TO THE ENGLISH READER.
it, to maintaine their errors. We had some partes in English translated by Venerable Bede: as Malmesburie witnesseth. And Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canturburie in a Councel holden at Oxford, straictly ordayned, that no heretical translation set forth by Wicliffe, and his complices, nor anie other vulgar Edition should be suffered, til it were approued by the Ordinarie of the Diocese: alleaging S. Ieroms iudgement of the difficultie & danger in translating holie Scriptures out of one tongue into an other. And therfore it must nedes be much more dangerous, when ignorant people read also corrupted translations. Now since Luther, and his folowers haue pretended, that the Catholique Romane faith and 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 tongues, as might best serue their owne opinions: against this false suggestion, and practise, Catholique Pastores 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 superior, as in former times they were in like sort limited. Such also of the Laitie, yea & of the meaner lerned Clergie, as were permitted to read holie Scriptures, did not presume to interprete hard places, nor high Mysteries, much lesse to dispute and contend, but leauing the discussion therof to the more lerned, searched rather, and noted the godlie and imitable examples of good life, and so lerned more humilitie, obedience, hatred of sinne, feare of God, zele of Religion, and other vertues. And thus holie Scriptures may be rightly vsed in anie tongue, to teach, to argue, to correct, to instruct in iustice, that the man of God may be perfect, and (as S. Paul addeth) instructed to euerie good worke, when men laboure rather to be doers of Gods wil & word, then readers or hearers only, deceiuing themselues.
