Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	grace_n	work_n	6,662	5	5.6625	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01309	A defense of the sincere and true translations of the holie Scriptures into the English tong against the manifolde cauils, friuolous quarels, and impudent slaunders of Gregorie Martin, one of the readers of popish diuinitie in the trayterous Seminarie of Rhemes. By William Fvlke D. in Diuinitie, and M. of Pembroke haule in Cambridge. Wherevnto is added a briefe confutation of all such quarrels & cauils, as haue bene of late vttered by diuerse papistes in their English pamphlets, against the writings of the saide William Fvlke.	Fulke, William, 1538-1589.	1583 (1583)	STC 11430.5; ESTC S102715	542,090	704

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 thē 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 ●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 translatiō 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 i● 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 heauē 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 de●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 rewarde●● 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

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes Gladius sometimes En●i● it were no faulte no more than it is in vs to vse the wordes iustice and righteousnesse workes and deedes fayth and beliefe truste and confidence c. And you your selues in suche wordes doe often vse the same libertie MART. 21. But will you not yet see merite and meritorious workes in the Scripture I maruell your skill in the Greeke teacheth you nothing in this point S. Iohn saith Looke to your selues that you lose not the things which you haue wrought but that you may receiue a full reward Me thinketh in these wordes the equiualent of merite is easily seene of any man that is not wilfully blinde But you should see further thā the cōmon sorte For you know that the Greeke here signifieth not only that which we worke but that which we worke for At in the Greeke phrase of working for a mans liuing and as you translats Io. 6. v. 27. LABOVR NOT FOR THE MEATE that perisheth but for that meate which endureth vnto life euerlasting Such labourers God hired to worke in his vineyard the workeman is worthie of his hire So that the Apostle in the former wordes exhorteth to perseuerance that we lose not the reward or pay for which we worke and which by working we merite and deserue FVLK 21. You fare with vs as a mery fellow did with his friendes of whom Erasmus telleth who affirming that he sawe in the skie a fiery dragon with often asking them if they did not see it he induced them at length euery one to cōfesse they saw it least they should haue bene thought to be purblind But in good earnest in my conscience I see no more merite in the Scriptures than I did before Yea I haue this argument more to persuade mee that it is not founde in the Scriptures because the chiefest patrones thereof hauing taken such paynes to finde it are nowe as farre from it as euer they were But to the matter I say there is no merite included in the saying of S. Iohn although you rehearse it in the seconde person after the vulgar Latine translation and not after the Greeke whiche is in the firste person and may be referred to the rewarde of the Apostles which shall be full if they whom they haue conuerted to the faith doe perseuere vnto the ende But make it as strong for your parte as you can the full rewarde is giuen according to the moste bountifull promise of God to our good workes of his meere mercie and grace and not by deserte of our workes And the parable of the labourers whom God hired into his vineyarde declareth moste euidently that the rewarde is of grace not of merite For if it were of merite they that came first earely in the morning should haue receyued more as their labour was greater than they whiche came at the laste houre Where our Sauiour Christe sayeth the workeman is worthie of his hire hee teacheth his Disciples that they maye lawfully take meate and drinke of them to whome they preach according to that common saying or Prouerbe But thereof it followeth not that euery one which worketh in Gods vineyarde is worthie for his workes sake and by deserte of his labour of eternall glorie for he promiseth greater rewarde to his workemen a thousande folde and more than their labour doth deserue So that yet wee see not that wee merite and deserue by working although we receyue rewarde for our work or according to our workes Vnde mihi tantum meriti saith a godly father cui indulgentia est pro coron● whence should I haue so greate merite when pardon or mercie is my crowne MART. 22. Againe Beza telleth vs that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth mercedem quae meritis respondet that is a rewarde answereable to the merites And wee finde many wordes in the Scripture like vnto this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which are on Gods parte who is the rewarder and recompenser And on our parte wee haue as the Apostle saith Hebr. 10. and 4. greate confidence confidence saith Photius a notable Greeke father of our works confidence of our faith of our tentations of our patience c. Yea wee haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture whiche muste needes signifie as much as Bezaes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the one is said In keeping thy commaundementes is greate rewarde Againe You shall receyue THE RETRIBVTION of inherimunce Col. 3. v. 24. And 2. Thessal 1. v. 6. Gods repaying iust and reiribution of Hell or Heauen for good and euill deser●es is expressed by the same worde And by the other is said I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy iustifications or commaundements alwaies FOR REWARD FVLK 22. If you can finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture you conuince vs of merite by Bezaes iudgement Therefore tell vs I pray you in what booke and chapter wee shall finde it First you tell vs that you finde many wordes like vnto it Yea but neyther the same nor any that is aequiualent For rendring of rewarde which all your wordes doe signifie may be according to promise by grace and not by desert The confidence of our workes that Photius speaketh of muste be vnderstood as they are testimonies of Gods sanctifying spirit or else it is contrary to the Scripture The parable tolde against them that trusted in themselues that they are righteous whereas we must confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants in all our obedience and beste workes that we doe Yea but you haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture which must needes signifie as much as Bezaes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who will yeelde to this necessitie If a man promise a laborer 20. shillings for euery dayes worke the rendring of this wages may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet no man will say that a daies labour deserueth twentie shillings That there is great rewarde promised for them that keepe Gods cōmaundements wee confesse but this rewarde is eyther of merite if they perfectly keepe all Gods commaundements which no man doth or of mercie if being iustified by faith through remission of their sinnes they endeuour according to the measure of Gods grace giuen vnto them to keepe Gods commaundements in some parte as God giueth strength In the testimonie of S. Paule the worde of inheritaunce following immediatly after the worde of rewarde or retribution excludeth merites for the inheritaunce dependeth of Gods free adoption by which he maketh vs his sonnes that he may giue vs that inheritāce which we can neuer deserue In the other place the Apostle promiseth reward of glory to them that suffer for Christes name which God hauing promised of his meere mercie to giue vs and the same being purchased for

This is Bezaes iudgement not cōtrary to the common translation and ours but agreeing in the sense thereof and comprehending a further matter whereof the Apostle in that chapter speaketh But our translators thought best to followe the plaine and common vnderstanding not for shame of Beza or his translation but for desire of sinceritie and plainenesse Contrariwise where your vulgar translator is sometimes so barbarous that his phrase hath no sense according to the text it may wel be thought you were ashamed to follow him lest you should haue bene ridiculous to all men As you translate Timoratus religious oftētimes Non quia de egenis pertinebat ad eum which in English is not because of the poore it pertained to him but you haue trāslated not because he cared for the poore Vna sabbathi the first of the Sabboth Sabbati habens iter hauing the iourney of a Sabboth you translate distant a Sabbats iourney Yea you are bold to correct your text and for Italia to say Attalia Ad abluenda crimina which is to washe away the crimes you say to cleare him selfe of the crime Cum multa ambitione which is with much ambition you saye with great pompe Exhortentur which is a deponent you translate may be exhorted ad reuerentiam vobis which is for reuerence to you you saye to your shame and such like I doe not blame you that you are ashamed to follow your vulgar Latine text in these phrases but that you are not ashamed to allowe that translation as the onely authentical text which no man for shame will follow in many places To conclude our meaning for free will is that we confesse it at all times to be free from cōstreint but neuer free to embrace that which is good in deede but only when it is reformed by the grace of God who also in all good thinges that we take in hande doth not onely make vs willing but also giueth all the strength we haue to performe them If this be your meaning as I am afrayde it is not by your termes of working and helping and directing as though it coulde goe alone with a litle helpe and direction we ioyne with you but if you thinke you can doe any thing that good is without the grace of God like to Pelagius Celestius and other like Heretikes of the deuils blacke gard we leaue you MART. 7. You saye moreouer in some of your Bibles thus So lyeth it not then in a mans will or running but in the mercie of God Whatsoeuer you meane you knowe this translation is very dissolute and wide from the Apostles wordes and not true in sense for saluation is in willing and running according to that famous saying of Saint Augustine He that made thee without thee will not iustifie thee without thee that is against thy will or vnlesse thou be willing and the Apostle sayth No man is crowned vnlesse he fight lawefully and againe So runne THAT YOV MAY obtayne and againe The doers of the Lawe shall be iustified And our Sauiour If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements We see then that it is in willing and running and doing but to will or runne or doe are not of man but of Gods mercye and so the Apostle speaketh It is not of the willer nor runner but of God that hath mercie And it is much to be marueled why you sayde not It lyeth not in the willer nor in the runner which is neare to the Apostles wordes but so farre of in a mans will and running FVLK 7. The translation you reprehend I graunt is not proper for the words and therefore is reformed in the later translations yet in sense it is all one for saluation lyeth not in the will or running of man but in the mercie of God euen as S. Iohn saith the children of God are not made of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but they are borne of God But thus you reason against it We are not saued except we will and runne ergo saluation lyeth in willing and running I denye your argument which is as good as this we are not saued from sinne except we haue committed sinne ergo saluation from sinne lyeth in committing sinne The famous place of Augustine is a famous corruption of Papistes to establish the strēgth of free will cleane cōtrary to S. Augustines minde where a point interrogatiue is chaunged into a periode for in auncient written copies it is redde with interrogation Qui ergo fecit te sine te non te iustifica● sine te He therefore that made thee without thee doth he not iustifie thee without thee And the whole discourse of that father both before and after requireth that reading For thus he writeth Si hominem te fecit Deus iustum tu te facis melius aliquid facis quam fecit Deus sed sine te fecit Deus Non enim adhibuisti aliquem consensum vt te faceret Deus Quo modo consentiebas qui non eras Qui ergo fecit te sine te non te iustificat sine te Ergo fecit nescientem iustificat volentem tamen ipse iustificat ne su iustitia tua If God haue made thee a man and thou makest thy selfe a iust man thou makest some better thing than God hath made but God made thee without thee for thou gauest no consent that God shoulde make thee howe diddest thou consent which wast not He therefore that made thee without thee doth he not iustifie thee without thee Therefore he hath made thee not knowing but he iustifieth thee being willing yet it is he that doth iustifie thee that it should not be thy iustice The meaning of Saint Augustine is that we haue no more free will to be iustified before we be preuented by the grace of God than we had will to be created For it is Gods grace that maketh vs willing to be iustified and saued not the strength of mans free will as he proueth at large throughout the whole Homilie Nowe to the textes of Scripture which you cite I aunswere there is not one that proueth any strength or swaye of mans free will towarde the true goodnesse before of an vngodlye man and enimie of God he be reconciled by the grace and mercie of God and made an obedient childe in some parte willing to doe the will of his father First those textes of fighting and running proue that fighting and running is necessary for them that are exhorted thereto but not that fighting or running are in the free will of man or that saluation lyeth in them Eating and drinking are necessarie for the life of man yet the life of man lyeth not in eating and drinking Where the Apostle sayth the doers of the lawe shall be iustified he meaneth them that fullfill the lawe and doth our Sauiour Christ aunswering to the question of him that asked what she should doe to obtaine life

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 heauē 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 Pelagia●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 confidēce in them that he was iust before God by them God I thāke 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 doubtīgly as our english word I suppose doth signifie when a man may be deceaued in his supposel but he auoucheth it cōstantly 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

shewed your sinceritie haue said that God maketh vs worthie of heauenly blisse Because you know if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be worthie then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make worthie But you are like to Beza your Maister who as though all interpretation of wordes were at his commaundement sayeth here and here and so forth I haue followed the old Latine interpreter translating it worthie but in such and such a place meaning this for one I choose rather to say MEETE But that both he you should here also haue translated worthie the Greeke fathers shall teache you if we be not worthie or able to controule so mightie Grecians as you pretend to be when you crowe vpon your owne dunghill otherwise in your translations shewing small skill or great malice FVLK 17. If you be not able to draw merit out of word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth worthie you shall haue somewhat a doe to wring it out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth apt or meete and sometime sufficient according to which later signification Beza in three places translateth dignus because sufficiens is no Latine worde in that sense to be vsed But nowe you aske why we went not a steppe further to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Collos. 1. v. 12. which hath made vs worthy I aunswere you first there is no reason that a worde which hath diuerse significatiōs should alwaies be translated after one Secōdly when a word hath one most vsuall signification and two or three other significations not so vsuall by translating it once or twise according to the sense of the place after one of the best vsuall significations we are not bounde to giue ouer the most common and vsuall signification when the sense of the place requireth it Thirdly when a verbe is deriued of a nowne that hath diuerse significations it signifieth most commonly after the most vsual signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime signifieth cheape we must not thereof conclude that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to make cheape So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth sometime greate or muche you may as well say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to magnifie to make greate or to multiplie which none but a madde man woulde say and yet you thinke you haue made a great argument when you say if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be worthie then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make worthie It remaineth therefore that seeing the most vsuall signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is apt or meete the true and best signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make apt or meete which we haue followed in our translation But if you will still contende that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then you must tell vs as you require vs often whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be as good Greeke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you woulde say worthie of death Beza therefore followeth not his pleasure where he chooseth to say for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idoneum but the nature of the worde and the vsuall signification thereof compared with the sense of the place And if we shoulde followe your vulgar Latine translation and say that God hath made vs worthie to be partakers of the inheritaunce of the Sainctes in light you are neuer the narre for your merites For God maketh vs worthie by his grace and by the righteousnesse and holinesse of Christ which is imputed to vs being incorporated to him and made liuely members of his mysticall bodie Howe vainely you charge the translatours with bragging vnskilfulnesse and malice they that are learned can iudge and God will one day reuenge it MART. 18. The Greeke fathers I say interprete the Apostles word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hath made vs worthie and giuen vs the grace to be worthie And S. Basil in orat Liturg. making both Greeke wordes all one saith THOV HAST MADE VS VVORTHIE to be ministers of thy holy altar And anone after MAKE VS VVORTHY for this ministerie And Sainct Chrysostome vpon the Apostles place God doeth not onelye giue vs societie with the Sainctes but maketh vs also worthie to receiue so greate dignitie And here is a goodly consideration of the goodnesse of God towarde vs that doeth in deede by his grace make● vs worthy of so great thinges who otherwise are most vnworthy vile and abiect Which making of vs worthy is expressed by the sayd Greeke wordes more than by the Latine mereri because it declareth whence our merite and worthines proceedeth to wi● of God Both which S. Chrysostom expresseth excellently thus When he brought in Publicans to the kingdom of heauen he defamed not the kingdom of heauen but magnified it also with great honours shewing that there is such a Lord of the kingdom of heauen which hath made euen vnworthy persons to be so much better that they should deserue euen the glorie of that dignitie And Oecumenius sayth that it is Gods glorie TO MAKE HIS SERVANTS VVORTHY of such good things and that it is their glorie TO HAVE BENE MADE VVORTHY of such things in 2. Thess. 1. FVLK 18. If the Greeke fathers did so interprete the Apostles wordes yet your merit is to seeke as I haue sayd For I will not contend whether God make vs worthye but whether he make vs worthye by desert of our good works or by his mercie grace in the redēption of his sonne But let vs see what the fathers saye to the matter First Oecumenius words are flat against you if they be truely translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath counted vs worthy and hath freely graunted vnto vs to be meete See you not that all our worthines and meetenes dependeth of his grace and free acceptation The Liturgie intituled of Basill although it haue a much younger author maketh neuer a whit more for you The minister prayeth that God would accoumpt him worthy or make him meete for the ministerie And if you should in both places translate that God maketh worthy you cā not proue merite thereby but contrarywise it soundeth against merite for God maketh vs not worthy by our desertes but by the worthinesse of Christ. Chrysostome also as I haue shewed before vpon this place doth vtterly condemne your opinion of merites for he saith Suche are the things that are giuen that he hath not onely giuen them but also made vs able to receiue them Againe he hath not onely giuen vs the honour but also strength to embrace it What is our strength what is our abilitie to receiue the giftes of God but fayth in the merites of Christ The place of Chrysostome Hom. de cruce latrone is not be be vnderstoode of deseruing by works but by the grace of God and remission of their sinnes which maketh men meete and worthye of his glorye as the example of the