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 like doctrine against our aduersaries, which perhaps he had thought befor this diligent search, either not to be consonant to Gods word, or at least not conteined in the same, and finally he shal proue this saying of S. Augustine to be most true. ''Multi sensus &c. Many senses of holy Scriptures lie bidden, and are knowen to some few of greater vnderstanding neither are they at any time auouched more commodiously and acceptably then at such times, when the care to answer beretikes doth force men there vnto. For then, euen they that be negligent in matters of studie and learning, shaking of slug gishnes, are stirred vp to diligent bearing, that the Aduersaries may be refelled Againe, hovy many senses of holy Scriptures, ccerning Christes Godhead, have been auouched against Photinus: how many, of his Manhod, against Manichæus how many, of the Trinitie, against Sabellius: how many, of the vnitie in Trinitie against the Arrians, Eunomians, Macedonians: how many, of the Catholike Church dispersed through out the whole world, and of the mixture of good and bad in the same until the end of the world, against the Donatistes and Luciferians and other of the like errour:how many against al other beretikes, which it were to long to rehearse? Of which senses and expositions of holy Scripture the approued authors and auouchers, should otherwise either not be knowen at al, or not so wel knowen,as the contradictions of proud beretikes haue made them.''

Thus he faith of such thinges as not seeming to be in holy Scriptures to the ignorant or heretikes, yet in deede be there. But in other pointes doubted of, that in deede are not decided by Scripture, he giueth vs this goodly rule to be folowed in all, as he exemplifieth in one. Then doe we hold (faith he) the veritie of the Scriptures, when we doe that which now hath seemed good to the Vniuersal Church, which the authoritie of the Scriptures them selues doth cmend: so that, forasmuch as the holy Scripture can not deceine, whosoener is afraid to be deceined with the obscuritie of questions, let him therein aske counsel of the same, which the holy Scripture most certainely and euidently sheweth and pointeth vnto. Aug. li. 1. Cont. Crescon. c. 13.

thee also intelligence in particular, most gentle Reader, of such thinges as it behoueth thee specially to know concerning our Translation: We translate the old vulgar Latin text, not the common Greeke text, for these causes.

1. It is so auncient, that it was vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300 yeres agoe,as appeareth by the fathers of those times.

2. It is that (by the common receiued opinion and by al probabilitie) which S. Hierom afterward corrected according to the Greeke, by the appointment of Damasus then Pope, as he maketh mention in his preface before the foure Euangelistes, vnto the said Damasus: and in Catalogo in fine, and ep. 102.

3. Consequently it is the same which S. Augustine so commendeth and alloweth in an Epistle to S. Hierom.

4. It is that, which for the most part euer since hath been vsed in the Churches seruice, expounded in sermons,alleaged and interpreted in the Commentaries and writings of the auncient fathers of the Latin Church.

5. The holy Councel of Trent, for these and many other important considerations, hath declared and defined this onely of al other latin translations, to be authentical, and so onely to be vsed and taken in publike lessons, disputations, preachings, and expositions, and that no man presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refufe the same.

6. It is the grauest, sincereft, of greatest maiestie, leaft partialitie, as being without al respect of controuersies and contentions, specially these of our