Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Hereticall translation for SPECIAL FAITH, vaine securitie, and ONELYONLY FAITH.
MARTIN.
AL other meanes of saluation being thus taken away, their 1.onelyonly and extreme refuge is, Only faith, & the same not the Christian faith of the articles of the creede, & such like, but a speciall faith & confidence, wherby eueryevery man must assuredly beleeue, that himselfe is the Sonne of God, and one of the elect, and praedestinate to saluation. If he bee not by fayth as sure of this as of Christes incarnation, he shall neuer be saued.
FVLK.
AL other meanes of saluation being taken away,1. and only faith apprehending the merciemercy of God in the redēption of Iesus Christ, being left, we hauehave great & sufficient cause, to account our selues happy, and assured of eternall life, because he that hath promised, is faithfull also to performe. But where you saye that our only faith, is not the Christian faith of the articles of the creede, you lye without measure impudently: for that faith, and none other doe we beleue, teach, and professe. And that faith is a speciall faith and confidence in the merciemercy of God, whereof eueryevery man that beleueth, doth make a singular confession for himselfe, saying, I beleeue in God, &c. And of all thinges contained in that profession of faith (that is, of forgiuenesse of sinnes, resurrection of our bodies, and life euerlasting, by beliefe and trust in God the Father Almightie, maker of heauen and earth, and in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lorde, conceiued, borne, suffered, crucified, deade, buried, descended into hell; risen againe, and ascended into heauen, and in God the holy Ghost, by whose gracious and mightie working we are incorporate into the bodie of Christ, and made members of his holy Catholike Church, which is the communion of Saincts) eueryevery Christian man ought to be as certainely persuaded, as the things are most true, being inwardly taught by the spirite of truth, that he is the childe of God, and consequently elect, & predestinate vntounto eternall saluation. But that a man s…l neuer be saued, except he hauehave such certentie of this faith, as the truth of Gods promises doth deserue, none of vsus doth teach, none of vsus doth thinke. For we know our owne infirmitie, we knowe the temptation of Satan, neuerthelesse wee acknowledge in our selues, and so seeke to persuade all men, that these things standing vponupon the immoueable pillers of Gods promises, who can neyther deceiue nor be deceyued, ought to be most certaine vntounto vsus, and for dayly confirmation and increase of this faith all those meanes are of vsus diligently to be vsed, that God for this purpose in his holy Scripture hath appointed.
MART. 2. For this heresie, they force the Greeke to expresse the very word of assurance and certaintie, thus: Let vsusforeign. drawe nighe with a true hart, IN ASSVRANCE OF FAITH. Heb. 10. v. 22. and Beza, Certa persuasione fidei, Annot. in 1. Luc. v. 1.that is, with a certaine & assured persuasion of faith: interpreting him selfe more at large in another place, that he meaneth thereby such a persuasion and so effectuall, as by which we know assuredly without all doubt, that nothing can separate vsus from God. Which their hereticall meaning maketh their trāslation the lesse tolerable, because they neither expresse the Greeke precisely, nor intend the true sense of the Apostle, they expresseforeign. not the Greeke, which signifieth properly the fulness and cōplement of any thing, and therfore the Apostle ioyneth it sometime with faith, els where (Hebr. 6. v. 11.) with hope, with knowledge, or (aforeign. Col. 2. v. 2.) vnderstāding, to signifie the fulnes of all three, as the vulgar Latin interpreter most sincerely (bforeign, Plenissime sciens. Ro. 4. v. 21.) alwaies translateth it: & to Timothee, (*foreign. 2. Tim. 4.) he vseth it to signifie the full accomplishment & executiō of his ministerie in eueryevery point. Where a man may wōder that Beza to maintaine his conceiued signification of this word, translateth here alsoMinisterium tu…m imple. An. 1577. An. 1562. Ignat. Ep. Smyrn. foreign. accordingly, thus: Ministerij tui plenā fidem facito: but their more currant Church English Bibles are cōtent to say with the vulgar Latine interpreter, fulfil thy ministerie: or, fulfil thine office to the vtmost. And the Greeke fathers do finde no other interpretation. Thus, when the Greeke signifieth fulnesse of faith, rather than assurance or certaine persuasion, they translate not the Greeke precisely. Againe in the sense they erre much more, applying the foresaid wordes to the certaine & assured faith that eueryevery man ought to hauehave (as they say) of hisforeign. owne saluation. Whereas the Greeke fathers expound it of the full and assured faith that eueryevery faithfull man must hauehave of al such things in heauen as he seeth not, namely that Christ is ascended thither, &c. adding further and prouing out of the ApostlesChrys. Theodor. Theophyl. vponupon Ro. 10. wordes next folowing, that the Protestants* only faith is not sufficient, be it neuer so speciall or assured.
FVLK. 2. Hauing nothing to impugne this cleare interpretatiō of the Greeke word foreign, but the vnperfect translatiō of your vulgar Latine interpreter, who was both an vnperfect grecian, & a very barbarous Latinist, you are not ashamed to say, we force the Greeke, to make it signifie assurance: whiche all men that are but meanly learned in the Greeke tongue, may know, that it signifieth assurāce, or ful & certaine persuasiō. Although for the question in controuersie, the fulnesse of faith wil proue the certeintie, as much in a māner, as the assurāce. But that the Greeke signifieth a full and certaine persuasion, I report me not only to the best Greeke Dictionaries of this time, but also to Budeus, who citeth Isocrates out of Trapezuntius for proofe, that it is so vsed, & also interpreteth that of S. Paule Rom. 14. foreign, let eueryevery man be certaine of his owne minde. But you hauehave a doughty argument, that it is not onelyonly ioyned with faith, but also with hope, knowledge, and vnderstanding, as though there could not be a certaine persuasion and assurance of hope, knowledge, and vnderstanding: yea the assurance of hope dependeth vponupon the assuraunce of faith, and the assuraunce of faith vponupon the certaine persuasion of knowledge and vnderstanding. Yea your vulgar interpretor translating foreign, Rom. 4. v. 21. Plenissimè sciens, knowing most fully, may teach you, that it signifieth more than fulnesse, for else he should hauehave saide being fulfilled. And better doth Beza expresse the worde foreign, 2. Tim. 4. than some of our English interpreters, whiche say, fulfil thy ministry: wheras the Apostles meaning is, that he should approue the credite and dignitie of his ministerie, vntounto other men. But the Greeke fathers (you say) find none other interpretation of it, and for proofe you cite Ignatius ep. ad Smyr. which although it be not authenticall, yet I see no cause why we may not interprete foreign, being certainly persuaded in faith & louelove, and foreign, in the assurance of faith. And so is it translated in Bibliotheca sacra Margarini de la Bigne, Plenè instructae in fide & charitate, & cognoui vos absolutè perfectos in fule stabili, fully instructed in faith and charitie, and I hauehave knowen you absolutely perfect in a stedfaste faith. Chrysostome and Theodoret, because you vouch at large, I know not what you would shew out of them. In Theophylact I finde, that he speaketh against all hesitation & doubtfulnesse of faith, but against the certaine persuasion thereof neuer a worde. Ne aliquam inducas in animum tuum haesitationem, neque pendeas animi, dubij quiddam cogitans. Bring not into thy minde any staggering, neither be incertaine of thy mind, thinking any doubtfull thing. But for the signification of the worde foreign, S. Basil may bee a sufficient witnesse, who commonly vseth it for assured and certaine persuasion. … foreign. 26. EueryEvery worde and deede must be proued by… testimonie of the holy Scripture, foreign, to the full and certaine persuasion of the go… ▪ & to the shame of the wicked. Againe desin. 80. what is the propertie of a faithfull man foreign, &c. By such assured persuasiō to be disposed, &c. Euē so foreign, to the certaine persuasiō of godlinesse &c. and so in other places. And you your selfe confesse as much, where you say, the Greeke fathers expound it of the full assured faith &c. which is enough to iustifie our trāslation. Now if the fathers vnderstood this full assured faith only of an historicall faith (as you say) & not of trust and confidence in God, it is an other controuersie. Our translation is not false, although we had a false meaning, if it be answereable to the words. Neither doth Chrysostome speake of an historicall faith only, by certaintie whereof we hauehave accesse vntounto God: but also of cōfidence, which remissiō of our sinnes doth cause, and that we are made coheires with Christ, & that we enioy so great louelove, neither doth he proue that the Protestāts only faith is not sufficient to iustisie. But the Apostle sheweth (saith he) that not faith alone, but also a vertuous life is required, & that a man be not guiltie to him self of malitiousnes. For these holy places doe not receiue those men, with certaine assurāce, which are not made such. This iudgmēt of Chrysostome the Protestants do allow of better thā the Papists: for we know, that a godly life is necessarie in them that beleeue to iustification, without which they can hauehave no assurance of faith, no nor faith in deede, but that which is by aequiuocation called faith, such saith as the Deuil and the reprobate may hauehave.
MART. 3. Yet do these termes please them exceedingly, in so much that for the chosen gift of faith, Sap. 3. 14. they*foreign, …id… donum electum. foreign, …b. 1577. … 20. 6. … 1… 14. Hebr. 6. 9. translate, THE SPECIAL gift of faith: and Rom. 8. 38. …ni sure, that nothing can separate vsus from the louelove of God. … though the Apostle were certaine and assured not onelyonly of h…wne saluation, but of other mens. For to this sense they doe … translate here, whereas in other places out of controuersie they translate the same worde as they should doe, I am persuaded, they are persuaded, &c. For who knoweth not that foreign importeth onelyonly a probable persuasion? They will say that I am sure, and I am perswaded, is al one. Beeing well meant, they may indeede signifie alike, as the vulgare Latine interpreter doth commonly translate it, but in this place of controuersie, whether the Apostle were sure of his saluation or no, whiche you saye he was, yea without reuelation, we say he was not: here why woulde you translate, I am sure, and not as in other places, I am perswaded, but in fauour of your errour, by insinuating the termes of sure, and assurance, and such like: as elsewhere you neglect the termes of iuste and iustification.2. Cor. 4. In which your secrete things of dishonesties & craftinesse (as the Apostle calleth it) we cānot alwaies vse demonstratiōs to conuince you: but yet euen in these things we talke with your cō science, and leaue the consideration thereof to the wise reader.
FVLK. 3. Seeing they accompt the booke of Wisdome to be of no authoritie to establish the certaintie of doctrine, it is not like they coulde hauehave any such respecte, as you malitiously surmise. And yet the translation good and true. For what is the choice gifte of faith, but a speciall gift? Or dare you say, that faith is not a speciall gift of God? They say not a special faith, but a speciall gift of faith. The other quarrel of the translation of foreign, I am sure, is so brutish, that when you confesse the vulgare Latine interpreater commonly to translate it, Certus sum, and that in the end, you can vse no demonstration to conuince vsus, yet stil neuerthelesse you charge our conscience with the secreate thinges of dishonestie. That the Apostle was sure of his owne saluation, by the testimonie of Gods spirite which is giuen to al his children, wee doubt not, and that he was sure of the saluation of all Gods elect, of whiche it is vnpossible, that any should perish. And seing the same spirit of adoptiō is giuē to al the children of God, which is the earnest of the heauēly inheritance, we cā not affirme without blasphemie against Gods truth, that any mā ought to discredite the promises of God, or the testimonie of his spirite.
MART. 4. You holde also in this kinde of contronersie, that a man must assure himself that his sinnes be forgiuen. but in the booke of Eccle. c. 5. v. 5. We reade thus, Of thy sin forgiuē, be not without feare. or (as it is in the Greke) Of forgiuenesforeign. & propitiation bee not without feare, to heape sin vponupon sins. Which you translate falsly, thus: Because thy sin is forgiuen thee, be not therfore without feare. Is that foreign, because thy sin is forgiuen thee? You knowe it is not: but that wee shoulde bee afraid of the very forgiuenes thereof, whether our sin be forgiuen or no, or rather, whether our sinne shall be forgiuen, or no, if we heape one sinne vppon an other. Whiche seemeth to bee the truest sense of the place, by the wordes following▪ as though he should say, Be not bold vponupon forgiuenes to heap sin vpō sin, as thogh God wil easly forgiue, &c.
FVLK. 4. We hold, that a man, when he is truly penitent, ought to assure himself, that his sins bee forgiuen him, because God hath so promised, in an hūdred places, without iniurie of whose credit, we cannot doubt of the performance of his promise. But that which the sonne of Syrach speaketh of propitiatiō, is meant of the shadowie propitiation by the sacrifices of the lawe, which can not assure anie man of the forgiuenesse of his sins by themselues, much lesse them that heape sin vponupon sin, which are neuer truely repentant. For vntounto true repentaunce is required an hatred of sin, & a desire, & purpose of amendment. Our translation is (as your vulgar Latine) not precise to the words of the Greeke, but iuste vntounto the meaning, for the words are, concerning propitiation, be not without feare: and your Latin is, De propitiato peccato, of sin forgiuen. And if you wil reprooue your Latin, aswel as our English, and say, we must be afraid of the very forgiuenes, I hauehave told you, that the forgiuenes of God testified by the sacrifices, pertained vntounto them that be truly penitent, and not to hypocrites. And where you make it a doubt, whether sin shall bee forgiuen, or no, in them that heape one sin vponupon an other: we are out of doubte, that sin shall neuer bee forgiuen to suche, as so continue without true conuersion vntounto God.
MART. 5. I touched before vponupon another occasion, howBib. 1562. you adde to the text, making the Apostle say thus, Ephes. 3. By whom we hauehave boldnes and entrance with THE CONFIDEHCE WHICHE Is by the faith of him, orBib. 1577. foreign. (as in an other Bible, which is al one) in the confidence by faith of him. The learned and skilful among you in the Greke tong, know that this translation is false for twoo causes, the one is, because the Greeke in that case shoulde be thus, foreign. an other cause is, the point after foreign. so that the very simple & sincere translation is this, wee hauehave affiaunce and accesse with confidence, by the faith of him. euen as elsewhere it is said, wee hauehave confidence,1. Io. 3. if our hart reprehend vsus not: we hauehave confidence by keping the commaundements, by tribulations and afflictions, and al goodHebr. 10. 2. Cor. 3. workes. hope also giueth vsus great confidence. Against all which, your translation is preiudiciall, limiting and defining our confidence toward God, to be faith, as though wee had no confidence by workes, or otherwise.
FVLK. 5. For vnderstanding of the article, I hauehave answered alreadie, & meane not here to repeate it. The point you misse, in the Bible 1577. is obserued in that boke which I hauehave of Richard lugs printing. By whom we hauehave boldenesse and entrance in the confidence, by faith of him. But it cannot be, the confidēce (you think) but, confidence: because the article foreign is not put before the worde, that signifieth confidence. But al Englishemen know that our English (the) may be put, and sometime must be put before nounes, without any article either in Greeke or Latine. And in this place, I would not giuegive a rush to choose, whether it be in or out, for anye sense that it chaungeth. What confidence we hauehave by a good conscience, by suffring tribulation, and by al good workes, it skilleth not for this question, so it be determined, that we hauehave no confidence in the merites of a good conscience, of suffering, of al good works that we can do▪ to hauehave boldenesse and entrance vntounto God. But of merites we hauehave spoken before in their proper place.
MART. 6. For this confidēce by faith only, Beza translateth so wilfully & peruersly, that either you were ashamed to folow him, or you lacked a cōmodious English word correspondēt to his Latine. If I hauehave all faith (saith the Apostle) and hauehave not charitie, I am nothing▪ totam fidem (saith Beza) I hadforeign. …. Cor. 13. Annot. in No. Test. 1556. rather translate, than, omnem fidem, because the Apostle meaneth not al kind of faith. to witte the faith that iustifieth: but he meaneth, that if a man hauehave the faith of Christs omnipotencie, or of any other article of the Creede, or of al wholy & entirely & perfectly, that is nothing without charitie. This is Bezaes tota fides, whole faith, thinking by this translation to exempt frō the Apostles words, their special iustifying faith, and wrastling to that purpose in his annotatiōs against Pighius and other Catholike Doctours. Whereas eueryevery man of smal skil may see, that the Apostle nameth al faith, as he doth al knowlege and al mysteries: comprehending al sortes of the one and of the other: al kinde of knowledge, al kind of mysteries, al faith whatsoeuer, Christian, Catholike, historical, or special, which two later, are Heretical termes newely deuised.
FVLK. 6. When your spightfull and dogged malice cannot reprooue our English translation, then wee muste aunsweare for Bezaes Latine, who hath sufficiently aunswered for himselfe, to them that vnderstande, and liste to reade him. In the place mentioned by you, hee chooseth to say totam fidem, rather than omnem, because it apeareth by the effects, that he speaketh of faith, as it was a speciall gift of working of myracles, of which effectes he nameth one, remouing of mountaines. And that foreign is so taken, namely for the perfection of one kynde, not the vniuersall comprehension of al kindes, he bringeth you example, Ro. 7. v. 8. and elsewhere oftentimes. But if it shoulde be taken (as you say) all knowledge, & all mysteries is generally to be taken, yet he telleth you, this separation is but vppon an impossible supposition, for iustifying faith can neuer bee separated from charitie, but if it might be separated, it shoulde not profite to iustifie. The Angels of heauen can not preach an other gospel: but if they did preach an other gospel, they should be accursed. A great argument I promise you against iustification by faith onelyonly, that a solitarie, dead, or barraine faith doth not iustifie.
MART. 7. And I woulde hauehave anye of the Bezites giuegive me a sufficient reason, why hee translated, totam fidem, and not also, totam scientiam: vndoubtedly there is no cause, but the heresie of speciall and onelyonly faith. And againe, why he translateth Iaco. 2. 22. Thou seest, that faith was (administra) a helper of his workes: and expoundeth it thus, Faith was an efficient cause and fruitful of good workes. Wheras the Apostles wordes be plaine, that faith wroughtforeign. togither with his workes, yea and that his fayth was by workes made perfecte. This is impudent handling of Scripture, to make workes the fruite onelyonly and effecte of fayth, which is your heresie.
FVLK. 7. If you dare draw foorth your pen against Beza, and demande an answere of himselfe, although he hath already giuen you a sufficiēt reason to induce, that the Apostle speaketh not of faith, as generally as of knowledge, because by an example of remouing mountaines, he restraineth it to one kinde of faith. As for the other question, why he translateth foreign, Iam. 2. v. 22. was an helper; me thinke you should make best answere your selfe, who not long since, by force of that word, woulde needes prooue, that men were helpers of God, chap. 10. sect. 6. HaueHave you so soone forgotten your own voice? and is this impudent handling of the scripture, to translate, as you your selfe in an other case thoughe impertinently did contend the word to signifie? But works you wil not hauehave to be the fruit only and effect of faith: because the Apostle saieth that faith wrought togither with his workes, and by workes his faith was made perfite, as thoughe apples are not the fruite of the tree, because the tree doth beare them, and by them, if they be good, the tree is made a good tree.
MART. 8. Which heresie also must needes be the cause, that, to suppresse the excellencie of charitie (which the Apostle giueth it aboue faith, or any other gift whatsoeuer, in these wordes, And yet I shew you a more excellent way, 1. Cor. 12. v. 31.) he in one edition of the new Testament (in the yeareforeign. 1556.) translateth thus, Behold moreouer also I shew you a way most diligently. What cold stuffe is this, & howe impertinent? In an other edition (an. 1565.) he mended it thus: And besides I shew you a way to excellencie. In neither of both expressing the comparison of preeminence & excellencie, that charitie hath in the Apostles words, and in all the chapter following. Wherein you did well (for your credite) not to followe him (no not your Bezites them selues) but to translate after our vulgar Latine interpreter, as it hath alwayes bene read & vnderstoode in the Church.
FVLK. 8. The rarenesse of the phrase, foreign &c. as al indifferēt men wil iudge, rather than any mind to suppresse the excellencie of charitie, caused Beza to giuegive dyuerse interpretations of that place, of whiche yet the latter more commendeth the excellencie of charitie, than the vulgar Latin, or our Eaglishe translation, whiche expoundeth it as the Latine doth: for if charitie be the way to excellencie, it is a greater commendation thereof, than to saye, it is a more excellent waye than other giftes, whereof he spake last, as of healing, of tongues, of interpretations, &c.*Luther. to. 2. fol. 405. edi. VVittenb. an. 1551. 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.
MART. 9. Luther was so impudent in this case, that, because the Apostle spake not plàinely ynough for onelyonly faith, he thrust (only) into the text of his translation, as himself witnesseth, you durst not hitherto presume so farre in this question of onelyonly faith, though in other controuersies you hauehave done the like, as is shewed in their places. But I wil aske you a smaller matter, which in words & shew you may perhaps easily answer, but in your conscience there wil remaine a gnawing worme. In so many places of the Gospell, where our Sauiour requireth the peoples faith, when he healed them of corporall diseases only, whyMart. 10. 52. Luc. 18. 42. &c. 8. v. 48. do you so gladly translate thus, Thy faith hath saued thee, rather than thus, thy faith hath healed thee, or made thee whole? is it not, by ioyning these wordes togither, to make it sound in English eares, that faith saueth or iustifieth a man? in so much that Beza noteth in the margent thus, fides saluat: that is, faith saueth. & your Geneua Bibles, in that place where it can not be taken for faith that iustifieth, because it is not the parties faith, but her fathers that Christ required, there also trā slate thus, Beleeue only, & she shall be saued. Which translation,Luc. 8. 50. though very false and impertinent for iustifying faith, as you seeme to acknowledge by translating it otherwise in your other Bibles: yet in deede you must needes mainteine and holdSee Gough… sermon and Tomsons ansvver to the L… Abbot of vvestmest. it for good, whiles you alleage this place for onelyonly faith, as is euident in your writings.
FVLK. 9. That which Luther might wel do as an interpretor, or expounder, it was much boldnesse for him to doe, as a translator: but seeing he him selfe hath redressed his owne offence, wee hauehave lesse to say for him, and you against him. For our additions, except suche as the necessitie of our English phrase dothe require for vnderstanding, you slaunder vsus to say, that wee hauehave in any controuersies done the like. The question you aske, is not worthy any answere, why wee translate, thy faith hath saued thee, &c. seing wee vse all these wordes indifferently, healing, making safe, and making whole, as in S. Iames we say, Can faith saue him? And it is al one, to say, thy faith hath saued thee, and thy fayth hath made thee whole. But you say, wee alledge this place for onelyonly faith iustifying, citing the answeres of Maister Gough, & M. Tomson, against Feckenham. I thinke you lie, as in other places very commonly. And yet an argument, though not a plaine testimonie, may be taken out of these places for only faith iustifying. Seing Christ was not a phisition for the body, but to teach mē that he was a Physition for the soule, and as he healed the diseased in bodie onelyonly by faith, so hee cureth the sickuesse of the soule by the same instrument of faith onelyonly, which by other places may be more directly prooued, and here also in some sorte is insinuated.
MAR. 10. This then you see is a fallacie, whē faith only is required to the helth of the body, as in many such places (thogh not in all) there by translation to make it sounde a iustifying faith, as thogh faith only were required to the helth of the soule. Wheras that faith was of Christes omnipotencie onelyonly and power, which Beza confesseth may be in the diuels themselues, andAn. in. 1. Co. 13. 2 is farre from the faith that iustifieth. If you saye, the Greeke signifieth as you translate: it doth so in deede, but it signifieth also very commonly to bee healed corporally, as (by your owne translation) in these places, Marc. 5. v. 28. Marc. 6. v. 36. Luc.Bib. 1577. 8. v. 36. & v. 51. Where you translate, I shal be whole. They were healed. Hee was healed. She shal bee made whole. And why do you here translate so? because you know, to be saued, importeth rather an other thing, to wit, saluation of the soule: and therefore when faith is ioyned withall, you translate rather saued, than, healed, (though the place be meant of bodilie health onelyonly) to insinuate by all meanes your iustification by only faith.
FVLK. 10. It is no fallacie: from the health of the bodie, to ascende higher to the health of the soule, but that direct and plaine way, by whiche Christe himselfe would be knowne to be sauiour of the worlde, not of the bodie onelyonly, but of the bodie and soule togither. And commonly his bodily cures were ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinnes, whych are causes of al maladies, and with health of their soules, whose bodies were made safe. As for iustification by faith only, we meane none otherwise to insinuate it in this place, than Christ him self doth, by doing miracles, in giuing health of the bodie, to testifie that he is the onelyonly authour of the saluation of mens soules.