The Marginal Notes of the Popish Testament Translated Into English, Title page – Dedication
A VIEW OF THE MARGINAL NOTES OF THE Popish Testament, translated into English by the English fugitiue Papists resiant at RHEMES in France. By George Wither.
Psalm. 19. vers. 7.
The Law of the Lord is perfect, conuerting the soule, the testimonie of the Lord is sure, and giueth wisedome to the simple.
Augustine in epistolam Iohan. tract. primo.
Iohannes maluit se ponere in numero peccatorum, vt Christum haberet aduocatum: quam ponere se pro Christo aduocatum, & inueniri inter damnandos superbos:
Iohn had rather place himselfe in the number of sinners, that he might hauehave Christ to be his aduocate: than to let himselfe in steed of Christ to be an aduocate, and so to be found amongst damnable proud men.
Printed at London by Edm. Bollifant for Thomas Woodcocke.
TO THE MOST-REVEREND FAther in God, IOHN Archbishop of Canterburie, Primate and Metropolitane of England, GEORGE WITHER wisheth abundant increase of all heauenly and spirituall blessings.
IT is the manner, vse, and custome of all that set foorth any thing to be seene and read of others, to set downe some reasons that mooued them to take such pains, and to publish their labors. In the yeere of our Lord, one thousand, fiue hundred, eightie two, a testament trāslated into English, at Rhemes in France, was published in print, by the English fugitiue Papists resiant there. The censure, view, and examination whereof, hath euer since been hartily looked, or rather longed for, of all both rich and poore, high and low, that feare God and louelove his truth. But by what occasion I cannot tell, it hath been hitherto delaied. Whereupon I thought it would not be amisse, neither misliked, if some thing in the meane space might be done, toward the satisfaction of the well affected, and the repressing of the triumphes of the contrarie. Therefore at my returne from London, from Michaelmasse terme last past, I tooke in hand to discouer the loose, corrupt, vniust, and vntrue dealing of our Rhemists in their marginall notes. Which if I could effect, and bring to passe afore an answer to their whole worke came foorth, I did suppose that it would somwhat diminish the griefe of manie good men, and make them the more patiently to expect and wait for the censure of the whole work. And againe, if it should happen, that by reason I tooke it in hand so late, that I …ould not compasse it, or bring it to passe, afore the censure of the whole worke were in presse, yet I did thinke, that bicause that worke could not be but verie great, and therfore chargeable; that it would not be thought amisse of, if some part were answered by it selfe, which the poorer, and those which either were vnable, or vnwilling to be at charges with the other, might attaine and hauehave with small cost. Now hauing by the fauor of God gone through it, I thought that I could not choose a better patron for it, than your Grace, whom God hath aduanced to the highest Ecclesiasticall place and dignitie in our Church of England. For some make the dedication of their works, testimonies of old friendship and familiaritie, and as it were monuments of their old long continued louelove. Which cause if there were no more, were sufficient, considering the louelove, wherewith you hauehave imbraced me these thirtie yeeres and vpwards. Others do it to witnes their mindfulnes of their dutie to them that be in honorable place and calling. And why should not I heerin also imitate them, sith it hath pleased God, leauing me in a meane place, so highly to aduance you? Others to get the fau…able patronage and defence of their works by high dignitie and authoritie, against all maleuolous cauillers and backbiters, whereof this wicked world is alwaies full. And heer of both I stand in great need, hauing the whole band of Popish sophisters in this against me, and also none can better protect and defend me, than you, either for learning and iudgement, or for power and authoritie, wherewith God hath indued you. Their whole worke consisteth altogither of lieng, fraud, and deceit, which I thought not vnmeete in some part to touch, disclose, and make manifest in this mine Epistle. First in their Preface, then in their Translation, after in their collected and concluded Annotations: lastly, in their thicke and threefold allegations of the fathers. In which I will vse all possible breuitie and shortnes; for that my purpose is but to giuegive a little small taste of their foule and shamelesse dealings, whereby the sinceritie of their dealing in the rest may be the easilier and better gessed at. The first part of their Preface maintaineth against the whole course of the Scriptures, and against all authoritie of the ancient primitiue Church, that it is not necessarie for al Christians to hauehave, and read the Scriptures in a knowen vulgar toong.Deut. 6. vers. 7. 8 9. Which if it were true, why are all men commanded continually to talke of them, and to write them vponupon the doores, wals,Psal. 1. vers. …. and posts of their houses, and how should they meditate in them day and night? How should fathers teach them to their children,Psal. 78. v. …. and they againe to their children?Psal. 19. ve…. 7. The Scriptures giuegive wisedome to the simple, why then shall not the simplest seeke in them to waxe wise?Iohn 5. v 39. If life be to be found in the Scriptures, why shall not all search them that looke for life?Rom. v. 1…. v. …. If they be written for our learning, why should it not be as lawful to learne by reading, as by hearing? The Cōstitutions which they sundry times alledge,Cleme…. l. b. 1. cap. …. as ordeined by the Apostles, do appoint Laie men to read the Law, the books of the Kings,Epistla ad Marcellam. the Psalmes and the Gospell. Saint Hierome commendeth poore plough men, bicause at the plough taile in their worke and labor, they could sing the Psalmes. Our Rhemists adde of their owne (beleeue them if you list) to salue the matter withall, that they sang in a language they vnderstood not, and wherein they could not read those Scriptures. Saint Chrysostome exhorted the common people to get them Bibles,In the homilie▪ quoted in their epistle. and Testaments, and refuted the same obiections, which the Papists at this day make to the contrary. But our Papists tel vsus that he dealt like a pulpit man, and therfore his rules must not be generall, but serue for his owne people, which he preached vntounto. As who should say the pulpit were not as meet a place, to deliuer the rules of religion, and a generall truth in, as the schooles. They adde, that eueryevery artificer dealeth in the hardest, and deepest matters of religion, omitting the more easie, that they presuppose no difficulties, that they aske for no expositor, that they feele no depth of Gods science in Scripture, that maners, and life are nothing amended, that priuate fantasies, and not the sense of the Church, and doctors thereof, in interpreting the Scriptures is followed. And whosoeuer knoweth the state, and condition of the Church of England, knoweth all this to be an beape, and dunghill of lies packed togither. If their commendation of their Churches moderation, in not wholy condemning, nor forbidding generally vulgar translations, be not a lie▪ then Master Harding,In the fift part of his answere to the apologie, Chap. 16. …. and such other like of their side, hauehave abused vsus, in telling vsus, that the malepartnesse of Heretikes made the Church altogither to forbid the vulgar translations. Their accusations of our translations, hauehave alreadie been so well answered by Master Doctor Fulke to Martinius, that I neede not to touch them. Their reasons likewise being both many, and friuolous, whereby they go about to prefer their vulgar latin version, before the text in the toongs, wherein they were first written, I leaue to him, or them, which shall answere the whole preface in order as it lieth: onelyonly three things, I will admonish men to consider of, in them. First that they tend not so much to giuegive credit to the vulgar text, as to discredit al texts whatsoeuer, to the end that either men might hauehave nothing to ground their religion certainlie on, or else to make their Church of Rome their only stay. Secondly, that they confesse the Fathers in this point to be against them, namely whose opinions are that the Latin text should yeeld to the Greeke, and Hebrue: but they thinke to avoid it with a slie shift, that they meant the true, and vncorrupted text, as it was in their daies, and times. But Lodouicus Viues a learned man, liuing in the daies of Henrie the eight, in his annotations vponupon Saint Augustine de ciuitate Dei, Iib. 14. cap. 8.telleth vsus, that to his time (a fewe vnlearned dolts excepted) all men preferred the texts in their original toongs,Lib. 15. cap. 13. before the others translated out of them. Therefore either our good Masters of Rhemes must tell vsus of some great corruptions that hauehave crept in of late yeeres into the Greeke, and Hebrew texts, or else they can not blame vsus for not crediting them against the learned of all ages afore vsus, old and new, one, and others. Thirdly, that the Councel of Trent goeth not so far as our new Masters of Rhemes: For they preferre it onelyonly before all Latin translations, making it amongst them the onelyonly autenticall texte: In which it is plaine that either the Pope, or the Councell might, and did erre. For Erasmus dedicated his translation to Pope Leo, and vnderunder his approbation manie men tooke it for autenticall, and now your Councell iudgeth it not autenticall, therefore either Leo, or they iudged amisse, take whether they will. Thus much for their Preface. Their Translation (how much soeuer they brag of paines, care, and conscience to deale sincerely) is fraudulently framed to make poore men thinke the Scriptures to be more obscure and darke a great deale, than they are, and so to fray them (as much as in them lieth) from taking paines to read them. I note this onelyonly, not bicause it is not full of other corruptions, and partialities, but bicause leauing them to the censurer, or censurers therof, I take that which eueryevery blind man may see, that they hauehave studied therin for nothing lesse, than perspicuitie, & plainnes. For they hauehave both hunted for words of purpose, which the people do not vnderstand, as superstantiall, didrachmes, cense, stater, scandall, scandalized, Corbanah, euangelized, scenopegia, paraclete,Iohn 2. v. 4. prepucie, Neophyte, depositum, gratis, and such like: And also left their sentences vnperfect,Iohn. 21. vers. 22. halt, maimed, and without sence, and all to strike simple persons in a maze, As what is to me & the woman? and this man what?Rom. 5. vers. 18. As by the offence of one vntounto al men to condemnation, and such like, which in English hauehave no sence. Their collections, and conclusions how weake and friuolous they are, though it will sufficiently appeare in mine answeres to their marginal notes; yet I hope it wil not be amisse, if some also be noted down here. These shall be of two sorts, one so grosse that eueryevery simple man may see the vanitie of their collections: the other more cunninglie, but yet deceitfully gathered. The deceit of the later sort is also double, either grounded vponupon wilfull, and slaunderous misreporting of our assertions, or else vponupon aequiuocations, and ambiguitie of words, wherewith it seemeth they delight them selues greatly, and thinke it a wonderfull peece of learning to deceiue their poore, simple & credulous followers. The first sort void of all shew of probable consequence, are throughout their Testament very many. But to auoide tediousnes, I will content me here with a very few.Vers. 23. In the first of Matthew. Our Sauiour Christ borne in mariage, yet of a Virgin, honoreth both states, and withall teacheth vsus that virginitie, and continent life are preferred before mariage. In the second of Matthew vponupon the murdering of the children,Vers. 16. by this we learn, what credit is to be giuen to the Church in canonizing Saints, and celebrating their holydaies,Vers. 8. &c. In the third Chapter, vponupon those words. Yeeld therefore fruit worthy of penance. Iohn preacheth satisfaction by doing worthy fruits, & works of penance.Vers. 2. Both in the third & fourth chapter, vponupon Iohns preaching in the desart, & Christs going into the desart, to be tempted of the di…ell, they gather a warrant for popish Heremites, that make a profession to liue out of the societie & companie of men continually,Vers. 21. and so to end their daies. In the sift of Matthew vponupon these words, except your iustice do abound, &c. whereby we see (say they) saluation, life and iustification not to come of onelyonly faith, or imputation of Christs righteousnes.Vers. 13. In the sixt chapter, vponupon these words, Leade vsus not into temptation, they saie that Beza according to the Caluinistes opinion, saith that God leadeth into temptation, therefore he maketh God the author of euill.Vers. …. In the seauenth chapter vponupon these words, Lord, Lord. These men hauehave faith, otherwise they could not inuocate, therefore to beleeue is not enough. I could hauehave drawne out a great number as bad, or woorse than these, but I will heere stay. For I hauehave giuen a sufficient taste, what might be done in the most part of their Testament, almost in euerie chapter. Now concerning their double deceit afore spoken of, whereof the first is grounded vponupon malice, which blindeth them, and maketh them wilfully against their owne conscience and knowledge to mistake and misreport our assertions. One common cauill, is the finding fault with our translating of foreign, and foreign, repentance,Vers. …. and to repent, and amend, Mathew. 11. and repeated in many other places, which is grounded vponupon this slander, that bicause we do not allow that the fruits of repentance be works satisfactorie for sinne, therefore we do not teach at al those testimonies of harty, and vnfeined repentance. Another cauill very cōmon also riseth vponupon that, bicause we confesse (as the holy Ghost hath taught vsus in the Scriptures) that God is the author of euerie act, therefore they gather also that he is the author of euerie sinne, or euill. Which malicious collection, though it hauehave been ten thousand times answered, and that fully, yet they cease not still odiouslie to obiect it. And bicause we denie that Christ after his death went into Limbus Patrum,Actes 2. vers. …7. as they without al warrant of the word imagine, therefore they maliciouslie giuegive out that Caluin and his followers denie an article of the Faith,1. Peter. 3. ver. 19. and therfore conclude them to be infidels. In all their notes touching iustification by faith, they deale with vsus, as though we ascribed iustification to an idle faith, which worketh not by louelove, and vponupon that false ground, they gather many things against vsus, as shall appeere in mine answere to their notes. But all that are wise, and hauehave eies to see, do perceiue, that in this maner of dealing, they do but vtter their owne shame, in making no conscience of cogging, lieng, and slaundering, & in steede of battailing with their enimies, they make themselues sport with their owne shadowes. Now to their amphibologies, and aequiuocations; which are also to long to pursue. The Rhemists vponupon the fift to the Galathians confesse, that Paule when he ascribeth iustification to faith, speaketh of such a faith as worketh by charitie, and yet in all their notes against iustification by faith, they dallie, and play, and dazel the eies of the simple with the ambiguitie of the word, being diuerslie in diuerse places taken. The like dealing they vse about the words of iustice, and iustification, which when they know them to be diuersly taken, and in sundry senses, yet they delude with the sound of the words those, who for simplicitie are not able to discerne the diuersitie of the sense. I wil not heap vp here more of these examples, a number will offer themselues in reading of mine answers. The alledging of the Fathers thicke and threefolde, is for two fraudulent respects. One is, that those which are doubtfull to what religion they may encline, and to which side to cleaue, may continue doubtfull, and without resolution still, whiles both our aduersaries, and we alledge Fathers, and accuse one another of corrupt dealing in them, and they poore soules not able to repaire to the Fathers to see whether side dealeth truely. The second is to continue the false perswasion of their credulous followers, in thinking that all antiquitie maketh for poperie. To these two ends it is, that their allegations are so many. First therefore to auoid this their fraud, it is to be noted, and obserued, that a maruellous number of their allegations, touch no point, nor matter in controuersie betwixt vsus. As for example,Mat. 2. ver. 16. they alledge Origen to prooue that the innocent children murthred by the commandement of Herode,Mat. 3. ver. 10. hauehave beene honored for martyres. Augustine to prooue that not to do good is damnable.Mat. 3. vers. 8. Hierome to prooue that fasting, praier, and almes are fruits of repentance, or as they terme it, penance, Cyprian to prooue that they are false martyrs,Mat. 5. ver. 10. that suffer not for iustice. Chrysostome to prooue that by the church the gouernors thereof be vnderstoode.Mat. 18. vers. 17. Ambrose to prooue that God hath left to his church authoritie aswel to loose,Mat. 18. vers. 18. as to binde. Which kinde of proofes for matter not denied, if they had beene omitted, and left out, the great glorious shew of Fathers had beene blemished, and their campe verie nigh halfe dissolued. Next is to be marked, that if they catch any thing that maketh for them in any Father, they neuer looke how rightly the Father collecteth it, and by what good reason he warranteth it, it is with them sufficient that he saith it.August. epist. 19. But Augustine teacheth vsus to giuegive that reuerence onelyonly to the canonical Scriptures, to beleeue. whatsoeuer they say. And for others of what learning or holines soeuer, not to beleeue bicause they speake, but bicause they prooue that which they speake, either by the word it selfe, or by good reason grounded vponupon the same word. And here also bicause they are woont to triumph that we make this a colour to reiect the Fathers, when they make against vsus, it is to be remembred that they themselues do not without exception admit the Fathers.Hos. de side & symbolo ca. 19. But they appoint an other rule to trie them, and their saiengs by, that is, the decrees, and determinations of their owne church. Thirdly it is to be noted that they alledge those bookes very often, wherin they know that the Father which wrote them, was far ouercarried with heate of contencion, that they themselues will not, nor dare not defend many things that passed them, as Hieroms bookes against Iouiuian, and Vigilantius. Fourthly it is not to be passed ouer, how they abuse Augustine in leauing those bookes which he wrote against the heretike Pelagius,Retract. lib. 1. cap. 23. concerning the question of Freewill, and alledging testimonies out of other books, wherein he himselfe did confesse, that he did erre of ignorance. Fiftly they force diuers, and sundrie to serue their turnes, whether they will, or no. Sixtly to make the greater shew, they furnish out their number with such as they know to hauehave beene burnt on the face for forgerie, and cite them vnderunder the reuerend names of Clemens, and Dionisius Areopagita, and such like. Finally it is not to be passed ouer, that they for the corroborating, and proouing of the vsurped primacie of the bishop of Rome, they hunt for speeches of the Fathers spoken in extolling Peter, or in commending the faith, then professed at Rome, or els the excellent learning, and vertue of some notable bishops there, which then gouerned that church, and them they racke, and set on the tenters to prooue that, which they neuer thought of, that is, the vniuersall power, and authority, which the bishop of Rome now claimeth. The practise of the primitiue church doth best declare, both what the Fathers ment, and also what power and authoritie he had. In that it is manifest that he was a bishop as other bishops,Hieronimu… Euagr…o. Nicenum concilium canone 6. afterward by consent of men a patriarch limited as other patriarches, a subiect to the Emperour in commission vnderunder him as a delegate, that men might appeale from him, and that the Emperour might, and did appoint in such cases of appeale delegates to affirme, or reuerse the bishop of Romes former sentence and iudgement.August nus ad Epistola Parmemam libro pr…mo cap 5. & contra literas Petiliam lib. 3. cap. 25. So far was he from that vniuersalitie of power, which he hath heertofore vsurped, and yet challengeth. But why should I dwel so long in these matters, & exceede the length of an Epistle, seeing they hauehave brought nothing of anie weight, in anie matter of controuersie, but it hath beene (and that they know well enough) often, and fullie answered by diuers, and sundrie alreadie? But bicause being fugitiues, and hauing no honest ordinarie vocation to occupie themselues about, they neuer make an end of writing, wherein they do nothing but set new colours on old matters, to make their sencelesse followers beleeue, that they bring in new allegations, neuer before answered: Therefore (vnderunder your Graces correction be it vttered) I would wish that our controuersies being drawen into a sum, might by your authoritie be deuided, to so many learned men, as your Grace shall thinke conuenient and competent for that purpose, to examine, and to reduce and bring into the best frame and forme they can, all the arguments of the aduersaries, and to ech seuerall argument the answere, as plainely and briefly as it can be comprised, which being done, and compiled into one, or two volumes, whatsoeuer they write hereafter, except they bring (which I thinke impossible) some newe thing heretofore vnheard of, to be referred to those volumes for answer, and so to cease troubling the world with more bookes. Touching mine answers to their marginall notes (I hope it will appeere) that I hauehave studied with as much breuitie, and plainnes as I could possibly, to discipher their vanitie, and trifling, wherewith they hauehave blotted, and blurred their margents of their Testament. Their translation, and larger annotations, though many times great occasions are offered to carpe at them, yet as neere as I could possiblie, I hauehave left them vntouched, to him, or them (whosoeuer he or they be) that of purpose shall deale with that matter. To the end that my truth, and simplicitie of dealing may the better appeere to the Reader, of what sort soeuer he be, I hauehave set downe the text, wherevpon their notes are gathered, according to their owne translation, and their notes, word, forword, and then mine answers. By which doing, I hope it will well appeere, that when out of their most partiall translation, which they of purpose hauehave framed for their best aduantage, the things which they gather, will not follow▪ nor be confirmed: that they are vtterlie destitute of all helpe of the scriptures, how soeuer they labor to wring them to their purpose. But concerning mine owne doing this shall suffice. If this which I hauehave done, shall by you (most reuerend father) be iudged to be profitable for the church and people of God, I hauehave that which I desire. The Lord God blesse, keepe, and preserue you. At Dunburie the xij. of Aprill. 1588.