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 Translators of the Bible wish Grace, Mercie, and Peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
TO THE MOST
HIGH AND MIGHTIE
Prince, IAMES by the grace of God
King of Great Britaine,France and Ireland
Defender of the Faith, &c.
THE TRANSLATORS OF THE BIBLE,
wiſh Grace, Mercie, and Peace, through I E S V S
C H R I S T our L O R D.
GREAT 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 he sent Your Majesty’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 setting of that bright [Occidental Star], Queen [Elizabeth] of most happy memory, some thick and palpable clouds of darkness would so 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 unsettled State; the appearance of Your Majesty, as of the [Sun] in his strength, instantly dispelled those supposed and surmised mists, and gave unto all that were well affected exceeding cause of comfort; especially when we beheld the Government established in Your Highness and Your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and this also accompanied with peace and tranquility at home and abroad.
But among all our joys, there was no one that more filled our hearts, than the blessed continuance of the preaching of God’s sacred Word among us; which is that inestimable treasure, which excelleth all the riches of earth; because the fruit thereof extendeth itself, not only to the time spent in this transitory world, but directeth and disposeth men unto that eternal happiness which is above in heaven.
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 Predecessor 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 sanctified Person, 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 observe, that the zeal of Your Majesty toward the house of God doth not slack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself abroad in the farthest parts of [Christendom], by writing in defence of the Truth, (which hath given such a blow unto that man of Sin, as will not be healed,) and every day at home, by religious and learned discourse, 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 nursing Father.
There are infinite arguments of this right Christian and religious affection in Your Majesty; but none is more forcible to declare it to others than the vehement and perpetuated desire of 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 apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original 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 exact Translation of the holy Scriptures into the [English Tongue]; Your Majesty did never desist to urge and to excite those to whom it was commended, that the work might be hastened, and that the business might be expedited in so 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 being brought unto such a conclusion, as that we have great hopes that the Church of [England] shall 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 since things of this quality have ever been subject to the censures of illmeaning and discontented persons, it may receive approbation and patronage from so learned and judicious a Prince as Your Highness is, whose allowance and acceptance of our labours shall more honour and encourage us, than all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So that if, on the one side, we shall be traduced by Popish Persons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor instruments to make God’s holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance and darkness; or if, on the other side, we shall be maligned by selfconceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing, but 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 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 endeavors against bitter censures and uncharitable imputations.
The Lord of heaven and earth bless Your Majesty with many and happy days, that, as his heavenly hand hath enriched Your Highness with many singular and extraordinary graces, so 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 Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.
GReat and manifold were the bleſſings (moſt dread Soueraigne) which Almighty GOD, the Father of all Mercies, beſtowed vpon vs the people of ENGLAND, when firſt he ſent your Maieſties Royall perſon to rule and raigne ouer vs. For whereas it was the expectation of many, who wiſhed not well vnto our ZION, that vpon the ſetting of that bright Occidentall Starre Queene ELIZABETH of moſt happy memory, ſome thicke and palpable cloudes of darkeneſſe would ſo haue ouerſhadowed this land, that men ſhould haue bene in doubt which way they were to walke, and that it ſhould hardly be knowen, who was to direct the vnſetled State: the appearance of your MAJESTIE, as of the Sunne in his ſtrength, inſtantly diſpelled thoſe ſuppoſed and ſurmiſed miſts, and gaue vnto all that were well affected, exceeding cauſe of comfort; eſpecially when we beheld the gouernment eſtabliſhed in your HIGHNESSE, and your hopefull Seed, by an vndoubted Title, and this alſo accompanied with Peace and tranquillitie, at home and abroad.
But amongſt all our Joyes, there was no one that more filled our hearts, then the bleſſed continuance of the Preaching of GODS ſacred word amongſt vs, which is that ineſtimable treaſure, which excelleth all the riches of the earth, becauſe the fruit thereof extendeth it ſelfe, not onely to the time ſpent in this tranſitory world, but directeth and diſpoſeth men vnto that Eternall happineſſe which is aboue in Heauen.
Then, not to ſuffer this to fall to the ground, but rather to take it vp, and to continue it in that ſtate, wherein the famous predeceſſour of your HIGHNESSE did leaue it; Nay, to goe forward with the confidence and reſolution of a man in maintaining the trueth of CHRIST, and propagating it farre and neere, is that which hath ſo bound and firmely knit the hearts of all your MAJESTIES loyall and Religious people vnto you, that your very Name is precious among them, their eye doeth behold you with comfort, and they bleſſe you in their hearts, as that ſanctified perſon, who vnder GOD, is the immediate authour of their true happineſſe. And this their contentment doeth not diminiſh or decay, but euery day increaſeth and taketh ſtrength, when they obſerue that the zeale of your Maieſtie towards the houſe of GOD, doth not ſlacke or goe backward, but is more and more kindled, manifeſting it ſelfe abroad in the furtheſt parts of Chriſtendome, by writing in defence of the Trueth, (which hath giuen ſuch a blow vnto that man of Sinne, as will not be healed) and euery day at home, by Religious and learned diſcourſe, by frequenting the houſe of GOD, by hearing the word preached, by cheriſhing the teachers therof, by caring for the Church as a moſt tender and louing nourcing Father.
There are infinite arguments of this right Chriſtian and Religious affection in your MAJESTIE: but none is more forcible to declare it to others, then the vehement and perpetuated deſire of the accompliſhing and publiſhing of this Worke, which now with all humilitie we preſent vnto your MAJESTIE. For when your Highneſſe had once out of deepe iudgment apprehended, how conuenient it was, That out of the Originall ſacred tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our owne and other forreigne Languages, of many worthy men who went before vs, there ſhould be one more exact Tranſlation of the holy Scriptures into the Engliſh tongue; your MAJESTIE did neuer deſiſt, to vrge and to excite thoſe to whom it was commended, that the worke might be haſtened, and that the buſineſſe might be expedited in ſo decent a maner, as a matter of ſuch importance might iuſtly require.
And now at laſt, by the Mercy of GOD, and the continuance of our Labours, it being brought vnto ſuch a concluſion, as that we haue great hope that the Church of England ſhall reape good fruit thereby; we hold it our duety to offer it to your MAJESTIE, not onely as to our King and Soueraigne, but as to the principall moouer and Author of the Worke. Humbly crauing of your moſt Sacred Maieſtie, that ſince things of this quality haue euer bene ſubiect to the cenſures of ill meaning and diſcontented perſons, it may receiue approbation and Patronage from ſo learned and iudicious a Prince as your Highneſſe is, whoſe allowance and acceptance of our Labours, ſhall more honour vs and incourage vs, then all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men ſhall diſmay vs. So that, if on the one ſide we ſhall be traduced by Popiſh perſons at home or abroad, who therefore will maligne vs, becauſe we are poore Inſtruments to make GODS holy Trueth to be yet more and more knowen vnto the people, whom they deſire ſtill to keepe in ignorance and darkneſſe: or if on the other ſide, we ſhall be maligned by ſelfe-conceited brethren, who runne their owne wayes, and giue liking vnto nothing but what is framed by themſelues, and hammered on their Anuile; we may reſt ſecure, ſupported within by the trueth and innocencie of a good conſcience, hauing walked the wayes of ſimplicitie and integritie, as before the Lord; And ſuſtained without, by the powerfull Protection of your Maieſties grace and fauour, which will euer giue countenance to honeſt and Chriſtian endeuours, againſt bitter cenſures, and vncharitable imputations.
The LORD of Heauen and earth bleſſe your Maieſtie with many and happy dayes, that as his Heauenly hand hath enriched your Highneſſe with many ſingular, and extraordinary Graces; ſo you may be the wonder of the world in this later age, for happineſſe and true felicitie, to the honour of that Great GOD, and the good of his Church, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord and onely Sauiour.