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. 5. Where we can not but maruell, why they are affraide to translate the words plainly in this place, of his soule being in Hell: Whereas in the Creede they admit the words, and interprete them, that by suffering Hell paines vpon the Crosse, so he descended into Hell, and no otherwise. Why did they not here also keepe the words for the credit of their transla∣tion, and afterwarde (if they woulde needes) giue them that glose for maintenaunce of their heresie? This mysterie we know not, and woulde gladly learne it of the Puritane Caluinistes, whose Englishe translation perhaps this is. For, the grosser Cal∣uinistes (being not so pure and precise in following Caluine as the Puritans be, that haue well deserued that name aboue their fellowes) they in their other Englishe Bibles haue in this place* 1.1 discharged them selues of false translation, saying plainely. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell. But * 1.2 in what sense

they say so, it is very hard to gesse: and perhaps them selues can* 1.3 not tell yet what to make of it, as appeareth by M. Whitakers answer to F. Campion. And he is nowe called a Bishop among them, and proceeded Doctor in Oxford, that could not obtaine his grace to proceede Doctor in Cambridge, because he preached Christes descending into hell, and the Puritans in their second admonition to the Parliament, pag. 43. cry out against the po∣litike Caluinists, for that in the Creede of the Apostles (made in English meeter, and song openly in their Churches, in these wordes: His spirite did after this descend, into the lower partes, to them that long in darkenesse were, the true light of their hartes,) they fauour his descending into Hell very much, and so consequently may thereby build Limbus Patrum, and Purgatorie. And the Puritans in their second replie against M. Whitgifts defense, pag. 7. reprehend one of their chiefest Caluinisticall martyrs, for affirming (as they terme it) a grosse descending of our Sauiour Christ into Hell. Thus the Puritans confesse plainly their hereticall doctrine, a∣gainst Christes descending into Hell.

FVLK. 5. By confessing in our Creede, that Christ descended into hell, you might knowe, but that you had rather be ignorant, that you might maruell still, that we purposed not in translating this place, to denye that arti∣cle, as you falsely slaunder vs: but because this place might seeme vnto the ignorant, to confirme the er∣rour of Christes descending into Limbus patrum, as it doth not, if it be rightly vnderstoode, it was thought good of some translatours, (that seeing this verse must haue the same sense in the Greeke Sermon of Peter, that it hath in the Hebrewe Psalme of Dauid, and the Greeke worde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vsed by the Euangelist, in steede of the Hebrewe worde Sheol, may beare to signifie a* 1.4 graue, as the Hebrew worde doth moste vsually,) by translating it the graue, to shewe that this verse in Greeke, maketh no more for that errour of descending into Limbus, than the same doth in Hebrewe. As for your distinction of grosse Caluinistes and Puritans, it

may be packed vppe among the rest of your quarrells, and slaunders. What Maister Whitaker hath written in his aunswer, to Frier Campion, he is able to explane vnto you him selfe, if you doe not vnderstand him. That the Bishoppe of Saint Asaph did once fauour your er∣rour in some parte, and for that was misliked of the V∣niuersitie of Cambridge, it is as true, as that afterward reforming his iudgement at Oxford, where he procee∣ded, he was also incorpored Doctor at Cambridge. The Englishe meeter vppon the Creede, except it be drawen to an allegorie, in my iudgement, can not be defended, which iudgement I declared openly at Paules crosse foureteene or fiueteene yeares agoe. Maister La∣timers errour of Christ suffering torments in hell, af∣ter his death, is iustly reprehended, by whome soeuer it be. By all which, I knowe not what may be rightly ga∣thered, but that we flatter not one another in errours, but if any among vs be deceiued, of what account or credite soeuer he be, we spare not to reproue his errour, preferring Gods truth before all worldly and priuate re∣spects of friendship, countenaunce, credite, and whatso∣euer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bib. an. 1562. and 1577.
• * 1.2

  See Lind. dubit. pag. 19.
• * 1.3

  VVhitak. pag. 165. M. Hues B. of S. Asaph in VValles.
• * 1.4

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