A Censure of the Late Translation for our Churches
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A16957.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Censure of the late translation for our Churches: sent unto a Right Worshipful knight, Attendant upon the King.
T HE late Bible, Right Worshipful, was sent me to censure: which bred in me a sadness that will greeve me while I breath. It is so ill done. Tell his Maiest. that I had rather be rent in pieces with wild horses, then any such translation by my consent should be urged upon poor Churches. I will article.
I.
My advertisement they regarded not, but still make SETH a fool to name his son sorrowful Enoch: whē, as they translate, men began to call upon the Name of God. All the ten Fathers names bear sadness that the seed of the serpent would bring the flood. Thus Moses meant. SETH called his son sorrowful Enoch: (because) Then sprange corruption in steed of calling upon God with good understanding, as 1. Pet. 3. handleth the cause. And the Babel Talmud: and Iarchj 600. years old: & 900. Arabiq Sadaias: and the late Jews Pagnin, & Tremellius. This stubborn error deserved all punishment: dashing all the vein of the old world.
II.
Where JESUS is called the son of God, Luke cap. 3. and Luke should show by whom, & had nothing to do with Joseph, they in fiftene verses bring fiftene score idle words for accounts in the day of judgment: and bring Joseph to be the son of all the men there: where thus Saint Luke meant: JESUS was called of the Father My Son, being son of Joseph (as men thought) Filius not Filij, Eli filius, to each up, filius Adam, filius Dei: so seaventie five men are by Saint Luke above the Angels (as Jews say commonly) the Just is above the Angels. And here we have a clear record how Christ came of David: and Heathen for Saint Luke, and Theophilus kept no less then Jews this most royal Genealogy. Now when ours say, seaventie five times which was the son seaventie five times, they trifle. The relation of each is to Christ: and seaventie five times they obscure the comfort of mankind. A Jew of Amsterdam objected the Bishops error to deny the New Testament: that omitted how Christ should come of David. Therevpon I cleared our Lord's Family. Bancroft raved. I gave the Anathema. Christ judged his own cause. The New edition crosseth me, I require it be burnt.
III.
It denieth David ever to have been in the world, and so by a consequent Christ him self, Act. chap. 13. verse. 20. where they say: God gave them Judges about the space of four hundred & fifty years. It is but four hundred and four score years from the Lamb to the Temple. Now David was not borne before Eli's death, but ten years after. About 30. of the forty years in the Wildernes, with about four hundred and fifty years, will make four hundred and four score years. So by our Bishops all the holy story should be a lie. My warning was large herein. And two and twenty years ago admired by French in London, and by them to Zurich, how by Jews I cleared the text: and by my enemies in London, as my friends wrote upon the advertisement, to super-admirable report: that none before me did, nor would after match my heed. And what a prank is this: That translators sold so mock with the King. This meaneth S. Luk: God gave them Judges after a forte (of Law accounts in troubled states) four hundredth and fifty years. King Edw. the IV. and K. Henry the sixth did breed such years. I humbly desire the King to bid the BB. answer to this.
IV.
I warned how Baasa K. of Israel was a warrior against Asa, being ten years dead: and Ochozias was made two years elder then his Father, and twenty years elder then him self. The Bb. will not take the warning. The K can judge.
V.
Jews deny the New Test for these lies, Act. 7
1.
Jacob died and our Fathers, and were carried over into Shechem. The Jews object: If the N. Testament so speak, God never wrote it. Jacob was carried to Hebron not to Sychem. S. Stephen and S. Luke have truth. The BB. have not.
2.
And they were put in the grave which Abraham bought. S. Stephen & S. Luke never meant that all thirteen were put in one grave. They meant that Jacob was buried in Hebron: and the Patriarchs in Shechem: and who would think that scholars should be ignorant of this? and that after open advertisemēt in two impressions? what use shall be of opening truth, if men may despise it?
3.
Abraham bought no sepulcher in Shechem. And the sepulcher there was bought for sheep. Thrise the term Keshita is used, and still in the Chaldee and Greek for sheep. The margent note for sheep burneth the heart of the Translatours: who bade them put the error in the text, and right in the margent?
VI.
The Angel Gabriel's message to Daniel the goodliest of men, is the Lamp to both Testaments: But the translation now, as the former, maketh it bitter: and foolish. By it Christ was to end Moses after seventy weeks: that is four hundred and ninety days. The Angel spake of years. And why should the Church be vexed with a doubtful term? And what can this mean? He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. The Covenant is perpetual: not a covenant for week. Besides, Prince there twice is Messias: and his People were the Jews: so the Jews should destroy their own City. and many more unlearned speeches darken the Angel speaking of the Angel of the Covenant: who will not bear with our sins, Exod. 23.
VII.
In Chap. 11. 38. They leave atheism in the text: blaming worship of the God almighty: & put my translation in the margent, and would make the Angels speech vncerten, about the name of God.
VIII.
The precious twelve stones, Exod. 28. be every one translated by the Ho. Ghost, Apoc. 21. So that the dumb stones speak of the Bibles story. This made a learned Rabbi affect the gospel. And I have handled all often, to approbation of the best learned. They who can cite Rabbin's variety to disturb the New Test. & to cross opened truth, must be told they halt before a cripple. I will suffer no scholar in the world to cross me in Hebrew and Greek, when I am sure I have the truth. Men that meant quietness, would never have dealt thus.
IX.
The H. Ghost should not be contemned in Greek spelling of Hebrew, as in Ragau, Luc. 3. after the 70 Gen. 11. It is barbarously perverted into Reu.
X.
Sadik and Ain in Chaldea had one form and souud, as in Daniel's Chaldee: the Hebrew S. is expressed by ain. and so Saint Peter calling Balaam the son of Bosor, showeth that he was then in Chaldea: where ain was expressed by an S. as Talmud Yerushalmi in Megilah and R. Azarias in a learned treatise noteth. This was a little before Saint Peters martyrdom: and as from Babylon he wrote his first Epistle, showing that God had his Church there, as was told Psal. 87. So from Babylon he wrote his second. And being a Prophet he would not go to Rome to Saint Paul's Bishopric to be killed, where he had not taught. The Bishops had fell the bridgemaker of Rome, by one letter Ain pronounced S in Chaldea and Arabia only: if they had followed the Holy Ghost to call Balaam the son not of Beor or Boor, but of Bosor: so it had appeared that he was never near Rome. And Origen in Euseb. the first auctor of his being there: yet telleth that be kept in Asia til a little before his death. And if Peter ever had been near Rome, he being a Prophet, & seeing what stirs would arise, had written some note of his being there: and of the occasions of his carriage • that hated City that killed Christ, as S. Luke and Paul show Paul's occasiō. but not one syllable hath he bent that way. And Balaam the son of Bosor had beaten Italy, no less then whē he saith: and that people shall afflict Heber (whereof Christ was more then all the rest together) and shall hold on to destruction. As John most grammatically translated the Hebrew.
EPILOGE.
I blame not this that they keep the usual style of former translations in the Church: that the people should not be emazed. For the learned the Geneva might be made exact: for which pains whole 30. years I have been called upon, and spent much time to my great loss by wicked hindrance. When you find the K. at leisure show his M. this short advertisement. And if his Highnes bid me again as once by the Earl of Pembroke, show faulty places. I will in a few sheets translate what I blame most: that they may be sent to all Churches, that have bought Bibles. So all may be well pacified. The K. meant Royally: but froward would be froward: who have felt it: as I was sure they should. Of late by M r . Pat. Balfour I heard of most Royal bent: and many of Germany write me the same. Tell his H. it shall not be lost, by God's help.
Your Worships in hearty reverence, H. BROVGHTON.