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THE

HOLY BIBLE

CONTAINING THE

OLD and NEW

TESTAMENTS

Newly Tranflated out of the

ORIGINAL TONGUES;

And with the former

TRANSLATION

Diligently Compared and Revised.

By His Majelty's Special Command.
Appointed to be Read in CHURCHES.

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EDINBURGH,

Printed by JAMES WATSON, Printer to the KING's Moft

Excellent Majefty. MDCCXXII.

CUM PRIVILEGIO.

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ΤΟ ΤΗΕ

Moft High and Mighty PRINCE,

JAMES

By the Grace of GOD, King of

Great Britain, France, and Ireland,

DEFENDER of the FAITH, &C.

The Tranflators of the BIBLE with Grace, Mercy, and Peace, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

REAT and manifold were the Blessings (moft dread Sovereign) which Almighty God, the Father of all Mercies, bestowed upon us the People of England, when firft he sent Your Majesty's Royal Perfon to rule and reign over us. For whereas it was the Expectation of many, who wished not well unto our Sion, that upon the Setting of that bright Occidental Star Queen Elizabeth, of most happy Memory, fome thick and palpable Clouds of Darkness would fo have overshadowed this Land, that Men Should have been in doubt which way they were to walk, and that it should hardly be known who was to direct the unfettled State: the Appearance of Your Majesty, as of the Sun in his Strength, inftantly dispelled those fuppofed and furmifed Mifts, and gave unto all that were well affected, exceeding Caufe of Comfort, especially when we beheld the Government established in Tour Highness, and Tour hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and this also accompanied with Peace and Tranquillity at Home

and Abroad.

But amongst all our Joys there was no one that more filled our Hearts, than the blessed Continuance of the Preaching of God's facred Word among ft us; which is that inestimable Treasure, which excelleth all the Riches of the Earth, because the Fruit thereof extendeth it felf, not only to the Time spent in this tranfitory World, but directeth and difpofeth Men unto that eternal Happiness which is above in Heaven.

Then not to fuffer this to fall to the Ground, but rather to take it up, and to continue it in that State, wherein the famous Predeceffor of Tour Highness did leave it : nay, to go forward with the Confidence and Refolution of a Man in maintaining the Truth of Christ, and propagating it far and near, is that which hath bound and firmly knit the hearts of all Your Majefty's loyal and religious People unto You, that Your very Name is precious among them, their Eye doth behold You with Comfort, and they blefs You in their Hearts, as that fanctified Perfon, who under God is the immediate Author of their true Happiness. And this their Contentment doth not diminish or decay, but every Day increaseth and taketh Strength, when they obferve that the Zeal of Your Majesty towards the House of God, doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifefting it felf abroad in the fartheft Parts of Christendom, by writing in Defence of the Truth, (which hath given fuch a Blow unto that Man of Sin, as will not be healed) and every Day at home, by religious and learned Difcourfe, by frequenting the House of God, by hearing the Word preached, by cherifbing the Teachers thereof, by caring for the Church, as a most tender and loving nurfing Father.

There are infinite Arguments of this right Chriftian and religious Affection in Tour Majesty but none is Tre forcible to declare it to others, than the vehement and perpetuated Defire of the accomplishing and publibing of this Work, which now with all Humility we prefent unto Your Majefty. For when Tour Highness bad once out of deep Judgment apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original facred Tonguer,

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together with comparing of the Labours, both in our own and other foreign Languages, of many worthy Men who went before us, there should be one more exact Tranflation of the Holy Scriptures into the English Tongue; Tour Majefty did never defift to urge and to excite thofe to whom it was commended, that the Work might be haftned, and that the Business might be expedited in fo decent a Manner, as a Matter of fuch Importance might juftly require.

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And now at last, by the Mercy of God, and the Continuance of our Labours, it being brought unto fuch a Conclufion, as that we have great Hope, that the Church of England fhall reap good Fruit thereby; we hold it our Duty to offer it to Tour Majefty, not only as to our King and Sovereign, but as to the principal Mover and Author of the Work: humbly craving of Your most Sacred Majefty, that fince Things of this Quality have ever been subject to the Cenfures of ill meaning and discontented Perfons, it may receive Approbation and Patronage from fo learned and judicious a Prince as Tour Highness is, whofe Allowance and Acceptance of our Labours, fhall more honour and encourage us, than all the Calumniations and hard Interpretations of other Men fball difmay us. So that, if on the one fide we shall be traduced by Popish Perfons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor Inftruments to make God's holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the People, whom they defire ftill to keep in Ignorance and Darkness or if on the other fide, we shall be maligned by felf-conceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their Anvil; we may reft fecure, fupported within by the Truth and Innocency of a good Confcience, having walked the Ways of Simplicity and Integrity, as before the Lord; and fuftained without by the powerful Protection of Your Majefty's Grace and Favour, which will ever give Countenance to honeft and Chriftian Endeavours, against bitter Cenfures, and uncharitable Imputa

tions.

The Lord of Heaven and Earth blefs Your Majefty with many and happy Days, that as his heavenly Hand bath enriched Tour Highness with many fingular and extraordinary Graces; fo You may be the Wonder of the World in this latter Age, for Happiness and true Felicity, to the Honour of that great God, and the Good of his Church, through Jefus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.

I The Names and Order of all the Books of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS, with the Number of their Chapters.

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