it if in this case they will adde only to the very text is it not most horrible and diuelish corruption So did Luther whom our English ProtestaÌ„ts honor as their father in this heresie of only faith are his owne childreÌ„ See ch 12. FVLK 24. In the question of iustification by faith only where S. Iames saieth no we say no also neyther can it be proued that we adde this word only to the text in any translation of oures If Luther did in his translation adde the worde only to the texte it can not be excused of wrong translation in worde although the sense might well beare it But seing Luther doth him selfe confesse it he may be excused of frawde though not of lacke of iudgement But why should our translation be charged with Luthers corruption Because our English Protestants honour him as their father A very lewde slaunder for we call no man father vpon earth though you do call the Pope your father albeit in another sense Luther was a reuerende father of the Churche for his time But as touching the doctrine of only faith iustifying it hath more patrones of the fathers of the auncient primitiue Church than Martine can beare their bookes though he would breake his backe who in the same plaine wordes do affirme it as Luther doth that only faith doth iustifie And the Apostle which saieth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law speaketh more plainely for iustification by faith only as we do teach it than if he had sayed a man is iustified by faith only Which text of Rom. 3. and many other are as expresse scripture to proue that we teach and beleeue as that S. Iames sayeth against iustification by faith only where he speaketh of an other faith and of an other iustification than S. Paule speaketh of and we vnderstand when we holde that a man is iustified by faith only or without workes of the law which is all one MART. 25. If these that account themselues the great Grecians and Hebricians of the world will so translate for the aduauntage of their cause as though they had no skill in the world and as though they knew neither the significatioÌ„ of words nor proprietie of phrases in the saide languages is it not to be esteemed shamelesse corruption FVLK 25. Yes but if it can not be proued that so they translate then is this an impudent slaunder as al the rest are and so it will proue when it coÌ„meth to be tried MART. 26. I will not speake of the German Heretikes who to mainteine this heresie that all our workes be they neuer so good are sinne translated for Tibi soli peccaui to thee only haue I sinned thus Tibi solùm peccaui that is I haue nothing else but sinned whatsoeuer I do I sinne whereas neither the Greeke nor the Hebrewe will possibly admit that sense Let these passe as Lutherans yet wilfull corrupters and acknowledged of our English Protestants for their good brethren But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were yet of no strength as the Geneua English Bible also doth interprete it whereas euery young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither without strength is not this of purpose to take away mans free will altogither See chap. 10. nu 13. FVLK 26. I knowe not what German heretikes those be which maintaine that heresie that al our works be they neuer so good are sinne except they be the Libertines with whom we haue nothing to do For we neuer say that good workes are sinne for that were al one to say that good were euill But that al our good workes are short of that perfection which the law of God requireth we do humbly confesse against our selues Or else what soeuer seemeth to be a good worke and is done of meÌ„ voyde of true faith is sinne For these assertions we haue the scripture to warraÌ„t vs. And if to proue the later any man hath translated those words of Dauid in the 51. Psalme Lecha Lebadecha Tibi solum or tantuÌ„modo tibi peccaui c. To the only or altogither to thee I haue sinned in respect of his naturall corruption which he doth expresse in the next verse he hath not departed one whitte from the Hebrewe wordes nor from the sense which the wordes may very wel beare which he that denieth rather sheweth him selfe ignorant in the Hebrew tongue than he that so translateth For what doth Lebad signifie but Solum or Tantum and therefore it may as well be translated Solum tibi as Soli â—ibi And the Apostle Rom. 3. prouing by the later end of that verse all men to be vniust that God only may be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou mayest be iustified in thy wordes c. fauoreth that interpretation of Bucer or who soeuer it is beside But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when wee were yet of no strength as the Geneua Englishe Bible doth also interprete it whereas euerye young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither withoute strengthe is not this of purpose to take awaye mannes free wyll altogither Chapter tenth Number 13. Naye it is to shewe as the Apostles purpose is that wee haue no strength to fulfill the lawe of God without the grace of Christ euen as Christ him selfe sayth without me you can do nothing Ioan. 15. v. 5. But euery young Grecian saye you knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither with out strength And is there then any old Grecian that will proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway signifieth him that is weake but not voide of strength Doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes signifie him that hath some streÌ„gth Certaine it is that the Apostle speaketh here of those that were voide of strength for the same he calleth in the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vngodly or voide of religion for whom Christ died Howe say you then had vngodly persons any strength to be saued except Christ had died for them Therefore he that in this place translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake feeble infirme must needes vnderstand men so weake feeble and infirme as they haue no strength For how might it else be truely sayed what hast thou which thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. v. 7. Yes say you we haue some peece of freewil at least some strength to clime to heauen euen without the grace of God without the death redemption of Christ. If you say no why cauill you at Bezaes translation and ours The Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as great a Grecian as you would make your selfe signifieth weake or infirme sometime that which yet hath some strength sometime that which hath no strength at all as I will giue you a plaine example out of S.
denie but the equitie of the same lawes doth still remaine although not euery one that erreth obstinately ought to bee delt with so extremely Also pag. 82. of that booke I say that all protestantes are one in God and Christ their redeemer from which vnitie dissention about ceremonies cannot separate them and yet I except such schismatikes as delight in contention The controuersie betweene Luther and vs doth not hinder vs from this vnitie although Luther and other of preposterous zeale of godlinesse do otherwise account of vs which errour is of infirmitie and not of malice The pag. 23. of the same aunswere there is another charge where I say that text Vow ye and render your vowes to the Lorde is a text that pertaineth to the old Testament meaning that it must haue the exposition according to the lawe of such thinges as God did allowe and were in mens power to perfourme For what if a man vowed to sacrifice a dogge What say wee to Iepthes rash vowe To the vowe of them that vowed to kill Paul Our censurer reporteth my wordes that this text belongeth onely to the olde Testament as though I sayde there was no vse of it in the newe Testament There is one lie by addition In the same place to the text If thou wilt bee perfect goe and sâ—ll what thou hast c. I say it is a singular triall to that one person Fâ—â— euery man is not bounde so to doe yet our censurâ—â— cauileth that so all the other wordes spoken to that young man may be restrained and made singular as whatsoeuer else was spoken to any singular person As though my reason were that therefore it was singular because it was spoken to one man As if wee had not generall lawes and rules to knowe what is enioyned to all men what to some men and what to a singular person In the next pag. 24. hee quarelleth at my exposition of the saying of S. Iames cap. 2. that a man is iustified of workes and not of faith onely Where I say workes are not denyed to iustifie before men and onely faith without workes is thought to iustifie before God Rom. 3. This he calleth a poore deuise because Saint Iames talking of faith without workes sayth it cannot saue a man Nay rather this is a poore cauill For S. Iames talketh of another kinde of faith as well as of an other kind of iustification when his saying seemeth to be contradictory to Saint Paule And that in the place in question hee meaneth iustification before men as in the other place a fayth voyde of good works it is manifest both by his owne wordes Shewe me thy faith by thy workes and also by the example of Abrahams tryall which was not to enforme God of his iustification but to giue testimony before men Pag. 25. to shewe how protestants deny all fathers he bringeth me for an example in many places First he sayth the consent of ancient fathers is alleaged attributing superioritie to Peter vpon that text Math. 16. Thou art Peter c. This he sayth I auoyde very lightly saying that diuerse of the auncient fathers were deceiued in opinion of Peters prerogatiue As for the consent of all which he would seeme to make for it is false but this is not all mine answere but that this prerogatiue appeareth not in the scriptures which was heuier than the answerers penne could beare or if he thinke it doeth let him prooue by syllogisme out of the scriptures if he can But vntill he can I will say this is a lie by detraction Secondly where I say those ancient fathers that expounde the text Iohn 5. I came in my fathers name c. of antichrist haue no grounde of their exposition I proue it by example of Theudas the Aegyptian Cocabus and other that deceiued the Iewes in their owne name yet none of them was antichrist Thirdly where he sayth Ierome with all the ecclesiasticall writers are alleaged for the interpretation of the wordes of Daniel cap. 7. which interpretation I do not admit because it hath no direction out of the scriptures hee maketh a lie by multiplication for onely Ierome with such ecclesiasticall writers out of whom he gathered his interpretation is alleaged Fourthly he slandereth me when he chargeth mee to say Austine doth wrongfully interprete the place for I allowe of Augustines sayinges to be true but I say hee speaketh it vppon a text wrongly interpreted that is falsly translated He hath placed his Tabernacle in the sunne whereas the truth is He hath made in the heauens a Tabernacle for the sunne and so doth Hierome interprete it â—oâ—i posuit tabernaculum in eis Fifthly where he sayeth that S. Ambrose Ephrem and Bede are alleaged for interpretation of certaine scriptures he sayth he noteth not what for they are alleaged for memories of the dead which I say I will not deny but they were vsed before their times and prayer for the dead also but without warrant of Gods worde or autoritie of scriptures but such as is so pitifully wrested and drawen vnto them as euery man may see the holy ghost neuer meant any such thing as they gather of them This I speake not of these three but of such as would goe about to proue prayer for the deade out of the scripture as Chrysostome who followeth in the sixt place who in deede I say alleadgeth scripture for it but hee applieth it madly and yet hee often applyeth it to the same purpose belike it was the best he had for that purpose God sayth vnto Ezechias I will defende this citie for mine owne cause and for Dauid my seruantes sake Alas good man what maner of reason is this Be it as he sayth that the memorie of Dauid being a righteous man and not rather the truth of Gods promise made to Dauid moued him to defend the citie from the enemies doth it therefore followe that prayer and almes are auayleable for the dead c. If M. Censurer thinke Chrysostome haue applyed the scripture rightly let him gather his argument into a syllogisme and we will shape him another aunswere Seuenthly I will not denie but I sayde that those fathers whom Martiall coted did rather dally in trifling allegories than soundly prooue that the crosse was prefigured in such places of scripture as they alleadge As Augustine maketh the two stickes that the widowe of Sarepta gathered a figure of the crosse Augustine and Tertullian the lifting vp of Moses handes c. in which places yet they ment the vertue of Christs death rather than the holinesse of the signe Moreouer page 33. Master Fulk is charged to abuse the simple people in saying often times prayer for the dead is an heresie because the Montanistes which were heretikes helde it Nay sir because the Montanistes are the first that inuented prayer for the dead Purgatorie seeing neither in scripture nor doctor is any mention of either of both before Montanus therefore he
vs through faith Rom. 4. The Papistes say it is a qualitie inherent within vs for which wordes and matter they haue no warrant in the holy Scripture MART. 54. These few examples proue vnto vs that the Scriptures translated verbatim exactly and according to the proper vse and signification of the wordes do by the Heretikes confession make for the Catholikes and therefore Beza saith he altereth the wordes into other and I thinke it may suffice any indifferent reader to iudge of his purpose and meaning in other places of his translation and consequently of theirs that either allow him or follow him which are our English Caluinists and Bezites Many other waies there are to make mosta certaine proofe of their Wilfulnesse as when the translation is framed according to their false and hereticall commentarie and When they will auouch their translations out of prophane writers Homer Plutarch Plinie Tullie Virgil and Terence and reiect the Ecclesiastical vse of wordes in the Scriptures and Fathers which Beza doth for the most part alwaies But it were infinite to note all the markes and by these the wise reader may conceiue the rest FVLK 54 These examples proue nothing lesse For to runne ouer them all briefly the first two we translate verbatim A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law and repent and repētance we say for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What make these for Poperie If Luc 1. v. 6. we should call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustifications what should Poperie gaine but a vaine cauill when you your selues cōfesse that those iustifications are often vsed for commandements Act. 2. v. 27. all our English translations are as you would haue them Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption by which verse no descent into Limbus but the resurrection from death can be proued If wee translate as you do Act. 3. v. 21. whome heauen must receaue wee will easily conuince that Christe muste be receaued of heauen In the laste example the question is not howe the worde is to be translated but by what worde the want of the texte is to be supplied whiche wee supplie not with wordes of our owne but with the Apostles owne wordes Haue you not gayned greatly by translating verbatim exactly and according to the proper vse and signification of the wordes I lyke well that euery indifferent Reader may iudge by these examples of Bezaes purpose in other places of his translation But you haue two other wayes to make certaine proofe of their wilfulnesse The firste is when the translation is framed according to their hereticall commentarie A reasonable man would thinke rather that the commentarie were framed according to the texte than the texte to the commentarie But to iustifie the truth of those translations for the firste texte you quote it is handled sect 26. of this chapter and so consequently Cap. 7. The seconde is answered sect 46. the other two concerning tradition sect 23. of the preface and in the chapiter following The second waye of proofe is when they will auouch their translations out of prophane writers I thinke there is no better waye to know the proper or diuerse signification of wordes than out of auncient writers though they be neuer so prophane who vsed the wordes most indifferently in respect of our controuersies of which they were altogither ignorant As for the ecclesiasticall vse of wordes in the Scripture and the Fathers which Beza you say doth for the most part reiect it is vntrue except there be good and sufficient cause why he should so do warranted by the Scripture it selfe or necessarie circumstances of the places which he doth translate For if the Scripture haue vsed a worde in one signification sometimes it is not necessarie that it should alwaies vse it in the same signification when it is proued by auncient writers that the worde hath other significations more proper to the place and agreeable to the rule of fayth which perhaps the vsuall signification is not As for example the Scripture vseth very often this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a boy or seruaunt but when the same worde is applied to our Sauiour Christ in the prayer of the Apostles Act. 4. 27. Who woulde not rather translate it childe or sonne as the worde doth sometime but more seldome signifie Howe the Fathers of the Churche haue vsed wordes it is no rule for translators of the Scripture to followe who oftentimes vsed wordes as the people did then take them and not as they signified in the Apostles tyme. As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a publicke testification of repentaunce which wee call penaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for imposition of handes and suche like in whiche sense these wordes were neuer vsed before the Apostles times and therefore it is not lyke that they woulde beginne a newe vse of them without some manifest explication of their meaning without the whiche no man could haue vnderstoode them as they haue done in the vse of these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such like It is not a faulte therefore prudently to seeke euen out of prophane writers what is the proper signification of wordes and howe many significations a woorde may haue and reuerently to iudge which is moste apte for the place to be translated and moste agreeable with the holy ghostes meaning in that texte and not alwaies to bee tyed to the vsuall signification of wordes as they are sometimes taken in Scripture and much lesse as they are vsed of the auncient Fathers MART. 55. But would you thinke that these men could notwithstanding speake very grauely and honestly against voluntarie and wilfull translations of Scripture that so notoriously offend therein them selues Harken what Beza saith against Castaleo and the like The matter saith he is now come to this point that the translatours of Scripture out of the Greeke into Latin or into any other tōgue think that they may lawfully doe any thing in translating Whom if a man reprehend he shall be answered by and by that they do the office of a translatour not that translateth worde for worde but that expresseth the sense So it commeth to passe that whiles euery man will rather freely folow his own iudgement than be a religious interpreter of the Holy Ghost he doth rather peruert many things than translate them Is not this well said if he had done accordingly but doing the cleane contrarie as hath ben◠proued he is a dissembling hypocrite in so saying and a wilfull Heretike in so doing and condemned by his owne iudgement FVLK 55. No wise man doubteth but they could both speake very grauely and auoyde most religiously al voluntarie wilful translations of scripture that might tende to maintaine any errour And the rather they will be perswaded that Beza hath auoyded that lewde kinde of translatiō for which he reproueth Castaleo when they shall see that
as the cause shall require More examples might I bring but for tediousnesse to conuince the bolde rashnesse of this quarreller but these may suffice all indifferent Readers and aunswere sufficiently for vs within the newe Testament we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinaunces or statuts seeing it is proued both by the Septuaginta which calleth the same Hebrewe worde not onely iustifications but often commaundements statuts precepts iudgements by the vulgar Latine Interpretor which commonly calleth it ceremonies or precepts MART. 2. But be it that you may controll them in the Hebrew which none but fooles will graunt vnto you in the newe Testament what pretense haue you doe you there also translate the Hebrew worde or rather the Greeke the Greeke vndoubtedly you should translate What reason then can you haue why you doe not none other surely than that which Beza giueth for him selfe saying that he reiected the word iustifications notwithstanding it expressed the Greeke worde for worde notwithstanding the seuentie Greeke Interpreters vsed it to signifie the whole lawe and in Latine it be commonly translated iustificationes notwithstanding all this for this onely cause sayth he did I reiect it to auoide the cauillations that might be made by this word against iustification by faith As if he should say This word truly translated according to the Greeke might minister great occasion to proue by so many places of scripture that mans iustification is not by faith only but also by keeping the law and obseruing the commaundements which therefore are called according to the Greeke and Latine iustifications because they concurre to iustification and make a man iust as by S. Lukes wordes also is well signified which haue this allusion that they were both iuste because they walked in all the iustifications of our Lord. Which they of purpose suppresse by other wordes FVLK 2. None but fooles considering what I haue brought of the vsage of that worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil iudge that it signifieth onely iustifications and all wise men may see that we haue good warrant to translate it otherwise in the Greeke Testament where it must needes haue an other signification The concurrence of workes with faith to iustificatioÌ„ before God which the Apostle doth exclude Rom. 3. we may not admit But iustification by workes as Saint Iames teacheth we doe acknoweledge I hope you will not saye that your Latine translator against iustification by workes translated the worde so often ceremonies or that ceremonies of the lawe doe concurre to iustification by faith The commaundements in deede are called iustifications because the workes of the lawe if a man keepe it wholy are able to iustifie Not that euery ceremonie or obseruation of any peece of the law is a iustification â—or maketh a man iust which you may better say vpon the etymologie of the worde than that euery particular obseruation of the lawe or good worke doth concurre with faith vnto iustification MART. 3. And hereof also it riseth that when he can not possibly auoyd the word in his translation as Apoc. 19. 8. Bissinum enim iustificationes sunt sanctorum The silke is the iustifications of Sainctes there he helpeth the matter with this coÌ„mentarie That iustifications are those good workes which be the testimonies of a liuely faith But our English translatours haue an other way to auoyd the worde euen in their translation For they say here the righteöusnes of Sainctes because they coulde not saye ordinances of Saincts and they would not say iustifications of Saincts knowing very well by Bezaes owne commentarie that this word includeth the good workes of saincts which workes if they should in translating call their iustifications it would goe sore against iustification by onely faith Therefore doe they translate in steede thereof ordinances and statutes where they can which are termes furthest of from iustification and where they can not there they say righteousnesse making it also the plurall number whereas the more proper Greeke worde for rightuousnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 6 22. which there some of them translate vngiltinesse because they wil not translate exactly if you would hire them FVLK 3. When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 19. are translated iustificationes they signifie iuste works as I haue already proued the significatioÌ„ of the word to beare beside that it is so vsed by Aristotle in his Ethicks who of iustificatioÌ„ before God whereof wee speake vnderstoode neuer a whit Therefore if in steede of rightuousnesse which is the singular number it were translated rightuous or iust workes it were not amisse in mine opinion Although by rightuousnesse in that place is nothing meant but good or rightuous workes as Bezaes note doth tel you MART. 4. And therefore as for iustice and iustifications they say righteousnesse so for iuste they translate righteous and by this meanes Ioseph was a righteous maÌ„ rather than a iust man and Zacharie and Elisabeth were both righteous before God rather than iust because when a man is called iust it soundeth that he is so in deede and not by imputation onely as a wise man is vnderstoode to be wise in deede and not only so imputed Therefore doe they more gladly and more often say righteous men rather than iust men when they doe say iust men as sometime they doe least they might sâ—eme wilfull inexcusably there they vnderstande iust by imputation not in deede as is to be seene in Bezaes Annotations vpon the Epistle to the Romanes Note also that they put the word iust when faith is ioyned withall as Rom. 1. The iust shal liue by faith to signifie that iustification is by faith But if workes be ioyned withall and keeping the commaundementes as in the place alleaged Luc. 1. there they say righteous to suppresse iustification by workes FVLK 4. This is a maruelous difference neuer heard of I thinke in the English toÌ„gue before betwene iust righteous iustice righteousnes I am sure there is none of our translatours no nor any professer of iustification by faith onely that esteemeth it the worth of one haire whether you say in any place of Scripture iust or righteous iustice or righteousnesse and therefore freely they haue vsed sometimes the one worde sometimes the other Therefore it is a monstrous falshoode that you fain them to obserue this distinction that they ioyne iust with faith and righteous with workes Doe they not translate Rom. 2. ver 13. the hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God but the doers of the lawe shall bee iustified Haue you not again the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the law c. by the faith of Iesus Christ. And where you reade the iust shall liue by faith haue you not immediatly the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith Who then but the Diuell which hath his name of sclaundering woulde here inuent
saith to walke in them and dothe by his grace cause vs to doe them and hath promised lyfe euerlasting for them and telleth vs in all his holy Scriptures that to doe them is the waye to heauen therefore not presuming vpon our owne workes as our owne or as of our selues but vpon the good workes wrought through Gods grace by vs his seely instruments wee haue great confidence as the Apostle speaketh and are assured that these workes proceeding of his grace be so acceptable to him that they are esteemed and be worthie and meritorious of the kingdome of heauen Against which truth let vs see further their hereticall corruptions FVLK 7. If you would abide by your first protestation we should not neede to contend much aboute this question But after you haue in the beginning magnified the grace and mercy of God and abased your owne merites you come backe againe with a subtill compasse to establish your owne free will the worthinesse of your workes and your merite of the kingdome of heauen First you say God telleth vs in all his holy Scriptures that to doe good workes is the way to heauen In deede to fulfill the lawe is to deserue heauen But who so euer is guiltie of sinne must seeke an other way than by good workes to come to heaueÌ„ namely to Iesus Christ who is the onely way to heauen the truth and the life by whose bloud when he is purged from his sinne and reconciled vnto God and the kingdome of heauen purchased for him then he hath the way of good workes appointed him to walke in towarde the same Secondly you say you presume not vpon your owne workes as your owne or as of your selues but vpon the good workes wrought by Gods grace by you his seely instrumentes you haue great confidence Thus while you would seeme to flie from Pelagiaâ—isme you fall into flatte Pharisaisme For you trust that you are righteous in your selues though not as of your selues Suche was the Pharisee of whom Christe telleth the parable which ascribing all his workes to the grace of God had confideÌ„ce in them that he was iust before God by them God I thaÌ„ke thee saith the Pharisee He acknowledgeth the grace of God as author of all his workes yet against such as he was Christe telleth that parable And whereas you call the Apostle Heb. 10. to witnesse of your errour you doe him great wrong for he speaketh not of any confidence to bee had vpon good workes wrought by the grace of God by vs but in the newe couenant of remission of sinnes by the sacrifice of Christes death by whom we haue accesse to God that we may be acceptable to him not for any meritorious workes wrought by vs but by the only oblation of his bodie once for all by which he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified CHAP. IX Hereticall translation against MERITES or MERITORIOVS WORKES and the REVVARDE for the same Martin WHen they translate Rom. 8. 18. thus I am certainly perswaded that the afflictions of this time ARE NOT VVORTHIE OF THE GLORIE which shall be shewed vpon vs doe they not meane to signifie to the Reader must it not needes so sound in his eares that the tribulations of this life be they neuer so great though suffered for Christ yet doe not merite nor deserue the heauenly glorie but in the Greeke it is farre otherwise I will not stand vpon their first wordes I am certainely perswaded which is a farre greater asseueration than the Apostle vseth and I maruell how they could so translate that Greeke worde but that they were disposed not onely to translate the Apostles wordes falsly against meritorious workes but also to auouch and affirme the same lustily with much more vehemencie of wordes than the Apostle speaketh Well let vs pardon them this fault and examine the wordes following Where the Greeke sayth not as they translate with full consent in all their English Bibles The afflictions are not worthy of the glorie c. but thus The afflictions of this time are not equall correspondent or comparable to the glorie to come because the afflictions are short the glorie is eternall the afflictions small and few in comparison the glorie great and aboundant aboue measure Fulke ALthough an inuincible argument against merites and desert of good workes may be drawen out of this text yet the meaning of the translators is to shewe no more than the Apostle saith that the heauenly glorie is incomparably greater than all the tribulations of this life And this the Apostle speaketh not doubtiÌ„gly as our english word I suppose doth signifie when a man may be deceaued in his supposel but he auoucheth it coÌ„stantly as a thing which being wel considered with the reasons thereof he concludeth of it with certaintie And so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie in this place and in diuerse other by the iudgement of better Grecians than Gregorie Martin will be these seuen yeares as Rom. 3. 28. where the Apostle hauing discussed the controuersie of iustification by faith or workes concludeth as of a certaintie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we determine therefore that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe Likewise Rom. 6. v. 11. after he hath proued that sanctification is necessary to all them that shal or haue put on the iustice of Christ he sayth with great asseueration vnto the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make you ful account therefore that you are dead to sinne not vncertainly thinke or suppose it so to be Therefore for the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place we wil accept no pardon of you it is better translated than your wit or learning serueth you to vnderstand Now let vs come to the other wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not worthy of the glorie Where you say it should be not equall correspondent or comparable to the glorie Verily those words we vse haue none other sense in this place than the wordes which you supply vs withall but our wordes doe expresse the moste vsuall signification of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as your vulgar Latine doth calling it in the same sense condignae which you in your owne translation dare not render equall correspondent or comparable but condigne lest following the sense you might be accused to forsake the word euen so we thinke it best where the vsuall signification of the word will beare the sense in our English to reteine the same and not to change it MART. 2. This is the Greeke phrase and the Apostles meaning which we neede not greatly to proue because their owne Doctors Caluin and Beza doe so interprete it and therefore wonder it were that the Geneua English Bibles also should forsake their maisters and follow the errour of the other English Bibles but that they thought the more voices the better In the meane time the people
say we you can not so answer the matter for in other places you translate it duely and truely tradition and why more in one place than in another They are ashamed to tell why but they must tell and shame both thom selues and the deuill if euer they thinke it good to answer this treatise as also why they changed congregation which was alwaies in their first translation into Church in their later translations and did not change likewise ordinances into traditions Elder◠into Priestes FVLK 51. That the Thessalonians had some parte of Christian doctrine deliuered by word of mouth that is by the Apostles preaching at such time as he did write vnto them and some part by his Epistles the text enforceth vs to graunt and we neuer purposed to denye But that the Church at this daye or euer since the newe Testament was written had any tradition by worde of mouth of any matter necessary to saluation which was not contayned in the olde or newe Testament we will neuer graunt neither shall you euer be able out of this text or any text in the Bible to proue Make your Syllogismes when you dare and you shall be aunswered But we knowe you saye that the Greeke word signifieth tradition as plaine as possibly but here and in like places we rather translate it ordinances instructions and what else soeuer We knowe that it signifieth tradition constitution instruction precept also mancipation treatise treason For al these the Greeke Dictionaries do teach that it signifieth Therefore if in any place we haue translated it ordinaunces or instructions or institutions we haue not gone from the true signification of the worde neither can you euer proue that the worde signifieth such a doctrine onely as is taught by worde of mouth and is not or may not be put in writing But in other places you can tell vs that we translate it duely and truly tradition and you will know why more in one place than in another affirming that we are shamed to tell why For my part I was neuer of counsaile with any that translated the Scriptures into English and therefore it is possible I can not sufficiently expresse what reason moued the translators so to varie in the exposition of one and the same worde Yet can I yeelde sufficient reason that might leade them so to doe which I thinke they followed The Papistes doe commonly so abuse the name of tradition which signifieth properly a deliuerie or a thinge deliuered for such a matter as is deliuered onely by worde of mouth and so receaued from hande to hande that it is neuer put in writing but hath his credite without the holye Scriptures of God as the Iewe had their Cabala and the Scribes Pharisees had their traditions beside the lawe of God and the Valentinian Heretikes accused the Scriptures as insufficient of authoritie and ambiguously written and that the truth could not be found in them by those that knewe not the tradition which was not deliuered by writing but by worde of mouth iumpe as the Papists doe This abusing of the word tradition might be a sufficient cause for the translators to render the Greeke worde where it is taken for such doctrine as is beside the commaundement of God by the name of tradition as the worde is commonly taken But where the Greeke worde is taken in the good parte for that doctrine which is agreeable with the holy Scriptures they might with good reason auoide it as you your selfe doe not alwayes translate tradere to betray but sometimes to deliuer So did the translators giue these words ordinances instructions institutions or doctrine deliuered which doe generally signifie the same that tradition but haue not the preiudice of that partiall signification in which the Papistes vse it who wheresoeuer they find tradition straight way imagine they haue found a sufficient argument against the perfection and sufficiencie of the holy Scripture and to bring in all riffe raffe and trishe trashe of mans doctrine not onely beside but also contrarye to the manifest worde of God conteined in his most holy and perfect Scriptures To the shame of the deuill therefore and of all popish maintainers of traditions vncommaunded by God this reason may be yelded Nowe to aunswer you why Ecclesia was first translated congregation and afterward Church the reason that moued the firste translators I thinke was this the worde Churche of the common people at that tyme was vsed ambiguously both for the assemblie of the faythfull and for the place in which they assembled for auoyding of which ambiguitie they translated Ecclesia the congregation and yet in their Creede and in the notes of their Bibles in preaching writing they vsed the word Church for the same the later translators seing the people better instructed able to discerne when they read in the Scriptures the people from the place of their meeting vsed the worde Church in their translations as they did in their preaching These are weightie matters that wee muste giue accompt of them Why we chaunge not ordinances into traditions and Elders into Priests wee will answere when we come to the proper places of them In the meane season wee thinke there is as good cause for vs in translating sometime to auoide the termes of traditions and prieste as for you to auoid the names of Elders calling them auncients and the wise men sages as though you had rather speake French than English as we do Like as you translate Conside haue a good hart after the french phrase rather than you would say as we do be of good comforte MART. 52. The cause is that the name of Church was at the first odious vnto thē because of the Catholike Church which stoode against them but afterward this name grewe into more favour with them because of their English Church so at length called and termed But their hatred of Priests and traditions continueth still as it first began and therefore their translation also remaineth as before suppressing the names both of the one and of the other But of all these their dealings they shal be told in their seuerall chapiters and places FVLK 52. I pray you who translated first the creed into the English tongue and taught it to the people for that cause were accounted heretikes of the Antichristian Romish rable If the name of Churche were odious vnto them why didde they not suppresse that name in the creede whyche they taught to yong and olde and in steede of Catholike Church call it the vniuersal congregation or assembly Wel Dauus these things be not aptely diuided according to their times The firste translation of the Bible that was printed in the english tong in very many places of the notes vseth the name Church most notoriously in the song of Salomon where before euery other verse almost it telleth which is the voice of the Church to Christ her spous◠which no reasonable man would thinke the translators would
〈◊〉 which the vulgar Latine and Erasmus translate Agite poenitentiam Repent or Doe penance This interpretation sayth he I refuse for many causes but for this especially that many ignorant persons haue taken hereby an occasion of the false opinions of SATISFACTION wherewith the Church is troubled at this day Loe of purpose against satisfaction he will not translate the Greeke worde as it ought to be and as it is proued to signifie both in this booke and in the annotations vpon the newe Testament A litle after speaking of the same worde he sayth why I haue changed the name poenitentia I haue tolde a litle before protesting that he will neuer vse those wordes but resipiscere and resipiscentia that is amendment of life because of their heresie that repentance is nothing else but a meere amendment of former life without recompense or satisfaction or penance for the sinnes before committed See chap. 13. FVLK 49. Of purpose against the heresie of satisfaction Beza will not translate the Greeke worde as the vulgar Latine translator dothe but yet as the Greeke worde ought to be translated Erasmus finding the vulgar Latine vnsufficient hath added Vitae prioris that is repent yee of your former life Neither dothe Beza finde faulte with the English worde repent but with the Latine Agite paenitentiam when you translate it do penaunce meaning thereby paine or satisfaction for sinnes passed to be a necessarie parte of true repentance which is not conteyned in the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth changing of the mind that is not onely a sorrow for the sinne past but also a purpose of amendment which is beste expressed by the Latine worde Resipiscere which is alwaies taken in the good parte as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Scripture where as the Latine wordes paenitere and Paenitentia are vsed in Latine of sorrowe or repentance that is too late As paenitere and paenitentia may be saide of Iudas grief of minde which caused him to hang him selfe but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or resipiscere and resipisscentia and therefore the Holye Ghoste speakinge of his sorrowe vseth an other worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is the cause why Beza refused the worde Paenitentia hauing a Latine worde that more properlye doeth expresse the Greeke worde as wee might lawefullye doe in Englishe if wee had an other Englishe worde proper to that repentaunce whiche is alwayes ioyned with faith and purpose of amendmente for wante whereof wee are constrayned to vse the wordes repente and repentaunce whiche maye bee taken in good parte or in euill For wee saye repentaunce too late and Iudas repented too late but there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that can bee called too late But where you saye that resipiscere and resipiscentia is nothing but amendement of life and that repentaunce in our heresie is nothing else but a meere amendment of former life you speake vntruly for those words do signifie not only amendment of life but also sorrow for the sinnes past although without recompēce or satisfactiō which you call penance for the sinnes before cōmitted for we know no recompence or satisfactiō made to God for our sinnes but the death of Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Iohn 1. Neither hath your blasphemous satisfaction any grounde in the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely a foolish colour by the Latine translation Agite poenitentiam which it is like your Latine interpreter did neuer dreame of and therefore he vseth the worde Resipiscere 2. Tim. 2. Of them to whom God should giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentaunce to the acknowledging of the truth Et resipiscant and so they may repent or as you translate it recouer themselues from the snare of the Diuell Seyng therefore repentance is the gifte of God it is no recompence or satisfaction made by vs to God to answere his iustice but an earnest and true griefe of minde for our transgression of Gods lawe and offending against his maiestie with a certaine purpose and determination of amendment so neere as God shall giue vs grace Hetherto therefore we haue no demonstration of any wilfull corruption but a declaration of the cause that moued Beza to vse a more exact translation and such as commeth nearer to the originall worde than that which the vulgar translation hath vsed vpon which occasion of a great blasphemie hath bene taken and is yet mainteyned MART. 50. Againe concerning the worde Iustifications which in the Scripture very often signifie the commaundements he saith thus The Greeke interpreters of the Bible meaning the Septuaginta applieth this worde to signifie the whole Lawe of God and therefore commonly it is wont to be translated worde for worde Iustificationes which interpretation therefore only I reiected that I might take away this occasion also of cauilling against iustification by faith and so for iustificationes he putteth constituta Tullies worde forsooth as he saith Can you haue a more playne tèstimonie of his heretic all purpose FVLK 50. Concerning the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza translateth Constitutionibus constitutions and you confesse that in Scripture it doth very often signifie the commaundements He sayth first that as the whole Lawe of God is diuided into three partes Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall so the Hebrewes haue three seuerall words to expresse the seueral precepts of those lawes For the Hebrew word which signifieth the Ceremoniall precepts the Greekes vse to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the sense is that Zacharie and Elisabeth were iust walking in all the Morall commaundements and obseruing the holy rites and ceremonies as much as concerned them but the thirde worde which signifieth Iudgements S. Luke doth not adde because the exercise of Iudiciall cases did not belong vnto them being priuate persons After this he saith that the Greeke Interpreters of the Bible transferred this worde vnto the whole lawe of God and especially to the holy ceremonies so verily exceedingly commending the law that it is a certaine rule of all iustice And therefore men are wont commonly in respect of the worde to turne it Iustifications And this worde in this place Beza in deede confesseth that he refused to vse for auoyding of cauillations against iustification by fayth seeing he hath none other worde neither woulde he for offence seeke any newe worde to expresse iustification by faith whereas the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text Luc. 1. verse 6. signifieth not that by which they were made iust but the commaundements or precepts of God by walking in which they were declared to be iust For by the workes of the lawe such as Saint Luke here speaketh of no fleshe shall be iustified before God Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place must haue an other sense than iustifications namely commaundements as you saye it
bene accounted is it credible that the holy Ghost would neuer haue called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well yea and rather than the Sacrificers of the olde Testament Seeing therefore the holy Ghost had made such a broade difference betwene their names and offices those auncient fathers that confounded those names which the spirit of God would haue to be distinct can not be excused although they neuer dreamed of the mischiefe that followed that the altar of the crosse being ouerthroweÌ„ the only sufficient sacrifice which Christ our high Sacrificer offered once for all being iudged imperfect a new altar a newe sacrifice and a new sacrificing Priesthoode shoulde be set vp in the steede of it Wherefore the vnproper speaches of the auncient writers are no warrant for vs either to translate the Scripture according to their vnproper speaking or to set vp a newe sacrifice and function of sacrificing contrarie to their meaning They named sacrifice and offering but they meant not propitiatorie sacrifiee but only of prayers or praises and giuing of thankes They named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Sacerdotes but they meant according to the generall etymologie of those wordes suche as were occupied in distributing holy things not suche as shoulde verily sacrifice the bodie of Christ againe to his father but offer the sacrifice of thankes giuing in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper which after a certaine manner as Sainct Augustine sayeth is called the bodie of Christ when in deede it is the Sacrament of the bodie and bloude of Christ. And it is called the sacrificing of the bodie of Christ not in trueth of the thing but a signifying mysterie as Gracian citeth out of Hierome MART. 25. Likewise when Sainct Ambrose sayth The consecration of the bodie of Christ with what wordes is it and by whose speache Of our Lord Iesus For in the rest that is said there is praise giuen to God prayer made for the people for Kings and others but when it commeth that the venerable Sacrament must be consecrated now the Priest vseth not his owne words but he vseth the wordes of Christ. And S. Chrysostome in very many places saith The sacred oblation it selfe whether Peter or Paul or any meaner Priest whatsoeuer offer it is the verie same that Christ gaue vnto his disciples and which now the Priestes doe make or consecrate Why so I pray thee because not men doe sanctifie this but Christ him selfe which before consecrated the same And againe It is not man that maketh the bodie and bloud of Christ but he that was crucified for vs Christ the wordes are vttered by the Priestes mouth and by Gods power grace are the things proposed consecrated For this sayth he is my bodie With this worde are the things proposed consecrated FVLK 25. These testimonies are heaped vp without any neede for the vnproper vsage of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacerdos in the auncient writers we doe acknowledge but in the holy Scripture you are not able to bring one place where Presbyteri of the newe Testament are called Sacerdotes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore of the vnproper applying of these names to the Ministers of the newe Testament can followe no consequence of externall sacrifice or altar which you vrge except sacrifice and altar be likewise vsed vnproperly as where the table is called an altar the bread wine a sacrifice as in Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 32. where also he saith that the sacrifices do not sanctifie the man but the coÌ„science of the man being purâ— sanctifieth the sacrifice and causeth God to accept it as of a friende cap 34. Which can not in any wise be true of the naturall bodie of Christ. MART. 26. And so be these places where them selues translate Sacerdos a Priest they may learne also how to translate Presbyteros in S. Hierome saying the verie same thing that at their praiers the bodie and bloud of our Lord is made And in an other place that with their sacred mouth they make our Lordes bodie Likewise when they read S. Ambrose agaist the Nouatians that God hath grauÌ„ted liceÌ„câ— to his Priests to release forgiue as well great sinnes as litle without exception in the Ecclesiastical history how the Nouatian Heretikes taught that such as were fallen into great sinnes should not aske for remission of the Priest but of God onely they may learne howe to translate Presbyteros in S. Hierom and in the Ecclesiasticall historie where the one sayth thus Episcopus Presbyter cùm peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui soluendus and the other speaketh de Presbytero Poenitentiario of an extraordinarie Priest that heard confessions and enioyned penance who afterward was taken away and the people went to diuerse ghostly fathers as before And especially Saint Chrysostome â—ill make them vnderstand what these Presbyteri were and how they are to be called in English who telleth them in their owne word that Sacerdotes the Priestes of the newe lawe haue power not onely to know but to purge the filth of the soule therefore whosoeuer despiseth them is more worthy to be punished than the â—ebell Dathan and his complices FVLK 26. Where S. Hierom vseth the worde Presbyteri we wil make no great curtesie to translate Priests knowing that when he sayth at their prayers the bodie and bloud of Christ is made he meaneth the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ as he him selfe sayth in an other place Dupliciter sanguis Christi â—arâ— intelligitur The bloud and flesh of Christ is vnderstoode two maner of wayes either that spirituall and diuine whereof he him selfe sayde my flesh is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede and except yee shall eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud you shall not haue eternall life or else the flesh and bloud which was crucified and which was shedde by the speare of the souldier This and such other places teach vs to vnderstand S. Hierome if he speake any where obscurely or vnproperly of the mysterie of our Lordes supper We graunt with Ambrose that God hath giuen auctoritie to all the ministers of the worde to remit all sinnes that be remissible But this do not you graunt for you reserue some to the Bishops and some to the Pope alone to remitte wherein you goe cleane against Ambrose who fauoureth you not so much by the terme Sacerdos which you say he vseth as he condemneth your partiall Popish reseruation of cases when he alloweth euery Priest to forgiue as well great sinnes as litle without exception S. Hierom you cite at large as it seemeth to insinuate auricular coÌ„fession But the whole saying you liked not because it sheweth how they forgiue sinnes It is writteÌ„ in Math. lib. 3. cap. 16. vpoÌ„ those wordes spoken to Peter Vnto thee will I giue the keies of the kingdome of
Abrahams bosome an other thing For a great depth he saith is betwene those regions and that doth let the passage to and fro But neither should the riche man haue lifted vp his eyes and that truely from a farre of but into higher places and that of an exceeding height by that infinite distance of height and depth Whereof it appeareth to euery wise man that hath euer heard of the Elysian fieldes that there is some locall determination which is called Abrahams bosome to receiue the soules of his sonnes euen of the Gentiles he being the father of many nations to be accounted of Abrahams familie and of the same faith by which Abraham beleeued God vnder no yoke of the lawe nor in the signe of circumcision That region therefore I call the bosome of Abraham and if not heauenly yet higher than hel which shall giue rest in the meane season to the soules of the iust vntill the consummation of thinges doe finish the resurrection of all with the fulnesse of reward This is as much as I can find in Tertullian touching Abrahams bosome which is cleane contrarie to that you affirme him to speake For by this saying it is manifest that your opinion is Marcions heresie Secondly that Abrahams bosome is not hell but higher by an infinite distance although not in full perfection of heauenly glorie Thirdly that it is not Limbus patrum but the receptacle of all the iust soules to the ende of the worlde Tertullians authoritie therefore doth you small pleasure and lesse honestie vnlesse you did cite him more truely But I am vnwise to looke for plaine dealing and sinceritie at your handes Well your Limbus patrum the very brimme or vppermost or outmost part of hell wherein all the Patriarches should rest we haue now found from whence it came euen from your olde acquaintance the Mouse of Pontus Marcion the abhominable Heretike The other saying of Hierome but that the opinion of the fathers in hell had by that time taken some strength might be vnderstood of the mortalitie wherevnto they were subiect and neuer shoulde haue bene raysed but by the resurrection of Christ as it seemeth by that which he opposeth of all nations since the passion and resurrection of Christ acknowledged to speake like Philosophers of the immortalitie of the soule and reioycing in the resurrection of the dead as the fathers mourned at their death Chrysostoms place is more apparant for your errour although he also may be vnderstood to speake allegorically of the effect of Christs death and resurrection by which all the Patriarches were deliuered from death and hell was spoyled not that they were in prison there but that the iustice of God had condemned them thether if Christes death had not redeemed them but I will not stande to cleare Chrysostome of this errour which it is sufficient for me to haue fouÌ„d that Marcion the old Heretike was the firste author thereof by Tertullians confession howsoeuer it came to passe that many good men afterward deceiued by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Infernus did hold it MART. 12. Therefore did Iacob say I wil goe downe to my sonne vnto Hell And againe he sayth If any misfortune happen to Beniamin by the way you shal bring my gray head with sorrow vnto Hell which is repeated againe twise in the Chapter 44. by which phrase the holy Scripture will signifie not only death but also the descending at that time of all sortes of soules into hell both good and badde And therefore it is spoken of all sortes in the holye scripture both of good and of bad For all went then into hell but some into a place there of rest others into other places there of torments And therefore S. Hierom sayth speaking of hell according to the olde Testament Hell is a place wherein soules are included either in rest or in paines according to the qualitie of their deserts FVLK 12. Iacob sayde he would be ioyned to his sonne by death as in the other text you bring it is more manifest than the Sunne at noone dayes For Iacob speaking of his graye head must needes meane of his bodie and therefore of the graue and not of Hell So in the 3. Reg. 2. which you quote Dauid chargeth Salomon that he suffer not the gray head of Ioab to goe downe to the graue in peace and that he shall cause the hoare heade of Shemei to goe downe to the graue with bloud which by no meanes can be vnderstoode of his soule going to hell which goeth not with bloude although it is plaine enough by the word hoare head that he meaneth his bodye in age or his olde bodye And this text Pagnine in his Dictionarie thought necessarie to be vnderstoode of the graue although he make the worde Sheol indifferent to signifie Hell and the Graue That all went to Hell some to reste and some to tormentes it was firste deuised by Marcion the Heretike But Saint Hierome is once againe cited in Oseam cap. 13. where he sayth that Hell is a place wherein soules are included c. by which you see that he speaketh not of Limbus wherein soules were included before Christ but of suche a place wherein they are nowe included taking the worde Infernus generally for any place that receiueth the soules of the departed as he sayth most plainely him selfe in the same place Quicquid igitur separat sratres infernus est appellandus Whatsoeuer doth separate brethren is to be called hell Augustine is quoted to multiply a lye and for nothing else as I haue shewed before MART. 13. And in this sense it is also often sayd in the holy Scriptures that such and such were gathered or layde â—o their fathers though they were buried in diuerse places and died no in the same state of saluation or damnation In that sense Samuel being raysed vp to speake with Saul sayd To morow thou and thy sonnes shall be with me That is dead and in hell though not in the same place or state there in this sense all such places of the holy Scripture as haue the word Inferi or Infernus correspondent both to the Greeke and Hebrew ought to be and may be most conueniently translated by the word Hel. As when it is sayd Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lower hell Psal. 85. v. 13. that is as S. Augustine expoundeth it Thou hast preserued me from mortall sinnes that would haue brought me into the lower hel which is for the damned Which place of holy Scripture and the like when they translate graue sâ—e how miserably iâ— soundeth Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue Which they would neuer say for very shame but that they are afraid to say in any place be the holy Scriptures neuer so plaine that any soule was deliuered or returned from hell lest thereof it might follow by and by that the Patriarches and our Sauiour Christ were in such a Hell
into the middest of the earth which is rather a place without the sensible worlde than any dungeon within the earth MART. 35. Thus then presupposing as we must that Ionas speaketh in the person of our Sauiour Christ the principall sense is not of the whales belly but of that hell whether our Sauiour Christ descended and from whence he deliuered the fathers of the old Testament him selfe ascending into heauen as their King and generall capitaine before them and opening the way of heauen vnto them as is signified in an other Prophet and was the first that entred heauen FVLK 35. That which Ionas spake was first true of his owne person and then of Christ as Ionas was in this a resemblaunce of him But by this similitude of Christ remaining so many daies and nightes in the harte of the earth as Ionas did in the whales bellie it is manifest that he speaketh of his bodie remaining in the graue not of his soule tarying in hell Wherfore the descending of Christ into Limbus patrum hath no manner of hold eyther of the saying of Christ in the Gospell Math. 12. or of Ionas in his praier Ion. 2. MART. 36. Against all which truthes and euery point thereof these translatours are so watchefull and warie that where the Apostle saith Christ began and dedicated vnto vs the way into heauen they say in their English translations with full consent nothing else bus He prepared Why are they falsâ—â— here than their Maisters Caluin Beza Illyricus who reade Dedicauit Is there nothing in the Greeke word but bare preparation where be these etymologistes now that can straine and wring other wordes to the vttermost aduantage of their heresie and here are content for the like aduantage to dissemble the force of this word which by all vse and propertie signifieth to make new to begin a thing to be the first author to dedicate as S. Augustine might haue taught them and their Lexicons and the Scriptures in many places This translation no doubt is not done sincerely and indifferently of them but for their owne deceitfull purpose as is all the rest When Sainct Paule speaketh of preparation onely they knowe right well that he vseth the vsuall word to prepare as He hath prepared them a city and wheresoeuer is signified preparation onely let them bring vs one example where it is expressed by the other Greeke word which now we speake of FVLK 36. I grauÌ„t the translations had bene more proper and agreable to the Greeke worde to haue said which he hath dedicated or by dedication prepared But here is no fraude against any trueth or errour of yours For the Apostle speaketh not of the way by which we ascend immediatly to heauen but of the way by which we haue free accesse to God through faith without the vailes and ceremonies of the law as it is manifest by his exhortation And whereas you said before that Christ ascending into heaueÌ„ to those whom he had brought out of hell you must tell vs then where they remained all those fortie dayes that were betwene his resurrection and ascention except you will make two ascensions of Christ into heauen one in soule alone the other in bodie soule which hath not bene heard of in the church before For that his soule was first receyued into heauen or Paradise immediatly after his death it proueth not an ascension seeing the same was common to him with other saincts Againe seing the mysterie of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ is diuided into the death resurrectioÌ„ of Christ and that by his death wee are deliuered from sinnes by his resurrection wee are iustified if you will not allowe his death to haue purchased equall redemption to the fathers of the old Testament and vs but measure the vertue therof by the instance of time in which it was actually performed you must stay your prisoners from entring into the kingdome of heauen at least vntill his resurrectioÌ„ For none can enter into the kingdome of heauen but iustified persons Seing therefore that iustification dependeth vpon his resurrection you must eyther graunt that it was communicated to the fathers in their time before his incarnation or else you must stay them from entring into heauen before they were iustified by his resurrection The place of Micha 2 that you quote is nothing to the purpose of Christes ascending For there the Prophete threateneth the Israelites with the violence of their enimies the Chaldees whome God him selfe would prosper against them to haue the victorie and to driue them into captiuitie MART. 37. But it is of more importaunce which foloweth and appartâ—yning altogither to this controuersie Hebr. 5. v 7. your trauslation is thus in the very English Bible that nowe is reade in your Churches Which in daies of his flesh offered vp prayers with strong crying vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was heard in that which he feared Is the Greeke here In that whiche he feared You know that no Grammar nor Lexicon doth allowe you this translation But eyther thus for reuerence or as one of your owne English Bibles hath it because of his reuerence FVLK 37. Your first quarrel against the truest translation of that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5. is that it sayeth in that which he feared whereas the Greeke is from feare or out of feare which afterwarde you confesse though distant in worde yet to be agreeable in sense The second that in the margent our traÌ„slation is against Christes descending into hell How so I pray you doe you according to your translation expound that worde of Christes descending into hell no verily But we doe expounde it of his descending into hell therefore our translation is to proue Christes descending into hell and if our exposition were not true yet euen your opinion of Christes descent were nothing hindred thereby you wil say that by our expositioÌ„ we exclude his descent after his death we do in deede in such sort as your errour teacheth altogither without the Scripture For if there had bene an historie of Christs going into hell deliuering the Patriarkes and others the faithfull from thence al the EuaÌ„gelists would not haue omitted so notable a matter and that also an article of our beleefe MART. 38. Howe is it then that in your later English Bibles you chaunged your former translation froÌ„ better to worse or who taught you so to translate it for sooth the Heretike Beza whose translation you folow for the most parte in your later Bibles though here in sense rather than in worde And who taught Beza he saith Caluin was the first that euer found out this interpretation And why surely for defense of no lesse blasphemie than this that our Sauiour IESVS Christe vpon the Crosse was horribly afraid of damnation that he was in the very sorrowes and torments of the damned and that this was his descending into
a distinction of iust and righteous MART. 5 And certaine it is if there were no sinister meaning they would in no place auoide to say iust iustice iustification where both the Greeke and Latine are so woorde for word as for example 2. Tim. 48. In all their Bibles Henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of RIGHTEOVSNES which the Lorde the RIGHTEOVS iudge shall GIVE mee at that day And againe 2. Thess. 1. Reioyce in tribulation which is a token of the RIGHTEOVS IVDGEMENT of God that you may be counted worthie of the kingdome of God for which yee suffer For it is a RIGHTEOVS THING with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs in the reuelation of our Lorde IESVS from heauen And againe Heb 6. 10. God is not VNRIGHTEOVS to forget your good woorke and labour c. These are very pregnant places to discouer their false purpose in concealing the worde iustice in all their Bibles For if they will say that iustice is not an vsuall English word in this sense and therefore they say righteousnesse yes I trow iust and vniust are vsuall and well knowen Why theÌ„ would they not say at the least in the places alleadged God the IVST iudge A token of the IVST IVDGEMENT of God It is a IVST thing with God God is not VNIVST to forget c Why is it not at the least in one of their English Bibles â—eeing so both in Greeke and Latine FVLK 5. Certaine it is that no Englishman knoweth the difference betweene iust and righteous vniust vnrighteous sauing that righteousnesse righteous are the more familiar English wordes And that we meane no fraude betweene iustice and righteousnesse to apply the one to faith the other to workes reade Rom. 10. v. 34. 5. and 6. of the Geneua translation where you shall see the righteousnesse of the law the righteousnesse of faith Reade also against this impudent lie in the same translatioÌ„ Luc. 1. Zacharie and Elizabeth were both iust Cap. 2. Simeon was iust Mathew the firste Ioseph a iust man and else where often times and without any difference in the worlde from the worde righteous Who euer heard a difference made betweene a iuste iudge and a righteous iudge this trifling is too too shameful abusing of mens patience that shall vouchsafe to reade these blotted papers MART. 6. Vnderstand gentle Reader and marke well that if S. Paules wordes were truely translated thus A crowne of IVSTICE is laid vp for me which our Lord the IVST iudge will RENDER vnto me at that day and so in the other places it would inferre that men are iustly crowned in heauen for their good workes vpon earth and that iâ— is Gods iustice so to do and that he wil do so because he is a iust iudge and because he wil shew his IVST IVDGEMENT and he wil not forget so to do because he is not vniust as the auncient fathers namely the Greeke doctors S. Chrysostom Theodorete and Oecumenius vpon these places do interprete and expound In so much that Oecumenius saith thus vpon the foresaid place to the Thessalonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See here that to suffer for Christ procureth the kingdome of heaueÌ„ according to IVST IVDGEMENT and not according to grace Which least the Aduersarie might take in the worse parte as though it were onely Gods iustice or iuste iudgement and not his fauour or grace also S. Augustine excellently declareth how it is both the one and the other to witte his grace and fauour and mercie in waking vs by his grace to liue and beleeue well and so to be worthy of heauen his iustice and iust iudgement to render and repaye for those workes whiche him selfe wrought in vs life euerlasting Which he expresseth thus How should he render or repay as a iust iudge vnlesse he had giuen it as a merciful father Where S. Augustine vrgeth the wordes of repaying as due and of being A IVST IVDGE therefore Both which the said translatours corrupt not onely saying righteous iudge for iust iudge but that he will giue a crowne whiche is of a thing not due for that which is in the Greeke He will render or repay whiche is of a thing due and deserued and hath relation to workes going before for the which the crowne is repaied He saide not saith Theophylacte vpon this place hee will giue but hee will render or repay as a certaine deâ—te For he being iust will define and limite the reward according to the labours The crowne therefore is due debte because of the iudges iustice So saith he FVLK 6. What so euer you may cauill vpon the wordes iuste and iustice you may doe the same with as great aduauntage vppon the wordes righteous and righteousnesse That God as a iust iudge rewardeâ—â— good workes of them that are iustified freely by his grace by fayth without workes with a crowne of iustice it proueth not eyther iustification by workes or the merite or worthinesse of mennes workes but all dependeth vppon the grace of God who promiseth this rewarde of his meere mercie and of the worthinesse and merites of Christe whiche is our iustice whereby wee beyng iustified before God our workes also whiche hee hath giuen vs are rewarded of his iustice yet in respecte of Christes merites and not in respecte of the worthinesse of the workes Againe God is not vnmindefull of his promise to rewarde our workes for then he should be vniuste he is iuste therefore to performe what so euer he hath promised though wee nothing deserue it Neyther hath Chrysostome or Theodorete any other meaning That you cite out of Oecumenius a late writer in comparison is blasphemous against the grace of God neyther is S. Augustine that liued 500. yeares before him a sufficient interpreter of his saying to excuse him With Augustine we say God crowneth his giftes not our merites And as he acknowledgeth Gods mercie and also his iustice in rewarding our workes so do we Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated he wil giue I confesse it had bene more proper and agreeable to the Greeke to haue saide hee will render or repaie which yet is wholy of mercie in respecte of vs or our deseruing but of iustice in respecte of his promises and of Christes merites vnto which is rendred and repayed that whiche hee deserued for vs. The crowne therefore is due debte because it is promised to vs for Christes sake not because any workes of ours are able to purchase it MART. 7. Whiche speaches beyng moste true as beyng the expresse wordes of holy Scripture yet wee know howe odiously the Aduersaries may and doe misconster them to the ignoraunt as though wee chalenged heauen by our owne workes and as though wee made God bounde to vs. Whiche wee doe not God forbidde But because he hath prepared good workes for vs as the Apostle
signifie to take order for a funerall So likewise Luc. 10. Paeniterent they had done penaunce But to answere for our owne doings Io 5. v. 36. where Christe saith I haue a greater witnesse than Iohns witnesse why may not the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be referred rather to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of necessitie to be vnderstood than to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the other place 1. Iohn 2. v. 2. the worde sinnes muste needes be vnderstoode in the pronoune adiectiue ours In the thirde texte where you accuse the translators of hereticall purpose the sense is all one whether you adde the article or no. For when the Apostle sayeth by Christe we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence by faith howe can you vnderstand confidence by workes and whether there be confidence by workes or no there can none be proued by this place Where Beza vnderstandeth an article Rom. 8. whom our English translation doth follow it is only to make that plaine which otherwise is necessarily to be vnderstoode For there is no differeÌ„ce betwene these sayings The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus this The lawe of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from the lawe of sinne and death The article or relatiue therefore declareth no more but that the lawe of the spirit of life is in Christ Iesus which deliuereth vs. For both the text sayth in Christ Iesus and it can not be in any other to deliuer vs. For he sayeth not The lawe of the spirite of life in vs but in Christe Iesus and the nexte verse following doeth manifestly confirme the same as euerie man may see that will consider it Likewise Iames the seconde wilt thou knowe O thou vaine man that faith without workes is deade If you say the faith which is without good workes is deade is not that the meaning of the Apostle Where he addeth immediatly that Abraham was iustified by such a faith as was fruitefull of good workes And when he bringeth example of Deuils faith is it not manifest he speaketh of suche a faith as is vtterly voyde of all good workes Where you say that Beza putteth the article into the text and translateth it accordingly you do most shamefully belye him For to the original text he addeth none of his owne collection but in his translation onely where he iudgeth that according to the sense of the place it must of necessitie be vnderstood which if it be a fault in articles it must be so in other wordes also for like cause added Then answere to your owne translations where beside those that I haue noted before which seeme to proceede of some Popish purpose you haue added to your Latine authenticall texte As in these examples Mat. 8. Quid nobiâ— tibi what is betweene vs Cap. 9. Confidâ— haue a good hart Cap. 22. Malâ— pâ—rdet he wil bring to naught Marc. 2. Post dios after some dayes Accumberet he satte at meate Luc. 17. Ab illo more than he Io. 12. Discumbentibus them that satte at the table Non quia de egenis pertinebat ad eum not because he cared for the poore Act. 9. Ecce ego Domine Loe here I am Lorde cap. 10. gustare to take somewhat cap. 17. colentibus that serued God Nobiliores eorum qui sunt Thessalonicae more noble than they that are at Thessalonica Rom. 1. Vocatis sanctis called to be Saincts c. MART. 4. But you will say in the place to the Corinthians there is a Greeke article therfore there you do well to expresse it I aunswere first the article may then be expressed in translation when there can be but one sense of the same secondly that not onely it may but it must be expressed when we can not otherwise giue the sense of the place as Mat. 1 6. Ex ea quae fuit Vriae Where you see the vulgar interpreter omitteth it not but knoweth the force and signification thereof very well Mary in the place of S. Paul which we now speake of where the sense is doubtfull and the Latine expresseth the Greeke sufficiently otherwise he leaueth it also doubtful and indifferent not abridging it as you doe saying the grace of God which is with me nor as Caluin gratia quae mihi aderat nor as Illyricus gratia quae mihi adest Which two later are more absurd thaÌ„ yours because they omit neglect altogither the force of the preposition cum which you expresse saying with me But because you say which is with me you meane heretically as they doe to take away the Apostles cooperation and labouring togither with the grace of God by his free will which is by the article and the preposition most euidently signified FVLK 4. You take vpoÌ„ you to prescribe rules of traÌ„slatioÌ„ as though you were Prince of the Critici or Aeropâ—gitae But al reasonable men will coÌ„fesse that the article is so ofteÌ„ to be expressed as it may maketh any thing to the sense and vnderstanding of the place But as for your rule that it is not to be expressed in traÌ„slatioÌ„ when there may be more senses than one of the same is so good a rule that by the same reason and by equitie thereof when so euer any worde commeth in the text that may haue more senses than one we must skippe it ouer and not translate it at all and so wee shal leaue out fiue hundred wordes in the new Testament A better rule I take it to be in all such cases to examine what is most agreeable to the common phrase of the tongue and the scope of the text in hand according to which I say the verbe substantiue is both more vsuall and also more probable to be vnderstoode in this text 1. Cor. 15. than the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MART. 5. And here I appeale to all that haue skill in Greeke speaches and Phrases whether the Apostles wordes in Greeke sounde not thus I laboured more aboundantly than all they yet not I but the grace of God that laboured with mee Vnderstanding not the participle of Sum but of the verbe going before as in the like case when our Sauiour saith It is not you that speake but the holy Ghost that speaketh in you If he had spoken short thus but the holy Ghost in you you perhaps would translate as you doe here the holy Ghost WHICH IS IN YOV But you see the verbe going before is rather repeated Not you speake but the holy Ghost THAT SPEAKETH IN YOV Euen so Not I laboured but the grace of God labouring with me or WHICH LABOVRED WITH ME. So praieth the wise man Sap. 9 10. Sende wisedome out of thy holy heauens that she may be with me and labour with me as your selues translate Bib. 1577. FVLK 5. And I likewise appeale not onely to all that haue skill in Greeke speaches and phrases but to al
signification which being compounded in like maner as the other what doth it signifie any thing els but infirmitie and feeblenes Yea it is so farre from signifying no strength that the greatest Grecians say it is not spoken properly of him that for weakenes keepeth his bed which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of him that is il disposed and distempered in body Yet the etymologie is all one with that worde which these men will haue to signifie him that hath no strength And if they will needes vrge the etymologie we tell them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie robur that is great strength such as is in the strongest and stoutest champions and so the etymologie may take place to signifie a man of no great strength not of no strength But M. Whitaker putteth vs in good hope they will not stand vpon etymologies FVLK 13. This cauill is fully aunswered cap. 1. sect 26. therefore I wili not spende many wordes here about it The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we knowe signifieth weake that is of small strength and sometimes so weake that there is no strength As Gal. 4. where Saint Paule calleth the ceremonies of Moses lawe nowe exspired the weake and beggerly elements that is voyd of all strength and riches Likewise the Apostle to the Hebrewes cap. 7. saith the commundement of the Aaronicall priesthood is abolished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was weake and vnprofitable without Christ as vnprofitable is void of profit so is weake voyd of strength S. Paule 1. Cor. 15. saith our dead bodie is sowed in weaknes Is there any streÌ„gth of a dead body Moreouer Rom. 8. that which was vnpossible by the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by meanes it was weake is not that voide of strength to saue vs which hath no possibilitie to doe any thing These instances may serue to proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie that which is so weake that it hath no strength Vpon the etymologie alone we stand not But where you say that man was wounded in free will by the sinne of Adam not slayne altogither grounding your assertion vpon a fond false allegorie of him that fell among theeues which is no parable of a man in this case but of man in necessitie to be helped by right of neighbourhood I praye you howe came man to be dead altogither in sinnes Eph. 2. Col. 2. in many other places of the Scripture Beside is there any freedom of wil to godlines remaining in them that are altogither dead in sinne But we are not now to handle coÌ„trouersies but translations as you doe wel admonish vs. MART. 14. When they haue bereaued and spoyled a man of his free will and left him without all strength they goe so farre in this point that* they saye the regenerate them selues haue not free will and abilitie no not by and with the grace of God to keepe the commaundements To this purpose they translate 1. Io. 5. 3. thus His commauÌ„dements are not grieuous rather than thus His commauÌ„dements are not heauye for in saying they are not heauye it would followe they might be kept and obserued but in saying they are not grieuous that may be true were they neuer so heavy or impossible through pacience As when a man can not doe as he would yet it grieueth him not being pacient wise because he is content to doe as he can is able Therefore doe they choose to translate that the commaundements are not grieuous where the Apostle sayth rather they are not heauy much more agreeably to our Sauiours wordes My burden is light to the wordes of God by Moyses Deut. 30. This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not aboue thee that is beyond thy reache but the word is very neare thee in thy mouth in thy hart that thou mayst doe it and to the common signification of the Greekeword which is heauy Beza would saye somewhat in his commentarie howe the commaundements are heauy or light but his conclusion is against free will and that there can be no perfection in this life inâ—cying against them that woulde proue it out of this place which is as much to say but he is ashamed to speake plainely that we can not keepe the commaundements which the holy Doctors haue long since condemned and abhorred as most absurd that God should commaund that vnder paine of damnation which is impossible to be done FVLK 14. Seeing our English word grieuous coÌ„meth of the Latine word graue which is not only weightie but also troublesom It better aunswereth both the Greeke and the Latine than heauye which is properly that which is of great weight and the same worde being both in Greeke and Latine 2. Cor. 10. you your selues translate sore his epistles are sore and vehement but in effect there is no great difference We acknowledge that his commaundemeÌ„ts are not heauy to him that is borne of God which ouercometh the world by faith otherwise the yoke of the lawe as the Apostle confesseth is such a burtheÌ„ as neither we nor our fathers were able to beare but beleeue to be saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who hauing taken away the curse of the lawe and satisfied for our transgressions of the law hath also giuen vs grace to loue the law and commaundements of God and in some weake measure to obserue them So that the curse being taken away our transgressions aunswered in Christ and our harts framed by his grace to loue his commaundements and some strength giuen vs to keepe them they are not heauy they are not burdenous or grieuous That which God speaketh Deut. 30. is of the knowledge of the law which was plainely reuealed and not of the strength that men haue to keepe it and therefore is by the Apostle referred vnto faith for the obseruation thereof Rom. 10. for by faith in Christ which hath fulfilled the lawe for vs we are accounted to haue fulfilled it in him Beza speaketh plainely enough if you had grace to vnderstand him and therefore is nothing ashamed to saye that we can not keepe the commaundements of God not onely without the grace of God but neyther hauing the grace of God in such measure as God giueth it to no man but that he sinneth Otherwise what grace God is able to giue we doubt not but what he doth and will giue to any man in this life wee speake That God should commaunde vnder paine of damnation that which is impossible to be done is no absurditie seing for them whom God will haue to be saued he prouided an other way of their saluation than by keeping the lawe namely the redemption of Christ. As for the reprobate voyde of Gods grace say you if you dare that they are able to keepe the lawe without grace or without grace haue so much as any will to desire to haue grace MART. 15.
of Christe But where you tell vs of S. Hieromes translation it were somewhat worth if you could shewe it The vulgare Latine text wee may not graunte you to bee S. Hieromes as for his commentarie teacheth not the worde of redeeming which is the principall worde in controuersie And indeede it is a very absurde kinde of speach to say redeeme thy sinnes or deliuer thy sinnes for pherak signifieth none otherwise to redeme than to deliuer whereas if he had meant as you think hee shoulde haue saide rather redeeme thy soule from sinnes Christ himselfe the author of our redemption is not saide to haue redeemed our sinnes with his bloud but to haue redeemed vs from oure synnes by hys bloude MART. 19. And what a miserable humour is it in these cases to slie as far as they can from the auntient receiued speach of holie Scripture that hath so many yeres sounded in all faithful eares and to inuent newe termes and phrases when the original text both Greke and Hebrue fauoreth the one as much or more than the other as that they choose to say in the Epistle to Titus where the Apostle excedingly exhorteth to good works maintaine good workes and shewe foorth good works rather than according to the auncient Latine translation bonis operibus praeesse to be chiefe and principall in doing good workes which is the very true and vsual signification of the greeke worde and implieth a vertuous emulation among good men who shal doe moste good workes or excel in that kinde But they that looke to be saued by faith onely no maruell if neither their doings nor trāslatiōs tēd to any such excellēcie FVLK 19. What a miserable humour is it when the truth is plainly reuealed by knowledge of the tongs which was hidden from many of the auntient fathers to delight rather in error which is old than in truth which is newly discouered The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the epistle to Titus we translate also to excell and it may signifie either to shew forth to maintaine or to excell And therfore your wrangling is vaine and without reason For that Christian men ought with all diligent labour to excell in good workes it is alwaies acknowledged of vs although they muste not looke to bee saued by their workes no nor by their faith onely if their faith be not fruitefull of good workes Such collections as these and much better it were no hard matter to make a great number against you to proue that you are enimies to faith to repentance to good workes to God him self CHAP. XIIII Hereticall translation against the holy SACRAMENTS namely BAPTISME and CONFESSION Martin AN other sequele of their onely faith is that the Sacraments also helpe nothing towarde our saluation and therefore they partely take them cleane away partly depriue them of all grace vertue and efficacie making thē poore and beggarly elements either worse or no better than those of the old law Fulke THat the Sacraments helpe nothing toward our saluation is an other of Martins slaunders no assertion of ours For seeing wee holde that the Sacramentes are seales of Gods promises to confirme our faith by which we are iustified before him how can we affirme that they help nothing to saluation But this is the propertie of hers and slaunderers when they haue nothing of truth to charge their aduersaries then they eyther inuent that which was neuer saide or done by them or else they violently drawe out of their sayings or doings by deprauing them some colour of matter to serue for a shewe of their slaunders So dothe our wrangler in this place after a flatte lie solemnely aduouched against vs of that wee say the Sacramentes giue no grace Ex opere operato of the worke wrought he frameth his spiders webbe first that wee depriue them of all grace vertue and efficacie Because wee doe not include grace vertue and efficacie within the externall Elementes or the ministerie of man aboute them but ascribe the same to the mighty working of Gods spirite in his chosen children which worketh all his giftes in all men according to the good pleasure of his owne will Secondly that we make the Sacraments poore and beggerly Elements And thirdly eyther worse or no better than those of the olde lawe The spirituall matter in deede of the Sacramentes of both the Testaments wee confesse to bee Iesus Christe of equall power vnto saluation of his people liuing vnder both the states but the more abundant grace and truth according to the reuelation of Christ in the flesh we acknowledge to be testified and exhibited in our Sacraments than was in theirs that liued vnder the law MART. 2. For this purpose Beza is not content to speake as the Apostle doth Ro. 4. v. 11. that circumcision was a seale of the iustice of faith but because he thinketh that to small a terme for the dignitie of circumcision as him self confesseth he gladly auoideth it I vse his owne wordes and for the Nowne putteth the Verbe so dissolutely presumptuously that the English Bezites themselues here also dare not folow him in translation though in opinion they agree The cause of his wilful translation he declareth in his Annotations vpon the same place to wit the dignitie of circumcision equall with any Sacrament of the new Testament His wordes be these What saith he could be spoken more magnifical of any Sacrament therfore they that put a real difference betweene the Sacraments of the old Testament and ours neuer seeme to haue knowen how far Christs office extendeth Which he saith not to magnifie the old but to disgrace the newe FVLK 2. There was neuer man that had suche an artificiall coniecture of mens purposes as you pretende your selfe to haue which not only where there is likelihood to fasten a coniecture vpon but also when all likelyhoods are against you yet can so confidently pronounce of euery mans purpose Well let the purpose goe whiche is knowen best to God and nexte to them that will iudge of the man according to charitie and good reason You say Beza is not content to speake as the Apostle doth that circumcision was a seale of the iustice of faith Yes verily his desire is to expresse that which the Apostle saith to the full The name of seale therefore he auoydeth not as you falsely slaunder him but for want of a conuenient Latine worde to expresse the Apostles Greeke worde hee is content to vse circumloquution by the verbe and sayth Abraham receyued the signe of circumcision whiche should seale vp or by seale confirme the iustice of faith c. yet are not you ashamed moste impudently to say hee refused the terme of Seale sigillum and for sigillum hath vsed quod obsignaret Whereas the worde that he saith hee refused is Signaculum Signaculi nomen quod vetus interpres Erasmus vsurpauit libens refugi partim quod non sit admodum vsitatum partim quod
ascribed to Ignatius which heere I wil not dispute there is nothing sayde in this that you cite of the Bishops preeminence aboue the king but wee acknowledge it to be true of y e meanest priest of Gods Church in matters properly belonging to his office which yet doth not exempt him from subiection to his prince but that in causes ecclsiasticall also he is to be commanded by his prince to doe his duetie and to be punished by him if he doe otherwise MART. 24. But in the former sentence of S. Peter though they haue altered their translation about the kings headshippe yet there is one corruption remaining still in these words Submit your selues VNTO AL MANER ORDINANCE OF MAN Whereas in the Greeke it is worde for worde as in the olde vulgar Latine translation omni humanae creaturae and as we haue translated to euerie humane creature meaning temporall Princes Magistrates as is plaine by the exemplification immediatly following of king and dukes and other sent or appointed by him But they in fauour of their temporall statutes actes of Parliament Proclamations and Iniunctions made against the Catholike religion doe translate all with one consent Submit vour selues to all maner ordinance of man Doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie ordinance or is it all one to be obedient to euery one of our Princes and to all maner ordinance of the saide Princes FVLK 24. The worde ordinance you doe violently drawe to euerie statute proclamation or iniunction which is vnderstood of the ordinance or appointment of magistrates in what forme soeuer they be created or at the worst cannot be referred but onely to such decrees as are not contrarie to the worde of God The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we knowe signifieth a creature or creation which speeches being not vsuall in our English tongue to signifie magistrates our interpretors haue expressed the same by the worde ordinance You your selues translate that which is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Creaturae mark 16. of the creation and in the same sense doe our translators vse the worde of ordinance MART. 25. A strange case and much to bee considered how they wring and wrest the holy scriptures this way and that way and euery way to serue their hereticall proceedinges For when the question is of due obedience to Ecclesiasticall canons and decrees of the Church and generall Councels where the holy Ghost by Christes promise is assistant and whereof it is saide if he heare not the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen and Publicane and He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth mee there they cry out aloude odiously terme all such ordinances mens traditions and commaundementes of men and most despitefully contemne and condemne them But heere for obedience vnto temporall edictes and Parliament statutes daily enacted in fauour of their schisme and heresies they once malitiously forged and still wickedly retaine without alteration a text of their owne making the Apostle to commaunde submission vnto all manner ordinance of man whereof hath ensued the false crime of treason and cruell death for the same vpon those innocent men and glorious martyrs that chose to obey God and his Churches holy ordinances rather then mans statutes and lawes directly against the same FVLK 25. It is no strange case for an heretike and a raytor that hath solde his tongue to vtter slaunders against the Church of God and the christian magistrate protector of the same to deuise and surmise that which neuer was intended neuer was practised As y t against the godly and laweful decrees of the Church we should translate mens traditions commaundementes of men and to the maintenance of all temporall lawes be they neuer so wicked we should translate ordināce in steede of creature As for the crime of treason and iust execution of them that haue suffered of your viperous brood I referre to the try all of the lawes and iudgements that haue passed vpon them as no matter meete for mee to dispute of onely this all good subiectes knowe yea all the worlde may knowe that they which take part with the pope our princes open and professed enemie not in matters of religion onely but in cases concerning her crowne and dignitie her Realmes and Dominions can not beare dutiful obedient hearts to her maiesty Whose clemencie hitherto hath spared them that acknowledge her princely authoritie although in all other pointes of poperie they continue as obstinate as euer they were CHAP. XVI Hereticall translation against the Sacrament of Matrimonie BVT as they are iniurious translatours to the sacred order of Priesthoode so a man woulde thinke they should be very friendly to the sacramēt of Matrimonie For they would seeme to make more of Matrimonie then we do making it equall at the least with virginitie Yet the trueth is we make it or rather the Church of God esteemeth it as a holy sacrament they do not as giuing grace to the maried persons to liue together in loue concorde and fidelitie they acknowledge no such thing So that Matrimonie with them is highly esteemed in respect of the flesh or to say the best onely for a ciuill contract as it is among Iewes and Pagans but as it is peculiar to Christians and as S. Augustin◠sayth in the sanctification also and holinesse of a Sacrament they make no account of it but flatly denie it FVLK 1. VE make no more of matrimonie than the holy scripture doeth teach vs neither doe wee in all respectes make it equall with virginitie howe so euer you doe slander vs. But you so make it an holy sacrament that you thinke the holy order of priesthoode is prophaned by it Wee acknowledge that God giueth grace to them that bee faithfull to liue in loue concorde and fidelitie euen as he did to the fathers of the olde testament liuing in the same honorable estate which prooueth that matrimonie is no sacrament of the newe testament although it be an holie ordinance for Gods children to liue in and in it is contained a holy secret or mysterie of the spirituall coniunction of Christ and his church It is therefore nothing else but a diuelish slander to say that wee esteeme it but in respect of the flesh or for a ciuill contract MART. 2. And to this purpose they translate in the epistle to the Ephesians 5. Where the Apostle speaketh of matrimonie This is a great secret Whereas the Latine Church and all the Doctors thereof haue euer read This is a great Sacrament the Greeke Church and all the fathers thereof This is a great mysterie because that which is in Greeke mysterie is in Latine Sacrament and contrariwise the wordes in both tongue◠being equiualent so that if one be taken in the large signification the other also as Apoc. 17. I will shewe thee the sacrament of the woman And I will shewe thee the mysterie of the woman And so in
They wil say the first Hebrewe word can not be as Saint Hierome translateth and as it is in the Greeke and as all antiquitie readeth but it muste signifie Let vs destroy They say truely according to the Hebrewe word which now is But is it not euident thereby that the Hebrewe worde nowe is not the same which the Septuaginta translated into Greekeâ— and S. Hierom into Latine and consequently the Hebrue is altered and corrupted from the originall copie which they had perhaps by the Iewes as some other places to obscure this prophecie also of Christes Passion and their crucifying of him vpon the Crosse. Such Iewish Rabbines and new Hebrue words do our newe maisters gladly folow in the translation of the olde Testament whereas they might easily conceyue the old Hebrue worde in this place if they would employ their skill that way and not onely to nouelties For who seeth not that the Greeke Interpreters in number 70. and al Hebrues of best skill in their owne tongue S. Hierom also a great Hebrician did not reade as now wee haue in the Hebrue Nashchîta but Nashitha or Nashlîcha Againe the Hebrue worde that now is doth so litle agree with the wordes folowing that they cannot tell how to translate it as appeareth by the diuersitie and difference of their translations thereof before mentioned and transposing the wordes in English otherwise than in the Hebrue neither of both their translations hauing any commodious sense or vnderstanding FVLK 19. If we shoulde acknowledge the Hebrue word to be altered in so many places as the 70. departe from it we should not only condemne the Hebrue text that now is in many places but your vulgar Latine text also the translator whereof differing oftentimes from the Greeke followeth the truth of the Hebrue or at least commeth nearer vnto it Your argument of the number of the 70. interpreters al Hebrewes is very ridiculous childish Hierom him selfe will laugh you to skorne in it who acknowledged for certaintie no more than the bookes of the lawe translated by them And Lindanus proueth manifestly vnto you that some partes of the old Testament in Greeke which wee now haue are not the same that were counted the 70. translation in the auncient fathers time Whether Hierom in this place did consider the Hebrue text we know not for he doth not as his manner is shew the diuersitie of the Hebrue and the Septuaginta in this chapiter beside he professeth great breuitie intreating vpon so long a Prophete But whether a letter in this word haue bene altered or no or whether it were corrupt in the copie which the Greeke translater and Hierom did reade for the true or simple sense thereof there is no great difference No nor for that sense which Hierom bringes which although it seemeth to be farre from the Prophets meaning yet it may haue as good ground vpon the worde Naschita as vpon the worde Nashlicha MART. 20. But yet they will pretende that for the first worde at the least they are not to be blamed because they folow the Hebrue that now is Not considering that if this were a good excuse then might they as well folowe the Hebrue that now is Psal. 21. v. 18 and so vtterly suppresse and take out of the Scripture this notable prophecie They pearced my hands and my feete Which yet they do not neither can they doe it for shame if they will be counted Christians So that in deede to folow the Hebrue sometime where it is corrupt is no sufficient excuse for them though it may haue a pretence of true translation and we promised in the preface in such cases not to call it hereticall translation FVLK 20. To this cauill against the certaine truth of the Hebrue texte I haue sufficiently answered in my confutation of your preface Sect. 44. shewing that the true reading of this word as Felix PrateÌ„sis Ioannes Isaak Tremelius and other do acknowledge is still remayning and testified by the Mazzorites MART. 21. But concerning the B. Sacrament let vs see once more how truely they folow the Hebrue The holy Ghost saith S. Cyprian ep 63. nu 2. by Salomon foresheweth a type of our Lordes sacrifice of the immolated host of bread wine saying Wisedome hath killed her hostes SHE HATH MINGLED HER WINE INTO the cuppe Come ye eate of my bread and drinke the wine that I HAVE MINGLED for you Speaking of WINE MINGLED saith this holy doctor he foresheweth prophetically the cuppe of our Lorde MINGLED WITH WATER AND WINE So doth S. Hierom interprete this mixture or mingling of the wine in the chalice so doth the author of the commentaries vpon this place among S. Hieroms workes so doe the other fathers So that there is great importance in these propheticall wordes of Salomon She hath mingled her wine into the cuppe and the wine which I haue mingled as being a manifest prophecie of Christes mingling water and wine in the Chalice at his last supper which the Catholike Churche obserueth at this day and whereof S. Cyprian writeth the foresaide long epistle FVL. 21. It had bene to be wished that S. Cyprian when he goeth aboute to proue the necessitie of wine in the celebration of the Lordes supper agaynst the Heretikes called Aquarij that contended for onely water had retained the precise institution of Christe in wine onely which the Scripture mencioneth and not allowed them a mixture of water and for that purpose driuen him selfe to suche watrie expositions as this of Prouerbes 9. which without good warrant he draweth to represent the Lordes supper Where if hee had bene vrged by the aduersaries whereto the beastes slayne were referred in this Sacrament hee muste haue bene driuen to some violent comment But whereto tendeth this preparation MART. 22. But the Protestants counting it an idle superstitious ceremonie here also frame their translation accordingly suppressing altogither this mixture or mingling and in steede thereof saying Shee hath drawen her wine and drinke the wine that I haue drawen or as in other of their Bibles Shee hath powred out her wine and the wine which I haue powred out neither translation agreing either with Greeke or Hebrue Not with the Greeke which doth euidently signifie mingling and mixture as it is in the Latine and as al the Greeke Church from the Apostles time hath vsed this word in this very case whereof wee nowe speake of mingling water and wine in the chalice S. Iames and S. Basil in their Liturgies expresly testifying that Christ did so as also S. Cyprian in the place alleaged S. Iustine in the end of his second Apologie calling it of the same Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Plutarche wine mingled with water likewise S. Irâ—neus in his fifth booke neere the beginning See the sixth generall Councell most fully treating hereof and deducing it from the Apostles and auncient fathers and interpreting
Which is a notable prophecie of our Sauiours kinde and maner of Passion being crucified on the Crosse. Onelye the later Iewes and suche Heretikes as thinke he died vpon a gallowâ—s or gibbes and not vpon the Crosse they like this Hebrue textwel and stand vpon iâ— as you do vpon al without exception and yet when it commeth to certaine particulars you are coÌ„pelled to forsake it as in certaine other places for example FVLK 9. Isidorus Clarius retaining the word assiâ—ulatus sum doth thus expounde it in his note Hoc est voluntatem meam similitudinibus varijs lâ—cutioniâ— geneâ—ibuâ—â—locutus sum That is I haue vttered my wil by similitudes and diuers kindes of speach you see therfore howe you are deceiued in aduouching this matter of your owne pseudocatholikes when this Bishop not departing from your reading yet expoundeth this text according to the Hebrewe and was allowed in so doing by the Deputies of the Councel of Trent whose sensure was obserued in printing this Bible Where you repeate yet once again that we can neuer answere that of a lion Psa. 22. you shew your skil and great reading I haue answeared before in the preface sect 44. that we forsake the hebrue in this or in any other it is vtterly false for we follow no text but the Hebrue so neare as we can vnderstaÌ„d it expresse it MART. 10. Where the Hebrewe saith Achaz king of Israel 2. Paralip 28. v. 19. which is not true you are compelled to translate Achaz king of Iuda as the truth is and as it is in the Greeke and the vulgar Latine yet some of your Bibles folow the falshode of the Hebrew FVLK 10. While you take vppon you to discouer faults in the hebrue text you bring three exaÌ„ples which if they were all faultes containe no matter of doctrine whereby we may be deceiued in any article of faith The first is that Achaz z. Chr. 28. v. 19. is called King of Israel whereas he was King only of Iuda But I pray you sir was not Iuda parte of Israel why might he not then be called a king or one of the Kings of Israel The Queene of England may wel be called Regina Brytanniae althoughe there be a King in Scotland Although there may be an other cause why Achaz is called King of Israel because in his dayes when Pekah the sonne of Remaliah was slaine the kingdome of Israel that had continued from Ieroboams time vntil then was now in a maner decaied For Hosea was of smal power and made tributarie to the King of Assyria and peraduenture also in the time of Achaz was kept in prison as it is certaine he was emprisoned 2. Reg. 17. v. 4. so that when there was none other King of Israel to account of Achaz might be called king of Israel as also in the same chapter the last verse though he were buried at Ierusalem and in the citie of Dauid it is saide that he was not laide in the sepulchres of the Kings of Israel where your vulgare Latine text hath Israel and not Iuda MART. 11. Likewise where the Hebrewe saith Zedechias his brother meaning the brother of Ioachim you translate Zedechias his fathers brother as indede the truth is according to the Greeke and to the Scripture 4. Reg. 24. v. 19. and therefore your Bible whych foloweth the Hebrewe here also translating his brother yet in the margen putteth downe aâ— more true vncle FVLK 11. This argueth no fault in the Hebrue text but grose ignorance of the Hebrew â—ong in you whiche knew not that ach signifieth not only a brother but also any other kinsman as the vncle cousins and such like as Gen. 13. Abraham and Lot are called brethreÌ„ yet was Abraham Lots vncle Deut. 25. when brethren shall dwell togither the lawe of marying the brothers wife that died without issue there the word brethren pertaineth to kinsmen farre off as appeareth in the storie of Ruth ca. 3. 4. finally it is a thing so commonly knowen to theÌ„ which haue but a little smacke in the Hebrew tong that I wil spend no time about it And eueÌ„ your vulgar translation in some antient copies hath fratrem not patrâ—uÌ„ as you may see in the Bible printed by Plantin 1567. MART. 12. Likewise in an other place the hebrewe is so out of frame that some of your Bibles say hee begate Azuba of his wife Azuba and othersome translate He begat Ierioth of his wife Azuba the hebrue being thus he begat Azu ba his wife and Iâ—rioth whyche neyther you nor any man else can easily tel what to make of Thus you see howe easie it were if a man woulde multiplie such examples to shew by your owne testimonies the corruption of the Hebrewe and that your selues do not nor dare not exactly folow it as of the Greeke text of the new Testament also is declared else where FVLK 12. The third fault you finde is 1. Chron. 2. v. 18. where the interpretors are deceiued while they take eth for a signe of the accusatiue case whych in that place as in diuers other is taken for a preposition of or by as Gen. 4. Eue saith I haue obtained a son eth Iehouah of the Lord or by the Lords gift c. Gen. 44. they were gone out eth hayir of or from the citie So here the true translation of this verse in question is this Caleb the sonne Chetâ—ron begate of Azuba his wife and of Ierioth that is he had children by these two women Azuba his wife and Ierihoth which was his concubine so they called them that were lawful wiues in respect of matrimonie but yet had not the honor of wiues but being of base condition beefore they were marryed so continued by this Ierâ—hoth he had those three sonnes that in thys verse are named his children by Azuba are named afterwarde verse 42. Wherefore heere is no faulte in the Hebrewe but in your vulgare translator which maketh Ierihoth the sonne of Azuba and addeth to the text because he vnderstoode it not It is false therefore that you say we dare not folow the Hebrewe because some translator by ouersight hath not attained to the right vnderstanding thereof as also that we dare not exactly folowe the Greeke of the newe Testament which we desire to follow as exactly as we can MART. 13. But it is greater maruel why you folowe not the Hebrewe in other places also where is no corruption You protest to translate it according to the points or vowels that now it hath and that you call the Hebrewe veritie Tel me then I beseeche you why doe you in al your Bibles translate thus O Virgin daughter of Sion hee hathe despised thee and laughed thee to scorne ô daughter of Hierusalem hee hath shaken his head at thee In the Hebrew Greeke S. Hieromes translation and commentarie it is cleane contrary The Virgin daughter of Sion hath despised thee O Assur the