they could not say ordinances of Saincts and they vvould not say iustificatiōs of saincts knovving very vvel by Bezaes ovvne cōmentarie that this vvord includeth the good vvorkes of saincts vvhich vvorkes if they should in translating call their iustifications it vvould goe sore against iustification by only faith Therfore doe they trāslate in steede thereof ordinances statutes vvhere they can vvhich are termes furthest of from iustification and vvhere they can not there they say righteousnes making it also the plural number vvhereas the more proper Greeke vvord for righteousnes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 6 22. vvhich there some of thē translate vngiltinesse because they vvil not translate exactly if you vvould hire them 4 And therfore as for iustice and iustifications they say righteousnes Bib. of the yere 1577. most approued Mat. 1 19. Luc. 1 6. so for iust they translate righteous and by this meanes Ioseph vvas a righteous man rather then a iust man and Zacharie Elisabeth vvere both righteous before God rather then iust because vvhen a man is called iust it soundeth that he is so in deede and not by imputation only as a vvise man is vnderstood to be vvise in deede and not only so imputed Therfore do they more gladly and more often say righteous men rather then iust men and vvhen they do say iust men as sometime they doe lest they might seeme vvilful inexcusably there they vnderstand iust by imputation and not in deede as is to be seen in Bezaes Annotatiōs vpon the Epistle to the Romanes Note also that they put the vvord iust vvhen faith is ioyned vvithal as Ro. 1. The iust shal liue by faith to signifie that iustification is by faith But if vvorkes be ioyned vvithal and keeping the commaundemēts as in the place alleaged Luc. 1. ther they say righteous to suppresse iustification by vvorkes 5 And certaine it is if there vvere no sinister meaning they vvould in no place auoid to say iust iustice iustification where both the Greeke and Latin are so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvord for vvord as for example 2 Tim. 4 8. In al their bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Henceforth there is laid vp for me a crovvne of RIGHTEOVSNES vvhich the Lord the RIGHTEOVS iudge shal GIVE me at that day And againe 2 Thess 1. Reioyce in tribulations vvhich is a token of the RIGHTEOVS IVDGEMENT of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that you may be counted vvorthie of the kingdom of God for vvhich ye saffer For it is a RIGHTEOVS THING vvith God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest vvith vs in the reuelation of the Lord IESVS from heauen And againe Hebr. 6 10. God is not VNRIGHTEOVS to forget your good vvorke and labour c. non enim iniustus est Deus These are very pregnant places to discouer their false purpose in concealing the vvord iustice in al their bibles For if they vvil say that iustice is not an vsual English vvord in this sense and therfore they say righteousnes yet I trovv iust and vniust are vsual and vvel knovven Vvhy then vvould they not say at the least in the places alleaged God the IVST iudge A token of the IVST IVDGEMENT of God It is a IVST thing vvith God God is not VNIVST to forget c Vvhy is it not at the least in one of their English Bibles being so both in Greeke and Latin 6 Vnderstand gentle Reader and marke vvel The scriptures most euident for iustification by vvorkes against only faith that if S. Paules vvordes vvere truely translated thus A crovvne of IVSTICE is laid vp for me vvhich our Lord the IVST iudge vvil RENDER vnto me at that day and so in the other places it vvould inferre that men are iustly crowned in heauen for their good workes vpon earth and that it is Gods iustice so to doe that he vvil do so because he is a iustiudge because he vvil shevv his IVST IVDGEMENT and he vvil not forget so to doe because he is not vniust as the auncient fathers namely the Greeke doctors S. Chrysostom Psal 57. Si vtique est fructus iusto vtique est Deus iudicans eos in terra Theodorete Oecumenius vpon these places do interpret 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 kingdom of heauen according to IVST IVDGEMENT 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not according to grace Vvhich lest the Aduersarie might take in the vvorse part as though it vvere only Gods iustice or iust iudgement and not his fauour or grace also S. Augustine excellently declareth hovvv it is both the one and the other to vvit his grace and fauour and mercie in making vs by his grace to liue and beleeue vvel and so to be vvorthy of heauen his iustice and iust iudgement to render and repay for those vvorkes vvhich him self vvrought in vs life euerlasting Vvhich he expresseth thus Aug. de gra lib. arb ca. 6. Hovv should he render or repay as a iust iudge vnles he had giuen it as a merciful father Vvhere S. Augustine vrgeth the vvordes of repaying as due and of being A IVST IVDGE therfore both vvhich the said translatours corrupt not only saying righteous iudge for iust iudge but that he vvil giue a crovvne vvhich is of a thing not due for that vvhich is in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He vvil render or repay vvhich is of a thing due and deserued hath relation to vvorkes going before for the vvhich the crovvne is repaied He said not saith Theophylacte vpon this place he vvil giue but he vvil render or repay as a certaine dette for he being iust vvil define limite the revvard according to the labours the crovvne therfore is due dette because of the iudges iustice So saith he 7 Vvhich speaches being most true as being the expresse vvordes of holy Scripture yet vve knovv hovv odiously the Aduersaries may doe misconster them to the ignorant as though vve chalenged heauen by our ovvne vvorkes and as though vve made God bound to vs. Vvhich vve do not God forbid but because he hath prepared good vvorkes for vs as the Apostle saith to vvalke in them Eph. 2 v. 10. and doth by his grace cause vs to doe them and hath promised life euerlasting for them and telleth vs in al his holy Scriptures that to doe them is the vvay to heauen therfore not presuming vpon our ovvne vvorkes as our ovvne or as of our selues but vpon the good vvorkes vvrought through Gods grace by vs his seely instruments vve haue great confidence as the Apostle speaketh and are assured that these vvorkes proceding of his grace Hebr. 10. be so
CONTRA BONITATEM FIDEI that is according to their ovvne translation A faithful frende hath no peere vveight of gold siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his faith 6. Novv if they vvil say though their translation of S. Paules vvordes be not so exact and commodious Hovv good vvorkes merite life euerlasting though one incomparably exceede the other yet the sense and meaning is al one for if these present afflictions be not equal or comparable to the glorie to come then neither are they worthie of it nor can deserue or merite it let the Christian reader marke the difference First their Beza and Caluin telleth them that the Apostle speaketh of the one and not of the other Secōdly the passions afflictions that Christ our Sauiour suffered al his life vvere not comparable to the eternal glorie vvhich he obtained thereby yet did he thereby deserue and merite eternal glorie not only for him self but for al the vvorld yea by the least affliction he suffered did he deserue al this vnles you vvil deny also that he merited and deserued his glorie vvhich your opinion a man might very vvel gather by * Heb. 2 9. in the new Testament of the yere 1580. Bib. 1579. some of your false translations but that you vvould thinke vs to suspicious vvhich perhaps vve vvil examine hereafter Thirdly the present pleasure of aduoutrie during a mans life is not comparable to the eternal torments of hel fire and yet it doth merite and deserue the same Fourthly the Apostle by making an incomparable difference of the glorie to come vvith the afflictiōs of this time doth as S. Chrisostom saith exhort them the more vehemently and moue them to sustaine al things the more vvilingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if he said as they translate The afflictions are not vvorthie of heauen you are neuer the neerer heauen for them only beleeue this had not been to exhort them but to discourage them 2 Cor. 4. v. 17. Fifthly the Apostle vvhen he vvil els vvhere encourage them to suffer saith plainely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our tribulation vvhich presently is for a moment and light WORKETH aboue measure excedingly an eternal vveight of glorie in vs. 7 See you not a comparison betvvene short and eternal light tribulation exceding vveightie glorie and yet that one also vvorketh the other that is causeth purchaseth and deserueth the other for like as the litle seede being not cōparable to the great tree yet causeth it and bringeth it forth so out tribulatiōs good vvorkes othervvise incomparable to eternal glorie by the vertue of Gods grace vvorking in vs worketh purchaseth and causeth the said glorie for so they knovv very wel the Greeke vvorde importeth See this Greeke Word 2 Cor. 7. thrise Vvhere thē selues translate it causeth Worketh v. 10.11 though here also they translate it most falsely prepareth Bib. an 1577. 8 Lastly for most manifest euidence that these present tribulations and other good vvorkes are meritorious vvorthie of the ioyes to come though not cōparable to the same you shal heare the holy Doctors say both in one passage or sentence ep 56. nu 3. S. Cyprian thus O vvhat maner of day shal come my brethren vvhen our Lord shal recount the MERITES of euery one and pay vs the revvard or stipend of faith and deuotion Singulorum merita Ep. 56. here are merites the revvard for the same It folovveth in the said Doctor Vvhat glorie shal it be and hovv great ioy to be admitted to see God so to be honoured that thou receiue the ioy of eternal life with Christ thy Lord God to receiue there that vvhich neither eie hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath ascended into the hart of man for that vve shal receiue greater things then here either vve doe or suffer the Apostle pronounceth saying The passions of this time are not condigne or cōparable to the glorie to come Here vve see that the stipend or revvard of the merites aforesaid are incōparably greater then the said merites 9 Likevvise S. Augustine Ser. 37. de Sanctis The exceding goodnes of God hath prouided this that the labours should soone be ended praemia meritorum but the revvardes of the MERITES should endure vvithout end the Apostle testifying THE PASSIONS OF THIS TIME ARE NOT COMPARABLE c. For vve shal receiue greater blisse then are the afflictions of al passions vvhatsoeuer Thus vve see plainely that short tribulations are true merites of endles glorie though not comparable to the same vvhich truth you impugne by your false and heretical translation But let vs see further your dealing in the self same controuersie to make it plainer that you bend your translations against it more then the text of the Scripture doth permit you 10 In the booke of vvisedom vvhere there is honorable mention of the merites of Saincts and their revvardes in heauen the holy Scripture saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dignos se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath proued them and findeth them MEETE FOR HIM SELF To omit here that you vse the present tense vvhereas in the Greeke they are preter tenses God knovveth vvhy only this vve knovv that it is no true nor sincere trālation but to vvincke at smaller faultes vvhy say you here in al your Bibles that God findeth his Saincts and holy seruants meete for himself and not vvorthie of him self See your partialitie and be ashamed 11 In the Apostles places before examined you said negatiuely that the afflictions of this time vvere NOT WORTHIE OF the glorie to come the Greeke not bearing that trāslation but here vvhen you should say affirmatiuely and that vvord for vvord after the Greeke that God found them WORTHIE OF HIM SELF 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there you say MEETE FOR HIM SELF auoiding the terme vvorthie because merite is included therein So that vvhen you vvil in your translation deny merites Condignae ad gloriam then condignae ad signifieth vvorthie of vvhen you should in your traslation affirme merites dignos se then Dignus vvith an ablatiue case doth not signifie vvorthie of No matuel if such vvilfulnes vvil not see the vvord merite or that vvhich is equiualent thereto in al the Scripture for vvhen you do see it and should translate it you suppresse it by an other vvord But this is a case vvorthie of examination Merite of good vvorkes plainely proued by the Scriptures vvhether the Scripture haue the vvord merite or the equiualēt thereof for vve vvil force them euen by their ovvne translations to confesse that it is found there and that they should translate it accordingly often vvhen they doe not yea that if vve did not see it in the vulgar Latin translatiō yet they must needes see it and finde it in the Greeke 12 First vvhen they translate the foresaid place thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The afflictions of this
vvho in a sermon openly protested that he had found in the nevv Testament only no lesse then two thousand If vve knovv it not or vvil not beleeue it * Lind. dub pag. 98. strangers in their Latin vvritings testifie it to the vvorld The authors inteÌ„t in this booke 26 But I omit these as vnknovven to our countrie or to this age and vvil deale principally vvith the English translations of our time vvhich are in euery mans handes vvithin our countrie the corruptions vvhereof as they are partly touched here and there in the Annotations vpon the late nevv English Testament Catholikely translated printed at Rhemes so by occasion thereof I vvil by Gods help to the better coÌ„moditie of the reader and euidence of the thing lay them closer together and more largely display them not counting the number because it vvere hard but esteeming the vveight importance of so many as I thought good to note specially in the nevv Testament Vvhere I haue to aduertise the Reader of certaine special things vvhich he must obserue Certaine aduertisemeÌ„ts to the Reader 27 First that in this booke he may not looke for the proofe or explication deciding of controuersies Vvhich is done in the Annotations vpon the new Testament but only the refuting or controuling of their false translations concerning the said controuersies vvhich is the peculiar argumeâ—â— of this treatise 28 Secondly that vve refute sometime one of their translations sometime an other and euery one as their falshod giueth occasion Neither is it a good defense for the falshod of one that it is truely translated in an other the reader being deceiued by any one because commonly he readeth but one Yea one of them is a coÌ„demnation of the other 29 Thirdly that we speake indifferently against Protestants Caluinistes Bezites and Puritans vvithout any curious distinction of them being al among them selues brethren and pew fellowes and sometime the one sort of them sometime the other more or lesse corrupting the holy Scriptures 30 Fourthly that we giue but a tast of their corruptions not seing so far nor marking also narrowly and skilfully as them selues knovv their ovvne subtelties and meanings vvho vvil smile at the places vvhich we haue not espied 31 Fifthly that the very vse and affectation of certaine termes and auoiding other some though it be no demonstration against them but that they may seeme to defend it for true traÌ„slation yet was it necessarie to be noted because it is hath been alvvaies a token of heretical meaning 32 Sixtly that in explicating these things vve haue endeuoured to auoid as much as vvas possible the tediousnes of Greeke Hebrue vvordes vvhich are only for the learned in these tongues and vvhich made some litle doubt vvhether this matter vvhich of necessitie must be examined by them vvere to be vvritten in English or no. but being persuaded by those vvho them selues haue no skill in the said toÌ„gues that euery reader might reape commoditie thereby to the vnderstanding detesting of such false and Heretical translations it vvas thought good to make it vulgar and common to al our decre countrie men as the nevv Testament it self is coÌ„mon vvhereof this Discouerie is as it vvere an handmaid attending therevpon for the larger explication and proofe of corruptions there breefely touched and for supplie of other some not there mentioned 33 Seuenthly that al the English corruptions here noted and refuted are either in al or some of their English bibles printed in these yeres 1562. 1577.1579 And if the corruption be in one Bible not in an other commonly the said Bible or bibles are noted in the margent if not yet sure it is that it is in one of them and so the reader shal finde it if he finde it not alvvaies in his ovvne Bible And in this case the reader must be very vvise and circuÌ„spect that he thinke not by and by vve charge them falsly because they can shevv him some later edition that hath it not so as vve say for it is their common and knovven fashion not onely in their translations of the Bible but in their other bookes and vvritinges to alter and change adde and put out in their later editioÌ„s according as either them selues are ashamed of the former or their scholers that print them againe dissent and disagree from their Maisters So hath Luthers Caluins and Bezas vvritinges and translations been changed both by them selues and their scholers in many places so that Catholike men when they coÌ„fute that which they finde euident faultes in this or that edition feare nothing more then that the reader hath some other edition where they are corrected for very shame and so may conceiue that there is no such thing but that they are accused vvrongfully for example Call to minde the late pretended conference in the tower Touching S. Iames epistle where that matter vvas denied and faced out for Luthers credite by some one booke or edition of his vvhich them selues and al the vvorld knoweth was most truely laid to his charge 34 Eightly in citing Beza I meane alvvaies vnles I note othervvise his Latin translation of the nevv Testament vvith his annotations adioyned therevnto printed in the yere 1556. Vve charge them not with forsaking the old approued Latin text though it be an il signe to their euident confusion 35 Lastly and principally is to be noted that we wil not charge them vvith falsifying that vvhich in deede is the true and authentical Scripture I meane the vulgar Latin Bible vvhich so many yeres hath been of so great authoritie in the Church of God and with al the auncient fathers of the Latin Church as is declared in the preface of the Nevv Testament though it is much to be noted that as Luther only in fauour of his heresies did vvilfully forsake it so the rest folowed and do folovv him at this day for no other cause in the vvorld but that it is against them therfore they inueigh against it Kemnitius Caluin and against the holy Councel of Trent for confirming the authoritie thereof both in their special treatises thereof and in al their vvritinges vvhere they can take any occasion 36 And concerning their vvilful and heretical auoiding thereof in their nevv translations vvhat greater argumeÌ„t can there be then this that Luther vvho before alvvaies had readde vvith the Gath. Church and vvith al antiquitie these vvordes of S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. Mulicrem sororem 2 Pet. 1. Haue not vve povver to leade about A WOMAN A SISTER as also the rest of the Apostles and in S. Peter these vvordes Labour that BY GOOD WORKES you may make sure your vocation and election sodenly after he had coÌ„trarie to his profession taken a vvife as he called her and preached that al other votaries might do the same and that faith only iustified good vvorkes vvere not necessarie to saluation sodenly I say after he fell to these heresies
he began to reade and translate the former Scriptures accordingly thus Haue not vve povver to leade about a SISTER A WIFE as the rest of the Apostles and Labour that you may make sure your vocation and election leauing out the other vvordes by good vvorkes And so doe both the Caluinists abrode and our English Protestants at home reade and translate at this day because they hold the self same heresies 37 So doe they in infinite places alter the old text vvhich pleased them vvell before they vvere Heretickes and they doe it vvith brasen faces and plaine protestation hauing no shame nor remorse at al in fleeing from that which all antiquitie with one consent allovved and embraced vntil their vnhappie daies Vvhich though it be an euident cōdemnation of their nouelties in the sight of any reasonable man that hath any grace yet as I began to admonish thee gentle Reader vve vvil not charge them for altering the auncient approued Latin translation because they pretend to folovv the Hebrue and Greeke and our purpose is not here to proue that they should not folovv the Hebrue and Greeke that now is before the auncient approued Latin text which is done breifely already in the preface to the nevv Testament Vve charge them not vvith forsaking the Greeke copies that agree vvith the aunciēt approued Latin text though this be a signe of their incredible partialitie 38 Neither vvil vve burden them for not folovving the vulgar Latin text vvhen the same agreeth with most auncient Greeke copies vvhich notvvithstāding is great partialitie in them must needes be of an heretical vvilful humor that amōg the Greeke copies them selues they reiect that vvhich most agreeth vvith the vulgar Latin text in places of controuersies Yet vvil vve not I say neither in this case lay falshod and corruption to their charge because they pretend to translate the common Greeke text of the nevv Testament that is one certaine copie but here at the least let them shevv their fidelitie that they be true and exacte translatours for here onely shal they be examined and called to account Vve charge them for forsaking false translating their ovvne Hebrue and Greeke text 39 And if they folovv sincerely their Greeke and Hebrue text vvhich they professe to folovv and which they esteeme the only authentical text so far vve accuse them not of heretical corruption but if it shal be euidētly proued that they shrinke from the same also and translate an other thing and that vvilfully and of ful intention to countenance their false religion and wicked opinions making the Scriptures to speake as they list then vve trust the indifferēt reader for his ovvne soules sake vvil easily see and conclude that they haue no feare of God no reuerence of the Scriptures no conscience to deceiue their readers He vvil perceiue that the Scriptures make against them vvhich they so peruert and corrupt for their purpose that neither the Hebrue nor Greeke text is for them vvhich they dare not translate truely and sincerely that their cause is naught which needeth such foul shiftes that they must needes knovv al this and therfore doe vvilfully against their conscience consequently are obstinate Heretikes 40 And the more to vnderstand their miserie vvretchednes before vve enter to examine their trāslations marke gather of al that vvhich I haue said in this preface their manifold flightes iumpes from one shift to an other hovv Catholike writers haue pursued and chased them folovved them and driuen them euen to this extreme refuge and seely couert of false translation vvhere also they must of necessitie yeld or deuise some nevv euasion which vve can not yet imagin The diuers shiftes and flightes that the Protestants are driuen vnto by the Catholikes as it vvere the iumpes and turnings of an hare before the boundes 41 First we are vvont to make this offer as we thinke most reasonable and indifferent that forasmuch as the Scriptures are diuersely expounded of vs and of them they neither be tied to our interpretation nor vve to theirs but to put it to the arbitrement and iudgement of the auncient fathers of general Councels of vniuersal custom of times and places in the Catholike Church No say they vve wil be our ovvne iudges and interpreters or folow Luther if we be Lutherans Caluin if we be Caluinistes and so forth 42 This being of it self a shameles shift vnles it be better coloured the next is to say that the Scriptures are easie and plaine sufficient of them selues to determine euery matter and therfore they wil be tried by the Scriptures only we are cōtent because they wil needes haue it so and vve alleage vnto them the bookes of Toble Ecclesiasticus Machabees No say they we admit none of these for Scripture Vvhy so are they not approued Canonical by the same authoritie of the Church of auncient Councels and fathers that the other bookes are No matter say they Luther admitteth them not Caluin doth not allovv them 43 Vvel let vs goe forvvard in their ovvne daunce You allow at the least the Ievves Canonical bookes of the old Testament that is al that are extant in the Hebrue Bible and al of the new Testament vvithout exception Yea that we doe In these bookes then wil you be tried by the vulgar auncient Latin Bible only vsed in al the vvest Church aboue a thousand yeres No. Vvil you be tried by the Greeke Bible of the Septuaginta interpreters so renovvmed and authorised in our Sauiours ovvne speaches in the Euangelistes and Apostles writings in the whole Greeke Church euermore No. How then wil you be tried They ansvver Only by the Hebrue Bible that now is and as novv it is pointed with vovvels Vvil you so and do you thinke that only the true authentical Hebrue which the holy Ghost did first put into the pennes of those sacred writers Vve do thinke it say they and esteeme it the only authentical and true Scripture of the old Testament 44 Vve aske them againe what say you then to that place of the psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where in the Hebrue it is thus As a lion my handes and my feete for that which in truth should be thus They digged or pearced my handes and my feete being an euident prophecie of Christs nailing to the Crosse There in deede say they we folow not the Hebrue but the Greeke text Sometime then you folow the Greeke and not the Hebrue only And what if the same Greeke text make for the Catholikes as in these places for example I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy iustifications for revvard and Redeeme thy sinnes vvith almes might we not obtaine here the like fauour at your hands for the Greeke text specially when the Hebrue doth not disagree No say they nor in no other place vvhere the Greeke is neuer so plaine if the Hebrue word at the least may be any otherwise
interpreted and draw on to an other signification 45 Vve replie againe and say vnto them vvhy Is not the credite of those Septuaginta interpreters vvho them selues vvere Ievves and best learned in their owne tongue and as S. Augustine often and other auncient fathers say vvere inspired vvith the holy Ghost in translating the Hebrue bible into Greeke Is not their credite I say in determining and defining the signification of the Hebrue vvord far greater then yours No. Is not the authoritie of al the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin that folovved them equiualent in this case to your iudgement No say they but because vve finde some ambiguitie in the Hebrue we wil take the aduantage and we wil determine and limite it to our purpose 46 A gaine vve condescend to their vvilfulnes and say vvhat if the Hebrue be not ambiguous but so plaine certaine to signifie onething Psal 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it can not be plainer As Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hel vvhich proueth for vs that Christ in soule descended into Hel. Is not the one Hebrue vvord as proper for soule as anima in Latin the other as proper and vsual for Hel as Infeunus in Latin Here then at the least vvil you yeld No say they not here neither for Beza telleth vs that the Hebrue vvord vvhich commonly and vsually signifieth soule yet for a purpose of a man vvil straine it may signifie not only body but also carcas and so he translate that But Beza say vve being admonished by his frendes corrected it in his later edition Yea say they he was content to change his translation but not his opinion concerning the Hebrue word as himself protesteth 47 Vvel then doth it like you to reade thus according to Bezas translation Thou shalt not leaue my carcas in the graue No we are content to alter the word carcas which is not a seemely word for our Sauiours body and yet we are loth to say soule but if we might we vvould say rather life person as appeareth in the margent of our Bibles but as for the Hebrue word that signifieth Hel though the Greeke and Latin Bible through out the Greeke and Latin fathers in al their writinges as occasion serueth do so reade it and vnderstand it yet wil we neuer so translate it but for Hel we vvil say graue in al such places of Scripture as might inferre Limbus patrum if we should translate Hel. These are their shiftes and turninges and windinges in the old Testament 48 In the new Testament we aske them wil you be tried by the auncient Latin translation which is the text of the fathers and the whole Church No but we appeale to the Greeke Vvhat Greeke say we for there be sundrie copies and the best of them as Beza confesseth agree with the said auncient Latin for example in S. Peters wordes 2 Pet. ca. 1. Labour that by good vvorkes you may make sure your vocation and election doth this Greeke copie please you No say they we appeale to that Greeke copie which hath not those wordes by good workes for othervvise we should graunt the merite and efficacie of good workes tovvard saluation and generally to tel you at once by what Greeke we wil be tried we like best the vulgar Greeke text of the new Testament which is most common and in euery mans handes 49 Vvel say we if you wil needes haue it so take your pleasure in choosing your text and if you wil stand to it graunt vs that Peter was cheefe among the Apostles because your ovvne Greeke text saith The first Peter No saith Beza Mat. 10. we vvil graunt you no such thing for these wordes were added to the Greeke text by one that fauoured Peters primacie Is it so then you wil not stand to this Greeke text neither Not in this place saith Beza 50 Let vs see an other place You must graunt vs say we by this Greeke text that Christs very bloud which was shed for vs is really in the chalice because S. Luke saith so in the Greeke text No saith Beza those Greeke wordes came out of the margent into the text therfore I trāslate not according to them but according to that which I thinke the truer Greeke text although I finde it in no copies in the world and this his doing * See chap. 1. nu 37. chap. 17. nu 11. is mainteined iustified by our English Protestants in their writinges of late 51 Vvel yet say we there are places in the same Greeke text as plaine for vs as these novv cited where you can not say it came out of the margent or 2 Thess 2. it was added falsely to the text As Stand and hold fast the traditions c. by this text we require that you graunt vs traditions deliuered by word of mouth as wel as the vvritten word that is the Scriptures No say they we knovv the Greeke word signifieth tradition as plaine as possibly but here and in the like places we rather translate it ordinances instructions and what els soeuer Nay Sirs say vve you can not so ansvver the matter for in other places you translate it duely and truely tradition and vvhy more in one place then in an other They are ashamed to tel vvhy but they must tel and shame both them selues and the Diuel if euer they thinke it good to ansvver this treatise as also why they changed congregation which vvas alvvaies in their first translation into Church in their later translations did not change likevvise ordinances into traditions Elders into Priests 52 The cause is that the name of Church was at the first odious vnto them because of the Catholike Church which stoode against them but afterward this name grevve into more fauour vvith them because of their English Church so at length called and termed but their hatred of Priests and traditions continueth still as it first began and therfore their translation also remaineth as before suppressing the names both of the one and of the other But of al these their dealings they shal be told in their seueral chapters and places 53 To conclude as I began concerning their shiftes and iumpes and vvindinges and turninges euery way from one thing to an other til they are driuen to the extreme refuge of palpable corruptions and false translations consider vvith me in this one case only of traditions as may be likevvise considered in al other controuersies that the auncient fathers councels antiquitie vniuersalitie custom of the vvhole Church allovv traditions the canonical Scriptures haue them the Latin text hath them the Greeke text hath them only their translations haue them not Likevvise in the old Testament the approued latin text hath such and such speaches that make for vs the renovvmed Greeke text hath it the Hebrue text hath it only their translations haue it not These are the translations vvhich vve cal heretical and vvilful and vvhich
of purpose against our altars and in fauour of their communion table See chap. 17. numb 15.16 12 If at the beginning of their heresie vvhen sacred images vvere broken in peeces altars digged dovvne the Catholike Churches authoritie defaced Bib. in king Edvv. time printed againe 1562. the king made supreme head then their translation vvas made accordingly and if aftervvard vvhen these errours vvere vvel established in the realme and had taken roote in the peoples hartes al vvas altered and changed in their later translations and novv they could not finde that in the Greeke vvhich vvas in the former translation vvhat vvas it at the first but vvilful corruption to serue the time that then vvas See chap. 3.5 chap. 17. nu 15. chap. 15. nu 22. 13 If at the first reuolt vvhen none were noted for Heretikes and Schismatikes but them selues they did not once put the names of Schisme or Heresie in the Bible but in steede thereof diuision and secte in so much that for an Heretike they said an author of Sectes Bib. 1562. Tit. 3. vvhat may vve iudge of it but as of vvilful corruption See chap. 4. numb 3. 14 If they trāslate so absurdly at the first that them selues are driuen to change it for shame it must needes be at the first vvilful corruption for example vvhen it vvas in the first Temple and in the later Altar in the first alvvaies Congregation in the later alvvaies Church in the first To the king as cheefe head in the later To the king as hauing preeminence So did Beza first translate carcas and afterward soule Which alteration in al these places is so great that it could not be negligence at the first or ignorance but a plaine heretical intention See chap. 17. numb 15. chap. 5. nu 4.5 chap. 15. numb 22. chap. 7. nu 2. 15 If they vvil not stand to al their translations but flee to that namely vvhich novv is readde in their churches if that vvhich is novv read in their churches differ in the pointes aforesaid from that that was readde in their churches in king Edvvards time if from both these they flee to the Geneua Bible and from that againe to the other aforesaid vvhat shal vve iudge of the one or the other but that al is voluntarie and as they list See chap. 3. numb 10.11.12 cha 10. numb 12. 16 If they gladly vse these wordes in il part vvhere they are not in the original text Procession shrines deuotions excommunicate images and auoid these vvordes vvhich are in the original Hymnes grace mysterie Sacrament Church altar Priests Catholike traditions iustifications is it not plaine that they doe it of purpose to disgrace or suppresse the said things and speaches vsed in the Catholike Church See chap. 21. numb 5. seq chap. 12. numb 3. 17 If in a case that maketh for them they straine the very original signification of the vvord and in a case that maketh against them they neglect it altogether vvhat is this but vvilful and of purpose See chap. 7. nu 36. 18 If in vvordes of ambiguous and diuers signification they vvil haue it signifie here or there as it pleaseth them and that so vehemently that here it must needes so signifie and there it must not and both this and that to one end and in fauour of one and the same opinion Beza in 1. Cor. 7. v. 1. 9. v. 5. vvhat is this but vvilful translation So doth Beza vrge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie vvife and not to signifie vvife both against virginitie and chastitie of Priests and the English Bible translateth accordingly Bib. an 1579 See chap. 15. nu 11.12 19 If the Puritanes and grosser Caluinistes disagree about the translations one part preferring the Geneua English Bible the other the Bible read in their Church and if the Lutherans condemne the Zuinglians Caluinistes translations and contrarivvise and if al Sectaries reproue eche an others translation Vvhat doth it argue but that the translations differ according to their diuers opinions See their bookes vvritten one against an other Luc. 3. v. 36. Act. 1. v. 14. c. 2. v. 23. c. 3. v. 21. c. 26. v. 20. 2 Thes 2. v. 15. c. 5. v. 6. 20 If the English Geneua Bibles thē selues dare not folovv their Maister Beza vvhom they professe to translate because in their opinion he goeth vvide and that in places of controuersie hovv vvilful vvas he in so translating See chap. 12. numb 6.8 cha 13. numb 1. 21 If for the most part they reprehend the old vulgar translation and appeale to the Greeke and yet in places of controuersie sometime for their more aduantage as they thinke they leaue the Greeke and folovv our Latin translation vvhat is it els but voluntarie and partial translation See chap. 2. nu 8. chap. 6. nu 10.21 chap. 7. nu 39. chap. 10. nu 6. 22 If othervvise they auoid this vvord iustificationes Peza Luc. 1. Ro. 2. Apoc. 19.8 altogether yet trāslate it When they can not choose but vvith a cōmētarie * Beza in c. 19. Apoc. v. 8. that it signifieth good vvorkes that are testimonies of a liuely faith doth not this heretical commentarie shevv their heretical meaning vvhen they auoid the vvord altogether See chap. 8. nu 1.2.3 23 Vvhen by adding to the text at their pleasure they make the Apostle say Ro. 5. v. 18. No. Test an 1580. Bib. 1579. that by Adams offence sinne came on al men but that by Christs iustice the benefite only abounded tovvard al men not that iustice came on al vvhereas the Apostle maketh the case alike vvithout any such diuers additions to vvit * Ro. 5. v. 18. that vve are truely made iust by Christ as by Adam vve are made sinners is not this most vvilful corruption for their heresie of imputatiue and phantastical iustice See chap. 11. nu 1. 24 But if in this case of iustification vvhen the question is vvhether only faith iustifie vve say no hauing the expresse vvordes of S Iames they say yea hauing no expresse scripture for it if in this case they vvil adde only to the very text is it not most horrible and diuelish corruption So did Luther * Ia. 2. v. 24. Ro. 3. v. 28. Luth. tom 2. fol. 405. edit Witteb an 1551. Whitak pag. 198. vvhom our English Protestants honour as their father and in this heresie of only faith are his ovvne children See chap. 12. Their ignorance of the Greeke and Hebrue tongue or their false wilful translation thereof against their knowledge 25 If these that account them selues the great Grecians Hebricians of the vvorld vvil so translate for the aduantage of their cause as though they had no skil in the vvorld and as though they knevv neither the signification of vvordes nor proprietie of phrases in the said languages is it not to be esteemed shamlesse corruption 26 I vvil not speake of the
leade a man euen contrarie to his ovvne knovvledge to falsifie Gods holy vvord 42 Yea Beza saith further to this purpose much more against his skill in the Greeke tonge if he had any at all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preposition cannot beare this sense For vvhich or in respect vvhereof and therfore he trāslateth the Greeke into Latin thus Exauditus est ex metu he vvas heard from feare not for feare or for his reuerence and because from feare is a hard speache and darke that seemeth to be the cause vvhy our English trāslators say In that vvhich he feared far from Beza in vvord but aggreably in sense Flac. Illyric 43 But for this matter vve send them to Flaccus Illyricus a captaine Lutherane vvho disputeth this very point against the Caluinistes and teacheth them that nothing is more common then that signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For profe vvhereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vve also referre thē to these places of the holy Scripture Mat. 13. Luc. 22. and 24. Act. 12. Psal 87. And Machab. 5 21. vvhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvith a genitiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvith an accusatiue signifie al one vvhich Beza denyeth Gentle Reader beare vvith these tedious grammatications fitter to be handled in Latin but necessarie in this case also good for them that vnderstand for the rest an occasion to aske of thē that haue skill in the Greeke tonge vvhether vve accuse our aduersaries iustly or no of false translating the holy Scriptures 44 And vve beseeche them to giue vs a good reason why they professing to folow precisely the Greeke do not obserue trevvly the Greeke points in such place as concerneth this present controuersie for the place in the Apocalypse which they alleage of our Sauiour Christs suffering frō the beginning thereby to inferre that the iust men of the old Testament might enter heauen then c. 13 8. as vvel as after his real and actual death according to the Greeke points saith thus Al that dvvel vpon the earth shal vvorship him the beast vvhose names haue not been vvritten in the booke of life of the Lambe slame from the beginning of the vvorld Vvhere it is euident that the Greeke text saith not the lambe slaine from the beginning but that the names of those Antichristian Idolaters vvere not vvritten in Gods eternal booke of predestination from the beginning as it is also most plaine vvithout al ambiguitie in the 17 Chapter v. 8. If in a place of no controuersie they had not been curious in points of the Greeke they might haue great reason sometime to alter the same 45 But if in points of controuersie betvvene vs they vvil say diuers pointing is of no importance they knovv the contrarie by the example of auncient heretikes vvhich vsed this meane also to serue their false heretical purpose If they say our vulgar latine text pointeth it so let them professe before God and their conscience that they do it of reuerence to the said auncient latin text or because it is indifferent not for any other cause for this one place vve vvill admit their ansvver CHAP. VIII Heretical translation concerning IVSTIFICATION ABOVT the article of iustification as it hath many branches their etrours therein be manifold so are their English translations accordingly many vvaies false and heretical First against iustification by good vvorkes and by keeping the commaundements they suppresse the very name of iustification in al such places vvhere the vvord signifieth the commaundements or the Lavv of God vvhich is both in the old and nevv Testament most common and vsual namely in the bookes of Moyses in the Psalme 118. that beginneth thus Beati immaculati in the Psalme 147. v. 19. 1 Mac. 1. v. 51. and c. 2. v. 21. Luc. 1. v. 6. Ro. 2. v. 26. In al vvhich places and the like vvhere the Greeke signifieth iustices iustifications most exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as our vulgar Latin translateth iustitias and iustificationes there the English translations say ioyntly and vvith one consent ordināces or statutes For example Ro. 2. If the vncircumcision keepe the ORDINANCES of the Lavv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal it not be counted for circumcision And Luc. 1 6. They vvere both righteous before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvalking in al the commaundements and ORDINANCES of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse Vvhy translate you it ordināces and auoid the terme iustifications is it because you vvould folovv the Greeke I beseeche you is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be iustified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustifications or iustices In the old Testament you might perhaps pretend that you folovv the Hebrue vvvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore there you translate statutes or ordinances But euen there also are not the Seuentie Greeke interpreters sufficient to teach you the signification of the Hebrue vvord vvho alvvaies interprete it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English iustifications 2 But be it that you may cōtroule them in the Hebrue vvhich none but fooles vvil graunt vnto you in the nevv Testament vvhat pretense haue you do you there also translate the Hebrue vvord or rather the Greeke the Greeke vndoubtedly you should translate what reason then can you haue vvhy you doe not none other surely then that vvhich Beza giueth for him self saying that he reiected the vvord iustificatiōs notvvithstanding it expressed the Greeke vvord for vvord notvvithstanding the Seuentie Greeke interpreters vsed it to signifie the vvhole Lavv and in Latin it be commonly translated iustificationes notvvithstanding al this Annot. in 1 Luc. for this only cause saith he did I reiecte it to auoid the cauillatiōs that might be made by this vvord against iustification by faith As if he should say This vvord truely translated according to the Greeke might minister great occasion to proue by so many places of Scripture that mans iustification is not by faith only but also by keeping the lavv and obseruing the commaundements vvhich therfore are called according to the Greeke and Latin iustifications because they concurre to iustification and make a man iust as by S. Lukes vvordes also is vvel signified vvhich haue this allusion that they vvere both iust because they walked in al the iustifications of our Lord. Vvhich they of purpose suppresse by other vvordes 3 And hereof also it riseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vvhen he cānot possibly auoid the vvord in his trāslation as Apoc. 19 8. Bissinum enim iustificationes sunt sanctorum The silke is the iustifications of Sainctes there he helpeth the matter with this commentarie That iustifications Beza Annot. in Apoc. 19. are those good vvorkes vvhich be the testimonies of a liuely faith But our English translatours haue an other vvay to auoid the vvord euen in their trāslatiō For they say here the righteousnes of Saincts because
acceptable to him that they are esteemed and be vvorthie and meritorious of the kingdom of heauen Against which truth let vs see further their heretical corruptions CHAP. IX Heretical translation against MERITES or MERITORIOVS WORKES and the REWARD for the same WHEN they translate Ro. 8 18 thus Bib. 1577. I am certainely persuaded that the afflictions of this time ARENOT WORTHIE OF THE GLORIE vvhich shal be shevved vpon vs do they not meane to signifie to the reader must it not needes so sound in his eares that the tribulations of this life be they neuer so great though suffered for Christ yet do not merite nor deserue the heauenly glorie but in the Greeke it is far otherwise I vvil not stand vpon their first vvordes I am certainely persuaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I suppose vvhich is a far greater asseueration then the Apostle vseth and I maruel hovv they could so translate that Greeke word but that they vvere disposed not only to translate the Apostles vvordes falsely against meritorious vvorkes but also to auouch and affirme the same lustely vvith much more vehemencie of vvordes then the Apostle speaketh vvel let vs pardon them this fault examine the vvordes folovving Vvhere the Greeke saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non sunt condignae ad futuram gloriam as they translate vvith ful consent in al their English Bibles The afflictions are not vvorthie of the glorie c. but thus The afflictions of this time are not equal correspondent or cōparable to the glorie to come * S. Chrys vpon this place because the afflictions are short the glorie is eternal the afflictions smal and fevv in comparison the glorie great and aboundant aboue measure 2 This is the Greeke phrase the Apostles meaning vvhich vve neede not greatly to proue because their ovvne Doctors Caluin and Beza do so interpret it therfore vvonder it vvere that the Geneua English bibles also should forsake their Maisters and folovv the errour of the other English bibles but that they thought the more voices the better In the meane time the people seeth no other translation thinketh it is the Apostles very vvordes But Beza him self telleth them the contrarie translating thus Statuo minimē esse paria quae presenti tempore perpetimur futurae gloriae nobis reuelandae that is I am of this opinion that the things vvhich vve suffer in this present time are not equal to the glorie that shal be reucaled to vs. And in his commentarie thus S. Paules discourse and matter handled in this place declare that he speaketh not of the valure or price of the afflictions vvhich vve suffer for Christ but rather by comparing their qualitie and quantitie vvith life euerlasting he gathereth that vve shal be infinitly more happie vvith Christ then vve are miserable here Therfore did he vse the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke vvord rightly and properly vvhich the Grammarians say is spoken of such things as being poised or vveighed are found of one vveight Thus far Beza 3 If then a comparison only be signified vvhy do they not so trāslate it in English that it may be taken for a comparison in our English phrase For they knovv very vvel that if a man should say in English according as they translate Good vvorkes are not vvorthie of heauen this man is not vvorthie of my fauour he is not vvorthie of such a liuing of so great praises euery English man vnderstandeth it thus that they deserue not heauen and that such a man deserueth not this or that Euen so must the reader needes take it in this place and they must needes haue intēded that he should so take it For though he Greeke phrase may signifie a comparison being so vttered prou 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet not the English and if it might yet obscurely and ambiguously and if it might yet here they do falsely translate so because here the Greeke phrase is othervvise and therfore should othervvise be Englished For it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich is as they trāslate vvorthy of the glorie but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cānot be so trāslated For if it might then these Greeke phrases vvere al one and might be vsed indifferently And then I must desire them to turne me this into Greeke He is not vvorthie of thankes and if they turne it by the Apostles phrase in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to al Grecians they shal be ridiculous And yet this is as vvel turned out of English into Greeke as they haue turned the other out of Greeke into English 4 Marie if they vvould exppresse a comparison of equalitie or inequalitie betwene thing thing thē this is the proper Greeke phrase thereof and much more proper for this purpose The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a comparison thē by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a genitiue case Which notvvithstanding is often so vsed in the Scriptures by vvay of cōparison as Prouerb 3. concerning the praise of vvisedom Vvhere S. Augustine to expresse the comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 readeth thus Omne pretiosum non est illi dignum and S. Hierom according to the Hebrue thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnia quae desiderantur no valent huic cōparari or adaequari and Ecclci 26 vve haue the very like speache proceding of the said Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnis ponderatio non est digna continentis animae Vvhich the English Bibles translate thus There is no vveight to be compared vnto a minde that can rule it self or vvith a continent minde 5 And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvith a genitiue case signifie a comparison and them selues so translate it in al their Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles phrase much more be so trāslated I appeale to their ovvne cōsciences Againe if here in Ecclicus they say not according to the Greeke vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no vveight vvorthie of a continent minde because they vvould by an English phrase expresse the comparison is it not more then euident that vvhen they translate the Apostle by the very same vvordes Vvorthie of the glorie c they knovv it can not and they meane it should not signifie a comparison I can not sufficiently expresse but only to the learned and skilful reader their partial and heretical dealing Briefely I say they translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to be compared vvith a continent minde being in Greeke Word for word Not vvorthie of a continent minde and contrarievvise they translate in S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not vvorthie of the glorie to come being in the Greeke Not to be cōpared to the glorie to come according to the very like Latin phrase by dignus Eccl. 6. Amico fideli nulla est comparatio non est DIGNA ponderatio auri argenti
translate Mat. 3 11. c. 8 8. 1 Cor. 15 9. I am not vvorthie in al three places And vvhy I pray you did you not likevvise folovv the old Latin interpreter one steppe further saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. v. 12. Giuing thankes to God the father THAT HATH MADE VS WORTHIE but translating rather thus Vvhich hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saincts in light Here vvas the place vvhere you should haue shevved your sinceritie and haue said that God maketh vs vvorthie of heauenly blisse because you know if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be vvorthy then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to make vvorthie But you are like to Beza your Maister vvho as though al interpretation of vvordes vvere at his commaundement saith here and here and so forth I haue folovved the old Latin interpreter translating it vvorthie Annot. in 3. Mat. No. Test 1556. but in such and such a place meaning this for one I chose rather to say MEETE Idoneum dicere malui but that both he and you should here also haue translated vvorthie the Greeke fathers shal teach you if vve be not vvorthie or able to controule so mightie Grecians as you pretend to be vvhen you crovve vpon your ovvne dunghil othervvise in your translations shevving smal skil or great malice 18 The Greeke fathers I say interprete the Apostles vvord here thus Oecum in Caten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hath made vs vvorthie and giuen vs the grace to be vvorthie and S. Basil in orat Liturg. making both Greeke vvordes al one saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THOV HAST MADE VS WORTHIE to be ministers of thy holy altar and anon after MAKE VS WORTHIE for this ministerie And S. Chrisost vpon the Apostles place God doth not only giue vs societie vvith the Saincts but maketh vs also vvorthie to receiue so great dignitie And here is a goodly consideration of the goodnes of God tovvard vs that doth in deede by his grace make vs vvorthie of so great things vvho othervvise are most vnvvorthie vile and abiect Vvhich making of vs vvorthie is expressed by the said Greeke vvordes more then by the Latin mereri because it declareth whence our merite and vvorthines procedeth to vvit Ho. de Cruee latrone of God both vvhich S. Chrysostom expresseth excellently thus Vvhen he brought in Publicans to the kingdom of heauen be defamed not the kingdom of heauen but magnified it also vvith great honours shevving that there is such a Lord of the kingdom of heauen vvhich hath made euen vnvvorthie persons to be so much better Vt etiam illius dignitatis gloriam mererentur that they should deserue euen the glorie of that dignitie And Occumenius saith that it is Gods glorie * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO MAKE HIS SERVANTS WORTHIE of such good things and that it is their glorie * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO HAVE BEEN MADE WORTHIE of such things in 2 Thess 1. 19 Thus vve see hovv the holy Scripture vseth equiualent vvordes to signifie merite vvhich you suppresse as much as you can So likevvise vve might tel you of other vvordes and phrases that do plainely import and signifie merite as vvhen it is said Ecclesiastici 16. Euery man shal finde according to his vvorkes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budee both your Maister and ours in the Greeke tongue telleth vs that the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to finde is proprely to receiue for that vvhich a man hath giuen or laboured to requite you vvith some profane authoritie because you delight much in that kinde the vvhole oration of Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvil tel you the same Novv to receiue for that vvhich a man hath laboured or vvrought vvhat doth it els presuppose but merite desert It is a common phrase of the Scripture that God vvil iudge and revvard or repay according to euery mans vvorkes Ecclici 16. Psal 61. Apoc. 22. doth not this include merite demerite of vvorkes but I vvot not hovv nor vvherfore in this case you translate sometime deedes for vvorkes saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvho vvil revvard euery man according to his deedes and againe You see then hovv that of deedes a man is iustified and not of faith only 20 I knovv you vvil tel vs that you vse to say deedes or vvorkes indifferently as also you may say that you put no difference betvvene iust and righteous meete and vvorthie but vse both indifferently To the ignorant this is a faire ansvver and shal soone persuade them but they that see further must needes suspect you til you giue a good reason of your doing For the controuersie being of faith and vvorkes of iustice and iustification by vvorkes of the vvorthines or valure of vvorkes vvhy do you not precisely keepe these termes pertaining to the controuersie the Greeke wordes being alwaies pregnant in that significatiō Vvhy should you once translate the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deedes rather then vvorkes You knovv it is proprely vvorkes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deedes It vvere very good in matters of cōtrouersie to be precise Prefat in no. Test 1556. Beza maketh it a great fault in the old vulgar Latin translator that he expresseth one Greeke vvord in Latin diuers vvaies You choppe change significations here and there as you list and you thinke you satisfie the reader maruelous vvel if sometime you say idol and not alvvaies images sometime iust and not alvvaies righteous if in other places you say vvorkes or if one Bible hath vvorkes vvhere an other hath deedes you thinke this is very vvel and vvil ansvver al the matter sufficiently God and your conscience be iudge herein and let the wise reader consider it deepely The least thing that vve demaund the reason of rather then charge you vvithal is vvhy your Church bible saith in the places before alleaged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous iudgement of God vvhich vvil revvard euery man according to his deedes and man is iustified by deedes and not by faith only Vvhereas yov knovv the Greeke is more pregnant for vs then so and the matter of controuersie vvould better appeare on our side if you said thus The IVST iudgement of God vvhich vvil revvard euery man according to his VVORKES and Man is iustified by vvorkes and not by faith only 21 But vvil you not yet see merite and meritorious vvorkes in the Scripture I maruel your skil in the Greeke teacheth you nothing in this point S. Iohn saith 2. Epist v. 8. Looke to your selues that you lose not the things which you haue vvrought but that you may receiue a full revvard Me thinketh in these wordes the equiualēt of merite is easily seen of any mā that is not wilfully blinde but you should see further then the cōmon sort for you know that the Greeke here signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only that which vve worke but that which we worke for as in the Greeke phrase of vvorking for a mās liuing as you translate 10.6 v. 27. LABOVR NOT FOR THE MEATE that perisheth but for that meate vvhich endureth vnto life euerlasting Such * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20. labourers God hired to vvorke in his vineyard and c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 10. the vvorkeman is vvorthie of his hire So that the Apostle in the former vvordes exhorteth to perseuêrāce that vve lose not the revvard or pay for vvhich vve vvorke and vvhich by vvorking vve merite and deserue 22 Againe Beza telleth vs Annot. in Ro c. 1. v. 27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth mercedem quae meritis respondet that is a revvard ansvverable to the merites and vve finde many vvordes in the Scripture like vnto this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Hebr. 10. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhich are on Gods part vvho is the revvarder and recōpenser and on our part vve haue as the Apostle saith Hebr. 10. 4 great confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cōfidence saith Photius a notable Greeke father of our vvorkes confidence of our faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Phot. apud Occu in Hebr. 10. Ps 18. 118. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our tentations of our patience c. Yea vve haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture vvhich must needes signifie as much as Bezaes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the one is said In keeping thy commaundements is great revvard Againe You shal receiue THE RETRIBVTION of inheritance Col. 3. v. 24. And 2 Thessal 1. v. 6. Gods repaying iust and retribution of Hel or Heauen for good and euil desertes is expressed by the same vvord by the other is said I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy iustifications or commaundements alvvaies FOR REWARD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23 But al this vvil not suffise you for vvheresoeuer you can possibly you vvil haue an euasion and therfore in this later place you runne to the ambiguitie of the Hebrue vvord and translate thus I haue applied my hart to fulfil thy statutes alvvaies EVEN VNTO THE END 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas my masters are not the Seuentie Greeke interpreters sufficient to determine the ambiguitie of this vvord is not S. Hierom in his translation according to the Hebrue are not al the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin It is ambiguous say you and therfore you take your libertie You doe so in deede and that like Princes for in an other place vvhere the Greeke hath determined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you folovv it vvith al your hart saying fall dovvne before his footestoole because he is holy vvhereas the ambiguitie of the Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvould haue borne you to say as in the vulgar Latin because it is holy and so it maketh for holines of places vvhich you can not abide 24 But you vse you say the ambiguitie of the Hebrue Take heede that your libertie in taking al aduantages against the common and approued interpretation of the vvhole Church be not very suspicious for if it do signifie also revvard as you knovv it doth very commonly and your self so translate it Psal 18 v. 11 vvhen you can not choose and if the Septuaginta do here so translate it in Greeke and * Propter aeternam retributionē scz vitae aeternae vt eam merear percipere in cōment S. Hierom in his Latin translation according to the Hebrue and the auncient fathers in their commentaries vvhat vpstart nevv Maisters are you that set al these to schoole againe and teach the vvorld a nevv translation If you vvil say you folovv our ovvne great Hebrician Sanctes Pagninus vvhy did you folovv him in his translation rather then in his Lexicon called Thesaurus vvhere he interpreteth it as the vvhole Church did before him Vvhy did you folovv him or Benedictus Arias either in this place and do not folovv them in the self same case a litle before translating that very Hebrue vvord vvhich is in this place Psalm 118. v. 112. propter retributionem for revvard So that you folovv nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither iudgemēt nor learning in Hebrue or Greeke but only your ovvne errour and Heresie vvhich is that vve may not do vvel in respect of revvard or for revvard and therfore because the holy Prophet Dauid said of him self the cōtrarie that he did bend his vvhole hart to keepe Gods cōmaundements for revvard you make him say an other thing 25 And to this purpose perhaps it is for other cause I can not gesse that you make such a maruelous transposition of vvordes in your translation Mat. 19. saying thus Vvhen the Sonne of man shal sit in the throne of his maiestie ye that haue folovved me in the regeneratiō shal sit also vpō tvvelue seates Whereas the order of these vvordes both in Greeke and Latin is this You that haue folovved me in the regeneration vvhen the Sonne of man shal sit in his maiestie you also shal sit vpon tvvelue seates To folovv Christ in the regeneration is not easily vnderstood vvhat it should meane but to sit vvith Christ in the regeneration that is in the resurrection vpon 12 seates this is familiar and euery mans interpretation and concerneth the great revvard that they shal then haue vvhich here folovv Christ as the Apostles did 26 The like transpostion of vvordes is in some of your Bibles Hebr. 2. v. 9. thus no. Test 1580. Vve see IESVS crovvned vvith glorie and honour vvhich vvas a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffring of death Vvhereas both in Greeke and Latin the order of the vvordes is thus Him that was made a litle inferior to Angels vve see IESVS through the passion of death crovvned vvith honour and glorie In this later the Apostle saith that Christ vvas crovvned for his suffring death and so by his death merited his glorie but by your translation he saith that Christ vvas made inferior to Angels by his suffring death Vt mori posset that is saith Beza For to suffer death and taking it so that he vvas made inferior to Angels that he might die then the other sense is cleane excluded that for suffering death he vvas crovvned vvith glorie this is one place among other wherby it may very vvel be gathered that * See Caluin in epist ad Philip. some of you thinke that Christ him self did not merite his ovvne glorie and exaltation So obstinatly are you set against merites and meritorious vvorkes To the vvhich purpose also you take avvay mans free vvil as hauing no habilitie to vvorke tovvard his ovvne saluation CHAP. X. Heretical translation against FREE VVIL AGAINST free vvil your corruptions be these Io. 1 12. vvhere it is
commaundements To this purpose they translate Io. 5 3 thus Mā dara eius grauia non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His commaundements are not heauie for in saying they are not heauie it would folovv they might be kept obserued but in saying they are not greuous that may be true were they neuer so heauie or impossible through patience As vvhen a man can not doe as he vvould yet it greeueth him not being patient and vvise because he is content to doe as he can and is able Therfore doe they choose to translate that the commaundements are not greuous vvhere the Apostle saith rather they are not heauie much more agreably to our Sauiours vvordes My burden is light and to the wordes of God by Moyses Deu. 30. This commaundement vvhich I commaund thee this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not aboue thee that is beyond thy reache but the vvord is very neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou maiest doe it and to the cōmon signification of the Greeke vvord vvhich is heauie Beza vvould say somevvhat in his commentarie hovv the commaundements are heauie or light but his conclusion is against free vvill and that there can be no perfection in this life inueighing against them that would proue it out of this place vvhich is as much to say but he is ashamed to speake plainely that vve can not keepe the cōmaundements vvhich the holy Doctors haue long since condemned abhorred as most absurd that God should commaūd that vnder paine of dānation which is impossible to be done 15 Thus hauing taken avvay free vvil to doe good and possibilitie to keepe the cōmaundements and al merite or valure and efficacie of good vvorkes their next conclusion is that vve haue no true iustice or righteousnes in vs but an imputatiue iustice that is Christs iustice imputed to vs be vve neuer so foule and filthie in our soules so that vve beleeue only and by faith apprehend Christs iustice For this purpose they corrupt the Scriptures in their English bibles thus CHAP XI Heretical translation for IMPVTATIVE IVSTICE against true inherent iustice 1 ONE place might suffise in steede of many vvhere Beza doth protest that his adding or alteration of the text is specially against the execrable errour of inherent iustice Annot. in Rom. 5 18. vvhich he saith is to be auoided as nothing more His false translation thus our English Bezites and Caluinists folovv in their Bibles Likevvise then as by the offense of one Rom. 5. the fault came on al men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefite abounded tovvard al men to the iustification of life Vvhere there are added to the text of the Apostle sixe vvordes and the same so vvilfully and voluntarily that by the three first they make the Apostle say sinne came on al men by Adam and they vvere made sinners in deede by the three later they make him say not that iustice or righteousnes came likevvise on al men by Christ to make them iust in deede but that the benefite of Christs iustice abounded tovvards them as being imputed forsooth vnto them Vvhereas if they Would needes adde to the text vvhich yet is intolerable so much and in so doubtful a case they should at the least haue made the case equal as the Apostle him self teacheth them to doe in the very next sentence saying thus For as by one mans disobedience many vvere made sinners so by the obedience of one shal many also be made righteous so they translate rather then be made iust For they are the lothest men in the vvorld to say that vve are made iust for feare of iustice inherent in vs though the Scripture be neuer so plaine as here vve see the Apostle maketh the case like that vve are made iust by Christ as vve vvere made sinners by Adam 2 And it is a vvorld to see hovv Beza shifteth from one significatiō of the vvord iustified or made iust to an other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absoluitur Sometime to be iustified is to be pronoūced quitte from al sinne or declared iust before Gods iudgement seate so he trāslateth it in the text Act. 13. v. 39. and as though his guilty conscience vvere afraid of a blovv he saith he fleeth not the terme of iustifying or iustification because he vseth it in other places He doth so in deede but then his commentarie supplieth the turne as Ro. 2. v. 13. Not the hearers of the Lavv are RIGHTEOVS before God so they delight to trāslate rather then IVST before God but the doers of the Lavv shal be IVS TIFIED Iusti pronūctabuntur that is saith Beza shal be pronounced iust The Apostle must needes say by the coherence and consequence of his vvordes not the hearers are iust but the doers shal be iust or iustified Beza vvil in no case haue it so but either in text or commentarie make the Apostle say as him self imagineth Annot. Ro. 3. v. 20. Yet in an other place he protesteth very solemnely that to be iustified is not to be pronounced or accounted iust but rather to be iust in deede and that he proueth out of S. Paul Ro. 5. v. 19. vvho maketh it al one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be iustified to be made iust and againe by this reason that it should be manifestly repugnant to Gods iustice to account him for iust that is not iust and therfore that mā in deede is made iust Thus Beza Vvould you not thinke he vvere come to be of our opinion but he reuolteth againe interpreteth al these goodly vvordes in his old sense non quasi nobis indatur qualitas saying Not that any qualitie is invvardly giuen vnto vs of vvhich vve are named iust but because the iustice of Christ is imputed to vs by faith freely By faith then at the least vve are truely iustified Annot. in Ro. 4. v. 2. Not so neither but faith saith he is an instrument vvherevvith vve apprehēd Christ our iustice So that vve haue no more iustice in vs then vve haue glorie for glorie also vve apprehend by faith 3 For this purpose both he and the English Bibles translate thus Pro iustitia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham beleeued God and it vvas reputed to him FOR IVSTICE Ro. 4. v. 3. 9. Vvhere he interpreteth for iustice to be nothing els but Vice loco in the steede place of iustice so also taking avvay true inherent iustice euen from Abraham him self But to admit their translation vvhich notvvithstanding in their sense is most false must it needes signifie not true inherent iustice because the Scripture saith it vvas reputed for iustice Doe such speaches import that it is not so in deede but is onely reputed so Then if vve say This shal be reputed to thee for sinne for a great benefite
of the elect and predestinate to saluation If he be not by faith as sure of this as of Christs Incarnation he shal neuer be saued 2 For this heresie they force the Greeke to expresse the very vvord of assurance and certaintie thus Let vs dravv nigh vvith a true hart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN ASSVRANCE OF FAITH Heb. 10. v. 22. and Beza certa persuasione fidei that is vvith a certaine and assured persuasion of faith interpreting him self more at large in an other place Annot. in 1 Luc. v. 1. that he meaneth thereby such a persuasion and so effectual as by vvhich vve knovv assuredly vvithout al doubt that nothing can separate vs from God Vvhich their heretical meaning maketh their translation the lesse tolerable because they neither expresse the Greeke precisely nor intend the true sense of the Apostle they expresse not the Greeke vvhich signifieth properly the fulnes and complement of any thing and therfore the Apostle ioyneth it sometime vvith faith els vvhere Hebr. 6. v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvith hope vvith knovvledge or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2. v. 2. vnderstanding to signifie the fulnes of al three as the vulgar Latin interpreter most sincerely b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 4. v. 21. alvvaies translateth it and to Timothee c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministerium tuum imple An. 1577. an 1562. 2 Tim. 4. he vseth it to signifie the ful accomplishment and execution of his ministerie in euery point Where a man may vvonder that Beza to mainteine his conceiued signification of this vvord translateth here also accordingly thus Ministery tui plenam fidem facito but their more currant church English Bibles are content to say vvith the vulgar Latin interpreter fulfil thy ministerie or fulfil thine office to the vtmost and the Greeke fathers do finde no other interpretation Thus Ignat. Ep. Smyrn vvhen the Greeke signifieth fulnes of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Theodoret Theophyl vpon Ro. 10 rather then 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 and assured faith that euery man ought to haue as they say of his ovvne saluation Vvhereas the Greeke fathers expound it of the ful and assured faith that euery faithful 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 vvordes next folovving that the Protestants * Chryso ho. 19. in c. 10. ad Hebr. only faith is not sufficient be it neuer so special or assured 3 Yet do these termes please them excedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fidei donum electum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bib. 1577. in so much that for the chosen gift of faith Sap. 3 14. they translate THE SPECIAL gift of faith and Ro. 8 38. I am sure that nothing can separate vs from the loue of God as though the Apostle vvere certaine and assured not only of his ovvne saluation but of other mens For to this sense they do so translate here vvhereas in * Luc. 20 6. Ro. 15 14. Hebr. 6 9. other places out of cōtrouersie they translate the same vvord as they should do I am persuaded they are persuaded c. For vvho knovveth not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth onely a probable persuasion They vvil say that I am sure and I am persuaded is al one Being vvel meant they may in deede signifie alike as the vulgar Latin interpreter doth commonly trāslate it but in this place of controuersie vvhether the Apostle vvere sure of his saluation or no vvhich you say he vvas yea vvithout reuelation vve say he vvas not here vvhy vvould you translate I am sure not as in other places I am persuaded but in fauour of your errour by insinuating the termes of sure assurance and such like as elsvvhere you neglect the termes of iust and iustification 2 Cor. 4. In vvhich your secrete things of dishonesties and craftines as the Apostle calleth it vve can not alvvaies vse demōstrations to cōuince you but yet euen in these things vve talke vvith your conscience and leaue the consideration thereof to the vvise reader 4 You hold also in this kinde of controuersie that a man must assure him self that his sinnes be forgiuen but in the booke of Ecclicus c. 5. v. 5. vve reade thus Of thy sinne forgiuen be not without feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in the Greeke Of forgiuenes and propitiation be not vvithout feare to heape sinne vpon sinnes Vvhich you translate falsely thus Because thy sinne is forgiuen thee be not therfore vvithout feare Is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because thy sinne is forgiuen thee You knovv it is not but that vve should be afraid of the very forgiuenes thereof whether our sinne be forgiuen or no or rather vvhether our sinne shal be forgiuen or no if vve heape one sinne vpon an other Vvhich seemeth to be the truest sense of the place by the vvordes folovving as though he should say Be not bold vpon forgiuenesse to heape sinne vpon sinne as though God vvil easily forgiue c. 5 I touched before vpon an other occasion hovv you adde to the text making the Apostle say thus Eph. 3. Bib. 1562. By vvhom vve haue boldnes and entrance vvith THE CONFIDENCE VVHICH IS by the faith of him or as in an other Bible Bib. 1577. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich is al one in the confidence by faith of him The learned and skilful among you in the Greeke tongue know that this translation is false for tvvo causes the one is because the Greeke in that case should be thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other cause is the point after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that the very simple and sincere translation is this vve haue affiance and accesse vvith confidence by the faith of him euen as els where it is said we haue confidence 1 Io. 3. if our hart reprehend vs not vve haue confidence by keeping the commaundements by tribulations and afflictions and al good vvorkes Hebr. 10. 2 Cor. 3. hope also giueth vs great confidence Against al vvhich your translation is preiudicial limiting defining our confidence tovvard God to be faith as though vve had no confidence by vvorkes or othervvise 6 For this confidence by faith onely Beza translateth so vvilfully and peruersely that either you vvere ashamed to folovv him or you lacked a cōmodious English vvord correspondent to his Latin If I haue al faith saith the Apostle and haue not charitie I am nothing toiam fidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13. Annot. in No. Test 1556. saith Beza I had rather translate then omnem fidem because the Apostle meaneth not al kinde of faith to vvit the faith that iustifieth but he meaneth
that if a man haue the faith of Christs omniporencie or of any other article of the Creede or of al vvholy and entierly and perfectly that is nothing vvithout charitie This is Bezas tota fides vvhole faith thinking by this translation to exempt from the Apostles vvordes their special iustifying faith vvrestling to that purpose in his annotations against Pighius other Catholike Doctors Whereas euery man of smal skill may see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle nameth al faith as he doth al knowledge al mysteries comprehēding al sortes of the one of the other al kind of knovvledge al kinde of mysteries al faith vvhatsoeuer Christian Catholike historical or special vvhich tvvo later are Heretical termes nevvly deuised 7 And I vvould haue any of the Bezites giue me a sufficient reason vvhy he translated totam fidem and not also totam scientiam vndoubtedly there is no cause but the heresie of special and onely faith And againe vvhy he translateth Iaco. 2 22. Thou seest that faith vvas administra a helper of his vvorkes and expoundeth it thus faith vvas an efficient cause and fruiteful of good vvorkes Whereas the Apostles vvordes be plaine that faith vvrought together vvith his vvorkes yea and that his faith vvas by vvorkes made perfecte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is impudent handling of Scripture to make vvorkes the fruite only and effect of faith vvhich is your heresie 8 Vvhich 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 vvhatsoeuer in these vvordes And yet I shevv you a more excellent vvay 1 Cor. 12. v. 31. he in one edition of the nevv Testament in the yere 1556. translateth thus Behold moreouer also I shevv you a vvay most diligently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhat cold stuffe is this and hovv impertinent In an other edition an 1565. he mended it thus And besides I shevv you a vvay to excellencie In neither of both expressing the comparison of preeminence excellencie that charitie hath in the Apostles vvordes and in al the chapter folovving Vvherein you did wel for your credite not to folow him no not your Bezites them selues but to translate after our vulgar Latin interpreter as it hath alvvaies been read and vnderstood in the Church 9 Luther vvas so impudent in this case that because the Apostle spake not plainely ynough for only faith he thrust only into the text of his translation * Luther to 2 fol. 405. edi wittēb an 1551. as him self vvitnesseth You durst not hitherto presume so far in this question of only faith though * Act. 9 22. Bib. 1577. 1 Pet. 1 25. 2 Par. 36 8. 2 Cor. 5 21. 1 Pet 2 13 in the Bib. 1562. in other controuersies you haue done the like as is shevved in their places But I vvil aske you a smaller matter which in vvordes and shevv you may perhaps easily ansvver but in your conscience there vvil remaine a gnavving vvorme In so many places of the Gospel vvhere our Sauiour requireth the peoples faith vvhen he healed them of corporal diseases only why do you so gladly translate thus Mar. 10 52. Luc. 18 42. c. 8. v. 48. Thy faith hath saued thee rather then thus thy faith hath healed thee or made the vvhole is it not by ioyning these vvordes together 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 vvhere it can not be taken for faith that iustifieth because it is not the parties faith but her fathers that Christ required there also translate thus Beleeue only and she shal be saued Luc. 8 50. Vvhich translation though very false and impertinēt for iustifying faith as you seeme to acknovvledge by translating it othervvise in your other Bibles See Goughs sermon and Tom sons answer to the L. Abbot of vvestmester yet in deede you must needes mainteine hold it for good whiles you alleage this place for only faith as is euident in your vvritings 10 This then you see is a fallacie vvhen faith only is required to the health of the body as in many such places though not in al there by translation to make it sound a iustifying faith as though faith only were required to the health of the soule Whereas that faith vvas of Christs omnipotēcie only povver Annot. in 1 Cor. 13 2. vvhich Beza confesseth may be in the diuels them selues and is far from the faith that iustifieth If you say the Greeke signifieth as you translate it doth so in deede but it signifieth also very commonly to be healed corporally as by your ovvne translation in these places Bib. 1577. Marc. 5. v. 28. Marc. 6. v. 36. Luc. 8. v. 36. v. 51. Where you translate I shal be vvhole They vvere healed He vvas healed She shal be made vvhole And vvhy do you here trāslate so because you knovv to be saued importeth rather an other thing to vvit saluation of the soule and therfore vvhen faith is ioyned withal you translate rather saued then healed though the place be meant of bodily health only to insinuate by al meanes your iustification by only faith CHAP. XIII Heretical translation against PENANCE and SATISFACTION VPON the heresie of onely faith iustifying and sauing a man folovveth the denial of al penāce satisfaction for sinnes Vvhich Beza so abhorreth Annot in Mat. 3. v. 2. that he maketh protestation that he auoideth these termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poenitentia and Poenitentiam agere of purpose and that he vvill alvvaies vse for them in translating the Greeke vvordes resipiscentia and resipiscere Vvhich he doth obserue perhaps but that sometimes he is vvorse then his promis Act. 26.20 in No. Testan 1556. and in his later translation 1565. Mat 3. v. 8. Luc. 3. v. 8. translating most falsely and heretically for resipiscentia resipiscentes so that your English Bezites them selues are ashamed to translate after him Vvho othervvise folovv his rule for the most part translating resipiscentia amendement of life resipiscite amend your liues the other English bibles vvhen they translat best say repentance repent but none of them all once haue the vvordes penance and doe penance Vvhich in most places is the very true translation according to the very circūstance of the text and vse of the Greeke vvord in the Greeke Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agere poenitentiam and the auncient Latin translation thereof and al the fathers reading thereof and their expositions of the same Vvhich foure pointes I thinke not amis briefely to proue that the reader may see the vse and signification of these vvordes vvhich they of purpose vvill not expresse to auoid the termes of penance and doing penance That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to doe penāce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentiā egissent 2 First that the circumstance of the text doth giue it so to signifie vve read in Saint Mathevv c. 11 v. 21. If in Tyre and Sidon had been vvrought the miracles that haue been vvrought in you they had done penance in hearecloth or sackecloth and ashes long agoe And in S. Luc. c. 10. v. 13. they had done penance sitting in sackecloth and ashes I beseeche you these circunstances of sackcloth and ashes adioyned doe they signifie penance and affliction of the body or only amēdement of life as you vvould haue the vvord to signifie S. Basil saith in Ps 29. Sackcloth maketh for penance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the fathers in old time sitting in sackcloth and ashes did penance Vnles you vvil translate S. Basil also after your fashiō vvhom you can not any vvay translate but the sense must needes be penāce doing penāce Againe S. Paul saith You vvere made sorie to penance or 2 Co. 7 9. to repentance say vvhich you vvill and The sorovv vvhich is according to God vvorketh penāce or repentance vnto saluation Is not sorovv and bitter mourning affliction partes of penance Did the incestuous man vvhom S. Paul excommunicated 1 Cor. 5. and aftervvard absolued him because of his exceding sorovv and teares 2 Cor. 2. for feare lest he might be ouervvhelmed vvith sorovv did he I say chāge his minde only or amend his life as you translate the Greeke vvord and interpret repentance did he not penance also for his fault Mat. 3. Luc. 3. Act. 26. enioyned of the Apostle vvhen S. Iohn the Baptist saith S. Paul exhorteth the like Doe fruites vvorthie of penance or as you translate meete for repentance Doe they not plainely signifie penitential vvorkes or the vvorkes of penance vvhich is the very cause vvhy Beza rather translated in those places Fructus dignos ijs qui resipuerint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe the fruites meete for them that amend their liues or giue vs some other good cause ô ye Bezites vvhy your maister doth so fouly falsifie his translation 3 Secondly for the signification of this Greeke vvord in al the Greeke Church and Greeke fathers euen from S. Denys the Aeropagite S. Paules scholer vvho must needes deduce it from the Scriptures and learne it of the Apostles it is most euident that they vse this vvord for that penance vvhich vvas done in the primitiue Church according to the penitētial canons vvherof al antiquitie of Councels and fathers is ful Ec. Hier. c. 3. in principio in so much that S. Denys reckening vp the three sortes of persons that vvere excluded from seeing and participating of the diuine mysteries of Christes body and bloud Paenitentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to vvit Catechumens Poenitents and the possessed of il spirites for Poenitents he saith in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as vvere in their course of penance or had not yet done their ful penance Vvhich penance S. Augustine declareth thus Ho. 27. inter 50 ho. and ep 108. Est poenitentia grauior c. There is a more greuous and more mourneful penance vvhereby proprely they are called in the Church that are Poenitentes remoued also from partaking the sacramēt of the altar And the Greeke Ecclesiastical historie thus Sozom. li. 7. c. 16. In the Church of Rome there is a manifest and knovven place for the POENITENTS in it they stād sorovvful as it vvere mourning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See S. Hier. in epitaph Fabiolae vvhen the sacrifice is ended being not made partakers thereof vvith vveeping and lamentation they cast them selues flat on the ground then the Bishop vveeping also vvith compassion lifteth them vp and after a certaine time enioyned absolueth thē frō their penāce This the Priests or Bishops of Rome keepe from the very beginning euen vntil our time 4 In these vvordes other in the same chapter Li. 5. c. 19. in Socrates Greeke historie likevvise whē they speake of Poenitents that confessed and lamented their sinnes that vvere enioyned penance for the same did it I vvould demaund of our English Graecians in vvhat Greeke vvordes they expresse al this Do they it not in the vvordes vvhich vve novv speake of vvhich therfore are proued most euidētly to signifie penāce doing penāce Againe vvhen the most aūcient Coūcel of Laodicea can 2. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the time of penāce should be giuen to offenders according to the proportion of the fault and againe can 9. That such shal not communicate til a certaine time but after they haue done penance and confessed their fault then to be receiued and againe Can. 19. After the Catechumens are gone out that praier be made of the Penitents or them that are in doing penance And vvhen the first Councel of Nice saith can 12. about shortening or prolonging the daies of penance that they must vvel examine their purpose and maner of doing penance that is vvith what alacritie of minde teares patience humilitie good vvorkes they accomplished the same and accordingly to deale more mercifully vvith them as is there expressed in the councel vvhen S. Basil Can. 1. ad Amphiloch speaketh after the same sort vvhen S. Chrysostom calleth the sackcloth and fasting of the Niniuites for certaine daies tot dierum poenitentiam so many daies penance in al these places I would gladly knovv of our English Grecians vvhether these speaches of penance and doing penance are not expressed by the said Greeke vvordes vvhich they vvil in no case so to signifie 5 Or I vvould also aske them vvhether in these places they vvil translate repentance and amendement of life vvhere there is mentioned a prescript time of satisfaction for their fault by such and such penal meanes vvhether there be any prescript times of repentance or amendement of life to continue so long and no longer if not then must it needes be translated Penance and doing penance vvhich is longer or shorter according to the fault and the maner of doing the same I may repent in a moment and amend my life at one instant and this repentance and amendement ought to continue for euer but the holy Councels and fathers speake of a thing to be done for certaine yeres or daies and to be released at the Bishops discretion this therfore is penance and not repentance only or amendemēt of life and is expressed by the foresaid Greeke wordes as also by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other equiualent therevnto 6 I omit that this very phrase to doe penance is vvord for word expressed thus in Greeke Litur Chrys in rubricis pag. 69. 104. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Ausonius the Xp̄ian Poëte vvhom I may as vvel alleage once and vse it not Metanoea as they do Virgil Terence and the like very often vseth this
Mat. 6. v. 1 Bevvare you doe not your iustice before men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vvhich is in other Greeke copies your almes And S. Augustine proueth it by the very text in Ps 49. v. 5 for saith he as though a man might aske vvhat iustice he addeth WHEN THOV DOEST AN ALMES DEEDE He signified therfore that almes are the workes of iustice Psal 111. And in the Psal they are made one He distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth for euer and euer Vvhich Beza translateth his beneficence or liberalitie remaineth c. Againe S. Hierom a sufficient Doctor to tel the signification of the Hebrue or Chaldee vvordes both translateth it so and expoundeth it so in his commentarie Moreouer the vvordes that immediatly folovv in Daniel interprete it so vnto vs And thy iniquities vvith mercies to the poore Annot. in Mat. 6. v. 1. Lastly Beza him self saith that by the name of iustice vvith the Hebrues is also signified beneficence or beneficialnes to the poore yea and that in this place of Daniel it is specially taken for almes 2 Cor. 9. So that vve see there is no impediment neither in the Chaldee nor Greeke vvhy they might not haue said as the Church of God alvvaies hath said Redeeme thy sinnes vvith almes and thy iniquities vvith mercies to the poore but their Heresie vvill not suffer them to speake after the Catholike maner that almes and merciful deedes are a redemption ransom and satisfaction for sinnes 19 And vvhat a miserable humor is it in these cases to flie as far as they can from the auÌ„cient receiued speache of holy Scripture that hath so many yeres sounded in al faithful eares and to inuent nevv termes and phrases when the original text both Greeke and Hebrue fauoureth the one as much or more then the other as that they choose to say in the Epistle to Titus vvhere the Apostle excedingly exhorteth to good vvorkes mainteine good vvorkes and shevv forth good vvorkes rather then according to the auncient Latin translation bonis operibus praeesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be cheefe and principal in doing good vvorkes vvhich is the very true and vsual signification of the Greeke vvord and implieth a vertuous emulation among good men vvho shal doe most good vvorkes or excel in that kinde But they that looke to be saued by faith onely no maruel if neither their doings nor translations tend to any such excellencie CHAP. XIIII Heretical translation against the holy SACRAMENTS namely BAPTISME and CONFESSION 1 AN other sequele of their only faith is that the Sacraments also helpe nothing tovvard our saluation and therfore they partely take â—hem cleane avvay partly depriue them of al grace vertue and efficacie making them poore beggarly elements either vvorse or no better then those of the old Lavv. 2 For this purpose Beza is not content to speake as the Apostle doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro. 4. v. 11. that circumcision vvas a seale of the iustice of faith but because he thinketh that to small a terme for the dignitie of circumcision as him self confesseth libens refugiquod obsignaret for sigillum he gladly auoideth is I vse his ovvne wordes for the Novvne putteth the Verbe so dissolutely and presumptuously that the English Bezites them selues here also dare not folovv him in traÌ„slation though in opinion they agree The cause of his vvilful translation he declareth in his Annotations vpon the same place to vvit the dignitie of circumcision equal vvith any Sacrament of the nevv Testament His vvordes be these Vvhat saith he could be spoken more magnifical of any Sacrament therfore they that put a real difference betvvene the Sacraments of the old Testament and ours neuer seeme to haue knovven hovv far Christs office extendeth Vvhich he saith not to magnifie the old but to disgrace the nevv 3 Vvhich is also the cause vvhy not only he but the English Bibles for commonly they ioyne handes and agree together to make no difference betvvene Iohns Baptisme and Christs translate thus concerning certaine that had not yet receiued the holy Ghost Vnto vvhat then vvere ye baptized Act. 19.3 And they said vnto Iohns Baptisme Vvhich Beza in a long discourse proueth to be spoken of Iohns doctrine and not of his baptisme in vvater As though it vvere said vvhat doctrine then do ye professe and they said Iohns Vvhereas in deede the question is this and ought thus to be translated In vvhat then or vvherein vvere you baptized And they said In Iohns Baptisme As vvho should say vve haue receiued Iohns Baptisme but not the holy Ghost as yet and therfore it folovveth immediatly then they vvere baptized in the name of Iesus after imposition of handes the Holy Ghost came vpon them Vvhereby is plainely gathered that being baptized vvith Iohns baptisme before and yet of necessitie baptized aftervvard vvith Christs baptisme also there must needes be a great differeÌ„ce betvvene the one baptisme and the other Iohns being insufficient And that this is the deduction vvhich troubleth these Bezites and maketh them translate accordingly Beza as commonly still he vttereth his greefe telleth vs in plaine vvordes thus It is not necessarie Annot. in Act. 19. that vvheresoeuer there is mention of Iohns Baptisme vve should thinke it to be the very ceremonie of Baptisme therfore they that gather Iohns Baptisme to haue been diuers from Christs because these a litle after are said to be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ haue no sure foundation Loe hovv of purpose he translateth and expoundeth it Iohns doctrine not Iohns Baptisme to take avvay the foundation of this Catholike conclusion that his baptisme differeth and is far inferior to Christs 4 But doth the Greeke leade him or force him to this translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In quid vnto vvhat First him self confesseth in the very same place the contrarie that the Greeke phrase is often vsed in the other sense vvherein or vvherevvith as it is in the vulgar Latin and Erasmus but that in his iudgement it doth not so signifie here and therfore he refuseth it Yet in the very next verse almost vvhere it is said by the same Greeke phrase that they vvere baptized in the name of Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there both he and his so translate it as vve doe not vnto the name of Christ Is it not plaine that al is voluntarie and at their pleasure For I beseeche them if it be a right translation baptized in the name of Iesus vvhy is it not right baptized in the baptisme of Iohn Is there any difference in the Greeke none Vvhere then in their commentaries and imaginations only against vvhich vve oppose and set both the text and the commentaries of al the fathers 5 But no maruel if they disgrace the baptisme of Christ vvhen they are bold also to take it avvay altogether interpreting this Scripture 10.3 v. 5.