Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
The ECCLESIASTICALL vse of wordes turned into their ORIGINAL and PROFANE signification.
Martin.
WE spake a litle before of the double signification1. of wordes, the one according to the originall propertie, the other according to the vsuall taking thereof in all vulgar speech and writing. These wordes (as by the way, we shewed before, vponupon occasion ofChap. 3. num. 17. 18. See also M. V Vhitaker pag. 200. and the 6. chap. of this booke (num. 6. 7. 8. & num. 13. &c.) much more of this matter. the Aduersaries graunt) are to be translated in their vulgar and vsuall signification, not as they signifie by their originall propertie. As for example: Maior in the originall signification▪ is greater. But when we say, The Maior of London, now it is taken and soundeth in eueryevery mans eare, for such an Officer: and no man will say, The greater of London, according to the originall propertie of it. Likewise Episcopus, a Greeke word, in the originall sense, is eueryevery ouerseer, as Tullie vseth it, and other profane writers: but among Christians, in Ecclesiasticall speech, it is a Bishop. And no man will say, My Lord ouerseer of London, for my Lord Bishop. Likewise we say, Seuen Deacons, S. Steuen a Deacon. No man will say, Seuen Ministers, S. Steuen a Minister. Although that be the originall signification of the word Deacon. But by Ecclesiasticall vse and appropriation being taken for a certaine degree of the Clergie, so it foundeth in eueryevery mans eare, and so it must be translated. As we say, Nero made many Martyrs: not, Nero made many witnesses: and yet Martyr by the first originall propertie of the word, is nothing else but a witnesse. We say Baptisme is a sacrament: not, washing is a sacrament. Yet Baptisme and washing, by the first originall propertie of the word is all one.
Fulke.
WE hauehave also aunswered before, that1. words must not be alwaies translated, according to their originall and generall signification, but according to such signification, as by vse they are appropried to be taken. We agree also that words taken by custome of speech into an Ecclesiasticall meaning, are not to be altered into a straunge or profane signification. For such vanities and nouelties of wordes, the Apostle prohibiteth, wherof the popish translatiō of the new Testament is fraught full. Notwithstanding our meaning is not, that if any Greeke termes, or words of any other language, hauehave of long time bene vsurped in our English language, the true vnderstanding of which is vnknowen at this day, to the common people: but that the same termes may be either in translation, or exposition, set out plainly, to enforme the simplicitie of the ignorant, by such wordes, as of them are better vnderstoode. Also when those termes are abused by custome of speech, to signifie some other thing, than they were first appointed for, or else be taken ambiguously for diuers things: we ought not to be superstitious in these cases, but to auoide misvnderstanding, we may vse words according to their originall signification, as they were taken in such time, as they were written by the instruments of the holy Ghost. As for example, if a Bishop be mistaken by the people, either for such an idoll as the Papistes vsed to make of their S. Nicolas bishops, or else for a great Lord onelyonly, that rideth about in a white rochet, they may be told, that the name of a Bishop describeth his office, that is, to be an ouerseer of the flocke of Christ, committed to his charge. Likewise if the word Deacon, be taken for such an one, as at a popish masse standeth in a disguised tunicle, holding a patten, or some other Idolatrous bable vsed of them: the people must be taught, that this name signifieth a minister, which was ordeined not to serue the Popish altar, but the poore mens tables, that is, to prouide for the poore, and to see the Churches almes bestowed vponupon them. Also if the name of Martyrs be not vnderstood, but taken onelyonly for them that are tormented and rent in bodie, as the common speach is to say, of men & beasts, that they are martyred, whē their bodies are woū ded and mangled: here it is needefull to shewe, that the Saincts that suffered for Christe, had their name of their witnesse or testimonie, not of their paines & torments. The name of Baptisme is so common to Christians, that it neede not to be changed into washing: but yet it may and ought to be explicated vntounto the vnlearned, what this worde doth signifie, which is no prophane signification, but a true and general vnderstanding of the word, which is vsed of the Euangelist for other washings than the Sacrament of Baptisme, and so, you are inforced to translate it, Marc. 7.
MART. 2. Now then to come to our purpose, such are the absurde translations of the English Bibles, and altogither like vntounto 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 Bishop, *See chap. 15. nu. 18. & 3. 4. & chap. 21. nu.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 dissemble the worde schisme (as they do also Heresie and Heretike)*Gal. 5. Tit. 3. 1. Cor. 11. Bib. 1562. for feare of disgracing their schismes and Heresies, to say of Matrimonie, neither Sacrament which is the Latin, nor mysterie which is the Greeke, but to goe as farre as they can possibly from the common vsuall and Ecclesiastical wordes, saying, ThisEph. 5. v. 32. 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 assembly, & the assembly it selfe, it was as lawful for vsus 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 hauehave 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 eueryevery holy or vnholy secrete thing. The Greeke worde mysterie, which you would enioyne vsus to vse, was in the time of the firste translation more vnknowen, than that wee could well hauehave vsed it, except wee would hauehave followed your veine, in vanitie and noueltie of termes, Praepu…e, neophyte, gratis, depositum, &c. or else made generall and common the proper vse of this Ecclesiasticall terme Sacrament, to eueryevery mysterie, and called the Sacrament of preaching, of publishing the Gospel to the Gentils, of the seuen starres, as you do, and yet in the Sacrament of the whore of Babylon 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, except you would call Nabuchadonosors dreame, a Sacrament, and Dan 4. where the king sayth, that to Daniell no secrete is impossible; meaning vnknowen, or not vnderstood, 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 hauehave rendred reasonable causes of these termes hitherto: so that no mā, but madde with malice, would thinke we conceale the name of Church, & dignities 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 fauoureth the pretended Sacrament of Matrimonie.
MART. 3. S. Paul saith as plaine as he can speake, I1. Cor. …. v. 10. beseech you brethren, that you all say one thing, and that there be no schismes among you. They translate for schismes, dissentions: which may be in profane and worldly things, as well as in matters of religion. But schismes are those that diuide the vnitie of the Church, whereof they know them selues guilty. S. Paule saith as plainely as is possible, A man that is an HeretikeTit. 3. auoide after the first and second admonition. Theyforeign translated in their Bible of the yeare 1562, A man that is an author of Sectes. And where the Greeke is, Heresie, reckened among damnable sinnes, they say, Sectes: fauouring thatGal. 5. name for their owne sakes, and dissembling it, as though the holy Scriptures spake not against Heresie or Heretikes, Schisme or Schismatikes.
FVLK. 3. S. Paule in deede speaketh plainely in Greeke, but if you speake English & say schismes, fortie thousand of the people in England will sweare they vnderstande you not. But schismes (you say) are those that deuide the vnitie of the Churche: dissentions may be in prophane and worldly things. Verily all schismes deuide not the Church, for they were not al the Church, of whom it is sayde in S. Iohn 9. There was a schisme among them: for I thinke the best of the Pharisees, were scarse good members of the Churche. Againe where S. Paule doth say, least there should bee a schisme in the bodie. 1. Cor. 12. He speaketh of the natural bodie, whervnto he compareth the Churche. S. Paule also sayth, as plainely as he canne speake in Greeke. 1. Cor. 11. v. 18. I heare that there be schismes among you: yet your vulgar Latine translatour is bolde to saye Scissuras, cuttings or rendings, where you are bold to goe from your Latine texte and call them schismes. And for explicating the Greeke name of heresie, by sectes, why should wee be more blamed▪ than the vulgar Latine translator, who commonly translateth it Sectas, and namely Gal. 5. 2. Pet. 2. Actes. 24. diuerse times, 26. and 28 in all which places you your selues translate sectes. Is it because he, or you fauour heresies and heretikes? will you neuer leaue this foolish wrangling, which alwaies turneth you to the greater discredite?
MART. 4. As also they suppresse the very name Catholike, when it is expresly in the Greeke, for malice towarde Catholikes and Catholike religion, because they know, them selues neuer shall be called or knowen by that name. And therefore their two English Bibles accustomed to be reade in theirAn. 1562 1577. Churche (therefore by like moste authenticall) leaue it cleane out in the title of all those Epistles, which hauehave bene knowen byEuseb. li. 2. Eccl. bis…. c. 22. in fine. 1579. the name of Catholicae Epistolae euer since the Apostles time: and their later English Bible (dealing somewhat more honestly) hath turned the worde Catholike into General: saying, The Generall Epistle of Iames, of Peter, &c. As if a man shoulde say in his Creede, I beleeue the general Churche, because hee would not say, the Catholike Churche: as the Lutheran Catechismes say for that purpose, I beleeue the Christian Church. So that by this rule, when S. AugustineLind. in Dubitantio. telleth that the maner was in cities where there was libertie of religion, to aske, Qua itur ad Catholicam? Wee muste translate it, Which is the way to the General? And when Sainct Hierome sayth, If we agree in faith with the B. of Rome, ergo Catholici sumus: we must translate it, Then we are Generals. Is not this good stuffe? Are they not ashamed thus to inuert and peruert all wordes against common sense, and vse and reason? Catholike and Generall or vniuersall (we knowe) is by the originall propertie of the word all one: but according to the vse of both, as it is ridiculous to say, A Catholike Councell, for a Generall Councell: so is it ridiculous and impious to say, Generall for Catholike, inderogation thereof, and for to hide it vnderunder a bushell.
FVLK. 4. I doe not knowe where the name of Catholike is once expressed in the text of the Bible, that it might be suppressed by vsus, which are not like to beare malice to the Catholike Church, or religion, seeing we teache, euen our young children to beleue the holy Catholike Church. But not finding the word Catholike in the text, you runne to the title of the seuen Epistles, called as commonly Canonicall as Catholike or Generall. But Eusebius belike testifieth that they hauehave bene so called euer since the Apostles time, lib. 2. cap. 22. I maruell you are not ashamed to auouch suche an vntruth. Eusebius speaking of his owne time, saith, they are so called, but that they hauehave bene so called euer since the Apostles time, he sayth not. And so farre off he is from saying so, that he pronounceth the Epistle of S. Iames in the same place, to be a bastarde, and speaketh doubtfully of the Epistle of S. Iude. But whereas in one translation we vse the worde Generall for Catholike, you make a greate may game of it, shewing your witte and your honestie both at once. For these 5. of Iames, 2. of Peter, one of Iude, and the first of Iohn, which are properly & rightly so intituled, hauehave that title, because they are not sent to any particular Church, or persons, but to all in general, as the Greeke scholiast truly noteth. And OEcumenius before the Epistle of S. Iames sayth expressely Catholicae id est vniuersales dicuntur hae, &c. These Epistles are called Catholike, that is to say Vniuersall or General because not distinctly to one nation or citie (as S. Paule to the Romanes, or Corinthians) this companie of our Lords disciples doth dedicate these Epistles, but generally to the faithfull, or to the Iewes that were dispersed, as also Peter: or else to all Christians liuing vnderunder the same faith. For otherwise, if they should be called Catholike, in respect of the soūdnes of the doctrine cōtained in thē, what reason were there more to call them so, than to call all the Epistles of S. Paule? Wherefore in this title which yet is no part of the holy Scripture, it is rightly trāslated general. The other translatours seeing seuen to be called general, where only fiue are so in deede, and seeing them also called canonicall, which should seeme to be a controulling of S. Paules Epistles, left out that title altogither, as being no part of the text▪ and word of God: but an addition of the stationers or writers.
MART. 5. Is it because they would followe the Greeke,Catholica. that they turne foreign, generall? euen as iust, as when they turne foreign image, foreign instruction, foreign ordinance, foreign dissension, foreign sect, foreign secrete, and such like, where they goe as farre from the Greeke as they can, and will be glad to pretende for aunswere of their worde, sect, that they followe our Latine translation. Alas poore shift for them that otherwise pretende nothing but the Greeke, to be tried by that Latine which them selues condemne. But we honour the sayd text, and translate it Sects also, as we there find it, and as we doe in other places followe the Latine text, and take not our aduantage of the Greeke text, because we knowe the Latine translation is good also and sincere, and approued in the Church by long antiquitie, & it is in sense all one to vsus with the Greke: but not so to them, who in these daies of controuersie about the Greeke and Latine text, by not following the Greeke, which they professe sincerely to follow, bewray them selues that they doe it for a malitious purpose.
FVLK. 5. It is because we woulde hauehave the Greeke vnderstood, as it is taken in those places, when we turne Catholike generall, Idolum, image, foreign, instruction, foreign, ordinaunce, foreign, dissention, foreign, sect, foreign, secret, and such like. And where you say, we woulde be glad for our word sect, to pretend to follow your Latine translation, it is a fable. For in translating sect▪ we follow the Greeke as truely, as your Latine translation doeth, which if it be true and sincere, as you confesse, what deuilish madnesse possesseth your malicious mind to burthen vsus with such purposes, as no reasonable man would once imagine or thinke of, that we should vse that terme in fauour of heresie, and heretikes, whome we thinke worthie to suffer death, if they will not repent, and cease to blaspheme, or seduce the simple.