FC onteyning the Old Teftament, AND THE NEW. relat dor fy Ree things sikoeHIGH AND MIGHTIE Prince, AMES by the grace of God King of GreatBritaine,France and Ireland, Defender ofthe Faith, &c. THE TRANSLATORS OF THE BIBLE, avifh Grace, Mercies, and Peace,through Les vs Curisr ow Loam Reacand manifold were che bleffings(matt dread Soueraigne ) which Almighty Go 0, the Father of all Mercies, beftowed vpon vs che people of JE xorano, when firft he fent your Maiefties I Royall perfon to rule and raigne ouer vs. For whereas it was the expectation of many, who withed not well vnto our S10 x, that vpon the FS fecing of that bright Occidental Starre_, Queene Extaase te of molt happy memory , fome thicke and palpable cloudes of darkeneffe would fo haue ouerfhadowed thisland, chat men thould haue bene in doube which way chey were to swalke, and thatie{hould hardly be knowen, who wasto direct the vnfedled State? the appearance of your Maresis, asof the Siame_ inhis ftrength, inftandly difpelled thofe fuppofed and farmifed mifts, and gaue vato all thatwere wel affected exceeding caufe ofcomfore;efpecially when we be- held the gouernment eftablifoed in your Hr 0 wwess x, and your hope~ fallSeed, by an vndoubted Title, and this alfo accompanied wich Peace and tranquillitiat home and abroad. ‘Bue amongftallour Loyes ,there was noone thaemore filled our hearts, then che bleffed continuance of the Preaching of Gon s facred word a- mongftvs,whichis thatineftimable treafiure,which excelleth alltheriches ofthe earth, becaule the fruit thereofextendeth ie{ele,not onely to thetime fpentin this eranfirory world, but directeth and difpofeth men vncothat ternallhappineffe which isaboue in Heauen. Then,notto fuffer this cofallto che ground, butrather tocake i¢vp, and toccontiaue icin ehat ftate,wherein the famous predecelfour of your Hros- wnsse dilleauele, Nay, eogoe forward withthe confidence and reo Az fation.The Epiftle Jadon ofa man in maincaining the ruethoFC ats 7, and propagating i] Fare and neere, isthat which hath fo bound and firmely knit the hearts of| allyour Marss-ries loyall and Religious people vato fou, that your ery Name is precious among them, their eye doeth behold you with Sorafort, and they bleffeyou in cheir hearts, as that fanctified perfon , who Mader G 0 0,istheimmediare authour of their true happinelfé. And this heir contentment doeth not diminith or decay, but euery day increafeth and caketh ftrengeh, when chey obferue that che zeale of your Maiefticco- wrardsthe houleofG o p,dothnoeflacke or gor backward,bur is moreand more kindled, manifettingitelfe abroad in the furtheft parts ofCbrifiendome, by writing in defence of the Trueth, (which hath giuen fach ablow vnto thatman ofSinne, as will notbe healed) andevery day athome,by Religi- lous and learned difcourfe,by frequenting the houfe of Gop, by hearing the| word preached,by cherifhing che teacherstherof by caring for the Church] asamoft tender and louing nourcing Father. “There are infinite arguments of this right Chriftian andR eligious af feciionin your Mates t1rzbue noneis more forcible to declare ieto o- thers,then the vehement and perpetuated defire of the accomplifhing and| publifhing ofthis Worke, ‘which now with al humiliie we prefent vnc yourMarrsrie. Forwhen your Highneffehad once outof deepeiuds- ment apprehended , how conuenient it was , That out of the Originall fa. cred tongues, together withcomaring ofthe labours, bothin ourovwne and other forreigne Languages,of many worthy men who went before vs, there hould be one more exact Tranflation of the holy Scripturesinco the Englifhtongueyour Mate st tx did neuerdefift, co vrge and co excie| thole co whom ie was commended, thaethe worke might be haftened,and| thatthe bufineffe might beexpedited in fo decent a maner, asamatter of fach importance: smigheiufly requir, "And now at laft,by the Mercy of Gon,and the continuance ofourLa- bours,itbeing brought vnto {uch aconclufion, asthat we haue great hope thatthe Church of England fall reape good fruit thereby ;wehold irour duety to offerie to your M1 $11, notonely as to our King and Soue- raigne,but as co the principall moouer and Author ofthe Worke. Hum- bly crauing ofyourmot Sacred Maiefle,thatfinceshings ofthis quality haue ever Bene fubiect tothe cenfures ofill meaning and difcontented per- fons,itmay receiue approbation and Patronage from fo learned andiudi- cious a Prince as your Highneffe is, whofe allowance and acceptance of our Labours, fhall more honour and incourage vs, thenall the calumni: ons and hard iucerpretations of other men fhalldifinay vs. Socha,ifon the one fide we fhall be traduced by Popifh perfons at home or abroad, whotherefore will maligne vs, becaufe we are poore Inftrumentsto make Go nsholy Trueth to be yet more and more knowen vnto the people, whom they defire fill to keepe in ignorance and darkneffe : or ifonthe other fide, we thall be maligned by felfe- conceited brethren, who runne their owne wayes, and give liking vnto nothing but what is framed by themfelues, and hammeredon their Anuile, wemay rett fecure,{upported within by the crueth and innocencie ofa good con{cience, hauing walked the