TO THE READER
felled. Againe, how many senses of holy Scriptures, concerning Christes Godhead, haue been auouched against Photinus: how many, of his Manhod, against Manichæus: how many, of the Trinitie, against Sabellius: how many, of the vnitie in Trinitie, against the Arrians, Eunomians, Macedonians: how many, of the Catholike Church dispersed through out the whole vvorld, and of mixture of good and bad in the same vntil the end of the world, against the Donatistes and Luciferians and other of the like errour: how many against al other heretikes, which it were to long to rehearse? Of which senses and expositions of holy Scripture the approued Authors and auouchers, should otherwise either not be knowen as al, or not so wel knowen, as the contradictions of proud heretikes haue made them.
Thus he saith of such thinges as not seeming to be in holy Scriptures to the ignorant or heretikes, yet in deede be there. But in other pointes doubted of, that in deede are not decided by Scripture, he giueth vs this goodly rule to be folovved in all, as he exemplifieth in one. Then doe we hold (saith he) the veritie of the Scriptures, when we doe that which now hath seemed good to the Vniuersal Church, which the authoritie of the Scriptures them selues doth commend: so that, forasmuch as the holy Scripture can not deceiue, whosoeuer is afraid to be deceiued with the obscuritie of questions, let him therein aske counsel of the same CHVRCH, which the holy Scripture most certainely and euidently shevveth and pointeth vnto. Aug.li.1.cont.Crescon.c.13
Now to giue thee also intelligence in particular, most gentle Reader, of such thinges as it behoueth thee specially to knovv concerning our Translation: We translate the old vulgar Latin text, not the common Greek text, for these causes.
1. It is so ancient, that it was vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300. yeares agoe, as appeareth by the Fathers of those times.
2. It is that (by the common receiued opinion and by al probabilitie) which S. Hierom afterward corrected according to the Greek, by the appointment of Damasus then Pope, as he maketh mention in his Preface before the foure Euangelistes, vnto the said Damasus: and in Catalogo in fine, and ep. 102.
3. Consequently it is the same which S. Augustine so commendeth and alloweth in an Epistle to S. Hierom.
4. It is that, which for the most part euer since hath been vsed in the Churches seruice, expounded in sermons, alleaged and interpreted in the Commentaries and writings of the ancient fathers of the Latin Church.
5. The holy Councel of Trent, for these and many other important considerations, hath declared and defined this 'only' of al other latin translations, to be authentical, and so onely to be vsed and taken in publike lessons, disputations, preachings, and expositions, and that no man presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refuse the same.
6. It is the grauest, sincerest, of greatest maiestie, least partialitie, as being without al respect of controuersies and contentions, specially these of our time, as appeareth by those places which Erasmus and others at this day translate much more to the aduantage of the Catholike cause.
7. It is so exact and precise according to the Greek, both the phrase and the word, that delicate Heretikes therfore reprehend it of rudenes. And that it followeth the Greek farre more exactly then the Protestants translations, beside infinit other places, we appeale to these. Tit. 3. 14. Curent bonis operibus præesse, προιοτασθαι.. Engl. bib. 1577, to mainteine good vvorkes. and Heb. 10, 20. Viam nobis initia vit, ενεκαίνισεν. English Bib. he prepared. So in these wordes, Iustifications, Tratitions, Idola &c. In al which they come not neer the Greek, but avoid it of purpose.
8. The Aduersaries them selues, namely Beza, preferre it before al the rest. Inprefat.no.Test an.1556. And againe he saith, that the old Interpreter translated very religiously. Annot.in 1.Luc.v.1.
9. In the rest, there is such diuersitie and dissension, and no end of reprehending one another, and translating euery man according to his fantasie, that Luther said, If
