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Holy Bible. Oxford. 1713.

Bit. Eng. 1713.f.l

THE

Holy Bible,

CONTAINING
The OLD and NEW

TESTAMENTS

Newly Tranflated out of the

Original Tongues :

A ND

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.

BIBLIC

BOD

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by

To the most High and Mighty Prince, JAMES, the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.

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

G

Reat and manifold were the Bleffings (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 setting of that bright Occidental Star Queen Elizabeth, of most happy Memory, fome thick and palpable Clouds of Darkness would so 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 Majesty, as of the Sun in his Strength, inftantly aifuelled those fuppofed and furmijed Mijis, 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 alfo accompanied with Peace and Tranquility at Home and Abraad."

But among all our Joys there was no one that more filled our Hearts, than the blessed continuce of the Preaching of God's Sacred Word amongst as; which is that ineflimalle 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 suffer 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 Conidence 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 Majesty's Loyal and Religious People unto you, that your very Name & precious among them; their Eye doth behold you with Comfort, and they bles 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 Blow 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 Accomplibing and Publishing of this Work, which now with all Humility we prefen: unto your Majelly. 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 holy 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 bafined, and that the Busines gn be expedited in jo decent a Manner, as a Matter of fuch importance might juflly require.

And now at last, by the Mercy of God, and the Continuance of our Labours, it being brought unte fuch a Conclufion, as that we have great hope that the Church of England hall reap good fruit therety; 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 moft Sacred Majefty, that fince things of this Quality have ever been fubject to the Cenfures of il-meaning and difon tented Perfons, it may receive Approbation and Patronage from fo Learned and Judicions a Prin e your Highneẞ is, whofe Allowance and Acceptance of our Labours, hall more Honour and Incourage ws, than all the Calumniations and hard Interpretations of other Men fhall difmay us So that if on the one fide we shall be traducca 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 unt the People, whom they defire ftill to keep in Ignorance and Darkness: Or if on the other fide we shall te 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 Anvil; we may reft fecure, fupported 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 Majestys Grace ara Fatour, which will ever give Countenance to Honeft and Chriflian Endeavours, against Bitter Lesures, and Uncharitable Imputations.

The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless your Majefty with many and happy Days, that as his he Bard hath enriched your Highneß with many fingular and extraordinary Graces; to you Wender of the World in this latter Age, for Happiness and true Felicity, to the Honour of

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