The Harmony Between the Old and Present Non-Conformists, Treatise · Argument 2
Argument II.
II. Some Diſſenters cannot Conſcientiouſly approve of the Tranſlation of the Pſalmes, which is read at the ordinary Lord's dayes ſervice, becauſe 'tis not only imperfect, but moreover in ſome places ſenſeleſs and abſurd, and in other places falſe, directly contradicting our laſt Tranſlation of the Pſalmes in the Bible.
The Tranſlation now us'd is the ſame ſet forth in the times of ignorance, when the light of the truth did but begin to dawn in Henry the 8th. dayes, and is
1. Imperfect, becauſe among many other omiſſions, all the Titles, though a part of the original and very uſefull, are left out.
2. Senſleſs and abſurd, for Pſal. 58. 9. where our Tranſlation has it thus, viz. before your pots can feel the Thorns, he ſhall take them away with a Whirl-wind, both living, and in his wrath. In the Service Book Tranſlation 'tis, or ever your pots be made hot with Thorns, ſo let indignation vex them, as a thing that is raw. So Pſal. 72. 6. He ſhall come down like rain upon the mowen graſs. This in the common prayer is Tranſlated thus, he ſhall come down like the rain into a fleece of Wool. This our Old Proteſtant divines look'd upon as a corruption in the Papiſts, not to be approved, but can it be leſs ſo when done by the ſons of the Church of England, Fulk, Withers, Bulkley, Whitaker, and others have blamed the Rhemiſts Tranſlation, becauſe 'tis in many places ſenſeleſs and abſurd, for which reaſon ſeeing the Tranſlation of the Pſalmes in the Service Book, is as ſenſeleſs in ſome things, as that of the Rhemiſts is in other, 'tis as much to be blamed, and as little to be approv'd.
But this is not all, for this Tranſlation in Henry the 8th, is not only imperfect, abſurd and ſenſeleſs, but moreover in ſome places contrary to the original, not only in the opinion of Diſſenters, but alſo in the judgment of thoſe who were the Authours of the beſt Tranſlation that ever was in Engliſh.
1. The Pſalter has it in Pſal. 17. 4. Thus, becauſe of mens works that are done againſt the words of thy lips: I have kept me from the wayes of the deſtroyer, but more agreeably to the Original, our Tranſlation is thus, concerning the works of men, by the words of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the deſtroyer, whereby 'tis apparent, that not mens works that are done againſt the words of God's lips kept David right, but concerning mens works, David was kept from the paths of the deſtroyer, by the words of God's lips.
2. In Pſal. 18. 26. The Pſalter ſayes, that with the froward, thou ſhalt learn frowardneſs, but according to the Hebrew, 'tis as our laſt tranſlation in the Bible has it, with the froward thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelf froward.
3. In the Pſalter Pſal. 68. 6. 'tis thus, he is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an houſe, whereas according to the Hebrew, 'tis God ſetteth the ſolitary in Families.
4. In the Pſalter, Pſal. 107. 40. Though he ſuffer them to be evil intreated through Tyrants, but according to the Hebrew in our Bibles; He poureth contempt upon Princes. But,
5. In Pſal. 105. 28. The Pſalter ſayes, And they were not obedient unto his word, but the Hebrew, And they rebelled not againſt his word, or were not diſobedient to his word. And in Pſal. 106. 30. The Pſalter has it; Then ſtood up Phineas and Prayed, and ſo the Plague ceaſed; But our Bibles, then ſtood up Phinehas and executed judgment, and the Plague ceaſed, which is not only moſt agreeable to the Hebrew in this place, but moreover to the Hiſtory in number 25. 7, 8.
Such as conform to the ordinary Lord's dayes Service, muſt not only ſhew their approbation to the many idle Stories in the Apocryphal books, and give 'em that countenance that alone pertains to the pure word of God; but beſides muſt lay aſide the Tranſlation that is moſt exactly agreeable to the Original, and uſe one that is not only imperfect, abſurd and ſenſeleſs, but in ſome things ſo contrary to the Original. But ſome Diſſenters think that their Conformity in this reſpect cannot but prove pernicious to the Chriſtian Religion, as it caſts a reproach not only on the laſt and beſt tranſlation, but even on the Original it ſelf; They know how jealous God is about his word, unto which no additions, diminutions or alterations can be made, but to the provoking the moſt high, and the wounding their Conſciences, and therefore are afraid to conform.