An Antidote Against Popery, Treatise · Chapter 1

An Antidote Against Popery · Treatise · Chapter 1

CHAPTER I. OF SCRIPTVRE.

SECT. I. Of the Canon thereof.

…he state of the Contraversie.

COncerning the Canon of Scripture, there is no question betweene the Romanists and vsus, of the …ookes of the New Testament, but …lie of the Old: to wit, Whether p. 2those Books which are placed af… the Prophet Malachie, common called APOCRYPHA, bee Canoni… Scripture: that is, (as the word i… porteth) bee of that Divine Auth… ritie, as to bee the Rule of our Fay… and practise;Concil. Trid. Sess. 4 decret 1. which the Councell Trent affirmeth, accursing th… who will not receaue them as… cred and Canonicall; and which deny to bee such, because of th… reasons following.

1. Authoritie of Scriptur…

1. LVKE XXIV. 27. And… ginning at Moses, and the Prophets, hee expounded… them in all the Scriptures, things concerning himselfe.

Whence it followeth, If ou… … viour comprehendeth all the S… tures of the Olde Testament in … ses and the Prophets, of whom M… chi was the last:**See Esdras 1.40. 2 Machab. 9.27. that then al ot… which were written after, (as Apocrypha Bookes were) are no… nonick p. 3Scripture. But (as wee see by Saynct LVKE) our Saviour comprehendeth all the Scriptures of …he Olde Testament in Moses and …he Prophets, of whome Malachi was …he last, as witnesseth Theodoret, and …heir owne Genebrard: therefore all …uch as were written after, (as the Apocrypha Bookes were) are no Ca…onicke Scripture,Theod. in argum. Malachiae. Geneb l. 2. Chronol. ad annū mundé 3640. So Votablu… in 1. Mace. 9.27. For thus sayeth …heodoret, Malachi as the last Pro…het after all others, left the Divine Oracles in writ. So that from Mala…hi to Iohn the Baptist (sayeth Gene…ard) no Prophet arose.

2. ACTS XXVI. 22. Having …herefore obtayned help of GOD, … continue vntounto this day, witnessing …oth to small & great, saying none …ther thinges, (or, as the Rhemists …ranslate, nothing beside) than those …hich the Prophets and Moses did …ay should come.

Whence it followeth agayne; …eeing Saynct Paull comprehendeth … lyke manner all the Scriptures of …he Olde Testament in the writs of p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4Moses and the Prophets onelie, leadging no other thinges for conf… mation of his doctrine; that the… fore anie other writs which we neyther Moses nor the Prophets, (su… as the Apocrypha Books bee) are Canonicke Scripture.

3. ROM. 3.2. Ʋnto th… (to wit, the Iewes) were commit… the Oracles of GOD (or, as… Rhemistes translate, the wordes GOD) that is, as Ferus a Roman and all others with him, expou… the Canonicke Scriptures of Olde Testament.

But to subsume: Those Boo… which are called Apocrypha, w… not committed vntounto them as Oracles of GOD,Bell. l. 1. de purg. c. 3. § ad primum. Aug. l. 17. de civit. Dei also l. c. 20. 15. c. 23. nor acknowl… ged, read, or expounded by th… (as Bellarmine confesseth:) th… fore it followeth, that they are Canonicke Scripture. Wheref… (sayeth Augustine) those thi… are not sp…ken with such firmn… or authoritie, which are not w… ten in the Canon of the Iewes.

Where it is to be noted, that p. 5…ake of the Iewes, not as they are at …is daye, but as they were then, …hen they ONLY were the Church …f GOD vnderunder the Olde Testa…ent: and therefore, whose testi…onie of the Canonicke Bookes of …e Olde Testament, was then of …ore credit, than any other Church …ow can bee in the contrarie: in re…ect that the Iewish Synagogue (as …yeth Cordubensis, Fran. Cordub. in annot. cathol art. 2. c. 70.a minorit Friar) …d then the infallible authoritie of …ecerning betweene Divine inspy…d Scriptures which they recea…ed, and others which then they …ejected.

4. 2. TIM. 3.16. All …cripture is given by Divine in…iration.

Whence it followeth, That what … not given by Divine inspiration, …s not Canonicke Scripture. But …ich are the Apocrypha Bookes: …herefore, they are no Canonicke …cripture.

Now, that such are the Apocrypha …ookes, is proven, 1. out of themselues; p. 6because the author of t… Bookes of Maccabees acknowle… geth that they are only the abridg… ment of an humane Storie,2 Mac 2.23.2 Macc 2:23 done b… great paynes;2 Mac 15.382 Macc 15:38 and wherein hee excuseth himselfe, That if hee hat… done slenderlie, it is all that h… could attayne vntounto:Hieron. prolog in proverb. Greg. l. 19. moral in Iob c. 17. Bel. l. 1. de verbo. c. 2. § 20. et c. 10 § jam haecJob 17 which is n… the stile of Canonicke Scriptur… Wherefore, sayeth Saynct Ierome the Church receaveth not th… Bookes of the Maccabees as Can… nicke Scripture. Which thing al… Pope Gregorie, in his Moralls, clea… lie acknowledgeth.

Next: This is a sure testimoni… (sayth Bellarmine) that the Boo… of holie Scripture are Divine; b… cause of the wonderfull and Divi… agreement of the Writers; as if the… had bene all written with one Pe… and by one Writer. Whence it fo… loweth, that such Bookes, whic… hauehave not this Divine agreemen… but disagree from other Canonick Scripture, (as the Apocrypha doe are not Divine or Canonick themselues; which is proven by two o… them, in place of all the rest: t… p. 7wit, 1. the Booke of Tobit, chap. 5. …ers. 12. where the good Angell is …rought in vttering a lie: which is onlie proper, by Canonicke Scrip…ure, to Satan, (who is a liar from …he beginning) and to evill Angells, …nd saying, that hee was of a humane kinred, and carnall procrea…ion;Heb. 1.14.Heb 1:14 whose nature is onelie to bee created Spirits, appoynted for ministration.

Next: by conferring Apocrypha Esther, with Canonicke Esther, in these fewe places following, videlicet, in Apocrypha Esther, 12.5. it is sayde, that Mordecai for detecting the Treason agaynst the King, by the two Eunuches, at that tyme, hee got a Reward: and in the Canonicke Esther, 6.3. it is sayd the contrarie; that at that tyme hee got no Rewarde. Agayne, in Apocrypha Esther, 15.10. it is sayde, When Esther came before the King, hee looked on her fiercelie: and in Canonicke Esther, 5.2. it is sayde the contrarie; that hee looked on her favourablie. Lykewyse, in the Apocrypha Esther, 12.6. it is sayd, that p. 8Haman hated Mordecai, because o… the two Eunuches, whose Treaso… hee detected: and in Canonicke Esther, 3.5. it is sayde, that this he… did because hee would not bow hi… knee to Haman. And last, in Apocrypha Esther, 16.10. Haman i… called a Macedonian: and in Canonicke Esther, 3.1. hee is declared that hee was an Agagite. Next they disagree amongst themselues, which Canonicke Scripture doeth not, as Bellarmine's former testimonie witnesseth: For 1. Macab. 6. it is sayde, that Antiochus died at home in his bed at Babylon: and 2. Macab. 9.28. it is sayde, that he died in a strange countrey, amongst the mountaynes.Bell. l. .1. de verbo .15. And that this was one and the same man, Bellarmine witnesseth.

2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.

ATHANASIVS in his SYNOPSIS, declareth, That according to the number of the Hebrew Alphabet, there are onelie xxij Bookes of Canonicke Scripture, in the Olde p. 9Testament; which he setteth down, …s wee hauehave them And vntounto these sayeth hee) let no man adde. And little after; Besides these, there …re o…her Bookes,Hiler. in prolog. psalm Ruffin in expos. symboli. Damasc. l. 4. orthod fidei. c. 18. Hieron. pref. in proverb. Epist. c. p… ron. observ. 5. (sayeth hee) …hich wee put not in the Canon. …nd thereafter numbereth out the …ookes of Wisdome, Ecclesiasticus, …sther, Iudith, Tobias, &c. The lyke …hereof doeth Hilarie, Ruffinus, …amascene, and others.

But in place of all, Saynct Ierome …stifieth, in his tyme, what was the …ynde of the whole Church, say…g, The Church indeede readeth …ese Bookes, but receaveth them …ot amongst Canonicall Scriptures. …o that according to Cardinall Pe…n's wordes, this Testimonie is a …fficient evidence of the Fayth of …e whole Church then in this …oynt. For when the Fathers speak …ot as private Doctors, (sayeth hee) …ut as witnesses of those thinges …hich the Church did and believed … their tyme; affirming, that such a …ing was the Fayth or practise of …e whole Church; then their te…imonie is sufficient to declare the p. 10unanime consent of the wh… CHVRCH.

3. Confession of partie

Lyra prolog 1. in biblia.LYRA, after the enumeratio… the Books of Canonicke Sc… ture; Whatsoever is beside t… Bookes of the Olde Testament Saynct Ierome speaketh, (sayeth the same is to bee placed amo… the Apocrypha, which are the Bo… that are not in the Canon: w… the Church notwithstanding… mitteth, as good and profitable, not as Canonicall.

Glossa decret dist. 16. c. canones.So lykewyse sayeth the Gl… vponupon the Decretalls; The Wisdo… of Salomon, the Booke of Iesus sonne of Sirah, which is called … clesiasticus, and the Books of Iu… Tobias, and the Maccabees, are co… ted Apocrypha, and not read ge… rallie.

And if anie where thou fin… the Apocryphall Bookes counte… mongst those that are Canonic… eyther in holie Councells, or… cient Doctors, (sayeth Card… p. 11Cajetant) let it not trouble thee, …ho art a Novice:Cajet. in f…ne comment. hist. vet. testā. for al such spea…es are to bee reduced to Saynct …rome's manner of speach, or emen…tion. They are not, therefore, …anonicke: that is, a Rule to con…me matters of Fayth. But they …ay bee called Canonicke, (sayeth …ee) that is, Regular vntounto edifica…on: to wit, beeing receaved, and …thorised to this ende onlie. Ther…re also sayeth Driedo, Professor at …ovane. Cyprian, Ambrose, and o…er Fathers cited some sentences …ut of Baruch, De catal. script. l. 1. p. 22.and the thirde and …urth Bookes of Esdras, not as out …f Canonicall Bookes; but as out of …ookes contayning some Godlie …octrines, &c.

SECT. II. Of the perfection of Scripture, agaynst vnwritten Traditions.

The state of the Question.

THE question herein betweene the Romanists and vsus, is not of p. 12Traditions serving for explicati… of Scripture, nor of Historical, ne… ther Rituall, which concerne E… clesiasticall Order and Policie; b… onlie of Doctrinall, added to Scri… ture, for making vp a perfect Ru… both of Fayth & Manners. Wher… anent the Romanists affirme,Concil trid. sess, 4. decret. 1. in th… Councell of Trent, that this D… ctrine of Trueth pertayning bo… to Fayth and Manners, is partlie o… lie contayned in the Scriptures, a… partlie in vnwritten Tradition which the Church receaveth wi… alyke reverence, and pious affectio… as the Scripture it selfe, (say they and who so doeth otherwyse, is a cursed by them, Yea, the Scri… ture (sayeth their Charroneus) is t… least part of revealed Trueth;Charron. verit. 3…. c. 4 Hosius c. 92. confessionis. a… the farre greater part of the Gosp… hath come vntounto vsus by Traditio… (sayeth their Bishop Hosius.)

On the contrarie, (reverenci… the plenitude and perfection Scripture) wee affirme, That the… is no Doctrine pertayning to Fay… and Manners, necessarie to bee b… lieved vntounto Salvation, which is n… p. 13in holy Scripture, eyther materially …ontayned therein, or which may …earlie bee deduced out of it, or …se evidentlie proven by the same, … these subsequent Testimonies …rue to confirme.

1. Authoritie of Scripture.

2. TIM. 3.15. From a chyld 1…hou hast knowne the Scriptures, …hich are able to make thee …yse vntounto Salvation. Therefore …so, ACT. 20.32. they are called …he word of grace, which is able to …uild vsus vp, and giuegive vsus an inhe…itance amongst the Sayncts.

Whence it followeth: If the …criptures be able to make vsus wyse …nto Salvation, and to giuegive vsus an …nheritance amongst the Saynctes, …hich is all wee can seeke; therfore …hey contayne the whole Doctrine, …hich is necessarie to that ende. Wherefore Saynct Paull, Actes 26.22 28.23Acts 26:22to bring …is hearers to Salvation, professeth, …hat he taught them no other thing, …han was contayned in Scripture;Actes 20.27.Acts 20:27 which therefore hee calleth The …hole Councell of GOD. As also p. 14Saynct Augustine telleth vsus,Aug. …ract. 49. in Iohan. tha… the writers of Scripture choose… therefore those things which wer… thought sufficient for the Salvatio… of Believers,Cyril. Alex. l. 12. in Iohan. c. vlt. (sayeth hee) both fo… Fayth and Manners. And so sayeth Cyrill, joyning this, That shyning so by a right Fayth, and Vertuou… actions, (sayeth he) wee may come to the Kingdome of Heaven.

22. TIM. 3.16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, reproofe, correction, and instruction in righteousnesse: that the man of GOD (that is, chiefelie, the Minister of GOD'S word, 1. TIM. 6.11.) may bee perfect, throughlie furnished (or, as the Rhemists translate, instructed) vntounto every good worke.

Whence it followeth: If the Scripture serue sufficiently to make him perfect, throughlie furnished vntounto everie good worke, who is the Minister of the Word, and to whome it belongeth to declare the whole Councell of GOD; that then p. 15it contayneth all perfect furniture of instruction tending to that ende. For that is perfect,Aquī, in 2. Tim. 32 Tim 3 (sayeth Aquinas) where there is no defect at all to be supplied.

But all or compleat Scripture, serveth to doe this, (as the TEXT telleth vsus) therefore it is perfect it selfe; having all perfect furniture in it tending to that ende. Wherefore, sayeth Cardinall Cajetane on this place, after that hee expoundeth [all Scripture] to comprehende both Olde and Newe Testament; Beholde whither the vtilitie of Scripture tendeth; even to the perfecting of the man of GOD: that is, of him who fullie giveth himselfe to GOD: yea, to such a perfection, (I say) that hee may be perfect vntounto everie good worke, both in the intellectuall, and operatiue part, (sayeth hee.) As also, (sayeth Estius) tho everie part of Scripture is not profitable to all these vses; yet in the whole Scripture all these foure vtilities are to bee found.

p. 16.3GAL. 1.8. Tho wee, or an Angell from Heaven, preach vntounto you beside that which wee hauehave preached vntounto you, let him bee accursed.

Aug. l. 3. cont. lit. Petiliani c. 6. Basil summa moral 72. c. 1. See also Bel. l. 4. de verbo c. 11. § his notatis.Which wordes Augustine (and with him Basill) thus expoundeth: If an Angell from Heaven preach vntounto you anie thing, beside that which is in the Scriptures, of the Law and Gospell, which yee hauehave receaved, (sayeth hee) let him bee accursed.

Next, (sayeth Theophilact, and with him Chrysostome;) Neyther sayeth the Apostle, If they teach thinges contrary or repugnant: but, If they teach never so small a point, beside that which we hauehave taught: that is, adde never so little more than that, let him bee accursed.

The same also sayeth Cardinall Cajetane on this place, with Aquinas, and others: Wherefore the verie RHEMISTS hauehave translated, foreign, beside that; and not, contrarie to that which is written.

p. 17Whence it followeth: If nothing …ust bee preached to GOD'S peo…le, tho it were by an Angell from …eaven, but that onlie which is con…yned in Scripture, vnderunder payne of …cursing: That therefore the Scri…tures contayne in them all Do…rines of Fayth, needfull to bee …owne, or necessarie to salvation. …nd whosoever addeth therevnto … written doctrinall Traditions, or …acheth the same, they fall vnderunder …e accursing of the Apostle.

EPHES. 4.20. And are 4…uilt vponupon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, IESƲS …HRIST Himselfe beeing the …iefe corner stone. Which place …quinas, Caejetane, and others, thus …e expound: that is, vponupon the do…rine of the Prophets, and Apo…es: and to showe that this do…rine is onlie contayned in Scrip…re: therefore saynct Ambrose, and …ith him Lombard, thus doe ex…ayne it, saying; That is, vponupon the …lde and the New Testament.

Whence it followeth: If the doctrine p. 18duplicate page p. 19duplicate page p. 18of the Prophets and Aposles contayned in the Scriptures o… the Olde and New Testament, be the onelie foundation where vpo… the Church is built; therefore it i… not built partlie vponupon vnwritte… Traditions: vponupon which whosoever buildeth his fayth in anie po it of doctrine, hee buildeth lyke th… foolish builder, vponupon a sandie an… vnsure foundation.

GAL. 3.15. Tho it bee but 5man's testament, yet if it bee confirmed, no man disanulleth, n… addeth thereto: or, as the Rh… mists translate, further disposeth.

Whence it followeth: If a man testament contayneth perfectlie h… will, and therefore beeing confi… med, that no man addeth theret… then much more is the LORD… Testament perfect, confirmed by h… Blood: and therefore much le… should anie man bee bolde to ad… therevnto.

6ACT. 17.11. And the B… reans searched the Scriptures da… lie, p. 19whether those thinges were so, (as Paull taught) therefore manie believed.

Whence is is evident, that it was not vponupon anie warrand of vnwritten Traditions; but vponupon the warrand onelie of Scripture, that they grounded their fayth: Therefore, sayeth Theophylact, and with him Oecumenius, Hence it is, that they were the more confirmed in the Fayth, that they searched the Scriptures, and founde whatsoever belonged to the LORD'S conversing in the flesh, to agree with the Oracles of the ancient Prophets. Where as on the contrarie, it is a manifest falling from the Fayth, and an argument of arrogancie, (sayeth saynct Basill) eyther to reject anie poynt of those thinges which are written,Basil. de fide or to bring in anie of those thinges which are not written.

2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.

THE holie and divine inspyred Scriptures,Athanasius l. cont. gentes Greg. Nyss. tom. 2 dialogo de anima et resur. Vinc. Lyri. adv. heres. c. 35. Tert. l. de resur. carn. c. 3. Greg. Nyss. l de cog. deicit ab Euthymi… in panop tit 8. sect. 4. ex genes. 9. Cyril. hierosol. illuminat. catechis. 4. Bell. l. 4. de verbo. c. 11. § vltimo. (sayeth Athanasius) are sufficient for the full instruction p. 20of All Trueth. And in what onelie t… Trueth must bee acknowledged (sayeth Gregorie Nyssen) where… is seene the seale of Scripturall T… stimonie. And agayne; Therefo… the onlie Canon of Scripture is su… ficient for all doctrines of Fayth (sayth Vincentius Lyrinensis) So th… take from Heretickes, wherein the agree with Heathens, that by Scripture onelie they may debate the questions, (sayeth Tertullian) an… they can not stand. This beeing sure tenet to bee helde concernin… all Doctrines wanting Scriptura warrand, which Gregorie Nyssen setteth downe, saying of such; For a… much as this is vpholden with n… testimonie of Scripture, as false we reject it. Seeing the verie lea… poynt that concerneth the holy an… divine mysteries of Fayth, (sayeth saynct Cyrill) must not bee taugh… without holie Scripture.

3. Confession of partie.

ALL Doctrines of Fayth & Manners, (sayeth Bellarmine) which are simplie necessarie for all men, p. 21…re playnelie set downe in Scrip…ure. Therefore, (sayeth Aquinas) …othing should bee taught, which …s not contayned in the Gospels & Epistles, and in the holie Scriptures.Aquinas in gal. 1.8. Ferus in Math. 11. excus. Paris. 1559. which whole testimonie is purged out, in that impression I hauehave at Rome by Pope Greg. 13 his authoritie 1577, § Espeni…us 2. Tim, 3,Matt 11 And it is but a Staffe of Reedes, whatsoever as a tradition is taught without the warrand of the word of GOD, (sayeth their owne Fe…us.) For the worde of GOD is that onelie, wherevpon wee can safelie leane: and they are but wicked deceavers, who in place of GOD'S Word, propound their owne dreames. For the Scriptures themselues are able sufficientlie, to instruct a man to salvation, (sayth Claudius Espenseus a Doctor of Sorbon) and to make him learned therein. So also Aquinas, and Anselmu…: yea, (say the verie**Rhem, in their summe and Partition of the holie Bible, Rhemists of late) by the vniforme consent of all learned Divines, the holie Bible, or written Word of GOD, contayneth expresslie or implyed all thinges that man is to belieue, to obserue, and to avoyde, for the obtayning of eternall salvation.

p. 22SECT. 3. Of the perspicuitie of Scripture in all thinges needeful to Salvation; and therefor… that people should reade th… same.

The state of the Question.

THE Question between the R… manists and vsus heerein, is no… Whether some thinges or places i… Scripture, bee obscure, (as sayn… Peter sayeth) which wee grant: b… whether the same bee so obscu… throughout, that people can n… vnderstand therein, or knowe suc… thinges as belong to Fayth & Ma… ners, and consequentlie, to salvation, and that for the obscuritie an… danger of reading the same, th… people should bee altogether d… barred there from. VVhichWhich we denye, because of these Reaso… following.

PSAL. 119.105.130. Th… 1Word is a lampe to my feet, and p. 23light vntounto my pathes: yea, the verie enterance of thy Word giveth light, and vnderstanding to the simple.

VponUpon which words sayeth Augustine, VVhat is this wo…d which is called such a Light, that it is a Lamp also? except wee vnderstand the Worde which was revealed to the Prophets, and preached by the Apostles, and which the interlinearie glosse calleth, therefore, the whole Sacred Scriptures: which for this cause is called a Lampe, and a Light, (sayeth Genebrard on this place) because it directeth vsus to GOD in those thinges which wee shoulde doe, belieue, hope for, & louelove, &c. For it is the Rule of our Fayth and lyfe, (sayeth hee) showing vsus the way, in the darknesse of this world, vntounto eternall lyfe.

VVhence it will follow: If it bee a Lampe to direct, and show vsus the waye in darknesse, that it is not darke and obscure it selfe: for this is the nature of a Lampe, to bee light it selfe, which is opposite to p. 24darknesse; and to showe light others, that they walke not,… stumble in darknesse. Therefo… (PSAL. 19.8.) it is sayde, to enlig… ten the eyes; and (PSAL. 119.13… to giuegive vnderstanding to the ve… simple.

22. TIM. 3.15. From a chy… thou hast knowne the Scriptures

VponUpon which Text, (sayth Est… Professor in Duay) Moreover,See also Arias Montanus praefat in Massoreth. t… place teacheth. That verie child… should not bee debarred from r… ding of holie Scripture. And the… after hee sayeth of Timothie, in… spect that hee was instructed by… Mother, and Grand-mother, who fayth was commended in the f… Chapter; It is collected, (saye… hee) that neyther women are to forbidden the reading of holy Sc… pture. Therefore sayeth holie … natius; Ignatius ad Philadelph.Fathers, bring vp your ch… dren in Discipline, and knowled… of the LORD, and teach them t… holie Scriptures. So also saye… Theophylact, vponupon Ephes. 6.4.

Whence it doeth follow: If chi… dren p. 25may attayne to the knowledge …f GOD in Scripture, and should …ade the same; then much more …ay their Parentes, who shoulde …struct them, whether they bee …en or women: And therefore, …hat They are not so obscure, nor …angerous, that Laickes shoulde …ee debarred from the reading …ereof.

IOHN 5.39.Cyrill Al…x. foreign primo Chrysost. hom. 14. in Iohan. Orig. hom. 2. in I…aid. Search the Scrip…res, 3for in them yee thinke yee …aue eternall lyfe, and they are …ey which testifie of Mee, (sayeth …ur Saviour.)

VVherevpon sayeth saynct Cyrill, …his hee did crye alowde vntounto the …wish people to doe. So also Chrystome; Our LORD exhorted the …wes, to search the Scriptures, sayeth hee:) and much more …oulde Hee induce vsus to the sear…ing thereof. Therefore, sayeth …rigen; Would to GOD wee all …d that which is written, saying, …earch the Scriptures. Fo…ra the …oing heereof, and meditating …erein, the blessed man is descrybed p. 26in the first Psalme. And this were the Bereans commen… by the Apostle, ACTS 17.11. A… why then should Christians no… bee condemned for doing of… same?

4EPHES. 6.17. Take the sw… of the Spirit, which is the W… of GOD.

That is, (sayeth Haymo, ancient Father, and with him Ca… sian) Take the doctrine and in… ction of the holie Scriptures, w… by, as by a sword, wee may p… flight all the machinations of Devill, &c. sayeth hee.

Note then, that all Chris… whatsoever, (because all are… tuall Warriours) are bidden themselues with the Scripture that who forbiddeth them th… and reading thereof, they them naked before their spiri… enemie.

COLOSS. 3.16. Let 5Word dwell in you richlie, (… the Rhemists translate, abounda… in all wisdome, teaching and a… nishing p. 27one another. And bee yee …illed with knowledge, (sayeth the Apostle, COL. 1.9.)

VponUpon which place, therefore, saye…h Chrysostome) hearken vntounto …ee so manie of you as hauehave wyues …nd children, howe even heere the …postle commandeth you to reade …e Scripture; and that, not slight…e, or p…rfunctoriouslie; but with …reat ca…e, or diligence. And there…fter subjoyneth; I beseech you …hat are La…ckes, that yee get you …bles, the Medicine of the Soule. …nd if you can not get more, get …e New Testament.

This dwelling also of the word …boundantlie, which the Apostle …ill hauehave to bee in people. is, That …ey may hauehave (sayeth Lombard) …e vndestanding of the whole Scri…tures. VVhichWhich is farre from Po…ish ignorance, and their forbid…ing of the people to reade the …Vord at all: as who would for…id children to looke into their fa…er's Testament.

2. COR. 1.13. For wee write p. 286none other thing vntounto you, tha… what you reade, &c. And agay… EPHES. 3.4. Whereby, w… yee reade, yee may vndersta… my knowledge in the mysteri… CHRIST.

VVhere wee may see, that it… the practise of the primitiue C… stians, to reade the Scriptures… the wrytinges of the holie Apo… and that this was the fruite w… they reaped thereby: to wit… vnderstanding of the mysteri… CHRIST; made knowne fir… to the Apostles, and by their… tings made knowne vntounto othe…Basill reg. brevio rum q. 267 Aug. c. 2. de doct. Christ c. 9. and in Psal. 95. Aug. serm. 55. de temp.Ps 95

2. Witnessing of Antiquit…

WHAT seemeth amb…gu… and obscurelie to bee sp… in some places of holie Scrip… may bee explayned, (sayeth B… by other places which are p… cuous and cleare. Also, in… places which are clearlie set d… in Scripture, (sayeth Augustine those thinges are to bee fo… p. 29…hich contayne both Fayth and …anners. And therfore, concerning the …ading of the same, hee thus speaketh …to the people: Neyther let it suf…e you, that yee heare the holie …riptures read in the Church, …ayeth hee:) but also in your owne …ouses, eyther reade them your …lues, or desire others to reade …em vntounto you: and heare ye them …ladlie.Theophyl. in Eph. 6 4. Chrysost. hom. 2. in Matheū.Eph 6:4

Neyther say thou, (sayeth Theo…ylact, and before him Chrysostome) …at it is the part onelie of religious …ersons, to reade the Scriptures: …or it is the part of everie Chri…ian so to doe; and especiallie their …art who are occupied in worldlie …usinesses. Whereof S. Chrysostome …endereth this reason: Because they …ho are occupied about worldlie …usinesse, receaue wound vponupon …ound daylie, (sayeth hee: Chrysost. concione 32. d Laz…o,) and …herefore hauehave neede of this divine …edicine, to cure them. And there…ore, hee is so earnest with the people to …eade the Scriptures, that hee sayeth: …ever exhort you, and shall not …easse to exhort you, That not onlie p. 30you take heede to those thin… which yee heare in this place:… also when you are at home, t… yee busie your selues with the c… tinuall reading of the Scriptu… For (sayeth hee) is it not an abs… thing,In 2. adcor. hom. 13. and preposterous, that wh… wee are receaving moneyes, w… will not trust others, but num… and count them our selues: but… weyghtier matters, simplie to f… low the opinion of others: chie… lie seeing wee hauehave the moste j… Ballance and Rule of Scriptu… Therefore, I beseech, and intre… you all, (speaking to his hearers) th… yee leaue what s…emeth right to th… or that man: and that, of all the… things, ye inquire of Scripture.

Bel. l. 4. de verbo, c. 11. Pep. lomi…ica 2 avēt. co…. 13. Confession of partie.

ALL Doctrines of Fayth & Ma… ners, which are simplie nece… sarie for all men, are playnlie … downe in Scripture, (sayeth Bell… mine.) As also, (sayeth Pepinus,… Dominion) the Scripture it se… alone, doeth teach perfectlie a… p. 31playnl…e, whatsoever is to bee belie… d as Articles of Fayth, and what to bee done as Divine Preceptes, …c. And therefore it is manifest by …e Apostles doctrine, (COL. 3.16.) …d by the practise of the Church. …ayeth their Bistop Espenseus) that of …de the publicke vse of Scripture … as permitted to people.Espen. in Tit. 2. Theod de cur grac. affect. l. 5.Titus 2 Where…e, besi…e Theodoret his testimonie, …at in his tyme the Scriptures were …r that ende translated into all Lan…ages, the verie Rhemistes doe wit…sse, That altho the Bible, in the …ulgar, is not generallie permitted; …et Saynct Chrysostome translated the …SALMES, and some other partes of …cripture, for the Armenians, Rhem epistle to the reader before their bible.when …ee was there in banishment. The …elavonians and Gothes also, (say they) …ad the Bible in their Languages. … was translated lykewyse in Italian, …y an Arch-Bishop of Genua: and wee …a… some parts therof in English trans…ated by Venerable Beda,Mu… in Rome 6. p. 279. 2. as Malmes…urie witnesseth (say they) The neglect …f the reading whereof, their owne Cor…elius Mus, Bishop of Bitonto, so much …egrated, that hee sayde; Alace, for p. 32griefe! that the holie Scriptu… hitherto, hauehave beene so neglec… to the great hurt of all, &c.