(1) AGAINST free will, instead of power, they, in their translation, use the word preroga. tive; and Beza, the word dignity; protesting (a) that whereas, in other places, he often translated this Greek word, power and authority, here he rejected both indeed against free will; which, he says, the sophists would prove out of this place, reprehending Erasmus for following them in his translation. But whereas the Greek word is indifferently used to signify dignity or liberty, he that will translate either of these, and exclude the other, restrains the sense of the Holy Ghost, and determines it to his own fancy. Now we may as well translate liberty, as Beza does dignity; but we must not abridge the sense of the Holy Ghost to one particular meaning, and therefore we translate potestas and power, words indifferently signifying both dignity and liberty. But in their last Bible it is corrected. It would have been well, if they had corrected this next, though I think of the two, they have made it worse; translating, "not I, but the grace of God which was with me," (" which is with me,) say their old Bibles."

(2) By which falsity, they here also restrain the sense of the Holy Ghost; whereas, if they had translated according to sincerity, "Yet not I, but the grace of God with me," the text might have had not only the sense they confine it to, but also this, "not I, but the grace of God which laboured with me." So that, by this latter, it may be evidently signified, that the grace of God, and the apostle, both laboured together; and not only grace, as if the apostle had done nothing, like unto a block, or forced only; but that the grace of God did so concur, as the principal agent, with all his labours, that his free will wrought with it: and this is the most approved interpretation of this place, which their translation, by putting, "which is," or, "which was," into the text, excludes.

But they reprehend the Vulgate Latin interpreter for neglecting the Greek article, not considering that the same many times cannot be expressed in Latin; the Greek phrase having this prerogative above the Latin, to represent a thing more briefly, commodiously, and significantly by the article, as Jacobus Zebedai, Jacobus Alphai, Judas Jacobi, Maria Cleopha: in all which, though the Greek article is not expressed, yet they are all sincerely translated into Latin. Nor can the article be expressed without adding more than the article, and so not without adding to the text, as they do very boldly in such speeches, throughout the New Testament. Yea, they do it when there is no article in the Greek, and that purposely as in this of the Ephesians, (3) where they say, "Confidence is by faith," as though there were no "confidence by works.” The Greek, ενπεποιθησει δια της πίςεως, bears not that translation, unless there were an article after confidence, which is not; but they add it to the text: as also Beza does the like, in Rom. viii. 2, and their English Geneva Testa

(a) Beza Nov. Test. 1580.

ments after him, to maintain the heresy of imputative justice: as in his annotations he plainly deduces, saying confidently, "I doubt not, but

a

Greek article must be understood;" and therefore, forsooth, put into the text also. He does the same in St. James ii. 20, still debating the case in his annotations, why he does so; and when he has concluded in his fancy, that this or that is the sense, he puts it so in the text, and translates accordingly. But if they say, that in this place of the Corinthians there is a Greek article, and therefore they do well to express it: I answer, first, the article may then be expressed in translation, when there can be but one sense of the same. Secondly, it must be expressed, when we cannot otherwise give the sense of the place, as Mat. i. 6. εx îη 18 'Ougle, Ex ea quæ fuit Uria, where the Vulgate interpreter omits it not; but in this of St. Paul, which we now speak of, where the sense is doubtful, and the Latin expresses the Greek sufficiently otherwise, he leaves it also doubtful and indifferent, not abridging it, as they do, saying, "the grace of God which is with me."

(4) AGAIN, in this other place of the Corinthians, where the apostle calls himself and his fellow preachers, "God's co-adjutors, co-labourers," or such as labour and work with God, how falsely have their first translators made it, let themselves, who have corrected it in their last Bible, judge.

were

(5) AND in this next, the apostle's words do not signify, that "we had no strength," or, were without strength;" but that we "weak, feeble, infirm:" and this they corrupt to defend their false doctrine, "that free will was altogether lost by Adam's sin." (b) (c)

(6) WHEN they have bereaved and spoiled a man of his free-will, and left him without all strength, they go so far in this point, that they say, the regenerate themselves have no free will and ability; no, not by and with the grace of God, to keep the commandment. To this purpose, they translate, his commandments are not

grievous," rather than "are not heavy;" for in saying, "they are not heavy," it would follow, they might be kept and observed; but in saying

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they are not grievous," that may be true, were they never so heavy or impossible, through patience; as when a man cannot do as he would; yet it grieves him not, being patient and wise, because he is content to do as he can, and is able.

(7) OUR Saviour says not in this place of St. Matthew, as they falsely translate, "All men cannot," but," All men do not ;" and therefore, St. Augustine says, "Because all will not." (d) But when our Saviour says afterwards, "He that can receive, let him receive :" he adds another Greek word to express that sense, ὁ δυναμενος χωρειν χωρείτω whereas by the Protestant translation, he might have said, ó zwgwv χωρείτω. Vide above.

(b) Whitaker, p. 18.

(c) See Beza's Annot, in Rom. ii. 27.

(d) St. August. de Gra. et lib. Arbitr. cap. 4.

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the word "for" to the text, " and it was reputed (2) So also in this next place, where they add to him for justice," for "righteousness," says their last righteous work; for the longer they live, the further they are divided from justice; because they would have it to be nothing else, but instead and place of justice: thereby taking away true inherent justice, even in Abraham himself. But admit this translation of theirs, which, notwithstanding in their sense, is false, must it needs signify not true inherent justice, because the scripture says, it was reputed for justice? Do such speeches import, that it is not so indeed, but is only reputed so? Then if we should say, this shall be reputed to thee "for" sin, "for" a great benefit, &c., it should signify it is no sin indeed, nor great benefit. But let them remember, that the scripture uses to speak of sin and of justice alike, reputabitur tibi in peccatum, "It shall be reputed to thee for sin," as St. Hierom translates it. (a) If then justice only be reputed, sin also is only reputed: if sin be in us indeed, justice is in us indeed. And the Greek fathers make it plain, that "to be reputed unto justice," is to have true justice indeed; interpreting St. Paul's words, that "Abraham obtained justice," ," "Abraham was justified;" for that is, say they, "It was reputed him to justice." And St. James testifies, that "In that Abraham was justified by faith and works, the scripture was fulfilled," which says, "It was reputed him to justice," Gen. xv. 6, in which words of Genesis there is not "for justice," or "instead of justice," as the English Bibles have it, for the Hebrew a should not be so translated, especially when they meant it was so counted or reputed for justice, that it was not justice indeed.

(3) Again, how intolerably have their first translations corrupted St. Paul's words, 2 Cor. v., which though their latter Bibles have undertaken to correct, yet their heresy would not suffer them to amend also the word

(a) Deut., xxiii. and xxiv.; Œcum, in Caten. Photius, chap. ii. ver. 23.

(4) Here again they make St. Paul say, that God made us "accepted," or "freely accepted in his beloved Son," (their last translation leaves out Son very boldly, changing the word his into the, "accepted in the Beloved,") as if they had a mind to say, that "in, or among all the beloved in the world, God has only accepted us :" as they make the angel in St. Luke say to our blessed Lady, "Hail! freely beloved," to take away all grace inherit and resident in the blessed Virgin, or in us: whereas the apostle's word signifies that we are truly made grateful, or gracious and the virtues proceeding from it; and conseacceptable; that is to say, that our soul is inwardly endued and beautified with grace, and quently, is holy indeed before the sight of God, and not only so accepted or reputed, as they imagine. Which St. Chrysostom sufficiently testifies in these words: "He said not, which he freely gave us, but, wherein he made us grateful; that is, not only delivered us from sins, but also made us beloved and amiable, made our soul beautiful and grateful, such as the angels and archangels desire to see, and such as himself is in love withal, according to that in the Psalm, the king shall desire or be in love with thy beauty." (b) St. Hierom speaking of bap

tism, says: "Now thou art made clean in the laver and of thee it is said, who is she that ascends white? and let her be washed, yet she ened from our Lord" (c) whence it is plain, cannot keep her purity, unless she be strengthherent justice takes place in the soul, rendering that by baptism original sin being expelled, init clean, white, and pure; which purity the soul, strengthened by God's grace, may keep and

conserve.

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Daniel, translating: "My justice was found out;" (5) Another falsification they make here in and in another Bible, found out," to draw it from inherent justice, My unguiltiness was which was in Daniel. In their last edition you see they are resolved to correct their brethren's fault; notwithstanding though they mend one, yet, they make another; putting innocency instead of justice. It is very strange that our pique against justice, that they cannot endure English Protestant divines should have such a to see it stand in the text, where the Chaldee, Greek, and Latin place it.

(6) It must needs be a spot of the same infection, that they translate "describeth" here; as though imputed righteousness (for so they had rather say, than justice) were the description of blessedness.

(b) St. Chrys. in this place of the Ephesians. (c) St. Hierom., lib. 3, contra Pelagianos.