holy scripture as by conference of places of the scripture 2 either the very same or the like in sense and phrase partly 3 from els where as of the common places of diuinitie 4 of the testimonie of the Church of the Grammar it selfe 5 specially the Hebrue and Greeke and good rules and 6 helpes are had from Rhetoricke and Logicke which teacheth vs to consider not onely of simple arguments set apart 7 but also of the disposition and connexion of arguments bound and knit together in Axiomes or propositions in syllogisme and methode For Logicke teacheth vs the coherence of Antecedents and consequents which serueth not a little for the vnfolding and opening of hard places And to passe ouer other things some little insight in Ethickes and Physickes c. may giue some helpe hereunto But aboue all things we must remember to put vp vnto God contiuall and feruent prayers to open and to enlighten our minds by his holie Spirit If men obserue these meanes for the interpretation and vnderstanding of the Scriptures and hard places of the Scripture we shal not lightly erre from the truth of God Here fume the aduersaries and endeuour to proue by The drift of Papists in affirming the scriptures to be obscure manie arguments that the Scriptures in themselues and of themselues are obscure euen in those places which are necessarie and appertaine to saluation to this end and purpose forsooth to withdraw mens minds from reading the Scriptures that they may attend and trust to their dreames and that they may obtrude their glosses on the Church euen what please them what for the most part they preferre before the text it selfe writhing as it were and drawing rather the text of Scripture to be their glosse then giuing any light of interpretation by or from the text it selfe And heere they contend against vs with testimonie first of the Scriptures themselues next of the Doctors and Fathers of the Church lastly with arguments of their owne all which may easily be answered if we obserue well the grounds before set downe It shall suffice vs now to heare onely one or two of their arguments refuted They demaund whether for these Scriptures now extant of the old and new Testament we haue no need of commentaries which are now in the world verie manie written by manie men I answer that the diuine Scriptures of themselues haue no need of the comments and interpretations of men for the Scriptures we account thē to be the liuely voice of God himselfe and what is there that can make this voice of God more cleere and euident in it selfe Can either man or Angell speake anie thing more cleerely then God himselfe or doth God purposely affect obscuritie both which to auoch is verie blasphemous As for the Commentaries or expositions Commentaries of the godly learned which haue spent some good time in the Scriptures of God we graunt they helpe the ignorant and the common sort very much and that they serue well to dispell the clouds of our naturall corruption But this may seeme a greater question and more doubtful touching the preaching of Gods word and the expounding of the Scriptures by Pastors and preachers in the publike assemblies whether preaching be not necessarie I meane the liuely preaching of Pastors and teachers I answer the Scriptures of God which we account as the liuely voice of God haue no need of this meanes in themselues I say that God and his word in themselues need neither this preaching nor interpretation of the scriptures But the necessitie of the ministery and of preaching is only in respect of vs and of our blindnesse and ignorance which be but as children yea as infants in a manner all the dayes we liue on earth Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 13. And when as we shall become men in the world to come then shall we haue neede of no such ministerie for we shal rest contented being filled with that The state of the elect in heauen onely light of God and of Christ without any further instruction of men or Angels And thus farre of the second propertie of the Scripture and of the fourth controuersie CHAP. XI Of the third propertie of the sacred Scripture whereof ariseth the fift controuersie THE third propertie of the sacred Scripture is this It is most * Simplicissima plaine and pure whether ye respect words or phrase neither hath it any ambiguitie or doubtfulnesse in it This property differs frō the former herein for that whereas perspicuitie extendes it selfe and concernes words and matter this simplicitie or plainnesse as I may so speake is of words only This we auouch then that the sacred Scripture is of it selfe most single and plaine voide of all ambiguitie and Circumlocution by speech Amphibologie or that it contayneth nothing doubtfull in one place which is not expressed in another if there be any obscuritie in it For the word of the Lord and his spirit be euer single and sincere neither doth God at any time speake to catch men with ambiguous and doubtfull speeches as doe Diuels and Sophisters but to teach men his holy truth For the spirit of truth leadeth vs into all truth Io. 16. 13. And the Scripture is giuen of God by inspiration is the very word of God as is before shewed Wherefore if we will not offer God extreame iniurie we must necessarily graunt that the Scripture in it self is most plaine and * If the scriptures seeme doubtful condemne thine owne sinne and corruption simple in sense and signification I say the Scripture in it selfe is plaine as touching the sense for if there be any ambiguitie in any words of scripture that diuersitie or darknesse may not be imputed to the Scripture but to the blindnes and ignorance of men euen of such also which do not of any euil purpose of hart peruert the Scripture For there be many which impiously wrest the same to the one side and the other when as they know right well notwithstanding the sense of the same Scripture is onely one plaine and euident To approue this plainenesse and simplicitie of the Scriptures first the Son of God himselfe in his disputations against Sathan and all his aduersaries borroweth hence his weapons by his owne example recommending the sacred scriptures to all men Next after him the Apostles and their successors and the Fathers themselues haue drawen their arguments from the sacred scriptures against Heretickes both for confirmation of truth and confutation of error The aduersaries here contend against this property of the sacred scripture and they hold that that is doubtfull ambiguous and blasphemously report that it hath a nose A lutae instar of waxe and may be turned here and there For which cause they affirme it is the book of Heretiques that of it spring heresies and that al men seeke to maintaine their errors by it But these blasphemies are easily
answered by that which is before shewed For this ambignitie and flexiblenesse is not to be imputed to the scripture which is giuen of God by diuine inspiration and serueth vs in steede of Gods owne voice but must be ascribed either to the ignorance or malice or malapertnesse of men who either cannot apprehend the simple true sense of scripture or malitiouslie peruert and turne the same into a strange sense Here they obiect that the scripture is full of tropes allegories Ob. parables words of diuers significations amphibologicall sentences visions all which haue their ambiguity I answer that this matter may the better be cleered we are to looke a little more soundly into it The A. ambiguity which is contrarie vnto simplicity being in the words and not in the matter for the words are ambiguous and not the matter Let vs reduce all ambiguity 5. Principall heads which is in the words vnto 5. principall heads For first there bee simple or common words of diuers acceptations secondlie there bee tropicall or figuratiue words thirdly there be whole speeches or sentences which carry a doubtfull signification fourthly there be allegorical speeches consisting of the continuation of tropes fiftly there be also typicall words and sentences concerning types and figures Of all these this I say generally that in all such places the holy Ghost hath but one only simple sense and meaning For as touching words of diuers significations if any such words be found in scripture in the originals Hebrue and Greeke as that can not be otherwise but there must be such in the scriptures first I say that such words haue but one signification only in such places and that the holy Ghost purposeth and intendeth but one thing by them For the holy Ghost desireth not to vse any fallacion or sophistication Next I answer that wee may deprehend that one signification and that one plaine How to vnderstand a doubtfull worde Phrase or sentence in scripture meaning of the word we desire to finde either by the drift of the holy Ghost in that place or text where any such word is or by conference of other places of Scripture where the like worde is to be found or by other Scriptures expressing the same sense and matter in other words or by obseruation of Grammaticall accidents accents points or pricks and such like And where we find tropes and words borowed and drawn from their proper and natiue signification in any text of scripture I say that there such words are vsed by y e holy ghost purposely to expresse in a more significant and liuely manner but one sense and meaning As where it is saide this is my body by the Metonymie which is in the word body the spirit speaketh more significantly then if he had said This is a signe of my body For by that metonymicall phrase the holy Ghost plainly auoucheth the sacramentall vnion which is of the signe and of the thing signified Next I say if the trope seeme somewhat obscure and strange that ye may finde the signification of the same trope by a word of proper signification either in the same scripture or in some other scripture where the like trope may be found If ye meet in scripture with a sentence seeming ambiguous A sentence in scripture seeming ambiguous first be wel assured that Gods spirit doth not purposely speake doubtfully as sophisters do but hath euer one single and plaine meaning but men doe both giue and receiue an euill construction of the context either ignorantly or malitiously Next I say that other places of scripture do more cleerly set forth the selfe same matter Finally if you find allegories in scripture of them this I affirme that first they serue for illustratiō next that they haue but one signification or sense and the same is either manifest and needeth no further exposition or if it be obscure it is more cleerly expressed some where else in the scripture And as for scriptures concerning types I say of them also first that they haue but one signification and A typicall speech in scripture signify types only and not also the matters signified by them next that one very sense of the types is applyed to signify another thing that is the body it self for the types themselues cary in them the signification of the things signified and shadowed by the types and not the words themselues which are vsed to set forth the types for in that historie recorded Gal. 4. this name Sarah signifieth Abrahams wife that is the type only next the type signifieth the couenant that is the thing shadowed figured and signified by the type And thus farre of the third property and fift controuersie CHAP. XII Of the Fourth propertie and Sixt controuersie THis we say also cōcerning the sacred scripture that it is most effectuall most liuely and most vocall sounding to euery man an answer of all things necessarie vnto saluation The life which here I vnderstād is not any fleshly or carnal life as the life of man but that spirituall life as the life of God and by a liuely voice I meane a spirituall voice speaking not so much to the eare as to the minde of man For first if ye respect the substance of this diuine reuelation this which I auouch is without all controuersie For the scripture containes in it the word of God which is liuely powerfull c. Heb. 4. Next in respect of the forme of the reuelation thereof that is the very writing of God this is euident in like manner for it was giuen and written by diuine inspiration and whatsoeuer is of this kinde must necessarily be in it selfe both liuely and spirituall Againe this Scripture is vnto vs if not the liuely voice of God yet certainly in stead thereof For we haue none other liuely voice of God but this for as for the voice of the Church pastors and teachers in the Church the same may erre neither may it properly be called the voice of God The voice of God we must auouch of it that it is a liuely voice ergo c. Thirdly the very Scripture speaks of it selfe as hauing a liuely voice as we may reade Rom. 9. The Scripture saith c. Againe Esaias Scripture is said to crie concerning Israel Rom. 9. 27. Fourthly so many as propound questions of any matter necessarie to saluation be sent to it Esaie S. Should not a people inquire at their God from the liuing to the dead Turne rather to the law to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word there is no morning light in them Againe the Sonne of God himselfe so often as any propounded questions vnto him of the law of diuorcement of the Sabboth of the Messias of regeneration and of the resurrection or how to attaine eternall life he alwaies gaue them answer out of the sacred Scripture and euer he sends such as moue any such doubts vnto the Scripture How
now auouch to be only the sacred Scriptures of the old and new Testament Wherefore we plainly conclude the Scripture is most necessarie The Aduersaries oppose themselues against this assertion as against the former and they denie that the scripture is simply necessarie it is necessary say they that is it is profitable or commodious for the well being of a Church but is not so necessarie for the being nor no such thing as without which the Church can haue no being And for this cause do these men denie the necessitie of the Scripture that they may open the doore to their authoritie and traditions that is to their owne dreames which they say be simply necessary and preferre them before the scripture They are easily answered by the rules before set downe For if by scripture they vnderstand the substance of the scripture it cannot be denied that the scripture is simply necessarie but if they vnderstand not the substance onely but also the verie writing in this respect also we haue shewed it by cleere demonstratiō that the scripture is simply necessarie for that it is vnto vs in place of y e liuely voice of God himselfe Wherfore their assertion is false howsoeuer they take this word Scripture either in this sense or the other But they say the Church wanted the scripture neere two thousand yeares all which time religion was preserued by tradition only Therefore the Scripture is not simply necessarie I answer If you vnderstand by Scripture the verie substance of the couenant then your argument followeth not for the substance of the scripture was in those verie traditions whereby the Church was edified and kept But if by this word ye vnderstand the verie writing then I grant the scripture was not extant so manie yeares and I say that it was not then necessarie for that then the liuely voice of God it selfe was heard If they conclude that because it was not then necessarie therefore it is not now necessarie or that it was not necessarie after that God had commanded it and after that it began to be extant surely the consequence is very euill for as ages and times haue changed so diuers formes of reuelation were necessarie Or we may more briefly set downe this controuersie in this forme THe scripture is necessarie not onely for the well-being as Popish Schoole-men speake but also for the being of the Church Et hactenus est simplex necessitas And this necessitie is in respect of time only for there was not a necessitie of the scripture in all ages I vnderstand The word written not necessary in all ages Heb. 1. 1. 2. by the word Scripture not onely the substance of the written word but also the manner or forme of reuelation but this simple necessitie must bee auouched of the substance and forme of reuelation in diuers respects For the scripture as touching the substance of it was necessarie to the Church in all ages but in respect of the manner of reuealing the same it was necessarie for a certaine time only to wit vntill it seemed good vnto Almightie God to teach his church by the scripture ARG. 1. For the Lord God had not giuen his Church the Scripture if he had not thought it necessarie euū for the being of his Church ARG. 2. The liuely voice of God was necessarie in the time appointed for it ergo the Scripture also is necessary in the time the Lord hath decreed for it for there is but one and the same reason of both ARG. 3. It is necessarie that Gods will be reuealed and communicated to the Church at all times in one forme or other either by Gods own liuely voice or by writing or by both but now the liuely voice of God hath ceased therefore now the word written is necessarie The aduersaries deny this absolute necessitie moued hereunto with these arguments following First from Adam to Moses there was no Scripture Ergo. I answer the Lord God thought it not necessarie for all that time But when as the Lord himselfe began to write and that the 2. Pet. 1. 18. 19. 21. holy men of God were acted and moued by the holie Ghost first Prophets then Apostles then the Scripture began to be necessarie euen simply necessary ARG. 2. From Moses vnto Christ Iob and his friends both beleeued and were saued without the Scripture I answer It is most like these also read the scriptures as may appeare by the Eunuches story Act. 8. Next I answer that so manie as were called without the visible Church God dealt with them in an extraordinary manner ARG. 3. They did more attend the traditions of the Fathers then the written word euen in the second age I answer this is false ARG. 4. In the third age there was no scripture of the new Testament extant for a long season Ergo. I answer the Apostolicall scripture beganne not long after Christ Next all that time I grant it was not necessarie but when the Apostles were dead and when their liuelie voice ceased then began it to be necessary CHAP. XIIII Of the sixt propertie of the Scripture and the eight controuersie THE Scripture is perfect containing in it all things necessarie for faith and manners not onely sufficiently but also abundantly for this is the perfection which heere wee doe auouch The sense then of the Proposition is this This kind of reuelation containes all things c. The proofe is this Argument 1. The liuely voice of God contained all articles or instructions concerning faith and manners Ergo so doth the Scripture The reason of the argument is euident for that nothing in respect of substance was spoken by that liuely voice which is not recorded in the Scripture ARG. 2. If the Scripture contained not all things necessarie perfectly then euill were the condition of our Church and of our time which heareth not the liuely voice of anie man speaking by diuine inspiration nor of any prophet or Apostle ARG. 3. The religious and such as be taught of God haue an holy experience of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and of the fulnesse of it Adde to these arguments these diuine testimonies Deut. 4. Ye shall not ad to the word that I speake c. Reuel 22. If anie shall adde to these things God shall Vers 18. adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke Albeit these sayings are to bee vnderstood properly of particular books yet the same reason serues for all books of the canonicall scripture and surely the reason binds more strongly for if we may not ad to particular books how much lesse is it lawfull to adde to the whole Canon Prou. 30. Thou shalt ad nothing to his words This seemes to be vnderstood of the whole Scripture Matth. 28. Teaching to obserue all things which I commanded you Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you another Gospel or otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you
very same iudgment Wherefore it is vncertaine whether Mathew first wrote in Hebrew Syriack or Greeke yet is it more probable that he did first write in Greeke both for that this tongue was not vnknowne to the Iewes and other Apostles first wrote in it not onely to Iewes and Gentiles indifferently but also particularly to the very Iewes * As Saint Iames and Saint Peter 1. Epist Mathew in Hebrue In Catolog in Paul Well howsoeuer it is the Greeke edition which we haue in the Church at this day is authenticall for that it was both written and approoued while the Apostles were yet liuing For as touching the Hebrue edition if there were any I doubt now it can no where be found And as for this Hebrue copie which is in many hands it is not the true copy As concerning the Epistle to the Hebrues Ierom sayth that first it was written in Hebrue next turned into Greek either by Barnabas or Luke or Clement but it is vncertaine and it is more like to be true that this Epistle also was first written in Greeke Howsoeuer it be this Greeke edition of this Epistle which we haue at this day is authenticall Now the New Testament written in Greek by the Apostles and Euangelists hath beene so preserued by the admirable prouidence of God euen in the middest of persecutions and heresies vnto this age and in all former ages so freed and kept by godly and Orthodoxall writers from the corruption of Heretiques the Lord God I say hath so prouided that it is come into our hands most pure and perfect Thus then I reason That edition of the New Testament which was written in the best language and first and originally written in it to wit the Greeke I say the same must be accepted as authenticall of all men But such is the Greeke edition of the New Testament Ergo. The aduersaries except onely against the purity of this edition For albeit some of them the latter and the better learned as Bellarmine doe not say that the Greeke edition of the New Testament is altogether corrupt as some of them haue blasphemed yet they say it is not so pure that they can graunt it to be authenticall because in some places it is corrupt Bellarmine brings forth seuen places whereby he indeuours to prooue this assertion that the Greek edition is corupt and therefore cannot be authenticall The first place is 1. Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heauē But in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latine edition it is the second is from heauen heauenly this reading is approued therfore the Greek edition is corrupt and not authenticall I answer first albeit we read as the Greeke is yet the sense is good and orthodoxall and the same with that which is of the vulgar reading differing in word only and not in matter Secondly the Arabick and Syriack translation so read the place Thirdly the Fathers Chrysostome and Theophylact so reade Fourthly Epiphanius citing * Haereseon 22. 2 all the places which Marcion corrupted yet remembers not this place But saith he Tertullian saith that Marcion * Tert. lib. 5. contra Mar. hath corrupted this place I answer that Tertullian in that booke and place reads these words in the very same manner as we do The Lord from heauen The second place is 1. Cor. 7. 33. He that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wife and the Virgin are distinctly set downe So reads the Greek But the Vulgar thus He that is ioined to a wife careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife and he is diuided but the woman that is vnmaried and the Virgin bethinketh of the things which please the Lord both in body and spirit Wherefore the Greek edition is here corrupted and so can not be authenticall I answere First that the sense which is by the Greek is not only sound but also more fitting in this place then that which is by the Vulgar translation Secondly the Syriack translation so reads these words Thirdly Theophylact the Greek Scholies and Basil so read the words But he sayth that Ierom * Lib. 1. contra Iouinan auoucheth it that this Greek reading is not Apostolicall I answer the same Ierom in another place * Contra Heluidium Eustochium reads these words as we doe wherefore seeing he changeth his mind he is not fit to iudge for this scripture The third place is Ro. 12. 11. seruing the time But the old Latin is seruing the Lord Ergo. I answer First albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye read so the place yet the sense is good and sounde Secondly the reading varies in manie Greeke copies as witnesseth Origens Interpreter who reads the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee noteth it that in many bookes he founde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time the same saith Ambrose who reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruing the time yet saith he in some bookes wee find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord. Thirdly the Syriack Chrysostome Theophylact and Basil read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord which reading wee best like For which cause our Beza translates the word Domino the Lord. The fourth place is Ioh. 8. where in the beginning of that Chap. many Greek copies want the storie of the adulterous woman which the cōmon translation in Latin hath the Church approues it as canonicall I answere First that our Greeke books which we haue and hold for authenticall haue this historie also and our Church receiues it Secondly yet we denie not that this hath beene gainsaid by some and the Syriacke translation hath it not The fift place is Mark. 16. where in many Greeke copies that whole chapter is wanting which notwithstanding the Latine edition retaineth Ergo. I answer first that all our Greeke bookes which we account authenticall haue also this chapter and our churches receiue the same as canonicall Secondly Ierome some-where moues some doubttouching it but to no purpose The sixt place is 1. Ioh. 5. 7. where the seuenth verse which containes a worthie testimonie of the Trinitie in manie Greeke copies is missing but in the vulgar it is retained Ergo. I answer first our Greeke bookes which we hold for authenticall haue this verse and our Church receiues it Secondly we denie not but some haue gainesaid it The seuenth place is Matth. 13. For thine is the kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. power and glorie Amen But this place is not in the vulgar translation Ergo. L. Valla answereth this place is not added to the Greeke but detracted from the Latine and I pray you what hereticall or vnsound matter hath this place Thus we see then the aduersaries cannot proue by these places that the Greeke edition of the new Testament is corrupted and so not
let him be accursed Ioh. 20. These things are written that ye may beleeue c. And as for the iudgment of the Aduersaries in this matter which affirme that the scripture is lame and maimed chiefly note Bellarmine and his arguments for this purpose They teach the scriptures to bee defectiue and weake that we might giue place to their traditions and forgeries wherefore let vs a little consider this matter of Of Traditions traditions The word Tradition is generall and signifieth any doctrine written or vnwritten and so this word is vsed both in the sacred scriptures and in the ancient Writers albeit the Papists affirme that the Fathers vse this word onely to signifie a doctrine not written Testimonies of scripture which cleere the generall acceptation of the word are these Act. 6. 14. And shall change the ordinances which Moses * Quos nobis tradidit Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaue vs or which wee had from Moses by tradition 2. Thess 2. 15. Keepe the tradition or doctrine * Traditam doctrinam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliuered vnto you which ye were taught either by word or by our Epistle The word tradition in Scripture is giuen other whiles to things ncessarie and continuing and sometimes to things not necessarie and temporarie The testimonie which is 2. Thess 2. vers 15. is of necessarie doctrine The place which is cited out of the Acts 16. 4. is of ceremonies for heere the Spirit speaketh of a decree of the Councell holden at Ierusalem concerning bloud and things offered to idols and that which is strangled Of which Act. 15. 28. As touching traditions which concerne necessarie points of faith manners they were first deliuered by the liuely voice of Christ his Apostles and then the short summe of them recorded in bookes as may appeare by that speech of the Apostle concerning the Lords supper 1. Cor. 11. 23. And againe 1. Thess 4. 2. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he giueth rules of an honest conuersation And againe 2. Thess 2. 15. And as touching traditions which be not necessarie but ceremoniall they were either recorded as of Ecclesiasticall rites 1. Cor. 11. 14. or not recorded 1. Cor. 11. 34. Other things will I set in order when I come He promiseth heere to set in order but ceremonies and namely such as did concerne the Lords supper Of ceremonies onely this I wil say they did no way exceed neither were Of Ceremonies Good rules they vnprofitable neither were they deliuered with anie 1 opinion of necessity to bind mens consciences neither 2 were they contrarie to those things which were written 3 yea this I auouch y t there was nothing deliuered by way 4 of tradition or touching ceremonies by the Apostles which had not good ground warrant in Gods word that is in the bookes of the Prophets and in the doctrine of Christ which not long after was written by the Euangelists and Apostles And as for Popish traditions Popish traditions and ceremonies and ceremonies there is no end of them they are vnprofitable they are like old wiues fables all for the most part deliuered with an opinion of necessitie and most of them most repugnant to the Apostolicall doctrine And thus do we distinguish traditions The aduersaries vnderstand by Tradition their vnwritten veritie not that which is no where found written but that which is not written by the first author thereof that is by him which deliuered the same by his owne liuely voice This then the Papists do here professe that they cannot find their traditions in the Scriptures nor proue them by the Scriptures CHAP. XV. Of the seuenth propertie and ninth controuersie THE sacred scripture is the iudge of all controuersies I meane such controuersies as are concerning religion Now there bee two principall controuersies concerning religion the first is of the scripture it selfe who shall be iudge here or how it may be tryed that the scripture is the word of God The second The iudge of the scripture is of the sense and interpretation of the scripture who shal iudg of that or how it may appeare that this or that is the very naturall sense of the Scripture I meane by iudgement here a definitiue sentence pronounced and giuen with such authority as that all men must herein rest By the word scripture I meane not only the substance thereof but also the form of reuelation which is also by diuine inspiration Againe this manner of speaking is improper when we say of the scripture that it is the iudge of controuersies For to speake properly the holy Ghost is the iudge for the iudge must be a person and the holy Ghost he is the third person in Trinity The Scripture therefore is not properlie said to be a iudge but it is the voice and sentence which the Iudg hath giuen the principall instrument or meane wherby y e spirit sets forth his iudgment whereby he teacheth vs and worketh faith in our hearts And the spirit here iudgeth freely in and by whom he pleaseth being not tied to any one kind of men as Pastors Doctors but in and by whom it seemeth good to him Here then three things must be considered of vs First whether the holy ghost be a iudge Secondly whether the scripture be his principal voice wherby he giueth First whether the holy Ghost be a iudge sentence or determineth any question Thirdly whether he iudg in and by any man without difference or respect of persons or be bound to one certaine kinde or sort of men For the first question I answere the holy Ghost is a Iudge first for that he was promised of Christ Io 14. Math 28. Mar. 16. vnto his church at his last departure from the Apostles is giuen as it were deputed Christs vicar on earth both to teach and to iudge c. Secondly for that among other offices of the holy Ghost this is one to iudge But because the aduersaries do not much gainsay this assertion concerning Io. 16. Gods spirit that by him all things are to be iudged and tried and that by him the scriptures are to be interpreted therefore we will be briefe in this point Now for the second point that the holy scripture is the primarie Secondly that the holy scripture is the principall voice of the iudg voice of this iudge iudiciarie and proper to him whereby he begets faith in our harts may appeare by these reasons following First the scripture is the word of God Secondly it is most auncient Thirdly it is most cleere or euident To these I ad the testimonie of the scripture it selfe Ioh. 14. 25. 26. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to * Suggeret remembrance which I haue told you And hereunto may also be added the common experience of the Saints There are other meanes to prooue this but lesse principall among which the testimony of
this translation also Caluin approoueth Therefore by Caluins testimony the very Hebrue text is here corrupted I answer the sense shall not de greatly vnfitting if ye read whereby he shal cal him to wit the Lord our righteousnesse The name going before is the name of a people of securitie of a people that dwell safely as Tremelius and Iunius vnderstand and reade the place Thirdly Ieremy leaues it to our free choise Fourthly the Hebrue Doctors Vatable Pagnine Arias Montanus read vocabit he shal cal and yet turne the word vocabunt they shal cal The third place is in the 22. Psalm 17. ver They pierced Caari Iaddai Veraglai my hands and my feete In the Latine edition it is Foderunt they digged or pierced and so read all Christians but the Hebrue is Sicut Leo as a Lion Wherefore in this place the Hebrue text is corrupted I answer y e Masorites testify that they haue read in some Hebrue copies Caru which signifieth to dig into or to pierce They also which haue y e word Caari in their books say it is not to be taken here in Caari the proper and common signification The Chaldee Paraphrast doth knit both particles together As a Lion smites with his teeth so haue these pierced c. But these were before Ierom I meane the Masorites and the Chaldee Paraphraste therefore it is false that this place was corrupted by the Iewes after Ieroms time Ierom in his Psalter keeps this reading Caari and yet he translates the word foderunt they digged or pierced Lastly a certaine Popish writer one Augustine Iustinianus who set forth the book of Psal coliected of many languages doth plainly auouch it this place is not corrupted but that there is a defect of a word which the Chaldee Paraphrast hath supplyed The fourth place is Psal 19. 5. Their line is gone forth Becol haarets iatsa kauuam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through al the earth Here not only the vulgar but the Septuagint also whom the Apostle to the Rom. 10. followeth doe reade their sound is gone c. therefore this place is corrupted Let Genebrard alone answer this in his obseruations on the Psalmes who saith the Septuagint and Paule did rather expresse the sense of the word then the proper and naturall signification thereof The fift place is Exo. 2. after the 22. ver in y e vulgar Latine edition all this place is read of a second son of Moses And she bare a second whose name he called Eliezer saying the God of my Father is my helper and hath deliuerâ—d me from Pharaohs hand But all this place is not to be found in the Hebrue text Ergo. To this I answere the very Louaine editions haue here their marginal note to put vs in mind that this place hath crept into the text and the better sort of the Papists are of this iudgement that this place is not the natural or very text of Gods worde as Caietanus who writes of this place in this manner All this clause of a second sonne is superfluous Wherefore Bellarmine can not conclude by these places that the Hebrue edition is corrupt and therefore is not authenticall I shall conclude contrarily with this one argument that the Hebrue edition is not corrupt If the Iewes corrupted it it was before Christ or after But not before Christ which point to passe by all testimonies of auncients The Iewes before Christ did not corrupt the Hebrue Christ is witnesse and so the apostle Rom. 3. 1. I make euident with this one reasoÌ„ If the Iewes had corrupted the Hebrue text Christ would haue texed them for so horrible an offence But we neuer find that Christ so chargeth them for any such cause but contrarily we reade that hee sends them to that very Hebrue edition which they had in their hands Search the scriptures saith he Io. 5. 39. The Scripture was not corrupted after Christs time which assertion I proue to passe by the authority of auncients with this one argument The Iewes could not corrupt al the Hebrue copies albeit they were neuer so willing to effect it for that they were now for the most part come to the hands of Christians Hence it followeth that if the Hebrue text was not corrupted neither before Christs time nor after his comming then was it not corrupted at all But happily they will say that the Iewes corrupted it after Augustine and Ieromes The Iewes coulde not corrupt the Hebrue after Christs comming time I answere in what places For as touching Bellarmines 5. places we haue already shewed that both in Ieroms time and before these places were thus read as we read them this day Wherefore we conclude the Hebrue edition is most pure and consequently in the old Testament this edition only is authenticall CHAP. XIX Of the Greeke edition of the New Testament WHereas there bee many editions of the new Testament wee say the Greeke only is the authenticall which first I demonstrate on this manner First in Christs time and the Apostles the Greeke tongue among the Gentiles was of greatest excellency Secondly and as it was accounted of best note so was it most famous and most common in the world For albeit as then the Romane Empire was most large great yet the Latine tongue was not so common as is testified by a good * Cicero in oratione pro Archiae poëta writer of that age Thirdly the Idolatrie and superstition of the Gentiles and all the Philosophy of the Greeks was written in the Greek tongue The Lord hauing these and such like respects no doubt at what time it pleased him to carry his Gospell from the narrow bounds of Iewrie into the great and spacious field of all the world It was the Lords will and pleasure I say at that time that the Gospel should be written principally in the Greeke tongue The writers they were some of them Apostles some Euangelists al which first wrote in Greek except Mathew and the author to the Hebrues For first concerning Mathew a In Synopsi Athanasius saith he wrote first in Hebrue the same saith b Lib. 3. Irenaeus c Incarmine Naztanzen and Ierom d In Praefat. in 4. Euang. ad Damas et in Catalog in Math. who saith that Mathew first in Hebrue in his time Mathews Hebrue copie was reserued in the library of Cesaria which Pamphilus the Martyr built Athanasius saith that Saint Mathews Hebrue edition was translated into Greeke by Iames the Apostle others say by Saint Iohn the Apostle others by Mathew himselfe Thus write the Fathers but their assertion hath no strong grounds For when Christ liued with his Apostles all the Iewes spake Syriack that is a language mixt of Hebrue Chaldaiack Therefore if Mathew had purposed to write in any other language but the Greek he would no doubt haue written specially in the Syriack tongue and some Papists of this age are of the
second iustice is that which was to follow the good workes of nature in that integritie might be called the iustice of works for after that man had liued godly and iustly according to Gods law in that integritie then he might be said to be iust againe and to be declared of God to be iust by his good workes well pleasing vnto God and so eternall life might be saide to be giuen vnto him as iustified by his works For Paul to the Rom. teacheth that there may be some imputation of righteousnesse by good works if so be that works be perfectlie good Hence come these manner of speeches Abraham was not iustified by his works by workes no flesh shall be iustified Thus far of the promise Rom. 4. 2 of the couenant of workes or of the things promised in the couenant of works Now to come vnto the condition the condition of y e couenant of works is the condition of good works of good works I say not which proceed from Christ or from his The condition of the couenant of works grace but frō nature only in the integrity thereof being informed with the knowledge of the law and perfectlie good as it was in the first creation proceeding I say from that ground of the couenant of workes Therefore works meere naturallie good onlie are required as the condition of the couenant of works So then by this condition doe you exclude hence faith in Christ I doe so And do ye except here from the condition of the couenant of works all the works of grace and regeneration I doe except these also But the couenant of works is often propounded in the Gospell to such as be in grace and in Christ Iesu for how often is the reward of eternall life promised to such as do well wherefore it may seeme that the works of regeneration appertaine also to the couenant of works for that such works be required of them which be vnder grace I answer the antecedent is false for if at any time we heare or reade in the Gospell of grace that good works be required of them which be in Christ and iustified by him to that end that they may obtaine eternall life we may not thinke that God speakes Note vnto them after the forme of the couenant of works for in the Gospel good works are required of them which be in Christ not such as proceede from their owne nature or such as they can yeelde of their owne strength but onely such as proceede from the grace of regeneration For we neuer finde in the new Testament that they which are in Christ be commanded to do the workes aforesaide of the couenant of works which bee naturallie good or that the couenant of works is set before thē that by it the works therof acted by the strēgth of nature they may receiue eternall life For thou shalt neuer finde it saide to them which are in Christ Do this of your own strēgth that so ye may liue which is the very sum of y e couenant of works As for that place Math. 19. 17. where Christ said to a certaine young man which called vpon him saying Maister what good shal I do that I may haue eternall life The Lord answered and saide If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements I graunt that heere hee vnderstandeth the couenant of works and that the Lord propoundeth to the young man the forme of the conenant of works But obserue that the Lord so answereth to one that sought his life and saluation by the law and which did before cleaue vnto the couenant of works and trusted to works as meritorious For so the couenāt of works and the rule of the law of works must be set before euery one which is without Christ seeking righteousnesse by the law and the works of the law to this end if it may be that by the sense of sin the feeling of his owne misery he may be prepared to embrace the couenant of grace in Christ For to returne vnto his words that young man saide to the Lorde What good shall I doe Therefore he sought saluation by workes and not by faith in Christ So then the Lord answered fitly to his question Doe this and thou shalt liue Which manner of speaking is neuer wonted to be propounded in the Gospell to them which haue once imbraced and professed Christ For those good works of nature be neuer required of them according to the forme of the couenant of works neither be the promises made vnto them vnder condition of any such workes I confesse good workes be required of them which be in Christ and iustified by him but all such works belong to grace and regeneration to grace I say only and they be not the works of free will nor of nature Know this thē that to such as be in Christ the couenant of works to thē is abolished of none effect so far forth as by it iustificatiō saluation is obtained I graunt the law abideth which is the rule of those works which properlie specially How far the law is abolished did first appertaine to the couenāt of works but now it hath another speciall vse for it serueth for our direction in the workes of grace and sanctification So then the law hath ceased as it was the rule of the works of nature required in the couenant of works but it is still in vse to them which are in Christ as it is the rule of the works of grace For the same iustice of God is vnchangeable and the law of God is the very image of diuine iustice wherefore the law of God must abide for euer albeit it haue not euer the same vse nor be not alwaies the rule of the same works But of this we shal speak more at large hereafter It is a question heere whether in the first creation good works in the couenant of works were required of man as meritorious for the promised life I answer not so But they were due in the creation as pledges of thankefulnesse in man to his creatour for that excellent worke of his creation and to glorifie God his creator But it may be obiected that Paul to the Rom. disputing against the works of nature for in that epistle he disputing principally against this kind of works he reasoneth against thē as seeming meritorious not as duties testimonies of mans thankfulnes vnto God wherfore it may seeme they were commanded vnto man in his creation as meritorious I answer true it is Paul disputes there of thē as of merites not for that this was his iudgement of them but because the Iewes had that conceite of them which were so farre blinded that they thought the good works of nature were not only good and iust but also might merit iustification and life But of this blindnesse of the Iewes we shal speake more at large herafter Thus farre of the condition of the couenant of
of Babel Gen. 11. 1. 9. The whole earth was of one lauguage and of one speech or * Et verba erant eadem had the same words At the building of Babel began the confusion of languages and from the Hebrue as from the mother of all the rest all other tongues had their first beginning for all other languages are nothing els in a manner but as Dialects to the The Hebrue tongue mother of all the rest Hebrue tongue of which some resemble their mother more then other some be more estranged from her In that confusion of tongues the Hebrue was preserued as the wombe or mother as Hierome speaketh of all the rest this was preserued I say in the family of Heber who was the fourth from Noah and liued that verie time Hebers family kept the Hebrue tongue that the tower of Babel was built and when the confusision of languages began The Hebrue tongue then was so called first of Heber from him it came to his posteritie not to all but to them onely of whom came Abraham and from him continued to the verie last of all the Prophets for Haggai Zacharias Malachie wrote their prophecies in this very language Thus farre of the Hebrue tongue The olde testament was written first in this Hebrue and holy tongue The first writer was Moses the prophets The old testamēt written in Hebrue followed him of whom some wrote before the captiuitie some in the captiuitie some after the captiuitie and they writ all in Hebrue except Daniel and Ezra which wrote some things in the Chaldee tongue And this letteth not but that we may say that all the old testament was written in the Hebrue tongue for that the Chaldee and Hebrue haue no great diuersitie Now to speake of the preseruation of these bookes of the old Testament the bookes of Moses the prophets that is the old Testament written in Hebrue was kept by the admirable prouidence of almighty God vnto this day They were preserued I say in most perillous hard times as in the burning of the citie and of the temple of The admirable prouidence of God in the preseruation of the Bible Ierusalem in the captiuity in that most grieuous persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes for hee raged also against these very books in the great persecutions which were after Christ vnder the Roman Emperours But here it is demanded whether the same very books which were written by Moses the Prophets before the captiuity be come into our hands I answer for this matter diuers men haue thought diuersly For there were that thought that those bookes which Moses the prophets left were lost when the temple and the citie were destroyed with fire and that these which we haue were repaired and written ouer againe by Ezra the Scribe inspired by God called extraordinarily for this purpose Of this iudgment are these a Epist ad Chilonem Basil Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus b Lib. de Offic. Isidorus Rabanus Maurus Leontius It may be they were thus minded because of that storie or fable rather which we may reade Esdras 4. 14. But that booke is Apocryphall and reiected not onely of our Church but also of the Church of Rome The point may be thus refuted If Ezra had written ouer these bookes againe then assuredly it is most like that he would haue written them not in the Hebrue but in the Chaldee tongue or in a mixt language of Hebrue and Chaldee together for that Ezra did write two bookes in that mixt maner euen those two bookes of Esdras Secondly Nehem 8. Ezra is said to haue brought forth and to haue read not his owne bookes or bookes which he had written but the bookes of the law of Moses Thirdly it is not like but some godly man or Prophet or some other was left which in that time of the fire preserued these sacred books or kept some copie of them the rather for that thē out of al doubt Ezechiel Daniel the prophets liued 4. The very name which Daniel giues to the Chaldee monarchie calling it the golden empire doth argue that this did not so rage against the sacred books of God for if this monarchy had laide such violent hands on Gods books assuredly the holy Ghost would not haue giuen it a name of such excellency Therefore that assertion is false and the contrary is true to wit that the books of Moses the old Prophets were preserued from daunger when the Temple and the City were consumed with fire as also in the captiuity and so be reserued by diuine prouidence and so deliuered by Gods owne hand at last into our possessions Neither yet do we gaine-say what the godly haue recorded that is that Ezra after the captiuity did reuise the books of Moses and the Prophets digested them into one volume and set them downe in this certaine order Thus farre of this question Now it resteth after the premisses that we prooue the Hebrue edition of the old Testament to be only authenticall That edition which was written in the first language that euer was and first in the primarie language and hath beene preserued in that tongue purely fully euen vnto our times I say that edition of the old Testament is authenticall But such is the Hebrue edition Ergo. The aduersaries cannot deny but that it was written in the first language and mother tongue and also that it was first written in it and they cannot deny but that it was preserued in some purity euen vnto this day but they will not graunt or allow it this excellency of sincerity and purity which we auouch Bellarmine hath obserued out of all the old Testament 5. places only whereby hee would prooue that the Hebrue fountaine hath lost some part of this puritie The first place is Esay 9. 6. And he Vajikra Schemo Pele shall call his name to wit the Lord Wonderfull But the vulgar Latine readeth and he shal be called which reading Caluin approoueth And therefore by Caluins confession heere the Hebrue fountaine it selfe is not cleere I answere first the sense is the same whether ye reade shall call or shall be called Secondly the letters are the same in both words in the Hebrue shall call and shall be called the Vajikra points being diuers do not make the body of the word to be of diuers significations Thirdly the Hebrue Doctors as Uatablus say often that with the Hebrues a verbe personal of the third person is taken for an impersonall as heere shall call for shal be called Fourthly Tremelius and Iunius retaine the Hebrue reading and say thus and he doth cal his name c. The second place is Ier. 23. 6. And this his name wherewith he shal cal him the Lord our righteousnes But the vulgar Vezeh Schemo asher jikreo Iehouah Tsidkenu Latin edition saith that they shall cal him the Lord our righteousnesse and
imagination of mans heart be euill from his youth Ephes 2. 3. Fulfill the will of the flesh and of the minde And that the body is infected with this poison see Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body And that euery The body and all the members poisoned with originall sinne one of the members is infected and poisoned with the same sin is shewed v. 13. Neither giue your members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sin Againe the very names of this sinne shew the subiect thereof or where it resteth As when it is called flesh concupiscence the law of the members the body of sin the body of death And thus farre of the subiect of originall sinne Now wee bee to come to the parts of it and because it is as a compound thing we are to consider first The materiall cause of originall sinne threefold what the matter thereof is next what the forme The matter of originall sin is threefold The first part of the matter thereof is that apostasie wherein we fell all away from God in the loines of Adam This we receiue from our mothers womb for we are al born Apostates backsliders frō God For that the first apostasie was not Adams only but did appertaine to vs al first reasō it selfe may sufciently conuince it for we were all as then in his loynes and as parcelles of the substance and nature of the first man and so we all fell in him and with him from the liuing God For this very cause Heb. 7. Leui is said before he was borne to pay tithes to Melchisedeck because he was then in the loynes of Abraham Abrahams fact was therefore Leui his fact also and of all his posterity which then were in his loynes Next this is testified by scripture as by name in that place which is Rom. 5. 12. In whom to wit Adam all men haue sinned That first Apostasie I grant is past and vanished away as euery action passeth away yet after a sort it is saide to continue still for albeit the fact be past yet the How the Apostasie of Adam continueth still guilt thereof remaineth still for euery man is borne guilty by nature of that first Apostasie The same is to bee said of euery other sinne Murther Adultery Theft c. For whatsoeuer it is it may be truly sayd to remaine still so long as the guilt remaineth which is consequent thereunto Wherefore euery man is guilty of that first defection and falling from God vntill this guilt be taken away by the bloud of a mediator And that we be such Apostates by nature the scripture testifieth Rom. 5. 15. By the offence of one many be dead Wherefore many must be guilty that one offence Ro. 5. 16. The fault came of one offence vnto condemnation And thus farre of the first part of originall sinne that is of the first backsliding and our falling away which we bring forth with vs from our mothers wombe into the world The second part followeth of originall sinne which is a certaine defect or a certaine want of originall iustice Second part of Originall sinne that is of that righteousnes or integrity wherein man was created according to the image and example of the righteousnesse which is in God the creator For he created man after his owne image wise iust holy For the Apostle to the Eph. 5. and Col. saith that in these respects man was like to God himselfe in his creation This want I speake of originall iustice is the first effect of that apostasie before shewed For that apostasie whereof we are al by nature guilty depriueth vs in our first birth euē in our very conception of that originall iustice and image of God This part of the matter of originall sinne very sense sheweth and many scriptures testifie of it I meane such as speake of sinne negatiuelie or priuatiuelie For Proofe of our want of original iustice by 1. sense 2. by scripture all such places shew plainelie what defect is in vs and what want of originall iustice Rom. 3. 23. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Ro. 7 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And a little after I find no meanes to performe that which is good Rom. 8. 7. The wisdome of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be 1. Cor. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God neither can he know the. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to think any thing as of our selues Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God And thus far of the 2. part of the matter of original sin to wit the want of originall iustice The third part followeth and this we say is an inclination The 3. part of the matter of originall sinne or quality contrary to that originall iustice and integritie before mentioned succeeding euen in place thereof This is that which they call our naturall corruption and it is the second effect of the apostasie of Adam in Paradice For that rebellion of our first parents first depriueth vs of originall iustice and of the image of God next in place there of by Gods iust iudgement it infecteth vs with a quality cleane contrary to that righteousnesse whereby we are made prone and apt to al euil This contratie qualitie or inclination vnto sin to be in vs very sense procues it with many testimonies of the holy Scripture all which speake of sinne affirmatiuely or that I may so speak positiuely Ro. 7. 7. I had not known concupiscence but that the law sayth thou shalt not couet Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Eph. 2. 3. Fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and of the minde Ad to these the places before cited Gen. 6. and 8. And thus farre of the third part of the matter of originall sin And here as touching the want of iustice and inclination vnto sinne which were two parts of the matter of originall sinne ye must be aduertised that there is no facultie A speciall note of the soule of man which is not infected with both these euils together We reckon as principall powers of the soule the minde or vnderstanding the will and the affections These two last the scripture often vnderstandeth them in the worde hart because the will and affections be seated in the hart The first defect then is in the mind and this is the want of light and knowledge here is also the want of holinesse that is of a quality wherewith our very knowledge and light must be affected and assuredly was affected with in the first creation The light of the minde or knowledge is twofold naturall A two fold light of the mind 1. VVant of naturall light and spirituall In the mind there is a defect