it if in this case they will adde only to the very text is it not most horrible and diuelish corruption So did Luther whom our English ProtestaÌ„ts honor as their father in this heresie of only faith are his owne childreÌ„ See ch 12. FVLK 24. In the question of iustification by faith only where S. Iames saieth no we say no also neyther can it be proued that we adde this word only to the text in any translation of oures If Luther did in his translation adde the worde only to the texte it can not be excused of wrong translation in worde although the sense might well beare it But seing Luther doth him selfe confesse it he may be excused of frawde though not of lacke of iudgement But why should our translation be charged with Luthers corruption Because our English Protestants honour him as their father A very lewde slaunder for we call no man father vpon earth though you do call the Pope your father albeit in another sense Luther was a reuerende father of the Churche for his time But as touching the doctrine of only faith iustifying it hath more patrones of the fathers of the auncient primitiue Church than Martine can beare their bookes though he would breake his backe who in the same plaine wordes do affirme it as Luther doth that only faith doth iustifie And the Apostle which saieth that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law speaketh more plainely for iustification by faith only as we do teach it than if he had sayed a man is iustified by faith only Which text of Rom. 3. and many other are as expresse scripture to proue that we teach and beleeue as that S. Iames sayeth against iustification by faith only where he speaketh of an other faith and of an other iustification than S. Paule speaketh of and we vnderstand when we holde that a man is iustified by faith only or without workes of the law which is all one MART. 25. If these that account themselues the great Grecians and Hebricians of the world will so translate for the aduauntage of their cause as though they had no skill in the world and as though they knew neither the significatioÌ„ of words nor proprietie of phrases in the saide languages is it not to be esteemed shamelesse corruption FVLK 25. Yes but if it can not be proued that so they translate then is this an impudent slaunder as al the rest are and so it will proue when it coÌ„meth to be tried MART. 26. I will not speake of the German Heretikes who to mainteine this heresie that all our workes be they neuer so good are sinne translated for Tibi soli peccaui to thee only haue I sinned thus Tibi solùm peccaui that is I haue nothing else but sinned whatsoeuer I do I sinne whereas neither the Greeke nor the Hebrewe will possibly admit that sense Let these passe as Lutherans yet wilfull corrupters and acknowledged of our English Protestants for their good brethren But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were yet of no strength as the Geneua English Bible also doth interprete it whereas euery young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither without strength is not this of purpose to take away mans free will altogither See chap. 10. nu 13. FVLK 26. I knowe not what German heretikes those be which maintaine that heresie that al our works be they neuer so good are sinne except they be the Libertines with whom we haue nothing to do For we neuer say that good workes are sinne for that were al one to say that good were euill But that al our good workes are short of that perfection which the law of God requireth we do humbly confesse against our selues Or else what soeuer seemeth to be a good worke and is done of meÌ„ voyde of true faith is sinne For these assertions we haue the scripture to warraÌ„t vs. And if to proue the later any man hath translated those words of Dauid in the 51. Psalme Lecha Lebadecha Tibi solum or tantuÌ„modo tibi peccaui c. To the only or altogither to thee I haue sinned in respect of his naturall corruption which he doth expresse in the next verse he hath not departed one whitte from the Hebrewe wordes nor from the sense which the wordes may very wel beare which he that denieth rather sheweth him selfe ignorant in the Hebrew tongue than he that so translateth For what doth Lebad signifie but Solum or Tantum and therefore it may as well be translated Solum tibi as Soli â—ibi And the Apostle Rom. 3. prouing by the later end of that verse all men to be vniust that God only may be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou mayest be iustified in thy wordes c. fauoreth that interpretation of Bucer or who soeuer it is beside But if Beza translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when wee were yet of no strength as the Geneua Englishe Bible doth also interprete it whereas euerye young Grecian knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither withoute strengthe is not this of purpose to take awaye mannes free wyll altogither Chapter tenth Number 13. Naye it is to shewe as the Apostles purpose is that wee haue no strength to fulfill the lawe of God without the grace of Christ euen as Christ him selfe sayth without me you can do nothing Ioan. 15. v. 5. But euery young Grecian saye you knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is weake feeble infirme and not altogither with out strength And is there then any old Grecian that will proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway signifieth him that is weake but not voide of strength Doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes signifie him that hath some streÌ„gth Certaine it is that the Apostle speaketh here of those that were voide of strength for the same he calleth in the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vngodly or voide of religion for whom Christ died Howe say you then had vngodly persons any strength to be saued except Christ had died for them Therefore he that in this place translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake feeble infirme must needes vnderstand men so weake feeble and infirme as they haue no strength For how might it else be truely sayed what hast thou which thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. v. 7. Yes say you we haue some peece of freewil at least some strength to clime to heauen euen without the grace of God without the death redemption of Christ. If you say no why cauill you at Bezaes translation and ours The Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as great a Grecian as you would make your selfe signifieth weake or infirme sometime that which yet hath some strength sometime that which hath no strength at all as I will giue you a plaine example out of S.
wilful needlesse or hereticall aâ—oyding For although the mariage of ecclesiasticall ministers generally is proued by that Scripture yet the mariage of votaries specially is nothing confirmed And for the mariage of Bishops Priestes and Deacons your owne translation of 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. both Latine and English will warrant them to be the husbandes of one wife so that euery childe may see that he needed not for that purpose to corrupt the texte 1. Cor. 9. And as for the other texts 2. Pet. 1. although this worde by good workes is not expressed in the moste Greeke copies yet the whole circumstance of the place giueth it necessarily to be vnderstoode and yet it maketh nothing agaynst iustification by fayth only For our election which is most certaine immutable in Gods determinatioÌ„ is made certainly knowen vnto vs by good workes the fruites of iustifying faith euen as the effectes doe necessarily proue the cause gone before And so dothe Thomas Mathewes Bible note likewise the Bishops Bible and the Geneua Bible for so I had rather call them than by the yeares in whiche they were once printed whiche haue bene often printed and perhaps all in some one yeare Couerdales Bible also addeth these wordes by good workes whiche is redde in some Greeke copies So true it is that you say wee leaue it out because wee holde the selfe same heresie As likewise that you slaunder vs to hold that good workes are not necessarie to saluation whereas we beleeue that good workes are as necessarie to saluation as fayth in all them that are iustified by faith onely But because you are not able to withstand the truth which we beleeue you faine odious Monsters as Dragons Centaures Hydraes to fight withall before the people that you might gette the prayse of glorious conquerours like S. George on horsebacke that in a pageant vanquisheth an hideous dragon made of paper or painted clothes MART. 37. So do they in infinite places alter the olde text which pleased them well before they were Heretikes and they do it with brasen faces and playne protestation hauing no shame nor remorse at all in fleeing from that which all antiquitie with one consent allowed and embraced vntill their vnhappie daies Which though it be an euident condemnation of their nouelties in the sight of any reasonable man that hath any grace yet as I began to admonish thee gentle Reader we will not charge them for altering the auncient approued Latin translation because they pretend to folowe the Hebrue and Greeke and our purpose is not here to proue that they should not folowe the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before the auncient approued Latine text which is done briefly already in the preface to the new Testament FVLK 37. You were afrayde belike to be ouermatched in rayling and therefore you thought to beare vs downe at once with a whole floud of reprochfull slaunders and that you vtter euen with the same face with which you affirme that al antiquitie with one consente allowed and embraced your vulgar Latine texte for what else you shoulde meane I cannot coniecture seing you say afterwarde you will not charge vs for altering the auncient approued Latine translation What say you Martin doth all antiquitie with one consent allowe and imbrace your vulgar Latine translation What is the cause then that the most of all antiquitie of the Latine Church vsed not your vulgar Latine text or dare you ioyne issue with me that all the Latine doctors for 400 yeares after Christe vsed none other Latine translation but that or that they all knewe your vulgar Latine translation you are neuer able to proue it The 70. translation in deede was greatly esteemed and almost generally receyued in the Greeke and Latine Churches and out of it were innumerable Latine versions as S. Augustine affirmeth But your vulgar Latine followeth it not in many places as it were easie to shewe if time and occasion serued and I suppose you will not denie As for the reasons you bring in the Preface to the newe Testament to proue that we should not followe the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before that auncient approued text when they come to be considered it shall appeare how vayne and friuolous they are But as for the Hebrue and Greeke that now is may easilie be proued to be the same that alwaies hath bene neither is their any diuersitie in sentence how soeuer some copies eyther through negligence of the writer or by any other occasion do varie from that which is commonly and most generally receyued in some letters syllables or wordes MART. 38. Neither will we burden them for not folowing the vulgar Latine texte when the same agreeth with most auncient Greeke copies which notwithstanding is great partialitie in them must needes be of an heretical wilful humor that among the Greeke copies themselues they reiect that which moste agreeth with the vulgar Latine text in places of controuersies Yet will wee not I say neither in this case lay falsehood and corruption to their charge because they pretend to translate the common Greeke text of the newe Testament that is one certaine copie But here at the least lette them shewe their fidelitie and that they be true and exact translatours For here onely shall they be examined and called to account FVLK 38. In translation we follow the common vsuall and printed coppies as you doe in your translation and yet you know there be as many yea ten times as many diuerse readings in the Latine as are in the Greeke witnesse hereof the Bible printed at Antwerpe by Christopher Plantine 1567. of Hentenius castigation where the margents almost of euerie leafe be full of diuerse readings obeliskes asterisks stigmates signifying the variety that is in many copies by adding detracting chaunging The same is confessed by Arias Montanus Lindanus likewise acknowledgeth as much Of that which you say we reiect that which best agreeth with the vulgar Latine in places of controuersie you bring none example But that among your diuerse readings you reiect that which agreeth best with the Hebrue and with the Greeke in places of controuersie I will giue you an example Gen. 3 v. â—5 where the Hebrue truth teacheth that the seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes heade and the Greeke translateth the pronoune in the masculine gender he meaning Christ and some auncient copies of your vulgar Latine haue ipse you neuerthelesse followe that blasphemous corruption that in these later times hath bene receiued in your vulgar Latine Bibles and reade still in your texte ipsa she which though you would wrest blasphemously to the virgin Marie which is proper to Christ can not by the circumstance of the place be aptly referred to any but to Eue. MART. 39. And if they followe sincerely their Greeke and Hebrue text which they professe to followe and which they esteeme the onely authenticall texte so farre we accuse them not of hereticall
bene destroyed out of the world but are and haue bene in Christian countries with honour and reuerence euen since Christes time Mary in the idols of the Gentiles we see it verified which are destroyed in all the world so farre as Gentilitie is conuerted to Christ. FVLK 6. Verily the commaundement of God being a cōmaundement of the first table vnto which what soeuer is said in the Scriptures of images or the worship of them forbidden must be referred speaketh generally of all maner of images made by the deuise of man for any vse of religion whether they be of Iewes Pagans or false Christians But we are offred a demonstration that our owne conscience condemneth vs herein and that we applie all translation to our heresie And that is this In Esai 31. and Zacha. 13. with one consente all translate Idols because God speaketh of the time of the newe Testament where if they had translated Images they had made the prophecie false because Images in Christian countries are with honour but Idols of the Gentiles are destroyed out of the worlde so farre as gentilitie is conuerted to Christe A goodly demonstration I promise you That the translators had no such respect it is plaine for that they do not vnderstād the 31. of Esay of the time of Christe but of the reformation made by Ezechias But in Esay 44. whiche is a manifest prophesie of the Church of Christ they all vse the worde Image also Micheas the 5. and in diuerse other places where the destruction of Idolatrie is prophesied by the religion of Christ which is verified onely in true Christians for otherwise both the Idolatrie of Pagans and of false Christians hath remained in many places and yet remaineth to this day MART. 7. And what were the Pagans idols or their idolatrie S. Paule telleth vs saying They changed the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man of birdes and beasts and creeping thinges and they serued or worshipped the creature more than the creator Doth he charge them for making the image of man or beast Your selues haue hangings and clothes full of such paintings and embroderings of imagirie Wherewith then are they charged with giuing the glorie of God to such creatures which was to make them idols and them selues idolaters FVLK 7. That the Paganes changed the glory of God into the similitude of the Image of man c. it was the extremitie of their madnesse but that they made Images of man or beaste If you will not confesse that Iupiter Mars c. were men and Isis a cowe or beast yet remember that they made Images of their Emperours and committed Idolatrie to them otherwise to make Images out of religiō was not the offence of Idolatrie in them nor vs that haue them in hangings and paintings and other lawfull Images MART. 8. The case being thus why do you make it two distinct things in S. Paul calling the Pagans idolaters and the Christians doing the same worshippers of images and that in one sentence whereas the Apostle vseth but one and the selfe same Greeke worde in speaking both of Pagans and Christians It is a maruelous and wilfull corruption and well to be marked and therefore I will put downe the whole sentence as it is in your English translation I wrote to you that you shoulde not companie with fornicators and I meant not at all of the fornificators of this world either of the couetous or extortioners either the idolaters c. but that ye cōpanie not togither if any that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetous or A WORSHIPPER OF IMAGES or an extortioner In the first speaking of Pagans your translator nameth idolater according to the text but in the later part speaking of Christians you translate the very self same Greeke word worshipper of images Why so forsooth to make the reader thinke that S. Paule speaketh here not only of Pagan idolaters but also of Catholike Christians that reuerently kneele in praier before the Crosse the holy Roode the images of our Sauiour Christ and his Saincts as though the Apostle had commaunded such to be auoided FVLK 8. The reason is because we compt Idolaters and worshippers of Images to be all one But it is a maruelous wilfull corruption that in one sentence 1. Cor 5. we call the Paganes Idolaters and the Christians worshippers of Images and yet the same Greeke worde in both If this were a faulte it were but of one translation of the three for the Geneua Bible hath Idolater in both the other worshipper of Idolls in the later place And wee thinke the later to be vnderstoode of Idolatrous Papists which worship Idols made with handes of men as Crosses Roodes and other Images to as great dishonor of God and daunger of their soules as Pagans did So that if it had bene worshippers of Images in both the translation had not bene amisse MART. 9. Where if you haue yet the face to denie this your malitious and heretical intent tell vs why all these other wordes are translated and repeated alike in both places couetous fornicators extortioners both Pagans and Christians and only this word idolaters not so but Pagans idolaters and Christians worshippers of images At the least you can not denie but it was of purpose done to make both seeme all one yea and to signifie that the Christians doing the foresaid reuerence before sacred images which you call worshipping of images are more to be auoided than the Pagan idolaters Whereas the Apostle speaking of Pagans and Christians that committed one and the selfe same heynous sinne what soeuer commaundeth the Christian in that case to be auoyded for his amendement leauing the Pagan to him selfe and to God as hauing not to doe to iudge of him FVLK 9. I thinke the cause was that Christians might vnderstand who was an Idolater what the word Idolater signifieth which was vsed in the former parte of the sentence And if the translators purpose was by this explication to dissuade the readers from worshipping of popish Images I see not what cause he hath to be ashamed thereof seeing the Greeke word signifieth as much as he saith not as though Idols were proper onely to the Gentiles and Images to Christians for in other places he vseth the name of Images speaking both of the Pagans and the Christians 1. Cor. 8. Although for my parte I could wishe he had vsed one worde in both places either called them both Idolaters or both worshippers of Images MART. 10. But to this the answere belike will be made as one of them hath already answered in the like case that in the English Bible appointed to be read in their Churches it is otherwise and euen as we would haue it corrected and therfore saith he it had bene good before we entred into such hainous accusations to haue examined our grounds that they had bene true As
Images is vaine for this purpose for all Images that are vsed in religion are false and teachers of falshood which you with Gregorie say are Laye mens bookes but what shall they teache saith Abacuc and Ieremie but lies and vanitie where note that Ieremie calleth the Image woodde by Synecdoche signifying all Images made with hands of any matter Againe he saith euery artificer is confounded in his Image because it is false which he hath made and there is no breath in it In whiche verse it is to be obserued that hee vseth firste the worde Pesel saying Mippasel and afterward Nifco for the same Image made by the artificer without distinction of grauing or melting at leastwise for the sense though the wordes be diuerse Euen so your vulgar Latin translator vseth Sculptile conflatile imaginem simulachrum for one and the same thing The Scripture therfore telling vs that all Images are false because they being voyde of life are sette vp to represent the liuing it is not our fantasie but the auctoritie of Gods worde that causeth vs to reiect your fantasticall distinction of true and false Images MART. 26. Wherein you proceede so farre that when Daniel sayde to the King I worshippe not idolls made with handes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you make him saye thus I worshippe not thinges that be made with hands leauing out the worde idolls altogither as though he had sayd nothing made with hand were to be adored not the Arke the propitiatorie no nor the holy crosse it selfe that our Sauiour shed his bloud vpon As before you added to the text so here you diminish and take from it at your pleasure FVLK 26. That thing is put for idoll I confesse it to be a fault in some translations but in the Geneua Bible it is reformed Contempt of the authoritie of that Apocryphall chapiter as it seemed did breede that negligence Where you write that he should by saying I worshippe not thinges made with handes haue denyed the Arke and the propitiatorie to be worshipped it is very true for neither of both was to be worshipped as they were made with handes but God was to be worshipped where they were and those thinges to be reuerently esteemed as the sacraments of Gods presence As for the crosse whereon Christ dyed I see no cause why it shoulde be worshipped if it were to bee had but rather if it were worshipped it shoulde bee serued as the brasen serpent was None of the Apostles made anye accounte of it Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathia if there had beene any matter of religion in it might haue preserued it and not haue suffered it to be buried in the earth with the two other crosses as the storie of the inuention sayeth if it be true At the finding whereof Helena as Sainct Ambrose writeth Regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic gentilis est error vanitas impiorum She worshipped the King not the tree verily for this is an Hethenishe errour and vanitie of vngodly men De obit Theodosij MART. 27. But concerring the worde image which you make to be the English of all the Latine Hebrew and Greeke wordes be they neuer so many and so distinct I beseeche you what reason had you to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 images Sap. 15. verse 13. doth the Greeke worde so signifie doth not the sentence following tell you that it shoulde haue bene translated grauen idolls for thus it sayth They iudged all the idolls of the nations to be Gods Loe your images or rather loe the true names of the Pagans gods which it pleaseth you to call images images FVLK 27. I thinke you are not able to proue that we make image the English to all the Hebrewe wordes though you boldly affirme it But in the place by you mentioned I suppose they translated the Greeke worde grauen or carued images rather than idoll because the writer in that place Sap. 15. 13. speaketh of the first framing and fashioning of those images which though the purpose of the workeman be neuer so wicked yet can not properly be called idolls before they be abused by them that worship them MART. 28. But to conclude this point you might it would haue well becommed you in translating or expounding the foresayd wordes to haue followed S. Hierom the great famous translator and interpreter of the holy Scriptures who telleth you two senses of the foresaid wordes the one literall of the Idols of the Gentiles the other mysticall of Heresies errours Sculptile sayth he conflatile I take to be peruerse opinions which are adored of the authors that made thē See Arius that graued to him selfe this idoll that Christ was onely a creature and adored that which he had grauen Behold Eunomius howe he molted and cast a false image and bowed to that which he had molten Suppose he had exemplified of the two condemned heretikes Iouinian Vigilantius also had he not touched your idols that is the olde condemned heresies which you at this day adore FVLK 28. It becommeth vs best in translation to follow the originall text and as neare as we can the true meaning of the holy Ghost As for the two senses which Hieronym telleth stand whole and vntouched for our translation There is a difference betwene a translation and a commentarie In commenting vpon the text they that see it conuenient may apply the idolls of the Gentiles the worship of them to the heresies of our times of the Papistes Anabaptistes Libertines and such like as the Apostle doth by similitude to couetousnes As for olde condemned heresies which you charge vs to worship as idols you are able to proue none whatsoeuer you bable of Vigilantius and Iouinian neither of both doe we follow in any error much lesse in any heresie MART. 29. These onely I meane heresies and heretikes are the idols and idolaters by the ancient Doctors iudgement which haue bene among Christians since the idolatrie of the Gentiles ceased according to the Prophets Therefore S. Hierom sayth againe If thou see a man that will not yeeld to the truth but when the falshoode of his opinions is once shewed perseuereth still in that he began thou mayst aptly say Sperat in figmento suo and he maketh dumme or deafe idolls And againe All Heretikes haue their gods and whatsoeuer they haue forged they adore the same as Sculptile and Constantile that is as a grauen and molten idoll And againe He sayth well I haue found vnto my selfe an idoll For all the forgeries of heretikes are as the idolls of the Gentiles neither doe they much differ in impiety though in name they seeme to differ And againe Whatsoeuer according to the letter is spoken against the idolatrie of the Iewes doe thou referre al this vnto them which vnder the name of Christ worship idols and forging to them selues peruerse opinions carye the tabernacle of their king the deuill and the
because it apeareth by the effects that he speaketh of faith as it was a speciall gift of working of myracles of which effectes he nameth one remouing of mountaines And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so taken namely for the perfection of one kynde not the vniuersall comprehension of al kindes he bringeth you example Ro. 7. v. 8. and elsewhere oftentimes But if it shoulde be taken as you say all knowledge all mysteries is generally to be taken yet he telleth you this separation is but vppon an impossible supposition for iustifying faith can neuer bee separated from charitie but if it might be separated it shoulde not profite to iustifie The Angels of heauen can not preach an other gospel but if they did preach an other gospel they should be accursed A great argument I promise you against iustification by faith onely that a solitarie dead or barraine faith doth not iustifie MART. 7. And I woulde haue anye of the Bezites giue me a sufficient reason why hee translated totam fidem and not also totam scientiam vndoubtedly there is no cause but the heresie of speciall and onely faith And againe why he translateth Iaco. 2. 22. Thou seest that faith was administra a helper of his workes and expoundeth it thus Faith was an efficient cause and fruitful of good workes Wheras the Apostles wordes be plaine that faith wrought togither with his workes yea and that his fayth was by workes made perfecte This is impudent handling of Scripture to make workes the fruite onely and effecte of fayth which is your heresie FVLK 7. If you dare draw foorth your pen against Beza and demande an answere of himselfe although he hath already giuen you a sufficiēt reason to induce that the Apostle speaketh not of faith as generally as of knowledge because by an example of remouing mountaines he restraineth it to one kinde of faith As for the other question why he translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 2. v. 22. was an helper me thinke you should make best answere your selfe who not long since by force of that word woulde needes prooue that men were helpers of God chap. 10. sect 6. Haue you so soone forgotten your own voice and is this impudent handling of the scripture to translate as you your selfe in an other case thoughe impertinently did contend the word to signifie But works you wil not haue to be the fruit only and effect of faith because the Apostle saieth that faith wrought togither with his workes and by workes his faith was made perfite as thoughe apples are not the fruite of the tree because the tree doth beare them and by them if they be good the tree is made a good tree MART. 8. Which heresie also must needes be the cause that to suppresse the excellencie of charitie which the Apostle giueth it aboue faith or any other gift whatsoeuer in these wordes And yet I shew you a more excellent way 1. Cor. 12. v. 31. he in one edition of the new Testament in the yeare 1556. translateth thus Behold moreouer also I shew you a way most diligently What cold stuffe is this howe impertinent In an other edition an 1565. he mended it thus And besides I shew you a way to excellencie In neither of both expressing the comparison of preeminence excellencie that charitie hath in the Apostles words and in all the chapter following Wherein you did well for your credite not to followe him no not your Bezites them selues but to translate after our vulgar Latine interpreter as it hath alwayes bene read vnderstoode in the Church FVLK 8. The rarenesse of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as al indifferēt men wil iudge rather than any mind to suppresse the excellencie of charitie caused Beza to giue dyuerse interpretations of that place of whiche yet the latter more commendeth the excellencie of charitie than the vulgar Latin or our Eaglishe translation whiche expoundeth it as the Latine doth for if charitie be the way to excellencie it is a greater commendation thereof than to saye it is a more excellent waye than other giftes whereof he spake last as of healing of tongues of interpretations c. MART. 9. Luther was so impudent in this case that because the Apostle spake not plà inely ynough for onely faith he thrust only into the text of his translation as himself witnesseth you durst not hitherto presume so farre in this question of onely faith though in other controuersies you haue done the like as is shewed in their places But I wil aske you a smaller matter which in words shew you may perhaps easily answer but in your conscience there wil remaine a gnawing worme In so many places of the Gospell where our Sauiour requireth the peoples faith when he healed them of corporall diseases only why do you so gladly translate thus Thy faith hath saued thee rather than thus thy faith hath healed thee or made thee whole is it not by ioyning these wordes togither to make it sound in English eares that faith saueth or iustifieth a man in so much that Beza noteth in the margent thus fides saluat that is faith saueth your Geneua Bibles in that place where it can not be taken for faith that iustifieth because it is not the parties faith but her fathers that Christ required there also trāslate thus Beleeue only she shall be saued Which translation though very false and impertinent for iustifying faith as you seeme to acknowledge by translating it otherwise in your other Bibles yet in deede you must needes mainteine and hold it for good whiles you alleage this place for onely faith as is euident in your writings FVLK 9. That which Luther might wel do as an interpretor or expounder it was much boldnesse for him to doe as a translator but seeing he him selfe hath redressed his owne offence wee haue lesse to say for him and you against him For our additions except suche as the necessitie of our English phrase dothe require for vnderstanding you slaunder vs to say that wee haue in any controuersies done the like The question you aske is not worthy any answere why wee translate thy faith hath saued thee c. seing wee vse all these wordes indifferently healing making safe and making whole as in S. Iames we say Can faith saue him And it is al one to say thy faith hath saued thee and thy fayth hath made thee whole But you say wee alledge this place for onely faith iustifying citing the answeres of Maister Gough M. Tomson against Feckenham I thinke you lie as in other places very commonly And yet an argument though not a plaine testimonie may be taken out of these places for only faith iustifying Seing Christ was not a phisition for the body but to teach mē that he was a Physition for the soule and as he healed the diseased in bodie onely by faith so hee cureth the sickuesse of
the soule by the same instrument of faith onely which by other places may be more directly prooued and here also in some sorte is insinuated MAR. 10. This then you see is a fallacie wheÌ„ faith only is required to the helth of the body as in many such places thogh not in all there by translation to make it sounde a iustifying faith as thogh faith only were required to the helth of the soule Wheras that faith was of Christes omnipotencie onely and power which Beza confesseth may be in the diuels themselues and is farre from the faith that iustifieth If you saye the Greeke signifieth as you translate it doth so in deede but it signifieth also very commonly to bee healed corporally as by your owne translation in these places Marc. 5. v. 28. Marc. 6. v. 36. Luc. 8. v. 36. v. 51. Where you translate I shal be whole They were healed Hee was healed She shal bee made whole And why do you here translate so because you know to be saued importeth rather an other thing to wit saluation of the soule and therefore when faith is ioyned withall you translate rather saued than healed though the place be meant of bodilie health onely to insinuate by all meanes your iustification by only faith FVLK 10. It is no fallacie from the health of the bodie to ascende higher to the health of the soule but that direct and plaine way by whiche Christe himselfe would be knowne to be sauiour of the worlde not of the bodie onely but of the bodie and soule togither And commonly his bodily cures were ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinnes whych are causes of al maladies and with health of their soules whose bodies were made safe As for iustification by faith only we meane none otherwise to insinuate it in this place than Christ him self doth by doing miracles in giuing health of the bodie to testifie that he is the onely authour of the saluation of mens soules CHAP. XIII Heretical translation against PENANCE and SATISFACTION Martin VPon the heresie of onely faith iustifying and sauing a man followeth the deniall of all penance and satisfaction for sinnes Which Beza so abhorreth Annot. in Mat. 3. v. 2 that he maketh protestation that he auoydeth these termes Poenitentia and Poenitentiam agere of purpose and that he will alwayes vse for them in translating the Greeke wordes resipiscentia and resipiscere Which he doth obserue perhaps but that sometimes he is worse than his promise translating most falsely and heretically for resipiscentia resipiscentes so that your English Bezites them selues are ashamed to translate after him Who otherwise followe his rule for the most part translating resipiscentia amendement of life and resipiscite amende your liues and the other English Bibles when they translate best say repentance and repent but none of them all once haue the wordes penance and doe penance Which in most places is the very true translation according to the verye circumstance of the text and vse of the Greeke word in the Greeke Church and the auncient Latine translation thereof and all the fathers reading thereof and their expositions of the same Which foure pointes I thinke not amisse briefly to proue that the Reader may see the vse and signification of these wordes which they of purpose will not expresse to auoyd the termes of penance and doing penance Fulke IF by penance you meane satisfaction for sinnes by any suffering of ours we abhorre your penance as an horrible blasphemy against the bloud of Christ. And for that cause Beza as hath bene shewed before vseth the worde resipiscentia rather than poenitentia because the Greeke word signifieth not onely a sorow for sinne but also a purpose of amendment of life We in English vse the worde repentance or amendment of life which worde of repentance you vse also sometimes when it pleaseth you or when you can not for shame vse your popish terme of doing penance The cause why we neuer vse that word penance is for that you meane not thereby that which the Scripture calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a certaine punishment taken vpon men for satisfaction of their sinnes vnto God which is abhominable for all Christian eares to heare which acknowledge that the bloud of Christ onely purgeth vs from all sinne But in foure pointes you will proue if you can that we should translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do penance MART. 2. First that the circumstance of the text doth giue it so to signifie we reade in S. Mathew cap. 11. v. 21. If in Tyre and Sidon had bene wrought the miracles that haue bene wrought in you they had done penance in hairecloth or sackecloth and ashes long agoe And in S. Luke cap. 10. v. 13. they had done penance fitting in sackcloth and ashes I beseech you these circumstances of sackecloth and ashes adioyned doe they signifie penance and affliction of the bodye or onely amendement of life as you would haue the word to signifie S. Basil sayth in Psal. 29. Sackcloth maketh for penance For the fathers in olde time sitting in sackcloth and ashes did penance Vnlesse you will translate S. Basil also after your fashion whome you can not any way translate but the sense must needes be penance and doing penance Againe S. Paule sayth You were made sorie to penance or to repentance say which you will and The sorowe which is according to God worketh penance or repentance vnto saluation Is not sorow and bitter mourning and affliction partes of penance Did the incestuous man whome Saint Paule excommunicated and afterward absolued him because of his exceeding sorow and teares for feare lest he might be ouerwhelmed with sorow did he I say change his mind onely or amend his life as you translate the Greeke worde and interprete repentance did he not penance also for his fault enioyned of the Apostle when Saint Iohn the Baptist sayth and Saint Paule exhorteth the like Doe fruites worthy of penance or as you translate meete for repentance Doe they not plainly signifie penitentiall workes or the workes of penance which is the very cause why Beza rather translated in those places Doe the fruites meete for them that amend their liues or giue vs some other good cause Oye Bezites why your maister doth so foâ—ly falsifie his translation FVLK 2. Such is your malicious frowardnes that you will not vnderstande resipiscentia repentance or amendement of life a sorow or griefe of mind for the life past which is testified sometimes by outward signes of sackcloth and ashes fasting and humbling of mens bodies as in the texts of Math. 11. and Luc. 10. and diuerse other is expressed But shew vs that the wearing of sackcloth and ashes is a satisfaction for the life past or any part of amends to Gods iustice or else you do but trifle and waste the time But S. Basil sayth that sackcloth maketh for penance c.