than are the afflictions of all passions what soeuer Thus wee see plainely that short tribulations are true merites of endlesse glorie though not comparable to the same which truth you impugne by your false and hereticall translation But let vs see further your dealing in the selfe same controuersie to make it plainer that you bende your translations against it more than the text of the Scripture doth permit you FVLK 9. A man may see you are driuē to extreme shiftes when you will seeke Praemia meritorum in S. Augustine can finde it no where but among the Sermones de sanctis which beare no credite of Augustines workes but of some later gatherer The true Augustine in Ps. 70. Con. 1. thus writeth Nihil es per te deum inuoca tua peccaia sunt merita dei sunt supplicium tibi debetur cum praemium venerit sua dona coronabit non merita tua Thou art nothing by thy selfe call vpon God thine are the sinnes the merites are Gods to thee punishment is due and when the rewarde shal come he will crowne his giftes not thy merites Finally Augustine in nothing is more earnest than in denying the reward which is of grace to be due in respect of merite or worthinesse of workes MART. 10. In the booke of wisedome where there is honorable mention of the merites of Saincts and their rewardes in heauen you translate the holy Scripture thus God hath proued them and findeth them MEETE FOR HIM SELFE To omitte here that you vse the present tense whereas in the Greeke they are preter tenses God knoweth why only this wee knowe that it is no true nor sincere translation but to wincke at smaller faultes why say you here in all your Bibles that God findeth his Saincts and holy seruants meete for him selfe and not worthie of him selfe See your partialitie and be ashamed FVLK 10. The booke of wisedome writtē by Philo the Iewe as S. Hierome thinketh is no holy Canonical Scripture to cōfirme the credite of any article of beliefe Therefore whether he thought that mens merites were worthy of the fauour and grace of God the reward of eternall life or no it is not materiall But somewhat it is that you say that our translators for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue not translated worthie but meete For my parte I wishe they had reteyned the vsuall signification of that worde and said worthie of him selfe onely to take away your cauill For otherwise in the sense there is no difference if that he saith be true none is meete for God but they that are worthie of him which are not meete or worthie of thē selues but made such by grace not for merite of their workes but by the righteousnesse of Christe imputed to them by faith This if the wiseman meaneth not but that their vertues were such as deserued Gods fauour and eternall life we may boldely reiect him as going against the wisedome of God reuealed in the Canonicall Scriptures MART. 11. In the Apostles places before examined you saide negatiuely that the afflictions of this time were NOT WORTHIS OF the glorie to come the Greeke not bearing that translation but here when you should say affirmatiuely and that word for word after the Greeke that God found them WORTHIE OF HIM SELFE there you say MEETE FOR HIM SELFE auoiding the terme worthie because merite is included therein So that when you will in your translatiō denie merites then condignae ad signifieth worthie of when you should in your translation affirme merites then Dignus with an ablatiue case doth not signifie worthie of No maruell if such wilfulnesse wilnot see the worde merite or that whiche is equiualent thereto in all the Scripture For when you do see it should trāslate it you suppresse it by another word But this is a case worthie of examination whether the Scripture haue the worde merite or the equiualent thereof For we will force them euen by their owne translations to confesse that it is founde there and that they should translate it accordingly often when they doe not yea that if wee did not see it in the vulgar Latine translation yet they must needes see it and finde it in the Greeke FVLK 11. In the Canonicall Scripture it seemeth the translators had a religious care to keepe bothe the propertie of the wordes and the true meaning of the holy Ghost In the Apocryphall bookes they had a wise consideration to translate them according to the beste meaning that their wordes would beare Now whether you say worthie of God or meete for God you must vnderstand this meetenesse or worthinesse to be of grace and not of merite or else the saying is blasphemous against the grace of God For merite is not necessarily included in worthinesse The Kings sonne is worthie to succeede his father by right of inheritance not by merite of vertue alwayes A straunger may bee worthie of the kinges seruice which neuer deserued the kings entertainement but for such good qualities as are in him But after this tedious trifling it would somwhat awake our spirites if you could as you threaten in the margent proue the merite of good workes plainely by the Scriptures eyther by the worde merite which you can neuer doe or by any thing that is equiualent vnto it and to force vs by our owne translations to cōfesse that it is founde there if not in the vulgar Latine yet in the Greeke MART. 12. First when they translate the foresaid place thus The afflictions of this time are not worthie of the glorie to come they meane this deserue not the glorie to come for to that purpose they do so translate it as hath bene declared Againe when it is said The workemā is worthy of his hire or wages What is meant but that he deserueth his wages And more plainely Tob. 9. they translate thus Brother Azarias if I should giue my self to be thy seruaunt I shal not DESERVE thy prouidence And such like If then in these places both the Greeke and the Latine signifie to be worthie of or not to be worthie of to deserue or not to deserue then they must allow vs the same signification and vertue of the same wordes in other like places Namely Apoc. 5. of our Sauiours merites thus The lambe that was killed IS WORTHY to receyue power and riches c. What is that to say but DESERVETH to receiue For so I trust they will allowe vs to say of our Sauiour that he in deede deserued Againe of the damned thus Thou hast giuen them bloud to drinke for they ARE WORTHY or THEY HAVE DESERVED is it not all one lastly of the elect thus They shall walke with me in white because they are worthie Apocal. 3. that is because they deserue it And so in the place before by them corrupted God founde them worthie of him that is such as deserued to bee with him in eternall
Pighius Eccius the one calling the holy Scripture a nose of waxe and a dumbe iudge the other terming the Gospel written to be a blacke Gospell and an ynkie Diuinitie and that of Hosius acknowleging none other expresse word of God but onely this one worde Ama or dilige loue thou what other thing do they import but a shamelesse deniall of all bookes of the holy Scripture in deede how soeuer in worde they will seeme to admitte them MART. 2. An other way is to call into question at the least and make some doubt of the authoritie of certaine bookes of holy scriptures therby to diminish their credite so did Manicheus affirme of the whole new Testamēt that it was not writtē by the Apostles and peculiarly of S. Matthewes Gospell that it was some other mās vnder his name therfore not of such credit but that it might in some part be refused So did Marcion the Ariās deny the epistle to the Hebrues to be S. Paules Epiph. li. 2. haer 69. Euseb. li. 4. hist. c. 27 Alogiani the Apocalypse to be S. Iohns the Euāgelist Epiph. August in haer Alogianorii FVLK 2. We neither doubt of the authoritie of anie certaine booke of the holy Scriptures neither cal we any of them into question but with due reuerence do acknowledge thē all euery one to be of equall credit authority as being al inspired of god giuē to the church for the building vp thereof in truth and for the auoiding of fables heresies But the Papists arrogating to their Pope authoritie to allowe or refuse any booke of holy Scripture affirming that no Scripture hath authoritie but as it is approued by their church do bring al bookes of the holy Scripture into doubting vncertaintie with such as wil depend vpō their Pope popish churches authoritie which they affirme to be aboue the holy Scriptures saying they might as wel receaue the gospel of Nicodemus as of S. Marke by the same authoritie reiect the Gospell of S. Matthew as they haue done the Gospel of S. Bartholomew These blasphemous assertions although some of them would couler or mitigate with gentle interpretations yet their is no reasonable man but seeth into what discredite and vncertaintie they must needes bring the authoritie of the Canonicall bookes of holy Scripture with the simple and ignorant MART. 3. An other way is to expound the Scriptures after their owne priuate conceite and phantasie not according to the approued sense of the holy auncient fathers and Catholike Church so did Theodorus Mopsuestites Act. Synod 5. affirme of all the bookes of the Prophets and of the Psalmes that they spake not euidently of Christ but that the auncient fathers did voluntarily draw those sayings vnto Christ which were spoken of other matters so did all heretikes that would seeme to ground their heresies vpon Scriptures and to auouch them by Scriptures expounded according to their owne sense and imagination FVLK 3. We expound not the Scriptures after our owne priuate conceite and fantasie but as neere as God giueth vs grace according to the plaine and natural sense of the same agreable vnto the rule or proportiō of faith which bene approued by the auncient fathers and Catholike church of Christ in al matters necessarie to eternall saluation Not bringing a newe and straunge sense which is without the Scriptures to seeke confirmation thereof in the Scriptures as the manner of heretikes is rightly noted by Clemens but out of the Scriptures thēselues seeke we the exposition of such obscure places as we find in them being perswaded with S. Augustine that nothing in a manner is founde out of those obscure and darke places which may not be found to be most plaine ly spoken in other places And as for the approued sense of the holy auncient Fathers and Catholike Church of the eldest and purest times if the Papists durst stand vnto it for the deciding of many of the most waightie controuersies that are betweene vs there is no doubte but they should soone and easily be determined as hath bene shewed in diuerse and many treatises written against them In which if any thing bee brought so plainely expounding the Scripture against their popish heresies as nothing can be more expresse nor cleare then they are driuen to seeke newe and monstrous expositions of those Fathers interpretations or else they answere they are but those Fathers priuate expositions appealing to the Catholike churches interpretation which is nothing else but their owne priuate conceipte and fansie hauing no recorde to proue that Catholike Churches interpretation but the present hereticall opinions of this late degenerated Antichristian congregation And whē they haue discoursed neuer so much of the Catholike churches interpretation they reduce and submitte all mens iudgements to the determinatiō of their Councels the decrees of the Councels to the approbation of their Pope which as he is oftentimes a wicked man of life so is he ignorant and vnlearned in the Scriptures to whose most priuate cēsure the holy Scriptures themselues and al sense and exposition of them is made subiect vnder colour that Christ praying for Peter that his faith should not fayle in temptation gaue all Popes suche a prerogatiue that they could not erre in faith though they were wicked of life voyde of learning ignorant in the Scriptures destitute of the spirite of God as is proued moste inuincibly by example of diuerse Popes that haue bene heretikes and mainteyners of such errours as are not now in controuersie betweene vs least they should say we begge the principle but of the secte of the Arrians Monothelites Eutychians Saduces and such other MART. 4. An other way is to alter the very originall text of the holy Scripture by adding taking away or changing it here and there for their purpose So did the Arians in sundry places and the Nestorians in the first epistle of S. Iohn and especially Marcion who was therefore called Mus Ponticus the mouse of Pontus because he had gnawen as it were certaine places with his corruptions whereof some are sayd to remaine in the Greeke text vntill this day FVLK 4. The originall text of the holie Scripture we alter not either by adding taking away or changing of any letter or syllable for any priuate purpose which were not only a thing most wicked and sacrilegious but also vaine and impossible For seeing not only so many auncient coppies of the original text are extant in diuers places of the worlde which we can not if we woulde corrupt and that the same are multiplied by printing into so many thousande examples wee shoulde bee rather madde than foolishe if we did but once attempt such a matter for maintenaunce of any of our opinions As also it is incredible that Marcion the mouse of Pontus coulde corrupt all the Greeke coppies in the world as Lindanus of whome you borrowed that conceite imagineth in those places in which he
Epistle of Iames of Peter c. As if a man shoulde say in his Creede I beleeue the general Churche because hee would not say the Catholike Churche as the Lutheran Catechismes say for that purpose I beleeue the Christian Church So that by this rule when S. Augustine telleth that the maner was in cities where there was libertie of religion to aske Qua itur ad Catholicam Wee muste translate it Which is the way to the General And when Sainct Hierome sayth If we agree in faith with the B. of Rome ergo Catholici sumus we must translate it Then we are Generals Is not this good stuffe Are they not ashamed thus to inuert and peruert all wordes against common sense and vse and reason Catholike and Generall or vniuersall we knowe is by the originall propertie of the word all one but according to the vse of both as it is ridiculous to say A Catholike Councell for a Generall Councell so is it ridiculous and impious to say Generall for Catholike inderogation thereof and for to hide it vnder a bushell FVLK 4. I doe not knowe where the name of Catholike is once expressed in the text of the Bible that it might be suppressed by vs which are not like to beare malice to the Catholike Church or religion seeing we teache euen our young children to beleue the holy Catholike Church But not finding the word Catholike in the text you runne to the title of the seuen Epistles called as commonly Canonicall as Catholike or Generall But Eusebius belike testifieth that they haue bene so called euer since the Apostles time lib. 2. cap. 22. I maruell you are not ashamed to auouch suche an vntruth Eusebius speaking of his owne time saith they are so called but that they haue bene so called euer since the Apostles time he sayth not And so farre off he is from saying so that he pronounceth the Epistle of S. Iames in the same place to be a bastarde and speaketh doubtfully of the Epistle of S. Iude. But whereas in one translation we vse the worde Generall for Catholike you make a greate may game of it shewing your witte and your honestie both at once For these 5. of Iames 2. of Peter one of Iude and the first of Iohn which are properly rightly so intituled haue that title because they are not sent to any particular Church or persons but to all in general as the Greeke scholiast truly noteth And OEcumenius before the Epistle of S. Iames sayth expressely Catholicae id est vniuersales dicuntur hae c. These Epistles are called Catholike that is to say Vniuersall or General because not distinctly to one nation or citie as S. Paule to the Romanes or Corinthians this companie of our Lords disciples doth dedicate these Epistles but generally to the faithfull or to the Iewes that were dispersed as also Peter or else to all Christians liuing vnder the same faith For otherwise if they should be called Catholike in respect of the souÌ„dnes of the doctrine coÌ„tained in theÌ„ what reason were there more to call them so than to call all the Epistles of S. Paule Wherefore in this title which yet is no part of the holy Scripture it is rightly traÌ„slated general The other translatours seeing seuen to be called general where only fiue are so in deede and seeing them also called canonicall which should seeme to be a controulling of S. Paules Epistles left out that title altogither as being no part of the text and word of God but an addition of the stationers or writers MART. 5. Is it because they would followe the Greeke that they turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generall euen as iust as when they turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secrete and such like where they goe as farre from the Greeke as they can and will be glad to pretende for aunswere of their worde sect that they followe our Latine translation Alas poore shift for them that otherwise pretende nothing but the Greeke to be tried by that Latine which them selues condemne But we honour the sayd text and translate it Sects also as we there find it and as we doe in other places followe the Latine text and take not our aduantage of the Greeke text because we knowe the Latine translation is good also and sincere and approued in the Church by long antiquitie it is in sense all one to vs with the Greke but not so to them who in these daies of controuersie about the Greeke and Latine text by not following the Greeke which they professe sincerely to follow bewray them selues that they doe it for a malitious purpose FVLK 5. It is because we woulde haue the Greeke vnderstood as it is taken in those places when we turne Catholike generall Idolum image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secret and such like And where you say we woulde be glad for our word sect to pretend to follow your Latine translation it is a fable For in translating sect we follow the Greeke as truely as your Latine translation doeth which if it be true and sincere as you confesse what deuilish madnesse possesseth your malicious mind to burthen vs with such purposes as no reasonable man would once imagine or thinke of that we should vse that terme in fauour of heresie and heretikes whome we thinke worthie to suffer death if they will not repent and cease to blaspheme or seduce the simple CHAP. V. Hereticall translation against the CHVRCH Martin AS they suppresse the name Catholike euen so did they in their first English Bible the name of Church it selfe because at their first reuolt and apostasie from that that was vniuersally knowen to be the only true Catholike Church it was a great obiectioÌ„ against their schismaticall proceedings and it stucke much in the peoples consciences that they forsooke the Church and that the Church condemned them WherupoÌ„ very wiâ—ily they suppressed the name Church in their English translation so that in all that Bible so long red in their congregations we can not once finde the name thereof Iudge by these places which seeme of most importaunce for the dignitie preheminence and authoritie of the Church Fulke HOwe can wee suppresse the name Catholike which the holy Scripture neuer vseth as for the name of Church I haue alreadie shewed diuerse times that for to auoyd the ambiguous taking of that terme it was at the first lesse vsed but neuer refused for doubt of any obiection of the Catholike Church against vs the profession of which being contained in our Englishe creede howe could we relinquish or not acknowledge to be contained in the Scripture in which we taught that all articles
be able to deny where you may if you be disposed to sport your selfe vse your figuratiue comparison of white blacke chaulke cheese but you shall sooner of white make blacke of chaulke cheese than you can possibly auoide the cleare light of those textes which was seene euen of your owne vulgar Latine interpretours MART. 5. Where we can not but maruell why they are affraide to translate the words plainly in this place of his soule being in Hell Whereas in the Creede they admit the words and interprete them that by suffering Hell paines vpon the Crosse so he descended into Hell and no otherwise Why did they not here also keepe the words for the credit of their translation and afterwarde if they woulde needes giue them that glose for maintenaunce of their heresie This mysterie we know not and woulde gladly learne it of the Puritane Caluinistes whose Englishe translation perhaps this is For the grosser Caluinistes being not so pure and precise in following Caluine as the Puritans be that haue well deserued that name aboue their fellowes they in their other Englishe Bibles haue in this place discharged them selues of false translation saying plainely Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell But in what sense they say so it is very hard to gesse and perhaps them selues can not tell yet what to make of it as appeareth by M. Whitakers answer to F. Campion And he is nowe called a Bishop among them and proceeded Doctor in Oxford that could not obtaine his grace to proceede Doctor in Cambridge because he preached Christes descending into hell and the Puritans in their second admonition to the Parliament pag. 43. cry out against the politike Caluinists for that in the Creede of the Apostles made in English meeter and song openly in their Churches in these wordes His spirite did after this descend into the lower partes to them that long in darkenesse were the true light of their hartes they fauour his descending into Hell very much and so consequently may thereby build Limbus Patrum and Purgatorie And the Puritans in their second replie against M. Whitgifts defense pag. 7. reprehend one of their chiefest Caluinisticall martyrs for affirming as they terme it a grosse descending of our Sauiour Christ into Hell Thus the Puritans confesse plainly their hereticall doctrine against Christes descending into Hell FVLK 5. By confessing in our Creede that Christ descended into hell you might knowe but that you had rather be ignorant that you might maruell still that we purposed not in translating this place to denye that article as you falsely slaunder vs but because this place might seeme vnto the ignorant to confirme the errour of Christes descending into Limbus patrum as it doth not if it be rightly vnderstoode it was thought good of some translatours that seeing this verse must haue the same sense in the Greeke Sermon of Peter that it hath in the Hebrewe Psalme of Dauid and the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Euangelist in steede of the Hebrewe worde Sheol may beare to signifie a graue as the Hebrew worde doth moste vsually by translating it the graue to shewe that this verse in Greeke maketh no more for that errour of descending into Limbus than the same doth in Hebrewe As for your distinction of grosse Caluinistes and Puritans it may be packed vppe among the rest of your quarrells and slaunders What Maister Whitaker hath written in his aunswer to Frier Campion he is able to explane vnto you him selfe if you doe not vnderstand him That the Bishoppe of Saint Asaph did once fauour your errour in some parte and for that was misliked of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge it is as true as that afterward reforming his iudgement at Oxford where he proceeded he was also incorpored Doctor at Cambridge The Englishe meeter vppon the Creede except it be drawen to an allegorie in my iudgement can not be defended which iudgement I declared openly at Paules crosse foureteene or fiueteene yeares agoe Maister Latimers errour of Christ suffering torments in hell after his death is iustly reprehended by whome soeuer it be By all which I knowe not what may be rightly gathered but that we flatter not one another in errours but if any among vs be deceiued of what account or credite soeuer he be we spare not to reproue his errour preferring Gods truth before all worldly and priuate respects of friendship countenaunce credite and whatsoeuer MART. 6. The truth is howsoeuer the politike Caluinists speake or write in this point more plausibly and couertly to the people and more agreeably to the article of our faith than either Caluine or their earnest brethren the Puritans doe which write and speake as fantastically and madly as they thinke yet neither doe they beleeue this Article of the Apostles Creede or interpret it as the Catholike Church and auncient holy fathers alwayes haue done neither can it stand with their newe profession so to doe or with their English translations in other places It can not stand with their profession for then it would followe that the Patriarches and other iust men of the olde Testament were in some third place of rest called Abrahams bosome or Limbus Patrum till our Sauiour Christ descended thither and deliuered them from thence which they deny in their doctrine though they sing it in their meeters Neither can it stand with their English translations because in other places where the holy Scriptures euidently speake of such a place calling it Hell because that was a common name for euery place and state of soules departed in the olde Testament till our Sauiour Christ by his Resurrection and Ascension had opened heauen there for Hell they translate Graue FVLK 6. The truth is howsoeuer you slaunder vs with odious names of schisme and diuerse interpretations we al agree in the faith of that article and in the true sense and meaning thereof As also we consent against your errours of Limbus patrum or any descending of Christ into that fantasticall place As for Abrahams bosome we account it no place of descent or going downe but of ascending euen the same that our Sauiour Christ vpon the crosse called Paradise Luc. 23. saying to the penitent theefe this daye thou shalt be with me in Paradise which of Saint Paule is called the thirde heauen 2. Cor. 12. saying that he was taken vp into the thirde heauen whether in the bodye or out of the bodye he knewe not but he was taken vp into Paradise and there heard wordes that could not be vttered which it is not lawefull for a man to speake And that Abrahams Bosome is a place farre distant from hell that onely text where it is named Luc. 16. doth euidently declare First the Aungels carry the soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome he might as well haue sayde Hell if he had meant Hell But Aungels vse not to goe downe into Hell Secondly it is a place of comfort
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
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
it should be Iustice is found in me For Greeke and Latine we will not contende because we translate not Daniel out of Greeke and Latine but out of the Chaldee But in good sadnes are you so deepely seene in Chaldee that you will auouch the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in me A huÌ„dreth boyes in Cambridge knowe that it signifieth as well in Chaldee as in Hebrew to me rather than in me But moste properly haue our translators expressed the phrase in English saying my iustice or vnguiltines was found out for of a vertue inherent Daniel speaketh otherwise Dan. 2. v. 30. to the king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by wisedome which is in mee So that heere your quarrell bewrayeth more spite than wit more malice than learning MART. 10. Againe it must needes be a spot of the same infection that they translate thus As Dauid DESCRIBETH the blessednes of the man vnto whome God imputeth righteousnes Rom. 4. 6. as though imputed righteousnes were the description of blessednes They knowe the Greeke doth not signifie to describe I woulde once see them precise in following the Greeke and the Hebrew if not we must looke to their fingers FVLK 10. It must needes come of an high wit to haue such deepe insight into other mens intents purposes But why I praye you is not righteousnes imputed by God c. and so forth as Paule sayth a description of mans blessednes If they had sayd defineth where they saye describeth you would haue made much a doe But can you not allowe this that the Prophet sayth to be a description of mans blessednesse howsoeuer it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not to describe but to speake to saye to pronounce and in effect there is nothing els meant by the worde describeth here vsed but that Dauid pronounceth or setteth forth the blessednesse of man in such wordes You in your translation saye termeth as Dauid termeth which if you meane it not scornefully commeth as neare a definition as describeth the worde which we vse and our describeth is as neare the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your termeth is to the Latine dicit But looke to our fingers and spare not to tell vs where you see vs goe wide from the Greeke or Hebrew but if you doe nothing but trifle and quarrell as you haue done hetherto be sure we will be bold to beshrew your fingers and hit you on the thumbes now and then also to your discredite CHAP. XII Hereticall translation for SPECIAL FAITH vaine securitie and ONELY FAITH MARTIN AL other meanes of saluation being thus taken away their onely and extreme refuge is Only faith the same not the Christian faith of the articles of the creede such like but a speciall faith confidence wherby euery man must assuredly beleeue that himselfe is the Sonne of God and one of the elect and praedestinate to saluation If he bee not by fayth as sure of this as of Christes incarnation he shall neuer be saued FVLK AL other meanes of saluation being taken away and only faith apprehending the mercie of God in the redeÌ„ption of Iesus Christ being left we haue great sufficient cause to account our selues happy and assured of eternall life because he that hath promised is faithfull also to performe But where you saye that our only faith is not the Christian faith of the articles of the creede you lye without measure impudently for that faith and none other doe we beleue teach and professe And that faith is a speciall faith and confidence in the mercie of God whereof euery man that beleueth doth make a singular confession for himselfe saying I beleeue in God c. And of all thinges contained in that profession of faith that is of forgiuenesse of sinnes resurrection of our bodies and life euerlasting by beliefe and trust in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lorde conceiued borne suffered crucified deade buried descended into hell risen againe and ascended into heauen and in God the holy Ghost by whose gracious and mightie working we are incorporate into the bodie of Christ and made members of his holy Catholike Church which is the communion of Saincts euery Christian man ought to be as certainely persuaded as the things are most true being inwardly taught by the spirite of truth that he is the childe of God and consequently elect predestinate vnto eternall saluation But that a man sâ—â—â—l neuer be saued except he haue such certentie of this faith as the truth of Gods promises doth deserue none of vs doth teach none of vs doth thinke For we know our owne infirmitie we knowe the temptation of Satan neuerthelesse wee acknowledge in our selues and so seeke to persuade all men that these things standing vpon the immoueable pillers of Gods promises who can neyther deceiue nor be deceyued ought to be most certaine vnto vs and for dayly confirmation and increase of this faith all those meanes are of vs diligently to be vsed that God for this purpose in his holy Scripture hath appointed MART. 2. For this heresie they force the Greeke to expresse the very word of assurance and certaintie thus Let vs drawe nighe with a true hart IN ASSVRANCE OF FAITH Heb. 10. v. 22. and Beza Certa persuasione fidei that is with a certaine assured persuasion of faith interpreting him selfe more at large in another place that he meaneth thereby such a persuasion and so effectuall as by which we know assuredly without all doubt that nothing can separate vs from God Which their hereticall meaning maketh their traÌ„slation the lesse tolerable because they neither expresse the Greeke precisely nor intend the true sense of the Apostle they expresse not the Greeke which signifieth properly the fulness and coÌ„plement of any thing and therfore the Apostle ioyneth it sometime with faith els where Hebr. 6. v. 11. with hope with knowledge or Col. 2. v. 2. vnderstaÌ„ding to signifie the fulnes of all three as the vulgar Latin interpreter most sincerely Ro. 4. v. 21. alwaies translateth it to Timothee 2. Tim. 4. he vseth it to signifie the full accomplishment executioÌ„ of his ministerie in euery point Where a man may woÌ„der that Beza to maintaine his conceiued signification of this word translateth here also accordingly thus Ministerij tui plenaÌ„ fidem facito but their more currant Church English Bibles are coÌ„tent to say with the vulgar Latine interpreter fulfil thy ministerie or fulfil thine office to the vtmost And the Greeke fathers do finde no other interpretation Thus when the Greeke signifieth fulnesse of faith rather than assurance or certaine persuasion they translate not the Greeke precisely Againe in the sense they erre much more applying the foresaid wordes to the certaine assured faith that euery man ought to haue as they say of his
owne saluation Whereas the Greeke fathers expound it of the full and assured faith that euery faithfull man must haue of al such things in heauen as he seeth not namely that Christ is ascended thither c. adding further and prouing out of the Apostles wordes next folowing that the Protestants* only faith is not sufficient be it neuer so speciall or assured FVLK 2. Hauing nothing to impugne this cleare interpretatioÌ„ of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the vnperfect translatioÌ„ of your vulgar Latine interpreter who was both an vnperfect grecian a very barbarous Latinist you are not ashamed to say we force the Greeke to make it signifie assurance whiche all men that are but meanly learned in the Greeke tongue may know that it signifieth assuraÌ„ce or ful certaine persuasioÌ„ Although for the question in controuersie the fulnesse of faith wil proue the certeintie as much in a maÌ„ner as the assuraÌ„ce But that the Greeke signifieth a full and certaine persuasion I report me not only to the best Greeke Dictionaries of this time but also to Budeus who citeth Isocrates out of Trapezuntius for proofe that it is so vsed also interpreteth that of S. Paule Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let euery man be certaine of his owne minde But you haue a doughty argument that it is not onely ioyned with faith but also with hope knowledge and vnderstanding as though there could not be a certaine persuasion and assurance of hope knowledge and vnderstanding yea the assurance of hope dependeth vpon the assuraunce of faith and the assuraunce of faith vpon the certaine persuasion of knowledge and vnderstanding Yea your vulgar interpretor translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. v. 21. Plenissimè sciens knowing most fully may teach you that it signifieth more than fulnesse for else he should haue saide being fulfilled And better doth Beza expresse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 4. than some of our English interpreters whiche say fulfil thy ministry wheras the Apostles meaning is that he should approue the credite and dignitie of his ministerie vnto other men But the Greeke fathers you say find none other interpretation of it and for proofe you cite Ignatius ep ad Smyr which although it be not authenticall yet I see no cause why we may not interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being certainly persuaded in faith loue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the assurance of faith And so is it translated in Bibliotheca sacra Margarini de la Bigne Plenè instructae in fide charitate cognoui vos absolutè perfectos in fule stabili fully instructed in faith and charitie and I haue knowen you absolutely perfect in a stedfaste faith Chrysostome and Theodoret because you vouch at large I know not what you would shew out of them In Theophylact I finde that he speaketh against all hesitation doubtfulnesse of faith but against the certaine persuasion thereof neuer a worde Ne aliquam inducas in animum tuum haesitationem neque pendeas animi dubij quiddam cogitans Bring not into thy minde any staggering neither be incertaine of thy mind thinking any doubtfull thing But for the signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil may bee a sufficient witnesse who commonly vseth it for assured and certaine persuasion â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. Euery worde and deede must be proued byâ—â—â— testimonie of the holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the full and certaine persuasion of the goâ—â—â— to the shame of the wicked Againe desin 80. what is the propertie of a faithfull man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By such assured persuasioÌ„ to be disposed c. EueÌ„ so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the certaine persuasioÌ„ of godlinesse c. and so in other places And you your selfe confesse as much where you say the Greeke fathers expound it of the full assured faith c. which is enough to iustifie our traÌ„slation Now if the fathers vnderstood this full assured faith only of an historicall faith as you say not of trust and confidence in God it is an other controuersie Our translation is not false although we had a false meaning if it be answereable to the words Neither doth Chrysostome speake of an historicall faith only by certaintie whereof we haue accesse vnto God but also of coÌ„fidence which remissioÌ„ of our sinnes doth cause and that we are made coheires with Christ that we enioy so great loue neither doth he proue that the ProtestaÌ„ts only faith is not sufficient to iustisie But the Apostle sheweth saith he that not faith alone but also a vertuous life is required that a man be not guiltie to him self of malitiousnes For these holy places doe not receiue those men with certaine assuraÌ„ce which are not made such This iudgmeÌ„t of Chrysostome the Protestants do allow of better thaÌ„ the Papists for we know that a godly life is necessarie in them that beleeue to iustification without which they can haue no assurance of faith no nor faith in deede but that which is by aequiuocation called faith such saith as the Deuil and the reprobate may haue MART. 3. Yet do these termes please them exceedingly in so much that for the chosen gift of faith Sap. 3. 14. they translate THE SPECIAL gift of faith and Rom. 8. 38. â—â—ni sure that nothing can separate vs from the loue of God 〈◊〉 though the Apostle were certaine and assured not onely of h 〈…〉 wne saluation but of other mens For to this sense they doe 〈◊〉 translate here whereas in other places out of controuersie they translate the same worde as they should doe I am persuaded they are persuaded c. For who knoweth not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth onely a probable persuasion They will say that I am sure and I am perswaded is al one Beeing well meant they may indeede signifie alike as the vulgare Latine interpreter doth commonly translate it but in this place of controuersie whether the Apostle were sure of his saluation or no whiche you saye he was yea without reuelation we say he was not here why woulde you translate I am sure and not as in other places I am perswaded but in fauour of your errour by insinuating the termes of sure and assurance and such like as elsewhere you neglect the termes of iuste and iustification In which your secrete things of dishonesties craftinesse as the Apostle calleth it we caÌ„not alwaies vse demonstratioÌ„s to conuince you but yet euen in these things we talke with your coÌ„science and leaue the consideration thereof to the wise reader FVLK 3. Seeing they accompt the booke of Wisdome to be of no authoritie to establish the certaintie of doctrine it is not like they coulde haue any such respecte as you malitiously surmise And yet the translation good and true For what is the choice gifte of faith but a speciall
translate another thing without any necessary pretence of Hebrewe or Greeke and here you would haue it of the necessitie of the Hebrew that we should translate a teacher yet Pagnine in the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherevnto you referre vs saith that Esay the 30. verse 20. this word is taken either for raine or for a teacher Ioel the 2. hee maketh no question but it signifieth raine sauing that some thinke it to be the name of a place In the thirde place Psalme 84. after he hath tolde you how Hierome translateth it hee telleth you how R. Dauid and other doe translate it for raine as wee doe and in al these places the sense is more proper for raine than for a teacher sauing that in Esay perhappes it may signifie more aptly a teacher and so the Geneua translation noteth it In Ioel where the Prophet before hadde threatened famine through drought nothing is so conuenient to bee vnderstoode as seasonable raine In the Psalm 84. where the Prophet commendeth the courage of the people that trauailed to Ierusalem through the drie desarts and places that wanted water it is moste apte to vnderstand that God filleth their pits with raine for their comfort This how cold soeuer it is counted of you that care not whereon faith shoulde be grounded yet is it an hundred times more comfortable to a godly conscience that desireth to bee established in trueth than anye violent wresting of the Scripture from the true and naturall sense to anye other interpretation how good in shew soeuer it be MART. 6. And againe where S. Hierom translateth and the Church readeth and all the fatheâ—s interprete and expound accordingly There shal be faith in thy times to expresse the maruelous faith that shall be then in the first Christians specially euen vnto death and in all the rest concerning the hidden mysteries of the newe Testament there you translate There shal be stabilitie of thy times The Prophete ioyneth togither there iudgement iustice faith wisedome knowledge the feare of our Lord you for a litle ambiguitie of the Hebrue worde turne faith into stabilitie FVLK 6. The word stabilitie Esai 33. v. 6. excludeth not faith but sheweth wherein faith is grounded And therefore this is as all the reste a fonde quarrel without any good grounde at all Seing our translation may stande with the truth of the wordes and of the matter and comprehendeth as much as you would haue and more also Yea it sheweth that faith is setled vpon stabilitie and stedfastnesse of truth which shall flourish in the time of Christ. MART. 7. If I should burden you with translating thus also concerning Christ Cease from the man whose breath in his nostrels for wherein is he to be esteemed You would say I did you wrong because it is so pointed now in the Hebrue Wheras you know very wel by S. Hieroms commentarie vpon that place that this is the Iewes pointing or reading of the worde against the honour of Christe the true reading and translation being as he interpreteth it for he is reputed high and therefore beware of him Otherwise as S. Hierom saith what a consequence were this or who would commend any man thus Take heede ye offende not him who is nothing esteemed yet that is your translation Neyther doth the Greeke helpe you which if the accent be truely put iâ— thus because he is reputed for some body or some thing as S. Paule speaketh of the chiefe Apostles and it is our phrase in the commendation of a man FVLK 7. So long as you acknowledge wee haue translated truely according to the Hebrue texte that we reade there is no reason that you should burden vs with false interpretation The Septuaginta as Hierome confesseth did reade as we doe and plaine it is not oneliâ— by the vowels but also by the contexte that so it muste be read For the Prophet disswadeth the people from putting affiance in any mortall man for God wil bring downe the pride of all suche as they truste moste in as it followeth in the next chapiter whereof this verse should be the beginning The dismembring whereof by the ill diuision of the Chapiter deceiued Hierome to think the Prophet spake of Christe when he spake of a prowd man whose breath was in his nostrels and therefore he was of no strength euen as Dauid vseth the same argument Psalme 146. for the purpose The Chaldee Paraphrase also did reade euen as the Septuaginta MART. 8. The like excuse you woulde haue by alleadging the Hebrue vowels if you were told that you much obsâ—ure a notable saying of the prophet concerning Christ or rather the speach of Christe himselfe by his prophete saying I haue spoken by the Prophets and I haue multiplied vision and in the hand of the Prophets that is by the Prophets haue I beene resembled Which later words do exceedingly expresse that al the Prophets spake of Christ as oâ—r Sauiour himself declareth beginning from Moyses and al the Prophetes to interprete vnto the two disciples the things that concerned him as S. Petâ—r saith in these words Al the prophets from Samuel and that spake after him didde tell of these daies This prophecie then being so consonant to these speaches of the â—ewe Testament the Greeke also being word for word so the Hebrewe by changing one little pricke whyche the latter Iewes haue added at their owne pleasure being fully so as wee â—eade with the Catholike Church why pretend you the Iewes authoritie to maintaine an other lesse Christian translation whiche is thus I vse similitudes by the ministerie of the Prophetes as though there were nothing there concerning Christ or the second person peculiarly FVLK 8. Seeing our Sauiour Christ hath promised that neuer a pricke of the lawe shall perishe wee may vnderstande the same also of the Prophets who haue not receiued the vowels of the latter Iewes but euen of the Prophets themselues howsoeuer that heathenish opinion pleaseth you and other Papistes MART. 9. You wil also perhaps alleadge not onelye the later Iewes but also some later Catholike men that so translate the Hebrewe But the difference betweene them and you is that they with reuerence and preâ—erment alwaies of S. Hiâ—roms and the Churches aâ—â—â—ient translation tel vs how it is nowe in the Hebrewe you with derogation and disanulling the same altogâ—ther set downe your owne as the onlie true interpretation according to the Hebrewe aâ—ouching the Hebrewe that nowe iâ— and as now it is printed to be the only authenti cal truth of the olde Testament Where you can neuer answere vs howe that in the Ps. 22. As a lion my hand and my feete as now it is in the Hebrewe can be the true and old authentical Hebrewe whiche none of the fathers knewe the auncient Rabbines condemne as a corruption your selues translate it not but after the olde accustomed reading They haue pierced my handes my feete