Page:The New Testament of Iesvs Christ faithfvlly translated into English, ovt of the authentical Latin, diligently conferred with the Greek, & other Editions in diuers languages.pdf/10

side serveth for the advantage of their private opinions. For which, they are bold also partly to disauthorize quite, partly to make doubtful, divers whole books allowed for Canonical Scripture by the universal Church of God this thousand yeares and upward: to alter al the authentical and Ecclesiastical words used sithence our Christianitie, into new prophane novelties of speaches agreable to their doctrine: to change the titles of workes, to put out the names of the Authours, * to charge the very Evangelist with following untrue translation, to adde whole sentences proper to their Sect, into their psalmes in meter, * even into the very Creed in rime. Al which the poore deceived people say and sing as though they were God’s owne word, being indeed through such sacrilegious treacherie, made the Divels word.

To say nothing of their intolerable liberty and licence to change the accustomed callings of God, Angel, men, places, & things used by the Apostles and al antiquitie, in Greek, Latin, and al other languages of Christian Nations, into new names, sometimes falsely, and alwaies ridiculously and for ostentation taken of the Hebrewes: to frame and fine the phrases of holy Scriptures after the forme of prophane Writers, sticking not, for the same to supply, adde, alter or diminish as freely as if they translated Livie, Virgil, or Terence. Having no religious respect to keep either the majestie or sincere simplicitie of that venerable style of Christes spirit, as S. Augustin speaketh, which kind the holy Ghost did choose of infinit wisedom to have the divine mysteries rather uttered in, then any other more delicate, much lesse in that meretricious manner of writing that sundrie of these new translatours doe use: of which sort Calvin himselfe and his pue-fellowes so much complaine, that they professe, Satan to have gained more by these new interpreters (their number, levitie of spirit, and audacitie encreasing daily) then he did before by keeping the word from the people. And for a paterne of this mischeefe, they give Castalion, adjuring all their churches and scholers to beware of his translation, as one that hath made a very sport and mockery of God’s holy word. So they charge him: themselves (and the Zwinglians of Zurick, whose translations Luther therfore abhorred) or handling the matter with no more fidelitie, gravitie, or sinceritie, then the other: but rather with much more falsification, or (to use the Apostles wordes) cauponation and adulteration of God’s word, then they. Besides many wicked glosses, prayers, confession of faith, conteining both blasphemous errours * and plaine contradictions to themselves and among themselves al privileged and authorized to be joyned to the Bible, and to be said and sung of the poore people, and to be beleeved as articles of faith & wholy consonant to God’s word.

We therfore having compassion to see our beloved Countriemen, with extreame danger of their soules, to use onely such prophane translations, and erroneous mens mere phantasies, for the pure and blessed word of truth; much also moved thereunto by the desires of many devout persons; have set forth, for you (benigne Readers) the new Testament to begin withal, trusting that it may give occasion to you, after diligent perusing thereof, to lay away at least such their impure versions as hitherto you have been forced to occupie. How well we have done it, we must not be iudges, but referre al to God’s Church and our Superiours in the same. To them we submit our selves, & this, & al other our labours, to be in part or in the whole, reformed, corrected, altered, or quite abolished: most humbly desiring pardon if through our ignorance, temeritie, or other humane infirmitie, we have any where mistaken the sense of the holy Ghost. Further promising, that if hereafter we espie any of our owne errours, or if any other, either freind of good wil, or adversarie for desire of reprehension, shal open unto us the same; we wil not (as Protestants doe) for defense of our estimation, or of pride and contention, by wrangling words wilfully persist in them, but be most glad to heare of them, & in the next edition or otherwise to correct them: for it is truth that we seeke for, and God’s honour: which being had either by good intention, or by occasion, al is wel. This we professe only, that we have done our endeavour with praier, much feare and trembling, lest we should dangerously erre in so sacred, high, and divine a worke: that we have done it with al faith, diligence, and sinceritie: that we have used no partialitie for the disadvantage of our adversaries, nor no more licence then is sufferable in translating of holy Scriptures: continually keeping our-selves as neer as is possible, to our text to the very words and phrases which by long use are made venerable, though to some prophane or delicate eares Rh