translations, so to mingle all things, that nothing might seem to be left certain and firm in them, &c.? Nay further, did not the same _Sixtus_ ordain by an inviolable decree, and that with the counsel and consent of his Cardinals, that the _Latin_ edition of the Old and New Testament, which the council of _Trent_ would have to be authentick, is the same without controversy which he then set forth, being diligently corrected and printed in the printinghouse of _Vatican_? Thus _Sixtus_ in his preface before his Bible. And yet _Clement_ the Eighth, his immediate successor to account of, publisheth another edition of the Bible, containing in it infinite differences from that of _Sixtus_, and many of them weighty and material; and yet this must be authentick by all means. What is to have the faith of our glorious Lord _Jesus Christ_ with yea and nay, if this be not? Again, what is sweet harmony and consent, if this be? Therefore, as _Demaratus_ of _Corinth_ advised a great King, before he talked of the dissensions among the _Grecians_, to compose his domestick broils; (for at that time his queen and his son and heir were at deadly feud with him) so all the while that our adversaries do make so many and so various editions themselves, and do jar so much about the worth and authority of them, they can with no shew of equity challenge us for changing and correcting. [Sidenote: The purpose of the Translators, with their number, furniture, care, &c.] But it is high time to leave them, and to shew in brief what we proposed to ourselves, and what course we held, in this our perusal and survey of the Bible. Truly, good Christian Reader, we never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one: (for then the imputation of _Sixtus_ had been true in some sort, that our people had been fed with gall of dragons instead of wine, with wheal instead of milk;) but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against; that hath been our endeavour, that our mark. To that purpose there were many chosen, that were greater in other men’s eyes than in their own, and that sought the truth rather than their own praise. Again, they came, or were thought to come, to the work, not _exercendi causa_, (as one saith,) but _exercitati_, that is, learned not to learn; for the chief overseer and ἐργοδιώκτης under his Majesty, to whom not only we, but also our whole Church was much bound, knew by his wisdom, which thing only _Nazianzen_ taught so long ago, [Sidenote: _Nazianz._ εἰς ρν’, ἐπισκ παρουσ. _Idem in Apologet._] that it is a preposterous order to teach first and to learn after; that τὸ ἐν πίθῳ κεραμίαν μανθάνειν to learn and practise together, is neither commendable for the workman, nor safe for the work. Therefore such were thought upon, as could say modestly with St. _Hierome_, _Et Hebræum sermonem ex parte didicimus, et in Latino