00c Marks Used and the Books of the New Testament

The Rheims New Testament (1582) — Marks and Books

Two pieces of front matter from the Rheims New Testament of 1582: the key explaining the numbers and marks used in the text and margins, and the list of the books of the New Testament according to the count of the Catholic Church, with the five short chapters that follow it on the authority, canon and use of the Scriptures.

THE SIGNIFICATION OR MEANING OF THE NVMBERS AND MARKES vſed in this Nevv Teſtament.

THe numbers in the inner margent of the text, ſhevv the number of verſes in euery Chapter.

The numbers in the Arguments before euery Chapter, point to the ſame numbers of verſes in the text, treating of the ſame matter.

The numbers in the beginning of the Annotatiōs, ſignifie, that the Annotation is vpon ſuch a verſe of the text.

The numbers in the inner margent, or els vvhere, ioyned to the citations of Scripture, if they be vvritten thus, Gen. 4, 16. the firſt is the chapter, the ſecond is the verſe. If thus, Gen. 4. 16. both are the Chapters. If thus, Gen. 4, 16. 17. 18. the firſt is the chapter, al the reſt, the verſes. If thus, Gen. 4, 16. 5, 7. it ſignifieth, chap. 4. verſ. 16. and chap. 5. verſ. 7.

✝ This croſſe ſignifieth the beginning of euery verſe.

″ This marke in the text, ſignifieth that there is an Annotation vpon that vvord or vvordes vvhich folovv the ſaid marke.

* This ſtarre in the text, or in the Annotations, ſignifieth the allegations cited ouer againſt the ſame in the margent, or ſome other thing anſvvering therevnto.

` ’ This marke ſhevveth an other reading in the margent. And if there be nothing in the margent, it ſignifieth that thoſe vvordes are not in ſome copies.

: ; ᵃ ᵇ Theſe notes in the text, referre the reader to the ſelf ſame in the margent.

Mt. for Matthevv.

Mr. for Marke.

⊢ This marke ſignifieth the ending of Goſpels and Epiſtles.

Their beginning is knovven by the margent, vvhere directly at the beginning of them, is ſet, The Goſpel, or, The Epiſtle vpon ſuch a day. And if it could not be ſo ſet directly (becauſe of other marginal notes) then ᵇ is the marke of their beginning. And if ſome fevv by ouerſight be not noted in the margent, it is ſupplied in the table of Epiſtles and Goſpels, at the end of this booke.

❧ THE BOOKES OF THE NEVV Teſtament, according to the counte of the Catholike Churche.

4 GOSPELS.

The Goſpel of S. Matthevv.
The Goſpel of S. Marke.
The Goſpel of S. Luke.
The Goſpel of S. Iohn.
The ACTES of the Apoſtles.

S. PAVLES EPIST. 14.

The Epiſtle to the Romanes.
The 1 Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
The 2 Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
The Epiſtle to the Galatians.
The Epiſtle to the Epheſians.
The Epiſtle to the Phillppians.
The Epiſtle to the Coloſſians.
The 1 Epiſt. to the Theſſalonians.
The 2 Epiſtle to the Theſſaloniās.
The 1 Epiſtle to Timothee.
The 2 Epiſtle to Timothee.
The Epiſtle to Titus.
The Epiſtle to Philemon.
The Epiſtle to the Hebrevves.

THE 7 CATHOL. EPISTLES.

The Epiſtle of S. Iames.
The 1 Epiſtle of S. Peter.
The 2 Epiſtle of S. Peter.
The 1 Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
The 2 Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
The 3 Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
The Epiſtle of S. Iude.
The APOCALYPSE of S. Iohn.

1 The infallible authoritie and excellencie of them aboue al other writings.

S. Auguſtine li. II. cont. Fauſtum. cap. 5.

THe excellencie of the Canonical authoritie of the old and new Teſtament, is diſtincted from the bookes of later writers: which being confirmed in the Apoſtles times, by the ſucceſſion of Biſhops, and propagations of Churches, is placed as it were in a certaine throne on high, wherevnto euery faithful & godly vnderſtanding muſt be ſubiect and obedient. There, if any thing moue or trouble thee as abſurd, thou maieſt not ſay, The author of this booke held not the truth: but, either the copie is faultie, or the Tranſlatour erred, or thou vnderſtandeſt not. But in the workes of them that wrote afterward, which are conteined in infinite bookes, but are in no caſe equal to that moſt ſacred authoritie of CANONICAL SCRIPTVRES: in which ſoeuer of them is found euen the ſame truth, yet the authoritie is far vnequal.

2 The diſcerning of Canonical from not Canonical, and of their infallible truth, and ſenſe, commeth vnto vs, only by the credite vve giue vnto the CATHOLIKE CHVRCHE: through vvhoſe cōmendation vve beleeue both the Goſpel and Chriſt him ſelf. Vvhereas the Sectaries meaſure the matter by their fantaſies and opinion.

S. Auguſtine cont. Epiſt. fundamenti cap. 5.

I for my part, vvould not beleeue the Goſpel, vnles the authoritie of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH moued me. They therfore whom I obied ſaying, Beleeue the Goſpel: vvhy ſhould I not beleeue them ſaying, Beleeue not * Manichaeus? Chooſe vvhether thou vvilt. If thou wilt ſay, Beleeue the Catholike: loe they vvarne me that I giue no credite vnto you: and therefore beleeuing them, I muſt needes not beleeue thee. If thou ſay, Beleeue not the Catholikes: it is not the right vvay, by the Goſpel to driue me to the faith of Manichaeus, becauſe I beleeued the Goſpel it ſelf by the preaching of Catholikes. [Margin: Luther, Caluin.]

Againe li. de vtilit. credend. cap. 14.

I ſee the concerning Chriſt him ſelf, I haue beleeued none, but the confirmed and aſſured opinion of peoples and nations: and that theſe peoples haue on euey ſide poſſeſſed the myſteries of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH. Vvhy ſhould I not therfore moſt diligently require, ſpecially among them, what Chriſt commaunded, by vvhoſe authoritie I vvas moued to beleeue, that Chriſt did commaund ſome profitable thing? Vvilt thou (ō Heretike) tel me better vvhat he ſaid? vvhom I vvould not thinke to haue been at al, or to be, if I muſt beleeue, becauſe thou ſaieſt it. Vvhat groſſe madnes is this, to ſay, Beleeue the Catholikes, the Chriſt is to be beleeued: and learne of vs, vvhat he ſaid.

Againe cont. Fauſtum li. II. cap. 1.

Thou ſeeſt then in this matter what force the authoritie of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH hath, vvhich euen from the moſt grounded and founded ſeates of the Apoſtles, is eſtabliſhed vntil this day, by the line of Biſhops ſucceding one an other, & by the conſent of ſo many peoples. Vvhereas thou ſaieſt, This is Scripture, or, this is ſuch an Apoſtles, that is not: becauſe this ſoundeth for me, and the other againſt me. Thou then art the rule of truth. vvhatſoeuer is againſt thee, is not true.

3 No heretikes haue right to the Scriptures, but are vſurpers: the Catholike Church being the true ovvner and faithful keeper of them. Heretikes abuſe them, corrupt them, and vtterly ſeeke to aboliſh them, though they pretend the contrarie.

Tertullianli. De praeſcriptionibus, bringeth in the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH ſpeaking thus to all Heretikes.

Vvho are you, vvhen, and from vvhence came you? vvhat doe you in my poſſeſsion, that are none of mine? by vvhat right (Marcion) doeſt thou cut dovvne my wood? vvho gaue the licence (ô Valentine) to turne the courſe of my fountaines? by vvhat authoritie (Apelles) doeſt thou remoue my boundes? and you the reſt, vvhy do yovv ſovv and ſeede for theſe companions at your pleaſure? It is my poſſeſſion, I poſſeſſe it of old, I haue aſſured origins thereof, euen from thoſe authors vvhoſe the thing vvas. I am the heire of the Apoſtles. As they prouided by their Teſtament, as they comitted it to my credite, as they adiured me, ſo doe I hold it. You ſurely they diſherited alvvaies and haue coſt you of, as forainers, as enemies. [Margin: Luther, Zuinglius, Caeluin. · * Their ſcholers & folovvers.]

Againe in the ſame booke.

Encountering vvith ſuch by Scriptures, auaileth nothing, but to ouerturne a mans ſtomake or his braine. This hereſie receiueth not certaine Scriptures: and if it do receiue ſome, yet by adding and taking avvay, it peruerteth the ſame to ſerue their purpoſe: and if it receiue any, it doth not receiue them vvholy: and if after a ſort it receiue them vvholy, neuertheles by diuiſing diuers expoſitions, it turneth them cleane an other vvay &c.

4 Yet do they vaunt them ſelues of Scriptures excedingly, but they are neuer the more to be truſted for that.

S. Hierom aduerſus Luciferianos in fine.

Let them not flatter them ſelues, if they ſeeme in their ovvne conceite to affirme that vvhich they ſay, out of the chapters of Scripture: vvhereas the Diuel alſo ſpake ſome thinges out of the Scriptures, and the Scriptures conſiſt not in the reading, but in the vnderſtanding.

Vincentius Lirinenſis li. cont. prophanas haereſ⟨illegible⟩ Nouationes.

Here perhaps ſome man may aſke, vvhether heretikes alſo vſe not the teſtimonies of diuine Scripture. Yet in deede do they, and that vehemently. For thou ſhalt ſee them flie through euery one of the ſacred bookes of the Lavv, through Moyſes, the bookes of the kings, the Pſalmes, the Apoſtles, the Goſpels, the Prophets. For, vvhether among their ovvne fellowes, or ſtrangers: vvhether priuatly, or publikely: vvhether in talke, or in their bookes: vvhether in bankets, or in the ſtreates: they (I ſay) alleage nothing of their ovvne, which they endeuour not to ſhadow vvith the wordes of Scripture alſo. Read the vvorkes of Paulus Samoſatenus, of Priſcillian, of Eunomian, of Iouinian, of the other plagues & peſtilences: thou ſhalt finde an infinite heape of examples, no page in a manner omitted or voide, which is not painted and coloured with the ſentences of the new or old teſtament. But they are ſo much the more to be taken heede of, & to be feared, the more ſecretly they lurke vnder the ſhadowes of Gods diuine law. For they knovv their ſtinkes vvould not eaſily pleaſe any man almoſt, if they were breathed out nakedly & ſimply them ſelues alone, & therfore they ſprinkle them as it vvere vvith certaine pretious ſpices of the heauenly vvord: to the end that he vvhich would eaſely deſpiſe the errour of man, may not eaſely contemne the oracles of God. So that they doe like vnto them, vvhich vvhen they vvil prepare certaine bitter potion⟨illegible⟩ for children, do firſt anoint the brimmes of the cup vvith honie, that the vnwarie age, vvhen it ſhal firſt feele the ſvvetnes, may not feare the bitternes. [Margin: * Of Caluin, of ⟨illegible⟩uel, of the reſt.]

5 The cauſe vvhy, the Scriptures being perfit, yet vve vſe other Eccleſiaſtical vvritings and tradition.

Vincentius Lirinenſis in his golden booke before cited, aduerſus prophanas haereſ⟨illegible⟩ Nouationes.

Here ſome man perhaps may aſke, for aſmuch as the Canon of the Scriptures is perfit, and in all pointes very ſufficient in it ſelf, vvhat neede is there, to ioyne therevnto the authoritie of the Eccleſiaſtical vnderſtanding? for this cauſe ſurely, for that all take not the holy Scripture in one and the ſame ſenſe, becauſe of the deepenes thereof. but the ſpeaches thereof, ſome interpret one vvay, & ſome an other vvay, ſo that there may almoſt as many ſenſes be picked out of it, as there be men. for, Nouatian doth expound it one vvay, and Sabellius, an other vvay, othervviſe Donatus, othervviſe Arîus, Eunomius, Macedonius, othervviſe Photinus, Apollinaris, Priſcillianus, othervviſe Iouinian, Pelagius, Celeſtius, laſtly othervviſe Neſtorius. And therfore very neceſſarie it is, becauſe of ſo great vvindinges and turninges of diuers errours, that the line of Prophetical and Apoſtolical interpretation, be directed according to the rule of the Eccleſiaſtical and Catholike ſenſe or vnderſtanding. [Margin: * So he calleth the Churches ſenſe, and the fathers interpretations of Scriptures. · * Othervviſe Wicleſſe Luther, Caluin, Puritanes.]

S. Baſil li. de Spiritu ſancto cap. 27.

Of ſuch articles of religion as are kept and preached in the Church, ſome vvere taught by the vvritten vvord, other ſome vve haue receiued by the tradition of the Apoſtles, deliuered vnto vs as it vvere from hand to hand in myſterie ſecretly: both vvhich be of one force to Chriſtian religion: and this no man vvil deny that hath any litle ſkill of the Eccleſiaſtical rites or cuſtomes. for if vve goe about to reiect the cuſtomes not conteined in Scripture, as being of ſmal force, vve ſhal vnvvittingly and vnavvares mangle the GOSPEL it ſelf in the principal partes thereof, yea rather, vve ſhal abridge the very preaching of the Goſpel, and bring it to a bare name.

Colophon

Printed edition: The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated faithfully into English, out of the authentical Latin … in the English College of Rhemes (Rhemes: Iohn Fogny, 1582; STC 2884, ESTC S102491), the Catholic New Testament translated from the Latin Vulgate chiefly by Gregory Martin. Copy transcribed: the Eton College Library copy, as filmed for Early English Books Online (image set 2646).

Transcription: Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP), Phase I text A16049 (keyed 2005–06, proofread and released 2006), placed in the public domain under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal. Converted for the Good Works Library in October 2026.

What was done: the spelling, punctuation and capitals of the transcription are kept exactly, including u/v, i/j, "vv" for w, long s (ſ), the abbreviation stroke (as in "vpō") and the edition's own marks (″ for an annotated word, ⸬ and * for marginal references, ⊢ for the end of a liturgical Gospel or Epistle; ▪ is the transcribers' sign for a punctuation mark they could not identify). Removed as apparatus: the TEI markup, page breaks, line-end hyphenation, and the small cross ✝ that the edition sets at the beginning of each verse beside the verse number in the margin; the number is given here instead. Marginal notes are gathered after each chapter, keyed to their verse; the annotations follow as the edition prints them. Words the transcribers could not read are shown as ⟨illegible⟩; words printed in Greek or other non-Latin letters, which the transcription did not key, are shown as ⟨non-Latin script⟩. No gap has been filled or guessed.

Note: in this transcription the verse numbers stand at the start of each verse, and the verse cross ✝ described in the key has been removed in the verse text for that reason; the other marks are kept where they stand.

On this page 4 places are marked ⟨illegible⟩.

This is an archival transcription of a historic English Bible. It is not a Good Works Translation.

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