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TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE
JAMES
BY THE GRACE OF GOD
KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND
IRELAND
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, ETC.
THE TRANSLATORS OF THE BIBLE WISH
GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
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
tranquillity 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 the 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 endeavours 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. |
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