The Answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament, Part 26
VntoUnto the next ſection page 16.
Thus then we may ſee, that all the ſope, niter and ſcouridge, that the Ieſuites are able eyther to beg, to borrow, to ſteale, or otherwiſe to come by: are not able to cleanſe the vulgar tranſlation, from the filth of blood, eyther wherein it was firſt conceiued, or which it hath gathered, from ſome hundred yeares by paſſing through ſo manie filthie handes of vnlearned Monkes; from the which the Greeke copies, hauehave had great freedome and reſt: becauſe vntill a few yeares ago, wherein the Popiſh ſhauelings hauehave bene ſomewhat wakened, by the profeſſors of the Goſpell: their vnſkilfulnes in the Greek tongue, was ſo notorious, that they cauſed it to come into prouerb: It is Greek, it cannot be red. yea we doubt not, but it is apparant vntounto all indifferency: that it is not only cleanſed from the filth thereof, but that the more they hauehave laboured to rub and ſkoure it, the fouler it appeareth, to all that hauehave not willingly cloſed their eyes againſt the trueth, which, that it may more euidentlie and without contradiction be vnderſtood; goe to you Ieſuites, and after a vomit of your dogged ſtomack diſcharged againſt the Greek copies, almoſt in a continuall vntrueth. Heare the moſt trew and modeſt charge, that ſhall be obiected againſt the inſufficiencies of your vulgar tranſlation, in one kinde alone. Where, far be it from vsus, that we ſhould take a vantage of that which may (probably) be deemed, to hauehave crept in, by the ſlip either of pen or print. For it were not only a poynt of vnfaithfulnes, but of m…re folly, in ſuch an infinit nomber of foul corruptions, wherof the mower may (in a manner) fill his arme, labouring in this feild: once ſo much as to ſtoupe after theſe ſlipps, before th'other were cut downe. Although (euen in them alſo) the louelove that popery is in with error, may euidentlye appeare: which counting them ſlippes of pen, hauehave not yet in ſo many yeares, & after ſo many impreſſions, cauſed them to be amended: Wherby they bewray how they dote after lies, which will not farme out that, which (in their vulgar trāſlation) they are conſtrained to confeſſe, to be ſowtage or kitchin-ſtuf: ſo much more intollerable, as ſome of theſe corruptions are blaſphemous: as in ſtead that the greek hath, that Chriſt committed himſelfe vntounto him (meaning God) that iudgeth iuſtly: it hath, that he committed himſelfe to him, that iudgeth vniuſtlie. For we had rather lay this fault being ſo groſſe, vponupon the writer then vponupon the tranſlator. And albeit the Ieſuites retaine it dreaming of a ſenſe to make this interpretation ſtand: yet it is manifoldlie confuted and cannot be admitted without foule and groſſe error. Yet Rom. 12, they hauehave left th'old tranſlator: which ſaieth not defending your ſelues, and followed the Greek with vsus, which is not reuenging your ſelues. In theſe corruptions of the vulgar, which ſhall be layd forth: let the reader vnderſtand that they are all conuinced by the general cōſent of al the Greeke copies which are knowne at this day, by the Syrian Paraphraſt, by their own interlineal, and by circumſtance of the place in diuers places moſt euident, in other ſome pregnant and apparant ynough, to ſuch as hauehave any ſingleneſſe of eie to looke vponupon them. Amongſt the corruptions that ſtand in addition, let that be for example, which is Luk. 2. 18. And concerning thoſe thinges ſpoken by the ſhepheards. Where beſide the ſuperfluitie, there is no good ſenſe. Secondly, Iohn 2. 15. he made as it were a whipp: where is added as it were: which beſide the falſifying the ſtorie, can hardly hauehave any tollerable vnderſtāding. Againe Iohn 8. 19. if you knowe mee perhaps you might know my father. Where perhaps is dāgerouſly added, fauoring the hereſy of Arrius: conſidering that our Sauiour Chriſt other-where alſo doth praeciſelie affirm, that he that ſeethIohn 14. him, ſeeth the father. Hebrew. 3. 14. if ye keepe the beginning of his ſubſtance firme vntounto th'end: where he hath added his, not only to th'obſcuring of th'argument of th'Apoſtle, but to inſinuate thereby an aduantage to th'Arrians, that chriſt had a beginning of his ſubſtance. And theſe may ſuffice for a taſt of addition. The detractions follow. Math. 6. the concluſion of the Lords prayer is wholy left out. Mark 9. 38. becauſe he followed not vsus, left cleane out. Mark. 13. 14. where is left out which was ſpoken by the prophet Daniel. Alſo in the ſame chapter, neyther doe you meditate left out. 1. Cor. 4. 4. to my ſelf left out. Diuers alſo of detractions, detract from the trueth which is in controuerſie. Math. 17. where it is ſaid Elias ſhall come, there is left out, firſt, for the maintenance of theirs & the Iewes idle fable of Elias, comming a fewe yeares before the worldes end. Rom. 11. But if it be of workes now it is not of grace: otherwiſe, &c. Heb. 1. 3. by himſelf left out: which is verie effectual to exclude all mans merites with other meanes whatſoeuer in the matter of our ſaluation, and therefore went to the heart of their ſinfull ſacrifice: and is prooued that it ought not to be left out, by th'other member of the verſe. Th'alterations are infinite almoſte, & thoſe often of waight. Math. 1. 20. born in her, for begotten in her. And in the ſame verſe and other-where, in ſleepe, for in dreame. Mark, 3. 29. Gyltie of aeternall ſinne, for aeternall iudgement. Matth. 26. 30. when they had ſaide an hymn, for whē they had ſung an hymn. Iohn 6. 45. ſhalbe teach-able of God, for ſhalbe taught of God. Rom. 1. 13. hatefull vntounto God, for haters of God. Rom. 14. 5. Let him abound in his owne ſenſe, for let him be perſwaded fullie in his owne minde. 1. Cor. 15. 51. we ſhall all indeede riſe againe, but we ſhall not all be changed; for we ſhall not all ſleepe, but we ſhall all be changed. OfHieron. Minerio. & Alexan. which reading of the vulgar Ierome denieth, that there is any warrant in the greeke copies. Gal, 3. 1. th'olde hath that that Chriſt was proſcribed, which is a law worde, ſignifying a man whoſe ſubſtance (for debt or ſome crime) is ſet to publicke ſeale: where th'Apoſt. ſetteth forth, that Chriſt was (by Saint Pauls preaching and adminiſtring the Sacraments) ſo pourtraied and painted before their eies, as if he had bene crucified amongſt them. Gal. 4. 7. heir by God, for heir by Chriſt: as both the phraſe of the Scripture, & the circumſtance of the place conuinceth. And often in aduantage of their Popiſhe doctrine, as Iohn 14. for this the holye Ghoſt ſhal bring to your remembrance, whatſoeuer I hauehave ſaid vntounto you, to further the Churches vn-written verities, it hath he ſhall ſuggeſt whatſoeuer I ſhal ſay to you. For the merite of workes. In ſtead of Epheſians the 2. God hath created vsus vntounto good workes, it hath in good workes. And Hebr. 13. in ſtead of, with ſuch ſacrifices God is delighted. It hath is promerited. Luk. 10. For whatſoeuer thou ſpēdeſt more: it hath, whatſoeuer thou ſhalt ſupererogate. Luk. 1. for looked on the lowe eſtate of his handmaide: it hath the humilitie of his handmaide. And in the ſame place, for had freely graced, it hath full of grace. Collos. 2. 23. In ſuperſtition for in will worſhip, therby to make way to th'inuentions of their own braine. Epheſ. 5. (For multiplication of ſacraments) in ſtead of a great myſtery it hath ſacrament. And Luk. 22. 20. For this cup is the new Teſtament, it hath this is the cup: thereby to auoyd th'euidence of the figuratiue ſpeach. Heb. 5. 11. Which cannot be expounded, for which is hard to be expounded; therby to defend the popiſh opinion of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. Heb. 7. 25. To ſaue for euer, for to ſaue wholy or throughout. Heb. 9. 14. By the holy ſpirit, for by th'eternall ſpirit, in fauour of their wicked opinion that our Sauiour Chriſt is high Prieſt only in regard of his humanity, and not in regard of his diuinitie, with numbers of others the iuſt treatiſe whereof would require a whole booke.