SEARCH THE scriptures. OR, AN ENQVIRIE AFTER verity. Discoursing of, and discussing the Scriptures 

sufficiency.  
perspicuity.  
necessity.    
By George Langford, bachelor of divinity, and Minister of Gods Word, at Mortlake, near LONDON.  Tertullian. lib. de Resurrect. Carnis. 
Anfer haereticis quae cum Ethnicis sapiunt, vt de solis scriptures Quaestiones suas sistant,& stare non possunt.  Pet. Lombard. prologue. in libros Sentent. 
in hoc Tractatu non solùm pium Lectorē, said etiam liberum Correctorem desidero; Maximè ubi profunda versatur veritatis Quaestio, quae vtinam tot haberet Inuentores, quot habet Contradictores.  
LONDON, Printed by G. P. for John clerk, and are to be sold at his Shop under Saint Peters Church in cornhill. Anno Dom. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT counsel, Wise, and worthy Gentleman, Mr. Leuinus Munk, Esquire, one of his majesties learned Clerkes of the Signet, G.L. wisheth event of all possible felicity, with grace and glory.  
Sir,  
SInce I first vowed to consecrate this rude and rural brood of my brain to your worthy Name, I haue ouer-slipt occasion,& Endimion-like ouer-slept myself in the Land of oblivion. For we live in an Age so merciless to ink and Paper, that I resolved to silence these my labours, 
Seneca, in Troa. Act. 3.  Lateat, haec vna salus, as Vlysses advised Andromacha in the tragedy. And are there not many curious, envious and envenomed Paper-wormes, Pioners, and underminers of other mens good endeavours? Aristarchus with his blacke-pile, Momus with his sponge, 
marshal. Epigram. lib. 1. sect. 59.  Laelius with his pen, our Romish Magnificoes with their pencil, audaciously dash out whatsoever displeaseth thē, tho otherwise never so judiciously limmed and portraid, as is, or may be perspicuous to the dimmest apprehension.  
Most of our Readers judge of our Writings, either 
Nazianz. Apologet.  Secundùm praeiudicium allatum, as Nazianzen speaketh; or 
Seneca, epist.  Secundùm affectionem innatam, as Seneca saith. Some would haue all our discourses pregnant, cooked for the stomach of the critic: Others delight onely in the lightsome and delightsome, in the rectified and refined quiddities of rare invention: A third sort please themselves in the curoius, yet course and despicable Speculations of the Skepticks. The schoolman wisheth to be lead into the large monstrousness of extravagant opinions; where he, not seldom loseth himself in the Maze and Labarynth of his loser curiosity. In this Babel of distracted, distempered, and divided minds, not Solon, not Salomon, not Nature, not the GOD of Nature can please all! not Nature; for some haue quarrelled with her, for placing the Oxes horns vpon his head, and not vpon his shoulders which are the stronger. Not the God of Nature; for 
The son of Titan, the Brother of Saturne.  Typhaeus the Giant will haue an higher Firmament under which he may walk, and bigger stars to give bigger light, otherwise he will pull them down with a vengeance, and 
Nisi homini placeat Deus, non fit Deus. Tertul. Apologet. cap. 5. Euseb. Eccles. hist. lib. 2. cap. 2.  fight with jupiter himself. Let me then profess with that ancient, if not antiquated Poet Lucilius: Me paucis mall à sapientibus esse probatum: for I would not be a Monster to please all men; no, I desire to displease ill men, for 
Seneca. epist. 77.  Malis displicere, laudari est, saith Seneca.  
howsoever, I haue adventured to enter into the Lists of these 
{αβγδ}. Thucid. lib. 2.  polemical essays, that so I might be sure to please the most; for mans body is not more composed of contraries, then is this Age of controversies. True it is, that this feeble Infant of my Intellect, is far unable to grapple with the greatest Giants, yet your learned protection shall beelike Aiaxes Buckler, to shield it safe against detraction. It comes against these Romish Goliahs with 
1. Sam. 17.40.  Dauids staff, the staff of the bread of Life, the Word of the Lord. It comes against them with Dauids smooth stones, chosen out of that choicest and chiefest brook, the book of GOD, which wells out the Nectarine and celestial Torrents of the water of Life. Smooth are these stones, yet harder then the Egyptian Marble; smooth they are, not curiously cut, not 
Exod. 28.11.  embossed in gold like Aarons Onyx stones; not amorously enammeled with the enchanting soule-charming characters of glozing rhetoric. For who knows not that Truth loues to be chastened naked, in the chase and pursuit of saluage savages, with chased Diana; when as falsehood like 
Gen. 38.14.  Thamar, hoodwinkes herself, and puts on the gairish, the Whorish attire of a Strumpet? Who knows not that the best Olympicke Wrestlers wrestled ked, that so their Spectators might behold the comely proportion of their bodies, and their Antagonists might take no hold vpon them? Yet sometimes I place this Pigmey so plainly accomplished, vpon the shoulders of the greatest Giants, of the greatest Grand-parents and patriarchs of the primitive Church, that so with 
job 59.32.  Iobs Eagle, thence she may spy for the space of her flight, and that her eyes may behold a far off. For I haue ever deemed them the base-borne birth of vile and servile natures, who Foster-faction so far, as fastidiously to contemn, to disdain the Foster-fathers of the Church. 
Plutarch  That Oracle at Delphos was more discreet then these, which answered Zeno the Philosopher, that he should become happy, {αβγδ}, saith Plutarch, were he complexioned like the dead, that is, were he devoted and addicted to the study of the antic Ancients. I haue therefore taught this wandring Dina, to speak her Fathers& her Mothers tongue; I haue tutored her to regulate her speech and parley, partly according to the Axioms of the prime Fathers, and partly according to the Actions of the primitive Church. Now, tho I still am jealous of her rude education, yet am I bold to sand her 
Veritas nunquam late●. Vlysses apud Senec. in Troa. Act. 3.  abroad, under the favourable Patronage of your protecting acceptance, as a pledge of my due and true desire, to show myself thankful unto you, for the many vnmerited favours I haue received from you. So worthy is your deportment, so courteous your demeanour, so studious your designs, so industrious your endeavours, to endear others unto you; that Silenus himself, in his most poisonful pasquil, cannot once carp at your ingenious carriage. But your great modesty prohibits me to extol in presence, and your splendent virtues suggest unto me, that they are sufficiently able to bee their own Heralds. This onely I cannot conceal, your zeal to Gods House, not only in beutifying the Church with your presence, but in beatifying, in gratifying the Church-man with your Presents. beneficial was you to my predecessors, but bountiful unto me your present Preacher; for your remunerating hand hath not been shorted toward me, but much enlarged. So then to dedicate this poor discourse to your eternal Name, is but with Chaerilus to present a few harsh Verses unto Alexander: For this small Mite this little Monument, is no more equivalent to the main debt I owe you, then is a Mole-hill to a mountain.  
It was one of Lycurgusses laws enjoined the lacedæmonians, to offer little Sacrifices unto their gods, seeing they respect more the internal devotion, then the external Oblation: So the ingenuity of your gentle disposition, hath been a Spur to prick me on, to present this little Sacrifice of my simplo service unto your worthy self, Namque tu solebas meas esse aliquid putare nugas: You haue ever more regarded the inward affection, then the outward action.  
And thus in my most true and sincerest love, I humbly take my leave, leaving you and yours to the heavenly Patronage, Protection and Tuition of him, who never leaveth his.  
Your Worships daily 
 Orator, ever in all duty, 
 and Christian devotion, 
 GEORGE LANGFORD.   

The Contents of the several Sections, contained in this ensuing Treatise.  

Sect. 1. pag. 1.  
1. The means to attain knowledge. 2. Why the Word of God is called Scripture. 3. Why Holy. 4. Why canonical.   

Sect. 2. p. 2.  
1. Traditions are not that Rule. 2. What the Papists hold concerning traditions. 3. The Scriptures sufficiency is proved. 4. An objection disproved.   

Sect. 3. p. 8.  
1 apocryphal books rejected. 2. The council of Trent vellicated. 3. The council of Florence vendicated. 4. The practise of the Church of England cleared.   

Sect. 4. p. 12.  
1. The Scriptures are sufficient, tho some books were lost. 2. No part of the Canon perished. 3. Many objections answered.   

Sect. 5. p. 19.  
1. The original Copies only authentical. 2. They are not corrupted. 3. The vulgar version a perverse Translation. 4. Scriptures haue been anciently translated. 5. Our New Translation, no mean testification, of his majesties sincerity in Religion.   

Sect. 6. p. 25.  
1. The laity must read the Scriptures. 2. The Pope prohibits them. 3. He is the Beast butchering the two Witnesses. 4. Women permitted the Scriptures.   

Sect. 7. p. 33.  
1. The Scriptures not obscure in themselves. 2. To us they are by accident. 3. They are difficult, but not all, not to all, not always. 4. The conclusion with exhortation.    

MOst Courteous Reader, some little literal faults( at least) will pass at the press, maugre the strictest Inquisition of the most curious Reuisor. Those I pray thee suppress with patience, or supply with diligence: So shalt thou singularly oblige me, to thy singular humanity.  
G. L.   

SEARCH THE scriptures. OR, AN ENQVIRIE AFTER verity.  

Sect. 1.  
1. The means to attain knowledge. 2. Why the Word of God is called Scripture. 3. Why Holy. 4. Why canonical.  
1. THe most exact and certain means to attain unto the knowledge of all divine Truth, is the Holy caconical Scripture, written or approved by the Prophets and Apostles.  
2. Which is called the Scripture, in regard of the supereminent excellency thereof, being unto all other writings as Iosephs sheaf unto his Brethrens, 
Gen. 37.7.  as the sun unto the lesser stars.  
3 And it is also called Holy, 1. Because of the Author, who is God, Holy and true, Reu. 3.7. 2. In regard of the instrumental causes or Pen-men of it, who were holy men, 2. Pet. 1.21. 3. In respect of the matter, which is the holy will and counsel of our God, Acts 20.27. 4. In respect of the form, which is the conformity of it with God himself, Psal. 19.7. 5. In regard of the final cause or end thereof, which is to make us Holy, 2. Tim. 3.17.  

Tertul. cont. Hermog. Chrys. Hom. 13. in 2. Cor. Orat. de iis qui adeunt Hierusal.  4. Lastly, it is called canonical, because it is, as Tertullian calleth it, The rule of Faith; as Chrysostome, A most exquisite Rule; as Gregory Nyssen; an inflexible Rule.   

Sect. 2.  
1. Traditions are not that Rule. 2. What the Papists hold concerning traditions. 3. The Scriptures sufficiency is proved. 4. An objection disproved.  
1. unwritten Traditions, whether apostolical or ecclesiastical, are not the rule of faith, as exquisite, as inflexible as the Scripture. Who but Moab, settled vpon her lees; or Babylon, intoxicated with the Cyrcean cup of fornication, could endure new wine to bee powred into old vessels? Or a piece of new cloth to be patched to an old garment?  

Ita sunt acutè obtusi. Pari veneratione, pari pietatis affectu: council. Triden. Sess. 4. Decret. 1.  2. Our Aduersaries the Papists audaciously affirm, That unwritten Truths are equivalent to the written Word of God, and to be embraced with no less pious affection, and affectionate veneration, then the sacred books of authentic Writ. Against whom I will prove, that the Scripture is sufficient, containing in it all doctrines needful to salvation. And I will manifest this unto you, three ways: 1. By manifold and express Texts of Scripture. 2. By the ancient authority of some ancient and holy Fathers. 3. 
Ad probandam veritatem nihil efficacius testimonio adversariorum: Gregorius Achiepiscop. Nazaren. in commendat. Petri Galatini, ex jacob Maxwel. Deut. 4.2.& Deut. 12. ult. v. similia verba habentur. Si non licuit judaeis aliquid addere ad libros Mosis, tum multò minùs nobis licet aliquid addere ad Scripturae Canonem, iam tot libris auctum à tempore Mosis. Thomas 3. q. 60. Art. 8. Verbis sacrae Scripturae nihil addendum aut minuendum esse. Caietamis in hunc locum ait, Hinc colligi legem Dei esse perfectam. Vide joseph. apud Euseb. Lib. 3. cap. 8.  By manifest testimonies of some modern, but renowned Papists.  
First, I prove it by some places of sacred Writ; and first by that place, Deut. 4.2. Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it. Which place, tho Bellarmine interprets of the unwritten word also: yet their angelical Doctor Aquinas, whom the Pope hath canonised for a Saint, and his doctrine for authentical, expounds it of adding to the Words of the Scripture. Yea, their ingenious cardinal Caietan, ingeniously desires us from this place to collect, That Gods Law is perfect.  
Secondly, by that place, Pro. 30.6. add thou not unto his Word, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Which place S. Hierom understandeth of the Holy Scriptures.  
Thirdly, The Prophet Isaiah, teaching what course must be taken in cases of difficulty, sends us to the written Word, as sufficient to resolve all doubts and scruples whatsoever, Esa. 8.20. To the Law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them. Vpon which words 
Hieron. in locum.  S. jerom assents with us, saying, If your Congregations will not seek the Word of the Lord, they cannot attain the light of truth, but shall walk, shall wander in the darkness of Error.  
Fourthly, Saint John sets down the full end of the whole written Word: which is to bring men to faith, and consequently to eternal happiness, joh. 20.31. These things are written, that ye might beleeue that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing, ye might haue life through his Name: Which place both cyril, and Austin understand of the sufficiency of Scripture. 
cyril lib. 12. in joan. cap. 68. August. in joan. Tract. 49.& 1. lib. de consensu evangelist. c. 35.  Lyranus says, These words express, and explicate the profit and utility of this doctrine. Neither doth S. John here speak onely of the miracles of our saviour: for he speaks of such a faith as we call justifying, which will bring a man to everlasting life; which, miraculous faith of itself will never do. Hence Hugo Cardinalis avers, that in these words is indeed declared the special intention of this book, 
Augustinus etiam in hunc locum tract. 122. ait finem huius libri his verbis indicari. Sic& jansenius ait, libri totius finem his verbis intelligi. run. 1.9.  but more generally, the whole scope of the holy Scripture. And I would haue it observed, that this gospel was written against Cerinthus and his adherents, who first started up in the year of Christ, 95. Yea, it was written after all other Scriptures, except perhaps the revelation, which was written by him in the Ile Pathmos, in the fifteenth year of Domitian, which was in the year of Grace, 97.  
Fiftly, Those words of S. Paul, Acts 20.27. I haue not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God, 
De omni consilio Dei, quantum ad humanam spectat salutem. Carthus. in Act. 20.  Carthusian expounds of the counsel of God, so far forth as appertaineth to mans salvation. I intend not to be tedious, let me onely refer you to some other pregnant places of Scripture, and full of sinews to infer and enforce the Scriptures sufficiency. As Reu. 22.18. Gal. 1.8. 2. Tim. 3.16, 17. Psal. 19.8. Luk. 1.3, 4. Mat. 15.6. Luk. 16.29. Luk. 24.25, 27. joh. 5.39. Act. 1.1. Act. 17.2, 3. Act. 28.24, 28. Act. 24.14 Act. 26.22. Rom. 1.2. Rom. 10.17. Rom. 15.4. Ephes. 2.19, 20. 2. Pet. 1.19.  

job 12.12. job 32.7.  But because among the Ancient is wisdom, and in the length of dayes is understanding, let the dayes speak, and the multitude of yeeres teach wisdom. Plainly: If any man suspend his assent and iudgement till the Fathers haue brought in their verdict, let him hear what those three foremen of the jury, Dionysius, Irenaeus, and Tertullian haue left recorded as vpon their Oath.  
First, 
Act. 17.34.  Dionysius Areopagita supposed by them to live in the dayes of the Apostles, 
De divinis nominibus. cap 1.  durst not either speak or think any thing of the most high and abstruse divinity, save that onely which the divine Scriptures haue revealed.  
Secondly, 
Irenae. l. 3. cap. 1. Non per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus, quàm per eos, per quos evangelium pervenit ad nos, quod quidem, tunc praeconiauerunt, postéa vero per Dei voluntatem in scriptures nobis tradiderunt, fundamentum et columnan fidei nostrae futurum.  Jrenaeus, whose hoary head makes him venerable, as living in the year of Christ 180. relied onely vpon this foundation and pillar of our faith.  
Thirdly, 
Adoro plenitudinem scripturae, quae mihi factorem manifestat,& facta: Tertul. lib. contra Hermog.  Tertullian, that famous Worthy, whom the Lord thought worthy to live above 1400. yeeres since, did adore the plenitude and perfection of the Scriptures. To these I might add a cloud of witnesses; As 
Orig. in Comment. in cap. 3. ad Roman. in hom. 25. in Mat. in hom. 3. in Genes. in hom. 7. in Ezek. in hom. 1. in Hier. in omnibus his locis oppugnat traditions.  Origen, 
Scripturae sufficiunt and omnem veritatis instructionem: Athan. contra Gent.  Athanasius, and the rest. 
Chrys. in hom. 3. in 2. epist. ad thessaly. Omnia in scriptures manifesta esse, quae sunt necessaria. In hom. 1. in Mat. He avers, scriptures opus esse, quia multi doctrinam corrumpunt. See. Chrys. in hom. 13. in Gen. in homilia suo in Psal. 95. in hom. 13. in 2. epist. ad Corinth.  S. Chrysostom is ours in sundry places. Illustrious is the testimony of 
Theodoret. histor. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 7.  Constantine the Great, in the first Nicen council: {αβγδ}. Yea, S 
Basil. in lib. de confessione fidei.  basil himself says, {αβγδ}. It is a manifest mark of arrogant infidelity, either to reject any thing that is written, or to refer any thing more to that which is already written. It would be too long to allege the Testimonies of 
Epiphani. in haeres. 61.& 69.  Epiphanius, of 
Cyril. lib. de fide ad Regin. In lib 12. in joan. Cap. 68. in hom. 5. in Leuit.  cyril, of 
Theophilus Alexandrinus in 2. Paschali.  Theophilus Alexandrinus, of 
Apollinaris vir ille doctus,& valdè ingeniosus apud Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 5 cap. 15.  Apollinaris, of 
Cyprian epist. 74. ad Pompeium contra Steph.  Cyprian, of 
August. de doctr. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 9. De peccat. merit.& remission. lib. 2. cap. ult. contra litter. Petilic●i lib. 3. cap 6. De civit. Dei, lib. 19. cap 18. Tract. 2. in epist. joan. Epist. 163. lib. de pastoribus, cap. 14. confess. lib. 6. cap. 5.  justine, of jerome, of 
Hieron. epist. ad Ctesiphontem, in fine Comment. in Mich. 1. ● Ambr. in Comment. Luk. 16. Ad Gratianum de fide, cap. 4.  Ambrose,& of the rest of the authentic Ancients, whose ancient and venerable writings point out unto us the plenitude of the Scriptures.  
But tho the Papists in reverence will not rise up before the hoare-head, and honour the persons of these Ancients, yet it may be, they will respect the testimony and authority of their own Writers: for because that they are the people onely, wisdom must die with thē, as Job spake to his heavy friends, job 12.2. I will therefore prove this our assertion by the Testimony of some of the most approved Popish Writers.  
1 
Victor. de sacra& relect. 8. de aug. Charit. ex Whit.  Franciscus à Victoria, A Spanish friar, would beleeue no doctrine which is not contained in the Scripture, although all Writers should aver the same.  
2 
Melchior Canus de locis Theolog. lib. 7. cap. 3.  Canus, a learned Schoole-doctor, and a Popish Bishop, says, that the Canon of the Scripture is perfect, and most sufficient of itself to every end.  
3 
Scripturae sufficienter continent doctrinam viatori necessariam. Scotus in prologo in Lombardum.  Scotus, that renowned schoolman, in his prologue vpon Peter Lombard, saith, that the Scriptures sufficiently contain all doctrines needful to salvation.  
4 
Aquinas in catena aurea. in loc. Micae istae de illo pane sunt:& quiapanis verbum,& fides verbi est, micae velut quaedam dogmata fidei sunt: Ambr. in loc.  Aquinas in his Aurea Catena, expounding those words of the woman of Canaan;( The whelps eat of the crumbs that fall from their Masters Table, Math. 15.27.) follows the allegory with S. Ambrose, saying, That the Table is the holy Scripture, that the crumbs are the precepts and principles of Religion, by which the Church of Christ is duly, daily, and daintily fed; and that the whelps who eat these crumbs, are GODS faithful people, who are nourished by these precepts to eternal life, but only by such crumbs, by such precepts as fall from their Masters Table, the sacred Bible.  
The same Aquinas in Comment. in 2. Tim. cap. 3. says, that the Scriptures do make the man of GOD ( the Minister) perfect unto all good works.  
object. But what say you to that place of St. Paul, 2. Thes. 2.15. who commands his Thessalonians to hold the traditions which they had been taught, 
Nullum Papistae in scriptures locum probabiliore inueniunt: Whitaker. Disput. de sacr. script.  whether by word or epistle? {αβγδ}.  
Answer, If we compare this his Epistle generally with the books of the new Testament, wee shall find that it was the Ancientest, except the former Epistle, especially if we will credit 
Euseb. Hist. eccles. l. 5. cap. 8. Irenae. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ait Irenaeus Matthaeum scripsisse suum evangelium cum Paulus& Petrus Romae euangelizarent, et fundarent Ecclesiam, quod fuit annis post Christi ascensum viginti& ampliùs. At haec quidem Epistola scripta fuit 17. aut 18. annis post Christi ascensum, cum Paulus Athenis doceret.  Eusebius and Irenaeus, yea, it was penned before the gospel of St. Matthew, as may appear, in that it was written when Paul taught at Athens, as the postscript imparts, which was about 17. or 18. yeeres after Christs Ascension: whereas the gospel of S. Matthew, as the same Jrenaeus avoucheth, was penned at that time when Paul and Peter founded the Church at Rome, 20. yeers at the least after Christs Ascension. It might well fall out therefore, that at that time when this Epistle was penned, some things necessary to salvation were not as yet written, by any either Apostle or evangelist, but were delivered by word of mouth; which things notwithstanding were afterward committed to writing. Thus the Word of God went from man to man unwritten, for the space of 2400. yeeres, unto the time of Moses, who was the first Pen-man of holy Scripture; for I pass over Josephus his report, that Adam writ concerning the Creation, the Fall and Promise. Me thinks then the Church of Rome should blushy,( if her fore-head dyed read with the blood of Gods Saints, were capable of any tincture of shane,) at the discovery of the manifold, impudent and impertinent impostures of their most solid argumentations. I could here also choke them with S. 
Ambros. in 2. ad Thes. cap. 2.  Ambroses answer to this sophism, who by traditions, in this place understands the doctrine of the gospel, which is elsewhere in the Scriptures abundantly expressed. If I should here check them for straying extremely from the scope of the Holy Ghost, for straining extrauagantly other Scriptures to speak this language of Ashdod: Or if I should here infer the differing and discording opinions of the learned Writers of their own Religion, vpon many places objected by them, I should exceed the prefixed intended limits of this my Discourse. This therefore shall suffice to show that our tower against all forts and sorts of temptations; that our wacth-tower, whence afar off wee descry all necessary Truths, is builded of stones hewed out of the quarry of the Holy Scriptures.   

Sect. 3.  
1 apocryphal books rejected. 2. The council of Trent vellicated. 3. The council of Florence vendicated. 4. The practise of the Church of England cleared.  

Quas itaque Scripturas dicimus Canonicas, nisi Legis& Prophetarum? Aug. de unit. Eccl. 16. Conc. Triden. Sess. 4.  NO Writings are Scripture, but such as were written or approved by the Prophets and Apostles. For, as for those apocryphal books, imperiously thrust vpon Gods Church by the Tridentine Fathers, they are not to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith.  
For all the books which do prophesy of Christ, apud Judaeos sunt, saith 
Omnes literae quibus Christus prophetatus est, apud Judaeos sunt: August. in Psal. 56.  Austin, were kept amongst the Iewes: but none of the Apocrypha were written in Hebrew, the language of Canaan. In the eighty fourth Canon attributed to the Apostles, all the apocryphal Scriptures which wee exclude out of the Canon, are there also cashiered, saving that this Canon constituteh three books of the Maccabees, sacred and canonical, whereas the Papists themselves haue ever acknowledged but two. The Laodicen council excludeth all those apocryphal books, which we extrude out of the Canon: Which council, 
Can. 59.  though it was of itself provincial, yet is it notwithstanding confirmed in the 6. general council. Trullan. Synod cap. 2. Gelasius Bishop of Rome, was more moderate then our modern Papists, who will not yield a hoof; for he makes onely one book of the Maccabees canonical, and disclaims the book of wisdom, not to be Salomons.  
Let us then abhor this Popish error; yea, I say, this Popish heresy,& S. Austin shall bear me out in it; for he accounts the ●rescillianists heretics, 
Aug. Haeres. 70.  for making the books apocryphal of equal authority with the books canonical.  
But you smell to much of selfe-opinion, says our opinionate and obstinate Papist: for how dare you, without a blushy so peremptorily contradict so famous& so renowned a Council, as was the Tridentine Synod?  
But first, who knows not that this council of Trent is of no antiquity? it is so young, that it cannot pronounce Shibhol●●h, no not to save itself from the hands o● the Gileadites. 2. never was there any Popish General Council herein so audacious, so presumptuous, before this of Trent. True it is, that some impudent Papists, boldly, tho blindly, father a like Decree vpon the council of Florence; But Bellarmine, the Papists Atlas, as likewise Coccius, the Popes own darling, 
Bellar. lib. de verb. Dei. Coccius in Thesauro Cathol. ●om. 1. Driedo de dogmat. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 4.  are more careful of their credit, and will not affirm it. How durst Driedo repudiate the book of Baruch, and repute it apocryphal, after the council of Florence had that council anathematized such impudent Agents? And further tho this council had made them canonical, yet had it been little material, seeing it was but a small time before the council of Trent, not much above 100. yeares, the one being assembled in the year of Christ, 1436. the other in the year of Christ, 1545. Thirdly, their Fatherhoods of Trent are not able to produce one Father that held them canonical, within the time of the primitive Churches chaster innocence: no not within four hundred yeeres after Christ. Fourthly, wee can easily prove, that all the 
Nazianz. in carm. de lib. scrip.& poem. Iamb. ad Sel. ucum. Damasc l. 4. de fide. c. 18. Hier. prologue. Galeat. Aug. de civi. l. 15. c. 23.& cont. Adimant. c. 17.& de doct. Christ. l. 2. c. 8. Greg. in job. l. 19 c. 17. &c.  Fathers living in the first four hundred yeers, rejected them: and that their authority was doubtful, litigious, and ambiguous, for the space of six hundred yeares after our saviour Christs sacred Incarnation. Fiftly, Many of the learned Papists themselves are on our side: As 
Caietan. ad finem Hester.  Caietan, 
Hugo Cardin. prologue. in Ioshua.  Hugo Cardinalis, Lyra, 
Lyranus prolo. in Apocryph.  Lyranus, 
Sigon. in comment. in Seuerum Sulpitium.  Sigonius, Arias Montanus, and others, who deny them to be canonical Scripture.  
I remember indeed, that tho Athanasius would not 
{αβγδ} Athan. in Sy●ops.  Canonize these books, yet did he bequeath them to novices newly converted to the Christian Faith, or such as were after to be baptized. He herein seems to draw near to that opinion that the 
Caiet. in fine commen. in Hist. v●t. Test.  cardinal afterward learned of St. 
H●er. in prolo. Gal●ato. Tom. 3. p. 6.  Jerome; namely, that these books were onely admitted into the Canon of manners, not of Faith. For according to 
Epiphan. lib. de mensuris& ponder.  Epiphanius, Utiles quidem& commodi sunt isti libri; These book are profitable and commodious, but not to be received as canonical, or reserved in the 
Deut. 31.26.  ark of the testimony.  
But if these books bee not canonical, say some of our well-respected and well affencted brethren,( for so I must still style them, in respect of their conspiring with us in all points fundamental) Why should they bee red in the Church of England? To whom I answer according to those words in that sixth Article concluded in that orthodoxal 
Synod. London. An. 1562. Ar. 6.  convocation holden at London, in the year of our Lord Christ, 1562. These books the Church doth read for example of life, and instruction of manners: but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine. Saint 
Cyp. su●e ruffian. in expositione symboli de Canone judaico.  Cyprian, or Ruffinus rather, having reckoned up the number of the books canonical, hath these words: Haec sunt quae Patres intra Canonem concluserunt, ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare volverunt. Sciendum tamen est, quòd& alij libri sunt, qui non sunt Canonici, said Ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati sunt: quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesijs volverunt, non tamen proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam: These are the books which the Fathers haue accounted within the Canon; by which they would confirm the affirmations and assertions of our faith: But we must also know, that there are other books, which are called of the Ancients, ecclesiastical, all which were red in the Church of God, but out of them was never produced any demonstration to make good our faith. hear what Saint Jerome himself saith, praefat. in libros Salomonis: Hos libros legit Ecclesia, said eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recepit:— Legit ad aedificationem plebis, non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam: The Church indeed doth read these books apocryphal, but yet reputes them not to bee canonical: she reads them to rectify, to edify the people, not to testify, or authoritatiuely to ratify the principles of our Faith. See Greg. in job, l. 19. c. 17. Rodulph. in Leuit. lib. 14. cap. 1. P. Cluniacensis, lib. 1. Epist. 2. Origen apud Eusebium. lib. 6. cap. 25. Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus {αβγδ}.  
Nor do I affirm, that these apocryphal books are never by the ancient Fathers styled canonical or divine: for then might you produce Saint jerome and Saint Austin, as witnesses of my witlesnesse herein. But let learned Whitakers tell you why: He says, 
Whitaker. contr. Duraeum.& contra Campian.  Canonicos ab Augustino libros vocari, qui mendacijs fabulisque pleni non sunt: Saint Austin calls those books canonical, which are not full fraught with lies, and scaenicall levity.  
A thing is said to bee canonical, either {αβγδ}, 
Distinctio.  or {αβγδ}, absolutely, or respectively; Absolutely that is canonical, which is the perfect rule of faith and manners: respectively that is regular, which containing some sentences of authentic Writ and Histories Ecclesiastical, hath obtained to be red in holy assemblies. As Israel was styled an holy people, not that all were sanctified in the particular, but all in the general, in opposition to the Gentiles, who were without the pale of the Church: so are these books called canonical, not that all things in them are co●pletely regular but all more regular then the profane writings of the Heathenish 
For so S. Paul styles Epimenides, Tit. 1.12.  Prophets, who never slept vpon the top of holy Parnassus.  
But let such as will not hear Moses and the Prophets, listen a little to the admonition of Caieta●, their own dear Romish catholic, and a cardinal: he adviseth all Students in divinity, 
Caiet. in comment. in histor. Test. yet.  Ut quaendo ab antiquis interdum dici Canonicos legunt, id de morum, non doctrines Canone intelligant: That they would favourably interpret the Fathers, when they style these books canonical; and not be so far fore-stald with prejudice, as to make them rules of Faith and doctrine, but of our facts and Discipline.   

Sect. 4.  
1. The Scriptures are sufficient, tho some books were lost. 2. No part of the Canon perished. 3. Many objections answered.  
THough we should grant that some books of canonical Scripture were lost,( which yet cannot be proved by our Aduersaries, cannot be approved by us) yet doth the Scripture still remain sufficient. For the 
Concedimus nonnulla iam desiderari, quae olim in Canone scripturae fuerunt, said tamen affirmamus, illum Canonem qui remanei, esse sufficientem,& omnia necessaria continere: Whita. disput●ae sacra Script.  necessary matter of those books supposedly lost, is contained in these books of holy Writ that are now extant.  
It seems then, will 
Stapletoni argumentum, seu potius Cani; Stapletonus enim Canum interpolauit,& eius argumenta fusiùs explicauit. Stapl. lib. 9. Droctrinal. princip. cap. 5.  Stapleton say, That those books, tho full fraught with most high and heavenly matter, were needless and superfluous. But who not of an ouer-daring spirit, dare disgorge& belch out such impious& heinous blasphemies against the Lord? Who,( not as outrageous as apostatical julian,) would say that it is superfluous to haue the same psalm or Story recorded in two several places of the Scripture? Is not the eighteen psalm in the book of psalms recorded, and in the book of Samuel, 2. Sam. 22? Is not the History of Hezekiah, recorded in the 2. King. 18.19,& 20, Chapters, and in Is●. 36, 37, 38, 39 Chapters?  
But indeed I take it, that no part of the Canon is lost. I am not ignorant that 
Chrysost. Hom. 9. in. Mat and Hom. 7. in 1. Cor. putavit Chrysostomus hanc sententiam,( Nazarenus vocabitur,) nusquam inveniri in illis veteris Testamenti libris qui nunc salvi sunt. Est& alia etiam sententia eiusmodi de qua similiter sensit, nempè( Ex Egypto vocaui filium meum.) Et reuera septuaginta Interpretes, quos solos Chrysostomus sequntus est, neutram sententiam habent: Hebraei tamen libri omnes habent; atignorabat Chrysostomus linguam Hebraicam. Jnsuper Hieronymus in lib. de optimo genere interpret. ai● vtramque sententiam reperiri in libris Hebraicis, priorem nempe Esaiae 11.1. posteriorem, Oseae 11.1.  Chrysostome, and other of the learned, persuade themselves that some part is perished: but to these let me modestly oppose the Iewes, together with the most skilful Christians in the rabbis, who in this point are of a diverse iudgement from Saint Chrysostome. And I am induced herein to dissent from so many of the learned Sages, as suppose that these books were lost in the captivity, by these three Reasons.  
First, because S. Paul makes no question, but takes it for granted, that the whole Canon of holy Scripture was even in his time extant, Rom. 15.4. whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope. Had the blessed Apostle thought that some books of Scripture had perished in Babylon, doubtless he would haue said, that whatsoever was written, and is now extant, was written for our learning and comfort: for books that are lost, serve neither for Instruction nor Consolation.  
Secondly, To hold that any books of Scripture should be lost, calls into question, not onely Gods euer-watching providence, but also his overruling power. He ever was, is, and will bee able to preserve his Writings from the violence of cruel Tyrants. He can make his very aduersaries to bind them as a crown unto them, and cause them to bee more careful to preserve them, then Titus to reserve the Temple.  

Rom. 3.2. 1. Tim. 3.15.  Thirdly, It calls into question the fidelity of the Church, unto whom were of credit committed the Oracles of God, and who is therefore styled {αβγδ}, the Pillar and ground of Truth, because it hath the books of God in keeping.  
There bee alleged many particular places of Scripture, to prove that some books of Scripture be lost; As in Numb. 21.14. Moses maketh mention of the books of the Battels or Warres of the Lord, which book seemeth to be lost. But first, you must know that a[ book] in Scripture sometime signifieth a rehearsal, a roll, or Catalogue. As the fift chapter of Genesis, containing the genealogy of Adam, is called the book of the Generation of Adam. So in like manner, that book of the Warres, might be some short& compendious narration of diuers exploits which fell out among the Israelites, which in Moses his time being manual, went from hand to hand. Secondly, This book of the Battels of the Lord, seemeth unto some to be the book of the Iudges; yea, learned Iunius refers us to judge. 
jun. in Annot.  11.  
object. 2. In Josh. 16.13. Wee are sent to the book of [ Jasher:] Is not this written in the book of Iasher? This book is undoubtedly lost.  
Answ. Consider, I pray you, that [ Jasher] is no proper, but a common Name, signifying upright, just, 
Of {αβγδ} rectus fuit.  or righteous. As if Ioshua should haue said, Is not this rare, this so much admired miracle of the Suns standing still, recorded by him that is just, upright, and righteous in his reports? Is it not registered by a Nathaniel, by an Jsraelite indeed, yet one without guile, by a true-spirited, by a true-spoken man? So that I can neither assent to the Chaldee text, which readeth,[ In the book of the Law:] nor yet to those other, who by Iasher understand Moses.  
object. 3. But I hear you say, that that book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Jsrael is surely lost, yet 
1. Kin. 14.19, 29.& 15.7, 23, 31.& 16.5, 14, 20, 27.& 22.39, 46. 2. Kin. 1.18.& 8.23.& 10.34.& 12.19.& 13.8, 12.& 14.15, 18, 28.& 15.6, 11, 15, 21, 26, 31, 36.& 16.19.& 20.20, &c.  frequently mentioned in the Scriptures.  
Answ. Briefly I answer, that it was but as the Chronicles of England are with us, or of France with them, even civil and politic records of the events of things in the Kingdom of Jsrael. 
August. de civit. Dei, l. 18. c. 38.  Augustine avers of all the books supposed to be lost, that they never attained to the credit of Canonization, that they never aspired to bee reputed books inspired by the blessed Spirit. Penned they were, saith he, Non tam inspiratione diuinâ, quàm humanâ diligentiâ: Not by divine inspiration, but by human diligence and devotion. Hence therefore he doth well infer, that these Volumes did not appertain ad authoritatem Religionis, to the proving, to the propagating of Religion; said ad vbertatem cognitionis, to the promoting, to the enlarging of good literature among the Iewes.  
object. 4. It seems that the books of certain Prophets be perished, as of Gad, and Nathan, 1. Chron. 29.29.  
Answ. By the book of Nathan and Gad, 
Respondeo: Eo loco sacram historiam primi& secundi Samuelis intelligi, contextam à tribus illis Prophetis, Samuele, Nathano,& Gad, quam Staplet●nus imprudens Canonicam esse negat. Certum est enim non fuisse hes libros ab uno Samuele ambos conscriptos, quia Samuel mortuus est ante finem pr●mi lib●●. 2. Sam. 5.5. 1. Sam. 25.1.  is meant onely the first and second books of Samuel, which were not wholly written by Samuel, but some part thereof by Nathan and Gad. For those two books of Samuel contain in them an History of 120. yeeres: The first being an History of fourscore yeares; of forty under Eli, 1. Sam. 4.18. and of forty under Samuel and Saul, Act. 13.21. The second book is an History of forty yeares, even from the death of Saul, to the end of Dauids kingdom: But it is manifest, that Samuel dyed before david came to the crown; whereas Nathan lived near unto the beginning of his reign, and continued till the end thereof. And Gad in like manner lived in the latter end of King Dauids regiment over that kingdom, as appeareth, 2. Sam. 12. and 2. Sam. 24.18.  
Ob●ect. 5. The Acts of Salomon penned by those Prophets Natan, Ahijah, and Iddo, are altogether perished, 2. Chron. 9.29.  
Answ. That is altogether false: for they are contained in the History of the first book of Kings. So likewise the Acts of Abiha, are written in the Story of the Prophet Iddo, 2. Chro. 13.22. but in that same history that is storied of Abiha, 1. Kin. 15 The Acts of jehoshaphat are written in the book of jehu the Prophet, 2. Chro. 20.34 but it is mentioned in the book of the Kings of Israel. 1. King. 1.61: For it is most certain, that the books of Iudges, Ruth, Samuel, and the Kings, were penned by sundry and succeeding Prophets, in sundry and succeeding ages of the Church. Hence Mat. 2.23. a testimony is cited out of the book of Iudges, 
judge. 13.5.  which is not elsewhere extant in the Scriptures; and yet Saint matthew says, Ut impleretur id quod dictum est per Prophetas, {αβγδ}: That it might bee fulfilled which was spoken by the[ Prophets] not which was spoken by the[ Prophet.] So that it is manifest, that that book was penned not by one, but many Prophets. The like may be avouched of the fore-named books. But I study brevity.  
object. I take it to be a truth that, the book of Enoch is lost, of whose prophesy Iude makes mention, judas. v. 14.  
Answ. 1. I take it to bee a doubt, whether this was a book or no. Indeed the Manicheis forged fables more ancient then Noahs Flood, collecting them into one Volume, called the book of Enoch: But this book Austin with soundness of iudgement doth reject; 
August. de ciu. Dei. l. 18. cap. 38.  Liber iste ob nimiam antiquitatem reijcitur, saith the Father: This book is too old to bee true. But if it was a book; we commonly hold that it was not penned by Enoch, but by some jew under his name, out of whose writing the Apostle might haue this prophesy. In like manner wee shall not find the names of those Magicians that withstood Moses, in the books of the old Testament, yet Saint Paul names them and says, that they were Iannes and jambres, 2. Tim. 3.8. It is like, that the Apostle had their names by some apocryphal writings at that time extant among the Iewes, in which he was very skilful and expert, as appeareth, in that he dealing with the Athenians, Cretians, stoics, and Epicures convinced their vicious impurities by the testimony of 
1. Cor. 15.33. adducit Paulus Senarium ex Menandro.  Menander, 
Act. 17.28. Hemisticum illud ex Phaenomen. Arati sumptum est.  Aratus, 
Tit. 1.12. citat Paulus Hexametrum ex Epimenide, vel vt alij, ex Callimacho.  Epimenides, or Callimachus. Nor is this any surmised surquedry of mine own fiction, to advance the project of mine ouer-weening conceits, as being wedded to selfe-opinion: for 
Plin. Natur. Histor. l. 30. c. 1.  Plinie himself in his natural history, nominateth and numbereth this Iannes amongst the most ancient Magicians.  
Answ. 2. The Holy Spirit, who enabled Enoch to prophesy of such, might assure Saint Iude, that he did prophesy of such, though his prophesy had been never penned.  
object. 7. But that Saint Pauls Epistle to Laodicea is lost, you cannot deny, for Saint Paul commands his Colossians to read it, Colos. 4.16. yet is it not now extant.  
Answ. I deny not but that long since, such an Epistle went from hand to hand, mentioned by 
Epiphan. lib. contr. Marciones.  Epipha●ius in his book against the Marcionits: But the second council of Nice determined to exterminate it out of the Church as spurious, as supposititious 
Hi●●. catalogue. 〈…〉. in Paul●.  Saint Jerome also makes mention of the same Epistle, but utterly disclaims the authentic authority of the same Faber Stabulensis rangeth it among Saint Pauls Epistles, but is therefore reprehended by Erasmus. 
●rt. l. 5. contr. Ma●on●●.  Tertullian imagineth that it is Saint Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians. 
Theophylact. 〈…〉.  Theophylact thinks that it is Saint Pauls former Epistle to Timotheus, which was written from Laodicea, as the post-script imports. But the truth is, that the Epistle there mentioned, was not written by Saint Paul to the Laodiceans, but by the Laodiceans to Saint Paul, and therefore was never in the Canon. For the Apostle commands them not to red the Epistle written {αβγδ}, to the Laodiceans, but {αβγδ}, from the Laodiceans. Now Saint Paul commands his Colossians to red this Epistle written by the Laodiceans, because many things were contained in it, which did nearly concern them. This is at which Oecumenius learned out of Chrysostom for thus he writeth, {αβγδ}. Hence 
Ca●harinus in 〈◇〉. in Colos. 4.10.  Catharinus himself is forced to confess, Non hic nominari Epistolam à se scriptum ad Laodicenses, said ex Laodicea scriptam.   

Sect. 5.  
1. The original Copies only authentical. 2. They are not corrupted. 3. The vulgar version a perverse Translation. 4. Scriptures haue been anciently translated. 5. Our New Translation, no mean testification, of his majesties sincerity in Religion.  
THE Hebrew and greek Copies of holy Scripture, are to be followed about all Translations. For as Saint Austin excellently affirms, 
Ei linguae potius credatur, vnde est in aliam facta translatio. Aug. de civit. Dei, lib. 15. c. 13. Ludouicus vives in hunc locum Augustini. Item Augustin. Epist. 108& tractat. 3. in joan.& de doct. Christ. l. 2. c. 11.  That language should rather be credited, from whence the Translation was made into another tongue.  
As for these Hebrew and greek Originals, they are not at all corrupted by the Iewes, but 
Mirabile mihi videtur, duobus annorum millibus, imo maiore tempore iam serè transacto,( non exquisitissimè annorum possum dicere numerum) nec verbum vnum. in lege illius esse immutatum, said centios vnusquisquè judaeorum morietur, quim legi Mosaicae de ●gab. ● Euseb. ex Pi●o. judaeo.  still remain most pure fountains, though some of the Popish Doctors,( loving to fish in troubled waters,) would seem to maintain, that the spiteful Iewes did purposely corrupt not a few places. Of this impudent opinion are Gregorius de Valentia, 
jacob. Christop. in praefa. ad Psal.  Iacobus Christopolitanus, and 
Canus l. 2. loc. come.  Canus. To whom I will oppose 
Molina. in 1. Thom. q 27. art. 1. D●sput. 3.  Molina, 
Andrad. defence. Triden. l. 4.  Andradius, 
Sixtus Senensis, B●. lib. 8.  Sixtus Senensis, and 
Alphon. Mendoz. contro. Theol. q. 7.  Alphonsus Mendoz. all of them Papists, yet none of them denying, the original Copies to be pure from all corruption.  
Against those former I will maintain, that the Hebrew books were not corrupted of the Jews, by these two Reasons.  
Reason 1. Before the coming of the Messiah, they were not at all corrupted by them, for Christ, the irrefragable Doctor of Truth, who attacks the false& erroneous Glosses of the Scribes and pharisees, would never haue been silent in this crime so odious, so notorious.  
Reason 2. The Jews did not falsify them after the coming of Christ: for who can, or dare imagine, that our blessed saviour, his sacred Apostles, and evangelists, should so city Testimonies of the Scriptures, as the stiffnecked Iewes would in ensuing times deprave them?  
But are you onely a stranger in the Now-Roman Church, and haue not known the things which are come to pass therein, in these latter yeares? of their Canonizing of the vulgar latin Translation, 
council. Trident. Sess. 4. Decr. 2.  against the Hebrew and greek Originals, even now after the space of 1500 yeares at the least? Can you bee ignorant how that High-Priest, 
F. Simen. Bill. complu. in praefa.  F Simen. Bishop of Toledo in spain, delivered them to bee condemned, and hanged on each side that vulgar version as the two theeues on each side of Christ? When as many of the learned Papists themselves pitifully complain vpon the vulgar Translation, disguised with the mask of catholicism. For avoiding prolixity, I will onely instance one for many. 
Lindanus, de opt. gent. interp. lib. 3. cap. 1.2, 4, 6.  Lindanus, one of their own Bishops, one that came out of their own bowels, otherwise an adversary to the Hebrew original,( as appears to the perpetual and indelible destaine of his credit, in that John Isaac hath defended it against him, 
joan. Isaac, defence. verit. Hebr. adverse. Lindan. both Papists. ) even he hath lift up the heel against the vulgar latin. Yet it is not unknown, that Guido Fabricius, whereas right and reason would, he should rather haue gone about to suit the latin Translation to the pattern of the original Texts, he contrariwise did his best endeavour, in the Complutensian edition of the Bible royal, to make the foot of the Text, serve the lacerated and macerated shoe of the latin Translation, moved by the authority of johannes Picus of Mirandula, 
Notat. in Gen.  as Lucas Brugensis witnesseth.  
You are not to expect from me any examples of the manifold barbarisms, 
Vide Whitak. de editione Scripturarum Authentica. cap. 10.  the more then manifest Falsifications, Additions, Detractions, Deprauations of that vulgar Latin. For truly, I might as easily undertake to measure the back-side of Hell; nay, if arithmetic itself, which is the Art of numbering, were set to take a muster of them single by themselves, it would want Characters to decipher them. Others herein haue successfully laboured, and ye may fruitfully enter into those their labours. Onely let me tell you, that none of the ancient Fathers before Gregory the first, were slavishly addicted to the vulgar Edition of the Bible. Not 
tertul. contr. Marcionem.  Tertullian, not 
Cypr. ad Quirinum.  Cyprian, not 
Arnobius come. in Psa. 67. et 106  Arnobius, not 
Hilar. in Mat.  hilary, not 
Ambros. come. in luke. 8.  Saint Ambrose, not Saint 
Aug. tract in joan. 44. 61. in 1. Epist. joan. tract. 10. tract. 6. tract. 7.  Austin, not 
lo Fest. om. Sanct.  lo, not 
Optat. in Mat. 16. luke. 18.  Optatus, not 
Fulgentius ad Thrasimund. l. 1. cap. 5.  Fulgentius, not 
Primasius in Galat. 3.  Primasius, not 
Prosp. de promise. part. 3.  Prosper. Yet nevertheless, with the Popes claw-backe Parasites, Hebrew, greek, and all interpretations of the more pure complexion, must bee holden for corrupt, rather then his 
Pope Sixtus under his Bull according to the Tridenrin council.  Holinesse touched with any misprision, or suspicion of oversight, in authorizing this novel Edition of the Bible for authentical. Thus they shamefully bely, adulterate, and, as I may say, deflower, not onely the Virgin-writings of particular Doctors, and general Councils, as appears by their 
Inder Expurg. Belgic. in Regul. council. Trident.  Jndex Expurgatorius: but,( to their everlasting obloquy, never to be butted in oblivion; to the perpetual blot and blemish of their cause) the thrice-sacred book of God itself; to make those celestial pages seem unto their blear-eyed Proselytes, that they stand for them. Whereas shining in their native beauty, the false colours which they haue cast vpon them, wiped off, they are rather swords to wound, then shields to protect the heads of Doctrine defended by them. They are rather cannon-shot to batter, then bulwarks to better& fortify their tottering walls of superstition. They are rather Mines to undermine& throw down, then pillars to support their ruinous Tower of Babylon. Away therfore with this Transgression, rather then Translation of the Bible, as one speaks of Pope 
Clement the eight.  Clements corruption, of Sixtus Quintus his Correction of the vulgar version. A Translation it is, fitter to be thrown into the bench-hole, or as the Spiders web to bee swept down, and carried out, then hung up in the Church, for any other either armor or Ornament.  
object. You seem again to draw the vail of Moses over his face, for is it not lawful that Translations should be provided, as the vessels wherein Gods divine and infallible Word may be preserved, and presented to his people?  
Answ. It is not onely lawful, but likewise very 
Deut. 31.11, 12.& 7.19, 20. and 6.6, 7, 8, 9, jer. 36.6, 7.  necessary, that the holy Scriptures should bee translated. For why should Christ command us to 
{αβγδ}. ● jo. 5.39  Search them, if they might not bee translated for our understanding? They are given us to be our 
●phes. 6.17. But the Papists take away from the Christian soldier his Sword Scr●●●m in est, and in stead thereof, put into his hand a woodden dagger, Tradict. est.  armor against the infernal and infestuous enemies of our salvation; and should they bee like 
1. Sam. 21.9.  Goliaths sword, wrapped in a cloth behind the Ephod? What meant golden-mouthed 
Chrys. hom. 29. in Gen. h. 2.& 5 in Mat. ho. 9. ad Colos.& ho. 3. de Lazaro. vult populum domi antà examinare locum illum qu●m ipse in eccles. tractaturus esset.  Chrysostom, so seriously, so sincerely, so frequently, to call vpon his people to get them Bibles, to read them, to examine that they hear by them, if Translations were not permitted to them? What meant St. 
Ex quo factum est, vt Scriptura diuina, ab vna lingua prosecta, per varias linguas interpret●m, &c. Aug. de doctr. Christ. ●. 2. c. 5.  Austin to say, That the Scripture is spread far and wide, by means of the diuers Languages, whereinto it is translated, if it was not thus to be made known to all Nations for their eternal good and salvation?  
object. I will not beleeue, that you can make it clear out of ancient Records, that the Scriptures haue been anciently translated. This savours too strongly of heretical pravity.  
Answ. If you think me ouer-lauishly to ouer-lash in this assertion, I will report me to Saint Chrysostome and Theodoret, both which lived more then 1200. yeares since. The 
Chrys. hom. 1. in joh. scribit, Syros Indos, Persas, Egypti●●; Ethiopa●,& alias innumeras gentes, dogmata diuina in suam linguam transtulisse, atque ita homines barbaros philosophari didicisse.  former of these in his first homily vpon John, mentioneth innumerable Translations, as the Persian, the Syrian, the Jndian, the Aethiopian, the Egyptian, with very many others. The 
Theodo. de curan. Grae, affect. l. 5. Hebraici vero libri, &c: semelque vt dicam, in linguas omnes quibus ad hunc diem nationes utuntur.  other of them avoucheth very generally, That the Bible was turned into all Languages used in the world, Armenian, Surmatian, Scythian, and into all the other. Did not 
Iosephus.  Ptolomaeus Philadelphus, that Noble Egyptian King, who builded that illustrious Library at Alexandria, cause the Law to be translated into greek, by those seventy two Interpreters, three hundred yeeres before Christs salutiferous incarnation? He thus speaks in his Letters to eleazar, of the Hebrew Bible vntranslated, 
Epiph. lib. de mens.& pond.  {αβγδ}; What profit redounds unto us by a treasure concealed, or a fountain sealed up? 
Socrat. histor. Eccles. l. 4. c. 33. vt Barbari discerent ac intelligerent {αβγδ}.  Socrates reports, that Vlphilas, a certain Bishop of the Goths, translated the divine Scriptures into the Language of the Goths, not long after their conversion to Christianity under Valens. St. Chrysostome translated the Scriptures for the Armenians, saith 
Sixtus Senens. Biblioth. lib. 8.  Sixtus Senensis. 
Hosius lib. de sacro vernaculè legendo.  Dalmatica lingua sacros libros Hieronymum vertisse constat, saith Hosius: It is manifest that S. jerome translated the Scriptures into the Sclauonian Language. Where note from the foul mouth of Hosius, otherwise breathing nothing but unlimited blasphemies against the blessed Bible, that Jerom transferred the Scriptures into his own native Dialect; for Dalmatia, otherwise called Jlliria or Sclauonia, was Saint Ieromes native country.  
The Rhemists themselves, those Arch-Panders of the Whore of Babylon, are forced to confess, that more then three hundred yeares ago, the Jtalians, who live under the Popes own nose, had the Bible translated; and the French-men above two hundred yeares since. To come nearer home, here in England many yeeres ago 
Lambert. Mart. apud Fox. Martyrolog. p. 1116.  King allured, the fourth son of Ethelwholphus, translated the Psalter, a copy whereof was found in Crowland Abbey, called Saint Guthlakes Psalter. Venerable Bede, our learned countryman, who himself 
Fox. Mart. p. 1115. Col. 2.  translated Saint Iohns gospel, 
Beda Eccles. hist. gent. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 1.  sheweth that this English Nation hath anciently had the holy Scriptures in all the Languages thereof. As we went before many Countries in outward blessings, so wee see that the Lord would not suffer us to come behind them in inward benefits; nor shall our Goshen ever bee eclipsed with the 
Chimaerijs obtecti tenebris. Pruden.  Chimerian shades of Popish pitchy darkness, maugre the meager shapes of Chimerian iealousy, so long as that late Translation of the Bible, out of the original Languages, into the English tongue, by hs majesties special charge and charges, shall remain amongst us, as that star that conducted the wise-men to Christ, the wisdom of the Father. Of this give me leave to say with those most reverend& very worthy Translators thereof, 
Epist. Ded.  That there are infinite arguments of his majesties right Christian and religious affection toward the Church of God; but none is more forcible to declare it to others, then the vehement and perpetuated desire of the accomplishing and publishing of that work. Of which I may speak more truly then Posseuin of his vulgar, 
Posseuinus, Bibl. select. l. 2. cap. 10.  It standeth as the haven, whereunto we must betake ourselves, from the waves of so many different Translations. A glass it is to the blind eyes of our English Romanists, if there be any glimpse of light vnput out in them. For as for their vulgar latin, verily his eyes be very dim, that cannot see; his nose ful-stuft, that cannot smell; and his fingers notoriously numbe, that cannot feel& grope those forgeries, those falsifications farsed in it, they being so ocular, so vnsauory, so gross& palpable.   

Sect. 6.  
1. The laity must read the Scriptures. 2. The Pope prohibits them. 3. He is the Beast butchering the two Witnesses. 4. Women permitted the Scriptures.  
LAy people must read the Scriptures. For this was Christs precept, Search the Scriptures, John 5.39. and the Christians practise, They preached them daily, Acts 17.11. Descend wee to the Fathers of the Church and demand we of them, whether they will be pleased to suffer their 
Tit. 1.4.  natural sons according to the common faith, to read the Word translated into their mothers Tongue. And hear first how St. Chrysostom● adviseth his people 
divinae Scriptura lectionem diligneter auscultetu; Domi Diuina Biblia in manus, sumite. Chrysost. hom. 29. in Cap. 9. Genes.  diligently to attend the reading of the divine Scripture; yea, at home also to take the holy Bible into their hands: was it heresy in his dayes to haue a Bible in their houses, when they were allowed to haue them in their hands? For brevities sake I purposely omit many pregnant proofs out of this ancient Father, as that Hom. 2. in Math. that, Hom. 3. de Lazar. that, in proem. Epist. ad Rom.& that, Hom. 9. in Coloss. where he exhorts his Hearers to get them Bibles, or at the least, the New Testament.  
Theodoret reports with exceeding joyfulness, that in his time the Scriptures were known and understood, not onely by such as were Teachers in the Church, but even of all kind of Artificers: yea, saith he, 
Fossoresque adeo ac babul●es mu●nias, Palarilque consitores, de Diuina Trinitate, rerumque omnium creatione discertantes. Theod. De Curand. Graecor. affect. lib. 5  You may find among us, Ditchers, and Neat-heards, and Wood-setters, disputing of the divine trinity,& of the Creation of all things. Were this holy Father living, he would give the check and the lie to that dissolute son, who audaciously affirms without all front, 
Thyrrae. de Daenio cap. 21. ex Whit  That he knew certainly certain men to be possessed of a divell, because being but Husband-men, they were able to discourse of the divine Scriptures. And what would he say, do you suppose, should he see the Pope with his Jgnis fatuus, burning such books of Scripture as the people understand in their vulgar tongue? would he not impearle his cheeks with a continual source of distilling tears, to see this Successor of Simon Magus, excommunicating the laity, 
Lib. 5. 〈◇〉. 6. Ia●●b. De graft. de●is. l. 4. c. 23. Na●a●. Han●. cap 11. Origen. hom. 12. in Exod.  be they never so learned, that dispute in a point of Faith? Surely his grief, like to a swelling Tide, would ouer-flowe the banks; neither would his mone admit of any method.  
Origen in his 12. homily vpon Exodus, bitterly inueighs even against the brutish vulgar for that at home they did not meditate vpon the Scriptures And in his second homily vpon 〈◇〉, he hearty wisheth, that not only the reverend Ministers, 
. & Religious Monks would search the Scriptures but that all the Laitie● from the highest to the lowest, would frequently bee conversant in the written Word of God.  
Not to affect prolixity in the accumulating of ancient Testimonies, let me lead you by the hand, to some remarkable examples of the renowned Worthies, flourishing as prime flowers in the primitive Church; who being lamps to the several ages wherein they lived, may yield likewise some ●ight and lustre to those, who do still continue and remain in darkness. A labour not vn●●●son●bl●, if at least any intend to reform their obstinacy: nor is it unseasonable, seeing it may serve to confirm our present opinion.  
The Lord by one star directed the three Wise-men from the East, coming to worship that star of jacob; but he hath directed every one of us to the reading of the Scriptures by three stars, all of them now fixed by his glorious goodness in the Firmament of heaven.  
1. happy timothy, even herein happy, That he had known the holy Scriptures of a Child. 2. Tim. 3.15.  
2. 
In divinis Scriptis adhuc puer ex ercitatus.— Ac quotidiè certum quid, quod ed cisset ac recitaret exegerat. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. l. 6. cap. 3.  Eusebius sheweth us, that Origen was from his Cradle taught the Scriptures, and caused daily to commit some part of them to memory, which he also faithfully recited. So careful was his Father Leonides, that blessed Matyr, seasonably thus to season that 
I hold him no vassal of Satan, tho the Synagogue of Rome hath not sainted him. He was holy, but because not wholly theirs, he is not in their calendar.  holy vessel of the sanctuary.  
3. St. 
Basil. Epist. 75. ad Neocaes.  basil was even nursed up in this sacred Literature,& educated in the secret Mysteries of Religion. 
Basil. Epist. 74.  Did not Macrina his Nurse teach him the Scriptures of a child?  
To these might I add that Cloud of Witnesses, assembled in the first council of Nice, consisting of 
Fuit autem numerus Episcoporum Congregatorum, decem et ●cto supra erecentos. Theodoret. Histor. Eccles. l. 1. c. 7. Cornelius Agrip.  three hundred and eighteen Bishops, all of them decreeing, That no Christian should be without a Bible. These silver Trumpets of the Tabernacle, calling men to the study of the Scriptures, were not linked in the league of opinion with those churlish Cu●res, and currish Miscreants sent out from Cerberus; 
Huius farinae fuit Peresius, de Tradit.  who impiously, and no less impudently aver, That they think verily it was the divels invention to permit the People to read the Bible. Wicked miscreants, belched out from the bottomless abyss of hell, when were you of that black princes priuie-councell, that thus you haue learned to vent your gull, and steep your tongues in venom? Now then, good Christians tell me, all passion and partiality laid aside; all siding, all faction and affection put apart, whether this be not to cry alarum, and bid battle and defiance against the Truth itself? Whether this bee not to distress, and as much as in them lieth, to extirpate and exterminate the gospel from among the people? In a word, whether this be not to exploit all the feats, to play all the Pranks and Casts of that macthlesse villain Machiauill, and all to explode the peoples plodding on the Scriptures, as scurralously they term it? were it not for defiling my Pen, and blotting my Paper; were it not for offending your Christian ears, I would scarce and search this their dangerous and devilish Doctrine; yea. I would sift and bolt this their brainsick dotage to the very bran. Must it not needs be a holy Procession, where such as these carry the cross? A heavenly hierarchy, where such Regents, so bankrupt of the true fear of God, so destitute of common honesty among men, reign and rule the roast; rail and revile the Host of the God of Hosts, for being expert at their spiritual weapon? 
Gen. 49.6.  Into their secrets let not my soul come; my glory, bee not thou joined with their assemblies.  
object. This Position doth pave a way to that dangerous opinion of the Caluinists, promiscuously permitting their people to read the Scripture. What. 
Mart. Peresius, de Tradit. part. 2. assert. 3.  shall no bounds bee set to popular, rude, and carnal men ● 
Hosius de sacr. vernas. legend. pag. 162. Alfonsus Castrens. de punit. haret. l. 3. cap. 6. ait Scripturarum translationem in li●g●● vulgarem est● causam omnium. haeres. Belarm. de Verbo Dei, l. 2. c. 15. Rhem. prafac.  This profanation of the Scriptures, rather then translation, is a principal cause to increase heresy, and precipitate the headlong fury of all vulgar mindes. And therefore never sufficiently to be admired, never sufficiently to be commended, was that virtuous& truly catholic mis-trust of Pope Clement the eighth, 
Whose name did rot before his Corps.  whose memory for this shal ever live in the minds of men. he universally prohibiting the Reading of the Scriptures, 
Against the Order of pus 5.& the council of Trent. Jndex lib. prohib. regul. 4.  took away the power of granting any such Licences, as might herein prejudice the sacred selected Sea of Rome.  
Answ. It is true indeed that the Church of Rome, to her eternal obloquy, hath long forbidden the Laity to read the Scriptures; and( which might most increase in us a mazing wonder) hath laboured to restrain and repress with fire and sword, all such use of them as might detect and bring to light, the monstrous& misshaped births of her the notorious 
For is not she a notorious Strumpet, who puts out the Candle that discovers her? revel. 17.1.  Whore of Babylon. They would haue their Laity sleep in the land of oblivion, not Epimenides his slumber, who is fabled to haue took a nap of seventy five yeares long; but Endimions sleep, who never wakened. Wo bee to those drowsy sluggards, Qui clauidunt fenestram contra solem, vt quietius dorm●ant in tenebris: who shut the window, least the radiant tresses of the Sun should trouble them in their sleep. They haue taken away the key of knowledge, they entred not in themselves, 
Luk. 11.52.  and them that would come in, they forbade. As for your neuer-sufficiently to bee dispraised, your neuer-sufficiently to be condemned Caytiffe, Pope Clement the eighth who lived to see his good name butted before him, and followed it to the funeral, of him I will say no more, but compare him to his pattern Antiochus, 1. Maccab. 1.59, 60. desiring the patient and impartial Reader, to carry the comparison along with him to the place, and see how they sympathise together: for all the water in tiber will not serve, to wash him from the attaint of the same suspicion. But to leave this high Pinnacle of that unhallowed Temple, let us return to the whole Romish Synagogue. Did not the black Prince of this world, Hels malignant Monarch, marvelously vail& blind their eyes, they could not choose but see, into what an endless, and easeless Labarynth, they lead the laity. They cannot bee ignorant of that which 
I omit Christs alleging of Scripture, in those conflicts& bickerings with the devil, Mat. 4. Luk. 4.  Christ says to the Sadduces, Mat. 22.19. That they therefore err, because they know not the Scriptures. They cannot bee ignorant, that 
Luk. 23.34.  Christ makes ignorance the cause of that so horrible a sin, whereby the Iewes laid violent hands vpon him their saviour. They cannot be ignorant, that the same our blessed saviour, 
Luk. 23.34.  makes ignorance the original of that so horrible neglect in the 
joh. 4.10.  woman of Samaria. All this they cannot but know, and yet do they labour to put out their Samsons eyes, that so they might cause them to grind in the Mill of their 
Coeca obedientia.  Mole-like obedience. Yea, Pope after Popes, spring-headed Hydra's that they are, proving their Succession to bee that Beast in the revelation, like fierce lions, chaf't to seek reuenge, chase the poor people into the Caues of obscurity; and with Joshua, 
josh. 10.18.  having commanded to roll great stones vpon the mouths of the Caues, make even Kings themselves to lurk like wilde-beasts, in the loathsome dens of ignorance. This their succession thē is that Beast which slay those two 
Reu. 11.7.  Witnesses, Re. 11.7. by which two witnesses, we not unfitly understand the two Testaments, the Old and the New. 
Reu. 11.3.  Gods giuing power unto thē, is the authorizing of them. Their prophesying clothed in sackcloth, implies that they are not in their due apparel, but obscured, and disguised, as is the greatest Prince or Potentate clad in sacke-clo●h Now they are obscured two ways. 1. by their false& glozing interpretations, and coloured Glosses. Such as were the gloss of Orleans, Hugo de St Charo, and Petre Comestor: by which they were as a clasped book, even to the simpler sort of their clergy. And indeed, had it not been for these and such like, they had not had one commentary vpon the Bible, for the space of diuers hundred yeares. For, their seraphical, angelical, and Cherubinicall Doctors; their Sententiaries, their Summists, their Quodlibetaries, those schooled Athenians the Schoolmen, setting aside the Scriptures, busied themselves in their Speculations, in their Questions vpon Peter Lombard, once Bishop of Paris, the ancient Master of the Sentences; and vpon Thomas Aquinas, their later Master, yet greatly in request. Secondly, these two Testaments or witnesses are obstinately obscured, in that they are hidden from the vulgar, permitted them onely in the vulgar latin.  

revel. 11.7.  Now when it is said, That when they haue finished their testimony, the Beast shall make war against them, and shall overcome and kill them, is meant, that when they be completely written-out, and their testimony authorised; after the primitive Church hath received, admitted, and confirmed them in the first 
An. Dom. 322.  Nicene council, even from that time shall the Antichristian Monarch strive against them, labouring to deprive them of their lively sense and meaning. I might here show you, further and ampler analogy, betwixt these two Witnesses and the two Testaments. First, you may see an agreement in their number: They are two witnesses: so there bee two Testaments. Secondly, in their Name; For in the Language wherein they haue been used so much these 1200. yeares, the Testaments be called Testamenta, of the word Testis, which signifies a witness, as being Witnesses of Gods Will: According to that of our saviour, joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, {αβγδ}, for they are they which testify, or witness of me.  
object. Yet in the gross and scope of mine opinion, it is unfit that 
Profanatio 〈◇〉 Scripturae ●er●●s quàm Translatio, non solum zo●arios, ba●ulos, pistores, sartores, futores; verumetiam zonarias, sartrices, sutrices facit nobis Apostolas, Prophetissas, Doctrices. Hosius in lib. de sacro vernaculè legendo.  women, at the least, should mind the Scriptures. For haue they not huswiferie at home? haue they not a calling to tend vpon?  
Answ. If you will not fortify your ears against the truth, I will in a word show you the papal and palpable grossness of cardinal Hosius his blasphemy, for that is it which so secretly you insinuate. 
Hosius de expresso verbo Dei.  He irreverently, irreligiously, and sacrilegeously affirmeth, That a distaff is fitter for a woman then the Bible.  
1. Discreet Bathsheba, the mother of Salomon, describing a virtuous woman, saith, That shee openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of Grace is in her tongue, Prou. 31.26. Shee saith moreover, That her Candle is not put out by night, Prou. 31.18. This light Clemens Alexandrinus understandeth to be the heart, calling, {αβγδ}, the meditations of the Saints, vpon Gods sacred Oracles, Candles that never go out.  

Nazian. Orat. Funeb. in Gorg.  2. Nazianzen gives this remarkable report of his Sister Gorgonia, namely, That she was well learned.  
3. Saint jerome, a Father, and that not one of an inferior orb, the Papists themselves suppose him to march in equipage of honour with the best, yet could not he endure, that the grave Matrons of his time, should live under the Tyranny of Egyptian ignorance.  
1. How would he encourage his 
Hieron. epist. ad Eustochium, hortatur cam ad a●●●uam lectionem Scripturaris. Sic& Celantia, quae f●●t Matersa●i●as, hortatur vt ●raecipua illius 〈◇〉 ●t, divinam legem cogn●scere.  Eustochium, his Saluina? Doth he not ascertain his now-celestiall Celantia, that the best course of her life, was to be continually conversant in the holy Scriptures? yet was she a mother of a family. 
Hieron. epist. ad Celantiam.  Si●t ergo divinae Scripturae semper in manibus tuis,& jugiter mente voluantur, saith he: Let therefore the books of holy Writ bee ever in thy hand, ever in thy mind.  
2 Why doth 
Hieron. in Epitaph. Paulae.  he so commend his Paula, that religious Gentle-woman, for setting her maids to learn the Scriptures, but to leave her as a memorial& example, for persons of her rank to imitate?  
If any reply with Bellarmine, That not onely Paula the Mother, but Eustochium also the Daughter, had tongues enough to understand the latin, greek, and Hebrew Edition of the Bible: I must tell him out of the same 
Non licebat cuiquam sorerum ignorare Psalmos,& non quotidie aliquid de scriptures sanctis discere: Hier. in Epitaph. Paulae.  Saint jerome, That not onely Eustochium, but her other sisters also, who were not so well lettered, were commanded by their Mother Paula, daily to commit to memory, some portion of the holy Scripture.  
3. See how he would sigh, and sorrow for to see, that but even a child, a Damosell of seven yeares old, should thus sit amongst these Cymmerian shades of superstitious ignorance: 
Hier. ad Gaudentium.  cum autem virgi●●ulam rudem& edentulam septimus aetatis annus exceperit,& caeperit erubescere,— discat memoriter Psalterium;& vsque ad annos pubertatis, libros Salomonis, Euangelia, Apostolos,& Prophetas, sui cordis thesaurum faciat: When the girl shall be seven yeares old, beginning to die her cheeks with a modest blushy, then let her learn the psalms by heart: And till she be marriageable, let her make the books of Salomon, the Gospels, Apostles and Prophets, the very treasure of her heart.  
Nor do I peremptorily, or pertinaciously avouch, that this malignant contumely was never heard of till Hosius, who was but a man of yesterday, for he was president in the late Couenticle of Trent. No, for it was as 
Cyril. Alex. lib. 6. cont. julian.  cyril reports, the reproach that julian laid vpon the Christians, That their women were meddlers with the Scriptures. Out of this impure puddle, did Hosius and his adherents, pumpe-vp this so sour and vnsauory liquor.   

Sect. 7.  
1. The Scriptures not obscure in themselves. 2. To us they are by accident. 3. They are difficult, but not all, not to all, not always. 4. The conclusion with exhortation.  
THE Holy Scriptures are not ambiguous, and perplex in themselves, but of themselves perspicuous, and sufficiently plain, to explain, and determine all points of Faith. The Iesuites, scenting and censuring this conclusion, as ouer-rankly smelling of lutheranism; and withall seeing it to give a flat Bastonado, a deadly blow, to that common heresy of the now-Roman Church, making the matter of the Scriptures obscurity, so dangerous, thus argue against it by way of appeal.  
object. You cannot, without a manifest impeachment of your iudgement, but confess, that the Scripture is a very Chaos of obsuritie, so shadowed with the clouds of ambiguity, that they surpass the shallow capacity of the vulgar people.  
Answ. I can not but confess, that the pernicious vncatholike 
Hosius lib. 3. de authoritate Eccles.& Script. contr. Brentiu. Eckius Enchirid. in loc. 4. censores Colonienses contr. Monhemium. Andrad. lib. 2. Orthod. explicat. Lindanus panopl. lib. 3 cap 6. Stapleton. lib. 10. c. 2. Rhemenses, Annotat. in 2. Pet. 3.16.  catholics of our dayes, having dipped their pharisaical and parasitical tongues in Lethes infernal Lake, and tipped their pens with the baleful and baneful poison of the 
A Serpent killing with his breath,& fight. Plin. Nat. hist. lib. 8. c. 21.  basilisk, haue most lamentably, and miserable captived& enthralled their iudgement, no less virulently then violently censuring the Scripture as though it were altogether clouded and shrouded in obscurity; as tho a perpetual veil was ever laid over it. Whereas when wee understand it not, the veil is not drawn over it but over our hearts, 
2. Cor. 3.15. Ex hoc Testimonio Pauli, Lutherus rectissimè coll●git, obscuritatem scripturae prouimi●, non ex rerum ipsarum d●fficultate, said ex nostra caecitate. Vide Hieron. Comment. in Ezech. 44. See for the Scriptures perspicuity, these ensuing Scriptures. Deut. 30.11. Psal. 19.9. proverb. 6 22. Mat. 5.14. 2. Pet. 1.19. 2. Cor. 4.3 Esa 29.11. with Reu 5. jer. 31.34. Luk. 8.10. John 10.27. 1. Cor. 2.16.  2. Cor. 3.15. It being as david affirms, 
Psal. 119.105.  a lantern to our feet; not a dark lantern, but a light unto our paths, Psal. 119.105. which is not to bee understood onely of the precepts contained in the Scriptures, but of the whole Word of God, as S. Austin doth expound it: 
Augustin. contion. 23. in Psal. 119. Vide Ambros. Serm. 14. in Psal. 119.  Quod ait lucerna pedibus verbum tuum, verbum est quod scriptures omnibus sanctis continetur. The whole Word being as 
{αβγδ}, 2. Pet. 1.19.  St. Peter avers, a light shining in a dark place, 2. Pet. 1.19. It being as Clemens Alexandrinus avoucheth, 
{αβγδ}. Clemens Alexander. Pro●reptic {αβγδ}. p. 25. Nullus est in verbo Cimmerius.  {αβγδ}, A common light that shineth to all. For as saith S. Austin, 
Augustinus tract. 35. in joan.  The Scriptures are lighted up to be our candle in this world, that we walk not in darkness. Yea, the Prophets and Apostles, saith St. 
Chrysost. Hom. 3. de Lazaro.  Chrysostom, made their writings evident to all men, so that every man, {αβγδ}, of himself by reading them, might learn the things therein spoken. The 
Qui Apocalypsin joannis à pascha vsque ad Pentecosten, Missarum tempore in Ecclesia non praedicauerit, excommunicationis sententiam habebit. council. toledan. 4. cap. 16.  toledan council deemed not the Scriptures to be so difficult, when they straitly enjoined the reading& preaching of the Apocalyps to the People: which book is so involved in obscurity, that even at this day some reformed Churches forbear the very reading of the same.  
object. Why are you thus execrably tart and spleenfull against the poor catholics, especially seeing many amongst you, even those that are more then most religious, haue been altogether deterd from employing their time in reading the Scripture, by reason of the Scriptures obscurity?  
Answ. True it is,( thrice-miserable the times in which we may say it is true) that many, by reason of the difficulty of the holy Scriptures, do much neglect them, and( can I speak without brackish and brinie tears?) do altogether give over the study of them, crying with Salomons sluggard, 
Prou. 26.13.  There is a lion in the way, there is a lion in the way. But the Lord hath reserved many millions, that thus dare not steer away their Alcinoan dayes in this restless sea of wretched negligence. Tho with 
King of spain and Naples.  Alphonsus they are not so happy as to read the Bible fourteen times over. Or with that worthy Emperour 
Theodosius 2.  Theodosius, so worthy, as to writ over the New Testament with their own hands: yet with Cicilia, they carry always the gospel of Christ in their breasts, and think that day lost, wherein some time is not taken up in study of the Scriptures. They are embarked for no short voyage, they know they must pass the Magellan straits. They are not ignorant, that the Lord will not be their Pilot, except the Word bee their compass; and therefore sail they in this Trades-increase, as Merchants-Royall for this gold of Ophir. Neither doth the difficulty of holy Writ so daunt and dismay them, that they should altogether slack or abate their pains, but rather doth it whet their diligence, and inflame their desire to become men expert, and of ripe age, in these secret and hidden mystiries.  
object. But to omit the popularity of this opinion, many of your Ministers, and they of good note, which are counted to be pillars, as St. 
Gal. 2.9.  Paul speaks of james, John and Cephas, even 
Multa Scripturae loca obscura esse fatetur, multa esse verborum& sententiarum inuol●●ra: De Luthero, Whitakeri●. de S●ri●●. perspicu●●ate, 〈◇〉.  they are heralds in blazing, and displaying the obscurity of the Scripture. Yea, eight of the Ancient Fathers are cited by 
Bellarmi●●e verbo Dei, lib. 3. cap. 1.  cardinal Bellarmine, and excited to show the duskish obscurity of the Scriptures; Namely, 
Haec Bellarmine te●●●. on ● omitti poss●nt, quia nec inf●ingunt, nec atti● gi●t causam nostram; pugnat enim sine adversario.  Jrenaeus, lib. 2. cont. haeres. cap. 47. Origen, hom. 12. in Exod. Ruffinus, lib. 11. cap. 9. Chrys. hom. 40. in joan. 5. Ambros. Epist. 44. ad Constantium Episcopum. Hieronym. Epist. ad Paulinum.& pr●fat. Comment. svorum in Epist. ad Eph●s.& Epist. ad Alga●iam quaest 8. Augustin. de doct. Christ. l. 2. c. 6.& confess. l. 12. c. 14& Epist. 3. ad Volusian.& Epist. 119. cap. 21. Gregor. hom. 6. in Ezechiel.  
Answ. They are so: yet if the eye of your reason be not dimmed with the mist of passion, you may easily perceive, that this doth not impair their reputation, or lay their honour in the dust. For do but a little lend me your listening and attentive ears, and I will plainly manifest unto you the truth, touching the Scriptures perspicuity and obscurity.  
First, The Scriptures are difficult, but not all.  
Secondly, The Scriptures are difficult, but not to all.  
Thirdly, The Scriptures are difficult, but not always.  
give me leave to run over these points, and rather to point at them, then in any point to dwell vpon them.  
1. The Scriptures are 
Quare Deus volvit multa esse in scriptures obscura, consul Clem. Alexandrinum, Stromat. lib. 6. Augustin. de doctr. Christ. lib. 2. Cap. 6. Greg. hom. 6. in Ezechiel.  difficult, but so, that every part of them is not involved in obscurity; For, in the doctrinal Foundation of Faith and Manners, they are most plain and easy. 

Augustin. Epist. 3. ad Volusian.  
Vide Augustin. De Doct. Christ. lib. 2. cap 6.& 9 Hieron. de Eunucho, Epist. ad Paulin. Aug. de peccat. merit.& remiss. l. 2. c. 36. De utilit. credend. cap. 6. cont. julian. Pelag. lib. 5. c. 1. Chrys. hom. 3. in 2. Thes. prologue. in Epist. ad Rom. justin. Martyr, Dialog. cum Tryphone judaeo.   St. Austin speaks like an heretical Caluinist,( as the Papists account heresy:) Non tanta in scriptures difficultate peruenitur ad ea, quae necessaria sunt saluti: Not with so great difficulty in the Scriptures, do we attain to those things which are necessary to salvation. And again, in iis quae a pertè in scriptures posita sunt, inueniuntur ea omnia, quae fidem continent, moresque vivendi: The plain and easy places of the Scripture, contain all things necessary unto Faith and Manners. 
Augustin. in Psal. 8.  Inclinauit Scripturas Deus, ad Jnfantium& Lactentium capacitatem, saith the same St. Austin: GOD hath fitted the Scriptures, to the capacity of the meanest. I omit 
Irenaeus, lib. 3. c. 15. Hieronym. in Psal. 86. Ambros. Epist. 7. in initio Epistolae. Fulgentius, Serm. de Confessoribus. Bernard. in serm. de verbis Libri Sapientiae, justum deduxit Dominus per viae rectas, &c.  many pregnant Witnesses to prove the Scriptures perspicuity. Yea, what doth 
Bellarmin. de Verbo Dei, Lib. 1. Cap. 2.  Bellarmins scriptures nihill notius mean, but that nothing is more manifest then the Scriptures? Behold and wonder, Bellarmine is become an Hetero-doxe Lutheran! To him I might add 
Andradius, Lib. 2. Orthod. explicat.  Andradius, 
Catharinus Comment. in 2. Tim. 3.  Catharinus,& 
Sixtus Senensis, Biblioth. Lib. 6. Annotat. 151. vt citatur à Whitaker. de Script. perspicuit. Cap. 4.  Sixtus Senensis; but I hasten to our second Assertion.  
2. The Scriptures bee obscure, not to all, but 
2. Cor. 4.3.  to them that perish, and are natural, mere 
1. Cor. 2.14.  Animals. Excellently 
Epiphan. in Anchor.  Epiphanius: If a man bee not taught of God, all things to him are crooked, which yet are streight to such as haue attained, obtained understanding.  
3. The Scriptures be dark and difficult, but not always. For the Lord doth more and more dispel, disperse& scatter the darkness of the mindes of his Elect, by his holy Spirit.  
Thus you see that the Scripture hath great difficulty joined with facility; fitly therefore resembled by St. 
Greg. in Epist. ad Leandrum, quae habetur in fine operum Gregorij. mere est Scriptura diuina, habens in se sensus profundos— Diuersa sunt Scripturarum fluenta. Habes quod primum bibas, habes quod secundum, habes quod postremum. Ambros. Epist. 44. ad Constantium Episcopum.  gregory to the main Ocean, in which the lamb may wade, and the Elephant may swim. For the Writers of holy Scriptures, are in some things like Angels descending to the simplicity of the meanest; and in other things as Angels transcending the sublimity of the Learned'st.  
Oh then, 
Reu. 2.7.  let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, Joh. 5.39. {αβγδ}: Search the Scriptures. There be three things which move attention: The Author, if he bee judicious; the Matter, if it be mellifluous; the Manner, if it be compendious. All these three Graces jointly meet in this passage of Scripture, and all in so effectual a manner, that any one of them,( I can truly say,) may challenge; all of them,( I dare boldly say,) do deserve, an attentive reverence, a reverent attention, and a religious execution. For although Truth nakedly and simply set forth, doth of itself deserve allowance, and bind depencies unto it; yet, is it of most force to invade mens judgements, and win their liking approbation, when it comes armed in the authority of so authentical an Author, as is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, CHRIST IESVS himself.  
God had witnessed of Christ in jordan, Mat. 3.17. This is my beloved son. God witnessed of Christ in the Mount at his Transfiguration, Mat. 17.5. This is my beloved son, hear him. But the Iewes heard not this Voice in the Mount, and neglected that voice in Iordā, therefore here Christ sends them to the Scriptures, Search the Scriptures, for they witness of me.  
They witness of me by Prophets, they witness of me by Sacraments, they witness of me by Ceremonies, therefore Search them. My Father sent me, 
Verse 37.  by my Incarnation. My Father witnesseth of me, by internal inspiration: but ye haue not heard his voice by mental revelation, nor haue ye seen his shape by any manifest representation; therefore Search the Scriptures.  
Nor doth Christ here sand them ad lectionem simplicem, said ad scrutationem acquisitam, saith St. Chrysostom. 
Chrysost hom. 40.  For nothing superfluous or superuacaneous is laid up in the ark of the Scriptures. Not Inscriptions, saith Chrysostome; not iterations of Scripture, say Wee; not repletiue particles, are to bee passed over without a registering eye. if thou se●kest wisdom as silver,& searchest for her as for treasures, then shalt thou find the knowledge of GOD, Proerb. 2. 
Pro. 2.4.5.  It is with divine knowledge as with Gold, which lieth not vpon the face and superficies of the earth, but is embosomed in her inward bowels. The richer any mineral is, the more industrious hath nature been to lay it up in the deepest veins: and the higher any mystery is, not the nigher, but the more remote is it From our shallow apprehensions, therefore[ Search the Scriptures.  
There is great difference betwixt divine and human writings: Of the first the more we drink, the more we may; the deeper the sweeter. But of the second, to sip it is sufficient: Gustata magis quàm potata inuant: Wee may sooner surfet, then satiate ourselves of these.  
In this age of vanity, wherein profane Pamphlets are as dainty novelties, as Apes and bullocks in the dayes of Salomon, what can better beseem Christians, then to red the Scriptures? evil books, like insidiating jael, 'allure us with the blandishments of their style,( blancht-ouer with the title of eloquence,) till they haue destroyed us, till there remaines not one spark of true godliness vnslaine within vs. They are Iudas-like Ioabs they kiss& kill. whose ears can now but tingle, or whose heart but tremble, to see men so bewitched with soule-seducing error, as to prefer these stinking and stygian Lakes of levity, before those siluer-sliding streams, that issue from under the threshold of the Temple. 
Ezek. 47.1.  O monstrous hel-hounds, wee may justly wonder at Gods marvelous patience, that he doth not throw down balls of wildfire from heaven, to consume and burn you up. Bacchus and Priapus, were saints, in comparison of so vile and servile Monsters. A man were as good gripe a toad, and handle a snake, as meddle with these venomous and poisonous Pasquils; as sully and soil our Virgin-soules with these trivial and triobular, these fabulous and frivolous Amorettos. The quill of the Porcupine is not so perilous, as the pestiferous and pernicious pen of the loose and irreligious rhymer. Yet we like little Children are better pleased with the glittering tinsel of a wanton poet, then with the rich attire of the sacred Scriptures. happily these Balaams see not such angelical lustre in holy Writ, as in the unholy writings of their so much magnified Magnificos. As tho some dross will not glister more then the purest gold? Christs Spouse, like a good Matron, seeks to concile love onely by a grave and graceful modesty: but these courtesans by impudent demeanour. 
Act. 19.15.  The native beauty of the Scriptures, scorns the unnatural& sophisticated drugs of these bewitching Jezabels. Men paint not Marble walls, but old rags.  
For Gods sake therefore, and for our own souls sake, let us be wiser. Let us bring these cursed& curious books, and burn them as a whole burnt offering, and offer them as incense, to appease our incensed God.  
But let us never cease, to turne-ouer the venerable Volumes of authentic Writ. So exact and exquisite a Search requires an eminent and farre-excelling subject, therefore Search the Scriptures. go to no other field to gather this golden sheaf, neither go from hence, but abide here for ever, as Boaz said to Ruth, Ruth 2. 
Ruth 2.8.  Let us in our beds by night, seek Christ in the Scriptures, with the Spouse in the Canticles, Cant. 3. 
Cant. 3.1.  with the thrice-noble Bereans, let us daily Search the Scriptures, Act. 17.11. Christ sought us when we were lost; 
Ephes. 4.9.  he descended from the highest heauens, to the lowest parts of the earth to search for us, and shall not wee for him, for his sake, Search the Scriptures? Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? 
Rom. 10.6, 7, 8. ( that is to bring Christ from above:) or Who shall descend into the deep?( that is to bring Christ from the dead.) For what saith Moses? The word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart. This is the word of ●aith which we Preach, 
Deut. 30.14.  this is the word of faith which ye must search: Therefore Search the Scriptures.  
Wee haue many Scrutinies. The voluptuous man searcheth for pleasures, the avaricious for treasures, the malicious for reuenge, the ambitious for renown. The Scholar searcheth for preferment, the Merchant for the gold of Ophir, the soldier for victory, the Lawyer for a Fee, the Tradesman for trusty customers, the Farmer for a gainful seat; but who is but half so diligent, in searching the Scriptures, to find out Christ? All these Searchers are like Saul, who lost himself in seeking his Fathers Asses. Like Israel in Egypt, dispersed to pick straws; and like those sons of the Prophets, that sought but found not, 2. King. 2.17.  
But let us make the sacred Scripture the select object of our Search; search it with delight, search it with diligence. If a poem delight us, how are wee ravished with it? we will red a rhyming Rhapsodie again and again. What son loues not frequently to read his Fathers Testament, wherein large Legacies are bequeathed unto him? and shall not wee so love the Law of our Lord, as to meditate in it day and night, with david? Psal. 119.97. Christ himself hath honoured Reading with his own example, Luk. 4.16. he came to Nazareth, and as his custom was, stood up to read the Scriptures. See here the Princes pattern the Preachers platform, the Lay-mans Lesson: a schoolmaster to teach us al to read, behold Christ Reading.  

Sabellicus.  Sabellicus reporteth, that the Virgin Mary divided the day-time in this manner. In the morning for the space of three houres, she gave herself wholly to devotion. From thence till mid-day shee wrought. After dinner she never failed to read the holy Scripture. With unhappy Foelix, 
Act. 24.25.  shee posted not this duty off until a convenient time, which never came again. Nor with Ahashuerosh, 
easter 6.1.  did she read these Records in the night, to steal herself asleep, but shee stinted herself unto a daily task.  
It is reported of Chrisippus, that he was so Bookish, that he had perished with hunger, had not his maid Melissa thrust meat into his mouth. Demosthenes was so diligent at his desk, that he much murmured and repined, that the Smith should be earlier at his anvil or Stithy, then he at his books and study. human learning did bear so high rule in these mens thoughts, that it animated them to any tedious onset: and shall wee be dismayed and discouraged, by any forged and feigned difficulties, from being studious in this divine literature?  
Now then( good Christians) for the conclusion of all, bless the almighty, for these blessed dayes, wherein( under our dread sovereign) wee enjoy the gospel of Peace, and the Peace of the gospel. I tell you, that many Prophets and Princes haue desired to see the things which your eyes behold, but could not. How long was this our island, and that not long since, another egypt, which diuers hundred yeares, could not bee cured of her papal blindness, of her gross and palpable darkness? How did those egyptians storm, when Moses and Aaron, Crumwell and Cranmer came, to deliver Gods Israel, from that 
Acheron is of Poets taken for the river of Hell, but is indeed a river in Italy, so environed with Hills, that the sun shines not on it, but only in the midst of day.  Acheronticall ignorance? How did they rage at Tindals Translation? some affirming, that it would make the People heretics: others, that it would cause them to rebel. dear Christians, let us not again in our wishes, apostatise to so foul a religion, preferring the Leckes& Onions of this odious Egypt, before the food of Angels, this Manna of written Verities. Let not our defection be the ugly fruit of so clear Scriptures, of so clement sceptres, as haue governed us in the incomparable succession of two such religious Soueraignes. Who can but blushy and bleed, to see Christian souls so grossly cheated, with the guilded slips of sly, and erroneous superstition? Let me therefore adjure you by the glorious Name of IESVS, as you tender the safety of your souls, in any wise beware of corner-creeping jesuits. Listen to the Songs of Sion, not to the Siren-songs of seducing Seminaries. Be not enchanted with their charms, but stop your cares at their venomous insinuations. Be not enamoured on them for their faire looks, remembering, the Scorpion hath an amiable face, but carries in his tail a poisonous sting. Be not moved with their counterfeit commiseration towards you, though endeered with tears, remembering, the Crocodile can weep, not to prevent, but to procure death. Be not angled with their sugared promises, nor angered with their swelling menaces, the one be as idle as the other addle. Their often calculated, but hitherto( and I pray God ever to be) adjourned golden day, hath not yet dawn'd vpon them. And thou most mighty Jehouah, thou Lord of Hosts, still scatter our cruel enemies that delight in blood. Infatuate their Counsels, and enfeeble their forces still more and more. Be also a Tower of defence to those thy seruants, that now suffer persecution, for the profession of thy true Religion: convert or confounded their furious opposites; and in thine own time, and by thine own means, give them a comfortable deliverance out of all their distresses, turning thy fury from them vpon their foes, fitting and preparing us for harder times. harken to the cry of the blood of thy Saints that is now  shed in defence of thy truth, and let every drop thereof sound more shrilly in thine ears, then did the blood of Abel, to pull down vengeance vpon the heads of those that hate the distressed, the despised and dispersed of Israel. hear, oh hear us praying for thy Church militant: help, oh help thy contemned Church, 
Iude verse 3.  earnestly contending for the maintenance of the Faith. For thy Churches sake, for Religions sake, for thy Honors sake, for thy Sons sake hear vs. To whom with thee O Father, and the Holy Spirit, bee ascribed and rendered, all honor and glory, all power and praise, all dignity and dominion, now and for evermore; Amen. Amen.  
Ternae& aeternae Trinitati, ascribatur honor omnis, gloria, dignitasque in saecula saeculorum.   
FINIS.