the text; so far as it is done by the spirit of knowledge in the Holy
Ghost, methink no man should be offended thereat, for they refer their
doings in meekness to the spirit of truth in the congregation of God: and
sure I am, that there cometh more knowledge and understanding of the
scripture by their sundry translations, than by all the glosses of our
sophistical doctors. For that one interpreteth something obscurely in one
place, the same translateth another, or else he himself, more manifestly
by a more plain vocable of the same meaning in another place. Be not thou
offended, therefore, good reader, though one call a scribe that another
calleth a lawyer; or elders, that another calleth father and mother; or
repentance, that another calleth penance or amendment. For if thou be not
deceived by men’s traditions, thou shalt find no more diversity between
these terms, than between fourpence and a groat. And this manner have I
used in my translation, calling it in some place _penance_, that in
another place I call _repentance_; and that not only because the
interpreters have done so before me, but that the adversaries of the truth
may see, how that we abhor not this word penance, as they untruly report
of us, no more than the interpreters of Latin abhor _pœnitere_, when they
read _resipiscere_. Only our heart’s desire unto God is, that his people
be not blinded in their understanding, lest they believe penance to be
ought save a very repentance, amendment, or conversion unto God, and to be
an unfeigned new creature in Christ, and to live according to his law. For
else shall they fall into the old blasphemy of Christ’s blood, and believe
that they themselves are able to make satisfaction unto God for their own
sins: from the which error God of his mercy and plenteous goodness
preserve all his!
Now to conclude: forsomuch as all the scripture is written for thy
doctrine and ensample, it shall be necessary for thee to take hold upon it
while it is offered thee, yea, and with ten hands thankfully to receive
it. And though it be not worthily ministered unto thee in this
translation, by reason of my rudeness; yet if thou be fervent in thy
prayer, God shall not only send it thee in a better shape by the
ministration of other that began it afore, but shall also move the hearts
of them which as yet meddled not withal, to take it in hand, and to bestow
the gift of their understanding thereon, as well in our language, as other
famous interpreters do in other languages. And I pray God, that through my
poor ministration herein I may give them that can do better some occasion
so to do; exhorting thee, most dear reader, in the mean while on God’s
behalf, if thou be a head, a judge, or ruler of the people, that thou let
not the book of this law depart out of thy mouth, but exercise thyself
therein both day and night, and be ever reading in it as long as thou
livest: that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God, and not to turn
aside from the commandment, neither to the right hand nor to the left;
lest thou be a knower of persons in judgment, and wrest the right of the
stranger, of the fatherless, or of the widow, and so the curse to come
upon thee. But what office so ever thou hast, wait upon it, and execute it
to the maintenance of peace, to the wealth of thy people, defending the
laws of God and the lovers thereof, and to the destruction of the wicked.
If thou be a preacher, and hast the oversight of the flock of Christ,
awake and feed Christ’s sheep with a good heart, and spare no labour to do
them good: seek not thyself, and beware of filthy lucre; but be unto the
flock an ensample in the word, in conversation, in love, in ferventness of
the spirit, and be ever reading, exhorting, and teaching in God’s word,
that the people of God run not unto other doctrines, and lest thou
thyself, when thou shouldest teach other, be found ignorant therein. And
rather than thou wouldest teach the people any other thing than God’s
word, take the book in thine hand, and read the words, even as they stand
therein; for it is no shame so to do, it is more shame to make a lie. This
I say for such as are not yet expert in the scripture; for I reprove no
preaching without the book, as long as they say the truth.
If thou be a man that hast wife and children, first love thy wife,
according to the ensample of the love wherewith Christ loved the
congregation; and remember that so doing thou lovest even thyself: if thou
hate her, thou hatest thine own flesh; if thou cherish her and make much
of her, thou cherishest and makest much of thyself; for she is bone of thy
bones, and flesh of thy flesh. And whosoever thou be that hast children,
bring them up in the nurture and information of the Lord. And if thou be
ignorant, or art otherwise occupied lawfully, that thou canst not teach
them thyself, then be even as diligent to seek a good master for thy
children, as thou wast to seek a mother to bear them; for there lieth as
great weight in the one, as in the other. Yea, better it were for them to
be unborn, than not to fear God, or to be evil brought up: which thing (I
mean bringing up well of children) if it be diligently looked to, it is
the upholding of all commonwealths; and the negligence of the same, the
very decay of all realms.
Finally, whosoever thou be, take these words of scripture into thy heart,
and be not only an outward hearer, but a doer thereafter, and practise
thyself therein; that thou mayest feel in thine heart the sweet promises
thereof for thy consolation in all trouble, and for the sure stablishing
of thy hope in Christ; and have ever an eye to the words of scripture,
that if thou be a teacher of other, thou mayest be within the bounds of
the truth; or at the least, though thou be but an hearer or reader of
another man’s doings, thou mayest yet have knowledge to judge all spirits,
and be free from every error, to the utter destruction of all seditious
sects and strange doctrines; that the holy scripture may have free
passage, and be had in reputation, to the worship of the author thereof,
which is even God himself; to whom for his most blessed word be glory and
dominion now and ever! Amen.
(D.)
_PREFACE TO THE GENEVAN BIBLE, 1560._
To our Beloved in the Lord,
The Brethren of England,
Scotland, Ireland, &c. Grace, mercie, and peace,
through Christ Jesus.[141]
Besides the manifold and continuall benefits which Almightie God bestowed
upon us, both corporall and spirituall, we are especially bound (deare
brethren) to giue him thankes without ceasing for his great grace and
vnspeakable mercies, in that it hath pleased him to call vs vnto this
marueilous light of his Gospell, and mercifully to regarde vs after so
horrible backesliding and falling away from Christ to Antichrist, from
light to darknesse, from the liuing God to dumme and dead idoles, and that
after so cruell murther of God’s saints, as alas, hath bene among vs, wee
are not altogether cast off, as were the Israelites, and many others for
the like or not so manifest wickednesse, but receiued againe to grace with
most evident signes and tokens of God’s especiall loue and fauour. To the
intent therefore that wee may not be vnmindfull of these great mercies,
but seeke by all meanes (according to our duetie) to bee thankefull for
the same, it behoueth vs so to walke in his feare and loue, that all the
dayes of our life we may procure the glorie of his holy name.
Nowe forasmuch as this thing chiefely is atteined by the knowledge and
practising of the worde of God (which is the light to our paths, the keye
of the kingdome of heauen, our comfort in affliction, our shielde and
sworde against Satan, the schoole of all wisdome, the glasse wherein we
beholde Gods face, the testimonie of his fauour, and the onely foode and
nourishment of our soules), wee thought that wee coulde bestowe our
labours and studie in nothing which coulde be more acceptable to God and
comfortable to his Church then in the translating of the holy Scriptures
into our natiue tongue: the which thing albeit that diuers heretofore haue
endeuoured to atchieue; yet considering the infancie of those times and
imperfect knowledge of the tongues in respect of this ripe age and cleere
light which God hath now reueiled, y{e} translations required greatly to
be perused and reformed. Not that we vendicate anything to our selues
aboue the least of our brethren (for God knoweth with what feare and
trembling we haue bene for the space of two yeeres and more day and night
occupied herein), but being earnestly desired and by diuers, whose
learning and godlinesse we reuerence, exhorted and also encouraged by the
ready willes of such, whose hearts God likewise touched, not to spare any
charges for the furtherance of such a benefite and fauour of God towarde
his Church (though the time then was most dangerous, and the persecution
sharpe and furious), we submitted our selues at length to their godly
judgements, and seeing the great opportunitie and occasions, which God
presented unto vs in his Church, by reason of so many godlie and learned
men: and such diuersities of translations in diuers tongues, we vndertooke
this great and wonderfull worke (with all reuerence, as in the presence of
God, as intreating the word of God, whereunto we thinke our selues
vnsufficient) which now God accepting according to his diuine prouidence
and mercie hath directed to a most prosperous ende. And this we may with
good conscience protest that we haue in euery point and worde, according
to the measure of that knowledge which it pleased Almightie God to giue
vs, faithfully rendred the text, and in all hard places most sincerely
expounded the same. For God is our witnesse that we haue by all meanes
indeuoured to set foorth the puritie of the word and the right sense of
the holy Ghost for the edifying of the brethren in faith and charitie.
Nowe as we have chiefely obserued the sence, and laboured allwayes to
restore it to all integritie, so haue we most reuerently kept the
proprietie of the wordes, considering that the Apostles who spake and
wrote to the Gentiles in the Greeke tongue, rather constrained them to the
liuely phrase of the Ebrew, then enterprised farre by mollifying their
language to speake as the Gentiles did. And for this and other causes wee
haue in many places reserued the Ebrew phrases, notwithstanding that they
may seeme somewhat hard in their eares that are not well practised and
also delite in the sweet sounding phrases of the holy Scriptures. Yet
least eyther the simple should be discouraged, or the malicious haue any
occasion of just cauilation, seeing some translations reade after one
sort, and some after another, whereas all may serue to good purpose and
edification, we haue in the margent noted that diuersitie of speech or
reading which may also seeme agreeable to the minde of the holy Ghost, and
proper for our language with this marke. ∥
Againe, whereas the Ebrewe speache seemed hardly to agree with ours we
haue noted it in the margent after this sort ‡, vsing that which was more
intelligible. And albeit that many of the Ebrewe names be altered from the
olde text, and restored to the true writing and first originall, whereof
they haue their signification, yet in the vsuall names litle is changed
for feare of troubling the simple readers. Moreover, whereas the
necessitie of the sentence required any thing to be added (for such is the
grace and proprietie of the Ebrew and Greeke tongues that it cannot, but
either by circumlocution, or by adding the verbe or some word, be
understood of them that are not well practised therein) wee haue put in
the text with an other kinde of letter that it may easily be discerned
from the common letter.[142] As touching the diuision of the verses wee
haue followed the Ebrewe examples, which haue so euen from the beginning
distinguished them. Which thing as it is most profitable for memorie, so
doeth it agree with the best translations, and is most easie to finde out
both by the best Concordances, and also by the quotations which we haue
diligently herein perused and set foorth by this *. Besides this the
principall matters are noted by this marke ¶. Yea, and the arguments both
for the booke and for the chapters with the number of the verse are added,
that by all meanes the reader might be holpen. For the which cause also we
haue set ouer the head of every page some notable worde or sentence which
may greatly further as well for memorie as for the chiefe point of the
page.
And considering howe hard a thing it is to vnderstand the holy Scriptures,
and what errors, sectes, and heresies growe dayly for lacke of the true
knowledge thereof, and howe many are discouraged (as they pretend) because
they cannot atteine to the true and simple meaning of the same, we haue
also indeuoured both by the diligent reading of the best commentaries, and
also by the conference with the godly and learned brethren, to gather
briefe annotations upon all the hard places, as well for the
vnderstanding of such wordes as are obscure, and for the declaration of
the text, as for the application of the same, as may most appertaine to
God’s glory and the edification of his Church.
Furthermore, whereas certaine places in the bookes of Moses, of the Kings,
and Ezekiel, seemed so darke that by no description they could be made
easie to the simple reader, wee have so set them foorth with figures and
notes for the full declaration thereof, that they which cannot by
judgement, being holpen by the letters a, b, c, &c., atteine thereunto,
yet by the perspective and, as it were, by the eye, may sufficiently knowe
the true meaning of all such places. Whereunto also wee haue added
certaine maps of Cosmographie which necessarily serue for the perfect
vnderstanding and memorie of diuers places and countries, partly described
and partly by occasion touched both in the olde and newe Testament.
Finally, that nothing might lacke which might be bought by labours, for
the increase of knowledge and furtherance of God’s glorie, we have
adioyned two most profitable Tables, the one seruing for the
interpretation of the Ebrew names, and the other conteining all the chiefe
and principall matters of the whole Bible, so that nothing (as wee trust)
that any could iustlie desire is omitted. Therefore as brethren that are
partakers of the same hope and saluation with us, wee beseeche you that
this rich pearle and inestimable treasure may not be offred in vaine, but
as sent from God to the people of God, for the increase of his kingdome,
the comfort of his Church, and discharge of our conscience, whom it hath
pleased him to raise vp for this purpose, so you woulde willingly receive
the worde of God, earnestly studie it, and in all your life practise it,
that you may nowe appeare in deede to bee the people of God, not walking
any more according to this worlde, but in the fruits of the Spirit, that
God in vs may bee fully glorified through Christ Jesus our Lorde who
liueth and reigneth for euer. Amen. From Geneva, 10th April, 1560.
(E.)
_THE PREFACE TO THE BISHOPS’ BIBLE, 1568._
A Preface into the Byble
folowyng.
Of all the sentences pronounced by our Sauiour Christe in his whole
doctrine, none is more serious or more worthy to be borne in remembraunce,
than that which he spake openly in his Gospell, saying: [Sidenote: John
v.] Scrutamini scripturas, quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam eternam habere,
et illæ sunt quæ testimonium perhibent de me. Search ye the scriptures,
for in them ye think to have eternall lyfe, and those they be which beare
witnes of me. These wordes were first spoken vnto the Jewes by our
Sauiour, but by hym in his doctrine ment to all: for they concerne all, of
what nation, of what tongue, of what profession soeuer any man be. For to
all belongeth it to be called vnto eternal life, so many as by the witnes
of the scriptures desire to find eternall life. No man, woman, or chylde,
is excluded from this saluation, and therefore to euery of them is this
spoke proportionally yet, and in their degrees and ages, and as the reason
and congruitie of their vocation may aske. For not so lyeth it in charge
to the worldly artificer to searche, or to any other priuate man so
exquisitely to studie, as it lyeth to the charge of the publike teacher to
searche in the scriptures, to be the more able to walke in the house of
God [Sidenote: 1 Tim. iii.] (which is the church of the lyuyng God, the
pyller and ground of truth) to the establishing of the true doctrine of
the same, and to the impugnyng of the false. And though whatsoever
difference there may be betwixt the preacher in office, and the auditor in
his vocation, yet to both it is said, =Search ye the scriptures=, whereby
ye may fynde eternall lyfe, and gather witnesses of that saluation which
is in =Christe Jesus= our Lorde. [Sidenote: Deut. xvii.] For although the
prophete of God Moyses, byddeth the kyng when he is once set in the throne
of his kingdome, to describe before his eyes the volume of God’s lawe,
according to the example whiche he shoulde receaue of the priestes of the
liuiticall tribe, to haue it with him, and to reade it in all the dayes of
his life, to thende[143] that he might learne to feare the Lorde his God,
and to observe his lawes, that his heart be not aduanced in pryde ouer his
brethren, not to swarue eyther on the ryght hande or on the left: yet the
reason of this precept for that it concerneth all men, may reasonably be
thought to be commanded to all men, and all men may take it to be spoken
to them selfe in their degree. [Sidenote: Iosue i.] Though almightie God
him selfe spake to his captayne Iosue in precise wordes, Non recedat
volumen legis huius ab ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo diebus ac noctibus,
&c. Let not the volume of this booke depart from thy mouth, but muse
therein both dayes and nyghtes, that thou mayest kepe and perfourme all
thinges which be written in it, that thou mayest direct well thy way and
vnderstande the same: yet as well spake almightie God this precept to all
his people in the directions of their wayes to himwarde, as he ment it to
Iosue: [Sidenote: Peter v. Ephe. vi.] For that he hath care of all, he
accepteth no man’s person, his wyll is that all men should he saued,
[Sidenote: 1 Tim. ii. Ioh xiiii.] his wyll is that all men should come to
the way of trueth. Howe coulde this be more conueniently declared by God
to man, then when Christe his welbeloued sonne our most louing sauiour,
the way, the trueth, and the lyfe of vs all, dyd byd vs openly =Search the
scriptures=, assuring vs herein to finde eternall life, to finde full
testification of all his graces and benefites towardes vs in the treasure
thereof. Therefore it is most conuenient that we shoulde all suppose that
Christe spake to vs all in this his precept of searching the scriptures.
If this celestiall doctour (so aucthorised by the father of heauen, and
commaunded [Sidenote: Matt. xvii.] as his only sonne, to be hearde of vs
all) biddeth vs busily to =Search the scriptures=: of what spirite can it
proceede to forbid the reading and studying of the scriptures? If the
grosse Iewes vsed to reade them, as some men thinke that our sauiour
Christ dyd shew by such kynd of speaking, their vsage, with their opinion
they had therin to finde eternall lyfe, and were not of Christe rebuked,
or disproued, either for their searching, or for the opinion they had,
howe superstitiously or superficially soeuer some of them vsed to expende
the scriptures; How muche more vnaduisedly do suche as bost them selfe to
be either Christe’s vicars, or be of his garde, to lothe christen men from
reading, by their couert slaunderous reproches of the scriptures, or in
their aucthoritie by lawe or statute to contract this libertie of studiyng
the worde of eternall saluation. Christe calleth them not onlye to the
single readyng of scriptures (saith Chrisostome) but sendeth them to the
exquisite searching of them, for in them is eternall lyfe to be founde,
and they be (saith hym selfe) the witnesse of me: for they declare out his
office, they commende his beneuolence towardes vs, they recorde his whole
workes wrought for vs to our saluation. Antechriste therefore he must be,
that vnder whatsoeuer colour woulde geue contrary precept or counsayle to
that whiche Christe dyd geue vnto vs. Very litle do they resemble Christes
louing spirite mouing vs to searche for our comfort, that wyll discourage
vs from suche searching, or that woulde wishe ignoraunce and
forgetfulnesse of his benefite to raigne in vs, so that they might by our
ignoraunce raigne the more frankly in our consciences, to the danger of
our saluation. Who can take the light from us in this miserable vale of
blindnesse, and meane not to haue us stumble in the pathes of perdition to
the ruine of our soules: who wyll enuie vs this bread of lyfe prepared and
set on the table for our eternall sustenaunce, and meane not to famishe
vs, or in steede thereof with their corrupt traditions and doctrines of
men to infect vs: All the whole scripture, saith the holy apostle
[Sidenote: ii. Tim. iii.] Saint Paul inspired from God aboue, is
profitable to teache, to reproue, to refourme, to instruct in
righteousnesse, that the man of God may be sounde and perfect, instructed
to euery good worke.