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. 2. Now then to come to our purpose, such are the absurde translations of the English Bibles, and altogither like vnto these. Namely, when they translate congregation for Churche, Elder for Priest, Image for Idol, dissension for schisme, Generall for Catholike, secrete for Sacrament, ouer-seer for Bi∣shop, messenger for Angel, embassadour for Apostle, minister for Deacon, and such like: to what other end be these deceitfull translations, but to conceale and obscure the name of the Church and dignities thereof mentioned in the holy Scriptures: to dis∣semble the worde schisme (as they do also Heresie and Here∣tike) for feare of disgracing their schismes and Heresies, to say of Matrimonie, neither Sacrament which is the Latin, nor myste∣rie which is the Greeke, but to goe as farre as they can possibly from the common vsuall and Ecclesiastical wordes, saying, This is a great secrete: in fauour of their heresie, that Matrimonie is no Sacrament.

FVLK. 2. Absurde trāslations of the English Bibles,

you say are congregation for Churche, Elder for Priest, Image for Idoll and such like. The word Church being ambiguously taken of the people for the place of assem∣bly, & the assembly it selfe, it was as lawful for vs to cal congregation, as for you to call it assembly, Actes 7. This worde Priest, commonly taken for a sacrificer and the same that Sacerdos, and so by you translated: there was good occasion to vse the worde Elder, for which you vse Senior, or auncient in your translation, which is a name of auctoritie, as ouerseer is of diligēce, minister of seruice▪ pastor of feeding all which names set foorth a true Bishop, Pastor, and Elder, and if you will needes haue it, of a true Prieste Of Image for Idoll is sayde inough in the nexte Chapiter before, Schisme I knowe not how English men should vnderstand, except it were englished by dissension, diuision, rending, or some such like Of general for Catholike, we shal speake anon. Secrete for Sacrament, we vse, because wee would retaine the ecclesiasticall vse of this worde Sacrament which is to signifie the seales of Gods promises, and not confounde it, with euery holy or vnholy secrete thing. The Greeke worde mysterie, which you would enioyne vs to vse, was in the time of the firste translation more vnknowen, than that wee could well haue vsed it, ex∣cept wee would haue followed your veine, in vanitie and noueltie of termes, Praepu••e, neophyte, gratis, deposi∣tum, &c. or else made generall and common the proper vse of this Ecclesiasticall terme Sacrament, to euery my∣sterie, and called the Sacrament of preaching, of pu∣blishing the Gospel to the Gentils, of the seuen starres, as you do, and yet in the Sacrament of the whore of Baby∣lon you leaue it and call it mysterie, Apoc. 17. v. 7. as you shoulde be enforced to doe, if you would translate the old Testament out of Latine, Dan. 2. diuerse times, ex∣cept you would call Nabuchadonosors dreame, a Sacra∣ment, and Dan 4. where the king sayth, that to Daniell no secrete is impossible; meaning vnknowen, or not vn∣derstood,

you would say, no Sacrament, & Tob. 12. you would translate Sacramentum regis abscondere bonum est. It is a good thing to hide the kings Sacrament, where you should say secrete, and where the English phrase would hardly beare you to say the kings mysterie. Of the other termes, in the places by you quoted, it shal be sufficient to speake. But I haue rendred reasonable causes of these termes hitherto: so that no mā, but madde with malice, would thinke we conceale the name of Church, & digni∣ties therof, in hatred of them, or do dissemble the names of schisme & heresie, in fauour of those abhominations, which are as wel set forth to their detestatiō, in the terms of dissention and sectes: as for the name Sacrament, we find not in the Greeke but mysterium we trāslate a secrete or a mysterie, as the worde signifieth, which nothing fa∣uoureth the pretended Sacrament of Matrimonie.

Notes

• See chap. 15. nu. 18. & 3. 4. & chap. 21. nu.
• Gal. 5. Tit. 3. 1. Cor. 11. Bib. 1562.
• Eph. 5. v. 32.