Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue, Treatise · Chapter 15

Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue · Treatise · Chapter 15

p. 390CHAP. XV.

Hereticall translation against the Sacrament of HOLY ORDERS, and for the MARIAGE OF PRIESTS and VOTARIES.

Martin.

AGAINST the Sacrament of Orders1. what can they doe more in translation, than in all their Bibles to take away the name of Priest and Priesthood of the new Testament altogether, and for it to say, Elder and Eldership? Whereof I treated more at large **Chap. 6.in an other place of this booke. Here I adde these fewe obseruations, that both for Priestes and Deacons, which are two holy orders in the Catholike Church, they translate, Ministers, to commend that newe degree deuised by themselues. As when they say in all their Bibles, Feare theEccles. c. 7. v. 31. foreign.Eccl 7:31 Lord with all thy soule, and honour his ministers. In the Greeke it is plaine thus, and honour his Priests, as the word alwayes signifieth, and in the very next sentence themselues so translate, Feare the Lorde and honour the Priestes. Butforeign. they would needes borowe one of these places for the honour of Ministers. As also in the Epistle to Timothee, where S. Paul1. Tim. 3.1 Tim 3 talketh of Deacons, and nameth them twise: they in the firste place translate thus, Likewise muste the Ministers be honest,Bib. 1562. & 1577. &c. And a litle after Let the Deacons be the husbāds p. 391of one wife, Loe, the Greeke worde being one, and the Apostleforeign. speaking of one Ecclesiasticall order of Deacons, and Beza so interpreating it in both places, yet our English translators hauehave allowed the first place to their Ministers, and the second to Deacons. and so (because Bishops also went before) they hauehave found vsus out their three orders, Bishops, Ministers, and Deacons. Alas poore soules, that can hauehave no place in Scripture for their Ministers, but by making the Apostle speake three things for two.

Fulke.

FOR the names of Priest, and Elder, wee1. hauehave spoken heretofore sufficiently, as also for the name of Minister, which is vsed for the same that Elder and Prieste, althoughe the word signifie more generally. That the worde Ministers is put for Priests, I take it rather to bee an ouersight of the firste translatour, whome the rest folowed, because that foreign commeth immediatly after, than any purpose against the order of Priest, or to dignifie the name of Ministers. For, seeing Syrachs sonne speaketh of the Priests and Ministers of the …awe, his saying can make nothing to or froe, for the names of the Ministers, Priestes or Elders of the new Testament. That some translatiōs in 1. Tim. 3. for foreign rēder Ministers, it is because they supposed the Greeke word to be taken there, in the generall sense, as it is in manye other places, not to make three degrees of twoo, as you do fondly cauil. For the orders of Bishops, Elders, or as you cal them Priests, and as they be commonly called Priests and Ministers is all one in authoritie of ministring the word & the Sacraments. The degree of Bishoppes, as they are taken, to be a superiour order vntounto Elders or Priestes, is for gouernment and discipline, specially committed vntounto them, not in authoritie of handling the worde and the sacraments.

MART. 2. There are in the Scripture that are called p. 392Ministers in infinite places, and that by three Greeke wordes, commonly: but that is a large signification of minister, attributed to al that minister, waite, serue, or attend to doe any seruice ecclesiastical or temporal, sacred or prophane. If the world bee restrained to any one peculiar seruice or function, as one of the Greeke wordes is, then doth it signifie Deacons onelyonly. Whiche if they know not, or wil not beleeue me, let them see Beza himselfe in his Annotations vponupon Saint Mathew, who protesteth, that inAnnot. c. 5. v 25. his translation, he vseth alwaies the word, Minister, in the generall signification: and Diaconus, in the speciall and peculiar Ecclesiasticall function of Deacons. So that yet wee can not vnderstande, neither can they tell vsus, whence their peculiar calling and function of Minister commeth, which is their second degree vnderunder a Bishop, and is placed in steede of Priestes.

FVLK. 2. What the general worde of Minister signifieth, howe it is taken, both generally and specally, we are not so ignorant, that wee neede bee taught of you: And yet al learned men are not agreed, when the greeke worde foreign is restrained to the Minister of the poore, and when it signifieth generally, all the officers in the Churche. As for the name of Minister, by which, Elders or Priestes are commonly called among vsus, I hauehave euen nowe, and diuers times before shewed, vppon what occasion it was taken vp, so to be applied, which yet generally signifieth all that serue in the Church, and common wealth also.

MART. 3. Againe, what can bee more against the dignitie of sacred orders and Ecclesiastical degrees, than to make them profane and secular by their termes and translations? For this purpose, as they translate, Elders and Eldershippe, for Priests, and Priesthode, so do they most impudently terme S. Peter and S. Iohn, **foreign. Act. 4. Bib. 1562. foreign. For messenger and legate the Scripture vseth these vvordes, foreign.Acts 4lay men: they say for Apostle, Embassador and Messenger: Ioh 13. v. 16. and for Apostles of the Churches, Messengers of the same: 2. Cor. 8. for Bishoppes, ouerseers, Act. 20. Why my maisters, doth idiota signifie, a lay man? Suppose a lay man be as wise and learned as any other, is he idiota? or that one of your Ministers be as vnlerned & ignorant p. 393as any shepheard, is he not idiota? so then idiota is neither Clearke nor lay man, but euerie simple and ignoraunt man. They that spake with miraculous tongs in the primitiue church, were they not lay men many of them? yet the Apostle plainely1. Cor. 14. 23. 24.1 Cor 14:231 Cor 14:24 distinguisheth them from idiota. So that this is more ignorantly1. Tim. 3.1 Tim 3 or wilfully translated, than Neophytus, a young scholler in al your bibles.

FVLK. 3. There can be no greater wrangling, nor more vnprofitable, than about wordes and tearmes. But why, I pray you, shoulde the tearmes of Elder and Eldershippe be more prophane and secular in English, than they bee in Greeke, yea, than the names of ancients and seniors, which you your selues in your translation vse for the same office? wil you neuer be ashamed of these vanities, which turne alwaies to your owne reproche? yet do they (say you) most impudently terme S. Peter and Iohn lay men. And do not you dishonour them as much, to say in your translation, they were of the vulgare sorte? what signifieth foreign, a lay man, but one of the vulgare sorte, or common people? Againe, were they of that Cleargie, whereof Annas and Caiphas were highe Priestes, or were they not as perfectely distincte, from that sacrificing Priesthode, as any lay man at this day is from the christian cleargie? yet you goe on whether the furie of your malice doth carry you, and say that Idiota, is neither Cleark, nor lay man, but euerie simple and ignorant mā. If it be so, then reforme your translation, as wel in thys place of the Act. 4. as in 1. Cor. 14. where you cal idiota of the vulgar sorte, or the vulgar, and plucke your selfe first by the nose, for false translating, beefore you finde fault with vsus. Againe, if the high Priests did take the Apostles for vnlearned and lay men, what impudencie is it, to say, that wee tearme them so? And touching your signification of idiota, although the Priests knew, that they had not bin brought vp in studie of learning, as they themselues were: yet, hearing their bold & wise answere, they coulde not take them for simple and ignoraunt menne, p. 394therefore it followeth, that they meant they were none of their cleargie, rather than that they were ignoraunt, and foolishe, for simple in the good parte, they woulde not acknowledge them to be. As for the terme, Embassadour, and Messenger, for the Greeke worde, foreign, Io 13 v. 16. may wel be vsed in that place, seeing it is like he speaketh, as generally of the worde foreign, as he doeth of foreign, which is a seruaunt. The seruant is not greater than his Lord, nor the embassadour than he that sent him. And for the messengers of the Churches, whē those are vnderstoode by the word foreign, whiche are sent on message from the Churches, and not those that are sent by Christe, to preach vntounto the Churches, no wise manne can blame the translation, Acts. 20. where foreign are of vsus translated, ouerseers, of you Bishoppes, yet in your note, you say, or Priests, as though the worde maye signifie, Priestes, whyche all menne of skill doe knowe to signifie ouerseers, although the terme bee giuen to them, whiche beefore are called, foreign, Elders or Priestes. But it proceedeth of greate ignoraunce, that Neophytus is translated in all our Bibles, a young Scholler. O what knowledge hauehave wee learned of you, to translate Neophytus, a Neophyte. For before, we did take Neophytus, to signify one that is newly planted, or lately …ngraffed, and by a Metaphor, one that is a young and newe scholler in the mysteries of Christian religion, But because your Pope vseth to make boyes and vnlearned young men Bishoppes, and greate Prelates in your Churche, you can not abide, that a young scholler shoulde by Saint Paules rule be excluded from a Bishopricke, and therefore you mocke the reader with a Neophyte. Wee knowe, that in the auntient Churche they were called Neophyti, whyche were lately baptised: but yet in the same sense, because they were young schollers, and therefore looke in the Homilies that are intituled, ad Neophytos, and you shal see, they are directed and spente p. 395almost or altogither in teaching the principles of Christian religion plainely, wherein they were but younge schollers, not yet perfectly instructed.

MART. 4. Nowe for changing the name Apostle into Messenger, though Beza doe so also in the foresayd places, yet in deede he controuleth both him selfe, and you, in other places, sayingAnnot. in c. 10. Mat. v. 2.Matt 5:2 of the same word, Apostles: A man may say in Latine, Legates, but we hauehave gladly kept the Greeke word (Apostle) as many other wordes familiar to the Church of Christ. And not onelyonly of the principall Apostles, but also of theAnnot. in Rom. 16. v. 7 & in 2. Cor. 8. v. 23.Rom 16:72 Cor 8:23 other Disciples, he both translateth, and interpreteth, in his commentarie, that they are notable Apostles. and he proueth that all Ministers of the worde (as he termeth them) are and may be so called. And for your Ouerseers, he sayth, Episcopos, and not, Superintendentes. Which he might as well hauehave sayde, as you, Ouerseers. But to saye the truth, though he be too too profane, yet he doth much more keepe and vse the Ecclesiasticall receiued termes, than you doe, often protesting it, and as it were glorying therein, against CastaleonIn tit. Euang. Math. & in c. 3. v 11. &c. 10. v. 2. &c. 5. v. 25. especially. As, when he sayth, Presbyterum, where you saye Elder: Diaconum, where you saye, Minister, and so forth. Where if you tell me that howsoeuer he translate, he meaneth as profanely as you, I beleeue you, and therefore you shall goe togither, like Maister, like Schollers, all false and profane translators. for, this Beza (who sometime so gladly keepeth the name of Apostle) yet calleth Epaphroditus legatum Philippensium, Philip. 2. verse 15. Whereupon the Englishe Bezites translate, your Messenger, for, your Apostle. As if S. Augustine who was our Apostle, should be called, our Messenger.

FVLK. 4. You can not leaue your olde byas, in wresting mens sayings farre beyond their meaning. Therefore you alledge against vsus, the saying of Beza, for the terme of Apostles, to be retained, where mētion is made of the Apostles of Christ, not onelyonly those that are specially so called, but also all the ministers of the worde. But what is this, to terme them by the honourable name of p. 396Apostles, which are not sent by God, but by men, about some ciuil or Ecclesiastical busines. For both he & we cal Epaphroditus, the Messenger, and not the Apostle of the Philippians, because he was sent by the Philippians vntounto Paule, and not by Christ vntounto them. As for that Augustine which was sent by Gregorie, might better be called Gregories Apostle, than our Apostle, for he was not sent by vsus, but to vsus, not immediatly from God, as an Apostle should, but from Gregorie, and by Gregorie. Touching the termes of Bishops, Elders, Ministers, Priestes, &c. enough hath bene sayd already. Our translators hauehave done that, which they thought best to be done in our language, as Beza did in the Latine tongue.

MART. 5. As also, when you translate of S. Matthias the Apostle, that he was by a common consent countedNo. Test. 1580. with the eleuen Apostles: Act. 1. v. 26. what is it else, but to make onelyonly a popular election of Ecclesiasticall degrees, as BezaAnnot. ibid. & Act. 14. v. 23.Acts 14:23 in his annotations, would hauehave vsus to vnderstande, saying, that nothing was done here peculiarly by Peter, as one of more excellent dignitie than the rest, but in common by the voyces of the whole Church. though in an other place vponupon this election, he noteth Peter to be the chiefe or Corypheus. And as for the Greeke worde in this place, if partialitieforeign. of the cause would suffer him to consider of it, he shoulde finde, that the proper signification thereof in this phrase of speache, is, as the vulgar Latine Interpreter, Erasmus, and Valla, (all which he reiecteth) translate it, to wit, He was numbred, Annumeratus est. cooptatus est.or, counted with the eleuen Apostles, without all respect of common consent, or not consent, as you also in your other Bibles doe translate.

FVLK. 5. The election of Matthias to be an Apostle, was extraordinarily, and therefore permitted to the lot: the maner whereof, as it is not to be drawen into example, so the proper election can not be proued thereby: yet hath both Beza, and the English translator, faithfully expressed the Greeke worde, which S. Luke there vseth: although, neyther Erasmus, nor Valla, beside your p. 397vulgar Interpretor, did consider it. Neither doth that common consent, in accepting Mathias for an Apostle, whome the lotte had designed, more proue a popular election, or derogate from the singularitie of Peter, than that by common consent of the whole brotherhood, two were chosen and set vp, that the Apostleshippe should be layd vponupon one of them.

MART. 6. Which diuersitie may proceede of the diuersitie of opinions among you. For we vnderstand by MaisterHis defense, or 2. booke. pag. 157. Whitegifts bookes against the Puritanes, that he and his fellowes deny this popular election, and giuegive preeminence, superioritie, and difference in this case to Peter, and to Ecclesiasticall Prelates▪ and therefore he proueth at large the vse and Ecclesiasticall signification of the Greeke word foreign, not to be the giuing of voices in popular elections, but to be the Ecclesiasticall imposing of handes vponupon persons taken to the Churches ministerie. Which he sayth very truely, and needeth the lesse here to be spoken of, specially beeing touched **chap. 6. nu. 7.elsewhere in this booke.

FVLK. 6. The diuersitie of the translation, proceedeth of this, that the former translators did not obserue the nature of the Greeke worde, which Beza hath considered more absolutely, than any interpretors before him Although it is not vnlike, that Chrysostome did well acknowledge it, when speaking of this election, he vsethIn act. hom. 3. these words. I am & illud considera, quam & Petrus agit omnia ex communi discipu…orum sententia, nihil authoritate sua, nihil cum imperio. Now also consider this thing, how Peter doth all things by common consent of the Disciples, nothing of his owne authoritie, nothing with rule or commaundement. And as for the popular election, if you had redde those bookes, you make mention of, you might perceiue, that neither of both parts, allowe a meere popular election. And that Maister Whitgift, doth not so much contend, what forme of election was vsed in the time of the Apostles, and of the Primitiue Church, as whether it be necessary that such forme of p. 398election as then was practised, shoulde in all ages of the Church, and in all places, be of necessitie continued, and obserued.

MART. 7. One thing onelyonly we woulde knowe, why they that pleade so earnestly against their brethren the Puritanes, about the signification of this worde, pretending herein onelyonly the primitiue custome of imposition of handes, in making their Ministers, why (I saye) them selues translate not this wordeBib. 1577. accordingly, but altogither as the Puritanes, thus: When they had ordayned them Elders by election in eueryeforeign. Church. Act. 14. verse 23. For if the Greeke worde signifieBeza ibid. here the peoples giuing of voyces (as Beza forceth it onelyonly that way, out of Tullie, and the popular custome of olde Athens) then the other signification of imposing handes is gone, which Mayster Whitgift defendeth, and the popular election is brought in, which he refelleth: and so by their translation they hauehave in my opinion ouershotte themselues, and giuen aduantage to their brotherly Aduersaries. Vnlesse in deede they translate as they thinke, because in deede they thinke as heretically as the other, but yet because their state of Eccles…asticall regiment is otherwise, they must maintaine that also in their writings, howsoeuer they translate. For an example, They all agree to translate Elder for Priest: and Maister WhitakersPag. 200. ad rat. Camp. telleth vsus a freshe in the name of them all, that there are no Priestes nowe in the Church of Christ, that is, (as he interpreteth himselfe) This name Prieste is neuer in the NewPag. 210. Testament peculiarly applied to the Ministers of the Gospell, this is their doctrine. But what is their prastise in the regiment of their Churche? cleane contrarie. For in the order of the communion booke, where it is appointed what the Minister shall do, it is indifferently said, Then shall the Prieste do or say this and that: and, Then shal the Minister, &c. Whereby it is euident that they make Priest a proper and peculiar calling applied to their Ministers, and so their practise is contrarie to their teaching and doctrine.

FVLK. 7. I hauehave satisfied your desire before, if you list to knowe, our translation must be, as neere as it p. 399can, to expresse the true signification of the originall words, & so it is, in that place of the Acts. 14. v. 23. which being graunted by them, that denie the necessitie of …at forme of election to continue alwaies, giueth no more aduauntage to the aduersaries, than they woulde take out of the signification of the Greeke word, how soeuer it were translated. Your example of Maister Whitakers denying the name of Prieste to be applied to the ministers of the Gospel, to proue that wee must mainteine our Ecclesiasticall state, how soeuer we translate, is very fonde and ridiculous: as also the contradiction that you would make betweene him and the seruice booke, touching the name of Prieste there vsed and allowed. Maister Whitakers writing in Latine, speaketh of the Latine terme, Sacerdos, the Communion booke of the English worde Priest, is not this a goodly net for a foole to daunce naked in, and thinke that no body can see him.

MART. 8. Nowe concerning imposition, or laying on of handes, in making their Ministers, (which the Puritans alsoBeza Annot. Act. 6. v. 6.Acts 6:6 are forced to allow by other wordes of Scripture, howsoeuer they dispute and iangle againste foreign) none of them all make more of it, than of the like Iudaicall ceremonie in the olde Law, not acknowledging that there is any grace giuen withall, though the Apostle say there is, in expresse termes, but they will aunswer this text (as they are wont) with a fauourable translation, turning grace, into gift. As, when the Apostle saith thus, Neglect1. Tim. 4. v. 14. foreign.1 Tim 4:14 not THE GRACE that is in thee, which is giuen thee by prophecie, with impositiō of the hands of Priesthood, they translate, Neglect not the GIFT. and Beza most impudently, for, by prophecie, translateth, to prophecie: making that onelyonly to be this gift and withall adding this goodly exposition, that he had the gift of prophecie, or preaching before, and now by imposition of hands was chosen onelyonly to execute that function. But because it might be obiected that the Apostle sayth, Which was giuen thee with the imposition of handes, or, (as he speaketh in an other place) by imposition2. Tim. 1.2 Tim 1 p. 400of handes, making this imposition of handes, an instrumentall cause of giuing this grace, he sayth that it did onelyonly confirme the grace or gift before giuen.

FVLK. 8. Though we finde that by, or with imposition of handes, many rare and extraordinary giftes of prophecie of tongues, and such like, were giuen in the Apostles time, yet we finde no where, that grace is ordinarily giuen by that ceremonie, vsed alwayes in the Church, for ordination of the ministers therof. But whether there be, or not, our translation of foreign, into gift, is true and proper to the worde. For albeit the word foreign, be taken, not onelyonly for the fauour of God, but also for his gracious giftes: yet foreign is neuer taken in the Scripture, but for a free gift, or a gift of his grace. That Beza referreth the preposition foreign, to the ende of the gifte, he hath the nature of the worde to beare him out, which may well abide that sense: and yet he doth not reiect the other common interpretation by prophecie, that by appoyntment of the holye Ghost, vttered by some of the Prophets. But where you wrangle about the gift of prophecie, as though he were vtterly voyde thereof, before he receyued imposition of handes: I knowe not what you meane. Woulde you hauehave vsus thinke, that he was ordayned Prieste, or Elder, or to anye office of the Church, without competent giftes, meete to discharge his office? That the gifte of prophecie as well as of speakinge with tongues, might be giuen by and with imposition of hands, Beza doubteth not. But it is out of doubte, that to an office, none was chosen or admitted by the Apostle and the reste of the Presbyterie of Ephesus, but such as had sufficient giftes to answere that office.

MART. 9. Thus it is euident that, though the Apostle speake neuer so plaine for the dignitie of holy Orders, that it giueth grace, and consequently is a Sacrament, they peruert all to the contrarie, making it a bare ceremonie, suppressing the worde grace, which is much more significant to expresse p. 401the Greeke worde, than gifte is, because it is not eueryeveryforeign. gifte, but a gratious gifte, or a gifte proceeding of maruelous and mere grace. At when it is saide, To you it is giuenPhil. cap. 1. v. 29.Phil 1:29 not onelyonly to beleeue, but also to suffer for him. The Greeke worde signifieth this much, To you this grace is giuen,foreign. Act 27.Acts 27 &c. So when God gaue vntounto S. Paule all that sayled with him, this Greeke worde is vsed, because it was a great grace or gratious gifte giuen vntounto him. When S. Paule pardoned**2. Cor. 2. foreign.2 Cor 2 the incestuous person before due time, it is expressed by this worde, because it was a grace (as Theodorete calleth it) giuen vntounto him. And therefore also the almes of the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 16. v. 3. are called, their grace, which the Protestantsforeign. translate, liberalitie, neglecting altogither the true force and signification of the Greeke wordes.

FVLK. 9. Here is no euidence at al, that the order of Priesthoode is a Sacrament, or gyueth grace, but that God, by the ceremonie of laying on of handes, did giuegive wonderfull and extraordinarie giftes, of tongues, and prophecying, in the beginning and firste planting of the Churche. But, that grace should alwayes follow that ceremonie, there is no proofe to bee made out of the holie Scriptures. And experience sheweth, that hee which was voide of giftes▪ beefore hee was ordered Priest, is as verye an asse and Dogbolte, as hee was beefore, for anye encrease of grace or gratious giftes: althoughe hee hauehave authoritie committed vntounto hym, if hee bee ordained in the Church, though vnworthily, & with great sinne both of him that ordaineth, and of him that is ordained. But wee suppresse the worde grace (you say) bicause charisma signifieth, at least, a gratious gift. See how the bare sounde of tearmes delighteth you, that you mighte therein seeke a shadowe for your singlesolde sacrament of popishe orders. The worde signifieth, a free or gratious gifte, and so will euerie man vnderstande it, whiche knoweth, that it is giuen by God. As also in all places, where mention is made of Gods giftes, wee must vnderstande, that it p. 402proceedeth freely from him, as a token of his fauoure and grace. But that the Greeke worde foreign, do the alwaies import the grace or fauour of God, none eyther wise or learned wil affirme, neither doth your vulgar interpretor expresse the word of grace in those places that you bring for example, Phi. 1. v. 29. he saith plainly, donatum est, it is giuen, and so your selues translate it. Why, I pray you do you suppres the word grace, or why do you thus trifle againste vsus? When Saint Paule appealed to Caesar, Acts. 25. affyrming, that no manne coulde gyue him into the handes of his aduersaries, he vseth the same worde foreign. So, when Festus telleth Agrippa, that he aunswered the Iewes, that it was not the custome of the Romaines, to giuegive any man to destruction, &c▪ Saint Luke vseth the word foreign, were not he a mad translator▪ or interpretor either, that woulde expounde this worde of the grace of God, which is spoken of the fauor of menne? So, when the Apostle, 1. Cor. 16. calleth the almes of the Corinthians, their grace, is it not better englishe to say, their liberalitie? for althoughe their liberalitie proceeded of Gods gift, yet the Apostle adding the pronoune foreign, meaneth the free gifte of the Corinthians, not the grace of God.

MART. 10. But concerning the sacrament of orders, as in the firste to Timothee, so in the seconde also, they suppresse the worde Grace, and call it barely and coldely, Gift, saying: I put thee in remembrance, that thou stirre vp the… ▪ Tim. 1. v. 6. gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my handes. Where if they had sayd, the grace of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my handes: then were it plaine, that S. Paule by the ceremonie of imposing hands vponupon Timothee, in making him Priest, or Bishop, gaue him grace: and so it should be a very Sacrament of holy Orders▪ for auoiding whereof, they translate otherwise, or els let them giuegive vsus an other reason therof, specially the Greeke word much more signifying grace, than a bare gift, as is declared.

FVLK. 10. These colewoorts were sodden enough p. 403once before that they neede not be set on againe. The worde foreign if you finde it an hundreth times, signifieth no more▪ but a free gift, or a gift that is freely giuē, euen as the English word gift doth: wherof the Prouerbe is, what is so free as gift? Wherfore if we had said the grace of God we had translated amisse, & otherwise than the Greeke word doth signifie. But where you trifle in your termes of a bare gifte, and we call it barely and coldly a gifte, you doe nothing but bewray your owne shame. Can the gift of God be called a bare gift? or doth he speake barely and coldly, that saith the gift of God? Doth the Apostle Ephes. 2. speaking of our saluation, and your vulgar interpretor, and you your selues speake of a bare gifte, and call it barely and coldly, the gifte of God? When you say, you are saued▪ through faith (and that not of your selues, for it is the gift of God) not of workes &c. See you not that while you seeke to rase our skinne, you strike your selfe to the harte? Be wiser therefore, and spare your owne credite: find no fault with that which you cānot amend▪ & which if it were a fault, you your selues commit as much as we.

MART. 11. The more to prosane this sacred order, wherevnto continencie & single life hath bene alwaies annexed in the newe Testament for the honour and reuerence of the functions therevnto belonging, to profan… the same (I say) and to make it mere laicall and popular, they will hauehave all to be maried men, yea those that hauehave vowed the contrarie: and it is a great credite among them, for our Priests Apostataes to take wiues. This they would deduce from the Apostles custome, but by most false and impudent translation: making S. Paul say thus as of his owne wife and the other Apostles wiues, HaueHave not1. Cor. … v …. No. Test. 1580.1 Cor 5 we power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles? Whereas the Apostle saith nothingforeign. Mat. 27.Matt 27 else but, a woman a sister, that is, a Christian woman, meaning such holy women as folowed Christ, and the Apostles▪ to find and…i. 1. aduers. Ioum. De op. mon. ca. 4. mainteine them of their substance. So doth S. Hierom interprete it, & S. Augustine, both directly prouing that it cannot be p. 404translated, wife, but, womā: and the Greeke fathers most expresly. And as for the Greeke word, if they say it is ambiguous▪ S. Augustine telleth them that as the Apostle hath put it downeIn Collectā. Decu. super hun… docum. with al the circūstances, there is no ambiguiti… at al that might deceiue any man. Yea let vsus set a part the circumstances, and consider the Greeke word alone in it selfe, and Beza will tell vsusAnnot. Mat. 5. v. 28. & 1. Cor. 7. v. 1.Matt 5:281 Cor 7:1 in other places, that it signifieth a woman rather than a wife: reprehending Erasmus for translating it, wife, because there is no **Quia non additur. foreign.circumstance annexed why it shoulde so signifie: thereby declaring that of it selfe it signifieth, woman, and therfore much more when the circumstance also (as S. Augustine saith) maketh it certaine, that so it doth signifie.

FVLK. 11. If matrimonie be a holy Sacrament, as you say, & an holy ordinance of God as we both cōfesse, how should the sacred order of Priesthood be prophaned thereby. That cōtinence and single life hath alwaies bene annexed to the Ecclesiasticall functions in the new Testament, it is so manifest an vntruth, that I wil not stād to confute it. As where you say, that we make the order meere laycal & popular, that we will hauehave all men to be maried▪ yea those that hauehave vowed the contrarie, these be most impudent assertions. Though it be free for all men to marrie, yet no man is willed, otherwise than he shall finde cause in him selfe. And for Priests that come from you, it is more credite to marrie, than out of mariage to liue incontinently: otherwise they are of as great credit that be vnmaried, as they that be maried. What the custome1. Tim 3. T…t. 1. 1. Cor. 9. &c.1 Tim 31 Cor 9 of the Apostles was for hauing wiues & keeping cōpanie with thē, not only the Scripture of the Apostles, but also Clemens Alexandrinus a most auncient writer is witnesse for vsus, & against your impudent assertion, alledging euen this texte of 1. Cor. 9. To proue that they did lead their wiues about with them. P…r quas etiam in Gynecaum, &c. By meanes of whom the doctrine of our Lord might enter into the closet of womē, without any reprehension, or euill suspition. By which our translation is proued to be good & true, as I hauehave more at large declared p. 405before. Cap. 1. Sect. 18. Nether is there here any newAnd Pr…fat. Sect. 36. matter, which is not there sufficiently answered.

MART. 12. Wherefore great must the impudencie of Beza be (and of the English B…zites) that knowing this and protesting it else where in his Annotations, yet here translateth, soro…em vxorem, a sister a wife, and saying after his lordly manner, I doubted not so to translate it, disputing and reasoning against al other interpreters both auncient & later, for the cō trary, yea and aff…ming that S. Paul him self, did foolishly, ifInepte facer…. he spake there, of other rich womē. Such a fansie he hath to make the Apostles not onelyonly maried man, but that they caried about their wiues with them, & that they were the Apostles wiues, (for so he translateth it Act. 1. v. 14) that returned with them afterCum vxoribus. our Lordes ascension to Hierusalem, and continued togither in praier til the holy Ghost came vponupon them. Whereas S. Luke there speaketh so euidently of the other holy and faithful women which are famous in the Gospel (as the Maries and other) that the English Bezites them selues dare not here folow his translation. For I beseech you M. Beza (to turne my talke vntounto you a litle) is there any circumstance or particle here added why i… foreign. Vxorem non tangere. foreign.should be translated wiues? none. then by your owne reason before alleaged it should rather be trs̄lated, women▪ Againe, did Erasmus translate well, saying, It is good for a man not to touch a wife? 1▪ Cor. 7. v. 1. No, say you, reprehending this translation, because it dehorteth from mariage. If not, shew your commissiō why you may translate in the foresaid places, wife, & wiues, at your pleasure: the Greeke being all one, both where you will not in any wise hauehave it translated, wife, and also where you will hauehave it so translated in any wise.

FVLK. 12. Nay great must be the impudencie of the Papists, that imagine the Apostles, which had wiues of their owne, did leaue them behinde them, and leade straung women aboute with them into all partes of the world. The first that inuented that glose of cōtinent women, such as followed Christ, was Tertullian, the Montanist in his booke of Monogamy, which he wrote against the Church, condēning secōd mariage, & reprouing the p. 406Latine translation of his time as it seemeth, which in this text. 1. Cor. 9. vsed the terme of vxor, by the ambiguitie of the Greeke word foreign, saying that if the Apostle had spoken of matrimonie, he would hauehave vnderstood this of wiues, but seeing he speaketh De victuaria exhibitione, of the exhibition toward his liuing, he vnderstandeth it of such women as followed Christe. Than the which distinction nothing can be more absurde: for speaking of exhibition towarde his liuing, the Apostle sheweth, that he might hauehave lawfully charged the Church with finding, not only of him self, but also of his wife, as the other Apostles did. Againe if rich womē did folow the Apostles, ministring to thē of their substance, as they folowed our Sauiour, this was no burden, but an easement vntounto the Church, which the Apostle would not hauehave absteined frō as a thing burdenous to the Church of Corinth. Cōcerning the other place Act. 1. v. 14. although perhaps it be not necessary, to translate wiues, yet it is necessary to vnderstand wiues. For to answere you in M. Bezaes name, who telleth you, that it was meete, as also Erasmus thinketh that their wiues should be co…firmed, who partly were to be companions of their trauaile and peregrinatiō, partly to tarie patiētly at home, while their husbāds were about the Lords businesse, and therfore their wiues also were present. Againe, what a shamefull absurditie were it, to thinke that the Apostles would tarie in a close house, so long togither with other women than their wiues, and shut out their owne wiues, which must needes hauehave bene subiect to great offense and obloquie. And what deuilish malice hauehave you agaynst the Apostles wiues, that you cānot abide, that they should ioyne with their husbandes in praier and supplication, and be made partakers of the holy Ghost with them, as well as other women, which were also maried women, Mary the wife of Cleophas, Ioanna the wife of Chuza, and other holy women, the mothers or wiues of holy men? Will you say the Apostles had no wiues? Peters wiues mother p. 407will testifie againste you. Will you saye she was forsakenClemē. Reco. lib. 7. Cronica cronic. Fascicul. Temp. by Peter? the storie of his martiredome, if it bee true, affirmeth, that she continued with him to his dying day: will you say, he had no matrimoniall companie with hir? his daughter Petronilla will beare witnes against you, so yong, that she was desired in marriage by Flaccus the Comes. Touching the place, 1. Corin. 7. where Erasmus translateth, vxorem, I hauehave answeared alreadie, the circumstance of the place, doth argue, that it is spoken generally of continence, & not of abstinence in marriage only. And who is such a nouice in the greke tongue, that he knoweth not, that the worde foreign signifieth, a wife or woman, as the circumstaunce of the place requireth, where it is vsed?

MART. 13. Againe, to this purpose they make Sainctforeign Paule say, as to his wife, I beseech thee also faithful yokfellow, Phil. 4. v. 3. for in Englishe what doth it else sounde, but man and wife? but that S. Paule shoulde h…ere meane his wife, moste of the greeke fathers count it ridiculous and foolishe, S.Socie germane. Theophilacte saith, if he spake to a vvoman, it shoulde be… foreign in the Greeke. Li. 2. c. …4. Chrisostome, Theodorete, Oecumenius, Theophilactus. Beza and Caluin bothe mislike it, translating also in the masculine gender, S. Paule himselfe saith the contrarie, that he had no wife, 1. Cor. 7. And as for Clemens Alexandrinus, who alleageth it for Paules wife, Eusebius plainely insinua…eth, and Nicephorus expresly saith, that he did it foreign, by the way of contention and disputation, whiles hee …arnestly wrote against them that oppugned matrimonie.

FVLK. 13. The Greeke worde being foreign, signifieth a fellow or companion in yoke, they hauehave not therfore translated amisse, when they say yoke fellowe▪ whiche signifieth, felow in any yoke whatsoeuer. If it sound, man and wife in Englishe, what matter is that? for so it soundeth in Greeke. Men must not follow the sound of wordes onelyonly, but examine the matter. And great probabilitie there is, that he speaketh there of his wife, as Clemens Alexandrinus thinketh, neither dothe S. Paule himselfe say precisely, he had no wife, 1. Cor. 7. but that p. 408he liued without the vse of a wife, whiche might be, hys wife consenting to remaine at …hilippi. That the later writers mislike the iudgement of Clemens, and specially that fabulous historiā Nicephorꝰ, it derogateth nothing to his credite▪ nor to the likelihoode of the matter. That Theophy lact saith, the adiectiue should be of the foeminine gender, he is not to be credited aboue Clemens Alexandrinus, who knewe the puritie of the Greke tong, as wel as he. But whether it be to be vnderstoode of hys wife or no, we leaue it indifferent, and translate according to the Greeke word, without preiudice of either opinion, which kind of translation, at other times you do highly commend.

MART. 14. Againe, for the mariage of Priests, and of all sorts of men indifferently, they translate the Apostle thus: wedlockHebr. 13.Heb 13 is honorable among al men. Where one falsificatiō is, that they say, among all men, and Beza, inter quosuis, & in**No. Test. a…. 1565. the margent, in omni hominū ordine, in eueryevery order or condition of mē, & in his Annotation he raileth, to make this translation good wheras the greke is as indifferēt to signifie, thatforeign. mariage is honorable, by al means, in al respects, wholy, throughly, altogither. So doth, not onelyonly Erasmus, but also the greeke fathersSee, Oecum. in ca…en…. expound it, namely Theophilact, whose words in the greeke be very significāt▪ but too lōg here to troble the reader with thē. Not in part saith he, honorable, and in part not: but wholy, throughout, by al means honorable and vndefiled, in al ages, in al times. Therfore, to restrain it in trāslatiō to persons only (thogh it may also very wel be vnderstode of all persōs that hauehave no impedimē … to the cōtrary) that is to trāslate falsly.

FVLK. 14. I hauehave answered alreadie, that seeing the apostle threatneth the iudgement of God against fornicators and adulterers, the moste apte signification of the words foreign, is among al mē. Although that which you would hauehave, comprehēdeth al persons, as wel as al other things, meanes, respects, &c. If any persons hauehave an impediment to the contrarie, such as Gods word doth alowe, their marriage by this text, is not authorised. But Priests hauehave no impediment, whē they are, by the word of God p. 409to be chosen, as well of marr…ed men, as of any other, 1. Tim. 5. Tit. 1. neither can it be any falsification, to translate so, as both the words in the Greeke tong do signifie, and the reason of the place doth require. Theophilacts words, you say, be long, and so it seemeth, they bee for your purpose, therefore you take but a peece in the middes, cutting off, both the beginning, and the end that make against you. In al (saith he) not in men of riper age, and not in yong men also, but in al mē, or by al means, and in al times, not in affliction truly, & in quietnes not also. not in this part pretious, and honorable, and in that part, otherwise, but the whole, and through al parts, let it be pretious. Here heretikes are made to blush, that slander marriage. For beholde, he calleth mariage pretious, matrimonie honorable, which kepeth a man in the vertue of temperance. And afterward. If matrimonie be permitted, the fornicators & adulterers are iustly punished. Who is so blind, that he wil not see Theophilact refer it to the persons, as wel as to al parts of it? At least wise, you should hauehave remembred, that Theophilact, beeing a Byshop of the Greke church, where their Priests hauehave bin, and yet are suffred to be married men, would not write any thing here, against the marriage of Priests. Neyther doth Oecumenius exclude the persons, whē he extolleth the perfection of marriage, but rather doth comprehend them. Chrysostome doth plainely refer it to the persons, insomuch, that he ioineth it in expositiō with that text, H…ue peace with al men.

MART. 15. An other, and the like falsificatiō in this same short sentēce, is, that they make it an affirmatiue speech, by adding, is: wheras the apostles words be these, Mariage honorableforeign. in al, & the bed vndefiled. Which is rather an exhortation, as if he should say, Let mariage be honourable, and the bed vndefiled. How honorable? that (as S. Peter speaketh, 1. Pet. c. 3.) non cōuerse with their wiues accordyng to knowlege, im…arting honor to them, as to the weaker vessels: that is, as S.foreign P. also explica…eth it▪ 1. Th. c. 4. possessing eueryevery mā his vessel in sanctification p. 410and honour, not in the passion or luste of concupiscence,foreign as the Gentiles, &c. Loe what honourable marriage is, to wit, when the husband vseth the wife honourably and honestly in all respectes, not beastly and filihily according to all kinde of luste and concupiscence. And that the Apostle here exhorteth to this honourable vsage of wedlocke, rather than affirmeth any thing▪ it is most probable, both by that which goeth before, and that which immediatly foloweth, al which are exhortations. and les the Protestants giuegive vsus a reason out of the Greeke texte, if they can, why they translate the wordes following by waye of exhortation, Let your conuers…tion be without couetousnes: foreign.and not these wordes also in like maner, Let marriage bee honourable in all. Certaine it is, that the Greeke in bothe is al one phrase and speach, and Beza is muche troubled to finde a good reason against Erasmus, who thinketh it is an exhortation. The sentence then being ambiguous and doubtfull at the least, what ioly fellows are these that wil so restraine it in translation, that it cannot be taken in the other sense, & not rather leaue it indifferētly, as in the Greke and vulgar latin it is, least the sense of the holy ghost be not that, or not only that, which they trāslate.

FVLK. 15. I hauehave alreadie shewed, that the Verbe of the indicatiue moode, is here to be vnderstoode, because the verbe whiche followeth in the same verse, is of the indicatiue moode. Againe, the participle foreign ▪ as Beza telleth you, declareth the firste wordes to be vttered affirmatiuely: Marriage is honourable among al menne, and the bed vndefiled, but fornicatours and adulterers God wil iudge. Moreouer, Chrysostome, Theodorete, Theophilact, Oecumeneus, do al proue out of this place, the permission and lawfulnesse of marriage to all men, whiche coulde not be except they vnderstoode the Apostles wordes affirmatiuely. That married menne muste liue temperately with their wiues, it is also true, but not the principall purpose of the Apostle here, to exhorte therevnto, but rather to disswade menne from fornication and adultery, because marriage is honourable and vndefiled in all sortes of menne. The reason you p. 411require, Beza hathe giuen you, and I hauehave reported it. Neither is the sentence ambiguous, neither hathe it beene so taken, but of late dayes, in despite of holi… matrimonie, which though you can not deny in all men, yet you deface the honour thereof, as the Manichees, and other Heretikes did, when you affirme that the sacred order of priesthood is profaned thereby. They be your owne wordes before, sect. 11. conuincing you to be a maintainer of the doctrine of deuils. 1. Tim 4.

MART. 16. Moreouer it is against the profession of continencie in Priestes, and others, that they translate our Sauiours words of single life, and the vnmaried state, thus: All menMat. 19. v. 11.Matt 19:11 can not receiue this saying: as though it were impossible to liue continent. Where Christ sayd not so, that all men can not, but, All men doe not receiue this saying. But of this I hauehave spoken more in the chapter of free will. Here I adde onelyonly concerning the words following, that they translate them not exactly, nor perhaps with a sincere meaning▪ for if there be chastitie in mariage, as well as in the single life, as Paphnutius the confessor most truely sayd, and they are wont much to alledge it, then their translation doth nothing expresse our Sauiours meaning, whē they say, There are some chast, which hauehave made themBib. 1561. 1577▪ selues chast, for the kingdome of heauens sake▪ for a man might saye, all doe so that liue chastly in matrimonie. but our Sauiour speaketh of them that are impotent and vnable to generation, called* Eunuches, or gelded men, and that in threeforeign diuers kindes: some that hauehave that infirmitie or maime from their birth, othersome that are gelded afterward by men, and other that geld themselues for the kingdom of heauen, not by cutting of those partes, which were an horrible mortall sinne, but hauing those partes, as other men hauehave▪ yet geld themselues (forforeign, so is the Greeke) and make them selues vnable to generation. Which how it can be but by voluntarie profession, promise, and v…w of perpetuall continencie, which they may neuer breake, let the Protestants tell vsus. Christ then as it is most euident, speaketh of gelded men, either c…rporally, or spiritually, (which are al such as professe perpetuall continencie:) and they tell vsus of p. 412some that were borne chast, and some that were made chast by men, and some that make them selues chast: … most foolish and false translation of the Greeke wordes. foreign ▪ and foreign

FVLK. 16. Concerning the former part of this matter, Math. 19. v. 11. we hauehave aunswered sufficiently, in the chapter of free will, but here is a new cauill. Because chastitie is also in mariage, as in single life, our translators doe not well to expresse the worde foreign, and foreign, by, chast, and hauehave made chaste. I confesse they should more properly hauehave sayd, gelded men, or gelded them selues, or els continent, and made continent. Although they meane none other by the worde chaste, which they vse. And touching your question, howe men may lawfully geld them selues, but by voluntary purpose of continencie, which they may not breake: I aunswer, that we deny not, but that such as be assured they hauehave the gift of continencie, may professe to keepe it, and after such profession or promise, made to God, they sinne if they breake it. But if any hauehave rashly vowed that which they are not able to keepe, they hauehave sinned in vowing, and can not keepe their vowe by abstinence from mariage, except they abstaine also from all filthines out of mariage: for such, we holde with Epiphanius, and SaintT…i…. cont. Apost. 61. Hierom. ep. ad Demetriadem. Hierome, that immoderate aduauncer of virginitie, that it is better to marye, than out of mariage to liue incontinently.

MART. 17. The Bezites here, are blamelesse, who translate it word for word. Eunuches: but they are more to blame in an other place, where in derogation of the priuiledge and dignitie…. 2. v. …. foreign. of Priestes, they translate thus: The Priestes lippes should preserue knowledge, and they should seeke the Law at his mouth. where in the Hebrew and Greeke, it is asforeign plaine as possibly can be spoken, The Priestes lippes shall keepe knowledge, and they shall seeke the Lawe at his mouth. Which is a maruelous priuiledge giuen to the PriestesThe infallible iudgement of …he Priestes, in questions of religion. of the olde Law, for true determination of matters in controuersie, & right expounding of the Law, as we reade more fully, Deutero. p. 41317. Where they are commaunded vnderunder paine of death, to stand to the Priestes iudgement, which in this place God by the Prophet Malachie, calleth his couenant with Leui, and that hev. 4. will hauehave it to stand, to wit, in the newe Testament, where Peter hath such priuiledge for him, and his successors, that his faith shall not faile, where the holy Ghost is President in the Church of Bishops and Priestes. All which these Heretikes would deface and defeate, by translating the wordes otherwise, than the holye Ghost hath spoken them.

FVLK. 17. The verbe in deede, which the Prophet Malachie vseth, is of the future temps. But who knoweth not, that the Hebrewes lacke the potentiall mode? and therefore they doe very often expresse it, by the future temps of the indicatiue mode. Which if you shoulde alwaies trāslate by the future indicatiue, you should make many faire promises to them that are sharpely rebuked. But the circūstance of the place, doth plainly declare, that the Priestes of that time, had broken the couenant made with Leui, concerning keeping of the lawe. Yea the very wordes following expresse the same. But you hauehave departed out of the way, and hauehave caused many to fall against the lawe. You hauehave made voyde the couenant of Leui, sayth the Lord of Hostes. By which words, it is manifest, that the Prophet before, spake of that knowledge of the law, which the Priest ought to hauehave, & not which the Priestes alwaies had: for certaine it is, that many of them were ignorant, yea sometimes all: the high Priest was oftē an Idolater. And who condemned Christ, & his Gospell, but the high Priestes? The authoritie that was giuen to the Priestes, in case of controuersie, was limited within the bounds of Gods law, from which if they declined▪ no man was bound to obey them. For who was bound to obey Vrias the high Priest, preferring the idolatrous altar of Damasco, before the true altar of the Lorde? or those deuilish tyrants, Menclaus, Alcimus, and such other, as occupied the Priests roomes in the time of the Maccabees, or Annas and Caiphas, in the …yme of p. 414Christ. Peter then hauing none other priuiledge for him and his successors, than Aaron had, he and his successors might fall and be deceiued: although Christ praied that his faith should not faile, as he prayed for all the Apostles, and for all their successors, yea, for all beleuers, that they might be sanctified in the truth: yet it were madnes, to say, that none of them could erre. But whensoeuer you wil go about to proue this priuiledge, out of those wordes of our Sauiour Christ, make your Syllogisme, and let vsus hauehave no more brabling. Our translation in that place of Malachie, is more true, than you are able to impugne, for those wordes are rather a commaundement, what the Priestes lippes should doe, not a promise or assurance, that they alway did so.

MART. 18. And when the Prophet addeth immediatly the cause of this singular prerogatiue of the Priest, quia angelus Domini exercituum est, because he is the Angell of the Lord of hostes, which is also a wonderfull dignitie, so to be called: they after their cold maner of profane translation, say, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes. So doe they in the next chapter, call S. Iohn the Baptist, messenger: Malach. 3. v. 1.Mal 3:1where the Scripture no doubt speaketh more honourably of him, as being Christes precursor, than of a messenger, which is a terme for postes also and lackies. The Scripture I saye, speaketh thus of S. Iohn, Behold I send mine Angel before thee: foreign. Angelnm meum.and our Sauiour in the Gospell, Mat. 11. Luc. 7. telling the people the wonderful dignisies of S. Iohn, & that he was more than a Prophet, citeth this place, & giueth this reason, For this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send mine Angel before thee. Which Saint Hierom calleth meritorum foreign,Comment. in hunc locum. the encrease and augmenting of Iohns merites or priuiledges, that in Malachie he is called an Angell: and Saint Gregori… sayth, he which came to bring tidings of ChristHom. 6. in Euang. him selfe, was worthily called an Angell, that in his very name there might be a dignitie, and all the fathers, and all witte and reason conceiue a greate excellencye in this name: onelyonly our profane Protestants that thinke of all diuine p. 415things, and persons, most basely, translate accordingly, euen in the foresayd Gospell also, making our Sauiour to say, that Iohn was more than a Prophet, because he was a Messenger. Yea, where our Sauiour him selfe is called, Angelus Testamenti, the Angell of the Testament, there they translate, the messenger Malach. 3. v. 1.Mal 3:1of the couenant.

FVLK. 18. It is not safe, to translate alwayes the messenger of God, by the name of an Angell, which is commonly taken to signifie a spirite, not a bodily creature: therefore our translators thought good to expresse the signification of the Hebrew, and Greeke worde in English, and to vse the terme of Messenger, as the worde doth signifie: nothing derogating from the dignitie of the persons, or office of them, of whome it is vttered, which consisteth in the addition following of God, of the Lorde, of the Church. For the name of Angell, of it selfe, is no name of dignitie, seeing there be Angells of the deuill, and of darkenes, as well as of God, & of light. And Isidorus Clarius interpreteth the word in this place of Malachie, Legatus, the Ambassador, or Messenger. It is not therefore of any profane minde, that for Angell, we say Messenger. Your owne vulgar Interpretor, Agg. 1. v. 13. translateth Maleach Iehouah, nuncius domini, the Lords Messenger, and so diuerse times where mention is madeforeign of Gods Messengers. This is therefore a vayne contention about termes, when the matter is not in question. That the name of Angels soundeth more honorably as Hierom and other thinke, it is no rule to binde translators, but expounders may as occasion is offered obserue it.

MART. 19. If S. Hierome in all these places had translated, nuntium, then the English were messenger: but translating it, angelum, and the Church & al antiquitie so reading and expounding it as a terme of more dignitie and excellencie, **See Apoc. c. 2. and 3. in the English Bibl. 1562. To the messenger of the congregation, &c. Angelo Ecclesia.Rev 2what meane these base cōpanions to disgrace the very eloquēce of the Scripture, which by such termes of amplification would speake more significantly and emphatically? what meane they p. 416I say) that so inuey against Castaleo for his profanenesse, them selues to say, for Angell, Messenger, for Apostle, Legate, or Embassadour, and the like? Are they afraid, lest by calling mē Angels, it would be mistaken, as though they were Angells in deede by nature? then S. Paule spake daungerously, when he sayd to the Galathians, As Gods Angel you receiued me,…l. 4. v. 14. as Christ Iesus. But to proceede.

FVLK. 19. The verye eloquence of the Scripture, is best expressed, when the wordes are translated as they signifie in the originall tongue. And although some words, be appropried to certaine callings, which it is not conuenient to turne into the generall signification: yet is neither the Hebrew, nor the Greeke word, that signifieth Messengers in the Scripture, so restrayned, but that it is vsed, for all Messengers indifferently, of God and men yea of God, and the deuill. Wherefore there is no cause why we should vse the Greeke worde Angell, rather than the English worde Messenger. And where you aske, whether we be afrayd, lest by calling men Angels, it would be mistaken, as though they were Angels in nature: we may well feare, lest the ignorant & vnlearned, might so be deceiued, when Bristow, so great a Doctor▪ & writer among you, is so fondly disguised, that he mistaketh the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia,Apo…. 3. …st. repl. c. 6. for an Angell by nature, and alledgeth, that which God promiseth, that his enimies the Iewes shall worship before his feete, to proue the inuocation and worship of heauenly Angels. Neither spake Paule daungerously, when he said the Galathiās receiued him as an Angel of God as Christe Iesus. For the worde Angell in the Greeke tongue signifieth a messenger: it was easie to vnderstand, that the messenger or embassadour of a Prince is receiued as the Prince him selfe, without confounding the persons, of the Prince and his messenger.

MART. 20. It is much for the authoritie and dignitie of Gods Priests, that they do bind and loose, and execute al Ecclesiasticall functiō … in the person and power of Christ, whose ministers p. 417they are. So Saint Paule saieth, 2. Cor. 2. v. 10. that when hee pardoned or released the penaunce of the incestuous Corinthian, he did it in the person of Christe. That is (asforeign. Saint Ambrose expoundeth it) in the name of Christe, in his steede, as his Vicar and deputie. But they translate it, In the sight of Christ. Where it is euident they can not pretende the Greeke, and if there be ambiguitie in the Greeke, the Apostle him selfe taketh it away interpreting himselfe in the very same case, when he excommunicateth the said incestuous person, saying,1. Cor. 5. v. ….1 Cor 5 that he doth it, in the name and with the vertue of our Lord Iesus Christe: so expounding what he meaneth also in this place.

FVL. 20. That the Bishops, Elders, or Priests of gods Church do bind and lose as in the person and power of Christ, in his name, & by his authority is acknowledged by vsus: But when we translate foreign, in the sight of Christ, we respect, what the Greeke phrase doth more properly require, yea, what the Hebrewe phrase mipenei, foreigndoth signifie, wherevnto it is like, that the Apostle doth allude. Otherwise, Beza in his annotations vpō the place, doth not mislike the sense, and interpretation of Ambrose, whereof he maketh mention, but preferreth the other, as more simple and agreeable to the meaning of the Apostle in that place, and to the nature of the Greke and Hebrew phrase.

MART. 21. And it may bee, that for some suche purpose, they change the antient and accustomed reading in these words of S. Mathew, Ex te enim exiet dux qui regat populū meumMat. 21Matt 21 Israel: translating thus, Out of thee shal come the gouemour that shall feede my people Israel. for, that shallNo. Test. 1580. rule my people Israel. This is certaine that it is a false translation,foreign. because the Prophets wordes. Mich. 5. (cited by Saint Mathew) both in Hebrewe and Greeke▪ signifie onelyonly, a ruler or Gouernour, and not a Pastor or feeder. Therefore it is eitherforeign a great ouer sight, which i… a smal matter in cōparison of the least corruption: or rather, because they do the like Act. 20. v. 28. it is done, to suppres the signification of ecclesiastical power & gouernement, p. 418that concurreth with feeding, first in Christ, and from him in his Apostles and Past…rs of the Church, both which are here signified in this one Greeke word, to wit, that Christ ourforeign. Sauiour shall rule and feede, (Ps. 2. Apoc. 2. v. 27.) yea he shal rule in a rod of yron, and from him, Peter and the rest, by his cō missionforeign. giuen in the same word feede & rule my sheepe. Io. 21. yea and that in a rod of yron, as when he stroke Ananias andAct. 5. …. Cor. 4. v. 21. &c. 5. v 5. & 2. Cor. …0. v. 4. & 8.Acts 5 Sapphîra to corporal death, as his successors do the like offenders to spiritual destruction (vnlesse they repent) by the terrible rod of excōmunication. This is imported in the double significatiō of the Greeke word, which they to diminish Ecclesiasticall authoritie, they translate, feede, rather than, rule, or gouerne.

FVLK. 21. That wee shoulde not meane any thing against the gouernement of Christe, whome we wishe & desire from our hearts, that he alone mighte raigne, and his seruants vnderunder him, he himselfe is iudge, to whome in this case we do boldely appeale. But let vsus see, how we may be charged with false translation. The Hebrewe and greek (say you) do signifie only a ruler or gouernor, Mich. 5. And do not we translate a gouernor or captain, which may answere there the Hebrew of the Prophet, or the Greeke of the Septuaginta, or of the Euangelist. The word foreign that we translate, sometime to gouerne, sometime to feede, is not in the Prophete, but in the Euangelist, and signifieth properly to feede as a sheepeheard, and metaphorically to gouerne. What cause hauehave you here to crie out, false translation, and to oppose the Hebrewe worde of the Prophet, which is fully satisfied in the worde gouernour? And the Greeke word, which the Euangelist vseth, hath his proper signification in some translations, in other, that which is figuratiue, neither doth the one exclude the other. But feeding doth import gouerning. But it seemeth you would hauehave rule, without feeding, that you are so zealous for gouernement. The worde foreign, Act. 20. in some translations, is rendred. to rule, in other, to feede. The more proper is, to feede, yet the greek word wil beare the other also. But feeding p. 419as a sheephearde doeth his sheepe, comprehendeth both. The same word Ioan. 21. our Sauiour Christ limiteth rather to feeding as y^e Euangelist reporteth his words vsing foreign twise & foreign once. For by lording & ruling Peter shuld not so wel testifie his louelove towards Christ, as by painefull feeding. And there your owne vulgar interpreter translateth Pasce, and your selues feede, though in the margent you woulde faine pray aide of the Greeke to establish your popes tyrannicall rule. Yea you will giuegive him a rodde of yron which is the scepter of Christ, yea an armie of souldiers to subdue Irelande, and to wrest it out of the Queene of Englandes dominion that is foreign feed and rule my sheepe in your secret meaning, and for that purpose you bring in the miraculous striking of Ananias and Sapheira for their hypocrisie, pretending that you meane but spirituall destruction by the rodde of excommunication, which howe terrible it is, when it is duely exercised by thē that hauehave authoritie, we neede not learne of you. The other text Psalme the 2. Apoc. 2. v. 27. we translate alwaies rule. And your vulgar interpretor. Pet. 5. translateth the same worde pascite feede you the church of God, &c. and else where diuerse times. Doth he so diminish ecclesiasticall authoritie? &c.

MART. 22. To the diminishing of this Ecclesiasticall authoritie, in the later ende of the reigne of king Henrie the …ight, and during the reigne of king Edwarde the sixt, the onelyonly translation of their English Bibles, was, submit your selues vntounto all manner ordinance of man whether it be VNTOUNTO THE KING, AS TO THE CHIEFE HEAD. foreign.1. Pet. 2. Where in this Queenes time, the later translatours can not finde those wordes nowe in the Greeke, but doe translate thus, To the king as hauing preeminence: or to the king as the Superiour. Why so? because then the King hadBibl. 1577. 1579. first taken vponupon him this name of Supreme heade of the Church, and therefore they flattered both him and his sonne, till p. 420their heresie was planted, making the holie Scripture to say that the king was, the chiefe head, which is all one with, supreme head: but now being better aduised in that point (by Caluine I suppose and the Lutherans of Magdeburge, who do… ioyntly inueigh against such title, and Caluine against that byCalu. in c. 7. Amos. Magdeb. in praef. Cent. 7. fo. 9. 10. 11. name, which was first giuen to king Henry the eight) & because they may be bolder with a Queene than with a king, and because now they thinke their kingdome is well established, therfore they suppresse this title in their later trāslations, & would take it frō her altogether if they could, to aduance their owne Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction, whithout any dependence of the Queenes supreme gouernement of their church, which in their conscience (if they be true Caluinistes, or Lutherans, or mix… of both) they doe and must mislike.

FVLK. 22. Touching this text 1. Pet. 2. I hauehave answered before y^t the word signifieth him that excelleth, and therfore it is no corruption to translate it y^e chiefe. For the name of supreme heade in y^e sense which Caluine & other abroade did mislike it, it was neuer allowed, nor by authoritie graunted to the kings Henrie and Edward but in the same sense it is now graunted to Queene Elizabeth whom we acknowledge to hauehave the same authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall which her father and brother kinges before her had & exercised to Gods glorie. But as Ste…en Gardiner vnderstoode y^e title in conference with Bucer at Ratisbone we doe vtterly abhorre it and so did all godly men alwaies, that a king should hauehave absolute power to do in religion what he will. In what sense the popish clergie of England, being cast in the premunire did first of all ascribe it to the king in their submission, looke you vntounto it: we thinke it was rather of flatterie, than of dutie, wisedome, or religion. As for the ecclesiasticall gouernement which the scripture prescribeth may well stande, which craueth the aide of a christian Prince, which is y^e Queenes authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall.

MART. 23. But howsoeuer that he, let them iustifie their p. 421translation, or confesse their fault. And as for the kinges supremacieEpist. 7. ad Smyrnenses. ouer the Church, if they make any doubt, let thē read S. Ignatius wordes, who was in the Apostles time, …uen when S. Peter gaue the foresaide admonition of subiection to the king, and knewe very wel how farre his preeminence extended, and therefore saith plainely in notorious wordes, that, we must first honour God, then the Bishop, and then the king. Because in all thinges nothing is comparable to God, & in the Chuch, nothing greater then y^e Bishop, who is consecrated to God for the saluation of the whole worlde, and ccforeign.among magistrates & temp…rall rulers, none is like the king. See his bbforeignother wordes immediatly folowing, where he preferreth the Bishops office before the kings & al other thinges of price among men.

FVLK. 23. Howsoeuer those Epistles bee truely or vntruely ascribed to Ignatius which heere I wil not dispute there is nothing sayde in this that you cite of the Bishops preeminence aboue the king, but wee acknowledge it to be true of y^e meanest priest of Gods Church in matters properly belonging to his office which yet doth not exempt him from subiection to his prince, but that in causes ecclsiasticall also he is to be commanded by his prince to doe his duetie, and to be punished by him, if he doe otherwise.

MART. 24. But in the former sentence of S. Peter, though they hauehave altered their translation about the kings headshippe, yet there is one corruption remaining still in these words, Submit your selues VNTOUNTO AL MANER ORDINANCE OF MAN. Whereas in the Greeke it is worde for worde as in the olde vulgar Latine translation, omni humanae creaturae, foreign. 1 Pet. 2. v. 13 14.1 Pet 2:13and as we hauehave translated, to euerie humane creature: meaning temporall Princes & Magistrates, as is plaine by the exemplification immediatly following, of king, and dukes, and other sent or appointed by him. But they in fauour of their temporall statutes, actes of Parliament, Proclamations and Iniunctions made against the Catholike religion, doe translate all with one consent, Submit vour selues to all maner ordinance of man. Doth foreign signifie ordinance? p. 422or is it all one to be obedient to eueryevery one of our Princes, and to all maner ordinance of the saide Princes?

FVLK. 24. The worde ordinance you doe violently drawe to euerie statute, proclamation or iniunction, which is vnderstood of the ordinance or appointment of magistrates in what forme soeuer they be created: or at the worst cannot be referred but onelyonly to such decrees as are not contrarie to the worde of God. The worde foreign we knowe signifieth a creature or creation, which speeches being not vsuall in our English tongue to signifie magistrates: our interpretors hauehave expressed the same by the worde ordinance. You your selues translate that which is in Greeke foreign in Latine Creaturae mark 16. of the creation and in the same sense doe our translators vse the worde of ordinance.

MART. 25. A strange case and much to bee considered, how they wring and wrest the holy scriptures this way and that way and eueryevery way to serue their hereticall proceedinges. For when the question is of due obedience to Ecclesiasticall canons, and decrees of the Church and generall Councels, where the holy Ghost by Christes promise is assistant, and whereof it is saide, if he heare not the Church, let him be vntounto thee as anMat. 18. Luc. 10.Matt 18Luke 10 heathen and Publicane: and, He that heareth you, heareth me: he that despiseth you despiseth mee: there they cry out aloude & odiously terme all such ordinances▪ mens traditions, and, commaundementes of men, and most despitefully contemne and condemne them. But heere, for obedience vntounto temporall edictes and Parliament statutes daily enacted in fauour of their schisme and heresies▪ they once malitiously forged, and still wickedly retaine without alteration, a text of their owne, making the Apostle to commaunde submission vntounto all manner ordinance of man, whereof hath ensued the false crime of treason and cruell death for the same, vponupon those innocent men and glorious martyrs, that chose to obey God and his Churches holy ordinances, rather then mans statutes and lawes directly against the same.

FVLK. 25. It is no strange case for an heretike and a p. 423raytor that hath solde his tongue to vtter slaunders against the Church of God and the christian magistrate protector of the same, to deuise and surmise that which neuer was intended, neuer was practised. As y^t against the godly and laweful decrees of the Church we should translate mens traditions commaundementes of men, and to the maintenance of all temporall lawes be they neuer so wicked we should translate ordināce in steede of creature. As for the crime of treason and iust execution of them that hauehave suffered of your viperous brood, I referre to the try all of the lawes and iudgements that hauehave passed vponupon them, as no matter meete for mee to dispute of: onelyonly this all good subiectes knowe, yea all the worlde may knowe that they which take part with the pope, our princes open and professed enemie, not in matters of religion onelyonly, but in cases concerning her crowne and dignitie, her Realmes and Dominions can not beare dutiful & obedient hearts to her maiesty. Whose clemencie hitherto hath spared them that acknowledge her princely authoritie although in all other pointes of poperie they continue as obstinate as euer they were.