The Answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament, Part 33
To the next ſection.
But let vsus heare their examples. The firſt kinde whereof is, of Hebrew wordes retained in the Greeke text, and by the ſame reaſon to be contayned in all tranſlations. But this argument turneth not all together ſo round as you thinke. For it may well be, that theſe wordes of Amen, and Alleluia &c. were well knowne by th'Apoſtles preaching to the Churches in that time. Wherfore th'uſe of them then, when they were well and generallie knowne, was more iuſtifiable then now, when they are not ſo.2. Cor. 1. 20 And for the word Amen, firſt we hauehave th'Apoſtle, which giueth the iuſt weight thereof in a Greeke worde,Matt. 5. 18 whereunto our yea anſwereth. Secondly th'old tranſlator vſeth it as an indifferent thing, eyther to trāſlate it into Latine, or to let it remaine, as he found it in the Greeke text. Heere therfore the drudgerie of the Ieſuites is manifeſt. For notwithſtanding they eſteeme it not meete, that Amen ſhould be tranſlated: yet becauſe the vulgar hath tranſlated it, they hauehave alſo thoght good to follow him therin Thereby tying themſelues faſter vntounto the vulgar, then the vulgar did tye himſelf vntounto th'originall. Hovvbeit in retayning of the Hebrevv vvords, vvhichwhich the originall doth vſe, they ſhould (for vsus) hauehave paſſed vvithout blame if by contrarie practiſe of that which they profeſſe, they had not differed as much from themſelues, as from vsus: yet deceiue themſelues in that they think they may keepe Corbana aſwell as we keepe Hoſanna, Raca, Beliall. For Saint Luke hath tranſlated Corbana, Gazophylacium: vvhichwhich is in our tongue a treaſurie, and tearmethLuk. 21. 4 it alſo the place of the giftes of God. Which interpretation when none of th'Apoſtles or Euangeliſts giuegive, in the vvords vvhichwhich we hauehave retained: it is euident, that they hauehave not that vvarrant of reteyning this vvhichwhich we hauehave of thoſe: much leſſe to keep Paraſceue, which they ought aſwel to hauehave tranſlated into Engliſh the tongue which they write in, as Saint Luke (forſaking the Hebrevv and Syriack vvords) vſed the vvord that vvas proper vntounto the tongue he vvrote in. And therefore you impudently face dovvne the trueth, vvhen you ſay that Paraſceue is as ſolemne a word for the ſabaoth euen, as Sabaoth is for the Iewes ſeuenth day. Neither is there more cauſe, to leaue it vn-tranſlated, when we are not able, vvith like ſhortnes of our ſpeach, to attaine the full ſignification: then to leaue it vnturned, when the ſhortnes of our ſpeach, affordeth a ſentence in a ſmaller compaſſe of wordes then doth th'originall. And if this be a ſufficient reaſon, to hold the tranſlators hand, becauſe there are three wordes in Mat. 1. 19.the tranſlation of Paraſceue, aboue that which is in the Greeke: why hauehave you tranſlated foreign put to open ſhame. Naye, howe commeth it to paſſe, that without all warrant of the Greeke, or circumſtance of the place, beyond the mark of the vulgar tranſlation, which you propounde vntounto your ſelues, and that in textAct. 8. letters, you tranſlate foreign, they took order for buriall. We knowe therefore that your Dirigie groates, and Trentall money, will make you lauiſh and rauill in your tranſlation, as much as your ſeruile minde maketh you dumb & mute in other places, where you might better ſpeake. In the reſt alſo, your compariſons are fooliſh. For if we hauehave retained certē words in their originall, becauſe our ſpeach fitteth them not ſo well: it followeth not therefore that you might doe that, where it is at hand and readie to ſerue the Greeke, or Hebrew word. Or if we hauehave ſometimes not vſed the benefite and wealth of our tongue: doth it follow therefore, that you may ſo doe? And if we ſeeking to tranſlate all the Greek wordes, hauehave left ſome vntranſlated, becauſe the Engliſh phraſe either did not afford it vntounto vsus, or els ſtood at that time far from vsus: doth it followe, that you ſhould retain thoſe words in a ſtrange tongue, which our tongue doth afford you, the tranſlation of which, we hauehave found out vntounto your hand, and which hath confirmation, by the common vſe and practiſe of our nation for manie yeares together. Breifly, whereas our people by the grace of God, in knowledge of the worde, through the meanes of a lightſome & plaine tranſlation, hauehave bene deliuered out of Egypt: in ſteed that you ſhould hauehave added light where it is wanting, and plained that which is rough: you hauehave endeuoured, by your clouddy and hacked ſpeaches to bring in againe all confuſion and ignorance of God, and of his trueth. And if your daintie ſtomack could not brooke the feaſt of the ſweete bread; yet was there no cauſe for you, to accuſe it of falſhood ſeing ſweete bread, & vnleauened bread (with vsus) are all one. The tranſlation alſo printed at Geneua, hath vnleauened bread. But nothing taſteth you but Azymes, and that becauſe the people cannot chaw theſe cruſts of yours, or bones rather, which of purpoſe you ſet before them, that they may departe hungrie from your table. Your interpretation of foreign; is falſe, without all manner of proofes, framed out of your cruell and vnmercifull iudgement, of throwing all into hell which die without baptiſme: as if they were not planted in the houſe of God, before they be baptized: where ye true vſe of baptiſme is towards thoſe, which we vnderſtand either by their own confeſſion, or by the couenant, to be already planted in the houſe of God. As for the meaning of th' Apoſtle, it is euident: that he would hauehave none drawne to the miniſtery of the worde which is lately come to the profeſſion of the Goſpell: & therefore your fantaſie of a neophyte that hath bene an olde ſcholler in the ſchoole of Chriſt (for ſo you muſt meane) implieth a manifeſt contradiction, and is all one, as if you ſhould ſay, he is a new olde plant, or a new olde ſcholler. For in thoſe that were not gathered from heatheniſh religion to the fellowſhip of the Goſpell, before the yeares of diſcretion: the ſame daie that they became true ſchollers, they became true plants, and contrariwiſe. Wherefore to be a young ſcholler, is the ſame thing in effect, as to be a yong plant: where Neophyte, to a bare Engliſhman is nothing at all, no more then depoſitum, exinanited, exhauſt: the foolerie and beaſtlines whereof, is euident to all men, ſeing our ſpeach is able to yeeld the iuſt valuation of them. And if our ſhewing the glad tidings, be not ſignificatiue to our nation, much leſſe is your Euangelizing: which ſcarce one amongſt a hundreth doth vnderſtand. And if you had learned that the doctrine of Chriſt vnderunder the Goſpell, is not ſet forth ſufficientlye by the Greeke word, without a Trope of ſynecdoche, or as they call it foreign or & foreign you might eaſilie hauehave knowen, that the ſame Trope being vnderſtood in our glade tidings, would hauehave reached the Greek word, and whatſoeuer is ſignified by it, ſufficientlye. For foreign was a Greeke worde before the Goſpell came into the world: and is vſed of Greek authors, to ſignifie all manner of good newes, and nothing els. And therefore the word can properly ſignify no more now, then it did then. But th' Euangeliſt choſe that word eſpecially to note, that where men are deſirous to knowe good tidings they ſhould beſtowe both their eares to vnderſtand this doctrine, which is only worthie of that name. And if our tranſlation liked you not, as you hauehave tranſlated foreign Goſpell: ſo you might hauehave tranſlated foreign to Goſpell, and foreign Goſpelling, with more vnderſtanding of our people, and with as full attainment of the ſignification of the words vnleſſe you will confeſſe, that you hauehave fayled in turning foreign the Goſpell. Laſtly, if ſo much of the ſignification is loſt, vnleſſe it be turned Euangelize: how commeth it, that you, Math. 11. 5. hauehave tranſlated it, the Goſpell is preached. Heere therefore your drudgerie to th'old interpreter, is againe manifeſt, for notwithſtanding you hold it ill turned vnleſſe the Greek word be retayned: yet becauſe th'old tranſlator turneth it otherwiſe; you ſtick not, contrarie to your iudgment, to turn it as he doth: ſo hauehave you no iudgement of your own, and th'old tranſlators iudgement (who by turning it nowe one way, and nowe another, ſignifieth an indifferency of tranſlation) you vtterly ouerthrowe. But that vvhichwhich follovveth, is more abſurde: that the people muſt be depriued of the naturall tranſlation of the vvords, through your ſottiſh deſire of keeping of Latin vvords, which the vulgar vſed: vvhichwhich theſe lying ſpirits calling firſt the Latine text of the Scripture, after by and by call it, the verie words of the Scripture: as if the Scripture tranſlated into the Engliſh tongue, vvere not as much the Scripture, as that vvhichwhich is tranſlated into the Latine. For your poenance, you muſt do poenance: conſidering that Luk. 17. 4. you turne the ſame vvord vvhichwhich you tranſlate doe poenance, be poenitent. The ſame vvhip commeth to you, for your aduent: which in one andMat. 24. 27 the ſame chapter and ſenſe, turne it comming & aduent both. We are content you keepe your Prieſt, and your Chalice to your ſelues. Albeit you greatlye forget your ſelues, vvhichwhich maks your Prieſt here, to come of the Latine vvord; vvhom othervvhere,VponUpon Act. 14. 22. you vvoulde faine driue from the Greek.