To the Moft High and Mightie Prince, A M E S THE GRACE OF GOD, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND IRLAND, Defender of the Faith, &c. The tranflatours of the Bible,wish Grace, Mercie, and peace, through Judi 4.5.6 Reat and manifold were the bleffings (most dread fove raigne) which almighty Go D,the father of all mercies,bestowed upon us the people of ENGLAND,when first he fent your Majestics Royall perfon to rule and reigne over us For whereas it was the expectation of many,who wished not well unto ourSION,that upon the fetting of that bright occidentall starre queen ELISABETH of most happy memory, fome thick and palpable clouds of darkneffe would fo have overshadowed this land, that men fhould have been in doubt which way they were to walk, and that it should hardly be known, who was to direct the unfetled ftate: the appearance of yourMAJESTIE,as of the funne in his strength, inftantly difpelled those fuppofed and furmifed mifts, and gave unto all that were well affected,exceeding caufe of comfort, efpecially when we beheld the government established in your HIGHNES, & your hopefull feed, by an undoubted title, and this alfo accompanied with peace and tranquillitic at home and abroad. But amongst all our joyes there was none that more filled our hearts, then the bleffed continuance of the preaching of GODS facred word a mongst us, which is that ineftimable treasure, which excelleth all the riches of the carth, because the fruit thereof extendeth it felf, not onely to the time spent in this tranfitory world, but directeth and disposeth men unto that eternall happinesse which is above in 10 Then not to suffer 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 HIGHNES did leave it: nay,to go forward with the confidence and refolution of a man in maintaining the truth of which hath so bound and firmly knit CHRIST,and propagating it farre and neare,is the hearts of all your MAJESTIES loyall & religious people unto you,that your very name is precious among them.their eye doth behold you with comfort,and they blefle you in their hearts, as that fanctified perfon, who under GOD,is the immediate authour of their true happineffe. And this their contentment doth not diminish or decay,but e very day increafeth and taketh ftrength, when they obferve that the zeal of your MAJE STIE towards the house of GoD, doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled kindled, manifefting it felf abroad in the furtheft parts of Christendome, by writing in defence of the truth, (which hath given fuch a blow unto that man of finne, 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 cherishing the teachers thereof, by caring for the Church as a moft tender and loving nurfing Father. There are infinite arguments of this right Chriftian and religious affection in your MAJESTIE: but none is more forcible to declare it to others, then the vehement and perpetuated defire of the accomplishing and publishing of this work, which now with all humilitie we prefent unto your MAJESTIE. For when your Highnesse had once out of deep judgement apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the originall facred tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our own and other forrein languages, of many worthy men who went before us, there fhould be one more exact tranflation of the holy fcriptures into the English tongue; your MAJESTIE did never defist to urge and to excite thofe to whom it was commended, that the work might be haftened, and that the businesse might be expedited in fo decent a manner, as a matter of such importance might justly require. And now at last, by the mercy of GOD, and the continuance of our labours, it bcing brought unto fuch a conclufion, as that we have great hope that the Church of Eng land fhall reap good fruit thereby; we hold it our duty to offer it to your MAJESTIE, not onely as to our king and foveraigne, but as to the principall mover and authour of the work: Humbly craving of your most facred MAJESTIE, that fince things of this quality have ever been fubject to the cenfures of ill-meaning and difcontented perfons, it may receive approbation and patronage from fo learned and judicious a prince as your HIGHNES is, whofe allowance and acceptance of our labours, thall more honour and incourage us, then all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So that, if on the one fide we fhall be traduced by popih perfons at home or abroad, who therefore will maligne us, becaufe we are poore instruments to make Gods holy truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, whom they defire still to keep in ignorance and darkneffe: or if on the other fide, we shall be maligned by felf-conceited brethren, who run their own wayes, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themfelves, and hammered on their anvilc; we may rest secure, fupported within by the truth and innocency of a good confcience, having walked the wayes of fimplicitie and integritie,as before the LORD; and sustained without, by the powerful protection of your MAJESTIES grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to honeft and Christian endeavours, against bitter cenfures, and uncharitable imputations. The LORD of heaven and earth bleffe your Majestic with many and happy dayes, that as his heavenly hand hath enriched your Highneffe with many fingular and extraordinary graces; fo you may be the wonder of the world in this latter age, for happineffe and true felicitie, to the honour of that great GOD, and the good of his Church, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord and onely Saviour. The The best things have been calummiated, THE TRANSLATOURS TO THE READER. EAL to promote the common good, whether it be by devifing any thing our selves, or revising that which hath been laboured by others, deferverb certainly much reSpect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold entertainment in the world. It is wel comed with fufpicion in ftead of love, and with emulation in ftead of thanks: and if there be any hole left for cavill to enter, ( and cavill,if it do not finde an bole, will make one) it is fure to be mifconftrued, and in danger to be condemned. This will eafily be granted by as many as know ftorie, or have any experience. For, was there ever any thing projected, that favoured any way of newnese or renewing, but the Same endured many a storm of gainsaying, or oppofition? A man would think that civilitie, wholesome laws, learning and eloquence, fynods, and Church-maintenance, (that we speak of no more things of this kinde) should be as fafe as a fan&tuarie, and ✶ out of shot,as they say, that no man would lift up his keel, no, nor dog move his tongue against the motioners of them. For by the first, we are diftinguished from brute beasts led with fenfualitie: By the fecond, we are bridled and restrained from outragious behaviour, and from doing of injuries, whether by fraud or by violence: By the third, we are enabled to inform and refrom others, by the light and feeling that we have attained unto our felves: Briefly, by the fourth, being brought together to a parley face to face, we fooner compofe our differences, then by writings, which are endleffe: And lastly, that the Church be fufficiently provided for, is fo agreeable to good reafon ad confcience, that those mothers are holden to be leffe cruel, that kill their children affoon as they are born, then thofe nurfing-fathers and mothers (wherefoever they be) that withdraw from them who hang upon their breafts (and upon whofe breasts again themselves do bang to receive the fpirituall and fincere milk of the word) livelihood and support fit for their eftates. Thus it is apparent, that these things which we Speak of, are of moft neceffarie ufe, and therefore that none, either without abfurditie can speak against them, or withous note of wickedneffe can spurn against them. Έξω βέλεις banjur in 0 lint. De the elder. Gregorie the divine, Tet for all that, the learned know that certain worthy men have been brought to untimely death for Anacharfis none other fault, but for feeking to reduce their countrey-men to good order and difcipline: And that in with others. Some Common weals it was made a capitall crime, once to motion the making of a new law for the In Athens abrogating of an old, though the fame were moft pernicious: And that certain, which would be count-witn. Lied pillars of the State, and patterns of vertue and prudence, could not be brought for a long time to De give way to good letters and refined speech; but bare themselves as averfe from them, as from rocks or mofth, Cate boxes of poyfon: And fourthly, that he was no babe, but a great Clerk, that gave forth (and in writing to remain to pofteritie) in paffion peradventure, but yet be gave forth, That he bad not seen any profit to come by any fynode or meeting of the Clergie,but rather the contrarie: And lastly, against Church-maintenance and allowance, in fuch fort, as the ambassadours and meffengers of the great King of kings should be furnished, it is not unknown what a fiction or fable for is effeemed, and for no better by the reporter Nawelers, himself, though fuperftitious) was devised: namely, That at fuch time as the profeffours and teachers of of Chriftianitie in the Church of Rome, then a true Church, were liberally endowed, a voice (forfooth) was heard from heaven, faying, Now is poyfon poured down into the Church, &c. Thus not onely as oft as we speak, as one faith, but also as oft as we do any thing of note or confequence, we fubject our felves to every ones cenfure, happie is he that is leaft toffed upon tongues;for utterly to escape the fnatch of them st is impoffible. If any man conciet that this is the lot and portion of the meaner fort onely, that Princes are priviledged by their high estate, he is deceived. As the fword devoureth as well ane as another, 2 Sam. 18-25} it is in Samuel; nay, as the great commander charged his fouldiers in a certain battel, to ftrike as no part of the enemie, but at the face; And as the king of Syria commanded his chief captains to fight neither with finall nor great, fave onely against the king of Ifrael: fo it is too true, that envie 1 Kings 22. Striketh moftfpitefully at the faireft, and at the chiefeft. David was a worthy prince, and no man to be compared to him for his first deeds, and yet for as worthy an act as ever he did ( even for bringing back the ark of God in folemnitie ) he was fcorned and scoffed at by his own wife. Solomon was greater then 2 Sam. 6.167 David, though not in vertue, yet in power, and by his power and wisdome he built atemple to the Lord, fuch an one as was the glorie of the land of Ifrael, and the wonder of the whole world. But was that his magnificence liked of by all? we doubt of it. Otherwife, why do they lay it in his fonnes dish, and call unto him for teafing of the burden, Make, fay they, the grievous fervitude of thy father, and histo fore yoke lighter. Belike he had charged them with some levies, troubled them with fome carriages, a.. I King, 12 hereupon they raise up a tragedie, & wifh in their heart the temple had never been built. So hard a thing it is to please all,even when we please God beft, and do feek to approve our felves to every ones confcience. The high- If we will defcend to later times, we shall finde many the like examples of fuch kinde or rather unkinde eft perfo- acceptance. The first Romane emperour did never do a more pleafing deed to the learned, nor more pro- c. Colar. Pla ages have fitable to pofteritie, for conferving the record of times in true fupputation, then when be corrected the arch. been caIiated. Calender, 31. |