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, 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.
