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to whomever was it imputed for a fault (by such as were wise) to go over that which he had done,
and to amend it where he saw cause? Saint Augustine was not afraid to exhort S. Jerome to a
Palinodia or recantation; [S. Aug. Epist. 9.] and doth even glory that he seeth his infirmities. [S.
Aug. Epist. 8.] If we be sons of the Truth, we must consider what it speaketh, and trample upon
our own credit, yea, and upon other men’s too, if either be any way an hindrance to it. This to the
cause: then to the persons we say, that of all men they ought to be most silent in this case. For what
varieties have they, and what alterations have they made, not only of their Service books, Portesses
and Breviaries, but also of their Latin Translation? The Service book supposed to be made by S.
Ambrose (Officium Ambrosianum) was a great while in special use and request; but Pope Hadrian
calling a Council with the aid of Charles the Emperor, abolished it, yea, burnt it, and commanded
the Service book of Saint Gregory universally to be used. [Durand. lib. 5. cap. 2.] Well, Officium
Gregorianum gets by this means to be in credit, but doth it continue without change or altering?
No, the very Roman Service was of two fashions, the New fashion, and the Old, (the one used in
one Church, the other in another) as is to be seen in Pamelius a Romanist, his Preface, before
Micrologus. the same Pamelius reporteth out Radulphus de Rivo, that about the year of our Lord,
1277, Pope Nicolas the Third removed out of the Churches of Rome, the more ancient books (of
Service) and brought into use the Missals of the Friers Minorites, and commanded them to be
observed there; insomuch that about an hundred years after, when the above name Radulphus
happened to be at Rome, he found all the books to be new, (of the new stamp). Neither were there
this chopping and changing in the more ancient times only, but also of late: Pius Quintus himself
confesseth, that every Bishopric almost had a peculiar kind of service, most unlike to that which
others had: which moved him to abolish all other Breviaries, though never so ancient, and privileged
and published by Bishops in their Dioceses, and to establish and ratify that only which was of his
own setting forth, in the year 1568. Now when the father of their Church, who gladly would heal
the sore of the daughter of his people softly and slightly, and make the best of it, findeth so great
fault with them for their odds and jarring; we hope the children have no great cause to vaunt of
their uniformity. But the difference that appeareth between our Translations, and our often correcting
of them, is the thing that we are specially charged with; let us see therefore whether they themselves
be without fault this way, (if it be to be counted a fault, to correct) and whether they be fit men to
throw stones at us: O tandem maior parcas insane minori: they that are less sound themselves, out
not to object infirmities to others. [Horat.] If we should tell them that Valla, Stapulensis, Erasmus,
and Vives found fault with their vulgar Translation, and consequently wished the same to be mended,
or a new one to be made, they would answer peradventure, that we produced their enemies for
witnesses against them; albeit, they were in no other sort enemies, than as S. Paul was to the
Galatians, for telling them the truth
: and it were to be wished, that they had dared to tell
it them plainlier and oftener. But what will they say to this, that Pope Leo the Tenth allowed
Erasmus’ Translation of the New Testament, so much different from the vulgar, by his Apostolic
Letter and Bull; that the same Leo exhorted Pagnine to translate the whole Bible, and bare whatsoever
charges was necessary for the work? [Sixtus Senens.] Surely, as the Apostle reasoneth to the
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