Part 14

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.

=Searche therefore=, good reader (on God’s name), as Christe byddeth thee the holy scripture, wherein thou mayest find thy saluation: Let not the volume of this booke (by Gods owne warrant) depart from thee but occupie thy selfe therein in the whole journey of this [Sidenote: Psal. i.] thy wordly pilgrimage, to vnderstand thy way howe to walke ryghtly before hym all the dayes of thy lyfe. Remember that the prophete David pronounceth hym the blessed man whiche wyll muse in the lawe of God [Sidenote: Psal. cxix.] both day and night, remember that he calleth him blessed whiche walketh in the way of the Lorde, which wyll searche diligently his testimonies, and wyll in their whole heart seeke the same. Let not the couert suspicious insinuations of the adversaries driue thee from the searche of the holy scripture, either for the obscuritie whiche they say is in them, or for the inscrutable hidden misteries they talke to be comprised in them, or for the straungnes and homlynes of the phrases they would charge Gods booke with. Christe exhorteth thee therefore the rather for the difficultie of the same, to searche them diligently. [Sidenote: Hebr. v. 1 Cor. xiiii.] Saint Paul wylleth thee to haue thy senses exercised in them, and not to be a chylde in thy senses, but in malice. Though many thinges may be difficulte to thee to vnderstand, impute it rather to thy dull hearing and reading, then to thinke that the scriptures be insuperable, to them whiche with diligent searching labour to discern the evil from the good. [Sidenote: Math. vii.] Only searche with an humble spirite, aske in continuall prayer, seek with puritie of life, knocke with perpetuall perseueraunce, and crye to that good spirite of Christe the Comforter: and surely to euery suche asker it wyll be geuen, such searchers must nedes finde, to them it wylbe opened. Christ hym selfe wyll open the sense of the scriptures, [Sidenote: Math. xi. Esai. lxi.] not to the proude, or to the wyse of the worlde, but to the lowly and contrite in heart; [Sidenote: 1 Cor. xii.] for he hath the kay of Dauid, who openeth and no man shutteth, who shutteth and no man openeth. [Sidenote: Apoc. iii.] For as this spirite is a bening and liberall spirite, and wyll be easyly founde of them which wyll early in carefulnesse ryse to seeke hym, [Sidenote: Sapi i.] and as he promiseth he will be the comforter from aboue to teache vs, and to leade vs into all the wayes of truth, [Sidenote: Iob xiiii.] if that in humilitie we bowe vnto hym, deniyng our owne naturall senses, our carnall wittes and reasons: [Sidenote: Sapi i.] so is he the spirite of puritie and cleannes, and will receede from him, whose conscience is subiect to filthynesse of lyfe. Into suche a soule this heavenly wysdome wyll not enter, for all peruerse cogitations wyll separate vs from God: [Sidenote: Psal. lxviii.] and then howe busyly soeuer we searche this holy table of the scripture, yet will it then be a table to suche to their owne snare, a trap, a stumbling stocke, and a recompense to them selfe. We ought therefore to searche to finde out the trueth, not to oppresse it, we ought to seeke Christe, not as Herode did vnder the pretence of worshipping hym to destroy hym, or as the Pharisees searched the scriptures to disproue Christe, and to discredite him, and not to folowe him; but to embrace the saluation whiche we may learne by them. Nor yet is it inough so to acknowledge the scriptures as some of the Iewes dyd, of the holyest of them, who vsed such diligence, that they could number precisely, not only euery verse, but euery word and sillable, how oft euery letter of the alphabete was repeated in the whole scriptures: They had some of them suche reuerence to that booke, that they woulde not suffer in a greate heape of bookes, any other to lay over them, they woulde not suffer that booke to fall to the grounde as nye as they coulde, they woulde costly bynde the bookes of holy scriptures, and cause them to be exquisitely and ornately written. Whiche deuotion yet though it was not to be discommended, yet was it not for that intent, why Christe commended the scriptures, nor they therof alowed before God: For they did not call vpon God in a true fayth. they were not charitable to their neighbours, but in the middes of all this deuotion, they did steale, they were adulterers, they were slaunderers and backbiters, euen muche like many of our Christian men and women nowe a dayes, who glory muche that they reade the scriptures, that they searche them and loue them, that they frequente the publique sermons in an outwarde shewe of all honestie and perfection, yea they can pike out of the scriptures vertuous sentenses and godly preceptes to lay before other men. And though these maner of men do not muche erre for suche searching and studying, yet they see not the scope and the principall state of the scriptures, which is as Christe declareth it, to finde Christe as their Sauiour, to cleaue to his saluation and merites, and to be brought to the lowe repentaunce of their liues, and to amend them selfe, to rayse vp their fayth to our Sauiour Christe, so to thinke of him as the scriptures do testifie of hym. These be the principall causes why Christe did sende the Iewes to searche the scriptures: for to this ende were they wrytten, saith Saint Iohn, Hae scripta sunt ut credatis, et vt credentes vitam habeatis eternam. These were written to this intent, that ye shoulde beleue, [Sidenote: Iohn xx.] and that through your beliefe ye shoulde haue euerlasting life.