nedefull God woulde haue sent it to the Eunuche to Saule and to Cornelius in the viij ix and x. of thactes but there ye reade that god sent them teachers Philip Anany and Peter and not the scripture whiche hadde been but in vayne as appeareth by the Eunuches sayinge howe shall I vnderstaÌ„de scripture by reading except I be taught Whervpon S. Hierom sayth Ego vt de me loquar nec saÌ„ctior suÌ„ hoc eunucho nec studiosior quâ—cuÌ„ librum teneret c. ignorabat tamen eum queÌ„ in libro nesciens venerabatur O howe manye this daye muche more ignoraÌ„t then Theunuche will take in hande onelye with their English boke to open mysteries bothe to theyr owne destruction and others The xxiij probation Our men wyll nothinge but theyr english booke but the holy man Ireneus which dyd see S Iohans disciple or as some affirme whiche was scholer to S. Iohans disciple named Policarpus doeth testifie that we must folowe the order of the traditions whiche the forefathers dyd leaue vnto them vnto whoÌ„ they committed the cure of Christes people vnto whiche ordinaunces the very heathens sayth he comming to Christes stocke did obey hauing their belefe written by the sprit of God in theyr hartes and not writen with ynke in velom or perchement What shal we say then to theym whiche yet bewaile their Iewish scriptures plucked besyde the postes and walles onlye desyre theyr scripture with inke and paper in the booke As for saluation only wryten in the hart by the holy spirit it should seme they passe not of The .xxiiij. probation The heathen Philosopher would not youth to be the medlers with moral philosophy bycause they were vnapte therunto eyther to be Iudges therof or to take any profyt thereby and he ment not only youthe in yeares but also in maners a childe saieth Esaie of an hundâ—eth yeares old shal dye Esay lxv What then shal we saie shal we admit vnto the haÌ„dling of our heaueÌ„ly philosophy whome the heathen thought vnmete vnworthy to handle theyr lerning whiche was but prophane woulde not the Iewes permitte all ages to the reading of all the bokes in the olde testament and shall we christen men doe it wyll we be worse then the Iewes Yea worse theÌ„ the prophane ethnickes and more out of order O Lord be mercifull vnto vs. The .xxv. probation It was neuer admitted though somtymes permitted in any place of christenedome scripture to continew in the vulgar tongue but only in tyme of scisme or heresy shall it nowe then be suffred to continew any longer in this realme so many mischefes yssewyng therout as haue done daily increasing these many yeares and would do styl more and more The .xxvi. probation When it is in the vulgar tonge the comen sorte play with Gods worde as the deuyll did disputing with Christ brought Gods worde but to a wronge purpose Christ said man lyueth not only by breade but by euery worde that procedeth fourth of Gods mouth The deuill spake Gods worde but it was not fourth of Gods mouth so did the olde Prophete of Bethell speake Gods word iii. Reg. xiii but not out of Gods mouthe Likewise did the CCCC iii. Re. xxii Prophetes whiche deceyued Achab. All sorcerers witches and coÌ„iurers vse gods worde but not oute of Gods mouthe so haue all heretikes in tymes past and doe at this day But when is it Gods worde furthe of Gods mouthe Howe shall we know or proue that Euer when it is spoken according to the consent faythe of the catholike churche For very scripture doeth shewe that the trew vnderstandynge of Goddes worde and that is furth of gods mouth spoken is euer to be soughte in the catholike churche for the catholike church alone hath euer the true sense of scripture whiche is for that cause called of S. Paule the pyller and foundation of all trueth i. Timo. iii. wherein also for this cause God ordeyned some apostles some Euangelistes Ephes iiii some Prophetes and teachers styl to coÌ„tinue lest we shoulde be ouerthroweÌ„ with blastes of errour And therfore Ireneus wttnesseth Iren. li. 3. cap. 3. and longe after him S. Augustine that the trewe meaning of scripture is to be hadde by the triall of the succession of the holye bishoppes and fathers since Peters time in the see of Rome which thinge caused S. Augustine to say I would not beleue the ghospell if thautoritie of the churche caused me not so to doe Aug. in epist fund So that we must beleue that hath been receyued of all men at all times and in all places of christendome and we muste leane to thantiquitie to the generalitie and consent of the fathers and the true sense and meanyng of scripture must euer be proued and tried oute herby How be it to none of this our new men wil agre because it whollye maketh agaynst theÌ„ but thei euer do studie to bring al into question to deny al general councels all ordinaunces decrees canons and expositours vpoÌ„ scripture And much of this disorder thenglish Bible doeth cause wherfore me thinke it maye not well be permitted to continue The xxvij probation Can it be chosen but so long as all people haue the Byble in English at their pleasure there shal euer be some amonge them readie ministers of the deuyl to dispute reason and teache the residue to the vtter destruction of all deuotion and good order And yet amonge them selues they shall saye the cause is they can not be taught truelye of the preachers abrode And hereby heresye shal be sowed plentifullye and Gods worde pitifullye abused vnder a colourable defense therof Thei shal say o the Ghospell ought not to be kept from christen men and that is verye trueth it oughte to bee taught them and preached vnto them but not to teache them selues for wrastynge it amisse The xxviij probation It is the occasion of manye heresies to haue the scripture in the vulgar tongue Howe be it heresie dyd neuer spring furth of scripture but only of the peruerse vnderstandynge of scripture sayeth Hilarius Hilar. lib. ij de triuitate And yet then seing the rude ignoraÌ„t sort be euer prone peruersly to wrast the scriptures we muste thinke that to haue scripture in english is to minister occasioÌ„ to the coÌ„mon sorte to fall into errours· that it so shall doe appeareth by that they be not hable to weye nor beare the mysteries nor to vnderstand the tropes and allegories whiche the greate learned men ofte are scant hable well to digeste howe much lesse the cobler carter or coryer The xxix probation Hilarius vpon In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua Sheweth that the high mysteries oughte not to be publyshed abrode amonge all people It is good saieth he to hyde the kynges priuetie and secret And s Paul saith he was aferd to fede the people with any other but with mylke Math. xiii Christ in the gospell telleth of
ninth probation The vniuersal church of Chrst did neuer allowe nor approue Scripture to bee in the vulgare tongue weying the manifolde inconueniences that haue issued thereof but euer from tyme to tyme amonge other errours did tread that doune suppresse it If we therfore according to the article of oure Crede beleue the vniuersal Churche we must not admit the scripture to be in our Englishe tongue knowing that as S. Ciprian sayeth that whiche hathe been done and ordeyned by the church the holye ghost being the guyde is of as great weyght as that whiche was done by Christ him selfe The tenth probation Scripture is couÌ„ted to be somtimes meate somtimes drinke Greg. lib. i. moral drinke in light places meate in obscure places which in expouÌ„dinge is as it were eaten being broken It was not therefore withoute great mysterie that Christ caused the Apostles to breake the breade to the multitude of the people whom he fed with v. loaues signifiynge the spirituall breakynge of the bread of the soule amonge the people euer to bee done by the ministers diligentlye and that it should not be complayned vpon by the Prophet Hierem. Thren iiii sayinge my children haue desired bread and there was none to breake it to them and likewise by Amos there is a great hunger sayeth he not of lacke of bodily foode but of hearinge the worde of God And also by Esay the nobles did perish for lacke of mete and the multitude for lacke of drinke Esay v. By these it maye well appeare that the common people shoulde not presume to expounde the scriptures theÌ„ selues nor to be iudges therof whiche yet they wyll doe as experience sheweth yf they haue it in the vulgar tongue Therfore away with it The eleuenth probation There be diuers and sundrie senses in the scripture as bothe Origen and Augustine doe declare whiche be not for euerye simple brayne to finde out Orig. homil 2. â— 11. in Ge. Aug. de vtilitate cre ad honor cap. 3. The mysterie oft is hidde the well of scripture is depe puteus altus est euery ones strength is not hable to drawe vp the water of lyfe furth of the botome of it Therfore the welle muste be couered lest the yonglinges fall into it and so be drowned The xii probation Paule thought not the Corinthians hable to haue the mysteries opened vnto them i. Cor. iii. saying I feede you with milke yet our most ignorant people wyll murmur if they may not fede theÌ„ selues with the highest mysteries of all euen in theyr owne natiue language Paule sâ—â—th he fedde the Corinthians as younge children whiche yf they fede theÌ„ selues wyl defile slober their clothes And do not these nowe in oure dayes defile theyr weddinge garmente with presuming to feede them selues with spiritual fode of the soule And marke here I prai you that it was not without cause that Paul vsed here this similitude seinge children not suffered to fede them selues ofte strike the meate throughe frowardnes furth of the nources hande ofte forsake it and tourne awaye euen as doe styl the wicked whiche woulde feede them selues spirituallye with the englishe translation of scripture to theyr vtter poysoning after the maner of children which being permitted to fede them selues may gather vp poyson or venâ—m and fede thereon not that I meane that in scripture shoulde be any poyson but that a medicine ministred by the Phisitian oft healeth which takeÌ„ by your selfe not knowinge how where nor when to take it poysoneth and kylleth The Bee and the Spider gather on one floure the one honye the other poyson the floure ministring no occasion thervnto but onely their owne natures Where vpon S. Augustine sayeth Aug. in psal xlviij omnia diuina eloquia salubria suÌ„t bene intelligentibus periculosa ijs qui eam voluÌ„t ad sui cordis peruersitatem detorquere all holye scriptures be holsome and moste profitable to them that vnderstande them aright but they be perilous to al suche whiche wyll wrast them after the frowardnesse of theyr owne heartes O lorde howe manye haue wrasted the scripture amisse throughe the wicked libertie of hauinge it in Englishe these many yeares The xiii probation Christ sayd to the Saduces ye do erre not vnderstaÌ„ding the scriptures Math. xxii Ioseph lib. 2. de bel Iud. et li. 18. de antiquit the cause was that thei receyued no interpreters vppon scripture not muche vnlike vnto our men which only with the Englishe translation though it be neuer so false so corrupt and dampnable woulde take vpon them the full vnderstandynge of scriptures The .xiiii. probation Saincte Peter testified as it is in my fyrste chapter that many thynges in S. ii Pet. iii. Paules epistles were hard to be vnderstand which the vnlearned did then peruert to theyr destruction as they dyd other places of scriptures And yet for all this dare our vnlearned men be styll desyrous to haue the same scriptures in theyr owne speache to peruerte to they re owne condemnation The xv probation Dyd Christ ofte testifie that it was not for euery one too knowe the high mysteries and yet dare the blynde so presume styll onely with theyr English translation It was not wtout great cause that Christ woulde not his mysteries to be published to al people For the comen sort neuer vsed them well And therfore many hyghe mysteries there be sayth S. Basyl which neuer were wrtten but in the heart of the elect And. S. Hierom vpon Labia sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam Malach. ii sayeth that the ministers of Christes Churche whose duty is to teach the scripture must not styll vtter but kepe Tertull. in lib. de praescript haeret in medio libri tribuit omnibus apostolis arcana cognoscere quae ignobili vulgo noÌ„ licuit â–ª that in tyme and place it may be published Theyr office is this to do not for euery maÌ„ to searche the secretes Christe wold not euery one to be a medler when he sayde to his disciples it shall be youre office to know the mysteries and to Nicodeme Art thou a Master in Israell and knowest not this gere as who should saye it belongeth to teachers to be rype in scriptures and for other to be hearers iiii Esd xii God said to Esdras speakyng and declaring hygh misteries put these secretes surely vp and teache theym to the wise meÌ„ that be hable to vnderstande theym iiii Esd iiii as for the lewde he rebuketh theym as vnmete to knowe suche highe secretes and mysteries Euery Idiote can beare stones to the building of a house and lay a hepe together but none can couche theym as they ought to be in theyr places but the mason euery foole can reade and bable of the scripture but only the godly learned teachers can play the spirituall masons parte in couchyng the lyuely stones in the spirituall buylding of Christes house The .xvi. probation God sayth by Malache
expositions together Hereby plainly appereth that with the Englishe Bible alone though it were trewly translated man coulde not be brought fully into the trew meaninge of Gods word But we se and wel perceyue that thousandes haue ben brought from the trew meaning of goddes worde throughe the Englishe Byble therefore awaye with it It hathe kilde to many soules alredy GOD best knoweth whom I beseche sende a spedy redresse The .vi. Chapitre Scripture ought not to be in the vulgare tonge that al men without restraynt may rede it Fyfty probations of this assertion The first Probation I Neuer heard nor red that GOD would hys people to haue the booke amonge themselues to towse or type at their pleasure God gaue the booke to Hieremye and bad him rede to the people that whyche he had written Hier. xxxvi Esay viii GOD bad Esai take the Booke to him for the same purpose Yea and it was not without great mysterie that God bad Ezechiell fyrst eate the Booke Ezech. iii. and then rede it in thaudience of all the people Dan. xiii Agayne Moyses gaue the booke to the Leuites to kepe and rede to the people iiii Re. xvii and in kinge Iosaphattes time the Priestes and Leuites did read the booke and teche the people like as did also afterwarde Elchias the Priest Sapha the Scribe Esdras did sundry times take the booke read it to the people iiii Re. xxii ii pa. xxxliii ii Esd viii and .xiii. iii. Esd ix Bar. i. Hier. xxxvi they diligentlye hearinge him And Baruch the Prophet redde the booke to the kinge and to the people they geuing eare vnto him Luc. iiii Yea Christ our maister toke the booke of the Prophet for this cause and red and expounded to the people his doing herein was for our example Wherby we may easely lerne that all people should not haue the Scryptures in their owne handlinges at their pleasure as they haue had these dosen yeres past to their vtter spirituall destruction The seconde Probation God sente Ionas to preache to Niniue Ion. i. iii. he sente not a booke writtē to euery one of the Niniuites to reade them selues God sayde by Hieremy speakynge of the time of the Gospell that the time should come he wold write his law in thartes of his people Hier. xxxi So that the writtinge of tholde law in tables of stone signifieng the stony hartes of the Iewes is not to be reioysed at but rather to be lamēted to be ashamed of knowinge that Scrypture was only wryttē for sinne els neuer had ben written but only in the heart of mā It was three thousande yeres after the creation of the world before the olde lawe was written and yet then only writtē for wickednes and synne It was also a longe space after the ascension before the new Testament was written some parte at one tyme and some at an other and yet euery parte only writen for synne and scisme so that the simple ignoraunt people this wel considered ought not to be so desyrous of the scripture written as they ought to be desyrous to heare the trew meanyng of scripture for that onlye is the scripture and the gospell of Christe For sayth S. Hierom. Euangelium non est in scriptura sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis The gospell is not in the wryting but in the sense it is not in the outwarde apperaunce but in the inward meanyng it is not in the leaues of the bokes but in the ghostly vnderstandynge Christ neuer bad goe write his gospell or holye worde but badde preache it Then yf thou hast an humble heart and canst but reade the englysh Bible thinke thou must haue it taught thee and not to take it thy selfe Saye as the Eunuche dyd to Philip Actes viii howe can I vnderstand it except I be taught Christe did preache ofte to the people Math. iiii v but he wrote not to them at all and he sent his disciples and bad them preache to the people his ghospel Mark .i. Luc. viii Math. x. and .xxviii. Mar. vi iii.xvi Luc. ix xxiiii Luc. xii and then they went and preached but he bad them not write at all That whiche ye haue hearde sayeth he in secrete places shal be preached on the toppes of the houses he said not it shal be written in youre churches as it hathe been Iewishly vsed on late here in Englande nor written in Bybles to be read of euerye one in hys mother tongue and set vp for that purpose in euerye churche Peter sayeth the holye fathers did speake Gods worde by the holye ghost ii Pet. i. he telleth nothinge of writyng it Math. xxvi Christe where he spake of the memorial of Mary Magdalene saide whersoeuer this ghospell shal be preached c. He sayde not whersoeuer this Ghospell shal be written Mark .i. Luc. iii. Iohn Baptist preached muche but where did he either write or commaund to be written Mat. xxiiii Christe ofte promised that hys Ghospell shoulde bee preached in all the worlde Mar. vi Luc. x. And therfore sent fourth bothe the apostles and the lxxij disciples and all godly preachers euer since so that none canne preache except he be sent Rom. x. But in no place we rede that he bad go write his ghospel I can not then but meruayl that men to their owne confusion are so desierous to haue the scripture in their mother tongue O howe oft speaketh Paule and S. Peter also of preachinge the ghospell Rom. x.xv. In the Epistle to the Romaynes in either Epistle to the Corinthians i. cor ix xv ii Cor. i. xi Gal. i. iiii.v Ephes ii Phillip i. Col. i. i. Thes ii i. Tim. ii iii ii Tim. iiii Act. ix xv.xx i. Pet. iii iiii Act. vix xv Luc. x. Math. vii Luc. xi Actes x. Actes xix to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossiās to the Thessalonians to Tymothe and in Thartes And S. Peter also bothe in his first Epistle also thrise in thactes Besides this Martha is praysed in the Ghospell for hearyng Christes worde taughte and Christ in his sermō in the moūt saieth he that heareth my word and doeth it not he that readeth it or writeth it shal be like ned to the wise man buildynge vpon the rocke c. And agayne blessed be they that heare gods worde and kepe it and as it is in the Actes when Peter preached the holy ghost fell vpon al that heard him yea and they of Asia were praised for hearynge Gods word But wher I pray you haue you of writynge it for all men to read Howe be it the onelye drifte as I thynke of all suche as obstinatly sticke to haue the scripture in writing in the vulgar tongue is therby to be Iudges of the sense of scripture them selues contrarye to
the vniuersall churche of Christ But therfore it may not be suffered The thirde probation THrough the damnable libertie of hauinge it in the vulgar tongue haue not all holye mysteries been despised Haue they not therby vtterly condemned all that hathe not been expressed in the letter of their Englishe Byble Haue they not made vs worse hereby then the Iewes To take all mysteries from vs excepte they be expressed in their Englishe â–ª The Iewes durst not expresse the highe name of God Iehoua But what mysterie durste not our men medle withal Yea reason turne tosse at their pleasure The Iewes had Cabala their tradition left among them by Moyses without writynge receyued as it were by hande from generation to generation concernynge the mysticall sense included in the wordes of scripture But through this damnable heresye our men haue whollye condemned all that is not expressed in the letter of theyr Englishe And yet S. Iohn sayde I had manye thinges to write vnto you neuerthelesse I woulde not write with paper and ynke but I truste to come and speake with you mouthe to mouth Aug. ad Ianu. yea and S. Augustine sayeth quae non sunt scripta sed tradita custodimus quae toto terrarum orbe obseruantur we kepe and obserue not only such thinges as be written but also traditions not written whiche be obserued in all places of christendome Agayne yf ye wil nothinge to be Gods word but that whiche is expressed in the letter written what say ye then to Moyses Were not the wordes of God spoken to him gods worde tyll they were written Wer not the wordes of God spoken to the Apostles gods word tyl they were written Christ in sayinge to Peter blessed arte thou c Mat. xvi declareth that that high mystery came into S. Peters heart as to the prince of Chap postles onelye by secret inspiration and not by the worde written And so doeth lykewise this that neyther Euangelist nor Apostle did euer by writing sende the faith to anye nation but where they were firste informed by preaching For faith commeth by hearynge sayeth Paule and not by writynge Rom. x. Furthermore Paule bad the Thessalonians as I sayde kepe the traditions whiche he had geuen them by mouth ii Thes ii because the wordes that he spake to the people by mouth our lord and vsed aboute the sacrament of the Altar or about the sacrament of baptisme who can shew the reason fully of all the wordes gestures orders questions and aunsweres there vsed And yet all these wee haue receiued of Christ and his Apostles Thus muche sayth Origene And here marke I beseche you of Origenes woordes whiche was liuiÌ„g wtin lxxxx yeres after saint Iohn the Euangelist that many suche traditions were left by Christ his Apostles which bee not in the Byble expressed and yet to be obserued of all faythful Catholike people Beside this what they wyl saye to manye thinges moe not expressed in Scripture and yet vnder the payne of damnation to be beleued I cannot tel as to the Baptim of infantes the .iii. persons in Trinitie to be of equall power and of one essence that God the Father is ingenitê° not begot the procedinge of the holye gost from the father the Sonne the deity equalitye of the Holy Goste with the father and the Sonne the obseruynge of the Sonday the order of our Crede the continuance of the virginite of our Lady that she is Theorocos mater dei the mother of God the receyuinge the Sacrament of thalter fasting the mixtinge water with wyne in the Chalice the Sonne to be consubstantial with the father that Christes soule descended in to hel the making of the signe of the Crosse the numbre of the Sacramentes that there be .ii. natures in Christe knit together in vnitate diuine supposite that Soules departinge hens streyght wayes haue the fruitioÌ„ of the deitye And that men and women haue power to ministre the Sacrament of Baptym It is not expressed in scripture neyther by commaundement couÌ„sell licence or example what they will say to this gere I wot not but this one thynge I am wel assured of that hauiÌ„g the Scripture in Englishe hath brought tholy mysteries of God into contempte and hatred Where as the wisedome of God as S. Basil despiritu sâ—Ì„cto cap. xxvij Basill testifieth neuer wolde all the misteries of our faith to be put in writing thereby to be a laughinge stocke both to the Iewes and Gentils For if Christe himselfe were counted a sclaunder to the Iewes and folishnes to the Heathens how muche rather shal the high mysteries of our fayth so be counted being most harde to be perceyued †Mysterium noÌ„ est quod ad populares aures effertur patrâ—s ergo in occuâ—to ac silentio misterijs suam seruauere dignitateÌ„ Basi xxvii de spuÌ„ sancto Agayne it is not a mystery sayeth he that is open to euery man or that is blowen in to euery mans eare Tholy Fathers euer kept tholy misteryes in most secrecy reuerencyng the dignitie therof S. Dionise Dioni cap. i. in celes hierarch Iren. lib. 3. ca 4 Epiphan coÌ„tra AeriuÌ„ Tertul de cor mili Orig homil v in num Cypri de Lot peduÌ„ Hila in psal ij Ireneus Epiphanius TertuliaÌ„ Origen Ciprian and Hylari with one consent do firmelye establisshe this agaynste the approuers of thenglisshe translacions Yea and S. Basill dothe affirme that there be so manye mysteries without Scripture whiche must be credited that he can in no small time recite them al Deficier me dies inquit si ecclesiae mystria citra scriptuÌ„ tradita pergam recensere Howe can it then be that the Englisshe Bible can continue many such meÌ„ taking occasion thereby to condemne al holy mysteries receiued by the Catholyke Churche euen from the begynninge S. Iohn testienge that so many moe thinges wer done that the whole world were not hable to conteme all if they were wrytteÌ„ And s Paule bidding the Thessalonians as ye haue hearde obserue all his tradicions receyued by mouthe not by writyng sayeth Theophilact and yet aswel to be beleued as thother Yea and in the time of s Peter Linus Cletus Anacletus Clement Euaristus c. S. Iohns Gospell was not written but these men wyll nothing to be beleued but onlye that whiche is in their Englishe Byble so that all that time the Christians by this their iudgement should not haue ben bouÌ„d to beleue that whiche is now in S. Iohns Gospel bycause then it was not written Howe be it al faythfull people beleue that the Churche of Christe taught aboue .lx. yeres after Christes ascension all that is now in S. Iohns Gospell beinge yet not then written In the time our mother the Churche was a virgin I meane not corrupt nor adulterate with sundry heresies there were almost no scriptures of the new Testament in Paper and Inke All the monitions wordes and workes of Christe
were then writen in the hertes of the faythfull but sone after when through synne it begāne to wax colde then was writing for the simples sake to preserue theyr faith and yet that not withstanding the authorite of the church the fundacion of all treuth of as greate strenght as it was before the new testament was all writen For were there not heretikes I pray you which denyed diuerse bokes of scripture as Martion and other wherewith were they subdued euyn with verities not written Marke wel that Moyses saith Origene greatly passed not for the letter writen when he dyd breake the tables nor Christe when he sayd to the Iewes the scripture shal be takē from you spake of the letter whiche they kepe styl but of the sense Wherfore awaye with the englishe damnable translation and lette them lerne the mysteries of god reuerently by hert and lerne to geue as muche credit to that whiche is not expressed as to that which is expressed in scripture Knowing that in .iij. pointes thautoritie of the churche is aboue the aucthoritie of scripture One is in fortifieng verities not writen to be necessary to saluation as plainly appeareth by manye verities in this probation another is for that the church receyued the gospels of Luke and Marke whiche Marke neuer saw Christ and did reiecte the Gospels made by his high Apostels Thomas and Bartilmew as for the gospell of Nicodeme which yet was familiar with Christe I speake not of The thyrde is bycause the church in all doubtfull causes and matters of controuersie must euer be iudge of the trew sense of scripture For she alone hath euer the true sēse of scripture So that by her authoritie onely Ireneus did conuince Valētin Tertulian Mertion Origen Celsum Ciprian Nouatum Nicen councell the Arians Hierom Iouinian and Augustine the Donatistes with many other And no meruell for so muche Christ him selfe made his Churche the Iudge ouer scripture when he sent the Apostels disciples to preache sayeng He that heareth you heareth me And also when he sayd Who so would not heare the Churche should be reputed and taken as an Ethnycke or Publican Seyng then that God thus appointed who wyll refuse to seke the trew vnderstandynge of scripture at that iudge whome Christ appointed hymselfe Surely none but selfe willie heretykes And here nowe to speake a worde or two of the Saboth and of mixtinge water wyth wine in the chalice whereof I should haue spoken before when I recited manye verities not written and firste concernynge the Saboth Albeit the matter of the precept be morall and the daye legal so that it myght be chaunged yet the church would neuer haue done that without speciall ordinaunce of God beinge made iudge in the cause And likewise it is to be sayde of mixtinge water wyth wyne in the chalice The Ghospel speaketh of wine onely tourned into Christes precious bloude who durste then mixte water therewith But the church is so assured of Goddes pleasure therein without any scripture that they dare not only put in water but also dare not leaue it oute And wherby knewe the church these thinges but by Christe and hys holy Apostles whiche taught in their time And so in these thinges and manye other moe went it furth from age to age continuinge in the churche tyll thys daye begonne by Christ in the beginninge withoute mention made in scripture written The .iiij. probation Some desire to haue it in the englyshe tongue only for knowledge and this is but curiositie some only for vain praise this is but vain glory to be sene learned Some only to taunt poore priestes and other therewith and this is but deuelishnes so that for none of these it ought to be in english Nowe where some would desyre it in english only to be edified thereby for this desyre only is to be embrased treuth is they may be sufficiently edified by sermons and holsom doctrine of the scriptures expounded vnto theym by such as haue the key of knoweledge as ofte as they shall well requyre and herewith a godly minde wyl be content knowing that the contrary is against the catholyke church So that euin the good and catholyke people which would doe good and noo hurt with the Bible in english yet may not be permitted to kepe it in the english tōge partly lest the infirme and weake thereby should be offended eyther in misiudging or in taking example yf occasion serue to get the same libertie to theyr destruction and partly that no occasion be geuen therby to obstinate heretikes to murmur that they haue it not in english them selues as wel as thother And this answer I geue vnto theym which seme of a godlye zeale to say scripture ought to be in english for the vse and commoditie of such people as with an earnest zeale and deuoute study doo hunger and thurste the simple and plaine knowlege of Gods worde not for contentious bablyng but for innocent lyuyng not to be curious searchers of the high mysteries but to be faithfull doers of Gods byddyngs not to be troublous talkers of the Bible but sincere folowers of Gods preceptes therin conteyned not to be vnreuerent reasoners in holy scripture for vain settīg out of their painted sheathe but to be hūble and louly workers of Gods glory not to be curious disputers in the Gospell for the mayntenaūce of theyr inordinate lustes and carnall libertye but to be vpryghte walkers in holye conuersation of lyfe in the rule of the gospell prescribed The fyfte probation Hauyng the scripture in englysh they presume to know all the scriptures perfitly and that to theyr condemnation contrary to s Hieroms rule which is this Si non succedat idoneus interpres potius nescire oportet quam cum periculo discere c. Yf there be not one present that is mete to expounde the scriptures it is better not to know the mysteries then with ieoperdie and peryll to searche theim c. The syxte probacion The most parte of the people be euyll but Christe wolde none such should haue the handlyng of his secrettes as appereth by that he willeth precious stones not to be caste amongest swine nor holye breade to dogges Therfore scripture ought not so to be lefte that all without anye discretion or difference may hādle it at their pleasures whiche muste nedes be if it be sette at libertie in the vulgar tongue in euerye churche The seuenth probation The moste part of the people be ignoraunt not hable to discerne betwene the letter and the mystery but none suche be mete iudges in suche high matters yet none wylbe more bolde then blynde bayarde therefore the scripture must be kepte furth of the handling of all suche which cānot be if it cōtinue in English as it doth for all men to dispute of it that wyll The eight probation Is not the scripture ful of figures and tropes Shal it then be so lefte that euery one shal be iudge therof The
If Spiridion iustlye reprehended Triphillius but onelye for chaunginge of one worde in scripture cubile for lectuÌ„ what reprofe are our men worthye Lib. i. Tripere capit x. whiche chaunge many hundred wordes yea sentences and all If holy Basilius wold not suffer one syllable of scripture to be corrupted or altered lib. vii tripert cap. xxxvi but rather would haue suffered many deathes what shall we then say to the great and damnable corruption and alteration that hath been among our men If holy Basilius bad the Emperors coke medle with his cokerye let scripture alone tuuÌ„ est inquit de pulmeÌ„tarijs cogitare noÌ„ dog mata diuina de coquere lib. vij â—rip ca. xxxvi what woulde he haue sayde to oure men these yeres past The .l. probation Hauinge the scripture in Englishe causeth manye braynles bodies to dispute and reason they know not whervpon and euer to lay scripture for the wickedlye as al heretikes euer did where as in dede in reasoninge with suche scripture wyll not serue Tertull. de praescrip haerettcoruÌ„ et lib. iiij coÌ„tra Mâ—rtionem For as Tertullian saieth in disputing with an heretike we muste not flee to scriptures nor pitche our battel there for ther eyther neuer or els very hardly the victory shal be gotten Heretikes wylbe ouercome sayeth Sisinius vnto Nectarius in the storie of Socrates li. 9. trip ca. 19 neither with scriptures nor with disputations †Approbata ab â—cclesia noÌ„ oportet rursus rationibus fulcire etc. Nam queÌ„admoduÌ„ par est spiritui faÌ„cto et Cbristo diuinitas ita in suis institutis est aequa authoritas potestas Nec minus ratuÌ„ est quod eeclesia dictaÌ„te spiritu sancto tradidit quaÌ„ quod ipse tradidit Haec Cypri de Lot ped but only by the authoritie of the churche and by the traditions of the fathers elders So that beside the scripture written we muste receyue manye traditions not written many generall councels in whoÌ„ the holye ghost did speake and sundrie interpretations vpon scriptures made by the holy fathers beinge replenished wyth Gods spirite ¶ The conclusion of this simple discourse SEing now these probations which be euident against the scripture in Englishe seing also the great hardnes that is in scripture with the causes therof and how many waies the letter doth kyl And seing againe that the vniuersall churche of Christ hath vtterly forbid the scripture to be in the vulgare tongue consideryng the manyfolde inconueniences that ryse therof as great numbres of heresies disobedience and contempt of powers with fleshely libertie c. And finally seing that by no meanes so soone as by the scripture in english heresies do both spryng daily and be also mainteined wherin should good men be more diligent than in thexter patioÌ„ hereof wherfore it shal be euery faithful christians duetie being in authoritie to lay to his healping hande to the taking away quite that with al spede the Englishe translations with all hereticall Englishe bookes whiche no doubt haue been the greatest occasion of all the mischeifes we haue hadde in this realme of late dayes Through these our newe founde religion hath euer strongly been mainteined and vpholden Our new found religion I say which ye must nedes confesse to haue ben starke nought and damnable because the beginnyng was aduoutry the continuaunce extortion the ende plaine treason Yea euen from the beginning their procedinges for so they termed them beyng rather worthy the name of retrocedinges were styll from synne to synne Fyrst PeccatuÌ„ quod per paeniteÌ„tiaÌ„ noÌ„ deletur suo pondere ad aliud peccatuÌ„ grauius trabit Et hoc suppliciuÌ„ domini longe omniuÌ„ est grauissimuÌ„ quaÌ„dâ— vnuÌ„ peccatuÌ„ per aliud pâ—nitur quod peccatur quum in profundu â—enerit conteÌ„nit forsaking the head of the churche falling from the vnitie therof then despising all generall counselles all ordinaunces froÌ„ the beginning kept through out christendome After this spoyling pollyng pylling robbing and stealing all landes ornamentes goodes of the churche being more fearse then euer was Iulian thappostata without mercy or pitie And finally spytefully contemninge all the holy sacramentes with all censures and iudgementes of the churche and fathers vpon scripture only sticking to their own what pleased them to phansie O lorde was not this a tyme most miserable Iesu be mercyfull vnto vs and graunt vs neuer to fall againe into the lyke palpable darkenes ¶ Of Masse all other diuine seruice in the churche to be in Latine and not in the vulgare tongue ANd here note further I beseche you that like as it is nowe spoken of scripture not to be in English euen so is it ment that as vnlawful it is yea and more too if more may be that the high mysteries in the sacrifice of Masse or other diuine seruice should be in English where as the preist is a comon person and offereth vp for al the people beyng the meane betwene God and them so that his communication is to God and not to the people What cause is there then why diuine seruice should be in Englishe except ye thynke that God vnderstandeth no Latine Neither the Italians nor GreciaÌ„s haue diuine seruice in their vulgare tongue Moreouer at that tyme of diuine seruice all the comen people then present shuld onely put their whole affiauÌ„ce in fide maâ—ris ecclesiae in the fayth of oure mother the catholyke churche like as our beleif is in the baptisme of infantes Yea note further that it was not without great mystery the writyng of Christes tytle at his passion in Hebrewe Greke and Latine Also it was not without great mysterye that many wordes were neuer translated as Alleluya Osanna Amen Sabaoth Kirieleison c. And that Christ praied in secret silence alone the head for the whole bodie to signifie vnto vs thereby that the priestes office is likewise to doe the same the coÌ„mon minister for al the people being meane betwene God them As for that of Paule to the Corinthians i. Cor. xiiii which might appeare to the simple to make for theyr purpose to haue all in the vulgar tonge yf ye marke it well it is onely spoken for them whiche doe preache expounde or interprete scriptures in the church that is to saye that their sermons their expouÌ„dinges or interpretatioÌ„s of scriptures they beinge authorised therevnto must euer be made in that toÌ„ge whiche the hearers doe vnderstande and perceyue And this ye know well bothe is and euer hath ben vsed And therfore here now further A man might demaunde a questioÌ„ wherfore ye com to the Churche I suppose ye wyll saye as ye muste no doubte yf ye tell the treuthe that the chiefe intente of your comming is or ought to be to pray though sermoÌ„s and diuine seruice and the ministration of the holy sacramentes be causes also seing that Christe called the Church the house of prayer