του. acious eav- for himself." To omit here that you use the present tense, whereas in the Greek they are preter tenses, (God knoweth why; only this we know, Dignos se. Teipaσev. that it is no true nor sincere translation,) but to wink at smaller faults, εὗρεν. why say you here in all your bibles, that God findeth his saints and holy servants "meet for himself," and not "worthy of himself?" See your partiality, and be ashamed. FULKE, 10. MARTIN, 11. τοῦ. Fulke. The book of Wisdom, written by Philo the Jew, as St Jerome thinketh', is no holy canonical scripture, to confirm the credit of any article of belief. Therefore, whether he thought that men's merits were worthy of the favour and grace of God, and the reward of eternal life, or no, it is not material. But somewhat it is that you say, that our translators for acios have not translated "worthy," but "meet." For my part, I wish they had retained the usual signification of that word, and said "worthy of himself," only to take away your cavil. For otherwise in the sense there is no difference: if that he saith be true, none is meet for God, but they that are worthy of him, which are not meet or worthy of themselves, but made such by grace, not for merit of their works, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them by faith. This if the wise man meaneth not, but that their virtues were such as deserved God's favour and eternal life, we may boldly reject him as going against the wisdom of God revealed in the canonical scriptures. Martin. In the apostle's places before examined you said negatively, that the afflictions of this time were "not worthy of" the glory to come, the Greek not bearing that translation; but here, when you should say affirmatively, and that word for word after the Greek, that God found dious cav- them "worthy of himself," there you say, "meet for himself," avoiding the term "worthy," because merit is included therein. So that when Condigna ad you will in your translation deny merits, then condigna ad signifieth worthy of:" when you should in your translation affirm "merits," then dignus with an ablative case doth not signify "worthy of." No marvel if such willfulness will not see the word "merit," or that which is equivalent thereto, in all the scripture. For when you do see it, and Merit of good should translate it, you suppress it by another word. But this is a case works plainly proved by the worthy of examination, whether the scriptures have the word "merit," gloriam. Dignos se. scriptures. or the equivalent thereof. For we will force them, even by their own translations, to confess that it is found there, and that they should trans [Unde et in Sapientia, quæ Salomonis inscribitur, (si cui tamen placet librum recipere,) scriptum reperimus. Hieronymi Comment. in Zach. xii. Opera, Vol. 1. pp. 1723, 1784.] late it accordingly often when they do not; yea, that if we did not see it in the vulgar Latin translation, yet they must needs see it and find it in the Greek. In 11. Fulke. In the canonical scripture, it seemeth, the trans- FULKE, lators had a religious care, to keep both the property of the words, and the true meaning of the Holy Ghost. the apocryphal books they had a wise consideration, to translate them according to the best meaning that their words would bear. Now, whether you say "worthy of God," or "meet for God," you must understand this meetness or worthiness to be of grace, and not of merit; or else the saying is blasphemous against the grace of God. For merit is not necessarily included in worthiness. The king's son is worthy to succeed his father by right of inheritance, not by merit of virtue always. A stranger may be worthy of the king's service, which never deserved the king's entertainment, but for such good qualities as are in him. But after this tedious trifling, it would somewhat awake our spirits, if you could (as you threaten in the margin) prove the merit of good works plainly by the scriptures, either by the word “merit,” which you can never do, or by anything that is equivalent unto it; and to "force us by our own translations to confess that it is found there, if not in the vulgar Latin, yet in the Greek." 12. Dignus mer Non ero con dentia. Martin. First, when they translate the foresaid place thus, "The MARTIN, afflictions of this time are not worthy of the glory to come," they mean käia. this, "deserve not the glory to come;" for to that purpose they do so translate it, as hath been declared. Again, when it is said, “The workman is ačios TOÛ worthy of his hire or wages," what is meant, but that he deserveth his bou. wages? And more plainly, Tob. ix., they translate thus: "Brother cede sua. Azarias, if I should give myself to be thy servant, I shall not deserve dignus provi thy providence," and such like. If then in these places both the Greek and the Latin signify "to be worthy of," or "not to be worthy of," "to deserve," or "not to deserve;” then they must allow us the same signification and virtue of the same words in other like places. Namely, Apoc. v., of our Saviour's merits, thus: "The lamb that was killed is worthy to receive power, and riches," &c. What is that to say, but aiós "deserveth to receive?" For so I trust they will allow us to say of our Saviour, that he indeed deserved. Again, of the damned, thus: "Thou Rev. xvi. hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy," or, "they have aği yap deserved:" is it not all one? Lastly, of the elect, thus: "They shall walk ἐστιν. εἰσι. εἰσιν, Digni sunt. Ti doi with me in white, because they are worthy," Apoc. iii., that is, because "they deserve it." And so in the place before by them corrupted, "God agious eav- found them worthy of him;" that is, such as "deserved" to be with him in eternal glory. Thus by their own translation of aέios, and dignus, are plainly deduced, "worthiness," "desert," and "merit" of saints, out of the scriptures. του, Dignos se. FULKE, 12. Fulke. Your first foundation is false; therefore all your building falleth to the ground. For when we translate that text thus, "The afflictions of this time are not worthy of the glory to come," we mean not thus, "Deserve not the glory to come," but even as you do, they are not equal or comparable but thereof it followeth, that they deserve not; for to deserve is to do a thing equal unto the reward: the afflictions be not equal, therefore they deserve not. But when it is said, "the workman is worthy of his hire," we acknowledge that he deserveth his wages; yet we should not do well to translate it, that he deserveth his hire, because worthiness may be where there is no desert. Gold is worthy to be esteemed before silver, and yet there is no merit or desert of gold, if we speak properly. That of Tob. ix. is not in the Greek, but in some bibles translated out of Latin according to the usual phrase of English, rather than to the property of the word. Where it is said, Apoc. v. “The Lamb that was killed is worthy to receive power and riches," though we will not contend of the deserts of Christ, yet we may be bold to say, that in respect of the Godhead he was worthy of all honour and glory from everlasting, before he had created anything: and therefore worthiness doth not alway import desert, as no worthiness doth no desert. Likewise, when it is said of the wicked, Apoc. xvi., "They are worthy to drink blood," it is true that they deserved that plague, because their cruel works were justly recompensed with that punishment; but yet some may be worthy of their punishment, that have not deserved it. The son of a traitor is worthy to bear the punishment of his father's attainder; yet he hath not always deserved it by his own deeds. Therefore it is not all one, "they are worthy," and "they have deserved." The infants of the reprobate, as soon as they have life, are worthy of eternal damnation; and yet they have not deserved the same by their own deeds. Therefore, where it is said of the elect, "They shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy," it is not meant that they have deserved by their own works to walk with Christ; but because they are made worthy by Christ, who hath given them grace not to defile their garments, who also shall give them the reward of white garments, that is, of innocency, which no man can deserve, because no man is clear from sin, but only by forgiveness of sins in the blood of Christ. Therefore you have performed nothing less than your promise, which was to prove the equivalent of merit out of the scripture, and to force us, by our translation, to confess the same. For worthiness doth not always argue or enforce desert, as desert doth worthiness, worthiness being a more general word than merit or desert. 13. and κατ desert. Martin. But, to proceed one step further, we prove it also to be in MARTIN, the scriptures, thus. Themselves translate thus, Heb. x. 29. "Of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy, which treadeth under dğiwoñvai, foot the Son of God?" though one of their bibles, of the year 1562, very aɛiwonfalsely and corruptly leaveth out the words "worthy of," saying thus, vai, signify "How much sorer shall he be punished," &c. Fearing no doubt, by Too xeitranslating the Greek word sincerely, this consequence that now I shall povos dğıwθήσεται infer, to wit, If the Greek word here, by their own translation, signify Tiμwpias. "to be worthy of," or, "to deserve," being spoken of pains and punishment deserved; then must they grant us the same word so to signify elsewhere in the new testament, when it is spoken of deserving heaven and the kingdom of God, as in these places, Luke xxi.,3" Watch therefore, va karall times praying, that you may be worthy to stand before the Son of ante man," and chap. xx.,3 "They that are worthy to attain to that world, and oi katağı σταθῆναι. ωθέντες. βασιλείας. [ Πόσῳ δοκεῖτε χείρονος ἀξιωθήσεται τιμωρίας ὁ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ αξιωθῆναι ὑμᾶς τῆς καταπατήσας, καὶ τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης κοινὸν ἡγησάμενος ἐν ᾧ ἡγιάσθη, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος ἐνυβρίσας ; Heb. x. 29. “How much sorer (suppose ye) shall he be punished, which treadeth under foot the Son of God, and counteth the blood of the testament, wherewith he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, and doth dishonour to the Spirit of grace,” Bible, "Shall he 1562. "Shall he be counted worthy," Tyndale, Geneva. be thought worthy," Authorised version.] "Accounted [ ἵνα καταξιωθῆτε ἐκφυγεῖν ταῦτα πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι, Luke xxi. 36. "That ye may obtain grace," Tyndale, Geneva. worthy," Rheims, Bishops' bible, Authorised version.] "Counted [* Οἱ δὲ καταξιωθέντες τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐκείνου τυχεῖν καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε ἐκγαμίσκονται, Luke xx. 35. "Made worthy," Tyndale. worthy," Cranmer, Geneva, Rheims. counted worthy," Authorised version.] FULKE 13. Qui digni habebuntur. beamini. to the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are married," and 2 Thess. i., "That you may be worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also ye suffer." ἀξιωθήσεται, Fulke. You think to have great advantage at our translation of the word awonσerai, Heb. x., "shall be worthy," which is true according to the sense, but not so proper for the word, which signifieth rather "to be judged" or "accounted worthy," whether he be worthy indeed or not. And so it should have been translated, if the nature of the word had been exactly weighed. But the translators looked rather to the purpose of the apostle, which is by all means to terrify such contemners and backsliders of whom he speaketh. The Greek word therefore doth not signify "to deserve," but "to be judged worthy;" although it is true that those of whom the apostle there speaketh, deserved extreme pains of damnation. And even so it signifieth in all other places; as Luke xx., Kaтağılévтes, "they that shall be counted Ut digni ha worthy to attain to that world ;" and Luke xxi. íva katawonтe, "that you may be counted worthy," and 2 Thess. i. KaтağıшOvα, "that you may be counted worthy." And so καταξιωθῆναι, the word doth signify in other places, without controversy; as Luke vii. the centurion said, ovde éμavtov niwoa, “I accounted not myself worthy," and 1 Tim. v. "The elders that govern well," ačiovo Owσav, "let them be counted worthy of double honour." For it is the imperative mood; therefore it is a fault in our translations to make it the indicative. For we cannot say, let them be worthy, or let them be made worthy; but, let them be judged, reputed, or accounted worthy. MARTIN, 14. Martin. Thus you should translate in all these places, according to your translation of the former place to the Hebrews; or at the least wise you should have this sense and meaning, as the old vulgar Latin hath, translating in all these places, "counted worthy," but meaning "worthy in deed"; as when it is said, Abraham was reputed just, it is meant, he was just in deed. If you also have this meaning in your translations, which here follow the vulgar Latin; then we appeal to yourselves, whether, "to be counted worthy," and "to be worthy," and "to deserve,” and "to merit," be not all one: and so here also "merit" is deduced. [' ἔνδειγμα τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ καταξιωθῆναι ὑμᾶς τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ ἧς καὶ πάσχετε, 2 Thess, i. 5.] |