Chapter VIII: Part 8

[Sidenote: The praise of the holy Scriptures.] But now what piety without truth? What truth, what saving truth, without the word of God? What word of God, whereof we may be sure, without the Scripture? The Scriptures we are commanded to search, _John_ v. 39. _Isaiah_ viii. 20. They are commended that searched and studied them, _Acts_ xvii. 11, and viii. 28, 29. They are reproved that were unskilful in them, or slow to believe them, _Matth._ xxii. 29. _Luke_ xxiv. 25. They can make us wise unto salvation, _2 Tim._ iii. 15. If we be ignorant, they will instruct us; if out of the way, they will bring us home; if out of order, they will reform us; if in heaviness, comfort us; if dull, quicken us; if cold, inflame us. [Sidenote: _St. August. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 12. St. August. De utilit. credendi, cap. 6._] _Tolle, lege; tolle, lege_; Take up and read, take up and read the Scriptures, (for unto them was the direction,) it was said unto St. _Augustine_ by a supernatural voice. _Whatsoever is in the Scriptures, believe me_, saith the same St. _Augustine_, _is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine most fit for the refreshing and renewing of men’s minds, and truly so tempered, that every one may draw from thence that which is sufficient for him, if he come to draw with a devout and pious mind, as true religion requireth_. Thus St. _Augustine_. And St. _Hierome_, [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. ad Demetriad. St. Cyrill 7 contra Julian._] _Ama Scripturas, et amabit te sapientia_, &c. Love the Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee. And St. _Cyrill_ against _Julian_, _Even boys that are bred up in the Scriptures become most religious_, &c. But what mention we three or four uses of the Scripture, whereas whatsoever is to be believed, or practised, or hoped for, is contained in them? or three or four sentences of the Fathers, since whosoever is worthy the name of a Father, from Christ’s time downward, hath likewise written not only of the riches, but also of the perfection of the Scripture? [Sidenote: _Tertul. advers. Herm. Tertul. De carn. Christ._ Οἷόν τε, _Justin_. προτρεπτ. πρὸς Ἕλλην. Ὑπερηφανίας κατηγορία, _St. Basil_. περὶ πίστεως.] _I adore the fulness of the Scripture_, saith _Tertullian_ against _Hermogenes_. And again, to _Apelles_ an heretick of the like stamp he saith, _I do not admit that which thou bringest in_ (or concludest) _of thine own_ (head or store, _de tuo_) without Scripture. So St. _Justin Martyr_ before him; _We must know by all means_ (saith he) _that it is not lawful_ (or possible) _to learn_ (any thing) _of God or of right piety, save only out of the Prophets, who teach us by divine inspiration_. So St. _Basil_ after _Tertullian_, _It is a manifest falling away from the faith, and a fault of presumption, either to reject any of those things that are written, or to bring in_ (upon the head of them, ἐπεισαγεῖν) _any of those things that are not written_. We omit to cite to the same effect St. _Cyrill_ Bishop of _Jerusalem_ in his 4. _Catech._ St. _Hierome_ against _Helvidius_, St. _Augustine_ in his third book against the letters of _Petilian_, and in very many other places of his works. Also we forbear to descend to later Fathers, because we will not weary the reader. The Scriptures then being acknowledged to be so full and so perfect, how can we excuse ourselves of negligence, if we do not study them? of curiosity, if we be not content with them? [Sidenote: Εἰρεσιώνη σῦκα φέρει, καὶ πίονας ἄρτους, καὶ μελι ἐν κοτύλῃ, καὶ ἔλαιον, &c. An olive bough wrapped about with wool, whereupon did hang figs, and bread, and honey in a pot, and oil.] Men talk much of εἰρεσιώνη, how many sweet and goodly things it had hanging on it; of the Philosopher’s stone, that it turneth copper into gold; of _Cornu-copia_, that it had all things necessary for food in it; of _Panaces_, the herb, that it was good for all diseases; of _Catholicon_ the drug, that it is instead of all purges; of _Vulcan’s_ armour, that it was an armour of proof against all thrusts and all blows, &c. Well, that which they falsely or vainly attributed to these things for bodily good, we may justly and with full measure ascribe unto the Scripture for spiritual. It is not only an armour, but also a whole armoury of weapons, both offensive and defensive; whereby we may save ourselves, and put the enemy to flight. It is not an herb, but a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring forth fruit every month, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for medicine. It is not a pot of _Manna_, or a cruse of oil, which were for memory only, or for a meal’s meat or two; but, as it were, a shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so great, and, as it were, a whole cellar full of oil vessels; whereby all our necessities may be provided for, and our debts discharged. In a word, it is a panary of wholesome food against fenowed traditions; [Sidenote: Κοινὸν ἰατρεῖον, _St. Basil in Psal. primum._] a physician’s shop (as St. _Basil_ calls it) of preservatives against poisoned heresies; a pandect of profitable laws against rebellious spirits; a treasury of most costly jewels against beggarly rudiments; finally, a fountain of most pure water springing up unto everlasting life. And what marvel? the original thereof being from heaven, not from earth; the author being God, not man; the inditer, the Holy Spirit, not the wit of the Apostles or Prophets; the penmen, such as were sanctified from the womb, and endued with a principal portion of God’s Spirit; the matter, verity, piety, purity, uprightness; the form, God’s word, God’s testimony, God’s oracles, the word of truth, the word of salvation, &c.; the effects, light of understanding, stableness of persuasion, repentance from dead works, newness of life, holiness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost; lastly, the end and reward of the study thereof, fellowship with the saints, participation of the heavenly nature, fruition of an inheritance immortal, undefiled, and that never shall fade away. Happy is the man that delighteth in the Scripture, and thrice happy that meditateth in it day and night.

[Sidenote: Translation necessary.] But how shall men meditate in that which they cannot understand? How shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue? as it is written, [Sidenote: 1 Cor. 14. 11.] _Except I know the power of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian to me_. The Apostle excepteth no tongue; not _Hebrew_ the ancientest, not _Greek_ the most copious, not _Latin_ the finest. Nature taught a natural man to confess, that all of us in those tongues which we do not understand are plainly deaf; we may turn the deaf ear unto them. [Sidenote: _Clem. Alex. 1 Strom. St. Hieronym. Damaso. Michael, Theophili fil. 2 Tom. Concil. ex edit. Petri Crab._] The _Scythian_ counted the _Athenian_, whom he did not understand, barbarous: so the _Roman_ did the _Syrian_, and the _Jew_: (even St. _Hierome_ himself calleth the _Hebrew_ tongue barbarous; belike, because it was strange to so many:) so the Emperor of _Constantinople_ calleth the _Latin_ tongue barbarous, though Pope _Nicolas_ do storm at it: [Sidenote: _Cicero 5. De Finibus._] so the _Jews_ long before _Christ_ called all other nations _Lognasim_, which is little better than barbarous. Therefore as one complaineth that always in the Senate of _Rome_ there was one or other that called for an interpreter; so lest the Church be driven to the like exigent, it is necessary to have translations in a readiness. Translation it is that openeth the window, to let in the light; that breaketh the shell, that we may eat the kernel; that putteth aside the curtain, that we may look into the most holy place; that removeth the cover of the well, that we may come by the water; [Sidenote: Gen. 29. 10.] even as _Jacob_ rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, by which means the flocks of _Laban_ were watered. Indeed without translation into the vulgar tongue, [Sidenote: John 4. 11.] the unlearned are but like children at _Jacob’s_ well (which was deep) without a bucket or something to draw with: [Sidenote: Isai. 29. 11.] or as that person mentioned by _Esay_, to whom when a sealed book was delivered with this motion, _Read this, I pray thee_; he was fain to make this answer, _I cannot, for it is sealed_.

[Sidenote: The translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew into Greek. _See St. August. lib. 12. contra Faust. cap. 32._] While God would be known only in _Jacob_, and have his name great in _Israel_, and in none other place; while the dew lay on _Gideon’s_ fleece only, and all the earth besides was dry; then for one and the same people, which spake all of them the language of _Canaan_, that is, _Hebrew_, one and the same original in _Hebrew_ was sufficient. But when the fulness of time drew near, that the Sun of righteousness, the Son of God, should come into the world, whom God ordained to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood, not of the _Jew_ only, but also of the _Greek_, yea, of all them that were scattered abroad; then, lo, it pleased the Lord to stir up the spirit of a _Greek_ prince, (_Greek_ for descent and language,) even of _Ptolemy Philadelph_ king of _Egypt_, to procure the translating of the book of God out of _Hebrew_ into _Greek_. This is the translation of the _Seventy_ interpreters, commonly so called, which prepared the way for our Saviour among the _Gentiles_ by written preaching, as St. _John Baptist_ did among the _Jews_ by vocal. For the _Grecians_, being desirous of learning, were not wont to suffer books of worth to lie moulding in kings’ libraries, but had many of their servants, ready scribes, to copy them out, and so they were dispersed and made common. Again the _Greek_ tongue was well known and made familiar to most inhabitants in _Asia_ by reason of the conquests that there the _Grecians_ had made, as also by the colonies which thither they had sent. For the same causes also it was well understood in many places of _Europe_, yea, and of _Africk_ too. Therefore the word of God, being set forth in _Greek_, becometh hereby like a candle set upon a candlestick, which giveth light to all that are in the house; or like a proclamation sounded forth in the market place, which most men presently take knowledge of; and therefore that language was fittest to contain the Scriptures, both for the first preachers of the Gospel to appeal unto for witness, and for the learners also of those times to make search and trial by. It is certain, that that translation was not so sound and so perfect, but that it needed in many places correction; and who had been so sufficient for this work as the Apostles or apostolick men? Yet it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to them to take that which they found, (the same being for the greatest part true and sufficient,) rather than by making a new, in that new world and green age of the Church, to expose themselves to many exceptions and cavillations, as though they made a translation to serve their own turn; and therefore hearing witness to themselves, their witness not to be regarded. This may be supposed to be some cause, why the translation of the _Seventy_ was allowed to pass for current. Notwithstanding, though it was commended generally, yet it did not fully content the learned, no not of the _Jews_. For not long after _Christ_, _Aquila_ fell in hand with a new translation, and after him _Theodotion_, and after him _Symmachus_; yea, there was a fifth, and a sixth edition, the authors whereof were not known. These with the _Seventy_ made up the _Hexapla_, and were worthily and to great purpose compiled together by _Origen_. Howbeit the edition of the _Seventy_ went away with the credit, and therefore not only was placed in the midst by _Origen_, (for the worth and excellency thereof above the rest, as _Epiphanius_ gathereth,) [Sidenote: _Epiphan. De mensuris et ponderib. St. August. 2. De doctrin. Christian. c. 15. Novel. diatax. 146._] but also was used by the _Greek_ Fathers for the ground and foundation of their commentaries. Yea, _Epiphanius_ abovenamed doth attribute so much unto it, that he holdeth the authors thereof not only for interpreters, [Sidenote: Προφητικῆς ὥσπερ χάριτος περιλαξμψάσης αὐτους.] but also for prophets in some respect: and _Justinian_ the Emperor, injoining the _Jews_ his subjects to use especially the translation of the _Seventy_, rendereth this reason thereof, Because they were, as it were, enlightened with prophetical grace. [Sidenote: Isai. 31. 3.] Yet for all that, as the _Egyptians_ are said of the Prophet to be men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit: so it is evident, (and St. _Hierome_ affirmeth as much,) [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. de optimo genere interpret._] that the _Seventy_ were interpreters, they were not prophets. They did many things well, as learned men; but yet as men they stumbled and fell, one while through oversight, another while through ignorance; yea, sometimes they may be noted to add to the original, and sometimes to take from it: which made the Apostles to leave them many times, when they left the _Hebrew_, and to deliver the sense thereof according to the truth of the word, as the Spirit gave them utterance. This may suffice touching the _Greek_ translations of the Old Testament.

[Sidenote: Translation out of Hebrew and Greek into Latin.] There were also within a few hundred years after _Christ_ translations many into the _Latin_ tongue: for this tongue also was very fit to convey the Law and the Gospel by, because in those times very many countries of the West, yea of the South, East, and North, spake or understood _Latin_, being made provinces to the _Romans_. But now the _Latin_ translations were too many to be all good: for they were infinite; (_Latini interpretes nullo modo numerari possunt_, saith St. _Augustine_.) [Sidenote: _St. August. de doctrin. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 11._] Again, they were not out of the _Hebrew_ fountain, (we speak of the _Latin_ translations of the Old Testament,) but out of the _Greek_ stream; therefore the _Greek_ being not altogether clear, the _Latin_ derived from it must needs be muddy. This moved St. _Hierome_, a most learned Father, and the best linguist without controversy of his age, or of any other that went before him, to undertake the translating of the Old Testament out of the very fountains themselves; which he performed with that evidence of great learning, judgment, industry, and faithfulness, that he hath for ever bound the Church unto him in a debt of special remembrance and thankfulness.

[Sidenote: The translating of the Scripture into the vulgar tongues.] Now though the Church were thus furnished with _Greek_ and _Latin_ translations, even before the faith of _Christ_ was generally embraced in the Empire: (for the learned know, [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. Marcell. Zosim._] that even in St. _Hierome’s_ time the Consul of _Rome_ and his wife were both Ethnicks, and about the same time the greatest part of the Senate also:) yet for all that the godly learned were not content to have the Scriptures in the language which themselves understood, [Sidenote: 2 Kin. 7. 9.] _Greek_ and _Latin_, (as the good lepers were not content to fare well themselves, but acquainted their neighbours with the store that God had sent, that they also might provide for themselves;) but also for the behoof and edifying of the unlearned, which hungered and thirsted after righteousness, and had souls to be saved as well as they, they provided translations into the vulgar for their countrymen, insomuch that most nations under heaven did shortly after their conversion hear _Christ_ speaking unto them in their mother tongue, not by the voice of their minister only, but also by the written word translated. If any doubt hereof, he may be satisfied by examples enough, if enough will serve the turn. [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. Præf. in 4. Evangel._] First, St. _Hierome_ saith, _Multarum gentium linguis Scriptura ante translata docet falsa esse quæ addita sunt_, &c.; that is, _The Scripture being translated before in the languages of many nations doth shew that those things that were added_ (by _Lucian_ or _Hesychius_) _are false_. [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. Sophronio._] So St. _Hierome_ in that place. The same _Hierome_ elsewhere affirmeth that he, the time was, had set forth the translation of the _Seventy_, _suæ lingæ hominibus_; that is, for his countrymen of _Dalmatia_. Which words not only _Erasmus_ doth understand to purport, that St. _Hierome_ translated the Scripture into the _Dalmatian_ tongue; [Sidenote: _Six. Sen. lib. 4. Alphon. a Castro, lib. 1. cap. 23. St. Chrysost. in Joann. cap. 1. hom. 1._] but also _Sixtus Senensis_, and _Alphonsus a Castro_, (that we speak of no more,) men not to be excepted against by them of _Rome_, do ingenuously confess as much. So St. _Chrysostome_, that lived in St. _Hierome’s_ time, giveth evidence with him: _The doctrine of St. John_ (saith he) _did not in such sort_ (as the Philosophers’ did) _vanish away: but the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Ethiopians, and infinite other nations, being barbarous people, translated it into their (mother) tongue, and have learned, to be (true) Philosophers_, he meaneth Christians. [Sidenote: _Theodor. 5. Therapeut._] To this may be added _Theodoret_, as next unto him both for antiquity, and for learning. His words be these, _Every country that is under the sun is full of these words_, (of the Apostles and Prophets;) _and the Hebrew tongue_ (he meaneth the Scriptures in the _Hebrew_ tongue) _is turned not only into the language of the Grecians, but also of the Romans, and Egyptians, and Persians, and Indians, and Armenians, and Scythians, and Sauromatians, and, briefly, into all the languages that any nation useth_. [Sidenote: _P. Diacon. lib. 12. Isid. in Chron. Goth. Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 57. Vasseus in Chro. Hisp. Polydor. Virg. 5. hist. Anglorum testatur idem de Aluredo nostro. Aventin. lib. 4._] So he. In like manner _Ulpilas_ is reported by _Paulus Diaconus_ and _Isidore_, and before them by _Sozomen_, to have translated the Scriptures into the _Gothick_ tongue: _John_ Bishop of _Sevil_ by _Vasseus_, to have turned them into _Arabick_ about the Year of our Lord 717: _Beda_ by _Cistertiensis_, to have turned a great part of them into _Saxon_: _Efnard_ by _Trithemius_, to have abridged the French Psalter (as _Beda_ had done the _Hebrew_) about the year 800: King _Alured_ by the said _Cistertiensis_, to have turned the Psalter into _Saxon_: _Methodius_ by _Aventinus_ (printed at _Ingolstad_) to have turned the Scriptures into _Sclavonian_: _Valdo_[146] Bishop of _Frising_ by _Beatus Rhenanus_, to have caused about that time the Gospels to be translated into _Dutch_ rhyme, yet extant in the library of _Corbinian_: _Valdus_ by divers, to have turned them himself, or to have gotten them turned, into _French_, about the Year 1160: _Charles_ the Fifth of that name, surnamed _The wise_, to have caused them to be turned into _French_ about 200 years after _Valdus’_ time; of which translation there be many copies yet extant, as witnesseth _Beroaldus_. [Sidenote: _Beroald. Thuan._] Much about that time, even in our King _Richard_ the Second’s days, _John Trevisa_ translated them into _English_, and many _English_ Bibles in written hand are yet to be seen with divers; translated, as it is very probable, in that age. So the _Syrian_ translation of the New Testament is in most learned men’s libraries, of _Widminstadius’_ setting forth; and the Psalter in _Arabick_ is with many, of _Augustinus Nebiensis’_ setting forth. So _Postel_ affirmeth, that in his travel he saw the Gospels in the _Ethiopian_ tongue: And _Ambrose Thesius_ alledgeth the Psalter of the _Indians_, which he testifieth to have been set forth by _Potken_ in _Syrian_ characters. So that to have the Scriptures in the mother tongue is not a quaint conceit lately taken up, either by the Lord _Cromwell_ in _England_, or by the Lord _Radevile_ in _Polony_, or by the Lord _Ungnadius_ in the Emperor’s dominion, but hath been thought upon, and put in practice of old, even from the first times of the conversion of any nation; no doubt, because it was esteemed most profitable to cause faith to grow in men’s hearts the sooner, and to make them to be able to say with the words of the Psalm, [Sidenote: Psal. 48. 8.] _As we have heard, so we have seen_.

[Sidenote: The unwillingness of our chief adversaries that the Scriptures should be divulged in the mother tongue, &c. Δῶρον ἄδωρον κουκ ὀνήσιμον _Sophocl._] Now the church of _Rome_ would seem at the length to bear a motherly affection toward her children, and to allow them the Scriptures in the mother tongue: but indeed it is a gift, not deserving to be called a gift, an unprofitable gift: they must first get a licence in writing before they may use them; and to get that, they must approve themselves to their Confessor, that is, to be such as are, if not frozen in the dregs, yet soured with the leaven of their superstition. Howbeit it seemed too much to _Clement_ the Eighth, that there should be any licence granted to have them in the vulgar tongue, and therefore he overruleth and frustrateth the grant of _Pius_ the Fourth. [Sidenote: See the observation (set forth by Clement’s authority) upon the 4th rule of _Pius_ the 4th’s making in the _Index lib. prohib. pag. 15. ver. 5. Tertull. de resur. carnis._] So much are they afraid of the light of the Scripture, (_Lucifugæ Scripturarum_, as _Tertullian_ speaketh,) that they will not trust the people with it, no not as it is set forth by their own sworn men, no not with the licence of their own Bishops and Inquisitors. Yea, so unwilling they are to communicate the Scriptures to the people’s understanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confess, that we forced them to translate it into _English_ against their wills. This seemeth to argue a bad cause, or a bad conscience, or both. Sure we are, that it is not he that hath good gold, that is afraid to bring it to the touch-stone, but he that hath the counterfeit; [Sidenote: John 3. 20.] neither is it the true man that shunneth the light, but the malefactor, lest his deeds should be reproved; neither is it the plaindealing merchant that is unwilling to have the weights, or the meteyard, brought in place, but he that useth deceit. But we will let them alone for this fault, and return to translation.

[Sidenote: The speeches and reasons both of our brethren, and of adversaries, against this work.] Many men’s mouths have been opened a good while (and yet are not stopped) with speeches about the translation so long in hand, or rather perusals of translations made before: and ask what may be the reason, what the necessity, of the employment. Hath the Church been deceived, say they, all this while? Hath her sweet bread been mingled with leaven, her silver with dross, her wine with water, her milk with lime? (_lacte gypsum male miscetur_, saith St. _Irenee_.) [Sidenote: _St. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 19._] We hoped that we had been in the right way, that we had had the Oracles of God delivered unto us, and that though all the world had cause to be offended, and to complain, yet that we had none. Hath the nurse holden out the breast, and nothing but wind in it? Hath the bread been delivered by the Fathers of the Church, and the same proved to be _lapidosus_, as _Seneca_ speaketh? What is it to handle the word of God deceitfully, if this be not? Thus certain brethren. Also the adversaries of _Judah_ and _Jerusalem_, [Sidenote: Neh. 4. 2, 3.] like _Sanballat_ in _Nehemiah_, mock, as we hear, both at the work and workmen, saying, _What do these weak Jews, &c., will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust which are burnt? although they build, yet if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stony wall_. Was their translation good before? Why do they now mend it? Was it not good? Why then was it obtruded to the people? Yea, why did the Catholicks (meaning Popish _Romanists_) always go in jeopardy for refusing to go to hear it? Nay, if it must be translated into _English_, Catholicks are fittest to do it. They have learning, and they know when a thing is well, they can _manum de tabula_. We will answer them both briefly: [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. Apolog. advers. Ruffin._] and the former, being brethren, thus with St. _Hierome_, _Damnamus veteres? Minime, sed post priorum studia in domo Domini quod possumus laboramus._ That is, _Do we condemn the ancient? In no case: but after the endeavours of them that were before us, we take the best pains we can in the house of God._ As if he said, Being provoked by the example of the learned that lived before my time, I have thought it my duty to assay, whether my talent in the knowledge of the tongues may be profitable in any measure to God’s Church, lest I should seem to have laboured in them in vain, and lest I should be thought to glory in men (although ancient) above that which was in them. Thus St. _Hierome_ may be thought to speak.

[Sidenote: A satisfaction to our brethren.] And to the same effect say we, that we are so far off from condemning any of their labours that travelled before us in this kind, either in this land, or beyond sea, either in King _Henry’s_ time, or King _Edward’s_, (if there were any translation, or correction of a translation, in his time,) or Queen _Elizabeth’s_ of ever renowned memory, that we acknowledge them to have been raised up of God for the building and furnishing of his Church, and that they deserve to be had of us and of posterity in everlasting remembrance. The judgment of _Aristotle_ is worthy and well known: [Sidenote: _Arist. 2. Metaphys. cap. 1._] _If Timotheus had not been, we had not had much sweet musick: But if Phrynis_ (_Timotheus’_ master) _had not been, we had not had Timotheus_. Therefore blessed be they, and most honoured be their name, that break the ice, and give the onset upon that which helpeth forward to the saving of souls. Now what can be more available thereto, than to deliver God’s book unto God’s people in a tongue which they understand? Since of an hidden treasure, and of a fountain that is sealed, there is no profit, as _Ptolemy Philadelph_ wrote to the Rabbins or masters of the _Jews_, as witnesseth _Epiphanius_: [Sidenote: _St. Epiphan. loco ante citato. St. August. lib. 19. De civit. Dei, cap. 7._] and as St. _Augustine_ saith, _A man had rather be with his dog than with a stranger_ (whose tongue is strange unto him.) Yet for all that, as nothing is begun and perfected at the same time, and the latter thoughts are thought to be the wiser: so, if we building upon their foundation that went before us, and being holpen by their labours, do endeavour to make that better which they left so good; no man, we are sure, hath cause to mislike us; they, we persuade ourselves, if they were alive, would thank us. The vintage of _Abiezer_, that strake the stroke: yet the gleaning of grapes of _Ephraim_ was not to be despised. See _Judges_ viii. 2. [Sidenote: 2 Kin. 13. 18, 19.] _Joash_ the king of _Israel_ did not satisfy himself till he had smitten the ground three times; and yet he offended the Prophet for giving over then. _Aquila_, of whom we spake before, translated the Bible as carefully and as skilfully as he could; and yet he thought good to go over it again, and then it got the credit with the _Jews_, to be called κατ’ ἀκρίβειαν, that is, accurately done, as St. _Hierome_ witnesseth. [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. in Ezech. cap. 3._] How many books of profane learning have been gone over again and again, by the same translators, by others? Of one and the same book of _Aristotle’s_ Ethicks there are extant not so few as six or seven several translations. Now if this cost may be bestowed upon the gourd, which affordeth us a little shade, and which to day flourisheth, but to morrow is cut down; what may we bestow, nay, what ought we not to bestow, upon the vine, the fruit whereof maketh glad the conscience of man, and the stem whereof abideth for ever? And this is the word of God, which we translate. [Sidenote: Jer. 23. 28.] _What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Tanti vitreum, quanti verum margaritum!_ (saith _Tertullian_.) [Sidenote: _Tertull. ad Martyr. Si tanti vilissimum vitrum, quanti preciosissimum margaritum! Hier. ad Salvin._] If a toy of glass be of that reckoning with us, how ought we to value the true pearl! Therefore let no man’s eye be evil, because his Majesty’s is good; neither let any be grieved, that we have a Prince that seeketh the increase of the spiritual wealth of _Israel_; (let _Sanballats_ and _Tobiahs_ do so, which therefore do bear their just reproof;) but let us rather bless God from the ground of our heart for working this religious care in him to have the translations of the Bible maturely considered of and examined. For by this means it cometh to pass, that whatsoever is sound already, (and all is sound for substance in one or other of our editions, and the worst of ours far better than their authentick vulgar) the same will shine as gold more brightly, being rubbed and polished; also, if any thing be halting, or superfluous, or not so agreeable to the original, the same may be corrected, and the truth set in place. And what can the King command to be done, that will bring him more true honour than this? And wherein could they that have been set a work approve their duty to the King, yea, their obedience to God, and love to his Saints, more, than by yielding their service, and all that is within them, for the furnishing of the work? But besides all this, they were the principal motives of it, and therefore ought least to quarrel it. For the very historical truth is, that upon the importunate petitions of the Puritanes at his Majesty’s coming to this crown, the conference at _Hampton-court_ having been appointed for hearing their complaints, when by force of reason they were put from all other grounds, they had recourse at the last to this shift, that they could not with good conscience subscribe to the communion book, since it maintained the Bible as it was there translated, which was, as they said, a most corrupted translation. And although this was judged to be but a very poor and empty shift, yet even hereupon did his Majesty begin to bethink himself of the good that might ensue by a new translation, and presently after gave order for this translation which is now presented unto thee. Thus much to satisfy our scrupulous brethren.

[Sidenote: An answer to the imputations of our adversaries.] Now to the latter we answer, That we do not deny, nay, we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of their’s of the whole Bible as yet) containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God: As the King’s speech which he uttered in Parliament, being translated into _French_, _Dutch_, _Italian_, and _Latin_, is still the King’s speech, though it be not interpreted by every translator with the like grace, nor peradventure so fitly for phrase, nor so expressly for sense, every where. For it is confessed, that things are to take their denomination of the greater part; [Sidenote: _Horace._] and a natural man could say, _Verum ubi multa nitent in carmine, non ego paucis offendor maculis, &c._ A man may be counted a virtuous man, though he have made many slips in his life, (else there were none virtuous, for _in many things we offend all_,) [Sidenote: Jam. 3. 2.] also a comely man and lovely, though he have some warts upon his hand; yea, not only freckles upon his face, but also scars. No cause therefore why the word translated should be denied to be the word, or forbidden to be current, notwithstanding that some imperfections and blemishes may be noted in the setting forth of it. For what ever was perfect under the sun, where Apostles or apostolick men, that is, men endued with an extraordinary measure of God’s Spirit, and privileged with the privilege of infallibility, had not their hand? The Romanists therefore in refusing to hear, and daring to burn the word translated, did no less than despite the Spirit of grace, from whom originally it proceeded, and whose sense and meaning, as well as man’s weakness would enable, it did express. Judge by an example or two.

[Sidenote: _Plutarch in Camillo._] _Plutarch_ writeth, that after that _Rome_ had been burnt by the _Gauls_, they fell soon to build it again: but doing it in haste, they did not cast the streets, nor proportion the houses, in such comely fashion, as had been most sightly and convenient. Was _Catiline_ therefore an honest man, or a good patriot, that sought to bring it to a combustion? Or _Nero_ a good Prince, that did indeed set it on fire? So by the story of _Ezra_ and the prophecy of _Haggai_ it may be gathered, [Sidenote: Ezra 3. 12.] that the temple built by _Zerubbabel_ after the return from _Babylon_ was by no means to be compared to the former built by _Solomon_: for they that remembered the former wept when they considered the latter. Notwithstanding might this latter either have been abhorred and forsaken by the _Jews_, or profaned by the _Greeks_? The like we are to think of translations. The translation of the _Seventy_ dissenteth from the Original in many places, neither doth it come near it for perspicuity, gravity, majesty. Yet which of the Apostles did condemn it? Condemn it? Nay, they used it, (as it is apparent, and as St. _Hierome_ and most learned men do confess;) which they would not have done, nor by their example of using of it so grace and commend it to the Church, if it had been unworthy the appellation and name of the word of God. And whereas they urge for their second defence of their vilifying and abusing of the _English_ Bibles, or some pieces thereof, which they meet with, for that hereticks forsooth were the authors of the translations: (hereticks they call us by the same right that they call themselves catholicks, both being wrong:) we marvel what divinity taught them so. We are sure _Tertullian_ was of another mind: [Sidenote: _Tertull. de præscript. contra hæreses._] _Ex personis probamus fidem, an ex fide personas?_ Do we try men’s faith by their persons? We should try their persons by their faith. Also St. _Augustine_ was of another mind: [Sidenote: _St. August. 3. de doct. Christ. cap. 30._] for he, lighting upon certain rules made by _Tychonius_ a _Donatist_ for the better understanding of the word, was not ashamed to make use of them, yea, to insert them into his own book, with giving commendation to them so far forth as they were worthy to be commended, as is to be seen in St. _Augustine’s_ third book _De Doct. Christ_. To be short, _Origen_, and the whole Church of God for certain hundred years, were of another mind: for they were so far from treading under foot (much more from burning) the translation of _Aquila_ a proselyte, that is, one that had turned _Jew_, of _Symmachus_, and _Theodotion_, both _Ebionites_, that is, most vile hereticks, that they joined them together with the _Hebrew_ original, and the translation of the _Seventy_, (as hath been before signified out of _Epiphanius_,) and set them forth openly to be considered of and perused by all. But we weary the unlearned, who need not know so much; and trouble the learned, who know it already.

Yet before we end, we must answer a third cavil and objection of their’s against us, for altering and amending our translations so oft; wherein truly they deal hardly and strangely with us. For to whom ever was it imputed for a fault, (by such as were wise,) to go over that which he had done, and to amend it where he saw cause? [Sidenote: _St. August. Epist. 9. St. August. lib. Retract Video interdum vitia mea. St. August. Epist. 8._] St. _Augustine_ was not afraid to exhort St. _Hierome_ to a _Palinodia_ or recantation. The same St. _Augustine_ was not ashamed to retractate, we might say, revoke, many things that had passed him, and doth even glory that he seeth his infirmities. If we will be sons of the truth, we must consider what it speaketh, and trample upon our own credit, yea, and upon other men’s too, if either be any way an hindrance to it. This to the cause. Then to the persons we say, that of all men they ought to be most silent in this case. For what varieties have they, and what alterations have they made, not only of their service books, portesses, and breviaries, but also of their _Latin_ translation? The service book supposed to be made by St. _Ambrose_, (_Officium Ambrosianum_,) was a great while in special use and request: but Pope _Adrian_, [Sidenote: _Durand. lib. 5. cap. 2._] calling a council with the aid of _Charles_ the Emperor, abolished it, yea, burnt it, and commanded the service book of St. _Gregory_ universally to be used. Well, _Officium Gregorianum_ gets by this means to be in credit; but doth it continue without change or altering? No, the very _Roman_ service was of two fashions; the new fashion, and the old, the one used in one Church, and the other in another; as is to be seen in _Pamelius_ a Romanist, his preface before _Micrologus_. The same _Pamelius_ reporteth out of _Radulphus de Rivo_, that about the year of our Lord 1277 Pope _Nicolas_ the Third removed out of the churches of _Rome_ the more ancient books (of service,) and brought into use the missals of the Friers Minorites, and commanded them to be observed there: insomuch that about an hundred years after, when the aboved named _Radulphus_ happened to be at Rome, he found all the books to be new, of the new stamp. Neither was there this chopping and changing in the more ancient times only, but also of late. _Pius Quintus_ himself confesseth, that every bishoprick almost had a peculiar kind of service, most unlike to that which others had; which moved him to abolish all other breviaries, though never so ancient, and privileged and published by Bishops in their Dioceses, and to establish and ratify that only which was of his own setting forth in the year 1568. Now when the Father of their Church, who gladly would heal the sore of the daughter of his people softly and slightly, and make the best of it, findeth so great fault with them for their odds and jarring; we hope the children have no great cause to vaunt of their uniformity. But the difference that appeareth between our translations, and our often correcting of them, is the thing that we are specially charged with; let us see therefore whether they themselves be without fault this way, (if it be to be counted a fault to correct,) and whether they be fit men to throw stones at us: _O tandem major parcas insane minori_: They that are less sound themselves ought not to object infirmities to others. If we should tell them, that _Valla_, _Stapulensis_, _Erasmus_, and _Vives_, found fault with their vulgar translation, and consequently wished the same to be mended, or a new one to be made; they would answer peradventure, that we produced their enemies for witnesses against them; albeit they were in no other sort enemies, than as St. _Paul_ was to the _Galatians_, [Sidenote: Gal. 4. 16.] for telling them the truth: and it were to be wished, that they had dared to tell it them plainlier and oftener. But what will they say to this, That Pope _Leo_ the Tenth allowed _Erasmus’_ translation of the New Testament, so much different from the vulgar, by his apostolick letter and bull? [Sidenote: _Sixtus Senens._] That the same _Leo_ exhorted _Pagnine_ to translate the whole Bible, and bare whatsoever charges was necessary for the work? Surely, as the apostle reasoneth to the _Hebrews_, [Sidenote: Heb. 7. 11. & 8. 7.] that _if the former Law and Testament had been sufficient, there had been no need of the latter_: so we may say, that if the old vulgar had been at all points allowable, to small purpose had labour and charges been undergone about framing of a new. If they say, it was one Pope’s private opinion, and that he consulted only himself; then we are able to go further with them, and to aver, that more of their chief men of all sorts, even their own _Trent_ champions, _Paiva_ and _Vega_, and their own inquisitor _Hieronymus ab Oleastro_, and their own Bishop _Isidorus Clarius_, and their own Cardinal _Thomas a vio Cajetan_, do either make new translations themselves, or follow new ones of other men’s making, or note the vulgar interpreter for halting, none of them fear to dissent from him, nor yet to except against him. And call they this an uniform tenor of text and judgment about the text, so many of their worthies disclaiming the now received conceit? Nay, we will yet come nearer the quick. [Sidenote: _Sixtus 5. Præf. fixa bibliis._] Doth not their _Paris_ edition differ from the _Lovain_, and _Hentenius’s_ from them both, and yet all of them allowed by authority? Nay, doth not _Sixtus Quintus_ confess, that certain Catholicks (he meaneth certain of his own side) were in such an humour of translating the Scriptures into _Latin_, that Satan taking occasion by them, though they thought of no such matter, did strive what he could, out of so uncertain and manifold a variety of translations, so to mingle all things, that nothing might seem to be left certain and firm in them, &c.? Nay further, did not the same _Sixtus_ ordain by an inviolable decree, and that with the counsel and consent of his Cardinals, that the _Latin_ edition of the Old and New Testament, which the council of _Trent_ would have to be authentick, is the same without controversy which he then set forth, being diligently corrected and printed in the printinghouse of _Vatican_? Thus _Sixtus_ in his preface before his Bible. And yet _Clement_ the Eighth, his immediate successor to account of, publisheth another edition of the Bible, containing in it infinite differences from that of _Sixtus_, and many of them weighty and material; and yet this must be authentick by all means. What is to have the faith of our glorious Lord _Jesus Christ_ with yea and nay, if this be not? Again, what is sweet harmony and consent, if this be? Therefore, as _Demaratus_ of _Corinth_ advised a great King, before he talked of the dissensions among the _Grecians_, to compose his domestick broils; (for at that time his queen and his son and heir were at deadly feud with him) so all the while that our adversaries do make so many and so various editions themselves, and do jar so much about the worth and authority of them, they can with no shew of equity challenge us for changing and correcting.

[Sidenote: The purpose of the Translators, with their number, furniture, care, &c.] But it is high time to leave them, and to shew in brief what we proposed to ourselves, and what course we held, in this our perusal and survey of the Bible. Truly, good Christian Reader, we never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one: (for then the imputation of _Sixtus_ had been true in some sort, that our people had been fed with gall of dragons instead of wine, with wheal instead of milk;) but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against; that hath been our endeavour, that our mark. To that purpose there were many chosen, that were greater in other men’s eyes than in their own, and that sought the truth rather than their own praise. Again, they came, or were thought to come, to the work, not _exercendi causa_, (as one saith,) but _exercitati_, that is, learned not to learn; for the chief overseer and ἐργοδιώκτης under his Majesty, to whom not only we, but also our whole Church was much bound, knew by his wisdom, which thing only _Nazianzen_ taught so long ago, [Sidenote: _Nazianz._ εἰς ρν’, ἐπισκ παρουσ. _Idem in Apologet._] that it is a preposterous order to teach first and to learn after; that τὸ ἐν πίθῳ κεραμίαν μανθάνειν to learn and practise together, is neither commendable for the workman, nor safe for the work. Therefore such were thought upon, as could say modestly with St. _Hierome_, _Et Hebræum sermonem ex parte didicimus, et in Latino pene ab ipsis incunabulis, &c., detriti sumus; Both we have learned the Hebrew tongue in part, and in the Latin we have been exercised almost from our very cradle._ St. _Hierome_ maketh no mention of the _Greek_ tongue, wherein yet he did excel; because he translated not the Old Testament out of _Greek_, but out of _Hebrew_. And in what sort did these assemble? In the trust of their own knowledge, or of their sharpness of wit, or deepness of judgment, as it were in an arm of flesh? At no hand. They trusted in him that hath the key of _David_, opening, and no man shutting; they prayed to the Lord, the Father of our Lord, to the effect that St. _Augustine_ did: [Sidenote: _St. August. lib. 11. Confess. cap. 2._] _O let thy Scriptures be my pure delight; let me not be deceived in them, neither let me deceive by them_. In this confidence, and with this devotion, did they assemble together; not too many, lest one should trouble another; and yet many, lest many things haply might escape them. If you ask what they had before them; truly it was the _Hebrew_ text of the Old Testament, the _Greek_ of the New. These are the two golden pipes, or rather conduits, wherethrough the olivebranches empty themselves into the gold. [Sidenote: _St. Aug. 3. De doctr. cap. 3., &c. St. Hieron. ad Suniam et Fretel. St. Hieron. ad Lucinium, Dist 9._ Ut veterum.] St. _Augustine_ calleth them precedent, or original, tongues; St. _Hierome_, fountains. The same St. _Hierome_ affirmeth, and _Gratian_ hath not spared to put it into his decree, That _as the credit of the old books_ (he meaneth of the Old Testament) _is to be tried by the Hebrew volumes; so of the new by the Greek tongue_, he meaneth by the original _Greek_. If truth be to be tried by these tongues, then whence should a translation be made, but out of them? These tongues therefore (the Scriptures, we say, in those tongues) we set before us to translate, being the tongues wherein God was pleased to speak to his Church by his Prophets and Apostles. [Sidenote: _Joseph. Antiq. lib. 12._] Neither did we run over the work with that posting haste that the _Septuagint_ did, if that be true which is reported of them, that they finished it in seventy-two days; neither were we barred or hindered from going over it again, having once done it, like St. _Hierome_, [Sidenote: _St. Hieron. ad Pammach. pro lib. advers. Jovinian._ πρωτόπειροι.] if that be true which himself reporteth, that he could no sooner write anything, but presently it was caught from him, and published, and he could not have leave to mend it; neither, to be short, were we the first that fell in hand with translating the Scripture into _English_, and consequently destitute of former helps, as it is written of _Origen_, that he was the first in a manner, that put his hand to write commentaries upon the Scriptures, and therefore no marvel if he overshot himself many times. None of these things: The work hath not been huddled up in seventy-two days, but hath cost the workmen, as light as it seemeth, the pains of twice seven times seventy-two days, and more. Matters of such weight and consequence are to be speeded with maturity: for in a business of moment a man feareth not the blame of convenient slackness. Neither did we think much to consult the translators or commentators, [Sidenote: Φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πραγμ’ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα, _Sophocl. in Elect._] _Chaldee_, _Hebrew_, _Syrian_, _Greek_, or _Latin_; no, nor the _Spanish_, _French_, _Italian_, or _Dutch_; neither did we disdain to revise that which we had done, and to bring back to the anvil that which we had hammered: but having and using as great helps as were needful, and fearing no reproach for slowness, nor coveting praise for expedition, we have at length, through the good hand of the Lord upon us, brought the work to that pass that you see.