TO THE ENGLISH READER
alledging S. Hieroms iudgement of the difficultie & danger in translating holie Scriptures out of one tong into an other. And therfore it must needs be much more dangerous, when ignorant people read also corrupted translations. A columnious suggestion of Lutherans.Now since Luther and his folowers haue pretended, that the Catholike Romane faith & doctrine should be contrarie to Gods written word, & that the Scriptures were not suffered in vulgar languages lest the people should see the truth, & withal these new Maisters corruptly turning the Scriptures into diuers tongs, as might best serue their owne opinions; against this false suggestion, and practise, Catholike Pastours haue, for one especial remedie, set forth true and sincere Translations in most languages of the Latin Church. But so, that people must read them with licence of their spiritual Superiour, as in former times they were in like sort limited. Such also of the Laitie, yea and of the meaner lerned Clergie, as were permitted to read holy Scriptures, did not presume to interprete hard places, nor high Mysteries, What part of Scriptures be most conuenient for vulgar readersmuch lesse to dispute and contend, but leauing the discussion therof to the more learned, searched rather & noted the godlie and imitable examples of good life, & so learned more humilitie, obedience, hatred of sinne, feare of God, zeale of Religion, & other vertues. And thus holy Scriptures may be rightly vsed in anie tong, 2 Tim. 3to teach, to argue, to correct, to instruct in iustice, that the man of God may be perfect, & (as S. Paul addeth) instructed to euerie good worke, when men labour rather to be Iac. 1doers of Gods wil & word, then readers or hearers only, deceiuing themselues.
Why we translate the old Latin text.But here an other question may be proposed: Why we translate the Latin text, rather then the Hebrew, or Greeke, which Protestants preferre, as the fountaine tongs, wherin holie Scriptures were first written? To this we answer, that if indeed those first pure Editions were now extant, or if such as be extant were more pure then the Latin, we would also preferre such fountaines before the riuers, in whatsoever they should be found to disagree. More pure then the Hebrew or Greek now extant.Tertullian li. 5. cont Marcion.
S. Ambrose li. 3 de Spirit Sanc. II.
S. Ierom. li. I. con. Iovinian.But the ancient best learned Fathers & Doctours of the Church, doe much complaine, and testifie to vs, that both the Hebrew and Greeke Editions are fouly corrupted by Iewes, and Heretikes, since the Latin was truly translated out of them, whiles they were more pure; and that the same Latin hath been farre better conserued from corruptions. So that the old Vulgate Latin Edition hath bene prefer-
