ESSAY FOR A New Tranflation OF THE BIBLE Wherein is fhewn, From Reafon and Authority, That all former Tranflations are Faulty; and PART I. Done out of French, with neceffary Al- LONDON: Printed for John Hepburn, at the Three Black- TO THE READER. A Sa Tranflation of nhe Holy Scrip tures, according to this Effay, would be of great use to moft Chriftians, and Tave them the expence and pains of buying and confulting Commentators; fo the ferious and impartial Confideration of the Effay it felf, may contribute to the reading of them with pleasure and profit, as they are already Tranflated. For, befides that it renders a great many places of Scri pture more truely and clearly than they have been formerly exprefs'd by any verfion, ic difcovers alfo the Source and Caufes of the Errours and Mistakes that are to be found in all Verfions; and furnishes us with plain and cafe Rules, by which Perfons of the the meanest capacity, may easily obferve the moft material Faults of Tranflations. And its Rules too have this advantage, that (in the general at least) they have the approbation of the most learned and judicious Divines of all parties. In tranflating of it, I have often made bold with the Original, adding and taking away feveral things, altering the order and number of the Chapters, and in fhort, making fuch changes both in the matter and method, as I judg'd neceffary, for the profit and pleasure of the English Reader. To this end, I have taken particular notice of feveral Faults of our English Bible, which are common to it with other Tranflations, and of fome which are almost peculiar to it felf; and I have likewise fhewn, that it has a great many Paffages better render'd than they are to be found in Some other Languages. I have, as much as poffible, left out the Greek and Hebrew, the frequent School Terms, the nice Criticisms, and multitude of Authors, which are every where cited; because they rendred the ftile rugged and unpleasant, and also unintelligi. ble 1 |