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bound to fubfcribe certain Articles of Doctrine, and other Articles or Injunctions for their Behaviour and Obedience, in the Discharge of their Ministry. By thefe laft, all Minifters were obliged to read every Day, one Chapter of the Bible at leaft; and all that were admitted Readers in the Church, were daily to read one Chapter at least of the Old Teftament, and another of the New, with good Advisement, to the Increafe of their Knowledge.

As the Bishops, and the learned fober Divines, preached much themfelves, fo they did what they could to promote it every where: But feveral People, inftructed and directed fecretly by Papifts, defpifed preaching, and abfented themfelves as much as they could from Sermons. The Priests were defperately afraid the People fhould have too much Knowledge; they would have them in Blindness ftill. And as thefe Men would fpeak their Mind against Preaching, fo would they do alfo against the common Ufe of the Scriptures. It was never a good World (would they fay) fince the Word of God came abroad; and that it was not meet for the People to have it, or read it; but they must receive it at the Prief's Mouth; they were the Nurfes (fay they) that must chew the Meat, before the Children eat it : But to thefe it was replied, It is fo poyfoned in their filthy Mouths, and flinking Breaths, that it poyfoneth, but feedeth not the Hearer.

The Geneva Bible being finifhed, was printed in Quarto Anno 1560, with an Epistle to the Queen, and another to the Reader: These Addreffes charged the English Reformation with the Remains of Popery, and endeavoured to prevail with the Queen to ftrike off feveral Ceremonies; this giving Offence, might be the Reason why they were left out in the after Editions, Brief Annotations were fet upon all the hard Places, as well for the understanding obfcure Words, as for Declaration of the Text, that is, they made a Calviniftical Comment on the Bible, and endeavoured to lead the Reader into the Opinions of the Geneva Brethren. Figures were inferted in certain Places in the Books of Mofes, Kings, and of Ezekiel, which feemed fo dark, that by no other Defcription they could be made easy to the Reader. There were joined two Tables, the one of Interpretations of Hebrew Names, and the other containing the principal Matters of the whole Bible. There was a Design afterwards, Anno 1565. for reprinting it, and fome Time had been spent in reviewing and correcting it, and Application was made to the Secretary Cecil by the Undertakers, who refufed to affift them, 'till he had confulted with Archbishop Parker. The Archbishop wrote to the Secretary in their Behalf, but with this Condition, that he should bring them under an Engagement, that the Impreffion fhould pass under the Archbishop's Regulation, and not be published without his Confent and Advice. This Caution Collier thinks was thrown in, that the Bishops might have it in their Power to alter fome mif-tranflated Paflages, and expunge fome exceptionable Annotations, relating to Civil Government. The Undertakers not being willing to come under thefe Restraints, deferred the Impreflion untill after Parker's Death: This was taken ill, and the Author of the Troubles at Franckfort maketh this Complaint, p. 164. If that Bible were fuch as no Enemy of God could juflly find fault with, then may Men marvel, that fuch a Work, being fo profitable, would find to fall

Favour,

Favour, as not to be printed again; if it be not faithfully tranflated, then let it fill find as little Favour as it doth, because of the Inconveniencies that a falfe Tranflation brings with it.

The Great Bible, was Anno 1562, reprinted, viz. that of Coverdale's Tranflation, that had been printed in the Time of King Henry the VIII, and alfo in the Time of King Edward, for the Ufe of the Church; and now again under Queen Elizabeth, having undergone the Archbifhop's Review. This was to ferve till the Bithops, who were affigned their particular Portions of the Holy Scriptures (as before related) had finished their Review, in order to the fetting it forth more correctly. This likewife was taken ill by the Favourers of the Church of Geneva, who wanted an Order to have their Tranflation fet up, and used in all Churches, instead of the old Bible. They alledged that the old Tranflation (whose-ever it is) although it ought not to be condemned, yet it is found both obfcure, unperfect, and superfluous, and also false in many Places.

In a Convocation Anno 1563, it was determined that the common Service of the Church, ought to be celebrated in a Tongue which was understood by the People, as may be feen in the Book of Articles which came out this Year, Art. 24. And whereas in Wales the People were very Popishly inclined, and very ignorant, it was ordered in Parliament, 5 Eliz. c. 28. that the whole Bible, both Old and New Teftament, with the Book of Common-Prayer, be tranflated into the Welsh or British Tongue. The Act puts the Direction of this Work into the Hands of the Bishops of Hereford, St. David, Bangor, Landaff, and St. Afaph, who were to inspect the Tranflation, and take care for the printing of fuch a Number, that every Cathedral, Collegiate, and ParishChurch and Chapel of Eafe, within their refpective Diocefes, where Welsh was commonly fpoken, might be furnished with one.

In 1568, the Tranflation of the Bible mentioned in 1759, which Archbishop Parker had the Care of, and who added the laft Hand to it, being finished, was printed in a large Folio, and published, and called the Bishops' Bible, becaufe feveral of that Order were concerned in the Verfion, as was faid before. was faid before. The Archbishop's Province was not fo much to tranflate, as to overfee, direct, examine, prepare, and finish all, which he performed with great Care and Exactness. He employed feveral Criticks, in the Hebrew and Greek Languages, to review the old Tranflation, and compare it with the Original. One Lawrence an eminent Grecian was made ufe of to examine the Verfion of the Greek Teftament: He made feveral Animadverfions upon the Performances of Beza and Erafmus this way. This Bible hath divers Alterations in the Tranflation, from the former English ones, which fhews it to have been all revised anew; and there are divers Notes fet in the Margin by the Archbishop, very fignificant and inflructive, but different from the Notes of Tyndal and Coverdale. At the head of this Bible is a Preface of the Archbishop's, in which he recommends the Work, but takes care to preserve a Refpect to the Verfion published by Archbishop Cranmer: He obferves the Impreflion was in a great measure spent, and that many Churches were unfurnished with convenient Bibles, The Scarcity of Copies, was one Reason for the under

taking

taking the Work: neither was any thing done to difparage the former Tranflation, which they moftly followed, and esteemed next to the Original. And as for the Variety of Tranflations, they are to be looked upon as a fpecial Bleffing of Providence, that by this Means the Divine Pleafure is farther communicated, and a fuller Provision made for general Inftruction, and the Perplexity of the Text often difintangled.

The next Year 1569, the Archbishop put out another Impreffion of it in large Octavo, for the Ufe of private Families, which could not purchase the Folio, that fo they might be fupplied with the Sacred Bible. And in a Convocation convened 1571, in April, a Book of Canons paffed, wherein it was required, That every Bishop fhould caufe the Holy Bible in the largest Volume, to be fet up in fome convenient Place of bis Hall or Parlour, that as well thofe of his own Family, as all fuch Strangers as refort to him, might have recourfe to it, if they pleafed. Which Canon feems to have been made for keeping up the Reputation of the English Bibles, publickly authorized for the Ufe of this Church, the Credit and Authority of which Tranflation, was much decried by thofe of the Genevean Faction, to advance their own.

This Bible was again reprinted the next Year 1572, with feveral Corrections and Amendments: Before it is a Preface by Archbishop Parker on the Old Teftament, and another to the New, together with Cranmer's Prologue before the Bible. It hath all along many Marginal References and Notes, and many ornamental Cuts, and inftructive Pictures difperfed up and down, and divers ufeful Tables.

In 1575 there was a Convocation, when on the 17th of March, Archbishop Grindal being prefent, feveral Articles were read, and afterwards fubfcribed by both Houses, for the Regulation of the Clergy. By the Eleventh the Bishops were to take Care, That all Incumbents and Curates under the Degree of Mafter of Arts, and not Preachers, fhould provide themselves the New Teftament, both in Latin and English ar Welfh, read a Chapter every Day, and compare the Tranflations together.

And in 1583 Archbishop Whitgift published his Vifitation Articles, wherein it was ordered, That one Kind of Tranflation of the Bible be only ufed in public Service, as well in Churches as Chapels, and that to be the fame which is now authorized by the Confent of the Bishops. From whence it is probable the Archbishop might be fenfible, the Geneva Tranflation was ufed in fome Parishes.

Wood in his Athena Oxonienfes, Vol. 1. p. 297. tells us one Lawrence Thompson, an under Secretary to Secretary Walfingham, made a new Verhon of the New Teftament from Beza's Latin Tranflation, together with Tranilation of Beza's Notes, but very feldom varied from the Geneva Tranflation.

And now the Proteftants had made Tranflations of the Bible, into the Languages of their feveral Countries, that the People might read the Holy Scriptures. Hereupon the Romanifts made new Tranflations alfo, into moft Languages of Europe, to oppofe thofe of the Hereticks (as they called them) and to keep the Faithful (those of their

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Communion, they mean) from reading Tranflations made by Proteftants; with this Difference, that the Papifts have tranflated from the Vulgar Latin, as being not only better than all other Latin Translations, but than the Greek of the New Testament itself, in thofe Places where they difagree, as they would make their Adverfaries themselves confefs; whereas the Proteftants would have had recourse to the Hebrew and Greek, which they look upon as true Originals. When they could not altogether fupprefs the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, whereby their Errors are difcovered, they thought it the next Way for their Purpose, by their partial Tranflation, as much as they could, to obfcure them, and by their Heretical Annotations to pervert them, that the one should make them unprofitable, the other also hurtful. Thus Anno 1582, came forth the Rhemifh Tranflation of the New Testament, neither good Greek, Latin, nor English, being every where befpeckled with hard Words, (pretended not to be rendered into English without Abatement of fome Expreflivenefs) which tranfcended common Capacities; befides it is taxed of abominable Errors therein. They tell us, in the Preface, They do not publish this Tranflation upon an erroneous Opinion of Neceffity that the Holy Scriptures should always be in our Mother Tongue, or that they ought, or were ordained by God, to be read indifferently of all; or could be easily underflood of every one, that readeth or heareth them in a known Language; or that they were not often, through Mens Malice or Infirmity, pernicious and much hurtful to many; or that they generally and abfolutely deemed it more convenient in itfelf, and more agreeable to God's Word and Honour, or Edification of the Faithful, to have them turned into vulgar Tongues, than to be kept and studied only in the Ecclefiaftical learned Languages; or that every one who underflood the learned Languages wherein the Scriptures were written, or other Languages into which they were tranflated, might, without Reprehenfion, read them; not for these or any fuch like Caufes did they tranflate this facred Book; but having Compaffion to fee their beloved Countrymen, with extreme Danger of their Souls (as they would have them believe) to ufe fuch profane Tranflations, and erroneous Mens mere Fancies, for the pure and bleed Word of Truth, they set forth the New Teftament to begin withal, trufting that it may give Occafion to them, after diligent perufing thereof, to lay away at least fuch impure Verfions (as they termed them) as hitherto they have made ufe of. They added large Annotations, to fhew (they faid) the ftudious Reader, in moft Places pertaining to the Controverfies of thofe Times, both the Heretical Corruptions, and false Deductions, and also the Apoftolick Tradition, the Expofitions of the Holy Fathers, the Decrees of the Catholick Church, and most ancient Councils. It was printed in large Paper, with a fair Letter and Margin; which fome interpreted to be purpofely done, to enhance the Price, to put it paft the Power of common People to purchase it. But if the Lay Romanifts fhould fecretly purchase one of these Rhemish Teftaments, he durft not own the reading thereof, without the Permiffion of his Superiours licenfing him thereunto.

Secretary Walfingham, by his Letters, folicited Mr. Thomas Cartwright to undertake the confuting this Rhemifb Tranflation; and the better to enable him to undertake the Work, fent him an Hundred Pounds out of his own Purfe. Walsingham's Letters to Cartwright, are feconded

by

by another from the Doctors and Heads of Houfes (and Dr. Fulk amongst the raft) at Cambridge, befides the Importunity of the Minifters of London and Suffolk, foliciting him to the fame Purpofe. Hereupon Cartwright fet to the Bufinefs, and was very forward in the Pursuance thereof; of which Archbishop Whitgift had no fooner Notice, but prefently he prohibited his farther Proceeding therein. Many commended his Care, not to intrust the Defence of the Doctrine of the Church of England, to a Pen fo difaffected to the Difcipline thereof. Others blamed his Jealoufy, to deprive the Church of fo learned Pains of him whofe Judgement would fo folidly, and Affections fo zealously confute the publick Adverfary. Difheartened hereat, Cartwright desisted; but fome Years hereafter, encouraged by a Perfon of Quality, he re-affumed the Work, but, prevented by Death, perfected no farther than the 15th Chapter of the Revelations. Many Years lay this Work neglected, and the Copy thereof Moufe-eaten in part, whence the Printer excufed fome Defects therein in his Edition, which though late, yet at last came forth Anno 1618. Mean time whilst Cartwright's Refutation of the Rhemis Tranflations was thus retarded, Dr. William Fulk, Mafter of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, entered the Lift against it, judicioufly and learnedly performing his Undertaking therein.

The Rhemifts profefs in their Preface to the New Teftament, That the Old Teftament alfo lieth by them, for lack of good Means to publish the Whole in fuch fort, as a Work of fo great Charge and Importance requireth. Out of Fear it arifeth, that they which hitherto could not endure the Holy Scriptures to be read of the People in their Mother Tongue, now Jeft they should utterly fall from the Hope of their Gain, through a vehement Sufpicion of fugling and playing under-board with the People, are constrained to profefs a Readiness to print that, which they fometimes burned, and pretend an Allowance of that, which in Times paft they condemned. They were wont to boaft of the Zeal of Popes, Cardinals, and other great Prelates of the Romish Sect, for the Converfion of our Nation, and reducing it unto their Obedience: Were they all fo ftrait-laced, that none of them could find wherewith to bear the Charges of printing a Work fo neceflary, or at leaft-wife profitable, as they pretend the Tranflations of the Scriptures to be for the Maintenance of the Catholick Religion? But about fome Twenty Years after, that long-looked for Work crept forth into the World, little Notice being taken thereof by the Proteftants, partly because there was no great Eminency therein to intitle it to their Perufal; and partly because that Part of the Bible is of leaft Concernment in the Controverfy betwixt us and the Church of Rome.

In the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, Ambrose Usher, Brother to Dr. James Uber, Primate of Ardmagh, having attained to great Skill and Perfection in the Oriental Tongues, rendered much of the Old Teftament from the original Hebrew into English, but it was never made publick.

King James the Firft being come to the Crown Anno 1603, the Prefbyterian Party made their Application speedily to him, in Hopes to have their Government fet up. And the King having received a Pesition from certain Perfons of over zealous Spirits, against the Establish

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