in the New of the year 1579. you will deny also that he merited and deserved his glory, which your opinion a man might very well gather by some of your false translations, Heb. ii. 9. but that you would think us too suspicious, which, perhaps, we will Testament examine hereafter. Thirdly, the present pleasure of advoutry during 1580. and Bib a man's life is not comparable to the eternal torments of hell fire; and yet it doth merit and deserve the same. Fourthly, the apostle by making an incomparable difference of the glory to come with the afflictions of this time, doth, as St Chrysostom saith, exhort them the more πρотρéπει vehemently and move them to sustain all things the more willingly: μeizóvws. but if he said, as they translate, "The afflictions are not worthy of heaven, you are never the nearer heaven for them, only believe;" this had not been to exhort them, but to discourage them. Fifthly, the apostle, when he will elsewhere encourage them to suffer, saith plainly, "Our tribulation which presently is for a moment and light, worketh 2 Cor. iv. 17. above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory in us'." κατεργά ζεται. Fulke. We say our translation, both in word and sense, FULKE, 6. is the same in English that St Paul did write in Greek. As for the argument against "merit" or "desert," which doth follow thereof, we affirm that it is as necessarily gathered of the words "equal," or "comparable," or "correspondent," as of the word "worthy." But to overthrow this argument, you have five reasons. The first is of the authority of Beza and Calvin, which, you say, "telleth us, that the apostle speaketh of the one, and not of the other." To this I answer, that they both affirm the consequence against merits out of this text, although it be not the apostle's direct purpose to abase the merit of works by comparison of the excellency of the glory. To your second argument I answer, that though "the afflictions that Christ our Saviour suffered were not comparable" in respect of the length of time "with the eternal glory that he obtained thereby ;" yet in respect of the excellency of his person, and the perfection of his obedience, they were comparable, and of equal value to deserve eternal glory, according to the justice of God, by which one man's disobedience was sufficient to eternal condemnation, Romans v. What the least of his afflictions, separated from all the rest, was in value, I have not learned out of the scripture: only I think, [ Τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ ̓ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν, 2 Cor. iv. 17. Κατεργάζεται. 'Operatur," Vulg. "Worketh," Wiclif's, Rhemish, Authorised version. "Prepareth," Tyndale's, Cranmer's, Bishops' bible. "Causeth," Geneva Test. 1557.] MARTIN, 7. he suffered nothing superfluously, nor less than was needful to answer the justice of God. Your other fond surmises I omit, until you express them. Το your third argument I say, that one act of adultery is worthy of damnation, and deserveth eternal torment, not by comparison of the short pleasure with infinite pain, but because it is a sin committed against the majesty of the eternal God, and therefore is worthy of eternal punishment. For the sin is to be measured after the excellency of the person against whom it is committed. Therefore that word, which being spoken against a poor man is a light fault, as to say he is a knave, the same being spoken against a lord is an heinous offence and deserveth the pillory; but being spoken against a king, is high treason, and is worthy of death. Seeing therefore the eternal majesty of God is contemned in every sin, that sin doth justly deserve eternal torments. Fourthly, it is true that the apostle doth exhort us cheerfully to abide the small and momentary afflictions of this life, in respect that they shall be rewarded with incomparable glory. But hereof it followeth not, that the glory is deserved by short and small sufferings, but is given of the bountiful liberality of God to them that for his sake patiently suffer such small afflictions. Therefore, if it be an encouragement for a man to labour, to hear that he shall be paid his hire, as much as his work deserveth, it is a much greater encouragement for him to hear, that he shall receive a thousand times more than his labour deserveth. The words you add (“you are never the nearer heaven, only believe") are yours, and none of ours; for we say with the apostle, "we must suffer with Christ, if we will reign with him;" and the patient suffering of the faithful is nothing repugnant to the justification before God by faith only. To the last argument of the apostle's authority, I answer: our patient suffering worketh infinite weight of glory, not by the worthiness, merit, or desert of our suffering, but by the bountiful liberality of God, who hath promised so incomparable reward to small tribulation suffered for his sake. Wherefore, all your fine reasons notwithstanding, our translation is sound and true. Murtin. See you not a comparison between short and eternal, light tribulation and exceeding weighty glory; and yet that one also "worketh" Greek word, the other, that is, causeth, purchaseth, and deserveth the other? For, like as the little seed, being not comparable to the great tree, yet causeth it and bringeth it forth; so our tribulations and good works, other- See this wise incomparable to eternal glory, by the virtue of God's grace work- 2 Cor. vii. ing in us "worketh," "purchaseth," and "causeth" the said glory. For so themselves they know very well the Greek word importeth; though here also they causeth," translate it most falsely. Bib. an. 1577. thrice. Where translate it, "worketh," v. 10, 11. Fulke. We see the comparison well, but we see not FULKE, 7. that "worketh" or "causeth" is all one with "purchaseth" Your comparison of "seed," and "tribu and "deserveth." Martin. Lastly, for most manifest evidence, that these present tri- MARTIN, 8. bulations and other good works are meritorious and worthy of the joys to come, though not comparable to the same; you shall hear the holy doctors say both in one passage or sentence. St Cyprian thus: "O Ep. 56. num. what manner of day shall come, my brethren, when our Lord shall rum merita. recount the merits of every one, and pay us the reward or stipend of faith and devotion?" Ep. lvi. Here are “merits" and "reward" for the [O dies ille qualis et quantus adveniet, fratres dilectissimi, cum cœperit populum suum Dominus recensere, et divinæ cognitionis examine singulorum merita recognoscere, mittere in gehennam nocentes, et persecutores nostros flammæ pœnalis perpetuo ardore damnare, nobis vero mercedem fidei et devotionis exsolvere! Quæ erit gloria, et quanta lætitia, admitti, ut Deum videas; honorari, ut cum Christo Domino Deo tuo salutis ac lucis æternæ gaudium capias! Abraham, et Isaac, et Jacob, et Patriarchas omnes, et Prophetas, et Apostolos, et Martyres 3. Singulo FULKE, 8. same. It followeth in the said doctor: "What glory shall it be, and how great joy, to be admitted to see God, so to be honoured that thou receive the joy of eternal life with Christ thy Lord God, to receive there that which neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath ascended into the heart of man! for that we shall receive greater things than here either we do or suffer, the apostle pronounceth, saying, "The passions of this time are not condign or comparable to the glory to come."" Here we see, that the "stipend" or "reward" of the merits aforesaid are incomparably greater than the said merits. Fulke. For lack of scriptures you fly to the doctors to find "merits ;" in whom nevertheless, being catholic and sound doctors, you shall sooner find the word meritum than your meaning of it. The place of Cyprian I marvel why you geld, except it be to join the reward that he speaketh of with the word "merits;" which he useth, either generally for works, as it is often used in the ancient writers; or if he mean thereby "deserts," he speaketh but of examination only of all men's deserts, that he may give to the wicked that they have deserved, and to the godly that which he hath promised therefore he calleth it the reward of their faith and devotion. His words are these: "O dies ille qualis et quantus adveniet, fratres dilectissimi, cum cœperit populum suum Dominus recensere, et divinæ cognitionis examine singulorum meritum recognoscere, mittere in gehennam nocentes, et persecutores nostros flammæ pœnalis perpetuo ardore damnare, nobis vero mercedem fidei et devotionis exsolvere." "O that day, what manner a one, and how great shall it come, my dearest beloved brethren, when the Lord shall begin to recount his people, and by examination of his divine knowledge consider the merits of every one, to send into hell fire the guilty, and to condemn our persecutors with perpetual burning of penal flame; but unto us to pay the reward of faith and devotion!" The reward of faith is not that which belief deserveth, but which it looketh for according to God's salutare; cum justis et Dei amicis in regno cœlorum datæ immortalitatis voluptate gaudere; sumere illic quod nec oculus vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit! majora enim nos accipere, quam quod hic aut operamur aut patimur, Apostolus prædicat, dicens: Non sunt condigna passiones hujus temporis ad superventuram claritatem, quæ revelabitur in nobis. Cypriani Epist. lvi. p. 96. Opera, ed. Rigalt. lib. III. c. 42. promise, whereunto it leaneth. For in respect of desert of God's favour, he saith, and bringeth divers texts for proof: Fidem tantum prodesse, et tantum nos posse quantum credi- Ad Quirin. mus; "That faith only doth profit, and that so much we can do, how much we believe." Wherefore we see not in Cyprian the incomparable glory to be a reward of deserts. Sanctis. torum. Martin. Likewise St Augustine: "The exceeding goodness of God MARTIN, 9. hath provided this, that the labours shall soon be ended, but the rewards Ser. 37. de of the merits should endure without end; the apostle testifying, 'the Præmia meripassions of this time are not comparable,' &c. For we shall receive greater bliss, than are the afflictions of all passions whatsoever." Thus we see plainly, that short tribulations are true merits of endless glory, though not comparable to the same: which truth you impugn by your false and heretical translation. But let us see further your dealing in the selfsame controversy, to make it plainer, that you bend your translations against it, more than the text of the scripture doth permit you. Fulke. A man may see you are driven to extreme FULKE, 9. shifts, when you will seek præmia meritorum in St Augustine, and can find it nowhere, but among the sermones de sanctis, which bear no credit of Augustine's works, but of some later gatherer. The true Augustine in Ps. lxx. Con. 1, thus writeth: Nihil es per te, Deum invoca; tua peccata sunt, merita Dei sunt; supplicium tibi debetur, et cum præmium venerit, sua dona coronabit, non merita tua. "Thou art nothing by thyself, call upon God; thine are the sins, the merits are God's; to thee punishment is due, and when the reward shall come, he will crown his gifts, not thy merits." Finally, Augustine in nothing is more earnest than in denying the reward which is of grace, to be due in respect of merit or worthiness of works. 10. Martin. In the book of Wisdom, where there is honourable mention MARTIN, of the merits of saints and their rewards in heaven, you translate the holy scripture thus: "God hath proved them, and findeth them meet [1 Fidem tantum prodesse: for which reading Rigaltius, p. 273, has, fidem in totum prodesse, and says upon it, "pro eo quod corruptissime et suspectissime Erasmici omnes, fidem tantum prodesse." It does not however appear, that the reading of Rigaltius rests upon any thing more authoritative than the reading of Manutius, Fidem in totum. Edit. Oxoniæ, 1682, p. 77.] [ Augustini Enarrat. in Psalm. Ixx. Opera, Vol. iv. p. 1053.] [FULKE.] 23 |