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. 7. One thing onely we woulde knowe, why they that pleade so earnestly against their brethren the Puritanes, about the signification of this worde, pretending herein onely the primitiue custome of imposition of handes, in making their Ministers, why (I saye) them selues translate not this worde* 1.1 accordingly, but altogither as the Puritanes, thus: When they had ordayned them Elders by election in euerye* 1.2 Church. Act. 14. verse 23. For if the Greeke worde signifie* 1.3 here the peoples giuing of voyces (as Beza forceth it onely that way, out of Tullie, and the popular custome of olde Athens) then the other signification of imposing handes is gone, which Mayster Whitgift defendeth, and the popular election is brought in, which he refelleth: and so by their translation they haue in my opinion ouershotte themselues, and giuen aduan∣tage to their brotherly Aduersaries. Vnlesse in deede they tran∣slate as they thinke, because in deede they thinke as heretical∣ly as the other, but yet because their state of Eccles••asticall regiment is otherwise, they must maintaine that also in their writings, howsoeuer they translate. For an example, They all agree to translate Elder for Priest: and Maister Whitakers* 1.4 telleth vs a freshe in the name of them all, that there are no Priestes nowe in the Church of Christ, that is, (as he inter∣preteth himselfe) This name Prieste is neuer in the New* 1.5 Testament peculiarly applied to the Ministers of the Go∣spell, this is their doctrine. But what is their prastise in the regiment of their Churche? cleane contrarie. For in the order of the communion booke, where it is appointed what the Minister shall do, it is indifferently said, Then shall the Prieste do or say this and that: and, Then shal the Minister, &c. Where∣by it is euident that they make Priest a proper and peculiar calling applied to their Ministers, and so their practise is con∣trarie to their teaching and doctrine.

FVLK. 7. I haue satisfied your desire before, if you list to knowe, our translation must be, as neere as it

can, to expresse the true signification of the originall words, & so it is, in that place of the Acts. 14. v. 23. which being graunted by them, that denie the necessitie of ••at forme of election to continue alwaies, giueth no more aduauntage to the aduersaries, than they woulde take out of the signification of the Greeke word, how so∣euer it were translated. Your example of Maister Whit∣akers denying the name of Prieste to be applied to the ministers of the Gospel, to proue that wee must main∣teine our Ecclesiasticall state, how soeuer we translate, is very fonde and ridiculous: as also the contradiction that you would make betweene him and the seruice booke, touching the name of Prieste there vsed and al∣lowed. Maister Whitakers writing in Latine, speaketh of the Latine terme, Sacerdos, the Communion booke of the English worde Priest, is not this a goodly net for a foole to daunce naked in, and thinke that no body can see him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bib. 1577.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Beza ibid.
• * 1.4

  Pag. 200. ad rat. Camp.
• * 1.5

  Pag. 210.