TO THE Moft High and Mighty PRINCE, JAMES, By the Grace of GOD, King of GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, and IRELAND, Defender of the Faith, &c. GREAT The TRANSLATORS of the BIBLE wish Grace, Mercy, and Peace, REAT and manifold were the Bleffings, most dread Sovereign, which Almighty God, the Father of all Mercies, beftorved upon us the People of England, when first he fent 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 fetting 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 fhould 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 difpelled thofe fuppofed and furmifed Mists, and gave unto all that were well affected exceeding Caufe of Comfort; efpecially when we beheld the Government established in Your Highness, and Your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and this alfo accompanied with, Peace and Tranquillity at Home and Abroad.. But among all our Joys, there was no one that more filled our Hearts than the bleffed Continuance of the preaching of God's facred Word among us, which is that inestimable Treafure which excelleth all the Riches of the Earth; because we Frun thereof extendeth itself, 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 Your Highness did leave it; nay, to go forward with the Confidence 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 Comfort, and they bless 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 toward the House of God doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifefting itself Abroad in the fartheft Parts of Chriftendom, by writing in Defence of the Truth, (which hath given fuch a Blow unto that Man of Sin as will not be bealed,) 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 Christian and religious Affection in Your Majefty; but none is more forcible to declare it to others than the vehement and perpetuated Defire of accomplishing and publishing of this Work, which now, with all Humility, we prefent unto Your Majesty. For when Your Highness had ouce, out of deep Judgment, apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original facred 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 exact Tranflation of the Holy Scriptures into the English Tongue; Your Majesty did never defift to urge and to excite those to whom it was commended, that the Work might be haftened, and that the Bufinefs might be expedited in fo decent a Manner, as a Matter of fuch Importance might justly require. 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 hopes that the Church of England fhall reap good Fruit thereby; we hold it our Duty to offer it to Your Majesty, 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, 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 Highness is; whofe Allowance and Acceptance of our Labours fhall more bonour and encourage us, than all the Calumniations and bard Interpretations of other Men fhall difmay us. So that if, on the one Side, we fall 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 fill to keep in Ignorance and Darkness; or if, on the other Side, we shall be maligned by self-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 Conscience, having walked the Ways of Simplicity and Integrity, as before the Lord; and sustained without by the powerful Protection of Your Majesty's Grace and Favour, which will ever give Countenance to honest and Christian Endeavours against bitter Cenfures and uncharitable Imputations. The Lord of Heaven and Earth blefs Your Majesty with many and happy Days; that, as his heavenly Hand hath enriched Your 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. The |