by suche wordes of vtteraunce as the reader might perceaue the minde of the translatour, and so consequently to come to the knowledge of God his wyll and pleasure. And though many rashe readers be deceaued in the obscurities and ambiguities of their translations, whyle they take one thing for another, and whyle they vse muche labour to extricate them selues out of the obscurities of the same: yet I thinke (saith he) this is not wrought without the prouidence of God, both to tame the proude arrogancie of man by his suche labour of searching, as also to kepe his minde from lothsomnesse and contempt, where if the scriptures vniuersally were to easie, he woulde lesse regarde them. And though (saith he) in the primitive Churche the late interpreters whiche did translate the scriptures, be innumerable, yet wrought this rather an helpe, than an impediment to the readers, if they be not to negligent. For saith he, diuers translations haue made many tymes the harder and darker sentences, the more open and playne: so that of congruence, no offence can iustly be taken for this newe labour, nothing preiudicing any other mans iudgement by this doyng, nor yet hereby professing this to be so absolute a translation, as that hereafter might folowe no other that might see that whiche as yet was not vnderstanded. In this poynt it is conuenient to consider the iudgement that John, once byshop of Rochester was in, who thus wrote: [Sidenote: _Articulo, 17, contra Luth._] It is not vnknowen, but that many thinges hath ben more diligently discussed, and more clearely vnderstanded by the wittes of these latter dayes, as well concerning the gospels as other scriptures, then in olde tyme they were. The cause whereof is (saith he) for that to the olde men the yse was not broken, or for that their age was not sufficient exquisitely to expende the whole mayne sea of the scriptures, or els for that in this large field of the scriptures, a man may gather some eares vntouched, after the haruest men howe diligent soeuer they were. For there be yet (saith he) in the Gospels very many darke places, whiche without all doubt to the posteritie shalbe made muche more open. For why should we despayre herein, seing the Gospell (wryteth he) was deliuered to this intent, that it might be vtterly vnderstanded of vs, yea to the very inche. Wherefore, forasmuch as Christe showeth no lesse loue to his Churche now, then hitherto he hath done, the aucthoritie wherof is as yet no whit diminished, and forasmuch as that holy spirite the perpetuall Keper and Gardian of the same Church, whose gyftes and graces do flowe as continually and as aboundantly as from the beginning: who can doubt, but that such thinges as remayne yet unknowen in the Gospell, shalbe hereafter made open to the latter wittes of our posteritie, to their cleare vnderstanding. Only good readers let vs oft call vpon the holy spirite of God our heauenly father, by the