THE

Holy Bible,

CONTAINING
The OLD and NEW

TESTAMENTS

Newly Tranflated out of the

Original Tongues :

A N D

With the former TRANSLATIONS
Diligently Compared and Revised.

By His Majesty's Special Command.

Appointed to be read in Churches.

OXFORD:

Printed by the UNIVERSITY
PRINTERS. 1713.

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 Tranflatours of the Bible with Grace, Mercy, and Peace, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

G

Reat and manifold were the Blessings (moft dread Sovereign) which Almighty God, the Father of all Mercies, beftowed upon us the People of England, when first he sent your Majefty'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 letting of that bright Occidental Star Queen Elizabeth, of most happy Memory, fome thick and palpable Clouds of Darkness wald 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 unfttled State: The Appearance of your Majefly, as of the Sun in his Strength, inftantly aifuelled thofe fuppofed and furmijed jis and gave unto all that were well affected, exceeding caufe of Comfort; especially when we beheld the Government established in your Highneß, and your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and Los alfo accompanied with Peace and Tranquility at Home and Abroad.

But amongst all our Joys there was no one that more filled our Hearts, than the blessed continue of the Preaching of God's Sacred Word amongst as; which is that ineflima le Treasure which excelleth all the Riches of the Earth, because the fruit thereof extendeth it self, not only se the time spent in this tranfitory World, but diretteth and di pofeth Men unto that eternal Happi 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 'Predeceffour of your Highneß did leave it: Nay, to go forward with the Confidence and Refolution 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 Ma efty Loyal and Religious People unto you, that your very Name is precious among them; their Eye doth behold you with Comfort, and they bleft 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 towards the House of God, doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifefling it felf atroad in the furthest parts of Christendom, by Writing in Defence of the Truth (which hath giver fath a Blew unto that Man of Sin, 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 most Tender and Loving Nurfing Father.

There are infinite Arguments of this right Chriflian and Religious Afection in your Majefty; But one more forcible to declare it to others, than the vehement and perpetuated Defire of the Acomplining and Publishing of this Work, which now with all Humility we prefen: unto your Majely. For when your Highneß had once out of deep Judgment apprehended how convenient it was, That oNE 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 fhould be one more exact Tranflation of the boy Scriptures into the English Tongue; your Majesty did never defift to urge and to excise those to whom it was commended, that the Work might be hafined, and that the Busines sight be expedited in jo decent a Manner, as a Matter of fuch importance might justly require.

1

And now at last, by the Mercy of God, and the Continuance of our Labours, it being brought unto Such a Conclufion, as that we have great hope that the Church of England hall reap good fruit thereby; We hold it our Duty to offer it to your Majesty, not only as to our King and Sovereign, but 4to the principal Mover and Author of the Work: Humbly craving of your moft Sacred Majefty, that fince things of this Quality have ever been subject to the Cenfures of ill-meaning and diffon tented Perfons, it may receive Approbation and Patronage from fo Lear ied and Judicions a Prin e a your Highness is, whofe Allowance and Acceptane of our Labours, fhall more Honour and Incourage vs, than all the Calumniations and hard Interpretations of other Men fhall difmay us. So that if on the one fide we shall be traduced by Popish Perfons at Home or Abroad, who therefore will malign

, 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 fide we shall be maligned by Jelf.conceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their Arvil; we may reft fecure, Supported within by the Truth and Innocency of a good Confcience, having walked the Ways of Simplicity and In ety, as before the Lord; and fuftained without, by the powerful Protection of your Majeflys Grace are Favour, which will ever give Countenance to Honest and Chriflian Endeavours, against Bitter Gefures, and Uncharitable Imputations.

The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless your Majefty with many and happy Days, that as his he Band bath enriched your Highneẞ with many fingular and extraordinary Graces; jo you Wonder of the World in this latter Ace, for Happineẞ and true Felicity, to the Honour of