THE PREFACE
the word thus, a yong scholer. Whereas it is a peculiar word to signifie them that were lately baptized, as Catechumenus, signifieth the newly instructed in faith not yet baptized, who is also yong scholer rather then the other and many that haue been old scholers, may be Neophytes by differring Baptisme. And if Phylacteries be allowed for English Mat. 23, we hope that Didrachmes also, Prepuce, Paraclete, and such like, wil easily grow to be currant and familiar. And in good sooth there is in al these such necessitie, that they can not conueniently be translated. As when S. Paul saith, concisio, non circumcisio; how can we but follow his very wordes and allusion? And how is it possible to expresse Euangelizo, but as we doe, Euangelize? for Euangelium being the Ghospel, what is, Euangelizo or to Euangelize, but to shew the glad tydings of the Ghospel, of the time of grace, of al Christ's benefits? Al which signification is lost, by translating as the English Bibles doe, I bring you good tydings. Luc. 2. 10. Therfore we say Depositum, 1 Tim. 6. and, He exinanited him self, Philip. 2. and, You haue reflorished, Philip. 4. and, to exhaust, Hebr. 9, 28, because we can not possibly attaine to expresse these words fully in English, and we thinke much better, that the reader staying at the difficultie of them, should take an occasion to looke in their table, or otherwise to aske the ful meaning of them, then by putting some vsual English words that expresse them not, so to deceiue the Reader. Sometime also we doe it for an other cause. As when we say, The aduent of our Lord, and, imposing of hands, because one is a solemne time, the other a solemne action in the Catholike Church: to signifie to the people, that these and such like names come out of the very Latin text of the Scripture. So did Penance, doing penance, Chalice, Priest, Deacon, Traditions, Altar, host, and the like (which we exactly keep as Catholike termes) proceed euen from the very words of Scripture.
Moreouer, we presume not in hard places to mollifie the speaches or phrases, but religiously keepe them word for word, and point for point, for feare of missing, or restraining the sense of the holy Ghost to our phantasie. As Eph. 6. Against the spirituals of wickednes in the celestials; and, What to me and thee woman? whereof see the Annotation vpon this place: and 1 Pet. 2. As infants euen now borne, reasonable, milke without guile desire ye. We doe so place, reasonable, of purpose, that it may be indifferent both to infants going before, as in our Latin text; or to milke that followeth after, as in other Latin copies and in the Greek. Io. 3. we translate, The spirit breatheth where he wil, &c. leauing it indifferent to signifie either the holy Ghost, or wind: which the Protestants translating, winde, take away the other sense more common and vsual in the Ancient Fathers. We translate Luc. 8, 23. They were filled, not adding of our owne, with water, to mollifie the sentence, as the Protestants doe: and c. 22. This is the chalice, the new Testament &c. not, This chalice is the new Testament: &c likewise, Mar. 13. Those daies shal be such tribulation, not as the Aduersaries, in those daies, both our text and theirs being otherwise: likewise Iac. 4, 6. And giueth greater grace, leauing it indifferent to the Scripture, or to the holy Ghost, both going before. Wheras the Aduersaries tooto boldly & presumptuously adde, saying: The Scripture giueth, taking away the other sense, which is farre more probable. Likewise Hebr. 12, 21 we translate, So terrible was it which was seen, Moyses said &c. neither doth Greek or Latin permit vs to adde, that, Moyses said, as the Protestants presume to doe. So we say, Men brethren, A widow woman, A woman a sister, Iames of Alphaus, and the like. Sometime also we follow of purpose the Scriptures phrase: as, The hel of fire, according to Greek and Latin; which we might say perhaps, the firy hel, by the Hebrew phrase in such speaches, but not, hel fire, as commonly it is translated. Likewise Luc. 4, 36. What word is this, that in power and authoritie he commandeth the vncleane spirits? as also, Luc 2. Let vs passe ouer, and see the word that is done. Where we might say, thing, by the Hebrew phrase; but there is a certaine maiestie and more signification in these speaches, and therfore both Greek & Latin keep them, although it is no more the Greek & Latin phrase, then it is the English. And why should we be squamish at new wordes or phrases in the Scripture, which are necessarie: vvhen vve do easily admit and follow new wordes coyned in court and in courtly or other secular writings?
We adde the Greek in the margent for diuers causes. Sometime when the sense is hard, that the learned Reader may consider of it and see if he can help himself better then by our translation. as Luc 11. Nolite extolli, μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε and againe, Quod superest date eleemosynam τὰ ἐνόντα. Sometime to take away the ambiguitie of the Latin or English;
