euen those things in which he blasphemeth, albeit he lieth in so saying▪ And a little after: All of them speake Scrip­tures, without the true sēce & meaning, they pretēd sayth without fayth indeed, for the Scriptures consist not so much in the reading as in the vnder­stāding, neyther are they vnderstood of such as go in­to preuarication, but continue and abide in charity. Moreouer S Hierome.Hiero [...]. in [...] Gal. Let vs not thinke (sayth he) the Ghospell to be in the words of the Scripture but in the sense, not in the out side, but in the inside, or marrow, not in the leaues of the words, but in the sappe,Matth. 4. v. 6. pith, or roote of reason. And a little after: o­therwise euen the Diuell himselfe speaketh. Scrip­tures, and all heresies according to Ezechiel make vnto themselues pillowes which they may lay vnder the elbow of euery age.Ezech. 13. v. [...]8.

2. By that which hath byn sayd answere may be made to our Aduersaries when they obiect against vs, that we af­firme the Scripture to be imperfect, ob­seure, like a nose of wax which a man may writh which way he will, and last­ly the origen and spring in a manner of all heresies: for we affirme this of the na­ked and dead letter alone, destitute of the true sense; or rather of the letter, to which [Page 11] the Heretikes adde their owne peruerse sense and meaning: neyther haue our Ad­uersaries any cause to wonder at this, see­ing S. Paul himselfe saith of the bare letter alone,1 Cor. 3. v. 6. 7. & 9. that is killeth, and bringeth eternall [...] death and damnation. But neuer any Catholike did euer attribute any such thing to the liuing letter, which hath conioyned with it the true and natiue sense, and which alone is truly and properly the word of God.

THERE is a great contentiō bet­weene vs and our Aduersaries, about the meanes how to finde out the true and naturall inter­pretation of the lett [...]er, [...] a thing to necessa­ry to eternall saluation. They teach, diuers thinges concerning this matter, but deliuer nothing that is certayne. One assigneth more rules to this purpose, an­other [Page 12] fewer, but when they haue sayd all, they confesse at last that there was neuer any which hath not at sometyme erred in seeking out the true interpretation of holy Scripture. For they giue not their assent either to the ancient Fathers, or to their owne Maisters in all thinges they teach or write: nay they cannot as­signe any one whom they acknowledge not to haue erred sometyme,Rom. 3. v. 4. nor dare af­firme to be free from error, seeing as they say, euery man is a lyar: and so at last all thinges are left by them doubtfull and vncertayne.

2. But the Catholikes proceed after another manner, who teach, that the certayne & vndoubted sense of the Letter is not to be taken from the iudgment of any particuler man, but from the vni­forme consent of the ancient Fathers, and especially from the iudgment and in­terpretation of the Catholike Church, to whome it appertayneth to iudge of the sense and meaning of the holy Scriptures, as the holy and O [...]cumenicall Councell of Trēt teacheth very well:Concil. Trent. s [...]ss. 4. for there is no doubt but that it is nore safe to follow such an interpreter as cannot erre, then such a oners erreth sometymes, or at leastwise may erre, but the Church cannot erre in [Page 13] her iudgment,Matt. 28 [...] c. vlc. seeing that Christ and the holy Ghost remayne with her to teach her all truth;Ioan. 14. [...]. [...]. wherof more herafter when we shall come to treat of the Church.

3. It shall suffice to obserue and note here,Ioan. [...]6. v. 13. that according to the doctrine of our Aduersaries nothing either solide or certayne is contayned in the holy Scri­pture: for wheras all dependeth of the true sense of the Letter, and with them there is no certayne or sure meanes by which to finde out this sense, it followeth that they call all into doubt, which is in the Scripture, wherby who seeth not how much they iniure them? But contrari­wyse according to the Catholike do­ctrine, all thinges are euident and cer­tayne which are contayned in the holy Scriptures, appertayning eyther to faith, or good manners: the Catholikes ha­uing euer a certayne and faithful Inter­preter, to wit, the Catholike Church. And surely whosoeuer reiecteth the sense which the Church giueth, and in place therof substituteth another altogeather repugnant to it, doth all one with him, who reiecting the holy Scripture should in place therof bring in a new Scripture of his owne forging, the sense of the Scripture being no lesse a part of the word [Page 14] of God then the letter, which in these few wordes Tertullian confirmeth out of the tradition of the auncient Church: The sense adultered, Tertul. de praesc. c. 17 or falsified, is no lesse repu­gnant to the truth, then the letter, or stile cor­rupted.

4. And to conclude, it may be in­ferred, that saluation is to be found in the Roman Church only,Mare. vlt. Vers. 16. and none at all out of it,Ioan. 3. v. 18. which I proue thus. Both the Scri­pture testifyeth & all mē confesse that di­uine fayth is necessary to saluation,Heb. 11. v. [...] but such as forsake the Romā Church, cannot haue diuine [...]aith which wholy relieth vpon the word of God only, but meer­ly humane, seeing their fayth is founded not in the word of God, interpreted by the Church which cannot erre, but in the word and interpretation of Luther, & Caluin▪ or some other priuate man, who as they themselues graunt may erre, and be deceiued; such an humane fayth then, so doubtfull and vncertayne, and only warranted by mans authority, can­not iustify, or bring a man to eternall sal­uation.

ALL such as forsake the Roman Church, and make little ac­count of her authority are not only doubtfull & vndertayne, which is the true sense of the Scripture, but they can haue no assurance at all ey­ther of the whole, or of any part of the letter therof. For whilst they goe about to call in question, and make doubtfull certayne bookes only of the old Testa­ment, before they are aware they take away all authority from all other bookes both of the old and new Testament. For whereas there is but one certaine and vn­doubted Canon of these bookes, to wit, that which is receaued and appre [...]ued by the iudgment of the Catholike Church, which cannot erre; our Aduersaries re­iecting this Canon, make all the bookes doubtfull conteined therin▪ for no cer­tayne testimony can be had of these bookes, but eyther by this Canon only, or by the aunciēt tradition of the Church, [Page 16] but they neyther admit this Canon, nor wil stand to this vnwritten Traditiō, or acknow­ledge it for the true Word of God.

2. Now as for the Canons lately set out by themselues, no man can safely be­lieue them, seeing they neyther agree one with another, nor with the auncient Ca­nons of the Church, nor are any where found in the writtē Word of God, which (as they teach) is only to be belieued: neyther can they bring any thing, eyther concerning the Canon of the Hebrewes, or any other auncient Canon which they haue not taken from the writings of the auncient Fathers, whose authority with­out the expresse written Word of God, they will haue to be in no wise sufficient to ingender fayth: so as euen by the iudg­ment of our Aduersaries, none of all these can establish fayth concerning this matter.

3. Iohn Caluin indeed sayth,Lib. 1. Inst. c. 7. sect 2. in fine. that it is as easy for a faithfull man to discerne Canonicall Scripture from that which is not Canonicall, as to one that seeth it is easy to discerne light from darknes, and white from Black.See Bell. l. 1. de verb. Det c. 17. 18. [...]. But in so saying he contradicteth both reason and expe­rience, for it is euident that in old tyme there was no small controuersy amongst [Page 17] the raythfull, yea and amongst learned and godly men concerning many bookes of the old and new Testament, yea and also euen now amōgst such as our Aduer­saries esteeme faithfull men,Calu. pra­ [...]at. in Epist. la­cobi & āte Epist. ad Heb. & ante 2. S. Pe [...]ri. which Caluin himselfe in many places confesseth▪

4. Moreouer Caluins owne followers well perceauing this, fly vnto their owne peculiar spirit, by which they say they are chiefly perswaded and moued, and not by the only consent of the Church. But these speake nothing to the purpose, for in faith two thinges concurre,Rupell. cō ­fess. art. 4. one is the cause or origen of fayth, to wit God himselfe, and the holy Ghost, whereof there is no controuersy betweene vs and them, for we all acknowledge the holy Ghost to be the principall cause of the as­sent we giue by fayth, that is to say, that it is the holy Ghost who chiefly perswa­deth vs to belieue. The other is the obiect of fayth, or that which is to be belieued, whereof we now dispute, for the holy Ghost doth not induce vs to belieue the false & vncertaine deuises of men, but the pure and sincere Word of God only: we aske therfore of our Aduersaries, by what expresse Word of God he reuealeth vnto them, that there are so many Canonicall bookes, and neyther fewer nor more; for [Page 18] we read not this any where in the Scri­pture, and they admit only the written Word of God, how can the holy Ghost then perswade thē [...]o belieue that which is not the Word of God?Calu. l. 1. Instit. c. 9. sect. 1. for we are not now to expect new [...]uelations from God, as do the [...]nabaptists and Libertines, whom for this cause our Aduersaries con­demne. It is necessary therefore that if they will haue vs belieue, that they are perswaded by the holy Ghost to belieue such books only to be authenticall as they doe say are such; that they first shew this to be a truth expressely contayned in holy Scripture, which they will neuer be able to do: wherfore there is no certainty with them eyther of the sense of the holy Scripture,Innocēt. 1. ep. 3. c. vlt. Cōcil. 3. or of the Letter, nor euer wilbe vntill they returne vnto the Church a­gayne.Carthag. can. 47. S. Aug. Epist. 235. Cōcil. But we Catholikes are certaine of both, for we haue a most faythfull Canon receaued in the Church more thē a thou­sand and two hundred yeares agoe, con­firmed by a generall,Tridents. sess. 4. and Oecumenicall Councell.

5. And this to haue beene the faith and doctrine of the auncient Church for the discerning of true and authenticall Scriptures,Lib. 4. In­stit. c. 14. sect. vlt. that short but pithy sentence of S. Augustins (whome Caluin acknow­ledgeth [Page 19] to haue byn the best and most faithfull witnes of antiquity) sufficiently testifyeth, saying:Aug. Cō [...]. Epist. Manich [...]i c. 5. I for my part would not be­lieue the Ghospell, vnlesse I were moued by the au­thority of the Church, of which place I will say more herafter in the Controuersy of the Church. And else-where he saith: VVe receaue the old and new Testamēt in that nū ­ber of bookes which the authority of the holy Catho­like Church deliuereth. Aug. serm. 191. & temp. So S. Augustine.

6. I know our Aduersaries obiect many thinges against many bookes con­tayned in our Ecclesiasticall Canon, but their chiefe arguments do not only dero­gate authority from those bookes, but al­so from many others, which they re­ceaue as Canonicall. For they obiect that some Fathers did sometymes doubt of those bookes which they will not admit, but they are not ignorant that some Fa­thers of old haue doubted of the Epistles of S. Iames, and S. Iude of the second Epi­stle of S. Peter, of the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn, of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, and of the Apocalyps, of which bookes they dare not now doubt,Rup [...]ll [...] Confes [...] [...] art. 3 [...] especially Caluins fol­lowers, as is manifest by their confession of faith.

7. They say further, that in those bookes which they reiect, there are many [Page 20] thinges obscure, difficult, and full of contradiction, but what booke of Scrip­ture in a manner is there in the which there do not occurre sometymes thinges obscure and hard to be vnderstood?2. Petr. 3. v. 26. did not S. Peter acknowledge as much? But as for true contradictions there are none at al howsoeuer there may be some things which at the first fight may seeme to im­ply contradiction, yet indeed all thinges agree very well togeather: such a contra­diction is oftentymes found in those bookes, which euen our Aduersaries re­ceaue, yea euen in the Ghospells them­selues,Aug. de Doct. which for all that are not to be re­iected,Christian. l. 2. c. 41. & deserm. Domini in monte l. 1. c. 3. but humbly, soberly, and piously to be [...]nterpreted, as S. Augustine many tymes admonisheth.

8. To conclude, all the arguments that our Aduersaries make against these bookes are fully answered by Catholike writers, which haue set out Commenta­ries vpon those bookes, to wit, Cornelius Iansenius vpon Ecclesiasticus, Bell. & Grets. Controu. 1. l. 1. c. 7. & sequ [...]nt Iesmoreus in sua Chro [...]ol. Ionnnes Laurinus v­pon the booke of VVisedome, Ioannes Maldonatus and Christopher à Castro vpon Baruch, and Nico­las Serarius vpon the rest of the bookes of the old Testament which our Aduersaries call Apocriphall, to omit the most Reuerend and famous Cardinall Bellarmine, and his Champion Iacobus Gretserus▪ [Page 21] as also Iames Gordon Lesmoreus. For it is suf­ficient only to haue cited them, seeing that I write only an abridgment of Con­trouersies, & not any long commentaries vpon the Scripture. And therfore contēt my selfe to haue shewed in this place that our Aduersaries must either receaue the Canon of Scriptures approued by the Councell of Trent, or be vtterly destitute of any certayne and assured Canon.

OVR Aduersaries when they are vrged with Catholike argumēts taken from the Scriptures, are wont to fly to the Hebrew text of the old Testament, and to the Greeke text of the new, perswading themselues by this meanes to attayne to the true and proper sense of the letter: wherefore som­thing is to be sayd in this place of the Hebrew & Greeke text, both which apper­tayne to the Letter of the holy Scri­pture.

2. VVe grant indeed, that when the [Page 22] Latin translation is either ambiguous o [...] lesse playne, the Hebrew text is well and profitably looked into, as also that diuers myst [...]ries which lye hidden in the Hebrew text and cannot sufficiently be explicated in Latin wordes, may be the better vn­derstood. And lastly that we may the more fully attayne vnto the force and Emphasis of that holy tongue.

3. But as for the Hebrew text now ex­tant, we do not acknowledge it to be of so great either authority, or perspicuity as our Aduersaries pretend, and we fur­ther deny that the vulgar Editiō wherin­soeuer it differeth from it, is to be cor­rected by it, and that for two reasons. The first is, for that the Hebrew text though neuer so incorrupt, further then it is approued by the authority of the Church, is much more doubtfull, and vncertayne then the Latin. The other reason is, for that the Hebrew text which is now in vse is in many places corrupted and depraued, in which the vulgar Edi­tion is entire and vncorrupted. Both these reasons shalbe confirmed in the en­suing [...]hapters, which the learned Rea­der may see in the Latin edition, from the seauenth Chapter to the 14. all which I haue omitted to put into English, be­cause [Page 23] I intend to help the lesse learned, who are not so capable of that so profoūd and learned a discourse.

THE Catholike Church of Christ not without good cause doth re­iect and condemne our Aduer­saries new Translations of the Bible, and that for many reasons. The first and most iust reason is, because such their translations are replenished with errors, which haue byn inuented eyther by Iewes, or Heretikes, of which see many ex­amples in the precedent Chapters of the Latin edition; but we in this Chapter will set downe three other causes or ori­gens from whence these errors spring, wherby it shall further appeare, that our Aduersaries can set out no trans [...]ation which shall not be found full of many & great errors.

2. The first cause is, for that our Ad­ [...]ersaries eyther contemne, or make little [Page 24] account of the translations and interpre­tations of the Fathers, and imploy all their labour in finding out all the versi­ons, and interpretations, and expositions of the Iewes, which they highly extoll & commend: so as in their Commentaries vpon the old Testament, you shall see them cite Thargus Rabins, and such other Thalmudicall fictions, but especially Rabbi Dauid Kim [...]i, whom sometimes they call learned, sometymes the most learned among the Hebrewes. But of the auncient Fathers no mention at all, for if there be, it is for the most part, eyther to taxe, or manifestly to oppugne, or euen to corrupt their writings.

3. Now what can be more vnrea­sonable or absurd, then to begge the true sense of the Scripture of the Iewes, 2. Cor. 3. v. 1 [...]. & 1. Thessal. c. 2. v. 15. 1 [...]. who lacke faith, and who haue a veyle ouer their hartes, when they read the old Testament, with whome God is not pleased, and who are Aduersaries to all men, vpon whom the Angel of God is come to the end, who peruert all the oracles of the Prophets that appertayne to Christ; and lastly, who are the most malicious enemies of Christians. And on the other side to despise the excellent Doctors of Christs Church, who euen in the iudgment of [Page 25] our Aduersaries were indued with the true faith,Rom. 8. v. 9. Ephes. 4. v. 14. full of the holy Ghost, raysed by God, and placed in the Church, to the end we should not be carried about with euery wind of doctrine, who haue de­fended the faith against all heresies, who haue sincerely instructed the faithfull people in the mysteries of the Christian faith, who haue faithfully sent downe to posterity the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures which they receaued frō the Apostles.

4. Moreouer, wheras no man can rightly interprete the Scriptures who hath not receaued from God the gift of the interpretation,2. Cor. 121 v. 10. 28. 2. Petri 1. v. 20. 21. which is not giuen but to the members of Christ, and his Church only, it is apparent inough how much more safe it is to follow such holy Doctors, then the impiou [...] Iewes which are wrapt in the snares of the Diuell, 2. Timoth. 2. v. vlt. and held captiue at his will. And seeing that saying of Christ is most true,Matth. 15. v. 14. if the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the ditch; it cannot be but our Aduersaries, blind and destitute of the light of faith, and led by the blind Iewes, must needes fall downe headlong, and breake their neckes.

5. Here [...]hence it is, that our Ad­uersaries do insert into the new transla­tions [Page 26] almost all the places of Scripture corrupted by the Iewes, and that they deny togeather with the Iewes many oracles of the Prophets, to be vnderstood of Christ, and many wayes wrest euen those oracles which they cānot deny to be vnderstood of Christ, from that true sense in which they are cited in the new Testament, by the Apostles, Euangelists, and Christ himselfe, to prophane & impious senses lately inuented by the Iewes out of their hatred to Christ.

6. The second cause is, that they de­sire nothing more then in their transla­tions to depart from the vulgar edition, the which seeing it is most sincere and correct, they which almost in all thinges leaue it, must needes fall into many errors.

7. The third cause is, the malicious intention of our Aduersaries, who set forth new translations of the Scripture for no other end, then by them to op­pugne the Catholike doctrine, and to e­stablish and confirme their owne errors and heresies: and therefore when any plain text occurreth, which maketh ma­nifestly against their erroneous doctrine, they seeke to make obscure the true and proper sense by their peruerse translation; [Page 27] but if they light vpon any place some­what obscure, which may seeme to fa­uour their doctrine, they so depraue it by their new translation, that the Scripture it selfe may seeme to confirme what they falsely teach, and so by this meanes they must needes stuffe their translations with infinite corruptions, for these three rea­sons:Grets. tra­ctat. denouis trā ­slation. in defen. Bel­larm. therfore not without great reason do we reiect our Aduersaries transla [...]ions which so swarme with corruptions. Ma­ny other reasons are both learnedly and largely set downe by Iames Gretser, which we for breuity sake omit.

OVR Aduersaries conuinced by the truth it selfe, confesse some­tymes, that the vulgar Edition not only is to be preferred before all other latin Editions, but euen before the Greeke text of the new Testament, and the Hebrew text of the old, for in many places reiecting them, they follow our vulgar translation, as may be seene in the Latin edition in the Chapters 8. 9. 10. 13. [Page 28] notwithstanding that in many other places they exceedingly inueigh against it, and with great hostility oppugne it, partly for that they see the same to con­tradict in many places their errors, and partly also, for that they labour by all meanes to perruert the text of the Scri­pture by their new versions, to make thē speake in fauour of their errors, which they cannot do if the authority of the old interpreter continue in all thinges entire and vndiminished.Caluin in Antidoto contra 4 [...] sess Concil. Tridentini As for Caluin, he is so deadly an enemy to the vulgar edition, that with great excesse he declameth a­gainst it in this manner: So farre off is it, saith he, that there is one entire leafe, as there are scarse three verses togeather not defiled with some notable error. But to proue this his impu­dent assertion, he bringeth only one place out of the new Testament, which a little after we will shew to haue byn excee­dingly well translated out of the Greeke. He bringeth no other places out of the old Testament then such as he taketh out of the Psalmes, which (as it is euident) are translated word for word out of the Greeke version of the Septuagint interpreters. Nay in the same place, Caluin acknowled­geth that the Latin interpreter hath, with all possible diligence, expressed [Page 29] the Greeke translatiō. And as for the Greeke interpretation of the Septuaginta, it is most learnedly defended by Genebrard, Geneb. i [...] Psal [...] so as it were superfluous to say any more. Indeed Caluins & Luthers disciples find fault with many other places in the vulgar edition, both of the old and new Testament, but we will lay foure generall grounds, out of which all their arguments may be easi­ly answered.

2. The first is: If our Aduersaries will needes haue the present Roma [...] Church condemned for following and authorizing the vulgar Latin interpreta­tion, they must needes also condemne the whole auncient Church, and all the Fathers who liued in the first foure hun­dred yeares after Christ, for they acknow­ledged no other interpretation of the old Testament as authenticall, then that of the Septuaginta Interpreters, which much more departeth from the Hebrew text, now extant, then our vulgar Latin, as our Aduersaries themselues confesse. Wherfore if the Roman Church be to be con­demned for the vulgar Edition, much more the Primitiue Church for the version of the Septuaginta: and heereof it follow­eth further, that the Church is not to be condemned which followeth a transla­tion [Page 30] of the Scripture which in some thinges may be amended, so long as no­thing is to be found in it which is repug­nant eyther to fayth or good manners: For otherwise the auncient Church had erred in retayning the version of the Septuaginta, which was corrupted in some places, but those corruptions were not in any thing necessary to be knowne.Calu. l. 4, Instit c. 1. sect▪ 12. More­ouer Caluin himselfe con [...]esteth, that we must not depart from the Church, for errors of little im­portance, the ignorance whereof neyther doth vio­late Religion, nor preiudice our saluation. Wher­fore albeit there should be some such er­rors in the vulgar Edition, yet were not the Roman Church, Rom. [...]. v. 8. Hiero [...]. Epist. 57. [...]d Dam. which is so auncient & so hightly commended by the mouth of the Apostle (as speaketh S. Hierome) to be con­demned or forsaken. And this may serue for answere to our Aduersaries argu­ments, when they obiect certayne light faults of the vulgar Edition which haue crept into it, eyther by the negligence of the printers, or by any other accident. As also what our Aduersaries obiect a­gainst the Psalter may heerby be conuin­ced to be very weake, for seeing that no other version is followed in it, then that auncient version of the Septuaginta, they cannot condemne vs, vnlesse they will [Page 31] condemne the whole primitiue Church, togeather with vs, yea the Apostles and E­uangelists thēselues, who followed the same version, is as shewed in the 11. Chapter of the Latin Edition of this Contro­uersy.

3. The second ground. A good in­terpreter doth not ty himselfe to transtate word for word, seeing that euery tongue hath his proper phrases, and manner of speach, but contenteth himselfe to ex­presse the true sense and meaning of that which he translateth. Wherefore all our Aduersaries argumēts are nothing worth by which they proue that certayne places of the vulgar edition are somewhat other­wise in the Hebrew and Greeke, so that the sense of the whole period be one and the same, as most of the places are which they carpe at in the vulgar Edition.

4. The third ground. The places of holy Scripture are of two sortes, some are cleare & manifest, as almost all are, which set downe the history of the old and new Testament. Others are obscure, and full of difficulty, as are many places in the Psalmes and Prophets. Now if the interpre­ter in such places as are euident and ma­nifest, do interprete rightly all of them, [...]nd in such places of Scripture as are ob­scure, [Page 32] expresse a sense and meaning agre­ab [...]e to the Letter, though he come short of the best sense, and that there might be a better gi [...]en, he is not therefore to be thought to haue erred, or not to haue ful­filled the office of a good interpreter. For so plentifull and profound is the sense of holy Scripture, especially in such places as are ob [...]cure, as it is not easy for any man to [...]udge, which is the best sense. Nay if we must interprete a new, vntill wee haue found out the best sense, there will neuer be a [...] end of interpreting, but we must euery yeare set forth a new inter­ [...]tation, or at least correct and amend the [...]ormer, as our Aduersaries haue done, and Bezw by name, who hauing set out fiue diuers editions of the new Testament euery one much differing from the other, [...] 1598. as himselfe freely confesteth, yet he plain­ly acknowledgeth that in his first edition he hath neyther satisfyed eyther the great­nes of the worke, or his owne desire. Out of which ground we answere to that which our Aduersaries obiect: to wit, that there are many places of the vulgar Edition which might much better and much more cleerly haue been translate [...]: for it is sufficient that they are well and rightly translated.

[Page 33] 5. The fourth ground. We are not to reprehend the translations of holy Scri­pture, only because they differ one from another, so long as they are not contrary the one to the other: and in this the holy Scripture differeth from other prophane writings. For euen as the holy Ghost in diuers places of holy Scripture teacheth thinges different, but not repugnant: so the same holy Ghost can in one place & in the same words teach diuers things. And heerehence it is,1. p. q. 1 [...] art. vlt. that S. Thomas tea­cheth well, as did S. Augustine before him, that of one & the same p [...]ace of Scripture, there may be many litterall senses. For whereas the litterall sense is that which the author intendeth, and the proper and chiefe author of the holy Scripture is God himselfe whose intention and meaning is not tied to one verity only, as is mans vn­derstanding, but he in one and the same moment comprehendeth all things; there is no doubt, but that he in the same words and at the same tyme, can intimate vnto vs diuers things.

6. The which thing is excellently declared by S. Augustin, Aug. l. 12. confess. cap. vltimo. for hauing said that he thought Moyses intended diuers senses in his words, he correcteth himselfe say­ing, that without all doubt God who is [Page 34] the principall author of the Scriptures did so. O [...]ord, sayth he, seeing thou art God and not flesh and blo [...]d, if man be short sig [...]ted, can it be hidden from the spirit which will lead me into the right land, whatsoeuer thoug mast in those words to reueate to posterity, howsoeuer he by whome they were sp [...]ken, though per adueenture but of one seme only, [...] many other no lesse true, so S. Augustin [...] seeing there [...]or [...] there are diuers litterall seme [...] of one and the same place, one in­terpreter may follow one sense, and ano­ther [...] another, so long as ney­ther of them do say any thing not agree­able to the word of God, but both the one sense and the other is godly, and conformable to other places of Scripture: and this maketh much for the dignity of the Scriptures, and profit of the Church, according to that which S. Augustin wri­teth elsewhere:Lib. 3. de Doct. Christ. c. 27. How could God (sayth he) better commend vnto vs the plentifull fruit of his Deuine wordes, then by so disposing, as the same words may be vnderstood diuers wayes.

7. Nay we see moreouer the holy Scripture it selfe to shew very manifestly, that there are diuers senses of the same wordes. For there is no doubt, but that commaundment o [...] Deutero [...]omy, Deut. 25. v. 4. Thou shal [...] not tye the mouth of the Oxe that thresheth, ac­cording to the litterall sense, doth signify [Page 35] that the mouth of an oxe is not to be tyed whilst he treadeth forth the corne in the floare, for so according to the Letter the Iewes obserued it, as indeed they were bound to do.2. Cor. 9. v. 9. 10. Neuerth [...]les S. Paul mani­fe [...]ly reacheth, that God the proper Au­thor of the holy Scripture, intēded chie [...]ly another sense▪ Is God, sayth he, so carefull of Oxen, or doth he not so say in regard of vs, for indeed these things are written for vs; h [...]therto it also apper [...]ayneth that in the Hebrew tongue one word hath many [...]ignifica­tions, as hath beene shewed in the seauēth Chapter in the Latin Edition.

8. Out of this ground we affirme, that there is no repugnance betweene the Septuagint Interprters, and the Hebrew text, and betweene the Hebrew text and the vulgar Edition, or lastly betweene the interpretation of the vulgar Edition of the old Testament, and that of the new, how much soeuer the same wordes are diuersly translated, to wit, otherwise of the S [...]ptu­agint, and otherwise of the vulgar Latine interpreter, or otherwise of the vulgar E­dition of the old Testament, and otherwise of the vulgar Edition of the new, where in both places the same wordes are cited, for the same places of Scripture are often­tymes otherwise cited by the Apostles in the [Page 36] new Testament, then hath the Hebrew text of of the old. But here is diuersity without any repugnance, or contrariety. And this hath place especially in the Hebrew text, because in the Hebrew tongue there is so different reading of one and the same word. See examples hereof in the Latine Edition of this Controuersy, in this Chapter.

9. It wilbe easy out of that which hath byn said to answere that which our Aduersaries obiect against diuers places of the vulgar edition. For albeit there be diuersity betweene it, and the He­brew text, there is no repugnance or contrari [...]ty: and if our Aduersaries think otherwise it proceedeth from their igno­rance of the Hebrew tongue, which hath many wordes subiect to ambiguity, and very many phrases much different from the Latin and Greeke phrase, as in the Chapters that follow may be seene in the Latin Edition from the 16. to the 20.

IT wilbe too long, and little to my purpose to examine all the places of the vulgar Edition to which our Aduersaries take exception, for many of them differ little or nothing from the Hebrew text of the old Testa­ment, or from the Greeke of new: we will handle some few of greatest diffi­culty, and which our Aduersaries do most often and with great bitternes vrge against vs, that by them, iudgment may be giuen of the rest which are of lesse im­portance.

2. The first place which they say is depraued, and or which they often and eagerly complaine,Lutherus & Luthe­rani in Genes. ib. is that of the third of Genesis v. 15. Ipsa conteret caput tuum: for it is not ipsa in the Hebrew, but ipsum. as if it were spoken of the seed of the womā and not of the woman her selfe. The Lu­therans crie out of great iniury done thereby to Christ, as to whome alone it appertayneth to bruze the head of the [Page 38] Diuel which we attribute to another, to wit, to the Blessed Virgin.

3. Caluin also affirmeth, that we haue found out a sacrilegious exposition, whilst we accommodate that to the holy Mother of Christ which was spoken of the seed,Calu. in c. [...]. Gen. v. 1 [...]. Christ himselfe. And as for the Lutherans we haue lesse cause to blame thē for reprehending our version, seeing they stoutly mantayne, that by the seed of the woman Christ only is meant.

4. But as for Caluin, he sheweth the greedy appetite he hath to calumniate whē he calleth our version a sacrilegious ex­position, for he conuinced by the truth, cō ­fesseth that by the seed of the woman not only Christ is meant, but all his member [...] yea euen all mankind. It is therefore wō ­derfull that he saith, it is a sacrilegious exposi­tion, to apply to the Blessed Virgin Mary that which was spoken of the seed, vn­lesse he will not that the Blessed Virgin be any mēber of Christ, or to appertayn [...] any thing to mankind. For seeing that the promise of bruzing Sathās head apper­tayneth to Chris [...], and euery member of his (as Caluin writeth in expresse wordes) it must doubtlesse principally appertayne to the Blessed Virgin,Calu. l. 1. Inst. c. 14▪ sect. 18. as who next after Christ, hath most strongly crushed Sa­tans [Page 39] head.Hunnius in Caluino Iudaizāte, & in [...]n­ti-pareo. VVherfore euen the Lutherans themselues obserue, that Caluin ha [...]h no reason to obiect this vnto the Catho­likes.

5. But to the end we may the better vnderstand whether it be any fault at all, that we retayne in the vulgar version the particle (ipsa) we are first to declare the literall sense of this place, and to examine after, whether it be any error that we re­tayne the particle (ipsa) in our version. For it was not out of any ignorance or drowsy carelesnes, that the feminine gender crept in heere, insteed of the masculine, or neuter, In Genes. loco citato as Caluin calumniateth, but it was done of purpose, and for iust cause, as shal­be shewed.

THAT we may find out the true sense of these wordes, we must first re [...]ute the f [...]lse expositions of our Aduersaries. The Lutherās by the seed of the womā will needes haue Christ only to be mean [...]: we confesse in­deed [Page 40] that he is principally meant therby, and that therefore the place may be well vnderstood of Christ, as many auncient Fathers haue expounded it, but that Christ alone is meant hereby, and not his members we deny to be the literall sense for the reasons following.

2. First it is euident that the seed of the Serpent which is opposed against the seed of the woman, doth not signify any one Serpent, but a multitude: it is therefore very probable, that by the seed of the woman a multitude also is signi­fied, vnlesse we will haue the Scripture in so few wordes speak ambiguously. Moreouer semen is a Nowne collectiue properly signifying a multitude, neyther is there any thing in this sentence that forceth vs to departe from the proper si­gnification of the Word. This reason is of so great a force, that C [...]luin was mo­ued therby to forsake the exposition of the Lutherans, which he would other­wise willingly haue imbraced the more strongly to assault vs, for thus he wri­teth: Some make no doubt but Christ alone is meant by the seed of the woman, whose exposition I could willingly approue, Calu. in Gen. loco citato. but that I see they offer too great violence to the word (seed) for who will graunt, that a Nowne collectiue is to be taken for [Page 41] one man only? Thus Caluin. So strong is the truth, that it extorteth a true confession from her greatest enemy.

3. Secondly it is said of the seed of the woman, that it shall crush, and bruze the head of the Serpent, but this crushing and bruzing the Scripture doth not attri­bute to Christ alone, but to all that lead a godly life in him, for to euery iust man the holy Ghost speaketh, saying: thou shalt walke ouer the Addar and Basiliske, Psal. 90▪ v 13. and thou shalt tread vnder thy seete the Lyon and the Dra­gon. And Christ saith vnto his Disciples: Behold I haue giuen you power to tread vpon the Serpents and Scorpions, Luc. 10. v. 19. and vpon all the power of the enemy. And the Apostle to the Ro­mans prayeth saying. The God of peace crush Satan vnder your feete quickly. And lastly in very many places of Scripture the faith­full are said to ouer come the Diuell,Rom. 16. v. 20. and to get victories against him, which is all one as to crush him. Seing therefore the proper worke of this seed agreeth al­so to the members of Christ,1. Ioan. 2. v 13. the Word seed is not to be limited to Christ alone.Apoc. 12. v. 11. Ad hereunto that God in these wordes intended to comfort not only Eue decea­ued by the craft of the Diuell,1. Cor. 15. v. 57. but all her posterity. Now the comfort is more ge­nerall, if all the faithfull should be able [Page 42] by Christ to ouercome the Diuell, then if that Christ alone should ouercome him, euen as our comfort is greater that we to­geather with Christ shall rise againe, then if Christ only should rise, and he alone attayne to eternall life.

4. Thirdly. Albeit we should graunt our Aduersaries, that Christ alone doth crush the head of the Diuell, which is the former part of the sentence: yet the latter part can by no meanes be applyed to Christ alone, where it is sayd, that the Diuell shall crush this seed, for Christ in his owne person cannot be crushed by the Diuell: we must therefore needes by this seed vnderstand also the members of Christ, for in the Hebrew text it is thus word for word, ipsa, velipsum, cōteret te in ca­pite, & tu contere [...] cum, vel eam, in calcaneo, for the Hebrew word is the same in both places both in the first and in the later part of the sentence, and signifyeth c [...]nterere.

5. As for Caluins exposition inter­preting by the seed of the woman all man kind;In Gen. Io­co citato & l. 2. it is not to be receaued, for God in this place denounceth emnity betweene the seed of the Serpent, Instit. c. [...]3. sect. 2. and the seed of the woman, but infidells and vngoodly per­sons haue no emnity with the Diuell, and his seed, but are rather the seed and sonnes [Page 43] of the Diuell, according to those words of Christ:Ioan. 8. v. 44. You are of your father the Diuell; they therefore cannot appertayne to this seed of the woman.

6. But whereas Caluin in another place sayth,Caluin l. 1. Instit. c. 14. sect. 18. that Christ and his members are signifyed by the seed of the woman, wee like well of that his saying, for it is the exposition of the Catholike and auncient Fathers, and indeed the true litterall sense.

7. For in that sentence God sayth, first that he will put emnity, wherefore he speaketh not of any naturall emnity, as Caluin insinuateth, but of a supernaturall pro­ceeding from God. Moreouer God signi­fyeth betweene whome this emnity shal­be, to wit, betweene the Serpent and woman. Now as by the Serpent the Diuell is meant, whome that naturall Serpent represented, and in whome God layed his curse vpon the Diuell: so by the woman Eue, is meant the spouse of Christ, or his true Church re­presented by Eue, whose force and victory against the Diuell was therefore foretold by God:Ephes. 5. v. 32. 2. Cor. 11. v. 2. & 3. for that Eue represented the Church, as Adam did Christ, the Apostle plainely teacheth in his Epistle to the Ephes. and the same Apostle doth therfore else­where expound this place of Satan, and [Page 44] the Church, Apoc. [...]. v. 13. 17. as doth S. Iohn in his Apocalyps where he declareth this emnity betwene the woman and the Serpent, to be indeed the emnity betweene the Church of Christ and the Diuell: wherfore here by the Ser­pent is signifyed the Diuell by the woman the Church, by the seed of the Serpent the Chil­dren of the Diuell, and all the wicked who are aliens from Christ and his Church, but especially such as seduce others and oppugne the Church.Matt. 13. v. 38. The seede of the woman are the Children of the Church,Apocal. 12. v. 17. especially such as keep Gods commaund­ments, and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ, as S. Iohn speaketh.

8. Furthermore, this woman, to wit the Church shall crush the head of the Ser­pent, Psal. 90. v. 13. Luc. 10. v. 19. Rom. 16. v. 20. as we haue proued by many places of Scripture. But on the other side the wo­mans heele shalbe crushed by Satan, for the Church ouercōmeth the Diuell by her chiefe and more excellent members, but she is ouercome in such her members as are base and worldly giuen, which set vp their rest heere vpon earth, and tast no other things but such as are terrene & earthly,Defuga. saeculi c. 7. worthily therefore signified by the heele of the Church; let vs not therefore, sayth S. Ambrose, walke by loue and affection v­pont he earth, and the Serpent cannot hurt vs. [Page 45] In the first combat is that the Church o­uer cometh by open warre, and therefore it is expressed by crushing of the head. In the later combat in which a part of the Church is ouercome, the enemy procee­deth by guiles and deceites, and therefore that combat is signifyed by crushing the heele, for the Hebrew word signifying cal­caneum, Oleoster in c. 3. Gen. doth signify also properly insiaiari, & ex insidijs aggredi, as appeareth by many places of Scripture. And out of ignorance heerof Caluin without cause reprehendeth the vulgar interpreter, for otherwise ex­plicating this combat in the later part of the sētence then he had in the former, for the Emphasis, or force of the Hebrew word required that he should interprete the la­ter part as he did by these wordes, tu insi­diaberis calcaneo eius, which is as much to say, as thou shalt crush her heele, not by open warre, but by taking her at vna­wares. See further of this matter in this Chapter in the Latin Edition the 8. §. And you shall see that our Aduersaries make a great adoe about a matter of small moment, if the wordes be rightly vnder­stood. For whether we reade ipsa, and so referre it to the Church, or ipsum, that it may be referred to the children of the Church, the sēse is all one, for it is all on to [Page 46] say, the seed of the woman shall crush the head of the Serpent, or the Children of the Church shall doe it. And heerehence it i [...], that the auncient Fathers, whether they read ipse, as S. Hierome, Hier. in tradit. and S. Chrysostome do, or ipsa, as read S. Ambrose, S. Augustine, S. Gregory, Hebraicis. Homil. 17. in Gen. and other Latin Fathers, all of them ex­pound this place of the Church.

9. Howsoeuer it be,Amb. de fuga saeculi c. 7. the reading of the vulgar Edition is to be preferred be­fore the other, for this victory is rather to be attributed to the Church,Greg. in Iob. c. 38. as to the Mother of all the faithfull, and to her who continueth for euer, according to that promise of Christ, the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her, then to her children or mēbers, which are euery day changed, for this promise is an explication of the promise made by God in Genesis, for the head of the Serpent, and the gates of hell signify one and the same thing.Matt. 1 [...]. v. 18. And if the victo­ry be attributed to the woman, that is, to the Church, all thinges are better expli­cated, for God first did foretell the emnity that was to be betweene the woman & the Serpent, and afterward he maketh mention of the seede of the woman, and the Serpents seede, so as the woman is opposed to the Ser­pent, and the seede of the one to the seede of the other; but the victory pro [...]sed, is [Page 47] sayd to be gotten against the Serpent him­selfe, and not against the seed: wherefore the same appertaineth rather to the woman her selfe then to her seed, for the words fol­lowing (betweene thy seed and her seed) do not properly signify any new combat, but a continuance of that combat which was betweene the woman and the Serpent, and are put in by way of parēthesis, for the combat of the Church and of her childrē is all one combat.

10. But the chiefe cause that moued the Church to retayne at this tyme rather the word ipsa, then ipsum, or ipse, was to controle the error of the Lutherans, for if the reading had byn ipsum, or ipse, one might haue thought this promise to haue appertayned only to Christ, as they (though erroneously) would haue it, but by reading ipsa, this promise must needes be vnderstood to haue byn made to the whole Church. For such is the custome of the holy Church, whether she interprete the Scripturs or administer the Sacraments to do all as is most profitable and most for the edification of the faith­full. Neyther is Christ hereby excluded but he is rather included in the name of the Church, as is also the holy Ghost, for the true Church of Christ cannot consist [Page 48] or do anything that is good without the help of her supreme head Christ and the assistance of his holy spirit. That the rea­ding according to the Hebrew text i [...] ipsa, or ipsissima, and not ipsum, or ipse is lear­nedly proued in the next Chapter of the Latin Edition of this Controuersy, to which I referre the Reader, and to the Chapters following, in which other places of the vulgar Edition are defended.

OVR Aduersaries in the begin­ning did stifly mayntaine that the holy Scripture was to be the only iudge of all Controuersies which arise in matters of fayth, but when they were told, that to make the Scripture a iudge was as much as to say, the Scripture did heare, speake, & liue, for all these appertayne to a iudge, & that no­thing is more vnreasonable thē to assigne such a iudge of Controuersies, as can ney­ther heare, nor speake, but is vtterly voyd [Page 49] of l [...]e;Iunius cō ­tra Bell. changing their opinion. They be­gin now to [...]ay that the Scripture is im­properly called a iudge,Cont. 1. l. 3. c. 3. no­ta 9. &c. 9. no­ta 8. & 10. and that to speake properly, the holy Ghost only is the iudge. And thus hauing for many yeares togeather spoken vnproperly, now a [...] last they fly to the holy Ghost, of whome there is no doubt,Robertus Rolocc. de vocation [...] effic. c. 15. but that he is the supreme iudge of all.

2. But they should haue added fur­ther that the holy Ghost at this tyme doth not immediatly propose any new reuelations to any particuler man concer­ning points of fayth, but only proposeth veri [...]ies already reuealed, and that by the mouth of the Church, as shalbe shewed heereafter in the next Controuersy where we shall haue occasion to say more of this matter. Whosoeuer therefore contemneth the iudgment of the Church, in so doing, he despiseth the iudgment of Christ, and of the holy Ghost, for Christ himselfe saith, he that despyseth you, despyseth me. Neyther doth the holy Ghost speake by the Scri­pture but when it is rightly vnderstood,Luc. 10. v. 16. which is neuer but when we imbrace the interpretation of the Catholike Church, as we haue already shewed in the fourth Chapter.

THE Word of God is eyther written, or vnwritten and prea­ched. Now certaine it is, that the Word preached is not ob­scure, for it is not hidden from such as perish: the question thefore is of the written Word. [...]. Cor. 4. v. 3. Our Aduersaries in the beginning did teach that the whole Scripture was easy, and no part therof hard to be vnderstood, but after that not only many obscure places, but euen whole Chapters out of the Canticle of Canticles, out of Izechiel, and other Prophets were obiected by the Ca­tholikes,Beza de notis Eccl. Volu. 3. p. 137. edit. ann. 1582. they changing their mind con­fesse that very many places of Scripture are obscure, but that all points of doctrine necessary to saluation, are be [...]ound in places plains and easy,

2. For resolution of this question, we must answere with a distinction, and say, that if the word Scripture be taken for the bare Letter only, then doubtlesse the Scripture is obscure, [...]. Cor. 3. v. 6. 7. 9. or els S. Paul would not have sayd, that it killeth and causeth death and damnation; but if it be taken properly, [Page 51] that is to say, togeather with the true sense and meaning thereof, then it is not ob­scure but plaine inough in al things neces­sary to saluation, and in this sense spea­keth S. Augustine, l. 3. de doct. Christiana c. 7. & 9▪ as do also other Fathers whom our Aduersaries cite whē they say, that al things necessary to saluatiō are ma­nifestly conteyned in the holy Scripture.

3. Moreouer the holy Scripture is both manifest, and obscure, but not in regard of the same persons. It is passing obscure and not to be vnderstood of the proud, such I meane, as despise the sense and consent of the holy Fathers, yea and of the whole Catholike Church, but to little ones and such as are humble who follow in al things the foresayd sense & cōsent,Psal. 18. v. 8. it is manifest and perspicuous. The testimony of our Lord is faythfull (sayth the Psalmist) giuing wise­dome to the little ones, that is, to such as are humble and not proud: and Christ our Lord sayth,Matth. 11. v. 25. thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise, and reuealed them to little ones, that is to the humble. The Scripture indeed is obscure to such as want fayth, & are desti­tute of the holy Ghost, but easy & playne to those which abide & perseuere in the faith of the Church, & by that meanes are guided & gouerned by the holy Ghost. 4. The Word of God shineth brightly, the Word of God, I say, not the word of [Page 52] men, not the word of the Diuell, for that only is the true Word of God which is in the true sense & not in the bare letter; for the letter depraued by a false sēse is not the Word of God, but the word of men or ra­ther the word of the Diuell: the word of God doth illuminate the eyes, but the eyes of such as haue eyes to see, and not their eyes,2. Cor. 4. v. 4. whose mindes Satan hath blinded, so as the light of the Ghospell cannot shine to them.

5. In vaine therefore do our Aduer­saries heape togeather so many places of Scripture, in which it is said, that the Word of God is said to be cleare, ful of light, & perspicuous, for this is not attributed by the Scripture to the bare letter, but to the letter ioyned with the true sense, which true sēse can­not be had out of the Catholike Church.

6. Neyther doth the Scripture say, that the Word of God is manifest to all in­differently, but to such only, as being in­dued with the true fayth, are humble o [...] hart, and therefore inspired by the holy Ghost; if therefore our Aduersaries will haue the Scripture to be full of light, and easy to be vnderstood of them, it is neces­sary that they returne againe to the true Church, in which only is true faith, [...] humility, the true sense of the Scripture, & the true spirit of God, without whi [...] the holy Scripture will neuer be plaine, [Page 53] cleare and manifest: for it is great impru­dency, I will not say impudency, to con­tend so eagerly and with such hostility about the plainenes and perspicuity of the holy Scripture, and to haue no will to re­turne into that way, the which only leadeth to that plainenes and perspicuity.

THAT we may briefly dispatch that which hath beene so largely treated of by many concerning this matter, we will reduce all vnto foure generall assertions. The first is; There is not doubt but the Word of God is to be preached to the people in the vulgar tongue, so as the question is only of the bare written letter.

2. The second assertion is; Neyther the example of Christ, nor of the Primitiue Church do cōuince that the Scripture is to be translated into the vulgar tongue, but rather the contrary, for Christ neuer com­maunded the Iewes to translate the Scri­ptures out of the Hebrew tongue into the Sy­riac, and yet in Christs tyme the auncient Hebrew tongue was to the Iewes as the Latin [Page 54] is to the French, Italians, and Spanyards, and only the Syriac tongue was in vse amongst the common people, which euen our Ad­uersaris confesse, such I meane as are the more skillfull in the Syriac, and Hebrew ton­gue, as namely these, Sebastian Munster in his preface before his Siriacal & Chalda [...]cal Grammer, Francis Iunius in his preface before the new Testa­ment in the Syriac tongue of Termel [...], Peter Mar­tin Morentine of Nauarre in the preface of his Cal­daicall Grammer printed at Rochell the yeare 1590.

3. Neyther did S. Paul write in Latin to the Romanes but in Greeke, though not the Greeke tongue but the Latin was their vulgar tongue.Hier. de Script. So S. Luke did write the actes of the Apostles at Rome in Greeke and not in Latin. Eccles. in Luca. See S. Aug. l. 2. de doct. Christ. c. 11. & seq [...] And euen to S. Augustines tyme foure hundred yeares after Christ, the Byble was not extant but in the three lear­ned tongues, Hebrew, Greeke and Latin, no not in the tyme of Rabbanus Maurus, who liued eight hundred yeares after Christ, as himselfe testifyeth in expresse words.

4. Neyther can our Aduersaries al­leadge any authenticall example of the auncient Church for the translation of the Scripture into the vulgar tongue:Rabb. l. 5. de inst. Cler. c. 8. they tell vs indeed of one Vulphilas a Bi­shop of the Gothes who is said to haue translated the Scripture into the Gothish tongue, but he was not a Catholike, [Page 55] but an Arian Heretike,Theod. lib. 4. hist. Ecc. c. vlt. So­crat. lib. 4. c. 27. So­zom l. 6. c. 37. Cass. in hist. [...]ripart. l. 8. c. 13. as witnesse Theo­doret, Socrates, Sozomenus, and Cassiodorus.

5. For as for that which certayne late writers alleadge of S. Chrysostome his translating of the Scripture into the Arme­nian tongue, as also of S. Hierome his transla­ting of the same into the Dalmatical tōgue, there can no certayne proofe be brought thereof. And they who write this, do not affirme, that all the Scripture was translated by them, but certayne partes only vsed of old to be read in the prayers of the Church, as the Psalmes, Epistles, Ghospels, and Lessons which were song pu­blickely at Masse, & in the Canonicall houres. which we read to haue byn graunted by Pope Iohn the eight of that name, to the Morauian [...] at their first conuersion to the faith of Christ, but this was 880. yeares after Christ, and this custome was of no long continuance amongst them, as ap­peareth by that which Pope Gregory the seauenth writeth to the Duke of Bohemia, Baron. Tom. 10. ann. 880. n. 19. & Tom. 11. ann. 1080. n. 1. & is to be seene in Cesar Baronius.

6. The third assertion; To translate the Scripture into the vulgar tongue is neyther in it selfe vnlawfull, nor forbid­den by any Ecclesiasticall law, so it be truly translated. Nay such a translation serueth Preachers to great vse, who are to cite and expound the Scriptures to the [Page 56] people in the vulgar tongue. Hereticall translations are indeed forbidden, espe­cially of the new Testament, because in them many places of holy Scripture are by false translating corrupted.

7. The fourth assertion; It is not a thing profitable to all to read the Scrip­tures in the vulgar tongue, yea to many it is rather pernicious, for we are taught by the Apostle S. Peter, 2. Pet. vlt. v. 26. that in the Scriptures are many thinges hard to be vnderstood, which vnlearned, and vnstayed persōs depraue to their owne destruction. Many also there are vncapable of meate and solid sustenance, who are therefore to be fed with milke,1. Cor. 3. v. 2. Heb. 5. v. 12. as the Apostle speaketh, and for such it is more wholesome to be fed by the sermons and instructions of their Pastors, then to feede themselues with reading the Bible. It was therefore great prudence of the Church to forbid that the Bible, though translated and set forth by Catholikes, should be read of all indifferently,Index. lib. prohibit. Reg. 4. and without the appro­bation and leaue of the Bishop, Pastor, or Ghostly Father.

8. Our Aduersaries obiect certayn places of S. Chrysostome, and S. Hierome, in which they exhort to the reading of the Scripture, but they should haue ob­serued that those Fathers speake of rea­ding [Page 57] the Scripture in the Greeke tongue then extant, or in the Latin according to the old edition, which was neuer forbidden to any by the Church: whereas our Con­trouersy is about the translations of the holy Scripture out of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin into the vulgar tongue, which are all for the most part corrupted.

9. And it is worth the nothing, that our Aduersaries spend their tyme in vayne, in gathering togeather arguments by which to perswade men that it is ne­cessary for them to read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue, to the end they may learne out of them what they must neces­sarily know if they wilbe saued, for how truly or plainly soeuer they be translated no man shall euer recevue any fruite by them, vnlesse he first belieue aright, and be guided by the holy Ghost, to whome it appertayneth to guide vs into the right land,Psal. 142. v. 8. & 10. to make knowne vnto vs the way in which we are to walke, to teach vs the will of God which we are to fulfill. VVhich is manifestly to be seene in the Iewes who vnderstād the Hebrew text much better then Christians, in which there is so ample and cleare mention of Christ, and yet for all that they do not belieue in Christ-Our Aduersaries therefore haue little reason to keepe such a do about the [Page 58] wordes of Scripture, or the translation of them, let them first imbrace the true Faith which is in the Church only, let them seeke after the holy Ghost who is not to be found out of the Church, let them seeke out the true sense of the Letter, which the Church only conserueth vn­corrupted, and it will easily be graunted vnto them to haue the Scriptures in what tongue soeuer they will, so they be truly and vncorruptedly translated, and that they vse them to their owne saluation, and not to their destruction, as many do, wherof we haue for witnesses not only the Scripture but dayly experience, and this shall suffice concerning the transla­tiō of the Scripture into the vulgar tōgue.

10. For of the prayers in Latin ey­ther priuately made by the people, or pu­blikely offered by the Priest at masse, and in the administratiō of the Sacramēts, we wil treat hereafter in their proper places.

OVR Aduersaries often require vs to proue all that which we say out of the written Word of God, but when we cite the same in [Page 59] expresse tearmes they haue many wayes by which they depraue it. Wherfore be­fore I make an end of this Controuersy concerning the written Word, it shall not be from the purpose briefly to detect such their corruptions; partly to the end that no man be deceaued by them, and partly that euery man may vnderstand nothing to be so plainely and clearely set downe in the written VVord, which by the Commentaries of crafty and subtile wittes may not be weakned and made of little force, if no regard be had to the authority and iudgment of the Church. And that no man may thinke that I herin calumniate them or deale lesse sincerely with them, I will set downe out of their owne writings some one or two exāpls of each manner of corrupting, wherof many exāples will occure in each Controuersy.

2. The first manner of shifting of places alleadged out of the written Word is, to say, that the originall text is corru­pted, and what is alleadged crept out of the margent into the text, whereof see many examples in the 12. and 18. Chapter of the Latin Edition of this Cōtrouersy.

3. Their second shift is to reiect the vulgar translation and instead thereof to cite some new and corrupt translation of their owne. It is euident inough, [Page 60] that Luther in his first version of the new Testament into the Germane tongue,Ioannes Coclaus de actis Lu­ther. ann. 1522. set forth in the yeare 1522. hath more then a thou­sād errors, as many haue obserued, amōgst which, neyther the last, nor the least is his presuming to ad to the text of S. Paul the 3. Chapter and 28. verse, the particle alone, thereby the stronglier to establish his doctrine, that Fayth alone iustifieth, for this place of the Apostle, VVe thinke a man is iustifyed by fayth, he trāslateth by fayth alone: & when a certaine friend of his to whome the same was obiected by a Catholike asked the cause why he so translated it,Rom. 3 v. 28. he no lesse ridiculously then proudly an­swereth, in a certayne little booke set forth by him in the yeare 1530. vnder this title: A certaine information or an­swere made to two questions proposed by a certayne good friend concerning the translation of Scripture, and the inuoca­tion of Saints.Luth. To. 4. Germ. excuso VVi [...]emb. anno 1551. fol. 475. pag. 2. In which he aduiseth his friend to answere the Catholikes obie­ction after this manner. D. Martin Luther will haue it so, and sa [...]h, that a Papist and an Asse is all one thing: so I will, so I command, let my will stand for a reason, for we will not be the Papists schollers, but their Iudges. Luther will haue it so, & he saith, that he is a Doctor aboue all the Popes Do­ctors. So Luther, concluding at last that the word (alone) shal remayne in his new Testa­ment, [Page 61] though it should make all his Aduer­saries mad: and he addeth further, that he is only sory, that he had not added two wordes more to the text, and translated it after this manner▪ we are ius [...]ifyed by only faith without any workes of any law.

4. Zwinglius also who first in our age endeauored to perswade many, that the body of Christ is not really contayned in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the better to establish this his error, goeth about to proue that those words of Christ, this is my body, are very well translated thus, this signifi­eth my body,Zuingl. de vera & falsa relig. c. de Eu [...]b. par. 262. in lib. excuso Tuguri. 1555. & with this his new translation he is so rauished, as if he had receaued the same from heauen, for these are his word [...]: So therefore hath Luke, with whome we content our selues, without citing any other Euan­gelist. And hauing taken bread he gaue thankes, brake it, and gaue it them, saying, this signifyeth my body which is giuen for you, do this in remem­brance of me. Thou seest O faithfull soule, but yet wrapped in absurd opinions, how all thinges heere agree, and nothing inviolently eyther taken away or added, so as thou hast cause to wonder, that thou hast not byn alwayes of this opinion, and much more that any dare so boldly teare and rent the body of this speach so well ioyned togeather. So Zwinglius in the praise of his new translation, wherein he arrogates more authority to himselfe, thē is due, so as that of Cicero in his booke [Page 62] de diuinatione may well be applyed to him, I neuer saw any man arrogate greater authority to himselfe, and in the end say iust nothing.

5. Moreouer concerning Caluins and Bezas errors in translating or rather per­uerting the holy Scriptures,Calu. l. [...]. insti [...]. c. 16. à sect. 10 ad [...]3. & in c. 26. Matt. v. 39. & in c. 27. whole books are extant, as also of the corruptions of the Geneua Bylles, which are euery yeare increased, but this shall much more com­modiously be declared heerafter in the par­ticuler Cōtrouersies.Matth. v. 46. Item i [...] Catech Domi. 10. We will only heere set downe one example of a corruption to be found in Caluins, Beza in c. [...]. ad Heb. v. 7. & in [...] mai [...]ore Catech sm. Calu. c. 16. [...]it. sect. 10 in [...]ine. Bezas, and all the Geneua Bybles. And this corruption is for­ged a purpose by them to confirme a new and notable blasphemy against Christ and himselfe, by some apparent testimony of Scripture, for they reach in many places that Christ when he praied in the Garden was seized with an extreme feare,Beza in maiori Ca­techis. Vol. [...]. tract. Theol. least God being angry with him for our sinnes, for which he had taken vpon him to satisfy, should inflict vpon him eternall damnation, neyther did Christ feare with­out cause,pag. 657. [...]uxta edit. Geneuens. [...] 1582. apud. Eu­ [...]tathium Vignon. for they say he suffered vpon the Crosse the paynes of a damned person, & the tor­ments of hell; for these are the impions words of Caluin: Christ suffered in his soule the torments of a forlorne, and damned man: and Beza sayth, at what tyme Christ hang vpon the Crosse, he was in the middest euen of the tor­ments [Page 63] of hell, which is as much, as to say, that God himselfe was not only afraid of the torments of hell, but that he suffered and endured them, for it is euident that Christ was true God. But against these ab­surd paradoxes we are to dispute heer­after. It shall suffice heere to shew, that they haue depraued the holy Scripture, to [...] this their impious assertion, for wheras it is written in the fifth to the He­brewes,Heb. 5. v. 7. and 7. v. that Christ was heard of God for his reuerence, Caluin first, and after Beza, and all the Geneua Bybles, make the text to say, Christ was heard by reason of his feare, or because he was afraid, but that in the last Edition Beza hath added more words to the text,Beza an­not. ann [...] 1598. making it sound thus: His prayers being heard he was deliuered frō this feare. Moreouer Caluin in his commen­taris and Beza in his annotations seeke to proue out of this text, that Christ fea­red eternall damnation, & that he was deliue­red out of this feare by his prayers which he offered with teares: true it is that in the French Bybles lately printed at Geneua, the yeare 1 [...]05. they haue put in the mar­gent, vel pro sua reuerentia, where inforced by truth they manifestly contradict Caluin and Beza, who plainly deny that this place is so to be trāslated, yet least their in­constancy should be noted, they leaue [Page 64] the former words in the text (ayant esté exaucé [...] qu'il craignoit) that is in latin, exauditus est eo, vel in eo, quod timuit.

6. But all others as well Catholikes as their Aduersaries who haue written before Caluin, translate prosua reuerentia, vel propietate sua, as Erasmus, Bucer, the Tiguriues in their bibles of the yeare 1542. Nay Seba­stian Castalio for this cause sharply repre­hendeth Beza, Castal. in de [...]en. suae translati­ones [...]ibli. in [...]ine. who glorieth that Caluin was the first that found out this new ex­plication, in a note of his vpon this 7. v. se his editions of the yeare 1560. & 1565.

7. The third shift is, their false ex­position of the text though neuer so truly translated, for by diuers commentaries and little notes in the margent, they goe about to perswade the Readers the cleane contrary to that which is expressely in the text: see examples hereof in this Chapter in the latin edition.

THE fourth shift of our Aduersaries is to fly to figuratiue and metaphori­call speaches, for it is most true that was [Page 65] wit [...]ly obserued by S. Augustine. Aug. l. 3 de doctrin. a Christ. cap. 10. If (sayth he) the mind be preoccupated with any erroneous opinion, whatsoeuer the Scripture saith to the contrary, men take to be a figuratiue speach. And surely there is no kind of figuratiue speaking to which our Aduersaries at one tyme or another haue not recouse: but there are three figures of which our Ad­uersaries doe o [...]tenest serue themselues in deprauing the holy Scriptures, which are these, Me [...]onymia, Hyperbole, and Ironia, Metonymia is a figure very familiar with Caluin, Matt. 26. v. 26. Calu. l. 4. Instit. c. 17. sect. 21. for by it he peruerteth many places of Scripture, yea euen those playne words of Christ, this is my body: for hauing dispu­ted long about the sense of those words at last he concludeth thus: I omit (sayth he) Allegories and Parables, least any man should thinke that, I seeke euasions, a [...]d to go from the matter in hand, I say it is a Metonymicall speach. So Caluin.

2. By the figure Hyperbole our Aduer­saries shift of all those so euident testi­monies, by which wee proue that remis­of sinnes is obtayned of God by good works,Tob. 4. v. 11. as are these: Almes deliuereth from all sinne, Tob. 12. v. 9. and death, and suffereth not the soule to go into darknes. And againe, Almes deliuereth frō death, Eccl. 3. v. 33. & it is that that purgeth sinne & maketh vs find mercy & life euerlasting. Moreouer water putteth out a burning fier, and Almes resisteth sinne: [Page 66] for the Lutherans say, that all these are Hyper­bolicall speaches. Apol. con­fess. Augu­stanae tit. de iustif. Beza also seeketh to extenuat by the figure Hyperbole that which the A­postle writeth in the praise of the Roman Church, Rom. 1. v. 8. Beza ibid. when he sayth, your haith is preached all ouer tse world. Caluin in like manner by the same figure not only depraueth many places of the auncient Fathers,Lib. 4. In­stit. c. 14. sect. vlt. but will needes force Christ himselfe without any need at all, to speake Hyperbolically. And fi­nally Philip Melancthon goeth about by the figure Ironia to delude those manifest wordes of Christ,Calu. in c. 6. Matt. v. 16. & in c. 24. v. 82. that which remayneth, giue Almes, Luc. 11. v. 41. Phil. in apol. Con­fess. Aug. tit. de iustif. and behold all thinges are cleane vnto you. For Philip contendeth that Christ spake not those words in earnest, but in iest, which he tooke from Erasmus, as he did many other things, but Caluin and Beza confesse,Erasmus in ānot. Luc. Calu. & Beza in illa verba S. Luc. that this is a foolish Ironia. Albeit they also peruert the same wordes another way, for they restrayne the word omnia, only to meate.

3. The fift shift is, when Catholiks alledge plaine places of Scripture which admit no figure, to say that the Scripture, yea euen Christ himselfe did speake ex­actly, but after a grosse and popular man­ner, the meaning is, that he speaketh only probably, and not solidly. For example sake when wee proue that the Sacrament of the Eucharist excelleth the Manna of the [Page 67] Iewes by these wordes of Christ,Ioan. 6. v. 48. & 49. your Fa­thers indeed haue eaten Manna and are dead, this is the bread descending from heauen, that if any man eate of it he dye not, Caluins answere is, that Christ accommodated his speach to the grosse conceipt or opinion of the Iewes. l. 4. In­stit c. 14. sect. 25. When we proue the Exorzismes of the Church, by which she casteth out diuells, to be holy, because Christ sayth, one Diuell will not cast out another, Caluin answereth, we must remember (sayth he) that when Christ v­seth such prouerbes, Calu. in il­lum v. 25 Matth. 12. as are in vse among the people, he vseth them only, as probable coniectures, and not as solid proofes. So he. No meruaile ther­fore, if our Aduersaries say our argu­ments are not solid, seeing they write so much of Christs owne arguments.

4. Their sixt shift is, to answere to such plaine testimonies as are alledged out of Scripture against their errors, that the Scripture speaketh not simply, that is to say, not truly, but according to the false opinion of them, ag [...]inst whom it hath to do, which indeed is nothing els, but to deny the Scripture. This is an vsuall shift of Caluin who interpreteth to dispute by contention, Cal. l. 2. in­stit. c. 1 [...]. sect. 7. to be all one, as to disput not ac­cording to our owne mind, but according to their error, and foolish affection who obscure the light of the Ghospell. So as when we proue that our Sacraments ex­cell [Page 68] the Sacraments of the old law,Coloss. 2. v. 17. be­cause S. Paul sayth, that the ceremonies of the Iewes were shaddows of things to come, but Christ the body it selfe. And againe, that the Sacrifices of the law could not make perfect according to con­science▪ Heb. 9 v. 9 & 13. but serued only to sanctification & cleansing of the flesh: and [...] that they could not take away sinne. Heb. 10. v. 11. To all these places Caluin an­swereth,Cal. l. 4. Instit. c 14. sect 25. we are, sayth he, to obserue diligently that the Apostle S. Paul in all these places speaketh, not simpliciter, sed per contentionem, which what it is to say, we haue interpreted out of Caluin before.

THEIR seauenth shift is when they are vrged with expresse words of Scripture to say that they are to be vnderstood before men, and not before God, or in truth. This shift Caluin and Beza vse often, for thus they rid themselues of these places, Euery branch that bringeth not forth fruite, in me, he will cut off▪ Ioa [...]. 15. v. 2. Calu. Ibid. Caluin h [...]re cōtendeth that the euill which belieue in God are in Christ only in the estimation of men▪ and not indeed: whereof it followeth, that the words of Christ are thus to be vnderstood, to wit, that the euill [...] indeed to men to be in Christ, but are not so in truth.

[Page 69] 2. That place also of S. Iames, Iacob. 2. 24 Beza Calu & ill [...] v [...]rba. Man is iustified by workes, and not by fayth alone, is inter­preted by Caluin and Beza, and almost all other our Aduersaries of iustification only be­fore men, & not before God. See more exāples in this Chapter in the latin edition.

3. The eight shift is, when they know not what to answere, to say it is an impro­per speach, and by this occasion to change the words of the Scripture into other words of their owne forging. For when we c [...]te the words of Christ in which a re­ward is promised to fasting and prayer, Caluin turneth them of,Calu▪ in c. 6. Matt. v. 4. with this answere, when Christ, sayth he, promiseth a reward from God [...] fasting, he speakes improperly, as is sayd a litte before. Cōcerning prayer, likewise whe [...] to proue free will we alledge those wor [...]s of Christ, Matt. 12 v. 33. Calu. ibid. to wit, make the tree good, Cal­uin a [...]swereth, it is an improper speach.

THEIR ninth shift is, when the words of Scripture are so playne and manyfest, that they cannot o­therwise escape, they say at last, that [...]e Scripture commendeth vnto vs a thing impossi [...]e: and to make this shift more pro­bable [...]hey corrupt the text by adding the parti [...] (si) as if the Scripture spake con­ditionally, [Page 70] and not absolutely, for when we cite the places of Scripture in which life euerlasting is promised to such as keepe Gods commandments,Matt. 19. v. 17. as when Christ saith, if thou wilt enter into life, keepe the commandments; Luc. 10. v. 28. And againe, do this and thou shalt liue. The answere of Caluin and Beza is,Calu. in 19. Matt. v. 17. that Christ in these words speaketh of a thing impossible. Caluin vpō the former place writeth thus: Some of the aunciēt Father [...], saith he, haue interpreted this place amisse, as do the Pa­pists after them, as if Christ should teach [...]hat we cold deserue life euerlasting by keeping the law. And a little after he concludeth saying: This an­swere of Christ is according to the old law, to wit that no man can be accounted iust before God, but he who [...]hall satify the law, which is impossible. And vpon the later place he writeth this,Calu in c. 16. Luc. v. 28. it is impossible, sayth he, to fulfill what the law com­maundeth, Lib. 3. In­stit. c. 17. sect. 7. yea it is a principall axione with Caluin. & a cōmō āswere to al such [...]laces. A legal promise, saith he, ānexed to a condtion im­possible proueth nothing, & thus with s [...]ch im­possibilities he dallieth with vs, & wth the holy Scripture it selfe: so far forth, [...]s they dare affirme, that the Apostle in one Chap­ter auoucheth vnto vs seauen times thinges impossible: Calu. & Beza. in c. [...]. ad Rom. for wheras the Apostle in the 2. cap. of the Ep. to the Rom. and 6. affir­meth first, that God will render t [...] euery one according to his workes, the inter­prete [Page 71] the place thus, that God will indeed giue to mē according to their good works it there were any such, but that no man can do any good worke before God.Beza in c. ad Rom. v. 6. annot. [...] ­edit. annis 1550. 1564. 1565. Is there any man, saith Beza, that shalbe able to bring these workes which the Apostle saith shalbe rewarde [...] with eternall life? And wheras in the seauēth v. the Apostle saith, that God doth render life euerlasting to such as seeke the same by the pa­tience of good works, their answere is, that he insinuateth a thing impossible, and that no man can do any good worke before God, no not the iu­stest man, which is not worthy of eternall damnatiō. VVhosoeuer, Calu. l. 3. Instit c. 19 [...] sect. 4. saith Caluin, haue made the greatest progresse before all others in the way of the Lord, if they cast their [...]yes vpon the Lord God, what worke soeuer they attempt or go about, they see into be accursed. And surely [...] for my part, could easily belieue that such is the progresse of our aduersaries in the way of our Lord▪ See the rest of the Apostles places in the la­tin edition.

2. The tenth & last shift is the wresting of diuers wordes to a wrong sense, and to inuent sundrie different vnderstandings of the wordes, to build vpon it many interpre­tations neuer heard of before, and for a finall Conclusion to say,Luc. 22. v. 19. the place is ob­scure, and therfore proueth nothing. For example heerof, those most euident words of Christ, this i [...] my [...] with is giuen for you, [Page 72] may suffice: for some of thē wrest the pro­nowne hoc, others the word est, others the word corpus, others the pronowne meum, others the relatiue quod, others the preposi­ti [...]n pro, others the pronowne he vobis and o­thers the Verbe datur, and [...] word they wrest diuers waies, so as one more then thirty yeares ago,Anno 2577. hath gathered out of their writinges two hundred expositions of these few wordes of Christ, of which [...] Xa­inctes [...] particularly 84. And that they are both many, and different, yea repugnant, wherwith they labour to make ob [...]cure these wordes of our Saui­our, no man can doubt. See another ex­ample in the latin edition. And it is wor­thy of the noting, that in all these shi [...]fs they serue themselues of other places of Scripture, to proue what they say: wherby it may appeare how easy a thing it is, to corrupt the Scripture by other places of Scripture, but that the prouidēt and dayly ca [...]e of the holy Catholike Church opposeth it self against such cor­ruptions, [...]. ad Tim. v. 25. Matth. [...]8. worthily therfore called the Pillar and firmament of truth, against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile.