THE Holy Bible, CONTAINING The OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues : AND With the Former TRANSLATIONS By His Majesty's Special Command. Appointed to be Kead in Churches. OXFORD: Printed by the UNIVERSITY- (2) i To the most High and Mighty Prince, JAMES, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. The Tranflatours of the Bible with Grace, Mercy, and Peace, through Jesus Chrift our Lord. G Reet and manifold were the Blessings (most dread Sovereign) which Almighty God, the Father of all Mercies, bestowed upon us the People of England, when first be sent your Majefty's Royal Person to Rule and Reign over us. For whereas it was the Expectation of many, who wished not well unto our Sion, that upon the fetting of that bright Oceidental Star Queen Elizabeth, of most bappy Memory, some thick and palpable Clouds of Darkness would so have svershadowed 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 unsettled State: The Appearance of your Majesty, as of the Sun in bis strength, instantly dispelled shoje ani gave unto all that were well affetted, exceeding cause of Comfort; the Government established in your Highneß, and your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and, shie also accompanied with Peace and Tranquility at Home and Abroad. Supposed and Surmised Mists, especially when we beheld But amongst all our Joys there was no one that more filled our Hearts, than the blessfed continu ance of the Preaching of God's Sacred Word amongst us; which is that inestimable Treasure, which excelleth all the Riches of the Earth, because the fruit thereof extenderh it self, not only to she time spent in this tranfitory World, but diretteth and disposeth Men unto that eternal Happi neft 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 Predeceffour of your Highneß did leave it: Nay, to go forward with the Canhdence and Resolution of a Man, in maintaining the Truth of Christ, and propagating it far and near, is that which hath so bound and firmly knit the Hearts of all your Majesty's Loyal and Religious People unto you, that your very Name is precious among them, their Eye doth behold you with Consfort, and they bleß you in their Hearts, as that sanctified Person, who under God is the immediate Author of their trae Happines. And the their Contentment doth not diminish or decay, but every Day increaseth and taketh ftrength, when they observe that the Zeal of your Majesty towards the House of God, doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting it self abroad in the furthest part of Christendom, by Writing in Defence of the Truth (which hath given fuch a Blow ente that Men of Sin, a will not be healed) and every Day at Home by Religious and Learned Difcourse, by Frequenting the House of God, by Hearing the Word Preached, by Cherishing 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 your Majefly; But none is more forcible to declare it to others, than the vehement and perpetuated Defire of the Accomplishing and Publishing of this Work, which now with all Humility we present unto your Majesty. For when your Highneß had once out of deep Judgment apprebended how convenient it was, That out of the Orizina! Sacred Tongues, 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 exalt Transla Den of the boly Scriptures into the English Tongue; your Majesty did never defift urge and so excite those to whom it was commended, that the Work might be hained, and that the Busineß might be expedited in jo decent a Manner, as a Matter of fuch Importance might justly require. to And now at last, by the Mercy of God, and the Continuance of our Labours, it being brought unto Jach a Conclufion, as that we have great hope that the Church of Ringland shall reap good frutt therely; We bold it our Duty to offer it to your Majefly, 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 Majesty, sher facethings of this Quality have ever been subject to the Censures of ill-meaning and discontented Perfont, it may receive Approbation and Patronage from fo Learned and Judicions a Prince & your Highneßis, whose Allowance and Acceptance of our Labours shall more Honour and Incourage , than all the Calumniations and bard Interpretations of other Men shall dismay us. So that if on the one file we shall be traduced by Popish Perions at Home or Abroad, who therefore will malign a, because we are poor Inkruments 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 self-conceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing bac what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their Anvil; we may rest secure, supported within by the Truth and Innocency of a good Conscience, having walled the Ways of Simplicity and Inteand Sustained without, by the powerful Protection of your Majeflys Grace and Favour, which will ever give Countenance to Honeft and Christian Endeavours, egainst Bitter Cenfures, and Uncharisable Imentations. The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless your Majesty with many and Happy Days, that as bis heaveniy Hand hath enriched your Highneß with many fingular and extraordinary Graces, so you may Wonder of the World in this latter Age, for Happineß and true Felicity, to the Hanour of that Greas GOD, and she good of his Church, through Jefus Christ our Lord and only Sautour. as before the Lord; be the 50 |