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Section 10 (of 18) A.V. Bible PREFACE - The Translators to the Reader
 The Translators to the Reader 
 Original A.V. Bible Preface 


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 Section 10 

[The unwillingness of our chief adversaries,
that the Scriptures should be divulged in the mother tongue, etc.]

• 10:1 Now the Church of Rome would seem at the length to bear a motherly affection towards her children, and to allow them the Scriptures in their mother tongue: but indeed it is a gift, not deserving to be called a gift, an unprofitable gift: [dwron adwron kouk onhsimon. Sophocles.] they must first get a licence in writing before they may use them, and to get that, they must approve themselves to their confessor, that is, to be such as are, if not frozen in the dregs, yet soured with the leaven of their superstition.
• 10:2 Howbeit, it seemed too much to Clement the Eighth that there should be any licence granted to have them in the vulgar tongue, and therefore he overruleth and frustrateth the grant of Pius the Fourth. [See the observation (set forth by Clement's authority) upon the 4th rule of Pius the IV's making in the Index, lib. prohib. pag. 15. ver. 5.]
• 10:3 So much are they afraid of the light of Scripture, (Lucifugæ Scripturarum, as Tertullian speaketh) [Tertul. de resur. carnis.] that they will not trust the people with it, no not as it is set forth by their own sworn men, no not with the licence of their own bishops and inquisitors.
• 10:4 Yea, so unwilling they are to communicate the Scriptures to the people's understanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confess that we forced them to translate it into English against their wills.
• 10:5 This seemeth to argue a bad cause, or a bad conscience, or both.
• 10:6 Sure we are, that it is not he that hath good gold that is afraid to bring it to the touchstone, but he that hath the counterfeit; neither is it the true man that shunneth the light, but the malefactor, lest his deed should be reproved: [John 3:20] neither is it the plain dealing merchant that is unwilling to have the weights or the meteyard brought in place, but he that useth deceit.
• 10:7 But we will let them alone for this fault, and return to translation.

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Section 10 Footnotes --
#f39 "them to translate" - Referring to the Roman Catholic English version from the corrupt Latin Vulgate (not the pre catholic "Old Latin" vulgate.) Their new testament was published at Rheims in 1582, and the old testament at Douai around 1609-1610. (Their "Gunpowder Plot" to blow up King James and the Parliament, to stop the translation of the King James Version failed, but they managed to publish before 1611. Their rush to publish resulted in a version more corrupt than the Vulgate.)

#f40 AV John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
AV John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
AV John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.


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