Chapter 3 of 3

16Certain things hard. This is a plain text to convince the Protestants, who (as all heretics lightly do and did from the beginning) say the Scriptures be easy to understand, and therefore may be not only read safely, but also expounded boldly of all the people, as well unlearned as learned: and condemning every one by himself and his private spirit, without respect of the expositions of the learned fathers, or expectation of the Church's, their Pastors and Prelates judgment, may determine and make choice of such sense as himself liketh or thinketh agreeable. For this is partly their saying, partly the necessary sequel of their foolish opinion, which admitteth nothing but the bare Scriptures. And Luther said that the Scriptures were more plain than all the fathers commentaries: and so all to be superfluous but the Bible. Præfat. assert. art. damnat. Against all which Devilish and seditious arrogancy, tending to make the people esteem themselves learned or sufficient without their Pastors and spiritual rulers help, to guide themselves in all matters of doctrine and doubts in religion: the holy Apostle here telleth and forewarneth the faithful, that the Scriptures be full of difficulty, and specially S. Paul's epistles of all other parts of holy writ, and that ignorant men and unstable or fantastical fellows puffed to and fro with every blast of doctrine and heresy, abuse, pervert, and misconster them to their own damnation. And S. Augustine saith, that he speaketh special difficulty in S. Paul's epistles, which ignorant and evil men do so pervert and misconster: which S. Peter meaneth, is his hard speech and much commendation of that faith which he saith doth justify, which the ignorant even from the Apostles time, and much more now, have and do so misconster, as though he had meant that only faith without good works could justify or save a man. Against which wicked collection and abuse of S. Paul's words, the said father saith, all these Canonical or Catholic epistles were written. But the Heretics here to shift off the matter, and to creep out after their fashion, answer, that S. Peter saith not, S. Paul's epistles be hard, but that many things in them are hard. Which may be to the Catholics an example of their sophistical evasions from the evidence of God's word. As though it were not all one to say, Such an author or writer is hard: and, There be many things in that writer hard to be understood. For, whether it be that the argument and matter be high and past vulgar capacity, as that of predestination, reprobation, vocation of the Gentiles, and justifying faith: or whether his manner of style and writing be obscure: all prove that his epistles be hard, and other Scriptures also: because S. Peter here affirmeth that by reason of the difficulties in them, whether in the style, or in the depth of the matter, the ignorant and unstable (such as Heretics be) do pervert his writings, as also other Scriptures, to their own damnation. Whereby it is plain that it is a very dangerous thing for such as be ignorant, or for wild witted fellows, to read the Scriptures. For such conditioned men be they that become Heretics, and through ignorance, pride, and private fantasy, meeting with hard places of S. Paul's epistles or other Scriptures, breed Heresies. And that not only the things treated of in the holy Scriptures, but also that the very manner of writing and enditing thereof, is high and hard, and purposely by God's providence appointed to be written in such sort, see S. Augustine li. 2 de doct. Christ. c. 6, and ep. 119. S. Ambrose ep. 44 in principio. S. Jerome to Paulinus ep. 103 c. 5. 6. 7. who also (ep. 65. c. 1.) saith, that in his old age when he should rather have taught than be taught, he went as far as Alexandria, only to hear Didymus, and to have his help for the understanding of the Scriptures, and confesseth with great thanks to the said Didymus, that he learned of him that which before he knew not. David saith, Give me understanding, and I will search thy law. The Eunuch in the Acts said, How can I understand without an interpreter? The Apostles, till Christ opened their sense to understand the scriptures, could not understand them. The holy Doctors by continual study, watching, fasting, and praying, had much ado to understand them: that great clerk S. Augustine confessing in the foresaid epistle 119. c. 21. that there were many more things that he understood not, than that he understood. The Heretics say the fathers did commonly err: and how could such great wise learned men be deceived in reading and expounding the Scriptures, if they were not hard? and if they were hard to them, how are they easy to these new masters the Heretics? finally, why do they write so many new glosses, scholies, commentaries, as a cart cannot carry? Why do Luther, Zwinglius, Calvin, and their Companions agree no better upon the interpretation of the Scriptures, if they be not hard? whereat stumbled all the old heretics and the new, Arius, Macedonius, Vigilantius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Berengarius, Wickliffe, Protestants, Puritans, Anabaptists, and the rest, but at the hardness of the Scriptures? They be hard then to understand, and Heretics pervert them to their own damnation.Certaine things hard. This is a plaine text to conuince the Protestants, vvho (as al heretikes lightly doe and did from the beginning) say the Scriptures be easie to vnderstand, and therfore may be not onely read safely, but also expounded boldly of al the people, as vvel vnlearned as learned: and condemning euery one by him self and his priuate spirit, vvithout respect of the expositions of the learned fathers, or expectation of the Churches, their Pastors and Prelates iudgment, may determine and make choise of such sense as him self liketh or thinketh agreable. For this is partly their saying, partly the necessarie sequele of their folish opinion, vvhich admitteth nothing but the bare Scriptures. And Luther said that the Scriptures vvere more plaine then al the fathers commentaries: and so al to be superfluous but the Bible. Præfat. assert art. damnat. Against al vvhich Diuelish & seditious arrogācie, tending to make the people esteeme them selues learned or sufficient vvithout their Pastors and spiritual rulers helpe, to guide them selues in al matters of doctrine & doubtes in religion: the holy Apostle here telleth and forevvarneth the faithful, that the Scriptures be ful of difficultie, & specially S. Paules epistles of al other partes of holy vvrite, and that ignorant men ad vnstable or phātastical fellovves puffed to & fro vvith euery blast of doctrine and hæresie, abuse, peruert, and misconster them to their ovvne damnation. And S. Augustine saith, that he speaketh special difficulty in S. Paules epistles, vvhich ignorant and euil men do so peruert and misconster: vvhich S. Peter meaneth, is his hard speache and much commendation of that faith vvhich he saith doth iustifie, vvhich the ignorant euen from the Apostles time, and much more novv, haue and do so misconster, as though he had meant that onely faith vvithout good vvorkes could iustifie or saue a man. Against vvhich vvicked collection and abuse of S. Paules vvordes, the said father saith, al these Canonical or Catholike epistles vvere vvritten. But the Hæretikes here to shift of the matter, and to creepe out after their fashion, answer, that S. Peter saith not, S. Paules epistles be hard, but that many things in them are hard. Vvhich may be to the Catholikes an example of their sophistical euasions from the euidence of Gods vvord. As though it vvere not al one to say, Such an author or vvriter is hard: and, There be many things in that vvriter hard to be vnderstood. For, vvhether it be that the argument and matter be high and past vulgar capacitie, as that of prædestination, reprobation, vocation of the Gentiles, and iustifying faith: or vvhether his manner of stile and vvriting be obscure: al proue that his epistles be hard, and other Scriptures also: because S. Peter here affirmeth that by reason of the difficulties in them, vvhether in the stile, or in the depth of the matter, the ignorant and vnstable (such as Heretikes be) do peruert his vvritings, as also other Scriptures, to their ovvne damnation. Vvhereby it is plaine that it is a very dangerous thing for such as be ignorant, or for vvilde vvitted fellovves, to reade the Scriptures. For such conditioned men be they that become Heretikes, and through ignorance, pride, and priuate phantasie, meeting vvith hard places of S. Paules epistles or other Scriptures, breede Hæresies. And that not onely the things treated of in the holy Scriptures, but also that the very manner of vvriting and enditing thereof, is high and hard, and purposely by Gods prouidence appointed to be vvritten in such sort, see S. Augustine li. 2 de doct. Christ. c. 6. and ep. 119. S. Ambrose ep. 44 in principio. S. Hierom to Paulinus ep. 103 c. 5. 6. 7. vvho also (ep. 65. c. 1.) saith, that in his old age vvhen he should rather haue taught then be taught, he vvent as far as Alexandria, onely to heare Didymus, and to haue his helpe for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures, and confesseth vvith great thankes to the said Didymus, that he learned of him that vvhich before he knevve not. Dauid saith, Giue me vnderstanding, and I vvil searche thy lavv. The Eunuch in the Actes said, Hovv can I vnderstand vvith out an interpreter?* The Apostles, til Christ opened their sense to vnderstand the scriptures, could not vnderstand them. The holy Doctors by continual studie, vvatching, fasting, and praying, had much a doe to vnderstand them: that great clerke S. Augustine cōfessing in the foresaid epistle 119. c. 21. that there vvere many moe things that he vnderstood not, then that he vnderstood. The Heretikes say the fathers did commonly erre. and hovv could such great vvise learned men be deceiued in reading and expounding the Scriptures, if they vvere not hard? and if they vvere hard to them, hovv are they easie to these nevv maisters the Hæretikes? finally, vvhy do they vvrite so many nevv glosses, scholies, commentaries, as a cart cannot carrie? Vvhy do Luther, Zuinglius, Caluin, and their Companions agree no better vpon the interpretation of the Scriptures, if they be not hard? vvhereat stumbled al the old heretikes & the nevv, Arius, Macedonius, Vigilantius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Berengarius, Vvicleffe, Protestants, Puritanes, Anabaptists, and the rest, but at the hardnes of the Scriptures? They be hard then to vnderstand, and Heretikes peruert them to their ovvne damnation.