ΤΟ THE

Moft High and Mighty Prince, JAMES, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Freland, Defender of the Faith, &c.

The Tranflators of the Bible with Grace, Mercy, and Peace, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

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YREAT 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 be fent 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 fetting of that Wright Occidental Star Queen Elizabeth, of most happy memory, fome thick and palpable clouds of darkness would have overfbadowed 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 unfettled State: the appearance of Your Majefty, as of the Sun in his ftrength, inftantly difpelled thoje fuppofed and furmifed mifts, and gave unto all that were well-affected, exceeding cause of Comfort, efpecially when we beheld the government established in Your Highness, and Your bopeful Seed, by an undoubted title, and this alfe accompanied with peace and tranquillity at bome and abroad.

But amongst all our joys there was no one that more filled our bearts, than the bleffed continuance of the preaching of God's facred Word amongst us; which is that ineflimable trea fure which excelleth all the riches of the earth, because the fruit thereof extendeth itself, not only to the time spent in this tranfitory world, but directeth and difpofeth men unto that eternal happiness 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 fate, wherein the famous Predeceffor of Your Highness did leave it: nay, to go forward gith the confidence and refolution of a man in maintaining the truth of Chrift, and propagat ing it far and near, is that which hath fo bound and firmly knit the hearts of all your Ma jefy's loyal and religious People unto You, that Your very name is precious among them, their eye doth bebold You with comfort, and they blefs You in their hearts, as that fanctified Perfon, aubo, under God, is the immediate Author of their true happiness. And this their contentment doth not diminish or decay, but every day increafeth and taketh ftrength, when they obferve that the zeal of Your Majesty towards the boufe of God doth not flack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifefting itself abroad in the fartheft parts of Christendom, by writing in defence of the truth, (which hath given fuch a blow unto that man of fin, as will not be healed) and every day at home, by religious and learned difcourfe, by frequenting the baufe of God, by hearing the Word preached, by cherishing the teachers thereof, by caring for the church, as a moft tender and loving nurfing father.

There are infinite arguments of this right chriftian and religious affection in Your Majefty: but none is more forcible to declare it to others, than the vehement and perpetuated defire of the accomplishing and publishing of this work, which now with all bumility we prefent unto Your Majefty. For when Your Highness had once out of deep judgement apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the original facred tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our own and other foreign languages, of many worthy men who went before us, there should be one more exact tranflation of the holy Scriptures into the English Tongue; Your Majefy did never defift to urge and to excite thafe to whom it was commended, that the work might be baftened, and that the business might be expedited in fo decent a manner, as a matter of fuch importance might juftly require.

And now at laf, by the mercy of God, and the continuance of our labours, it being brought unto fuch a conclufion, as that we have great hope that the church of England ball reap good. fruit thereby, we bold it our duty to offer it to Your Majefty, not only as to our King and Sovereign, but as to the paincipal mover and author of the work; humbly craving of Your aft Sacred Majefty, that fince things of this quality have ever been fubject to the cenfures of ill-meaning and difcontented perfons, is may receive approbation and patronage from fo learned and judicious a Prince, as Your Highness is, whofe allowance and acceptance of our labours all more bonour and encourage us, than all the calumniations and hard interpretations of ther men fhall difmay us. So that, if on the one fide we shall be traduced by Popi perfons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor inftruments to make God's boly 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 felf-conceited brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves,

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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 fimplicity and integrity, as before the Lord; and fuftained without, by the powerful protection of Your Majefty's grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to honeft and chriftian endeavours, against bitter cenfures and uncharitable imputations.

The Lord of heaven and earth blefs Your Majefty with many and happy days; that as his beavenly hand bath enriched Your Highness with many fingular and extraordinary graces, fo You may be the wonder of the world in this latter age, for happiness and true felicity, to the honour of that great God, and the good of his church, through Jesus Chris our Lord and only Saviour.

The Names and Order of all the Books of the Old and New Testament, with the Number of their Chapters.

¶ The Firft Book of MOSES, called GENESIS.