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.
euident absurditie thereof FVLK 13. Maister Whitaker is not so inconsiderate to play fast and loose as you are intemperate and vntrue in accusing him Howbeit there is no doubt but he will meete you and handle you according to your vertues But seeing you giue such high commendation to Campions pamphlet as that you call it a learned booke wherein beside a litle ranke Rhetorike more meete for a boye that learneth to practise his figures than for a graue Diuine to vse in so serious a cause there is nothing that any learned man may thinke worthy of any aunswere we may well perceiue what you count learning what be the pillers of your popish religion The bookes are both in print let the worlde iudge of both indifferently MART. 14 But to leaue M. Whitakers who is a simple companion to sit in iudgement vpon all the auncient Doctors and to condemne them of hainous errour in the matter of penance I trust the Reader seeth by the former discourse the vsuall Ecclesiasticall signification and consequently both the true and false translation of the foresayd Greeke wordes Not that they must or may alwayes be translated penance or doing penance For in the scriptures God is sayd Poenitentiam agere who can not be sayd to doe penance no more than he can be said to amend his life as the Protestants commonly translate this word Therefore I conclude that this word being spoken of God in the Scriptures is no more preiudice against our translation of doing penance than it is against theirs of amendment of life Likewise when it is spoken of the reprobate and damned in hell who as they can not doe penance properly so much lesse amende their liues FVLK 14. Maister Whitaker taketh not vpon him to sit in iudgement of all the Doctors although he may note some errour or other in euery one of them whose writings of any substance doe remaine with vs. But after all this brabling about poenitentiaÌ„ agere you come home and confesse that it must not alwayes be translated doing of penance because God him selfe after your vulgar translation is sayd agere poenitentiam which with the Septuaginta is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man could better haue confuted your vaine quarreling than you haue done your selfe for by this it is manifest that the vulgar Interpreter did not meane by agere poenitentiam any more than we doe by repentance And therefore the best and the most simple translation is to vse the wordes repent and repentance And the Greeke word as Tertullian telleth you signifieth changing of mind which may be without acknowledging of errour Although it can not vet be properly said of God that he changeth his mind when he is sayd to repent As likewise it is not necessary that they which be in hel should amend their liues when it is said they repent Neither doe we translate the worde simply amendment of life but shewe that amendement of life must necessarily follow in them that truely repent as the Scripture teacheth vs. MART. 15. Moreouer it is purposely against penance that they translate amisse both in Daniel and Esdras whose voluntary mourning fasting afflicting of them selues for their owne sinnes and the peoples is notoriously set forth in their bookes There they make the Angell say thus to Daniel From the first day that thou didst set thyne hart TO HVMBLE thy selfe What is this humbling him selfe can we gather any penance thereby none at all but if they had sayd according to the Hebrew Greeke and Latine from the first day that thou didst set thine hart TO AFFLICT thy selfe we shoulde easily conceiue workes of penance and it would include Daniels mourning fasting from flesh wine and other meates abstaining from ointments the space of the dayes mentioned in the beginning of the same chapter FVLK 15. The word humbling doth as wel comprehende all those exercises of fasting and mourning which the holy men did vse to testifie their repentance to prouoke them selues to hartie repentance for their sinnes the sinnes of the people as the word afflicting Another translation calleth it chastening the Hebrewe word signifieth to bring lowe or cast downe therefore it is spoken of women that are carnally knowne which is without affliction But when it is vsed of such godly exercises it declareth for what ende they serue namely to humble and bring low our proude rebellious nature and to be signes of humiliation as S. Basil sayth of sackcloth and ashes not to be by punishment satisfaction for our sinnes Your owne vulgar Latine interpretor traÌ„slateth the same word Gen. 16 v. 19. humiliare humble thy selfe or submit thy selfe vnder thy mistres hand and often times in that sense And euen in this sense of humbling by signes of repentance he vseth the word humiliaâ—us speaking of Achab 2. Reg. 21. v. 29. where the Hebrew word is otherwise And Psalme 35. v. 13. the same worde â—innethi he translateth humiliaham And in their sickenes I put on sackcloth and humbled my soule with fasting So doth he often times when such bodily chastisement is signified thereby Wherefore this as all the rest is a false and vnreasonable quarrell against our translation as though by it we meant to denye the vse of afflicting or chastening the body with fasting mourning and other like exercises of repentance MART. 16. Againe in all their Bibles of the yeares 1562. 1577. 1579. they make Esdras c. 9. 5. after his exceeding great penance say onely this About the euening sacrifice I arose vp from my HEAVINESSE neither translating the Hebrew which is the same word that in Daniel nor the Greeke which signifieth affliction and humiliation FVLK 16. First your Greeke text of Esdras confirmeth our translation of Daniel Secondly I say that by this heauines they meane all that humiliation and affliction whereof he spake before which is easie for euery man to vnderstand that is not blinded with malice and what other thing is affliction but heauines griefe and sorow whereof the holy man spake twice before I thinke no wise man can tell MART. 17. Againe in the Prophet Malachie c. 3. 14. they translate thus Ye haue sayde It is but vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commaundements and walked HVMBLY before his face What is this same humbly when we say in English he goeth humbly we imagine or conceiue no more but this that he is an humble man and behaueth him selfe humbly but they know very well the Prophet speaketh of an other thing and if it had pleased them to haue translated the Hebrew word fully and significantly in the sense of the holy Ghost they might haue learned by conference of other places where the same Hebrewe word is vsed that it signifieth such heauines sadnes sorowfulnes and affliction as men expresse by blacke mourning garmeÌ„ts the nature of the word importing blacknesse darknesse lowring and the like Which is
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
with infinite paine but because it is a sinne committed against the maiestie of the eternall God and therefore is worthy of eternall punishment For the sinne is to be measured after the excellencie of the person against whome it is committed Therefore that word which being spoken against a poore man is a light fault as to say he is a knaue the same being spoken against a Lorde is an hainous offence and deserueth the pillorie hut being spoken against a King is high treason and is worthy of death Seeing therefore the eternall maiestie of God is contemned in euery sinne that sinne doth iustly deserue eternall torments Fourthly it is true that the Apostle doth exhort vs cheerefully to abide the small and momentarie afflictions of this life in respect that they shall be rewarded with incomparable glorie But hereof it followeth not that the glorie is deserued by short and small sufferings but is giuen of the bountifull liberalitie of God to them that for his sake patiently suffer such small afflictions Therefore if it be an incouragement for a man to labour to heare that he shall be payd his hyre as much as his worke deserueth it is a much greater incouragement for him to heare that he shal receiue a thousand times more than his labour deserueth The words you adde you are neuer the nearer heauen onely beleeue are yours and none of ours for we say with the Apostle we must suffer with Christ if we will reigne with him and the patient suffering of the faithful is nothing repugnant to the iustification before God by faith onely To the last argument of the Apostles authoritie I aunswer our patient suffering worketh infinite weight of glorie not by the worthinesse merite or desert of our suffering but by the bountifull liberalitie of God who hath promised so incomparable rewarde to small tribulation suffered for his sake Wherefore all your fiue reasons notwithstanding our translation is sounde and true MART. 7. See you not a comparison betwene short and eternall light tribulation and exceding weightie glorie and yet that one also worketh the other that is causeth purchaseth and deserueth the other For like as the litle seede being not comparable to the great tree yet causeth it and bringeth it forth so our tribulations and good workes otherwise incomparable to eternall glorie by the vertue of Gods grace working in vs worketh purchaseth and causeth the sayd glorie For so they knowe verie well the Greeke worde importeth though here also they translate it most falsely prepareth Bib. an 1577. FVLK 7. We see the comparison well but we see not that worketh or causeth is all one with purchaseth and deserueth Your comparison of seede and tribulation is not like For in the seede is the formall cause of the greate tree so is not the formall cause of eternall glorie in our tribulation But as if an Emperour for one dayes valiant seruice in warre doe giue vnto his sonne one of his kingdomes we may truly say that dayes seruice wrought him this great rewarde or caused him to be aduaunced to this kingdome but we can not say truely it purchased or deserued a kingdome for then euery one that serued as well as he deserued the like rewarde so is the rewarde of eternall life whiche is the gift of God incomparably greater than our tribulatiō not by the desert of the sufferer but by liberalitie of the giuer That translation that vseth the worde of preparing is not so proper according to the worde but it differeth not muche in sense shewing howe those afflictions do worke or cause namely by preparing making vs conformable to the sufferings of Christ. MART. 8. Lastly for moste manifest euidence that these present tribulations and other good workes are meritorious and worthie of the ioyes to come though not comparable to the same you shal heare the holy Doctors say both in one passage or sentence S. Cyprian thus O what maner of day shal come my brethren when our Lord shal recoūt the MERITES of euery one and paie vs the rewarde or stipend of faith and deuotion Ep. 56. here are merites and the rewarde for the same It foloweth in the saide Doctor What glorie shall it be and how great ioie to be admitted to see God so to be honoured that thou receiue the ioy of eternall life with Christe thy Lorde God to receiue there that which neither eie hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath ascended into the hart of man for that we shall receiue greater things than here eyther wee doe or suffer the Apostle pronounceth saying The passions of this time are not condigne or comparable to the glorie to come Here we see that the stipend or reward of the merits aforesayd are incomparably greater than the sayd merits FVLK 8. For lacke of Scriptures you flye to the Doctors to finde merits in whome neuerthelesse being Catholike and sound Doctors you shall sooner find the word Meritum than your meaning of it The place of Cyprian I maruell why you geld except it be to ioyne the reward that he speaketh of with the worde merites which he vseth either generally for workes as it is often vsed in the auncient writers or if he meane thereby deserts he speaketh but of examination onely of all mens deserts that he may giue to the wicked that they haue deserued and to the godly that which he hath promised therefore he calleth it the rewarde of their faith and deuotion His wordes are these O diesille qualis quantus aduenies fratres dilectissimi cum caeperit populum suum dominus recensere diuinae cognitionis examine singulorum meritum recognoscere mittere in gehennam nocentés persecutores nostros flammae paenalis perpetuo ardore damnare nobis verò mercedem fidei deuotionis exoluere O that day what manner a one and how great shall it come my deerest beloued brethren when the Lorde shall beginne to recount his people and by examination of his diuine knowledge consider the merites of euery one to sende into hell fire the guiltie and to condemne our persecutors with perpetuall burning of penall flame but vnto vs to pay the reward of faith and deuotion The rewarde of faith is not that which beliefe deserueth but which it looketh for according to Gods promise wherevnto it leaneth For in respect of deserte of Gods fauour he saith and bringeth diuerse textes for proofe Fidem tantum prodesse tantum nos posse quantum credimus That faith only doth profite and that so much wee can doe how much we beleeue Wherfore we see not in Cyprian the incomparable glory to be a reward of desertes MART. 9. Likewise S. Augustine The exceeding goodnesse of God hath prouided this that the labours should soone be ended but the rewardes of the MERITES should endure without ende the Apostle testi fying THE PASSIONS OF THIS TIME ARE NOT COMPARABLE c. For wee shal receiue greater blisse
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.