The ECCLESIASTICAL use of words turned into their ORIGINAL and PROFANE signification

1 WE spake a little before of the double signification of words, the one according to the original property, the other according to the usual taking thereof in all vulgar speech and writing. These words (as by the way we showed before upon occasion of the Adversaries grant) are to be translated in their vulgar and usual signification,¹ not as they signify by their original property. As for example: Major in the original signification is, greater. But when we say, The Major of London, now it is taken and sounds in every man’s ear for such an Officer: and no man will say, The Greater of London, according to the original property of it. Likewise Episcopus a Greek word, in the original sense is every overseer, as Tullie uses it and other profane writers: but among Christians in Ecclesiastical speech it is a Bishop. And no man will say, My Lord overseer of London, for my L. Bishop. Likewise we say, Seven Deacons, S. Stephen a Deacon. no man will say, Seven Ministers, S. Stephen a Minister. although that be the original signification of the word Deacon but by Ecclesiastical use & appropriation being taken for a certain degree of the Clergy, so it sounds in every man’s ear, and so it must be translated. As we say, Nero made many Martyrs: not, Nero made many witnesses: and yet Martyr by the first original property of the word is nothing else but a witness. We say Baptism is a Sacrament: not, Washing is a Sacrament. Yet Baptism and washing by the first original property of the word is all one.

2 Now then to come to our purpose, such are the absurd translations of the English Bibles, and altogether like unto these. Namely, when they translate congregation for Church, Elder for Priest, image for idol, dissension for schism, General for Catholic, secret for Sacrament, over-seer for Bishop,² messenger for Angel, embassadour for Apostle, minister for Deacon, and such like: to what other end be these deceitful translations but to conceal & obscure the name of the Church and dignities thereof mentioned in the holy Scriptures: to dissemble the word schism (as they do also ³ Heresy and Heretic) for fear of disgracing their schisms and Heresies, to say of Matrimony, neither Sacrament which is the Latin, nor mystery which is the Greek, but to go as far as they can possibly from the common usual and Ecclesiastical words,⁴ saying, This is a great secret: in favour of their heresy, that Matrimony is no Sacrament.

3 S. Paul says as plain as he can speak,⁵ I beseech you brethren, that you all say one thing and that there be no schisms among you. They translate for schisms, dissensions: which may be in profane and worldly things, as well as in matters of religion. But schisms are those that divide the unity of the Church, whereof they know themselves guilty. S. Paul says as plainly as is possible,⁶ A man that is an Heretic avoid after the first and second admonition. they translated in their Bible of the year 1562, A man that is an authour of Sects. and where the Greek is, Heresy, reckoned among damnable sins, they say, Sects: favouring that name for their own sakes, and dissembling it, as though the holy Scriptures spake not against Heresy or Heretics, Schism or Schismatics.

4 As also they suppress the very name Catholic, when it is expressly in the Greek, for malice toward Catholics and Catholic religion, because they know, themselves never shall be called or known by that name.⁷ And therefore their two English Bibles accustomed to be read in their church (therefore by like most authentical) leave it clean out in the title of all those Epistles,⁸ which have been known by the name of Catholicae Epistolae [the Catholic Epistles] ever since the Apostles time: and their later English Bible (dealing somewhat more honestly) has turned the word Catholic into General: saying, The General Epistle of James, of Peter, &c. As if a man should say in his Creed, I believe the general Church, because he would not say, the Catholic Church: as the Lutheran Catechisms say for that purpose, I believe the Christian Church. ⁹ So that by this rule, when S. Augustine tells that the manner was in cities where there was liberty of religion, to ask, Qua itur ad Catholicam? [Which is the way to the Catholic Church?] We must translate it, Which is the way to the General? And when S. Jerome says, If we agree in faith with the B. Of Rome, ergo Catholicisumus: [therefore we are Catholics] we must translate it, Then we are Generals. Is not this good stuff? Are they not ashamed thus to invert and pervert all words against common sense and use and reason? Catholic and General or Universal (we know) is by the original property of the word all one: but according to the use of both, as it is ridiculous to say, A Catholic Council, for a general Council: so is it ridiculous and impious to say, General for Catholic, in derogation thereof, and for to hide it under a bushel.

5 Is it because they would follow the Greek,¹⁰ that they turn καθολικήν, general [rightly, Catholic]? Even as just, as when they turn εἴδωλον image [rightly, idol], παράδοσιν instruction [rightly, tradition], δικαίωμα ordinance [rightly, justification], σχίσμα dissension [rightly, schism], αἵρεσιν sect [rightly, heresy], μυστήριον secret [rightly, mystery], and such like, where they go as far from the Greek as they can, & will be glad to pretend for answer of their word, sect, that they follow our Latin translation. Alas poor shift for them that otherwise pretend nothing but the Greek, to be tried by that Latin which themselves condemn. But we honour the said text, and translate it sects also, as we there find it, and as we do in other places follow the Latin text, and take not our advantage of the Greek text, because we know the Latin translation is good also and sincere, and approved in the Church by long antiquity, and it is in sense all one to us with the Greek: but not so to them, who in these days of controversy about the Greek and Latin text, by not following the Greek, which they profess sincerely to follow, bewray [reveal, betray] themselves that they do it for a malicious purpose.