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.

FVLK. 27. Although the Septuaginta doe alwayes translate Sheol by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yet doe they not thereby alwayes vnderstand hel: as it is manifest in all those pla∣ces, where the Scripture speaketh of a receptacle of dead bodies. But now you will beare vs downe with Rabbins, Talmudists and Chaldee paraphrases. And firste you saye that all these, handling that verse of the 49. Psalme. He will deliuer my soule from the hand of Sheol, interprete it by Gehinnom, that is, hell. I graunt that Rabbi Ioseph vsing the libertie of a Paraphrast, rather than a translator, interpreteth the worde by Gehinnom, that signifieth hell fire, and so the sense is true. For God deliuered Dauid from eternall damnation. But Rabbi Dauid Chimchi, ex∣pounding the same place according to the proper signi∣fication of Sheol, sayeth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. &c.

The Prophet sayde when he sawe the destruction of the soules of the wicked in their death: In the day in which my bodie shall goe downe to (Sheol) the graue, God shall deliuer my soule from the hande of (Sheol) the graue, that my soule shall not perishe with my bodie.

You see therefore that all the Rabbines be not of your

side, no nor Rabbi Salomon Iarchi, whom you cite. For vpon 37. of Genesis, verse 35. where Iacob sayth, he will goe downe to the graue, mourning,

thus he writeth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Mourning to Sheol, according to the plaine and literall sense the inter∣pretation thereof is the grane, in my mourning I will be buried, and I will not be comforted, all my dayes: but after the Midrash, or exposition, not according to the let∣ter, it is hell. This signe was deliuered by handes, or by tradition, from the mouth of his power, (that is from a diuine oracle) if not one of my sonnes shall dye in my life time, I had confidence, that I should not see hell.

By this saying, it is manifest, that this Rabbine acknowled∣ged the true and proper translation of this worde Sheol, was to the graue, although after figuratiue, and some∣times fond expositions, it was interpreted for hell. Like∣wise you say, but vntruly, of this verse, Psal. 9. v. 18. Let all sinners be turned to Sheol, for there the Chaldee Para∣phrast retaineth the worde Sheol, and doth not giue any other word for it. Dauid Chimchi interpreteth it accor∣ding to the literall sense, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Let the wic∣ked be turned into the graue, which is so straung with you to be aunswerable to Sheol, although as R. Salomon he sayth, it may be vnderstoode of their buriall in hell. That Sheol in the Prouerbs, & Iob is ioyned with abaddō,* 1.1 it hindreth it not to signify the graue, where is the destru ction and consumption of the body.

And Prou. 15. v. 11. the Chaldee Paraphrast retaineth Sheol, which Kabuena∣ki expoundeth thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. It is sayd of Sheol, and A∣baddon, that Sheol is the graue, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Abaddon is hell, which is deeper than the graue, &c.

And although in Iob Rabbi Leui, and others expound Sheol for a secret place about the center of the earth, which should seeme to be* 1.2 hell: yet they say not that this is the proper signification of the word Sheol. For in the 21. of Iob. v. 13. the Chaldee Paraphrast for Sheol, interpreteth Kebureta, the graue, and in the 14. verse. 13. beith kebureta, the house of the graue,

and 17. v. 12. and 15. the graue. In both which places Rab∣bi Abraham Peritsol ioyneth Sheol, and Keber togither, both signifying the graue, and in the later verse, he ma∣keth Iob to say to his friends 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The barres of* 1.3 lies with which you comfort me into the middest of the pit of the graue shall go downe with me when I dye. By all which testimonies it is manifest, that Sheol is not the proper for hel, the receptacle of soules, but for graue, the common dwelling house of mens bodies.

But you will presse vs yet further, with the authoritie of Rabbi Abraham vpon Ionas. 2. In deede in Abraham Aben Ezra, I reade as you say, but this is onely his opi∣nion of the figuratiue sense of that place.

for vpon Ho∣see cap. 13. v. 14. he expoundeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 thus, I haue bene a redeemer of thy fathers, nowe I will be a destru∣ction of death which is to thee.

And so doe R. Shelomo Iarchi, and Rabbi Dauid Chimchi: yea, so doth Saint Paule, more worth than all the Rabbins that euer were, expound it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prou. 1••. Iob. 26.
• * 1.2

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉