TO THE ENGLISH READER
vulgar tongs.but in the three sacred only, for further declaration of this, and other like points we remit you to the Preface before the New Testament. Only here, as by an Epitome, we shal repeat the summe of al that is there more largely discussed. To this first question therefore we answer, that both iust reason & highest authority of the Church, iudge it not absolutely necessary, nor alwayes conuenient, that holy Scriptures should be in vulgar tongs. Scriptures being hard are not to be read of al.For being as they are, hard to be vnderstood, euen by the learned, reason doth dictate to reasonable men, that they were not written nor ordained to be read indifferently of al men. Many take harme by reading holy Scriptures.Experience also teacheth, that through ignorance, ioyned often with pride & presumption, many reading Scriptures haue erred grosly by misunderstanding Gods word. lib. de Prescrip. lib. 2. ad Gratian. c. I.Which though it be most pure in it-self, yet the sense being adulterated is as perilous (saith Tertul.) as the stile corrupted. S. Amb. obserueth, that where the text is true, the Arians interpretation hath errors. Tract. 18. in Ioan.S. August. also teacheth, that heresies & peruerse doctrines entangling soules, & throwing them downe headlong into the depth, doe not otherwise spring vp but when good (or true) Scriptures are not wel (& truly) vnderstood, & when that which in them is not wel vnderstood, is also rashly & boldly auouched. Epist. 103. c. 6.For the same cause, S. Hierome vtterly disallowed, that al sorts of men & women, old & yong, presumed to read & talke of the Scriptures: wheras no artizen, no trads-man dare presume to teach anie facultie, which he hath not first learned. Reading of Scriptures moderated.Seing therfore that dangers and hurts happen in manie, the careful chief Pastours in Gods Church haue alwaies moderated the reading of holy Scriptures, according to persons, times, & other circumstances; prohibiting some, and permitting some, to haue & read them in their mother tongue. Scriptures translated into diuers tongs.So S. Chriso. translated the Psalmes & some other parts of holy Scriptures for the Armenians, when he was there in banishment. Bibl. Sanct. lib. 4.The Slauonians and Goths say they haue the Bible in their languages. It was translated into Italian by an Archbishop of Genua. Into French in the time of King Charles the Fift, especially because the Waldensian heretikes had corruptly translated it, to maintaine their errours. Lib. 1. hist. c. 47.We had some parts in English translated by Venerable Bede, as Malmesburie witnesseth. Linwood lib. 1.And Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canturburie, in a Councel holden at Oxford, strictly ordained, 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
