Common Places, To the reader
I H S
To the Chriſtian Reader.
AMong all the ſundrie and manifold affaires of this ſhort life of ours, there is nothing (good Chriſtian Readers) that ſo neerlie toucheth man, whether we regard the end wherevnto he was firſt made, or the ſaluation, which he hath obteined by Chriſt, or the louelove he hath to his owne kind, as dooth religion. For if man be carried with a continuall deſire of increaſing mankind in the propagation of the fleſh; with how much more ardent deſire is he lead to multiplie the ſpirituall ſeed of ſoules? Bicauſe he knoweth, euen by the light of nature ingraffed in his hart, and by a conſideration of the power omnipotent, and prouident gouernement of all things, not onelie that man conſiſteth of two parts; the ſoule and the bodie: but that though the bodie die, and be diſſolued into duſt, yet the ſoule is immortall, and neuer periſheth. And therefore all people in the world, in what countrie ſoeuer they liue, and what maner of God ſoeuer they ſerue, doo moſt highlie eſteeme their owne religion: whereby they thinke, of mortall and corrupt creatures, to make a long and euerlaſting generation, and of a dailie diſſolued knot of ſocietie, to make a perpetuall bond of friendſhip. And for this cauſe, when all other queſtions and debates, betweene man & man, betweene ſtate and ſtate, betweene kingdome and kingdome, whether they concerne the bodie, or the temporall goods & poſſeſſions, are eaſilie decided, and in proceſſe of time are finiſhed, and the aduerſaries at the length reconciled: yet the controuerſie in religion, which toucheth the conſcience, which concerneth ſoules, which perteineth to eternall ſaluation, not of one onlie, but of innumerable others, is neuer finiſhed, is neuer pacified, is neuer quieted. And as this happeneth generallie betweene all religions in the world; ſo the neerer that religions: be of likeneſſe, the harder it is to diſcerne the difference; the neerer the aduerſaries be of countrie and kindred, the ſharper is the contention, and the more deſperate is the hope of reconciliation.
Now then, if euer this poſition hauehave beene found true, betweene anie religions or anie people in the world, how cleerelie is it ſeene in the differences of the Chriſtian religion: but how ſenſiblie is it perceiued here among our owne nation? For who can without great lamentation and greefe, yea without abundance of teares flowing from his hart, remember the endleſſe ſtrife which groweth as well by words as writing betweene the Romaniſts and vsus for the cauſe of religion? Or what hart dooth not melt, to fee the intollerable rage & vnmercifull crueltie, which the pretended Catholiks execute againſt the poore profeſſors of the Goſpell? Would to God that once all we, which be as it were of one faith; and for whom Chriſt ſhed but one and the ſelfe ſame bloud, and which hold the grounds of one and the ſelfe-ſame religion, and which hauehave but one and the ſelfe-ſame word, for the comfort of all our ſoules, would once condeſcend to one and the ſelfe-ſame doctrine! Which we might eaſilie bring to paſſe, if they that make themſelues the rulers of the Lords houſe, would ſeeke not their owne, but Ieſus Chriſts: if they would not truſt in their owne righteouſneſſe, but in the righteouſneſſe of faith, which Chriſt hath obteined for vsus: if they would iudge themſelues; that they might not be iudged of the Lord: if they would once with indifferent eares, and obedient harts, giuegive place to the truth, when it is laid before them out of the holie word, or when their errors be plainlie confuted by inuincible arguments and authorities: if they would ſhake off the dregs of their owne vaine opinions, and the maliciouſneſſe of their owne cruell minds towards vsus, and with a ſingle hart and faithfull zeale towards God and his truth, would read and vnderſtand, and laieng aſide all the truſt and confidence that they hauehave of their owne cauſe, would come and confer charitablie with vsus, with all deſire of true knowledge and ſincere vnderſtanding of the heauenlie word. Or if they that call themſelues ancient and catholike, would once effectuallie ſhew that their doctrine was written or taught either by the apoſtles, or by the primitiue church. Or elſe when they call vsus new maſters, would ſhew where any one opinion which we hold, is newlie ſproong vp and deuiſed of vsus; and which we doo not ſenſiblie prooue to be deriued from Chriſt and his apoſtles. Wherfore, to the intent that all ye, my beloued brethren, whoſe ſaluation in Chriſt I regard as mine owne, may hauehave continuallie before your eies, if ye be of the reformed church, how to anſwer your aduerſaries, or if ye be of the deformed ſynagog, how to diſcerne your errors; I hauehave laid before your eies, in your owne mother toong, the ſumme of all D. Martyrs doctrine: not your countrieman indeed; but yet one, that for your ſakes paſſed manie dangerous brunts by ſea and by land, before kings and princes, publikelie and priuatelie: that left his owne welth and quietnes, to inſtruct you in truth and godlineſſe: that reſted neither daie nor night to teach you the right waie of the Lord, and who contemned his owne life to gaine you to the Goſpell of Chriſt. Innumerable books at this daie are written by manie zealous and faithfull men, wherein the errors of the Romiſh church hauehave beene diſcouered; but yet in none, nor ſcarſelie of all are ſo cleerelie confuted all the arguments of the aduerſaries, as in this booke. Manie hard queſtions in the ſcriptures by manie hauehave beene aſſoiled, but no-where ſo manie and ſo difficult, as in this booke. Behold therefore here in the ſteed of all volumes one, to ſatisfie both the learned and vnlearned, the true profeſſor and the falſe worſhiper, in all the waies of godlineſſe, and all the principall points of true religion. If this will not ſuffice thee in all the controuerſies handled therein (and therein are handled in a maner all) of what opinion ſoeuer thou be, thou wilt neuer be ſatiſfied. Fiue yeeres continuallie hauehave I trauelled herein: that ſince the Lord hath not indued me with ſuch ſufficient knowledge and vtterance, as I might be accounted woorthie the roome of a builder in the church, yet at the leaſt-wiſe I might ſerue the ſeruants of the Lord, in bringing to their hands ſuch excellent ſtuffe and matter, as the moſt skilfull artificers and meſſengers of Chriſt hauehave alreadie prepared for the worke. What paines, diligence, and faithfulneſſe I hauehave vſed therein, I ſhall not need to be mine owne witneſſe, others will teſtifie for me. And to ſhew the maner of my proceeding, and the manifold lets I had before I could atchieue to my purpoſe, by reaſon of the heape of Editions, and multitude of Additions that came foortn togither, while the worke was in hand, were ouer-long to recite. Neuertheleſſe, by comparing of this booke with the laſt edition in Latine, printed this preſent yeere of the Lord 1583: which alſo at my ſpeciall requeſt and inſtance was in manie places amended, and greatlie increaſed, the ſame will moſt euidentlie appeere. Yet this muſt I needs ſhew you (good Reader) both for your contentment, and mine owne diſcharge; that if you find that the number of Common places herein, and euerie particular ſection in euerie place concur not in each reſpect with the ſaid laſt Latine copie, vnderſtand that we hauehave gained ſomwhat thereby: ſeeing you ſhall there perceiue, that I hauehave heaped more matter of Common place out of Maſter Martyrs Commentaries, than did Maſſonius a learned and painfull man, who gathered togither the Latine booke: or elſe I hauehave placed ſome certeine things in a more exquiſite order. All which notwithſtanding I did by the aduiſe of verie learned and excellent men. And beſides ſundrie and manifold additions, which out of the Commentaries I hauehave inſerted into the Common places, you ſhall find the Diſputations, which he made at Oxford with certein learned aduerſaries of the Goſpell: and alſo a notable ſermon of reedification of the church, and ſome learned epiſtles, neither in the Latine booke, nor before extant in print, but brought to light by mine owne induſtrie and diligent ſearch.
And leaſt anie ſhould miſtruſt, that I being not exerciſed in the ſtudie of diuinitie, might not be able to performe ſo great a charge, and faithfullie to tranſlate ſo notable a worke, wherein is comprehended ſo manifold learning, ſo incomparable knowledge, and ſo diuine vnderſtanding; eſpeciallie I liuing in the Court, as it were in continuall peregrination, and as a Rechabit among the children of Iſrael: I thought it good for the ſatiſfieng of you (my deere and welbeloued brethren in the Lord) to let you vnderſtand, that although the time of comming foorth of the booke were hereby prolonged, yet the faithfull tranſlation of the ſame was nothing hindered. For by this meanes I had fit oportunitie to confer and examine the ſame with ſundrie perſons of great learning and iudgment: neither did I preſume to bring it into light, before I had found out the perfect ſenſe of euerie thing, and was fullie reſolued in euerie word, clauſe, and ſentence, which was hard or doubtfull. And herewithall adde, that what want of skill ſoeuer might be aſcribed vntounto me, that hath my care and diligence fullie ſupplied. Wherefore, all godlie Readers, being by this means perſuaded, it ſhall be verie profitable for them to beſtowe ſome time in the ſtudie of this booke: whereby perhaps the better learned themſelues may more readilie & with greater light diſcerne the hardneſſe and doubtfulneſſe, which otherwhile appeereth in the Latine booke: eſpeciallie, where ſome of the ancient fathers be cited. Whereby alſo the leſſe skilfull and learned ſort, by applieng their minds to the reading and remembring of thoſe things, which they ſhall find herein, ſhall be fullie ſatisfied in the greateſt matters, and be able to ſtop the mouthes of the moſt learned aduerſaries, in the cheefeſt controuerſies of religion. And for this cauſe would I exhort the miniſters of the word, not to let paſſe ſo good an occaſion. Whome in the name of Ieſus Chriſt I exhort, that they hauing taken vponupon them ſo weightie a charge, will not be negligent in their excellent vocation, but will wholie dedicate themſelues daie and night to all maner of godlie readings neceſſarie for their function. For the better performance whereof, if they doo not knowe how to order their ſtudies, and to benefit the church, I hauehave at the end of this Preface ſet downe a breefe waie and example for them to follow, with the right vſe of common places of the ſcripture. Wherewith, if euerie one, bicauſe of my breuitie, ſhall not thinke himſelfe ſatisfied, I refer them, which vnderſtand the Latine, to Hyperius, an excellent writer to this purpoſe in his booke De ratione ſtudij Theologici, where they ſhall bee fullie inſtructed. And when they are by this maner of meanes made fit harolds to proclame the name of the Lord in Sion, I would deſire them, and all other which ſeeke the truth, and would gladlie hauehave the church of the Lord to be reſtored to the right forme that God hath preſcribed in his holie word, that they will ſet to their hearts and hands to the building vp of the ſame: and indeuour by all meanes poſsible to reduce the wandring flocke vntounto their owne ſheepefold.
And firſt of all ye my good Lords, whome I honour, reuerence, and obeie in my heart, with all dutie and ſeruice; ye to whom the ſeruant of God our deare Souereigne hath committed the ſword of gouernment; ye which be the nurſes, and pillers, and defenders of the Engliſh church; ye which be vntounto vsus, as Moſes, Ioſua, and Samuel to the children of Iſraell: continue ye the great care and zeale that ye hauehave alwaies borne to the true religion: and prouide that both by the faithfull execution of hir Highnes lawes, and by the vertuous example of your owne life, the church of England may be commended and well ſpoken of among all nations. But principallie I beſeech you put to your helping hand, that the Biſhops, paſtours, and all others, that hauehave anie commiſſion to gouerne the church and cauſes eccleſiaſticall, be ſo choſen, as their godlines of life be of all men allowed, their ſoundneſſe of doctrine cleerelie approoued, their boldneſſe in profeſſing throughlie well tried, their gifts of edifieng of all men perceiued; and which ſeeke not for the deſire of honour, but receiue for edification of the church, the liuings, honours, and authorities giuen vntounto them: which being performed, ye ſhall be rid of infinit care and buſineſſe; otherwiſe your labours will be no whit leſſened, nor your heauie burthen lightened: but the appeales vntounto you will be dailie increaſed, and the troubles of the church remaine vnpacified. And this will be one ſpeciall furtherance to the building vp of the Lords temple.
Furthermore, ye that be the Biſhops and cheefe Prelates of the congregation; my honourable Lords and reuerend fathers in Chriſt, which hauehave committed vntounto you the care of the Lords houſe, and of the miniſters of the ſame; I beſeech you for the diſcharge of your owne offices and conſciences, for the more ſpeedie reedification of the temple, and for the deſire ye hauehave of the choſens felicitie, ye will hauehave a watchfull eie vntounto your charge: and that ye will neither for fauour, nor for affection, nor for priuate commoditie, no nor at the ſpeciall ſute of anie mortall man, admit anie other miniſters, than ſuch as bee learned, graue, and of good report among all men: and vntounto whom God hath giuen gifts to edifie in the congregation. That ye will likewiſe prouide by your gouernment, that all things may be doone to the glorie of God, to ſpirituall edification, and to a decent order in the church. That ye ſuffer no notorious fault to eſcape vnpuniſhed, and that there be no occaſion giuen to the aduerſaries to ſpeake euill of the Goſpell for your ſakes. That ye will by all meanes poſſible reconcile the diuerſitie of opinions, and make that we may ſpeake and thinke and beleeue all one thing in Chriſt Ieſus. That ye will liue in a continuall peregrination in your dioceſſe: and not onelie viſit all your particular churches (if it be poſſible by your ſelues, if not, by your faithfull and well choſen officers) but eftſoones alſo ſearch and inquire, whether your decrees be executed, and all diſorders amended. Remember if anie part of the Lords houſe fall to decaie by your default, it ſhall be required at your hands; but if it be kept in good plight by your diligence and good ouerſight, ye ſhall reape an incomparable reward in the kingdome of heauen. What remaineth now, when ye and other excellent men hauehave by your writing, and by your teaching and preaching both confirmed the true religion, and confuted all ſuperſtitious doctrine; but that all the aduerſaries will be aſhamed and yeeld, when they ſee your diligence in gouerning, and vnblameableneſſe of liuing ioined with the godlie zeale of your preaching: if they perceiue you to contemne all things as dung in compariſon of the Goſpell of Chriſt, and to be readie, if need ſhall require, to laie downe your life for the brethren: finallie, if ye mortifie your ſelues to the world, that yee may liue vntounto Chriſt. For vnleſſe life and gouernement be ioined with preaching and teaching, ye labour in vaine, and withhold the truth of God in vnrighteouſneſſe, making the word of God of none effect. And ye ſhall but looſe your labour in riſing earlie, and in late taking reſt, and in eating the bread of carefulneſſe. For if all theſe things be not performed of you, whatſoeuer ye build vp with the one hand, ye plucke downe with the other.
Againe, ye that be the heads of both the Vniuerſities, hauehave ye a circumſpect eie that there be no corrupt member within your Colleges; and where yee perceiue anie ſuch to growe vp, let him be examined and weeded out from the good come, leaſt he perſuade Iſraell to commit ſinne and idolatrie. Ceaſe ye not, but declare him to the magiſtrates which may take further order for him, leaſt he by his libertie infect other places in the realme.
And generallie, all ye that be the common people, which liue in hope of your felicitie, and looke for the ſecond comming of our Sauiour, be ye diligent in hearing and reading of the word. And ceaſe not there, but if there be anie neceſſarie place which you doo not eaſilie vnderſtand, compare it diligentlie with other places of the ſcripture which concerne that matter. If this will not ſuffice, conſult ye either with ſome godlie and learned man, or with this and ſuch other learned bookes how that place ſhould be trulie vnderſtood. And for this cauſe ſpeciallie (beloued Readers) I hauehave ſet foorth vntounto you large and ample tables, whereby ye may, by the alphabet of letters, find out a full expoſition of all thoſe things, which this booke ſetteth foorth out of the holie ſcriptures neceſſarie to ſaluation. Thoſe read, I ſaie, with all humilitie; but be not too curious in ſearching out of the myſteries, which be too high aboue you: but deſire God alwaies, that ye may ſee what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is. For it is no woonder why a great part of the world is yet ſtill lead in blindneſſe, ſith it is their owne wilfulneſſe that cauſeth their error: it is their owne negligence that maketh their ignorance: it is their owne malignant hart that driueth the Lord to refuſe them. When Auguſtine was conuerted from Manicheiſme to the true religion, hee was commanded by the ſpirit of God, To take vp the booke and read. And the Eunuch in the Acts, when he was diligent in ſearching out of a myſterie that tended to ſaluation: God ſent Philip to interpret vntounto him. And thinke we that he will not ſend his ſpirit to interpret vntounto vsus, when we earneſtlie deſire him by praier to vouchſafe vntounto vsus the right vnderſtanding of his word?
Now laſt of all, though with griefe and lamentation of hart, I conuert my ſpeech vntounto you the pretended Catholiks of England. O ye blind guides, the leaders of the blind into the deſtruction of their ſoules! I bewaile your wofull caſe, howſoeuer ye your ſelues reioiſe in your euils. The God of this world hath blinded your minds, for ye diſdaine the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, and deride the plaine ſinceritie thereof; ye are enimies to the true church, euen to them that Chriſt bought with his pretious bloud; yee hate your owne fleſh and bloud; ye ſtorme and rage againſt your mothers children; and that more furiouſlie and maliciouſlie than againſt the Turks and infidels that hauehave no knowledge of Chriſt. Ye are deceiued and ſeduced in the waie of the Lord; and your ignorance is wilfull bicauſe ye will not take vp the booke of the holie ſcriptures, and labour earneſtlie therein, that ye might trie and ſearch out the truth: but ye followe your owne waies, and the deceiueable paths of your forefathers: neither will ye ſuffer the ſimple ſort to read it, or the true interpretors of it. Ye knowe that there is but one true religion, and that there be aſſured marks to knowe the ſame by: but ye in ſo diuine a thing chooſe rather to trie a certeintie by ſuch vncerteine marks, as the corrupt hart of man doth deuiſe, than by the infallible rule of the word of God. Ye knowe that all things in the world, which are out of ſquare, muſt be compared by that rule and paterne from whence it was deriued. The picture of a man is examined according to that man whom it repreſenteth, or by the firſt lineaments taken from him. A houſe to be built is ſet vp according to the platforme drawne for the ſame. A keie is ſhapen according to the print of the originall. Euerie offenſe committed againſt the lawe of man, is examined by the lawe prouided againſt that offenſe. If it ſo fare in temporal things, and that by reaſon of the vncerteintie of mans iudgement, humane things muſt be tried not by mans will, but by mens rules; how much more then muſt the doctrine of Gods religion be tried by the rule of Gods word, and by no other meanes? Howbeit, ye will hauehave no other iudges of controuerſies but your ſelues, nor anie others to interpret the truth, but your ſelues: you conſider not that ye be our aduerſaries, and that no aduerſarie parts may be their owne iudges: ye ſee not that we are growne of equall number with you; our bookes and volumes as manie, and as great as yours; our arguments not onelie in number as manie, but in proofe and ſubſtance more inuincible than yours. The fathers doo differ; your ſelues doo varie; Councels doo erre; all men be lyers: but the word of God is true and endureth for euer. Why doo you not then confeſſe, that the written word is the moſt equall and indifferent iudge; and that the ſpirit of God ſpeaking out of it to the harts of men, is the verie right and iuſt interpretor of the Lords will: and that no mortall man may preſume to knowe his will further than he hath declared vntounto him out of his holie word: but ye intermingle all, both diuine and humane things togither. Ye make the waies of the Lord to be your waies: ye thinke it vnpoſſible that Chriſt ſitting in heauen can rule his church vponupon the earth by his ſpirit, and by the gouernement of Chriſtian magiſtrates, vnleſſe he hauehave one principall prelate on the earth for his vicar: (and him onelie will you hauehave to be the biſhop of Rome:) vnleſſe the counſels of men doo eſtabliſh after their maner that, which the counſell of God hath alreadie decreed after his maner.
Beſides this, of an inſatiable hatred that you beare vntounto vsus, and vntounto the truth which we profeſſe, ye crie out againſt all our tranſlations of the bible, and ye continuallie beate into the eares of the ſimple, that they differ one from another, and euerie one from the truth; and for this cauſe ye forbid men to read them at all, vnles they be tranſlated by your ſelues. We grant indeed that our tranſlations differ in words, but verie ſeldome in ſenſe: if at anie time in ſenſe, yet neuer in matter of great importance. As for differing in words, we prooue that there was neuer yet anie mortall men, two, three, or mo, that without an apparent miracle could ſpeake, write, and interpret one and the ſelfe-ſame thing, after one and the ſelfe-ſame maner, with the verie ſame words. Which interpretors notwithſtanding, whileſt they keepe the true ſenſe, are not to be condemned, though they varie in words: wherefore to ſaie the verie truth, the difference of our tranſlations is rather in ſound of words, than in ſenſe or meaning. And where there be anie alterations, they be ſeldome anie corrections, but explications. But put the caſe there be ſome few eſcapes of ſmall weight in ſome of the firſt editions, & perhaps ſome few in the latter, by reaſon of miſtaking ſome Greeke, or Hebrue, or Syrian word or phraſe: ſhall this make the word of God to be of none effect? Shall the people for this cauſe not once looke into the whole ſcripture for their owne comfort and edification? Shall the few ſmall faults of an interpretor forbid a wounded conſcience to ſeeke a medicine for his maladie, and a ſalue for his ſore? Shall men be denied the vſe of all veſſels, gold and ſiluer, if anie cracke or flawe happen vntounto them? Shall euerie pretious iewell that is not adorned with the fineſt gold, and with the beſt foiles, be caſt awaie? Shall euerie good land that hath a bauke or bunch, be left vnmanured? Shall euerie good man that is able to do ſeruice in the Common-weale be abandoned, for committing one or two ſmall offenſes? If we ſee no pretious thing in the world, that for anie accidentall blemiſh is contemned & caſt awaie? ſhall the rich diamond of the word of God be kept from the vſe of Chriſtians, bicauſe of ſome few words miſconſtrued by ſome vnaduiſed men? Will ye denie the new teſtament latelie tranſlated by your Ieſuits into Engliſh, to all the Engliſh pretended Catholiks, bicauſe ſome certeine words be miſinterpreted therein: ſome childiſhlie affectate, & ſome in the verie ſenſe it ſelfe corrupted? You ſhould hauehave dealt more charitablie with vsus, and not ſo vniuſtlie hauehave accuſed all our tranſlations: but eſpeciallie if you had ſpied anie thing amiſſe in the firſt Editions, which are mended in the latter; you ſhould not ſo maliciouſlie hauehave laid thoſe things to our charge; and with more trauell you ſhould hauehave learned the truth of the Greeke before you had obiected vntounto vsus ſuch things, as now turne to your owne ſhame and reproofe. I thought to hauehave ſpoken ſomewhat at large in the defenſe of our tranſlations: but ſith that learned Diuine Maſter D. Fulke, whoſe great labour and diligence in the church I can neuer ſufficientlie commend, hath ſo ſtronglie, and ſo latelie confuted all the cauſis obiected againſt the ſame, as all you that be the aduerſaries ſhall neuer be able by all your replies to ſhake the credit of that booke, much leſſe to conuince or diſprooue it; therefore I paſſe it ouer with a word or two: aſſuring you, that we hauehave doone nothing parciallie; but ſo far as God hath lent vsus his talent, we hauehave ſearched out both the Latine and Greeke in all thoſe places, wherein might be anie miſtruſt of corruption, and wrong interpretation. Againe, if we according to the Greeke copies hauehave tranſlated otherwiſe than your Latine tranſlations will beare, ſo long as the ſame agreeth with the reſt of the doctrine of the holie ſcriptures, it is warrant enough for vsus to vſe the ſame, and too great raſhneſſe of you to denie it. Furthermore, we confeſſe, that we in our tranſlations are not ſo preciſe, but that where the words of the Greeke, or Hebrue, or Latine be ſo difficult, as they cannot be liuelie expreſſed word for word, eſpeciallie in the Engliſh toong, we hauehave ſometimes added a neceſſarie word by the ſenſe of the place to be vnderſtood; which you hauehave not doone in your tranſlation of the new teſtament: and therefore hauehave you left ſuch vnperfect ſentences, and hauehave giuen ſuch abſurd termes, as euerie good man dooth pitie and lament your great fruitleſſe labour. Furthermore, it may be, that we hauehave not in euerie word kept the proper Engliſh of the Greeke or Hebrue, as neither yee hauehave doone altogither out of the vulgar Latine in your tranſlation; yet neuertheleſſe will the circumſtances alwaies beare the ſame: and ſo can it not be iuſtlie ſaid, that we hauehave anie waie altered the ſenſe. But now would I not hauehave you thinke, that we hauehave ſpoken this, as though the doctrine which we teach cannot be defended, vnleſſe our tranſlations be iuſtified at large. For our doctrine is vnreproouable, and that which we defend is ſound, and the verie ſame that Chriſt left in his word, that the apoſtles and all the fathers taught in the primitiue church; that we hauehave receiued from them by the teſtimonie of their owne writings, and hauehave manie times ſealed with our owne bloud: finallie, that we hauehave confirmed with innumerable books and writings, and that we will ſtill ſtedfaſtlie defend ſo long as we hauehave breath in our bodie. Wherevpon alſo we conclude, that ſince all our tranſlations are conſonant to this doctrine, conſonant to the originall copies of the Greeke and Hebrue, and conſonant to that, which the apoſtles and fathers taught in the primitiue church; they be ſufficientlie authoriſed of themſelues, without receiuing anie further defenſe from vsus.
But what doo ye of the Seminarie of Rhemes thinke, if we ſhould receiue into our church the tranſlation, which ye your ſelues latelie made (ſimplie I meane, and nakedlie without anie of your corrupt notes, and blaſphemous gloſſes) would not the verie ſame confirme all our opinions in the cheefeſt matters, as much in a maner as our owne tranſlations? For it is not your phantaſticall & new deuiſed termes, that can make Chriſts true religion contrarie to it ſelfe: that can alter the ſenſe and meaning of the holie Ghoſt, that can either infeeble our true & grounded poſitions, or ſtrengthen your falſe & forged obiections. Neither can the name of [Chalice] in ſteed of Cup, turne our Communion into your Maſſe; nor [Superſubſtantiall] in ſteed of Dailie, or true bread from heauen in the Lords praier, turne naturall bread into the bodie, fleſh, and bloud of Chriſt; nor [Hoſts] in ſteed of Sacrifices, conuert our ſacrifices of Thanks-giuing, Praier, Almes, and Mortification into the vnbloudie ſacrifice of the Maſſe, and hanged vp Idoll of the Altar. Nor can the name of [Penance] for Repentance, eſtabliſh your Satisfactions; nor [Condigne] for Woorthie, take awaie the woorthineſſe of Chriſts death, to erect your merits of Condignitie; nor [Inuocate] for Calling vponupon, eſtabliſh your Inuocation of Saints; nor yet anie other of your new inkpot terms (to wit, [Impudicicitie] for wantones; [Longanimitie] for long ſuffering; [Praecurſor] for forerunner; [Euangelize] for preaching the good tidings of the Goſpell; [Azyms] for vnleuened Bread; [Paraſceue] for the daie of Preparation; [Scandalized] for Offended; [Contriſtate, for making Sorie; [Propiciat] for making Reconciliation [Depoſitum] for a thing committed to the hands of another; [Victims] for Sacrifices: [Prepuce] for vncircumciſion; Contradicted] for Spoken againſt; [Reſuſcitate] for Stir vp; [Holocauſt] for Burnt offerings; [By iuncture of Subminiſtration] for, By ioining togither of that which ſerueth, &c. and infinite other ſuch obſcure and new inuented words; which might eaſilie enough with ſome ſmall Periphraſis, without hinderance of the ſenſe, hauehave beene put in plaine Engliſh) that can make good anie of your heatheniſh ſuperſtitions. What need the common people be now ſet to ſchoole to their dieng daie, before they can learne that out of Latine, by ſtrange and difficult words, which alreadie they knowe as perfectlie as their Pater noſter in plaine Engliſh, with a long acquainted cuſtome? Was this Chriſts & his Apoſtles maner of teaching? Did they not ſpeake in the plaineſt termes they could poſſiblie deuiſe, to make thoſe whom they ſpake vntounto vnderſtand them? Did not babes and ſucklings vnderſtand that, which the Lord himſelfe ſpake? Was not for this cauſe the gift of toongs ſent downe to the Apoſtles, to the intent they might interpret euerie thing to euerie man in their owne naturall language? Wherefore, be ye better aduiſed hereafter, in accuſing of our tranſlations, before ye hauehave purged and perfected your owne; and before your gaines in this matter may be comparable to the trauell that you hauehave taken therein. Now then, ſince all theſe tranſlations of ours hauehave beene doone by faithfull, learned, and godlie men, and of a good, ſincere, and godlie purpoſe, we praiſe God perpetuallie, and commend the good indeuours of them. And we moſt humblie and earneſtlie deſire of God, that bicauſe there is no perfect wiſedome nor knowledge in man, vnleſſe it be giuen from aboue: and that there were neuer anie mortall men, that without the aſſiſting grace of the ſpirit of God, could doo anie thing ſo trulie and exactlie, but others after them might find ſome imperfection therin, it will pleaſe him for his ſonnes ſake to lighten continuallie the minds of men of vnderſtanding, that they may dailie put to their helping hands to the perfect poliſhing of this excellent tranſlation. And let vsus magnifie the Lord of heauen and earth, that hath turned the enuie of you, which be our aduerſaries, to the aduancement of his owne glorie, the increaſe of our diligence, the refutation of your errors, and benefit of his church. For ye hating vsus vnmercifullie, bicauſe we deliuer the word of God vntounto all the people indifferentlie to be read in their owne mother toong; and yet being forced to confeſſe, that the ſame ought not to be deteined from them, hauehave euen againſt your owne wils, in ſome reſpect ſet foorth the glorie of God: and ſo by the ſelfe-ſame ſword, wherewith ye thought to hauehave deſtroied vsus, ye hauehave pearſed your owne bowels, confounded yourſelues, ouerthrowne your owne counterfet and falſe doctrine, and maruellouſlie eſtabliſhed the truth of our profeſſion. And herein moreouer are we beholding to God, though not vntounto you (which ment not thereby either to pleaſure vsus, or to edifie the people) inſomuch as by the narrow ſifting which yee hauehave made of our opinions, and tranſlations, we knowe the verie vttermoſt which you are able to breath and braie out againſt vsus. And that by this meanes, if yet there remaine anie thing that lieth in our power to performe which hitherto hath beene neglected, we may run therevnto with all willingneſſe of heart, till at length we come to that principall marke, wherevnto we tend with all our deſire and godlie indeuours.
Moreouer, ye contend more vehementlie for all thoſe opinions of yours which we denie, than did the ancient fathers with the Montaniſts, Marcionites, Arrians, and other damnable ſects which denied the true humanitie or diuinitie of Chriſt: or as though the holie ſcripture had as plainlie and preciſelie commanded thoſe things, as it did euerie other thing that ye and we both alike confeſſe. And yet Chriſt and the Apoſtles in ſetting downe all things in the ſcripture neceſſarie to ſaluation, gaue not ſo much as a word or ſigne of anie ſuch opinion. If your opinions had beene of neceſſitie to beleeue, as yee pretend vntounto vsus that they are; or if ſo the pleaſure of God had beene, that we ſhould imbraſe them, would the holie Ghoſt hauehave paſſed ouer in ſilence ſo weightie matters; and for the which hee knew ſo great controuerſie ſhould afterward ariſe betweene the true church and the falſe? Would our mercifull God, that ſo tenderlie loueth his elect, and ſo deſirouſlie would hauehave them all to be ſaued; and who ſuffereth not his truth to faile, nor his Goſpell to be hidden from anie, but from them that periſh; would he, I ſaie, hide from his owne, anie of the neceſſarie principles of religion? If he kept nothing backe from the Epheſians, but ſhewed them euen all the counſell of God; would he be anie thing leſſe mercifull vntounto vsus than he was vntounto them, by not ſhewing to vsus in his written word, that which by epiſtles and preaching the ſpirit taught vntounto them? No verelie; but what he ſhewed vntounto them, that hath he ſhewed vsus, that is to ſaie, hath plainlie taught vsus in the holie ſcriptures. Wherfore laie aſide all maliciouſneſſe and hatred towards vsus, and diſcerne with a pure heart and a ſingle eie, what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is.
Againe, you would make the authoritie of your church to bee far greater, than the authoritie of ours; bicauſe of a great conſent of manie Prelates and Biſhops. You weigh not that there is neither authoritie, nor councell, nor conſpiracie, nor conſent, nor cuſtome, which is not agreeable to the will and word of God, that is of anie force. We knowe that an other foundation beſides Chriſt Ieſus, which is alreadie laid, can no man laie; and therefore the true builders will build no other matter vponupon that foundation, but ſuch as is deriued from the rocke Chriſt Ieſus: but ye hauehave builded your owne vile traſh vponupon the ſame, and therfore the matter being ſuch as neither Chriſt commanded to build with, nor anie of his ſeruants long after him vſed, nor yet is anſwerable to the ſame foundation; wee conclude, that neither your church is Chriſts church; nor yet the builders thereof, the Lords builders. But wee for our part hauehave a more certeine and aſſured word of propheſie for the knowledge of our church, and whereby wee take not vponupon vsus to woorke the Lords woorke, with anie other ſtuffe than the Lord himſelfe hath appointed. Wee build altogither vponupon the foundation of the prophets and apoſtles, Ieſus Chriſt beeing the head corner ſtone. And we finiſh the temple, euen according to that paterne, which is no no leſſe euidentlie ſet downe in the euerlaſting teſtament of Ieſus Chriſt, than was the Iewes temple vno Moſes vponupon the mount. Therefore is ours the true church, and ſhall continue for euer, whereas yours ſhall conſume, periſh, and come to a fearefull end.
Furthermore, ye boaſt that the church of God hath long continued quiet without anie generall reſiſtance till now of late, that the learned men in Germanie and elſe-where began to diſdaine that the truth of God ſhould ſo ſhamefullie be abuſed by couetous and careleſſe men. Ye conſider not that your forgeries crept in by little and little, now one thing and than another, whole ages betweene: that they ſproong vp of deuotion; of a pretenſe of holines; of a wrong conceit of Gods omnipotencie; of a zeale towards religion, but yet without knowledge: that manie times your opinions either were not reſiſted, bicauſe learned men were otherwiſe better occupied in confuting of more groſſe & palpable hereſies: or if they were reſiſted, thoſe monuments hauehave periſhed by the enuie of your ſide; or elſe through manie barbarous nations which inuaded Chriſtendome: that manie of your opinions grew by miſtaking of councels, and miſconſtruing of the fathers, and of their darke and hyperbolicall ſpeeches, and not of anie authoritie receiued from the primitiue church: that your church of Rome might more liberallie and without reſiſtance (and therefore more dangerouſlie) raiſe vp errors, hir citie being the miſtreſſe that commanded all nations: that thoſe errors of yours were pretended vntounto the common people to be taught out of the woord of God, and that it behooued to keepe them vponupon paine of damnation; that the godlie were humble and charitable: and beſides the opinion they had of the authoritie and learning of biſhops and councels; either for charitie they would not, or for feare they durſt not find fault with anie ordinance made by them: further, that God had not as yet put into the harts of kings and great eſtates to defend thoſe that ſhould find fault with the corruptions of the church; that the profeſſours of the Goſpell had not prepared ſo ſmooth ſtones, nor had ſo apt ſlings for the purpoſe as now they hauehave: for God had not yet prepared the art of Printing, whereby the word runneth verie ſwiftlie into all parts of the world: that the kings of the earth had not as yet droonke the full draught of the whoore of Babylons cup, nor thorough the infection thereof had ſhead the vniuſt meaſure of innocent bloud; bicauſe the myſterie of iniquitie had not yet wrought all his force, neither was that man of ſinne ſo notoriouſlie reuealed; whome now the Lord dooth euerie daie more and more deſtroie with the ſpirit of his mouth. Further, that the time was not yet come, wherein God by his eternall prouidence had decreed to build vp the walles of decaied Ieruſalem, neither yet was the iudgement of God ſo neare at hand. Laſtlie, that all things were not yet fulfilled, which Chriſt and his ſpirit propheſied ſhould come to paſſe before the latter daie.
GiueGive ouer therefore theſe inſolent and vaine boaſtings: for the Lord dooth all things in time, in meaſure and in weight; his purpoſes are far from mens cogitations, he oftentimes maketh the vileſt and baſeſt beginnings to grow vp to the greateſt advancements of his glorie; and he knew before all eternitie, whome he had choſen to himſelfe. The ſinnes of your forefathers ſhall not excuſe your wilfull obſtinacie: for I ſaie vntounto you, that not onelie they, but the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha would hauehave conuerted before this time, if either they had ſeene the wonders that hauehave beene doone in your daies; or elſe had heard the hundred part of preaching, inſtructing, and confuting of thoſe errors, that ye hauehave heard, and learned, and throughlie tried. And ſith our preachers hauehave preached vntounto you, not themſelues, but Ieſus Chriſt; not anie deuiſe of their owne, but what they hauehave found in the holie word: and hauehave taken this labour vponupon them, not for oſtentation of their owne learning, or for enuie they beare to your perſons; but in defenſe of the truth, but with a zeale of the Lords houſe, but for reformation of Chriſts church, but for the manifeſting of your falſe opinions, & for the earneſt deſire of your ſaluation, ye ſhould hauehave imbraſed them as the Angels of God, much leſſe hauehave perſecuted them to the death. Ye ſhould hauehave taken this faithfull trauell of theirs, as an infallible token from heauen; that as GOD, before the firſt comming of his ſonne, ſent manie prophets betimes in the morning to rebuke the ſinnes of the people, and to ſhew wherein the prieſts had violated the lawe of the Lord, and how greeuouſlie the falſe worſhippers had defaced his holie ſanctuarie; ſo now before his ſecond comming, he hath ſent heapes of theſe godlie and zealous preachers, to laie open the errors of the church, and to gather into the ſheepefold the wandering flocke, & thoſe whom he had predeſtinated to his kingdom before the foundations of the world were laid. If none of all theſe things will ſerue; if nothing will make ye relent; if not yet at the length ye will returne to the true church, for all the ſpirituall and ſupernaturall ſignes and wonders of your daies, for all the admonitions that hauehave beene giuen you, for all the arguments that hauehave confuted you, for all the word that preuaileth againſt you, for all you ſee the latter daie creeping towards you, and the ſonne of man as a theefe in the nightſtealing vponupon you: if ſtill ye will be ſelfe willing and obſtinate; if ſtill ye will giuegive more credite to your ſelues, than to the liuelie word of God; if no not yet ye will leaue perſecuting of your brethren, by fire & ſword, by malicious lies and reproches, and by all maner of wicked waies ye can deuiſe; and that contrarie to godlines, contrarie to iuſtice, contrarie to all humanitie, contrarie to the law of nature, and contrarie to your owne conſciences, ye will hauehave the iudgement of religion in your owne hands, and will hauehave no other interpretation, but ſuch as your ſelues deuiſe: behold I pronounce vntounto you that the mightie God Iehouah commeth; he commeth, and that ſpeedilie in his owne perſon, riding vponupon the wings of the wind. He will not now ſeeke anie more reuenge vponupon Pharao and Nabuchad-nezar, for his people of Iſraell; nor yet vponupon Diocleſian, Iulian, and other heathen tyrants for oppreſſing the Chriſtians: but hee will require the bloud of righteous Abell, at the hands of his owne brother Cain; of Lot, at his owne citie Sodome; of Iacob, at his owne brother Eſau; of Zacharie, at the prince of his owne people; of Chriſt, at the hands of his owne Ieruſalem; and of his ſaints and martyrs of England, at the hands of their owne countrimen, kinſmen, and brethren. He will not reprooue you for intermitting your vnbloudie ſacrifice of the maſſe; and for not offering vp his ſonne euerie daie to his father, which himſelfe once for all offered vponupon the croſſe, ſeeing he neuer commanded you thus to doo. No, but he will condemne you for mangling his ſacraments, and prophaning his ceremonies with your falſe ſeruices; for giuing vntounto creatures anie part of the honour that is due vntounto himſelfe; for turning your eares from him when he crieth vntounto you out of his holie word; for refuſing the congregation of his ſaints, and ioining your ſelues to Baal-Peor; for greeuing his ſpirit when he ſounded his voice into your deafe eares; and for that yee hauehave perſecuted him in his ſaints vponupon the earth. Now the time approcheth, wherein the Lord ſhall preuaile againſt you, and ſhall tread all his enimies vnderunder his feet. Then ſhall ye know that the Goſpell of Chriſt is his power vntounto ſaluation, to all them that beleeue: and that hee hath continuallie, ſince his departure, ſpoken and interpreted to you, by his holie ſpirit, ſpeaking out of his word, whatſoeuer is neceſſarie to ſaluation; but ye would not harken vntounto him, no more than the Iewes would vntounto Chriſt, when he told them plainlie that he was that verie Meſſias. Therefore ſince ye will not giuegive credit vntounto him, by the ſoft ſtill noiſe of his ſpirit ſpeaking vntounto you in his word, he ſhall come in a mightie conſuming fire, with a voice more horrible vntounto you than was heard vponupon mount Sina; more terrible than was there the face of his maieſtie, victoriouſlie leading captiuitie captiue, ioifullie with all his ſaints; and triumphantlie with innumerable Angels. He ſhall gather his elect from all the corners of the earth: and all thoſe, which would not hearken to his voice, he ſhall reiect as they that would not ſuffer him to reigne ouer them: they ſhall be caſt into the vttermoſt darkeneſſe; where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
But all vsus that hauehave beene obedient to his word in this life, and hauehave ſought our righteouſneſſe in Chriſt onelie: and which doo ſigh and grone for his comming, he ſhall raiſe vp on high vntounto him, and we ſhall ſee the ſaluation of our God. Let vsus therefore with ioifull and true harts looke vp to heauen aboue, for our redemption draweth neere. Let vsus fix our eies and minds vponupon our mightie GOD, which commeth in triumph and victorie. Let vsus run foorth togither with palmes in our hands to meet our bridegroome comming vntounto vsus. Let vsus ſpread our garments before him in the waie, and crie; Bleſſed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord, Hoſanna in he higheſt. Then will he receiue vsus gladlie and imbraſe vsus; and bicauſe we hauehave continued with him in his temptations, therefore ſhall we eate and drinke with him at his table in his kingdome, where hee reigneth euerlaſtinglie, and ſhall iudge the world with righteouſneſſe, and his owne people with equitie.