Bible (Douay-Rheims Original)/Preface

THE PREFACE TO THE READER

TREATING OF THESE THREE POINTS: Of the translation of Holy Scriptures into the vulgar tongues, and namely into English; of the causes why this New Testament is translated according to the ancient vulgar Latin text; and of the manner of translating the same.

THE holy Bible long since translated by us into English, and the old Testament lying by us for lack of good means to publish the whole in such sort as a work of so great charge and importance requireth; we have yet through God's goodness at length fully finished for you (most Christian Reader) all the NEW TESTAMENT; which is the principal, most profitable, ad comfortable piece of holy Writ: and, as well for all other institution of life and doctrine, as specially for deciding the doubts of these days, more proper and pregnant then the other part not yet printed.

Which translation we do not for all that publish,upon erroneous opinion 1. of neccessitie, that the holy Scriptures should always be in our mother tongue, or 2. that they ought, or were ordained by God, to be read indifferently of all, or 3. could be easily understood of every one that readeth or heareth them in a known language; or 4. that

toguct, notal&gt;- thcy vcrc not often, through man's malice or inKrnfitic,pcrniciousand muchhuixful to folurcly ncc - many; f, or that ic generally and abfolutcly deemed it more crmnenicnt init-fclf ,* H*K or pro 1- morc agrcablc to God's vord and honour, or edification, of the faithful, to hauc them ~J! ' 3C " tinned into vulgar tongues, then to be kept ciffludicd only inthc Ecctcfurtical learned cording tome languages : Notforthcfcnor any fuch liLccaufes doc vc tranOarc this facrcd Hookc; but vpcm Special eoitndcrat ion of the prefent time, lra:c,and condition of our count nc, vnto vliich diucrs things are either nccrflaric , or profitable and mcdicinible not , thiCothcrvifc in the peace of chc Church vcrc neither much rccuiiiit , not perchance u holy tolerable.

I. Inthismatterjtomarkc only the vifedoto Si moderation of holy Church and (he The Churchc? Goucrn'&lt;untherof onthconc fide -, aadtheindifcretC7Cilcof th.nopuUr, and elicit %r ifedom and fait cms leaders, on the other, is a high point of prudence. Thcfc later , partly offim- modcratim* I !-&lt; 1 ic . -&gt; • -I wi! ciiriofitic,andfpc&lt;ullyof pride Ac disobedience, hauc made elaime iu concerning ■his cafe for tlic common people, •mithphiujblc pretences nuny, but goeJirafou* none snlgar u-ufla-

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