A defense of the sincere and true translations of the holie Scriptures into the English tong against the manifolde cauils, friuolous quarels, and impudent slaunders of Gregorie Martin, one of the readers of popish diuinitie in the trayterous Seminarie of Rhemes. By William Fvlke D. in Diuinitie, and M. of Pembroke haule in Cambridge. Wherevnto is added a briefe confutation of all such quarrels & cauils, as haue bene of late vttered by diuerse papistes in their English pamphlets, against the writings of the saide William Fvlke.

MART. 18. The Greeke fathers (I say) interprete the Apostles word here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. that is, hath made vs worthie, and giuen vs the grace to be worthie. And S. Basil in orat. Liturg. making both Greeke wordes all one, saith, THOV HAST MADE VS VVORTHIE to be ministers of thy holy altar. And a∣none after, MAKE VS VVORTHY for this ministe∣rie. And Sainct Chrysostome vpon the Apostles place. God doeth not onelye giue vs societie with the Sainctes, but maketh vs also worthie to receiue so greate digni∣tie. And here is a goodly consideration of the goodnesse of God towarde vs, that doeth in deede by his grace make•• vs

worthy of so great thinges, who otherwise are most vnworthy, vile, and abiect. Which making of vs worthy, is expressed by the sayd Greeke wordes, more than by the Latine, mereri, because it declareth whence our merite and worthines proceedeth▪ to wi••, of God. Both which S. Chrysostom expresseth excellently, thus: When he brought in Publicans to the kingdom of hea∣uen, he defamed not the kingdom of heauen, but mag∣nified it also with great honours, shewing that there is such a Lord of the kingdom of heauen, which hath made euen vnworthy persons to be so much better, that they should deserue euen the glorie of that dignitie. And Oe∣cumenius sayth, that it is Gods glorie, TO MAKE HIS SERVANTS VVORTHY of such good things: and that it is their glorie, TO HAVE BENE MADE VVORTHY of such things, in 2. Thess. 1.

FVLK. 18. If the Greeke fathers did so interprete the Apostles wordes, yet your merit is to seeke, as I haue sayd. For I will not contend, whether God make vs wor∣thye, but whether he make vs worthye by desert of our good works, or by his mercie, & grace, in the redēption of his sonne. But let vs see what the fathers saye to the matter. First Oecumenius words are flat against you, if they be truely translated, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he hath counted vs worthy, and hath freely graunted vnto vs to be meete. See you not, that all our worthines and meetenes dependeth of his grace, and free acceptation? The Liturgie intitu∣led of Basill, although it haue a much younger author, maketh neuer a whit more for you. The minister prayeth that God would accoumpt him worthy, or make him meete for the ministerie. And if you should in both pla∣ces translate, that God maketh worthy, you cā not proue merite thereby: but contrarywise it soundeth against merite, for God maketh vs not worthy by our desertes, but by the worthinesse of Christ. Chrysostome also, as I haue shewed before vpon this place, doth vtterly con∣demne your opinion of merites, for he saith,

Suche are the things that are giuen, that he hath not onely giuen

them, but also made vs able to receiue them. Againe, he hath not onely giuen vs the honour, but also strength to embrace it. What is our strength? what is our abilitie, to receiue the giftes of God, but fayth in the merites of Christ?

The place of Chrysostome, Hom. de cruce & latrone, is not be be vnderstoode of deseruing by works, but by the grace of God, and remission of their sinnes, which maketh men meete and worthye of his glorye: as the example of the Publican, iustified onely by re∣mission of his sinnes, and of the harlot saued by faith, which he vseth, doth plainely declare. And yet sanctifi∣cation, and the fruites of good life, are not excluded from the persons iustified, and saued, but onely me∣rite or desert of workes, according to which, as the same Chrysostome sayth, in ep. Col. 1. we must saye, we are vnprofitable seruaunts, when we haue done all that is commaunded vs. But this is no place, to handle con∣trouersies of religion, but translations of the Scrip∣ture. The worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, except you bring vs better e∣uidence, than yet we see any, in all places where we reade it, we may translate it dignari, which is to vouchsafe, or account worthy.

Notes

• Oecum. in Caten.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Ho. de Cruce & latrone.
• Vt etiam illius d••∣gnitatis gloriam merer••ntur.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Luc. 18. Luc. 7.